Clan Anstruther

Clan is a lowland Scottish Clan originating in the Fife district of Scotland.  The Clan was named from the a town that translates to little Stream in Gaelic.  The first mention of the name Anstruther is in the 12th century when Alexander I of Scotland granted the lands of Anstruther to William de Candela, a Norman who originated in Italy.  William’s and his children abandoned the surname Candela and took the name Anstruther after their granted lands.  The first mention of the name being used was when William de Candela’s son became a benefactor to the monks of Balmerino Abbeey, he was named “Henricus de Aynstrother  dominus ejusden in the charter that granted the monks land in the Anstruther region. In the 15th century Andrew Anstruther of Anstruther became a baron and participated in the Battle of Flodden in 1513.

The crest features two arms in armour holding a pole-axe with both hands gauntleted proper and the clans motto is Periissem Ni Periissem which translates into I would have perished had I not persisted.

The historic seat of the clan is Balcaskie House in Fife. The castle was originally built in 1629 by the Moncrieffs  but was purchased in 1665 by Sir William Bruce who known for his influential architectural style, combining elements of classical and French Baroque design. In 1698 it was then acquired by Robert Anstruther, it still remains the seat of the Chief of the name and arms of Anhstruther. The estate has been updated a couple of times, once in the mid-18th century by Philip Anstruther and again in the 19th century by architects William Burna and David Bryce.