Clan MacAulay

Clan MacAulay is a Scottish clan. The present Clan MacAulay is a modern attempt to combine several unrelated groups: the Clan MacAulay (of Ardencaple); the MacAulays of Ullapool and Loch Broom; and the MacAulays of Lewis. Historically the Clan MacAulay consisted only of the MacAulays of Ardencaple. The MacAulays of Ardencaple are located mainly in the traditional county of Dunbartonshire, which straddles the "Highland Line" between the Scottish Highlands and Lowlands. They have been linked by various historians to the original Earls of Lennox and in later times the Clan Gregor. Like the MacGregors, the MacAulays of Ardencaple have traditionally been one of the seven clans which make up Siol Alpin, or the descendants of Cináed mac Ailpín, King of the Picts, from whom later kings of Scotland traced their descent. The chiefs of the Clan MacAulay were styled Laird of Ardencaple. The MacAulays of Lewis are located on the Isle of Lewis. They were a sept of the Clan MacLeod of Lewis and much of their lore centres around their hero Donald Cam MacAulay and the era of unrest on Lewis. The MacAulays of Ullapool and Loch Broom are mainly located in the lands surrounding Loch Broom on the western coast of the traditional Ross and Cromarty area. They were a sept of the Clan MacKenzie of Kintail. After the decline and fall of the Clan MacAulay, which ended with the death of Aulay MacAulay of Ardencaple in the mid eighteenth century, the clan became dormant. In the late twentieth century the present Clan MacAulay began to take form. The modern clan strove to unite the three unrelated groups, and all who bore the surname MacAulay, under one clan and chief.^[1] In 2002 the man appointed by the clan to petition the Lord Lyon King of Arms to be formally recognized as chief of Clan MacAulay failed in his attempt.^[2] The Lord Lyon ruled that a petitioner without a blood link to a past chief would have to rule as Commander of the Clan for ten years before being considered for recognition, and also that there was no basis on which to appoint a chief of any MacAulays other than the MacAulays of Ardencaple.^[2] To date Clan MacAulay does not have a chief recognized by the Lord Lyon King of Arms, and therefore can be considered an Armigerous clan.

History of Clan MacAulay

Map of the Lennox and area of influence of the Clan MacAulay.

