Dallas

"DALLAS, (or Dollas), a parish with a village of the same name, in the county of Elgin, Scotland. It is bounded by Elgin, Birnie, Rothes, Knockando, Edenkillie, and Rafford. It has a length from E. to W. of about 12 miles, with an extreme breadth from N. to S. of 9 miles. It forms a valley surrounded by hills, and drained by the Lossie. The name Dallas seems to be derived from the Gaelic Dale-Msk, "the water valley," a great part of the plain S. of the hill of Melundy appearing formerly to have been a lake. The estate of Craigmill, which belongs to this parish, is isolated in the southern end of the valley of the parish of Rafford. From the plain above mentioned, inexhaustible supplies of peat can be obtained, Freestone and slates are largely quarried. There is good fishing in the Lossie for trout during the summer, and for white trout and a few small salmon in September and October. The landowners are the Earl of Fife, Cumming of Altyre, and Grant of Wester Elches. The chief antiquity is Torcastle, the ruined stronghold of the Cummings. The village of Dallas is situated on the W. road from Elgin to Knockando, 9 miles S.E. of Forres, and 12 S.S.W. of Elgin. The eastern district of the parish is called Kelles. This parish is in the presbytery of Forres and synod of Moray, and in the patronage of Cordon Cumming, of Altyre. In 1657, when Altyre was annexed to the parish of Rafford (which formerly belonged to Dallas), Kelles, and part of the parish of Elgin were annexed to Dallas. The minister has a stipend of £158. The church was built in 1794. There is also a Free church."

Description(s) from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868)