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INVERLOCHY

Volume 12 · 192 words · 1842 Edition

or INNERLOCHY, a place in the West Highlands of Scotland, in the county of Inverness. It is situated on the east shore of Loch Eil, near the spot where that arm of the sea is joined by the Caledonian Canal. The town of Fort William lies contiguous to it on the south. According to legendary lore, this place is declared to be the site of a city once the greatest in Scotland, and that here King Achalus signed a treaty with Charlemagne. The remains of the ancient pavement of streets are ostentatiously pointed to as corroborating these fanciful conjectures; but if ever a town existed here, many ages have elapsed since the last vestige of it disappeared, and nothing now remains but a huge quadrangular edifice, styled Inverlochy Castle, which towers in solitary magnificence, and has survived all tradition respecting its origin. The building forms a court, and is provided at the angles with round towers, of the most massive proportions, the whole fabric covering a space of 1600 yards. Inverlochy gives its name to one of the most brilliant victories of the Marquis of Montrose, which he gained in February 1645.