tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50306929671356238612024-03-14T14:37:38.290+00:00Angus FolkloreA trawl through the folklore, history, tales, and ephemera of Angus.Keith Colemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435885427062349047noreply@blogger.comBlogger231125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030692967135623861.post-34288381358789353762024-01-31T20:59:00.003+00:002024-01-31T20:59:13.930+00:00Ochterlony's Account of the Shire of Forfar - Part Three<div><b><br /></b></div><div> This is the third part of John Ochterlony's Account of the Shire of Forfar, written around 1682, and gives a fascinating, if brief and selective, picture of the county of Angus in the period.</div><div style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></div><div> Links to previous parts of this work are at the bottom of this post.</div><div style="font-weight: bold;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="font-weight: bold;"><b><br /></b></div><b>Idvie</b>. — The Laird of Gardyne of that Ilk, formerly spoken of, hath the most part of the Baronie of Gairdyne, except the house and maines which belong to a gentleman of the name of Ruthvene. Baronie of Idvie to Sir John Wood of Bonnietoun. Pitmowes, belonging to John Ogilvy, a grand-child of a second son of the House of Airlie; a good house well planted, and lyes pleasantly on the water of Evenie. Mr Ballvaird, minister. In the Diocese of St Andrews; Archbishop, patrone. <br /> <br /><br /><b> Guthrie</b>. — The most part of the parish belongs to the Laird of Guthrie of that Ilk, a very ancient gentleman, and chief of his name; his house is well planted, good yards and orchards, good land, well grassed, and lyes pleasantly on the head of the water of Lounane in Strathbegg; Pitmowea and Commissare Wisehart have some interest there. Garbuddo, a gentleman of the name of Erskine, a cadet of the House of Dun, lyes at a great distance from the kirk, and had a chapple of their own, wherein the minister of Guthrie preached every third or fourth Sabbath-day, but is now ruinous. It is abundantly served of peat and turf, not only for their own use, but for the service of the whole countrey <br /> about; is a murish cold countrey, and at a great distance from all gentlemen's houses and kirks about it. Mr Strachan, minister. In the Diocese of Brechine; Guthrie, patrone. <br /> <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglFlJiAxFtA0C5pb_xGDQDxu5iRuNsIZHTGiBLiIREgpUnYlYmm7v6RFtfbXiqHpr4SZzdynPYrcpCOIPWAuIEIP-ebU0XfHSH6mCWeTp1rGHJoWffe6B7CN13izMHS6bN-R4E2aFmS1geLOLDsOOGFfG3G0gnYQ0LrOockXrv8KXcU1jrBr4wz_Ao/s750/Guthrie%20Castle.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="556" data-original-width="750" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglFlJiAxFtA0C5pb_xGDQDxu5iRuNsIZHTGiBLiIREgpUnYlYmm7v6RFtfbXiqHpr4SZzdynPYrcpCOIPWAuIEIP-ebU0XfHSH6mCWeTp1rGHJoWffe6B7CN13izMHS6bN-R4E2aFmS1geLOLDsOOGFfG3G0gnYQ0LrOockXrv8KXcU1jrBr4wz_Ao/w640-h474/Guthrie%20Castle.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><b>Panbryde</b>, alias St Brigid.—The whole parish, except the Barronie of Panbryd, which belongs to the Earl Soutbesk, appertaines to Earl Panmure, wherein stands the house of Panmure, new built, and, as is thought by many, except Halyruidhouse, the best house in the kingdome of Scotland, with delicate gardens, with high stone walls, extraordinare much planting, young and old; many great parks about the new and old house, with a great deal of planting about the old house ; brave hay meadows well ditched and hedged; and, in a word, is a most excellent, sweet, and delicate place. The familie is very ancient and honourable, and has been alwayes very great, and were reckoned, before they were nobilitat, the first Barons of the shyre. They have allwayes been very famous for the loyaltie and good service to their Princes. Patrick Earl Panmure, grandfather to the present Earl, having served King James the Sixth and King Charles the First, of blessed memorie, loyallic, faithfullie, and truelie, in the qualitie of Bed-Chamber man, was advanced by King Charles the First to the dignitie of ane Earl, and did continue in his service and duetie to his Sacred Majestic in all his solitudes and troubles,through all the parts of the kingdome, in tlie tyme of the Rebellione; and afterward in all places of liis confinement, and at the Isle of Weight, till the bloodie traitors who afterwards imbrued their hands in his sacred blood, thrust<div>him from his attendance, but was the last Scotsman that attende his Majestic. </div><div><br /></div><div>It is lykwayes known liow the late Earl, his sone, being a colonell of horse, behaved himself when this present King, his Majestic, was in Scotland, both at Dunbar, Inverkeithing, and other places, and how his estate was robbed and spoylt by the usurper's forces here, and he fyned in a vast soume of money, whereby he was forced to redeem his estate from forrfaultrie. The place is also famous for that great battle fought there betwixt the Scots and Danes, wherein the Scots obtained a great victorie, and is called the Battle of Panmure.</div><div><br /></div><div>There was one of the Lords of Panmure killed at the famous battle of Harlaw, and most of all his name in his Prince's service against rebells and usurpers. Balmachie, belonging to a gentleman of the name of Carnegy, of the Familie of Southesk. Mr Maule, minister. In the Diocese of Brechine; Earl Panmure, patrone, and has newly re-edified his buriall-place with a chamber above, with a loft in the kirk, most sumptous and delicate, lie hath at Panmure a most excellent breed of horse and cattle.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVxOexMzKVpimCHM8md9aq5rY006R3e4V7O3V0Kx-Yfxk7FrVxJUuaDfLQYSqUHmdvT0zThvmW-_KXIY1_e-bdGcb5iK0cN5Cly7n5hK_HaLgQ_ldVyDUxgXsu3cMBkgURQOxlBpxNXGShX3Gg6qTmNNS5LZ_45hRICE7MJejDh3G27O8d3ZeHc4nC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="357" data-original-width="565" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVxOexMzKVpimCHM8md9aq5rY006R3e4V7O3V0Kx-Yfxk7FrVxJUuaDfLQYSqUHmdvT0zThvmW-_KXIY1_e-bdGcb5iK0cN5Cly7n5hK_HaLgQ_ldVyDUxgXsu3cMBkgURQOxlBpxNXGShX3Gg6qTmNNS5LZ_45hRICE7MJejDh3G27O8d3ZeHc4nC=w640-h404" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><b> Barrie</b>. — It belongs to severall heritors. Earl Panmure hath ane interest therein, and the whole parish pay him feu, hath a Bailiery, and keeps Courts there, Woodhill, Kid, a pleasant place. Grange of Barrie, Watsone. Ravensbay, pertaining to the Laird of Gairdyne of that Ilk. Pitskellie, Alexander. Carnoustie to Mr Patrick Lyon, Advocat; the rest are but small heritors. It is ane excellent countrey, good cornes, and well grassed. It is famous for that great battle fought betwixt the Scots and Danes in the Links of Barrie, wherein the Scots obtained the victorie, with great slaughter of both Scots and Danes, which is to be seen at this day by the great heaps of stones casten together in great heapes in diverse places of that Links, which is said to be the buriall of the dead there slain. Those of the Danes who escaped the slauchter of that battle fled with their general Camus, and were overtaken by the Scots four myles from that place, and defeated: their general Camus being slaine upon the place, with many others. Camus <br /> with all the dead were buried tnere, and a great high stone cross erected upon him, which is still extant, and gives name to the place, being called Camustone, and the pillar, the Cross of Camustone; it belongcth to the Earl of Panmure. <br /> <br /> Within these two or thrie yeares the Cross, by violence of wind and weather, did fall, which the Earl caused re-erect and fortifie against such hazard in tyme to come. The remainder of the Danes that escaped that battle fled north-ward, where they were overtaken by the Scots at a place in this shyre called Aberlemno, ten myles distant from Camus-one, and there beat, and all of them, either killed or taken ; and there it is probable some great man was killed, there being ane cross erected there, and called the Crosstoun of Aberlemno ; they have both of them some antique pictures and letters, so wome out with tyme, that they are not legible, or rather, the characters are not intelligible in thir tymes. Barrie lyes midway betwixt Dundie and Arbroth, six myles distant from either. Mr Carnegy, minister. In the Diocese of St Andrews; the King's Majestie, patrone. <br /> <br /><br /> <br /> ANCIENT FAMILIES IN THE SHYRE. <br /> <br /><br /> Noblemen. — Earls Strathmore, Southesk, Airlie, Panmure, Lord Gray. Gentlemen. — Lairds of Edzell, Dun, Pitcur, Pourie, Fotheringhame, Fintrie, Claverhouse, Innerrarritie, Bonnietoune, Ouchterlony of that Ilk, Gairdyne of that Ilk, Auchinleck of that Ilk, Grange, Durhame, Balmashanner, Guthrie of that Ilk,Baljordie, Balfour, Ogilvy, Strathmartine, Nevoy of that Ilk, Buthvene, Deuchar of that Ilk, Thometoune of that Ilk. <br /> <br />Many great families are extinct in this shyre within these few years, as Earls Buchan, Dundie, Crauford, Lords Spynie, Olyfant, besydes many considerable barrens and gentlemen, whose estates are purchased by privat persones, and by merchants and burgesses of the severall burghs of the shyre. <br /> <br />The shyre is aboundantlie furnished of all things necessaro for life, such abundance of comes and cattle, that the consumption within the countrey is not able to spend the sixth part thereof.<br /> <br /><div>I will add no more for our Familie of Ouchterlony of that Ilk but what I have said in the generall description of some places we have and had concern in, but that I have ane accompt of the marriages of the Familie these fifteen generations, viz. 1st, Stewart of Rossyth, in Fytfe; 2d, Maull of Panmure; 3d,</div><div>Ogilvy of Lentrathene, predecessor to the Lords of Ogilvy; 4th, Gray, of the Lord Gray; 5th, Drummond of Stobhall, now Perth; 6th, Keith, Lord Marishall; 7th, Lyon, Lord Glames; 8th, Cunninghame of Barnes: 9th, Stewart of Innermeath; 10th, Olyphant, of the Lord Olyphant; 11th, Scrimgeor of Dudope; 12th, Beatoun of Westhall; 13th, Peirsone of Loclilands; 14th, Carnegy of Newgait; 15th, Maull, cousine-germane to the deceist Patrick Earl of Panmure. All these are daughters of the above written families. The lamilie is very ancient and very great, having above fourteen score clialders of victuall, which was a great estate in those days.</div><div><br /></div><div>My grandfather told me he saw a letter from Sir William Wallace, Governour of Scotland, directed to his trustie and assured friend, the Laird of Ouchterlony of that Ilk, requiring him in all haste to repair to him, with his friends and servants, notwithstanding his pass was not out; which pass did bear allowing him to travaill from Cunningharaehead to Ouchtermergitie, now Balmadies, which was his place of residence, about his lawfull affairs, and to repair to him againe in a short tyme therein prescrived—"for its lyke," sayes he, "we will have use for you and other honest men in the countrey within a</div><div>short tyme ;"—and accordingly the Barns of Air were burnt shortly thereafter.</div><div><br /></div><div>The letter and pass are both together. Probablie the Laird of Drum, who purchased the estate, hath these and other antiquities of our Familie; but they cannot be had for the present. The armes of our Familie are thus blazoned—bears Azure, a lyon rampant, Argent, within a border Gules entoure, of eight buckles Or above the shield, ane helmet mantled Gules and doubled Argent ; and on the torse for a crest, ane eagle displayed Azure, with ane escallope in hir beek Argent, and the</div><div>motto above the crest — <i>deus mihi adjutor.</i></div><div><br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><a href="https://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2019/03/" target="_blank">Part One</a><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2020/04/ochterlonys-account-of-shire-of-forfar.html">Part Two</a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>Keith Colemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435885427062349047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030692967135623861.post-19271686696500490432023-11-01T20:18:00.000+00:002023-11-01T20:18:09.596+00:00The Ballad of Lord Spynie<br /> Few people know much about the noble title of Spynie or those who bore that name. There were several Lord Spynie's in the late 16th and early 17th century, though the title went extinct after a few generations. It was held by a branch of the powerful Lindsay family who were powerfully represented in the county for several centuries.<br /><br />The first Lord Spynie, Alexander Lindsay, was a sometime favourite of King James VI, though he fell out of favour with that mercurial monarch (more on this below). He was the fourth son of the 10th Earl of Crawford and also a grandson of the famous/infamous Cardinal Beaton, a pre-eminent prelate from Fife who spent much of his life in Angus.<br /><br />His early career was fairly standard for a well-connected nobleman of the era and he became vice-chamberlain to the king. He was also embroiled in a complicated adultery involving the wife of Alan Leytoun, a laird from Fife. This lady, Helen Hunter, was also involved romantically, or at least carnally, with his brother, David Lindsay, 11th Earl of Crawford.<br /><br />Lindsay's fortune was largely linked to his accompanying James VI on his marriage expedition to Denmark. Before the trip Lindsay was able to assist the king with a loan of 10,000 gold coins, financing the expedition and assuring his own advancement. The king promised him a peerage on their return to Scotland:<div><br /></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote><div style="text-align: left;">Sandie. Quhill (till) youre goode happe furnels me sum better occasion to recompense youre honest and faithfull service utterid be youre diligente and cairfulle attendance upon me, speciallie at this tyme, lett this assure you, in the inviolabill worde of youre awin prince and maister, that quhen Godd randeris me in Skotlande, I sall irrevocabilie, and with consent of parliament, erect you the temporalitie of Murraye in a temporall lordship, with all honours thereto appertaining, and left this serve for cure to your present disease. From the castle of Croneburg, quhare we are drinking and dryving our in the auld manner. J.R.” In fulfillment of this promise, and in acquittance of the 10,000 gold crowns lent to him, the king granted a charter of the lordship of Spynie, Kinnedder, Rafford, and other lands in the counties of Elgin, Banff, and Inverness, formerly belonging to the see of Moray, united into the free barony of Spynie, with the title of Baron Spynie, to Alexander Lindsay and his heirs and assignees, dated 6th May 1590.</div></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote><div><br /></div><div> In 1590, Lindsay was accordingly made Lord Spynie, taking his title from lands near Elgin. Although his lands were in north and his family were largely located in Angus, he took as his principal seat Aberdour Castle in Fife, which came to him via his wife Jean Lyon. Jean was a daughter of the house of Glamis and Spynie was her third husband. She had achieved some nororiety by being implicated (by relatives of Angus) of her second husband's death, possibly involving poison or witchcraft. Given the climate of the times, she was lucky to escape death. <br /><div><br /><p style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0.5em 0px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizAwMofaqoKXvPW4Ezywk93i8kpItNdGf32a7s2cpCg2u_tUBVFBzIb10cYEY5in8QmqfSDB2Inoz-DhMkEr1Usl8GsChGSBgG4VkLeLN6Cr1EX7qe6uJdcEX0W_zMHkkoY7F6-N_bgpxXkWG9ovSIdk8pWogjfeWOxSpGnSlbGnM8E5e9h04cvIqM/s728/Screenshot%202023-10-31%20190149.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="422" data-original-width="728" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizAwMofaqoKXvPW4Ezywk93i8kpItNdGf32a7s2cpCg2u_tUBVFBzIb10cYEY5in8QmqfSDB2Inoz-DhMkEr1Usl8GsChGSBgG4VkLeLN6Cr1EX7qe6uJdcEX0W_zMHkkoY7F6-N_bgpxXkWG9ovSIdk8pWogjfeWOxSpGnSlbGnM8E5e9h04cvIqM/w640-h370/Screenshot%202023-10-31%20190149.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aberdour Castle<br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table> The relationship between young Lindsay and the king has been open to question by historians, with some thinking that Alexander was a lover of king James. This has never been proven, despite much innuendo and analysis and I stand guilty to a certain extent myself by not coming to any cast iron conclusion in my recent book on King James. It is true that the ruler almost certainly had male lovers when he took over the kingdom of England, most notably the Earl of Somerset and the Duke of Buckingham. His love life in Scotland is less clear. In his youth he was clearly besotted by his French relative Esme Stuart, but subsequent affairs (if there were any) were well disguised. <br /><p style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0.5em 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0.5em 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px;"> The Englishman Thomas Fowler reported in the late 1580s that the king was believed to be overly influenced by young men who slept in his chamber. Fowler said one such man, Alexander Lindsay, was ‘the king’s best beloved minion’. Another source states that </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px;">Lindsay was ‘his nightly bed-fellow’, while Sir James Melville stated that Lindsay made other jealous because he was </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px;">‘in great favour with his Majesty, and sometimes his bedfellow’.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0.5em 0px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0.5em 0px;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px;"> Physical proximity to the king of course was no guarantee that physical intercourse took place and we will never know if the two men were intimate. It has been argued that the fact that James pressed for Jean Lyon to marry hos favourite Lindsay is evidence that there was noting between the men. Yet the king provided the same matrimonial encouragement to other men he was almost certainly physically involved with.</span></p><h2 style="background-color: white; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(162, 169, 177); font-family: "Linux Libertine", Georgia, Times, serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.375; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjPOHZM3yWv1RDZqnzApEjDtLD02UR2RhGy2Bo2jh0hRUrXTjc6ahAecWxMlOzWQE3jpQ2z_ODzgGI7FisyNHHSL0-qti8pkOaQ1mJ5ZqEA0aIybSKSGNGp9TC1m-397rG0e225GbqlmN51HcQ63-0KZs8YY8UBtoxhH53aw7ErOU4ifQ5Hbpyhw/s711/Jm.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="711" height="612" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjPOHZM3yWv1RDZqnzApEjDtLD02UR2RhGy2Bo2jh0hRUrXTjc6ahAecWxMlOzWQE3jpQ2z_ODzgGI7FisyNHHSL0-qti8pkOaQ1mJ5ZqEA0aIybSKSGNGp9TC1m-397rG0e225GbqlmN51HcQ63-0KZs8YY8UBtoxhH53aw7ErOU4ifQ5Hbpyhw/w640-h612/Jm.jpg" width="640" /></a></p></h2> Lord Spynie's fall from grace with his majesty had nothing to do with his marriage, but an accusation that he was conspiring - or at least allied with - one of the king's most turbulent subjects, Francis Stewart, the Earl of Bothwell. The latter was a long-term thorn in the side of King James, and had threatened the monarch with violence in order to support his own ends. He would also, perhaps wrongly, be implicated in the North Berwick Witch trials at the end of the 16th century. Spynie sheltered Bothwell at his house at Aberdour and was accused of supporting this rebellious subject by another courtier. No official action was taken against Spynie and he remained a member of the privy council, but he lost the trust of the monarch.<div><br /></div><div> As well as Aberdour, Spynie maintained his lands in Angus, where his principal house was Kinblethmont in Inverkeillor parish. The house was severely damaged and ransacked in November 1602 by the Master of Ogilvy and his kinsmen as part of a long-running, though intermittent local feud between the Ogilvys and the Lindsays. (I detailed some of this inter-family violence in an earlier post <a href="https://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2015/09/yet-more-ogilvy-lindsay-trouble-and.html" target="_blank">here</a>.) Luckily, Spynie and his wife had left the house two hours before the raid. </div><div><br /></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0.5em 0px;"><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span></p></div></div></blockquote><blockquote><div><div><p style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0.5em 0px;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2O23fRgQAqF7LIAHvCGBSbyGp0VESJEB_X9XUKn0C9i6yLt570aIn5fQ50nXxawYQXBY7pMiXp22nYOrwhCZw4dpyThU7Ekzh_UKIKrLiayUtfytJ5d0fygFgO1HmfEn2z3KmcXP5aW9hHCLI3nc-woMRs8CXsm7XBq1bGoWuomJjPgu0h3yB8Q/s1237/Screenshot%202023-02-09%20211508.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="597" data-original-width="1237" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2O23fRgQAqF7LIAHvCGBSbyGp0VESJEB_X9XUKn0C9i6yLt570aIn5fQ50nXxawYQXBY7pMiXp22nYOrwhCZw4dpyThU7Ekzh_UKIKrLiayUtfytJ5d0fygFgO1HmfEn2z3KmcXP5aW9hHCLI3nc-woMRs8CXsm7XBq1bGoWuomJjPgu0h3yB8Q/w640-h308/Screenshot%202023-02-09%20211508.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kinblethmont in the late 18th century</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"></span></div></div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"> Spynie's death, ironically, did not involve his kindred's traditional enemy, but members of his own immediate family. On 5 June 1607 he was at the foot of the stairs of his lodging in the High Street of Edinburgh and he witnessed a violent encounter between David Lindsay, 12th Earl of Crawford, and another David Lindsay, of Edzell. The latter was the son of Walter Lindsay of Balgavies who had been murdered by Crawford. Attempting to intervene between his relatives, Spynie was fatally stabbed by the laird of Edzell.</p></blockquote><p><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span> The death of Spynie became the subject of the ballad bellow, which is one of the few genuinely old ballads which deal with people or themes which are associated with Angus. In true traditional fashion, the ballad mixes up the facts to make the story more entertaining. The ballad would have us believe that Spynie was a dastardly wooer who seduced and then abandoned his distant female relative, a daughter of the Lindsay house of Edzell. The lady's outraged brother then killed Spynie in Edinburgh and, to escape justice, fled to Glenmark Castle in Angus before fleeing even further north. Such a narrative is romantic nonsense.</p><div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Lord Spynie, ye may pu' the rose</div><div style="text-align: center;">an spare the lily flower,</div><div style="text-align: center;">when ye gae through the garden green</div><div style="text-align: center;">to woo in lady's bower;</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">an' ye pu' the lichtsome thyme,</div><div style="text-align: center;">an' leave the lonesome rue,</div><div style="text-align: center;">for lang an' sair will the lady mourn</div><div style="text-align: center;">that ye gae there to woo!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">For ye will look an' talk of love,</div><div style="text-align: center;">And kindly kindly smile,</div><div style="text-align: center;">An' vow by grace and a' that's gude,</div><div style="text-align: center;">And lay the luving while.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">'Tis sair to rob the bonnie bird</div><div style="text-align: center;">That makes you melodie. -</div><div style="text-align: center;">'Tis cruel to win a woman's luve, </div><div style="text-align: center;">An' no' hae luve to gie!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I wadna hae your wilfu' hand</div><div style="text-align: center;">Though a' the earth were thine,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Ye've broken many a maiden's peace,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Ye've mair than broken mine.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I wadna hae your faithless heart,</div><div style="text-align: center;">'Tis no your ain to gie,</div><div style="text-align: center;">But gin ye ever think o' heaven,</div><div style="text-align: center;">O, ye maun think o' me!</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div></div><p> </p><blockquote><div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikxsEzPlHAuoX-7bZ7Zb9adAP1llEMienaGF6gIrr7WFIHoQ9MwEVZmszNA2Vc5w81eeCgLy-pnacR81-uxykrkxaTWo67FY-0-JdgjwgGUGcWX3gu1E-N7qwNF6BLysEAF3Lq9fZQEnYaL_1fc1KFWcfPbTvscM2qmcrZHhBtMAnivL3NRVJ31Q/s1320/1200px-Arms_of_Lindsay_of_Spynie.svg.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1320" data-original-width="1200" height="455" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikxsEzPlHAuoX-7bZ7Zb9adAP1llEMienaGF6gIrr7WFIHoQ9MwEVZmszNA2Vc5w81eeCgLy-pnacR81-uxykrkxaTWo67FY-0-JdgjwgGUGcWX3gu1E-N7qwNF6BLysEAF3Lq9fZQEnYaL_1fc1KFWcfPbTvscM2qmcrZHhBtMAnivL3NRVJ31Q/w413-h455/1200px-Arms_of_Lindsay_of_Spynie.svg.png" width="413" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arms of the first Lord Spynie</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /> Spynie's eldest son Alexander fought in the Swedish army and later became an ally of Montrose. He died in 1657. George Lindsay, 3rd Lord Spynie, was a royalist adherent during the civil wars and died childless in 1671.</div></div></blockquote><blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></blockquote><blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" id="table7" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: black; width: 600px;"><tbody><tr><td><div class="container container-ia width-max relative-row-wrap info-top" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2c2c2c; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 15px; width: initial;"><div class="container container-ia" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 1170px; padding-left: 15px; padding-right: 15px; width: initial;"><div class="relative-row row" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-left: -15px; margin-right: -15px; position: relative;"></div></div></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> </span></p></td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /></blockquote>Keith Colemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435885427062349047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030692967135623861.post-36364584229619133372023-02-16T15:36:00.000+00:002023-02-16T15:36:10.850+00:00'The Ball O' Kirriemuir' - Did it Really Happen?<p> Those among us who are not overly fond of hearing about orgies may not be pleased with further information about the notorious sexualised ballad '<b>The Ball o' Kirriemuir</b>'. Earlier posts (see links below) suggested the song was based on an account of an actual erotic event in the village in the 1880s. But the origins seem to go back even further.</p><p> The ballad below found its way into print in 1817, contained in <i><b>The Flower of Caledonia</b></i>, issued by Sanderson & Co in Edinburgh:</p><p><br /></p><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>THE KIRRIEMUIR WEDDING</i></b></div></b><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">At Kirriemuir a wedding stood,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Upon a simmer's day;</div><div style="text-align: center;">And there was plenty mirth and fun,</div><div style="text-align: center;">And plenty sport and play.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">CHORUS</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Singing, go, girls, go,</div><div style="text-align: center;">And we'll hae anither tune,</div><div style="text-align: center;">And we'll ne'er dance sae young again,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Gin aince this night were done.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">There were three score o' maidens gaed,</div><div style="text-align: center;">('Twas braw being there)</div><div style="text-align: center;">But only ain came hame again;</div><div style="text-align: center;">Judge ye an' that was fair.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">There was twa into the barn,</div><div style="text-align: center;">an' twa into the byre, </div><div style="text-align: center;">An' twa amang the pease strate,</div><div style="text-align: center;">I think they'll never tire.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">There was twa ahint the pease stack,</div><div style="text-align: center;">An' twa amang the pease;</div><div style="text-align: center;">But ye could na see the barn-floor</div><div style="text-align: center;">For naked hips and thighs.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">In came John Anderson,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Says he to his brother James,</div><div style="text-align: center;">'Will ye gang to the barn-floor</div><div style="text-align: center;">an' kiss the wanton queans?'</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">In came John Tait, the factor's man,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Says he, 'Well may ye thrive!'</div><div style="text-align: center;">But before he kissed his own true love,</div><div style="text-align: center;">He played we' ither five.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">In came the minister's maid,</div><div style="text-align: center;">And she was warst o' a''</div><div style="text-align: center;">For she tint her muslin apron</div><div style="text-align: center;">Among the pease straw.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The lads they lost their knee-buckles,</div><div style="text-align: center;">The lasses their bucklin-kames;</div><div style="text-align: center;">But three score o' maidenheads</div><div style="text-align: center;">Played a crack at aince.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Now ilka lad has ta'en his lass,</div><div style="text-align: center;">An' he's convey'd her hame;</div><div style="text-align: center;">An' ilka lass says to her lad,</div><div style="text-align: center;">'Whan will ye do't again?'</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEixEIec0mdq_pTCXg4BMIBycLqR9tGRVo6JP_jdBLsfmOAPlsJKlb-huhEnAqItfUxADvo7zKxLtTcTLHySIMzBKevp_ikq85jfOiTtBHduG553ESgOdmT7Eq-pvPNwaiJlo0uFvdNwtu2KgNLKVsWFe5KU8KrJN-he9hh8wEr8LdkuooUJw9kSDA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="363" data-original-width="496" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEixEIec0mdq_pTCXg4BMIBycLqR9tGRVo6JP_jdBLsfmOAPlsJKlb-huhEnAqItfUxADvo7zKxLtTcTLHySIMzBKevp_ikq85jfOiTtBHduG553ESgOdmT7Eq-pvPNwaiJlo0uFvdNwtu2KgNLKVsWFe5KU8KrJN-he9hh8wEr8LdkuooUJw9kSDA=w640-h468" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div> Derick Thomson considers songs such as these which celebrate events at 'penny weddings' date back to the 18th century, which is likely. There were other popular ballads in the same era which 'celebrated' the goings-on at such local community events, though it can be debated whether the innuendo was heightened for the sake of the readers or whether these weddings did often end up in riotous and promiscuous behaviour. (Other similar bawdy songs include 'Muirland Willie.') Margaret Dean-Smith notes similar printed examples in the late 17th century, which proves that such activities flourished even in the dour age of the Covenanters.</div><h2 style="text-align: center;">Sources</h2><div>Thomas Crawford, ' "The Ball of Kirriemuir;" a nineteenth-century precursor,' <i>Notes and Queries</i>, vol. 11, issue 1, 1964, 28-29.</div><div><br /></div><div>Thomas Crawford, <i>Society and the Lyric: A Study of the Song Culture of Eighteenth-Century Scotland</i>, Scottish Academic Press, 1979.</div><div><br /></div><div>Margaret Dean-Smith, ' "The Ball of Kirriemuir", an earlier precursor,' <i>Notes and Queries</i>, vol. 11, issue 5, 1964, 190. </div><div><br /></div><div>Derick S. Thomson, 'Scottish Gaelic traditional songs from the 16th to the 18th century,' Sir John Rhys Memorial Lecture. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: center;">Previous Related Posts</h2><div><a href="http://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2016/11/the-whit-kirriemuirs-ball-with-knobs-on.html">The Whit? Kirrimuir's Ball With Knobs On</a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2021/05/return-to-ball-of-kirriemuir.html">Return to the Ball of Kirriemuir</a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQZrCFqS1SGrnkFSagQEyB3mHYwgRnIDlBELbZzd-AvouPy9SoRNn8FC3_hq2TxYwlOktybMXrf1rzCes_jrnja8gDn4yC1uESReOzlw8fJNFSUAbuon5vSYSqFBZyt-L_r5tUX9pCVCPa4RuEm26wRln2i9LDAwGquPSIZdfcLMdORPUhtYEckw/s927/Screenshot%202023-02-16%20153120.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="588" data-original-width="927" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQZrCFqS1SGrnkFSagQEyB3mHYwgRnIDlBELbZzd-AvouPy9SoRNn8FC3_hq2TxYwlOktybMXrf1rzCes_jrnja8gDn4yC1uESReOzlw8fJNFSUAbuon5vSYSqFBZyt-L_r5tUX9pCVCPa4RuEm26wRln2i9LDAwGquPSIZdfcLMdORPUhtYEckw/w640-h406/Screenshot%202023-02-16%20153120.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>Keith Colemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435885427062349047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030692967135623861.post-33459105730026066242022-05-25T21:43:00.001+01:002022-05-25T21:46:21.621+01:00The Deuchar Family - Swordsmen, Jacobites, Templars<p> T<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">his post is an expansion on several previous pieces I wrote concerning
the Angus family of </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Deuchar</b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">, who long inhabited the place of that
name, being </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>Deuchar of Deuchar</i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">, or </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>Deuchar of
that Ilk</i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">, as it used to be termed. This kindred were long in possession
of a famous blade which served in many battles. The mansion house of Deuchar
stands on the uplands of Fern parish and has a magnificent view of much of
Strathmore and the Sidlaw Hills. It was built or remodelled by the penultimate
Deuchar laird in the 18th century. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> Deuchar and Deuchar Hill sit in the parish of
Fern, north of Noranside, and feature in a rhyme about local places:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Deuchar sits on Deuchar Hill,</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>looking doon on Birnie Mill,</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>the Whirrock an the Whoggle,</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>the Burnroot an Ogle,</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Quiechstrath an Turnafachie,</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Waterhaughs an Drumlieharrie.</i></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih-fsPwte7MnDvSBAKAhcoGFa0zwwl8Lnv2HArV3jXVKx2sVGhLlDw_SRvikVII4MPUiEiu7EMtwFSPlHPljKf5O7TnLI6_BvjH5KTo-fnemmy9IWC2vQICs4-Gl7O8Wegs0QihdKxVEnFfGnaMWet9d4jzJ1ZaNey1Oz2P6Ifq1PBFsPDBrFvfQ/s640/1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="488" data-original-width="640" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih-fsPwte7MnDvSBAKAhcoGFa0zwwl8Lnv2HArV3jXVKx2sVGhLlDw_SRvikVII4MPUiEiu7EMtwFSPlHPljKf5O7TnLI6_BvjH5KTo-fnemmy9IWC2vQICs4-Gl7O8Wegs0QihdKxVEnFfGnaMWet9d4jzJ1ZaNey1Oz2P6Ifq1PBFsPDBrFvfQ/w640-h488/1.png" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> As for the family of the name and their renowned weapon,
the tale is told by the Rev. David Harris in the <b><i>New Statistical
Account</i></b><i> </i>of the parish of Fern in the mid 19th century:</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Few families can establish such
pretensions to antiquity as belong to the Deuchars, late of that Ilk. It might
be almost regularly ascertained that the family inheritance had passed through
a succession of lineal heirs, without increase or diminution, throughout a
period of more than five hundred years. One of the ancestors of this family
fell at Harlaw, and, as proof that he was not untouched with the spirit which
marked the character of that bloody field, his sword was so firmly grasped in
death, that it was necessary to cut away the hand before it could be severed
from the sword. The sword, as a relique, is still in possession of the
representative of the family, but the patrimony was alienated about eighteen
years ago.</span></blockquote><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> The Deuchars, who boasted about being the oldest family in
Angus, held on to their upland estate for around 800 years until
representatives of the family sold up in the 19th century. The place-name
Deuchar (or close variants) is also found in other parts of Scotland, including
Banff, Stirlingshire. Deuchar Law in the Borders was formerly called Deuchar Rigg and there is a Deuchar in the parish of Yarrow, Selkirk, where there was a family named Deuchar of that Ilk recorded in 1478, some time after their Angus counterparts appeared. The meaning of the place/family name is obscure though one authority notes that the family name is 'curiously connected with the custody of relics'.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 38.4pt;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">
Gershom Cummin in <i>Forfarshire Illustrated</i> (1843)
states that the family acquired the grant of the land for killing a bear. This
tradition may be a misreading of boar, which makes more sense in heraldic
terms. The wild beast, whatever it was, was slain near the Coorthill or
Coortford Bridge which spanned the Pass of the Noran Water around the year
1000. So Deuchar of Deuchar became a landed family. There is a confused,
alternate tradition that Deuchar rose in the world because he took part in the
Battle of Barry against the invading Danes in 1010. However, this can be easily
