The Ferintosh burn was one of our favourite places of play. To stand where Dr Macdonald stood, to speak from his platform - this was something performed with a superstitious fear and awe. How often we heard people speak of what the great Dr Macdonald … Continue reading Spiritual heritage
Gledfield Free Church
Back in May when Hamish and I travelled around the Highlands we passed through Gledfield, the home of my Scottish Ross ancestors. We saw an old church that had no sign outside but which I took to be the Gledfield Free Church. I took a … Continue reading Gledfield Free Church
Greenyards
The last clearance in the Strathcarron was at the end of March, 1854. “… the eviction concerned twenty two families who were the residue of the much greater population which had been cleared in the name of the octogenarian landlord, the notorious Major Robertson of … Continue reading Greenyards
The Wicked Generation
Many streams and rivers run down the eastern fall of the mountains of northern Scotland, the Highlands, as they are called. The valleys they form, though narrow and wild at their heads, spread out into gentler, lusher lands as they approach the east coast, where … Continue reading The Wicked Generation
Witnessing the Strath Oykel Clearance. March 1820.
In the winter of 1819-20, the word went around that the people of Strath Oykel were to be evicted. Snow lay on the ground during that January of 1820, but it was a fertile valley; in the summer the area "was beautiful... a green valley … Continue reading Witnessing the Strath Oykel Clearance. March 1820.
Forgotten tales 