Clachan, Kintyre

Clachan
West Loch Tarbert from Achadh-Chaorann
Clachan is located in Argyll and Bute
Clachan
Clachan
Location within Argyll and Bute
OS grid referenceNR7656
Council area
CountryScotland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townTarbert
Postcode districtPA29 6
PoliceScotland
FireScottish
AmbulanceScottish
Scottish Parliament
  • Argyll and Bute
List of places
UK
Scotland
55°44′53″N 5°33′47″W / 55.748°N 5.563°W / 55.748; -5.563

Clachan is a small village in North Kintyre, Argyll & Bute, Scotland.[1] Clachan is the site of an old church, which was the principal church for the North Kintyre area. The church is surrounded by carved stone statues of the Chiefs of the Clan Alasdair. Another group of standing stones (the tallest of which is 3.4 metres), and a burial cist, are found to the south of Clachan, near Ballochroy Farm.[2]

In 1971 it had a population of 108.[3]

The last major battle to be fought in Kintyre took place on the steep slopes of Loup Hill in May 1689, when the local forces of MacDonald of Largie, McAlester of Loup and McNeill of Gallichoille, all strong supporters of King James VII, were defeated by a Government force.

Clachan is also the site of Balinakill House. Once the home of Coll McAlester, who led the first large settlement of highlanders in North Carolina at Cross Creek in the Cape Fear River valley in 1739, and later the home of Sir William MacKinnon, the house is now available for hire for various occasions.[4]

  1. ^ Gittings, Bruce; Munro, David. "Clachan". The Gazetteer for Scotland. School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh and The Royal Scottish Geographical Society. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  2. ^ Historic Environment Scotland. "Ballochroy (38960)". Canmore. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  3. ^ "Clachan details". Gazetteer for Scotland. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  4. ^ "Balinakill Country House". Retrieved 13 August 2016.