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Campbell family, Dukes of Argyll

This page summarises records created by this Family

The summary includes a brief description of the collection(s) (usually including the covering dates of the collection), the name of the archive where they are held, and reference information to help you find the collection.

Date: 1200-2000
History:

The medieval estates of the Campbells were much increased by Colin Campbell of Lochow (Argyllshire) (d. 1493), who was created Earl of Argyll in 1457. Through marriage to a daughter and co-heir of John Stewart, Lord Lorne, he acquired the lordship of Lorne (Argyllshire). In 1489 he was granted the Rosneath (Dunbartonshire) estate by the Crown and in 1493 he acquired the lordship of Castle Campbell (Clackmannanshire). These estates were added to in the 16th century by royal grants of Abernethy and Muckart (Perthshire), both subsequently alienated, and the acquisition through marriage of Barbreck (Argyllshire), sold in the 1750s. They were further expanded by James VI & I's grant to the 7th Earl of the whole lordship of Kintyre in 1617. There were subsequent additions to the Argyll estates, including Lismore in the 19th century, but the Clackmannanshire estate was apparently disposed of in the late 18th or early 19th century.

Duddingston (Midlothian) passed to the Campbells from Elizabeth, Duchess of Lauderdale (d. 1698), whose daughter married the 1st Duke of Argyll (so created in 1701). It was sold in 1745 to the 8th Earl of Abercorn. The mansion known as The Whim (Peeblesshire) was built by the 3rd Duke, but sold at his death in 1761 to James Montgomery, Chief Baron of the Exchequer. The Chirton (Northumberland) estate acquired by the 1st Duke was apparently sold soon after his death. The English acquisitions of the 2nd and 3rd Dukes did not remain in family possession, the former (Sudbrooke (Surrey) and Adderbury (Oxfordshire)) being inherited by the 2nd Duke's daughter, Caroline, Countess of Dalkeith, and the latter, including Whitton (Middlesex) being bequeathed by the 3rd Duke to his mistress, Ann Williams.

Papers of the Callander family presumably entered family possession through the marriage in 1869 of Archibald, second son of the 8th Duke, to his father's ward, Janey Sevilla, daughter of James Henry Callander (d. 1851) of Craigforth (Stirlingshire) and Ardkinglas (Argyllshire).

Estates in 1883: 168,315 acres in Argyllshire and 6,799 acres in Dunbartonshire worth a total of £50,842 a year.

Places:
  • Achalick, Argyllshire
  • Adderbury, Oxfordshire
  • Barbreck, Argyllshire
  • Campbeltown, Argyllshire
  • Castle Campbell, Clackmannanshire
  • Chirton, Northumberland
  • Craignure, Argyllshire
  • Duddingston, Midlothian
  • Dumbarton, Dunbartonshire
  • Glenure, Argyllshire
  • Holyrood House, Midlothian
  • Inveraray, Argyllshire
  • Kinlochmoidart, Inverness-shire
  • Kintyre, Argyllshire
  • Lismore, Argyllshire
  • Mull, Argyllshire
  • Rosneath, Dunbartonshire
  • Tiree, Argyllshire
  • Whim, Peeblesshire
  • Whitton, Middlesex
Sources of authority: Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts, Principal family and estate collections A-K, 1996, p. 18
Name authority reference: GB/NNAF/F83075 (Former ISAAR ref: GB/NNAF/F8102 )
Collections
Number Description Held by Reference Further information
1
13th cent-20th cent: Argyllshire (Inveraray, Kintyre, etc) and Inverness-shire (Kinlochmoidart, etc) writs, legal papers, rentals, accounts, estate corresp and papers and Campbell family papers 13th-20th cent, Dunbartonshire (Rosneath, etc) and Midlothian (Duddingston, etc) writs and papers 16th-19th cent and Clackmannanshire (Castle Campbell, etc) estate papers late 17th cent-1801, with Holyrood House accounts 1719, 1782, Dumbarton Castle inventory 1639 and papers rel to Whitton (Middlesex) 18th-20th cent and Chirton (Northumberland) 1783 and to the Callander, Maclaine and Menzies families 16th-20th cent
Collection held privately: enquiries to National Register of Archives for Scotland
NRA 9955 Campbell

See HMC Principal family and estate collections A-K, 1996 [13a]
2
17th cent-20th cent: misc Kintyre (Argyllshire) estate and Campbell family papers
Argyll and Bute Council Archives
NRA 27756

