Lost homes of Highlanders
BACK in 1692, refusing to swear allegiance to William III saw the Macdonald clan massacred by supposed guests at their home in the Glencoe valley of the Highlands, a horrendous occurrence that is said to have inspired the famous ‘Red Wedding’ episode of Game of Thrones. Now, the National Trust for Scotland (NTS), which has been excavating three buried and abandoned settlements in the area since last year, has discovered the site of an inn in the township of Achtriochtan, where one of the escaped Macdonalds is listed as ‘keeper’; a yard for horses and
fragments of glass bottles and ceramic tankards were found nearby.
Discoveries are difficult, due to sheep farming in the lost settlements, but it is hoped that the work will bring to light fresh information about the time leading up to the Highland Clearances.
‘[We want to] bring alive the sights, smells and sounds of the 17th century and remember those who lost their lives in the troubled times that shaped Scotland’s history,’ explains Neil Oliver, president of the NTS. ‘This project will also help us celebrate the resilience of the Highlanders and their way of life, now and for generations to come.’
The NTS is appealing to the public for donations so that a replica of a thatched turf house, using traditional methods and materials wherever possible, can be built. This would enhance the visitor centre at Glencoe, which reopened earlier this year after a £1 million renovation. Some £300,000 is needed.
For more details, visit www.nts. org.uk/campaigns/glencoe; visitors to the iconic valley can also explore the Glencoe Folk Museum and Fort William’s West Highland Museum.