Bruan

Last updated

Bruan
Caithness UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Bruan
Location within the Caithness area
OS grid reference ND313390
Council area
Country Scotland
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town LYBSTER
Postcode district KW2
Police Scotland
Fire Scottish
Ambulance Scottish
List of places
UK
Scotland
58°20′04″N3°10′25″W / 58.33455°N 3.17358°W / 58.33455; -3.17358

Bruan (Scottish Gaelic:) is a small crofting hamlet on the east coast of Scotland in Lybster, Caithness, Highland and is in the Scottish council area of the Highland. [1]

The long-abandoned old kirk at Bruan Old Church at Bruan.jpg
The long-abandoned old kirk at Bruan

In 1845, the minister of Bruan in a famous sermon on the unjust Highland Clearances and the Highland Potato Famine stated:

It is true we often see the wicked enjoy much comfort and worldly ease, and the Godly chastened them every morning; but this is a dreadful rest to the former and a blessed chastisement to the latter. [2]

Castle Gunn

Next to Bruan, and 7 miles south of Wick, on a cliff-side rocky perch, lying parallel to the rocky coast, on the almost inaccessible isolated rock, are the ruins of Castle Gunn, which are considered the first castle of Clan Gunn. At the time the castle was built, Clan Gunn were at the height of their power, and were thought to own the whole of Caithness. Snaekoll Gunnison was reputed to have built the castle. The castle is reputed to have been destroyed by the King of Norway, in revenge. The story goes that the King's daughter married a chief of Clan daughter, although the chief had already married and secreted his wife away in the Castle Gunn. When the second wife arranged to sail from Norway to the castle, the clan arranged for a beacon to be placed on a dangerous rock at Ulbster, so wrecking the ship with all hands on board including the princess being killed. In revenge, the King killed the clan chief, and large number of Clan Gunn were slain. [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clan Campbell</span> Highland Scottish clan

Clan Campbell is a Highland Scottish clan, historically one of the largest and most powerful of the Highland clans. The Clan Campbell lands are in Argyll and within their lands lies Ben Cruachan. The chief of the clan became Earl of Argyll and later Duke of Argyll.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clan Keith</span> Highland and Lowland Scottish clan

Clan Keith is a Highland and Lowland Scottish clan, whose Chief historically held the hereditary title of Marischal, then Great Marischal, then Earl Marischal of Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clan Mackay</span> Highland Scottish clan

Clan Mackay is an ancient and once-powerful Highland Scottish clan from the far North of the Scottish Highlands, but with roots in the old Kingdom of Moray.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clan MacDougall</span> Highland Scottish clan

Clan MacDougall is a Highland Scottish clan, historically based in and around Argyll. The Lord Lyon King of Arms, the Scottish official with responsibility for regulating heraldry in Scotland, issuing new grants of coats of arms, and serving as the judge of the Court of the Lord Lyon, recognizes under Scottish law the Chief of Clan MacDougall. The MacDougall chiefs share a common ancestry with the chiefs of Clan Donald in descent from Somerled of the 12th century. In the 13th century the Clan MacDougall whose chiefs were the original Lords of Argyll and later Lords of Lorne was the most powerful clan in the Western Highlands. During the Wars of Scottish Independence the MacDougalls sided with the Clan Comyn whose chiefs rivaled Robert the Bruce for the Scottish Crown and this resulted in clan battles between the MacDougalls and Bruce. This marked the MacDougall's fall from power and led to the rise of their relatives, the Clan Donald, who had supported Bruce and also the rise to power of the Clan Campbell who were then the habitual enemies of the MacDougalls and later of Clan Donald.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clan Gunn</span> Highland Scottish clan

Clan Gunn is a Highland Scottish clan associated with lands in northeastern Scotland, including Caithness, Sutherland and, arguably, the Orkney Isles. Clan Gunn is one of the oldest Scottish Clans, being descended from the Norse Jarls of Orkney and the Pictish Mormaers of Caithness.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clan Sutherland</span> Highland Scottish clan

Clan Sutherland also known as House of Sutherland is a Highland Scottish clan whose traditional territory is the shire of Sutherland in the far north of Scotland. The chief of the clan was also the powerful Earl of Sutherland, however in the early 16th century this title passed through marriage to a younger son of the chief of Clan Gordon. The current chief is Alistair Sutherland who holds the title Earl of Sutherland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clan Sinclair</span> Highland Scottish clan

