Clan Grant: “Stand Fast” — the Highland House of Strathspey & Glenfiddich

Overview

Clan Grant is one of the great Highland families of Strathspey — the valley of the River Spey that is now the beating heart of Scotch whisky country. Their rallying cry, “Stand Fast, Craigellachie!”, still rings out over Speyside — and one branch of the family gave the world its best-selling single malt, Glenfiddich.

Origins

The chiefs of Clan Grant trace their line to Normans who came to Scotland in the medieval period, bearing the French name le Grand — “the tall” or “the large.” Like several of the families we cover, the Grants threw in their lot with Robert the Bruce, and his victory in the Wars of Independence confirmed them in their lands of Strathspey, where they grew into established Highland chiefs.

Castle Grant & the Grant country

The clan’s seat is Castle Grant, near Grantown-on-Spey — a stronghold that, tradition says, was taken from the Comyns by a combined force of Grants and MacGregors. From here the Grants held sway over a broad Highland district that took in Strathspey, Glen Urquhart, Glenmoriston and the shores of Loch Ness. The current chief is Sir Michael Grant of Grant, Lord Strathspey.

“Stand Fast, Craigellachie!”

The clan’s motto is simply “Stand Fast,” and its war-cry names the rock of Craigellachie in Speyside — the traditional gathering-place and beacon-hill of the clan. It’s a motto that suits a family who have held the same Highland glens for seven centuries.

The Grants & whisky

No family is more woven into the story of Speyside whisky than the Grants. In 1886, William Grant — a Grant of the Spey valley — set out to build his own distillery by hand, and on Christmas Day 1887 the first spirit ran at Glenfiddich. Well over a century later it is still owned by his family, and remains the world’s best-selling single malt — a rare thing in an industry now dominated by global drinks giants.

More clans & places

• Visit Glenfiddich Distillery and neighbouring Balvenie Castle in the Grant heartland of Speyside.
• Explore more families in our Scottish Clans hub.

Battles — won and lost

The most notable actions the clan fought, and how they ended:

• Dunbar (1296) — vs the English — LOST
• Glenlivet (1594) — vs the Catholic earls (the royal/Argyll side lost) — LOST
• Cromdale (1690) — vs the Jacobites (Grant regiment for the Crown) — WON
• Sheriffmuir (1715) — vs the Jacobites — DRAWN
• Prestonpans (1745) — vs the government (Glenmoriston Grants) — WON
• Culloden (1746) — vs the government (Glenmoriston Grants) — LOST

The clan was split in the ’45 — the chief backed the government while the Grants of Glenmoriston came out for the Jacobites.

The clan lands

Orange markers = the clan’s chief castles, seats and territories; where we have a page, they link through.

Sources

• Clan Grant and the Clan Grant Society (history, motto, chiefs).
• Glenfiddich & William Grant & Sons (the family distillery).