Clan Hunter Timeline

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Clan Hunter Timeline

Follow the Clan Hunter Timeline through the ages.

Timeline

0082
0082

80 AD

Norman knight
The Roman general Agricola marches his army into Scotland and subdues the Caledonian tribes.
0700
0700

700

hunterston brooch
The Hunterston Brooch is crafted in the ancient kingdom of Dalriada.
0802
0802

802

History drawing
The sacred isle of Iona is burned by the Vikings.
0911
0911

911

Viking Boat
Ancestors of the Hunters were Norsemen who invaded Normandy under Rollo (later Duke of Normandy) and became Normans.
1066
1066

1066

Old Coin Image
William I “the Conqueror” invades England. He takes hostage four Scottish princes. One of these, David grew up in the Norman Court and became King David I of Scotland.
1116
1116

1116

1st Laird Norman
Norman Venator is mentioned in an Inquisition held by David, then Prince of the Cumbrians.
1124
1124

1124

Clan Hunter History
The Hunters were among Norman nobles who came to Scotland by invitation of David I they received a Royal appointment to hunt for the King of Scotland.
1136
1136

1136

Glasgow Cathedral is consecrated by King David I. It is the oldest building in Glasgow.
1153
1153

1153

The 2nd laird, Norman I received a grant of land from King Malcolm IV of Scotland.
1214
1214

1214

The 3rd laird, Venator (The Hunter) is named in charters during the reign of King Alexander II of Scotland.
1233
1233

1233

The 4th laird, John Deo Venator witnessed a deed in Glasgow Church records.
1260
1260

1260

The 8th laird, Aylmer le Huntar del Counte de Are (Ayr) of the county of Ayr appears on the Ragman Rolls submitting to Edward I of England at Berwick.
1263
1263

1263

The 5th laird, Ardneil Huntar fought for King Alexander III of Scotland at the Battle of Largs, 6 miles from Hunterston. Scotland won this last battle against the Vikings on the British mainland.
1295
1295

1295

The 7th laird would have been alive during the First Interregnum when Edward I of England “the Hammer of the Scots” makes John Balliol King of Scotland.
1314
1314

1314

Clan Hunter Trainer
The 9th laird fought alongside King Robert the Bruce during the Wars of Scottish Independence against the English invaders whose defeat at Bannockburn is celebrated to this day.
1328
1328

1328

Hunters at Edinbuirgh Castle
Treaty of Edinburgh recognised Scotland’s Independence ending 30 years of Wars of Independence.
1374
1374

1374

Hunterston Castle With Daffodils
A grant of land is given to William Hunter 10th laird. The original Charter document remains at Hunterston to this day.
1412
1412

1412

Foundation of the University of St Andrews
1454
1454

1454

Silver Penny Tails
12th laird, William Huntar died while his son was a minor. His brother John, Hereditary Forrester became his guardian.
1462
1462

1462

Silver Penny Heads
13th laird, Archibald Huntar is recorded on the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland as having paid rent to the Crown confirming his position as Hereditary Keeper of the Royal Forests.
1468
1468

1468

The islands of Orkney and Shetland are ceded to Scotland from Norway.
1487
1487

1487

Image of stained glass representation of Margaret Cathcart 4787
Margaret Cathcart
1513
1513

1513

Clan Hunter History
The 14th laird, John Hunter, is killed Battle of Flodden Field alongside King James IV. The 15th Laird, Robert Huntar of Huntarstoune was a minor when his father fell.
1522
1522

1522

Jonet Montgomerie 1522
Jonet Montgomerie
1542
1542

1542

Clan Hunter History
Mary Queen of Scots is born and is crowned at Stirling Castle the following year.
1547
1547

1547

Clan Hunter History
Mungo Hunter, the 16th laird is killed at Battle of Pinkie. Mungo added the external stairs and the Great Hall to Hunterston Castle.
1568
1568

1568

Robert the Bruce
The 17th laird, Robert Hunter of Hunterstoune inherits as a minor. Later, he too fought beside Queen Mary at the Battle of Langside. He was a supporter of the Reformed Religion (Protestantism).
1587
1587

1587

Clan Hunter History
Mary, Queen of Scots is beheaded by her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I of England.
1605
1605

1605

Clan Hunter History 21st Laird
Guy Fawkes is arrested during an attempt to blow up the English Parliament. As Lady Hunterston, Jean and her husband Patrick became co-heirs of Hunterston. Patrick is listed as the 19th laird but the inheritance came through his wife and her mother, both named Jean.
1606
1606