See HMC Principal family and estate collections A-K, 1996 [13p]
3
1549-18th cent: Argyllshire (Barbreck, Inveraray, Kintyre, etc) legal and estate papers and Campbell family papers 1549-18th cent, with accounts and papers rel to Rosneath (Dunbartonshire) 1743-63 and Duddingston (Midlothian) 1703-58 and Whim (Peeblesshire) c1729-64, etc
National Library of Scotland, Manuscript Collections
See HMC Principal family and estate collections A-K, 1996 [13d]
4
1654-1672: Castle Campbell (Clackmannanshire) barony rental
Collection held privately: enquiries to National Register of Archives for Scotland
NRA 17684 Hope

See HMC Principal family and estate collections A-K, 1996 [53a]
5
17th cent-18th cent: misc Adderbury (Oxon) estate and household papers and Campbell family papers 17th-18th cent, incl executorship papers of the 1st Duke c1703
National Records of Scotland (formerly National Archives of Scotland)
NRA 34806 Buccleuch

See HMC Principal family and estate collections L-W, 1999 [70a]
6
1757: Adderbury (Oxon) rental
Glamorgan Archives
NRA 10781

See HMC Principal family and estate collections L-W, 1999 [100f]
7
1621-1824: Whitton Park (Middlesex) deeds and papers
London Metropolitan Archives: City of London
8
1653-1715: Campbell family political and military corresp, mainly of the 1st Duke (d1703)
National Records of Scotland (formerly National Archives of Scotland)
See HMC Principal family and estate collections A-K, 1996 [13c]
9
17th cent-19th cent: Campbell family agency corresp and papers 1722-72, incl corresp rel to the 1745 rising, and misc papers 17th-19th cent
National Records of Scotland (formerly National Archives of Scotland)
NRA 28972

See HMC Principal family and estate collections A-K, 1996 [13d]
10
1682-1729: Campbell family executry, legal and financial papers, mainly of the 1st Duke (d1703) and Duchess (d1735), incl misc papers rel to Chirton (Northumberland)
National Library of Scotland, Manuscript Collections
See HMC Principal family and estate collections A-K, 1996 [13f]
11
1589-1696: Campbell family, business and household corresp and accounts
National Library of Scotland, Manuscript Collections
See HMC Principal family and estate collections A-K, 1996 [13g]
12
1604-1690: Campbell family corresp 1604-90 and financial papers 1637-77
National Library of Scotland, Manuscript Collections
See HMC Principal family and estate collections A-K, 1996 [13h]
13
c1800-1940: Campbell family and business corresp
National Library of Scotland, Manuscript Collections
See HMC Principal family and estate collections A-K, 1996 [13j]
14
1862-1930: Campbell family corresp 1862-85 and misc papers 1892-1930
National Library of Scotland, Manuscript Collections
See HMC Principal family and estate collections A-K, 1996 [13k]
15
1663-1686: misc Campbell family accounts
Collection held privately: enquiries to National Register of Archives for Scotland
NRA 10169 Douglas-Home

See HMC Principal family and estate collections A-K, 1996 [31a]
16
1745-1746: corresp and papers of the 4th Duke rel to the Jacobite rising
National Library of Scotland, Manuscript Collections
See HMC Principal family and estate collections A-K, 1996 [13i]
17
1711-1712: Spanish military letter book of the 2nd Duke (d1743)
Cambridge University Library: Department of Manuscripts and University Archives
See HMC Principal family and estate collections A-K, 1996 [13l]
18
1711-1712: further military letter books of the 2nd Duke
Bedfordshire Archives
NRA 19616 Stuart

See HMC Principal family and estate collections A-K, 1996 [13m]
19
c1868-1874: Indian corresp of the 8th Duke (1823-1900)
British Library: Asian and African Studies
See HMC Principal family and estate collections A-K, 1996 [13n]
20
1878-1884: Canadian corresp of the 9th Duke (1845-1914)
Library and Archives Canada
See HMC Principal family and estate collections A-K, 1996 [13o]
21
1773-1802: British Fisheries Society papers of the 5th Duke (d1806)
National Records of Scotland (formerly National Archives of Scotland)
NRA 28867 British Fishery

See HMC Principal family and estate collections A-K, 1996 [13b]
22
1654-1657: letters of the Marquess of Argyll to his factor Sir Robert Innes
Collection held privately: enquiries to National Register of Archives for Scotland
NRA 10542 Innes-Ker

See HMC Principal family and estate collections A-K, 1996 [57a]
23
1716: rental of lands acquired by the 1st Duke of Argyll
National Records of Scotland (formerly National Archives of Scotland)
NRA 31601 Campbell

See HMC Principal family and estate collections A-K, 1996 [14a]