KILTliARN, a parish, in the county of Ross-and-Cromarty,
54- miles (N. K. by N.) from the town of Dingwall
(reckoning to Kiltearn church); containing, with
the villages of Drummond and Evanton, 1436iidi'bitants.
This place derives its name from two (iaelic words, Kiell
Tigliciirii, signifying "the burying-place of the laird",
but the particular circumstance which gave rise to the
appellation is unknown. Tliere is a tradition, however,
among the peo|)le, that the chtirchyard at one time contained
the burying-ground of the Lords of the Isles;
and if this tradition be true, the origin of the name is
easily accounted for. In the neighbourhood of the church
is the residence of one of the heritors, called Balcony, a
name compounded of two Gaelic words, bcil, "a. town,"
and cony, or comhnuidh, "residence," which when united
mean "the town of residence". It is said that the spot
received this name from its being the occasional abode of
the Lord of the Isles. The family of Munro of Fowlis,
which, even from ancient times, has been the most conspicuous
in the parish, is said to have been founded by
Donald Munro, who, with many others, received gifts of
land from Malcolm II., for important services rendered in
assisting the king in the expulsion of the Danes. When
this desirable end was accomplished, Malcolm feued out the
country to his friends; and that part between the burgh
of Dingwall and the wafer of Alness was assigned to
Donald Munro, from which circumstance it received the
name of Ferindonuil, or "Donald's land". A portion of
the lands was afterwards erected into a barony, called
Fowlis; and the present Sir Charles Munro, Bart., who
is proprietor of about two-thirds of the parish, and
lineally descended from the above Donald Munro, is the
thirtieth baron. Fowlis Castle is a fine building.
The PARISH is situated in about the middle of the
county, and extends six miles along the north shore of
the Firth of Cromarty, whence it stretches inward twentytwo
miles. It is bounded on the north by Contin and
Lochbroom parishes, on the east by Alness, and on the
west by Dingwall and Fodderty. The whole, except a
small tract on the shore, consists of one mass of hills,
overspread with heath, or, in some places, planted with
firs. The hill of Wyvis rises 3720 feet above the level
of the sea, and is never without snow, even in the hottest
summer: the forest of Wyvis is held of the king, on the
singular condition of paying a snow-ball any day in the
year, if required. The valleys between the hills are
covered, to a great extent, with coarse grass: in some
of them, small lakes have been formed by the mountain
streams, diversifying the scenery, and affording good
sport to the angler. The principal lake is Locli Glass,
near the south end of which is a small island, where the
lairds of Fowlis had at one time a summer-house. Its
waters are discharged into the sea by the Aultgraad, a
stream which flows along a remarkably deep and narrow
channel, formed in the solid rock by the action of the
waters. The channel of this river, named from its appearance
the "Black Rock", is unquestionably the most
remarkable natural object in this district of country,
and of late years has very much attracted the attention
of all strangers and tourists. Its peculiarities are, its
great depth, its extreme narrowness, and its terrorstriking
and appalling effect on the greater part of those
who visit it. Continuously, for three miles or upwards,
the water has scooped for itself out of the solid rock a
strange passage, so uniform, or nearly uniform, in its
appearance and character, that to see it at one point is
almost to see it at all. Its depth is at least a hundred
feet, probably much more; whilst its width, which varies
little from the top to the bottom, is only three or four
feet. On first looking down into the chasm, nothing
but a pitchy darkness presents itself; by and by the
black rocks on either side begin to appear, and as the
gaze is prolonged, the eye at length catches, as from
afar, the reflection, from the dark stream, of a few
straggling sunbeams. The sides of the channel are so
precipitous, its breadth so small, and the approach to it
so dangerous, that it would not be possible to obtain a
view of it, were it not for a wooden bridge that has been
lately thrown over it. The centre of this bridge is the
point where spectators take up their position. So uncomfortable,
however, is the im])ression which it makes
on their minds, that they are seldom found to repeat
their visit. The natives of the country regard this wild
gorge with feelings of instinctive horror, and it is considered
by the neighbouring farmers as a most dangerous
enemy to their flocks and herds; it is nearly overgrown
in many places with heather, and black-cattle and sheep,
not seeing it, frequently fall into the channel, whence
recovery is hopeless. The only river is the Skiack, which
is supplied by mountain streams, and falls into the sea
near the church. Several varieties of trout are found
in the lochs and streams; and shell-fish, of the smaller
kinds, are obtained on the shore.
The SOIL on the high grounds is moss, and near the
Firth chiefly alluvial; it varies in other parts, exhibiting
many of the ordinary combinations. About nine square
miles are cultivated, or occasionally in tillage; the rest
is natural pasture. There are a considerable number of
plantations, comprising all the trees suited to the climate:
many tracts were planted about the middle of the last
century. All the usual white and green crops are raised;
and as the improved system of agriculture has been for
some time followed, and much attention is paid to the
cultivation of the soil, the produce is equal in quality to
any in the country. The sheep are chiefly the native
black-faced, but on the low grounds are a number of
Cheviots: the cattle are of the Ross-shire and the Argyllshire
breeds, the latter of which is much preferred.
The principal rock in the parish is sandstone: coal has
been discovered, but not in sufficient quantity to defray
the expense of working; and a small amount of lead-ore
has also been met with. The annual value of real property
in Kiltearn is £5106.
The village of Evanton, built within the present century,
upon a piece of waste land, is remarkable for the
regular and neat appearance of the houses: a fair is held
here on the first Tuesday in June, and another on the
first Tuesday in December. The hamlet of Drummond
is seated on the Skiack. There are several extensive
tracts of moss in the heights of the parish, where the
inhabitants cut peat in summer to serve for winter fuel.
The great parliamentary road runs along the shore, and
communicates with the northern parts by means of excellent
county roads; it passes over two good bridges,
one at the east, and the other at the west, end of the
village of Evanton. For ecclesiastical purposes the
parish is within the bounds of the presbytery of Dingwall,
synod of Ross; patron, the Crown. The stipend of the
minister is £"249, with a commodious manse, and a glebe
of nine arable acres, valued at £1'2 per annum. The
church, situated on the coast, was built in 1791, and is
a neat edifice, accommodating nearly 700 persons. There
is a place of worship in the village of Evanton connected
with the United Presbyterian Church. A parochial
school is maintained, in which Latin and Greek, with the
usual branches, are taught; the master has a salary of
£30, a house and garden, and about £'20 in fees. The
family of Munro is distinguished for the eminent individuals
who have belonged to it. Sir Robert Munro,
grandfather of the late baronet, when a very young man,
served for several years in Flanders, under the Duke of
Marlborough, aud there formed an intimacy with the
celebrated Col. Gardiner, whose history and character
have become so well known through the memoir written
by Dr. Doddridge.