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Muckhart ( gd, Muc-Àird) commonly refers to two small villages in Clackmannanshire, Scotland, Pool of Muckhart ( gd, Poll Mhuc-Àird) and Yetts o' Muckhart. Muckhart is one of the
Hillfoots Villages The Hillfoots Villages are the villages and small towns which lie at the base of the southern scarp face of the Ochil Hills, formed by the Ochil Fault, in Stirlingshire and Clackmannanshire in central Scotland. From west to east the communities are ...
, situated on the A91 around northeast of Dollar. The Gaelic name, Muc-àird, comes from ''muc'' ("pig") + ''àird'' ("height"), and may derive from the fact that the surrounding fields may once have been used for pig farming. Previously Muckhart, together with Glendevon, formed the southernmost tip of
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, ...
. It was transferred to Clackmannanshire in a reorganisation of boundaries in 1971. The parish boundary is somewhat eccentric and extends to the outer edge of Dollar, some west. Due to this fact, the primary school is somewhat oddly located (the 1876 Act required the school to be at the centre of the parish) and lies over west of the outer edge of the main village. It is also some considerable distance from the main road. This can be explained in that it lies on the old coach road to Dollar. This is now just a dirt track to the school (locally known as the Cinder Path). West of the school the old coach route is very hard to follow. The famed, historic
Rumbling Bridge Rumbling Bridge is a small village built on both side of a gorge of the River Devon, which formed the boundary between the historic counties of Perthshire and Kinross-shire and is now within the combined Perth and Kinross council area, Scotland, w ...
across Rumbling Bridge Gorge of the River Devon in
Kinrosshire The County of Kinross or Kinross-shire is a historic county and registration county in eastern Scotland, administered as part of Perth and Kinross since 1930. Surrounding its largest settlement and county town of Kinross, the county borders ...
is about south of the Muckhart Golf Course on the A823.


Pool of Muckhart

Pool of Muckhart ( gd, Poll Mhuc-àird) lies slightly east of the centre of the parish of Muckhart (see above). Pool of Muckhart lies in the strath of the River Devon, near the entrance to
Glen Devon The River Devon (formerly Dovan, gd, Duibhe) is a tributary of the River Forth in Clackmannanshire, Scotland. Geography and hydrology The source of the river is Blairdenon Hill in the Ochils at an altitude of . Upper areas have been dammed, ...
. The village lies at the eastern end of the "Hillfoot towns" which skirt the southern edge of the
Ochil Hills The Ochil Hills (; gd, Monadh Ochail is a range of hills in Scotland north of the Forth valley bordered by the towns of Stirling, Alloa, Kinross, Auchterarder and Perth. The only major roads crossing the hills pass through Glen Devon/ Glen ...
. The last in the range, standing as a backdrop to the village to its north side is "Seamab". Of note in the village is the Muckhart Inn, an early 18th-century coaching inn, lying at the point where the old coach road and modern road unite. Whilst the building was always low, this effect has been emphasised due to the raising of the road level (normal when ancient routes were
macadam Macadam is a type of road construction, pioneered by Scottish engineer John Loudon McAdam around 1820, in which crushed stone is placed in shallow, convex layers and compacted thoroughly. A binding layer of stone dust (crushed stone from the o ...
ed in the early 19th century). The main mansion in the parish is Ballilisk, which lies north of the A91 between the Pool and the Yetts. In pre-Reformation times it served as a rectory to the adjacent chapel. It was birthplace and home of Bishop Paton in the 16th century. It was replaced by a new manse (to its west) around 1750 and then went into secular use. Rebuilt around 1800 it was home to the Izatt family for almost two centuries. The war memorial, on the western edge of the village by the main road, is by local sculptor
George Henry Paulin George Henry Paulin (14 August 1888–1962), often called Harry Paulin, or 'GHP' (his sculpting insignia) was a Scottish sculptor and artist of great note in the early 20th century. Life Born in 1888 in the manse at Muckhart, Clackmannansh ...
, son of Muckhart's then minister, Rev George Paulin. A church in Muckhart is mentioned as early as 1470, when its "rector" is listed as John Andrew under the Diocese of St Andrews Cathedral. The final pre-Reformation priest seems to have survived without replacement, John Sempill being in place from 1555 to 1565, being then replaced by James Paton of Ballilisk who later went on to be Bishop of Dunkeld. Henry (Harry) Colville took over from Paton in 1579 and was the first person termed "minister". Colville stayed less than a year before being translated to
Orphir Orphir (pronounced , Old Norse: Jorfjara/OrfjaraPedersen, Roy (January 1992) ''Orkneyjar ok Katanes'' (map, Inverness, Nevis Print)) is a parish and settlement on Mainland, Orkney. It is approximately southwest of Kirkwall, and comprises a se ...
in Orkney.Fasti Ecclesiastae Scotina Rev Robert Sharp served 1677 until 1697 and is noteworthy for having had his property robbed in 1679 and for being removed from his position in 1697 for "contumacy" (disobedience). He was succeeded by Rev John Gib (father of
Adam Gib Adam Gib (15 April 1714 – 14 June 1788) was a Scottish religious leader, head of the Antiburgher section of the Scottish Secession Church. He reportedly wrote his first covenant with God in the blood of his own veins. Gib was born in the ...
). Andrew Ure served 1703 to 1717 before translating to Fossoway. In 1734 Rev Archibald Rennie of Easter Ballilisk began a very controversial tenure during which he rarely appeared. He died in 1786 and was replaced by Rev Andrew Gibson who served until 1830. Rev James Thomson served the Church of Scotland 1832 to 1843 then served the Free Church of Scotland from 1843 to 1863. From 1843 to 1864 the Free Church was located at Shelterhall, midway between Muckhart and Dollar (possibly in a timber building) before moving to a permanent structure in Dollar. The post Disruption church was served by Rev Alexander Moorhead 1843 to 1869 and was replaced by Rev George Paulin. He was replaced by Rev John Edgar Cairns of
County Mayo County Mayo (; ga, Contae Mhaigh Eo, meaning "Plain of the Taxus baccata, yew trees") is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. In the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Conn ...
in 1907. The ruins of the pro-Reformation church lie to the north-east of the current church. The Post-Reformation church was run by the Presbytery of
Auchterarder Auchterarder (; gd, Uachdar Àrdair, meaning Upper Highland) is a small town located north of the Ochil Hills in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, and home to the Gleneagles Hotel. The High Street of Auchterarder gave the town its popular name of "Th ...
until 1856. The current parish church dates from the 18th century but is a plain Scots box chapel in style. In the churchyard is the family monument to the Christies of Cowden (a large estate west, see below).The Ochil Landscape Partnership Landscape Strategy
. April 2008.
This estate was famed for its
Japanese garden are traditional gardens whose designs are accompanied by Japanese aesthetics and philosophical ideas, avoid artificial ornamentation, and highlight the natural landscape. Plants and worn, aged materials are generally used by Japanese garden desig ...
which has now returned to nature, having been abandoned c.1960. Its Japanese gardener, Mat Su, is buried at the end of the Christie lair. The Japanese garden is now under renovation.


