McKerrell of Hillhouse, a name with a long and proud history in Scotland. Charles McKerrell of Hillhouse is the 15th Head of the Name and officially accepted as such by the Right Honourable the Lord Lyon King of Arms1 Explore McKerrell of Hillhouse a History.
Introduction
The McKerrell family name at Hillhouse in Dundonald, Ayrshire, Scotland is to some extent shrouded in the mists of time. What follows is an attempt to draw together disparate sources of information. Sadly, much of the information available before medieval times has been lost or destroyed in internecine wars.
Robert Togneri, Lochmaben October 2024
After this point the history of Galloway becomes a blank. McKerlie in his writings believes this was due to the Norse2 occupation of the region and cites similarities in architecture in a variety of structures with acknowledged Norse settlements in Orkney and elsewhere.
Towards the end of the 12th century records show Galloway under the rule of Scottish Kings, Malcolm (Ceanmor)3 was King of Scotland to 1093, but his power was limited until he married the widow of Thorfinn4 and thus secured the support of the Norse settlers.
Thorfinn tried to increase his power by making Scotland a refuge for refugees from England, to obtain their support against his own people, for the other districts remained as separate provinces. To this may be traced the subsequent rapid acquirement of lands and honours by 80 nobles, many of whom were foreigners.
King David I5 strengthened royal control over Galloway and Ayrshire as part of his efforts to unify Scotland6. In Galloway, he formed an alliance with local ruler Fergus, allowing him to retain power while supporting David’s religious and political reforms, such as founding Dundrennan Abbey7. This integrated Galloway more closely with the Scottish crown. Meanwhile in Ayrshire, David introduced feudal landholding, granting lands to Norman barons8 and establishing royal burghs like Ayr, which boosted trade and solidified crown authority. These actions helped unify Scotland while allowing local leaders some autonomy.
Alternatively, the family name is of a French and Flemish origin. Paterson in ‘History of the County of Ayr‘ suggests “The McKerrells have flourished from a remote period in the shire of Ayr”9. The name Kiriell and Kyriell appears on the ‘Battle Abbey Roll’1011as variants of the French name Criol, a commemorative list of the companions of William the Conqueror. The ‘Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages’ by the Duchess of Cleveland suggests the family may be of Norman descent. Indeed, the de Criol (or de Crioll) family originated from the town of Criol12 (modern-day Créon) near EU in Normandy, France where the family held estates. After the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, many Norman families established themselves in England, acquiring lands and titles. The de Criol family followed a similar path, gaining prominence in both England and Normandy. Robert Criol13, became a key landholder in Kent by the 13th century, held significant military and administrative roles under King Henry III. As Sheriff of Kent and Warden of the Cinque Ports, he defended England’s south-eastern coast, including Dover and Sandwich. During the Barons’ War14 (1264-1267), the de Criol family remained loyal to the crown, supporting the king against rebel barons, helping maintain stability in southern England.
The Scottish home of the Mac Cairill clan was Galloway, a region in southwestern Scotland. Historical records indicate that they were present there as early as the reign of William the Lion. A charter from this period includes the name Recherus meic mac Cairill1516, an early variant of Mac Cairill. The earldom of Carrick was created by William “the Lion “ King of Scotland in 1196 when he installed Duncan of Galloway17 (the grandson of Fergus18)as Earl of Carrick. Recher meic mac Cairill witnessed a confirmation by the Earl of Carrick of a charter granted in the reign of William the lion (1165-1214) which took place at Melrose Abbey19.
It’s interesting to note that the name evolved over time, with the place name Carleton in Kirkcudbrightshire, Wigtownshire, and Ayrshire sharing a common origin. The ancient form, ‘Cairlitoun’, is still preserved in the records of Whithorn Priory.
Carleton so spelled is, however, foreign to Galloway, and the name there is an Anglicised corruption of Cairillton, the abode of Cairill, the first of whom in the district was Lochlain ua Cairill, the royal heir apparent to the throne of Ulster, who had to leave Ireland in AD1095, and obtained lands in Carrick, to which his name was given.
