Back The Earl of Mar was made Governor of Stirling
Castle and in 1567 was made guardian of the young James VI who was
raised first at the modest Erskine home of Alba Tower. However, the
Earl erected a magnificent Renaissance town house at the top of Broad
Street in Stirling, near the castle, using stones from Cambuskenneth
Abbey, as more fitting for a prince of the realm. It became known as
'Mar's Wark' and was probably never finished. Only a part of the
elaborately carved east wing survives today. The Earl was appointed
Regent of Scotland in September 1571 and died a year later. He. was
succeeded by his son John who had been educated alongside the young
James VI, who called him 'Jockie 0' the sclates' because of his
mental agility with sums written on the slate boards then used in the
schoolroom. Despite the childhood friendship, John Erskine was exiled
in 1583-85 for his part in the Ruthven Raid when the young king was
held captive for ten months by ultra Protestants. However, he
returned to become Lord High Treasurer of Scotland in 1616-30, and
worked hard for the recovery, at long last, of his rightful earldom
of Mar. This consisted of the extensive lands of Strathdon, Braemar,
Cromar, Strathdee and Garioch in Aberdeenshire. When he eventually
took full possession in 1626 he found his lands around the Braes of
Mar being threatened by his warlike neighbours and vassals, the
Farquharsons, and to subdue them he built a powerful tower house at
Braemar in 1628. John, 21st Earl of Mar, or 3rd Earl of the new
creation, was forced to sell the ancestral estates of Erskine in
1638. His 2nd and 3rd sons founded the lines of Erskine Earls of
Buchan in Angus in 1617, and Earls of Cardross in Menteith in
Perthshire in 1610. The Earldom of Kellie in Fife was created in 1619
for the grandnephew of the 1st Earl. Charles, 22nd. Earl, raised the
Royal Scots Fusiliers in 1678 for service against the Protestant
Covenanters. Originally called 'Mar's Greybreeks' from the colour of
their trousers, they were amalgamated with the Highland Light
Infantry in 1959 to form the present Royal Highland Fusilier
Regiment. John Erskine, 23rd and 6th Earl of Mar, was born
at Alloa Tower in 1675. He is known to history as 'Bobbing John' from
his abilitv to change both mind and his allegiance. He was Secretary
of State for Scotland in 1 705 and one of the Commissioners for the
union of Parliaments. While at court in London in 1714, he considered
himself insulted by the new German King George I when he offered to
stay on as Secretary of State and was rejected. He promptly sailed
home and raised a rebellion in the name of the exiled James VIII of
the House of Stuart. He planted the Royal Standard on the Braes of
Mar on September 6, 1715, and called out the Jacobite Highland clans.
Some ten thousand clansmen turned up despite the misgivings of many
of the chiefs, and the objection of the exiled king. The fears of
the superstitious Highlanders were confirmed when the top fell from
the Standard. This was regarded as a bad omen. The Eail of Mar
himself could call out 1000 fighting men whom he had inherited along
with the Mar estates. Part of the army marched as far south as
Preston in England where they were forced to retreat. After many a
hesitant start, Bobbing John led his army south to Dunblane and met
an inferior Government force commanded by the Duke of Argyll. The
Battle of Sherifmuir was fought on November 13, 1715, and the result
was inconclusive. The Highland army drifted away and Argyll was left
on the battlefield to claim the victory. John Erskine. Earl of Mar, fled into exile in
France and his lands and title were forfeited. His uncle, Lord
Grange. and Lord Dun head ,of the senior cadet line, bought the
estates on behalf of the heir in 1724. There is a strong clannishness
amongst the Erskines that binds them close together in times of
trouble. However, due to fines and sequestration, the estate of Mar
had to be sold to the Farrquharsons in 1730. James Erskine, Lord
Grange, has passed into the history books for having his wife
kidniapped in 1732 and held a prisoner for seven years on the remote
island of St. Kilda to prevent her disclosing his Jacobite
plotting. The Earl of Mar wrote many letters home from
exile. He advised his son that 'You are to be at the head of one
which, though not so numerous as those in the Highlands, is perhaps
as old, and has not been inconsiderable in Scotland'. The Earl
himself had just been given the empty title of Duke of Mar by the
exiled Stuart king. He again urged his son how indebted they were to
"several of our name'' and that he must "keep the family united,
which is the way to make them considerable but let not fondness for
those of your own clan and kindred make you neglect those of merit
who shall deserve well of you". Bobbing John, Earl of Mar, died in
exile in France in 1732, and was succeeded by his daughter, Lady
Frances, who would have been Countess of Mar in her own right but for
the Attainder. She married her cousinJames Erskine, younger son of
Lord Grange. Their son was restored to the Earldom of Mar in 1824
when the At tainder was lifted. John Francis Miller Erskine. 26th and 9th Earl of
Mar. also inherited the title of 11th Earl of Kellie in 1835. He died
in 1866 and left as his heir-general (the closest by blood) his
sister's son, John Francis Erskine Goodeve, and as heir-male (where
the Patent of the Earldom stipulated the title must pass to a male
heir) his first cousin, Col.Walter Conningsby Erskine. His cousin
assumed the titles, but this was challenged by his nephew and a
protracted court case took place as to whether the old Earldom of Mar
was still in existence or whether the newer creation of 565 took
precedence. Eventually, a compromise was reached. The Earldom
of Mar and Kellie passed to the cousin and heir-male, while the older
Earldom of Mar passed to the nephew and heir general. Today, Margaret
of Mar is the present and 31st Countess of Mar although she possesses
none of the old estates. At the time of her succession in 1975, she
was employed by british Telecom as a sales consultant. John Francis Hervey Erskine is today13th Earl of
Mar and Kellie and head of the name of Erskine. He is Hereditary
Keeper of Stirling Castle and as such presents the castle's key to
the Queen when she visits her royal castle of Stirling. He lives
modestly in a suburban street in Alloa, population 13,000, where his
ancestors have lived for six hundred years. A house had been added
onto the old Alloa Tower in 1690 but this was burnt down in 1800and
replaced by an adjacent huge mansion in 1824. This was demolished in
1959 and the grounds are now occupied by municipal housing estates.
The Mar family remained closer to the people than most of the
nobility. They brought prosperity to the town of Alloa, improved
conditions for the local coal miners, and opened a glass works which
still continues. Other Erskines who have found fame include David
Stewart Erskine, 11th Earl of Buchan, who founded the prestigious
Society of Antiquaries of Scotland in 1780, Ralph and Ebeneezer
Erskine founded the Secession Church in Scotland in 1737 which
declared congregations, and not the local land-owner, should appoint
the minister. Numerous other Erskines have held high office in church
and state. The lands of Erskine in Renfrewshire are now
occupied by the Erskine Hospital for War Disabled. This voluntary
funded hospital cares for disabled war veterans ranging from the
First World War to the Falklands Conflict. The arms of the Earl of Mar and Kellie portray the
insignia of Erskine, of Mar, and of Kellie, plus the royal crown of
Scotland, and keys signifying the office of Hereditary Keeper of
Stirling Castle. The motto is "Strengthened by Unity," and this is
apt indeed for the Erskines have aye stuck together.
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