![House at Auchlyne](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/House_at_Auchlyne.jpg)
Auchlyne (
Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic ( gd, Gàidhlig ), also known as Scots Gaelic and Gaelic, is a Goidelic language (in the Celtic branch of the Indo-European language family) native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a Goidelic language, Scottish Gaelic, as well as ...
: ''Achadh Loinne'') is a small
hamlet
''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...
in
Stirling
Stirling (; sco, Stirlin; gd, Sruighlea ) is a city in central Scotland, northeast of Glasgow and north-west of Edinburgh. The market town, surrounded by rich farmland, grew up connecting the royal citadel, the medieval old town with its me ...
,
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
. It is located approximately five miles west of
Killin
Killin (; (Scottish Gaelic: ''Cill Fhinn'') is a village in Perthshire in the central highlands of Scotland. Situated at the western head of Loch Tay, it is administered by the Stirling Council area. Killin is a historic conservation village an ...
on
Loch Tay
Loch Tay ( gd, Loch Tatha) is a freshwater loch in the central highlands of Scotland, in the Perth and Kinross and Stirling council areas. It is the largest body of fresh water in Perth and Kinross, and the sixth largest loch in Scotland. The ...
, off the main
A85 road
The A85 is a major road in Scotland. It runs east from Oban along the south bank of Loch Etive, through Lochawe and Tyndrum, Crianlarich, Lochearnhead, St Fillans and Crieff before passing through Perth, where it crosses the River Tay via Per ...
that runs from
Perth
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...
to
Oban
Oban ( ; ' in Scottish Gaelic meaning ''The Little Bay'') is a resort town within the Argyll and Bute council area of Scotland. Despite its small size, it is the largest town between Helensburgh and Fort William. During the tourist season, th ...
.
It consists of 3 houses, a large mansion house (complete with adjoining servants quarters, walled garden and kennels) and a farm, and has 10 permanent residents.
There is also an Auchlyne in
Guyana
Guyana ( or ), officially the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, is a country on the northern mainland of South America. Guyana is an indigenous word which means "Land of Many Waters". The capital city is Georgetown. Guyana is bordered by the ...
. It is unknown if there is any direct link. It is likely that Auchlyne, Guyana was named by a Scot, since Auchlyne is a typical
Gaelic
Gaelic is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels". As a noun it refers to the group of languages spoken by the Gaels, or to any one of the languages individually. Gaelic languages are spoken in Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, and Ca ...
-derived name. There is also an Auchlyne Estate, which is governed by the
Scottish Congregational Church.
Toponymy
The name "Auchlyne" comes from the
Gaelic
Gaelic is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels". As a noun it refers to the group of languages spoken by the Gaels, or to any one of the languages individually. Gaelic languages are spoken in Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, and Ca ...
''Achadh Loinne''. ''Achadh'' means "field", whereas ''Loinne'' may mean "stack-yard" (in Perthshire Gaelic) or "in good condition / appearance". Historically, the name may have been "Achline" or "Auchlin".
Location
Auchlyne is located on the North side of Glen Dochart where the flat river plain gives way to the
Breadalbane Hills. It is bracketed by the West Auchlyne Burn to the west and the East Auchlyne Burn to the east. Auchlyne is in Breadalbane, from the Gaelic ''Bràid Albainn'' or ''Bràghad Albainn'', meaning "the upper part of Alba or Scotland".
Nearby settlements are Auchessan (''Achadh an Easan'', possibly "the field with the little waterfall"), Ardchyle (''Ard Choille'', meaning "high wood")
1867 Map Liangarstan, Ledcharrie
image with Innishewan in the distance), Croftchoes, Suie (meaning "seat"), Luib (meaning "bend"; the River Dochart does make an S-bend below Luib), Bovain (''Both Mheadhain'', meaning "the middle hut", lying as it does near halfway between Auchlyne and
Killin
Killin (; (Scottish Gaelic: ''Cill Fhinn'') is a village in Perthshire in the central highlands of Scotland. Situated at the western head of Loch Tay, it is administered by the Stirling Council area. Killin is a historic conservation village an ...
