Cranstoun Clan Crest
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CREST: A crane Proper dormant holding a stone in her claw MOTTO: Thou shalt want ere I want TRANSLATION: N/A VARIATIONS: N/A |
| The Scottish Clan Cranstoun has a rich and fascinating history that spans centuries of Scottish society and politics. The clan’s origins can be traced back to the lands and barony of Cranstoun in Midlothian, Scotland, which may have been named after the Anglo-Saxon for “place of the crane.” The crane is a bird that appears both on the clan’s shield and as its crest. | |
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| Members of the Cranstoun family appear in charters and deeds as early as the 12th century, with Elfrick de Cranstoun acting as a witness to a charter by William the Lion to the Abbey of Holyrood. Thomas de Craystoun is also recorded in the reign of Alexander II, making a donation of lands near Paiston in East Lothian to the Church for the welfare of his soul and those of his ancestors and successors. Hugh de Cranstoun appears on the Ragman Roll of Scottish barons swearing fealty to Edward I of England in 1296, while Randolpus de Cranston, son and heir of “dominus de eodem,” made a donation to the Abbey of Newbattle in 1338.
The Cranstouns of that Ilk prospered until the late 16th century, when they became embroiled in the volatile contemporary political situation. Thomas and John Cranston, descendants of the house of Cranston of that Ilk, were accused of treason in 1592 for assisting the Earl of Bothwell in his attack on the Palace of Holyrood House. Sir John Cranston of that Ilk was indicted in 1600 for harboring his kinsmen, forfeited traitors, and his brother Thomas was executed for complicity in the Gowrie conspiracy to kidnap James VI. However, Sir John Cranstoun of Morristoun, captain of the Guard to James VI, was raised to the peerage with the title of “Lord Cranstoun” in 1609. Over the centuries, the Cranstoun family continued to play a prominent role in Scottish society and politics. The third Lord Cranston supported the royalist cause in the civil war, while William, fifth Lord Cranstoun, sat in the last independent Scots Parliament where he was a supporter of the Treaty of Union. George Cranstoun, a descendant of the fifth Lord, was an eminent lawyer and judge, while James, eighth Lord Cranstoun, was a distinguished officer in the Royal Navy. Today, Lieutenant Colonel Alastair Cranstoun of that Ilk and Corehouse is recognized as the chief of the Clan Cranstoun. He was a distinguished soldier and holder of the Military Cross and was military attaché in Lisbon. He died in 1990, when he was succeeded by the present chief who still lives at Corehouse. The Cranstoun family’s rich history and contributions to Scottish society make them an important part of Scotland’s cultural heritage. |
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