Dunlichty

This church is often referred to in charters as Lundichty and, somewhat less regularly, as Londechty, Lunlichty and Lindochty. The loch to the south-west of Dunlichty Lodge is Loch Chlachain, "the Loch of the Church", {NGR NH 655325}, which, along with other ancient remains, indicates that there was a settlement of substantial proportions in this locality.

In all probability St Finan of Clonard was titular of the ancient parish of Dunlichty. Till 1643 a wooden image of the saint was preserved in the parish, and held in much esteem, but it was burned at the market cross of Inverness on December 21st of that year.¹

The original church of this area was a foundation of the Early Church. It was situated a little distance to the south at Brinmore {NGR NH 664290} on the south side of Creagan an Tuirc ("the boar rock"). Traces of a burial ground have been reported.²

A local story, and it is an old one, relates that at one time a new laird, who lived at Dunlichty, took over all of Strath Nairn. He wanted the church near to his residence and so he had one built. He took the bell from the old church at Brinmore to the new one he had built but, as often as he would have it taken to the east, so it would return to Brinmore tolling to the words "Glag Fhinnan" (Finnan's Bell). The laird had it chained but it broke the chain. At last, he left the bell at Brin and it disappeared. It is said that since then the Strath has neither been so fertile or health. ³

"As far as is known, there were five churches in Strath Nairn in the days of the Celtic Church. There was the one ... at Brinmore {NGR NH 664289} behind Creagan an Tuirc on the summit of which are the remains of a hillfort. Bones were dug up there in the course of land improvement last century. There was a church at Daviot {NGR NH 724394}. Another was at Mid Lairgs {NGR NH 714364}, the site of which is no more as the quarry operations there have obliterated every trace of it. There is said to have been one at Dunmaglass but its site is now unknown {c.NGR NH 609238}. The stones of one at Bunachton {NGR NH 658344} are still to be seen and two names in connection with it - Cathair an t-Sagairt, "the priest's chair"; and Tobar an t-Sagairt, "the priest's well" - are still known. The site was either at Bunachton or Midtown just to the south -west. When the corn 'breared', the marks of old graves could be seen. {crop-marks}"⁴ This church lay on the very north-east extremity of Dores parish.

 

It is not certain when the parish church was moved to Dunlichty. A church was built there in 1569 and this was replaced by another in 1759, which has been much repaired since. There is evidence of there having been a community at this site from ancient times, including cup-marked stones in both the churchyard and at Dunlichty Farm {NGR NH 659327}, a cairnfield and a hut circle.. There is a known 'township' at Balnaclach with the remains of about 15 buildings, kilns and huts. The lands about this township were known as Drumboy and they are also known to have been part of the 'castlelands' of Inverness.⁵ Control of the patronage of the church was contested between the earls of Crawford and Moray in the fifteenth-century (vide infra), the latter apparently being successful in his claim to the right. The patronage was still in the hands of his successors in the sixteenth-century.⁶ During the whole of its history Dunlichty was an 'independent' church, i.e. it was not appropriated in any way, and had a rector to serve the cure. This is quite unusual in the diocese of Moray.

 

 

The matter of the lands of Dunlichty is somewhat confused and the situation is not helped by the fact that Ross, in his thesis,⁸ chose to treat Daviot and Dunlichty together, even though the two parishes were not joined until after the Reformation.⁷ However, using the data that he provides, it is possible to speculate which of the lands that he lists belonged to Dunlichty. These are shown in the table below.

 

Suggested lands of Dunlichty Parish

Name	OS Grid Ref.	Extent	Comment
Drumboy	NH 66_32_	(unknown)	Includes the township of Balnaclach.
Meikle Aberarder	c.NH 621255	1 dabhach
Little Aberarder	c.NH 621255	1 dabhach
Meikle Brins	c.NH 666293	1 dabhach
Little Brins	c.NH 666293	1 dabhach
Dunmaglass	NH 593223	1 dabhach
Dunlichty	NH 659328	1 dabhach
Tordarroch	NH 677335	1 dabhach
Bunachton	NH 658344	(2 arratras)	Just lies in Dores parish.