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Lynedoch

Perthshire, Sheet LXXXV
Ordnance Survey, 1867image courtesy of NLS

Lynedoch was a castle belonging to the Gray family although nothing of it now remains.

The earliest owners of Lynedoch seem to have been the Mercer family. In 1443 James II granted Andrew Mercer de Mekilloure the lands of Balleyffe, Ballachouse, Culcarny, Kynnarde, Mekilloure, Awdese, Dalketh, Tulibagill, Dunberny, Gilgirstoun and Ledenoch, erecting them into the free barony of Mekilloure.

In 1475 Laurence Mercer granted his wife, Elizabeth Wardlaw, daughter of Henry Wardlaw of Torrie, the lands Estir-awdeis, Westir-awdeis, Powmyll with its mill, Dunbery and Petrathlie, Tulebalis and Lidnoche.

Their son, Henry Mercer de Mekilloure, received from James IV in 1504 confirmation of the lands of Balleyff, Ballachous, Culcarny, Kynnarde, Mekilloure, Awdeys, Dalkeyth, Tulybagill, Dunberny, Petcaithly, Gilgirstoun and Lednoch, which were reconfirmed in 1511.

David Gray seems to have taken possession of the lands of Leidnach by July 1513, purchasing land from John and Donald Beg, and in September of that year Henry was killed at the Battle of Flodden.

Lynedoch is marked on Pont’s late 16th century map of Lower Glen Almond as a tower named Lednog and on his map of South Strathearn as a tower named Leydnarg.

In the first half of the 17th century David’s great-great-grandson, Patrick Gray, succeeded his father in the lands of Lednoch. According to tradition Patrick’s daughter, Mary Gray, and her friend, Bessie Bell, daughter of the laird of Kinvaid, were killed by the plague.

The tradition of the country relating to these ladies is, that Mary Gray’s father was laird of Lednock, and Bessie Bell’s of Kinvaid, a place in this neighbourhood: that they were both very handsome, and an intimate friendship subsisted between them: that while Miss Bell was on a visit to Miss Gray, the plague broke out, in the year 1666; in order to avoid which, they built them- selves a bower, about three quarters of a mile west from Lednock-house, in a very retired and romantic place, called Burnbraes, on the side of Beanchie-burn. Here they lived for some time; but the plague raging with great fury, they caught the infection (it is said) from a young gentleman, who was in love with them both. He used to bring them their provision. They died in this bower ; and were buried in the Dranoch-haugh, at the foot of a brae of the same name, and near to the bank of the river Almond. The burial place lies about half a mile west from the present house of Lednock.
Archaeologia Scotica, Volume 2
Edinburgh, 1822

This is believed to have happened in 1645, when nearby Perth was afflicted by the plague, rather than 1666 when there were no reports of the disease in Scotland. Their tragic fate was commemorated in the folk song “Bessie Bell and Mary Gray”, also known as “The Twa Lassies O’ Bessie Bell and Mary Gray”, the first verse of which is:

Bessie Bell and Mary Gray,
They were twa bonnies lasses,
They biggit a bower on yon burn brae,
And theekit it ower w’ rashes.

These four verses were later added to, and later still Allan Ramsay composed a new song which only retained the first four verses. Some sources state that the oldest version of the song refers to Bessie Bell as Mary Gray’s cousin. Patrick Gray married twice, both times to women named Janet Blair so the niece can’t have been from his wives’ sides of the family. I haven’t been able to ascertain if Patrick had any sisters who married Bells. Interestingly one of the daughters of John Crichton of Kinvaid and Innernytie may seemingly have been called Isabell and I wonder if that could have been corrupted to Bessie Bell or perhaps even have been a nickname.

In 1649 John Irland owned part of Lednock and Patrick Gray owned another part. Both parts were valued at “threescore thirteene punds, six shilling, eight pennies”.

Around 1784 the estate was sold to Thomas Graham of Balgowan who later fought in the Napoleonic wars and was made Baron Graham of Lynedoch in 1814. Baron Graham died in 1843 and Lynedoch House was demolished later in the 19th century.

Lynedoch

Map of the basin of the Tay
James Knox, Edinburgh, 1831image courtesy of NLS
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Alternative names for Lynedoch

Leadnock; Ledenoch; Lednach; Lednauch; Lednock; Lednog; Lednoch; Lednoch House; Leidnach; Leydnarg; Lidnoche; Lyndack; Lyndoch; Lyndock; Lynedoch Cottage; Lynedoch House

Clans associated with Lynedoch

Mercer

Surnames associated with Lynedoch

Graham

Gray

Mercer

Where is Lynedoch?

Lynedoch is in the parish of Methven and the county of Perthshire.

