Clan Hall is a clan of

Norman Norman or Normans may refer to: Ethnic and cultural identity * The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 10th and 11th centuries ** People or things connected with the Norm ...

descent. The clan has no position under Scots law as contrary to modern myth they were not Scots, nor considered themselves as such, and have no chief recognised by the Court of the Lord Lyon.

History

Scottish history indicates that the name "Hall", is a Norman surname. The name Hall, was found in

Lincolnshire Lincolnshire (abbreviated Lincs.) is a county in the East Midlands of England, with a long coastline on the North Sea to the east. It borders Norfolk to the south-east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south-west, Leicestershire ...

, England where they were granted lands after the

Norman Conquest The Norman Conquest (or the Conquest) was the 11th-century invasion and occupation of England by an army made up of thousands of Norman, Breton, Flemish, and French troops, all led by the Duke of Normandy, later styled William the Conque ...

in 1066. Upon entering England, the Halls were actually members of the Fitz William family, they being settled in Greatford Hall in Lincolnshire, and being directly descended from Wentworth,

Earl FitzWilliam Earl Fitzwilliam (or FitzWilliam) was a title in both the Peerage of Ireland and the Peerage of Great Britain held by the head of the Fitzwilliam family (later Wentworth-Fitzwilliam). History The Fitzwilliams acquired extensive holdings in the ...

. The younger son of this noble house, Arthur FitzWilliam, was called 'Hall', to distinguish him from his senior brother. Arthur Hall would be the first on record about the year 1090. The line continued in Lincolnshire, and intermarried with the Crispins, and the

Earls of Chester The Earldom of Chester was one of the most powerful earldoms in medieval England, extending principally over the counties of Cheshire and Flintshire. Since 1301 the title has generally been granted to heirs apparent to the English throne, and ...

. In

Cheshire Cheshire ( ) is a ceremonial and historic county in North West England, bordered by Wales to the west, Merseyside and Greater Manchester to the north, Derbyshire to the east, and Staffordshire and Shropshire to the south. Cheshire's county t ...

England, the Halls were a cadet branch of the Kingsley Halls of that county. By 1340, the name had moved northward at the invitation of Earl David of Huntingdon, later to become King

David II of Scotland David II (5 March 1324 – 22 February 1371) was King of Scots from 1329 until his death in 1371. Upon the death of his father, Robert the Bruce, David succeeded to the throne at the age of five, and was crowned at Scone in November 1331, becom ...

. In Scotland, they were granted lands in

Berwickshire Berwickshire ( gd, Siorrachd Bhearaig) is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area in south-eastern Scotland, on the English border. Berwickshire County Council existed from 1890 until 1975, when the area became part of th ...

, specifically the lands of Glenryg in the barony of

Lesmahagow Lesmahagow ( ; sco, Lismahagie or ''Lesmahagae'', gd, Lios MoChuda) is a small town in the historic county of Lanarkshire on the edge of moorland, near Lanark in the central belt of Scotland. Lesmahagow was also a civil parish. It lies west o ...

. The first Hall of Fulbar in

Renfrewshire Renfrewshire () ( sco, Renfrewshire; gd, Siorrachd Rinn Friù) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. Located in the west central Lowlands, it is one of three council areas contained within the boundaries of the historic county of Renfr ...

was Thomas Hall, surgeon, who for his faithful service obtained from King Robert II a grant of land in the tenement of Staneley, barony of Renfrewshire, in 1370. Adam Hall, ancestor to the laird of Fulbar was at

Battle of Flodden The Battle of Flodden, Flodden Field, or occasionally Branxton, (Brainston Moor) was a battle fought on 9 September 1513 during the War of the League of Cambrai between the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland, resulting in an English ...

in 1513.A general history of Scotland. vol.4. by William Guthrie. p. 373 The direct line of Hall of Fulbar ceased in 1550.

Border Reivers

The Halls were one of the sixty major riding families of the

Scottish Marches Scottish Marches was the term used for the Anglo-Scottish border during the late medieval and early modern eras, characterised by violence and cross-border raids. The Scottish Marches era came to an end during the first decade of the 17th century ...

and were involved in reiving as other border clans were. During one of the 'Day of Truce' occasions, a Robert Spragon 'fyled' a complaint against two Halls that had rustled 120 sheep. As with all Reiving families, they would consider themselves loyal to neither the English or the Scots, the family name holding allegiance over all else. As recounted in the song " The Death of Parcy Reed", the Hall's betray and stand idly by as the Laird of Troughend, Parcy Reed is murdered by the Crosier Clan. A betrayal that was to add to their reputation as one of the most notorious of families, and lead to their downfall whereupon they were forced to leave the Marches.

