M J Russell

Originating in the 15^th century, Clan Stewart of Appin is a branch of Clan Stewart, who can link their origin back to Sir James Stewart of Perston - grandson of Alexander Stewart (c.1220-1282) – the fourth High Steward of Scotland. 

The clan are now separate from the main Clan Stewart and are associated with Appin in the West Highlands of Scotland. It is here that their traditional clan seat is located at Castle Stalker, situated at the mouth of Loch Laich – one of the most photographed castles in Scotland.

The Stewarts of Appin are direct cousins to the royal Stewart monarchy so naturally supported the Jacobite Risings of the 18^th century, fighting their cause in both the Battle of Sheriffmuir in 1715 and the Battle of Culloden in 1745. 

But perhaps the most notable episode associated with the clan is that of the Appin Murder of 1752, for which James Stewart of Acharn was executed for the murder of the king’s factor, Colin Campbell of Glenure, on the recently forfeited Stewart estate Ardsheal. It was widely believed, however, that James Stewart was innocent and wrongly accused. Such an event was immortalized by the writer Robert Louis Stevenson in his 1886 novel Kidnapped, whose plot incorporated the death of Glenure.

The average clansman did not, in fact, use the surname ‘Stewart’ however, as they were descended from family groups (not clans), each of which represented a sept (social) and many of which had lived in North Lorn long before Dugald, 1^st Chief of Appin formed the clan. These septs include the surnames Carmichael, MacCombichs, MacColls, MacGillemichael, McIlmichael, MacInness, MacLeay, MacMichael and MacRobb, all of which are directly related by blood to the Stewarts.