The
name Cunningham, which
according to some may signify “courage in battle,” could have come from
“Cunedda” who was a king of the “Gododdin,” a Celtic branch of Britons known by the Romans as the
“Votadini.” When the Dalriada
Scots emigrated from Ireland in about 500AD, they were confronted by the
Strathclyde Britons, the Gododdin Britons and the Picts. The name Cunedda eventually led to the names and words Cyning, Kynge and
finally King. The “ham” signifies
“hamlet” or small town and was probably added in Norman times. Still others claim that in the Celtic
language Cunedda was rendered as Cinneidigh (meaning ugly or grim-headed). The
name gradually became especially associated with the district of Carrick in
Ayrshire, Scotland.
The word “cunning” could mean “coney” or rabbit. This theory is popular because the coat of arms of the Earls of
Glencairn reflects two coneys as the
supporters. It
is interesting to note that in a Gaelic on-line dictionary, the word “coney”
(or rabbit) translates as “coinean” and the name Cunningham translates as
“coineagan.” Another translation is “milk pail” from the Gaelic
word “cuineag.” This theory
seems the least plausible.
Despite
these different translations, it seems safe to say
that the district
took its name from the original Cunedda family of Britons. In the twelfth century, Hugh de Moreville granted the manor of
Cunninghame and most of the parish of Kilmaurs to his loyal warrior, Wernebald,
progenitor of the Earls of Glencairn. The
land which Wernebald received had been named Cunninghame for several centuries.
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In the 12th
century many landowners assumed the name of their estates as a last name, as did
Wernebald’s sons and grandsons. Eventually
Cunningham became the name of the northern third of Ayrshire. Up until 1975, the County of Ayrshire had three districts: Cunninghame in the north, Kyle in the center and Carrick in the south.
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Clan
Cunningham was a Lowland Family, as opposed to a Highland Clan. Historically, few of the worldly Lowlanders communicated with the
Highlanders whom they saw as savage, dangerous and ignorant. Like the ancient Romans, Lowlanders mostly ignored their heathen
neighbors to the North. Even the
Scottish kings found it difficult to control the Highlanders, so they looked to
Lowland families like the Cunninghams and the Earls of Glencairn, for support.
Finlaystone, the ancestral home of the Clan Cunningham, is located along the
Clyde River in Renfrewshire, near Langbank. It came to the Cunninghams in 1399 when Sir William Cunningham, Lord of
Kilmaurs, married Margaret, the daughter of Sir Robert Danielston of that Ilk,
who presented his new son-in law with Finlaystone in Renfrewshire, Glencairn in
Dumfriesshire, Danielston and Kilmarnock. William’s
grandson, Alexander, became the first Earl of Glencairn in 1488.
I.
Warnebald is the earliest known in the Cunningham line and was a vassal
under Hugh de Morville, constable of Scotland, about the middle of the
twelfth century; from from which he obtained land in Cunninghame in the
vicinity of Kilmaurs. The name of Warnebald is evidently Gothic, and may
indicate a Danish descent. Nowhere is records does he appear to have used a
surname. He was succeeded by his eldest son,
II.
Robert de Cunynghame de Kilmaurs.
Robert de Cunynghame de Kilmaurs is possibly the same Robert who married a
Richenda Barclay or Berkeley. This Robert de Cunynghame is the one who gave
the patronage of the Chruch of Kilmaurs to the Abbey of Kelso. He was
succeeded by his son,
III.
Robert de Cunynghame de Kilmaurs. He had three sons: 1. Robert; 2. William;
3. Sir James. Of the last two there is no descent now known. The eldest son,
Robert, appears to have succeeded him.
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Town of Kilmaurs
November 2005 |
IV.
Robert de Cunynghame of Kilmaurs is shown as son and heir of Robert
Cunninghame Lord of Kilmaurs, in a donation to the Abbey of Paisley, about
the year 1240; which corresponds, in time, as a successor to the preceding.
His son was,
V.
Hervey de Cunynghame of Kilmaurs, who participated at the battle of Largs
against the Danes in 1263 and was granted a charter in 1264 for his gallant
service. He died before 1268. He married the heiress of Riddele of
Glengarnock, by whom he had two sons: 1. Galfridus - the second son, was
ancestor of the Cunninghames of Glengarnock. His eldest son,
VI. Sir
William Cunynghame succeeded him in Kilmaurs. He appears in records dated
1269 and 1275 and died in 1285. He was succeeded by his son,
VII.
Edward Cunynghame of Kilmaurs appears in a record in 1290. His second son,
Richard, was ancestor of the Cunninghames of Polmaise—a family not now known
by that name. His eldest son,
VIII. Gilbert Cunynghame of Kilmaurs was one of
Robert Bruce's nominees in the competition with Balliol. He was succeeded by
his eldest son,
IX.
