Macnab

The clan Anaba or Macnab has been said by some to have been a branch of the Macdonalds, but we have given above a bond of manrent which shows that they were allied to the Mackinnons and the Macgregors. "From their comparitively central position in the Highlands", says Smibert, "as well as other circumstances, it seems much more likely that they were of the primitive Albionic race, a shoot of the Siol Alpine". The chief has his residence at Kinnell, on the banks of the Docjart, and the family possessions, which originally were considerable, lay mainly on the western shores of Loch Tay. The founder of the Macnabs, like the founder of the Macphersons, is said to have belonged to the clerical profession, the name Mac-anab being said to mean in Gaelic, the son of the abbot. He is said to have been abbot of Glendochart.

The Macnabs were a considerable clan before the reign of Alexander III. When Robert the Bruce commenced his struggle for the crown, the baron of Macnab, with his clan, joined the Macdougalls of Lorn, and fought against Bruce at the battle of Dalree. Afterwards, when the cause of Bruce prevailed, the lands of the Macnabs were ravaged by his victorious troops, their homes burnt, and all their family writs destroyed. Of all their possessions only the barony of Bowain or Bovain, in Glendochart, remained to them, and of it, Gilbert Macnab of that ilk, from whom the line is usually deduced, as the first undoubted laird of Macnab, received from David II, on being reconciled to that monarch, a charter, under the great seal, to him and his heirs whomsoever, dated in 1336. He died in the reign of Robert II.

His son, Finlay Macnab, styled of Bovain, as well as "of that ilk", died in the reign of James I. He is said tohave been a famous bard. According to tradition he composed one of the Gaelic poems which Macpherson attributed to Oaaian. He was the father of Patrick Macnab of Bovain and of that ilk, whose son was named Finlay Macnab, after his grandfather. Indeed, Finlay appears to have been, at this time, a favourite name of the chief, as the next three lairds were so designated. Upon his father's resignation, he got a charter, under the great seal, in the reign of James III, of the lands of Ardchyle, and Wester Duinish, in the barony of Glendochart and county of Perth, dated January 1, 1486. He had also a charter from James IV, of the lands of Ewir and Leiragan, in the same barony, dated January 9, 1502. He died soon thereafter, leaving a son, Finlay Macnab, fifth laird of Macnab, who is witness in a charter, under the great seal, to Duncan Campbell of Glenorchy, wherein he is designed "Finlaus Macnab, dominus de eodem", &c, Sept 18, 1511. He died about the close of the reign of James V.

His son, Finlay Macnab of Bovain and of that ilk, sixth chief from Gilbert, alienated or mortgaged a great portion of his lands to Campbell of Glenorchy, ancestor of the Marquis of Breadalbane, as appears by a charter to "Colin Campbell of Glenorchy, his heirs and assignees whatever, according to the deed granted to him by Finlay Macnab of Bovain, 24th November 1552, of all and sundry the lands of Bovain and Ardchyle, &c, confirmed by a charter under the great seal from Mary, dated 27th June 1553". Glenorchy's right of superiority the Macnabs always refused to acknowledge.

His son, Finlay Macnab, the seventh laird, who lived in the reign of James VI, was the chief who entered into the bond of friendship and manrent with his cousin, Lauchlan Mackinnon of Strathairdle, 12th July 1606. This chief carried on a deadly feud with the Neishes or M'Ilduys, a tribe which possessed the upper parts of Strathearn, and inhabited an island in the lower part of Loch Earn, called from them Neish Island. Many battles were fought between them, with various success. The last was at Glenboultachan, about two miles north of Loch Earn foot, in which the Macnabs were victorious, and the Neishes cut off almost to a man. A small remnant of them, however, still lived in the island referred to, the head of which was an old man, who subsisted by plundering the people in the neighbourhood. One Christmas, the chief of the Macnabs had sent his servant to Crieff for provisions, but, on his return, he was waylaid, and robbed of all his purchases. He went home, therefore, emply-handed, and told his tale to the laird. Macnab had twelve sons, all men of great strength, but one in particular exceedingly athletic, who was called for a bye name, Iain mion Mac an Appa, of "Smooth John Macnab". In the evening, these men were gloomily meditating some signal revenge on their old enemies, when their father entered, and said in Gaelic, "The night is the night, if the lads were but lads!". Each man instantly started to his feet, and belted on his dirk, his claymore, and his pistols. Led by their brother John, they set out, taking a fishing boat on their shoulders from Loch Tay, carrying it over the mountains and glens till they reached Loch Earn, where they launched it, and passed over to the island. All was silent inthe habitation of Neish. Having all the boats at the island secured, they had gone to sleep withour fear of surprise. Smooth John, with his foot dashed open the door of Neish's house; and the party, rushing in, attacked the unfortunate family, every one of whom was put to the sword, with the exception of one man and a boy, who concealed themselves under a bed. Carrying off the heads of the Neishes, and any plunder they could secure, the youths presented themselves to their father, while the piper struck up the pibroch of victory.

