The Sites of Clan MacLennan

Clan MacLennan are an ancient and powerful family who have made an indelible mark on Scotland. We find that exploring a clan’s lands is one of the best ways to get to know them better, and gain a deeper understanding of their history, so join us as we visit a few of the most significant Clan MacLennan sites!

The majestic Eilean Donan Castle, which stands on a small tidal island at the meeting point of Loch Duich, Loch Long, and Loch Alsh, holds an important place in MacLennan history.

Donan itself is thought to have been named after Saint Donan, an Irish missionary who supposedly set up a small religious community on the island during the late 6th or early 7th century. 

The first castle to stand on the site was constructed in the early 13th century and was intended to strengthen Scotland's western defences against Viking influence and to protect the lands of Kintail. Its location made it strategically valuable, as it controlled the sea routes of the western Highlands. 

During the late medieval period, it became closely associated with the MacKenzie chiefs of Kintail, with Clan MacRae serving as the hereditary constables of the castle from 1511 onwards. Clan MacLennan also began a long-standing connection with Eilean Donan, with tradition recording that members of the clan acted as official custodians of the castle, serving alongside the MacKenzies and the MacRaes in protecting the stronghold and safeguarding the lands of Kintail.

Eilean Donan Castle seen from the south by Chris H Munro

Like many Highland castles, Eilean Donan was repeatedly caught up in Scotland's turbulent clan politics. It was attacked by Donald Gorm MacDonald in 1539, occupied by Parliamentary forces during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms in the 1650s, and briefly held by Jacobite supporters during the rising of 1715.

Its most dramatic chapter, however, came in 1719 during the Jacobite Rising. 46 Spanish Jacobite soldiers garrisoned the castle, while waiting for reinforcements to arrive from Spain. The English Government got word of this, and sent 3 warships, the Flamborough, the Worcester, and the Enterprise, to bombard the forces in the castle. This proved to be a difficult task due to the enormity of the castle walls, which in some places were up to 14 feet thick! Eventually, the captain of the Enterprise ship sent his men ashore, and they managed to overwhelm the Spanish soldiers. Following their surrender, the government troops are said to have discovered hundreds of barrels of gunpowder stored within the castle and used them to destroy what remained of the stronghold, leaving the once-powerful fortress a roofless ruin.

For almost two centuries after this, Eilean Donan stood abandoned. Luckily in 1911, Lieutenant Colonel John MacRae-Gilstrap acquired the island and started an ambitious restoration project. Working with architect George Mackie Watson, he spent 20 years rebuilding the castle, completing the reconstruction in 1932. 

Today, Eilean Donan remains a powerful symbol of Clan MacLennan’s heritage and a reminder of their prestigious role as custodians of one of Scotland’s finest castles. It is open to visitors, and boasts a popular visitor centre, café, and gift shop. 

Our next iconic MacLennan site for today is one of Glasgow’s most distinctive architectural landmarks! 

Towering at the Western entrance to Glasgow Green, McLennan Arch is not a clan monument in the traditional sense, but it owes its survival to the generosity of Bailie James McLennan MP, a prominent Glasgow businessman. 

McLennan Arch by Dun_Deagh

The arch originally formed the grand entrance to Glasgow's Assembly Rooms, an elegant Georgian building designed by the celebrated architects Robert and James Adam in the 1790s. After the Assembly Rooms were demolished to make room for a post office, James McLennan donated a large sum of money to preserve the impressive arch. 

At first, it was reconstructed as a standalone archway in Monteith Row in 1892. It was then moved to Greendyke Street, before being moved again to the North entrance of Glasgow Green in 1922, and then finally finding its final home at the Saltmarket entrance in 1991. The monument is inscribed with the date 1893 and the words ‘this arch was presented to his fellow citizens by Bailie James MacLennan J.P.,’ functioning as a reminder of Clan MacLennan’s generosity and admirable civic spirit.

Our final MacLennan site is potentially our favourite! 

Founded around 1230 by Sir John Bisset, Beauly Priory is significant in both Scottish religious history and the origin story of Clan MacLennan. Established for monks of the Valliscaulian Order, one of the smallest and most austere monastic communities in medieval Europe, it was one of only three Valliscaulian houses founded in Scotland, alongside Ardchattan Priory near Oban and Pluscarden Abbey near Elgin. The order followed a strict rule of poverty, chastity and obedience, seeking lives of simplicity and contemplation.

For over 3 centuries, the monks lived, worshipped and worked here until the Scottish Reformation brought monastic life to an end in the 16th century. Today, the impressive ruins still reveal the grandeur of the medieval church, with its cruciform layout, elegant Y-tracery windows dating from the 13th century, and the graceful west front rebuilt by Abbot Robert Reid during the early 1500s.

For Clan MacLennan, Beauly Priory is remembered not only as a religious centre but also as the setting for one of the clan's best-known origin traditions! 

Beauly Priory by Chris Downer

The MacLennan name is ‘Mac Gille Fhinnein’ in Gaelic, meaning ‘son of the follower of St Finnan.’ We can’t be sure of who this mysterious character was, but there are of course several theories. 

One popular belief is that the original name of the clan was actually Logan, and that MacLennan was not adopted until the 15th century. The story goes that a man named Gillegorm Logan led an army towards Inverness to settle a feud against Clan Fraser. Supposedly, Gillegorm was ambushed at Kessock, and the Frasers captured his pregnant wife, intending to kill her child. When he was born, the Frasers had a change of heart, and placed him with the monks at Beauly instead, where he became known as Gille Finnan. When he went on to have sons of his own, it is said that they honoured their father by taking on his name, bringing about the great Clan MacLennan! 

The priory also preserves a later connection with the clan through a memorial commemorating Murdoch Stewart, whose grandfather, Murdoch Murchison, is remembered for leading the MacKenzies, MacRaes and MacLennans in support of the Jacobite cause at the Battle of Culloden in 1746. This monument serves as a lasting reminder that Beauly Priory remained closely connected to the people and clans of the Highlands long after its days as a functioning monastery had ended.

For visitors exploring Clan MacLennan history, Beauly Priory offers a fascinating combination of medieval architecture, Highland history and enduring clan legends.

We hope you have enjoyed exploring these MacLennan sites with us, and now feel a bit closer to this mighty family. 

 

To learn more, head to our Clan MacLennan page for a comprehensive overview of MacLennan's long and winding history, and be sure to keep an eye out for plenty more MacLennan content coming this month! 

Image Sources:

Eilean Donan Castle, seen from the south by Chris H Munro - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0

McLennan Arch in Glasgow by dun_deagh - https://www.flickr.com/photos/dun_deagh/6058112495/, CC BY-SA 2.0

Beauly Priory Founded as 'Monasterium de Bello Loco' by Sir John Bisset of Lovat in c.1230AD by Chris Downer, CC BY-SA 2.0