Glenbarr Abbey – MacAlister Clan Jigsaw Puzzle

Glenbarr Abbey was built circa 1700 as an inn or post house where travelers changed horses. It is located south of the village of Glenbarr, which was in ancient ancestral Macalister lands that encompassed much of Kintyre and Knapdale from the 12th century on. In 1796, Matthew MacAlister purchased Barr House, which stood on lands formerly owned by his clan but confiscated after 1746. Not long after buying Barr House, Matthew MacAlister married and commissioned Gillespie Graham to add embellishments, in stages, to Barr House, which he renamed Glenbarr Abbey. The renovations were completed in 1815. The clan is a branch of Clan Donald, being considered the earliest branch to have split from the main. The MacAlister clan claims descent from Alasdair Mor, son of Domhnall, founder of Clan Donald, and originated in the Western Isles. Clan members were Jacobites and lost their lands and fortune following the 1745 uprising. It is considered a Lowland Clan as Kennow House is located in North Ayrshire, Parish of Dunlop Scotland. Photo courtesy of Leslie Barrie / Glenbarr Abbey / CC BY-SA 2.0 Modified for contrast, color, size and the addition of text.