married Katherine Duff, eldest daughter and heiress of Adam Duff of Drummuir, and by her had Robert of Drummuir, John of Coulbin, and William of Muirton. Robert was father of Archibald, who is succeeded by his son John, now of Drummuir. William had a second son, James father of William Duff of Crombie advocate. Of Clunybeg's third son, John, is descended Duff of Corsindie.And of Keithmore's son Patrick of Craigston, are descended Hatton, Kemney, Craigston, &c.

The Armorial bearing of DUFF EARL of FIFE, of the Kingdom of IRELAND, is quarterly, first and fourth, Or, a Lion rampant Gules, armed and langued Azure, for Fife; second and third, Vert, a Fess danzette Ermine, betwixt a Hart's head cabossed in Chief, and two Escallops in Base, Or, for Duff of Braco. Crest, a demy Lion Gules, holding in his dexter paw a broad sword erected in pale proper, hilted and pomelled. Or, Motto above the Crest, DE US JUVAUIT. And below the Shield, VIRTUTE ET OPERA* Supporters, two savages wreathed about the heads and middles with Laurel, holding branches of trees in their hands, all proper.

ABERLAURE PARISH.

The parish of Aberlaure (all in the county of Banff,) is called also Skir-druston. It extendeth on the bank of Spey, from the mouth Fiddich, three miles to the South West, and on all other sides is environed with hills, and no where above a mile in breadth, except a small skirt in Glenrinnes. The church standeth on the bank of the river, where a brook, flowing from the hills towards Mortlich, falleth into it two miles North West of Mortlich, two miles near to the west of Boharm, and three miles and a half North East of InverAt the confluence of Fiddich and Spey, there is a passage boat, and another at the church.

avon.

• Crest.---God will Help.---Below the Shield, By Courage and Labour.

This was the heritage of Alex

This

The parish is now the property of five heritors. In the lower end is Mudhouse, a feu pertaining to Mr Anderson. Next up the river is the heritage of Gordon of Aberlaure. Further up the river, and on the south east of the brook, is Alachie. ander Grant, third son of Bellentom, by whose daughter it came in mortgage to Duff of Keithmore, and was lately redeemed by Sir Ludovick Grant, who in 1758 disponed it to James Grant of Carron. In the face of the hill south west from Alachie, is Edinvillie. was the property of Gordon of Farskin, from whom it came to Grant of Easter Elchies, and now is the property of the Earl of Findlater. (See this Work, parish of Rothes, page 21.) Below Edinvillie towards the side of the river, is the Barony of Kinermonie. This was a part of the Lordship of Balvenie, and was given by Innes of Balvenie to his second son, whose heirs exchanged it for Ortown, and now it is the property of the Earl of Fife. In the west end of the parish is Carron, at the foot of the hill of that name. It continued above two hundred years the property of a branch of the Family of Grant of Glenmoriston, and Colonel John Grant, the last of Carron being killed before Carthagena anno 1741, without male issue, Charles Grant of Ringorum became the male heir. From him Captain Lewis Grant of Achterblair, a branch of the Clan Allan (and who married Colonel Grant's eldest daughter,) purchased his right, and now Captain James Grant his son, enjoyeth it, and in 1767 was made Baron of Muldery in the county of Moray *. I now proceed up the river to

• Of the alterations which have taken place since the first Edition, It may be proper only to notice, that although the Ferry boat is continued at Aberlaure, the passage of the River at the influx of the Fiddich, is now in the most commodious style, by the magnificent and Elegant Iron Bridge at the Lofty Rock of the lower Craig-Elachy. The design of which was given by Mr Telford, Civil Engineer, and the undertaking was executed by Mr Simpson of Shrewsbury, at the cost of £8000, the Span extending 150 feet comprehends the whole River in its most najestic state. The Access cut deep into the

THE PARISH OF INVERAVON.

Here I must trace the rivers of Avon and Livat that water this parish. The river Avon riseth out of a lake of that name, about two miles in length, situated in a deep valley, between two of the highest hills in the kingdom, viz. Cairn-gorm and Cairngormloi; and running through Glenavon and the parishes of Kirkmichael and Inveravon, it emptieth into Spey at Ballendalach, after a course of about twenty miles. About three miles above the mouth of Avon, Livat falleth into it, which rising in the hills towards Strathdon, watereth Glenlivat for seven or eight miles, and mixeth with Avon at Drummin. Both these waters are very impetuous; and Avon is so clear and deceiving, that, where to the eye it appeareth but a foot deep, it is commonly more than three feet. This parish is very extensive, running on the bank of Spey from N. E. to S. W. above three and a half miles, and then S. S. E. above eight miles. The church standeth on the bank of Spey, a furlong east from the mouth of Avon, three and a half miles S. W. of Aberlaur, two miles S. of Knockando, six miles N. E. of Cromdale, and as many N. of Kirkmichael. Malcolm Earl of Fife gave this church, and a Davach of land in Inveravon, to the Bishop of Moray, (Appendix, No. VII.) which sheweth that this was once a part of the estate of the Earls of Fife, and probably came to the Grants by the favour of Robert Stew

fall of the overhanging Rock, the River roaring underneath, the lightness, yet solidity of the open Rail, The mountains in their various altitudes and distances. The Manors, Dwellings and Gioves, at once under the eye, present so new a Landscape, and so inviting, that none of the numerous Tourists have expressed the smallest disappointment after an excursion on purpose of more than a dozen of miles.

