Bell
A sept of the Douglas family
(However, this is disputed. see below.)
The Borders family Bell may well descend from a Norman follower of
David I who reigned until 1153 and was, by the end of the thirteenth
century, well established in Dumfriesshire, Berwickshire and
Perthshire.
The name may derive from the French ‘Bel,’
meaning fair or handsome. Since the derivation is descriptive,
common ancestry cannot be assumed for all those bearing the surname.
The arms attributed to the principal family are in the nature of
canting, or punning, heraldry, alluding to the pronunciation of the
name rather than its origin.
Some sources suggest that it
relates to living beside a bell tower, or perhaps the bell ringer.
The Bells participated in the Borders disturbances as one of the
riding clans of border reivers. In the thirteenth century Gilbert Le
Fitzbel held lands in Dumfries, Sir David Bell was Clerk of the
Wardrobe to Robert II. In 1426, William Bell’s lands of Kirkconnel
were confirmed by James I under a charter recorded in the register
of the great seal.
The Bells, along with other Borders
families, became increasingly turbulent throughout the fifteenth and
sixteenth centuries. The Crown’s determination to pacify the Borders
led in 1517 to Clan Bell receiving royal letters of warning to keep
the peace.
The tower of Blackethouse(1) was destroyed in a raid
by the English in 1547. After the union of the Crowns in 1603, the
family suffered much the same fate as the other border reivers; many
emigrated to the new plantation lands in Ulster where the name is
among the twenty most numerous in that province. Others settled
further afield in Australia and New Zealand.
The descendants
of the Lairds of Blackethouse stayed in the realm but moved to the
cities where they contributed substantially to learning and in
particular medical science.
Although the Bells were a Borders
family, there are others of this name who are of Highland origin,
and in that case, Bell is held to be a Sept of MacMillan.
The
heraldry
In general, Bell Arms are "Canting" or "Punning,"
visually allusive to the surname of the bearer. French Heralds use
the old expression, "Armes Parlantes," or "Speaking Arms." Many
examples of these "speaking" Bell Arms can be seen in Middlebie and
surrounding Kirkyards, carved with varying degrees of skill on
flatstones and headstones. The same can be found in Argyll also.
The tartan
Clan Bell, since 1984, has had a tartan named
"Bell of the Borders" and informally called the "Dress Blue" that is
listed by the Scottish Tartans Society and in Tartan for Me! By Dr.
Philip D. Smith. There is now a second tartan which was acquired
when the Clan Bell International and Clan Bell Descendants merged.
The tartan is named "Bell South." Both tartans will be registered
with the Lord Lyon’s office at the appropriate time.
Early
history in Scotland
Bell forebears settled in the southwest
of Scotland not later than the early 1100s, more likely the late
1000s, and became typical Borderers in pursuit of their survival.
They populated the 40 square mile area now called Middlebie Parish
in Dumfriesshire where more than thirty major families and their
numerous sub-families have been identified. There is an old Scots
saying, "As numerous as the Bells of Middlebie."
The spelling
of the name seems to have varied with the recorder of the event as
it ranged from Bel, Bellis, Belle, Beall, Beal, Beale and Bale to
Bell. Many families whose name has been spelled Bell who have
changed the spelling to Beall, Beal and Beale. The genealogical
histories of many show both spellings in the family tree. In one
early document, the scribe spelled Bell four different ways. He was
going to get it right no matter what!
The Act of 1587
provides proof that we are a Border Family. During the 16th century,
the appellation Clan began to be used in other than the Highlands.
The list under "Elleventh Parliament of King James the Sext, xxix of
Julij, 1587," gives the name of the Clan and indicates that even
down to that date the Bells were under Patriarchal Chiefs rather
than Feudal Superiors. The Act was passed "for the quieting and
keeping in obedience of the disorderit and subjectis inhabitants of
the Borders, Highlands and Isles" and contains "The Roll of the
Names of the Landislords and Baillies of Landes dwelling on the
Bordoures and in the Hielandes, quhair broken men hes dwelt and
presently dwellis. To the quhilk Roll, the 95 Acte of this
Parliament is relative." Then follows, "The Rolle of the Clannes
that hes Captaines and Chieftaines, quhom on they dependes, of times
against the willes of their Landes Lordes, alsweill on the Bordoures,
as Hielandes, and of sum special persons of Braunches of the saidis
Clannes, West Marche, Scottes of Eusdaill, Beatisonnes, Littles,
Thomsonnes, Glendunninges, Irvinges, Belles, Carrutheres, Grahames,
Johnstones, Jardines, Moffettes and Latimers." (Reference APS, III,
p 466).
On 6th March 1426, King James I confirmed a Charter
granted by the then deceased Archibald, Earl of Douglas, Lord of
Galloway and Annandale (who died in 1424), to William Bell, "pro
ejus servitio et benemeritis dicto comiti impensis," the lands of
Kircconveth, otherwise called the Fleminglandis in the Lordship of
Annandale, which had fallen to the Earl through the death of John de
Carrutheris without heirs, to be held by the said William Bell and
his heirs of the Lord of the lands of Luce in fee (Reg. Mag. Sig.,
1424-1513, No. 85.). This was Kirkconnel, possibly the Bells first
land by parchment rather than by sword. The old site of Kirkconnel
was on the left bank of the Kirtle River. Old Kirkconnel was burned
during the Great Plague and only the cemetery remains. The property
is now owned by the Maxwells and renamed Springkell.
A
Douglas sept
Charles Davidson Bell's Memorial of the Clan of
the Bells tells of the relationship of the Bells and the Douglas on
Scotland’s border in those early days. he claims the Bells were
never a Sept but retainers of and allied with the Great House of
Douglas by blood as well as friendship. They generally accompanied
any of the Douglas in their expeditions and invasions into England
and the Bells of Kirkconnel, being valiant men, were always sent
upon the most hazardous enterprises.
When
William, 8th Earl
of Douglas, set out for London in 1451 to foment a rebellion against
the Scottish Crown, Thomas Bell of Kirkconnel went with him and his
name was included in the Letter of Safe Passage. After the murder of
William, his brother James, 9th Earl of Douglas, attempted to avenge
his death by armed opposition to King James II. Betrayed by almost
all his allies, but not the Bells, the 9th Earl lost at
Arkinholme
on 1 May 1455. The Earl escaped to France, but his possessions went
to the victors and the Bell Family, it is said, forfeited Kirkconnel
to the Maxwells. The Bells of Blackethouse did not lose their lands.
After the fall from power of the Black Douglases, records how that
the Bells of Dumfriesshire were ever more turbulent. In 1484, the
forfeited 9th Earl of Dougas returned to Scotland with a small Army
of 500 men. He rested at Bell’s Castle on the eve of the
Battle of
Kirtle.
In modern times, there is no official list of
recognised septs. This is a matter for each chief to determine. The
Douglases have no clan chief! Additionally, given that the term 'sept'
was only introduced in the 19th century, there is no historical
precedent. But as the Bell family were at the Douglases side, it
seems clear that an interpretation can be that they are, indeed a
sept.
Notes:
1. There is a suggestion that the
Blacklocks may have a connection with Blackethouse.
Any contributions will be
gratefully accepted
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