Duthil, a hamlet and a parish of NE Inverness-shire. The hamlet, standing 817 feet above sea-level, on the left bank of the Dulnan, is 21/8 miles ENE of Carrbridge, 63/8 N by W of Boat-of-Garden Junction, and 7 WSW of Grantown.
The parish, containing also the village of Carrbridge and the stations of Aviemore and Boat-of-Garden, comprises Duthil and Rothiemurchus, lying left and right of the Spey, and the former till 1870 belonging to Elginshire. It is bounded NE by Cromdale in Elginshire, E by Abernethy, SE by CrathieBraemar in Aberdeenshire and by Alvie, SW by Alvie, and NW by Moy-Dalarossie and by Cawdor and Ardclach in Nairnshire; and has an utmost length of 223/8 miles from N to S, viz., from Carn Allt Laoigh to a point 15/8 mile S by E of Loch Eunach, with an utmost breadth from E to W of 10½ miles. The Allt na Beinne Moire, issuing from Lochan nan Cnapan, in the extreme S of Rothiemurchus, runs 10 miles northward through Loch Eunach and along Glen Eunach, to a confluence with the Luineag, coming 3½ miles west-north-westward from Loch Morlich; and, as the Druie, their united waters flow 15/8 mile west-north-westward to the Spey, nearly opposite Aviemore station. The Spey itself has here a north-eastward course of 12¼ miles-first 27/8 along the Alvie border, next 23/8 across the interior (parting Duthil from Rothiemurchus), and lastly 7 along the boundary with Abernethy; its tributary, the Dulnan, winds 12½ miles east-north-eastward through the interior, then 1½ mile along the Cromdale border. The largest of twelve lakes in Duthil proper, with utmost length and breadth and altitude, are Lochs Mor (3½ x 2/3 furl., 800 feet) and Vad (3 x 2½ furl., 752 feet), whilst ten in Rothiemurchus include Lochs Eunach (10 x 2½ furl., 1700 feet), An Eilein (7¼ x 4½ furl., 840 feet), Morlich (8 x 5 fuel., 1046 feet), and Phitiulais (5 x 21/3 furl., 674 feet), the two last lying mainly in Abernethy. Immediately along the Spey the surface sinks little below, and little exceeds, 700 feet above the sea; and from NE to SW, between the Spey and the Dulnan, the chief elevations, belonging to the Monadhliath range, are Creag an Fhithich (1325 feet), Docharn Craig (1244), Carn Lethendy (1415), Beinn Ghuilbnich (1895), Carn Avie (1907), Garbh-mheall Mor (1880), Carn Sleamhuinn (2217), *Carn Dearg Mor (2337), and *Craigellachie (1500), where asterisks mark those summits that culminate on the borders of the parish. Beyond the Dulnan, again, rise Tullochgriban High (1040 feet), *Carn Allt Laoigh (1872), Creag na h-Iolaire (1750), *Carn Glas (2162), Carn Dubh (1409), Inverlaiduan Hill (1511), *Carn na Larach (1957), Carn Aluinn (1797), *Carn Phris Mhoir (2021), and *Sgum an Mor (2037). And lastly from N to S in Rothiemurchus the principal summits, part of the Cairngorm group, are Cadha Mor (2313), Carn Elrick (2433), *Castle Hill (2366), Inchriach (2766), *Creag na Leacainn (3448), Braeriach (4248), and *Sgoran Dubh (3658). The rocks are chiefly granitic; and the arable soil along the Spey and the Dulnan is mostly alluvial on a deep clay bottom, that of the higher lands being thin and gravelly, with a considerable admixture of stones. The cultivated area, however, bears but a small proportion to moorland and deer forest, with miles upon miles of pinewood, natural or planted; and game has a far higher value than crops or farm-stock, Rothiemurchus Forest alone letting for £2300 in 1881. The Indian commander, Gen. Sir Patrick Grant, G.C.B., G.C.M.G., was born in this parish in 1804. Mansions are the Doune and Aviemore House; and the chief proprietors are the Earl of Seafield, Sir John P. Grant, and the Duke of Richmond and Gordon. In the presbytery of Abernethy and synod of Moray, the civil parish is divided into the quoad sacra parishes of Duthil and Rothiemurchus, the stipend and communion elements allowance of the former amounting to £336, 17s. 6d. Duthil church (1826; 850 sittings), at the hamlet, adjoins the splendid Seafield Mausoleum erected in 1837; and Rothiemurchus church stands on the Spey's right bank, 2½ miles SSW of Aviemore station. There are also a Free church at Carrbridge, and the three public schools of Deshar, Duthil, and Rothiemurchus, the first two built in 1876 at a united cost of £2071. With respective accommodation for 120, 120, and 129 children, these had (1880) an average attendance of 68, 52, and 55, and grants of £71, 11s., £55, 13s., and £56, 3s. Valuation (1843) £3329, 13s. 9d.; (1881) £9753, 17s. 2d., of which the Earl of Seafield owned £5963, 14s. Pop. (1801) 1578, (1831) 1895, (1861) 1928, (1871) 1872, (1881) 1664, of whom 1371 belonged to Duthil q. s. parish, and 293 to that of Rothiemurchus.—Ord. Sur., shs. 74, 64, 1877-74.
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