Clan Armstrong
Encyclopedia
Clan Armstrong is an armigerous clan
whose origins lie in Cumberland
, south of the frontier between Scotland
and England
which was officially established in 1237.
The Clan is currently represented globally by the official Clan Armstrong Trust in the Scottish border region. The President of the Armstrong Clan Trust is Micheil Armstrong of Mungbyhurst CA,FCI,FSA SCOT, KLJ. The Clan Trust has a museum in Langholm
, Dumfriesshire, which holds the biggest archive of Armstrong history in the world. Clan meetings take place each summer with a formal gathering every second year.
Clan - the Turnbulls. It is said that he lifted the King , who was dressed in full armour
, onto his own horse with one arm after the King's horse had been killed under him in battle. The family crest
, an upraised and embowed arm with a grasping hand, records this act of heroism that was said to have been rewarded with a heritable title (Sir Strong Arm, Anglicised to Armstrong) and a grant of lands in the Borders region..
The first existing written reference listing them in the region is from a 1236 Carlisle court record of one Adam Armstrong being pardoned for killing a man. The first existing reference specifically locating them in Liddesdale
in Roxburghshire
, which would become their family seat, is in 1376. Liddesdale was also the seat of their unquestioned power in the region. That allowed them to expand into Annandale
and Eskdale
to accommodate their growing population. It is reputed that by 1528 they were able to put 3000 horsemen in the field.
with King James V who, unknown to Gilnockie, had the malicious intent to silence the rebellious Borderers. The ruse succeeded. Gilnockie and fifty of his followers were captured in direct violation of the safe conduct.
A Royal order to hang them was issued, again in violation of James' own writ of safety, and despite several pleas for the King to be lenient in exchange for obedience, it was carried out. Defiant to the last, Gilnockie said these words directly to King James V:
"I am but a fool to seek grace at a graceless face, but had I known you would have taken me this day, I would have lived in the Borders despite King Harry and you both." His defiance is commemorated and echoed in the soulful popular Border ballad, "Johnie Armstrong":
"Farewell! my bonny Gilnock Hall
Where on Esk side thou standest stout !
Gif I had lived but seven yeirs mair
I wad a gilt thee round about
John murdered was at Carlinrigg
And all his gallant companie;
But Scotland's heart was ne'er sae wae
To see sae mony brave men die."
This murderous act by James V inflamed the Borders region. Far from pacifying, it caused all the Border Clans to question their allegiance to a King who would not honor his own writ of safety. In 1542 at the Battle of Solway Moss
, none of the Armstrongs or their allies came to assist James' forces. The Moss was the playground of the Armstrongs, and they knew every inch of it and used it as a safe retreat for themselves and their families for centuries. Those of James' forces who tried to use it so fell into the bogs and were drowned. The rest were cut to ribbons by the English.
In 1587 an act was passed by the Scottish parliament "for the quieting and keeping in obedience of the inhabitants of the Borders, Highland and Isles ..." That contained a roll of Chieftains and Clans that confirms the status of Border families as an important part of Clan history, and the Armstrongs as perhaps the most significant Border Clan. The entry began, "On the border were the Armstrongs, brave men, somewhat unruly, and ill to tame ..."
On 16 June 1600, members of the clan ambushed and murdered Sir John Carmichael
, warden of the Scottish West march on his way to a warden court at Langholm.
Following the death of the last chief of Clan Armstrong, members of the family dispersed in a diaspora. Some Armstrongs moved to Northern Ireland
, some of whom became soldiers. Others moved farther south into Northern England
. One branch even relocated to the Netherlands
. Others subsequently moved to America
and other British colonies.
At least one branch of the Armstrong family relocated from the Borders to Ireland and then to America. The Revolutionary War American General John Armstrong, who came to Pennsylvania as a surveyor for the Penn
family, was a representative of this branch of the family. Armstrong descendants would subsequently scatter across many states of the Union.
The Armstrong Baronets
of Gallen Priory, are descended from the Mangerton Armstrongs, through Gilnockie. Gilnockie's great great grandson Andrew, migrated to Fermanagh. Both the Baronets of Ashburn Place (extinct) and Gallen Priory (extant) are descended from Andrew.
became the first human to step onto the surface of the moon
, taking with him a piece of the Armstrong tartan.
Gilnockie Tower
is a home of the Clan Armstrong line and houses information related to the Clan.
