Clan land map from 1600 to 1800 showing the territory of influence during this time, overlayed with several Buchanan landmarks that are referenced on this website:
On the Shores of Loch Lomond and in Stirlingshire.
The traditional clan lands of the Buchanan border the eastern shores of Loch Lomond around the towns of Drymen, Milton of Buchanan, Balmaha, and then north to Ben Lomond. It then extends eastward into Stirlingshire through the towns of Killearn, Buchlyvie, Arnprior, Kippen, and Callander north west of Stirling Castle.
Within Loch Lomond, just offshore from the town of Balmaha, lies the tiny fish shaped island of Clairinsh (or Clairinch) which was the original fortress of the Clan. Some ruins remain, but the island is now overrun with brush and trees and is a protected sanctuary. This tiny island gives its name to the Clan slughorn or war cry of "Clair Innis!" The island is now owned by the Buchanan Society in Scotland and is leased to Scottish Natural Heritage.
The remains of a medieval crannog called “The Kitchen” lie just off the eastern point of Clairinsh.
Note: Many MacAuslands inhabited lands on the western shore of Loch Lomond in Luss Parish. MacAusland gravestones are found in the churchyard there.
The ancient seat of the Clan Buchanan is Clairinch island in Loch Lomond. Our Clan's War Cry is “Clar Innis!”
Learn more about the history of our Clan's ancient heartland and Clairinch Island
When we speak of “Buchanan” territory it is in a historical context. These lands changed over time as ownership changed. The several cadet branches of the Buchanan line controlled various properties throughout central Scotland and not all were contiguous. The popular clan maps that are produced are a snapshot of a particular date in time and are often inaccurate representations. It is perfectly understandable if your particular ancestors were located in a different area of Scotland.
Clan Landmarks
Clans surrounding Loch Lomond, post 1600
1896 Stirlingshire map covering Buchanan parish
The Parish of Buchanan
The parish of Buchanan lies at the mouth of the River Endrick, and is bounded by the river on the south, by Loch Lomond on the west, by the parish of Arrochar on the north, by Loch Katrine and the parishes of Aberfoyle and Drymen on the east. Its length is about eighteen and a half miles and its breadth from east to west varies from about two and a quarter to six miles. The parish was originally called Inchcailloch, from the island of the name in Loch Lomond. In 1621 the present parish was formed by a union of that of Inchcailloch with a detached portion of the parish of Luss, containing the lands of the old family of Buchanan. There was a Chapel of Ease belonging to Luss near Buchanan House, where service was performed after the church of Inchcailloch fell into disrepair, and it eventually gave the name to the whole parish The greater part of Buchanan parish is very mountainous. The highest mountain being Ben Lomond 3192 feet above sea level, with other mountains, Ptarmigan, 2398 feet, Stob nan Eighrach, 2011 feet, Beinn a Chon, 2524 feet, Stob an Fhainne, 2144 feet, Maol Mor, 2249 feet, and Cruin a Bheinn, 2077 feet. Besides those mentioned above there are two small lochs, Loch Arklet, in the north, which discharges water by the Arklet into Loch Lomond at Inversnaid, and Dubh Lochan, a small loch near Loch Lomond, about two miles south of Rowardennan.The Duchray Water rises on the north side of Ben Lomond, and after being joined in the parish of Aberfoyle by Avondhu, a small stream which flows out of Loch Ard, the two together form the River Forth.
There is a large extent of wood in the parish, both natural and planted, the Duke of Montrose having planted a considerable area in the latter part of the eighteen century. Goats abound in the area of Ben Lomond and in the upper parts of Buchanan. On the cultivation of woods an attempt was made to exterminate the animals in an attempt to save the local flora from their depredation, but today despite several attempts to remove the goats, we still have large numbers of the animals ravaging the area and causing much destruction.
Buchanan Castle, so named because of the district in which it lies, and having no connection with the Buchanan Clan, was once the seat of the Duke of Montrose, and now a ruin, lies about a mile west of the village of Drymen. It was used as a hospital during the second world war, and to avoid property tax after the war the roof was removed. The old mansion house of Buchanan was burned down in 1850. The foundation stone of Buchanan Castle was laid on 22nd August 1854, and the building was completed in 1857. The road leads from the upper end of the village of Drymen to the westward, skirting the boundary of Buchanan Castle, and crosses the Burn of Mar about two and a half miles from the village, above which the parish church and school are situated.
Proceeding up the Burn of Mar the farms of Gartfairn, High Mains, Millrowan Wood, Milton of Buchanan, Creitihall, Gartincaber, and Auchmar are passed. A little further on beyond Balmaha the road continues up Loch Lomond a short distance from the shore, going through the Pass of Balmaha, which is generally considered to be the seperation between the Highlands and the Lowlands.
Opposite Balmaha, and this part of the coast of Loch Lomond, there are several islands belonging to the parish of Buchanan. They are Clairinch, Inchcailloch, Eilandarroch, Inchfad, Inchruin, Bucinch, and Ceardach. Clairinch, in old times the gathering place for war of the Clan Buchanan, is now a nature reserve, and is owned by the Buchanan Society in Glasgow, having been gifted to them in the 1930‘s by a wealthy clan member William George Buchanan, a cadet of Drummakill. The road continues parallel to the shore of Loch Lomond, passing the farms of Cashel, Easter and Wester Sallachy, Blairvockie, ( Blairvockie now forms part of the National Trust for Scotland and was purchased at the time the trust acquired Ben Lomond ) and the small loch of the Dubh Lochan. Between seven and eight miles from Balmaha it reaches Rowardennan, where there stands a very comfortable hotel, and a steamboat pier. The ferry runs still, between Rowardennan and Inverbeg. From here there is a path leading to the top of Ben Lomond. The ascent is easy, and makes good walking. The road continues a short distance further to the shooting lodges of Rowardennan, and Ptarmigan, and from there a path leads to Inversnaid, where there is a large hotel and a steamboat pier. There is a ferry service run by the hotel between Inversnaid and Inverglas point. The distance from Rowardennan to Inversnaid is about six miles. At Inversnaid the Arklet Burn, which flows out of Loch Arklet, falls into Loch Lomond over a waterfall of thirty feet which is spanned by a foot bridge. There is a road from here up Glen Arklet to Stonachlachar on Loch Katrine, where at one time steamers stopped to land and take on board passengers who in the tourist season were conveyed by coach between the Trossachs, and Loch Katrine, and Loch Lomond. There is a considerable ascent between the two lochs, Loch Lomond being only 23 feet above sea level, and Loch Katrine 369 feet.The road continues, and about a mile up Glen Arklet are the remains of the Fort and Garrison of Inversnaid, which was built in 1713 to check the depredations of the McGregors.
Further on the road skirts the shores of Lock Arklet, and reaches Stronachlachar on Loch Katrine, five miles from Inversnaid. From Stronachlachar the eastern boundary of the parish goes for two miles and a half up to the top of Loch Katrine, and then for about three miles up Glengyle to the summit of Beinn Ducteach, then for two miles in an irregular line in a southerly direction to the summit of Beinn Choin, and continues in a westerly direction to a point on Loch Lomond two and a half miles up to the head of the loch to Glen Falloch.
Loch Lomond looking north.
The District of Strathendrick
The Valley of the Endrick river; encompasses the lands of Buchanan. The Parish’s of Fintry, Balfron, Drymen and Kilmarononock.