Forbes Castle, near Keig in Alford area

My great grandfather Alexander Young apparently came from Castle Forbes. He was born in 1837 and died in 1848. Please could you let me know if this is true as I would love to come and visit on a geneological family research trip I am planning.

Best wishes

Pamela Elborn

Hi Pamela,

I have very little knowledge off hand of the history of the castle other than that it is, as I understand, the current home of the head of the Forbes Clan, Lord Forbes. Was Alexander Yong a Forbes? As I gather Alexander is a "common" Forbes name, so it is a good chance. I will attempt to do some research! I take it you are not in the UK! Are you from the USA, Oz or NZ? Suggest you contact me via email at forbesj@eastcoast.co.za.

Best wishes,

John Forbes

Hi Pamela,

I received the following response from Malcolm Forbes at the castle: - " ............ we do not have much in the way of records of people who lived on the Estate going back that far but it is quite possible that Alexander Young was the son of a tenant farmer or employee on the Estate then and would have, therefore, been known as having "come from Castle Forbes". I was also a little surprised that this Alexander Young could actually have been the enquirer's great grandfather as he was apparently only 11 when he died! As you rightly say, Alexander - and its derivatives Alec, Alex, and Sandy - is a very common name in this part of the world - and by no means confined just to the Forbes clan. In 1837 Castle Forbes was occupied by my great-great-great grandfather, James Ochoncar, the 17th Lord Forbes. He actually built the present castle in 1815 (although the head of the family had moved to the previous house that stood on the site over 100 years earlier). He died in 1843 and was succeeded by his second son Walter (1798-1868) who was the 18th Lord Forbes and my great-great grandfather."

He has a valid point about the years!

Kind regards

John Forbes

I've always wanted to go here because one of my ancestors was Emma and Thomas Forbes

Hi Nicole.
It is well worth a visit as it is an imposing building, though not quite on the same scale as that of other well known castles in Scotland. It is however not open to the general public as it is a private home. I would suggest you first make contact with Lord Malcolm Forbes. I suspect there are many Forbes scattered about the globe and that we are all related albeit very remotely by now! Where do your kin come from? I have set up a web site of what I have been able to gleam of some of the Aberdeen Forbes and others on my side! See http://www.myheritage.com/site-24752951/forbes-2008-south-africa.

Best wishes,

John