Clan History
The
first Hunters arrived in Ayrshire in the last years of the 11th Century.
Experts in hunting and fieldcraft with generations of experience in the
forests of their land of origin, Normandy, northern France. William Hunter
was invited to Scotland by David I, who was himself brought up in the Norman
Court. He must have had considerable skills to have been so honoured, he was
responsible for providing the Scottish Court with meat and game, a position
that the Hunters held throughout the Middle Ages and beyond. In papers
relating to the King's Inquisition in 1116, we find mention of Williemo
Venator (William the Hunter, 1st Laird) who was appointed as Royal Huntsman
while his wife had the honour of serving Queen Matilda as lady-in-waiting.
William put his expertise to good use in the wild forests and fens, then
rich with wildlife, which surrounded the site of the timber fortress later
to become Hunter's Toun. As recognition of his family's skills the title of
Royal Huntsman became a hereditary appointment.
In the mid-thirteenth century
King Alexander III of Scotland urged his liegeman to build in stone against
possible incursion by
Norsemen.
It was probably about this time that the Pele Tower of Hunterston was
constructed. From this stronghold the family, allied with other powerful
neighbours, faced down the aggression of King Haakon of Norway and drove
him to defeat at the battle of Largs in 1263. It sheltered them throughout
the Wars of Independence from which the Hunters emerged with their lands
intact despite having signed the Ragman Rolls, swearing allegiance to Edward
I, in 1269. Having most likely supported William Wallace and certainly
Robert the Bruce. In 1374 the great King's grandson Robert II granted
William Huntar (10th Laird) a charter for the lands of Ardneil "for
faithful services rendered". The Family still possess this ancient document.
For many years, the Hunters continued to serve the Scottish Crown as Royal
Huntsmen and as soldiers, sometimes at great cost. John Huntar (14th Laird)
died with King James at Flodden in 1513 and Mungo Huntar (16th Laird) died
for Mary at Pinkie in 1547.
As times became more settled
the Hunters devoted more time to farming their extensive lands, although
they still produced soldiers of distinction over the generations. Gould
Hunter-Weston, husband of Jane Hunter-Weston (26th Laird) fought in India
at Lucknow in 1857 and their eldest son, Aylmer (27th Laird) was a well
known general in the First World War. He later became Member of Parliament
for North Ayrshire. During her tenure as Clan Chief, Eleanora (28th Laird)
fought in the courts, but lost, a compulsory purchase order for land at Hunterston to build a nuclear power station.
The last Clan Chief, Neil
Hunter of Hunterston and of that Ilk, along with his wife Sonia, Madam
Hunter of Hunterston, continued the fight against industrialisation. He was
well known for his sailing prowess and represented the United Kingdom in two
Olympic Games during which he won a silver medal. Like many Hunters before
him he was in true tradition an expert in archery.
The present Clan Chief, Madam
Pauline Hunter of Hunterston and of that Ilk and 30th Laird, is continuing
to build a secure future for Hunterston and develop the Clan Hunter
Associations worldwide
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What is a Clan
Clans consisted
generally of "native men" and "broken men." The "native men" were those
related to the Chief and to each other by blood ties. This blood
relationship is an important fundamental in the clan system and was a strong
element in the patriarchal system of government, all being bound together in
a common interest. The clan also contained septs or branches composed of
clansmen who had become powerful or prominent in some way, and founded
families almost as important as that of the Chief. The "broken men" were
individuals or groups from other clans who had sought and obtained the
protection of the clan. The "HUNTERS" are one of those "families". There are
only two "families" in Scotland, but, like a clan, we are banded together to
preserve and to maintain the castle at Hunterston for future generations.
