Old Account: Inveraven

Volume XIII, Number IV. (COUNTY OF COUNTIES OF BANFF AND ELGIN)
The greatest part is in Banffshire
(SYNOD OF SYNOD OF MORAY, PRESBYTERY OF ABERLOUR.)
By the Rev. Mr James Grant.

[Biographical Notes for the Minister adapted from the Fasti ecclesiae Scoticanae
JAMES GRANT (1719 – 1795) son of James Grant, farmer, Pitgaveny, Elgin; educated at Marischal College, Aberdeen, 1729-33; licensed by the Presbytery of Kincardine O'Neil 2nd February 1743; ordained by same Presbytery as missionary at Braemar 14th August 1751; presented (to Inveravon) by Sir Ludovick Grant of Grant before 25th August, and admitted 23rd November 1752; died unmarried.]

Name, Extent, Rivulets, Etc.

[34] The parish takes its name from the Gaelic word Inver, “Entrance,” and Aven, the name of a stream which has its source in Lochaven, which lies among the hills between Braemar and Strathspey, and after running about 20 or 22 miles, falls into the river Spey, near the house of Ballendalloch, and about an English mile above the church, which is scarce 150 yards from that river’s side. The parish is computed about 12 miles long, and its breadth is in some places 3, in other parts 2, and in one part only one mile.

From the entrance of Aven into Spey, the parish extends southward on both sides of Aven, till it meets with the parish of Kirkmichael in Strathaven. About a mile below, where the two parishes meet, and about 3½ miles from the parish-church, the water of Livet empties itself. [35] into Aven, near the ruins of an old castle, called Drummin. From the confluence of Aven and Livet, the parish extends S.E. up both sides of Livet about 7 miles nearly.

All this part of the parish is called Glenlivet. About a mile from the confluence of Aven and Livet, Tervy, a rivulet, (which has its source in Belrinnas, a high mountain, intervening between the parish of Aberlour, and part of the parish of Inveraven), after running through the Davoch of Morange, and a little way through the lower part of Glenlivet, falls into Livet. Morange lies eastward from the lower part of Glenlivet, and between it and a part of the hill of Belrinnas.

From the mouth of Tervy, up Livet about half a mile, lies Achbrake, where the Protestant meeting house is built, the itinerant minister officiates, and the Protestants in Glenlivet and Morange attend divine worship. At the distance of half a mile eastward from Achbrake, the burn or, rivulets of Altachoynachan falls into Tervy; and about 1½ mile, almost up this burn, and S.E. from its mouth, the battle of Altachoynachan in October 1594 was fought between Huntly and Argyle, in which the latter was defeated. About 2 miles from the Protestant meeting-house, and up Livet, Cromby a rivulet, falls into it on the south side. Cromby rises between two hills on the south side of the head, or higher part of Glenlivet, and after running a short way, passes by the Scala, (or Scalan, as it is commonly called), a Popish seminary or college, erected upwards of 80 years ago.

As Scala is the Latin word for a ladder, it perhaps got that name from a steep road, (called the ladder), leading from the head of Glenlivet, up a steep hill to Strathdon. Be that as it may, there are 8, 10, and sometimes 12 children of Popish gentlemen taught at the Scala; and there also (I have been told) some priests were educated and put into orders. There Mr George Hay, a Popish bishop, at present resides, and there is a master besides, who teaches the youth. From the Scala Cromby runs northward for 1½ mile, to the foot of Bochle, (a little hill), on the S.E. side of which is Bedavochle, where is a school-house for one of the Society’s schools, and in which the itinerant minister also preaches one Sabbath every six weeks. From the part where Cromby first washes the Bochle, it runs northward with a little winding about 1½ mile, till it meets with Livet.

From the entrance of Cromby eastward, and up Livet more than a quarter of a mile, is Caanakyle, where the Popish priest resides, and where on the bank of Livet, about near 200 yards from the priest’s house, is lately built a new mass-house, with stone floor and lime, and slated. From the mass-house to the Sowie, a small farm not far from the head of Livet, are long 3 miles.

Populations, Etc.

