Latest Posts

    A Highland Wedding, Marred with Tragedy

    27 February 2023

    Tales of Appin

    28 May 2020

    The Shian Road

    4 April 2020
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    • Links
    • Forums
    • Get In Touch
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Appin of Yesteryear – Appin, Argyll, ScotlandAppin of Yesteryear – Appin, Argyll, Scotland
    award badge
    • HOME
    • PHOTOGRAPHS
    • POEMS
      • Allan Livingston
      • Jessie Henderson
    • ARCHIVES
    • WARTIME
      • WW1
      • WW2
      • Casulties
    • STEWARTS OF APPIN
    • VIDEOS
    • FORUMS
    • TIMELINE
    Appin of Yesteryear – Appin, Argyll, ScotlandAppin of Yesteryear – Appin, Argyll, Scotland
    Home » Stewarts of Appin
    Stewarts of Appin

    Stewarts of Appin

    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    Most of the Stewarts of Appin did not use the surname “Stewart”. The leadership of the Clan was held by the Chief and his many cousins, who were tacksmen who held minor estates in Appin as cadets of the chief. Many of the clansmen were descended from families which had lived in Appin long before the Stewarts arrived, including McColls, Clan MacLea, McQuorquodales and Carmichaels.

    The Stewarts of Appin were traditional allies of the Clan MacLaren of Balquhidder, the Clan Cameron of Lochiel and the Clan MacDonald of Glencoe (or MacIans) of Glencoe. They were inveterate enemies of the Clan Campbell of Argyll and Breadalbane.

    In 1497 some of the Clan MacLaren stole cattle from the Braes of Lochaber from the Clan MacDonald of Keppoch. The MacDonalds followed them and overtook them at a place called Glenurchy where a battle took place. The MacDonalds won and recovered their cattle. However the MacLarens then looked for assistance from Dugel Stuart of Appin. Another battle then took place where the MacLarens were now joined by the Stuarts against the MacDonalds. During the battle Dugel, the chief of the Clan Stewart of Appin and the Clan MacDonald of Keppoch chief were both killed.

    They served with James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose and participated in Battle of Inverlochy (1645) where they defeated Archibald Campbell, 9th Earl of Argyll at Inverlochy Castle in February 1645. After James VII was deposed in 1688, the Stewarts of Appin supported the deposed House of Stuart.

    The Stuarts naturally supported the Jacobite Risings and sent men to fight in both the The ‘Fifteen and The ‘Forty Five.

    At the Battle of Culloden in 1746, the Stewarts of Appin suffered appalling casualties breaking the ranks of the Government Regiments of Foot of the British Army. Charles Stewart of Ardsheal led the men of Clan Stewart of Appin during the rising of 1745, and many fell at the grim field of Culloden, having first gained glory by breaking the Redcoat ranks. Colin Campbell of Glenure, ‘the Red Fox’, was placed as government factor on the forfeited Stewart estates. His murder in 1752 has been immortalised by Stevenson in the novel, Kidnapped. After the chief suspect, Alan Breck Stewart, made his escape, James Stewart, the half-brother of the chief, was tried by a jury composed entirely of Campbells at Inverary presided over by Argyll himself, and, perhaps not surprisingly, was convicted and hanged.

    The most important cadet family of Appin were the Stewarts of Ardsheal. Traditionally, Ardsheal was the tutor to the minor Appin Chiefs. During the 1745 Jacobite rebellion, Charles Stewart of Ardsheal led regiment raised by the Stewarts of Appin. After Culloden, he fled to exile in France and his lands were forfeited to the Crown. His son succeeded in having the lands restored later in the 18th century and the Stewarts of Ardsheal succeeded to the chiefdom of Appin upon the extinction of the Appin family.

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Tumblr Email

    Related Posts

    List of Persons in Appin who did not deliver their Arms.

    11 March 2019

    The Appin Banner

    10 December 2018

    Captain Alexander D.L. Stewart

    30 November 2016

    2 Comments

    1. Randall Stewart on 6 December 2018 03:10

      Just curious why the spelling of Stewart alternated between Stewart and Stuart when talking about the same Branch or person? I was recently in Appin and tried to see all the points of interest to the Stewarts. There was no information on most of these sites and other than James of the Glen’s execution and birthplace there was little else marked…no local museum either.

      Reply
      • Neil Stewart on 11 January 2019 17:44

        Hi

        Simply put:

        ‘Stewart’ is the Scottish spelling
        ‘Stuart’ was used by Mary Queen of Scotts to help French pronunciation of Stewart and it stuck.

        Same family line, Prince Charles Edward Stewart can equally be spelt as Prince Charles Edward Stuart. (Although I prefer the Scottish spelling)

        Neil Stewart

        Reply

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    Our Picks

    Robert MacFie of Airds

    16 March 2016
    Facebook
    Don't Miss
    Archives

    A Highland Wedding, Marred with Tragedy

    A high society wedding of its day took place in Appin in 1908, with the…

    Tales of Appin

    28 May 2020

    The Shian Road

    4 April 2020

    Alasdair Downie

    4 January 2020
    Old Appin
    Old Appin

    Please feel free to browse through the galleries and collection of archives, capturing a glimpse of Appin from days gone by. If you have any pictures, memories, notes, facts, corrections etc that you would like to share, please click here or add to the Forum.

    Stewarts of Appin

    The Appin Murder

    11 March 2016

    Carmichaels and the Stewarts of Appin

    11 March 2016

    Stewarts of Appin

    11 March 2016
    Flickr Photos
    Ladies thistle
    Strawberries
    Page from 'A curious herbal'
    Loyalist pamphlet
    Letter to British Loyalist, Myles Cooper
    Reference letter for Patrick Geddes from Charles Darwin page 2
    Reference letter for Patrick Geddes from Charles Darwin page 1
    Plan shewing the open spaces in the Old Town of Edinburgh
    Patrick Geddes' Thinking Machine
    George Washington's official letters and signature
    Letter from George Washington to General Smallwood - page 2
    1792 map of the States of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia
    'The Compleat Explorer' by Griffith Taylor
    'Pancake', from the Burnfoot House recipe book, 1782
    Map of North America by George Willdey , 1715
    Map showing the two routes taken to the South Pole from 'A Very Gallant Gentleman'
    • Cookie Policy
    • Get In Touch
    • Links
    • Forums
    • Historical Timeline 562 – 2004
    • Sitemap
    © 2023 Appin of Yesteryear. Web Design & Hosting by Oban Web Design.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.