Origins of the clan Traditional origins As with many Scottish clans a legend exists to demonstrate physical prowess. There is a tradition that a savage
wolf was terrorising the district around
Heriot and a reward was offered to the man who would despatch the beast. Dewar is said to have achieved this and received his bounty. However it is not known if the
lands of Dewar are named after the surname or if the surname is taken from the lands.
Recorded origins The earliest record of an organised family by the name of Dewar is in the
Ragman Rolls of 1296, where Thomas and Piers de Deware appear swearing fealty to
Edward I of England.
Lord Borthwick granted a charter for the lands of Dewar to William Dewar in 1474. This Dewar family were known as
of that Ilk and rose to prominence, appearing in various charters in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. William Dewar sold the lands of Dewar and moved to
Carrington that was nearby. From this William Dewar descend the chiefly line of Clan Dewar.
Wars of Scottish Independence A derivation of the name in
Scottish Gaelic is
Deoradh which means
pilgrim. The most distinguished of five Highland families by the name Dewar were the Dewar Coigerachs who were custodians of the Staff of
St Fillan. The staff was carried at the
Battle of Bannockburn in support of
Robert the Bruce in 1314. The priceless artefact of the early
Celtic church is now held in the
National Museum of Scotland in
Edinburgh.
17th and 18th centuries A branch of the Clan Dewar, the Dewars of
Cambuskenneth were established by at least the 17th century, although Dewars are recorded in nearby
Stirling, which was a Royal Burgh, from as early as 1483. John Dewar, son of Patrick Dewar of Cambuskenneth was fined £50 in 1710 for causing
blood and riot. The chiefly line of the Clan Dewar, the Dewars
of that Ilk, became successful merchants and in 1719 purchased the barony and estate of Vogrie near
Gorebridge. The representation of this family had passed to James Dewar who was a nephew of William Dewar
of that Ilk.
19th and 20th centuries The Vogrie estates were a hive of industry, and a flourishing coal mine was sited there in the mid-19th century, as well as Scotland's first gunpowder mill. The fifth Laird of Vogrie lived in
India where he was a High Court Judge. He died in 1869 and was succeeded by his brother, Alexander Dewar, sixth of Vogrie who served in the Bengal cavalry. The mansion house of Vogrie was built by Alexander, sixth Laird, although the estate has shrunk from 2,000 to around .
Kenneth Dewar was an aide to
George V and commanded
HMS Royal Oak (08). It is from this Kenneth Dewar that the present chiefs of Clan Dewar are descended from. The
Dewar family whisky business was transformed into a major Scottish company by
John Dewar who was created Baron Forteviot of Dupplin in 1917. This Dewar family's seat was at
Dupplin Castle which was built between 1828 and 1832, and is one of the grandest houses in Scotland. ==Clan chief==