Dallas

This parish is also found called Dolas, Dolas Michael, Dolays Mykel and Doaskyn Mychel.

Dallas was a barony and there has been a church here since at least 1208.¹ A parish church was repaired in 1580, but fell into ruin about 1627, and the present building was built in 1793. It is thought that the older churches were situated a little closer to the River Lossie and some foundations have been noted here. Unsurprisingly, there was a St Michael's Well close to the church. Within the churchyard there is a typical medieval market cross where Michael Fair was held. Shaw's description of the old church is less than flattering! Writing c.1882 he says, "A few years ago the church was a very ancient fabric, thatched with heath, and without windows, save two or three narrow slits which yawned to a very disproportioned wideness within, and the effigy of the patron, St Michael, stood weather-beaten in a niche near the top of the eastern gable without, about 4 feet high."²

This is still a tranquil part of the province and a much frequented place for picnics and barbeques at a spot just across the road from the church where the Lossie flows, as ever, like liquid amber.

The boundaries of the present parish were determined in 1657 when Altyre was detached from Dallas whilst Killess (Kellas), to the east, was conjoined to it. Up to that point Killess had been within the parish of Elgin although latterly the lands were apportioned to the Maison Dieu in Elgin.

When the post of Sub-Dean of the cathedral at Elgin was created, at the Diocesan Synod of St Giles, 5 May 1226, the parsonage revenues of Dallas and the altarage revenues of Auldearn (this latter being taken from the Dean's prebend) were assigned as a prebend. Indeed, as late as the 1880s nearly a fifth of the minister's salary at Dallas was still found from the vicarage teinds of Auldearn.³ When the prebend was created Dallas was provided with a vicar perpetual to serve the cure.⁴

A considerable income was had by the local inhabitants around Dallas by digging peats on the moors to be dried and sold at the markets in Elgin and Forres.

Only about 1km from the church lie the remains of Tor Chastle, an ancient fortification which started life, it would seem, as a motte. The original location of the fortification is at {NG: NJ 130526} , but, in 1419 permission was obtained for a new castle to be erected at {NGR: NJ 125530} . Both locations command the important route coming over Dallas Moor from Speyside (Knockando) and going onwards to either Elgin or Forres. The second castle was a former stronghold of the Comyn family and was allegedly built by a Sir Thomas thereof, of Altyre. The lands of Dallas were long part of the Gordonstoun estate.

The complete extent of the lands of Dallas parish is not yet determined. However, in the Thirds of Benefices we read that the corn-lands of the parsonage were 'ridden', c.1561, by James Runsimane (Runsiman) of Innerlochtie,^a Robert Andersoune in Barmwcutty (Barmuckity), Andro Garnar, Theophilus Johnnestoun,^b along with James Johnnestoun who was a notary.^c Afterwards, the following summary was recorded:

The parsonage of Dallas, then held by William Patersoun^d, sub-dean of Moray, was, from Lammas (1 August) 1561, sett to James Innes of Drany, Nicholas Tulloche, vicar of Ruthven, and Archibald Dunbar, for a period of three years.

The ancient lineage of this area is well attested to by some very old place-names: Bogmussach; Benshalag; Bednawinny; Eass of Auchness, Hill of the Wangie.

Of course, it is from this simple township that the modern Dallas in the United States gets its name, it being founded by immigrant Scots who traced their origins to this quiet part of Morayshire.

Other Churches and Chapels in the parish .

Kellas: According to the Ordance Survey Name Book,¹⁵ the foundations of a pre-Reformation chapel were still visible as late as 1871, surmounting a small mound, called Chapel Hillock, which was formerly a graveyard. The standing-stone which is on the site was moved from its original position at {NGR: NJ 1695 5432} when the War Memorial was built.

As early as 1237, Robert Fyndoc held Kellas in fue from Bishop Andrew of Moray; and in 1443, King Alexander granted it to God, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Evangelist St John, and to the Maison Dieu in Elgin. After the Reformation, the lands of Killess or Kellas belonged, for a very long time, to the family of Farquharson of Kellas until that family became extinct. The church lands of Easter Kellas were annexed to Dallas parish in 1657 upon the translation of the nearby Altyre lands from Dallas to Rafford parish. Consequently, for the whole of its medieval existence, the chapel of Kellas was not part of Dallas.

Inverlochty: According to Mackinlay,¹⁶ there was a chapel of St John Baptist at Inverlochty, "where the Lochty or Black Burn, a rivulet of Dallas parish, joins the Lossie." This would position the chapel at {NGR: NJ 188620} which may have been counted as being in Dallas parish in 1910, when Mackinlay wrote his book, but was certainly not in that parish in the medieval age. At a push, it might have been considered to be within the bounds of the chapel of Kellas, but even that is very doubtful. The chapel of St John the Baptist, if it existed, would have been within the parish of Elgin and so I have included it in the notes on the Elgin pages.
In the charter to Robert Fyndoc⁵, Robert claims that the lands in question, which are "on the south side of the River Lossie", are part of his estate of Kellas, and that he held them at feuferme of the Mason Dieu in Elgin. In this same charter "the Church of Munben" (Manbeen) is mentioned which may suggest this is the chapel of St John at Inverlochty. The map shown below reveals that Inverlochty was a sizeable estate and encompassed what are now called the lands of Manbeen.

Parish Clergy :