Ten places members of Clan MacMillan should visit

Scotland boasts a number of outstanding tourist attractions that appeal to many.

There are also other sites that have a deeper meaning for those who are descended from the ancient clans, such as Clan MacMillan.

Led by Gordon MacMillan, the Macmillans have a long and proud history, and here we present 10 sites that its members will want to visit.

Castle Sween

Although originally built by Clan Sweeney, it was Clan MacMillan who took control from 1362. From here, the MacMillans were given the lands of Knap and they controlled the area until Clan Campbell took over in the late 16th century. Apart from the MacMillans’ link with the castle, be sure to visit in the knowledge that you are visiting Scotland’s oldest castle that can be ‘safely dated with confidence’. The original wooden design may have disappeared, but the stone towers that were added around the time of the MacMillans still stand.

Skipness Castle

The MacMillans were also Lords of Dunmore and resided at Skipness Castle for nearly 200 years in the 16th and 17th centuries. Located just south of Tarbert, a visit to this Castle could be incorporated into a day-trip to Castle Sween and Kilmory Knap Chapel for those die-hard Clan MacMillan fans.

Dunkeld

The Clan’s ancestor, Cormac mac Airbertaich (also great-great grandson of King MacBeth) was Bishop of Dunkeld between 1116 and 1132. If you were to visit the area now, you would be able to take a good look around the grand Dunkeld Cathedral, construction for which started in 1260.

Castle Urquhart

Not far from Culloden, Castle Urquhart was the home of Clan MacMillan of Lochaber in the 18th century. Situated on the banks of Loch Ness, a trip here will give you the opportunity not just to learn about the brief visit of the MacMillans, but also of the importance of this castle during Robert the Bruce’s battle to keep Scotland independent from England.

Kilmory Knap Chapel

Less than three miles from Castle Sween is one of the Clan’s most important sites where one of only two memorials to the Clan stand. Among the ruins of the Chapel, you will find the Alexander MacMillan Cross, an object described as one of the bestsurviving examples of Celtic art. The Cross depicts Chief Alexander of Knap out hunting on the banks of Loch Sween and it takes centre-place in the middle of what remains of Kilmory Knap Chapel.

The Glenkens of Galloway

The MacMillans of Brockloch were chiefs of a branch in Galloway who can be traced back to the 1500s. To visit the area today, you would be a fool not to take advantage of the natural beauty of the Glenkens, which combine well with the history. With a host of quiet villages housing small hotels to stay in, walking tours are recommended to visit various ruins and memorials that scatter the area.

Bannockburn

When Robert the Bruce fled to the Highlands, it was Clan MacMillan who sheltered him. Following this, the Chief’s brother, Gilbert, stayed close with the King as he prepared for the next battle and at the Battle of Bannockburn, close to Stirling Castle, Gilbert led a large number of MacMillans into the conflict. With a state of the art visitor centre, run by the National Trust for Scotland, it is a must-see visitor attraction not just for Clan MacMillan followers, but for anyone with an interest in Scottish history.

Culloden

Although the MacMillans were never actually noted as being a Jacobite Clan, tradition states that there were two MacMillan Clan members who carried the Chief of Clan Cameron of Lochiel from where he fell at the Battle of Culloden. A number of MacMillan Clan members are also known to have fought in this battle and were strong supporters of the Jacobite cause. With a recently
refurbished visitor centre, you can now discover more than ever about the battle that lasted an hour, including the impact of the MacMillans.

Finlaystone

Built in the 14th century, this ancient estate is the home of current Chief of the MacMillan Clan, George Gordon MacMillan and has been in the family for six generations. The building itself has been restored a number of times and even today Chief MacMillan spends a lot of his time tending to the wood and gardens that surround this country house. Clan MacMillan members are always known to be given a great welcome at the house.

Inverlochy Castle

Here, the MacMillans of Murlagen and Glen Pean were Chiefs of the castle for more than 300 years. Nearby to the castle, at Loch Arkaig, Prince Charles Edward Stuart, or Bonnie Prince Charlie as he is more commonly known, made his last stand, with the MacMillans once more by his side. Make sure that you search for the old Inverlochy Castle, as a 19th century castle/hotel now shares the same name.