Lairg in Highland, Scotland, United Kingdom — Northwestern Europe (the British Isles)

Ceannabeinne Township Trail

— Houses and Homes – Life begins to get better —

Photographed by Michael Herrick, August 30, 2018

1. Ceannabeinne Township Trail Marker

Inscription. Ceannabeinne Township Trail
Houses and Homes – Life begins to get better Of the 14 houses recorded here in 1841, little remains. However, in front of this sign you should be able to make out the rectangular foundation of a house, probably built about 1800. An archaeological dig revealed the western gable had a fireplace and the inside walls were plastered both unusual in a township of this date. The site has been drained and flattened, there is a garden between here and the road and it commands a view over the township. Tenants had no security over their homes so whoever built this house was relatively well off and confident in his future.

Flora and Fauna
The garden of this house has reverted, like much of the higher parts of the site, to a patchwork of close-grazed grassland and wet heath. There are cushions of bog-moss in the wettest places. The tall tussocks of soft rush follow the line of a former ditch on the up-slope side of the house. Rushes were used extensively in farming communities as they could be used for making baskets, matting — either woven into mats or scattered loose on the floor, braided

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to make ropes and fastenings, the stem can be peeled and dipped in oil to make a candle and the pith has medicinal properties and can be used to treat sore throats, bug jaundice and urinary infections.

The Durness Riots Highland society changed dramatically during the 1700's as the centuries old clan system broke down. Despite being on the Government side in both Jacobite Uprisings, the Clan MacKay lands faired no better than the rest of the Highlands.

Like many other Clan Chiefs, the Lord Reays invested poorly in their southern ventures and life styles and debts soared. Rents were increased but with so many people eking out a living on such poor land, there was little chance of improving agricultural output so tenants were unable to pay The solution for many landowners was a massive reorganisation of their estate.

This involved moving people from the productive inland glens to the coastal fringe where they would become fishermen and small farmers crofters. The land they were forced to leave became grazing for sheep which, in the early 19th Century had a much higher financial return than the rent people could pay.

These were the Highland Clearances. ( photo caption )
Soft

Photographed by Michael Herrick, August 30, 2018

2. Ceannabeinne Township Trail Marker

Rush
Perhaps the children here used to make little ‘braided’ chains from the plant stems. Two stems were tied at one end and by repeatedly laying one strand over the other a very simple chain could be produced.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1841.

Location. 58° 33.113′ N, 4° 41.296′ W. Marker is in Lairg, Scotland, in Highland. It is on Scotland Route A838 45.1 kilometers west of Route A836, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Lairg, Scotland IV27 4QD, United Kingdom. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Scotland’s Highlands.

Globally, it is on the Atlantic Ocean,

in the North Atlantic Region,

on the Atlantic Arc,

in Europe,

on the Celtic Fringe,

in Atlantic Europe,

on one of the British Isles,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Other nearby markers. At least 7 other markers are within 14 kilometers of this marker, measured as the crow flies: A different marker also named Ceannabeinne Township Trail (a few steps from this marker); Ceannabeinne

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(approx. 0.8 kilometers away); Durness War Memorial (approx. 3.9 kilometers away); Durness (approx. 3.9 kilometers away); Stories in sand (approx. 5.2 kilometers away); Keoldale Green (approx. 5.2 kilometers away); Mark of Gratitude (approx. 14.1 kilometers away).

Also see . . .
1. Ceannabeinne on Wikipedia. (Submitted on December 26, 2018, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.)
2. Highland Clearances on Wikipedia. (Submitted on December 26, 2018, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.)

Credits. This page was last revised on January 27, 2022. It was originally submitted on December 26, 2018, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut. This page has been viewed 231 times since then and 14 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 26, 2018, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.