Dores

Known also in the past as Durris and Durrys, the parsonage of this church was granted in 1233 to Pluscarden Priory by Andrew de Moravia, Bishop of Moray, at the request of King Alexander II who was, at that time, patron of the church. The teinds remained with Pluscarden after its union with Urquhard Priory in 1453/4, while the cure continued to be served by a vicar perpetual, as had been provided for in 1233. The patronage of the church later passed into the hands of lord Cawdor.

 

 

The lower part of the parish comprised the two baronies of Borlum and Durris.¹

The present church building is of a relatively modern date, it having been re-build c.1800. It is assumed that the medieval church stood on the same site but there is, as yet, no direct evidence of this. The 'glebe' is, however, located directly to the south of the graveyard which is an indication of antiquity.

 

 

The parish of Dores had two detached portions: one, now called Dell, was originally called the dabhach of Kinbrylie; the second was described as "an auchten part" (eighth) of the dabhach of Erichte, known as the grazing of Killin. In 1447x1508, three of the parish's dabhaichean - Bochruben {Bracrobynie}, Duntelchaig and Bunachton {Bonachton} - were divided in halves. Three halves were attached to the'castlelands' of Inverness, whilst the other three were feued out by the monks of Pluscarden.²

However, it must be said that the lands associated with this parish are far from clear. A record of them is to be found in the Thirds of Benefices which dates to 1561.³ Although there is some correspondence with Ross (2003), there is also considerable variance. I have included both sets of information in the table below.

 

The lands of Dores Parish

Name in "Thirds"	Name in Ross (2003)	OS Grid Ref.	Extent *	Comment *
Kynbryly	Kinbrylie	NH 48_16_	2 arratras	Now called Dell.
Archodaucht	Achodewechte	NH	2 arratras
Cortlok	Gortlek	NH 540202	2 arratras	Probably combined with Errogie.
Erne	Erne	NH	2 arratras
Crue		NH
Ruono (?) Abstry	Ruthven & Abersky	NH 600270	4 arratras + 2 arratras
Bamlone		NH
Little Bellie	Little Bellecarenoth	c.NH 550280	2 arratras	Now called Whitefield.
Meikle Bellie	Mekyl Bellecarenoth	c.NH 550280	2 arratras	ditto.
Carenach		NH		Looks similar to Bellecarenoth.
Bracrobynie	Bocrobyne	NH 572273	1 dabhach
Crichtie		NH
Ardochtak		NH
Bonachton	Bonachtten	NH 656347	2 arratras (½d)	This is Bunachton.
Collard	Collard	NH 638402	4 arratras	Now called Cullaird.
Borocht		NH
Brodland	Brodland	NH	2 arratras
	Durris (with Lepan)	NH 59_35_	1 dabhach	Lepan is now known as An Torr.
	Erichte	c.NH 582309	4 arratras	Auchnabat & Killin.
	Dundelchaik	c.NH 62_32_	1 dabhach	Duntelchaig.
	Laydcloyne	NH 567258	4 arratras
	Kyntalze	NH	3 arratras
	Gortlek	NH 540202	2 arratras	Gorthleck.
	Dunichea	NH	½ dabhach
	Du[n]dechtak	NH	2 arratras	(Dundelchak - 2 ploughgates)
	Brocrobyne	NH 572273	2 arratras/½ dabhach	Part of Bocrobyne.
	Ab[er]sky	NH 597269	2 arratras
	West Leadclune	NH 56_25_	½ dabhach	Half of Laydcloyne.
	East Leadclune	NH 56_25_	½ dabhach	Half of Laydcloyne.
	East Erchitt	NH 584313	½ dabhach	Half of Erichte.
	Errogie	NH 561225	½ dabhach
	Ruthven	NH 602270	½ dabhach
	Little Drummond	c.NH 47_14_	½ dabhach ?
	Achodewechte	NH	2 arratras	Archodaucht.
* The Comments are taken mostly from Ross (2003), vol.ii, p.69-70 as is the Extent information. The entries in the shaded area are only to be found in Ross (2003).

Alexander, Earl of Dunfermline, sold the Kirk lands of Durris to Mark Dunbar (of the Westfield family) in 1592.