A Brief Hisory of Clan Lamont

Clan Lamont's existance can be traced back as early as the 13th century by way of a deed granting land to the monks of Paisley Abby, signed by Sir Laumon, the man that gave the clan its name. This document proves the Lamont clan to be one of the oldest in Scotland.

Unfortunalty, the history of the clan tends to be one of poor political decisions. When Robert the Bruce pressed his claim for the Scottish throne, the Lamonts of Cowal sided with one of Bruce's rivials, and so when he became king, much of the clan's land was lost to the Campbells. However, the Lamonts of Ardlamont, may have sided with the Bruce and been with him during the battle of Bannockburn. Later, in the 1600's, the Lamonts fought on the side of Charles I in the English Civil War. This would lead the the greatest disaster in clan history, one from witch the clan would never recover.

In 1646, the Campbell's attacked the Lamont stronghold of Toward Castle. When the garrison surrendered, the Campbells agreed to letting the defenders go free. However, they soon betrayed the agreement and the two hundred surviving clansmen and their families were taken to Dundoon, where they were murdered. The Chief and his kin were taken the Inveraray, where the Chief and is brothers where held prisoner for five years. Fortunatly, one of the sisters of the Chief, Isobel, was able to hid the surrender document in her hair after being stripped down to her shift by the soldiers. This evidence proved the Campbell's treachery and eventually led to the ringleaders of the massacre being brought to justice. Following the massacre, many Lamonts changed their surname in order to avoid the wrath of the Campbells

In 1909, the Clan Lamont Society raised a monument to the dead on the spot where they were so horribly betrayed.

The clan stayed out of future battles, avoiding both Jacobite uprisings, although many Lamonts emigrated from the country to France and other countries in order to avoid English rule.

Today, the Lamonts are one of the most dispersed clans of Scotland. None of our historical land remains in our control, and the current Chief of Clan Lamont lives in Australia.

And we still don't like Campbells.