Places near me Random place
All the United Kingdom Scotland Glencoe Massacre of Glencoe Monument
AO Edited

Massacre of Glencoe Monument

A solemn memorial in a majestic setting that honors a 1692 tragedy.

Glencoe, Scotland

Added By
John Dacey
The memorial.   rugby007 (Atlas Obscura User)
Plaque at the memorial.   rugby007 (Atlas Obscura User)
The Glencoe Massacre Memorial   Kim Traynor, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
An artistic rendering of Glencoe from 1864 by Horatio McCulloch.   The original uploader was Cactus.man at English Wikipedia., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Memorial tablet at the base of the pillar.   rugby007 (Atlas Obscura User)
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Right on the edge of the village of Glencoe, Scotland, visitors will find this moving memorial, a simple stone pillar rising amid the breathtaking mountains of Glencoe.

It's believed that in mid-February 1692, members of Scottish government forces, allied with the rule of King William the Third, under royal charge murdered dozens of the Glencoe MacDonalds in this area, allegedly for their tardiness in declaring fealty to the monarchs. This occurred not long after the Jacobite uprising.

The attacking force was the Earl of Argyll's Regiment of Foot, commanded by Robert Campbell of Glenlyon. Legend states that MacDonald's hospitality of food and lodging in the dead of winter was repaid with death. To this day the origins and true nature of the event are debated. 

Related Tags

Monuments Death Memorials

Know Before You Go

The spot is easy to find. From A82, turn into Glencoe village onto B863 and take an immediate right onto Gleann Comhann, the main street through town. Follow this for about 1/4 of a mile and turn right onto Upper Carnoch, immediately before going over the River Coe bridge. Go about 200 yards and the memorial will be on a rise to your right.


There is parking for two vehicles, and it is free of charge. The site is open 24/7.

Community Contributors

Added By

rugby007

Edited By

rbenn250, sunny0924

Published

January 14, 2022

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources

Nearby Places

Explore the Destination Guide

Related Places

  • Parkville, Australia

    Burke and Wills Monument

    This unusual stone monument marks the starting point of the epic and tragic event.

  • The memorial to Marjan.

    Kabul, Afghanistan

    Marjan the Lion Memorial

    This monument honors the life of a long-suffering lion whose story captivated the world.

  • William Donaghy's memorial inscription.

    Dartmoor National Park, England

    William Donaghy Memorial

    A remote gravestone on the moor marks the spot where a teacher's body was found under mysterious circumstances that remain inexplicable.

  • Soyuz 11 memorial in original form

    Zhanaarka District, Kazakhstan

    Soyuz 11 Memorial

    The remains of a monument in the remote Kazakhstani desert dedicated to the only men to die in outer space, the crew of the Soyuz 11 rocket.

  • The Griffin Monument

    Silver Plume, Colorado

    Griffin Monument

    This cliffside memorial marks the final resting place of a lonely violinist.

  • The Countess Pillar.

    Brougham, England

    Countess Pillar

    A memorial overlooking a busy roadway is linked with the story of a 17th-century noblewoman’s legal battle for her inheritance.

  • The top of the Stairway to Heaven Memorial.

    London, England

    Stairway to Heaven Memorial

    An inverted staircase above the entrance to the Bethnal Green Underground Station functions as a memorial for people who lost their lives during the worst civilian disaster in the U.K. during World War II.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

See Fewer Ads

Become an Atlas Obscura member and experience far fewer ads

Become a Member