Origins of the clan

The origin of the Clan MacAulay is entwined with the early medieval Earls of Lennox; the lands they governed and the names they bore. The Classical Gaelic personal name Amhlaoibh,^[3] (today Anglicised as Aulay), was a common christian name in the early families of the Earls of Lennox. Amhlaoíbh, a younger son of Alwyn, 2nd Earl of Lennox, and grandson of Alwyn, 1st Earl of Lennox, is the subject of a lay dedicated to him by the poet Muireadhach Albanach, titled Mairg thréigios inn, a Amhlaoíbh. In the lay, Amhlaoíbh's land is named "Ard nan Each"^[3] (Horse Height or Height of the Horse). His name appears in early records within the Lennox under several variations including; Auleth, Ameleth, Amelech, Amhlew, Hamelen and Havel.^[4] Aulay and his descendants held the lands of Fasselane (Faslane) and an extensive tract of land on the Gare Loch,^[4] which included the ancestral lands of the Clan MacAulay. Aulay had two known sons; Aulay de Fasselane, and Duncan.^[4] The younger son Duncan appears as Duncano Macamelech in a grant to a cousin c. 1290.^[5] The elder son, Aulay de Fasselane, had an elder son named Walter de Fasselane, who married a cousin, Margaret, Countess of Lennox, after which he himself became Earl of Lennox. Ardencaple ("cape of the horses"^[6] or "Height of the Horses"^[7]), the ancestral home of the Clan MacAulay is located on the shores of the Gare Loch, west of Loch Lomond, in the historical district of Lennox. In the middle ages the Lairds of Ardencaple paid homage to the Earls of Lennox. According to the Scottish heraldist, Alexander Nisbet (1657-1725), "Morice de Arncappel",^[8] who appears in the Ragman Rolls swearing allegiance to Edward I of England in 1296, was the ancestor of the MacAulays of Ardencaple.^[9] In 1473 Alexander de Ardincaple is recorded as serving on the inquest of the Earl of Menteith.^[10] In 1518 Aulay de Ardincaple was invested, on a precept from John, Earl of Lennox, in the lands of Faslane, adjoining Ardencaple.^[10] He and his wife, Katherine Cunningham, had seisin of the lands of Ardencaple in 1525.^[10] It is stated by historians that the first Laird of Ardencaple to take the surname 'MacAulay' was Alexander de Ardincaple, son of Aulay de Ardincaple.^[11] Nisbet wrote that this Alexander took the name "from a predecessor of his own of the name of Aulay, to humour a patronymical designation, as being more agreeable to the head of a clan than the designation of Ardincaple of that Ilk."^[9] Alexander lived during the reign of James V (reigned 1513–1542).^[11] However, the antiquary Walter MacFarlane, noted that the MacAulays derived their name from an Aulay MacAulay of that Ilk, who lived during the reign of James III of Scotland^[12] (reigned 1440–1488). In 1536 there is record Awla McAwla of Ardencapill,^[13] another Awla McAwla was clerk of the watch of Queen Mary's guard in 1566.^[13] During the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, in west Dumbartonshire, the clans MacFarlane, MacAulay and Colquhoun raided and plundered each other and combined to sweep the lowlands of its flocks and herds. Later other clans invaded the district, among them the MacGregors, Campbells, Camerons and Buchanans.^[14] "The Laird of M'Cawla of Ardincaple" appears in the General Band of 1587 as a principal vassal of the Duke of Lennox.^[15] In 1594 the "M'Cawlis" appear in the Roll of Broken Clans.^[16] Near the shores of Faslane, (which today is consumed by Her Majesty's Naval Base Clyde), there was a place called Cnoch-na-cullach (Scottish Gaelic: Knoll of the cock).^[17] There is a legend that when a cock crowed beneath the branches of an old oak tree upon the knoll that a member of the Clan MacAulay was about to die.^[17]

Feud with clans Buchanan and Galbraith

The Arms of a MacAulay from the mid sixteenth century. Note the similarity to various Stewart Arms, perhaps hinting of an actual descent or dependence upon the Stewarts.^[18]

On August 1 1590, on the "Highway and street of Dunbarton", Walter MacAulay, son of Allan MacAulay of Durling, was killed in a clash against a contingent of Buchanans, lead by Thomas Buchanan, Sheriff depute of Dunbarton. Also wounded in the encounter was a brother of Walter - Duncan MacAulay who was wounded through the "harn pan" (brain), John dhu MacGregor who was wounded behind his shoulder blade so that "his lights and entrails might be seen" and James Colquhoun who was wounded in the "wamb" (stomach) and others including a MacAulay, Miller and MacGibbon. When a complaint was registered, on September 29, the defenders failed to appear and were "put to the Horn" (denounced as rebels).^[19] On October 6 1590, in Edinburgh, Thomas Buchanan of Blairlusk, John Buchanan and his son John Buchanan Burgess of Dunbarton, and others were formally charged in the murder of Walter MacAulay. The accused were ordered to appear before the Justice, at Edinburgh, on December 21 1590.^[19] The case was then deferred to March and again the accused failed to appear. The following May saw the Bond of Manrent between the Clan MacAulay and Clan Gregor, in which both chiefs swore an alliance to assist each other, their "kin and friends in all their honest actions against whatsoever person or persons the Kings Majesty being only excepted".^[19] In spring of 1593, Robert Galbraith, Laird of Culcreuch purchased a commission of Justiciary, (a commission of fire and sword), to pursue the Clan Gregor and "their ressetters and assisters". The MacAulays and Colquhouns were suspicious of Galbraith's real intentions, and on May 3 1593, the lairds of the two clans complained that Galbraith had only purchased the commission under counsel from George Buchanan and that Galbraith had no intentions of actually harassing the MacGregors. It seemed more likely that the Galbraiths, allied with the Buchanans would direct their vengeance against the MacAulays and Colquhouns, under the guise of hunting and clearing the Clan Gregor from the Lennox.^[20] To complicate matters, the Laird of Ardencaple had married the Laird of Culcreuch's widowed mother against his consent and Galbraith had "gevin vp kindnes, and denunceit his euill-will to him [MacAulay] with solempne vowis of revenge".^[21] Utimately Robert Galbraith's letter of commission was taken from him.^[20]