The state of the Property has also been subjected to considerable alteration, and great improvement has in general been made. The growing Village of Charlestown, to which the Church has been translated, rises along the lately formed Turnpike, communicating both from Fochabers and Keith, or rather from the Harbours on the Shore, to the upper district of Banff-shire. The occupation of the Property is seen in the Table of the Valued Rent.

art Duke of Albany (uncle to Andrew Stewart who married the heiress of Grant) to whom Isabel M'Duff, the heiress, disponed that great estate (Appendix, No. VIII.) The whole lower end of the parish except Colchoich, pertaining to the Duke of Gordon, is the Barony of Ballendalach. This, for above two hundred years, was a part of the estate of the old family of Ballendalach, of whom Advie, Dellay, Dalvey, Tommaulin, &c. have descended. But being evicted and brought to a sale, was purchased by the Laird of Grant in the beginning of this century, and given by the Brigadier with his sister to Colonel William Grant, second son to Rothiemurchus, whose son James (since the death of his nephew William, son of his elder brother Alexander, without issue) now possesseth it, and has a beautiful seat at the confluence of Spey and Avon.

Three miles above Ballendalach, upon the same side of Avon, beginneth Glenlivat which runneth up S. E. on both sides of Livat five miles, and holdeth of the Duke of Gordon, either in property or in superiority. In the face of Benrinnes, on the north side of Livat, is Morinsh, for several generations the property of Nairn of Morinsh, but now a part of the estate of Ballendalach. On the west side of Avon, for three miles from the mouth of it, lieth the Barony of Kilmachlie. This was a part of the estate of Alexander Stewart, fourth son of King Robert II. Earl of Buchan, and Lord Badenoch and Strathavon, who having no legitimate issue, gave the lands of Strathavon to his bastard son Sir Andrew, whose son Sir Walter sold Strathavon to the family of Gordon; or rather, it came to Thomas, bastard son of Alexander Steuart Earl of Marr, who was bastard son of the Earl of Buchan, and Thomas sold it to Alexander Earl of Huntly. But Kilmachlie continued with a son of Sir Andrew and his descendants, until Ludovick Laird of Grant purchased it, and now it is a part of the estate of Ballendalach. On the point where Avon and Livat join, stands the castle of Drummin, which was the seat of the Barons of Strathavon, and is now the seat of Charles

Here, there is an

Steuart of Drummin, a branch of Kilmachlie. arch of a stone-bridge over Livat. This parish is accommodated with much wood, rich pasture-ground, and plentiful salmon fishing. The barony of Ballendalach is in the county of Moray: The rest is in Banff-shire. Farther up the river Avon is

THE PARISH OF KIRKMICHAEL.

This parish is in the shire of Banff. This Glen and Strath was a part of the estate of M'Duff Earl of Fife in the 13th century, and was, anno 1389, June 22. resigned by Isabel M'Duff heiress, in the hands of King Robert III. in perpetuam remanentiam, (Appendix No. VIII. And Skene de verb. signif. Tit. Arge). It came afterwards to Alexander Lord Badenoch and Earl of Buchan, who left issue only three bastard sons, viz. Alexander Earl of Marr in right of his wife, Sir Andrew of Sandhaugh, and Walter of Kinchardin. Sir Walter of Strathavon (son of Sir Andrew) sold Strathavon, except Kilmachlie and Drummin, to Alexander Earl of Huntly, who disponed it to his son Alexander, and he excambed it for the barony of Clunie. Again, George Earl of Huntly, who died anno 1576, gave Strathavon to his son Alexander, whose son Alexander Gordon of Dunkintie sold Strathavon to his cousin George Earl of Huntly. Since that time, all this parish (except the Davach of Delnaboe) holds of Huntly in property or superiority.

It is all environed with hills, except a small opening towards Inveravon, and extends in length, in both sides of the river, from N. E. to S. W. seven miles; and about the middle of the parish, the rivulet Conglas (which riseth in the hills towards the River Don) after a course of seven or eight miles, falleth into Avon, and here the breadth of the parish is three miles. The church standeth on the East bank of the Avon, two miles above the lower end of the parish, six miles S. W. of Inveravon, four miles E. of Cromdale, and five miles E. N. E. of Abernethie.