Recent research has suggested Dunachton as a potential location for the Battle of Dun Nechtain in 685 in which the Picts permanently secured independence from the Northumbrians.
Historyedit
The Dunachton Stone. Class I Pictish stoneSt Drostán's Chapel, Dunachton
The area around Dunachton shows evidence of human occupation in prehistory, with flintwork and whetstones being found in the vicinity.[1]
The name Dunachton derives from Dun Neachdain the fort of Nechtan. Nechtan's identity is unknown, but it is likely he was one of several of the early Pictish Kings that went by that name.[2]
Dunachton had some importance in the Early Medieval period. It is the site of an early class I Pictish stone which was discovered in 1870, having been recycled as a lintel stone in a farmstead building. This stone, with an incised deer head and dating from about the 7th century, was re-erected in the near-by field. In 2010 the Dutch archaeologist Lex Ritman informed the resident of Dunachton Lodge that the stone was fallen. So the Pictish stone was re-instated in the walled garden of the estate and was now well protected. Dunachton is first documented as 'Dwnachtan' in 1381,[3] in reference to the 'capelle de Nachtan', the Chapel of Nechtan,[4] which was dedicated to St Drostan.
Recent research has pointed to the possibility that Dunachton may have been the correct site of the Battle of Dun Nechtain in 685, when Bridei mac Bille, king of the Pictish kingdom of Fortriu defeated Ecgfrith of Northumbria, securing Pictish independence from Northumbria. The battle site was previously thought to be somewhere in the vicinity of Dunnichen in Angus, but reappraisal of the scant documentary evidence along with the reappraisal of Fortriu as being north of the Grampian Mountains has led to the suggestion that Dunachton is the true location.[5]
Dunachton Lodge was built on the remains of Dunachton Castle.[6] The landowners were originally the MacNivens, who as a sept of the MacNaughtons, claim descent from Nechtan. The barony subsequently came into possession of the Clan Mackintosh in the early 16th century through the marriage of Isabel MacNiven, the heiress of the Barony of Dunachton to William Mackintosh, cousin of the chief of the clan Mackintosh, and later chief of Clan Mackintosh and the wider Chattan Confederation.[7]
Dunachton was bought in the 1950s by Andrew Forbes-Leith, who later inherited the baronetcy of Fyvie. In the 1970s he turned 600 acres (2.4 km2) of Dunachton into the Highland Wildlife Park.[10]
Records of the Parliaments of Scotland (1690), Act in favour of {Lauchlan MacIntosh}, laird of MacIntosh anent his damages, retrieved 20 September 2009
Adam, Frank; Innes, Thomas (1934), The Clans, Septs and Regiments of the Scottish Highlands, Kessinger, ISBN978-1-4179-8076-5
Roberts, John Leonard (2000), Clan, King and Covenant: history of the Highland Clans from the Civil War to the Glencoe Massacre, Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, ISBN0-7486-1393-5
Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland, "Dunachton Pictish Symbol Stone", Canmore database, retrieved 17 September 2009
Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland, "Dunachton Lodge", Canmore database, retrieved 17 September 2009
Seton, Gordon (1948), Highways and Byways in the Central Highlands, London: Macmillan, ISBN978-1-4067-6745-2
Shaw, Lachlan (1827), The History of the Province of Moray (New ed.), Elgin: J Grant
Stewart, William Grant (1860), Lectures on the Mountains; or the Highlands and Highlanders of Strathspey and Badenoch as they were and as they are, London: Saunders Otley and co.
Woolf, Alex (2006), "Dun Nechtain, Fortriu and the Geography of the Picts", The Scottish Historical Review, 85 (2): 182–201, doi:10.1353/shr.2007.0029, S2CID 201796703.