Alliance with clan Gregor

The traditional descent of the seven clans of Siol Alpin. In 1591 the MacAulays signed a Bond of Manrent with the MacGregors, acknowledging the MacGregors as senior in line to the MacAulays. The MacGregors had signed a similar contract with the MacKinnons in 1571.^[22]

On May 27 1591 Aulay MacAulay of Ardencaple and Alasdair MacGregor of Glenstrae entered into a Bond of Manrent. In the bond, the two chiefs promised to aid each other against anyone but the King, and MacAulay acknowledged being a cadet of the House of MacGregor, and promised to pay the MacGregor chief his calp.^[22] (A calp was a tribute of cattle or the best eighth of a part of goods.^[23] The payment of the calp was a significant custom in Gaelic society; giving ones best animal to the person acknowledged as his Chief).^[24] One curious passage in the bond was used by the nineteenth century historian W. F. Skene to discount the MacAulays descent from the Earls of Lennox: "Alexander M'Gregor of Glenstray on the ane part and Awly M'Cawley of Ardingapill on the other part understanding ourselfs and our name to be M'Calppins of auld and to be our just and trew surname".^[22] From this Skene concluded that their was no doubt that the MacAulays claimed descent from Siol Alpin, or Cináed mac Ailpín, whom Scots considered to be the first King of Scots.^[25] Later historians have shown that such bonds were used by the MacGregors to cement alliances with weaker clans,^[22] and that such a bond was likely to have been forced upon the MacAulays by the more powerful MacGregors. After the Battle of Glen Fruin, fought between the Clan Gregor and Clan Colquhoun in 1603, there was suspicion that the MacAulays were involved in aiding the MacGregors. On March 17, 1603 Aulay MacAulay and his sureties were ordered to appear and answer for reset, supplying and intercommuning with Alasdair MacGregor of Glenstrae and other MacGregors. He was also to answer for not "rising ye fray" and pursuing the outlawed clan Gregor in the Lennox.^[26] MacAulay was accused of bringing the MacGregor "thevis and rebells" to the Colquhoun lands of Luss and for their part in stealing from the Colquhouns of Luss.^[27] It seems clear that the Duke of Lennox's influence with the King is all that saved the Clan MacAulay from falling under the weight of the law of the Earl of Argyll, and suffering the same fate as the Clan Gregor, who were outlawed and hunted down throughout the country. On April 7 1603 James VI of Scotland, in Berwick wrote to the Justice General and his deputies, stating; "And We, vnderstanding that the said Aulay M'cauley is altogidder frie and innocent of the saidis allegit crymes laid to his chairge ; and that he is to accumpany ws to our realme of Ingland, with our darrest cousing the Duik of Lennox, his maister".^[28] The King's order stopped all investigation against the Laird of Ardencaple, thus protecting the small Clan MacAulay from the powerful Earl of Argyll and his allies. By the time the time the King's letter was received, MacAulay had left the Lennox as part of the Duke of Lennox's train, which accompanied King James VI on his way to England to claim the vacant throne, and be declared King James I of England.^[27]

On January 18 1604, the chief of the Clan Gregor, Alasdair MacGregor of Glenstrae, was apprehended by the Earl of Argyll, after almost a year in hiding, and was brought to stand trial in Edinburgh. Before his execution two days later, MacGregor in his confession, accused the Earl of Argyll of trying to persuade him into killing the Chief of the MacAulays: "I Confess, befor God, that he did all his craftie diligence to intyse me to slay and destroy and Laird Ardinkaippill, Mckallay, for ony ganes kyndness or freindschip that he mycht do or gif me. The quhilk I did refuis, in respect of my faithfull promeis maid to Mckallay of befor".^[29]

