Found: coins that may have been hidden as Glencoe massacre began

The fact that none of the coins was minted after the 1680s has led archaeologists to suggest that they were most likely deposited under the fireplace either just before or during the 1692 Glencoe Massacre. Whoever buried the coins did not return for them, which could indicate that they were among the victims of the massacre.

The coins were discovered by University of Glasgow archaeology student Lucy Ankers in the grand fireplace of the Glencoe house during an archaeological dig in August. The pot had a small rounded pebble for a lid and was hidden beneath a hearth stone stab.

The horde of coins, and the pot and pebble lid (Image: Supplied)

The Head of Archaeology at the National Trust for Scotland, the conservation trust that cares for the Glencoe National Nature Reserve, said the coins and other artefacts found during the excavation project would make a “significant contribution to our understanding of the history and archaeology of Glencoe”.

Ms Ankers said: “As a first experience of a dig, Glencoe was amazing. The two weeks I spent digging solidified that I want to pursue a career within archaeology. I wasn't expecting such an exciting find as one of my firsts, and I don’t think I will ever beat the feeling of seeing the coins peeking out of the dirt in the pot".

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The MacDonalds took part in the first Jacobite rising of 1689, which resulted in the clan being targeted in the massacre.

In late January 1692, two companies, or approximately 120 men, from the Earl of Argyll's Regiment of Foot arrived in Glencoe from Invergarry, led by Robert Campbell of Glenlyon. An estimated 38 members and associates of Clan MacDonald of Glencoe were killed on February 13, including Maclain and his wife.

Dr Michael Given, a Senior Lecturer in Archaeology and Co-Director of the University of Glasgow’s archaeological project in Glencoe, said: “These exciting finds give us a rare glimpse of a single, dramatic event. Here’s what seems an ordinary rural house, but it has a grand fireplace, impressive floor slabs, and exotic pottery imported from the Netherlands and Germany. And they’ve gathered up an amazing collection of coins in a little pot and buried them under the fireplace.

“What’s really exciting is that these coins are no later than the 1680s: so were they buried in a rush as the Massacre started first thing in the morning of the thirteenth of February 1692? We know some of the survivors ran through the blizzard and escaped up the side glens, including this one: were these coins witnesses to this dramatic story? It’s a real privilege, as archaeologists, to hold in our hands these objects that were so much part of people’s lives in the past.”

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Excavations led by the University of Glasgow indicate that the ‘summerhouse’ was a hunting lodge and feasting hall used by the MacDonald chiefs in the 17th century to entertain, to host hunts and to gather their people to dispense justice. Artefacts uncovered included high-status pottery, evidence of leather and glass working, and the pot of coins.

Edward Stewart, an Archaeology PhD student and the Excavations Director of the University of Glasgow’s archaeological project in Glencoe, said: “These excavations have allowed us to better understand how landscapes such as Glencoe might have been occupied and managed through the early modern period.

“Our previous investigations of the nearby summer shieling settlements offered an opportunity to understand how communities of herders lived and worked in these landscapes, now the excavation of ‘MacIain’s Summerhouse’ allows us to better understand the importance of these uplands to local elites.

“The scale of this structure and the wealth of artefacts uncovered within suggest this was a place where the MacDonald chiefs could entertain with feasting, gambling, hunting and libations. The discovery of this coin hoard within the structure adds an exciting dimension to this story.

"However, ordinary and everyday finds within this structure such as spindle whorls for making thread, a pitchfork, and a dress pin, speak to the everyday lives of those who lived here, worked the land and minded the cattle, allowing us to tell their stories as well as these grand tales of chiefs and their retinue.”

Craftspeople begin work in 2021 on re-creating a 17th century turf house in Glencoe (Image: Jeff Holmes/NTS/PA Wire)Derek Alexander, Head of Archaeology at the National Trust for Scotland, said: “The work undertaken by Eddie and the team from the University of Glasgow in Gleann Leac-na-muidhe, and the range of artefacts recovered, in particular the discovery of the coin hoard, will make a lasting and significant contribution to our understanding of the history and archaeology of Glencoe.

“This exciting discovery, from another part of the dramatic landscape, adds to the work previously undertaken at the townships of Achtriachtan and Achnacon. Gradually a fuller story is being pieced together, not just about the time of the infamous Massacre, but also of everyday life in the glen before and after 1692.”

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Catriona Davidson, Curator of Glencoe Folk Museum, said: “This is such an exciting moment for local heritage – finding objects like these creates such a tangible connection to the people who occupied the Glen in the past and inspires us to learn more about how they lived.

“It's been our privilege to host the Archaeology Team in the Museum this year, and great to see them interacting with the local community, who appreciated the opportunity to speak to experts about the area’s rich archaeology. We loved seeing our collection through the eyes of the students; the creative ways they interpreted our objects has been impressive, and we are looking forward to sharing their resources with our visitors in the future”.

The pot contains coins dating from the late 1500s through to the 1680s, including pieces from the reigns of Elizabeth I, James VI and I, Charles I, the Cromwellian Commonwealth, and Charles II. Coins from France and the Spanish Netherlands were also represented within the collection, as well as one coin which appears to have originated in the Papal States.

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Jesper Ericsson, Curator of Numismatics, The Hunterian, University of Glasgow, said: “The contents of the jar display a fascinating mix of coinage from different eras and countries, offering an exciting opportunity to investigate how this hoard was assembled and the circumstances behind it being hidden. I’m looking forward to working with the project team to uncover what these coins and other finds can tell us about life in Glen Coe in the late 17th century.”

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‘MacIain’ is known to have travelled to Rome and Paris in his youth, so some of the coins may represent personal memento of his travels. Other finds from the structure included musket and fowling shot, a gun flint and a powder measure which support the suggestion that this was used as a base for hunting. The imposing nature of the structure can be seen both in the array of imported dining wares from England, Germany and the Netherlands and the remains of what had been an impressive fireplace and grand slab floor.

The site of MacIain’s house has now been fully excavated and post-excavation analysis of the finds and environmental samples is in progress, assisted by a team of enthusiastic archaeology students.

* University of Glasgow Glencoe Excavation blog: https://glencoeandrannochenvirons.wordpress.com/activities