Day 2: 15 June 2023 – “Cromar Day” with Kathy Ader of Wild History and Whisky Tours

Third in a series of guest posts by Paige Cromar Davis

The Drive to Aboyne

We set out early from Dunfermline and made our way north via the M90 to Perth, then A90 east through Dundee. So far, so good: the roads were easily navigable, and the roundabouts in Dundee were not hateful. Greg was getting the hang of this UK driving. But no. Google Maps decided we had had it too easy. The route took us off the A90 onto the narrow winding Old Military Highway, parts of which were more like a cattle droving road. “Wall!” “Fence!” “Cliff!” Greg thought it better to hit a wall than another car head on. We had not yet learned about “passing places” on these narrow passages. We celebrated our safe arrival in Aboyne with coffee at The Boat Inn along the River Dee where we would be staying the night.

Kathy Ader and a Bonus: Husband Gus

Bill had connected us with Kathy Ader of Wi ld History and Whisky Tours in March 2023 when we were planning our itinerary. Kathy had worked with Bill during his November 2022 visit to gain access to the Kirkton of Aboyne burial ground where many of our Cromar ancestors are laid to rest. She proposed two bespoke tours: one day to explore Cromar ancestry sites, and her “Secret Life of Glenlivet” whisky tour. We met up at 10:30 am at The Boat Inn where she introduced herself and husband Angus “Gus” Ader who was available to accompany us and drive. This turned out to be a delightful addition to our touring. The four of us felt like old friends by the end of the day. Based on research from this blog and local knowledge, Kathy had put together quite a meaningful first day.

Milton of Auchlossan, Lumphanan

Our first point of interest was Milton of Auchlossan, now on the map as Mill of Auchlossan, along Lumphanan Burn. My third great-grandfather, George Cromar, lived and worked as a farmer here most of his life. He and his wife, the former Ann Meston, had twelve children here, many who died in infancy or at an early age. Their first child was our second great-grandfather, John Cromar. John’s premature death occurred here as well, though he lived away from the farm most of his adult life. Here a great read about the significance of Milton of Auchlossan and John’s wanderlust: John Cromar and Ann George: rebels who broke free. While much of the property has been restored, the granite block of the buildings is original. It is difficult to describe my emotions as we passed through this settlement. I was filled with a sense of awe that Cromars 5 generations before me had walked this ground, worked this land, and called these buildings home. I wondered how the landscape may have changed—not much, I suspect, save for modern machinery.

Marywell

Kathy Ader tucked this stop into the itinerary after learning that it was the birthplace of George Cromar in 1792. The building has been added to, and Kathy’s knowledge of 18^th century architecture in the region led her to believe that the two-story portion was added later. The family and their livestock would have lived indoors together in separate ends of the original dwelling (on the left facing it) as was customary with crofts of the day. The property is privately owned and lived in. The owners were happy to learn some of Marywell’s history!

Peel Ring of Lumphanan & MacBeth’s stone

We made a departure from the ancestral sites to visit a famous landmark of Lumphanan: The Peel Ring. The peel is a natural mound upon which a wooden castle was built in the 13^th century which later fell to ruin. Few artifacts remain save the landscape itself. One uncommon feature It boasted was a water moat (rare to have in Scotland). Edward I is said to have visited the castle in 1296 to obtain a loyalty oath from Sir John Melville during the tumultuous Scottish Wars of Independence.

On the way back to the main road, we encountered the Stone of MacBeth. It is here the Shakespeare-maligned king was beheaded in 1057. In truth, he was a well-loved King of Scots who was charitable and generous according to Kathy.

Old & New Lumphanan villages

My great grandmother, Christiana Berry Robb Cromar was born and lived in Lumphanan. She would have lived in the “new” village. Kathy pointed out the “old” village which was a small collection of granite buildings with a prominent kirk (leftmost building in the photo). The belltower is typical of the era. We saw many like this all over the country. As we passed through the new village, we pondered a stop at the MacBeth Arms Tavern for a wee dram, but it was early yet, and we still had many stops.

