Abertarff

This is a very ancient church site which would appear to have had links with the missionary activities of the Early Church community on Hy (Iona). The dedication is to St. Chuimein who was the sixth Abbot of Iona after St. Columba and held office from 657-669. Chuimein's uncle, Ségéne, had been the fourth abbot in succession from Columba, holding office from 623-652. He was known as Cuimein Fionn (Cumine the Fair).

St Cuimein's bell, called the Buyen or Bouach - that is, Am Buadhach ('the Victorious', or, 'the Full of Virtue') - was preserved at Cill-Chuimein until at least as late as 1559. In that year, according to the Wardlaw MS, the Tutor of Lovat, in returning from Cill-Chuimein along with two ladies, Janet Ross and Jean Campbell, carried away the bell in the boat in which they sailed down Loch Ness. "The bell of Cill-Chuimein, called Buyen or Bouach, is put aboard their boat to be carried over to Conventh or Corridon, whither at the ladies' desire or not who knows, but it is certainly rumord that a cruel tempest arose and blew uppon the loch so as they could neither row nor saile, and, lick to be sunk or set, one of the number desired to throw over the bell into the loch, and so a sudden calm ensues. Whither they turned back with the bell to set it ashore quher they found it, or if it was cast in the loch, I go no certainty, or whither the lady desired to put it in the loch, I'm as uncertain, but it is a tradition that ever since the water, or (as the vulgar call it) the wine of Loch Ness is medicinall, and beast carried to it, or the water of the lake brought to beasts to drink, which I have often seen, and asked the reason, which was told me as aforesaid." ^1.

The implication, then, is that there has been Christian activity here since the 7th-century. Chuimein's presence in the district is also marked by the name given to the hill at (NGR: NH 361048) - Meall a'Cholumain, and Suidhe Chuimein which is on Carn an t-Suidhe (NGR: NH 442104). The associated chapel at Killiecholuim would appear to be of the same antiquity. It is sited on the 'road' that led from the Great Glen at Abertarff across the hills and into Stratherrick - the natural route to Dunlichty and Strath Nairn. The parish of Abertarff is first mentioned in the foundation deed of Bishop Bricius creating the cathedral establishment at Spynie - his Magna Carta of 1208-1216. ²

These lands of Abertarff were once owned by the Comyn family and they built a tower house on the headland to the north of where the barracks of the later Fort Augustus once stood. This fortilace was known as Kilwhinan Castle. King Malcolm IV gave the district of Abertarff to Thomas de Thirlstane [Moray Reg., 28] but, in 1225, a dispute arose between Thomas and the Bishop of Moray, Andrew de Moravia, over a half-dabhach of land which the bishop claimed belonged to the church of Abertarff. After the Pope had appointed 'judges delegate' in the matter - the Abbot of Deer, the Dean of Aberdeen and the Archdeacon of Aberdeen - an agreement was reached by the two parties whereby Thomas was to have the land subject to his paying the bishop ten shillings per year (half at Pentecost and the other half at Martinmas). Sadly, Thomas was killed by Gillespic McFarlane in 1228, a man described as a 'rebel of the family of MacWilliam'.

Abertarff must then have been given to the Bysett (Bisset) family since, in 1230, when Walter Bissett founded Beauly Priory, he gave to the monks the parsonage revenues of the church of Abertarff of Kilchuimin. This gift was confirmed by Bishop Andrew de Moravia c.1230-1232.³ Of interest here is the fact that in this gift to the Priory, there was no mention of any garbal tiends. This is explained by the agreement described above which, in effect, deprived the church of its glebe land. The "one full toft and croft" that had been reserved to the rector was, no doubt, given up by the priory to the vicar. The vicarage, which was endowed by Beauly Priory some time between 1230 and 1274, appears to have remained unappropriated.⁴ It would appear that in the 15th-century the vicarage was being served by a canon of Beauly's sister house at Ardchattan.

Abertarff parish was united with Boleskine c.1618.

1225 x 1226 An agreement is made between Andrew, bishop of Moray on one side and Thomas of Thirlestane on the other, in the presence of the abbot of Deer, the dean, and the archdeacon of Aberdeen, papal judges delegate; over a half davoch of land which the bishop claims pertains to the church of Abertarff, and concerning the teinds of king’s cain which, before the infeftment of the said Thomas, was paid from the land of Abertarff. The bishop, with the consent of his chapter, has granted the said land to Thomas, to hold in feu and heritage from him and his successors, saving one toft and croft of the church of Abertarff, in pure, free and perpetual alms. Thomas and his heirs, for the said teinds of cain and for the said land, shall pay yearly 10s., half at Pentecost and half at Martinmas.⁵

1227 William Byseth (Bisset) gives, grants and establishes by his charter the church of Abertarff to Beauly Priory in free, pure and perpetual alms, with all its just pertinents, in lands, teinds, oblations, obventions and all ecclesiastical rights.⁶ This gift is confirmed by bishop Andrew's charter of the same year.⁷