Publication Info
Publication Details
Introduction
Kinellar Kirkyard The old Kirk and Kirkyard of Kinellar stand on a windy hilltop overlooking the valley of the River Don. The Kirk has been disused for some years, and indeed, at the time of writing, is under threat of being converted into a “desirable residence”. The original burial ground was confined to the area immediately to the west, south and east of the Kirk, and while many of the stones are of 19th or 20th century date, there are also a number of significantly older memorial slabs and headstones. The stones in this section (including several now buried, or heavily mossed) were read some years ago by the late Jim Shirer and his wife, Jean. Jim, who had family links to the place, wrote an Introduction which is reproduced overleaf. All that was missing for publication was an accurate plan of the burial ground, so a new survey was carried out in early 2009. On the occasion of the “Graveyard Outing” on 6th June 2009, an “expeditionary force” split off from the main contingent at Kintore to check the numbering of the new plan, and carry out a final check on the transcription (but without disturbing the buried or mossed stones). This volume is the result. A hundred years ago, Kinellar Kirkyard was surveyed by John Henderson, and the inscriptions of the few stones which he deemed worthy of his attention were published in “Aberdeenshire Epitaphs and Inscriptions” in 1907. Most of the stones he recorded are still visible, but where his readings go beyond what can now be made out, this is noted. As the original burial area was pretty well full, a new cemetery section was laid out to the east some years ago, and the “expeditionary force” also mapped and recorded the MIs in this section. As burials continue in the cemetery, the MIs in this area have not been included in the current booklet, but will be made available in the ANESFHS Library. The inscriptions were recorded, in the style of the time, using a number of conventional abbreviations (“d.” for “died”, “dau.” for “daughter” etc.). These have been retained. All personal names are shown in bold as an aid to finding, and all “editorial” text is shown in italics. Gavin Bell August 2009 The name Kinellar – “Caen Ell-er (the end of a great battle)” is reputedly derived from the story of a great defeat of the Danes in the Howe of Cromar, and a subsequent Rout at Kinellar. In the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland, Vol. 2, Charter number 837, it is noted that my forebear William Scherar, Provost of Aberdeen in 1447 and his wife, Isabella Rutherford, sold the lands of Kinellar to Henry Forbes, the deed being recorded at Edinburgh 4th July 1465. Witnesses to this Charter, in the reign of James III were Alexander Young, Canon in Aberdeen, Henry Rutherford, his wife’s uncle, Andrew Scherar, his brother, Master Duncan Scherar, another brother, who was Regent of the district, Master Duncan Scherar, his son, who was Vicar of Kintore, Robert Ferguson, Vicar of Logy, Walter Johnson, cappelaris, who was in control of the statues and goods related to church decoration, Master Thomas Leis, notary public, and Alexander Skene. William Scherar was granted his coat of arms on 31st July 1464 and these are designated as “three daggers paleways, surmounted by three boars’ heads confed”. In Alexander Keith’s “A Thousand Years of Aberdeen” the family is described as being amongst the merchant prince families of Aberdeen and can be traced back to the late 13th century as merchants and shipowners, and towards the end of the 14th century as tenants in chief and tacksmen on the lands of the Gordons of Strathbogie, a family into whose branches they later intermarried. In one document in the Scottish Record Office I found one Johannes Scheraris in Dunbanawe (Dunbennan) now incorporated into Huntly, described as agricola and fermeror. It is interesting to note that three hundred years later, in the Poll Tax of 1696, a lot of Scherar (now Shirer) descendants are recorded. This publication has been in the pipeline for some time, and was started when I lived in the parish. My thanks for help during the period between my original transcription and completion of this project go to Sheila Spiers, Dr. Margaret Brown, my wife Jean Shirer, and to the latest addition to the team, Edna Cromarty. Jim Shirer
Comments
Kinellar Old Kirkyard (parish of Kinnellar), naming 567 individuals between 1651 and 2009
