1831

 

Extracts from Boleskine (new) Statistical Account, 1831
“UNITED PARISHES OF BOLESKINE AND ABERTARFF.
Presbytery of Abertarff, Synod of Glenelg.
THE REV. WILLIAM FRASER, MINISTER.

I. TOPOGRAPHY & NATURAL HISTORY.

The period is not very far distant when these two parishes were united; but the writer cannot at present ascertain the exact date of their union. Abertarff and Glenmoriston had been previously joined together. The junction of the former with Boleskine has been injudicious, - there being a hill seven miles long intervening between the inhabited districts of the two parishes, and the greater part of the intervening space being, from its height frequently impassable in winter.

II. CIVIL HISTORY.

Land-owners. - The chief land-owners are Mr Fraser of Lovat, Mr Fraser of Foyers and Mr Fraser of Abertarff.

Parochial registers. - In regard of the parochial registers, it may be may be observed, that in Abertarff, a separate, partial, and incomplete register of baptisms has been kept since January 1737, and of marriages from November 1739, under the management of the successive resident missionary ministers at Fort-Augustus. The present incumbent had at first followed the same plan, and for several years the registers were correctly kept; but subsequently, on the appointment of another missionary, to whose charge they were given, they were totally neglected for a period of ten years. It is said that, during the long incumbency of the Rev. Thomas Fraser, a register of the births and marriages had been kept, but that the person to whom it was entrusted lost it in the act of passing a rapid stream.

There is no register of the Boleskine district previous to the year 1798. There are now two distinct ones, kept for both Abertarff and Boleskine, which are regularly transmitted about the first of January, every year, to the incumbent; and their entries transcribed under his immediate superintendence, according to their respective dates, into one volume.

Antiquities. - In the vernacular language of the county, the present glebe is called "Druim-a-dhampuil", signifying Temple Ridge, it being on a ridge on which were the ruins of several Druidical temples of a circular form, the greatest number of which have been removed by the present incumbent, as they were generally placed in the centre of the fields, and interrupted the operation of the plough. There are still some left to exercise
the industry and patience of his successor.

There is a farm in Boleskine called "Tom-a-bhoid", and another of the same name in Abertarff, derived from "tom", a green eminence, which describes the local position of both, and "mod", an assembly or court, - the term being still applied to an assembly of persons qualified to administer justice. Each of these farms overlooks the rest of the country.

In the Great Glen of Scotland, through which the Caledonian Canal passes, are to be seen the remains, at various distances, of several vitrified forts; - of which there is one, on the west, on the farm of Auchterawe in Abertarff, and another on the eastern boundary of Boleskine, but properly speaking, in the parish of Dores, which is there separated from Boleskine by a very small and contemptible rivulet. These towers or forts are every where called by the same appellation, namely, "Dungeardal", literally signifying a protecting eminence, or a guarded fortified hill. They were compacted or cemented in a manner more firm, indissoluble, and indestructible than any modern building, notwithstanding the vaunted improvements made in architecture.

Across the hill of Suidh-Chuiman is the great Military Road from Inverness to Fort-Augustus; and on its very summit, within two yards of the road, there is a small cairn, such as is commonly found where persons have perished from the inclemency of the weather, or died suddenly. It is said that, on this spot, one of the chieftains of the clan Cummin, so powerful in their day, while on the way to visit some of his dependents, fell sick and died.

Modern Buildings.- The only buildings in the parish meriting the slightest notice are those of the garrison of Fort-Augustus. The ground on which this fort is built, and the farm connected with it, were originally part of the Lovat estate, but were appropriated by Government, in the year 1729, for the purpose of erecting a fortification to overawe some clans who were inclined to disturb the peace of the country, and to restore the forfeited and exiled family of Stewart. The garrison is now become unnecessary and useless; and Government some years ago ordered the ramparts to be dismantled, and the ordnance to be sent to Fort-George.

III. POPULATION.

Amount of population in 1755 ................ 1,961,
1811 ................ 1,462,
1821 ................ 2,096,
1831 ................ 1,829,

The cause of the late decrease of the population may be partly, emigration to Amerlca, which has been occasioned by the introduction of the sheep-farming system.

