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The surname Rattray is
derived from the barony of that name in Perthshire. According to tradition the Rattrays
acquired their land from King Malcolm Canmore in the 11th century but the first record of
the name is Sir Thomas of Rattray, who was knighted by Alexander III. He married the
heiress, Christian of Aberbothric in 1253 and paid homage to Edward I in 1296. Sir John
Rattray of Rattray was knighted by James IV and by his wife, Elizabeth, daughter of James
2nd Lord Kennedy, he had three sons and a daughter. Sylvester, the third son inherited the
title after his two elder brothers, John and Patrick, and the daughter married John
Stewart, Earl of Atholl. The Earl laid claim to a portion of the Rattray estates and
forcibly took Rattray Castle and carried off Sir John's two grand-daughters whom he
adopted as his "wards". He arranged for the eldest to marry his son claiming
half the Rattray lands as his dowry and forced the other daughter to hand over the other
half of the lands. Patrick, the 2nd son then moved to the Castle of Craighall which is
perched on a 200 feet rock above the River Ericht. Patrick evaded the Atholl men until
1533, but was killed as he took refuge in the Kinballoch Chapel. The Earl of Atholl's
niece, Mary Stewart, wife of Kininmonth of that Ilk fell in love with Sylvester, the third
brother and after Kininmonth's death she married Sylvester and persuaded the Earl of
Atholl to leave the Rattray stronghold alone. Since then the Rattrays have lived at
Craighall at the spot where Patrick built the first castle. At the Restoration Craighall
was remodelled by another Patrick Rattray and the lands were made into one free Barony
under "Craighall-Rattray" in a Charter from Charles II. (The lands of Rattray
were also returned by the Earl of Atholl). In 1745 the Chief of Rattray declined to join
the Jacobites and sent a donation of £50 instead however his brother, John was physician
to Bonnie Prince Charlie. In 1799 the lands and arms of Rattray passed to James Clerk,
through his grandmother and he assumed the name of Rattray. He was an eminent advocate and
supposedly a friend of Sir Walter Scott who modelled "Tully-Veolan" the Baron of
Bradwardine's castle in "Waverley" on Craighall.
The Blairgowrie & Rattray Highland Games
September 1996.
L to R Lachlan Rattray 29th Chief Clan Rattray, Blair Oliphant, Jamie
Rattray 28th Chief Clan Rattray.
A group photo of the attendees at the 1st World
Gathering of Rattrays
taken at Craighall-Rattray September 1996
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