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Home , Abernyte, Auchterarder, Dunning, Dupplin Cross, Invergowrie, Kinross

Issue No 16 NEWSLETTER Friends of Perth & Council Archive

Honorary Presidents: Bob Scott, Provost of Perth & Kinross Council and Sir William Macpherson of Cluny and Blairgowrie

Welcome to the summer edition of the Friends newsletter.

You will notice the difference in style and content, which is down to our new associate edi- tors, David Wilson and Morag Sweet. I’m sure you will agree that their hard work and en- thusiasm has handsomely paid off.

At this year’s AGM, members were treated to the Heritage Group’s oral history presentation (reported inside). Thanks were expressed for the Friends’ volunteers’ hard work and that of the committee. Our particular thanks go to Christine Wood who is retiring as treasurer and who has done an excellent job during her term of office. We welcome Mr Pe- ter Stroyan who was appointed treasurer at the AGM and are pleased that Mr John Howat has been re-appointed as secretary. The minutes of the AGM and other committee and gen- eral meetings are available in the Archive searchroom.

CONTENTS Page Historical Societies in 2

‘Mind ye Betty, Ministers are just Men’. 4

Launching the Maritime Collection 6

Exploring Chosen Themes and Topics; — Poverty in 9

Hard Times on the Farm; an Oral History Project dramatised 10

On First Meeting Secretary Hand 11

The Diddledan 13

Scottish Castles, Palaces and Mansions 15

Diary of Events Insert

Perth & Kinross Council Archive, AK Bell Library, York Place, Perth PH2 8EP, Tel: 01738 444949 Email: [email protected]

Historical Societies in Perth & Kinross

In the past twenty years, there has been an explosion of interest in local history, archaeology and genealogy in our area, to judge by the number of local groups that have been formed, and their sometimes impressive range of activities. The following are known to exist, but there may well be others; if you know of any that are missing, we would be glad to know (and if any reader would like more information about a listed group, please contact us.)

Abernyte Heritage Group Abertay Historical Society & District Local History Association Auld Abernethy Association Blairgowrie, Rattray and District Local History Trust Blackford Historical Society Breadalbane Heritage Society Carse Association for Continuing Education Heritage Association and Birnam Historical Society Parish Historical Society Kinross- Historical Society Moulin and History Circle History Society History Society Scone Local History Society Local History Society West Stormont Historical Society History Society North Perthshire Family History Group Perthshire Society of Natural Science (Archaeology & History Section)

From time to time we intend to spotlight individual societies, to give a picture of the kind of things they do, material they have published or information they can provide. In this issue, we are introducing the Scone and the Dunning groups - one very young, the other long- established.

SCONE AND DISTRICT HISTORICAL SOCIETY

2005 marks the bicentenary of the move of the village of Old Scone to New Scone, and as a result of a public meeting, a committee made up of representatives of the various groups, clubs and societies within Scone was formed.

One of the earliest ideas put forward was that Scone should have a local historical society, es- pecially given the bicentenary and the lack of any current book on the history of Scone. So a further public meeting was held and it was decided to form a Scone and District Historical So- ciety, with the agreement of the forty five people who attended. A committee was elected and a programme of speakers was drawn up for the first year. These included Morag Norris, Archi- vist from , Dr David Breeze from Historic (who gave a talk on the Stone of Scone), Steve Connelly, Archivist of Perth and Kinross Council and Fiona Slattery from Perth Museum.

The other main item on the society’s agenda has been an exhibition on the history of New Scone, which has resulted in a large collection of mainly photographic material being put to- gether. It’s open from Saturday 21st May at the Robert Douglas Institute and will run until the end of August.

