DAVIOT-AND-DUNLICHTY, a parish, chiefly in
the county of Inverness, and partly in that of Nairn,
5 miles (S. E.) from Inverness; containing 1681 inhabitants.
These two ancient parishes were united about
the year I6l8: the former received its appellation, as
is supposed, from David, Earl of Crawfurd, who built
a fort here; and the latter, which is by far the larger
division, derives its name from the dun-le-catti, or "hill
of the Catti ", which bisects the territory formerly held
by the Catti, whose descendants now possess nearly
the whole lands. At Tordarroch, in the district of Dunlichty,
the Earl of Moray caused 500 men of the clan
Chattan to be hanged in a barn in one day, about the
year 1.532, for various acts of spoliation committed in
his territory. They had been captured by stratagem,
the earl having assembled them under pretence of holding
a feudal court; and to each, while being led to the
gallows, pardon was offered upon condition of their
betraying Hector Mackintosh, under whose command
they had acted. The greater part of Drummossie moor,
where the celebrated and decisive battle of CuUoden was
fought on the I6th of April, 1/46, is situated in this
parish, as well as the spot on which the prince stood
during the engagement: the prince afterwards, with a
few friends, crossed the river Nairn above the Mains
of Daviot, and passing by Tordarroch, advanced to
Gorthleck in Stratherrick.
The PARISH of Daviot and Dunlichty, the boundary
line of which is very irregular, stretches along each side
of the river Nairn, from north-east to south-west, for
about twenty-five miles, and varies in breadth from one
and a half to four or five miles. It comprises about
4000 acres under cultivation, 1500 natural pasture, 830
of natural wood, and above 22/0 of plantations. The
surface is for the most part wild and dreary. It consists
principally of the valley of Strathnairn, extending
from Wester Aberchalder on the south-west to the
bridge of Daviot on the Highland road, where the vale
contracts itself almost to a point, and terminates in
a steep narrow glen. The hills on the south-eastern
boundary are a continued chain, forming the northern
range of the Muuadh-Leagh mountains, and attaining
an elevation of from 1000 to 2000 feet above the level
of the sea. On the west and north-west the boundary
consists of an abrupt ridge 1500 feet high, containing a
series of lakes, some of them celebrated for their delicious
trout; while on the north and north-eastern limit
is the sandstone ridge called Drimmashie or Drummossie
moor, at the eastern end of which the battle of Culloden
was fought. The scenery is generally uninteresting,
though occasionally romantic; the mountains are either
bare rock, or covered with coarse grass, and the lower
grounds are to a considerable extent mossy tracts,
shaded by sombre woods and plantations. The stream
of the Nairn, however, introduces some variety, and in
its course to the town of Nairn, where it falls into the
Moray Firth, after a course of thirty-six miles from its
source at Cairn-Gregor, in the south-west part of Dunlichty,
renders the aspect of the country in many places
agreeable and interesting.
The SOIL exhibits several varieties, being in some
parts light and sandy, in others wet and spongy, with a
clayey bottom; and frequently black mossy earth is to
be seen, with different admixtures and modifications.
The crops which succeed best are oats and barley; but
since the recent improvements in husbandry, comprising
draining on an extensive scale, liming, inclosing, and
the rotation system of cropping, wheat of good quality
has been grown, and the agricultural character of the
parish has attained a respectable footing. Many earthen
embankments have been raised along the river, as a
security against floods, which have sometimes done
much damage to the lands. The rock in the hills
bounding the valley consists chiefly of grey gneiss, and
large blocks of white granite are found loose upon the
tops and sides of most of them: conglomerate, red and
grey granite, and limestone are also to be seen in the
parish. A bed of marl, which has been successfully
used as manure, was lately discovered on the south
bank of Loch Bunachton, about seven feet below the
surface, and having a depth of from five to six feet. The
old plantations are of common Scotch fir, with a few
larclies, and cover about 1020 acres; there are others
of Scotch fir, larch, ash, oak, and beech. The annual
value of real property in the parish is £5288. The seats
are, Daviot, a commodious modern structure; the house
of Farr, which has lately received some elegant additions;
and Aberarder, also a modern mansion. The road from
Edinburgh to Inverness passes through the parish, and
with the latter town the inhabitants carry on their chief
traffic.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of Inverness,
synod of Moray, and in the alternate patronage
of the Crown and Earl Cawdor: the minister's stipend
is £187, with a manse, and a glebe valued at £10 per
annum. There are two churches, about seven miles
distant from each other, in which public worship is
usually performed alternately. The church at Daviot is
about four miles from the eastern, and that at Dunlichty
twelve miles from the western, boundary: the
former, with seats for 500 persons, was built in 1826, at
a cost of nearly £1000; and the latter, containing seats
for 300 perscms, was built in 1759, and repaired in 1826.
There are also an episcopal chapel, and a jjlace of worship
for members of the Free Church. A parochial
school is situated in each of the districts, and affords instruction
in the ordinary branches; the salary of each
master is £25, with £11 and £9 fees respectively. The
poor receive the interest of £400 left by William MacDEAN
gillivray in 1S33. Near the mansion of Daviot, is the
ruin of a seat which appears to have been originally of
great strength; and there are remains of Druidical
temples in several places.