General Notes

From Clan Lamont Website:

The beginning of their eclipse (Clan Lamont's) may be dated from the middle of the fourteenth century. In 1334, when Edward Baliol had overrun Scotland, basely acknowledging Edward III. of England as his suzerain, and when, as a consequence of the battles of Dupplin and Halidon Hill, it had looked as if all the labours and victories of Robert the Bruce had been in vain, Bruce’s young grandson, Robert the High Steward, suddenly turned the tables. From hiding in Bute he escaped to Dunbarton, raised his vassals of Renfrewshire, and stormed the stronghold of Dunoon. This was the signal for the Scots to rise, and before long Scotland was once more free. Among those who helped the High Steward on this occasion, was Sir Colin Campbell of Lochow, and when Robert the Steward became King Robert II, in 1371, he made Campbell hereditary keeper of his royal castle of Dunoon. From that day the Campbells used every means to increase their footing in Cowal, and before long a feud broke out between them and Clan Lamont, the ancient possessors of the district, which was to end, nearly three centuries later, in one of the most tragic incidents of Highland history.

One of the first episodes of the feud took place in the year 1400. The King’s court was then at Rothesay Castle, and from it, one day, three young lords crossed over to hunt at Ardyne in the Lamont country. As a sequel to their excursion, they tried to carry off some of the young women of Cowal; at which four sons of the Lamont Chief came to the rescue and slew the ravishers. A garbled account of the incident was carried to the court, and as a result, the King confiscated the Lamont territory in Strath Echaig, and conferred it on the Campbell chief.

Click here for <a href="http://www.darkisle.com/d/dunoon/dunoon.html">Photo of Dunoon Castle</a> (use browser back arrow to return)