The next laird, "Smooth John", the son of this Finlay, made a distinguished figure in the reign of Charles I, and suffered many hardships on account of his attachment to the royal cause. He was killed at the battle of Worcester in 1651. During the commonwealth, his castle of Eilan Rowan was burned, his estates ravaged and sequestered, and the family papers again lost. Taking advantage of the troubles of the times, his powerful neighbour, Campbell of Glenorchy, in the heart of whose possessions Macnab's lands were situated, on the pretence that he had sustained considerable losses from the clan Macnab, got possession of the estates in recompense thereof.

The chief of the Macnabs married a daughter of Campbell of Glenlyon, and with one daughter had a son, Alexander Macnab, ninth laird, who was only four years old when his father was killed on Worcester battle-field. His mother and friends applied to General Monk for some relief from the family estates for herself and children. That general made a favourable report on the application, but it had no effect.

After the Restoration, application was made to the Scottish estates, by Lady Macnab and her son, for redress, and in 1661 they received a considerable portion of their lands, which the family enjoyed till the beginning of the present century, when they were sold.

By his wife, Elizabeth, a sister of Sir Alexander Menzies of Weem, Baronet, Alexander Macnab of that ilk had a son and heir, Robert Macnab, tenth laird, who married Anne Campbell, sister of the Earl of Breadalbane. Of several children only two survived, John, who succeeded his father, and Archibald. The elder son, John, held a commission in the Black Watch, and was taken prisoner at the battle of Prestonpans, and, with several others, confined to Doune Castle, under the charge of Macgregor of Glengyle, where he remained till after the battle of Culloden. The majority of the clan took the side of the hosue of Stuart, and were led by Allister Macnab of Inshewan and Archibald Macnab of Acharne.

John Macnab, the eleventh laird, married the only sister of Francis Buchanan, Esq of Arnprior, and had a son, Francis, twelfth laird.

Francis, twellfth laird, died, unmarried, at Callander, Perthshire, May 25, 1816, in his 82d year. One of the most eccentric men of his time, many anecdotes are related of his curious sayings and doings.

We give the following as a specimen, for which we are indebted to Mr Smibert's excellent work on the clans:-

"Macnab had an intense antiphathy to excisemen, whom he looked on as a race of intruders, commissioned to suck the blood of his country: he never gave them any better name than vermin. One day, early in the last war, he was marching to Stirling at the head of a corps of fencibles, of which he was commander. In those days the Highlanders were notorious for incurable smuggling propensities; and an excursion to the Lowlands, whatever might be its cause or import, was an opportunity by no means to be neglected. The Breadalbane men had accordingly contrived to stow a considerable quantity of the genuine 'peat reek' (whisky) into the baggage carts. All went well with the party for some time. On passing Alloa, however, the excisemen there having got a hint as to what the carts contained, hurried out by a shorter path to intercept them. In the meantime, Macnab, accompanied by a gillie, in the true feudal style, was proceeding slowly at the head of his men, not far in the rear of the baggage. Soon after leaving Alloa, one of the party in charge of the carts came running back and informed their chief that they had all been seized by a posse of excisemen. This intelligence at once roused the blood of Macnab. 'Did the lousy villans dare to obstruct the march of the Breadalbane Highlanders!' he exclaimed, inspired with the wrath of a thousand heros; and away he rushed to the scene of contention. There, sure enough, he found a party of excisemen in possession of the carts. 'Who the devil are you?' demanded the angry chieften. 'Gentlemen of the excise', was the answer. 'Robbers" thieves! you mean; how dare you lay hands on His Majesty's stores? If you be gaugers, show me your commission'. Unfortunately for the excisemen, they had not deemed it necessary in their haste to bring such documents with them. In vain they asserted their authority, and declared they were well known in the neighbourhood.'Ay, just what I took ye for; a parcel of highway robbers and scoundrels. Come, my good fellows', (addressing the soldiers in charge of the baggage, and extending his voice with the lungs of a stentor), 'prime! - load! -' The excisemen did not wait the completion of the sentance; away they feld at top speed towards Alloa, no doubt glad they had not caused the waste of His Majesty's ammunition. 'Now, my lads', said Macnab, 'proceed - your shisky's safe'".