There are no towns in the parish, and only two small villages, Cill Chuiman, including the garrison, inhabited by 216 souls; and Balfrishel by 159.

The average number of births in the Protestant population for the last seven years is 38 5/7 of marriages 14 1/7
Average number of persons under 15 years of age ............. 702
betwixt 15 and 30 ................437
30 and 50 ............... 371
50 and 70 ............... 234
upwards of 70 .............. 85

Bachelors upwards of 50 years of age ..............10
Unmarried women upwards of 45 ...............42
Widows ..............79
Average number of children in each family 4 3/16
Number of families in the parish............... 375
chiefly employed in agriculture............108
in trade, manufactures, or handicraft..........66

The number of heritors in the parish, including the Crown, is 10;
and each of them is proprietor of land of the yearly value of £ 50, and upwards.

Language, &c. of the People. - Gaelic is the language generally spoken, and although it has not lost ground, the English has become more generally known within the last three-and-thirty years. Within the last few years a striking improvement has taken place in the dress of the peasantry. About fifteen years ago, some vagrant preachers began to make their appearance in the parish. Elated with their supposed attainments in heavenly knowledge and grace, they undervalued the ministrations of the established pastor,
and endeavoured to mislead the people.

V. PAROCHIAL ECONOMY.

Inverness, distant twenty-one miles from the manse, is the nearest town in the parish.

Means of Communication. - There is a post-office at Fort-Augustus, to which there is a post from Fort-William thrice in the week, and a daily one from Inverness, which travels alternate days by the south and north side of Loch Ness, and passes within a mile of the manse.

At present, there are no turnpike roads but the old Military road. It runs through the parish on the south side for about twenty-two miles; it is under the management of the Parliamentary Commissioners for Highland roads and bridges, and is kept in good repair.
The county have lately come to the resolution of placing tollbars on this road; but it is not supposed that the proceeds will suffice to defray the necessary expense of erecting the bars &c.

With this road a branch of one of the Parliamentary roads on the west side of the parish unites at Fort-Augustus. A branch of a county district road, extending about three miles, commencing at the east boundary of the parish, passes by the manse, and joins the main road half a mile to the west of it. There are other two district roads across the country: these are not kept in such good repair.
With one exception, the bridges on the great lines of road on both sides of the lake are kept in good condition. There has been, time immemorial, a wooden bridge on the river Tarff, close to the walls of Fort-Augustus, kept in constant repair and rebuilt when requisite by government; but a few years ago, it was greatly damaged, and is now in a most ruinous state, so that it has become hazardous even to foot-passengers.

The Caledonian Canal runs through the parish. When the canal was opened, a certain rate was paid by every vessel navigating it, according to its tonnage. A good many vessels then frequented it. The rate was soon doubled, and fewer ships resorted to it. The commissioners, finding that while they grasped the shadow, the substance slipped through their fingers, reverted to the original rate; but this has not yet restored the shipping.
It affords means of communication by steam packets and other vessels; but it is not likely ever to increase the national revenue, nor to improve the bordering districts, which, except for a few specks here and there, are mountainous and incapable of cultivation. .......

Ecclesiastical State. - The parish church is inconveniently situated for the bulk of the inhabitants; it is distant from the eastern extremity scarcely two miles; but from the western extremity, in which the population is more than double, it is sixteen miles.

It was built in 1777, and is at present in good repair, though uncomfortable both for preacher and for hearers, - being long and narrow, and resembling a barn more than a house meant for public worship. The walls and roof are bare, and only one-half of it has
galleries.

During the writer's incumbency, £.570 have been bequeathed by four persons of the name Fraser; and £ 70 more have been realized from fines recovered from delinquents. The interest of these sums is disbursed among the poor of Boleskine, to whom it is limited; and the interest of £ 20 is divided among the Protestant poor of Abertarff.

The parish church affords accommodation to 428 persons, and the one at Fort-Augustus to about 300. There is no rent paid for seats in the parish church; but at Fort-Augustus there are a few seats belonging to the kirk-session, which are let for behoof of the poor. The galleries are understood to be Government property, and the rest belongs to private individuals.

The manse was built in 1773, and, from its exposed situation, requires to be frequently repaired. The last repairs given to it were two years ago. It is incommodious and extremely uncomfortable.

