Dirnanean House is part of a private, traditional Highland estate located near Enochdhu in Moulin parish, Blairgowrie,

Perth and Kinross Perth and Kinross ( sco, Pairth an Kinross; gd, Peairt agus Ceann Rois) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland and a Lieutenancy Area. It borders onto the Aberdeenshire, Angus, Argyll and Bute, Clackmannanshire, Dundee, Fife, Highland and S ...

, Scotland, 10 miles ENE of Pitlochry. The Dirnanean estate is situated adjacent to the 64-mile waymarked Cateran Trail. Dirnanean's steading house, lime kiln and shepherd's house are all

Category B listed This is a list of Category A listed buildings in Scotland, which are among the listed buildings of the United Kingdom. For a fuller list, see the pages linked on List of listed buildings in Scotland. Key The organization of the lists in th ...

buildings. The name Dirnanean is likely a derivation of Gaelic term meaning "the birds' water" or alternately, but similarly, meaning "bird grove".

History of the Estate

A 1588 charter record states that Andrew Small was granted the lands of Dirnanean in Strathardle by John, the 5th Stewart Earl of Atholl. By the time James Small (1835–1900) inherited the estate on the death of his father, Patrick, Dirnanean had been passed from father to son for nine generations. When James Small died without a direct heir, the ownership of Dirnanean transitioned to a series of his nephews until Francis Keir Balfour, the owner of neighbouring

Kindrogan House Kindrogan House is located near Enochdhu, Blairgowrie, Perth and Kinross in Moulin parish, at the head of Strath Ardle, ENE of Pitlochry and northwest of Kirkmichael, Perth and Kinross, Kirkmichael. It is run by Somerville Enterprises CIC a not ...

, purchased the estate in 1926. A distant Small family cousin through his mother, Amelia Jane Keir, Francis Keir Balfour continued the Small family ownership of Dirnanean into the 1970s. In 1790, the musician Robert Petrie of Kirkmichael (1767–1830) published several Highland music pieces with "Mrs. Small of Dirnanean" in their title. The compositions were published in "Petrie's Collection of Strathspey Reels & County Dances". Dirnanean is now privately owned by a non-relative.

Smalls of Dirnanean

The Smalls are a sept of the Scottish Clan Murray of Atholl. The Small family coat of arms is described as "Per fesse wavy,

gules In heraldry, gules () is the tincture with the colour red. It is one of the class of five dark tinctures called "colours", the others being azure (blue), sable (black), vert (green) and purpure (purple). In engraving, it is sometimes depict ...

and argent, a lion passant sable, pierced through with a dagger in bend proper entering at the shoulder, hilted or", which translates to: divided in half horizontally (in the manner of a fess or band), wavy,

(red) and argent (silver), a lion walking with a forepaw raised,

sable The sable (''Martes zibellina'') is a species of marten, a small omnivorous mammal primarily inhabiting the forest environments of Russia, from the Ural Mountains throughout Siberia, and northern Mongolia. Its habitat also borders eastern Kaza ...

(black), pierced through with a dagger, in bend, proper entering at shoulder,

hilt The hilt (rarely called a haft or shaft) of a knife, dagger, sword, or bayonet is its handle, consisting of a guard, grip and pommel. The guard may contain a crossguard or quillons. A tassel or sword knot may be attached to the guard or pommel. ...

ed, gold. The Small family motto is "''Ratione non ira''", which translates to "''Do not anger''". The Small family crest is branch of palm, properly erect. A gold button bearing an erect palm surrounded by the Small family motto was recently dug up in a garden plot on the Dirnanean estate. A number of notable individuals are descendants or related by marriage to the Smalls of Dirnanean. * Rev. Robert Blair, Scottish minister * Duncan Cameron, owner of '' The Oban Times'' newspaper and

inventor An invention is a unique or novel device, method, composition, idea or process. An invention may be an improvement upon a machine, product, or process for increasing efficiency or lowering cost. It may also be an entirely new concept. If an ...

of The "''Waverley''" nib pen * Mary Cameron, Scottish

painter Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ai ...

* General Sir Archibald Campbell, 1st Baronet, GCB, administrator of the colony of New Brunswick, Canada * General

Sir John Campbell, 2nd Baronet Major General Sir John Campbell, 2nd Baronet, of New Brunswick, Canada, (14 April 1807 – 18 June 1855), was a British army officer and the son of General Sir Archibald Campbell, 1st Baronet of New Brunswick, Canada. He died in the Battle of t ...

, Campbell Baronetcy of New Brunswick, Canada * Sir Conrad Laurence Corfield, British official and a political secretary of

Lord Mountbatten Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma (25 June 1900 – 27 August 1979) was a British naval officer, colonial administrator and close relative of the British royal family. Mountbatten, who was of German ...

