university of Connecticut ibraries • ; • hbl.stx DA 880.A1S7 1843 Statistical account of Aberdeenshi 3 11S3 DDsaiaas g 00 o 0& Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from Boston Library Consortium IVIember Libraries http://www.archive.org/details/statisticalaccouOOedin 1 I 3' (j= — =1) O ~ [(3 ^ CATALOGUE OF BOOKS ^ ' PRINTED FOR WILLIAM BLACKWOOD & SONS, PUBLISHERS : 45, GEORaE STREET, EDINBURGH; "^^^^ 22, PALL MALL, LONDON -^= SSHorfes lii!ilis^ctr fig Ml'"- l^lacfebDOOti ^ Sons, 7n Ten Large Volumes, Octavo, price 71. 15^. THE HISTORY OF EUROPE, From tlie Commencement of tbe French Revolution to the Battle of 'Waterloo. BY ARCHIBALD ALISON, F.R.S.E. " Alison's History of Europe, and the States connected with it, is one of the most important works which literature has produced. Years have elapsed since any historical work has created such an epoch as that of Alison : his sources of information and authorities are of the richest and most comprehensive description. Though his opinions are on the conservative side, he allows every party to speak for itself, and unfolds with a master's hand how few institu- tions make nations great, and mighty, and prosperous. In common with the whole civilized world, he does homage to the blessed Scriptures and an enlightened religion. Such a work and such a man belong to no party or country ; they are the patrimony of all the friends of mankind in every part of the world, for they contend only for the clearest interests of the human lace."— From the Preface to the German Translation of D. Ludwig Meyer, published bp Otto Urgand. Leipsic, 1842. •' The work of Alison is indispensable to all who are forming collections on the History of Europe during the Revolution. It is the completion of them aU." — From the Preface to the French Translation ofM. Paquis. CONTENTS. VOLUME I. Comparative Progress of Freedom in France and England; Causes in France which predisposed to Revo- lution; Constituent Assembly; From the Revolt at Versailles to the Conclusion of the Constituent As- sembly; The Legislative Assembly; The Fall of the Monarchy; From the Dethronement to the Death of Louis ; State of Europe prior to the Commencement of the War ; Campaign of 1792. VOLUME II. French Republic ; Fall of the Girondists ; From the Fall of the Girondists to the Death of Danton ; Cam- paign of 1793. Part I — War in La Vend(!e ; Campaign of 1793. Part II Reign of Terror; The Fall of Ro- bespierre; Internal State of France during the Reign of Terror ; Campaign of 1794 ; War in Poland ; Cam- paign of 1795; French Republic: Establishment of the Directory. VOLUME III. Campaign of 1796 in Italy ; Campaign of 1796 in Ger- many ; Internal Transactions and Naval Campaign of Great Britain in 1797; Campaign of 1797; Fall oi Venice ; Internal Government of France from the Es- tablishment of the Directory to the Revolution of the IBth Fructidor; Expedition to Egypt; The Peace of CampoFormio; Renewal of the War ; Civil History of France from the Revolution of the 18th Fructidor to the Seizure of supreme Power by Napoleon.j VOLUME IV. The Renewal of the War to the Battle of Trebbia ; Campaign of 1799. Part II — The Accession of Napoleon to the Opening of the Campaign of Marengo ; Marengo; From its Opening to the Armistice of Alexandria; Campaign of Hohenlinden; Peace of Luneville to the Dissolution of the Northern Maritime Confederacy; Expedition to Egypt ; Conclusion of the War; Recon- struction of Society in France by Napoleon; Napoleon'a Assumption of the Imperial Throne. VOLUME V. Peace of Amiens to the Renewal of the War; Re- Bewal of Hostilities; The Opening of the Spanish War; Opening of the Spanish War to the Battle of Trafalgar ; Campaign of Ansterlitz; The British Finances, and Pitt's System of Financial Policy ; Peace of Presburg ; Renewal of the Continental War ; Campaign of Jena ; Fall of Prussia. VOLUME VI. Campaign of Eylau ; Domestic and Foreign iVIeasurea of Fox's Administration; Campaign of Friedland and Tilsit ; Continental System and Imperial Government of Napoleon; The Peace of Tilsit to the Opening of the Spanish War : Proximate Causes of the Peninsular War; Campaign of 1008 in Spain and Portugal. VOLUME VII. British Empire in India prior to Lord Wellesley's Administration ; Administration of Lord Wellesley, and First Appearance of Lord \\'eUington; Campaign of Aspen ; War in the Tyrol, Northern Germany, and Poland; Campaign of Wagrinm; Walcheren Expedi- tion ; Peace of Vienna, &c. ; Maritime War, and Cam- paign of 1809 in Portugal and Spain; Campaign of Torres Vedras, and Year 1310. VOLUME VIII. Domestic History of Great Britain from 1809 to 1812 ; Proceedings of the Cortes; War in Spain, 1810 and 1811 ; Campaign of Wellington in 1811, on the Portu- piiese Frontier; First Invasion of Spain by ^Vellington ; Sketch of the Turkish Empire; Accession of Berna- dotte to the Swedish Throne ; and the Causes of the Russian War of 1812 ; Advance of Napoleon to Moscow ; Retreat from Moscow. VOLUME IX. Russia and France before the Final Str BUrrection of Germany; Fro to the Renewal of the War Liberation of Spain. VOLUME X. Europe in Arms against France; Last Struggle of Napoleon in France; Fall of Napoleon ; America; The Neutral Question; and War with that Power; Con- gress of Vienna and Hundred Days; Concluding Re- flections. Re- tt the Armistice of Plcswitz Deliverance of Germany ; CRITICAL NOTICES OF "THE HISTORY OF EUROPE." " There is much in Mr. Alison's History of the French Revolution against which we intend to re- cord our decided protest ; and there are some parts of it which we shall feel compelled to notice with strong disapprobation. We, therefore, hasten to preface our less favourable remarks, by freely acknowledging that the present work is, upon the whole, a valuable addition to European literature, that it is evidently compiled with the utmost care. and that its narration, so far as we can judge, is not perverted by the slightest partiality." — Edin- burgh Review. ' ' M'e have at length arrived at the tenth and closing volume of Mr. Alison's able and important work ; and, while we congi'atulate the writer on the intelligence which conceived, the talent which sustained, and the vigour which completed such a performance, we still more congratulate the 3Bt(m6urgi^ antf Hontion. CRITICAL KOTICES OF " THE HISTORY OP EUROPE "—continued. country on the possession of one of the noblest offerings which our age has laid upon the altar of historic hterature." — Blackicood's Magazine. " To give an ideaof Jlr. Alison's qualifications, it may be briefly obser\'ed, that he combines the minutest attention to detail, the utmost careful- ness in authenticating facts, vrith the greatest facility in deducing principles and lajing them before the reader. So happy an union of fact and theory is seldom to be met ; and what is equally remarliable, is the care and sagacity with which he rivets both together, and invites the reader to reflection, while facts are yet fresh in his memory. It is too commonly the practice for the reflective historian to introduce his reflections at such long inter^-als, and to make them in such very generjil terms, that the details are forgotten while the in- structor is delivering the theory they are to sub- stantiate, and which has, therefore, the appear- ance of a digression that might be in the particular work or not, without anj' detriment caxised either by their retention or omission. Mr. Ahson, on the contrar}', begins with his general theorj' of the causes that produced the French Revolution, and then, collecting his facts, and authenticating them by marginal references, with a precision that might almost seem excessive, keeps again and again calling the attention to his theorj', points out its application in everj' particular instance, or draws some new inference from the especial sub- ject more immediately before him. Never forget- ting for each moral or poUtical opinion to accu- mulate the facts which are to support it, he ever regards the facts themselves as a material from which some important general truth may be de- duced. Nor are his reflections merely upon catastrophes : he does not find a moral in a crisis alone, but he can foUow a process and furnish a train of thought as much upon the intermediate as the extreme stages, and, unlike common-place thinkers, can dwell with as much calmness on tem- porary advantages as the ultimate misfortune to which they lead, and can pause to admire even while he perceives destruction in the train of appa- rent fortune. Hence the liberaUty of his tone, and his disposition to discover a partial good even in an ultimate evil. A\"hile viewing with abhorrence the atrocities of the reign of terror in its internal policy, he admires the vigour which a system so rigorous gave to the movements of the army ; while he perceives the Assignats running down to their frightful depreciation till they reach the vor- tex of a national bankruptcy, he finds in them the supporters of the energy of first operations. ' ' This habit of reflection on every event, inter- mediate as well as final, infuses into the work a tone of great impartiality. So closely does the author watch every concurrent cause, so carefully does he weigh each event as it rises, that, study- ing the minute wheels of the terrible machine in close connection with each other, he cannot re- gard even the most atrocious of any party with absolute abhorrence. " But this impartiality is not merely produced by constant, reflection. In the collection of his materials the author has displayed the most rigid intent to do justice, and, as he has stated in his preface, has in almost every instance taken his information from sources of the most opposite character. " Another great merit in Mr Alison is the dra- matic effect he has given to his narrative, by making the personages talk themselves, by borrowing as much of their speeches as possible ; thus rendering the scenes extremely vivid and real. Here we find Danton,Robespierre,Vergniaud, themselves, with their bursts of eloquence and inflammatory ha- rangues. Here we have the union of sanguinary purpose with verbal -virtue, in a manner which no description could convey, but at once becomes in- telligible by the appearance of the speeches. The prelude to the most atrocious butcheries by the most lachrymose sentimentalities could not be un- derstood, were it not for the reproduction of the very realities. Mr. Alison's orators breathe upon the paper, the flash of their eye is discernible, the sound of their voice is audible, and once seen they will not speedily be forgotten." — The Times. " After a full examination we do not hesitate to say, that this is the most complete and honest history of the French Revolution which has yet appeared, either in England or France. Certainly no work by a British pen deserves to be compared with it ; and we think every reader will accord it the preference in point of fulness and impartiality over the early narratives of the French Royalists, Bertrand de MoUeville, Lacretelle, and others, and the more recent and popular works of Mignet and Thiers." — North American Rev., April 1843. By the same Author, in Two Volumes, Octavo, Price \l. 10s., THE PRINCIPLES OF POPULATION, AND THEIR CONNEXION WITH HUMAN HAPPINESS. " Increase and multiply, and replenish the earth, and cubdue it.** " Thou Shalt do justice and love mercy." — CONTENTS OF VOLUME I. Chap. I. O.v the Early Increase of Mankind. — II. On the Fundamental Relation BETWEEN Population and Subsistence.— III. On the Changes in the Progress of Society which limit the Principles of Increase.— IV. On the Changes in the Pro- gress OF Society which limit the Demand for Labour.- V. Modifications arising from Human Corruption.— VI. Principles of Renovation and Decay in Human Affairs.— VII. Action of Principle of Increase in the East. — YIII. Action df the Principle of Increase in Europe. — IX. In America. VOLUME II. Chap. I. On the Acquisition op Landed Property by the Labouring Classes. — II. Moral Dangers and Evils of Great Cities.— III. The Religious Instruction of the People, AND the Necessity of an Established Church.— IV. Advantages and Dangers of Secular Instruction.— V. On a Legal Provision for the Poor.— VI. The Factory System and TRiDEs' Unions.— VII. The Corn Laws.— VIII. Colonization, and the Reciprocity System.— IX. The Future Increase and Prospects of Mankind. '^ 512aorfes lu6li!3f)eti fig ^im™- l^lacfetoooti ^ S^ons, Complete in One Volume, handsomely hound in cloth, price V7s., ENVIRONS OF LONDON. BY JOHN FISHER MURRAY. ILLUSTRATED WITH UPWARDS OF ONE HUNDRED ENGRAVINGS ON WOOD, FROM ORIGINAL DRAWINGS BY W. L. LEITCH AND OTHERS. WESTERN DIVISION. Comprising Descriptions of LAMBETH. CHELSEA. BATTERSEA. WANDSWORTH. PUTNEY. BOEHAMPTON, FULHAM. HAMMERSMITH. CHISWICK. BARNES. MORTLAKE. KEW. SION HOUSE. ISLEWORTH. KENSINGTON. KENSINGTON GAB DENS. HOLLAND HOUSE. BROMPTON. RICHMOND. RICHMOND GT. PARK. PETERSHAM. HAM HOUSE. TWICKENHAM. STRAWBERRY HILL. TEDDINGTON. HAMPTON COURT. BUSHY PARK. HAMPTON. WIMBLEDON. KINGSTON-UPON- THAME3. CLAREMONT. ESHER. WALTON-UPON- THAMES. WEYBRIDGE. BYFLEET. ©pinions of ' ' The plan of the publication appears to be a judicious one. The book is suitable both for an antiquary and general reader, and will convey much intelligence in an agreeable manner. The illustrations and views of houses, churches, tombs, monuments, &c., are very good; they possess the merit of being representations of the places and things they are intended to convey a notion of, and are not mere compositions, with the names of objects written under them at random. The work is beautifully got up, and printed in a good type. Altogether, this is a publication from which everybody will derive some new knowledge — it is full of anecdotes, and written with taste and accuracy."— S'inje*. " This is avery happy idea, and promises, so far as we can form an opinion from a first number, to be happily earned out." — U. S. Gazette. SHEPPERTON. CHERTSEY. ANNINGSLEY. ST. ANNe'S HILL. STAINES STAN WELL. PADDINGTON. WESTBOURNE GREEN. WORMWOOD SCRUBS. EALING. ACTON. HANWELL. SOUTH ALL. OSTERLEY PARK. HOUNSLOW. CRANFORD WEST DRAYTON. COLNBROOK. IVER. LANGLEY. HORTON. WYRARDSBURY. EGHAM. SLOUGH. STOKE POGES. BEACONSFIELD, HEDSOR. CLIEFDEN. DROPMORE. HITCHAM. TAPLOW. BURNHAM. COOKHAM. MAIDENHEAD. BRAY. CLEWER. WINDSOR AND ETON, tSe IPtcss. " The ' Environs of London ' are rich with me- morials of the deepest interest, and of every land that can offer pleasing recreation for the cultivated mind ; and here we find a congenial guide to direct our steps and inform us about all the localities which \ye are induced to \isit in his company." — Literary Gazette. " The scenery in the ' Environs of London ' is sketched by Mr. W". L. Leitch, with a vivid per- ception of those qualities that constitute their picturesqueness, and a tact in producing pictorial combination of lines and arrangements of light and dark that suggests the effects of colour and atmosphere in nature : Chelsea Hospital, Hol- land House, Hampton Court, Claremont, and various points on the banks of the Thames, at once recall the impressions made by these fami- liar scenes." — Spectator. BY THE SAME AUTHOR, THE WORLD OF LONDON, Jn Two Volumes, small octavo, priceVis. " I have often amused myself with thinking how different a place London is to different people. They, whose narrow minds are contracted to the consideration of some one particular pursuit, \iew it only through that medium. A pohtician thinks of it merely as the seat of government in its different departments ; a grazier, as a vast market for cattle ; a mercantile man, as a place where a prodigious deal of business is done upon 'Change,- a dramatic enthusiast, as the grand scene of theatrical enter- tainments ; a man of pleasure, as an assemblage of taverns. But the intellectual man is struck WITH IT ASC0J1PREHEN"DING THE WHOLE OF HUMAN LIFE TN ALL ITS VARIETY, THE CONTEMPLATION OF WHICH IS INEXHAUSTIBLE."— BosM;ei7'« Life of Johnson. ^ 3Stimiurgf) antr ftoit^cin. 1)1 Seven Volumes, Foolscap Octavo, price 11. 15s., neatly hound in cloth, with Portraits and Vignettes, or Zl. Zs. in morocco. THE WORKS OF MRS. HEMANS; a (Complete anH 3an(fonn ffiUitlon, WITH A MEMOIR BY HER SISTER. The following are published separately, neatly bound in cloth lettered, with Vignette Titles, price 5*. each, or elegantly bound in morocco, 9«. : — I. MEMOIR OF MRS. HEMANS. II. TALES AND HISTORIC SCENES. in. THE SIEGE OP VALENCIA. IV. THE FOREST SANCTUARY. V. RECORDS OF WOMAN. VI. SONGS OF THE AFFECTIONS. Vn. SONGS AND LYRICS. niRS. soTTTHE-s"s (CAROXiizarE: BO'wx.ES) -wostas. Uniformly Printed, in small octavo, neatly bottnd in cloth, I. Complete in One Volume, price 7s. 6d., CHAPTERS ON CHURCHYARDS. a jjizto ffilrdfon. II. SOLITARY HOURS. A New Edition. Price 5s. in. Price 7s., THE BIRTHDAY AND OTHER POEMS. Iti One Volume, Small Octavo, price 7s. 6d. MEN AND MANNERS IN AMERICA. BY THE AUTHOR OF " CYRIL THORNTON." a Neto iEOftlon. With a Portrait of the Author, and Letters written by him during his Journey through the United States. In Two Volumes, Post Octavo, price 24*., illustrated hy Original Drawings, JOURNAL OF A TOUR^N GREECE & THE IONIAN fajpANDS, -IN THE Spring of 1838 ; With Remarks on the Recent History, Present State, and Classical Antiquities of those Countries. BY W. MURE, Esq., of Caldwell. " Mr. Mure's .Journal is not only the work of a I though modest scholar, but withal a very pleasant shrewd and intelligent observer, and of a sovmd | book." — Quarterly Review. c: NEW STATISTICAL ACCOUNT OF SCOTLAND. THE MINISTERS OP THE RESPECTIVE PARISHES. AND UNDER THE SUPERINTENDENCE OF A COMMITTEE OK THE SOCIETY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF THE CLERGY. Illustrated with Thirty-One Maps of the Counties, the Parochial Boundaries correctly coloured, and a General Map of Scotland. The Publication of the New Statistical Account ia now vei-y far advanced; and as it proceeds at short intervals of two months, may be expected to be soon completed. The Public are aware that this important Work contains a minute Account of every Parish in Scotland, drawn up, in general, by the Parochial Minister, It has, therefore, the peculiarity of presenting contributions from upwards of eight hundred different individuals ; many of them di-awn up with distinguished ability. Each Account contains a mass of useful and agreeably diversified details, illustrative of the physical properties and resources of the Parish — its history and antiquities — the moral and social condition of the people, their economical advantages, and the various parochial institutions ; everything, in shoi't, which a comprehensive Statis- tical Work ought to embrace — the whole, to quote the words of the Quarterly Review, ^^ forming by far the most valuable repertory of Statistics at the command of any country in Europe. In general its superiority to the former Account is very decided; indicating a great expansion of curiosity and information in the clerical order of the North." In the meantime, according to the plan in contemplation from the beginning, the Publishers have commenced the issue of the collected Parochial accounts of the different Counties, apart from the whole work. The Society, in whose name the publication is conducted, earnestly recommend these County Reports to the notice of those who may not receive the whole series — confident that they will be found to form a very valuable Manual to the Landowner and Tenant, the Manufac- turer, the Naturalist, the Tourist, and all in any way connected with the respective Counties. The following is a list of the Counties now completed, each neatly bound in cloth, with Title-page, Index, and Maps : — d. Price ABERDEEN AYR 18 BANFF 9 BERWICK 8 BUTE 3 CAITHNESS 4 CLACKMANNAN ... 3 DUMBARTON .... 6 DUMFRIES . . . . .12 ELGIN 6 FORFAR HADDINGTON .... 8 INVERNESS 11 KINROSS 2 Price 8 . 21 KINCARDINE . LANARK ORKNEY 6 PEEBLES 4 PERTH ROSS AND CROMARTY . . 10 RENFREW 12 ROXBURGH 10 SELKIRK 2 SHETLAND 4 STIRLING 10 SUTHERLAND -i^ . . . 5 AVIGTON 5 *** The Maps, forming a Complete Atlas of Scotland, done up in one volume 4to., and 8vo. hand- Boraely bound in cloth. Pxice 21s. Maps of the Counties done up in a case, for the pocket. Price Is. each. 3Bt»ini)urfl$ avia lLottiJon. Small Octavo, 7s. 6d., neatly hound in cloth, THE COURSE OF TIME. a lPo$m, in Ccti Boofes. BY ROBERT POLLOK, M.A. A New Edition (being the Sixteenth), with Vignette Title and Portrait, engraved by Robinson. Beautifully printed in Foolscap Octavo, price 7s. 6d., POEMS BY THE LADY FLORA HASTINGS. WITH A PORTRAIT BY K. M'LEAY, R.S.A., Engraved in Line hy Horslurgh. 83- A few Copies remain of the Large Edition, which, with Proof Impressions of the Portrait, may be had at 15s. In Two Volumes, Post Octavo, price 11. Is., PROFESSOR WILSON'S POEMS. COXTAININO THE ISLE OP PALMS, THE CITY OF THE PLAGUE, & MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. In One Volume, Foolscap Octavo, price 5s. bound in cloth, DOMESTIC VERSES. BY DELTA. In One Volume, small Octavo, price 7s. 6d., cloth, LEGENDS, LYRICS, AND OTHER POEMS. BY B. SIMMONS. In Octavo, price is., ATHELWOLD.— A TRAGEDY. BY "WILLIAM SMITH, ESQ. THE SCOTS MUSICAL MUSEUM, CONSISTING OF UPWARDS OP SIX HUNDRED SONGS WITH PROPER BASSES FOR THE PIANOFORTE. (Originally Published hy James Johnson.) a NctD isnttton, ACCOMPANIED WITH COPIOUS NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE LYRIC POETRY AND MUSIC OF SCOTLAND BY THE LATE WILLIAM STENHOUSK, AND OTHERS. In Six Volumes Octavo, price 2?. ^2s. 6d,, bound in cloth, w^ith fac-simile of a curious Letter from Robert Bums to the original publisher. In Three Volumes, Post Octavo, price 11. llj. 6d. TEN THOUSAND A-YEAR BY SAMUEL WARREN, F.R.S., AUTHOR OP "PASSAGES FROM THE DIARY OF A LATE PHYSICIAN.' *' A remarkable novel." — " Superior to any novel of actual life recently produced in this country." — Quarterly Review. " The characters are excellent ; some of them equal to the highest efforts of the highest masters ; the insight into motives is searching ; the scenes display a power of reproducing on paper what ex- perience has taught ; some of the incidents are novel, startling, and of surprising power. The author's leading idea is to illustrate a moral order in the government of the world— a providential design even under circumstances apparently tlie most adverse to the cause of virtue. There is a solemnity in the plan of the work. It is terrible to observe how he allows vice and folly to assume a temporary dominion over aU that is honom-able to humanity ; and then how he makes the fabric, at which the thoughtless crowd have gazed awhile in wonder, fall away by its own rottenness, its very ruins swept from the surface of the earth, and the fair prospect wlaich it had awhile obscured, left standing as though but a cloud had passed over it." — The Times. " For a length of time there has not appeared in England a work, no not even of a style pro- fessedly higher, which contains such valuable and such strildng lessons on the vain fickleness of the opinions and the infatuations of the world ; on the force of example and fashion ; and on the omni- potence of wealth; on the irresistible impulse which gives increase of riches to the rich, and of poverty to the poor." — Revue des deux Mondes, (Paris.) BY THE SAME AUTHOR, The Sixth Edition, being the First Complete in Two Volumes, price 12s., bound in cloth, PASSAGES FROM THE DIARY OF A LATE PHYSICIAN. " What is nearest us touches us most. The passions rise higher at domestic than at imperial tragedies."— Dr Johnson. In the Press, BLACKSTONE'S COMMENTARIES ON THE LAWS OF ENGLAND, A NEW AND GREATLY IMPROVED EDITION, aaEiti) ^ous, INCLUDING THOSE OF THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE COLERIDGE, AN ORIGINAL MEMOIR OF BLACKSTONE, A Preliminary Dissertation, illustrative of the Character and Value of the Commentaries, with reference to the Past and Present State of the Law, and a New and Copious Index. BY SAMUEL WARREN, Esq., F.R.S., BARRISTER-AT-LAW OF THE INNER TEMPLE. In this Edition, which will be beautifully and accurately printed, the Test will be preserved ENTIRE, as " verified and corrected, with tlie original References," by Mr. .lustice Coleridge ; and it will be the anxious effort of the present Editor to make his own Notes at once brief and practical, and of that Popular and Elementary character which constitutes the distinguishing excellence of the Commentaries, and has rendered them valuable and interesting, not only to the practical, but the constitutional Lawyer— to Members of Parliament, Justices, Clergymen, and, in short, all thinking classes of Society. The more difficult and important principles of the English Law, the Editor will endeavour briefly to compare with, and illustrate by analagous or conflicting provisions in the Law of Scotland, France, and America. There will l)e a fine Portrait and Autograph of Blackstone ; an entirely new and Systematic Index ; a List of Cases cited by Blackstone, by Mr. Justice Coleridge, and by the present Editor; and other improvements suggested by a careful examination of all previous editions. . IN COURSE OF PUBLICATION. BLACKWOOD'S STANDARD NOVELS, Price Six Shillings each Volume. HANDSOilELY BOUND IN CLOTH, WITH A BEAUTIFULLY ENGRAVED FRONTISPIECE. ADAM BLAIR, and MATTHEW VALERIUS: a Roman Story. WALD, A NEW EDITION, REVISED. IN ONE VOLUME. With an Illustration by W. L. Leitch. By the Author of " Valerius," " Reginald Dalton," &c. -^ THE CRUISE OF THE MIDGE. BY MICHAEL SCOTT. REGINALD DALTON. Author of " Tom Cringle's Log." AVith OB Illustrntion by W. L. Leitch. PEN OWEN. THE ANNALS of THE PARISH, With an Illustration by J. E. Laudkb. AND AYRSHIRE LEGATEES. — I — BY JOHN GALT. THE PROVOST, AND OTHER With a Portrait of the Author. TALES. , BY JOHN GALT. SIR ANDREW WYLIE. BY JOHN GALT, With an Illustration by Alexander Fraser. With an Illustration by Alexander Fraser. CYRIL THORNTON. With an Illustration by Jambs E. Lauder. TOM CRINGLE'S LOG. THE ENTAIL. BY MICHAEL SCOTT. BY JOHN GALT. With an Illustration by Clarkson Stanfield. With an lUuatration by Alexander Fraser. THE MAN-O'-WAR'S-MAN. THE SUBALTERN. BY BILL TRTTCK, Originally published in " Blackwood's Magazine." senior boatswain of the royal colleob of GREENWICH. Price 6s. A NEW EDITION. Prfce 6s. (Originally Published in '• Blackwood's Magazine.") * , LECTURES THE LIFE OF MANSIE WAUCH, ON THE HISTORY OF LITERATURE. TAILOR IN DALKEITH. iancient anO iBoHern. A New Edition, revised and greatly enlarged. From the German of Frederick Schlegel. With Eight Illustrations by G. Cruikshank. A NEW edition. In foolscap 8vo, price 8*., bound in cloth. In One Volume, foolscap Svo, price 7s. J. 10 mioxU luilisljeti tg m^^- ISlacfetoootJ ^ Sons, /?? ttvo large volumes, royal octavo, THE BOOK OF THE FARM: DETAILING THE LABOURS OF THE FARMER, FARM-STEWARD, PLOUGHMAN, SHEPHERD, HEDGER, CATTLE-MAN, FIELD-WORKER, AND DAIRYMAID. BY HENRY STEPHENS, F.R.S.E., [Editor of the Journal of Agriculture.] ILLUSTRATED BY THIRTY-FIVE STEEL PLATES. AND UPWARDS OF FOUR HUNDRED WOODCUTS. " ' Skilful practice is applied science.' This fact is illustrated in every chapter of the excellent and comprehensive work now before us. * * * As a practical manual for those who wish to be good farmers, it is the best book we know. It contains more of the practical applications of modern science, and adverts to more of those interesting questions from which past improvements have sprung, and from the discussion of which futiu-e ameliorations are likely to flow, than any other of the newer works which have come under our eye." — Blncliwood's Mapazinefor April. " The best practical book I have ever met with." — Professor Johnston of Durham. The First Volume may now he had, elegantly hound in cloth, price 30s. INTRODUCTORY. 1. THE DIFFICULTIES WHICH THE YOUNG FARMER HAS TO ENCOUNTER AT THE OUTSET OF LEARNING PRAC- TICAL HUSBANDRY. 2. THE MEANS OF OVERCOMING THOSE DIFFICULTIES. 3. THE KIND OF INFORMATION TO BE FOUND IN EXISTENT WORKS ON AGRICULTURE. 4. THE CONSTRUCTION OF " THE BOOK OF THE FARM." 5. THE EXISTING METHODS OF LEARNING PRACTICAL HUSBANDRY. 6. THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SCIENTIFIC INSTITUTIONS OF PRACTICAL AGRI- CULTURE. 7. THE EVILS ATTENDANT ON LAND- OWNERS NEGLECTING TO LEARN PRACTICAL AGRICULTURE. 8. EXPERIMENTAL FARMS AS PLACES FOR INSTRUCTION IN FARMING. 9. A FEW WORDS TO YOUNG FARMERS WHO INTEND EMIGRATING AS AGRI- CULTURAL SETTLERS TO THE COLO- NIES. 10, THE KIND OF EDUCATION BEST SUITED TO YOUNG FARMERS. 11. THE DIFFERENT KWDS OF FARMING. 12. CHOOSING THE KIND OF FARMING. 13. SELECTING A TUTOR FARMER FOR TEACHING FARMING. 14. THE PUPILLAGE. 15. DEALING WITH THE DETAILS OF FARMING. THE STEADING OR FARMSTEAD. THE FARM-HOUSE. THE PERSONS WHO LABOUR THE FARM. 16. 17. 18. WINTER. 19. THE WEATHER IN WINTER. 20. CLIMATE. 21. OBSERVING AND RECORDING FACTS. 22. SOILS AND SUBSOILS. 23. ENCLOSURES AND SHELTER. 24. THE PLANTING OF THORN HEDGES. 25. THE PLOUGH. [RIDGES. 26. THE VARIOUS MODES OF PLOUGHING 27. DRAINING. 28. YOKING AND HARNESSING THE PLOUGH, AND THE DRAUGHT-BARS. 29- PLOUGHING STUBBLE AND LEA-GROUND. 30. TRENCH AND SUBSOIL PLOUGHING, AND MOOR-BAND PAN. "\V^ THE BOOK OF THE FARM.— the second volume, WHICH COMPLETES THE WORK, Six Parts, price 4s. each., are published^ CONTAINING- WINTER (CONTINUED.) 31. DRAWING AND STORING TURNIPS, MANGEL-WURZEL, CABBAGE, CAR- ROTS, AND PARSNIPS. 32. THE FEEDING OF SHEEP ON TURNIPS IN WINTER. 33. DRIVING AND SLAUGHTERING SHEEP. 34. REARING AND FEEDING CATTLE ON TURNIPS IN WINTER. 35. DRIVING AND SLAUGHTERING CATTLE. 36. THE TREATMENT OF FARM-HORSES IN WINTER. 37. FATTENING, DRIVING, AND SLAUGH- TERING SWINE. 3". THE TREATMENT OF FOWLS IN WINTER. 39. THRASHING AND WINNOWING GRAIN, AND OF THE THRASHING MACHINE. 40. THE WAGES OF FARM SERVANTS. 41. CORN MARKETS. SMITH, JOINER, AND 42. THE FARM SADDLER. 43. THE FORMING OF DUNGHILLS, AND OF LIQUID MANURE TANKS. 44. WINTER IRRIGATION. SPRING. 45. COWS CALVING, AND OF CALVES. 46. ADVANTAGES OF HAVING FIELD-WORK ALWAYS IN A FORWARD STATE, 47. CROSS PLOUGHING. 48. DRILLING AND RIBBING LAND, SOW- ING SPRING WHEAT, GRASS-SEEDS, BEANS AND PEAS. 49. THE BEAN- DRILL. 50. SWITCHING, PRUNING &C., THORN HEDGES. The remaining Parts will contain — SPRING (CONTINUED.) THE HIRING OF FARM SERVANTS. THE SOWING OF OAT-SEED. THE LAMBING OF EWES. TRAINING THE SHEPHERD'S DOG. BREAKING OF YOUNG DRAUGHT HORSES. THE SOWING OF THE BARLEY-SEED.^ DUNGHILLS AND COMPOST. THE PLANTING OF POTATOES. THE LITTERING OF SOWS. THE HATCHING OF POULTRY. SUMMER. THE SOWING OF TURNIPS. FIELD GATES. THE MEASUREMEKT AND WEIGHT OF CATTLE. 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VIIL STROLL TO GRASSMERE. First Saunter. Second Saunter. IX. L'ENVOY. BY THE SAME AUTHOR In One Vohime, Foolscap Octavo, price 6s., bound in cloth, LIGHTS AND SHADOWS OF SCOTTISH LIFE. In Foolscap Octavo, price 6s., THE TRIALS OF MARGARET LYNDSAY. a mtD mitm. In Foolscap Octavo, price 6s., THE FORESTERS. a mtn 3£tr(tion. AV THE STATISTICAL ACCOUNT ABERDEENSHIRE. THE MINISTERS OF THE RESPECTIVE PARISHES, UNDER THE SUPERINTENDENCE OF A COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF THE CLERGY. WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS, EDINBURGH, AND 22, PALL MALL, LONDON. MDCCCXLTir. S8 PRINTED BY STARK & COMPANY, EDINBURGH. CONTENTS. #** The second column refers to the Volume and Page in the Old Statistical Accounty where the Description of the Parish will be found. Aberdeen, . 1 vol. xix. p. 140, 633 Atterdour, 258 vol. xii. p. 375 Aboyne and Glentannek, 1047 vol. xix. p. 296 Alford 485 vol. XV. p. 447 AUCHINDOIR AND KeARN, . 406 vol. xii. p. 490 Al.CHTERLESS, . 285 vol. xii. p. 306 Belhelvie, . . 241 vol. vii. j9. 218 BlRSE, 786 vol. ix. p. 103 Bourtrie, . 620 vol. ix. p. 434 Lairnie, 1017 vol. xii. p. 127 CflAPEL OF GaRIOCH, . 560 vol. xi. p. 500 Clatt, . 846 vol. viii. p. 535 Cluny, ..1018 vol. X. p. 235 t":OULL, . 957 vol. in. p. 198 Crathie and Braemar, . .646 vol. xiv. p. 334 . 467 Insch, . 747 vol. xvii. ^. 482 Inverurie, 677 z;o?. vii. p. 331 Keig, . 943 vo^. xi. p. 455 Keith-hall and Kinkell, 743 wo/, ii. j9. 527 Kemnay, 817 vol. xii. p. 199, 619 iv CONTENTS. Kennethmont, 583 vol. KiLDRUMMY, . 976 vol. Kincardine O'Niel, 831 vol. KiNELLAR, . 114 vol. King Edward, 274 vol. KiNTORE, . 653 vol. LeOCHEL and CdSHNIE, 1102 vol. Leslie, 1019 vol. LOGIE-BUCHAN, . 799 vol. LOGIE-COLDSTONE, 1070 vol. LONGSIDE, . 859 vol. LoNMAY, 213 vol. LuMPHANAN, . . 1079 vol. Machau, New, . 1025 vol. Machar, Old, . 1074 vol. Meldrum, 474 vol. Methlick, . 962 vol- Midmar, 629 vol. Monquhitter, . 762 vol. MONYMUSK, 469 vol. New Deer, . . 175 vol. Newhills, 237 vol. New Machar, . 1025 vol Old Deer, 138 vol- Old Machar, . 1074 vol. Oyne, 634 vol- Peterculter, . 105 vol. Peterhead, 344 vol. PiTSLIGO, . 396 vol. Premnay, 692 vol- Rathen. . 293 vol. Rayne, . 421 vol. Rhynie, . 1015 vol. St Fergus, 185 vol. : Skene, . 1096 vol. Slains, . 598 vol. ^ Strathdon, S^2S 585 vol. : Strichen, 687 vol. 1 Tarland and Migvie, . 839 vol. Tarves, . 667 vol Tough, . 611 vol. Towie, . 416 vol. TULLYXESSLE AND FoRB :3, . 439 vol. Turriff, 981 vol. Tyrie, . 717 vol- UONY, 131 vol. xiii. jO. G6 xviii. j!?. 411 vi. p. 55 iii. p. 496 xi. p. 398 xiii. p. 81 vi.p. 212 viii. jo. 511 iv. p. 421 ix. jo. 510 XV. p. 282 xvi. p. 631 vi. p. 382 vi- p. 465 xix. p. 140, 633 xiii. jo. 133 iv. p. 320 ii.j9. 516 vi. p. 121 iii. p. 66 ix. p. 184 vi. p. 34 \i.p. 465 xvi. p. 469 xix. p. 140, 633 XV. p. 105 xvi. p. 358 xvi. j9. 541 V. p. 96 xvi. p. 637 vi. p. 15 XV. jo. 110 xix. p. 289 XV. />. 134 iv. j!?. 57 . V. p. 275 xiii. jO. 171 vii. p. 416 vi. p. 222 V. p. 309 viii. jo. 261 iv. p. 547 , iv. p. 27, and vol. xi. p. 189 xvii. p. 394 vi. jt?. 138 iv. x>. 156 Sn,/^,m steel. bi/JI'B.LUti, CITY OF ABERDEEN.^ PRESBYTERY OF ABERDEEN, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. JAMES FOOTE, Minister of the East Church. THE REV. ALEXANDER D. DAVIDSON, West Church. THE REV. JOHN MURRAY, North Church. THE REV. WILLIAM K. TWEEDIE, South Church. THE REV. A. L. GORDON, Grayfriars. THE REV. ALEXANDER SPENCE, St Clements. THE REV. HUGH MACKENZIE, Spring Garden Church (Gaelic.) THE REV. DAVID SIMPSON, Trinity Church. THE REV. JOHN ALLAN, Union Church. THE REV. JOHN STEPHEN, John Knoxs Church. THE REV. WILLIAM PRIMROSE, Melville Church. L — Topography and Natural History. Aberdeen, a city of considerable size and extensive com- merce, is situated along the left bank of the river Dee, near its mouth, extending about a mile from east to west, and stretching to nearly an equal distance northward from the river. Name. — Various conjectures have been formed respecting the etymology of the name of this city, of which the two following are the most worthy of notice : Mr Kennedy, in his Annals of Aberdeen, says, on the autho- rity of the late Mr Maclachlan, Rector of the Grammar- School of Old Aberdeen, that " the Gaelic name, Obairreadhain, pronoun- ced Oberrayn, signifies the town situated on the bank or space of ground near the entrance of two rivers ; and is composed of Abair or Aber^ a well-known word, and Da-abhuinn^ ( Da-awin)^ two rivers, namely, Dee and Don. This analysis is exactly descrip- tive of the local situation of Aberdeen, which in former ages was almost at an equal distance from the mouths of both rivers, although about a century ago the channel of the Don, near the town, was altered, and the stream diverted straight into the sea, about a mile * Drawn up by Williain Henderson, M.D. Aberdeen, — the articles Ecclesiastical State and State of Education being contributed by the Rev. Abercromby Gordon ; Fisheries, by the Rev. Alexander Spence ; Bridewell, by Alexander W. Chalmers, Esq. ; Mechanics' Institution, by Thomas Scott Benzie, Esq. ; Gordon's Hospital, by the Rev. W. K. Tweedie. ABERDEEN. A 2 ABERDEENSHIRE. further northward than its ancient efflux ;" and he endeavours in a note to give further probabiUty to this etymology, by saying, " pro- bably at some very remote period, Don had continued its former course still further southward down the hollow of the links, till it united with Dee in the harbour, and both together would form one stream into the ocean. Such conjecture is in some measure con- firmed by the works of Ptolemy and Richard (of Cirencester), there being no such river as Don delineated in their maps, or even mentioned in their tables, while Diva (Dee) and Ituna (Ythan) in the district of the Taixali, are particularly noticed. In the ear- lier records of the burgh, the river Don is distinguished solely by the name of Aqua Borealis.'" * The conjecture advanced by Mr Thom in his History of Aber- deen, is expressed in these words : " The name Aberdeen is com- posed of the Gaelic A-bar, and dun, which signifies the hill in the marsh. Abe?-, spelt j4bar in Gaelic, is a compound of two words, at<, water, and bar, an obstacle ; hence it signifies a marsh."f Various considerations seem adverse to these conjectures. In thej^r^^ place, there is no vestige in either record or tradition, of the Don havingever run south into the Dee, nor does it seem like- ly that it should hold for two miles a course parallel to the sea- shore, and separated from it only by a line of sand-hills so low and loose in several places as sometimes to be broken through . by a high tide when pains are not taken to prevent it. On the contrary, if probability may be appealed to in the absence of evi- dence, it seems much more likely that the course which it has held since the year 1727, (when advantage was taken by the salmon- fishers of a breach made in these hills by a high tide or land- flood, to alter the place of its mouth), was the ancient one, run- ning straight into the sea, instead of turning suddenly at a right angle, along the back of the sand-hills. In the secojid place, no argument can be founded on the silence of Ptolemy respecting the Don, for he does not mention above half of the rivers that run into the German Ocean, and the Ituna which he notices, is not in the district of the Taixali, but on the west side of the island, and has a longitude assigned to it of 18°, 30' while that oi Divce ostium is 26°. It cannot, therefore, be the Ythan ; and as it is termed by him an estuary, and placed immediately to the north of More- cambe bay, it seems clear that it is the Solway which he meant to point out by this designation. And in the third place, it seems * Annals, Vol. i. p. 5. | History, Vol. i. pp. 28, 29. ABERDEEN. 3 far-fetched to derive a part of the name of the city either from the supposed junction of two rivers, or from the word signifying a hill, when the name of the river that runs close by it supplies the syl- lable that is wanting, without requiring to undergo any change. Ptolemy places the river Diva in the territory of the Taixali, who occupied the most easterly part of Albion, and he mentions the city Devana as being in the same province.* These, then, cor- respond with the situation of the river Dee, and of some city near it. The exact site of the Devana of Ptolemy has been disputed ; " General Roy," as Mr Thorn observes, "having placed it at Old Aberdeen, and the laborious author of Caledonia somewhere in the parish of Peterculter;"-f- the former being about a mile north from Aberdeen, and the latter about seven miles south-west of it, on the banks of the Dee. That the Romans adopted and Latinized the name of the river, seems probable from this consideration, that while in very many cases the Roman names given to rivers have no analogy with those by which they are now known, we find in several districts of the Celtic territories, rivers whose present names, though apparent- ly not of Latin derivation, are almost identical with the names under which they occur in the writings of Ptolemy and other an- cient authors, for example the Dee, in Galloway, mentioned by Ptolemy as the Deva in the country of the Selgovii, the Dee in Cheshire, called by him the Deva in the territory of the Cornabii, and the Deba in Guipuzcoa, which is noticed by him under the name of Diva in the country of the Caristi. It need not excite wonder that we find no vestige of the name Devana given to the settlement of the Taixali by the Romans, except in the writings of the ancients, for although the Romans adopted from the natives the name of the river, there was no reason why the natives should give up the name by which the town placed on its banks had previously been known to them, in order to copy from their in- vaders the name which they chose to affix to it. It seems in a high degree probable that the ancient name of the city among the natives very nearly resembled the one which it bears at this day, (though, perhaps, Camden goes too far when he charges Ptolemy with having put Diva and Devana for Dena and Denana.) j Mr Kennedy observes, that in old records the name is variously spelt. — Aberdaen, Aberdon, Abirden, Aberdene, and Abyrdene; — * PtoleiDEei, Geog. Univers. 1. ii. c. 3- f History, Vol. i. p. 18. J " Quae Devana, Ptolemaeo, pro Denana, Urbs perantiqua, ad Denam fluvium, qui falso itidem apud Ptolemseura Diva legitur." Camden, Britannia, edit. 1587, p. 558. 4 ABERDEENSHIRE. and in Latin writings it generally occurs in the form of Abredonia ; but Buchanan, while he uses the name Abredonia as applicable both to Old and New Aberdeen, says of the latter " Hanc cite- riorem invenio vetustis monumentis Abredeam appellatam."* The noun " Abar," is stated by Macleod and Dewar in their Gaelic Dictionary to denote " a marsh, a bog, a fen," and used as a verb " to join together," hence " a place where two or more streams meet." On a reference to the situation of the numerous places both in Scotland and Wales whose names begin with this word, it will be seen that they are all (v/ith one or two questionable exceptions, viz. Abergeley in Flintshire, and Abernyte in Perth- shire,) situated either, l^^, at the influx of a stream into the sea; or '2d, on the confluence of two streams ; or 3d, in the immediate neighbourhood of a stream ; a very few only presenting the anomaly of being on the sea coast, where there is no river or stream of any notable magnitude, such as Abermenai in Caernarvonshire, Aber- dour in Fife, and Aberdour in Aberdeenshire. If, then, it can be admitted that the Celtic name of the river was Dee, or as Mr Thorn asserts,-|- " Deabhadh pronounced Devay," or some similar word, the origin of the name of the city seems easily deducible from " Abar" or " Eabar," a marsh or fen, (and it is worth notice that the common people pronounce the name as if it were spelt Ebardeen,) compounded with the name of the river, so that it signifies " the marsh of the Dee." ^ Topography, 8^ c. — The parish of St Nicholas, in which Aberdeen is situated, lies on the north side of the river Dee, adjacent to its em- bouchure, and along the contiguous sea coast. Its shape isirregularly quadrangular. It is bounded on the south side, by the river, along which it extends for about 1^ mile in a direction nearly east and west. On the east side, the sea forms its limit for nearly J \ mile, in a direction almost due north, to about the point opposite the middle of the Broad Hill, a small eminence which is situated nearly half way be- tween the mouth of the Dee and that of the Don. From this point there is no natural division of the parish from the adjacent one of Old Machar ; the boundary runs nearly west for about one mile, and then turns irregularly a little to the south-west for about the same distance, till it reaches the extreme west corner of the parish between Broadford and Gilcomston, and from thence it turns nearly south, and extends along the Den-burn, almost three-quarters * Buchanan, Hist. Scot. 1. i. c. 26. f History of Aberdeen, Vol. i. p. 24. % Armstrong, in his Gaelic Dictionary, gives " a confluence of waters" as the meaning of Eabar, — whence Eabardeen would signify " the embouchure of the Dee." ABERDEEN. 5 of a mile, till it meets the south boundary at the jjlace where that burn falls into the basin of the harbour. The superficial contents of the parish may be estimated at about 1100 imperial acres, of which rather more than one-half (including the whole of the west, the greater part of the south, and nearly one-half of the north sides,) is occupied by the city of Aberdeen, and the village of Fut- tie, which lies along the river towards the east end of the south boundary.* By far the greater part of the remainder along the east side is occupied by the hnks, and a range of low sand hills by which they are separated from the sea coast. Along the north side, from the Broad Hill to the point where the buildings of Aberdeen be- gin, the ground is laid out in market gardens, nurseries, and bleach- greens. The origin of the name of this parish is enveloped in obscurity. The great church of Aberdeen was, in former times, dedicated to St Nicholas, though whether it was to Nicholas, who was Bishop of Myra in Lycia in the fourth century, and who is the patron saint of the Russian empire, or to some one else of the same name, that it was dedicated, is a problem that probably cannot now be solved. The name derived from this dedication, however, has by long use ex- tended to the whole parish ; but in ordinary language it has of late years been less generally used, — the name of the city which occu- pies so large a portion of the parish being employed instead. With the exception of that part of the Broad Hill which is com- prehended within the limits of the parish, the surface of the whole of the east and north parts is nearly level, and but very slightly elevated above the sea ; but in the south and west parts, the ground is more broken, rising into several eminences of small height, one of which, the Heading Hill, may be said to lie beyond the limits of the town on the east side, (although a few houses are built on it, and on the adjacent grounds to the north,) while the others, known by the names of the Castle Hill, St Catherine's Hill, the Port Hill, and the School Hill or Woolman Hill, are occupied by the streets and buildings of Aberdeen. On the south side the boundary of the parish is also the boun- dary of the district of Mar and of the county of Aberdeen ; and the adjacent parish in the county of Kincardine is Nigg, in which the * It has of late become customary to spell the name of this village Footdee, as if it were derived from the circumstance of its lying adjacent to the embouchure or foot of the Dee ; but the uniform spelling in old writings is Futtie, or sometimes, though seldom, Fottie ; and it may be observed that etymological propriety would require, that, if the name had reference to the foot of the Dee, it should have been either " Dee-foot," (as Elvan-foot, Bog-foot, &c.) or " Foot-o-dee," (as Foot-o-hill.) 6 ABERDEENSHIRE. small fishing village of Torrie lies directly opposite to Futtie on the south side of the Dee. On the north and west sides, the parish of St Nicholas is completely inclosed by the parish of Old Machar, which contains the town of Old Aberdeen, lying about a mile north- ward from Aberdeen, the manufacturing village of Woodside, at the distance of about two miles to the north-west, and the village of Ruthrieston, about two miles distant towards the south-west. In this parish are also situated the suburbs of Broadford on the north side ; Gilcomston, along the north end of the west side ; the Windmill-brae and College Street near the south end of the same side; Holburn about a mile off towards the south-west; and Dee village about half a-mile off on the bank of the river. Besides these, the new streets which have of late years been added to Aberdeen, and in which many of the best houses are situated, are within the limits of the parish of Old Machar, lying between Gilcomston and the river, and extending westward nearly three-quarters of a mile. Soil, S^c. — The soil of the parish is on the east side principally sandy, derived from its vicinity to the sea, the beach being here com- posed of fine sand, with occasional beds of small stones. The upper grounds in the other parts consist generally of gravel, and the lower grounds shew in several places extensive beds of peat moss lying under and mixed with the remains of former buildings or artificial soil. There is reason to conclude that the whole of the parish rests on a bed of rock of the nature of granite, and this rock may be seen in some parts of the Broad Hill cropping out to the surface. It has been found, however, in those parts of the town and neigh- bourhood, where boring for water has been practised, that the rock lies at a depth of nearly thirty feet under the moss and gravel which form the subsoil. According to the most recent determination, that of Mr George Innes, which has been approved by the engineers- employ- ed in the Government survey, the latitude of the observatory on the top of Marischal College, which stands not very far from the centre of the parish, is 57° 8' 57.8" north, and its longitude is 2° 5' 41.56" west from Greenwich. The climate, in consequence of its proximity to the sea, is not liable to very great or extreme variations ; but from the same cause it is very unsteady. The frosts in winter are not often very severe, although occasionally the thermometer has been observed as low as 13°, or even 10°; but this not for any long continuance. And in the summer the temperature scarcely ever rises above 70° ABERDEEN. ' or 75° in the shade during the day, while during the night it is very seldom above 60°. The following Table, drawn up by Mr George Innes, shows the monthly mean temperature for the last seven years— the thermo- meter being placed freely exposed to the E. N. E., and at the height of 16 feet above the surface of the ground, and the obser- vations being made daily at 8 a. m. and 9 p. m. January, 183-2. 18.33. 1834. 1835. 1836. 1837. 1838. 40.22 3395 40.25 35.63 37.30 36.67 33.57 February, 40-68 37.71 40.15 39.06 35.73 38.71 31.14 March, 41.89 39.81 42.10 39.91 39.88 34.74 38.32 April, 46.00 45.22 45.76 45.40 43.39 39.66 40.25 May, 49.06 55.70 54.15 49.88 52 36 46.20 45.91 June, 56.17 56.21 58.56 55.69 56.79 54.61 53.08 July, 56.93 58.93 60.92 58.74 57.48 57.71 58.03 August, 57.82 55.07 59.74 58.75 55.38 55.43 55.13 September, 54.64 53.78 54.41 54.14 50 81 50.96 52.09 October, 49.22 49. 23. 48.54 4547 46.62 49 33 45.53 November, 42.27 41.81 43.46 43.23 39.72 39.10 38.92 December, Annual Mean, 39.10 .38.24 42.12 37.58 38.17 41.04 45.35 39.06 47.83 47,14 49.18 46.96 46.14 44.25 p ,1 1 •i 1 ^ The fluctuations of the barometer are not in general either very great or very sudden. It scarcely ever rises above 80.5 inches, or sinks below 28. The effect of the east wind in raising it, or in preventing its fall on the approach of rain, is very frequently to be observed. In the following table Mr Innes has collected the monthly mean for the last seven years — the barometer being placed at the height of 45 feet above half flood, and observed night and morning. January, February,- March, April, May, June, July. August, September, . October, November, December, . Annual Mean. 1832. 1833. 1834. 1835. 1836. 1837. 29.8935 29.6904 29.9445 29.8443 29.9583 30.0024 29.9692 30.0012 29.9167 29.8833 29-6360 29.8514 1838. 30.0268 29.7628 29.7619 29.7619 30.0139 29.8569 29.9038 29.7781 29.9901 29.8307 29 5667 29.9306 29.947 30.037 29.777 30.125 30.032 29.946 30.118 29.907 30.050 29.948 29.819 29.817 30.2718 29.4093 30.0219 29.7362 30.1055 29.7797 30.0239 29.9435 29.9347 29.7685 29.6882 29.3920 29.5178 39.9151 30.0269 30.2542 29.99-36 29.9115 30.0759 29.8698 30.0703 29.8424 29 8788 30.1790 29 9613 29.9201 29.4812 29.8428 30.0831 29.8464 30.0773 29.9742 30.0254 29.6208 29.68.34 29 8545 30.0871 29.8747 29.6827 29.7301 29.3042 29.7827 30.3706 29.7978 29.8463 29.9745 29.8523 29.6871 29.4334 29.6304 29.960 29.8396 29.7577 29.8826 29.8464 No series of observations with the hygrometer has been record- ed, nor indeed are such very satisfactory when they are made. The principles of the various instruments of this kind that are in use are liable to several fallacies which it is not easy to remove, and nearly impossible to make due allowance for. Some of them 8 ABERDEENSHIRE. indicate only the moisture that is diffused in the air; thus almost necessarily assuming that the air in which they indicate the pre- sence of moisture, already holds dissolved or combined with it, all the water which at the observed temperature it is capable of taking-. It is obvious that there is therefore a great and a variable quantity of moisture contained in the air to which'such instruments are exposed, of which they give no indication. Others are formed on the prin- ciple of estimating the quantity of water which the air, under given circumstances, is capable of dissolving, in addition to the unas- certained quantity which it already has. A third class depend for their principle on the known facts, that cold air is capable of dissolving less moisture than hot air, and that the moister the air is at any given temperature, the smaller will be the reduction of temperature, required to cause it to deposit a part of that moisture, or, as it is said, to bring it to the dew point ; and the hygrometer consists of a vessel having a thermometer inclosed in it, which is to be cooled until moisture begins to be deposited on its surface, when the indications of the inclosed thermometer will show at what tem- perature the air subjected to observation would become incapable of retaining all its moisture. And a fourth kind is founded on the principle, that evaporation is accompanied by a diminution of tem- perature in proportion to its rapidity ; the instrument, therefore, consists of two thermometers, one of which has its bulb covered with moistened muslin, and its indications are obtained by noting the difference between the two thermometers. This last kind of hy- grometer seems to give a more philosophically accurate result than the others ; but there are circumstances which none of them take account of, and which it is perhaps impossible to devise an instru- ment to show satisfactorily. The sensible effects of the moisture contained in the air often depend not so much on its absolute quantity, (or on its quantity as considered in relation to the tem- perature prevailing at the time,) as on some differences whose causes are by no means well understood, by which the air is ren- dered more or less disposed lo part with the moisture which it holds, or to dissolve an additional quantity ; and these, though not altogether unconnected with its temperature, are yet by no means solely dependent on it. The indications of the state of the atmo- sphere in regard to moisture and dryness, which are furnished by the flight of insects and birds, and by the feelings of persons of infirm health, are often more delicate, and not unfrequently more accurate, than those given by any hygrometer. That changes in the state of the air in regard to elasticity have a principal share ABERDEEN. 9 in producing those indications must be admitted ; but such changes, at the same time, produce a change in the relations of the air to moisture, which often the most sensible hygrometer will fail to indicate, but which the lapse of a few hours proves to be not the less real on that account. The sensible proof that the air is saturated with moisture seems to be obtained by the falling of rain ; but even here it is not suf- ficient to find that rain has fallen in order to justify the conclu- sion, that the air was overloaded with moisture, or to find that no rain has fallen, in order to warrant the inference that the quanti- ty of moisture contained in the air was less than it was capable of dissolving. Sudden changes in this respect often take place, which are not by any means always proportioned to the changes of tem- perature, and sometimes are even altogether unconnected with them, and which it is extremely difficult to take any accurate ac- count of. It is true that rain often falls from a considerable height in the atmosphere, and we are therefore unable to judge accurate- ly of the circumstances of that stratum of air from which it is pre- cipitated ; but this is not always the case, and rain is sometimes produced as it were before our eyes, while the previous indication of the thermometer and of the hygrometer gave little information regarding it. The rain-guage may thus occasionally become a use- ful addition to both of these ; though it is obviously not capable of al- ways indicating the actual quantity of moisture separated from the air in any given situation ; Ist, because it will catch a consi- derable portion, (and indeed the greater part of what it does catch, is probably to be considered as derived from this source,) of what is separated from strata of air at a considerable but very variable height above the place of observation ; 2d, because the circum- stances of the various strata of air through which the rain falls before reaching the guage, are liable to such endless variety, that the quantity of water collected by the guage may be either very considerably greater, or very much less than the actual quantity precipitated in the form of rain ; and 3d, because when rain is produced from that stratum of the air in which the rain-guage is placed, much of the amount of its indications will depend on the situation which the guage occupies, as that which in the upper parts of the stratum is but a drizzle or small rain, may sometimes be found to be a very heavy shower, if observed in a situation only a small number of feet lower. An observation of this kind was made on one occasion by the late Dr Copland, Professor of Natural Philosophy in Marischal College, who found the rain 10 ABERDEENSHIRE. small and by no means thick on the top of the Observatory, while in the court below it was heavy and in lar^e drops. The follow- ing table, therefore, showing the rain collected by the rain-guage on the top of the observatory, at the height of 74 feet from the surface of the ground, cannot be looked on as perfectly satisfac- tory. Yet perhaps the objections to which it is liable, are (though of a different kind) not on the whole stronger than those that might be urged against the indications of any similar instrument however placed. Mr Innes, with the view of removing these ob- jections in as far as they are capable of being removed, has taken measures for observing the fall of rain in future at two additional stations in the vicinity of Aberdeen ; the one in a garden about half a mile westward from the boundary of the parish, where the guage is placed seven feet above the surface of the ground, and the other at the light-house on the Girdleness, about a mile south-east from the extremity of the parish, where it is placed at the height of three feet above the ground. Fall of rain observed by the guage. January, 1832. 1833. 1834. 1835. 1836. 1837 1838. 3.91 1.35 0.24 2.18 0.34 0.85 1.20 February, 0.24 2.77 0.93 0.82 0.96 1.34 3.06 March, - 1.38 1.65 0.43 1.13 3.35 1.02 3.57 April, - 3 86 2.12 0.47 0.55 0.94 1.85 2.07 May, - 1.51 0.18 0.78 0.92 0.32 0.95 2.57 .June, 1.45 3.45 0.82 0.78 1.24 1.75 2.51 July, - 1.00 1.12 0.64 1.38 3.46 3.31 1.96 August, 1.90 0.76 1.08 0.65 1.54 3 81 2.79 September, 1.27 3.83 1.03 2.73 2.46 2.23 3.41 October, 2.07 1.34 1.45 2.06 2.48 0.66 1.64 November, 2.79 3.04 1.65 2.65 5.23 0.38 3.13 December, Total, 2.25 1.54 0.82 12.28 0.93 1.86 24.69 1.79 1.79 21.07 22.04 14 94 20.29 .S2.41 The prevailing winds are during the winter, north and east, and during the summer, westerly ; but there is so little of steadiness in this respect, (excepting that there is a month or so during spring when an easterly wind prevails very generally,) that it is difficult to speak with any degree of precision about it. The following table shows the direction of the wind during the last three years, no re- gister previous to that time having been met with. 1836. 1837. ■ 1838 North, 19 38 28 South, 37 42 44 East, 19 10 26 West, 59 28 23 North to east. 25 24 30 South to east, 45 32 61 North to west 64 65 59 ABERDEEN. 11 1836. 1837. 1838. South to west, . - 64 73 74 Two or more points, - 16 7 t-o ori Variable, - - 18 5 ^'* Generally speaking, the wind does not blow with any great violence, and it cannot be said that there is any particular quarter from which a violent wind may be expected to come, rather than any other ; though, perhaps, on the whole, the north wind may be said here to be oftener a violent wind than that which blows in other directions. The average rise of the tide at the mouth of the Dee is 13j feet at spring tides, and 8 feet at neap tides, and the former takes place when the moon is about thirty-six hours past the full and change, — the latter about thirty-six hours after the first and last quarters. The magnetic variation is at present 26° 43' westward. It was a few years ago somewhat greater, having been stated by Mr In- nes at 26° 45' during the years 1830-31-32-33, and 34. The aurora boreal is is sometimes seen here in great splendour, exhibiting a corona of every conceivable colour, and of very great brilliancy from its rapid and constant changes. The hissing or crackling noise which so many have heard accompanying this me- teor, while many others have denied that any such sound has ever been heard, (apparently for no better reason than because they have not themselves heard it, and cannot account for it,) has been occasionally observed by several persons in Aberdeen and the neighbourhood, among whom the late Mr John Ramage may be mentioned, as well as the writer of this Account, v.'ho also had an opportunity once of confirming the observations made by Captain Back during his sojourn in the Polar regions, that the cause of this meteor, whatever it may be, is not always at so great a distance from the surface of the earth as is commonly supposed, for he saw the beam of light distinctly pass between his eye and a small cloud, while it passed behind another small cloud, which evidently hung lower in the atmosphere. The splendid phenomenon of a lumi- nous arch, about 1° 30' broad, stretching across the heavens nearly in the direction of the magnetic equator, and slowly moving to- wards the south till it becomes more undefined, and at last breaks up when it has passed a little beyond the zenith, has been of late years several times observed here. Nothing can be founded on the frequency or unfrequency of a phenomenon so irregular and so little understood as the aurora borealis ; but it may be mentioned by the way, that after having been for several years very seldom observed, it has of late become much more frequent, and during 12 ABERDEENSHIRE. last winter scarcely a night passed in which it was not seen in a greater or less degree. Thunder storms are by no means very common in this parish, and when they do occur they are scarcely ever very violent, and it is not above once in two or three years that any injury is done by lightning to either buildings or lives in Aberdeen or the vicinity. Springs, Wells, Sfc. — There are few springs of any consequence in the parish, and although a supply of water can be got in most places by digging from ten to thirty feet, it is generally rather hard, and therefore comparatively of little value. Close by the boundary of the parish, on the west side, are two springs closely contiguous, which have been long known under the name of the Well of Spa. Both of these springs, but especially the least co- pious one, are impregnated with carbonate of iron, and they have been noted as medicinal on account of this quality. In 1615, an account of the properties and powers of these springs was published by Dr William Barclay, under the title of " Callirrhoe, commonly called the Well of Spa, or the Nymph of Aberdene." A building which at that time protected the spring having fallen into decay, was repaired by the celebrated painter, George Jamieson, but was not long after demolished by a flood of the Den -burn, which runs close beside. In 1670, another building was erected over the spring, which still remains, consisting of a stone enclosure with steps or benches, and an entablature bearing these inscriptions : — " As heaven gives me, so give I theo." " Hoc fonte derivata salus in Patriam populumque fluat." " Spada Rediviva, 1670." These springs have disappeared and been recovered several times within the last two centuries, but until of late their chaly- beate virtues seem to have been always retained. Within these few years, however, in digging on the adjacent eminence for the foundations of the west wing of the New Infirmary, it would seem as if the course of the water had been disturbed, or some other change produced, the consequence of which is that now the larger spring scarcely appears to possess any chalybeate impregnation, and the smaller one is much weaker than it formerly was. It is generally concluded among geologists, that where granite rock forms the bed of a district, the attempt to obtain water by sinking Artesian wells would be vain ; and Messrs Richards and Co., when they wished to obtain a supply of water for their manu- factory in the neighbourhood of Aberdeen, were dissuaded from incurring the expense of boring, as not likely to be attended with success. Messrs Hadden and Sons, however, about three years ABERDEEN. 13 ago, made the experiment at their manufactory, in the lower part of the town, and with the result of obtaining an abundant supply of water. In sinking this well, they cut through about thirty feet of mossy soil and gravel before coming to the rock, into which they made a bore of eight inches diameter, which was successively con- tracted to six inches, and at the bottom to four inches. The depth to which this bore was carried through the rock was 1 50 feet, and in the course of the operation they found the matter cut through mostly granite, though of different degrees of hardness at different depths. The water thus obtained, which probably comes from seve- ral fissures in the rock, rose to within about eight feet of the surface, but on putting in a pump the^ supply was found to be copious and capable of increase. On first using the pump a good deal of air rose along with the water, but in about a month this ceased, and it was then found that, by increasing the power of the pump, a larger supply of water (accompanied, however, by a renewal of the escape of air) might be obtained. The supply thus acquired is now equal to nearly 1 80 gallons per minute, but the quality of the water is hardish, so that it cannot be used except for condensing. They have more recently sunk another well about 100 feet dis- tant from the first, and this they carried to the depth of 220 feet, the bore throughout being eight inches wide. Here they found the water rose only to within about fifteen feet of the surface, and on applying a pump the supply was by no means so great as from the first, not exceeding fifty gallons per minute, of the same qua- lity as the other, and apparently derived from the same fissures, — for the yielding of the first well is so much diminished by the working of the second, that both together scarcely give more water than the first did alone, before the second was made. Messrs Richards and Co., on hearing of the success which had attended the attempts of Messrs Hadden, began to bore, and after cutting through 18 feet of moss and black earth, 14 feet of gravel and small stones, 4 or 5 feet of reddish clay, and, below that, about 6 feet of loose sand and clay, they reached the rock, through which a bore of 8 inches diameter was driven to the depth of 132 feet, making 175 feet in all from the surface. The rock was of varia- ble hardness, but mostly granitic. At the depth of 1 ] 5 feet, a layer of sand was met with, accompanied by much water, and there is reason to believe, that the principal supply of water which was obtained came from this bed of sand. Below this the rock was very hard. The boring was continued for 60 feet further, but 14 ABERDEENSHIRE. without any change in the nature of the rock, or any notable ad- dition to the quantity of water. The spring rose to the surface of the earth, and flowed over in small quantity, but on putting in a pump, the supply was found to be equal to about 45 gallons per minute, and of excellent quality, being, though not absolutely soft, yet not by any means materially hard. The only other attempt of this kind which has been made is by Messrs Fisher and Son at the Devanha Brewery, about a mile south-west from the boundary of the parish, where a bore of six inches wide at the top, but diminished to three inches at bottom, was driven to the depth of 140 feet. Nearly the whole of this was through a red granite rock of variable hardness, and the supply of water, which was obtained after boring about 35 feet, not having been materially increased, the attempt was then given up. The water rose to within two feet of the surface, and the quantity ob- tained by applying a pump amounted to about 12 gallons per mi- nute ; but it was so strongly impregnated with carbonate of iron as to be altogether useless for the purposes of the brewery. Zoology. — It cannot be expected that the natural history of a parish which is nearly altogether occupied by a large city should present many objects of rarity or interest. In regard to quadru- peds, the only circumstance that occurs as being worthy of notice, is, that the black rat, which formerly used to abound over all Scot- land, has for many years been altogether expelled from this pa- rish by the large brown rat, which is commonly said to have been imported from Norway. The swallow and martin commonly make their appearance here about the end of April, and depart a little before the autumnal equinox. The beautiful bird, the Bohemian jay, is sometimes seen here, but seldom. The other birds found are those which occur in other similarly situated parts of the north of Scotland. The sea in the neighbourhood yields considerable va- riety of fish, of which those principally caught are the haddock, whiting, cod, skate, and flounders of various kinds, as plaice, &c. Ling, halibut, soles, and mackerel are occasionally caught, and there is no reason to doubt that an abundant supply of some of the finer kinds of fish, as turbot, might be obtained, if the fishermen were in the habit of using decked boats, in which they could ven- ture to go 15 or 20 miles out to sea. An attempt was made some years ago by some fishers from Hartlepool to introduce the tur- bot fishery here, but they did not meet with the encouragement which they had hoped for. Herrings are occasionally caught in ABERDEEN. 15 abundance along this coast, but it was not until about two years ago, that, by the exertions of the late Provost Blaikie, a vigorous attempt was. made to establish a herring-fishery at Aberdeen. There are at present about thirty boats employed in this way, and the success which they have had has been highly encouraging, so that it may be hoped that this department of the fishery is likely to be prosecuted henceforth with advantage. The salmon-fishery is carried on to a very considerable extent both in the sea and in the river Dee, and the rents accruing to the magistrates of Aber- deen, and to various private individuals from this source, are to a considerable amount. A statement of the actual quantity of sal- mon caught in the Dee and on the beach adjacent cannot be given, because these fishings, being in the hands of persons possessing si- milar fishings in other situations, it has not been deemed of im- portance to distinguish the fish of each particular river or station. Occasionally considerable quantities of shrimps are caught in pools left by the tide on the sands ; and the fishermen who reside in Futtie use as bait great quantities of sand-eels, which they collect by turning over the sand after the tide has receded. In consequence of the sandy nature of the beach, it affords no resting place or shelter for shell- fish; and the shells which are found on the beach are, therefore, brought by the sea from other situations, and generally the fish have decayed before the shells are washed ashore. Sometimes after a storm, a few Echini and Medusae are found on the beach, but this is by no means frequent. The same observation applies to several kinds of small Corallines, and to various kinds of marine plants, none of which are properly speaking the produce of this coast, nor ever found on it in suffi- cient quantity to be of any importance either as manure, or for the purpose of preparing kelp. Botany. — The botany of such a parish is equally devoid of in- terest or variety as its zoology. The plants and trees which thrive well are necessarily of the more hardy kinds, and there is none of which it can well be said, that either the climate or the soil are so peculiarly suited to them, as to render them specially the pro- duce of this parish. Forest trees of the various ordinary kinds, as fir, larch, spruce, ash, elm, beech, birch, plane, mountain-ash, service, &c. &c., are reared to a considerable extent in the nursery grounds in and adjacent to the parish. The oak seems scarcely to thrive now in this part of the country, although in executing the improvements which have lately been carried on in the har- 16 ABERDEENSHIRE. boiir of Aberdeen, the trunks of a good many oaks of large size have been dug up, in such situations as to lead to the conclusion that they had not been brought down by the river, but had grown where they were found. One of these, which, when entire and covered with its bark, must have exceeded 15 feet in circumference, is set Upon the Inch or flat ground between the basin of the har- bour and the bed of the river Dee. No great variety of plants can be said to belong to this parish, but by the industry of the inhabitants, to which the establishment of a Horticultural Society about ten years ago, has not a little con- tributed, a great many of the natives of other districts, and not a few exotics, both esculent and ornamental, have been success- fully cultivated, and may be said to be almost or altogether natu- ralized here now. The mineral productions of the parish are not less limited than those of the other departments of natural history. The east parts of the parish lie altogether on a bed of sea-sand ; and the low grounds on the north and east sides, as well as on the bank of the Dee along nearly half of the south side, generally speaking, shew extensive beds of peat moss lying under the vegetable mould. The higher grounds are nearly composed of beds of gravel and small rounded stones. Climate and Salubrity. — Notwithstanding the variableness of the climate, the salubrity of Aberdeen is not inferior to that of other places in the neighbourhood, which are more favourably si- tuated in this respect. Catarrhs, pulmonary complaints, and rheumatism, may be said to be the only diseases that can in any degree be deemed consequences of the exposed situation of the town on the east coast of the island. As in every other large town, there is a considerable number of cases of fever and other contagious complaints, which may be regarded as consequent ra- ther on the crowding together of a great number of individuals, and on the unfavourable circumstances in which they live, than on the climate or situation of the district. The tables drawn up at the infirmary and dispensaries give information to a certain extent, regarding the diseases prevalent in a portion of the community; and if there were accurate bills of mortality kept, they would supply a good deal of additional information, though it would not be quite complete or accurate, as many who have lived beyond the bounds of the parish are buried within it, and vice versa. In the absence of this information, little more can be said than that 4 ABERDEEN. 17 instances of longevity, protracted sometimes to nearly a century, are by no means of more unfrequent occurrence in Aberdeen, than in most of the other towns in Scotland. II. — Civil History. It would be useless to attempt to trace the origin of the town of Aberdeen, as, in the total absence of records, nothing but con- jecture could be offered. It seems likely, that, whether the pre- sent town can be identified with the ancient Devana or not, there would be at a very early period a village or fishing-station near the mouth of the Dee, and this may be supposed to have stood where the most ancient traces of inhabitation in Aberdeen have been found, viz. along the south and west sides of St Catherine's Hill, where the Ship-row and Putachyside now are. Hector Boece says that it was erected into a city by Gregory about the year 893,* but of this no record has been preserved. The earliest document extant relating to the town is a charter by William, granted at Perth, the date of which is with probability supposed to be 1179, and from this time the rise of Aberdeen as a place of note may be dated. It had its share in the troubles and misfortunes of the succeed- ing reigns, and in 1272, according to Boece, it was reduced to ashes by the fires caused by a tempest which devastated a great part of Scotland, and which is mentioned also by Fordun, though he does not speak of the destruction of Aberdeen by it.-f In 1298, the town was garrisoned by the English; but about ten years after, the citizens took possession of the castle, and mas- sacred the garrison ; having taken part with Bruce, who, in testi- mony of their patriotic exertions, granted them permission to bear as the arms of the town, " gules, three towers triple towered, within a double tressure counterflowered argent, supported by two leo- pards proper, the motto in a scroll above ' bon accord,' " (that having been the watchword on the night when they rose against the English) ; and soon after he confirmed and extended the pri- vileges formerly possessed by the citizens. In 1336, when Ed- ward III. had ravaged a great part ofthe north country, he de- solated Mar on his way south, and burned Aberdeen, killing a great number of the citizens,:}; in revenge, apparently, for the * " Aberdoniam ex pago urbem fecit," Hist. Scot. 1. x. fol. 220, edit. 1526. t Hist. Scot. 1. xiii. fol. 302.— Scotichron, 1. x. c. 30. ij: It would be out of place here to enter into raiy lengthened defence of the histo- rian Boece ; but it seems necessary to notice, that sometimes mistakes are imputed ABERDEEN. B 18 ABERDEENSHIRE. death of Sir Thomas Roslyne, who had fallen in an attack on the town the year before. * The town was within a few years rebuilt, and seems at this time to have received the designation of New Aberdeen ; — not in contradistinction to the Kirktown of Seaton, which is now called Old Aberdeen, but simply because it was then a newly built town. It seems certain that Aberdeen was a town of some note lonff before Old Aberdeen was any thing more than a hamlet with a church. Subsequent to this time Aberdeen was repeatedly honoured by the visits or the prolonged residence of the Scottish King, and a ' mint was established in the town, from which coinages were issued both by David and Robert III. The records of the town council now extant commence in the year 1398, but nothing requiring notice in this summary occurs for a good many years. During the captivity of James I. and the minority of James II., the troubled state of the country obliged the inhabitants of each town to provide for their own security, and the citizens of Aberdeen were ordered to arm, the town was pro- tected with walls, the gates being carefully shut at night, and an armed patrole of thirty citizens was daily selected as a guard against surprise. In 1411, Donald, Lord of the Isles, made an inroad on the country to the west of Aberdeen, and advanced with the purpose of pillaging the town ; but the Earl of Mar having collected forces in the low country, opposed his progress, and on the 24th of July a battle was fought at Harlaw, a place about twenty miles from Aberdeen, in which both parties sustained considerable loss, and neither could claim the victory. -f- Among those who fell on the side of the Earl of Mar was Sir Robert Davidson, the provost of to him without reason, as in the present instance; Mr Thom in his History of Aber- deen, says, " Hector Boece mentions that Edward II. sent ships to Aberdeen, anno 1333, from which a party landed and hurnt the town for six days ; but this must be a mistake :" there is, however, no mention of this expedition in Boeee's history. Con- siderable confusion prevails in the statements on this subject, some alleging (apparent- ly on the authority of an incorrect expression in Froissart, 1. i. p. 1, e. 57, where he says that, in 1333, Edward entered Scotland, " qu'il foula gravement toute la plaine d'Escosse, et ardit et exillat moult de villes privees de fosses et de palis ; — et coururent ses gens tout le pays jusques a Saint Jehanstone et jusques a Abredane;") that the town was burnt in 1333 as well as in 1336; and that on one or the other of these oc- casions, (for it is differently stated) the fire raged for six days. There does not seem, however, to be any good evidence for more than one burning; and it is by no means likely that the town was then of such extent as to require six days for its consump- tion, though possibly the work of destruction by Edward's soldiers may have been carried on for that length of time. Vide Boet. Hist. Scot. 1. xv. fol, 332. Fordun, 1. xiii. c. 37. * Wyntown's Chronicle, b. viii. ch. 31. •[■ Boet. ]. xvi. fol. 354 — Rlajoris Hist, I. vi. c. 10. — Fordun, 1. xv. c. 21. ABERDEEN, 19 Aberdeen, who joined him at the head of a band of citizens. His body was brought to the town and entombed in the Church of St Nicholas, where its remains were discovered when the church be- came ruinous about the year 1740.* In consequence of the death, in this manner, of Provost Davidson, it is said that an act of the town-council was soon after passed, prohibiting the chief magistrate from quitting the town in his official character ; but Mr Kennedy, though he mentions this, and though he refers constantly to the council records, does not quote any authority for the statement, and the writer of this has been unable to find any notice of such an act in the council register. In 1462, the magistrates entered into a bond of manrent for ten years with the Earl of Huntly ; he engaging to protect them in their freedom and property, and they promising to give him ad- vice when required, to keep his counsel, to receive him and his men into the town when he pleased, and to take part with him if he should be attacked within the burgh, saving always their alle- giance to the King.-|- In the course ofthe next year he called on them for assistance, but not strictly in terms of the bond, for he required them to meet him at the Cabrach, about forty miles from Aberdeen ; but they excused themselves, first because they could not obtain horses, the whole country having been summoned at the same time to repress an incursion made by John Lord of the Isles ; and secondly, because they had been ordered by the King to guard the town against the English, who were said to be on the coast. James III. having been killed in 1488, Lord Forbes and some other nobles came to Aberdeen in the course of the next year for the purpose of stirring up the people to assist in rescuing the young King from the party who had led him into rebellion ; and to aid their object they paraded the town, exhibiting the bloody and torn shirt of the late King on the point of a spear.j The appeal was not in vain, but the citizens seem to have limited the expression of their loyalty to certain resolutions which they passed on the oc- casion. In 1497, a blockhouse was built at the entrance of the harbour as a protection against the English, and in 1514, besides the gunners stationed there, two men were placed at the bell-house on the south side of the river, with orders to raise a fire as soon as the English fleet appeared in sight, while other two on the * Kennedy's Annals, i. 31. + A copy of this bond is given in Kennedy's Annals, i. 55. t Buchanani, Hist. Scot, 1, xiii, c. 4. 20 , ABERDEENSHIRE. castle hill had orders to ring a bell whenever they should see the fire. The expected attack, however, was not made. Janaes IV. paid several visits to Aberdeen, one of which, though very brief, was remarkable. It was on the 30th August 1507, when the King rode in one day from Stirling through Perth and Aberdeen to Elgin, on his way to the shrine of St Duthac in Ross-shire.* In 1525, the town was the scene of a bloody affray, caused by Seton of Meldrum, Leslie of Wardhouse, and Leslie of Balquhain, who entered the town on the night of the 1st October with a number of armed followers, and attacked the citizens, eighty of whom were killed and wounded ; but the assailants were repulsed, and the town forthwith put into a state of defence. About the middle of the previous century a public clock had been placed in the tolbooth ; but so little progress had the mechanical arts made in Aberdeen, or indeed in Scotland, that in the beginning of this century, when it required repair, it was found necessary to send it to Flanders for that purpose. In 1514, in 1546, and again in 1647, the plague raged with considerable violence in Aberdeen, and for the safety of the other inhabitants, the sick were lodged in huts erected in the links. When the Earl of Huntly rebelled against Queen Mary, and the battle of Corrichie was fought, in 1562, the town seems to have been equally in terror of both parties, but the occupation of the place by the Royal army immediately before the battle, and the defeat of the rebels, decided the question, and the Queen's army was joyfully received on its return with the prisoners, and the town was at that time the place of the Queen's residence for nearly three months. At the earliest period of which any record remains, the govern- ment of the town was intrusted to an alderman, (afterwards called a provost,) four bailies, and twenty councillors, who were an- nually chosen " cum consensu et assensu totius communitatis ;" but by a statute passed in 1469, the election of the magistrates was vested in the council, and that of the new council was devolv- ed on the preceding council ; and about the beginning of the six- teenth century, a custom began, of the councillors once elected retaining their office for life, while the election of provost became little more than a form, the office being engrossed by one or two powerful families in the town or neighbourhood, in proof of which it may be mentioned, that one individual filled the civic chair for * Lesltei de Gest. Scot. 1. viii. p. 331, ed. 1675. ABERDEEN. 21 twenty-nine successive years, from 1547 to 1576. These abuses continued till 159], when the matter having been challenged, and coming under the notice of King James, his Majesty issued one of the most singular rescripts, perhaps, that ever passed the privy seal, in which he ascribes the flourishing state of Aberdeen to the council continuing in office "unalteritorchangeit be the space of forty orfifty yeiris;" — says the town would become a monopoly instead of an open burgh, if they were changed annually according to act of Parlia- ment ; — and therefore directs the council then in office to continue during life, re-electing themselses annually ; " renunceand and dischargeand all actioun and persute competent to us or our suc- cessors twitching the contraventioun of our said act of Parliament." This, however, did not give satisfaction, as indeed it could not be expected to do ; and next year the matter was referred to certain umpires, who pronounced a decree-arbitral naming the magistrates and council for that year, and " enjoining the acts of Parliament concerning the election of magistrates, council, and office-men within boroughs, to be precisely observed in all time coming." In 1594, three Popish priests having been apprehended by the magistrates, as abettors of the Popish Lords Huntly, Errol, and Angus, who were then in a state of rebellion, these barons forci- bly rescued the prisoners, and denounced fire and sword against the town ; a threat which would probably have been executed, had they not been soon after subdued, or rather starved into subjection. James VI. paid several visits to Aberdeen, viz. in 1582, 1589, 1592, 1 594, and 1600, and, generally speaking, these royal visits were expensive affairs to the citizens, both in entertainments, and in pre- sents of money given to his Majesty, according to the custom of the time. About this time, the crime of witchcraft was supposed to be prevalent in Aberdeen as well as in other parts of the kingdom, and many poor old women were sacrificed to appease the terrors which the belief in it was calculated to excite. Few of the individuals who were suspected were allowed to escape from the hands of their persecutors ; several died in prison in consequence of the tortures inflicted on them, and, during the years 1596-97, no fewer than 22 were burnt at the Castlehill. In 1639, the town having, at the instigation of the Marquis of Huntly, taken part with the King, Montrose and General Leslie came north, and after harassing the citizens for a time, and re- ducing Huntly to the necessity of dispersing his troops, returned 22 ABERDEENSHIRE. Southward. Soon after the Viscount of Aboyne resolved to pub- lish at Stonehaven a proclamation, issued by the King, against the Covenanters, but he was repulsed, and pursued by the Earl Marischal, who, coming to the bridge of Dee, found it fortified, but defended by a small number of men only. These he over- powered, and, coming to Aberdeen, entered it without resistance.* In 1645, the town having mostly acceded to the covenant, Mon- trose, who had embraced the royal cause, having crossed the Dee about ten miles up, marched down to within two miles of Aber- deen, and sent a drummer with a summons to surrender. This was refused, and the messenger dismissed ; but as he was return- ing, he was killed either accidentally or by design, on which Mon- trose advanced, and being met by Burleigh's troops and the citi- zens at the Crabestone, about half a mile from the town, a bloody conflict ensued, in which Montrose overcame, and, pursuing his victory, he took possession of the town, which he gave up to pil- lage, putting many of the inhabitants to the sword. The reigns of Charles II. and James were noted for the cruel per- secution of the Presbyterians, and for great distress among the people generally, from which Aberdeen was not exempt. Among the arbitrary acts of the latter, may be noticed his having on seve- ral occasions controlled the election of magistrates, which was not restored to its former freedom till 1689. Some time previous to this (probably at the time when the dis- turbed state of the country rendered it unsafe to dwell without the walls) a double row of houses was erected, apparently at first of wood, in the middle of the Broadgate,^ by which that street was reduced in breadth from about thirty-five paces to its present breadth of about fifteen or eighteen paces, and the west side of it, known by the name of the Guestrow, or as it is called in some old writings, the " vicus lemurum,"-|- thus became a separate street. And, about the beginning of the eighteenth century, the magis- trates, anxious to deprive marauders of the shelter afforded them by the forest of the Stocket, gave permission to such of the citi- zens as chose to take wood from it for that purpose, to add bal- conies to the front of their houses, projecting eight or ten feet in- to the street, viz. to the extent occupied by the outer stairs — and thus the streets were considerably narrowed, and the town ren- dered less healthy. One or two of the houses thus altered still re- Spalding's History of the Troubles in Scotland, 4tD edition, Vol. i. p. 133, t Book of Bon Accord, i. p. 117. S ABERDEEN, 23 main, having- a wooden front, behind which, at the distance of about ten feet, is the original stone wall of the house. In 1715, the Chevalier de St George was proclaimed at Aber- deen by the Earl Marischal, and soon after the Earl of Mar sent to demand a contribution of L. 2000 from the town, for the sup- port of the Pretender's army, but of this only about one-half was paid. In December of the same year, the Pretender having landed at Peterhead, passed through Aberdeen on his way to Fetteresso, where he was met by several of the nobles attached to his cause. Although the magistrates at this time were on his side, the town's people generally seem to have been afraid to commit themselves, and he received no effectual aid from Aberdeen. About 1740, some individuals in Aberdeen engaged in the nefa- rious trade of kidnapping such young men as they could entice or compel, to go to the plantations in Virginia, and though many were thus decoyed or forced away from their friends, it continued for a good many years little regarded, and a house in the Green is spoken of as having been used for confining those who were refractory until they could be shipped off. Several of the principal citizens appear to have been concerned in this villany, and it was not until one of their victims, Peter Williamson, unexpectedly re-appeared in Aberdeen in 1758, (for the measures taken to prevent their re- turn, or communicating with their friends, were in general success- ful,) that any check was given to it. He had written a pamphlet, giving an account of the manner in which he had been kidnapped, and of the hardships he had sustained, and this he sold in Aber- deen on his return. For this libel he was summoned before the bailies, and was fined 10s., ordered to beg pardon of the magis- trates, and thereafter to be banished from the town, and the ob- noxious parts of his book were torn out and burnt at the cross by the hangman. Williamson afterwards went to Edinburgh, where, meeting with some benevolent persons to espouse' his cause, he raised an action against the magistrates, which was terminated by these worthies being sentenced to pay him L, 100, with all the ex- penses of the suit. In 1745, Prince Charles having landed in the West Highlands, Sir John Cope marched with the royal army to Inverness to oppose him, but he having gone southward, Sir John returned and came to Aberdeen in September, from whence he took shipping ; and in November Lord Lewis Gordon, the Prince's Lord Lieutenant for Aberdeen and Banff, came to Aberdeen, and took possession of the 24 ABERDEENSHIRE. town. Soon after, the Laird of Macleod was sent by the Earl of Loudon with about 200 men to drive the rebels from the town, but he was defeated in a skirmish near Inverury, and the town con- tinued to be occupied by tlie rebels until February 1746, when it was evacuated on the approach of the royal army under the Duke of Cumberland. His Royal Highness reached Aberdeen on the 27th February, and remained in the town till the 8th April.* A part of the royal army returned to Aberdeen after the battle of Culloden ; and the citizens not being so alert in illuminating their houses as some of the officers thought they should have been, they ordered the soldiers to break the windows, which was accordingly done ; but the magistrates resented this aggression, and imprison- ed one or two of the officers. Ultimately the matter was accom- modated by the officers paying about L. 60 for the damage done. In 1767, the harvest being unfavourable, and the price of meal consequently high, the populace broke open and robbed one of the meal cellars in town, and threatened to hang its owner, under the impression that he had wilfully raised the price beyond what was ne- cessary. In order to quell this riot, the magistrates were obliged to call in the aid of the military, and it was not till one of the rioters was killed and several wounded, that the mob was dispersed. In 1782, the alarming deficiency of the crop led the citizens to adopt precautions to avert the threatened famine, and accordingly a subscription was opened, and a committee appointed to purchase corn to be distributed to the inhabitants. By their accounts it ap- pears that, up to the end of July 1783, they had imported 2205 sacks of various kinds of meal, 619 quarters of barley, and 9082 bolls of grain. Attempts were made in 1786 to redress certain abuses connect- ed with the administration of the funds of the Scottish burghs, and in these attempts several of the citizens of Aberdeen took a princi- pal share ; but the bill which was introduced into Parliament for this purpose was thrown out in 1789. These attempts were re- newed in 1792, and a select committee of the House of Commons was appointed to report 6n the matter. This report was present- ed in June 1793; but the odium which was cast upon reform by the democratic principles of the " Corresponding Society" and the " Scottish Convention," induced the prudent abettors of burgh re- form to discontinue their exertions. The harvest of 1799 was extremely unfavourable, and the utmost The Duke during liis stay in Aberdeen resided in the liouse which is now used as the House of Refucrc. ABERDEEN. 25 exertions of the magistrates were required in order to prevent fa- mine. But though the prices were very high,* and much distress was suffered in consequence, no serious disturbance took place. In 1802, the celebration of the anniversary of the King's birth- day terminated in a melancholy and fatal manner, in consequence of some of the officers of the Ross and Cromarty Rangers, at that time quartered in the barracks, having become intoxicated while drinking the King's health in the town-house. On their appearing in this state in the street, they were pelted by some idle boys, on which they immediately ordered out the regiment, and fired on the crowd assembled in the Castle Street, four of whom were killed and a good many wounded. It was found necessary, in order to avert further evil, to remove the regiment from the town next morning. The officers and some of the soldiers who were most immediately implicated were apprehended, and soon after ordered to be sent to Edinburgh for trial, but about two months after, the Lord Advocate declined to prosecute any of them. The citizens, much dissatisfied at this, raised a subscription for the purpose of prosecuting them at the instance of those whose relatives had been killed, and three officers and two sergeants were brought to trial, but after a trial of two days, two of the officers were found not guilty, and the verdict was not proven as regarded the two sergeants ; the other officer did not stand his trial, and was outlawed. One of the most melancholy shipwrecks that have ever occurred on this coast took place on the 1st April J 813. The Oscar whale ship left the port that morning along with four others, the weather ■ being fine ; but appearances of a gale coming on, the Oscar and another weighed anchor, in order to stand out to sea. The Oscar was detained by one of her boats having been sent for some of the crew who had not come on board, and the gale coming on from the north-east, she was driven ashore about 11a. m., in the Greyhope, immediately behind the breakwater at the south side of the har- bour, where she quickly went to pieces, and out of a crew of forty- four, only the first mate and one seaman were saved. The same place proved fatal in 1815 to the Caledonia and the Thames, which were both wrecked in one day, and the crews of both perished. In 1817, it was found that the expenses into which the magis- trates had been led in the execution of various improvements in the town, the harbour, and the roads leading to the city, had so drained the treasury, that it became necessary to declare the town insol- vent. The amount of debt for which the security of the town was ' The price per boll was, for oatmeal, L. 2, Ss. ; bear, L' 2, 4s, ; potatoes, L.2, 2s. 26 ABERDEENSHIRE. pledged was L. 225,710, to meet the interest on which an income appeared of L. 10,042, while the value of the property belonging to the town was L. 139,440, exclusive of the value of feus in the new streets, estimated at L. 106,851 ; so that time only appeared to be required to enable the treasury to overcome its difficulties. A committee of trustees was appointed, and, by careful management, his object was attained in a few years ; and the last yearly accounts just published show a revenue of L. 20,452, with an expenditure of L. 17,084. About the same time attempts were made to open the set of the burgh, and the subsequent election of magistrates having been informal in some respects was set aside, and certain individuals were named by the Court of Session to act until the next day of election. Since that time the Burgh Reform Act has been passed, and the election of the council is now placed pretty much on the same footing as it originally was, — the magistrates be- ing chosen by the council thus elected out of their own number. Eminent Men. — It would not be easy, and perhaps it is not ne- cessary, to draw the line very nicely between those men of talents and celebrity who have lived in Aberdeen, and those who have been principally connected with Old Aberdeen. The notice here given can only embrace a few of the principal, and must necessarily be very brief. John Barbour was born in 1330, and is said to have been the son of a citizen who lived in the Castlegate. He is known by his office of Archdeacon of Aberdeen, and as the author of the me- trical history of Robert Bruce, which, as Mr Kennedy naively remarks, " has not yet lost its reputation," adding, " the style of his composition is regarded by the learned of both kingdoms as an ornament to our language, and not inferior to that of his con- temporary Chaucer." David Anderson of Finzeauch, commonly known by the appel- lative of " Davie do a'-thing," was noted for his mechanical genius, and in the year 1618 promoted the improvement of the harbour, by removing a large rock which lay in the middle of the channel at its entrance. George Jamieson, the son of Andrew Jamieson, a burgess of Aberdeen, who was born about 1586, is deservedly celebrated as a painter of portraits, and his pictures are remarkable for their soft- ness and the clearness of the colouring. Lists of them are given in Mr Thom's history of Aberdeen, and in the Statistical Account in 1797. It may not be out of place to notice, that there are still preserved, at the back of the magistrates' gallery in the West ABERDEEN. 