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THE ROSES CLANN NA ROSA1CH.
Badge: Ros Mairi Fiadhaich (Wild Rosemary).
HE Roses of Kilravock have enjoyed their property through a descent of nineteen
generations. The Rosses, or Roses, were in other parts of Scotland as early as the
time of King David I. ; but the documentary history of the Kilravock family
commences in the reign of Alexander II., at which time they held the lands of
Geddes, in the county of Inverness, Hugh Rose appearing as a witness to the
foundation of the Priory of Beaulieu in 1219. His son and successor, Hugh,
marrying Mary, daughter of Sir Andrew de Rosco of Redcastle, who inherited the
barony of Kilravock thnmgh her mother, he obtained that addition to his
possessions, the deed of conveyance being confirmed by charter from John Baliol
in ]'Ji>3. He was succeeded by his son William, who married Morella, daughter of
Alexander de Donn, by whom he had two sons ; Andrew, the second, ancestor of
the Rosses of Auchlossan, in Mar, and Hugh, his successor, who, in a deed of agreement
respecting the prior of Urquhart and the Vicar of Dalcross, is styled "nobilis vir Hugo Rose,
dominus de Kilravock." His son Hugh married Janet, daughter of Sir Robert Chisholm, constable
of the castle of Vrquhart, by whom he received a large accession of lands in Strath Nairn, etc. He
left a son, Hugh, who was .succeeded by hia son John, who was served heir to his father in 1431 ; he
procured a charter de noro of all his lands, a feudal provision for the better security of property
against adverse claims, so often preferred in those troublous times. The wife of this chief was
Isabella, daughter of Cheyne, Laird of Esslemont, in Aberdeenshire. Hugh, son of this marriage,
built the old tower of Kilravock in 1400. The " Barons of Kilravock" intermarried with the first
families in the north, and filled various situations of high trust and honour. The castle is an old
picturesque building, situated on the bank of the river Nairn. It is still inhabited, and contains
some old armour, portraits, and family relics. There is scarcely any family whose charter chest is
more amply stored with documents, not only of private importance, but of great antiquarian
interest.