He was a man of gigantic height and strong originality of character, and cherished many of the manners and ideas of a Highland gentleman, having in particular a high notion of the dignity of the chieftainship. He left numerous illegitimate children.

The only portion of the property of the Macnabs remaining is the small islet of InnisBuie, formed by the parting of the water of the Dochart just before it issues into Loch Tay, in which is the most ancient burial place of the family; and outside there are numerous gravestones of other members of the clan. The lands of the town of Callander chiefly belong to a descendant of this laird, not in marriage.

Archibald Macnab of Macnab, newphew of Francis, succeeded as thirteenth chief. The estates being considerably encumbered, he was obliged to sell his property for behoof of his creditors.

Many of the clan having emigrated to Canada about the beginning of the nineteenth century, and being very successful, 300 of those remaining in Scotland were induced about 1817 to try their fortunes in America, and in 1821, the chief himself, with some more of the clan, took their departure for Canada. He returned in 1853, and died at Lannion, Cotes du Nord, France, Aug 12, 1860, aged 83. He left a window, and one surviving daughter, Sophia Frances.

The next Macnabs by descent entitled to the chiefship are believed to be Sir Allan Napier Macnab, Bart, Canada; Dr Robert Macnab, 5th Fusileers; and Mr John Macnab, Glenmavis, Bathgate.

The lairds of Macnab, previous to the reign of Charles I, intermarried with the families of Lord Gray of Kilfauns, Gleneagles, Inchbraco, Robertson of Stowan, &c.

The chief cadets of the family were the Macnabs of Dundurn, Acharne, Newton, Cowie, and Inchewen.

Another Account of the Clan

BADGE: Giuthas (Pinus sylvestris) pine.
PIBROCH: Failte mihic an Abba.

IT is recorded by Lockhart in his Life of Sir Walter Scott that the great romancer once confessed that he found it difficult to tell over again a story which had caught his fancy without "giving it a hat and stick." Among the stories to which Sir Walter was no doubt wont to make such additions were more than one which had for their subject the somewhat fantastic figure of Francis Macnab, chief of that clan, whose portrait, painted by Raeburn, is one of the most famous achievements of that great Scottish artist, and who, after a warm-hearted and somewhat convival career, died at Callander on 25th May, 1816. It was one of these presumably partly true stories, fathered upon the Chief, which Scott was on one occasion telling at the breakfast table at Abbotsford when his wife, who did not always understand the point of the narrative, looked up from her coffee pot, and, with an attempt to show herself interested in the matter in hand, exclaimed "And is Macnab dead?" Struck of a heap by the innocent ineptitude of the remark, Scott, says Lockhart, looked quizzically at his wife, and with a smile replied, "Well, my dear, if he isn’t dead they’ve done him a grave injustice, for they’ve buried him."

Another story of Macnab, told by Sir Walter, this time in print, had probably truth behind it, for it was in full agreement with the humour and shortcomings of the Chief. The latter, it is said, was somewhat in the habit of forgetting to pay all his outstanding debts before he left Edinburgh for his Highland residence at the western end of Loch Tay, and on one occasion a creditor had the temerity to send a Sheriff’s officer into the Highlands to collect the account. Macnab, who saw the messenger arrive at Kinnell, at once guessed his errand. With great show of Highland hospitality he made the man welcome, and would not allow any talk of business that night. In the morning, when the messenger awoke and looked from his bedroom window, he was horrified to see the figure of a man suspended from the branch of a tree in front of the house. Making his way downstairs, he enquired of a servant the meaning of the fearful sight, and was answered by the man casually that it was "Just a bit tam messenger body that had the presumption to bring a bit o’ paper frae Edinburgh to ta Laird." Needless to say, when breakfast time came the Sheriff’s officer was nowhere to be found.