The first AGM of the society was on Thursday 19th May, and we hope that, given our success- ful first year, we may go from strength to strength. Mike Moir, Chairman

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DUNNING PARISH HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Dunning has one of the largest and liveliest groups in the county. Founded in 1992, it now has over three hundred members in half a dozen countries - not bad for a village of less than a thousand in- habitants! It was the brainchild of a Scots-Canadian incomer, Mr Lorne Wallace, a retired journal- ist with old family ties with Dunning, who turned his fascination with his new home into an illus- trated book on the village's past. That book, Crossroads and Characters, created an awareness of the need to salvage knowledge that was in danger of being lost, and the Society was the result.

It has been, and still is, an extremely active group, punching well above its weight in terms of publi- cations and events. For instance, every quarter it publishes a 24-page colour magazine, carrying well-researched articles on aspects of Dunning's past. It has a strong web site which carries a mass of information about the village, including complete lists of gravestone inscriptions useful to genea- logical researchers. It has amassed a huge library of old photographs and prints, and has transcribed all the handwritten census returns for the village from 1841 to 1901 and which are available on CDs. The Society has also published several books, pamphlets, CDs and videotapes of professional quality, including an in-depth study of the evacuation of children to the village in the early 1940s, and its long-term effects.

The Society's regular programme of activities - talks, exhibitions, field walks, re-creations, visits to sites of historical interest - are the mainstay of village social life, and help to create a strong sense of local identity. Its regular meetings can attract audiences of eighty or more.

Finally, on a less parochial level, it played a major part in the campaign to prevent the from being abducted from Strathearn by an museum, before finding its permanent home in Dunning's St. Serfs Church. Alf Marshal, Chairman

St. Serf’s Dunning; Home to the Dupplin Cross (Reproduced with kind permission of Alf Marshal ) 3

‘Mind Ye, Betty, Ministers are just Men…’

In January 1889 a local worthy, probably a Mr RA Forrest, gave a lecture to the Dun- ning Self-improvement Society on the history of the village. It obviously left a deep im- pression, because over a hundred years later, different manuscript versions had sur- vived in the possession of village families. For his time, he showed an admirable lack of deference in dealing with aspects of his society. In this short extract, he deals with the foibles and eccentricities of Dunning ministers.

‘Now here are some of the sayings and doings of some of our more interesting ministers.

The Hon. Andrew Rollo was made minister in 1652. Like the vicar of Bray, he had a boundless capacity for conforming. 'He was everything by turns and nothing long'. He was at first an Episcopalian, then a Covenanter, then a Resolutioner and then again an Episcopalian. Whatever turned up, he, sensible man, 'stuck firm to his chalders' [i.e. his income, paid in chalders of meal]. Some vague reports about his behaviour led to the Presbytery visiting him. Nothing could be proven; nevertheless they gravely and seri- ously exhorted him:

‘to be circumspect in his carriage for times to come, and especially that he and his elders were to keep out of alehouses and sic like places on the Lord's Day’

After him, one William Reid was minister. He was a fearless Covenanter. It was told of him that on one occasion the minister at Auchterarder was too afraid of his parishioners to preach, and Reid stood in for him; but he preached with a pair of loaded pistols hung around his neck!

He took part in the Battle of Bothwell Bridge. On his retreat from the battle he took ref- uge in the roof of Church, where he witnessed the slaughter of a number of refugees below him. There he hid for three days, till hunger forced him to leave and enter a cottage for aid. The guidwife refused him food; but seeing some bowls of porridge sit- ting by the fire, he seized one of them, emptied it into his hand and ran, swallowing the porridge in his flight.

To the Jacobites, he was a marked man. When they were approaching Dunning in 1716 to destroy the village by fire, his wife was anxious to get him hidden; but he told her they would not be able to touch a hair of his body because, before they arrived, he would be 'where the weary are at rest’. Then he sent for the village carpenter and told him to measure him for his coffin as he would need it before night. He died as he foretold, and was hurriedly buried before the highlanders came. Then, as if by Providence, the snow fell to hide his grave and stop them wreaking their vengeance on his body. But in his fury their leader, Lord George Murray, would not spare the manse to his widow and family. He had it put to the torch. As it burned, he declared that

'he was only sorry not to have the old dog's bones to bristle in the flames of his own manse’

At the burning of the village the highlanders showed their usual cunning. They helped the folks carry their most valuable goods out of their houses before setting fire to them.

