| Administrative History | The earliest recorded instance of the name 'Irvine' dates back to the 12th century but it was King Robert Bruce who established the Irvines in the north-east of Scotland. A clerk in the royal chancellery, William of Irvine, was appointed the King's representative in the royal forest of Drum was and was granted lands there in 1323. He later was granted the barony of Drum. Drum Castle was occupied continuously by the Irvine family until 1976.
Alexander Irvine of Drum became laird in 1761. James Irvine of Drum went to Rome in 1780 to study painting and remained there until 1791. He then spent six years in London as an art dealer and returned to Rome in 1797, when he attempted to save art collections from the invading Napoleonic armies. Some of these acquisitions are now in the University's museum collections. He married a Roman woman, and died in Rome in 1831.
For more on the family history see J.F. Leslie, 'The Irvines of Drum and Collateral Branches' (Aberdeen: 1909) |