Old Photograph Balnakeil Scotland

Old photograph of Balnakeil located one mile North West of Durness, Northern Sutherland, Scotland. Balnakeil house, which dates from 1744 is built on the site of a monastery that served the church of Balnakeil. It was was built by the Clan Mackay chiefs.

Clan Mackay is an ancient and once-powerful Scottish clan from the far North of the Scottish Highlands, but with roots in the old kingdom of Moray. They supported Robert the Bruce during the Wars of Scottish Independence in the 14th century. In the centuries that followed they were anti Jacobite. The territory of the Clan Mackay consisted of the parishes of Farr, Tongue, Durness and Eddrachillis, and was known as Strathnaver, in the north west of the county of Sutherland. However, it was not until 1829 that Strathnaver was considered part of Sutherland when the chief sold his lands to the Earls of Sutherland and the Highland Clearances then had dire consequences for the clan. In the 17th century the Mackay chief's territory had extended to the east to include the parish of Reay in the west of the neighbouring county of Caithness. The chief of the clan is Lord Reay and the lands of Strathnaver later became known as the Reay Country.



All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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