Clan Drummond: A Legacy of Perthshire, Goshawks and the Honour That Crowns Virtue
Introduction
Clan Drummond is a historic Scottish clan rooted in Perthshire, especially Stobhall, Drummond Castle, Crieff, Cargill, and the lands associated with the Earls of Perth.
The clan motto is commonly given as:
“Gang Warily”
“Go carefully.”
The chiefly motto is also recorded as:
“Virtutem Coronat Honos”
“Honour crowns virtue.”
The clan crest is:
On a crest coronet Or, a goshawk wings displayed proper, armed and belled Or, jessed Gules.
The plant badges are:
Holly and Wild Thyme.
The current chief is recorded as James David Drummond, Earl of Perth, and the clan seat is Stobhall Castle, while Drummond Castle remains the great historic seat associated with the family.
This article explores the history, people, heritage, tartans, crest, motto, castles, battles and modern legacy of Clan Drummond.
Chapter I: Origins of Clan Drummond
The name Drummond is territorial in origin. It is usually connected with the place-name Drymen, near Loch Lomond, and with the Gaelic word druim, meaning a ridge or high ground.
The Gaelic name is commonly given as:
An Druimeanach
meaning the Drummond people.
The clan’s early traditions place the family in the west of Scotland before their later rise in Perthshire. Clan Drummond became strongly associated with Stobhall, Cargill, Crieff and the later noble title Earl of Perth.
Historic spellings and forms include:
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Drummond
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Drumman
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Drummond of Stobhall
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Drummond of Cargill
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Drummond of Perth
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Druimeanach
The Drummonds became one of the great Perthshire families through royal service, strategic marriage, military skill and political loyalty.
Their story moves from ridge and river to castle, crown and clan.
Chapter II: Clan Territory and Ancestral Lands
Clan Drummond’s historic heartland includes:
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Perthshire
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Stobhall
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Cargill
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Crieff
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Drummond Castle
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Innerpeffray
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Madderty
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Strathearn
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The lands around the River Tay
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The central Highlands and Lowlands
The clan seat is:
Stobhall Castle
The historic seat is:
Drummond Castle
Stobhall Castle, north of Perth, was held by the Drummonds from around 1360 and was the main stronghold of the clan before the family moved to Drummond Castle in the 15th century. Today, Stobhall is once again listed as the seat of the chiefs of Clan Drummond.
Drummond Castle, near Crieff, is one of the great castle landscapes of Perthshire. The castle began as a tower house associated with John Drummond, 1st Lord Drummond, around 1490, and stands on lands connected with the family after royal reward following Bannockburn.
The Drummond landscape is one of fertile valleys, river routes, noble houses, gardens, hunting country and political influence.
Chapter III: Important People of Clan Drummond
Sir Malcolm Drummond
Sir Malcolm Drummond is one of the clan’s most important early figures.
He fought for Robert the Bruce at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. Clan tradition credits him with using caltrops — iron spikes scattered on the ground to injure horses and disrupt cavalry — against the English mounted forces. After the battle, the clan received lands in Perthshire from Robert the Bruce.
This placed Clan Drummond firmly within Scotland’s independence story.
Sir John Drummond of Stobhall
In 1345, Sir John Drummond married an heiress of the Montfichet family and became John Drummond of Stobhall. This marriage helped establish the Drummonds as major landholders in Perthshire.
His family connections also brought the Drummonds close to the Scottish crown.
Margaret Drummond, Queen of Scotland
Margaret Drummond, sister of Sir John Drummond, married King David II of Scotland. Although they had no children, the marriage placed Clan Drummond directly into royal Scottish history.
Annabella Drummond, Queen of Scotland
Annabella Drummond, daughter of Sir John Drummond, married John Stewart, Earl of Carrick, who later became King Robert III of Scotland.
Annabella became Queen of Scotland and was the mother of King James I of Scotland, born in 1394.
Through Annabella, Clan Drummond became part of the royal Stewart bloodline.
John Drummond, 1st Lord Drummond
John Drummond, a later chief, became 1st Lord Drummond in 1487. He was also connected with the building of Drummond Castle near Crieff.
He is remembered as a powerful noble figure, though also for an incident in which he assaulted the Lord Lyon King of Arms and was imprisoned for a year in Blackness Castle.
James Drummond, 1st Earl of Perth
James Drummond became 1st Earl of Perth in 1605, raising the family into one of Scotland’s major noble houses.
The Earldom of Perth remains central to Clan Drummond’s chiefly identity.
