Campbell of Breadalbane

James Irvine Robertson looks at another of Scotland's great families.

At the east end of Loch Tay in Perthshire lies one of the most spectacular and least known of Scotland's castles. Completed around 1807 as a display of wealth, Taymouth Castle was the seat of the second great Campbell clan. Both Argyll and Breadalbane descend from Sir Duncan Campbell of Lochow. His grandson by his second son succeeded him and became the first Earl of Argyll in 1457. Colin, Sir Duncan's third son, founded the family of Glenorchy which had to wait until 1681 for its earldom of Breadalbane.

The Campbells of Argyll built their great landholding in the west of Scotland; the Campbells of Glenorchy went in the opposite direction. Colin was officially Sir Colin Campbell of Glenorchy, but the locals knew him as Colin of Rome since, as well as being a Crusader, he was said to have visited that city on three occasions.

However, he still had time to marry five times. His wives brought him various estates but, from the great castle of Kilchurn that he built on an island in Loch Awe, he concentrated on building up his land holdings east from his birthplace, particularly along Loch Tay by putting together tacks – long leases – of land from absentee proprietors. In 1437, James I was assassinated.

As a reward for helping capture the killers, Sir Colin received a charter of the barony of Lawers, north of the loch, and gained possession of the Isle of Loch Tay where Alexander had founded the priory to perpetuate the memory of his queen, Sybilla, who died there. He conver...

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• By : James Irvine Robertson
• In : Scotland Clans
• Issue : 51
• Page : 69
• Words : 943