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Clan MacIntyre had a very close relationship with their ancestral lands and the stunning Scottish countryside that they called home. Come along with us to explore a few sites of significance for Clan MacIntyre, learn the fascinating roles they played in the family’s history, and discover how you could visit them yourself, to walk in the path of your ancient ancestors!
Discover the Sites of Clan MacIntyre
Ben Cruachan
The first MacIntyre site we’d like to take you to is the inspiration for the clan’s intimidating war cry, ‘Cruachan!’. This refers to Ben Cruachan, a towering mountain that stands in the heart of the clan’s ancestral homeland. This cry would have worked to bring the clansmen together and strengthen resolve in battle, by evoking a clear image of what they were fighting for: to protect their sacred territory. Some also believe that it was intended to remind the men to stand strong and tall, just like the mountain itself.
Ben Cruachan rises to a massive 1,126 metres, making it the highest mountain in Argyll and Bute. It is also widely considered the most impressive Munro in the Southern Highlands. It attracts particularly adventurous climbers, or munro baggers, due to the challenging conditions it offers. The route boasts rocky ridges and sections that require intrepid visitors to scramble across the granite. The whole circuit usually takes around 7 to 9 hours to complete and climbers who reach the top are rewarded with amazing views of Loch Awe, the peaks of Glen Etive and Glencoe, and even the distant outline of Ben Nevis.
While the rugged natural landscape of Ben Cruachan is undeniably impressive, what lays beyond the surface is arguably even more spectacular! Known as the ‘hollow mountain,’ its expansive interior is home to a massive hydroelectric power station.
Sir Edward McColl, an engineer from Dumbarton, came up with the idea for Cruachan Power Station in the 1930s and it was eventually opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth on the 15th of October 1965. It was the first reversible pumped storage hydro system on this scale in the world! In 2020, this iconic site was used as a filming location for the Star Wars series Andor, being used to portray the Imperial facility on the planet Aldhani.
The station is open to the public and has an excellent visitor centre which tells the story of the mountain and explains the importance of the power station in generating on demand electricity for Scotland.
Whether you are a keen climber, a Star Wars fan, or simply want to see the stunning mountain that inspired the great Clan MacIntyre, we’d recommend a trip!
Ardchattan Priory
Our next MacIntyre site for today holds a particularly special spot in clan history, as it serves as the resting place for the very first recorded chief of Clan MacIntyre.
Set on the shores of Loch Etive, in the heartland of MacIntyre territory, Ardchattan Priory was established by Duncan MacDougall in around 1230 to house a community of Valliscaulian monks, an order known for their very strict way of life. However, he may not have been motivated strictly by spirituality. Duncan likely thought that he could gain favour with King Alexander II of Scotland by building this home for the Valliscaulians, as the King was known for supporting the group.
Ardchattan flourished over the following centuries, and was even expanded in the 15th and 16th centuries to extend the monks’ choir and add a new refectory, reflecting the religion’s increasing influence in the area.
Clan MacDougall controlled the Priory successfully until 1506, when the last MacDougall prior, Eugenius MacDougall, was deposed. After this, Ardchattan entered into a period of decline, and by 1538 only 6 monks remained. By the time of the Scottish Reformation in 1560, this number had fallen to just 3.
In 1602, Archibald Campbell bought Ardchattan, and transformed it into a private house, ending its long reign as a place of worship. While it remains a family home today, the ruins of the chapel and graveyard, as well as the beautiful gardens, are maintained by Historic Environment Scotland, and are open for the public to visit.
If you ever find yourself in the area, paying a visit to the resting place of the very first MacIntyre chief would be the perfect way to connect with this mighty clan.
Sorn Castle
Our final MacIntyre site for today is unusual in that it was acquired by the family in the 20th century.
Sorn Castle is thought to have been built sometime between 1380 and 1409, and would have originally had a fairly basic keep structure. It was owned by Clan Keith of Galston until 1580, when it was purchased by the 2nd Earl of Winton, who added a dining room and made the castle more of a comfortable and ornate home. This attracted some prestigious visitors, with King James VI supposedly staying at the castle in 1598.
After this, Sorn went through a period of unrest, and was run as a garrison, before it ended up in the hands of Clan Campbell. In 1700, Sir Hugh Campbell married Margaret Dalrymple, a sophisticated courtier. Margaret set to work tending the neglected gardens of Sorn, creating much of the layout that is still seen today. She had an enviably elegant style, and introduced various foreign plants and trees into the expansive lands.
In 1782, William Tennent of Poole bought the castle, and quickly began work to modernise and improve the building, adding an enormous inner hall with 2 sweeping staircases, one for ascending and one for descending!
He also commissioned a glamorous drawing room, with a detailed ceiling, large bay window, and silk wall panels. In 1865, the architect David Bryce was hired to design a large stable courtyard, an arched gatehouse, and to improve the battlements of the castle to make them look more impressive.
Clan MacIntyre acquired the much enhanced Sorn in 1907, when Thomas W. McIntyre purchased the land. While the castle was already strikingly stylish, McIntyre was determined to make his mark, adding a double aspect billiards room, and starting a huge project to remodel the front of the building. His most significant act, however, was installing a turbine generator, making Sorn one of the very first private homes in Scotland to have electricity! McIntyre was so proud of this achievement that he designed all the light fittings, including several ornate chandeliers. to have bulbs clearly on display.
Today, Sorn Castle, complete with the maintained original Edwardian chandeliers, still belongs to the McIntyre family and is available to rent as a wedding venue!
We hope you have enjoyed this exploration of significant MacIntyre sites. To learn more about this fascinating family, head to our Clan MacIntyre page, and be sure to keep an eye out for the rest of our upcoming MacIntyre content this month!
Image Sources:
Ben Crauchan looks almost Tolkienesque in the view from Beinn a' Chochuill by Graham Lewis - Ben Cruachan, CC BY 2.0
A brief visit to Ardchattan Priory (g) by Basher Eyre, CC BY-SA 2.0
Sorn Castle by Gordon Brown, CC BY-SA 2.0
