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Legend has
it that MacCallum comes from the Gaelic name of St Columba. The home of the Clan MacCallum
lies on the nearest part of the mainland to Iona in Argyll where Columba landed in 561.
In 1562 Donald McGillespie mac O'Challum was
granted the property of Poltalloch, on the eastern shore of the Bay of Craignish, a few
miles from Kilmartin. Dugald MacCallum of Poltalloch, who inherited the estate in 1779,
appears to have been the first of that name to call himself Malcolm.
Variants Malcolm, Malcolmson, Callam, Callum.
Their territory lay in the Loch Awe district, and they are traditionally
reported to an offshoot of the MacGhille Challums (or MacLeods) of Raasay.
They took protection of the Campbells of Lochow, and in 1414 Sir Duncan
Campbell of Lochow granted to Reginald MacCallum of Corbarron certain lands,
together with the office of Hereditary Constable of the Castles of Lochaffy
and Craignish, but his branch appears to have become extinct during the
latter half of the 17th century. Dugald MacCallum of Poltalloch inherited
the estate in 1779, and was the first to adopt the name of Malcolm
permanently. Admiral Sir Pulteney Malcolm was Commander in Chief of Saint
Helena, and won the regard of Napolean. John Wingfield Malcolm of Poltalloch
was created Lord Malcolm in 1896, and died in 1902, when the peerage became
extinct, though his brother inherited his
estate, and the feudal title of 'Malcolm of Poltalloch', descended with the
chieftainship of the Clan. |