discounted on the basis that this battle was entirely imaginary, though
successive historians well into the 20th century gave credence to it. The
author of the Baronage of Angus and the Mearns tried to square two possibly
divergent traditions when he stated that the Deuchar was slain as he pursued
some fleeing Northmen at Markhouse in Tannadice after the battle, despite this
being many miles from Barry.<br />
<br />
<br />
It is said that Deuchar, who was with Keith at the Battle of
Barry, was a man of gigantic stature, and of vast strength, having six fingers
on each hand, and as many toes on each foot. While in pursuit of the Danes he
fell by a stroke or thrust from some of the Northmen.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> The story that the Deuchars were sprung from the second son of
Gilchrist, Celtic Earl of Angus, would seem to be false also since Gilchrist or
Gille Críst died around 1206. The Deuchars in fact do not emerge out of the
historical mist until the year 1369 when Sir Alexander Lindsay of Glenesk
granted a charter of the lands of 'Deuhqwhyr' to William 'Deuhqwhir of that
ilk,' as heir of his deceased father. The Deuchars were obliged to pay annually
a pair of white gloves to the Lindsays as their feudal superiors.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> One of the family members, Cumming states, behaved
heroically at the Battle of Harlaw in 1411, where a range of Lowland forces
overcame Donald, Lord of the Isles. Among the casualties was William Deuchar
(who had married a daughter of Sir Alexander Straiten, knight of Laurieston,
who also fell in the battle). According to Cumming, Deuchar 'was found
next morning by one of his servants among the slain, with his sword still in
his hand, which was so much swollen that it was found impossible to detach it
from the handle, he therefore cut off the hand at the wrist, and carried both
home, and presented them to his master's lady.'<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> Some Deuchars had migrated south to the burgh of Dundee by the late 15th century. We have notice of 'James of Duchir', a burgess who was punished for an obscure offence involving a legal connection with a foreigner. He was taken to the Market Cross and had the hand which he had signed the fraudulent document stricken through. Several years later he was cited as a debtor to another burgess. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> The main estate of Deuchar was still being held under feudal terms in the 17th century. In 1642 the Carnegies had replaced the Lindsays as the superiors of the territory, the Earl of Southesk being cited in a document as the possessor. By the late 17th century the Deuchars were paying rent of 15 shillings and 9 pence annually for the estate</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> Details about the
famous weapon, the Deuchar Sword which was wielded at Harlaw, are surrounded by
legend. It was said to be the very weapon which the primitive Deuchar used to
kill the wild boar and it bore the inscription:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5pt;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>Da Deuquhyre his swerde.</i></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><i><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">At Bannockburn I served the Brus,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Of quliilk the Inglis had na ryss.</span></div><o:p></o:p></i></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><i> </i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> There are no
known further traditions about which Deuchar of Deuchar may have fought
alongside Robert Bruce in 1314.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> In 1585, Deuchar of
that Ilk, along with other local lairds were in dispute with the bishop and
chapter of Brechin regarding encroaching on the lands of the commonty of
Brechin and it was legally decided the lairds were unlawfully encroaching on
this land.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> The sword remained in the family until 1745, when it
suffered an ignoble fate. According to Gershom Cumming, during the Jacobite
uprising:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></p><blockquote>the neighbouring proprietor, the
Laird of Easter Ogil, intending to join the Prince's forces, swore he would
have the best horse in Deuchar's stable or the sword. To protect the sword it
was buried in a cornstack ; and to the surprise of the family one morning, they
saw the Laird of Ogil and his servant in the corn-yard, the stack thrown down,
and the sword in his possession. It had at that period been in possession of
the present George Deuchar's grandfather, and he used to report that he had
seen the Laird of Ogil parading in the town of Brechin,with the sword trailing
on the ground. The sword was then of great size, sharp on one side, and about
an inch round the point. The Laird of Ogil, while it was in his possession,
converted it into a two-edged sword, and reduced the length of the blade about
a foot By some stratagem the Laird of Deuchar again got possession of the
sword...</blockquote><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> The Deuchars had apparently turned Hanoverian during the '45 (or remained neutral) while probably professing to be Jacobites previously. There is some difference of opinion among local historians
about who this dastardly Laird of Ogil was. Easter Ogil belonged to the Fenton
family and then to a branch of the Lyons before the Grants gained the estate in
the middle of the 18th century. It may have been one of the latter family who
fell out with the Deuchars (or otherwise a Lyon). Whichever enemy stole it, the
Deuchars eventually recovered the precious heirloom from the Castle of Coul,
where it had been carelessly left by the thief. A variant tradition says the
Deuchar family had to buy the iconic sword back.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm; mso-outline-level: 3; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The Final
Deuchars <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The penultimate laird, George Deuchar of Deuchar, passed away on
20th January, 1802, aged 55. His wife, Elizabeth Peter, daughter
of John Peter, Farmer, Woodwray, died at Easter Ogill, 27th February,
1823—lie interred in the family burial place, on the site of the old
church of Fearn (the vault was within the old church until 1805) where
their youngest son, James Deuchar of Demerara, erected a monument to their
memory in 1826. The Deuchar estate was bought by the merchant James Marnie of
Arbroath and Dundee in 1819 and was inherited by his daughters, Isabella and
Charlotte Marnie. The property later passed to Thomas Thomson, whose wife was a
Marnie.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> Did the famous ancient sword go abroad with the Deuchar
descendants? One tale suggests that 'the last Laird of them [also called George
Deuchar], before emigrating to Australia, left it with his relative,
Deuchar, seal engraver, Edinburgh, to be lodged in the principal armoury in the
metropolis' (<i>Historic Scenes in Forfarshire</i>, p. 282.) So the weapon
passed from George to Alexander Deuchar. The sword probably passed down to
Alexander's daughter Lucenda (or Lucinda) Marshall Deuchar, who possessed many
family papers and other relics. Another writer however states that the weapon
later came into the possession of Captain Patrick Deuchar of Morninside,
Edinburgh. Some modern commentators assert that the Deuchar Sword ended up in
the now closed Angus Folk Museum at Glamis, a property of the National Trust
for Scotland. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> It is said that William Deuchar, younger brother of
the last laird, carried some family papers (which would have given us more
insight into the family's history) to Jamaica, where he died in 1822. William's
youngest brother James, had further family documentation and he emigrated to
Demerara in 1822. Later in the 19th century Alexander Warden, historian of the
county, obtained some information about the family from David Deuchar, manager
of the Caledonian Insurance Company.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> Alexander Deuchar (father of Lucinda) was a
prominent family member (discussed below). He claimed the chieftainship of
the family, being the lineal descendant of the elder brother of David Deuchar
of Nether Balgillo. The latter acquired the lands of Deuchar from his uncle,
David Deuchar of that Ilk, who had no children. Andrew Jervise, author of <i>Land
of the Lindsays</i>, states that the sword passed from David Deuchar, first
seal engraver, to his son Alexander. Alexander was a notable character who
deserves further attention.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm; mso-outline-level: 3;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm; mso-outline-level: 3; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Alexander
Deuchar, the Templar Master<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #202122; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 1.2pt; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 1.2pt 36pt;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br /> Alexander Deuchar (1777-1844) was a prominent figure who sought to revive the supposed ancient Knights Templar chivalric tradition which was linked to Freemasonry. Alexander and his father descended from the branch of the Deuchars which occupied the lands of Bolshan in Angus. Professionally, Alexander was a seal engraver and Lyon Herald at the Court of the Lord Lyon, and so deeply involved in the heraldry of the nation.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 1.2pt; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 1.2pt 36pt;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 1.2pt; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 1.2pt 36pt;"> He was also deeply involved in the shadowy world of Scottish Freemasonry and apparently instrumental in reforming the order, emphasising its native roots. He possessed at one time the 17th century documents known as 'Saint Clair Charters' which purportedly gave legitimacy to the ancient roots of the order in Scotland. (These are now in the ownership of the Grand Lodge of Scotland).<br /><br /> From obscure origins, Deuchar formed a breakaway organisation of Templars in the early 19th century which became the Grand Assembly of the Knights Templar in Edinburgh. Among the member and supporter of the new body was his brother David Deuchar, an officer in the 1st Regiment of Foot, The Royal Scots. In 1809, during the Peninsular War, David looted an altar cross from the Templar Church at the Castle of Tomar in Portugal which had been destroyed by the French and he brought this icon back to Scotland and presented it to the new body. The Templar organisation expanded and was opened to non-Masons, an innovation in such semi-secret societies. <br /><br /> Alexander made himself the Grand Master of this Templar order in 1811 or 1812, apparently despite some opposition, and the group was popular for some time, though it became inactive around 1830. It was subsequently revived and merged in with other similar organisations. <br /><br /> According to Jervise, the late 19th century descendant of Alexander was Patrick Deuchar, a merchant in Liverpool, who disputed the extinct and rather meaningless right to be recognised as 'Deuchar of Deuchar' with the son of John, brother of George Deuchar who sold the ancient Angus estate. <br /><br /> What happened to the iconic sword of the Deuchars? There seems to be no mention of it in the 20th or 21st centuries. The weapon below turned up in an auction in England several years ago and seems to have been the property of the Templar master Deuchar. It was described as having a 'wirebound leather hilt with pommel and quillions modelled as a skull and crossbones, the top brass mount on the leather scabbard engraved "Alexander Deuchar" - Mil Templi Scotiae" with his silver seal in case". The ceremonial weapon was 93.5 cm in length. Whether it was modelled to any extent on the ancestral sword of the Deuchars in unknown.</p><div><br /></div><div><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 38.4pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm 5pt 38.4pt; mso-outline-level: 3; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMELQCECBcwJ52AC8u6SkGKmihshuM3Sh82nXcPNeFf72Dm_mtst_a4Q2v125as47991m9B70o7iZUtNC-ZX2AlNI_suXI0tkF-7OwkbsxEj-s84B6g28RbARSyd6H86lLKPl4EKqg/s640/Picture3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="198" data-original-width="640" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMELQCECBcwJ52AC8u6SkGKmihshuM3Sh82nXcPNeFf72Dm_mtst_a4Q2v125as47991m9B70o7iZUtNC-ZX2AlNI_suXI0tkF-7OwkbsxEj-s84B6g28RbARSyd6H86lLKPl4EKqg/w640-h198/Picture3.png" width="640" /></a></span></b></div><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></b><p></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 38.4pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm 5pt 38.4pt; mso-outline-level: 3; text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Other
Deuchars</span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 38.4pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm 5pt 38.4pt; mso-outline-level: 3; text-align: center;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 38.4pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 38.4pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 38.4pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 38.4pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> Robert Deuchar</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> (1831-1904) found success
away from his ancestral homeland. One of three brothers from Angus who migrated
south in the 1860s, he became a publican in Newcastle. By the turn of the
century he owned outright 40 pubs in the region and also owned a large brewery
in Edinburgh. His brewing empire Robert Deuchar Ltd. was eventually bought out
by Newcastle Breweries in 1959. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 38.4pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 38.4pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 38.4pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 38.4pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> A later prominent Deuchar was <b>James
Deuchar</b> (1930-1993) was a Dundee born trumpeter and arranger who was
first active in the 1950's and 1960s. He notably worked with prominent UK jazz
stars like Johnny Dankworth and Tubby Hayes, though he was a front man also who
released a number of recordings in his own name from the early fifties.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 38.4pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 38.4pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 38.4pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 38.4pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1dzT1Jfwi4aKtV2RjG4oAopCRyWWTbTReCaeysEOTYzJj14AD470flSLJLHkC12lssKBuwysBAZm_ZU5yRFNMi1UswI0LvQJTajAjpsMwA3NM2ZSaxINyo6TygFp8G7-64QoH3XV4-JC1FWexlBa3-bnT48N6Vqq1ICiBVgCLgzJXbPwk_rCwfw/s550/Picture2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="543" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1dzT1Jfwi4aKtV2RjG4oAopCRyWWTbTReCaeysEOTYzJj14AD470flSLJLHkC12lssKBuwysBAZm_ZU5yRFNMi1UswI0LvQJTajAjpsMwA3NM2ZSaxINyo6TygFp8G7-64QoH3XV4-JC1FWexlBa3-bnT48N6Vqq1ICiBVgCLgzJXbPwk_rCwfw/w395-h400/Picture2.jpg" width="395" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span><p></p>
<br />
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 38.4pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 38.4pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 38.4pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 38.4pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">After freelance work mainly in London, often with
European and American artists, he returned to Dundee in the mid 1970s. He
died in 1993, aged 63.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 38.4pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 38.4pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 38.4pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 38.4pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 38.4pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 38.4pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; margin-left: 38.4pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 5.0pt; margin: 5pt 0cm 5pt 38.4pt; mso-outline-level: 3; text-align: center;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #4d5156; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Further Reading</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 38.4pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 38.4pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 38.4pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 38.4pt;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Cumming,
Gershom, <i>Forfarshire Illustrated</i> (Dundee, 1843).</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 38.4pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 38.4pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 38.4pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 38.4pt;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Edwards, David
Herschell, <i>Around the Ancient City </i>(Brechin, 1887).</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 38.4pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 38.4pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 38.4pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 38.4pt;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Jervise, Andrew, <i>The
Land of the Lindsays</i> (2nd edn., Edinburgh, 1882).</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 38.4pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 38.4pt;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 38.4pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 38.4pt;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Marshall,
William, <i>Historic Scenes in Forfarshire</i> (Edinburgh, 1875).</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 38.4pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 38.4pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 38.4pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 38.4pt;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Peter, David
MacGregor, <i>The Baronage of Angus and Mearns</i> (Edinburgh, 1856).</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 38.4pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 38.4pt;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 38.4pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 38.4pt;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Warden,
Alexander, <i>Angus or Forfarshire</i>, vol. 5 (Dundee, 1885).</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 38.4pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 38.4pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 38.4pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm 38.4pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></p><br /></div>Keith Colemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435885427062349047noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030692967135623861.post-79330008149623422582021-12-29T21:41:00.002+00:002021-12-29T21:42:07.756+00:00Áedán mac Gabráin and the Battle in Angus<p> A subject I have returned to several times during the lifetime of this blog is the unresolved question of how Irish was the region now know as Angus during the Pictish period, prior to the 9th century.</p><p> There are a few tantalising clues, but the facts about the Irish in the area compete hard against the unproven legends and neither side seems to win out completely against the other. Why do we know about the Irish presence in our region? Angus the county, of course, bears a conspicuously Irish name, being named (probably) either after the king Angus mac Fergus or the people known as the Cenél nÓengusa. The mists of time have obscured all certainty about either of these theories. There are tales too that the great Irish warlord Nath-I fought in the province of Circinn (the Pictish name for Angus and the Mearns), though what he was doing here is unknown. Elsewhere I have written about the tale of the Irish hero driven out from his own land and who created a dynasty in the land of the Picts. His name was <a href="https://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2020/07/prince-conall-corc-and-mighty-fortress.html">Conall Corc</a>.</p><p> The above stories took place in the twilight just before the advent of written history. Closer to true history perhaps are the events which took place in the late 6th century. I looked at these details again during research for my forthcoming book on the fierce warlord Áedán mac Gabráin, king of Dál Riata. (Available from <a href="https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/edn-of-the-Gaels-Hardback/p/20509">Pen & Sword</a>.)</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbhxwiJviYcYYfGqYseJr78SWP23VEmF80VJ_brfvGDl_t95b2CQFgNfxNFArOScUal1leAYP5T5E2uJLJxxvyBgLzE42elzPvxbXPHbGUhU4bVPKd5LuGfdw4g9vKca9rM-PoCDekdb5Y/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="733" data-original-width="537" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbhxwiJviYcYYfGqYseJr78SWP23VEmF80VJ_brfvGDl_t95b2CQFgNfxNFArOScUal1leAYP5T5E2uJLJxxvyBgLzE42elzPvxbXPHbGUhU4bVPKd5LuGfdw4g9vKca9rM-PoCDekdb5Y/w469-h640/image.png" width="469" /></a></p><p><br /></p><p> One of this king's known battles happened in Circenn, though we are wholly lacking any details about it. Further confusion involves the mention of a battle he fought against a presumably Pictish people or confederation known as the Miathi, which occurs in the <i>Life </i>of St Columba. This tribe was known to have been active in the area around Stirling, known as Manau, several hundred years earlier.</p><p> Confusion abounds. Did they migrate north to Angus? Have all these battles been confused, or were they military skirmishes which happened as a prolonged campaign by the Scots of the west against the southern Picts? We can't know for sure. What did Áedán himself want in this region? From what we know of his other campaigns, he was not a ruler who primarily sought to expand his territory. However, he may have given his blessing to campaigns which were waged by his sons. One of his sons was named Gartnait and it has been convincingly argued that he was a king of the Picts. Áedán may have married a royal Pictish woman which gave Gartnait a claim to territory in the east. The historian W.J. Watson, in his classic work <i>History of the Celtic Place-Names of Scotland </i>(1926), speculated that Áedán was the son of a woman whose father was the legendary hero named Brachan, who gave his name to Brechin in Angus. To bolster this claim, he derived the name of Gowrie, the area immediately to the west of Angus, from Áedán's father.</p><p> The relationship between Áedán and the Picts may be even more intriguing if we consider him alongside the most renowned Pictish leader of the era, Bridei mac Maelchon. Bridei was based in northern Pictland and possibly ruled from a power centre near modern Inverness. It was here that the Irish cleric St Columba encountered him on more than one occasion. Although it was claimed by some sources that Columba converted the warlord to Christianity, the Irish sources do not admit this. Columba's contact was diplomatic, relating to the safety of Irish people in the far north, both fellow clerics and secular people who had been enslaved by the Picts. The record of his contact tells of ferocious ideological disagreement with the pagan powers at the epicentre of the Pictish establishment.</p><p> The first time we hear about the nascent Irish kingdom of Áedán in a military sense, it is the flight of its warband under their king Gabráin, Áedán's father. Like him or not, Bridei was the primary power holder in the north of Britain. But did he hold sway in southern Pictland. There is a current emphasis among historians to assert the importance of northern Pictland, beyond the Grampians, over the southern territories. And yet, the truth may be more complex. These southern provinces, comprising Angus, much of Perthshire, Fife, and other regions, comprised much of the most fertile farming land in Scotland. Its resources were undoubtedly greater than the areas to the north. Greater resources signal greater power. </p><p> If Bridei did not control the south, he would have had aspirations to do so. A misplaced entry in the Irish <i>Annals of Tigerach</i> possibly gives us a clue about events in the land of the southern Picts. Under the year 752 there is a bald entry which says: 'The battle of Asreth in the land of Circenn, between Picts on both sides; and in it fell Bridei, Maelchon's son.' It has been convincingly argued that the entry has been misplaced by two 84-year Easter cycles and that it relates to a early battle in the early 580s. There was no Pictish king of the same name otherwise known in the mid 8th century.</p><p> Bridei's opponent may have been an obscure Pictish leader known as Galam Cennaleth. The latter probably did not enjoy the victory, if it was his. Very soon the son of Áedán held sway over Circenn and the south. But was Áedán an ally or foe of the previously all-powerful Bridei. There is no knowing for sure. But it may be that the wily king of Dál Riata watched from afar in armed neutrality as the Picts fought themselves and then stepped in to conquer, as seems to have been his habit against enemies in Ireland.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkRpFORGY_EUF1rMkSJwsed5pF8bQhzvLSx416iCk92tR0NNWkk3SJVwT2VWpZPRNGQO5C2NQLjA1vW49Xh_NCNzsK6ji3m30Eh_xSDnHzmA6ESAbYFvKBTi8K1rzHUiKWG0v4933IX3hJ/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="697" data-original-width="448" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkRpFORGY_EUF1rMkSJwsed5pF8bQhzvLSx416iCk92tR0NNWkk3SJVwT2VWpZPRNGQO5C2NQLjA1vW49Xh_NCNzsK6ji3m30Eh_xSDnHzmA6ESAbYFvKBTi8K1rzHUiKWG0v4933IX3hJ/w411-h640/image.png" width="411" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtOB8gnGIFniWT3x7NvG4Ve7ChDAE-fses832N4dXz8h5SVWHOzsmwucI0yyhdOhCKwbdrKDQ7lODkjwdqR45RfYCmyazMA1hpybtM7dvydGEYD9Ij-OLHocsH98jMjLeDcP6JcmIf18S2/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="567" data-original-width="258" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtOB8gnGIFniWT3x7NvG4Ve7ChDAE-fses832N4dXz8h5SVWHOzsmwucI0yyhdOhCKwbdrKDQ7lODkjwdqR45RfYCmyazMA1hpybtM7dvydGEYD9Ij-OLHocsH98jMjLeDcP6JcmIf18S2/w291-h640/image.png" width="291" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6K1Tycs578rzz4dc6BeCS7quwrOK621dx5P89hJJWbg97CM3ecLIW46UGN8q9kJj4BYH9UB1WPoTx3IlDs_2-bdJZ88KFiEI16zKGPGfMNSOkc6AyzgikWnDJ_InK5Ecc2-bZNq_R7VH7/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="727" data-original-width="255" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6K1Tycs578rzz4dc6BeCS7quwrOK621dx5P89hJJWbg97CM3ecLIW46UGN8q9kJj4BYH9UB1WPoTx3IlDs_2-bdJZ88KFiEI16zKGPGfMNSOkc6AyzgikWnDJ_InK5Ecc2-bZNq_R7VH7/w224-h640/image.png" width="224" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><br />Keith Colemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435885427062349047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030692967135623861.post-5979689605081985142021-09-04T21:53:00.001+01:002021-09-05T08:32:22.451+01:00More On The Phantom Drummer of Cortachy Castle and the Ballad of the Bonnie Hoose o' Airlie<p> This post supplements and updates the previous piece I wrote on the <b><i>Phantom Drummer of Cortachy</i></b> (published on 29th January 2015, which can be read <a href="https://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2015/01/the-phantom-drummer-of-cortachy.html">here</a>). For those unaware of the story, it is a legend that competes with the tale of the <b><i>Monster of Glamis</i></b> as the classic supernatural tale from Angus. Like the Glamis legend, the Cortachy tale seems to have originated in the mid-19th century, a product of the fervid Victorian imagination.</p><p><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: center;">Foretelling Death in The Family</h2><h2 style="text-align: center;">The Devil's Stone</h2><div><br /></div><p> In a nutshell, the narrative states that a ghostly drummer is heard at Cortachy just before the current Earl of Airlie died, as a kind of family warning along the lines of a banshee (but slightly more civilised). Incidences of the drummer sounding were reported from 1845 until 1900, after which he apparently went into retirement. The similarity with the banshee is an important clue, I believe, in the ultimate origin of the story. In the earlier piece I made the suggestion that the death-warning element attached to the Ogilvys was due to their descent from the Celtic Earls of Angus. Almost uniquely for the long-standing noble houses of Angus, they can be seen highly probably as descendants of the Picto-Gaelic rulers of the region. A ghostly ram once seen in the Den of Airlie before a family death also emphasises the connection between family and attendant warning spirit. </p><p> A third tradition states that a stone in the River South Esk, near Cortachy, is submerged before a significant fatality. This stone may possibly be the same weird object as <b>The Devil's Stone</b>, said to lie in the river. (I await clarification from anyone who can enlighten me.) This massive boulder can be viewed from the bridge over the South Esk. The folk tale which explains the stone's presence in the water is somewhat reminiscent of the Deil's Stane at Invergowrie, hurled over the River Tay by his Satantic majesty. There are several versions of the Cortachy story. This version summarises the retelling given by Patrick Newman in <i style="background-color: white; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 16px;">Glen Folk, Celebrating Life in the Angus Glens </i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 16px;">(pp. 17-18).</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span>A long time ago the minister of Cortachy and a local laird were surprised by the sudden appearance of a local tenant farmer named John, riding hard on horseback on a Sunday morning. The farmer reported that the Devil, with a horde of demons and dead folk, was holding a ceilidh up Glen Clova between Drum and Eggie. Minister and laird went to investigate and, as they neared the place, they heard the sound of raucous revelry arising. Thinking this indicated a party of Sabbath breakers, the minister charged in. But he was astonished and dismayed to recognise several dead people, including old Minnie, who had died just last week, her sister Annie who departed six years previously, plus Auld Jim, dead even longer. In the middle of the foul gathering was Satan himself. Seeing the intruder, the Devil launched into an unholy sermon against the man of God. The undaunted minister commanded all those present to depart in God's name. But Satan said he cared nothing for God and lifted a huge rock and threw it towards the kirk, eight miles away. As he did so, the minister managed to pull out a cross and touch the stone. This act ensured the flight of the boulder was awry. Instead of destroying the church it landed harmlessly in the river. And there it remains. </p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnptvfJq8i2mORGtBlKiwLjKFkT83ai7rfprrcngJphahAa0eenrvrcVBYUSuyLreUBROYsAfvHGs3YSQt9MbmWIVj98vgn2r7Om0AFBXXKYaAW71E5gVCy3rM-vp8vswunEtAqLjE/s275/images.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnptvfJq8i2mORGtBlKiwLjKFkT83ai7rfprrcngJphahAa0eenrvrcVBYUSuyLreUBROYsAfvHGs3YSQt9MbmWIVj98vgn2r7Om0AFBXXKYaAW71E5gVCy3rM-vp8vswunEtAqLjE/w400-h266/images.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p> The obvious point has to be repeated that neither death warning apparitions nor phantom drummers are unique to the Ogilvy family of Angus. Exactly how the various traditions in both categories relate to each other up and down Britain is more difficult to say. The Drummer of Cortachy, in many versions, is said to have originated in the tumult of the mid-17th century. Before we consider the supposed identity of the ghost, we might ask whether the story originated elsewhere and mysteriously migrated to Cortachy Castle. The following story has some similar elements, and is entertaining enough, and yet does not seem an ideal fit for the candidate of an origin tale.</p><p><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: center;">A Similar Edinburgh Tale</h2><div><br /></div><p> In the mid-17th century the governor of <b>Edinburgh Castle </b>was Colonel Walter Dundas. A sentry one evening saw a drummer prowling the battlements, playing his drum. He fired his musket at the figure and called for help. Help came, no figure was seen, so the sentry was locked up. Subsequent sentries also began to see the drummer. Even the governor heard the ghostly drum sounding, which was now taken as a portend of some impending catastrophe. That same year the castle was taken by the English army of the Commonwealth and this was reckoned to be the disaster that was foretold. There were stories that the drummer was seen and heard occasionally afterwards, but his origin and purpose remain unknown.</p><p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC1Z0kQZdVnvNzxu-4qUL4p4H7JMKlcPBmrJOC7zxwRdBa9nE5ikAoLs6TG7aS5D1jPxqPHqmE8TiJBWpNxZFML-ad3UQKLDQUlyBakiy0c8orDDU3LKK2Gcgm7B-Gxh06L1YkBwGB/s333/images.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="151" data-original-width="333" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC1Z0kQZdVnvNzxu-4qUL4p4H7JMKlcPBmrJOC7zxwRdBa9nE5ikAoLs6TG7aS5D1jPxqPHqmE8TiJBWpNxZFML-ad3UQKLDQUlyBakiy0c8orDDU3LKK2Gcgm7B-Gxh06L1YkBwGB/w640-h290/images.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cortachy Castle</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><h2 style="text-align: center;">The Identity of the Drummer</h2><div><br /></div><p> But who was the drummer supposed to be? One theory is that he was actually a Cameron who as accused of betraying the family to the marauding Campbells when they attacked Cortachy, Airlie, and the Ogilvy territory in Angus during the Wars of the Covenant. Protesting his innocence, he climbed to the top of Airlie and played a warning tattoo until he was engulfed in flames. A second story insists that the Drummer was actually an emissary from the rival Lindsay family. The Lindsays grew to be a major power in Angus and eastern Perthshire in the late medieval and early modern period and as such they were major local rivals with the Ogilvys. There was frequent bloodshed between various branches of both families. One day, the story goes, a messenger arrived from the Lindsays to the Ogilvy owner of Cortachy Castle. Both the contents of the message and the boy's arrogant bearing infuriated Ogilvy, so he had the unfortunate emissary taken to the top of the castle and thrown off. One variant says he was thrust through his drum before being toppled from the battlements. The third, highly coloured story, says that the Drummer was one of the castle's servants who fell in love with the lady of the house and actually had an affair with her. Being inevitably discovered, he was executed in the manner described and, before he expired, uttered a curse on Ogilvy and the head of the house forever after. (Another variant states that Ogilvy's lady was the Drummer's sister and the Drummer himself was an outlaw at the time, though this seems to make no sense.)</p><p> </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6nlem7DpulBXRnnMMQjaIAM38jEijvEhhd3VebIZd3APpO06TDBw9YdXppXwSKQUzJD9tL-cHc_K3o5Ok6vVovPuol5sqFwIgjdlB0_Jql590bRu7_aAuqhw3J5_auQQc_FVA7-86/s512/unnamed.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="313" data-original-width="512" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6nlem7DpulBXRnnMMQjaIAM38jEijvEhhd3VebIZd3APpO06TDBw9YdXppXwSKQUzJD9tL-cHc_K3o5Ok6vVovPuol5sqFwIgjdlB0_Jql590bRu7_aAuqhw3J5_auQQc_FVA7-86/w640-h392/unnamed.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Airlie Castle</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p> The background to the Drummer story and the ballad of the Bonnie Hoose o' Airlie is 17th century religious and political conflict between the Campbell house of Argyll and the Ogilvys of Airlie and Cortachy (their principal strongholds). James, 7th Lord Ogilvy (later created Earl of Airlie) was the enemy of the chief of the Covenanters, the 8th Earl of Argyll, and this Campbell warlord had a commission to eradicate this royalist enemy. Argyll came east in the summer of 1640 with a huge force and raided the Ogilvy lands in northern Angus. The Earl of Airlie was with the king in England, but his wife and immediate family were forced to flee in the face of the terrible Cambell onslaught.</p><p><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: center;">The Late 16th Century Ogilvy-Campbell Feud</h2><p> The actual ill feeling between the families started during the Reformation in the previous century. The Campbells gained control of Coupar Angus Abbey in Strathmore and several of the family gained lands in the region of Gowrie, far from their core power base but uncomfortably near the lands which the Ogilvys controlled. After several decades of blooding ill feeling the Campbells opened a case against the Ogilvys and then violence erupted. Four Campbells were slain by the Ogilvys in the summer of 1591. The Campbells alleged that the Ogilvys had violently attacked people in the Perthire uplands who were under their protection. Retaliation came quickly. The Campbells and their allies, 500 strong, ravaged through the Ogilvy lands 'with sic barbarous crueltie, not sparing wyffis and bairnis, bot murthourit and slew all quhome they fund thairin'. Forter Castle withstood the raids, but the home of Sir John Ogilvy, Craig House, was destroyed. A sergeant in the Campbell ranks had gone to Craig and found it occupied only by an old, bedridden gentlewoman and several servants. Loath to destroy the home, he reported back to Argyll that it was a place of no importance or strength. But the earl was more hard hearted and ordered that the house be destroyed. The Cambells penetrated as far east as Glen Clova and destroyed the Ogilvy castle there. The feud erupted even though the families were connected by marriage. James, 5th Lord Ogilvy, was the son of Katherine Campbell.