A  HISTORY  OF  THE  GILCHRISTS

 by

ROBERT W. GILCHRIST

1977

Posted here by Kind Permission of Bob and Peggy's daughters, Erin Feliciano and Lynley Force,
and supplied to the Mag by Dean Gilchrist  deanotow@att.net  Ocala, Fl.  352-854-1440
 

The second Part

THE ORIGIN OF THE MACGILCHRISTS OF WESTERN SCOTLAND

It is historically evident that two separate MacGilchrist families emerged in western Scotland in the thirteenth century the MacGilchrists of Glassary and the MacGilchrists of Lennox. A third family appeared in eastern Scotland as a sept of Clan Ogilvie. Given the once widespread use of the name "Gilchrist" as a Christian, or given name, as well as the use of patronymics (placing "Mac" before a given name), and it is surprising that there were not more such families to appear.

In early Scotland the name was pronounced: "Mahk - ILL - creest", according to THE SCOTTISH MACS THEIR DERIVATION AND ORIGIN, written by James B. Johnston and published by Paisley, Gardner of Glasgow in 1922 (Page 8). By the middle of the eighteenth century most who bore the name had dropped the "Mac", or "Mc" from their name.

THE MACGILCHRISTS OF GLASSARY

The first recorded use of the name as a family name in western Scotland appears to be with regard to the descendants of a twelfth century patriarch named Gilchrist (Gillacrist) who came to possess a large extent of land between Loch Awe and Loch Fyne. According to the fifteenth century genealogical manuscript known as "MS 1467" on file in the National Library of Scotland, Gilchrist married a daughter of Kennedy, Lord of Carrick from whom he also acquired land.

Gilchrist was a great grandson of the Irish prince Anrothan of the O'Neill line of kings of northern Ireland. It was through Anrothan's marriage in the eleventh century to the Scottish heiress of the lands of Cowal and Knapdale that the later clans of MacLachlan, Lamont, McEwen, MacSwene, and MacNeill would claim descent. Professor W.D.H. Sellar of the University of Edinburgh who has researched the early history of these families states in his essay: "Family Origins In Cowal And Knapdale" (Scottish Studies, Vol. 15, Edinburgh, 1971) that "the lands held and marriage alliances contracted show clearly that they belonged to the first rank of Gaelic aristocracy". These clans as well as the descendants of Gilchrist all bore the "Dalriadic Lyon" (the rampant lion) in their coat of arms --- Dalriada being the name of the fifth century kingdom established by the Scots who had migrated from northern Ireland across to western Scotland.

The sons of Gilchrist were: Gilpatrick, Gillascop (Archibald), and Eoghan (Ewen). It was from Gilpatrick, the oldest son, that the Clan MacLachlan would claim descent, deriving its name from Lachlan Mor the son of Gilpatrick. It is probable that among the lands which he inherited from his father were those which Gilchrist had received from his father-in-law the Lord of Carrick. The lands belonging to the remaining two sons were almost entirely within the region of Glassary between Loch Awe and Loch Fyne.

On August 1, 1240, in what appears to be the earliest royal grant of lands ever made in the region of Argyll, which encompasses much of western Scotland, Gillascop and Eoghan became the recipients of a charter provided by Scotland's King Alexander II. The grant was made in apparent gratitude for the support rendered by the two brothers for the king's successfiil military campaign against the Norse who controlled the western islands. The grant was however a formality in that Gillascop and Eoghan were already in possession of the land --- land approximating 100,000 acres which they had inherited from their father. Among the lands recorded as belonging to Gillascop were the five pennylands of Fynchairn (or, Fincharn), the two Rudols which bordered Fincharn, and Glenfynport and Letherlochake which were on the Cowal side of Loch Fyne. Belonging to Eoghan were the lands of Crageneure (Cragenywyr), the pennyland of Penig Corthen, and Naheass which was probably Achachois.

It was on a small rocky bluff on the southwest shore of Loch Awe that the family established its stronghold - Fincharn Castle. Described as an early "hallhouse" the castle was a commanding structure built in a rectangular shape, having a main hall on the upper floor and a probable parapet around the roof. Only three high-standing walls remain today of the ruins located less than a mile from the small community of Ford.

