Glen Nochty – One-Place Study – Blairnamuick

Glen Nochty – One-Place Study – Blairnamuick

Blairnamuick is now a ruin and testament to how quickly buildings fade from both the landscape and memory. It was a working croft until the turn of the last century and a Gaelic speaking household.

Note the census information below sometimes states numerous families lived at the croft and that some were paupers. I suspect these were a ‘colony’ as they were called locally. In ‘Stray Memories of Strathdon’, it is noted that, “Likewise there was a long ‘street’, or row of dwelling-houses on the road between Belnaboddach and Blairnamuick and a clachan at Ordgarff, but these are nowehere now to be traced, the larachs having become buried or removed.”(p27)

View of site

Unfortunately I have been unable to visit the site and I understand it is now obscured by tree growth so no photos are available. On a modern map it probably exists roughly where the clearing is on the central track as shown below.

Meaning of name

The name ‘Blairnamuick’ is an anglicisation of the Gaelic ‘blàr nam muc’, meaning ‘field of the pigs’.

Aerial Drone footage

We do not yet have aerial footage of the site.

Archaeological notes from Canmore

“The ruins of a small cottage, now planted with trees, are situated on the W side of a forestry track on the Candacraig Estate. It is of lime-mortared build, with walls 0.7m thick and up to 1.8m high at the NW corner; a small garden enclosure is visible immediately to the S. The building is one of two that are depicted as roofed on 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Aberdeenshire, 1869, sheet lx); it was unroofed by the end of the 19th century (OS 6-inch map, Aberdeenshire, 2nd edition, 1903, sheet lx), but its neighbour to the N, whilst still roofed in 1903, has since been reduced to little more than a pile of rubble.

Visited by RCAHMS (JRS), 3 October 1997.” Source Canmore.

1747 – Roys Military Map

Roys military map mentions Blairnamuick as Blairmuck

1757 – Schools List

There is speculation that Blairnamuick might have acted as a school because in the list of schools maintained by The Society in Scotland for propagating Christian knowledge in the year 1757 it is recorded :

“Blairnamuck Strathdon 34 (Scholars)”

1841 – Census

The 1841 census states the following individuals as resident in Blairnamuick

Ann McPherson – 35 – (Marked as not born in Scotland)
Hellen McPherson – 10
James McPherson – 5
John McPherson – 3
Cath McPherson – 1
Mary Anderson – 40
John Stewart – 41 – Farmer
Margaret Stewart – 36
James Stewart – 13
Sophia Stewart – 11
Kate Stewart – 8
William Stewart – 6
Jane Stewart – 3

1843 – Map

Blairnamuick is not featured on the first OS map. However, others have speculated that the buildings to the North of Corriebreck are in fact Blairnamuick (unlabelled). This ties in with the multitude of dwellings seen in the 1841 and 1851 censuses.

1851 – Census

The 1851 census states the following individuals as resident in Blairnamuick. The enumerator has divided the croft into six separate families/ dwellings (58 headed by John Stewart, 59 headed by Mary Anderson, 60 headed by James Dow, 61 headed by Jane McHardy, 62 headed by Hellen Beattie and 63 headed by George McHardy)

John Stewart – 50 – Farmer of 8 acres – POB Strathdon
Isobel Stewart – 50 – Wife – POB Strathdon
Jane Stewart – 12 – Daughter – Scholar – POB Strathdon
John Stewart – 10 – Son – Scholar – POB Strathdon
Charles Stewart – 7 – Son – Scholar – POB Strathdon
Margaret Stewart – 4 – Daughter
Joan Dewars – 4 – Stepdaughter – POB Dundee
Mary Anderson – 56 – Head (unmarried) – Ag Labourer – POB Strathdon
Catharine Hay – 24 – Daughter – Ag Labourer – POB Strathdon
James Dow – 44 – Head -Ag Labourer – POB Strathdon
James Dow – 11 – Son – Scholar – POB Strathdon
Jane McHardy – 42 – Head – Farm Servant’s Wife – POB Strathdon
Margaret McHardy – 7 – Daughter – Scholar – POB Strathdon
George McHardy – 9 months – Son – POB Strathdon
Hellen Beattie – 66 – Head – Pauper – POB Strathdon
George McHardy – 45 – Head – Ag Labourer – POB Strathdon
Susan McHardy – 47 – Wife – POB Strathdon
Elizabeth McHardy – 10 – Scholar – POB Strathdon

1861 – Census

The 1861 census states the following individuals as resident in Blairnamuick. The enumerator has divided the croft into two separate families/ dwellings (55 headed by John Stuart, and 56 headed by Mary Anderson)

John Stuart – 59 – Head – Crofter 8 acres – POB Strathdon
Isabella Stuart – 40 – Wife – POB Strathdon
Joan Dewars – 14 – Stepdaughter – Scholar – POB Dundee
Margaret Stuart – 11 – Daughter – Scholar – POB Strathdon
Mary Ann Stuart – 9 – Daughter – Scholar – POB Strathdon
William Stuart – 6 – Son – Scholar – POB Strathdon
John Stuart – 3 – Son – Scholar – POB Strathdon
Mary Anderson – 64 – Head – Ag Labourer – POB Strathdon

1871 – Census

The 1871 census states the following individuals as resident in Blairnamuick. The enumerator has divided the croft into four separate families/ dwellings (55 headed by James McPherson, 56 headed by Isabella McHardy, 57 headed by William Dow and 58 headed by Mary Anderson).

