The Gordons O' Girnoc
The Girnoc Farms
Past Research
Location Map
Gordon Tombstones
Sources
Home
(Spideal = hospice)
Location: OS 308 850
The Spittal was the highest place of abode in Glenmuick. It stood on the south side of the river, about a mile east of the loch.
For generations 'The Spital' had been a hospice for drovers crossing the Capel Mounth to Glen Clova. Up until about 1880 the inn was a busy place.
In medieval time monks ran a shelter there, to cater for travellers to and from the south by the Capel Mounth.
1764 - Donald Glass tenant at Spital, tending thirty sheep, twenty four lambs and a goat.
1808 - Two brothers of the name Fraser 'who kept a great many sheep.' In 1808 Donald Fraser was listed as tenant. The arable land was only twenty acres made up of much stony land.
This was 'sheep country' as stated by Dr Sedgwick in her wonderful book THE LEGION of the LOST (from which some of the details here have been gleaned):
"Arable land may have been in short supply but land for grazing sheep seems staggering in quantity."
There Fraser house was the last of the Deeside domiciles, before the traveller hit the true mounth track. As such it was during the Fraser occupancy a lively 'public house.'
The Spittal was a much frequented place in the days of smuggling.
Another great event at the Spittal was the sheep shearing. For detail read Dr Sedgwick's account. It is a must buy for anyone interested in Glenmuicks hey-day.
It is recorded that at some time the two Fraser brothers at the 'Spital' became bankrupt. Invercauld, the proprietor, and the only creditor, was served losses in excess of �500. The Fraser brothers were succeeded by two other brothers, Alexander and Walter McAndrew. They did not prosper either and stayed only a short time. James Robertson took over for a few years. He seems to have fared better.
Then came two more brothers, John and Andrew Robbie. John was actually tenant in Inchbobart. Dr Sedgwick recounts a number of anecdotes relating to his humour and quick wit. John Robbie was heavily involved in the 'smuggling' business, transporting illegal whisky, and had no liking for excise men.
In 1841 a woman, Barbara Robbie, likely John's widow was listed as a farmer and grazier at the Spittle. Three sons assisted her. There was also a ninety year old John Stewart of independent means. After John's death his widow kept on the Spittal until the children grew up. They had the place until 1848 when it was joined to Aucholzie.
1841 census - Spittle of Muick
Barbra Robbie, age 50yrs, Farmer/grazier, yes born in parish
Alexander Robbie, age 20yrs, yes born in parish
John Robbie, age 18yrs, yes born in parish
Andrew Robbie, age 15yrs, yes born in parish
John Stewart, age 90yrs, Independent, yes born in parish
Jannet Stewart, Family servant, age 20yrs, yes born in parish
James Robbie 10 Ag lab Yes
John Lindsay, age 35yrs, Ag lab, not born in parish
Jean Lindsay, age 25yrs, not born in parish
Harry Michie, age 25yrs, M.S., yes born in parish
In 1851 the spelling has returned to Spittal. Jean Robbie was a twenty four year old shepherd's wife who lived there with two infant children. This was probably the wife and family of Alexander, mentioned earlier, and, like other shepherds, he was away from home at the time of the Census. Barbara Robbie, sixty, a visitor, was probably Jean's mother in law. One of the other properties was occupied by a sheep dealer, James Gordon, and his wife Isabella and baby daughter Jean.
1851 census - Spittal of Muick
James Gordon, Head, Married, age 31yrs, Sheep Dealer, born Crathie: later - "Farmer of Airlie Castle"
Isabella Gordon, Wife, Married, age 28yrs, born Tannadice
Jean A. Gordon, Daughter, 8mths, born Glenmuick
A certain William Gordon was tenant of both Spittal and Aucholzie for over twenty years. He appears on the valuation Roll of 1864/5, paying an annual rent of �315 for both farms. This was one of the largest rentals in the whole area and gives a guide as to the scale of William's farm enterprise.
A gamekeeper's house was later built at the Spittal and by 1873 the keeper had moved there from his former dwelling beside the loch.
A picture of the old Spital Inn was presented in words by Dr Sedgwick:
"The remains of buildings at the Spittal show the house or inn to have been of considerable size. According to local remembrance of stories heard, it had an upstairs."
Two Testaments relating to Spittal folk:
1) McDonald David 1/5/1744 or Guies, in Spithill of Glenmuick Aberdeen Commissary Court
This is 36 pages long and has multiple references to the Gordon, Glass & Stewart families.
