The Broken Fiddle
Introduction
The photograph on this page of The Broken Fiddle by Anne Burgess as part of the Geograph project.
The Geograph project started in 2005 with the aim of publishing, organising and preserving representative images for every square kilometre of Great Britain, Ireland and the Isle of Man.
There are currently over 7.5m images from over 14,400 individuals and you can help contribute to the project by visiting https://www.geograph.org.uk
The Broken Fiddle
Image: © Anne Burgess Taken: 8 Apr 2014
The name of this coffee shop recalls the tale of James Macpherson (1675-1700). An illegitimate son of Macpherson of Invereshie and a gypsy girl, he was a famous outlaw and robber. He was captured by his enemies and freed by his friends more than once, but eventually tried and condemned to death in 1700. See also Image Legend relates that he wrote the song 'Macpherson's Lament' (later rewritten by Robert Burns) in prison on the eve of his execution. He was a talented fiddler, and the story goes that he played his last tune on the steps of the gallows, then smashed his fiddle to ensure that no other hand would ever play it. It is also said that his foes heard a rumour that a pardon had been obtained by his supporters, so they put the clock forward a quarter of an hour, and executed him fifteen minutes before the appointed time, just as the messenger with the pardon arrived. The clock is supposed to be the one now in the clock tower in Dufftown. Another view of the same Image
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Image Location
Latitude
57.664715
Longitude
-2.522428