The little city, though thus reduced to ashes, rose again and played its part in various recorded historical events. The Earl of Mar, after raising the Standard for King James in 1715 at Braemar, also formed four regiments of Athollmen at Dunkeld, and many suffered for the support they gave to the Stewart cause in '15. General Wade helped to suppress this Rising, but he is remembered chiefly by the military roads he constructed in the Highlands. One of his roads linked up Fort George with Dunkeld, and there are yet many traces of his work in the district. His roads connected various towns in the Highlands with Perth and Stirling, and Dunkeld was one of those thus favoured. The great North Road passed through it on to Inverness, although the first three miles of the present road is not the one constructed by him about 1739. Wade’s road began opposite Inver at the West Ferry, running along by the river side until it reached the higher ground two miles from Dowally. From that point his road is still in use hut altered and improved, for it was so rough that one of the Dukes of Atholl is said to have taken twelve hours to drive from Dunkeld to Blair Atholl. The General did not build his projected bridge over the Tay at Dunkeld, showing his resentment at an imagined affront he received from the Duke by building the bridge at Aberfeldy instead. Other bridges of his, though of less importance, are in the neighbourhood. One at Ballinloan, in Strathbraan, forms a picturesque feature in the landscape; another at Dalguise, near the Tay, is in ruins.

The ‘45 brought trouble and tribulation to Dunkeld. In September, 1745, the "Bonnie Prince Charlie " of Jacobite ballads was entertained in Dunkeld House by the Marquis of Tullibardine, second son of the first Duke of Atholl. Another son, Lord George Murray, of whom an old ballad sings—

"He’s the flow’r o’ Glenisla

An’ the darlin’ o’ Dunkel’,"

recruited actively for the Prince, becoming the Lieut.-General of the Jacobite Forces. The Chevalier was proclaimed King at the Market Cross, and Prince Charles also proclaimed as Regent for his father by Lord Nairne and Cameron of Lochiel, who had come to Dunkeld some days before. This Cross stood where the Fountain now stands, but was removed about 1800. It was a round stone pillar on which were four balls supporting a pyramidal top. It was 20 feet high and to it were attached four iron jougs, the terror of offenders. Many answered to the call for recruits, the personal charm of the young Chevalier possibly contributing to swell the number, one of whom was the famous fiddler, Niel Gow, then a lad of eighteen. He had played with others at the entertainment given to the Prince, but his enthusiasm soon evaporated. He marched with the army as far as Stirling, whence he returned to Dunkeld. There is a curious story of another recruit whose name is recorded on an old sundial in the town. The "Scots Magazine" of October, 1746, relates the incident, particulars being copied from a York paper which gave a list of rebels tried at York, five of whom were acquitted, amongst them John Ballantine from Dunkeld. An extract is as follows: "John Ballantine acted as piper in Captain James Stewart’s Company in Lord George Murray ‘s regiment. Several witnesses deponed `that he was forced into the service by a party of the rebels, who took him by violence out of his bed, threatened to stab him if he did not go with them, and did not allow him time even to put on his cloathes; and that afterwards they placed a guard over him to prevent his making his escape.’ When the jury returned their verdict ‘Not Guilty ' the poor fellow was in such a transport of joy that he threw his bonnet up to the very roof of the Court and cried out, `My Lords and Gentlemen, I thank you. Not Guilty! Not Guilty! Not Guilty! Pray God, bless King George for ever. I’ll serve him all the days of my life,’ and immediately ran out into the Castleyard, with his irons on, took up a handful of channel water and drank his Majesty’s health."

Clearly Ballantine had not been an ardent Jacobite. With regard to the irons mentioned, a descendant of his used to tell how she remembered, as a child, seeing the marks left by them, so roughly had he been used.

