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Newtonmore
Creag Dhubh and Cluny's Cage
Parish Church at Laggan
Ruthven Barracks

The sides of Creag Dhubh and the site of Cluny's Cage, made famous by Robert Louis Stephenson, in his book, "Kidnapped." It was but one of the many "holes" safe places in which Ewan Macpherson, Cluny of the '45 hid out in for some nine years following the defeat of the Jacobite cause at Culloden.

One tale tells of the the little "Drummer Boy," a young lad of about 10, who was set upon by members of the British Army sent to the Badenoch for the express purpose of capturing "Cluny." The boy was seen carrying some pots containing food and the soldiers were sure that it was for Cluny. They forced the boy to lead them to where Cluny was in hiding. On the way up the mountain, the boy began to talk to the drummer about his drum and that he wanted to grow up to be a drummer. During a pause for rest on the climb, the drummer gave the boy his sticks and he beat on the drum as loud as he could. Of course when they reached the cave, Cluny was long gone.

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Churches in the community at Laggan, where the ancestral home of the chiefs of the clan are to be found, began with the church of St. Kenneth and it's successor in the 11th century, St. Michael. The church was constructed when Queen Margaret came to the throne and a Roman Catholic church was built. The first Post-Reformation church building was constructed of turf.

There are no records to tell exactly how and when the present church was constructed about two hundred years ago. Some would say that it was built by Duncan of the Kiln in celebration of the return of the Cluny estates by the crown to the family in 1784. However communications with the then Duke of Gordon would indicate he had a part in the construction as well.

Rev. Andrew Gallie had written to the factor of the Duke in Badenoch about condition of the turf church adding a rather blatant threat to set the church and therefore the Duke up for ridicule before the entire nation. It worked, because the factor on August 8, 1772 wrote "The Duke is disposed to build a Church for Mr. Gallie."

Things did not move with great speed in the 18th century and Rev. Gallie was long gone before the materials and labor to construct the church arrived in Laggan. It may also have helped that the replacement Pastor was Rev. James Grant a distant relative of the Duke of Gordon.

Estate papers of the time tell something of the story, where Tod, as factor, "Paid John Eason and John Fraser, Undertakers for building the Church of Laggan to Acot of Your Grace's proportion of that work pr. Rect. £95..."

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Click on the picture for more pictures of Ruthven

The son of Robert II used the castle as one of his strongholds and base for his actions that earned him the name of the "Wolf of Badenoch." In the middle of the 15th century the superiority of Badenoch was given by James II to the Earl of Huntly. That overlordship lasted for centuries, first by the Earl of Huntly and by his descendants, the Dukes of Gordon.

Under the Huntlys, Ruthven generally was in the hands of supporters of the Royal House of Scotland and used to defend their policies. The exception happened in 1594 when the Earl of Huntly fell out of favor because of his part in the murder of the Earl of Moray. A punitive expedition was led by the Earl of Argyll into the region. When reaching Ruthven he found it garrisoned by the Macphersons, who repelled Argyll and his men. Argyll then moved on to Glenlivet, where he was defeated by Huntly in a battle there.

Huntly ownership came to an end in 1647 when the castle was captured by Gen. David Leslie and occupied by Argyll's troops. The final destruction of the castle came in 1689 when it was taken by the followers of Dundee. It remained in that condition until 1718 following the Jacobite uprising, when it was rebuilt as a barracks by the Hanoverian Government.

Ruthven became one of the important parts of General Wade's network of roads and forts, who during his period of command in the Highlands from 1724 to 1740 built 240 miles of road and 42 bridges. Ruthven now sat at the crossroads of the road to Fort George near Inverness in the north, Fort Augustus over the Corrieyairack Pass to the west, and overlooking the main road to the south.

The last claim to fame was when it became the site of the last muster of the forces of Bonnie Prince Charlie after their defeat at Culloden. It was here in Macpherson Country that the Jacobite Army regrouped, although defeated they were willing to continue the fray.