</p><p> Even though the Campbells had gained the upper hand in that encounter, they still apparently bore grudge enough to feed into the violence which they unleashed upon the Ogilvys nearly 50 years later. </p><div> </div><div><h2 style="text-align: center;">The Ballad</h2><div><br /></div><div> There are, of course, many variants of the famous ballad that commemorates the 17th century depredation of the Campbells upon Angus. Here is one version.</div><div><br /></div><div><h3 style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">The Bonnie Hoose o' Airlie</h3><div><br /></div><span style="background-color: white;"><div style="text-align: center;">It fell on a day, on a bonnie summer's day,</div></span><span style="background-color: white;"><div style="text-align: center;">When the sun shone bright and clearly,</div></span><span style="background-color: white;"><div style="text-align: center;">That there fell oot a great dispute</div></span><span style="background-color: white;"><div style="text-align: center;">Atween Argyll and Airlie.</div></span><p style="background-color: white;"></p><div style="text-align: center;">Argyll he has mustered a thousand o' his men,</div><div style="text-align: center;">He has marched them oot richt early;</div><div style="text-align: center;">He has marched them in by the back o' Dunkeld,</div><div style="text-align: center;">To plunder the bonnie hoose o' Airlie.</div><p></p><p style="background-color: white;"></p><div style="text-align: center;">Lady Ogilvie she looked frae her window sae high,</div><div style="text-align: center;">And O but she grat sairly,</div><div style="text-align: center;">To see Argyll and a' his men</div><div style="text-align: center;">Come to plunder the bonnie hoose o' Airlie.</div><p></p><p style="background-color: white;"></p><div style="text-align: center;">"Come doon, come doon, Lady Ogilvie" he cried:</div><div style="text-align: center;">"Come doon and kiss me fairly,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Or I swear by the hilt o'my guid braidsword</div><div style="text-align: center;">That I winna leave a stan'in' stane in Airlie."</div><p></p><p style="background-color: white;"></p><div style="text-align: center;">"I winna come doon, ye cruel Argyll,</div><div style="text-align: center;">I winna kiss ye fairly;</div><div style="text-align: center;">I wadna kiss ye, fause Argyll,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Though ye sudna leave a stan'in' stane in Airlie."</div><p></p><p style="background-color: white;"></p><div style="text-align: center;">"Come tell me whaur your dowry is hid,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Come doon and tell me fairly."</div><div style="text-align: center;">"I winna tell ye whaur my dowry is hid,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Though ye sudna leave a stan'in' stane in Airlie."</div><p></p><p style="background-color: white;"></p><div style="text-align: center;">They socht it up and they socht it doon,</div><div style="text-align: center;">I wat they socht it early;</div><div style="text-align: center;">And it was below yon bowling green</div><div style="text-align: center;">They found the dowrie o' Airlie.</div><p></p><p style="background-color: white;"></p><div style="text-align: center;">"Eleven bairns I hae born</div><div style="text-align: center;">And the twelfth ne'er saw his daddie,</div><div style="text-align: center;">But though I had gotten as mony again,</div><div style="text-align: center;">They sud a' gang to fecht for Charlie.</div><p></p><p style="background-color: white;"></p><div style="text-align: center;">"Gin my guid lord had been at hame,</div><div style="text-align: center;">As he's awa' for Charlie,</div><div style="text-align: center;">There dursna a Campbell o' a' Argyll</div><div style="text-align: center;">Set a fit on the bonnie hoose o' Airlie."</div><p></p><p style="background-color: white;"></p><div style="text-align: center;">He's ta'en her by the milk-white hand,</div><div style="text-align: center;">But he didna lead her fairly;</div><div style="text-align: center;">He led her up to the tap o' the hill,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Whaur she saw the burnin' o' Airlie.</div><p></p><p style="background-color: white;"></p><div style="text-align: center;">The smoke and flame they rose so high</div><div style="text-align: center;">The walls they were blackened fairly;</div><div style="text-align: center;">And the lady laid her doon on the green to dee</div><div style="text-align: center;">When she saw the burnin' o' Airlie.</div><p></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div> </div><div> </div>Keith Colemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435885427062349047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030692967135623861.post-59047993141071363282021-08-23T22:00:00.005+01:002021-08-23T22:03:24.623+01:00One County Over - Charles Sharpe, RIP<br /><br />This is a short post of a different kind. I do not usually burden readers with poetic effusions, but here I make an exception. I recently learned of the death of Dundee-born <b>Charles Sharpe</b>, long-time resident of Totnes in Devon, who, however, never forgot his early days in Dundee, particularly in Lochee. He also retained a keen interest in the wider hinterland of Angus where he roamed and where his ancestors came from. He was a teacher, educator, psychotherapist, and a worthy humanist, as can be seen by reading his still available blog, <b><i>Leaving Dundee</i></b>. (It can be seen <a href="https://leavingdundee.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">here</a>).<br /><br />We never met and corresponded only intermittently about various topics concerning the 'mither country'. His comments were always encouraging, generous and intelligent. The <i>Courier's</i> notice of his death is: <a href="https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/obituaries/2229088/teacher-charles-sharpe-who-has-died-aged-75-never-forgot-his-native-dundee/">here</a><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWtaOo4sEz9yClVZxBaytEQCjjmvsEMxkQ6OTPeuKwqdRIlebcpEWR_RD-WY3W058hnNOiOFL8AnYYjdnR0ChS4Srh_KH4WfK2a3DckV_OiVolpgGDAM9f0a7TAn8JZ9PrU4MrlOm5/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="569" data-original-width="799" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWtaOo4sEz9yClVZxBaytEQCjjmvsEMxkQ6OTPeuKwqdRIlebcpEWR_RD-WY3W058hnNOiOFL8AnYYjdnR0ChS4Srh_KH4WfK2a3DckV_OiVolpgGDAM9f0a7TAn8JZ9PrU4MrlOm5/" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><h3 style="text-align: center;"><i>One County Over</i></h3><div><i><br /></i></div>I thought you were quiet, but never knew you had gone into the night,<br />An end of an Auld Sang as they truly say, entered into the long rest<br />at last in gentle Devon (while I labour still, one county over, in the Cornish clay.)<div>Like me, from Lochee, but a post war laddie, remembering your beginning,</div><div>son of the burgh that never left your bones and what's more a humanist voice</div><div>alive to all causes, against injustice and blasted spirits.</div><div>No blighted tongue, no mere rememberer, </div><div>but a connoisseur of what was best from the blessed homeland.<br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Keith Colemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435885427062349047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030692967135623861.post-83035474856304421312021-08-23T21:24:00.004+01:002021-09-26T09:06:22.781+01:00The Den of Fowlis<p> The <b><i>Den o' Fowlis</i></b>, also termed <i><b>Spinkie Den</b></i> or <i><b>Balruddery Den</b></i>, lies several miles north-west of Dundee. Its common name <i>spinkie</i> comes from the profusion of primroses which flourish there. The small, enclosed ravine (covering a site of 20.4 acres) was made a Site of Special Scientific Interest in 1984, due to the botanical interest. The trees here include oak, wych elm and ash, and there is a profusion of flowers, wild garlic, plus mosses and ferns.Some time in the late 1980s, when I visited it, the mini glen was looking particularly forlorn, with evidence of widespread tree felling. To me, it looked like an example of rural vandalism, but it may very well have been evidence only of a carefully managed and necessary act of conservation.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1wd5paL7HlOeIogFwpCwia5BeKSrYQuIsqcNsTlDCDMPVpx2cVqqefLtU8KBRDmaRoHXMQGD4mZ1neasU7wuPdBDZ0A8Aa8U9kRhLlwEjQE88Dj0hZq-a-tvCiY9MowYjWFjIKUTg/s1600/Fowlis+Den.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1018" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1wd5paL7HlOeIogFwpCwia5BeKSrYQuIsqcNsTlDCDMPVpx2cVqqefLtU8KBRDmaRoHXMQGD4mZ1neasU7wuPdBDZ0A8Aa8U9kRhLlwEjQE88Dj0hZq-a-tvCiY9MowYjWFjIKUTg/w407-h640/Fowlis+Den.jpg" width="407" /></a></div><br /><p> Long established as a special hideaway, there is a tradition of revelers from the Dundee suburb of Lochee alighting here in the late 19th century, being led to the den by a fiddler. Beyond this bare, recorded fact, these long ago gatherings are lost in the mists of time.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Poems On The Den</p><div> The two following poetic effusions from Victorian times hardly do the Den justice, but are included here for the hell of it. One is by the redoubtable McGonagall, though the other poem is hardly better.</div><p><br /></p><br /><h3 style="text-align: center;">The Den o’ Fowlis, William McGonagall (1882)</h3><br /><br /><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;">Beautiful Den o’ Fowlis, most charming to be seen<br />In the summer season, when your trees are green;<br />Especially in the bright and clear month of June,<br />When your flowers and shrubberies are in full bloom.<br />There visitors can enjoy themselves during the holidays,<br />And be shaded by the trees from the sun’s rays,<br />And admire the beautiful primroses that grow there;<br />And inhale their sweet perfume that fills the air.<br />There the little children sport and play,<br />Blythe and gay during the live-long summer day,<br />In its beautiful green and cool shady bowers,<br />Chasing the bee and butterfly, and pulling the flowers.<br />There the Minnows loup and play;<br />In the little rivulet all the day;<br />Right in the hollow of that fairy-like Den,<br />Together in little shoals of nine or ten<br />And the Mavis and Blackbird merrily sing,<br />Making the Den with their notes to ring;<br />From high noon till sunset at night,<br />Filling the visitor’s heart with delight.<br />Tis most lovely to see the trees arched overhead,<br />And the little rivulet rolling o’er its pebbly bed,<br />Ane near by is an old Meal Mill;<br />Likewise an old Church and Churchyard where the dead lie still.<br />The Den is always cool in the summer time,<br />Because it is so closely shaded from the sunshine,<br />By the spreading branches of the trees,<br />While the murmuring of the rivulet is heard on the night breeze.<br />It is a very magnificent spot the Den o’ Fowlis,<br />And where oft the wintry wind it howls,<br />Among its bare and leafless withered trees,<br />And with fear would almost make one’s heart to freeze.<br />To be walking through it on a dark wintry night,<br />Because the bare trees seem like spectres to your sight,<br />And everything around seems dark and drear,<br />And fills the timid mind with an undefinable fear.<br />But in the summer season it is most lovely to see;<br />With its fair flowers and romantic scenery,<br />Where the people can enjoy themselves all the day,<br />In the months of July, June, or May.<br />There the people can drink pure water when they are dry;<br />From the wells of spring water in the Den near by,<br />Which God has provided for his creatures in that lonely spot,<br />And such a blessing to the people shouldn’t be forgot.</blockquote><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: center;">Den of Fowlis, Patrick Cargill Guthrie from <i>My Lost Love</i> (London, 1865) </h3><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;">Ah! Bonnie den, my weary heart<br />Oft wanders fond to thee;<br />The memory of thy sylvan groves,<br />How very dear to me.<br /></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;">Remembrance of thy beauty brings<br />No mixture sad of pain,<br />For then to me had Eden come<br />In pristine bliss again.<br />No clouds my pathway then had cross'd,<br />I walk'd in angel-joy,<br />My lusty pulses beating high -<br />The happy poet-boy!<br />The winding walks o'ershadow'd cool<br />By boughs of lovely green,<br />With footsteps firm I proudly trod,<br />Of fame assured, I ween.<br />The glad larks sang 'mong golden clouds,<br />The finch 'mong blushing bloom,<br />The mavis piped upon the thorn,<br />The linnet 'mong the broom.<br />The wild flowers flung their fragrance rich<br />To every passing breeze;<br />Upon the senses stealing came<br />The drowsy hum of bees.<br />Earth, sea, and air rejoicing free,<br />Glad anthems rolling high;<br />Within my soul a deep, deep joy -<br />Divinest melody!<br />What grand thoughts stirred my youthful soul,<br />What aspirations high;<br />What longing - wistful - tearful looks<br />Into futurity!<br />Ah! then throughout my silver veins, <br />Flow'd swift in golden streams,<br />My warm, rich blood, imparting form,<div style="text-align: left;">And substance to my dreams.</div></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote>Keith Colemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435885427062349047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030692967135623861.post-23504210755394202762021-05-12T11:50:00.006+01:002021-05-12T12:39:16.102+01:00Fowlis Castle and Kirk<p> </p><p> The parish of Fowlis lies on the Braes of the Carse of Gowrie, part of the southern slopes of the Sidlaw Hills, several miles north-west of Dundee. Fowlis joined to the neighbouring parish of Lundie to the north in 1618 and is notable for its castle, kirk and the beauty spot called the Den o' Fowlis. </p><p> There has been confusion as to whether the parish was part of Angus or Perthshire. It has been in Angus since late 19th century boundary changes, but was historically a part of Perthshire. (However, the barony of Fowlis included part of neighbouring Liff which has always been in Angus and the parish was also represented in the Synod of Angus and the Mearns.)</p><p> Like many places the name of Fowlis is unclear and there are two in central Scotland, our example (sometimes called Fowlis Easter) and Fowlis Wester in Perthshire. One older theory states that the place-name derives from a Norman knight - the <i>Knight of Feuilles</i> - who migrated from Kent who was granted the land by King Malcolm Canmore in the 11th century. Another suggestion says it gets its name from a Gaelic word signifying 'deep valley', referring to the narrow Den in the vicinity. David Dorward derives the name from <i>fo ghlais</i>, meaning 'sub stream' or 'tributary'.</p><p> There are no very early dates regarding the ownership of the lands before the dubious Norman association but we know that King David I granted Fowlis along with other lands to William Maule following the Battle of the Standard in 1138. The Maules of course loom large as prominent gentry throughout the county through the centuries. One of Maule's daughters married Roger Mortimer, Sheriff of Perthshire, and Fowlis passed through this family for several centuries until the end of the 14th century when the heiress named Janet married Sir Andrew Gray, seventh baron of Broxmouth, who founded the line of the Grays of Fowlis. </p><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: center;">Fowlis Kirk</h3><div><br /></div><div><div> The kirk may originally have been built in the 12th century, but the present building may be on the site of a 14th century foundation by Sir Andrew Gray, later Lord Grey, in the 15th century. This was done in 1453. Renovation was carried out in the late Victorian era. There is a record of an earlier kirk of Fowlis in 1180, when William of Maule made a gift of the church and the titles of certain lands to his nephew, Thomas of Maule, out of which he was bound to pay a merk yearly to the Canons of St Andrews. </div><div><br /></div></div><div> The kirk, dedicated to St Marnoch, is reckoned to be the finest surviving small medieval place of worship in Scotland. It was a collegiate establishment, served by a group of ecclesiastics (provost and prebends) rather than a single priest or establishment. This arrangement allowed the founder and sponsoring family to have an ongoing spiritual body on site employed to look after their everlasting souls. The building has a sumptuous and surprisingly ornate interior which probably survived the wrath of the Reformation mobs of Dundee and Perth (who destroyed Coupar Angus Abbey among ot her ecclesiastical sites) due to the place's association with Lord Gray who was a staunch Protestant. There was an order by the Synod of Fife on 6th May 1612 to destroy the religious decoration:</div><div><br /></div><blockquote>Item, it is statute and ordained that the paintrie quhilk is upon the pulpitt and ruid-laft, being monumentes of idolatrie, sal be obliterate be laying it over with grein colour. The minister with diligens to see the same exped. <br /><br /><div></div></blockquote><div> Thankfully, there are surviving later medieval decorations still left in the kirk. There are many ancient features inside the building. Most significant perhaps is the oak panel painting of the Crucifixion. It details a crowd of figures (including St John, Salome, the Virgin Mary, Mary Magdalene), plus horses, and measures 13 feet by 5 foot 3 inches. A centurion points to a scroll which reads, 'Truly this was the Son of God.' There is also the figure of a High Priest (or possibly Herod) and the souls of the two condemned thieves issuing through their mouths, with the trees and hills of Jesusalem in the background. The painting has been dated to around 1480 and show the influence of Bohemian and Cologne schools.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHgUziLo0lb3fMm8S2aR5EmWAAn3eMB6CS8LP3skLHwazR8VBaRfPth8YsmIerEtBE4yNzuwypSt4UuVZ1V2CkcQlYh0sgL__Gtm_o-JcwOSSmLaVhY7GZoKGHzDGpDskgq0voX9rk/s679/9789004364066_webready_content_m000002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="261" data-original-width="679" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHgUziLo0lb3fMm8S2aR5EmWAAn3eMB6CS8LP3skLHwazR8VBaRfPth8YsmIerEtBE4yNzuwypSt4UuVZ1V2CkcQlYh0sgL__Gtm_o-JcwOSSmLaVhY7GZoKGHzDGpDskgq0voX9rk/w640-h246/9789004364066_webready_content_m000002.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div> There is another panel painting which may originally have been the altarpiece. It portrays Christ with St Catherine on the left; John the Baptist on the right. Below is the scene of the body of Christ being lowered into the tomb. The centre of the painting has been damaged. Other panels include one which probably originally decorated the rood loft and portrays a number of saints and apostles. </div><div><br /></div><div> Further treasures include the 15th century oak doors, which were part of the rood screen, plus the rood loft which would have accommodated musicians. There is also a German bronze alms dish (dated 1487) which shows a scene of the Garden of Eden, with a German inscription reading 'I bide the time in quietness.' Rather less elegant are the jougs, the neck collar used to confine miscreants, hanging on the wall by the north door. There is also the aumbry, or sacrament house, where the sacred vessels were stored. This is one of the finest ancient examples in Scotland. It portrays Christ holding the cross and a globe, an angel with a cross, plus several other angels.</div><div><br style="background-color: #f0e1bb; font-family: verdana, serif; font-size: 11px;" /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy7UeTJzMFXUTYYQqc_-2NvARJ9L1FwoTmqkabnfaaa261cYFK_BF3k5_tUql9eXcIvZsOnQuYPXtu7aXVbC2_ClCvn8fD1_SCUONb-Hcwm6Ibp4Lqd72TsWLsAU8SP8NiTaiK-o0h/s1002/1.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="695" data-original-width="1002" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy7UeTJzMFXUTYYQqc_-2NvARJ9L1FwoTmqkabnfaaa261cYFK_BF3k5_tUql9eXcIvZsOnQuYPXtu7aXVbC2_ClCvn8fD1_SCUONb-Hcwm6Ibp4Lqd72TsWLsAU8SP8NiTaiK-o0h/w640-h444/1.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div> <br /><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: center;">Fowlis Castle and the Gray Family</h3><p align="JUSTIFY"> Fowlis Castle stands at the south of the village, near the head of the Den of Fowlis.It was the principal residence of the Grays until 1452 when they moved to Castle Huntly several miles away in the Case of Gowrie. After several centuries of dereliction it was allegedly used as a tavern and then utilised to house farm labourers in the 19th century and more recently has been fully restored as a private residence. There is a date stone of 1862 in the building, commemorating rebuilding by Sir Patrick Keith Murray in the Victorian period. It was largely constructed in its present form in the 17th century and was abandoned when the owners constructed the nearby House of Gray. There is a tradition that the castle was used by the English invader General Monck in the 17th century as stables for a cavalry force. <span style="text-align: left;">The Grays sold the estate in 1669 to Sir William Murray of Ochtertyre and the Murrays removed to Ochtertyre House, Perthshire, in 1780. </span><span style="text-align: left;">The castle was occupied by Jacobite forces in both 1715 and 1745. The Grahams of Fintry are supposed to have tenanted the building for some time also.</span></p><p align="JUSTIFY"><br /></p><p align="JUSTIFY"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBX45XyPYs-XB_uxJzuGJa8eglTLeeZ7BATLcoVK64u4flq04aJABWZnWIcSqTUMG_WaxxUDGTioIF0enR-0QRx4yGZj254snNCbg6_luTO7eDa9bv-S7gugaDtaYguKIJ0bH9R7kd/s1000/Fowlis-Front-001.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="629" data-original-width="1000" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBX45XyPYs-XB_uxJzuGJa8eglTLeeZ7BATLcoVK64u4flq04aJABWZnWIcSqTUMG_WaxxUDGTioIF0enR-0QRx4yGZj254snNCbg6_luTO7eDa9bv-S7gugaDtaYguKIJ0bH9R7kd/w640-h402/Fowlis-Front-001.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span><p></p><p align="JUSTIFY"><span style="text-align: left;"> The existing structure is called the Lady's Tower and is four storeys in height. The surviving building may represent most of the ancient south-west portion of the castle. </span><span style="text-align: left;">The more modern wing is on the north side. </span><span style="text-align: left;">It was evidently a forerunner of this stronghold which hosted King James IV in 1497N(when he paid 14 shillings to a harpar there) and his ancestor James I in 1448. </span><span style="text-align: left;">The brother of Queen Anna, the Duke of Holstein, dined here with Lord Gray in May 1598.</span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></p><p align="JUSTIFY"><span style="text-align: left;"> Although the Gray family had a sometimes tumultuous history, there are no recorded violent events associated with the castle except for one</span><span style="text-align: left;"> local tradition attached to the winding staircase of the stronghold. This staircase in the tower was supposedly the site of a murder in the 13th century when the Mortimer owner dispatched his own mother there. The tale seems to have been founded on a corruption of the surname, or a play on it: <i>Morte du Mere</i>.</span></p><div><h3 style="text-align: center;"><br /></h3><h3 style="text-align: center;">The House of Gray</h3><div><br /></div><div> The House of Gray stands rather forlornly several miles away from Fowlis Castle, in the parish of Benvie, where the Grays purchased land in 1713. It has been boarded up and semi-derelict for many decades. Plans to turn it into a hotel and various other things have been drawn up over the years, without result, though there is a current scheme to divide them building into dwellings. The mansion was built on the plans of Alexander McGill by John, 12th Lord Gray (b. 1716. Another source states it was begun by the 10th Lord Gray.). The principal dwelling of the family transferred to Kinfauns Castle at the western end of the Carse of Gowrie, which was built by Francis, 15th Lord Gray. </div><div><br /></div><div> Invergowrie House, not far off, was the home of a son of the main Gray family. The new Dykes of Gray village has been built on the estate of the House of Gray.</div><div> </div><div> The estate was sold to John Ogilvie at the end of the First World War and he lived there until he died in 1936. The large house seems to have served as an orphanage for a short period subsequently before being left vacant. By the mid 1970s it was being used to house raspberries and cans associated with fruit growing.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx5iAaVcBjsu9rjZL32iZJVF7JJpy3-h19BieQx2mUm4QCZyqynN-EiW9kl3A2oORFW1CkUZsnH9Qd5V-KsMUjMpVpXU-3xFmyuUJOCraGxyhyHkGoiKM77L9PqyVLV-Oe9gN2t0Fg/s800/1159573_8d994fc53169a903853be52719294e6e.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx5iAaVcBjsu9rjZL32iZJVF7JJpy3-h19BieQx2mUm4QCZyqynN-EiW9kl3A2oORFW1CkUZsnH9Qd5V-KsMUjMpVpXU-3xFmyuUJOCraGxyhyHkGoiKM77L9PqyVLV-Oe9gN2t0Fg/w640-h426/1159573_8d994fc53169a903853be52719294e6e.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The House of Gray</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div></div>Keith Colemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435885427062349047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030692967135623861.post-19607631348941212522021-05-10T05:17:00.006+01:002021-05-10T16:12:53.168+01:00Return to the Ball of Kirriemuir<p> </p><p> This short piece is just a postscript to my previously published article on that most scurrilous of all songs '<b>The Ball o' Kirriemuir</b>' (which can be found <a href="https://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2016/11/the-whit-kirriemuirs-ball-with-knobs-on.html">here</a>). In that post I carefully skirted around the obscene content of the various versions of that ballad (and <i>skirted</i> is probably a good word to use in that context). The mystery surrounding the composition is multi faceted: who composed it? is there an original version still to find? was it based on an actual, real life orgy? why so many different versions of it in circulation? </p><p> While reading a book by A.D. Hope which examines William Dunbar's poetic themes (<i>A Midsummer Eve's Theme</i>, Canberra, 1970), I stumbled across the following quote which gives a possible origin story about The Ball. It was taken from an essay prefixed to the 1959 edition of Robert Burns' <i>The Merry Muses of Caledonia</i>. The essay was called 'Pornography and Bawdry in Literature and Society,' and the author is James Burke. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirZMRUL9zBOBnrJZvIT-XFFETd8dLsYgISwTzbf94hN9kvYbd89htotDwb978DdXfTaaQdd3cjgLUTLG9QYt29goYGO11aNl8oefoi9I5iJAeDUvV-5fJon-2S9HZT5aUHeQgV6QlC/s400/1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="400" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirZMRUL9zBOBnrJZvIT-XFFETd8dLsYgISwTzbf94hN9kvYbd89htotDwb978DdXfTaaQdd3cjgLUTLG9QYt29goYGO11aNl8oefoi9I5iJAeDUvV-5fJon-2S9HZT5aUHeQgV6QlC/w640-h400/1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><blockquote>This ballad-song developed from a twenty-verse work celebrating an actual event . . . Some thirty years ago [<i>c</i>. 1930] a local historian, in the Kirriemuir district, gave me this story of its origin. Around the 1880s a barn dance (harvest home or Kirn dance) was held in the barn of a neighbouring farm. On this occasion the young fellows gathered rose hips and removed the tiny yellow hirsute seeds. These were scattered on the earthen floor of the barn. The girls danced barefooted. Female drawers were not in general use but, where worn, were of the open crotch or 'free trade’ pattern. In the stour of the dance the small hip seeds lodged around the pudendal hair and set up a pubic and vaginal itch. In other words they constituted a powerful external aphrodisiac. In addition to this, some wag had added a modicum of Spanish fly to the punch bowl. A final touch was the placing of a divot, or sod of grass, in the well of the hanging kerosene lamp. This shortened the life of the illumination to coincide roughly with the time the internal and external aphrodisiacs became effective. The upshot was an orgy of major proportions and it was this orgy that was celebrated in the original Ball o’ Kirriemuir.</blockquote><br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJmx3gu9gY7YSK7RyvRQPHZahTqnwKtejldq6fTn_qScYtrmUF6KVNaQuosGjKT7K3zPJ5_XdzCC3OjIJS-9ar8yuV3qf4lC6YKvBqQesVZ8g2vbMxl0TvWwmgGAZI1lIrTSnOfVUm/s320/2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJmx3gu9gY7YSK7RyvRQPHZahTqnwKtejldq6fTn_qScYtrmUF6KVNaQuosGjKT7K3zPJ5_XdzCC3OjIJS-9ar8yuV3qf4lC6YKvBqQesVZ8g2vbMxl0TvWwmgGAZI1lIrTSnOfVUm/w400-h640/2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Is the theory true? Who knows... answers on a postcard perhaps.</div><br /><div><br /></div>Keith Colemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435885427062349047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030692967135623861.post-61690764053044190962021-05-03T03:30:00.007+01:002021-09-05T08:46:41.975+01:00Forgotten Sons of Angus: Sir Peter Young, Tutor to The King<h3 style="text-align: center;"> Scholar and Tutor to James VI</h3><p>Most people who know about the rather barren early years of King James VI of Scotland associate his teaching with the eminent but fearsome scholar George Buchanan. He was a man with little time for royalty and indeed he hated the king's mother Queen Mary. There was little warmth but much effective learning from Buchanan, even if the king ruefully remembered later in life that he had been forced to learn Latin almost before he could speak Scots. The rigid influence of Buchanan was mitigated to some extent by the secondary teacher, Peter Young of Dundee, who was a more sympathetic tutor to the orphaned monarch.</p><p> Peter Young was born at Dundee on 15th August 1544, son of John Young, a burgess in both Dundee and Edinburgh. The family claimed descent from the Young family of Ochterlony. The Youngs were evident elsewhere in Angus, with one branch owning Aldbar Castle. One of the Dundee branch was William Young who lost his life at the battle of Glasclune in Strathmore in 1392. His mother Margaret belonged to the Scrymgeour family who were the hereditary constables of the burgh. Young was gifted academically and was encouraged in his studies by his parents. He was sent abroad at the age of 18 and studied in Geneva under the renowned Theodore Beza, an associate of the reformer Calvin. Young's maternal uncle Henry Scrymgeour was also teaching at the University of Geneva.</p><p> At the beginning of 1569 Young was appointed as secondary tutor to the young king by the regent the earl of Moray. By all accounts Young was highly regarded by the old and irascible Buchanan, despite the difference in their ages and temperaments. The duties in the royal castle of Stirling were evidently not onerous because Young is recorded as saying that he regarded his position of tutor as being more like a hobby than a job. He does not seem to have needed the job for financial reward since he had inherited land in Fife, Perth and Elgin. Young's first wife Elizabeth Gibb was a daughter or grand-daughter of Robert Gib, court jester of King James V. They married in 1577.</p><p> As well as being the king's almoner until his death, Young was employed on various embassies and was involved in education. He was also a member of the Privy Council. Young purchased the estate of Easter Seaton, part of the lands formerly owned by Arbroath Abbey, where the mansion house was built in 1583. The following decade he bought the nearby estate of Kinblethmont. Peter's youngest brother Alexander was doorkeeper of the inner bedchamber of King James VI. He died in Dundee soon after Christmas 1603.</p><p> Some sources state that Young was sycophantic towards the king, but this is uncertain. In comparison with the nobles and great favourites at court, Young was not lavishly rewarded. One of the greatest payments to him was in September 1580 when the king gave him £2,000 , 'to buy sum pece of land and to plenishe the same to be a resting place to him hiswyff and bairnis in consideration of his lang trew and thankfull service'. Young played a conspicuous part in the embassy to Denmark to arrange for the king's marriage to Princess Anna. There is one negative incident associated with this venture, for the tutor wished to travel with the Earl Marischal, but the latter refused to go with him, being 'perswaded,and it is true, that the sayd Peter will robbe him of all his honour, beinge an ambycyowse fellow, and aqaynted there, and specyally by his pryvy instruccyons'. There is some hint that the nobility resented him because of his relative lowly birth. But King James remained grateful to Young throughout his life and regarded him with considerable fondness. He was knighted by the king at Whitehall in February 1605 and was given an annual pension of £300. Elizabeth Gibb died at Leith in 1595 and Young afterwards married Janet Murray, Lady Torphichen. Unfortunately she died in the same year. His third wife was Marjory Mavine.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWQmynJ4qQE6_MapxRrAEmixaom8dJpqfe4pswnWgmIBT8GBpE2TKJporCPlihJ_nOWVXaHKHvqRF-3M3YlS3HnE-Paxv0wTqNB1Q23W4l1jYOdKSOdFzgp4KsNjaLTLlZr_sc4XrV/s476/Picture1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="476" data-original-width="476" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWQmynJ4qQE6_MapxRrAEmixaom8dJpqfe4pswnWgmIBT8GBpE2TKJporCPlihJ_nOWVXaHKHvqRF-3M3YlS3HnE-Paxv0wTqNB1Q23W4l1jYOdKSOdFzgp4KsNjaLTLlZr_sc4XrV/w400-h400/Picture1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: center;">Later Years as an Angus Laird. </h3><h3 style="text-align: center;">The Fight Against the Burgh of Forfar</h3><div><br /></div><p> Although a wealthy man who was well-known and respected throughout Scotland and England, Young did have local troubles in his native region, particularly a long-standing feud with the authorities of Forfar which seems to have been caused by a dispute about the use of the forest of Mortreathmont, part of which Young had received as an inheritance from his father. There is a record of this dispute in the records of the Privy Council under the year 1607 of a complaint by Peter Young of Seton, that, upon 16th June last, the Provost and Baillie of Forfar had convocated the whole inhabitants of the said burgh to the number of 300 persons, who, all armed with corslets, jacks, steel bonnets, spears, halberts, lances, swords, and other weapons, came 'with sound of drum' to that part of the common muir of [Montreathmont] which had been peaceably possessed by the complainer's predecessors past memory of man, and there, with spades and swords, 'cuttit and destroyit the haill turves and dovallis then cassin and win,' and chased Young's servants away. The provost Walter Lindsay and baillies were named and gave evidence. But the decision went against Young because the delegation from Forfar stated they had merely gathered to ride and restore the historic marches or boundaries of the land belonging to the burgh. The quarrel continued however and in the following year the provost and baillies were bound over to keep the peace and not to harm Sir Peter Young, under the penalty of 500 marks each or 4000 marks collectively.<span></span></p><p> Peter Young died at Easter Seaton on 7th January, 1528, and he was interred at St Vigeans.</p><p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS9HTHrHB5ttIvX6eyG3PqMSPJnkOj37ATkRQ2GPXKHJdkhLpMg4IuiGouMVoJdIF9wbRxo8Uw4WNwrMYWl6OUWm4p0WRR_Skl76rG27xZbLtn9cv8Bd5nT3JVClphaN4FVSQiZk-G/s600/Capture.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="530" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS9HTHrHB5ttIvX6eyG3PqMSPJnkOj37ATkRQ2GPXKHJdkhLpMg4IuiGouMVoJdIF9wbRxo8Uw4WNwrMYWl6OUWm4p0WRR_Skl76rG27xZbLtn9cv8Bd5nT3JVClphaN4FVSQiZk-G/w566-h640/Capture.JPG" width="566" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sir Peter Young aged 79</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><h3 style="text-align: center;">Progeny</h3><div><br /></div><div>Sir James Young was knighted and acquired land in Ulster. The third son, Peter, became a Gentleman of the Bedchamber to King Charles I and accompanied earl Spencer on a diplomatic mission to Sweden. He died aged 48 in 1631. Peter's twin brother Robert died even earlier, aged 37. He had been a tutor to a nobleman and had journeyed to the Holy Land. Patrick Young (d. 1652) was a distinguished scholar and became a rector and librarian to royalty. John Young became Dean of Winchester and chaplain to King James I. He acquired properties in Fife. Sir Peter also had four daughters, three of whom survived into adulthood. One of them remained in Angus after her wedding: Euphemia Young married Sir David Ogilvy of Clova.