Timeline for the ownership of Killiechassie Estate

Introduction

Killiechassie (the ‘Church of the Steep Face’) takes its name from a church which once stood on the hill face. Part of the earldom of Atholl for upwards of a thousand years, Malcolm, earl of Atholl, granted the church to Scone Abbey c.1165. The estate was acquired in 1699 by John, Earl of Tullibardine from his brother Lord Mungo Murray who had acquired it in 1688 from William Murray, son of the Minister of Logierait.

In 1706 it was feued by the 1st Duke of Atholl to Rev. Robert Stewart; descended from the Wolf of Badenoch and thence King Robert II, he was minister of Killin from 1679-1728. The natives called him ‘Curam an t-saoghail’ meaning ‘care of the world’ since he so often preached on that subject. During his years in Killin he ‘neither kept register or scrolls, but monopolised all the dues payable to the Clerk, Bedal, and Poor Box, all the time he stayed there’. By his death he had amassed sufficient funds to buy an estate in Strathtay for each of his four sons: Duncan received Blackhill; Alexander, Clochfoldich; Robert, Derculich and the eldest, James, was given Killiechassie.

His son Robert led 34 of his Derculich tenants to fight in the 1745 Rising. Appointed a major in the Atholl Brigade, he and his men were the right flank company of the right battalion at Culloden. The major and three of his tenants survived the battle and made it home.  A fifth survivor, married the year before Culloden, was captured after the battle and sent as a prisoner to an English town but escaped and returned home some time later. His wife, thinking he was dead, had married again. He came to the house, looked in the window and saw his wife with a baby and her second husband sitting opposite her at the fireside. He let them be and left the area for good after divulging his circumstances to a neighbour to tell many years later.

The Rev. Robert Stewart and his descendants were interred in the small private burial ground of Killiechassie, by the side of the main road, which was recently restored and maintatined by the Breadalbane Heritage Society. The oldest gravestone whose dates can still be read, stands in memory of an Adam Stewart, born 1733, died 1811. Robert Stewart Flemyng of Killiechassie bought the superiority of the estate from the Duke of Atholl in 1812.

From the Stewart Flemyings the property came into the ownership of a Mr H. G. Gordon, who built and lived in the present mansion house, but in the course of a year or two it was purchased by Mr E.O. Douglas, a benefactor of the Aberfeldy and District Cottage Hospital. Within the past century the Estate has been steadily shrinking in size and changed ownership a number of times amongst whom have been Lord Barnby of Blyth, Captain J. E. B. Radcliffe, Mr William Hood, and Mr Walter Nicoll. Since World War II the owners have been, from memory, Mr and Mrs Cole, who previously lived at Campden House, Chipping Campden, Jock and Mrs Hanchett-Taylor,  James and Dierdre Boscawen, Jamie and Angie Thompson and, finally, Freddi.

Advertised for sale in 1954, an auction was due to take place on 17th June 1955, but this was cancelled a few days beforehand as the estate “has been sold as a whole”. It looks as if George Coles was the agent for Campden Farm Estates and never resided at Killiechassie. He died in Chipping Campden in Feb 1981.

The purchaser in 1955 was Group Captain J. Hanchet-Taylor of Connecticut (probably Grp. Capt. Albert Jesse Hanchet-Taylor of the Royal Canadian Air Force). He was still at Killiechassie in 1967, when he took the trophy for champion bull at the annual show in Perth.

In 1972 the estate was purchased by James T. Boscawen (James Townshend Boscawen 1932 – 1992); Grp. Capt. Hanchet-Taylor had moved to Guernsey.

There was an advert from the Killiechassie “Garden Centre” in 1973 advertising shrubs, etc. for sale.

Article from the “Scotsman” advertising the estate for sale in May 1979, but no indication who bought it.

In 1993 there were several planning applications for conversion to a Conference Centre / Language School, and erection of additional houses by “Robin Properties”. The venture was unpopular with locals, but does not seem to have been opposed by the planning authority. However, there is no indication of subsequent events and it doesn’t appear if anything came of this.

In 2001 Killiechassie was purchased by the author J K Rowling . Other parts of the original estate have also changed hands.

The currant Killiechassie House was built in 1865 to replace an older house which occupied a site on a level piece of ground on a natural terrace about 100 yards further east. A little way up the drive there is an old sycamore tree which is called Prince Charlie’s Tree, the story being that, during his wanderings in the Highlands, Prince Charles spent a night under its shade. The stone lintel of the front doorway of the old house is built into a rockery facing the front door of the new. It bears a religious inscription.

Close to the road is a sycamore (or plane) which was said to bud long before others of its species in the district, or, indeed, before any of the others in the Tay valley. The proprietor being in Devonshire on one occasion was asked if the trees in Scotland budded early? “Yes,” he replied, “the Plane in Killiechassie can hold its own with yours in Devonshire”. “Nay, not so, two to one on it “! “Taken,” was the reply. The Killiechassie proprietor won the bet and pocketed £150.

At the entrance gate to the mansion house the stones in which the iron railing is fixed are composed of limestone from Clach an Tartair, in Findynate Hill. The Carn Mor (big cairn) is situated near the north-eastern boundary of the estate, and there in winter the tinkers used to camp. The chapel or church from which the estate got its name was situated right above the little village of Chapelton. The church was in existence 700 years ago but there is no sign now either of it or of the adjacent burial ground except a single standing stone, uninscribed, though burials are said to have taken place here up to about the 1740s. They ceased when the ferry carrying a funeral party across the Tay capsized, drowning all on board. There are some very deep pools on the Tay on this property, notably ‘Poll gheal Ghoil’ – ‘white boiling pool’. As the river leaves the estate it enters ‘Pool-an-Doran’ – ‘the otter’s pool’.

