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The Land Girls Gate

The Women's Land Army Memorial in Clochan, or Land Girls Gate - Ailish Sinclair, author
The Women’s Land Army Memorial in Clochan

The Women’s Land Army

The Land Girls Gate in Clochan is a memorial to all those that served in the Women’s Land Army during the world wars. The Army was formed in 1917, and then again in 1939 when WWII broke out. Women as young as 17 signed up for the duration of the war and took on all forms of farming and food production. The Army was eventually disbanded in 1950. There’s lots more information about the Land Girls here.

The Land Girls Gate

The memorial at Clochan in Moray is a beautiful piece of art, paying tribute to the women who served in the Land Army throughout Scotland. Stones from various farms across the country have been incorporated into the ground around the gate. The fact that the memorial is surrounded by working farmland feels perfectly fitting too.

If you visit on a Sunday morning, as I did, there’s a small car boot sale going on just down the road in Clochan, with pancakes and tea being served in the village hall. It’s rather lovely and feels a bit like stepping back into a simpler time.

The Land Girls Gate in Clochan, colourful farmland beyond
The Land Girls, farmland beyond

Writing on War

SISTERS AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD is the only one of my books that includes war. From the chapter entitled Mons Graupius:

I was in a dreamlike state before; now I stand in the nightmare. I was in a soft and colourful ocean before; now everything is dry and hard and hurting and red. I had not imagined it like this. I had not thought of it at all, not in any realistic way. I’d heard a clash of swords in my mind and sensed the smell of blood. But I was like a storyteller, who lessens the dreadful parts to make them less harmful to those who listen.

Sisters at the Edge of the World by Ailish Sinclair

From the misty hills of ancient Scotland emerges a tale of love, betrayal, and the fight for freedom. Join Morragh in SISTERS AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD for an unforgettable journey.

Set in the 1st century, the story includes the battle of Mons Graupius between the Romans and the Caledonian tribes. There’s a neurodivergent main character and some rather complicated romance!

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And on Amazon Worldwide

“The setting is ethereal and spellbinding as our main characters walk a fine line between what has been and what is to come. A beautiful tale of ancient wonders and kindred souls.” Historical Novel Society

Article: Roman Aberdeenshire features in author’s new book from Grampian Online.

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The Performance: sometimes going home for Christmas is just one huge performance…

When Ariel returns home from dance college, her mother expects her to perform the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy in a pink, sequined tutu in front of many, many party guests. Ariel adjusts the costume and choreography to expose dark truths about her life, but, as it turns out, this is not the biggest performance of the night… 

The Performance, a short story by Ailish Sinclair. Get it free for newsletter sign-up.

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91 Replies to “The Land Girls Gate”

  4. Interesting ,we missed it by a mile on our drive from St Combs to Inverness on the A98 popped into Findhorn and Burghead instead !,a shame but there is so many interesting places in beautiful country .

    Reply

  6. What a wonderful and well-thought out memorial to the Land girls, Ailish. It’s such a good idea to make it into a gate within farmland, and by surrounding it with stones from farms around the country the beautiful work of art becomes a token of gratitude on a national scale. I’d love to visit it one day and see it in its setting – and the pancakes sound, as you say, a fitting addition. Thanks for sharing. 🙂

    Reply

  25. My mother joined towards the end of WW2 and was based in a village called Spofforth just outside Leeds. Growing up she would tell me how happy she had been working on the land. She had wanted to join the Queen Alexandra Royal Army Nursing Corps but her father wouldn’t let her. In defiance she joined the land army instead.

    Reply

      1. She was, the family was quite large and she was expected to stay at home and look after younger siblings, housework etc. Eventually she got her wish and trained as nurse in Leeds in the 1950’s. I’ve always believed any one of us can be anything we want, it’s just a lot harder for some. Thanks for reminding me of these aspects of my mother.

        Reply

  31. A great blog you have there! Mr Midnight, Sir Winston and myself love anything to do with Scotland. Well, we would wouldn´t we, what with my ancestors coming from that beautiful part of the world. 🙂

    Reply

      1. Keep up the good work. Mr Midnigh, Sir Winston and myself were pleased to have received feedback from you. Mr Midnight heard the word “feed…” which means I now have to serve food. That´s what human beings are for – servants for cats! 🙂 Have a nice weekend.

        Reply

  37. My mother and a friend worked as Land Girls during WW2 on a farm just outside of Longbridge where I was born. They were expected to work alongside men and do the same work 🙂

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  39. One of my old customers, served in the Land Army in WW2 with the duchess of Alnwick Castle, and remained good friends, she had lots of good stories to tell of her time in the Land Army and later with the duchess helping with the gardens at Alnwick Castle,

    Ps thanks for the follow

    Reply

  42. This is beautiful. I am currently researching the memorials to Australian women who served in WWII. There are very few. This is so full of life and laughter, it’s wonderful. Seeing this has made my day!

    Reply

  43. As someone who started out across the pond, it was a fascinating concept. I never heard of it back in the states but after my move to France, I stumbled upon a film about it. Now I have a book in one of my many TBR piles. Thank you and thanks for following one of my blogs.

    Reply
  44. Pingback: The Land Girls Gate – Other People's Stuff

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