Ancient British Title For Sale
Scottish Barony Title
Very Rare Scottish Barony Title For Sale
The Barony of Grenane is for sale at UK45,000 Pounds (priced reduced). To make a offer contact Lord Stirling at earlofstirling@yahoo.com
Barony of Grenane
The
rare and highly important "Camelot Barony", the Barony of Grenane in
the Ancient Baronage of the Isles has had only four families as owners
for over half a millennium. The family of the MacDonald Lords of the
Isles, the Davidsons, the Kennedys (the Marquess of Ailsa), and now the
Alexanders (the Earl of Stirling).
The only way to acquire by purchase a real recognized title of nobility in the world today, from a nation having an existing monarchy and system of noble titles, is to purchase a Scottish feudal barony (there are perhaps 200 or less still in existence and sales are very rare). In ancient times, over 400 years ago, the Scottish King was not the only Front of Honour in the land. Several senior peers and church leaders could create baronies, the foremost among these being the MacDonald Lord of the Isles (at one time the Lords of the Isles were styled the Kings of the Isles). Almost all barony titles created by powers other than the King of Scotland have been terminated in the course of history; when the barony and lands had to come before the King for some reason or another the barony was usually surrendered to the Crown and a new Charter of Barony granted (thus the older barony became extinct and the newer one was a barony in the Baronage of Scotland). As there were only three families (with close connections between them) that owned the Barony of Greenan prior to Lord Stirling's purchase in the late 20th Century, the families were able to retain the ancient Barony. Barons who hold baronies not in the Baronage of Scotland are traditionally given Arms with the baronial chapeau with counter-ermine instead of the more common baronial chapeau with ermine. The most prestigious of all baronies are the very rare baronies in the ancient Baronage of the Isles.
It is uncommon to have two baronies associated with one castle, but this is the case with the ancient ruins of Greenan Castle in Ayrshire, Scotland. The newer barony, whose owner is styled Baron of Greenan, is just over 400 years old having been created by the King of Scotland on 24th of May 1587. The older barony, whose owner is styled Baron of Grenane, is well over 500 years old. In fact, the first granting of the ancient barony is lost in the mist of time, but it was sold by the last independent Lord of the Isles to the Davidson family (who were key retainers of the Lord of the Isles and very close to his family) on the 31st of January 1477. In 1588, John Davidson of Greenan, The Baron of Greenan and Grenane, whose wife was Margaret Kennedy, sold the castle, lands, feudal superiorities and baronies to her relative John Kennedy of Baltersan; from him the titles and lands eventually ended up in the hands of the Chief of the Kennedy Clan. These remained in the hands of the Kennedy Clan for 400 years until the current owner, now the Earl of Stirling, purchased them from the late Marquess of Ailsa, Chief of the Kennedy Clan, in June of 1988. The castle ruins, lands, and newer barony were sold off in 1999 but the most valuable part of the estate, the ancient Barony of Grenane in the Baronage of the Isles was retained.
In the late 1980s the famous London publishing firm, Burke's Peerage (the "bible of the aristocracy") went public with research undertaken by Dr. Norma Goodrich, perhaps the foremost living authority on King Arthur. She established that the Castle site (and baronies) was one of the actual historic sites of King Arthur's royal court, of Camelot itself. Newspapers throughout the world carried the story, from Scotland to mainland China to America to Australia and New Zealand.
The site was important to the most important and largest Clan in Scotland, the MacDonalds (Clan Donald) and later to the Kennedy Clan. Lord Stirling, who is Chief of Clan Alexander ~ a senior sept of Clan Donald ~ returned the ancient title to a branch of the ancient Clan whose ownership goes so far far back in time that it is literally "lost in the mist of time". Under modern 21st Century Scots Law baronies are no longer sold with land, so the title itself is what is being offered for sale.
The holder of a Scots barony, if male, is styled The Much Honored, The Baron of Grenane (in the case of this barony). His wife is styled The Much Honored, The Baroness of Grenane or Lady Grenane; a woman who holds a barony in her own right is styled the same and historically her husband was styled the Baron. All unmarried daughters can use the 'territorial' "of Grenane" as part of they surname. The eldest son may use the style, "of Grenane, Yr." (Yr. for Younger). A lessor used style is "The Much Honored, The Baron Alexander (or whatever) of Grenane" and "Lady Alexander of Grenane" or "Baroness Alexander of Grenane".
