MOULIN, a parish, in the county of Perth; containing,
with the villages of Kiniiaird and Pitlochry,
and part of the former quoad sacra parish of Tenandry,
2017 inhabitants, of whom 172 are in the village of
Moulin, 13 miles (N. W. by N.) from Dunkeld. This
place, the name of which is of doubtful etymology, is of
considerable antiquity; and formed part of the possessions
of David, eleventh Earl of Atholl, upon whom King
Robert Bruce conferred the office of constable of Scotland.
On David's revolting against his sovereign, his
estates were forfeited; and the barony of Moulin was
granted by the king to Sir Neill Campbell and his wife,
sister to Bruce; whose son John was subsequently created
Earl of Atholl by David II., but died without issue at
the battle of Halidon-Hill, in 1333, when the title and
estates again reverted to the crown. The pass of Killiecrankie,
in this parish, is memorable for the battle
which took place there in 1689, between the English
army under General Mackay, and the Highland forces
commanded by Graham of Claverhouse, Viscount Dundee,
in support of the exiled James II. In this battle,
which terminated in favour of the Highlanders, not less
than 2000 of Mackay's forces were slain, and Dundee
was so severely wounded that he died soon after, and
was interred in the church of Blair-Atholl.
The PARISH is naturally divided into the nearly parallel
districts of Atholl and Strathardie, separated from each
other by a hill of inconsiderable height, about four miles
in extent. Atholl is about seven miles in length, and
from five to seven in breadth; the district of Strathardie
is eight miles in length, and nearly seven in breadth.
The surface is diversified with mountainous heights, of
which the most conspicuous is Bein-Breacaidh, rising to
an elevation of nearly 3000 feet above the level of the sea;
and with numerous verdant hills of gentler aspect, which
add much to the beauty of the scenery. The vale of
Atholl is watered by the Tummel and the Garry rivers,
which unite their streams within the limits of the parish;
and Strathardie by the rivers Briarachan and
Ardle, of which the former rises in the parish, and,
uniting with the Arnat, forms the Ardle, whence the
strath has its name. The Garry and the Tummel are
both impetuous streams, and in their course make numerous
cascades; the most striking is the fall on the
Tummel, near its confluence with the Garry at Faskally.
The Garry runs for nearly three miles through the
wildly romantic pass of Killiecrankie, between precipitous
masses of rugged rock, which overhang the stream
and obstruct its current, at times concealing it from
view by thick branches of trees that have taken root in
the clefts of the rocks. Both these rivers abound with
trout; and during the season, salmon and grilse are
found in great plenty, and of excellent quality. The
only lake is Loch Broom, which is also much frequented by anglers.
Moulin is chiefly pastoral; about 3000 acres are arable,
2000 woodland and ()lantations, and the remainder
mountain pasture and moorland. Along the banks of
the rivers the soil is light and sandy, but in other parts
a deep loam of great fertility; and for a considerable
breadth around the village of Moulin is a tract of the
richest land in the county, producing exuberant crops
of grain of every kind. The system of husbandry is
much improved, and regular rotations are observed according
to the nature of the lands. On the hills is good
pasturage for sheep, of whidi more than 13,000 are
kept in the parish, chiefly of the black-faced breed, with
a few of the Leicestershire; the cattle arc of the Highland
breed, with a few of the Angus and the Ayrshire.
The horses reared are generally a cross between the
native Highland and the Clydesdale breeds. There are
extensive remains of natural wood, consisting chiefly of
oak and birch, of which latter numerous fine specimens
are to be seen in the pass of Killiecrankie; the plantations,
also very extensive, are of oak, ash, beech, birch,
and larch, Scotch, and spruce firs, for all of which the
soil appears to be well adapted. The substrata are
mica-slate, of which the rocks are mainly composed,
limestone, hornblende, and granular quartz; and large
masses of marble of fine crystalline texture, and boulders
of granite and quartz, are found in various places. In
this parish the principal mansion-houses are, Faskally,
Urrard, Balnakeilly, Baledmund, Kindrogan, Dirnanaen,
and Edradour, most of which are elegant structures,
beautifully situated in demesnes embellished with woods
and plantations, and commanding finely-varied prospects.
The annual value of real property in Moulin is £8117.
The village of Moulin stands in the southern portion
of the parish, in the heart of a district abounding with
picturesque scenery, and has a pleasingly-rural aspect;
it consists of weil-built cottages, and is inhabited chiefly
by persons engaged in agricultural pursuits. Facility
of communication is afforded by the great north road
from Perth to Inverness, which passes through the
parish. A fair is held at Moulin on the first Tuesday
in March, for the sale of horses and the purchase of
seed corn. There is a post-ofiice in the village of Pitlochry.
Ecclesiastically the parish is within the bounds
of the presbytery of Dunkeld and synod of Perth and
Stirling. The minister's stipend is £150, of which onethird
is paid from the exchequer; with a manse, and a
glebe valued at £'26. 13. 4. per annum: patron, the Duke
of Atholl. Moulin church, erected in 1831, is a neat
substantial structure containing 650 sittings. There is
a place of worship in connexi(m with the Free Church.
The parochial school is well attended: the master has
a salary of £34. 4. 4., with a house, £2 in lieu of garden,
and school fees averaging about £10; to which may be
added £7 allowed by the Commissioners of Bishops'
Rents, for the gratuitous instruction of poor children.
There are six Sunday schools; and a school for females
is held at Pitlochry, the mistress of which receives £5
per annum from the Society for Propagating Christian
Knowledge. In the parish are numerous upright stones,
supposed to be Druidical remains. Near the village of
Moulin are the ruins of an ancient castle, whose origin
is unknown; it is a quadrilateral structure of stone,
eighty feet long and seventy-six wide, and was formerly
surrounded by a lake, which has been drained, and the
ground covered with plantations. There are also vestiges
of Picts' houses. Coins of Edward I. of England,
and Alexander III. of Scotland, were discovered some
years since on the farm of Stronchavie; and in the pass
of Killiecrankie, broken swords and fragments of military
weapons have at different periods been found, some
of which are deposited in the mansion of Urrard.