Muckhart Golf Club

Muckhart Golf Club lies on the School Road (Drumbum Road) south of the village. Set on a series of low rocky hills it includes several challenging holes. There are three nine-hole courses, named Arndean, Cowden, and Naemoor. The nine-hole Cowden course was opened by Miss
Ella Christie Isabella "Ella" Robertson Christie (21 April 1861 - 29 January 1949) was a pioneering Scottish traveller and explorer, landowner, gardener and author. Early life Christie was born on 21 April 1861 at Millbank in Cockpen, near Bonnyrigg, to A ...
, who provided of land, on 28 May 1908. The course fell into disrepair during World War II, when it was used for the grazing of sheep. The course was restored after the war. A second nine-hole course, the Ardean course was added in the late 1960s on land leased from Colonel (later Sir) Robert Christie Stewart, then
Lord-Lieutenant A lord-lieutenant ( ) is the British monarch's personal representative in each lieutenancy area of the United Kingdom. Historically, each lieutenant was responsible for organising the county's militia. In 1871, the lieutenant's responsibility ...
of the county. A third nine-hole course named Naemoor was opened on 25 July 1998.


Yetts o' Muckhart

This hamlet lies around further east of Pool of Muckhart. A tollhouse was established here in the early 19th century on a road used by cattle drovers and coaches. ''Yett'' is a Scots word for "gate", also used in reference to hill passes. For various reasons, the name of this hamlet causes some amusement. Its name comes up in several comedy programmes, supposedly used for "comic effect", notably Channel 4's production '' Absolutely''.


Lees of Muckhart

Not always recognised as the third and final part of the village group, this area is now in single use as a farm. It lies just west of Muckhart Primary School on the old coach road to Dollar (the southern section of this road is barely discernible).


Baldiesburn

Somewhat depleted in size, this small hamlet on the main road west of the Pool of Muckhart now has only two houses. It has lost several buildings but was previously a small industrial centre. Of interest, the sheds still attaching the eastern building were built as a blacksmith's c. 1700. The building to the west was a carpenter's, but most of its sheds are now gone. The buildings on the south side of the road were removed when the main road was straightened c.1970. Also obliterated by this roadworks, the village
curling Curling is a sport in which players slide stones on a sheet of ice toward a target area which is segmented into four concentric circles. It is related to bowls, boules, and shuffleboard. Two teams, each with four players, take turns sliding ...
pond stood some further west.


Cowden estate


Early history

The Cowden estate lies just to the south of the higher ground known as the
Ochil Hills The Ochil Hills (; gd, Monadh Ochail is a range of hills in Scotland north of the Forth valley bordered by the towns of Stirling, Alloa, Kinross, Auchterarder and Perth. The only major roads crossing the hills pass through Glen Devon/ Glen ...
, on the main road (A91) just over west of the Pool of Muckhart. The estate formerly focussed around Cowden Castle, a traditional Scottish stone-built castle of various dates, originating around 1500. This was demolished in 1950. Some of the early outbuildings, such as the sawmill range and bell-tower from the 17th century, still survive. Archbishop Lambert built a house named "Castleton" on the property in 1320.Cowden Castle
In: Scotland's Places.
The Bruces of Clackmannanshire owned the estate from 1758.