James McPherson – 76 – Head – Pauper (formerly ag lab) – POB Strathdon
Ann McPherson – 73 – Wife – Pauper (formerly ag lab) – POB Inveravon
Elizabeth McPherson – 24 – Daughter – Housemaid (out of employment) – POB Strathdon
James Davie – 12 – Grandson – Scholar – POB Strathdon
Ann Farquharson – 5 – Granddaughter – 5 – POB Strathdon
Isobella McHardy – 48 – Head – Farmer of 16 acres, of which 12 arable – POB Strathdon
William Stuart – 16 – Son – Farmer’s son – POB Strathdon
Ann McHardy – 6 – Daughter – Scholar – POB Strathdon
Duncan McHardy – 9 – Boarder – Scholar – POB Strathdon
William McHardy – 7 – Boarder – Scholar – POB Strathdon
William Dow – 39 – Head – Shoemaker (Journeyman) – POB Glenbucket
Margaret Dow – 39 – Wife – POB Mortlach
Peter Dow – 13 – Son – Scholar – POB Glenbucket
Margaret Dow – 10 – Daughter – Scholar – POB Glenbucket
Mary Dow – 6 – Daughter – Scholar – POB Glenbucket
Elizabeth Dow – 4 – Daughter – 4 – POB Strathdon
George Dow – 2 – Son – POB Strathdon
Isabella Dow – 2 – Daughter – POB Strathdon
Mary Anderson – 74 – Head – Pauper (formerly Farm Servant) – POB Strathdon
Isabella Clark – 21 – Servant – Sick nurse – POB Strathdon

1875 – Newspaper Article

William Dow from Blairnamuick is charged with assaulting a farmer from Glenbucket, William Beattie, on the main road through the Glen near Corrybreck.

1878 – Newspaper Article

Isabella McHardy from Blairnamuick is found guilty of stealing turnips from nearby Corrybreck farm.

1881 – Census

The 1881 census states the following individuals as resident in Blairnamuick. The enumerator has divided the croft into three separate families/ dwellings (35 headed by James Reid, 36 headed by Helen Watt and 37 headed by Isabella Reid).

James Reid – 41 – Head – Shepherd – POB Strathdon
Helen Watt – 42 – Head – Shepherd’s Wife – POB Strathdon
Mary Watt – 12 – Daughter – Scholar – POB Strathdon
Ann Watt – 10 – Daughter – Scholar – POB Strathdon
Eliza Watt – 8 – Daughter – Scholar – POB Strathdon
William Watt – 4 – Son – POB Glenbucket
Robert Watt – 1 – POB Glenbucket
Isabella Reid – 53 – Head – Farmer of 37 acres, of which 12 arable – POB Strathdon
William Stuart – 25 – Son – Farmer’s son – POB Strathdon
Ann McHardy – 16 – Daughter – Farmer’s Daughter – POB Strathdon

1886 – Newspaper Article

Ann McHardy of Blairnamuick brings an action against her step-father John Reid after she alledges slander for describing her as a prostitute in a conversation with James Allanach and James Clark.

1886 – Newspaper Article

St Johns Fair is held every August – James Reid sells ‘cross lambs’ for 16s each.

1891 – Census

The 1891 census states the following individuals as resident in Blairnamuick. Two dwellings are listed, but one is stated as unoccupied. Gaelic language is also noted for the property.

James Taylor – 42 – Head – Farmer – POB Auchterless
Jane Taylor – 50 – Wife – Farmer’s Wife – POB Strathdon
James Taylor – 16 – Son – Farmer’s Son – POB Strathdon
Eliza Taylor – 14 – Daughter – Scholar – POB Strathdon
John Taylor – 11 – Son – Scholar – POB Strathdon

1901 – Census

The 1901 census states the following individuals as resident in Blairnamuick. Just one dwelling is now listed and no Gaelic language is noted for the property.

James Taylor – 53 – Head – Farmer – POB Auchterless
Jane Taylor – 59 – Wife – Farmer’s Wife – POB Strathdon
Alexander Taylor – 16 – Son – Ploughman – POB Strathdon

1911 – Census

The 1911 census states the following individuals as resident in Blairnamuick. Two dwellings are now listed – (28 headed by James Taylor and 29 described as Blairnamuick Roadside headed by Mary Dow). No Gaelic language is noted for the property despite Jane Taylor previously professing proficiency.

James Taylor – 37 – Head – Farmer – POB Strathdon
Jane Taylor – 69 – Mother – POB Strathdon
Mary Dow – 43 – Head – Housekeeper – POB Glenbucket

1921 – Census

The 1921 census states the following individuals as resident in Blairnamuick. Just one dwelling is now listed and Gaelic language is again noted for the property.

James Taylor – 46 – Head – Farmer – POB Strathdon
Mary Taylor – 36 – Wife – Farmer’s Wife – POB Kenruckmort
James Taylor – 6 – Son – Scholar – POB Strathdon
William Taylor – 2 – Son – POB Strathdon
George Macleod – 45 – Boarder – Shepherd – Employer W Y Gunn – POB Corgaich, Ross
Alfred Steele – 33 – Boarder – Farm Manager – Employer WY Gunn – POB West Stafford, Dorset

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