Many other stories not told by Sir Walter Scott, were wont to be fathered upon the picturesque figure of the Macnab Chief. One of these may be enough to show their character.

On one occasion, it is said, Macnab paid a visit to the new Saracen Head Inn in Glasgow, and, on being shown to his room for the night, found himself confronted with a great four-poster bed, a contrivance with which he had not hitherto made acquaintance. Looking at it for a moment he said to his man, "Donald, you go in there," pointing to the bed itself; "the Macnab must go aloft." And with his man’s help he made his way to the higher place on the canopy. After an hour or two, it is said, he addressed his henchman. "Donald," he whispered; but the only reply was a snore from the happy individual ensconced upon the feathers below. " Donald, ye rascal," he repeated, and, having at last secured his man’s attention, enquired, "Are ye comfortable doun there?" Donald declared that he was comfortable, whereupon Macnab is said to have rejoined, "Man, if it werena for the honour of the thing I think I would come doun beside ye!"

The little old mansion-house of Kinnell, in which Francis, Chief of Macnab, entertained his friends not wisely but too well, still stands in the pleasant meadows on the ban of the Dochart opposite Killin, not far from the spot where that river enters Loch Tay. It is now a possession of the Earl of Breadalbane, but it still contains many curious and interesting pieces of antique furniture and other household plenishing which belonged to the old chiefs of the clan. Among these, in the little old low-roofed dining-room, which has seen many a revel in days gone by, remains the quaint gate-legged oak table with folding wings and drawers, the little low sideboard, black with age, with spindle legs and brass mountings, the corner cupboard with carved doors, the fine old writing bureau with folding top and drawers underneath, and the antique "wag at the wa’ " clock still ticking away the time, between the two windows, which witnessed the hospitalities of the redoubtable Laird of Macnab himself. Among minor relics in a case in the drawing-room are his watch, dated 1787, his stuff-box, seal, spectacles, and shoe buckles, while above the dining-room door are some pewter flagons bearing the inscriptions, probably carved on them by some guest:

Here’s beef on the board
And there’s troot on the slab,
Here’s welcome for a’
And a health to Macnab.

and

For warlocks and bogies
We’re nae carin’ a dab,
Syne safe for the night
‘Neath the roof o’ Macnab.

Besides old toddy ladles of horn and silver, great cut-glass decanters, silver quaichs, and pewter salvers, and a set of rare old round-bowled pewter spoons, some or all of which were Macnab possessions, there is the Kinnell Bottle bearing the following inscription: " It is stated the Laird had a bottle that held nine gallons (nine bottles?) which was the joy of his friends. This holds nine bottles, the gift of a friend." The late Laird of Kinnell, the Marquess of Breadalbane, took great pains to collect and retain within the walls of the little old mansion as many relics as possible of its bygone owners, and amid such suggestive relics as "the long gun" of the Macnabs, a primitive weapon of prodigious length and weight; the old Kinnell basting-spoon, known as Francis’s Porridge Spoon—long enough to be used for supping with a certain personage; and the actual brass candlestick which belonged to the terrible Smooth John Macnab presently to be mentioned, it is not difficult to picture the life which was led here in the valley of the Dochart by the old lairds of Macnab and their households.

Kinnell is famous to-day for another possession, nothing less than the largest vine in the world. This is a black Hamburg of excellent quality, half as large again as that at Hampton Court. It has occupied its present position since 1837, and is capable of yielding a thousand bunches of grapes in the year, each weighing a pound and a half, though it is never allowed to ripen more than half that number.

Kinnell House of the present day, however, is not the original seat of the Macnab Chief. This was situated some hundreds of yards nearer the loch than the present mansion-house, and though no traces of it now exist, the spot is associated with not a few incidents which remain among the most dramatic and characteristic in Highland history.