27 Church, two pieces of tapestry worked by Mr Jamieson's daughter, Mary, representing Jephthah's Vow, and Susannah and the Elders. James Gregory, the inventor of the reflecting telescope, was born in the neighbourhood of Aberdeen in 1638, and educated at Marischal College. He was afterwards Professor of Mathematics, first at St Andrews and then at Edinburgh. Edward Raban is worthy of note, as having been the first printer established at Aberdeen, where he settled in 1621. Mr Alexander Jaffray, the son of a citizen of Aberdeen, oc- cupied the civic chair in the years 1641 and 1649, * and was highly beneficial to the community, by the judgment and mo- deration which he exhibited in the direction of the affairs of the town in very difficult times, as well as by the zeal which he dis- played for the promotion and maintenance of the true religion, though in his latter days he shewed a considerable want of steadi- ness, and ultimately became an adherent of the Society of Friends. James Gibbs was born in Aberdeen in 1688, and studied ar- chitecture in Italy, after which he settled in London, where he acquired both reputation and fortune. It is to his taste and talent that the design of the Church of St Martin in the Fields is said to be due ; and he gave the plan also for the West Church in Aber- deen. John Gregory was born in Aberdeen in 1724, and, having studied medicine, became Professor, first in King's College and afterwards in Edinburgh, where, on his death, he was succeeded by his son, the late eminent Dr James Gregory, who also was born in Aberdeen. John Ramage, who was a currier and leather-merchant in Aber- deen, deserves notice here on account of his devotion to scien- tific pursuits, and his great practical acquaintance with the con- struction of reflecting telescopes ; one of which, made by him, is placed in the Royal Observatory, and, though considerably infe- rior in size, is said to be nearly equal in power to Herschel's 40 feet reflector. Connected with Aberdeen, we must mention Dr Robert Hamil- ton, formerly Professor of Natural Philosophy, and afterwards of Mathematics, in Marischal College, the author of an Essay on the National Debt, which has often been referred to as one of the ablest and most perspicuous elucidations of the principles of the Alexander JafFray, who was Provost in 1636 and 1638, is generally supposed to be the father of the other, who in 1636 was not more than twenty years of age. 28 ABERDEENSHIRE. Sinking Fund ; and Dr Patrick Copland, who was Professor in Marischal College, at first of Mathematics and afterwards of Na- tural Philosophy, who enriched the collection of apparatus there with a great variety of models, made under his own eye, and many of them with his own hand, so that at his death the apparatus- room of Marischal College contained a collection probably supe- rior both in extent and accuracy to any other collection in Scotland. It is not necessary to do more than mention the names of such men as Dr Thomas Blackwell, Dr George Campbell, Dr Thomas Reid, Dr James Beattie, Dr Gilbert Gerrard, and Dr William Laurence Brown, all of whom were either natives of Aberdeen, or for a considerable portion of their lives resident in it. Neithei* would it be seemly in closing this list to say more than that Dr John Abercrombie is a native of Aberdeen, and that Sir James Macgrigor received the first elements of his professional education as the pupil of a medical man in Aberdeen. Ecclesiastical State.— luitile precise information can be given re- garding the early ecclesiastical state of Aberdeen, except that, for two or three centuries preceding the Reformation, there were in the town, houses of Dominican, Franciscan, and Carmelite Friars, and a monastery dedicated to the Holy Trinity, as well as a parish church dedicated to St Nicholas ; and that there is no reason to doubt that in Aberdeen, as in other parts of Scotland, "the form . of Popery which prevailed was of the most bigotted and illiberal kind, and its superstitions and absurdities had grown to an extra- vagant height." * Malcolm having gained a victory over the Danes at Mortlach, in Banffshire, in 1010, founded a bishopric there, which was trans- ferred to Aberdeen in 1 139. The bishop fixed his residence at Seaton, on the right bank of the Don, about half a mile from its mouth, and, in consequence of this, the cathedral church was erected there.-f- The church of St Nicholas, as being a depen- dency of the bishopric, was served by a vicar (who was generally the sixth prebendary of the cathedral,) together with a curate, and chaplains, the number of whom was twenty-two in 1491, but in 1519 they were restricted to sixteen. The influence of Protestant truth seems to have early begun to manifest itself in Aberdeen; for, in 1521, Mr John Marshall, * Kennedy's Annals of Aberdeen, Vol. i. p. 109. t That portion of the Cathedral Church wliich is still entire is used as tlie parish church of Old Machar at the present time. ABERDEEN. 29 master of the Grammar School, was summoned before the magis- trates for contempt of the Church of Rome. He answered bold- ly that he did not consider himself amenable to the court of Rome. But two years afterwards, he expressed his contrition, which, as Mr Kennedy observes, " probably saved him from the dreadful punishment which generally awaited the enemies of that church." In 1525, the principles of the Reformation had made such pro- gress in Aberdeen, that the King sent orders to the Sheriff to search for and punish those who had in their possession heretical books, it being alleged that seyeral strangers and others within the diocese of Aberdeen were busied in propagating the errors of Luther. Ultimately, however, the truth prevailed, and the following ex- tract from the council records, of date 4tli October 1560, shews the zeal and cordiality with which the cause of the Reformation was at that time embraced by the magistrates : " The haill coun- sell present for the tyme oblist thaim faithfullie to assist and coun- cil with the Provost and Baillies, obey and fortifie the same in ex- ecutione of all actis and statutis devysit and mayd be the counsell for the comound weill of this burgh and mantenans of Chryste's religioune, at thair uter power ; and peyne to be imputt alsweill upoune the said counsell as upoune thesaidis Provest and Baillies for observans of the present statute, that is to say, under the paine of deprivatione of thair offices, gouns, and dignities, and tynsell of thair fredome to be att the counsells will." The parochial charge of the town was committed to Mr Adam Heriot, who had been an Augustinian friar, but who having re- nounced the errors of Popery, had joined himself to the Congre- gation, and the time of his admission to the office seems to be near- ly fixed by the following entry in the council records of the same date with the preceding : " The counsell ordains the thesaurer to pay Adam Heriot, minister of the towne, the soume of twa hun- dreth pounds, usuall money of Scotland, for his ministratione and preching for the space of ane zeir nixt and immedyately following the first day of November nixt to cum." In January 1561-2, the silver and brass work belonging to the church, which had in the meantime been entrusted to the care of a member of the council, was sold by public roup for the common good ; and the magistrates about the same time resolved to abolish the monasteries, and to raise forty men for the service of the Con- gregation. They seem, however, to have been partly mduced to 30 ABERDEENSHIRE. this resolution by a visit which they had shortly before received from some of the Reformers of the south. In 1567, the Provost of Aberdeen, v^rriting to excuse his non-at- tendance at the General Assembly called for the 26th of July, expresses the mind of the tovs'n as follows : " It shall please your wisdomes understand and most assuredly believe us, professors of the Evangell of the Kirk within the burgh of Aberdeen, to be of ane minde, and be the grace of God to continue, to the mainte- nance of the furthsetting of the glory of God, teaching of the true Evangell, and sustentation of the m.inisters, with help unto the poore, and unto the tyme your wisdomes with the nobilitie find ane order universall for the ministrie, we shall, for our own part, God willing, sustaine our minister, so that of reason he shall have no cause to plaint, and to the poore after our power doe semblablie as uther burroughs shall take order."* At the commencement of the Reformation in Aberdeen, a mis- sionary (or assistant to the minister) seems to have been employ- ed, as may be gathered from the following entry in the council re- cords of 11th October 1560: " The counsell ordanis David Mar, thesaurer, to deliver Johne Brabaner ane garmound of cleithing of Frensche or Flanders blak, that is to say, bonnet, goune, coitt, hoiss, and doublatt, for his labours, cair, and diligens taine in tymes bj'gaine, in preching, teching, and administratione of the sacra- mentis, without ony recompens." Mr Heriot was greatly respected for his worth and usefulness, and on his death in 1 574 he was succeeded by Mr John Craig, who had been for nine years the colleague of Knox in Edinburgh, and afterwards minister at Montrose. In 1579, Episcopacy was introduced into the Church of Scot- land, and David Cunningham was installed the first Protestant bi- shop of Aberdeen. In the struggles which afterwards took place for the abolition of that form of church government, as well as in the opposition made by the country to the ecclesiastical proceed- ings, in general, of James and his descendants, the citizens of Aberdeen, influenced by their feelings of loyalty, and under the guidance of their teachers, seem generally to have been less zeal- ous than their countrymen in other quarters. Stevenson having mentioned, (in his History of the Church and State of Scotland) the prevalent feeling in favour of the Covenant, makes the follow- ing exceptions: — " Is^, Papists; 2(^, Courtiers who had no * Booke of the Universall Kirk of Scotland, p. G3. ABERDEEN. 31 will to displease the King ; and Sd, Clergy, of whom the chief were the Doctors of Aberdeen." He goes on to say that the town, be- ing much under the influence of the Marquis of Huntly and the Doctors, (viz. Dr John Forbes, Dr Robert Barron, Dr William Leslie, Dr Alexander Scrogie, Dr James Sibbald, and Dr Alex- ander Ross,) refused to subscribe the Covenant, which, with a view to their concurrence, had been sent to them in April 1638, by the hands of a commission from the Tables, consisting of the Lairds of Dun, Morphy, Balmain, and Leyes, Mr Alexander Wedder- burn. Clerk of Dundee, and Mr Robert Barclay, Provost of Ir- vine.* A short time before this, Aberdeen had been appointed as the place of residence or exile of Samuel Rutherfurd, when he was ejected from his parish of Anwoth, and Dr Barron undertook the task of conferring^ with him, and brinofinff him to alter his views on the question which then agitated the church and the nation. The result of these conferences isstated by Rutherfurd in one of his letters, in his usual homely but expressive manner, " Twa yokings laid him by." On the 20th of July 1638, another com- mission, consisting of the Earls of Montrose and Kinghorn, the Lord Cowper, the Master of Forbes, the Lairds of Leyes and Morphie, with Messrs Alexander Henderson, David Dickson, and Andrew Cant, ministers, came to Aberdeen, and though at first some difficulty occurred with the magistrates, and the covenanting ministers were refused access to the town's pulpits, yet about 500 subscribed after public worship in Earl Marischal's Close, of whom several were persons of the best quality in the place.-}- But though considerable progress had been made among the citizens, the doc- tors continued adverse to the Covenant, and were both active and successful in their efforts to gain others to their opinions, and to repress the zeal of their covenanting fellow-citizens ; in conse- quence of which proofs of their " good affectioune to his service," they received from Charles I. various communications expressive of his " hartie thanks," and assurances that " when anie thing that niay concerne ' your good shall occurr we shall not be unmyndful of the same.' " This promise the monarch performed not long after, * Spalding in his History of the Troubles in Scotland, (4to ed. Vol. i. p. 54,) gives only the Lairds of Dun, Morphy, and Leyes, and Carnegie of as forming this first Commission. + An evidence of the effect produced by this second visit is furnished by the fol- lowing extract from a minute of Council, of date 25th December 1639. " The quhilk day, the Provest, Baillies, and Council agries all in ane voice that Mr Alexan- der Henderson be delt with to accept the chairge of the ministrie within this burgh in the vacant roume of umquhile Doctor Alexander Ross, and that the magistrates writt to him, and use all fair and possible means for his transplantation." 32 ABERDEENSHIRE. by granting a new Royal charter to the burgh, confirming in the most ample manner all their ancient rights, privileges, and immu- nities. In the latter part of this troubled reign, the citizens of Aberdeen seem to have become more generally favourable to the cause of the Covenanters, the consequence of which was, that they had now to endure the exactions of its enemies, as they had for- merly suffered from the hostile attacks of its adherents. Yet it may be doubted whether many of them were not influenced rather by the success which attended the Covenanters, than by any well- grounded persuasion of the goodness of their cause. On the acces- sion of Charles IL, and the re-establishment of Episcopacy, " the Synod of Aberdeen distinguished itself by an humble address to his Majesty's High Commission and the High Court of Parliament, in favour of Episcopacy, dated at King's College, 18th April 1661, in which they strongly reprobate their own former conduct;"* and this seems to have been the beginning of a course of time-serving compliance, by which they contrived in a great measure to escape from the exactions and persecutions to which the Presbyterians were exposed during that and the subsequent reign. At length the Revolution brought these persecutions to a close, and led to the establishment of Presbyterianism, as at present existing in the country ; but while the people of Aberdeen gave way to those who had power to enforce their commands, considerable numbers of them continued attached to the Episcopal forms, and the Pres- byterians of Aberdeen were by no means remarkable for their zeal in maintaining the doctrines of the Confession of Faith. The Ar- minianism which, during the last century, infested the church of Scotland to so lamentable a degree, may be said to have had one of its strongholds in Aberdeen ; and about the middle of the cen- tury, Mr John Bisset, minister of the West Church, who continu- ed faithfully to preach the doctrines of the church to which he belonged, was excluded from his own pulpit by the provost, who locked the church door against him. It was not until about the beginning of the present century that a better spirit began to manifest itself in the pulpits of Aber- deen. Since that time, a brighter day has dawned on the Church of Scotland in general. The churches in Aberdeen have partaken of its light, and the doctrines of the Confession of Faith have now * Thorn's History of Abei'deen, Vol. i. p. 346. ABERDEEN. 33 some as staunch supporters in the town and its neighbourhood, as are to be found in any other part of the country. The old parish of St Nicholas had, from an early period, three churches, the East, the West, and Grayfriars, the two former of which had been, foraperiod of at least 150 years, collegiate charges, and the town, though constituting but one parish, was divided into districts under the special charge of each of the incumbents. As the population increased, additional church accommodation became requisite, and several chapels of ease were at various times erected, as is noted below more particularly. By a decree of the Court of Teinds in 1828, the parish of St Nicholas was divided into six parishes. By a subsequent Act of the General Assembly, the chapels of ease were each connected with a parochial district quoad saa'a ; the effect of these two measures was to increase the number of parish churches to ten ; and within the last few weeks a congregation of Original Burgher Seceders has been received back into connection with the Church of Scotland, and is about to have a parochial charge quoad sacra allotted to its minister. By this division of the town, a very important object has been attained, inasmuch as parochial superintendence is not now so completely out of the power of the ministers as it formerly was, though still the population of most of the parishes is so great as to prevent that close and intimate connection between the minister and his people, which the parochial system, if properly followed out, should produce and maintain. And when it is considered that each minister, in addition to the parochial charge of an al- lotted district, must also have .a congregational charge, in conse- quence of many of his hearers not being resident within that dis- trict, it will be at once admitted that there is both room and cause for a still further division. The places of worship in Aberdeen in connection with the Es- tablished Church are the following: — 1. The West Church, which stands on the site of the old church of St Nicholas. This building having become ruinous and unsafe, was disused as a place of worship in 1732. The present church was founded in 1751, and opened for Divine service in 1755. It ceased to be a colle- giate charge on the death of the Rev. Dr Brown. 2. The East Church stands where the quire of St Nicholas formerly was. It was erected in 1834, — the quire, which had been till then used, hav- ing become so ruinous, that it was judged necessary to pull it down. This was a collegiate charge until the division of the town ABERDEEN. C H 34 ABERDEENSHIRE, into six parishes took place. 3. Grayfriars Churcli, which derives its name from the monastery of Franciscan friars, to which it for- merly belonged, is the only ancient chnrchnowremaining in the town. 4. Futtie Church or St Clements. There had been, before the Reformation, a chapel in Futtie, dedicated to St Clement, but this havingf fallen into decav, there was no Protestant church erected in its place till 1631, when a contribution was made for the pur- pose of building one, and a catechist was settled there. The pre- sent church was erected on the site of the old one, but considera- bly enlarged in size in the year 1828. 5. The South Church. In 1779, a chapel was built in connection with the Relief body, which, however, a few years afterwards, became connected with the Established Church. The old chapel, being incommodious and insufficient for the congregation, was pulled down in 1830, and the South Church was built on its site. 6. The North Church was erected in 1826. These are the six parishes, quoad civilia^ into which the old parish of St Nicholas was divided, as already mentioned. The ^^v\s\\es quoad sacra 2ive the following: — 1. Trinity Church was built in 1794 as a chapel of ease to the Establishment. 2. Gaelic Church. This place of worship was erected in 1795, and it continues to be used by those of the population who speak the Gaelic language. It has a small parochial district allotted to it, under the name of Spring Garden parish. 3. Union Church was erected as a chapel of ease in 1822. 4, John Knox's Church was built in 1833 as a chapel of ease. 5. A place of worship, in connection with the Original Burgher Associate Synod, was erected in 1771. The causes which had produced and kept up the separa- tion between this body and the Establishment having been happily removed, its minister, the Rev. William Primrose, has been recently received as a member of presbytery, and a committee of that pres- "bytery is at present engaged in allotting him a parochial district, under the name of Melville Parish. Besides these, there was a small chapel erected in the neighbourhood of the harbour, in 1825, by the Seamen's Friend Society. This was for a time supplied indiscriminately by ministers of the Establishment, and various de- nominations of orthodox Dissenters. Efforts have been made of late to place it in connection with the Established Church, and to have a small parochial district assigned to it, and there is every probability that, in a short time, these efforts will be successful. There is also a place of worship in Aberdeen connected with ABERDEEN. 35 the Associate Synod of Original Seceders, which it is much to be desired that the way might be opened for receiving back into the Establishment. The other places of worship in Aberdeen are as follows : — 3 cha- pels belonging to the Congregational Union ; 3 chapels connected with the United Associate Synod ; 1 chapel in connection with the Relief body ; 2 chapels belonging, the one to the Scotch and the other to the English Baptists ; 1 chapel belonging to the Wesleyan Methodists ; 1 English Episcopal chapel, with two clergymen ; 1 Scotch Episcopal chapel, with a bishop and a curate ; 1 Roman Catholic chapel ; 1 chapel which is called the United Christian Church. In addition to all these, there are also in Aberdeen small num- bers of Friends, Glassites, Irvingites, and Unitarians, which have each their own place of worship. The following table gives a summary view of the ecclesiastical state of the inhabitants of Aberdeen, as ascertained by surveys made chiefly by the elders of the respective parishes, and given in to the Royal Commissioners for Religious Instruction, when they visited this city in October 1837.* Unconnected Parish. Population. Establishment. Dissenters. with any church. East, 4512 2623 1421 468 West, 2024 1277 611 136 North, 4848 2864 1567 417 South, 2837 1876 775 186 Grayfriars, 2538 1661 671 204 St Clements, 3992 3044 831 117 Trinity, 2252 1425 584 243 Union, 3693 2407 1156 130 Spring Garden , 1486 ~852 425 209 John Knox's, 3172 2041 922 8963 209 Total, 31354 20070 , 2319 There is too much 1 ^eason to fear, t hat. althoui rh the surveys on which this table is founded were made with every possible care, there are many included under the heads both of the Establish- ment and Dissenters who are little, if at all, in the habit of fre- quenting any place of worship. And it must be remembered, too, that the strongest attachment to the forms of a professing church is unhappily too often found to be compatible with an utter disre- gard or even a deliberate rejection of the saving truths of the Gos- pel. * In this table, under the head of Dissenters, are included both those denomina- tions that are friendly and those that are adverse to the principle of a national church. 36 ABERDEENSHIRE. The extent of church accommodation provided in Aberdeen at • the time of the survey was reported to the Commissioners to be as follows ; and it has undergone no material alteration since, except- ing the recent admission of Mr Primrose's church into the Esta- blishment : — Total sittings. Let. Unlet. In the Establishment, . . . 17271 14700 2571 In the various denomination of Dissenters, . 13322 6249 7073 30593 20949 9644 The stipends paid to the ministers of the East, West, and North parishes are L. 300 a year each ; and to the ministers of the South, Grayfriars, and St Clements L. 250 each ; but in the case of the South Church it is made up to L. 300 by the congregation. The incomes of the other ministers in the Establishment are various, according to the amount of seat-rents, collections, &c. from which they are paid. The ministers of other denominations are, in this respect, situ- ated nearly as the ministers of the five parishes quoad sacra. The above-mentioned stipends, paid to the ministers of the six parishes quoad civilia, are paid out of certain funds administered by the Magistrates and Council, arising from mortifications, seat- rents, &c,, and in case of a deficiency of these, it is made up from the " common good," so called, it is to be presumed, as being the property of the community, and designed for the advancement of the welfare and true interests of the city; the principal means of which is, without doubt, the maintenance of the worship of God and the ordinances of religion, since, without these, all other ef- forts for the preservation of a sound state in the community would be in vain. In reference to this important object, it may be observed, that the remunei'ation of the labours of the ministry should be regard- ed in the same light as that of any other public functionary ; and that the services being performed, they should receive their in- comes as the price of the work done, and an acknowledgement of the good which they have been instrumental in effecting. It hap- pens sometimes, however, that a minister is expected not only to give his services to the public, but also to provide the funds out of which these services are to be paid. This must necessarily be the case where, as in most of the Dissenting chapels and the pa- rishes quoad sacra, there are no other funds from whence the mi- nister's stipend can be paid. Accordingly, in the case of those pa- rishes for the stipend of whose ministers the magistrates and coun- ABERDEEN. 3? cil are held responsible, if the seat rents, &c. do not suffice for that purpose, the sum drawn from the common good to make up the deficiency is regarded as a debt incurred, or rather as so much lost, seeing there can be little prospect of repayment. The fal- lacy of this view will be obvious, if the following statement, which was made by the Rev. James Foote to the Royal Commissioners, be considered : " The expenditure on the churches was L. 2124, 15s. lid. : the mortifications amounted to L. 285 ; the rental of the East Church for the year 1837, and the average collections in that church for five years, amounted to L. 950, 10s. Id.; and the rental and collections of the West Church amounted to L. 917 ; making in all L. 2152, 10s. Id. ; so that there was hereu surplus of L.27, 14s. 2d. beyond the whole expenditure, and, whatever was produced from the other churches, there was a clear gain to the public from these two churches alone, which of themselves produced more than the whole expenditure on all the town's churches." In another respect, too, a mistake of no small moment has been fallen into, viz. in stating the expense incurred in the erection, or by contributing to the erection, of several of the parish churchesj as a debt aMinst them in the town's accounts.* The common good being destined for the advancement of the welfare of the com- munity, ought to be held as much liable for the expense of erect- ing churches for the maintenance of that form of worship which is by law established in the country, as for the cost of other public buildings, whose purpose it is to benefit the community in a secular point of view, such as court-houses, jails, colleges, &c. Each of these in its own department tends to advance the welfare of the community, and in doing so, they amply repay the sums laid out on their erection. The churches of the Establishment are assured- ly not less conducive to the good of the citizens than these build- ings, but, on the contrary, much more so, in as much as they are erected and maintained for the promotion of that righteousness which exalteth a nation ; it must therefore be an erroneous and improper view of the matter, to regard the expense of these erec- tions as a debt due to the community, while that of erecting the other buildings named is looked on as a useful and necessary out- lay of the public money .-f* * " The debt due by the kirk charge, amounted at 15th October last, (exclusive of the expense of building the East Church,) to L. 18,580, 12s. 2d., which may also be considered as a debt against the treasury." Town's Accounts for 1838. f In support of this view, see particularly " Provisioun for sustentatioun of the Ministers in Burrows." Book of the Universal Kirk of Scotland, p. 93. 38 ABERDEENSHIRE. III. — Population. Although a statement of the population of the town, as divided into ten parishes, was presented to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, and is given under the head of the Ecclesiastical State, — yet that document not having been accompanied by the requisite classifi- cations, it becomes necessary to fall back on the result of the cen- sus of 1831, taken when Aberdeen was divided into six parishes only, and when there were in the city Houses. Parish. Inhabited. Uninhabited. Families. Males. Females. Total. East, 382 10 988 1600 2246 3846 West, 617 7 2280 3909 5021 8930 North, 382 8 1271 2019 2597 4616 South, 399 8 1288 1803 2510 4313 Grayfriars, 372 11 1086 2155 2551 4706 St Clements, 387 25 1 45 1526 8439 2651 3850 6501 14,137 18,775 32,912 Old Machar, 14,098 14,009 25,107 The subjoined table gives a statement of the population of Aberdeen at various periods. It must be noted, however, that in 1755, and subsequently, the numbers exhibit the population of the parishes of St Nicholas and Old Machar, or of New and Old Aberdeen conjointly, and that, excepting the last census, there is no means of separating them from each other. In the year 1396, Aberdeen contained 2,977 inhabitants. • 1572, . . 4,000 1592, 7,301 1615, 7,805 1633, 8,000 1643, 8,750 1708, 5,556 1755, 15,730 1801, 27,608 1811, 35,370 1821, 44,796 1831, 58,019 Classification of the professions, trades, &c. exercised in Aberdeen, exclusive of operatives, the number of whom cannot be easily as- certained. Accountants, 2 Boat-builders, 4 Advocates, 128 Bone-crushers, 3 Agents, . 26 Book-agents, 4 Apothecaries and druggists, 25 Bookbinders, 4 Architects, 4 Booksellers and Stationers, 26 Artists, 5 Boot and shoemakers, 140 Auctioneers, 7 Brass Founders, 5 Bakers, 56 Brewers, 17 Bankers, 7 Brick and tile-makers. 4 Basket-makers, 5 Brush makers, 3 Blacksmiths, . 43 Builders and masons, 29 Bleachers, 3 Cabinetmakers and upholsterers, 35 ABERDEEN. 39 Carpet-weaver, . 1 Cart and -wheel- wrights . 12 Carvers and gilders . 3 China, glass, and stoneware dealers, ] 9 Clothes-dealers, . 11 Coach-builders, . . 3 Coal-brokers . . .7 Comb makers, • . 3 Confectioners, . , .22 Coopers, ... 27 Coppersmiths, . . .5 Cork- cutters, . • 2 Corn-merchants, . . 10 Cotton-manufacturers, . 17 Cotton-spinners, • . 3 Curriers, ... 6 Cutlers, . . .4 Dentists, ... 4 Distillers. . . .6 Dress- makers and milliners, 40 Drysalters, . - . 3 Dyers, . . . 15 Engineer, (civil) . • I Engravers and copperplate printers, 3 Fish-curers, . . .8 Fishing-tackle makers, . 5 Flax-spinners, . 3 Flashers, . .103 Fruiterers, . . 2 Furniture brokers, . . 9 Gardeners, . . 33 Grocers and spirit-dealers, . 208 Gunsmiths, . . 4 Hairdressers, . . .32 Hardware-dealers, . • 7 Hut-makers and hatters, . 8 Hosiers, ... 9 Insurance and ship-brokers, . 1.5 Iron -founders, . . 5 Iron- merchants, . 2 Ironmongers, . . 15 Japanners, . . . 3 Jewellers, gold and silversmiths, 7 Leather-cutters, . . 10 Leather-inerchants, . . 4 Lime-merchants, . . 2 Linen and woollen-drapers, . 36 Linen manufacturers, . 8 Livery stable-keepers, . . 7 Machine makers, . . 8 Maltsters, . . . .1 Meal dealers, . . 15 Merchants and ship-owners, . 28 Messengers, . . 6 Millers, ... 8 Millwrights, . . 5 Musical instrument makers, . 8 Nail-makers, . , 6 Nursery and seedsmen, . 8 Opticians, ... 3 Painters and glaziers, ... 24 Paper-makers, . . 2 Pawnbrokers, . . .6 Physicians, ... 27 Plane-makers, . . .2 Plasterers, . . 13 Plumbers, . . -. 2 Porter and ale-dealers, . 3 Poulterers, . . .3 Printers, ... 8 Provision merchants, . . 6 Quill-merchants, . . 2 Reed-makers, . . .2 Rope and twine-makers, . 13 Saddlers, . . .8 Sail-cloth manufacturer, . 1 Sail-makers, . . .5 Sheriff's officers, . . 10 Ship-builders, . . .4 Ship-chandlers, , . 5 Shuttle-makers, . . 2 Silk mercers, . . 8 Skinners, . . .4 Slaters, ... 14 Snuff-box makers, . . 2 Spirit dealers, . . 41 Stay-makevs, . , .3 Stocking manufacturers, . 11 Stone-cutters, . . .6 Stone merchants, . . 6 Straw-hat manufacturers, . 10 Surgeons, . . 47 Surveyors, . . .6 Tailors, . . . J 03 Tallow chandlers, . , 8 Tanners, ... 5 Tape manufacturer, . . 1 Tea-dealers, (wholesale) , 7 (retail) . . 12 Teachers, , . . 100 Thread manufacturers, . . 3 Timber merchants, . 15; Tin-plate workers, . . 15 Tobacco and snufF manufacturers, 6 Tobacco pipe makers, . . 2 Turners, . . 12 Umbrella makers, . . 5 Veterinary surgeons, . 2 Vintners, . . . 193 Watch and clock-makers, . 23 Wine and spirit-merchants, . 15 Woollen spinners, . 13 Woollen drapers, . . 15 Wrights and carpenters, . 38 Educational State. — In 1607, a school for instruction in writing", arithmetic, and book-keeping was instituted by the magistrates, the master of which had a small salary allowed to him in addition to the fees of the scholars, and this salary has continued ever since 40 ABERDEENSHIRE. ■svith little addition. In 167'2, a school for English grammar was established on a similar footing, and both of these schools have al- ways maintained a high character. Besides these, a school pretty much on the parochial plan has been for a considerable time supported by the magistrates and kirk-session jointly at Futtie. The school-house there having be- . gun to decay, was rebuilt and enlarged a few years ago, and the plan of education, which is purely elementary, was a good deal ex- tended. The incorporated trades have a school for the ordinary branches of education, and there are free schools founded and endowed by Tarious benevolent individuals, viz. Bishop Gerrard's, Mr James Thain's, and Mr George Davidson's. In 1815, a society was formed in Aberdeen for the erection and maintenance of schools on the svstem of Joseph Lancaster, and they supported for a good many years a school for boys, at which the average attendance was about 450. About eight or ten years ago they were enabled, by the bequest of L. 1000 from the late Mr Hogg of Shannaburn, to erect a school for a similar number of girls : but other schools having been about the same time erect- ed in various parts of the town, the attendance of girls scarcely exceeded "200 : and Mr Robertson, the highly talented teacher of the boys' school, having been induced to accept the office of teacher of Dr Bell's school, the attendance of boys in the Education So- ciety's school fell off, in consequence of which the society has deemed it advisable to give up one of their schools, and to divide the other into two apartments, capable of receiving about 200 each. A school for girls, capable of receiving about 100, and which is generally well attended, is supported by the Seamen's Friend So- ciety. They formerly had a school for boys also, but within these few years it has been converted into a parochial school for L nion Parish, the society retaining the right of recommending boys, the children of seamen, for instruction in it, Dr Bell of Madras left L. 10,000, 3 per cent, consols, to the Magistrates and Council of Aberdeen, two-thirds of which were to be appropriated for schools in Aberdeen, and the other third for a similar purpose in Old Aberdeen. Accordingly, two schools were erected in Aberdeen, the one for about -400 boys, and the other for about 300 girls. Dr Anderson of Jamaica also bequeathed certain funds to trus- ABERDEEN. 41 tees, for the support of a school in Aberdeen, as did also Mr Do- naldson of Orchardto^Yn. There are besides these partly endowed schools, a considerable number of private schools of different kinds, and four or five board- ing'schools, where young ladies are received and instructed in the various branches of useful and ornamental education. About nine or ten years ago, the Rev. A. L. Gordon published .an address to the inhabitants, on the necessity of establishing schools, especially for the 'poorer classes, on the sessional sys- tem, in the various parishes into which Aberdeen had then recent- ly been divided, and on the funds applicable to their support. The subject was brought under the consideration of the Presbytery, who, " impressed with a sense of the importance of the suggestion, re- commended to the ministers of Aberdeen, to consider and devise such means as may seem best for accomplishing the object, and to report." A memorial was soon after presented by the Presbytery to the Magistrates and Council, engaging to erect the necessary buildings, if, in order that the fees might be made sufficiently low to meet the circumstances of the poor, the city authorities would grant a small salary to the parochial teachers out of the common good. A similar memorial was soon after presented to them by the synod, but both were unsuccessful. * Notwithstanding this, the church courts encouraged the ministers to persevere, and the consequence has been, that, by private subscriptions, aided by grants of assistance from Government, (besides two parochial schools in the adjoining parishes of AVoodside and Bon Accord,) two schools have been erected in John Knox's Parish, two under one roof in Trinity Parish, one is now building in the North Pa- rish, and funds have been raised for the erection of one in the East Parish (where, as well as in Grayfriars and Union Parishes, tempo- rary schools have been for some time in operation,) and in the South Parish, and measures are in contemplation for obtaining pa- rochial schools in the remaining parishes of Aberdeen. That schools, connected as these are with the parish church, will be placed in circumstances most likely to promote their usefulness in the parishes, will be readily admitted by all who are not blinded to the advantages of maintaining an intimate connection between the religious instruction of the people, and the education of their * The late Provost Blaikie expressed himself in terms highly favourable to this ob- ject a short time before his lamented death put an end to this and his other schemes of benevolence and usefulness. 42 ABERDEENSHIRE. children. Besides the security thus obtained for the soundness of the instructions given in the schools, the sympathies of the people will be enlisted in their favour; and the teachers will be sustained by knowing that the ministers and elders take a lively interest in their success. The following is an abstract of returns which were made in 1833, to queries issued by the Magistrates and Council, with a view to ascertain the state of education in Aberdeen. In these re- turns, all sorts of schools were embraced. Various changes have, to be sure, taken place since that time, Und allowance must be made for those pupils who attend, at the same time, two or more schools for different branches, as well as for those who, living in Old Aberdeen, attend schools in town, and vice versa ; but taking it as a whole, it may be looked on as giving a pretty accurate view of the present state of education in Aberdeen : Schools, 37 ; teachers, 49; pupils, 3664; males, 2546; females, 1118. At the greater part of these schools, the fees vary from 2s. to 5s. a quarter. Some, as already noticed, are free ; and at others scholars are occasionally taught without fees. The following abstract exhibits a view of the branches taught : English, 2792 ; writing, 1887; arithmetic, 1567; Latin, 208; Greek, 60; mathematics, 74; geography, 281; navigation, 15; music, 333 ; elocution, 67 ; sewing, 429. There is no return of French and the other modern languages, because they are almost exclusively taught by private teachers. Besides these, there are also week-day evening schools esta- blished in a good many of the parishes, for the benefit of those who cannot attend school during the day, and of these the follow- ing return was made in 1833: Schools, 9; teachers, 16 ; scholars, 699; males, 331 ; females, 368. An association was formed about two years ago, under the title of" The Association of Teachers of Sabbath Schools, under the Superintendence of the Kirk- Sessions of St Nicholas and Old Machar," which promises to be very useful, and which a few months ago had in the parish of St Nicholas 19 schools with 149 teachers, and upwards of 1800 scholars ; besides which, the Aber- deen Gratis Sabbath School Society, which has been in operation for about forty years, has in the parish and neighbourhood, 20 schools, attended by about 1000 scholars. The importance of normal schools, where those who have in view to become schoolmasters may be trained in the knowledge 4 ABERDEEN. 43 and practice of the duties of their office, has been for some time strongly and generally felt, and in 1835, the General Assembly's Education Committee, in their report, dwelt at considerable length on the benefit to be expected from such institutions. The As- sembly approved of the views taken by their Committee, and ac- quiesced in their recommendation of Aberdeen as a suitable place for the establishment of a normal school. In April 1 836, a pub- lic meeting was held in Aberdeen, at which it was resolved to erect a school of this description in the town, and a committee was ap- pointed for the purpose of carrying this resolution into effect. Se- veral of the neighbouring counties, as well as the Presbytery of Aberdeen, nominated committees to co-operate with this one, and the Trustees of Dick's bequest have expressed their strong appro- bation of such an institution, and their desire to assist the other bodies in securing for the North of Scotland the benefits that might be expected to arise from it. The expectation, that the Committee of the House of Commons on Education in Scotland will take up the subject of normal schools, and the hope that Government may make some acceptable proposal for their esta- blishment, with other causes of a less general nature, have hither- to retarded the operations of these committees ; but there is every reason to expect, that in no long time a normal school will be established in Aberdeen. Grammar School. — rThe history of this school can be traced back as far at least as 1418, when Andrew de Syves, Vicar of Ber- vie, who had been master of the school for some years, died. Little is known about it, however, at this early period. In 1479, the salary attached to the office was L. 5 Scots. About fifty years after, it was raised to 10 marks, and certain perquisites were also allowed to the master. Twenty years later, the salary was fixed at 50 marks, and 2s. quarterly assigned as the fee of each scholar. In 1670, the rector, or headmaster, had 600 marks, and there were under him three ushers, each of whom had 200 marks and the fees arising from his own class, the rate of payment being at this time 13s. 4d. quarterly. The number and status of the teachers continue the same at present; the fees are 10s. 6d. quarterly, and the salaries are L. 90 to the rector, and L. 45 to each of the ushers. The funds from which these salaries are provided, arise from benefactions bequeathed at various times for the purpose — the most important of which was by Dr Patrick Dun, Principal of 44 ABERDEENSHIRE. Mariscbal College, who, in 1634, mortified the lands of Ferryhill, in the neighbourhood of Aberdeen, for the maintenance of four masters in the grammar school. These lands were feued in 1752, at L. 1 64 Sterling, half of which, in terms of Dr Dun's deed, is allot- ted to the rector, and the other half equally divided among the other three masters. It is provided by Dr Dun's deed, that any scholar bringing a sufficient testimonial of poverty shall be taught Latin gratis ; that all of the name of Dun, and the sons of tenants on the lands of Ferryhill, " and haill remanent lands to be con- quiest for the use foresaid," shall likewise be taught gratis ; and in case of a vacancy in the office of any of the masters, a person of the surname of Dun, or a tenant or tenant's son on the lands of Ferryhill, if found qualified, shall be appointed " without anie contestatione." The course of teaching followed in this school occupies five years ; and commencing with the elements of Latin, the pupils are led on through a series of classical reading and themes, and of late years, the elements of the Greek language have been taught to the more advanced pupils. The regular business of the school occupies the hours from 9 to 12 and from 3 to 5 four times a-week, with three hours on Wednesday and two hours on Saturday, besides which arithmetic is taught at an extra hour. Until lately it was the practice for all the pupils to assemble every morning for prayer in the public school, but this has been discontinued, and instead each master opens his class with prayer in his own class-room. It is to be regretted that, with the excep- tion of this, and the prescribing in the two higher classes, of what are called sacred lessons on Saturdays (if they deserve the name of exceptions), neither master nor pupil has leisure to spare, from the communication and reception of classical knowledge, to attend to the much more important concern of religious and moral cul- ture.* In this respect, however, the Grammar School of Aber- deen is probably not more to be complained of than most other public classical schools, especially those on old foundations. The number of pupils attending this school is generally about 200 ; and there is an examination annually held in presence of the * In one of a set of rules laid down by the Town Council in 1700, for the regula- tion of the Grammar School, the following clause occurs ; " once a week all the rules and questions of the Shorter Catechism are to be repeated publiclie." But if this rule was ever attended to, it is long now, since it fell into disuse. 3 ABERDEEN. 45 magistrates, the ministers of the Estabhshed Church, and the pro- fessors of Marischal College, when prizes, provided by the magis- trates, are awarded to the most deserving ; and the appearance which is generally made at this examination is such as to warrant the assertion, that, in as far as regards the communication of a knowledge of Latin, the Grammar School of Aberdeen, under the rectorship of Dr Melvin, is inferior to none in Scotland. Gordon's and Simpson' s Hospital. — Robert Gordon, a descendant of the family of Straloch, having acquired a competent fortune as a merchant in Dantzig, returned to his native place about the be- ginning of the last century. Subsequently to this, his habits gra- dually became extremely penurious, and he almost denied himself the necessaries of life. Previous to his death, which occurred in 1732, he executed a deed, by which he conveyed all his property to the Provost, Bailies, Town Council, and- the four Ministers of Aberdeen* in trust for the erection and maintenance of an hos- pital for the reception and education of boys, who are sons or grand- sons of decayed burgess of guild ; and, 1^^, relations of the founder of the surname of Gordon ; 2d, relations of the founder of the sur- name of Menzies ; 3c?, relations of the founder of any other sur- name ; 4^A, not related to him, but of the surname of Gordon ; bth, not related to him, but of the surname of Menzies ; Qih, not related to him, and of any other surname ; 1th, sons and grand- sons of decayed tradesmen members of any of the incorporated trades ; 8/A, sons and grandsons of dyers and barbers ; and, 9th, sons and grandsons of inhabitants of Aberdeen generally. - Mr Gordon had, during his lifetime, purchased the ground formerly belonging to the Dominican Monastery in the School- hill, and on this site his trustees erected, at an expense of L. 3300, a handsome edifice, according to the design furnished by Mr James Gibbs, architect, which was finished in 1739. The expense of the building had, however, materially encroached on the funds in their hands, (the amount of which was originally L.l 0,300,) and, owing to this and the disturbed state of the country in 1745 and 1746, the house remained unoccupied (except that it was used as bar- racks by the Royalist troops in 1746,) till 1750. By that time, the funds had accumulated to L. 14,000, and the hospital was opened. Thirty boys were then admitted, and the number has * Since the division of the town into ten parishes, the Court of Session has de- cided that the ministers of the East and West parishes, and the two senior ministers of the other parishes, shall be the four clerical governors. 46 ABERDEENSHIRE. since been gradually increased, until in 1838 there were 130 on the foundation. In 1816, Alexander Simpson, Esq. of Colliehill, devised to the Principal and Professors of Marischal College and the four Minis- ters of Aberdeen in trust, the lands of Barrack, in the parish of New Deer, and Crickie, in Old Deer, subject to the liferent of certain of his own relatives, after whose death it became applicable to the purpose of educating boys in Gordon's Hospital, the sons and grandsons of decayed burgesses. The buildings of the hospital being, however, insufficient to accommodate more than eighty boys, the number then in the house ; and a considerable surplus of re- venue having accrued, the Governors of Gordon's Hospital, in an- ticipation of the bequest of Mr Simpson, added two wings to the hospital, connected with the centre building by a neat colonnade, after the designs of Mr Smith, architect, at an expense of about L.I45OOO. These alterations were completed in 1834, and fifty additional boys were soon after admitted ; and in 1 838, Mr Simp- son's trustees paid over to the governors L. 2000, in consideration of their being entitled to have twenty-six boys accommodated in the hospital in the same manner as the others, their maintenance and education being defrayed out of Mr Simpson's trust-funds at the annual average rate ; and in May 1838 they nominated four to be received, so that the whole number now in the house is 134. The age at which boys are admitted is from nine to twelve. They are clothed in a suit of blue cloth with flat bonnets. The average period of their remaining in the house is five years, it being a rule that no boy shall remain after he is sixteen years of age. On leaving the hospital they are generally apprenticed to various trades and professions in Aberdeen, and at the end of the first year of their apprenticeship, they receive in name of apprentice-fee the sum of L. 8, 6s. Sd., and on the expiry of their apprenticeship the further sum of L. 5, provided they have conducted themselves to the sa- tisfaction of their masters. If a boy can satisfy the governors that he has favourable prospects by leaving the country, he is allowed L.IO as an outfit, in full of all demands on the hospital. By a special clause in the charter of foundation, it is declared that young men educated in the hospital, who may afterwards ac- quire or succeed to a fortune equal to 4000marks (L.216, 13s. 4d.), shall be obliged to refund to the institution the whole expense of their maintenance and education. But although several indivi- duals, who had received the benefit of this institution, have attain- ABERDEEN. 47 ed to competent and even affluent circumstances, only two small donations have been made to it by those who in early life had ex- perienced its benefit. The boys are under the care of the master and two teachers, by whom they are instructed in English reading, grammar, and elocution, writing, arithmetic, geometry, geography, book-keeping, French and Latin. They are also taught drawing and music by masters not resident in the house. By an agreement between the Governors and the Professors of Marischal College, four boys from the hospital may be recommended by the former to the ma- thematical and natural philosophy classes, to which they are ad- mitted without payment of fees. The religious and moral train- ing of the boys is superintended by the master, and a portion of one of the galleries in the West Church is rented by the hospital for their accommodation, and that of the master and teachers. Mechanics' Institution. — This institution was commenced in 1824, soon after similar institutions had been established in seve- ral of the manufacturing towns of England and Scotland. At first, the plan adopted was to communicate instructions to mechanics by means of courses of lectures at a cheap rate, on natural philosophy, chemistry, &c. and the attendance on these lectures was for a time numerous ; but after a year or two it fell off so considerably that it was found necessary, in 1830, to discontinue the lectures, and if the projectors of the institution had not wisely vested a considerable part of the subscriptions originally obtained in the purchase of books, by which means (with the help of numerous do- nations obtained,) a valuable library was formed, the institution would have been extinguished. The library, however, which consists of about 1100 volumes on practical and scientific subjects, (being the best selected, and the richest, perhaps, of the collections possessed by similar institutions in Scotland,) proved a rallying point, and a few subscribers, who were sensible of the advantages to be derived from having ready access to the best writers on the subjects in which they were inte- rested, continued to supply the funds necessary for keeping it up. In this dormant state, the institution continued till 1835, when an attempt was made to remodel it after the pattern of the School of Arts in Edinburgh, by the establishment of classes at low rates in various branches of science and literature. These have been since continued, and with a considerable degree of success. In order to give regularity to the studies of the members, these classes were 48 ABERDEENSHIRE. arranged into a curriculum extending over three sessions, and they embraced instructions in English grammar and composition, French, geography, mechanical and architectural drawing, sketching, arith- metic, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, mensuration, logarithms, &c., mechanical philosophy, and chemistry. The most striking feature, however, of the new arrangements is the " Mutual Instruc- tion Class." As its name imports, the members instruct each other, and this is done by one reading a short essay or lecture on a subject previously intimated to the class, and approved of by it; after he has finished, a conversation takes place on the subject of the essay, in which the opinions advanced are impugned and de- fended, and additional information communicated. There is little method and no restriction as to the subjects chosen, except that controversial theology and politics are peremptorily excluded. This class has met with considerable encouragement, the number of members being during the winter season from 100 to 120; and individuals not members of the institution are admissible to it, the fees being 3s. annually from them, while those already belonging to the institution pay a fee of 2s. The fees of the other classes are 5s. for each class, except the drawing, which is 7s. ; and the price for the use of the library is 4s., the payment of which con- stitutes a member of the institution; while attendance on the classes is entirely optional, and open to persons not using the library if they incline it. The nurriber of members of the institution at pre- sent is about 130. United Fund. — " The Poor's Hospital was opened on the last day of October 1741, for the reception of such idle and strolling vagrants as should be found in town, and the poor inhabitants who had no visible way of earning their bread ; also for boys and girls, the children of poor inhabitants, and for destitute orphans who had no relations to take care of them. Every person in the house was to be employed in work or labour of some kind, according to their strength and capacity ; the children to attend the school in the house for certain hours every day ; the boys to be taught read- ing, writing, arithmetic, and instructed in the principles of Christ- ian knowledge, and bound to trades when they came to a certain age ; the girls to be taught knitting of stockings, and other branches of female education, to qualify them for being good servants. The managers of the hospital were the magistrates and council for the time being, and some of the most respectable inhabitants chosen annually by the magistrates and council out of the different socie- ABERDEEN. 49 ties and persuasions."* The revenue of the hospital appears to have consisted of a bequest left by Mr John Kemp in 1713, for maintaining a free school for educating poor children, together with four quarterly collections in the churches of the Establishment and several of the Dissenting chapels, and occasional donations from individuals. To these were soon after added the proceeds of one-half of the residual estate of Mr Rickart of Auchnacant, be- queathed in 1741 towards endowing a workhouse in Aberdeen. In the year 1768, a system of out- door relief was deemed preferable for the adult and aged inmates of the hospital, and in order to constitute a fund for this purpose, as well as generally for the sup- ply of the parochial poor, without putting an end to the hospital as an educational establishment for orphans and destitute children, an agreement was entered into, whereby the kirk-session of St Ni- cholas engaged to pay L. 241 annually, being the estimated sur- plus of their hands after defraying certain settled charges; the ma- nagers of the Poor's Hospital undertook to give L. 100, being the surplus remaining with them after meeting the estimated expense of maintaining and educating twenty-five boys ; and the managers of St Paul's Chapel agreed to contribute (for one year, but it was annually continued for a considerable time), the sum of L. 30. By the union of these three, " the United Fund" was establishedj which was " to be distributed among the poor, and applied to all the charitable purposes at present provided either by the session or by the directors of the Poor's Hospital."-f- It was also resolved that the fund should be managed by all the session, together with ma- nagers chosen by the directors of the Poor's Hospital, and by the managers of St Paul's Chapel, in numbers proportioned to the ex- tent of their contributions. The foundation being thus laid of a fund for the support of the parochial poor, considerable additions were from time to time made to it by the donations and bequests of individuals, and for nearly fifty years the money thus placed in the hands of the managers was found sufficient (with strict econo- my) for this purpose; but as the town became more populous and more commercial, the number of the poor increased ; and in the year 1818, the desire to rid the streets of a number of beggars, by whom they were infested, and at the same time to avoid the impo- sition of a legal assessment for their maintenance, led to the col- lection of a voluntary contribution to meet the increasing demands * Statistical Account of Aberdeen, 1797. t Minute-Book of the United Fund, 1768. ABERDEEN. D 50 ABERDEENSHIRE. on the United Fund. At first, this plan was attended with success, the sum obtained being nearly L. 1000 ; but after a few years, the trouble of collection and other circumstances occasioned a gradual falling off, so that in 1835 scarcely L. 400 was obtained ; in con- sequence of which, it became unavoidable to attempt some other means of raising the requisite sum. Accordingly, in 1836, at a head court of the inhabitants, a resolution was entered into to raise the sum of L. 1700 for that year by an equitable self-imposed as- sessment on heritors and tenants, on a principle similar to that which had been for some years acted on in Dundee and other places. It was, however, found impossible to collect this assess- ment without resorting to law, and in 1838 the magistrates were obliged to interpose their authority and enforce payment. It is un- necessary to dwell here on the evils consequent on a legal assess- ment, which at once puts an end to the Scottish system of paro- chial relief, and gives the pauper, however undeserving, a legal right, not to " a help," but to a maintenance ; but one effect of it may be stated as being peculiar to this parish, viz. the alienation of a fund which was destined by the late Mr John Burnett " for the support and relief of such persons living within the town and pa- rish of Aberdeen only, who are unable to sustain themselves, and who are bedrid, or are afflicted with bodily diseases that are sup- posed to be incurable," or those afflicted with lingering diseases, and others, particularly the aged. Mr Burnett, anticipating the possibility of a legal assessment being imposed for the relief of the parochial poor, annexed to his bequest the following provision : " I hereby, therefore, in case of the foresaid assessment taking place either at my death or at any time thereafter, discharge and debar the minister and kirk -session of Aberdeen and my other trustees above-named, from applying the foresaid for the purposes above- mentioned, during all the years that such assessment for the poor shall continue. And in case such assessment shall continue to take place within the town of Aberdeen at any time after my death, for the space of seven years successively, I in that event appoint the minister and kirk-session of Aberdeen to denude themselves of the foresaid haill lands of Kinnadie with all eventual interests com- petent to them therein under this deed."* The proceeds of this be- quest amounted to about L. 280 annually, which, untii 1838, were " It is right to state, however, that the alienation of this fund is in one respect less to be regretted than otherwise it might be, because it will not be altogether diverted from the poor, inasmuch as it is directed to be transferred to the managers of the In- firmary, to be by them applied as noticed in the account of that institution. ABERDEEN. 51 carefully distributed by the trustees of Mr Burnett, in accordance with his directions, among the aged and infirm, " with a preference to such persons who are known to have lived soberly and religious- ly ;" but these, the most necessitous as well as the most deserving class of the parochial poor, are now merged in the general mass, and receive a supply simply and barely according to their necessi- ties, without reference to their previous character ; and the amount of this relief given to them forms an addition to the sum to be as- sessed on the inhabitants. The relief of the parochial poor is placed under the direc- tion of a committee consisting of delegates from the general kirk- session, the magistrates, the Dissenting congregations which con- tribute to the United Fund, and individual donors, together with a proportionate number of gentlemen appointed on behalf of the inhabitants at the time of commencing the self-imposed assessment. This committee meets in the beginning of every month to receive and determine on applications for relief, which it is to be regretted is regulated much more by the means at their command, than by the necessities of the applicants, being, on an ave- rage, certainly not more than at the rate of 4s. a-month. Table for seven years of the number of poor and amount of re- lief given : No. of No. of de- orphans, serted families. Expenditure. Income. 52 11 L. 2902 L.2777 62 15 3171 2877 42 28 2928 2436 43 35 2901 2132 33 41 2990 2634 53 . 49 3099 2111 60 63 3569 3868 Boys' Hospital. — In pursuance of the agreement entered into in the year 1768, respecting the relief of the parochial poor, the adult inmates of the work-house or Poor's Hospital, and the girls maintained there, were pensioned out of the United Fund, and the hospital was thenceforth devoted to the maintenance and education of boys only. The number of these was at first 25, and until the year 1795, when it was increased to 40, no addition was made to this number. The cause of this may be supposed to have been, that the United Fund necessarily occupied prominently the atten- tion of the managers, in consequence of the continual recurrence of meetings regarding it, and the number and variety of the trans- actions connected with it; by which means, in the course of time, a system of keeping the accounts of both institutions came to be No. of paupers. 1832, 1245 1833, 1309 1834, 1332 1835, 1262 1836, 1282 18.37, 1336 1838, 1277 52 ABERDEENSHIRE. introduced, by which the hospital was represented as subsidiary to the United Fund, and dependent on it for a considerable yearly sum, towards defraying its expenses. This, however, was not the case, and on a careful scrutiny and separation of the various sources of revenue belonging to both, which was made in the year ] 828, it was found that the income accruing to the Poor's Hospital was abundantly sufficient for all its wants, and since that time the accounts have been kept entirely distinct. The house which had been occupied since 1740 by the hospital being found to stand in the way of projected improvements in the jail and court-house, was purchased from the managers, and the hospital was removed in the year 1818, to a house in the Gallowgate, which they bought. Subsequently to this, the managers wished to increase the number of the inmates, but the accommodations being inadequate, they, in the year 1829, purchased a house of larger size in the Upper Kirkgate, and since then, tifty boys have been maintained and edu- cated in the " Boys' Hospital ;" and as there is still a certain sur- plus of funds, proposals have been at various times entertained for still further extending the institution. The age of admission into this hospital is from eight to ten, and the boys received into it are taught the ordinary branches of education, — reading, writing, arithmetic, church music, and the principles of religion. The sources from which the income of the hospital is derived, are va- rious mortifications or bequests secured on land, together with a collection annually in the churches of the Establishment, and se- veral of the Dissenting chapels. The following table shows the income and expenditure for seven years ; the number of inmates being fifty-five, viz. matron, schoolmaster, treasurer, and two ser- vants, in addition to fifty boys : Income. Expenditure. 1832, . L.814. L. 593 1833, . 708 611 1834, . 713 618 1835, . 840 589 1836, . 760 594 1837, . 658 630 1838, . 893 606 Girls' Hospital. — The want of an institution for the mainte- nance and education of girls, similar to the Boys' Hospital, had been for some time felt and- regretted, and, in 1828, a subscription was entered into for the purpose of obtaining a fund for the establish- ment of such an hospital. This, in the course of a few months, amounted to L. 1500, and the Girls' Hospital was opened for the reception of twenty girls, the children or orphans of parochial 1835, J836, 1837, 1838. House of Refuge. — Tl ABERDEEN. 53 paupers, in 1829. The encouragement given to it by the pubhc was such, that next year the managers were enabled to increase the number to thirty, and in 1835 ten more were received. The ages within which these girls are admitted^ are from six to nine ; the branches of education taught are, reading, writing, arithmetic, church music, sewing, knitting, and house-work, with instructions in the principles of religion, and they continue inmates of the hos- pital generally till they reach the age of fourteen. The income of the hospital is derived from an annual collection in the churches, the interest of the subscribed capital, and a fourth part of the proceeds of Mr Simpson of Colliehill's mortification to the workhouse of Aberdeen ; and the following table exhibits its amount, with that of the expenditure, for the last seven years : Income. Expenditure. 1832, . L.572 L. 313 1833, 1834, 443 417 590 328 482 317 625 361 le establishment of a House of Refuge in Aberdeen had been several times agitated, but it was not until 1836 that sufficient funds for the purpose could be obtained. The munificent donation of L. 1000, then given by George Watt, Esq. surgeon, for the purpose of commencing this useful charity, was speedily followed up by a general subscription in the town and neighbourhood, and the sum of L. 3000 was raised in the course of a few months, — annual contributions to the extent of L. 136 beinof at the same time subscribed for, and the institution was commen- ced, a body of directors chosen, and regulations laid down at a public meeting of the inhabitants. A suitable house having been hired and furnished, the House of Refuge was opened on the 5th September 1836. The mode of con- ducting the details of its management has been principally borrow- ed from the House of Refuge in Edinburgh ; and though many and great difficulties occurred in the outset, as indeed was to be anticipated, there is abundant reason to know that not a little good has been done by the institution, (especially in regard to great numbers of neglected children, who are furnished with that educa- tion which their parents either could not or would not give them) and that at an extremely moderate expense. Under the judicious care of the present superintendant, Mr Ed- ward Reid, (who had for some time officiated as chaplain and 54 ABERDEENSHIRE. schoolmaster before his appointment to be superintendant, and who still unites the duties of these tv/o offices to those of the superin- tendant), the system of domestic management of the establish- ment has now been carried on for nearly two years, and the extent as well as the nature of the benefits derivable from the institution become more justly appreciated and more sensibly felt. In the first outset of any institution, a considerable expense must necessarily be incurred for furniture, &c. ; while, on the other hand, the income of an infant institution is generally short consi- derably of what it afterwards reaches, when the public have become aware of its claims on their support. Hence, the expenditure of the House of Refuge during the first seven months was L. 725, while its income for the same period was only L. 191. Since that time, two complete years have now elapsed, and the following is a view of the financial concerns of the institution for these two years : Inco7ne. 1837. 1838. Subscriptions and donations, L. 314 12 L. 416 15 ] nterest of money, 84 ' 89 12 Board for inmates, 77 10 147 7 Received for work done, 30 3 62 12 L. 506 5- L. 716 6 Expenditnre. 1837. 1838. Provisions, L.299 5 L.307 4 Repairs, 35 14 8 2 Furnishings and clothes, 103 6 42 5 Materials and implements, 4 14 Salaries and wages, 104 5 133 11 Fire and light, 40 8 41 4 Rent, 45 45 Printing and incidents, (med.), 39 3 59 8 L.671 15 L. 636 14 The following table exhibits the number of persons received into the house, with the results of the cases and the periods of re- sidence. Admitted to 1st April 1837, to 1st April 1838. to 1st April 1839. C above 14, 35 . 51 . 95 Males, Females, ( under 14, 54 5 above, 14, 36 \ under 14, 36 161 Dismissed to 1st April 1837 Provided with work, Sent to their parishes. Left voluntarily, Taken out by relatives, Sent to the Infirmary, Died in the house. Deserted, Dismissed as improper, 17 5 18 19 14 8 10 8 99 112 86 88 337 to 1st April 1838. 26 35 28 90 29 14 24 -254 120 113 93 421 to 1st April 1839, 29 21 108 57 33 19 18 36 ABERDEEN. Periods of residence. jre than 12 months, 19 More tlian 5 mon ths, 18 11 5 4 . 22 10 5 3 , 47 9 3 2 , 56 8 8 1 , 99 7 11 . Under 1 367 6 14 674 Remaining in the House 1st April 1839, Males, ^ above 14, ) under 14, 15 34 T-i 1 ( above 14, remales < j i < ( under 14, 22 29 K House of Industry and Magdalene Asylum. — Within these few months, the same benevolent individual v/hose liberahty was the means of estabhshing the House of Refuge, has conveyed to trus- tees, named by himself, along with the directors of the House of Refuge, the property of Oldmill, situated about four miles west- ward from the town, which yields about L.164 of yearly rent, for the purpose of erecting and maintaining a House of Industry and a Magdalene Asylum. The necessary arrangements are not as yet completed, but there is no doubt that every possible diligence will be used, and that these beneficial institutions will be opened in the course of a very short time. Deaf and Dumb Institution.— This institution was opened in 1819, a fund having been raised for the purpose by contributions gradually collected for a year or two previously, and the direction and instruction of its inmates were entrusted to Mr Robert Taylor, who had been sent to Paris to receive the necessary in- structions under the celebrated Abbe Sicard. In consequence of the insufficiency of the funds to provide for the entire maintenance of the institution, it was found necessary to adopt a rule that one- half of the board of the pupils only should be defrayed by the in- stitution, the other half being required to be advanced from some other source; and although the rate of board charged be on- ly L. 16 per annum, this rule has in several instances prevented the admission of children whose parents were unable to raise the requir'ed sum ; though, on the other hand, those who have used exertions, and made application either to public funds or to bene- volent individuals, have seldom been disappointed. Another class of boarders is also received under the charge of the teacher, who do not draw on the funds of the institution for any part of their maintenance, and the teacher, whose salary is only L. 60, is thus enabled, with advantage to the institution, from the increased number of pupils, to earn a comfortable livelihood. 56 ABEIIDEENSHIRE. The branches of instruction taught in the institution are, the knowledge of objects, English reading and writing, arithmetic, geography, and the principles of religion. In 1834, Mr Taylor, having resigned the direction of the insti- tution, Mr Matthew R. Burns, himself deprived of hearing at a very early age, was appointed in his room ; and his sister. Miss Burns, was appointed housekeeper. At the time, some of the di- rectors felt a doubt whether Mr Burns's deafness might not prove an obstacle to his usefulness, while others were rather of opinion that, by placing him more closely on a par with his pupils, it would be an advantage. Respecting the result, it is unnecessary to say more than that, by his ability, zeal, and unwearied diligence, the pupils have been benefited in no common degree, and the character of the institution (which depends entirely on that of the teacher,) has been raised to the level of those excellent and more extensive institutions of the same kind in Edinburgh, London, and Dublin. The period of a pu- pil's continuance in the institution is usually about five years. The number at present receiving aid from the funds is 1 2, viz. 9 boys and 3 girls. The expenditure is provided for by annual subscriptions, occasional donations, the sale of work done in the institution, and by the proceeds of an annual public examination of the pupils ; and the sums thus obtained have been sufficient, with great economy, to provide for the maintenance of a limited number of pupils; but the institution is very far from meeting the necessities of the north of Scotland, as was contemplated at its original establishment. The following table shows the income and expenditure, with the number of pupils whose board was partly paid out of the funds, for the last seven years. 1832. 1833. 1834. 1835. 1836. 1837. 1838. Income, L. 121 126 146 201 225 172 273 Expenditure, 99 142 149 223 148 185 250 Pupils, .65 3 9 10 11 12 Burnett's Fund. — In the year 1783, Mr John Burnett of Dens died, bequeathing the bulk of his property to the following cha- ritable purposes : Two-thirds of the rents of Kinnadie for the sup- port of aged and diseased poor persons in Aberdeen, with a spe- cial reference to their previous respectability and moral character. This distribution (the amount of which was about L. 250 annually) was directed to be continued as long as there should be no legal assessment for the support of the poor of Aberdeen ', but in the event of an assessment being levied, then, during each year of ABEUDEEN. 57 the continuance of such assessment, the money was directed to be applied by the managers of the Infirmary, one-half to defray the expense of a physician to attend the sick poor of Aberdeen, who are not proper objects to be received into the infirmary, and the other half to the maintenance of pauper lunatics belonging to the town and county of Aberdeen ; and this alteration in the des- tination is declared perpetual if the assessment shall continue to be levied for seven successive years. The other third part of the rents was directed to be accumulated, for the purpose of yielding at the end of every forty years, (reckoned from 1774,) two prizes, of L. 1200 and L. 400 respectively, to be given to the authors of the two best essays on the following subject, " that there is a Being all-powerful, wise, and good, by whom every thing exists ; and particularly to obviate difficulties regarding the wisdom and good- ness of the Deity ; and this, in the first place, from considerations independent of written Revelation ; and in the second place,"from the Revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ ; and from the whole to point out the inferences most necessary and useful to mankind." The decision of these prizes he directed to be by a committee of three individuals, chosen by his trustees and the Professors of King's and Marischal Colleges. The term of forty years prescribed by Mr Burnett, expiring in 1814, the first adjudication of the prizes took place in that year : the three judges appointed by the trustees and the profes- sors were, the Rev. Dr Gilbert Gerrard, Professor of Divinity in King's College ; Dr Robert Hamilton, Professor of Natural Philosophy in Marischal College ; and the Rev. Dr George Glennie, Professor of Moral Philosophy in Marischal College; and the first prize was by them adjudged to the Rev. Dr William Lawrence Brown, Principal of Marischal College ; and the se- cond to the Rev. John Bird Sumner, the present Bishop of Chester. Any surplus of this fund that may remain after the payment of these prizes is directed to be laid out in the purchase of lands, the rents of which are to be added to the other two-thirds. From the time of Mr Burnett's death until last year, the former destination of these two-thirds has been acted on by his trustees, and about 160 of the most deserving of the poor in Aberdeen have been supplied by the distribution of these funds in small monthly payments. An assessment having, however, been found altogether unavoidable, this source of supply to the poor has been cut off, and the pensioners on this fund have been transferred to the parochial 58 ABERDEENSHIRE. funds. The managers of the Infirmary, seeing that it would be ut- terly impossible for one physician to attend the sick poor who are not fit for reception into the house, now that the town is increased to upwards of four times the population which it contained at the time of Mr Burnett's death, and that the General Dispensary is well adapted to carry out the spirit of Mr Burnett's intentions, but is very insufficiently supported by the subscriptions raised for its benefit, — have resolved that the half of the fund placed under their direction for this purpose, shall be given for the present to that institution ; its application to be under the direction of a com- mitee, consisting of an equal number of Managers of the Infirmary, and Directors of the Dispensary ; — the other half they retain in their own hands, to be applied for the maintenance of pauper luna- tics from the town and county of Aberdeen in the Lunatic Asylum. Pauper Lunatic Fund. — In 1820, a fund was instituted for the purpose of defraying the expense attending the maintenance, in the Lunatic Asylum, of lunatic paupers belonging to the parish of St Nicholas. The sources from which its support is derived are, collections (formerly annual, but which have been discontinued for the last two years,) in the churches of the Establishment and in several Dissenting churches, together with occasional donations and le- gacies, and its management is entrusted to a committee, consisting of the Established and other clergymen, with a few other gentle- men annually elected. The annexed table exhibits the income and expenditure of this fund, and the number of patients whose board has been de- frayed out of it for the last seven years : — Income. Expenditure. Patients. 1832, . L. 430 . L.371 . 23 1833, 1834, 1835, 1836, 1837, 1838, 368 . 372 . 21 390 . 337 . 20 366 . 339 . 19 873 . 278 . 16 380 . 330 . 14 333 . 380 . 17 Murtle's Fund. — The late John Gordon, Esq. of Murtle, by deeds dated in 1815, bequeathed a certain part of his property to trustees, for distribution to various charitable objects, some of which were specified, and others left to the discretion of the trus- tees. Among those specified by Mr Gordon, was one respecting which he expresses himself as follows : — " With regard to the sums bequeathed for the purpose of establishing lectures on prac- tical religion at one or both universities, it may be proper to add ABERDEEN, 59 a few words explanatory of my design and intention in that be- quest. The effect of early impressions on the youthful mind is ge- nerally admitted. These lectures, therefore, if properly conduct- ed and pressed home, may, by the blessing of God, be the means of laying the foundation of an early piety in the youthful mind, and thus give God the first possession of the heart. Whilst al- most every branch of useful knowledge is ably taught in our Bri- tish universities, it is matter of regret that so little provision is made for the instruction of our youth in the more important duties of religion. In apportioning the sums of money for charitable purposes under this deed, I would, therefore, beg leave to recommend to my trustees, to give a decided preference to all charitable institutions having for their object the education of the rising generation, more especially where due attention is paid to their instruction in the prin- ciples of religion. In doing this, they will best fulfil my intentions." The trustees accordingly, in the exercise of the powers devolv- ed on them, have annually paid L. 100 to lecturers on Practical Religion in King's and Marischal Colleges ; L. 150 to aged fe- male servants; L. 150 to Sunday schools; and set aside L. 300 as a fund for the establishment of an hospital for orphan and desti- tute girls ; and the residue they have apportioned in annual or oc- casional donations to various institutions, such as the Deaf and Dumb Institution, the Sick Man's Friend Society, the Female Society, the Coal Fund, the Clothing Society, the Dispensaries, &c. Carnegie's Fund. — In 1835, Mr John Carnegie bequeathed a -sum of between L. 7000 and L. 8000 to certain trustees, for the purpose of establishing an hospital for female orphans, which will probably be conjoined with that portion of Mr Gordon's bequest which his trustees have set aside for a similar purpose. Orphan Girls' Hospital — In the year 1836, Mrs Elmslie, a widow lady, residing in London, devoted a sum of L. 26,000 to the erection and endowment of an hospital at Aberdeen for orphan and destitute girls. This sum she believed that her husband, had he lived to execute his intention, would have applied for this pur- pose. Accordingly, a site having been selected on the west side of the town, the building was commenced, and is now very far ad- vanced towards completion. Shaw's Fund. — In 1807, Alexander Shaw executed a deed, vesting his property in trustees, with directions that it should be allowed to accumulate till it should be sufficient to build and en- dow an hospital for 5 boys and 5 girls, either orphans, or desert- 1 60 ABEUDEENSIIIRE. ed and destitute; these children to be admitted between the ages of two and four; to take the name of either Shaw or Davidson; and to be taught English, and a little French, writing, and arith- metic, (the girls also to be taught needle-work.) The boys to continue in the hospital till they are twelve years of age, and to be allowed L. 6 of apprentice fee, and to receive L. 10 when their apprenticeship is out; the girls to continue in the hospital to the age of thirteen, and to get L. 10 if afterwards they remain five years in the families with whom they are placed as servants. A clause is also inserted in the deed, directing that any boy of supe- rior genius is to be retained in the hospital till he is twenty-one years of age, to study the French language diligently, and to be permitted to learn any profession for which he may be fitted and most inclined. As yet the trustees have not been in a condition to carry this deed into full effect, but they have within the last few months rented a house in the Gallowgate for the purpose of carry- ing into execution the benevolent designs of the founder. Miss CruickshaMk's Fund.— Miss Elizabeth Cruickshank, who died in 1818, bequeathed the bulk of her property to trustees, for the purpose of accumulation until it should be sufficient to found and support an asylum for the blind in Aberdeen. These trus- tees were three in number, but two of them having died, the sur- vivor, by virtue of a power contained in the deed, assumed, in the year 1832, several gentlemen to act along with him in the dis- charge of the trust. Various difficulties occurred in regard to the disposal of some parts of the property, and it was not until very lately that any fur- ther steps were taken towards carrying Miss Cruickshank's bene- volent intentions into effect, than taking a census of the number of blind persons in the city of Aberdeen and its neighbourhood, with their ages and circumstances. Within the last few weeks, how- ever, a plan of the intended building has been approved of, and its erection will be proceeded in forthwith. United Coal Fund. — Bequests had been at different times made by various individuals for the purpose of supplying the poor of Aberdeen with coals during the inclement weather in winter, and in 1801, by an agreement among the trustees appointed over four of these be- quests, viz. those of Mr Alexander Robertson, Mr Andrew Robert- son, Mr John Smith, and Mr John Cushnie, they were united into one fund for this benevolent purpose. The fund thus obtained amounted to L. 1000, and by various donations and bequests since 3 ABERDEEN. 61 added, it has now reached to nearly L. 2900 ; the interest of which, along with occasional donations, and sometimes, in cases of necessity, a small portion of the principal, is annually expended in the purchase of coals in summer, which are distributed during winter, in por- tions of one-fourth of a boll or one-sixteenth of a ton to each fa- mily. The fund is placed under the management of twenty-one gentlemen chosen from the kirk-session, the magistrates, the ma- nagers of the Poor's Hospital, and the contributors or their trus- tees. The quantities of coals distributed for the last seven years have been as follows : — 1832, . 175 tons. 1833, . 1854 1834, . 185i 1835, _ 184| 1836, . 174 1837, , 334 (a second distribution having been made.) 1838, . 175 Ladies Working Society. — It is little more than a year since this society was instituted for the purpose of providing industrious fe- males with the means of support, by supplying them with needle- work, mostly of a plain and useful kind, and by exposing the fruits of their industry for sale at a moderate price. It may be regarded as a useful assistant to the Clothing Society, and as serving, in some degree, to lessen the demands on the funds of the Female Society. It is managed by a committee of ladies, and depends for its funds entirely on the contributions of members, and the sale of the work done for the society by its objects. Clothing Society. — This society was commenced in 1817, for the purpose of supplying articles of^ clothing to the industrious poor. It is managed by a committee of ladies, who superintend the mak- ing of the clothes, and personally investigate the cases recom- mended before any supply is given. The funds arise entirely from the contributions of members, with occasional donations and legacies. From deficiency of funds, the society has been unable, in general, to make a distribution of clothes oftener than once in two years, when articles, to the value of about L. 300, have been given to nearly 1000 individuals, each article being previously stamped with the name of the society. Within the last year, the plan of the society has been modified in several particulars, the chief of which is, that the clothes dis- tributed shall not be considered as given, but as lent to the per- sons receiving thern, — a measure by which the society will be bet- ter enabled to guard against the abuses to which they were for- 62 ABERDEENSHIRE. merly subjected by individuals pawning or selling the articles which had been furnished to them. Sick Man's Friend Society. — This benevolent society was instituted in the year 1792, and its object is, the relief of the indigent sick, by affording them such aid in money from time to time as the funds v,ill bear, and the circumstances of the objects seem to call for. The town is divided into thirty-two districts, which are allotted to visitors, whose duty it is personally to investigate the cases recommended for assistance, and to direct the amount of relief to be given, which is in payments of Is. each, monthly, fort- nighth^, or weekly, according to the necessities of the case. The amount distributed annually has been, for some time, nearly L. 320, ihe whole of which arises from the annual contributions of members, donations, and occasional legacies. Female Society. — This society was commenced in 1805, for the relief of a^ed and indigent females. Its funds are derived from the subscriptions of its members, and occasional donations and be- quests. It is managed by a committee of ladies, who personally investig'ate the cases recommended before givinar relief. The dis- tribution is in sums of Is. 6d., 2s. 6d., or 3s. twice a quarter, and in this way about L. 250 are distributed annually. The number of regular pensioners on the society's books is at present about 230, besides a good many receiving occasional supply. Bible Societies. — In 1811, a society was instituted in Aberdeen, auxiliary to the British and Foreign Bible Society, and its operations were carried on with considerable zeal and success, and besides supplying considerable numbers of Bibles to the surrounding dis- tricts, contributions to a large amount were sent by it to the so- ciety in London. The disputes that arose in 1826 in consequence of the distribution of the Apocrypha by the London Society, and other practices that were by many felt to be wrong, led in 1827, to the formation of another Bible Society, whose surplus funds have generally been devoted to aid the operations of the Edinburgh Bible Society. Previous to this, a society had been instituted in Aberdeen for the purpose of supplying Bibles at prime cost to the sailors trad- ing at the port, which, after issuing in the course of nine years upwards of 2300 Bibles, was, in 1827, joined wUh the Auxiliary Naval and Military Bible Society, then recently instituted, the object of which is the same with that of the similar societies in London, Edinburgh, &c. viz. to supply Bibles and Testaments at a reduced price, (generally about two-thirds of the prime cost,) to ABERDEEN. G3 soldiers; sailors, bargemen, fishers, and pensioners. The surplus funds of this society, (which, however, can never be large, in con- sequence of the terms on which the supply is afforded,) are re- mitted to the Naval and Military Bible Society in London. In the following table a view is given of the income of each of these societies, and of the number of Bibles and Testaments an- nually distributed by them since the year 1832. Auxiliary Bible S oeiety. Aberdeen Bible Society. Naval ar d Miiitar Society. y Bible Income. Bibles. Test. Income. Bibles. Test. Income. Bibles. Test. 1832, L. 183 194 67 L. 90 144 77 L.25 144 36 1833, 232 155 104 108 114 150 20 159 33 1834, 99 183 77 97 170 139 15 221 92 1835, 100 278 168 70 183 88 17 148 55 1836, 141 252' 135' 133 247 160 16 137 45 1837, 130 102 49 12 119 44 1838, 207 110 84 117 181 175 5 73 47 Missionary and other Religious Societies. — There are many as- sociations of these descriptions in Aberdeen, some of which are supported exclusively by the members of the Established Church, others by various Dissenting bodies, and some indiscriminately by both. As, however, they are all without any permanent funds or vested property, it has been too often found that after being sup- ported with spirit for a time, they have been liable to languish, while new ones are instituted or old ones revived from time to time, as occasional impulses are given. Their existence and efficiency are thus rendered so precarious, that it becomes not easy to say how many of them are at any time in active operation. The following is, however, given as a tolerably correct list of the principal ones : Two Religious Tract Societres, — the one, instituted in 1797 and revived in 1811, has distributed about 1,500,000 tracts, partly gra- tuitously, and partly sold at low prices ; — the other lately instituted. Eight Missionary Societies, of which three are supported by members of the Church of Scotland, and five by Dissenters of va- rious denominations. One Gratis Sabbath Evening School Society, established in 1797 — supported by Dissenters — has at present about twenty schools, attended by nearly 1000 pupils. One Seamens' Friend Society, instituted in 1823, has a chapel and a school for girls, (the male children being received into the These two numbers are but average statements. The whole distribution for the year 1836 was 387 ; but as no report was published, it has not been found pos- sible to ascertain the exact number of Bibles and Testaments which went to make up this total. The above numbers are given, therefore, as being the averages propor- tionfd to the aggregate distribution of the other six years stated. 64 ABERDEENSHIRE. Union Parish Parochial School.) At first, the chapel was sup- plied by ministers of the Established and Dissenting churches ; but the Voluntary controversy having put an end to this, the sup- ply was found too burdensome for the parochial ministers alone. A chaplain was therefore appointed, but the funds could not long bear the expense of his salary, and the chapel has been for some time shut up. An effort has lately been made to clear off the debt affecting the chapel, and this being now nearly effected, there is reason to hope that a small parochial district will be allotted, and a minister settled in it in a short time. One society for promoting Christianity among the Jews ; one for promoting the Religious principles of the Reformation ; one Antipatronage Society; one North American Colonial Society; one Temperance Society ; one for Promoting Education in the Highlands and Islands; one for promoting Female Education in India ; two for promoting the total Abolition of Slavery ; one for the Defence and Extension of the Church of Scotland; one for pro- moting Education and Reformation among the Prisoners in the Jail. Harbour. — The river, as it approaches the sea, passes through a wide basin which formerly extended from the foot of the Castle Hill, on the north side, to the lands of Torrie on the south, and the harbour of Aberdeen consisted merely of a channel near the north side of this basin, separated from the course of the Dee by the Inches — low sandy islands, generally covered at high water. For the accommodation of shipping in this harbour, the quay-head was erected (at what period is not known) opposite to the place where the weigh-house now is, and access was obtained to it from the town by the Shore Brae. The entrance to this harbour was bad, owing to a bar at the mouth of the river, the depth of water in which was often not more than two feet at low water. The earliest attempts to efiect any improvement were by the erection of a bulwark on the south side of the entrance, in 1608, and the removal, in 1618, of a large stone, which lay nearly in the middle of the river. Between 1623 and 1658, the quay was extended eastward towards Futtie, by which means a considerable portion of ground was redeemed below the Castle Hill, and this is now covered with buildings. In 1755, an additional quay was built a good way farther down, opposite the village of Torrie. In 1770, further improvements were projected, and on a report from Mr Smeaton, recommending the erection of a pier on the north side of the entrance, (by which the influx of sand from the north might be prevented, and the removal of the bar effected by confining the ABEUDEEN. (55 water of the Dee within narrower bounds,) the work was commen- ced in 1775, and finished in 1781. The length of this pier w-as 1200 feet, and it terminated in a round head, whose diameter was 60 feet. Owing to a departure from Mr Smeaton's plan, (the pier having been founded too far to the north,) it was found that a heavy sw^ell entered the harbour, — to obviate which, it was found necessary to project a bulwark from the pier, about one-third across the channel. By these means a considerable improvement was ef- fected, but as the trade of the city increased, inconvenience was still felt from deficiency of water on the bar, and, in 1810, Mr Tel- ford, having been consulted on the means of remedying this^ recom- mended that the pier should be extended, and that wet docks should be formed in the harbour. These works were undertaken forthwith, and the pier was completed in 1816 to the extent of 900 feet beyond the head of Mr Smeaton's pier, where it was finished with a round head. This, however, was destroyed by the sea in the following winter, but being rebuilt with a slope towards the sea, it has since stood without very material damage. A break- water, extending to the length of 800 feet, was also built on the south side, by which the mouth of the channel was narrov.ed, and the entrance protected from the south-east storms. Wharfs were built along the harbour on the south-west side of Futtie — the pier formerly built opposite Torrie was enlarged, and more lately the quay has been extended westward from the old quay-head, and by raising embankments on the Inches, a considerable range of quay- r,oom has been obtained there, which is connected with the town by a swivel bridge opposite the foot of Marischal Street. By means of all these improvements quay-room has been provided to the ex- tent of about 4000 feet, and a tide harbour has been formed in which the depth of water at spring tides is about 1 1 feet at the w-est end, gradually increasing to about 15 feet, where it joins the course of the river, and the depth of water on the bar has been increased to about 19 feet. The w^et docks planned by Mr Telford not having been execut- ed, a plan for completing the harbour, not very materially different from his, was lately recommended by Mr Walker, and a Bill found- ed on this plan was last session introduced into Parliament, but it was thrown out in committee, in consequence of the opposition made to it by many of the merchants and shipowners, to whom it appeared that it would have the effect of greatly curtailing the ex- tent of the tide harbour, without giving any adequate compensation ABERDEEN. E 66 ABERDEENSHIRE. by the increase of accommodation, which it was proposed to pro- vide in the docks, — while a very serious addition would be made to the debt by which the harbour funds are ah-eady encumbered. Shippivg^ Sliip-huilding, and Trade. — Ship-building is carried on in Aberdeen by several firms with considerable spirit, as the subjoined table of the vessels and tonnage built here for the last seven years will evince : 1832. 1833. 1834. 1835. 1836. 1837. 1838. Vessels, 2 6 8 8 14 17 23 Tonnage, 198 1100 1329 1573 1916 3547 4058 Within the last year, the building of iron vessels has been com- menced in this port, and a very large one of this descripiicn is now nearly ready for being launched. In 1836, the harbour trustees furnished a patent slip for lu ," ' ^g up vessels requiring repair. The cost of this was L. §337. L has been extensively employed, and the sums paid for iis Ubo v.id abundantly compensate for the expense incurred in procuring Ii, while great facility is thus given to the repair of vessels. The number of vessels and the amount of their tonnag::-.. leg.s- tered as belonging to the port of Aberdeen for the last sevea ye,ars is as follows : 1832. 1833. 1834. 1835. 1836. 1837. 1338. Vessels, 191 178 173 175 172 177 1S5 Tonnage, 28096 26489 26063 27274 26635 29060 31063 The introduction of steam navigation at Aberdeen took pkce in 1821, when the Velocity of 256 tons burthen, and furnished with two engines of 110 horses' power, began to ply between Aber- deen and lioith. Another vessel was soon after put into the same trade, and more recently, other two with more powerful engines were added, and these now run during the greater part of the year between Leith and Aberdeen, making also stated voyages to Ler- wick and Kirkwall, and to Wick and Inverness. The amount of steam power at present employed in this trade is 640 horses' power, and the tonnage of the vessels is 1360 tons. In 1827, a steamer of larger size than any of these, the Queen of Scotland, of 550 tons, began to ply between Lon- don and Aberdeen, and soon after, another was put into the same trade. A third, still larger, was more recently added, and an opposition having been attempted by another company, a junction was soon after effected, in consequence of which a fourth steamer was employed. These vessels sail weekly from Aberdeen and London ; but it is cause of regret to many that the 4 ABERDEEN. 6T time fixed on for their sailing is the evening tide of Saturday, by which means they are necessarily at sea on the Sabbath ; and when any detention occurs from weather or other causes, they most improperly leave the port on the Sabbath day. Attempts have been made to put an end to this abuse, but they have not as yet been successful. The amount of steam power in the vessels in this trade is 860 horses' power, and their tonnage is 2410 tons. One of these vessels makes weekly voyages to Hull. There is an inconvenience attending the use of these large vessels, that, from their draught of water, they are unable to enter or leave the harbour, except at the top of the tide ; and sometimes when the tide is small, detention takes place from their not having sufficient water to float them if they are heavily laden, especially as there is a bank formed where the basin of the harbour joins the channel of the Dee, which it has not as yet been found practicable com- pletely to remove, and on which they sometimes get aground ; so that, on the whole, it seems preferable, at least in the present state of the harbour, to employ vessels of a smaller draught of water. Besides these, there are two steamers which sail between Dun- dee and Aberdeen, and one between Aberdeen and Peterhead during the summer season. A small tug steamer is employed for hauling ships into the harbour, and taking them out when required. Several steamers have been built and wholly fitted up at Aber- deen ; and the making of marine steam-engines is carried on by two firms to a considerable extent. The extent of the shipping trade of Aberdeen may be, in some degree, estimated by the following table drawn up for the last five years by Mr Riddell, the clerk of the Shore Dues' Office, which exhibits a view of the shipping actually arriving at the port in the course of each year, terminating on the 1st July : Tonnage. 