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LOCAL INDEX Location Official Web Site
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"Inverlair" Farm near Fort William, Scotland (Taken in 1990) |
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Inverlair-REFERENCES and Links:
LOCHABER District: Includes -
Inverlochy Castle:
INVERLAIR: / INBHIR LAIRE:
"Confluence of the Lair." Located near Tulloch in Glen Spean. From: Clan Cameron Reference Guide
(Inverlair Lodge lies about one mile west of Tulloch station, and half a mile south of the A68.)
Roy Bridge, Tulloch, Inverlair in Lochaber District & Corrour (in another district) were all part of extensive lands held by the Macdonells of Keppoch.
Reference to "Allan Macdonell of Collachie (Culachy) and Alexander Macdonell of Aberchalder… Macdonells of Glengarry and Keppoch all were a part of Clan Donald"
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TIMELINE FOR INVERLAIR ESTATE & FARM - Select Date for references. Select URL reference, Right Click and select "search in browser". |
1663: - Keppoch Murder Reprisals:
"The conspirators expected an avenging party to come from Glengarry, and kept a sharp look out upon the castle from a little bothy on the summit of one of the hills of the southern range.
But Ian Lom skillfully outwitted them, and brought the little party of Islesmen up the valley of the Spean to Inverlair, where they surprised the father and six sons in bed.
The sons were instantly dragged out and slain and the house set on fire. The heads were cut of and carried back to Glengarry where they were washed in what is now known as 'The well of seven heads', the bodies were buried behind the house and a cairn built to mark the location."
In "Mountain, Moor and Loch" a slightly different story is told of the Keppoch murders.
"In 1663, two boys, Alexander and Ranald McDonell. who were educated in France, returned and invited their 7 cousins to a feast. The cousins resented their education and inheritance and killed them.
Ian Lom went to Lord McDonnell and was given permission, along with 50 men to revenge the killings. He returned to Keppoch House (which was in Roy Bridge) and killed the seven, taking their heads to Glengarry and washing them in the well (now know as the well of seven heads)."
EARLY HISTORY of Lochaber District and "Inverlair"(18th Century)
1767: There is a map of Inverlair Township at Archives of Scotland. ( I am in the process of getting a copy of this map from the National Archives of Scotland.)
1791-99: Alexander Campbell, deputizing for his nephew Captain McDonell - the Duke of Gordon's factor - experimented with changes to the practices, rents and system of farming. At that time he reported there were 38 sub-tenants on the 4 farms.
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Clianaig & Monessi |
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Achnacoichean |
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Inverlair |
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Added Note: He consulted with Alexander McNab of Lochaber, who basically told him he was wasting his time in trying.
1799: Captain McDonell returned from military service in Malta. He was told by Campbell that the Duke of Gordon, rather than evicting his sub-tenants, reduced their rents to a quarter of what they were. This, he said, was to reduce the financial load so they could work their farms more effectively. The increase in productivity more than compensated the Laird for the lost rents.
19th CENTURY HISTORY
1834: The house (Inverlair Estate) was purchased by John Walker of Crawfordton (as a part of the purchase of Corrour Estates and Loch Trieg Estates from the 5th Duke of Gordon.
"It was bought, along with Corrour, as part of the Duke of Gordon's Loch Treig estates by John Walker of Crawfordton in 1834."
Acreage - Corrour = 52,000, Loch Trieg = unknown, Inverlair = 21,000
1836: The 5th Duke of Gordon, the previous owner, died
1843-1854: The great potato famine affected the highlands. Unlike what happened in Ireland, the government sailed ships up the coast with food supplies.
1846: Andrew & Catherine Allan & Family moved to Inverlair Farm
1846-1851: Children on Inverlair Farm were home schooled by a live in Tutor.
1847: Queen Victoria visited Lochaber with her husband and 2 children. She travelled on her yacht and disembarked at Fort William and riding in a carriage along Glenspean to 'Ardverikie' on Loch Laggan. She stayed there for a month of much rain and gales. - (see Andrew's letters and "Queen Victoria's Visit)
1851: Kilmonvaig Census - Apart from the Allans there was another family - that of the Game Keeper, a housekeeper, Groom, Tutor, 2 shepherds. There could have been others. (see 1851 Census records)
1851: Richard Allan left for Australia on the "Thetis".
1854: David Allan left for Australia on the "Oliver Lang".
1857: Colonel John Walker died and his son Colonel Sir George Gustavus Walker (1830-97) inherited his estates.
"The mid-19th century growth in the popularity and accessibility of Highland field sports (the de-restriction of game hunting which had previously been limited to the landowner and his first-born son) led to the construction of a shooting lodge and income from the lease of sporting rights. Walker made Old Corrour Lodge habitable, built a new lodge at Inverlair sheltered by European larch..."
1860: Inverlair Lodge (center section) was extended for use as a Hunting Lodge.
