Outlander power rallies to help Inverness Old High Church
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The phenomenon that is Outlander has joined the fight to buy the historic Old High Church in Inverness with the prospect of US dollars for the coffers.
The iconic building, incredibly now closed due to Church of Scotland cuts, featured in author Diana Gabaldon's early Outlander books and TV series along with Culloden Battlefield and the Clava Cairns near the Highland capital.
This connection has attracted thousands of Outlander fans to make pilgrimages to the area from all over the world and especially the USA where interest is massive especially where so many have Scottish roots.
The North Carolina - Old High connection was made through local Outlander fan Mhairi Jarvie, who although not a religious person, has a passion for local history and preserving our heritage, and joined the Save the Old High Church group on its mission to raise £150,000 to buy the building.
She said: "A few years ago I met a couple from North Carolina on an Outlander visit and we became friends.
"About two months they returned with a group from Outlander North Carolina (ONC) and I was more than willing to give them a tour of the churchyard and the ancient graves and showed then the bullet holes on the church walls where Jacobites were executed after Culloden in 1746.
"ONC has responded by making our fundraising effort their charity of choice for their big annual event, the Fraser's Ridge Homecoming which runs from October 12 to 14.
"I met the founder of ONC, Beth Pittman who said that they are wanting to make a big push for the Old High at the big event."
Beth is on a family holiday but took time to say: "We are honoured to be a part of this worthy cause and are excited to do whatever we can to raise awareness!"
And she asked well versed ONC member Dawn Woo to explain the huge interest of the history-focused, Outlander-inspired ONC in helping the Old High.
Dawn said: "Fraser’s Ridge Homecoming is an immersion event to be held at Leatherwood Mountains Resort in the mountains of western North Carolina.
"The area is in the near vicinity of the fictional Fraser’s Ridge in Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series of books and gives our attendees an idea of the remoteness of the backcountry that Jamie and Claire (star characters in Outlander) would have experienced.
"Each year, Beth chooses a charity that will benefit from monies donated by our Fraser’s Ridge Homecoming attendees.
"In May, Beth and a group of Fraser’s Ridge Homecoming staff, along with their companions, toured Scotland for 11 days. During that trip, we were honoured to be given the opportunity of a tour and the history of the Old High Church by Mhairi Jarvie.
"Beth was so moved by the fate of the Jacobites after the Battle of Culloden at the Old High, that she made the decision right there to name the Friends of the Old High as the charity of the 2023 Fraser’s Ridge Homecoming."
Dawn said there were several waves of Scots immigrating to North Carolina in the 18th century.
She added: "After the Battle of Culloden, those who had taken part in the Jacobite Rebellion were pardoned on the condition that they leave their homes.
"Over 1000 left and found homes in the Cape Fear Region of North Carolina. From the 1760’s up until the Revolutionary War, it has been said that almost 20,000 Scots left Scotland for North Carolina due to laws designed by the British to destroy the clan system and bring Scotland under British control.
"So, as you can see, North Carolina’s history is rich with Scottish heritage. A large part of Fraser’s Ridge Homecoming is honouring that Scottish heritage, those that left their homeland and preserved their culture and traditions here in North Carolina.
"We are their descendants. We honor those souls lost at the Battle of Culloden through a Ghost Walk (Ghosts of Culloden) performed by our living history re-enactors. We honour the clans on opening night with Calling of the Clans, and we celebrate with Celtic music, a ceilidh, re-enactors portraying the 18th century Scots in the Cape Fear Region, vendors with Scottish goods, and yes, the wearing of clan tartan!
"It just makes sense that we should continue to honor that heritage by helping preserve a part of Scotland’s rich history- a history and culture that has greatly affected North Carolina."
Friends of the Old High secretary Jean Slater: "It is tremendous that ONC have taken us to heart and are raising interest as well as much needed money.
"Here in Inverness we have taken on a local solicitor to help us, and are attempting to open a dialogue with the Church of Scotland."
