History

This article is by Rev. Ian D. Reid - the original manuscript of which is part of the Arrochar Parish Church's papers. Although not dated, a copy of this article was reprinted in the Helensburgh and Gareloch Times in January, 1959 and was later reprinted as a pamphlet which was sold in aid of the Church Fabric Fund.

A History of 300 Years

On the 25th. of January, 1659, two instruments of law were signed by which the Parish of Arroquhar came into being. Sir John Colquhoun, the then Chief of Colquhoun, subscribed to a bond whereby he agreed to denude himself of the sum of 400 merks yearly, payable by the Laird of Macfarlane for the tithes of his lands of Arroquhar, and 15 bolls teind meal, payable forth of the lands of Arroquhar belonging to Walter Macfarlane of Gartartan (Stuckgown) in favour of the Minister of Tarbet and his successors in all time coming, and to be uplifted by the first minister after his entry to the ministry of Tarbet. On the same date John Macfarlane, fiar of Arroquhar and Laird of Macfarlane, granted a bond, binding himself to "cause, begin, finish and perfect the building of a new kirk with a manse for the minister of Tarbet, and also give and mortify a competent glebe, under the pain of 3,000 merks Scots to be uplifted by the Presbytery of Dumbarton and employed by them for pious uses within the said lands of Arroquhar."

Though the 25th. of January, 1659, may be regarded as the Birthday of the Parish it was actually in the year 1648 that Walter, the 16th. Chief of Clan Macfarlane, first proposed to the Presbytery of Dumbarton that his lands of Arroquhar should be disjoined from the Parish of Luss because the church in Luss was inadequate for the population, and that it was extremely inconvenient for the parishioners living in the lands of Arroquhar to attend services at a church which was at least ten miles from their dwellings. The suggested new parish was perambulated by the Presbytery in the following year, 1649, and as a result a site was selected for a church at West Tarbet. The exact location of this site is not now known, but tradition has it that it was at or near the place called Tighvechtichan, a point on the old drovers' road where a watch tower was maintained by the MacFarlanes to give warning of the approach of enemies, or cattle droves from the Argyll country. That site is now occupied by the Village Hall. The selection of a site seems to have been the sole result of that perambulation, but in 1658, when Walter was still Chief and his son John had become fiar of the lands of Arroquhar, the Presbytery laid the case before the Council of Estate of Scotland. The Council of Estate appointed a Commission of Enquiry. No record of the proceedings of this Commission is available, but the Order of the Council of estate, dated "Holyrood House, 24th. December, 1658," appointed Robert Hamilton of Barnes, and others, to be their Commissioners, "to call before them all parties interested in the dismemberment of the lands of Arroquhar from the Parish of Luss, and in the erection of a new church at Tarbet, with a manse and the provision of a glebe for the minister, and if they found a general concurrence, that all parties concerned should forthwith proceed to the building of a church and manse and to the provisioning of a glebe, conformably to the Act of Parliament."

That Commission of the Parliament of Scotland must have undertaken its remit with a celerity which is indeed rare today, for one month after the Order of Council was issued the Parish of Arroquhar was disjoined from Luss by the two bonds signed on the 25th. January, 1659. In fact, in all the records consulted the first minister of the new parish, Mr. Archibald McLachlan, is given as having entered into office in the year 1658.

Though the legal instruments were signed, and the minister appointed, no other practical steps were taken at that time. It was not until 1678 that the Presbytery of Dumbarton again took cognisance of this northern extremity of its bounds, and another "perambulation" was made. The following is the Minute recording this: "Presbytery of Dumbarton at Tarbet. September 10, 1678. Sederunt - Moderator, Messrs William Andersone, Arthur Miller, Thomas Allan, James Buchanan, William McKechnie. The brethren foresaid, having met at Luss, and travelled al the way from thence to Tarbet, and seen the bounds to the end of Lochlomond, northward, sixteen miles distant from the kirk of Lusse on the one side, and from Tarbet to the side of Lochlong on the other side, and seen the bounds to the head of Lochlong, lying likewise at a great distance from the Kirk of Lusse, and having considered the vastenesse of the distance, as said is, and ruggedness of the way, finde it absolutely necessarie that there be a dismembratione, and a church built at the Tarbet, within the Laird of Macfarlane's land for the accommodatione of the people of thesebounds, that the people from the foote of Glenowglasse, and upward upon the side of Lochlomond, and from Gorton in the Parech (parish) of Row, to the head of Lochlenge (informed to be about the number of 400 souls) may repair thither to attend the ordinances, who are now living in ignorance."