1834. Vessels belonging to Aberdeen, 156,835 Belonging to other British ports, 25,271 Foreign vessels, . • 1888 Total, . . 183,994 196,175 202,043 195,467 208,8S2 The following tables, also drawn up by the care of Mr Riddell, show the principal articles of import and export during the same period of five years, from the 1st July 1833: * This diminution of tonnage is only apparent, the difference being occasioned by a late alteration in the mode of measurement. 1835. 1836. 1837. 1838. 165,496 28,947 1732 175,652 24,273 2118 168 810* 23,936* 2721 173,802 30,846 4244 68 ABERDEENSHIRE. I M POETS. 1834. 1835. 1836. 1837. 1838, Coals, -Sf"Slisb, I bcotch, Tons 61,060 68,627 74,154 93,349 93,023 , , ^ 14,084 17,391 18,824 13,749 15,681 Liime, »,^~,,«v. 10,739 13,964 12.735 13,836 12,081 Cotton, ^,^^, , 1276 1072 1224 1157 1320 Flax, n-^^.rv-'^ 2679 3451 3350 4014 3460 Hemp, „«-„-™- 330 400 5.37 492 435 Wool, ™wwv^™ 1155 1283 1483 1514 1657 Iron, ^,^w,v™ 2521 2488 2928 2500 4154 Salt, «w».^«^ 1567 1472 1753 1710 1294 Bones, -■«*«vw-* „,™~.~v ^.^^r^.,^.^,,.^ .~™,«™ 2378 3919 Whalebone, . . ,^ 64 50 12 12 5 Whale blubber, Tuns 1125 876 240 198 115 Wood, I American J East country. Loads 1919 2445 3358 3828 3732 ««v^^*™ 1500 1444 2387 3660 3684 Wheat, Qrs. 10,516 14,713 15.635 20,398 7202 Flour, Sacks 6596 EXPOIITS. 9623 8263 6397 8219 1834. 1835. 1836. 1837. 1838. Granite, Tons 24,158 22,494 17,338 19,880 27,292 Meal, . y^,.^.,,.,^^^,.^ 687 298 836 707 328 Oats and bear, Qrs. 75,512 92,006 69,239 46,219 17.057 Butter, Cwts. 9426 8805 9261 6947 7204 Pork, 4597 4840 6006 4266 4078 Salmon, B. B. 10,372 7981 7757 5234 4270 Eggs, .r^r-r^f^r^^ 8691 8183 8120 7388 6395 Porter, .»»wvw.« 2924 3192 3970 3510 2415 Flax goods. ,««.r-s«^ 31,840 30,497 30,482 32.055 32,716 Cotton do. «.,.,,wwv. 14,222 15,436 16 336 16,979 15,778 Woollen do. ^-.r^wvsr^ 17,115 17,024 20 043 20,986 24,422 Cattle, No., 2405 3125 8048 7001 5834 Horses, ^^^^ ^^ 29 29 84 53 ,97 Sheep and lambs. .Nr^-wsr--^ 940 630 1407 807 1045 Pigs, «sr^^«--™ 1001 1214 3034 2358 1562 Doffs, . - „,„„ 57 154 149 168 183 Canal. — In 1793, tlie formation of a navigable canal for barges, to connect the harbour of Aberdeen with the river Don at Inverury, was projected, and in 1796 an Act of Parliament was obtained, by which the projectors were empowered to raise by the sale of shares L. 20,000 for this purpose. Of this sum only L. 17,700 was raised, and it was found necessary to apply for another act, which was obtained in 1801, empowering the proprietors to raise L. 20,000 additional by the creation of new shares. Only L.10,000 of this was obtained, but not long after other L. 10,000 was raised by mortgage, and the canal was opened in 1807. Its length is a little more than 18 miles, its average breadth is about 25 feet at the surface of the water, and the depth is 3 feet 9 inches. It has 17 locks, one of which is 10 feet in height, 15 are 8 feet each, and one is 3 feet. The line chosen for it is not, in the opinion of some, the most advantageous that might have been obtained, as it throws the greater number of the locks to the lower end, within threeor four miles of Aberdeen, in consequence of ABERDEEN. 69 which the delay and expense of short carriages are rendered con- siderably greater than they would have been otherwise, and the inducement to the transport, for example, of stones from the large granite quarries in the neighbourhood of the town, is much lessen- ed. Nevertheless, the trade on it has not been inconsiderable, though hitherto not sufficient to pay off the mortgage debt, and therefore, as yet, altogether unproductive to the holders of either the new or the original shares. In 1832, the holders of the mortgage, being sensible of the great advantage which would accrue to the trade of the canal from its being connected by a tide-lock with the harbour, agreed to fore- go their dividends for a time, in order to permit this to be effected, and the tide-lock, whose height is 6 feet, was accordingly executed in 1834, at an expense of about L. 1500. By this means, the canal barges can be loaded and discharged at the ship's side, and can enter the canal readily at half-tide ; by which, the intercourse on it has been greatly facilitated and the trade consequently increased. The dues charged on articles con- veyed by the canal are from |d. to l^d. per ton per mile, accord- ing to the nature of the goods. The following tables shew the quantities of the principal ar- ticles transported by the canal for the last seven years : — Lime, Tons, Coals, Dung, Eark, Bones, Stones, Tons. Slates, Oats & Bear, Qrs. Meal, Tons. Wheat, Qrs. The increase in the quantity of grain is to be in part ascribed to the introduction of covered barges, by which the cargo is effec- tually protected from rain on its passage. A Fly or passage boat was, at an early period, established on the canal, and for some years it was carried on with considerable suc- cess ; but the establishment of numerous coaches on the adjoin- ing turnpike road, presenting the advantage of quicker travelling, though at a higher rate, had the effect of diminishing the profits of the fly-boat very materially. With the view of obtaining a re- I. Upwards 1832. 1833. 1834. 1835. 1836. 1837. 1838. 2886 2829 3668 4684 4068 4554 3992 1888 2184 2144 2659 3199 3968 4759 102 287 330 96 188 1642 670 95 74 . 112 108 106 58 114 ... 278 498 635 1394 II. Downwards. 1832. 1833. 1834. 1835. 1836. 1837. 1838. 1869 2180 1072 1097 142 2832 1780 211 461 381 522 358 147 118 9981 17,652 36,430 33,285 32,635 30,222 21,544 18 33 129 57 149 260 464 146 117 ... 338 590 436 68 70 ABERDEENSHIRE. newal of the encouragement formerly given to it, an iron boat was lately procured, and the rate of going was increased from about four to eight or nine miles an hour. The experiment cannot be, by any means, said to have failed, but the effect has not hitherto been so favourable as might have been anticipated. Flax Manufacture. — The manufacture of flax is carried on to a considerable extent in Aberdeen by three firms, all of which carry on the several branches of spinning, bleaching, and the manufac- ture of linen of every quality, from the coarsest floor-cloth and Osnaburghs, to the finest shirting, and one of the houses is exten- sively engaged in the manufacture of sewing thread. The aggregate power employed by them consists of steam to the extent of about 460 horses' power, and water (used in the mills on Don side, about two miles from Aberdeefi,) to the extent of about 250 horses' power. The humber of persons employed in these branches of manu- facture is about 7600, of whom nearly two-thirds work in the mills, and the remainder are employed at the bleachfields, or as out-door weavers. The amount of wages paid by these houses weekly is about L. 2600 or L. 2700, at rates varying from 2s. 6d. to 8s. to girls, and from 7s. to L. 1 to weavers. Cotton Manufacture. — This branch of manufacture is carried on \ at Aberdeen by four houses, all of which are employed as spinners, < and one of them also in power-loom weaving. Two of these houses have their works on Don side, about three miles from Aberdeen. The other two are in town. The ag- gregate of power employed by these firms is about 600 horses' power, of which 260 are obtained by water power, the rest being steam.* The number of hands employed in this branch is about 2000 or 2200, and the weekly amount of wages paid is from L. 700 to L. 800. Woollen Manufacture. — There are in Aberdeen and the neigh- bourhood two large houses engaged in the woollen trade, and four or five small ones. They are principally occupied in making of worsted carpets and hosiery. One of them is also employed in the manufacture of broad cloth. During the summer season, there is often a deficiency of water in the river, and several steam-engines have been put up for the purpose of meeting this exigency. This applies also to the flax-miils on the Don. ABERDEEN. 71 The extent of the power used by them is about 320 horses' power, of which 150 are obtained by water, the rest being steam. From 2200 to 2500 persons are in the employ of these houses, and the weekly amount of wages paid is about L. 1000. Stone Trade. — The trade of Aberdeen in stones is very consi- derable, as will be seen from the table of exports. The principal part of this trade is in paving stones sent to London ; but there have also been, at various times, large quantities of building stones exported j and some of the bridges over the Thames are in great part built of, or faced with, Aberdeen granite. Some of the largest blocks that have been exported, were those sent, not many years since, to the docks at Sheerness. The extreme beauty of the granite when polished is well known ; but its very great hardness formed an almost insuperable bar to its general introduction, while the work of polishing it was carried on only by manual labour* Within these few years, however, Mr Alexander Macdonald has contrived, by several very ingenious adaptations of machinery to this purpose, and by some very considerable improvements in the tools used, to effect a very great reduction in the expense of the process, insomuch that ornamental articles of polished granite, such as slabs, chimney pieces, pedestals, and vases may now be procured from his manufactory here, for about one-third of the price which formerly they cost. Iron Manufacture, — The quantity of iron annually worked in Aberdeen is very considerable, and it is daily increasing, in con- sequence of the introduction of new branches of the manufacture, or of the extension of those formerly existing in the place. It is not many years since the making of spinning machinery, and of steam-engines, was altogether unknown in the town, and there are now eight or ten machine-makers, of whom five are engaged in the making of steam-engines; and three, to a considerable extent, make both land and marine engines. Iron ship-building, too, has been introduced here within the last two years, and there is at present a vessel of this description on the stocks, of the burden of 550 tons by measurement, being, it is believed, the largest sailing ves- sel that has yet been constructed of iron. There are in Aberdeen and its immediate vicinity eight founde- ries, at most of which the heaviest castings can be executed. One of the firms engaged in this trade has a forge hammer and a rol- ling mill ; and there are three establishments at which the hea- viest anchor-work is performed. There are also two houses en- 72 ABEKD2ENSHIRE. gaged to a considerable extent in chain-making; and five or six of the firms are employed in boiler-making* The number of men employed in this trade may be about 1000. It is difficult to state the average rate of wages with any degree of confidence; perhaps it may be from 18s. to L. 1, 5s. weekly; and the annual amount of wages paid is probably not under L. 50,000. Paper-making. — The first paper-mill in this neighbourhood was erected at Peterculter about the year 1770. Others were sub- sequently set agoing in other situations ; and there are now four in the vicinity of Aberdeen, viz. at Peterculter, belonging to Messrs Arbuthnot and M'Combie ; at Munfiemoss, Charles Da~ vidson and Sons ; at Waterton, Thomas Jaffray ; and at Stony- wood, Messrs Alexander Pirie and Sons. Of these, the three first make only coarse paper ; the last makes writing and printing papers. The power employed to drive these mills is altogether by water^ and cannot be reckoned at less than 250 horses' power, and the number of persons directly occupied in the manufacture may be from 300 to 400. Within the last five years, the quantity manu- factured has been doubled, and there is a prospect of a still increas- ing production. The material for the coarse papers (consisting of rags, ropes, and mill waste,) is mostly collected in this and the neighbouring counties. For the finer kinds the chief supply is from abroad, though considerable quantities of rags are collected here. By the last returns of the Excise from which we can derive local information, the duty upon the paper manufactured in the neighbourhood of Aberdeen was, for the year ending 5th January 1835, 1st Class paper, paying at that time a duty of 3d. per lb., 1,014,768 lbs. . . . . . L. 12,684 12 2d Class paper, paying a duty of l^d. per lb. 245,537 lbs., . 1534 12 1-| 1 L. 14,219 4 li We have no certain ground to go upon in regard to the quan- tity produced last year ; but it is probable that the duty paid at the equalized rate of I^d. per lb. amounted to nearly, if not fully, L. 12,000. Rope and Twine- making. — There are in Aberdeen eight rope- making works of considerable extent, besides several small ones ; and of these, three are chiefly employed in the manufacture of cordage for ships, the others being principally engaged in rope- ABERDEEN. 73 making for agricultural and general purposes, and in the making of twines for fishing and for manufacturers. The number of men and boys employed in this branch of manufacture is rather above than under 200. It is not easy to give any statement of the amount of wages paid, as some of the manufacturers hire their men by the piece, and others do not; but it cannot probably be much under L. 5000 annually. Comh- making. — This branch of industry was introduced into Aberdeen as far back as 1788, but it was carried on in a very small way only till 1830, when the firm of Stewart, Rowell, and Co. commenced on a larger scale than has been done in any other part of Scotland, and they were the first in Scotland to apply steam- power to this department. The number of workmen employed by this firm is at present 245, the weekly amount of wages paid by them about L. 90, and the number of combs of all kinds finished in this manufactory amounts to about 43,200 weekly, which, in consequence of the im- provements recently introduced in the methods of manufacture, can be sold now at a price not more than one-sixth of what they cost nine years ago. Fisheries.— It is probable that there have been fishers settled at the mouth of the Dee, both in Futtie and at Torrie, (on the south side) ever since Aberdeen became a town of any noticeable mag- nitude. The fishers who now inhabit these villages are, like those along most of the east coast of Scotland, evidently of a race dis- tinct from the other inhabitants, and from their aspect, features, and other circumstances, it seems probable that they have come from the opposite coasts of Denmark and Sweden. They occupy a village consisting of two squares of houses, which were erected by the town some twenty years ago, at the south-east extremity of the parish, and immediately adjacent to the entrance of the harbour. Each house consists of a but and a beii, with oc- casionally a small apartment between. The magistrates designed to have made the houses of two stories, but the fishers refused to live up stairs, and they also refused to have any other than an earthen floor in their houses. In both of these, though there may have been some superstition and a good deal of prejudice, there was also some reason, — for it would have been next to impossible for them to have kept a wooden floor clean, while an earthen one, if not clean, at any rate does not show the dirt so much, and it would have been very inconvenient for them to lug their long lines 74 ABERDEENSHIRE. and their heavy baskets up stairs. On the whole, their houses are, generally speaking, as clean and comfortable as the nature of their occupation will admit of. From the circumstance of most of these fishers being employed as pilots, and from their immediate connection with the harbour, and constant intercourse with the inhabitants of Aberdeen, there is in them a greater degree of civilization than is observable in most of the other fishing communities. At the same time, their double employment as fishers and pilots is by no means favourable to their religious, moral, and domestic habits. The unavoidable want of regularity in their hours, the general practice of giving allowances in drink for any particular service, and their custom of dividing the pilotage money among the boat's crews generally on Saturday evening, all tend to lead them to the public house, where sometimes a large portion of their earnings is spent. Yet drunkenness, though prevalent among them, is by no means universal, and the number of exceptions seems to be increas- ing of late. A fisherman who is a pilot will earn as much as L. 1, 10s. or even L. 2 per week during summer, but not half so much during winter. On an average, however, they can make fully as much as any other labourers in the same class of society, and of this money the husband has the possession and command, while the wife re- tains possession of all the money arising from the sale of fish. It is not often that either party manages these gains to the best ad- vantage. The fishers are a hard-working people and extremely honest, and they deem it the greatest possible reproach to cast a doubt on their honesty, which they are the more easily enabled to maintain unimpeachable, because all their bargains and transactions are for ready money. They seldom marry with persons not of their own community, except in a few instances where the daughters of fishers have mar- ried with seamen and ship-carpenters. This may arise not so much from any dislike to form connections out of their own craft, as from the fact that, on the one hand, a fisherman would find a woman of any other class wholly incapable of giving him any as- sistance in this occupation, and unable to perform the hard work devolving on the fisherwomen ; and, on the other hand, a fisher- woman, from the irregularity of her occupation, and want of leisure and opportunity to attend to her daughters, unless when they fol- ABERDEEN. 75 low her in her fishing employments, cannot educate them so as to be useful wives to persons of any other class. A free school was established some years ago by Mr John Da- vidson, goldsmith, exclusively for the white-fishers, and it has been the means of doing a great deal of good among them. It is taught on the plan of the sessional school, and its effects are manifest in the decided and progressive improvement of the manners and ha- bits of the fishers. The children who attend the school re-act on their parents, and, as it were, shame them out of their indifference to useful knowledge and habits. The fishers are, generally speaking, a long-lived people and very healthy, and, notwithstanding the dangerous nature of their occupation, there are few accidents of serious consequence among them. Like most other fishermen, they have a good many superstitious ideas and practices, and they have implicit faith in many traditions, and in various omens. Thus they reckon it very offensive for any one to count a boat's crew, or a company of them returning from market, and it is not less so totell how many fish they have caught. If a fisher be turned back when he is going out to fish, he will on no account go out that day, and is very much provoked. Often, too, things, which any one but they would esteem mere trifles, can- not be spoken of without interfering with some omen, whose influ- ence they would hold it sinful to doubt. It is at the same time to be noticed, that the fishers of Futtie have less superstitions than those that live in the fishing-villages along the coast, both to the north and south, where they live al- most entirely secluded from intercourse with the inland agricultu- ral population. Whale-Fisking was first introduced into Aberdeen in the year 1753, and the success which attended the first attempts induced others to embark in the same trade, which, for a time, was very profitable. Accordingly, the number of ships from Aberdeen en- gaged in whale-fishing gradually increased, till, in 1820, there were fifteen, which, on an average, had about fifty hands each. The greatest tonnage of oil brought home by these vessels in one sea- son was in 1823, when fourteen vessels brought 1841 tons. Of late years, however, from various causes, such as the withdrawing of the Government bounty, the reduction of the duty on foreign seeds from which oil is made, the diminished demand for oil, of ate, itv consequence of the introduction of gas as a means of ob- 76 ABERDEENSHIRE. taining light, and the want of success in the fishery, several ves- sels having repeatedly come home clean, the trade has been, in a great measure, given up, and there are only two vessels at present engaged in it from this port. Salmon- Fishing. — This branch of trade has been long carried on with considerable spirit, and generally with good success, at Aberdeen, and the rents of the fishings in the river Dee form an important item in the revenue of the town, and of several private proprietors. Of late, too, the fishing has been carried on to a considerable extent by stake-nets on the beach. At present, the number of men employed in salmon -fishing here may be about 200, and the annual amount of wages paid about L. 3000. In an average season, the quantity of fish caught may be reckoned at 20,000 salmon, averaging ten lbs. each, and 40,000 grilses of four pounds each, of which by far the greater part is pack- ed in ice, and shipped for the London market, a very small part only being put into tin cases for exportation. It is now about thirty years since the mode of using ice for preserving the salmon fresh was introduced in Aberdeen. Previous to that time, the fishers were under the necessity of boiling it and preserving it with vine- gar, but this mode is now almost altogether disused. The average price obtained for the salmon and grilses sent to London is about 8d. per lb. Herring-Fishing. — Until within the last few years, this branch of industry was not prosecuted to any extent in Aberdeen. The late Provost Blaikie used his endeavours to establish it, and, to a certain degree, these endeavours were successful. The number of boats employed in it has been annually increasing; and last year there were about 60 thus engaged during the season, and their success has hitherto been such as leaves no room for doubting, that this fishery will continue to be prosecuted, probably to a greater extent than it has hitherto been. Supply of Water.— Miev two ineffectual attempts in the course of the seventeenth century, measures were at last taken in 1706 for introducing a supply of spring water into the town, and at first a single well was supplied in Castle Street ; but soon after, others were added in different parts of the town. The supply having be- come inadequate from the increased population, additional springs were taken in, andacistern, capableof holding3I,000 gallons, erect- ed in Broad Street in 1766. The water from these springs was of excellent quality, though that from the lower springs next the town ABERDEEN. 77 was more pure than what came from the upper and more distant springs ; but both the lo^Y level and the smallness of the springs pre- vented the whole of thetown being supplied from them. The average produce of the lower springs in ordinary seasons was about 75 gal- lons per minute, and of the upper springs about 55 ; but both were liable to considerable diminution in dry seasons. The demands of the city having increased with its population, and considerable in- convenience having been experienced on several occasions by the deficiency of the supply, it was resolved in 1830 to bring a supply of water into town from the river Dee, and for this purpose a steam- engine was erected at the north end of the bridge of Dee, about a mile and three-quarters distant. The water is brought to this engine by a tunnel about a quarter of a mile long, v^hich does not communicate directly with the river, but receives the water by fil- tration through a bed of sand. There are two single stroke en- gines used, each of fifty horses"' power, which are wTought alternate- ly for about twelve hours per day, and by these the water is forced into a cistern situated at the west end of Union Place, and elevated 130 feet above the engine, being placed at the height of 40 feet above the street, by which riieans sufficient elevation is obtained to permit the water to be distributed abundantly to all parts of the town. The size of this cistern is 50 feet by 30, with a depth of 9 feet, and it is capable of containing 84,375 gallons. The quan- tity of water raised by these engines in twenty-four hours is about 900,000 gallons, and it is distributed through the town to supply both the public wells and private service pipes to the inhabitants, through pipes, the aggregate length of which is nearly eleven miles and a-half. The number of public wells is at present 92, and there are 909 private service pipes. The expense of procuring and main- taining this supply is defrayed by an assessment of 9d. per pound on the rent of the houses; shops, warehouses, &c. being charged 4s. annually in place of this. These persons who wish to have a supply for their own use are charged additional 6d. per L. 1 of rent. The management of the supply of water is vested in the Com- missioners of Police, on whom falls also the care of lighting, pav- ing, cleaning, and watching the streets, and for these purposes (the expense of paving any street for the first time being borne by the proprietors of the houses in the street) a police assessment is le- vied, of 2s. per pound on the rent if above L. 3 and under L. 7, and 2s. 3d. if above this. The number of public lamps is 1130, of which 996 in the principal streets are lighted with gas, the rest being oil lamps. The number of men employed in cleaning the 78 ABERDEENSHIRE. streets is 40, and there are 47 watchmen employed in patroUing the streets during the night. Gas-Lighting. — At an early period in the history of gas light- ing, one or two individuals in this city and neighbourhood erected small apparatus for the supply of their own establishments ; but until the Gas Company was set on foot in 1824, this mode of light- ing was resorted to by a small number only, and was regarded by most rather as a curious philosophical toy than as an advantageous means of obtaining light. On the first establishment of the Gas Company, the preference was given to oil over coal gas, and they continued to manufacture oil gas for about four years, which they supplied at first at L. 2 per 1000 feet. They found it necessary to raise the price to L. 2, 10s. but afterwards reduced it to L. 2, 5s. ; but the very limited encouragement which they received from the public rendered it an unprofitable speculation, and in 1828 they re- solved to give up the manufacture of oil gas, and to distribute coal gas. This change was necessarily accompanied with considerable expense, both from the change of apparatus, and because the laying down of larger mains than had been required for the oil gas, be- came indispensable. The price at first charged for the coal gas was 15s. but it has since been considerably reduced, and is now 10s. ; with discounts of from 5 to 25 per cent, according to the quan- tity used. Since the introduction of coal gas the success of the company has been steadily progressive, and from the increasing de- mand, it became necessary, a few years ago, still further to enlarge the size of the mains, which are now 12 inches in diameter. The length of iron pipe (the smallest size of which is about 2 inches diameter) laid in the streets, including Old Aberdeen and several manufactories on Don side, to which gas has lately been conveyed, is about forty-eight miles.* The coal which is used in these works for the production of gas is the best parrot coal, which, reckoning the average of the stock at present on hand, costs them about L. 1, 8s. per ton laid down at the works. At one time they were able to procure the same coal as low as 13s. j)er ton, but in the latter part of 1836, owing to a scar- city of this coal, they were under the necessity for a time of using Wigan coal, which cost them not less than L. 1, 16s. The parrot coal is capable of yielding 6 feet of gas per lb., but in these works it is scarcely ever pushed beyond 4^ feet, which is worked off in a * A considerable extension of the supply of gas has very recently taken place, pipes having been laid, within the last few weeks, nearly as far out as the third mile- stone on the Inverury road, for the supply of the populous villages of Cotton and Woodside. ABERDEEN. 79 four hours charge. The retorts employed are partly iron and part- ly of fire-brick, the former cylindrical or kidney-shaped, the latter flat, elliptical, or D shaped. The number fitted up is at present about sixty-four, some of which are heated by coal and coke, but a good many are worked off entirely by the tar of former distilla- tions ; and generally about one-half of the retorts are in operation at once during the winter, but in summer from four to ten are suf- ficient. The gas produced is first subjected to atmospheric cold in an extensive series of condensing pipes, and afterwards purified by being passed first through a vessel containing lime diffused in water, and then through several trays filled with dry lime ; after which it passes into a meter, to which Mr Massie, the present su- perintendent of the works, has ingeniously adapted a clock, bearing a pencil attached to the minute hand, which marks, on a card that revolves with the meter, the quantity of gas produced in each hour. The gas then passes into the gasometers, whose contents are at present about 93,000 feet, but another, capable of holding 61,000, is just erected, and almost ready for use. The works ai-e conveniently situated in the lower part of the town, and the whole of the arrangements are well contrived. The Company have hitherto been always careful to employ the best qua- lity of coals only, and to this and the intelligence and activity of their manager is greatly to be ascribed the high degree of success wliicli has attended the speculation ; the gas produced at these v^-orks being, it is believed, fully equal, if not superior in quality to that made in any other part of the kingdom. Mr Massie, not content with simply producing and purifying gas according to the methods usually received, has applied his ingenuity to the contrivance of various means for testing the purity and value of the gas, with a view of detecting and obviating any occasional failure, amongwhich maybe noticed an instrument for detecting the presence of sulphuretted hydrogen by meansof a jetof gas thrown on a revolving disk moistened with a solution of acetate of lead, and a contrivance for testing the illuminating power by the number of plates of colourless glass of uniform thickness and texture through which the light from a flame of a given size can be discerned. The consumpt has been gradually increasing since the use of oil gas was relinquished, and at present the nightly distribution is about 140,000 feet in winter, and about 18,000 feet in summer. The consumers may be thus classed : manufactories and weaving- shops, 111 ; shops and warehouses, 1211 ; private houses, 1336; 80 ABERDEENSHIRE. churches, 27 ; schools and lecture-rooms, 50 ;• public institutions, 33; besides 1075 public lamps for lighting the streets. The gross consumpt of gas.for the last seven years has been as follows: — Cubic Feet. 1832. 1833. 1834. 1835. 1836. 1837. 1838. 8,848,700 9,749,600 9,971,700 13,073,900 17,435,500 20,633.300 22,873,000 Brideioell was erected at a cost of nearly L. I '2,000, and open- ed in October 1809. It is situated in the centre of a square space of ground, measuring nearly two Scotch acres, on the outskirts of the town. It contains 109 cells, each 8 feet by 7, with a height of 7 feet 8 inches, besides two infirmaries and eight small sleeping apartments adjoining. It is warmed in winter by steam, and the whole building is lighted by gas. The governor's house and other accommodations are in a building behind the prison, but attached to it. The officers employed are a governor, matron, two turn- keys, a watchman, and a porter. A chaplain, teacher, and surgeon, also attend regularly. The male and female prisoners are kept in distinct parts of the building. On the committal of a prisoner, he is stripped and bathed, dres- sed in the prison uniform, and conducted to his cell; the regula- tions are explained to him, and he is set to such work as he is con- sidered to be capable of executing. Each prisoner is kept entirely separate from every other. The kinds of work in which the prisoners are employed are, weaving linen and shoe girth, picking oakum, making door-mats, teasing, carding, and spinning hair, picking and carding wool, shoemaking, tailor-work, and blacksmith and carpenter-work. A regular ac- count is kept of the work done by each, and when his earnings ex- ceed his maintenance, &c. one-third of the surplus is given to him at liberation, one- third at the end of three months on producing a certificate of his honesty and industry since dismissal, and the re- mainder after other six months on a like certificate being produced. The amount of the prisoners' earnings during the year from 1st September 1837 was L. 409, being the largest sum, in proportion to the number of prisoners, realized in any prison in the kingdom during a-year. The hours of labour are in summer from 5 a. m. to 8 p. M., and in winter, from 6 a. m. to 8 p. m., with the neces- sary intervals for diet. The governor is empowered to punish for disobedience, idleness, &c. by withholding a part of the allowance of food, by confinement in a dark cell, by restricting the diet to bread and water, or by putting in irons; but during the last year 3 ABERDEEN. 81 out of 281 prisoners, only 71 were punished in any way, — a small proportion, considering the character and dispositions of the in- mates. Every prisoner who can read is supplied with a Bible, and all are. visited at least once a week by the chaplain, who exhorts, catechises, and prays, with each separately. Those who conduct themselves well are allowed to read the Scottish Christian Herald, Chambers's Edinburgh Journal, and the volumes of the Kildare Street Library. The teacher attends for three hours and a-half daily to give in- structions in reading, writing, and arithmetic, to the prisoners who require them, each in his own cell, and the governor examines, and reports their progress monthly to the commissioners. The surgeon attends daily, but there is very little sickness in the establishment. Only four prisoners have died in the house since it was opened. Of these two were ill when committed, and lived only a few days ; one was liable to epilepsy, and was found dead in his cell in the morning; and the fourth was a woman about ninety years of age, who had passed the greater part of the last twenty years of her life in prison. The expenses of the es- tabhshment are defrayed by an assessment on the heritors of the city and county, half being borne by each. The amount collect- ed has been for some years L. 900 ; of which about L. 600 are required for the annual expenses, the remainder being applied to the reduction of the debt, whose present amount is L. 4300. In consequence of the majority of the prisoners being confined for short periods, little permanent improvement of their morals can be expected ; for that system of discipline must indeed be ad- mirable, which could in thirty or sixty days eradicate bad habits and implant good ones ; nevertheless, there can be no doubt, that the discipline of Bridewell has had a salutary eifect on many of those who have been committed, in the first instance, for long pe- riods, as only a small proportion of these have returned a second time, and some of them are known to be now engaged in honest employment. It is not possible to say to what extent the fear of this prison has operated on the criminal population of the district ; but it is worthy of remark that, although the general population is rapidly increasing, the number of criminals is apparently rather decreasing than otherwise, as will be seen by the following table of commit- ments for the last seven years : ABERDEEN. F 82 ABERDEENSHIRE. From Sept. 1831 to Sept. 1832: 1832 ... 1833 1833 ... 1834, 1834 ... 1835 1835 ... 1836. 1836 ... 1837 1837 ... 1838 Total com- Recom- Males. Females. Under Above mitments. mitments. 17. 1/. !, 288 134 189 99 53 235 221 105 128 93 29 192 217 75 142 75 39 178 >, 247 97 168 79 49 198 ), 275 120 172 103 56 219 209 85 121 88 39 170 i, 231 114 129 102 48 183 The following statement will give some idea of the state of edu- cation, &c. of the persons generally committed to the Bridewell : During the year from 1st January to 31st December 1838, the number of individuals committed vvas 252 ; of which were recom- mitments, 32 ; making the number committed for the first time, 220. ■ Of these 220, there were 42 who could not read, 76 could read with difficulty, and 102 could read easily ; 124 could not write, 82 could write a little, and 14 could write easily ; 83 attend- ed no place of worship, 1 03 attended church occasionally, and 34 had been in the habit of attending regularly. 67 were natives of the town of Aberdeen ; 40 of the county of Aberdeen ; 40 of the counties north of Aberdeen ; 48 of the counties south of Aberdeen ; 14 of England ; 9 of Ireland ; and 2 were foreigners. Of the whole 252 commitments, there were attributed to intoxi- cation, 131 ; idleness and bad company, 78; want, 10; uncertain, denied their guilt, &c. 33. Prison. — The old prison, which was situated in the tower under the steeple in Castle Street, was in every respect unsuited to its object, being neither properly ventilated, sufficiently capacious, nor secure. In 1829, the foundation of a new prison was laid im- mediately behind the Court-house, and it was first occupied in July 1831. It contains sixty cells and ten day-rooms, one of which is appropriated for debtors ; the other nine have lately been converted into work-rooms. There are six yards within the pre- cincts of the prison, four of which are used by the male prisoners, and one by the females, the remaining one being connected with the debtors' room. The criminal prisoners are not permitted to hold any intercourse with each other, and they are kept apart as much as possible. They are all employed, tried as well as imtried, in such works as pick- ing oakum, weaving, tailor-work, &c., and for the females knitting and sewing, and an account is kept of the produce of their labour, and their earnings are given to them on leaving the prison. They are allowed access to the yard one at a time, for about two hours each, daily. ABERDEEN. 83 A teacher attends in the prison daily from 10 a. m. to 1 p. m. and the chaplain visits five times in the week, exhorting, catechis- ing, and praying with each prisoner separately. The female pri- soners, who are under the care of a female assistant to the jailer, . are also visited every lawful day, except Saturday, by the mem- bers of the " Ladies' Association for promoting the Reformation of Destitute Females." The diet of the prisoners is of the plainest kind, but wholesome and in sufficient quantity ; and the introduction of every kind of luxury into the prison is strictly prohibited. ' Untried prisoners are permitted to be visited by their relatives in the presence of the keeper of the prison, once a week, but after conviction this liberty is allowed only once a month. The expense of maintaining the prisoners, and of keeping up the necessary establishment, as well as the repairs of the building, is defrayed out of the rogue money ; the city and county bearing each a share proportioned to the number of prisoners from each. The debtors are not subjected to the same restrictions as the criminal prisoners, being permitted the free use of the yard and day-room of their ward from 6 a. m. to 9 p. m. daily. The average number of prisoners during 1838 was about 57; the greatest number at one time being 86, and the smallest, 39. The gross expenses (including salaries, repairs, &c.) of the es- tablishment was, during the year 1836, L.670 ; 1837, L. 611 ; 1838, L. 901. No sufficient return has been obtained of the number of com- , mitments, unless for the last year, when they were, males, 386 ; fe- males, 124 : total, 509. By a return made for one year previous to August 1838, it appears that there were in prison during that period, Males under 17 years of age, 79 Females under 17, 16 above . . 231 above . 95 310 111 The state of education among these was found to be as follows : Could not read. Could read a little, Could read easily, Could not write. Could write with difficulty, Could write easily. Males. Females. 29 10 25.3 90 28 11 310 111 Males, Females 75 59 209. 42 26 10 310 111 84 ABERDEENSHIRE. Medical Society. — In the year 1789, twelve young men, wlio were engaged in the study of medicine in Aberdeen, formed them- selves into a society for their mutual improvement, by meeting to discuss questions connected with medical science. Of these only four are now alive, viz. Sir James M'Gtigor, Bart., the present ac- tive and enlightened Director- General of the Medical Department of the Army ; Dr John Grant, who has been for some years resi- dent at Forres ; Dr Colin Allan, at present settled in Nova Scotia ; and Dr James Moir, who has been long established as a practi- tioner in Aberdeen. Their meetings were, for a good many years, held in one of the class-rooms of Marischal College, and subsequently in apartments hired for the purpose ; and the additions made to their numbers by the accession of new members, both increased the usefulness of the society and testified the advantages that were derived from the discussions and examinations held at their meetings. In 1791, the commencement was made of a library devoted to medical litera- ture, and by donations from the members and their friends, as well as by the purchase from time to time of such works as their funds enabled them to procure, the collection gradually increased, so that it became necessary, in order to protect their books, as well as that they might have convenient apartments to hold their meetings in, to endeavour to obtain the means of erecting a house for the pur- poses of the society. A subscription for this purpose was accord- ingly commenced in 1809, and by the unremitted exertions of Sir James M'Grigor, very considerable additions were made to this fund during the subsequent years. It was not, however, till 1818 that the society found themselves in a condition to undertake the work of erecting the Medical Hall in King Street, which was com- pleted in 1820, and has been since that time occupied by the meet- ings of the society, and the library and museum belonging to it. When the society, during the collection of this fund, began to acquire property to a considerable amount, it was deemed requisite to provide for its security by vesting it in trustees, and a deed was accordingly drawn up in 1815, by which the Principal and Profes- sors of Marischal College were appointed to this office, and the con- stitution of the society, both at that time and subsequently, under- went certain alterations, which change of circumstances seemed to render necessary. It embraces now two classes of members, — the one consisting of practitioners, mostly resident in or near Aber- deen, who meet once a month for the communication of profes- ABERDEEN. 8o siooal information — and the other consisting of students of medi- cine, who hold weekly meetings for mutual examination and the discussion of medical questions. The number on the roll of the ordinary members is at present 44, and the number of junior members is 10.* There are, besides, a few honorary members — distinguished men, foreigners and others, principally, though not exclusively, of the medical profession. The number of volumes in the society's library, to which the members have every facility of access, is about 3000, and there was formed, a few years ago, a collection of valuable works of refe- rence, &c. which the members may consult at the society's hall, but which are not permitted to be lent out. A regulation has lately been introduced by which the library has been rendered accessible, under certain restrictions, to students not attending the meetings of the society. The society's museum is not as yet of any great extent, but it contains some valuable anatomical and morbid preparations, as well as a good many specimens in various departments of natural history. Medical Classes. — Besides the medical lectures instituted within the last twenty years in connection with the universities, (the ac- count of which is omitted here as being more properly to be taken in along with the account of these bodies,) there have been others lately set on foot by various individuals desirous of advancing the cause of medical education in Aberdeen. These have been at- tended with a degree of success probably as great as their pro- jectors anticipated, though, of course, the limited number of stu dents at Aberdeen has been a bar to any splendid success on the part of either them or the university lecturers. The following are the branches in which courses unconnected with the universities were delivered last season : — Anatomy by . Mr Moir.f Surgery, . . Do. * At the time when the society was imstituted, and for many years after, there were no medical classes in Aberdeen, and the JVJedical Society furnished almost the only means by which the students could with advantage prosecute their studies, by adopting a system of mutual instruction. Of late years, in consequence of the establishment of a regular medical school in Aberdeen, the opportunities of the students have been very much increased, and their mode of study materially altered, so that in fact the meetings of the society which constituted at one time its principal advantage have now come to be felt rather as a burden and an encroachment on their other occupa- tions, and this will account for the very small number of students at present on the roll of the junior class. f Mr Moir has been recently appointed Lecturer on Anatomy and Surgery to King's College. 86 ' ABERDEENSHIRE. Midwifsry, . . Mr Robertson. Instructions to Women, Mr Jamieson.' Medical Jurisprudence, Dr Ogston.f Chemistry, . . Mr Shier. $ Botany, . . Dr Knight. Do. . . Mr Dickie.^ Infirmary. — Among the institutions for the relief of the sick poor, the first and most important is the Infirmary, which was estabhsh- ed by a subscription begun in the year 1739, in consequence of a proposal to that effect made by the magistrates, who granted a sum of about L. 86 annually towards its support, and also gave a plot of ground for its site. The plan adopted w^as one which ad- mitted of being executed in parts, and the central portion, capable of accommodating 40 patients, was erected in 1 740-41, atan expense of L. 584. The funds subscribed being exhausted in the building, " the directors were obliged, from the very first, to borrow money for furnishing the house, and fitting up the apartments properly for the reception of patients." |1 In the year 1746, the patients were displaced, and the Infirmary was filled during the greater part of the year with sick and wounded soldiers belonging to the army un- der the command of the Duke of Cumberland. This interruption to the charity having ceased, and the number of applicants for re- ception continually increasing, funds were gradually provided by the donations of various individuals, collections in the neighbour- ing parishes, and bequests, and in the year 1753, it was deter- mined to build the east wing of the house, which was done at an expense of L. 495, and by this means room was obtained for 16 additional patients, and various other accommodations ; and in 1760, the west wing, capable of receiving 32 patients, was added, at an expense of L. 477. No further addition of much conse- quence was made until the year 1820, when two new wards, ca- pable of accommodating 22 cases, were added, the cost of which was L. 583, for the reception of fever patients, which, of course, permitted the wards previously used as fever wards, to be added to the apartments destined for the reception of ordinary cases. But, in 1833, the managers finding a necessity for increased ac- * Mr Jamieson has recently received the appointirent of Lecturer on Midwifery to Marischal College. t The appointment of Lecturer on Medical Jurisprudence to Marischal College has been lately conferred on Dr Ogston. J Mr Shier's chemical lectures have been discontinued, in consequence of his being appointed, by the Senatus of Marischal College, assistant to Dr Davidson, the Pro- fessor of Natural History. § Mr Dickie has been appointed Lecturer on Botany to King's College. II Account of the Rise and Progress of the Infirmary at Aberdeen, published 1768. ABERDEEN. 87 commodations, both for fevers and other complaints, resolved on erecting a new building on an enlarged scale, and with the various improvements in its construction, which have been suggested by experience and the judgment of those conversant with the requi- sites of hospitals; and in the course of the next year, the west wing of the new house was erected, at an expense of L. 5300. Sixty beds were thus obtained for the reception of fever cases. In pursuance of the plan, a contract was entered into in the latter part of the year 1835 for the completion of the building, at an expense of L. 8500. The principal part of this erection is now finished, and has been occupied for several months. The arrangements cannot be completely carried out until certain buildings be erected in the rear of the house, on the site of the old building; but when this is accomplished, the whole number of patients that may be received into the house will be 210. The wards are of large size, lofty and well aired, in number twenty, with eleven smaller apart- ments for the reception of cases requiring to be treated separately, and with every convenience that is to be *found in the most ap- proved hospitals in the island. When, by the liberality of the public, and by means of nume- rous donations and bequests, the managers of the Infirmary found themselves not merely possessed of the funds necessary for carry- ing on the institution from year to year, but able to accumulate a surplus to meet future exigencies, it became of importance that this property should be secured by giving a permanent character to the body in which it was vested. Accordingly, in 1773, a Crown charter was obtained, b'y which certain of the magistrates, the Professor of Medicine in Marischal College, and the Modera- tor of the Synod of Aberdeen, (all for the time being,) together with individual donors to the extent of L. 50, and persons named by those bequeathing a like sum, were appointed to be the direc- tors, to whom were added, as annual directors, donors to the ex- tent of L. 5, and fourteen persons to be chosen out of the various bodies and classes of inhabitants in Aberdeen, according to a scheme laid down in the charter. The details of the management of this institution are, in accord- ance with a resolution of date 28th November 1821, entrusted to a committee of sixteen chosen annually, which divides itself into four sub-committees, each of which takes the duties for three months in rotation. These sub-committees hold weekly meetings, and re- port monthly to the committee, whose proceedings are laid before the general body of managers at their quarterly meetings. Spe- ABERDEENSHIRE. cial meetings of the managers are also held whenever any occa- sion renders them necessary. The subjoined table exhibits the principal particulars of interest relating to this institution for the last seven years : — Expen- Out- Students Years. Income. diture. Patients. Cures. Deaths, patients. entering. 1832, L.2487 L.1986 1391 1019 82 1188 77 1833, 2449 1909 1558 1185 87 1250 73 1834, 2549 1945 1409 1024 86 1076 76 1835, 2446 1955 1287 893 77 1200 84 1836, 2231 1914 1307 1056 98 1245 72 1837, 2399 2436 1785 1433 95 1175 23 1838, 2220 2469 1670 1372 166 970 19 The medical officers of the Infirmary are 5 in number, viz. 2 physicians, 2 surgeons, and a house-surgeon, who is resident. There is also an apothecary employed to compound the medicines prescribed, and, since the removal of the establishment into the new house, two wards have been appropriated to the reception of ophthalmic cases, and placed under the charge of the surgeon at- tached to an eye institution in town. By a recent resolution of the managers, one of the physicians and one of the surgeons are appointed to deliver courses of lec- tures on Clinical Medicine and Surgery to the students attending the hospital, and from the number of cases annually treated in the institution, it has become of much importance, as an auxiliary, to the school of medicine lately established here by the authority of the Universities, and by the exertions of several private indivi- duals. The number of students frequenting the wards of the Aberdeen Infirmary has for many years been considerable, and as a certificate of attendance on its practice is received by the various public boards connected with the service of the country, there is every probability, that, while the opportunities and advantages pre- sented to students by Aberdeen remain undiminished, there will be no material or permanent diminution in the number of students. During the last two years a considerable falling off has been expe- rienced, but neither is Aberdeen the only medical school where this has taken place, nor is the medical profession the only one in which the number of entrants has been of late considerably di- minished. It is shown by the table, that, during the last year, the number of out-patients has been considerably diminished ; and there is a probability that, in future years, it will be still less, — an arrange- ment having been, in the course of the last year, entered into by the managers of the Infirmary, who had become possessed, as trustees, of a fund left by the late Mr Burnett of Dens, for " the ABERDEEN. 89 supply of medicines and medical attendance to such of the sick poor of Aberdeen and the suburbs thereof as are not fit objects to be received into the Infirmary." It was agreed that this money should be paid over to the funds of the General Dispensary, on condition of that institution affording the necessary attendance and medicines to those persons belonging to the town a d suburbs who used to be supplied as out-patients at the Infirmary. Those persons who reside in the country are still received and attended, as formerly, as out-patients. Dispensaries, — The practice of giving advice and medicines at the Infirmary to persons who could not be received into the house necessarily began almost from the very commencement of that in- stitution, and it was probably not very long after, that persons be- gan to be received as out-patients who had no wish to be admit- ted. No separate account, however, of these cases appears to have been kept until the year 1764, when the number of out-patients was 1332, and from that time they went on increasing, and thus en- tailing a heavy additional duty on the medical attendants, and causing a considerable expense to the house. In 1781, in consequence of a memorial presented to the ma- nagers of the Infirmary, they resolved to institute a Dispensary in connection with the Infirmary, — (at first as an experiment for one year, but afterwards they continued it by an annual vote,) — a part of the expense being borne by the Infirmary, and the rest de- frayed by subscriptions. This source of income having declined, however, the new institution became more burdensome to the In- firmary, and it was deemed necessary to take steps for reviving the interest of the public in the Dispensary by making collections at churches, &c , and, at the same time, to withdraw the aid which it had hitherto received from the funds of the Infirmary. In 1788, the managers of the Infirmary agreed to defray the expense of the medicines used in the Dispensary, provided the sum necessary to meet the salary of the physician were raised by subscription ; but two years after, they again deemed it necessary to disunite the Dis- pensary from the Infirmary altogether. Subsequently to this time, as the population of the town increased, other institutions, with the same benevolent design of providing advice and medicines for the sick poor at their own houses, were successively established, to the number of five, — three of which embraced the city generally, while the other two were chiefly intended for the districts of Fut- tie and Gilcomston. In 1823, these five were incorporated into one, called the Ge- 90 ABERDEENSHIRE. neral Dispensary ; the five medical men previously attending con- tinued to officiate, and, in fact, the only changes consisted in the establishment of a single depot of medicines, the election of a single set of managers, and the allotment of the town and suburbs into five districts, of which one was assigned to each of the medi- cal attendants ; lately a sixth medical attendant has been added, and a district has been assigned to him by a new division of the town. For several years, there was a midwife attached to each district, to whom was assigned the care of all ordinary cases, (for which a small allowance was made according to the number of cases,) the medical attendants giving their assistance when cases of difficulty occurred; but in 1834, the low state of the funds compelled the managers to discontinue the allowance, and since that time the medical attendants have taken charge of all the midwifery cases applying at the institution, which, however, have been of late com- paratively few. In 183], the small-pox being very prevalent in Aberdeen, it appeared to the medical attendants of the dispensary, that in vi- siting among the poor, they possessed peculiar facilities for en- couraging among them the practice of vaccinating their children, which was too .generally neglected. It was therefore resolved to give attendance weekly at the dispensary for the purpose of vac- cinating children. Mr John Burnett had by his will, dated 1783, bequeathed a sum of money to be applied for the prevention of small-pox, and on the promulgation of Dr Jenner's discovery, this sum was ap- propriated to defray the expense of an institiflion for vaccination. For a good many years, the numbers who were benefited by this institution were considerable, but in consequence partly of the in- . creasing prevalence of the custom of midwives vaccinating the children at whose birth they had assisted, and partly of the ne- gligence of parents to avail themselves of the means of avoiding a disease whose ravages were become much less formidable than they had formerly been, the Vaccine Institution declined very much, so that at the time when the medical attendants of the General Dispensary began to vaccinate, the office of the Vac- cinator had become little better than a sinecure, and medical men often experienced great inconvenience from the inadequate supply of lymph that could be obtained at the Vaccine Institution. These circumstances, and the success which had attended the attempt to ABERDEEN. 91 induce parents to bring their cliildren for vaccination to the Dis- pensary, led to a proposal to incorporate the two institutions to- gether, and this was accordingly done in 1837, by the appoint- ment of the Vaccinator as one of the medical attendants of the Dispensary, having charge of a district of the town in addition to his duties as Vaccinator. The number of children vaccinated at the institution previous to its junction with the General Dispen- sary was 6543.. The only permanent income which the General Dispensary possesses, except the annual income arising from Mr Burnett's bequest (which continues to be received by the Vaccinator as his salary,) is the interest of a bequest of L. 400 by the late Mr J. Cushnie, which was left in 1793 to the two Dispensaries at that time existing in Aberdeen. Excepting this, the whole support of the institution rests on voluntary subscriptions, and an occasional collection at some of the churches. Subsequently to the esta- blishment of the General Dispensary, two others have been set on foot in Aberdeen. One in the lower part of the town, whose ob- ject is principally to provide speedy assistance in the numerous accidents which happen on board the ships and in the various works about the harbour, and the other in the western part of the town, and altogether beyond the limits of the parish. The ex- penses of both of these are borne entirely by voluntary contribu- tions, and they amount together to about L.60 annually. The subjoined table shows the income, expenditure, and num- ber of patients treated by all the institutions of this sort in town for the last seven years. Expen- Mid- Vacci- Years. Income. diture. Patients. Cured. Died. wifery. nated. 1832, L. 256 L.311 7212 6506 212 64 294 1833, 335 310 3476 3125 99 32* 160 1834, 374 280 2830 2612 84 222 1835, 235 283 3197 2840 127 136 1836, 234 249 3610 3164 192 121 1837, 230 183 2905 2290 109 100 1838. 205 175 3636 2734 180 222 Lunatic Asylum. — Connected with the Infirmary of Aberdeen, in so far as it is under the management of the same body of di- rectors, is the asylum for the reception of lunatics — an institution which was begun in the year 1799, Previous to that time there was no attention paid to the comforts of this unfortunate class in Aberdeen, and but very little provision made for their safety ; the only accommodations provided being a few miserable cells on "the * Subsequent to this date, the midwifery cases of the General Dispensary are in- cluded in the general report. 92 ABERDEENSHIRE. ground floor of the Poor's Hospital, and one or two equally wretched among the cellars of the Infirmary. In the year just men- tioned, a building was erected by subscription, capable of receiving about 50 patients, on a site nearly a mile out of town. The ex- pense of this, including that of the ground, was L.f}484, of which the magistrates, as trustees of a bequest by Bailie Cargill, con- tributed L. 1130, on condition of having right to admit 10 pauper patients, gratis, to the institution. In 1819, in consequence of a great deficiency of accommodation having been experienced, and especially the impossibility of properly classifying the patients, either according to the varieties of their disorder or their station in life, a piece of ground adjoining to the asylum was purchased, and an additional building erected on it at an expense of L. 13,135, which the managers were enabled to defray by the munificent be- quest of L. 10,000 from the late John Forbes of New. In this building about 70 additional patients can be accommodated, and the general attention which had in the interval been paid to the construction and arrangement of lunatic asylums, enabled the ma- nagers to avail themselves of many improvements, by which the comfort and restoration of the patients might be promoted. In 1836, the number of patients having continually increased, and a considerable proportion of them being in a situation which rendered them capable of being employed, with benefit to them- selves in out- door work of various kinds, for which there had hitherto been very little facility, a portion of ground adjoining, of the extent of about 11 acres, was purchased at the price of L. 3000, which, being laid out in various kinds of useful crops, &c. affords employment to a good number of the patients ; and some additional apartments have been erected on this ground with work- shops, &c. Considerable benefit having been found to arise from the regular performance of divine service in the asylum, which^for some years past has been done twice every Sabbath day, and is generally attended by upwards of half the patients in the house, it is intended that a chapel shall be erected soon in a suitable situation. It used to be remarked, that Sabbath was commonly a very troublesome day, in consequence of the cessation of the usual occupations of the patients, no object of interest being pre- sented to them instead ; but since the establishment of the practice of having worship regularly twice on that day, the patients are generally as quiet on Sabbath as any other day of the week. Much pains have been taken by the physician, Dr Macrobin, to ABERDEEN. 93 devise the means of employing actively all the inmates who are capable of engaging in any sort of work, and the males, besides the out-door work which the late acquisition of additional ground has given opportunity for, are employed in such other work about the house as they can assist the servants in ; and it is hoped that in a short time the introduction of basket -making, weaving, &c. may be effected with advantage. The females are employed in assisting the servants, and in sewing, knitting, spinning, &c. The details of the management of this institution are entrusted to the same committee (annually appointed,) who superintend the Infirmary, and the general body of managers meet twice a-year specially for the business of the asylum, besides holding occasional meetings when requisite. The funds of this institution having been derived entirely from voluntary subscriptions and bequests, the heavy expenses incurred in the purchase of ground, and the erection of the buildings, have hitherto rendered the managers un- able to make the rates of board at which patients are received, so low as they would have wished, especially in regard to the class of paupers, 10 of whom, as already mentioned, are maintained gratis in terms of the agreement with the magistrates on commencing the institution. Another is received without board in terms of a bequest by the late Mr Innes of Balnacraig. Other paupers coming from parishes within the county of Aberdeen are received at L. 15 per annum. Paupers from other places pay 8s. 6d. per week, and the higher rates are adjusted according to the accom- modations, &c. required by the friends of the patient. The following table shows the chief particulars regarding the asylum for the last seven years : Sfears. Income. Expenditure. Patients. Cures. Partial Cures. Deaths. 1832, L , 2434 L .2302 135 15 2 10 1833, 2350 2179 147 23 7 14 1834, 2428 2298 152 16 10 6 1835, 2573 2247 157 20 9 11 1836, 2616 2040 146 24 8 5 1837. 2797 2197 149 16 8 , 8 1838, 2799 2343 169 20 7 14 Incorporations. — It is not necessary to inquire into the origin of those societies among craftsmen, which are unquestionably of con- siderable antiquity, and which have given rise ultimately to the various incorporations in burghs protected by certain statutes and enjoving certain privileges. The corporations of Aberdeen at the earliest period of which correct information can be obtained, were the Litsters, the Hammermen, the 'J'ailors, the Skinners, the 94 ABERDEENSHIRE. Cordwainers, the Flesliers, the Barbers, the Wrights, (inckiding the Coopers and Masons,) and the Bakers. It is uncertain at what period these corporations were formed into a joint society. The first mention of the deacon-convener is in 1587, when the person holding this office was appointed, along with others, to ar- bitrate between the craftsmen and the burgesses. About the year 1610, the Joint Society of Incorporated Trades instituted a fund for the relief of decayed members; and in 1632, Dr Guild, one of the ministers of Aberdeen, founded an hospital for poor artificers, in the place formerly occupied by the monks of the Holy Trinity. The corporations of Hammermen, Bakers, Tailors, Wrights, Cordwainers, Weavers, and Fleshers contribut- ed to the establishment and support of this hospital. The objects of relief are not now, as formerly, received into the Trades' Hos- pital, but relieved as out-pensioners, and the building is used for the purposes of meetings of the trades, and as a school for the children of tradesmen of both sexes. The fund for distribution has, by various bequests, and by the rise in value of land purchased in the close vicinity of the town, increased considerably, so as to enable them, of late years, to dis- tribute about L. 600 annually, among about 130 decayed members. By the deed of Dr Guild, who was one of the principal found- ers of this fund, " None shall be admitted to its benefit but those who shall be of good fame, and not reduced to poverty by their own vice or drunkenness or intemperance ; and therefore that none receive the fruits of the said mortification but good, holy, and so- ber men." A Widow's Fund was instituted in 1771, a small payment from entrant members being reserved for this purpose ; and the .annual proceeds of this fund now yield L. 5 each to about 150 widows. In 1816, a suppleipentary Widow's Fund was projected by Convener John Leslie ; and in 1828, it had so far accumulated as to be available, and since that time the proceeds of it have been annually distributed. During the year 1 837, the general funds of the trades for dis- tribution amounted to L. 1 102, whereof L. 572 were distributed to 122 superannuated members; L. 490 were apportioned among 150 widows; and L. 40 were paid as bursaries to students at Ma- rischal College. Besides these general institutions, in which all the corporations have a common interest, each possesses its own peculiar stock and ABERDEEN. " ■ 95 revenues, appropriated to the relief of decayed members, widows, and orphans immediately conneeied with it. These funds, during the year 1837, amounted to L. 2622, which were distributed according to rates fixed by each corporation in- dependently of the others, among 154 superannuated members, 150 widows, (the same who received the benefit of the general fund and of the widows' funds,) and 156 orphans. The following table will show the proportion of these funds, and their objects appertaining to each trade : — Superannuated members. Widows. Orphans Hammermen, L.913 23 40 43 Bakers, 237 13 18 12 Wrights and Coopers, 450 33 23 17 Tailors, 437 26 20 25 Shoemakers, 268 33 20 22 Weavers, 180 13 15 12 Flashers, . 137 13 14 25 L.2622 154 150 156 Society of Advocates. — We find the practitioners of the law in Aberdeen recognized by the title of" Advocati," as early as 1633, and under that title they received a charter from the Crown in 1774, and again another of a more extensive nature in 1799, in which they are styled, " the President and Society of Advocates in Aberdeen." The chief object of the society is to maintain, by the contribu- tions of its members, a fund for the purpose of giving allowances to indigent meiifbers, and to the widows, orphans, and nearest re- latives of deceased members. This fund was instituted in 1685 ; the allowances which they have been able to give from it have been at different times augmented, but it is believed that they have never yet found it necessary to diminish the rate. At pre- sent the annual allowance to a widow is about L. 40. The So- ciety also possesses a valuable law-library, which is kept up by the contributions of the members, and by fees from entrant appren- tices. This library is open to the free use of all the members of the Society. It contains about 1900 volumes, and was begun to be collected in 1786. The Society has lately erected a spacious Hall for the purpose of their meetings, with suitable accommodations for their library, &c. in Union Street. Society of Shipmasters. — This association was formed in 1598, and was chartered in 1600, with a right to levy a tax on all ship- ping entering the port, but this right was annulled in 1784. The 96 ABERDEENSHIRE. Society was re-chartered in 1801, by the title of " the President and Society of Shipmasters of Aberdeen." Their funds, which formerly arose from the tax which they were entitled to levy, and which now are derived from the contributions of the members, are applicable to the purpose of pensioning indigent members, and the widows and orphans of deceased members, and the sum distri- buted by them is above L. 600 annually, in allowances varying from L. 16 to L.20. Post Office. — For a good many years, the south mail used to arrive in Aberdeen at 6 a. m., and the various north and inland mails from half-past 12 to 2 p.m., and the hours for despatching the south mail was 50 minutes past 2 p. m. ; the others being made up partly at 7 and partly at 8 a. m. In consequence, however, of the acceleration of the mails through England by means of the railroads, &c. various alterations have been introduced since November 1837. There are now two mails daily from Edinburgh, the one arriving at a quarter-past 6 A.M. and the other at 6 p.m., and the hours of despatch for the south are at present quarter-past 7 a. m. and half-past 3 p. m. The va- rious country mails arrive about an hour previous to the afternoon despatch of the south mail, and they are despatched at 7 a. m., and to one or two places also at 10 p. m. The increase in the size and trade of the city has of course been attended with a corresponding increase in the revenue and business of the Post Office. By the statement of the postmaster, the Post Office revenue of Aberdeen has been for a considerable number of years steadily on the increase, and is at present from L. 9500 to L. 10,000. Stamps. — The amount of bill stamps annually made use of in the Aberdeen district, which comprehends Aberdeen and Kincar- dineshires, on an average of the last three years, is L. 4955. The amount of stamp duties collected in the district in the same ave- rage of three years is L. 18,802 ; while the unstamped duties levied annually have on the same average amounted to L. 11,581. Stage-Coaches. — As may be supposed, the number of these is liable to great fluctuation, some being started as a speculation on roads where the intercourse is soon found insufficient to bear the ex- pense, or by individuals without the necessary capital. According- ly, the number of coaches running from Aberdeen varies almost every season. At present there are about 20, viz. 8 on the south road ; 4 on the north road; 4 on the north coast road; 2 on the Dee side road ; 2 on the Skene road; and the amount of mileage ABERDEEN. 97 paid by these coaches on an average of the last three years is L. 5372. Banks. — A bank on a small scale was established in Aberdeen in 1752, but it did not succeed, and was soon given up. Soon after, the Thistle Bank of Glasgow opened an agency here, and received great support. In 1767, another attempt was made to establish a bank in this city, by the formation of the " Banking Company in Aberdeen," with a capital of L. 72,000. At first it met with great opposition from the Glasgow agency, but ultimate- ly it drove the Thistle Bank from the field, and since that time has continued to experience a degree of prosperity unequalled by any similar establishment, in so much that an originalshareof the stock, for which L. 150 was paid, sells now for about L.3000. It may be worth notice here that this bank had adopted the plan of using paper for their notes, bearing in watermark a waved line, and the amount of the note expressed in words, along with the de- signation of the company ; but about forty years ago, a gentleman connected with this part of the country brought this paper under the notice of the Bank of England, in consequence of which they adopted it, and procured an act of Parliament to be passed prohi- biting the use of paper so marked by any provincial bank. In 1788, the " Commercial Bank of Aberdeen" was established, which experienced on the whole considerable success, but was ulti- mately given up in 1833 in favour of the National Bank of Scot- land, whose agency here is doing a good deal of business. In 1826, the " Aberdeen Town and County Bank" was project- ed with a paid up capital of above L. 100,000, and it is amply proved that the increasing wants of the commercial community re- quired such an addition to the banking establishment, by the fact that the share for which L. 75 was paid, now sells for L. 145. The " North of Scotland Banking Company" was instituted in 1836, with a paid up capital of L. 200,000. The partners in this concern are numerous, and it has experienced great success. All of these establishments appear to be conducted with great propriety and liberality, and they have in a very material degree benefited the city as well as the surrounding country, in various parts of which they have established agencies. The Bank of Scotland, the Commercial Bank of Scotland, the British Linen Company, and, as already noticed, the National Bank of Scotland, have thriving branches in Aberdeen, some of them for many years past. ABERDEEN. G 9 8 ABERDEENSHIRE. Savings Bank. — In the year 1815, the judicious and benevolent plan of the Rev. Dr Duncan of Ruthvi^ell, by which labourers and others may be enabled to lay up their small savings in security, and to receive interest on them, was introduced in Aberdeen, and the regulations under which the savings bank was established were, that sums from 2s. to L. 5 should be taken in every Saturday be- tween 9 and 10 o'clock; that interest at the rate of 5 per cent, should be allowed on sums exceeding L. 1, (excluding, however, any odd shillings and pence,) after they had been deposited for one month; that the bank should not hold more than L.30 from any one depositor; and that the whole or any part of the deposit might be withdrawn at any time on giving a week's notice. Twenty-four gentlemen undertook the office of directors, attending two at a time for a month in rotation, to receive and give out the money ; and at first the necessary expenses were defrayed by subscriptions obtain- ed among the inhabitants. The surplus interests of the odd sums on the accounts soon enabled the directors to carry on the esta- blishment without a continuance of the subscriptions, and this was further facilitated by a fortunate purchase of 3 per cents, made by the directors a few years after, in consequence of which the auxili- ary fund was at once increased to nearly L. 1200. In the infancy of the institution, it was greatly indebted to the li- berality of the Aberdeen Banking Company, who for several years allowed 5 per cent, interest on the sums lodged in that bank by the savings bank. Afterwards the rate of interest having been re- duced generally, and the savings bank being fully established, and its advantages sufficiently appreciated by those for whose benefit it was intended, this favour became no longer necessary, and conse- quently the rate of interest allowed to depositors has since then fluctuated ; at present it is 3| per cent., having been recently ad- vanced from 3^. The funds of the bank are vested in bonds and other heritable securities, and an idea may be formed of the benefits arising from this institution, and the confidence reposed in it by the labouring classes from the folio wing table of the number of depositors, and the amount of cash deposited with it since the year 1832 : 1832. 1833. 1834. 1835. 1836. 1837: 1838. No. of depositors, 2967 3195 3570 3981 4247 4762 5420 Value of deposits, L.26,212 28,425 32,380 37,062 39,905 41,432 47,155 The only improper advantage which, as far as is known, has been at any time taken of this bank is, that occasionally societies have deposited their funds with it, dividing them into small sums, which have been deposited in the names of different individuals. This the ABERDEEN. 99 directors have endeavoured to discourage, but it has not always been in their power to discover it in time to prevent it. A great inconvenience had been felt from the number of depositors, rendering it impossible to transact the weekly business without causing a loss of time to the applicants and to the directors, that could be ill spared from their other avocations ; and to remedy this a set of premises has recently been fitted up, (the office was pre- viously in the office of the United Fund,) where attendance is given at 9 a. m., and 7 p. m., on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. The expense of conducting the business will be thus considerably increased ; but the state of the auxiliary fund is such as to enable the directors to meet it without difficulty, and without any neces- sity of reducing the interest to depositors. No savings bank on the national plan has yet been established in Aberdeen. It has been proposed to do so, but the advantages possessed by the present one are so fully appreciated by the depo- sitors, that there is no reason to suppose that it would be mate- rially affected by this should it take place. Insurance Offices, — In the year ISOl, a company was formed in Aberdeen for insurance against damage by fire, which for a time was carried on successfully, but after continuing for about thirteen years, it was dissolved, it being found that the principal business of this kind continued to be engrossed by the agencies of various companies, both English and Scotch. About 1803, a company for insuring lives and granting annuities was formed, and seemed likely to prove profitable, but the part- ners (probably imperfectly acquainted with the principles on which such a concern should be based) became alarmed apparently with- out sufficient grounds, and abandoned the speculation after it had been continued about ten years. In 1817, a Marine Insurance Company was set on foot, but it was unsuccessful, and was abandoned in a few years after the loss of the greater part or the whole of its capital. Notwithstanding the fate of all these companies, in 1826 the " Aberdeen Fire and Life Insurance Company" was established with a capital of L. 750,000, and it has met with great success and patronage in every part of Scotland, insomuch, that they may now boast of being " the most successful institution of the kind in the kingdom," and the share for which originally L. 2 was paid may now be sold for L. 5, lis. This success induced in 1836 the for- mation of a rival establishment, the " North of Scotland Fire and iOO ABERDEENSHIRE. Life Assurance Company," which has experienced a considerable degree of success during the time it has existed, and the share on which L. 1 was paid, now sells for L. 1, 8s. 6d. Last spring two Marine Insurance Companies were started on an extended scale, and as far as can be judged, in so short a time, both seem likely to succeed. There are also two Mutual Insurance Societies which were form- ed among the operatives a few years ago, but their success has been very limited. Besides these, there are agencies in Aberdeen for no fewer than 39 Scotch and English Insurance Companies, of which the oldest is that of the Sun Fire Office, which was established here nearly eighty years ago. Newspapers. — The Aberdeen Journal is one of the oldest, if not the very oldest, of the papers in the north of Scotland. It was commenced in 1748, and was at first published on Tuesday, on a very small sheet. Some time after, the day of publication was altered to Monday, and subsequently to Wednesday, on which day it still continues to be published. It has been repeatedly en- larged in size, and is now printed on a larger sheet, it is believed, than any other Scottish paper. In the number of its advertisements and the extent of its circulation, it takes the lead of all the Scotch papers, and it was the first paper that was printed by steam north of the Forth. Its weekly circulation is from 2200 to 2400. The principles advocated in the Aberdeen Journal are those of very moderate and timid Conservatism, and it adopts the views of what is termed the moderate party in Church politics. The Aberdeen Herald was begun in 1832, having succeeded the Aberdeen Chronicle, which had been carried on for about twenty years previously. The present circulation of the Herald is about 1300 weekly. The politics of this paper are what is now called Liberal, — perhaps rather Radical ; and the principles which it advocates are partly those of the Voluntaries, and partly infidel in their character. It is published on Saturday, and has begun to be printed by a machine within the last twelve months. The Aberdeen Constitutional was commenced in 1837, taking the place of the Aberdeen Observer, which had struggled through an existence of about twelve years. The object of the original projectors of the Constitutional was to promote a better tone of thinking and feeling among the people, by establishing a paper whose characteristic should rather be its Christian principle, than its political partisanship. In this attempt, ABERDEEN. 101 however, they were unsuccessful, and the paper is accordingly merely a Conservative journal, which in Church politics favours the moderate party. Its weekly circulation is about 900. At first it was published on Saturday, but, in consequence of recent changes in the time of arrival of the mails, it has for some months past been published on Friday morning in town, a second edition being publish- ed in the evening for country circulation, embracing the intelligence that used formerly to be brought by the mail of Saturday morning. Public Libraries. — Besides the libraries belonging to the Uni- versity, the School of Divinity, the Medical Society, the Society of Advocates, and the Mechanics' Institution, there are several subscription libraries in Aberdeen, the principal of which are those belonging to Messrs A. Brown and Co., D. Wylie and Son, and W. Russell. The number of volumes contained in these libraries may be about 10,000 or 12,000; they are chiefly in the lighter depart- ments of literature, but there are many also of more permanent interest, and of a more important character. The terms of subscription vary from 15s. to L. 1, lis. 6d. per annum, according to the number of volumes borrowed at a time, and, generally speaking, these libraries are tolerably well supplied with the new publications, at least with those by authors whose jeputation is already established : in regard to works of less ge- neral interest, either as respects their subject, or the name of their author, it cannot be supposed that the proprietors of such libraries should be desirous of accumulating them on their shelves ; and, indeed, there is often great difficulty in getting a sight of them in any other way than by purchasing them, for the booksellers in Aberdeen do not often choose to incur the risk of ordering books that are not already in some degree regarded as standard works, unless in consequence of receiving an order for them from an in- tending purchaser. Markets. — There is a weekly market on Thursdays for meal, and on Fridays for grain, butcher-meat, and other provisions. Within the last few years several butchers' shops have been opened in different parts of the town, where a supply of meat may be ob- tained on any day of the week. There is a market of fish daily, unless in tempestuous weather ; and a supply of cured fish, including the well known " Fitidon haddocks," may be had daily. A market for the sale of linen is held in the Green on the last 102 ABERDEENSHIRE. Wednesday of April, and a wool market is held there in the last week of June, and the first two weeks of July, on Thursday and Friday. The timber-market, for the sale of tubs and other wooden ar- ticles, is held in the Castle Street on the last Wednesday in August. The feeing-market for the hiring of farm-servants is held in the vicinity of the meal-market at Aberdeen, on the second Friday of May and November. Besides these markets held in Aberdeen, there are several mar- kets for horses and cattle, held in the close vicinity of the town, as follows : 1. At bridge of Don, on the first Tuesday of each month ; 2. at Mannofield, on the Dee side road, on the second Monday of each month ; 3. at Ruthrieston, near the Bridge of Dee, on the third Monday of each month ; 4. at Old Aberdeen, on the last Thursday of April, and on the Wednesday after the last Tuesday of October. Inns and Alehouses. — There are in Aberdeen no less than 193 inn-keepers and vintners, including six principal inns, viz. the Royal Hotel, the Union Hotel, and the Aberdeen Hotel in Union Street, the Lemon Tree, in the Huxter Row, Cruickshanks' Inn, in the School-hill, and Macdonald's Temperance Hotel in Queen Street. Pawnbrokers. — It is between twenty and thirty years since this lucrative but not commendable occupation was first introduced in- to Aberdeen, and there are now six of them established and in full occupation. The capital invested in this trade may be about L. 10,000, which is generally understood to be turned five times in the course of a year. About nine-tenths of the articles pledged are redeemed within the legal period, and, unquestionably^ much occasional relief is afforded in seasons of temporary distress by their assistance, though, at the same time, it is to be feared that the greater part of their trade arises from the improvident and the dissipated. Streets. — Less than half a century ago, the only approaches to Aberdeen were, from the south and west by the Windmillbrae and the Green, and from the north by the Gallowgate, and the streets in general were inconvenient, from their narrowness and the badness of the pavement, which consisted mostly of irregular causeway or round stones. About the end of the last century, a street was opened from Broad Street to North Street, which fa- cilitated the entrance from the north, as North Street runs along ABERDEEN. *103 Addenda. — When the note on page 17 was penned, the writer had not seen Boece's Lives of the Bishops, and at first sight a dis- crepancy seems to exist between this work and his History of Scotland, on the subject of the destruction of Aberdeen by Ed- ward. In the latter work, he says, " Moraviam omnem incendio ferroque late prseter sacra devastat, ac per Marriam rediens non minus earn populationibus aSlixit. Aberdoniam urbem regiam habitatore exhaustam solo aequat." And the time of this expedi- tion, though not distinctly stated in the passage itself, is proved by previous dates given, to have been about 1336. In the latter work the statement given is as follows : " Per id tempus, triginta naves Anglicanse in statione portui Aberdonensi proxima jecere anchoras, unde expositae copise in terram, pene Aberdoniam prius sunt ingressse quam cives eas advenisse senserant. Angli . . complures Aberdonensium trucidant ; urbem simul atque pontificis et canonicorum sedes omni supellectili popu- latos incendunt. Arsit Aberdonia, sex dies lugubre intuentibus spectaculum. Pepercere hostes templis, pietate moti, religiosorum quoque Abbatis. . . Fuit annus quo Aberdonia funes- tam banc cladem accepit, a Christo incarnato tertius supra mille- simum tercentesimum tricesimum." While it must be admitted that one of these accounts refers to an invasion by land troops, and the other to an attack made by a naval expedition, it must be remarked, that it is exceedingly im- probable that, if they were different attacks, Boece should have only mentioned one of them in each of his works ; and by a refe- rence to Fordun, the difficulty is in part, at least, removed, for he says, '* totam Moraviam igne, consumens, usque Elgyn pervenit. Et progrediens inde, salvis ecclesia et canonicorum sedificiis de Elgyn, flamma universa devorante, villam de Abirden solo coquavit. Hac tempestate contigit piratas Angligenas de navibus suis de- scendere, et universa maritima cis fluvium de Forth usque ad montes de Hochel sine resistentia crudeliter devastare." So that while Edward came with his army from Moray, there seems to have been an attack made by English ships about the same time. Fordun, to be sure, does not state they came so far north as Aberdeen, and perhaps they did not ; and the mistake of Boece may have been in ascribing the burning of the town to them, in- stead of the army, not recollecting what he had said in his His- tory. That the town was burnt once, seems clear, but the evi- dence of two burnings is very doubtful. With regard to the date ABERDEEN. 104* ABERDEENSHIRE. of this disaster, Lord Hailes, in his Annals, has traced the pro- gress of Edward's army through Scotland, and established that his return from Moray must have been in 1336. ERRATA, Page 100, under the head " Newspapers." The circulation of the Aberdeen Herald here stated, bears reference to the date at which the materials for preparing the Account were first obtained. The circulation of that Journal for the two years and a half previous to January 1840 amounted to 1961 per week. Under the same head, the principles of the Aberdeen Herald being described as " partly infidel ;" and this being contradicted by the proprietors, the conductors of this work beg to retract the statement. PARISH OF PETERCULTER. PRESBYTERY OF ABERDEEN, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. JOHN STIRLING, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — The latter part of the name of this parish is variously written, Coulter and Culture ; in the oldest register of the pa- rish, it is uniformly rendered Culter. Some think that this word is a Gaelic compound consisting of Cul, the back, and tir, the country ; i. e, the back country, (the parish being situated on the north side of the river Dee.) Others account for the name by what they suppose to have been the original orthography of the parish, viz. Petri Cultura. When Popery was the esta- blished religion, chapels were erected on the opposite sides of the river, and dedicated to the respective Saints Mary and Peter. To these saints were consecrated not only the chapels, but also the nearest wells, the one called St Mary's, and the other St Peter's well. At a small distance from the church there is a high steep bank called Peter's Heugh. Extent and Topographical Appearances. — From the east, on which it is bounded by the parishes of Banchory- Devenick and New-hills, this parish extends south-west and west nearly 7 miles. Between these extreme points, on the western boundary, it is in- dented by the parish of Drumoak ; so that its mean length does not much exceed 5 miles. It is in several places nearly 5 miles broad, its mean breadth, however, does not exceed 4 miles. Its figure is so very irregular, that it would be difficult to compute its superficial contents. It is bounded on the south by the river Dee, with the exception of the small farm of Insch, which lies beyond the river. The surface of the parish is very rugged and uneven. It is divided by the burns of Leuchar, Culter, and Murtle, into several distinct parts, and it has numerous slopes, and hollows, rocky hills, marshy and mossy flats interspersed. The southern division, with the exception of a small district of 106 ABERDEENSHIRE. flat baugh, rises in a gentle slope from the banks of tbe river, and contains the mansion-houses of Culter, Murtle, Binghill, Coun- tesswells, and Bieldside, with their respective grounds, gardens, and woods. The situations of these are most beautiful, and the exposure excellent. The farms in this district are in a high state of cultivation. There is almost no waste land. The soil is in gene- ral of a sandy early nature. In some places, there are fields of loam with sandy subsoil. As we retire from the river towards the centre and back of the parish, the land becomes high, hilly, rocky, and exposed, large tracts remain waste, covered with furze, broom, heath, and moss. Considerable improvements have of late years been effected, more especially towards the west, on Upper and Nether Angustown. The soil in this western division still continues of an early, thin, sandy nature, with a bottom of gravel and rock ; but on the north- ern back district, it partakes more of moss and clay. Climate^ Sfc — The banks of the Dee are noted for their salu- brity of air, and many places on them have of late years become favourable retreats for invalids during the summer season. In this parish the variation of climate is considerable. On the banks of the river the southern exposure, the thin, dry, sandy soil, the shel- ter afforded by the numerous enclosures and small plantations,—- all combine in giving effect to the rays of the sun, in rendering the temperature high, the air most salubrious, and the climate remar- kably genial. In the garden of Murtle, beautifully situated in a sheltered den, the peach- ripens every year in the open air, and the crops are as early here as in any part of the county. In the higher and back districts of the parish, the reverse is the case ; the situation is more bleak, the land in many places damp and marshy, the temperature low, and the climate propor- tionably more unfavourable ; the crops are consequently later, the snow is often deeper, and frost more intense than on the river side. On the 4th of August 1829, the river Dee (which is every sea- son subject to great and sudden floods) was flooded to an extra- ordinary degree. The haughs of Mill-timber and Murtle, in this parish, (though enclosed by embankments of extent and strength sufficient for the usual rises of the river,) were covered to the depth of many feet : the soil and growing crops were seriously damaged, and great quantities of hay in cocks were floated away.* * See Sir Thomas Dick Lauder's Account of the Moray Floods. PETERCULTER. 107 Geology^ Mineralogy, Sfc. — In many places large projecting rocks, and immense blocks of irregular, hard, irony stone are to be met with on the sm-face. These are considered fit for nothing but for building fences. In the south-west and west divisions, granite is found, both on the surface and in quarries. In the latter division, there is a quarry of considerable extent, from which for- merly stones were driven to Aberdeen. This trade is now discon- tinned. In the mosses, the traces and remains of forests are met with. Wood, S^c. — Large tracts of the parish are under wood. The late Colonel DufiFof Culter, and the late Mr Gammel of Countess- wells, planted a great extent of surface on their respective estates. These plantations are very thriving, and consist chiefly of the larch and Scotch fir, to which the soil seems most congenial. Around Culter House there is a cluster of beech, chestnut, oak, ash, plane, and pine trees, — perhaps the oldest, largest, and most beautiful that is anywhere to be met with in this or in any of the neiffhbourino- counties. One of the beeches measures round its trunk 14 feet, rises between 80 and 90 feet high, and spreads its branches 75 feet. A few of these trees have been lately cut down. Along the avenue to Countesswells, here is likewise a double row of remarkably fine old spruce trees. In the garden of Murile there is a line of Athenian poplars, and one o^ Arbor vitce worthy of notice for their unusual size ; being planted about thirt3''-five years ago. The old and large trees around the mansion-houses are principally hard-wood : the later and more extensive plantations consist chiefly of the fir tribes ; the former are in general remark- ably large ; the latter are very thriving and promising — so it may be concluded that the soil is well adapted for both. II.— Civil History. Parochial Registers. — Regular registers of the baptisms, mar- riages, and deaths are kept, the earliest of which commences in the year 1674. Proprietors. — The parish is now held by eight proprietors. For- merly about two-thirds of it belonged to Col. R. W. Duff of Culter. Part of the Culter estate, called Cantlaw, comprising nearly 1000 acres, is now held by the heirs of the late Mr Symmers of Cults. The remainder of this estate, (being still more than a-half of the parish,) belongs now to Mr Robert Duff, son and heir to the late Colonel R. W. Duff". The estate of Countesswells, now possessed by Mr 108 ABERDEENSHIRE. Andrew Gammel, contains considerably more than a-sixth part of the parish. The greatest share of the barony of Murtle, former- ly belonging to the town of Aberdeen, comprised the remaining sixth part. This property has been divided into several lots or feus. That part still called Murtle has passed through several hands, and is now possessed by Mr Thurburn. The lot of Binghill belongs to Captain Kyle,— that of Bieldside to Mr Corbet, and that of Oldfold to Mr Anderson ; part of the farm of Miltown of Drum lies in this parish, and belongs to Mr Irvine of Drum. Mansion Houses. — The mansion-houses of Culter and Countess- wells are large and commodious structures. The former is a very old antiquated building ; it has no date upon it, but is believed to be about 200 years old. The latter is of more modern architec- ture. Neither of them is inhabited by the proprietor. They are both occasionally let to families from Aberdeen. The house of Countesswells is presently occupied by Mr Hadden. The mansion-house of Murtle, the residence of Mr Thurburn, is of modern architecture, and of considerable elegance, in the Gre- cian style ; it stands on a commanding position, having a delightful view of the river Dee, the surrounding scenery along its banks, the more distant Grampians, including Lochnagar, &c. On the properties of Binghill and Bieldside, the present pro- prietors have built neat substantial country seats, at which they re- side. Antiquities. — The remains of the military work mentioned in the former Statistical Account of this parish are now almost en- tirely obliterated ; a small part of the dike and ditch still remains, and forms part of the fence of an adjoining field. This work is usually called in popular tradition the Norman dikes. In the for- mer account of the parish, its erection is attributed to the Danes or to William the Norman ; but late investigations of the work have exploded this idea.* (See Chalmers's Caledonia, Vol. i. Chap. iv. page 120.) * Colonel Shand, who was intimately acquainted with tlie fortifications of the Ro- mans north of the firths, examined this camp in 1801, and came to the conclusion, that the profiles, and other dimensions of the ditch and ramparts are the same as those of the camps of Ury battle dikes, and the other camps in Strathmore. This work has since been examined by Mr Irvine of Drum, Captain Henderson of the 29th Regiment, and Professor Stewart, who agree in thinking it to be a Ro- man camp. It is of an oblong rectangular form, 938 yards long, and 543 yards broad, comprehending an area of 48 Scotch acres. It stood on the north side of the river Dee, on the south-west corner of the parish, on a high ground of moderate elevation, oppo- site to several fords of the river, which, no doubt, it was intended to cover. It is supposed to have been erected by Lollius Urbicus, in one of his marches north, wards. PETERCULTER. 