The Scalan was a Scottish Catholic seminary and one of the few places in Scotland where the Catholic faith was kept alive during the anti-Catholic persecutions of the 18th century.
The Scalan was a Scottish Catholic seminary and one of the few places in Scotland where the Catholic faith was kept alive during the anti-Catholic persecutions of the 18th century.
For much of the 18th century, the college at Scalan in the Braes of Glenlivet was the only place in Scotland where young men were trained to be Catholic priests, the so-called "heather priests". [1] From 1717 to 1799, over a hundred were trained despite numerous attacks by Hanoverian soldiers.
The college played a vital role in keeping the traditional Catholic faith alive in northern Scotland. It was named after the Gaelic word for turf sheilings ("galan") found in the Braes during that period. In 1799, the college was moved to a less remote site, Aquhorthies College, which had larger premises and more accommodation.
Alexander Geddes, Scottish theologian and scholar, was among the famous figures who studied at the college. George James Gordon, known as the "heather priest" was educated here and then taught here as a non-Jesuit for many years. [2]
The last permanent resident of the Scalan was Sandy Mattheson, who died in late 2005.
Visitors today will note that the college is largely invisible until you are very close to the college, a factor invaluable in evading detection by the Hanoverian soldiers.
The Scalan is now a museum and is open all year for visitors. [3]
The Scalan Association seeks to promote the preservation of the college of Scalan and its history. [4]
Fort George is a large 18th-century fortress near Ardersier, to the north-east of Inverness in the Highland council area of Scotland. It was built to control the Scottish Highlands in the aftermath of the Jacobite rising of 1745, replacing a Fort George in Inverness constructed after the 1715 Jacobite rising to control the area. The current fortress has never been attacked and has remained in continuous use as a garrison.
Castlemilk is a district of Glasgow, Scotland. It lies to the far south of the city centre, adjacent to the Croftfoot and Simshill residential areas within the city to the north-west, the town of Rutherglen - neighbourhoods of Spittal to the north-east and Fernhill to the east, Linn Park and its golf course to the west, and the separate village of Carmunnock further south across countryside.
In the United Kingdom, there are many 'local authority maintained' Roman Catholic schools. These are theoretically open to pupils of all faiths or none, although if the school is over-subscribed priority will be given to Roman Catholic children.
Tomintoul is a village in the Moray council area of Scotland in the historic county of Banffshire.
Clan Grant is a Highland Scottish clan, with one main branch, Grant of Grant, and several cadet branches, such as Grant of Glenmoriston.
Clan Gordon is a Highland Scottish clan, historically one of the most powerful Scottish clans. The Gordon lands once spanned a large territory across the Highlands. Presently, Gordon is seated at Aboyne Castle, Aberdeenshire. The Chief of the clan is the Earl of Huntly, later the Marquess of Huntly.
Cragganmore distillery is a Scotch whisky distillery situated in the village of Ballindalloch in Banffshire, Scotland.
The Battle of Glenlivet was a Scottish clan battle fought on 3 October 1594 near Glenlivet, Moray, Scotland. It was fought between Protestant forces loyal to King James VI of Scotland who were commanded by Archibald Campbell, 7th Earl of Argyll, against Catholic forces who were commanded by George Gordon, 6th Earl of Huntly, and Francis Hay, 9th Earl of Erroll. The Catholics won a decisive victory in the battle, but in the aftermath were subdued by King James.
The Catholic Church in Scotland overseen by the Scottish Bishops' Conference, is part of the worldwide Catholic Church headed by the Pope. After being firmly established in Scotland for nearly a millennium, the Catholic Church was outlawed following the Scottish Reformation in 1560. Throughout the centuries of religious persecution changes, several pockets in Scotland retained a significant pre-Reformation Catholic population, including Banffshire, the Hebrides, and more northern parts of the Highlands, Galloway at Terregles House, Munches House, Kirkconnell House, New Abbey and Parton House and at Traquair in Peebleshire.
The Glenlivet Estate is located in Glenlivet, Scotland in the Cairngorms National Park. It measures 58,000 acres (230 km2) and is part of The Crown Estate Scotland. The estate welcomes visitors and has a network of car parks, waymarked walks, adventure playground and a mountain bike centre. A visitor centre in Tomintoul provides more information, open all year, Mon - Fri, 9am -5pm. www.glenlivetestate.co.uk.
Alexander Paterson was a Roman Catholic bishop who served as the Vicar Apostolic of the Lowland District from 1825 to 1827, then, following district name change, Vicar Apostolic of the Eastern District from 1827 to 1831.
Abbé Peter Grant was a Scottish Roman Catholic priest, agent for the Scottish Catholic Mission and, later in life, an important liaison for British Catholic visitors in Rome.
Margaret Clitherow was an English saint and martyr of the Roman Catholic Church, known as "the Pearl of York". She was pressed to death for refusing to enter a plea to the charge of harbouring Catholic priests. She was canonised in 1970 by Pope Paul VI.
Rannoch Barracks was a military barracks constructed in 1746 at Bridge of Gaur, Perthshire, Scotland, at the western end of Loch Rannoch. The barracks were built in response to the Jacobite uprising of 1745.
Aquhorthies College or Aquhorthies House was a Catholic seminary in Scotland from 1799 to 1829. At the time it was the only Catholic seminary in the east of Scotland. The house still stands today, located between Blairdaff and Inverurie in Aberdeenshire, as a private residence. It is a Category A listed building and is very close to the Easter Aquhorthies stone circle.
Lismore Seminary was situated in Kilcheran House on the island of Lismore in the Inner Hebrides part of Argyll, Scotland. It served as a seminary for the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland in the 19th century. At the time it was the only seminary in the west of Scotland and for the Vicariate Apostolic of the Highland District. The house still stands and has a lime kiln from the time of the seminary within the grounds. Both the house and the kiln are category B listed sites.
John Geddes was a Scottish Roman Catholic bishop who served as rector of the Royal Scots College, Valladolid, from 1771 to 1780, and as the Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic of the Lowland District of Scotland from 1779 to 1797.
Events from the year 1799 in Scotland.
James Carruthers (1759–1832) was a Scottish Roman Catholic priest and historian.
St Peter's Church is a Roman Catholic Parish church in Aberdeen, Scotland. It was built from 1803 and opened in 1804. It is situated on Justice Street between Peacock's Close and Market Stance, next to St Andrew's Cathedral in the centre of the city. It was the first permanent Roman Catholic Church to be built in Aberdeen after the Reformation and is a category B listed building.
57°15′36″N3°15′05″W / 57.26000°N 3.25139°W
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| Vicariate Apostolic of the Lowland District |
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| National Junior Seminary |
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| Archdiocese of Glasgow |
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| Archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh |
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| National Seminary |
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