In Balquhidder,Trossachs, the ruins of an old church, Rob Roy’s grave and Reverend Kirk’s ghost

In our previous posts we’ve invited you to follow us on the mysterious path of Reverend Kirk by giving you a selection of books containing not only his story about the incredible experience he claims to have had in the fairies realm and his pages about second-sight, but also some very interesting commentaries about it all by Andrew Lang, Marina Warner and R.J. Stewart.

Balquhidder old kirk Scotiana.com 2006

Now try to imagine me sitting on the wooden bench you can see in the above picture, in the shade of that impressive green creature which is standing just behind, with R.J. Stewart’s book Robert Kirk, Walker Between the Worlds in my hand. So far, being as interested as puzzled by what I’ve been reading, there are still more questions in my mind than answers. The little bells hanging on Reverend Kirk’s tree will go on ringing in the wind on Doon Hill and the Reverend’s story will probably remain forever what it has always been, a mystery.

Balquhidder new parish church Scotiana.com 2006

But look, there is another church here! A very nice one, indeed! It appears to be much more recent and in a far better condition than the one beside which I’m sitting. It’s a beautiful stone building with a high pitched slate roof,  a nice porch, arched windows and a tall belfry leaning on one of the two gables. Where on earth can I be? you may ask yourselves, unless you happen to have visited this beautiful site, and what can be the link between this peaceful scene, Reverend Kirk and Rob Roy?

Balquhidder old kirk and new parish church Scotiana.com 2006

In this quiet and green setting, the old ruined kirk, the moss-covered tombs, the rustic parish church compose a most romantic scene but let us try to know more about the place. There is an illustrated board on the wall which gives information.

Balquhidder information board Scotiana.com 2004

Very interesting this board, indeed ! That’s something I like very much in Scotland. Wherever you go and whatever your interest, be it wildlife or history, you always find  detailed information on your path. So, here, I can read that the old kirk was built in 1631 by David Murray, Lord Scone, who happened to hold the patronage. Altered and repaired in 1774, it was used for worship until 1855 when the present church was built. I would have thought it was older than that. By the way, I’ve read somewhere that the first known church in Balquhidder Glen had been built in 1250 AD and archaeologists have found christian traces dating back to the late 600s.

Before moving to Aberfoyle parish, Robert Kirk had been the reverend of Balquhidder parish for about 25 years. Since he was born in 1644 and died at Aberfoyle in 1693 he must have preached in the old kirk, not far from the place where I’m sitting… WOW ! just imagine what kind of sermon such a charismatic man could have delivered to his second-sight gifted parishioners ! Balquhidder Parish Church, the new one, was built in 1853 by the architect David Bryce and funded by David Carnegie of Stronvar who happens to be buried here with his family. I’ve seen a large engraved stone with their name on it in the old kirk.

But since we’re speaking of the tombs we’ve found in Balquhidder churchyard,  the above picture shows the most famous of them, if not the most beautiful one. It attracts many visitors, especially those interested by the life of the legendary Scottish hero. Did you know there was a “Rob Roy Trail”? I’ll come back to that in my next post.  So, it is here, under this rather simple grave, on the very place of the altar of the first Balquhidder kirk, that Robert Roy MacGregor (1671-1734) lies together with his wife Mary, his second son, Cool, and his youngest son Robin Oig whose unlucky fate was to be hanged in Edinburgh. Just thinking things and calculating…  Rob Roy must have been 12 years old when the Reverend Kirk left Balquhidder for Aberfoyle and when the minister disappeared in the fairies realm, Rob Roy, who was also known as Red MacGregor because of his red hair, was 26. I wonder if the roads of these two famous Scots happen to cross one day or another…  Maybe Walter Scott who was the first to publish The Secret Commonwealth of Elves, Fauns and Fairies in 1815 speak about that in his great novel entitled Rob Roy (1818).  So far, I’ve only read a few extracts of this book but as with Janice,  we’ve made the oath, at Abbotsford, to read all Walter Scott’s books (see Scotiana’s reading list growing dangerously…;-)) we might be able to say more about that in a near future.

For generations, Balquiddher churchyard has also been the burial ground for the Clan MacLaren often at war with the Mac Gregors ! Much feud requires good burial ground and there seems to have been much feud in Scotland ! Maybe that is one of the reasons why the churchyards are so interesting there. History stone books ! We’ve spent hours there, trying to decipher weathered inscriptions, symbols, taking photos and even cleaning some graves…;-) The Scottish funeral art has become one of our favourite themes so we’ll come back to that too in Scotiana.

Balquhidder Christina MacNaughton of Inverlochlarig gravestone Scotiana 2006

Balquhidder churchyard Christina MacNaughton of Inverlochlarig grave Scotiana 2006

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As an illustration of what I’ve just said, here’s one of our “coups de coeur” in Balquhidder churchyard. Here’s the beautiful gravestone of Christina McNaughton of Inverlochlarig (it’s the place where Rob Rob died). The very nice sculpture you can see on it has been based upon a photograph of Christina.

Balquhidder old kirk new parish church cemetery engraving scotiana.com 2004

A very busy place this site! Just have a look at this engraving and see the famous people who have come there.  As far as I’m concerned, though I like very much this place, I’m not sure I would come back at night… There is much folk-lore here, and not always of the cheerful kind !

Balquhidder old kirk Scotiana.com 2006

By the way, did you notice the hill in the background ? Alas we did not have time to climb it up, which is a pity for we certainly could have get a panoramic view of the whole area up there, the Trossachs, aka as “Rob Roy Country”.

A bientôt. Mairiuna.