[36] The following is a state of marriages and baptisms, from the parish register, from 1781 to 1790, inclusive:

*The Papists were never forward to enter the baptisms of their children into the parish register. Their marriages, unless when the priest married them clandestinely, were generally registered, because their marriage banns were regularly proclaimed in the church. But since the repeal of the penal statutes in England, they publish their marriage bans at their mass house, and not at the church; and never insert either their marriages or baptisms in the parochial register; whereby the taxes, appointed by law, are evaded, and the schoolmaster, who is session-clerk and keeper of the parochial register, loses his dues, which are part of the emoluments of his office. Some years ago, I was told by some Papists, that their priests forbade them to enter their children’s baptisms in the parish register, because they kept a list of the children they baptized. And it must be acknowledged, that many of the poorer sort among the Protestants often omit to enter their children’s baptisms in the parish register, on account of this tax, and the dues of the clerk for inserting them.

No register of burials is kept in the parish, nor could it be easily done; because, besides the church-yard, there are two other burying places, one upon the east side of Livet, near 4 miles from the parish-church, near the walls of the old chapel of Dounan; and another, almost 5 miles higher up the glen, on the west side of Cromby, and opposite to the Bochle. [37] It is called the Buitterlach, and was consecrated more than 40 years ago, by two Popish bishops, to be a burying-place for the Catholics, but few are yet buried in it.

There was in old time also, a chapel and burying place on 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, with what was deposited in it, has been washed away by a small rivulet, which runs between it and Nervie, and by the water of Livet. There was also once a chapel, and burying ground on the west side of Aven, in the estate of Kilmachie, almost opposite to the mouth of Livet. There was also once a chapel, and burying ground on the west side of Aven, in the estate of Kilmachlie, almost opposite to the mouth of Livet; and the farm-town, in the midst of whose land it is, 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. But none have been buried at this place for time immemorial.

According to Dr Webster’s report, the number of souls was then 2464. About 28 years ago, when I took an exact list of all the people in the parish, both old and young, they amounted to 2200; and in 1779, when another exact account of the people was taken, they only amounted to 2224 souls. Of this number 850 are Roman Catholics.

Heritors, Stipend, School, Poor, Etc.

Sir James Grant of Grant is patron of the parish. The Duke of Gordon, and General James Grant of Ballendalloch are the only heritors in it. Mrs Penuel Grant, of Kilmachlie, mother of the late Major William Grant of Ballendalloch, and widow of the late Captain Alexander Grant of Ballendalloch, who was brother to the present General Grant, liferents a great part of the lands of Kilmachlie, and the whole Davoch of Morange.
The church seems to have been built upwards of 200 years ago, as appears from an inscription upon a stone above the door of an isle, (which at first was joined to the church, and intended for a burying-place to the then family of Ballendalloch, but was many years ago disjoined from the church, and is now in ruins), the date of which is [38] 1586.

In 1711 the Church got strong new deals (or, as they called it, sarking) put upon the couples, but few new couples were put in. And as the lower part of the inner half of the back wall, in one place had sunk down from the half above it, and the other half on the outside in that place seemed to bend inwards, and some of the couples were rotten; the heritors, in 1790, agreed with a mason to repair and uphold the church for seven years. He caused underfoot (as they term it) the inner part of the back wall that had sunk down, and took down the outside half of the fore wall, half the length of the house, and rebuilt it. He also put in a few new couples, rough plastered the walls on the outside, and pointed the slates.

A new manse was built in summer 1775, but the walls drew water, till they were rough plastered (or, as it is termed, harled) on the outside. The offices were new built in 1769, and have since been twice thatched with heath, but still let in rain water. The stipend was modified in 1769 to be 800 merks Scots, and 60 merks Scots for communion-elements, with 48 bolls of meal, at 8 stone weight the boll. The glebe consists of 4 Scotch acres and 28 falls; but of these there are only about 3 acres 2 roods and 17 falls that are arable. There is besides grass for two small cows, but no grass for a horse.

The presbytery of Aberlour, therefore, in April 1791, decreed 5 roods and 36 falls of arable land nearest to the kirk, and glebe, with 23 falls of grass also bordering upon the glebe, as grass for a horse. This decreet of the presbytery, General Grant suspended, and interdicted the minister to possess the ground. Against the suspension and interdict the minister entered a protest; but as he is an old man, and saw the process would be expensive, he did not insist to discuss the suspension and interdict. He therefore compromised the affair with General Grant, upon receiving a small piece of arable land, and some pasture ground, (not so near to the glebe as what the presbytery had appointed him), a part of which was over-run with broom, and a part of it was a quagmire and overspread with alder. This he is to possess during his incumbency, and to pay for it a rent of 10s Sterling annually. But General Grant has since made a large road through it.

