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The first of the family of whom as it has been stated authentic record exists was Norman Hunter who lived between ad 1080-1165. Armstrong supposses him to have followed the Norman Conqueror to England but to have fled from the arbitrary oppressions of his successors, and to have sought shelter in Scotland; but he would rather appear to have been one of the many who passing over to England subsequent to the Conquest came northward in the train of David the First who was then Prince of Cumberland.
The marriage of David with Maud a grand niece of the Conqueror led on his accession to the throne to a fresh influx of Anglo Normans into Scotland, amongst whom was Hugh De Morville who was appointed High Constable of the Kingdom and Lord of the Barony of Cuninghame, and the arrival of Norman and of William Venator must have been almost contemporaneous as the latter appears as one of the witnesses with Hugh de Morville to the inquisition by David when Prince of Cumbria of the lands pertaining to the Church of Glasgow ad 1116.
The whole of the signatures attached to this document are those of men of high rank and consideration, and with a reciprocity of evidence they establish beyond cavil the distinguished position held at Court by the subscribers.
Nisbet in treating of the antiquity of the family of Hunter makes mention of a charter of King Alexander III. (Quam in Capella nostra irrevocabile fecimus, anno gratiae 1271) in which the estate of Manners resigned by Nicholas Corbet into the hands of the Crown is conferred upon William Baddebie or Bakby with the exception of such lands as had been granted to Norman Hunter by King Malcolm IV, (Excepta terra quondam Normani Venatoris quod Rex Malcolmus frater Regis Wilmi. avi nostri ei dedit), and this document is likewise referred to in the Haddington Collections.
In his Remarks on "Ragman Roll", the same author states that "Aylmar de la Huntar" is for certain the Hunters of Arneil, designed of Hunterston and of that Ilk. In an ancient bounding charter of lands it (Ardneil) is bounded with "terris Normani Venatoris", which is plainly the lands of Arneil Hunter, sic the lands of Hunterston; and it appears therefore highly probable that this second grant may have been conferred upon him consequent on his appointment to the charge of Royal Forests in the neighbourhood, an office which there exists abundant evidence to prove became hereditary with his successors and of which the last mention in a Royal Charter is recorded in a grant by King James V, dated 31st May 1527, by which the island of Little Cumbrae is conferred on Robert Hunter of Hunter stounc and Janet Montgomerie, his spouse and their heirs "of which island and lands with pertinents the said Robert and his predecessors were in times past for us and for out predecessors the hereditary keepers".
John Huntar or Venator the next who appears is witness together with Gilbert brother of the Sheriff of Traquhair, to two deeds the one conveying the lands of Stobbow and the other the lands of Ingolfhiston, in the reign of Alexander II, and likewise to a deed by Malcolm the Constable, of the lands of Edulfiston in the reign of Alexander III.
We have already in our remarks on the Ragman Roll adverted to the Anglo Norman or Saxon lineage of the great majority of the subseribers to that document who were resident in Ayrshire and true to his Norman descent we find Aylmer de la Huntar of the County of Ayr one of the "Magnates Scotise" who, ad 1206, signed the noted submission to Edward I of England in the question of succession to the Scottish Crown between Bruce and Baliol. His name appears between those of his neighbours Robert de Boyvil or Boyle and Raulf do Eglintoun ancestors of the noble families who still possess the estates of Kelburne and of Eglintoun, adjoining that of Hunterston.
Thus far as to the origin of the Hunters of Hunterston. Their possessions were formerly far more considerable than at present much land having been alienated from time to time more especially by the great grandfather of the present proprietor. In addition to Hunterston and Campbelton which alone remain in the family they possessed, Annanhill-Huntar near Kilmaurs; Langmuir in that parish; and Hielies in Dalry in the county of Ayr; South Kames in the Great Cumbrae; the King's lands and the Island of Little Cumbrae; the Holy Isle or Lamlash with certain lands on the opposite shore of Arran, in the county of Bute; Meikle Calderwood in Lanarkshire and Inschok, Banblane, Muirhouse, Longholls, and Housefield of Brownlands in Forfarshire.
Amongst those descended or claiming descent from the parent stock of Hunterston may be named the following-:
1 Hunter or rby Hunter of Croyland Abbey, county Lincoln
2 Hunter of Restinct, county Forfar
3 Hunter of Long-Calderwood, county Lanark
4 Hunter of Kirkland, county Ayr
5 Hunter of Abbotshill, county Ayr now of Barjarg county Dumfries claiming descent from a younger son of Kentigern, or Mungo Hunter of whom presently, From this family are descended
6 Hunter of Thurston, county Haddington
7 Hunter of Doonholm, county Ayr
8 Hunter-Blair (Baronet) of Blairquhan, county Ayr
The first of the family of whom as it has been stated authentic record exists was Norman Hunter who lived between ad 1080-1165. Armstrong supposses him to have followed the Norman Conqueror to England but to have fled from the arbitrary oppressions of his successors, and to have sought shelter in Scotland; but he would rather appear to have been one of the many who passing over to England subsequent to the Conquest came northward in the train of David the First who was then Prince of Cumberland.
