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CLAN SINCLAIR INTERNATIONAL GATHERING 2005
A very successful and enjoyable International Gathering of nearly two
hundred Sinclairs from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, the United
States of America and the United Kingdom has recently ended. After three
days in Orkney visiting sites there they spent a week in Caithness with a
varied programme of activities and attractions to see. Their itinerary
included a wildlife cruise to Stroma and Duncansby Stacks after which they
had lunch at and toured the Castle and Gardens of Mey. An afternoon was
spent in Wick where the Heritage Centre and the Isabella Fortuna were
visited before the Clan Meeting was held. A number of councillors from
Caithness attended and Cllr. Alastair MacDonald gave a speech of welcome
on behalf of the Council. This was followed by a ceilidh with the Gordon
Gunn Band and Isla St Clair. Elise Lyall’s dancers performed, the drums of
the Wick Royal British Legion Pipe Band joined with the Clan Sinclair Pipe
Band, who played regularly throughout the Gathering, to entertain
everyone. The night was completed by a fireworks display with a pipes and
drums backing at Castle Sinclair Girnigoe. They returned there the next
day to see the progress with the preservation works and to commemorate the
occasion the Sinclair Banner was unfurled and flew, for the first time for
350 years, over the Castle. There was also a family fun day at Noss Head
including a mini Highland Games. The next day Caithness Archaeological
Trust organised an excellent range of visits to Dunbeath Broch and
Harbour, Laidhay, Camster Cairns, Achavanich stone circle and the
chambered cairn project at Spital quarry. On Saturday they all marched
onto the field at the Halkirk Games and spent the day there. The following
and final day there was a clan service in West Church, Thurso and in the
evening a farewell dinner followed by dancing to the Addie Harper Scottish
Dance Band. Everyone then returned to the far corners of the world, tired
but very happy, and commenting on the friendship and welcome they had
received from everyone in the County.
19 July 05
CLAN SINCLAIR GATHERING 2005
On the morning of Friday 22nd July about 150 Sinclairs
from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, the United Kingdom and the
United States of America will gather in Inverness for the start of the
2005 international Clan Gathering. They will go straight to Orkney for the
weekend and visits to a number of sites have been arranged. They will also
attend Sunday Service at St Magnus Cathedral. On Monday 25th they will
return to Caithness for a busy week and meet up with members of the Clan
Sinclair Association of Caithness, who have organised the event, and
others. During this time they will go on a boat trip from John O’Groats,
tour the Castle and Gardens of Mey, visit the archaeological and
preservation works being undertaken at Castle Sinclair Girnigoe, and have
their own highland games before attending the one at Halkirk. Caithness
Archaeological Trust has also arranged a day’s visit to the cream of the
ancient sites in the County. On their last day there will be a Clan Church
Service in Thurso and at the farewell dinner, at which nearly 200 will
attend, the toast to the Clan will be proposed by Iain Gunn, Caenn Cath of
Clan Gunn.
22 August 04
Malcolm Sinclair Earl Of Caithness Cut The First Turf In Major Excavation
And Restoration Works
 the
Earl of Caithness, Malcolm Sinclair has cut the first turf a few days ago
in what will be extensive archaeology and restoration works. A team
from York university is now on site to begin the work. The current
phase of the work will cost £400,000 and is being funded through the world
Monuments Fund, the Caithness area of Highland Council, CASE, Historic
Scotland and donors to the clan Sinclair Trust. the castle is likely
to become a major tourist attraction and will be one of the few to have
disabled access built in to the castle when it eventually opens to the
public once again.
15 July 04
The Clan Sinclair
At The Grand-father Mountain Games
North Carolina
 If you want to take a
look at the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games in North Carolina just
past hop over to Mel Sinclair's web site to see lots of photographs of the
events and gatherings. Malcolm Sinclair chief of the clan features in
several pictures. Mel Sinclair's site is also listed in our
Sinclair Connections links list if you want to find it at a later
date.
5 October 03
At Caithness Heritage Fair - Wick
 The
Earl of Caithness and his son Lord Berriedale were at the heritage fair
for the two days letting visitors know about the current stage in the
developments of Clan Sinclair Trust and the restoration work which will
begin in the near future on Castle Sinclair Girnigoe. Major works are
expected to take at least five years and the addition of a causeway using
material from the inside of the castle will make it possible in future for
disabled people to get inside part of the castle. When work begins next
year access will be denied but display boards will explain what is
happening from a viewpoint nearby.
13
May 03
Arthur St Clair - 9th
President Of The United States
Born in Thurso, Caithness, 23 March 1734 - died in Greensburg,
Pennsylvania, 31 August 1818.