Even this severe instruction of the Presbytery had little effect on the Macfarlanes for though they appointed successive ministers it was not until the year 1733 that a church was erected. In 1709 the Presbytery had obtained a decree of the Court of Session for a church, manse and glebe for the parish of Arroquhar, but the implementing of that decree was delayed because of the minority of the then laird of Macfarlane (Walter, 20th Chief) and of his embarrassed financial circumstances. Mr. Alexander Graham of Duchray, writing in 1724, notes: "in this parish there is no church yet built," and he adds, "all the inhabitants use the Irish language." Some parts of the original church of Arroquhar remain, some fifteen feet to the south of the present building. The South Door is still intact and on the lintel is carved the date 1733. In 1951 the ruins were "sealed" by the County Council of Dunbarton Works Department when the Burial Ground was transferred to the Local Authority under an Act of Parliament of 1947. In 1958, when a new chancel was being made, the foundations of the original church were revealed as running in line with the ruins outside and the present pulpit is now over what was probably the northern end of the church built in 1733. This first church served as the place of worship until the year 1847, when the Heritors built the present magnificent buildingfacing Loch Long and the west from its situation in "God's acre."

To revert to the Birthday of the Parish it appears that though the dismemberment from Luss and the erection of the new Parish of Arroquhar was done so quickly, the Macfarlanes were in no great hurry to implement the bond which they had had signed. Walter (16th Chief), who was father of the John who had signed the bond, had attached himself to Charles I, and besides having his cattle at Inveruglas destroyed by Cromwell's soldiers, was fined 3,000 merks. Walter had two sons, John and Andrew, who each succeeded to the chieftainship, and Andrew had a son, John, who sided with the Revolution Party in 1688. Having suffered so severely in these troublous times, and having to build anew castle at Invereoch (now occupied by Arrochar House - part of which is the original Invereoch House), it is little wonder that the Chiefs of Macfarlane failed to make good the promise to erect a church, manse and glebe for the Minister. It appears, too, that the regard which the whole clan had for the church of their forefathers in Luss could not be easily diverted.

In 1742, the Honourable Helen Arburthnot, daughter of Robert, Second Viscount Arburthnot, and second wife of John the 19th Chief of Macfarlane, made a present of two Communion Cups for the Church of Arroquhar. On the Cups is engraved the family crest of the Arburthnots being a peacock's head on a wreath, couped proper, with the following inscription: "The gift of the Honble Helen Arburthnot to the Parish of Arroquhar." These Cups were in use at the November Communion, 1958. This lady also bequeathed the sum of 200 merks Scots to purchase a bell for the kirk of Arroquhar, and also 500 merks Scots for behoof of the poor of the parish. Neither of these legacies was paid to the Kirk Session for many years after for the estate of The Macfarlane of that Ilk passed through troubled waters, chiefly due to heavy investment in the Darien Scheme, and in 1785 the estate was sold on behalf of creditors and it was not until 1802 that the Kirk Session received complete payment of the 200 merks bequeathed by Helen, Lady Arburthnot.The Session resolved to apply this money to the purpose for which it was bequeathed but delays again occurred. Thirteen years elapsed before the bell was actually acquired and on 3rd. January, 1815, Mr Gillespie, minister of the Parish, reported to the Session that he bought a Bell for the Church from a Mr. Brownlee of Greenock, at a total cost including freight, chain, rope, the smith's and wright's accounts, of £24 3s 10d. The Bell was hung on the Bell-Tree for there was no place for a bell in the plain structure of the old kirk; and when the new church was built in 1847, the bell was placed where it now hands in the church tower. An amusing and somewhat apocryphal tale is told by the late Rev.Hugh Winchester in his "Traditions of Arrochar and Tarbet and the Clan Macfarlane." "Malcolm Macfarlane, an erring parishioner, had been summoned to a Kirk Session meeting in the Manse in a case of discipline. He had been severely reprimanded and left in an angry mood. He had to pass the Bell-Tree on his way home and he thought he'd relieve his feelings by pulling the bell. But a neighbour's goat wandered past and Malcolm seized him and tied him to the rope. The goat tugged and struggled to escape, and the bell rang with ragged and broken sounds, and out came minister and session to seek cause. Seeing an uncanny looking thing with horns rushing to and fro in the twilight, some of the Session thought it was Auld Nick himsel, and it was only when the minister mustered up courage enough to approach the tree that he found it was old Mary Campbell's goat." There is no record of the 500 merks Scots ever being paid to the Session out of the estate of the Macfarlanes.

