From being a capital of Pictavia, a kingdom of prehistoric times, and an ecclesiastical capital during the Culdee period, Dunkeld has fallen to the status of a very small Burgh in Barony.

Many causes have contributed towards the decline of Dunkeld. Perhaps the first symptoms set in with the fall of the Romish Church and the destruction of the Cathedral. Although there had been repeated burnings and sackings, up to that time, it had held its own. Its Culdee Abbots and its Roman Catholic Bishops were mostly high-born nobles with princely revenues and kingly powers. Their successors were poor, shorn of lands and revenues, with little influence beyond their immediate neighbourhood.

The pleasures of the chase had once brought kings to the vicinity. It was near the Lowlands, yet on the borders of a wild, almost unexplored stretch of country from which wild animals might be expected to wander, and it had rugged hills of its own and a mighty river; game of all sorts abounded, and sport could be found within fairly easy reach.

William the Lion had a hunting seat near. James the Fifth and Mary Queen of Scots enjoyed hunting expeditions round it. Gradually, as the country opened up and roads were made, sport was found farther afield, and so Dunkeld’s importance in this respect also declined.

Scarcely an event of historic importance in Scotland but what brushed the little city with its wings in passing, for it lay in the direct route to the north, armies, traders, and others passing and re-passing it, and it was regarded and spoken of as the key to the north. The town of Perth looked to it as a place which might send warning messages to them when trouble was likely to arise amongst the clans. They referred to it often; "As soon shall the Tay flow back to Dunkeld as expect us to submit to such an injustice!" exclaims an angry citizen in the `Fair Maid of Perth.’

But if its position brought importance, it also brought trouble, for the march of armies or the raids of lawless men often left desolation in their track. The town and residents suffered from the Irish levies who helped Montrose, the battle of 1689 was a staggering blow, and in later days the ‘15 and the ‘45 did not help the prosperity of Dunkeld, for they were incessantly harassed and robbed by all contending parties.

In the reign of Charles II. Dunkeld received an offer which it declined. This was to raise its status to that of a Royal Burgh. The offer was renewed by Queen Anne and accepted, but although a Charter granting the appointment of 3 Bailes, a Dean of Guild, a Treasurer and 10 Common Council men, besides other privileges, was prepared, it was never carried into effect. Dunkeld is now only a Burgh in Barony under His Grace the Duke of Atholl, the jurisdiction being conducted by a Baron-Bailie, appointed by his superior. The Baron-Ballie is ex-officio a Justice of the Peace and a Commissioner of Supply. Holders of this office during a long period were Messrs Conacher and Jack, the latter dying in 1906. The present holder of the office is Baron-Baiie Watson, Deans’ Cross, who succeeded the late Mr Kenneth MacDonald.

The Minute Books of the ancient Regality Court of Dunkeld are still preserved among the County Records. Many of the extracts are amusing. Two constables are told off to attend one elder to perambulate the town every Sabbath day during divine worship. What sights would these old stalwarts see could they but return on a Sabbath day! Charabancs and crowds of merry-makers have, as in other places, totally destroyed Sabbatic calm "Any person guilty of cutting `cale' or carrying water ‘save in a pint stoup for drinking’ is fined, also anyone found travelling unnecessarily on the Sabbath day." The jurisdiction of this Court was wide-stretching and the citizens kept well in bounds.

In addition to the Regality Court, Dunkeld, along with Dunblane, was a seat of the Commissary Court for Perthshire from a very early age. The Court was held in the Consistory, or Basement Room of the Tower, and these Commissaries had very great power, under the Duke of Atholl. Illustrating this, a tale is told in Browne ‘s History. Lord President Forbes, dining with the Duke at Blair-Atholl, was informed by him that Commissary Bisset, his depute in Dunkeld, had condemned a man to be hanged. "I am much inclined to pardon the man," said the Duke. The President pointed out that after condemnation no man could pardon save His Majesty. The Duke objected to this, "If I have the power of punishing, it is but right that I should have the power to pardon." And he did.

The Bishops had great power in this respect, too. They were said to have caused criminals to be hanged at Gallowhill, near which are now the Dunkeld House Gardens, and in the hollow beyond sorcerers and witches were burnt. At first the Commissary Court was held in the Bishop’s Castle, but afterwards removed to the Consistory. In the room above, records were kept before removal to Perth.

A tablet on the inner wall of the Cathedral Church to the memory of Thomas Bissett, Commissary, who died in 1788, gives a full account of his virtues.

Several interesting items regarding this Court are found in Hunter’s Diocese, with a lengthy list of the Commissaries of Dunkeld, the Commissaries-Depute, the Commissary Clerks, the Commissary Clerks-Depute and the Procurator Fiscals— quite a formidable list of officials. An Act of Parliament in 1609 restored to the Prelates the jurisdiction of Commissiariats which they had lost.

