Black Morrow

Black Morrow's severed head appears on the crest badge of Clan MacLellan.

Black Morrow, also known as Black Murray, is the name given to a bandit whom according to tradition was killed by a MacLellan near Kirkcudbright in Galloway, Scotland in a wood of that name just outside the present burgh boundary.[1] There are several different versions of the story, in which the slain bandit is variously described as a Gypsy, a Moor[2] or more commonly, an Irishman.[3] [4] [5] The stories may be explanations for the Moor's head that appears on the crest of the Arms of Lord Kirkcudbright, and in consequence the modern crest badge used by Clan MacLellan.[6] The blazon for which is a naked arm supporting on the point of a sword, a moor's head.[7]

Story

According to one tradition he and his followers occupied Clan MacLellan lands. He was killed by Sir William Mclellan when discovered in a drunken sleep, allowing the MacLellans to regain control of their land. Another version states that a £50 reward was offered for his capture or death and that MacLellan bought the land with the reward.[8] In an elaborate version of the story MacLellan deliberately replaced spring-water in a well with spirits in order to get Black Morrow drunk. The location of the spring in woodland is now known as Black Morrow Wood.[9][10] Another version of the story states that King James offered the barony of Bomby as a reward for the "capture or death of the fierce rover, Black Morrow, who came from Ireland and is terrorising the lands of Kirkcudbright". MacLellan is said to have gathered his followers and murdered Black Morrow and carried his head to the King. The King had forgotten his promise, and MacLellan bade him "Think On", which is now the motto of the Clan MacLellan.

Racial identity

The name "Black Morrow" is assumed to derive from the term "Blackamoor" referring to the Moors of North Africa and Spain.[8] As the date of the incident is not specified in the earliest surviving accounts it is not possible to know whether this implies that Black Morrow was an actual Moor or whether the name was intended to refer to his swarthy skin or barbarous reputation, perhaps analogous to "Black Douglas".[11] Some accounts refer to him as "Irish" and others as a "gypsy".

Some writers in the 19th century attempted to use the story as evidence of native racial diversity in Britain. David MacRitchie argued that Black Morrow was probably a gypsy, but claimed that the gypsies were not immigrants but ancient Britons from a primeval dark-skinned race.[8][12]

See also

References

  1. ↑ OS
  2. ↑ The Crest of the Lord Kirkcudbright
  3. ↑ http://www.araltas.com/features/clelland/
  4. ↑ http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mymcclellandfamily/descendants_of_sir_william_m.htm
  5. ↑ The history of Galloway: from the earliest period to the present time, by William Mackenzie
  6. ↑ "MacLellan". MyClan (www.myclan.com). Archived from the original on 2007-03-19. Retrieved 2008-09-06.
  7. ↑ "Mac Lellan". (www.celticstudio.com). Retrieved 22 August 2008.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 David Macritchie, Scottish Gypsies Under the Stewarts, Kessinger Publishing, 2003 reprint, p.24
  9. ↑ Kirkudbright
  10. ↑ The Death of Black Morrow inTales of Galloway by Alan Temperley, London 1979
  11. ↑ Francis James Child, The English and Scottish Popular Ballads, Courier Dover Publications, 1898,2003 reprint, p. 189
  12. ↑ David MacRitchie, Ancient and Modern Britons: Volume One, Preston, 1893 (1993 reprint), p.81