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It was ten years ago that Mary and I went for a drive around the Trossachs during a holiday in Scotland. Passing through Kinghouse we saw a sign pointing towards what looked like a just about passable road saying, "Balquhidder - Rob Roy's Grave". Always on the look out for something interesting, we turned off the main road, and, two miles later, we were parked by the gates to Balquhidder church. And yes, inside the churchyard was a grave purporting to be that of Robert MacGregor between two other graves, one being that of Mary, widow of Rob Roy, and the other of Coll and Robert, sons of Rob Roy. How do I remember all this? I took a photograph, and photographs don't lie, do they. Well, the detail on the ornamental bronze rail round his grave gives his age wrongly as about 70 when he died. He was actually 63. Tradition may be right enough, but all three stones are shown by their carvings, of sword and knot and suchlike emblems of Celtic art, to be centuries older than the outlaw's day. So who was this Rob Roy, and what is his claim to fame (apart from having a film made of his life, which, like most biographical films, was true in parts). He was a soldier, fighting alongside his father and brothers when he was eighteen. He was a model farmer whose respect for the Highland way of life won him the respect of all who knew him. He was a dedicated family man. He was an outlaw and a thief. Obviously a man of many parts who was regarded by different people in different ways. He was born, according to the parish registers of the parish of Buchanan, in February 1670 in the old house of Glen Gyle near the western end of Loch Katrine, the third son of Donald of Glengyle, or Donald Glas, a chieftain of the Clan Gregor, and Margaret Campbell. While still young he was given the nickname "Ruadh" or "Roy" because of his wild red hair which he inherited from his mother. Like any Highland boy of good family, young Rob Roy MacGregor's education came from within his community, where nightly ceilidhs included games designed to strengthen the oral tradition and a child's grasp of Highland history. His knowledge of literature as well as politics was considerable, particularly in a time when illiteracy was common. But, most, importantly, his father, chief Donald Glas ensured that his children knew their clan's history and it was this aspect of his education that would most greatly influence Rob Roy's place in history. In his early twenties, Rob worked with his brother's cattle and developed his own trade in cattle. He married his sweetheart, Mary Helen MacGregor of Comar, and set about building a home and life of comfort for his family. This relied on his making long Highland cattle raids, and on his own expertise in tracking and driving through the hills. One particular raid on the herds at Kippen landed Rob in the jail where his father had spent two years, but before his death sentence was carried out, friends were able to help him escape and he returned home to Mary and their infant son James.
But challenging times for Scottish clans were ahead. In 1689 James VII of Scotland and II of England had been replaced by William of Orange, and many attempts were made to bring the Stewart Kings back to the throne, and these would be known in some circles as the "Jacobite rebellions". It could be said that it was also a sort of civil war. Many families had members fighting on either side depending on whether their sympathies fell with the Protestant William of Orange, or the Catholic James. Along with many Highland clans, at the age of eighteen Rob Roy went to battle with his father to support the Stewart King James against his challenger, William of Orange. Although victorious in initial battles, the clans' leader was killed and their fortunes fell. Rob's father was taken to jail, where he was held on doubtful treason charges for two years. Rob's mother Margaret's health faltered and then failed during Donald's time in prison. By the time Donald was finally released, his wife was dead, and his reason for living also gone. The Gregor chief would never return to his former spirit or health. In the years then between 1691 and 1711, Rob led a fairly prosperous life under the protection of James Graham, 1st. Duke of Montrose, following a fairly respectable career as a cattle dealer. At that time what little money was to be made in the Highlands mainly came from the selling of black cattle to the Lowland areas and England. Considerable fortunes could be made in this way. Rob soon developed a sound reputation and became known as a man who could get his clients a fair price for their cattle and was renowned as an honest man into the bargain. Montrose confirmed upon him the rights to the properties of Inversnaid and Glengyle, which was very generous of him as they were already Clan Gregor territories. If only things had continued in this way we would probably never have heard of Rob Roy MacGregor. However in 1711 he borrowed {\163}1000 from the Duke of Montrose, but one of his trusted associates disappeared with the money. A warrant for Rob Roy's arrest was issued, and he lost his lands and became an outlaw. For his part, Montrose immediately took action and confiscated MacGregor's lands, forcing his wife and family out of the house they occupied in the process. From that day on, there would be no more peace between MacGregor and Montrose. As both his mother and his wife had been members of the Campbell clan, Rob sought the protection of the Duke of Argyll. This was a logical move to make as the Campbell's and Graham's had forever been in feud, indeed it could be said that they were hereditary enemies to some extent and both had many scores to settle with one another. Argyll also found it useful to have Rob at his disposal, for he was still a man of renown, and if anyone could make difficult tenants or political opponents fall into line then it was he.
