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Piece of lost religious heritage is returned to Badenoch


By Gavin Musgrove

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Ishbel Campbell, Davie Campbell and Campbell Slimon at the unveiling at Aberarder Lodge, Kinlochlaggan.
Ishbel Campbell, Davie Campbell and Campbell Slimon at the unveiling at Aberarder Lodge, Kinlochlaggan.

A piece of Badenoch's lost heritage has been returned to the area.

A cairn commemorating the long-demolished St Michael’s chapel has been unveiled near its original site in the shadow of Dun da Lamh.

It marks the culmination of a long-running project by Laggan Heritage.

The stone cross from the top of the chapel had been in the keeping of the late Ronnie Campbell, from Bohuntine.

He and Laggan resident Campbell Slimon had discussed the various options to return the cross to Badenoch and commemorate the early toe-hold of the Catholic faith in the Badenoch parish.

A cairn to hold the cross was built in recent weeks by Davie Campbell and the monument was unveiled by the late Mr Campbell’s sister Ishbell.

Heritage group spokesman Campbell Slimon said: “The chapel was demolished in 1956 and Ishbel’s late brother, Ronnie, had preserved it for many years.

"Lochaber was well represented by people tracing their Laggan ancestry back to the time of the ‘45 and who still have strong connections to Laggan.

“The much admired cairn was designed and built free of charge by local man Davie Campbell, with stone from the original chapel.”

St. Michael’s was built on “a cold, stormy and inconvenient site” below Dun da Lamh.

A thatched building, it was built in 1803-06 by Father MacEachan of Arisaig.

He translated the New Testament into his 'pure Arisaig Gaelic'.

The unveiling took place as part of Ardverikie and Aberarder Gardens Open Day.


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