Most famous of these incidents is that which terminated the feud of the Macnabs with Clan Neish, whose head-quarters were at St. Fillans on Lochearnside, some twelve miles away. The two clans had fought out their feud in a great battle in Glen Boltachan, above St. Fillans. In that battle the Neishes had been all but wiped out, and the remnant of them, retiring to the only island in Lochearn, took to a life of plunder, and secured themselves from reprisals by allowing no boats but their own on the loch. After a time, however, encouraged by immunity, they went so far as to plunder the messenger of Macnab himself, as he returned on one occasion from Crieff with the Chief’s Christmas fare. On news of the affront reaching Kinnell, Macnab became red with wrath. Striding into the room where his twelve sons sat, he told them of what had occurred, and ended his harangue with the significant hint, "The night is the night, if the lads were the lads." At that, it is said, the twelve got up, filed out, and, headed by Smooth John, so called because he was the biggest and brawniest of the household, proceeded to vindicate the honour of their name. Taking a boat from Loch Tay, they carried it in relays across the hills and launched it on Loch Earn. When they reached the island fastness of their enemies in the middle of the night, all were asleep but old Neish himself, who called out in alarm to know who was there. "Whom do you least wish to see?" was the answer, to which he replied, "There is no one I would fear if it were not Smooth John Macnab." "And Smooth John it is," returned that brawny individual, as he drove in the door. Next morning, as the twelve young men filed into their father’s presence at Kinnell, Smooth John set the head of the Neish Chief on the table with the words, "The night was the night, and the lads were the lads." At that, it is said, old Macnab looked up and answered only "Dread nought!" And from that hour the Neish’s head has remained the cognisance and "Dread nought" the motto of the Macnab Clan. A number of years ago, as if to corroborate the details of this narrative, the fragments of a boat were found far up on the hills between Loch Tay and Loch Earn, where it may be supposed Smooth John and his brothers had grown tired of carrying it, and abandoned their craft.

Many other warlike incidents are narrated of the clan. It has been claimed that the race were originally MacDonalds; but from its location and other facts it seems now to be admitted that the clan was a branch of the Siol Alpin, of which the MacGregors were the main stem. From the earliest time the chiefs possessed extensive lands in the lower part of Glendochart, at the western end of Loch Tay. A son of the chief who flourished during the reign of David I. in the twelfth century, was abbot or prior of Glendochart, and from him the race took its subsequent name of Mac an Abba, or Macnab, "the son of the abbot." At the beginning of the fourteenth century, however, the Macnab Chief took part with his powerful neighbour, the Lord of Lorne, on the side of the Baliols and Comyns, and against King Robert the Bruce. The king’s historian, John Barbour, records that Bruce’s brother-in-law, Sir Christopher Seton, was betrayed to the English and a fearful death by his confidant and familiar friend Macnab, and it is said the Macnabs particularly distinguished themselves in the famous fight at Dal Righ, near Tyndrum, at the western end of Glendochart, in which John of Lorne nearly succeeded in cutting off and capturing Bruce himself. For this they came under Bruce’s extreme displeasure, with the result that they lost a large part of their possessions. The principal messuage of the lands which remained to them was known as the Bowlain, and for this the chief received a crown charter from David II. in 1336. This charter was renewed with additions in 1486, 1502, and at other dates.

Already, however, in the fifteenth century, the Macnabs had begun to suffer from the schemes and encroachments of the great house of Campbell, which was then extending its possessions in all directions from its original stronghold of Inch Connell amid the waters of Loch Awe. Among other enterprises the Macnabs were instigated by Campbell of Loch Awe to attack their own kinsman, the MacGregors. The upshot was a stiff fight near Crianlarich, in which the Macnabs were almost exterminated. After the fight, when both clans were considerably weakened, the Knight of Lochow proceeded to vindicate the law upon both of them, not without considerable advantage to himself.

In 1645, when the Marquess of Montrose raised the standard of Charles I. in Scotland, he was joined by the Chief of Macnab, who, with his clansmen, fought bravely in Montrose’s crowning victory at Kilsyth. He was then appointed to garrison Montrose’s own castle of Kincardine, near Auchterarder in Strathearn. The stronghold, however, was besieged presently by a Convenanting force under General Leslie, and Macnab found that it would be impossible to maintain the defence. Accordingly, in the middle of the night, he sallied forth, sword in hand, at the head of his three hundred clansmen, when all managed to cut their way through the beseiging force, except the Chief himself and one follower. These were made captive and sent to Edinburgh, where Macnab, though a prisoner of war, was accorded at the hands of Covenanters the same treatment as they meted out at Newark Castle and elsewhere to the other adherents of Montrose, who had been captured at the battle of Philiphaugh. Macnab was condemned to death, but on the night before his execution he contrived to escape, and afterwards, joining the young King Charles II., he followed him into England, and fell at the battle of Worcester in 1651.

