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Introduction and Motivation
The history of many of the
great houses and families of Scotland are well documented in the literature,
and, in this cyber age, by clan associations and individuals on the
Internet. The family of Lundin (or Lundie) is described, by Sir Robert
Douglas in his Baronage, as one of the most ancient in Scotland; its history
however is almost un-documented. I have found only one text dedicated to the
history of this family, that of "The Lundins of Fife," by G.T Welsh. This
text is very hard to locate, and can only be obtained from a couple of
libraries and genealogical societies. Most lists of Scottish Clans and
families seem to omit this family. The few books that do include details of
this family provide very little information. This lack of documentation on
the family of Lundin is quite remarkable given, as shall be discussed in
full later, the fact that members of this family have occupied many high
offices in Scotland, including Lord High Treasurer, Chancellor, Hereditary
Doorward (personal body guard to the King), Member of the Council of Regents
of the Kingdom, and have performed duties as ambassadors and representatives
of the Sovereign. Lairds of Lundin voted for Wallace as Protector of
Scotland, fought by his side, and ultimately succeeded to the Earldom of
Perth. Many of the heads of "Great" families of Scotland, have direct
descent from this house; notably those of Lindsay, Forbes, Melville of Raith
and Graham of Claverhouse. It is in fact only by reading the histories of
these other families and noting their intermarriage with Lundins, that we
can form an idea of their high social standing and historical importance.
Why historians have chosen to neglect this family is a mystery, but I hope
that this account goes in some way to correct this imbalance.
One of the few lists of
Scottish clans and families that contains the family of Lundin describes it
as an "armigerous Clan", officially recognized by the Lord Lyon. This means
that it is a family that has the right to bear arms, has no chieftain. As
well as no chieftain, this is also a family without a Clan tartan. By the
time families began wearing specific weaves of Tartan, the Lundin family had
sold all its lands and lost its social position. The location of the seat of
this family, and most of the lands that were held by it, was in Fife. Due to
this strong association with Fife, the recommended tartans for this family
are the Fife district tartans of Duke of Fife and Dundee.
Lundin, Lundie, Lundy, Londoniis . . .
Officially, the name of this
family seems to be Lundin, the main line of the family being the now
believed extinct Lundin of Lundin, with all armorials listed with the Lord
Lyon also being under the name of Lundin. However, this name has a number of
variations, and the family was not always designed Lundin.
The name seems to have
originated in the 11th century as de Londoniis or de
Londres. This then quickly became de Lundin and de Lundyn.
By the 14th century Lundy is used interchangeably with
Lundin and Lundie. The name used for an individual often being
determined by the source, or even the page of the book. An examination of
the service of heirs in the 16th and 17th century
shows that the main family is certainly designated Lundy of that ilk.
Around 1630 the name of this family and the barony associated seems to
change inexplicably from Lundy to Lundin. By the end of 17th
Century, the main line and head of this house is using the title of
Lundin of that ilk. However, most other branches of this family seem to
have taken the name of Lundie from the beginning of the 16th
Century; for example Lundie of Balgonie, Lundie of Benholm, Lundie of
Gorthie, Lundie of Stratherlie, Lundie of Achtermerny and Lundie of
Drum. Most of those families surviving to the 18th Century,
in particular those with armorial bearings, then take up the name Lundin,
e.g. Lundin of Drum, Lundin of Stratherlie and Lundin of
Auchtermarnie. However, in different sources consulted, and for
different time periods referred to, different variations of the surname can
be seen. In many cases the same historical figure can be a Lundin on
one page and a Lundie on the next. To show how this name has changed
through history, and which branches adopted which particular variation,
throughout this description one will see these names used interchangeably,
with the surname used representing the most commonly used for that
particular individual in the sources consulted. The concrete history of this
family begins in 1160, when two brothers, Malcolm and Philip were awarded
baronies by King Malcolm IV of Scotland. One of these baronies is now known
as Lundie, the other Lundin. Sources seem to discuss the family or House of
Lundie, just as often as they do the family of Lundin. It should also be
noted that although this family has been seen to spell it’s name Lundy on
occasion, the vast majority of people with the surname of Lundy (which is
not particularly uncommon) will not hail from this particular Scottish
family, but will have their origins with the English Lundy’s.
