Clan Anstruther

The clan originated from the town of Anstruther, which was adopted as a familial name. The name is Gaelic in origin: "an" (the) + "sruthair" (little stream).

Alexander I of Scotland granted the lands of Anstruther to William de Candela in the early 12th century.[3] There are a number of suggested origins for William but research points to the Normans in Italy.[3] It is known that William I of England sought assistance from William, Count of Candela, who sent his son.[3] It is likely that this son was William de Candela, who received the grant of land from Alexander.[3]

William de Candela's son, also William, was a benefactor to the monks of Balmerino Abbey.[3] The site now occupied by the Scottish Fisheries Museum in Anstruther was a gift from William.[3] The next generation of the family, Henry, no longer styled himself, de Candela, being described as 'Henricus de Aynstrother dominus ejusdem' in a charter confirming grants of land to Balmerino Abbey.[3]

Henry Anstruther accompanied Louis IX of France to the crusades and swore fealty to King Edward I of England in 1292 and again in 1296.[3]

In 1483, Andrew Anstruther of Anstruther confirmed the right to a barony and fought against the English at the Battle of Flodden in 1513 during the Anglo-Scottish Wars.[3] Andrew Anstruther married Christina Sandilands who was descended from Princess Jean or Joanna, daughter of Robert II of Scotland.[3] His second son, David, fought at the Battle of Pavia in 1520 in the service of Francis I of France in the French Scots Regiment.[3] This line ended with the death of the last Baron d'Anstrude in 1928.[3]

Andrew's great-great-grandson, Sir James Anstruther was chosen as a companion to the young James VI of Scotland, who appointed him Hereditary Grand Carver,[4][5] a title still held by the head of the family today.[3] In 1595 he became Master of the Household.[4]

William, the elder son of Sir James Anstruther, accompanied Sir James to London following the Union of the Crowns in 1603 where he was made a Knight of the Order of the Bath.[3] Sir James's second son, Sir Robert, served as a diplomat for both James I and Charles I.[6]

Sir Phillip Anstruther, the second son of Sir Robert fought as a royalist during the civil war, and received Charles II at Dreel Castle after his coronation at Scone in 1651.[3] Phillip Anstruther was later taken prisoner after the Battle of Worcester in 1651.[3][6] He was excluded from Cromwell's Act of Grace and his estates were confiscated. They were restored to him after the restoration of the monarchy by Charles II.[7] Phillip's brother Sir Alexander Anstruther married the Hon. Jean Leslie, daughter of the General David Leslie, Lord Newark.[3]