RootsChat.Com
Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Aberdeenshire => Topic started by: hellywelly on Thursday 31 March 11 21:38 BST (UK)
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my ancestors lived Easter Clune, Birse....is this a farm or house. Interested in the Low family?
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A house or farm - photo here:
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/420710
Map here:
http://www.rootschat.com/links/0cjv/
Nell
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Hi Little Nell, Does the house still exist?
By the way, thanks for the links
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I jolly well hope so - the map is modern and the photo was taken in 2007 ;D ! GoogleEarth still shows it.
Nell
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My mother, who is 88, lived in Banchory from 1930-1953] Moderator Comment:
Edited in accordance with RootsChat policy of not publishing details of living people here, or details of people who may still be living. This is to protect all concerned from spam, identity abuse, internet abuse, etc, etc.
Most summers, from about 1935 until after the war, her father and mother would rent Easter Clune for 1-2 months and camp there.
They would bring several tents, their cook, ponies and about 12 of them would live outdoors for most of the time.
Mum says she remembers some workmen removing walls in the outhouses and her father found that the workman had burned old bibles which they had found between the walls, thinking they were rubbish. At the time they wondered if the wall was part of the Bishop of Aberdeen's residence which was suggested to have been there.
When I was a student at Aberdeen University, we used to go to the Forest of Birse for picnics but I never went to Easter Clune. I must take a look now.
Regards,
Chris Davidson
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Thanks for that! It's very interesting....I take it that the Low family were not around then?! It must be a big property.
Thanks again, Helen
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I understand that they were not and that my grandfather rented Easter Clune for the summers from the Finzean Estate owner.
Kind regards,
Chris
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I am currently completing a paper which includes information about the episcopal 'hunting lodge' at Easter Clune. (Horrified by your story about burning Bibles!) There is a substantial private house (built in 1719) on the site and only fragments of the tower house are now to be seen. The house is part of the estate property of one of the local 'lairds' - Farquharson of Finzean - and is currently lived in by one of his relatives. Easter Clune is a wonderful location. It, along with all of the Forest of Birse and Glen Aven (to the south) was part of the hunting forest/estate given to the bishops of Aberdeen by the King about the start of the 12th century (so it was originally a Royal Forest).
If you would like more information then contact me and I would be happy to oblige. I was there a few weeks ago and have some pictures.
I would be most interedted to receive any further comments/stories about Easter Clune and the area further up the Glen called Ballochan.