Dunrobin - aye right
Magnus was training in Golspie last Sunday, so Ruth and I went for a late season trip across on the Ferry, and on the spur of the moment decided to pop into Dunrobin Castle. The last time we were there was almost 20 years ago, when Charlie was a baby, and my main memory of the visit was discomfort at the picture and story the castle was trying to portray. This visit was just the same.
You see I have a whole series of Mackay and Sutherland forebears who were cleared from Strath Kildonan, and Strath Naver. I'm sure the present Countess - who lives in Tongue - and Lord Strathnaver - who lives in Golspie - are very pleasant people, struggling to make ends meet, the picture painted in the castle of happy clans, agricultural improvements, contented tenantry and lost of royal connections is one that grates quite a bit.
And interesting to note that Sutherland Estates recently spoke out against a community buy out of Skerray, on the North Coast saying "[they] would resist any sale and believes the community would be better served under the existing ownership."
Grateful tenantry indeed.
*spit*
Posted by
Kal |
2:47 PM