, Carrick
and the Western Borders well into the seventeenth century, so it is not impossible. The Armstrong name is sometimes rendered in Gaelic as follows:
These Gaelic names appear frequently in modern clan literature, but they are neologistic and are rarely used by Gaelic speakers. However, Armstrong has been historically associated with the Ulster Gaelic
name, Mac Tréan-Labhraidh, a branch of the Ó Labhradha
family. Tréan-Labhradh means strong-speaking but it is thought that the name was misunderstood as meaning strong-arm, and Armstrong was adopted as a convenient Anglicization. Mac Tréan-Labhraidh would translate as Mac Treun-Labhraidh in Scottish Gaelic.
Among the best-known Gaelic-speaking Armstrongs was Dr Robert Armstrong of Perthshire
, who compiled an authoritative early Gaelic-English dictionary, published in 1825.
The Armstrong Family Motto appears in several forms, most commonly as
Invictus maneo (I remain unvanquished)
The complete motto is
Vi et armis invictus maneo
(Through/by the force of arms I remain unconquered)
is from the Lowlands
and is mentioned in Vestiarium Scoticum
(1842).
Armigerous clan
An armigerous clan is a Scottish clan, family or name which is registered with the Court of the Lord Lyon and once had a chief who bore undifferenced arms, but does not have a chief currently recognized as such by Lyon Court...
whose origins lie in Cumberland
Cumberland
Cumberland is a historic county of North West England, on the border with Scotland, from the 12th century until 1974. It formed an administrative county from 1889 to 1974 and now forms part of Cumbria....
, south of the frontier between Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
which was officially established in 1237.
The Clan is currently represented globally by the official Clan Armstrong Trust in the Scottish border region. The President of the Armstrong Clan Trust is Micheil Armstrong of Mungbyhurst CA,FCI,FSA SCOT, KLJ. The Clan Trust has a museum in Langholm
Langholm
Langholm , also known colloquially as the "Muckle Toon", is a burgh in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, on the River Esk and the A7 road.- History:...
, Dumfriesshire, which holds the biggest archive of Armstrong history in the world. Clan meetings take place each summer with a formal gathering every second year.
Origins
The Armstrong name has a legendary origin in traditional oral history and folklore, in that it is said their heroic progenitor, Fairbairn, the standard-bearer and squire to the King of Scotland, saved his master in battle, and not from a wild beast as is the case with another BorderBorder Country
Border Country is a novel by Raymond Williams. The book was re-published in December 2005 as one of the first group of titles in the Library of Wales series, having been out of print for several years. Written in English, the novel was first published in 1960.It is set in rural South Wales, close...
Clan - the Turnbulls. It is said that he lifted the King , who was dressed in full armour
Armour
Armour or armor is protective covering used to prevent damage from being inflicted to an object, individual or a vehicle through use of direct contact weapons or projectiles, usually during combat, or from damage caused by a potentially dangerous environment or action...
, onto his own horse with one arm after the King's horse had been killed under him in battle. The family crest
Crest (heraldry)
A crest is a component of an heraldic display, so called because it stands on top of a helmet, as the crest of a jay stands on the bird's head....
, an upraised and embowed arm with a grasping hand, records this act of heroism that was said to have been rewarded with a heritable title (Sir Strong Arm, Anglicised to Armstrong) and a grant of lands in the Borders region..
The first existing written reference listing them in the region is from a 1236 Carlisle court record of one Adam Armstrong being pardoned for killing a man. The first existing reference specifically locating them in Liddesdale
Liddesdale
Liddesdale, the valley of the Liddel Water, in the County of Roxburgh, southern Scotland, extends in a south-westerly direction from the vicinity of Peel Fell to the River Esk, a distance of...
in Roxburghshire
Roxburghshire
Roxburghshire or the County of Roxburgh is a registration county of Scotland. It borders Dumfries to the west, Selkirk to the north-west, and Berwick to the north. To the south-east it borders Cumbria and Northumberland in England.It was named after the Royal Burgh of Roxburgh...
