THE HOUSES OF GLENKINDIE
At the top on the west side is LEOCHRIE (this is now a ruin and was lived in for a great part by the Glennie family), also at the top, but on the east side is :
LARGUE (lived in for some time by the Dawson family) and at although empty and in a somewhat dilapidated state, is in rather better condition having had its roof repaired, although there is little glass in the windows Apparently it has or is used currently by the owners of the glen for shooting parties, to partake of lunch when the weather is inclement.
Largue
About a quarter of a mile down from Leochrie along a grass track is TOLLAFRAIKE. This is larger than the others and appears to have two dwellings and a steading. It was lived in by the Reid family from at least the early 1700s until the 1890s. After this it passed to an offshoot of the Reids - the Stephen family.
We then pass Largue on our left hand side in the distance and climb up a muddy track to WEST RINMORE. This is a ruin and was lived in by the Reids from the late 1600/early1700s until the 1890s and then by the Ness family, finally being the home of the Black family until c WWI. On speaking to people in the glen, no-one still living can remember it inhabited.
Still climbing the track and by now it becomes a gravelled road, we reach EAST RINMORE, now known as Rinmore Farm, it is the first one, descending the glen, to be inhabited. The farm contains a steading and a chaumer, although the chaumer is itself in need of care and attention.
The next dwelling
was
The Kindie Burn runs alongside all the way, splashing, gurgling and bubbling as it makes its way down through the glen over stones and shingle to join the River Don at Inverkindie. I have taken a few samples of the Kindie water and it appears very clear with a very slight amber tinge.
We then come to two inhabited dwellings, GLENCUIE and CHAPELTON.
Chapelton (front) Glencuie (behind)
On looking to the right as we descend back to the A97 we can see ARDLER FARM - also still inhabited. The Grant family moved here some time around 1865 from Blackmill, Logie Coldstone with their 10 children. George Grant (1809-1850), his wife Mary Fyfe (1830-?0) children Jane Gauld Grant - my great grand mother(1851-1888), John (1852), William (1854), Mary Anne (1859), Isabella (1861), Margaret (1863), Alexander (1866), Georgina (1868 and twins James and Robert (1871). Their eldest daughter Jane Gauld Grant marries Gordon Alexander Reid from East Rinmore in 1870 in Glenbuchat. (I assume that they marry at the Old Kirk).
ARDLER SCHOOLHOUSE can be seen nearer to the road and the Kindie Burn, one has to cross the burn to reach the school. This is also still inhabited, although alas, not by children. All the children in the glen were educated here. In the records of the Scottish Society for the Propagation of Christian Knowledge, there is mention of visits made to the local schools in 1824 and at Ardler School the attendances recorded were 30 scholars in May and 36 in winter - one has to assume that the children weree kept off school during the spring, summer and autumn months to help on the farms. Pupils were taught reading, writing, arithmetic and scripture and none 'were destitute of religious education'. A Jane Reid (1789-1871) 'who in the interests of education mortified a sum of money as a prize fund for the pupils of Ardler School' This is inscribed on her gravestone in Towie churchyard - she is very possibly a relative.
The Kindie Burn outside Largue
A small croft lies also to the right, (possibly one of the ARDLERS from the 19thc censuses) - uninhabited. Also on traipsing around the field near to the old Arder School, one can find the remains of another dwelling, same size and shape as the others, probably another of the four Ardlers.
In the far distance on the right, reached by a separate trackway are TORNAHATNACH - recently inhabited and RINAVOAN - still inhabited.
Still descending one can see PITCANDLICH still inhabited on the left.
By now we are near the bottom and on the left hand side is a Mill House. This is the old meal mill. There is still a disused wooden mill wheel to the right and the whole building is generally in very good order. On talking to John Coutts, a Glenkindie inhabitant of some 80 years, whose grandfather was a mason and built many of the houses around Glenkindie, I am informed that the mill was lived in by one Herbert Ellis a joiner and miller, who ground the oatmeal here until not too long ago. John Coutts himself lives in Inverkindie (mouth of the Kindie) along the A97, in what was once the post office, the postmistress at one time being a Miss Ness from West Rinmore.
On the right
at the bottom, just before reaching the A97 is GLENKINDIE HOUSE - The home of the laird of Glenkindie.
Sir Patrick Strachan was heritor of Glenkindie from around 1721 until 1738, when
his creditors sold the estate to Alexander Leith of Freefield . The Leith
family held the estate until, I believe the 1970s, when it was sold to Frogmore
(Scotland) Limited.
Ordnance Survey map of Glenkindie 1927
Listed below are the properties of the Glenkindie estate and the names of the tenants in the year 1893, in the order they are handwritten. Some properties have more than one tenant. The highlighted properties are those situated in the glen and given in more detail above. The leases were usually granted for a period of around 19 years.
property | tenant |
Newbigging | George L Brebber |
Glenkindie ??? (writing not clear) | John Scott |
Lochrie | Alexander Dow |
Pitchandlich | Alexander Beattie |
Farmtoun | Alexander Cran |
Morlich | Geo Logan |
New Morlich | James Henderson |
Park.......? | Alexander Gordon |
Newbigging | Arthur Smith |
Paddockholes | George Stewart |
Largue | Charles Dawson |
????? | William Anderson |
Rinmore | Peter Reid |
Burnend | William Riddell |
Old Ardler | Mrs Mathieson |
South Glenconrie | John Alexander |
Chapelton | Alexander Lovie |
Haugh of Morlich | William Forbes |
Pitcandlich | Alexander Dawson |
Inverkindie | Georgiana Ness |
Tollafraike | Alexander Reid |
Craigengour | John Thomson |
Craigengower | Mrs Downie |
Pitcandlich | George Dawson |
Dalgrossack | ? Dawson |
Tornahatnach | Mrs Coutts |
Chapelhill | James Ingram |
Coultown? | Alexander Anderson |
Belnaboth | Peter Thomson |
Gorrie of Morlich | Jane McHardy |
West Rinmore | Gordon Reid |
Pitcandlich | William Glennie |
Parkside | John Cook |
Clasheseloan | Robert McConnachie |
Little Burns | George Kelman |
??? | James and Davie ?? |
Howmures | James Stewart |
Corrie of Morlich | Mrs Walker |
Rinmore (Croft)? | Alexander McRobbie |
Rinavoan | James Ellis |
Glencowie | James Dow |
Corrie of Morlich | William McRobie |
Woolmill | Alexander Ness |
Mill of Glenkindie | William Ross |