The first minister, Archibald McLachlan, was appointed in 1658, and demitted the charge on 4th. November, 1701. He was occasionally accused of solemnizing clandestine marriages. He died in October, 1731, at the age of 94, in the 71st year of his ministry, one of the longest in the Church. He demitted the charge of Arroquhar in 1701 on the grounds of "infirmities of body and various secular discouragements", which last consisted of the want of a church, manse and glebe. In the meantime, however, the people of Arroquhar wanted rid of McLachlan, possibly because of neglect of duty on his part, and they brought a libel against their minister. The Presbytery were not willing to deal harshly and they appointed an assistant, one Robert Macfarlane, a bursar of the Presbytery. Robert knew the situation at Arroquhar and refused to accept the appointment and appealed to the Synod of Glasgow. The Synod determined to uphold the appointment of the Presbytery, and that Robert Macfarlane must obey, unless he can prove, as he alleges, "that there is neither kirk, nor manse, nor kirk session, nor school in the Parish." Robert Macfarlane proved that there was none of these things but he had to take up the appointment though declared "transplantable" and in due course he was translated to Fintry (in 1705).

A third minister was a Daniel Reid who was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Dumbarton on 6th. August, 1706 and was ordained and inducted to Arroquhar on 28th. August, 1707. He was deposed on 16th. October, 1716, but appears to have returned to minister until 1727 or 1728.

In 1729 John McAlpine, A.M., was ordained at Tarbet, Lochlomond, on 25th. September, and it was during his ministry that the first church was built in the Parish of Arroquhar, in 1733. McAlpine was translated to Campbeltown 2ndCharge on 2nd. January, 1750.

He was followed by Alexander Macfarlane, A.M., who was admitted to Arroquhar on 2nd. January, 1754, and died in Arroquhar in 1763. He was a distinguished Gaelic scholar and a great wit. He translated Baxter's Call to the Unconverted; the Psalms of David with the Paraphrases; and some Sermons, into Gaelic.

The sixth minister was a John Grant, A.M., who was presented by Sir James Colquhoun of Luss in January, 1764, and ordained in September of the same year. He only stayed until 25th June, 1765, when he was translated to Abernethy.

John Grant was followed by a William Grant, A.M., a native of Keith who does not appear to have been a relation of John. William was admitted to Arroquhar on 14th May, 1766. In 1772 he was presented to Fintry by William, Duke of Montrose, which he resigned and was translated to Luss on 1st. December of the same year.

John Stuart, son of the minister of Killin, was the eighth minister and was presented to the Parish by Sir James Colquhoun of Luss, Bart, in October 1773, and ordained on 12th May, 1774, and was translated to Weem on 26th.March, 1776. This John Stuart eventually came to Luss and while there translated the Holy Scriptures into Gaelic. He was honoured by his Alma mater with the degree of Doctor of Divinity and was also a Fellow of the Royal Society. He died at Luss in 1821 and was buried there.

In 1776 John Grant was presented by Sir James Colquhoun of Luss, and admitted on 26th June of that year. He demitted on 7th December, 1779.

Hugh McDiarmid, who was promoted from the Gaelic Chapel of Ease, Glasgow, was presented by Sir James Colquhoun of Luss in April, 1780, and he demitted on the 5th. December of the same year, and was settled in Comrie in 1781.