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But they came back later, knowing where the valuables had been stored!

In our own century, in the year 1813 the notorious drinker Charles W Hardy was ordained minister. Hardy must have incurred the displeasure of some of the parishioners, for one night he was waylaid going home and hung by the heels over the Bridge of Dunning. It is said that the shame of it hastened his death later that year.

I was lately told an anecdote of him which is worth relating. At that time the Ochils were home to a number of illicit stills. (My father used to tell me that when he was a lad he knew of seventeen stills in the hills above Dunning.) Well, it had reached the ears of the excise that Mr Hardy was being supplied with smuggled whisky and so Lord Rollo and Mr Graeme of Gar- vock, both JPs, visited 'the Rev. Drouth' [thirst] and asked him as to the truth of the allegation. He solemnly assured them that not a drop of smuggled whisky ever entered his door, and called his servant Annie Johnman to witness to the truth of it. Both gentlemen left quite satis- fied that the minister had been maligned. But after they had left the manse he said to Annie

‘Ye ken brawly I was telling the truth for it was yersel that took it a' in at the window!’

The next notable character to be a minister in Dunning was Dr Russell. He was famous for being a man of very few words. One afternoon, the young daughter of a tenant farmer went to the manse with a view to becoming a church member. She was expecting a whole catechism of questions on her religious knowledge. To her surprise he asked just two; the first was, ‘What is the fifth commandment?’ But the second, and final one, was: ‘Has your father got his neeps sown yet?’

His sister Margaret kept house for him. Once, she had been at some festive occasion at Dun- crub House. It was a very stormy night and the burns were all in spate, and coming home in the dark, Miss Russell fell off the driveway bridge and was carried off by the torrent. In all probability she should have drowned, had not an estate worker called Willie Brough, hearing her cries, rushed after her and got her out. After being taken home to the manse, she re- marked to her brother how thankful she ought to be to Providence for her safety. ‘Aye, aye’ said the minister,

‘That's all well enough, Maggie. But thank Willie Brough first, for had it not been for him, Providence would have let ye gang doon the burn!’

Another anecdote is told of Miss Russell. On sacramental occasions a number of ministers used to come to the manse on Saturday and stay till Monday to assist at communion services. Betty Flockhart was manse maid at the time, and on retiring to rest, Miss Russell said to Betty, quite loudly enough for the guests to hear;

‘Lock yer door when ye gang to bed the nicht, Betty... mind ye, ministers are just men!’

[Extracted with kind permission from The Dunningite of Spring 2004, published by the Dunning Parish Histori- cal Society]

We regret to announce the death in March of Miss Irene Mann, who was one of the Friends’ earliest members. Our condolences go to her family and friends.

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Launching The Maritime Collection

Last year I became a Friend of the Perth and Kinross Council Archive, and I soon volunteered to become actively involved in preparing resources. This is proving both informative and most enjoyable.

My first task was to prepare a collection level list on maritime subjects contained in the Archive. Perth be- ing Perth, ‘Maritime’ arguably includes the Perth ports, bridges, ferries and ‘fishings’ as well as shipbuild- ing, customs and excise records, river and sea navigation and foreign trade. These are all fascinating sub- jects, which would repay proper study and research. (and I hope and intend to do some study and research when my present project is completed.)

It is perhaps not immediately obvious that the Appin Murders would feature in a maritime reading list, but they do: in May 1752 the Customs House in Edinburgh sent the authorities in Perth an Order to stop anyone trying to leave the country and unable to give a good account of himself, together with a note of the de- scription and dress of Allan Breck Stewart. Rather disappointingly, he is described as ‘pockmarked, round- shouldered and knock-kneed’!