Andrew & Catherine Allan left Inverlair for Australia on the "Lord Raglan".
1880: Inverlair Lodge (left section) was extended
1887: Fisheries Board considered use of fish ladders around Mousserie (Munessie) and Inverlair Falls to aid salmon migration. The report stated that at the time "Colonel Walker owned both sides of the Spean between the two falls."
1890: (published) Colonel Walker of Inverlair Estate - 71,000 acres
1893: Inverlair was purchased by Lord Arbinger, as a part of a large purchase, for rental as deer stalkers and Grouse hunters. At that time Inverlair had 1800 sheep on 21,000 acres. But only 86 acres of arable land.
1894: The "Western Highlands Railway" was completed. It's route included a station at Inverlair (which is now Tulloch Station).
Mallaig - Fort William - Spean Bridge - Roy Bridge - Inverlair (Tulloch) - Corrour … Glasgow ...
1895: The factor for Lord Arbinger appeared before a House of Commons commission to defend rental increases? for both sub-tenants and hunters on his estates - including Inverlair. ( 24 farms on 3 Estates (Inverlair, Loch Trieg & Inch. Not clear - it may have included others)
1923: Inverlair had not been changed to Tulloch station.
1934: Hydro-Electric Plant/s dammed Loch Laggan and harnessed the Spean.
The river was tamed and no longer mighty as it had been.
1939-45: Inverlair House was used by the Army during World War II as a holding facility for Secret Agents deemed unsuitable for active duty but with too much classified information to send home. It is understood that they continued to be trained so they would not be aware of their "prisoner" status. It later inspired the hit TV show The Prisoner."
There are claims that Rudolph Hess was imprisoned at Inverlair for a short time after being shot down over Scotland. This account is refuted by others.
1957: R.F. McKenzie
"He was appointed headmaster of Braehead Secondary School in 1957, and is at present engaged on an educational venture at Inverlair in Lochaber, where pupils will take part in forestry, soil reclamation, mountaineering and skiing."
1960s: The education authorities took it over (Inverlair), and were going to use it for rehabilitation of problem boys - what would now be called an "outward bound" school. Some dispute the stated purpose and maintain "Inverlair" was a voluntary base for students wanting to experience the outdoors. It's location within 15 mile of Britain's highest peak, " Ben Nevis", and surrounding foothills would be a prime attraction.
From below referenced visit by Isa & Alison Allan - "Various plumbing and electrical installations were done, but the project fell through."
This opinion is not held by a Mr. Rob. Graham who emailed me in 2007. He stated " In my teens and 20's,.. I was involved with the school project to use Inverlair as an Outward Bound Centre in the 60's... There must have been 20-30 rooms, it had been used for accommodation of deerstalkers at one stage."
1967 (until 2008) (new entry - needs confirmation as to accuracy)
Inverlair House is owner by Mr. Richard Sidgwick. He was a manager for an aluminium company, Alcoa, that owned all the land that was previously Inverlair & Loch Trieg. A tunnel was drilled from Loch Trieg to Fort William to supply the smelter with water.
1969: Isa & Alison Allan visited Inverlair leased by a Mr Shaw. They also spoke with a previous tenant- Mr. Campbell who lived in Tulloch.
1990: Chris. Allan visited - The land around 'Inverlair House' was still Farm Land (see photo at top of this page)
2007: Report of Archialogical discovery of the Township of Inverlair (locally known as 'An Loin'), in census of 1851 as Achanancoichim
2008: Inverlair House is placed on the market again - Asking price 1.1 Million pounds. It is sold by Mr. Sidgwick to Mr. ???.
2009: Proposal to replace Inverlair Bridge across the Spean, on Loch Trieg Road and straighten approach.
2011: I (webmaster-Geoffrey Allan) visited Inverlair. The above work has been completed with a new metal bridge in place.
I met with the current Manager, Sandy Walker, and was put in touch with Mr. Sidgwick. I am interested in leaning more of Inverlair's history and in clarifying what is currently posted.
INVERLAIR TODAY:
From Satellite images it appears that most of the estate is afforested. The Spean River is no longer the spectacular glen it once was, having been dammed further upstream for Hydro-Electricity. Loch Trieg likewise has been used for similar purposes, a tunnel runs under part of Inverlair Estate.
Loch Trieg and Corrour are popular locations for hiking and biking and Inverlair has become a access point to the mountains to the west of Loch Trieg.
(Search Inverlair, or Loch Trieg, and hiking)
(Search Inverlair, or Loch Trieg, and photos)
"The road was followed for about a mile towards Roy Bridge, and the Spean crossed by a bridge. A track leads from here through Inverlair... (and up into the mountains)"
"Inverlair it-self is a very small hamlet a mile or so off the main road from Spean Bridge to Newtonmore."
Visit to "Inverlair, Scotland by Isa and Alison Allan August 8, 1969