The map below shows the Clan Scott stomping grounds so to speak. The family holdings are in the Roxborough area of the Scottish borders. Many a time did the cry A Bellendaine! ring out as the Scott's went a raiding. In the borders region of the 16th century the words for riding and raiding were interchangable as were the words raid and road.
The name Scott has several meanings...of course the most obvious is the one denoting that the person is from Scotland. The early invaders of northern Briton from Ireland were called scots which meant both "blue men"(most likely refering to tattoos)and "one not from here". But if one goes back further into Celtic lore and mythos they find that the wife of Goidel was named Scota. The Gaels were said to have descended from this couple.
Motto and Slogans
The motto of Clan Scott is "Amo" which is Latin for "I Love" Kind of an ironic name for a reiving family. "A Bellendaine!" is the war cry of Clan Scott. Bellendaine was a hill in the heart of Clan Scott's holdings where the Scott's would gather before battle. "The Scott's are out!" and "There'll be moonlight again!" Were also slogans used.
History of Clan Scott
The Anglo-Scottish Border
By the 15th century hundreds of years of war and a constantly moving border between England and Scotland produced a volitile land where raiding and warfare was common place. Since the time of the Romans the Borders region has been a region of conflict, hard to govern and hard to hold for both the countries involved. Although there have been periods of relative peace it was here in the wild Borders that the Scotts thrived.
The Borderers were looked upon by the Lowland Scots in much the same way as the Highland Scots were looked upon a few centuries later.....wild barbarians that had no place in a civilized world. Of course many of the lowland Scots had been the victims of reivers from both sides of the border.
Border reiving was not a Scot against the Anglish type of thing. Scots reived scots and the angles reived anglish while at the same time reiving each other. Many of the families on the English side became as scottish as the Scots. With the shifting border many a english family was trapped...so to speak on the Scottish side and vice a versa.
For a complete set of links concerning the Borders go to the following page.
Border Links
more to come
Border Ballads Online
Kinmount Willie
The Ballad of Kinmount Willie tells the story of the daring raid by Lord Buccleuch into England to rescue on of the most infamous reivers in history.
The Three Ravens
The Wee Wee Man
Jamie Telfer of the Fair Dodhead
Clan Scott Contact Information
Information on joining the Clan Scott Society can be obtained by getting in touch with The Clan Scott Membership Secretary: David Scott, PO Box 13021, Austin, TX 78711-3021. Email: ClanScott@AOL.COM
General Information
Chief: John Montagu Douglas Scott, 9th Duke of Buccleuch, 11th Duke of Queensberry, K.T.
Chieftain: Clark R. Scott
Clan Seat: Branxholm Castle near Hawick, Scotland.
Border Home of Chief: Bowhill Near Selkirk, Scotland
Clan Motto: Amo. (I Love)
Clan Slogan: A Bellendaine
Plant Badge: Blaeberry