By 1292, the lands held by Gillascop had passed into the hands of Mr. Radulph of Dundee, son of Sir Gilbert, Lord of Dundee. It has been generally accepted that Master Radulph married Gillascop's daughter and heiress with the new family acquiring the name, "de Glassareth", or "of Glassary". In the same year that the lands came under the new ownership they were incorporated into the Sheriffdom of Argyll by King Baliol, and Radulph became one of the twelve great barons of Argyll. The remaining MacGilchrist land was later forfeited by the heirs of Eoghan's son lain (John), who along with his cousin, Gillascop MacLachlan, had also been listed as being among the twelve great barons of Argyll.

In the early fourteenth century John of Glassary, the son and successor of Master Radulph, granted an estimated one-third of the former MacGilchrist estate to his brother-in-law, Dugald, the second son of Sir Colin Campbell of Lochow. The remaining lands passed into the possession of the Scrymgeour family with the marriage in 1370 of Alexander Scrymgeour of Dudhope, Constable of Dundee and King's Bannerman, to Agnes of Glassary, the daughter and heiress of Gilbert the son of John of Glassary. What may have remained of the MacGilchrists of Glassary now became a sept of their cousins, the Clan MacLachlan, with as often occurred among broken clans some of the families taking the name of the new clan.

Taken From: THE HIGHLAND PAPERS, VOL II Edited by:
J.R.N. MacPhail. Edinburgh: University Press, 1916 (Page 227).

CHARTER BY ALEXANDER II TO GILLASCOP
MACGILCHRIST OF THE FIVE-PENNY LANDS OF
FYNECHARNE AND OTHERS, AUGUST 1, 1240.

CHARTER BY ALEXANDER II TO GILLASCOP MACGILCHRJST OF THE FIVE-PENNY LANDS OF
FYNCHARNE AND OTHERS, AUGUST 1,1240.

Alexander dei gracia Rex Scottorum Omnibus probis hominibus Tocius terre sue salutem. Sciant presentes et futuri nos dedisse concessisse et hae carta nos— tra confirmasse Gillascop mac Glicrist pro homagia et servicio suo in Erregay thu quinque denariatas terre de Fyncharne, praeter dimidiam denariatam terre guam Eugenius frater suus tenet qure vocatur Crag Enywyr; et quinque denaria tas terre de Glennane praeter denariatam terre quae vocatur Penig Corthen guam idem Eugenius tenet; et quingue denariaias terre de Askol et quingue denariatas terre de Rudol superiori et quinque denariatas terre de Kelmikhel etquin que denariatas terre de Kerphennan et quinque denariatas terre de Naheass et quatuor denariatas terre de Keldouenegarth et quinque denariatas terre deDrum-. mulin et tres denariatas terre de Cnocnagoloran et unam denariatam terre de Akhenbreth et dimidiam denariatam terre de Strohon et dimidiam denariatam ter re de Glenfynport et dimidiam denariatam terre de Letherlochhake et duas den ariatas terre et dimidiam de Rudol inferiori et dimidiam denariatam terre de Dernekerd. Tenendas et habendas eidem Gillascop et heredibus suis de nobis et I- heredibu's nostris in feodo et hereditate per rectas divisas suas et curn omni bus justis pertinenciis suis.. In bosco et piano. In terris et aquis. In pratis et pascuis. In mans et maresiis. In stangnis et molendinis. cum sac co et Sacca. cum furca et fossa. cum Tol et Them et Infangandethef. et cum om nibus aliis ad easdem terras juste pertinentibus. Libere quiete plenarie et honorif ice faciendo medietatem servicii unius militis in exercitu et in auxi ho quantum pertinet ad plenum servicium unius militis. Et faciendo servici um scoticanum sicut Barones et milites nostri ex aquilonali parte mans scotch; cie pro terris suis faciunt. Testibus W. filio Alani senescalli justiciario scotiae. IJ. Olifard justiciania Laodonie. D. de Lyndesay. D. de Hasteng. Rob. de Meners. Rob. Biset. Apud Strivehin primo die Augusti Anno Regni domini Regis vicesimo sexto.

