The Library On Visit To Castle Fraser Near Kemnay Aberdeenshire Scotland

Tour Scotland travel video, with Scottish music, of the library on visit to Castle Fraser near Kemnay in Aberdeenshire. In the room there is a portrait of Colonel Charles Mackenzie, born 1792, died 1871, who lost a leg fighting for the Duke of Wellington in the siege of Burgos in 1812. In his youth, he served briefly in the 78th Highlanders Ross-shire Buffs, a regiment founded by Francis Humberston Mackenzie of Seaforth and Charles’s father, Lieutenant General Alexander Mackenzie Fraser. His father, Lieutenant General Alexander Mackenzie Fraser, born 1758, died 1809, had a distinguished military career. Born Alexander Mackenzie Yr of Kilcoy, he was first commissioned in Lord MacLeod's 73rd Highlanders in 1778, and served through the Siege of Gibraltar where he was wounded in 1782. He married Helen Mackenzie (of Seaforth), and when his brother in law Colonel Francis Humberston Mackenzie of Seaforth raised the 78th Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs) in 1793, Alexander Mackenzie became the first Lieutenant Colonel. He commanded the 78th during its first active service on the expedition to Holland 1794-95. As a Major General he commanded the expedition to Egypt in 1807, and as a Lieutenant General commanded a division under Sir John Moore in Portugal, and at Corunna in 1809. During Lord Chatham's expedition to the Low Countries in 1809 he fell victim of Walcheren fever, and died on his return to London. As heir to his mother's family the Frasers of Inverallochy, he adopted the additional name Fraser, but never lived to inherit the Castle Fraser estate. The castle was passed down through the Lords Fraser, the Frasers of Inverallochy and then the Mackenzie family who took the name Mackenzie Fraser. In 1897 the last male Fraser of the direct line, Frederick Mackenzie Fraser, died childless. In 1921 his widow, Theodora, sold the castle due to the lack of a suitable heir and mounting financial difficulties. The buyer was Weetman Pearson, 1st Viscount Cowdray. The Pearson family restored the castle as a shooting lodge. The surname Fraser was first found in Tweedale, Peebles-shire, where Sir Simon Frasee held part of the lands of Keith. There is a record of Symon Fraser giving the church of Keith to the Abbey of Kelso in 1160. Early records include Gilbert Fraser, who witnessed a charter by Walter Olifard in 1210. A later Sir Simon known as " the Scottish Patriot " was a supporter of Sir William Wallace in the struggle for independence. Spelling variations of this family name include: Frazer, Fraser, Frasher, Frisell, Frasee, Frazie, Frazier, Friselle, Fresser, Friser, Fryssar, Fressell, Fresal, Fresale, Frichell, Fraysser, Fresall, Fresle, Fresill, Fressair, Fraisser and many more. All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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