The extent of the glebe is 52 acres, 2 roods, 10 falls; but of these upwards of 20 acres are rocks, stones, and worthless moor; and the incumbent derives very little benefit from the residue, which is not properly enclosed, and is surrounded by tenants whose cattIe and sheep constantly trespass and destroy the crop.

As stated in the old Statistical Account, there were, till about sixty years ago, two glebes in the united parishes, - one near Fort-Augustus, on the banks of the Tarff, forming chiefly a level plot of ground without a stone or any impediment to interrupt a plough; and the other on the banks of Loch Ness, at the place peculiarly styled Boleskine, of easy tillage, and having some valuable wood of spontaneous growth in the hollow of some brooks. But an exchange was recommended, and effected, though not regularly, formally, or legally completed, if the record states the transaction correctly; by this exchange, the legal guardians of the rights of the church sacrificed the comfort and interest of every succeeding incumbent; for the exchange has been from a charming spot and salubrious air, to heathy, stony, rocky ground - to an elevated position exposed to every blast that blows, without a tree to shelter, or a shrub to variegate the dreary inhospitable place.

The amount of stipend, by decree of the Court of Teinds, is sixteen chalders of victual, half barley and half oatmeal; but as yet it is uncertain whether there are teinds in this parish to make this amount good.

There is a missionary clergyman at Fort-Augustus, who is supported from the Royal Bounty granted for the Reformation of the Highlands and lslands. There is a very snug, comfortable church there, originally built and kept in repair by voluntary subscription, to which Government a few years ago liberally contributed.

There is a Popish meeting-house on the farthest farm west in the parish, adjoining Glengarry. The number of papists in the parish is 318. What proportion of these attend their meeting-house, the writer does not know. There are no Dissenters or Seceders.

In good weather, divine service at the Established church is generally pretty well attended. The average number of communicants used to be about 280; but in 1831 there are not so many.

Education .- There are one parochial school and three other schools in the parish. In the parochial school, and in one of the other schools, the branches taught are, English and Gaelic reading, writing, arithmetic, Latin, and sometimes book-keeping.

In the two other schools are taught English reading, and arithmetic. The salary of the parish school is £ 30; garden allowance about £2, 2s. school fees £ 12. The emoluments of the other teachers consist entirely of school fees, and are both very small and precarious. The parochial teacher thinks he has not the legal accommodation.

The expense of reading is 8s. in the year; reading and writing 10s. ; all other branches, 12s. The number of the young betwixt six and fifteen years of age who cannot read is 157. The number of persons upwards of fifteen years of age who cannot read is 451; of those who can read but cannot write, 235. The people in general have very inadequate notions of education, and do not continue their children at school long enough for their making any valuable progress.

In a parish where the population is thin and scattered over so large an extent, there must be some so distant from schools as to be unable to attend, particularly in winter, when, being least occupied with their vocations, they are most disposed to attend.

One school at Fort-Augustus, with an efficient teacher, having a suitable salary, would be of incalculable benefit; but the people are universally poor. Two other schools would be useful.

There is another school in the parish with a salary of £ 7. for female children, who are taught English reading, writing, and sewing, on the establishment of the Society in Scotland for Propagating Christian Knowledge. [N.B. not Gaelic ! – GB]

Poor and Parochial Funds. - The average number of persons receiving aid from the funds under the management of the kirk-session is 41 ; and the average sum allotted to each is
about 20s. Instead of being disinclined, they solicit to be received on the poors[sic] roll, notwithstanding of the small pittance in the power of the distributors to bestow. The parish is not assessed for their maintenance, - so that they depend on casual and voluntary
charity, eked out by the produce of a plot of potato ground, given to every one of them.

Fairs. - There are two fairs held annually at Fort-Augustus, in the beginning of June and end of September, for the sale of cattle chiefly. Pedlars and shoemakers from various quarters attend to dispose of their merchandise. There are besides occasional trysts,
in spring and autumn, for black-cattle.

Written September 1831. Revised February 1835.”

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[Note: the above is a precise transcription (and spelling ! – except where printing errors are apparent – as with “Auchteran” instead of Auchterawe) of parts of the original published Account. However the text has been edited to form more, and shorter, paragraphs and bold highlighting has been added to identify specific topics. ]