[ABSTRACT]

"Alexander, King of Scots, grants to Gillascop mac Ojlcrist, for his
homage and service in Argyll, the five penny lands of Fyncharne
except the half penny land held by his brother Ewen, called
Cragenywyr, the five pehny lands of Glennane except the penny land
called Penig Corthen held by the foresaid Ewen, and the other lands
therein mentioned. To be held by the said Gillascop and his heirs of
the King and his heirs according to their righteous marches, and with
all the usual pertinents, freely and fully, rendering the half of a
Knight's service in the host and in the matter of all aid that pertains to
the full service of one Knight, and also doing Scottish service as the
barons and knights on the north side of the Sea of Scotland are wont to
do for their lands. Dated at Stirling the first day of August and 26th
year of the King's Reign."

The above outline traces the descent of the MacGilchrists of western Glassary fran the O'Neill kings of northern Ireland, whose line, it is believed, is traceable to the fourth century. Also revealed is the relationship between the MacGilchrists and the other families, particularly the MacLachlans, that energed in the thirteenth century in the regions of Cowal and Knapdale. Professor W.D.H. Sellar of Edinburgh, who has done research into these families, states that "the lands held and marriage alliances contracted show clearly that they belonged to the first rank of Gaelic aristocracy'. Gilchrist, according to the fifteenth century genealcyical rnanuscript known as "MS 1467", married a daughter of Kennedy, Lord of Carrick. The above families all bore the Dalriadic "Lyon" (The rampant lion) in their coat of arms. Dalriada was the name given to a section of northern Ireland and later including western Scotland in the fifth century. It was the marriage of Anrothan in the eleventh century to the heiress of Cowal and Knapdale that established the families in western Scotland.

Taken from: W.D.H. Sellar. "FAMILY ORIGINS IN COWAL AND KNAPDALE". Scottish Studies, Vol.15 Edinburgh, 1971, pp. 21-37. ("MS 1467" is in the National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh.)

FINCHARN CASTLE

The ruins of Fincharn Castle rests on a small rocky bluff on the southwest shore of Loch Awe, less than a mile from the small community of Ford. Once a commanding structure, it now consists of portions of only three high-standing walls --- part of what was once a long rectangular tower. The structure was two storied having narrow windows with flagstone sills and heads. It is not certain whether a beam-hole at a higher level marks the position of a third floor or the roof. On the northside there appears to be the ruins of a chimney. No entrance has been located, thereby giving rise to the belief that a removable ladder to an upper floor may have been in use. In 1563, during the time of the Scrymgeour family, Fincharn Castle was known as the "Messuage (or, Manor Place) of Glassary."

The name, FINCHARN, is taken from the Celtic Fiannacharn, the "Fingalians' Mound", which is the name given to an unusually large burial cairn located on the nearby Fincharn Farm.

Reference is sometimes found stating that Fincharn Castle was the "Home of the MacMartins"; this was the name applied to John of Glassary whose father, Mr. Radulf of Dundee acquired the lands of Gillascop MacGilobrist in the late 13th century.

Taken From: F. S. MacKenna' s "UNFAMILIAR SITES IN MID-
ARGYLL",  an article written for the Natural History and Antiquarian
Society of Mid-Argyll in 1982.

In November I will post the next instalment of this fascinating history - Ian

The Late Bob and Peg Gilchrist

    Robert W. Gilchrist (1939 - 1998 ) of Titusville, Floruda and his wife Peggy, were killed in a tragic automobile accident on April 8, 1998. Both were dedicated teachers and active members of the Park Avenue Baptist Church for over 30 years. Bob specialised in history. Shortly before the accident, he was a guest speaker at the dedication of the restored Mill Prong House near Raeford, North Carolina which was built by his 4th Great Grandfather, John Gilchrist, in 1802. Bob loved his family history, and had planned his third trip to Scotland to renew friendships and continue his research. He made many significant contributions to his heritage, and was honored by the National Library of Scotland in Edinburgh with a request for a copy of his 1997 book. In his memory, portions of this 1997 book have also been placed on the internet at http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~steve/robertwg/  in the hope that it will kindle the interests of others to follow his footprints and continue his quest for knowledge of the Gilchrist family.

Wee Drams

Page  2:    A History of the Gilchrists - continued

Page  3:    In Campbeltown Again.

Page  4:    The Lowland Church of Campbeltown from its Foundation ................ - Part Three

Page  5:    Heather MacFarlane's Page

Page  6:    A Scottish Quiz

Page  7:    EMPTY

Page  8:    By Hill and Shore - Part Two

The A.I.B. Stewart Page - EMPTY