Sir William MacCairill of Cruggleton20 was a 13th-century Scottish knight, notable for his association with Cruggleton Castle, Galloway. He belonged to a family that held significant influence in Galloway during a time of considerable political unrest.
The MacCairill family may have had Norse-Gaelic origins, reflecting the cultural mix of the region. Sir William’s life likely revolved around the defence of his lands and loyalty to local powers amidst the broader struggles between Scotland and England during the Wars of Scottish Independence. Cruggleton Castle, which he controlled, was strategically important, overlooking the Solway Firth, and played a role in various conflicts during this turbulent period. He is said to have connected significantly to William Wallace during the Wars of Scottish Independence21.
In 1282 Cruggleton Castle Cairill was taken by the treachery of a guest (Sir WilliamaliasLord Soulis), who held it for King Edward I of England. MacCairhill escaped and joined the Wallace when the standard of freedom was raised. He is the only one in Galloway known to have Wallace.
In 1297, Wallace went with him to Galloway, and they retook his castle. The English garrison of sixty men was slain. In the following year tradition states that MacCairill was at the head of 500 men at the Battle of Falkirk22, most of whom were slain.
In 1305, at Robroyston. near Glasgow, waiting for Robert the Bruce, the house was surrounded by Sir John Stewart of Ruskie23 and his followers, MacCairill was slain, while Wallace was captured, and retained for a worse fate.
It is here the lines of origin become muddied where Norman, Scottish and Irish connections start to merge.
In 1310 a letter24 (written in French) sent by John de Ferreres to Walter Reynolds, Bishop of Worcester and Chancellor. Sends the king’s letter for “…protections for himself and those who go in his company to the war in Scotland…”, namely Sir Walter de Baskervill‘, Sir Fouke le fiz Waryn, and Sir Nicholas de Kryel, knights, Hamo de Illeye, Robin de Sapi, (and 12 other esquires25, named). Asks the chancellor to “…order these writs in accordance with the king’s command, and also writs of suspension (soeffraunce) of debts, if he is making them for the others going in the king’s service“. This clearly links the Kyrel name with Scotland.
It would be reasonable to assume that the armies assembled would have a number of members, potentially related, bearing the names of the knights involved.
In 1315 King Robert (the Bruce) through his younger brother, Edward26, launched his invasion of Ireland with the intention of creating a second front against England during the Scottish Wars of Independence. His campaign attracted support from various Irish clans and families who were discontented with Anglo-Norman rule or saw an opportunity to reclaim power. Key Irish families supported Edward Bruce, however none of them have any name with a possible etymological link to the name McKerrell.
Edward Bruce’s invasion of Ireland in 1315 was primarily a Scottish endeavour, and he was supported by several prominent Scottish clans who had strong ties to the Bruce family. These clans were motivated by loyalty to the Bruce cause in Scotland’s fight for independence, and many sought to expand their influence in Ireland. Indeed, the most likely reason for the name McKerrell to exist in Ireland is that the family helped form part of the Scottish army that enabled Edward Bruce to invade.
Scottish clans, especially those in the west of Scotland and the Hebrides, shared cultural, linguistic, and familial ties with the Gaelic Irish. The invasion was seen not just as a political manoeuvre but also as a potential means of expanding Scottish influence and helping their Gaelic kin resist Anglo-Norman control.
Edward Bruce was ultimately defeated and killed at the Battle of Faughart27 in 1318, ending the dream of a Scottish-Irish kingdom under the Bruce dynasty.
To understand how the McKerrell family may have ended up at Hillhouse you have to consider the medieval hierarchy of power
Kings were believed to be God’s representative on earth who promised to rule the land so that everyone could live in security, without fear of disorder. However, Kings needed the help and support of the people in each area of the country in order to do so.
Nobles were given land by the King, who appointed them Lords or Barons ruling huge areas of the King’s lands with the help of their knights. They were obliged to join the king in battle and supply him with an army.