* Sir Eric Norman Spencer Crankshaw, , English

cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...

er, military officer and

civil servant The civil service is a collective term for a sector of government composed mainly of career civil servants hired on professional merit rather than appointed or elected, whose institutional tenure typically survives transitions of political leaders ...

* Alfred Henchman Crowfoot, Dean of Quebec, 1927 - 1947 * Brigadier

John Cecil Currie Brigadier John Cecil Currie (1898 – 26 June 1944) was a British Army officer who fought in both World War I and World War II. As commander of the 9th Armoured Brigade, he played a key role in the allied breakout from the town of El Alamein ...

, British Army Officer during WWII *

William Purdie Dickson William Purdie Dickson DD LLD (1823–1901) was a Scottish minister and theologian. He was Professor of Divinity at the University of Glasgow from 1873 to 1895. The William Dickson Prize is named in his honour. Early life William Purdie Dicks ...

, Professor of Divinity at the University of Glasgow * Daniel Dow, traditional Scottish musician and composer *

Charles Falconer Charles Leslie Falconer, Baron Falconer of Thoroton, (born 19 November 1951) is a British Labour Party (UK), Labour Peerages in the United Kingdom, peer and barrister who served as Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice under Prim ...

, Baron Falconer of Thoroton * Sir John Ireland Falconer, former Lord Provost of Edinburgh, 1944-1947 *

Mrs. Alexander Fraser Caroline Rosetta Fraser ( Small; 10 February 1829 – 1908), better known by the pen name Mrs. Alexander Fraser, was a romance writer of the Victorian era and the estranged wife of General Alexander Fraser (1824–1898). Biography Caroline Roset ...

, aka Caroline Rosetta Small Fraser,

Victorian Victorian or Victorians may refer to: 19th century * Victorian era, British history during Queen Victoria's 19th-century reign ** Victorian architecture ** Victorian house ** Victorian decorative arts ** Victorian fashion ** Victorian literature ...

novelist * Sir Reginald Michael Hadow, British diplomat * Abdol Hossein Hamzavi, an Iranian diplomat, author and representative to the United Nations * Arthur Charles Lestoc Hylton-Stewart, organist of St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle * Sir Archibald Hope, Scottish judge styled Lord Rankeillor * Sir John Hope, 2nd Baronet Hope of Craighall, Scottish judge styled Lord Craighall * Sir Thomas Hope, 1st Baronet Hope of Craighall,

Advocate An advocate is a professional in the field of law. Different countries' legal systems use the term with somewhat differing meanings. The broad equivalent in many English law–based jurisdictions could be a barrister or a solicitor. However, ...

to Charles I * Dr. James W. Inches, former Police Commissioner of Detroit, Michigan * Dr. James Inglis, physician, author and geologist *

Frederick Schomberg Ireland Frederick Schomberg Ireland (6 April 1860 – 16 March 1937) was an English lawyer and merchant who played cricket as an amateur. Ireland was a right-handed batsman who bowled right-arm roundarm. Cricket Ireland played club cricket for Blackhe ...

, amateur cricketer and lawyer * George Ireland, one of the founders of Ireland Fraser & Co. * John Frederick Ireland, amateur

er *

Sheila Legge Sheila Legge (née Chetwynd Inglis; c. 1911 – 5 January 1949) was a Surrealist performance artist. Legge is best known for her 1936 Trafalgar Square performance for the opening of London International Surrealist Exhibition, posing in a cost ...

, Surrealist performance artist *

John Lodwick John Alan Patrick Lodwick (2 March 1916 – 18 March 1959) was a British novelist. Life Son of a father in the Indian Army, who died in the sinking of the SS Persia just before his son's birth, Lodwick attended Cheltenham College and the Ro ...

, British novelist *

Flora Macaulay Flora Macaulay (1859 - 1958) was a Scottish newspaper editor. She was editor of ''The Oban Times'' in Oban, Scotland. Life She was born Flora Anne Cameron, at 7 Lutton Place in Edinburgh. Her father was Duncan Cameron (Scottish inventor), Dun ...

, editor of The Oban Times Newspaper * John MacDonald of Garth, Canadian fur trader *

Rolland Macdonald Rolland Macdonald (March 1810 – 1881) was a lawyer, judge and political figure in Canada West. He represented Cornwall in the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada from 1844 to 1846. He was born in Fort William, the son of John M ...