</div><br /><br /><br /><br /><h3 style="text-align: center;">Previous Posts on Forgotten Sons and Daughters of Angus</h3><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2020/05/forgotten-sons-of-angus-amazing-dr.html">The Amazing Doctor Kinloch</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2018/05/forgotten-sons-of-angus-sir-alexander.html" style="color: #114499; text-decoration-line: none;">Forgotten Sons: Alexander Gray</a></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2017/02/forgotten-daughters-of-angus-clementina.html" style="color: #114499; text-decoration-line: none;">Forgotten Daughters of Angus - Clemintina Stirling Graham and Lady Pitlyal</a></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2017/04/forgotten-sons-of-angus-first-british.html" style="color: #114499; text-decoration-line: none;">Forgotten Sons: The First British Balloonist James Tytler</a></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2016/12/forgotten-sons-of-angus-strange-avenues.html" style="color: #114499; text-decoration-line: none;">Forgotten Sons: The Strange Avenues of Hector Boece</a></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2016/10/not-forgotten-sons-of-angus-captain.html" style="color: #114499; text-decoration-line: none;">(Not) Forgotten Sons - Captain William Kidd</a></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2016/06/forgotten-sons-of-angus-moonlight-of.html" style="color: #114499; text-decoration-line: none;">Forgotten Sons - Moonlight of the West</a></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2016/04/forgotten-sons-captain-maul-ramsay-and.html" style="color: #114499; text-decoration-line: none;">Forgotten Sons - Captain Maule Ramsay and Right Wing Extremism</a></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2016/02/forgotten-sons-of-angus-in-search-of.html" style="color: #113bcc;">Forgotten Sons - In Search of Lewis Spence</a></div><div><br /></div></div></div><p><br /></p>Keith Colemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435885427062349047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030692967135623861.post-69621912100881016592021-04-13T23:39:00.004+01:002021-04-14T04:09:03.712+01:00Further Information On Fairs and Markets<p> The old fairs and markets is a topic which I have returned to repeatedly (a bit like witchcraft, which I have also covered in many articles) as new information comes to my attention. Much of the information is fragmentary or otherwise incomplete, but it's all still interesting. Those who want to know more about the subject are advised to follow the links to previous posts at the bottom of this article.</p><p> One of Dundee's principal fairs was <b>Lady Mary's Fair</b>. George Martin in <i>Dundee Worthies</i> (1934, p. 163) describes this in the late 19th century as being 'A very miscellaneous collection of stalls...erected round the square [in the High Street] and in adjoining streets on which were displayed all sorts of wares.' Among the stall were many of the tinker variety, including the 'Umbrella Man' whose stall was beneath an enormous umbrella and who orated the virtue and economic value of all his wares: 'You may take it or leave it or go home without it, I won't take the ninety-ninth part of a farthing less than 2s. d.'</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG6JuTk-vn5AU8MniCa48AdVDHFj3rI_sSE5xeExdqRX-wHbdtX82vfo7WqS8Imr1Pkw8zqdynJhrtu-5rlWllNwhQVJgCTRaZ_ZU8SdAD48iQUl93_k1u6xOYYJcAYo8lQfSuRXXp/s887/Capture.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="579" data-original-width="887" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG6JuTk-vn5AU8MniCa48AdVDHFj3rI_sSE5xeExdqRX-wHbdtX82vfo7WqS8Imr1Pkw8zqdynJhrtu-5rlWllNwhQVJgCTRaZ_ZU8SdAD48iQUl93_k1u6xOYYJcAYo8lQfSuRXXp/w640-h418/Capture.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p> Martin's 83 year old correspondent remembered the excitement of the Greemarket fair in the mid 19th century:</p><p></p><blockquote>I sometimes visited the Greenmarket when I was a boy and I well remember the Lemon and Kali man who sold it at the prince of a ha'penny the tumbler 'or you can have it in the powder a penny an ounce, or two ounces for three ha'pence and a teaspoonful l makes a large tumbler. It's called the real American Lemonade and Kalie because it was first imported from America.'</blockquote><p> Among the side shows were test your strength machines, boxing booths, a boxing kangaroo, plus various physically disadvantaged adults advertised as 'freak shows'. There was also:</p><p></p><blockquote>'Professor' Cottrill who performed marvellous aquatic feats among which was eating, smoking and sleeping under the water and the outstanding item of 60 or 70 shillings being thrown into the tank which the 'Professor' retrieved with his mouth. On one occasion he disgorged over £3 in shillings after he came to the surface.</blockquote><p></p><p> The fair seems to have declined around 1906 when local shopkeepers outbid stallholders and thus outbid their competition. The roots of Lady Mary's Fair are century old and was likely first held on 15th August, Old Style. A later fair, the Latter Mary Fair was brought it and held on 8th September, Old Style. The original fair survived until the 1930s.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgvegKTR6tc1ef5WgZlkSpYc8XVXsU2QWYDv-IKMeuegDsqEdd8Ee9F_2puycHXeInSVV7EIH_rVlT-n03j7OYrs_oKeuwjiTHJHwZ-dXeG8Y2GDvn4sKr-jq14HSw-pHJwUDuuu4C/s386/Capture.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="318" data-original-width="386" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgvegKTR6tc1ef5WgZlkSpYc8XVXsU2QWYDv-IKMeuegDsqEdd8Ee9F_2puycHXeInSVV7EIH_rVlT-n03j7OYrs_oKeuwjiTHJHwZ-dXeG8Y2GDvn4sKr-jq14HSw-pHJwUDuuu4C/w400-h330/Capture.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Picture of Lady Mary Fair, 1908, by W Borrie</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> As a tail piece to this article I'm giving the words to the traditional song 'Rare's Hill', a ballad performed by Mark Black and others. The lyrics relate, of course, to Rere's Hill in Broughty Ferry and to the Lady Fair of Dundee:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Last year at Lady Mary's fair when I was in Dundee<br />I fell in with an old sweetheart, and he being on a spree<br />His company I did accept and with him I did go<br />But to my sad misfortune it proved my overthrow<br />We wandered east, we wandered west, we wandered through the lawn<br />He said he'd see me home that night, but home I never saw<br />He kept beside me all the while resolved to have his will<br />And by and by we lost our way at the back of Rare's Hill<br /><br />And when we got to Rare's Hill, the laddie said to me<br />"We can't go home tonight, my dear, it's far too late, you'll see<br />But the night is warm and in my pouch, I've got another gill<br />So we can lie down here content at the back of Rare's Hill<br /><div><br /></div>For then he poured a nip a piece to quiet all alarm<br />When I awoke in the morning, we were locked in each other's arms<br />He handed me the bottle another glass to fill<br />And I drank his health in store o' wealth at the back of Rare's Hill<br /><br />And then the lad, he said to me, "Oh lassie, do not mourn<br />For while I draw the breath of life, from you I'll never turn<br />If you will come to yonder town, my wedded wife to be<br />We'll be the happiest couple yet 'twas ever in Dundee"<br />Well, it's may I never prosper and may I never thrive<br />In anything I take in hand as long as I'm alive<br />If e'er I say I rue the day my laddie had his will<br />Success to Lady Mary's fair and the back of Rare's Hill<br /><br /><br /> (The ballad is also known as 'The Jilted Lover'. Notes on different modern renditions can be found in the following link: <a href="https://mainlynorfolk.info/folk/songs/rereshill.html">here</a>.)<br /><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: center;">Previous Posts on Markets and Fairs</h3><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2019/10/more-about-markets-and-fairs.html">More About Markets and Fairs</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2017/10/the-angus-calendar-revised-list-of.html">The Angus Calendar - Revised List of Markets & Fairs</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2017/09/fairs-and-markets-part-two.html">Fairs and Markets, Part Two</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2016/11/the-angus-calendar-fairs-and-markets.html">The Angus Calendar: Fairs and Markets part One</a><br /></div><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p></p><p><br /></p>Keith Colemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435885427062349047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030692967135623861.post-71709654765178924092021-04-09T01:47:00.002+01:002021-05-10T07:31:56.255+01:00The Battle of Camperdown and Admiral Duncan<p> </p> The Battle of Camperdown looms large as one of the most significant military events connected with Angus, though of course it happened a considerable distance from Angus. The naval encounter in the North Sea between the British and Dutch fleets took place in 1797 and was an overwhelming victory for Admiral Adam Duncan over Dutch forces commanded by Jan de Winter. The British hero of the battle was an Angus man from the Sidlaws surrounded parish of Lundie to the north-west of Dundee. The second son of Alexander Duncan (d. 1777) and Helen Haldane, he was born on 1st July 1731 in the building which had been the mansion of the Stewarts of Grandtully in Dundee, adjacent to St Paul's Episcopal Cathedral. Duncan's family had been connected with the burgh of Dundee since the 16th century. William Duncan, a surgeon, was dean of the guild of Dundee and died in 1608. The Duncans purchased the estate of Lundie in 1682 from Colin Campbell. Adam's father was a burgess and provost of the burgh. The family were firmly Hanoverian in sympathy and had been linked with the mercantile class of Dundee for generations. Provost Alexander Duncan, who died in 1696, was one of the most prominent members of the family.<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcN2-kaEpAq29znJgHXsUNuR7bmY526AKzqd0B3eXmEigyagurP5QCjK80Y2Cs3Fm9HrmbETOruHla8eKcQjnRWVfM1Y7ksbMAmkAj2dD6HMcrPmBtXZ8l36Va0GGPw29D7X5QDWTX/s446/Capture.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="446" data-original-width="348" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcN2-kaEpAq29znJgHXsUNuR7bmY526AKzqd0B3eXmEigyagurP5QCjK80Y2Cs3Fm9HrmbETOruHla8eKcQjnRWVfM1Y7ksbMAmkAj2dD6HMcrPmBtXZ8l36Va0GGPw29D7X5QDWTX/w501-h640/Capture.JPG" width="501" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Portrait of Admiral Duncan by Henri-Pierre Danloux</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> Duncan joined the navy as a midshipman in 1746 and served aboard the frigate Shoreham for several years. He saw action at various engagements in the 1750s. His service took him to North America, the Caribbean and also Africa. In 1777 he had married Henrietta, daughter of Robert Dundas of Arniston, Lord President of the Court of Session. They had two sons and five daughters.He commanded HMS Valiant, then returned home and there was a lull in active service until 1778, when he was took over HMS Suffolk. By 1782 he was First Lord of the Admiralty, and in 1795, was made a full admiral and appointed commander -in-chief in the North Sea. His decisive win over the Dutch happened on 11 October 11, 1797. Even accounting for patriotic propaganda spread after the Battle of Camperdown, Duncan was admired both for his physical stature and his bravery. Standing at six foot four, he was allegedly handsome with it and even as a young lieutenant would attract crowds of admirers as he strolled through Chatham. His imposing bearing and personal courage assisted him to quell mutiny among sailors in 1797.<div><br /></div><div><div><h3 style="text-align: center;">The Engagement at Camperdown</h3></div><div><br /></div><div> The campaign of the British fleet against the Dutch was really a proxy was against the French forces, since the Dutch state was a puppet power set up by France. As Commander-In-Chief of the North Seas, Duncan was ordered to blockade the Dutch fleet which was under the command of Admiral de Winter. After keeping the enemy penned in for eighteen weeks, Duncan had to return to Britain for refits and restocking provisions in his own vessels. This gave the Dutch the opportunity to break out into open water, Duncan went to challenge him and met the Dutch about seven miles off the coast between the villages of Egmont and Camperdown. Duncan attacked with the fleet in two sections, led by himself and Vice Admiral Richard Onslow. The battle lasted for five hours until the large number of Dutch losses compelled de Winter to surrender and give up his sword of command to Duncan aboard his flag ship, the 'Venerable'. A measure of the ferocity of the engagement can be seen in the fact that the flag ship was hit by around 45 shots and was so badly damaged that she was almost unmanageable. Nine Dutch shops were sunk, others fled, and most were badly damaged. </div><div><br /></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv-ECffc5ZgCd8JdAsymb6gV2qgsBzOwmrqRwv_IKbvwa_3okg6G1SZlxLPUYZWuALmTdQwwuSZ7Gzi1Q50__06tPqc6VhLbRNyQ7wxCRG2AihlNCZyQbrL1HJrtwpBGr-TfVLpOHX/s600/1911Lochee_0024%2528w600%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="524" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv-ECffc5ZgCd8JdAsymb6gV2qgsBzOwmrqRwv_IKbvwa_3okg6G1SZlxLPUYZWuALmTdQwwuSZ7Gzi1Q50__06tPqc6VhLbRNyQ7wxCRG2AihlNCZyQbrL1HJrtwpBGr-TfVLpOHX/w558-h640/1911Lochee_0024%2528w600%2529.png" width="558" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: center;">Rewards and Fame</h3><div><br /> For his great victory, he was awarded a pension of £2,000 and created Baron Duncan of Lundie and Viscount Duncan of Camperdown in October 1797. He was given the freedom of the city of London and granted a large annual pension by the government. A thanksgiving service was held in St. Pauls Cathedral on 10th December, 1797, attended by royalty. a statue of him was later installed in the cathedral. Lord Duncan carried in the procession the Dutch Admiral's flag, which he had won at Camperdown. Duncan was made freeman of the principal crafts of Dundee in January 1798, with the burgh of Dundee the previous year gifted him a piece of plate with the value of 100 guineas as a mark of esteem for his glorious naval victory of the previous year. Duncan was also awarded the Large Naval Gold Medal and given an annual pension of £3,000. He was created Viscount Duncan and Baron Lundie, a fact that caused his aunt to write to the Secretary of State for War, Henry Dundas, querying why he was not given the greater honour of an English earldom. That greater honour fell to the admiral's son Robert who was created Earl of Camperdown in 1831. (He died in 1859.) </div><div><br /></div><div> Duncan was made Admiral of the White on 14 February, 1799 and remained as Commander-in-Chief in the North Seas until 1800. Military conflict ceased until 1804. Duncan went to London to offer his services again but on the way he had an attack of apoplexy and turned back home. On the return journey he had a second, fatal attack and died at Cornhill, Berwickshire, of 4 August 1804. He was buried in the kirkyard of Lundie. Henrietta and some of her children were buried in the Greyfriars, Edinburgh. There were commemorations of Duncan all around the world. An island in the Galapagos bore his name (though it is now called Pinzon Island) and Duncan's Cove in Canada remembers him. </div><div><br /></div><div> Duncan was of course treated as a national British hero, but Scotland particularly honoured him. The word Camperdown became a mellifluous buzzword for a while. It became attached to everyday commodities. In Edinburgh (where Duncan had a town house in George Square) peddlers would cry in the street, 'Wha'll buy Camperdown salt?' The estate of Lundie was renamed Camperdown (which is now Camperdown Park) and part of the Dundee harbour was renamed Camperdown Dock half a century after his death. The other major local landmark to be named after the battle was the massive jute mill at Lochee, several miles east of the estate, and owned by the Cox Brothers, named Camperdown Works. In 1802, local dignitary George Dempster renamed St Causnan's Well at Dunnichen as Camperdown Well. A statue of the admiral was erected in the High Street of Dundee on the 200th anniversary of the battle. Duncan did not spend many years on his own estates, either at Lundie or in Gleneagles. But he was well remembered personally in Angus for taking a close, benevolent interest in the nascent industrial village of Lochee, not far to the east of Lundie. He was remembered decades later by older people there for his nautical attire and his dignified courtesy.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></p></div></div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS8AYhfEt5kDT4MFvSQWXijUjDryzDqcp9mZHjfbU93bPLhSM5c3sHsTjC5ByQMZaFibTlHmI_yWNbSqcPw1yOyk188ygvIgiOOVKXshluTMDCC9e0yDfVVZwbgLKDVa7xWQ6jABf_/" style="font-size: 14px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img data-original-height="963" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS8AYhfEt5kDT4MFvSQWXijUjDryzDqcp9mZHjfbU93bPLhSM5c3sHsTjC5ByQMZaFibTlHmI_yWNbSqcPw1yOyk188ygvIgiOOVKXshluTMDCC9e0yDfVVZwbgLKDVa7xWQ6jABf_/w531-h640/image.png" width="531" /></a></div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: center;">Camperdown House and Previous Family Homes</h3><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><size style="text-align: start;"><div> Camperdown House was built by Admiral Duncan's son Robert Duncan, designed by the Edinburgh architect William Burn, between the years 1824 and 1828. It replaced the previous family seat several miles away in Lundie. Lundie House, which dated from around 1540, and was built by Sir John Campbell (treasurer of King James V), was demolished. (The admiral's second son Henry died as a captain in the Royal Navy in 1835.) There is confusion in some sources about the identity and locations of Lundie Castle and Lundie House respectively. The former stood in the village and parish of that name some miles to the north-west of the later Camperdown House. Lundie House was located near Camperdown House. The family quit the old castle during the 18th century and moved to a more modern property, at first called Gourdie House, which was later named Lundie House. This was only a little way west of its replacement, Camperdown House. Some remains of the castle were evident as late as 1830. The lion rampant figurehead of de Winter's ship the '<span style="text-align: center;">Vryheid' used to be displayed outdoors in an enclosure near Camperdown House.</span></div><div><br /></div><div> The park at Camperdown was designed by David Taylor, a forester. He and his son planted most of the trees there between 1805 and 1859. The third earl, also Robert, was the last member of the family to live in the mansion. His younger brother George succeeded as 4th earl when he was 73 and died childless. The last member of the family who owned the house was a cousin, Georgiana Wilhelmina, Dowager Countess of Buckinghamshire, who died in the March 1937. The contents of the mansion were auctioned in 1941 and the house and estate was purchased by Dundee Corporation immediately after World War Two.</div><span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></size></div><div class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable" role="note" style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 0.5em; padding-left: 1.6em; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><size><span><section aria-label="Landscape Components" id="landscape"><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii0GWLYXlBuDWZXKp5-8Voz2UbleSh5kbQZcTBLT6D9FkcLhJvoicBS_THvzGvIUsaqSQr2qPm49nk2bc8-xeIQZPF9R1Tx_Ivvho-VZcUQKIPpER6Hklxs4miV2S_Fo5tiEVMEKGO/s400/Camperdown-Golf-Course-Dundee-Scotland-UK-Golfers-18th.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="255" data-original-width="400" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii0GWLYXlBuDWZXKp5-8Voz2UbleSh5kbQZcTBLT6D9FkcLhJvoicBS_THvzGvIUsaqSQr2qPm49nk2bc8-xeIQZPF9R1Tx_Ivvho-VZcUQKIPpER6Hklxs4miV2S_Fo5tiEVMEKGO/w640-h408/Camperdown-Golf-Course-Dundee-Scotland-UK-Golfers-18th.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></p></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></section><p style="color: #114411; font-family: ARIAL; text-align: center;"><br /></p></span></size></div></div></div></div></div>Keith Colemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435885427062349047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030692967135623861.post-86568523882860437722021-01-01T08:15:00.010+00:002021-05-10T05:25:56.448+01:00The Goors o' Gowrie - Devil's Work or Ancient Tribal Meeting Place?<div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"> At Invergowrie, west of Dundee, there were two stones sitting in the shallows of Invergowrie Bay known as the Goors or Gows of Invergowrie. Some say that they were called by other names and others say that there was only one stone which fell into the river when the Devil threw his burden from the opposite shore in Fife. Either way the object or objects have a peculiar power and are said to have been creeping slowly back to land. And when they reached the shore it would herald the end of the world.<br /><br /> The legends of these stones on the Perthshire-Angus border give clues about the early history and significance of the local area and call out for detailed study. The folklore here may in fact be the most important of any which are associated with Angus. I have theorised widely about these objects in this article due to their importance. The folklore was first published in the 19th century and there has been much written about the stones since that date. If a lot of this is repetition or contrary information, this is no different from many other popular tales which mutate over the course of time. <br /><br /> The story of these stones had first come to widespread attention in the 1826 first edition of Robert Chambers' classic folklore compilation <i>The Popular Rhymes of Scotland</i> and included in all subsequent editions:</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><blockquote><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>THE EWES OF GOWRIE</i></b></div></blockquote><blockquote><div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>When the Yowes o' Gowrie come to land,</i></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The day o' judgment 's near at hand.</i></div></i><br /></div><div> A prophecy prevalent in the Carse of Gowrie and in Forfarshire. The Ewes of Gowrie are two large blocks of stone, situated within high-water mark, on the northern shore of the Firth of Tay, at the small village of Invergowrie. The prophecy obtains universal credit among the country-people. In consequence of the deposition of silt on that shore of the Firth, the stones are gradually approaching the land, and there is no doubt will ultimately be beyond flood-mark. It is the popular belief that they move an inch nearer to the shore every year. The expected fulfilment of the prophecy has deprived many an old woman of her sleep; and it is a common practice among the weavers and bonnet-makers of Dundee to walk out to Invergowrie on Sunday afternoons, simply to see what progress the <i>Yowes</i> are making! (Chambers 1870, pp. 256-7) </div></blockquote><div></div> A slightly later account of the stones was written by the eminent Angus antiquarian Andrew Jervise. He states of the stones - 'the most popular antiquities of the district' - known to him as the Goors of Gowrie: 'These are two unembellished boulders, each about two tons weight, which lie upon the shore of the Tay, immediately to the east of the kirkyard of Invergowrie.' (Jervise 1855, pp. 444-5). <br /><br /> He then gives a version of a rhyme which was current in the locality about the stones:<div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"></div><blockquote><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;" trbidi="on"> <i> When the Goors o' Gowry come to land,</i></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;" trbidi="on"><i> The warld's end is near at hand.</i></div></blockquote><div> The rhyme was believed to be the work of the late 13th century seer True Thomas of Erceldoune and involved the belief that the stones in the river would one day return to dry land and when that happened it would signal the end of the world. It is interesting that Chambers neither attributes the verse to Thomas nor attempts to give an explanation about how the stones first came to be deposited in the River Tay. Later writers tapped into a common folklore motif which stated that Satan was furious that a Christian Church was being built north of the Tay. Standing near the Fife shore he hurled three massive boulders at the building. Two of these fell short and fell into the river. A third stone was also wayward, flew way past the kirk and landed almost a mile to the north, where it still rests. Tales of this type are common throughout the British Isles, used to explain prominent monoliths, regarded as being somehow uncanny in the landscape, and the agent responsible is usually Satan, though sometimes a flying witch or an angry giant is blamed. (Tales of Satan taking aim at Christian edifices are also not uncommon. He threw stones at one church from the peak of Bennachie in Aberdeenshire.)<br /><br /> The Satan story at Invergowrie is usually repeated without further geographical detail. In some printed versions of the tale only one stone lands in the Tay, not two. The Rev Philip (1895, p. 48) suggests that there was an associated legend when the Devil was afterwards travelling from Kirkcaldy to the Carse of Gowrie carrying a load of stones he meant to place as stepping stones in the Tay. But he stumbled as he passed over Benarty Hill in Kinross, which explains the boulders strewn about that place. <br /><br /> Can we attempt to find a meaning behind the story of the stones here? Seeking definitive 'truth' from folklore is probably a fool's errand. But various suppositions can be made. If we discount a natural process which stranded the stones in the River Tay it would be tempting to say that the stones ended up in the water because someone placed them there on purpose. Might we suggest that agents of the first Christian church removed pagan objects of local veneration and that the story of them returning to dry land reflects a fear that the old religion might one day return, signalling the end of the world, at least to devout Christians? <br /><br /> Various other stones in Britain are reputed to be either humans or animals petrified. If we suppose that <i>Yowes = Ewes</i> as one of the traditional names of the stones, we can look elsewhere for standing stones associated with sheep. There are not many. The Strathclyde saint Kentigern had a ram which was turned into a stone and there was a stone in Devon which was worshipped with the daily sacrifice of a sheep. There are several accounts of stones which move. Stones which slowly move closer to land from a watery position almost seems unique to Invergowrie. True Thomas also reputedly visited Fyvie Castle in Aberdeenshire where he threw several stones in the River Ythan. If they every returned to the castle, it would spell misfortune.</div><div><br /></div><div> Analysis of traditional tales can obviously lead to connections being seen everywhere, even when the evidence is thin. There is some supposition later on in this article which hopefully does not stray too far from reason. But consider the following as a cautionary example. Very close by the site of the ancient church at Invergowrie was a supposed Roman marching camp which was known locally as Catter Milley. This is supposed by some to be a corruption of <i>Cathair Melin</i>, the 'Fort of Melin'. We find the name of the hero Melin in the Highlands at Loch Broom where he is remembered for throwing a great stone across that loch. It landed at a place afterwards called Leckmelm, the 'Stone of Melin' . Is there a connection with the Devil throwing the stones at Invergowrie? Probably not.<br /></div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: center;"><b>The Third Stone</b></h3><div><div><b><br /></b></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"> The stone which flew past the church and came to rest about about half a mile to the north and was called by various names, including the <b>Paddock Stane</b> and the <b>Deil's</b> or <b>Devil's Stane</b>. It is described by the <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>First Report by the Committee on Boulders </i>as a 'mica schist boulder, 8 x 6 x 4 feet'. </span>The boulder stands in the perimeter of the mansion which was once named after it, <b>Greystone House</b>. D. M. Watson, the owner of the estate in the 19th century, was also the proprietor of nearby Bullionfield Paper Works and he had the boulder enclosed in an iron railing so that people could see it from outside. The great house was later turned into a hotel, formerly The Greystane Hotel, The Swallow Hotel, and now The Landmark Hotel. (The map reference for the stone is NO346310.) The claim on the current Wikepedia page about Invergowrie (which can be read <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invergowrie">here</a>) that the stone by the mansion is called the <b>Deil's Stane</b> and that the <b>Paddock Stone</b> (or <b>Fairy Stone</b>) is another monolith on Waterside Road, Invergowrie is not substantiated in any other source I can find.</div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"> There may be some traditional significance in groups of three rocks in ancient times. The <i>Tripartite Life of St Patrick </i>mentions an enormous stone which stood in the path of the saint. When he spat on it, the stone was split into three parts.</div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTpBHDXwAaCGPDbwP_hs4yLXZYK5BSuw-O4R3m2NBG8OdTzDsRQvVpsYkX7F6f1K3CXTw0-E-YR_7wN-gy-2gOwYKmyj4oZ4UYysdfQ53yhM3FHslihjAc53EktrABGzPpZFNyroz6/s317/2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Deil's Stane" border="0" data-original-height="317" data-original-width="306" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTpBHDXwAaCGPDbwP_hs4yLXZYK5BSuw-O4R3m2NBG8OdTzDsRQvVpsYkX7F6f1K3CXTw0-E-YR_7wN-gy-2gOwYKmyj4oZ4UYysdfQ53yhM3FHslihjAc53EktrABGzPpZFNyroz6/w618-h640/2.JPG" title="The Deil's Stane" width="618" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Deil's Stane</div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"> The stone has an enduring reputation for being uncanny. During my early childhood in the early 1970s I visited the stone with a friend and mocked his remark that you had to spit on the stone to prevent Satan appearing there and then. He did so, but I held off until I was some way up the road, then shamefully and fearfully returned to complete the act. This probably says more about myself than the particular power of folklore at this site. If I were to hazard a guess at the origin of this 'tradition' I might be inclined to believe it was linked to the custom, attested at other stones, of placing offerings there to appease whatever otherworldly force was resident therein. Tradition states that each morning at cock crow the stone spins around three times. Exactly the same thing is said about another Angus stone, <b>The Cauld Stane of Carmyllie </b>which sat on the boundary of the parishes of St Vigeans and Carmyllie. It was also dropped by the Devil (or a flying witch).<br /><br /> The stone's setting is undoubtedly significant. I discuss below the ancient significance of stones on boundaries, but even in the modern age they were used to mark important local borders. The Paddock Stone is said to have sat at the intersection of three roads before the building of Greystane House. In Angus the famous <b>Girdle Stane of Dunnichen</b> is significant in this respect. A huge, marked boulder, it sits on the meeting place of the parishes of Dunnichen and Rescobie and also at the intersection of the lands of Dunnichen and Ochterlony. It was said to have been dropped into its location by a witch flying overhead (Warden 1882, p. 190). Close by the boulder stone coffins, containing rude clay urns and human bones have been recovered.<br /></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: center;">Other Stones and the Ritual Landscape</h3><div><br /></div><div> There is a tradition that another was hurled by Satan and that this one also missed its target. Alexander Hutcheson insists that there was only one enormous stone and that it exploded in mid-air, dividing itself into four separate boulders (Hutcheson 1927, p. 12). Whatever the truth of it, this other stone landed on the high ground some distance to the east of Invergowrie, on the high ground now covered by the housing estate on the western side of Dundee named <b>Menzieshill</b>. When the land was open country this stone, set on a mound, was surrounded by a knoll of trees known locally as <b>The Dark Stane Roundie</b>. The name was either reference to the reputation or the spot or because of the dark Scots fir trees clustered there. The anonymous author of A Series of Excursions (p. 113) noted that the top of this standing stone had been 'shivered off by lightning' and the broken piece was lying nearby. Hutcheson also confirms this and states that the site was destroyed in 1884. The Roundie was used as a weekend resort by card playing gangs of roughs, so the tree were grubbed up and the ancient monument was smashed into pieces which were used in the construction of nearby roads. The site was then ploughed over (Hutcheson 1927, p. 12. Elliot 1911, p. 206, says the stone was broken up in 1888 and some bones were found on the site.) . Eighty yards south-east of the Roundie is Invergowrie House, possibly on the site of an earlier baronial power centre, though another clump of trees in the locality was also identified as the earlier site (Myles 1850, p. 113).<br /><br /> Some distance to the north-east of the Paddock Stone is the remains of a stone circle at <b>Balgarthno</b>. It is nothing to look at now and sits forlornly at the western fringe of the Dundee suburb of Charlestown near Myrekirk Road. It was described as comprising of 9 large and 4 small stones in the mid 20th century (Melville 1975, p. 178). A more recent description states that the circle was about 20 feet in diameter and consists of 9 stones, only one of which was still upright (Coutts 1970, p. 18). The map reference is NO 353316.) These prehistoric monuments may all be related to each other as part of an ancient ritual landscape. Another stone which should be noted is the 16 feet upright stone which served as a slab bridge over the burn near the Dargie Kirk. It was re-erected in modern times, although its ancient position is unknown (Hutcheson 1927, p. 2).<br /><br /> Alexander Hutcheson writes of another important large ancient monument in the vicinity. He states this is 'practically within the area of the Goors,' but does not directly identify the site. He describes the <b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Stone Circle of Invergowrie</b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">as follows:</span></div><div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><blockquote>The Invergowrie Circle measures about 40 feet in diameter. It consists of nine stones, with a tenth one not set up in the circle with the others; it may be the sole survivor of a inner circle, or it may have been moved out of place in 1856, when the circle was explored. Only one stone remains upright, and that is about 5 feet high. One of the recumbent stones has a hollow on its upper surface, and is known as<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> '</span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">The Deil's Cradle</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">'. (Hutcheson 1927, p. 13).</span></span></blockquote></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"> This circle is obviously not identical with the Balgarthno one, but seems to refer to a site at Mylefield (NO334301). This lies south-west of the Paddock Stane and west of the Dargie Kirk and near the current Dundee-Perth road, just inside Perthshire. It is also significantly close to the supposed Roman marching camp in the area. Unfortunately the site no longer exists. Strangely a modern archaeological evaluation of the vicinity of Mylnefield House (Cachart 2009) has not found any ancient remains. Yet there is corroboration published in 1911 that the stone circle here did exist, albeit with a different count of the stones there: 'The location at Mylnefield was eliptical in form, and consisted of six large boulders—three at the east, three at the west, with a gap between capable of containing an equal number of stones' (Elliot 1911, p. 204). What happened to this large archaeological site remains a mystery.<br /> <br /> Beyond the prehistoric and Roman periods, this vicinity remained significant into the Early Medieval era. In a previous article I wrote about the significance of the location of the Dargie kirk at Invergowrie. The ancient church is reputed to stand on the site of a foundation made by a saint possibly called Curetán or Boniface who was associated with the 8th century Northumbrian Roman mission to the land of the Picts. (That original post can be read <a href="https://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2019/03/the-dargie-kirk-earliest-church-north.html" target="_blank">here</a>.) There was a Roman camp nearby and also possibly a Pictish power centre. Invergowrie stands on the border of the modern counties of Angus and Perthshire, and more precisely the districts of Gowrie and Angus. The church was on the left hand of the Invergowrie Burn, Gowrie side, and the later settlement of Invergowrie was within Angus on the east side of the burn. It is likely that this represents the ancient frontier between two Pictish provinces. Borders were places of some significance to ancient peoples in these islands. Treaties were often agreed at the intersection of tribal zones and there may have been a ritual significance to such places. <br /><br /> There were Pictish stones erected at Dargie/Invergowrie itself and also prominently at Benvie, the Angus parish to the north-west. The Invergowrie area has also shown evidence of souterrains and there is early medieval archaeology persent in the shape of square barrow crop marks and long cist burials.