Features: Scottish Clan Early Genealogy - Clan MacAulay

Motto: Dulce periculum (Danger is sweet)
Historic Seat: Ardencaple Castle
District: Argyll
Associated Surnames: MacPhedron, MacPheidiran
Associated Tartans:

Early MacAulay Genealogy and History:
(Excerpt from "The Scottish Clans and Their Tartans", James Grant, 1906)

The chief seat of this little clan, of which few notices can be gleaned, was at Ardincaple, a handsome turreted mansion, said to have been built in the twelfth century in Row, a point in the western extremity in Dumbartonshire. They had once been in Kintail, as the old statistical account of that parish states that "when the MacRaes first entered Kintail there were several clans inhabiting it, particularly the MacAulays of whom no vestige now remains." Buchanan of Auchmar believed the MacAulays of Ardincaple to be of the family of Lennox.

"From confirmation of this allegation," he continues, "in a charter by Mauldin Earl of Lennox, to Sir Patrick Grahame, of the currcate of Muckraw, is Aulay, the Earl's brother, as also in another charter by the same Earl to William, son of Arthur Galbraith, the witness are Duncan and Aulay, the Earl's brethren. This Aulay is mentioned in diverse other charters of the Earl, as also the said Aulay's son and successor, designed Duncan, son of Aulay, or MacAulay, knight, is inserted in a charter by the same Earl to Walter Spreul, of the lands of Dalquhern, but I find no mention made of this Duncan's successor." Maldnin, Earl of Lennox, died early in the reign of Alexander III.

The Laird of Audmar states that the next to be met with, and supposed to be of the MacAulay line, is Arthur, designed of Ardincaple, witness to a charter by Duncan, Earl of Lennox, "so this might be the grandchild to Duncan last mentioned. There is a current tradition that this family or surname was designed Arncaples (sic) of that Ilk for some time, until from one of the chiefs, properly called Aulay, the whole surname was so denominated."

Hugh Montgomerie of Hesilhead, son of Alexander, Master of Mongomerie (1430-52) had a granddaughter who was married to MacAulay of Ardincaple. According to the "Douglas Peerage," Hugh was a son of Andrew, the third Lord.

Sir Aulay MacAulay of Ardincaple appears in 1587 in the Roll of the Landlords and Bailies in the Highlands and Isles as one of the principal vassals of the Earl of Lennox.

In the same Register we find in 1585 caution given in £200 by Bontein, younger of Ardoch, for Allan MacAulay of Ardincaple and Patrick MacAulay, Allister Dewar's son, "that Petir Burnsyde in Gowaineburne, his wife, bairns, and servants, "shall not be troubled or molested by them."

A branch of the MacAulays settled in the county of Antrim, and there acquired the estate of Glerm; but Ardincaple changed proprietors, and the estate was acquired by its present possessors, the MacDougalls, by whom it was entailed in August 1758.

A remote branch of Ardincaple was the Rev. Aulay MacAulay, son of the minister of Cardross, who was an industrious writer in "Ruddiman's"¹ and other magazines, and in 1796 was presented to the vicarage of Rothelay by Thomas Babington, M.P.², who had married his sister, and for whom the distinguished historian was named Thomas Babington MacAulay.

(End excerpt)

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Footnotes:

¹ Ruddiman's: Weekly publication by Walter Ruddiman, established 1768, Edinburgh, Scotland.

² M.P.: Member of Parliament