1606

The Union Flag is adopted for England, Scotland and Wales.
1611
1611

1611

Clan Hunter History
Robert Huntar (III) the 18th laird had no children. The lairdship was passed through his sister Jean to her children in 1611. Diverting the inheritance through the female line explains the remarkable way the Hunters of Hunterston have maintained their unbroken history in Scotland.
1627
1627

1627

Clan Hunter History
Robert, the 20th laird enters Glasgow University. Robert served in the Ayrshire Yeomanry and died in 1679.
1648
1648

1648

Marion Cunninghame 1648
Marion Cunninghame
1692
1692

1692

Massacre of Glencoe.
1698
1698

1698

As the 21st laird Patrick (II) had his title to the land ratified by King William II on 27th June 1698.
1698

1698

The Bank of Scotland is founded by an Act of the Scottish Parliament and the Darien expedition to Panama fails inflicting damage to the Scottish economy. Patrick, the 22nd laird married Marion Crawford and they had ten children.
1704
1704

1704

Marion Crawfurd 1704 Image of Stained Glass window
Marion Crawfurd
1707
1707

1707

The Act of Union unites the English and Scottish Parliaments.
1732
1732

1732

The 23rd laird, Robert Hunter married Janet Aitchison of Glasgow. Their two sons died young and two of their daughters were unmarried. Their third daughter, Eleonora succeeded her father on his death in 1796.
1746
1746

1746

The Battle of Culloden ends the Jacobite rising.
1796
1796

1796

Clan Hunter History
Robert Burns dies.
1796

1796

28th-Laird-Eleanora-Hunter
Eleanora Helen Hunter became the 24th laird. Helen married her cousin Robert Caldwell a mariner and shipowner who assumed the surname of Hunter. They constructed Hunterston House and expanded the farmland by draining marshland around Hunterston Castle.
1796

1796

Portrait of Eleanora Hunter 1796
Portrait of Eleanora Hunter
1799
1799

1799

Clan Hunter History
The 25th laird, Robert was the last laird to be born in the Castle. He obtained a Royal Charter for the lands at Hunterston in 1829 and had two daughters, Jane and Eleanora.
1850
1850

1850

Clan Hunter History
Highland clearances drive people off the land to make way for sheep which sparks a Scottish diaspora.
1863
1863

1863

Clan Hunter History
Jane married Gould Read Weston a career officer in the British Indian Army. In 1880 she obtained a Royal licence from Queen Victoria to assume the name and Arms of Hunter-Weston. They had two sons, Aylmer and Reginald.
1876
1876

1876

Alexander Graham Bell patents the telephone.
1883
1883

1883

Jane Hunter-Weston Stained Glass Arms 1883
Jane Hunter-Weston
1905
1905

1905

Clan Hunter History - General Sir Aylmer Hunter Weston
The 27th laird, Lieutenant General Sir Aylmer Hunter-Weston, KCB, DSO, JP, DL, Member of Parliament to North Ayrshire married Grace Strang Steel of Philiphaugh, Selkirk in 1905. However, they had no children. Aylmer died in 1940 and Grace in 1954.
1934
1934

1934

The Scottish National Party is founded.
1954
1954

1954

Clan Hunter History
In February 1954, Eleanora Agnes Cochran-Patrick (Aunt Nora) matriculated Arms as the 28th laird. Hunterston passed across to the descendants of Jane Hunter’s sister.
1968
1968

1968

General_view,_Pass_of_Brander
The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland permits the ordination of women as ministers.
1968

1968

29th-Laird-Nei-Hunter-2
Neil Hunter the 29th laird continued the conflict against the incursion of further industrialisation at Hunterston. Neil married Sonia Furlong of Gloucestershire in England and they had seven children, one daughter and six sons.
1983
1983

1983

Clan Hunter Crest
Clan Hunter is formed.
1995
1995

1995

Madam Pauline Hunter 30th Clan Chief
Madam Pauline Natalie Hunter became the 30th Chief of Clan Hunter she has been most active in the promotion of Clan Hunter worldwide. She is our fifth female Clan Chief.
The Clan Timeline continues to this day and will continue for generations to come with the careful stewarding of our current and future Clan Chiefs.

You can learn even more about the origins of the Clan Hunter on our Clan History page,  or Wikipedia page.

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DIRECTIONS

You will find us off the A78 just north of West Kilbride. Look for our driveway marked by stone pillars and "Hunterston Estate" 

ADDRESS

Hunterston KA23 9QG
Telephone: 07980 209060
*This number is not continuously manned, so please do leave us a message. 

OPENING TIMES AND ACCESS

Acccess to Hunterston Castle is strictly by appointment. Note that as a historic monument, wheel chair access is limited. More visitor information is available on our visitors page .  Please email us to arrange a visit.