Clachan Comair
Clachan Comair is situated by the single track road south of the River Glass a short distance from the village of Cannich. For almost six centuries until the 1930s, Strathglass was Clan Chisholm land.
Clachan is a Gaelic word for both a graveyard and a small village or township. Comair is the Gaelic for a confluence or junction of watercourses. The watercourses here are the Rivers Cannich and Glass.
Clachan Comair has a ruined 17th century church set within a graveyard which was still in use into the 20th century. The church is built on the site of a much older church possibly 10th century. This was dedicated to Saint Bean or Beathan and known as Kilbeathan. For more on Saint Bean see Marydale Church.
After the Reformation of 1560 and the outlawing and subsequent persecution of Catholicism, adherents to the Catholic faith had to worship in secret. However, in the 17th century with the arrival of Jesuit missionaries from Ireland and Europe, churches or mission stations were opened at Knockfin near Tomich and at Clachan Comar. Father John Farquharson, a native of Aberdeenshire, is the best remembered of the Jesuit priests – he was known as Maighstir Iain. He wore the kilt and learned Gaelic to help him merge into the background, thus avoiding the attention of the Saighdearan Dearg (Redcoats).
The church followed several earlier Roman Catholic churches and Mass-houses in Strathglass, located at Achnaheglish, Knockfin, Clachan Comair and Fasnakyle.
Following the 1745 Rebellion the association of Jacobitism with Catholicism saw frequent incursions by Government redcoat soldiers (Saighdearan Dearg) and the persecution of Catholics and Highlanders in general, returned. The men of Clan Chisholm had gathered at Clachan Comair to receive the priest’s blessing as they left to fight at Culloden on 16th April 1746.
At the entrance to the ruined chapel, on the right side of the doorway is a v-shaped cut in the stone. Local tradition says that a sword thrust, aimed at a priest as he and his parishioners were being forcibly evicted from the small church during incursions by redcoats following Culloden, missed, and hit the stone instead. The priest escaped across the fields on this occasion.
Until the early years of the 19th century Clachan Comair was the focal point of a thriving community of four townships having a total population of some 500 people. The surrounding area – the Davoch of Clachan – was once known as the ‘granary of Strathglass’ indicating its importance to agriculture at one time. Davoch is an old term of land measurement and the townships around Clachan Comair were Kerrow, Clachan, Balnabruich and Balnahaun. Today the entire area is simply referred to as Kerrow.
The Davoch was cleared of its people beginning in the first decade of the 19th century. Sadly, the chiefs of the Clan Chisholm found leasing land to southern sheep farmers much more lucrative than the rents obtained from the small farms of their kinfolk who were then dispersed across the globe. Today the burial ground is all that remains and occupies an isolated position sheltered by a copse of rowan trees.
As you enter through the gate and walk along the narrow path towards the graveyard on your left you will see shallow depressions in the field that are all that remains of the old Clachan dwellings.
A short distance from the graveyard is the Sputan Beathain, a spring flowing (not so much these days!) that provided a source of refreshments for those carrying coffins perhaps over very long distances. The water after being blessed, was sprinkled on the coffins as Holy Water.
Prior to the pandemic of 2020 mass was celebrated annually at Clachan Comair. It is hoped that the service will resume from later this year.
Site Information
SHA Site No: 7
Site Status: 
Location: NH 3348 3068 Landranger OS 26
Three words: describes.lashed.moth
Period: Mediaeval / Post-mediaeval
Date: 11th Century
Site Owner: Roman Catholic Diocese of Aberdeen
Open: 24 Hours
Access: Fenced path over grass 100m from roadside
Grade: Easy
Parking: Limited at site but more nearby 200m
Notes: Please ensure gates are kept closed
Location Map