, which would become their family seat, is in 1376. Liddesdale was also the seat of their unquestioned power in the region. That allowed them to expand into Annandale
Annandale, Dumfries and Galloway
Annandale is a strath in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, named after the River Annan. It runs north-south through the Southern Uplands from Annanhead to Annan on the Solway Firth and in its higher reaches it separates the Moffat hills on the east from the Lowther hills to the west...
and Eskdale
Eskdale
-United Kingdom:*Eskdale, Cumbria, England*Eskdale, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland*Eskdale, North Yorkshire, England*Eskdale , Cumberland, England, former constituency-United States:...
to accommodate their growing population. It is reputed that by 1528 they were able to put 3000 horsemen in the field.
16th century
The Armstrongs' relationship with subsequent Scottish kings was turbulent, to say the least. The most notorious event in this uneasy relationship occurred in 1530. John Armstrong, known in history as 'Gilnockie Johnie', was persuaded by a Royal writ of safe passage to attend a meeting at CaerlanrigCaerlanrig
Caerlanrig - also spelled 'Carlenrig' - is a hamlet in the parish of Cavers, Borders, Scotland, lying on the River Teviot, 6 miles north east of that river's source, and 10 miles south west of Hawick.-Etymology:...
with King James V who, unknown to Gilnockie, had the malicious intent to silence the rebellious Borderers. The ruse succeeded. Gilnockie and fifty of his followers were captured in direct violation of the safe conduct.
A Royal order to hang them was issued, again in violation of James' own writ of safety, and despite several pleas for the King to be lenient in exchange for obedience, it was carried out. Defiant to the last, Gilnockie said these words directly to King James V:
"I am but a fool to seek grace at a graceless face, but had I known you would have taken me this day, I would have lived in the Borders despite King Harry and you both." His defiance is commemorated and echoed in the soulful popular Border ballad, "Johnie Armstrong":
"Farewell! my bonny Gilnock Hall
Where on Esk side thou standest stout !
Gif I had lived but seven yeirs mair
I wad a gilt thee round about
John murdered was at Carlinrigg
And all his gallant companie;
But Scotland's heart was ne'er sae wae
To see sae mony brave men die."
This murderous act by James V inflamed the Borders region. Far from pacifying, it caused all the Border Clans to question their allegiance to a King who would not honor his own writ of safety. In 1542 at the Battle of Solway Moss
Battle of Solway Moss
The Battle of Solway Moss took place on Solway Moss near the River Esk on the English side of the Anglo-Scottish Border in November 1542 between forces from England and Scotland.-Background:...
, none of the Armstrongs or their allies came to assist James' forces. The Moss was the playground of the Armstrongs, and they knew every inch of it and used it as a safe retreat for themselves and their families for centuries. Those of James' forces who tried to use it so fell into the bogs and were drowned. The rest were cut to ribbons by the English.
17th century
The Clan's authority resided intact at Mangerton in Liddesdale, a succession of Armstrongs retaining the title of the 'Laird of Mangerton', until 1610 when Johnny Armstrong was 'put to the horn' and hanged as a rebel. His son is reputed in local lore to have disappeared into English Cumbriashire, never having inherited his father's title. After this, the Armstrong lands passed into the hands of the Scotts.On 16 June 1600, members of the clan ambushed and murdered Sir John Carmichael
Sir John Carmichael
Sir John Carmichael, was the Keeper of Liddesdale.He was appointed warden of the Scottish West March, and was to make truce with the English Warden....
, warden of the Scottish West march on his way to a warden court at Langholm.
Following the death of the last chief of Clan Armstrong, members of the family dispersed in a diaspora. Some Armstrongs moved to Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, some of whom became soldiers. Others moved farther south into Northern England
Northern England
Northern England, also known as the North of England, the North or the North Country, is a cultural region of England. It is not an official government region, but rather an informal amalgamation of counties. The southern extent of the region is roughly the River Trent, while the North is bordered...
. One branch even relocated to the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. Others subsequently moved to America
British America
For American people of British descent, see British American.British America is the anachronistic term used to refer to the territories under the control of the Crown or Parliament in present day North America , Central America, the Caribbean, and Guyana...
and other British colonies.
At least one branch of the Armstrong family relocated from the Borders to Ireland and then to America. The Revolutionary War American General John Armstrong, who came to Pennsylvania as a surveyor for the Penn
Thomas Penn
Thomas Penn was a son of William Penn, founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, the English North American colony that became the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Thomas Penn was born in Bristol, England after his father returned there in 1701 because of financial difficulties...
family, was a representative of this branch of the family. Armstrong descendants would subsequently scatter across many states of the Union.