The Perth and Kinross Council Archive is vast, as befits those of a central repository in a former capital of Scotland. The index volumes on the shelves of the Archive’s search room summarise, in more or less de- tail, all the papers held. It is my job to read through these indices to identify papers on maritime and related subjects, and then to enter an appropriate description of all these papers on the computerised data base. This year I have started to convert the collection level list, recording collections containing documents of poten- tial interest, into a bundle or item level list (which details all document bundles and items within those bun- dles which are of potential interest). This will take many months to complete.

Where the summaries seem unclear or even incorrect, I can access the original document to verify the en- try. One technical difficulty with the original documents is that I frequently cannot read them! Most ama- teur historians need training and practice to read manuscripts written before about 1800. But the Archive staff - Archivist Steve Connelly, Assistant Archivist Jan Merchant and Archive Assistant Christine Wood -

The baroque, Bravo, at Perth Harbour, c1870 (Reproduced by kind permission of Perth Museum & Art Gallery) 6

Plan of the and Intended Improvements on the Port of Perth, 1829 P&KCA, PE26/bundle 17, Extract plan from Perth Navigation and Harbour Improvement Act, passed 1830

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all seem expert at reading old and unclear handwriting, so my difficulties never last long. Other problems for a 21st century volunteer centre around nomenclature and language. For example, Perth had many trading links with Memel, which modern readers would know only as the Lithuanian port of Klaipeda. The Council minutes and other documents frequently use technical legal words and many old Scots words which are no longer in use. But there are plenty of gazetteers as well as Scots language and other dictionaries to enable me to understand the original text.

Because of the need to read through all the indices, I have come across several references to major national events. In the 17th century alone, these include the Union of the Crowns, followed quickly by the Gunpow- der Plot; the capitulation of Perth to Cromwell's troops in 1652, and life under the Commonwealth; and the Restoration of the Monarchy, and Perth Council’s declaration in 1662 that Oaths to the National Covenant had been unlawful.

International relations sometimes impinge on strictly maritime subjects. One example is the seizure of a merchant ship, the William and James, during the 18th century. An undated ‘decreet of the High Court of Admiralty’ instructed that the sum of £244 16/- should be ‘applied for the relief of Stobb, a hostage in Dun- kirk, for the ransom of the ship and cargo following its detention by a French privateer on a voyage from Gotinburgh to Perth’.

In addition, the indices contain references to important economic and social matters, including measures to combat the various outbreaks of human ‘plague’ and bovine foot and mouth disease, agricultural and scien- tific developments, educational and ecclesiastical appointments, and crime and punishment. It is instruc- tive to read in the Archive that rivalry between Perth and dates back centuries! (Past disagreements were usually about the illegal imposition by Dundee of customs charges on Perth shipping.)

Just occasionally, the Archive yields surprises. Contrary to popular understanding, King James VI did in- deed return to Scotland after being ‘called’ to England. During my search for maritime documents in the 17th century records of the Town Council, I found summaries of documents detailing plans made by the Council for the King's visit in July 1617, and the summary of a document, dated November 1631, concern- ing expenses incurred by a Henry Stewart in 1617, ‘when the King was here.’ I consulted the Archivist, who subsequently told me that the discovery is of some practical as well as historical interest: Perth Mu- seum is now investigating whether a recent acquisition may be one of the garments ordered for leading citi- zens to wear during the 1617 Royal Visit.

As Friends of the Perth and Kinross Council Archive already know, the atmosphere in the search room is always very pleasant, thanks to the friendliness, helpfulness and admirable expertise of the Archive staff. Sitting there quietly at the computer I am always impressed by the great variety in the type of visitor and enquiry they deal with, and frequently fascinated, and educated, by both questions and answers. As for the work I do, I love it, and find that, as in all worthwhile occupations, I am constantly learning something new. Margaret Borland-Stroyan

Friends to meet P&K Council officers

Maria Walker, Perth & Kinross Council’s Lead Officer of Cultural and Community Services and Liz Knowles, Service Manager of Libraries and Lifelong Learning, both of which the Archive is part, are meeting with the Friends’ Commit- tee at the end of August. This is an opportunity to discuss how the Friends, the Archive and the Council can all work together to serve the wider community.

