ursuit had to encamp amidst the scene of
desolation. This was an impolitic act, and calculated to exasperate
the public mind against the exiled family. The burning was accompanied
by great hardship, having been done during the depth of winter in a
snow storm. The sufferers, after great delay and protracted
litigation, succeeded in obtaining payment from the Exchequer of a
pecuniary consideration, called the "burning money," in respect of
their losses.

After the Act for the abolition of the heritable jurisdictions in 1748
the portion of Auchterarder strictly burghal ceased to have titles
completed in the burgage form. Until that date titles were made up on
burgage holding and resignations made in favour of the bailies of
Auchterarder, who probably received their appointment from the family
of Perth, the proprietors of the adjoining Barony. No burgh register
existed, and the instruments were somewhat anomalously recorded in the
Particular Register of Sasines. A difficulty was presented as to
completing titles when there were no bailies to give infeftments or
receive resignations; and so late as 1832 a petition was presented to
the Court of Session praying the Court to appoint bailies to the burgh
of Auchterarder to give infeftment. The then proprietor of the Barony,
conceiving this was derogatory to his rights as alleged superior,
entered appearance, and the petition was withdrawn on the superior
offering to give a charter of the lands in question to complete the
title.

The Barony of Auchterarder continued in the possession of the Perth
family until its attainder after the death of James, Duke of Perth,
when the lands passed into the hands of the Commissioners of the
Annexed Estates. Under their administration a good deal was done for
the improvement of the place. The Commissioners encouraged the
manufacture of linen, and they laid out the lands of Borland Park into
convenient divisions, erecting cot-houses thereon for the soldiers who
had been engaged in the German War. They also made a grant of the
Girnal House of Auchterarder for the benefit of the inhabitants. The
lands were restored to the Perth family in 1784, and were disposed of
by Lord Perth shortly thereafter; the Castle and the adjoining lands of
Castlemains becoming the property of the late John Malcolm, Esq., while
the remainder of the Barony was purchased by the Hon. Basil Cochrane,
by whose trustees it was sold in 1831 to the late Lieutenant-