A most benevolent action, to put these barbarous Highlanders into a position where they could better Contact Forestry Commission , North associate together... and Forest District, The Links, Golspie Business Park, advance in civilisation. Golspie, , KW10 6UB Patrick Sellar Follow us on: Tel: 01408 634063 Email: [email protected] Web: www.forestry.gov.uk/scotland Rosal A Cruel Clearance Public enquiry line: 0845 3673787 Discover this remote clearance village in Strathnaver Changing Times The estate factor, Patrick Sellar, undertook his and learn about the stories held within its stones Until 1814, Rosal was a thriving Highland Getting Rosal is near Syre in Strathnaver, between work with a ruthless efficiency. He was tried for community. But big changes were coming. to Rosal and . From the B873, turn east onto culpable homicide following the death of an aged Elizabeth, Countess of Sutherland owned this the B871 towards woman at the nearby Badinloskin. Although he was land and was more interested in maximising Kinbrace at Syre. acquitted of these charges, Sellar is still associated opportunities than maintaining the traditional with the most brutal aspects of the clearances. Near the bridge A838 way of life. She wanted to see ‘improvements’. A836 Bettyhill In 1816, he issued a second notice to quit at Rosal, at Syre you’ll see The residents of Rosal were told to leave. and the last of the original tenants left. Patrick Sellar a forest road on Tongue Meat was in high demand for the growing himself became the new tenant of Rosal and the your right running population in the south, and Britain’s woollen mills surrounding area, running a huge sheep farm. alongside the River Naver. Ben Loch were expanding fast. Large scale sheep farming Loyal Loyal The car park is B871 promised far greater profits than the tenants could Syre Gloomy Memories 1½ miles (2.4 km) A836 offer in rent. Some people even suggested that the B871 The evictions in Strathnaver became well known, along this gravel Rosal evictions were for the good of the tenants. Few of partly due to Donald Macleod. Donald was born at road at grid B873 the people forced to move would have agreed. reference Loch XK/Allander/March 2015 (edition 1). Naver Rosal and lived there until the evictions in 1814. He Altnaharra The clearances happened all through Strathnaver, wrote his accounts many years later, and published NC 690 426. © Crown copyright and database right [2015]. All rights and all across Sutherland. By 1870, all the suitable reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number [100021242]. them in 1856. Donald wrote in English, but would land in Sutherland had been put to sheep farming, have spoken Gaelic when he lived at Rosal. You can and the traditional communal way of life had all listen to extracts from his book Gloomy Memories at but disappeared. our bench onsite or at www.xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.co.uk If you need this publication in an alternative format, for example, in large print or in another language, the comfort and social please contact:­ happiness of all destroyed The Diversity Team Donald MacLeod, Rosal. Tel: 0300 067 5046 le sgrios ga dhèanamh air E-mail: [email protected] Written and designed by Design & Interpretive Services, Forestry Commission Scotland - D&IS/ Photography by Forestry Commission Picture Library unless stated. comhfhurtachd agus sonas an àite is nan daoine For information on public transport services contact: Traveline Scotland, 0871 2002233 or Dòmhnall MacLeòid, Rosail www.travelinescotland.com

© Crown Copyright 2015 Uncovering the Past VISIT THE TOWNSHIP After the clearances, Rosal remained virtually untouched. In 1962 an archaeologist called Horace Fairhurst carried out an excavation at the site, Rosal Revealed Rosal Clearance Village Trail making Rosal one of the first historic rural settlement sites to be investigated in detail. Horace also Using a mix of data from the laser scan and Follow this short trail for an introduction to the recorded seventy structures, including long-houses, aerial photography, the 3D digital terrain model remains of Rosal township. Don’t miss Donald barns, outhouses, stackyards and corn-drying kilns. gives us a bird’s eye view over Rosal. Macleod’s Gloomy Memories at the audio bench, an eye-witness account of the evictions. More recently, impressive new technology has allowed us to discover more about Rosal. Flying over Look for the outlines of the long-houses, barns Rough gravel and narrow ½ mile / the site with an aerial laser scanner has collected and enclosures, and the rigs and furrows where grassy paths with some 0.8 km huge amounts of data, which has been used to crops were grown. uneven sections. Allow record the landscape in amazing detail. These Includes short steep ½ hr computer generated images accurately reveal slopes and a gate. features which can be very hard to spot onsite. Some areas may be muddy and wet.

Pin-point Explore further: you are welcome to walk around the accuracy: township. The area can be rough, slippery and wet thousands in places. Please leave the ruins as you find them. of individual laser scanning l 0 0.25km l

points show i

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B footings of 42 o a building T

Securing the Future Rosal

The remains of Rosal stand as a memorial to a lost way of life. We work with the local community

to preserve this important site and to encourage 110m

visits. The whole site is protected as a Scheduled River Naver

Monument. Please leave it as you find it. Cairn 120m

Discover More Sheepfold 66 Hut Circles

To Lairg © Crown copyright and database right [2015]. All rights Strathnaver has a long and rich history. reserved. Ordnance Survery Licence number [100021242]. Visit the Strathnaver Museum in Bettyhill and pick up a guide to the Strathnaver Trail. For more information please visit www.strathnavermuseum.org.uk