Glen Nochty – One-Place Study – Duffdefiance

Glen Nochty – One-Place Study – Duffdefiance

Duffdefiance is now a beautiful ruin perched aside the river Nochty at the head of the side glen. It is an atmospheric site with lots of history and folk memory associated with it.

There are some wonderful audio clips on the Tobar an Dualchais site recorded with a James Taylor in 1953 who was a great-grandson of the infamous Eppie Thain who ran an illegal drinking den (shebeen) from it. I personally fin it amazing that audio recordings exist of people who met and have have provided first-hand accounts of people born in the Glen in the 1700s, and would likely have been childhood playmates with my gt gt gt gt gt grandfather!

View of site

These short clips should give you an idea of the sites and sounds standing looking towards the site, and hopefully give you a sense of what it is like to be there if you are unable to visit.

Another standing view of site

The beautiful crystal clear waters :

We were lucky during our visit to see a horse rider pass by. It gives a sense of what life must have been like 200 years ago when people travelled by horse. For me it was amazing how silent it was in moving through the glen; when I read the stories of the gaugers trying to find smugglers I had expected the sound of someone on horseback would have reverberated around the glen, but far from it. Otherwise, we didn’t see any other humans – just lots of sheep and more impressively a couple of golden eagle sightings (the trees by Righorach make excellent perches for them!)

Meaning of Name

There are many stories about how Duffdefiance got its name – most pertaining to how the original builder built it overnight and with a smoking chimney by morning to avoid having to pay the Earl of Fife (Duff) rent. Whether that is true of not I do not know – but the oral histories seem to confirm it!

Aerial Drone footage

Aerial view of the Duffdefiance site (4k available in settings options)

Archaeological notes from Canmore

There are three associated notes/ sites from Canmore listed for Duffdefiance

106893 – Farmstead (Period Unassigned)

The remains of a small farmstead have been noted on a gentle S/SW-facing slope near the foot of a glen. It lies within an area of rough grazing at an altitude of about 395m OD.

• NMRS, MS/712/9.
• The following site has been identified while checking maps held by Grampian Regional Council.
• Full information is held in GRC SMR.
• NJ 303 166. Remains of a small farmstead.
• Sponsor: Grampian Regional Council.
• M Greig 1995.

106894 – Sheepfold(S) (Period Unassigned)

(NJ 3017 1667). The remains of a small farmstead have been noted on a S-facing slope in an area of rough grazing at an altitude of about 400m OD.

NMRS, MS/712/9.

The following site has been identified while checking maps held by Grampian Regional Council. Full information is held in GRC SMR.

NJ 303 166. Remains of a small farmstead.

Sponsor: Grampian Regional Council.

M Greig 1995.

(Location changed to NJ 3018 1667, name to Duffdefiance and classification to sheepfolds). Two conjoined drystone-walled sheepfolds are situated on the N bank of the Water of Nochty, immediately W of the stream’s confluence with the Moineiseach Burn. The interiors of both folds are dug into the gently rising ground to the N, and their perimeters on this side are defined by steep scarps revetted with drystone masonry. The W fold, which is rectangular on plan, measures 20m from E to W by 13m internally, has an entrance central to its W side. The larger enclosure, to the E, which is polygonal on plan and measures 22m from N to S by 22m internally, has an entrance on the E.

Although the plan of the surviving folds differs slightly from those shown here on the 1st and 2nd editions of the OS 6-inch map (Aberdeenshire, 1869 and 1902 respectively, sheet lix), it seems likely that they are essentially the same structures. Both of the enclosures are accurately depicted on the current edition of the OS 1:10,000 scale map (1975), but river erosion has entirely destroyed all traces of a third fold shown on the map immediately to the S.

Visited by RCAHMS (ATW, IWF), 3 July 1997.

126567 – Shieling Hut (Post Medieval)

A roughly polygonal turf-built hut is situated about 20m W of the tumbled stone wall forming the enclosures around Duffdefiance, some 130m WNW of the farmstead NJ31NW 12. It measures about 7.6m from NW to SE by 2.2m transversely within grass- and heather-grown banks 1.3m in thickness and 0.4m in height; there is a possible entrance at the NW end of the structure.

A seemingly-isolated section of a collapsed turf-and-stone dyke, 24m in length from E to W, lies immediately to the S of the building.

Visited by RCAHMS (ATW, IWF), 3 July 1997.

1747 – Roys Military Map

Roy’s Military map makes no mention of Duffdefiance

The folk memory is that here was an original wooden/ temporary house/shebeen on the site where the (now ruined) stone structure of Duffdefiance now stands. You can hear Jimmy Taylor talk about this here.  The date of this is uncertain but would guess sometime between the 1820s and 1840s from the scant information given.

1820s-1840s – Tobar an Dualchais – Kist o Riches

“Eppie Thain was evicted and built a new house overnight.