Knights were professional warriors some of whom were vassals holding lands as fiefs from the Lords in whose armies they served. They in turn were supported by Esquires, young men below knights, often training for knighthood. They assisted knights in battle, managed estates for nobles, and held a respected social status, with some eventually becoming knights themselves.
Villeins were a class of serfs tied to the land under the feudal system, peasants making up the bulk of the population and who did all the hard work. They were required to work on the Lord’s land three days a week in return for land to live on. Villeins existed under several legal restrictions that differentiated them from freemen. They could not leave without their Lord’s permission; they were legally his property.
Following this structure, it is reasonable to argue that, for example, in 11th and 12th century both King William the Lion and David I as King(s) appointed Nobles who swore their allegiance, among them Fergus, Lord of Galloway whose grandson Donnchadh (Duncan) was awarded the Earldom of Carrick, along with a grant of substantial lands in Ayrshire. It is reasonable to assume that Kirell (now McKerrell) was one of many families of Knights awarded lands, specifically Hillhouse in this case swearing allegiance to the King and the Earl of Carrick.
The earldom remained in the family and was later inherited by Robert the Bruce through his mother, Marjorie, Countess of Carrick, forming the power base that contributed to his future role as King of Scots.
Given the proven origins of the de Brus family it is reasonable to assume that the Kirel family first appeared in Ayrshire in the 11th Century as part of the Norman conquest of Britain through following and supporting the progression of the de Brus family through Yorkshire and Scotland, indeed it is probable that one or more generations of Kirell (McKerrell) were at the castles at Annan and Lochmaben.
On August 5th, 1388, near Otterburn in Northumberland, a significant conflict in the Anglo-Scottish wars28 occurred. Amidst the chaos of battle, a notable figure emerged: Sir Jehan (John) Makirel. Makirel (‘chevalier Ecossaise’) distinguished himself by capturing Raoul de Percy29 the son of the Duke of Northumberland, a crucial moment that tipped the scales in favour of the Scots. Percy’s capture was a significant blow to the English and bolstered Scottish morale.
The Scots, though outnumbered, achieved a decisive victory, and the capture of Percy by Sir John Makirel became a legendary episode. This battle remains a celebrated part of Scottish history, illustrating the enduring conflict and rivalry between Scotland and England during the medieval period30.
In conclusion the similarities between the Irish Cairhill and Norman Criol / Kyriel variants suggest the modern accepted name of McKerrell could have originated in either place. Undoubtedly the variations and changes in name will have been influenced by the times, language, speech patterns, culture and education of the populace they lived in and moved between and it is likely both names have ‘converged’ over time. There is however, a stronger case which tends to suggest the McKerrell family (in all forms of the name) existed in France and came to Britain around the time of the Norman Conquest.
McKerrel (and variations) at Hillhouse
What follows is an outline of the McKerrells directly associated with Hillhouse and who used the name in or of Hillhouse in Ayrshire. Where names may lead to confusion they have been numbered in order – for example William (1), John (3), etc.
1st in Hillhouse
Martin MaKirel 1st in Hillhouse (1490-1540), is believed to be directly descended from Sir John M’kirel, the ‘le Ecossaise’ who distinguished himself at the Battle of Otterburn in 1388 by wounding and taking prisoner Raoul de Percy, second in command of the English host and brother of the celebrated hero, ‘Hotspur‘.
Sir John’s descendant, Martin McKerrell, is described as ‘in Hillhouse’ at the end of the fifteenth century and is the first of that description.
The land of Hillhouse formed part of the large tract of country belonging to the High Steward, and was amongst the lands granted by the Crown to the Cathcart31family.
The M’Kerrells were in possession of Hillhouse at this period as tenants or vassals of the 1st Lord of Cathcart32, John, 2nd Lord Cathcart in 1505, had a charter of Colynane, Hilhouse, and Holmyss, in Ayrshire.
