Leny

The Leny Sept (Watt)

Crest: A dexter arm proper, holding up a covered cup or (gold).

Motto: Pro Veritate ( For Truth )

The Sept of Leny (Watt) includes the following surnames: Lennie, MacAldonich, McAldonich, MacRob, McRob, MacWattie, McWattie, MacQuattie, McQuattie, Watt, Wasson, Watters, Waters, Watson.

The Leny family were of considerable antiquity. The Leny line and lands were established years before the Kings charter (mentioned below) by the suggestion of possession of a tooth of St Fillan. St Fillan was the patron saint of mental illnesses and was known to have gone to nearby Killin to work and was widely venerated. He was born around 695 AD, so for the tooth to be in possession of and * used as an insignia or totem by * the Lenys, means they must have had formal organisation centuries before 1227 confirmation.

The fact there are bears on the coat-of-arms suggests an earlier still origin of the Leny Line, as bears are thought to have been extinct in the UK around 450 AD: and many clans would use an animal as a symbol if it was found in the area of the clan people…

Although the name Leny is generally supposed in Scotland to come from the Gaelic Leanaidh meaning "wet meadows" – the symbolic significance of the sword amongst Gilleasbuig Mor's descendants in Scotland suggests that it may in fact derive from Lann or Lainne meaning "the blade of a sword".

The Leny line formally pre-dates the Buchanans by approximately 40 years or so: confirmation of possession of their titles (the first being named Gillesicmvir / Gillespic muir) from King Culen/Cuilean (ruled 967 – 971) by holding a small Silver Sword and a tooth of St Fillan, confirmed by a charter of Alexander II dated 5 October 1227.

The Charter (in favor of Alan and Margaret of Lany of the lands of Lany on the resignation of Margaret) reads:

“To be held and possessed by them and their heirs as freely and quietly as the said Margaret held them before this resignation, by virtue of a little sword which King Culen formerly gave by way of symbol to Gillespie Moir her predecessor”

— Red Book of Menteith, I, p. lxxv

Coat of Arms of the Chief of Lenny: Sable, on chevron between three bears' heads argent, muzzled gules as many cinquefoils of the last.

The 1227 charter is missing but a certified copy is in the Leny muniments at GRH (General Register House), and a statement of this history was made by the then Buchanan of Leny (the heiress having married a Buchanan in 1392).

The small silver sword and tooth are now missing (having been confiscated from Buchanan of Arnprior’s charter chest after the Jacobite uprising), but a drawing made of the sword was published in 1789, and sources can be quoted in the Stirling of Keir and the Mentieth writs, and a report by the Historical Manuscripts Commission, etc. The male line of Leny of Leny having been extinct since approximately 1392, their arms are recorded circa 1672, quartered with Buchanan.

Evidence of this is published in the 1903 edition of the Ordinary of Scottish Arms item 1213 (page 62 of the attached)

From the old lands of Leny in the parish of Callander, Perthshire:

“in a curious document among the Stirling of Keir charters, giving an account of the families of Leny of Leny, and Buchanan of Leny about 1560, the Laird of Leny says of his family: ‘I find in the beginning the Lanyis of that Ilk hes bruikit (possessed) that leving without ony infeftment, except ane litill auld sourd gauin to Gillesiemvir De the King, and ane auld relict callit Sant Fillanis twithe (tooth), quhilk servit thaim for thar chartour quhile (until) Alexander his dayis.’”

— Stirling of Keir charters

According to Buchanan of Auchmar, John de Buchanan married Janet de Lenny in the latter part of the 14th century. John, who married the heiress Lenny, died before his father ever actually inherited the Buchanan estate. He had three sons: the eldest, Sir Alexander who killed the Duke of Clarence at the battle of Bauge. The second was Sir Walter, who succeeded to the estate of Buchanan and the third John who, after his father’s death, succeed to the estate of Lenny. It was at this point that the Cadet family Buchanan of Lenny was formed.

The MacWatties are descended from Walter who was a son of John, Laird of Lenny. This Walter was called Wattie of Callintuy, this being the name of the place of his residence. His son John, following a common custom among Highlanders changed his surname into the patronymical one which was derived from his father’s proper name. That is: John MacWattie, Wattie being the diminutive of Walter. This John MacWattie had nine sons who all had sons; consequently, in a short space of time, the name and its derivatives and variations became quite numerous.

River Lenny (Leny): a river that crosses the Highland Boundary Fault near the Pass of Leny, just north-west of Callander in Stirlingshire. A large tract of land derived its name from the river.

And for some Modern History

Lucy Buchanan, daughter of the Chief of Clan Buchanan, is to be confirmed as The Buchanan of Leny, at the inauguration ceremony in October 2022.

To aid this, The Buchanan has accurately recreated the Little Silver Sword of Leny (from published drawings). More information to come…

Recreation of the Little Sword of Leny; featuring the inscription “Gillespic Moir”, the then head of the Leny of that Ilk

Buchanan of Leny Coat of Arms, circa 1672