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Clan Chief: Andrew Francis Stewart of Lorn,
Appin and Ardsheal, 17th of Appin & 12th of Ardsheal
Main Branches: Ardsheal, Achnacone, Fasnacloich, Invernahyle
Clan Badge: A unicorn's head, crined and armed.
Plant Badge: Darag (Oak)
Motto: Quhidder Well Zie (Whither will ye)
War Cry: Creag an Sgairbh ("The Cormant's Rock")
Designation of the Chief: MacIain Stiubhairt na h-Appunn
Tartans: Stewart of Appin Red, Stewart of Appin Dress, Stewart of Appin
Hunting, Stewart of Ardsheal, Stewart of Achnacone, Stewart Old (although not of Appin it
is worn by the Chief)
Primary Adherents: MacColl, MacLeay, MacClay, Livingstone,
MacGillemichael, McIlmichael, Carmichael, MacCombich, Combich, MacInnes, MacRobb, MacMichael
The Appin Stewarts, also known as “The Loyal
Clan”, is the West Highland branch of the royal surname Stewart, descend
from Sir James Stewart of Perston, 4th son of Sir John Stewart of Bonkyl,
second son of Alexander, the 4th High Steward of
Scotland. Sir James was the grandfather of John Stewart of Innermeath,
who, through marriage to Isabell NicDougall
(MacDougall) of Lorn, became the first Stewart Lord of Lorn. The Lordship of
Lorn passed down for 2 more generations to Sir John Stewart, the third
Stewart Lord of Lorn.
Tradition tell us that in 1445, while returning to his seat at Dunstaffnage
castle from the great cattle tryst at Crieff,
Sir John met and fell in love with the daughter
of MacLaren of Ardvech. Although married, he began an affaire with his new
love which one year later produced a son. He was christened Dugald and was
to be the first Chief of the Stewarts of Appin.
After the death of his first wife, Sir John waited, for reasons we are
unaware of today, for 5 years until setting up the marriage between himself
and Dugald's mother, but it may have had something to do with the politics
of the day. In 1463, Sir John set a wedding date and sent for Dugald and his
mother to come to Dunstaffnage. Unknown to Sir John, there was a plot to
kill the Lord of Lorn. It is not fully known, but it is thought to have been
set up by the Lord of the Isles who was in a power struggle with the King of
Scots, and who saw it as being in his best interest to neutralize this
powerful and loyal representative of the King in the west
highlands. The other plotters, which some feel included Colin
Campbell, Lord Argyll, Sir John's son-in-law, were primarily represented by
Alan MacCoul, the illegitimate grandson of an earlier MacDougall Chief. As
the lightly armed wedding party made it's way from Dunstaffnage to the small
chapel located approximately 180 yards from the castle walls, they were
attacked by a superior force lead by Alan MacCoul. Although better armed,
MacCoul's force was defeated, but not before mortally wounding Lord of Lorn.
Sir John was rushed into the chapel and MacCoul and his henchmen ran into
and occupied the deserted Dunstaffnage. With his last breath Sir John
married Dugald's mother, legitimizing him and making him the de jure Lord of
Lorn. After receiving the last rites, Sir John expired and a new chapter in
west highland history was opened.
Castle Stalker
Photograph by Scottish Panoramic
Dugald gathered all the adherents of the Lord
of Lorn and with the assistance of the MacLarens laid siege to Dunstaffnage,
but to no avail. Unbeknownst to Dugald, Colin Campbell, Lord Argyll who
seemed to have been involved in the plot, raised a group of MacFarlanes to
aid MacCoul in his struggle against the de jure Lord of Lorn. MacCoul's men
with the MacFarlanes met the men of Lorn and MacLaren in what was to be
known as the battle of Leac a dotha. It was a fierce battle with both sides
leaving the field with very heavy losses.
For the next few years Dugald, who had lost the tile of Lord of Lorn through
the treachery of his uncle Walter Stewart and Lord Argyll, but had retained
Appin and Lismore, consolidated his power and fortified the hunting lodge of
castle Stalker on the Cormant's Rock in Loch Laich. He also ensured that the
Campbells were in no doubt about his displeasure over the loss of the
Lordship of Lorn by having the Campbell territory surrounding Appin
regularly raided by our clan. Finally in 1468 in a bid to finally destroy
the power of Appin, Colin Campbell and Walter Stewart, now recognized as the
Lord of Lorn (but with no authority in Lorn) organized a massive raid
against Dugald and our clan. Alan MacCoul was again involved and they met at
what was to be know as the battle of Stalc. Though loosing many men, Dugald
virtually destroyed the military strength of the MacFarlands (a destruction
they were never to recover from) and personally killed Alan MacCoul, his
father's murderer. The battle solidified Dugald's claim to Appin and the
surrounding area which was formally granted to him by King James III on the
14th of April 1470. Our clan was born.
The major branches or "tacks", as they were known in the late 17th and into
the 18th Century, of Appin stem from the sons of Alan Stewart, 3rd of Appin.
Originally they comprised John, 1st of Strathgarry, Dugald, 1st of Achnacone,
James, 1st of Fasnacloich and Alexander, 1st of Invernahyle. Ardshiel, the
branch our Chief hails from, was given to John, 1st of Ardshiel by his
father, John Stewart, 5th of Appin.
The Adherents or "septs" (a modern term) of Appin stem from families that
lived in Lorn prior to the Stewarts gaining the Lordship and the clan
coalescing. These were/are the MacColls, who descended from Black Solomon,
son of Coll, son of the Lord of the Isles, The MacLeays or Livingstones
(anglicized from MacLeay), who were reported to be on Lismore in 1130, but
who's heritage is so old that know one really knows their beginnings, The
MacGillemichaels, or their anglicized form "Carmichael", are also so old
that we can only guess. It is know that they were present in Appin prior to
the 13th century. The Combichs descended from a family nickname from north
Appin and the MacRobbs were/are actually Stewarts, descending from Robert,
son of Dugald, 1st of Appin. The MacInnes, originally from the area of
Morvern, settled in the area in the early 15th century.
The clan fought in many major engagements including the Civil Wars of the
17th century and all the Jacobite Risings, ending with the battle of
Culloden, where 92 of our clan were killed and 65 wounded out of a fighting
force of approximately 300.
Today we are dispersed all round the globe, but but the clan is supported by
a number of organizations, including The Appin Stewarts, The Stewart
Society, The Friends of Appin (Australia) and, in part, the Appin Historical
Society.
Our clan and Chief’s family experienced a grave loss with the passing of
Lady Sibyl Anne Stewart, M.B.E. in 2007. Lady Stewart, or “Chibi”, as she
was known to those close to her, was the wife of our former Chief and the
mother of our current. Lady Stewart became the clan’s guiding light and
although not born into the clan work diligently with many organizations and
persons on behalf of us all and our collective history and future. She is
and will continued to be missed beyond words.
For further information regarding our clan and other Stewarts please refer
to:
The Stewart Society
http://www.stewartsociety.org/
Friends of Appin Society (Australia)
http://www.users.bigpond.com/livingsk/friends_of_appin_society.htm
For further information regarding Appin and the surrounding area please
contact...
The Appin Historical Society
http://www.appinhistoricalsociety.co.uk/
If further information is needed one may always contact...
Eòin Òg MacIain Stewart
email:
eoinstewart@comcast.net
The Stewarts of Appin
By John H. J. Stewart and Lieut.-Col. Duncan Stewart, Late 92d Highlanders
(1880) (pdf)
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