James Eric Drummond, 16th Earl of Perth
James Eric Drummond, 16th Earl of Perth, became the first Secretary-General of the League of Nations. He later served as British ambassador to Rome from 1933 to 1939.
This gave the Drummond name a modern international diplomatic legacy.
Chapter IV: Castles, Strongholds and Historic Sites
Stobhall Castle
Stobhall Castle is the present seat of the chiefs of Clan Drummond.
It lies north of Perth and includes buildings arranged around a courtyard. The site includes a chapel dating from the 14th century, with a painted ceiling from the 17th century. The castle was held by the Drummonds from around 1360 and was the main stronghold of the family before their move to Drummond Castle.
For Clan Drummond, Stobhall represents origin, continuity and the return of the chiefly seat.
Drummond Castle
Drummond Castle, near Crieff, is one of the most famous Drummond sites.
The castle began as a tower house built by John Drummond, 1st Lord Drummond, around 1490. Its lands were associated with rewards granted after Bannockburn, where Sir Malcolm Drummond distinguished himself.
Drummond Castle is especially famous today for its dramatic gardens, one of the great formal garden landscapes of Scotland.
Innerpeffray Castle and Library
Innerpeffray is important in Drummond history because James Drummond, 1st Lord Madderty, built Innerpeffray Castle in 1610. Later, the Drummond-associated site became connected with Scotland’s first public lending library, opened by Robert Hay Drummond in 1751.
Blackness Castle
Blackness Castle enters Drummond history because John Drummond, 1st Lord Drummond, was imprisoned there after assaulting the Lord Lyon King of Arms.
Perthshire and Strathearn
The wider Perthshire landscape is central to Clan Drummond: fertile, strategic, royal, and close to the heart of Scotland’s medieval and early modern politics.
Chapter V: Battles, Wars and Clan Events
Clan Drummond’s history includes service to Bruce, royal marriage, clan feud, civil war and Jacobite loyalty.
Battle of Bannockburn — 1314
At Bannockburn in 1314, Sir Malcolm Drummond supported Robert the Bruce and is traditionally credited with using caltrops against English cavalry. After the Scottish victory, the clan received lands in Perthshire from Bruce.
This was one of the defining moments in Clan Drummond history.
The Rise of Stobhall — 1345
In 1345, Sir John Drummond married the Montfichet heiress and gained Stobhall, strengthening the family’s Perthshire base.
This marriage helped transform Clan Drummond from a rising family into a major landed house.
Royal Marriages
The Drummonds became linked to the Scottish crown through Margaret Drummond, wife of David II, and Annabella Drummond, wife of Robert III and mother of James I.
These marriages gave the clan enormous prestige.
Battle of Knockmary — 1490
The Battle of Knockmary was fought in 1490 between Clan Murray and the combined forces of Clan Drummond and Clan Campbell, during a long feud. Afterward, David Drummond was executed for the burning of a group of Murrays in a church.
This episode shows the darker side of clan conflict in Perthshire.
Civil War and the Marquess of Montrose
During the 17th-century civil wars, Drummond loyalties could be complex. Lord Drummond led forces for the Covenanters at Tippermuir in 1644, while the 3rd Earl of Perth later joined James Graham, Marquess of Montrose, in 1645 and was captured after Philiphaugh.
This places Clan Drummond within the fractured politics of monarchy, Covenant and civil war.
Battle of Killiecrankie — 1689
Clan Drummond fought at the Battle of Killiecrankie in 1689, a major Jacobite victory in the first Jacobite rising.
This connects the clan to the Jacobite movement that shaped later Drummond history.
Jacobite Connections
The Drummonds, especially the Perth line, had strong Jacobite associations. The titles of Earl and Duke of Perth became deeply tied to Jacobite loyalty and exile politics, making Clan Drummond one of the important names in the later Stuart cause.
Chapter VI: Clan Crest, Motto and Badge
Clan Crest
The Clan Drummond crest is:
On a crest coronet Or, a goshawk wings displayed proper, armed and belled Or, jessed Gules.
The goshawk suggests:
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Nobility
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Watchfulness
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Speed
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Hunting skill
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High status
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Controlled power
The hawk is not a wild, uncontrolled creature in this crest. It is belled and jessed, showing aristocratic discipline and noble command.
Clan Motto
The commonly used clan motto is:
“Gang Warily”
This means:
“Go carefully”
or
“Proceed with caution.”
It is a practical and intelligent motto. It advises discipline, patience, caution and strategic movement.
The chiefly motto is also recorded as:
“Virtutem Coronat Honos”
meaning:
“Honour crowns virtue.”
