Archibald Macdonald's Unachan croft

[Clianaig]

Hi. My Great Great Grandfather Archibald Macdonald son of Donald the Grieve of Clianaig was granted a Gordon lease on Croft 13 Unachan in 1835. In 1838 he built  a house - a so called 'white house'.
My Great Grandfather - Alexander, left the croft in 1865, leaving his elder brother Donald - later known in Lochaber as Donald Mor Stood - working the croft.
Does anyone know the location of this croft please? I believe that it is/was in the Highbridge area near to John MacGillivantic Macdonald's  ( the Bard of Highbridge) fields.
I will be spending a few days in Spean Bridge this June and would like to try and visit the croft.
Thank you. Kevin.

[Neale1961]

Is this your family in 1851 at Unachan?
https://www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/5a14ccdcf4040b9d6ed0b91b/alex-mcdonald-1851-inverness-shire-kilmonivaig-1803-?locale=en

“Unachan” as described in the ordance survey 1876-78 ...
Applied to a number of Crofts situated on the north and south side of the Turnpike Road leading from Spean Bridge to Fort William the property of Lord Abinger

Link to maps
https://maps.nls.uk/view/74427159 (top right)

https://scotlandsplaces.gov.uk/record/nls/2214/ordnance-survey-six-inch-to-the-mile-inverness-shire-mainland-sheet-cxxvi/OS6Inch

[Clianaig]

Hi Neale,
Thank you for your reply. I don't think that that is my family. My Great Great Grandfather Archibald of Highbridge (1809-29/11/87) married Ann MacArthur of Achluachrach the daughter of Donald the Weaver. they had 10 children - Donald 1839-1916 unmarried, Alexander 1840-6/4/19049 (my Great Grandfather), Bella ( Isabel)1843, Mary 1845, Jessie, Archie, John, Angus, Margaret, Jane.
Is the turnpike road you mention the now A82 or is it the old Wade Military Road from Highbridge to Fort William?
The croft lease was authorised by the Earl of Aboyane. The rent was £5 per year, and allowed the keeping of no more than 3 cows and 1 horse.
All the best, Kevin.

[Neale1961]

Is the turnpike road you mention the now A82 or is it the old Wade Military Road from Highbridge to Fort William?

It is the A82.  Comparing the old map (as posted in the link) to a modern map, Old Unachan would be around the area of the golf course down to Caberfeidh Cottage.

[Neale1961]

From the information you supplied, this will be your family in 1841 in Unachan
https://www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/5a14c80af4040b9d6ecad1cd/alexr-mcdonald-1841-inverness-shire-kilmonivaig-1841-?locale=en

In the 1851 census the family is recorded living in Auchnahanate, which is the next settlement on from Unachan
https://www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/5a14ccdcf4040b9d6ed0b952/archd-mcdonald-1851-inverness-shire-kilmonivaig-1811-?locale=en

From the 1876 Ordance survey
“Auchnahanate a number of small dwelling houses one storey, thatched, and in middling repair; property of Lord Abinger Torlundy Castle”

It is on this map, previously posted.
https://maps.nls.uk/view/74427159

I suspect your ancestors may have lived on the edge of both localities, hence being recorded as one or the other in the census.
From looking at google maps, I think the old Auchnahanate is on the northern side of the A82 , about 1.5 miles from Spean Bridge. When you visit, I think you would be looking for that area, after the golf course and opposite Caberfeidh Cottage, but before Achnabobane farmhouse and Leanachan Lodge. On the Highbridge / northern side of the A82.
Good luck with your search.

[Clianaig]

Hi Neale,
Thank you for your detailed reply - much appreciated.
My Uncle Colin visited John MacGillivantic after the war and was told that the family croft lay across the end of his back field but I don't know where that was and my Uncle has since passed on.

Could you kindly let me know where I could find out where my Great Great Grandfather, Archibald, was buried? I had thought that he might lay with his ancestors at Cille Choirill ( a place that I intend visiting) but as I understand that this is an ancient burial ground that seems unlikely.
Thank you for all your help.
All the best,
Kevin.

[MonicaL]

Hi Kevin

A section here on John MacDonald, Bard of Highbridge:

14-03-2011   JOHN THE BARD OF HIGHBRIDGE

....More than thirty recordings of John McDonald, the Lochaber Bard from High Bridge near Spean Bridge, can be heard on the new website Tobar an Dualchais launched on December 9th 2010.

Recorded by Calum Maclean for the School of Scottish Studies in the 1950s they give an indication of how prolific John was as a storyteller and poet.

John was born at High Bridge in 1876, near Spean Bridge in the Highlands, the third eldest of 11 children.

John’s father, James (Seumas Ruadh) was a stonemason and crofter and had travelled throughout Lochaber with his work. On his travels he learned place names and stories relating to every part of the landscape, and passed this knowledge on to his son John.....

www.macdonaldofkeppoch.org.uk/news.php

Monica

[MonicaL]

Not sure if you have come across:

Letters from the Highlands; or, The famine of 1847.
Author:Somers, Robert, 1822-1891

There is mention there of the crofts at Unachan (just use your find and search for 'unachan'). A clip:

Unachan, which is the most extensive and the most modern
group of crofts, is divided into twenty-five allotments, of about
five acres each. These allotments are occupied by twenty-three
heads of families, two of whom hold two crofts each. Each croft...

A little hard reading due to how it is digitised, see https://archive.org/stream/lettersfromhigh00somegoog/lettersfromhigh00somegoog_djvu.txt

Not sure how complete it is here:
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=UPA98njl1NUC&pg=PA143&source=gbs_toc_r&cad=3#v=onepage&q&f=false

Added:See from the near bottom of page 133 on the above link on google books for the relevant section on Unachan.

You can buy it or maybe check for inter local library lending options.

Monica

[MonicaL]

See this collection of images of Cille Choirill (I have been there and so very worth visiting) www.flickr.com/photos/doffcocker/albums/72157627928569233

Whilst a historic RC graveyard, there have been later burials. Not sure when the latest interment took place nor know who are the custodians of the burial registers. Can't see it on the list on Scotlands People RC burial register database (only St Margaret's at Roybridge seems to be there).

Where did Archibald die and when?

Monica