Chapelton Farm and Sanquhar Estate - Oral History Recordings from Forres Locals
- forresfriends
- Oct 3
- 4 min read
When managing land, it is important to understand how that land has been used and worked over the years. Thanks to the National Lottery Awards for All Fund, we were able to commission local storyteller Margot Henderson to record oral histories from Forres Locals who have lived and experienced Chapelton Field and Sanquhar Estate in the 1900s. Here you can listen to these accounts, enabling you to take a trip back in time and understand the evolution of the land.
Chapelton Oral Recordings
Diane Macrae - Chapelton Farm
Diane moved to Chapelton Farm in 1970, where her husband’s family had farmed since 1955. Raised three children there, first in a cottage before moving into the farmhouse. They worked with sheep, cattle, dogs, horses, poultry, and crops, including barley, potatoes, and turnips, as well as fruit and vegetables for homemade preserves. Diane fondly remembers walking sheep to Califer Hill for winter, making use of their own produce, and enjoying the beautiful views and countryside life before modern housing arrived.
Ian Suttie - Growing Up in Chapelton and Wildlife History
Born in Leincoil and raised overlooking Chapelton, Ian recalls childhood games, local families, and life on the farms with cattle, sheep, crops, and market days. He shares memories of traditional farming without pesticides, community life in the cottages, and the changing landscape, wildlife, and practices around Chapelton and Sanquhar.
Jane Yeadon - Chapelton before Flood Alleviation.
Jane remembers the freedom of roaming the farm as a child—watching hens hatch, hearing the sounds of the land, and playing with friends. She recalls bramble picking along the Mosset Burn, crossing the wooden bridge, and the simple magic of farm life.
Sanquhar Estate Recordings
Ian Ross - History of Sanquhar Estate
With family ties to Sanqhuar Estate since 1850, Ian recalls its five tenant farms, ponds, and water systems that once supplied local distilleries and mills. He shares memories of the estate’s role in the Forres community, from housing support to Leincoil donations, as well as the gardens tended by head gardener Mr. Murray with strict practices and unique apple varieties. The Sanquhar Estate was sold to Altyre Estate in the 1950s.
Jean and Norman Thompson - Accounts of Sanquhar and Mr and Mrs Edwards
Recalls Sanquhar Estate as once vast and strictly private, with Mrs. Edwards keeping locals out of the woods except for an annual fete. Known for her letters to the Gazette, she left a lasting impression on the community.
Nessie Ross - Memories of Sanquhar and the Pond
Nessie fondly recalls Sunday walks to Sanqhuar in best clothes, enjoying the pond, summer fêtes, and time in Grant Park. Childhood was happy and well-mannered, with a sense of privilege in being out, when paths were respected, and flowers left untouched.
Patsy Fraser MacKenzie - Memories of Befriending Sanquhar Estate and Steam Train
Born in Leincoil and raised near Sanqhuar, Patsy recalls a childhood of freedom in the 1950s—rowing on the pond, climbing trees, and playing in the woods. Though the estate was once private, friendships with the Hilleary's gave her access to ponies, the mansion, and endless adventures among rhododendrons, wild berries, and the passing steam train.
Graham Murdoch - Sanquhar Pond Over The Years
A lifelong resident of Forres, he recalls fishing off the pier at Sanquhar and spending time at the old boat house. Reflects on how Sanquhar has changed over the years, becoming a silt trap.
Mike Reaper - Childhood Memories of Sanquhar: Treehouses, Motorbikes and Tattie Picking
Mike remembers growing up around Chapelton Farm and Sanquhar woods—camping, swinging on the oak tree, and riding a motorbike through quiet paths. He spent time tattie picking, building tree houses and carts, and playing with Chapelton children before the woods became more developed.
Ross Dalziel - Childhood Memories of Sanquhar And Tomato Farm
Ross grew up beside Sanquhar in the family’s tomato farm, with memories of visiting his grandad, fishing, and building rafts as a boy. Recalls losing a kite into the estate, horses from the Hilleary's escaping into his glasshouses, and later years selling Chapelton potatoes and running a successful garden centre, more lucrative than the tomato farm.
Val Farquhar - Tattie Farming and Working on the Land from a Child
Raised on farmland, Val helped with calving, feeding calves, and other farm work from a young age, and worked on farms around Forres until retirement. She fondly recalls tattie picking at Sanquhar and Chapelton, and now enjoys walking dogs, going to church, and tending to life on land once owned by Altyre Estate.
Thank you to Margot Henderson for bringing these stories to life, all the locals who offered time to share their memories, the National Lottery Awards for All Fund for making it possible and Forres Heritage Trust for helping with the visuals.
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