OS1/17/15/84D

Continued entries/extra info

[Page] 84d

[Continued from Page 84c]
The first siege Urquhart Castle is known to have
sustained was in the year 1303, when it was taken
by the officers of Edward I.
On the brow of the hill fronting Loch Ness, and near
the hamlet of Bunloit, there is a small vitrified fort
called Dunscriben which communicated with
similar signal stations at the east end and centre of
the great Caledonian Valley; and about 2 miles west
of the castle in Glen Urquhart rises a very prominent
rocky hill, styled Craigmoni, which was partly encircled
on the summit with rude walls of stone, and on which
tradition says the ancient beacon fires were lighted,
besides it being used as the gallows Hill of the old
castle. In Argyleshire, a tradition prevails that a Danish
or Norwegian Prince of the name of Moni having landed
in the district of Crinan (still known as the pass of Moni)
and laid waste the country, was afterwards attacked by
the native inhabitants, who routed his troops, and pursued
him and a few of his followers, who with difficulty re-
gained their ships, and fled northward towards
Lochaber. Having reached Craigmoni, and established
himself in the adjoining valley still called Dalmoni, this
son of the King of Lochlin or Norway, as he is styled in the
country, seems afterwards to have been driven farther
up into the country, and to have perished at Corrymony
or Coiramhoni, the Valley of Moni, where his grave
(Uai Mhoni) is still to be seen.
The beautifully exposed and fine sloping grounds on the
east side of the bay of Urquhart were early brought into
cultivation, and belonged to the order of Knights Templars,
or the Knights of St. [Saint] John of Jerusalem, some of whom
were probably constables of the adjoining king's castle,
and founders of a small religious house which
stood on the point still called Temple, on the farm of
Saint Ninians. [Continued on Page 84e]

[Bunloit] -- Shewn
[Dunscriben] -- Shewn
[Craigmoni] -- Shewn Craig Mony
[gallows Hill] -- No information could be got relating to this Hill
[Craigmoni] -- Shewn
[Dalmoni] -- Written Dalmony
[Corrymony] -- Written
[(Uai Mhoni)] -- Written Mony's stone
[religious house which] -- Shewn (Site of) Shewn
[stood on the point still called Temple] -- Shewn
[Saint Ninians] -- Shewn