Sir Gilbert Stewart of Polcak, Advocate, Commissary Principal of the Commissiariat of Dunkeld in 1661, is mentioned as granting his depute within the parishes of Dunkeld Diocese, adjacent to Dunblane, full powers "for the weill and ease of hia Majestie ‘s leiges for putting them to long journeys of wearisome travel in coming to Dunkeld."

During the Commonwealth the Court was ordained to be held at Perth. In 1824 the office of Commissary was merged into that of Sheriff, and Dunkeld ceased to be a seat of this ancient Court, another blow to its importance.

The title of Lord Dunkeld, granted originally to Sir James Galloway, Master of Requests to James VI., became extinct in 1709.

A General Assembly Act in 1587 made Dunkeld a seat of the Presbyterial Meetings of the Church of Scotland, which privilege it still retains. Dunkeld, with regard to parish status, has always maintained rather an anomalous position. It is referred to in a Minute, dated October, 1640, of the Synod of Perth and Stirling, as one of the four" parishones of Lettle and Mekle Dunkels, Logiallachie and Dwillie." In a list taken from the MS. Register of the Assignation of Stipends (Register House) for 1614 and 1615, Meikle Dunkeld is bracketed as a parish with Dowally, yet a document among the Teind Papers in the Register House is entitled "Summondis for erecting the kirk of Mekill Dunkell in ane paroche kirk be the selff and annexing of certaine landis thairto." The document points out "That quhair the Kirk of Dunkell, quhilk wes of old the Cathedrall kirk of the Diocie of Dunkell" was served by the Minister of Little Dunkeld Church and that "it hes not beine ane paroche kirk . . . necessar it is that the samyn be erected in ane paroche kirk to be served be ane minister . . . and that thair be annexit thairto the landis efter specifit, viz., the landis of Tullimillies, Halstones, Graystoun, Blackhillis Drumbowis, Fongorth and Seatt and Haighind" These places are all near Dunkeld, though somewhat unrecognisable under their ancient form of spelling. Since then, whether this purpose was fulfilled or not, the Parish of Dunkeld is often enough alluded to in Presbyterial Registers. Of course, all this trouble came after the Reformation. Before that date, Dunkeld, having a Cathedral and thus being the Major Charge," did not require a Parish Church.

For a time the Churches of Little Dunkeld, Lagganallachie, Dunkeld and Dowally were indeed served by one minister, but to all intents and purposes the Cathedral has been long regarded as practically the parish church of Dunkeld.

The greater part of the town of Dunkeld was built in the parish of Caputh, which in ancient times formed part of Little Dunkeld Parish. For ecclesiastical purposes, Dunkeld was worked along with Dowally, and in the present day, for local government, it is combined with Dowally and Butterstone.

Whilst Dunkeld still remains the place of meeting for the Church of Scotland Presbytery it has lost the United Free Church Presbyterial meetings, that Presbytery being now divided up as follows —Two congregations to Breadalbane, four (including Dunkeld) to Perth and four to Blairgowrie.

Thus, with regard to ecclesiastical prominence and importance, Dunkeld has steadily declined.

Another great decline is one common to many other districts. Annual Fairs were of considerable importance, a fact easily proved by a study of ancient charters.

In one charter, dated 1641, it is very plainly stated that the Markets held at Dunkeld were necessary and very useful to His Majesty’s lieges. Even long before that date, an Act of Parliament had already ratified to the Bishop of Dunkeld former privileges, and to the citizens of Dunkeld their right to hold a market and public fair yearly, also other fairs and weekly markets.

Various extracts from this charter on the subject of markets give interesting information. "Our Soverane Lord· . . considering how necessar it was to have particulare faires and mercat days to be appointed and set yearlie in the Toune of Dunkell within the Sheriffdom of Pearthe for buying of nolte, horse, sheep and other bestiall and goods accustomed to be sold in the saidis boundis to the great profit and commoditie to the inhabitants within the samens and others resorting thereto for buying and selling, who man be interteaned in the said citie upon their owne expense quhilk lyes in suchane commodious pairt neer to the Hielandis wherefore the bestiall and goodis are and were in use, and customs to come to be sold . . . and siclyke his Maties said umqll darrest father and the three Estates of this Kingdom of Scotland in ane Parliament holdene at Perth, the eleventh day of Junji jm vjc and six yeares being informed how necessar it was to have ane mercat and fair to stand in and about the said citie of Dunkeld at Mertinmas yearlie being ane proper tyme of the selling of goodis to the sustinance of the Leedges quhair ane great multitude would resort rather than to ane other pairt....."

