Glen Lyon from Bridge of Balgie

Glen Lyon (Scottish Gaelic: Gleann Lìomhann) is a glen in the Perth and Kinross region of Scotland. It is the longest enclosed glen in Scotland and runs for 34 miles (55 kilometres) from Loch Lyon in the west to the village of Fortingall in the east.

This glen was also known as An Crom Ghleann ("The Bent Glen"). The land given over to the MacGregors was An Tòiseachd. It forms part of the Loch Rannoch and Glen Lyon National Scenic Area, one of forty such areas in Scotland, which are defined so as to identify areas of exceptional scenery and to ensure its protection from inappropriate development by restricting certain forms of development.[1] Sir Walter Scott described Glen Lyon as the "longest, loneliest and loveliest glen in Scotland".[2] Apart from a few scattered farms and cottages throughout the glen, the only real settlements are at Fortingall and Bridge of Balgie.

The glen contains several small hamlets and has a primary school where Gaelic is taught weekly.

History

Glen Lyon (or Glenlyon) Brooch on display in the British Museum

Quite densely inhabited from prehistoric times (as many archaeological sites attest), although its present population is of modest size, the glen has been home to many Scottish clans, including Clan MacGregor,[3] Lyon, Menzies, Stewart, Macnaughtan, MacGibbon and the Campbell lairds of Glen Lyon.

At the end of the 11th century the de Leons (later shortened to "Lyon") had come north with Prince Edgar, son of Malcolm III of Scotland to fight against his uncle, Donald Bane. Edgar was victorious and the de Leons received lands that were later called Glen Lyon in Perthshire.[4][5][6][7] Local Tacksman Robert Campbell of Glenlyon (1630–1696), led the troops of the Earl of Argyll's Regiment of Foot during their involvement in the infamous massacre of the MacDonalds at Glencoe in 1691. A magnificent silver-gilt brooch set with precious stones belonging to the Campbell lairds of Glen Lyon (that has been dated to the early 16th century) is currently in the British Museum.[8]

Glen Lyon, also written Glenlyon, has been the home of (among others) early Christian monks (including Adomnán [locally Eonán] (died 704), Abbot of Iona and biographer of St Columba). It contains at least two castles: Meggernie Castle [still inhabited] and Carnbane Castle [ruined].[9]

Their history is described in Alexander Stewart's A Highland Parish (1928), and Duncan Campbell's The Lairds of Glenlyon (1886).

Notable people

Gallery

References

  1. ^ "National Scenic Areas". Scottish Natural Heritage. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
  2. ^ Jen Benson; Sim Benson (17 May 2018). The Adventurer's Guide to Britain: 150 incredible experiences on land and water. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 20. ISBN 978-1-84486-520-8. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  3. ^ Gibson, John Graham (2002). Old and New World Highland Bagpiping. McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP. p. 22. ISBN 9780773522916. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  4. ^ Herald, Ross (1911). "Lyon, Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne". Scotts Peerage: 1.
  5. ^ Anderson, W (1862). "The Story of the Family Lyon". The Scottish Nation. 3.
  6. ^ "The Story of the Family Lyon". Some Old World Lyons – via The American Lyon Association.
  7. ^ Thomson, Ingrid, Glamis Castle Archivist
  8. ^ British Museum Collection
  9. ^ Carnbane Castle and a banquet for a bard
  10. ^ Matthew, H. C. G.; Harrison, B., eds. (23 September 2004), "The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography", Isobel Forrester, Oxford: Oxford University Press, doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/66407, retrieved 5 June 2023

56°35′38″N 4°18′11″W / 56.594°N 4.303°W / 56.594; -4.303

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