Clan Abercrombie (Abercrombie Tartan)

1. Clan Abercrombie History

In 1296, William de Abercromby honored Edward I of England for his lands in the Abercromby parish in the province of Fife. The family's ancestry was moved to Abercromby of Birkenbog in Banffshire at the beginning of the seventeenth century.

There are various further reasons why religious conflict has played a large role in the history of the Abercrombie family, in addition to the fact that Alexander Abercromby got the estates in Banff from the Bishop of Aberdeen in 1362.

Robert Abercromby (1534–1613), a Jesuit priest assigned to the Scottish mission, was vehemently opposed to the Reformation and its effects on the Scottish church.

The most well-known accusation against him is that just before she passed away, he converted Queen Anne of Denmark, the wife of James VI, to Catholicism.

Similar to other doctrinal disagreements, Alexander Abercromby's conversion to the Covenanter movement was motivated by Charles I's imposition of the Episcopal church in Scotland.

As a result of the Marquis of Montrose's disastrous attempt to reimpose Charles I's reign by stationing troops at Birkenbog, this was a risky and defiant posture that was punished.

David Abercromby joined the Jesuit order after completing his studies in Douai and, like his forefathers before him, rejected the Protestant faith when he returned home.

Though he later became a Protestant, in 1682 he published the well-known treatise "Protestancy Proved Safer Than Popery" in protest of the Pope's authority.

A military connection is valued equally in Abercromby's history.

As the British army withdrew from Europe and the Napoleonic wars got under way in 1795, Sir Ralph Abercromby (1734–1801), one of the greatest military reformers, acted as Wellington's tutor.

The army's final success over Napoleon is attributed to Abercromby's reform of the force.

One of his other notable achievements was the seizure of the Spanish island of Trinidad for the British throne. He had been in charge of a fight against the French in the West Indies since 1795. He contributed much more to the Egypt battle by directing the forces that drove the French out of the vital Battle of Alexandria bastion of Aboukir. His successors received awards that are comparable in other professions and show his military competence.

In recognition of the clan's prominence outside of their own nation, his widow was bestowed the title Baroness Abercromby of Aboukir and Tullibody.

2. Clan Abercrombie Tartans

Wilsons of Bannockburn first made reference to this tartan in 1805. According to reports, it was created by Wilsons around the tail end of the 18th century and was given Sir Ralph Abercrombie's name.

Logan documented the sett in about 1831, but because of how "clumsy" his documented thread count was and because of the numerous "aberrations" in some of his data, James Scarlett suggested that modifications could be made.

However, the changes that were made to produce the generally accepted version of Abercrombie are not those Scarlett originally proposed.

Threads: G/28 W4 G14 K14 B4 K4 B/14

The "modern" colors are woven in dark tones, while the "ancient" colors are weaved in lighter tones.

Springweight, lightweight, mediumweight, and heavyweight versions of Abercrombie Modern are offered.

Medium and Heavyweight versions of Abercrombie Ancient are offered.

Go to Abercrombie Ancient Tartan Page >

Go to Abercrombie Modern Tartan Page >

3. Clan Abercrombie Crest & Coats of Arms

Clan Abercrombie Crest

Worn by all of the name and ancestry

Crest: A falcon rising belled, Proper

Armorial bearings Coats of arms information A coat of arms is granted to a person in accordance with Scottish heraldic legislation (civic or corporate arms are an exception). 'Family coat of arms' are a myth. Unless otherwise noted, the weapons depicted below are personal weapons. These weapons may only be used by the person who received them.

ABERCROMBIE of Birkenbog
Argent, a chevron, Gules, between three boars’ heads, erased, Azure.

 ABERCROMBIE of Birkenbog

Argent, a chevron, Gules, between three boars’ heads, erased, Azure. 

ABERCROMBIE of Glassauch
Argent a chevron indented Gules between three boars’ heads erased Azure.

ABERCROMBY of Tullibody
Argent a chevron indented Gules between three boars’ heads erased Azure armed Or and langued Sable in the middle chief point a crescent Ver

1) Sir Robert John ABERCROMBY7th Bt
Chief of the Clan Abercromby
2) Sir Ian George ABERCROMBY OF BIRKENBOG10th Bt|
1) Sir Robert John ABERCROMBY7th Bt
Chief of the Clan Abercromby
2) Sir Ian George ABERCROMBY OF BIRKENBOG10th Bt|

Quarterly 1st & 4th Argent, between three erased boar heads of Azure langued, a chevron Gules. A lion passant guardant Argent, capped with an imperial crown, appears every first and fourth quarter. Third and second argent, three papingos Gules with a vert beak and members.

1) John Joseph ABERCROMBIE of Carolina
2) Francis Patterson ABERCROMBIE
USA
Argent on a chevron Gules between three boars’ heads erased Azure langued of the field an antique crown Or.

1) George Ralph ABERCROMBY
4th Baron Abercromby
2) John ABERCROMBY
5th Baron Abercromby
Argent, a fess embattled Gules, issuing therefrom a dexter arm embowed in armour proper garnished Or, the hand supporting the French standard in bend sinister also proper, and in base (the ancient family Arms of Abercromby) a chevron indented Gules between three boar heads erased Azure.  

Alexander ABERCROMBY MD Cape Town

A chevron between two erased boar heads in chief and a bee flying in the air in base, all counterchanged, are part of the combined colors of argent and gules.

4. Clan Abercrombie Places & People

4.1 Abercrombie Castle

The Abercrombie family's residence was Abercrombie Castle, which is no longer standing and whose precise location is uncertain.

4.2 Menstrie house

A baronial mansion house from the 16th century is called Menstrie House. It was constructed using the wreckage of Menstrie Castle.
A notable individual is the illustrious soldier and statesman Sir Ralph Abercrombie, who was born in October 1734 at Menstrie Castle but raised on his father's Tullibody estate.

4.3 Airthrey Castle

Airthrey Castle was a property of The Abercrombie Family in the nineteenth century. The Castle, which is currently a part of the University of Stirling, is located immediately north of Stirling.

The missionary Robert Haldane (1764–1842), whose family had owned the land since 1759, commissioned the construction of Airthrey Castle in 1791.

A battleground where King Kenneth I beat the Picts to unify Scotland in 839 may be marked by two standing stones at the castle. Sir Robert Abercromby (1740–1827), who bought the estate in 1798, received it. In 1819, Abercromby found the bones of an ancient whale in Airthrey, and he donated it to the Natural History Museum at the University of Edinburgh.

During World War II, Airthrey Castle was converted into a maternity hospital, and it remained in this capacity after Stirling County Council acquired the estate in 1946. In 1966, the University received the property.

 4.4 Abercrombie People

Sir Ralph Abercrombie (1734 – 1801)

Served in the Seven Years War before being elected as the Clackmannanshire MP. Although he led the landing at Aboukir Bay and advanced to the rank of Major-General, he was killed in action.

John Abercromby, 5th Baron Abercromby (1841 – 1924)

Lieutenant John Abercromby served in the Rifle Brigade. He received an honorary Doctorate of Law from the University of Edinburgh in Edinburgh, Scotland.

On October 3, 1917, he succeeded as the 5th Baron Abercromby and served as president of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland.

He devoted himself to languages, travel, and folklore after quitting the service in 1870. He coined the term "Beaker" in 1904 to refer to the peculiar drinking containers that were being discovered all over Europe.

He sponsored and presided over the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland from 1913 to 1918. Vere Gordon Childe and Stuart Piggott currently hold the Abercromby Chair of Archaeology at the University of Edinburgh, which was established by his will.

A study of Bronze Age pottery in Europe is one of his books.