Forest Heritage Scotland webpage - Daingean
Date 2009
Event ID 588134
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Publication Account
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/588134
The website text produced for Daingean webpages on the Forest Heritage Scotland website (www.forestheritagescotland.com).
Introduction: After the evictions
In 1786, John Campbell and other tenants were evicted from the township of Daingean. The tenants had rented land to farm, but the landlord had new plans for its use.
Unlike nearby townships of Laddie and Bolinn, there is no evidence that Daingean's evicted tenants made the crossing to settle in Canada. We do not know what happened to them. The township, however, tells the story of what happened to the land after the evictions.
People continued to live at Daingean for over one hundred years after John Campbell and friends left. The land from Daingean and other evicted townships was brought together to rent as large scale sheep runs. These farms still needed people to work and run them. In 1841, Duncan Gillies and Alexander McDonald at Daingean worked as agricultural labourers.
In the late 19th century, the use of the estate land changed again. Deer stalking and forestry became the fashionable ways to make use of the land. From 1851, the records show a succession of gamekeepers living at Daingean. They would have looked after the estate's animals and land.
Today, Daingean is the best preserved and easiest of the three Glengarry sites to visit and explore.
People Story: Jailed Jacobites
Thousands of people left the Highlands to settle in Glengarry County in Canada in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Similar stories can be heard all over Scotland. People travelled not only to Canada, but all over the world. Today, Scotland has strong connections to many countries through the descendants of these emigrants.
Some left Scotland in chains. In 1746, John MacDonald and John Kennedy of Daingean were transported to the West Indies as a punishment.
The Glengarry clan, the MacDonells, were supporters of Bonnie Prince Charlie. The two Johns were among MacDonell clansmen who fought against the British government at the Battle of Culloden in 1746. They were captured, tried and sentenced to transportation.
Transportation as a punishment became common from the 17th century until the 19th century, in both Britain and Ireland. People could be sent away for the smallest of crimes, while for larger crimes it was an alternative to execution.
Prisoners were sent to countries that were under British rule at the time and made to work on government projects, for example building roads. Some were sent for a few months, others for life. Once released, many made fresh starts in the countries they had been sent to.
Evidence Story: exploring the stones
Hector Rogers rediscovered Daingean in 1999 during forest clearance. Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) now preserves the site as an important part of the local history.
An important part of these farmers' lives was the corn they grew. Exploring the site you can discover evidence about how the corn was treated once it was cut and gathered at harvest time.
You will find the remains of a corn drying kiln. This structure contained a stone-lined circular bowl with a short tunnel, called a flue, leading into its base.
The grain was laid out on sacks on a wooden frame stretched across the top of the bowl. A fire was then lit at the mouth of the flue and heat was drawn through to the bowl and up through the grain. It was important that the grain was dry so that it would not rot when stored. Farmers today still have to do this but use mechanical driers to achieve the same result.
The heating of the grain was a long process that needed to be carefully watched. Warm and cosy, the kiln would have been an ideal place for people to gather and share stories and music.
