Clan Carruthers
Clan Carruthers is a Lowland Scottish clan of the Scottish Borders headed by their Chief, Simon Peter Carruthers of Holmains and is recognised as such by the Lord Lyon King of Arms.
A Clan Chief of Carruthers was confirmed after over 12 years of research and investigation by the official representatives of Carruthers internationally; Clan Carruthers Society. This research was headed by Dr George Carruthers from Fife, now the Clan/Family Convenor, assisted in his efforts by Mr Antony Maxwell, a renowned Scottish heraldist from Edinburgh.
The Society, based in Scotland with regional representatives worldwide, took the official and legal route through the auspices of the Lord Lyon King of Arms in Edinburgh. After 20 months of analysis of the petitioned evidence and proofs, on 19 August 2019, and after over 200 years, a Chief was confirmed by the Lord Lyon.
This takes Clan Carruthers from armigerous status to attaining legal recognition and thus becoming a 'Noble Incorporation' in Scots law. Carruthers is now an officially recognised Scottish clan internationally with all that that entails.
History
Origins
The surname of Carruthers arose in Dumfriesshire and it appears to allude to the ancient British fort called Caer Rydderch or Rythyr. The historian George Fraser Black asserted that this means fort of Rydderch, with Ryderch appearing to be a form of personal name.In the thirteenth century the chiefly family of Carruthers of Carruthers rose to become stewards of Annandale under the Clan Bruce. The historian George Fraser Black writes of Nigel de Karruthers, a cleric who was also Rector of Ruthwell in 1380, and rose to become Canon of Glasgow Cathedral in 1351. He was also named as chancellor to Robert, High Steward of Scotland in 1344. At around the same time, 1320 the chiefly family of Carruthers acquired the lands of Musfald.
16th century
The Carruthers of Mouswald line came to an end with Sir Simon Carruthers, 10th of Mouswald who was killed in 1548 during a border raid, and his daughters were placed under the guardianship of the Clan Douglas.The Carruthers of Holmains line, however, continued to prosper and in 1542 their lands were erected into a free barony. John Carruthers of Howmains was indicted, along with Edward Irvine of Bonshaw, for an assault on Kirkpatrick of Closeburn in 1563, as well as for slaying several other persons. In 1587 the Clan Carruthers was included on the roll of "unruly clans" in the West Marches.
18th century to modern period
The Carruthers estate of Howmains was lost in 1772 when a financial disaster overwhelmed the family. However, in the 1500s a younger son of the family became the progenitor of the Dormont cadet line having acquired the estate in Dumfriesshire. Carruthers of Dormont still holds that estate to the present day. However, as proven descendants of Holmains line exist, it is from this line the current chief has been confirmedA notable member of the clan was Colonel Francis Carruthers who served in Egypt and in the Boer War. From 1915 to 1919 he was assistant director at the War Office. He was also a brigadier in the Royal Company of Archers as well as being Lord Lieutenant of Dumfries.
The current Chief of Clan Carruthers was confirmed on 19 August 2019 by the Lord Lyon.
Armorial History
The changes to the arms and crest from the first Arms of Mouswald through to Holmains and Dormont to the present day show some important changes.Ancient Recorded Arms of Carruthers of Carruthers
1) Or, two chevrons engrailed Sable,2) Or two chevrons engrailed Azure
Recorded Arms of Carruthers of Mouswald
3) Gules, a chevron between three fleur de lys Or and finally,4) Gules, a chevron between three fleur de lys Argent.
The first two bore a striking resemblance to another family of the time, the McClennans and the latter two the Brownes/Brouns of Carsluith and Coulston. The suspicion is that the second shield was wrongly recorded by the herald William Pont as an error in describing the colour of the chevrons as Azure rather than Sable, as in blazon #1. The Arms of Sir Simon are considered to have been used by the family prior to his blazon being recorded.
Recorded Arms of Carruthers of Holmains
The heraldic turmoil of some five centuries was finally brought to order with the passing of what is known as the Lyon Act of 1672 which required that the Scottish King of Arms, the Lord Lyon, and his heralds to keep a permanent ‘Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland’.The heralds were given a year to record in the new register all arms of those entitled to bear arms and to grant or matriculate new arms to those found "virtuous and well deserving". The then Chief of the clan, John Carruthers 9th of Holmains rationalised and merged the Carruthers arms in 1672 and finalised the colours on the Chiefs arms to red and gold. These combined the ancient arms of Carruthers and the arms of the last Mouswald Chief, Simon Carruthers, to reflect those that are recognisable as the arms of the Carruthers Chief today.
The Holmains Arms recorded in the Register, are therefore the principal and chiefly arms of the name Carruthers, currently borne by Dr Simon Carruthers of Holmains, Chief of the Name and Arms of Carruthers:
They are blazoned; Gules, two chevrons engrailed between three fleur de lys Or,
They remain the personal and visual signature of the Chief and cannot be used without his permission.