, Canadian

lawyer A lawyer is a person who practices law. The role of a lawyer varies greatly across different legal jurisdictions. A lawyer can be classified as an advocate, attorney, barrister, canon lawyer, civil law notary, counsel, counselor, solic ...

and

judge A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as a part of a panel of judges. A judge hears all the witnesses and any other evidence presented by the barristers or solicitors of the case, assesses the credibility an ...

* James Macgregor, (1808-1858), British politician and businessman * William McGillivray, Canadian fur trader * Andrew Munro, fellow, lecturer in mathematics and bursar at

Queens' College, Cambridge Queens' College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Queens' is one of the oldest colleges of the university, founded in 1448 by Margaret of Anjou. The college spans the River Cam, colloquially referred to as the "light s ...

* Sir William Nairne,

Lord Dunsinane Sir William Nairne, Lord Dunsinane, 5th Baronet of Nairne (c. 1731–1811) was a Scottish advocate and judge, and the uncle of Katherine Ogilvie. The title of Lord Dunsinane was taken from Dunsinane Hill, a ruined fort near Collace, Perthshire, ...

, 5th Baronet of Nairne *

Monica Poole Monica Poole (Canterbury, Kent 20 May 1921 - Tonbridge, Kent 3 August 2003), was a British wood-engraver. Biography Monica Poole was the daughter of Charles Reginald Poole and Gladys Aline Haskell. She was born 20 May 1921 in Kent and died on 3 ...

, English wood-engraver * Dr.

Charles Ransford Charles Ransford, M.D., was a traditionally educated British physician and a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, who later became the private physician of the Duke of Northumberland and an early advocate of homoeopathic medici ...

, Fellow at the Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh and early advocate of homoeopathy *

Patrick Francis Robertson Patrick Francis Robertson (24 August 1807 – 20 January 1885) was a British businessman and a Liberal Conservative MP for Hastings, East Sussex, England. Early life Patrick Francis Robertson was born on 24 August 1807 in Meigle, Perthshire, S ...

, British politician and businessman * Alexander Small, Scottish army surgeon and correspondent of Benjamin Franklin * Charlotte Small, early Canadian explorer * Henry Beaumont Small, Canadian

and author * James Small, Factor of forfeited Straun Estates * James Small, Laird of Dirnanean * Major-General John Small, (1726–1796), active in the American Revolutionary War * Dr. John Small, (1823-1879), British Deputy Surgeon General * John Small, (1828–1886), Librarian of Edinburgh University for 32 years * Lt. Col. John James Snodgrass, (1796-1841), British military officer and author * Charles Spalding, (1783-1783), Edinburgh confectioner and improver of the diving bell * General the Hon. Sir Augustus Almeric Spencer, G.C.B., third son of Sir Francis Spencer, 1st Baron Churchill * The Reverend Canon Henry Spencer Stephenson, M.A. (1871-1957),

Chaplain A chaplain is, traditionally, a cleric (such as a Minister (Christianity), minister, priest, pastor, rabbi, purohit, or imam), or a laity, lay representative of a religious tradition, attached to a secularity, secular institution (such as a hosp ...

King George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of Ind ...

and

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. She was queen ...

Joan V. Stiebel Joan Valentine Stiebel MBE (23 April 1911 – 25 January 2007) was a relief worker in England, from before the Second World War. She was posthumously recognised as a British Hero of the Holocaust. Joan Stiebel was born on 23 April 1911 in W ...

, MBE, Jewish refugee worker *

Francis Arthur Sutton Major General Francis Arthur Sutton M.C. (born England 14 February 1884, died Hong Kong 22 October 1944) was an English adventurer known as "One Arm Sutton" after losing part of an arm by a hand grenade at the Battle of Gallipoli where he was awa ...

, and English adventurer * David Thompson, (1770-1857), early Canadian explorer *

John Sen Inches Thomson John Sen Inches Thomson (1844–1933), was a Scottish whaler and sealer, ship owner, captain, inventor and author. In 1877, Inches Thomson and his crew were sailing on ''Bencleugh'' when she shipwrecked during a terrific gale off Macquarie ...

, (1845-1933),

Scottish Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including: *Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland *Scottish English *Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...

whaler and sealer, ship owner,

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

and author * Brigadier General

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Queen Victoria's Visits

Queen Victoria passed through the lands of Dirnanean in 1865 and again in 1866, on her way from

Balmoral Castle Balmoral Castle () is a large estate house in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, and a residence of the British royal family. It is near the village of Crathie, west of Ballater and west of Aberdeen. The estate and its original castle were bought ...

to Dunkeld via the Spittal of Glenshee. The visit in 1865 included a brief stop at Dirnanean House before a more extended visit at

. A plaque set into the hillside between Dirnanean and Kindrogan marks the spot where the travellers had tea on the 1866 visit. Today, Dirnanean House provides hikers on the Cateran Trail with a hut for lunch or shelter very near the spot where Queen Victoria stopped for a

picnic A picnic is a meal taken outdoors ( ''al fresco'') as part of an excursion, especially in scenic surroundings, such as a park, lakeside, or other place affording an interesting view, or else in conjunction with a public event such as preceding ...

