Page extracted from: MacFarlane's Lantern No. 130 June 2014 Comyns and, of course, the forces of King MacFarlanes at Bannockburn? Edward I of England. Whilst this year Scotland celebrates the 700th Following his conflict with the MacDougalls at Anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn on Dalrigh (near Tyndrum, Perthshire), Bruce and his 24 June 1314, we search for Clan MacFarlane. small army retreated southwards into the Lennox district by way of Glen Falloch. It is told that he A fair number of MacFarlanes from all over the took the east side of Loch Lomond, until it world will visit Scotland this year and take part in became necessary to be ferried across the loch to the Remembrance activity being re-enacted near the Arrochar side, where he then enjoyed the the battle site, of 1314. However, a question additional support and hospitality of Earl Malcolm arises; did Clan MacFarlane take part in the actual along with the predominant clan chief Malduin battle of Bannockburn all those 700 years ago? MacGilchrist, father of the aforementioned Parlan. MacFarlanes who know the basics of their It is told that the Lennox men escorted the king’s Clan’s history will be aware that our lineage stems party safely out of the district. They again proved as a branch of the ancient Celtic Earls of Lennox. themselves at the Battle of Bannockburn under Our first clan chief was one Gilchrist, who was Earl Malcolm’s banner, when our Clan was led by the fourth son of Alwyn, 2nd Earl of Lennox, and Chief Malduin. who in 1225 received the lands and barony of King Robert the Bruce is again associated with Arrochar in Dunbartonshire from his brother the district when, in March 1316, he confirmed a Malduin (3rd Earl). charter by Malcolm, Earl of Gilchrist was succeeded by Lennox to one John de Luss for his son Duncan (c.1284), listed the lands thereof, which also among the many Scottish nobles included a three-mile wide who later signed the infamous sanctuary girth centred on the document which came to be ancient church dedicated to Saint known as the ‘Ragman Roll’ in Kessog. What is generally not 1296, as homage to England’s known, is the fact that for much King Edward I. His signature of his life the king suffered from appears as ‘Duncan MacGilchrist skin eruptions, thought to be of Levenaghes’ (Lennox). leprosy, for which he was From this we see that the constantly seeking the ultimate earliest name of the family was cure. He appeared also to have MacGilchrist (Son of Gilchrist). been a staunch believer in the In fact, the MacFarlane name did power of spiritual healing, which not appear until the time of the probably led to his many visits 4th Chief, Parlan MacGilchrist, and lavish patronage of various circa 1329, grandson of Chief churches throughout Scotland. Gilchrist. Parlan was succeeded Early in 1325 the king’s by his son Malcolm MacParlain attention was again drawn to in 1329, after which date the Lennox. In March that year he members of the clan decided to adopt the name, began a series of complex land deals with various which in time evolved as the present MacFarlane land holders, including the mutual exchange of variation. Indeed, prior to the name change, some certain lands with local proprietors. Among the old maps of Lennox show Arrochar parish as property acquisitions were 104 acres of land in “Gilchrist’s” land. Cardross parish, plus another 70 acres at History relates how in March 1306, with the aid Pillanflat, beside the River Leven (also in of a few supporters, Robert the Bruce seized the Cardross parish) close to the Royal Burgh of Scottish throne only four weeks after having Dumbarton. This was where the hero of murdered the main contender, James Comyn. Bannockburn built his retirement home, and From then until scoring his famous victory at where he died in 1329 – incidentally, being the Bannockburn (1314), Bruce had lived the life of a same year that Parlan MacGilchrist became the fugitive, and for a while was obliged to skulk 4th Chief and eponym of our Clann Pharlainn. among the remote glens and forests of his own Bruce’s internal organs (viscera) were removed realm. and taken to Cardross parish church (now One of his ablest supporters was Malcolm 5th Levengrove Park) for burial, while the rest of his Earl of Lennox. Bruce suffered several early body was carried to Dunfermlyne Abbey. The defeats at the hands of the Balliol supporters, photograph in this page shows the statue of King including the powerful MacDougalls of Lorn, the Robert at Stirling Castle. Malcolm Lobban. 5

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