John Christie era

John Christie
FRSE Fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE) is an award granted to individuals that the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Scotland's national academy of science and letters, judged to be "eminently distinguished in their subject". This soci ...
(b. 4 July 1822, d. 19 August 1902) was the only son of Alexander Christie (born 1789, died 1859) and Isabella Robertson (b. about 1792) of Struan and the nephew of Mrs Isabella Christie (Hill). Alexander Christie was laird of Milnwood in
Lanarkshire Lanarkshire, also called the County of Lanark ( gd, Siorrachd Lannraig; sco, Lanrikshire), is a historic county, lieutenancy area and registration county in the central Lowlands of Scotland. Lanarkshire is the most populous county in Scotlan ...
, where he operated three coal mines, . and possessed of a considerable fortune from industry, which descended to John Christie. In addition, John Christie had two collieries in
Edinburghshire Midlothian (; gd, Meadhan Lodainn) is a historic county, registration county, lieutenancy area and one of 32 council areas of Scotland used for local government. Midlothian lies in the east-central Lowlands, bordering the City of Edinburgh ...
. John Christie purchased Cowden (then known as Castleton), which contained about , in 1865. Mrs. Bruce sold the Cowden estate, a property of about , which contained a large three-storey, rambling, sandstone house, to Mr. John Christie in 1866 who renamed the property "Cowden Castle". Traditionally the estate focused upon woodland management and the raising of
deer Deer or true deer are hoofed ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. The two main groups of deer are the Cervinae, including the muntjac, the elk (wapiti), the red deer, and the fallow deer; and the Capreolinae, including the reindeer ...
and pheasants. Cowden Castle became the seat of the Christie family. Mr. Christie later had a coat-of-arms created and placed over the entrance door. John Christie was reported to own in 1873. Mr. Christie collected a wide variety of artefacts during his many trips to the European continent. He filled Cowden Castle with many unrelated objects, which resulted in a very eclectic style.Stewart, Averill. ''Alicella''. London: John Murray, 1955. John married Alison Philp (b. about 1817), daughter of Alison Coldwells and William Philp, of Stobsmills,
Midlothian Midlothian (; gd, Meadhan Lodainn) is a historic county, registration county, lieutenancy area and one of 32 council areas of Scotland used for local government. Midlothian lies in the east-central Lowlands, bordering the City of Edinburgh, ...
(the home of her uncle John Coldwells) on 27 April 1859. John and Alison Philp Christie had three children. The first, a boy, John Coldwells Christie, (born 1860) died before he was twelve. Isabella (Ella) Robertson Christie was born 21 April 1861 at Millbank, Cockpen, Edinburgh (John Christie's home near Edinburgh).Christie, Ella R. ''Khiva to Samarkind''. Coventry: Trotamundas Press, 2009 . The third-born child was Alice Margaret Christie (b. about 1863). The girls' mother, Alison Philp Christie, was in poor health and Isabella Thornburn, an elderly woman, was their nurse. Later Miss Townsend served as the governess of the two teenage girls. John Christie believed that travel was the best education for girls so he took the girls on many trips to Europe. Ella was taken to Paris at the age of twelve. Alice Christie married Robert King Stewart, KBE, of Murdostoun in 1881, when she was seventeen and left to live at Murdostoun Castle in
Lanarkshire Lanarkshire, also called the County of Lanark ( gd, Siorrachd Lannraig; sco, Lanrikshire), is a historic county, lieutenancy area and registration county in the central Lowlands of Scotland. Lanarkshire is the most populous county in Scotlan ...
. After Alice married, only Ella accompanied her father on trips. Mr Christie had an attack of pernicious anæmia about 1887. Although he recovered his health, his illness caused him to become difficult, secretive, and eccentric for the remainder of his life.The Will of John Christie of Cowden. ''The Scotsman'', Edinburgh, Tuesday, 21 July 1903, p. 8. In 1893 the castle was extended by the prodigious Glasgow architects
Honeyman and Keppie Honeyman and Keppie was a major architectural firm based in Glasgow, created by John Honeyman and John Keppie in 1888 following the death of James Sellars in whose architectural practice Keppie had worked. Their most notable employee was Charles ...
, probably at the request of Ella, given her father's health. Mr Christie founded Christie Homes (later Lothian Homes Trust) in 1889, a charity which opened several orphanages for girls in and around
East Lothian East Lothian (; sco, East Lowden; gd, Lodainn an Ear) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, as well as a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area. The county was called Haddingtonshire until 1921. In 1975, the histo ...
. A Christie Home was opened at Portobello in 1892. Tenterfield, in Haddington, was opened in 1898.Florabank Road, Templedean House and West Templedean Including Boundary Walls and Gatepiers, Haddington
British Listed Buildings.
Mr Christie caused an orphanage to be created at Catlaw Head. He concealed his support of orphanages from his family. Mrs Christie, who was a bit older than her husband, died in 1894 at the age of about 76. Mr Christie refused to purchase a casket for his wife's burial, so Ella had to use her funds to purchase a casket for her mother. As Mr Christie's illness progressed he became increasing secretive and paranoid. In 1895, medical doctors advised Mr. Christie to take a trip to
Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
for health reasons. His daughter, Ella, as caretaker to her father, accompanied him on his trip. While in Egypt he suddenly decided to return home and abandoned his daughter in Egypt. When in his late seventies, Mr. Christie dyed his moustache and proposed marriage to a woman fifty years younger. Ella Christie found Mr. Christie dead at the age of 80 years in his townhouse at 19 Buckingham Terrace,
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 ...
on 19 August 1902. At the time of his death, he owned estates at Milnwood in Lanarkshire, Arndean now in
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 ...
,
Glenfarg Glenfarg (Scottish Gaelic: Gleann Fairg) is a village in the Ochil Hills in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. Until 14 June 1964, the village had a railway station, Glenfarg railway station, on the main line between Perth and Edinburgh via Kinross. Alth ...
and Easterton in Perthshire, and
Carnbo Carnbo is a hamlet in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. It lies approximately west of Kinross, on the A91 road The A91 is a major road in Scotland, United Kingdom. It runs from St Andrews to Bannockburn, via Cupar Cupar ( ; gd, Cùbar) is ...
in the county of Kinross, in addition to his estate at Cowden.


