Heritage evening at Ford

FORMER Argyll and Bute archivist Murdo MacDonald led a fascinating event at Stroneskar, Ford.

Young pipers tutored by Rod Buchanan, Kilmartin, marched over the bridge at Clachandhu to give a brilliant atmospheric start to the evening, before Murdo outlined the history of the stone-built arched bridge.

First mooted in 1759 to replace a ford in the river, it was built around 1764 at a final cost of £4,200.

This beautiful bridge still stands on the public road as testimony to the craftsmanship of the stonemasons of that era.

On a beautiful spring evening last Wednesday, the company then moved on to examine the farm steading at Stroneskar.

The stone barn has seen many changes over the years but the original features were still visible. The stable still retains stalls for Clydesdale horses and prize tickets from Poltalloch Show in 1911 and 1920 were still intact on the beams.

The wood-lined bothy, with a lot of its original fittings, also fascinated the crowd and many questions were asked about the buildings and the farm.

A cup of tea was served in Ford Hall, where Sheena McNair had laid out historical documents dating back to the 1590s up to the present, including an account of 3,000 pairs of rabbits being trapped in the winter 1935/36.

The evening raised more than £200 for funds for the maintenance of Glassary, Kilmartin and Ford churches.