Meanwhile his house had been burnt, his charters destroyed, and his property given to Campbell of Glenurchy, kinsman of the Marquess of Argyll, then at the head of the Covenanting party and the Government of Scotland. So reduced was the state of the house that Macnab’s widow was forced to apply for relief to General Monk, Cromwell’s plenipotentiary in Scotland. That General ordered Glenurchy, one of whose chief strongholds was Finlarig Castle, close to Kinnell on Loch Tay side, to restore the Macnab possessions to the widow and her son. The order, however, had little effect, and after the Restoration only a portion of the ancient lands were restored to them by the Scottish Parliament.

These lands might still have belonged to the Macnabs but for the extraordinary character and exuberant hospitality of Francis, the twelfth Chief, already referred to. Two more stories of this redoubtable personage may be repeated. He was deputed on one occasion to go to Edinburgh to secure from the military authorities clothing and accoutrements for the Breadalbane Fencibles, then being raised. The General in Command ventured to express some doubt as to the existence of the force, and Macnab proceeded to further his case with the high military authority by addressing him again and again as "My little man." Macnab himself, it may be mentioned, was a personage of towering height, and, with his lofty bonnet, belted plaid, and other appurtenances, made a truly formidable figure. The Fencibles being raised, he marched them to Edinburgh, and was much mortified on being stopped by an excise party, who took them for a party of smugglers carrying a quantity of whisky, of whom they had received intimation. Macnab, it is said, indignantly refused to stop, and on the excisemen insisting in the name of His Majesty, the Chief haughtily replied, "I also am on His Majesty’s service. Halt! This, my lads, is a serious affair, load—with ball." At this, it is said, the officers perceived the sort of personage they had to do with, and prudently gave up their attempt.

By reason of the burdens accumulated on the estate by the twelfth Chief the greater part of the possessions of the family passed into the hands of the House of Breadalbane. Then the last Chief who had his home at Kinnell betook himself to Canada. At a later day he returned and sold the last of his possessions in this country, the Dreadnought Hotel in Callander. When he died he bequeathed all his heirlooms to Sir Allan Macnab, Bart., Prime Minister of Canada, whom he considered the next Chief. But Sir Allan’s son was killed by a gun accident when shooting in the Dominion, and since then the chiefship has been claimed by more than one person. Sir Allan Macnab’s second daughter, Sophia Mary, married the seventh Earl of Albemarle.

The chief memorial of the old Macnab family in Glendochart to-day is their romantic burying-place among the trees on the rocky islet of Inch Buidhe in the Dochart, a little way above Kinnell. There, with the Dochart in its rocky bed singing its great old song for ever around their dust, rest in peace the once fierce beating hearts of these old descendants of the Abbot of Glendochart and the royal race of Alpin.

Septs of Clan Macnab: Abbotson, Abbot, Dewar, Gilfillan, Macandeoir.

Another account of the clan...

The name Macnab means in Gaelic "son of the Abbot", hence the name Clann-an-Aba, descendants of the Abbot. The Macnabs were in fact descendants from the Abbots of Glendochart. The clan possessed lands on the shores of Loch Tay, in Strathfillan and Glendochart, with their seat at Kinnel. Unfortunately the Macnabs joined the wrong side against Robert the Bruce and were forfeited of all their possessions except the lands of Bovain in Glendochart. This area was later confirmed to them by a charter from David II to Gilbert Macnab in 1336 and hence the clan was restored. Findlay, 12th chief was father of eleven sons who are reputed to have slain the Macneishes on their island stronghold and carried the head of the chief back to their father. Iain, known as "Smooth John of Macnab", was one of the sons faithful to the Royal cause who died fighting for Charles II at Worcester in 1651. The Macnabs were dispossesed of their lands by the Campbells but after the Restoration in 1660, when the Campbell chief was executed their property was restored. The last chief, Francis Macnab, despite inheriting considerable estates and fathering many illegitimate children, squandered his patrimony and failed to produce an heir. He was succeeded by his nephew, Archibald who ran up debts so great that he had to flee to Canada, deserting his wife and family. There, despite his past he managed to establish the Macnabs under a feudal clan system. Eventually he was convicted and returned to Scotland in 1853. The chiefship lay dormant untill it was confirmed on Archibald Macnab of Arthurstone, 22nd chief in 1955 who had repurchased Kinnel the seat of the Clan Macnab in 1949.