Prince Charles passed again through Dunkeld on his retreat to Culloden, but with vastly different feelings and with broken hopes. Lord George Murray afterwards despatched a party to Dunkeld, where they remained till the approach of the Hessians, the Duke of Cumberland’s troops, from Perth. They then retired northward, and several skirmishes took place between them and the Hessians, but on the whole the latter showed no great wish to leave Dunkeld nor to meet the Athollmen. They treated the inhabitants very harshly, using the town as an advanced post, and, as the sympathies of the people were mostly Jacobite, they did not accord "Butcher" Cumberland’s soldiers a very hearty welcome. It was probably to this occupation of the victors’ troops that Culloden House, at present the Royal School, owed its name. One man at least in the Duke of Cumberland’s army had an eye for other things than warfare. An English Volunteer Officer published a small book in 1747, conveying his impressions and observations as he marched through Perthshire. At first he "looked with dread upon the mountains, but dread soon passed into admiration." After a short stay in Perth, he was sent with two detachments, of 500 foot each, to Dunkeld. They left early on the 8th of February (1746), reaching Dunkeld at 4 o’clock. It was snowing hard when they started out but, he remarks, "they had a most agreeable .variety" on the march, the hilly character of the country delighting him. The fir-clad peaks attracted his eye, and his comment thereon is that in a Roman Catholic country "no place would be more acceptable for the fixing of a crucifix to worship." He also describes the streams and waterfalls near Dunkeld and confesses that "with all these pleasing varieties we are able to endure great fatigue and hunger."

Others, as the country settled, found the scenery pleasing, and Dunkeld had its share of notable visitors, amongst whom might be mentioned Bums, Pennant, Dr. Garnett, Harriet Martineau, Wordsworth, and the poet Gray.

In 1809 the Bridge across the Tay was finished and this further facilitated travel, a new road being constructed northwards from the Bridge, joining Wade’s road near Dowally.

A yearly Highland Gathering, claiming to be the first in Scotland, was inaugurated in 1822 for the express purpose of maintaining the garb, music and sports of the Highlands, and was continued until 1872. The Games now held annually in Birnam may be said to be a continuation of those formerly held in Dunkeld.

A visit which created great excitement was that of Queen Victoria and the Prince Consort in 1842. It was regarded as an event of supreme importance, being the first visit paid by a Hanoverian sovereign to a Jacobite stronghold and also the first visit of a reigning monarch since Queen Mary of Scots.

A letter written by the shoemaker-poet, James Stewart, renders a graphic description in homely language of the excitement and preparations in Dunkeld. He writes thus to a friend - "The Queen! The Queen! Nothing but the Queen .... I am to be sworn in as a rodman to clear the highway for the Queen’s approach to the "City of the Hills," and I am to get half-a-crown for looking at Her Majesty and allowing my body to be squeezed and my toes crushed. All are rodmen here from the Bailie to the Bard. The Duchess of Atholl is making great preparations. She is going to give Her Majesty "a chack o’ meat" on the green before the door. Correctly speaking there is a tent fitting up on the site of the old house of Dunkeld north of the Cathedral. Lord Glen-lyon is to have in attendance 150 Highlanders and other Highland lairds are bringing tails of the bipeds ...... "

A glorious monarchy man was proposing to have an arch stretched between Birnam and Newtyle—a distance of one mile. His project was laughed at.

"Ye’re wrang," says he, "we could brawly streek a string across frae the tap o’ the hills and hae broom cowes danglin’ on it." "An amendment," said another, "what wad you think instead o’ haein’ broom cowes waffin’ in the wind, to hae sklates on yer string, Tam?" (the said Tam being lessee of the slate quarry of Newtyle).

The enthusiasm was certainly great and a very full account is narrated in the "Memorial of the Royal Progress in Scotland," written by Sir Thomas Dick Lauder in 1847. There were triumphal arches all the way from Perth to Dunkeld. At Birnam Pass the Queen and Prince Albert had their first glimpse of Highland scenery, both showing marked appreciation. The Queen in a letter to her uncle, King Leopold, wrote - "The situation of Dunkeld down in a valley surrounded by wooded hills, is very, very pretty."

Bonfires and flags everywhere testified to the loyalty of all. The morning was dull, but when the Royal party reached Dunkeld Bridge, the sun shone gloriously. A Gothic arch at the end of the bridge was a subject of general admiration; it was composed of heath and juniper (Murray badge) with a floral crown, and adorned besides with stuffed specimens of blackcock and eagle. Above were two deer with the words, "Welcome to Atholl." A battery was fired from Stanley Hill. A large body of Atholl Highlanders was in evidence after lunch, the pipers played and local High-landers showed their agility and skill in reels and sword dances. In the Queen’s words, "We lunched at Dunkeld, the beginning of the Highlands, in a tent—all the Highlanders in their fine dress being encamped there with ‘their old swords and shields, looking very romantic, chiefly Lord Glenlyon’s men."

