The History of Fort William

Fort William was originally based around the village of Inverlochy but now lies at the southern end of the Great Glen, on the shores of Loch Linnhe and Loch Eil.

Throughout history the area around Fort Willian was strongly Cameron country, and there were a number of Cameron settlements close by such as Blarmacfoldach.

Prior to the building of the fort itself, the largest settlement in the area was Inverlochy which was the site of the Battle of Inverlochy.

The town itself grew up as a settlement next to a fort constructed to control the population after Oliver Cromwell's invasion during the English Civil War.

It was then used to suppress the Jacobite uprisings of the 18th century.

The fort was named "Fort William"' after William Of Orange, and the settlement that grew around it was originally known as "Maryburgh". Over the years to come, it took on a variety of names including "Gordonsburgh", and "Duncansburgh"before being renamed "Fort William".

During World War II, Fort William was the home of HMS St Christopher which was a training base for Royal Navy Coastal Forces.

Over recent years, the town has become a major tourist destination. It is an important centre for hillwalking and climbing due to its proximity to Ben Nevis and other nearby mountains, along with the Downhill Mountain Bike Track which connects to the Great Glen Way, a cycle way from Inverness to Fort William.