Where is Alissary

Items of general interest

Moderators: Global Moderators, Pandabean

Post Reply
BruceW52
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Mar 16, 2016 11:06 am

Where is Alissary

Post by BruceW52 » Sat Oct 07, 2017 12:45 am

I am researching my family history in the Arisaig area of Scotland. In the 1871 census my grandfather Donald Wallace was living at a hamlet called Alissary, this apparently does not now exist. Can anyone pinpoint where Alissary is in relation to Arisaig. Thank you. Alissary is in the Parish of Ardnamurchan.

AndrewP
Site Admin
Posts: 6152
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2004 1:36 am
Location: Edinburgh
Contact:

Re: Where is Alissary

Post by AndrewP » Sat Oct 07, 2017 2:11 am

Hi Bruce,

According to this walking map, Alisary is about 11.5 miles on foot from Arisaig.

http://my.viewranger.com/route/details/NTQ3NDM=

Alisary can be found on this Ordnance Survey map from the 1870s.

http://maps.nls.uk/view/74427155

Go to the bottom right corner of this map, and zoom in until you can read the text on the map, then start moving northwards (to about a quarter of the way up the east side of this map). The implication from this map is that Alisary was a house (farmhouse?); but it could have referred to the area including a few scattered cottages. There is no evidence from the maps of a hamlet or village (not to say there never was).

When looking at this area, be prepared to consider either county - Argyll or Inverness-shire. The large parish of Ardnamurchan was split into four areas, one of which was Arisaig, or Arisaig and Moidart. This part of Ardnamurchan parish was in Inverness-shire; the remainder was in Argyll. Both Arisaig and Alisary (or Allisary) were in this portion of the parish. In some publications, the whole parish is considered as belonging to the county of Argyll, although in truth it was split into both counties.

See on a current OS map:

Current OS map showing Alisary

All the best,

AndrewP

BruceW52
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Mar 16, 2016 11:06 am

Re: Where is Alissary

Post by BruceW52 » Sun Oct 08, 2017 2:46 am

Thanks Andrew. That was a massive help. I now know where Alissary is.

Post Reply