2nd in Hillhouse
John(1) Makirel (Abt. 1520-1580), son of Martin He was, informally, the first ‘laird’. Little is known of his life. He was also described as ‘in Hillhouse’ when he sold under reversion to William Wallace of Whitehouse, a piece of land in the burgh of Ayr designated the ‘Stankacre’, which passed into the possession of Janet, only daughter of William Wallace of Whitehouse, who married Gilbert McAlexander, the land was subsequently redeemed from the McAlexanders by John(1) McKerrell‘s son William(1).
3rdinof Hillhouse
William(1) Mackrill (Abt.1562-1630), formally the First Laird ‘of’ Hillhouse, practised in Chancery until he was appointed Sheriff Clerk of Ayr, acquired the estate of Hillhouse, together with the lands of Barrassie, Goldring (now called ‘Rosemount’), Kemmoch, Polshill, Headmark, and Langholme, all in Dreghorn, Ayrshire, by his wife Helen, daughter of Sir John Chalmers of Gadgirth, Ayrshire.
His second wife in 1604 was Margaret Fullarton, daughter of James Fullarton, she died in 1612. In 1613 he married her sister Esther Fullarton.
William(1) McKerrell was the sheriff-clerk of Ayr in 1595, and appears as McCarrell and McKerrell in following years.
The Hillhouse estate was formally confirmed to him from James VI, by a grant under the Privy Seal, dated Aberdeen 23 April, 1589, a gift of the ward and non-entry of the ‘Bogmedow’ in the Bailerie of Kyle Stewart, Ayrshire. This changed the name descriptor from ‘3rdin Hillhouse’ to ‘3rdof Hillhouse’.
The McKerrells, for long tenants of the Cathcarts at Hillhouse, bought land with legal fees in the 16th century33
4th of Hillhouse
William(2) McKerrell (Abt. 1610-1642) of Hillhouse, inherited the lands of Hillhouse and others from his father in 1630. He subsequently acquired additional properties, including Barrassie and Polshill, through Clare Constat34 precepts.
In 1636, McKerrell received a charter from Lord Loudoun for parts of the Barony of Kylesmuir and Barmuir. He was also recognized as the heir to his father’s fifty-shilling land of Goldring that same year.
A prominent figure of his time, McKerrell signed the ‘Solemn League and Covenant’35 in 1638, pledging his support for the Scottish Covenanter movement. He was married to Jean Wallace.
5th of Hillhouse
William(3) McKerrell (Abt. 1630-1658) of Hillhouse inherited Hillhouse and lands from his father in 1643. He married Euphemia daughter of William Russell MA and Minister of Kilburnie, Ayrshire. He died without a legal male heir.
In February 1659 he was legally succeeded by his brother, John(2) McKerrell (Abt. 1635-1672). Before his succession he appears to have resided in Paisley, his name appearing as ‘John(2) Mackerrel, brother to Hillhouse‘, as witness to a contract between Lord Cochrane and the town of Paisley, dated at Paisley 3 May, 1658. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Robert Wallace, Bishop of The Isles, in 1660. In 1661 he demolished Hillhouse and built a fine new mansion house replacing the older seat in 1671.
His eldest daughter Anna married Robert Nisbet eldest son and heir of Robert Nisbet of the family of Nisbet of Carfin in 1689.
This is also the first time the term, ‘of Hillhouse’ becomes associated with the name McKerrell.
6th of Hillhouse
William(4)McKerrell (About 1656-1705) married Elizabeth daughter of William Fairlie of Bruntsfield near Edinburgh and of Dreghorn which he changed the name of to ‘Fairlie‘, Ayrshire. Elizabeth’s mother was Jane, daughter of William Mure of Rowallan.
The Mures of Rowallan were of great antiquity and consideration in the shire of Ayr, and were distinguished by their alliance with the royal family of Scotland, through the marriage of King Robert II. (First of the Stuart dynasty), with Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Adam Mure of Rowallan, when residing at his castle of Dundonald in Kyle-Stewart.
7th of Hillhouse
William(5) McKerrell (1690-1750) married Isabella Mary, daughter of Martin AnthonyVinchon de Bacquencourt of French extraction, whose family sought refuge in this country from the persecution which followed the revocation of the edict of Nantes36. Martin Anthony assumed the surname of Des Voeux after settling in Ireland having abandoned the Roman Catholic faith.
