Legend of the Highland Skull

Grantown Museum curator Dan Cottam continues his search to find out if the skull in the handed down through generations of Grants is the one in the legend committed to paper in 1857. While the medieval legend that surrounds it edges closer to bloodshed, Dan explains the rise of the Grants as a clan from the 13th century onwards and examines the evidence for their possible origins. He also examines the facts behind the legend. Could it be a clever bit of propaganda for the clan? The Grant lad and the Macgregor girl parley at night with the MacGregor chief and his men. Will their thirty men stand up to this wrathful band of clansmen? Human remains conservator Cat Irving from Surgeons Hall Edinburgh rings to share her findings on the age and sex of the skull based on her osteological examination. Dan examines the significance of cattle, land and power in medieval Scotland. He explains the complex relationship between laird and his people as a result of the feudal system established by the Vikings and the Normans. And, as the storyteller tells of plans for a surprise attack, do we have a contender for the skull? If you love Highland clan history and want to find out more about historical characters in this story, like the MacGregor, sign up to Grantown Museum's newsletter. Go to grantownmuseum.co.uk/legends and click the newsletter link. Credits Dan Cottam - Presenter and Grantown Museum curator Jac Phillimore - Producer Isobella Hubbard - Storyteller Cat Irving - Human Remains Conservator, Surgeons’ Hall Museum, Edinburgh This project was delivered in partnership with The Space and Museums and Heritage Highland. It is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, thanks to National Lottery players.

A skull in a Harrods food hall box, a 19th-century letter, and the start of a medieval love story that reshaped three Highland clans, the Grants, the MacGregors and the Comyns (later the Cummings). This is the start of a story of forensics, Scottish clans, morbid fascination, medieval life in the Scottish Highlands and an ancient curse. In this episode, Dan Cottam, curator of Grantown Museum, explains how he came to be holding a human head, a skull sawn cleanly across the forehead and fitted with a hinge. He decides he needs to know who this person is. Lord Reidhaven, a direct descendant of the Clan Grant chiefs, describes how he came across the skull in a Harrod’s box in his father’s home, after years in storage, and explains why he brought it to the museum. He tells Dan what he knew of the skull growing up, its legend and its curse. He reads the opening of the letter written in 1857 to the Countess of Seafield, known as the last of the great feudal chiefs, a letter which tells of the legend surrounding the skull. Storyteller Isobella Hubbard takes us through the start of the legend, while Dan Cottam details the historical context of medieval Scottish HIghland life relating to the story. Dan meets Cat Irving a Human Remains Conservator from the Surgeons Hall Museum Edinburgh, who examines the osteological traits of the skull. She explains her thoughts on the crude metal hinge and hook attached to the skull. Has the skull been buried at some point? Dan’s thirst for the truth is whetted. Is this a man or woman, how did they die, how old were they, and above all how old is the skull? If you love Highland clan history and want to find out more about historical characters in this story, such as the Countess Dowager of Seafield, sign up to Grantown Museum's newsletter. Go to grantownmuseum.co.uk/legends and click the newsletter link. Credits Dan Cottam - Presenter and Grantown Museum curator Jac Phillimore - Producer Isobella Hubbard - Storyteller Cat Irving - Human Remains Conservator, Surgeons’ Hall Museum, Edinburgh Lord Reidhaven - Descendent of the Grant clan chiefs This project was delivered in partnership with The Space and Museums and Heritage Highland. It is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, thanks to National Lottery players.

Let us tell you of a story that's been handed down through generations. One that connects the Clan Grant to their land and tells us of the beginning of a dynasty. A legend that begins as a love story and ends in bloody murder and fatal folly. And let us tell you of a gruesome memento, cursed to remain in the hands of the family who have ruled in Strathspey for hundreds of years. Join us as we breathe new life into this tale and discover what truths lie beneath the Legend of the Highland Skull... this is our trailer - first episode launching soon..