Ella Christie era

The morning after John Christie died, a stranger arrived at 19 Buckingham Terrace and informed Miss Christie that her father had executed a will that left all his property to his orphanages and she and her sister were to get nothing. Miss Christie would have been homeless and penniless, however, Lady Stewart would have her husband on whom she could depend. Miss Christie resolved to contest the will. She was told by solicitors that the "dead hand would prevail", however, she eventually located a firm which would take her case. Miss Christie ordered a stained glass window erected in honour of her father removed from Muckhart Church and she moved to 19 Buckingham Terrace for the duration of the trial. The trial was held in the Law Courts in Parliament Square in July 1903. Dr T. S. Clouston, president of the college of physicians and an expert in diseases of the brain, introduced medical evidence from the ''British Medical Journal'' and gave his expert opinion that pernicious anæmia adversely affected the brain. Several witnesses provided an abundance of testimony regarding Mr. Christie's bizarre behaviour in the years after his illness and the unfairness of the will. All of the evidence supported the conclusion that Mr. Christie was not of sound mind at the time of his execution of his will. This evidence put the defendants in a state of despair and persuaded them to agree to an out-of-court compromise settlement in which the Christie daughters received the bulk of the estate, while the orphanages received a sum sufficient for their needs. The press gave a value of £250,000 as the value of the estate – a vast sum in the years before the currency inflation of World War I. Miss Isabella (Ella) Robertson Christie (born 1861, died 1949), daughter of John (born 1822, died 1902) and Alison Philp Christie (died 1894), famed for her foreign travels and accounts thereof.,Middleton, Dorothy. ''Victorian Lady Travellers''. New York: E. P. Dutton & Co., Inc., 1965, p. 10. succeeded her father as laird of the Cowden Castle estate. She then preferred to be known as "Miss Christie of Cowden". There were many times when Miss Christie was not in residence because of her extended travels abroad. Miss Christie travelled with a lady's maid and a bearer. Miss Christie travelled in India,
Ceylon Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
, and
Tibet Tibet (; ''Böd''; ) is a region in East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are some other ethnic groups such as Monpa people, ...
in 1904. She arrived first in
Bombay Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...
, where she was a guest of Lord and Lady Lamington, who provided her with a bungalow at
Government House Government House is the name of many of the official residences of governors-general, governors and lieutenant-governors in the Commonwealth and the remaining colonies of the British Empire. The name is also used in some other countries. Gover ...
. Miss Christie visited many places, both on and off the beaten path, while in India. Miss Christie, like other lady travellers, preferred to maintain her independence, by avoiding travelling with a companion. When Miss Christie encountered Miss Jane Ellen Duncan on the plain of
Ladakh Ladakh () is a region administered by India as a union territory which constitutes a part of the larger Kashmir region and has been the subject of dispute between India, Pakistan, and China since 1947. (subscription required) Quote: "Jammu and ...
, they pitched their tents as far apart as possible and agreed to travel on different days so as to avoid travelling together. Nevertheless, Miss Christie and Miss Duncan were friends. Miss Christie was a skilled photographer with the
Kodak camera The Eastman Kodak Company (referred to simply as Kodak ) is an American public company that produces various products related to its historic basis in analogue photography. The company is headquartered in Rochester, New York, and is incorpor ...
. She recorded her trips on film. She allowed Miss Duncan to use many of her photographs in her book about her travels.Duncan, Jane Ellen.
Summer Travels Through Western Tibet
'. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1906.
Miss Christie travelled in
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
and
Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
in 1907. Cowden Castle received telephone service in 1910. Miss Christie travelled in Central Asia in 1910 and 1912. Miss Christie was elected a fellow of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society in 1911. She was elected vice-president of the Society in 1934. She was elected a fellow of the
Royal Geographical Society The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers), often shortened to RGS, is a learned society and professional body for geography based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical scien ...
in 1913. Miss Christie toured America with a side trip to
Havana Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.
,
Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
in 1914. She sailed on the ''Carmania'' in February. While in
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
, she met the Vanderbilts, and lunched with Mrs.
Franklin Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...
. In
Washington, D. C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, Na ...
, she toured the
White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. ...
and Arlington, the former home of
Robert E. Lee Robert Edward Lee (January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War, towards the end of which he was appointed the overall commander of the Confederate States Army. He led the Army of Nort ...
. In the South, she visited
Richmond, Virginia (Thus do we reach the stars) , image_map = , mapsize = 250 px , map_caption = Location within Virginia , pushpin_map = Virginia#USA , pushpin_label = Richmond , pushpin_m ...
and
Charleston, South Carolina Charleston is the largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina, the county seat of Charleston County, and the principal city in the Charleston–North Charleston metropolitan area. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint o ...
