The  parish,  originally  a  parsonage,  has  from  an  early
period  included  not  only  the  barony  of  Dallas,  but  also
the  lands  of  Craigmill  and  Branehill.  Later  the  parish  of
Altjo'e  was,  for  ecclesiastical  purposes,  annexed  to  that  of
Dallas,  and  when,  in  1657,  Altjo'e  was  transferred  to  the
parish  of  Rafford,  Easter  Kellas  was  annexed  to  Dallas,
these  alterations  in  the  two  parishes  being  ratified  by  Parlia-
ment in  1661.  These  various  annexations  and  changes  do
not  imply  smy  alteration  in  the  parish  boundaries,  which
now,  as  formerly,  include  an  area  of  23,024*823  acres.
The  earliest  reference  to  the  church  and  ecclesiastical
parish  of  Dallas  appears  to  be  in  a  confirmation  by  Bishop
Andrew  of  Moray,  of  the  prebends  instituted  in  the  Cathedral
Church  of  Elgin  by  his  predecessor,  Bishop  Brice  or  Bricius,
and  of  others  newly  founded  by  himself.  This  document
was  dated  at  Elgin,  5th  May  1226,  and  for  the  endowment
of  one  of  the  prebends  thereby  established  were  assigned  the
altarage  of  Eren  and  the  chapel  of  Innernarren,  'quam
prebendam  assignavimus  subdiaconatui  nostro,  et  cui  ad-
junximus  ecclesiam  de  Dolays  Mychel  cum  omnibus  ad
eandem  ecclesiam  juste  pertinentibus,  sal  vis  nobis  et  suc-
cessoribus  nostris  terris  que  dicuntur  ejusdem  ecclesie  esse
de  Dolays  Mychel  per  suas  rectas  divisas  cum  omnibus  justis
pertinentiis  suis,  ita  tamen  quod  predicta  ecclesia  habeat
mansum  competens  juxta  ecclesiam  cum  crofto  competenti,
et  salvis  nobis  et  successoribus  nostris  in  eadem  ecclesia  de
Dolays  Mychel  episcopalibus.'     One  of  the  numerous  church-


INTEODUCTORY  9

men  who  signed  this  charter  was  '  Symon  vicarius  de
Delays  Michel,'  the  earliest  cleric  to  be  identified  with  the
benefice.
