1334 – 1358 Thomas Bruce - 1st Baron of Clackmannan
Thomas Bruce became the Baron of Clackmannan and was granted the castle and lands of Grassmainston, Gartlove, Wester Kennet, Hillend, Carsehill, Greys, Park Meadow, Dryfield, Tullygarth, Pitfoulden and others within the Sherrifdom of Clackmannan from his cousin King David II as a reward for organising an uprising against English rule.
Barony passed from father to son
1358 – 1403 Sir Robert Bruce - 2nd Baron of Clackmannan
Sir Robert Bruce inherited the Barony after his father's death. As a minor when his father died, he was put under the care of "appropriate men" who were Sir Robert Erskine & Sir John de Menteith. He received his charter for the lands of Clackmannan from King David II in December 1359. He received a further charter for the lands of Rait, in Perthshire from King David II in January 1368. He received a third charter for the Lands of Kennet, Grassmainston, Pitfoulden, Carse & Gragory from King Robert II in October 1375. Sir Robert granted a charter for the lands of Kennet, Pitfoulden and Cruicket to his youngest son who became Thomas Bruce 1st of Wester Kennet, Pitfoulden and Cruicket.
Sir Robert Bruce was captured and killed on 23rd July 1403 at the Battle of Shrewsbury.
Barony passed from father to son
1403 – 1405 Sir Robert Bruce - 3rd Baron of Clackmannan
Sir Robert Bruce inherited the Barony of Clackmannan and its lands at the death of his father. He received the charter of the Lands of Rait from King Robert III in 1393. Died around 1405.
Barony passed from father to son
1405 – 1428 Sir David Bruce - 4th Baron of Clackmannan
Sir David Bruce renounced the rights to the mills of Clackmannan from the Canons of Cambuskenneth on October 6th, 1406. Died around 1428.
Barony passed from father to son
1428 – 1473 Sir John Bruce - 5th Baron of Clackmannan
Mentioned in a charter decree between himself and Luke Stirling of Ratherns in April 1435. In 1456 had Sasine for the lands of Rait in Perthshire.
Barony passed from father to son
1473 – 1497 Sir David Bruce - 6th Baron of Clackmannan
Received the charter for the lands of Clackmannan and Rait on the event of his father's death in 1473. Knighted by King James IV.
Gave eldest son Robert and his wife a charter for the lands of Rait in Perthshire in August 1481. Resigned the charter for Clackmannan in favour of his son David on 11th September 1497. Died around 1506.
Barony passed from father to son
1497 – 1550 Sir David Bruce - 7th Baron of Clackmannan
Received the charter for the Lands and Barony of Clackmannan when his father resigned from it in his favour in September 1497. On 1st February 1507 resigned the lands of Rait to his nephew David, who in turned resigned his rights to the lands of Clackmannan in favour of his Uncle David Bruce and his family. Sir David's eldest son John died before his father therefore the Barony of Clackmannan passed to John's son.
Barony passed from grandfather to grandson
1550 -1609 Sir Robert Bruce - 8th Baron of Clackmannan
Due to his father John dying before his grandfather, the Barony passed on to Robert Bruce. His son Norman served as a Colonel in the Army. His son Walter was a servant to Robert Stewart, Commendator of Holyrood and Earl of Orkney and is believed to have taken part in a confrontation at the Kirk of Kirkwall after which they were charged with the "treasonable taking of the Kirk of Kirkwall".
Barony passed from father to son
1609 – 1642 Sir Robert Bruce - 9th Baron of Clackmannan
Inherited the Barony of Clackmannan after the death of his father. Died around 1642.
Barony passed from father to son
1642 – 1663 Sir Robert Bruce - 10th Baron of Clackmannan
Received a charter for Easter Kennet and other lands in June 1642. His son George Bruce served as a Major in the Army. His son William Bruce served as a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Army & married Elizabeth the daughter of Robert Bruce of Wester Kennet (another branch of the family tree). His daughter Helen Bruce married into another branch of the family tree when she married Alexander Bruce 4th of Kinnard, who lived at Gaskenhall, Perthshire.
