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In the year 1329, Scotland mourned the loss of its valiant king, Robert the Bruce. His dying wish was to have his heart carried to the Holy Land, a final pilgrimage he could not undertake in life. This sacred task fell to Sir James Douglas, the king’s loyal friend and fierce warrior accompanied by Sir Robert Logan and Sir Walter Logan, amongst others.
With the heart of Robert the Bruce encased in a silver casket, Sir James Douglas set forth on a journey that would become legendary. Accompanied by a band of loyal knights, he sailed from Scotland’s shores, determined to honour his king’s last request.
Their voyage was fraught with peril. They navigated treacherous seas, battled fierce storms, and faced hostile enemies. Yet, Sir James, Sir Robert, Sir Walter and the others remained resolute, driven by the memory of their fallen king and the promise they had made.
Upon reaching Spain, they joined forces with King Alfonso XI of Castile, who was waging war against the Moors. In the heat of battle, Sir James Douglas held the silver casket aloft, crying out, “Forward, brave heart, as ever thou were wont to do!” With these words, he charged into the fray, the heart of Robert the Bruce guiding his every move.
The battle was fierce, and the Scottish knights fought valiantly. But amidst the chaos, they were all were surrounded and struck down at the battle of Teba in 1330. That’s why the Douglass’s and Logans have a red heart on their coat of arms.
Hugh Logan, was born in 1739 and is the last known chief of the Clan and Family of Logan.
He was born in Logan House in Logan Estate in Ayrshire. The house no longer exists and was demolished to build houses in the now village of Logan.
He was not well educated although he had the opportunity to study but chose other pursuits. He had a great wit and intellect and was know as the witty Laird of Logan.
The Tale of the Black Sheep
A story, which became a favourite among the locals, was that of the black sheep of the Logan estate. A wealthy merchant from Edinburgh had arrived in the area, seeking to purchase fine wool for his clothing business. He had heard of the famous Logan sheep, renowned for their high-quality fleece. But there was one peculiar sheep among them: a jet-black one, unlike the rest.
The merchant, intrigued by the sight of the sheep, approached Hugh Logan and asked, “What is the story behind this black sheep? Surely, it must be an oddity?”
Hugh, ever the quick thinker, smiled and replied, “Ah, that sheep? It’s the most valuable of them all. It’s a symbol of individuality, of standing apart from the crowd. It’s been known to command a premium for its uniqueness. Just last week, a gentleman from Edinburgh offered me a small fortune for it.”
The merchant, not realising the jest, eagerly offered an amount far beyond what the sheep was worth. Hugh Logan, seeing an opportunity to have a bit of fun, accepted the offer and sold the black sheep to the merchant.
Days later, the merchant returned to Hugh’s estate, his face flushed with frustration. “Laird Logan, this sheep is no different from the others! It’s just black wool! You’ve tricked me!”
Hugh’s eyes twinkled as he responded, “Oh, I did warn you, sir, that sometimes the value of a thing lies not in what it is, but in the story we tell about it. The black sheep is worth its weight in gold—not for the wool, but for the tale it carries with it. I do hope you enjoy spinning that yarn in your next business dealings.”
The merchant, now realising he had been outwitted, could only chuckle at Hugh Logan’s cleverness, albeit with a hint of frustration.
He died in 1802 without any legitimate children and with him died the last of the chiefs of the clan and family of Logan (of the Ilk).
Who tried to murder King James VI in 1600?
Was it the Ruthven family (John 3rd Earl of Gowrie and his brother Alexander)?
Was it an orchestrated event by the King to rid himself of enemies within the nobility?
Was it actually an attempt at kidnapping that went wrong?
Was it part of a larger conspiracy to overthrow James VI?
It remains one of the biggest mysteries and most intriguing episodes in Scottish history.
Robert Logan of Restalrig was implicated in the conspiracy as it was said that he had connections with the Ruthven family and had offered his castle (Fast Castle) as a safehouse to hide the kidnapped King. He died in 1599 before the actual event but during the trial, he was posthumously convicted of treason. This allowed the King to confiscate the Logan’s estates and further diminish the power of the Logan family hence ridding himself of another very powerful noble family. The Logan family suffered a significant loss of power and influence and was stripped of much of its wealth.
In 1608, Robert’s conviction was overturned as the letters that were supposed to be written by Logan, offering his castle and assistance, were found to be forgeries. They were forged by George Sprott, a local notary who had worked for Logan. He had apparently written them to hold favour with the King or was he also involved in the orchestration?
The Logan family name was somewhat restored following the overturning of the conviction, although the damage done to their reputation and influence over the previous years was not easily undone. None of the wealth confiscated was ever returned by the King – that’s now a huge sum of money due!!
There are a few different stories as to the link between the Logans and the MacLennans and most allude to the fact that the Clan MacLennan came about from the Logans as follows:
1370-1375? Gillegorm Logan led his men towards Inverness to prosecute a feud against the Frasers. Gillegorm was ambushed at Kessock and he and most of his men were slain. The Frasers captured Logan’s pregnant wife, intending either to kill the child, or perhaps to raise him as a fosterling, a common Highland method of obtaining influence over a rival clan. The son was born but was so deformed that he was allowed to live, and was placed with the monks at Beauly, entering the church in due course. He disregarded the decree of Pope Innocent III enjoining the celibacy of the clergy, preferring to follow the Celtic practice, and he married and had several children. He was the ‘gille finnan’, and his sons honoured his memory by adopting a new name.
OR
About the year 1372 the MacLennans pillaged Tain and Chanonry after which, marching eastward, they encamped on rising ground between Munlochy, and the ferry of Kessock. The Laird of Lovat, having raised a number of his own vassals, and some belonging to the Earl of Ross, surprised the invaders early in the morning at a place called Drumderfit. Of the vanquished, but one escaped and he is said to have owed his preservation to a country basket called a Lobban, or Currich, still occasionally used as a substitute for a cart, under which he concealed himself. His descendants to this day inhabit the neighbourhood and have assumed the surname of Loban, or Logan.
Whatever the truth of the stories, the heraldry of the MacLennan chief proclaims the link between the Logans and the MacLennans, as each bear the heart and passion nails which allude to the pilgrimage of Sir Robert and Sir Walter Logan accompanying the heart of Robert the Bruce to the Crusades.
Logan to the left and MacLennan to the right.