Incidentally, the name of
Lundie comes from the Gaelic "Leann dhe", which means Gods meadow. The first
mention I can find of Lundie is in 1130 AD, which is with respect to the
battle of Inchbare. Two days before the battle, on the 14th of
April, the forces of the Earl of Fife were mustered at Forfar. The first
contact between forces of the Earl of Dunbar and the Earl of Fergus occurred
at sliabh na Leann dhe, Hill of God's meadow, now Lundie Hill. The forces of
King David I of Scotland (1124-1153) won the battle. One can find a number
of places across Scotland bearing the name of Lundin or Lundie.
Norman Origins – The de Londres Family.
William de Londres, son of
Simon de Londres was one of the Norman Knights who accompanied Robert Fitz
Hamon in the conquest of Glamorgan around the time of 1090. Sir William
received after the victory over the Britons in Glamorgan, the Lordship and
castle of Ogmore and the castle and Manor of Dunraven. The castle of Ogmore
was founded by Sir William. In 1094 Sir William led a strong force into
Kidwelly and Ystrad Tywi. He built a castle at Kidwelly to secure his gains.
In 1106 he was granted by Henry I of England the Lordship of Ewenny. He
built a Priory church at Ewenny. He soon after built the castle of
Ostermouth. He was also Lord of Ogwr.
Sir William’s son, Maurice
(Malcolm) inherited his estates, (William also had at least one more son,
Richard). He was thus Lord of Ogmore. The Lordship and Lands of Kidwelly,
that his father had gained, had sometime previous been granted, by Henry I,
to Roger, Bishop of Sailsbury. In 1128 he was denounced in a Bill of Pope
Honorius II for robbing and defrauding the Church of Llandaff and for
plundering and killing itinerant merchants at Llandaff. In 1141 he donated
the Priory church at Ewenny to the Abbey of St. Peter of Gloucester the
Church of St. Michael of Ewenny, the Church of St. Bridget with the Chapel
of Ogmore de Llanfey, the Church of St. Michael of Colwinstone, the Church
of Oystermouth in Gower, the Church of St. Illtyd of Pembrey and the Church
of St. Ishmael.
1126, 10 years after his
father had begun to establish a castle at Ogmore, Maurice started the
foundations of a stone keep with six-foot thick walls. By 1130 Maurice had
gained back the lands, castle and Lordship of Kidwelly. In 1136 he took part
in the battle of Maes Gwenllian, which was fought as part of an uprising
following the death of Henry I. Here Maurice, Lord of Kidwelly, Ormore and
Carnwallon, led the Norman army. The opposing army was led by Princess
Gwenllian. The Normans triumphed, and Maurice beheaded the princess on the
battlefield. Maurice died in 1149. His tomb is in the Priory church of
Ewenny. His eldest son, William, succeeded his estates. He was succeeded in
turn by his son, Thomas. Thomas’s heir was his daughter Hawise, by Eva de
Tracey. She married twice, firstly to Patrick de Cadurcis (or de Chaworth),
grandson of Patrick de Cadurcis of Brittany (who came to England with
William the Conqueror); and secondly to Walter de Braose. She was the last
of this branch of the de Londres family, and, on her death in 1274, the
estates passed on to her son by the first marriage, Patrick de Cadurcis
(III). Her son married Isabel, daughter of William de Beauchamp, Earl of
Warwick, and their daughter Maud married Henry, Earl of Lancaster (Henry
IV), the de Londres estates thus passing to the Duchy of Lancaster.
Association with Scotland
In the mid 12th century a
Thomas de Londoniis settled in Scotland. His ancestor was believed to be
William de Londres the 1st lord of Kidwelly. It is most likely,
by examination of dates, that Thomas was the son of William de Londres. He
could have been no less than his grandson. Thomas was married to Escheyne,
daughter of Uchtred de Molle, who was in turn the son of Liulf de Molle.
Note that there are some claims that Uchtred is descended from Crinan, the
father of the ill-fated Duncan King of Scotland who was murdered by Macbeth.
Thomas de Londoniis and Escheyne de Molle were known to have had three
children, Malcolm de Lundin, Phillip de Lundin and Escheyne de Molle.
In 1160, King Malcolm IV of Scotland
granted the barony of Lundie in Forfar to Malcolm de Lundin. This barony
contains the fore mentioned Lundie Hill. He granted the barony of Lundin in
the parish of Largo in Fife to Malcolm’s brother Philip.
