CAMPBELL, Gillespic or Archibald 1st of Menstrie, Sir

  General Notes:

"Gillespic Campbell of Menstrie is the earliest member of the Campbell family to be attested in contemporary sources, appearing in royal charters dating to the 1260s. His existence is confirmed by later Campbell pedigrees. According to these genealogies, he was the son of a man named Dubhghall ('Dugald'). Gillespic's first historical appearance dates to 1263, when he appeared in a charter of King Alexander III of Scotland, being named as 'Gilascoppe Cambell'. He was granted the estates of Menstrie and Sauchie in Clackmannanshire (but then under the supervision of the Sheriff of Stirling). His next appearance, and final appearance, is in 1266, when he witnessed another royal charter at Stirling granting favours to Lindores Abbey. The genealogies, and indeed later 13th century patronymic appellations, tell us that Gilleasbaig was the father of Cailean Mór, probably by marriage to the Carrick noblewoman, Afraig, a daughter of Cailean of Carrick.

The name Gillespic (Gilleasbaig) is a modernization of 'Gilla Escoib' (with a variety of related spellings, such as Gille Escoib), and is often rendered as 'Archibald' in English or occasionally 'Gillespie'."

from Clan Campbell website




"It is stated by many authorities, some even purporting to be citing from evidence from the ancient Bardic Tradition, that the progenitor of the Campbells of Argyll was a nobleman by the name of Archibald or Gillespic Campbell, who m. Eva, daughter and heiress of Duncan MacDowne, Lord of Lochawe, with whom he acquired the extensive lands of Lochawe and others in Argyleshire. There is evidence of a descent from a Duncan MacDowne in the form of the content of a charter granted by King David II. to Archibald Campbell of Lochawe dated in 1369,1 confirming that Archibald was to hold lands in the barony of Lochawe by those same rights as his ancestor Duncan MacDowne/MacDuine had, although the nature of that descent and whether it was via the male or a female line is unconfirmed. The first for whom there is evidence is :

Sir Gillespic or Archibald Cambel, who held the lands of Menstrie and Sauchie in 1263, and was witness to the erection of the burgh of Newburgh by Alexander III. on 4 March 1266. His wife is said to have been a daughter of William de Somerville of Carnwath but there is no evidence for that. He was father of :

Sir Colin Cambel"

from The Red Book of Scotland ¹

Gillespic married.