Her brother, Sir Charles Phillip Vinchon Des Voeux37, 1st Baronet was an Irish politician. He made a fortune in India before returning to Ireland and representing Carlow in the Irish House of Commons (1783-1790) and Carlingford (1790-1797). In 1787 he was created a baronet, of Indiaville in the Baronetage of Ireland38.
8th of Hillhouse
William(6)McKerrell (Abt. 1730-1772) was commissioned on 4 September 1754 and was appointed. Surgeon to the Forces, he served with Lord Loudoun’s Regiment of Foot))Regiment, Loudoun’s. ‘Loudoun’s Regiment’. Loudoun’s Regiment. Accessed 20 October 2024. https://loudouns.org.uk/history.)). He died unmarried in June, 1772, and was succeeded. by his brother,
John(2) McKerrell (1732-1811) he married Margaret Fulton of Park in Renfrew in 1752. He then married Helen Stewart of Williamwood, Lanarkshire. She died in 1836. He is credited with bringing the silk industry to Paisley.
A wealthy merchant and banker he saw an expansion of the Hillhouse Estate and business interests in. John’s son William(7) (died 1820) and grandsons John(4) (died 1835) and Henry (died 1853) maintained both the estate and the Paisley connection39.
9th of Hillhouse
William(7) McKerrell (1752-1820). He raised and commanded as Lieutenant. Colonel the Regiment of Paisley Volunteers40, embodied to resist the threatened French invasion 1792. He married, a sister of Robert Reid, of Adamtoe, Ayrshire. When she died, he married Ann a daughter of Robert Govane, of Anderstonn, Lanarkshire, and died 15 Feb 1820.
10th of Hillhouse
John(4) McKerrell (1735-1835) died without issue. He was in the Civil Service of the East India Company41 at Madras where he worked as Translator of Telugu and Kannaḍa, and for nine years before his return, that of Master of the Mint at Madras. He was also an ex officio member of the Board of Superintendence of the College of Fort St. George42 in Chennai (Madras).
He stood as conservative candidate in Paisley in 1832 election which he successfully contested43.
He was succeeded by his brother, Henry McKerrell, formerly a merchant in Liverpool following the death of his son, Robert(1) McKerrell (1787-1811). Robert died in Calcutta, West Bengal while serving as a Lieutenant in the British Army.
11th of Hillhouse
Henry McKerrell (1798-1853) merchant of Liverpool who succeed his brother John on his death without issue. He married Margaret Cochrane, daughter of John Paterson of Edinburgh. He died without heirs and was succeeded by his cousin-german (first cousin) William(8) McKerrell.
12th of Hillhouse
William(8) McKerrell (1799-1882) Justice of the Peace, Ayrshire and Renfrewshire. He married in 1835, his cousin-german. Charlotte Patullo eldest daughter of John Edward Wright, of Bolton-on-Swale. He died 16 April, 1882, without an heir and was succeeded by his cousin, Robert(2) Mure McKerrell who was the son of John(5) the brother of William(5).
13th of Hillhouse
Robert(2) Mure McKerrell (1846-1912)44. sold the estates in 1895. Hillhouse, which is about two miles north-east of Troon, Ayrshire (55.56951183295191, -4.628992866676299). In 1839, Prince Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte45, Nephew of Napoleon and later the Emperor of France stayed at Hillhouse while attending the Eglinton Tournament of 1839. Hillhouse was sold in 1895 to the Bentinks, Dukes of Portland. He was a prison commissioner for Scotland (1898-1912), a Justice of the Peace and a member of the Royal Company of Archers (the monarch’s bodyguard in Scotland). He was a member for Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and a Honorary Colonel Commanding 1st Volunteer Battalion of the Royal Scots Fusileers. In 1889 he married Lucinda Margaret, daughter of James Winter Brittain, of Giffords Hall, Suffolk. His sister, Henrietta. married Henry, Count Bentink. He was a patron of St Mirren FC in the 1890s46.
