Thursday 16th September 1819
Thursday Sept 16th we proceeded before breakfast to Clashmore Inn thence to Bonar Bridge where resting two hours we advanced to Bonar where we slept the Inn is tolerable.
OBSERVATIONS & COMMENTS:
Clashmore Inn, Bonar Bridge, Bonar Inn: As the family is returning on the road they came, see blog for 9th September 1819 and 8th September 1819
Although published 66 years later, this road map of SUTHERLAND SHIRE.' by W. H. Lizars c.1885 is likely to show the routes that the Coplands would have followed. Clashmore Inn and Bonar Bridge Inn are shown. https://www.wellandantiquemaps.co.uk/sutherland-shire-w-h-lizars-c1885
![SUTHERLAND SHIRE.' by W. H. Lizars c.1885 which was originally engraved by William Home Lizars and published in the Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland (Edinburgh: Thomas C. Jack, [edited by Francis H. Groome] 1885://www.wellandantiquemaps.co.uk/sutherla…](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5cf654a7f7147f0001ee6b9e/1568582686778-EOW3AGY9JK58SBFQ76J6/Sutherland+Scotland+Lizar+001+copy.jpg)
SUTHERLAND SHIRE.' by W. H. Lizars c.1885 which was originally engraved by William Home Lizars and published in the Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland (Edinburgh: Thomas C. Jack, [edited by Francis H. Groome] 1885://www.wellandantiquemaps.co.uk/sutherland-shire-w-h-lizars-c1885
Bonar Inn: The question that was raised in the blog of 8th September remains. The Coplands rested at Bonar Bridge before progressing to a “tolerable” inn at Bonar. Where is Bonar? Discover Sutherland claim that Bonar and Bonar Bridge are one and the same: Originally just "Bonar", the village has always been an important crossing point for people heading north of the Dornoch Firth. It became "Bonar Bridge" in 1812 https://www.discoversutherland.co.uk/bonar Perhaps Lucy has been misled, as she writes in her diary of 8th September that they travelled 8 miles on from “Bonar” to Bonar Bridge following the Dornach Firth. The village of Ardvannie lies 7½ miles from Bonar Bridge on the Dornach Firth and it is most likely that they stayed at a “tolerable inn” at Ardvannie, or perhaps a little further on at Ardmore, which is found on the Lizars map.
Can you help us?
Old Regency Prints, Pictures an Coaching maps: Do you have access to any prints or pictures showing what town and country would have looked like when Lucy travelled through? Any illustrations of what she would have seen in 1819 will enliven our research.
New Pictures: Do you have any modern pictures of the streets, buildings, gardens and views that would enable us to see the changes that two centuries have wrought?