Below is an account of him and an issue he had with a payment of custom. "On the high ground which skirts the Carse of Gowrie to the north, near the village of Rait, once stood a fortified house called Gaskenhall. Only a bit of broken garden-wall and a few trees now indicate the site. Here lived, at the end of the sixteenth century, Robert Bruce of Clackmannan, chief of the family which had given Scotland a king three centuries before and described in the grave pages of Douglas's Baronage as a most respectable person, 'in high favour with King James VI., who conferred on him the honour of knighthood at the baptism of his son Prince Henry.' Let us see, from the actual doings of this knight, what sort of person he was. In August 1592, some goods belonging to Bruce, having to pass through Perth, were subjected to payment of custom by the magistrates, who, on payment being refused, seized them. Clackmannan sent a letter of remonstrance, threatening, if his goods were not restored, to make the Perth citizens suffer for it when they chanced to pass his house. This not being attended to, he attacked a party of citizens on their way from Dundee and despoiled them of their weapons; for in those days a party of quiet burghers passing through twenty miles of even this central and comparatively civilised district of Scotland, could not go unarmed. The only reply the laird got to a message offering the weapons back in exchange for his goods, was a visit from a company of Perth citizens, who destroyed a good deal of his growing corn with their horses. He came out to remonstrate, and an altercation ensuing, he was provoked to strike one of the aggressors with a pistol. He then seized the two chief men of the party, William Inglis and John Balsillie, and took them as prisoners into his house of Gaskenhall. That same night, a large party of the citizens of Perth, headed by the bailies and council, came out in arms to Gaskenhall, where, upon the morrow, before daylight, they sounded their drum, besieged the laird in his house, and discharged hagbuts and pistols in at the doors and windows, whereby a servant of his was wounded. At last setting fire to the house, they entered at the roof, set free their friends, and seized the laird, whom they 'transportit away with them ane certain space, barefooted and bare-legged, not suffering him to put on his awn claithes.' They likewise 'spulyit and took away with them his hail silver-wark, bedding, claithes, and all the plenishing of his house.'— P. C. B. This affair came before the king, who seems to have taken no step in the case beyond declaring both parties in the wrong and ordering the laird and the magistrates into divers prisons, there to lie at their own respective costs, until they should be subjected to an assize. A Perth chronicler states: 'They were thereafter agreed upon the town's large charges.' The agreement, however, does not seem to have been effectual, for, on the 28th of April 1593, as John Wilson and John Niven, with other citizens of Perth, were passing the Coble of Rhynd on their way to the market of St Andrews, they were beset by the laird, accompanied with nine horsemen and footmen, all well-armed. 'The said John Wilson and John Niven, being baith hurt and wounded in divers parts of their bodies, to the effusion of their blood in great quantity, the said laird and his accomplices maist shamefully tirrit them baith naked, and in maist barbarous and shameful manner scourgit them with horse bridles through the town of Abernethy, as if they had been thieves or heinous malefactors; [then] left the said John Niven lying there for dead, and took the said John Wilson, naked, as captive and prisoner away with them.' On the complaint of the magistrates of Perth, among whom was the afterwards famous Earl of Gowrie, acting as provost, the Laird of Clackmannan was charged to appear before the king, on pain of being denounced as a rebel in case of failure "
The account was found on the Clan MacFarlane Genealogy Website.
Barony passed from father to son
1663 – 1674 Sir Henry Bruce - 11th Baron of Clackmannan
Inherited the Barony of Clackmannan after his father's death. In August 1668 he was issued a charter by King Charles II of the office of Sherrifdom & Forrestry of Clackmannan.
In December 1669 an Act of Parliament was made in the favour of Henry Bruce confirming the Lands & Barony of Clackmannan as well as the Land & Barony of Sauchie, the Lands of Gairdinkeir, twice weekly markets to be held in Clackmannan on Wednesdays and Saturday's, all tolls from the markets and mills of Clackmannan.
