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Brocholin Butruthyn Abyrlouer . duas canonicales prebendas de assensu capituli tui et patroni villarum ipsarum jure tamen patronatus sibi in illis et suis successoribus reservato provida deliberatione duxeritis statuendas nos tuis precibus inclinati statutum hujusmodi sicut sine pravitate pie ac provide factum est dummodo in juris alieni prejudicium non redundet auctoritate apostolica confirmamus et presentis scripti patrocinio communimus. Nulli ergo omnino hominum liceat hanc paginam nostre confirmationis infringere vel ei ausu temerario contraire. Siquis autem hoc attemptare presumpserit indignationem Omnipotentis Dei et beatorum Petri et Pauli apostolorum ejus se noverit incursurum Datum Lateran xii. Kalendas Maii pontificatus nostri anno. viii.

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THE PARISH OF INVERAVEN (OR STRATHAW'N.)

THE PARISH OF INVERAVON. (A.D. M.DCC.LXXV.)

ERE I must trace the rivers of Avon and Livat that water this parish.

H

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, videlicet Cairn-gorm and Cairn-gorm-beg; and running through Glenavon, and the parishes of Kirkmichael and Inveravon, it emptieth into Spey at Ballendalloch, 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.2

This parish is very extensive, running on the bank of Spey, from north-east to south-west, above three and a half miles, and then south-south-east above eight miles.

1 [From Shaw's History of the Province of Muray, pp. 30-32, 330, 331.]

2 [ Avinium amnem omnium regni hujus limpidissimum et purissimarum aquarum esse, retulit mihi Timotheus Pont, qui universa haec lustraverat." (Praefecturarum Aberdonensis et Banfiensis Nova Descriptio, auctore Roberto Gordonio, 1654, in Collections for a History of the Shires of Aberdeen and Banff, p. 11.) "The Aven is celebrated for

The church standeth on the bank of Spey, a furlong east from the mouth of Avon, three and a half miles south-west of Aberlaure, two miles south of Knockando, six miles north-east of Cromdale, and as many north of Kirkmichael. It was a parsonage dedicated to Saint Peter, and was the seat of the chancellor of the diocess; and the vicarages of Knockando, and Urquhart, beyond Inverness, depended on it. The laird of Grant is patron. Mr. William Cloggie, being transported to Inverness, retained the revenues of the chancellory till the synod. in M.DC.XXIV. obliged him to demit them. There was a chapel of ease in the south-west corner, called Kil-Machlie, and two in Glenlivat, videlicet, at Daskie and at Dunan. The stipend, by a decreet in M.DC.LXXXV. was eight hundred and thirty merks, with thirty-six merks for element money; but, anno M.DCC.LXIX., an augmentation was obtained of sixteen pounds Scots, and three chalders of meal valued at six pounds Scots per boll. The mortifications for the poor are

its uncommon transparency, which makes it dangerous for strangers to attempt fording, being often many feet deep where it scarcely appears to be two; and hence the doggerel lines

The water of Aven so fair and clear,
Would deceive a man of a hundred year."

(The New Statistical Account of Scotland, number xi., p. 126. Edinb. 1836. See also The Statistical Account of Scotland, vol. xii., pp. 425, 426. Edinb. 1794.)]

1

["Besides the churchyard of the parish, there are two other burying places, one upon the east side of Livet, near four miles from the parish church, near the walls of the old chapel of Dounan; and another, almost five miles higher up the glen, on the west side of Cromby, and opposite to The Bochle. It is called The Buitterlach, and was consecrated more than forty years ago, by two popish bishops, to be a burying ground for the catholics; but few are yet buried in it. There was in old time also a chapel and burying place on the the east side of Livet, about half a mile above the protestant meeting house, called Chapel Christ; but very little remains of the chapel are to be seen, and the burying ground has been washed away by a small rivulet which runs between it and Nevie, and by the water of Livet. There was also once a chapel and burying ground on the west side of Aven, on the estate of Kilmachlie, almost opposite to the mouth of Livet, on a farm which is from it called Chapeltown. There are evident marks of graves with stones set up at the heads of some of them; and hard by is an excellent spring, which emits a large stream of water." (The Statistical Account of Scotland, vol. xiii., pp. 36, 37. Edinb. 1794.) "There were chapels at Phona, at Nevie, Deskie, and Chapelton of Kilmaichlie; but no traces now remain of any of them except the latter, the outlines of which are still visible, with some appearances of graves close by. The burial ground of Downan is still used, and occasionally also that of Buitterlach; in the near neighbourhood of which there is a very large cairn supposed to be raised over the grave of a person of note. A small spot, in a field on the farm of Haughs of Kilmaichlie, appears clearly to have been also a place of sepulture. In the immediate neighbourhood of the old chapel at Chapelton of Kilmaichlie is a very copious spring of water, cased with stones, indicating perhaps that it was in repute in times of old." (The New Statistical Account, number xi., pp. 133, 125.)]

