Lord Kinfauns

**Lord Kinfauns** is a title of nobility and baronial rank held by the Irish _Commane_ family, with genealogy in _Burke’s Peerage_. The lordship was granted in 1487 by King James III of Scots and in 1608 by King James I of Ireland, but was possibly created earlier for Sir Thomas Charteris around 1340.

## History

The title started with Sir Thomas Charteris around 1340, according to legend. He was a Frenchman who moved to Scotland. Stories say he was a pirate before he became a knight. He helped Sir William Wallace and King Robert the Bruce fight for Scotland, earning the title for his bravery.

In 1487, the title was officially recorded in a public record called the Great Seal. The Charteris family held the title for many years. In 1552, Sir John Charteris, the second lord, was killed in a fight with another family.

Another Sir John Charteris, the third lord, refused to give up during an attack in a war involving Mary, Queen of Scots. Quoted in contemporary narrative as:> _“the Queen’s Lieutenant here, the Lord Kinfauns, [who] refused to surrender,”_In the 1600s, Sir George Hay became the sixth Lord Kinfauns and later was also made the Earl of Kinnoull. His son, a military leader also named Sir George Hay, was given his father's less important title of Lord Kinfauns as a courtesy. Alexander Blair Carnegie, the eleventh lord, was taken to court by his wife in the case:> _Lady Kinfauns v. Lord Kinfauns (19 July 1711)_and was found liable for the expense of a journey to Bath that she had undertaken against his wishes.

By the 1700s, the title merged with the Lords Gray. Later, it passed to a cousin and was long held as a subsidiary (less important) title by the Earls of Moray—one of the original seven earldoms of Scotland, known in the 10th century as _mormaers_ (Gaelic for earl). Today, the Commane family holds the title.

## Current lord

The current Lord Kinfauns is Fergus Commane, born in 1953. In the Gaelic nobility of Ireland, he is _The Commane, Chief of Clan Ó Comáin_.

His son, Antoin Commane, is the heir (next in line) to the title. Fergus is the 26th Lord Kinfauns. His wife is Maria, Lady Kinfauns.

Kinfauns is custodian of Killone Abbey and the Holy Well of St John the Baptist, important religious places at Newhall, County Clare, Ireland.

## Seat

_Burke's Peerage_ notes that, in 2025, the family seat is Newhall estate, a historic estate in County Clare, Ireland.

## Kinfauns name

The name Kinfauns comes from the Gaelic words ceann-fauns, meaning _"head of the slope._" This refers to the Sidlaw Hills near the village of Kinfauns in Scotland.

## Duties

The **Lords Kinfauns** were granted by the Crown the hereditary (passed down through family) office of admiralty over the River Tay. This means they protect the river’s fish and stop people from fishing illegally. Long ago, ships on the river would salute (show respect to) Kinfauns Castle as they passed.

## Infobox (nobility title)

- **name**: Lord Kinfauns
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- **image**:
- **creation date**: 5th June 1487
- **monarch**: James_III_of_Scotland, King James III of Scots
- **first holder**: ThomasCharteris, Sir Thomas Charteris, 1st Lord Kinfauns
- **present holder**: #Current_lord, Fergus, 26th Lord Kinfauns
- **heir apparent**: #Current_lord, Antoin Commane
- **subsidiary titles**: _keeper of the hereditary office of admiralty of the Tay, custodian of Killone Abbey and the Holy Well of St John the Baptist, The Commane, Chief of Clan Ó Comáin_
- **status**: extant
- **family seat**: Newhall estate (Ireland)
- **former seat**: Kinfauns Castle (Scotland)
- **motto**: HISTORY MUST PREVAIL
- **crest badge**:


## Infobox (royal styles)

- **image**:
- **dipstyle**: His Lordship
- **offstyle**: My Lord _or_ Your Lordship
- **name**: Lord Kinfauns