Let me share with you the fascinating history of your family, the Haldanes, passed down through generations. It all began when the manor of Hauden was granted to Bernard, son of Brien, by William the Lion around 1170. A member of your family then settled in Strathearn, acquiring lands that became part of the barony of Gleneagles, where the chiefs of your family reside to this day. A charter from William the Lion to Roger de Hauden of the lands of Frandie near Gleneagles is among the family charters. The name “Haldane” derives from the Gaelic word “eaglais,” meaning “church.”

Aylmer de Haldane pledged loyalty to Edward I of England and signed the Ragman Roll in 1296. However, he later shifted his allegiances to Robert Bruce during the struggle for Scottish independence. In 1312, Sir John de Logy presented a charter for part of the lands of Bardrill in Strathearn to Sir Simon de Haldane. Through his marriage to Matilda de Arnot, Sir Simon acquired lands in the ancient Earldom of Lennox.

Sir John Haldane held prominent positions in the royal court, serving as Master of the Household under James III, Lord Justice General of Scotland beyond the Forth, and sheriff principal of Edinburgh. In 1482, he relinquished his lands in Perthshire, Stirlingshire, and Fife to the Crown and received a charter elevating them to the free barony of Gleneagles. He claimed the earldom of Lennox through his marriage to Agnes, daughter of Murdoch Menteith of Rusky, which led to a lengthy lawsuit. Eventually, a settlement was reached, with Lord Darnley retaining the right to the earldom and Gleneagles receiving a quarter of the lands as compensation. The Haldanes fervently supported the Reformation and played significant roles in the political upheavals following the overthrow of Queen Mary. The eleventh Laird, Sir John Haldane, died leading his regiment at the Battle of Dunbar against Parliamentary forces in 1650. He had previously served with Henry Prince of Orange in the Netherlands and was knighted upon his return to Scotland by Charles I.

In 1820, the estates passed to the cousin of the eighteenth Haldane of Gleneagles, Admiral Adam Duncan, who became Viscount Duncan of Camperdown. Admiral Duncan was one of Britain’s most celebrated naval heroes, earning his title from the renowned victory at the Battle of Camperdown in 1797. His son, who was raised to the title of Earl of Camperdown in 1831, assumed the additional surname of Haldane. In 1918, the fourth Earl of Camperdown relinquished his rights to the Gleneagles estate in favor of his relative James Chinnery-Haldane, who served as the Bishop of Argyll.

These are the remarkable stories of your family, the Haldanes, woven through time and intertwined with significant events, noble titles, and influential figures.