before leaving for Havana and
Camagüey Camagüey () is a city and municipality in central Cuba and is the nation's third-largest city with more than 321,000 inhabitants. It is the capital of the Camagüey Province. It was founded as Santa María del Puerto del Príncipe in 1514, by S ...
in Cuba. She then returned to the United States and visited
New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster.
; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...
before moving on to
Baton Rouge Baton Rouge ( ; ) is a city in and the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-sma ...
, where she was the guest of her second cousin, Miss Katherine Marion Hill (b. 25 December 1856, d. 25 February 1949) at her mansion on Lafayette Street, and met her American cousins, the descendants of
John Hill John Hill may refer to: Business * John Henry Hill (1791–1882), American businessman, educator and missionary * John Hill (planter) (1824–1910), Scottish-born American industrialist and planter * John Hill (businessman) (1847–1926), Austral ...
. Moving west, she visited the
Grand Canyon The Grand Canyon (, yuf-x-yav, Wi:kaʼi:la, , Southern Paiute language: Paxa’uipi, ) is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in Arizona, United States. The Grand Canyon is long, up to wide and attains a depth of over a m ...
,
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
, and
Santa Barbara, California Santa Barbara ( es, Santa Bárbara, meaning "Saint Barbara") is a coastal city in Santa Barbara County, California, of which it is also the county seat. Situated on a south-facing section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coas ...
, where she met the widow of
Robert Louis Stevenson Robert Louis Stevenson (born Robert Lewis Balfour Stevenson; 13 November 1850 – 3 December 1894) was a Scottish novelist, essayist, poet and travel writer. He is best known for works such as ''Treasure Island'', ''Strange Case of Dr Jekyll a ...
. Starting back to the east, she stopped off at
Yellowstone National Park Yellowstone National Park is an American national park located in the western United States, largely in the northwest corner of Wyoming and extending into Montana and Idaho. It was established by the 42nd U.S. Congress with the Yellowston ...
before arriving in
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
. After Chicago, she stopped at
Niagara Falls Niagara Falls () is a group of three waterfalls at the southern end of Niagara Gorge, spanning the border between the province of Ontario in Canada and the state of New York in the United States. The largest of the three is Horseshoe Falls, ...
, and then moved on to
Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...
, where she visited
Plymouth Plymouth () is a port city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to the west and south-west. Plymouth ...
, a community of the
Shakers The United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing, more commonly known as the Shakers, are a Millenarianism, millenarian Restorationism, restorationist Christianity, Christian sect founded in England and then organized in the Unit ...
, and the homes and graves of her favourite American authors. After a visit to
Yale University Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wo ...
, she returned to New York and went up to West Point on 22 June 1914 to attend the graduation of her
Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...
cousin, John Hill Carruth, a cadet who fainted while on parade during her visit. Miss Christie returned home on the
Mauretania Mauretania (; ) is the Latin name for a region in the ancient Maghreb. It stretched from central present-day Algeria westwards to the Atlantic, covering northern present-day Morocco, and southward to the Atlas Mountains. Its native inhabitants, ...
in June 1914, just in time for the World War. Miss Christie did her part in the Great War. In 1916, she was offered the Directorship of a canteen in Bar-sur-Aube,
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
by the
French Red Cross The French Red Cross (french: Croix-Rouge française), or the CRF, is the national Red Cross Society in France founded in 1864 and originally known as the ''Société française de secours aux blessés militaires'' (SSBM). Recognized as a public u ...
Committee, which she accepted. The canteen was called in French, ''Cantine des Dames Anglaises''. She did this for a year and then returned to Cowden. In 1918, she once again went to France to direct a canteen at
Mulhouse Mulhouse (; Alsatian language, Alsatian: or , ; ; meaning ''Mill (grinding), mill house'') is a city of the Haut-Rhin Departments of France, department, in the Grand Est Regions of France, region, eastern France, close to the France–Switzerl ...
,
Alsace Alsace (, ; ; Low Alemannic German/ gsw-FR, Elsàss ; german: Elsass ; la, Alsatia) is a cultural region and a territorial collectivity in eastern France, on the west bank of the upper Rhine next to Germany and Switzerland. In 2020, it had ...
until 1919, when the need for a canteen ended. Miss Christie published a book about her travels in central Asia, ''Through Khiva to Golden Samarkand'', in 1925. Miss Christie and her sister, Lady Alice Christie King Stewart, published a reminiscence of their lives entitled ''A Long Look at Life by Two Victorians'' in 1940. Miss Christie's sister died at Claghorn House in
South Lanarkshire gd, Siorrachd Lannraig a Deas , image_skyline = , image_flag = , image_shield = Arms_slanarkshire.jpg , image_blank_emblem = Slanarks.jpg , blank_emblem_type = Council logo , image_map ...
on 5 September of that same year. Miss Christie died of leucæmia 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 ...
on 29 January 1949 at the age of 87 years. Funeral services were held at Muckhart Parish Church on Wednesday, 2 February. Miss Christie was the last surviving Christie. She is buried in the family plot, to the east of the church. The estate passed to her great-nephew, Colonel Stewart of Arndean.