Grid reference: NO 03405 28508

Lat / long: 56.438831, -3.568214

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Bing Maps | Google Maps | Historic maps (NLS) | OpenStreetMap | Ordnance Survey | PastMap | Streetmap | Wikimapia

OS Map for Lynedoch

OS map 379
Dunkeld, Aberfeldy & Glen Almond
OS Explorer map 379


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Directions to Lynedoch

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Weather at Lynedoch

14°C
max 15°C / min 13°C
14km/h E
1017mb
85%
17%
04:04 20:16

Few clouds
Weather observed at Methven at 09:25
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References (books)

Archaeologia Scotica (Volume 2)
Various
Edinburgh, 1822
Black's Picturesque Tourist of Scotland
Various
Edinburgh, 1851
Domestic Annals of Scotland (Volume 2)
Robert Chambers
Edinburgh, 1858
New Statistical Account of Scotland
Various
Edinburgh, 1845
Perthshire in Bygone Days
Peter Robert Drummond
London, 1879
Perthshire in History and Legend
Archie McKerracher
Edinburgh, 1988
Statistical Account of Scotland
Various
Edinburgh, 1799
The Castles of Scotland
Martin Coventry
Prestongrange, 2015
The Register of the Great Seal of Scotland A.D. 1424-1513
James Balfour Paul
Edinburgh, 1882

Castles near Lynedoch

Methven Castle

2.6km away

Kinvaid Castle (site of)

2.7km away

Strathord Castle (site of)

5.9km away

Huntingtower Castle

5.9km away

Keillour Castle

6.5km away

Prieston (site of)

7.4km away

Airleywight (site of)

7.5km away

Auchtergaven (site of)

7.6km away

Coltrannie (site of)

8.1km away
more castles....

Ancient sites near Lynedoch

Moneydie stone circle

2.5km away

Bachilton stone circle

5.4km away

Blairhall cursus

8.3km away

Witch's Stone standing stone

9.0km away

Muirheadstone stone circle

9.4km away

Staredam standing stones

9.8km away

Fowlis Wester stone circle, cairns, standing stones and rock art

11.5km away

New Fowlis cairn and standing stones

11.9km away

Crofthead Farm standing stones

12.1km away
more ancient sites....

Pictish stones near Lynedoch

Tulloch Class I symbol stone

6.3km away

Dupplin Cross Class III cross

9.7km away

Fowlis Wester Church Class III cross-slab

11.4km away

Fowlis Wester Class II cross-slab

11.5km away

Pittensorn Class III slab

11.7km away

Bore Stone of Gask Class II cross slab

12.0km away

Murthly 2 Class II cross slab

12.2km away

Murthly 1 Class III stone

12.2km away

Cargill Class I symbol stone

14.0km away
more Pictish stones....
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Pictish sites near Lynedoch

Norrie's Law hoard

42.9km away

Haddington silver chain

72.7km away

Traprain Law silver chain

76.4km away

Borland silver chain

82.3km away

Todholes (possible) silver chain

82.8km away

Whitlaw silver chain

92.7km away

Hoardweel silver chain

101.3km away

Dunnicaer fort

101.9km away

Whitecleugh silver chain

110.8km away
more Pictish sites....
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Accommodation near Lynedoch

Huntingtower Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barAlmondbank
4.9km away
Huntingtower Apartment
self-catering apartmentPerth
6.1km away
Holiday Inn Express Perth
hotel, barPerth
6.8km away
The Bankfoot Inn
hotelBankfoot
7.6km away
Aaron Guest House
bed and breakfastPerth
8.7km away
Almond Villa B&B
bed and breakfastPerth
8.8km away
Symphony Lovat Hotel
hotelPerth
8.8km away
Grampian Hotel
hotelPerth
9.3km away
Mercure Perth Hotel
hotelPerth
9.3km away
New County Hotel, Perth
hotelPerth
9.5km away

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Cafés, restaurants & bars near Lynedoch

Huntingtower Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barAlmondbank
4.9km away
Holiday Inn Express Perth
hotel, barPerth
6.8km away
Best Western Queens Hotel & Leisure Club
hotel, restaurant, barPerth
9.5km away
Breizh
restaurant, caféPerth
9.9km away
Murrayshall House Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barScone
12.4km away
Atholl Arms Hotel, Dunkeld
hotel, bar, restaurantDunkeld
14.1km away
Crieff Hydro Hotel and Leisure Resort
hotel, restaurantCrieff
17.8km away
Knock Castle Hotel & Spa
hotel, restaurant, barCrieff
18.3km away
Famous Grouse Experience
restaurant, café, barCrieff
18.4km away
The Famous Bein Inn
hotel, restaurant, barAberargie
19.9km away
more food.... / more drink....

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Published on the 24th of May 2020 at 12:29 pm. Updated on the 28th of May 2020 at 11:07 am.

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Andy Sweet above Fast Castle

Stravaiging around Scotland is written, photographed and researched by Andy Sweet.
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