. From the 14th century, Bovain was the seat of the Chief of the
Clan MacNab) and Leskine. A right of way leads from Ledcharrie over the hill to
Balquhidder
Balquhidder (; gd, Both Chuidir or ) is a small village in Perthshire located north-west of Callander. It is administered by the Stirling council area of Scotland and is overlooked by the dramatic mountain terrain of the 'Braes of Balquhidde ...
, seat of the
Clan MacLaren
Clan MacLaren ( gd, Cinneadh MacLabhrainn) is a Highland Scottish clan.Way, George and Squire, Romily. ''Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia''. (Foreword by The Rt Hon. The Earl of Elgin KT, Convenor, The Standing Council of Scottish Ch ...
and home to
Rob Roy MacGregor
Robert Roy MacGregor ( gd, Raibeart Ruadh MacGriogair; 7 March 1671 – 28 December 1734) was a Scottish outlaw, who later became a folk hero.
Early life
Rob Roy was born in the Kingdom of Scotland at Glengyle, at the head of Loch Katrine, a ...
. At the foot of Ben More, near Auchessan is a cottage which supposedly belonged to Rob Roy MacGregor.
The two burns that enclose Auchlyne are part of the Killin section of the
Breadalbane Hydro-Electric Scheme
The Breadalbane Hydro-Electric Scheme is a hydroelectric scheme in the Breadalbane area of Perthshire, Scotland. It comprises seven power stations which generate 120MW of power from the dams around Loch Lyon, Loch Earn and Loch Tay.
History
...
, which takes almost the entire runoff from the East and West Auchlyne burn catchment areas and transports it to Loch Lyon, two glens to the North of Glen Dochart, through a system of submerged pipes and tunnels through the hillside. A road was created from Auchlyne to allow access to the many small dams that feed the system, and also to enable heavier machinery to gain access to the south end of the tunnel that carries the water through the mountain to Glen Lochy. This scheme was completed in 1961. The Hydroboard were granted permission to create the road by the owners of the estate, in return for free use of the road by the estate.
History
The mansion house, built by the
Third Earl of Breadalbane, from whom it could be rented, dates from 1760. In the fields below Auchlyne Farm are the ruins of a chapel, which is also marked as a burial ground on
Ordnance Survey
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maps. There is also a burial ground site on a mound below Suie. There are numerous disused and ruined croft buildings in the hills and moors around Auchlyne.
Of the three houses in Auchlyne, one, the Old Keepers cottage, has been extensively extended and remodelled since its current owner, the owner of Auchlyne Estate, moved in over 30 years ago. The Old Keepers cottage can be seen in its original guise in one of the
St Andrews University
(Aien aristeuein)
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, mottoeng = Ever to ExcelorEver to be the Best
, established =
, type = Public research university
Ancient university
, endowment ...
Archive pictures. The remaining two houses are modern bungalows, one of which is home to current keeper.
In 1824, the estate caught the eye of
Sir Humphry Davy
Sir Humphry Davy, 1st Baronet, (17 December 177829 May 1829) was a British chemist and inventor who invented the Davy lamp and a very early form of arc lamp. He is also remembered for isolating, by using electricity, several elements for the ...
the chemist. The
Royal Institution of Great Britain
The Royal Institution of Great Britain (often the Royal Institution, Ri or RI) is an organisation for scientific education and research, based in the City of Westminster. It was founded in 1799 by the leading British scientists of the age, inc ...
retain a letter copied by his brother John Davy in which Humphry expressed his interest in the estate.
Papers in the National Archives suggest that Auchlyne was one of over thirty properties either owned or leased by the Grenville family,
Dukes of Buckingham
Duke of Buckingham held with Duke of Chandos, referring to Buckingham, is a title that has been created several times in the peerages of England, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom. There have also been earls and marquesses of Buckingham.
H ...
, who evidently commissioned a household inventory and valuation in 1847, which is retained by the
National Archives of Scotland
The National Archives of Scotland (NAS) is the previous name of the National Records of Scotland (NRS), and are the national archives of Scotland, based in Edinburgh. The NAS claims to have one of the most varied collection of archives in Europe ...