Together, the mottoes express both caution and nobility: go carefully, but act with virtue and honour.
Clan Badge
The plant badges of Clan Drummond are:
Holly
and
Wild Thyme
Both are listed in modern clan references.
Holly suggests protection, endurance and winter strength. Wild thyme suggests resilience, healing and connection to the Scottish landscape.
Chapter VII: Clan Tartans
Clan Drummond has several recorded tartans.
Drummond Tartan
The Drummond tartan is recorded by the Scottish Register of Tartans under reference 980.
This is the principal tartan associated with the clan name.
Drummond #2 Tartan
The Scottish Register of Tartans also records Drummond #2 as a separate Drummond tartan entry.
Drummond Grey Tartan
The Drummond Grey tartan is also recorded by the Scottish Register of Tartans. It has a tartan date of 1 January 1880 and is listed as a Clan/Family tartan, with details from the Clans Originaux pattern book of 1880.
Drummond of Perth Tartan
Modern tartan suppliers also recognise Drummond of Perth tartans, reflecting the chiefly title and the Perthshire identity of the clan.
The Meaning of Drummond Tartans Today
For modern Drummond descendants, tartan represents:
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Perthshire heritage
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Stobhall Castle
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Drummond Castle
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Bannockburn loyalty
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The goshawk crest
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The motto “Gang Warily”
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Holly and wild thyme
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The Earls of Perth
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Family pride and diaspora identity
The Drummond tartans give a great Perthshire clan a visible and wearable identity.
Chapter VIII: Heritage, Identity and Clan Traditions
Clan Drummond represents a proud Scottish identity built on royal service, Perthshire landholding, careful strength and noble continuity.
Its story includes:
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Territorial origins connected with Drymen and ridge country
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The Gaelic name An Druimeanach
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Sir Malcolm Drummond at Bannockburn
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Stobhall Castle
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Drummond Castle
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Margaret Drummond, Queen of Scotland
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Annabella Drummond, Queen of Scotland
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The Earls of Perth
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Innerpeffray and Scotland’s first public lending library
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Jacobite loyalty
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The goshawk crest
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The motto “Gang Warily”
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Holly and wild thyme plant badges
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Drummond tartans
Associated names and septs include:
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Begg
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Brewer
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Cargill
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Doak
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Doig
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Grewar
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Gruer
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MacCrouther
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MacGrewar
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MacGrowther
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MacGruder
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Magruder
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MacGruther
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MacRobbie
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Robbie
These names are listed in modern Clan Drummond references as septs or associated names.
Chapter IX: Clan Drummond Today
Today, Clan Drummond remains a recognised Scottish clan with a living chief.
The current chief is recorded as:
James David Drummond
Earl of Perth
Chief of Clan Drummond
The seat is:
Stobhall Castle
The historic seat is:
Drummond Castle
Modern Clan Drummond identity can be found through:
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Family history research
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Tartan wearing
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Scottish heritage events
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Visits to Stobhall and Drummond Castle
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Interest in Perthshire history
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Study of the Earls of Perth
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Jacobite history
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Genealogy projects
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Diaspora communities across the world
The clan stands today as a symbol of honour, caution, Perthshire nobility, royal connection and Scottish family pride.
Chapter X: Legacy of Clan Drummond
The story of Clan Drummond is one of careful strength.
It begins with place, ridge and land. It rises through Bannockburn, Stobhall, Drummond Castle, royal marriages, noble titles, Jacobite loyalty and international public service.
Its crest, the goshawk, speaks of watchfulness, discipline and noble command.
Its motto gives the clan its most memorable instruction:
Gang Warily — Go carefully.
Its chiefly motto adds the deeper truth:
Virtutem Coronat Honos — Honour crowns virtue.
From Stobhall to Drummond Castle, from Bannockburn to the Earls of Perth, from Perthshire to descendants across the world, Clan Drummond continues to carry its history forward.
Its legacy is written in tartan, holly, wild thyme, castle stone, royal bloodlines, Jacobite memory, family records and the pride of those who still honour the name.
Tartan Time Machine Closing Paragraph
At Tartan Time Machine, we bring Scotland’s past into the present by exploring the clans, castles, battles, kirkyards, legends and forgotten stories that shaped the nation.
Clan Drummond is one chapter in that greater story — a story of Perthshire roots, goshawk crests, Stobhall Castle, Drummond Castle, Bannockburn tactics, royal queens, tartans, holly, wild thyme and the wise command to Gang Warily.
Discover more Scottish history, clan stories, castle features and heritage content at:
www.tartantimemachine.com