Travel Missteps: Border Clans of Scotland

Our motto: “I remained Unvanquished”.

It is a rare privilege to be able to visit the homeland of your ancestors. I’ve been able to visit England, Ireland, and Scotland to see the countrysides of where they lived. I thought I new a lot about my Armstrong ancestors from going to the Scottish Military Tattoo Festival every year in Estes Park, CO. I knew our motto, what our crest and tartan looked like. I had learned the old story of how a warrior rescued his clan’s King when he fell in battle, picking him up and getting him to safety. The king was so thankful that he dubbed the warrior “Armstrong” and let him lead his own clan. But…I didn’t know the actual history. And so while staying in a quaint Bed & Breakfast in Edinburgh one of the other guests decided to enlighten me.

As I sat down to eat some fresh scones, the man asked if my heritage was Scottish and that is why we were visiting from America. He had a very thick Scottish accent and it was hard to understand him. He then asked my family’s name. When I said Armstrong, he just laughed at me. He then said “Armstrong, Border Clan eh?” I nodded. He then proceeded to tell me a story with a wide range of emotions, from laughing to anger. But for the life of me, I couldn’t understand a word, his accent being to strong. I just quietly nodded my head while I ate. On and on he went, and I noticed the housekeeper also laughing at this strange experience. Finally, he was done and left.

The housekeeper came up and asked if I had understood any of that story. I admitted I couldn’t get past the accent, and wondered if she could explain what he had been saying. “Oh honey, being a Border Clan is a bit of an insult. You see, your clan were mercenaries. You sold yourselves to the highest bidder. When war broke out between the Scottish and the British, half your clan had pledged to the Scottish, the other half to the British. But the British paid better, so you sided with them. Some consider the Border Clans to be traitors to the Scottish people.”

Oh… and then I realized, he wasn’t the first person to call me a Border Clan while I was in Scotland.