Then, in 1715, trouble rose up again between the Jacobites, the supporters of the Stewarts, and the English. The MacGregor came out on the side of the Stewart kings, but Argyll, Rob's protector, was known to support William. Rob called himself a Jacobite, but it might be that he was a spy for both sides during the conflicts. This enabled him to claim that any who supported the "Revolution Settlement," or those who supported the act of union with England as legitimate targets for his Clansmen's brigandry, that is, anyone on either side, unless they were prepared to buy him off. A very early form of protection racket it would appear. Those who paid him off were given his word that he would protect their lands, those who did not, soon found themselves literally minus cattle and anything else Rob could lay his hands on. After the Jacobite rebellion failed Rob continued his brigandry, and had his finger in more than one illegal pie. One of his exploits, the kidnap of Montrose's factor, John Graham of Killearn whilst he was collecting the rent owed to the Duke, was the most notorious. Rob grabbed the money, returning the money to those who had paid already, then he held Killearn to ransom. In the end the factor was released unharmed. In 1725 he surrendered to General Wade, the great builder of roads in the Highlands, and was thrown into London's Newgate Prison to await transportation to the colonies as a "bonded servant," in other words, little more than a slave. In 1726, whilst still at Newgate he received a full pardon and returned to Scotland when he moved to Balquhidder, practically a hero, almost becoming like a Scottish "Robin Hood" like character. Here he died at home in his house at Inverlochlarig Beg, on 28th December 1734, at the age of 63 years, and is buried in the small churchyard. In his will, he left {\163}274:13:4 Scots, equal to {\163}23 English, all to his wife. This has, of course, been a very brief account of the life of Robert Ruadh MacGregor. What I have tried to do is give some idea of the times in which he lived, times in which, when trouble was brewing, you never knew on which side your friends would be. Things like that could certainly change anyone's outlook on life.. Anyone wanting to know more can always read the romanticized story as recounted by Sir Walter Scott, or even watch the film, which does tend to exaggerate. For example, in the film Montrose's factor, John Graham of Killearn, was killed by one of Rob Roy's brothers when in fact he was released unharmed. But what of the church itself. It is one of those 19th-century grey stone churches that can be found dotted all over the Highlands. Built in 1855, it sits alongside the ruins of its predecessor. It was built in 1631, and reconstructed in 1774. The church is the burial place of the Chiefs of the Clan MacLaren. Whilst a crypt was being excavated at this old church some years ago, a skeleton was found with a musket ball in the skull. This was the remains of Stewart of Glenbuckie who, whilst on his way to join in the '45' rebellion with MacGregor of Glencarnaig, was either murdered or shot himself in the head at Leny castle in Callander. A short walk up the hill at the back of the church brings one to a burn, and a hundred yards or so further on is an attractive little waterfall. Also in the area is a knoll called Tom nan Aingeal, the Hill of Fire. In early days, even up to the early eighteen hundreds, on the first of May, Beltane, and the first of November, Samhain, a fire was lit on Tom nan Aingeal. All other fires in the village were put out and the folk came up here to receive new fire for rekindling their hearths. The church is open to visitors, and inside is the Angus Stone, a carved early Christian memorial believed to have marked the grave of St Angus who is said to have come from Dunblane in the 7th or 8th century and who is credited with introducing Christianity to the Glen. At one time this stone was moved out of the church because the minister of the time was incensed at the superstitious practice of standing on the stone to be married. There is also an ancient font from the old church which is still used for baptisms. In 1989 the Friends of Balquhidder Church opened a Friendship Room at the back of the Church. This contains the bell of the old church which bears an inscription and the date 1684, as well as an Old Gaelic Bible presented in 1688 by the famous physicist, Robert Boyle, while around the walls is an exhibition showing the history of the church and the local area. But even more interesting, the afternoon drawing on, were a number of tables ready for refreshments to be served by willing Friends of the Church. No menus. No price lists. We partook of the offered cakes and drinks. All that was asked for in exchange was a donation to the church. And while refreshing ourselves we found ourselves talking to a gentleman dressed in highland rig who professed to be The MacDonald, the clan chief. What we actually talked about I cannot remember, but it did make a pleasant ending to an interesting visit to Balquhidder and its Church. Bill Hutchings |
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