Descriptive Gazetteer Entry for Invergarry

Invergarry, an estate, with a hamlet, a ruined castle, and a modern mansion, in Kilmonivaig parish, Inverness-shire. The hamlet lies near the NW shore of Loch Oich and the N bank of the confluent Garry, 7½ miles SW of Fort Augustus; at it are a post office, with money order, savings' bank, and telegraph departments, a branch of the Caledonian Bank, a hotel, and a public school. Close to the loch, and 1¾ mile SSW of the hamlet, is a monument, erected in 1812 by Colonel Macdonell, the last chief of the clan Macdonell, to commemorate the 'ample and summary vengeance' inflicted about 1661 on the seven murderers of the two young Macdonalds of Keppoch. It consists of a small pyramid, with seven sculptured heads; and the spring beneath it is called Tober-nan-Ceanu ('well of the heads'). The ruined castle, ½ mile S of the hamlet, stands on a rock, called 'Creag-an-fitheach,' or 'Rock of the Raven,' whence the Macdonells took their slogan or war-cry. Long the seat of the chiefs of the clan Macdonell, it twice was visited by Prince Charles Edward-on 26 Aug. 1745 (just a week after the gathering in Glenfinnan), and again on 17 April 1746 (the day after Culloden). Then he found it all but deserted, and slept on the bare floor: and a few days later it was burned by the ` Butcher Cumberland. It was an oblong five-story structure. with projections. The modern mansion, 3 furlongs NNE of the castle, is a handsome edifice, erected in 1868-69 from designs by the late David Bryce, R.S.A. See Glengarry.—Ord. Sur., sh. 63, 1873.


(F.H. Groome, Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland (1882-4); © 2004 Gazetteer for Scotland)

Linked entities:
Feature Description: "an estate, with a hamlet, a ruined castle, and a modern mansion"   (ADL Feature Type: "land parcels")
Administrative units: Kilmonivaig ScoP       Inverness Shire ScoCnty
Place: Invergarry

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