Clan Jardine

Clan Jardine Crest badge Crest: A spur rowel of six points Proper Motto: Cave Adsum Profile Region Lowlands District Dumfriesshire Plant badge Apple Blossom

Chief Sir William Murray Jardine of Applegirth The 13th Baronet of Applegarth Seat Ash House[1] Historic seat Spedlins Tower Clan branches Scotland; Atlantic Provinces, Canada; New Zealand; Queensland, Australia; Mountain States, USA

Clan Jardine is a Lowland Scottish clan.

History

Origins of the clan

The Clan Jardine is believed to be of French origin. The French word jardin means garden or orchard and it is presumed that the Jardine family originally came from France. Members of the Jardine family travelled with William during the Norman conquest of England in 1066. However records of the name Jardine do not appear in Scotland until 1153 with the name Wmfredus de Jardine appearing on several charters.

The first mention of the name Jardine is contained in Hollingshead's Chronicles of England as one of the Normandic knights that fought for William at the Battle of Hastings (AD 1066). There is also evidence that may suggest that the Jardines were of Norse extraction that migrated to Normandy with a warrior named Rollo prior to 1066^[2][3].

At some point in time the name or its meaning appears to have been translated into English. Patrick de Gardinus was chaplain to the Bishop of Glasgow and there is a signature on a document from 1245 of Sir Humphrey de Gardino. To add to the confusion Jorden del Orchard's signature appears on the Ragman Rolls of 1296. Later Humphery de Jardine's name appears on a charter drawn up by Robert the Bruce.

Wars of Scottish Independence

Unlike many Scottish clans during the Wars of Scottish Independence the Clan Jardine are said to have fought against William Wallace and in support of the English at the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297 and the Battle of Falkirk (1298). However the Clan Jardine supported King Robert the Bruce at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1311 where they helped the Scottish King defeat the English.

During the 14th century the Clan Jardine settled in Applegirth in Dumfriesshire. There they built Spedlins Tower which was the family's seat until the 17th century when Jardine Hall was built on the opposite banks of the River Annan.

16th century and Anglo Scottish Wars

The border region between England and Scotland was a difficult place to live. There were constant raids and incursions by both sides. Chief Sir Alexander Jardine of Applegirth led the clan when they met an advancing force of English near Carlisle in 1524 where they took hundreds of English prisoners during the Anglo-Scottish Wars.

In 1547 the tables were turned when Alexander's son, the next chief, had to deal with over 5,000 English who overran the area, sacking the Jardine lands and forcing John Jardine of Applegirth to yield. John later sought assistance from the French and along with the Clan Jardine fell on their English oppressors taking many lives.

The Clan Jardine also supported the cause of Mary, Queen of Scots, however her scandalous marriage to Bothwell after the suspicious murder of Lord Darnley turned the Jardines along with many other Scots to support her infant son James's claim to the throne.

In 1573 the King confirmed the grant of lands to Sir Alexander Jardine of Jardinefield in Berwickshire; Applegirth and Sibbaldbie in Dumfrieshire; Hartside and Wandel in Lanarkshire; and Kirkandrews in Kirkcudbright. It is recorded that he had to muster 242 men to fight for the King if required. It was these retainers who then had no surnames who became known as "Jardine Men" and adopted Jardine as their surname

17th century

A later Sir Alexander Jardine forged a link to the powerful Clan Douglas through marriage to Lady Margaret Douglas, sister of the first Duke of Queensberry. They had a son, Alexander, in 1645, who was later created a Baronet of Nova Scotia.

The chief of the Clan Jardine and his family were reportedly forced to move from their seat at Spedlins Tower to Jardine Hall because of a grisly family secret; A miller had been left to starve to death in the dungeon of the tower and his ghost^[4] had driven the family from their home.

18th century

The fourth Baronet was a Knight of the Sovereign Order of Malta, taking a vow of celibacy. When he died in 1790 the title passed to his brother, Sir William. Jardines also made their mark on the literary world. Reverend John Jardine, born in 1716 mixed in the intellectual heart of Edinburgh during the Scottish Enlightenment had the good fortune to be part of a society that included great Scots such as economist and writer Adam Smith, philosopher David Hume, and the painter Allan Ramsay. He was one of the founders of the Edinburgh Review. His son, Sir Henry Jardine, was one of those present when the Honours of Scotland were re-discovered in 1818. He was knighted in 1825 and later made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

Clan seat

The seat of the Chief of Clan Jardine was at Spedlins Tower. Spedlins Tower is situated by the River Annan, 4 miles (6.5 km) northwest of Lockerbie. It is a 15th century fortalice which was abandoned by the Clan Chief when he built a new mansion nearby. The tower fell into ruin. In the second half of the 20th century its ownership changed hands three times. The present owner bought Spedlins Tower in 1988 from her predecessor who had restored it.

Clan profile

• Chief: Sir William Murray Jardine of Applegirth, 13th Baronet and Chief of the Name and Arms of Jardine.^[5]
• Chief's crest: A spur rowel of six points Proper
• Chief's arms: Argent, a Saltire Gules, on a chief of the last three mullets of the first pierced in the Second
• Chief's motto: Cave Adsum (Latin: Beware I am here)
• Plant badge: Apple blossom^[6]

Clan Septs

Spelling variations and septs of the Clan Jardine include:

Jardine, Jardines, Gardino, Gardin, Gardinus, Garden, Jardin, Jardane, Jerdane, Jerden, Jerdone, Jarden, Jardyne, Jarding, Jardyn, Gerden, Gerdain, Gairdner, Gardynnyr, Gardynsr, Gardnsrd, Gardinare, Gardinar, Gardenar, Gardenare, Gardnare, Gardener, Gardennar, Gardnar, Gardiner, Gardner.

See also

• Scottish clan
• Jardine Baronets
• Jardine (disambiguation), notable people with Jardine surname

References

1. ^ clanchiefs.org
2. ^ http://www.jardineclansociety.co.uk/3301.html
3. ^ http://www.jardineclan.com/ancient-jardine-clan.html
4. ^ Seafield, Lily. 1999. Scottish Ghosts, Geddes & Grosset. New Lanark, Scotland. p.84
5. ^ burkes-peerage.net
6. ^ Clanline, the Magazine of the Jardine Clan Society. 1997. p.20

External links

• Clan Jardine Society of Canada
• http://www.scotclans.com/clans/Jardine/history.html
• http://www.myclan.com/clans/Jardine_56/default.php
• http://www.electricscotland.com/webclans/htol/jardine2.html
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