Mac Farlane History

Alwyn, Earl of Lennox at the end of the 12th century, had a younger son Gilchrist , upon whom his brother Earl Malduin bestowed the property of Arrochar by the side of Loch Long. Gilchrist’s grandson Malduin was among the Gaelic supporters of Robert Bruce, and father of Parlan from whom the clan derived its name. Iain Mac Pharlain, the 7th Chief in descent from Gilchrist, received a confirmation of his title to Arrochar in 1420, and when Earl Duncan of Lennox was beheaded by James I in particularly revolting circumstances, the house of Mac Farlane became the senior male representatives of the ancient earldom of Lennox, although this was taken over by the Stewarts.

The Mac Farlanes remained loyal to the Stewarts, however, and in particular to their Lennox branch. Sir Iain the 11th Chief fell in the Lennox contingent at Flodden in 1513, leaving as his heir Andrew, who earned the reputation of a wizard. Duncan the 13th Chief fell fighting against the English at Pinkie in 1547, during the minority of Mary, Queen of Scots. His clan had been defined as "men of the head of Lennox, that spake the Irish and the Anglo-Scottish tongues." This was the time when Gaelic, the original language of the Scots, was being described as Irish, and the northern English tongue that was evolving in the Lowlands as "Scots". Two contributory causes led the Mac Farlanes to play a decisive part in the final downfall of Queen Mary. Duncan, who fell at Pinkie, was described as one of the first Gaelic chiefs to embrace the reformed religion, and his clan were also adherents of the house of Lennox. After the death of Mary's husband King Henry, Lord Darnley, his father, the Earl of Lennox, sided with the Queen's enemies. When the Queen escaped from captivity in Loch Leven Castle to make a last bid to recover her throne, the 14th Chief brought a force which tipped the scales against her in the rout of Langside in 1568. But his clan returned to their former loyalty to the crown when Walter the 16th Chief fought under Montrose in the cause of Charles I. His island stronghold of Inveruglas in Loch Lomond was destroyed by the Roundheads when Cromwell invaded Scotland. Thereafter the seat of the Mac Farlanes became the house of Arrochar by Loch Long.
Here, at a time when so many mainland chiefs were becoming increasingly anglicised and detached from the cultural life and economic interests of their clansmen, the 20th Chief set a very remarkable example. Walter Mac Farlane of that Ilk devoted his entire life to research into the history of his country, and into the preservation and transcribing of documents, particularly of church records. His accurate and thorough collections have proved invaluable. He is also remembered for an incident recorded by Boswell. " My old friend, the Laird of Mac Farlane, the great antiquary, took it highly amiss when General Wade called him Mr. Mac Farlane." In England at that time to omit the "Mr." would have been far too familiar, whereas, " Mr. Mac Farlane," said he, " may with equal propriety be said to many; but I, and I only, am Mac Farlane."
Soon after this excellent Chief ‘s death in 1767 without heirs his brother sold Arrochar. The direct male line of the chiefs expired with the death of William, the 25th, in 1886 without issue.