Acharacle (/əˈhærəkəl/, Scottish Gaelic: Àth Tharracail) is a village in Ardnamurchan, Lochaber, within the county of Argyll. It is in the Highland Council area of Scotland.
Acharacle
| |
|---|---|
 Acharacle Pier and Loch Shiel | |
  Acharacle Location within the Lochaber area | |
| Population | 201 |
| OS grid reference | NM678679 |
| Council area | |
| Lieutenancy area | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | ACHARACLE |
| Postcode district | PH36 |
| Dialling code | 01967 |
| Police | Scotland |
| Fire | Scottish |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| UK Parliament | |
| Scottish Parliament | |
The place name is rendered Àth Tharracail in Scottish Gaelic, and means "Tarracal's ford". The Gaelic place name is composed of two world elements: àth ("ford") and the personal name Tarracal. This personal name is cognate to the Scottish Gaelic Torcall and the English Torquil,[1][2] which are derived from the Old Norse Þorketill.[3] According to Moidart tradition noted in the 19th century, Torquil was the leader of a force of Norwegians who were pursued by Somerled and made a final stand at the riverside below Acharacle Manse, where they were slain.[4]
References edit
- ^ Acharacle, Ainmean-Àite na h-Alba, retrieved 16 May 2013.
- ^ Mills, Anthony David, ed. (2003), Oxford dictionary of British place names, Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-852758-9. – via Google Books
- ^ Hanks, Patrick; Hardcastle, Kate; Hodges, Flavia (2006), A dictionary of first names, Oxford Paperback Reference (2nd ed.), Oxford University Press, pp. 263, 397, 410, ISBN 978-0-19-861060-1.
- ^ Henderson, Angus (1916), "Ardnamurchan place-names", in Carmichael, E. C. (ed.), The Celtic Review, vol. 10, William Hodge and Company, pp. 149–168.