Therefore it was granted permission "to hold ane mercate and publicte faire" to begin "yeerlie apoun Mounday efter Martimas Day and therefter to continowe for the space of eight dayes with the haill jurisdiction, freedomes, tholl and customes of the samene."

It will thus be noted that Dunkeld was recognised for centuries as a convenient trading centre and its Martinmas Market was a lengthy and profitable affair to the citizens, largely attended by all and sundry far and near.

In 1701 the Bailies of the town enacted that "Pryces in Meal were not to be raised between the two weekly markets."

There were many weavers in and around Dunkeld and they carried their goods also to this Weekly Market.

In Dunkeld, near the Fountain, the bronze ell-measure gauge, dated 1706, by which measuring sticks were tested, is still to be seen on the corner wall of the houses known as St. George’s Hospital. The Markets were great days in Dunkeld. In a book published lately, "The Campbells of Kinloch," the authoress mentions how one of her ancestors used to attend the markets at Dunkeld. He was famed for his courtly manners and appearance, and when he rode into Dunkeld on market days, in handsome attire completed by a Spanish cloak, he generally created a sensation.

i\lacLean’s Guide of 1879 remarks, "At no distant day,Dunkeld had no less than eight annual fairs, but of these, only Lady Day and Martinmas retain their former importance. Candlemas and St. Colmes are mere shadows of their former selves, while all the rest have been forgotten."

All are forgotten now. Not even a shadow remains.

The Weekly Markets, too, have disappeared. Friday was formerly a notable day. Then the farmers and others appeared in Dunkeld and then the Gaelic tongue was freely heard in the street, for it is not so very long ago since every farmer from north or west of Dunkeld was supposed to refuse to speak the tongue of the Sassenach.

The opening of new roads, the railway and consequent increased facility of transport, have naturally caused this decline in markets and fairs.

An old record, dated 1729, quoted by Maclean, gives a list of the numerous merchants and tradesmen then, with the occupations followed, which shows how rapidly trade has declined in Dunkeld. There were victuallers, distillers and maltsters, tanners, shoemakers and tawers, dressers of skins, glovers and candlemakers.

The population in 1831 was 1471. In 1921, even including the enlarged Dunkeld Registration area, it only amounts to less than 500, a continual and rapid decrease.

Probably one of the greatest factors in the decline of Dunkeld was the railway. At first it brought prosperity. For several years the iron horse penetrated no farther than Dunkeld, where stage-coaches, notably that to Braemar, encouraged the adventurous to proceed farther. This brought hosts of visitors, who remained to admire the beautiful surroundings hitherto so inaccessible save to the wealthy and the strong. But as years passed, the railway extended, other places also became easy of access and the tide of prosperity rolled by. A new village sprang up on the other side of the river, and then was seen the result of the mistaken policy which placed Dunkeld Railway Station at the distance of a mile with the Tay between. Had building been encouraged, Dunkeld might have retrieved its fortunes then, but as no facilities were granted for this purpose as they are now, the ancient city declined, whilst its more fortunate neighbours shot up with mushroom speed and left it behind in the race.

Dunkeld long enjoyed a reputation for health. This in a credulous age was attributed to the presence of the bones of St Columba. During a great plague, many flocked to reside in the city. In Sinclair’s Statistical Account, he says that the inhabitants are not liable to any particular distemper and many arrive at a very advanced age. It was recommended by physicians for the cure of consumption, owing to its sheltered, mild climate and because goat whey was easily procurable. The same authority gives the inhabitants an excellent character "They are active, industrious and spirited, distinguished by a frank and open-hearted civility to strangers. No one ever resorted to Dunkeld, whether as an invalid travelling or on an excursion of amusement, without experiencing that they were a hospitable and obliging people." This should encourage visitors to resort thither again, especially as new houses are now being erected in beautiful situations.

Many changes are thus seen to have passed over Dunkeld. The vanishing of many old place names, and the substitution of new, have helped to alter the character of the place and banish memories of former glories and events. On looking over old records, the reader is struck first with the strange names and with the numerous "lairds" who held their own houses and holdings. Most of these latter are now the property of the Duke of Atholl.

Common place names are the "Castle Close," "Scots Raw," "Shiochie’s Hill," "Balfour’s Croft," "Chancellor’s Croft," "Prebends and Crofts of Fonghort and Fordischaw,’ "Lands and Tenements in Dunkeld with barn, kiln and coble," "St. Ninian ‘s Rig," "Tenament of land in Dunkeld called Leacock’s Brae or Browster Bank."

The town, too, in olden times possessed a town drummer and piper, whose dress was faced with blue. A town crier or bellman still rings a bell to proclaim meetings or inform the inhabitants of certain items of news.

Dunkeld an Ancient City
Elizabeth Stewart
Dunkeld, 1926

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