Clan History

The Malcolm's and the MacCallum's earlier history seems to have been a bit confused in the mists of time. The chosen or recorded name sometimes varied depending who wrote it and which offspring they were referring to.
The name Malcolm derives from MacColuimb (Gaelic ) meaning devotee of St. Columba. Although Malcolm - in Gaelic - is Callum adding to the confusion.
The Malcolm family are recorded as coming into possession of the barony of Inchgall in 1656 and including Inchgall or Lochore Castle in Fife.
The name Malcolm is also found as early as the 14th century in Dunbartonshire and Stirlingshire.

Lochore Castle is located in central Fife. At one time it was surrounded by water for defence and there is even mention that it was one of the four strongest Castles in Scotland, although that must have been short lived. Nowadays it is a small ruin, the area has been pumped dry and is surrounded by the Lochore Meadows park.

 

Clan Chief Dugald MacCallum, 9th of Poltalloch, inherited the Malcolm estate in 1779 and he changed the family name to Malcolm joining the two clans.

Duntrune Castle is located on the north shore of Loch Crinan, just to the north of the village of Crinan in Argyll. Originally built by the Clan MacDougall in the 12th century it was taken by the Campbells. The enclosure wall is 6 foot thick and approximatelly 25 foot high and dates from the 13th Century although the tower house dates from the 16th century when under the MacCallum ownership. It was restored in the late 18th century, probably by Dugald and modernised again in 1954. The Malcolm family moved out to their newly built Poltalloch House in 1853 but returned to Duntrune after 1954 where they still reside today. The castle is not open to the public, the family earns income from holiday lets on the estate.

More information under Clan MacCallum