To have as productive a meeting as possible, the Committee is asking you, the Friends members, to let us know of any concerns or questions you have, and which you would like us to put to Maria and Liz . Perhaps you wonder what sup- port the Council can give if the Friends wish to start a school-based project? Or maybe you’re not sure how the Archive fits into the Council’s organisational structure? If you have any questions or points you wish us to make on your behalf, please contact the Chairman of the Friends, Jim Ferguson. You can telephone 01738 632206 or post a letter c/o the Archive (address on the front page).

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EXPLORING CHOSEN THEMES AND TOPICS IN THE ARCHIVE

From time to time we will be looking at how our collections can help to illuminate a broad theme or topic of general historical interest. This is similar to the work volunteers have been doing on source lists for top- ics like Women in History, Perth’s Maritime Past, and the two World Wars, but will be preliminary sketches rather than finished pictures. We start with the slightly lugubrious topic of...

Poverty in Perthshire

The records created by the administrators of poor relief vary in their content. Some may provide names and addresses of those applying and receiving relief; they may also give details such as fam- ily background, birthplace, or parishes where they have been living. Records may be a response to policy changes, or show administrators’ daily activities and functions or be comments on the wor- thiness of those applying for relief. What kind of information you can glean depends on the type of record you are investigating – and sometimes you do not find the information you expect, and vice versa, find titbits that surprise.

In Perth & Kinross Council Archive, the surviving poor house records belong to two combination houses: , and Combination Poorhouse and Upper Strathearn Combination Poorhouse (CC1/19). These collections include minute and letter books, registers of admissions and discharges, medical officers’ reports, journals and certificates, offence and punishment books and inspection records. The parochial board and parish council minutes (CC1/7 and PE1/13-15) fre- quently list applicants for relief and decisions made for or against them, sometimes with reasons why. Most of the parishes are represented, and usually comprise minute and letter books although the dates of the records of each parish vary. For instance, there are parochial board and parish coun- cil minute books for Muthill dating from 1845-1930, but St Martin’s only has parish council minute books from 1895.

For researchers also interested in the development of poor relief, the Perth town council collections may prove useful. For instance, ‘Report by the management committee concerning the labouring poor 1840’ can be found in PE15, as can ‘Letters, accounts, notes, vouchers, application and other papers connected with the poor of Perth and the non-payment of poor rates, 1775-1798, including List of the poor of Perth to whom financial aid was granted, 1775.’ In PE16, the Town Clerk’s pa- pers, we find items such as ‘Letter from Robert Peddie, town clerk, Perth relating to the system of assessment for the poor in Perth and the difficulties that the system is undergoing, 25 August 1821’.

Perth’s poor relief records can also be found in B59: ’s Heritors records can be found at B59/22/29-30, while B59/24/12/14 is a ‘List of the begging poor’ within the of Perth who have received badges. The names of 67 persons are given, their ages ranging from 6 to 82 years. With associated papers, 1741’. Generally speaking the B59/24 series contains most of the town’s records relating to poor relief.

Poor relief, though, was never confined to the church, heritors, or the parish council – philanthropic ventures also sought to alleviate poverty. The Archive has records of The Association for Improv- ing the Condition of the Poor in Perth, 1894-1979 (MS76), and of the St George’s Hospital, Dunkeld (MS207). Estate collections, because incumbent families would be parish heritor, may also contain material relating to poor rates and even lists of those claiming relief.

Finally, there are several accessible books and web sites which outline the development of poor re- lief and can help us better understand the context of the records held in the Archive.

