Dunvegan () is a village on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. It is famous for Dunvegan Castle, seat of the chiefs of Clan MacLeod. Dunvegan is within the parish of Duirinish.[Highland Council 2011 census profile for Settlement Zones]
Name
In
The Norse Influence on Gaelic Scotland (1910), George Henderson suggests that the name
Dùn Bheagain derives from Old Gaelic
Dùn Bheccáin (the fort of Beccán), Beccán being a Gaelic personal name.
Dùn Bheagain would not mean 'little fort' as this would be
Dùn Beag in
Scottish Gaelic.
Geography
Dunvegan sits on the shores of the large
Loch Dunvegan, and the Old School Restaurant in the village is noted for its fish, caught freshly from the loch itself. Dunvegan is situated at the junction of the A850 and the A863. The B884 road also has a junction with the A863, at the eastern end of Dunvegan.
Demography
Dunvegan's permanent population is declining. However, numbers staying in the area during holidays have increased dramatically over the years since 2001.
Economy
Tourist information used to be situated in the parade of shops at Lochside, but is now available on a seasonal basis at Dunvegan Castle's St Kilda Shop. The Giant MacAskill Museum, which celebrates the life of
Angus MacAskill, was established in 1989 and is managed by Peter MacAskill, father of the street trials cycle rider
Danny MacAskill.
[ Danny MacAskill makes a career from defying death (15 February 2009) The Times. Retrieved 28 May 2010.]
Dunvegan Parish Church
Dunvegan Parish Church, also known as Duirinish Parish Church, is located in Dunvegan. It is a Gothic Revival rectangular church with a
tower, which belongs to the Church of Scotland. The church was built between 1823 and 1832 and is now a Category A listed building.
Its Historic Environment Scotland listing refers to "a good set of sabre legged Elders' chairs".
The historic old manse for the church sits in Kinlochfollart overlooking Dunvegan Loch and is a grade C listed building.
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