Lambroughton - Legend of Friskin and Malcolm Canmore

Legend of Friskin and Malcolm Canmore

One version of the story is given by Robert Cunnighame in 1740. In his manuscript, entitled the Right Honorable the Earl of Glencairn's family, MacBeth murders his cousin, King Duncan I and the king's son, Malcolm Canmore (Great chief, long neck or 'big head' in Gaelic) tries to reach temporary safe refuge in his castle of Corsehill (also Crosshill) outside Stewarton.

MacBeth's men were almost upon Malcolm when he sees a peasant, Friskin (or Friskine), turning hay in a barn nearby. Friskin hides Malcolm who then escapes to England with Friskin as a retainer. King Harthacanute of England and Norway gave them protection. When Harthacanute died, his successor King Edward the Confessor gave Malcolm an army which permitted him to conquer Scotland and kill King MacBeth at the Battle of Lumphanan in 1057. The grateful King Malcolm III (1031 to 1093) gave Friskine the thanedom or Baillery of Cunninghame and the family took this name, together with the motto of 'Over fork over' which they retain to this day (Robertson 1908). It is also said that the Cunninghames were 'Masters of the king's horses' and that they took their motto from this position in the 'punning way' which is typical of the armorial bearings and mottos of many an aristocratic family.

In another version of the story, it is stated by Frederick van Bassen who was a learned Norwegian, that the saviour of Malcolm was actually a Malcolm, son of Friskin, however in other respects the story is the same.

This story does not fit with the historical record, however it is of ancient origin and a grain of truth must in some way relate it to real events. The lands given to the family would have included the tenement of Lambroughton.

Friskin or Freskin is a Fleming name and many Flemings were granted lands in Scotland in the ealry days of feudalism, such as Freskin who was granted land in Moray, and founded the families of Murray and Sutherland.