Also included in the Act were the Lands of Hallhill, Kairshill, Carloquhie, Grasmainston, Garthalow, Burkhill, Lindmill and Millands, Tullygarth, Pillarskeine, Morlemersyde, Craigorie, Kemling, East Park, Wester Kennet, Easter Kennet, Baxter's lands, Craighill, Hiltoun, Greivsaiker, with the right to hold a fair yearly in the said burgh on the 15th of June.
Further, the office of Sheriff and Forester of the Sheriffdom of Clackmannan, and all dues from the fair of St Bartholmew, to be held at Clackmannan in August yearly and all castles, towers, and manor houses.
Barony passed from father to son
1674 – 1712 Sir David Bruce - 12th Baron of Clackmannan
Inherited the Barony on the death of his father. It is believed David Bruce and his wife had three children who all died young. Sir David died in 1712 and he had no heirs. The Barony of Clackmannan was passed on to his brother John.
Barony passed from brother to brother
1712 – 1724 Sir John Bruce - 13th Baron of Clackmannan
Inherited the Barony when his heirless brother David died. He was father to one daughter only, therefore the Barony passed to his brother when Sir John died in 1724.
Barony passed from brother to brother
1724 – 1742 Colonel Sir Henry Bruce - 14th Baron of Clackmannan
Inherited the Barony of Clackmannan after the death of his elder brother in 1724. Served as a Colonel in the Army. On his death the Barony of Clackmannan passed to his son.
Barony passed from father to son
1742 – 1772 Sir Henry Bruce - 15th Baron of Clackmannan
Inherited the title on the death of his father. Married Catherine Bruce of Newton. With a childless marriage, Sir Henry Bruce left his estate, titles and property to his wife Catherine upon his death in 1772.
Barony passed from husband to wife
1772 -1791 Lady Catherine Bruce of Clackmannan
Inherited the Castle, Lands and Barony of Clackmannan from her husband. Lady Catherine lived in The Castle of Clackmannan (Tower & Mansion) until her death in 1791.
Lady Catherine was a lady of character and took great delight entertaining people and "knighting" them with the sword of King Robert Bruce I, guests who she bestowed the honour on were, among others, Robert Burns and Henry Dundas - who would later become Lord Melville. Spritely until her dying day, Lady Catherine's death was not due to ill health, but rather an accident. After her death all the estate, titles and property were to pass to the children of her brother, Sir William Bruce of Newton and Cowden.
Barony passed from sister to brother
1791 – 1807 Sir William Bruce of Newton & Cowden
After his sister Catherine's death, Sir William held the Barony of Clackmannan for his unborn children. His daughter Margaret inherited the Barony, Lands & Castle of Clackmannan on the event of her father's death in 1807. At this time, she was an infant.
Barony passed from father to daughter
1807 – 1849 Margaret Bruce of Clackmannan, Newton & Cowden
Margaret inherited the Barony, Lands & Castle of Clackmannan at approximately 1 year old after her father's death.
Upon her marriage, her husband David, 4th Earl of Airlie in theory became the Baron of Clackmannan, but as he had his own titles, he didn't use this title. Together they had a son, William Henry Bruce Ogilive in 1840, who then inherited the title.
Barony passed from mother to son
1849 - 1889 Capt. Hon. William Henry Bruce Ogilive
Inherited the title from his mother's side of the family. Married Sarah Boyder or Boyden but unfortunately had no heirs. The title then rested at his death on 19th December 1889.
On 14th June 2005 the title of Baron of Clackmannan was once again awarded.
2005 – 2020 Baron Martin O'Neill of Clackmannan
A Labour Member of Parliament from 1979 – 2005, he was created the Baron of Clackmannan by Queen Elizabeth II on 14th June 2005.
He sat as a member of the House of Lords until his death in 2020.