Lake of Menteith: Difference between revisions

There are a number of small islands in the loch. On the largest, [[Inchmahome]], is [[Inchmahome Priory]], an ancient [[monastery]]. The [[priory]] served as refuge to [[Mary, Queen of Scots]], in 1547. She was only four years old at the time and stayed for three weeks after the disastrous [[Battle of Pinkie Cleugh]] in September of that year. The loch is not particularly deep and can freeze over completely in exceptionally cold winters. If the ice becomes thick enough &mdash;, at least {{convert|7|in|cm}},<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/tayside_and_central/8439865.stm|title=Curlers prepare for 'Grand Match'|work=BBC News|access-date=5 January 2010 | date=5 January 2010}}</ref> &mdash; an outdoor [[curling]] tournament called the [[Bonspiel]] (or the [[Grand Match]]) is held on the loch. The event can attract thousands of curlers even though it is held very infrequently. (The last Grand Match was held in 1979. The Bonspiel that had been planned for 2010 was abandoned on health and safety grounds.)<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/tayside_and_central/8448669.stm|title=Grand Match off over safety fears|work=BBC News|access-date=9 January 2010 | date=8 January 2010}}</ref>

The unusual name “Lake of Menteith” is believed to be due to the UK Government's Ordnance Survey in 1838 who mapped the area for the first time, and identified it as a “lake” because it was referred to as a lake in literature that was prominent at the time.{{Citation needed|date=August 2023|reason=The issue of the etymology of the name is a complicated one, and subject to [https://clog.glasgow.ac.uk/ojs/index.php/JSNS/article/view/132 scholarly debate]. A citation is needed for this statement, or a better explanation of the different viewpoints on its name is required.}}

There was a [[Castra|Roman fort]] at a site associated with the [[Gask Ridge]], to the west of the lake. (The Romans may have referred to the site as "Lindon".)<ref>{{cite web |title=Gazetteer |url=http://www.theromangaskproject.org/?page_id=39 |website=Roman Gask Project |access-date=30 June 2018}}</ref> It was discovered by David Wilson<ref>{{cite news |title=AARG Conversation N o 3: David Wilson and Rog Palmer: 29 July 1998 |url=http://www.univie.ac.at/aarg/files/03_Publications/AARG%20News/AARG%20News%2017.PDF#page=41 |access-date=30 June 2018 |agency=AARGnews 17 |date=September 1998}}</ref> and [[Kenneth St Joseph]] in 1968 when they were conducting an aerial survey of [[Flanders Moss]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Menteith, Malling Glen Fort and Marching Camps |url=http://roman-britain.co.uk/places/menteith.htm |website=Roman Britain |access-date=30 June 2018}}</ref> After taking aerial photographs, they assessed the site by measuring resistance and magnetic susceptibility at ground level.<ref>{{cite web |title=Malling |url=https://canmore.org.uk/site/24065/malling |website=Canmore |publisher=Historic Environment Scotland |access-date=30 June 2018}}</ref>