History
Our Lady and St Bean's Church, Marydale was completed, according to the date on the original drainpipes (still in place) in 1866. The architect was Joseph Hansom, also associated with the hansom cab.
The priest, Father Colin Grant lived at Glassburn during the building works, and ‘sold off his cows and some furniture, and all the farm things’ to meet the cost of the buildings, although he could not stretch to a new bell before the Solemn Blessing (12th May, 1868). Colin Grant was consecrated Bishop of Aberdeen in 1889 and died six weeks later. The school, which opened a few years later, was very successful and numbers reduced by the clearances were boosted by Irish immigrants building the hydro-electric dams and the power station in Glen Cannich and Glen Affric.
Christianity in Strathglass & the Foundation of Marydale Church
The first mention of Christianity in the Highlands is Saint Columba’s famous journey up Loch Ness to convert the Pictish king Brude at Inverness, where his miracles in the Name of Jesus overcame the druid priests. On the way to Inverness he encountered the Loch Ness monster, at that time a fierce beast, and by the sign of the Cross tamed it, so that today the monster is very shy and retiring. In a later journey St. Columba administered the first recorded baptisms in Glen Urquhart.
St. Bean and Clachan Comar
St. Bean (also spelt Bain, Beathan, Baithene: pronounced Bãn) was the cousin of St. Columba, succeeding him as Abbot of Iona. He is traditionally supposed to have evangelised Strathglass and gives his name to St. Bean’s spring, which is on the hillside across the road from Clachan Comar, and was till the mid-twentieth century, the drinking supply for Kerrow, the farm to the west of Clachan Comar.
St. Bean and Clachan Comar
St. Bean (also spelt Bain, Beathan, Baithene: pronounced Bãn) was the cousin of St. Columba, succeeding him as Abbot of Iona. He is traditionally supposed to have evangelised Strathglass and gives his name to St. Bean’s spring, which is on the hillside across the road from Clachan Comar, and was till the mid-twentieth century, the drinking supply for Kerrow, the farm to the west of Clachan Comar.
Clach-a-bastaidh
Early records trace the Clach-a-bastaidh, the natural cupstone used for baptisms in the glen since earliest times to Clachan Comar. It is now standing at the entrance of Marydale church.
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Clachan Comar
At the entrance to the ruined chapel at Clachan Comar, on the right side of the doorway is a v-shaped cut in the stone. Local tradition says that a sword thrust aimed as the priest and parishioners were being forcibly evicted from the small church during the clearing of the Glen by the Redcoat soldiers after Culloden, missed and hit the stone instead. The priest escaped across the fields on this occasion.
Clachan Comar was originally known as Kilbeathan, from cil, a monk’s cell, and St. Beathan. Pre-reformation records place it in the parish of Inverness. Traditionally, there has been an annual outdoor Mass held at Clachan Comar, dependant upon the availability of a Priest. |
St Bean's Spring
At the beginning of the twentieth century, coffin bearers arriving at Clachan Comar rested at the place where St. Bean’s spring reached the road. The water of the spring fell into a wooden basin, from which the holy water was obtained to sprinkle the coffins.
Around the time of St Bean's Feast Day, October 26th, pilgrims make their way to the spring.
Around the time of St Bean's Feast Day, October 26th, pilgrims make their way to the spring.
Strathglass ‘Pestered With Popery’ & Knockfin
Many Highlanders retained Catholic practises after the Reformation. In 1579, Thomas Chisholm, laird of Strathglass, was imprisoned for being a Catholic. Around 1670, Father Robert Munro, to be known as The Apostle of Strathglass, was appointed to the Highland mission. In 1699/1700, confirmation was administered in the Highlands for the first time since the Reformation. Two years later the presbytery records ‘Strathglass and ye parish of Commir is so pestered wi’ popery that a total defectione is feared there if not speedily prevented.’
Colin Chisholm of Knockfin, the second son of Alexander Chisholm, laird of Strathglass, was instrumental in opening mission stations at Guisachan (Achad-na-eglaise – church field) and Clachan Comar. At this time, the Clach-a-Bastaidh was placed near the door of the chapel at the Clachan. The holy water stoup from Knockfin is still in use in the porch at Marydale. In 1681 another Mass centre opened at Tomich.
In 1707 Bishop James Gordon confirmed 123 candidates in Strathglass alone, and over 2,000 in the Highlands altogether. By the census of 1709 there were 640 Catholics in Strathglass.
Colin Chisholm of Knockfin, the second son of Alexander Chisholm, laird of Strathglass, was instrumental in opening mission stations at Guisachan (Achad-na-eglaise – church field) and Clachan Comar. At this time, the Clach-a-Bastaidh was placed near the door of the chapel at the Clachan. The holy water stoup from Knockfin is still in use in the porch at Marydale. In 1681 another Mass centre opened at Tomich.
In 1707 Bishop James Gordon confirmed 123 candidates in Strathglass alone, and over 2,000 in the Highlands altogether. By the census of 1709 there were 640 Catholics in Strathglass.
The Jesuit Mission & Fasnakyle
Alexander MacRae S.J. (who founded the church at Dornie) took over the Strathglass mission when Father Munro was captured. By 1714 there were over a hundred Catholic families and Mass was openly celebrated. By 1720 Father MacRae had made 395 further converts in Strathglass alone.
He was joined by a famous triad of Jesuits – John Farquharson and his brother, and Alex Cameron. Father John built the priests’s house and chapel at Fasnakyle. Mass houses were also built at Crochail (?) and Strathfarrar.
