Hide

FORTINGALL, Perthshire - Extract from National Gazetteer, 1868

hide
Hide

The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868

[Description(s) from The National Gazetteer (1868)]

"FORTINGALL, a parish and post-office village in the county Perth, Scotland, 6 miles W. of Weem, containing the post station of Rannoch, with Foss, Glenlyon, and the quondam parish of Kilchonan. It is situated among the Grampians, and is bounded on the N. by the district of Badenoch, on the E. by Dull, on the S. by Kenmore and Killin, and on the, W. by Appin, with other parishes It is 37 miles long, by 17 wide. The surface is extremely mountainous. Ben Chualach and Schihallien are among the principal summits; the latter rising 3,533 feet above sea-level. There are extensive tracts of wild heath and grazing lands. The numerous summits command highland scenery of striking grandeur. Loch Rannoch, in the centre of the parish, is a magnificent piece of water. Lochs Ericht, Lyon, Lydoch, and Garry are the other chief lochs of the parish; which is also intersected by numerous streams, the principal of which are the Gauer and Tumnel. This parish is in the presbytery, of Weem, and synod of Perth and Stirling, in the patronage of the crown. The minister has a stipend of £255. The church was repaired in 1820. There is a Free church at Glenlyon. Here are a parish school, Assembly and Society schools, and some others. Foss House, Rannoch Lodge, and Chest Hill are the seats of the Menzies; Troup and Glenlyon of F. G. Campbell, Esq., who, with the Marquis of Breadalbane, are the chief proprietors. Dalchoisnie was the scene of Robert Bruce's victory over Edward's forces. At a spot some 2 miles E. of this, Bruce is said to have been defeated by the English, and to have then concealed himself at a place since called the King's Watch-tower. This parish has been the theatre of numerous conflicts and skirmishes, the result of long-standing feuds, particularly of that existing between the clans of Cameron and Macintosh. As late as 1745 this parish was peopled by a set of semi-barbarians, who made periodical descents into the plains for the exaction of "black mail." Roads were first constructed through the parish in 1754. At Glenlyon there is a large Roman camp, extending over an area of 80 acres, supposed to have been of Agricola, who is said to have fought a battle here with the Caledonians. Some relics, consisting of urns and coins, have been excavated. There are numerous forts, including a stronghold of the brother of the Earl of Buchan, called the "Fierce Wolf," and in Glenlyon the castle of Duncan Campbell, or Red Duncan. Fairs are held on the 28th April, 9th August (old style), and 6th December."

"BEN CHREACHAN, a mountain in the parish of Fortingall, Perthshire, Scotland. It is one of the central Grampians, with an elevation of 3,860 feet above the sea."

"BOLFRACKS, a portion of the parish of Fortingall, in the county of Perth, Scotland."

"ERICHT LOCH, a loch partly in the parish of Fortingall, county Perth, and partly in the parish of Laggan, county Inverness, Scotland. It lies among the Grampians, at the foot of Ben Aulder. It is 15 miles long by 1 broad, and is in communication with loughs Lannoch and Lydoch. On the summit of a steep and almost inaccessible rock overlooking the lake are the remains of a stronghold of unknown history. A legend relates that this lake occupies the site of an ancient parish called Feadail. Its only approach is from Dalnacardoch, across a dreary waste of bog and moor."

"GEORGETOWN, a village in the parish of Fortingall, county Perth, Scotland, 15 miles N. of Killin. It is situated near Loch Rannoch."

"GLENLYON, a quoad sacra parish, and the valley of the river Lyon, in the district of Breadalbane, parish of Fortingall, county Perth, Scotland. It extends about 28 miles from Loch Lyon to the southern frontier of Fortingal. The parish includes a small detachment of the parish of Ween. It is in the patronage of the crown. The minister has a stipend of £120. The church was built at Innerwick in 1828, and there is a Free church here. Glenlyon House is the seat of the Duke of Atholl, to whom the place gives title of baron. Garth Castle is another fine mansion. Here Stewart of Garth is said to have defeated the MacIvers. The whole district abounds in attractive scenery."

"MEALBUIDHE, a mountain in the parish of Fortingall, county Perth, Scotland. It rises 3,480 feet above sea level."

"RANNOCK, (or Rannoch), a quoad sacra parish in the parishes of Fortingall and Logierait, county Perth, Scotland. It includes part of Rannock Moor, and extends 28 miles in length, with an extreme breadth of 16. The inhabited part is only 16 miles by 2. It is bounded by the parishes of Lochabar on the N.W., Badenoch on the N., Blair-Athole on the E., the Glenlyon and Fortingal sections of Breadalbane on the S., and Glenorchy and Appin on the W. The surface is of a hilly nature, including Rannock Moor, which lies at an elevation of 1,000 feet above sea-level, and is one of the most dismal and barren tracts in Scotland. It is watered by Loch Lydoch, near the centre of the parish, from which the Gauer water runs down to Rannock Loch, and thence, by a rapid course under Schiallion, to Loch Tummel. On the bank of the stream is Mount Alexander, the ancient seat of the Donachies or Robertsons. The village of Rannock is about 10 miles N.W. of Taymouth. It is situated under the Grampians, but is void of the scenery common to the similar Highland glens. This parish is in the presbytery of Weem, and in the patronage of the crown. The minister has a stipend of £120. The parish church, situated at the E. end of Loch Rannock, was erected in 1829. At the W. end of the Loch is a chapel-of-ease."

"SCHIHALLION, an isolated mountain in the parishes of Fortingall and Dull, county Perth, Scotland, about 4 miles S.E. of Kinloch-Rannoch, and 7 N.W. of Weem. It rises 3,564 feet above sea-level, and is traditionally asserted to be the resort of the fairy-queen. It is distinguished in history as the retreat of Robert Bruce, and was the summit from which the Astronomer Royal, Dr. Maskelyne, made his observations with the plumb line in 1772, from which Hutton calculated that the density of the earth was five times greater than that of water. It has been subsequently visited for scientific objects by Drs. Playfair and Macculloch."

[Description(s) from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868)
Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2003]