Swan the Viking Gunn2

THE CLAN GUNN

the seat of Keith of Ackergill in 1478 (some say 1464) and was killed in the unequal battle at the chapel where the Keiths arrived tor the twelve aside parlay with two men to each horse. In 1978 the Earl of Kintore, Chief of Clan Keith and lain Gunn of Banniskirk, the Commander of Clan Gunn, signed a Treaty of Friendship between the two clans at the site of the chapel, bringing to end the 500 year old feud. After the death of George, the Crowner, and his sons at Ackergill, the Clan split into three distinct families - James or Seumas, the Crowner's eldest son who survived the battle, moved with his family to Kildonan in Sutherland, subsequently known as Gleann na Guineach or Gunn's Glen. where he obtained lands from the Earls of Sutherland; Robert, the second surviving son established his line in Braemore, in the southern heights of Caithness as the Robson Gunns, and John, the third surviving son settled in Cattaig or Bregual in Strathmore, in the higher reaches of the River Thurso above Westerdale. The Hendersons and Williamsons and Wilsons of Caithness are said to be descended from Henry and William, two of the Crowners' younger sons. Other Gunn families established themselves at Crosskirk, near Forss, on the north coast of Caithness and in Reay, Strathy and Strath Halladale in the Mackay country. The various chieftains leased their lands from the Chiefs of Clan Sutherland and Clan Mackay and in turn sublet these to their immediate families who subdivided them among their families. There was. however, a surprising amount of movement from one part of the country to another and so it cannot be assumed that all Gunns in one area were necessarily all of the same branch of the family. Indeed many clansmen do not bear the surname of Gunn. Surnames were not commonly used until comparatively recent times. They would have been of little use where everybody was of the same clan. A man or a woman was therefore known as John or Jean mac Sheumais or mac Dhaidh, son or daughter of James or David, of Clan Gunn, and when a surname came to be used many adopted their father's name and hence John or Jean Robson, Georgeson, Williamson etc. The Mac Sheumais (or McHamish) Gunns continued to live in Strath Kildonan, first at Killearman and later at Badenloch at the top of the Strathy until the old line died out in 1782. The chiefship of the Clan has been dormant since the death of the son of George Gunn of Rhives in 1874. The head of the Clan, in the absence of a recognised chief is Iain Gunn of Banniskirk, who has been appointed Commander of the Clan by the Lord Lyon King of Arms at the request of the landed and armigerous members of the Clan. The Clan Gunn Society which was formed in 1960 to promote a spirit of kinship among, members of the clan throughout the world acquired the Old Parish Church at Latheron as a Clan Heritage Center. The Clan gathers in Caithness every three years.