Scottish barons are considered by Scots Court rulings to be the equal of continental (European) barons who are heads of their baronial house and superior in rank to European barons who are not the heads of their baronial houses (many titles in Europe descend to all males with only the most senior male being the head of his house).
Links:
The Convention of the Baronage of Scotland
The only way to acquire by purchase a real recognized title of nobility in the world today, from a nation having an existing monarchy and system of noble titles, is to purchase a Scottish feudal barony (there are perhaps 200 or less still in existence and sales are very rare). In ancient times, over 400 years ago, the Scottish King was not the only Front of Honour in the land. Several senior peers and church leaders could create baronies, the foremost among these being the MacDonald Lord of the Isles (at one time the Lords of the Isles were styled the Kings of the Isles). Almost all barony titles created by powers other than the King of Scotland have been terminated in the course of history; when the barony and lands had to come before the King for some reason or another the barony was usually surrendered to the Crown and a new Charter of Barony granted (thus the older barony became extinct and the newer one was a barony in the Baronage of Scotland). As there were only three families (with close connections between them) that owned the Barony of Greenan prior to Lord Stirling's purchase in the late 20th Century, the families were able to retain the ancient Barony. Barons who hold baronies not in the Baronage of Scotland are traditionally given Arms with the baronial chapeau with counter-ermine instead of the more common baronial chapeau with ermine. The most prestigious of all baronies are the very rare baronies in the ancient Baronage of the Isles.
It is uncommon to have two baronies associated with one castle, but this is the case with the ancient ruins of Greenan Castle in Ayrshire, Scotland. The newer barony, whose owner is styled Baron of Greenan, is just over 400 years old having been created by the King of Scotland on 24th of May 1587. The older barony, whose owner is styled Baron of Grenane, is well over 500 years old. In fact, the first granting of the ancient barony is lost in the mist of time, but it was sold by the last independent Lord of the Isles to the Davidson family (who were key retainers of the Lord of the Isles and very close to his family) on the 31st of January 1477. In 1588, John Davidson of Greenan, The Baron of Greenan and Grenane, whose wife was Margaret Kennedy, sold the castle, lands, feudal superiorities and baronies to her relative John Kennedy of Baltersan; from him the titles and lands eventually ended up in the hands of the Chief of the Kennedy Clan. These remained in the hands of the Kennedy Clan for 400 years until the current owner, now the Earl of Stirling, purchased them from the late Marquess of Ailsa, Chief of the Kennedy Clan, in June of 1988. The castle ruins, lands, and newer barony were sold off in 1999 but the most valuable part of the estate, the ancient Barony of Grenane in the Baronage of the Isles was retained.
In the late 1980s the famous London publishing firm, Burke's Peerage (the "bible of the aristocracy") went public with research undertaken by Dr. Norma Goodrich, perhaps the foremost living authority on King Arthur. She established that the Castle site (and baronies) was one of the actual historic sites of King Arthur's royal court, of Camelot itself. Newspapers throughout the world carried the story, from Scotland to mainland China to America to Australia and New Zealand.
The site was important to the most important and largest Clan in Scotland, the MacDonalds (Clan Donald) and later to the Kennedy Clan. Lord Stirling, who is Chief of Clan Alexander ~ a senior sept of Clan Donald ~ returned the ancient title to a branch of the ancient Clan whose ownership goes so far far back in time that it is literally "lost in the mist of time". Under modern 21st Century Scots Law baronies are no longer sold with land, so the title itself is what is being offered for sale.
The holder of a Scots barony, if male, is styled The Much Honored, The Baron of Grenane (in the case of this barony). His wife is styled The Much Honored, The Baroness of Grenane or Lady Grenane; a woman who holds a barony in her own right is styled the same and historically her husband was styled the Baron. All unmarried daughters can use the 'territorial' "of Grenane" as part of they surname. The eldest son may use the style, "of Grenane, Yr." (Yr. for Younger). A lessor used style is "The Much Honored, The Baron Alexander (or whatever) of Grenane" and "Lady Alexander of Grenane" or "Baroness Alexander of Grenane".
Scottish barons are considered by Scots Court rulings to be the equal of continental (European) barons who are heads of their baronial house and superior in rank to European barons who are not the heads of their baronial houses (many titles in Europe descend to all males with only the most senior male being the head of his house).
Links:
The Convention of the Baronage of Scotland
![[Greenan+1.jpg]](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_D4zUbcGjGYM/R3MQH13bC-I/AAAAAAAAABI/i1vvr5I7KAU/s1600/Greenan%2B1.jpg)