Sir Robert Cunynghame of Kilmaurs. He swore fealty to Edward I. in 1296, but
afterwards changed and joined with Bruce, and was rewarded by him with some
valuable lands in the parish of Kilmaurs—part of the spoils of the Balliol
party. His second son, Andrew, was ancestor of the Cunninghames of
Ballindalloch, Drumquhassel, Balbougie, Banton, &c. He died about the year
1330, and was succeeded by his eldest son,
X. Sir
William Cuninghame of Kilmaurs. He appears in several records, as in 1350,
1354 and 1364. He married Eleanor Bruce countess of Carrick; and in her
right was created Earl of Carrick; by this lady he had no issue; by a former
marriage he had three sons. His third son, Thomas, was ancestor of the
Cunninghames of Caprington. The eldest son predeceased him, without issue.
He was succeeded by the second son,
Entrance to
Caprington Castle
November 2005 |
Capt. Robert Cuninghame of Caprington
and
William Cuninghame the Younger of Caprington
Although the Earldom of Glencairn is dormant
at this time, the line of the Caprington Cuninghames are generally
recognized to have a strong claim to the title |
XI. Sir
William Cuninghame of Kilmaurs, who acquired a great addition to the family
estate, by marriage with Margaret, the eldest co-heir of Sir Robert
Danielstoun. His part of that vast property was the lands or baronies of
Danielstoun and Finlaystoun, in Renfrewshire; Kilmarnock, in
Dunbartonshire; Redhall and Colintoun, in Midlothian; together with
Glencairn, in Dumfrieshire, afterwards the chief title of the family. He
died in 1418. His second son, William, was ancestor of Cunninghamhead.
His third son, Henry, appears in 1417 in a transaction at Irvine. He was
succeeded by his eldest son,
XII. Sir
Robert Cuninghame of Kilmaurs. He married in 1425, Anne, the only daughter
of Sir John de Montgomery of Ardrossan, by whom he had two sons. The second
son, Archibald, was the first of the Cunninghames of Waterstoun, a family
now extinct. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Alexander Cunningham, the
first Earl of Glencairn.
The Earls Of Glencairn: A Chronological Listing
The following is a brief
summary of the part of the Cunningham clan history that covers the Earls
of Glencairn. The Glencairn lineage can be traced as follows:
1st Earl (1488): Alexander
Cunninghame
Alexander became the Earl of
Glencairn in 1488. Took his title from the family’s estate/property
located in Dumfrieshire. His title prior to being granted the earldom was
Lord Kilmaurs. Receiving his title for battle services at Blackness,
Alexander was killed in the same year at the Battle of Sauchieburn.
2nd Earl (1488-1503): Robert
Cunninghame
When the Earldom
was rescinded by King James IV, Robert was left with only the title of the
Lord of Kilmaurs
3rd Earl (1503-1540): Cuthbert
Cunninghame
The title was restored to
Cuthbert who created the Burgh of Barony of Kilmaurs in the year 1527.
This was introduced in the form of a charter which granted 280 Scots acres
to 40 “tennamenters”, each of whom would hold a fortieth part of the total
area.
4th Earl (1540-1547): William
Cunninghame
The 4th Earl was active in the
cause of the Reformation. At first, he was loyal to the Crown but when he
witnessed the atrocities of the English, he joined the forces of the
Reformation and played no small part in the cause.
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John Knox Tree at Finlaystone
(Nov. 2005)
Site where Knox gave his first communion |
5th Earl (1547-1574): Alexander
Cunninghame
Like his father, he
supported the Reformers and openly encouraged John Knox to return to
Scotland. Known as the "good earl", Alexander and Knox became firm friends. In
fact, it is said that Knox gave his first communion under the yew tree
which still stands at Finlaystone. While on the battlefield,
Alexander was no slouch. He mustered and led 2,500 men to Perth to defend the
cause and also opposed Mary Queen of Scots’ return to Scotland. He
disavowed her marriage to Darnley and in the name of the Protestant
forces, was in the forefront in the battles of Carberry Hill and Langside.
6th Earl (1574-1581): William
Cunninghame
He did not seek to emulate
his father but concentrated his efforts in trying to cool the on-going and
bloody feud between the Cunninghame and Montgomerie families.
7th Earl (1581-1629): James
Cunninghame
His father had some success
in the setting up of a bond of friendship with the families of
Cunninghames, Campbells, Montgomeries, Boyds, and Wallaces, which was in
effect a form of arbitration to avoid and/or adjudicate on disputes
between the families. James, however, did not support the work of his
father. The Cunninghame-Montgomerie feud was renewed in the form of local
skirmishes and the bloody battle was in full flood with the murder of
Hugh, 4th Earl of Eglinton at Stewarton. Although denying all knowledge of
the affair, James never quite shook off suspicion until he took legal
action to counter the charges which were laid against him and others.
These charges reached the Scottish Parliament, and while litigation
dragged on, many of the Cunninghames and Montgomeries were killed or fled
the country. In the end James was exonerated and agreed to friendly
negotiations with the Montgomeries. It was James who commissioned the
erection of a sculptured mural in that part of the Parish Church known as
the Glencairn Aisle.