Clan Macaulay Armorial Shield, as found in the gallery of Scottish Clan Armorial Shields, in St Columba's Church, Glasgow.^[30]

Feud with the Earl of Argyll

The Earl of Argyll suspected the Laird of Ardencaple, among others, of involvement in a conspiracy which resulted in the murder of John Campbell, Laird of Calder,^[31] in 1591. Argyll's evidence pointed to a larger conspiracy which had designs on the assassination of himself, his brother Colin Campbell of Lundy, the Earl of Moray, and John Campbell of Calder. It seems the conspirators goal was to replace the Earl of Argyll with his kinsman, Campbell of Lochnell, who was next in line of succession to Argyll after his brother Colin, and to divide the vast estates of Argyll amongst themselves.^[32] When Argyll discovered MacAulay was somehow involved in the plot he took action and, by May 1594, invaded and took Ardencaple Castle from the MacAulays. The Duke of Lennox, taking Argyll's action to be a direct assault on himself, demanded that Argyll return the lands of Ardencaple.

Feud with the Captain of Carrick

Beginning during the tail end of the sixteenth century, a bitter feud took place between the MacAulays of Ardencaple and Campbells of Carrick, who were based at Carrick Castle on the shores of Loch Goil (about 15 kilometres north-west of Ardencaple). Though the origins of the feud are unclear, the first documented evidence of troubles occur in 1598 when Duncan Campbell, Captain of Carrick registered a bond of 300 merks for each of his men in Rosneath, to keep from harming "Awlay McCaulay of Ardingapill." Also another bond was registered for Campbell of Carrick of 2000 merks not to harm "McCaula" and his followers.^[33] In 1599 the Duke of Lennox legally evicted Donald Campbell of Drongie, and several of his followers from the lands of Mamoir, Mambeg and Forlancarry, along the banks of the Gare Loch. In retaliation, a combined force of Campbells of Carrick and Drongie assembled at Rosneath, on the opposite shore of the Gare Loch from Ardencaple, and returned to waste the Duke's new acquisitions. When this case was presented to the Privy Council, on 17 May 1600, the defenders, Campbell of Carrick and Campbell of Drongie were denounced as rebels.^[33] Later in 1600, evidence was brought forth to the Privy Council of an attempt on Aulay MacAulay's life on September 24 1600. The evidence pointed to the Captain of Carrick's men coming at night to Ardencaple and attacking followers of the Laird and killing one, Malcolm Galbraith. A second attempt on the chief of the MacAulays' life was carried out at night as he was staying at Nether Greenock. Aulay MacAulay, Patrick Dennestoun, one of Ardencaple's servants, and Archibald Connel were all shot in the encounter. Again the Privy Council denounced the Captain of Carrick and his men as rebels.^[33] In November 1600, the Captain of Carrick and 100 followers invaded the lands of Ardencaple, armed with "hagbuts, pistolets, bows, darlochs and habershons." After taking prisoners, the invaders eventually fled the wood they were laying await in for fear of being pursed from men of the district. The Campbells then retreated after wasting houses, hamstringing animals and making off with livestock belonging to other tenants of the Duke of Lennox. For this action the participating Campbells were again denounced as rebels.^[33]

Involvement in Ireland

See also: Plantation of Ulster

During the early seventeenth century the MacAulays were involved in the Plantation of Ulster, as King James I began colonizing regions of Ireland with English and Scottish settlers. During this era several MacAulays were transplanted from Scotland to Ulster. In the region that is now County Donegal, the Duke of Lennox was the chief undertaker in the precinct of Portlough (eastern Co. Donegal) and his resident agent was Sir Aulay MacAulay.^[34] Also in the same precinct, Alexander MacAulay of Durling,^[35] (also known as "Alexander M'Awley alias Stewart"),^[36] was alloted 1000 acres called Ballyneagh. By 1617 the MacAulay controlled Ballyneagh consisted of a stone house with a bawn, two freeholders, nine lessees, and was able to produce thirty men with arms.^[37]

Irish MacAuleys

Today many of the McAuleys (and other various spellings of the name) living in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are descendants of the Clan MacAulay of Ardencaple, though there are several different clans/septs of native Irish MacAuleys who are unrelated to one another and also have no link with Scotland at all.^[38]

Map of Ireland. Today MacAulays (and variations of the name) are found in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Some MacAulays are of Scottish descent and others are unrelated and are of native Irish descent.

