New secrets uncovered at site of Glencoe massacre

Dozens of members and associates of Clan MacDonald of Glencoe were killed on 13 February 1692, including Clan Chief Alasdair Ruadh “MacIain” MacDonald and his wife, during a surprise attack by government forces.  

Now, with the support of the National Trust for Scotland, a team of archaeologists and students from the University of Glasgow, along with a variety of volunteers, have spent a second year digging in Glencoe.  

Among the artefacts discovered are tantalising clues linked to a daring escape on the night of the slaughter, and also the impact it and the subsequent clearances had on a once-thriving community.   

Through archaeological excavations at the abandoned township of Arhnacon, the researchers have unearthed a wealth of artefacts that provide a rare glimpse into everyday life in 17th century Glencoe, including German and French pottery, decorated knife handles, loom weights for weaving, shoe buckles and broken tobacco pipes. 

Finding pottery Glencoe during this year's dig (Image: Derek Alexander) On the night of the massacre, the MacDonalds of Glencoe Clan Chief’s cousin - the tacksman of Achnacon or MacDonald of Achnacon - was hosting a party with guests including his brother MacDonald of Achtriochtan.  

They drank and gambled into the early hours, until the party was interrupted at 5am, as a volley of shots from government troops tore through the windows and doors. 

The recent archaeological excavations uncovered MacDonald of Achnacon’s turf-walled house and among the finds was a scatter of 17th century bronze coins, potentially the proceeds of the fateful night’s gambling, lost as the massacre began. 

MacDonald of Achnacon, unlike his brother, survived and was taken outside to be shot by the government soldiers.  

However, as they prepared to fire, he tore off his plaid cloak, threw this over his attackers, and fled off into the winter morning darkness. While excavating just outside this house structure, two volunteers on the 2024 dig found a bent plaid pin and two pieces of lead musket balls; the team think these could be the traces of MacDonald of Achnacon’s escape. 

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Dr Edward Stewart, Excavations Co-Director, who has just finished his PhD at the University of Glasgow, says that these humble artefacts provide a poignant glimpse into the human stories behind these grand historical events.  

He explained: “By exploring these dwellings and the archaeology of Glencoe, we are able to build a richer understanding, not only of the tragic events of the 1692 Massacre, but also the everyday lives of those who lived and worked in Glencoe in the 17th and 18th centuries. 

 “Recent discoveries – both in Achnacon this year and the Summerhouse of MacIain in 2023 – allow us to connect with the people who once called this glen ‘home’ in a profoundly personal way.

"We’re not just uncovering the grand events of history, but the individual human stories that were so painfully disrupted. These help to give intimate insights into the lives and livelihoods, diets, beliefs and experiences of those who lived in this landscape over 300 years ago.” 

Dr Eddie Stewart with the Glencoe pin (Image: Michael Given) Alongside the relics found within the ruins of a 17th century dwelling, the team’s landscape surveys have helped to paint a picture of the deep, generations-long relationship between the inhabitants of Achnacon and their environment.

This connection to the land only heightens the devastating impact the massacre and subsequent clearances would have had on the local community, say the archaeology team. 

Professor Michael Given, Professor of Landscape Archaeology and Co-Director of the University of Glasgow’s archaeological project in Glencoe, said: “It’s abundantly clear that the people of Achnacon were totally dependent on this land. Understanding that relationship allows us to empathise more fully with the trauma they endured when their world was so violently upended.” 

According to Derek Alexander, Head of Archaeology at the National Trust for Scotland, the conservation charity who care for the Glencoe National Nature Reserve, the remains of the 17th and 18th century townships in Glencoe are often subtle, with materials potentially recycled for later buildings, dykes and sheepfolds. 

Mr Alexander, Excavations Co-Director, added: “The better-preserved historic sites lie further into the glen away from the modern village at the lochside. Achnacon township displays the remains of four or five buildings, a kailyard or small kitchen garden and traces of rig cultivation.

“It lies within sight of the replica turf house constructed a few years ago at the National Trust for Scotland visitor centre and can be reached along the length of a newly-built walking and cycle track, the Glencoe Greenway. Step by step we are gaining a better understanding of where and how people lived in the glen and enabling visitors today to engage in new ways with the landscape.” 

Excavations this year at Glencoe (Image: Derek Alexander) As the Glencoe Archaeology Project continues its work in the years ahead, the team is committed to bringing these lost voices back to life. Through ongoing excavations, landscape studies, and public engagement events, they hope to shed new light on a history that has long been overshadowed by the events of 1692. 

 Dr Stewart said: “These artefacts may be small and unassuming, but they represent the very real human experiences that unfolded here. The archaeology team feel it is our responsibility to ensure these stories are told, and their legacy is not forgotten.” 

In June 2025 excavations will resume at the settlement of Achnacon to uncover more of this township’s lost stories.