Father John, or Maghistair Iain as he was known locally, dressed in kilt and tartan hose to avoid detection and learned to speak Gaelic which was spoken by his parishioners throughout Strathglass. He gathered a fine collection of Gaelic poetry which unfortunately did not survive, some pages were seen to have been used to kindle a fire in the Scots College of Douai, by those who were unaware of their great value.
There is a short story of his altercation with the devil as an ‘old carle, with a noise like a thousand thunders, and spitting fire, flame and smoke’ who dived into the river at Cannich bridge.
After the ’45 and the defeat at Culloden, the penal laws were reinforced. Father John was captured by redcoats at the old meeting house at Balnahoun while celebrating Mass. When his male parishioners moved to kill the soldiers and rescue him, Father John drew a line on the ground and forbade any man to cross it to avoid bloodshed. The women, however, were not held by his instruction and recovered his vestments as he was being led away. He was transported to Hanover, but the Captain of the convict ship smuggled him back to Scotland, virtually on the next tide. He returned to Cannich and the three priests hid up Glen Cannich in a temporary hide at the Brae of Craskie. It was at this time he baptised the locals in the Clach-a-Bastaidh, now at Marydale.
The Farquharson brothers gave themselves up when the Redcoat Captain threatened them with burning every Catholic home in Strathglass: Alex Cameron was captured later. They were sent to a prison ship where Alex Cameron died. After 15 months the brothers were released, Father John later returning as chaplain to his nephew at Balmoral.
Chisholms & Strathglass ‘Nursery Of Priests’
In 1773, the same year that the Jesuits were temporarily suppressed, the emigration from Strathglass to Nova Scotia took place, and from 1803-31 the Highland clearances in Strathglass and Glen Affric. It was at this time that the ‘fair brothers’, John and Aeneas Chisholm were priests in Strathglass, and the ‘fair lady’ Chisholm tried desperately to prevent the clearances in the lets she controlled.
John was priest in Strathglass for 17 years before being made Bishop of the Highland District in 1791: Aeneas succeeded him as Bishop in 1814.
Father Aeneas built a small chapel at Inchullie, for lower Strathglass, which was replaced with a slated chapel at Aigas in 1801: he rebuilt the mission chapel at Fasnakyle on a grander scale. The old cross from Fasnakyle chapel, dated 1780, Leo XIII, was saved and now tops St. Ignatius’ well at Glassburn.
In 1810 he procured a mission room in Inverness, forerunner of today’s St. Mary’s. In 1826, under Father Aeneas’ successors, Eskadale church was built by Lord Lovat. Between 1833-48 another Chisholm, Father Thomas, was appointed to Fasnakyle.
In 1846, Father MacKenzie dubbed Strathglass ‘a nursery of priests.’ In this period, three lists produced names of 25, 17 and 27 priests from Strathglass respectively, the last 27 named being in Canada and Nova Scotia. 5 Bishops came from the Strath – the 2 Vicars Apostolic of the Highland District (the Chisholm brothers): Bishop Alexander MacDonell of Kingston, Ontario: Bishop William Fraser of Arichat, Nova Scotia: and Bishop Aeneas Chisholm of Aberdeen.
Further Reading : A SHORT MEMOIR OF THE MISSION OF STRATHGLASS, Inverness-shire. by Rev. Angus MacKenzie of Eskadale
John was priest in Strathglass for 17 years before being made Bishop of the Highland District in 1791: Aeneas succeeded him as Bishop in 1814.
Father Aeneas built a small chapel at Inchullie, for lower Strathglass, which was replaced with a slated chapel at Aigas in 1801: he rebuilt the mission chapel at Fasnakyle on a grander scale. The old cross from Fasnakyle chapel, dated 1780, Leo XIII, was saved and now tops St. Ignatius’ well at Glassburn.
In 1810 he procured a mission room in Inverness, forerunner of today’s St. Mary’s. In 1826, under Father Aeneas’ successors, Eskadale church was built by Lord Lovat. Between 1833-48 another Chisholm, Father Thomas, was appointed to Fasnakyle.
In 1846, Father MacKenzie dubbed Strathglass ‘a nursery of priests.’ In this period, three lists produced names of 25, 17 and 27 priests from Strathglass respectively, the last 27 named being in Canada and Nova Scotia. 5 Bishops came from the Strath – the 2 Vicars Apostolic of the Highland District (the Chisholm brothers): Bishop Alexander MacDonell of Kingston, Ontario: Bishop William Fraser of Arichat, Nova Scotia: and Bishop Aeneas Chisholm of Aberdeen.
Further Reading : A SHORT MEMOIR OF THE MISSION OF STRATHGLASS, Inverness-shire. by Rev. Angus MacKenzie of Eskadale
Marydale
Marydale was completed, according to the date on the original drainpipes (still in place) in 1866. The architect was Joseph Hansom, also associated with the hansom cab. The priest, Father Colin Grant lived at Glassburn during the building works, and ‘sold off his cows and some furniture, and all the farm things’ to meet the cost of the buildings, although he could not stretch to a new bell before the Solemn Blessing (12th May, 1868). Colin Grant was consecrated Bishop of Aberdeen in 1889 and died six weeks later.
The school, which opened a few years later, was very successful and numbers reduced by the clearances were boosted by Irish immigrants building the hydro-electric dams and the power station in Glen Cannich and Glen Affric.
The school, which opened a few years later, was very successful and numbers reduced by the clearances were boosted by Irish immigrants building the hydro-electric dams and the power station in Glen Cannich and Glen Affric.
