Page "Fort William, Scotland" Paragraph 5

The town grew up as a settlement next to a fort constructed to control the population after Oliver Cromwell's invasion during the English Civil War, and then 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 called " Maryburgh ", after his wife.

This settlement was later renamed " Gordonsburgh ", and then " Duncansburgh " before being renamed " Fort William ", this time after Prince William, Duke of Cumberland ; known to some Scots as " Butcher Cumberland ".

Given these origins, there have been various suggestions over the years to rename the town ( for example, to " Invernevis ").

These proposals have led to nothing as of yet.