Parish of Daviot and Dunlichity

A historical perspective, drawn from the Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland: A Survey of Scottish Topography, Statistical, Biographical and Historical, edited by Francis H. Groome and originally published in parts by Thomas C. Jack, Grange Publishing Works, Edinburgh between 1882 and 1885.

This edition is copyright © The Editors of the Gazetteer for Scotland, 2002-2022.

It has taken much time and money to make the six-volumes of Groome's text freely accessible. Please help us continue and develop by making a donation. If only one out of every ten people who view this page gave £5 or $10, the project would be self-sustaining. Sadly less than one in thirty-thousand contribute, so please give what you can.

Use the tabs on the right of this page to see other parts of this entry Arrow

Links to the Historical Statistical Accounts of Scotland are also available:
(Click on the link to the right, scroll to the bottom of the page and click "Browse scanned pages")

1791-99: Daviot and Dunlichty
1834-45: Daviot

Daviot and Dunlichity, a united parish of NE lnverness-shire mainly, but partly also of Nairnshire, 388 acres at its north-eastern extremity belonging to the main body, and 12,600 towards the S forming a detached portion, of that county. The parishes of Daviot and Dunlichity were united in 1618, but still are so far distinct as each to have its church, that of Daviot standing near the Nairn's left bank, 6¾¾ miles SE of Inverness, under which there is a post office of Daviot, whilst that of Dunlichity stands 1 mile ENE of the foot of Loch Dundelchack and 63/8 miles SW by S of Daviot church. The united parish, then, is bounded N and NE by CroyDalcross, SE and S by Moy-Dalarossie, SW by Boleskine-Abertarff, and NW by Dores, the Farraline section of Boleskine, Inverness, and the Leys section of Croy. Its utmost length is 223/8 miles from NE by N to SW by S; and its breadth varies between 4½ furlongs and 7¼ miles. The river Nairn, rising towards the S of the parish, winds 22¼ miles north-north-westward and north-north-eastward, chiefly through the interior, but for the last 33/8 miles along the Croy and Dalcross border; during this course it descends from 2480 to close on 300 feet above sea-level. The southern Nairnshire section is drained to Loch Ness by the Farigaig, formed by two head-streams near Dunmaglass Lodge, and running 2 miles north-north-westward till it passes into Dores, Besides twenty-six tiny lakelets-eighteen of them dotted over Drummossie Muir-there are, in the interior, Lochs Coire (5 x 2¾ furl.; altitude, 865 feet) and Clachan (½ x ¼ mile; 683 feet), and, on the Dores border, Lochs Bunachton (½ x ¼ mile; 701 feet), Dundelchack (33/8 miles x 1 mile; 702 feet), and Ruthven (9 x 2½ furl-; 700 feet)- The surface sinks, as we have said, to close on 300 feet along the Nairn, and thence south-south-westward the chief elevations to the right or E of its course are *Beinn na Buchanich (1312 feet), *Beinn a' Bheurlaich (1575), Meall na Fuar-ghlaic (1552), *Carn nan Uisgean (2017), Beinn Bhreac (1797), *Carn Glac an Eich (2066), Carn Mor (1222), *Carn na Saobhaidh (2321), Carn Doire na h-Achlais (2066), and *Carn Ghriogair (2637); to the left or W of the Nairn are Drummossie Muir (874), *Creag a' Chlachain (1000), Creag Dhubh (1450), Stac na Cathaig (1463), Garbhbheinn Bheag (1711), Beinn Bhuidhe (2329), *Carn Odhar (2618), Beinn Dubh-choire (2261), *Meall Donn (1560), Beinn Bhnraich (2560), and *Carn na Saobhaidhe (2658), where asterisks mark those summits that culminate on the borders of the parish. Gneiss, granite, Old Red sandstone conglomerate, and black and blue bituminous shale are the chief rocks. Numerous low sand-hills, seemingly formed by flux and reflux of some great body of water, are on both sides of the Nairn, extending from Daviot Bridge, 2 miles higher up. Marl, to a depth of from 5 to 6 feet, formed an extensive bed in Tordarroch Moss, at a depth of from 5 to 7 feet below the surface; and was largely and effectively used for improving the lighter arable lands. The soil, in some places, is light and sandy; in others, wet and spongy, on a clay bottom; in others, a black mossy humus; and in many, a compound of two or more of these. Daviot Castle, near Daviot House, was built in the beginning of the 15th century by David, Earl of Crawford; a square three-story structure, surmounted by round turrets at the angles, and girt by a wall enclosing an extensive area, and by a fosse with a drawbridge, it seems to have been a place of great strength, but is now represented by only fragmentary ruins. Dun-Daviot Hill, in the vicinity of the church, appears to have been used, in times of danger, as a signal station. Remains of ancient Caledonian stone circles are at Daviot, Gask, Farr, and Tordarroch; and several ancient tumuli on the hills have been found to contain funereal relics. Daviot House and Farr House both stand on the left bank of the Nairn. The former, 7 furlongs NNE of Daviot church, is a commodious modern mansion; the latter, 6¾ miles SSW, is partly old, partly modern. Other estates are Brin, Flichity, and Dunmaglass; and in all 8 proprietors hold an annual value of more, 3 of less, than £100. This parish is in the presbytery of Inverness and synod of Moray; the living is worth £356- Daviot church (500 sittings) was rebuilt in 1826, Dunlichity (300) in 1758; and service is performed in them alternately- A Free church stands 4¾ miles SSW of Daviot church; and 51/8 miles further SSW is St Paul's Episcopal church of Strathnairn, which, originally erected in 1817, was rebuilt in 1869 at a cost of £900, and contains 200 sittings. The five schools of Daviot, Dunmaglass, Farr, Nairnside, and Strathnairn, the three first public and the last Episcopalian, with respective accommodation for 83,50,90,90, and 150 children, had (1880) an average attendance of 34,19,37,58, and 48, and grants of £41,12s., £32,18s- 6d., £41,7s., £48,15s., and £49,10s. Valuation of Inverness-shire portion (1880) £10,358,8s. 1d.; of Nairnshire portion (1882) £1465,10s. Pop. (1801) 1818, (1831) 1738, (1861) 1741, (1871) 1598, (1881) 1252.—Ord. Sur., shs. 84,73,74,83,1876-81.

Dunlichity, an ancient parish of NE Inverness-shire, united in 1618 to Daviot, and lying along Strathnairn to the SW of Daviot. It takes its name, originally Dunleeatti, and signifying `the hill of the Catti,' from a hill adjacent to its church; it forms the larger portion of the united parish of Daviot and Dunlichity; and it still has a church of its own, rebuilt in 1758, and containing 300 sittings. The Catti, whose territory lay in and around it, were the ancestors of the Clan Chattan, comprising MacIntoshes, MacPhersons, Davidsons, MacGillivrays, MacBeans, VicGovies, Gows or Smiths, and others, all followers of MacIntosh of MacIntosh.

An accompanying 19th C. Ordnance Survey map is available, or use the map tab to the right of this page.

Note: This text has been made available using a process of scanning and optical character recognition. Despite manual checking, some typographical errors may remain. Please remember this description dates from the 1880s; names may have changed, administrative divisions will certainly be different and there are known to be occasional errors of fact in the original text, which we have not corrected because we wish to maintain its integrity. This information is provided subject to our standard disclaimer

If you have found this information useful please consider making
a donation to help maintain and improve this resource. More info...

By using our site you agree to accept cookies, which help us serve you better