Ordnance gazetteer of Scotland > Volume 4

KENMORE
The parish, containing also the villages of Acharn
and Stronfearnan, comprises a main body and five
detached sections, the area of the whole being 113J
square miles or 72,542 acres, of which 5346i are water,
and 32,S41J belong to the main body. This, bounded
N by Fortingall, NE by Dull, S by Comrie, and on all
other sides by fragments of Weem, Dull, Monzie, and
Ellin, has an utmost length from NNE to SSW of 11 J
miles, whilst its width varies between J mile and 9g
miles. The Kiltyrie or largest detached section is parted
therefrom merely by a strip of Weem (detached), 3 fur-
longs wide at the narrowest, and, bounded W by Killin,
NW by Fortingall, and on all other sides by fragments
of "Weem and Killin, has an utmost length from NNW
to SSE of S§ miles, with an utmost width of 5J miles.
In the Kiltyrie section and the main body are included
nearly all the waters of Loch Tay, which, lying at an
altitude of 355 feet above sea-level, extends 14i miles
north-eastward, and varies in width between h mile and
9J furlongs, and which from its foot sends off the river
Taj', winding 2f miles north-eastward till it passes off
from the main body. From the shores of Loch Tay the
surface rises southward to Creag Charbh (20S4 feet),
Meall Gleann a' Chloidh (223S), *Creag Uigeach (2S40),
Beinn Bhreac (2341), Creagan na Beinne (2909), and
Creag an Fhudair (1683) ; northward to Meall nan Tar-
machan (3421), and broad based, cairn-crowned *Ben
Lawers (4004), where asterisks mark those summits
that culminate on the confines of the parish. Three
smaller lakes are Lochan a' Chait (3 x If furl. ; 24S0
feet) and Lochan na Lairige (of x 1 furl. ; 1596 feet) on
the north-eastern and western skirts of Ben Lawers, and
Lochan Breaelaich (4xl;| furl. ; 1400 feet) to the S of
Loch Tay.
The Glenloohy or second largest section, with an
extreme length of 8 miles from N by E to S by W and
a varying width of 9 furlongs and 4J miles, is bounded
SE and SW by Killm, and W, N", and E by fragments
of Fortingall and "Weem. The Lochy, flowing out of
tiny Lochan Chailinn (125S feet), has here a north-
easterly course of 5f miles ; and the Lyon, issuing from
Loch Lyon, winds 2J miles east-by-northward along all
the northern boundary. This section is almost com-
pletely rimmed by lofty mountains — *Beinn Dheiceach
(3074), *Beinn Chaluinn (3354), *Creag Mhor (3305),
and Beinn Heasgarnieh (3530). Lower down the Lochy
either bounds or traverses, for lg and If mile, the two
smaller sections of Tullieh (6| x 2§ miles) and Moir-
lanich (1J x 1 mile), in the former of which sections the
highest summits are Meall Ghaordie (3407 feet) on the
northern, and Creag Mhor (2359) near the southern,
boundary. Lastly the Glenqttaich section (4J x 1§
miles) is bounded or traversed for 1J mile by the Quaieh,
includes a corner of Loch Freuchie (If mile x 3 J furl. ;
8S0 feet), and rises northward to * Meall Dubh (2021
feet), southward to *Meall nam Fuaran (2631).
Such is the bare outline of the general features of this
widely-dispersed Highland parish, whose beauties, anti-
quities, and history are noticed more fully in our articles
Acharn, Ben Lawers, Breadalbane, Tay, Tay-
mouth Castle, etc. Mica slate is the predominant
rock ; but gneiss, clay and chloride slate, quartz, and
some varieties of hornblende slate are also plentiful, and
beds of limestone occur in two or three places. The
chloride slate, the quartz, and the limestone have been
worked for building or other purposes. Lead, iron, and
other ores exist in small quantities among the moun-
tains. The soil of the arable lands is chiefly a light
brownish loam, with a slight admixture of clay ; that
of much of the hill pastures has a light and mossy
character. At most, one-eighth of the entire area is in
tillage ; nearly as much is under wood ; and the rest is
pasture, moorland, mountain, and moss, whose fishings
and shootings however are very valuable. The Earl of
Breadalbane is almost sole proprietor, 1 other holding
an annual value of more, and 1 of less, than £50.