</div></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div><h3 style="text-align: center;"><b>The Names of the Stones</b></h3><div><b><br /></b></div><div> There is no definitive agreement about what the Invergowrie Bay stones are called. The following phonetically similar terms are used: The <i><b>Goors</b></i>, <i><b>Gows</b></i>, <i><b>Yowes</b></i>, <b><i>Ewes</i></b>. The latter two names, Scots and English synonyms, may suggest that there was a belief that the two river stones were transformed animals and this may also be linked with the notion that the boulders were capable of movement. The words <i>goor </i>and <i>gow</i> are less easy to comprehend. Goor has connotations of slime or dirt according to the Dictionary of The Scottish Language (https://dsl.ac.uk/), which may accord with their location in the shallows of Invergowrie Bay. None of the various meanings of gow would seem remotely applicable to a large boulder. There is a possibility that the name mundanely comes from the Scots version of the word gull because the rocks were frequented by those seabirds (First Report by the Committee on Boulders,1871-72, p. 17), but this seems rather unsatisfactory. <br /><br /><br /> Alexander Hutcheson noted the occurrence of gow in a piece of 15th century Scottish prophetic poetry: 'In a Gow of Gowrie, by a gray stane, he shall tulzie wi the Tod' (Hutcheson 1927, p. 4), though the meaning is not clear. Hutcheson (c. 1842-1917), a native of Broughty Ferry on the other side of Dundee, was an architect, antiquarian and expert in ancient song. He is the most important source of information about the stones in the 20th century. Some of his conjectures may be wide of the mark, though they remain interesting. From the quoted verse he wondered whether it referred to a fight with Satan in the guise of some strange beast in the vicinity. 'Tod' is the Scots for fox - so we might have the Goors and/or Paddock Stone being either seagulls, foxes or sheep! Hutcheson also pondered whether the original defeated Satanic beast was a dragon as there is a prominent legend of a dragon affixed to a Pictish stone at Strathmartine, not many miles to the north-east. Using oral information from older residents at Invergowie who could remember as far back as the beginning of the 19th century, Hutcheson remarks on the correct names for the Tay stones:</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div><blockquote>...the general consensus [of] the name given to the stones was 'goors'...None had ever heard the name 'yowes' applied to the stones. A few had heard the name 'gows.' but still agreed that the correct term was 'goors.' That the form 'gow' did, however, exist, we have the evidence of [Thomas's] prophecy... (Hutcheson 1927, p. 20).</blockquote><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><b> The Gows</b> was the name given to a nearby house in Invergowrie, In the late 19th century this house was owned by Mr James Henderson (Philip, 1895, p. 62). The site of the large house, a mid 19th century edifice, is now incorporated in Invergowrie Technology Park, some distance north-east of the Dargie Kirk and the Tay shoreline. Its Victorian origins suggest that the house was named after the famous and legendary stones in the river just as Greystane House was named after the other monolith.</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic3vxyVkuaNZFh6VVeAS-dmvxnp51fm8o5DDEmkSUPQ2y0uPB1PzlEunUdkd2exSWyrcwhhhyYZPyQJPtseICseOxfjOaNPRYJOEvH0OdzWdSNCbFdopq3BiJtH9igDUYqXK8vn17g/s943/Capture.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="421" data-original-width="943" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic3vxyVkuaNZFh6VVeAS-dmvxnp51fm8o5DDEmkSUPQ2y0uPB1PzlEunUdkd2exSWyrcwhhhyYZPyQJPtseICseOxfjOaNPRYJOEvH0OdzWdSNCbFdopq3BiJtH9igDUYqXK8vn17g/w640-h286/Capture.JPG" width="640" /></a></div></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></blockquote></div></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><div style="text-align: center;">Detail from map of James Knox, published in 1831. Angus/Perthshire border marked in pink/yellow. Invergowrie marked as Dergo (for Dargie). Note the Roman camp of Cater Milley seems to be misplaced. The marked location approximates Menzieshill, site of the fourth stone.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland, <a href="https://maps.nls.uk/index.html">https://maps.nls.uk/index.html</a></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: center;">What Happened to the Stones?</h3><div><br /></div><div> Where where the stones in the 19th century when writers first noticed them and where are they now? The answers are no clear cut. Andrew Jervise noted in his day (1855, p. 445) that the stones were nearer to the land at Invergowrie than they previously been and inferred that this was because the railway line from Perth to Dundee was built here on reclaimed land. The anonymous compiler of <i>A Series of Excursions Around Dundee</i> (p. 45) noted in 1900 that, 'A footpath on the left-hand side of the road and skirting the east side of the [Invergowrie] burn leads to the kirkyard and the ruins, and between the [Dargie] kirkyard and the railway are the " Gows"...'</div><div><br /></div><div> The consensus of writers seems to be either that the stones were situated within the floodmark or that they were displaced by the railway works. Gershom Cumming (1843, p. 3) states that they lay immediately in front of the church, and within the flood-mark. This was confirmed too by Myles in 1850 (p. 112). William Marshall stated that in his time (1875, p. 47), 'The making of the Dundee and Perth Railway has rather rudely discredited the prophecy. That line runs some distance outside of the "Goors," and has brought them to land...' The liminal area between high and low water marks is a recognised spiritual no man's land, being neither fully land no water, where strange things where sometimes reckoned to occur.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZM-GWc-aBbki-upFQnSWVxQtcFGJAk_6yiG1wzcE_Syax4fOaiv1sntJ49Ey5CeQ4-Q49XkxtuuGU7UMZzeFUiqPvGvrEI2CATC4mUyMHoUPqeqlF77hLI3klEqx1oDECF2ili4eC/s324/3.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="227" data-original-width="324" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZM-GWc-aBbki-upFQnSWVxQtcFGJAk_6yiG1wzcE_Syax4fOaiv1sntJ49Ey5CeQ4-Q49XkxtuuGU7UMZzeFUiqPvGvrEI2CATC4mUyMHoUPqeqlF77hLI3klEqx1oDECF2ili4eC/w400-h280/3.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div> There was uncertainty in 20th century reports about the fate of the stones. The Dundee Courier reported on 23rd January, 1929, that a rubbish dump had developed near the shore on the Angus-Perthshire border near the burn and at least one of the stones was buried beneath this. Domestic refuse 'on a spectacular scale' was being brought in from Dundee. But, although the details are vague, the article hints that something was visible regarding the stones:</div><div><br /></div><div><blockquote>About two months ago a couple of visitors arrived at Invergowrie Station with the express intention of seeing the historical stones. They left by the earliest possible train, but what they did see impressed them greatly. </blockquote></div><div> Further reporting in 1950 seems to confirm that one boulder at least was buried in the landfill or rubbish dump near the shore. The Ordnance Survey inspected the site in April 1958 noted briefly that the stones had disappeared and their site was occupied by a scrapyard. Intrepid antiquarians who like a challenge might do worse than search out the Goors and the large missing stone circle at Mylnfield.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghqpmPxSSj4UDbjlA3-yJXTI1frXQp8f7LCw6M4oHisb1S-ONWztY56mnthwrLcat1phIQ9k5tmd0eAC7njC3GnvK6EO703ugbW7vkrceIlogYkH9Egt38gvWNFB13AWD5gB96aVmQ/s1435/38615036_2123090464430195_782229800776368128_o.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="897" data-original-width="1435" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghqpmPxSSj4UDbjlA3-yJXTI1frXQp8f7LCw6M4oHisb1S-ONWztY56mnthwrLcat1phIQ9k5tmd0eAC7njC3GnvK6EO703ugbW7vkrceIlogYkH9Egt38gvWNFB13AWD5gB96aVmQ/w640-h400/38615036_2123090464430195_782229800776368128_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Invergowrie from the north, with the Devil haunted slopes of Fife in the background.</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: center;">Further Theories </h3><div><br /></div><div> It would not be amiss to begin the theories about the stones with an observation which may indeed be valid. The Paddock Stone, with its aura of awe and importance, may have served as a boundary stone quite far back in time and another theoretical function may have been as a place of judgement. We know of other standing stones which were employed by local barons as meeting places where justice could be dispensed and proclamations issued. At Little Dunkeld in Perthshire there is Clach a mhoid, and in Ayrshire there is a boulder at Killochan named The Stone of Judgement. Many other examples of baronial meetings at solitary monoliths or stone circles in Scotland could be given. <br /><br /> In the Welsh poem The<i> Gododdin</i>, which details the doomed heroics of a band of British elite in the late 6th century, there is mention of a Pictish hero Llif son of Cian who came from a place termed <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>Maen
Gwyngwn</i>, </span>the Stone of the Venicones. (A mischievous writer might suggest that there is a connection between the name of this hero and the Angus parish of Liff, immediately north of Invergowrie. However, the name of Liff most likely relates to the local topography (according to Dorward 2004, p. 81.) The historian Andrew Breeze states that the proto-Pictish tribe of the Venicones resided north of the Tay. If that is the case, their prominent tribal stone may still be in situ, unidentified in its landscape. I am not stating that it is the Paddock Stone, but there is a fair case to be made that it may be. <br /><br /> A Roman list from the 3rd-4th century names eight British <i>loca, </i>which were meeting-places of tribes under Roman protection and possibly places for trade. Some of these places are unidentified, but we can confidently claim that <i>Maponi</i> is probably the boulder known as the Clochmabenstane near the Solway. <i>Mavani </i>is likely Clackmannan, another iconic stone. There was another named <i>Taba</i> which is related to the Tay. A strong contender for this site would be the monument known as Macduff's Cross which stone on the border between Perthshire and Fife. It was a place of sanctuary strongly linked with the wider kindred of Macduff, Earl of Fife, and may have been a place of ancient importance also. I would hazard a guess that it was <i>Taba</i>. If this is the case, then the Invergowrie stone may have been another tribal place of importance whose earlier name has been forgotten, unless it is indeed <i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px;">Maen Gwyngwn</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16px;">.</span></div><div><br /></div><div> </div><h3 style="text-align: center;"> Other Angus Stones Associated with Satan</h3><div><br /></div><div> There are several tales of large stones being dropped into conspicuous places in the Angus landscape. Most of these were the result of actions by witches or giants. One stone sits in a watery situation which may be pertinent to note for this enquiry. This is <b>The Devil's Stone</b> at <b>Cortachy</b>. In the bed of the river South Esk in this village the stone lies. It landed here after Satan vengefully threw a stone at the kirk from a distance of 8 miles after the minister broke up one of his gatherings (Newman, pp. 17-18). Luckily the minister touched the boulder with a cross as it left the Devil's hand and this was enough to divert the stone away from the church and into the water. We can compare the tale also with another further south, from Fife. Standing on the Isle of May in the Firth of Forth, Satan threw a stone at the kirk of Crail. The boulder split as it flew at one part fell short of the church, while the other flew past and landed at Balcomie Sands. The half near the kirk is known as The Blue Stone of Crail.</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: center;">Modern Verse on the Stones</h3><div><br /></div><div> The following verse was stumbled across in the New Zealand newspaper <i>The </i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>Otago Witness </i>(Issue 2631, 17 August 1904, p. 71). Its author was probably a Scottish exile, though unfortunately I can't make out the name at the bottom.</span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-NZ;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBx-a-s3tDcxZZFEEkqJ6IBWVyNnxOh6Xna8N-vS8rTcO5XRiMBgsCU4X6Jj51AiB8MITJ8zRCqx4B7tC_cNjIB3h0TjkE_fx67WAf9cT7VdFs-A0AcshbzUKgOEdSov1bREfeUmEL/s529/1.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="529" data-original-width="353" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBx-a-s3tDcxZZFEEkqJ6IBWVyNnxOh6Xna8N-vS8rTcO5XRiMBgsCU4X6Jj51AiB8MITJ8zRCqx4B7tC_cNjIB3h0TjkE_fx67WAf9cT7VdFs-A0AcshbzUKgOEdSov1bREfeUmEL/w428-h640/1.JPG" width="428" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><h3 style="text-align: center;">Works Consulted</h3><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div><i>Anonymous, First Report by the Committee on Boulders appointed by the Royal Society of Edinburgh in April 1871</i>, from the <i>Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh</i>, Vol VII (1871-72).<br /><br /><br />Anonymous, <i>A Series of Excursions by Road and Rail, for Twenty Miles Around Dundee</i> (Dundee, 1900).<br /><br />Cachart, R. (2009). Mylnefield House, Invergowrie. Scottish Urban Archaeological Trust Ltd. https://doi.org/10.5284/1005239<br /><br /><br />Robert Chambers, <i>The Popular Rhymes of Scotland</i> (4th ed., Edinburgh, 1870).<br /><br /><br />Herbert Coutts, <i>Ancient Monuments of Tayside</i> (Dundee, 1970).<br /><br /><br />Gershom Cumming, <i>Forfarshire Illustrated</i> (Dundee, 1843).<br /><br /><br />The <i>Dundee Courier</i>, 'Judgement Day Prophecy. Thomas the Rhymer's Hint to Invergowrie. Rubbish Dump Swallows Up Noted Landmark' (23rd January, 1929).<br /><br /><br />David Dorward, <i>The Sidlaw Hills</i> (Balgavies, 2004).<br /><br /><br />Alexander Elliot, <i>Lochee As It Was and Is</i> (Dundee, 1911).<br /><br /><br />Geoff Holder, <i>Paranormal Dundee </i>(Stroud, 2010).<br /><br /><br />Alexander Hutcheson, <i>Old Stories in Stones and Other Papers</i> (Dundee, 1927).<br /><br /><br />Andrew Jervise, 'Notices descriptive of the localities of certain Sculptured Stone Monuments in Forfarshire, viz., - Benvie, and Invergowrie; Strathmartin, and Balutheran; Monifieth; Cross of Camus, and Arbirlot. Part III', <i>Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland</i>, 2 (3) (1855), pp. 442-450.<br /><br /><br />William Marshall, <i>Historic Scenes in Forfarshire</i> (Edinburgh, 1875).<br /><br /><br />Lawrence Melville, <i>The Fair Land of Gowrie</i> (1939, reprinted Coupar Angus, 1975).<br /><br /><br />James Myles, <i>Rambles in Forfarshire, or Sketches in Town and Country</i> (Edinburgh, 1850).<br /><br /><br />Patrick Newman, 'The Devil's Stone,' in <i>Glen Folk, Celebrating Life in Angus Glens</i> (2000), pp. 17-18.<br /><br /><br />Rev. Adam Philip, <i>Songs and Sayings of Gowrie</i> (Edinburgh and London, 1901).<br /><br />Rev. Adam Philip, <i>The Parish of Longforgan</i> (Edinburgh, 1895).<br /><br />James Stuart, <i>Historical Sketches of the Church and Parish of Fowlis Easter</i> (Dundee, 1865).<br /><br /><br />Alexander J. Warden, <i>Angus or Forfarshire</i> (volume 3, Dundee, 1882).<br /><br />
</div>Keith Colemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435885427062349047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030692967135623861.post-43140783638890212952020-12-02T14:21:00.002+00:002020-12-02T14:23:16.014+00:00Forfar - King Malcolm and Queen Margaret and the Castle<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> Forfar's royal castle (or is it <i>castles</i>, plural?) have not been a physical presence in the town for many centuries, but the association of the burgh with royalty and power is a tangible and enduring part of its identity. What is known about the castle was summarised by the astute Angus historian Andrew Jervise, as follows:</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><blockquote>The Castle Hill of Forfar is on the north side of the town, within the old boundary of the loch, and was surrounded by water. Malcolm and his 'good Queen Margaret' lived there occasionally, and a rising ground, about half a mile west of the Castle, still washed by the waters of the lake, in called Margaret's Inch, in honour of the queen, who is said to have had a chapel there.</blockquote><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"> The 'facts' about the royal stronghold and the association with this particular king and queen is somewhat more vague than many sources would admit. Malcolm III of Scotland ruled from 1058 to 1093 and was a pivotal figure in Scottish history. Known by the Gaelic epithet <i>ceann mòr, </i>'Canmore = Big Head', he was faced with an aggressive, newly Norman England and adapted his kingdom accordingly. The legend is that he deferred greatly to his saintly queen Margaret, a scion of the displaced Anglo-Saxon royal house, whose displaced family had been exiled in Hungary, among other places. Margaret is lauded/condemned for introducing modern reforms to the form of the Irish Church and religion as it was practised in Scotland. But the truth about the couple and their effect on Scotland is of course more complex.</div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"> Although local historians and antiquaries link the royal couple to Forfar the evidence is quite thin. It is the same with the 'proof' that Forfar was a favoured and longstanding seat of royalty. The author of the <i>Old Statistical Account</i> of the parish in the late 18th century was The Rev. John Bruce. To give him his due, he did state that Forfar was only an occasional residence of this royal couple. But he pointed out, less securely, the significant English place-names in the vicinity which he believed were proofs of Forfar being a royal centre of some significance. These included the <b>King's Muir</b>, <b>Queen's Well</b>, <b>Queen's Manor</b>, <b>Battle Dykes</b>, etc. Another memory, particularly of Margaret, was the fair formerly held annually on the 16th of June, 'kept as an anniversary in honour of St Margaret'. Bruce also noted that:</div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><blockquote>Tradition celebrates [Margaret's] attention to the good instruction of the young women in Forfar, and it is said it was the law of her table, that none should drink after dinner who did not wait the giving of thanks, and hence the phrase through Scotland of the grace drink.</blockquote></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"> The Rev. J. G. McPherson elaborated about the commemoration of the queen in Forfar, stating that, on 19th June, 'the young females frequently went on the 19th of June in solemn procession to her Inch'. The 19th June supposedly marked the day of the queen's internment at Dunfermline Abbey. Several 19th century sources remark on the procession of barefoot girls going to the Inch to place garlands there in memory of the saintly queen. </div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx8uLXJ13VFYBmupWNq-JgvPl7shkEFfwfszqqMUG-r0QIIW36RXnVzO8_ofVTghnWLteyydbH7QsmSdh2qbLuzsnIlWqNN11ReiXk8byemLBwDxdu2U0FAnhBcf5J1GkbR1OPmwdi/s737/Capture.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="367" data-original-width="737" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx8uLXJ13VFYBmupWNq-JgvPl7shkEFfwfszqqMUG-r0QIIW36RXnVzO8_ofVTghnWLteyydbH7QsmSdh2qbLuzsnIlWqNN11ReiXk8byemLBwDxdu2U0FAnhBcf5J1GkbR1OPmwdi/w640-h318/Capture.JPG" title="Illustration from Alan Reid's Royal Burgh of Forfar" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Illustration from Alan Reid's <i>Royal Burgh of Forfar</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: center;">Location of the Castle</h3><div><br /></div><div> Where was Forfar Castle supposed to have been located? The Rev Bruce again states that it was on a hill beside a piece of ground called the Manor, adjacent to Forfar Loch. The site, a mound around 50 feet high, lies in to the east of the loch boundary today and, although no vestige of the building remains, Castle Street remembers the site. The CANMORE website run by Historic Environment Scotland firmly states the castle was surrounded by water. Local historian Alan Reid stated that two prominent islands, the Manor and Castle Hill, were located formerly in Forfar Loch. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><h3 style="text-align: center;">Two Castles or One?</h3></div><div><br /></div><div>The tradition that Forfar boasted two royal castles can be traced back at least to the 16th century Scottish historian Hector Boece. Albeit he was an Angus man who may have been privy to local knowledge, Boece is unfortunately tarnished with a reputation for unreliability. In his work he states that Forfar was strengthened with 'two roiall castles, as the ruins doo yet declare'.</div><div> </div><div> While it is not unusual to find medieval strongholds within fairly short distances of each other it would be highly unusual, if not unique, to have two royal castles constructed within the same burgh. It seems that the two castles story is most likely a legend. Possibly older writers were confused by remains on the other island on the loch. Yet the religious buildings associated with St Margaret certainly persisted into the 16th century, so may not easily have been misunderstood as a castle. Was there another fortification elsewhere? King William the Lion granted Robert de Quinci, a leading Anglo -Norman baron, a plot in the old castle of Forfar in lieu of a toft (according to the Register of the Priory of St Andrews). De Quinci made it over to Roger de Argenten for £1 annually. The location of this 'old castle' must remain an open question. The Rev. McPherson ups the ante by postulating that Forfar had, in fact, three royal castles.</div><div><br /></div><div> In 1327 King Robert Bruce granted the lands of Fullerton to Jeoffrey his fowler and the record states that the man would also receive entertainment for himself, his servants and horses within the king's house at Forfar when the king himself resided there. This royal residence, wherever it was, does not seem to have been as grand as a castle.</div><div><br /></div><div><br style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-size-adjust: auto;" /></div><h3 style="text-align: center;">The Castle After Malcolm</h3><div><br /></div><div> Malcolm III's brother Donal Bane, who temporarily gained the kingship and was styled by some sources as a usurper, was thought to have been imprisoned at Forfar after he was deposed. Some say that he was blinded there. Subsequent royal activity is attested in the 12th and 13th centuries in the reigns of William the Lion (1165-1214) and Alexander II (1214-1249). William's widow, Queen Ermengarde, the founder of Balmerino Abbey in Fife, had a special attachment to Forfar Castle and resided for a time there. William held an assembly there in 1202. The English captured the castle in the 1290s and in 1306 is was burned and damaged. Following rebuilding it was destroyed finally in 1313 and never again restored. Remains of the building were visible into the 17th century.</div><div><br /></div><div><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #494948; font-size: 12.6px;"> </span>The actual sequence of occupation and destruction during the Wars of Independence are not absolutely clear. Gilbert d'Umphraville was an English nobleman, styled Earl of Angus through the right of his wife, and he delivered Forfar to the English. King Edward I of England himself visited the castle for three days in July 1296, receiving the submission of the Abbot of Arbroath and assorted local nobles from Angus there. A governor named Brian Fitzalan was installed. He had wider responsibilities and was also in charge of the castles of Dundee, Roxburgh and Jedburgh. One tradition maintains that William Wallace burned the royal castle. Alexander de Abernethy told King Edward I that he found the stronghold burned and destroyed, and the wall about it much dispersed, though he gave the opinion that he thought he could hold it until relief came. Some repairs may have been undertaken. John of Weston, Constable of the Castle of Forfar, is mentioned in the records towards the latter part of English occupation. The fall of the castle to Robert Bruce is attributed to Robert the Forester of the forest of Platane who scaled the walls and opened the entrance, allowing the Scots to enter and slaughter the garrison.</div><div><br /></div><div> There were evidently remains of some ancient building visible into early modern times at Forfar, though whether they were indeed the last remnants of the royal castle is debatable. Alan Reid quotes an anonymous 16th century source:</div><div><br /><span class="fontstyle0"></span><blockquote><span class="fontstyle0">I saw tua durs cheiks (door cheeks) with ane mid trie betuene the durris maid verray clenely and verray substantiolls, quharin the constabill of Forfair Castell duelt in the tyme of King Malcolme Kanmore; thay ar of blak aik, and appeirandlie as thai war not maid V. Zeir of eild.</span> [<i>The Royal Burgh of Forfar</i>, p. 22.]</blockquote> The 17th century notices of remains include the local historian Ochterlonie and Monipenie. The latter briefly states of Forfar in 1612: '
<span class="fontstyle0">The towne of Forfare, </span><span class="fontstyle2">with an </span><span class="fontstyle3">old </span><span class="fontstyle2">castle, </span><span class="fontstyle0">with a loch and an isle therein, with a tower.' </span> </div><div><br /></div><div> The octagonal cross of the Market Tower now sits on Castle Hill. <br style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-size-adjust: auto;" /><br /></div><div> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzyIVUiVzvmDCSAxJNsIpZHtb89T826lA-mIcu5YE80menlcksalGpLDi-C_aFzeLoXJDL72XDphUyyNO5L6NTGhFNOxpyoQaRACGhZN6A1RWIC90wP4Q8joZN-i52w21b2SIzNi0W/s400/FORFAR-from-the-Loch-Angus-Reliable-Series-Postcard.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzyIVUiVzvmDCSAxJNsIpZHtb89T826lA-mIcu5YE80menlcksalGpLDi-C_aFzeLoXJDL72XDphUyyNO5L6NTGhFNOxpyoQaRACGhZN6A1RWIC90wP4Q8joZN-i52w21b2SIzNi0W/w640-h640/FORFAR-from-the-Loch-Angus-Reliable-Series-Postcard.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: center;">The Market Cross Carving</h3><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> There is a tradition that the top of the old demolished Market Cross of the burgh of Forfar showed a carving which represented the old castle of Forfar. The Rev. Bruce wrote that, 'A figure of the castle, cut in stone, remains upon the manse and the market cross, and forms the device of the common seal of the burgh...' The ancient Market Cross of Forfar was demolished in 1683 and a new one commissioned by the town the following year. The latter was also demolished at some stage and the likeness of the old castle was said to have been carved on the top section of the latter cross. Andrew Jervise for one doubted the tradition. He stated that the carved finial of the stone was found in a property at Forfar in the early 19th century by Dr <span> Smith of Damside, Aberlemno. A few years after the discovery Dr Smith presented it to the town and it was placed at the base of the tower built on Castle Hill. However, it was damaged by vandalism and removed for safety to the Burgh buildings. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7vRXBueRzTm584ZdjmIU-ZC-JZuGDp_hp4vSUy6whS1YrmbMnwXjWy9zfgNtQHZpDPSlBGd5m_hsCRkeojHyg9cbRyIMat6nQ3GSwTUzE9kRSCWbZAq-LxuTMEf5T_PF_rTAjHzjM/s237/Capture.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="237" data-original-width="221" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7vRXBueRzTm584ZdjmIU-ZC-JZuGDp_hp4vSUy6whS1YrmbMnwXjWy9zfgNtQHZpDPSlBGd5m_hsCRkeojHyg9cbRyIMat6nQ3GSwTUzE9kRSCWbZAq-LxuTMEf5T_PF_rTAjHzjM/w373-h400/Capture.JPG" width="373" /></a></div><br /><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: center;">The Chapel on St Margaret's Inch</h3><div><br /></div><div> The Rev Bruce noted, before Forfar Loch was partially drained, near the north side there was:</div><div><br /></div><div><blockquote>an artificial island composed of large piles of oak and loose stones, with a stratum of earth above, on which are planted some aspen and sloe trees, supposed to have been a place of religious retirement for St Margaret. This now forms a very curious peninsula. The vestiges of a building, probably a place of worship, are still to be seen. And it is likely that there might be some accommodation too for the occasional residence of the priest of this place, as the remains of an oven were discernible not many years ago, and also something of the furniture of a pleasure garden.</blockquote><p><br /></p><p> Some writers state that the Inch was latterly a peninsula, though it was originally an island. The tradition of the chapel here is based on fact. In a charter of king Alexander II dated 1234 the monastery of Coupar Angus was bestowed with £10 yearly from the lands of Glenisla. Out of this annual revenue, 10 merks was devoted to the sustenance of two Cistercian monks who were perpetually charged with celebrating mass in the chapel of the Holy Trinity in the island in Forfar Loch. in 1508 the abbot of Coupar Angus granted the chaplainry to Sir Alexander Turnbull for life on condition that he maintained the fabric of the chapel and planted trees on the island. </p><p> Whatever the sequence of religious activities on the Inch, and irrespective of whether indeed it was an island or a small promontory, we can question whether if was originally a crannog rather than a natural geographical. If it was man made it would be a rarity in Angus as the nearest such structures are found in Highland Perthshire. It would also throw back the settlement date on the site at least into the Early Medieval period. Many crannogs, in Scotland and in Ireland, have their origins every earlier, in the Iron Age. Forfar Loch has associations (albeit late associations) with a St Triduana who allegedly settled there in the Pictish period. We should also recall that the probably similar and very significant religious site of Restenneth was also on a promontory or island only a few miles from St Margaret's Inch.</p><p> </p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgVRvPzGENccrYjitD50gxluI7B7viMovJdTrlFzxE5dgr9LVec3yVKXYl1ST4tt3RZjZX_Z8J4mj5nbNo2IXIliPcyeS0OjZTKklARMoOoORSTDzcdiqIajesTpWD-DrCfXzQgrBj/s457/Capture.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="348" data-original-width="457" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgVRvPzGENccrYjitD50gxluI7B7viMovJdTrlFzxE5dgr9LVec3yVKXYl1ST4tt3RZjZX_Z8J4mj5nbNo2IXIliPcyeS0OjZTKklARMoOoORSTDzcdiqIajesTpWD-DrCfXzQgrBj/w400-h305/Capture.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Cross on Castle Hill<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: center;">Some Sources</h3><div><br /></div><div>Andrew Jervise, 'Notes regarding Historical and Antiquarian peculiarities of the Districts in Forfarshire, where the various relics now presented to the Museum of the Society were found,' <i>Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland</i>, volume 2 (1855-56), pp 64-70.</div><div><br /></div><div>James Murray Mackinlay, <i>Ancient Church Dedications in Scotland, Scriptural Dedications</i> (Edinburgh, 1900).</div><div><br /></div><div>Rev. J. G. McPherson, <i>Strathmore, Past and Present</i> (Perth, 1885).</div><div><br /></div><div>Alan Reid, <i>The Royal Burgh of Forfar</i> (Paisley, 1902).</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Keith Colemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435885427062349047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030692967135623861.post-60717736590671421662020-08-21T09:57:00.001+01:002020-09-16T09:12:59.624+01:00The Last Public Execution - Andrew Low<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I mentioned the unfortunate <b>Andrew Low</b> in a post about the later witches in Angus several years ago, due to his connection with a 'wise woman' named <b>Lizzie Kinmont</b>. (The post can be read <a href="http://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-later-witches.html"><span style="color: red;"><b>here</b></span></a>.) This piece adds more details about his story, although (as always), there is more yet to be discovered about his story. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Here's what I wrote then:</blockquote>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>A public execution in 1785 incidentally involved witchcraft. The condemned man was a young thief named Andrew Low, who was hanged on Balmashanner Hill, Forfar. He was said to have been the last person executed for theft in Scotland. Andrew had once stolen a hen from Lizzie Kinmont of Brechin, unluckily for him a famous witch. Lizzie duly predicted that as many folk would see him die as there were feathers on her lamented hen - and of course it came true.</i></blockquote>
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Andrew Low was a wild youth whose behaviour was possibly decreed in part by his upbringing. His widowed mother was <b>Babbie Wyllie</b> and his father, <b>Geordie Low</b>, was a carter went missing in a snowdrift between Forfar and Arbroath a month before he was born. Babbie, who lived in Jarron's Pend in Forfar solicited the aid of her two neighbours, Jamie Grant and Tam Broon, when her husband did not reappear in the morning. They found George not far from the town, with a broken neck in a ditch, his cart having veered off the road in the treacherous weather.</div>
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Babbie, it is said, was a member of a prominent local family which included in its ranks a cousin named Mr Wyliie who was the Procurator Fiscal for Forfarshire. They felt that Babbie had married beneath her station. When Geordie died Babbie was obliged to take any work she could find, including menial agricultural labour.<br />
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His boisterous behaviour was marked from his earliest years, leading his hapless mother to remark: 'I ken he's royd [unruly], but he likes his mither, and, puir loon, he disna ha'e a faither. But maybe he'll be better when he's aulder.' Minor misdemeanours were noted in his youngest years. These included tying pots and pans to the tails of dogs and cutting people's washing lines. Later, there happened the incident with Lizzie's chicken, while he stole and then wrung its neck and then sold to an alewife. She was reputed to have powers and predicted , 'There'll be as mony lookin' at his death as there were feathers on my bonny chuckie's body.'</div>
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But Andrew drifted into a pattern of petty crime that led to his demise. Once, he had his friends went to Oathlaw on a Sunday and he stole half a crown from the collection plate. Babbie found the money that evening and returned it to the minister who did not press charges, though he warned the woman about her son's future. She and Andrew later relocated to the Lower Tenements in Brechin. Babbie died when her son was 12 and his behaviour degenerated. He is alleged to have been publicly whipped for minor crimes on repeated occasions. When he was around 20 he formed an attachment to a girl named Jessie Smart, but she could not alter his way of life.</div>
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Around this time he burgled the house of a merchant, Andrew Lindsay, in Slateford and also a cobbler called John Bailie in Mainsbank, Kinnell. He purloined knives, scissors, tobacco, and shoe buckles, then went to Arbroath to sell them, staying at David Carrie's alehouse. Following a few days' drinking he went to Forfar and met up with associates at another alehouse, run by Robert Young, in Osnaburg Pend. The group attended the Mason Lodge Theatre in East High Street to see'Jack Sheppard' about a criminal. Their behaviour was so boisterous that some of the audience passed notice to the Procurator Fiscal who was also attending. The latter informed the burgh's officers to arrest Andrew on suspicion of housebreaking as news of the Slateford and Mainsbank crimes had come back to the town.</div>
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As he was being taken to the tolbooth in the High Street his friends contived to free him and he escaped and hid on Montreathmont Moor for three days. He lived on oatmeal and turnips from a woodcutter's hut. But he was later captured and put in prison. On the 28th December 1784 Andrew was served with the Indictment and trial date was set for the 21st January. Charges against him included those brought by James Scott, shoemaker, who said that Andrew had sold him several objects which were produced and kept as evidence. A dyer called Thomas Whyte changed some money for Andrew and also bought a pistol from him. Alexander Williamson in Geghtyburn said the accused sold him numerous articles. Other witnesses included the men from Slateford and Kinnell.</div>
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Judgement was given on 28th January 1785 by Sheriff Depute Patrick Chalmers of Aldbar:</div>
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<i>The Sheriff-Depute having Considered the verdict of assize returned upon the twenty-first instant against the said Andrew Low the Pannel, whereby they unanimously find him guilty of the Crimes charged against him in the Indictment. Therefore the said Sheriff Decerns and adjudges the said Andrew Low to be carried back from the bar to the Tolbooth of Forfar, therein to remain until Saturday the nineteenth day of March next to come, and upon that day to be taken to the west end of the Hill of Forfar, the common place of execution, and there betwixt the hours of Twelve mid-day, and four in the afternoon, to be hanged by the neck on a gibbet until he be dead. Requiring hereby the Magistrates of Forfar to see this sentence carried into due and lawful execution, and ordains the said Andrew Low’s haill moveable goods and gear to be escheat and in brought to His Majesty’s use, which is pronounced for doom.</i></blockquote>
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On Saturday 19th March 1785 the authorities loaded 20 year old Andrew onto a cart which made its way to Balmashanner Hill in Forfar. On the journey, as was customary, the cart stopped at the Toll House on the Dundee Road and Andrew was given a parting glass of whisky. A huge crowd was waiting for him that day at Gallowshade. Gallowshade or Gallow Hill was on the west side of Balnashammer Hill. The place was said to have been grotesquely marked by nine mounds marking the graves of previously executed felons. That day the presiding minister was the Rev Bruce and the executioner was John Chapman of Aberdeen.</div>
