Dunning is a small village in

Perth and Kinross Perth and Kinross (; ) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a Lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area. It is bordered by Highland (council area), Highland and Aberdeenshire to the north, Angus, Scotland, Angus, Dundee, and F ...

in Scotland with a population of about 1,000. The village centres around the 12th–13th century former parish church of St. Serf, where the

Dupplin Cross The Dupplin Cross is a carved, monumental Pictish stone, which dates from around 800 AD. It was first recorded by Thomas Pennant in 1769, on a hillside in Strathearn, a little to the north of (and on the opposite bank of the River Earn from) Fo ...

is displayed (

Historic Scotland Historic Scotland () was an executive agency of the Scottish Government, executive agency of the Scottish Office and later the Scottish Government from 1991 to 2015, responsible for safeguarding Scotland's built heritage and promoting its und ...

; open in summer without entrance charge). It is in

Strathearn Strathearn or Strath Earn (), also the Earn Valley, is the strath of the River Earn, which flows from Loch Earn to meet the River Tay in the east of Scotland. The area covers the stretch of the river, containing a number of settlements in ...

, north of the

Ochil Hills The Ochil Hills (; ) is a range of hills in Scotland north of the River Forth, Forth valley bordered by the cities of Stirling, Perth, Scotland, Perth and the towns of Alloa, Kinross, and Auchterarder . The only major roads crossing the hil ...

. It is just south of the A9, between

Auchterarder Auchterarder (; , meaning Upper Highland) is a town 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 "The Lang Toun" or Long Town. The ...

and

Perth Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...

History

There was an

Iron Age The Iron Age () is the final epoch of the three historical Metal Ages, after the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age. It has also been considered as the final age of the three-age division starting with prehistory (before recorded history) and progre ...

fort on Dun Knock (no visible remains) and a 1st-century Roman camp at Kincladie (part of the rampart and ditch survive in Kincladie Wood). The former is the probable origin of the name Dunning, ''ex'' Old Irish ''dúnán'' 'little fort'. Legend tells that

Saint Serf Saint Serf or Serbán (''Servanus'') () is a saint of Scotland. Serf was venerated in western Fife. He is called the apostle of Orkney, with less historical plausibility. Saint Serf is connected with Saint Mungo's Church near Simonburn, Northumbe ...

(fl. 8th century?) killed a

dragon A dragon is a Magic (supernatural), magical legendary creature that appears in the folklore of multiple cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but European dragon, dragons in Western cultures since the Hi ...

here, and there is a thorn tree planted in Jacobite times. The Dunning Parish Historical Society website includes St. Serf's Church graveyard survey and Dunning parish census records, both useful for genealogy research. The village (except the church) was burned during the 1715 Jacobite Rebellion. The oldest surviving house (recently restored) dates from the 1730s. The fountain at the centre of the village dates from 1874 and was gifted by Alexander Martin, a former Dunning resident, who made his fortune in

New Brunswick New Brunswick is a Provinces and Territories of Canada, province of Canada, bordering Quebec to the north, Nova Scotia to the east, the Gulf of Saint Lawrence to the northeast, the Bay of Fundy to the southeast, and the U.S. state of Maine to ...

as a confectioner. It includes interesting stone carvings in a medieval style, including an otter eating a trout. A plaque on the outer kirkyard wall commemorates the evacuated children (mainly from

Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...

) who stayed here during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. The Kirkstyle Inn, dating to the 19th century, is still in operation. Dunning was served by

Dunning railway station Dunning railway station served the village of Dunning, Perth and Kinross, Scotland from 1848 to 1956 on the Scottish Central Railway. History The station was opened on 22 May 1848 by the Scottish Central Railway The Scottish Central Rail ...

on the

Scottish Central Railway The Scottish Central Railway (SCR) was formed in 1845 to link Perth and Stirling to Central Scotland, by building a railway line to join the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway near Castlecary. The line opened in 1848 including a branch to South All ...

from 1848 until the station closed in 1956.