Giving off its Glenquaich section to the quoad sacra
parish of Amulree, Kenmore is in the presbytery of
Weem and synod of Perth and Stirling ; the living is
KENMURE CASTLE
worth £340. The parish church, at the village, is a
cruciform structure of 1760, with 300 sittings and a
tower at the E end. Other places of worship are the
Free churches of Kenmore, Ardeonaig, and Lawers, and
Taymouth Episcopal chapel, St James'. Five public
schools — Acharn, Ardtalnaig, Fearnan, Kiltyrie, and
Lawers — with respective accommodation for 118, 86, 50,
51, and 93 children, had (1881) an average attendance
of 74, 35, 26, 32, and 54, and grants of £87, 14s., £49,
17s., £36, 18s., £36, 8s., and £65, 2s. "Valuation (1866)
£11,064, lis. Sd., (1883) £11,216, 10s. 8d. Pop. (1S01)
3346, (1831) 3126, (1861) 1984, (1871) 1615, (1881)
150S, of whom 1152 were Gaelic-speaking, and 1432
were in Kenmore ecclesiastical parish. — Ord. Sur., shs.
55, 47, 46, 1869-72.
Kenmuxe Castle, a seat in Kells parish, Kirkcud-
brightshire, 5 furlongs above the head of Loch Ken,
and f mile S by E of New Galloway. It stands on a
high, round, isolated mount, which, till one observes
the rock that crops out on its S side, might be taken
for artificial ; and it seems of old to have been sur-
rounded by a fosse, supplied with water from the river
Ken. Approached by a noble lime-tree avenue, and
engirt by well-wooded policies and gardens with stately
beech hedges, it forms a conspicuous feature in one of
the finest landscapes in the South of Scotland. The
oldest portion, roofless and clad with ivy, exhibits the
architecture of the 13th or 14th, but the main build-
ing appears to belong to the 17th, century. The
interior is interesting, with its winding staircases,
mysterious passages, and heirloom collection of Jacobite
relics and portraits — the sixth Viscount Kenmure
(painted by Kneller in the Tower of London), Queen
Mary, James VI. (by Zuccaro), 'Young Lochinvar'
(by Lely?), etc. "When or by whom the original por-
tion of the pile was built, is a matter not known. In
early times, and even at a comparatively recent date, it
suffered much from the ravages of war, having been
burned both in the reign of Mary and during the ad-
ministration of Cromwell. Originally, it is said to
have been a seat or stronghold of the Lords of Gallo-
way ; and John Baliol is reported to have made it his
frequent residence, nay even to have been born within
its walls. On the other hand, the lands of Kenmure
and Lochinvar are said to have been acquired in 1297
from John de Maxwell by Sir Adam Gordon, whose
sixth descendant was the first Earl of Huntly (see
Gordon Castle), whilst his tenth, in the 3'ounger
line, was created Viscount Kenmure. Thus the
Gordons of Lochinvar or Kenmure claimed strictly
the same stock as the Gordons of the north ; and, after
settling down at Kenmure, they gradually acquired, by
grant, purchase, or marriage, the greater part of Kirk-
cudbrightshire. They were distinguished by the confi-
dence of, and their attachment to, the Stuart sovereigns.
Sir John Gordon of Lochinvar was a steadfast adherent
of Mary, and ran serious hazards in her cause. In 1633
his grandson, Sir John Gordon (1599-1634), was raised
by Charles I. to the peerage under the title of Viscount
Kenmure. This nobleman combined attachment to the
house of Stuart with unflinching fidelity in the profes-
sion of the Presbyterian religion ; and, much as he is
known for the honours conferred upon him by Charles,
he is greatly better known for his intimacy with John
Welsh and Samuel Rutherford. In 1715, William, the
sixth Viscount, took an active part in the Rebellion,
and next year was beheaded on Tower Hill in London,
entailing upon his family the forfeiture of the title.
His descendants, however, having bought back the
estates from the Crown, endeavoured, by serving in
the army, to atone for their ancestor's error, and dis-
tinguished themselves by patriotic concern for the
interests of their tenants, and for the general welfare ;
and, in 1824, they were restored by act of parliament
to their ancient honours in the person of John Gordon
(1750-1840), the forfeited Viscount's grandson. He
was succeeded by his nephew, Adam, a naval officer,
who displayed great gallantry on the American lakes
during the war of 1813, and at whose death in
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