Annotation:Miss Coull of Ashgrove
X:1 T:Miss Coull of Ashgrove C:James Taylor M:C L:1/16 R:Strathspey B:James Taylor – A Collection of Strathspeys & Reels, together with a Set of Scots Quadrilles (Elgin, c. 1835, p. 9) N:”Most respectfully dedicated to Lady Dunbar of Northfield.” Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:F c2|:Sf3dc2B2 AF3~F4|C3FA,3F AG3 ~G4|f3dc2B2 AF3 ~F4|C3FA2c2 A2F2~F4:| f3ag3a f3gd3f|c3dc2B2 AG3~G4|f3ag3a f3gd3f|A3Bc2d2 AF3 ~F4| f3ag3a f3gd3f|c3dc2B2 AG3~G4|(3F2G2A2 (3G2A2B2 (3A2B2c2 (3B2c2d2|cf3 agfe a2f2f2||
MISS COULL OF ASHGROVE. Scottish, Strathspey (whole time). F Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB. "Miss Coull of Ashgrove" was composed by Elgin fiddler, composer and music teacher James Taylor and was published in his first collection, c. 1835. 'Miss Coull' is unknown at this point. Dr. James Coull of Ashgrove, Commissary of Moray, married Jean Dunbar, daughter to Sir Alexander Dunbar of Northfield. She was the sister of Archibald Dunbar of Northfield, who figures so prominently in Taylor's first collection, including as a composer of a dozen tunes contained in it (the volume was also dedicated to Lady Dunbar). Unfortunately, Dr. James and Jean's many children all died as children or young adults, save for their eldest daughter Helen Coull Dunbar (1796-1868), who married Sir James Dunbar, of Boath, Captain in the Royal Navy (continuing the intermarriage of Coulls and Dunbars) in 1814. Ashgrove, which had been purchased by Dr. James around 1790, was sold after his death in 1831.
Who the 'Miss Coull' referred to in Taylor's title was is unknown at this time. It could be an older composition of Taylor's, fashioned prior to Helen's marriage in 1814, or perhaps for another daughter.