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Entrance to the Glencairn
Aisle
St.
Maurs-Glencairn Church
Kilmaurs,
Kilmarnock, Scotland
|
8th Earl (1629/30-1631): William
Cunninghame
William's reign as the Earl
was a short one. There is no clear indication as to when he assumed the
title principally because (according to McNaught) there is a doubt
regarding the exact date of his father's death.
9th Earl (1631-1664): William
Cunninghame
A consistent supporter of
Charles 1st, the 9th Earl was obliged to forfeit his title to the Scottish
Parliament, but in time when he realized the possibility of Scotland being
drawn into the feud between Charles and his Parliament in London,
William's support for the monarch quickly diminished. His title was
restored and following the execution of Charles 1st, the 9th Earl fought
with the Highland clans against General Monk when Cromwell invaded
Scotland. Following a personal duel and skirmishes in the ranks he
withdrew his forces/ thereafter engaging Monk's columns at Dumbarton where
overwhelming odds forced him to surrender on honorable terms. He returned
home but was thrown into prison on suspicion of plotting/ but following
the Restoration, Charles 2nd rewarded him with the appointment of Privy
Councilor. A few years later he was elevated to Lord Chancellor but
further political intrigues reduced his powers to almost nothing and he
died a disillusioned man.
10th Earl (1664-1670): Alexander
Cunninghame
His time as Earl was spent
in comparative peace and quiet concentrating mainly on the salvaging of
family property in respect of litigation stemming from the family feuds of
former days. On his death his brother John succeeded to the title.
11th Earl (1670-1703): John
Cunninghame
While his brother,
Alexander, had presented a profile of non-involvement, this was not the
style of John. He was at first a Royalist and as a committed one he was
appointed a Commissioner of the Crown. As such he was empowered to enforce
laws which were abhorrent to the Covenanter's cause. This role earned him
the dislike of many in the West of Scotland, as the Covenanters considered
that the legal requirements (which affected the Church and its ministers)
as being tantamount to a return to the days before the reformation.
However, in time, John's enthusiasm for enforcement disappeared and he and
other members of the wider family of Cunninghames became firm supporters
and defenders of the cause.
12th Earl (1703-1734): William
Cunningham
His 31 years as Earl were
comparatively uneventful. He was appointed Privy Councilors and served as
the Governor of
Dumbarton Castle, an appointment which had been previously
held by his father. The Cunninghams by this time were, more or less,
residents at their Finlaystone home in Renfrewshire. However, they still
had business interests in the Kilmaurs area but William and his wife had
much sorrow, as of their eight, sons, only one survived.
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Dumbarton Castle
Located across the River
Clyde from Finlaystone |
13th Earl (1734-1775): William
Cunningham
Like many of his forebears
William was involved in the affairs of the Church and in this connection
became embroiled in bitter wrangling in the Laigh Kirk in Kilmarnock. The
root of the problem lay in the internal politics of the Church which
occasioned Burns to write "The Ordination". William's presentation of a
"New Light" minister displeased the congregation to the point of rioting.
Some years later in an attempt to placate the "Auld Lichts" his new
nominee merely upset the "New Lichts". His marriage to Elizabeth Macquire
was not approved of by the aristocracy. His wife was the daughter of a
carpenter and traveling fiddler in Glasgow. The romantic story of this
marriage is too lengthy to record here except to say that it was from this
marriage that his son, James, succeeded to the title as the 14th Earl.
14th Earl (1775-1791): James Cunningham
To Burns enthusiasts, James
is the best known of the Cunninghames. As a Representative Peer he had
great influence in Edinburgh. On reading the first published work of
Robert Burns he became an avid supporter and patron of the bard. It was
James who was responsible for the support given to Burns by the Caledonian
Hunt who subscribed "one and all" towards the publication of the Edinburgh
Edition of the poet's work. James was not blessed with good health and on
medical advice he went to Portugal and warmer climates. His journey back
from his vacation was abruptly halted at Falmouth where his condition
greatly deteriorated and he died there on 30th January, 1791. Burns was
greatly affected by the news of his patron's death and his great tribute
to James; "Lament for
James, Earl of Glencairn", contains all the pathos and emotion of the poet.
|
Robert Burns
1759 -1796 |
"The bridegroom may forget
the bride
was made his wedded wife
yestreen;
The monarch may forget the
crown
that on his head an hour has
been;
The mother may forget the
child
that smiles sae sweetly on
her knee;
But I'll remember thee
Glencairn
and a' that thou has done
for me".
Last Stanza from Robert Burns'
"Lament for James, Earl of
Glencairn" |
15th Earl (1791-1796): John
Cunningham
John was the brother of the
14th Earl and early in his career was an officer in the Dragoons. Later he
took orders in the Church of England, much to the dismay of his friends in
the Scottish Church. On his death he was buried in St. Cuthbert's,
Edinburgh and the title of Earl of Glencairn has remained vacant since
1796.
Additional information on
the Earls of Glencairn can be found in the “Scots Peerage”.