There is a school-house built within the church-yard, and slated. The schoolmaster’s salary is only 12 bolls of meal, at 9 stone weight the boll. There may be in wintertime between [39] 30 and 40 scholars, but in the summer season the number amounts only to 12, and rarely to 20. In Glenlivet, there is one of the Society’s schools which, is ambulatory between Deskie and Badavochle, being stationed sometimes at the one place, and sometimes at the other. The former-master of this Society school had £22 Sterling from the Society; but the present has only £15 Sterling, which is really too little in Glenlivet. In the winter season he may have sometimes 90 scholars, but in the summer time they often do not exceed 20.

The inrolled poor in the parish, are 38 Protestants and 29 Papists, in all 67 persons. The Roman Catholics, as they have their own collections made in the mass-house, get no part of the collections gathered up in the church and meeting-house; but they get a share of the interest of the mortified money. About 15 years ago, there was £100 Sterling, which the kirk-session lent out on interest; and as neither of the two heritors would accept of it, they were obliged to lend it to such persons as they thought good and sufficient, and would take it. Accordingly, they lent about £61 Sterling to one landed gentleman and about £35 Sterling to another, who were both thought good and sufficient when they received the money; but, in a few years afterward, both of them became bankrupt; whereby not only several years interest was lost, but also half the principal. The collections in both church and meeting-house, amount annually to about £6 or £7 Sterling: Therefore, as the collections amount to so small a sum, and no assessment is laid upon the parish for their support, the poor are often obliged to travel and seek their maintenance.

Soil, Agriculture, Plantation, Sheep Etc

The soil is not all of the same kind. In the lower pare of the parish, the land is, in some places, light and dry, and naturally produces [40] broom; in other places it is deeper and wet, and in some places mossy. In the higher part of the parish, as in Morange, (a great part of which lies upon limestone,) it is clayey and wet, and is some places mossy; but when the season is neither over dry, nor over rainy, it produces excellent crops. In Glenlivet, the lower part of it is loamy, or mixed with clay; in the higher parts of it, the land is in some places mixed with clay, and in some places mossy; but when the season is moderate it yields excellent crops.

There is in the head of Glenlivet, an excellent marl-pit, and the farm of Tomalinan, beside whole land the marl-pit is, lies mostly on a rock of limestone.

Some who have large farms, when a part of them is sown with barley, they sow the same also with grass-seeds, which yield good crops of grass. Oats, barley, and pease, and, in some dry land, rye, are the grain generally grown. No wheat is grown, except in the mains or manor of Ballendalloch, and there, for the most part, it thrives well, because fallowed and well manured. The rent of the whole parish was stated before the Court of Teinds in 1768, to be £13,771:12:1 Scots; but since that time has considerably increased.

The parish, except where it is washed by the river Spey, is surrounded with hills, which are covered with heath, unless in some very wet places, where some rough grass grows also. The sides of Spey, Aven and Livet, abound in many places, with birch and alder. There grow also oaks on the banks of Spey and Aven, in some parts belonging to General Grant’s estate. The General has also some plantations of firs, which are thriving well, and beautify the country. As the land of most farms, (except where it is clayey and wet,) hath many small stones in it, the old Scotch plough is made use of ; but at Ballendalloch, and two or three more places, the English plough is used. Many have their ploughs drawn [41] by oxen, few by horses only; but the poorer sort yoke some cattle, and put two horses before them.

Meal is sold just now here at between 15s. and 16s Sterling the boll, of 9 stone weight; oats and fodder at £1 and a guinea the boll of victual, i.e. as much oats is given for the boll, as, by the estimation of two judicious honest men, will make 9 stone weight of meal; barley, with fodder is a little higher, especially, if weighty and good, and, fit for malt and for the still.

