Scotland welcomes millions of visitors each year, many of them of Scots descent returning to discover their roots.
Here, we present ten places that all members of Clan Macpherson should visit before they die.
1. Loch Ness
The Clan Chattan was founded by Gillicattan Mor Mac Gillespic, who settled on the east side of Loch Ness. His grandson, Duncan was known as the Parson and it was from him that the name Macpherson came.
2. Newton Castle, Blairgowrie
The home of the Macpherson clan chiefs for six generations, nobody knows the exact age of the castle, but it is thought that the main part of the building dates from 1550 or earlier. The castle was built with a main rectangular tower of three storeys, with a square stair-tower at the south-east angle and a round tower at the north-west.
3. Dalchully House
A bolt hole in the house’s east wing provided another hiding place for Ewan of the ’45, but when Colonel Munro, who was charged with hunting Ewan down, arrived at the house to search it, he caught Ewan outside. As the two men had never met, Ewan calmly held the Colonel’s horse while his soldiers searched the house. He was rewarded with a penny for his trouble.
4. Cluny’s Cave
This remote cave, high on the crags of Craig Dubh between Loch Ericht and Glen Spean provided a hiding place for Ewan Macpherson of Cluny following the massacre of the Jacobite army at the Battle of Culloden in 1745. As his home was looted and razed to the ground, Cluny survived here for part of the nine long years that he spent in hiding before escaping to France.
5. Cluny Castle
Situated just outside Newtonmore, the castle was a stronghold of the Macpherson Clan. The original castle dated from the 14th century but was burned to the ground by the Duke of Cumberland following the Jacobite rebellion of 1745. The castle which now stands on the site was built in the 19th century.
6. Pitman House, near Kingussie
Held by the Macphersons from the 14th century, the present building is part of the Highland Folk Museum, which is Britain’s first open-air museum. The collections held there mainly reflect the social and rural way of life of the Scottish Highlands from the 1700s up to the mid-1900s.
7. Invernhavon
In 1370 the Battle of Invernahavon took place southwest of Newtonmore where the River Spey meets the River Truim. The dispute was between the Chattan Confederation (Mackintoshes, Davidsons and Macphersons) and the Clan Cameron. The Macphersons wanted to take the right wing in battle but this honour was given to the Davidsons resulting in the Macphersons leaving the battle and defeat for the confederation. Soon after, the Macphersons changed their minds and rejoined the Chattan confederation, attacking the Camerons with such vigour that they turned defeat into victory.
8. Clan Macpherson Cairn
This memorial cairn is situated just outside Newtonmore and was built of stones contributed by clan members from around the world. The cairn looks over Upper Strathspey toward Laggan. The plaque on the cairn reads the clan motto ‘Touch not the Cat but a Glove’ and commemorates the life of Ewan Macpherson of Cluny, Chief of the Clan Macpherson from 1746-1764.
9. The Clan Macpherson Museum, Newtonmore
Opened in 1952, The Clan Macpherson Museum has grown in size and now boasts a substantial collection of clan artefacts. Laid out in chronological order, the museum gives visitors the chance to take a journey through Macpherson clan history.
10. Ballindalloch Castle
The home of the Macpherson-Grants since 1546 is situated on the banks of the River Avon in Banffshire, this family home was also a veritable fortress to protect against clan feuds. The castle and gardens are now open to the public and house a distillery and golf course.
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