Wordsworth, J; Harden, G (1986), "Dunachton fieldwalking collection" (PDF), Discovery and Excavation in Scotland: 16
December 17, 2023
dunachton, scottish, gaelic, dùn, neachdain, estate, north, west, shore, loch, insh, badenoch, strathspey, highlands, scotland, occupies, land, immediately, north, road, general, wade, military, road, scottish, gaelic, dùn, neachdain, moorlocation, within, bad. Dunachton Scottish Gaelic Dun Neachdain is an estate on the north west shore of Loch Insh in Badenoch and Strathspey in the Highlands of Scotland It occupies land immediately to the north of the A9 road and General Wade s Military Road DunachtonScottish Gaelic Dun NeachdainDunachton MoorDunachtonLocation within the Badenoch and Strathspey areaOS grid referenceNH820047 Edinburgh86 mi 138 km SSE London417 mi 671 km SSECouncil areaHighlandLieutenancy areaInverness lieutenancy CountryScotlandSovereign stateUnited KingdomPost townKINGUSSIEPostcode districtPH21Dialling code01540PoliceScotlandFireScottishAmbulanceScottishUK ParliamentInverness Nairn Badenoch and StrathspeyScottish ParliamentInverness East Nairn and LochaberHighlands and IslandsList of places UK Scotland 57 07 05 N 3 57 01 W 57 118044 N 3 950359 W 57 118044 3 950359Recent research has suggested Dunachton as a potential location for the Battle of Dun Nechtain in 685 in which the Picts permanently secured independence from the Northumbrians History edit nbsp The Dunachton Stone Class I Pictish stone nbsp St Drostan s Chapel DunachtonThe area around Dunachton shows evidence of human occupation in prehistory with flintwork and whetstones being found in the vicinity 1 The name Dunachton derives from Dun Neachdain the fort of Nechtan Nechtan s identity is unknown but it is likely he was one of several of the early Pictish Kings that went by that name 2 Dunachton had some importance in the Early Medieval period It is the site of an early class I Pictish stone which was discovered in 1870 having been recycled as a lintel stone in a farmstead building This stone with an incised deer head and dating from about the 7th century was re erected in the near by field In 2010 the Dutch archaeologist Lex Ritman informed the resident of Dunachton Lodge that the stone was fallen So the Pictish stone was re instated in the walled garden of the estate and was now well protected Dunachton is first documented as Dwnachtan in 1381 3 in reference to the capelle de Nachtan the Chapel of Nechtan 4 which was dedicated to St Drostan Recent research has pointed to the possibility that Dunachton may have been the correct site of the Battle of Dun Nechtain in 685 when Bridei mac Bille king of the Pictish kingdom of Fortriu defeated Ecgfrith of Northumbria securing Pictish independence from Northumbria The battle site was previously thought to be somewhere in the vicinity of Dunnichen in Angus but reappraisal of the scant documentary evidence along with the reappraisal of Fortriu as being north of the Grampian Mountains has led to the suggestion that Dunachton is the true location 5 Dunachton Lodge was built on the remains of Dunachton Castle 6 The landowners were originally the MacNivens who as a sept of the MacNaughtons claim descent from Nechtan The barony subsequently came into possession of the Clan Mackintosh in the early 16th century through the marriage of Isabel MacNiven the heiress of the Barony of Dunachton to William Mackintosh cousin of the chief of the clan Mackintosh and later chief of Clan Mackintosh and the wider Chattan Confederation 7 A centuries old feud between the Mackintoshes and Clan MacDonald of Keppoch came to a head in 1688 at the Battle of Maol Ruadh Dunachton Castle was destroyed the following year by Coll MacDonald under the auspices of the Jacobite cause provoking a public rebuke from Dundee 8 It was never rebuilt 9 Dunachton was bought in the 1950s by Andrew Forbes Leith who later inherited the baronetcy of Fyvie In the 1970s he turned 600 acres 2 4 km2 of Dunachton into the Highland Wildlife Park 10 Notes edit Wordsworth and Harden Seton p200 Registrum episcopatus Moraviensis p93 p188 Registrum episcopatus Moraviensis p93 p184 Woolf Canmore Record Dunachton Lodge Shaw p77 Seton p201 Adam and Innes p163 Roberts p180 Shaw p77 Andrew Forbes Leith obituaryReferences editDaily Telegraph 22 November 2000 Sir Andrew Forbes Leith Bt The Daily Telegraph London retrieved 17 September 2009 Registrum episcopatus Moraviensis e pluribus codicibus consarcinatum Edinburgh Bannatyne Club 1837 Records of the Parliaments of Scotland 1690 Act in favour of Lauchlan MacIntosh laird of MacIntosh anent his damages retrieved 20 September 2009 Adam Frank Innes Thomas 1934 The Clans Septs and Regiments of the Scottish Highlands Kessinger ISBN 978 1 4179 8076 5 Roberts John Leonard 2000 Clan King and Covenant history of the Highland Clans from the Civil War to the Glencoe Massacre Edinburgh Edinburgh University Press ISBN 0 7486 1393 5 Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland Dunachton Pictish Symbol Stone Canmore database retrieved 17 September 2009 Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland Dunachton Lodge Canmore database retrieved 17 September 2009 Seton Gordon 1948 Highways and Byways in the Central Highlands London Macmillan ISBN 978 1 4067 6745 2 Shaw Lachlan 1827 The History of the Province of Moray New ed Elgin J Grant Stewart William Grant 1860 Lectures on the Mountains or the Highlands and Highlanders of Strathspey and Badenoch as they were and as they are London Saunders Otley and co Woolf Alex 2006 Dun Nechtain Fortriu and the Geography of the Picts The Scottish Historical Review 85 2 182 201 doi 10 1353 shr 2007 0029 S2CID 201796703 Wordsworth J Harden G 1986 Dunachton fieldwalking collection PDF Discovery and Excavation in Scotland 16 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Dunachton amp oldid 1181512377, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