Kincardine O’Neil village and kirk

Our next point of interest was the village and kirk ruins (the Auld Kirk) of Kincardine O’Neil. Ann Meston Cromar (married to George of Marywell and Milton of Auchlossan) was christened in this kirk in 1802. It is likely that her parents were married here. (See post George Cromar and Ann Meston: tragedies and mysteries.) The village is charming with its granite buildings lining North Deeside Road. I imagine our ancestors frequenting this road!

An emotional stop: Kirkton of Aboyne—Formaston Graveyard

As we pulled into the Lodge on the Loch car park, I couldn’t help but recall Bill’s account of his visit here. (see post S cotland: Day 6: Aberdeenshire: Miracles by the Dee) Kathy remembered also, especially the large bus they arrived in! We had a much easier time parking in the Aders’ Volvo! I felt almost nervous, as if about to meet an important person for the first time; yet, I was also in a sort of dream-like state, feeling as if this were not really happening. The weather had been most kind to us ahead of our visit—no slogging across any bogs. As evidenced by our photos, it was a gorgeous day. We took a few minutes to stop at the “stone circle” on the lodge property—not an ancient installation by any means, but interesting, nonetheless.

Inside the kirkyard

I was prepared with the kirkyard map Bill had sent with a key to Cromar graves. As we got to the gate, it was locked. A ladder adjacent to the gate provided a means for entry. I immediately set out to find Peter Cromar’s grave and found it quickly behind the obelisk memorializing two Peter Cromars. With a big grin on my face, I knelt down to touch the ground where my brother had buried a lock of our father’s hair and said, “Hi, Dad,” then turned my attention to the intriguing slab belonging to our 6^th great-grandfather. Kathy believed it is the oldest stone in the yard and told us historical aspects of the relief carvings adorning the limestone. After several minutes studying the stone and paying respects, we began seeking out other important Cromar stones from the map. One of the most notable was the stone erected by George Cromar memorializing so many of his children lost in infancy or childhood. Moss and lichen had grown on many of the stones, and we were hesitant to remove it for fear of damaging the markers. We did manage to sweep away loose debris to reveal more of the engravings. The vault of the ruined Formaston Kirk was observed to be reasonably intact, in spite of its ruinous state. (see Kirkton of Aboyne Rosetta stone post) Later on today’s itinerary, Kathy planned to take us to Victory Hall and Aboyne Castle Estate where the remains of the kirk, including the Formaston Stone (Pictish symbol stone fragment) and Formaston Bell Tower, reside respectively. As we readied to depart the yard, I made one last stop at Peter’s grave to say goodbye.

The Corner House – Delightful lunch stop with Kathy & Gus

By now, we were all ready for lunch. Kathy planned a stop at The Corner House in Aboyne for take-away. There were a few sidewalk tables, so we enjoyed our lunch outdoors in the beautiful weather. Greg and I really enjoyed this part of the day as it afforded an opportunity to get to know the Aders better. We could have sat there for hours in conversation, but tour sites were calling, so we wrapped up our meal and got back on the road.

Aboyne Castle Estate—Home of Formaston Bell Tower & Gordon Clan Seat

No Formaston Stone today. Victory Hall was locked, and unfortunately Kathy was unable to find anyone with the key for access. We did have more Pictish stones on the days’ stops, however, so we moved on to see the salvaged birdcage-style Bell Tower and give the bell a ring. Kathy gave us a historical account of the bell from its beginnings at Formaston Kirk, and how it had at one time been threatened with falling: hence its present safe home.

Coull Kirk—a most interesting educational spot!

Our next stop was Coull Kirk, the probable site of John Cromar and Ann George’s wedding. Her family lived in Coull at Cuttieshillock, and John at Crossfold (just down the road from Cuttishillock in Coull). Of interesting note in the kirkyard is the morthouse (with a grassy sod roof situated between the headstones and kirk in the photo below) that Kathy pointed out to us. Apparently, corpses were stored in morthouses prior to burial until they decomposed sufficiently to be useless as cadavers for anatomical dissection and study by medical students. Grave robbing for that purpose was common back in the day!