Escheyne de Molle was certainly married
twice; firstly, to Robert de Croc; secondly to Walter Fitz Alan, the first
hereditary high steward of Scotland. The following lines were written by the
historian, George Macaulay Trevelyan (1876-1962), about Walter Fitz Alan and
Eschyna de Molle.
And Walter, in the silence of the
centuries, stands unconsciously between, singing his Te Deum for the yet
ungathered greatness of his race; in the lofty, fair Abbey, raising his
instinctive thanks to God through the psalms of the Benedictine monks. A
clear, distinct figure, standing out in high relief; silent, too, as a
sculptured form, but full of brave beauty and repose.
"Eschine de Londonia, lady of Molla,"
becomes the wife of the Steward. That she was beautiful and worthy of
her lord, we are entitled to believe. One of the privileges of fiction
which history has a right to claim is this faith in the beauty, grace
and virtue of all those who have come down to us from remote
traditionary times without contrary imputations. Particulars having been
denied us, we philosophically generalise, and accept the individual for
the type.
The woman, veiled in the obscurity of
eight centuries, becomes the ideal lady. Norman, by no means, she; ~
Scoto-Saxon, with eyes softly blue; some Celtic fervour and devotion
spiritualising her face; her aspect generous, and features pearly fair,
with the rosy flush of Northern breezes, like a soft dawn, lighting them
into the purest human sweetness; reasonable and benign; no fickle
impulses, no exacting egotism, no self-worship; a woman of household
pleasures ~ to be loved by her husband with a constant love, to be
tenderly revered by his vassals. Her brown lashes droop not coyly: they
are lifted with modest, serene trust in herself and in her world. Her
thoughts keep company with her.
Such must Eschine de Londonia be.
There is suggestion that there was an even
earlier marriage, to Henry de Molla, perhaps a cousin. This is
unsubstantiated.
Not much is known about Phillip de Lundin.
He has sometimes been referred to as Phillip the Chamberlain. He had a son
Walter, who in turn is believed to have had a son Thomas. It is reported
that this line of the family ended in and heiress. She married Robert, the
son of King William the Lion. Robert took on the name of this family and it
is from him that the family of Lundie or Lundin descend. The barony remained
in this family until the end of the 18th century.
Malcolm and his close descendants are
documented in much more detail. They became the family of Durward.
As with most Scottish families, there
remains a degree of controversy over its origins. The picture presented thus
far is the commonly presented perception, and is reported in a fair number
of texts. The descent of this family from Robert de London is perhaps the
only detail of this house that is truly commonly reported. As shall be seen
later, this is the reason that King Charles II granted the family of Lundin
of that ilk the right to bear the Royal Arms of Scotland. It would not be
fair if all arguments were not presented.
A second suggestion for the Norman origins
of the family, is that Phillip de Lundin was actually Phillip de Valoniis,
descended from the Anglo-Norman Valognes family. This Phillip was also
believed to have been chamberlain of Scotland, and his family’s arms were
similar to those taken up by the Philip who became 1st Laird of
Lundin. There is however reason to believe that they are not the same
person. Phillip de Valoniis was granted by King William around 1180, the
baronies of Panmure and Bervie. It is said he had one son, William de
Valoniis, also chamberlain of Scotland. He inherited these territories upon
his father’s death. William is then said to have had only one daughter, his
heir in the fore mentioned territories, Christian de Valoniis. Christian de
Valoniis married Peter de Maule. She brought to her husband, upon marriage,
the baronies of Panmure and Bervie. From this marriage descend the Earls of
Panmure. If this is the true history of Phillip de Valoniis, it would not
allow for the descent and formation of the family of Lundin. However, it
should not be discounted. It should also be noted that although most texts
state that this family descends from Robert de London, and this is why the
family bears the arms of Scotland, there is some suggestion that this is not
true. There are claims that a false pedigree was published around the time
of the family adopting the arms of Scotland. It is currently impossible to
comment on the validity of this claim
The Door-wards of All the King’s Palaces in Scotland
Malcolm de Lundin married a
daughter and heiress of Gilchrist the third Earl of Mar. Malcolm was
appointed by King William the Lion (1165-1214) to the office of Door ward of
all the King’s palaces, ‘Hostiarius’. He was the first door ward of
Scotland. This was to become a hereditary honour. Malcolm’s son was Thomas
de Lundin (or Durward). As just stated, Thomas’s Grandfather was the 3rd
Earl of Mar. The 3rd Earl was succeeded by his son, Glichrist 4th
Earl of Mar. He died without issue, and was succeeded to the Earldom by
Duncan, son of Morgund 2nd Earl of Mar. Thomas de Lundin, on
account of his mother felt he was the next blood heir to Glichrist and so
contested Duncan’s claims. Thomas also claimed that Duncan, and his father,
were illegitimate. The claims were supported by the King. The dispute was
settled with a compromise with Thomas receiving around half of the land of
the Earldom of Mar. Thomas married Margaret or Christina daughter of Malcolm
2nd Earl of Athol. They had two children, Sir Alan the Durward
and Colin de Lundyn. Sir Alan was to become one of the most powerful men in
Scotland.