Miss Christie's Japanese Garden

Miss Christie, after her visit to Japan in 1907, caused a
Japanese garden are traditional gardens whose designs are accompanied by Japanese aesthetics and philosophical ideas, avoid artificial ornamentation, and highlight the natural landscape. Plants and worn, aged materials are generally used by Japanese garden desig ...
, designed by
Taki Handa Taki Handa (1871–1956) was a Japanese horticulturist, best known for designing and directing the construction of a Japanese garden in Scotland in 1908. Early life Handa was born in Kurume, Kyushu. Her father was a prison guard who also mended ...
, a student at Doshisha University, Japan who was studying at
Studley College Studley Horticultural & Agricultural College for Women was a horticultural and agricultural college for women, near Studley in Warwickshire, England, which operated from 1898 until 1969. History The college was founded by Daisy Greville, Countes ...
, around 1908, to be planted at Cowden on a site, which she named ''Shah-rak-uenor'', meaning place of 'pleasure and delight'. Queen Mary visited the garden in 1932. The garden was maintained by a Japanese man named Matsuo until his death in 1936, after which Miss Christie maintained the garden until her death in 1949. The garden then fell into disrepair and was closed permanently in 1955.The Scottish Gardens
Although the Japanese garden fell into ruin, it supported hundreds of
rhododendron ''Rhododendron'' (; from Ancient Greek ''rhódon'' "rose" and ''déndron'' "tree") is a very large genus of about 1,024 species of woody plants in the heath family (Ericaceae). They can be either evergreen or deciduous. Most species are nati ...
s, brought over from the
Himalayas The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 100 ...
to brighten up the estate in the 19th century. In 2013, Christie's great-niece Sara Stewart began restoring the Japanese garden.


Recent history

Cowden Castle, burned in 1950 and was pulled down in 1952. Much of the valuables from the house survived and were removed to Arndean. Many items of furniture were distributed among the many estate houses. Thereafter the estate was merged into the Arndean Estate, the seat of the Stewart family. (Ardean lies about southwest of the Cowden estate.) Still surviving are Cowden's stables and the east and west lodges (the east lodge is now off the main road due to the straightening).Ardmill, Formerly Cowden Castle E. Lodge, Muckhart
British Listed Buildings.
A faded dollar sign painted on a wall near the lodge marks a humorous direction sign to the town of Dollar to the west, but due to the road moving now serves no function. Of great interest, the estate sawmill buildings still survive amid the woods. These date from the mid 18th century. They had adjacent ponds to float larger logs into the saws to cleverly avoid weight problems. Several modern houses have been built within the estate, many hidden in its wooded grounds. The Japanese Garden was rebuilt and reopened in 2019. It bears little resemblance to the original garden but is located around the same pond. It is open to the public.


Muckhart Mill

Slightly to the south-west of the Cowden estate, well off the current main road, lies Muckhart Mill at the confluence of Hole Burn, which powered the Mill, and the River Devon. In more recent years this was connected to the Elmhirst family who were directly linked to the Elmhirsts of
Dartington Hall Dartington Hall in Dartington, near Totnes, Devon, England, is an historic house and country estate of dating from medieval times. The group of late 14th century buildings are Grade I listed; described in Pevsner's Buildings of England as "on ...
, Devon, and to the Haggard family by marriage.
Rider Haggard Sir Henry Rider Haggard (; 22 June 1856 – 14 May 1925) was an English writer of adventure fiction romances set in exotic locations, predominantly Africa, and a pioneer of the lost world literary genre. He was also involved in land reform t ...
was the author of the infamous novel "She". Records of Muckhart Mill date back to 16 October 1560 on a deed. as witnessed by "Henry Douglas of Muckhart Mill" for Lady Margaret Douglas of Lochleven (née Lady Margaret Erskine), mistress of King James V of Scotland, widow of Sir Robert Douglas of Lochleven, mother of Sir William Douglas of Lochleven, to whose custody Queen Mary was committed in his castle at Lochleven on 17 June 1567. Later on, the Douglas family sold the mill to Bishop James Paton text who subsequently passed ownership of the farm to Archibald Campbell, 5th Earl of Argyll in about 1571. The Mill is
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 ...
and described as a "complex building of several dates: M.I.M. 1666, 1717, 1727 (internally) 1770 and 19th-century alterations, including ashlar facing of wheel-pit. Comprises three blocks at different angles, all pantiled, disused 20' overshot wheel at N., wooden arms, cast-iron outer frame. Workings and kiln gutted, renovated as children's holiday home 1967." It is believed to have one of Scotland's largest overshot waterwheels which was renovated into working condition by the current owner several years ago but is no longer in operation. It is even rarer a building as there is evidence of a smaller waterwheel, possibly on the same axle as the main one, but on the other side of the building. There you can find a second water channel running alongside the building which exits under a small bridge and into the River Devon There is an inscription on the side wall of the Mill house "M.I.M. 1666" as identified by local postie and amateur historian, Alan Ritchie on 6/9/14. A masonic mark is visible downstream of the bridge, facing the bridge. Similar masonic markings (bottom right row) can be found on the records on 22/3/10 at Rosslyn Chapel, when the barrel vaulted ceiling renovated. As featured by Lyndsay Cooper in her internship there in 2010


Robert Burns

It is believed that Robert Burns would have passed by Muckhart Mill on 27 August 1787 while staying at Harvieston as recorded in his diary: "Monday.—Go to Harvieston. Go to see Caudron Linn, and Rumbling Brig, and Deil’s Mill Return in the evening." While staying at Harviestoun Burns wrote two poems, "The Banks of the Devon" and "Fairest Maid on Devon Bank". Burns fell for the charm and beauty of Charlotte Hamilton but she was more attracted to Burns' friend, Adair whom she later married.


