Stone water spout and family crest on the rear of the Altyre Stables

Thank you - it is a lovely old building, awash in the family's coats of arms. The Cummings claim descent from Richard Cumyn, a Norman noble whose descendants migrated into Scotland, from England in the reign of David I, 1124-53. William de Comyn received a grant of land in Roxburgh and in 1133 he was appointed Chancellor of Scotland by David I. A later descendant, William married the heiress , Marjory, Countess of Buchan in 1210 and became Earl of Buchan. His son became Earl of Menteith and acquired the Lordship of Badenoch by grant of Alexander II. His nephew , John known as "Red Comyn" was the father of "Black Comyn" who was one of the six guardians of Scotland during the minority of the Maid of Norway and later became a competitor for the Crown of Scotland. He married Marjory, sister of John Baliol and their son John was also known as "Red Comyn". John followed Baliol in the struggle against King Robert the Bruce and was killed by the King's followers in the church of the minorities in Dumfries in 1306. From then on the power of the Cummings declined and they never again regained that power. Their estates were forfeited and the main line died out with John, son of John, the "Red Comyn" in 1325. The Comyns of Altyre became the chiefs of the clan and through the 19th century marrying the Gordons of Gordonstoun this name became Gordon-Cumming.