Otterinverane Barony Crest Coat of Arms

The Barony of Otterinverane

Ancient Nobility requires Great Responsibility

Our Mission

To continue to serve the People of the Barony of Otterinverane, Argyll, and Scotland in continuity with prior historical Barons and to those whom they owed fielty and community responsibility. To promote, celebrate and support the unique Scottish history, culture, institutions, lands, nature, legal systems, and People of Scotland through sponsoring scholarship and development activity.

Links to the websites of the organizations with which the Baron is a member or registered, may be accessed by clicking each of the registered Arms, Crests, or Insignia belonging to each such respective organization listed below.

Links to the websites of the organizations with which the Baron is a member or registered, may be accessed by clicking each of the registered Arms, Crests, or Insignia belonging to each such respective organization listed above.

Otterinverane takes its name from the Gaelic Oitir an Bharain.

Otterinverane takes its name from the Gaelic Oitir an Bharain. ‘An Otir’ is a long low promontory; in this case the sandbank that juts out more than halfway across Loch Fyne, extending from the burn of Kilfinan to the burn of Largiemore. ‘Bharain’ means baron and Otterinverane is ‘the baron’s otter’, and the barony has been referred to throughout history as ‘the Otter.’

From the present day the descent of the Barony of Otterinverane can be traced back for more than half a millennium along the line of the Campbells of Lochow who became first the Earls of Argyll and later Dukes. The line has been broken only once. 

Letter from the

Baron of Otterinverane

 

“It is a great honor to have succeeded to the ancient Barony of Otterinverane, and to be standing as the 31st Baron in the long line of my ancestors and men in my extended family serving Scotland and the People of Argyll.

I am very grateful to His Grace, and my Clan Chief, the 13th Duke of Argyll, to Her Majesty’s Lord Lyon, and to the many other wonderful Scottish People who have welcomed and supported myself and my Family in Scotland, and made my succession to this ancient Barony possible. I do not take the responsibility, or the weight of the history of the position and centuries of effort represented by it by so many Scots, lightly.

A Scottish Barony is foundationally built on service. It was granted, and its’ successions approved, by Royal Letters Patent and Royal Charters in exchange for a pledge of service to the reigning Sovereign of Scotland. A Baron was to be called upon in times of peace, war, plenty and challenge. The position of Baron demanded further service to the Scottish People of the Barony, of Argyll, and Scotland. From time to time in history as threats arose, it required service to the idea of the Nation of Scotland itself…”

Contact

Baron

[email protected]

scottish history
Otterinverane Fellows
We grant a number of annual scholarships to University students, scholars and academics wishing to research, write and publish papers and other scholarly works on Scottish history, culture, law, land management, natural resources and sustainable economic development. We award a scholarship of one thousand pounds sterling to successful Fellows and support them in the peer review, editing and publication process. The standard we are seeking is that of a Peer reviewed academic journal. scottish history The Baron and Baroness reserve the opportunity to co-author, edit and contribute to publications which may be arranged in advance on a case by case basis with each Fellow. Scottish history

To apply, please submit your vitae, reason for seeking the Fellowship, and an outline of your proposed work via e-mail to [email protected] We will revert promptly to each application via email. It is a competitive process, and the standards are high, so we encourage people to apply again if unsuccessful in the first instance.

Baroness

[email protected]

History of scotland History of the Barony of Otterinverane

In Cowal, on the eastern shore of Loch Fyne stands the Barony of Otterinverane, or colloquially “Otter”. This area takes its name from the sandbank which juts out more than halfway across Loch Fyne, ‘An Otir’ meaning “the long low promontory” in Gaelic. During the middle ages there was established a barony at Otter. In this time barons across Scotland were entrusted by the monarch to hold land for them and in return keep law and order, dispense justice and if necessary, raise men for war. At Otter the barony took its name from the promontory and was called Oitir an Bharain, meaning ‘the Baron’s Otter’.

The history of the Barony of Otterinverane is in many ways also the history of the Cowal peninsula, of Argyll, and even of Scotland itself. The Barony has helped to shape the local history of the area, and at times the development of the Scottish Nation. To tell the story of this Barony we must begin in prehistory, long before a written record and where our only evidence is that left beneath the ground. The neighbourhood that is Argyll has been in human occupation since prehistoric times, and we tell here the story of the Barony of Otterinverane from the first evidence of settlement in Cowal through the centuries. For most of history we can only get a sense of what was happening in the area, catching brief glimpses in the historical record when Cowal and Otter were part of larger events. Later, the Gaelic families of Argyll can be seen in possession of Otter during the middle ages, as it became an important site and eventually the stronghold of the MacEwen clan. In the later middle ages it was acquired by the Campbells of Lochow who became Earls and then Dukes of Argyll. Along with many lands in Argyll they held the Barony of Otterinverane almost without break for five hundred years. Today, Otterinverane continues to be held by a Baron who is the direct lineal descendant of numerous prior Otterinverane barons and who also shares common ancestry with all previous holders of the Barony throughout its long history, including numerous Monarchs.
Otterinverane takes its name from the Gaelic Oitir an Bharain. ‘An Otir’ is a long low promontory; in this case the sandbank that juts out more than halfway across Loch Fyne, extending from the burn of Kilfinan to the burn of Largiemore. ‘Bharain’ means baron and Otterinverane is ‘the baron’s otter’, and the barony has been referred to throughout history as ‘the Otter.’