109 In one of the plantations on BinghiH, there is a Druid's tem- ple enclosed with a common stone dike ; and near to it there is a large tumulus, which is said to have been once the burying-place of the family of Drum, a property in a neighbouring parish, where the descendants of that family now reside. III. — Population. In the year 1755, the population of the parish was 755 1793, ... - 1002 1811, .... 1010 18-21, .... 1096 1831, males, 593; females, 630 - 1223 The increase of the paper manufactory, to be afterwards men- tioned, having attracted to it 60 work people with their families, may account in part for this small increase in population. Other local causes are likewise assignable, such as the reclaiming of waste lands, &c. The yearly average of births for the last 7 years is about - 30 deaths, - . - 13 marriages, - - - 11 Average number of persons under 15 years of age is - 403 between 15 and 30 - 352 30 and 50 - 263 50 and 70 - 156 above 70 . 49 Number of families in the parish in 1831 was, ^ 255 chiefly employed in agriculture, - 118 in trade, manufactures, or handicraft, 61 inhabited houses, - - - . 245 uninhabited houses, ... 7 IV. — Industry. Agriculture. — Though it is impossible to estimate exactly (owing to the want of recent measurements and plans of the various estates,) the number of acres of cultivated and uncultivated sur- face in the parish, as well as the number under wood, yet the following statement has been prepared with considerable care, and may be taken as near the truth : Number of acres cultivated, - - 5686 Imperial, uncultivated, - - 2404 under wood, planted, - 1600 Rent. — The rent of land varies very much from 15s. to L.3 per Scotch acre, the average may be from L. 1 to L. 1, 15s. per Scotch acre. The average rent of grazing a full-grown ox or cow and keep during the year is about L^ 6. Live-Stock. — The common breed of black-cattle is a cross of the Aberdeenshire with the polled Angus and Galloway breeds. 110 ABERDEENSHIRE. There are no sheep, with the exception of a few of the English breeds kept for domestic use, chiefly on account of their wool. Husbandry. — The system of husbandry pursued in the lower parts of the parish is a five years, and in the higher parts a seven years rotation. The crops raised are oats, barley, hay, turnips, and potatoes-> There is very little wheat raised, the soil being in general too thin. It has, however, of late years been cultivated at Murtle with suc- cess after ley. The breadth of turnips, for which the soil is well adapted, has been increasing every year since the introduction of bone dust as a manure. A great deal of waste land has been brought under cultivation within these last twenty years, and improvements are still making in trenching, ditching, and draining low-lying land — a consider- able breadth of which is still susceptible of being reclaimed. The leases are of nineteen years' duration ; in some cases they are granted for twenty-seven years, when waste land is required to be improved during the lease. Farm-buildings are in general substantially built of stone and lime, and belong exclusively to the proprietors, being held by the tenants on dead inventory. The cottages are neat and comfort- able ; and the fields are inclosed with stone fences. Fisheries. — The salmon-fisheries on the Dee, since the intro- duction of the stake-nets at the mouth of the river, have greatly di- minished in value, barely remunerating the labours of the fisher- men, though formerly they yielded a considerable rent to the pro- prietors. Produce. — The average gross amount and value of raw produce yearly raised in the parish, as nearly as can be ascertained, may be as follows : 1895 acres of oats and barley, at L. 3, 10s. per acre, imperial, . L. 10,422 10 948 ditto turnips and potatoes, at L. 7 per acre, 948 do. hay, at L. 4 per acre, ... 1893 do. pasture, at L. 1, IDs. per acre, Total amount, . L. 23,693 Manufactures. — The manufactories in the parish are three in number. \st. On the burn of Culter, near its junction with the river Dee, is situated a snuff-manufactory, belonging to William M'Combie, Esq. of Easter Skene. It is a small low square thatched building. The internal machinery is driven by a water-wheel of 4 6636 3792 2842 10 PETERCULTER. HI eight horse power. About three hundred weight of snuff are ground per week. The services of only one man are required. 2rf. Several hundred yards farther up the burn-side is situated the large paper manufactory of Messrs Arbuthnott and M'Combie, who purchased it about two years ago. This estabhshment was the first of the kind in the north, being begun in 1751 on comparatively a small scale, and has ever since been in ac- tive operation. The present proprietors entered with it in 1821. They have very materially^ enlarged the work, and ad- ded the new improvements in their branch of manufacture, so that, in proportion to its extent, which is not exceeded in many instances in Scotland, it is not inferior to any for the same pur- poses. It consists of a large chaste pile of the necessary build- ings, in excellen repair ; its internal machinery is of the most approved modern description. The necessary movements in the machinery are produced by two large powerful water-wheels — the one placed a httle above the other — and both turned by the same stream, brought from an artificial reservoir by a wooden aqueduct. The papers made at this work are browns, cartridges, and all sorts of wrapping papers, &c. It yields a large revenue to Go- vernment, and gives employment to upwards of 60 people, whose comforts are in every respect attended to, and in general they ap- pear sensible of this. This mill is beautifully situated on a flat haugh of several acres, surrounded on the west, north-west, and north, by a very steep hill, the front of which seems to consist of the segments of different circles ; the steep appears almost per- pendicular ; it is in some places nearly 400 feet high, and is co- vered with young wood. On the east and south the ground is not so high. There are large projecting rocks or crags on each side of the burn, both above and below the flat where the mill stands, at both of which places there is a bridge thrown across between the opposite rocks — the one on the old, the other on the new line of road to Aberdeen. The reservoir contains one of the largest artificially collected bodies of water any where to be met with. It is confined in the den above' the bridge by a large dike at its mouth, between its opposing rocky sides. When full, it is nearly 20 feet deep, and extends in length nearly half a mile. Above the surftice of the water the braes are steep and inaccessible, (except by artificial walks,) and are covered with wood. When the burn is flooded, and the water runs over the top of the dike, the cascade down its front is beautiful. The aqueduct from this reservoir to the mill 112 ABERDEENSHIRE. wheel is a work of considerable extent, and deserves notice. It is composed of wood, is 700 feet long, 7 feet wide, and 2 feet deep, and is supported on stone pillars neatly built, with iron and wooden pillars between. It passes below the bridge crossing the burn, about 10 feet above its surface, and conveys a large body of water. The beauty of the situation and scenery of this establishment is much admired. The extent of artificial works, the large pile of buildings on the left, the spacious reservoir on the right, with an occasional cascade over its dike; the aqueduct, supported in the air, with its large column of rolling water passing under the spa- cious bridge, with the surrounding rocks and woods, — all at this point burst upon the eye of the traveller, and present to his view a combination of the beauties of nature and the works of art in a variety and to an extent seldom if ever to be met with in so nar- row a compass. Sd, Nearly a mile farther up the hollow, on the burn of Leuchar, in 1831, a mill was erected for carding and spinning wool, and for manufacturing coarse woollen cloth. This establishment is in- creasing. It at present gives employment to 16 persons. V. — Parochial Economy. Market-Toion. — Our nearest market and post-town is Aberdeen. Means of Communication. — The Dee side turnpike, one of the best public roads in the north, runs through the southern district of the parish nearly four miles. The maiUcoach to and from Aberdeen and the Castletown of Braemar passes daily, with one other public coach, which runs between Aberdeen and Banchory in summer. These are principally employed by visitors from Aber- deen to the various favourite residences on Dee side, more especially to Ballater, near to which place are the famous wells of Pannanich. The Skene turnpike runs through the back part of the parish about a mile. The cross accommodation roads are sufficiently good. Ecclesiastical State. — The parish church was built in 1779: it contains 550 sittings ; is a neat substantial building, in a thorough state of repair ; is situated on the bank of the river, near the middle of the southern boundary of the parish ; and is very well attended. The manse is 150 years old, and has undergone considerable re- pairs and alterations. In 1826, an addition of two rooms was made to it, which makes it sufficiently comfortable and commodi- ous. The offices are old and thatched, but in an ordinary state of repair. The glebe, including the garden and the stance of PETERCULTEll. 113 manse and offices, contains the legal number of acres, along with nearly an acre of pasture. The stipend by the last augmentation in 1812 is in meal, 54 bolls, 2 firlots, 2i^ lippies ; in bear, 51 bolls, 3 firlots; and in money, L. 113, 8s. 2d. All the people are of the Established Church, with the exception of five famihes. The average number of communicants in the Established Church is 500. Education. — There are 4 schools in the parish, all of which are well attended. The parochial school is a very handsome, com- modious, and expensive building, capable of containing upwards of 120 scholars, and is numerously attended. The salary is L.28, with what annual allowance the Trustees of the late James Dick, Esq. may judge proper to allocate for this parish, and some small mortifi- cations for the education of poor children and for teaching a Sab- bath school. The amount of fees varies from L. 26 to L. 29 per an- num. The branches taught are, English, writing, arithmetic, English grammar, geography, mathematics, Latin, and Greek. In the other schools, the same branches are taught, with the exception of ma- thematics, Greek, and Latin. In all of them the scholars receive reliffious instruction on Sabbath. Small mortifications were be- queathed for the support of three Sabbath schools in this parish by the late Mr Gordon of Murtle. Poor and Parochial Funds. — Collections at the church for the poor amount to about L. 35 per annum. The number of poor on the roll is 30, and each receives about L. 1, 10s. from the collec- tions and interest of money. January 1340. ABERDEEN. PARISH OF KINELLAR. PKESByTERY OF ABERDEEN, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN., THE REV. DAVID SMITH, ) Ministers THE REV. R. FIDDES, A. & S. J ^^^*"«*f^'*- I. — Topography and Natural History. KiNELLAR is situated in that division of the county called Mar, Mar is considered as consisting of four divisions, Braemar, Cro- mar, Midmar, and Mar the most easterly portion. It is in this last part where Kinellar is situated, at the distance of nine miles from Aberdeen, and ten from the German Ocean. Boundaries and Extent. — The parish has Dyce and Newhills on the east; Skene on the south; Skene and Kintore on the west; and Fintray (from which it is separated by the Don) on the north. Its lenffth from south to north is rather more than four miles, and its breadth from east to west nowhere much exceeds two. It con- tains about 4000 acres, on an undulating surface, no part of which rises very high, or sinks very considerably. The greater part of the parish is much exposed to wind and storms, not having any shelter from woods or neighbouring hills, except a little from Tyrebagger on the east. II. — Civil, History. Antiquities. — There is an extensive heathy common between Kinellar and Kintore, in which are a great number of tumuli, which indicate it to have been, at some distant period, the princi- pal scene of a most sanguinary conflict; but at what time, and be- tween whom, tradition is silent. It seems very probable that the bat- tle-had taken place between the Scots and a party of Danes, who may have landed about Don mouth, and met with the first opposition here; but at what period it is difficult to conjecture, as they made fre- quent landings on both the north and east coasts. Such of the bar- rows as have been examined contained no urns, fragments of wea- pons, nor marks of burning, but bones and skulls in good preser- vation. Some barrows which have been found in the northern quarter included urns of baked clay, containing ashes and calcin- KINELLAR. 115 ed bones, placed on beds formed of clay, hardened by fire, and the hillocks made up of soil from a distance. The stones oiCairn- a-veil being removed a few years ago, it was found to contain a stone coffin, about six feet long, of six flags, holding neither bones nor ashes, but some black dust. The churchyard has been the site of a Druidical temple, several stones of which, of great size and weight, though fallen, yet remain above ground, and others have sunk in the earth. It is matter of surprise by what process such weighty masses have been transported from such distances as they must have been. Cairn-semblings occupies an elevated spot on the hill of Achronie, and is visible over a great extent of coun- try to west and north. Near to this place is a large stone on which Irvine, the much i^edoubted Laird of Drum, sat, and made his testa- ment, on his way to the battle of Harlaw, where he fell. Parochial Registers. — The oldest register begins in 1640, con- taining the texts and discipline ; but no separate register for mar- riages, baptisms, and burials was kept till a dozen years ago. An unwillingness to register baptisms is but too prevalent among pa- rents. The following entry appears, under date " May 4th 1684, This day was read from pulpit an act of his Majesty's Council, for a solemn and religious fast, upon account of the rigour of the last winter, the coldness of the present spring, and the great mortality of bestial, to be observed on Wednesday the 7th." It is men- tioned in a note, that the snow and frost continued without any re- laxation eighteen weeks. Land-oioners. — The proprietors are, Mrs Brebner of Glasgow Forest, valued rent, L. 315, 2s. 2d. ; Dyer Society, Kinellar, Lu 152, 6s. 8d. ; Incorporated Trades of Aberdeen and Glasgoego, L. 133, 6s. 8d. ; William Tower, Kinaldie, L. 127, 13s. 4d, ; Mr Crombie, Auchronie, L. 107, 13s. 4d. ; King's College, Cairn- tradlin, L. 100; Dr Ewing, Tartowie, L. 84, 13s. 4d. III. — Population. The population is smaller than that of any parish within the sy- nod. For a considerable number of years previous to 1777, the number of persons exceeded 400 ; but from that time to the census in 1831, it was considerably less. In 1821, 359; in 1831, 449; 218 males, and 231 females. The increase betwixt 1821 and 1831, was owing to a large distillery being set on foot at Black- burn, and an attempt to raise a small village, neither of which have succeeded. 116 ABEUDEENSHIRE. Number of families in the parish in 1831, . - - 88 chiefly employed in agriculture, - - 53 trade, manufactures, or handicraft, - 8 Number of illegitimate births during the last three years, 5. Less than twenty years ago, illicit distillation was almost uni- versally practised among the lower orders ; but for many years, nothing of the kind has existed. IV. — Industry. Agriculture.— yVithin the last twenty or twenty-five years, both the theory and practice of agriculture have experienced a great and favourable alteration. The ridges then raised in the middle, and with deep valleys between, are now straight as an arrow, and level as a turnpike road. The numerous ploughing matches established in most parishes, where small premiums are given to the best ploughmen, have greatly contributed to this salutary change, and have excited a laudable spirit of emulation among the young farm-servants, which is attended with many good effects. These ploughing competitions were principally set agoing by the proprietors of Ga- rioch district, who formed themselves into a Farmer Club in 1808. They were soon joined by other proprietors and gentlemen farm- ers around, who, by judiciously bestowing prizes contributed by the members, have done great benefit to a considerable extent of country. This club still exists. Except a few acres under wood, and a patch or two of rocky moor, the whole parish is under the plough. The long teams of ten or twelve cattle in a plough have long since given place to the pair of horses without a driver. There is a large heathy undivided common between Kinellar and Kintore ; but whether it should belong to the Earl of Kintore, to the burgh, or in general to all the contiguous proprietors, has never been decided. When Mr Tower purchased Kinaldie about sixteen years ago, the greater proportion of it consisted of poor, thin, heathy, stony ground, which, by judicious management and great expense, he has converted into well laid out enclosed fields, which produce very fair crops of grain and turnip.* * The situation of this place forbids the supposition that its name is derived from the Gaelic. Kin, in that language, signifies the head, whereas Kinaldie is situated at the Inver, or mouth of a stream. Its name is probably derived from Kenneth, the Scottish King, whose name is written Cinadius in many ancient records. History informs us that one of the kings of this name was forced, during the troubles which disturbed his reign, to betake himself to the northern parts of his kingdom, where he was engaged in frequent contests with the Danes. The place which we have already mentioned as being the scene of a conflict, at some distant period, may have been the field on which on some occasion Kenneth or Cinadius may have 4 KINELLAR. il7 Farm-houses and steadings have been of late very much improved, and, in general, are comfortable and commodious. Most leases extend to nineteen years, which is in the tenants' favour ; one or two are of long duration, and except in these, all the rents are by far too high. Some very good land lets at L. 3 per acre, and the average rent is L. 2. Wages. — Good ploughmen get from L. 5 to L. 7 half yearly ; next class from L. 4, 10s. to L, 5, lOs. ; boys from L. 2 to L. 3 ; females from L. 1, 10s. to L. 2 in winter, and L. 2, 10s. to L. 3 in summer, — all with victuals. The connection between farmers and their servants is now very different from what it was forty or fifty years ago. Most servants then remained with the same mas- ter till they married and got possessions ; they thus became attach- ed to the master and the farm, and felt an interest in every thing about the town. Now, they rarely engage but for a half year, and, delighting to move from place to place, they contract little attach- ment either to persons or places. This roving disposition is much fostered by the great number of feeing-markets, which promote idleness and dissipation. Rent, 4'c. — It is scarcely practicable to state with accuracy the real rent of the parish. It may be about L. 3000. Its valued rent is L. 1020, 15s. 6d. Scotch. Turnips are universally sown, and their management well under- stood. The turnip fly is often very destructive, but the writer has never lost a crop, by sowing seeds of several years growth, — a prac- tice which, on his recommendation, has been followed by many with advantage. By this plan, as the seeds of the different years ve- getate at different periods, and as the fly does not continue long, a crop may be depended on. Where the manure raised is defi- cient, it is easily procured from Aberdeen, and bone-dust is getting into use. There is very little ruta hagu sown. The scythe is universally employed to cut both oats and bear, and a month fre- quently finishes the harvest. Six years shifts of crops are most general ; and every farmer has a thrashing-mill. There is only one flock of sheep, and the number of black-cattle varies every month with the markets. A disease called red water has lately appeared among new-calved cows, which, in many cases, proves fatal. A great improvement in the breed, both of cattle and horses, encountered the Danes. This supposition receives confirmation from the circumstance, that in the part of the ground referred to, which lies nearer to Kinaldie, there have been found tumuli containing urns, &c. It has also occurred to the writer that this is the most likely way of accounting for the origin of the name Kinaldie. 118 ABELIDE15NSH1RE. has taken place within the last twenty years, which is encouraged by many local associations bestowing premiums. V. — Parochial Economy. Kintore, at the distance of two miles, was the post-town till 1837, when an office was established at Blackburn. The nearest market-town is Inverury, distant seven miles, where there are twenty fairs yearly. An excellent turnpike from Aberdeen to the north- west, divides the parish into two equal parts, from east to west. Besides the mail, three stage-coaches from, and as many to Aber- deen, run every lawful day, whose fares are very moderate. The cross-roads, except one, which leads to a single farm, are in very bad order ; part of the most frequented one, as leading to the church, has not had a farthing of the parish money expended on it for twenty years. A small canal, made in 1797, runs from Aber- deen to Inverury, at about a mile north of the church ; on which is a passage boat, and other boats, which bring coals, lime, and manure from Aberdeen to the country; and take grain, slates, wood, &c. from the country to Aberdeen. Though it has not yet been a profitable concern to the proprietors, it has been of consi- derable advantage to a large tract of country. Ecclesiastical State. — The church was built in 1801; it is not eentrically placed, being only a mile from the Don on the north side, and nearly four from the southern boundary of the parish. It is in tolerable repair, and may contain nearly 250 sitters. It is well attended by all, except one Roman Catholic family. The communicants vary from 194 to 210 in number. Kinellar, during Popery, was a vicarage belonging to the parson- age of Kinkel, along with Kintore, Kemnay, Dyce, Skene, and Drumblade. The patronage and tithes of all these were bestowed by Archbishop Sharpe on the Dean of the University of St An- drews, to present to them with consent of the Archbishop. After the abolition of Episcopacy, the university exercised this right till 1761, when these patronages being all sold, Kinellar, with four others, was bought by the Earl of Kintore, who is now patron. The manse was built in 1778, is in tolerable repair, but not com- modious. The glebe is 5 acres in extent, very good land, and the minister receives a trifle above L. 60 from the Exchequer, to make his stipend L. 150. He has L. 20 Scots for grass-money, and an equal sum for moss-money, there being no moss in the parish. Education. — The school, built a few years ago, is pretty conve- niently placed ; the salary L. 26, with house and garden. All the ■ KINELLAR. 119 ordinary branches, with Latin and geometry when wanted, are taught, and the fees are very moderate, — 2s. for Enghsh, 3s. for arithmetic, and 3s. 6d. for Latin, all per quarter, and book-keep- ing, 10s. 6d. per course. The fees amount to about L. 13 per annum. The average number of scholars may be 25 in summer, and 45 in winter. The schoolmaster, who is also session-clerk and a preacher, derives benefit from Dick's liberal bequest to the pa- rochial schoolmasters of the counties of Aberdeen, Banff, and Mo- ray, which the heritors reckoned upon when the salary was fixed. There is also a Sabbath school, with a small library attached to it, and a general desire for instruction prevails. Poor and Parochial Funds. — The average number on the poor's roll is 6, of whom some get 10s. and some 25s. quarterly, as their circumstances and the times require ; but many others occasion- ally receive relief. The annual collections and penalties average from L.12 to L.15; and it is to be remarked that this comes from the farmers, cottars, and servants, — for the heritors, not residing, contribute very little ; so that the weekly collections demon- strate the benevolent dispositions of the parishioners. Most of the poorer class are rather shy of applying for, and need to be sought out and offered, assistance. During the present incumbency L. 100 have been added to a small sum previously at interest for behoof of the poor, obtained by savings and two small mortifica- tions ; and a small sum is also kept in a bank, to be ready in case of any sudden emergency. The parish has twice received its pro- portion of a legacy left by Mr Burnett, a merchant in Aberdeen, to every parish within the shire. The least sum given to any parish is L. 20, and the greatest L. 50. The management is un- der trustees, and the inspection of the synod, and the sums paid, are proportioned to the various circumstances (strictly inquired in- to) of the respective parishes. The order in which the several presbyteries receive their allowances, was at first determined by lot. January 1840. PARISH OF DYCE. PRESBYTERY OF ABERDEEN, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. W. R. PIRIE, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Situation, 8fc. — The parish of Dyce lies from five to eight miles north-west of Aberdeen. The origin of its name is unknown. Va- rious suggestions have been proposed on this subject, but none of them sufficiently probable to deserve notice.* It is bounded by Newhills on the south and south-west; Kinellar on the north-west ; Fintray on the north ; New Machar and Old Macliar on the east. Its length is about six, its greatest breadth about three miles. The figure of the parish is nearly oval, slightly curved at the narrower extremity, and lying from north-west to south-east. The north-west or broader end of the oval is formed by a low-hill, called Tyrebagger, which extends downwards to the south-east nearly three miles, or half the extreme length of the parish, after which, rapidly descending, it merges in the adjacent plain. Climate. — The climate is salubrious, though variable, which probably, in some measure, accounts for the prevalence of rheuma- tic complaints. Scarlet and typhus fever also, occasionally prevail, but can generally be traced to infection. Hydrograpliy. — The river Don bounds the parish on the north and east. It rises in Strathdon, and, after a course of about sixty miles in a south-easterly direction, falls into the German ocean two miles east of Aberdeen. The haughs or low gi'ounds along the banks of this river are exceedingly valuable. They are rich alluvial deposit, and grow crops of remarkable luxuriance. It may also be noticed, that the Don is much more apt to be flood- ed than formerly, in consequence of the rapidity with which the * It is said in a former Statistical Account of the neighbouring parish of Kin- tore, that '' Dyce was in the earhest times called the chapel of St Fergus, near Moss Fcetach." The authority for this statement is not given. There is, however, a marsh in the neighbourhood, called Moss Foetach, and there can be no doubt that Dyce, as well as several adjoining parishes, were in Catholic times chapels or vicarages con- nected with the Cathedral of Old Machar. DYCE. ■ 121 rain water flows into its channel by means of those muUitudes of drains which of late years have been cut in every direction. Geology. — Granite is the only species of stone found in consi- derable quantities through this parish, of which, however, the rocks seem almost inexhaustible, extending over a greater proportion of the hill of Tyrebagger.* A quarry of it has been opened on the south-east corner of that hill, in which direction also lies the dip of the strata. Quartz chiefly preponderates in this granite. It is considered of fine quality, and a large quantity has been exported to London for the erection of public buildings. Other granite quarries have at different times been opened on the same hill, but hitherto unprofitably, chiefly in consequence of their difficulty of access, and comparative distance from Aberdeen, In consequence of the very limited demand for stone in the London market, how- ever, few of the quarries in this neighbourhood have been worked to any extent, for a very considerable period of time. Zoology. — Tiiere are a few roe-deer and blackcock in the plan- tations of Tyrebagger, with plenty of woodcock, which are occa- sionally found to hatch there. Before these barren hills were planted, there were some grouse, which have now nearly disap- peared. There are hares, partridges, snipe, wild-duck, and rab- bits in the low grounds. Trout-fishing is excellent during March and April. II. — Civil History. Land-oioners. — There are six land-owners, viz. Dr Henderson of Caskieben, author of a well known and ingenious work on wines ; Mr Gordon of Pitlurg ; Mr Bannerman of Kirkhill ; Sir John For- bes, Bart, of Fintray ; Mr Elmslie of Pitmedden's family ; and Mr Tower of Kinaldie. Each of these gentlemen has a larger rental in this parish than L. 50 per annum. Sir John Forbes and Mr Gordon reside within a few hundred yards of the parish, and by their zeal in promoting the improvement of their estates, * The writer has been informed by a very intelligent individual , who worked for several years in these quarries, that, besides being used for crib, pavement, and cause- way stones, and for house-building, the stones from Tyrebagger have been employ- ed in raising the following works : the Bell-rock Lighthouse ; Sheerness Quay wall ; Deptford Quay-wall ; West India Docks ; and Sheerness Docks. Stones from the same quarry were formed into pillars for the groins of the London Custom House, and were dressed for the long steps and coping of St Catherine's Docks ; and for the most prominent parts of the new Bridge of Don. They were likewise used in build- ing the new London Bridge, and from the same place was that fine block of granite selected which encloses certain urns and other memorials of the present age, and forms the foundation stone of that magnificent structure. In these quarries also a few specimens of dolomite have been found. 122 ABERDEENSHIRE. as well as the general prosperity of the district, amply prove the benefits resulting from personal residence of proprietors.* Parochial Registers. — The parochial registers commence with August 1645, and are regularly kept up to January 1676, with the exception of eight months previous to December 1646. Af- ter 1676 there is a hiatus of fifty years. From January 1726, they are regularly kept up to the present time. From the most ancient of these records, a considerable amount of information miffht be obtained in reference to the then existing state of society. Indeed, the facts which they contain render it highly probable, that a collation of such session records (commencing with a. d. 1638,) as are still preserved throughout the kingdom, would ma- terially tend to illustrate a most important portion of our ecclesi- astical history, which at present chiefly depends for its authority on the conflicting narratives of persons whom we know to have been avowed partizans of opposite and inveterate factions. Antiquities. — On a gentle acclivity at the south side of Tyre- bagger, and commanding a beautiful view of the sea-coast and ad- jacent lowlands, is found a Druidical temple, formed by ten rough granite stones, arranged in the figure of a circle. They are about eight feet distant from each other, the highest of them measuring ten, the lowest five feet above the surface of the ground. One of these stones, fronting due south, is of much greater breadth and depth than the others, and now appears crushing through the low and decayed pediment on which it had been originally raised. Probably it was the site of an altar, or station of the presiding priest. In the church-yard, and forming a part of its wall, stands a large oblong stone curiously carved. Some have believed it to be a Runic monument, but the cross (which can still be distinctly traced,) pervading that mass of varied sculpture with which it is inscribed, seems to render this suggestion inadmissible. In all probability it must have constituted an ornament of some former church, subsisting during the times of Catholicism. The Gouch or Gouk Stone is a large shapeless block of gra- nite, on the north-east of Caskieben, erected (as is said in the last Statistical Account,) to commemorate the death of a general of that name who was slain near it. The tradition in respect to this stone is now forgotten, and it was even with some little diffi- culty that its site could be ascertained. The Quaich Stone, built into a low wall near the same place, has no particular marks * See note to Miscellaneous Observations. DYCE. . 123 by which it might be distinguished, and the origin of its name is entirely unknown. There are tumuh in various places throughout the parish, usu- ally on small eminences. Bones have been found in some of them, (inclosed in urns of pipe-clay, nearly resembling common flower- pots in shape,) but no tradition has retained a single trace of their history. III. — Population. From the records of baptisms, marriages, and burials for some time subsequent to 1646, it would appear that the population of Dyce then must have been not less numerous than at the present day, and double its amount when the last Statistical Account was published, 150 years afterwards. This curious fact cannot be as- signed to any merely accidental or temporary cause, since these records, for nearly twenty years in the seventeenth century, are preserved ; during which time there does not appear any one year to have been a material diminution of the births and marriages. The burials are not quite so accurately recorded. From the li- mited number of places where births and marriages are mentioned as having occurred, there seema some reason to conjecture that se- veral small villages had then existed in the parish. Probably these villages were mostly in the neighbourhood of farm-buildings, where the servants and others resided for the sake of convenience and mutual protection. This would account for farm-steadings being always called " towns" in this district of Scotland. Some of them, as Kirkton, Bedlieston, &c. still retain the syllable in their pro- per names, after every vestige of a " town" in their neighbourhood has disapeared. After the year 1677, there are no data by which we could form even a probable conjecture as to the population of this parish, till the return made to Dr Webster, 1755, which gives it at that time 383. By the last Statistical Account, 1795, we find the population still on the decrease, being then stated at 352, at which time, however, it would appear to have sunk to its minimum^ having since rapidly and steadily increased, till, in 1831, it had reached 620. During the last ten years, however, it may be re- marked, that the population in this parish has been perpetually fluctuating, in proportion to the demand for quarriers. It has not been uncommon to find an increase or diminution of 50 or 60 in. the course of a few weeks. The permanent population, which ap- pears to have steadily increased (as has been mentioned) up to 1831, (when it probably amounted to something more than 500,) may now be considered as diminishing. This is chiefly owing ta 124 . ABERDEENSHIRE. the gradual removal of crofters from the more highly eultivateil portions of the parish, either to Aberdeen, where they are employ- ed by the manufacturers, or to some other country district, the barren patches which these persons have improved being (as their leases expire) incorporated with the adjoining farms. There are no towns or villages in the parish. Population by census 1831, . . 620 Yearly average of births seven years prior to 1831, 12 deaths, .... 9 marriages, • . .6 Average number of persons, by census 1831, under 15 years of age, 252 betwixt 15 and 30, . 151 SO and 50, . 144 50 and 70, . 54 upwards of 70, . 19 bachelors above 50, . , . . 3 widowers, do. ... .7 unmarried women above 45, . . 7 Number of families in the parish in 1831, . . . 112 chiefly employed in agriculture, . . 63 in trade, manufactures, or handicraft, 19 Number of illegitimate births in the parish within the last three years, 2. By a very accurate census taken in 1833, the population of this parish was found to have decreased to 485 persons, chiefly in con- sequence of the proprietors having ceased working the quarries. Of these, 178 were under fifteen years of age. By a census taken in 1839, the population was found farther decreased to 416.j Character of the People. — The people, in general, possess a great degree of sound sense, and perhaps even somethingof that sarcas- tic shrewdness which has sometimes been ascribed as a characteristic to the natives of Aberdeenshire. At the same time, they rarely in- terfere with subjects unconnected with their own private interests and domestic duties. That they are a religious people is most satisfactorily ascertain- ed by the moral respectability of their private conduct. Crimes cognizable by the civil authorities are unknown. Drunkenness is rare. Charges of bastardy may at present be averaged at three in about two years, and these are not unusually cases of relapse on the part of the females, — a striking contrast to former times. Dur- ing the short space of eleven weeks at the end of the year 1645, (about the very date which some have been pleased to esteem the golden era of Scotland's religious history,) we find from the parish records more crimes of a licentious character, occasionally accom- panied by heavy aggravations, charged before the kirk-session, and admitted by the parties, than have occurred during the last three years ! The contrast is little less striking when we compare the DYCE, 125 state of crime at the present time with that in any other portion of our parish history during the course of the seventeenth century. The superstitions which, from the same authority, we find to have then infected both clergy and people, are now generally ridiculed. If any trace of superstition still remain, it is rather practical than speculative, as in observing festival days, or concealing a child's name until the baptism, and seems rather the result of habit than of any religious prepossession. Poaching in game prevails to a considerable extent, but much more among quarriers and manufacturers than the permanent inha- bitants of the district. There is no poaching on the salmon-fish- eries, which in this parish are of very little value. IV. — Industry. Agriculture. — There are 2910 acres, standard imperial measure, of cultivated land in the parish ; 581 acres of waste land, of which perhaps 237 or thereby might, with a profitable application of ca- pital, be added to the cultivated land. There are 1176 acres un- der wood, amounting to rather more than a third of the whole pa- rish. Indeed, the hill of Tyrebagger, (with the exception of a narrow rim round its edge,) is unfit for any other purpose. The plantations are wholly Scotch fir and larch. In some places they are thriving ; but on the extensive level forming the top of the hill, they have hitherto made but little progress, chiefly in conse- quence of the poverty of the soil, and their exposure to the sea blast. Rent of Land. — The average rent of arable land is L. 1 Ster- ling per imperial acre. The average rent of grazing is at the rate of L. 2, 10s. Sterling per ox or cow, grazed during the summer season. Turnips during winter amount to about the same sum. Wages and Bates of Labour. — Ploughmen get about L. 10 per annum ; women from L. 2 to L. 4 ; day-labourers,- with victuals, from lOd. to Is.; harvest men from L. 1, lOs. to L. 2, 5s.; har- vest women from L.l, 5s. to L. 15s. ; carpenters and masons from Is. 3d. to Is. 6d. per day, with victuals; a smith receives for all the iron-work on a farm of two horse labour (price of iron includ- ed) L. 4, lOs, Sterling per annum. Smiths are never employed here by the day. Prices. — A double horse cart costs from L. 8 to L. 10 Sterling; plough for two horses L. 2, lOs. to I/. 3 Sterling; harrows I2s. each; mason-work from L. 1, 5s. to L. 2 per rood; best park timber from 8d. to lOd, per cubic foot. 126 ABERDEENSHIRE. Husbandry.— ThxYiy years ago there were several flocks of sheep in the parish, although there are now only a few kept by private families for home consumption. This change is to be attributed partly to the extent of land which has of late years been reclaimed from waste and pasture, and partly to the multiplication of planta- tions and enclosures. It is the general opinion, that the old Aberdeenshire breed of cattle is best adapted for a greater pro- portion of the soils in this parish. Some have occasionally tried the short-horned, but it seems now universally admitted that these can only be profitable on land of superior quality, and in a high state of cultivation. From a fashion of crossing these breeds, which now extensively prevails, there is some reason to dread that the pure Aberdeenshire will gradually diminish, or even may wholly disappear. Should this really occur, it is the opinion of some.'superior judges, that (considering the quality of a large pro- portion of the soil) a most serious blow would be given to the pros- perity of agriculture in this county. It appears, at any rate, a subject worthy the attention of land-owners and agricultural asso- ciations, were it only from the great respectability and skill of the individuals with whom, in this district, the above opinion is under- stood to have originated. The usual system of cropping is by a rotation of five, six, and seven years, viz. for a five-shift, grain after lea; turnips;* bear and sometimes oats laid down with clover and rye grass ; hay or pasture; pasture. For a six years shift, the same, with an addi- tional year of pasture. For a seven years shift, two grain crops before turnips; in other respects the same as the former. The greater proportion of land in this parish is best adapted for a rota- tion of six years instead of five, (which is by far the most common system,) although the farmers, in general, cannot afford, under the present depressed prices, to sacrifice a direct and immediate profit for the sake of a probable ultimate advantage. Leases. — The usual duration of leases is nineteen years. On an improving farm, however, this term is by much too short. The tenant can have no sufficient time to recover his capital and the in- terest sunk upon it, still less to gain a fair remuneration for his * It is a singular fact that turnips are, every rotation, ciminisbing in size on rich old infield land, scarcely equalling those raised on land newly reclaimed. Turnips raised on land long cultivated have also, since 1819, been frequently visited by mil- dew in this county, although (notwithstanding that the leaves all wither and fall off) without any appearance of an evil result, The writer takes this opportunity of acknowledging the able assistance of his parishioner, Mr Hervey of Bedlieston, in drawing up these statistics of Husbandry. DYCE. 127 risk and labour. On an improved farm (especially where the soil is of unequal quality) leases should be granted not arbitrarily, but to correspond with a suitable rotation of cropping. Farm- Buildings. — The farm houses are in general substantial, and several on the estates of Caskieben and Dyce are built in a very ornamental style, usually that of the cottage ornee. The steadings attached to these are very complete, arranged in the figure of a square, slated, and with thrashing-mills attached. Most of the farms in this parish are inclosed, and several of them thorough- ly and substantially, with stone walls four feet high. The expense of these inclosures is from 4d. to 6d. an ell, excluding the mate- rials. At the same time, there are considerable exceptions to these favourable statements. In some parts of the parish farm-buildings and inclosures are very indifferent, in a few instances, even little less wretched than they are in general found commodious and substan- tial. It need hardly be mentioned, that the latter description ap- plies chiefly to small farms where the soil is of very inferior qua- lity. It is only fair to add, that even in these cases there seems at present a decided tendency towards improvement. Improvements. — Little, comparatively speaking, remains to be done in the way of reclaiming waste land. During the last twenty years, six or seven hundred acres of barren soil have been improved. On the north and west all that can be done has already been ac- complished, and if the extensive improvements now in progress through other parts of the parish be carried into effect with the same energy and perseverance as they have hitherto been pursued, .all the barren land which has the smallest chance of being culti- vated with success will be reclaimed in the course of a very few years. Mr Hervey, who holds the farm of Bedlieston from William Gordon, C. S., Esq. has raised a very extensive embankment for the protection of his valuable haugh land against the inundations of the river Don. It has hitherto proved effectual, with the excep- tion of a few cases when the river has risen to a very unusual ex- tent, as in August 1829.* There are no obstacles to improvement in any way peculiar to this parish. The low price of grain, high rents, short leases, bad roads, and incessant agitation of the corn laws, are of course severely felt here as in other places. The pay- ment of miln multures, which seems to have been considered a se- * Within the last three years, however, several of these high floods have occurred. There can be no doubt this is owing to the multiplication of drains. As both spring and surface draining is still continuing to progress, it will probably soon become ne- cessary to throw a great proportion of haugh land permanently into grass. L. 4067 4 . 784 16 1210 10 396 600 707 8 128 ABERDEENSHIRE. rious grievance when the former Statistical Account was written, is now falling gradually into disuse. Produce.— "The average gross amount of raw produce raised in the parish on an average of the last seven years, so far as it can be ascertained, is as follows: — Oats, 3968 bolls, at L. 1, Os. 6d. per boll, Bear, with fodder, 654 bolls, at L. 1, 4s. Turnips, 269 acres, at L. 4, 10s. per acre. Potatoes, 44 acres, at L. 9 per acre, . . . Hay, 24,000 stones, at 6d. per stone, Pasture, 786 acres, 18s. per acre, . . L.7765 18 The value of the quarries cannot be ascertained. V. — Parochial Economy. Market- Toio7i. — Aberdeen, distant from six to eight miles, is the nearest market-town. Means uf Communication. — The turnpike from Aberdeen to In- verness, or great north road, forms the boundary of the parish on the west for a distance of two miles. The turnpike from Aber- deen to Banff crosses it near the other extremity, where it is scarce- ly a mile in breadth.* The canal from Aberdeen to Inverury also passes through this parish. This canal is believed to be a verj in- different speculation in respect to profit, but is found exceedingly convenient by those living near it, for the conveyance of coals and lime at a reasonable rate. Passage boats also ply from Aber- deen to Inverury twice a- day during the summer. Ecclesiastical State. — The church is situated at the northern ex- tremity of the parish, on a rocky promontory formedi by a winding of the river Don, and commanding a view of the rich valley of that river for upwards of twenty miles, until its course be lost among the range of hills that rise in the Highland district of Al- ford. It is an ancient building, and from its iron cross still left on the east end, and its carved stone work on the gables, we may sup- pose it to have been built a considerable time prior to the Refor- mation. It has frequently been altered and repaired, but is still in a very insufficient state, and hardly adequate for the accommo- dation of the increased population of the parish. The manse and offices were rebuilt about ten years ago, and the * The Bridge of Dyce, on the road from Aberdeen to Banff, was erected by Mr Burn of Haddington, It is a wooden arch, of above 100 feet span, resting upon two abutments or land-breasts of good masonry. The framing, as seen in the intrados of the arch, display sound judgment, united to great mechanical skill. The architect (it may be remarked) preferred for the workmanship of this bridge, the natural wood of Braemar, in this county, to Baltic timber. Its light and elegant outline adds greatly to the effect of the fine river scenery. DYCE. 129 work was executed in a very substantial manner. The glebe mea- sures a little more than 5 acres, and may be of the yearly value of L. 10 Sterling, The teinds amount to L. 1 13 Sterling per annum, and the ba- lance of stipend is supplied from the Exchequer allowance. Notwithstanding the nearness of this parish to Aberdeen, by which it is placed completely within its vortex of agitation, not a single Seceder is to be found in it, and only three Dissenters of any description, — one female who is a Roman Catholic, and an aged pair who are Episcopalians, but occasionally attend the pa- rish church. The average number of communicants is 230. The average amount of church collections for all purposes is about L. 32. Education. — The parochial is the only school in the parish. The branches there taught are, reading, writing, English gram- mar, arithmetic, and Latin. All the pupils are daily examined on the principles of religious truth. The schoolmaster's salary is L. 26 Sterling, and the school-fees average about L. 8 Sterling per annum. The schoolmasters of this district are, however, now receiving a larg^e addition to their salaries from a fund left for that purpose by the late Mr Dick, a gentleman from Morayshire. The school-fees are, reading, 2s. ; reading and writing, 2s. 6d. ; reading, writing, and arithmetic, 3s. ; mathematics, 6s. ; Latin, 4s. per quarter; they are, on the whole, regularly paid. The people in general are fully alive to the benefits of edu- cation, and there are extremely few in this parish who cannot read, and do not avail themselves of the opportunities they enjoy for educating their families. The west and north-west districts of the parish are from three to four miles distant from school. Va- rious attempts have been made to remedy this inconvenience, but hitherto unsuccessfully. The population of these districts is very considerable. Poor and Parochial Funds. — The average number of persons receiving parochial aid is 16. The average sum allotted to each is Is. 2d. per week, or L. 3, Is. lid. per annum. Annual amount of contributions for the poor : Collections, L. 29, 19s. 3d.; interest of money, L. 6 ; Wilson's mortification for aged females, L. 7, 2s.; legacies, donations, &c. L. 7; total, L. 50, Is. 3d. The above is the whole sum annually distributed, although there is little probability of its continuing adequate to meet the demands of an increasing number of claimants. Until ABERDEEN. I li^O ABERDEENSHIRE. lately, there has ever been a marked reluctance annongst the poor to apply for sessional relief, but it is to be regretted that this feel- ing is in some instances beginning to diminish. The causes of this change, although extremely important, and sufficiently ob^ vious, are too multiplied, and too much involved in the general history of the country to admit of being detailed here. We may only remark in general, from consequences already observable to a limited extent, that, if this honourable feeling of independence among the poorer classes continue to decrease or altogether dis- appear, a legal assessment (so much dreaded by some) will be one of the most trivial evils to be apprehended. Inns. — There is only one inn in the parish, which, lying on the high road, is chiefly frequented by strangers. Fuel. — Coals are almost the only fuel used. The poorest class occasionally use broom and whin bushes for fuel during the winter. The price of English coals in Aberdeen varies from Ss. 2d. to 4s. 6d. per boll, a third larger than the imperial boll. They may be conveyed to this parish by a canal boat, for 7d. or Sd. ad- ditional. Miscellaneous Observations. Nearly a third of the whole arable land in the parish has been reclaimed within the last thirty years, so that, making allowance for the difficulties to be encountered from poverty of soil and other causes, there are few parishes within the county which can rival Dyce in the extent of improvement which has taken place since the last Statistical Account was published. The estate of Cas- kieben rented at that time L. 212, it is now worth L. 1000 per annum. Dyce rented L. 850, it is now worth nearly L. 1100 per annum, and the extensive improvements still in progress on this estate must, in a few years, greatly enhance its value.* Upwards of three-fourths of the wood in this parish has been planted with- in the last twelve years. * These improvements have been, in a gi'eat measure, suspended (since the above was written,) in consequence of the lamented death of Mr Gordon of Pitiurg, the proprietor. His heir being a minor, many years must elapse before the result anti- cipated in the above passage is ever likely to be realized. So uncertain are (what appear to be) the best founded expectations of human beings ! January 1840. PARISH OF UDNY. PRESBYTERY OF ELLONj SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. JOHN LESLIE, MINISTER. L — Topography and Natural History. Name. — Udny derives its name from a family, which, for many centuries, has possessed the barony of Udny, on which the kirk stands. The etymology of Udny is not known. It was erected into a parish by act of Parliament, passed 19th December 1597, entitled " Ratification — Ane Act anent Christ's Kirk of Udny" being separated from the parishes of Ellon, Tarves, Logie Buchan, and Foveran. The lands taken from Ellon and Logie Buchan still pay small sums out of the teinds of these lands to the ministers of Ellon and Logie Buchan. Extent and Boundaries, 8fe. — The parish is almost circular, ex- cept on the north-east, where it juts out to a considerable extent. It is supposed to contain about 16 square iniles. It is situated in the district of Aberdeenshire called Formartin, and is bounded on the north and north-west, by Tarves; on the west, by Bour- tie ; on the south-west, by Keithhall ; on the south, by New Machar and Fintray ; on the south-east, by Belhelvie ; on the east, by Foveran ; and on the north-east, by Logie Buchan and Ellon. Three small streams run from west to east till they terminate in the river Ythan, about six miles distant. Two of these streams bound the parish, — the one on the south, the other on the north. Abundance of granite, and a vein of limestone, runs from south- west to north-east in a zig-zag direction. In many places the vein is covered with a stratum of grayish slate, and the lime-rock is all more or less mixed with the slate, which injures the quality of the lime. Lime-works have frequently been started ; but are never work- ed to any extent, as the water breaking in upon the quarry, and the inferior quality of the lime, render them a losing concern. The soil is for the most part loam, on a bottom of granite, and sometimes on clay. The granite bottom is under the best soil. 132 ABEllDEENSHIRE, II. — Civil History. Proprietors. — These are, Earl of Aberdeen, Sir William C. Setoo of Pitmedden, and Colonel Udny of Udny. The rest of the pa- rish is divided among eight heritors and three bodies corporate. Registers. — A baptism and money register were begun about the year 1720, but have been very irregularly kept, especially the former. Mansion- Houses. — In 1819, a neat mansion-house was built of granite, on the estate of Pittrichie, then the property of James W. Mackenzie, Esq. The property now belongs to Alexander Milne, Esq. On the barony of Udny is a Castle, supposed, from its shape, to have been built about the end of the thirteenth, or beginning of the fourteenth century. Its dimensions are, length outside 46 feet; inside 28 feet; breadth outside 35 feet; inside 17 feet; height 71 feet. The walls are thick enough to admit of bed-closets within them. The two under-stories are vaulted, the upper one of which contains a spacious hall, the whole length and breadth of the castle. It is neatly floored, or rather pavemented, with oblong hexagonal granites, very neatly joined. Its height to the top of the arch is about 20 feet. An attempt was made in 1801 to modernize the castle ; but the undertaker of the work having failed in circumstances, it remains in an unfinished state. The castle is said to have been the work of three successive proprietors, who all lived the ordinary period of life. One built the two under-stories, or the vaulted work, the next completed the walls, and the third put on the roof. It is re- ported that all the three were nearly ruined by it. This is not to be wondered at, when we consider that they had only the barony of Udny, not 400 Scots acres in extent ; and at that time there could not be more than 60 acres in cultivation. The present proprietor has extensive estates in this parish, likewise in Ellon and Foveran. At Tillygreig, the seat of Arthur Harvey, Esq. is a small man- sion, suited to the estate, which rents about L. 500. It is about to be repaired and enlarged. At Pitmedden are two mansions, both in ruins. III. — Population. The population in 1801, was 1242 1811, 1210 182r, 1328 1831, 1309 UDNY. 133 Number of families in the parish in 1831, . . 263 chiefly employed in agriculture , 192 trade, manufactures, or handicraft, 29 Number of persons under \o years of age, . . • 254 betwixt \5 and 30, . . 530 30 and 50, ... 350 50 and 70, . . .176 upwards of 70, . . . • 17 There are 8 proprietors of land in the parish having above L. 50 of yearly rent, but none of them resident. There are 2 insane, and 2 fatuous persons in the parish. Number of illegitimate births during the last three years, 12. IV. — Industry. Agriculture. — Acres in cultivation, about . . . 7500 not susceptible of cultivation, . . 400 susceptible of cultivation but not cultivated, . 150 About 60 acres may be supposed to fall to Hillbrae, in the parish of Udny, of an undivided common between Udny, Belhelvie, and Foveran, called Faichside. About 270 acres are planted, chiefly with fir. About ninety years ago, Mains of Udny, being the lands about Udny Castle, were tastefully laid out in square fields, averaging about 16 acres, and divided by lanes, all planted with four rows of beech and elm, and a hawthorn hedge next the fields. The hedges are all decayed, and the two inner rows of trees were cut down about forty years ago. The outer rows have attained a considerable size, and give the place, at a distance, the appearance of a close wood, and the castle appears to advantage in the centre. Rent. — The rent of land is a trifle under L.l Sterling an impe- rial acre. Live-Stock. — Much attention has been paid of late to the im- provement of cattle, by importing breeds from Kirkcudbright and Durham; but the Aberdeenshire breed, mostly black without horns, suit the country best, as they thrive upon inferior keep. Rearing cattle is more advantageous than raising grain. Draining. — Though much has been done by draining, yet no branch of improvement has been less attended to. The drains are seldom cut deep enough. This is principally owing to the open ditches, or water tracks, not being cut to a sufficient depth to admit the water from the drains on either side of the ditch. Seldom are either the ditches or drains cut deeper than three feet, or three feet and a half, whereas the ditches should never be less than seven feet, and the drains about five feet and a half deep. 134 ABERDEENSHIRE. Leases. — Leases are generally for nineteen years— by far too short a period upon unimproved farms. Most of the land is entailed, and the proprietors are restricted from giving leases for more than nineteen years, and also from giv- ing more than one year's rent at the end of the lease, for houses, fences, drains, &c. in short, for all improvements. These restric- tions were long acted up to by the proprietors, but have been as much as possible departed from by them for several years; and many of them, at their own risk and expense, give great encouragement to industrious tenants. There is an emulation, in most cases, be- tween the proprietor and his tenants, whether the former shall be the more liberal, or the latter the more industrious. The result has been, that the rental of the parish, about forty years ago little more than L. 2000, is now above L. 7000, and the farmers' capi- tal has increased more in proportion than the rent. The valued rent of the parish is L. 5831 Scots, divided as follows : — Udny, possessed by Colonel John Robert Udny Fullerton, . L.813 12 Knapern, Earl of Aberdeen, . ' . . 628 5 10 Part of Pittrichie, Do. . . . . 857 18 Sj'^ Part of Pittrichie, Alexander Milne, Alexander Duncan, Alexander Johnston, and the kirk-session of Meldrum, — their proportions not known, . . . . . 492 1 Sf-^ Drumbreck, the President and Governors of Robert Gordon's Hospi- tal, Aberdeen, . • Orchard town, Do. u-' ' ' Pitmedden, Sir William Coa,te Seton. Bart. Balnakettle, King's College, Aberdeen, Tillyeve, Do. Bursary land, mortified by an Earl of Findlater, who was Chancellor of King's College, Aberdeen, Tillycorthie, George Angus, . . . Hillbrae, John Thom, Advocate in Aberdeen, Tillygreig, Heirs of John Harvey of Kinnettles, Slagmagally, Alexander Thomson of Banchory, . Torryleith, Mrs Ramsay of Barra, Quarries. — There are granite and limestone, both worked with iron levers and hammers, and the rock occasionally burst with powder. Average amount of Raw Produce: — Grain About 10,500 quarters of oats, and 400 quarters of bear ; of •which about 2000 quarters are consumed in seed, and about 3000 quarters in meal, malt, barley, in corn to horses and poultry, leaving 6000 to be disposed of at L.l per quarter, . . . L. 6000 140 tons of beef, at L. 44 a ton, annually sold, • 6160 Considerable quantities of potatoes and turnips are raised, as nearly one-sixth of the arable land is annually in crops of these ; the extent of turnip land to that of potatoe land being as 7 to 1. Little or none is sold. Cattle are fed with the turnips, and the potatoes are consumed with men, horses, a few swine and poultry. Little cultivated and no meadow hay, is raised, as the land pays better in pasture. Very few sheep are liept. What are kept is of the large kind, and weigh from 64 to 80 pounds. 564 613 13 4 621 200 was 266 13 4 120 65 8 371 14 2 '50 166 13 4 L. 5831 L.1500 448 182 UDNY. 135 An ox of 7 cwt. costs L. 2, 10s. for grazing. About 23 tons of butter sold annually, at L. 60 per ton, 16 tons of cbeese L. 28 — Eggs, at 4d. per dozen, . L. 14,290 Formerly, a considerable sumVas realized annually for poultry. Now, the farmers can afford to use all their poultry themselves, and none is sold but by the cottars and tenants on small possessions. The butter and cheese, especially the former, made in this pa- rish, are considered of superior quality. This is owing to most of the land being on an open or rocky bottom, producing fine grass. The land is mannged oenerallv under a six or seven shift. In the former case, which only answers with the better land, one-half of the farm is under grain, one-third under grass, and one-sixth under tur- nips and potatoes. There is little clay land in the parish, and con- sequently little fallow. All the farmers have small gardens for rais- inor veoretables for their families. In manv of them are raised gooseberries and currants, and a few apples. At Pitmedden, the seat of Sir William C. Seton, is one of the finest and best laid out gardens in the north of Scotland. It was made at a great expense, about the middle of the seventeenth century, and produces apples and pears, especially the former, superior to any in Scotland. V. — Parochial Economy. Means of Communication. — A post-office was established in the centre of the parish about three years ago, by the influence of the Earl of Aberdeen, who does everything his Lordship can for the good of the country. Thece is a daily post from Aberdeen. A turnpike from Aberdeen leading north, and another from Nevp- burgh, the nearest port, distant seven miles, leading west, cross each other in the centre of the parish. The line of turnpike be- tween Aberdeen and Meldrum passes through the west part of the parish, nearly parallel with the road from Aberdeen through the centre of the parish. A public coach passes and i-epasses daily on both the turnpikes from Aberdeen. All the streams which public roads cross have excellent stone bridges. Ecclesiastical State. — The church is situated within half-a-mile of the north boundary of the parish — rather inconveniently for people in the south end of the parish. It was built in 1821, and seated for 750. The seats are all rent-free, and the church is very commodious, with a neat low spire. The manse was built in 1759, and repaired and enlarged in 136 ABERDEENSHIRE. 1781. The glebe consists of about 7 imperial acres, 4 of good land, 3 of bad — value L.IO per annum. The stipend is 16 chalders of victual, half meal half barley — barley Linlithgow measure. About 280 families in the parish, and, in general, between 500 and 600 persons attend the Established Church every Sabbath. There are 8 families of Episcopalians, and 7 of Seceders in the parish. The Established Church is remarkably well attended. Within the last seven years, the number of communicants has increased from 527 to 598. Education. — There are two schools, — one parochial and the other on the teacher's own adventure. The latter receives small sums from some of the heritors occasionally as a reward. Salary of parochial school is L. 32 ; amount of fees of each school about L. 20 a year. The parochial schoolmaster has the legal accommodation. School- fees per quarter, 2s. for English; 3s. for English and writing; 4s. for arithmetic; and 5s. for Latin. Till the present parochial schoolmas- ter fell into bad health, when it was given up, an academy was kept at the parochial school for nearly fifty years, attended by from 20 to 30 gentlemen's sons, at L. 30 a-year for board and education. The academy was the means of giving better education to the parishioners than any of their neighbours had an opportunity of obtaining. Many of the younger farmers belonging to the parish, who received their education at the Udny Academy, attended se- veral sessions at the Aberdeen universities. Some of the pa- rishioners' sons became professional men, who, had it not been for the academy, would have been in humble life. There is not a person in the parish above fifteen years of age who cannot read and write. Poor and Parochial Funds — About 31 receive parochial aid, at the average rate of L. 1, 16s. per annum. Besides these, several are maintained at from 2s. to 3s. per week, and many get occa- sional supplies. Average collection on Sundays at the church 10s. The poor's fund has also the interest of a mortified sum of L. 350. Use of mortcloth yields about L.2, 15s. per annum; and fines for im- moralities L.3 per annum; accidental legacies, in small sums, may yield L. 8 per annum, and gifts from charitable individuals may yield L. 4 per annum. It is much to be regretted that many of the poor, when once they receive a little relief, anxiously look for , UDNY. 137 more ; and when they once receive relief, it too frequently breaks the spring of industry, and renders them quite dependent. Fairs. — Three fairs are held at Green of Udny, chiefly for dis- posing of black-cattle. The fairs are well attended. Inns. — There are 7 inns, by far too many, as they have a very bad effect on the morals of the people. Fuel. — Formerly peats were the only fuel, procured at a great waste of time and labour, though little or no money was laid out for it. Now, about one-half of the fuel is coals, bought at Aberdeen and Newburgh, at about 4s. the imperial boll of 36 stones. Coals are much cheaper than peat. Miscellaneous Observations. At the time of the former Statistical Account, forty-six years ago, a great proportion of the parish was covered with broom, whins, and bulrushes. These are now extirpated, and the eye meets with nothing but cultivated and mostly enclosed fields. Fewer hands are now employed in agriculture than were formerly, in proportion to the extent cultivated. The improved method of working, especially the thrashing-machines, as every farm above fifty acres has a thrash- ing-machine, has greatly diminished human labour. The conse- quence has been, that many of the labourers have repaired to Aberdeen, or where they could find employment, which accounts for there being more births than burials in the parish. About forty years ago, there were ten meal mills in the parish. The spare grain was all milled and sold in-Aberdeen. There are now only three meal mills in the parish. These have not constant em- ployment. The farmers mill little more than what is sufficient for their families. It is found more advantageous to sell grain than meal. In the parish are 8 blacksmiths, 8 shoemakers, 5 tailors, 5 Wrights, and 3 masons. Most of them work by the piece. There are 2 gardeners, who work at Is. 6d. per day, with victuals. Farm- servants compose the chief body of the people. They are sober, industrious, and trustworthy. Some of the tradesmen are dissi- pated. There are 6 merchants in the parish upon a small scale. They all retail groceries and coarse cloth. Most of them sell spirits, which circumstance has a strong tendency to hurt the mo- rals of the people. The farmers take most of their groceries from Aberdeen. Many of the cottars and small tenants barter their butter and eggs with the country retailers, for groceries. A few weeks before Whitsunday and Martinmas, markets are 138 ABERDEENSHIRE. held in different parts of the country for engaging farm-servants. The best sign of the times is, when the servants are scarce, and wages high. January 1840. PARISH OF OLD DEER. PRESBYTERY OF DEER, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. JOHN MORISON, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — The word Deer, which gives name at once to the pa- rish, to the village that lies contiguous to the parish church, and to the presbytery of the bounds, appears, on a review of eccleifias- tical and other records, to have been spelled differently at different periods, but always to have been composed of letters which, when spoken according to the ordinary rules of pronunciation, would have invariably produced the same sound. The intelligent author of the last Statistical Report of the parish traces the origin of the name Deer to a Gaelic word signifying the worship of God ; others, again, have traced its etymology to a Saxon word signifying hollow or valley. Extent, ^c. — The parish is situated about the centre of the district of Buchan. It is not less than 11 miles long in its greatest dimension from south-east to north-west, and from 5 to 6 miles broad, where it is widest. At an average, it may be com- puted as being 9^ miles in length, by 4^ miles in breadth ; thus containing upwards of 40 square miles of surface, or about 25,000 imperial acres. Mr Robertson, in his map of the counties of Aber- deen, &c. estimates the extent of the parish in Aberdeenshire at 22,940 acres, and in Banffshire, 2777 acres ; an estimate which agrees pretty nearly with that above given. The less portion is generally supposed to be a detached part of a great barony, the body of which constitutes the parish of St Fergus, that belonged to a family of the name of Cheyne, once hereditary sheriffs of the county of Banff, who had their castle or principal residence at In- verugie. These lands came into the possession of the Marischal fa- mily, in consequence of an alliance by marriage of one of the OLD DEER. 139 Keiths with the heiress of that house, about the middle of the four- teenth century. The parish is of an irregular shape, and in many places without any distinct or natural boundary, bearing some re- semblance to the usual form of a cross tree, a sort o^ yoke that em- braces the neck, and stretches over the shoulders, — from the ends of which, persons, for the sake of ease and convenience, often sus- pend and carry water buckets or such like burdens. The space corresponding with the cavity that receives the neck is on the east side, and belongs to the parish of Longside ; and the site of the parish church is in the line of that encroachment, little more than a mile from the junction of the two parishes, and about 10^ miles by the public road from the nearest sea-port, at the parliamentary burgh and market-town of Peterhead. Topogra-pliical Appearances. — The surface is undulating, present- ing to the eye of a spectator, placed on an elevated situation, a group of eminences of various sizes and forms, separated from one another, and in som.e instances altogether surrounded by rivulets or rills. Many of these eminences, the highest of which it is probable, though no exact measurement of their altitude has been taken, does not exceed between 200 and 300 feet above the level of the sea, are cultivated to the top ; and most of the interjacent valleys are now brought under tillage, to which great encouragement has been given by several proprietors, particularly of late, in cleaning and straighting water -courses, so as to facilitate the means of drainage, and prevent flooding. The peninsular situation of Buchan, at least the distance it stretch 172 297 586 54 76 165 160 751 Capt. Ferguson of Pitfour's do. 21 24 52 95 4 13 21 34 116 Mr Gordon of Manar's do. 171 211 311 607 30 51 91 107 698 Murtle's Trustees, (Old Maud,) 47 57 99 192 10 17 28 62 220 Lands of Cu'sh, 28 61 62 147 9 9 19 44 166 Lands of Nethermuir, 60 51 1221 203 7 29 40 54 243 Lands of Barrack, 3-2 27 47 86 15 25 48 19 1.34 Mr F. Irvine, (Auchnagatt,) Totol, 21 777 30 9.38 47 99 2 172 10 342 16 614 9J 115 1573 3008 887 3622 Statistic s-of iscop the Dissenters. Ep al. Seceders. Indepen. Baptists. 1 ,= ci S o o cci S o 't^ ^<^ s o o c'ci 5 & — U H D " U H -)-! ■J H UJ-i ;-> E- Lord Aberdeen, 14 16 41 92 104 6 6 Brucklaw, 13 14 34 36 60 124 5 2 7 Capt. Ferguson of Pitfour, 1 1 4 12 20 Mr Gordon of Manar, 6 14 26 24 35 63 2 2 Old Maud, 10 17 28 Culsh, 9 9 19 Mr Gordon of Nethermuir, 1 1 6 25 32 1 3 7 n Barrack, 2 4 14 20 41 3 3 Auchnagatt, 1 2 10 16 Total, 20 46 82 146 280 507 1 12 16 5 4 c The number of Dissenting families may be about 120 ; the number of those attending the Established Church, 657. The average ^number of communicants that attend the Established 184 ABERDEENSHIRE. Church and communicate is 1240.* They all attend the ordinan- ces of religion regularly. Education. — There are three parochial schools, endowed with the minimum salary each. The parochial school in the Kirktown is in very bad repair, and the heritors will do nothing to renew it, not conceiving themselves obliged by the late act of Parliament. The branches taught in the three parochial schools are, reading, writ- ing, arithmetic, book-keeping, Latin, Greek, mathematics. Some of these are but rarely required. The salary of each of the school- masters is L. 21, 7s. 9d. The amount of the school-fees of all three is L. 62, 9s. lOd. One of them as session-clerk has in per- quisites L. 5, 10s. There are also six private schools on the teachers' own adven- ture, two of them taught by females. The common branches of education are taught in them. In addition to their other emoluments, the three parochial teachers derive from L. 20 to L. 30 each annually from a mortifi- cation made by the late Mr Dick of Forres. Education. — Males. Females. Total. No. under 5 years old learning to read, . 40 42 82 No. between 3 and 15 learning to read, . 426 390 816 No. between 5 and 15 learning to write, . 331 200 531 With the exception of some very aged people, there are but very few above fifteen years of age who cannot read and write in a tolerable manner. The people in general wish to learn, but their poverty compels them to remove their children during the busy season from school, and put them to labour. Library. — There is a library kept in the village ; the books are in circulation among the members, and exchanged once a month. Poor. — There are between 70 and 80 persons on the poor's roll, and every prospect of the number increasing. They receive from 6s. to L. 1 a quarter, and some of them 2s. 6d. a-week. The fund to supply this expense arises from the interest of L.700 stock, and the weekly collections, the latter amounting to upwards of L. 50 per annum. There are other incidents, as the proceeds of a mort- cloth, and occasional contributions from some of the heritors, and other individuals. I am sorry to see that the disposition among the poor to resort to parochial relief is increasing. The Dissenters contribute little or nothing to the support of the poor. A change * The above attend at the parish church ; the remainder at the surrounding pa- rish churches; some at New Pitsligo, some at New Byth, some at Methlic, some at Strichen, some at Old Deer, and some at Monquhitter. ST FERGUS. 185 of the law compelling them to support their own poor would be very desirable. Fairs, — There are five fairs held in the village annually. One in April ; a feeing market in May ; and a market in June ; one in October, and a feeing market in November ; at all these, horses, cattle, sheep, &c. are exposed to sale. Inns. — There are three inns in the village. Two of them prin- cipal ones. Spirits are also sold by most of the retailers of tea and tobacco. These, however, through the whole parish, do not ex- ceed eight or nine. Fuel. — The fuel principally used is peat, procured from the neighbouring mosses, at the cost of about Is. 9d. a cart load. Revised January 1840. PARISH OF ST FERGUS. PRESBYTERY OF DEER, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. JAMES ANDERSON, A. M. MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — This parish was formerly named Langley, and ori- ginally Inverugie. It assumed its present designation in the year 1616 ; but for what special reasons cannot be accurately ascertain- ed, though it would appear to have been intended as a compliment to the memory of its ancient patron saint. Situation, Boundaries, Extent. — This parish, though locally situated in Aberdeenshire, belongs to the county of Banff, to which it was annexed at a very early period by an act of Legislature, ob- tained through the influence of the Cheynes, the ancient proprie- tors, who, being the hereditary sheriffs of Banff, were naturally very desirous to have their own domains placed under their own jurisdiction. But its connection with the county of Banff is now recognized in no other way than by the payment of the ordinary taxes. It is bounded on the east, by the German Ocean ; on the south, by the river Ugie ; on the north, by the parish of Crimond ; and on the west, by the parish of Longside. Its extreme length is SJ miles, and its greatest breadth 3^ miles. Its superficial extent is about 12 square miles. Topographical Appearances. — The sea beach is flat and sandy. 186 ABERDEENSHIRE. It forms, as justly described in the former Statistical Account, " two segments of a circle — the one, beginning at the mouth of the Ugie, terminates at Scotstown Craig, and the other extends from there to Rattraj'-head." A strong natural rampart of closely connected clay hills, elevated by the accumulation of drift sand, and thickly covered with bent grass, divides the shore from the land, and is of vast consequence in preventing the blowing of the sand by strong easterly winds. Along this line, but of various breadth, runs a plain of the finest downs or links perhaps in Scot- land, affording excellent pasture for sheep and young cattle, and ca- pital ground for the golf-player, though perhaps rather too level for the lovers of a hazardous game. The lower part of the parish, to the extent of a mile from the shore, presents a flat appearance, from whence it gradually rises in elevation towards the western ex- tremity, with many beautiful undulations. There is no elevation in the parish which merits the designation of a hill, if we except an eminence of inconsiderable height in the vicinity of Inverugie Castle, known by the name of the Castle-hill. Though naked in winter from the general absence of trees, the parish presents to the eye of the stranger entering it from the south, in summer, a love- ly and inviting aspect — by exhibiting one unbroken spread of culti- vated surface. The mosses, which are not within sight of the main road, are the only land which has not yet yielded to the conquest of the plough. Meteorology — Climate. — From its proximity to the sea, and the retentive quality of the soil, the climate of this parish is rather cold and damp. Of late years the springs have been less mild and the winters less severe, than they are reported to have been in for- mer times. Here it may be truly said in the language of the poet, " Spring is but the child Of churlish winter in her froward moods, Discovering much the temper of her sire." The mean range of the thermometer in summer is from 52° to 57°, and in winter from 38° to 48^ on Fahrenheit's scale ; and that of the barometer, in summer, from 29.49 to 29.56, and in winter from 29.40 to 29.47. The autumnal frosts for the last fifteen years have not set in so early or with such severity, as previous to that period. Formerly, the growth gained by the trees in summer was generally lost in winter; the tender shoots being nipt by the early frost before they were sufficiently matured to resist it. Now we see the crown bud of the last year''s branch giving birth in spring to its natural successor. Notwithstanding the humidity of the atmosphere, and the fre- ST FEllGUS. 187 Quent alternations of the weather, it does not appear that there are any diseases which may strictly be called endemic in the parish, nor are the inhabitants less healthy than in the more inland parts of the country, though strangers coming to reside in it with a pre- disposition to rheumatic and stomach complaints are generally backward to bear testimony to the salubrity of its -chmate. There were twenty-four individuals lately living upwards of eighty years of age ; and one man, in his eighty-eighth year,* is able to attend to the business of a small farm, and to walk to church almost every Sabbath from a distance of more than two miles. One man died in 1835 aged ninety-six. The writer's maternal grandfather, who died in 1810, aged ninety-three, officiated as an elder at the dis- pensation of the Lord's Supper in this parish in that year. The oldest person now living in the parish is a woman aged ninety-two. The prevailing winds are, the north, north-east, and north-west. The north-west is of all others to which we are exposed the most destructive to vegetation. It would tend much to meliorate the climate, and to ensure an earlier and less precarious vegetation, if the west and north-west boundaries of the parish were skirted with a broad selvage of planting. It is needless to hint what an acqui- sition this would be to our tame scenery; and, whilst it gave a more imposing aspect to the landscape, it would impart additional value to the soil. It is to be hoped, when the opportunity of en- tertaining this proposition is afforded by the expiry of the present leases, that it will meet with due attention in the proper quarter. Hydrography. — The Ugie is the only stream of water in the parish which deserves the name of a river. It consists of two branches, called the North and the South Ugie, which unite in the parish of Longside ; from whence it flows in one channel along the south boundary of St Fergus to the ocean. In the upper dis- tricts of the parish, in dry summers, there is often a scarcity of water for cattle. In the lower district there are several excellent perennial springs. A few are chalybeate, but none of a very strong impregnation. About forty years ago, a canal was cut at a great expense along the south side of the parish. The then pro- prietor had contemplated its extension to Peterhead, in order to open up a water-carriage from that port to different parts of his extensive estates in Old Deer, Longside, and St Fergus ; but meeting with some difficulties in effecting the necessary arrange- * John Milne in KilkyhilL The above was written in 1837. He is still living, attending to the concerns of his farm, and able to attend church in a good day. — Ja- nuary 1840. 188 ABERDEENSHIRE. ments with neighbouring heritors, the plan was abandoned. It subserved, for some years, the purpose of conveying shell-sand, with which the coast abounds, to the farms more remote from the sea; but it is now entirely useless, unless as a reservoir for water to the farm-steadings in its neighbourhood, and is fast filling up. Geology.- — The greater part of the parish consists of a strong adhesive clay, incumbent on a bed of ferruginous gravel, which alternates, as far as the writer had an opportunity of observing, with a white silicious sand. There are numerous boulders in the pa:-ish of gneiss, granite, trap, and graywacke; but the only rocks in situ are those at Craig Ewen, and Scotstown Head on the coast. At Craig Ewen, granite of a binary compound predominates, with very little quartz, and where there is a vein cutting the native bed, which rarely occurs, it is of a compact felspar of a very deep red, and occasionally manifesting a great tendency to decomposition. The soil in the neighbourhood is clayey. The rocks at Scotstown Head, which are only accessible at low water, consist of granite, gneiss, trap, quartz, and primitive lime- stone. The gneiss and granite appear frequently in close and inseparable union. The granite varies in appearance as it comes more or less into contact with the gneiss ; where the junction is complete, it is white. Where the granite underlies the gneiss, but without any union between them except contiguity, it assumes a dark colour, and discovers more hornblende in its composition than in its other positions. At one point the granite is graphic. The general surface of the rocks exhibits gneiss, granite, trap, and quartz, all blended together, and in forms of connection, vary- ing almost at every step. The limestone is separated by a fissure from the granite, but appears in one or two places united to the gneiss; and there is reason to believe that it forms a junction with the granite at a more remote distance from the shore. At Hythie, in the parish of Old Deer, and in a line due west from Scotstown Head, limestone and granite of the same character as at the latter place, make their appearance in very intimate union. At Black- stones, between Scotstown rocks and Craig Ewen, there are three distinct congeries of large boulders within the flood-mark, con- sisting indiscriminately of granite, graphic granite, primary and secondary limestone, puddingstone, graywacke, gneiss, and basalt. In the secondary limestone, ammonites are occasionally found, and also impressions of a species of mussel not now known upon this coast. There is abundance of peat moss in the parish, but none of re* ST FERGUS. 189 cent origin. It contains the remains of oak, hazel, and birch trees, which the greatest care cannot now induce to take a hking to our soil. Some pieces of oak, dyed black by the oxide of iron, and susceptible of a beautiful polish, have occasionally been dug up, and applied to ornamental purposes. About thirty years ago, several antlers of large and full-grown stags were found imbedded in a bank of moss. It is quite evident that the lower part of the parish had at some distant period been submerged by the sea. The substratum of the soil consists of sand intermixed with the remains of marine testacea. There are indications along the coast that the land has been gaining upon the sea. Zoology. — Quadrupeds. There are no rare animals found in this parish. About three years ago, the hedgehog (Erinaceus EuroptBus,) which was not before known to have had a locum te- nens in this district, was discovered in St Fergus, on the farm of Nether Hill. The otter has long had a home on the banks of the Ugie. Rabbits are of late introduction, but they have mul- tiplied to a prodigious extent in the Links, and do incalculable damage to the crops in the neighbourhood. Indeed, the increase of the common hare is here found to be a serious evil to the farmer. Birds. — Under this section the parish presents little that could be peculiarly interesting to the naturalist. Within these few years, and in consequence, as is supposed, of the persecution to which he was exposed in his ancient domicile at Pitfour, the rook [Corvus frvgilegus) has sought and found an asylum in St Fergus. He has paid a compliment to the trees at Lunderton, sufficiently flattering to the gentleman who planted them, by the institution of a rookery there, and, from this circumstance, has perhaps ex- perienced greater forbearance than his intrusion was otherwise entitled to. If it be true, however, as has been often averred, that what a cat is to a housewife, the rooks are to the farmer, by destroying worms and insects, it may yet be problematical on which side the balance of obligation lies. At Lunderton, also, may be seen, in a state of partial domesti- cation, the water hen [Fulica chloropus.) There are two, some- times four or more, birds. They frequent a marsh in the vicinity during the season of incubation, but mingle at other times with the common poultry in the court-yard, and partake of their fare. Fishes. — In the neighbouring ocean are to be found turbot ( Pleuronectes maximusj ; sole [Solea vulgaris). There is reason 190 ABERDEENSHIRE. to believe that these are abundant, but, having no nets proper for the purpose, the fishermen seldom catch them. Ling (Molva vulgaris) ; common dog-fish ( Spinax acanthias ) ; common skate ( Raia batisj; haddock ( Morhua j^glefinus); whiting ( Merlangus vulgaris) ; herring fClupea harengus)^ very abundant from the end of June to September. Coal-fish, called here cole-sethes, ( Merlang7is carhonarius) ; plaice or plash fluke ( Platessa vul- garis) ; flounder ( Platessa Jlesus ) ; holibut ( Hippoglossus vulga-^ ris) ; sand-eel, or sannel, ( Ammodytes tobianus) ; mackerel (Scomber vulgaris) ; common cod (Morhua vulgaris). At Rat- tray Head, at the extremity of the coast belonging to this parish, a variety of the common cod is caught, well known by the pro- vincial name of the Rattray cod. It is of a reddish colour, and is prized as a great delicacy by those who are fond of fish. Among the rocks at Scotstown and Craig Ewen the parten crab (Cancer pagurus) is plentifully found. In the Ugie are the salmon (Salmo salar); bull-trout (Salmo einox), very rare ; finnock (Salmo albus); sea-trout (Salmo trutta) ; common burn-trout (Salmo far io) ; minnow ( Leuciscus phoxinus) ; common eel {A?iguilla vulgaris) ; fresh water flounder [Platessa Jluviatilis). In the Ugie the pearl mussel [Mya margaritifera) is abundant, but the pearls found are seldom of much value, being of a dark hue and only partially trans- parent. British pearls must have been in great repute at one period, for Suetonius ascribes Caesar's invasion of Britain to the desire of enriching himself with the pearls found in different parts of the coast. " Britanniam petiisse spe margaritarum." But I am afraid that the Ugie cannot prefer a claim to the boast of hav- ing excited the cupidity of the Roman conqueror. Conchology. — There is little doubt but a conchologist might, with some pains, reap a rich harvest of gratification from our coast. The following is a hst of shells collected on the coast of St Fergus, by Mr Alexander Murray, Nether Mill, a young gentleman not more distinguished by his zeal and industry as a practical farmer, than by his devotion to the pursuits of natural science. To in- sure accuracy the shells were named by Dr Fleming of King's College, Aberdeen. It will be readily observed that the Doctor has followed the nomenclature assumed in his History of British Animals. Helix arbustorum Trochus umbilicatus Turbo littoreus ziziphinus Nerita littoralis striatus Natica Hitida Cypra;a Europea ST FERGUS. 191 Nassa incrassata Alasmodon margari titer um Purpura lapillus Cardium edule Buccinum undatum. Mactra solida Fusus antiquus Donax trunculus corneus Atnphidesma prismatica Rostellaria pes-pelecani Cyprina Islandica Patella vulgata Venus gallina Isevis Venerupis pullastra Pccten varius Virginea — — — sinuosus Balanus communis Anomia ephippium Vermilia vermicularis Mytilus edulis, var. incrassatus Heterodisca reversa Modiolus vulgaris Chiton marginatus. Anodon Anatinus Insects, 3fc. — The insects most destructive to vegetation in this parish, so far as the observation of the writer extends, are the Limax agrestis, or grub-worm, the Papilio napi, the Tipula tritici, and common caterpillar ; seldom a summer passes in which the gooseberry bushes do not suffer severely from the ravages of these larvae. The only remedy which has been found efficient in this neighbourhood, is to water the bushes in the evening, and imme- diately after to dust the under part of the leaves with hot lime 5 but this must be done as soon as the eggs are discovered. There is a disease called segging or hiuliing, to which the braird of oats in this parish is very liable on highly cultivated land; and which is evidently occasioned by some insect, though its distinctive charac- ter has not been ascertained. The Ciirculio pini; from the rava- ges of this insect, and the clay subsoil, the larch tree has never thriven in this parish. The Curculio pyri is often seen on the wall trees in the manse garden. Botany. — In a parish where the plough holds such an extensive ' dominion the Flora cannot be expected to be very interesting. The following is a list of such plants as seem deserving of being enu- merated in a work of this kind. Anemone nemorosa, only in one location, on the banks of the Ugie, nearly opposite to Raven's Craig; Arenaria peploides ; Botrychiuvn Lunaria ; Chrysosplenium oppositifoUmn ; Corydalis claviculata; Drosera longifolia, rare, the only location with which the writer is acquainted is in the moss lying between St Fergus and Crimond ; Echium. vulgare, very rare, only one plant having been discovered some years ago on the farm of Ednic, which had most probably been introduced among seed corn from England ; Euphrasia officinalis, most abundant ; Gentiana amarella and campestris, the latter very abundant; Geum urbanum, rare, found chiefly about Inverugie ; Glechoma hederacea, rare in general, but most abundant in the neighbourhood of the Kirktown; Ilabenaria 192 ABERDEENSHIRE. viridis, rather rare ; Heracleum Sphondylium, very abundant ; an old woman in the parish, the only person in the neighbourhood who seems to know its value, gives her cows a creel- full of this plant in the season for supper, and she says that the milk-pail next morning bears testimony to its virtues. Might not this plant be cultivated to great advantage ? Hippuris vulgaris grows here in great abundance and to an immense size in some of its locations, particularly in the canal near Scotstown. Humulus lupulus is said to have been found here, but the writer has never discovered it; Hypericum pulchrum and quadrangulum. Juncus balticus is found among the bents near to Rattray. It was first discovered by Alexander Cow, Esq. who brought his specimen to the writer, when first engaged in collecting materials for this account. Knappia agrostidea, very rare, only one plant was found among the bents ; Lapsana communis ; Ligusticum Scoticum ; Linum catharticum ; Lychnis dioica and Flos-cuculi ; Menyanthes trifoliata, only in one location at the Burn Mill; Mercurialis perennis ; Nymphcsa alba, very abundant near Stone Mill, but only found there; Ononis arvensis, at the mouth of the Ugie and on the glebe only ; Papaver Rhceas ; Phalaris arundinacea ; Pimpinella saxifraga ; Pinguicula vidgaris ; Plantago lanceolata, maritima, and Coronopus ; Polygala vulgaris; Parnassia palustris, most abundant on the links; Pota- mogeton densiis, pectinatus, pusillus, heterophylliis and natans ; Potentilla anserina and argentea ; Primula veris and elatior ; Ra- nunculus sceleratus ; Saponaria officinalis, only found in the vicinity of Inverugie Castle ; Parietaria o-fficinalis is likewise found only there; Saxifraga tridactylites ; Scandix Pecten ; Scrophularia no- dosa ; Spergula nodosa ; Symphytum officinale^ on the glebe and at Inverugie only ; Trientalis Europcea, very rare, only between St Fergus and Kininmonth ; Triglochin palustre, in the links ; Tussilago Farfara, only at the end of the Mains Park of Inverugie ; Veronica anagallis, abundant in the laighs of Scotstown, but only there ; Thalictrum minus ; Vinca minor, near to the old Castle of Inverugie only ; Daucus carota is found on a croft near the vil- lage. Planting. — In the former Statistical Account it is mentioned that " there is no wood in the parish, except a few old planes at Inveru- gie." Since that period the late James Ferguson, Esq. planted upwards of twenty acres, chiefly along the banks of the Ugie. The present tacksman of Lunderton, about thirty years ago, planted a good many trees for shelter to his residence, as did also the writer's 4 ST FERGUS. 193 predecessor at the manse. These experiments have completely disproved an opinion which was long and most tenaciously enter- tained, that trees would not grow in this parish. It appears, how- ever, that the soil is most congenial to ash, elm, planes, poplar, and alder, and that firs in particular, unless in very dry situations, cannot be accommodated to it. II. — Civil History. Maps and Plans. — There is an unpublished map of the parish, and plans of its separate divisions, in the possession of the princi- pal proprietor. Papers and Documents.— -The writer is not aware of the existence of any thing under this head which would tend to illustrate the history of the parish, with the exception of some old leases granted by the last Earl Marischal, from which no other fact of importance can be gathered, but that wheat was more generally cultivated in St Fergus at that period than it is now. There is also an old paper in the session-chest, under the hand of the same nobleman, authorizing his chamberlain to repay the kirk-session, out of his rents from the lands of Fortree in Longside, the money advanced by them for causewaying a part of the public road. There are other documents too in the same repository, which shew that in former times small bridges, which facilitated access to the church, were built and repaired out of the funds under the management of the kirk-session, even when no guarantee for repayment was granted either by the proprietor or parishioners. Historical Notices. — The Cheynes were proprietors of this pa- rish in the thirteenth century^ but at what particular period they succeeded to the property cannot be ascertained. They had other extensive estates in different parts of Scotland, as appears from ancient chartularies. Sir Reginald Cheyne was Lord Chamber- lain of Scotland in 1267; and his brother, Henry, was Bishop of Aberdeen in 1281. The house of the Carmelite Friars in Aber- deen had been built and endowed by their father, Reginald le Cheyne, who, besides other revenues secured to it by the deed of erection, bestowed upon it L.2 yearly out of the lands of Black- water in this parish. Sir Reginald was succeeded in his estates by a son of the same name, who was taken prisoner at the battle of Halidonhill in 1320, and died about the year 1350, leaving two daughters, Mariot and Mary. Mariot married, first, Sir John Douglas, and after his death, without issue, John de Keith of Ra- ven's Craigj the second son of Sir Edward Keith, Great Maris- ABERDEEN. N 194 ABERDEENSHIRE. chal of Scotland, who in her right became proprietor of St Fer- gus. The issue of this marriage continued a separate branch of the Keiths for seven or eight generations. In 1538, the famiUes were again united by the marriage of Wilham, the fourth Earl Marischal, with the heiress of Sir William Keith of Inverugie. From that period the parish continued the property of the Earls Marischal till 1715, when, by the attainder of the then Earl, it es- cheated to the Crown. It was sold by the Crown to the York- Building Company, and repurchased from their trustees by George Earl Marischal, son of the attainted Earl, in 1761, at thirty years purchase of the then rental, which was L. 4'20, 13s. 8d. Sterling. In 1764, it was sold by Earl Marischal to James Ferguson, Esq. one of the Senators of the College of Justice, and in that family it has since continued. Eminent Characters. — It seems proper that even such an humble chronicle as this should contribute its aid to preserve to posterity the memory of the great Field Marischal Keith, brother to George last Earl Marischal, who was born at Inverugie Castle, and, as appears from the parochial register of baptisms, was baptised on the 16th June 1696, by the name of James Francis Edward. He fell at the battle of Hochkirchen, on the 14th October 1758, in the sixty-third year of his age. Cui genus a proavis ingens clarumque paternse Nomen erat virlutis, et ipse acerrimus armis. Robert Arbuthnot of Scotsmill, the grandfather of the cele- brated Dr Arbuthnot, who was physician to Queen Anne, and the friend of Dean Swift, is buried in the churchyard of this pa- rish. The tombstone which surmounts the grave, and on which are quartered the arms of the ancient families of Arbuthnot and Gordon, belongs to the representatives of the late Sir William Arbuthnot of Edinburgh, who expressed great solicitude for its preservation, and at whose request it was repaired some time be- fore his death. Land-oicners. — At the time when the former Statistical Account was drawn up, and for long after, the whole parish was the pro- perty of one heritor; but the present proprietor having sold a small section of it which lies contiguous to the lands of Rattray, in the parish of Crimond, there are now two heritors, George Ferguson, Esq. M. P. for Banffshire, and Adam Cumine, Esq. of Rattray ; but neither of them reside in the parish. Parochial Registers.