History finds a home

Jennifer Foulds • Published 5 Aug 2010 09:30

A COTTAGE in Luss is a step closer to housing the history of the area's famous Clan Colquhoun.

Argyll and Bute Council has just granted planning permission for Shore Cottage - one of the oldest buildings in Luss - to change its use to a museum.

The Clan Colquhoun Society (CCS) has been searching for a place to store all of its rich history since the old museum, based at the Hall House, was closed six years ago.

The society has even employed a museum consultant to ensure that the project runs smoothly.

George Kirkpatrick, of the CCS, is delighted that planning permission has been granted following a lot of hard work.

He said: "We want to bring in other clans and we want to explain how it all started, where it started and look at connections because the clans around here are inter-linked.

"It is entwined in Scottish history and also British history, so we want to bring all that in too.

"We want to take the whole community with us and ask them what they want to see."

The museum aims to create a new Clan Colquhoun Heritage Centre and Luss Visitor Centre, where clan history can be shared with the village and tourists.

The information can also be used to relate the Colquhoun's history with other Scottish clans, as well as being used as a meeting place for the CCS.

They hope it will attract tourists to the area and draw people from across the globe who visit Scotland to discover the history of their ancestors.

The museum will house prints of paintings of Colquhoun members and artefacts on loan from Chieftain Sir Malcolm Colquhoun's home.

A combination of existing display panels and exhibition cases along with new technology will be used to give access to other forms of interpretation and there will be a shop.

Suggestions also include having a dressing-up area for an opportunity for visitors to examine the clan's tartan and its use in costume.

Shore Cottage, owned by Luss Estates, is believed to be derelict because of its tendency to flood, however, in Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park's local plan it says demolition should be resisted because the building is one of the few survivors of pre-improvement Luss.

George added: "We will be bringing it into use and making it an asset in the community, as well as adding to the visitor experience.

"It's been a lot of hard work but we are getting there and we can see light at the end of the tunnel and the light is getting brighter and once we get it open I think it will go from strength to strength."

The project will cost £67,000, which does not include running costs, and the museum is expected to open as a project in progress later this year or early next year, with its official opening in 2012.

The society is now hoping for funding from the council, as well as Awards For All and the National Park.

The CCS is also now waiting on the second part of its planning application to be decided upon, which is permission to make internal alterations to the building.

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This article appeared in Helensburgh Advertiser 05 Aug 10

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