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MHG58671 - Travellers Camp - Lag Nan Ceard

Summary

A travellers camp recorded by the Scotland's Rural Past Camuscross Project.

Type and Period (1)

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Full Description

Oral history recording and place name research relating to Camuscross conducted by members of the local community as part of the Scotland's Rural Past Project 2011. The purpose of this research was to record names which have not previously been recorded on maps, but have survived through local knowledge and oral tradition.
'Lag nan Ceard' means 'hollow of the travellers.' This name refers to a camping spot below Brae Ord cottage, which was favoured by travellers, particularly Stewarts and MacDonalds.
The late Jetta Fraser, retired schoolmistress at Duisdale school, related that, as a child, she would go with her father, the postmaster, to visit the traveller camp, where he would write letters for the travellers, who were illiterate.
A story related by the MacInnes family of No 24 Camuscross, tells that the local minister, concerned that the travellers could be heard playing their pipes on a Sunday, visited the camp to remonstrate with the piper. The minister complained to the traveller-piper that he had been heard playing pipes on a Sunday and asked (in Gaelic) “Have you ever heard of the Sabbath”. “No”, answered the traveller, “But you whistle it, and I’ll play it!” <1>

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Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NG 6876 1217 (60m by 60m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NG61SE
Geographical Area	SKYE AND LOCHALSH
Civil Parish	SLEAT

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