LAWERS

Lawers House built around 1823 by Lord Balgray

The land around Coneyhill, where the golf course in Comrie is located, was originally owned by the Drummonds of Drummond Castle. They sold it in 1526 to James Campbell and his wife, Margaret Forrester obtaining a charter for the lands of Fordew (now Fordie), Glentarkane (Glentarken - the glen of the cow) and Balmuck (now Balmuick - the farm of the swine, pig). Their grandson, Colin, obtained a charter for the estate of Aberuchill (confluence with the Ruchill) in 1596. Subsequently a castle was built there in 1602...surely the Campbells weren’t coming...they were here! In the chapter on the MacGregors we describe an attack on the original house, and the end result. Lawers remained in Campbell hands until 1784 when it was sold to General Archibald Robertson, and subsequently passed to his niece Miss Boyd Robertson in 1813. She married her cousin, David Robertson Williamson, who as a judge of the Court of Session used the title Lord Balgray. He was an autocrat and, whilst the claim is made that he was an “improving” landlord, he force evicted many from his estates.

Some stories have come to us about Lawers and the following are some of them. I have tried to put them in chronological order however one or two may be in juxtaposition.