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HARD TIMES ON THE FARM Oral History dramatised at a recent Friends’ meeting

Before the AGM on the 25th of May, Friends enjoyed a stimulating oral history presentation by members of the Abernyte Heritage Group, led by Dr. Mary Young of Dundee University Archive. Abernyte is a small farming village in the Sidlaw hills; the wider project aimed at capturing the experiences of the older inhabi- tants of the parish. The presentation focused on farmworkers and their families, to enable them to tell in their own words what life was like for them in an agricultural system that was profoundly different from today’s.

The picture they painted was in harsh contrast with the common perception that country life, if harsh, was one of stability and of settled communities. Instead, as a result of the system of annual or six-monthly hirings, it was a story of insecurity and constant movement from farm to farm and from one bothy or tied cottage to another. In fact there was the potential for half the population of the village to change over each year; a level of instability unknown to most town dwellers then or now.

While men might sometimes have enjoyed the variety it offered, the system bore hardest on the wives and children. The tied houses would often be in a terrible condition because of short-term occupancy, and the children’s schooling would be intermittent. The flittings themselves were memorable:

‘…Ah mind once we flitted on a Monday morning. It was pouring with rain and we were in an open lorry. We had killed a pig on the Saturday, but this time we couldn’t put the liquid on till we arrived. So we had a dead pig in the barrel and a new baby pig in a poke…’

Ninewells Farm, 1912 Reproduced by kind permission of Miss Lawson, , late of Abernyte

If the tied houses were bad, the bothies for the single men were indescribable; it was

‘…a really rough house. The bed was just chaff and very dirty. No chairs or anything; they sat on their own kists. And one table. All they had was one bowl and a spoon and knife. They never washed the bowl. They ate porridge and tatties…’ Detail by graphic detail, the picture of that long-gone community was brought to life for us. And despite the hardships, people remembered the happy times as well. The population of a big farm formed a temporary community that made its own entertainments and enjoyed its social life. We are most grateful to the present- ers of the Abernyte Heritage Group for giving us a picture of a vanished world.

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On First Meeting Secretary Hand

A few months ago (it seems much longer) when enquiring about voluntary work in the Ar- chive, I rashly mentioned an early acquaintance with church Latin, admittedly pretty rusty, but which might possibly be useful for working on simpler pieces.

“Any experience of reading secretary hand?” asked the Archivist. He explained that many old documents from the 16th and 17th centuries were written in a cursive (joined-up) script that was markedly different from ours. I confessed complete ignorance, but surely a few evenings of study would fix that? At the time I didn’t see why he was smiling so broadly…

I soon understood. I had been given as an exercise a small legal-looking document, said to be in Latin. Only it didn't look like Latin; indeed it looked like nothing I had ever met. What on earth were all these outlandish swoops and curlicues, where were all the familiar prefixes and case endings? I gathered that the French, who originated secretary hand, called an early ver- sion ‘Bastarde’. That at least I could understand.

But puzzles are insidious; the more impenetrable, the more addictive, and I was soon sucked in. Thankfully, there is plenty of beginner’s level help available, and the professional Archive staff gladly point you towards it.

It turns out that the need for an introduction to secretary hand for amateurs has been well rec- ognised and provided for. The Scottish Archives Network has produced an accessible, plain English beginner’s course on the internet (scottishhandwriting.com) which is particularly good at dealing with the many letters that can be easily confused with others.

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I liked Dr Grant Simpson’s Scottish Handwriting 1150-1650, because it describes very well the context in which the style evolved. In his view, it flourished when it did because it met the needs of an increasingly literate lay community – lawyers, merchants, administrators, landowners – for a script that could be rapidly written on the new medium, paper. The ele- gant but laborious church styles of the past were fine for inscribing vellum psalters, but im- possibly slow for business correspondence or court records.