From the present day the descent of the Barony of Otterinverane can be traced back for more than half a millennium along the line of the Campbells of Lochow who became first the Earls of Argyll and later Dukes. The line has been broken only once in that time, when after their treason in the seventeenth century the family had their lands and titles briefly taken from them. The Campbells in the fifteenth century in turn had the barony granted to them by Sween MacEwen [died c.1450]. Sween was the last MacEwen Baron of Otter and also the last chief of that clan after which they became ‘broken’ and scattered across Scotland. The early demise of Clan MacEwen has meant that their story has not been well recorded and though the area was likely known as Otter anciently, long before there were barons, at what point Otter became Otterinverane is uncertain. While we cannot be sure who held the barony before Sween MacEwen we can begin to trace the origins of ‘Otterinverane’ using the few historical records we have, archaeology and legend. History of scotland

The MacEwens trace their lineage through Gaelic legend, and oral and written history, from the Irish prince Ánrothán Uí Néill [died c.1080]. He was of the line of the kings of Ailech, over-kings of north-western Ireland, who in turn descended from famous High Kings of Ireland including Niall Glundubh [died c.920] and the legendary Niall of the Nine Hostages [died c.450] from whom Afraig [died c.1270] the mother of Cailean Mór ancestor of the Campbells is also meant to descend. Ánrothán was the grandson of Flaithbertach an Trostáin or ‘of the Pilgrim’s staff’ [died c.1036] so called as he had undergone a pilgrimage to Rome

The Younger

[email protected]

We grant a number of annual scholarships to University students, scholars and academics wishing to research, papers & scholarly works on Scottish history.

Contact

scottish history
Otterinverane Fellows
We grant a number of annual scholarships to University students, scholars and academics wishing to research, write and publish papers and other scholarly works on Scottish history, culture, law, land management, natural resources and sustainable economic development. We award a scholarship of one thousand pounds sterling to successful Fellows and support them in the peer review, editing and publication process. The standard we are seeking is that of a Peer reviewed academic journal. scottish history The Baron and Baroness reserve the opportunity to co-author, edit and contribute to publications which may be arranged in advance on a case by case basis with each Fellow. Scottish history

To apply, please submit your vitae, reason for seeking the Fellowship, and an outline of your proposed work via e-mail to [email protected] We will revert promptly to each application via email. It is a competitive process, and the standards are high, so we encourage people to apply again if unsuccessful in the first instance.

Baron

[email protected]

scottish history
Otterinverane Fellows
We grant a number of annual scholarships to University students, scholars and academics wishing to research, write and publish papers and other scholarly works on Scottish history, culture, law, land management, natural resources and sustainable economic development. We award a scholarship of one thousand pounds sterling to successful Fellows and support them in the peer review, editing and publication process. The standard we are seeking is that of a Peer reviewed academic journal. scottish history The Baron and Baroness reserve the opportunity to co-author, edit and contribute to publications which may be arranged in advance on a case by case basis with each Fellow. Scottish history

To apply, please submit your vitae, reason for seeking the Fellowship, and an outline of your proposed work via e-mail to [email protected] We will revert promptly to each application via email. It is a competitive process, and the standards are high, so we encourage people to apply again if unsuccessful in the first instance.

Baroness

[email protected]

scottish history
Otterinverane Fellows
We grant a number of annual scholarships to University students, scholars and academics wishing to research, write and publish papers and other scholarly works on Scottish history, culture, law, land management, natural resources and sustainable economic development. We award a scholarship of one thousand pounds sterling to successful Fellows and support them in the peer review, editing and publication process. The standard we are seeking is that of a Peer reviewed academic journal. scottish history The Baron and Baroness reserve the opportunity to co-author, edit and contribute to publications which may be arranged in advance on a case by case basis with each Fellow. Scottish history

To apply, please submit your vitae, reason for seeking the Fellowship, and an outline of your proposed work via e-mail to [email protected] We will revert promptly to each application via email. It is a competitive process, and the standards are high, so we encourage people to apply again if unsuccessful in the first instance.

The Younger

[email protected]

We grant a number of annual scholarships to University students, scholars and academics wishing to research, papers & scholarly works on Scottish history.