Glenbuchat Heritage

38 Castle Newe Swords

William Forbes of Dach

The pictures above show:
1 Photo of the Hall Way in Castle Newe about 1910 showing the shields and swords on display.
2 Photo of existing Shield and two swords, a dagger and a walking cane
Click for details about the walking cane.
3 Full length photo of the ‘Dauch’ sword
4 Close up of the Basket style hilt of the sword
5 Close up of the inscription ‘Wm Forbes of Dauch 1474’
6 Close up of marking on the blade – orb and cross
7 Early sword markings showing the orb and cross mark
8 Dagger with leather sheath and crescent with 3 dots markings
9 Detail of dagger markings


If a larger view required click on the ‘view large version’ link at the bottom of the page.

Click to see the album of Treasures of Castle Newe

Above is a picture of a sword kept in the Forbes family and which belonged to William Forbes of Dauch and dated 1474

Where is Daach

There is confusion in the records as Davach, davoch, daugh or daach were units of measure and there are a number of names with daugh attached e.g. Meikle and Little Daugh, Cairnie, and Davoch, Logie-Coldstone.

Between 1661-70, Gordon of Straloch wrote that in Aberdeenshire the districts (regiones) of country were divided into pagi or " daachs," which contained as much land as could be broken up by our ploughs in one year, but that then, owing to more land having been cleared of wood, the arable land in a "daach" was more than doubled.

However the best location of Daach is in Logie Coldstone according to the following report
“Davoch (Logie-Coldstone). 1696, The Daach, Poll Book ; 1600, Dawachmenach, R.M.S., 1050 ; 1429, Dauchemanache, R.M.S., 127. Dabhacli meadlionach^ " middle dauch." There are still the Wester Middle, and Easter Daughs in the Coldstone division of the parish.”

Another claim however is Daugh Castle. This was a castle, about 5 miles (8.0 km) north of Huntly, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, near Cairnie Burn. It was also known as Castle of the Daach. The property is said to have belonged to Thomas Gordon, known as Tam o Riven (or Ruthven), a character for whom it is difficult to sort fact from the legend. It seems that Auchanachie Castle replaced Daugh Castle as the main residence in the 16th century.


Forbes Family History

Click for full family history.

From Homecoming Ancestral Trails
The family of Forbes of Newe and Edinglassie, which also possessed a baronetcy, is descended from William Forbes of Daach and Newe, younger son of Sir John Forbes, knight, who obtained a charter of the barony of Pitsligo and Kinnaldie, 10th October 1476, and whose elder son, Sir John Forbes, was the progenitor of Alexander Forbes, created Lord Forbes of Pitsligo, 24th June 1633, a title attainted in the person of Alexander, fourth lord, for his participation in the rebellion of 1745.

John Forbes of Bellabeg, the direct descendant of the said William of Daach, as born at Bellabeg in September 1743. In early life he went to Bombay, and engaging in mercantile pursuits, became one of the most extensive and distinguished merchants in India. Having realised a large fortune, he repurchased Newe, the estate of his ancestors, besides other lands in Strathdon, and the whole of his rental was laid out in improvements.

He died 20th June 1821, and was succeeded by his nephew, Sir Charles Forbes, eldest son of the Rev. George Forbes of Lochell, by his wife, Katherine, only daughter of Gordon Stewart of Inverurie. He was created a baronet, 4th November 1823. He sat in parliament for upwards of twenty years. In 1833 he was served nearest male heir in general to Alexander, third Lord Pitsligo, by a jury at Aberdeen, and the same year he obtained the authority of the Lord Lyon to use the Pitsligo arms and supporters.

He died 20th November 1849, and was succeeded by his grandson, Sir Charles, second baronet, born 15th July 1832, the title devolved on his uncle, Sir Charles Forbes, third baronet, born at Bombay 21st September 1803, and educated at Harrow school.

Alexander Forbes of Pitsligo and Kinaldie was the son of William Forbes.
He died circa 1496.
Children of Alexander Forbes
1.John Forbes d. 1556
2. William Forbes of Daach d. 1500

William Forbes of Daach was the son of Alexander Forbes.
He married Elizabeth Forbes, daughter of John Forbes of Brux.
Called ‘The White Laird’ from his fair complexion
He died in 1500.
Children of William Forbes of Daach and Elizabeth Forbes
1. Alexander Forbes d. 1561
2.John Forbes

Alexander Forbes 1st of Newe was the son of William Forbes of Daach and Elizabeth Forbes.
He married Jean Lumsden, daughter of Robert Lumsden of Cushnie.
He died in 1561 at Auchtercoull, with two sons, three daughters
Children of Alexander Forbes and Jean Lumsden
1. William Forbes d. 1571
2.Patrick Forbes
3. Isabel, married to Robert Coutts of Auchtercoull and had issue
married second to James Farquharson
married third to Robert Middleton
4. Margaret, married to William Skene of Auchtererne
married second to Arthur Skene
5. 3rd Daughter, married to Robert Ross of Birsemore

