Little Dunkeld Parish Church And War Memorial

NO04SW 26.00 02861 42275

For bronze hand-bell from Little Dunkeld Church, see NO04SW 30.

These notes were prepared from an examination of post-reformation feus mainly of prebendial mansions in Dunkeld from the printed SRO volumes of the Register of the Great Seal covering 1580-1633, and other sources including on-line. The research was carried out in Northampton using sources to hand, and as with 'Notes on the Medieval town of Scone' produced 20th May last year, demonstrates the need for more thorough documentary research on key medieval towns in Scotland.

The research provided the following insight into the town or city of Dunkeld:

1. That the medieval town lay west and east of the Cathedral, along much the axis of the present Cathedral Street, with the Cathedral standing about the centre of the town, as suggested in the New Statistical Account (p960). After being destroyed by fire in 1689 Dunkeld was rebuilt east of the Cathedral only, and the houses and gardens to the west and north-west of the Cathedral, occupying about five acres, was never rebuilt and became part of the Duke of Atholl's park (Old Statistical Account p413; NSA p960, 962).

2. That part of the medieval town lay south of the River Tay at Little Dunkeld, known in some documents as the Burgh of Little Dunkeld.

3. That the Bishop's Palace may have been south-west of the Cathedral as suggested in the New Statistical Account p972-3. Also one document refers to 'lie muthill' here, which might signify a motte.

4. That the original site of St George's Hospital may have been west of the Cathedral prior to 1689, even if it was rebuilt subsequently in 1757 to the east, where Ell House stands.

5. That the mansion house of the Duke of Atholl prior to 1653 may have been east of the Cathedral.

Dr Thomas C. Welsh, 2008.

NO04SW 26.00 02861 42275

NO04SW 26.01 02859 42249 Churchyard

NMRS REFERENCE:

Little Dunkeld (Parish) Church.

Plans: Copy of plan in Blair Castle Charter Room. - 1 photograph plan of sittings.

EXTERNAL REFERENCE:

SCOTTISH RECORD OFFICE.

Repair of the Church and Manse.

Payment by Sir George Stewart of Grandtully of #177.8.6.

Factor's Account (William MacKewan).

1757. GD 121/Box 51/298.

The ruinous condition of the Church and the need to rebuild.

Report by masons and wrights followed by the decision of the Presbytery to ask the Heritors to obtain a plan and estimates for a new Church.

Copies of Presbytery Minutes.

1796. GD 121/Box 66/407.

Parish Church of Little Dunkeld. Mason's receipts.

1772. GD 38/1/1234.