Stories from the road
Wardlaw Mausoleum: The Jacobite Secret on My Old Doorstep
For 18 years I lived less than 250 yards from one of the most fascinating Jacobite sites in Scotland. Most people driving through Kirkhill have no idea it's there. Outlander fans, this one's for you.
What is Wardlaw Mausoleum?
Wardlaw Mausoleum sits in the old kirkyard at Kirkhill, about 10 miles west of Inverness. It was built in 1634 as the burial place of the Frasers of Lovat, one of the great clan families of the Highlands.
The Old Fox
Its most famous name is Simon Fraser, Lord Lovat, known as the Old Fox. He played both sides for years, then backed Bonnie Prince Charlie in 1745. After Culloden he was captured, tried in London and beheaded in 1747, the last man in Britain to die that way.
Outlander readers will know him as Jamie Fraser's scheming grandfather. Local legend says his body was quietly brought home and laid to rest at Wardlaw. But when the lead coffin was opened in 2017, the remains inside were a woman's. Where he really lies is still unknown, and that mystery is half the fun.
Getting inside
Here's the bit you won't find online. The mausoleum is usually locked, but the gentleman in the neighbouring house holds the key. Ring the bell and, if he's in, he'll let you in. He and his daughter know the history inside out, and hearing it from them beats any information board.
Why I include it on tour
Culloden gets the crowds, and rightly so. But Wardlaw gives you the human side of the Jacobite story: one family, one man, and a question nobody has quite answered. It pairs perfectly with Culloden, Clava Cairns and Beauly on a Jacobite and Outlander day out from Inverness.
Wardlaw pairs perfectly with Culloden, Clava Cairns and Beauly.
Plan your Jacobite and Outlander tour