Muckhart Mill Farmhouse

Adjacent to the mill lies Muckhart Mill Farmhouse, a category B listed property described as a house of "single-storey and attic with swept dormers dated (17)80; later wooden porch: steading single-storey, partly with loft, pantiled and white-washed". Muckhart Mill was a children's holiday home and the owners often get visitors who used to stay here over the summer, riding ponies and swimming in the river. YouTube has some old film footage from the 1960s of the Forth Valley Pony club and other clips which contain shots of The Mill.


Muckhart Mill Lime Kiln

Further up the farm track lies a category B listed Limekiln. Described as "Mid 19th century. Very large, about 35' high, square plan, stone-built with battered walls, three arched fireholes; operated by the Carron Company." The Carron Company was at the forefront of the Industrial Revolution in the United Kingdom and who built the Carron iron Works in 1759 that Burns attempted to visit on "Sunday, August 26.—Camelon, the ancient metropolis of the Picts, now a small village in the neighbourhood of Falkirk. Cross the Grand Canal to Carron." He attempted to visit the iron works but, being a Sunday, was refused entrance. Both travellers instead withdrew to the Carron Inn opposite. They dined on the second floor of the Inn and Burns later recorded the event briefly in his journal of the tour—Carron-breakfast. However, he also vented his anger, by scoring a few lines of prose on one of the Inn's windows. He used a diamond-tipped stylus which had earlier been presented to him in Edinburgh by
James Cunningham, 14th Earl of Glencairn James Cunningham, 14th Earl of Glencairn (1 June 174930 January 1791) was a Scottish nobleman, soldier and patron of Robert Burns. Biography James the second son of William, 13th Earl, was born in Kilmacolm, Renfrewshire. On the death ''vida pa ...
:
At Carron Ironworks ''We cam na here to view your warks, ''In hopes to be mair wise, ''But only, lest we gang to hell, ''It may be nae surprise: ''But when we tirl'd at your door ''Your porter dought na hear us; ''Sae may, shou'd we to Hell's yetts come, ''Your billy Satan sair us!''
The Mill is listed as "Blairbane" in the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Fife and Kinross 1855, sheet xxi


Bridge at Muckhart Mill

The bridge has a masonic eye painted on the right hand side of the upstream facing part. It is head high, about 6" in width and is clearly visible to this day. It is painted in green.

The bridge is a
listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...
.


The Vicar's Bridge murder

In the same locale lies Vicar's Bridge. The historic bridge was replaced by a modern structure in the 1960s. Of note here, was a murder in the late 19th century by Joe Bell of a passer-by. A tree known as "Joe Bell's tree" had the letters JB carved on it and allegedly were carved whilst he waited for a victim. This could of course have been added after the event for dramatic purposes. Joe Bell had the unfortunate claim to fame of being the last man publicly hanged in Scotland (in Perth) for shooting a bake

Utterly destitute, with not a penny in the world to buy a piece of bread, poacher Joseph Bell, 29, borrowed a shotgun and next day turned highwayman, waylaying farmer Alexander McEwan, 40, on his horse and cart at Blairingone in Perthshire. He blasted the farmer to death and then relieved him of his wallet, containing £5 10s. Bell’s footprints were found at the scene, and so was the murder weapon. When he was arrested he had exactly £5. 10s. on him. He strongly denied ever having been involved, but was tried at Perth on 24 April and hanged a month later on Tuesday, 22 May 1866, on a gallows brought from Aberdeen and placed outside Perth Prison

A full account of the trial and execution can be found in an article in The Alloa Advertiser here
Alloa Advertiser: walk past vicars bridge murder
Back on the main road to Dollar the small farm known as Shelterhall was bought in a derelict state by the Longmuir brothers of
Bay City Rollers The Bay City Rollers are a Scottish pop rock band known for their worldwide teen idol popularity in the 1970s. They have been called the "tartan teen sensations from Edinburgh" and one of many acts heralded as the "biggest group since the Beat ...
fame in the late 1970s and temporarily became a place of "pilgrimage" for some years during the period of "Rollermania", which was rife at that time. Alan Longmuir owned and ran the "Castle Campbell Hotel" in Dollar to the west.


Public rights-of-way

The Clackmannanshire Council has confirmed the recognition of public rights-of-way in the Muckhart area including the ancient coach road section known as the Cinder Path, linking the village to the primary school.


