Staunch Jacobite, castle restorer, businessman, and herald; Born May 25, 1933; Died August 30, 2008.

David Lumsden of Cushnie, who has died suddenly aged 75, might have epitomised the Hollywood vision of Scotland. Tall, personable and possessed of impeccable manners, he wore the kilt, promoted tartan, restored castles and as one of only four private heralds in the nation, he appeared on days of great ceremonial in a magnificent tabard decked with the arms of his patron Margaret, 30th Countess of Mar. He was also a monarchist and staunch Jacobite.

The man behind the image proved a shrewd and well-educated businessman, a historian and scholar of some repute, and a devout Christian whose charitable work he ensured was little known and certainly unsung.

The six-foot Lumsden of Cushnie was born in Quetta, Baluchistan, son of a Regular army officer serving in what is now Pakistan. With an eye for accurate history and a twinkle, Cushnie referred to his birthplace as "in the empire of India". The sub-continent gave him a love of sport, particularly rowing and polo, that helped credit him with a lifelong lean, upright figure.

His Cushnie lineage extended to Robert Lumsden, 1st of Cushnie following a grant of lands in Aberdeenshire by King James IV in 1509. Coincidentally, he and Churchill shared the same ancestor: Robert of Cushnie was Sir Winston's 11-greats-grandfather.

Through his father, Major Harry Lumsden, the young David inherited a knowledgeable love of castellated architecture, becoming an expert on the L-plan and Z-plan towers that make up so many of Scotland's fortified houses.

From 1970, he personally restored two Aberdeenshire properties relating to the family - Cushnie House (built 1688 by Alexander Lumsden) and Tillycairn Castle (built 1540 by Mathew Lumsden). His interest was such that he went on to restore Leithen Lodge at Innerleithen, an arts-and-crafts shooting lodge of 1887, and Liberton Tower, in Edinburgh.

He directed his educated enthusiasm for tower-house restoration through his foundation of the Castles of Scotland Preservation Trust aided by Hugh Ross, Nigel Tranter and Harry, 23rd Lord Borthwick.

It was a move helped by the spirited Jessie Pettigrew, whose pioneering work turned the A-listed but condemned Dalzell House in Motherwell from a ruin into attractive series of homes. An active member from almost its establishment of the Scottish Castles Association, Cushnie would contrast the constant financial struggle to rescue outstanding castles in Scotland as "chronic", compared with national funds for historic building projects in other European countries.

David Gordon Allen d'Aldecamb Lumsden of Cushnie was educated at Allhallows, Devon, Bedford School and Jesus College, Cambridge. He held a commission in the London Scottish TA before developing an executive career with British American Tobacco for 23 years from 1959, and was a member of Lloyd's from 1985 until retirement in 2001.

He worked in Africa, India and the Far East, as well as Eastern Europe in the days of the Iron Curtain. His first mission on leaving BAT was to move into castle restoration.

A profound monarchist and expert in all aspects of the Jacobite, he served as convener of the Monarchist League of Scotland, was president for the past 23 years of the 1745 Association, was a contributor to the publication The Muster Rolls of the 45 (listing all those who served with Prince Charles Edward) and served as a council member of the Royal Stuart Society.

Last year, he played a prominent role in commemorating the bicentenary of the death of Prince Henry, Cardinal Stuart, last member of the Royal House of Stuart, at the Royal Hospital Chelsea along with Viscount Maitland (Hereditary Banner Bearer of Scotland) and General Lord Walker (governor of the Royal Hospital).

Keenly interested in music, he was co-founder of the Scottish Historic Organs Trust in 1991.

Cushnie waged minor war on the wearing of white hose with the kilt, rarely leaving home without a supply of printed cards bearing the message to hand out to offenders. His based his apparent idiosyncrasy on his view that the dignity of the kilt was being demeaned by a combination of music-hall attire and kilt-hire wear. "Any colour but white," he would lecture.

A patron of the Aboyne Gathering and faithful attender in his green Lumsden of Cushnie kilt for nearly half-a-century, his enthusiastic article in the Games programme of August 2008 on tartan included a broadside against white hose.

Cushnie, last of the family to hold the title of Baron of Cushnie, proved a learned and outstanding heraldist, and was one of only four private heralds in Scotland - his fellows being Endure Pursuivant of the earl of Crawford and Balcarres; Slains Pursuivant for the earl of Erroll; and Finlaggan Pursuivant, serving the High Chief of Donald.

As Garioch Pursuivant, his patron was Margaret, 30th Countess of Mar, and in this office, he presided over family ceremonial as well as the satisfying of heraldic and genealogical requirements of her following.

Greatly involved in chivalry, he was also a Knight of Malta; Knight of Justice of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St George; Knight of the Order of Saint Maurice and St Lazarus; and Bailie of the Bailiwick of Scotland of the Order of St Lazarus; as well as being a Freeman of the City of London. His motto Dei Dono Sum Quod Sum (By the grace of God, I am what I am) reflected his strong Christian commitment.

Cushnie was active in the Convention of the Baronage of Scotland, and wearing his scarlet robes, represented the convention at services in St Giles on St Andrews Day and at the opening of the General Assembly. A clan chief attending a convention meeting held at his home near Prestonpans observed afterwards: "David has a distinctive aquiline nose, and on the walls were portraits of all his ancestors, mainly eminent soldiers dating back to the Napoleonic war.

"That nasal feature had endured for more than 150 years in the male line!"

Cushnie, Jacobite to the end, died while on business for the 1745 Association in Fort William. His funeral service is being held on Wednesday in St Mary's Roman Catholic Cathedral in Edinburgh, with a family burial later in Cluny, Aberdeenshire.

He was predeceased earlier this year by his younger brother, Kenneth, and is survived by his sister Jean (Mrs de Laurier) and her sons, his nephews Hugh and Mark.