History of the Fife Pitcairns

EARLIER HISTORY. 21
Patrick, killed at Flodden 15 13, was the eldest son of
David and Margaret Moray of Ochtertyre.
(I am indebted to the kind courtesy of Sir Patrick Keith
Murray of Ochtertyre for these particulars of his Family.)
The church of Monivaird was the scene of the following
tragedy, related by Scott in his introduction to ' The Legend
of Montrose ' : —
" During the reign of James IV. a great feud between
the powerful families of Drummond and Murray divided
Perthshire. The former, being the most numerous and
powerful, cooped up eight score of the Murrays in the
kirk of Monivaird, and set fire to it. The wives and
children of the ill-fated men, who had also found shelter
in the church, perished by the same conflagration." 1
In the ' History of Scotland ' by Pitscottie the following
mention is made of the incident : " In the meantime the
Drummonds burnt the kirk of Monivaird, wherein were
six score Morays with their wives and children, and few
escaped therefrom, but were all either burnt or slain, ex-
cept one David Moray, which fact the king punished
condignly thereafter, for he headed many of the principal
actors thereof at Stirling." 2
Charter by James IV., King of Scots, to Margaret Petcarne,
wife of the late David Murray, in liferent, and to her son Patrick
Murray and his heirs-male in fee, of the lands of Uchtertyre and
Correglen, in the lordship and stewartry of Stratherne and sherriff-
dom of Perth. Dated at Edinburgh, 4th Feb. 1509-10. 3
Ochtertyre is still the seat of the Keith Murray family.
It is two miles from Crieff, and a most lovely spot.
The modern mausoleum is near the Granite Lodge on the
east, and it occupies the site of the old parish church.
The vale of the river Turret to the north of Ochtertyre
exhibits a variety of romantic scenery which has been
rendered classical by the pen of Burns. While on a visit
to Sir William Murray at Ochtertyre he wrote the beautiful
song, " Blithe, blithe and merry was she," in honour of Miss
1 Sir Walter Scott. 2 Robert Lindsay of Pitscottie, p. 249.
3 Reg. Mag. Sig., xvi. 95.