Wardlaw Mausoleum On Outlander Visit To Kirkhill Near Inverness Highlands Scotland

Tour Scotland travel video clip, with Scottish music, of Wardlaw Mausoleum on Outlander visit to Kirkhill near Inverness in the Highlands. In the Outlander books by Diana Gabaldon, and TV series, the main character, Jamie Fraser, is a grandson of Simon the Fox. The mausoleum is in Wardlaw Graveyard, and it was built in 1634 as the burial place of the Lovat Frasers on the end of the original parish church. The building was remodelled in 1722 by Simon Lord Lovat, the Old Fox of the 1745 Jacobite rebellion. It is believed he was later buried in the crypt here after being beheaded at the Tower of London in 1747, in England, for his part in the rebellion. Simon raised the roof, changing the thatched roof to slates, added the belfry and erected the monument to his father Thomas Fraser, Lord Lovat, who is buried at Dunvegan on the Isle of Skye. The monument is made of coade stone, a manufactured material, and features the Lovat Fraser crest. This contains the 3 crowns for the day Simon The Patriot Fraser saved the life of King Robert the Bruce. It also has white strawberry flowers to recall the French origins of the family. Strawberry in French is fraise, which evolved into Fraser. The crypt, accessed by a hatch in the floor, contains 6 lead coffins of Lovat family members. Simon the Fox is against the wall on the left next to his son, General Simon. He raised the 78th Fraser Highlanders to fight in Canada and the 71st Fraser Highlanders for the American Revolutionary War. Across the back is his brother Archibald who succeeded him, last of the original line. On the right are Archibald’s wife Jane and 2 of their children. The Lovats stopped using the building in the early 19th century when the Strichen family became the Chiefs of the Lovat Frasers. They built St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church at Eskadale, 9 miles west of Kirkhill. It is still used for their burials today. The mausoleum fell into disrepair and was rescued by local people. The surname Fraser was first found in Tweedale, Peebles-shire, where Sir Simon Frasee held part of the lands of Keith. There is a record of Symon Fraser giving the church of Keith to the Abbey of Kelso in 1160. Early records include Gilbert Fraser, who witnessed a charter by Walter Olifard in 1210. A later Sir Simon known as " the Scottish Patriot " was a supporter of Sir William Wallace in the struggle for independence. Spelling variations of this family name include: Frazer, Fraser, Frasher, Frisell, Frasee, Frazie, Frazier, Friselle, Fresser, Friser, Fryssar, Fressell, Fresal, Fresale, Frichell, Fraysser, Fresall, Fresle, Fresill, Fressair, Fraisser and many more Diana Gabaldon and members of the TV series cast have visited the mausoleum, as have many of the fan groups. They are always welcome. All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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