- — The date of the earliest entry in the pa- ST FERGUS. 195 rochial register of births and baptisms is the 1st May 1688. This register consists of three foho volumes, but till within the last fif- teen years does not appear to have been regularly kept. Parents formerly were often very negligent in recording the births of their children ; but registration is now enforced. The records of the kirk'Session begin on the 1st January 1749, and, as far as regards the management of the poor, seem to have been carefully kept from that time. To the I'es gestce of discipline less attention had been paid during the two last incumbencies; but from 1749 to 1772, the details are very minute, and very interesting, as illus- trative of the habits and character of the people, though certainly not calculated to confirm the impression, that " the former times were better than these." A register of deaths has been kept for several years, but hitherto unaccompanied with a nosological table. Antiquities. — On the banks of the Ugie, and on the most interest- ing site that could have been selected in the parish for such a build- ing, are to be seen the ruins of Inverugie Castle, once a splendid edi- fice, and the principal residence of theEarls Marischal. One of the towers, called the Cheyne's Tower, is of great antiquity; but the greater part of the fabric is supposed to have been built by George, Earl Marischal, the founder of the Marischal College in Aberdeen. Tradition reports, that Sir Thomas Learmont the Rhymer visited this place, and poured forth his vaticinations against it from a stone in the neighbourhood, in such strains as these : Inverugie by the sea Lordless shall thy lands be. The stone on which the Seer sat was removed to build the church in 1763; but the field in which it lay is still called Tam- mas' stane. The late James Ferguson, Esq. repaired and roofed in the main building of the castle, floored it, and erected an observatory on the top of it, at considerable expense. But the present proprietor, with a greater regard to taste than utility, has dismantled it of these modernizings, and allowed ruin to reassume her empire. The old churchyard close by the coast, and which is still the only burial-ground in the parish, is an interesting object, and, from the loneliness of its situation, peculiarly adapted to be the dwel- ling place of the dead. It is enclosed by a substantial wall, built at the sole expense of the parishioners, in 1751, and repaired by them in 1833. The principal heritor has conceded the privilege 19G ABERDEENSHIRE. of inhumation to the representatives of the former occupiers, whe- ther resident in the parish or not; and it is to be hoped that the time will never come, when a sacred regard to the place of " their fathers' sepulchres," and a wish to be laid in death beside those whom they loved in life, shall cease to be fondly cherished by the people; for feelings like these are akin to piety and virtue. For this lonely spot the late eminent Dr Beattie is known to have con- ceived a peculiar predilection, and to have frequently expressed a wish to have his last earthly home in the churchyard of St Fergus. In consequence of an agreement entered into with the principal heritor, the burial-ground was enlarged in 1833, at the expense of the kirk-session, who, in virtue of authority conveyed to them by that agreement, can now sell permanent rights of sepulture in this peculiarly retired and peaceful domain of the dead. In the churchyard may be seen fragments of the fount and other pieces of rude sculpture which had belonged to the old church. It ceased to be a place of worship in 1616. A portion of the south wall to the depth of several feet still remains, but is completely covered by the accumulated soil. Its area, which is pretty distinctly de- fined, shows it to have been a very narrow building. A good many years ago, a silver groat of Robert II. was found at the Castle of Inverugie, and a shilling of Charles I. in plough- ing a field in the parish. A copper spear head was found on the glebe some years ago. The base is a hollow square cone for re- ceiving the pointed end of the shaft, and it has what its possessor calls ?i pot-ear, through which a thong had passed to secure it to the shaft. In excavating the canal, a small malleable iron shot was found at the point where the canal makes its nearest approach to the ruins of the Castle of Raven's Craig, on the opposite bank of the Ugie ; and more recently, in digging near the base of Raven's Craig, another and a similar one was discovered. These would seem to indicate the early introduction of artillery into this part of the country. These are the only pieces of antiquity, so far as the writer is aware, that have been found or dug up in this parish. They are all in the possession of Adam Arbuthnot, Esq. Peterhead, who has perhaps the best private museum in Scotland, and who, with a liberality that does him great credit, is ever ready to welcome both strangers and friends to its inspection. Modern Buildings. — Since the last Statistical Account was writ- ten, a school-room and schoolmaster's house were built by the late James Ferguson, Esq. who was ever ready to forward any ST FERGUS. 197 improvement calculated to elevate the condition or to augment the comforts of his tenantry. The school-room, though built about thirty years ago, is yet superior to any other in any country parish in the county. It is well lighted, sufficiently large, and fitted up in a very neat and substantial manner. III. — Population. In 1755, according to Dr Webster's tables, 1271 1775, . . . 1254 1793, .... 1240 1801, . . . 1270 1811, • . . . 1378 1821, . . . 1356 1831, .... 1334 For the decrease of population from 1775 to 1793, the writer is not furnished with the means of assigning any adequate cause. The increase from 1793 to 1801 is accounted for by an influx of strangers employed in cutting the canal, which was in progress during the later part of that period, and that from 1801 to 1811 by the number of labourers from other parishes being engaged in making the turnpike road. The decrease from 1811 to 1821 was doubtless owing to a bleachfield having been given up during the interim, and that from 1821 to 1831 may be traced for its cause to a deficiency of employment in ditching and other agri- cultural improvements — the tenants being less able to lay out money for that purpose, and also to the circumstance of several of the farms having fallen into the occupancy of bachelors. The number of the population residing in the Kirktown and village in 1836, 273 In other parts of the parish in 1836, .... 1076 The yearly average of births for the last seven years, . . 26 The average number of illegitimate births for the same period is nearly 2 The yearly average of deaths for the last seven years, . .12 No. of families in the parish, . . . . 330 Average number of children in each family, within a fraction of . 4 No. of unmarried women upwards of 45 years of age, . 49 unmarried men, bachelors, and widowers, upwards of 50, 35 Average number of persons under 15 years of age, . . 480 betwixt 15 and 30, . . 284 30 and 50, . . 282. upwards of 70, . . 79 The number of illegitimate births averages for the last three years, 2^ yearly. Language^ ^c. — The dialect spoken here is the common patois of the district, called broad Buchan. It has been losing, during the last forty years, much of its provincial peculiarity, and as.similating itself more and more in phraseology, at least, to the English tongue. Many of the words and forms of expression used by very old people are scarcely intelligible to the rising generation. The habits of the people are cleanly. In the article of dress 198 ABERDEENSHIRE. there have been many innovations within the last forty years. Silk gowns and silk cloaks are quite common among the females of the better class — and too much of the " hard-won penny fee" of the maid servant often becomes the prey of the hawker, to gra- tify a passion for outward adorning. The broad blue bonnet, once so generally worn in this parish, has been almost entirely superseded by the hat, at least in holiday dress. The bellman, and a very worthy patriarch, who has never been of those " who are given to change," are the only persons who exhibit at church this part of the ancient costume. Amusements. — It was long the practice in this parish for mas- ters and servants to go to the Links together at Christmas to play golf — but the taste for that ancient and healthful diversion, as well as for other rural pastimes, has greatly declined. There are now very few golf-players in the parish. The season of Christ- mas is still marked, as a parenthesis in the monotony of every- day avocations, by servants being allowed an entire day of leisure for themselves — by the improved quality of the bread and beer which cover the board on that occasion — by the custom almost yet uni- versally in use of welcoming Christmas morn by liberal libations of drinking sowins, or, as they are called by the old people, knot- ting suivins — and by the gathering of friends and neighbours around the social hearth. That the humblest householder in the parish may have his Christmas cakes, a distribution of meal, the gift of a benevolent individual, is annually made by the kirk-session, on Christmas day, to the poor on the rolh The ordinary food of the peasantry is meal and milk, vegeta- bles and fish. About the season of Christmas the poorest fami- lies have generally a little butcher-meat. The use of tea among the females has become so common that it is regarded almost as a necessary of life, and other more real a,nd substantial comforts are often sacrificed to obtain this enervating luxury. Having known the parishioners from my earliest years, I believe I do not lay myself open to the charge of exaggeration or undue partiality, , when I say that they are in general a generous and warm-hearted people, kind, affectionate, and contented in their domestic rela- tions — upright in their dealings — hospitable and friendly in their social intercourse, and proverbially open-handed in their bounty to the poor. They are intelligent and well-informed ; and in their political sentiments, with few exceptions, deeply imbued with the spirit of conservatism. 'J'hey are regular in their attendance 3 ST FERGUS. 199 upon divine ordinances, and many of them give evidence of sin- cere piety. It is to be regretted that, in several famihes, there is reason to beheve that the duties of domestic instruction and de- votion are either neglected or very carlessly discharged, and that some households exhibit the unseemly aspect of two distinct com- munities living under the same roof, and having no religious in- tercourse with each other — a wall of entire separation in this re- spect being reared between the master and his servants. To this as the prime cause — to the early period of life at which the child- ren of the peasantry engage in service— and to the mode of fee- ing half-yearly in markets, and the migratory habits generated by this system, is to be traced the moral deterioration which has be- come so visible in the class of farm-servants. The evil, is, indeed as yet, less apparent here than in more populous parishes. Many of the servants in this parish are remai'kably intelligent, fond of reading, and moral and religious in their deportment ; but they belong almost entirely to that section which are stationary in the parish, and not to that floating portion of the class who change their parochial residence every half-year, and upon whom pastoral inspection, and other salutary and controlling influences can rarely be brought to bear. In adverting to the character of the popula- tion, I should be guilty of an unpardonable omission, if I did not state, what is well known to be the fact, that they are very temperate in the use of spirituous liquors. The vice of drunkenness is con- fined to a very few individuals, who are not in communion with the church. How long this may continue to be said with truth of the parishioners of St Fergus is rendered very problematical by the strong temptations to which they are exposed in four shops, now opened amongst them, for the retail of spirituous liquors. This is an evil, the fearful increase of which here and in other places, deserves and demands the serious attention of all who possess the means of mitigating or repressing it. Smuggling is entirely dis- continued, and from the vigilant and vigorous measures taken by the principal proprietor for the protection of the game, poaching does not prevail to any noticeable extent. For several years there have been no complaints lodged against persons for poaching for salmon in the river ; and it is believed that the misdemeanour, once very common, is now seldom if ever committed, IV. — Industry. No. of males employed in agriculture,'as farmers, cottars, and farm-servants, 258 males employed in retail trade and handicraft, as masters and workmen, 45 200 ABERDEENSHIRE. No. of professional and educated men, ..... 4 all other males 20 years old, (except servants,) including retired trades- men, superannuated labourers, and diseased males, . . .23 male servants upwards of 20 years of age, . . . 138 female servants do. do. .... 100 It was stated in the former Statistical Account, that there were 43 weavers in the parish — there is now only one individual who earns a livelihood by that trade, so much has the manufacture of home-made cloth declined. About forty years ago, a lit pig was a necessary utensil in almost every family — but there is not a house in the parish where such an article is now to be seen in use. Agriculture. — Arable land in the parish, . . 5048 acres. Pasture on farms, . . . 208 Planted, .... 26 Moss, . . . . . 563 Do. partly improved, . . 40 Stances of houses, links, and bents, . 215 6200, or in imperial acres 7878* Soil. — The soil in the parish, as rejS^ards its adaptation to agri- culture, may be classed under three divisions. Along the coast it is sandy loam and moss, easily cultivated, and producing tur- nips, potatoes, and bulky crops of grain. — the grain, however, is not of so good a quality, or of such weight, as that raised on the stronger lands. The middle division is strong adhesive clay, ca- pable of producing weighty crops of grain, but ill adapted for tur- nip husbandry. The western division is inferior ; some parts of it at no very distant period had been moorish and covered with moss. As a whole, it is composed of clay and moss. A considerable portion of the moss has been redeemed during the last fifteen years, and more is in course of being improved. Since the last Statistical Account was written, upwards of 300 acres of land in different parts of the parish have been brought into a state of . cultivation. Mr Cumine of Rattray's improvements on the moss land on his part of the parish have been very successful, and, while they have meliorated the climate, and refreshed the eye, have greatly enhanced the value of his property. He has con- verted the black and unproductive swamp into fields, bearing abundant crops of oats, turnips, and bear. There is a considerable discrepance between this computation and that contained in the former Statistical Account. The measurement here given was furnished to me by Roderick Gray, Esq. factor to both the heritors, who states that it was taken from surveys and tables of contents, which had been repeatedly checked and found correct. I am also obliged to Mr Gray for otlier information embodied in this ac- count, and for the prompt and pains-taking manner in which it was furnished. 4 ST FERGUS. 201 Rent of Land. — The average rent of the whole arable land in the parish is about L. 1, 2s. 7d. per Scotch acre, or 17s. 9^d. per imperial measure. The valued rent of the parish in Scots money, is L. 3000 The real rent in Sterling money, about . L. 5720 In 1761, the yearly rent of the parish was L. 902, 4s. 4d. Ster- ling. In 1766, the whole parish was let for eleven years certain, and a lifetime of the individual tacksmen, at the yearly gross rent of L. 14ly, 19s. 5d. Soon after the expiry of the certain period of tack covenanted upon, the liferenters began to drop off; and when the farms which they had occupied were large, they were subdivided, and the rents raised and apportioned among the sub- tenants previously resident on the farms. Others were allowed to remain at the former rents, when the immediate heirs of the de- ceased tacksmen succeeded; and where there were no heirs wish- ing to succeed, the farms were allowed to go to, and remain in grass, until almost the whole of the liferents expired, in order to allow the proprietor the means of straighting the marches, and making other necessary arrangements for an improved method of tillage. In 1803,* the whole parish was let at a gross rental of L. 3000 ; and again, in 1822, on a nineteen years' lease now current, at L.'5720. It is worthy of being recorded, that the late James Ferguson, Esq. Mi P. made the valuations, and let the lands at the three periods above-mentioned ; and that the whole rise of rent accrued to himself, and that within a period of less than sixty years, -f Husbandry. — It may be interesting to trace the progressive im- provements made in the mode- of cropping. By the leases granted in 1766, the tacksmen of the larger farms were bound to sow yearly one acre with grass seeds ; half an acre with turnips ; and to fallow another acre ; and to lay on at least thirty bolls of lime (not shells) upon their land. They were inhibited from taking more than four white crops, besides green crop after the lime, be- fore laying their fields down in grass. By the leases of 1803 they were restricted to the mode of cropping which then obtained in ' With this lease the levelling system commenced, which operated one bad effect, from which the land in this parish has not yet entirely recovered. The best of the soil, which, by the old method of tillage, had been carefully gathered to the top of the ridges, then very high and ill-shapen, was by this process thrown into the former furrows — and the crown of the old ridges left thin and bare. The crop produced on these was very light, while that on the old furrows, being often too heavy, lodged and rotted. The crop, too, was unequally ripened — the top of the old ridge being ready for the sickle — while the furrow was almost quite green. f For these interesting details, the writer is indebted to James Mitchell, Esq. who was factor on the estate for many years. 202 ABERDEENSHIRE. Berwickshire, — being a six course shift — and were only allowed one white crop. This was much complained of, as the lea crop was frequently destroyed by the grub ; and as it was almost impossible to bring the soil so soon into a proper mould for turnips. But from this period a complete change took place in the improvement and appearance of the parish. The settlement in the parish, about this time, of a gentleman farmer from Berwickshire, no doubt gave an additional stimulus to the spirit of improvement then excited. By the leases of 1822, a seven course, consisting of three grasses, two white crops, turnips, or other green crop, and oats or bear and grass seeds, is that stipulated for and generally adhered to. This mode of cropping seems best suited to the climate and the nature of the soil, and when fairly attended to will yield the greatest re ■ turns to the tenants, with the least deterioration to the land. If wheat were generally cultivated, some alteration in the prescribed rotation would be requisite ; but though the soil is well fitted for the cultivation of wheat, the climate is rather unfavourable. It is to be hoped, however, as drainage and other improvements pro- ceed, and the mosses are freed of their stagnant water, that the climate will assume a kindlier character. The tenants are en- titled, in virtue of their leases, to sea-weed or ware, and shell-sand from the shore. The shell-sand is a powerful stimulant ; but it is the opinion of the best judges that it should never be applied with- out an adequate quantity of dung. The kinds of oats most gene- rally cultivated are Kildrummy, Hopetoun, potato, and barley oats. Since the introduction of the early kinds of oats, especially the barley oat, the harvests have commenced much sooner than for- merly. The intelligent tacksman of Lunderton, who has kept a regular record of the times of sowing and reaping for the last thirty years, states that, but for the earlier species of oats, the harvest of 1816 would have been as bad as 1782, if not worse. Main drains and ditches, hedges, and fences have been made to a considerable extent. Thorn hedges, though generally planted, have never thriven well ; it were desirable that some other kind should be tried which would afford both shelter and fencing. The south part of the parish is tolerably well accommodated with roads. The northern division has long laboured under a great disadvantage in this re- spect, and it has been impossible for the tenants in that part of the parish, from the want of easy access to their farms at all sea- sons, to go on with their improvements : but this ground of com- plaint is in the course of being removed. The means of farther ST FERGUS. 203 improvement, of which the soil in all parts of the parish is suscep- tible, would appear to be : 1. Easy access to each farm by roads serviceable at all seasons of the year. 2. Keeping the main ditches in o-ood order so as to prevent flooding in winter. 3. Having small ditches around each field communicating with the main ditches, and open furrows so as at all times to let the surface water escape. 4. Trying the effects of furrow-draining. A manufactory of tiles for this purpose might easily be established at Inverquiny in this parish. There is abundance of brick clay, a ready supply of water, and sand at a short distance. Furrow-draining seems to hold out the only prospect of ensuring a turnip crop on the clay lands, and of rendering bone manure available for that purpose. * 5. A very liberal application of lime, either mixed with earth as top-dressing, or ploughed or harrowed into the turnip mould. 6. Converting the money rent either wholly or in part into a grain rent, payable by an average of the fiar prices for a certain number of years. 7. Ex- tending the leases in conformity with a seven course shift to twenty-one years, and arranging the fielding so as to secure on each farm a field of grass in seven years rest. 8. A more care- ful attention in sowing down grass lands, to the predilection of the different grasses for their peculiar soils.*]- 9. Encouragement given by the proprietor to trench those parts of the Link lands, about Blackw-ater and elsewhere, which are found to overlay a rich sub- soil of black mould. The farm buildings have been much improved within the last forty years. They belong, in general, to the tenants. Where the tenant builds, he is allowed one half-year's rent at the com- mencement, and another at the expiry of his lease, for walls. The outgoing tenant is paid by the proprietor or incoming tenant for the roofs, according to the valuation of tradesmen mutually chosen. The dwelling-houses on the principal farms are most of them slated, and the offices tiled. * In the absence of furrow-drainage, there can belittle doubt but the introduction of the subsoil plough would be found one of the best substitutes that could be adopt- ed, and even to that mode of draining, when tried, — a necessary auxiliary for slacken- ing the soil, and rendering it pervious to the surface water. The difficulty of raising a turnip crop on the clay lands is not the only hazard which the farmer has to in- cur. There is often a failure of the after crop, from the field being puddled by the operation of removing the turnips, and from the retained water wasting the dung before the grain crop or grass can benefit by it. f Till the cultivation of the natural grasses be resorted to, a close, rich, and last- ing sward will never be secured on the clay lands. It is, indeed, very questionable whether the advantages resulting from the overcleaning of the soil by the present system of husbandry be sufficient to compensate the extirpation of the indigenous grasses thereby occasioned. 204 ABERDEENSHIRE. Live- Stock. — Till within these few years, the Aberdeenshire and Buchan, and a nondescript result of crosses from these, were the only kinds of cattle reared in the parish, and little attention was paid to the improvement of stock. But of late, the practice of " breedinar in and in," to which the deterioration in the size and other valuable qualities of the cattle was mainly attributable, has been abandoned, and, by the introduction of the Teeswater breed, a great improvement in the general quality of the stock has been ejffected. The inaptitude of the soil for tiunip husbandry has been a great discouragement to the rearing of cattle in this parish, but the ready communication now opened up with the London market has given a wonderful impulse even here to this branch of rural economy. The subjoined list of live stock has been prepared with much care, and may be regarded as almost correct. Work horses, . 263 Qiieys in calf, . 52 Three years old cattle, 152 Riding ponies, . 8 One year's old cattJ.;, 426 Pigs and swine, . 87 Cows, . . 520 Two years do. 376 Sheep, . . 180 To the above list should be added 8 work oxen four years old and upwards, and about 10 four years old cattle, bought in for feed- ing durino- winter. The above enumeration, being made with reference to the winter keep, does not include the number of calves, which may average in the season about 450, nor the number of lambs, which may be estimated at 240. It may afford some idea of the agricultural state of this parish to mention, that, on a farm rented at L. 300 per annum, there are 8 work-horses, 14 cows, 22 one-year old stots, 29 two-years old, 20 three -years old, 8 swine, and 14 sheep. Rate of Wages. — A capable farm-servant's wages for one half- year are usually from L. 6 to L. 7, butinferiorhands readily engage for L. 4. The wages of female servants for the same period vary from L. 2, 10s. to L. 3, according as they are to be exclusively confined to household work, or occasionally employed in out-door labour. The practice of employing females in spreading manure and other field occupations, which obtains to a certain extent on some large farms in this parish, is objectionable on many accounts, and ouffht to be discontinued. The above wages are inclusive of lodging and maintenance. Male-servants who are married, in- stead of receiving their food and accommodation in the houses of their masters, have, in most cases, a free house and garden assign- ed to them during their period of service. They are engaged for the year at from L.6, 10s. to h.l, besides having a cow kept for them at the expense of the master, and an allowance of six and a half bolls of ST FERGUS. 205 meal, and one-half boll of bear for malt. Day-labom-ers earn from 9d. to Is. in winter, and from Is. to Is. 3d. in summer, with victuals. Harvest fees are, for a man, L.2, and for a female reaper, L.l, 10s. with maintenance. A wooden plough fully mounted costs L.3, Ss. ; a good cart with wheels, L. 10 ; a harrow with tines, 1^. 2, 8s. ]Masons work here generally by the day at Is. 6d. with victuals ; tailors by the piece at from 5s. to 7s. for a coat, according to the quality, Is. 6d. for a vest, and from Is. 6d. to 2s. for a pair of trowsers; shoemakers generally charge from 9s. to 12s. for a pair of men's shoes ; blacksmiths work at the rate of 4d. per pound of iron, the price of the material being included : peat-casters in the season are paid by the leat of forty cart-loads, at from 17s. to L. 1 per leat, including the labour of spreading and setting the peats. There are a few poor women who are employed in knitting stock- ings and mits at from 2id. to 3d. per cut of worsted. Others of this class earn a subsistence by making brooms or heather besonis at one halfpenny each. This latter trade affords a convenient opportunity for poverty to plead its wants without assuming the character of the professed mendicant, and in this way it yields a competent income to the few who are engaged in it. Produce. — The following estimate is the nearest approximation that the writer can make to the average amount of the annual gross produce of the land in this parish. There are 5061 acres in cultivation on a seven course shift, of which 723 acres in green crop, at L. 4 per acre, will amount to L. 2892 723 in new grass, at L.3, 5s. per acre, . . 2349 15 723 in two years old grass, at 1^.1, 10s. 6d- per acre, . 1102 11 6 723 in three years old grass, at Ij. 1, 10s. 6d. per acre, 1102 11 6 2169* in grain crop, at 4^ quarters per acre, and these at 20s. per quarter will yield, ... . 9760 10 L.l 7,207 8 Mills. — There are three mills In the parish, but to none of these are any of the farms astricted or sucken, though the tenants on Pitfour's property are bound by their leases to have their meal made at some one of the mills on the proprietor's estate. At the Stone Mill a large quantity of meal, flour, and pot-barley is an- nually manufactured by the tacksmen, the Messrs Clark, on their own account. In 1836, 1508 sacks of meal (of 2^ cwt. each) were sent to the London market, 314 do. to Shetland, and 200 do. were sold at home. In the same year 613 sacks of flour, and 100 do. of pot-barley, were made and sold for home consumption. Fishery. — The salmon-fishing on the Ugie has been much in- * This is perhaps rather above the average return. 206 ABERDEENSHIRE. jured by a bar or bank of sand, which the sea has raised at the mouth of the river, and which, by the large quantities of sea-weeds collected upon it, prevents the salmon from entering with ease, unless when a land flood has cleared a passage for them. The salmon do not come up the river before the end of April, and from that time till the end of July they are considered to be in the greatest perfection. They return to the sea in December. The proprietor of the salmon-fishing is Robert Arbuthnot, Esq. of Ugie Bank. It is let by him at present for seven years, at the average rent of L.45 per annum. V — Parochial Economy. Means of Communication, 8fc. — There is no market-town in the parish. The nearest market-town is Peterhead, five miles dis- tant, at which also is the nearest post-office. Besides the Kirk- town, there is a small village in the neighbourhood, — an acquisition which it would have been no disadvantage to the parish never to have possessed. The turnpike road from Peterhead to Fraser- burgh traverses the whole length of the parish from south to north, on which a coach runs three times a week between these towns. The bridge over the Ugie, in the line of the turnpike, which was built in the reign of James II. of England, connects St Fergus with the parish of Peterhead. Ecclesiastical State. — Incumbents. — In 1616, when the parish assumed its present name, Mr James Robertson was minister. He was succeeded by Mr John Robertson, but in what year can- not be ascertained. He again was succeeded by Mr Alexander Hepburn, who was deposed in 1716, for aiding and abetting a mob to proclaim the Pretender King ; and for praying for the Pretender under the title of King James VIII. After a long vacancy, during which it would appear from the records of Presbytery, that the majority of the parishioners, or at least the most influential amongst them, had adhered to the ministry of Mr Hepburn, and kept pos- session of the church, Mr William Leslie was translated from Chapel of Garioch to St Fergus in 1728, but died soon after. In 1729, Mr James Leslie, a brother of the former incumbent, was translated from Crimond to St Fergus.* On the Tith September 1745, Mr Robert Garden, a licentiate of the Presbytery of Kin- cardine O'Neil, was admitted minister of this parish. The fol- lowing extract from the session records will shew that his name * He was the father of the late and grandfather of the present Dr Leslie of Fordoun. ST FERGUS. '207 and memorial ought not to perish.* In October 1773, Mr John Craigie f was ordained minister of St Fergus, and upon his trans- lation to Old Deer, Mr William Anderson, minister of Evie in Orkney, was translated to this parish in 1798. The present in- cumbent "Was admitted assistant and successor to the former minis- ter on the 7th March 1 822, and on the 5th March of the follow- ing year succeeded to the full possession of the beneMce. Church, §T. — The church, which was built in 1763, is convenient- ly situated. It is in good repair, ceiled, and furnished with three galleries. On the gallery fronting the pulpit is an excellent clock. In the year 1836, the parishioners, of their own accord, and at con- siderable expense, without any aid asked or received from the heri- tors, painted the interior of the church, walls, and wood-work, and fitted up the pulpit, precentor's desk, and front of the galleries with crimson cloth, and the windows with painted screens, so that it is now one of the neatest country churches any where to be seen. It is seated for 610. All the sittings are free, with the exception of a small portion of the area, including the pew originally appropri- " " 177"2, Nov. 7. Died the Rev. Mr Robert Garden, minister of this parish, much regretted, who for many years had been afflicted with palsy, which made his life altogether sedentary, yet so well did he bear up under that infirmity, that he discharged the duties of his office with wonderful alacrity to the last. And though he had been obliged, on account of asthma and weakness of his limbs, to give over preaching himself, yet after sermon he always addressed his congregation with that cheerfulness and warmth which flowed from a real regard for their spiritual concerns, exhorting, admonishing, and instructing with the greatest earnestness. He was a cheerful companion, a warm hearted friend, and a zealous minister. His attachments were firm, his reproofs severe and undissembled. Though his passions were quick, and often hurried him into extravagances (which in the latter part of his life was ra- ther the effect of his disease, which deprived him of the power of composing his pas- sions, and for which he was touched with real concern when they had subsided,) yet his enemies could not but acknowledge that he was an honest man and a Christian. He was the poor man's friend ; he was no man's enemy ; he had his foibles, which is only to say he was a man, but he had his virtues too. In him the deportment of the gentleman and the decent gravity of the Christian were united. He abhorred to stain the latter in order to act the former. He had his natural pride., but it was always pointed to its proper object. It was what was base and unbecoming that he scorned. He loved virtue even in rags. In his confinement books were his amuse- ment, and the Greek and Latin languages, but especially the former, were his delight. He was the linguist and the good historian — fond to hear and apt to teach. Whilst these afforded him amusement, the sacred volume taught him wisdom and cheered his hope. The Rock of Ages, the Emmanuel, was the foundation on which he built. He breathed his last, and bade adieu to earth and all its vanities, calling on God, Lord Jesus receive my spirit." f Mr Craigie possessed very popular talents as a preacher, a strong and well in- formed mind, and a vein of humour often extremely keen and sarcastic. The follow, ing may serve as a specimen of the unsparing application of his wit, when the occa. sion seemed to justify it. When on trials for ordination, he thought himself rather roughly dealt with by his future brethren ; an old Greek New Testament, very much contracted, had been put into his hands, but which he contrived, however, to read %vith ease, and when he was desired to stop, he expressed his sense of the supposed unkiiid- ness he had experienced, in this caustic reply, " Well I shall do so, and if ye hae ony mair bulks which ye canna read yoursells ye'U ken wha to apply to." 208 ABERDEENSHIRE. ated to the elders, which the principal heritor lets at from Is. 6'd. to 2s. 6d. per sitting, but the amount, or an equivalent, is annually paid into the poor's funds, as afterwards stated, in the form of a do- nation. The manse was built in 1766, but had an addition made to it about thirty-six years ago.* It is a damp, smoky, and cold house, and too limited for the accommodation of a family. The glebe consists of between 7 and 8 acres of good arable land. The stipend is 16 chalders, half barley and meal, converted into money at the fiars prices of Aberdeenshire, and L. 8, 6s. 8d. for com- munion elements. There is a small chapel in the parish belong- ing to a Baptist congregation, which contains between 70 and 80 sittings. They have no fixed minister, but are supplied with preaching once in the six weeks or two months, by one of the iti- nerants of the Baptist Home Missionary Society. They meet, however, every Sabbath, when two of their own members alter- nately preside. The house belongs to one of themselves, and the sittings are free, but L. 1 is annually collected and paid to the owner of the chapel in name of repairs. " The number of mem- bers and hearers meeting on the Sabbath (I quote from the writ- ten report furnished to me by one of the presiding members) sel- dom amounts to thirty persons." Number of families attending the Episcopal chapels at Longside and Peterhead, 17 persons belonging to ditto, - - - - 60 families belonging to the United Secession, - _ 1 persons belonging to ditto, - _ _ . 2 families belonging to the Baptist congregation, - - 7 persons belonging to ditto, - - - - - 14 All the rest of the inhabitants attend the parish church. The average number of communicants for the last seven years is 645. Of these about 25 come from neighbouring parishes, but a like number from this parish communicate with other congregations. There are several extraordinary collections made annually in the church for charitable and religious purposes, which average from L. 7 to L.9 each.. In consequence of numerous local demands during last year (1836) the kirk-session were obliged to make only one collection for the Assembly's schemes, and to divide it into four parts. It amounted only to L. 12. Whatever money is raised by the kirk-session for religious objects, out of the parish, is paid into the funds of the " Presbyterial Association of Deer." The * Since the above was written, the manse has been repaired and enlarged in the most handsome manner by the heritors, and is now a very commodious and comfort- able dwelling — January 1840. ST FERGUS. 209 session is composed of five members and a session-clerk. Each of the elders has a separate district assigned to him, and reports, as oc- casion may require, on the moral and religious state of the people, and on the condition of the poor under his inspection. Education. — The parochial is the only endowed school in the pa- rish. For several years past an individual, who had received an education sufficient to qualify him for being a clerk, but who has been prevented by disease from prosecuting his original intentions, has opened a school in his own house for reading, writing, and arithmetic. The average number of his scholars is 15 per quar- ter. He is a member of the Established Church. The salary of the parochial teacher is L. 34, 4s. 4^d. ; and his school fees may amount to L. 20 per annum. There are several small schools in different parts of the parish, taught by females, at which children learn the elements of reading, and in two of these knitting and sewing are taught. It is much to be wished that the heritors would grant a house and garden, or some such encouragement, to induce a competent female teacher to settle in the parish. The average number of children attending the parish school is 32 in summer, and 54 in winter. The branches taught are, English reading, English grammar, writing, arithmetic, book-keeping, La- tin, geography, and mathematics. The books used are the Bible, M'Culloch's Lessons, first and second series; Lennie and Rae's English Grammars ; Stewart's Geography ; Gray, Joyce, and In- gram's Arithmetic; Hutton's Mathematics; Morrison's Book-keep- ing; Butter's Etymological Spelling- Book, and Wood's Etymolo- gical Guide. Poor people find it difficult to furnish their children with the requisite school-books, and there is no common fund out of which this deficiency can be supplied. The teacher endeavours, as far as possible, to meet this exigency; but it is still matter of re- gret that some provision should not be made for supplying poor children with the requisite apparatus for prosecuting their educa- tion. The intellectual method of teaching is pursued in the pa- rish school. The Bible is daily read as a devotional exercise, and the scholars examined on the passage read ; and Monday forenoon of every week is exclusively devoted to religious instruction, of which exercises on the Shorter Catechism form a principal part. The schoolmaster, who for thirty years faithfully discharged the duties of his office, entered into an arrangement with " Dick's Trustees," about two years ago, to employ an assistant, upon whom ABERDEEN. O 210 ABERDEEN SHIIIE. the management of the school has since devolved. The school- master retains his salary, with an addition from the " Dick Fund" of not less than L. 12 per annum. The assistant is entitled to the fees, which amounted last year to L. 25, lis. 2d., and to the annual allowance from the Dick Bequest, the last payment of which was about L. 27, 15s. The school-fees payable per quar- ter are, for Latin, 6s. ; for arithmetic, geometry, and book-keep- ing, 4s.; for English reading, and writing, including English grammp-r and geography, 3s. 6d. ; for English alone, 2s. 6d. ; for Greek and the higher branches of mathematics, 10s. 6d. There are no young people in the parish between the ages of six and fifteen who cannot read, or who are not learning to read. There are only two individuals above the age of fifteen who are unable to read, but one of these is incapacitated from learning by an or- ganic defect ; and unless a few old people, all above that age have been taught to write. There are no parts of the parish so remote from the school as to prevent attendance on account of distance, but the state of the roads keeps many of the younger children from giving any thing like regular attendance in winter. Mortified Money. — Upwards of one hundred years ago, Mr Ro- bert Cheyne^ schoolmaster of St Fergus, left in trust to the kirk- s&ssion 100 merks Scots, the interest of which to be applied "to the education of poor scholars at the school, who are well disposed, and the elders to see to their education." This small fund is still administered in accordance with the benevolent intentions of the donor. Sabbath Schools. — There are five of these in different parts of the parish ; the greatest number attending which, at any one period in the course of the year, is 120. The books used are the Bible, the Shorter, and Mother's, and Watt's Catechisms, Chal- mers's References, and Gall's Helps. These schools have most of them been in operation since 1822, and, there is reason to be- lieve, have been instrumental in ensuring a more regular attendance at church on the part of the young — in preventing Sabbath de- secration—in leading to an early acquaintance with the word of God — and in laying the foundation of future usefulness in life. They are all superintended by the minister, and the teachers be- long to the Established Church. During a considerable part of the year, a Bible class is taught by the minister in the chut-ch, immediately after divine service on . ST FERGUS. 211 the Sabbath, It is intended for the benefit of servants of both sexes, of young people who have left the Sabbath schools, and of all who propose to offer themselves as candidates for admission to the ordinance of the Lord's Supper. It is well and willingly at- tended. The great drawback upon its beneficial operation is that most reprehensible practice which obtains among servants of a certain class, of changing their parochial residence every half year. Library. — A parish library was instituted in 1829. It com- menced with a capital of about L.oO, raised by shares of 5s. each, and a few donations. In addition to the above sum, the com- mittee of management afterwards borrowed L. 10. It is now in a very prosperous condition. It is managed by a committee of ten individuals, annually elected or re-elected by the shareholders, and the minister of the parish, who is ex officio preses. The shareholders pay Is. per annum for reading; persons not share- holders. Is. 6d. The shares were originally 5s.; they are now 7s. If a shareholder does not pay Is. annually for reading, he forfeits his interest in the library. The annual income is upwards of L. 6, of which L. 1 is paid to a librarian, who attends on the first Mon- day of every month to take in and give out books, and who is re- sponsible for the state in which the books are kept; the rest is applied to the purchase of new books. The number of volumes is upwards of 300, but many of these are expensive works. The books are well selected, and consist of historical, biographical, scientific, literary, and religious publications. Novels, political pamphlets, and books of a professedly controversial character, are expressly excluded by the regulations. The taste for reading, inspired and gratified by this institution, is yearly increasing in the parish ; and while the rising generation are pressing around the tree of knowledge, it is matter of congra- tulation that they are here furnished with its ripe and wholesome fruit, and not tempted to pluck that which is green and poisonous. Savings' Bank. — A savings' bank was established in 1824. The highest sum to which the collective deposits have at any one time amounted is L. 760. The average of the annual investments for the last five years is L. 190, and of the sums withdrawn, L. 110. The investments are made by male and female servants, trades- men, and crofters. Some female servants have upwards of L. 30 deposited — the accumulated amount of annual savings. The 212 ABERDEENSHIRE. only drawback upon the beneficial influence of the savings' bank here has been the low rate of interest allowed on deposits. The money is lodged ia the Aberdeen Bank. Many are slow to be- lieve that the small amount of bank interest is overbalanced by the security afforded for the principal ; and it is apprehended that not a few who are in the habit of saving, are tempted by the pro- spect of greater gains, to entrust their hard-won earnings to hands from which they have but a slender chance of ever recovering them. Poor and Parochial Funds. — The avertige number of persons receiving parochial aid is 56; and the average sum allotted to each is about L- I, 8s. per annum. The regular distributions are made quarterly — but intermediate aid is advanced occasionally, as cases of urgent necessity occur. The annual amount of mo- nies available for behoof of the poor of the parish is from church collections, on an average L. 56, from hire of hearse and mort- cloth belonging to the kirk-session, and from desk money for pro- clamation of banns, L. 4 ; from interest of L. 800 of funds, L.32 ; and from donations from the heritors (Mr Ferguson, L. 5, and Mr Cumine, L. 1,) L. 6. The Hon. Mrs Ferguson of Pitfour gives an annual donation of blankets and flannels for the more destitute of the poor on Pit- four property ; and the family at Rattray are very attentive, by domiciliary visits, and seasonable supplies of food and clothing to that portion of the poor who are located on their lands in this parish. A Lunatic Fund was lately established under the management of the kirk- session, to which the heritors contributed last year L. 7, 16s. There is only one lunatic deriving benefit from it, who had obtained a legal claim upon the poor's funds in this pa- rish by industrial residence. He is kept in the asylum in Aber- deen at an annual expense of L. 17, 18s. including maintenance and clothing. The fund is at present completely exhausted. It would be a great improvement on the present mode of admi- nistering relief to the poor to convert the monies quarterly distri- buted to each, either wholly or in part, at the discretion of the kirk- session, into meal. This method would have been adopted before now in this parish, but for the want of a girnal. The session can- not afford, in the present state of their funds, to build a house for this purpose, and, unless the heritors should compliment them with ST FERGUS. 213 one, the plan is impracticable. But what calls loudly for such a mode of distribution, is the well ascertained fact, that several of the paupers are in the habit of expending the greater part of their quarterly receipts from the parish funds on tea and tobacco, and other luxuries, while they calculate on the bounty of the charitable for the necessaries of life — thus aggravating, by the means intend- ed to mitigate, the evils of their condition. It is matter of hearty regret that that spirit of independence which disdains to subsist on any other exertion than its own, and which was formerly the boast and ornament of our peasantry, is now far less characteristic of the class — and to receive parochial relief is consequently not consider- ed so humiliating and degrading as it was in a bygone generation. The writer has, however, witnessed many cases of the utmost un- willingness to receive the aid, which was but too manifestly needed, and where the greatest delicacy was required in the ministrations of charity, not to injure the fine feelings which had survived the withering influence of the most desolating poverty. There are no travelling beggars belonging to the parish, but some of the more necessitous of the paupers on the roll make frequent appli- cations for meal, and milk, and other necessaries to their better conditioned neighbours. The sympathies of the people are daily besieged by sturdy beggars from other parts of the country, who drain off, by their importunity, much of those supplies which would more properly be made to refresh the habitations of our indwelling poor. Various attempts have been made to rid the parish of this nuisance — but that which seems to promise the only complete re- medy would be the employment of a sufficient number of constables to perambulate the parish. This was partially attempted, but fail- ed from the want of funds to keep up an adequate vigilance. From the interest which the landed proprietors, in general, have in the maintenance of the parochial funds, and the means of their increase, it might be an experiment worth their trial to assess themselves, in their several counties, according to their valued rent, in an an- nual sum, to be augmented by parochial contributions, for the pur- pose of organizing a constabulary of competent force to put down the evil. Inns and Alehouses. — There are no prisons and no fairs held in the parish, and it were most desirable that the same negative re- ply could be returned in regard to alehouses; but of these, besides a small inn, which affords accommodation to travellers, there are 214 ABERDEENSHIRE. three, and these all connected with shops where spirituous liquors are retailed. Fuel. — Peat and turf, of which there is an abundant supply from the nnosses in the parish, are the chief materials used for fuel. The better conditioned classes mix coals with the peat, which makes a more lasting and pleasant fire. A load of peats costs Is. 6d Coals are procured from Peterhead, at the average price of Is. 3d. per barrel of 1^ cwt. Most of the tenants, instead of employing their own servants, as formerly, to dig and prepare their peats, em- ploy a peat-caster, who digs, sets, and dries them at the price al- ready stated per leat. Miscellaneous Observations. The number of farms and crofts in the parish is 203 : of these there are 95 under L. 10 of rent; 56 under L. 20; 25 under L. 50; 12 under L. 100; 7 under L. 150; 2 under L. 200 ; 3 mider L. 300 ; 3 above L. 300. From a register kept by Mr Logan at Lunderton, in this parish, from 1806 to 1835, it appears that the earliest day when he be- gan sowing, w^as 1st March 1832, and the latest, 16th April 1810; that the earliest day when he ended sowing was 25th March 1822, and the latest 28th April 1821 and 1828; that the earhest day when he began reaping was 4th August 1826 ; the latest from some of the years not being noted, cannot be accurately ascertained ; but it is stated in the MS. sent to me, that the harvest of 1812 was the worst in the whole series, and that the finest seed-time was in 1825, when sowing was begun on the 22d March, and con- cluded on the 8th April. The principal changes which have taken place in the state and circumstances of the parish since the last Statistical Account was drawn up, and the means of still farther improvement, have already been adverted to in the present report. The fields are better culti- vated, the stack-yards are more fully stored, the horses and cattle are of a larger size and finer quality, and kept in better condition than they were forty years ago, and all the implements of husbandry are improved in their order, their construction, and their value. The houses are more commodious and clean, and much better furnished. The people are better informed, and every way better conditioned. Poverty has increased, but so have the means of mitigating it, and that, too, in. more than an equal ratio. A farmer who died about three years ago, and who had brought up fifteen children, left upwards of L. 5000, wholly amassed by his own in ■ 4 LONMAY. 215 diistry. At the time the last Statistical Account was written, the number of the poor on the roll was 30, and the fund at interest for their behoof was only L. 120 ; the number is now on an ave- rage 56, but the funds bearing interest amount to L. 800. At that period there was only one thrashing-machine in the parish, now there is scarcely a farm, or at least very few, without one. In short, the extension of cultivation, and an improved mode of husbandry — the formation of the turnpike road — the planting of trees — the erection of a new and commodious school-house — the practice lately introduced of exporting cattle — and the institution of Sabbath schools, of a library, and savings' bank — maybe referred to as indicative of very important alterations. Drawn up February 1837, — Revised January 1840. PARISH OF LONMAY. PRESBYTERY OF DEER, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. CHARLES GIBBON, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — The name of the parish, from the oldest records, ap- pears to have been Lonmey,* — an appellation, it is presumed, of Celtic etymology, and, perhaps, descriptive of the flat super- ficial character of the parish, and more especially of its northern half, where the church has always been situated. Extent, (^c. — It extends about 9^ miles from north north-east to south by west ; its breadth varies from 3^ miles to half a mile ; its superficial contents amount, at least, to 23 square miles. It is bounded on the east and north-east, by the-German Ocean (which begins here to trend westward, forming the great estuary of the Moray Frith) ; a streamlet divides the parish on the east north- east from Rathen, with which it is also conterminous on the north and north-west and west ; on the west also, and west- south-west, lies the parish of Strichen (misprinted Brechin in the last Statistical Account). On the south-west and south are " See Inventory, dated 7th July 1559, Keith's Catalogue of Bishops, p. 74, 4to edition, it is also found written Longmey in the kirk-session record, beginning anno 1709. Lonmay was a parsonage. 216 ABERDEENSHIRE. the parishes of Deer and Longside, from both of which it is di- vided partly by a branch of the Ugie^ and partly by a streamlet which flows into it. It is touched by St Fergus also on the south, and is bounded by Crimond on the great line of south and south south-east. TopograpJdcal Appearances. — The parish is very irregular in its figure, having unequal sides much indented and curved. The line of coast to the eastward, and the short course of the Ugie through its southern extremity, are alone well defined ; towards the centre of the parish, the opposite lines converge, forming a narrow neck, which separates Crimond from Strichen. There are two or three unimportant ridges, which run from east to west through the parish, besides the benty hillocks, and one or two green hraes which skirt the links near the beach. These run from north and by west to south south-east, or thereby. There are two extensive plains, comprehending the bulk of the parish. The northern plain contains the estates of Lonmay, Cair- ness, Craigellie, Blairmormond, a small part of the estate of In- veralochy, and part of Crimonmogate. This plain consists chief- ly of cultivated land interspersed with plantations of wood. The waters of the loch of Strathbeg here also cover, it is supposed, up- wards of 410 Scotch acres, besides near 140 more in the parish of Crimond. The southern plain is somewhat more elevated, and is broken by rising grounds. It comprehends a considerable part of Cri- monmogate, the estate of Park, and the estate of Kinninmonth. Here are two very extensive peat-mosses, part of the last-mentioned property and of Crimonmogate: They are connected together, and with other extensive mosses in Strichen and Crimond. The coast extends about four miles from the fishing village of St Combs, to near Rattray rocks. The Lonmay shore is a sandy beach, with- out bay or headland. Meteorology. — The temperature of the atmosphere may be il- lustrated by the following tables, shewing the monthly mean of the range of the thermometer ; also a partial series of observations of the hygrometer ; and the pressure of the atmosphere is ascertain- ed by observation with the barometer ; and there is annexed an account of the prevailing wjnds ;; LONMAY. 217 Table for year 18'25. Mean 1825. Bar. Mean Ther. Hygr. Prevailing Wind and Character of the Weather. Jan. for 30 days. Feb. for 27 days. March wanting April. May. June. July. Aug. for 22 days. Sept. October, Nov. for 27 days. Dec. for 26 days. 29.67 29.69 29.66 29.71 29.58 30.11 29.3 29.51 29.47 29.20 29.18 41° 40.8 47 m 59 62.31 58 51 41 42 68i 664 54 53| 421 53 60 57 55 67 From W. S. Wand S. Fine, fresh and open. No snow fell, and but little rain. Between S. and W. Great gales of wind. First half of month frosty. S. E. and E. first half; fine, clear, and warm. N., N. E. and N. W. last 7 days ; cold, snowy, foggy. E. first part ; damp, and foggy. N. last part ; rough and stormy. Middle, tolerable. S. S. E., S. W. 19 days. Cloudy, cold, and rough ; N. N. E., N. W. 9 days. 2 W. then showers and fine weather ; lastly, cold, and showery. N. and by W. 18 days. S. and S. E. 10 days. 3 W. Dryer and hotter than usually known in this country. N. N. E., N. W. 14 days. S. S. E. and S. W. 10. 3 W. & E. Fine month ; plentiful rain, then clear and hot. S. E. greatest part. N. and by W. one-third. First part fine ; remainder disagreeable & disastrous for harvest. N. W. and N. E. 19 days. S. and S. W. 12. S. E. 2. Wet and stormy. S. and S. W. 15 days. N. W. 9. S. E. and N. E. 6 days. S. S.' E. 17 days. E. 2. S. W. 4 days. N. E. 3 days. N. W. 7 days. Fine and open weather till Christmas, then succession of storms. Yr. Aver. 29.52 '50 56 1827. Barom. Therm. Hygr. Prevailing Wmds. Sept. for 29.46 54 Days, 21 S. W. ; 6i S. E. ; 2 S. ; 2 N. E. 13 days. General character, dry, mild, and warm, anr: pleasant. Oct. for 29.52. 53 Days, 13 S. and S. E. ; 21 .S. W. ; 3 E. ; 8| 31 days. N. and N. E. ; 3,1 N. W. and _W. General character, foggy, damp, and rainy. Nov. 29.61 for 441 for 64 for Days, S. and S. W. 13 ; S. E. li ; N. W. 23 days. 29 days. 17 days. 101-; N. and N. E. 3^ ; W. 11. Gen. char, variable, fair, and stormy ; 20th, snow ; last week, fresh, mild, and open. Dec. for 29.23 43 Day.;, 23 S. W. ; 3 S. E. ; 5 N- W. and W. 31 days. Gen. char, mild and open, with little frost ; no snow ; much rain. 1828. Jan. for 29.60 41f Days, 19 S. E. ; 6 S. W. ; 4 S. ; 3 N. N. M . 31 days. and E. Gen. char, mild at first ; middle; stormy, but no lying snow ; end, fi'ne. Feb. for 29.52 39f Days, 15 S. E. ; 10 S. W. ; 3 S. ; 3 N. W. 29 days. and W. Gen. char, at first mild ; the re mainder disagreeable ; incessant storms of rain and snow. March for 29.52 44 Days, 14 N. W. ; 3 W. ; 1 N. E. ; 71 S. W. 31 days. 3 S. ; 21 W. Gen. char, variable. April for 29.44 451 Days, 10 S. E. ; 7 S. W. ; 2 S. ; 7 N. E. ; 3 28 days. N. W. Gen. char, windy and rainy, with 45 223ds. some thunder ; 28th, good deal of storm, with few fine days. 217 days. 29.48 218 ABERDEENSHIRE. Meteorological Table. 1832. I'herm. Bar. Kiiin Fal.j Winds. Jan. for 40° 29.55 1.02 inch. Days, 15 S. W. ; 8 S. E. ; 1 S. ; 2 N. ; 3 31 days. N. W. ; 2 W: Feb. for 4U 29.47 0.34 Days, 14 S. ; 11 S. W. ; 2 S. E. ; 2 N. W. 29 days. March for 43 29.38 1.68 Days, 9. S. W. ; 3 S. E. ; 4 S. ; 9 N. W. ; 31 days. 5 W. ; I N. E. April for 49 29.84 2.34 Days, 3 S. ; 7 S. E. ; 7 S. W. ; 8 N. E. ; 30 days. 2 N. W. ; 3 E. May 31 51 29.68 1.89 Days, 1 S. ; 4 S. E. ; 2 S. W. ; 4 N ; 5 days obs. N. E ; 9 N. W. ; 4 variable ; 2 E. June. 57f 29.49 29 days obs. 1.90 Days, 9 S. E. ; 10 N. E. ; 9 N. W. 2 va- riable. July. 5911 13 29.55 15 0.71 13 Days, 3 S. E. ; 3 S. W. ; 2 N. ; 3 N. W. ; days obs. days obs. days obs. 1 variable ; 13 days observed. Aug. 29 59 29.48 2.28 29 Days, 5 S. ; 3 S. E. J 6 S. W. ; 1 N. ; 8 days obs. days obs. N. E. ; 6 N. W. ; 2 E. ; 1 variable. Sept. 31 56 29.63 3.87 Days, 2 S. ; 19 S. W. ; 9 N. W. days obs October. 50 29.56 2.33 Days, 7 S. ; 2 S. E. ; 11 S. W. ; 2 N, ; 3 N. W. ; 4 W. ; 1 E. ; 1 changeable. Nov. 42 29.41 3.32 Days, 8 S, E. ; 6 S. ; 8 S, W. ; 3 N. W. ; 1 N. E. ; 1 W. ; 3 variable. Dec. m 29.42 2.34 Days, 4 S. E. ; 5 S. ; 11 S. W. ; 3 N. W. 3 W. ; 5 variable. Yr. Aver. 49 almost 29.53T-V 2 inches. Hydrography. — The estuary of the Moray Frith may be said to commence on the eastern boundary of this parish, as the land trends to the north-west and west north-west to nearly west, and by north. Perennial springs are not numerous, either in the north or south ends of t1ie parish. A good deal of the water is of a brownish co- lour, as it passes through sand intermixed with iron ores : where rock is found which is prevailingly sienite or greenstone, there, and wherever clay is met with between the upper soil and bed of the spring, the water is pure, cold, and excellent. Towards the' southern extremity of the parish, wells ^ are dug to the depth of 30 feet through shingle and broken slate-stones of a red colour. There are various mineral springs — chalybeates. Lakes. — There is only one considerable lake, viz. the loch of Strathbeg, covering, as is said, about 550 Scotch acres, of which more than three-fourths are in this parish, and the rest of it within the parish of Crimond. The average depth of its water is about 3^ feet : its greatest depth does not exceed 6|. This lake, as stated in the former Statistical Account, was originally formed by means of the sands being drifted by the wind so as to block up the outlet of the stream called the burn of Strathbeo-. which flowed LONMAY. 219 ij some 200 years ago into the sea, near the village of Rattray in Crimond, which was also overwhelmed with sand. But there is no legitimate basis whereon the gigantic calculation might rest which was proposed by the ingenious writer of the account now referred to, and whereby he proposed to prove " that the evapo- ration from the Caspian sea is sufficient to counterbalance all the water poured in from the rivers which empty themselves into it." It is believed, however, that till of late years there was little ap- parent outlet of the water of this lake into the sea; but then a constant filtration was visibly taking place, occasioning deep and dangerous shifting quicksands. For some years past3 a distinct watery line can be traced by the eye through the sandy beach, along the margin of which the sand is saturated with the oozing water ; and to this additional means of escape is to be attributed the fact of the comparative diminution of the waters of Strathbeg. In the year 1817, the water was four feet higher than it now is at a gangway placed near a boat-house, built by the present proprietor on the west side of the loch in 1809. It is matter of observation to old persons,^ as well as of tradition, that the sea has receded con- siderably, and left a much greater extent of sandy beach on the eastern boundary of this parish. In 1796, the number of Scotch acres of sandy ground between the sea and the links is stated, on the plan of the estate of Lonmay, to be, per measurement, 398, ex- clusive of bents. There is now found to be 1 126 acres 5 roods : and, allowing for any little inaccuracy in either of the measure- ments or both, the increase is doubtless great. An attempt was made by a Mr Sellar, forty-four years ago, to drain this loch : Seve- ral thousand pounds were spent in this attempt, which proved a com- plete failure. The open canals which he constructed were soon blocked up by drifting sand. It would seem that any after operation of this kind, to afford the probability of success, must be conducted by covered conduits, and, after all, perhaps, the expense would be more than commensurate with the profits to be drawn from culti- vating the present bed of the loch. This bed consists, for the most part, of sandy soil, enriched somewhat by the decomposition of fishes, by the shells of the large mussel, and also by the alluvial deposits conveyed during occasional swells of the stream which con- stantly flows into the lake. Indeed, it seems unlikely that any pro- prietor of taste would choose to part with a natural object of consi- derable interest in the landscape, as well as a source of many days of summer amusement in pleasure-boat saiUng and fishing, for all 220 ABERDEENSHIRE. the pecuniary advantage which, at a distant period, his heirs might come to enjoy. There are a few islets on the loch, but there has been much neglect in leaving these, as well as the ground which skirts the margin of the lake, unadorned with planting. A small patch near its edge was tried a few years ago, the rapid growth of which will, it is hoped, encourage the proprietor to proceed on a more extended scale. The scenery at present around the loch can scarcely be termed picturesque. It is bounded on the east by a line of benty sand hillocks : to the north there is a fine grassy extent of downs or links, covered with cattle for six months of the year, and affording constant pasturage for sheep. Geology and Mineralogy. — The prevailing rock within the parish is sienite and greenstone. There is a vein of limestone in the north- east end of the parish, on the estate of Craigellie, which runs west- ward through Rathen to Strichen, &c. Rolled blocks of granite are occasionally found. Gravel abounds in one of the ridges intersecting the estate of Kinninmonth, in the south end of the parish, as also occasionally on the estate of Craigel- lie. Clay of fine quality abounds as subsoil on Cairnglass, along the north-west bank, near the sea ; and also from the surface to a con- siderable depth along the ridge which divides the upper from the lower part of Crimonmogate. In other parts of the parish, occa- sionally a thin layer of coarse clay is found, mixed with coarse sand, about six or eight inches from the surface. Bog iron ore abounds on the estate of Lonmay, and peat in larger masses in the exten- sive mosses in Crimonmogate and Kinninmonth ; and in these mosses are many remains of oak, common and black. Of the last some fine specimens have been preserved, and made into cabinet furniture by Mr Bannerman of Crimonmogate. There are like- wise found many remains of birch trees, hazel-nuts, alder, and fir. Almost everywhere decomposed roots of plants in great variety are found, below the till or pan which abounds in the flat part of the parish. The upper soil of this parish is, for the most part, a dry, light, black, sandy soil, very slightly cohesive, resting on a coarse hard bed of red sand in the north plain of the parish. This red sand is full of iron ore, and is so hard as to require repeated blows of the pick-axe to pierce it, and thereby it is detachable in large masses from the finer white sand beneath. The clay soils have been already mentioned. There are some intermediate kinds on the estate of Crimonmogate, the south side of Craigellie, and on part LONMAY. 221 of Park, Blairmormond, and Kinninmonth. There is, however, a very small portion, indeed, of a loamy nature, and little or no marl has been found. There are no mines of any kind within the parish. Fishes. — The loch of Strathbeg abounds with trout, both red and yellow; with perch, (first introduced by the present proprie- tor from the late Mr Ferguson of Pitfour's pond) ; also with fresh- water flounders, and eels of great size and in great numbers. The sea affords on this part of the coast the finest cod, both white and red ; ling, and sometimes tusk, haddock, whiting, skate, holi- but, turbot, sea-trout, floundei's, including plaice and soles, which last, for want of the trawl-net, are but rarely caught. Cat-fish and John Dories, both of fine quality, are occasionally taken, though rarely. Herring are met with, but the fishing ground is chiefly within the Moray Frith. Shoals of dog-fish are seen dur- inof the herringr-season, and the whale called Finner: also the grampus and porpoises in considerable number. The coal-fish is in swarms, and in two of its first stages of growth is tolerably good food. Botany. — The writer of this is indebted for a very extensive, and, it is believed, correct list of the indigenous plants proper to this parish, to a medical practitioner residing in this neighbour- hood, (Dr Cow,) who is proposing to publish a work on this sub- ject, comprehending the district of Buchan. There are 237 plants mentioned in this list, but, as the greater portion of them are com- mon to all parts of the country, and none peculiar to the parish, it is not thought necessary to insert it. A few specimens of the sea holly have been found by the above-mentioned gentleman. Forests and Plantations. — Although the soil in this parish, when disturbed to any depth, almost universally affords proof of the con- tinuity of the forest here in olden times, yet there were not forty trees to be seen above ground within its bounds, fifty years ago. There are now 222 Scotch acres under wood, a large proportion of which has been planted within the last twenty years, and a good extent within the last three or four years. Scotch firs were first tried, being thought best adapted to the soil and climate ; but experience has proved that idea erroneous, where there is but little previous shelter. Alders, willow, elder, and poplars, should be first planted, and thickest on the outer borders of the plantation. The other kinds proper for this parish are found to be larches, ash, elm, and especially beech, which last is unquestionably the tree 222 ABERDEENSHIRE. of Biichan. It has the following peculiar advantages over others — its roots pierce more readily and effectually through the hard iron sand, and agree with the under soft sand ; it grows free of fog or tree fungus ; thrives under the drop and branches of other trees ; it puts out a number of leading shoots, and these are seldom or ever blighted, — not being so early as to suffer from the cold and often frosty winds of spring. The beech, moreover, is feathered with branches from top to bottom, and in the course of thirty years overtakes all other trees in height. Where there is previous shel- ter, pines of various species may be planted with advantage ; and, after being three years in the ground, push rapidly, and assist by their shelter the growth of their neighbours. Oaks also thrive well, and have been too sparingly planted herCi The sycamore. ov pseudo-platanus^ and the rowan or mountain-ash are both hardy trees, and are said to be indigenous. The birch thrives well, but is not a lofty tree here. Limes look healthy, and come to tole- rable size. The horse-chesnut does well where sheltered. Most flowering shrubs and evergreens which have succeeded north of the Tay, seem to agree with our light soil, but require most of them protection from the climate, especially from the cold winds of March and April. But, above all others, May is our trying month, which " brings down many wounded by her." TI. — Civil FIistory. Land-owners. — The land-owners at present are, Thomas Gor- don, Esq. of Buthlaw, proprietor of Lonmay and Cairness, prin- cipal heritor and patron ;* 2. Charles Bannerman, Esq. of Cri- monmogate; 3. James Russell, Esq. of Kinninmonth; 4. William Shand, Esq. of Craigellie ; 5. John Lumsden Sheriffs, Esq. of Blairmormond ; 6. George Eraser, Esq, of Park ;f and 7. Colonel Charles Eraser of Inveralochy. Par'ochial Registers. — The parochial register begins anno 1709. The first sentence following the title is worthy of attention : " 1709, Sept. 24, This congregation having for near two year^ been without an Established minister since the death of Mr Hous- ton, late Episcopal incumbent here, the people and heritors seve- ral times endeavouring to have a gospel minister among them, but still differing and dividing in their choice of the person : at length a young man, Mr Thomas Gordon, Preacher of the Gospel, by He is now a general officer in the Royal Greek army, axrd atrfrhf* of a book which deserves to be generally read, The History of the Greek Revolution, t Deceased since the above was written. LONMAY. 223 appointment both of synod and presbytery, preached, &c. where- upon the presbytery did legally and orderly call the said Mr Gor- don to be minister." The entries made in the session record are very full during Mr Gordon's incumbency, which ended at his death in 1743. Be- sides the ordinary account of poor's money and matters of disci- pline, there are some notices of a miscellaneous character, which serve to illustrate times past. Collections are reported for repair of roads, bridges, the harbour of Banff; in 1718, for the distressed Protestants in Lithuania; in 1726, fasting and humiliation on account of scorching drought; in 1723, thanksgiving for deliver- ance from pestilence raging in foreign countries, and especially in France. * Inquests on the bodies of murdered persons seem sometimes to have been left to the kirk-session. 1727, April 9, the minister reported that " he understood there was a design among the heritors of this and the two neighbouring parishes of Rathen and Crimond to erect ane Episcopal meeting-house near to this church, as yt place most centrical to them all; and it was found by the unanimous sentiment of the session that this designed meeting-house was promoted from very malice and splen to the established government of church and state, and to instil into the people of this corner, principles of rebellion against the Govern- ment, and favour for a Popish Pretender ; and as they were per- suaded of this from weighty reasons, which are not proper to be insert here so particularly from this consideration, yt all the com- mon people of these three parishes, and especially in this, had always been most punctual and precise attenders upon, and par- takers, of all gospel ordinances dispensed by yr respective minis- ters, had frequently signified their satisfaction with yr ministers, and resolution to adhere to yr ministry, unless they should be compelled (as they feared) to attend a worship fringed with cere- monies (by yr respective masters)," &c. And it was found that the principal promoters of this division, and intenders to have the meeting-house near this church, were " Mr Fraser, present heritor of the barony of Lonmay, who was engaged in the late rebellion, and still continued in yt same strain against the Government and Gospel ministry ; and also William Cruden, one of the Fraser- burgh posts, a nottour Bourignian in his principles," &c. &c. * In 1737, Provincial Synod of Aberdeen appoint a day for humiliation on ac- count of abounding sin, and particularly bloodshed, under which this province groans. In 1741, King and Church appoint a fast on account of threatened famine. 224 ABERDEENSHIRE. 173'2j Dec. 10, The minister reported " that qun the fore wall of the church was taken down, yr was a little cut stone above the big door, containing an account qun and by qum yr church was built, with ye ministers* names and entry there in office : and yt ye cutting of the sd stone was very bad, and so defaced yt it was scarce legible, and yrefore he had caused buy, cut, colour, and set up another stone, containing what was written on the former." This stone is built into the present church-yard wall, and con- tains what follows ; " This house was built for the worship of i God by the parish of Lonmay, 1607 — Mr Thomas Rires being minister then, and three years before at the old church. After him, Messrs William Rires, James Irvine, and John Houston were ministers successively — next, Mr Thomas Gordon was or- dained minister of the Gospel by the Presbytery of Deer, with consent of all concerned in the parish, September 24, 1709," &c. The last mentioned minister died in 1743. His successor, Mr Sim, died in 1752; and Mr Lundie, the third Presbyterian mi- nister from the Revolution, died in 1807, May, after being five years pastor of the parish. Mr Shearer, the fourth in order, died in 1810, February, and the present minister was settled in May 1810. Antiquities. — There are no antiquities in the parish, unless we mention a Druidical circle, which is very entire at Newark, in Cri- monmogate. The centre stone is of great size, and (as well as se- veral others composing the circle) must have been brought from a great distance. We may also mention the site of an old castle, called the Castle of Lonmay, in the Links thereof, near the sea, from which all the stones have been carried off, and employed in building farm-houses, &c. ; but, except the name, all tradition re- specting this building is lost. Modern Buildings. — Of modern buildings, the principal one is the House of Cairness, founded some years ago by the father of the present proprietor : the plan by Mr James Playfair, Ar- chitect, Edinburgh. It was finished in the year 1799, at an ex- pense of about L. 25,000. The porch, which is a very chaste construction after the Grecian model, having four Ionic pillars, is of granite, as also the carved cornices. The granite was brought from the neighbouring parish* of Longside. The body of the house is built of greenstone, or what the masons call heathen, quarried on the estate. It is truly a fine house, both in design and execu- tion. Another elegant building has been erected a few years ago LONMAY. 225 on the neighbouring estate of Crimonmogate by Mr Bannerman the proprietor, at an expense exceeding L. 10,000. III. — Population. Population in 1801, - 1607 1811, - 1627 1821, . 1589 1831, - 1798 Number of families in the parish in 1831, . - _ 374 chiefly employed in agriculture, . _ 202 trade, manufactures, or handicraft, 119 Total number presently residing in St Combs, - _ 291 the country, - . _ 1508 Of whom males, 890 ; females, 909. i'early average of births as nearly as can be ascertained, . .47 of marriages, about . - . _ J2 of deaths (no obituary kept but) supposed to be, - 18 Of which belong to St Combs yearly, - - . .7* Average number of persons below 20, - . _ 957 between 20 and 70, females, 39-4 ; males, 361 755 70 and 80. males, 45 ; females, 23 68 80 and 90, males, 10; females, 7 17 above 90, . 2 1799 In each family, average number of children, . _ _ 4 Number of insane, 2 ; fatuous, 1 ; deaf and dumb, 3. Character of the People. — The habits of the people are quiet, or- derly, and industrious. Their meals are frugal in the extreme, con sisting almost wholly of farinaceous food, milk, potatoes, greens, &c. Fish are, however, occasionally used, especially skate, and at the approach of winter, a fat small-sized ox or heifer (often of the Shetland breed, bought for the purpose,) is not unfrequent- ly shared between three or four families. Undoubtedly the people are disposed to be content and satisfied with a very moderate sup- ply of the humbler comforts 9f life ; but for some years past, diffi- culties have increased in the way of their procurement. There is little or no capital left amongst them, owing to the deterioration of the value of agricultural produce, including cattle, and which is wholly disproportioned to any reduction which has taken place in the cost of rent, labour, and other farm charges and expense of ne- cessary articles of consumption. Depression of circumstances has more and more prevailed in the case of those who were moderate- ly provided with the means of life, and the reduced state of each class acting disadvantageously on its inferior, has occasioned the in- crease of poverty to be felt in rather an alarming manner, so that * A great many burials take place of persons dying in Kinninmonth in the adjacent burial-grounds of other parishes. ABERDEEN. P 226 ABERDEENSHIRE. great exertions have become necessary to keep up the system of vo- luntary provision, so as to be effectual for the help of the sick poor, the aged, and unemployed females. The people are in general creditably attentive to their religious and moral duties ; they are well informed considering their op- portunities. Perhaps we ought not to omit remarking in this place, the injurious tendency of the excise laws at present in force, which discourage the making of home-dried malt liquors, and, consequently, reduce the use of these, to the great detriment of tem- perance and health ; whilst the more intoxicating distilled spirit is sold at a cheap rate, tempting farm-servants and others to dram- drinking, and affording facilities to all who are so inclined to even- ing meetings for gossip and tippling, and thence to thriftless and improper habits. IV, — Industry. A. R. F. Number of acres Scotch — waste, moss, and moor and stony, ■> 2056 Of which might be cultivated, - ■- - - - 670 In wood, - - - - - . 222 Cultivated or in pasture, - - ... 6488 Total in Scotch acres, - . - 8766 2 11 Almost every kind of forest tree which is ordinarily planted in Scotland has been tried here. Rent. — 36 Acres Scotch, on Tnveralochy, at L. 1, 15s. per acre. 1371| Do. Crimonmogate, 18s. 3d. 2068^ Do. Lonmay and Cairness, also glebe, 17s. 8d. 252 Do. Park, 17s. 6d. 780 Do. Craigellie, 16s. 360 Do. Blairmormond, 15s. 3d. 1600 Do. Kinninmonth, 13s. 6d. Total Scotch acres arable, 6488, at 16s. l^A. Average value, L. ,5393, 8s. per annum. Grazing Rent, — The average rent of grazing at the rate of L. 2 per ox, of 40 stone English weight grazed, is over the parish in- field and outfield inclosed, about L. 1, 4s. per acre. Wages. — The rate of labour for different kinds of farm-work is, per diem, 2s. harvest ; without board. Is. 3d. during winter, and Is. 6d. during summer; masons, 2s. 6d. summer-work, and Is. 8d. winter-work; carpenters, 2s, 3d. summer, Is. 6d. winter; smith-work charged per piece, and very high. Cattle and Sheep. — It is well known that Buchan has long been celebrated for its cattle. Formerly an improved cross from the High- land small-horned bull, with the larger Cow of this country, was in high esteem both for symmetry, compactness, and weight. The polled or dodded cattle succeeded, and for the last twenty years LOxNMAY. 227 preceding 1830, were in great demand, and indeed still bear a high price in the southern markets, and the top price in London. The short-horned cattle, however, are beginning to supplant our own Buchan breed. A considerable difference of opinion prevails as to their comparative merits. One disadvantage belongs to the large short-horned ox, that he is too heavy in the carcase for driv- ing to a distant market. His superiority consists in his feeding to a greater weight, and coming sooner to the home-market for the flesher. Sheep. — The sheep of this country are the produce of a mixed breed. They carry a weighty and tolerably fine fleece, and their mutton is well flavoured, but inferior to the black or the white-faced Highland six year-old wethers. These last are imported annually, and fed for the table. Mr Bannerman of Crimonmogate has imported some South Down and Lincolnshire sheep, and has a large stock of fine half-bred English sheep in his lawn. Horses. — Great attention has been paid for some years past to the rearing of horses. There is a very striking change in this respect between the present strong, fine built draught horses, ploughing in pairs, and the dwarfish small-boned beasts, six or even eight of which used to be seen, forty years ago, attached to the clumsy plough then in use. Every year, prize stallions, both draught and blood, travel through this and the neighbouring parishes. General Gordon of Cairness, six years ago, brought three fine Arab stal- lions from Greece, two of which have got stock in the parish, which promise well for the saddle. Pigs. — Pigs are raised in considerable number, and of a good kind, being improved by a mixture of the Bedford and Westpha- lia, Orkney and Chinese. The close-hoofed kind have been also tried, but have been given up on account of the redness of their flesh. Husbandry. — The husbandry in this quarter deserves a very diff"erent character from that bestowed on it in the former Statis- tical Account of the parish, being in general both laboriously and skilfully conducted. Neither does it owe its advancement, as the writer of the first account supposes, to the introduction of lime as a manure, which in general does not suit, the soil being sandy; but bone dust has been applied for the last five or six years, with very great success both for green crops, for which it is chiefly used, and for surface-dressing pasture, or for laying down with sown grasses. Near the coast, sea-ware is mixed with compost for fallows, and 228 ABERDEENSHIRE. applied to the inferior soils unmixed before the ley is broken up for white crop. In certain cases, it is applied to the stubble field, when a second white crop is taken ; and it is universally esteemed as surface-dressing for pasture. It is needless to remark, that a regular rotation of cropping has been long observed. A seven shift is now most approved in this quarter. There is a good deal of bear or big, raised after the green crops, and but little barley, except on some few patches of fine infield near the sea-side. Rye has been raised with success on the poorest soils if dry ; but there is no home demand either for the grain, or straw for hat manufac- ture. The soil of Lonmay is best adapted for raising grass, (which is very early,) and turnips. A small proportion of the soil is ca- pable of producing above seven or eight returns. The best illustration we can furnish of the improvement which has taken place on the face of this part of the country, is by stat- ing the number of acres reclaimed from waste, as under: — Years Acres. In wood or cultivated. Left uncultivated. 1796, On Lonmay Ugg sandy beach, 398 and Cairness. 3 •' 465 links and bent, 536 moor, bog, &c. J 776, Crimonmogate.* 396 mooi- and moss, &c. Besides the above, about 260 acres, styled arable pasture, is now under the usual rotation of cropping.-|- Another test of the in- creased value of the land is obtained from the comparative rental. In 1795, according to the former Statistical Account, the rent of the parish was two thousand guineas, it is now L. 5395. There are two water meadows in the pai'ish, one on General Gordon's, and the other on Mr Bannerman's estate. The gene- ral endurance of leases is for nineteen years. On the supposition that a seven years course of rotation is the most proper, the term ought to be extended to at least twenty-one years. The enclosures are almost all of stone, of which dikes, without cement, are built of great strength, and with much neatness. As, however, outlying stones are scarce, enclosing is attended with much outlay of capital. Where roads intervene a sloping face of earth is left outside, which is sometimes planted with thorn or * Much has also been done on the other estates, but the above examples will serve. f What is called outfield does not support the sown grasses above two or three years, after which the inferior and coarser natural grasses return. This remark ap- plies to much of the thin land in the parish, which must, therefore, ba surface-dres- sed, with a view to continued pasturage; or else be broken up frequently, and laid down of new with sown grasses. Mr Bannerman is now making extensive experi- ments in burning peat moss, with a view to reclaim waste ground. 465 436 100 56 340 LONMAY. 229 beech. The farm steadings have been much improved ; but there still remains a good deal to be done in that department. Improvement. — What may be termed the grand improvement introduced of late years, is trench-ploughing, with four oxen or four strong horses, once in the rotation. By this operation a greater depth of soil, and fresh soil has been procured, and by this means the growth of plants has been in many places favoured by the pan or till being pierced. By trench ploughing, greater moisture is obtained in dry seasons, for the roots of plants are thus allowed to descend, and, on the other hand, in rainy seasons the surface water is not kept up, but is speedily absorbed by the finer and softer sand subsoil. Obstacles to Improvement. — Want of capital is the crying griev- ance, and its effects are felt yearly more and more. Small farms, in consequence of this and the deterioration in the value of pro- duce, cannot afford profits, after payment of rents, sufficient to maintain the occupiers and their families. It is truly wonderful how any of them can continue on their present footing. They work hard, and live with the utmost frugality ; and they contrive to appear in decent clothing at church, and to give their children Christian education. I am sorry to say, their comforts, which were visibly increased, are again reduced. Fisheries. — We may mention three kinds : the cod-fishing, salt- cured, and sold wholesale. The fish is sold in retail from house to house for food. St Combs is the only fishing station in the pa- rish. The St Combs fishermen go with their herring-boats to Fraserburgh. Cod fishing, yearly average, winter, ~ . . L.162 0? j c^o n Do. do. summer, to third week July, 360 0)'"' Home trade in fish for food, per annum, . 23 ^ To which add sale of fish, . . 17 10 [- 70 Fish dunghills sold, . . 37 10 S Herding- fishing from July to first week of October, 13 boats, at 150 cranes per boat, yearly average at 10s. per crane, . . 975 L.1567 The whole rent paid for houses and gardens to the proprietors of St Combs is L. 61, 4s. Average gross amount of raw Produce. — Strict accuracy is hardly attainable in furnishing information on this head. Few agricultu- rists in this part of the country make regular entries of returns of produce in their farm accounts, or of sales, so as to furnish an ave- rage valuation thereof, and the same holds true of their live-stock. Details of profits cannot be obtained, so as to enable us to treat 230 ABERDEENSHIRE. the subject otherwise than hypothetically. The following table has, however, been framed after due inquiry and consideration, and will be found perhaps to approach the truth as nearly as the nature of the case will admit. Value at 7 years average of fiar prices Aberdeenshire.* 225 Scotch acres yearly in white crop, (1st quality,) at 6 returns, produce in bolls 1350, . L.1316 5 239 Do. (2d quality,) at 5 returns, bolls 1295, . 1262 12 6 2220 Do. (3d quality,) at 4 returns, bolls 8880, . 8658 L. 11236 17 6 230^ Do. potatoes, at L. 8, 15s. per Scots acre for 25 bolls, average per acre, at 7s. per boll, . . L.2018 Of which one-half is sold, . . 1099 6 3 63^ Do. in turnips, on 1st quality of land, at L.6 per acre, feeding 2 oxen of 40 stone weight each, . L.379 10 74J Do. do. on 2d quality of soil, requiring IJ acre for two oxen of 40 stone weight, at L.4, 16 per ac. 356 8 555 Do. do. on 3d quality, at L.4 per acre, at the rate of 1^ acre for two such oxen, . 2220 387 Do. in pasture, (1st quality of soil,) at L. 2 per acre, one acre for every such ox, . . L.774 436 Do. do. (2d quality,) at L.l, 6s. 8d, per acre, 1| acre for every such ox, . . 581 6 8 2038 Do. do. (3d quality,) at L.l per acre, . 2038 2955 18 3393 6 8 6488 Scotch Acres. Total value of grain, green crop, and pasture, . L.18685 8 5 For fisheries, as above, add, . . . 1567 Peat moss sold for fuel, say . . 200 Pork sold, uncertain ; eggs, do. — but may be taken together, 300 Grand total value of produce, L. 20752 8 5 Note. — Dairy — fowls, sheep, lambs, &c. charged against grain and pasture abofe.f Manufactures. — Kelp was the only article manufactured in the parish, and this unfortunately is now at an end, in consequence of the free importation of barilla. There used to be about 30 per- sons, chiefly women, employed here for eight weeks in the year, at ]s. per diem each, and about 20 tons of kelp was annually made and sold. The rent of the kelp shore used formerly to average L. 30 per annum, and is now gone. Navigation. — Number of boats from St Combs employed in the herring fishery, 1 3 ; and perhaps as many smaller boats for ordinary white-fishing. V. — Parochial Economy. Market'Toion. — The nearest market-town is Fraserburgh, four " Oats of 1st quality, 19s. adding 6d. additional for bear grown, of which the real average price is 22s. per boll ; 2d quality of oats fiar prices. f This total value exceeds what is realised, as the writer finds, on more extensive inquiry, something should be set down for wasted and lost ; but the rent being, as per common computation, one-third, L. 5500 X 3 = L. 16,500; (L. 18,000 may be near the truth.') — Jan. 1840. LONMAY. 231 miles distant from the novth-east boundary of the parish. Peter- head is about eight miles from the south-east boundary. Means of Communication. — One receiving-house for letters and newspapers, about one-quarter of a mile west of the western boun- dary of the parish, at Cortebrse. One turnpike-road from Peter- head to Banff, by Fraserburgh, traverses the parish for a mile and half; another from Fraserburgh to Aberdeen, by Mintlaw, ex- tends from north to south nearly six miles through the parish. One daily mail-coach runs from the south to Fraserburgh, and one stagCTCoach from Peterhead to Banff, by Mintlaw, three times a week.* Ecclesiastical State. — The parish church is situated within two miles of the north-east boundary, and upwards of seven from the south end. From the south end much inconvenience, amounting in many cases to absolute hindrance from attending any place of worship, has long, too long, resulted from this arrangement. In March 1836, a petition was given in to the presbytery of Deer, and signed by 103 heads of families, which describes so graphically the spiritual wants of the people that it is here inserted : " The petition of the householders in the southern district of the parish of.Lonmay, comprehending the whole of Kinninmontb, part of Belfatten (in Crimonmogate), and of others residing on the bor- ders of the contiguous parishes of Strichen, Old Deer, Longside, and St Fergus, — Humbly sheweth. That your petitioners labour under the grievous disadvantage of want of opportunities of pub- lic worship, and of adequate pastoral superintendence, by reason of the great distance which intervenes between their places of resi- dence and their parish churcl>€s, aggravated by the impractica- bility of accommodation in others less remote. Adhering to the Church, of Scotland, your petitioners cannot but feel distressed that they are themselves so frequently, and the young, the aged, and infirm of their families, almost entirely, deprived of the means of attendance at the house of God ; and all of waiting on the mi- nistry of a pastor residing among them : That your petitioners inhabit a district not less than from six to eight square miles in ex- tent, so disadvantageously situated in the respects above shewn, that no less than 78 families, consisting of 416 souls, in Lonmay alone, and upwards of 60 other families, adhering to the Church of Scotland, are from four to seven miles distant from their re- spective parish churches. These families have, moreover, many * We have now also a stage-coach between Peterhead and Fraserburgh, which runs through the parish. — Jan. 1840. 232 ABERDEENSHIRE. of them, no seats in any other church of the Estabhshment, others but one sitting, and a considerable number have even taken sit- tings in a place of worship, belonging to a body not only uncon- nected, but disagreeing, with the Church of Scotland ; having often no choice between this occasional departure from their own church, or absenting themselves wholly from a place of worship. That the number of Dissenters in this district from the Established Church is, at present, exceedingly small, but will undoubtedly increase de- plorably, unless an additional church shall be forthwith erected in connection with the Church of Scotland. That your petitioners have, therefore, joined together in subscription to contribute to the expense of erecting a suitable building, capable of containing from 350 to 400 persons." &c. &c. By means of the aid afforded by the Church Extension Committee of the General Assembly, amounting to L. 150, and local contributions, L. 250 and upwards, a church has been built ; the whole expense defrayed ; and a preacher located having a neat cottage hard by the church; and the gratifying- spectacle may now be seen ofgroupes of families every Lord's day, passing thickly to and from this additional house of God. In the ori- ginal parish church every vacant sitting is taken, and thisnewchurch is filled, illustrating in this part of the country the benefit of church extension. The present parish church was built on a new site in 1787. The old church stoodonthepresent burial-ground since 1608,^ previous to which the parish church was by the sea-side, hard by where the village of St Combs now stands. It appears to have been of small dimensions. The present church is in good repair. All the public buildings are annually inspected by competent tradesmen, and defects supplied, in consequence of standing reso- lutions of the heritors. The church was originally seated for 860. There are once every year SOOpersons within its walls. Seats were allowed by the heritors to be fitted up in the centre of the area, at the expense of the kirk-session, by whom they are annually let for sums of from Is. to 4d. each, for behoof of the poor. A good many of the tenants are accommodated with seats free of rent. Others, I understand, are charged by their landlord a small sum per seat, — a practice which ought to be discontinued, for obvious reasons. The present manse was built in the year 1824, and has already undergone some overhauling, and will soon probably require more, as is common with cheap manses. The glebe consists of 13 acres, two of which have been reclaim- LONMAY. 233 ed by the present incumbent from whinny moor-land. An ex- cambion took place in 1810 of the old glebe at St Combs, for some additional ground adjoining the present glebe. The stipend, by decreet of the Lords Commissioners, was modified in 1814 to 13 chalders of victual, half barley, half meal,* There is one additional church at Kinninmonth; the preacher, Mr C. Cordiner, is resident there, and visits and catechises in his district. There is one Dissenting chapel, viz. an Episcopalian, the minister of which is paid by seat-rents, which make up a very small salary to him. There is no Popish chapel, and only one person of that communion in the parish. The two Established Churches are both well attended. The number of communicants has been yearly on the increase. The average for the last three years is about 780. Since Kinninmonth church was built the communicants exceed this number conside- rably. The number of families who belonged to the Established Church in 1837 was 336; of persons of all ages, 1621. In the parish attending the Dissenting Episcopal chapel, 33 families, and 154 persons; of Seceders attending meeting-houses in other parishes, 5 families, and 23 persons. Total, 1 798. Education. — Total number of schools in the parish, 6 ; of pa- rochial schools, 3 ; of unendowed or private, 1 ; of dames' schools for girls, sewing, &c. 2. Branches of education taught are English reading, English grammar, writing, arithmetic, book-keeping; also additional at the first parochial school Latin and mathematics and navigation, which last is also taught in the St Comb's school. Salaries of Schoolmasters. — Of the 1st, or Lonmay estate school, L. 28; of the 2d, or Kinninmonth school, L. 13, 6s. 7d. ; of the 3d, or St Comb's school, L. 10: Total paid by heritors, L. 51, 6s. 7d. Amount of Fees. — Latin per quarter, 5s. ; mathematics and geography, 6s. ; arithmetic, 4s. ; English and writing, 3s. ; English reading alone, 2s. ; all paid at the end of the quarter, and the total amount per annum of said fees to each schoolmaster is re- ported by them to be : For first school, paid to the assistant (the schoolmaster being superannuated, and allowed to retire upon his salary) L. 21, 16s. (The heritors also subscribe L. 4 per annum to said assistant during the life of the schoolmaster. ) Second school, amount of fees, L. 21, 4s. 9d. Third, St Combs, L. 16. Fourth, pri- * Now modified to 16^ chalders, ))alf barley, half meal, with L. 10 for communion elements Jan. 1840. 