The McAuleys of County Offaly & County Westmeath derive their name from Amhalgaidh (Old Irish), who lived in the thirteenth century. They are of native Irish descent, with an ancient descent from Niall of the Nine Hostages. Their lands were in western Co. Westmeath and northern Co. Offaly, the heartland of the sept was near Ballyloughnoe, Co. Westmeath, known in Elizabethan times as "MacGawleys Country."^[38] The McAuleys in Ulster can derive their name from Amhlaoibh, a Gaelic personal name derived from the Old Norse name Áleifr and Óláfr.^[39] These McAuleys trace a descent from Amhlaoibh, son of the first Maguire King of Fermanagh, Donn Carrach Maguire.^[40] The Mac Amhlaoibhs are said to have conquered southern Fermanagh for the Maguires and have left their name on the area in Clanawley.^[38] The MacAuleys of the Glens are thought to be of Scottish descent. Located in the Glens of Antrim, the MacAuleys were allies of the MacDonnells in the sixteenth century. The MacDonnells held parts of Clannaboy while the MacAuleys, MacGills and MacAllisters occupied the north east coast of Antrim.^[41] It was on the plain of Bun-na-mairgie near Ballycastle, the MacDonnells lead by Sorley Boy MacDonnell fought the MacQuillans (MacQuillins). Before the battle the MacQuillans appealed to the O'Neills of Lower Claneboy and to the MacAuleys and MacPhoils of the middle Glens of Antrim. The two small clans were late arriving the battle and when arrived they stood as spectators, viewing the battle which having lasted two days was nearing a climax. Sorley Boy MacDonnell then rode out to the chief of the MacAuleys and persuaded him to join his ranks, as with the MacPhoils. The combined force then drove the MacQuillans to the banks of the river Aura where they were finally defeated,^[42] and the chief of the MacQuillans slain,^[43] in what is known as the Battle of Aura. After the battle the festivities lasted for several days and a cairn, called "Coslin Sorley Boy",^[44]was raised on the mountain Trostan. A branch of the MacAulays of Ardencaple settled in County Antrim, with the leading member of the family owning the Glenarm estate for some time until it passed to the MacDougalls in 1758.^[45]

Post 1600

After the episode at Glen Fruin, west Dumbartonshire slowly became more "settled". The MacGregors ceased to exist as a clan and the resident clans of MacAulay, MacFarlane and Buchanan became less powerful as their lands slowly passed into the hands of strangers.^[14] In 1614 when Angus Og MacDonald of Dunyvaig seized Dunyvaig Castle which had been held by the Bishop of the Isles, Sir Aulay MacAulay of Ardincaple, with twenty of his men, accompanied the Bishop to Islay to demand the surrender of the castle.^[46] On March 26 1639 Covenanters captured Dumbarton Castle to prevent it from being used as an Royalist base in the event of an invasion from Ireland.^[47] Once secured, the Earl of Argyll placed Walter MacAulay^[48], Laird of Ardencaple as 'Keeper' of the castle with a garrison of forty men.^[47] In 1648 the parish of Row (modern Rhu) was created at the instigation of Aulay MacAulay, Laird of Ardencaple, who wanted to separate from the parish of Rosneath which lies across on the opposite side of the Gare Loch to Rhu.^[49] A year later he built the first parish kirk, providing land for the kirk, minster's manse and garden.^[50] The Glorious Revolution of 1688 saw the overthrow of the Roman Catholic, James II of England, in favour of the Protestant, William III of Orange. Though in England most accepted him, Jacobites within Ireland and Scotland gave considerable opposition to William in favour of the deposed James. In 1689 the Earl of Argyll's offer to raise a regiment of 600 men, in aid of William, was granted.^[51] Argyll's regiment was to consist of 10 companys of about 60 men each.^[51] That year Archibald MacAulay of Ardencaple raised a company of fencibles in aid of William.^[52] On November 5 1689 William and his wife Mary were crowned King and Queen of Scotland as William II and Mary II. In 1690 Ardencaple's Company, within the Earl of Argyll's Regiment, was commanded by Captain Archibald MacAulay of Ardencaple, Lieutenant John Lindsay, and Ensign Robert MacAulay "Anshent".^[53] Later in 1694, Archibald's younger brother, Robert, is listed as Captain Robert MacAulay in the Earl of Argyll's Regiment of Foot.^[54] At around the beginning of the eighteenth century a group of MacAulays migrated to the former counties of Caithness and Sutherland.^[52]

