Home > Glenfinnan
About half-way along the picturesque Scottish West Highland Railway line between Fort William and Mallaig lies Glenfinnan station. The Jacobite Steam Train and other trains regularly run this route, and just before arriving at Glenfinnan from the direction of Fort William, the line crosses a spectacular arched viaduct, which has appeared in one of the Harry Potter films. The site has historical significance too, since it was here that Bonnie Prince Charlie ( Charles Edward Stuart) first raised his standard and gathered his forces for the ill-fated Jacobite rebellion of 1745. A stone tower commemorates the event, and stands dramatically on the shore of Loch Shiel. A National Trust for Scotland visitor centre provides further information on the historical background.1 Bonnie Prince Charlie
Charles Edward Stuart raised his standard at Glenfinnan on 19th August 1745, inviting rebel Jacobite clan chiefs to gather there in support of him and his father, James , who claimed the British throneThis article is about royal thrones, for the order of angels by the same name see Thrones. The Throne of Canada Thrones for The Queen of Canada, and the Duke of Edinburgh and the Governor General, in the Canadian Senate, Ottawa. A throne is the official c was his by right. Several chiefs answered the call, providing hundreds of troops at Charles' command. The 1745 JacobiteJacobite refers to: A follower of Jacobitism, the political movement dedicated to the return of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England and Scotland A member of the Jacobite Orthodox Church of Syria. rebellion, which would end disastrously at CullodenFor the famous 18th century battle in Scottish history see Battle of Culloden and Culloden, Scotland. The film Culloden is a fictional portrayal of that battle. There are also two communities in the United States with this name: Culloden in Monroe County,, had begun.
In 1815, Alexander Macdonald of Glenaladale built a memorial tower at Glenfinnan commemorating the events above. The tower was designed by the Scottish architectAn architect is a person licensed in the art of planning, designing and overseeing the construction of buildings, or more generally, the designer of a scheme or plan. See architecture or landscape architecture Architects and landscape architects are consi James Gillespie Graham . Hundreds of Jacobite enthusiasts gather there each year on the 19th of August.
The National Trust for Scotland Visitor Centre at Glenfinnan provides tickets, information and exhibitions, and a shop, cafe, and toilets.
2 Glenfinnan Viaduct
The viaduct was built in 1897-1901 by the engineer Sir Robert McAlpine . It has 21 arches, reaching as high as 100ft . A plaque at the base of one of the arches commemorates the centenary of the viaduct.
The Glenfinnan viaduct recently came to prominence in the Harry Potter film Harry Potter and the Chamber of SecretsHarry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. Rowling, is the sequel to Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. It is the second book in a series of seven Harry Potter books. The book was published in 1998. A film was theatrically released in November 2, the second in the trilogy, when the Jacobite Steam Train became transformed into the Hogwarts ExpressThe Hogwarts Express is a fictional magical train in the Harry Potter series of books. It is ridden by students between London and Hogwarts. The train stops at King's Cross station platform 9¾, which is invisible to Muggle eyes and is reached through the and was filmed crossing the viaduct.
3 Tidbits
According to the movie, MacLeod the HighlanderHighlander can also refer to a person from the Scottish Highlands. Highlander is a series of fantasy movies featuring Connor MacLeod ( Christopher Lambert), the Highlander of the title. Born in Glenfinnan, in the Scottish Highlands in the 16th century, Ma was born in Glenfinnan.