At lunch Niel Gow’s famous glass was in requisition, filled with Atholl brose. Thousands poured into the town to welcome their Queen. There is a story of a schoolboy, afterwards a prominent Magistrate in his native town, who ran all the way from Blairgowrie, playing truant for the day; there is another of a Dunkeld herd laddie who forgot his charge in the gratification of his curiosity, and there is still another of an old woman who pressed into the throng determined to speak to Her Majesty, " I ha’e a basketfu’ o’ bonnie aipples and I want her tae tak’ them an’ gie them tae her bairns."

Queen Victoria and various members of her family have visited Dunkeld on several occasions; so have other Royalties, including the Empress Eugenie and her son.

The Disruption of the Church of Scotland also left its mark. The Rev. John Mackenzie, minister of the Cathedral, seceded in 1843. Through Lady Effingham’s liberality a building was erected for worshippers, and on the same site, gifted by Pox Maule Ramsay, afterwards Earl of Dalhousie, another church, more commodious, was built in 1874, Dr. Duff, the great Indian missionary, opening it formally in the following year. The present minister of the congregation is the Rev. J. W. Hamilton, M.A., whose pastorate has extended over many years. The Perth to Dunkeld railway was opened in 1866, and in 1863 extended towards Inverness.

Dunkeld was again occupied by the military in 1868, a detachment of the Black Watch being stationed there during the disturbances known as the Toll Riots. It is on record, however, that the soldiers declared they had never resided in a more peaceful community. So pleasant was their visit that they left it with regret. Since then there have been several military occupations, mainly Volunteer Camps. The cavalery regiments of the Scottish Horse, first raised by the Marquis of Tullibardine (afterwards 8th Duke of Atholl) for service in the Boer War, encamped at Inver during the summers and were billeted in winter quarters in Dunkeld and Birnam from 1914-1917. They rendered valiant service in the Great War, and the Marquis received the appointment of Brigadier-General. Dunkeld still remains the headquarters of this regiment.

That Dunkeld and district did their duty nobly in the war is evinced by the record of losses graved on the Cairn Memorial at the Cross Roads, on the various Rolls of Honour, and in the Royal School Memorial.

By public subscription, a Fountain was erected at the Cross in 1866 to the memory of the 6th Duke of Atholl, who died in 1864. It was opened by his widow, Her Grace the Duchess Dowager, and is a handsome and beautiful piece of work.

After the railway opened many more illustrious visitors arrived, but the list is too long to be fully enumerated.

Several whose coming or sojourn in the district may be reckoned as events of importance may be mentioned.

Sir John Everett Millais, PRA., the well-known artist, was in residence for some time in Eastwood, St. Mary’s Tower, and other houses. Many of his most famous pictures portray the beauty spots around. Of such are "The Sound of Many Waters," " Ower the hills an’ far awa," "Winter Fuel," and others too numerous to mention.

In 1875 the Premier of Canada, the Hon. Alexander Mackenzie, visited Dunkeld, and was greeted with enthusiasm and honour. He was born in Logierait, but, the family removing to Dunkeld, many of his early years were spent there. That he and other members of his family did not forget the home of youth was shown for a long period by a yearly gift of apples to the town. Dunkeld also boasts connection with another Canadian statesman. This was the Hon. J. A. Stewart, Minister of Railways and Canals (in the Government of the Right Hon. Arthur Meighen) in the Canadian Parliament of 1921. He was born and died in Canada, but his father, Robert Stewart, was a native of Dunkeld, who emigrated in early life, revisiting his native town and relatives on several occasions.

Many statesmen have visited Dunkeld and Birnam. The Duke of Rutland, long Postmaster-General, when Lord John Manners, had a residence in Birnam, where he received many distinguished guests, such as Lord Salisbury. Butterstone House, in 1897, was the last place in Scotland honoured by a lengthy visit from the veteran statesman, the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone.

Amongst later statesmen are Mr Lloyd George and Mr Baldwin, the latter of whom has been the guest on several occasions of the Duke and Duchess of Atholl at Eastwood House, Dunkeld. The Duchess of Atholl, who is often in residence at Eastwood, gained the distinction in 1924 of being the first woman in Scotland to become a Member of Parliament, she being returned then for West Perthshire and Kinross. Later on she gained another distinction on becoming the first woman in Britain to attain Cabinet rank.

The Restoration and Preservation of the Cathedral may also be regarded as historic and national events.

Dunkeld an Ancient City
Elizabeth Stewart
Dunkeld, 1926

Return to Dunkeld History