seven hundred merks. The school is legal. The catechiseable persons are sixteen hundred and sixty; whereof about five hundred are Roman Catholics. The Protestant ministers are: Mr. William Cloggie, settled before M.DC.X., transported to Inverness about M.DC.XX.: Mr. Alexander Innes, ordained about M.DC.XXII., transported to Rothemay about M.DC.xxx.: Mr. John Chalmers, ordained about M.DC.XXXI., transported to Gartlie in M.DC.XLIX.: Mr. Alexander Gordon, ordained in M.DC.L., deposed for immorality in M.DC. LVII.: Mr. George Hannay (ordained minister at Alves on the twelfth of November, M.DC.XL. deposed in M.DC.XLVI., for opposing the covenant,) admitted in M DC.LVIII., transported to Aldern in M.DC.LXIV.: Mr. Alexander Dunbar, ordained in M.DC.LXV., transported in M.DC.LXVIII.: Mr. James Stuart, ordained on the twenty-second of September, M.DC.LXIX., demitted in M.DC.LXXXI. on account of the test: Mr. John Stuart, ordained in summer M.DC.LXXXII., died in M.DC.XCVII.: Mr. James Bannerman, ordained on the fifteenth of April, M.DCC.III., transported to Forglen in M.DCC.XVII.: Mr. Daniel MacKenzie, from Aberlaure, admitted in M.DCC.XVIII., transported to Pettie in M.DCC.XIX.: Mr. Alexander Fraser, from Alvie, admitted on the twenty-first of September, M.DCC.XXI., died on the thirteenth of February, M.DCC.LII.: Mr. James Grant, ordained in M.DCC.LI., admitted on the twenty-third of November, M.DCC.LII.

Malcolm, Earl of Fife, gave this church, and a davach of land in Inveravon, to the Bishop of Moray; 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 Steuart, Duke of Albany, (uncle to Andrew Steuart, who married the heiress of Grant,) to whom Isabel MacDuff, the heiress, disponed that great estate. The whole lower end of the parish (except Coulchoich, pertaining to the Duke of Gordon) is the barony of Ballindalach. This, for above two hundred years, was a part of the estate of the old family of Ballindalach, of whom Advie, Dellay, Dalvey, Tommavulin, etc., have descended. But being evicted and brought to a sale, it 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 Rothimurchus, 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.1

["The house of Ballindalloch, a large structure, consists of a square building, flanked by three circular towers; the centre tower, which is the largest, containing the ancient door and turnpike stair, surmounted by a square watch-tower termed 'the cape house,' with a window to each of the four sides, and an aperture in the wall immediately above the entrance, so as to admit of boiling lead, or missiles, being thrown down in the event of an enemy making good his approach. Over the chimney in one of the rooms is carved the date 1546. The cape house' seems to have been added by Patrick Grant in the year 1602;

1

Three miles above Ballindalach, upon the same side of Avon, beginneth Glenlivat, which runneth up south-east on both sides of Livat five miles, and holdeth of the Duke of Gordon, either in property or 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 Ballindalach.

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 Steuart, (fourth son of King Robert II.), Earl of Buchan, and Lord Badenoch and Strath

and, about the beginning of the last century, a further addition was made of two large and commodious wings. The building is situated a little to the east of the Aven, and about half a mile from its confluence with the Spey, upon a low flat haugh richly wooded. A little farther up the river, upon the edge of the high ground, and near a small stream called the castle stripe,' are to be seen the traces of a large building, said to have been the old castle or mansion house of Ballindalloch; where, tradition says, it would have still stood, had not the rebuilding been prevented by unseen agency, the part built in the day time having been always thrown down through the night at length a voice was heard saying Build in the cow haugh, and you shall meet with no interruption.' The recommendation was followed, and the house of Ballindalloch was built where it now stands." (The New Statistical Account of Scotland, number xi., pp. 133, 134.)

