Luss, a small village on the banks of Loch Lomond, has often been referred to as ‘the most beautiful village in Scotland’ and with its exquisitely kept cottages and exuberant floral displays in the summer, it lives up to its title.
Legend has it that a local baroness in the 14th century died in France while visiting her husband. Her body was sent home covered in Fleur de Lys. The flowers took root and have grown every since. During the plague the flower was credited for warding it off and the village became known by the miraculous flower. Fleur de Lys was shortened to Luss.
Luss is the centre of the ancestral lands of the Clan Colquhoun (pronounced Co-hoon), whose ancient chiefs occupied them under a medieval charter granted by Maldouin, Earl of Lennox, in the thirteenth century. Today, and true to tradition, the Colquhoun chiefs still reside near Luss and loyally tend to the lands that have been entrusted to them for generations.
A model village of its time, Luss it was created in the early 19th century by Sir James Colquhoun to house the workers of the nearby slate quarries, replacing the old, mainly thatched, houses. The local Luss slate was famed for its quality and its lovely shade of grey-blue. Although the quarries ceased to function many years ago, the houses in Luss are still roofed in this material.
The village has been featured many times in films and television programmes, most notably in the 1980s series ‘Take the High Road’.
SOURCES:
- Information signs in Luss
- Information provided by Discover Scotland tour guide
