inverchaolin

[themeda99]

Does anyone know where I can get a copy of the monumental inscriptions in the Kilmodan Churchyard. I am particularly interested in those of the Buchanans and the Blacks. The Blacks are on four massive stones in an cast iron enclosure towards the back of the yard. The Buchanans or MacChananichs are to the left of the door, clustered in a group. Thanks.  These families were connected by marriage, at least once, when Archibald Black married Janet MacChananich in 1785.

[gc1660]

Hi
I am living in Colintraive and lately went to the graveyard at Kilmoden and saw the enclosure with the Black family headstones.  There are no inscriptions available but if you want, I can go one day and make pictures for you.  Just let me know which stones (I know the Blacks and the Buchanans, but I do not know if there are any others ...

The stones of the Black family are badly damaged in some places, but I will make closeup so that you can decipher them easily

[themeda99]

Thanks for the offer. I had a go at doing that, but arrived  minutes too late. The best time it seems for photographing inscriptions such as these is when the sun is shining at a steep angle across the face of the monument so the letters cast a shadow. I only realised this the last day I was in the area and got to the graveyard  to watch it happening. I have had a close look at my photographs, taken just moments later, and I can make out some of the lettering. What interests me about  this particular set of graves is the provenance, and the detailed family business inscribed. Since a lot of that is now missing, I was hoping someone would have a copy of the inscriptions before the ravages of time had done their damages. I was wondering whether any of the Black money from Australia had financed the building of the monuments, their is reference to Australia in the name of Capt. Thomas Charles Addis of the Australian navy at the bottom of one of the 4.

Thanks again.

Kevin Brewer

[gc1660]

Kevin

Tomorrow I will go to Kilmodan graveyard (need to look for some graves myself) and transscribe the Black family stones.  I remember there was mentioning of Australia on one.  Here in Colintraive, we have Roderick Neil Black, one of the descendants,  living.  Next time I see him I will ask if he knows more or ... may be he still has aunts etc living who know more!  If you contact me by email at danielle at clark hyphen debisschop dot co dot uk then I will email you back as soon as I have spoken to Roddy (that's how we call him) and also what I did transcribe

Besdt regards from Colglen (Colintraive - Glendaruel)

[themeda99]

Is this the same family that had property in the early 19thC at Garrochoran which is now just off the B836, the single track road that goes up the side of Glentarsan?

[gc1660]

In the early 1800's Garrochoran was still owned by James Currie (it belonged to the Curries or MacMhurrich family for several centuries and was the seat of the Curries in Cowal together with Coraichaive.. better said the whole glen!.  Their property stretched from the Holy Loch to Loch Striven).  James Currie was the one who built the new house of Garrochoran there the same as is still standing today! 

James Currie's wife was a former French Countess.  There is the story that recounts how a young french girl who was her personal maid, got lost in the surrounding hills and met a cold and lonely death.  It is her ghost that returns to Garrochoran House seeking comfort.  Each time we pass Garrochoran, my husband tells how the children living there in the 1970's told them about the ghost living in the house but they did not know the story!

The who of Clachaig and the glen belonged to that James Currie.  It were the Curries who feud Dalenamonie to the Downie's for distilling and also Gortan Dhu to Robert Sheriff to erect the powder mill.  Only after the death of James Currie in 1849 the land got parcelled off bit by bit.

Anybody wanting to learn more about the Cowal Curries, an excellent book is With Sword and Harp by W.M. Currie of Balilone ... excellent!

[gc1660]

I was last week at the Inverchaolain Manse.  They have there a book about the place names of Inverchaolain written by Amelia (I think it is Amelia) Lamont, who was the last of the Lamont's of Knockdow, for the Gaelic Society of Inverness.  I only photographed a few pages of it.  Kilmichael is the name given to the whole Lamont of Knockdow estate at Loch Striven.  Originally it was the piece of land on which Knockdow mansion now stands. 

When somebody finds Breingortan or Brainaghoirtan of Kilmichael in the OPR's ... she describes this as the 4 fields behind Kockdow House with the numbers 245 251 254 257 on the 25 inch os map.

She also describes Gortanansaig which was the same as the early Gortanasick, Gortan Ionsaig.  She mentions there are a few other spelling variations such as Gortanionsaig etc.  Gortanansaig farm is the large farm just at Knockdow House.

Kilmarnock is the hill behind Knockdow House.  She also describes the two Brackleys (beg and more) .

It is really an excellent booklet but unfortunately very rare!  I might go back to the manse and make pictures of every page as to help with the placing of old names on the Inverchaolain map!

[themeda99]

I have a document or two from the SNA in Edinburgh that suggests the Harknesses were at Garrochoran on 29th March 1809. The Thomas Harkness the document refers to was a Factor loco tutoris for the children of Archibald Black who died October 1806. I have also seen the will of Thomas's father which has him as a Tacksman. Looking at the map there are two houses in close proximity, one either side of the B836, one is now on the OS 25000 map called Woodside, the other is Ardtaraig. Balliemore is farther up the road at the head of Loch Striven. Tarsan Burn is now the dam Loch Tarsan, but there used to be a farm in the Glen called Glentarsan. Was it inundated? I don't understand who the landlords of these places were, who held them from the Duke of Argyll?

[gc1660]

By the way, there are two Braingoirtan's in Inverchaolain, one on each site of Loch Striven.  The parish records make the difference by stating Braingortan of Kilmichel or Braingortan of Troustan.

Please note that when used of Kilmichel or something else, this still means in this parish ... else it is mentioned it is in the parish of .... !    As long as it does not say it is Kilmichel in the Parish of Bute or in thr Parish of Kilmichell Glassary then it is in the parish of Inverchaolain!  The same with other localities ...

These rules are applicable to all old parish records ... if the location was not in the parish it mentions in which other parish it is!