Strathtummel in Past Times

Reconstruction of Highland crofts at Newtonmore

This page links to a variety of resources and information about Strathtummel, its history, and its people.

Strathtummel has a large number of so-called 'ring-forts' which were the homesteads of the inhabitants during the Bronze Age and the Iron Age. In addition there is at least one crannog in Loch Tummel, which was inhabited from the Bronze Age right up until the 1500s.

Information on local 'ring-forts'	Information on local crannogs

Early maps of Scotland seldom mention places in Strathtummel, and it is not until the end of the 1700s that maps are being produced which show the locations of homesteads mentioned in the Old Parish Records. These early maps are useful as they name places which were un-inhabited and therefore un-named in the 1st edition of the Ordnance Survey maps of Perthshire.

Many people do not realise that the National Library of Scotland provides on-line access to many of the maps in their collection. One of the most important is the 1st edition of 6 inch Ordnance Survey map which names the majority of homesteads. This historical map is one in a series of layers which uses the google map as a top layer.

When the first map layer appears, move the magnification toggle up one notch. The next layer will show Pitlochry on the road between Perth and Inverness. Try to keep this in the centre of the screen as you descend through the map layers. Blair Atholl is just north of Pitlochry and Loch Tummel is to the west.

Old maps of Borenich	Ordnance Survey (1st edition)

Bringing us up to more recent times, there are the Gaelic tales of bygone days by Donald Dow, as well as additional stories from his daughter and grandson.

Thanks are due to the Dow family and others, who have provided the following stories and memories of Strathtummel and its characters. The Gaelic words of Donald Dow were translated for the Sassanach by Cathie Laing whose ancestors came from this area, and to whom we are most grateful.

The memories of each contributor start at the Introduction, but it is possible to jump to individual pieces by selecting a title from the list following the Introduction.

Donald Dow of Tomintianda	Janet Dow (his daughter)	Stuart Dow (his grandson)
Introduction	Introduction	Introduction
Ancestors and their Dwellings	Being Self-sufficient	The Short-cut
The Original Settlers	The Good Doctor	Woodworker and Handyman
The Battle of Corrymuckloch	Baldie and the Old Mare	The Soldier
Black Duncan of the Cowl	Illicit Whisky	The Second World War
Fairies and Ghosts	My Grandmother	School Days
When the Sun rose Late	The 'Pagan' Cemetery	Entertainment
Potatoes, Porridge and Puddings		MacDonalds of Glencoe
Baldie and the Bull		The Supernatural
School and Church
The Drovers

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