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There's 'moor' to the Dava than meets the eye





The bewitching, enigmatic Dava Moor is finally telling its story through both an exhibition in Grantown and a new, warts-and-all book.

“Drawn from the Past – Voices from Dava Moor” launch yesterday at the town’s heritage centre, celebrating the atmospheric landscape between the Strathspey capital and Forres.

An impressive exhibition of artwork, photography and sound recordings is the stage for a new volume written and researched by historian and artist Dr Charles Fletcher.

Delving deep into the archives of the Earls of Seafield, and drawing upon interviews with farmers and gamekeepers who worked the moors, Dr Fletcher discovers why people first came to live on the windswept moors and ultimately, why they left.

The now empty stretch of moorland conceals a dark history of social engineering, clearances and even murder.

“Some of the audio recordings are being released in a series of podcasts and will also be available to listen to at the exhibition,” Dr Fletcher told the Strathy.

“The book and exhibition are the conclusion of a project funded by the Berryburn Community Fund, which has been ongoing for several years.

“We are hoping that there will be lots of interest in Grantown and the surrounding area – lots of people in the town have connections to the crofts on the moor, whilst others are familiar with the moor from driving, walking or cycling across it.

“It has become especially popular during lockdown.”

In compiling his in-depth report, Dr Fletcher uncovered evidence of an ambitious agricultural experiment carried out by the laird of the Grant estates, Grantown founder Sir James Grant, which was doomed to failure and led to the eventual evictions of many families in Strathspey.

Spanning the late 17th through to the 19th centuries his scrupulous research reveals how estate policy created desperate tension in the small community, the conflict culminating in a vicious murder.

The exhibition will incorporate fascinating sound recordings of memories from the people who have lived on the Dava, many of whom were the last tenants of the small farms that can be seen today.

They tell of happier times in the middle of last century, scraping a living from the unyielding land but managing to create long-lasting friendships within a tightknit community.

Grantown Museum manager Dan Cottam said: “We are so pleased to bring this new story to light. It’s a really important piece of historical research that re- positions our knowledge on crofting history in Strathspey and the consequences that estate policy had on everyday people.

“It has also been fantastic to capture first-hand voices from the Twentieth Century to round off the story.

“It really is a must-see exhibition for anyone interested in Highland heritage, and the beautiful art, photography by Lynn Robinson of Spey Valley Photography and poetry add a whole other dimension.

“Charles Fletcher’s new book is such a fascinating read and we will be introducing a series of podcasts throughout the exhibition that adds refurther depth and insight into the story – look out for them on our website, www.grantownmuseum.co.uk”

“The moors and hills of Scotland are dotted with houses just like those found on Dava moor,” said Dr Fletcher, “marginal farms on the edge of nowhere, most now abandoned. Despite being empty for decades many of these homes appear to have frozen in time, awaiting the return of the last inhabitants who walked out half a century before, the kettle still on the hob, family bible on the kitchen table, jacket on the hook.

“Two questions always haunt people when they visit places like these: who lived there, and why did they leave? The book and exhibition sets out to answer these questions.”

Reproduced in the book are interviews with people who remember the old way of life on the moors; farmers, gamekeepers and road workers.

These people lived and worked on the moor when many of the now abandoned crofts were still lived in and farmed in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s.

These interviews are available to listen to at the exhibition at Grantown Museum and in a podcast series which will be made available online.

Dr Fletcher said: “Many of the people interviewed were quick to tell us that life was tough up there and the farming very poor. This begs the question why people ended up farming on the moors in the first place?

“The first part of the book is dedicated to answering this question. Simply put, the farms were mainly created in the 18th Century as part of an ambitious programme of social engineering carried out in the name of ‘improvement’ by the Grant lairds.

“Tenants were deprived of their traditional shielings and expected to embrace the ‘new regime’. The consequences of this scheme were tragic for many involved, leading to poverty, famine and large scale emigration to America.

“To add insult to injury, many of the unprofitable farms on Dava moor were subsequently cleared as it became clear that they wouldn’t pay their way.

“This isn’t something which is really talked about when people discuss the history of Strathspey. This is the legacy that the 20th Century inhabitants of the moor inherited.”

Grantown museum is open everyday except Tuesday , weekdays 10am-5pm and weekends 11am-3pm.


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