Dundurn

Also known as:
Dunfillan and St Fillan's Hill
Nearest town:
Crieff (15km E)
OS reference:
NN708232
OS sheets:
51, 52
Latitude:
56° 23' 0.05 N
Longitude:
4° 5' 33.8 W
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Dundurn

BigSweetie
BigSweetie Feb 6, 2006

It’s easy to see why Dundurn was chosen as the site of a fort, as it rises steeply from the flat ground around it making it easy to defend. The slopes are littered with stones that are from the fort’s walls, which have now tumbled from their original position on the flat summit.

The views from the top are stunning, and show further it’s strategic importance, offering a sweeping vista of the wide flood plain of the River Earn below, and covering several major mountain passes.

Folklore

Dundurn
Hillfort
Rhiannon
Rhiannon Nov 30, 2009

I like this, it’s rather sarcastic but they obviously still like describing the goings-on.

The only remarkable spring here is that of St. Fillan, the Popish saint of Breadlbane, at the W. end of Stratherne.

This spring, tradition reports, reared its head on the top of Dun Fhaolain, (FILLAN’S Hill), for a long time doing much good; but in disgust, (probably at the Reformation!) it removed suddenly to the foot of a rock, a quarter of a mile to the southward, where it still remains, humbled indeed, but not forsaken. It is is still visited by valetudinary people, especially on the 1st of May, and the 1st of August. No fewer than 70 persons visited it in May and August 1791. The invalids, whether men, women, or children, walk, or are carried, round the well, three times, in a direction Deiseal, that is, from E. to W. according to the course of the Sun. They also drink of the water, and bathe in it. These operations are accounted a certain remedy for various diseases. They are particularly efficacious for curing barrenness; on which account it is frequently visited by those who are very desirous of offspring.

All the invalids throw a white stone on the saint’s cairn, and leave behind, as tokens of their confidence and gratitude, some rags of linen or woollen cloth.

The rock on the summit of the hill, formed, of itself, a chair for the saint, which still remains. Those who complain of rheumatism in the back, must ascend the hill, sit in this chair, then lie down on their back, and be pulled by the legs to the bottom of the hill. This operation is still performed, and reckoned very efficacious.

At the foot of the hill, there is a bason, made by the saint, on the top of a large stone, which [seldom?] wants water, even in the greatest drought; And all who are distressed [from?] sore eyes must wash them three times with this water.

From the eighteenth century Statistical Account of Comrie.

Folklore

Dundurn
Hillfort
T
talorcan Jun 10, 2003

Dundurn also has a holy well dedicated to St Fillan and a rock called Fillan’s seat. In days gone bye, people would slide down Dundurn on their back- sides in the hope of getting cured of their ailments.
Very near to Dundurn is an ancient church surrounded by a circular wall, in the grave yard an ancient stone contains coin offerings. There is also a cross marked slab.

Steve du Cane

Miscellaneous

Dundurn
Hillfort
nickbrand
nickbrand Mar 8, 2003

According to Canmore, this fort is presumed to be the place mentioned in the Annals of Ulster as being under siege in 683, and to have been a principal Pictish stronghold; it may have originated in the Iron Age. Certainly the eastern equivalent of Dunadd.

Topics

Faeries 15
treehugger-uk
treehugger-uk
Dec 2005

Sites within 20km of Dundurn

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