St. Serf's Kirk

The building has a distinctive and largely intact tower dating from around 1200. The interior was remodelled in the early 19th century to place the pulpit centrally after adding a north wing and internal galleries. Stained glass is of an excellent standard, especially for a rural kirk and is by Ballantine and Gardiner.James Ballantine and Son (about 1828 - about 1925)
– Stained Glass in Wales The kirk was in use until 1972 but is now in the care of

. It is visible to the public at no charge but under supervision. The kirkyard includes early dated stones 1623 and 1624. The building was used in the filming of the Scottish film ''

Complicity Complicity in criminal law refers to the participation in a completed criminal act of an accomplice, a partner in the crime who aids or encourages ( abets) other perpetrators of that crime, and who shared with them an intent to act to complete ...

''.

The Dupplin Cross

The cross was placed in the church after a protest to Historic Scotland at its removal from its home in Dunning.

Maggie Wall

In a field north-west of the village stands a sombre 18th-century monument bearing the inscription "Maggie Wall was burnt here 1657 as a Witch".

Notable residents

Notable residents include decorated SAS Commander Brigadier Rory Walker OBE MC. Several of the Lords Rollo lie buried in the kirkyard. Rollo Park is named after the family. * Rev

Paton James Gloag Paton James Gloag (1823–1906) was a Scottish minister and theological author. He was Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1889. Life Born in Perth, Scotland, Perth on 17 May 1823, he was the eldest son of William ...

was minister of Dunning from 1848 to 1857 and became

Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland The moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is the minister or elder chosen to moderate (chair) the annual General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, which is held for a week in Edinburgh every year. After chairing the Ass ...

in 1889. * Prof

James Robert Matthews James Robert Matthews FRSE FLS CBE LLD (1889–1978) was a Scottish botanist. He was president of the British Ecological Society in 1934 and president of the Botanical Society of Edinburgh 1939 to 1942. Life He was born in the village of Dunni ...

FRSE FLS (1889–1978) an eminent 20th century botanist was born and raised in Dunning. * Sir

John Mackay Thomson John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second Ep ...

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 Literature, letters, judged to be "eminently distinguished in their subject". ...

(1887–1974) classicist and senior civil servant, son of Dunning's minister, Rev Peter Thomson DD. * Barbara Balmain Dougall wife of renowned

geographer A geographer is a physical scientist, social scientist or humanist whose area of study is geography, the study of Earth's natural environment and human society, including how society and nature interacts. The Greek prefix "geo" means "earth" a ...

and writer

John Francon Williams John Francon Williams (1854 – 4 September 1911) was a British writer, geographer, historian, journalist, cartographer, and inventor, born in Llanllechid, Caernarvonshire. His seminal work was ''The Geography of the Oceans''. Family John Fra ...

was born in Dunning in 1851.1851 Census – page 5 – Dougall Family: http://www.dunning.uk.net/census/c51pdf.pdf Barbara was one of seven children (Aeneas, David, Margaret, Isabella, Ann, Mary and Barbara) born to John and Ann Dougall. John Dougall was a handloom weaver and his wife Ann was a cotton winder. Barbara and John Francon Williams are the parents of the

missionary A missionary is a member of a Religious denomination, religious group who is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thoma ...

, chaplain and writer Aeneas Francon Williams and the artist David Dougal Williams.

Current village

Dunning Community Trust aims to help shape and improve the village of Dunning and surroundings for future generations. One of the trust's main projects is the care of Kincladie Wood. The village includes a recreation area which embraces a nine-hole golf course, a football pitch and tennis court.

References

External links

Dunning Parish Historical Society
gathers and disseminates local history and the site includes St. Serf's Church graveyard survey and Dunning parish census records, both useful for genealogy research.
Dunning Community Trust
was formed to benefit the community of Dunning and to manage community land, such as Kincladie Wood and associated assets for the benefit of the community .

includes information on the Roman camps.
Video footage of St Serf's at Dunning