Fyrish Monument
Encyclopedia
The Fyrish Monument is a monument built in 1782 on Fyrish Hill (Cnoc Fyrish), in Fyrish
near Evanton
, Easter Ross
, Scotland
, on the orders of Sir Hector Munro, 8th of Novar, a native lord of the area who had served in India
as a general. As the local population were being cleared
off their land to make way for sheep, employment was a problem and so it was built to give the locals some work. It represents the Gate of Negapatam, a port in Madras, India, which General Munro took for the British in 1781. It is visible from almost anywhere in the parishes of Kiltearn
and Alness
.
The view from the monument over the Cromarty Firth
and beyond is stunning, although Ben Wyvis
can not be seen.
There is a good path to the top, quite steep in places. It starts at an unobtrusive car park northeast of the hill at OS
grid 627715. Take the Boath turning off the B9176 Struie road.
, Ross-shire
, Scotland
. The lands of Fyrish are now part of the Novar Estate
. However the Fyrish lands were once lands which belonged to the Earl of Ross
, which were forfeited to the crown in 1475.
The lands of Fyrish were later granted to Sir William Keith, of the Clan Keith
by King James VI of Scotland in 1587. Fyrish was then divided into four parts, with Keith retaining one quarter.
Munros of Fyrish
The eastern quarter of Fyrish was given to Hector Munro 1st of the Monro of Fyrish family who was a brother of Robert Mor Munro, 15th Baron of Foulis
. Hector's grandson John Munro 3rd of Fyrish built a house at Fyrish and he was succeeded by his son Hugh Munro 4th of Fyrish. A lintel stone dated 1672 survives. When John Munro 5th of Fyrish died, his brother David Munro 6th of Fyrish took over as manager of the estate and sold it to George Munro of Culrain in 1704. The eastern part of Fyrish later passed from the Munro of Culrain family to the Munro of Novar family during the 18th century.
Munros of Novar
The original lands of the Munro estate of Novar
was also one quarter of land in Fyrish acquired from William Keith in 1589.
Munros of Teaninich
The other quarter of Fyrish was also acquired from Keith of Delny by Hugh Munro 1st of Teaninich, son of John Munro 3rd of Coul in 1589. These lands at first were just the lower quarter of Fyrish but eventually extended eastward towards the River Alness and Teaninich Castle
was bought by the Munros in 1660.
Fyrish (place)
Fyrish is the name given to an ancient area of land found just north of Evanton, Ross-shire, Scotland.The lands of Fyrish are now part of the Novar Estate. However Fyrish were once lands which belonged to the Earl of Ross, which were forfeited to the crown in 1475.The lands of Fyrish were later...
near Evanton
Evanton
Evanton is a large village in Easter Ross, in the Highland Council Area of Scotland. It lies between the river Sgitheach and the Allt Graad, is north of the city of Inverness, some south-west of Alness, and north-east of Dingwall. The village has a dozen or so streets, the main one being...
, Easter Ross
Easter Ross
Easter Ross is a loosely defined area in the east of Ross, Highland, Scotland.The name is used in the constituency name Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, which is the name of both a British House of Commons constituency and a Scottish Parliament constituency...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, on the orders of Sir Hector Munro, 8th of Novar, a native lord of the area who had served in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
as a general. As the local population were being cleared
Highland Clearances
The Highland Clearances were forced displacements of the population of the Scottish Highlands during the 18th and 19th centuries. They led to mass emigration to the sea coast, the Scottish Lowlands, and the North American colonies...
off their land to make way for sheep, employment was a problem and so it was built to give the locals some work. It represents the Gate of Negapatam, a port in Madras, India, which General Munro took for the British in 1781. It is visible from almost anywhere in the parishes of Kiltearn
Kiltearn
Kiltearn is a parish in Ross and Cromarty, Scotland. The principal settlement is the village of Evanton, and the parish extends almost to Dingwall and about halfway to Alness. The old Kiltearn church and burial ground are on the shore of the Cromarty Firth. The current church is on the main...
and Alness
Alness
Alness is a town and civil parish in Ross and Cromarty, Highland, Scotland. It lies near the Cromarty Firth, with the town of Invergordon to the east and the village of Evanton to the south west...
.
The view from the monument over the Cromarty Firth
Cromarty Firth
The Cromarty Firth of Cromarty') is an arm of the North Sea in Scotland. It is the middle of the three sea lochs at the head of the Moray Firth: to the north lies the Dornoch Firth, and to the south the Beauly Firth....
and beyond is stunning, although Ben Wyvis
Ben Wyvis
Ben Wyvis is a mountain located in Easter Ross, Ross and Cromarty, Highland, in northern Scotland, north-west of Dingwall. It forms an undulating ridge running roughly north-south for about 5 km, the highest summit of which is Glas Leathad Mòr...
can not be seen.
There is a good path to the top, quite steep in places. It starts at an unobtrusive car park northeast of the hill at OS
Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with...
grid 627715. Take the Boath turning off the B9176 Struie road.