Transportation

Muckhart is situated on the A91. Muckhart has never been served by rail, the nearest station is
Rumbling Bridge Rumbling Bridge is a small village built on both side of a gorge of the River Devon, which formed the boundary between the historic counties of Perthshire and Kinross-shire and is now within the combined Perth and Kinross council area, Scotland, w ...
. It was formerly served by the
23 Stirling–St Andrews __NOTOC__ The 23 was a bus service which ran from Stirling to St Andrews. History Operation The route dated back to the 1930s, at which time it was numbered 298 and operated by W. Alexander & Sons between Buchanan bus station, Glasgow, and St An ...
bus route. Following the withdrawal of that route it was served by the
X53 Stirling–Kinross The X53 was a bus service between Stirling and Kinross, Scotland. History The route was introduced on 14 September 2020 as a partial replacement of the withdrawn 23 Stirling–St Andrews route operated by Stagecoach. In November 2021, First ...
, however this route has also been withdrawn..


Notable residents of Muckhart

* Dr
Grace Cadell Grace Ross Cadell (October 25, 1855 – February 19, 1918) was a Scottish doctor and suffragist, and one of the first group of women to study medicine in Scotland and qualify. She was, with Elsie Inglis, one of the initial entrants to the Ed ...
(1855–1918), militant suffragette and Scotland's first female surgeon; lived her final years at Mosspark, Yetts of Muckhart * Isabella (Ella) Robertson Christie (1861–1949), Victorian lady traveller * John Christie (1822–1902), landowner *
Sholto Johnstone Douglas Robert Sholto Johnstone Douglas (3 December 1871 – 10 March 1958), known as Sholto Douglas, or more formally as Sholto Johnstone Douglas, was a Scottish figurative artist, a painter chiefly of portraits and landscapes. In 1895, he stood surety ...
(1871–1958), artist * Rev
Adam Gib Adam Gib (15 April 1714 – 14 June 1788) was a Scottish religious leader, head of the Antiburgher section of the Scottish Secession Church. He reportedly wrote his first covenant with God in the blood of his own veins. Gib was born in the ...
(1714–1788) *
George Alexander Gibson George Alexander Gibson FRSE FRCPE (27 January 1854 – 18 January 1913) was a Scottish physician, medical author and amateur geologist. As an author he wrote on the diverse fields of both geology and heart disease. The Gibson Memorial Lecture ...
(1854–1913), physician, medical author and amateur geologist, Fellow of the
Royal Society of Edinburgh The Royal Society of Edinburgh is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity that operates on a wholly independent and non-partisan basis and provides public benefit throughout Scotland. It was established i ...
, Chief Physician at
Edinburgh Royal Infirmary The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, or RIE, often (but incorrectly) known as the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, or ERI, was established in 1729 and is the oldest voluntary hospital in Scotland. The new buildings of 1879 were claimed to be the largest v ...
* Alexander Izat and his son, James Rennie Izat, railway engineers in
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
*
George Henry Paulin George Henry Paulin (14 August 1888–1962), often called Harry Paulin, or 'GHP' (his sculpting insignia) was a Scottish sculptor and artist of great note in the early 20th century. Life Born in 1888 in the manse at Muckhart, Clackmannansh ...
(1888–1962), sculptor and artist


Ministers of Muckhart

* James Paton of Ballilisk, later Bishop of Dunkeld, post Reformation until 1580 *Alexander Fotheringhame from 1615 to 1638 *Rev John Govan (1660s) *Rev James Thomson of Ormiston (1800-1871) minister of the parish from 1832. Left the established church in the Disruption of 1843 and became minister of the Free Church of Dollar and Muckhart (sited in Dollar).Ewing, William ''Annals of the Free Church'' *Rev Alexander M. Ferguson minister from 1843 to 1869. *Rev George Paulin (1870-1907)


See also

*
River Devon, Clackmannanshire The River Devon (formerly Dovan, gd, Duibhe) is a tributary of the River Forth in Clackmannanshire, Scotland. Geography and hydrology The source of the river is Blairdenon Hill in the Ochils at an altitude of . Upper areas have been dammed, ...
* Rights of way in Scotland * List of listed buildings in Muckhart, Clackmannanshire


References


Further reading

* Christie, Ella R. ''Khiva to Samarkand''. Coventry: Trotamundas Press, Ltd., 2009 (Reprint of Christie, Ella. ''Through Khiva to Golden Samarkand''. London: Seeley, Service & Co. Ltd., 1925) * Christie, Ella R. & Stewart, Alice Margaret Christie King. ''A Long Look at Life, by Two Victorians''. London: Seeley, Service & Co. Ltd., 1940. * Stewart, Averil. ''Alicella''. London: John Murray, 1955. * Birkett, Dea. ''Spinsters Abroad: Victorian Lady Explorers''. New York: Dorset Press, 2001. . * Day, John Percival. ''Clackmannan and Kinross''. Nabu Press, 2010 (Reproduction of a book published before 1925). * Barbieri, M. ''A Descriptive and Historical Gazetteer of the Counties of Fife, Kinross and Clackmannan: With Anecdotes, Narratives and Graphic Sketches, Moral, Political, Commercial and Agricultural''. Nabu Press, 2010.


External links


Clackmannanshire Council - Population Breakdown by Ward 2003

Google Maps - Muckhart

ClacksNet - Clackmannanshire's Community Network

Muckhart - Visit Scotland
{{authority control Villages in Clackmannanshire Hillfoots Villages zh:杜拉