2) Gray James 6/4/1751 sometime in Spittlehaugh of Glenmuick Aberdeen Commissary Court
(Inis nam Bobard - River meadow of the cow enclosures)
Location: OS 310 876
1763 - James and Charles Stuart had between them twelve sheep and sixteen lambs.
Early 1800's - the tenant of Inchbobart (Inchnabobart) was John Robbie, who later moved to the Spittal of Muick.
1841 census - Inchnabobart
GORDON John 70 Farmer Yes "John Gordon of Loups"
GORDON John 35 Farmer Yes
GORDON James 20 Yes
GORDON Catherine 40 F.S. Yes
GORDON John 30 Ag lab Yes
FYFE William 30 Ag lab Yes
McKENZIE Margaret 20 F.S. Yes
SHAW Margaret 10 F.S. Yes
Robbie was succeeded in Inchbobart by John Gordon of Loups, who was in possession for a number of years. This John Gordon appeared in the 1832 Register of Voters as tenant of Inchbobart. In 1841 he was 70 years of age, assisted by two sons, John and James and by agricultural labourers and domestic staff. According to Dr Sedgwick: "When John Gordon of Loups died his sons continued in the property. Eventually they left Glen Muick, renting large farms, one on the Duke of Richmond's estate at Tomintoul, the other on an estate in Perthshire."
1851 census - Inchbobbart
Patrick Glennie, Head, Married, age 43yrs, Formerly Overseer, born Strathdon
Elspet Glennie, wife, age 37yrs, born Crathie (nee Gordon)
Margaret Glennie, Daughter, age 12yrs, At School, born Aboyne
John Glennie, Son, age 10 yrs, At School, born Crathie
Pat Glennie, Son, age 6 yrs, At School, born Crathie
Alexander Glennie, Son, age 4 yrs, born Crathie
Mary Glennie, daughter, age 2yrs, born Crathie
James G. Glennie, Son, age 6 months, born Glenmuick
William G. Glennie, Son, age 6 months, born Glenmuick
Catherine McHardy, age 17yrs, House Servt, born Cluny
By 1861 a shepherd called Couper lived at Inchbobart with a very large family.
The track up Glengirnoc meets the track from the Distillery and passes the castle of the old women, the Castel na Caillach. It reaches the Muick at the former farm of Inchnabobart. The grazing of the whole area was turned into deer forest when Queen Victoria came to Balmoral
Inchbobart or Inchnabobart has been renovated. It is now described as a Royal 'howff'.
Testaments of Bobart folk:
1) Glennie Elspet 22/5/1886 or Gordon, Eastfield, united parish of Glenmuick, Tullich, and Glengairn, co Aberdeen, widow of Patrick Glennie, Eastfield, d. 23/01/1886 at Eastfield, testate Aberdeen Sheriff Court Inventories
2) Glennie Patrick 2/5/1885 farmer at Eastfield, parish of Glenmuick, d. 25/01/1885 at Eastfield, testate, spouse of Elspet Gordon or Glennie Aberdeen Sheriff Court Inventories
3) Cooper George 11/6/1896 crofter, Inchbobart, in the united parish of Glenmuick, Tullich, and Glengairn, d. 08/04/1896 at Inchbobart, intestate, father of James Cooper Aberdeen Sheriff Court Inventories
From Dr Sedgwick:
LOUPS
Precise location unknown.
"This little 'toun' saw a succession of tenants. At the end of the 18th century and early in the 19th century a Peter Stewart lived there as did John Gordon a little later on. Ultimately the land was joined to Inchbobart, a croft and a sheep grazing area, higher up the river, and all trace of the Loups habitation disappeared."
INCHNABOBART
JOHN GORDON, born ca 1770, resided at Inchnabobart, on the north side of the Muick, across the water from Craggan Hill, His household in 1841 consisted of:
John Gordon, born ca 1806
James Gordon, born ca 1821
Catherine Gordon, born ca 1801
John Gordon, born ca 1811
JOHN GORDON in Inchnabobart, doubtless one of the men listed here, had a natural daughter bpt 3.7.1840, named Jane. The mother was Anne Paterson in Knockandow, whose own mother was Elizabeth Forbes. Anne Paterson had several natural children. It may have been the same John Gordon who married at Cortachy 6.1.1848, Elizabeth Robbie. They had a daughter Mary Ann, bpt 27.9.1849