. There is also reference to Auchlyne in an item in a catalogue of 1848, which details the receipt by the Dukes of Buckingham and Chandos, under the title "Marquis of
Chandos", of a
powder flask
A powder flask is a small container for gunpowder, which was an essential part of shooting equipment with muzzle-loading guns, before pre-made paper cartridges became standard in the 19th century. They range from very elaborately decorated works o ...
and
shot-belt from some "obliged friends" in August 1837, no doubt after a days grouse shooting on or after the
Glorious Twelfth
The Glorious Twelfth is the twelfth day of August, the start of the shooting season for red grouse (''Lagopus lagopus scotica''), and to a lesser extent the ptarmigan (''Lagopus muta'') in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. This is one of the bu ...
. These dates suggest that the 1847 inventory and valuation was in preparation for the 1848 sale. The sale was necessary due to the combined extravagances and follies of the first and second Dukes.
Auchlyne House was rented in 1858 by "The Black Prince", as the Perthshire locals called Maharajah
Duleep Singh
Maharaja Sir Duleep Singh, GCSI (4 September 1838 – 22 October 1893), or Sir Dalip Singh, and later in life nicknamed the "Black Prince of Perthshire", was the last ''Maharaja'' of the Sikh Empire. He was Maharaja Ranjit Singh's youngest son ...
,
the first Indian prince to visit Scotland. His father was Ranjit Singh
Ranjit Singh (13 November 1780 – 27 June 1839), popularly known as Sher-e-Punjab or "Lion of Punjab", was the first Maharaja of the Sikh Empire, which ruled the northwest Indian subcontinent in the early half of the 19th century. He s ...
, the legendary Lion of the Punjab
Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...
, who ruled the Sikh kingdom in India. He took Auchlyne from Lord Breadalbane when his lease of Castle Menzies
Castle Menzies in Scotland is the ancestral seat of the Clan Menzies and the Menzies Baronets. It is located a little to the west of the small village of Weem, near Aberfeldy in the Highlands of Perthshire, close to the former site of Weem ...
expired, but in 1860 moved to England.
The mansion house on the Breadalbane Estate was rented by Mr John M. Crabbie, of Crabbie's Green Ginger fame, in 1888. It was rented later, in 1893, by John Crabbie's son, a Captain Crabbe. The discrepancy in the surnames arose because Captain Crabbe had to change his name after being blackballed from the New Club in Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...
because his family were in trade. The Crabbe family bought the property and have lived there since.
Breadalbane, the region in which Auchlyne is located, was home to the Campbells of Breadalbane.
Auchlyne and Suie Estates
Auchlyne and Suie Estates run to just over 18,000 acres (73 km2), 10,611 acres (43 km2) and 7500 acres (30 km2) respectively) and stretch from Killin to Auchessan on the north side of Glen Dochart (Auchlyne Estate), and from Liangarstan to Ben More on the south side (Suie Estate). It operates both agricultural and sporting operations. On the farming side, there are Blackface
Blackface is a form of theatrical makeup used predominantly by non-Black people to portray a caricature of a Black person.
In the United States, the practice became common during the 19th century and contributed to the spread of racial stereo ...
and Cheviot flocks, as well as a herd of pedigree Highland cattle, the Benmore Fold, based at Innishewan Farm. On the sporting side, the estate offers red deer
The red deer (''Cervus elaphus'') is one of the largest deer species. A male red deer is called a stag or hart, and a female is called a hind. The red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Anatolia, Iran, and parts of wes ...
stalking
Stalking is unwanted and/or repeated surveillance by an individual or group toward another person. Stalking behaviors are interrelated to harassment and intimidation and may include following the victim in person or monitoring them. The ter ...
, trout
Trout are species of freshwater fish belonging to the genera '' Oncorhynchus'', ''Salmo'' and ''Salvelinus'', all of the subfamily Salmoninae of the family Salmonidae. The word ''trout'' is also used as part of the name of some non-salmoni ...
and salmon
Salmon () is the common name for several list of commercially important fish species, commercially important species of euryhaline ray-finned fish from the family (biology), family Salmonidae, which are native to tributary, tributaries of the ...
fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...
and walked-up red grouse shooting. The remains of the driven grouse butts can still be seen on Auchlyne.
The family still lives in the mansion house at Auchlyne and runs the estate to this day.
References
External links
St Andrews University Photo Archive for Auchlyne
Pictures of Auchlyne House
Auchlyne House / Contents Valuation, 1847
Place Names
{{Stirling Towns & Villages
Hamlets in Stirling (council area)