Fall of the clan and loss of Ardencaple

Ardencaple Castle, located near Helensburgh, Scotland. Today, all that remains of the grand turreted mansion is one solitary tower.

See also: Ardencaple Castle

As the power of the clans diminished in the eighteenth century, the fortune of the leading family of the Clan MacAulay was waning, and the debts were mounting. Successive chiefs were forced to divide and sell, piece by piece, the lands once governed by the clan.^[55] In the 1740s,^[56] Archibald MacAulay, Laird of Ardencaple, had to sell off a portion of his estate. The MacAulay's resources dried up, their lands fell into decay, and the once expansive lands of Ardencaple shrank to only a few farms.^[57] By the early 1750s the roof of Ardencaple Castle had fallen in,^[56] and the overall condition of the castle had deteriorated to such an extent that the next Laird was forced to abandon his residence there and live in nearby Laggarie. Ultimately the bulk of the Ardencaple estate passed into the hands of John Campbell, 4th Duke of Argyll,^[11], and the 12th and last chief of the MacAulays, Aulay MacAulay, died at High Laggarie (now within the present village of Rhu),^[58] in about 1767,^[55] landless and without an heir to succeed as chief.

The last Macaulays seem to have been a perfect type of the true old Celtic school of men who thought much of their Chiefery, of their old connection with the Clan Gregor, and of the retainers whom they could send out to fight or reive in alliance with them, but who thought nothing of the acres under their own power which could be made to bear the fruits of industry and of peace.^[59]

– George Campbell, 8th Duke of Argyll, Scotland As It Was and As It Is.

The poor state in which the lands of Ardencaple were in is illustrated by the statement that it was not until 1794, (a generation after the Campbells took possession), that much of the land couldn't even bear the weight of a cow,^[57] and local men of the time recollected when horses would be lost in the bogholes preveliant in the area.^[57] It was Lord Frederick Campbell (younger brother of John, 5th Duke of Argyll) who had underseen the draining of the marsh and bog-ridden, former lands of the MacAulays of Ardencaple.^[57]

The modern clan

At the end of the twentieth century the present Clan MacAulay began to take form after about 200 years of dormancy, since the last chief of the clan, Aulay MacAulay of Ardencaple, died without an heir in the later half eighteenth century.^[2] The objective of this new organization, decided upon in its first meeting in 1998, was to unite the three unrelated groups of MacAulays under one chief. This new chief would in effect be chief of all MacAulays.^[1] In 2001 an ad hoc derbhfine was convened by Ross Herald with the intention of nominating a person to petition Lyon Court to become a recognized clan chief. Ross Herald wrote to 6 armigers and 10 landowners who were supplied by the Clan MacAulay Association,^[2] who would be involved in the voting. The ultimate decision of the derbhfine was to petition Lyon Court that Iain McMillan MacAulay, an armiger, should be appointed chief of the Clan MacAulay.^[2] Later in 2002 Lord Lyon King of Arms ruled that a petitioner without a genealogical link to a past chief would have to rule as Commander of the Clan for ten years before being considered for recognition as a chief.^[2] Lyon also noted that with no historical evidence linking the MacAulays of Lewis and MacAulays of Ardencaple, "there does not seem to be any firm basis for considering the present Petition other than in the context of the Ardincaple MacAulays alone."^[2] The present Clan MacAulay does not have a chief recognized by Lord Lyon King of Arms, and therefore can be considered an Armigerous clan.

