Skene

The name and lands of Skene originate back to an incident where the youngest son of Robertson of Struan saved the life of the king by killing a wolf with his sgian, and was rewarded with the name of Skene and the lands of Skene in Aberdeenshire.

It is recorded that a John Skene signed the Ragman Rolls of 1296, and his grandson recieved a barony of the lands of Skene for his service to Robert the Bruce.

Many of the chiefs of the Skenes fought in battle and most of them were slain. Adam de Skene was killed at Harlaw. Alexander fell at Flodden, and his grandson fell at Pinkie in 1547.

James Skene of Skene supported the Royalist cause and later served in the Swedish army of Gustavus Adolphus.

By 1827, the direct line had become extinct and the estates passed to the 4th Earl of Fife, nephew of the last Skene of Skene.

Other branches of Clan Skene were Dyce, Halyards, Cariston, Curriehill and Rubislaw. William Forbes Skene was a famous writier on Scots-Celtic History, and was appointed Historiographer Royal for Scotland in 1881.