THE BALFOURS OF STRATHOR AND MUNQUHANNY
Siward or Siwarth came north from northumbria in the reign of Duncan I, An t-Ilgarach, “the Diseased” (Donnchadh mac Crìonain), Duncan was son of Crínán, hereditary lay abbot of Dunkeld, and Bethóc, daughter of king Malcolm II of Scotland (Máel Coluim mac Cináeda). He became king after his grandfather’s death on 25 November 1034. Fordun claimed, that Duncan married the sister, daughter or cousin of Sigurd Björnsson, also known as Siward the Dane, Earl of Northumbria. Duncan died on the 14th August 1040, in a battle with Macbeth. Even at this early time, relations between the Scottish nobility and the Anglo/Saxon/Danes showed an influx of Anglo/Saxon/Danes into the north and Siward or Siwarthprobably came north in the train of his countrywoman who married Duncan. The similarity in the names perhaps shows a close relation to Siward the Dane, Earl of Northumbria, and might explain Siwarth’s importance. Little or nothing is known what became of Siwarth, after the fall of Duncan and during the 17 years of MacBeth’s reign, but MacDuff and Duncan’s son Malcolm were helped by Siward the Dane, the Earl of Northumbria, to over throw Macbeth. It is likely that Siwarth and possibly his son were involved in helping MacDuff and Malcolm.
Little is known of Siward’s or Siwarths son, Osulf, (Aswulph) who lived in the time of Malcolm Canmore.
Osulf’s son Siward or Siwarth IIwas given, by King Edgar, the valley of Orr, that is, Strathor and Maev, (the Isle of May) in 1097″cui dat Edgar rex vallem de Or at Maey pro capite Ottar Dani”, And means that King Edgar of Scotland gives to Siwarth, the Or valley and the Isle of May in return for the head of Ottar, the Dane. It is probable that Ottar was one of the Scandinavians who supported Donald Bane (Malcolm Canmore’s Brother) against his nephew King Edgar. Edgar Blinded his uncle eyes and left him to rot in prison. Nice. The Isle of May was in the possession of the Balfours of Monquhanny for many generations and its position guarding the entrance of the Firth of Forth probably suggested the family motto “Fordward” (in Saxon “Forthward”). The otter’s head has ever since appeared in the Arms of all Siwarth’s legitimate descendants. The original coat of arms, was almost certainly adopted by SiwarthII. When The Balfours of Denmylne sold their estate to Major General George Scott in 1773, the Ilse of May may have also been sold at the same time as later in 1840, when Henrietta Scott, daughter, and wife of the Duke of Portland, sold Denmylne, she also sold the Isle of May about the same time.