Historic description of the estate

James Small in Dirnanean Summer House, July 1883

An 1880 description of the Dirnanean estate described it as follows: :''The byres and stables are kept remarkably tidy being paragons of cleanliness in their way: while the dairy etc., are a perfect treat. The various kinds of stock grace their habitation. The accommodation of the farm servants is really comfortable. The policy grounds are very tastefully laid out, and the avenue is one of the nicest to be seen. A fine burn runs along the east side of the steading, the mansion and the avenue and joins the Ardle at the hamlet of Enochdhu. The burn flows through a deep den, which is prettily laid out with walks and rockeries and constructed with 'creature stones'. Here, also, is a nice heather or summer house perched on a precipice, overhanging a still pool and from which a charming view is obtained of two small cascades. The approach is also very lovely. Ardle's grave is situated here.''

The Perthshire Eagle

For 37 years, until its death in 1908, an eagle was kept in captivity in a metal and thatched cage next to the Dirnanean Burn. Taken when young from its nest near the Kirkton of Glenisla, the eagle was fed mainly on game by the estate staff. The Perthshire Eagle was a popular

Perthshire Perthshire (locally: ; gd, Siorrachd Pheairt), officially the County of Perth, is a historic county and registration county in central Scotland. Geographically it extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, ...

attraction during its residence at Dirnanean. Several postcards depicting the eagle in its cage next the Dirnanean Burn were issued to draw Victorian travellers to the Dirnanean area. Partial remnants of the eagle's cage can still be seen along the Dirnanean Burn walk.

Features

Dirnanean Garden

The estate's traditional highland garden area includes 1.5 hectares of garden plantings with 7 hectares of policies located 1,000 feet above sea level. Features within the garden include a refurbished summer house on the front lawn, a walled garden, a burn walk with cascades, a traditional estate kitchen garden with an orchard, a

greenhouse A greenhouse (also called a glasshouse, or, if with sufficient heating, a hothouse) is a structure with walls and roof made chiefly of Transparent ceramics, transparent material, such as glass, in which plants requiring regulated climatic condit ...

and potager (kitchen garden),Cateran Ecomuseum: Dirnanean Garden
/ref> and a small museum of garden tools discovered during the refurbishment of the garden and the grounds. The summer house sits on a turntable that allows the entire structure to be pivoted to face the sunlight as it moves across the lawn. Peacocks and guineafowls can often be seen roaming the grounds, and a Wellingtonia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) specimen tree bordering the front lawn is estimated to have been planted around 1870. The garden is accessible by the public for a small fee. File:Dirnanean Garden Lawn.jpg, Front lawn File:Garden Museum.jpg, Garden museum File:Wild Foxgloves - geograph.org.uk - 79907.jpg, Wild foxgloves File:Fowl_House_and_Barns_at_Dirnanean_House,_Scotland.jpg, Fowl house and barns File:Dirnanean_Estate_Scotland_Wellingtonia.jpg, Wellingtonia specimen tree behind refurbished summer house

Dirnanean Burn

One of the finest features of the estate is the ( Scottish Gaelic for "stream of the thicket of the fowl"), a stream flowing from high in the Dirnanean hills southwards through a deep wooded gorge on its way to the River Ardle. The burn includes several cascades, a small island and a walking trail that runs parallel to it as it winds through the estate. File:Dirnanean Estate Scotland Stream.jpg, Estate stream File:Dirnanean Burn Waterfall.jpg, Burn cascades File:Dirnanean Creature Stone and Folly.jpg, Folly & creature stone on burn walk File:Dirnanean Estate Scotland Field Rock.jpg, Field boulder The Giant's Grave Barrow - geograph

Ardle's Grave

Near the former carriage entrance of Dirnanean House, close to the hamlet of Enochdhu, lies the grave of a Pictish warrior named Ard-fhuil - reportedly a giant - who gave his name to the surrounding area of Strathardle. Nothing remains to suggest a larger structure; the standing stone might have once carried an inscription, but this has since weathered away. Local lore has it that during Victorian times, the laird of Dirnanean buried his horse at the spot as a garden amusement.

References

External links

Dirnanean lunch hutPhotos of Dirnanean
{{coord, 56.7537, -3.5299, type:landmark_region:GB, display=title Houses in Perth and Kinross Gardens in Perth and Kinross Category B listed buildings in Perth and Kinross