" Over the past ten years five of us have worked on the early years of the Armstrongs from the 13th century until the 15th century. Through examination of Royal Land Grants of the 13th century it is now found that the name of our family before Adam Armstrong of Ousby, was De Ireby, which family stems from the 1lth century and descends from Ivor Taillbois a Norman knight who was awarded lands in Cumberland and the Midlands of England by William the Conqueror. The Armstrongs of Ousby sold their lands and received land from Robert the Bruce, and one of the female members of the De Ireby family married the Grandfather of Robert the Bruce. She inherited land from her husband in the Liddel valley, which land subsequently came into the hands of her relatives, the Armstrongs." - J Alan Armstrong.
The First Armstrongs
Thomas Armstrong (c 1150) m Anne, d/o Sir John Cramlington, parson of Cramlington.
Adam of Ousby in Cumbria and his son William were Verderers of the Forest of Inglewood, North Cumbria. William married the daughter of the Bishop of Carlisle. Their descendants held power as Verderers and tax collectors in royal service for over 100 years.
The first Armstrong known in historical records was Adam, who was pardoned for killing another man in 1235.