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Asked if he had any final words, Andrew said, 'I want to tell you lands. And fat I hae to say is just this, that I'm hangit innocent. No' that I've been a guid bairn a' my days, but the only thing that has troubled me, and aften I cudna get sleep for thinkin' o't, wis the stealing o' Lizzie Kinmont's clockin' hen.' A laverock (lark) was singing sweetly above the cart on the final stages of its journey. Its singing stopped as he was hung. </div>
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Andrew Low was the last man in Scotland to have been executed publicly by sheriff's authority. According to David Black in <i>The History of Brechin</i> (1867), there were some people in that town who firmly believed that Low should not have put to death. 'Low's fate was long a matter of conversation and regret in Brechin,' he says. 'But it was darkly insinuated that he had been led by cunning men to be participant in deeper crime than mere housebreaking and theft.'</div>
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Keith Colemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435885427062349047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030692967135623861.post-70654162361769629382020-07-21T19:45:00.001+01:002021-12-27T21:29:22.098+00:00Prince Conall Corc and the Mighty Fortress on Turin Hill<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>Turin Hill</b> overlooks Rescobie Loch around 6 km north-east of Forfar. The summit is 250m above sea level, and the hill is marked by steep crags on the south. A place of some importance before history began, it is a place of obvious strategic importance, commanding a find view of the great broad valley of Strathmore below it. There are multiple archaeological remains from different periods crowded on the hillfort which have long been recognised, though there have never been full scale archaeological investigations here.<br />
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The full richness of the multi period occupation on Turin will be summarised below, as will the rather intriguing associations it may have with an Irish prince named <b>Conall</b> <b>Corc</b> who may have been active in the early centuries AD.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Turin Hill. Photo by Richard Webb (<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/">CC License</a>)</td></tr>
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<div> In folklore terms, the kenspeckle nature of the hill, along with the fact that it was used for quarrying for a long period, gave rise to the once common Angus saying: '<i>Deil ride to Turin on ye for a lade o' sclates!</i>' Despite this invocation of the unholy one, there does not seem to have ever been any association of this site with the supernatural or eerie. </div>
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There are two Iron Age forts on the summit of the hill and it seems to have been one of these which bore the alternative local name of <b>Kemp's Castle </b>(or possibly <b>Camp Castle</b>). Rev Wright of <b>Rescobie</b> parish wrote, somewhat inaccurately about the fort on Turin Hill in the <i>Old Statistical Account </i>of the late 18th century:<br />
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Kemp or Camp Castle, on the top of Turin Hill, an ancient stronghold, consisted of<br />
extensive contiguous buildings, with a circular citadel of 40 yards in diameter;<br />
the situation being secured by an impregnable rock in front, and of difficult<br />
access all round.</blockquote>
The historian of Angus, Alexander Warden, described the stronghold in his account of <b>Aberlemno</b> parish:<br />
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The hills in the parish rise to a considerable altitude, Turin, the highest, being about 800 feet above the level of the sea, and 600 feet above the neighbouring lakes of Rescobie and Balgavies. Many stones, the ruins of an ancient stronghold, called Camp Castle, lie on the top of Turin Hill. The view from the summit is extensive, varied, beautiful, and grand. The boundary line between this parish and Rescobie passes along the summit of the hill.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">Turin is the diminutive of <i>Tur</i>, a castle, and signifies a little castle. It probably was so called to distinguish it from the royal castle, which stood in the vicinity of the hill, within which Donald Bane was confined by his nephew, King Edgar. The Lindsays are reputed to have taken the castle on the hill by force from the proprietor, supposed to have been named Kemp. [<i>Angus or Forfarshire</i>, vol. 2.]</blockquote>
The rather feeble supposition that 'Kemp' was a man associated with the Lindsay family, who were prominent in the late medieval and early modern period as prominent regional landowners, does not suggest that there was ever any local tradition about the founding or occupation of the hillforts.<br />
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The Archaeology</h3>
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The earlier hillfort is a bivallate (double walled) enclosure measuring 247 by 122 m, while the secondary fort has a single wall and measures 152 by 39m. There are also traces of two or possibly three later, circular buildings, sometimes termed duns. It would be impossible to give a wholly accurate range of occupation dates, though it has been thought that the range runs right through from the Late Bronze Age into the Early Historic Period. Quarrying here may have began in the Middle Ages. The hill was surveyed in 1998 by the University of Edinburgh, but there has been no excavation on the site since that date. The survey work confirmed at least three phases of occupation, with the circular enclosure homesteads likely belonging to the latter phases. Additionally there were traces of hut circles and a large number of cup marked and cup and ring marked stones. This seems to suggest a site used in the Neolithic for ritual community activity; so much so that the hill has been compared to the important site at Kilmartin in Argyll.<br />
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Turin Hill's fort has been compared also to the magnificent fort of the <b>Brown Caterthun </b>(visible from Turin), which stands 13 km to the north-east. More locally, some phases of occupation may be tied in with the hillfort on <b>Finavon Hill</b>, 2.3 km to the north-east. The latter was excavated by the very eminent archaeologist V. Gordon-Childe in the 1930s, and again three decades later, and an estimate of its occupation ranged from the 7th century BC until the 5th or 4th centuries BC. It is worth mentioning possibly that Turin lies not far to the north of Dunnichen Hill, which seems to have been a local Pictish power centre from the 5th to the 7th centuries, signifying a continuity of authority in this small area by a local elite.</div>
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Conall Corc and the Pictish Dreamtime</h3>
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The circular homesteads on Turin have similarities with others in Perthshire and one authority has likened these to Irish structures and linked to an incursion of Gaelic speakers into the region between 500 and 800 AD. There is, remarkably, an ancient Irish tale which may be linked to the site which would suggest this is true and push back the Irish link to the earlier part of this date range, if not before it. I have fancifully called this the <i>Pictish Dreamtime</i>, though this is an unforgivably romantic description of the period just beyond the Pictish historical horizon. I summarised the tale of the possibly 4th century Corc in an earlier post (which can be fully read <a href="https://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2015/08/dundees-name-and-early-irish-settlers.html">here</a> ). His story is contained in the Irish legend of 'The Finding of Cashel'.<br />
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Conall Corc, from the Eogan<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">á</span>chta people, was the son of King Luigthech and Bolce <span class="fontstyle2">Ben-bretnach </span><span class="fontstyle0">(“the British woman”), which suggests there may have been even earlier contact between Munster and North Britain. Conall was later adopted by another ruler, his cousin Crimthann, but when he rejected the advances of Crimthann's wife he was sent in exile to the Picts in Britain. </span> In this foreign land, Conall almost perished in a blizzard, but he was saved by the bard of the local Pictish king. The bard also noticed a magical message written on Conall’s shield at the behest of his father. The message directed the king of Pictland to kill Corc. But the poet changed the words to request the king to give Corc every assistance he could and even give his daughter to the Irish immigrant, which is exactly what happened. Prince Corcc remained in Pictland until he had seven sons and an immense fortune. One of his sons founded the <i>Eoganacht</i> kin-group of Circinn, and was possibly the ancestor of the Pictish king Angus mac Fergus.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> S</span>everal sources name Mongfinn’s son Cairbre, while the Book of the Hui Maine says the son was Main, but there were three other sons attributed to Corc and Mongfinn, all born in Alba. The full name of Feradach’s daughter was apparently Leamhain Mongfionn, and she had by Corc, Cairbre Cruithenech<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">á</span>n of Circinn and Maine Leamhna. The latter was ancestor of the Mormaers of Lennox, around Loch Lomond.<br />
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What has this to do with Turin? Corc ended up apparently at the fortress of a Pictish leader named <b>Feradach</b>. The stronghold was named <span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16px;"><b><i>Turin brighe na Righe</i></b>. T</span>he name may be coincidental, but it is still impressive. Corc married Mongfinn, daughter of the Pictish king, stayed ten years sojourn in Alba, and had three sons. In three manuscript versions of the descendents of Eber <span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">in the </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">Psalter of Cashel</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">, </span></span>one of these says that Cairbre Cruithinechan (“Pict Sprung”) was ancestor of the Eoganacht of Magh Circinn. </div>
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Whether or not the tales hold water, they are nevertheless intriguing, and ultimately perhaps unprovable. I have provided Vernam Hull's full translation of one version of the tale of Corc below for anyone interested. The first part of the tale is mission, but the story is interesting all the same.<br />
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<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">The Exile of Conall Corc</i></div>
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...Dublin and saw the ships going over the sea. He went with them eastwards over the sea and perceived the mountains of Scotland. They let him go onto the land. He went to a mountain in the west of Scotland. Much snow descended on him so that it reached his girdle. For five days he was without drink and without food until he cast himself down in a dying condition in a glen.<br />
Gruibne the scholar, the poet of Feradach, king of Scotland, came, twelve horsemen strong, into the glen to seek his pigs. He beheld a lap of his mantle above the snow.<br />
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"A dead man!" he said. He saw that his body was [still] warm. "Frost has done that to the man," said the poet. "Kindle a fire around him in order that his limbs will be able to rise."</div>
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That was done so that he steamed. Suddenly he arose.</div>
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"Steady, O warrior," Gruibne said. "Do not fear anything."</div>
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Then, on beholding his countenance, Gruibne spoke as follows:"Welcome, O fair Conall Corc who took each land in the west beyond the region of the sea. Here, the ocean confused you so that sleep stretches you out. A host with silent troops of valor uttered a heavy cry for nine hours so that you were unable to find a word. Good [is] the meeting to which I am destined, [namely], that you came upon me [and] that you did not abide upon the surface of another land. [It was] a plan of sin that sword-ends were brought for your betrayal over the flatness of your body. ..of Lugaid mac Ailella. With honor he was honored. . . O mighty Corc about whom firebrands raise a cry,for fair Cashel protects you so that it will be over Femen that you will rule with fine feasting. Well will you suppress bad weather. In Munster-of the-great-hosts you will receive hostages so that you will be the lion of Loch Lein. Your fame will fill Ireland's vast plain and the race of Oengus above the surface of each land. The adze-heads will come over the sea's ocean with hooks of crooked staves." Actually the poet who had recited the poetic composition was one of the two captives whom Corc had protected from the Leinstermen. Then he put both his arms around him."It were indeed fitting for us," he said, "to welcome you. Who," said he, "saw to your advantage by means of the Ogham writing which is on your shield?" It was not good fortune that it indicated." <br />
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"What is on it?" said Corc.</div>
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"This is on it: If it be during the day that you might go to Feradach, your head is to be removed before it were evening. If it be in the night, your head is to be removed before it were morning. Not thus will it be."</div>
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Afterwards, he bore him with him to his own house, and a hurdle [was] under him, and eight men [were] under the hurdle. On that day a month later, he went forthwith to speak with Feradach, and he left Corc outside. He related to him his whole story, namely, how he went to seek his pigs, and he said that he had intended to kill the man. When he saw the Ogham writing on the shield, he was loath to slay him, for this was on it: "A son of the king of Munster has come to you. If it be during the day that he might come, your daughter is to be given to him before evening. If it be in the night, she is to sleep with him before morning." </div>
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"The news is bad," said Feradach. "Anyone would indeed be sad that you have brought him alive."</div>
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"Gruibne bound his equal weight in silver on Feradach and brought him in. That one offered him a great welcome. But the daughter was not given to him, for Feradach said that he would not grant his daughter to a hireling soldier . . . from abroad. This availed him hot, because the couple had intercourse with each other so that the woman became pregnant by him, and she was brought<br />
down, and bore him a son. She did not admit that it was Corc's. They intended to burn her [and] the men of Scotland came for the burning. It was formerly a custom that any maiden who committed fornication without bethrothal was burnt. Hence, these hills are [named] Mag Breoa, that is Mag Breg. Then the men of Scotland besought a respite for the girl to the end of a year until her son<br />
had assumed the form, voice or habit of the sept.</div>
<div>
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At the end of a year they came to burn her. "I will not bring your son to you," said she.</div>
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<div>
"You shall, however, bring him," said he, "into the presence of Feradach."</div>
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When, then, she was about to be burned, she brought him before both of them.</div>
<div>
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"O woman," said Feradach, "does the boy belong to Corc?"</div>
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"He does," said the woman.</div>
<div>
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"I will not take him from you," said Corc, "for he is a bastard until his grandfather gives him."</div>
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"I do indeed give him to you," said Feradach. "The son is yours."</div>
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"Now he will be accepted," said Corc.</div>
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"Go forth, O woman," said Feradach, "and you shall have no luck."</div>
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"She shall, however, not go," said Corc, "since she is not guilty."</div>
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"She is, nevertheless, guilty," said Feradach.</div>
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"But she is not guilty," said Corc. "To each son [belongs] his mother. On her son falls her misdeed, that is, on her womb."</div>
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"Let the son, therefore, be expelled," said Feradach.</div>
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"He shall indeed not be expelled," said Corc, "since that youth has not attained manhood. For the son will pay for her offence."</div>
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"You have saved them both," said Feradach.</div>
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"That will be fortunate," said Corc.</div>
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"Well, O Corc,"said Feradach, "sleep with your wife. It is you whom we would have chosen for her, if we had had a choice."' I will pay her price to the men of Scotland."</div>
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That was done. He remained in the east until she had born him three sons.</div>
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"Well, O Corc," said Feradach, "take your sons and your wife with you to your country, for it is sad that they should be outside of their land. Take the load of three men of silver with you. Let thirty warriors accompany you."</div>
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That was done. He came from the east, thirty warriors strong, until he reached Mag Femin. There, snow descended upon them so that it led them astray at Cnocc Graffand. His father was infirm.That brought them northwards into the north of Mag [Femin].</div>
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On that day, the swineherd of Aed, the king of Muscraige, was tending his pigs. That night, he said to Aed: "I saw a wonder today," said he, "on these ridges in the north. I beheld a yew-bush on a stone, and I perceived a small oratory in front of it and a flagstone before it. Angels were in attendance going up and down from the flagstone."<br />
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"Verily," said the druid of Aed," that will be the residence of the king of Munster forever, and he who shall first kindle a fire under that yew, from him shall descend the kingship of Munster."</div>
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"Let us go to light it," said Aed.</div>
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"Let us wait until morning," said the druid.</div>
<div>
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[Thither] then came the aforesaid Corc in his wanderings.He kindled a fire for his wife and for his sons so that Aed found him on the following day by his fire with his sons about him. He recognized him then, and he gave him a great welcome, and he put his son in surety under his custody. When,<br />
now, after the death of his father there was contention about the kingship of Munster, then Corc came. Thereupon, a residence was at once established by him in Cashel and before the end of a week, he was the undisputed king of the Munstermen.</div>
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The surety of the Muscraige is the first surety that a king of Munster ever took, and, afterwards, they were freed, and a queen of theirs [was]in Cashel. Moreover, the swineherd who was found in Cashel, freedom was given to him and to his children by the king of Cashel, that is, without tribute and without exaction of king or steward. It is he, too, who raises the cry of kingship for the king of Cashel, and is given a blessing by the king, and straightway receives the garment of the king. Hence it is, then, that Corc's Cashel exists, and it is the progeny and the seed of Corc mac Lugthach that abides forever in Cashel from that time forth.<br />
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Sources Consulted</h3>
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<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">'Survey Work on Turin Hill, Angus,' Derek Alexander with Ian Ralston, </span><i>Tayside and Fife Archaeological Journal</i>, 5 (1999), pp. 36-49.<br />
<br />
<i>The Picts</i>, Benjamin Hudson (Chichester, 2014), pp. 67-68.<br />
<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Men of the North</span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">, R. Cunliffe Shaw (Preston, 1973), pp. 200-1.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="fontstyle0">'T</span>he Exile of Conall Corc,' Vernam Hull, <i>Proceedings of the Modern Language Association of America</i>, 56, No. 4 (Dec., 1941), pp. 937-950.</div>
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<div>
<i>Angus or Forfarshire</i>, Alexander Warden (vol. 2, Dundee, 1881), p. 290.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
<i>Angus or Forfarshire</i>, Alexander Warden (vol. 5, Dundee, 1885), pp. 100-1.</div>
<br />
<a href="https://canmore.org.uk/site/34899/turin-hill">https://canmore.org.uk/site/34899/turin-hill</a></div>
</div>
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</div>
Keith Colemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435885427062349047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030692967135623861.post-85560192648405106932020-06-29T23:01:00.001+01:002020-06-30T08:36:29.264+01:00A Pictish Timeline in Angus<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This article provides a very basic summary of events
in Angus during the 'Pictish centuries'. More details can be found in previous
posts detailed at the bottom of this page. I leave out possible very early Irish settlement in Angus as this is not datable and will be covered in separate articles.</div>
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<b>The Fifth Century<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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I have posted several times before about the province
of Circinn (which may have comprised Angus and the Mearns) and the supposition
that Angus may be named after the powerful warlord Angus mac Fergus. Other
rulers may have been based in our area, such as the 5th century king <b>Nechtan
Morbet</b>, who possibly gave his name to Dunnichen. This piece merely
summarises some other Pictish associations of the area, without providing a
full overview of Angus in its context as a Pictish region.</div>
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<b>The Sixth Century<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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The <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>mid 6<sup>th</sup>
century represents the historical
horizon for Pictland. The dominant leader was <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Brude mac Maelchon</b>, whose main power base was certainly north of
the Grampians and probably located near Inverness. Despite the fact that he is
said to have authorised the settlement of St Columba in Iona, he and the saint
had a combative encounter at his stronghold and he likely resisted the pressure to convert to Christianity, albeit some sources state that he did succumb to the new religion.</div>
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We do not know for certain whether Brude ruled south of the mountains. He may have claimed over-lordship in the area. There is an intriguing entry in the Irish <i>Annals of Tigernach </i>under the year 752: </div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The battle of Asreth in the land of Circen, between the Picts on both sides; and in it Brude, Maelchon's son fell.</blockquote>
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<o:p> It has been suggested, probably correctly, that this notice is misplaced and that it should be under the year 584. There has been speculation that the powerful king of </o:p>Dál Riata, <b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Áedán mac </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Gabr</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b>áin</b>, launched an attack on southern Pictland towards the close of the 6th century in order to bolster the succession of his own son <b>Gartnait</b> as king of Picts. Gartnait may well have had a Pictish mother and been eligible for the crown, but if so the intrusion of these Scottish outsiders did not go unchallenged.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"> The </span><i>Annals of Tigernach </i>again tell us about a major event, which seems to have been a very bloody battle fought somewhere in the region of Strathmore:<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The slaughter of the sons of <span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Áedán, namely Bran and Domangart and Eochaid Find and Arthur, in the battle of Circhend; in which </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16px;">Áedán was conquered.</span></blockquote>
This was a rare defeat for the Scottish king and may have taken place around the year 590. The alliance of the brothers suggests that they were embarked on an enterprise to carve out territories for themselves in southern Pictland. It is possible that their defeat was more significant than has generally been supposed and that it prevented a large scale Scottish (that is Irish/Gaelic) takeover of the region.<br />
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<b>The Seventh Century</b></h3>
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The Northumbrian English did have control over a large part of southern Pictland by the middle of the 7th century, though it is perhaps unlikely that they were able to occupy any large part of the territory. Their nominal border was the River Forth, though it seems that they were able to exact tribute from the Picts and may have installed compliant, puppet rulers over Pictish provinces.</div>
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The ruler <b>Brudei</b> was a son of the British king of Dumbarton, Bili, and had connections with the Scots also. The biographer of St Columba, Adomn<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16px;">án, was a particular friend of his. We can't recover all the details which led him to make war on the Northumbrian overlords, but it was a spectacular success, culminating with the <b>Battle of Dunnichen </b>in 685, otherwise known as<b> Nechtansmere</b> and <b>Llyn Garan</b>. I have written elsewhere about this decisive encounter and expressed the belief that it was indeed a battle which took place in Angus, rather than a suggestion that it took place at Dunnachton in northern Pictland. The latter suggestion is based on the historian Bede's assertion that the English king Ecgfrith and his army were lured between precipitous mountain passes and annihilated there. While Angus is not highly mountainous, I believe Bede's version was based on orally remembered and exaggerated survivors' tales. Just like the battle mention a century before, this famous victory guaranteed the survival of Pictish independence and culture for several more centuries.</span></div>
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<b>The Eighth Century</b></h3>
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As mentioned above, the common belief is that
the county of Angus takes its name from king <b>Angus mac Fergus</b>,
properly <b>Onuist mac Urguist</b>). Angus died in the year
761. There has been speculation that Angus was Scottish in descent rather
than Pictish and that his name implies that he was linked with one of the three
tribes of Dál Riata. This tribe, the <i>Cenél nÓengusa</i>, had
their main territory in the island of Islay. The name of the latter may
have been transferred to the Isla, the river which separates Angus from Gowrie
in Perthshire.<br />
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Boundaries were sometimes regarded as sacred places and certainly liminal areas where the gap between the physical world and the Otherworld was very thin. Such seems to be the case here in Glen Isla. In an Irish tract which reproduced the 9th century Welsh <i>Historia Brittonum </i>we hear about the Wonders of Alba, which include:<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
a valley in Angus, in which shouting is heard every Monday night; Glen Ailbe is its name, and it is not known who makes the noise.</blockquote>
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The Pictish king named <b>Brude, Der-ile's son</b>, is of
interest here. Der-ile or Der-ili is an Irish name meaning 'daughter of the
Isla' or 'daughter of Islay'. Brude's brother was <b>Nechtan Der-ile</b>.
He evidently had a power base at Dunnichen and invited clerics from Northumbria
to visit him there. Do we have faint evidence of a Pictish kindred based in
Angus? Both brothers may have been involved in a civil war which raged through
southern Pictland. There is mention too of a third brother, <b>Kenneth</b> or <b>Cinaed</b>,
who was slaughtered in unknown circumstances in the year 713, along with the
otherwise unknown 'son of Mathgernan'.</div>
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Angus himself may have been militarily active in our area. The following
notice, from the <i>Annals of Tigernach</i>, in the year 729, may
refer to a skirmish which took place at Kinblethmont, not far north of
Arbroath:</div>
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The battle of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Druimm-Derg-
Blathung</i> [took place] between Picts, namely Drust and Angus, the king of
the Picts; and Drust was killed there, on the twelfth day of the month of
August.</blockquote>
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<b>The Ninth Century</b></h3>
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According to one version of the foundation
story of St Andrews, there was a royal site on the Angus coast, at '<b>Moneclatu</b>,
which is now called <b>Monichi </b>[Monikie]' It was here that
Pictish queen Findchaem (or Finchem) gave birth to a daughter named
Mouren. The place has not been identified archaeologically and it does not seem
there was a continuing royal site here which was used by rulers after the union
of the Picts and Scots. To the west of here however is the parish of Monifieth,
which was associated with the early church. There was a settlement of Culdees
here and the land was gifted to them by the Celtic Earls of Angus.</div>
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There is precious information about the Pictish
twilight in our area, or whether the <i>mormaers</i>, or 'great stewards'
who controlled the area on behalf of the Scottish king (and who gradually
became earls), had Pictish as well as Gaelic blood. While there may have been
some Irish infiltration into Pictland at an early date - perhaps in the 5th or
6th century - we can probably say that Gaelic did not become the primary
language in Angus until the late 9th century. It only enjoyed a primacy of
around three centuries before it started to retreat.</div>
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<b>Some Previous Posts on the Picts</b></h3>
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<a href="https://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2015/05/who-exactly-is-this-angus-person-anyway.html">Who
Exactly Is This Angus Person Anyway?</a></div>
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<a href="https://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2016/02/the-early-church-in-monikie-monifieth.html">The
Early Church in Monikie, Monifieth and A Girl Named Mouren</a></div>
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<a href="https://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2017/10/the-drosten-stone-and-st-vigeans.html">The
Drosten Stone and St Vigeans</a></div>
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<a href="https://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2019/03/the-dargie-kirk-earliest-church-north.html">The
Dargie Kirk - Earliest Christian Church North of the Tay</a></div>
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<a href="https://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2016/02/in-search-of-king-nechtan-in-angus.html">In
Search of King Nechtan in Angus and Elsewhere</a></div>
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<a href="https://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2017/01/the-dwindling-and-extinction-of-gaelic.html">The
Dwindling and Extinction of Gaelic in Angus</a></div>
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<a href="https://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2015/08/dundees-name-and-early-irish-settlers.html">Dundee's
Name and Early Irish Settlers</a></div>
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<a href="https://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2019/10/inchbrayock-holy-island-of-montrose.html">Inchbraoch,
the Holy Island of Montrose</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2018/05/the-battle-of-dun-nechtain-rearguard.html">The Battle of Dún Nechtain, A Rearguard Action in Defence of Dunnichen</a></div>
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Illustrations in this article are from Kirriemuir Pictish
stones in John Stuart's <i>Sculptured Stones of Scotland </i>(1856).</div>
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Keith Colemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435885427062349047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030692967135623861.post-61839302460564533812020-06-09T14:11:00.000+01:002020-06-09T14:14:18.946+01:00Disappointed Love - A Dundee Tragedy<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The following story is true, or allegedly true: the suicide of a young, spurned lady who took her own life in the pre-Victorian age in Dundee. Her death was the subject of a broadsheet printed and circulated in the town, which became so popular it was reprinted in Edinburgh. While the supposed missive from the doomed young woman, who took her life on 28th July, 1823, has all the styling of a lurid bit of fictional prose, we are assured it is real. If so, how did the the broadside publisher get hold of it, and what was the effect on the family?</div>
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The young lady is said to have hanged herself in her own bedroom following her betrayed by this unnamed naval Captain. The reader is advised to decide for themselves whether it is a true story or not.</div>
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Dear Captain - if my exhausted spirits would support my
trembling hand, whilst I write a few lines to ease a broken heart, it would be
the last office I should require them to do. Then they may leave me; then may I
find in the grave a retreat from the scorn of men. How is my gold become dim,
and my most fine gold become dross. I do
not now command you by awful name of virtue, to accuse you of the basest
ingratitude; ah no! the scene is entirely changed; you have robbed me - cruelly
robbed me of the brightest gem in the female’s character, and I come as an
humble supplicant; Is this possible - am
I awake, or do I dream? Ah! poor deluded girl, think not what you were, but
what you are; how can I rest from calling to remembrance those days of
innocence and peace, when, with a serene countenance and sincere heart I could look
up to heaven , and beg that the God of purity would be my protector; but ah!
how am I changed, how is my virtue faded, how doth conscience guilt fill my soul,
while blushes cover my face; sad reflections on my present state hurry me to mediate
on the future, which opens so tremendous a scene to my view, as to strike me
back in doleful remembrance of the past.<br />
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Now Whither
shall I fly to find relief?</div>
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What charitable
hand will aid me now?</div>
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What stay my
failing steps, support my ruins,</div>
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And heal my
wounded hand with balmy comfort.</div>
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If I fly to my parents, who were once my comfort, they,
bathed in tears, cry out, you have brought our grey hairs with sorrow to the
grave, - If, to get one moment’s ease, I wander into the fields, every flower I
see seems to say, We are pure. Thus is all nature armed against me. And on
whose account do I seem to be forsaken by heaven and earth? - on your account,
who strove to gain my affections, and become master of them; and now you
triumph over me - laugh at me, for trusting to your honour, and putting
confidence in your word!<br />
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-O
inconstant men!</div>
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How will you promise! - how deceive!</div>
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O hypocrisy! how couldest thou wear so winning a form!