It is said, there may be about 2500 sheep in the parish; some of them are of the Linton breed, (bought when lambs,) with black faces and feet. Some are of the old Scotch breed, altogether white. The Linton breed are the largest and biggest, and their wool roughest. The others are less than the Linton kind, and their wool softer and finer. It is said, that sheep housed or cotted in the winter season, have finer and softer wool than those that are allowed to run in fields, and are kept there all winter. The best wool is sold sometimes at £1 Sterling the stone weight. Last summer the soft wool sold at 1s Sterling the pound, of 24 ounces. Every the least farmer, if near the hills, keeps sheep, but none have farms for that purpose alone, and some of the riches farmers keep no sheep, because not lying near the hills.

Bridges and Roads

In summer 1791, General Grant caused build a good stone bridge of three arches over Aven, about half a mile above the house of Ballendalloch, and a good road was made to and from it, which will be of great service and benefit to those who travel from the low country to Strathspey and Badenoch. There is also a stone bridge of two small arches built over Livet, about two furlongs below the mouth of Tervy. It is said to have been built many years ago at the expense of some of the Dukes of Gordon, or Marquisses of Huntly. About 16 years ago, [42] General Grant, to render intercourse between Inveraven and his estate of Morange more easy and expeditions, at his own expense caused a large road for carriages and carts, to be made from Inveraven and Morange and Glenlivet, over the hill of Carnocay, (a ridge of hill extending from Belrinnas south-west to Aven, as far as his right extended) and when the road reached to the Duke of Gordon’s property, it was carried on by the statute-work of the country. Across this road runs the rivulet or burn of Tommore in Inveraven, (which has its rise in the north-west side of Belriannas) he, therefore, that it might be no hindrance, at his own expense also, put a stone bridge of two arches, 8 or 12 feet wide, over it; but, in a few years afterward, in 1782), the burn when greatly swelled by an impetuous torrent from the hills, undermined the foundation, and carried it away, together with the meal-mill and all its implements, (which was a quarter of a mile below it on the same burn), into Aven. This was a great loss to the parish and travellers, as the burn, when it is big, cannot be passed but by a bridge. The Duke of Gordon also caused a road for carriages to be made from Glenrinnas, up through Glenlivet, to Tomantoul in Strathaven.

Fish

There come plenty of salmon up Spey; but they are taken here only by the angling rod and line. There are also very good trouts in this river. The salmon is sold in the first of the year, at 4d the pound; in June, it is sold at 2½d. and 2d. the pound; and in July last summer it was sold for 1½d. the pound. A few small salmon go up Aven, and there are large good trouts taken in it. There are trouts also in Livet, Tervey, Cromby.

Antiquities

There were upon an eminence on the east side of Aven, and a short way up from the house of Ballendalloch [43] a few long stones inclosing 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: And opposite to this, on the west side of Aven, upon a rising ground amidst the corn-land of Bellaviller, is such another place, where several long, broad stones, encompass about 72 square yards of ground: some of the long stones are broken, but several of them still stand whole. Such another temple there is in the lower end of Glenlivet, on the east side of Aven, upon a hillock, or small rising ground, a little below the mouth of Livet, called the Dunn of Dilmore. I never heard that oaks grew around those places; but there are oaks growing between the water of Aven and the temple, near Ballendalloch; and there grow oaks on the west side of Aven, opposite to that at Delmore, but none grow near to that at Bellaville.

Miscellaneous Observations

There are only two houses where the ferry-boats on Spey and Aven are kept, that sometimes keep a dram of whisky to accommodate passengers who may lodge with them, but seldom have ale. There are also two stills for aqua vitae, or whisky, in the parish. This spirit is no doubt hurtful to the constitution, and also the morals of the people.

I know only four houses or cottages which have been pulled down and left uninhabitable within the last ten years, and four that have been new built in that space of time.

The fuel here used is peats, of which there is no scarcity in a dry year, because in every corner of the parish there is plenty of moss, or of that black, soft, oozy ground from which peats are digged; but the peats are not in all parts equally good. Some are of an excellent quality, hard, when dried, make strong fire and [44] are not soon wasted. Others are, when dry, light and spungy: and though they soon take fire and get into a blaze, they are soon consumed into ashes. The climate in Glenlivet is colder than in Inveraven; for in Glenlivet there will be a pretty deep snow, when there will not be much in Inveraven; and sometimes the people of Inveraven will plough, sow, and harrow, when they cannot do so in Glelivet. The reason of this is, because Glenlivet is higher and surrounded with hills more than Inveraven is.