Dalcross

Dail an Ròis 'Field of the Rose'. This may be a botanical reference but it is as likely to signify a link with the family of Rose who were so powerful in this area in the early medieval period.

There is no doubt that there has been a church at Little Dalcross from at least the 12th-century and, although some writers consider it to have been only a chaplainry, there is equally no doubt that it was a Parish Church and an extensive one at that.¹ The parish seems to have first shared its boundaries with the ancient Barony of Kerdale. This Barony was held by the Douglas family from at least 1206 and it is possible that the lands had originally belonged to the bishopric of Moray since it was an uncle(?) of Bishop Brice de Douglas (1203-1222) who was first recorded as 'de Kerdale'.² The caput of this barony, the Castle of Kerdale, was situated in the dabhach of Daltullich, probably somewhere close to Castletown {NGR NH 749428}.³ Before the time of the bishops, this was royal land and it is because of this that, when the King founded the Priory of Urquhard c.1236, the church of Dalcross was annexed to it and so the Prior became responsible for providing a vicar to serve the 'cure'. Urquhard was also endowed with considerable properties at Kilravock, Geddes, and Penick. It should be noted here that the nearby lands of Duldauch {NGR NH 755435} (also known as Culdaach and Culdoich) were episcopal lands from very early times. This situation continued until the community at Urquhard moved and took over the priory of Pluscarden. Of course, Dalcross then became the responsibility of the Prior and the new community at Pluscarden. In later times the Barony of Dalcross became established within the old dabhach of the same name and a castle was built (c.1620) only a very short distance from the parish church.⁴

As a direct consequence of Dalcross' annexation to the Priory of Urquhard we have the instrument of 1343 which records that the then Prior agreed that the vicar who was installed at Dalcross would travel to Kilravock twice per week to say Mass in the chapel there and that the Prior would provide all that was necessary for this.¹³

Over time the parish gained certain additions (pendicles), some of which were at some distance from Dalcross itself. Notably, amongst these were the lands of the Leyis,⁵ extending to 3 dabhaichean - Easter Leyis, Mid Leyis and Wester Leyis. In 1449 these lands were noted as being part of Dalcross parish.⁶

Milton of Clava: This church is said to have been one of the very earliest in Nairnshire. It is thought to have been a Columban foundation. Some writers have recorded that its dedication was to St Dorothea but this is most suspicious. If it is true, then it is the only church in Scotland to bear the name. We should remind ourselves that the Early Church did not 'dedicate' their churches - this was a habit brought in by the Roman influences of later times. It is also recorded as being known as St Bridget's Church⁷ which is more likely considering the popularity of that early saint across Scotland. At first sight this seems to be a strange place for one of the very earliest churches to be established. However, this section of the valley of the River Nairn was a very important and more direct route from the south and south-west to Ardersier. Here, there was passage across to Rosemarkie (another very ancient Christian site) and the lands to the far north. With the example of St Brendan the Navigator set before them, this passage would have presented no insurmountable difficulties for these early travellers. It is also worth considering here that there is a 'dedication' Cill Dhuaich 'Church of St Duthac (of Tain)' recorded in the parish.¹² If this is accepted then it would support the idea of the glen being a routeway for the early Christian missionaries to Tain and further north. It would seem also to indicate where the names Dalduach, Culdoich and Culdaach are derived (see above).

Galcantray: Many years ago it was reported that a farmer, whilst reclaiming some of his land near Galcantray, discovered the remains of what was then considered to be an old chapel. In more recent times no traces of the supposed chapel have survived although there is a tradition of a graveyard here {NGR NH 810483}.⁸ In even more recent times Galcantray has been the cause of much excitement and specualtion amongst archaeologists. Excavations have revealed what, at first, appeared to be a Roman-period fortified enclosure. Although this work continued over a number of seasons the findings are still a matter of much debate. What were initially considered to be the remains of a winter camp for the Roman expeditionary forces are now assigned an uncertain date and some scholars argue that the remains are pre-Roman.⁹

Chapleton: A chalybeate spring, known in Gaelic as Tobar na Coille ('the well of the wood'), and in English as Culloden Well, or St Mary's Well, is situated in a birch wood above the mansion house of Culloden {NGR NH&nb;723452}. A circular stone building, paved with flagstones, encloses the spring. "The trees and shrubs all round are adorned with variously coloured rags, bits of thread and string. Names, initials and dates carved in all manner of styles defaced the trunks of most of the finest trees." St Mary's Well was so called from a pre-Reformation chapel dedicated to the Virgin, which stood near, but of which there are now no traces.¹⁰ There is, at Chapleton {NGR NH 732463} what may be the remains of this chapel - it is about one mile north-east of the Well and is recorded as being dedicated to St Mary.¹¹

On 14 July 1618, the two parishes of Croy and Dalcross were united.¹²