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I AM READY
Clan Crest © Art Pewter Silver Ltd,
East Kilbride, Scotland |
FRASER of LOVAT TARTAN |
| The Frasers are of Norman origin. In 1160 the Frasers held lands in East Lothian. A descendant, Simon, was a leading supporter of both Sir William Wallace and King Robert the Bruce. As a result of marriage, he acquired Bisset lands in Inverness-shire which became the seat of the clan. He was captured by the English and taken to London and executed, reportedly with great cruelty. His successor, Sir Andrew, acquired the lands of Lovat in Inverness-shire through his wife, in 1367. Since his eldest son, Simon, the Chief of Clan Fraser of Lovat is styled MacShimi, son of Simon.
In the 15th century Sir Hugh Fraser was raised to the peerage as Lord Fraser of Lovat. In 1544 a battle between the Frasers and MacDonalds of Clanranald took place which became known as the Battle of the Field of Shirts because the men threw off their heavy plaids, in the heat of the day. The battle, which took place by the shores of Loch Lochy resulted in hundreds of men dying and included the loss of the chief and his heir. They were buried at Beauly Priory.
The famous Simon, Lord Lovat was beheaded for his part in the Jacobite rising of 1745, and the Lovat peerage attained with the clan estates subsequently being forfeited. On the extinction of the direct line in 1815 the Chiefship passed to Fraser of Strichen. In 1837 the peerage was restored and Thomas Fraser of Strichen was created Baron Lovat.
Simon, Lord Lovat was an outstanding military leader in World War II. Of him Winston Churchill wrote to Stalin, and quoted Byron by saying that he was “the mildest mannered man that ever scuttles a ship or cut a throat”. The Lovat family seat is in Beauly.
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