Traditional Homes of Clan Hall

The traditional homes of the Halls were at

Redesdale Redesdale is a valley in western Northumberland, England. It is formed by the River Rede, which rises in the Cheviots and flows down to join the North Tyne at Redesmouth. Redesdale is traversed by the A68 trunk road, which enters Scotland vi ...

, East

Teviotdale Roxburghshire or the County of Roxburgh ( gd, Siorrachd Rosbroig) is a historic county and registration county in the Southern Uplands of Scotland. It borders Dumfriesshire to the west, Selkirkshire and Midlothian to the north-west, and Berw ...

, and

Liddesdale Liddesdale, the valley of the Liddel Water, in the Roxburghshire, County of Roxburgh, southern Scotland, extends in a south-westerly direction from the vicinity of Peel Fell to the River Esk, Dumfries and Galloway, River Esk, a distance of . The ...

. Other Halls lived in Aynstrother; Glenryg, in the barony of Lesmahagow; Garvald; Irvide;

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

; Sancharmvr, in Preswick; and

Perth Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...

Battle of Otterburn

The village of

Otterburn, Northumberland Otterburn is a small village in Northumberland, England, northwest of Newcastle upon Tyne on the banks of the River Rede, near the confluence of the Otter Burn, from which the village derives its name. It lies within the Cheviot Hills about fr ...

, known for the famous battle and border ballad of the same name, contains an old

Pele tower Peel towers (also spelt pele) are small fortified keeps or tower houses, built along the English and Scottish borders in the Scottish Marches and North of England, mainly between the mid-14th century and about 1600. They were free-standing ...

that was owned at one time by the Umfravilles. The property passed into the possession of the Hall family. A Hall by the name of '

Mad Jack Hall 'Mad' Jack Hall (John Hall; also known as Crazy Jack Hall) (1672 – 13 July 1716) was an English Jacobite leader and property owner and a Justice of Peace in Northumberland. He was a member of Clan Hall, a Scottish clan of Norman descent a ...

' lived at Otterburn Hall, now a Hotel, and was also hanged, drawn and quartered at

Tyburn Tyburn was a manor (estate) in the county of Middlesex, one of two which were served by the parish of Marylebone. The parish, probably therefore also the manor, was bounded by Roman roads to the west (modern Edgware Road) and south (modern Ox ...

for his participation in the 1715 Jacobite Rebellion.

17th century

By 1600, many branches had developed in England and Scotland:

Lord Llanover Benjamin Hall, 1st Baron Llanover (8 November 1802 – 27 April 1867), known as Sir Benjamin Hall between 1838 and 1859, was a Welsh civil engineer and politician. The famous "Big Ben" may have been named for him. Background Hall was a son o ...

, Sir John Hall, Bishop Hall of

Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...

, Bishop Hall of Wearmouth, and at the same time, continuing their interest and seats at

Skelton Castle Skelton Castle can refer to either a ruined medieval castle or an 18th-century Gothic style country house that replaced it. The site of both buildings is the village of Skelton, in North Yorkshire, England. The house is Grade I listed. Castle T ...

, Yorkshire, Greatford Hall in Lincolnshire, and Gravell House in

Middlesex Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a Historic counties of England, historic county in South East England, southeast England. Its area is almost entirely within the wider urbanised area of London and mostly within the Ceremonial counties of ...

. Notable amongst the family at this time was Hall of

Clan Hall Society

Clan Hall Society was founded in Pikeville, KY. in August, 1993 with 23 charter members. Atlas D. Hall, FSA Scot, was the first President and served until his death in November, 2006. From the original membership it has grown and membership extends throughout the United States. They have a registered tartan Hall 2092. The Society emblem is a talbot head over 3 cranes. The motto is "Per Ardua ad Alta" meaning "Through difficulties to Heaven". The Society invites members of the families of Hall, Halle, Haule, Haul, Hal, DeAule, Haw, Crispin, Collingwood, Fitzwilliam and others interested in Border Reiver history.

References

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External links

Clan HallClan Hall Society
Scoto-Norman clans

Hall In architecture, a hall is a relatively large space enclosed by a roof and walls. In the Iron Age and early Middle Ages in northern Europe, a mead hall was where a lord and his retainers ate and also slept. Later in the Middle Ages, the gr ...