Generosity where art thou fled? Honour, hast thou forsaken the human race? Look
on my distress, O my God. Dispise me not, O my friends, Forgive me, my
distressed parents; then may the cold grave receive me into its peaceful
recesses, where my shame may be buried in eternal oblivion. Now, if your heart
be not as hard as adamant, if your conscience is not seared with a hot iron,
some past scenes must appear to your view. I do not now summon you to appear at
His awful tribunal; I find you are still too near my heart; for all your
cruelty to me, my return is - May you, in the hour of death find consolation
from your God and Judge, you have denied to your AMELIA
H.</div>
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P.S. With soothing wiles you won my easy heart,</div>
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You sigh’d, you vow’d, but, ah! you
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Sure of all fiends the blackest we
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Are you ingrates, that stab our
peace of mind.</div>
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Keith Colemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435885427062349047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030692967135623861.post-73129902738693198832020-05-27T19:53:00.000+01:002020-05-27T20:07:25.563+01:00The Brownie o' Fern Den Revisited<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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By way of a slight return, I am bringing another version of the classic Angus tale to you in this post. I last gave a version of this story in October 2015 (it can be read <a href="https://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2015/10/the-brownie-of-fern-den.html">here</a>). The version below is taken from Elizabeth Wilson Grierson's 1910 work <i>The Scottish Fairy Book</i>.<br />
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There have been many Brownies known in Scotland ; and stories have been written about the Brownie o’ Bodsbeck and the Brownie o’ Blednock, but about neither of them has a prettier story been told than that which I am going to tell you about the Brownie o’ Ferne-Den.</div>
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Now, Ferne-Den was a farmhouse, which got its name from the glen, or “den,” on the edge of which it stood, and through which anyone who wished to reach the dwelling had to pass.</div>
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And this glen was believed to be the abode of a Brownie, who never appeared to anyone in the daytime, but who, it was said, was sometimes seen at night, stealing about, like an ungainly shadow, from tree to tree, trying to keep from observation, and never, by any chance, harming anybody.</div>
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Indeed, like all Brownies that are properly treated and let alone, so far was he from harming anybody that he was always on the look-out to do a good turn to those who needed his assistance.' The farmer often said that he did not know what he would do without him; for if there was any work to be finished in a hurry at the farm—oorn to thrash, or winnow, or tie up into bags, turnips to cut, clothes to wash, a kirn to be kirned, a garden to be weeded—all that the farmer and his wife had to do was to leave the door of the barn, or the turnip shed, or the milk house open when they went to bed, and put down a bowl of new milk on the doorstep for the Brownie’s supper, and when they woke the next morning the bowl would be empty, and the job finished better than if it had been done by mortal hands.</div>
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In spite of all this, however, which might have proved to them how gentle and kindly the Creature really was, everyone about the place was afraid of him, and would rather go a couple of miles round about in the dark, when they were coming home from Kirk or Market, than pass through the glen, and run the risk of catching a glimpse of him.</div>
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I said that they were all afraid of him, but that was not true, for the farmer’s wife was so good and gentle that she was not afraid of anything on God’s earth, and when the Brownie’s supper had to be left outside, she always filled his bowl with the richest milk, and added a good spoonful of cream to it, for, said she, “He works so hard for us, and asks no wages, he well deserves the very best meal that we can give him.”</div>
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One night this gentle lady was taken very ill, and everyone was afraid that she was going to die. Of course, her husband was greatly distressed, and so were her servants, for she had been such a good Mistress to them that they loved her as if she had been their mother. But they were all young, and none of them knew very much about illness, and everyone agreed that it would be better to send off for an old woman who lived about seven miles away on the other side of the river, who was known to be a very skilful nurse.</div>
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But who was to go? That was the question. For it was black midnight, and the way to the old woman’s house lay straight through the glen. And whoever travelled that road ran the risk of meeting the dreaded Brownie.</div>
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The farmer would have gone only too willingly, but he dare not leave his wife alone; and the servants stood in groups about the kitchen, each one telling the other that he ought to go, yet no one offering to go themselves.</div>
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Little did they think that the cause of all their terror, a queer, wee, misshapen little man, all covered with hair, with a long beard, red-rimmed eyes, broad, flat feet, just like the feet of a paddock, and enormous long arms that touched the ground, even when he stood upright, was within a yard or two of them, listening to their talk, with an anxious face, behind the kitchen door.</div>
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For he had come up as usual, from his hiding-place in the glen, to see if there were any work for him to do, and to look for his bowl of milk. And he had seen, from the open door and lit-up windows, that there was something wrong inside the farmhouse, which at that hour was wont to be dark, and still, and silent; and he had crept into the entry to try and find out what the matter was.</div>
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When he gathered from the servants' talk that the Mistress, whom he loved so dearly, and who had been so kind to him, was ill, his heart sank within him; and when he heard that the silly servants were so taken np with their own fears that they dared not set out to fetch a nurse for her, his contempt and anger knew no bounds.</div>
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“Fools, idiots, dolts!" he muttered to himself, stamping his queer, misshapen feet on the floor. “They speak as if a body were ready to take a bite off them as soon as ever he met them. .If they only knew the bother it gives me to keep out of their road they wouldna be so silly. But, by my troth, if they go on like this, the bonnie lady will die amongst their fingers. So it strikes me that Brownie must e'en gang himself."</div>
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So saying, he reached up his hand, and took down a dark cloak which belonged to the farmer, which was hanging on a peg on the wall, and, throwing it over his head and shoulders, or as somewhat to hide his ungainly form, he hurried away to the stable, and saddled and bridled the fleetest-footed horse that stood there.</div>
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When the last buckle was fastened, he led it to the door, and scrambled on its back. “Now, if ever thou travelledst fleetly, travel fleetly now," he said; and it was as if the creature understood him, for it gave a little whinny and pricked up its ears; then it darted out into the darkness like an arrow from the bow.</div>
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In less time than the distance had ever been ridden in before, the Brownie drew rein at the old woman's cottage.</div>
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She was in bed, fast asleep; but he rapped sharply on the window, and when she rose and put her old face, framed in its white mutch, close to the pane to ask who was there, he bent forward and told her his errand.</div>
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“Thou must come with me, Goodwife, and that quickly,” he commanded, in his deep, harsh voice, “if the Lady of Ferne-Den's life is to be saved; for there is no one to nurse her up-bye at the farm there, save a lot of empty-headed servant wenches.”</div>
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“But how am I to get there? Have they sent a cart for me?” asked the old woman anxiously; for, as far as she could see, there was nothing at the door save a horse and its rider.</div>
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“No, they have sent no cart,” replied the Brownie, shortly. “So you must just climb up behind me on the saddle, and hang on tight to my waist, and I'll promise to land ye at Ferne-Den safe and sound.”</div>
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His voice was so masterful that the old woman dare not refuse to do as she was bid; besides, she had often ridden pillion-wise when she was a lassie, so she made haste to dress herself, and when she was ready she unlocked her door, and, mounting the louping-on stane that stood beside it, she was soon seated behind the dark-cloaked stranger, with her arms clasped tightly round him.</div>
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Not a word was spoken till they approached the dreaded glen, then the old woman felt her courage giving way. “Do ye think that there will be any chance of meeting the Brownie?” she asked timidly. “I would fain not run the risk, for folk say that he is an unchancy creature.”</div>
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Her companion gave a curious laugh. "Keep up your heart, and dinna talk havers," he said, "for I promise ye ye'll see naught uglier this night than the man whom ye ride behind."<br />
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"Oh, then, I'm fine and safe," replied the old woman, with a sigh of relief; "for although I havena' seen your face, I warrant that ye are[210] a true man, for the care you have taken of a poor old woman."<br />
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She relapsed into silence again till the glen was passed and the good horse had turned into the farmyard. Then the horseman slid to the ground, and, turning round, lifted her carefully down in his long, strong arms. As he did so the cloak slipped off him, revealing his short, broad body and his misshapen limbs.<br />
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"In a' the world, what kind o' man are ye?" she asked, peering into his face in the grey morning light, which was just dawning. "What makes your eyes so big? And what have ye done to your feet? They are more like paddock's webs than aught else."<br />
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The queer little man laughed again. "I've wandered many a mile in my time without a horse to help me, and I've heard it said that ower much walking makes the feet unshapely," he replied. "But waste no time in talking, good Dame. Go thy way into the house; and, hark'ee, if anyone asks thee who brought thee hither so quickly, tell them that there was a lack of men, so thou hadst e'en to be content to ride behind the BROWNIE O' FERNE-DEN."</div>
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Fern Kirk</div>
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Keith Colemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435885427062349047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030692967135623861.post-74287980373882830642020-05-07T07:09:00.001+01:002020-12-03T20:17:19.435+00:00Forgotten Sons of Angus - The Amazing Dr Kinloch; Saved by A Black Cat!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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One of the most fascinating characters of the reign of James VI in Angus was Dr David Kinloch, a native of Dundee. Despite his prominence he receives little attention in standard works on Scottish medicine. He is given one sentence in John Comrie's <i>History of Scottish Medicine</i> (2 vols., 1932) and in David Hamilton's book <i>The Healers</i>, being afforded only the following scant notice:<br />
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Another physician who travelled dangerously was <b>Dundee's David Kinloch (1559-1617)</b>, M. A. (St Andrews) M. D. (Paris), a writers in obstetrics and a poet. When travelling in Spain he was seized by the Inquisition, but his execution was delayed by the illness of the Inquisitor. Kinloch, the legend goes, sent a message (via a black cat) successfully offering his services and advice, and on the recovery of the Inquisitor, he was allowed to go free.</blockquote>
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Kinloch's Background and Upbringing</h3>
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Kinloch descended from a family in Fife, taking their name from the barony of Kinloch, and his mother was a Ramsay and his maternal grandmother was a Lindsay, related to the Earls of Crawford, who were major landholders in Angus. There are records of medical men named Kinloch (two Williams and a John) in Dundee preceding his time and Dr Buist believed that these were from the same family, but was unsure of the exact relationship between them. Sir Alexander Kinloch of that Ilk succeeded to the barony in the 16th century. There is some uncertainty about the immediate ancestors of Dr Kinloch. His great-grandfather was probably James Kinloch, treasurer of Dundee. One writer states that Sir Alexander's s brother George had several sons, including David, a seaman of Dundee, father of the doctor. The following is from <i>The History of Old Dundee</i> (p. 164):<br />
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His family had for some time occupied the position of substantial burgesses. William, [Dr Kinloch's] father, was employed by the Council on an important mission regarding the capture of an English ship in 1563, and he held possession in 1581 of 'the land lying on the north side of the windmill,' as also of 'the meadow lying on the north side of the burial place,' which had been part of the Gray Friars' lands, and continued to be called Kinloch's meadow long after it was acquired by the town. </blockquote>
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The writer of the above, Alexander Maxwell, believed that David Kinloch was the doctor's grandfather. Another source states that Dr Kinloch's father was named John. In 1567, there is record of a Thomas Kinloch in Dundee, master of a ship named <i>The Primrose</i>. It is likely the marine link continued in some branch of the family, since there is mention of a ship associated with Dundee named <i>The Good Fortune</i> in 1615. Whoever his father, David Kinloch was born in Dundee in 1559 and he attended St Andrews University in 1576, but he did not graduate.<br />
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Foreign Travel</h3>
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Like many other Scots, Kinloch went to Europe to finish his education. He seems to have studied in Montpellier and there is a reference to the city of Rennes in Brittany in the brieve letter detailed below. Kinloch is said to have made connections with the French royal court.</div>
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The brieve letter or passport was granted to David Kinloch, on March 20th, 1596, bearing the signature of King James VI. It advises that Dr. Kinloch is going to reside for some years in Rennes and vouches for the fact that he is of noble blood, as is indicated by the coats of arms appended to the passport showing his descent and by a short detailed account of his genealogy. The Kinloch family are described as of moderate knightly rank. The arms show the coats of Kinloch (differenced for a third son), Ramsay, the Earls of Crawford, and the Hay family.</div>
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The Inquisition</h3>
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There does not seem to be any early account of Dr Kinloch's misadventures in Europe. But the following account (from <i>Roll of Eminent Burgesses of Dundee</i>,<i> </i>Dundee, 1887, p. 93), gives a good summary:</div>
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During his second voyage it was his misfortune to fall into the hands of the Spanish Inquisition, by whom he was condemned to death as a heretic. The consistent tradition still current in the family relates that his execution was delayed for some time, and that when he inquired as to the cause of his protracted imprisonment, he was informed that it had been intended to make him one of the victims of an <i>auto da fe</i>, but that the illness of the Grand Inquisitor had prevented the accomplishment of this purpose. He then disclosed the fact that he was a practitioner of medicine. and discreetly suggested that it might be within his power to bring about the recovery of this high official. As the case was a desperate one, his suggestion was adopted, and, through the exercise of his skill, he was enabled to restore the patient to health. The grateful dignitary not only set KINLOCH at liberty, but also loaded him with marks of special favour, and procured for him one of the Orders reserved for nobles of the higher rank. The portrait of Dr KINLOCH, which is now at Logie House, shows him in his robes as a physician. bearing the decoration which he had thus gained by his ability.</blockquote>
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Kinloch seems to have been accused of Lutheran heresy by two Englishmen in Madrid. These men had known him in France, but Kinloch lodged a defence that he was a true Catholic, as was well known in that country. He further claimed that he had only assumed the guise of being a Protestant in France to further his pursuit of a Breton lady named Mademoiselle de Malot. The Inquisition records reveal that the doctor was submitted to torture, but they also give praise about his medical abilities and his pleasant personality.</div>
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There is some mystery about what he was doing in Spain and he certainly must have been aware of the potential danger he was facing before he entered that country. It is possible that Kinloch was on a mission for King James VI. The king had appointed him Mediciner in 1597 and there is the suggestion that he had conducted missions abroad for the monarch. Was he is Spain to sound out the possibility of securing a marriage alliance with the Infanta and James's son Prince Charles? It is unlikely that we will ever know for certain. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">A depiction of the Inquisition in action in Portugal</td></tr>
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Dr Kinloch evidently brought home from Spain a set of Inquisition thumbscrews which were kept as an heirloom by successive generations of the Kinloch family. (They were lent to an exhibition in Glasgow by descendant Major-General Kinloch. See <i>Palace of History, Catalogue of Exhibits</i>, vol. 2 (Glasgow, 1911), p. 949.)</div>
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Further details about the ordeal of Dr Kinloch were uncovered in Spanish archives in 1998 by Laura Adam and Adam Yagui-Beltran and an account of the findings published in <i>The Innes Review</i>. Although Kinloch passed details of his abysmal treatment in Spain to his family and the true legend was passed down the generations, he left no full account of the depth of suffering which he endured there. Some measure of his suffering can perhaps be gleaned by having reference to his fellow Scot, William Lithgow, who was arrested in Malaga several decades after. He was nearly tortured to death by the Inquisition and was only saved by the ministrations of two slaves. Sentenced to death for being a heretic Calvanist, he was only saved by the intercession of the town's governor. He went back to Scotland, having lost the use of his left arm, and wrote a full account of his time under the Inquisition and journeys, <i>The Totall Discourse of the Rare Adventures and Painefull Peregrinations of Long Nineteene Years Travayles </i>(1632).</div>
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Legend of the Black Cat</h3>
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While in prison, Dr Kinloch heard that the Grand Inquisitor had fallen ill and he resolved to pass a message to him by means of writing a message to the authorities, offering his medical services, and attaching it to the prison cat. This tale too may have been passed down through the Kinloch generations. It has all the hallmarks of a folk tale, but I can find no very early version of the story. Her is a summary given by K. G. Lowe:</div>
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his life was only spared by his curing the Grand Inquisitor who had lain 'dying of a strange fever'. Apparently Kinloch hearing of the strange illness tied a message to the tail of a black cat with which he shared his daily ration and sent it through the bars of his cell, fortunately reaching the right quarter.</blockquote>
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The Later Years: Honours, Plague, Trouble with the Law</h3>
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<span style="background-color: #f2f2f2; font-family: "arial" , "verdana" , "univers"; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;"> </span> Kinloch became a burgess of Dundee on 17th February, 1602, and settled in the burgh. Kinloch's wife Grissel was daughter of Hay of Gourdie and related to the Hays of Errol. They marries several years earlier, following Kinloch's return from Europe. The couple had two sons and a daughter. Their house stood on the west side of Couttie's Wynd, near the present Union Street in Dundee. (The house was apparently leased to a another physician, William Ferguson, when the doctor was abroad. His first wife, Eupham, was Dr Kinloch's sister.)<br />
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A great 'pest' attacked the city of Dundee in 1607, which is likely to have been typhus rather than bubonic plague, though its effects were just as deadly. A great many inhabitants were carried away and Dr Kinloch's services would have been greatly in demand. Among those he attempted to save was the brother of eminent Dundonian Peter Goldman, who wrote a vivid description on the disease ravaged burgh.<br />
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Dr Kinloch's land holding is described in Council Minutes: 'his foreland lay foreanent the wind mill' at Yeaman Shore. In 1610 the council took action against the family because of an alleged encroachment upon the public road. According to Alexander Maxwell:<br />
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He had already made an encroachment upon another man's right, by striking furth a window in a mutual gable without obtaining his leave, but was obliged to become bound 'to condemn and to close up the licht at sic time as it should please' his neighbour to raise his house higher. [<i>The History of Old Dundee</i>, p. 163.]</blockquote>
The couple apparently then engaged tradesmen to engage on surreptitious building work: 'under silence of nicht, to big ane pillar [or wall] of stone wark upon the common street and bounds thereof, betwix his tenement and the windmill'. At a meeting of the burgh council on 17th July, 1610, three masons stated, 'that before sunrising at the command of Griseld Hay, the spouse of Dr David,' they illegally built a pillar of stone work adjacent to the common road. They were fined £5 and ordered to:<br />
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demolish the said pillar to the ground and restore the common gait on passage to the auld estate.</blockquote>
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However, the row escalated to the Privy Council. Kinloch complained in 16th August that the Dundee baillies William Ferguson and Walter Rollok had cast down a 'prettie piller of stone werk' which he had erected on his own land 'for setting thairon of his banefire'. It is perhaps a measure of Kinloch's standing that the town authorities could not reproach him directly regarding his unauthorised building work but had to target his hapless builders. It's possible there may have been some earlier complications with Kinloch trying to remove Dr Ferguson from his house.<br />
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A measure of Kinloch's kindliness is perhaps preserved in another record from the Privy Council, where he was indirectly involved in another incident in the year 1613. A man named James Baldovie complained that his ward had been abducted by a suitor called John Ramsay. But Margaret gave evidence of his own assent in the matter, stating that it was 'hir awne propir will and motive' that she left James and went directly to Dr Kinloch in Dundee, whom she described as her friend. She stated firmly that she intended to marry John and the Privy Council found in her favour. I would guess perhaps that the young lady was a relative of Dr Kinloch's family on his mother's side.<br />
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David Kinloch purchased the lands of Aberbothrie Bardmony and Leitfie in Perthshire from Patrick Lord Gray, which were confirmed by a charter of James VI in 1616. He also purchased the estate of Balmyle and changed its name to Kinloch. This became the main residence of the family for several centuries.The original house, near Meigle in Strathmore, was destroyed by fire. A replacement mansion was built in 1797, but passed from the hands of the Kinloch family. The building was latterly turned into a hotel.</div>
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Death and Memorial in The Howff</h3>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;">It is likely that death came fairly suddenly to Kinloch and not after a long illness, for two months before his death on 10th September, 1617, he received permission to venture abroad. He was laid to rest with great ceremony in Dundee's main burial ground, the Howff. The monument still exists, near the north-west gate, though the inscription was erased later. </span>The inscription to Dr Kinloch eulogised him, in Latin, as 'a most honourable man, of famous learning, and in his life adorned with many singular virtues; a most skilful physician to the Kings of Great Britain and France, by whose patents and seals the antiquity of his Pedigree and Extract is clearly witnessed and proven...'</div>
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<i>Kinnalochi proavos et aviate stemmata gentis</i></div>
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<i>Clara interproceros haec monumenta probant</i></div>
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<i>Magnus ab his cui surgit sed major ab arte</i></div>
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<i>Major ab ingenio gloria parta venit</i></div>
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<i>Gallant Kinloch, his famous ancient race</i></div>
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<i>Appear by this erected in this place;</i></div>
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<i>His honour great indeed; his art and skill</i></div>
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<i>And famous name both side o' the pole do fill.</i></div>
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<i> </i> The inscription was later removed and replaced by an inscription dedication to his descendant, Sir James Kinloch Nevay.</div>
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<b>Kinloch the Poet</b></h3>
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For many years, Kinloch's fame was supplemented by his reputation for great learning. Dr Kinloch's two long poems on medical subjects <span class="fontstyle0"><i>De Hominis Procreatione</i> and <i>De </i></span><span class="fontstyle2"><i>Anatome</i></span><span class="fontstyle0"> are actually part of a longer whole, published in Paris in 1596, and reprinted in second volume of the Scottish Latin compilation </span><i>Delitiae Poetarum Scotorum</i> (Amsterdam, 1637). The poems particularly detail the development, anatomy and diseases of man. The book contains poems by his fellow Dundonians Peter Goldman and Hercules Rollock.</div>
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Kinloch's Portrait</h3>
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A painting of Dr Kinloch was completed in 1614 . It is unsigned, but was allegedly completed in Europe rather than Scotland, possibly in Madrid. The canvas measures 42 x 32 inches. It now hangs in the Board Room of the Medical School at Ninewells Hospital and is the oldest painting in Dundee University collection. A painted copy of this portrait also hangs in the main ward corridor of the hospital, kindly donated by a Kinloch descendent. It was presented to the University of St Andrews by Mrs Lingard-Guthrie in the 1950's subject to the condition that it remained North of the Tay. She was descended from the Kinlochs on the distaff side. Her home, Carnoustie House, was a dower house of the Kinloch family. One branch of the family also occupied Logie House near Kirriemuir.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvJev027MR4aLPH4T-Yi1FEJ3qWBX2-Y_QfX_Hkrs2euZm7R7ootufVvvRz9qRFiM1DxNxZzoTsTleXsFFFjTztkukzFiUUS_bw2Kh0_IMmagWo2ANSCHPgaIfkaeWhhnJQenytp6Y/s1600/Capture.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="393" data-original-width="277" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvJev027MR4aLPH4T-Yi1FEJ3qWBX2-Y_QfX_Hkrs2euZm7R7ootufVvvRz9qRFiM1DxNxZzoTsTleXsFFFjTztkukzFiUUS_bw2Kh0_IMmagWo2ANSCHPgaIfkaeWhhnJQenytp6Y/s400/Capture.JPG" width="280" /></a><br />
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Dr Kinloch's Descendants</h3>
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Dr Kinloch and his wife had two sons and a daughter. James inherited the main estate and John gained the estate of Gourdie, near Dundee. James's son, another David, was knighted by King James VII. The family maintained their association with Dundee, though the main branch had its base in eastern Perthshire. The doctor's great grandson, Sir James Kinloch, married Elizabeth, sole daughter if John Nevay of Nevay in Angus. This couple had twelve children. Doctor David's great-great-grandson was Sir James Kinloch Nevay who held Dundee for the Young Pretender during the Jacobite Rebellion, from 7th September, 1745, until 14th January, 1746. A direct descendant was George Kinloch of Kinloch (1775-1833), a reformer and politician. A businessman with interests in Carnoustie and Dundee, he was elected Member of Parliament for Dundee a short time before his death. A statue of him was erected in Albert Square in Dundee in the 1870s and remains there, possibly on the ground which his ancestors had owned, known as Kinloch's Meadow.<br />
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Further details of the later family can be consulted in Warden's <i>Angus, or Forfarshire</i>, volume 4, pp. 341-5.</div>
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Selected Sources</h3>
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R. C. Buist, 'Dr David Kinloch (Kynalochus), 1559 - 1617,' <i>The British Medical Journal</i>, Vol. 1, no. 3409 (May 1, 1926), p. 793.</div>
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R. C. Buist, 'Dundee Doctors in the Sixteenth Century,' <i>Edinburgh Medical Journal</i> (June, 1930), pp. 293-302, 357-366.<br />
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David Hamilton, <i>The Healers,</i> <i>A History of Medicine in Scotland</i> (Edinburgh, 1981).</div>
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Dr. J. Kinnear, 'Early Dundee Doctors,' <i>Edinburgh Medical Journal</i> (April 1953), pp. 169-83.</div>
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K. G. Lowe, 'Dr David Kinloch: Mediciner to His Majestie, James VI,' <i>Scottish Medical Journal</i> (1991), pp. 87-89.<br />
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Alexander Maxwell, <i>The History of Old Dundee</i> (Edinburgh and Dundee, 1884).<br />
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Norman Moore, 'The Schola Salernitana: its history and the date of its introduction into the British Isles,' (Glasgow, 1908).<br />
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<i>Our Meigle Book</i> (Dundee, 1932).</div>
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James Paton (ed.), <i>Scottish Life and History</i> (Glasgow, 1902).<br />
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<a href="https://www.dundee.ac.uk/museum/collections/medical/medicalhistory/art/kinloch/">Tayside Medical History Museum Art Collection - The Kinloch Portrait</a><br />
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Alexander Warden, <i>Angus, or Forfarshire</i> (vol. 4, Dundee, 1884).<br />
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More Forgotten Sons and Daughters of Angus</h3>
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<a href="https://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2018/05/forgotten-sons-of-angus-sir-alexander.html">Forgotten Sons: Alexander Gray</a></div>
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<a href="https://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2017/02/forgotten-daughters-of-angus-clementina.html">Forgotten Daughters of Angus - Clemintina Stirling Graham and Lady Pitlyal</a></div>
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<a href="https://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2017/04/forgotten-sons-of-angus-first-british.html">Forgotten Sons: The First British Balloonist James Tytler</a></div>
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<a href="https://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2016/12/forgotten-sons-of-angus-strange-avenues.html">Forgotten Sons: The Strange Avenues of Hector Boece</a></div>
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<a href="https://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2016/10/not-forgotten-sons-of-angus-captain.html">(Not) Forgotten Sons - Captain William Kidd</a></div>
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<a href="https://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2016/06/forgotten-sons-of-angus-moonlight-of.html">Forgotten Sons - Moonlight of the West</a></div>
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<a href="https://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2016/04/forgotten-sons-captain-maul-ramsay-and.html">Forgotten Sons - Captain Maule Ramsay and Right Wing Extremism</a></div>
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<a href="https://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2016/02/forgotten-sons-of-angus-in-search-of.html">Forgotten Sons - In Search of Lewis Spence</a></div>
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Keith Colemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435885427062349047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030692967135623861.post-55379311950012849132020-05-02T08:52:00.003+01:002021-08-28T16:49:08.588+01:00The Rollock Family in Dundee and Death in Edinburgh<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
In a previous post I wrote about the intriguing <b>Peter Goldman</b>, doctor and scholar, who wrote a Latin poem - <b><i>Description of the Desolation of Dundee </i></b>- about the pestilence which affected Dundee in the early 17th century. (The full article can be found <a href="https://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2018/02/peter-goldman-and-desolation-of-dundee.html">here</a>.) This seems like an opportune time to have a look again at the general subject of pestilence and pandemics which, of course, are nothing new. One of the earliest Scottish artistic reactions to the sudden and terrifying appearance of pandemic was the great <b>Robert Henryson</b>'s poem <i>An Prayer for the Pest</i>, which begins:<br />
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O eterne god, of power infinyt,<br />
To quhois hie knawledge na thing is of obscure<br />
That is, or was, or evir salbe, perfyt,<br />
in to thy sicht, quhill that this warld indure;<br />
Haif mercy of us, Indigent and peure;<br />
Thow dois na wrang to puneiss our offens:<br />
O Lord, that is to mankynd haill succure,<br />
Preserve us fra this perrelus pestilens.</blockquote>
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As it was in Henryson's Dunfermline, so it was in Goldman's Dundee. In between these two poetic reactions to the pestilence there was <b>Hercules Rollock</b>, who experienced and wrote about the plague in Edinburgh. Some of his poetry was included in the same 17th century compilation of neo Latin Scots verse which also included Goldman's poems, <i>Delitiae Poetarum Scotorum </i>(1637)<i>, </i>though Rollock's descriptive verse <i><b>De Peste Edinburgi</b></i>, was written in 1585. The plague had arrived in Fife in 1584 and was spread to the capital by the following year. It ravaged through Edinburgh and indeed much of Scotland.<br />
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Rollock's poem shows a bustling city inflicted by the plague through God's will as a result of their sinning. His keen observations on the effect of the plague on the populace include hastily departing from the town - 'the fleeing troop of powerful citizens' -, though many stalwart citizens remains to help. Those who fled, Rollock warned, would be found by God, who 'will hunt [them] down with a keen-witted search'. The city was quickly put on quarantine and people barred from entry. Meetings in public, ‘quhairby infectioun daylie aryses’, were also banned. Rollock gave graphic descriptions of corpses being disposed of in the dead of night and other details about the dread calamity which befell the capital. But he ends the poem on a positive note, with the disease being cleared from the city.<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
Hercules' Dundee Origins</h3>
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Hercules Rollock was the newly installed principal of the High School in Edinburgh when the pestilence hit the burgh. According to William Steven, he was 'a man of genius and superior classical attainments'. He was born in Dundee around 1556, the eldest son of a burgess of Dundee named <b>George Rollock</b> (who died around 1569). Hercules matriculated at St Andrews University in 1564 and graduated in 1568. According to William Stevens, he was appointed a regent of Aberdeen University in 1562 (though this date may be incorrect) and afterwards went to England, but on the way there by sea was caught by pirates and robbed of his valuable books. He went to Europe and studied at Poitiers in France. When he returned to Scotland he based himself in Dundee again , and was operating as a notary public and also given an official role as commissary before the role was taken away and he migrated to Edinburgh and becoming master of the grammar schools there at the end of May 1584. There are notices of legal proceedings involving Rollock in the local burgh records of Dundee. Some of these involve his own family. In 1580 he was ordered to deliver to Margaret Rollok, relict of James Lovell, chirurgian, in the name of the lawful barnis of the said James, £20. In 1567, Lovell and Hercules Rollok were both witnesses to a deed for George Rollok, who was Hercules' father, so that it is likely that James Lovell's wife was a sister of Hercules. The Rollock family more generally will be considered later on.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWMHrJTFQfVWrqdYpxvHv96JQQVFSWshyphenhyphenNi8zVauTth4sB9mqBzoQ9nHnGcoJ14FRZ37vjdSApXTl78eyaFzOZaBa74u-fJyvcLvouMu4bmc_YgLLKfwQNyt7mUa-oVUzQec5z84mE/s1600/unnamed.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="358" data-original-width="500" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWMHrJTFQfVWrqdYpxvHv96JQQVFSWshyphenhyphenNi8zVauTth4sB9mqBzoQ9nHnGcoJ14FRZ37vjdSApXTl78eyaFzOZaBa74u-fJyvcLvouMu4bmc_YgLLKfwQNyt7mUa-oVUzQec5z84mE/s640/unnamed.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Later view of Dundee from the south</td></tr>
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<b>Drama at the Grammar School</b></h3>
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In 1595, Rollock was removed from his post at the school because it was claimed his pupils there were acting violently. There was a custom called Barring Out at some schools of the period, whereby bands of pupils armed and barricaded themselves in school as a holiday approached in the hope of forcing the authorities to grant them extra holiday. An incident of this kind happened in 1580 and the burgh leaders were obliged to step in and end it. On the 15th September 1595, violence broke out again at the school. A group of people had asked for a week's holiday, called a 'privilege', but when it was turned down some of these 'gentilmenis bairnis' swore revenge. When Rollock rocked up at the school next day, it was closed against him and he had to summon a magistrate. Despite threats from inside, magistrate John Macmoran allowed his men to attack the entrance with a battering ram. He was shot in the head by a pupil, one William Sinclair, son of the Chancellor of Caithness. The barricade ended and the boys were locked up for seven months before coming to trial. Although the trial records are lost, it seems the juvenile culprits were all acquitted. </div>
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Rollock's days in charge were numbered. A recently agreed increase in school fees was rescinded and he was charged with failing to maintain proper discipline. He was sacked from his position and unsuccessfully sued for damages at the Court of Session. He died in January 1599, having in the interval made a living by practising law.<br />
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The Rollock Family in Dundee</h3>
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One of the earliest noticies of the family in connection with Dundee is in the records of the Parliament of 1481. Among those attending was <b>David Rollock</b> from Dundee. Timothy Slonosky notes the prominence of various members of the Rollock family in Dundee during the 16th century, with representation on the various institutions within the burgh, but he admits that the relationship of the individuals is difficult to disentangle. Four members of the family served multiple terms as burgh councillors during the century. In the 1520s there were two people named Rollock represented. <b>James Rollock</b> and <b>George Rollock</b> are names included in a letter from king James V on 17th July, 1526, granting a charter to the Holy Blood altar in the kirk of Dundee. The multiple family members serving as officials between 1550 and 1563 seem to have been descended from <b>George Rollock</b>, who was treasurer of the burgh between 1520 and 1523. Another George was born in 1498 and died in 1562. His son was also called George. This branch held lands in Dudhope and also 'Kynreiche'. </div>
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A <b>David Rollock</b> was kirkmaster of Dundee and, in 1531, was involved in a dispute with William Silver over his claim to the parish clerkship of Dundee, a claim that pitted the Bishop of Brechin against the burgh. Another prominent family member was <b>James Rollock</b>, one of a number of prominent citizens who were brought to law for espousing the new reformed religion. At the same time, other prominent Protestants were targeted and forced to flee. George Wishart fled from Montrose into England. John Wedderburn and his brother James fled to Europe. A burgess of the burgh, Rollock was 'condemned for certain heresies'. But, rather than face condemnation, the well off merchant fled to Holland and became a businessman at Campvere. His brother <b>David</b> took over some of his belongings in Dundee. James became an active part of the exiled Scottish business community in the Low Countries town and assumed the role of 'Portar of Camfeir'.</div><div>
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<b> </b> In a previous post I mentioned the apparent feud between Gilbert Wedderburn, from a prominent Dundee family, and one branch of the Rollock kindred. In the 1540s Gilbert slew two members of the family and was obliged to flee the burgh and settle in Leith.<br />
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Beyond Dundee, the family held some lands in Angus. On 21st May, 1582, <b>James Rollock</b>, heir of <b>George</b> of Duncrub, his father,was retoured in the corn mill of Cambiston, in the barony of Downie £6 13s 4d; and in the half lands of Chapeltown of Balgowie or Over Corstoun- 4 merks, on 27th January. The barony of Downie subsequently came into possession of the Maules of Panmure. At the end of the century <b>Sir Walter Rollock</b>, and his sons<b> Andrew and Alexander</b>, was in dispute with the Gardyne family over property in Angus. <b>Robert Rollock</b> was ordained minister of Murroes in 1618, and was deposed in 1639 for the maintenance of universalist doctrines, and for non-residence. </div>
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Some of the family, while still distinguished citizens in the Dundee area, were involved in feuding and lawlessness. On 27th march 1602, John and Robert Mudie had to pay as surety the sum of £1000 not to harm <b>William Rollock of Balbeggie</b>. There was a further dispute three years later when factions came to loggerhead about representation to the town council, demonstrating it was mainly a disagreement about mercantile revenues. A claim was submitted to Commissioners of the Burghs but was rejected in July 1604. Dundee's magistrates later complained to the Privy Council that <b>William Rollock</b>, <b>Walter Rollock</b>, Robert Fleschour, James Finlaysoun and associates were stirring up 'the common multitude be the pretence and cloak of reform' and had tried to get 'the crafts to shake off their obediance to the magistrates and prevailed on them to hold public meetings and subscribe bands against the magistrates'. The Privy Council ordered the offenders to be committed to 'free ward' in a number of towns. They were, however, released shortly afterwards and the agitators are said to have set up 'seditious mutyneis'.<br />
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Records show a dispute in Dundee in October 1605, when Andrew Lamb, Commendator of Coupar, was commissioned to settle a dispute between James Wedderburn, son of the town clerk, and <b>Robert Rollock</b>. The nature of the dispute was not recorded and nor were any of the principal parties found at fault. However, a mariner named David Blyth had encouraged Rollock in his opposition to Wedderburn and:<br />
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Mr ANDRO found fault with him, and callit him ane evil neighbour, and said he suld accuse him as ane stayer of the peace of the town. DAVID answerit that he carit nocht for his challenge, he had been before the Privie Council of before, and he knew quhat a man Mr ANDRO wes; and that he [DAVID] wes as honest a man as Mr ANDRO, and that his father wes as honest as Mr ANDRO his father; and farder, say it that he knew Mr ANDRO would rail against him in the pulpit as Mr JAMES ROBERTSON did, but he cair'd nocht for it; and utherwayes misbehavit himself very irreverntly to Mr ANDRO. </blockquote>
Blyth was placed in ward and the main parties were bound over to keep the peace.<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
Some Sources</h3>
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<a href="https://www.dps.gla.ac.uk/delitiae/display/?pid=d2_RolH_010&aid=RolH">Bridging The Continental Divide</a>. Full text of Rollock's poem and English translation.<br />
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<a href="http://ninetradesofdundee.co.uk/download/city_history/city_history_documents_and_pictures/buildings/streets_and_buildings/Various%20Streets%20and%20Buildings.pdf" target="_blank">Nine Trades of Dundee</a><br />
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Karen Jillings, 'Hercules Rollock and the Edinburgh Plague of 1585,' <i>The Bottle Imp</i>, Issue 15, <a href="https://www.thebottleimp.org.uk/2014/06/hercules-rollock-and-the-edinburgh-plague-of-1585/">https://www.thebottleimp.org.uk/2014/06/hercules-rollock-and-the-edinburgh-plague-of-1585/</a><br />
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Steven J. Reid, 'Murder, Mayhem and the Muse in Jacobean Edinburgh: introducing Hercules Rollock (c. 1546-1599),' <a href="https://www.dps.gla.ac.uk/features/display/?fid=rollock1">https://www.dps.gla.ac.uk/features/display/?fid=rollock1</a><br />
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Steven J. Reid, '"Quasi Sibyllae folia dispersa": the Anatomy of the <i>Delititae Poetarum Scotorum</i> (1637),' in <i>Fresche fontanis : studies in the culture of medieval and early modern Scotland</i>, ed.<br />
Janet Hadley Williams; J Derrick McClure (Newcastle, 2013), pp. 397-414.<br />
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Timothy Slonosky, 'Civil Reformations: Religion In Dundee And Haddington C.1520-1565,' Phd. thesis, University of Pennsylvania (2014).<br />
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William Steven, <i>The History of the High School of Edinburgh </i>(Edinburgh, 1849).<br />
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Keith Colemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435885427062349047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030692967135623861.post-79495849487318504542020-04-19T17:47:00.000+01:002020-04-20T07:15:13.880+01:00Ochterlony's Account of the Shire of Forfar - Part Two<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b>This is the second part of the valuable <i>Account of the Shire of Forfar</i> written by the venerable John Ochterlony, an Angus laird of the late 17th century. As one of the earliest coherent accounts of the county, it contains much interesting detail. Due to Ochterlony's social standing the focus is naturally on mansion houses and their occupants, noble and otherwise.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b>The first part of the account can be read </b></span><b style="font-family: calibri;"><a href="https://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2019/03/ochterlonys-account-of-shire-of-forfar.html">here</a>. The third part will be posted in the future.</b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ochterlony's home, The Guynd</td></tr>
