Taigh Mòr na Seilge
South of Glen Affric, there is a mountain with an unusual name – Taigh
Mòr na Seilge. It’s halfway between Loch Affric and Loch Cluanie. Taigh
Mòr na Seilge – the big house of the hunt. Why does a mountain have
such an unusual name?
Were people hunting there in olden times? Or is it a mistake? In the
Ordnance Survey name books there is a piece written in red pen. It says
that the mountain’s correct name is Tom Mòr na Seilge. And it says
‘Altered by authority of Mr. Mackay, Inverness.’
But there is another note in the same book which says that more
research must be done on the name by order of the ‘Director General’.
The matter had gone to the top of the OS [Ordnance Survey]!
Tom Mòr na Seilge is what is on the one-inch map that was published in
the year 1900. Today, it’s Taigh Mòr na Seilge that is on the maps.
It’s the amazing thing about that mountain that there is a ‘house’ on
it. The building is close to the mountain’s summit at an altitude of
900 metres. I haven’t been there but I was speaking to a man who was,
and who sent me photos of the structure. It’s near Loch a’ Chòinnich
[the loch of the moss].
The building is more than seven metres in length and four metres in
width. It’s now a ruin.
Was it a hunting lodge? If so, why would it be so high on the mountain?
My friend researched the matter and he never found any mention of the
building.
But he received one interesting opinion – that it is a house that was built
by the people who were making the maps in the nineteenth century. Those
workers were camping out among the mountains of the Highlands while they
worked. People call such places ‘Colby Camps’, after a certain Thomas
Colby. I’ll tell you more about him in the next Litir.
The big house of the hunt
Deas air Gleann Afraig, tha beinn le ainm annasach – Taigh Mòr na Seilge.
Tha i letheach-slighe eadar Loch Afraig agus Loch Cluanaidh. Taigh Mòr na
Seilge – the big house of the hunt. Carson a tha ainm cho annasach
air beinn?
An robh daoine a’ sealg an sin anns an t-seann aimsir? No an e mearachd a
tha ann? Anns na leabhraichean-ainm aig an t-Suirbhidh Òrdanais tha pìos
sgrìobhte ann am peann dearg. Tha e ag ràdh gur e an t-ainm ceart air a’
bheinn Tom Mòr na Seilge. Agus tha e ag ràdh ‘ Altered by authority of Mr. Mackay, Inverness’.
Ach tha nota eile anns an aon leabhar a tha ag ràdh gu feumar tuilleadh
rannsachaidh a dhèanamh air an ainm air òrdugh an ‘Director General’. Bha
a’ chùis air a dhol gu mullach an OS!
ʼS e Tom Mòr na Seilge a tha air a’ mhapa aon-òirlich a chaidh
fhoillseachadh anns a’ bhliadhna naoi ceud deug (1900). An-diugh, ʼs e
Taigh Mòr na Seilge a tha air na mapaichean.
ʼS e an rud a tha iongantach mun bheinn sin, gu bheil ‘taigh’ oirre. Tha an
togalach faisg air mullach na beinne aig àirde naoi ceud meatair. Cha robh
mi fhìn ann, ach bha mi a’ bruidhinn ri fear a bha ann, agus a chuir
dealbhan dhen structar thugam. Tha e faisg air Loch a’ Chòinnich.
Tha an togalach còrr is seachd meatair ann am fad agus ceithir meatair ann
an leud. Tha e na thobhta a-nise.
An e taigh seilge a bha ann? Mas e, carson a bhiodh e cho àrd air a’
bheinn? Rinn mo charaid rannsachadh air a’ chùis agus cha do lorg e iomradh
sam bith air an togalach.
Ach thàinig aon bheachd inntinneach thuige – gur e taigh a chaidh a thogail
leis an fheadhainn a bha a’ dèanamh nam mapaichean anns an naoidheamh linn
deug. Bha an luchd-obrach sin a’ campachadh a-mach am measg beanntan na
Gàidhealtachd nuair a bha iad ag obair. Canaidh daoine ‘Colby Camps’ ri a
leithid, an dèidh fear Tòmas Colby. Innsidh mi dhuibh tuilleadh mu
dheidhinn-san anns an ath Litir.
