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Scone's Scottish and Celtic Internet Book
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The Gunn/Keith Highland Feud
by Sconemac
Scottish History and Culture
Scottish Highlands and Islands Partnership
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Early in the 15th century, Lachlan Gunn of Braemore had an only daughter named Helen who was known as "The Beauty of Braemore." She was to be wed to her cousin, Alexander Gunn, whom she had known since childhood and the wedding date was set.
The harp that has rung with the strains of the fight,
Shall to beauty and love be devoted tonight;
For the maiden is wed that we all did adore --
The pride of our valley, the flower of Braemore.
Tho' here we are all full of joy and delight,
There are hearts in the glen that are breaking tonight,
And many a sigh from the sad bosom wrung,
Is heaving for Helen, the charming and young.
The Keith in the lowlands, that dastardly hoard,
For the loss of the maiden may brandish his sword;
But we mind not his threats -- let him come to Braemore,
And we will give him a taste of the Highland Claymore!
May the choicest of blessings descend from above,
On the gallant young man and his dear lady love;
And long may they flourish in beauty and pride,
Like the ash and the birch on you green mountain side.
(Mr. Calder of Caithness)
Dugald Keith of Ackergill, factor of the district, saw Helen one day as he was passing through Braemore. He was smitten by her beauty and made some crude advances which were indignantly rejected. On the night before the wedding, the Gunns were gathered in Braemore for a celebration. Dugald Keith and his retainers came upon them, and, taking the Gunns totally by surprise, slaughtered many of the wedding party and made off with sweet Helen. He took her to his castle in Ackergill where she "Became the victim of the brutal and licentious Keith." Knowing there was no escape, Helen asked her keeper one day to allow her to go to the top of the castle tower so she could look out upon the land. The keeper granted her request knowing that she could not flee. She was left alone in the tower, and, in her misery, she determined to end her life, throwing herself headlong from the Battlements. On came the gale, impetuous and rude,
Howling in hollow gusts where Helen stood.
She gazed around her on the troubled scene --
There was a calm composure on her mien,
And on her lips a faint smile seemed to play,
A moment's space, and then it died away.
She raised her hands on high, and prayed to Heaven,
That all her youthfull sins might be forgiven,
And this, a greater than them all combined,
The last sad crime of an unhappy mind;
Then from the top she sprang in frantic woe,
And instant fell a lifeless corpse below.
This incident led to the feud between the Gunns and the Keiths, which saw many skirmishes and battles. The most famous of them is known as the "Battle of St. Tears."
Many Gunns and Keiths had perished in the conflicts that followed the abduction of Helen. George Gunn the Crowner, chief of the Clan, attempted to settle the matter once and for all. He invited the Keiths to meet him at the Chapel of St. Tears. Each party was to come to the meeting place with twelve men chosen for their skill in battle. The Crowner took his sons and a few other kisnmen to the number of twe;ve. The Gunns arrived first and went into the chapel to pray and await the arrival of their enemies. When the Keiths arrived on 12 horses, their treachery was discovered, for they came two men to a horse. They fell on the Gunns at their prayer. The Gunns fought valiantly and killed many of the deceitful Keiths, but they were out numbered two to one and soon had to retreat leaving seven of their Kinsmen dead before the altar. Among them was their chief, George the Crowner, Am Braistich mor, the Big Broached One. At that time and place, the Great Broach and other adornments as well as his sword were stolen, never to be found again. Without his arms it is very difficult to name another chief who would be accepted by the Lord Lyons Office. Clan Gunn has gone on to this day, without a chief.
The remaining five 5 Gunns found safe hiding in a Glen near a stream in upper Strathnaver, where they dressed their wounds and determined to seek revenge that very night. They could not abide that the Keiths now had possession of their father's sword, helmet, and the large brooch which had been a gift from the King and symbol of his office.
After resting for awhile, they followed the Keiths to the castle of Dirlot, high on a rock. In the dark of night, an old woman of the district showed the Crowner's remaining five sons the only path up the rock to the base of the castle. As they crept near, they noticed that the shutters to the archers' apertures were open. Peering in, they saw the Keiths in great celebration quaffing bumpers of ale. Henry, 3rd son of the Crowner, drew back on his bow and let fly an arrow which found its mark in the throat of the chief of Clan Keith. As he did so, he shouted in Gaelic, "Iomcharagnn Guinach gu Cadhaich," which translates to, "A Gunn's compliments to a Keith."
Great confusion followed. The remaining Keiths came charging out the castle gate to seek revenge, but the other sons of the Crowner were ready for them and slew many of the Keiths as they emerged into the darkness.
The Crowner's sons then made their escape. It is not known whether they recovered their father's possessions before they made away. By some accounts they did, although they have never been found. The irony is that, far from settling the feud, the treachery at St. Tears had the opposite effect of prolonging it for many years. Various dates are given for the St. Tears incident. Most likely, it occurred around 1464. Two generations later in 1517, William Hamish and a band of his kinsmen avenged his grandfather's death by falling on a party of Keiths as they passed through the Helmsdale area. The entire Keith party was killed and Hamish cut off the head of George Keith, their leader, and divided it into two pieces. Still the feud did not end. "This feud lasted for over 500 years and was settled finally in the 1978's by Clans Gunn and Keith in Scotland, at the urging of Clan Gunn and Clan Keith of North America, (peacefully)." Hence, the peace treaty was actually signed in the U.S. [There is a page in this book titled the Treaty, if you return to the main Gunn or Keith memu, you may see the pictures from Scotland. ] Nancy MacCorkill, F.S.A. Scot Sources: RETURN TO MAIN MENU AND SCOTTISH SHOPS, JUST LOOKING? BROWSE? NO OBLIGATION!!
"All Rights Reserved March 1997, thru 2003, N.M.A. MacCorkill©"
Author Poet,
Clans Gunn, MacLeod of Lewis, and (Marshall) Keith.
Clans of Scotland by Innes
N. MacCorkill's own writings
Lord Lyons Office, Agent of Queen Elizabeth II
Standard Disclaimer 
Copy Protected:© Not to be reproduced in any form of media, or communication, nor storage or retrieveal systems for media or communications. Not public domain."