Mackinnon

Mackinnon

Clan Mackinnon of Portswood Park in Hampshire, England; a branch of Siol Alpin, descendents of Kenneth Macalpin, first King of Scotland, through Fingon, grandson of Gregor. The clan slogan is ‘Cumhnich Bas Alpin’ ’Remember the death of Alpin’. Alpin was slain by Bruch, King of the Picts, in 837. Findanus, the fourth chief, acquired Dunakin (in Norse Dun Haakon) Tower off the Isle of Skye, when he married a Norse princess. Findanus also held land on Mull. The Mackinnons on Arran gave shelter to Robert the Bruce, helping him make his escape to Carrick. After the king’s victory at Bannockburn they were rewarded with land on Skye. The chiefs were then styled ‘of Strathardale’, and lived at Dunringall Castle. A branch of the chiefly family became hereditary abbots of Iona and Fingon, son of Gilbride, the ‘Green’ Abbot of Iona, encouraged a rebellion against the Lords of the Isles, for which his eldest brother, Neil, was executed. The last hereditary abbot was John Mackinnon (died c. 1500), the ninth chief, who was also Bishop of the Isles. The Mackinnons regularly feuded with the Macleans. The Kings of Scotland were determined to curb the power of the island chiefs, and when they refused the demands of James VI in 1606, they were imprisoned on the mainland in 1609, and Lachlan Mackinnon of that Ilk and other chiefs were forced to subscribe to the Statutes of Iona. William Mackinnon, MP for Dunwich in England, matriculated arms in the Lyon Court, showing his descent from Daniel, second son of Sir Lachlan Mor, who had emigrated to Antigua after a quarrel with his father. He was succeeded by his son, the 34th chief, who was High Sheriff of Kent in 1885. The chief’s second son, Sir William Mackinnon, was director of recruitment at the War Office during the First World War. He was made a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath and a Knight of the Royal Victorian Order.

Arms: (Modern) Quarterly, 1st, vert, a boar’s head erased argent, holding in its mouth the shank bone of a deer proper (Mackinnon); 2nd, azure, a castle triple-towered and embattled argent, masoned sable, windows and portcullis gules (MacLeod); 3rd, or, a lymphad oars in saltire sable; 4th, argent, a dexter hand couped fessways proper holding a cross crosslet fitchee sable (the last two quarters for Macdonald).

Crest: A boar’s head erased and holding in its mouth the shank of a deer all proper.

Motto: Audentes fortuna juvat (Fortune assists the daring.)

On compartment: Cumhnich bas Alpin (Remember the death of Alpin).

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