Gairloch in North-West Ross-Shire: Its Records, Traditions, Inhabitants, and Natural History, with a Guide to Gairloch and Loch Maree, and a Map and IllustrationsDixon, John H. (John Henry)
History
Gairloch in North-West Ross-Shire: Its Records, Traditions, Inhabitants, and Natural History, with a Guide to Gairloch and Loch Maree, and a Map and Illustrations
Dixon, John H. (John Henry)
Gairloch (Scotland) -- Guidebooks; Gairloch (Scotland) -- History; Ross and Cromarty (Scotland) -- History
1. The Cladh nan Sasunnach, or English burial-ground, near the head of
Loch Maree. It contains twenty-four graves. Some have supposed that it
was the cemetery of the ironworkers, but I incline to the opinion that
the graves are far older than the period of the historic ironworks (Part
I., chap. xviii.). I recommend this burial-ground to the investigation
of antiquaries.
2. The burial-place in Isle Maree so thoroughly described by Dr Arthur
Mitchell (Part II., chap. xi.). Its most interesting gravestones are
those beneath which the unfortunate Norwegian prince and his bride are
sleeping.
3. The mounds to be seen on Fraoch Eilean, in Gairloch, mark the graves
of the M'Leods slain by the heroes of Leac nan Saighead (Part I., chap.
xii.).
4. The Gairloch churchyard is now overcrowded with graves. In it are the
chapel or burial-place where lie some of the older lairds of Gairloch,
and the tombstone of John Hay, described in Part I., chap. xviii. There
are two unroofed chapels or burial-places. The northern one is that of
the lairds of Gairloch; it contains two flat tombstones, one not
inscribed, the other bearing an illegible inscription. Outside this
chapel is a raised tomb covered with a flat bevelled stone, on which are
the Cabar feidh, the initials K M K and I M K, and the date 1730. In the
other burial-place are several graves, but no monuments or inscriptions;
outside it, on the east wall, are monuments to the Chisholm family. Into
the wall facing south is built a handsomely sculptured stone, with the
text "Timor domini est initium sapientiæ" carved upon it in relief;
below is what looks like a representation of the Cabar feidh, with the
letter A on one side and M K on the other side. The date 1633 is cut
into the stone, in a different character and evidently by a different
hand to that of the original sculptor. If the date were 1638 the stone
would unquestionably be a monument to Alexander (Alastair Breac), fifth
laird of Gairloch; perhaps it may have been in memory of one of his
family. Many of the leading celebrities among the natives of Gairloch in
the days that are gone repose in the churchyard. None of the older
gravestones bear inscriptions. Of modern ones, the monument to William
Ross, the Gairloch bard, is most noticeable.
5. The Inverewe churchyard, where stands the ruined old chapel already
described. A few shapeless stones are the only antiquities beyond those
connected with the little church.
6. The churchyard or burial-place at Culinellan, near Kenlochewe, to
which the same remark applies.
7. The churchyard at Sand of Udrigil already referred to. It contains
nothing except the ruins of the old chapel which can interest the
archæologist.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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