Before Eppie Thain had the shebeen, she was evicted from a house at the other side of the river. At that time, the law was that if you biggit [built] a house overnight and had the chimney reeking [smoking] by sunrise, you couldn’t be put out. They built a hovel across the water and remained in that spot. They brought up a family of three or four sons and a daughter there.”

You can hear more about Eppie’s family on this track.

“Lucky [Eppie] Thain was a stoutly built woman. She had five sons: John, Wullie, Jimmy, Paul, Charlie; and a daughter, Betty. Paul was James Taylor’s grandfather. John lived and died on the farm. Wullie was a shepherd. He tried feeing [engaging] as a cattleman, but didn’t like it. Lucky Thain had a shebeen till she died.”

1841 – Census

The 1841 census has no listing for Duffdefiance.

1843 – Map

Duffdefiance is featured on the first OS map. Note that whilst this was first published in 1843, there were multiple publications between 1843 and 1882, therefore the inclusion of Duffdefiance might be from any time in this period.

1851 – Census

The 1851 census has no listing for Duffdefiance. There is, however, a listing for ‘Glenoughty’ in between the ones for Righorach and Tolduquhill. I would guess that this was the location of the Shebeen/ illegal dwelling and it has just been given a generic name. Residents were :

• Charles Thain – 73 – Head (married) – Ag Lab – POB Strathdon
• Elizabeth Thain – 25 – (Daughter?) – House Servant – POB Kirkmichael, Banffshire
• Jane Thain – 10 – Granddaughter – Scholar – POB Huntly

1861 – Census

The 1861 census has no listing for Duffdefiance.

Again there there is a listing for a ‘Little Glennochty’ in between Aldachuie and Tolduquhill. Its residents were :

• Elspet Thain – 81 – Head (widow) – Crofter 3 acres – POB Kirkmichael, Banffshire
• John Thain – 49 – Son – Gamekeeper – POB Kirkmichael, Banffshire
• Elizabeth Thain – 36 – Daughter – Domestic Servant – POB Kirkmichael, Banffshire
• William Thain – 34 – Son – Shepherd – POB Kirkmichael, Banffshire
• Jean Thain – 19 – Granddaughter – Scholar – POB Aberdeenshire

1863 – Tobar an Dualchais

I believe this incident recalled on Tobar an Dualchais pertains to a visit by policemen in 1863. You can hear it here.

“Eppie Thain kept a shebeen. She didn’t make her own whisky, but had it delivered by farm cart. Someone told James Taylor that he remembered taking up sixteen half-ankers one summer from Bellabeg. The police also went there on a Sunday. A soutar [shoemaker], meeting them, said, “I thocht ye gaed up tae tak her.” [I thought you went up to arrest her.] “Ach,” they said, “the wumman must hae some wey o makin a livin.” It was very busy on a Sunday.”

1871 – Census

The 1871 census has no listing for Duffdefiance. Per the 1851 census there is also a listing for a Glennochty (number 47 headed by John Thain) and Glennochty Cottage (number 48 headed by JOhn McHardy. Again, I suspect these were located where Duffdefiance is positioned now, given the names on the census and also because they appear in-between Aldahuie and Righorach.

1872 – Tobar an Dualchais

John Taylor recollects a lively funeral from 1872. You can hear him talk about it here.

“Drinking and fighting after a funeral at Duffdefiance, the shebeen.

[John Thain] was the last tenant of Duffdefiance, then it was used by a shepherd.

When Donald Grant was buried, the Strathdon folk had to carry him over to Banffshire and deliver him to the local men. They all went back to Duffdefiance and they drank and fought all afternoon. Sonny Simpson, a local man renowned as a fighter, was tackled by three men. Jock McKay wanted to go and give him a hand, but Johnny Milne said, “I think he’s managin nae ill.” There were always two down, and sometimes the third one was down before the first one was up. There was a squad over the burn, and one man stood swinging a stick and inviting them to come his way and see what he could do, but they avoided him. Jock McKay claimed to have drunk a whole bottle some days up at Auld Lauchie’s [Duffdefiance] and been none the worse for it. It was gweed [good] stuff. Mention of another local boxer, known as Half Loaf, is followed by laughter.”

There was indeed a shepherd called Donald Grant in Glen Nochty and he died in 1872 aged 63, so we can date this story to September 1872.

1879 – Tobar an Dualchais

James Taylor shares a memory about a visit to Eppie Thain in 1879. You can hear him describe this visit here.

“James Taylor’s earliest memory of Eppie Thain is about 1879. He remembers the stormy winter of 1880. He kicked snow from the castings [peats cast onto a bank to dry] down onto her head. She called him a Red Taylor – his father was red-haired, although he wasn’t – and she chased him out of the house with a stick. She lived to 99. She had a croft and shebeen called Duffdefiance (because they defied the gaugers [excisemen]). Illicit whisky was brewed [distilled] in bothies [huts] up the glen. They hailed down shot on the gaugers. Eppie Thain set down bread and cheese when a stranger came in seeking a dram: it was supposedly the bread and cheese she charged for. There were only glass stowps [flagons] in gill and half gill measures, no nips. People came from Banffshire for John’s Fair and stopped at Duff’s Defiance. Eppie Thain died about 1881. She was a Gaelic speaker.”