The Armstrong Baronets
Armstrong Baronets
There have been two Baronetcies created for persons with the surname Armstrong, both in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. One creation is extant as of 2010....
of Gallen Priory, are descended from the Mangerton Armstrongs, through Gilnockie. Gilnockie's great great grandson Andrew, migrated to Fermanagh. Both the Baronets of Ashburn Place (extinct) and Gallen Priory (extant) are descended from Andrew.
20th century
On 20 July 1969 (21 July 1969 UTC), Clansman Neil ArmstrongNeil Armstrong
Neil Alden Armstrong is an American former astronaut, test pilot, aerospace engineer, university professor, United States Naval Aviator, and the first person to set foot upon the Moon....
became the first human to step onto the surface of the moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
, taking with him a piece of the Armstrong tartan.
Castles
Gilnockie Tower
Gilnockie Tower is a 16th-century tower house, located at the hamlet of Hollows, 2.3 km north of Canonbie, in Dumfries and Galloway, south-west Scotland. The tower is situated on the west bank of the River Esk. It was originally known as Hollows Tower...
is a home of the Clan Armstrong line and houses information related to the Clan.
Gaelic
It is unknown if any of the early Armstrongs spoke Gaelic, but the language persisted in GallowayGalloway
Galloway is an area in southwestern Scotland. It usually refers to the former counties of Wigtownshire and Kirkcudbrightshire...
, Carrick
Carrick, Scotland
Carrick is a former comital district of Scotland which today forms part of South Ayrshire.-History:The word Carrick comes from the Gaelic word Carraig, meaning rock or rocky place. Maybole was the historic capital of Carrick. The county was eventually combined into Ayrshire which was divided...
and the Western Borders well into the seventeenth century, so it is not impossible. The Armstrong name is sometimes rendered in Gaelic as follows:
- MacGhillielàidir (Surname)
- Clann 'icGhillelàidir (Collective)
These Gaelic names appear frequently in modern clan literature, but they are neologistic and are rarely used by Gaelic speakers. However, Armstrong has been historically associated with the Ulster Gaelic
Ulster Irish
Ulster Irish is the dialect of the Irish language spoken in the Province of Ulster. The largest Gaeltacht region today is in County Donegal, so that the term Donegal Irish is often used synonymously. Nevertheless, records of the language as it was spoken in other counties do exist, and help provide...
name, Mac Tréan-Labhraidh, a branch of the Ó Labhradha
Lowery
Irish families of the Lowery, Lowry, or Lavery name descend from the O Labhradha, a sept of the province of Ulster anciently. In the later days they are found in County Down near Moira....
family. Tréan-Labhradh means strong-speaking but it is thought that the name was misunderstood as meaning strong-arm, and Armstrong was adopted as a convenient Anglicization. Mac Tréan-Labhraidh would translate as Mac Treun-Labhraidh in Scottish Gaelic.
Among the best-known Gaelic-speaking Armstrongs was Dr Robert Armstrong of Perthshire
Perthshire
Perthshire, officially the County of Perth , is a registration county in central Scotland. It extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, Rannoch Moor and Ben Lui in the west, and Aberfoyle in the south...
, who compiled an authoritative early Gaelic-English dictionary, published in 1825.
Motto
- Motto:
The Armstrong Family Motto appears in several forms, most commonly as
Invictus maneo (I remain unvanquished)
The complete motto is
Vi et armis invictus maneo
(Through/by the force of arms I remain unconquered)
Tartan
This tartanTartan
Tartan is a pattern consisting of criss-crossed horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours. Tartans originated in woven wool, but now they are made in many other materials. Tartan is particularly associated with Scotland. Scottish kilts almost always have tartan patterns...
is from the Lowlands
Scottish Lowlands
The Scottish Lowlands is a name given to the Southern half of Scotland.The area is called a' Ghalldachd in Scottish Gaelic, and the Lawlands ....
and is mentioned in Vestiarium Scoticum
Vestiarium Scoticum
The Vestiarium Scoticum was first published by William Tait of Edinburgh in a limited edition in 1842...
(1842).
External links
- http://www.armstrongclan.org.uk/ Clan Armstrong Trust
- http://www.armstrong.org/ The Armstrong Clan Society
- http://www.armstrong-clan-association.co.uk/ Armstrong Clan Association
- http://www.armstrong-clan.co.uk/ Clan Armstrong Centre at Gilnockie Tower, Canonbie