However, speed came at a price. Over time, the shapes of the rapidly-written cursive letters gradually began to drift far away from their originals. Sometimes the curving line joining one letter to another became its main identifying feature, and the original letter-shape shrank to nothing. When one realises that the style changed over time, and from one coun- try or district to another, that different professions developed their own private codes, and that of course the quality of individual handwriting is very variable, one readily understands Dr Simpson’s claim that full mastery of palaeography would take a serious scholar thirty years or more. Not the kind of remark to gladden my heart at the age of seventy-odd!

However, to my considerable relief, I eventually began to find the marks turning into let- ters. For instance, it began to be (just) possible to make out the word ‘Kirk’ in these loops and squiggles;

But recognising letter-forms was only part of the problem. The next obstacle was to recog- nise actual Latin words, because few of them looked like any I could find in a dictionary. The reason, it soon became clear, was that, to save scarce materials and space, mediaeval scribes had evolved a great variety of methods for abbreviating words, (dauntingly, one ex- pert claims that over fourteen thousand different types have been recorded!)

However, no subject is so obscure that some scholar has not devoted a lifetime to it, and latin abbreviations have had several devoted acolytes (particularly at the University of Al- berta for some reason). LC Hector’s The Writing of English Documents I found particu- larly helpful. Immediately it became obvious why words looked so unfamiliar; most of the prefixes and suffixes had been amputated in various ways, often leaving just the bare stump of the word.

For instance; the word below spells ‘promus’, a butler. The ‘p’ with a dash across its leg stands for ‘pro’, and ‘m’ with a loop over it stands for the suffix ‘-us’. Logical, if slightly insane!

Guided by so much expert help, I slowly began to make out the rough outline of the text. It was a notary’s ‘extract' (a kind of deed) from the early 1600s, recording a feu transfer to a farm on the Drummond estates (a farm of the same name still survives in Strathearn). However, I have to admit that my translation still has more gaps than words.

Finally, to anybody who enjoys doing crosswords with the clues missing, or who is seri- ously into hair shirts and flagellation, may I recommend the study of secretary hand?

David Wilson

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The Diddledan

I first heard the word ‘Diddledan’ from Archie Martin when he was recounting some episode from his early days in Perth. How I wish I could remember exactly what he said! Subse- quently I discovered that it was a corruption of ‘Deadlands’; an area of ground approximately where the garden of the Royal George Hotel now is, and extending toward the North Inch.

Somehow or other, I got the idea that this was an old burial site, perhaps for plague victims; but when I tried to find out details of when it was used, no information was to be found. I knew that the area around the abandoned Greyfriars Monastery became the town’s official graveyard in 1580, by which time the area around the Kirk was full. Further consideration made me realise that a site so near the river was a most unlikely place for the burial of bodies since it would be frequently flooded and the earth washed away.

A search in the Archive clarified things a little. A plan of 1715 shows the area laid out as an orchard. An early reference, possibly 1753, mentions the Diddledan, or Deadland, in connec- tion with a new tenement in the Skinnergate, but gives no other details. The name appears more frequently in documents from 1762, the catalyst being the decision of where the new bridge would be built. This area of ground suddenly became important and ownership could lead to financial reward, one way or another.

By 1770, relevant writs mention

‘that foot road or path* leading through the orchyeard called the Deadland or Diddledan, and part of the orchyeard lying to the westward of the said Road.’

By 1774, there is a missive to remove John Menzies, wright, from Diddledan Ground; and a ‘piece of Deadland at Georges Street sold to Andrew Henderson, mason’. One of the condi-

Extract of Rutherford’s Plan of Perth, 1774, showing the Diddledan (P&KCA PE/P369)

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tions of sale was that a tenement of three storeys would be built, ‘each storey to consist of ten feet in height’. Andrew Henderson later petitioned the magistrates because the said tenement had been built, but he had not received the charter from the town. In 1782, part of Diddledan was feued out.