Monument Myth
There is a myth about the building of the Fyrish Monument, relating to the commissioning of it by Sir Hector Munro. It is said that Sir Munro was a generous man, looking to help the local villagers in their time of unemployment. As the villagers would not take his charity, he instead paid them, as noted, to build the monument. The myth goes that after the villagers had transported the large boulders that the monument is made out of to the top of the hill it is situated on, Sir Hector Munro (presumably with help) rolled all of the stones down the hill again. He could then pay the villagers double the amount for them having to complete the task twice.Monumental Irony
It should perhaps be pointed out that as the local landowner, it was none other than Sir fharquar Hector who had brought in the sheep which were the cause of the unemployment problem. In fact, the risings against the sheep which occurred 10 years later were centered on the glens north and west of Fyrish, on land let by Sir Hector Munro to men from outwith the area. These risings culminated in 1792 with the Black Watch being called in to disperse the highlanders who had driven all of the sheep in ross-shire into a huge flock within sight of Fyrish!Fyrish Area
Fyrish is the name given to an ancient area of land found just north of EvantonEvanton
Evanton is a large village in Easter Ross, in the Highland Council Area of Scotland. It lies between the river Sgitheach and the Allt Graad, is north of the city of Inverness, some south-west of Alness, and north-east of Dingwall. The village has a dozen or so streets, the main one being...
, Ross-shire
Ross-shire
Ross-shire is an area in the Highland Council Area in Scotland. The name is now used as a geographic or cultural term, equivalent to Ross. Until 1889 the term denoted a county of Scotland, also known as the County of Ross...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. The lands of Fyrish are now part of the Novar Estate
Novar House
Novar House is an 18th-century building, located 0.7 miles north of the village of Evanton in Ross, Scotland.-History:The Munros of Novar descend from John Munro, 1st of Milntown, who in turn was the second son of Hugh Munro, 9th Baron of Foulis ....
. However the Fyrish lands were once lands which belonged to the Earl of Ross
Earl of Ross
The Mormaer or Earl of Ross was the leader of a medieval Gaelic lordship in northern Scotland, roughly between the River Oykel and the River Beauly.-Origins and transfers:...
, which were forfeited to the crown in 1475.
The lands of Fyrish were later granted to Sir William Keith, of the Clan Keith
Clan Keith
Clan Keith is a Scottish clan associated with Aberdeenshire and Caithness.-Origins:It is said that a Scottish warrior slew the Danish General Camus at the legendary Battle of Barrie in 1010. For this, King Máel Coluim II of Scotland dipped three fingers into the blood of the slain and drew them...
by King James VI of Scotland in 1587. Fyrish was then divided into four parts, with Keith retaining one quarter.
Munros of Fyrish
The eastern quarter of Fyrish was given to Hector Munro 1st of the Monro of Fyrish family who was a brother of Robert Mor Munro, 15th Baron of Foulis
Robert Mor Munro, 15th Baron of Foulis
Robert Mor Munro, 15th Baron of Foulis and 18th chief of the Clan Munro was a 16th century Scottish chief. He was known as Robert Mor on account of his large stature. He was the eldest son of Robert Munro, 14th Baron of Foulis...
. Hector's grandson John Munro 3rd of Fyrish built a house at Fyrish and he was succeeded by his son Hugh Munro 4th of Fyrish. A lintel stone dated 1672 survives. When John Munro 5th of Fyrish died, his brother David Munro 6th of Fyrish took over as manager of the estate and sold it to George Munro of Culrain in 1704. The eastern part of Fyrish later passed from the Munro of Culrain family to the Munro of Novar family during the 18th century.
Munros of Novar
The original lands of the Munro estate of Novar
Novar House
Novar House is an 18th-century building, located 0.7 miles north of the village of Evanton in Ross, Scotland.-History:The Munros of Novar descend from John Munro, 1st of Milntown, who in turn was the second son of Hugh Munro, 9th Baron of Foulis ....
was also one quarter of land in Fyrish acquired from William Keith in 1589.
Munros of Teaninich
The other quarter of Fyrish was also acquired from Keith of Delny by Hugh Munro 1st of Teaninich, son of John Munro 3rd of Coul in 1589. These lands at first were just the lower quarter of Fyrish but eventually extended eastward towards the River Alness and Teaninich Castle
Teaninich Castle
Teaninich Castle is situated north of the village of Evanton and just south of the village of Alness in Ross and Cromarty, Scotland.It is not known exactly how long a castle has been on the site of Teaninich Castle but it is thought to date back to at least the 16th century. In the 16th century,...
was bought by the Munros in 1660.
Sources
- http://www.clanmunro.org.uk/merchandise_files/maps.htm
- Touring Guide Scotland, p. 151. ISBN 0007217978
- A better picture can be seen at: http://www.ambaile.org.uk/smr/item/item_archaeology.jsp?item_id=8039