Order Now! Barclay Dress Modern Tartan

The early form of the Barclay name is Berchelai and was believed to be the Anglo-Saxon version of ‘beau’ meaning beautiful, and ‘lee’, a meadow or field. The Barclays came to Britain with the Norman Conquest. The first spelling of their name was ‘de Barchelai’ referring to an Old English placename meaning ‘beautiful meadow’. Lord Roger de Berchelai and, by tradition, his son John, came to Scotland in the retinue of Margaret, sister of Edgar the Aetheling. The Scots king then granted the lands of Towie to John de Berchelai. However, recent research has suggested that the year 1124 and the train of Maud, queen of David I is a much more likely context for the Barclays’ arrival in Scotland. Either way, the Barclays soon established themselves in strong positions in lands, offices and alliances. Sir Walter de Berkeley was Chamberlain of Scotland in 1165, in close attendance of his master, William the Lion.