234 ABERDEENSHIRE. vate school, said to be only L. 8. For the first school there is suffi- cient acommodation provided. The Kinninmonth school was built by general subscription, and the teacher rents a house and small piece of ground. The St Comb's school and schoolmaster's apartments were built by the proprietor, General Gordon, at his own expense. The ordinary expense of education is shown by the foregoing statement of fees, to be from 8s. per annum for children, to L. 1, 4s. per annum for scholars learning Latin and mathema- tics. There are only four oi' five persons between six and ten years of age who have never been at school, and these will be educated at the public expense. There are some old persons who cannot read or write. As a proof how much alive the people are to the benefits of education, we shall state in addition, the num- ber of scholars now in attendance at the several schools in the pa- rish : — Learning English ' Book- Math, English. Writing, grammar. Latin. Arith. keeping, and geo. 1st, or Lonmay, 16 24 ' 4 2 19 2-2 2d, or Kinninmonth, 26 16 10 26 .3d, or St Combs, 35 13 4 Total number at present at Lonmay school, 58 ; Kinninmonth, 68; St Combs, 52; parochial private school, 52; girls' schools, 23; dames' school, 14; scholars belonging to Lonmay at other schools in different parishes, 8 ; scholars belonging to other pa- rishes attending schools in Lonmay, 27 ; total scholars belong- ing to Lonmay, 248, being upwards of one-eighth of the whole population. When the present incumbent came to his pastoral charge here about twenty-three years ago, there was but one school, attended on an average by 47 or 48 scholars yearly. The heritors in 1820 having complied with the supplication made to them, and additional means of education having been provided, the schools were no sooner opened than they were filled with scholars, and the private schools followed thereafter. Then was afforded the present happy result, well worthy of the observation of every well- wisher to the interests of Christianity and of general civilization, who has it in his power " to go and do likewise." Friendly Society. — There was a Friendly Society instituted at St Combs. Considerable trouble was taken in forming it ; but after the fishermen had almost all joined, and the infant institution was advancing prosperously, came the ill-judged legislative inter- ference proposed by Mr Kennedy, M. P., which upset this useful LONMAY. 235 scheme, along with a hundred others throughout Scotland ; and it is feared no persuasion will be available for their re-construction. Poor and Parochial Funds. — The average number of persons receiving parochial aid for the last four years, 44 ; total funds, including collections at church, penalties, and interest of about L.250 lent out, and voluntary donations from heritors, L. 66. — Charge upon the funds : session-clerk and officer, doctor's bill and coffins, say L. 10, 10s., leaving L.55 amongst 44 persons, L. I, 5s. each. The munificent bequest of the late Mr Burnett of Aberdeen to the kirk-session of the several parishes in the county of Aber- deen for behoof of the poor, affords a payment to each parish once in about eight years. This has been employed by the kirk-session of Lonmay as a floating fund to meet exigencies. Very few applications are made personally for aid. Support is professedly not the system, and relief is aff'orded in as quiet and efficient a manner as possible, so as to go hand in hand, without interfering, with private charity. The field, however, we are sorry to observe, has for some years past been growing more ex- tensive, and difficulties are sensibly felt in dealing prudently with the evil. There is now introduced a very guarded observance of the law of settlement, which has occasioned a great watchfulness of the characters and regard to the circumstances of new comers, both on the part of the kirk-sessions and heritors. Fairs. — There are two held annually on the same ground, one in spring and the other in autumn, for cattle and sheep, and also for feeing farm-servants.* Inris, Alehouses, Sfc. — Of petty public houses there are few. Yet these, and the licensed whisky shops, five or six in number, are to be considered an evil in the parish, and they are in general truly a curse to the country, affording temptations to intemperance, which are by no means withstood. Fuel. — Peat moss is used generally for fuel, brought from the estates of Crimonmogate and Kinninmonth. The tenantry on the other estates purchase it at a price which the proprietors have been, from time to time, advancing; so that, if along with the present high price of this article, its carriage also was to be estimated at its pro- * It is most desirable that order should be taken to remove by sunset the booths for the sale of spirits, &c. and that the constabulary force should clear these markets at that time. 236 ABERDEENSHIRE. per cost, it would be found to be much dearer than (as it is certainly a much inferior fuel to) sea-borne coal. Miscellaneous Observations. The principal changes in the state of this parish since the last Statistical Account was published, consist, I. In the great extent of agricultural improvements : 1st, On waste land reclaimed : 2^, Wet land drained : 3d, In very extensive and substantial inclosures : 4th, In an improved system of cropping, of breeding stock, and ge- neral management : 5th, In additional plantations, which now begin highly to adorn the face, especially of the northern half of the pa- rish : 6th, In the increased value of the land, the total rental being nearly treble of what it was in 1796. 11. In the provision made for the intellectual improvement of the people, which is vastly in- creased. III. In the additional accommodation for the worship of God, by an additional church and preacher. IV. In the external comforts of the people, as to lodging, neatness of dress, and others which meet the eye. But then, on the other side of the picture, is to be noted, straitened circumstances of late years, and want of ca- pital. The tide of prosperity is at present ebbing, and credit is de- creasing as well as cash. There is a decreased currency, and low prices for produce, — but high rents, high charges for labour and implements, and a heavy charge for wear and tear on the farm accounts. Great industry and the greatest possible frugality are requisite to obtain the means of bare subsistence. Drawn up in 1835, Revised January 1 840. PARISH OF NEWHILLS. PRESBYTERY OF ABERDEEN, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. JAMES ALLAN, MINISTER. L — Topography and Natural History. The parish of Newhills, in former times, was a part of the then extensive and incommodious parish of Saint Machar, or Old Machar, whose church is situated in Old Aberdeen. The distance betwixt the church and the remote confines towards the west was so great, that it was hardly possible for the people resi- dent there to assemble at Saint Machar for worship, and for other religious purposes. This circumstance had excited, it appears, the notice and sympathy of a pious and humane individual, Mr George Davidson, of Pettens, a burgess of Aberdeen, — and who had amas- sed a considerable fortune, and risen entirely by his own industry. This man, having no family to provide for, and feeling that he could not better dispose of his property than by applying it " in better providing" (as he himself expressed it) for the spiritual wants of the people with whom he was connected, and in whose salvation he took a deep interest, — mortified for the endowment of a resident clergyman in this western part of Saint Machar the lands of " Keppelhills," consisting of nearly 700 Scotch acres, which he had previously purchased from the town of Aberdeen. He also caused a church to be built upon these mortified lands, about five miles distant from Saint Machar ; and all at his own expense, in the year 1663. This property he disponed and made over to the officiating clergyman at the time, the Rev. George Melville, and to his suc- cessors in office in all time coming. The place of worship, there- fore, was originally a chapel of ease, and had continued to be so for about three years. This benevolent individual also built a large stone bridge over the Buxburn, in the line of the old road to Aberdeen, for the ac- commodation of travellers in the lower end of the district ; and 238 ABERDEENSHIRE. mortified the lands of Bogfairlie and the lands of Pettens in Bel- helvy, to Saint Nicholas Church in Aberdeen. The death of Mr Davidson did not prevent the incorporation of the new church with the Established Church ; for in 1666 the persons interested in the concern, and authorized to act, applied to the Lords Commissioners for Planting Kirks for a disjunction of a certain district of Saint Machar around the church built by Mr Davidson, and its erection into a parish ; which application, having the consent of all parties, was successful, and the de- creet of the Lords Commissioners accordingly was obtained that year. Since that time the parish has continued separate and distinct, and possesses all the privileges and rights which belong to the other parishes of the Established Church of Scotland. Name. — It appeared to have been the desire of the applicants to give to this newly erected parish a name in some degree resem- bling the name of the mortified lands of " Keppelhills," and hence it was denominated " Newhills." ■ Extent. — The extent of the parish is very considerable. It is reckoned to contain about 30 square miles, being about 6 miles- . in length, and 5 in breadth. It is of an irregular form, and is bounded on the east by the river Don ; towards the south, by the parish of Peterculter and Nether Banchory ; towards the norjth, by the parish of Dyce and Kinellar; and towards the south-east, by Saint Machar, from which it was originally disjoined. 11. — Civil History. Mansion Houses. — Some of the heritors have beautiful seats, particularly Mr Forbes of Springhill, and Mr Robertson of Hazel- head. The places of Sheddocksley, of Fairley, of Crailston, of Cloghill, of Gateside, of Waterton, and the Place of Newhills, (the seat and property of the minister, which has been very much improved by him,) are all of them much admired. III. — Population. There is a considerable part of this parish, especially westward, of a hilly nature, some of which is covered with wood, and part only with heath and stones ; but, notwithstanding of this, there is a great and increasing population. In the year 1775, the amount of the population was only 959, and in 1792 it was 1158 ; but at last census, it was found to be 2255. Since that time, it has much increased ; and this has been owing to the feuing of grounds, and the improvements which have been made along the three great NEWHILLS. 239 turnpike roads which pass through the parish, and which lead to the great and flourishing town of Aberdeen. In genei"al, throughout the parish there are very comfortable dwellings ; and the people, upon the whole, with the exception of some casual residenters, are very quiet, well disposed, and indus- trious. The number of illegitimate births during the last three years is 18. IV. — Industry. Number of acres, standard imperial measure, in the parish, which are either cultivated or occasionally in tillage, 13,865 Number of acres which never have been cultivated, and which remain con- stantly waste or in pasture, . . 1760 Number of acres that might, with a profitable application of capital, be ad- ded to the cultivated land of the parish, whether that land were afterwards to be kept in occasional tillage .or in permanent pas- ture, . . . 1160 Number of acres in a state of undivided common, . . 6r.O Number of acres under wood, whether natural or planted, . 625 Soil, Produce, Manufactures, Sfc. — The lands of this parish are in general not of the best quality. The soil is commonly of a black colour, and of a light quality, and is placed upon a hard pan or retentive subsoil, which, in wet seasons, is very injurious to the gi'owth of corn, and turnips, and grasses, the agricultural produce of the district. In some parts, however, there are fields of a very superior quality, and yielding most abundant crops. These princi- pally are the property of Lord and Lady James Hay, the value of whose lands is about five-sixths of that of the whole parish. Upon their grounds, there are immense quarries of blue granite stone, which are extensively wrought, and yield them an annual rent of about L. 250; in these, there are generally employed about 260 men. Stones from these quarries are prepared and sent to Aber- deen, London, and elsewhere. Manufactories. — There are also upon this property, which is bounded by the river Don, three paper manufactories. One of them at Waterton, belonging to Mr Pirie, has two large machines, which form, dry, size, and press the paper, and all in one operation. The paper is generally a fine printing paper; but sometimes also for writing. The number of persons generally employed is about 150. The machines throw off an immense quantity of paper, and they are wrought day and night. The other two manufactories have also each a machine. They work in the manufacture of wrap- ping-paper, and aconsiderable numberof handsare employedat each. 240 ABERDEENSHIIIE. Besides this, there is on the same property, a large manufactory of worsted, wherein there are about 67 persons employed. There are also a brewery of considerable extent, and two mills for the manufacture of snuff. There are no fewer than five meal-mills, and two flour-mills, some of which manufacture grain to a great extent, for the supply of Aberdeen and the adjoining country. On other properties in the parish there are three other meal-mills, two of which carry on a very extensive trade. It may be said, therefore, of Lord and Lady James Hay's property in the east end of the parish, that it is of a very superior value, and that there are few places where such numerous and extensive manufactories are carried on, within such a limited space. These manufactories and stone quarries give to this part of the parish a bustling and very interesting appearance. In this parish, there are very few of what may be called large farms. There are 35 heritors and feuars, and most of the feuars occupy their respective grounds. The principal occupation of the parishioners, apart from the quarries and manufactories, is the dairy. In consequence of the short distance from Aberdeen, and the large village of Woodside in the vicinity, they pay more attention to this than to the rearing of young cattle, and they turn it to very great account. Rent. — The lands, in some cases, are pretty high rented,— some averaging L. 3 and upwards per Scotch acre ; but the com- mon rate of rent may be stated at from L. 1, 10s. to L. 2. In this parish, there is still a great extent of barren uncultivated ground ; but, of late years, a very great change has been effected. Improvements are going on ; and are encouraged by the nearness of the markets, and the plentiful supply of all kinds of manure. V. — Parochial Economy. Ecclesiastical State. — The present church was built by the heri- tors of the parish in 1830, is centrically situate, large, and com- modious; superior to any country church in the county, and perhaps in the north ; and is capable, it is supposed, of holding all the pa- rishioners who are capable of assembling at one time. The minister's stipend arises from the rents of the mortified lands, which are let to tenants on leases of nineteen years endur- ance, but it is not nearly so large as might be expected, as a great part of the ground is barren, and not susceptible of improvement, and as the tenants, till the present incumbent's admission, were under no restrictions as to farming, and not obliged to make any BELHELVIE, 241 improvements. Another reason is, that these mortified lands are ahke liable, with the other lands in the parish, to all public burdens and assessments, and have to pay a certain feu-duty to the town of Aberdeen. It is thus difficult to state what may be the ave- rage amount of stipend, as it varies from year to year. The heritors pay the usual allowance for communion elements, and a trifle in name of stipend, as part of the unexhausted teinds. There are only a few Dissenters in the parish, and two small families of the Popish persuasion. Education. — There is one parochial school, to which is attach- ed a salary of L. 33, 7s. 6d. There is an excellent school-house, and superior accommodation for the scholars; and all the branches of education are taught which are required in any country school. The teacher's fees may amount to L. 25 per annum. There are other two schools in the parish, built by subscription, but they are unendowed, and the teachers, having no salary, are de- pendent on the school fees. Poor. — The average number of persons receiving parochial aid is 52; the average sum allotted to each per quarter, 10s.; the average annual amount of contributions for the poor is L. 104, — whereof L. 40 is from church collections, and L. 64 from alms or legacies. January 1840. PARISH OF BELHELVIE. PRESBYTERY OF ABERDEEN, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. A. FORSYTH, LL.D. MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — The name of this parish is said to signify in Gaelic the mouths of the rivulets ; and, accordingly, there are seven small rivulets that rise within the bounds of the parish. Extent, Boundaries. — This parish is nearly a right-angled pa- rallelogram, 6 miles long, by 5 miles broad, and contains 30 square miles. The church is eight miles north from Aberdeen ; the south extremity four miles, and the north extremity ten miles from Aberdeen. It is bounded on the south by the parish of Old Machar ; on ABERDEEN. Q 242 ABERDEENSHIRE. the west, by New Machar ; on the north, by Foveran ; and on the east, by the German Ocean. Topographical Appearances.— Theve are a number of small low hills in this parish that run in two ridges from south to north, the hills themselves and the ground between them gradually rising as they depart farther from the sea. The western boundary of the parish is one continued ridge of high land, about 800 feet above the level of the sea. The whole of the sea coast is a beach of fine sand, bounded by sand-hills, covered with bent. Next to that is a narrow stripe of sand, covered with a sweet short grass, kept always for pasture. This stripe is so level that the engineers appointed by Government to measure Scotland, selected it as thelevellest place they could find for measuring a base line of 5 miles and 100 feet. The south end of this line begins on the top of a small hill called Tarbathy, on the south boundary of the parish, and terminates on a rising ground at Leyton, on the estate of Menie, near a barrack, where a coast guard is at present stationed. Colonel Colby superintended the measurement of the line. Next to this stripe of sandy soil, there commences an alluvial deposit, consisting of water-worn stones of every variety of quality and size, partly covered with vegetable mould, moss, sand, and clay. Advancing farther from the sea, the soil becomes a deep rich clay mould, mixed in maiiy places with peat moss. There is no rock or quarry within two miles of the sea, but beyond that distance there is a great quantity of rock, both in the small hills and the flats between them. * . Hydrography. — There is abundance of springs of excellent water in the parish. • There are also a considerable number of strong chalybeate springs, and a few impregnated with sulphur and sul- phate or sulphuret of iron. None of these have as yet been ap- plied to any great extent to medical purposes. Geology and Mineralogy. — There is nothing deserving of notice in the geology or mineralogy of the parish of Belhelvie, except that there is a seam of trap, which makes its appearance about half a mile from the sea, at the south-east corner of the parish, and proceeds in nearly a straight line for seven miles to the north-west corner ; after which, it takes a more westerly direction, and extends about thirty miles inland to a mountain, called top of Noth, where it divides into several branches. This seam of trap in Belhelvie is from one-half to three-quarters of a mile in breadth, and one of the small rivulets has cut its course along the middle of it. In 3 BELHELVIE. 243 some places, small hills of trap rise to a considerable heightj per- haps several hundred feet, above the level of the rivulet. The trap contains in it all the variety of minerals usually found in similar seams. On the south-west side of the trap seam, the rocks and outlayers of stone are almost entirely of granite. On the north- east side almost no granite rocks, not even outlayers or water-rol- led pieces of granite, are to be found. They are all of the coarsest varieties of rock, scarcely fit for any useful purpose, except for building dry stone dikes. There are no quarries or mines wrought, nor fossil organic remains or ores, in any noticeable quantity, found in the parish. The alluvial deposits are a rich clay loam and clay, mixed with rolled blocks of stones of all sizes from the size of a walnut, to that which weighs several tons, gra- vel and fine sea or river sand. It is probable that in many places, especially in a line from north to south, about a mile from the sea, these alluvial deposits are very deep, for no rock or solid strata have been found even where pits have been sunk to a considerable depth. There is a great quantity of peat moss in the parish. Some of it near the coast is considerably under the level of the sea, and is covered to the depth of 10 or 12 feet by sea sand. It is probable that this moss extends a considerable length out to sea, and that there is a submarine forest somewhere in this bay at no great dis- tance. For on Christmas 1799, when there was perhaps the most dreadful tempest that any person remembered to have seen on this part of the coast, several cubical blocks of peat moss were cast by the sea upon the sandy beach, some of them contain- ing upwards of 1700 cubic feeh Pieces of wood, like branches of oak trees, apparently converted to a consistence like moss, pas- sed through these blocks in every direction. Both moss and wood were perforated by a number of Auger worms of a large size, and most of them were alive in their holes. The moss was of a much harder consistence than any found in this part of the country. Such large blocks could not have been carried to the sea by any of the neighbouring rivers, for they were not swelled at that time, but were all firmly bound up with ice. In general, when any thing like a tempest occurs at sea, a considerable quantity of peat moss of the same kind is cast upon this sandy beach ; but no person re- members to have seen it in so large masses as at Christmas 1799. IT. — Civil History, Land-oioners. — There are 15 land-owners in the parish : The rental of the principal land-owner is about L. 900, the least L. 80o 24 4 ABERDEENSHIRE. . Parochial Registers. — The parochial registers begin in 1623. They are not voluminous, but appear to have been very regularly kept. Antiquities. — There were two or three of what are called Druid- ical circles on the moor lands of this parish, about thirty years ago. One of them was large and very entire. The moor is now cultivated, and not a vestige of any of them remains. On the same moor, a very destructive battle seems to have been fought; but when or by whom neither history nor tradition give any infor- mation. A great number of barrows or tumuli commence about a quarter of a mile from the sea, near a small hill called Tarbathy, and, keeping nearly a mile in breadth, extend about twelve miles inland. In some places they were very numerous, especially where there were circular enclosures of stones, with a ditch outside, con- taining about a quarter of an acre or less ground. On the out- side, all around these enclosures, tumuli are very numerous. In the small tumuli nothing is found ; but those that are larger fre- quently contain coarse earthen urns, containing in them what ap- pears to be ashes and pieces of burnt bones. I have never heard of any pieces of armour being found in the tumuli or on the moor ground ; but on the alluvial soil near the sea there is a bed of yel- low, flints, in which a number of very well formed arrow-heads are frequently found. The whole of this moor will soon be cultivated, and all traces of such a battle having been fought will then be lost. Some gold ornaments, not very pure, and of very rude manufac- ture, but of considerable value, owing to the quantity of gold con- tained in them, have been found near this moor. There were four places of worship in this parish when the Ro- man Catholic religion was the established religion of this country. All remains of two of them are gone. The ruins of one, and the burial-ground around it, are yet to be seen, and the east wall of the present parochial church probably is part of the wall of a Roman Cathohc church. When the foundation of one of these churches and burial-grounds, which have now disappeared, was cleared out, several small silver coins were found, but none of them of much value or great antiquity. III. — Population. In the first and middle part of last century, the population seems to have been stationary or rather decreasing; but from 1791 to 1836, it has increased from 1318 to 1640, equal to 322 in for- ty-five years. This increase of the population was entirely owing to BELHELVIE. 245 improvements in agriculture and agricultural industry, for the quantity of land in this parish at present under cultivation is fully one-third more than in 1791, and the whole is much better culti- vated. There are no towns or villages in this parish. The po- pulation is nearly equally dispersed over its whole surface, resid- ing upon their respective farms. No trade or manufacture is car- I'ied on, except what is immediately connected with agriculture. Population, all residing in the country, . J 640 Number of births, average of seven years, . 40 marriages, do. . . 11 deaths, do. . . 31 Average number of persons under 15 years of age, . 653 between 15 and 30, . 431 30 and 50, . 331 50 and 70, . 132 upwards of 70, . . 93 1640 Number of families in 1831, - ... 351 chiefly employed in agriculture, - - 297 trade, manufactures, or handicraft, - 38 There are 2 blind persons, 1 insane, and 4 fatuous, in this pa- rish. The number of illegitimate births in the course of the last three years is 6. Character of the People. — The people may be said to be intel- lectual, sober, moral, and religious. There can hardly be said to be poaching of any kind practised among them, and smuggling, both foreign and domestic, is completely suppressed. IV. — Industry. Agriculture. — Owing to the irregularity of the boundaries of this parish, it cannot be said to contain more than 19,000 standard acres. Of these 5000 are in ^waste land, sea-beach, peat-bog, and wood ; 14,000 are cultivated, of which 9000 have been under cultivation for a long time, and 5000 have been lately reclaimed from moor ground. There is also a small piece of undivided common in the north- west corner of the parish. Almost all the growing timber in this parish has been planted lately, and generally in hedge-rows, so that the number of acres cannot easily be ascertained, but they certainly are not many. The kinds of trees that thrive best are the ash, plane, elm, alder, and willow. Rent of Land. — The rent of the old cultivated land averages L. 2 ; second quality, L. 1 ; lately improved from the moorland, from 10s. to 5s. Sterling. There are no permanent pastures; but ABEP.DEENSHIRE. grass laid out for summer pasture lets, at from L. 2, 10s. to L. 2 per standard acre. Live-Stock. — Very few sheep are kept m this parish, and they are mostly of the black-faced kind. A great many cattle are bred and fed in this parish for the London market. They are princi- pally of the improved Aberdeenshire breed. Their bones are small, they carry a great deal of flesh, are easily fed, and are soon fit for the market. The farmers, in general, depend more upon raising grain than cattle. A ffreat deal of waste land has been reclaimed of late, and much draining has been required, which has been executed successfully, and on good principles. ~ Leases are generally for a term of nineteen years. The farmers' houses are now much improved, and comfortable. The fields in general are enclosed with dry stone dikes or sunk fences. All these improvements have been executed by the people generally, and not by a few individuals. The principal, if not the only bar to greater improvements is want of capital among the agricultural classes. Fishing, — Salmon is the only kind of fishery, and it is carried on entirely by stake-nets. The success has been so various, that it is impossible to say how much rent is drawn annually for the six miles of sea coast occupied by a very great number of stake-nets ; but the rent must be very considerable. This parish contains about 19,000 acres, 5000 of these are not yet cultivated ; 14,000 are under cultivation, of which probably 4000, good or bad, are in grain crop ; 10,000 in turnip, potatoeSj hay, pasture grass, &c. The average produce of grain on the good and bad soils, perhaps, may be Sg quarters per acre, or in whole 15,000 quarters. But though considerable pains have been bestowed to ascertain the quantity and value of the whole agricultural produce of the parish, the reports given by different persons are so various and so discordant, that it is thought best to say nothing on the subject. V. — Parochial Economy. Means of Communication. — Two turnpike roads pass through the parish, each about six miles long. On each, the mail is carried daily through the parish; but there is no post-office in the parish. Three pubUc coaches pass and repass daily on these two roads. Ecclesiastical State. — The parish church is situated on the east side of the parish, about one mile from the sea, and nearly in the BELHELVIE. 247 middle between its south and north extremities. About fifty years ago, its situation may have been the most convenient for the largest proportion of the inhabitants, because the western side of the parish was little cultivated and thinly inhabited ; but at present, the eastern side is let in large farms, and thinly inhabited, while the western is let in small farms, and contains a great many inhabitants, so that a considerable number of the parishioners live at five miles distance from the church. The church is in good repair at present. The church contains 519 sitting-rooms, giving the legal measure to each ; but it is often or commonly packed to contain between 600 and 700. The seats were divided among the heritors by the Sheriff of Aberdeen in the year 1790, and the heritors have again divided them among their tenants, and some of the heritors receive from Is. to 2s. for each sitting-xoom. There are no free sitting-rooms ; and many say they would re- gularly attend at church if they had a seat. The manse was built in 1768, and is in a good state of repair at present. The glebe contains 3 acres of good land, which may be valued at L. 3 per acre. The stipend is L. 53, lis. 'id. money ; 106 bolls of oatmeal, at 8 stones per boll, old weight, equal, to nearly 10 stones per boll, imperial weight; and 42| quarters of bear. There is one chapel in the parish belonging to the United As- sociate Secession Church. The minister's stipend is paid by sub- scriptions and seat-rents, and amounts to L.70 annually. The whole number of Dissenters of every denomination in the parish is about 200 ; consequently, those who belong to the Established Church amount to 1400. The average number of communicants for several years past has been 550. The average amount of collections for behoof of the poor at the church has been L. 57 per annum. Education. — There are four schools in this parish. 1, The parochial school, where the teacher receives all the legal emolu- ments. The amount of his school fees may be L. 12, 10s. per annum : and he has L.25 a year from Dick's Trustees. His salary payable by the heritors is L. 27 per annum. The branches taught are, Greek, Latin, geography, mathematics, navigation, arith- metic, writing, reading, English. There is one school endowed with a few acres of land ; and two schools, the teachers of which depend entirely upon the school- fees. There are about 120 scholars attending these four schools. Very few persons between the age 248 ABERDEENSHIRE, of six and fifteen cannot read, and many of them can write. All above fifteen years of age can both read and write. Savings' Bank.—T\\eve is one savings' bank in the parish, the stock belonging to which amounts to L. 600. Poor and Parochial Funds. — The average number of persons receiving parochial aid is 30 ; of these few receive more than L. 2, and few less than L. 1, 12s. per annum. The annual contribu- tions at the church for the relief of the poor amount to L. 57 ; rent of land bequeathed for behoof of the poor, L. 13 ; interest j of money bequeathed to the poor, L. 14 ; the whole, L. 84. Out I of this sum are annually paid L. 15, for keeping a patient in the Lunatic Asylum in Aberdeen ; L. 4 to the Infirmary in Aber- deen ; also session-clerk and kirk officer's salaries, and occasional charity to persons not regularly on the poor's roll. The poor in general are unwilling at first to be put upon the poor's roll. ; Fairs. — Three fairs are held in this parish, one in spring, one in summer, and one in autumn. They are almost exclusively for the sale of cattle, and many very excellent cattle are sold in them. Inns and Alehouses. — There are seven inns or alehouses in this parish, all of them on the side of the turnpike roads, and used principally by travellers. They are not much frequented by the parishioners. Fuel. — There is a great quantity of peat moss in the parish. It is principally used for fuel by the poorest class of the people; the more opulent burn coals, which they bring from Aberdeen or the sea-port at Newburgh. January 1840. ' PARISH OF FRASERBURGH. PRESBYTERY OF DEER, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. JOHN GUMMING, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Situation. — This parish is situated upon the east coast of Scot- land, in that part of Aberdeenshire called Buchan; and the town of Fraserburgh is eighteen miles to the west of Peterhead, and twenty-one miles by the old road, but twenty-six miles by the new one, eastward from Banff, the next town of any consequence upon the coast. Name. — From records of an old date, it appears, that the name of this parish was originally Philorth ; this being the name of the estate of the patron and principal proprietor. A town and har- bour, however, having been built early in the sixteenth century, and the town erected into a burgh of regality in October 1613, it was called Fraserburgh, no doubt in honour of Sir Alexander Fraser of Philorth, who obtained the charter. Extent, ^c. — The parish is at an average about 3^ miles broad, and nearly 8 miles long : the land gradually rising from the coast to its most distant and elevated district. Owing, however, to one of those irregularities, which were fallen into in the division of many parishes, the upper part is intersected for the space of nearly an English mile by the adjacent parish of Rathen. According to mea- surement, it contains a little more than 10,000 acres, and though the soil, like that of other parishes upon the coast, is in many places sandy and light, yet in others it is partly clay and loam. The rest is more gravelly, and interspersed with a few mosses and moors. It ex- tends along the coast about 4 miles, nearly two of which to the south of the town are low and sandy, bounded by hillocks, over- grown with bent. The rest is rocky and flat, except Kinnaird's head, a high land projecting into the sea, which is generally be- lieved to be the " Promontorium Taixalium" of Ptolemy, being the turning point into the " ^stuarium Vararise," or Murray Frith. From Kinnaird's head the land trends due west on the one hand, 250 aberdeekshir;^.' and on the other makes a curve to the south-east, forming that bay of Fraserburgh. The sea has receded from the land in some( places, and encroached on it in others. Westward of Kinnaird's head, is a stony beach, evidently throv^^n up by the sea. Many of the benty hillocks, which skirt the bay, stand upon moss or clav ; and in 1760, a tree with roots and branches, and a stem twenty feet long, was found entire under the sand within the high water-mark. By a strong south-east wind, the sands on this shore, if dry, are drifted ; and, were they not intercepted by the bents, would overspread the adjacent fields. Bent, therefore, ought to be carefully preserved, especially that kind of it which grows in the hay here, resembling the river-bulrush in length of joint, thick- ness of reed, and largeness of leaf and top, and which is seem.ing- ly upon .increase. It would appear that this parish at one time abounded with wood. Large roots of trees, mostly oak, still re- main in the mosses ; and about Philorth House, the seat of Lord Saltoun, is some old timber, to which several plantations have been added. But owing to the marine atmosphere, and the strong winds which sometimes blow here from the north and the east, trees and hedges are reared with no small difficulty. The only hill of any magnitude in this district is that of Mormond, covered with moss and. heath, standing 810 feet above the level of the sea, and is the more conspicuous, as the surrounding country is to a considerable extent low and champaign. In various parts of the parish are mineral springs of a chalybeate nature ; one of which is at the south-east corner of the town, which has been deemed useful as atonic for weak stomachs, and over which a well has been erected for the more convenient use of those, who choose to avail themselves of it. From the upper end of the town a bed of lime- stone runs to the south, out of which a quarry has been dug, and stones obtained for building the houses of the town, and the piers of the harbour. There is also abundance of granite in the upper part of the parish, and ironstone of a good quality also abounds amongst the rocks on the coast, but which hasbeenseldom wrought, owing to the scarcity of fuel. Great attention has been paid for many years to the improvement of roads in this district, and there are now excellent turnpike roads from this to Aberdeen, Peterhead, Banif, and Strichen. Being situated upon the coast, the atmosphere is here temperate, moist, and saline, and, with no mountain but that of Mormond to attract and break the clouds, there is less rain and snow than in FRASERBURGH, 251 the interior of the country, and snow, when it does fall, soon dissolves. Hence it is, perhaps, that we are seldom visited with any epidemic distemper, and escaped the cholera, when it was prevaihng elsewhere. Upon the south side of the parish flows the water of Philorth, which takes its rise in the upper district, and, increased in its course by a few tributary streams, discharges itself into the sea. The bay, to which we have already adverted, is the most interesting natural object at Fraserburgh. It is about three miles long, and attracts the notice of every stranger as he approaches the town from the south, and exhibits to him a beau- tiful and delightful scene in a fine summer day, when there is clear sunshine and a profound calm, and many vessels are there riding- at anchor. 11. — Civil History. Antiquities. — There are in this parish the ruins of two chapels, one of which was probably a seminary of considerable repute, as it is called the College, at which some of the monks of the Abbey of Deer resided. Near this is a well, where the superstitious practice of leaving some trifle, after drinking of its waters, obtain- ed for a considerable time ; but which now seems to be given up. At the west end of the town is an old quadrangular tower of three stories, which formed part of a large building originally in- tended for a college by Sir Alexander Fraser of Philorth, who, in 1592, obtained a charter from the Crown, in which powers were given to erect and endow a college and university, — to appoint a rector, a principal, a sub-principal, and all the professors for teach- ing the different sciences they should think proper and necessary, — and to make laws for the preservation of good order, with autho- rity to enforce them. Every immunity and privilege of an univer- sity was granted for it, as appears from the following words of the charter : — " In amplissima forma, et modo debito, in omnibus respectibus, ut conceditur et datur cuicunque collegio et univer- sitati intra regnum nostrum erecto seu erigendo," In 1597, the General Assembly recommended Mr Charles Frame, at that time minister here, to be principal ; but owing to some cause, which ha& not been sufficiently explained, most probably to the want of funds, the matter here stopped, for nothing farther was done in it. On Kinnaird's Head another old tower remains, called the Wine Tower, most probably so called because it was the wine-cellar of those who at one time resided in the adjoining house, which is now the light-house. Under this tower is a cave, penetrating into the rock more than 100 feet. 252 ABERDEENSHIRE. In this parish there are also some ruins of Danish or Pictish houses, as they are usually called. These are about 10 feet square, with a door and hearthstone evidently marked with fire; and which, though insignificant in themselves, serve to show that the inhabitants of this part of Aberdeenshire were at one time of Scandinavian origin. III. — Population. According to the census of 1791, the population amounted to 2215; of 1811, to 2271 ; and of 1831, to 2954: and by a census lately taken at the request of the General Assembly's Committee for Church Extension, it was found to be 3080 ; of whom there are 700 under twelve years of age. It appears that the princi- pal increase was from 1811 to 1831, which is to be ascribed chief- ly to the herring-fishery, which began to be prosecuted upon an ex- tensive scale in 1815. The fishermen also marry at an early pe- riod of life. The number of marriages is, at an average, about 36, and of births, 60. But no register of the number of deaths has been hitherto kept, though the people have been called upon to avail themselves of it. There is reason to believe, however, that these do not exceed 50. During the herring-fishery, which commences in July, and closes in September, there is an increase of the population of no less than 1200, so that, owing to the activi- ty and bustle which then prevail, the town and the harbour have a very bustling appearance. And the herring-fishery having brought to the inhabitants an increase of wealth, it has produced amongst them a change both as to dress and diet, in which respect there is here little or no difference from what is met with in much larger communities. The number of illegitimate children during the last three years is 37. IV. — Industry. Agriculture. — There are here three landed proprietors, and the valued rentals L.3000 Scotch. None of the proprietors are resident but Lord Saltoun, and he only for a few weeks in the year. He is not only patron, but the largest proprietor of the parish, his pro- portion of the valued rent being L. 2266, 13s. 4d. The real rent has fallen about six per cent, since the year 1815; and, had it not been for those improvements which have been made in agricul- ture by the tenantry, the diminution would have been still great- er. All the land is arable, with the exception of about 80 acres of moss. The farms are in extent from 50 to 300 acres, and are let for 10s. to L. 3 Sterling per acre. Though not put up to pub- FRASERBURGH, 253 lie roup, they are always advertised for letting, — the former te- nant generally receiving a preference, when his offer is within ten per cent, of the highest ; and in unfavourable seasons Lord Sal- toun makes liberal deductions to his tenants. The soil here is well adapted to green crop, and produces all kinds of grain ; so that this parish not only supplies itself with all kinds of provisions, but annually exports a large quantity of barley, oats, and potatoes, of good quality. The distinction of infield and outfield has long ago ceased, and a regular rotation of cropping is now followed. For that purpose there is here abundance of manure. Besides an inexhaustible store of shell-sand, and a constant supply of sea- weed or ware, the farmers avail themselves of fish refuse for ma- nure, of which there is also a large quantity during the herring- fishery. Bone-manure is also successfully applied to dry soils. Wages. — The wages for male farm-servants are from I;. 3 to L. 6 Sterling, and for female from L. 1, 5s. to L.2, 10s. in the half year. Live-Stock. — The rearing of cattle for the market has always been a principal object of concern with the farmer; but, ow- ing to the admission of all kinds, the Buchan, or native breed, which is deservedly esteemed, has been considerably diminished. There are, nevertheless, many of good size and quality ; and some farmers have of late introduced the Teeswater, by which it is ex- pected the breed will be improved. The price of cattle has risen of late, and a new market has been opened for them by exportation to London, which has hitherto brought a profitable return. There are no sheep-farms in the parish — a few only are reared upon ground of inferior quality. Though many of the fields are inclosed, yet it is much to be regretted, that the system of inclosure is not universally follow- ed out, and that the tenantry are still without sufficient accommo- dation as to dwelling-house and offices. When any alteration to the better in this respect is effected, it is generally by the tenant's laying out the money himself, with consent of the proprietor, who agrees to deduct it at the expiration of the lease ; or then still evades the expense, by requiring of the incoming tenant to repay it under the designation of " dead inventory ;" an expedient which is no less unfavourable to the interests of the proprietor than to those of the tenant. The Toion and Civil History of the Parish. — The town is situated upon the south side of Kinnaird's Head, and is nearly of a square 254 ABERDEENSHIRE. figure ; most of the streets crossing each other at right angles ; the lower part of it adjacent to the harbour and the bay, A considerable number of new houses have been built within these few years; and new openings are making, and new streets are laid off, according to a plan, which was resolved upon about twenty-five years ago. There are now 180 tenements, each of which contains from 20 to 22 falls. The price of each lot is from L. 30 to L. 33 Sterling, besides an annual feu-duty of 4d. per fall. The old tol- booth, town-house, and cross, were erected by Sir Alexander Fraser, the superior, and disponed to the feuars by the charter of erection. The cross is reckoned a fine structure. It is a hexa- oron with three equidistant angular abutments; the area of the base is 500 feet ; by nine intrenchings the top is contracted to 23 feet, on the middle of which is raised a stone pillar 12 feet high. The British arms, surmounting the armorial coat of Fraser of Philorth, adorn the summit. The jail, though still remaining, is falling into ruins, and is of no use. Fraserburgh is one of the old burghs of regality, having its government vested in Lord Saltoun, the superior, two bailies, a dean of guild, a treasurer, and a coun- cil. His Lordship has the right and the authority of provost, with power to nominate and appoint yearly the new magistrates and council, with the advice and consent of the old. By the charter, the feuars and incorporated brethren of the guild have liberty to exercise all kinds of trade and merchandise. Those, who are not freemen, may be debarred this privilege ; but, for a long period, this exclu- sion has not been insisted on. The feuars are obliged to uphold the public works of the town ; but, for doing so, the market cus- toms were granted them ; and in lieu of some privileges which they possessed over commonable lands, they have obtained others from Lord Saltoun, which now rent at L. 58 Sterling per annum. These funds have been hitherto applied to repairing the streets, and opening new ones, but chiefly to bringing water into the town for domestic use, of which its inhabitants stood in great need, and of which there is now an ample supply. It is not improbable, how- ever, that this burgh will soon undergo such a change in its con- stitution, as has been lately effected in others. The Harbour and Trade. — As seamen were wont to seek for shelter to their vessels upon this coast at an early period, a harbour was built so long ago as at the beginning of the sixteenth century ; being, however, upon a small scale, and not affording the requisite security, especially against storms from the north and the north- FRASERBURGH. 255 east, a narthern pier, of about 300 yards in length, was begun to be built in 1807, and was completed in 181*2. It was soon found, however, that the sea here, though repelled, found its way into the harbour in a way no less detrimental to the shipping, by a cir- cuitous run into it at the extreme point, which, passing along the interior, produced an agitation to the vessels, against which no mooring could afford proper security. There was, therefore, much dissatisfiiction with it and complaint ; and in order to remedy that evil, and for enlarging and improving the harbour, an application was made for an act of Parliament, which was obtained in 1818. A south pier was accordingly built, of corresponding extent to the north one ; and since then, a middle pier has been erected, broader and even superior to the other two, within which vessels lie in perfect safety during the most violent storms. The expenditure upon the whole, since 1807, has been about L. 30,000 Sterling, and when the contemplated improvements are completed, it will be the best tide- harbour on the east coast of Scotland, between it and Burntisland, according to the report of an eminent engineer, Robert Steven- son, Esq. of Edinburgh. The area enclosed as a harbour is up- wards of six Scotch acres, nearly one-half of which has been, exca- vated along the piers and jetties as birthing-places. The harbour is of easy access, having a depth of about six feet water at the piers' head at low water, and of twenty feet at high spring tides. Being situated at the immediate entrance to the Moray Frith, and at the northern extremity of a deep and extensive bay, which affords excellent anchorage for ships of every size, it is of great importance to the shipping interest in general. There are eight vessels from 45 to 155 tons burthen belonging to the port, and 220 boats engaged in the herring fishery. The exportations for 1835 of grain, namely of wheat, barley, oats, pease and beans, were 12,000 quarters ; of potatoes 6000 bolls ; of fish, dried and pickled cod, to the value of L. 2000 Sterling, and of herrings about 16,000 barrels; the herring-fishery giving employment to 1600 people. The articles imported are chiefly timber, coals, lime, tiles, brick, salt, and goods for shopkeepers,^ of whom there are 30 ;. and, including innkeepers, there are 28 who have spirit licenses. The harbour dues were originally only L. 65 per annum, but they now amount to L. 1 100 Sterling per annum. Coals are now import- ed here at the rate of 4s. 4d. per imperial boll, from Newcastle and Sunderland ; but though this be a high price for them, they are considered to afford to those who reside in the town as cheap fuel 256 ABERDEENSHIRE. as peat, which costs about L. 5 Sterhng per leat, including all ex* penses. The manufacture of kelp has been so much affected by the ■ prevailing use of barilla, that the shores here, which at one time let for L.150 Sterling, for that purpose, do not now bring above L.15 Sterling per annum. Rope and sail-making are also carried on to a small extent. V. — Parochial Economy. Ecclesiastical State. — There are three clergymen ; the minister of the Established Church, that of the Scotch Episcopal Church, and that of the Independent congregation. Of the population there are belonging to the Establishment, 2703; and 377 who are Dissenters. The parish church, which stands about the middle of the town, near the cross, was rebuilt in 1802, and is a plain good structure, and capable of containing 1000 sitters. Part of the sit- tings are free, and the rest are all nearly let at from Is. to 4s. per sitting. The church has a spire with a bell, which was built by sub- scription, and cost about L.300 Sterling. A new manse was built in 1818, upon a new site, at the south end of the town, upon a piece of rising ground, beside the road leading to Aberdeen and Peterhead. It is a good plain house, but not so large as other manses which have been more recently built within the bounds of the presbytery. The stipend is 16 chalders of victual, one-half meal, and the other half barley, with L. 10 Sterling for communion ele- ments. The glebe, including the site of the manse and garden adjoin- ing, is only a liltle more than four acres and a quarter in extent, and the greater part of it land of inferior quality. The attendance upon religious ordinances is considerable, and there are increasing symp- toms of religious improvement. One of the great evils with which religion has had to contend here, as elsewhere, is the excessive use of spirituous liquors ; and not until the labouring classes themselves come to see the folly and madness of expending their earnings in their use, will the evil be overcome. Various regulations have been laid down for restraining their use, particularly during the herring fishery ; but these have hitherto been only partially observed. Savings' Bank. — A savings' bank could not be established here until 1830; nor did the labouring classes seem to have at first that confidence in its utility to which it was entitled. But it is now succeeding; the amount of the deposits having been nearly doubled in the course of the present and the preceding year. Societies. — There are two societies for the diffusion of re- 4 FRASERBURGH. 257 . ligious knowledge at home and abroad, and one of these has a pa- I rochial hbrary, containing such books only as are calculated to pro- mote that great object. Education. — The parochial school is attended by about 100 children, and of these there are generally from 20 to 30 girls. The salary of the teacher is L.29, 18s. lOd. Sterling. The amount of fees is about L. 50 Sterling per annum, and as he has the bene- fit of Dick's bequest, and is session-clerk, his income altogether may amount to L. 130 Sterling per annum. The branches taught at the school are, the English, Latin, Greek, and French lan- guages ; writing, arithmetic, algebra, mathematics, geography, and navigation. The books used are. Wood's English Collection ; Lennie's English Grammar; Simpson's History of England and Scotland; the Latin classics; Moore's Greek Grammar; Greek • New Testament ; Dalzel's Greca Minora ; Porquet's Parisian Grammar; French Fables and TelemaquCy Morrison's Book-keep- ing ; Bonnycastle's Algebra ; Davidson's Mathematics ; Hamilton's Arithmetic ; No rris's Navigation ; Scott's Beauties; M'Culloch's Progressive Exercises in Science and Literature ; and the Assem- bly's Catechism with Scripture Proofs. The interrogatory or in- tellectual system was adopted by the present schoolmaster, and continues to be prosecuted with much advantage to his pupils, and credit to himself. Besides the parochial school, there are nine others, all upon the teachers' own adventure ; four of them by male, and five by female teachers. It is usual for parents to place their children when very young under female teachers, - both to preserve them from accidents, to which they might be ex- posed, by being allowed to roam in the streets without any one to look after them, and to prepare them by instruction in the ele- ments of education for afterwards going to the parochial, or other schools, where the higher branches are taught. By returns lately obtained, it appears that there are about 500 children throughout the parish receiving education at its schools. There are eight Sunday schools, attended by about 300 children. Poor and Parochial Funds. — The number of the poor upon the roll is 80, who are relieved, according to the old system, by collec- tions at the door of the parish church, which amount to about L. 100 Sterling per annum; by the greater part of the dues for proclamation of banns; and by the interest of a fund of L.700 Ster- ling. The fund is made up of bequests from wealthy and gene- rous individuals, who belonged to the parish, or who had previous- ABERDEEN. U 2o8 ABERDEENSHIRE. ly resided in it for a considerable time. The annual amount dis- tributed has been generally about L. 150 Sterling; but last year it was nearly L. 200 Sterling, and there is no appearance at pre- sent of its diminution. Miscellaneous Observations. From the foregoing statement, it appears that the town and pa- rish of Fraserburgh have participated in the general improvement of the country since the publication of the former Statistical Ac- count ; that its population has had an increase of 865 souls, with a corresponding enlargement of the town; that a new, capacious, secure, and excellent harbour has been erected, and the herring- fishery, and other branches of trade, have been carried on to a con- siderable extent, and with much success; that a savings bank has been established, which is now prospering ; and that great attention is paid to the proper education of the young. Various other im- provements are in contemplation, which, by the favour of Divine Providence, and the spirit of enterprise which now exists, will, ere long, be accomplished. January 1840. PARISH OF ABERDOUR, presbytery of deer, synod of ABERDEEN. THE REV. GEORGE GARDINER, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — The name of the parish seems to be derived from a small rivulet, which falls into the sea, a few hundred yards below the manse. The term Aber in Gaelic signifying a mouth or open- ing^ Aberdour may here have been applied to the mouth or outlet of the Dour. The form of the parish is extremely irregular, extending from east to west along the sea coast about 7 miles, while its greatest length from north-east to south-west, including a vast extent of moss and moor, is not less than 10 or 11 miles. There are three farms at the south-east extremity, completely cut off from the rest of the parish of Aberdour by that of Tyrie. Some suppose that these farms were originally grazings for the cattle belonging to the tenants upon the ABEUDOUR, 259 sea coast ; but it is more probable that, at the time the parish was erected, they formed a separate estate, belonging to the then pro- prietor of Aberdour, who would naturally wish to have all his land- ed property ir; one parish. At the rate of 640 imperial acres to each, the whole extent of the parish contains about 24 square miles. Boundaries, §'c. — The parish is bounded on the north by the shores of the Moray Frith ; on the east, by the parishes of Pitsligo, Tyrie, Fraserburgh, and Strichen ; on the south, by New Pitsli- go, (which forms part of the parish of Tyrie,) New Deer, and King- Edward ; and on the west, by the burn of Nethermill, which separates it from Gamrie, and which forms the boundary between the counties of Aberdeen and Banff. Topographical Appearances. — There are, properly speaking, no high mountains in the parish, but the whole estate of Auchmedden, which forms the west side of it, is elevated 200 or 300 feet above the level of the sea ; while the estate of Aberdour, or eastern divi- sion, is comparatively flat and low, with little inequality of surface. The mosses, moors, and barren land bear a very great proportion to that which is under cultivation. The soil of the farms along the coast is, in many places, good, consisting of a strong loamy clay, and producing, when properly managed, excellent crops of grain. It may be proper to remark, that the estate of Auchmedden is intersected by several dens, or deep ravines, which have a roman- tic appearance, and afford a rich field for the botanist. There are various caves along the coast, having their entrance from the sea. The most remarkable is that called Cowshaven, on the farm of Ironhill, at the north-east corner of the parish, and which served as a hiding-place to the late Lord Pitsligo after the battle of Cul- loden. The interior of this dungeon is now of difficult access, the mouth being choked by the earth falling from above, or by sand and pebbles thrown up by the sea. In the centre of this apartment is a well, cut out of the solid rock, by the hands of the Noble Lord himself, during his confinement in this subterranean cavern. The mother of my informant, then a girl of sixteen years of age, procured him tools for this purpose, and supplied him with food and other necessaries of life ; but at last he was compelled to quit his prisourhouse, his dreary abode having been discovered by her footsteps in the snow. The whole of the sea coast is bold, picturesque, and rocky, particularly to the westward of the manse, about a mile from which, upon the estate of Auchmedden, is Pit- jossie, a stupendous natural arch, through which the tide flows at 260 ABERDEENSHIRE. high water, and v/hich, when viewed from the top of the adjoining chfF, has a striking and awful appearance. This colossal arch is said by those who have seen both, to equal, if not surpass, the celebrated Bullers of Buchan. There are three bays or inlets of the sea, namely, Aberdour, Pennan, and Nethermill. The beach at Aberdour consists of a vast accumulation of stones, washed down the burn of Dour, and forced back by the raging of the sea in a storm | and the beaches of Pennan and Nethermill are formed of similar materials, carried down by the burns of the same name. Meteorology, — There is no meteorological table kept in the parish, but the climate is mild, and the temperature of the atmosphere not very variable. There being no high mountains in the district of Buchan, it has been generally observed that less rain falls along the coast, during the summer season, than in the interior of the country, where there are extensive ranges of hills to attract the clouds. There are no diseases peculiar to this parish, the district being uncommonly healthy, the people living to a great age. This is in a great measure to be attributed to the pure air which they always breathe, the atmosphere being constantly impregnated with saline particles from the spray, which is raised by the sea dashing against the precipitous rocks, which bound the coast, and also to the total absence of Doctors. Hydrography. — There are mineral springs in almost every cor- ner of the parish, but one more remarkable, and more frequented than. the rest, called Mess JohtCs Well, issues from a rock, about 200 yards west of the burn of Aberdour. It is a strong chaly- beate, and famed for its medicinal qualities. A small basin, in the shape of a cup, for the reception of the water, which trickles down the rock, is said to have been cut by a John White, Laird of Ard- lawhill, at the time that Presbytery and Prelacy contended for the mastery. Neither of the parties, during the heat of the contest, had regular worship at the parish church, but John attended every Sunday, prayed, sung, and read a chapter from the precentor's desk, then prayed, again, and concluded the service by singing another psalm. This he continued to do till Presbyterianism was fairly established, and hence he was designated Mess John by the people, and his well Mess John's Well. Upon the farm of Kin- beam, at the south-west extremity of the parish, there is a fresh water loch, called the Loch of Monwig, situated in the midst of an extensive deep moss. It is 200 yards long and 22 broad, the ABERDOUR. 261 dark mossy water being' in some places of considerable depth, and frequented at certain seasons by great flocks of geese and ducks. This is the only loch or lake of any description in the parish. There are no large rivers, and almost all the small streams or ri- vulets discharge themselves into the Moray Frith, which forms the northern boundary of the parish. In the Den of Dardar, near Pitjossie, there is a cascade, which sometimes in the winter season, and after a heavy flood of rain, has rather a grand and striking appearance. The water dashes from the top of a rock into three successive basins, and upon reaching the bottom, glides smoothly into the Moray Frith, at the distance of about 100 yards. Geology and Mineralogy. — The geology and mineralogy of this parish would afford materials for a small volume, and the task could only be undertaken by a scientific man, after visiting and minutely examining the localities. The rocks which bound the shore are highly interesting, of stupendous height, and various formation. A coarse sandstone prevails along the coast, often passing into conglomerate of various degrees of coarseness, and connected with a greywacke slate. This sandstone, I am inform- ed, is accounted at present of the oldest secondary formation, and is destitute of all traces of organic remains. This is the case also with the slate. The outlying blocks of loose stone, or boulders, are primary trap or granite. A few years ago, in the neighbouring parish of Gamrie, there was an accidental developeraent o{ fossil Jish, imbedded in rolled masses of clay or limestone ; and it is the opinion of an eminent geologist, who has favoured me with a communication upon the subject, that in- teresting facts might be brought to light, by searching the dens or deep ravines which run inward from the coast in this parish, and in which it is not improbable that something siinilar might be discovered. With these brief remarks we shall leave the sub- ject to those who are capable of doing it justice. Zoology. — At one period, there was a pair of eagles that regu- larly nestled and brought forth their young in the rocks of Fen- nan, but, according to the tradition of the country, when the late Earl of Aberdeen purchased the estate from the Bairds, the for- mer proprietors, the eagles disappeared, in fulfilment of a pro- phecy by Thomas the Rymer, that there should he an eagle in the Crags^ ivhile there was a Baird in Auchmedden. But the most re- markable circumstance, and what certainly ^appears incredible, isj 262 ABERDEENSHlREe that when Lord Haddo, eldest son of the Earl of Aberdeen, mar- ried Miss Christian Baird of New Byth, the eagles returned to the rocks, and remained until the estate passed into the hands of the Honourable William Gordon, when they again fled, and have never since been seen in the country. These facts, marvellous as they may appear, are attested by a cloud of living witnesses. What is called the Aberdeenshire or Buchan breed is almost the only spe- cies of cattle reared in this district. Some attempts have been made to introduce the short-horn or Teeswater breed, but to cat- tle of this description neither farmers nor graziers appear to be at all partial. The Moray Frith abounds with a vast variety of fish of the best quality. Those taken by the fishermen of Pennan, according to their own statement, are the following : Haddocks, cod-fish, ling, tusk, skate, mackerel, whiting, cole-fish, turbot, halibut, sole, grey flounders, spotted flounders, herrings, dog-fish, cat-fish, horse- mackerel, hake, thornback, guard-fish, black brim, lump-fish, sea- sow, gurnet. Blind Harry, miller's thumb, sharks, kettock, lobsters, crabs, conger-eels, &c. A few salmon are sometimes seen at the mouth of the fresh-water streams which run into the sea, but, owing to the scantiness of their number, and the rocky nature of the coast, there never has been, and in all probability never will be, any regular salmon-fishing. The produce would not defray the ex- pense. There are countless myriads of cockles, limpets, &c. which the fishermen catch, not so much as an article of food, as for bait to their hooks. For some years back, in the months of July, Au- gust, and September, the herring-fishery has been prosecuted to great extent along the shores of the Moray Frith, to the im- poverishment and demoralization of the fishers, and with but little advantage to the curers. The caterpillar, green fly, and that insect, whatever its name may be, which causes the disease in fruit trees, called American blight, are the great scourges of the gardens, and the tory, or grub- worm, of the corn fields. Botany. — The dens of Auchmedden, the property of Sir Charles Forbes, Bart, are perhaps the richest field for botany in the united kingdom. Here, in the summer months. Flora pours forth all her treasures. Besides the plants common to almost every part of Aberdeenshire, here are to be found, within the compass of a mile or two, many of the rarest species. The following are a few spe- cimens, in the order of the sexual system laid down by Linnseus : ABERDOUR. 263 Hippuris vulgaris Epilobium monlaniim Veronica Charaaedrys Saxifraga oppositifolia Iris Pseud-Acorus Silene inflata Eriophoium vaginatum Oxalis Acetosella Alopecurus genicuiatus Agrinionia Eupatoria Sherardia arvensis Chelidonium majus * Asperula odorata Cistus helianthemum Plantago maritima Ranunculus hederaceus Coronopus bulbosus Potamogeton natans Stachys palustris Myosotis versicolor • Bartsia Odontites Lithospennum maritimuni Scrophularia nodosa Anchusa sempervirens Cakile maritima Symphytum tuberosum Cochlearia officinalis Anagallis tenella Geranium Robertianum Viola palustris Fumaria capreolata Hydrocotyle vulgaris Antbyllis vuhieraria Daucus Carota Vieia sylvatica Conium maculatum Ervum hirsutum Chjerophyllum temulentum Hypericum pulchrum Parnassia palustris ,-,„. humifusum Drosera rotundifolia Tanacetum vulgare Alliurn ursinum Pyrethrum maritimum Hyacinthus non-scriptus Rhodiola rosea Trientalis Europsea Scolopendrium vulgare This last is considered a very rare plant, and not to be found, so far as is known to the writer of this report, in any other station in Aberdeenshire, The above are a few species selected almost at random from the different classes, — for the variety in the dens is so great, that the bare enumeration of them would occupy more space than can be afforded in a statistical account. About fifty or sixty years ago, as I am informed, the medical: men from the Infirmary at Aberdeen were in the practice of paying annual visits to the dens of Auchmedden, for the purpose of col- lecting plants for medicinal purposes, and their labours, no. doubt, were richly rewarded. At the commencement of the present century, there was not a tree to be seen in the parish, with the exception of a solitary moun- tain ash upon the glebe, below the old church ; but there is now a considerable plantation upon Sir Charles Forbes's property, in a tolerably thriving state, consisting of Scotch firs, larch, spruce, alders, ash, plane-tree, &c. Throughout the greater part of Buchan, wood is of very difficult growth, the country being flat and bare, and destitute of shelter. II.— Civil History. There is no reason to believe that there is any ancient or mo- dern history of the parish, either printed or in manuscript, extant, the former Statistical Account excepted. The parish has been " This plant I have never seen, but in the garden at the manse ; it is therefore doubtful whether it be indigenous to the parish. 264 ABERDEENSHIRE. repeatedly surveyed, and there are plans of the separate estates in the possession of the respective proprietors. The estate of Aber- dour was surveyed about twenty years ago, when it was purchased by Mr Dingwall of Brucklay from Mr Gordon, the former pro- prietor ; and Auchmedden was surveyed in 1810, and again in 1839. There are only two heritors in the parish, John Duff Ding- wall, Esq. of Brucklay, proprietor of the, estate of Aberdour, com- prising three-fifths of the whole, and Sir Charles Forbes, Bart, of Auchmedden, proprietor of the two remaining fifths. Parochial Register. — The parochial register of this parish was supposed to be the oldest in the Church of Scotland, but, by some unaccountable accident, the most ancient part of it was lost about the year 1815, and what now remains commences at the year 1698. It is very regularly kept, but the baptismal register is very defective, owing to the extreme negligence of parents in getting their children's names inserted. It is hoped that this evil will soon be remedied by legislative enactment. Antiquities. — At a place called Chapelden, in the land of Auch- medden, the ruins of a Roman Catholic chapel are still to be seen, on a haugh opposite the Toar of Troup. The walls are completely demolished, and nothing remains but a heap of stones, which have been held sacred by the husbandman; for although in the midst of a cultivated field, they have never been touched by the plough. The only fort, or castle, in the paiish is that of Dundargue, for a par- ticular description of which, reference is made to the former Sta- tistical Account. In addition to what is there stated, it may be proper to observe, that when Edward Baliol came to claim the kingdom of Scotland, Sir Thomas Beaumont accompanied him, and took and garrisoned the Castle of Dundargue in right of his wife, she being the eldest daughter of Cummine, Earl of Buchan, who had no male issue, and to whom the castle belonged. There are numerous cairns and tumuli scattered through the parish. Such as have been opened have been found to contain a rude stone coffin, enclosing the bones or ashes of a human body. A cairn on the farm of Towie, on the estate of Auchmedden, cal- led Brociie's Cairn, deserves particular notice. My informant re- members three cairns of the same name, but with regard to this one in particular, the tradition is as follows: A farmer of the name of Brodie murdered his mother, whose body was brought to the gate of the church-yard of Aberdour, and every individual in the parish called upon to apply the hand to the naked corpse. ABERDOUK. 265 « under the superstitious belief that the blood would gush upon the murderer. It was observed, that during the time this was going on, her son carefully kept at a distance, and showed great reluc- tance to approach the body, and that, when recourse was about to be had to compulsion, he confessed the murder. The tradition farther states, that the murderer was drawn and quartered, and that his four limbs were buried on the sides of four roads lead- ing to the church of Aberdour. So much for ancient supersti- tion. Modern Buildings.- — There are no modern buildings of any note in the parish, with the exception of the church and manse, of which afterwards. The meal mill at Aberdour was lately new roofed and slated, and there was a mill of the same description lately erected at Nethermill, for the accommodation of the tenants on the estate of Auchmedden. They are built partly of granite, and partly of a sort of red rock or sandstone, which abounds in the parish, and which, when harled, is very durable. III. — Population. At a remote period, the parish must have been very thinly peopled, as is evident from the extensive tracts of waste and un- cultivated ground at the present day, notwithstanding the stimulus given to improvement by the high price of agricultural produce during the last war. Some hundred years ago, there is reason to believe, that the laud upon the sea coast alone was cultivated, and that what may be called the back-settlements of the parish, was little better than a barren wilderness. The population has progressively increased since the commencement of the present century. This increase is partly to be attributed to the erection of the village of New Aberdour, in the year 1798, and which contains 300 inhabitants; but arises chiefly from the annual num- ber of births exceeding the deaths by more than one-half. Last year (1834) the number of births was 44, of deaths, 20. Deduct- ing from the gross population in 1831 the inhabitants of New Aberdour, amounting to 302, and those in the fishing village of Pennan, which may be stated at 180, there remains 1066 as the sum total of the population residing in the country. There being no regular and complete register of births, deaths, and marriages, it is impossible to ascertain, with perfect accuracy, the annual average for the last seven years. The following is near the truth: births, 40; deaths, 18; marriages, 14. 266 ABERDEENSHIRE. The number of persons under 15 years of age is 620 "j betwixt 15 and 30, 383 I 30 and 50, 343 | 50 and 70, 209 )■ * upwards of 70, 91 I Total, 1646 J Thus it appears, that if the last census was accurately taken, which is very doubtful, there is an increase of nearly 100 since 1831. The number of unmarried females above 45 is 50 "^ men and bachelors above 50, 10 f , widowers upwards of 50, 20 C widows, - . - 483 The only person of independent fortune residing in the parish is William Gordon, Esq. the former proprietor of the estate of Aberdour, and who still occupies the family mansion and manor farm.f There are two proprietors of land of the yearly value of upwards of L. 50, both non-resident. The average number of children in each family may be about 3. Character of the People. — The people, for the most part, are of the middle-size, muscular, and well-proportioned. There is no insane person in the parish, only two of rather weak intellect, two partially blind, and none deaf. The language spoken is the broad Buchan, or real Aberdeen- shire, and this dialect is much the same as it was forty years ago. There is nothing peculiar in the popular customs, games, and amusements which prevail in this district. The habits of the people are sober and industrious, and, as far as their circumstances will admit, cleanly in the highest degree. In their style and manner of dress, there has been of late years a marked improvement. The principal food of the peasantry consists of bread made of oatmeal, pottage, brose, milk, and potatoes. Scotch kale or cabbage, which at one period constituted an essential part of the food of the lower orders, is not now in very general use. The people, notwith- standing the pressure of the times, are contented and happy, of a social and obliging disposition, shrewd and intelligent, re- gular in their attendance upon public worship, and the ordinan- ces of religion, as well as in the performance of the duties of life. Strangers to that fanaticism which acts as a nurse to sedi- tion, and that pharisaical hypocrisy which serves as a cloak to the * These numbers refer to the year 1835, since which time there may be a slight alteration. f Mr Gordon died in the end of last year, and his establishment is about to be broken up January 1840. ABERDOUR. 267 most heinous sins, their maxim is, " to fear God, honour the King, and not meddle with those that are given to change." There is httle scope for poaching in the parish, as game, is very strictly preserved, and the only persons accused of violating the game laws are the fishermen, almost all of whom are possessed of guns, ostensibly for the purpose of killing sea-fowl, for the sake of the oil and feathers, and who may, perhaps, occasionally take a shot at a hare or a partridge. Smuggling, at one period, was carried on here to a great extent; the almost inacessible rocks and caves on the shores of the Moray Frith affording peculiar facilities for this species of traffic. Since the establishment of the Preventive Coast Guard, however, it has been completely suppressed, there being no such thing as an attempt ever mqde to land a single anker of brandy, a keg of gin, a box of tea, or a bale of tobacco. IV. — Industry. The number of imperial acres cultivated is .... 5873 which never have been cultivated is . . 9105 that might be cultivated perhaps with profit, 2000 No undivided common. Number of acres under wood, all planted, .... 87 occupied by houses and roads, . . . . 101 The wood generally planted consists of Scotch fir, spruce, larch, alder, ash, elm, plane-tree, and mountain-ash. In the hol- lows and sheltered situations, it is in a very thriving state, but upon the high grounds, where it is more exposed to the sea blast, the plants are extremely stunted, and making little or no progress. It is much to be regretted that due attention is not paid to thinning, pruning, and filling up the vacant spaces with fresh plants. It is only by patient perseverance, and supplying the deficiencies as they occur, that wood can ever be raised in a country so bare and exposed, as is the greater part of Buchan. The average rate of grazing for an ox or cow may be stated at L. 2, and for a full- grown sheep per annum at 15s. Rate of Wages. — Servants are almost universally engaged for six months, and the rate of wages for a first-rate man servant is about L. 6 ; for a second rate servant, L. 5 ; and for a third rate, L. 3. The wages of the women vary from L. 1 to L. 3, according to their qualifications. Artisans are chiefly paid by the piece. Masons, when employed by the day, receive about 2s. ; and carpen- ters much the same, without victuals. Smiths are jilways paid by the piece. Husbandly. — There is nothing very peculiar in the style of hus- bandry pursued in this parish. The best land in it yields a yearly 268 ABERDEENSHIRE. rent of from L. 1, 10s. to L. 2, lOs., and the inferior qualities from 10s. to L. 1. The average may be considered about L. 1 Sterhng. Leases. — The leases in this parish, and, indeed, throughout the whole of Aberdeenshire, are generally granted for a term of nine- teen years. A lease for a shorter period would certainly be very much against tlie interest of both landlord and tenant, as it would operate as a bar to improvement, and, consequently, to any increase in the value of the land. The only inclosures in the parish are upon the manor farm of Aberdour, Coburty, Ironhill, and Powburn, there being a great deficiency of stones for building dikes, and little encouragement given for inclosing. The steadings upon the principal farms are tolerably good, for the most part covered with thatch or tiles, and but few of them slated. So long as farm produce afforded a re- munerating price to the agriculturist, the spirit of improvement, which was so conspicuous during the war, was kept alive, and a great deal of waste land brought into cultivation, but unless the rents are greatly reduced, now that the agricultural capital is in a great measure exhausted, land of inferior quality, of which there is a great proportion in this parish, must be allowed to go to heather. Between twenty and thirty years ago, the late Mr Dingwall of Brucklay purchased the estate of Aberdour, containing three- fifths of the parish, and found every thing connected with agricul- ture and rural economy in a most backward state. There were scarcely any roads, bridges, or fences, and the arable land was in many places intermixed with, or surrounded by, bogs, mosses, and " moors. Any drains that had been cut were very inefficient, in consequence of there being no open ditches, or leading drains to receive the water. The fields were laid out in a very irregular manner, and no proper rotation of cropping was observed. Mr Dingwall's first object was to open up the communication by re- pairing such lines of road as were capable of repair, and mak- ing new roads where wanted, and this indeed was everywhere. Bridges also were built where necessary, and open ditches and water-courses executed at his expense. The general aspect of the whole property has undergone a change greater, perhaps, than any one in the district. But the value of this estate has been chiefly enhanced by a new line of road of upwards of seven miles, which runs through the whole property, from one end to the other, planned and executed in the most judicious manner. The ma- nagement of this estate has shewn, in the most convincing manner. ABERDOUR. 269 that the interests of landlord and tenant are the same, and that the only way of promoting the former is to cherish and give encourage- ment to the latter. The neighbouring estate of Auchmedden, the property of one of the most honourable and kind-hearted landlords in existence, affords a striking contrast to this. The obstacles to improvement arise chiefly from the low price of agricultural produce, the want of capital, the high rents, the trifling allowance giveii for building, inclosing,' and draining, and with regard to the estate of Auchmedden, in particular, the non- residence of the proprietor, and the consequent gross neglect and mismanagement of the estate. Quarries. — Besides several quarries of granite and sandstone, there are two millstone quarries in the parish; one upon the estate of Aberdour, called the Quarry of Coburty, which is not now wrought, and one in the rocks of Pennan, the stones taken from which are said to be the best in Britain. Formerly twelve able-bodied men were employed in cutting the millstones from the rock, the base of which is washed at high-water by the sea, but of late it has greatly decayed, in consequence of the high price put upon the stones. At one period the Pennan stones were sent to the south and west of Scotland, the demand being universal, but now there are only four or five men employed, who can scarcely earn a livelihood, as a single cargo, shipped to Aberdeen, may be said to be the whole annual produce of the quarry, although the rock is inexhaustible. L. 6 Sterling is now charged for a stone 14 inches thick, nearly double the former price. The rent of the quarry is L. 50. Fishery. — There is a white-fishing at the sea-town of Pennan, on the estate of Auchmedden, consisting of six boats, with a com- plement of four men each, employed in taking the several species of fish already enumerated. Five long-boats have for some years gone to the herring-fishery at Macduff, Banff, and other stations upon the Moray Frith, there being no harbour at Pennan, and no proper accommodation for curing herring. The six white-fishing boats pay a rent of L. 20 Sterling to the proprietor, besides some dried fish annually. Produce. — The average gross amount of the raw produce of the parish, so far as the same can be ascertained, is as follows : — 130 acres potatoes, . . L.780 629 turnips, 200 bear and barley, with fodder, 2317 oats, with fodder, 300 hay, 2217 pasture, 1258 900 7963 2 6 600 1881 8 —L. 13,382 10 270 ABERDEENSHIRE. The produce of the quarry may be stated at L. 130 Of the sea-fishing, . . 360 The gross rental of the parish is — Aberdour, 2700 Auchmedden, 1745 Total, L. 4935 The sizes of the farms are, 2 of 200 acres ; 4 of 150 do, ; 8 of 1 00 do. ; 12 of 60 do. ; the remainder varying from 5 to 40 acres. Husbandry. — The rotation generally followed in the parish is the seven-shift course : — 1. fallow and turnip ; 2. barley or oats ; 3. grass, partly cut for hay, and partly for green food ; 4. pasture ; 5. do. ; 6. oats; 7. oats. In two or three instances the following ro- tation is adopted: 1. fallow and green crop; 2. oats and barley; 3. grass ; 4. pasture ; 5. oats ; 6. oats. Both of these rotations are, in the opinion of some practical farmers, liable to objections, particularly the latter. In the village lands of New Aberdour, the four-shift course is sometimes followed, but the glebe is the only land in the parish farmed upon the favourite five-shift course. Manufactures, — There is scarcely any manufacture in the parish that deserves the name. The making of kelp from sea-weed, which was formerly carried on along the whole breadth of the shore, from east to west, is now almost entirely abandoned, — the price of kelp, in consequence of taking off the duty from Spanish barilla, having fallen so much, that it would not yield a fair remu- neration for cutting, drying, and burning the ware, to say nothing of rent for the shores. This manufacture, previous to the repeal of the foresaid duty, afforded employment, during the spring and summer months, to about twenty individuals, who are now reduced to the necessity of betaking themselves to other occupations, for which they are ill quahfied, and find great difficulty in gaining a livelihood. V. — Parochial Economy. Market-Town^ ^c. — There is, properly speaking, no market- town in the parish ; the nearest is Fraserburgh, distant 8 miles New Aberdour, the feuing of which commenced about forty years ago, and the sea-town of Pen nan, are the only villages in the parish. Means of Communication. — The only means of communication enjoyed by the inhabitants is a post-runner, who goes for letters and newspapers three times a-week to Fraserburgh, to which there is a daily mail-coach from Aberdeen. He receives a penny for each letter carried to and from the office, and also an allowance for parcels. The turnpike road from Fraserburgh to Banff touches the parish of Aberdour at two points, namely, Bridgend, at the 4 ABERDOUR. 271 eastern extremity, and Cowbog at the western, but would be of little advantage to the parishioners, were it not for the great junc- tion road made by Mr Dingwall, already mentioned, and which is equal to any turnpike. Ecclesiastical State. — The parish church stands at the northern extremity of the village of New Aberdour, fronting the Hio^h Street, and is very conveniently situated for the greater part of the population. There are several farms in the moors, at a con- siderable distance from the church, some of them not less than six or seven miles, but the families upon these farms attend other places of worship that are less distant, and to which they will soon, in all probability, be annexed quoad sacra. The church was erected in 1818, and is in good repair. It was built to contain 800, but will, if well packed, accommodate 1000. The sittings are all free. The manse was built in 1822, after a lengthened litigation with the principal heritor, who maintained, inter alia, that, by the Act 1663, a minister was entitled to no more than L. 1000 Scots, or L. 83, 6s. 8d. Sterling, for building a manse, offices, and garden walls. The House of Peers, however, were of a different opinion, and affirmed the decision of the Court of Session, ordaining the heritors to build a competent manse and offices, the expense not exceeding L. 1000 Sterling, exclusive of the old materials. The benefit of this decision, however advantageous to the church at large, was in a great measure lost to the present incumbent, in con- sequence of the Procurator and Agent for the Church, (over whom the minister had no control, as the cause had been taken up by the church, to be conducted at their expense,) having sanctioned a plan, which was executed for about L.600, and allowed the clergy- man, after eight years' delay, and a triumphant victory, to put his hand into his own pocket, and furnish himself with about one-third of the accommodation which was absolutely necessary for his com- fort. The glebe, including grass ground, and the site of the houses, is between 7 and 8 acres, and may be considered worth about L. 2 per acre. The stipend is 15 chalders of victual, half meal, half barley, paid according to the fiars, with L. 8, 6s. 8d. for communion elements. There are no chapels of ease, Govern- ment churches, missionaries, catechists, Dissenting or Seceding chapels, Episcopalian chapels, or Catholic chapels within the pa- rish. There are a few individuals, scattered through the parish belonging to other persuasions, but, with the exception of one wea- 272 ABERDEENSHIRE. ver and his household, ahuost every family in the parish attends the Established Church. The only sectarians are about half-a- dozen of Seceders, two Scotch Episcopalians, and one Roman Catholic. In short, the population may be said to be wholly Pres- byterian. Divine service at the Established Church is well attend- ed, and the average number of communicants is about 600. The probable average amount of church collections for religious and charitable purposes is about L. 39 per annum. Education. — In addition to the parochial school, there is a school on the lands of Auchmedden, chiefly for the accommodation of the children of the fishermen in the sea-town of Pennan. The teacher receives from the church-session the sum of L. 2, Is. 8d. Sterling, out of the interest of money mortified for that purpose, by a Lady Jane Hay, a daughter of the Earl of Kinnoul, of which mortifica- tion the church-session are constituted trustees. There are seve- ral other elementary schools in the parish, some of them taught by unmarried females, and which are very useful for preparing children for the parish school ; but none of these schools are en- dowed, and the teachers depend solely upon the trifling fees paid by the scholars. Reading, writing, arithmetic, book-keeping, na- vigation, English grammar, and Latin are taught at the parochial school, and also at the school of Auchmedden. The salary of the parochial schoolmaster is L. 32 Sterling, and the fees may amount to L. 15 yearly. He has, besides, an excellent house and garden. The fees per month are, reading and writing, Is. ; arithmetic. Is. 4d. ; reading only, lOd. ; Latin, Is. 6d. ; book-keeping, L. I for a whole set. All betwixt six and fifteen years of age can read, and a considerable proportion can also write. All above fifteen years of age can read, and the greater part can also write. The people in general are very much alive to the benefits of education, and send their children regularly to school. There are several fami- lies at the distance of five or six miles from the parochial school, but their children attend schools in the adjoining parishes, which they can do without much inconvenience. It would be of much advantage if the school of Auchmedden were regularly endowed, and an adequate salary provided for the teacher, as the children of the fishermen depend upon it alone for education. For the pre- sent salary, (L. 2, Is. 8d.), together with an annual gratuity of L. 5 Sterling from Sir Charles Forbes, no person, duly qualified, can be found to teach. Friendly Society. — .There is one Friendly Society in the parish, 3 ABERDOUR. 273 instituted on the 15th August 1815, for atfording rehef to aged and indigent members, and also for the benefit of the widows and children of the deceased. The number of members is 75. The money is invested in a chartered bank, in terms of the act of Par- liament, and amounted in 1835 to L. 279, 12s. 7M. There is no savings bank in the parish. The nearest is in the parish of Strichen, about seven miles from New Aberdour. It was established about six years ago, and is said to be in a flourish- ing condition. As yet, the transactions with this bank consist chief- ly of investments of money by farm-servants, of both sexes, and also by crofters and tradesmen. Poor and Parochial Funds. — The average number of persons re- ceiving parochial aid is 36, and the average annual allowance to each is L. 1, 4s. ; the contributions for the relief of the poor arising from church collections, L. 39, 14s. 6d. ; donations, L. 5 ; interest of money, L. 6, 4s. 9d. ; penalties, L. 3, 10s. ; average an- nual amount of poor's money, L. 54, 9s. 3d. The poor scarcely ever apply for parochial aid until compelled by dire necessity, ma- nifesting a laudable spirit of independence, and a desire to sup- port themselves by the fruits of their own industry. Fairs.' — There are 4 annual fairs lately established at the village of New Aberdour, for cattle, merchandise, and engaging servantSj but they are not well attended, as the place where^ they are held is within a mile of the margin of the sea. Two of them are held at the two terms of Whitsunday and Martinmas, one in the middle of April, and another in the middle of August. There is also a fair, called Byth market, held twice a-year, in the months of May and October, upon a moor in the southern division of the parish, where a few cattle are bought and sold. Inns and Alehouses, — There are 5 licensed ale and spirit-houses in the parish, three in the village of Aberdour, and two in Pennan, and there is also a gin-shop or two, of inferior note, in the more remote corners. Fuel. — The fuel chiefly used is peat, of which there is an inex- haustible quantity in the parish. The expense varies according to the distance ; but it costs at an average, before it can be laid down on the stack-hill, about 2s. per cart load. Considering the ex- pense of cutting, spreading, setting, and driving, it is very doubt- ful whether the people would not be gainers by using coal in- stead of peat. ABERDEEN, S 274 aberdeenshire. Miscellaneous Observations. Since the former Statistical Account was written, many altera- tions, and some decided improvements, have taken place in the state of the parish ; but, with the exception of the erection of the village of New Aberdour, the principal part of these improvements have been made within the last fifteen years, and in that portion of the parish comprehending the estate of Aberdour, the property of Mr Duff Dingwall of Brucklay. Upon the estate of Auchmed- den, the want of internal communication has been severely felt, and until roads are made, it is to be feared that little can be done by the tenantry in the way of improving that property. Drawn up 1835, Revised January 1840. PARISH OF KING-EDWARD. presbytery of TURRIFF, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. WILLIAM FINDLAY, MINISTER. L— Topography and Natural History. Name. — Though the name of this parish has long been writ- ten King- Edward, yet, by the people in this part of the country, it is often pronounced Kinedart. The name is supposed to be deriv- ed from two Gaelic words, which signify the head of the valley ; and the situation of the ruins of the castle of King- Edward, which stands near the western extremity of the narrow valley in which the church is situated, may give some countenance to this deri- vation. Extent and Boundaries. — The parish extends in length from west to east about 1 1 miles ; its breadth varies from about 2 to 5 ; and it contains about 28 square miles. It is bounded on the south, by the parish of Turriff; on the west, by Alvah ; on the north-west, by Banff; on the north, by Gamrie; on the east, by Aberdour and New Deer ; and on the south-east, by Montquhit- ter. The river Doveran separates it from Banff and Alvah ; but a part of the latter parish, about a mile in breadth, which lies on the east bank of the Doveran, and which meets the parish of Gamrie, completely cuts off the north end of this parish from the KING-EDWARD. 275 rest. The farthest extremity of this disjoined part, which com- prehends the estate of Montcoifer, lies within half a mile of the town of Banff, and is about four miles and a half from the parish church. The distance of the manse from Aberdeen, the county town, is forty miles. Topographical Appearances and Climate. — This parish is of an oblong, irregular figure. It is diversified with high and low grounds, though there is no hill of any eminence within it. The temperature in the western part is rather milder than in the eastern. In the eastern quarter, however, the climate has of late been much improved by extensive draining. Snow seldom lies long on the banks of the Doveran, or in the valley in which the church is situated. The eastern part abounds in mosses, which considerably affect the temperature, — inconsequence of which the different kinds of crops are rather later in coming to maturity than in the western. The north-west wind is the coldest which blows here ; the east wind is generally accompanied with rain, which is pretty frequently predicted by clouds thickening in the west. The climate, as has been stated, varies a little in the opposite ends of the parish, but, upon the whole, it may be said to be healthy, as instances of longevity are not rare. The late minis- ter, Dr Duff, held the living for sixty years. An old woman on the estate of Eden died in 1833, at the age of 108 ; and her eldest son, who at the time of his mother's death was aged 88, died last winter at the age of 93. An old woman also died here last win- ter, who was supposed to have reached 100. Consumption and rheumatism are the diseases to which the inhabitants are most liable. Hydrography. — The parish is intersected by a considerable number of rivulets. The river Doveran, which flows into the sea at Banff, runs along the western boundary of it for several miles. There is a fine large stream, named the Burn of King-Edward, which runs from east to west along the valley of King-Edward, and joins the Doveran about a mile to the west of the church. The source of one of the branches of it is near the church of Gamrie, within a mile and a half of the sea, and about eight miles and a half from its junction with the Doveran. The point of junc- tion is about five miles from the mouth of the river. The parish is,^upon the whole, well supplied with excellent springs. Geology and Mineralogy. — In so extensive a parish, as may be supposed, there is a great variety in the nature of the soil. In 2T6 ABERDEENSHIRE. many places, it consists of a black loam upon a gravelly or rocky subsoil ; in others, it is of a clayey nature. On the low grounds on the banks of the Doveran, it is principally alluvial, and very rich. On the higher grounds, in the eastern quarter, it is gene- rally mossy, superincumbent upon a gravelly or clayey subsoil. In some places it is very fertile, in others the returns are poor. There are extensive mosses on the estates of Fisherie and Byth, from which the inhabitants are supplied with peats and turf for fuel. There is nothing very remarkable in the mineral productions. Greywacke and clay-slate are found in the western quarter, and red sandstone in the eastern. It is believed, also, that a quan- tity of iron ore exists in the parish. Botany. — Among the botanical productions of this parish may be mentioned the following : — Adosa moschatellina, under beech trees Geranium robertianum, frequent. near bridge of Alvah, rare. Geum rivale, not common, but cannot Agrimonia Eupatoria, occasionally a- be considered rare mong rocks east of Doveran, below Goodyera repens, occasionally in woods. bridge of Alvah. Hedera Helix. Alchemilla alpina, washed down from Helianthemum vulgare, rare. the uplands, and growing at Craigs Hyacinttius non-scriptus, occasionally. of Alvah, rare. Linnasa borealis, woods of MontcofFer Alisma Plantago, occasionally in the Do- and Craigston. veran. Listera cordata, not frequent. Anemone nemorosa. Saxifraga aizoides, near bridge of Al. Angelica sylvestris, frequent. vah, rare. Chrysosplenium alternifolium, near Mill Scrophularia nodosa. of Eden, rare. Solidago Virgaurea. Epilobium tetragonum, bridge of Castle- Symphytum tuberosum. ton, not common. Trientalis Europaea. Genista Anglica, frequent. Valeriana officinalis. Geranium pratense, frequent Vinca minor. — — sylvaticum, do. II. — Civil History. Eminent Men. — Among the eminent characters who have been connected with this parish, may be mentioned Dr William Guild, who was minister here in the early part of the seventeenth cen- tury, for about twenty-two years. He was afterwards one of the ministers of Aberdeen, and Principal of King's College. He pub- lished several theological works, and seems to have been a man of very considerable learning, as well as of much benevolence of mind. He endowed an hospital in Aberdeen, now enjoying an ample revenue, for the incorporated trades of that city, and this pa- rish receives yearly L. 6, 10s. from the treasurer of Aberdeen, being the interest of a mortification made by his widow, Catharine Holland, for the benefit of the poor. Sir Thomas Urquhart, the author of the " Jewel," who was con- KING-EDWARD. 