The eleventh minister was John Gillespie, who was licensed by the Presbytery of Dumbarton on 3rd October, 1780,presented by Sir James Colquhoun of Luss in 1781, and ordained in Arroquhar on 23rd. July, 1782. He remained as minister until he died on 28th. August, 1816, and was buried at Arroquhar. During his ministry the First Statistical Account of Scotland (edited by Sir William Sinclair in 1792) was issued, and Mr. Gillespie wrote the Account for Arroquhar. Mr. Gillespie, in his Account, makes little mention of Church matters except to say, "The stipend, including the glebe, is below the minimum. The manse, which is in bad repair, was built in the year 1754. Sir James Colquhoun of Luss, Bart., is patron." It is not known where this Manse was situate as the succeeding Minister, Mr Peter Proudfoot, who wrote the Second Statistical Account of the Parish mentions the erection of a new manse in 1837, and this remained the Manse until the year 1951. Perhaps the last sentences of the First Statistical Account reveal MrGillespie's nature: "The sale of the estate of Arroquhar, which happened some years ago, contributed not a little to extinguish the remains of that system of barbarity, which so long retarded the progress of civilisation in Europe. In proportion as it lost its influence, the manners of the people changed to the better. They are now civil, well bred, honest, industrious, and not addicted to an immoderate use of spirituous liquors." The 'system of barbarity' was the feudal clans, and at the time this was written there was a shebeen in almost every corner, and at least six recognised public houses between Tarbet and the head of Glencree, (about six miles).

Peter Proudfoot was licensed by the Presbytery on 7th. May, 1816, presented by Sir James Colquhoun of Luss, Bart.,on 21st. January, 1817, and ordained at Arroquhar on 8th. May, 1817. As stated above, he wrote the Second Statistical Account of the Parish, published in 1839. In addition to his mention of the new Manse he writes: "The church is situated rather at a corner of the parish; but the great body of the parishioners are at no great distance; some families are at the distance, however, of ten or twelve miles. The church was built in 1733, and will soon require a general repair. It is seated for about 300. The sittings are all free. The glebe contains about 19 acres; but with the exception of little more than three acres, is all hill ground and of inferior quality. It is not worth more than £9 annually. The stipend is £231, with 12 bolls meal. This also includes communion elements. The teinds are exhausted. There are no government churches, no chapels of ease, no catechists, no Dissenting chapels, and no Dissenters within the parish. Divine service is exceedingly well attended. In summer, the church is generally crowded to overflowing, and is felt then to be much too small; and, in winter, when the weather is favourable, it is filled. Probable average of communicants,216. No religious societies; but collections are occasionally made for religious purposes, which have always been liberal."

It was during the ministry of Mr. Proudfoot that the Ten Years' Conflict which ended in the Disruption in 1843 divided the Church in Scotland. Mr Proudfoot has not left any record of his own feelings at the time and I have had to glean something of them from "An Account of the Origin of Ballyhennan Church, 1845," written by Colin Mackenzie, the first Free Church minister in Arroqhar. From this it appears that Mr Proudfoot's "mind had been weakened and distracted by sickness and embarrassment in his worldly affairs." He had had great difficulty in making up his mind on the important questions at issue, and he took no steps to inform his people on the subject, previous to the Disruption." Though various printed papers and pamphlets published by the Committee of the Convocation were regularly received at the Manse, not one of them ever found their way into the hands of the parishioners" ... "The time of the meeting of the General Assembly was at hand ... Their strong attachment to their minister, and a reluctance to part with him in case he should keep his 'living.' ... Not many days after his name was seen in the newspapers among those who had signed the Deed of Demission. This was a surprise to most of his people, but a great disappointment to the Established party as the general opinion was that he would have acted otherwise ... On his return he preached on 11th June, not in the church, but in Arrochar House." On the next Sunday a Mr. Reid, a probationer, officiated at Arrochar House, Mr Proudfoot being a hearer. Then on the third Sabbath, to the consternation of the whole parish, it was found that Mr Proudfoot had returned to the Establishment Church. His health deteriorated rapidly, and he died on 27th. October, 1843, and was buried in Arroquhar. From this date both congregations, the Free Church as well as the Establishment, had to procure ministers as best they could.

Arroquhar Free Church

The great surge of Evangelical Fervour which poured forth in Scotland from the Disruption has been described far better in other histories, and in the parish of Arroquhar there was soon practical evidence of that spirit which was abroad among the Scots. Money poured in for a General Building Fund, and after an open-air Communion Service on the first Sunday of August, 1843, it was decided to petition to the Free Church Presbytery for sanction to build a church and call a minister. Application was made to Sir James Colquhoun, Bart., of Luss, the proprietor of Arroquhar for a site; which was readily granted, close to the Burying Ground of the Parish at Balhennan (now Ballyhennan). This proximity to a burial ground by a Free Church is unusual, and tradition also has it that near this church lie the bodies of the Norsemen who were defeated in a battle with the Scots at Tarbet ("neck of land") as they attempted to carry their long Viking ships from Loch Long to Loch Lomond. "A contract for building was entered upon with Mr Alexander Stewart, builder at Dunoon, the church to be seated for 250 at £240 sterling, the members of the congregation to cart all the materials. The work was commenced on 10th. January, 1844, and finished on the 11th. day of April, 1844, and fully settled for with the contractor." Colin Mackenzie, who was then minister of Sheildag but had been 'outed' by his Laird, accepted the call to the Free Church, Arroquhar, and was inducted on the 18th. April, 1844. The Session records of Arroquhar Free Church do not record when Mr Mackenzie left Arroquhar, but on 8th. December, 1882, his death is noted and he is referred to as Senior Minister.