Clan profile

Clan motto, crest and badge

• Clan Motto: Dulce periculum. (translation from Latin: Danger is sweet).^[60]
• Clan Crest: An antique boot, couped at the ankle, proper.^[60]
• Clan Badge: Two different badges have been listed for the clan:
  • Cranberry. (Scottish Gaelic: A'Muileag).^[61] Note: Clan MacFarlane uses this badge, and also claim a descent from the original Earls of Lennox.^[61]
  • Scots Pine.^[60] (Scottish Gaelic: Giuthas).^[61] Note: Several other clans use this badge: clans Grant,^[61] Gregor,^[62] Macfie,^[63] MacKinnon,^[61] and MacQuarrie,^[64] which have all been considered Siol Alpin clans.

Tartans

There are four tartans associated with the surname MacAulay:

Tartan	Notes
	MacAulay or Comyn/Cumming: This tartan was first published by James Logan as a MacAulay tartan, it was illustrated in Logan and R. R. McIan's joint work The Clans of the Scottish Highlands in 1845. An almost identical tartan, listed as a Cymyne (Comyn) tartan, appeared in the 1842 work, Vestiarium Scoticum, by the infamous 'Sobieski Stuarts'.[65] By the 1850 work of W & K Smith it is listed as the Cumming tartan.[66] The Smith's had claimed the tartan had the sanction of the head family of Cumming.[66] Scottish Tartans World Register #1157
	MacAulay: This shortened version of the tartan published by Logan is first found in 1881 by M'Intyre North, who had copied (possibly erroneously) Logan's thread counts.[66] The tartan then appears in James Grant's work of 1886, with Logan's original MacAulay tartan being listed again as a Comyn (Cumming).[66] There are several theories as to how the shortened version came to be; a slip of a copyist could have left out four lines from Logan's count to produce this version, or manufacturers seeing Logan's design listed as a Cumming in the Smith work may have made the change to eliminate confusion.[66] Also this shortened version looks similar to the MacGregor tartan, of whom the MacAulays have been associated with.[66] Scottish Tartans World Register #1164
	MacAulay: This tartan shows a definite similarity with the MacGregor tartan. It was first published in the The Baronage of Angus and Mearns,[67] in 1856. The Baronage of Angus and Mearns, describes the tartan as "12 red, 1/4 blue, 6 green, 1/4 blue, 2 1/2 red, 1/4 blue, 3 green, 1/4 black, 1 white, 1/4 black, 3 green, 1/4 blue, 2 1/4 red, 1/4 blue, 6 green, 1/4 blue, 24 red."[68] Scottish Tartans World Register #1338
	Hunting MacAulay: this modern tartan conforms to the early MacAulay tartan recorded by Logan (top).[66] Scottish Tartans World Register #827

Clan Septs

The Clan Campbell sept of MacPhederain (Anglicised as: MacPhedran, Paterson) were said to have descended from a MacAulay, according to William Buchanan of Auchmar. The MacPhedrans traditionally held the lands of Sonachan on Loch Awe, in what was largely Campbell territory. The earliest account of the MacPhedrans is in 1439, when "Domenicus M'Federan" was granted confirmatiom for the lands of Sonachan by Sir Duncan Campbell of Lochawe.^[69]

See also

• Ardencaple Castle
• Armigerous clan
• Scottish clan
• Siol Alpin
• MacAulays of Lewis
• MacAulays of Ullapool and Loch Broom

Notes

References

External links

• http://www.clanmacaulay.org.uk/Index.html
• http://www.macaulay.org/