Published in Scotland Magazine Issue 34 on 30/08/2007.

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Cummings and goings

This issue, James Irvine Robertson turns the spotlight on the Clan Cummings

In 1268 David de Strathbogie, the 9th Earl of Atholl, went on a crusade – he died in Tunis the following year. His absence gave his northern neighbour, Comyn of Badenoch, a chance to encroach into Atholl and build a stronghold, Cummings Tower, and this still lies at the heart of Blair Castle.

This was not Comyn’s only outrage. He commanded the women on his lands to work naked in the fields when harvesting the crops, a cruel imposition indeed when one considers the midges at that time of year. His end was heralded by his horse, which arrived at the castle of Ruthven bearing only a single leg trapped in a stirrup. The rest of Comyn had been dashed to pieces on the rocks after he slipped from the saddle.

This strange tale was promulgated because the Cumming, Cummings, Cummins or Comyn family – the spelling here will follow that which normally applied to the individual in his time – were history’s losers. Had they been on the winning side, a story like that would have likely cost the teller his head – or at least his tongue.

The first of the Comyn family to settle in Scotland was an Anglo-Norman churchman, a close adviser of David I, who became Chancellor of Scotland.

During the 13th century the Cummings rose to become the most powerful aristocratic family in Scotland; 32 were knights. At the time when an earl was the highest noble in Scotland, most were cousins of the king or the heirs of the local Pictish and Celtic kingdoms. There were 13 earldoms in total, of these, Alexa.....

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By James Irvine Robertson

Section : Scottish Clans

Page number : 58