Tomnaverie Stone Circle—Affirming Bill’s impressions

In the heart of the Howe of Cromar and the sweeping hills that surround it lies this 5000 year old stone circle, a topic of many posts in this blog. While our visit here was not the sunset experience Bill and his group experienced in November 2022, we nevertheless felt the same sense of intimacy within its boundaries as if Morven and other Corbetts were just a stone’s throw away. Atop the circle on this perfect day we could easily glimpse majestic 3800′ Lochnagar directly in line with the recumbant stone. On the southern side of the circle and down the hill was Cuttieshillock. Like my brother, I wondered if a young Thuddie Cromar had hiked up the hill to the circle and played among the stones. Kathy pointed out the archaeological and historical significance of the circle’s features, the near-loss of its stones to the granite industry and local farmers needing stone for fences or pens, the now-defunct quarry adjacent to the circle, and a cold war era nuclear bunker at the site. Only time and weather can alter Tomnaverie now as the site is protected and cared for by Historic Environment Scotland.

Another emotional stop: Cuttieshillock—boyhood home of our great-grandfather Thuddie Cromar

As a young boy, our great-grandfather Theodore “Thuddie” Cromar came to live at Cuttieshillock with his grandparents (Ann George’s parents) after his father John passed away at a young age. We were very fortunate to walk this property since it is privately owned; as it happened, Kathy Ader knows the present owner/occupants! Cuttieshillock is a described as a ferm-toun whose oldest structures date back to the seventeenth or eighteenth century. Like Auchlossan and Marywell, the low block walls are original, a testament to the quality of construction in even the most humble dwellings built with enduring granite. It was here that Thuddie would have first learned granite masonry, the trade that ultimately brought him to America near the turn of the twentieth century, earned him a living, and left a legacy of architecturally significant buildings in our hometown of Richmond, Virginia. I will come back with my brother one day.

Migvie Kirk & Pictish Stones

Our tour had one final stop for today: Migvie Kirk. Migvie Kirk is just north of Tarland in the Howe of Cromar. As she originally planned the itinerary, Kathy knew we were interested in Pictish stones, so she added this stop on this day not thinking about any familial significance. As it turns out, Paul Anderson, famed Scottish fiddler, owns Migvie Kirk and has done much to restore it and make it a museum of sorts! Kathy learned shortly before our arrival that Paul and I are cousins descended from Peter Cromar! (We are to meet later this evening…so excited!) So, this stop was a fitting end for “Cromar Day!”

A class II Pictish stone stands in the kirkyard featuring a cross and various Pictish symbols shown in a key Kathy provided us. A neolithic cupmarked stone dating to as early as 4000 BC is on the property, and an entire community dating back to 7th century AD has been uncovered by archaeologists with artifacts including pottery and iron objects. Inside, Paul and his wife Shona have displayed Pictish stones, installed the amazing door panels, and provided interesting historical narratives and maps of early Christianity in the region. Paul records many of his YouTube videos here in the kirk. The acoustics are quite haunting!

Meeting a cousin: Dr. Paul Anderson, #paulandersonscottishfiddler

Our “Cromar Day” itinerary coming to a close, Gus drove the Volvo back through Tarland toward Aboyne and The Boat Inn where we would take some time to freshen up before dinner. After learning of the common ancestry Paul Anderson and I share (his mother is a Cromar and Peter Cromar is his oldest known Cromar ancestor), Kathy had arranged a dinner booking in Ballater at the Balmoral Arms that evening where Paul would be playing. At the time, I had no idea how important he is to the musical culture of Scotland–it is fair to say he is a Scottish national treasure.

We endured another white knuckle drive from Aboyne to Ballater and back, but well worth it! We met Paul about a half hour before his set and had the chance to talk about our families, the oral family history of our progenitor, Peter Cromar, and enjoyed friendly conversation. Paul is a gifted musician, yet very humble and easy to talk to. Greg took a photo of us (note that framing of the antlers…) We enjoyed a delicious dinner and 2 hours of the finest fiddling I have ever heard. From jigs to laments, the emotion flowing from Paul through his instrument reached into my soul. At the end of his set, he gifted me 3 of his albums and we said our goodbyes. It was one of the best memories of the trip.