The later history of the area is mentioned by Baxter in his book Perth Past and Present. He tells us that in 1879, Perth Incorporation resolved to fill up the Deadlands foreshore by erecting a protecting wall and railing, and forming the ground behind into ‘a beautiful tree- lined promenade’ — Tay Street, as we now know it. As to the origin of the name, the only help I can find is in Chambers’ Scots Dictionary which, of several definitions under ‘dead’, includes ‘stagnant’ and ‘coarse soil from the bottom of a ditch’.

Marjory Howat

* According to Peacock, Perth, its Annals and its Archives, this road was called the Lady Walk. Writing in 1849, Peacock says that the name was still used by older citizens. He de- scribes the Walk as going from the foot of the High Street, through Deadlands, passing im- mediately under the windows of the apartments in the George Hotel which had been occu- pied by Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and attendants in 1848, then going under the dry arch of to give access to the North Inch.

Exract from Stobie’s map of Perth, showing Diddledan area, 1783 14

Scottish Castles, Palaces and Mansions

When you think about it, buildings emphasise extremes in wealth, and at the same time re- inforce where an individual is placed in society. For instance, the great houses and castles throughout history have been meant to overawe those who dare to question their owners’ role. They are intimidating, with power and respect walking hand in hand reinforcing one another.

The history of some of these great buildings are recorded in Sir John -Maxwell’s book, Shrines and Homes of Scotland.* Stirling-Maxwell was an unusual character, auto- cratic and very wealthy, who studied Scottish architectural history, nevertheless, who held left-wing views on land use, and opposed blood sports.

Castle building took place between 1200 and 1700, and both Alexander 1st and David 1st, in their efforts to extend the power of the crown, are known to have built great castles in the first half of the 12th century. The earliest castles were made of wood, and although many of the great abbeys were founded in the 11th and 12th centuries, it seems strange that no secu- lar building was.

The earliest stone castles are Inverlochy and Dunstaffnage, which ‘is more imposing and attractive on account of its enchanting site. Irregular shape and 16th century additions’. Other notable castles of the early period are Spynie Palace, Caerlaverock and Kildrummy, which as a fortress is ‘surpassed only by Bothwell among Scots thirteenth century castles’. From the end of the Canmore reigns to the 14th century, the building of such great castles came to an end, and smaller ones dominated, such as Threave, Coxton and Preston Tower.

During the next period of building—up to the mid 16th century, edifices such as Falkland, Borthwick, Linlithgow and Hoyrood House dominated. Similarly, in the 17th century, the great castles of Glamis, Craiievar, Tolquhan and , Pinkie House and Traquahair ap- peared. Both the size and number of these structures are astonishing. Stirling-Maxwell con- siders them ‘perhaps the most imposing buildings in Scotland’. The 17th century saw a style appearing that was intermediate between castle and the mansion. Times were still suf- ficiently troubled to demand castle walls, but equally, there was a growing prosperity and a consequent desire for domestic comforts. The compromise between the two needs of battle- ready and domesticity is supremely seen in Claypots Castle, with its Jacobean house perched atop a traditional Scottish keep.

The 18th century was a time of peace which saw the flowering of the country house – each more magnificent than the one before, confidently displaying wealth in a society which was strictly structured. The 19th century lacked the good taste of the 18th, and some monumen- tal pile were erected, including a number of pseudo-gothic castles, which still, it could be said, disfigure, the Scottish country side and perpetuate the sentimental myths of its history.

We must not forget, either, that the power of the great house has still not passed, even though many depend on the public to earn a crust or two. The ‘big house’ is still a symbol of authority in many areas, dominating the landscape and proclaiming its power.

Jim Ferguson *All quotes are from this publication.

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Members Outing

THE TOUR OF THE CASTLE AND CHURCH WILL BE FOLLOWED BY TEA AND SCONES IN THE HOUSE OF MENZIES (PAID FOR BY THE FRIENDS)

COST £4 / £3.50 PER PERSON SEE THE DIARY OF EVENTS INSERT FOR THE BOOKING FORM

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