1881 – Census

The 1881 census has no listing for Duffdefiance.

1881 – Book Reference

Lucky Thain is mentioned in  ‘Wandering in the Highlands of Banff and Aberdeenshire’ written by J.G. Phillips (formerly Curator of the Elgin Museum and printed by the Banff shire Journal Office in 1881.It describes in detail a walk through Strathdon including Glenbucket. In his wandering Mr Phillips meets many people and visits places easily still identifiable form the other information available in this web site. He also relates stories and beliefs still held by older residents in the area.

‘Leaving Auchernack, we trudged onward, for the dim twilight was now giving place to the darker and deeper shades of night. We passed several small farm steadings before we reached Mrs Thane’s, better known as ” Lucky Thane,” an old woman, over 90 years of age, who lives at the very top of Glennochty, a house well known in the days of smuggling, and many are the spirit-stirring tales which old Lucky can tell of the daring deeds and hairbreadth escapes of those hardy men. We could not wait to hear them, how- ever, but once more started forward, and soon entered the heather. We had a long climb before us up the Ladder not the best of roads in the dark but the thought of the many who had trod that path before us, in, perhaps, worse circumstances, cheered us on.’

1881 – Tobar an Dualchais – Kist o Riches

James Taylor shares a memory about the snowy winter of 1881 at Duffdefiance. Hear it here.

“James Taylor recalls the snowy winter of 1881, and a youthful prank on his great grandmother, Eppie Thain.

Eppie Thain, James Taylor’s great grandmother, was a Gaelic speaker. She walked with a stoop. In the stormy winter of 1881, his grand-uncle used to rise in the morning and look to see how far up the door the snow was, until one morning he couldn’t see out, and had to cast the snow into the field and crawl out. James used to kick castings [peats thrown up onto a bank to dry] onto Eppie’s head, and she called him Red Taylor, because his father had a red beard, and she chased him with a stick.

Hamish Henderson quotes a saying that red-headed men are best both for women and for the laird.”

1891 – Census

The 1891 census states the following individuals as resident in Duffdefiance

• John McHardy – 49 – Head – Shepherd  – POB Strathdon
• Isabellla McHardy – 41 – Wife – POB Strathdon
• Mary McHardy – 15 – Daughter – Scholar – POB Strathdon
• Helen McHardy – 12 – Daughter – Scholar – POB Strathdon
• Ann Glass McHardy – 10 – Daughter – Scholar – POB Strathdon
• Margaret McHardy – 8 – Daughter – Scholar – POB Strathdon
• James McHardy – 6 – Son – POB Strathdon

1901 – Census

The 1901 census states the following individuals as resident in Duffdefiance

• John McHardy – 59 – Head – Shepherd & Gamekeeper – POB Strathdon
• John McHardy – 26 – Son – Gamekeeper & Domestic – POB Strathdon
• Hellen McHardy – 22 – Daughter – General Servant (Domestic) – POB Strathdon
• Maggie McHardy- 18 – Daughter – General Servant (Domestic) – POB Strathdon
• James McHardy – 16 – Son – Scholar – POB Strathdon

1911 – Census

The 1911 census states the following individuals as resident in Duffdefiance

• John McHardy – 69 – Head – Farm Servant – POB Strathdon
• Hellen McHardy – 32 – Daughter – Crofter – POB Strathdon
• Ann McHardy-  30 – Daughter – Crofter – POB Strathdon
• James McHardy – 26 – Son – Ghillie – POB Strathdon
• Donald McHardy – 2 – Grandson – POB Strathdon
• Isabella McHardy – 2 – Granddaughter – POB Strathdon

1921 – Census

The 1921 census states the following individuals as resident in Duffdefiance:

• William Findlay – 51 – Head – Shephered – Employer J B Milne – POB Aberdeenshire

1926 – Electoral Roll

The Register contains no mention of Duffdefiance.

1946 – Civilian Residence Register

The Register contains no mention of Duffdefiance.

1966 – Electoral Roll

The Register contains no mention of Duffdefiance.

Present Day

The area remains off the tourist trail so its stories are relatively unknown. However, a growing band of podcasters and storytellers are now beginning to make the Glen’s history and characters better known.

Whisky and history podcasters in particular find a rich history to share. This podcast gives a humorous account of Eppie Thain’s exploits at Duffdefiance.

This article from the Herald details a recent walk around Duffdefiance. – see it https://www.heraldscotland.com/default_content/12770624.climbing-ladder/here.