14th of Hillhouse
Robert(3) James Mure McKerrell (1890-1964) served during the Great War as a Captain in the Cameron Highlanders, Dunfanaghy, Co. Donegal, served. Highlanders of Canada 1913, Capt. 1915, served with the Canadian Expeditionary Forces in Belgium and France 1915-16, and with the Imperial Machine Gun Corps 1917-18.
He was appointed as an Officer and Draughtsman with the Imperial War Graves Commission from 1923 to 1931.
He was a member of the Order of the Republic of Sierra Leone.
He transferred to London in October 1925 and left the Commission on 24 June 1931. In 1939 he was a Civil Engineer with the War Department, he later married Winifred Scott, only daughter of William John Scott Walkinshaw, the mother of Charles James Mure McKerrell. They married in 1946.
15th of Hillhouse
Charles James Mure McKerrell, (1941-Today) succeeded his father in 1964, recognised by Lord Lyon King of Arms as McKerrell of Hillhouse. He returned in 1990 to Scotland and established his seat at Lochmaben in Dumfriesshire40.
In 1991 he married May Weston Cochrane White, Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries (Scot.), daughter of Matthew Cochrane White, B.Sc., Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers and Marian Alison Mason.
He was a self-employed restorer, valuer and renovator of antiques in Ireland. In December 1980 he was appointed to The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem and became a Brother in 1986 and remains an Officer today having served as Vice-President of Internal Communication for Orders of Chivalry. He is a Knight Grand Cross of the Military and Hospitalier Order of St Lazarus, a Hereditary Companion of the Companionat of the Royal Army of O’Conner, Chevalier Grand Cross of the Patriarchal Order of St Denis of Antioch. He is honorary Captain Canadian Bush Pilots. He is an associate member of the Convention of the Baronage of Scotland, and a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries (Scot), member of the Scottish Tartan Authority and member of the Heraldry Society (FSA) Scotland and a Freeman of London.
He is the current Head of the Name.
Chieftain Revives Clan McKerrell Spirit (abstract from press article)
Family ties were rekindled as Clan McKerrell gathered at Lochmaben to establish a formal association under the leadership of McKerrell of Hillhouse, the 15th Laird.
The event began on a convivial note, with Councillor Donald McKerrell from Islay sharing a special malt whisky. Guests arrived from Glasgow, Forres, and beyond, including Alexander McKerrell and his wife Val.
Hillhouse’s piper, Bob Rogerson, added to the atmosphere with stirring tunes on the lawn. Over a buffet lunch prepared by Madam McKerrell, discussions ranged from genealogy to clan history, with James Blain sharing insights into the family tree.
A business meeting followed, setting plans to form a clan society, protect the McKerrell tartan, and recruit members globally. The society will be headquartered at Magdalene House, Lochmaben, continuing the clan’s legacy.
‘Skene, William F., Chronicles of the Picts, Chronicles of the Scots, and Other Early Memorials of Scottish History (1867) • CODECS: Online Database and e-Resources for Celtic Studies’. Accessed 18 October 2024. https://codecs.vanhamel.nl/Skene_1867a.[↩]
Barrow, G. W. S. “David I of Scotland: The Balance of New and Old.” Transactions of the Royal Historical Society, Fifth Series, Vol. 21, 1971. Held by the National Library of Scotland – This article explores David I’s reforms, including his efforts to integrate different regions into the Scottish kingdom.[↩]
Battle Abbey, and Catherine Lucy Wilhelmina Powlett Cleveland. The Battle Abbey Roll, with Some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: J. Murray, 1889. Page 28 http://archive.org/details/battleabbeyrollw01battuoft[↩]
Way, George and Squire, Romily. (1994). Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia. (Foreword by The Rt Hon. The Earl of Elgin KT, Convenor, The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs). p. 432.[↩]
Esquires were young men below knights, often training for knighthood. They assisted knights in battle, managed estates for nobles, and held a respected social status, with some eventually becoming knights themselves.[↩]
