Story entitled 'Prince Charlie', 1895
Scope and Contents
Story written down by John Ewen MacRury, Beinn na Faoghla/Benbecula entitled 'Prince Charlie' and telling the story of a blanket specially made for Bonnie Prince Charlie [Prince Charles Edward Stuart] after his defeat at Culloden, when he was staying Roisinish [RĂ²isinis/Rossinish]. An unmarried woman there by the name of MacMillan heard he had no bed clothes so persuaded her neighbours to make a blanket for him. They worked non-stop on the blankets and 'dried [them] on the face of the rocks of Ru-lachdair-na h-airde' on a vein of quartz which can be seen to advantage from the seashore west of Nunton house. This layer was spoken of as "Stala nan ban buaireaseach" for their excitement during the secret process.' The Prince left theislands before the blankets could be given to him and the women promised that no living being would use them out of respect for him. Miss McMillan kept the fabric until she died, when she was buried in it, as she had requested 'in Virgin soil where no sluasaid would ever disturb the dust of her much appreciated blanket'. MacRury describes her resting place at Nunton [Baile nan Cailleach] and how how over twenty years before [c1875] the foundations of her house 'between Cuidhe-chlachain Mhor and rathad na h' airde' had been pointed out to him. The text has been scored through in pencil as if transcribed elsewhere.
Dates
- Creation: 1895
Language of Materials
Gaelic,English
Conditions Governing Access
This material is unrestricted.
Extent
From the Series: 114 folios ; 14 x 20 cm
Physical Location
5.07
Physical Location
folio 44v, line 6 to folio 50r, line 18
Subject
- MacMillan, Miss, fl1746 (Rossinish | Benbecula | Inverness-shire) (Person)
- MacRury, John Ewen, c1853-1909 (Torlum | Benbecula) (Person)
Creator
- From the Fonds: Carmichael, Alexander, 1832-1912 (Excise officer | folklorist and antiquarian | Edinburgh | Scotland) (Person)
- From the Fonds: Watson, William John, 1865-1948 (Professor of Celtic) (Person)
Repository Details
Part of the University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections Repository
Centre for Research Collections
University of Edinburgh Main Library
George Square
Edinburgh EH8 9LJ Scotland
+44(0)131 650 8379
heritagecollections@ed.ac.uk