A look into some interesting Crieff archives
The Scotsman 10 th November 1891 The “ Kind Gallows of Crieff" At a meeting of the Town Council yesterday a very interesting relic was formally handed over to the Council for safe custody ,this being two parts of the famous Kind Gallows of Crieff , so well known as being referred to by Sir Walter Scott in his Waverley and also mentioned by Lord Macaulay in his History of England ( sic ) . During the great fairs held in Crieff prior to the establishment of the Falkirk Trysts about the year 1770, hanging of cattle stealers was very common and the Earls of Strathearn and other feudal superiors were wont to hold frequent courts in afield to the south west of the Town, known as the Stayt .The principal highway in the valley of the Earn led east and west past the Gallows Hill , a small knoll nearly a mile from the Stayt . This place of execution is now embraced in Crieff and is at present indicated by a tree , the locality being known as the Gallowha’ . Rai