Clan Sinclair is a Highland Scottish clan which holds the lands of Caithness, the Orkney Islands, and the Lothians. The chiefs of the clan were the Barons of Roslin and later the Earls of Orkney and Earls of Caithness.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clan Henderson</span> Scottish clan

The Clan Henderson also known as House of Henderson is a Scottish clan. The clan's historical seat is at Fordell Castle in Dalgety Bay, Fife. The current clan chief is Alistair Henderson of Fordell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clan MacLeod of Lewis</span> Highland Scottish clan

Clan MacLeod of The Lewes, commonly known as Clan MacLeod of Lewis, is a Highland Scottish clan, which at its height held extensive lands in the Western Isles and west coast of Scotland. From the 14th century up until the beginning of the 17th century there were two branches of Macleods: the MacLeods of Dunvegan and Harris ; and the Macleods of the Isle of Lewis. In Gaelic the Macleods of Lewis were known as Sìol Thorcaill, and the MacLeods of Dunvegan and Harris were known as Sìol Thormoid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clan Matheson</span> Highland Scottish clan

Clan Matheson is a Highland Scottish clan.

Donald Mackay, 1st Lord Reay, 14th of Strathnaver was a Scottish soldier and member of Parliament. He played a prominent role in the Thirty Years' War, raising a regiment of 3,000 men, which served in both the Danish and Swedish forces. He was later an unwilling Covenanter. He was the fourteenth chief of Clan Mackay, a Highland Scottish clan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Champions</span>

The Battle of Champions was a trial by combat fought in 1478 or 1464 between two Scottish clans, Clan Gunn and Clan Keith. It took place at the chapel of St Tears on the coast north of Wick in Caithness, between Ackergill Tower and Girnigoe Castle. It was arranged to settle a dispute with a battle between twelve men on horseback on either side. However, the Keiths arrived with two men on each of their twelve horses, and massacred the 12 Gunns. The clans finally signed a treaty of friendship in 1978, ending the feud after 500 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westerdale, Highland</span> Human settlement in Scotland

Westerdale is a scattered crofting village which lies on the River Thurso, located five miles directly south of Halkirk, in Caithness, Highland, Scotland. The B870 road passes through the village.

Donald Balloch MacDonald was a Scottish-Gaelic lord who died about 1476.

Huistean Du Mackay, 13th of Strathnaver, was the thirteenth chief of Clan Mackay, a Highland Scottish clan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clan Cheyne</span> Scottish clan

Clan Cheyne is a Scottish clan. The clan is officially recognized by the Lord Lyon King of Arms; however, as the clan does not currently have a chief recognized by the Court of the Lord Lyon, it is therefore considered an armigerous clan. The surname Cheyne is also recognized as a sept of the Clan Sutherland, and is accepted as such by the Clan Sutherland Society in Scotland.

Neil Mackay, 8th of Strathnaver, was in the 15th century the eighth chief of the ancient Clan Mackay, a Scottish clan of the Scottish Highlands. He is sometimes also recorded as Neil Bass Mackay or Neil Wasse Mackay which was a nickname taken from the fact that for a time he was a prisoner on the Bass Rock.

Angus Roy Mackay, 9th of Strathnaver, was the ninth chief of the ancient Clan Mackay, a Scottish clan of the Scottish Highlands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Sinclair, 5th Earl of Caithness</span>

George Sinclair was a Scottish nobleman, the 5th Earl of Caithness and chief of the Clan Sinclair, a Scottish clan based in northern Scotland.

Alexander Gordon, 12th Earl of Sutherland was a Scottish landowner.

References

  1. Microsoft; Nokia. "Bruan" (Map). Bing Maps . Microsoft. Retrieved 28 May 2017.
  2. Thomas Martin Devine (1994). Clanship to Crofter's War: The Social Transformation of the Scottish Highlands. Manchester University Press. p. 251. ISBN   978-0-7190-3481-7.
  3. Kerry Ross Boren; Lisa Lee Boren (1 September 2000). Following the Ark of the Covenant: The Treasure of God. Cedar Fort. pp. 225–. ISBN   978-1-55517-493-4.