MACQUARIE'S MAUSOLEUM - GRULINE

The Mausoleum is found three miles from Salen off the B8035 and situated about 0.6m north west from Old Gruline House.   Macquarie chose this site when he felt he was nearing death which took place on 29 July 1824.   His widow placed a finely carved red granite flat stone over the grave, but it was later placed upright in the south-eastern doorway.

The Victorian structure is believed to have been built in 1851 'as a gesture by the Drummond family who successfully fought off a challenge to young Lachlan's will by a Macquarie cousin'.   It is a plain gable-ended structure of sandstone ashlar with buttressed side-walls and a stone-slabbed roof.  The doorways are elegantly shaped with decorative finials and gives the impression of being a miniature chapel.

There are two entrances of marble panels in the gable-walls with the one in the north end bearing a contemporary inscription commemorating Major-General Lachlan Macquarie of Jarvisfield and his second wife Elisabeth, daughter of John Campbell of Airds who died in 1835.

The panel at the south end contains an inscription recording Macquarie's achievements as Governor of New South Wales.   Macquarie is remembered as the 'Father of Australia'.   See  Brown, Whittaker et al Altera Merces  (Brown & Whittaker 2003) ISBN 1 904353 02 9 and www.brown-whittaker.co.uk

Macquarie was born in 1761 on Ulva of farming parents.   He joined the army and eventually became a Major-General and Governor-General of New South Wales between 1809 and 1820.   While he was in Australia he opened up the whole of the eastern seaboard, where many of the names come from his family and from Mull.  Helped by his wife he brought a new humanity into the convict settlements.   It is even reported that desperate people would commit minor crimes so they could be transported to a new and better life in New South Wales.

Unfortunately Macquarie had influential political enemies both in London and Australia who were jealous of his achievements and opposed his advancement and so was only Governor-General for eleven years.   He founded the village of Salen in 1808.

For more information see Fiona Marsden Lachlan Macquarie from Mull to Australia (Brown & Whittaker 2001) ISBN 0 9532775 7 7 and www.brown-whittaker.co.uk

RCAHMS  Argyll Volume 3  (Her Majesty's Stationery Office Edinburgh 1980) ISBN 0 11 491591 1

Also regarding the Macquarie family Jo Currie Mull the island and its people  (Birlinn 2000)  ISBN 1 84158 105 4