24 April 03
Another Sinclair Family Web Site
This site based in France has many
names being added and has quite a few links back to Caithness. the
site is in French and English.
25 March 03
Tartan Day Web Site Highlights Henry Sinclair
Tartan Day 6 April 2003 One of the stories being highlighted on
the
Tartan Day web site is the story of Henry Sinclair and his voyage
to America. Predating Columbus takes nothing away from that voyagers
trip but may explain many of the findings in both Scotland and the USA.
The evidence has been argued over for years and no doubt will
continue to be but nevertheless it opens up some fascinating possibilities
about the connections between the two countries.
26 August 2002
Pillarguri Festival, which remembers the Colonel George Sinclair of
Stirkoke and his Caithness Scots Adventure in Norway in 1612. A selection
of photos on the Sinclair's Club web site,
www.sinclairsclub.net
Sinclair
Gathering May 2002
Statue Unveiled
30 May 2002
 A
Sinclair gathering today saw the statue of Prince Henry St Clair unveiled.
Sculptor Shawn Williams and his apprentice were present for the ceremony
attended by the Earl of Caithness, Lord Berriedale and a party of
Sinclairs spending a few days in Caithness as part of a mini gathering.
Statue Of
Henry Sinclair Arrives At Noss
10 May 2002
 A
momentous day as the large figure of Henry Sinclair arrives at Noss.
The sculpture will be finished on the site.
Clan Sinclair Canada - New Web
Site 16 March
William (Bill) Sinclair, President of the Clan Sinclair Canada is pleased
to announce the launch of the Association's own web site at
www.clansinclaircanada.ca at
1500 GMT/1000 hrs EST Ontario today. This is a dynamic project and will
therefore move and change as it develops. This is a site for our Members,
Clansfolk, friends and many supporters and so welcome suggestions and
contributions to the areas it addresses, and particularly photographs and
accounts of Clan functions. Please browse and enjoy!
Area Plan of Sinclair & Girnigoe Castles
4 December 2001
Robert Richmond has begun to produce area maps of the castles and this
one of Sinclair & Girnigoe helps to make it much easier to make out how
the castles lie on the cliffs.
22 November 2001
From Donald Sinclair, Indianapolis USA -
In my research of the Sinclair family I recently travelled to Rhode
Island. The building shown is known in Newport Rhode Island as the Old
Mill, or the Newport Tower. Dating of the mortar and the design of
the building is similar to one in Orkney when Henry Sinclair was Jarl. The
measurements of the building are based on the Scottish Ell Stick. Although
there are many thoughts about who built it, most believe it was the
expedition of Henry Sinclair in the 1398 voyage to America.
The following are snippets
from pages 144-147 of Andrew Sinclair's book "The Sword and the Grail"
available for purchase at Noss Head Light -
Newport Tower,Rhode Island, USA
The Newport Tower is
constructed as the Templar round churches with an octagon within the
circle, eight arches within a round circle. Round churches are rare. The
only one in Scotland is in Orhpir Orkney. The surviving arch of that
church is constructed of the same fashion at the Newport Tower. The
diameter of each column of the tower is exactly one Scottish Ell. The
diameter of the circle surrounded by the columns is exactly six Scottish
Ells. The Newport Tower resembles not only Templar architecture, but
Scottish architecture of the period (1398). In the tower lies a high
fireplace identical to one in Corstorphine at the St. Clair church where,
Jean, daughter of Prince Henry Sinclair is buried in effigy.
Later European explorers are
said to encounter natives of the Rhode Island area with whiter skin than
the mostly bronze skinned people. They also found natives with green eyes
and red hair. All seemingly Norse or Scots traits.
16
November 2001
Sinclair Study Centre To House Copy Of Domesday Book
A copy of the famous Domesday book has been purchased and is to be
kept at the Sinclair Study Centre at Noss Head. The book was
purchased by Niven Sinclair for £7000 and will shortly join over 2000
books as the centre builds its library to enhance the study facilties.
Books have come from America, France and throughout the UK. the
centre has books on Shetland, Orkney and other places as well as
Caithness. They cover a range of topics including the vikings,
Scotland, masonic history and knights templar.
16 November 2001
Statue Of Prince Henry Sinclair
Prince Henry Sinclair will become well known once a nine foot statue
of him arrives in the county by Christmas. The statue will be
completed when it is set in its position in a small garden of remembrance
at Noss Head.
19
October 2001
World Heritage Status for Sinclair and Girnigoe Castles has been announced
in New York.
The castles have been placed on the list of only 100 sites in the
world as most endangered sites of international significance.
They are to be included in the World Monuments Fund list next
year. The Earl of Caithness Malcolm Sinclair was in America
for the news.... More
Castle
Girnigoe The Way It Was |