The Scalan was once a

seminary A seminary, school of theology, theological seminary, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called ''seminarians'') in scripture, theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clergy ...

and was one of the few places in

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to ...

where the

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: * Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...

faith was kept alive during the troubled times of the 18th century.

History

For much of the 18th century, the college at Scalan in the Braes of Glenlivet was the only place in Scotland where young men were trained to be priests, the so-called " heather priests". From 1717 to 1799, over a hundred were trained despite numerous attacks by Hanoverian soldiers. The college played a vital role in keeping the traditional Catholic faith alive in northern Scotland. It was named after the

Gaelic Gaelic is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels". As a noun it refers to the group of languages spoken by the Gaels, or to any one of the languages individually. Gaelic languages are spoken in Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, an ...

word for turf sheilings ("galan") found in the Braes during that period. In 1799, the college was moved to a less remote site, Aquhorthies College, which had larger premises and more accommodation.

Alexander Geddes Alexander Geddes (14 September 1737 – 26 February 1802) was a Scottish theologian and scholar. He translated a major part of the Old Testament of the Catholic Bible into English. Translations and commentaries Geddes was born at Rathven, ...

, Scottish theologian and scholar, was among the famous figures who studied at the college. George James Gordon, known as the "heather priest" was educated here and then taught here as a non-Jesuit for many years. The last permanent resident of the Scalan was Sandy Mattheson, who died in late 2005.

Today

Visitors today will note that the college is largely invisible until you are very close to the college, a factor invaluable in evading detection by the Hanoverian soldiers. The Scalan is now a

museum A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and other objects of artistic, cultural, historical, or scientific importance. Many public museums make th ...

and is open all year for visitors. The Scalan Association seeks to promote the preservation of the college of Scalan and its history.Scalan.co.uk
retrieved 15 June 2016

Gallery

File:Scalan Seminary - geograph.org.uk - 944897.jpg, Buildings File:An outbuilding at Scalan - geograph.org.uk - 259133.jpg, Outbuilding File:College of Scalan - geograph.org.uk - 259132.jpg, History displayed in vicinity

References

External links

The Scalan Association
{{Catholic seminaries in Scotland 1717 establishments in Scotland Religious museums in Scotland Historic house museums in Moray Category A listed buildings in Moray Catholic seminaries in Scotland 18th-century Catholicism Former theological colleges in Scotland 1717 in Christianity Underground education