ABSTRACT
There is evidence that the song is based on the courtship o f a Miss Erskine, born 1747, daughter o f the Laird ofPittodrie, who fell in love with Ensign W illiam Knight in 1765 at Fort Augustus. In spite o f family opposition to the match, the lovers were m arried in 1770 and their descendants are known as the Knight-Erskines. G reig has pointed out that
historical records contradict the particular treatment o f the events given in ‘The Lass o f Bennachie’ but it is possible that the song has com bined with, and borrowed from, other existing pieces.
