Sir Crispin Hamlyn Agnew of Lochnaw, 11th Baronet, (born 13 May 1944) is a Scottish

advocate An advocate is a professional in the field of law. Different countries' legal systems use the term with somewhat differing meanings. The broad equivalent in many English law–based jurisdictions could be a barrister or a solicitor. However, ...

herald A herald, or a herald of arms, is an officer of arms, ranking between pursuivant and king of arms. The title is commonly applied more broadly to all officers of arms. Heralds were originally messengers sent by monarchs or noblemen to ...

and former

explorer Exploration refers to the historical practice of discovering remote lands. It is studied by geographers and historians. Two major eras of exploration occurred in human history: one of convergence, and one of divergence. The first, covering most ...

. He is the chief of the ancient Agnew family, and the eleventh holder of the Agnew baronetcy, created in 1629. Agnew is the only son of Sir Fulque Agnew and his wife Swanzie Erskine, latterly Professor of Geography at the University of Malawi. He succeeded his father in 1975. He was educated at

Uppingham School Uppingham School is a public school (English independent day and boarding school for pupils 13-18) in Uppingham, Rutland, England, founded in 1584 by Robert Johnson (rector), Robert Johnson, the Archdeacon of Leicester, who also established Oa ...

and

RMA Sandhurst The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS or RMA Sandhurst), commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is one of several military academy, military academies of the United Kingdom and is the British Army's initial Commissioned officer, officer train ...

, before being commissioned into the Royal Highland Fusiliers in 1964. He served in Germany, Cyprus, Northern Ireland and the UK. As an active climber and mountaineer and member of the

Alpine Club (UK) The Alpine Club was founded in London in 1857 and is the world's first mountaineering club. The primary focus of the club is to support mountaineers who climb in the Alps and the Greater Ranges of the world's mountains. History The Alpine ...

he was involved with the army's policy of developing adventurous training for soldiers of all ranks. He took part in or led a number of expeditions, including expeditions to Api Himal in 1980,

Everest Mount Everest (; Tibetan: ''Chomolungma'' ; ) is Earth's highest mountain above sea level, located in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas. The China–Nepal border runs across its summit point. Its elevation (snow heigh ...

in 1976,

Nuptse Nuptse or Nubtse (Sherpa: नुबचे, Wylie: Nub rtse, ) is a mountain in the Khumbu region of the Mahalangur Himal, in the Nepalese Himalayas. It lies two kilometres WSW of Mount Everest. Nubtse is Tibetan for "west peak", as it is the wes ...

Himal in 1975,

Northern Patagonian Ice Field The Northern Patagonian Ice Field, located in southern Chile, is the smaller of two remnant parts in which the Patagonian Ice Sheet in the Andes Mountains of southern South America can be divided. It is completely contained within the boundaries ...

in 1973,

Elephant Island Elephant Island is an ice-covered, mountainous island off the coast of Antarctica in the outer reaches of the South Shetland Islands, in the Southern Ocean. The island is situated north-northeast of the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, west-so ...

in 1970, and

Greenland Greenland ( kl, Kalaallit Nunaat, ; da, Grønland, ) is an island country in North America that is part of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is located between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Greenland is t ...

in 1968 and 1966. He retired as a major in 1981. Agnew is a

King's Counsel In the United Kingdom and in some Commonwealth countries, a King's Counsel ( post-nominal initials KC) during the reign of a king, or Queen's Counsel (post-nominal initials QC) during the reign of a queen, is a lawyer (usually a barrister or ...

and was in practice at the Scottish Bar with Westwater Advocates before going non-practising in April 2020. He was ranked by Chambers & Partners UK 2018 as a "Star Individual" in Agriculture and Rural Affairs and "Band 1" in Planning and Environment. He specialised in rural property, planning & environmental, and public law. He was made an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Dundee in 2020. He is the author of legal textbooks on agriculture, crofting, land obligations and liquor licensing as well as articles in academic journals. He served as a part-time judge of the Upper Tribunal (formerly Social Security Commissioner) (2000 to 2018) and was part-time legal chairman of the Pension Appeal Tribunal (2002 to 2012). He is a legal convenor of the Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland (2018-). His heraldic career began in 1978 when he was appointed

Slains Pursuivant Slains Pursuivant of Arms is a private officer of arms appointed by the Chief of the Name and Arms of Hay – presently the Earl of Erroll, Lord High Constable of Scotland. It is believed that the Hay family had an officer of arms since the ti ...

by Merlin, Earl of Erroll. In 1981, he was appointed

Unicorn Pursuivant Unicorn Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary is a current Scottish pursuivant of arms in Ordinary of the Court of the Lord Lyon. The title was created after 1381, and derived from the unicorn. One of these beasts is used as a supporter for the r ...

at the

Court of the Lord Lyon The Court of the Lord Lyon (the Lyon Court) is a standing court of law, based in New Register House in Edinburgh, which regulates heraldry in Scotland. The Lyon Court maintains the register of grants of arms, known as the Public Register of All A ...

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

. In 1986, he was promoted to

Rothesay Herald Rothesay Herald of Arms in Ordinary is a current Scottish herald of arms in Ordinary of the Court of the Lord Lyon. The office was created after 1398 when the dukedom of Rothesay was conferred on David, eldest son of King Robert III, on 28 Ap ...

, a position he held until 31 August 2021, when he became

Albany Herald Albany Herald of Arms is a Scottish herald of arms of the Court of the Lord Lyon. The office was first mentioned in a diplomatic mission from Scotland to England in 1401. The office was probably instituted on the creation of Robert Stewart, s ...

Extraordinary. He was appointed

Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order The Royal Victorian Order (french: Ordre royal de Victoria) is a dynastic order of knighthood established in 1896 by Queen Victoria. It recognises distinguished personal service to the British monarch, Canadian monarch, Australian monarch, o ...

(LVO) in the 2021 Birthday Honours. In 1980 he married Susan Rachel Strang Steel, a careers adviser and formerly a journalist and broadcaster, the daughter of Jock Wykeham Strang Steel and Lesley Graham.Daughter of Sir Reginald Graham Bt VC Agnew and his wife have a son and three daughters: Mark, Isabel, Emma and Roseanna. Mark Agnew is the Younger of Lochnaw, and the heir to the chiefship and baronetcy.

Arms

References

External links

Debrett's biography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Agnew, Crispin Crsipin Baronets in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia 21st-century King's Counsel Members of the Faculty of Advocates Royal Highland Fusiliers officers 1944 births Living people Scottish officers of arms Scottish King's Counsel Scottish explorers Graduates of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst Lieutenants of the Royal Victorian Order Explorers from the United Kingdom