Spring Sunday Little Dunkeld Church And Graveyard Highland Perthshire Scotland

Tour Scotland 4K Spring Sunday travel video of Little Dunkeld church and cemetery on visit to Highland, Perthshire. The church is located lies across the River Tay from the cathedral. Designed and built by John Stewart in 1798 and probably the fourth building on this site, it is a typical 18th century preaching kirk. The church building is a simple rectangle with a whitewashed exterior. Over the west gable is a birdcage belfry holding a bell cast by Andrew Machen of Glasgow in 1798. The graveyard contains interesting stones including two Adam and Eve stones and Niel Gow’s gravestone. Traditionally ministers of Little Dunkeld needed to speak Gaelic, and there were protests when a new appointee was deficient in the language. For example, the parishioners objected in 1687 when Alexander MacLagan born 1653, died 1722, a strong Hanoverian in a Jacobite parish, was named as the new minister. He was told to study Gaelic, and formally rebuked when he failed to do so. His son Alexander MacLagan succeeded him to the post, and he too caused friction by not being able to speak Gaelic. He attempted to preach in Gaelic at Strathbran, and performed so badly that the parishioners stoned him. He swore that he would never preach there again, and according to tradition, no public services were held at Strathbran during the rest of his incumbency.

The surname MacLagan was first found in Atholl. King Duncan's younger son, Maelmore, sired Madadh, Earl of Atholl, and his grandson, Earl Henry, was father to Conan who held vast territories in this area. Conan of Glenerochie was the first Chief of the Robertsons and gave his name to the Clan Connchaidh or Duncan. His successor, Duncan, the 5th Chief, led the Clan in the army of King Bruce at Bannockburn in 1314 against the English. For this service, and his subsequent staunch support of the Scottish Crown, his grandson Robert of Struan was granted the lands and barony in 1451.

All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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