From Lundy's Peerage page: http://thepeerage.com/p48589.htm#i485886

William de Irwyn, 1st of Drum[1] M, #485886, b. circa 1260, d. circa 1335 Last Edited=25 Nov 2012

William de Irwyn, 1st of Drum was born circa 1260.[1] He died circa 1335.[1]

He was an armour bearer to ROBERT I , by whom he had a charter February 1323, of much of the Royal Forest of Drum in 1306.[1] On 9 October 1324 by a charter (still preserved at Drum) Drum was erected into a Free Barony.[1]

Citations

• 1. [S37] Charles Mosley, editor, Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes (Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003), volume 2, page 2062. Hereinafter cited as Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 107th edition.
• 2. [S37] Charles Mosley, Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 107th edition.

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During his famous campaign against the English, Robert the Bruce often sought help and refuge from his kinsmen, the Irvings of Bonshaw. He chose William de Irwyn as one of his principle aides and companions. As the story goes, at one point King Robert found himself put to flight by his enemies with only a few of his aides around him. Exhausted by the chase, the King was compelled to sleep under a holly tree while William stood guard over him. Holly leaves are now a prominent feature in all seven family crests which represent the major branches of the Irvine clan. William stood by King Robert again at famous battle of Bannockburn in June of 1314 (one of the few battles where the Scots defeated the English) and for his service was awarded the Royal Forest of Oaks in Aberdeenshire and Drum Castle which guards it in 1323. From that point on, Drum Castle was continually occupied by the Irvines for over 650 years. This land had previously belonged to John'Red' Comyn. Drum was made into a free barony in 1329. Sir William de Irwyn married a granddaughter of Robert the Bruce, who was the daughter of Robert Douglas, Earl of Buchan. From this union was derived the two great families of Bonshaw and Drum. For seventeen generations, starting with the second Laird of Drum, there was a successive line of Irvines all bearing the name Alexander.

During his famous campaign against the English, Robert the Bruce often sought help and refuge from his kinsmen, the Irvings of Bonshaw. He chose William de Irwyn as one of his principle aides and companions.

As the story goes, at one point King Robert found himself put to flight by his enemies with only a few of his aides around him. Exhausted by the chase, the King was compelled to sleep under a holly tree while William stood guard over him.

Holly leaves are now a prominent feature in all seven family crests which represent the major branches of the Irvine clan. William stood by King Robert again at famous battle of Bannockburn in June of 1314 (one of the few battles where the Scots defeated the English) and for his service was awarded the Royal Forest of Oaks in Aberdeenshire and Drum Castle which guards it in 1323.

From that point on, Drum Castle was continually occupied by the Irvines for over 650 years. This land had previously belonged to John 'Red' Comyn. Drum was made into a free barony in 1329.

Sir William de Irwyn married a granddaughter of Robert the Bruce, who was the daughter of Robert Douglas, Earl of Buchan. From this union was derived the two great families of Bonshaw and Drum. For seventeen generations, starting with the second Laird of Drum, there was a successive line of Irvines all bearing the name Alexander.