THE
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THE
MATHESONS OF LOCHALSHThe name "Matheson" comes from the Gaelic "MacMathan", meaning "son of a bear" - not to be confused with the English "Mathewson", which is simply "son of Matthew". The MacMathans settled in Lochalsh in Wester Ross, in the Scottish Highlands, from a very early period. Kenneth MacMathan, Constable of Eilean Donan Castle (which is situated at the head of Loch Duich), is recorded in both the Chamberlain Rolls and the Norse account of the expedition of King Haakon IV against Scotland in 1263, which culminated in his defeat at Largs. Later, the Mathesons fought for Donald of the Isles at Harlaw in 1411.
In the 15th Century, the Mathesons constituted a major clan and all branches derived from Lochalsh. The Chief could raise 2,000 fighting men. As befitted his rank, he was attended by a bodyguard of twelve and his Gillie Mor, or Champion. Many Clans and Chiefs refused to accept the overlordship of the Kings of Scots. Most prominent of the opponents was the semi-royal Lord of the Isles, to whom the Matheson Chief adhered. When the Scottish King James I, long a prisoner in England, assumed his throne, he determined to smash the recalcitrant nobles and Chiefs, and called together a Parliament at Inverness.
Among those who attended was the Matheson Chief, Alastair McRuari, who was arrested and conveyed to Edinburgh. Later, a feud with the Mackays led to his death at the Battle of Cnoc nan Catach in 1438. McRuari married the daughter of Macintosh of Macintosh, by whom he had two sons, John Dubh, from whom the Lochalsh Mathesons descend, and Donald Bain, who is said to have been the forebear of the later Chiefs of the Sutherland Mathesons. John Dubh became the Chamberlain of Eilean Donan Castle, and was killed in 1539 while defending the castle against an onslaught by Macdonald of Sleat.
After these setbacks, the Clan gradually declined, eroded by the constant incursions of its turbulent neighbours. Dugald Roy, John Dubh’s brother, had a claim to the Chiefship. This was successfully contested by their cousin’s grandson, Murdoch Buidhe. Murdoch Buidhe had three sons, Roderick of Fernaig, ancestor of the Bennetsfield Mathesons, Dugald an Oir of Balmacara and Iain Og. Roderick’s great grandson, John (Ian Mor), bought land on the Black Isle, first at East Suddy in 1688, and then at Bennetsfield in 1697, and left Lochalsh with his family.The Chiefship remained with the Mathesons of Bennetsfield until 1975, when the then Chief, Colonel Bertram Matheson of Matheson MC, died childless.
Dugald’s son (also Ian Og) had extensive lands in Lochalsh. He left these to Alexander, the eldest of his three sons, who purchased more land in Lochalsh. Ian Og also had a fourth son, who was killed at the battle of Glenshiel in 1719.
Individual Mathesons took part in the Stuart risings of 1715 and 1745 but the Clan did not formally support either side because by then it had become too scattered and had no effective Chief.
Alexander’s third son, Farquhar, succeeded to most of his father’s property. The house and lands at Fernaig were bequeathed to him by his cousin of Bennetsfield, who had been Chief of the Clan in 1687. Farquhar was succeeded by John 1st of Attadale, who purchased the Attadale estate for his son Donald, who built the mansion at Attadale in 1755 as well as being factor for the Seaforth estates of Kintail, Lochalsh and Lochcarron. Donald left no children, while John’s second son, Kenneth, was killed at the capture of Quebec. As a result, the estates passed to the 3rd son, Alexander. His son, John IVth of Attadale, sold the property in 1825.
Following the death of Colonel Bertram Matheson, the Chiefship returned to Lochalsh. It passed by tanistry to Major Sir Torquhil Alexander Matheson of Matheson, 6th Baronet of Lochalsh, descended from Dugald an Oir through his great grandfather, John Matheson IVth of Attadale. Torquhil was succeeded in 1993 by his younger brother, Major Sir Fergus John Matheson of Matheson, 7th Baronet.
Eilean Donan Castle was bombarded and destroyed in 1719 by the English fleet at the time of the Battle of Glenshiel. When Sir Alexander Matheson (see below) bought the land in 1851 the ruin must have been included. It was later sold by his eldest son Sir Kenneth, 2nd Baronet, to Major John Macrae-Gilstrap, who restored the castle to its present state.