Lord Gray Introduction

Introduction

The family of Gray or Grey is common to bothEngland and Scotland, and is generally held to be of Norman origin. In England the family rose to great eminence, and were raised to the Peerage with the titles of Duke of Suffolk and Kent, Earl of Stamford, Baron Grey of Codnor, Ruthen, Wilton, Rolleston, Wark, and Chillingham.

The Scottish Grays are probably of the same stock, but are not met with on record in that country till the thirteenth century, when HUGO DE GRAY is mentioned as a Witness in a charter of Walter de Lundin, the date of which is before 1248.
In general, the English families appear to be from a general movement spreading north from France.

However the Scottish characters, although may have been one and the same in origins, became completely separated after 1300AD.
Friday the 13th of November 1306 to be precise, when on a Papal edict, the Templar Knights were massacred in France.

Some escaped. The Templar fleet slipped out of Brest, some to Portugal, whose government was reluctant to enforce the Papal edict, some to Scotland of all places, where they were welcomed by Robert the Bruce, if they would help him in his fight against the English.
Many fought with him at Bannockburn, indeed accounts of the battle include a Templar contingent carrying with them into battle a reproduction of the Ark of the Covenant.

In Scots Peerage we have an account of Sir Andrew Gray “was one of those who in 1306 joined with King Robert the Bruce in the war of independence.” In consideration of his services he received from the Bruce many grants of lands, to numerous to list.
Who was he? I believe he was a Templar Knight. Their courage made them fearsome opponents. We have further evidence later in the text. “I can march up to a fortress and summon it to surrender”! and “A braver Knight than Sir Andrew Ne’er belted on a sword”
“Thomas Gray, second son, was a warrior, like his father.”