Alness PastPresent - Around Alness

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Around Alness
The 17th Century saw the growth of shipping ports around the Cromarty Firth. The Act of Union in 1707 made access to the English markets easier. The evidence of this trade survives in the Girnels (store houses) that fringe the Firth. One such stands at Alness Point.

The increased trading links to the South also meant that Southern manufacturers made inroads into Easter Ross. One of the industries this caused to disappear was agricultural tile making. In 1849 Munro of Teaninich had to import bricks and tiles from Aberdeen for the building of Coul Cottage. Virtually the only local industry to survive was distilling. Alness gained its second distillery in 1839 with the building of Dalmore.

A short distance further on from the Girnel on the West side of the river is the mansion house of Teaninich, dated 1784, although it probably held an earlier core; former seat of the Munros of Teaninich (or Culmalachie, the old word for Teaninich). Hugh Munro owned land in Alness and Kiltearn according to the Rent Roll of the Seriffdom of Inverness, in 1644 with a value of Ł440.16 (Scots). The Munros of Teaninich acquired the Milntown of Alness in February 1660 for Ł515.12.6 (Sterling). In 1786 Captain James Munro sold the lands of Wester Teaninich, Ballachraggan and Culcraggie to Sir Hector Munro of Novar, reserving the superiority rights for the mill at Teaninich (some say this was a snuff mill). Supposedly Teaninich Castle was in the wall of an old steading and pre dated Teaninich House. The remains of this castle were blown down early in the 19th Century and it is possible that stone from this castle was used to build the mansion.

In 1763, Captain James Munro married Margaret Mackenzie of Ardross and died in May 1788 to be succeeded by his eldest son Hugh. This is were the story gets interesting...

Captain Hugh Munro was engaged to Jane Munro of Novar and they planned to marry after his return from fighting in the Netherlands. During the battle of Nimeguen, however, he was hit by musket shot from the side, passing through both eyes and leaving him blind at the age of 24. On his return home, Jane's father, Sir Hector Munro, forbid her to marry Hugh or 'The Blind Captain', as he became to be known.

Despite his brothers failed attempt at arranging an elopement, Hugh threw himself into the supervision of the building of the present Teaninich House striding out the sizes of the rooms himself. The room measurements do not square up precisely and are consistent with a blind person pacing the distances. He was not afraid of danger as he would often climb up to the roof and supervise things, much to the alarm of the builders.

Although, he did not marry, the story is that he did have a daughter by an Ardross girl who had been a servant at Teaninich. When she was old enough, he brought her home to Teaninich and brought her up to be a lady and bought Balconie Estate for her. She in turn founded a school in the Chapel in Evanton, which became known as Miss Munro's school. Jane Munro of Novar, meanwhile had married, although her love for Hugh was still strong. When she found herself in failing health, she asked to see him once more. At a service in the Parish Church, she sat in the Novar balony. When she saw the Captain being led in to the Teaninich balcony, wearing his distinctive green glasses, Jane collapsed and died soon after.

The Blind Captain founded Teaninich Distillery in 1817. At the time the Customs and Excise were trying to clamp down on illicit whisky distilling, so landlords were urged to set up legal distilleries. Teaninich's output increased 30 or 40 times by 1830 after the Excise act of 1823 reduced the fiscal burden on legal distillers.

The area to the south and east of the Church was cleared of houses, drained , large fields made and trees planted. To the west of the river, the new Alness was laid out in half acre feus on 99 year leases. The layout of these still remain today in the shape of Novar Road, Munro Terrace, Firthview Terrace, Hill Street and Willowbank Road. They would still have been able to keep a cow, a horse or a pig on their feu, but would earn their living by other means such as Teaninich Distillery. Alness Old Parish Kirk

By the 1830's Alness was big enough to warrant the appointment of a village Constable due to the many undesirables that arrived by train causing disorder and thefts, so a large number of persons signed a petition to have a constable. Amongst those who signed were 18 tradesmen, a butcher and a Dr. Rutherford.

Hugh was also responsible for the alterations to the course of the River Averon to prevent its frequent and devastating flooding in 1844 and Teaninich remained a Munro seat until after the First World War when it was bought by an American, Charles Harrison, the man on whom Frances Hodgson Burnett's book 'Little Lord Fauntleroy' was based. He is best remembered for the large American car he drove. He also gave picnics for the school children and contributed to school prizegiving.

There has been some debate on whether the superb gardens around Teaninich was the inspiration for Burnett's best known work 'The Secret Garden'. it was published in 1910, but, as Harrison didn't buy Teaninich until ten years later, it is highly unlikely there is any connection. Unless, of course, she stayed at Teaninich as a guest of the Munro's.

Sentry Hill above the bridge was, in the olden days, a watch point. The Earl of Sutherland had gathered about 1200 men on the Government side at the first Jacobite rising in 1715. On 5th October he made his Headquarters the Crawl Park, occupying a line along the lower reaches of the Averon. While here, Sutherland also gained additional strength which came by sea swelling his force to some 4000 men. Their presence in Alness is a possible explanation as to where the name 'Crawl Park' originated. The gaelic for encampment is N'Craill. Another story comes from Robert Ross (Seaforth) O.B.E. When attending the Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 1897, he saw various tents around the arena and likened it to a South African Kraal. At the turn of this century the entrenchments of the Jacobite Camp constructed during the 1715 rebellion were still visible on the hill.

Overlooking the Crawl Park is Dalmore House, now a Church of Scotland Eventide Home, but once the quarters for RAF and WAAF Officers during the second world war. In 1933 however, it was the scene of much activity. Most of it from firemen as it was ablaze at the time. The house was occupied by Lord and Lady Temple of the Wills Tobacco family and employed a butler called Francis Grey. One day, he gave the staff a day off and then proceeded to steal the silver and jewellery worth Ł25,000. He hid his loot in the river bank and, after ordering petrol to be delivered on some false pretence then returned to set the place on fire. Unfortunately,someone in the Crawl Park had spotted him burying his ill gotten gains. He was promptly arrested, found guilty and sent to Peterhead prison where he died serving his five year sentence.

A large stone on the boundary between Dalnacloich and Newmore is known as the "stone of the finger". In olden times there was a dispute between the lairds of Dalnacloich and Newmore over the boundaries. After a time an amicable settlement was reached (most unusual for those days) and it was agreed that the large stone would be the boundary. The next step was to record the agreement but there did not seem to be anyone present in the company who could read and write, so the finger of a young boy was cut off on the stone - one of the leaders remarking, "There is one present today who will remember this spot until he is an old man".

Ah, the magic of childhood...