The existing parish of Bunkle and Preston is five miles north-north-east of Duns in the county of Berwickshire and is the result of an amalgamation in 1718 of the previously independent parishes of the same names. The surname Buncle, together with its modern variants of Bunkle, Bunkell, Bunkall, etc would almost certainly seem to have found origin in this locality. Previously written as Boncle, Bonkle, Bonkill, Bonkyl, or indeed in any other way that the phonetic ideas of the scribe may have dictated them at the time, the name was applies to a Castle with surrounding clachan (small hamlet) and to a Church. The church was rebuilt in 1820 and is still, used for public worship.
The name of Buncle or Bonkill, as with many palce names, has been explained in more than one way, but the most likely derivation would appear to be from the Celtic languages. The word bon is used to describe a location “at the foot of a hill or rising ground”, and “cill” or “kill” signifies a retreat, a cell, a chapel, or a kirk. The site in question lies at the foot of the rising ground which is still shown on the maps as Bunkle-edge, and no doubt the word “bon” would have been applied to this site in early times. With the erection of a place of religious retreat, a cell or chapel, on this site, the word “cill” or “kill” would be added to the original “bon” thereby forming the singular name “Bonkill”, signifying a “ cell or chapel at the foot of rising ground”.
Bunkel Castle was most likely erected in 1124 A.D. during the reign of King David 1. Of Scotland (1084-1153). Confirmation of this is in the Treasury of Durham, and in which King David confirmed the boundary betweenColdingham and Bonkyl when he was called in to settle a dispute as to the proper limits of “Bunkle-schire” and “Coldingham-schire”. (schire denotes parish)
King David was a strong king, and after his ascension to the Scottish throne, when he was threatened by an uprising among some of the powerful Scottish families, he was able to call on his Norman friends to come to his aid. As a reward for this timely assistance, he made over certain lands to various Normans, among them the land of Bonkyl.
Fist Norman to have used the name was Radulph de Bonkill who was known to be generous to the Church, and to have granted the rights of the forests and moors of Coldingham-schire to the monks of Coldingham, and also the lands of Todde-Hauch, in the parish of Edram, of Brockholes, Harewood and Denwood. A witness to the charter was Adam de Bonekil in the year 1160. Ranulf de Bonekil on October 29th, 1216 was excused attendance at an assize in Cumberland as he was presently engaged in the services of the King of Scotland.
Margaret, the daughter of Sir Alexander de Bonkyll (son of Ranulf) and his wife Christiana married Sir John Stewart in 1288 obtained the lands of Bonkyl in Berwickshire and on her death in 1305, the lands passed into the hands of the Stewarts.
This gridiron between Scotland and England was the site of many battles, and during certain periods, almost constant raids between the two countries. Because of its position, the Humes became "peacemakers," above local family quarrels and as wardens of the eastern marches, it was their duty to suppress the lawless elements in a lawless land.
The family of Home itself has its roots far back in the lineage of the royal families of Scotland and England. Malcom II, King of Scotland (A.D.1005-1034), had one child, Bethoc, who married Crinan, Lay Abbott of Dunkeld. To this union were born two children: Duncan, King of Scotland (A.D.1034-1040), and Maldred, who married Aldgatha, daughter of Uchtred, and grandaughter of King Ethelred of England.
Egbert was the first King of United England (A.D.827-828). His second son, Alfred, known in history as Alfred the Great, was later King of England. Egbert was a direct ancestor of Ethelred the Unready, King of England (A.D.968-1013). In the year 1002, he married Emma, the sister of Richard, Duke of Normandy, a lady who was known as the "Flower of Normandy."
Egbert was the last of the six early Saxon kings. Elgiva, the fifth child of Etherlred, married Uchtred, Prine of Northumberland. Their daughter, Aldgatha, married Maldred and Aldgatha had a son, Cospatrick, Earl of Northumberland, who fought at the Battle of Hastings. His grandson, Cospatrick III-William, married Ada, daughter of King William, the Lion of Scotland. She brought with her to the marriage, as her estate, the lands of "Ihom" or Home.
Until his death on October 9, 1995, the Chief of the present Clan Home was Lord Home of the Hirsel who lived near Coldstream, Scotland. He was the former Prime Minister of Great Britain, and upon his death, his eldest son, David Douglas-Home, became the 15th Earl of Home and, thus, Chief of Clan Home.
 |
|---|