Frasers of Philorth - History

History

Fraserburgh Alexander's grandson, also Alexander, married a daughter of the Earl of Ross, acquiring the lands of Philorth in Buchan, plus the castle of Cairnburgh, which has been the seat of the Fraser chiefs from that time forward.

In 1592, Sir Alexander, 8th Lord of Philorth, was given a charter by James VI for the fishing village of Faithlie. He improved the harbour, making the area a thriving town, which soon became a free port and burgh called Fraserburgh, a rival of Aberdeen.

The 9th Lord of Philorth married the heiress of the Lord Saltoun, a title borne by the Fraser chiefs ever since.

Fraserburgh was to have had a university, but the religious troubles and competition from Aberdeen stemmed the town’s growth. By building Fraserburgh Castle the Laird bankrupted himself, and had to sell the Castle of Philorth which passed out of the family for over 300 years until the 19th Lord Saltoun bought it back in 1934. Alexander, 9th Lord of Philorth, married the heiress of the Lord Saltoun, a title borne by the Clan Fraser chiefs since that time.

The Chiefship was in dispute between the Frasers of Philorth and another branch, which also came from Tweeddale, the Frasers of Muchalls.In the reign of Charles I. The peerage expired with the fourth Lord Fraser, who died in 1716 while on the run as a result of his participation in The Fifteen. The first two sons of Andrew, the 2nd Lord Fraser were thought to have died in the Battle of Dunbar (1650) in 1650, however in reality they were taken prisoner and sent to America, where they were placed into servitude. James and William Fraser changed their name to Frissell to protect themselves from Oliver Cromwell. James Frissell was placed in Roxbury and William in the Carolinas. Together, the two of them are responsible for almost all of the Frissells in America.