Near the western boundary of Killiechassie is a spot called An Stair Ghorach. There is a ford on the Tay here haunted by a water kelpie that used to cry prior to a death by drowning ‘Thainig Uair, ach cha d’thainig an duine’ – ‘the hour has come but not the man’. Invariably after this someone was drowned at the ford.

The road above the house towards Tombuie runs through Bealaidh an Tuim – an eerie spot that used to be avoided by people at night. It was supposed to be haunted by the Devil in person. The name signifies Broom of the Tom or Mound.

Ownership Timeline Summary

1 June 1706Purchased by the Rev Robert Stewart from the John Stewart of Ballechin.  Robert passed the estate to his eldest son James Stewart who died in 1718.
By 1742   Held by Robert Stewart, son of James and grandson of Rev Robert Stewart, who married Emilia Fleming of Moness.
By 1783   Held by James Stewart-Fleming, son of Robert, who was still alive at Killiechassie in 1801.
c1804Passed to Robert Stewart-Fleming, son of James, who died without issue in London.
1834-45(Second Statistical Account) Robert Stewart-Flemyng had Killiechassie, valued rent £396 4s 0d. Robert married in London in 1840 and continued to reside in London until his death in 1857.
1841Census record shows Miss Margaret Fleming at Killiechassie but no other Flemings. Margaret died at Killiechassie in April 1842.
1851Census shows no record for Killiechassie; farms and cottages on the estate are occupied.
1854Killiechassie sold by Robert Stewart-Flemyng, Wine Merchant in London, to Mr Harry George Gordon of the Oriental Bank Corporation in London. Sasine 2671.205.  No price given.  This Instrument of Sasine is the first to mention the right of sepulture in the family burial ground “reserving the burying ground to the heirs of his ancestor, Rev. Robert Stewart”
1859Agreement between Harry George Gordon and James Stewart-Robertson of Edradynate regarding the family burial ground or chapel; agreement recorded in Books of Council and Session.
1863Sold by Harry George Gordon to Edward Octavius Douglas (died 1890) and Hannah Charlotte Scott Douglas (died 1921). Edward was the nephew of John Douglas, 7th Marquis of Queensberry; he and his wife Charlotte were cousins. Sasine 3315.80:   £35,000 plus interest of £700. (Refers to the right of sepulture, established in 1854 and as modified by the agreement of 1859).
1865The old house is demolished and replaced.
1921For sale but not sold; upset price £32,000.
1923Sold to Lord Barnby of Blyth (proprietor of the adjoining Menzies estate). Sasine 1161.38:   £16,500. (Refers to the right of sepulture established in 1854 and as modified by the agreement of 1859).
1929Lord Barnby sells to Capt John Edward Blundell Radcliffe and Mrs Radcliffe. Sasine 1269.77:   £11,000 (Refers to the right of sepulture established in 1854 and as modified by the agreement of 1859)
1933Capt Radcliffe sells 173½ acres to the Forestry Commission. Sasine 1319.168:   £7,000 (which was distributed among four creditors)
1938John Michael Geoghan appointed trustee for the creditors of Capt. Radcliffe. Killiechassie Estate remained as one entity until owned by Capt. Radcliffe who appears to have landed in severe financial trouble; during his ownership Killiechassie begins to fragment as parts of the estate are sold off to pay his creditors.  None of the plans relating to these sales (which are available for inspection) included the burial ground. 
1942William Hood buys a large part of Killiechassie via J M Geoghan. Sasine 1454.21: Plan 4443:   £5,500. (Lot 1 – Killiechassie House and policies, no land south of the Weem to Logierait road).
1943John Robertson Crystal buys Tombuie, Balnacraig, Easter and Wester Chapelton via J M Geoghan. Sasine 1464.189: Plan 4565:   £1,250. (Includes an area south of the Weem/Logierait road but east of the Borlick field now surrounding the burial ground).
1943Frances Ellacott or Deighton buys Borlick and Cuill via J M Geoghan. Sasine 1456.2: Plan 4608:   £3,750. Lot 1 – Borlick, includes field south of the Weem/Logierait road; excludes the burial ground plot.
1947Walter Nicoll buys Killiechassie House and policies from William Hood. Sasine 1513.219:   £9,400.
1947Roderick Kennedy buys Borlick from Frances Ellacott or Deighton. Sasine 1525.152:   £2,700.
1953Campden Farm Estates buys Killiechassie House and policies from Walter Nicoll. Sasine 1666.40:   £12,000 (Bond/loan from George Edward Coles).
1955George Edward Coles, director of Campden Farm Estates, ‘buys’ Killiechassie House and policies (i.e. £12,000 bond discharged).
1955Group Captain J. Hanchet-Taylor of Connecticut (probably Grp. Capt. Albert Jesse Hanchet-Taylor of the Royal Canadian Air Force).
1972The estate was purchased by James T Boscawen (James Townshend Boscawen 1932 – 1992).  Grp. Capt. Taylor had moved to Guernsey.
1973Advert from the Killiechassie “Garden Centre” advertising shrubs, etc. for sale.
1979Article from the “Scotsman” advertising the estate for sale in May 1979 – no indication who bought it.
1993Several planning applications for conversion to a Conference Centre / Language School, and erection of additional houses by “Robin Properties”, however, there is no indication of subsequent events, and it appears that nothing came of this.
2001Killiechassie was purchased by the author J K Rowling in 2001. Other parts of the original estate have also changed hands.

For further details of the transcript excerpts of the associated Sasines for the 1854, 1863, 1923 and 1929 sales, please go to:

Links to other KBG pages:

Contents Page

Introduction

Gravestones

The Stewarts: Lineage of the Stewarts of Fothergill

Chapel and Burial Ground: Timeline of Killiechassie Chapel and Burial Ground

Information Boards

Sources of Information