277 nected with the family of Craigston, if he did not reside in this pa- rish, seems to have taken an interest in it, for the inscription on the massive silver communion cups shews that they were a joint present from Dr Guild, Sir Thomas Urquhart, and John Urqu- hart of Craigfintrie, the former name of Craigston. Sir Whitelaw Ainslie, M. D., the author of" Materia Indica" and other works, for a considerable number of years before his death, used to spend the summer months in this parish. His remains are interred within the church. Land-oicners. — The heritors of the parish are, the Earl of Fife, William Urquhart, Esq. of Craigston ; James Grant Duff, Esq. of Eden ,• Beauchamp Colclough Urquhart, Esq. of Meldrum, who is proprietor of Byth, in this parish ; Mrs Duff Mackay of Bal- maud ; and James Taylor, Esq. of Mill of Balmaud. Parochial Registers. — The date of the earliest parochial regis- ter is 1704, when the first Presbyterian minister was settled. The register was kept with considerable attention for some years, but for a very long period there were no entries in it. The register of baptisms commences in 1728, and the register of marriages in 1784. Antiquities. — The ruins of the castle of King-Edward stand on a rocky eminence, on the east side of the Turriif and Banff turnpike, about a mile and a quarter south-east of the church. The castle belonged originally to the Cumines, Earls of Buchan. The castle of Eden has also been lonff in ruins. Craigston Castle, the residence of William Urquhart, Esq. of Craigston, was built about the beginning of the seventeenth century, by John Ur- quhart, commonly called Tutor of Cromarty. It is a fine old build- ing, and the grounds about it are much embellished. Byth House is also an old building, but has been much enlarged and improved by the present proprietor. The grounds about it are tastefully laid out, and ornamented with thriving wood. The church seems to have been built during the incumbency of Dr Guild. His initials are engraved on a stone above the west door. From the date 1621, on an arched gateway leading into the church-yard, of the same style with the church, it would ap- pear that the church had been erected about the same time. Within, and on the north wall, near the east end of the church, is a monument with the following inscription : " Joannes Urqu- hart^ hoc in honorem Dei, et matris suae Beatricis Innes, domince a Cromeriie memoriam erexit opus, anno 1599. The inscription is in relief on a tablet of freestone, within a semicircular arch, around 278 ABEKDEENSPIIRE. the exterior rim of which is a border of Scottish thistles, executed with much neatness. The arch rests on a base of freestone, under which there are five panels neatly cut, also of the same material. In Craigston's aisle, which is connected with the church, are like- wise monuments to the above John Urquhart, Tutor of Cromarty, and to other members of the family. Modern Buildings. — Montcoffer House belongs to the Earl of Fife. It is close to his Lordship's Duff House Park, a part of which lies in this parish. It is beautifully situated, and the pros- pect from it is very fine. Eden House, the residence of James Grant Duff, Esq. is also a modern building. It stands on a rising- ground, on the east bank of the Doveran, and commands a fine view both up and down the river. III. — POPULATIOKT. In 1755, the population was 1352 1783, , , 1572 1793, . 1577 1821, 1822 1831, • » 1966 Number of families, _ - 445 males, _ _ 944 females, - . 1022 males upwarc s of 20 years o f age, 500 The number of males employed in agriculture, manufactures, • 357 19 retail trade an d handicraft, 75 retired tradesmen, , 26 Number of illegitimate births during the last three years, . 42 The population of late has been considerably increased by the Earl of Fife letting waste lands on the estate of Fisherie in small portions to new settlers. In 1835, it was 2160. The village of Newbyth, near the eastern extremity of the parish contains 302 inhabitants. All the proprietors possess lands of greater yearly value than L.50. The resident heritors are, Mr Urquhart of Craigston ; Mr Grant Duff of Eden* ; Mr Urquhart of Byth (occasionally) ; and Mr Taylor of Mill of Balmaud. At present, there are 3 fatuous persons in the parish, 1 blind, and 2 deaf and dumb. The two deaf and dumb individuals are both shoemakers, carrying on business on their own account. The younger of the two, about twenty-two years of age, w^as educated at the Deaf and Dumb Institution in Aberdeen ; writes a good " Formsrly political resident at Satara, and author of the History of the Mah- r&ttas. KING-EDWARD. 279 hand ; and is well acquainted with the principles of the Christian religion. Habits of the People. — The inhabitants of this parish may be characterized as decent and orderly in their conduct ; and regular in their attendance at church, where they appear dressed in a very respectable and becoming manner. IV. — Industry. Land in a state of cultivation, Scots acres, . 7351 Waste or pasture land, . . . 2860 Improveable with profit, ... . 443 In wood, .... . 1364 In moss, . . . . 1982 Total number of acres, . . 14000 Average rent of land per acre, about 15s.; rental of the pa- rish about L. 5770; valued rent, L. 4098, 6s. 8d. Scots. Some of the land lets at about L.2, 10s. an acre. Plantations. — The Scotch firs, which form the principal part of the plantations here, have all been planted. We have, besides, the ash, the beech, the larch, the spruce fir, the oak, the plane, and the chestnut. Rate of Wages. — Ploughmen from L. 5 to L. 7 in the half-year ; maid-servants from L..1, 10s. to L.2, 10s. — all including lodging and maintenance. A mason has 16s. a-week in summer without board ; a wright from 8s. to 9s. a-week with board ; a tailor, 1 s. a- day with board. The average rate of keeping a cow may be about L. 3 in sum- mer, and L. 2 in winter ; and a sheep may be kept all the year for about 7s. Live-Stock. — The Aberdeenshire or Buchan breed of cattle ge- nerally prevails here, though of late years the Teeswater or short- horned cattle have been introduced into the parish. Many, how- ever, entertain a great prejudice against the latter. They require to be kept in a very superior manner, and the quality of the food is reckoned inferior to that of the Aberdeenshire breed. " Mr Grant Duff of Eden, however, who began to introduce the im- proved short-horned cattle from Yorkshire about five years ago, and has since continued at intervals to import animals of the highest pedigree, inclines to the same opinion as Captain Barclay of Ury, in Kincardineshire, who asserts, as the result of his longer experience, that these cattle are more easily maintained than the Aberdeenshire breed. Mr Grant Duff has no hesitation in saying that, as far as he has tried them, they are sooner brought to ma- ggO . ABERDEENSHIRE. turity, have a greater aptitude to fatten, are much better milkers, and that such as are bred in this country are remarkably healthy,; and as hardy as the ordinary cattle of the district ; but that no ac- curate judgment can be formed of the short horns, unless greater attention be paid to the purity of the blood, and care be taken to cross only with superior males." The sheep are generally of the Highland and Leicester breeds. " Some of a superior quality are kept on the estate of Eden, They are strong hardy sheep, and chiefly a cross between the Leicester- shire and Cotswold, from Gloucestershire." Husbandry. — The rotation of cropping observed, is generally the following: L turnips; 2. oats or barley laid down with grass seeds ; 3. grass for hay ; 4. grass for pasture ; 5. grass for pasture ; 6. oats ; and 7. oats. One of the heritors, however, requires his tenants to follow a five course shift, allowing only one grain crop after the land has lain in grass for two years. This mode of crop- ping is thought to be less encouraging to the growth of weeds than the former. There is very little wheat sown in the parish. The tenants here have introduced many of the late improve- ments in agriculture. They are every year bringing into cultiva- tion waste land, and in many cases their improvements have amply repaid them. On the estate of Eden, within the last twelve years, all the unproductive land has been either reclaimed or planted ; belts and clumps of trees have also been planted both for ornament and shelter ; an extensive moss has been drained and brought into cultivation, by which the climate in the neighbourhood has been much improved, the property has been divided into compact farms, and laid off in properly proportioned fields, most of which have already been enclosed with stone fences and hedges. " The sum laid out in improvements already greatly exceeds the value of the property at the time of their commencement, and it is to be hoped that the yearly value has also been more than doubled. Draining has been carried on annually to a great extent, and the frequent drain system had suggested itself to the proprietor, and been prac- tised by him before he was aware of the experiments of Mr Smith of Deanstoun. Mr Grant Duff's furrow drains are from 30 to 36 inches deep, varying in v/idth from 10 to 18 inches, generally built with an eye or conduit in the bottom, and filled with small stones to within 15 or 16 inches of the top. His large drains for carrying off springs in bogs and mosses, are from 5 to 7 feet deep,. filled with stones to within 2^ or 2 feet from the surface. He II KING-EDWARD. 281 -uses no tiles, and gives the preference to stone drains, none of I which have even been choked, or gone materially wrong," " Trench ploughing was also introduced into this neighbourhood upwards of twelve years ago, by a proprietor in a neighbouring pa- rish, Mr Leslie of Dunlugas, and was immediately adopted by Mr Grant Duff, who has trench-ploughed about 700 acres of his estate, and, in every instance, when the land has been sufficiently drained, the deep ploughing has been very successful. Even on a gravelly soil, apparently of depth not admitting of an ordinary furrow, and apparently most unfit for such an experiment, this system has been pursued, and attended with results highly satisfactory." " The subsoil plough, although not uncommon in the neigh- bourhood, has not yet been adopted in this parish, although there is much soil which might be greatly ameliorated by its introduc- tion. Oxen, yoked three abreast, with two powerful horses in front, make an efficient strength for a trench plough in the stiffest soil, and will generally plough half an acre to the depth of 14 inches in five or six hours." Enclosures are also going on in the property of the Earl of Fife. We have stone fences and hedges from Danshillock, skirting the turnpike all the way to Banff, a distance of five miles, which, with the exception of those on the estate of Eden, were executed by his Lordship about three years ago. The farms are generally held under leases of nineteen years. Qimrries. — There are quarries of grey wacke occasionally wrought in the western quarter of the parish, and in the eastern quarter there are quarries of red sandstone. Fisheries. — The principal salmon-fishing on the Doveran be- longs to the Earl of Fife. His Lordship is proprietor of both sides of the river, and the rent derived from it is L.1600. It might be difficult to say what proportion of it might fall to this parish. There is also a salmon-fishing on the estate of Eden, and another on the property of Craigston. The former, which is now in the hands of the proprietor, used to let for L. 20 a-year, and the latter may be worth about L. 5. V. — Parochial Economy. The only village is Nev/byth, which is situated in the eastern quarter of the parish, about nine miles from the church. It stands on a gentle eminence, and consists of two streets nearly at right angles to one another. It was begun to be feued in 1764. The land surrounding it, particularly towards the south and east, is of very 282 ABERDEENSHIRE. good quality. Many of the inhabitants have small lots of land. There are in it several shopkeepers, and two inns. There is also a distillery. A chapel in connection with the Establishment was erected here, about forty-seven years ago. Mr Urquhart of Mel- drum, who is proprietor also of Byth, is superior. The number of inhabitants is 302. Market-Towns. — Banflf and Macduff are the nearest market- towns, the former distant five, and the latter four miles and a-half, from the parish church. Means of Communication. — The mail-gig from Aberdeen to Banflf passes and repasses every day along the turnpike road, about half a-mile to the east of the manse. The Earl of Fife coach from Aberdeen to Banff also passes and repasses daily. The nearest post-office is in Banff. We have also several carriers weekly to Aberdeen. There is a penny post-office in the village of Newbyth, in connection with Turriff. The turnpike road from Aberdeen to Banff is carried about three miles and a-half along the western quarter of the parish, and the Banff and Buchan turnpike runs about five miles and a-half along the north-eastern quarter. The bridges connected with the roads are kept in good repair. In Lord Fife's park, connected with Duflf House, there is a very singular bridge of one arch over the Doveran, called the bridge of Alvah. The scenery on both banks of the river here is very much admired. Part of the park is in this parish. Ecclesiastical State. — The church is a very inconvenient old building. It stands about a mile from the western boundary of the parish. From the irregular figure of the parish, it might be diffi- cult to point out a situation for a new one that might be most con- venient for the parishioners ; but the inconvenience of the present situation is now greatly remedied, by the erection of a chapel, seated for about 400 persons, in'connection with the Establishment, in the village of Newbyth, about nine miles from the parish church, and about two from the east end of the parish. This chapel also accommodates portions of the parishes of Aberdour and New Deer. The church affords accommodation for 550 persons. The tenants pay no rent for their seats. Their is a gallery in the church be- longing to the kirk-session, the seats in which are let for sixpence each, to those who are not otherwise accommodated. The manse was built in 1767, and was repaired in 1833. The offices were built in 1829, and are both ample and convenient. The glebe consists of about 12 acres arable, and of about 2 of natural . KING-EDWARD. 283 . oasture. The garden, manse, and offices may occupy about one kcre. One part of the glebe, of about 5 acres, called Bogburrie, Was mortified in 1617, to Dr Guild and his successors in office, by Arthur Lord Forbes, who had at that time lands in this parish ; and in 1626, another part of it called the Kirkhill, was mortified by Patrick Meldrum of Eden, to the same worthy individual and his successors. The yearly value of the glebe may be about L.15. The stipend is 16 chalders, one-half meal and one-half barley, payable by the fiars prices of the county, and L.lOfor communion elements. The Crown is patron. The minister of the chapel at Newbyth, the Rev. Gilbert Brown, receives L. 40 a year from the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge, and a like sum from seat-rents and collec- tions. His hearers supply him with peats for fuel. He has also a ofood manse and a glebe of about 9 acres. The managers of the chapel, by the liberality of Mr Urquhart of Meldrum, who is pro- prietor of Byth in this parish, hold the glebe at a very low rent. About six miles east of the church is an Independent chapel, seated for 200, the minister of which is, I believe, paid from seat- rents, collections, &c. In 1835, when the census of the parish was taken for the Royal Commissioners, the whole number of souls in the parish connected with this body was 127. There is also a house in the village of Newbyth in which the Catholic ser- vice is occasionally performed. The bishop resides at Priestholm, in the parish of Rathven. Persons belonging to the Established Church, 1863; Episcopa- lians, 81; Independents, 127; persons belongingto Associate Synod, 19 ; persons not known to belong to any Christian community, 50 ; Roman Catholics, 15; Baptists, 5. — Total 2160. Divine service at the parish church and also at the chapel at Newbyth is well attended. The number of communicants at both about 880, being 470 at the church, and 410 at the chapel. There are two extraordinary collections at the church yearly, one for the Infirmary of Aberdeen, which averages about L. 2, and the other for the General Assembly's India Mission, which may average from L. 3 to L. 4. The average amount of collections for the poor at the parish church is about L. 38 a-year. The collections at the chapel of Newbyth go principally to the general purposes of the chapel. Education. — Besides the parish school, there are other two schools in the parish, — one in the village of Newbyth, and the other a Fish- 284 ABERDEENSHIRE. erie. The branches taught at all the three are nearly the same, viz. English reading, English grammar, arithmetic, geography, Latin, practical mathematics, and book-keeping. The salary of the pa- rish schoolmaster is L.34, 4s. 4^d., with a house and garden. He has also the benefit of the Dick bequest. The salary of the teacher at Newbyth is about L.65 paid by the heritors ; and that of the teacher at Fisherie, about L.5, arising from subscriptions. Each of them has a house and garden. The fees at the parish school may average about L. 10. Besides the above, there is a school lately erected at the northern extremity of the parish of Turriff, supported by subscription, and a small sum from one of the heritors, which accommodates a considerable number of young people belonging to this parish. All these seminaries are regu- larly visited. The means of instruction are now within the reach of all the young people in the parish. There are also two Sabbath schools here, one under the super- intendence of the minister of the parish, and the other under that of the minister of the chapel at Newbyth, both of which are pretty well attended. Library. — In the village of Newbyth there is a library lately instituted, which is supported by subscription. Savings Bank.— A savings bank was established here about three years ago. The deposits already amount to about L. 1030. To the class in life of which the depositors consist, an institution of this kind must be productive of much good. Its effects here have already been of the most beneficial description, for many have now saved a little who would otherwise have had nothing. Poor and Parochial Funds. — The number of poor at present on the roll is 32. During the last year, thirteen others received oc- casional supplies. The income of the session, arising from col- lections at the church, fines, donations, interest of L. 210 at two per cent., and the yearly amount of the mortification (L. 6, 10s.) formerly mentioned, amounted last year to L. 73, 3s. 2d., while the expenditure was L.78, 10s. 2d. The demands on the kirk- session have increased of late years ; and it is much to be regret- ted that that spirit of independence which formerly prevailed is now on the wane. Fairs. — There are three fairs held yearly at Newbyth. Inns. — There are five inns within the parish. Fuel. — The fuel principally used consists of peats. The ex- pense of cutting, drying, and carrying them home is very conside- I AUCHTERLESS. 285 rable to the inhabitants of the western district of the parish, who are at a distance from the mosses ; in consequence of which, many of them also use coals, which are procured at Banff or Macduff. Miscellaneous Observations. Since the publication of the former Statistical Account in 1 793, a great improvement has taken place in the system of hus- bandry. Agriculture is well understood, and the tenants are in general ready to adopt every improvement. Bone- manure is now extensively used in the raising of turnips ; and lime is also judi- ciously applied. The land here is likewise much benefited by manure and herring refuse, which are brought from Banff and Macduff. The houses of the tenants have also undergone a great improvement within the last forty years. Many of them are now slated, and in other respects are both convenient and comfortable. The Turriff and Banff, and the Banff and Buchan, turnpike- yoads have been productive of much benefit to this parish. The roads in the interior have also been made much better of late years; and the great improvements which have been carried on have been the means of giving steady employment to the labour- ing classes, whose comfort has thereby been much promoted. January 1840. PARISH OF AUCHTERLESS. PRESBYTERY OF TURRIFF, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. GEORGE I>INGWALL, MINISTER. T. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — The name of the parish is derived from a Gaelic word, signifying a cultivated field on the side of a hill. The locality of the parish and the nature of the soil seem to favour this interpretation. Extent, ^c. — The parish extends about 8 miles in length, and nearly 4 in breadth, and is of an irregular oblong figure. It is bounded on the north by Inverkeithny ; on the east, by Turriff; on the south, by Fyvie and Rayne ; and on the west, by Culsa- mond and Forgue. The temperature is generally mild, particularly in the interior of the parish. 286 ABERDKEXSHIRE. Hydrography. — The Ythan is the only stream of consequence! in the parish. It takes its rise from two springs in the upper dis- trict of Forgue, about a mile from the boundary of Auchterless. It flows through the vale in a north-easterly direction, and dis- charges its waters into the German Ocean below Ellon. Geology. — A formation of clay-stone slate runs through the whole of this parish, nearly from north-east to south-west, and through the neighbouring parish of Turriff, till it reaches the sea at Mel- rose, in Gamrie. The rock lies too deep to be worked for slate quarries, but it is available for this purpose in the neighbouring parish of Culsamond. It was formerly worked both in Turriff and Inverkeithny, but is now abandoned for the superior quality of slates in the hills of Foudland. The soil is of a gravelly description, based on a clay-slate. It is almost uniformly dry, and varies in depth from three to twenty- four inches, averaging about seven inches. ; II. — Civil History. Land-owners. — Mr Duff of Hatton and Mr Leslie of Badenscoth are the chief land-owners. Parochial Registers. — The registers of marriages and baptisms commence in 1680, and have been regularly kept ever since, with some trifling exceptions. Antiquities. — The most remarkable remnant of antiquity con- nected with this parish is a camp on the farms of Buss and Logie- Newton, commonly supposed to have been of Roman origin. A great part of what was formerly included within the walls is now improved. The south and west dikes only are entire. Near the remains of this camp, and upon the causeway leading westerly through Forgue, an urn was ploughed up, containing black ashes, and decayed animal matter. This relic of antiquity is now in the possession of Sir Thomas Dick Lauder, Bart. On a farm in the neighbourhood were found a great many heads of darts, commonly called elf-shots, that had been used in war before the introduction of metal in the forging of fire-arms. In the immediate vicinity of the church, there is a small artifi- cial eminence, of an oval shape, surrounded by a ditch, which is now in many places very much filled up. It still retains the name of the Moat-head, and was formerly the seat of the baronial court. The gallow-hill, where the criminals were executed and buried, is in its neighbourhood, and confirms the general opinion of the ori- ginal purpose to which the moat-head was applied. 3 AUCHTEllLESS. 287 There is a well at the distance of fully a mile east from the church, supposed to have been dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Within the recollection of some of the oldest inhabitants, money, and other articles, were deposited on Pash Sunday by those whose superstitious feelings led them to frequent the well, in expectation of some benefit to be derived from drinking the water dedicated to the Holy Virgin. Close by this fountain are the remains of a place of worship, to which had been attached a burying-ground, where several families of distinction were interred. The old chapel had been used, as is thought^ for a bead-house during the times of Popery. The remains of Druidical circles are pretty numerous in diffe- rent parts of the parish. By far the most remarkable of these is situated on a considerable eminence on the farm of Logic- New- ton, overhanging the Roman camp, and called the Kirk-hill, pro- bably from this cause. Three concentric circles may be distinctly traced ; the stones are very large, and of a white colour. A trench of several hundred yards length, terminating about half a mile from the camp in a north-west direction, called Cumine's trench, is still distinctly to be marked, the ditch being in many places four feet deep. This was probably one of the stations of the Cumines be- fore their defeat at Strathbogie, where Adam o' Gordon, who led Robert the Bruce's troops, obtained a decisive victory, and laid the foundation of the future greatness of the Noble family of Gordon. On the front of the old castle of Towie Barclay, the property attached to which is chiefly in this parish, we find this inscription neatly cut in stone : " Sir Valter Barclay foundit the Tollie Mills 1210." This corroborates the common opinion, that corn-mills turned by water were introduced into Scotland by the Saxon fol- lowers of Malcolm towards the end of the eleventh century. For, had corn-mills previously existed in the country, this would not have been thought an achievement worthy of recording. And as the ancestor of the family (John Berkely, son of Lord Berkely of Gloucestershire,) was one of the followers of Queen Margaret, and obtained a grant of this estate for his son Alexander about 1100, this goes far to establish the fact, that they had been intro- duced by the Saxons. About the thirteenth part of the grain over Scotland and England was considered a fair multure or re- muneration for grinding the corn with machinery. This shows that the labour of doing it with the quern or hand-mill formerly 288 ^ ABERDEENSHUIE. used must have been very great. Immediately above the door of the old castle of Towie Barclay is the following inscription : " Sir Alexander Barclay, foundator, decessit, 1 136." The estate remained in his family till it was sold by the Honourable Charles Maitland, brother to the Earl of Lauderdale, who married the last heiress in 1752. From this family was descended William Barclay, an eminent civilian at the court of Lorrain, and the still more celebrated John Barclay, from whom the late gallant Rusr sian General, Field Marshal PrinceBarclay de Tolly, was lineally descended. Modern Buildinc/s. — There are few modern buildings of any consequence in the parish. The church was built in 1780 — is in good repair, and contains 650 sittings. A handsome school-room was erected by the heritors in 1829. One of the proprietors built an elegant mansion a few years ago. The two principal heritors are non-resident, and have excellent modern houses on their other properties in Turiff and Fyvie. Many of the farmers have substantial houses of two storeys high, with neat and com- modious steadings. III. — Population. The population of the parish in 1755, the earliest period at which we have any correct information on this subject, was 1264. In 1801, it was only 1120. In 1811, 1257; and in 1821, 1538. According to the census of 1831, the population had increased to 1701. One principal reason for the increase was the number of subtenants or crofters, attached to the large farms, into which a great proportion of the parish has been, for many years, divided. This system of subletting has prevailed very much of late. These .subtenants are useful to the farmers as labourers, and when they have their possession on moderate terms, are generally able to sup- port themselves and their families respectably. Unhappily', from the great increase of population, the competition for these small possessions has raised the rents so high, in many instances, that several of the subtenants, threaten to be a serious burden on the parish funds. There are no towns nor villages of any extent in the parish. What is commonly called the Kirktown consists of ten dwelling- houses, with a population of 38, At fully two miles distance south of the church, is the small straggling village of Gordonstown, consisting of about thirty-five houses, with a population of 100. Both of these villages are inhabited partly by families occupying AUCHTERLESS. 289 crofts varying from 5 to 30 acres, and partly by tradesmen of va- rious descriptions. None of them have any permanent feus. The average of births for the last seven years was 45 ; and that of marriages, 11. No register of deaths is kept. This pa- rish has been famed for the longevity of several of its inhabitants. A few instances of longevity may be noticed. Peter Garden, a farmer in this parish, died about sixty years ago, at the very ad- vanced age of 132. He retained his faculties to the last. He lived under ten sovereigns ; Charles I. ; Oliver Cromwell ; Richard Cromwell; Charles H. ; James H.; William and Mary ; Anne; George I., H., and HI. He was a page to Ogilvie of Banff, before that gentleman was raised to the peerage, and was one of the garrison in the old castle of To wie Barclay, when Montrose defended it against Argyle. He recollected having been sent, when a boy, to the wood to cut boughs for spears in the time of the civil wars. In his latter days he used to describe Montrose, " as a little black man, who wore a ruff as the ladies do now-a-days." He was married to his second wife when 120 years old, she being eighty, and danced with great glee on that occasion. Margaret Leslie, who resided in the Kirktown, died about the beginning of the present century, aged 1 1 2. George Paterson, also in the Kirktown, died in the year 1808, aged 107, and William Andrew, in Little Cushnie, died in 1817, at the same age. There is only 1 blind person in the parish, and 3 insane. Number of illegitimate births in the course of the last threeyears, 11. Within the last forty years, the language usually spoken has been gradually improving. The habits of the people are in gene- ral cleanly. The higher classes live well, using animal food. The common fare of the peasantry is meal, milk, and vegetables. The people are generally respectable as to intelligence, morality, and their observance of religious duties. Srtiuggling never prevailed to any extent, and since the commencement of legal distilleries is altogether unknown. IV. — Industry. Agriculture. — The parish contains about 16,000 acres, nearly one-third of which remains uncultivated. There are about 500 acres under wood, all planted, almost entirely with larches and Scotch firs. A great deal more might be profitably employed in planting. The greater part of the woods is young, partly well cared for, and partly neglected. It is difficult to ascertain the average ABERDEEN. T 290 ABERDEENSHIRE. rent of arable land per acre in this parish, as many of the best farms are on old leases ; and much inferior land has been lately brought into cultivation. Perhaps it might average about L. 1 per acre, if •it were to be let at present. Few grass parks are let ; but the average rate of grazing an ox is from L. 2 to L. 2, 10s. Live-Stock. — Since 1792, the number of cattle in the parish has greatly increased. Cattle may now be estimated at upwards of 2000, and horses from 300 to 400. There are only about 600 or 700 sheep, generally of the Cheviot or black-faced kind. The cattle of this dis- trict were crossed with the old Fife breed about sixty years ago, and these produced the far-famed Aberdeenshire stock. There have been various unsuccessful attempts to improve this species, first by the Lancashire, and afterwards the Galloway. Efforts are now mak- ing to improve it by means of the short-horned. Whether these will be more successful, time only can show. The quality of horses has been mue distance from this river, and not much above its level. It was nearly black, and the bark for the most part rotted off. Being very heavy, the thick part of the trunk was raised in two pieces — one about 10 feet long and the other 12 — the ave- rage girth was about 7 feet, and the two pieces contained from 300 ABERDEENSHIRE. 60 to 70 cubic feet of timber. The top of the tree was not raised, so that its full size was not ascertained. These solid parts were sent to Gordon Castle, where, after having been left for a time to dry gradually, they were cut up for cabinet purposes. The ex- tremities of several such oaks may still be seen sticking out from the bank of the burn, a little below the church and glebe of Drum- blade, on the farm of Baggry Mill, parish of Forgue. Soil, Sfc. — The soil in this parish, though presenting consider- able variety, may be said in general to be of a superior kind, con- sisting, for the most part, of a deep rich loam, capable in favourable seasons of yielding abundant crops, andif the climate (still suscep- tible of great improvement, were more attention paid to hedging and planting), were equal to the soil, it would, it is believed, be found particularly adapted for wheat culture, which has begun of late years to be somewhat attended to. There is at the same time in many places a coldness of subsoil, which is not very encouraging, arising, perhaps for the most part, from a still imperfect drainage, which the ordinary system practised does not seem fully to overcome, not only from the soil being unusually stiff and retentive, but from a hard crust often found beneath, which, it is hoped, the trench, or subsoil plough, now begun to be introduced, may do much to re- move. While the greater part of the parish consists of this stiff heavy soil, there is yet a very considerable difference between the western district, to the south and west of the Aberdeen and Huntly turnpike, and the other districts. The former being of a lighter and sharper description, with a ^subsoil consistinggenerally of loose sand and gravel, and somewhat earlier than the other parts. II. — Civil History. Historical Events.— lih.e most interesting event that falls to be noticed under this head, is the circumstance of King Robert Bruce having lain encamped here during a time of severe sickness, while he kept in check at the same time Commyn, Earl of Buchan, who had followed him hither, and who was then and long before one of the most powerful of the Scottish barons. This seems to have been just before the battle of Barra, which was fought between the same parties in the year 1307. History and tradition have pretty uniformly pointed to Sliach in this parish as the place so distinguished, — a certain height upon which is called Robin or Robin's Height at this day. Indeed, this point seems never to have been disputed until within the last few years, when Mr Tytler, in general, the most accurate and philoso- DRUMBLADE. 301 phical historian of our country that has yet appeared, has been pleased to transfer this honour from Sliach in Drumblade, to Slains, a bleak and rocky district on the Buchan coast, but with- out stating any authority for the change. It is certain that tradition, universally prevalent here, as well as what can be gathered from the metrical historian Barbour, are both against him. For although the name given by the latter (Slanach) is not the same as either, yet there are circumstances detailed in his narrative that render it not only extremely improbable, but quite inconsistent, that Slains should be the place referred to. King Robert, that historian relates, had come over the " Mounth" to Inverury : — at Inverury he was taken sick. It was not judged expedient by his adherents to meet the enemy while he lay in this condition, and, instead of continuing, therefore, exposed in the plain, they resolve to betake themselves to some place of strength, and for this reason the Slenach is preferred. Experiencing there, however, some want of provision, and having daily to encounter the archers of Earl Buchan in their endeavours to supply it, they de- termine to carry the king in a litter to Strathbogie^ (now Huntly), which, in spite of all opposition, they accomplished accordingly. Now, taking Mr Tytler's account, there is not only the improba- bility to contend against of the king's being carried so far in a lit- ter as from Slains to Strathbogie in his present infirm condition, but Earl Buchan, as appears, seeing the intrepidity of the king's party at their very outset, lost courage, and " went back to Buchan," which leads to this farther inconsistency, that, had Slains been the place, he and his men were in Buchan already.* Antiquities. — On the same height above-mentioned, there were some years ago entrenchments to be seen, said to have been the remains of a Roman camp. The probability is, however, that these remains were connected with Bruce's encampment above re- ferred to, or with the strength or fortress which probably then existed upon it. Immense masses of large stones lie at the foot of this hill, and some have been found, it is said, with inscriptions upon them, none of which, however, are now to be seen. * Vide Barbour's Bruce by Jamieson, Vol. i. pp. 169-70-71, where the above view seeras to be confirmed. The traditions current here are completely accordant with this account by Bar- bour, who, it is to be remembered, wrote his history of " The Bruce," at no distant pe- riod after the event took place, and whose work Fordun describes as perspicuous and elegant. The hill on Sliach, as stated above, is still called Robin or Robin's Height. The king's sickness was flux, as local tradition has it, and a well in the vicinity is still pointed out, the water of which is represented as having been instrumental to- wards his recovery. 302 ABERDEENSHIRE. In the same vicinity, stand three tumuh, the largest at the base of Robin's Height, called Meethillock, and the other two at no great distance, and on the same level ground below. It is conjectured that these tumuli were raised by Bruce's army as posts of communi- cation for his soldiers. None of them have been opened. So far as the plough can yield information, there is every appearance of their being artificial. From the examination of one of them, the second in size, called Tarry Duncan, on the farm of Cairnhiil, ex- cepting about four inches of black mould in the surface, the soil beneath appears quite soft, and without any stones. From observ- ing that the ridge on which it stands has little on its surface but clay, it would seem that the mould from it had been cleared away to form this tumulus. The third mentioned is indeed beyond the boundary of the pa- rish, but still so near the others, that they have all evidently been connected in their origin. It is on the farm of Causeway End, Kinore, — this farm being so called, it is said, because here ter- minated a Roman causeway, which, running through the old moss called Knightland moss, connected this place with Sliach. Another tumulus, at one time, stood at the north-east end of the same range of high ground that forms at the west extremity, Robin Height, and nearly two miles distant from it. Many still remember it. When opened, a number of great stones, placed in a circular form, were found within ; but it is not reported that any of them bore inscriptions. The stones were used for fencing the plantation which now covers this ridge, and all trace of the tumu- lus seems to be removed. A little way below this, and between the properties of Newton Garry and Lessendrum, the head of a spear or javelin, of large size, was found some time ago, as have likewise been smaller ones, like arrow-heads, in other parts of the parish. There is another hill in the parish, and not far from Huntly, denominated the " Battle Hill," that deserves notice as the scene of a conflict said to have taken place at a later period between the Cummins and Gordons. Hardly any thing connected with it has been handed down beyond the name. It stands not far from Cor- vichen, a farm on the Gordon property, once a separate domain, where a strong house or castle appears once to have stood. Some remains of its foundation are still to be traced. On the opposite side of the hollow, and standing over against the Battle Hill, Cor- vichen, is the Ba Hill, taking its name very probably from a game DRUMBLADE. 303 once common, that of foot-ball, at wliich large parties would often meet, and eagerly contend together for the palm of victory.* Parochial Registers. — The oldest parochial register commences 1702, and ends 1738. It is simply a register of births and bap- tisms, containing no details. The second, commencing 1743, is much fuller, and contains, along with such register, a record of the session's discipline and diligence down to 1790. From that time to 1821 the record had again passed into a simple register, with session's collections and disbursements for the poor, and the names merely of those subjecting themselves to discipline, set over against the money-penalties which had been exacted from them. With the exception of deaths and burials, of which there has been no register kept, the record has lately been much more full, and contains now a general entry of all that is ordinarily transacted in the session. There are four silver communion-cups, two of them gifted by George Chalmer, a minister of the parish in the times of Episco- pacy; the other two by Mr Abel, also minister, who died in 1794. There is also a hand-bell of considerable antiquity, with the name George Biset upon it, 1504. There have been in all eight ministers of this parish, from the period of the Revolution, or rather from the death of the last Episcopalian incumbent, to the present time. The first Presby- terian, Mr John Turing, ordained and admitted 16th March 1703, died 1st February 1733; Mr John Stuart, translated from Longbride, and admitted at Drumblade 1st February 1734, died January 1743; Mr George Gordon, translated from Bourtie, and admitted at Drumblade, 19th October 1743, died Sth December 1763; Mr WiUiam Bisset, translated from Foot-Dee, and admit- ted at Drumblade, July 11th 1764, translated to Dundee 22d May 1765; Mr George Abel, ordained and admitted April 2d 1766, died September 1794; Mr Robert Gordon, ordained and admitted May 1795, died 27th November 1820; Dr Robert J. Brown, ordained and admitted 25th September 1821, translat- * Among the family papers at Lessendrum, there is still extant an old and curious deed of surrender, by which Walter Byset makes over his whole lands to the Pope's Legate, to be held by the Holy See. It is drawn up by Willermus Lenix, clerk of the diocese of Brechin, and runs as follows: — " In ye name of ye Lord, Amen. — In ye year after ye incarnation 1379, on the I4th day of July, in ye 2d of ye indiction, and in ye 1st year of ye Pontificate of ye most holy Father in Christ, Clement, by Divine Providence, Pope 7th of that name. In the presence of my notary," &c. &e. The original is in Latin, and written on vellum. N. B. At the date of this instrument there were two Popes, Urban and Clement j the former was acknowledged by England, but the latter by Scotland. 304 ABERDEENSHIRE. ed to the Greek chair, Marischal College, Aberdeen, in Decem- ber 1827; Mr George Ramsay Davidson, the present minister, was ordained and admitted 8th May 1828. At one time, there was evidently a chapel or religious house in the parish besides the church. There are now no remains of the building; but the form of a burying-ground is still seen, now fenced and planted, and a well called the Chapel Well. Land-owners. — There are altogether five heritors, viz. the Duke of Richmond, who now inherits the Gordon property, and posses- ses exactly half the valued rent of the parish ; William Bisset, Esq. of Lessendrum ; Archibald Duff, Esq. of Drummuir, (lands of Dummuies) ; John Humphrey, Esq. of Comalleggie ; and John Lawson, Esq. of Chapelton. Modern Buildings. — The only mansion-house in the parish is that of Lessendrum, William Bisset, Esq. who is the only residing heritor. It is partly an old and partly a modern building, it hav- ing recently undergone a very extensive addition and repair at the hands of the present proprietor. III. — Population. According to Dr Webster the population amounted in 1750 to . ] 125 in 1790 it was reduced to 886 of whom 427 were males ; and 459 females. There were then belonging to the Established Church, 812 ; Seceders, 40; Epis- copalians, 30 ; Papists, 4. The population in 17S2 was 876 1783 . 892 1784 . 887 1786 . 914 1787 . 913 1788 . 874 By the Government census in 1811 it was 780 1821 . 871 183! . 987 Average number of births during last seven years, about . . 22 marriages, . .... 5 persons under 12 years of age, . . . 205 under 15, . . . . 310 No. of unmarried men, bachelors, and widowers upwards of 50 years of age, 17 women and widows upwards of 45 years of age, . 35 Number of families, , 171 Average number of children, . 5^ Number of uninhabited houses, . 2 Number of illegitimate births in the course of the last three years has been 16, making an average of 5^ in the year; 4 of these have been antenuptial cases, and 2 of them adultery. There is I insane person belonging to the parish ; 3 fatuous, two males and a female ; 4 deaf and dumb. Character of the People. — The people are, for the most part, open, frank, and intelligent. They are hospitable in their man- 3 DRUMBLADE. 305 ners ; and their charity, not always discriminating in regard to wan- dering poor, seems to be dictated pretty much by a simple feehng of humanity. Though not inferior, it is beheved, to the other districts around, the standard of reUgion and morality cannot be rated very high. Impurity and intemperance, though both, it is hoped, are on the decline, are still not unfrequently to be met with. In the class of farm-servants, the former vice particularly has been very prevaiUng. The ordinances of religion, and the services of the sanctuary, are generally well attended, as also those of a more private or local kind, on week-days. The practice of advertising sales, &c. by proclamation at the church-doors, after divine service, is now abolished, as also all fines or penalties formerly levied by the session in cases of disci- pline, — this being left to the civil magistrate. IV. — Industry. The inhabitants of this parish, with very few exceptions, are employed in agriculture, as farmers, crofters, labourers, or farm- servants. The only considerable works of a public kind carried on in the parish are a distillery, bleachfield, and two potato-flour manufactories. At the distillery there are 13 persons employed, and there are annually sent from it upwards of 40,000 gallons of superior spirit, made from malt only, and thus yielding to Govern- ment about L. 10,000 a-year in duty. There are also two meal- mills, a barley-mill, a lint-mill, and two wool-mills in the parish. Mills had at one period been more numerous, as the names of se- veral farms still denote where no mills now exist. Of handicraftsmen, &c. there are only 2 masons, 1 square- wright, 1 cooper, 1 weaver, no tailor, 5 shoemakers, (including 3 workmen,) 3 blacksmiths, (including 1 workman,) 1 baker, 4 mer- chants or shop-keepers, one of whom retails spirits; 4 publicans and 1 maltster. There are thus not more than from 60 to 80 individuals, reckoning both parents and children, that are not either directly employed in agriculture, or have their depend- ence chiefly upon it — and of those even here set down as ar- tisans, many of these cultivate a small croft besides attending to their other business. Agriculture and Rural Economy. — The superficial extent of the parish may be estimated at 6400 acres (Scots,) 5000 of which are arable, 1000 unimproved, and about 400 under plantation, consisting for the most part of larch and Scotch fir, with occa- sionally an intermixture of spruce and beech. Of the unimproved ABERDEEN. U 306 ABERDEENSHIRE. ground, there may not be above 100 acres now remaining, that, with any profitable application of capital, could be added to the cultivated land. Rent of Land. — The average rent of land may be stated at L. 1 an acre. For one description and another, it may be said to range from 5s. to L. 2, and some smaller portions upwards. Some few possessions might, perhaps, be pointed out as decidedly too high, while others, again, may be somewhat under a fair ave- rage rent. The difference between value and actual rent that may occasionally occur, is attributed by some to surveyors from a distance being employed as the valuators, as often as farms come into the market, unassisted by practical farmers personally ac- quainted with the district. Such instances, however, cannot be by any means many — but the evil that operates most extensively in causing at any time a high rent is, that when a possession va- cates, a competition arises among offerers themselves, occurring more particularly in the case of crofts and smaller possessions, which, from this cause, are almost invariably dearer than large. Under the valuation system now commonly introduced, it can- not be said, unless in very peculiar circumstances, that lands here have often changed hands. The valued rent of the parish is only L. 3066, 13s. 4d. Scots, while the real rent must be about L. 5000 Sterling. Wages, 8j-c. — The rate of labour for an ordinary farm-servant may average about L.12 for the year, exclusive of board; expense including both may, therefore, be L. '20 and upwards. They are seldom engaged for more than half a year at a time, and as they do not in general renew their engagements except in a feeing-mar- ket, — a system by no means favourable to morals, — there is hence a great deal of shifting about among them at every term. Besides the direct temptations to which they are exposed in these markets, when they appear there, it follows that they are not so dependent on character for a new engagement as, on an improved system, they would and ought to be. The wages of out- door female servants, of whom there are not a few, vary from L.2, 10s. to L. 3 for the summer half year, and from L.l, 7s. to L.J, 15s. in winter. A mason will ordinarily earn from 16s. to 18s. a-week ; a wright, 16s. It is very common for young people from ten to sixteen years of age to be employed in herding, for which they earn for themselves or parents from L. 2 to L. 3, and maintenance during the summer months. This system, though a considerable help for a poor man's family. DRUMBLADE. 307 is not favourable, one would think, to the promoting of active ha- bits, and is a material drawback upon their education; however were it not for the trifle so gained at this part of the season, they might, perhaps, from want of means, be deprived of it, to a still greater extent. The principal crops raised in the parish are oats, viz. potato, early Angus, and what are called sandy oats : — these last, which are neither so late nor so tender as the potato, and produ(5e, be- sides, a greater bulk, it is said, of straw for fodder, and a good mealing oat, seem now to be much in favour. There is also the Hopetoun oat, which, however, does not appear to have taken here, though still sown partially ; and bear or bigg, of which there is ge- nerally a proportion after green crop, and a few parcels of wheat, which it wants climate only to bring into more extensive culture. Prices of Provisions. — These are not high. Fresh butter from 5d. to 6d. the imperial pound ; eggs 3d. to 4|d. a dozen ; fowls Is. 8d. to 2s. a pair; chickens 8d. to lOd. ; beef and mutton 5d. and 5^d. a pound ; veal seldom to be had. either in the parish or neighbourhood. Husbandry. — The ordinary husbandry pursued is the five and seven-shift course, particularly the latter, being three grasses and two white crops for the seven, and two grasses and one white crop for the five, — which in dry land is found to answer very well, while in wet or clay land, the third year's grass becomes inferior. Live-Stock. — This being very much a rearing district for cattle, these fall particularly to be mentioned. The breed is for the most part Aberdeenshire, mixed with highland. Some few of the short-horned have lately bee,n introduced. As they have not yet been long or extensively tried, they cannot be so decisively pro- nounced upon. They seem, however, to promise well, giving greater strength of bone, which was much wanted, and shewing a tendency to feed sooner. The returns arising from cattle may not be stated at less than from L.3000 to L,3500 annually within the parish ; and the amount arising from dairy and poultry produce may be stated at something between L.1700 and L.2000. Improvements. — During the last thirty years, the improvements that have taken place in reclaiming waste lands have been very con- siderable, almost doubUng, perhaps, in that time the whole cultiva- tion, and, at all events, the produce of former years. They have been accomplished for the most part by draining and liming, car- ried on chiefly by the occupiers themselves, and at an expense on 308 ABERDEENSHIRE. their part of not less, it is considered, than L. 12,000. These seem to have been begun by tenants taking advantage of the march ditches formed by the proprietors, by directing division ditches, &c. into them, and which giving good promise of utihty if car- ried to a larger extent, the people began generally to adopt the practice, and have certainly, without much encouragement other- wise, evinced very considerable industry and judgment in carrying forward, in almost all cases at their own expense, the work of im- provement, and with undoubted benefit both to themselves and the proprietors. By one farmer alone there have been 150 acres im- proved, for which the Highland Society awarded him their gold medal some years ago, — and by another there have been improved about 100 acres. In 1817, another gold medal was awarded by the Society of Arts and Manufactures, to a proprietor in this parish, for planting forest trees (to the extent of 235 acres, on a property consisting al- together of 571 acres.) This gentleman deserves credit also for other improvements, and for the enlightened encouragement he gave to his tenants at a time when such stimulus was much want- ed. He began by casting drains with the view of improving his property ; for those on the boundaries he charged his tenants nothing, but for the drains through the fields he charged them 5 per cent., by which they were considerable gainers, and were en- abled to pay their rents more easily, while the property at the same time was much improved. The drains proving effectual, the ad- vantage of liming soon became apparent, but the times being then very backward for tenants in general, he advanced money for that purpose to those having leases, at 5 per cent. ; and to those just entering he agreed to furnish a certain quantity, taking the value likely to be received into consideration, and charging it according- ly, all which proved most beneficial to proprietor and tenant. The improvement of a property in some such way as this, and the dealing with tenants on fair and reasonable terms, where especially any difficulties on their part are experienced, is in many respects preferable, one may easily suppose, to the plan adopted sometimes by other proprietors, from a principle equally laudable, of giving discounts in less favourable seasons, and serves more effectually to keep up that proper spirit of independence which is so important and praiseworthy in every condition of life. Produce. — The average gross amount of grain now raised in the parish, as nearly as can be ascertained, may be put down at 10,000 DRUM BLADE. 309 quarters, with a due proportion of green crop, according to the husbandry, consisting of potatoes and turnips, for cattle and for do- mestic uses. Of the grain there may be 6000 quarters exported. The ordinary duration of leases is nineteen years, and the rents are paid generally in money, or with a small proportion, perhaps, in meal. The paying of rent by the fiar prices, with a maximum and minimum, which many think would be the fairest plan, has not yet been introduced here. Farms vary in extent from '250 to 20 acres ; but there is a num- ber of crofts, besides, considerably smaller, and this variety does not seem to work unfavourably. Farm- Buildings. — The farm-houses and offices (and the former more especially) are not in general in proper keeping with the value of the farms to which they are attached, nor with the amount of capital of which the occupants must necessarily be possessed in order to carry them on, owing to the very limited encouragement generally given for this purpose. It may be mentioned that the system usually practised is, that the whole burden of the houses falls upon the occupant, for which he is allowed a certain return at the end of his lease, provided they shall then be declared of that value, and whatever additional build- ings in the course of his lease his growing industry may require, he may erect the same if he please, but it is entirely at his own risk and responsibility, the landlord holding himself bound to no more than the certain modified sum originally specified, whatever now may be their additional value. Here it is evident the terms are un- equal. Should dilapidation ensue the tenant may get less than the sum agreed upon at entry, bgt should the value be never so much increased by additional or improved accommodation, that allowance becomes no more. The tenant's interest in the buildings accord- ingly being thus limited to the duration of his lease, with the ex- ception of the small sum above referred to, which seldom, it is be- lieved, nearly covers his outlay, he has no encouragement either to make them substantial, or even to build them to an extent equal to his requirements J and thus, in fact, there is a constant building and patchwork going on, of the most inferior and unsubstantial kind. There is a twofold evil manifestly arising out of this system. \sti The general inferiority of the farmer's accommodations ; and '2d, The circumstance that a certain portion of his capital should, through the full currency of his lease, be made to lie thus wholly unproductive, which, were the necessary accommodations afforded 310 ABERDEENSHIRE. by the landlord, (whose interests in the property are permanent), and a moderate per centage merely charged upon them, he would have had freely in hand, to lay out in improving and enriching his farm. In other words, the practice, while straitening to the tenant from the very outset, appears to be favourable in the end neither to him nor to the landlord ; and here, without doubt, the entail sys- tem operates in a way that is by no means favourable to the march of improvement. Enclosures. — Notwithstanding the extensive improvements which have taken place in cultivation, there is still much wanted in the way both of plantation and enclosures. Belts of the former more generally interspersed, and hedges, with ditches, would be both or- namental, and would increase greatly both convenience and shel- ter ; and were due encouragement given by proprietors to this end, much would undoubtedly be done, and many corners now lying waste would be profitably and ornamentally occupied. V. — Parochial Economy. Market- Toicji. — There is no market-town nor village in this pa- rish. The nearest town, and that on which the inhabitants are mostly dependent both for post and market, is Huntly, which is four miles distant from the church, but considerably nearer to the great bulk of the parishioners. There is no post or regular course of conveyance from the post-office in Huntly to this parish, if we may except an individual who passes on foot once a-week to Forgue, carrying letters and newspapers to those in his immediate line of road at a moderate charge. Means of Communication. — A regular post conveyance or run- ner from Huntly to Turriff, with receiving-houses at different stages, would be a vast convenience to the inhabitants of that large and in many respects important inland district, a great part of which is at present very badly situate in this respect. Letters from this to Turriff and neighbourhood, a distance of twelve miles, put in at Huntly, usually go round all the way by Aberdeen, (above seventy miles), before they reach their 'destination. The other towns with which this parish maintains considerable communica- tion, are Banff, Macduff, and Portsoy, eighteen and nineteen miles distant, and Inverury, which is about twenty. These, particularly the two first, are the towns to which the grain is chiefly carried for export. There is considerable extent of turn- pike road within this parish, sav ten miles, six of which consist of DRUMBLADE. 311 the Aberdeen and Huntly or Inverness great post-road, and four the Huntly and Banff turnpike. There are three coaches, the Mail, the North Defiance, and Duchess of Gordon, that pass through the parish north and south daily. Ecclesiastical State. — The division of this and the neighbouring parishes is as preposterous as can well be imagined. The church is placed within a few yards of the boundary on one side, though four and five miles from the opposite point, while the people resi- dent there, in order to attend their parish church, have to travel three or four miles farther, than they would have to attend one in a neighbouring parish — nay, have actually to pass the one at a very short distance, to get at the other, with which they are parochial- ly connected. The consequence is, that the strictly parochial sys- tem is broken in upon, and that beautiful reciprocity of interest and of feeling which ought ever to subsist between a minister and his own people to a certain extent impaired. Besides the west end of the parish, which has already been stated as five miles distant from the parish church, there are other points three and four miles distant, and nearly two-fifths of the population are at a distance of two miles and upwards. Were an arrangement entered into of giving and taking, with some of the parishes adjoining, a very im- portant improvement to all would be effected ; mdeed, were a ge- neral revision of parishes to take place, and some great Legisla- tive measure founded upon it to be introduced, the benefit result- ing therefrom would be almost universal. The church was built in 1 773, and received some improvements in 1829, and certain additional sittings have been made out since. There is accommodation for between 500 and 600 persons. The sittings for the most part are portioned out to the occupiers of the land, who pay something for them at entry on a lease, to the outgoing ten- ant. They may all be said, therefore, in a sense to be paid for, though the payment, it is believed, is not large. It would be of some consequence at any general re-letting of farms on a property, that the right and extent of church room attached to each should be revised, and a new arrangement made where necessary ; both as considerable changes are from time to time occurring in the disposal of families, and because the leaving of this important matter to private settlement between outgoing and incoming tenants, has frequently led to great irregularities in this respect. In some instances seats have been improperly transferred altoge- 312 ABEEDEENSHIRE. ther from the farms with which they originally stood connected, and a general indistinctness and confusion prevail otherwise upon the subject. The session let upwards of 100 sittings at from 1 s. to Is. 3d. each, and there are some lately erected to which they admit gratis. These consist of forms wherever there was space to admit them, and may accommodate upwards of twenty persons. They are chiefly occupied by old people and children attending the Sabbath school. There are no seats unlet that are set apart for letting, and these and others are in general fully occupied. Mortifications. — Two benefactions of L.lOO each are upon re- cord, one in the year 1793, by the Rev. George Abel, some time minister of the parish, and another by his widow, several years sub- sequent ; also a share in common with the other parishes in the synod, of what is called Burnet's Mortification. L. 20 has been the portion hitherto received by this parish, and as it goes from presbytery to presbytery in turn, it comes to be paid in each pa- rish once in a number of years. The manse was built in 1824, is quite near to the church, and in good repair. The glebe, one-half of which is beside the manse, the other at some distance, consists of nearly 10 acres, and is all arable. The stipend of Drumblade amounts in all to 84 bolls, \^ hppy of oatmeal ; 9 bolls, 3 firlots, 2 pecks, 3 lippies of bear, mostly paid in kind; and L. 41, 17s. 7d. in money, paid by the heritors from the teinds of the parish; and L.51, 9s. Ud. paid by the Ex- chequer, to augment the same to the annual value of L.150. There is no other place of worship, either Chapel of Ease or Dissenting, within the parish, besides the parish church. There are, however, a few preaching stations occupied by the parish minister for week-day services, and which continue to be well at- tended. There are in all 1 71 families or househblders, male and female, in the parish, 152 of which belong to the Established Church, and 19 in all to the various classes of Dissenters. Reckoning the whole popula- tion at 970, which, though somewhat less than the return made at the last Government census, is all that have been found at this date, there are belonging to the Established Church, 856 ; Episcopalians, 50 ; United Secession, 20 ; Independents, 40 ; Roman Catholics, 4. Theaveragenumber of communicants (parishioners) in the parish church is from 340 to 350, and, including non-parishioners, may be about 60 more. The sacrament of the Lord's supper is now dis- DRUMBLADE. 313 pensed twice a-year, and all communicants who request such pri- vilege here for the first time, however frequently they may have communicated before in other parishes, are strictly examined anew when they bring- their testimonials, previous to their admission — which practice has been found to be attended with most beneficial effect. There is an association instituted for religious purposes — deno- minated the Drumblade Bible and Missionary Association, the con- tributions to which have hitherto been gradually increasing, and the sum now raised annually is from L. 24 to L.25. This sum has been divided among the home and foreign objects now carried forward by the Church of Scotland ; the Edinburgh Bible, and the Scot- tish Missionary, Societies. Library. — There is also a parish library, the contributions to which are likewise on the increase ; and, though yet of no great extent, it is still in a promising condition. The books appear to be pretty extensively read, and the institution appreciated. There are usually three Sabbath schools in the parish, — one taught by the parish minister, and three assistant teachers under his superintendence, and tvvo in other parts of the parish, taught by respectable Dissenters. Education. — There may scarcely be said to be any school with- in the parish but the parochial — one female teaches a few child- ren sewing and knitting. The numbers attending the parish school vary from 46 to 72 — the former being about the num- ber in summer, the latter in winter. The branches tauo-ht are, reading, writing, English Grammar, arithmetic, geography, Latin, and mathematics, including mensuration. The school- master's salary amounts to L.30; probable amount of school fees, L.24, 10s. ; emoluments arising from the Dick Bequest, in common with the other parochial teachers in Aberdeen, Banff, and Morayshires, session-clerkship, &c. may be stated at L.35. The school fees are by no means expensive, and the advantages of education are generally secured more or less by all classes of the community. There are none brought up in the parish who cannot read, and few of the rising generation under fifteen years who cannot both write and account. Persons have occasionally been met with from other parishes unable to read, and, with some ex- ception, these have not been found in general much disposed to undergo the labour of overcoming that deficiency. There are many parts of the parish inconveniently distant from the parish 314 ABERDEENSHIRE. school, yet this is in general so far supplied by their proximity to others without the bounds. A respectable female or girls' school for branches not exclusively elementary, would be an important improvement. The improved methods of education have been ge- nerally introduced, and, whatever may be the result in point of morals or otherwise, nothing can be more apparent than that the youth of all classes now enjoy advantages and facilities for acquir- ing information, intellectual and spiritual, far beyond what was common in former times. Poor and Parochial Funds. — The average number of paupers actually on the roll does not exceed five or six, though as many others, perhaps, as poor householders, are in the way of receiving occasional supplies. The maintaining of a lunatic, however, in the asylum at Aberdeen, has of late been a considerable burden upon the funds. The ordinary mode of keeping up the fund is by church collections, the average amount of which for the last five years has been about L.'27; the rest is made up from cer- tain sums lying at interest, and from church seats let by the ses- sion, and, were it not for the heavy charge above-mentioned, would be amply sufficient for maintaining the small number, both of the ordinary and occasional poor. The reluctance to fall upon a parish fund is not, perhaps, what it once was ; yet, on the whole, that laudable spirit of independence may not be said to be lost in this quarter ; and it is certain, that, looking back to former records, the number of poor receiving re- lief had been considerably greater than now. Fair. — There is scarce any market or fair now held in the parish, if we except one which has not hitherto gained much notice, on the Saddlehill, in place of Sliach Market, formerly well known and much frequented. The new station not appearing to take well with the country, one has been got up in Huntly at the same time, to which the business formerly transacted at Sliach has been for the most part transferred, and from the additional accommo- dations and conveniences there afforded, the change, it is believed, is not felt to be any grievance to the public. Inns. — The number of inns or other places for the sale of spi- rituous liquors in the parish is unquestionably too great, — there being no fewer than five. Fuel. — Fuel is not abundant in the parish. There is a very small extent of peat moss, and that mostly of an inferior description. Neither is turf extensive. The tenants, however, in Lessendrum FYVIE. 315 have a servitude, or right of casting peats over some part of the extensive moss of Foudlin, in the parish of Forgue, where they have an abundant supply. English coal carted from the port of Banff or Macduff is also a good deal used. Miscellaneous Observations. Looking to this parish as a whole, and marking the many changes which have taken place in it since the date of the former Statistical Account, it may safely be said, that it has not been behind others in the march of general improvement. Agriculture, in particular, has made wonderful progress, and that, not more, perhaps, in the greater extent of ground culti- vated, than in the superior management and direction, exhibit- ed in every department of farming details. Many bars to hus- bandry have been removed — new roads have been cut — mill mul- tures, at one time very heavy, amounting to one-seventeenth part when work was done, and to one-twenty-first independent of any work, have now for the most part been extinguished. The standard of comfort among the people has become elevated, their ideas less contracted, their knowledge and information more extensive, and their manners and habits more refined ; and it is hoped that, in matters still more important and sacred, improvements also have taken place. January 1S40. PARISH OF FYVIE. presbytery of TURRIFF, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. JOHN MANSON, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name, Boundaries, ^c. — Fyvyn is the name given to this parish in most of the old charters and public writings connected with it. It is of Gaelic etymology, and derived from Fia Chein, signifying Deer-hill. There is a hill in the parish which still goes by the name of Deer Hill, and the names of several of the estates and farms have also been clearly traced to Gaelic original. Fyvie is one of the largest parishes in Aberdeenshire. Its extreme length from north- east to south-west is 13 miles; and its extreme breadth 8 miles; 316 ABERDEENSHIRE. the extent of surface*may be stated at 42 square miles. It lies about half-way between Aberdeen and Banff, and the public road between these two places passes through the breadth of it for se- veral miles. It is bounded on the east, by the parishes of Methlick and Tarves; on the south, by Meldrum and Daviot ; on the west, by Rayne and Auchterless ; and on the north, by Turriff and Montquhitter. Topographical Appearances. — There are no mountain ranges in this parish ; smaller hills rise up in different parts of it, and in ge- neral there is a very pleasing variety of surface. The hill of Eas- tertown, towards the south boundary, is the principal elevation. It is connected with, and may be considered a continuation of the ridge of the hill of Bethelnie, in the adjoining parish of Meldrum, which is said to be the highest land over which the turnpike road passes between Edinburgh and Inverness. In the neighbourhood of the hamlet of Woodhead, there is a district which goes by the name of the " Windy Hills ;" a small ridge of hill, along the bottom of which on the north there is a tract of moss, and some patches of moss also on the south side. The ground in this quarter bears marks of having been for a long period under water. Beds of quartz similar to those found along the sea shore lie in every direction. The substratum of the hill consists of decomposed sandstone. No organic remains, however, so far as I have heard, have been found in the locality. Soil, Climate, Diseases, &^c. — There is great variety both of soil and climate in this parish. Along the banks of the Ythan, and more particularly in what is called the Howe of Fyvie, where the parish church and Fyvie Castle are situated, the soil is early and fertile. A substratum of gravel runs along the whole Vcile, co- vered in most places with a sharp rich loam. The climate here also is very mild, and the harvest about a week earlier than in the country generally in this quarter. In the north district of the pa- rish there are large tracts of moss. Here the climate is colder, and the soil in general poorer than in the middle and southern parts, and the crops used frequently to suffer a good deal from frosts; but, from judicious drainage and the selection of early seeds, much less damage has been sustained in this way than formerly was the case. The north-east is the quarter from which we have most frequent storms. In general, the air of the parish is pure and healthy ; and I am not aware of any disease to which it is pe- culiarly liable. By a table which I have subjoined under the head FY VIE. 317 Population, it will be seen that a fair proportion of the people have attained to an advanced age. Cases of fever occasionally break out, which the imprudent, though well meant attentions of neigh- bours to each other, often tend not a little to propagate. Hydrography . — The small river Ythan, which rises eleven miles westward in the parish of Forgue, and, after a farther easterly course of about twenty miles, falls into the sea at Newburgh, a village in the parish of Foveran, — divides this parish nearly into two equal parts. It possesses some statistical interest from the circumstance of pearls being frequently found in it. In the years 1762-63, some were found of considerable value. There are two salmon- fishings on this river, one at the mouth of it, the other at the village of Ellon, about three miles from the coast. The Ythan is very slow and smooth in its course ; from the extensive system of drainage that now prevails, it rises more rapidly, and overflows its banks to a greater extent than formerly. From the point of its entering this parish, it runs through a long extent of flat ground, and, previous to certain recent improvements, the haughs on each side were rendered in a great measure useless by it ; but, by form- ing a new channel, much valuable land has been reclaimed, partly above, through, and below the private grounds of Fyvie Castle, and for the farther accomplishment of this object extensive works are now in progress. The parish abounds with copious and salu- brious springs. Several of the wells still retain the names of those saints to whom they were dedicated in Popish times. On the south side of the hill of Eastertown, there is St Paul's well, which was long much resorted to by the people of this and the surround- ing parishes, and the favour of 4;he saint sought in the usual man- ner, by casting a small off"ering into the well, and a subsequent free use of the waters. In a field upon a farm on the estate of Min- nonie, which still retains the name of St John's Well, there are other two sainted springs, one dedicated to St John, the other to St Catharine ; and a little northward of where the parish church stands, there is St Peter's Well. None of these springs possess strong mineral qualities, and are remarkable only for the purity and sweetness of their waters. Mineralogy. — There is abundance of whinstone in the parish well adapted for building. Upon the farm of Cammaloun, on the estate of Fyvie, there has also been found sandstone of the same quality and appearance as that obtained in the extensive quarry at Delgaty, in the adjoining parish of Turriff. A few years ago, a 318 ABEKDEENSHIRE. quarry was opened there, but from the great dip of the stone, and the consequent difficulty of working it, a few blocks only were ex- tracted for a special purpose. A vein of this stone is supposed to run from the coast through the intermediate parishes. It is found in abundance in Turriff and Montquhitter and partially in the coast parishes of Gamrle and Aberdour. None has been met with, as I have heard, farther west than the point above referred to at Cammaloun. There is also at Petts, on the estate of Gight, a quarry of whinstone, valuable for the large slabs obtained from it. Some of these have been extracted 10 feet long by 2 broad, and 6 feet by 4. They are used in the country for various pur- poses, and are remarkable for strength and tenacity. Zoology and Botany. — The following is a list of wild animals which are to be found in this parish : — Of quadrupeds there are, roe-deer, hare, rabbit, fox, badger, polecat, stoat, weasel, hedge- hog, otter, water-rat, and all the common varieties of the smaller vermin, as the mole, rat, field-mouse, &c. Of land birds there are. Resident. Glead or coramoi buzzard Magpie Green linnet Kestril Hooded- crow Grey do. Hobby Rook Bunting > Merlin Grouse Yellow do. Sparrow-hawk Blackcock Black-headed do. Red do. Partridge Mountain sparrow Blue do. Plover House do. Common owl Pheasant Skylark Horned do. Common pigeon Redbreast White do. Cushat do. Common wren Screech do. Blackbird Gold-crested do. Raven Thrush Blue cap or titmouse Carrion crow Bullfinch Long-tailed do. Jackdaw Chaffinch Marsh do. A iiivial Visitants. Occasional Visitants. Osprey Chimney-swallow Ringtailed buzzard Falcon Martin Starling Norwegian do. Sand-martin Greenfinch Landrail Swift Goldfinch Lapwing Goatsucker Mountain finch Cuckoo Red wagtail Siskin Fieldfare Grey do. Snowflake. Redwipg Yellow do. Of aquatic birds there are, Resident. Annual Visitants. Occasional Visitants. Heron Wild goose Wild swan Wild duck Jack snipe Scaup duck Common snipe Woodcock Oyster-catcher Water-hen Bald-coot Water-rail Diver (several varieties) Water-ousel Widgeon (do.) Little grebe Crossbill Sheldrake Sea-gull Common fresh water teal Kittiwake. Golden-eyed garrot FYVIE. 319 Among the rarer species of plants found in the parish are the following : — Hippuris vulgaris Nepeta Cataria Veronica fruticulosa Genista anglica Poa alpina Geranium sylvaticum Alchemilla Alpina pratense Anagallis arvensis Hypericum humifusum cffirulea elodes Menyanthes trifoliata Sonchus alpinus Campanula palula Gnaphalium sylvaticum Eehiuni vulgare . rectum Viola palustris Cnicus eriophorus Solanum Dulcamara Orchis inascula Juncus glaucus Habenaria viridis Colchicum autumnale albida Polygonum Fersicaria Bryonia dioica Butomus umbellatus Quercus Robur Cerastium arvense Juniperus communis Agrimonia Eupatoria Tctralix alba Potentilla reptans Salix alba ; — verna rupestris Rosa tomentosa fragilis Prunus spinosa — — glauca Spiisea Filipendula Equisetum sylvaticum. Mentha sylvestris Among mosses are, Tortula muralis and tortuom, Dicranum taxifolium, and H. undulatum. Among fungi are, Agaricus luteiis, nitidus, conjluens, semiglobatus, bulhosus, muscarius, and procerus. The districts of the parish most favourable for the researches of the botanist are, the Braes of Gight, the Den of Rothie, and the old wood near Fyvie Castle. The most extensive plantation in the parish is that of the Den of Rothie, belonging to Mr Gor- don of Fyvie. It runs west from the hollow of Fyvie, a distance of about two miles and a half. It consists chiefly of fir, and pro- duces considerable revenue. la the parish altogether it has been calculated that there are 1735 acres in wood. A great part of this was planted by the late General Gordon of Fyvie, and his example has been followed by the present proprietor. A good deal has also been done in this way by the present Mr Leslie of Rothie, and by the former proprietor of Littlefolla; but still there are considerable tracts of hill land, which in their present state are bad objects in the landscape, and are lost in a great measure as a source of revenue to the proprietors. It is much to be desir- ed that these were clothed with wood. There is every encourage- ment to this from the thriving state of all the plantations within the parish, and the higher vahie to which wood must soon at- tain, in consequenee of the rapid consumption of moss throughout the country, and the distance of this locality from the coast. 320 ' ABERDEENSHIRE. II. — Civil History. No separate account of the parish is known, previous to that contributed by the late incumbent, the Rev. WiUiam Moir, to the old Statistical Account ; but various interesting notices, especial- ly in relation to the church, the priory, and the chapel of St Rule at Folia, are contained in the " Chartularies of Arbroath and Aberdeen," in the Advocates' Library of Edinburgh ; in the Char- tulary of Aberdeen, and Chaplain's Register, in the Library of King's College;* and in a view of the Diocese of Aberdeen, ma- nuscript, in the Advocates' Library, supposed to be written by Sir Samuel Forbes of Foveran. Historical Events. — In the year 1296, the Castle of " Fyvin" appears to have been visited by Edward I. of England, in his progress through Scotland, f In 1395, the " Castel of Fivy," which must have then been a place of considerable strength, was defended by the " gud lady" of Sir James Lindesay, though " as- segit straitly" by her undutiful nephew, Robert de Keith, son of the Marischal, till her husband came to her relief, and " quyte discumfyted" the said Robert and his adherents near the kirk of Bourty.ij: In 1644, Montrose took possession of Fyvie Castle; but not thinking it tenable against the superior force of Argyle, he retired to an eminence a little to the north-eastward, which he defended with great bravery for several days, and then marched by night to Strathbogie. The entrenchments are still distinctly to be seen, and the ground goes by the name of Montrose Camp. One of Argyle's encampments also on the lands of Ardlogie is still cal- led the Camp-fold. Papers and Charters. — Allusion has already been made to some documents in the Chartularies of Arbroath and Aberdeen, con- nected with the parochial history of Fyvie. Of these one relates to a perambulation held in 1325, in virtue of a brieve from King Robert Bruce, to fix the marches between the King's park of " Fyvin," and the lands of Ardlogie, belonging to the Abbey of Arbroath. Several others refer to a dispute between the Bishop of Aberdeen and the husbandmen of Formartine, in 1382, about * For much that is contained in the department of Civil History, I have to ac- knowlt'dge my obligations to Mr Taylor, late librarian of King's College, and Mr Gordon of Fyvie, who kindly permitted a full search of the old charters and other papers connected with Fyvie Castle. f Edward I.'s Diary, Bannatyne Miscellany, Vol. i. p. 278. \ Wyntown's Chron. ii. p. 371-373. FYVIE. 321 payment of tlie second tithes; and a considerable number are oc- cupied with the affairs of the church and priory. At Fyvie Castle the series of charters is numerous and extensive, beginning towards the close of the fourteenth century, and descending in an almost unbroken chain to the present time. The original charter of Sir Henry Preston, obtained from Robert III. in 1390, is lost, but an official extract is preserved. There are also preserved an extract of the appointment of Alexander Seton, Lord Urquhart, to be President of the Court of Session, in 1593; the charter of erection of the barony of Fyvie into a lordship, vv^ith all the privi- leges of a Peer of Parliament in his favour, in 1597; the sig- nature under the hand of James VI., with the commission under the Great and Privy- Seal constituting him Chancellor of Scotland in 1604; and the commission and patent of his creation as Earl of Dunfermline in 1605; wi'th his appointment as Keep- er of Holyrood Palace in 1611. There is also an interesting set of about thirty documents relating to the public transactions be- tween 1640 and 1770, in which Charles, the second Earl of Dun- fermline, bore a part. Of these may be specified the Conference at Ripon, 1640; the General Assembly at St Andrews, 1642, to which Dunfermline was commissioner, and to which refers an order of the English Parliament to the Assembly; the instructions of King Charles I. to Dunfermline, the commissioner; two let- ters from the King to Dunfermline, and one from Dunfermline in reply, during the sitting of the Assembly ; the gift of the Privy Seal of Scotland to Dunfermline ; the King's leaving Holden- by, 1647; the negociations between Charles II. and the Com- missioners of the Estates of Scotland, at Breda, 1650; and the meeting of the Scottish Parliament, 1661. It may also be stated, that at Fyvie Castle, there is a considerable number of paintings, both by ancient and modern artists, and an excellent library, in the departments particularly of Scottish antiquities, history, bio- graphy, topography, and poetry, well stored. Proprietorship. — At one period the barony of Fyvie had the alias designation of Formartine, and the proprietorship can be sa- tisfactorily ascertained from an early date ; but the term Formar- tine is now applied to the second of the five divisions of the county of Aberdeen, while it also gives the title of Viscount to the Earl of Aberdeen. The ancient barony of jPormartyn or Freix\Q.v- tyn formed three>fourths of this district, the other one-fourth con- stituting the barony of Belhelvie. The term Fyvie is now re- ABERDEEN. X 322 ABERDEENSHIRE. stricted to the parish, and that part of it, amounting to a full third, which forms the property of Mr Gordon. The old ortho- graphy was " Fyvin," in correspondence with the etymology al- ready assigned. It seems to have been a royal park down to the time of Robert II, , and the castle was no doubt a royal hunting-seat. In 1325, mention is made of the " King's Park of Fyvin." Between 1370 and 1380, it was given by Robert II., to his eldest son, John, then Steward of Scotland, and af- terwards king by the title of Robert III. He soon resign- ed it in favour of his cousin-german. Sir James Lindesay. It was acquired by the Prestons in 1390; by the Meldrums about 1440.; by the Setons in 1596 ; and by the present family, the Gordons, in 1726.* Eminent Characters. — Reginald le Chen or Cheyne. — This dis- tinguished person was proprietor of the lands of Ardlogy and Leuchendy, which he gave to the Priory of Fyvie, in connection with the Abbey of Arbroath, in 1285. He is generally styled Pater^ to distinguish him from his son of the same name. He was Baron of Inverugie, Strabrock, &c. and Great Chamberlain of Scotland from 1267 to 1269. He was one of the Magnates Scotise who concurred in settling the succession to the crown on Margaret of Norway, grand-daughter to Alexander III., in 1284. He was one of the barons who addressed Edward I. on the subject of a marriage between the young Queen of Scot- land and the Prince of Wales, with the view of uniting the king- doms, in 1289. He made his submission to Edward I., at Aber- deen, on the 17th July 1296, and his name is found in the Rag- man Roll. Of this ancient family of Cheyne of Inverugie came Henry le Chen or Cheyne, Bishop of Aberdeen from 1281 to 1.329.t James de Lindesay. — He was the ninth in descent of the fami- ly of Crawfurd, and is designed " Dominus de Crawfurd et Bu- chan." H^ was nearly connected with the royal family, his mother being Egidia, sister to Robert II. He was present at the coronation of his uncle at Scone 1371 ; and he was a com- missioner to treat with the English in 1374 and 1381. About 1380, he became proprietor of Formartine, on the resignation of his cousin John, afterwards Robert HI.; and in 1382, was * Fyvie Charters. ■f Crawfurd's Lives, p. 263. Documents and Records of the History of Scotland. Rfc. Com. VoJ. i. p. 175. FYVIE. 323 involved in dispute with the Bishop of Aberdeen, about the pay- ment of the second tithes. In 1383, he quarrelled with Sir John Lyon of Glammis, Chamberlain of Scotland, and son-in-law of the King, and slew him in single combat. In 1385, his share of the French subsidy was 2000 livres. In 1388, he fought with the Earl of Douglas at Otterburn. In 1395, as already mention- ed, he raised the siege of Fyvie Castle, which his lady had brave- ly defended. He died ] 397, without male issue, and was succeed- ed as Lord of Crawfurd by his cousin. Sir David Lindesay of Glenesk, while the Formartine property fell to his brother-in- law.* Sir Henry Preston. — He was of the family of Preston of Craig- millar, shared in the subsidy of 1385, and fought at Otterburn, in which battle he appears to have been the captor of Ralph Percy, as he had for his redemption a grant from Robert III., in 1390, of the lands and barony of Formartine, on the resignation of his brother-in-law, Sir James Lindesay. Sir Henry was a commis- sioner. to treat with the English in 1390 and 1391, and he died about 1433, leaving, according to the most probable accounts, two daughters co-heiresses, one of whom married Forbes of Tolqu- hon, and the other Meldrum of Fyvie, thereby endowing their husbands with these respective properties.-j* Sir George Meldrum. — The Meldrums possessed Fyvie for about a century and a-half. Sir George, who lived about the middle of the sixteenth century, seems to have been the only one among them known in a public capacity. He is termed by Lesly " ane vailyeant and wyse gentleman," while he relates that, in 1544, Sir George was sent by the Governor of Scotland on an embassy to the King of England, then personally engaged in the siege of Boulogne in France. His instructions were " to commoune upon certane abstuonce, to the effect that Commissioners should meit, quhilk was aggreit qntill his returning in Ingland in the moneth of August thairaftir." % Alexander First Earl of Dunfermline. — He was third son of George Sixth Lord Seton, and brother of Robert first Earl of Winton, and became proprietor of Fyvie by purchase from the Mel- drums in 1596. In early life he studied at Rome for the Church, but the establishment of the Reformed Faith in Scotland led him to turn his attention to the law. He was in great favour with James VI. * Douglas Peerage. Wyntoun. "f Douglas, Fyvie Charters. + History, English ed. 1830, p. 187. 324 ABERDEENSHIRE. and successively attained the dignities of Prior of Pluscardine in 1585; Lord of Session, by the title of Lord Urquhart, 1587 ; Pre- sident of the Court of Session in 1593 ; Treasury Commissioner, 1595; Peer of Parliament by the title of Lord Fyvie in 1598; ] Commissioner to treat of the Union with England in 1604 ; Lord | High Chancellor of Scotland the same year ; Earl of Dunferm-. line in 1606; and Commissioner to the famous Parliament of 1612, which confirmed the proceedings of the Glasgow Assembly of 1610, and rescinded the act establishing Presbytery of 1592. 1 He continued Chancellor till his death at Pinkie, near Mussel- burgh, in 1622, and was succeeded by his son, * Chai'les Second Earl of Dunfermline. — This nobleman took an active part in the transactions of the momentous period of our history^rom 1622 till his death in 1672. In 1639, he was twice sent from the Scottish Parliament to the King on missions of im- portance. In 1640, he was named a Commissioner to the treaty at Ripon, and in 1642, he was Royal Commissioner at the Gene- ral Assembly of St Andrews. In 1649, he went abroad to Charles II. and accompanied him in his unsuccessful attempt to assert his rights in 1650. At the Restoration he was made a Privy- Coun- cillor; in 1669 an Extraordinary Lord of Session; and in 1671, Keeper of the Privy-Seal. He died in 1672, and was succeeded by his son Alexander, third Earl, who survived but a short time, and the property fell to his younger brother, -f- James Fourth Earl of Dunfermline. — He served in early life under the Prince of Orange in several memorable expeditions, but returned home on the accession of James 11. in 1684. He joined Dundee in 1689, and fought at Killiecrankie. He is celebrated by the Jacobite author of the " Praelium Gilliecrankianum," as " Nobilis apparuit Germilodunensis Cujus in rebelles stringebatur ensis Nobilis et sanguine, nobilior viitute Regi devotissimus intus et in cute;" and his consequence and military reputation were such, that after the death of Dundee he would have received the command, but for the unwelcome commission produced by Colonel Cameron. He was outlawed in 1690, and died at St Germains in 1694 with- out surviving issue, and the Fyvie property passed by purchase in 1726 unto the present family. | " Crawfurd. Douglas. Fyvie Charters. t Ibid. J Dctiglas. Hogg's Jacobite Relics, Vol. i. p. 30, 191, 201 Fyvie Charters. FYVIE. 325 Gight, — The estate of Gight in this parish, now the property of the Earl of Aberdeen, formerly belonged to the maternal ancestors of the late Lord Byron. It was sold soon after the marriage of his mother, who was the heiress. The burial-place of the family of Gordon of Gight is in the paHsh churchyard. Formerly it was within the old church, and upon the new church being built, my predecessor acquainted the Honourable Mrs Byron of the altered situation in which it stood, as being now exposed, and put in her view the propriety of raising some protection around it, but with- out success. It is to be regretted that the application had not been renewed to the Noble poet himself, as, amid all his difficulties, it was one of such a kind as probably would have excited his in- terest, and both had the desired effect, and called forth from him some beautiful epitaph. About the middle of the churchyard there is a more humble grave, but one possessed of a certain romantic interest, that of the heroine of the pathetic Scotch ballad called " Tiftie's Bonnie Annie." The original tombstone having become decayed, Mr Gordon of Fyvie, a few years ago, caused a new one to be placed upon it, a fac-simile in every respect. The name of the unfortu- nate damsel, the story of whose love is so finely told in the ballad, was Agnes Smyth. The common pronunciation of the Christian name was Nannie, which in the ballad is farther metamorphosed into Annie. On one of the turrets of Fyvie Castle there is a stone figure of the renowned trumpeter sounding his horn towards Mill of Tiftie. * Land-Owners. — The following are the present land-owners of the parish, with the names and valued rent of their several pro- perties in Scots money : Lordship of Fyvie, William Gordon, Esq. L.2618, 10s. 8d. ; lands of Gight, Crichie, and Minnonie, Earl of Aberdeen, L. 2005, 9s. 4d. ; lands of Rothie and Mid- aple, George LesUe, Esq. L.685, 14s. 8d. ; lands of Muirs of Fyvie, Mrs Hose Innes, L. 350 ; lands of Littlefolla, Alex- ander Gordon, Esq. L.155, 12s.; lands of Towie (Typor- tia), Gordon's Hospital, Aberdeen, L. 150 ; lands of Blackford (Typortia), John Forbes, Esq. L. 100; Lands of Monkshill, * As a curious specimen of the form of tenure of other days, the following is sub- mitted, being the rent of William Smyth, the father of Annie, for 1672. '• Of maill three score sax boUis, of money one pound, of wadderis three, of lambis three, of ca- pounis three dozen, of hennis three dozen, of paittis one lait, one miln swyne, and one ston brew tallow." — (Rental at Fyvie Castle and Account-book.) 326 ABERDEENSHIRE. Heirs of the late James Hay, Esq. L.80. Total valued rental, L.6145, 6s. 8d. Parocliial Registers. — The early parochial registers are very imperfect, and do not extend far back. The first entries of bap- tisms and marriages are in 1685, and the register of discipline commences in 1721. There are chasms in both till about 1760, from which period they are regular. The accounts of the collec- tions and disbursements for the poor are kept in Scotch money till the year 1763. While some of the entries are curious, the only point of public interest which could be gathered from them, is the great difference which they show to have taken place in the value of money within the last half century. Antiquities — Priory. — This was a cell of the Abbey of Ar- broath, said by Spotswood to have been founded along with a pa- rish church, by Fergus, Earl of Buchan, in 1179, whose donation of it to the Abbey was afterwards confirmed by his daughter, Margaret, Countess of Buchan, and wife of Sir William Gumming.* In another account, the foundation is ascribed to King William the Lion ; and in a deed of date 1285, Reginald le Cheyne is said to have founded the religious house on the lands of Ardlogy, that is, the priory, while, it appears from another deed, that he bestow- ed on this house his lands of Ardlogy and Leuchendy the same year.f The truth may be, that the house was originally founded by the Earl of Buchan ; that this was confirmed by King William ; and that a re-endowment was made a century later by the Baron of Inverugie. The site of the priory was on the north bank of the Ythan, about a mile below the castle, and the outline of a part of it, said to have been the chapel, is still distinguishable on the crest of a gentle eminence, about 150 yards north-east of the present bridge of Lewes. In the memory of persons still living, a good part of the ruin was standing. In 1285, Reginald le Cheyne gave to the priory, as above-men- tioned, the lands of Ardlogy and Leuchendy ; and the same year, Henry, Bishop of Aberdeen, at the instance of the abbot and con- vent of Aberbrothock, granted a deed, ordaining that the emolu- ments of the vicarage of Fyvin, then vacant, should belong hence- forth to the priory, provided that 100 shillings were annually given to a perpetual chaplain, who should go about the parish and dispense the sacraments to the parishioners. | Appendix to Keith's Bishops. f Char, of Arbroath, Adv. Lib. i. pp. 17- 21. t Ibid. FYVIE. 327 In 1323, Albertinus was appointed to the cure and keeping of the House of Fyvin, and in 13'25, a letter was addressed to him by Bernard, Abbot of Aberbrothock, for the maintenance of disci- pline, and enjoining him with that view, " to hold a chapter regu- larly three times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, to correct the irregularities of his brethren ; to reform the divine worship on Sabbaths and festivals ; to keep the fasts according to the rule and canonical institution ; and if any of the brethren should be found drunken, noisy, abusive, rebellious, and disobe- dient, to reclaim him, if possible, by good counsel, otherwise to punish him by silence, and bread and water, in a place of confine- ment beyond the access of the seculars, and if still refractory, to transmit him, with a statement of his delinquencies, to the parent institution."* In the chartulary of Arbroath, various notices are contained re- garding succeeding priors of Fyvie, and of leases granted of the lands which belonged to the priory. In 1470, one Alexander Mason is Prior, of whom it is stated that he exerted himself great- ly for the increase and repair of the buildings connected with the establishment ; that he rebuilt the chapel ; added offices, and en- closed the garden with a wall. . The prior of Fyvie is frequent- ly mentioned in the Rolls of the Scottish Parliament. A little before the Reformation^ the possessions of the priory are said to have been much dilapidated, though the lands which belonged to it in the neighbourhood rented L. 200 Sterling in 1792.f Parish Church. — The parish church of Fyvie, near to which the priory was situated, was dedicated to St Peter, the memory of which is still preserved in the name of Peterswell, in the immediate vicinity. William the Lion gave to the Abbey of Arbroath, the church of Fyvin, with the chapels, lands, tithes, oblations, pastu- rage, and other pertinents, between 1187 and 1200. j In 1382, the husbandmen of Formartine, including the whole parish of Fyvie, and part of Tarves, having incurred the penalty of excommunication by Adam, Bishop of Aberdeen, for non-pay- ment of the second tithes, were obliged to repair in a body to the Bishop's chapel at Rayne, headed by John de Camera, bailie of Formartine, where, in presence of William de Spyny, cantor of Moray ; William de Ormys, kirk-treasurer of Aberdeen ; Wil- liam Garland, sub-dean of Moray ; William Lang, vicar of Fyvioj * Chartulary of Arbroath, Adv. Lib. ii. pp. 58,60. I Fyvie, Chart. + Chart. Arbr. i. p. 118. 