In 1869 the second minister of the Free Church was ordained. He was Mr Kippen and he was minister here until his death on 26th. October, 1881. A set of stained-glass windows at the rear of the nave of the church commemorate his ministry.

On 13th. April, 1882, John Robson Elder, was translated from Cromarty to Arroquhar Free Church, and he ministered here until his death in May, 1897.

He was succeeded on 21st. October, 1897, by the Rev. A.P. Telfer, who had been a member of Duff College, Calcutta. During Mr. Telfer's ministry the Free Church union with the United Presbyterians took place and from 4th. November, 1899, the local church became the United Free Church and a member of Dumbarton United Free Presbytery. There is also recorded in the Minutes of Session the decision of the House of Lords of 1st. August, 1904, when the residue of the old Free Church obtained the whole of the property it had claimed. On the 5th. of May, 1904, is recorded the last issue of Communion Tokens by Arroquhar Free Church. Mr Telfer applied for a colleague and successor on 2nd. October, 1925. Mr Telfer died on 24th. November, 1938, and was buried in Arrochar churchyard.

On 28th. April, 1926, Mr Richard D.E. Stevenson was inducted to the United Free Church of Scotland, and during his ministry the Basis and Plan of Union between the United Free Church of Scotland and the Church of Scotland was submitted and approved. On 1st. September, 1929, at a joint meeting with the Parish Church it was agreed that the new names of the churches would be (Parish) Tighness and (United Free) Bally Hennan. On 10th. November, 1929, the two ministers dispensed the Lord's Supper to the whole Parish in Bally Hennan Church. In 1947, Mr Stevenson applied for permission to demit office to facilitate local union, and on 23rd. June, 1947, a Service of Recognition of Local Union was held in Tighness Church.

Established Church

On the death of Mr Peter Proudfoot, on 27th October, 1843, the Established Church determined to have a Gaelic-speaking minister, and after severe competition (Arroquhar was regarded as a plum with a stipend of £240 whereas the school-master had only £30 or £40 per annum) the Rev. John Macfarlane, assistant at Saddell from 1822, was admitted to Arroquhar in 1844. Mr. Macfarlane was granted his Doctor's Degree while in Arroquhar. Of him the story is told that one day an exciseman, who was new to the district, travelled from Glasgow to Tarbet by coach and met Dr Macfarlane on the way. The exciseman thought he might safely rely on the reverend gentleman for help and guidance. So he told the Doctor that the excise authorities had received information that a certain man in Morelaggan was just about to commence a brew, and that he had been sent down to catch him. Dr Macfarlane certainly gave him the right directions but as the day had been cold and wet he suggested that the gauger might come in and get some refreshments before he proceeded on to Morelaggan. The gauger accepted and while he was regaling himself on the Manse brew, the Minister's housekeeper had sent a swift messenger to warn old Macintyre that the gauger was coming, and by the time the refreshed exciseman reached Morelaggan there was nothing of a questionable or lawless nature to be seen. It was Dr Macfarlane who purchased the ruins of the original church for the sum of £10 and at his death in 1868, he was buried within the old walls where the old pulpit was supposed to have stood.