Matriculation of Arms
As is the case of all petitions for arms from whatever family/clan, any subsequent arms granted to a Carruthers after Holmains require two distinct differences on the shield from that of the arms of the chief.This is reflected by Carruthers of Dormont who, on registering their own arms in 1913, added a gold border around the Holmains arms. As the second difference they also used chevronels engrailed rather than the larger chevrons, while keeping the Seraphim volant proper as their crest and the clan chiefs motto of Prompts et Fidelis - Ready and Faithful.
The penultimate Carruthers Armiger granted Arms was those of the Carruthers Society Convenor registered in 2017. They followed the differences of Dormont to chevronels rather than chevrons but replaced the Fleur d-lis in the bass with a pheon, as their second difference.
The crest of these arms continues with angelic theme; the Archangel Michael pinning the beast proper with the motto individualised as; Non Sto Solus - I do not stand alone.
These arms are Blazoned: Gules, two chevronels engrailed between in chief two fleurs-de-lys and in base a pheon Or.
Carruthers Crests
To date all registered Carruthers arms have maintained an angelic figure as their crest. When reproducing the seraphim from the Chiefs crest, a face is always depicted on the seraphim along with the six wings. This mirrors the pictorial reproductions by both religious and heraldic artists through the ages when depicting a Seraphim Proper.Chief of Carruthers
Although Carruthers held the land of Carruthers itself for at least 3 generations before that, the first recognised chiefs began with Thomas Carruthers, 1st of Mouswald. For services given, Thomas received a charter of land to include Mouswald, from King Robert the Bruce in 1320.The House of Mouswald, extending their lands over time, becoming a barony.
However, they became extinct in 1548 with the death of the then Chief, Sir Simon Carruthers 10th of Mouswald, 6th Baron, who was killed on a border raid. He left no male heir.
After Mouswald's demise, the chiefship passed to the next in line, that being the barony of Carruthers of Holmains, of which the progenitor was John Carruthers, Kings Chancellor of Annandale, younger brother of Thomas 1st Mouswald.
Holmains are the direct descendants of John Carruthers, younger brother of Thomas 1st of Mouswald.
The Holmains chiefly line continued unbroken until the death of John Carruthers, 12th of Holmains and 8th Baron, who passed in 1809. Because no one took up the mantle, the Chiefship lay dormant for 210 years.
This changed on 19 August 2019 when, after two court hearings, presided over by the Lord Lyon and a full analysis of the evidence presented before him, the Lord Lyon confirmed Dr Simon Peter Carruthers of Holmains, Chief of the Name and Arms of Carruthers.
Dr Carruthers, known as Peter, is the 4x great grandson of John 12th of Holmains and a direct descendant of the line of Carruthers going back to at least the 10th century.
Further, on 26 November 2020, the Lord Lyon granted additaments to the Arms of the Chief of Carruthers to include two fallow deer bucks Rampant as supporters on a compartment of heathland, on which is strewn gorse in flower.
To be fully confirmed Chief an inauguration must take place.
Chief’s Inauguration
On 24 August 2024, Simon Peter Carruthers was officially inaugurated as Chief of Carruthers in his Ancestral homelands of Annandale, Scotland during the Annan Festival. He was presented with his Letters Patent by Sir Crispin Agnew of Lochnaw, Albany Herald Extraordinary the representative of the Lord Lyon, King of Arms on behalf of the Sovereign.Four symbols of his office were presented by the Shennachie, Dr George Carruthers FSA Scot, to the Chief. Those being an embossed family bible, a balmoral with three eagle feathers, a gold ring engraved with his arms and a cromach. An oath of loyalty and to uphold the name of Carruthers in a manner deserving of its respect was given by the Chief to the clan and family. The Shennachie on behalf of all the elders and stewards gave an oath of fealty and loyalty to the Chief, and an oath of fealty and loyalty was then given by all members of the clan to the Chief. Carruthers giving the oath were from the local area, other parts of the UK, Africa, Australasia, Canada, Europe, and the United States of America.
After which the Reverend John Pickles, minister of the Church of Scotland for the parishes Annan, Brydekirk, Dalton and Hightae, gave readings from Psalms and the Gospel of St Luke. The Reverend led all present in prayers and according to ancient tradition as a member of the kirk, gave his blessing to the Chief and then to all those gathered.
The Shennachie invited all chiefs present to give greetings. The Chiefs of clan Irving; Rupert Irving of Bonshaw, Hunter; Madam Pauline Hunter of Hunterson, Hanney; Dr David Hanney of Kirkdale, MacArthur; John MacArthur of that Ilk and the Commander of Clan McEwen; Sir John McEwen of Marchmont and Bardrochat gave their warm best wishes and Ross McEwen Esq, FSA Scot gave greetings from the Buchanan Chief; Michael Buchanan of Buchanan. The Chief responded with kind words and best wishes to all concerned and the Shennachie closed the inauguration with an emotional statement that what he had begun in 2007 had been officially and legally completed on this day.
During the gathering afterwards, further appointments were made by the Chief onto his Council.