Balquhidder
Encyclopedia
Balquhidder is a small village in the Stirling
council area
of Scotland
. It is overlooked by the dramatic mountain terrain of the Braes of Balquhidder, at the head of Loch Voil
. Balquhidder Glen is also popular for fishing, nature watching and walking. The village's railway station is no longer open.
The MacLarens
acquired the district as early as the 9th century and occupied it for several hundred years until forced to share the area by the MacGregors
, a neighbouring clan, who had repeatedly raided their lands, and, in 1558 slew the chief and many of his followers. Balquhidder was the scene of some of the exploits of Rob Roy
, who died there in 1734. The local kirkyard is his final resting place, his grave marked with the appropriately defiant motto
'MacGregor Despite Them'. He lies with the remains of his wife and two sons, the graves marked by three flat stones. One of these is contemporary, but the remaining two are re-used medieval grave monuments.
at the spot where the house "Beannach Aonghais" (Gaelic 'blessing of Angus') now stands and built a stone oratory
at Kirkton
, where he spent the rest of his life. Angus was the first to bring Christianity
to Balquhidder. Behind the present kirk
is Tom nan Angeae, the hill of fire, where until the 19th century hearth fires were renewed at Beltane
and Samhain
to encourage ancient gods to bring warmth to the land. Angus was buried at the foot of this hill and a flagstone
laid over him which stands today in the present church. This stone, formerly in the floor of the medieval church, has a crudely incised figure of a priest holding a chalice. The carving is probably late medieval in date.
There are some foundations of the east end of the small medieval parish church of Balquhidder around the grave of Rob Roy and his family (which seem deliberately to have been buried at the site of its altar). A few metres to the west are the roofless ruins of this building's 17th century seccessor. The present church, built on a new site to the north of the ancient graveyard, is of 19th century date. As well as the slab attributed to St. Angus, the ancient, primitive font, probably of early medieval origin, is preserved in this building. There is a display on the history of Balquhidder in the church, which is open to the public during the summer, when there is also a programme of evening concerts in the building.
Glen Buckie, now a quiet backwater on the south side of Balquhidder Glen was the scene of one of the last acts of the 1745 rising. Dr Archibald "Archie" Cameron
of Locheil had returned to Scotland in the early 1750s hoping to raise support for a possible last-ditch coup against George II
. He was captured in the glen, and was later hanged in London, the last Jacobite
to be executed for treason
.
The Reverend Robert Kirk, who translated parts of the Gaelic Bible
and wrote The Secret Commonwealth, also lived here for several years from 1664.
Stirling (council area)
Stirling is one of the 32 unitary local government council areas of Scotland, and has a population of about 87,000 . It was created under the Local Government etc Act 1994 with the boundaries of the Stirling district of the former Central local government region, and it covers most of the former...
council area
Council Area
A Council Area is one of the areas defined in Schedule 1 of the Local Government etc. Act 1994 and is under the control of one of the local authorities in Scotland created by that Act.-Legislation :1889...
of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. It is overlooked by the dramatic mountain terrain of the Braes of Balquhidder, at the head of Loch Voil
Loch Voil
Loch Voil is a small freshwater loch in Scotland. It is a short, narrow loch approximately 5 km in length, It is separated from Loch Doine by the River Larig and is drained at its northern end by the River Balvaig at Balquhidder. The Loch can be reached by a small single track road from...
. Balquhidder Glen is also popular for fishing, nature watching and walking. The village's railway station is no longer open.
The MacLarens
Clan MacLaren
Clan MacLaren is a Highland Scottish clan.-History:-Origins:The origins of the clan are uncertain, but by tradition the MacLarens are descended from Loarn mac Eirc of Dál Riata, who landed in & settled Argyll in 503 A.D. The clan name is supposedly derived from Lorn ; these variations are all...
acquired the district as early as the 9th century and occupied it for several hundred years until forced to share the area by the MacGregors
Clan MacGregor
Clan Gregor, Clan McGregor, Clan MacGregor or Clan M'Gregor is a Highland Scottish clan. It is the most senior clan of Siol Alpin, translated as referring to King Kenneth I, descending from the ancient Kings of the Picts and Dál Riata...
, a neighbouring clan, who had repeatedly raided their lands, and, in 1558 slew the chief and many of his followers. Balquhidder was the scene of some of the exploits of Rob Roy
Robert Roy MacGregor
Robert Roy MacGregor , usually known simply as Rob Roy or alternately Red MacGregor, was a famous Scottish folk hero and outlaw of the early 18th century, who is sometimes known as the Scottish Robin Hood. Rob Roy is anglicised from the Scottish Gaelic Raibeart Ruadh, or Red Robert...
, who died there in 1734. The local kirkyard is his final resting place, his grave marked with the appropriately defiant motto
Motto
A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
'MacGregor Despite Them'. He lies with the remains of his wife and two sons, the graves marked by three flat stones. One of these is contemporary, but the remaining two are re-used medieval grave monuments.
