THE PARISH OF DURRIS Some Historical Sketches ROBIN JACKSON Acknowledgments I am particularly grateful for the generous financial support given by The Cowdray Trust and The Laitt Legacy that enabled the printing of this book. Writing this history would not have been possible without the very considerable assistance, advice and encouragement offered by a wide range of individuals and to them I extend my sincere gratitude. If there are any omissions, I apologise. Sir William Arbuthnott, WikiTree Diane Baptie, Scots Archives Search, Edinburgh Rev. Jean Boyd, Minister, Drumoak-Durris Church Gordon Casely, Herald Strategy Ltd Neville Cullingford, ROC Archives Margaret Davidson, Grampian Ancestry Norman Davidson, Huntly, Aberdeenshire Dr David Davies, Chair of Research Committee, Society for Nautical Research Stephen Deed, Librarian, Archive and Museum Service, Royal College of Physicians Stuart Donald, Archivist, Diocesan Archives, Aberdeen Dr Lydia Ferguson, Principal Librarian, Trinity College, Dublin Robert Harper, Durris, Kincardineshire Nancy Jackson, Drumoak, Aberdeenshire Katy Kavanagh, Archivist, Aberdeen City Council Lorna Kinnaird, Dunedin Links Genealogy, Edinburgh Moira Kite, Drumoak, Aberdeenshire David Langrish, National Archives, London Dr David Mitchell, Visiting Research Fellow, Institute of Historical Research, University of London Margaret Moles, Archivist, Wiltshire Council Marion McNeil, Drumoak, Aberdeenshire Effie Moneypenny, Stuart Yacht Research Group Gay Murton, Aberdeen and North East Scotland Family History Society, Aberdeen Jim Paterson, Drumoak, Aberdeenshire John Reid, Banchory Heritage Society Linda Robb, Durris, Kincardineshire Alison Smith, Gene Genie, Scotland Douglas Straiton, WikiTree Gary Thomas, Archives Assistant, Aberdeen Journals Dr James Thomas, Reader in Maritime History, University of Portsmouth Sophia Tobin, Librarian, The Goldsmith’s Company, London Dr Chris Ware, Senior Lecturer in Maritime History, University of Greenwich James White, Durris, Kincardineshire Stewart Wilson, Banchory Heritage Society Gerard Wood, Gibraltar National Archives Heather and Michelle, Wolfson Reading Room, Sir Duncan Rice Library, University of Aberdeen THE PARISH OF DURRIS Some Historical Sketches ROBIN JACKSON First published 2019 ISBN 978-1-5272-3732-2 Copyright © 2019 Robin Jackson Published by Robin Jackson 4 Deeview Gardens Drumoak Kincardineshire AB31 5AF No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher. Printed by McKenzie Quality Print Ltd, Unit 12, Wellheads Trading Estate, Wellheads Crescent, Dyce, Aberdeen AB21 7GA INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... 1 1. EARLY HISTORY 1.1 Prehistory ............................................................................................................................. 3 1.2 Early Years ......................................................................................................................... 10 2. RELIGIOUS HISTORY OF DURRIS 2.1 St Comgall’s Kirk ............................................................................................................. 15 2.2 Durris Chapelry: The Knights Templar and Hospitaller ......................................... 19 2.3 Durris Kirk ........................................................................................................................ 23 2.4 The United Free Church: The West Church ................................................................ 32 2.5 The Tin Tabernacle, Durris ............................................................................................ 35 2.6 Primitive Religious Beliefs ............................................................................................ 39 3. STATISTICAL ACCOUNTS 3.1 Statistical Account: 1791.................................................................................................. 47 3.2 Statistical Account: 1838.................................................................................................. 50 3.3 Statistical Account: 1951.................................................................................................. 57 4. LIFE IN A RURAL PARISH: PART ONE 4.1 Power of patronage .......................................................................................................... 63 4.2 The character of farming life ......................................................................................... 63 4.3 Agricultural revolution and land agitation in Scotland ........................................... 69 4.4 Emigration ......................................................................................................................... 77 4.5 Local government .............................................................................................................. 80 5. LIFE IN A RURAL PARISH: PART TWO 5.1 Population ......................................................................................................................... 83 5.2 Education ........................................................................................................................... 89 5.3 Forestry ............................................................................................................................... 94 5.4 Fishing .............................................................................................................................. 101 5.5 Ferries and fords ............................................................................................................. 105 5.6 Roads and turnpikes ...................................................................................................... 107 5.7 Bridges.............................................................................................................................. 109 5.8 Poaching ........................................................................................................................... 113 5.9 Illicit distilling ................................................................................................................ 115 5.10 Proposed Aberdeen & North East Railway through Durris .................................. 118 5.11 The curious case of the one-eared corpse .................................................................. 119 6. A DURRIS KIRK MYSTERY 6.1 When was the communion set made and by whom? .............................................. 121 6.2 What does the dedication on the communion plate mean? ................................... 122 6.3 Who was Thomas Fraser? ............................................................................................. 123 6.4 Role of Judge Advocate ................................................................................................. 129 6.5 Naval records of Thomas Fraser .................................................................................. 131 6.6 One final avenue is explored ....................................................................................... 131 6.7 What were the consequences of the loss of the Sussex? ......................................... 134 7. DURRIS HOUSE 7.1 Durris House ................................................................................................................... 139 7.2 Durris House: a nuclear bunker? ................................................................................ 141 7.3 The real nuclear bunker: Tertowie House ................................................................. 144 8. LAIRDS AND PROPRIETORS OF DURRIS 8.1 Sir Alexander Fraser ..................................................................................................... 147 8.2 Earl of Peterborough and Monmouth ....................................................................... 165 8.3 John Innes ....................................................................................................................... 167 8.4 Anthony Mactier ........................................................................................................... 171 8.5 James Young ................................................................................................................... 176 8.6 Henry Robert Baird ....................................................................................................... 180 8.7 Florence Baird ................................................................................................................ 190 9. THE MILNE FAMILY OF DURRIS 9.1 The Milne Family and Dr Barnardos ......................................................................... 207 10. CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................ 211 OS OpenData The Parish of Durris INTRODUCTION Delightsome doorway to Deeside, Durris in rural beauty can take pride; Its woods are fabled and its vistas grand, With fairy stream and hills on every hand; From Grampian heights it falls to sylvan Dee; Happy the few who share its rich amenity.1 o claims are made that this is a comprehensive and detailed history of the parish of Durris; rather it is a personal journey in which I have explored subjects that have caught my N interest. For example, it has been fascinating to discover that there is in Durris