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1st Laird: William Venator (William The Hunter)
William was from Normandy and was named at the inquisition of King David I of Scotland (ca 1116)
with Hugh de Morville and other men of rank or importance.
2nd Laird: Norman Venator (Hunter the Norman)
Received Grant of Land from King Malcolm IV of Scotland.
3rd Laird: Venator (The Hunter)
Named in charters of King Alexander II
4th Laird: John Huntar
Witness to a Deed of 1233 as Jon Deo Venator (Glasgow Church Records)
5th Laird: Ardneil (Arnele) Hunter
Ardneil Bay extends from West Kilbride towards Portencross on the South-Side of the Hunterston Peninsula.
This land was originally in the possession of the Hunter Family.
6th Laird: Norman Huntar
Dates Uncertain
7th Laird: The Huntar
Dates Uncertain
8th Laird: Aylmere Le Huntar (Del Counte de Are (of the County of Ayr))
Aylmere was one of the Magnates Scottiae who, like the majority of those of Norman descent settled in
Ayrshire, signed the noted submission to King Edward I of England, known as the RAGMAN ROLLS. These documents referred to the question of succession to the Scottish Crown, between King Edward and Balliol. It was signed in Berwick-on-Tweed on 28th August 1296. (More details can be found in the Hunterston Library.)
9th Laird: Huntar, Son of Aylmere
Dates Uncertain
10th Laird: William Huntar
William Huntar of Ardneil was granted a Crown Charter of Campbelton by King Robert II of Scotland on 2nd May 1374. This
Document is still in the possession of the family. The name of his son is unknown but his grandsons were William (12) and John. Died 1436.
11th Laird: Huntar
Dates Uncertain
2 children:
12th Laird: William Huntar
Grandson of William, the 10th Laird. William is the next Laird on record. He paid 11 years 'Blench ferme'
which is accounted for in the Exchequer Roll for 1447. The next remaining charter in the possession of the family concerns
the transfer of land at Highlees (near Dalry) to William Hunter from Andrew Lyn of that Ilk, for services rendered,
dated last day of February 1452. William was hereditary keeper of the Royal Forest of Little Cumbrae in 1453
13th Laird: Archibald Huntar
Laird of Ardneil-Huntar and Campbelton. He took over the Estate in 1456. He married Margaret Kerr on the 14th June 1462. His uncle John retained the title of hereditary forester. He died in 1487.
14th Laird: John Huntar of Ardneil and Hunterstoune
Married Margaret, daughter of John, 2nd Lord Cathcart, on the 13th June 1505. He produced the Charter granted to his ancestor,
before the Court of Justices in Ayr, showing that his lands were held in Blench of the Crown on payment for one silver penny and
was exonerated from all claims. John was killed at the Battle of Flodden on the 9th of September 1513 in the service of the Crown of Scotland.
15th Laird: Robert Huntar of Huntarstoune
A minor when his father fell, he inherited on 6th May 1515. He married Janet, (known as Lady Huntarstoune), daughter of John Montgomerie.
Robert sold a large amount of Hunter Land in Forfar and other distant parts of Scotland and bought more land in Ayrshire, near to the main Estate.
In 1542 he was granted a license by King James 5th permitting his absence from the Wars, 'he being' weak and tender of complexion and troubled
withsickness and infirmity.' He died in 1546. There are a large number of papers in the possession of the family, in connection with the land transfers.
16th Laird: Kentigern (Mungo) Huntar
Married to Marion, daughter of James Hamilton, of Torrance, Co.Lanark. He was present with 'our sovereign ladys army at Dumbarton on the 11th of July 1545, at the seige of the Castle.' Mungo died at the faith and peace of Queen Mary under her standard at the Battle of Pinkie 10th of September 1547. Mungo's brother-in-law, John Crawford, was killed with him. Mungo had two sons, Robert and John. Marion continued to live at Hunterston for 48 years.
17th Laird:Robert Huntar
An infant at his father's death, Robert inherited in 1548. He was one of the Ayrshire gentlemen who defended the reformed religion in September 1562. He married Margaret, daughter of Thomas Crawford. They had 4 daughters and 1 son, he died in 1580
18th Laird: Robert Hunter
A minor under the charge of his uncle John in 1580. He inherited in 1609. He died in 1616 leaving no children and settled
the Estate on the husband of his niece, Jean Cunningham.
19th Laird: Patrick Hunter
Laird and co-heir on marrying Jean Cunningham (her mother was Robert Hunter's sister). They had three sons:
Robert, Henry & Francis, and two daughters. A large part of farm-land was sold that was distant from Hunterston
to consolidate the Estate. Patrick died in 1665 aged 74.
20th Laird: Robert Hunter
Robert entered Glasgow University in July 1627. He married twice, first to Elizabeth Crawford in 1635 and second to Marion Cunningham in 1649. He had five children by his first wife: Patrick, Robert, James, Hugh & Jean.
(James had a son Robert who was Governor of Virginia and New York from 1709-1719)
21st Laird: Patrick Hunter
His title was ratified by King William III in 1698. He died in 1699.
Having married Marion Cuningham of Longmuir in 1662 they bore seven children:
Patrick, Henry, John, Dorothea, Marion, Anne & Margaret.
22nd Laird: Patrick Hunter
Unfortunately Patrick alienated a considerable portion of the Estate. It is thought to have been caused by huge gambling debts. He married Marion Crawford.
23rd Laird: Robert Hunter
Best described as a "True Scottish Baron of the genuine age of Baronage". He died in 1796 aged 86.
24th Laird: Eleonora Hunter
She inherited in 1796 and married her cousin, who assumed the surname of Hunter. Born in 1764 and married in 1796, she died in 1851 leaving 7 children.
25th Laird: Robert Caldwell Hunter
Born in 1799, Robert was the eldest son and he continued with the good work started by his father. He enlarged the new house, which had been built in the Georgian style, and drained large areas of marshland on the Estate to create some of the finest arable farming land in the West of Britain. Unfortunately he died in 1880 leaving 2 daughters.
26th Laird: Jane Hunter
Elder daughter and co-heir, Lady Justice of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem. Married in 1863, she was the 2nd wife of Gould.
27th Laird: Aylmer Gould Hunter-Weston (KCB, DSO, JP, DL, MP)
General Sir Aylmer had a most distinguished army and political career. He married Grace Strang-Steel from Selkirkshire in 1905. He was born in 1864 but died in 1940 leaving no children.
28th Laird: Eleonora Hunter
She was born in December 1899 as Kennedy-Cochran-Patrick. She took over the Estate after General Hunter-Weston died in 1940 and assumed the hereditary title of Hunter of Hunterston. She lived and farmed at Hunterston most of her life and handed over the estate to her nephew, Neil in 1969. She unfortunately died in January 1984.
29th Laird: Neil Aylmer Hunter
Born 1926 as Cochran-Patrick. He matriculated the Arms of Hunter of Hunterston in 1970, becoming the 29th Laird, and
inheriting the title of Hereditary Forester from his Aunt. He unfortunately died in 1994.
Present and 30th Laird: Madam Pauline Hunter
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