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Website Links General Links Books Accommodation Cousins Badenoch Ruthven Tunes	The Spey Valley - Home of Clan Mhuirich Newtonmore Creag Dhubh and Cluny's Cage Parish Church at Laggan Ruthven Barracks The sides of Creag Dhubh and the site of Cluny's Cage, made famous by Robert Louis Stephenson, in his book, "Kidnapped." It was but one of the many "holes" safe places in which Ewan Macpherson, Cluny of the '45 hid out in for some nine years following the defeat of the Jacobite cause at Culloden. One tale tells of the the little "Drummer Boy," a young lad of about 10, who was set upon by members of the British Army sent to the Badenoch for the express purpose of capturing "Cluny." The boy was seen carrying some pots containing food and the soldiers were sure that it was for Cluny. They forced the boy to lead them to where Cluny was in hiding. On the way up the mountain, the boy began to talk to the drummer about his drum and that he wanted to grow up to be a drummer. During a pause for rest on the climb, the drummer gave the boy his sticks and he beat on the drum as loud as he could. Of course when they reached the cave, Cluny was long gone. Return to Badenoch Menu Churches in the community at Laggan, where the ancestral home of the chiefs of the clan are to be found, began with the church of St. Kenneth and it's successor in the 11th century, St. Michael. The church was constructed when Queen Margaret came to the throne and a Roman Catholic church was built. The first Post-Reformation church building was constructed of turf. There are no records to tell exactly how and when the present church was constructed about two hundred years ago. Some would say that it was built by Duncan of the Kiln in celebration of the return of the Cluny estates by the crown to the family in 1784. However communications with the then Duke of Gordon would indicate he had a part in the construction as well. Rev. Andrew Gallie had written to the factor of the Duke in Badenoch about condition of the turf church adding a rather blatant threat to set the church and therefore the Duke up for ridicule before the entire nation. It worked, because the factor on August 8, 1772 wrote "The Duke is disposed to build a Church for Mr. Gallie." Things did not move with great speed in the 18th century and Rev. Gallie was long gone before the materials and labor to construct the church arrived in Laggan. It may also have helped that the replacement Pastor was Rev. James Grant a distant relative of the Duke of Gordon. Estate papers of the time tell something of the story, where Tod, as factor, "Paid John Eason and John Fraser, Undertakers for building the Church of Laggan to Acot of Your Grace's proportion of that work pr. Rect. `£`95..." Return to Badenoch Menu Click on the picture for more pictures of Ruthven The son of Robert II used the castle as one of his strongholds and base for his actions that earned him the name of the "Wolf of Badenoch." In the middle of the 15th century the superiority of Badenoch was given by James II to the Earl of Huntly. That overlordship lasted for centuries, first by the Earl of Huntly and by his descendants, the Dukes of Gordon. Under the Huntlys, Ruthven generally was in the hands of supporters of the Royal House of Scotland and used to defend their policies. The exception happened in 1594 when the Earl of Huntly fell out of favor because of his part in the murder of the Earl of Moray. A punitive expedition was led by the Earl of Argyll into the region. When reaching Ruthven he found it garrisoned by the Macphersons, who repelled Argyll and his men. Argyll then moved on to Glenlivet, where he was defeated by Huntly in a battle there. Huntly ownership came to an end in 1647 when the castle was captured by Gen. David Leslie and occupied by Argyll's troops. The final destruction of the castle came in 1689 when it was taken by the followers of Dundee. It remained in that condition until 1718 following the Jacobite uprising, when it was rebuilt as a barracks by the Hanoverian Government. Ruthven became one of the important parts of General Wade's network of roads and forts, who during his period of command in the Highlands from 1724 to 1740 built 240 miles of road and 42 bridges. Ruthven now sat at the crossroads of the road to Fort George near Inverness in the north, Fort Augustus over the Corrieyairack Pass to the west, and overlooking the main road to the south. The last claim to fame was when it became the site of the last muster of the forces of Bonnie Prince Charlie after their defeat at Culloden. It was here in Macpherson Country that the Jacobite Army regrouped, although defeated they were willing to continue the fray.

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