Atholl
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Map of Scotland showing the district of Atholl |
For other meanings of the term Atholl, see Atholl (disambiguation)Atholl or
Athole (
Scottish Gaelic:
Athall; anciently
Athfhotla) is a large historical district in the
Scottish Highlands. Today it forms the northern part of
Perth and Kinross,
Scotland bordering
Marr,
Badenoch,
Breadalbane,
Strathearn,
Perth and
Lochaber.
Atholl was historically an
Mormaerdom, later an
earldom. The first recorded
Earl of Atholl was
Matad, Earl of Atholl sometime in the
12th Century. In
1703 the title was made a Dukedom by
Queen Anne. The title also holds numerous subsidiary titles. These include:
Marquess of Atholl (created 1676),
Marquess of Tullibardine (1703),
Earl of Atholl (1629),
Earl of Tullibardine (1606 and 1676),
Earl of Strathtay and Strathardle (1703),
Viscount of Balquhidder (1676),
Lord Murray of Tullibardine (1604),
Lord Murray, Balvenie and Gask (1676) and
Baron Percy (1722). The Barony of Percy forms part of the
peerage of Great Britain; all other titles belong in the peerage of Scotland.
The district was eventually combined into the
traditional county of
Perthshire during reorganisation due to
Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889, this Act established a uniform system of
county councils and town councils in Scotland and restructured many of Scotland's counties. (See:
History of the local government of Scotland).
In
Scottish Gaelic the name is
Athall, which derives from
Athfhotla, 'another (or 'second') Fotla', this being a traditional name for
Ireland.
Towns and villages in Atholl include
Aberfeldy, Ballinluig,
Blair Atholl,
Dunkeld, Logierait,
Pitlochry and Weem.
*
Blair Atholl*
MacGillonie