On the death of his father,
Sir Alan became Durward of Scotland; he held this office from 1233 to his
death in 1275. He is often referred to as Alan the Durward. He also claimed
the title of Earl of Athol from 1233 to 1235. This was on account of his
first wife Isabella, countess of Athol, the daughter and heiress of Henry, 3rd
Earl of Athol. His second wife was Marjory, the natural daughter of King
Alexander II. He was clearly an ambitious man. Firstly he undertook to
further his claim over the whole of the lands of Mar and in 1257 he claimed
the title of Earl of Mar for himself. He even concerned the pope in this
matter. In that same year a papal rescript was issued, directing an inquest
to be held, proceeding on the narrative that "Our beloved son, the nobleman
Alan, called the Durward, hath signified to us that, whereas the nobleman
William of Mar, of the diocese of Aberdeen, hath withheld the Earldom of
Mar, of right belonging to the aforesaid Alan, and the same doth occupy to
the prejudice of the said Alan, and that Morgund and Duncan, deceased, to
whom the said William asserts his succession to the said earldom, were not
begotten in lawful matrimony." These efforts were unsuccessful. He did
however gain many other titles. He was Judiciary of Scotland between 1246
and 1251 and again in 1256-1257. Alexander II bestowed upon him the title of
Earl of Kintyre O’Neil. This was an ancient Thanage. There is debate about
whether a Colin Durward was Lord of O’Neil in 1234. Certainly Sir Alan
Durward held these lands, founding amongst other institutions there, the
Hospital at Kincarden. Alexander II also granted to Alan the Lordship of
Urquart. Although a castle was known to be there in the time of William the
Lion, Sir Alan Durward is believed to be the founder of the first stone
castle on this site. He also built the Castle of St. Monance. On the death
of Alexander II, on account of his being uncle to the young King Alexander
III, he was appointed to the council of Regents during the King’s minority
years. King Alexander is known to have stayed at this castle with his Uncle.
Alan Durward is credited with founding a number of buildings. The Kirk in
Lundie village Forfar was built around this time by the Durward family.
Alan had a second set of
famous dealings with the pope, trying to get his wife, Marjory, legitimised.
This would have meant that if the young King Alexander III had died without
issue, Alan’s children would have been next in line to the throne of
Scotland. When Edward I of England was invited to select the legitimate heir
following the death of the "Margaret, the Maid of Norway" (1286-1290),
granddaughter and sole heir of Alexander III, among the 13 candidates was
one of Alan and Marjory’s heirs, Nicholas de Soulis, by their daughter
Ermenguarde. Had it been possible to prove Marjory’s legitimacy, his would
have been the senior claim. The legitimacy was not proved. Alan lost his
guardianship of the King over this matter.
Sir Alan Durward died in
1275. He had three known daughters, but no male issue. His lands were
divided between the three of them. However in 1296 King Edward of England
gives a grant of Alan Durwards lands to Sir David of Brechin. Anne married
Colban MacDuff, 8th Earl of Fife. Ermenguarde married William de
Soules. He is also said to have had a daughter by his first wife, Lora,
countess of Athol. The name of Durward carried on after Alan’s death, for
example around 1420 an Isabel Durward, heiress of Lintrather married Sir
Walter Ogilvy of Carary. The Annals of Dunfermline list a David Durward of
Dunduff around 1231. This could be an unknown brother of Alan. With respect
to the Barony of Lundie, this sometime later passed from the Durwards to,
the family that became, Duncan of Lundie. It was in fact the family of
Duncan of Lundie that built Lundie castle in Angus. |
