The Arms of Viscount Oxfuird
Noel Cox
originally published in (Winter 2000) 75 New Zealand Armorist 4-5
The Right Honourable Sir (John) Donald (Alexander Arthur) Makgill, 12th Viscount of Oxfuird (peerage of Scotland 1651), 12th Lord Macgill of Cousland (Scotland 1651) and 12th Baronet (of Scotland and Nova Scotia 1627), was born 1899, the eldest son of Sir George Makgill, Bt (de jure 11th Viscount). He was for some years a resident in New Zealand Lord Oxfuird's claim to the family titles was established in 1977. He died in 1986.
Lord Oxfuird's heir, now the 13th viscount, lives in the United Kingdom, as did his lordship in later life. The current viscount, a nephew of Sir Donald, was educated at St Peter's School, Cambridge, and Wanganui Collegiate School.
The first viscount was a Lord of Session in 1629, one of the judges of the Scottish Court of Session, or High Court. He was a member of the Scottish Parliament from 1630, and of the Committee of the Estates in 1651. He was again a Lord of Sessions from 1661.
The title of Viscount Oxfuird was in abeyance since the death of the second viscount in 1705. Although the family was not extinct, no one individual could claim the exclusive right to it until 1977. Donald Makgill succeeded his father in the right to the title in 1926, though it was not until over fifty years later that he was able to persuade the Committee of Privileges of the House of Lords to admit his claim to the viscountcy. It was thereupon called out of abeyance, and Viscount Oxfuird took his seat in the House of Lords as twelfth Viscount Oxfuird
The armorial bearings of Viscount Oxfuird are Gules three martlets Argent.
The supporters are dexter, a horse at liberty Argent gorged with a viscount's coronet and thereto affixed a chain, maned and hooved Or. The sinister suporter is a bull Sable, hooved unguled, collared and chained Or. A horse at liberty is rampant, and chained, but the chain is unloosed. A bull with hooves ungules has hooves of a tincture of a different colour than the body, in this case Or on a Sable body.
The crest is a phoenix in flames Proper. In view of the revival of the title in 1977 this is a singularly appropriate crest. The motto is Sine Fine.