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">PRESBYTERIE OF BRECHIN, continued</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b>Logie</b>. — The chief heritor is the Laird of Logie, Scott, a </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">gentleman of a good estate thereabout. Galraw, belongmg </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">to Sir John Falconer, ane excellent new built house, with </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">much old planting, and fyne yards, and salmond fishing. </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Craigo, to Mr James Gamegy. All lying very pleasantly </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">upon the south syde of North Esk. Mr Symsone, minister. </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">In the Diocese of Brechine.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b>Dun</b>. — The whole parish did formerly belong to the Lairds </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">of Dun, as did the parish of Logie, and Barony of Arret. </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">It is ane ancient and honourable familie. It is a great </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">house, well planted, good yards and orchards. The situatione </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">is pleasant, and extraordinare good land ; hath a large outer </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">court, and the church on the south-east syde thereof, and the </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">minister's manse hard by. It lyes on the north syde of South </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Esk, where he hath a good salmond fishing. Mr Lichtoune, </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">minister. In the Diocese of Brechine; the Laird, patrone.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b>Montrose</b> — Is a Royal Burgh, having a Provost, four Bailies, </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">and a Dean of the Guild, and others. It is a very handsome </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">well built toune, of considerable trade in all places abroad ; </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">good houses all of stone, excellent large streets, a good tol</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">buith and church, good shipping of their own, a good shore </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">at the toune, a myle within the river of South Esk ; but the </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">entrie is very dangerous for strangers that know it not, by </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">reason of a great bank of sand that lyeth before the mouth </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">of the entrie, called Long Ennell, but that defect is supplied </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">by getting pilots from the neighbouring fisher-towns of </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b>Ulishavene or Ferredene</b>, who know it so well that they can</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">not mistake. It is a very cheap place of all things necessary ex</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">cept house rent, which is dear, by reason of the great distance </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">they are from stones, and makes their building very dear ; </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">yet, notwithstanding, they are constantly building both in </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">the toune, and suburbs, which are at a considerable distance </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">from the toune, in the Links, whore are their malthouses, and </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">kills, and granaries for cornes, of thrie storeys high, and </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">some more, and are increased to such a number, that in a </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">short tyme it is thought they will equall, if not exceed, the </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">toune in greatness. They are well appointed of flesches </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">and fishes, which are extraordinare cheap in that place, and </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">have them in great abundance of all sorts. They have a </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">good public revenue, two wind-milnes, ane hospitale, with </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">some mortificationes belonging to it ; they are mighty fyne </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">burgesses, and delicate and painfull merchants. There have </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">been men of great substance in that toune of a long time, and </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">yet are, who have and are purchasing good estates in the </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">countrey. The generalitie of the burgesses and merchants </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">do very far exceed these in any other toune in the shyre. </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">They have a good landward parish, and severall heritors </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">therein, viz. Logic, Scot, before mentioned, who hath very g</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">ood houses and yards in the toune; Kinnaber, Fuller</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">toune, a pleasant place, lying on the south syde of North Esk, </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">with salmond fishings ; Borrowfield, Talzeor ; Heatherwick, </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">a new built fyne house, belonging to David Scott. Mr Lyell </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">and Mr Neill, ministers. In the Diocese of Brechine ; the </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Toune, patrons.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b>Inchbraick</b>, formerly belonging to Sir John Carnegie, a </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">second son of the House of Southesk, now to Patrick Scott, </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">son to James Scott of Logie, sometime Provost of Montross. </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">It is a great estate, excellent good land lying upon the south </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">syd of the water of Southesk untill ye come to the mouth of </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">the water, and then tumeth west the coast untill ye pass </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Ulishavene, a fishertoune of his. He hath ane other called </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Ferredene, and hath salmond fishings there. The river </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">makes ane island betwixt Montross and Ferredene, where </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">the kirk in old stood, and the whole parish is designed from </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">the island, and is still the buriall place of the parish. They </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">always wait the low water, and carries over their dead then, </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">being almost dry on the south syd when it is low water. He </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">hath thrie houses there, viz. Craig, Bossie, two excellent </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">houses, rebuilt with excellent good yards, orchards, and </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">planting. Craig hath ane excellent fountaine, with a large </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">basone of hewen stone, whereunto water is conveyed by </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">pypes of lead from a spring at a good distance.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b>Baldovie</b>, a gentleman's house, of the name of Dundas ; </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">farther up the south syde of South Esk, with a salmond fish</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">ing. Dunynald, belonging to Thomas Allerdyce, a second </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">son of the House of Allerdyce of that Ilk in Memes. A </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">good estate, and a fyne new built house, with good yards, </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">where there is great plentie of excellent lymestone ; it lyes </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">upon the coast, which all alongst from Montross is a rookie </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">iron coast, and there is a large spacious bay, which makes a </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">sure and saif road for any ships in a storm, called Lounane </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Houp. Mr Mathie, minister. In the Diocese of Brechin.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b>Marietoune</b>. — That parish lyes upon the south syde of </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">South Esk from Baldovie up to Kinnaird. There are therein </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Old Montross, formerly belonging to the Marquis of Mon</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">tross, and is their title, now to the Earl of Middletoune,<span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">one of his Majestie's Secretaries of State, a pleasant place, </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">good house, excellent yards and planting, delicate land; </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">with a salmond fishing on the water Bonnietoune, belonging </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">to Sir John Wood, ane ancient gentleman, and good estate, </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">well planted, good yard, orchard, and dovecoat, and ex</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">cellent good land. Dysart, Lyell, a good house, lyes on the </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">coast be-west Dunynald, with a dovecoat. Mr Lindsay, </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">minister. In the Diocese of Brechine ; Bishop thereof, patrone.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b>Kinnaird and Farnell</b>. — Both these parishes belong en</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">tirely to the Earl of Southesk, without competition the </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">fynest place, taking altogether, in the shyre ; a great house, </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">excellent gardens, parks with fallow deer, orchards, hay </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">meadows, wherein are extraordinare quantities of hay, very </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">much planting, ane excellent breed of horse, cattle, and </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">sheep, extraordinare good land. Famell is lykewayes ane </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">extraordinare sweet place, delicat yards, and very much </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">planting. My Lord is patrone of both, and are in the Dio</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">cese of Brechine. The familie is very ancient and honourable </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">these six generations. In Queen Marie Regent, Queen Marie, </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">King James the Sixth, King Charles the First, and his Ma</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">jestie now reigning, they have been Officers of State and </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Privie Counsellors, and have all of them been verie famous </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">for their loyaltie, and of late have suffered much upon that </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">accompt, and have been honoured by having his present </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">King's Majestic, his father, and grandfather, of blessed </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">memorie, at their house of Kinnaird.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Upon the west syd of both parishes lyes that great and </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">spacious forrest called Montroyment, belonging to his Lord</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">ship, and abounding in wyld foul and haires. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">PRESBYTERIE OF ARBROATH</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The Presbetrie of Arbroth is divided into eleven parishes, </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">viz. Kinnell, Innerkillor, Lounane, St Vigeans, Arbroth, </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Arbirlot, Carmylie, Idvie, Guthrie, Panbryd, Barrie.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b>Kinnell</b>. — Most part of the parish belongs to Earl South</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">esk, being adjacent to Farnell and Kinnaird, with the house </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">of Balshione, well planted with excellent fine yeards. Easter </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Braichie, belonging to Sir Francis Ogilvy of New Grange, </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">a great-grandchild of the House of Airlie. Wester Braichie, a</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> gentleman of a nigh relation of the House of Gray; both </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">good houses, and well planted. Mr Thompsone, minister. </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">In the Diocese of St Andrews; Archbishop, patrone.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b>Innerkillor</b>. — Most part of the parish belongs to Earl North</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">esk, as the Barronies of Ethie and Bedcastle, with others. </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Ethie is the principal dwelling ; a very good house, laitly re-</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">edified by John Earl of Ethie, grandfather to this present </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Earl, and who was a son of the House of Southesk, a noble, </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">worthie, and loyall persone, who suffered much for his </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">loyaltie, as was also his son the Earl Northesk, father to the </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">present Earl. They have fyne yards, orchards, and park.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">It lyes pleasantly on the coast be-west Lounnan Houp, for</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">merly spoken to, and is very good land, and hath a fisher</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">town belonging thereto called Auchmuthie, whereby they </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">are abundantly served of all kind of fishes all seasons of the </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">yeir. In the rocks of Ethie there engendereth ane excellent </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">falcone yeirly. Abundance of sea-foul and kittiewaicks for</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">merly spoken of. Reidcastle, ane old house upon the sea. </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">King William, when he built the Abbey of Arbroth, dwelt </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">there. Laird of Boysack, a grandchild of the House of </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Northesk, hath a good estate there, and a good house called </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Boysack, on the water of Lounan. The Laird of Bonnie</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">toune hath a considerable interest in the parish. Breying-</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">toun, belonging to Mr John Bait, minister, a gentleman of </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">the House of Halgreen in the Memes. Lawtoune, to Gair</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">dyne of that Ilk, a very ancient familie, and chief of his </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">name. Mr Rait, minister. In the Diocese of St Andrews; </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Earl Panmure, patrone.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b>Lounane [Lunan]</b>. — The most part of this parish belongs to the </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Earl of Northesk, called the Barony of Lounane. Inner</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">lounane, belonging to Ogilvy, brother (of) Innerwarity. </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Ardbickie to John Mudie, a good new house, and good land. </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">All that parish, Innerkiller, Kinnell, Idvie, Guthrie, and a </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">part of Rescobie parish, are in Strathbegg. An extraordi</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">nary pleasant country on both sides of the water of Lou</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">nane. Mr Peddie, minister. In the Diocese of St Andrews; </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Earl Panmure, patrone.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b>St Vigeans</b> lyeth about a myll above Arbroth, on the </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">water thereof; ane old great kirk built upon ane high arti</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">ficial mount, as is famed, by one Vigeanus, a religious man, </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">and was canonized, and the church bears his name. Places </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">in the parish are Innerpeffer, with a considerable interest, </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">belonging to the Earl Panmure; a pleasant sweet place, lying </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">upon the coast three myles be-west Arbroth; fyne yards, </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">orchard, and planting, and although it be in St Vigeans, </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">yet the whole parish of Arbirlot is interjected betwixt them. </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">North Tarrie belonging to Earl Northesk, well planted with </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">yards and orchards, lyeth on the east syde of the water of </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Brothock. Lethem, on the west syde of the said water, a </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">pleasant place, with good yards, orchards, well planted, with </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">a hay meadow, belonging to Sir John Wood of Bonnietoune. </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">New Grange lying on the east syd of the said water, good </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">yards, well planted, and pleasant meadows. Collestoune, </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">presently purchased by Doctor Gordone, good house, plant</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">ing, and meadows. Parkconnone, Bamsay; Gaimetoune, </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Ramsay; Muirhouse, belonging to the Laird of Guynd; </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Easter Seatowne, Crawford; Wester Seatowne, Guthrie; </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">both lyeing together on the coast, good houses, yards, and </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">planting, with a little park at the Easter Seatowne, the </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">rocks whereof abound with sea calves, sea foull, and wyld </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">pigeons. South Tarrie, Leslie, a fyne little house and </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">yards, excellent ground, lyeing at the east syde of the toune </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">of Arbroth. Hospitalfield, and Kirktoune, a pleasant place, </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">and good land, belonging to a gentleman of the name of </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Fraser, of the Familie of Philorth, where they gather abund</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">ance of that <i>alga marina</i>, wherewith they dung their land to </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">their great advantage. Mr Strachane, minister. In the </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Diocese of St Andrews ; Earl Panmure, patrone.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b>Aberbrothock</b> — Is a Burgh Boyall, hath a Provost, two </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Bailzies, whereof the Earl of Panmure hath the electioun of </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">the first. It is a pleasant and sweet place, and excellent good </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">land about it, built upon the east syd of the water of </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Brothock; they have a shore, some shipping, and a little </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">small trade; it hath one long large street, and some by </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">streets; it is tolerably well built, and hath some very good </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">houses in it; but the beautie and decorement of the place </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">in tymes past was that excellent fabrick and building of the </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Abbey thereof, built by King William, King of Scots, and </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">endowed by him and others with great rents and revenues, </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">and lyes buried there in a piece of very stately work built </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">by himself for that purpose, and is a very stately piece of </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">work of thrie storie high. The whole fabrick of the buriall-</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">place is still entire as at first, and if it be not thrown downe, </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">may continue so for many generations;the laigh storey is </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">the buriall-place, and the second and third storeys were em</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">ployed for keeping the chartours of the Monastrie. There </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">is one lodging remaining yet entire; it had a most stately </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">church, with two great steeples on the west end thereof; </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">most part of the church is ruined, but was the largest both </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">for breadth and length it is thought in Scotland. There is </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">much of the walls thereof as yet standing in many places; </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">the tower thrie storie high is standing yet entire, and the </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">roof on it; there was ane excellent roume, called the fish-h</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">all, standing, with ane excellent oak roof; but that with </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">much more of the building by the avarice of the town's </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">people about there, were all broken down, and taken away.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">There were, besyd the Cathedral Church, four chapples, </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">viz. — St Thomas' Chappie, the Abbey being dedicat to St </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterburrie; it was richly </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">furnished, and a gentleman told me he saw the verrie things </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">in a chapple at Parish, and was told they were removed </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">thither by the Monks of Arbroth the tyme of Reformar</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">tion, cxtraordinare rich, but of an antique fashione; Lady </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Chapple; St Ninian's Chappie. The Almes-house Chapple </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">is now possest by James Philip of Almryclose,his house </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">built of the stones thereof, and has all the apartments be</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">longing thereto. The fabrick was great and excellent, hav</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">ing many fyne gardens and orchards, now converted to </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">arable ground, about which is a high stone wall, and now </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">by the King's gift belongs to the Bishop of Brechine. Hard </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">by the towne upon the east syd is Newgait, belonging to a </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">gentleman of the name of Camegy, of the Family of South</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">esk, a very good house and pleasant place; Almryclose is </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">in the head of the towne, and good house and yards. Sun</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">die Croft, a little interest belonging to a gentleman of the </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">name of Peirsone, who is ancient, and withoutt debait chief </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">of his name. Mr Carnegy, minister. In the Diocese of St </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Andrews; the King's Majestie, patrone.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b>Arbirlot</b>. — Most part of the parish, with the house of </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Kellie, which formerly belonged to the Lairds of Ouchterlony </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">of that Ilk, belongs now to Henry Maull, third brother to </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">the present Earl Panmure, is a good and very great house, </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">well -planted, and stands very pleasantly on the water of </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Eliot. The rest of the parochine belongs to the Earl Pan</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">mure, is excellent good ground, and lyes alongst the coast </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">two or thrie myles. Mr M'Gill, minister. In the Diocese </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">of St Andrews; the Earl of Panmure, patrone.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b>Carmyllie</b>. — The most part of the parish belongs to the </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Earl of Panmure, with the house of Carmyllie. Oamegy, be</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">longing to the Earl Southesk, and is the title of the eldest </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">son of the Familie, is a good house, well grassed, a good </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">moss, with ane excellent large park. Guynd, a good house, </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">with yards and planting, lying upon the water of Eliot, be</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">longs to John Ouchterlony, lineal successor, chief and re</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">presentative of the ancient familie of Ouchterlony of that </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Ilk. Cononsyth, to a gentleman of the name of Bait, of the </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Familie of Hallgreen, in the Mernes. Mr Ouchterlony, last </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">minister. Now vacant. Within the Diocese of Brechine; </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Earl Panmure, patrone.</span></div>
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Keith Colemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435885427062349047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030692967135623861.post-58832006888367321542020-04-08T13:32:00.001+01:002020-04-08T13:41:28.228+01:00The Bell Rock - Building the Inchcape Beacon<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Time to revisit the <b>Bell Rock</b> as the last in depth blog on this was several years ago. That article detailed the tradition that the rock was once home to a warning bell that the Abbot of Arbroath had placed there to warn of the reef's danger to passing shipping. Robert Southey worked up the legend that a Dutch poet had cut down the bell and suffered death as a result. (The post can be read <a href="https://angusfolklore.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-bell-rock.html"><span style="color: red;"><b>here</b></span></a>.) Time now, I think, for little more sober history about the place, and in particular its beginnings.</div>
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The Name of the Rock</h3>
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David Miller in <b><i>Arbroath and its Abbey</i></b> (1860, p. 244) states that the modern alternative name for the rock, <b>Inchcape</b>, is a distortion of older <b>Inch-Scape</b>. The word <i>scape</i> is Scots term for a straw bee-hive, suggesting that the reef reminded early mariners of this shape. By extension, it was latterly named Bell Rock because of this natural shape rather than the dubious legend that a bell was physically placed here. Nevertheless, this story is by no means watertight either. </div>
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Early History</h3>
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The following is gleaned from <b>Alexander McBain's <i>Arbroath Past and Present</i></b> (1887). A map published in France in 1583 shows the perilous sea route between the undertaken by King James V which led him from the Forth, via Orkney, to the Firth of Clyde and Galloway. Accompanying the chart is a description of the features and dangers, including the following notice of the east coast, where we can recognise the names <i>Fifeness</i>, <i>Redhead</i> and <i>Inchcape</i>:</div>
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<i>Entre Finismes et nommé Redde, xii mille à l'est sud estdu costé de la dicte pointe Redde, gist un danger appelé Inchkope.</i></div>
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The Building of the Lighthouse</h3>
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In the late 18th century the prevalence of wrecks along this part of the coast gave rise to serious considerations on building a lighthouse on the Bell Rock reef. Other measures were employed as an interim. In the year 1806 a Prussian vessel named the Tonge Gerret was purchased for use as a lightship here and had her name changed to Pharos. This was the first lightship employed in Scotland. In practical terms the light vessel had been a wise choice. There had been a previous scheme put forward in 1799 by gentleman of Leith to install four bells upon the rock as an auditory warning to shipping, but luckily this did not come to pass.<br />
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To build the lighthouse, the engineer Robert Stevenson was engaged and made his first survey in 1800. On his first surveying visit to the rock evidence of its destructive power could be seen there. An assortment of washed up items was found: a bayonet, a shoe buckle, coins, a cannon ball, all evidence of wreckage. On a visit to the rock on 7th August 1807, Stevenson was accompanied by Peter Logan, a foreman builder, and five assistants. They remained there for three days, drawing a survey chart for moorings and preparing for the workmen who would shortly arrive The latter comprised a body of twenty-four men and departed for the rock the following week after a special kirk service. The foundation was laid on Sunday 10th July 1808. The men lived on board a ship, the Smeaton, anchored to the rock.<br />
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On one occasion the Smeaton broke free and left the full complement on the Bell Rock. They had two boats, but not all of them would have been able to fit into them. As they were pondering what to do, and amid rising panic, the Bell Rock pilot, a man named James Spink, appeared in his vessel and was able to rescue all the men. His act earned him a pension from the Northern Lighthouse board.<br />
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There were unfortunate accidents as the work proceeded. The first casualty was an eighteen year old sailor named James Scott. He and Thomas Macurich, the mate of the Smeaton, were in a boat making fast a hawser to a floating buoy. A loose chain suddenly caught the boat and upturned it Macurish managed to cling on to the boat, but the younger man was drowned. It was a further tragedy for the family as his father at the time was a prisoner of war being held by the French. <br />
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A second victim was killed ashore. William Walker was employed in the yard at Arbroath, from where the materials were shipped for building the lighthouse. He was killed by an accident, though the details are sketchy. More is known about the sad circumstances of the third death. A young blacksmith named Charles Henderson was working with one other fitting up the light room under the direction of James Dove. When Dove ordered both men to ascend one evening as light was fading, they playfully dashed to see who could get down first, but Henderson fell from the rope ladder into deep water and was never seen again.<br />
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On 6th July 1810 the last course of the lighthouse was laid in the work yard and five guineas were rewarded to the work men to have a celebration drink and dance with their families. Building operations were finished on the rock on 4th August. The commissioners for the Northern Lighthouse Board visited the lighthouse in the following January and the light soon went into permanent commission. The total cost of building was £61, 331 9s 2d.</div>
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Ships Claimed by the Bell Rock Reef</h3>
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the new lighthouse obviously dramatically reduced the loss of life in an around the area. On 28th May 1876 the schooner Ruby, of Dundee, was wrecked on the rock, but all the crew were saved. A ship from Settin, the barque Ferdinand Brumm, carrying timber, went ashore on the bell rock. Again, thankfully, all the crew were saved. The ship was towed off the reef on 14th September, two days after the accident, and beached in West Ferry Bay.</div>
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During World War I the light was, for the most part, switched off to avoid being used as a navigation mark by prowling German U boats. On 28th October HMS Argyll, a Royal Navy ship of the Devonshire class, ran aground on the rock in the early hours of the morning. A fire broke out and there was substantial damage to the hull, but luckily two other vessels were at hand. HMS Hornet and HMS Jackal managed to free the stricken ship without any single life being lost.</div>
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Internet Resources</h3>
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<span style="color: red;"><a href="http://www.bellrock.org.uk/">http://www.bellrock.org.uk/</a> </span>- A reference site for the Bell Rock lighthouse.</div>
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<a href="https://www.nlb.org.uk/lighthouses/bell-rock/?hilite=%27bell%27%2C%27rock%27">The Northern Lighthouse Board</a> page about the lighthouse.</div>
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Some Sources</h3>
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John Adam, <i>Aberbrothock Illustrated</i> (Arbroath, 1886).</div>
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J. M. McBain,<i> Arbroath, Past and Present </i>(Arbroath, 1887).</div>
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Keith Colemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435885427062349047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030692967135623861.post-53785096970231200972020-04-03T22:03:00.002+01:002020-04-04T08:54:55.979+01:00The Gude and Godlie Ballatis and the Wedderburn Brothers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This post broadly concerns the 16th century <b>Wedderburn</b> family, and particularly those brothers of that ilk who were both authors and firebrands of the incoming reformed religion. Though relatively little known in Scotland and let alone in Dundee, their influence was considerable at one time. I will look briefly at the career of <b>James Weddeburn</b> the playwright in a future piece about the Playfield of Dundee. Also for the future is full consideration of the work known as <i style="font-weight: bold;">The Complaynt of Scotland</i>, which was probably authored by <b>Robert Wedderburn</b>. This post concentrates on the other Wedderburn siblings and their most famous literary production <i><b>The Gude and Godlie Ballatis</b></i>, which has thankfully survived, unlike the two plays we know were written by <b>James Wedderburn</b>.<br />
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This is not place to give a full analysis of the <i>Ballatis</i>, and not am I the person best placed to provide that service. Therefore I offer you only a scant background of the Wedderburn boys themselves and a small slice of their compositions.<br />
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The Wedderburn Family and Dundee</h3>
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The Wedderburns are named after lands of that name in Berwickshire, most associated with the powerful Home family. Some members of the kindred had migrated to Dundee and rose to prominence in the burgh from the early 15th century onward. There were several related families of Wedderburns in Dundee within a century and also a branch at <b>Kingennie</b> near Forfar. For our purposes, the most important branch is that headed by <b>James Wedderburn</b> of the Wellgait in Dundee, who died in 1514. James's wife Janet Barry was the sister of the burgh's vicar, Master John Barry, a prominent figure who sat in the burgh council in the 1520s. James and Janet had five sons: <b> James</b>, <b>John</b>, <b>Robert</b>, <b>Henry, Gilbert</b>. The elder James had a brother also resident in the Wellgait named Walter, whose son William was a monk in Arbroath, which surely put his at odds against his cousins in Dundee later.<br />
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Several Black Sheep</h3>
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As with most families, there was one brother of the Dundee Weddeburns who did not follow the productive literary path of his siblings. The least celebrated of the Wedderburn brothers also seems to have had the darkest character. <b>Gilbert Wedderburn</b> has his property escheated in 1538 after being convicted for heresy. No surprise there as all his siblings displayed commitment to radical Protestant ideology before the onset of the Reformation. Five years after that trouble he was declared an outlaw for killing a man named David Rollok, an act 'committed on old feud and felony'. The following year he was named as 'remaining at home and absenting himself from the army' and also being guilty of slaughtering Gilbert Rollok. Dundee being probably unsuitable for him as a residence, he settled in Leith and died there in 1559.<br />
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Mention might be made here of a later Dundonian Wedderburn, <b>John of Craigie</b>, who was active in the late 16th century. A member of the legal profession, he disposed of the lands of Craigie in the east of Dundee and took service with the Earl of Crawford. He was convicted in 1588 of wounding an Angus laird, David Gardyne. A burgess of Dundee, he was convicted in 1596 of killing Robert Lindsay of Balhall and also an Irishman named James Leitch. He fled south to England, where he boasted that he was a follower of the rebel Earl of Bothwell. He is described in a letter from Ralph, Lord Eure to Lord Burghley in the following year as ' a Scottishe gentleman, called Mr John Wedderburn, disguised in mariner's apparel, and that of the meanest sort'. Eure had detained him, rightly, as a suspicious character. He claimed to have been active in France on business of the king and stated that he was engaged in a conspiracy. His description was given as, 'of reasonable stature, verie square bodyed, bigg legged, one of two scarres on the hight of his foreheade...yellowe berded, the haire of his heade like unto white amber.' It was said he was 'cunning in state matters' and suspected that he had been engaged in 'more devilish practices than he revealeth'. He did not live to engage in further intrigues and was apparently dead within a few years.<br />
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(These details taken from <i>The Wedderburn Book</i>, Alexander Wedderburn, vol. I (1898), xlii.)<br />
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A Little Sport Besides the Religion</h3>
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It wasn't all ardent religious intensity and polemical writing for the Wedderburn brothers. One of them at least slipped into the sporting annals of the nation by featuring in the following passage from Robert Lindsay of Pitscottie's 16th century <i>History</i>. <b>Robert Wedderburn </b>was also in the Church; some writers think that Pitscottie meant him and not <b>John</b>, whom he names in his text. But, whichever sibling is intended, the anecdote is a delightful glimpse into events in St Andrew in the year 1528 or 1529.</div>
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In this year there came an ambassador out of England, named Lord William Howard, and a bishop with him, to the number of three score horse, which were all the able men and waled men for all kind of games and pastimes, shouting, louping, running, wrestling,and casting of the stone; but they were well sayed ere they past out of Scotland, and that by their own provocation: but ever they tint: till at last the Queen of Scotland, the King's mother, favoured the Englishmen, because she was the king of England's sister: and therefore she took an enterprise of archery upon the Englishmen's hands, contrary to her son the King, and any six in Scotland he would wale [pick], either gentlemen or yeomen, that the Englishmen would shoot against them, either at pricks, revers, or butts, as the Scots pleased. The King hearing this of his mother, was content and gart her pawn a hundred crowns, and a tun of wine, upon the Englishmen's hands; and he incontinent laid down as much for the Scottish men. The field and ground were chosen in St Andrews, and three landed men and three yeomen chosen to shoot against the Englishmen; to wit, David Wemyss of that ilk, David Arnot of that ilk, and <b>Mr John Wedderburn, vicar of Dundee</b>; the yeomen, John Thompson, in Leith, Steven Taburnea, with a piper called Alexander Bailie. They shot very near, and worsted the Englishmen of the enterprise, and wan the hundred crowns and the tun of wine, which made the King very merry that his men wan the victory.</blockquote>
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<b style="text-align: left;">John Wedderburn and </b><b><b>The <i>Gude and Godlie Ballatis</i></b></b></h3>
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<b> John Wedderburn</b> was born around 1500 and was educated at St Andrews (at St Leonard's College, where most of the other brothers seem to have been educated also). He became a chaplain in the church of St Mary at Dundee. His was convicted of heresy in 1538, around the time his brother Gilbert was also having legal difficulties, and left Scotland for Wittenberg in Germany, imbibing the teachings of Luther while he was there. Returning to Scotland in 1543, he was obliged to go to England in 1546 and there he died in 1556.</div>
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David Calderwood (1575-1650) briefly described the Wedderburns in his <i>History of the Kirk of Scotland</i> . According to him, John was initially reluctant to enter into religion, though whether this was due to the Catholic doctrine prevalent at the time, or a more general disinclination is unknown. Calderwood states that he heard Luther and other reformers preach in Germany and he translated some of the latter's works into Scots. Also, in a reference to his surviving work, 'He turned manie bawdie songs and rymes in godlie rymes.'</div>
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The book named the <i>Gude and Godlie Ballatis</i> is almost certainly the work of <b>John Wedderburn</b>. The other brothers may have had some input also. Robert is said to have provided some of the tunes for the metres provided, but there is no music printed in the text. The book does not survive in manuscript, but there have been various published versions, with differing titles. The published titles include the <b><i>Psalms of Dundee</i></b>, the <i><b>Psalms of Wedderburn</b></i>, the <b><i>Godlie and Spirituall Sangs</i></b>. The editions were issued first during the Reformation and grew and changed as time went on. It is a work containing both prose and verse and is valued both for the richness of its Scots language as well as being an important text on the religious development of the nation. The first surviving edition of the book is from 1567, though the ballads may have been in circulation in the early 1540s. When the famous preacher George Wishart was arrested in 1546 or 1547, John Knox reports that he sang the fifty-first psalm in Scottish metre.</div>
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What did the book consist of? Apart from a metrical translation of the Psalms, the bulk of the text is popular songs composed in Scots to reaffirm the truth of the reformed religion and stigmatise the old Popish rule. Many of the ballads are translations of popular works from Germany, where the John had close links. Others are renewed versions of popular secular songs which would have been in circulation in the mid 16th century in Dundee and elsewhere. The description given near the start of the 1567 edition advertises the intent of the author:<br />
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<i>Ane Compendius Book of Godly and Spirituall Sangis out of Sundry parts of the Scripture with sundry other Ballats changet out of prophaine sangis for avoyding of sin and harlatry, with augmentation of sundrye gude and godly Ballates, etc., etc.</i></blockquote>
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Students of Scots vernacular and of the Reformation may find much to fascinate them in <i>The Gude and Godlie Ballatis</i>, but the more general reader will find the content not so east to digest in the modern age. I offer here one solitary entire example from the work, not because of its intrinsic worth, but because of the story behind it. '<b>Welcum, Fortoun</b>,' was the name of a ballad banned by the general assembly in 1568 and it vanished for a full three hundred years before being found by the editor of the Scottish Text Society edition of the <i>The Gude and Godlie Ballatis </i>(1897). Why it should have been banned by the Kirk is something of a mystery, so its subject is mild by most standards. However, it does exude a wholly earthly longing of a man for a woman and there are different theories about its origin, given by the <i>Ballatis'</i> editor, A. F. Mitchell.<br />
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Welcum, Fortoun, welcum againe,</div>
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The day and hour I may weill blis,</div>
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Thow hes exilit all my paine,</div>
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Quhilk to my hart greit plesour is.</div>
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For I may say, that few men may, </div>
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Seing of paine I am drest, </div>
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I haif obtenit all my pay,</div>
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The lufe of hir that I lufe best.</div>
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I knaw nane sic as scho is one,</div>
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Sa trew, sa kynde, sa luiffandlie,</div>
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Quhat suld I do, an scho war gone?</div>
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Allace! zit had I leuer die.</div>
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To me scho is baith trew and kynde,</div>
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Worthie it war scho had the praise,</div>
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For na disdaine in hir I find,</div>
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I pray to God I may hir pleis.</div>
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Quhen that I heir hir name exprest,</div>
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My hart for Ioy dois loup thairfoir,</div>
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Abufe all vther I lufe his best,</div>
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Unto I die, quhat wald scho moir?</div>
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Is it John Wedderburn's heartfelt rhapsody for the mother of his children, or a more generalised tribute to secular love? Possibly it might only be a reworking of something older still. Wedderburn may have cleaned up a bawdier ballad that was circulating in the profane drinking dens of Dundee. Whichever it was, the ballad was transformed again into a sparking religious confection, beginning with these sacred words:<br />
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Welcum, Lord Christ, welcum, againe,</div>
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My ioy, my confort, and my blis, </div>
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That culd me saif from Hellis paine, </div>
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Bot onlie thow nane was, nor is.</div>
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Keith Colemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02435885427062349047noreply@blogger.com0