Originally built in 1924 by the Macphersons of Balavil -
Isabella Cattanach bought Ardchattan in the early nineteen thirties when it was called ‘Lynaullan’. Her brother Donald chose to rename it to reflect their clan Chattan. The kitchen had an open grate with oven. The front door was solid timber with large brass door k**b and had glass panels all round it. Two chimneys with terracotta pots. Th
e house was pine weatherboard. Isabella had it repainted in cream with green trims. There was a Rown tree out back beside the two sheds next to the free church. There was a nice garden of gooseberry bushes plus other berry fruits and rhubarb. A nice beech hedge was along the front and one side. From the mid-thirties, residents were: Ann Kennedy Cattanach, daughter, Isabella Cattanach, son Donald Cattanach, and granddaughter, Ann Cattanach Jones. During WW2, David the baby son of Trevor and Ann Jones lived there also. After the war Trevor, Ann, David and Irene lived at Ard Chattan with Isabella and Donald for a short time. There was a large iron front gate. After her brother Donald died, Isabella sold the house to Marjory Cattanach about 1958-9 before moving to Australia. This branch of the Cattanach family is well-known in Newtonmore, Great Grandfather William being an official of the golf club (photos in clubhouse), store owner, policeman and builder. In particular Lieut. Dr John Cattanach RAMC (Isabella’s brother), an athlete and shinty player (photo in McPherson museum and shinty club house) now in the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame (trophy in shinty clubhouse), killed at Gallipoli. The three brothers served in the Army during WW1 and afterwards Donald made life difficult for the women in Ard Chattan with his heavy drinking. He had been a law student and articled clerk before the war but did not return to this profession but rather became a postman. The other brother William was a greenkeeper who died in his 50s. Trevor Jones served in Bomber Command during WW2 and my brother David Jones disappeared in the Meditteranean Sea in the late 1970s.