:

"Carta feodifirmae ab Episcopo Moraviensi cum consensu capituli concessa Johanni Grant de Ballandallacht et nobili mulieri Barbarae Gordoun ejus sponsae et heredibus masculis dicti Johannis; quibus deficientibus Jacobo Grant de Fruychy et heredibus suis masculis; terrarum de Kirktoune de Inverawn in vicecomitatu de Banff: Reddendo inde annuatim quatuor marcas: Testibus Alexandro Gordoune de Strathown, Arthuro Stewart de Kynimachlo, Patricio Grant de Dalwey, Jacobo Grant de Desk, Willelmo Gordoune : Apud Drummyn, 16 Julii 1544." (Registrum Episcopatus Moraviensis, p. 408.) "Preceptum sasine earundem terrarum: Testibus ut supra, una cum Willelmo Hay: Apud Drummyn, 21 Julii 1545.” (Ibid.) See also pp. 391, 392, 398, 399.] 1 ["About a mile from the confluence of Aven and Livet, the rivulet Tervy falls into Livet. From the mouth of Tervy, up Livet about half a mile, lies Achbrake; and at the distance of half a mile eastward from Achbrake, the burn of Altachoynachan falls into Tervy; and about a mile and a half almost up this burn and south-cast from its mouth, the battle of Altachoynachan, in October, 1594, was fought between Huntly and Argyle, in which the latter was defeated." (The Statistical Account of Scotland, vol. xiii., p. 35.) "The battle of Altachoylachan, or Glenlivet, was fought on the fourth of October, 1594, upon an inclined plain near the Glenrinnes border of the parish, terminating in a flat ridge which descends rapidly to the burn of Altachoylachan, and flanked on the south by a somewhat precipitous shoulder of the contiguous mountain. About three quarters of a mile from the scene of action, a small knoll on the east bank of the stream Coulalt, commonly called Lord Auchindown's cairn, two-thirds of it swept away by the flood of 1829, marks the place where Sir Patrick Gordon of Auchindown is supposed to have died." (The New Statistical Account of Scotland, number xi., p. 130.)]

avon; 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, untill Ludovick laird of Grant, purchased it; and now it is a part of the estate of Ballindalach. 2

On the point where Avon and Livat join, stands the castle of Drummin 3 which was the seat of the barons of Strathavon, and is now the residence of Charles Steuart of Drummin, a branch of Kilmachlie. Here there is an arch of a stonebridge over Livat.

This parish is accommodated with much wood, rich pasture ground, and plentiful salmon fishing.

The barony of Ballindalach is in the county of Moray: the rest is in Banff

shire.

1 [On the fifth of February, 1493, "the lordis of consale assignis to Alexander Tulloche the xv day of Aprile nixt tocum with continiatioune of dais to preif sufficiently that Walter Stewart of Straithovn knycht is awand to the said Alexander as are to vmquhile his faider the soume of ij merkis And alse to preif sufficiently that Margrete laidy Dvn and Jonat Ogilby laidy Leis is awand him a croce of gold with a preciouse stane callit a ruby and vij orient perle with a pece of bane of Sanct Magnis hede and the price tharof And ordinis him to haf letrez to summonde his witnes and the partij to here thaim sworne." (Acta Dominorum Concilii, p. 273.)]

2 ["A clump of venerable firs, one of them measuring eleven feet in circumference at eleven feet from the ground, and supposed to contain two hundred and twelve cabic feet of timber, heightens the natural beauty of the ancient place of Kilmaichlie, which, with the old widow lady who inhabited it, and some of her domestics, is so interestingly described in the eighty-seventh number of The Lounger,' by the graphic pen of the Man of Feeling.'" (The New Statistical Account of Scotland, number xi., p. 129.)]

3 ["At Blairfindy, are to be seen the ruins of a hunting seat of the Earls of Huntly; and at Drumin, on a high promontory near the confluence of the Livet with the Aven, stands part of the old castle of Drumin, now affording shelter only to jackdaws and pigeons. The wall, which is of great height and thickness, is pretty entire on the east and north, and half of the west side; but the other half of the west and the whole south wall are gone, and the stability of a considerable part of what remains of the structure seems to rest on a single stone of a few inches in diameter." (The New Statistical Account of Scotland, number xi. p. 133.)]

4["There were upon an eminence on the east side of Aven, and a short way up from the house of Ballendalloch, a few long stones enclosing a small piece of ground, which was said to be a Druidical temple. The most of the stones have been taken away, except one very broad, thick, and long stone, which stands still there. Opposite to this, on the west