William Forbes of Newe was the son of Alexander Forbes and Jean Lumsden.
He married Margaret Gordon, daughter of John Gordon of Botarie.
William Forbes had charter of Newe from Robert Lord Elphinstone dated at Elphinstone 10th May 1560, and had sasine of the lands and mill 14th July 1560
He died in 1571 and is interred in the Chrich in Strathdon, with three sons, five daughters:
Children of William Forbes and Margaret Gordon
1. John Forbes d. 28 Jan 1616
2.Alexander Forbes of Invernochty
3. James of Easter Migvie

John Forbes of Newe was the son of William Forbes and Margaret Gordon.
He married Isobel Leys, daughter of – Burnett of Leys.
He died on 28 January 1616 in Aberdeen.
Built the first house at Newe in 1604
Styled ‘Bluebonnet
Children of John Forbes and Isobel Leys
1. Alexander Forbes d. 14 Nov 1654
2. Arthur of Culquhanny
3.John Forbes “Blind John”
4. Marjory married to William Leith of Newlands, to whom she had a daughter Isobel, who on 22nd Nov 1645, obtained a by a jury in Aberdeen a certificate of her descent

Alexander Forbes of Newe was the son of John Forbes and Isobel Leys.
He married Janet Lude, daughter of – Roberts of Lude in Atholl.
He died on 14 November 1654, with two sons, three daughters
Children of Alexander Forbes and Janet Lude
1. William Forbes d. 10 Jan 1698
2.John Forbes of Newlands. He probably married his cousin and by her acquired the property of Newlands
3. Isobel, married to William Forbes of Skellater 11th July 1675
4. ? married to Gordon of Blelack
5. ? married to Donald Cattanach of Tolquhill

William Forbes of Newe is the son of Alexander Forbes and Janet Lude.2 He married Helen Forbes, daughter of Atrhur Forbes of Culquhonny.
He died on 10 January 1698, with four sons, four daughters
Children of William Forbes and Helen Forbes
1. William Forbes b. 1657, d. 22 Jul 1699 (See part 3 about Sale of Newe)
2. Patrick Forbes, merchant in Aberdeen, and had one son who died without succession
3. George Forbes baptised . 10 Jan 1668, d. Jun 1745
married Isobel Forbes, daughter of the deceased William Forbes of Asloun.
4. John Forbes of Desktrie, married 22nd August 1699, to Margaret Farquharson of Belenach
5. Isobel, married 7th July 1675 to George Forbes of Skellater
6. Marjorie, married 24th December 1693 to Frances Couper in Cemcile
7. Helen, married 6th December 1687, Adam Panton, in the parish of Belhelvie and had issue
8. Agnes, baptised 16th September 1674, married 19th August 1697 to William Forbes of Belnabodach

George Forbes of Bellabeg. Was born on 10 January 1668.
He is the son of William Forbes and Helen Forbes.
He married Isabel Meldrum, daughter of William Meldrum of Hatton.
Married 2nd Isabel, daughter of William Forbes of Asloun.
He died in June 1745 at age 77.was buried at Strathdon as can be seen by a Stone in the south wall of the church bearing this inscription
Here lyes William Forbes of New
who departed this life the 10th of January 1638
Remember man as thou goes by
As thou art now so once was I
As I am now so must thou be
Remember man that thou must die
Child of George Forbes and Isabel Hatton
1.John Forbes b. 1707

John Forbes of Bellabeg was born in 1707.
He was the son of George Forbes and Isabel Hatton.
He married Christian Shepherd daughter of Rev John Shepherd, minister of Logie Coldstone in the Presbytery of Kincardine O’ Neil and Synod of Aberdeen
Child of John Forbes and Christian Shepherd
1. Reverend George Forbes b. 24 Jun 1738
2. John “Bombay Jock” Born in Bellabeg September 6th 1743
He died 20th June 1821, Did not marry
Son of the Rev. George Forbes of Lochell, embarked for Bombay and entered into commerce and by economy and a bequeath soon realized a princely fortune Returning to the healthful braes of Caledonia purchased the lands of Skellater New Edinglassie &c where once more the lands returned to the Pitsligo line who have done great things to promote industry in the country by agricultural improvements plantations and other operations and opened a communication between the higher and lower districts which bids fair for commerce and civilization in all its branches and was succeeded by his nephew, Sir Charles Forbes,

Sword Markings

From www.vikingsword.com
From ‘Rudolf Cronau's Geschichte der Solinger Klingenindustrie’, published in 1885; Gyngell's Armourers marks, - The shape of 'orb and cross' motif found on katzbalger's blade indicates a 16th century period, coherent with what is expected for a 16th century katzbalger's blade;

Such blade marks are therefore totally coherent with a German 16th century blade...
These seem to have been an affectation of 16th and 17th c. and as noted, many times inlaid with copper.

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