St. Angus
St Angus came to Balquhidder Glen in the 8th or 9th century and recognised what the Celts called a "thin place" where the boundary between Earth and Heaven was close. He knelt and blessed the glenGlen
A glen is a valley, typically one that is long, deep, and often glacially U-shaped; or one with a watercourse running through such a valley. Whittow defines it as a "Scottish term for a deep valley in the Highlands" that is "narrower than a strath."...
at the spot where the house "Beannach Aonghais" (Gaelic 'blessing of Angus') now stands and built a stone oratory
Oratory (worship)
An oratory is a Christian room for prayer, from the Latin orare, to pray.-Catholic church:In the Roman Catholic Church, an oratory is a structure other than a parish church, set aside by ecclesiastical authority for prayer and the celebration of Mass...
at Kirkton
Kirkton
Kirkton is the name of a number of places:*Kirkton, Ontario, Canada*Kirkton, Livingston, Scotland, United Kingdom*Kirkton, Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom*Kirkton, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, United Kingdom...
, where he spent the rest of his life. Angus was the first to bring Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
to Balquhidder. Behind the present kirk
Kirk
Kirk can mean "church" in general or the Church of Scotland in particular. Many place names and personal names are also derived from it.-Basic meaning and etymology:...
is Tom nan Angeae, the hill of fire, where until the 19th century hearth fires were renewed at Beltane
Beltane
Beltane or Beltaine is the anglicised spelling of Old Irish Beltaine or Beltine , the Gaelic name for either the month of May or the festival that takes place on the first day of May.Bealtaine was historically a Gaelic festival celebrated in Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man.Bealtaine...
and Samhain
Samhain
Samhain is a Gaelic harvest festival held on October 31–November 1. It was linked to festivals held around the same time in other Celtic cultures, and was popularised as the "Celtic New Year" from the late 19th century, following Sir John Rhys and Sir James Frazer...
to encourage ancient gods to bring warmth to the land. Angus was buried at the foot of this hill and a flagstone
Flagstone
Flagstone, is a generic flat stone, usually used for paving slabs or walkways, patios, fences and roofing. It may be used for memorials, headstones, facades and other constructions. The name derives from Middle English flagge meaning turf, perhaps from Old Norse flaga meaning slab.Flagstone is a...
laid over him which stands today in the present church. This stone, formerly in the floor of the medieval church, has a crudely incised figure of a priest holding a chalice. The carving is probably late medieval in date.
There are some foundations of the east end of the small medieval parish church of Balquhidder around the grave of Rob Roy and his family (which seem deliberately to have been buried at the site of its altar). A few metres to the west are the roofless ruins of this building's 17th century seccessor. The present church, built on a new site to the north of the ancient graveyard, is of 19th century date. As well as the slab attributed to St. Angus, the ancient, primitive font, probably of early medieval origin, is preserved in this building. There is a display on the history of Balquhidder in the church, which is open to the public during the summer, when there is also a programme of evening concerts in the building.
Glen Buckie, now a quiet backwater on the south side of Balquhidder Glen was the scene of one of the last acts of the 1745 rising. Dr Archibald "Archie" Cameron
Archibald Cameron of Locheil
Dr Archibald Cameron of Lochiel was a prominent leader in the Jacobite uprising of 1745 and the last Jacobite to be executed for high treason on June 7, 1753.-Before the uprising:...
of Locheil had returned to Scotland in the early 1750s hoping to raise support for a possible last-ditch coup against George II
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
. He was captured in the glen, and was later hanged in London, the last Jacobite
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
to be executed for treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
.
The Reverend Robert Kirk, who translated parts of the Gaelic Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
and wrote The Secret Commonwealth, also lived here for several years from 1664.
Notable people associated with Balquhidder
- Sir James Black, winner of the Nobel Prize in Medicine; his family traced their origins to a dominieDominieDominie is a Scots language and Scottish English term for a Scottish schoolmaster or a minister, usually of the Church of Scotland but sometimes of other presbyterian churches in Scotland...
from the village - James CameronJames CameronJames Francis Cameron is a Canadian-American film director, film producer, screenwriter, editor, environmentalist and inventor...
, the Canadian film director, traces his family origins to the village - David CarnegieDavid Carnegie (entrepreneur)David Carnegie, Sr. was a Scottish entrepreneur who founded D. Carnegie & Co. in Sweden, today known as Carnegie Investment Bank.-See also:*Balquhidder*Sankta Birgittas kapell...
, who funded the construction of Sankta Birgittas kapell in GothenburgGothenburgGothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
, modelled on the Kirk in Balquhidder, where the Carnegies had a home - Sandy LyleSandy LyleAlexander Walter Barr "Sandy" Lyle, MBE is a Scottish professional golfer. Lyle has won two major championships during his career. Along with Nick Faldo and Ian Woosnam, he became one of Britain's top golfers during the 1980s...
, golfer - William Stewart of BaldorranWilliam Stewart of BaldorranSir William Stewart , 2nd Laird of Baldorran, 1st Royal Bailie of the Crown lands of Balquhidder, was a fifteenth century Scottish landowner, and founder of the Balquhidder Stewart clan.-Early life:...
(c1440-c1500), founder of the Balquhidder Stewart clan. - Robert Roy MacGregorRobert Roy MacGregorRobert Roy MacGregor , usually known simply as Rob Roy or alternately Red MacGregor, was a famous Scottish folk hero and outlaw of the early 18th century, who is sometimes known as the Scottish Robin Hood. Rob Roy is anglicised from the Scottish Gaelic Raibeart Ruadh, or Red Robert...
, Scottish patriot.
External links
- Balquhidder Kirk
- http://fotografico.ning.com/photo/scoziamg0693-1?context=album&albumId=3410616%3AAlbum%3A40824
- http://fotografico.ning.com/photo/scoziamg0693-1/next?context=album&albumId=3410616%3AAlbum%3A40824