Forbes

Grace Me Guide

Forbes Tartan
©2022 Gazetteer for Scotland

Forbes Tartan

The Forbes clan lands lie in Aberdeenshire on the banks of the Don. It is from here that the family take their name. They became very powerful and lines of the family set up in Pitsligo, Polquhoun, Skellater and Inverernan to name but a few. The Forbes were raised to the peerage c.1444 and by 1701 were the premier Lordship of Scotland, which remains true to this day.

In the 15th and 16th Centuries the Forbes had a bloody feud with the Gordons. Many lives were claimed and battles were fought at Tillieangus and Craibstone. It took two acts of Parliament to get the clans to stop fighting. The clan war had also taken a great financial toll on the Forbes and much of the estate had to be sold to cover their debts.

The present Lord Forbes lives at Balforbes in the reduced estate of his forefathers on the south side of the River Don.


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