Scottish Clans - Clan Macnicol Or Nicolson
http://www.scottishweb.net/articles/121/1/Scottish-Clans---Clan-Macnicol-Or-Nicolson/Page1.html
Published on 17 February 2009
In the old Statisical Account, the Rev. William MacKenzie, in his description of the parish of Assynt, writes that “ Tradition and even documents declare that it was a forest of the ancient Thanes of Sutherland. One of these Prince Thanes gave it in vassalage to one Mackrycul, who in ancient times held the coast of Coygach, that part of it at the place presently called Ullapool.”
Mackrycul has been identified as the Gregall mentioned in the genealogy of the MacNicols in the MS of 1450, and on the marriage of Torquil MacLeod to the daughter of the last of the MacNicol chiefs, the lands of Assynt passed to the MacLeods of Lewis.
When Assynt passed to MacLeod, the Clan MacNicol appear to have emigrated to Skye, where the MacLeods had extensive possessions, and the lands of Scorrybreck near Portree were in possession of MacNicols or Nicolsons for several centuries. The clan played an important part in the history of Skye and from time to time their names appear in local records.
The Rev. Donald Nicolson, who was chief of the Scorrybreck family at the end of the seventeenth century, was minister of Troternish for over thirty years. He was a strong Episcopalian, and resigned his charge in 1696, only because of his opposition to Presbyterianism, which had become the established church. Norman, the last chief of Scorrybreck, emigrated to the Australian colonies.
There was also a strong branch of the MacNicols resident in Argyllshire.
Crest: A battleaxe, proper. Badge: Trailing azalea.
In the old Statisical Account, the Rev. William MacKenzie, in his description of the parish of Assynt, writes that “ Tradition and even documents declare that it was a forest of the ancient Thanes of Sutherland. One of these Prince Thanes gave it in vassalage to one Mackrycul, who in ancient times held the coast of Coygach, that part of it at the place presently called Ullapool.”
In the old Statisical Account, the Rev. William MacKenzie, in his description of the parish of Assynt, writes that “ Tradition and even documents declare that it was a forest of the ancient Thanes of Sutherland. One of these Prince Thanes gave it in vassalage to one Mackrycul, who in ancient times held the coast of Coygach, that part of it at the place presently called Ullapool.”Mackrycul has been identified as the Gregall mentioned in the genealogy of the MacNicols in the MS of 1450, and on the marriage of Torquil MacLeod to the daughter of the last of the MacNicol chiefs, the lands of Assynt passed to the MacLeods of Lewis.
When Assynt passed to MacLeod, the Clan MacNicol appear to have emigrated to Skye, where the MacLeods had extensive possessions, and the lands of Scorrybreck near Portree were in possession of MacNicols or Nicolsons for several centuries. The clan played an important part in the history of Skye and from time to time their names appear in local records.
The Rev. Donald Nicolson, who was chief of the Scorrybreck family at the end of the seventeenth century, was minister of Troternish for over thirty years. He was a strong Episcopalian, and resigned his charge in 1696, only because of his opposition to Presbyterianism, which had become the established church. Norman, the last chief of Scorrybreck, emigrated to the Australian colonies.
There was also a strong branch of the MacNicols resident in Argyllshire.
Crest: A battleaxe, proper. Badge: Trailing azalea.