Introduction

The Killiechassie Burial Ground is situated on the south side of the narrow, minor road which runs along the north side of the River Tay between Weem and Pitnacree. It is located approximately 2 miles east of Weem, directly opposite the access road leading up to Tombuie (Map Ref NN867504), with an entrance gate into the area of the Burial Ground directly from the verge of the road.

The Burial Ground contains individual graves of descendants of the four sons of the Reverend Robert Stewart of Killiechassie and Pitcastle (1650 – 1729) and his wife Anna Campbell of Edramuckie (died 1730).

In his will of 7^th October 1727, made in favour of his wife, Robert directs her “to bestow the sum of 500 merks Scots money towards the building of the Chapell of Killiechassie within the space of, after my interment therein”. When he died on 4 March 1729, “his body was gently borne, shoulder high, by his parishioners to Killiechassie, a distance of twenty-four miles, and interred in the chapel there”. (Historic Memorials of the Stewarts of Forthergill)

In her will of 7^th January 1730, Robert’s widow Anne Campbell makes the following declarations: ….“my body to be decently buried in the Chapell of Killiechassie” and ….“to finish the Chappell at Killiechassie at the sight and to the satisfaction of Mr James Stewart minister of Moulin and James Menzies of Culdariss”….

The document “Timeline of Killiechassie Chapel and Burial Ground” summarises the history of the chapel and the burial ground. The current burial ground was erected in 1884 by James Stewart-Robertson of Edradynate, the great great grandson of Rev. Robert Stewart of Killiechassie and Pitcastle. The only remnant of the original chapel is a lintel stone bearing the inscription “R S A C 1729” which is now positioned on the outside of the north wall of the inner enclosure (i.e., at the back of the large memorial stone).

Killiechassie burial ground holds 6 graves, 5 covered with recumbent flat slabs and one having an upright stone set into the west wall. A large memorial stone was incorporated in the north wall of the inner enclosure with inscriptions relating to those individuals buried there and also to other family members.

The graves are those of Rev. Robert Stewart of Killiechassie and Pitcastle (1650 – 1729), his wife Anna Campbell of Edramuckie (died 1730) and their descendants. Robert is a direct descendant of King Robert the Bruce, via his daughter Marjory Bruce who married Walter Stewart. They had a son Robert Stewart who became King Robert II on the death of his Uncle King David II.

His son Alexander Stewart, Earl of Buchan and Ross, and Lord Badenoch (the “Wolf of Badenoch”) was the founder of the Athole Stewarts and was granted extensive property in Perthshire from his wife Janet Menzies (Rannoch, Strathtummel, Garth and Bolfrack, in addition to large estates he already held as the king’s eldest son).

Descended from this direct male line, Robert Stewart was born on the 1^st May 1650; it is only through him and his descendants that the connections with landed property in the district of Athole by the “Stewarts of Forthergill” was maintained in the male line. Robert was educated for holy orders at St Andrews University, where he took the degree of Master of Arts on 23^rd July 1672 and in 1679 was presented to the Parish of Killin. He married, on the 23^rd January 1683 at the chapel of Finlarig, Anna Campbell, daughter of Duncan Campbell of Edramuchy, whose estate was in the neighbourhood of Killin.

In 1686 Robert purchased the estate of Pitcastle from his cousin Gilbert Stewart, and in 1706 from Stewart of Ballechin, the property of Killiechassie, both in Strathtay.

Robert, 1^st laird of Killiechassie, had four sons: James, 2^nd laird of Killiechassie, Duncan of Blackhill, Alexander of Cloichfoldich and Robert of Derculich, and also several daughters. The burials in this graveyard are descendants of these four sons.