No sign of monument movement
Glenfinnan Monument is not going anywhere soon according to Lochaber Local History Society, writes Fiona Scott.
The latest six-monthly survey conducted by the National Trust for Scotland (NTS), found there had been ‘no significant movement’ of the column that supports the lone Highlander overlooking Loch Shiel. Survey kit was put in place in 2016 when NTS invested £170,000 in restoring and preserving the monument which has a visible lean measuring just under a foot (11 inches/27cms) from vertical.
Just before lockdown, a survey to monitor structural movement and measure its current lean took place.
‘Thankfully, the news is positive. There has been no significant movement in the last six months,’ commented a Lochaber Local History Society spokesperson.
The surveys are conducted by measuring laser points placed at the top and bottom of the 60 foot/18m high tower with readings taken between these and fixed ground reference points in the surrounding area. ‘While the monument remains stable, the misalignment is likely to be caused by the sandy soil at the foot of Loch Shiel, where it stands,’ added the spokesperson.
‘When it was built in 1815, it was attached to a small ‘bothy’ building which perhaps added extra support.
‘Glenfinnan has been here for 205 years and we don’t think it is going anywhere soon, but will continue to keep an eye on things.’
Framed by spectacular Highland scenery at the head of Loch Shiel, the Glenfinnan Monument is a striking tribute to those who fought in the Jacobite Risings.
Less than a year before the Battle of Culloden, Prince Charles Edward Stuart raised his father’s Standard at Glenfinnan, marking the start of the 1745 Jacobite campaign. An army of 1,500 rallied to join Bonnie Prince Charlie. They marched as far south as Derby before the retreat that would seal their fate began.
The monument was built at Loch Shiel in 1815, with the lone, kilted Highlander at the top providing a poignant reminder of the clansmen who gave their lives to the Jacobite cause.