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Moulin Kirk, Moulin Village, Moulin Hotel, Moulin Brewery, Perthshire, Scotland
The Kirk has a long history. The Stewarts have been part of this church's history and we felt it would be a good choice for our connection to Scotland.
This Kirk has now been turned into a historic museum.
Moulin Kirk is thought to have been established by St Colm in the 6 th Century. Moulin had been a community from at least Bronze Age times. There is evidence of a large number of 'Hut circles' situated just North of the present village on Moulin Moor, (most of them around the Smooth Rounded Hill), that in Gaelic is MAOHLINN, and is probably the origination of the present name Moulin - pronounced ' Moo Linn'- no resemblance to the French pronunciation. Nor does there appear to have been any significant Mill around the area, though in latter days there was a water powered sawmill.
It is thought that the present Kirk is, at least, the fourth such building on the site.
Our Perthshire Family History Group have set up a research centre within the Kirk, and they have done extensive research on the cemetery, its gravestones and monuments. The most famous being a long narrow, flat stone, some 20 yards away from the Kirk, inscribed with a large sword.
This has always been called ' The Crusader's Grave' but no positive name has ever been given to the person/s resting there.
The three main families recorded as living in the area since the 16 th Century are the Stewarts of Balnakeilly, the Fergussons of Baledmund and the Butters of Cluniemore. It is interesting to note that several of the galleried pews in the Kirk, were 'owned' by these families and had been enlarged and upholstered to make them distinctive - was the extra size designed to accommodate the large dresses of the Ladies of the 19 th Century?
The Kirk had pews to seat more than 400 parishioners, and a Sunday morning service must have been quite a sight as the congregation gathered.
During the winter of 2005/6 the Moulin Kirk Trust is busy preparing the Kirk for its reopening - hopefully in the Spring of 2006.
The already mentioned Family History Research Centre will be manned most days to help visitors and locals alike to research their family history, not just in the Parish of Moulin but anywhere where records have been kept and are accessible.
There is a mountain of archived material relating to the Moulin and Pitlochry area, which has been assembled by the members of the History Bank Project. This material will be hopefully stored and able to be accessed from Moulin Kirk, once conditions have been prepared and are maintained as suitable, probably in the vestry area and spire.
An area to the back of the church has been set aside for tea and coffee. A table nearby carries the historys of many local organisations, including the famous "Millenium Diary". There are many different small exhibitions, including History of Schools in the area, the local Girl Guides and the History of the three remaining Estates. There are many photographs of the Church and village layout, others relate to the establishment of Pitlochry as the main town, and its attraction for visitors from all over the World.
There are four glass display cabinets holding much local memorabilia.
The Pulpit of the Kirk has been retained in its former position, flanked by the original Communion Table, Baptismal Font and Minister's Chair. It is hoped this area will become a 'quiet' area for people to reflect on the past populations, and their lives.
While strolling in Moulin Village one day in 2001 I took
these pictures. You can see "the Kirk steeple" in the
background. I have other lovely pictures and will put
them up as soon as I locate them.
Moulin Inn & Brewery
Pitlochry
Perthshire
Scotland
Tel: 01796 472196
Fax: 01796 474098
WITH THANKS TO MOULIN INN AND BREWERY
Moulin Village
There was a settlement in the area of Moulin prior to Bronze Age times. We have the evidence of the Hut Circle remains, a number of Standing Stones in the immediate area and other circles of Stones nearby.
Ptolomy refers to a settlement called Lindum, which is located very close to Pitlochry, mentioned in his earliest maps of Northern Europe.
Church records relate to some of the estates and landlords, latterly mentioning the Stewarts of Balnakeilly, The Fergussons of Baledmund and the Butters of Cluniemore, all in the immediate area. All of these families still occupy substantial lands to this day.
The Golf Course has many of its Greens, Fairways and Tees named after past events, such as Queen Marys Rest and The Druids Stone. The Old North Road, a drovers road used to pass through the area of the present golf course.
This road used to come North from Dunkeld following the higher ground, pass immediately behind the Moulin Inn, and then across to the pass of KillieKrankie and the Highlands beyond. Minor roads and tracks also crossed at Moulin, to head off East to Kirkmichael and west to Aberfeldy.
The Parish of Moulin encompassed the whole area of Moulin and Pitlochry, but Pitlochry itself began to grow as early as 1745.
General Wade ran his new military road alongside the Rivers Tay and Tummel, where in previous times the ground had been far to wet to reliably allow the passage of animals, men and carts. This new road ran along the path of the present Pitlochry main street, and became the main road North until 1988, when the A9 was upgraded and many towns including Pitlochry were bypassed – thank goodness.
Moulin village had, of course, been bypassed as early as 1745 and was now a very quiet farming community. It was the arrival of the railway in the 1870’s that brought a new influx of visitors.
The area around Pitlochry was termed ‘Hydropathic’ to reflect the clear fresh air, untainted waters and generally excellent scenery and views. It was possible to travel from as far afield as Edinburgh and Glasgow in a few hours. Some people began to build homes in the town, reflecting their success in business and constructed to an excellent standard, most still standing in prime positions today.
The Pitlochry Hydro and the Atholl Palace were also built about this time but Moulin Inn, having been already in place for nearly 200 years was extended and became an Hotel. Many of the village people worked in the Hotel, its gardens and in the task of helping visitors move around.
Moulin was a staging post, keeping Horses and Carriages in the Coach House ready to take visitors across the moor to Kirkmichael or down to Perth, but the more usual task was a trip to the railway station to meet the latest train and the ever increasing stream of visitors.
Motorists began to arrive in the 1920’s and a new set of visitors with them, with ever changing demands. The old Blacksmiths shop next to the Hotel evolved into a Motor Garage with petrol tanks and cars for hire, by 1970 this had been knocked down and the further extension of 10 en-suite bedrooms took its place.
By now Moulin village had begun to expand with new houses being erected on the outskirts.
The one feature of the village which survived these times was the Moulin Kirk, though little of the original structure remains, due to at least 3 fires, the most recent in 1886.
The churchyard has many interesting features such as paupers graves and a ‘Crusaders’ grave, lying flat but preserved through the centuries.
Today the Kirk is being reused as a History Centre after lying empty and unused since 1991, and is compiling many interesting items, artefacts, photographs and text, being placed on display for visitors to view. The full history of the village and surrounding area will ultimately be researched fully and displayed in the kirk along with a genealogy department to help trace the ancestry of past generations.
Here is a site that may interest you - Scottish Genealogy - http://www.scottishroots.com
