Site of the April 1882 confrontation between Braes crofters and police over grazing rights, which directly triggered the 1883 Napier Commission and the Crofters' Holdings (Scotland) Act 1886 — the pivot point between clearance and the political reform that eventually stopped it.
Why this place matters
Site of the April 1882 confrontation between Braes crofters and police over grazing rights, which directly triggered the 1883 Napier Commission and the Crofters' Holdings (Scotland) Act 1886 — the pivot point between clearance and the political reform that eventually stopped it.
The story on the ground
In April 1882, Braes crofters resisted attempts to remove their grazing rights on Ben Lee. Their confrontation with police helped trigger the Napier Commission and contributed to the Crofters’ Holdings Act of 1886. The cairn erected near Gedintailor in 1980 remembers a turning point from eviction and protest towards political reform.
What the evidence supports
The confrontation and its political consequences are well documented; the cairn is a later memorial to those events.
Before you go
- Roadside on the B883 Braes road; own car needed, no public parking facility confirmed beyond a roadside layby.
- Not required
- Accessible year-round, no seasonal closure — it is an outdoor roadside monument.
- A small roadside cairn, plaque and bench rather than a major attraction. Single-track local road; park only where safe and do not block croft access or passing places.