The marriage of David with Maud a grand niece of the Conqueror led on his accession to the throne to a fresh influx of Anglo Normans into Scotland, amongst whom was Hugh De Morville who was appointed High Constable of the Kingdom and Lord of the Barony of Cuninghame, and the arrival of Norman and of William Venator must have been almost contemporaneous as the latter appears as one of the witnesses with Hugh de Morville to the inquisition by David when Prince of Cumbria of the lands pertaining to the Church of Glasgow ad 1116.
The whole of the signatures attached to this document are those of men of high rank and consideration, and with a reciprocity of evidence they establish beyond cavil the distinguished position held at Court by the subscribers.
Nisbet in treating of the antiquity of the family of Hunter makes mention of a charter of King Alexander III. (Quam in Capella nostra irrevocabile fecimus, anno gratiae 1271) in which the estate of Manners resigned by Nicholas Corbet into the hands of the Crown is conferred upon William Baddebie or Bakby with the exception of such lands as had been granted to Norman Hunter by King Malcolm IV, (Excepta terra quondam Normani Venatoris quod Rex Malcolmus frater Regis Wilmi. avi nostri ei dedit), and this document is likewise referred to in the Haddington Collections.
In his Remarks on "Ragman Roll", the same author states that "Aylmar de la Huntar" is for certain the Hunters of Arneil, designed of Hunterston and of that Ilk. In an ancient bounding charter of lands it (Ardneil) is bounded with "terris Normani Venatoris", which is plainly the lands of Arneil Hunter, sic the lands of Hunterston; and it appears therefore highly probable that this second grant may have been conferred upon him consequent on his appointment to the charge of Royal Forests in the neighbourhood, an office which there exists abundant evidence to prove became hereditary with his successors and of which the last mention in a Royal Charter is recorded in a grant by King James V, dated 31st May 1527, by which the island of Little Cumbrae is conferred on Robert Hunter of Hunter stounc and Janet Montgomerie, his spouse and their heirs "of which island and lands with pertinents the said Robert and his predecessors were in times past for us and for out predecessors the hereditary keepers".
John Huntar or Venator the next who appears is witness together with Gilbert brother of the Sheriff of Traquhair, to two deeds the one conveying the lands of Stobbow and the other the lands of Ingolfhiston, in the reign of Alexander II, and likewise to a deed by Malcolm the Constable, of the lands of Edulfiston in the reign of Alexander III.
We have already in our remarks on the Ragman Roll adverted to the Anglo Norman or Saxon lineage of the great majority of the subseribers to that document who were resident in Ayrshire and true to his Norman descent we find Aylmer de la Huntar of the County of Ayr one of the "Magnates Scotise" who, ad 1206, signed the noted submission to Edward I of England in the question of succession to the Scottish Crown between Bruce and Baliol. His name appears between those of his neighbours Robert de Boyvil or Boyle and Raulf do Eglintoun ancestors of the noble families who still possess the estates of Kelburne and of Eglintoun, adjoining that of Hunterston.
Thus far as to the origin of the Hunters of Hunterston. Their possessions were formerly far more considerable than at present much land having been alienated from time to time more especially by the great grandfather of the present proprietor. In addition to Hunterston and Campbelton which alone remain in the family they possessed, Annanhill-Huntar near Kilmaurs; Langmuir in that parish; and Hielies in Dalry in the county of Ayr; South Kames in the Great Cumbrae; the King's lands and the Island of Little Cumbrae; the Holy Isle or Lamlash with certain lands on the opposite shore of Arran, in the county of Bute; Meikle Calderwood in Lanarkshire and Inschok, Banblane, Muirhouse, Longholls, and Housefield of Brownlands in Forfarshire.
Amongst those descended or claiming descent from the parent stock of Hunterston may be named the following-:
1 Hunter or rby Hunter of Croyland Abbey, county Lincoln
2 Hunter of Restinct, county Forfar
3 Hunter of Long-Calderwood, county Lanark
4 Hunter of Kirkland, county Ayr
5 Hunter of Abbotshill, county Ayr now of Barjarg county Dumfries claiming descent from a younger son of Kentigern, or Mungo Hunter of whom presently, From this family are descended
6 Hunter of Thurston, county Haddington
7 Hunter of Doonholm, county Ayr
8 Hunter-Blair (Baronet) of Blairquhan, county Ayr
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