The fourteenth minister, Mr James Dewar, M.A., was the son of a schoolmaster in Arroquhar. He attended Glasgow University to study for the ministry and graduated M.A., and then was licensed to preach by Glasgow Presbytery on 8th. January, 1851. He was assistant to Rev. D. Jamieson of St. Paul's. Glasgow and then to Norman Macleod of St. Columba's. He was then presented by the Duke of Argyll to Kilmodan where he was ordained on 8th September, 1851. He was there until May, 1869, when he was translated to Arroquhar. Mr. Dewar was minister in Arroquhar until 1901, when he died and was buried in Arroquhar Churchyard. During his ministry he took an active part in local affairs, and he was the driving force behind the erection of the Mission Church at Ardlui, and also the erection of the Parish Hall midway between Arrochar and Tarbet. There were both built in 1895, the year that the West Highland Railway was opened for traffic. Ardlui Church was built to serve the shepherds, and the railway workers and the summer visitors to the northern tip of Loch Lomond. It is about a mile from the boundary between Perthshire and Dunbartonshire, set some fifty yards to the left of the main road to Crianlarich. It is a substantial stone harled building with an outside belfry. It seats 80 people and is a pleasing church inside and out. It was built for a little more than £600.

Mr. Dewar was followed as minister by Dugald Macfarlane who came from Glencoe in 1902 and was minister of the Established Church until 21st. December, 1906, when he was translated to Kingussie. Mr Macfarlane remained at Kingussie for the rest of his life and during his term there was honoured by being elected Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1937.

Coll Archibald Macdonald, M.A., B.D., was the sixteenth minister of Arroquhar, being translated from Ardrishaig on 2nd. May, 1907, and he remained in Arroquhar until he was translated to Legierait on 4th. June, 1913.

Mr. Hugh Sinclair Winchester, M.A., B.D., was trained as a school-teacher and was licensed by the Presbytery of Edinburgh. He was ordained at Arrochar on 11th. September, 1913. During World War I he served as Chaplain to the K.O.S.B., (King's Own Scottish Borderers) and saw service in France and Palestine. He published three Bible Class Handbooks which were widely used, and also "Traditions of Arrochar and Tarbet and Clan Macfarlane" which is now out of print. He retired from Arroquhar on 28th November, 1935, and died on 8th. November, 1958.The eighteenth minister was William Fraser Wills who was ordained at Montrose in 1935, and came to Arroquhar in 1936. In 1940 he was translated to St. George's Tron, Glasgow.Mr James E. Ess

lemont followed Mr Wills on the 22nd November, 1940, as nineteenth minister of the Established Church and remained in Arroquhar until the 31st. of March, 1947, when he demitted the charge.

The Rev. R.D.E. Stevenson, minister of the United Free Church at Tarbet (Bally Hennan) being agreeable to facilitate local union by retiring, the Parish became once more a single charge from the 23rd June, 1947, and the united charge had as its first minister Angus MacCuish from 20th October, 1947, until he was translated to Stornaway High on 6th December, 1950.

The author of this article, Rev. Iain Dunnet Reid, was ordained and inducted to the charge on 25th. June, 1951, as twenty-first minister of Arroquhar.

The Parish lies on the neck of land in the northernmost part of the County of Dunbarton between the sea Loch Long and the fresh-water Loch Lomond. Taking as the starting point the middle of Loch Long opposite Glendouglas, the parish boundary goes through that glen to meet the imaginary county boundary running down the centre of Loch Lomond. It follows that boundary, taking in two farms on the east side of Loch Lomond, until it reaches the road bridge over the Falloch river. It then turns west still following the county boundary until it meets the Loin Water. At that point by Act of General Assembly, 1953, it invades the County of Argyll and takes in that part of the Parish of Lochgoilhead and Kilmorich contained "in a straight line to the point 'Rest-and-be-Thankful' on the Inverary Road then south-east in a straight line to Coilessan Farm, and then south down Loch Long to the original point opposite Glendouglas. The Ecclesiastical Parish is about 50 square miles, and contains very much 'high ground' (seven mountains well over 2,500 feet), very little arable, no general farming, and mostly hill-grazing for sheep. The population is about 850 and the industries are sheep-farming, forestry, Hydro-electric scheme, Torpedo Testing Range, and British Railways. These all tend to employ the older groups of men and there is an exodus of the young from the community as they approach manhood and womanhood. The people of the parish are in the majority 'incomers' and there is no true communal spirit expressed yet. When it is realised that the four industries in the district are all new, the Railway in 1895, the Torpedo Range in 1912, Forestry in 1922, and Loch Sloy Hydro-Electric in 1949, the lack of 'roots' is partly explained. And to create a certain amount of dis-union, each of these industries have had built for their employees blocks of houses which are placed at considerable distances from each other, resulting in little coteries within a Parish which should be a single community.

Iain D. Reid