PHOTOS OF BALNAGOWAN CASTLE

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We are grateful to Ross Fothergill of Hong Kong for sending us several photographs on October 11 of 2005. They were taken during a trip that his wife and he took to Easter Ross on April 26, 2005. The first picture of the castle during the late afternoon was taken Westward from the road which is East of the Balnagown River. The second photo was taken after a five minute walk further North along the road.

It would appear from these photographs that a miniscule compromise has been offered by Mohamed Al Fayed to the Lord Lyon's directive. In the first picture, Ross Fothergill is standing at the gate which clearly displays the coat of arms belonging to Chief David Ross of Ross and Balnagowan at the top of the gate. (In The spelling of Balnagowan Castle and the hereditary title of the Chief, I am following the convention established in most Clan Ross histories). The second photo is a close-up of a plaque stating "The Arms of the Chiefs of Clan Ross", but it is far removed from the actual Coat of Arms . . . instead of having the words "An Cirean Cean Cinnidh" placed directly beneath the Coat of Arms to indicate that it is the property of the Chiefs of Clan Ross. In fact, a casual observer might interpret that the plaque refers to the intervening "MAF" (Mohammed Al Fayed) insignia beside.

About an hour later, the following picture was taken of the Collegiate Church of St. Duthus in Tain. The name of "ROSS" far outnumbers any other in the cemetery.