328 ABEEDEENSHIRE. and Thomas de Nory, sheriff of Aberdeen ; having professed penitence, they were absolved by the Bishop, and solemnly sworn to obedience in future.* The patronage of the church of Fyvie, of course, belonged to the Abbev of Arbroath, in consequence of King William's gift, and in the chartulary of that establishment, there are accounts of several presentations to it. In 1G16, Alexander, Earl of Dun- fermline, had a charter from James I. uniting the rectorage and vicarage of Fyvie into one benefice, and conferring on him the advocation, donation, and right of patronage of the parish church ; since which time, the patronage has gone ^Yith the Fyvie pro- perty.f Chapel of St Rule at Folia or Folia-rule. — This was founded at Folia or Follach, a Celtic term, signifying a place surround- ed with mosses, in 1376, by Adam Pyngil, burgess of Aberdeen^ with consent of Marjory Blackvatyr, his spouse, in connection with the cathedral church of Aberdeen. It was endowed with the lands of Folethrow^le, which the founder acquired in 1364 from Hugh de Ross, Lord of Philorth, and brother of William Earl of Ross, and with the mill and multures of Folethrowle, and the founda- tion was confirmed by a charter of Robert II. in 1379. It is stated by Orem in his description of the chanonry, Sec. that in his time the vestiges of the chapel were to be seen in the " town-land" of Meiklefolla ; and that the chaplainry having been annexed to the King's College, the heritor paid L. 40 Scots of feu-duty to the College for the said land. % Besides the religious houses already mentioned, there were also in different directions, and towards the extremities of the parish, other chapels, connected, no doubt, either with the church or priory. The vestiges of one are still to be seen on the farm of Eastertown, beside St Paul's vs'ell, already noticed ; of another on the farm of Fetterletter, on the estate of Gight, and probably there was one on the farm of St John's Well, on the land of Min- nouie, although no traces of it now remain. Chaplainry of St Ninian, in St 2^icholas' Church of^ Aberdeen. — This was connected with Fyvie by endowment and patronage. In 1490, William IMeldrum, who became patron, granted ^y charter to the altar of St Ninian, and to Robert Leys, the chap- lain, a perpetual annuity of L. 2 from his lands of Waterton * Chartulary of Aberdeen, Advocates" Library. j Fyvie Chart. I Description of Chanonry, &c. Edin. 1791, p. 87. FYVIE. 329 -tf EiloD, L, 1, Os. Sd. from the lands of Ordefork, and L. 2 from tenements in the Gallowgate and Green of Aberdeen. — (Fyvie Chart.) In this parish, indeed, the external machinery for the sup- port of the Roman Catholic faith, appears to have been very com- plete, as there had, at least, been six or seven places of worship, or other Popish endowments connected with it. While, of late years, we have experienced a share of the orreat benefits of the scheme of Church Extension, on which the Reformed Presbyte- rian Church of Scotland has now so happily entered, on the whole, as compared with former times, we have to remark a serious Church Contraction here. The earliest Protestant incumbent of Fyvie whom we have seen mentioned is Mr George Sharpe, 1651 to 1663. Since that pe- riod the following have been ministers : — Mr "William Jaffray, from 1654 to 1676; Mr George Seton, 1678 to 1684; Mr George Dalgardno, 1685 to 1717; Mr Robert Hay, 1st May 1718 to 1st July 1719: Mr Thomas Scott, 13th July 1720 to 3d July 1748; Mr William Moir, 27th April 1749 to 19th March 1794: Mr John Falconer, 3d December 1794 to 19th December 1628. John Manson, the present incumbent of the parish, was ordained July 7th 1829. Burgh of Fyvie. — In course of the recent search among the papers at Fyvie Castle, a rather interesting discovery has been made, bearing upon the early history of the parish, of certain do- cuments relative to a burgh of Fyvie. Tradition concerning it had been lost, nor can the site of it now be distinctly fixed, but from an early period mention is made of it. In the Brieve of King Robert Bruce in 1325, for fixing marches, already referred to, the rights of the burgesses of " our burofh of Fyvie," in the peat-moss of Ardlogie, are directed to be ascertained : and the finding of the assize refers to the privileges of these burgesses in the time of Reginald le Chen, between 1250 and the end of the century. From 1390 downwards, the " Villa seu burgum de Fyvie," with its customs, tolls, and burgh-maib, is regularly found in the char- ters of the Fyvie propertv. It has been supposed to have been a royal burgh, but no charter of erection is known, though, fi-om the circumstance of the Fyvie property continuing a royal demesne till towards the close of the fourteenth centurv. and the kingr beino^ thus the immediate superior of the burgh, perhaps it may have some claim to the above distinction. It, however, unquestionably became a " Burgh of Barony," of which the proprietors of Fyvie 330 ABERDEENSHIRE. were superiors. There exists a charter granted to Alexander third Earl of Dunfermline in 1672 or 1673, reciting in the pre- amble, that his father, and grandfather, and their predecessors, had the privilege of keeping a weekly market on Thursday, and three annual fairs on the lands of the manor-place of Fyvie, one on Fastings -even, called Shrove- Tuesday ; another on St Peter's day, the first Tuesday of July ; and the third on St Magdalene's day, the last Tuesday of July ; — stating that Fyvie is at least twelve miles distant from any royal burgh, and a convenient place for trade and merchandize ; — ratifying all previous gifts, and erecting the Lordship of Fyvie into " ane free Burgh of Barony," to be called the " Burgh of Barony of Fyvie," and granting power to the said Earl and his heirs, to nominate and choose bailies and magistrates for the government of the burgh ; — to possess and use "ane mercat cross;" and to admit masons, baxters, brewers, skinners, and all other craftsmen and artificers, to hold the above weekly market and three annual fairs ; and for punishing and imprisoning malefactors and transgressors of the laws ; to have and make a *' tolbuith" in the said town ; and to call, accuse, and execute jus- tice on all committers of murder, and theft, and other crimes, within the said burgh limits; and annexing the said burgh of barony of Fyvie to the lordship and barony of Fyvie in all time coming.* The weekly market and annual fair on St Magdalene's day have been long in desuetude, but the other two annual fairs are still re- gularly held and well frequented, as will be afterwards noticed. Ancient and Modern Mansion-Houses. — Gight Castle. — This ancient seat of the family of Gight is now a ruin, but, with its sur- rounding scenery, a very beautiful and picturesque one. It stands on the north bank of the Ythan, about four miles and a-half east of the parish church. The valley of the river on both sides is clothed with fine wood; on the north bank with natural wood of every variety of foliage ; while the associations connected with the spot, as having belonged to the family of one who, during his short career, shed around him such a bright display of genius and fancy, (for himself and for the sake of mankind, it is to be deplored, so unhappily directed,) give to it an additional interest. Fyvie Castle^ — This extensive and venerable pile stands on the north-east bank of the Ythan, within a fine park, with the sur- rounding eminences on every side covered with beautiful and thriv- ing wood. It has been built at different periods, but the original * Fyvie Chart. 4 FYVIE. 331 style is very happily preserved, and it combines now the imposing magnificence of a feudal age with the internal comfort and elegance of modern times. It consists of two sides of a square of turreted architecture. The south-east wing, still called the Preston Tower, must have been erected about 1400. The south wing has in front a tower called the Seton tower, with the arms of that family cut in freestone over the gate. The old iron door still remains, con- sisting of huge interlacing bars, fastened by immense iron bolts drawn out of the wall on either side ; and in the centre of the arch above the door-way, a large aperture called the " murder hole," speaks plainly of the warm reception which unbidden guests had in former times to expect. The south-west part of the castle is called the Meldrum Tower, in the bottom of which is an inaccessi- ble chamber, with neither door nor window ; its only known or supposed use being that assigned in an old plan, of a conceal- ment for arms. The west wing is terminated on the north by a tower, erected by the late Honourable General Gordon, on the site of the ancient chapel, which had become ruinous. The whole buildings are in good repair — the present proprietor has greatly improved both the castle and grounds. In every direction the views are very beautiful. There is an extensive lake within the park, well stocked with fish, and altogether this is one of the finest seats in this county. About three miles west of the parish church, stands the mansion- house of Rothie, the residence of George Leslie, Esq. It is a modern building, pleasantly situated on a rising ground overlook- ing a little valley. The view is not extensive, but varied and beau- tiful. The house was built by the former proprietor, and the pre- sent one has laid out plantations around it with much taste, and added many improvements. About one mile farther west is the House of Kinbroom, occu- pied by a member of the family of Rothie, a desirable residence, encompassed with thriving young wood, and commanding a fine view. There is no mansion-house on Monkshill, the estate of the other resident proprietor. Cairnchedly . — There is a cairn on the outskirts of the farm of St John's Well, known by the name of Cairnchedly. It is greatly reduced now from its former dimensions, in consequence of most of the cottages in the neighbourhood having been built out of it. In digging about it, small earthen urns are frequently found. They have been cast up in all directions for a considerable distance. 332 ABERDEENSHIRE. There is no appearance of lime or building of any kind about the cairn, nor does tradition, nor any record to which I have had ac- cess, tend to throw light upon what may have been the cause of its original formation. The common belief, in which I am disposed to acquiesce, is that some hostile encounter had taken place in the neighbourhood, at a period of remote antiquity. There would appear to have been a line of cairns in that part of the country. In the adjoining parishes of Tarves and Methlick, the names of many of the farms have either the prefix or affix of cairn. Within a distance of about ten miles there are several thus designated, as Cairnbrogie, Cairn-norrie, Conchercairn, &c. &c. III. — Population. I have not been able to ascertain much concerning the ancient population of the parish ; but within the last half century, it has greatly increased. By the Government census of 1831 it was 3252 ; (males, 1586 ; females, 1666 ;) and there is a farther increase since that period. It is pretty equally spread over the country, and not concentrated in any quarter in a town or village ; the chief cause of the increase is the reclaiming of waste land and the formation of new settlements. The yearly average of births for the last seven years is 93 ; of marriages, within the same period, 21.* There is no register of deaths kept, but for the last six years a register has been kept of burials within the parish churchyard, the yearly ave- rage of which during that period is 51. Several of these came from the neighbouring parishes ; but it is probable that about an equal number of persons who died in this parish were buried out of it, so that the above may be held as a fair average of deaths. The following table of the ages of the present population is drawn up from notes taken in course of a pastoral visitation in 1836. Under 15. Between 15 and 30. Between 30 and 50. Between 50 and 70. 1258. 758. 837. 303. Between 70 and 90. Between 90 and 100. Total 3305. 144. 5. The number of unmarried men, bachelors, and widowers, above 50 years of age, is about . . . 65 women upwards of 45 years of age, including widows, about . . 150 There is 1 insane person, 5 fatuous, 3 blind, 3 deaf and dumb; — three of those who are fatuous are also deaf and dumb. It often happens that only one of the parties proclaimed resides within the pa- rish. In the above estimate two such proclamations are accounted equivalent to one marriage. 3 FYVIE. 333 Of illegitimate births, including cases of antenuptial fornication, for the last three years, the average is 9. All the heritors are proprietors of land of the yearly value of L. 50 and upwards. As already noticed, three of them only are resident. Character of the People. — The people generally are hardy, fru- gal, and industrious. They do not use much flesh at ordinary meals, the common food of the whole labouring class consisting- of milk, meal, and a few varieties of vegetables. In consequence of the high duty on malt, and the excise restrictions of late years on private malting, many of them have been deprived of an indulgence which they formerly enjoyed of beer. IV. — Industry. Agriculture is that branch of industry in which the great body of the people of this parish are engaged. By the returns made to the Government census in 1831, it appeared that there were in the parish : Heritors, professional and other educated men, . . 12 Males engaged in agi-iciilture, including farmers, crofters, labourers, and farm- servants, ... ... 800 Males engaged in retail trade and handicraft, as masters, apprentices, &c.* 135 Labourers not agricultural, . ... 24 Number of male servants upwards of 20 years of age, . . 246 under 20 years, . . . 184 female servants of all classes, . . . 237 Total number of servants, . . 667 Rental. — The present real rent of the parish, according to returns kindly furnished to me for the purposes of this account, by the se- veral proprietors or their factors or other agents, may be stated at L. 10,000 per annum. The following statement, made up from the same sources of information^ referred to above, shews the pre- sent scale of farm holdings : Number of crofts at and under L. 5 Sterling yearly rent, 130; between L. 5 and L. 10, 107; L. 10 and L. 20, 76. Number of farms between L.20 and L.50, 57 ; L.50 and L. 100, 41 ; L. 100 and L. 150, 13; L. 150 and L. 200, 4; at L. 200 and upwards, 4 ; total 432. To this statement I desire to append the remark, that I con- sider the variety which it exhibits in the scale of possessions as fa- vourable both to the temporal and moral interests of the commu- nity. The new improvements in agriculture, which are readily in- troduced by occupying proprietors or the higher class of farmers, * Most of those engaged in retail trade and handicraft also possess small holdings of land, and might thereby be properly added to the list of males engaged in agricul- ture. 334 ABERDEENSHIRE. soon find their way also among the more humble crofters, while the families of the latter, scattered pretty equally through the pa- rish as they are, furnish a supply of native and hardy servants, whose early associations attach them to the district, and who are lo- cated often, during the first part of their service, at no great distance from the parental roof. The system pursued in some parts of the country of throwing large tracts of land into the hands of a few in- dividuals, to the exclusion, in a great measure, of the smaller far- mers, is, I conceive, in every point of view, of very doubtful advan- tage, and in some respects a positive injury. From the same sources of information already referred to, together with the assist- ance of a few experienced farmers within the parish, the following table, shewing the present state as to cultivation, farm-stocking, &c. with the value of the gross annual produce, has been made up with much care. Extent of Aci-es and their present State, ivith their Produce. Arable. Pasture. Heath. Moss. Wood. 15923 2310 5582 1284 1735 Total 27034 imperial measure. Of which 6200 may be in grain crop (oats and bear or barley,) and produce 3| quar- ters per acre, at L. 1, Is. Turnip crop, 2300 acres, at L. 3, 5s. Potatoes, 200, at L. 6, Hay, 300 at L. 4, Pastured grass, 6523, at L. 1, Natural pasture, 2510, at 2s. . Yearly value of raw produce raised. To which may be added, estimated value of dairy produce sold an- nually, . . .... Pigs sent to the London market, L. 600, Annual sales of wood. Total yearly value of produce, . L. 43784 It is supposed that 3000 acres might be added to the present cul- tivated land. Of the principal species of stock there are : cattle, 4400 ; horses employed in farm-work, 500; carriage, saddle, and young horses, 100; sheep, 1600. There are 7 corn-mills and 80 thrashing-mills, of which forty- five are driven by water, and thirty-five by horses. Husbandry, — As appears from the preceding table, the crops usually cultivated are sown grasses, oats, bear and barley, turnips, po- tatoes, and to a small extent may be added tares, pease, and flax. The rotation most pre valen t is a seven course shift, of which three-sevenths are in first, second, and third grass, one-seventh in green crop, one- seventh in bear or oats, with grass seeds, and two-sevenths in oats after lea. A five-shift is also common, but chiefly on land of good L. 22785 8125 1200 2000 6523 251 L. 40884 ~0 2000 600 300 FYVIE. 335 quality, and under that rotation only one white crop is taken after lea, and the grass land is broken up at the end of the second year. Two consecutive white crops, as in the case of the seven-shift; — while it is a sys'tem but httle followed in the southern and more improved districts of Scotland, yet, where the soil is not deep, and adventitious manure cannot be procured, the opinion of many experienced far- mers is in favour of the system. They hold that the three years rest given to the land in the state of pasture, and the less frequent tillage of the ground, than under a quicker rotation, more than compensates for the apparent exhaustion by two succeeding crops of oats ; and, indeed, it is often the case that the second, or what is provincialiy termed the " yavel crop," is better than the first. Na- ture, however, would seem to tire of any uniform system when pur- sued for a great length of time ; and farmers occasionally allow part of their land to lie four in place of three years in grass, or take an intervening crop of pease or vetches, and plough them down, thus to some extent converting the seven into an eight course shift. Some farmers also take but one crop of corn after three years grass ; a system well calculated to ameliorate and reno- vate the soil. How far the valuable discovery of bone-dust as a manure may make such experiments unnecessary, it is needless to conjecture. Uquestionably the application of this new stimulant is operating powerfully in the amelioration of the soil ; already it may be said to have come into general use ; and it is a remarkable fact, and given upon good information, that the value of bone-dust con- sumed in this county during the present season has not been under L. 30,000. Animalized carbon, a recent Danish discovery, has also been tried, but it is believ.ed with indifferent success. Leases and Rent. — The ordinary endurance of leases in the pa- rish is nineteen years. A large portion of the land is held by the proprietors under strict entail, but the usual effect of that tenure is not perceptible, either in the conduct of the tenantry or the con- dition of the farm-steadings. The rent of land is extremely va- rious. Favoured spots bring as much as L. 2, 10s. to L. 3 the Scotch acre ; old infields are generally rated at about L. 2 ; but the average of the whole arable land is supposed to be from 12s. to 14s. Upon some of the estates a part of their rent is paid nomi- nally in meal at the fiars of the year, in the proportion of from one- fourth to one-third of the whole rent, but more generally wholly at a fixed money rent, and always so in the case of crofters and small tenants. Live-Stock. — The cattle are chiefly of the old Aberdeenshire 336 ABERDEENSHIRE. horned and dodded or hummel breed. Of late years the Teeswater has been introduced as a cross; and it is the opinion of some of the principal farmers, that the best stock are produced in this manner. Perhaps the advantages of the change have not yet been thorough- ly tested by experience. The chief superiority of the new breed con- sists in their coming sooner to maturity; but their introduction upon any farm must be regulated by the keep which it furnishes. Horses are reared chiefly for draught, and the breed of late years has been much improved. Eoads. — Like all other inland parishes, Fyvie has to contend with the disadvantage of long carriages of produce and manure. The nearest harbours are Macduff to the north, and Aberdeen and Newburgh to the south, the distance varying according to the lo- cality of the different parts of the parish, but on an average being about twenty miles. The roads, however, are good, and in addi- tion to the harbours already mentioned, Inverury, situated at the termination of the canal to Aberdeen, has lately started into im- portance as a mart for all farm produce, and for lime, bone-dust, coals, &c. The commutation road-rnoney of the parish, about L. 123, is expended at the sight of the heritors and their factors, under the direction of the district trustees, and the account of the outlay submitted to and sanctioned yearly by the general county trustees ; but, in addition to the assessment, the tenants very readily contribute the aid of their horses and carts in driving materials; and many useful roads have been made by the heritors for the general accommodation of the parish, without any assistance from the com- mutation funds. Labour. — The corn crop is almost universally cut by the scythe in place of the sickle, and the regularity and perfection of the work is the admiration of all who see it for the first time. The additional quantity of straw obtained by the scythe is of great im- portance, but perhaps the chief advantage, besides saving of ex- pense, is the economy of time in an uncertain climate, as it is now well established, that, " owing to its being less compressed in the sheaf," the crop is ready to be carried to the corn-yard in a much shorter period. The farm-servants are very rarely married men, the system of having hinds being scarcely known in Aberdeenshire; and their wages vary from L. 5 to L. 7 in the half-year, besides victuals. They are generally hard-working men, and quite as good ploughmen as are to be found in other parts of Scotland. The common wages of women servants are L. 3 in summer, and L. 2 in FYVIE, 337 winter. Men engaging only for the harvest obtain from L. 2 to L. 2, 10s. besides victuals; women engaging in the same manner, L. 1, 1 5s. A good deal of field-work is also performed by women in the hay and turnip seasons, for which they receive about 9d. per day, with victuals. The thirlage system in respect of the manufacture of grain is now done away, and while the expense of milling is still paid by a certain proportion of meal for every boll of grain manufactured, it may be thus stated in a money charge, for drying and grinding per boll, 6d. ; grinding alone per boll, 4d, The following are the prices of the ordinary implements of agriculture : A one-horse box cart and wheels, with iron axle, is bought for, from L. 7 to L. 10 ; a cart and plough harness per set, from L. 3 to L. 5 ; an iron plough, from L. 3 to L. 4, 4s.; a wood plough, from L.2, 15s. to L. 3, 15s.; harrows mounted per pair, about L.l, 1 5s. of best material and construction ; but the price of this last article varies much. V. — Parochial Economy. Market-Town^ ^c. — This parish is altogether rural. There is no village or market-town within it, nor manufacturing establish- ment of any kind. The nearest market-towns are Old Meldrum and Turriff, the former distant from the parish church seven and a-half miles, the latter nine miles. Means of Communication. — There is a post-office about a quar- ter of a mile from the church, and we have the advantage of a daily post. A stage-coach also runs daily between Aberdeen and Banff. The only turnpike road at present within the parish is that portion of the Aberdeen and Banff turnpike which intersects it. A new line, however, is in course of being formed, leading from the parish of Forgue to the burgh of Inverury, and which is to cut through the western district of this parish. Another new line is projected, to lead from Aberdeen to Banff by Methlich, the village of Cuminestown, &c. which will run along the north- east boundary of this parish for a short distance, and tend much to facilitate communication in that quarter. In the neighbourhood of the parish church the cottages are very neat; most of them have a small garden attached, and all the necessaries of moderate comfort ; and throughout the parish the buildings are equal to those of most rural districts of this county, and an improvement is going forward. Ecclesiastical State. — The great majority of the people of this ABERDEEN. Y 338 ABERDEENSHIRE. parish belong to the Established Church. There are four places of worship within it, two of them in connection with the Esta- blishment, and two with the communion of Scotch Episcopalians. The parish church was built in 1808. It is a large and commodious structure, well situated for the parish generally, and contains suf- ficient accommodation. The former unwieldy extent of this pa- rish is now greatly improved by the erection, in the year 1833, of a new church at Millbrex, in the north-east quarter of it, and the annexation of a considerable portion of territory to it ; Besides this there are two small annexations, quoad sacra, of portions of this parish to adjoining parishes, one on the south to the parish of Daviot, with a population of about 70, one on the west to the parish of Rayne, with a population of about 40. The gross po- pulation of the district that still remains under the charge of the parish minister is about 2500. The-people are regular in attend- ance upon public worship. The average number of the congrega- tion in the parish church may be stated at 1000. The manse was built in 1830, and offices in 1831. They are very complete and commodious, and bear evidence of a liberal spirit in the heritors, and a desire on their part that the clergy should partake of the higher measure of comfort that now obtains in society. The present stipend is 1 6^ chalders of victual, one- half in meal, the other in bear, converted at the fiars' prices, with L.8, 6s. 8d. for communion elements. The glebe is small but fertile. The church of Millbrex, built in 1833, enlarged in 1836, and containing about 500 sittings, is placed so as to accommodate the northern quarter of this parish, with a portion of the adjoining pa- rish of Montquhitter. There is a population annexed to it of nearly 1000 souls, viz. from Fyvie, 739 ; from Montquhitter, 250. The Earl of Aberdeen, the principal proprietor of the district where it is situated, gave the handsome donation of L. 100 towards its erection, together with a site for the building, an allocation of land as glebe for the minister, and a privilege of fuel ; and the people of the two parishes of Fyvie and Montquhitter contributed liberally. In the year 1835, a manse and office-houses were built at Millbrex, also by subscription, within the two parishes interested, with the assistance of the presbytery of Turriff. They are, particu- larly the former, substantial and commodious. The whole ex- pense of the buildings, &c. connected with this establishment may be stated at L. 600. It is entirely cleared, with the exception FYviE. 33;§' of a small sum now in course of liquidation. The Church Extension Committee of the General Assembly transmitted a grant of L. 70 towards this object. Millbrex is a mission sta- tion of the Committee for managing the Royal Bounty in Scot- land. The present emoluments of the minister consist of an allowance of L.20 per annum from that Committee, the seat rents of the church, amounting at an average to L. 40 per annum, with his manse and glebe. He is ordained, and performs the pastoral duties within the district assigned to him, and the establishment forms a valuable addition to the ecclesiastical provision for this parish. It is to be hoped that, through the favourable interfe- rence of Government in behalf of the new churches, the Presbytery of Turriff may soon be enabled to perfect the status of the mi- nister of Millbrex, by recognizing him in every way as a parish minister. Of the two Episcopalian chapels in this parish, one is situated at Woodhead, about one mile and a-half north-east of the parish church, the other at Meiklefolla, within a few yards of the southern boundary of the parish. The former has but a small congregation connected with it; the latter is one of the largest country congregations in connection with the Episcopal commu- nion in this county. It is supplied from the neighbouring parishes of the district of Garioch, together with the western division of this parish and the adjoining parish of Auchterless. From notes taken at the visitation already referred to in 1836, the respective numbers of the different religious denominations were found to be: Established Church, 2838; Episcopalians, 430; Associate Sy- nod, 34 ; Roman Catholics, 3. The number of male heads of families upon the communion, roll of the parish, as made up at the dispensation of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper in Au- gust last, was 276 ; this exclusive of the Millbrex portion of the parishioners. In noticing the state of religion in this quarter, while there are many grounds of discouragement, I am of opi- nion, on the whole, that the spiritual standard of the community is rising. There is an improved observance of the Sabbath; the prac- tice of family worship, once so pleasing a feature in the social con- dition of Scotland, is gradually being introduced again. May the Lord hasten the time when the incense of a pure offering shall ascend unto him, as of old, from the family altars, throughout the length and breadth of the land. Education. — The total number of schools in the parish is 8; one of them only is endowed, the parish school, situated a little 340 ABERDEENSHIRE. to the north of the church. It was improved and enlarged a few years ago, and, with the schoolmaster's accommodations, is now in good repair. The branches taught are, reading, writing, arithmetic, Latin, English grammar, geography, with the ele- ments of mathematics and Greek, and the principles of reli- gion. The schoolmaster's salary is the maximum. The school fees may amount to L.25 per annum. He is also session-clerk, and enjoys the benefit of the Dick Bequest. Four bursaries be- long to this school, bequeathed by the late Mr John Mather of Madras, by deed of testament, February 18th 1807. The va- lue of the bursaries is L. 6, 5s. per annum during attendance at College; and L. 2, 10s. per annum at school. The magistrates of Aberdeen are trustees of the fund, and the selection of the young men is committed to the ministers of the parish. Several individuals, now filling with credit respectable stations in society, have enjoyed the benefit of this fund, and when its resources are fully developed, which is dependent on the death of a certain party, it will prove a valuable boon to this parish, and should tend not a little to give the school a footing as a classical seminary, and to promote its. efficiency in other branches of parochial educa- tion. The unendowed schools are generally taught by individuals, in humble circumstances, but assiduous and pains-taking. These schools labour under many disadvantages ; but of late years, there has been an improvement in the manner in which they are conducted. In a large parish like this, they are absolutely necessary, and a great advantage to the community. The branches usually taught in them are, reading, writing, arithmetic, mensura- tion, and the catechisms of the Church. One of them is a girl's school, where, along with the other elementary branches, needle-work also is taught. A small endowment is very much wanted for these schools, so as to give the teachers some measure of that com- fort to which the important duties which they fulfil to society en- title them. The subjoined table shows the number of children who were receiving education at the diff'erent schools in the month of March of the respective years to which it refers, with the principal branches they were acquiring: Total. Reading. Writing. Arithmetic. Lati ]836, 393 393 225 125 8 1837, 321 321 176 95 5 1838, 315 315 180 100 3 1839, 312 312 169 97 4 All the youth of this parish between the age of five and fifteen are FYVIE. 341 able to read more or less perfectly, and almost all boys, and the greater number of girls between the same age, have been taught^ or are now learning to write. The fees at the parish school are per quarter, — reading, 2s ; reading and writing, 2s. 6d. ; elemen- tary arithmetic, 3s. ; higher branches of arithmetic, 5s. ; Latin, 5s. ; course of kook-keeping, 10s. 6d. In the unendowed schools they are much about the same rates. There are five Sabbath schools, attended at present by about 250 children. One of these, the most numerous, meets in the parish church immediately after public worship ; another in the church of Millbrex in the same manner; the rest are spread over different districts of the parish, and generally under the superin- tendence of the elder of the district where they are situated. As a stimulus to home instruction, and as initiating children in early life to a careful perusal of the word of God, and reflection upon its truths, and as leading them also to a more regular and atten- tive waiting upon the public services of the sanctuary, I have seen benefit from these schools. They are farther important in bring- ing the youth for a considerable period more directly under the eye of the Church, and thereby forming a bond of mutual interest between them and the pastor, which, in the intercourse of the latter with them, when they have attained to a more full status in society, will, I conceive, through the blessing of God, tend not a httle to render his labours effectual. Measures are proposed to be taken as soon as possible to get a school on the parochial foot- ing in connection with the church of Millbrex. Charitable and other Institutions. — A Savings Bank has lately been established with every prospect of success. It is upon the old principle of these banks, and under the patronage of the heri- tors. The Aberdeen Town and County Bank have also lately opened an agency here, which will prove a great accommodation to the parish and surrounding district. Poor and Parochial Funds, — There is a heavy poor's roll in this parish, — the average number receiving supply being from 60 to 65. More than three-fourths of these are females, most of them aged or infirm, and a few widows of farm-servants, whose husbands died young, leaving them with families wholly unprovided for. These last receive a supply according to their necessities, till the young- est of their children has attained the age of twelve years. Few occasional supplies are given from the poor's funds; nor are they applied for except in peculiar cases of family distress, arising ge- 342 ABERDEENSHIRE. nerally from long-continued sickness. When this or other domes- tic calamity occurs to a poor family, it is due to state the kindly spirit in which it is uniformly met in the neighbourhood. A lo- cal subscription is set on foot. In aid of this a small sum is ge- nerally given by the kirk-session, and the individual members of it. I have known three or four such subscriptions in course of a season, and sums realized at each of them of from L. 6 to L. 11. It is thought no degradation to receive aid in this way. Several have done so, who on no account would accept the regular bounty of the parish. There is still a good deal of the true feeling of in- dependence here in regard to coming upon the poor's funds ; but I have observed that the desire of parties once admitted is to get all they can.* The annual amount of disbursement to the poor for the last five years has been about L,120. Except in two cases where there is mental incapacity, and one in which there is another peculiarity, the highest allowance to any upon the roll, and this only to such as are bed-ridden, is L. 2, 16s. per annum. The greater proportion of those upon it is at the rate of from L.l to L.l, 10s. per annum, and some are under L.l. Collections, §-c. — The subjoined table shews the annual amount of the ordinary collections made in the parish church for the sup- port of the poor during the several years to which it refers. It is drawn up at intervals of twenty and ten years for the last half century : 1783. 1803. 1823. 1833. L.16 11 ^ L.37 12 4 L.63 3 5 L.74 18 9^ And within the last two years the annual amount of the ordinary collections has been upwards of L.80 Sterling. In aid of the fund thus raised, there are mortified monies to the amount of L. 400 Sterling, left by benevolent individuals connected with the parish, under the management of the kirk-session, the interest of which only they may apply, and L.l 00 more at their full disposal. Oc- casionally a legacy of a few pounds is left. Mortcloth dues, &c. go into the same fund, and a small annual donation has of late years been given by the three principal heritors. The collections at the church of Millbrex are also liberal, averaging L. 25 per annum. * Upon first visiting the parish after my induction about nine years ago, and be- fore I was acquainted with the local habitation of the parties composing the formi- dable poor's roll, I remember entering a cottage, where, from the appearance of po- verty and general want of comfort that presented itself, I asked the old woman who inhabited it, whether she received aid from the poor's funds ? " Na, Sir, Guid be thankit I was never burden to Kirk nor King," was the characteristic repiy. I have since known many honourable examples of humble but independent poverty. FYVIE. 343 The whole of this may be considered reclaimed funds, since the collections at the parish church stand as high as when the parish was entire. In consequence, the kirk-session, in the meantime, allow the whole sum (with the exception of an annual collection for the poor) to go to the benefit of the new church. After pay- ment of a few necessary expenses connected with it, the rest is ap- plied to the liquidation of the debt. An annual collection is made in the parish church for the benefit of the Aberdeen Infirmary, so as to give the parish a title to send patients to it. A few are generally sent every year. The chief cause of pauperism is the greatly redu- ced rate of female domestic labour. The occupation in which the class of females on the poor roll are principally engaged, and the only one almost of which they are capable, is knitting. I am in- formed that, by their utmost exertions in this branch of employ- ment, they would only be able to earn about 9d. per week; while it is in the recollection of many persons that the same class would formerly have had no difficulty in realizing at the same occupa- tion the sum of 3s. 6d. per week. Under these circumstances, unless some more profitable channel is provided for the labour of the above class, I apprehend that we have no reason to look for- ward to a diminution of the burdens of pauper support. Fairs. — Two fairs are annually held within the parish, both on the estate of Fyvie, by right of ancient charters. The proprie- tor within the last few years has greatly improved the stances where they are kept, and gives the farther indulgence of levying noncustom. One of these fairs is held at Fastern's E'en, and is principally for the sale of horses. It has long been much fre- quented for this object. Fat cattle and cows also are now brought to it, and it is increasing. The other is held in the month of July, and is chiefly for the sale of small stock, such as calves, sheep, and young cattle, and for engaging servants for harvest work. Most of the farmers in this neighbourhood depend on en- gaging some extra hands for the harvest at this fair.* * From inquiries which I have made, I find that there are no fewer than forty fairs held annually within ten miles of the parish church, for the sale of farm stock and produce, or engaging servants ; and by extending the radius a little, say to twelve or thirteen miles, a distance often travelled to a fair, there are upwards of 60. It is extremely questionable how far this great multiplicity of fairs is of advaiatage even to the temporal interests of the community ; and as to their higher interests there can be no doubt that the effect is injurious. I have heard with much pleasure that there is some intention on the part of those who have influence in these matters, to bring about a new arrangement of the whole market system of the country. It would be worthy the serious attention of such parties whether the number of fairs might not be advantageously reduced. 344 ABERDEENSHIUE. Inns, Alehouses, Sfc. — A small inn has long been kept at Lewes of Fyvie in this neighbourhood. Nine persons hold licenses for the sale of spirits within the parish. These do not all keep ale- houses, some of them only retailing spirits along with other ar- ticles of merchandise ; but their number might be reduced with advantage to the community. Fuel. — The ordinary description of fuel used here is peat, the principal supply of which is obtained from the mosses in the north quarter of the parish. In consequence of our distance from the coast, coal is very expensive, the price of carriage being nearly equal to the original cost. Drawn up October 1838 — Revised February 1840. PARISH OF PETERHEAD. PRESBYTERY OF DEER, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. WILLIAM DONALD, MINISTER.* I. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — The ancient name of the parish was Peterugie, aris- ing, perhaps, from the rocky headland or promontory near the mouth of the Ugie. A small island between the town and sea is called Keith Inch; the town in the charter of erection, in 1593, by George Earl Marischall is named Keith Inch, alias Peterhead ; and since that time the name of the whole parish and town has been Peterhead. In old charters, the name is Petri promontorium and Petri polis ; for other etymologies the reader is referred to the former account of the parish. Extent, ^c. — This parish extends along the coast in a straight line about four miles, bending along the sea shore about five miles, and from east to west it extends from three to four miles. It is bounded on the south, by the parish of Cruden ; on the west, by Longside ; on the north, by Saint Fergus ; and on the east, by the German Ocean. The area of the parish is about 9085 imperial acres, or nearly * Drawn up by Roderick Gray, Esq. Peterhead. PETERHEAD. , 345 15 square miles. The bounding line on the south, and partly on the west, is elevated, and is denominated the Stirlinghill, the hill of Invernettie, Blackhill of Peterhead, and hill of Cowsrieve. J'opographical Appearances. — The Stirlinghill rises 282 feet above the level of the sea ; the highest part of the Blackhill is .about the same elevation ; the other parts of the range are some- what lower. The Meethill, (on the estate of Invernettie,) which is of a conical shape, and rises from 150 to 200 feet above the level of the sea, is a deep mass of clay resting upon granite, and is not connected with the above-mentioned range. The other parts of the parish are not much elevated above the level of the sea ; the surface, however, is diversified by eminences alternately with hol- lows, and exhibits a connected state of regularly cultivated fields. The Stirlinghill, which terminates at the village of Boddam, forms the well known promontory of Buchanness. Between the parish of Cruden and the fishing village of Boddam, in this parish, the sea is bounded by high cliffs of granite and other primitive rock, forming mural precipices ; and this part of the coast is indented with many chasms, fissures and caves, and these in some cases di- vide the granite from the trap rock. Opposite to Stirlinghill is the small green island of Dundony, where, in former times, it is said, there was a salt pan. Opposite to the village of Boddam is another small island, upon which the Buchanness Light-house is erected. From Boddam to the Bay of Sandford, the coast is low and rocky. The Bay of Sandford, extending some distance inland, is bounded by a flat sandy shore, intermixed with pebbles. The point of Salthouse-head bounds the bay of Sandford on the north, and the bay of Peterhead on the south. The bay of Peterhead extends nearly a mile inland, from the outer point of Keith Inch, by which, and the town of Peterhead, it is bounded on the north. The shores of this well known bay are flat and rocky, terminating in sand and pebbles towards the west. The town of Peterhead is built on a peninsula or flat rocky headland, the coast on the north side receding inland until it reaches the mouth of the Ugie, a small river which forms the boundary between the parishes of Peterhead and St Fergus. The sources of the Ugie are in the upper part of the district, where it has two branches, the North and South Ugie, which unite in the parish of Longside. Meteorology. — The following table exhibits the average tempe- rature and weight of the atmosphere for every month, and also the quantity of rain which has fallen for the three years, 1835-36-37, 346 ABERDEENSHIRE. as shown by instruments kept at the Buchanness Light-house, at the distance of three miles from the town of Peterhead. Jan. Feb. Mar. April. May, June, July, Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. 1834. 18 35. Thermo- Barometer. Rain Thermo. Barometer. Rain meter. guage. meter. guage. 9 A.M. 9 P.M. 9 A.M 9 P.M. Gauge. 9 a.m. 9 P.M. 9 A.M. 9 P.M. Gauge 41.54 42.58 29.36 29.45 4.43 39.35 41.64 29.80 29.80 1.93 40.78 42.53 29.79 29.76 .57 40.10 40.78 29.40 29.35 1.67 42.41 43 32 29.88 29.92 .52 41.48 41.35 29.71 29.73 1..52 44.13 44.36 30.16 30.15 .76 44.30 43.60 29.97 29.98 2.14 49.58 48.54 29.91 28.27 1.93 47.32 46.32 29.70 30.22 1.60 54-63 52.33 29.80 29 79 2.80 53.03 50.53 * 1.42 57.77 56.25 29.97 29.96 .53 55.87 53.83 1.97 57.12 56.80 29.77 2977 1.65 56.32 55.45 1.21 56.80 54.90 29.95 29.95 1.77 54.43 54.43 29.39 29.42 3.19 49.35 49.29 29.77 29.99 3.76 47.51 47.83 29.54 29.59 4.55 45.14 47.26 29.79 29.78 ] .63 44.60 46.50 29.75 29.74 2.44 44.19 45 90 30.05 30,07 1.43 40.45 21.78 in. 41.77 29.94 29.97 In. 1.47 25,11 1836. Thermometer. Barometer. Rain Gauge. 9 A. M. 9. p. M 9. A. M. 9. p. M. Gauge. January, 38.67 39.93 29.49 29.49 1.93 February, 37.31 39.72 29.57 29.59 2.76 March, 40.91 41.16 29.24 29-15 2.94 April, . 43.73 41.30 29.64 29.63 1.96 May, . 49.90 48.90 30.18 30.21 .54 June, _ 53.10 51.06 29.63 29.63 1.66 July, _ 54.96 53.54 29.67 29.71 3.97 August, - 54.87 52.25 29.82 29.86 1.28 September, 50.93 51.03 29.70 29.71 3.96 October, - 47.64 48.19 29.55 29.57 4.43 November, 41.66 43.23 29.31 29.34 4.47 December, 39.77 40.32 29.52 29.54 3.95 In. 33.85 - The dimate is variable, but has been much improved in conse- quence of extensive drainage. Within the last thirty years, the crops, partly from the improved state of the land, and partly from earlier sorts of grain being sown, come to maturity from ten days to two weeks earlier than formerly. Hydrography. — Peterhead was much resorted to as a watering- place for a period of two centuries. The principal mineral well is a chalybeate, situate in the town, near the sea ; there are, how- ever, other wells near the town, especially one a little to the north of it, which is much resorted to in summer ; these are also strong chalybeates. Dr Laing found upon analysis that the mineral waters of Peterhead held in solution aerated and muriated iron, • In reference to the want of any observations of the atmospherical pressure in the months of June, July, and August 1835, it may be mentioned that the barometer kept at the Ligiat-housc was then broken, and was not replaced by another during that time. PETERHEAD. 347 muriate of lime, Glauber salt, common salt, and were impregnated with fixed air. Under proper regimen the mineral waters of Peter- head were found by Dr Moir to be deservedly in repute for gene- ral debility, disorders of the stomach and bowels, flatulencies and indigestion, nervous complaints, &c. In almost every part of the parish, but especially in Stirlinghill and Blackhill, there are qopious springs, strongly impregnated with iron, which are found to possess the same medicinal qualities as those in Peterhead and its vicinity. The cool and salubrious air on the sea coast, the excellent accom- modation for sea-bathing, and the variety of mineral springs, ren- dered Peterhead, in former times, the resort of invalids during the summer months. Until lately the town of Peterhead was not supplied with good spring water ; but the country part of the parish has always been well supplied with spring water of excellent qua- lity. The Ugie is the only river in the parish. There is an excel- lent stone bridge of two arches over the Ugie, at the distance of two miles from the town of Peterhead. This bridge was built in 1686, by virtue of an Act of Parliament, at the joint expense of the shires of Aberdeen and Banff, and is still in good repair. The tide off Peterhead flows from Rattrayhoad, in the parish of Crimond, south and south-east, and ebbs north and north-west. During spring-tides it runs three and a-half miles an hour. There are, however, considerable variations, in consequence, it is sup- posed, of the adjoining headlands. The sea at Peterhead is very salt, and the temperature is never so low as in friths, or in the vicinity of large rivers. Geology and Mineralogy. — The whole of the parish of Peter- head is upon primitive rock. In the Stirlinghill, Blackhill, and Hill of Cowsrieve, the granite or syenite rises to the surface. Along the coast, and in other parts of the parish, it is covered with clay, supposed to be diluvial, and other matters to a greater or less depth. Upon the Stirlinghill, the granite rises to the sur- face, or nearly so, over an extent of from 100 to 150 acres. In every place where the syenite or granite is laid bare, imbedded masses, veins or dikes of primitive trap, gneiss, quartz, and com- pact felspar are alternate with, and run through it. In some cases one-half of a block is granite and the other primitive trap in com- plete cohesion, and often passing into each other. At the old Castle of Boddam, the rock is separated by a fissure or chasm, one side of which is granite and the other primitive trap. This chasm runs east and west, the granite being on the south and the 348 ABERDEENSHIRE. trap on the north, with a considerable angle to the horizon. Near the Buchanness Lighthouse, there is a pretty extensive bed of hornstone-porphyry, also a rock resembling clinkstone-porphyry. The rock along the coast, from Buchanness to the mouth of the Ugie, may be seen at low-water mark, and consists of granite, primitive trap, syenite, gneiss, compact felspar, felspar-porphyry, and quartz, variously associated with each other. The bed or cleavage of these rocks, as they lie in the quarry, is generally from east to west ; and in granite, the laminae of which it is com- posed, (and it appears generally to be so composed,) are to be seen in the same direction.* The beds of pebbles along the shore, and the boulders are very extensive, and embrace fragments of rocks and minerals which are seldom to be found upon the land in the neighbourhood. Agates and jasper are to be found ; flints are also abundant, and are not unfrequently found, on being broken, to contain impressions of sea-plants, shells, &c. The Meethill is covered with a deep mass of diluvial clay ; at the brickwork, which is about fifty yards from the beach, and where the clay has been cut to the depth of from thirty to forty feet, it exhibits various strata, which appear to have been deposited at different times, from their differences in quality and colour; some of the deposits are not above an inch in depth, while others are several feet. The skeleton of a bird was lately dug out of the clay here, at the depth of 25 feet from the surface, and about 15 or 20 feet above the level of the sea. From the Meethill, embracing the lands of Clerkhill, Grange, Windmill of Peterhead, Blackhouse, Balmoor, Mountpleasant, and Alehousehill, to Downiehills, the surface is covered to a considerable depth with clay, mixed in some parts with rounded pebbles. The links of Peterhead, part of the braes between the links and brickwork, and some fields near the Kirk- town, form an exception, being covered with sea-sand to a con- siderable depth. Below the sand there is generally clay, but in some instances moss and vegetable remains. The Stirlinghill is separated from the hill of Invernettie by a deep morass. There are very few flints on Stirlinghill ; but on the hill of Invernettie and the Blackhill, the surface is almost covered with rounded flints, many of which, on being broken, are found to contain animal and vegetable remains, chiefly the impressions of sea-shells. These shells embrace considerable variety of the Echini family, occasion- * Professor Jameson, who, we are infonned, examined this parish some years ago, met with molybdana in the gianitic rocks of Peterhead. 3 PETERHEAD. 349 ally entire, but more frequently only small portions of the impres- sions of these shells are found. Single spines frequently occur, and are distinctly marked. The Tnoceramus, Pectens, and Tere- bratulse are very abundant. In the parish of St Fergus, near the mouth of the Ugie, in the limestone, the Cornua ammonis and mussels of a distinct variety from those now existing are found. The same range of high ground, which commences at Stirlinghill, passes into the parishes of Cruden, Longside, and Old Deer, and along the whole range, which rests upon granite, or other primitive rock, the same kinds of flint have been found containing remains, chiefly of shells. The locality of these flints has attracted the attention of geologists. In the granite quarries there is, in the fis- sures of the rock, gravel mixed with oxide of iron ; and in situations where the soil is gravel, or clay mixed with gravel, there is an incrustation of iron between the soil and subsoil, — the latter is in consequence rendered impervious to water until the incrustation be destroyed. Extensive fields of granite are found in a state of decomposition. When these fields are laid open as gravel pits, the vertical section has much the appearance of sound granite in the quarry, exhibit- ing the outlines of blocks of various sizes, divided from each other by fissures filled with clay and other matters, coloured by oxide of iron. Upon examining some of these apparent blocks, parts of them are found to be in an undecomposed state, while the other parts are found from one gradation of decomposition to another, until the decomposition is so complete as to form a mass of clay and gravel, fit for forming a soil capable of cultivation. In some cases the decomposed granite is almost white, while in others it is of a darkish red. A considerable part of the parish of Peter- head had been covered with peat moss, consisting chiefly of the roots and branches of trees, which compose the first stratum ; the second stratum is not unfrequently composed of the coarser grasses ; the third of heath, and the upper oifog. The remains, of wood found in the mosses are, oak, alder, birch, &c. ; and there, are also masses of bog-iron ore. At no very remote period, the low grounds, commencing at the sea near Buchanhaven, had been covered with moss. This moss had nearly joined the one called Megg's Moss, which again passed through the lands of Auchty-. gall and Collielaw, and joined the moss of Faichfield in the parish of Longside. Excepting in those places already mentioned which are covered with diluvial or alluvial clay, the other parts of the parish 350 ABEKDIiENSHIRE, had been covered with heath or moss, and the subsoil had been separated from the soil bv the iron incrustation already described. In these situations the soil is various, being in most cases clay and gravel, sometimes the one and sometimes the other predominating, arising chiefly from the decomposition of granite and flint inter- mixed with remains of moss. The deposits of gravel, flint, and clay, mixed with rounded stones or pebbles on the hills, have evi- dently resulted from the action of water, as they exhibit all the appearances of similar deposits on the shores ; and these deposits are separated from one another by incrustations of iron, lying at various angles, and not unfrequently inclosing the deposits of gra- vel, &c. by curved lines. The matters of the separated strata are often very diiferent, as clay, gravel, flint, &c. The plants which had grown on the mosses and moors were chiefly heath, bent, and the coarser grasses. Upon penetrating, however, into the subsoil, and mixing it with the top soil, after complete drain- age, clover and some of the better sorts of grass make their ap- pearance. Zoology. — Notwithstanding the very little shelter from wood, there is considerable variety of wild animals found in this parish. The domesticated animals are not difl"erent from those found in other parts of the country. Among the feathered tribe, the com- mon hen, duck, goose, turkey, peacock, and pigeon, are reared in abundance. Among quadrupeds there are swine, sheep of the Cheviot and Highland breeds, and occasionally goats, as well as many varieties of the dog and cat. Of the larger animals there are horses, and black-cattle of the Aberdeenshire breed. These last are well known as the cattle of the district, and have been long esteemed for various good qualities as the polled Buchan breed. The Teeswater or short-horned breed has lately been in- troduced. The long-horned are occasionally to be seen, and many Orkney and Shetland ponies and black-cattle are imported. The latter are generally fed, and the beef is superior to that of the na- tive breeds. Asses are occasionally employed for the carriage of milk and other purposes. Of game, the hare, rabbit, moorfowl, partridge, and snipe are the most common. The following list of birds, killed within fifteen miles of Peter- head, and other animals found in its vicinity during the last ten years, has been kindly furnished by Adam Arbuthnot, Esq. Prepar- ed specimens of most of these have been preserved in Mr Arbuth- not's museum, — a large collection of natural curiosities and speci- 4 PETEUHEAD. 351 mens in Natural History and mineralogy, which is obligingly shown to visitors and strangers by the proprietor. Quadrupeds found in the parish and neighbourhood. Cervus capreolus Ursus meles Canis vulpes Lutra vulgaris Mustela putorius erminea vulgaris Fdlco haliaetus palumbarius buteo tinnunculus cyanea Strix bubo otus flammea brachyotos Laiiius excubitor collurio Corvus corax frugilegus cornix monedula pica Scolopax gallinago arcuata limosa rusticola gallinula Fulica atra chloropus Ardea major Anas cygnus boschas crecca tadorna ferina penelope claiigula acuta marila moUissima Procellaria pelagica Pelecanus carbo Mustela martes. Lepus timidus cuniculus Talpa Europea* Mus rattus decumauus Land Birds. Ardea stellaris Cinclus aquaticus Rallus aquaticus Tringa morinella vanellus cinerea Charadrius hiaticula Tetrao Scoticus perdix Hirundo apus rustica urbica riparia Turdus musicus merula pilaris Upupa Epops Loxia curvirostra cbloris Certhia familiaris Rallus crex . Musieapa atricapilla Parus ceeruleus Water Birds. Pelecanus graculus bassanus Colymbus nigricans minutus ~ glacialis septentrionalis ringuia grylte Troile marmoratus-|- Alca pica torda Vespertilio murinus Felis-catus ferus AMPHIBIOUS. Rana bufo temporaria. Sturnus vulgaris Cuculus canorus Pjcus major Columba ^Enas Phasianus Colchicus Caprimulgus Europseus Motacilla rubetra rubicola troglodytes regulus trochilus alba flava boarula rubicola Alauda arvensis pratensis Fringilla Ccelebs Emberiza miliaris nivalis citrinella Charadrius morinellus pluvialis Alca arctica Alle Hffimatopus ostralegus Mergus merganser serrator Larus rissa ridibimdus crepidatus canus Sterna hirundo minuta Fishes. — The east coast of Scotland abounds with great variety of fish ; and, as Peterhead has been long known as an excellent fish- ing station, the following attempt has been made to classify those fishes which have been found off the coast of Peterhead, according to the arrano^ement of Cuvier. * An Albino specimen was lately found in this neighbourhood. -f- Two varieties of spotted Northern diver family, Colymbus. 352 ABERDEENSHIRE.' ACANTHOPTERYGII. Family 1. Percid.'e. Mullus surinuletus. Fam. 2. Buco^ Loricate, Cottus scorpius Trigla lyra. Family 7. ScoMBERiniE. Scomber scombrus Xiphias gladius. Family 12. Goeioid^. Anarchichas lupus Blennius gunnellus Zoarces viviparus Callionymus lyra. Family 13. Pectorales Pe- DICULATI. Lophius piseatorius. Family 14. LABRiDiE. Crenilabrus tinea. Order II. MALACOP- TERYGII ABDOMI. NALES. Family 2. Esocin^. Esox belone lucius. Family 4. SALMONiniE, Salmo salar Salmo trutta fario. Family 5. Clutead^. Clupea harengus pilchardus. Order III. MALACOP- TERYGII SUB-BRA. CHIATI. Family I. GADiDiE. Morrhua vulgaris ffiglefinus Merlangus carbonarius vulgaris poUachius Motella mustela tricirrhatus Brosmus vulgaris Lota molva Gadus barbatus. Fam. 2. PleuroSfctid^. Platessa valgaris limanda Hippoglossus vulgaris Rhombus maximus Solea vulgaris Margaretta variegatus Crustacea. Solea flesus tuberculatus. Family 3. Discoboli. CyClopterus lumpus. Order IV. MALACOP- TERYGII APODES. Anguilliformes. Anguilla vulgaris conger Ammodytes tobianus. Order V. LOPHO- BRANCHII. Hippocampus. Second Series. Order II. CHONDROP- TKRYGII with fixed Branchise. Family 1. Selachii or Plagiostomi. Raia clavaia liatis Squakis acanthius Cornubicus glaucus. Crangon vulgaris (Linn.) Family Pagurii. Pagurus Bernhardus Family Oxtrhynchi. Lithodes maia Maia sp. 4. Cancer araneus Order II. MALACOSTRACA. Family Cancerides. Cancer pagurus moenas Family Astacini. Astacus raarinus fluviatilis Botany. — The }olants to be found in this parish are not of very rare kinds ; there is, however, considerable variety. * Conchology. — The following is a list of shells found on the shores of Peterhead and the neighbouring shores of St Fergus, which were submitted to Dr Fleming. of King's College, Aber- deen, and named by him, as stated in the Statistical Account of St Fergus. Fusus corneus Rostellaria pes-pelecani Patella vulgata laevis Helix arbustorum Turbo littoreus Nerita littoralis Natica nitida Trochus umbilicatus — ziziphinus ■ •- striatus Cyprffia Europea Nassa incrassata Purpura lapillus Buccinum undatum Fusus antiquus Pecten varius sinuosus Anemia ei)hippiura Myltius edulis, var. iii- cra.ssatus Modiolus vulgaris Anodon Anatinus Alasmadon margaritiferum Cardium edule Mactra solida Donax trunculus Amphidesma prismatica Cyprina Islandica Venus gallina Venerupis pullastra Virginea Balanus comiuunis Vermilia vermicularis Heterodisca reversa Chiton marginatus The shores of the parish being rocky, are covered with weed or ware to the low water-mark ; and beyond it, as far as the bottom of the sea can be seen through the water, there are forests, if they * Vide List hi reientis. PETERHEAD. 353 may be so designated, of submerged algse. Tbese are so different in tbeir external characters, and of such variety, that a wide field is presented for investigation and classification. A few of those best known and most abundant may be named, viz. Fucus vesiculosus Fucus digitatus Fucus pinnatifidus - nodosus saccharinus Ulva plana serratus esculentus bulbosus palmatus Fungi. — Of these there are many species growing on the links and by the sides of dikes. The Agaricus campestris, or common mushroom, is very abundant, and is gathered for catsup sauce. Lichens and musci are also to be found in great variety upon the rocks and shrubs, and in the mosses ; and afford an ample field for investigation to those already acquainted in some degree, or desirous of becoming acquainted, with this branch of natural history. II. — Civil History. Peterhead is mentioned in various acts of the Scottish Parlia- ment. The original charter of erection has been published. It is a very distinct deed, and shows the commencement of the burgh of barony, and the vocations of the original inhabitants. Account of the Parish. — The late Dr William Laing, of the Episcopal chapel of Peterhead, published, in 1793, " An Ac- countof Peterhead, its mineral wells, air, and neighbourhood." The Statistical Account of Dr Moir was published in 1795. In 1815, the late James Arbuthnot, Junior, Esq. published " An Historical Account of Peterhead, from the earliest pe- riod to the present time, comprehending an account of its trade, shipping, commerce, and manufactures; mineral wells, baths, &c. with an Appendix containing a copy of the 'charter of erection," &c. In 1819, Mr Peter Buchan published " Annals of Peter- head," containing the same information as Mr Arbuthnot's account, with such additional matter as he had been able to collect. Historical Notices. — The Earls Marischall had their chief resi- dence at Inverugie Castle, on the opposite side of the Ugie, in the parish of St Fergus; but a large portion of the parish of Pe- terhead was embraced in their estates. It would be out of place here to enter into a historical account of that ancient family, which will be found in the general history of Scotland. The founder of Peterhead was also the founder of Marischall College, Aberdeen. The last Earl forfeited his estates in 1715, in consequence of his adherence to the family of Stuart. The Pretender landed at Pe- terhead in December 1715. The inhabitants were attached to ABERDEEN. Z 354 ABERDEENSHIRE. the Marischall family, and in general embraced their views ; and, in consequence, they on that occasion espoused the claims of the house of Stuart. There have been six Presbyterian ministers since the Revolu- tion, viz. Mr Guthrie, Mr Brown, Mr Farqubar, Mr Walker, Dr George Moir, and the present incumbent, Mr Donald. Two of them, Mr Brown and Mr Farquhar, left Peterhead, and were set- tled, the former at Belhelvie, and the other at Chapel of Garioch. Land-otvners. — The present heritors of the parish are, the Go- vernors of the Merchant Maiden Hospital of Edinburgh ; Mrs Gordon of Boddam and Sandford ; George Skelton of Invernet- tie Lodge ; George Arbuthnot of Invernettie ; WiUiam Arbuth- not of Dens and Downie-hills ; Dr Cruickshank of Little Cock- law ; George Mudie of Meethill ; Thomas Arbuthnot of part of Meethill ; James Sangster, part of Invernettie ; Kenneth M'ln- tosh, part of Invernettie ; Charles Brand, part of Invernettie ; WiUiam Donaldson of Cowhills ; William Gamack, part of Inver- nettie ; Robert Arbuthnot of Mount Pleasant and Blackhouse ; George Walker of Balmoor ; Mrs Walker's Trustees, part of Bal- moor ; Robert Walker, Senior, Grange; Robert Walker, Junior, Richmond ; Alexander Stuart, Coplandshill ; the Heirs of James Hutchison of Richmond ; the Trust-Disponees of Mrs Hay Mu- die of Meikle Cocklaw ; the Trustees of the late Peter Hay of Hayfield ; James Shirras of Berryhill ; Robert Mavor of Windy- hills ; the Heirs of James Reid of Ellishill ; and Roderick Gray, part of Blackhill. Antiquities.— "^Theve are two old castles in the parish. Ravens- crag and Boddam. Ravenscrag, in the barony of Torterston, is said to have belonged to the family of Keith, who afterwards acquired the lands of Inverugie by marriage. It is a fine ruin and specimen of an old baronial castle. The walls are in some places eleven feet thick. It is supposed to have been built in the eleventh or twelfth century. Boddam Castle was the residence of a branch of the Marischall family ; but it is not so ancient as Ra- venscrag. Within the last twenty years various antiquities have been discovered within the parish of Peterhead and its immediate neighbourhood. On the estate of Cairngall, in the adjoining pa- rish of Longside, two oak coffins or chests were discovered on re- moving a tumulus of moss. One of them was entire, the other was not. They had been hollowed out of solid trees, and measured each seven feet by two feet. The sides were parallel, and the PETERHEAD. 355 ends were rounded, and had two projecting knobs to facilitate their carriaffe. The bark of the trees of which thev had been formed remained on them, and was in the most perfect state of preserva- tion. No vestige of bones was found in either of them. They had been covered over with slabs of wood, and lay east and west, which indicated they had been used as coffins ; but the absence of bones or other human remains is difficult to be accounted for. In the parish of Cruden, in a little hill, about four feet below its apex, a stone crypt or sarcophagus was discovered, containing a consi- derable portion of two human skeletons ; the one that of an adult, the other of a young person, perhaps of twelve or thirteen years of age; and also part of the skeleton of a dog; two clay urns, (a larger and a lesser one,) rudely ornamented with bars or hoops scratched around the outside of them; seven flint arrow points; two flint knives, (one of them considerably worn) ; a polished stone about four and one-fourth inches in length, neatly drilled through its four corners, and slightly concave on the one side, and convex on the other. It is probable the polished stone had been applied to the centre of the bow, to secure a more accurate discharge of the arrow. A neck chain and battle-axe were dug out of a tumu- lus near to the place in the parish of Cruden, where it is supposed that Malcolin 11. and Canute fought a severe battle, and where many tumuli were formerly to be seen. The neck chain is form- ed of jet and amber. The jet beads retain their original polish. The lower bead measures about four inches, the others from two and a half inches to one inch. These beads were separated from one another by little formless masses of amber, covered with a brown crust; but otherwise the amber was unchanged, unless that it may have been more brittle. The battle-axe is formed of black flint. It is about seven inches, long, and is less heavy than those generally found ; most of which are formed of granulated stones, and are larger and weightier than the one above alluded to. The necklace had no doubt adorned the person of some Scan- dinavian chief. A pewter flagon, of no inelegant shape, and capable of holding nearly a Scotch pint, was discovered in cutting a deep water course through a peat bog. The metal was considerably oxidized. From the form of the flagon antiquaries suppose it to have been in use about the time of James IV. or V. of Scotland. A small shot of malleable iron was dug out near the base of Ravenscrag Castle. It is one inch and three-quarters in diameter, and is the second 356 ABERDEENSHIRE. one found near the same place. It is supposed that it had been discharged from a wall-piece, and that the wall-piece had been fired from the Castle of Inverugie, on the opposite side of the ri- ver. These antiquities are noticed here in consequence of hav- ing been investigated by Mr Arbuthnot, and a record of them preserved in his musuem. Upon the top of Meethill, about a mile and a quarter from Pe- terhead, there was a tumulus which had. been allowed to remain for ages untouched ; and tradition assigned to it the place where justice had been administered, and where the ashes of some chief reposed. The inhabitants of Peterhead received the promise of a perpe- tual right to this tumulus, and about a quarter of an acre of ground around it, in order to build a tower upon it, in honour of Earl Grey and his political principles. In digging for a foundation a stone crypt was found, containing an urn, or what had been used as such, very different in shape, however, from common urns, be- ing long and broad, and much in the shape of a bowl or dish. A-round the mouth, it was ornamented by a band of circular im- pressions, in depth nearly one-eighth of an inch, and in field ra- ther larger than a shilling. The human remains found were very few, being only a fragment or two of the leg or thigh bones, and part of the lower jaw, with the teeth still adhering. These re- mains were placed in a glass case, and exhibited to the public, at one shilling a head, and the proceeds applied towards the expense of the tower ; which, however, still remains in an unfinished state. On the north side of the Den of Boddam, in a deep morass, there are various pits, generally known by the name of the Picts Camps ; but they are with greater probability supposed to have been an encampment of the Danes, when they made landings on the east coast of Scotland. Public Buildings. — The Tovvn-PIouse, situated in Broad Street, was built in 1788. It consists of two floors and a ground area. The ground floor is used for shops, the first floor is occupied for school-rooms, and the second is used for public business. It is surmounted by a handsome spire of granite, 125 feet in height. The parish church is situated at the entrance of the town ; it was built in 1803, and is calculated to contain upwards of 1800 sitters. It also has a spire built of granite, 118 feet in height. The building of this church gave rise to an important question, PETERHEAD. 357 viz. whether the feuars in the town were obhg-ed to bear a share of the expense along with the landward heritors, which was liti- gated in the Court of Session and House of Peers. It was finally decided that the building of the church was a parochial burden, and that the heritors and feuars were liable in this burden accord- ing to their real rents. The church is in good repair, and has lately been lighted with gas. The Episcopal Chapel, in Merchant Street, is a very neat building, having a Gothic front of axe-dressed granite. It was built in 1814, and is calculated to contain 800 sitters. The present Cross was erected in 1832, partly by voluntary subscription, on the occasion of the inhabitants obtaining the pri- vilege of votino' for a Member of Parliament. It is a Tuscan pillar of granite, surmounted by the arms of Earl Marischall, the founder of the town. There are various public halls in the town for the accommoda- tion of those who require them : a reading-room, a billiard-room, and hot and cold baths. The houses, both in the town and parish, are in general built of granite, of excellent quality and colour, found in the neighbour- hood. Many of the fronts are ashlar, pick-dressed, while others are axe-dressed and closely jointed. Oihe)' Buildings. — There are two mills within the town, one im- pelled by wind and the other by steam, for sawing timber. There are also two mills in the parish for manufacturing grain, chiefly for the London market ; one at Ravenscrag, and the other at In- vernettie, both of which carry on a considerable trade. On the estate of Boddam there is a spinning and carding-mill, impelled partly by water and partly by steam. III. — Population. Although there does not appear to have been any official record of the population previous to the year 1764, Dr Moir, from data contained in the charter of erection, estimated the inhabitants at that time, 1593, to amount to 56. From an anonymous manu- script, he found that in 1727 they amounted to 900. In 1764 there were in the town, . ■ 1266 landward part of parish, 1 154 Total, 2420 In 1769 there were in the town, . • 1518 landward part of parish, 1 188 Total, 2706 In 1790 there were in the town, . . . 2550 358 ABEUDEENSHIKE. Population of the town in 1801, . . . 3264 parish do. . • 1227 Total, 4491 town in 1811, . . . 3556 country do. . • . 1151 Total, 4707 town in 1821, . , . 4783 country do. . . . 1530 Total, 6313 town in 1831, . . 5512 country do. . . . 1583 Total, 6695 In June 1831 the total number of males in the parish and town were 2805 females do. do. 3890 In all, 6695 Town. Country. Total, Number of families employed in agriculture, 12 157 169 trade, manufactures, &c. 452 23 475 aU other families, , . , 854 125 979] .Total number of families, 162.3 Town. Country. Total. Number of houses vminhabited, ■ ^ x ,21 8 29 inhabited, . • . 687 301 988 houses building, . . , 2^ 2 The average number of births for the last seven years has been . 270 deaths, do. do. . . 144 marriages, do. do. . . 51 The number of persons in the parish in 1831 under 15 years of age, was 2770 between 15 and 30, . 1496 30 and 50, . 135S 50 and 70, . 839 above 70, . . 237 Total, 6695 Exclusive of seamen belonging to the port. IV. — Industry. Agriculture. — The whole surface of the parish, exclusive of that part on which the town of Peterhead is built, extends to 9006 im™ perial acres, as nearly as can be at present ascertained; about 8266 acres are under cultivation ; about 72 are planted ; about 544 may still be brought into cultivation, including what is under moss servitude ; the remainder of 124 acres can only be partially cultivated, in consequence of rock rising to the surface. Planting. — Planting on the east coast of Scotland, especial- ly near to Peterhead, has hitherto been attempted only to a li- mited extent. The attempts which have been made have suc- ceeded better than was anticipated. Near the sea hard-wood, chiefly ash, elm, birch, beech, mountain-ash, plane, alder, and willows have been planted. The first trees which had been planted in this parish last century were at Ellishill and Inver- nettie, and, notwithstanding the little extent and want of shel- ter, they have risen to a considerable size, and are still thriving. 3 PET&HHEAD. 359 The late James Ferguson, Esq. of Pitfour, planted some small clumps and corners on the estates of Balmoor and Richmond ; these have made considerable progress, and continue in a healthy state. The Governors of the Merchant Maiden Hospital planted a small belt around a piece of ground about half a mile from Pe- terhead, intended to be a public garden. This belt continued to thrive for some years, and the trees made rapid progress ; but for two or three years in succession, owing to north-easterly storms? the leaves were destroyed about the month of May ; and, in con- sequence, a considerable number of the trees died. The blanks, however, have been filled up with young plants, which are thriving. George Arbuthnot, Esq. of Invernettie, has planted about seven and a half acres. The plants which he used were, ash, elm, plane, Dutch alder, birch, lime, horse-chestnut, and mountain-ash ; and he mentions that the alder, ash, plane, and elm have succeeded best. He also tried some of the fir tribes, which did not succeed at first; but he now finds that the white American spruce and sil- ver firs are making strong and healthy shoots. At some distance from the sea, and where the elevation above it is greater, about forty acres have been planted with Scotch fir, larch, and spruce, by the Governors of the Merchant Maiden Hos- pital. Whether the wood may come to be of value remains to be seen. On the east coast, the young trees are often destroyed by the north-easterly storms, from which they require to be sheltered, by being planted very thick, especially on the side exposed to the sea. Early pruning seems very detrimental, if not performed spar- ingly- Rent. — The rent of the arable land within the parish may be stated at from 5s. to L. 6 per acre, according to the quality and situation. Live-Stock. — The cattle raised are chiefly of the polled Buchan breed. Of late the Teesw.ater short horns have been partially in- troduced, and crossed with the native breed. Differences of opi- nion are entertained regarding the Teeswater cattle and the cross breeds from them, — some being of opinion that the Teeswater come much sooner to maturity at not much more expense for rear- ing, and yield equally good milk and beef ; while others think that the native breed is more easily reared, yielding better milk and flesh, and, with equal attention, would come to the same weight, although not in the same time. Both breeds are allowed to be ex- cellent of their kind, and farther experience can alone determine 360 ABERDEENSHIRE. whether the one is destined to supersede the other ; or if both should be retained, and kept distinct or crossed. Sheep are not reared in sufficient numbers to deserve any par- ticular remarks. The horses are also of the native breed, and are well fitted for the cart or plough. The following is nearly the number of the live-stock in the parish in February 1837, viz. — horses, 417; stots or oxen, 554; cows, 775; calves, 181; sheep, J08; swine, 99. Husbandry. — In the immediate neighbourhood of the town, the lands are let in small lots to the inhabitants on leases of eight years, and the following rotations are followed : — A four-shift course, con- sisting of one division in turnips or potatoes ; one division in bear or oats, sown with grass seeds ; one division in grass ; and one division in bear or oats, after grass; or potatoes from two years old grass; oats or bear after potatoes or turnips with grass seeds ; first year's grass and second year's grass. In some instances, the lots are nearly all in grass, in consequence of the rents received from fishermen em- ployed in the herring fishery, who pay from L. 2 to L. 6 per acre for the use of the ground to dry their nets. Upon the farms in the parish, the rotation is generally either a five or a seven-course shift. The five-course shift consists of two grass crops in two sue-- cessive years, one white crop after lea, a green crop or fallow, and then another white crop. The seven course shift consists of three grass crops in three successive years, two white crops after lea, a green crop or fallow, and then another white crop. Within the last thirty years, the improvements in agriculture have been very extensive ; the whole lands in the parish have been drained, and roads have been made for the accommodation of the farms. A regular system of farming has been adopted ; the fields have been laid out, and, in many cases, enclosed to answer the im- proved system of cropping ; and an extent of waste land, not less than 1500 imperial acres, has been brought into cultivation. Much benefit has been derived from deep ploughing, so as to mix the subsoil with the topsoil, and to destroy the ferruginous incrus- tation or pan, which in many places divided the one from the other, and rendered the soil impervious to water. By attending to the improvements already effected, and adopting, when necessary, the same means, much may still be done to increase the value of land in this parish, as there are many facilities of obtaining manure from the town of Peterhead, which do not exist in more remote parishes. PETERHEAD. 361 Improvements, — It may not be out of place here to mention shortly the progressive improvements of the parish, and the means by which they have been effected. At the time of the last Sta- tistical Account, the alternate system of husbandry had not been adopted, and the state of agriculture had not been much improv- ed for a very considerable period before. The late James Fergu- son, Esq. of Pitfour, was the first who introduced the alternate system of husbandry. He gave an example of the great benefit resulting from good farming upon the estate of Balmoor, by drain- ing, inclosing, dividing into regular fields, planting clumps of wood, fallowing, liming, green-cropping, and laying out in grass. A con- siderable part of this estate remains in grass, as laid out by Pit- four, and returns high rents. The estates of Peterhead, Clerk- hill, Auchtygall, and Torterston, belonging to the Merchant Maiden Hospital of Edinburgh, and the estates of Invernettie and Boddam, were the next which began to be improved. The tenants were bound to a regular rotation of cropping, roads were made, the old fences were levelled, open ditches and drains were formed, hedges were planted, the old ridges levelled, and the land divided into regular fields to answer the rotations agreed upon. The same means were resorted to upon the other estates in the parish, and the fields soon exhibited a very improved ap- pearance, and became of much greater value, both to the proprie- tors and tenants. The improvements on the estates of the Merchant Maiden Hos- pital have been extensive; — 8851 ells of old feal dikes were pulled down and levelled ; 28,285 ells of open drains or ditches have been cut; 11,146 ells of covered drains or sewers, built on both sides, and covered with granite, were made ; 26,900 ells of double ditch and sunk or mound between the two ditches, plant- ed with double hedges of hawthorn, and 3786 ells of double stone dikes have been formed and built; and 13,155 ells of roads have been made for the accommodation of the tenants. • While the already cultivated land was thus under progressive improvement, the waste and (hitherto) uncultivated ground was not neglected. Considerable progress was made by trenching with the spade and mattock, on the estate of Invernettie, and the other estates in the parish ; but this mode was too expensive to afford a reasonable return for the capital expended. It was afterwards found that it was possible to improve these lands by the plough, and this method was adopted very extensively on the estates of the 362 ABERDEENSHIRE. Merchant Maiden Hospital, and is now very generally followed on other estates. It is shortly as follows : First, To remove the stones from the surface, and from the soil in so far as they can be seen ; and this is done more easily, and at less expense, while the surface has not been broken. Second, To drain the land ef- fectually ; and it has been found that one very deep drain, proper- ly placed, supersedes the necessity of many others. Third, If the upper soil is worthless, to plough it slightly, and burn the heath and dead moss, which may be done at a very trifling expense in dry weather. Fourth, To plough the land with a very strong trench plough, drawn by four steady horses or oxen, taking care to keep the plough below the moorband, where such exists. The first ploughing with the trench plough should be done when the land is wet; during the dry season, in most cases, it would be impracticable. Fijth, After the land has been trench ploughed, the stones that have been ploughed up are also removed, inequalities in the soil are made up by a levelling box, and the land is regularly fallowed, dunged, limed, and cropped according to the nature of the soil. By the means which have now been mentioned, 407 acres on the Blackhill of Peterhead, belonging to the Merchant Maiden Hospital, have been brought into cultivation, which had been re- ported upon by the late Mr Alexander Low of Berwickshire as follows : " The hill is very worthless, and bids defiance to the ope- ration of the plough for improvement." This hill is now nearly all under a regular system of cultivation, and yields crops nearly equal to the formerly cultivated lands in the neighbourhood. In improving this hill, roads have been made to the extent of 3780 ells; earth fences, 3621 ells; open and covered drains, 5312 ells; and stone dikes, about 4000 ells. Rental. — At the time of the last Statistical Account, the ren- tal of the parish amounted to L. 3000 ; in 1803, it was L. 4094 ; in 1837, it amounted to L. 10,136. The following account is given to show the number of acres brought into cultivation in this parish since 1795, the estates on which these are situated, and the extent remaining uncultivated and waste at the present time : The total number of imperial acres in tUe parish is Whereof planted, Maiden Hospital, Invernettie, Under moss servitude, capable of cultivation, Uncultivated, but capable of being so, A. R. P. _ 9085 3 2 A. R. P. 60 3 39 7 2 19 86 1 25 482 3 20 PETERHEAD. 363 A. R. P. Can only be partially cultivated, in consequence of the rocks rising to the surface, - - 139 3 4 777 2 27 8308 15 Cultivated at the time of the last Account, - - 6353 2 30 Brought into cultivation since 1795, - - 1954 1 25 Being upon the estates of the Merchant Maiden Hospital, 791 2 25 estate of Boddam, - 152 1 37 Sandford, - - 63 2 5 Cowhills of Invernettie, 41 3 28 Invernettie Lodge, - 69 3 21 Dens, partially cultivated before, as nearly as can be ascertained, 254 23 Upon part of the north half of Invernettie, - 63 2 5 The balance, interspersed pasture, and waste, over all the estates in the parish, ... 517 30 Acres, 1954 1 25 1954 1 25 Produce. — It is somewhat difficult to approximate very near to the truth, in estimating the gross value of the produce of this pa- rish, owing to the produce of the lands in the immediate neigh- bourhood of the town being of considerably greater value than that of those parts of the parish lying at a distance, and the great diflference in the rents of the one from the other ; but the follow- ing may be taken as being not very far from a fair estimate. The cultivated land is 8309 acres. The rotations are seven, five, and four. Assume a five shift rotation, viz. — ^ of 8309 acres = 1661 acres in grain crop, at L. 4, 5s. per acre, L. 7059 5 I = 3322 in do. at L. 4, 10s. 14949 i =1661 in 1st year's grass, at L.3, 10s. 5813 10 -I =1661 in 2d do. at L.l, 15s, 2406 15 L. 30,228 10 It has been generally held that the value of the gross produce of land should be about equal to thrice the amount of the rental, thus The rental of this parish in 1837 is, as formerly stated, L. 10,136 19 8 Maintenance and expense of labour, . . 10,136 19 8 Interest of capital and profit, . . 10,136 19 8 L. 30,410 19 And the amount approximates very near to that of the value of the gross produce as given above. Qiiarries. — There are extensive quarries of granite in the parish. From Stirlinghill, stones have been taken for the building of various public works, including the Naval Docks at Sheerness, bridges, pe- destals, the pillar at the Horse Guards, Carlton Gardens, to the me- mory of the Duke of York, &c. Blocks of large size may be raised, and the granite is of excellent quality, resembling, perhaps, nearer 364 ABERDEENSHIRE. than any other rock in this country, the Egyptian granite or syenite. It admits of being finely polished, and is now extensively used for that purpose by Mr Alexander Macdonald of Aberdeen, who has erected a steam engine for polishing granite, and has pro- duced very fine specimens of his work, in chimney-pieces, pillars, pedestals, vases, &c. As granite can be polished at less expense and in a more perfect manner, by steam than by manual labour, it is likely to come into general use. The granite of Peterhead is not inferior to that of Stirlinghill, while it is clearer in colour. At Salthousehead is a quarry of beautiful gray or white granite of excellent quality, but the rock is covered with a thick mass of clay. The quarries on the Blackhill are extensive, and afford blocks of large size ; the colour is somewhat different from that of the Stir- linghill or Peterhead rock, but it is equally durable and more easily wrought in the quarry, being generally of large sizes with open joints, and admitting of being easily squared by the hammer. The granite of Blackhill, in one quarry, is similar to that of Salthousehead. The following is an account of the granite shipped at Peterhead, from February 18J7 to January 1822: — Pavement Causeway blocks Building blocks and crib in feet. in tons. in feet. From Mr Hutchison of Cairngall's quarry in Longside, . 5600 20 3920 From Stirlinghill, by Messrs Low and Gibb, . . 3890 75 213,459 From Blackhill of Cruden, and Salt- househead, by Messrs JollifFe, Banks, and Banncrman, 97 252,224 Other shipments, . 4877 337 529 7380 14637 feet, 476,983 feet, or 513 tons. or 34,070 tons. The value may be estimated as follows — 14,637 feet of crib, at 9s. L 538 15 3 529 tons of causeway blocks. 264 10 476,983 feet of building blocks, at 4s. 6d. 107,321 3 6 L. 108, 1 24 8 9 Freight of 35,112 tons. 21,067 L.129,191 8 9 From the inexhaustible resources arising from these quarries, the excellent and durable quality of the rock, and their proximity to the harbours of Peterhead and Boddam, there can be little doubt, that, in the execution of public works of importance, the working of them will afford employment to many labourers, and tend to the improvement of the neighbourhood. PETERHEAD. 365 Fisheries. — The fisheries of Peterhead have always been of great importance to the town. The whale-fishery was for many years of the first importance ; of late it has not been attended with its former success; but there are still ten vessels employed in that trade, and it is not improbable that it may again become more suc- cessful, as the late failures have been occasioned more by bad sea- sons and an altered state of the ice at the fishing ground, than by a decrease in the number of the whales. It may be interesting to trace the success of the vessels belong- ing to Peterhead, employed in the Greenland and Davis' Straits Whale Fisheries since the commencement of that trade in 1788 to the present time. With this view the following account of the success of these vessels, collected from the best sources of infer- mation, is given : No. of No, of Tons No. of No. of Tons Years. ships. whales. c-foil. Years. ships. whales. of oil. 1788, 1813, 6 50 726 1789, 1814, 7 164 1390 1790, 11 47 1815, 8 (35 850 1791, 1816, 8 1141 866 1792, 1 12 1817, 10 64 717 1793, 5 59 .1818, 12 135 1219 1794, 1819, 13 74 780 1795, 3 541 1820, 15 103 11.30 1796, 1821, 16 155 1836 1797, 6 49 1822, . 16 95 1237 1798, 7 71 1823, 15 268 2217 1799, 8 96i 1824, . 16 119 1684 1800, 8 771 1825, . 16 46 643 1801, 8 471 1826, . 14 83 1105 1802, 11 117 1827, . 13 154 1452 1803, 10 84 1828, . 14 92 1247 1804, 2 36 228 1829, 12 118 1445 1805, 2 37 272 - 1830, 13 23 288 1806, 2 5* 104 1831, . 12 35 430 1807, 2 43 318 18.32, 11 • 159 1244 1808, . ' 2 57 299 1833, . 11 213 1642 1809, 2 47 316 1834, 11 99 1093 1810, 3 53 479 1835, 11 48 759 1811, 4 109 753 1836, 11 6 100 1812, 4 81 715 The altered state of the whale fishing has been made up in a great measure to the community by the success which has of late attended the herring fishery. Notwithstanding the Dutch had from time immemorial carried on a successful herring fishery on the coast opposite to Peterhead, it is not many years since this fishery was prosecuted to any extent at this place. It commenced in 1820, at the suggestion of the writer of this account, by the gen- tlemen of Peterhead, who entered into subscriptions with him to 366 ABERDEENSHIRE. give it a fair trial, and it has gone on increasing gradually and steadily. Last season 262 boats were employed, and upwards of 40,000 barrels of herrings were caught. It is supposed that Pe- terhead, being farther east than any other point in Scotland, must at all times be one of the best stations for carrying on the herring fishery, as, if the fish pass along the coast, they must pass very near to this headland ; and as the tides are strong, the best fish can only make head against them. In point of fact, the curers acknowledge that the herrings caught at Peterhead are of supe- rior quality.. The shoals of herrings are followed by spout whales, and an attempt, not without success, was last season made to catch these whales. The necessary apparatus was invented by Mr Robert Hutchison of this place ; and there remains little doubt that, in the present season, he will be able to establish the practicability of whale fishinof on our own shores ; and thus introduce a trade which may be of no small consequence to the country. Mr Hutchison's object is to kill the large finners. Last season he succeeded in killing three ; but in consequence of their having sunk, he after- wards lost them. When they had lain some time at the bottom, they again floated, in consequence of the expansion of gases gene- rated in them, and were afterwards found. He thinks, however, that this season he will be able to keep hold of them by the lines. The cod, ling, haddock, and whiting, are to be found in great abundance on this coast, and are caught and exported in their seasons. Besides these, flounders of all kinds, roughback, plaise, sole, halibut, turbot, skate, dog, and catfish, and a great variety of others, including the lobster, mackerel, and crab are to be found. All these afford ample means for the extension of the white fish- ery, and a mine of wealth yet remains to be explored as a reward to the exertions of those who may embark in the fisheries at Peter- head. Manufactures. — There are no extensive manufactures of woollen or cotton goods in Peterhead ; there are, however, experienced and well employed tradesmen and mechanics in every department usually found in larger towns. It is to be regretted that manufac- tures have not hitherto been introduced. Peterhead seems well adapted for such establishments ; for although there are not sufficient waterfalls near the town, there are such in the parish. There is a sufficient quantity of water in the town for working by steam, and the harbours afford facilities for exporting and import- PETERHEAD. 367 ing. As has been before-mentioned, a carding and spinning-mill, on a small scale, has lately been erected on the estate of Boddam ; and if the projector of it shall be successful, others may be indu- ced to commence works of a similar nature, a sufficient quantity of water could be accumulated as a moving power, and there are va- rious falls unoccupied. From the increase of population in Peterhead, the excellence of the harbours, the highly cultivated district adjoining, the con- sequent abundance of provisions, and the excellent and cheap ma- terials for building, found in the neighbourhood, it may be pre- sumed that those having a knowledge of manufactures would find it their interest to settle at Peterhead. Brick-work. — The Invernettie brick- work has been in operation for about forty years. It is now within the Parliamentary boundary of the burgh, and is situated about a mile to the south of the town. The bed of clay is wrought to the depth of thirty to forty feet. Building bricks and tiles of excellent quality are made at this work ; and, besides what are required in the district, a very considerable quantity is exported annually, chiefly to the Moray Frith, The proprietors have lately erected a small harbour in the immediate vicinity of the work, for the accommodation of their trade. Rope-work. — A rope-work is carried on, on the west side of the turnpike road, between the town and the brick-work, and another in the town. The business done is considerable, chiefly in mak- ing ropes for ships belonging to Peterhead, or frequenting the port. Gas-work. — In 1833, a joint-stock company was established in Peterhead for the manufacture of gas. The buildings are situated in Longate, and the business is conducted by a board of directors and a manager. Kelp or Sea-ware. — The kelp shores in this parish during the late war were of considerable value, yielding a rental of upwards of L. 120 per annum. They are now unlet, as it has been found here that kelp will not yield more than the expense of manufac- turing it ; it is, therefore, of importance to find out any other use- ful purpose to which the sea-ware or fuci can be applied. It will be found that the kelp-ware may be cut, dried, and carried to a considerable distance at less expense than the wet ware cast on shore by the violence of the sea ; and a single cart-load of dried ware is equal to six cart-loads of wet ware, — for example, a cart- load may be cut and carried on shore for 6d. and dried for 3d., which is equal to 4s. 6d. for a load of dried ware ; and as six loads 368 ABERDEENSHIRE. of wet ware are only equal to one of dry ware, and the expense of carrying a load of wet ware to a distance of four miles is 2s., the carriage of the six loads would be 128., while an equal quan- tity of dried ware would only cost for cutting and drying 4s. 6d. and carriage 2s., in all 6s. 6d., leaving a balance of 5s. 6d. in fa- vour of the dried ware when carried an equal distance, supposing it, in either case, to be got without any other price than the ex- pense of cutting and gathering. It will also be found that the ware does not lose any of its powers as a manure by being dried. The ware maybe used, Isf, mixed with earth or peat-moss, by which it is decomposed; 2d, mixed with stable -yard dung; Sd, as a litter for cattle or horses ; 4th, as fodder (in part) for cattle, it having been found tliat cattle will feed upon it. The three first of these uses have been experimented upon with success in this parish. The last suggestion, that it might be used for the purpose of feed- ing cattle, would require to be more fully put to the test of expe- rience before any thing can be asserted with confidence regarding its qualities in that respect. During the last season, it was, in a few cases, used for the above purpose, and said to be relished by the cattle. The best mode of using it would, perhaps, be to cut it along with the straw, and mix both together. It is probable, that it might be improved by being steamed before being used. It may be added that the species of ware most esteemed by kelp-makers, called black ware, will be found to be more powerful as a manure than the red ware cast upon the shores during storms. In both cases, whether used as a manure or for feeding cattle, it is an object well worth the attention of agriculturists near the coast ; and it is to be hoped that experiments may be made, and the result communicat- ed to the public. V. — Parochial Economy. Toivn of Peterhead. — The town of Peterhead stands upon a pe- ninsula projecting into the German Ocean, and forming the most easterly point of land in Scotland. The isthmus which connects the town and country part of the parish is about 800 yards in breadth. Dr Moir states that the town, which had then been only a small fishing village, with the adjoining lands of considerable value, belonged to the abbey of Deer in 1560, and that, in that year, Queen Mary appointed Robert Keith, son of William fourth Earl Marischall, commendator of Deer. Peterhead was erected into a burgh of barony by George Earl Marischall in 1593. It continued a part of the estates of the Earls Marischall until the PETERHEAD. 369 attainder of the last Earl, in consequence of his accession to the RebeUion in 1715. It was then purchased by the York-Buildings Company, who sold it to the present proprietors, the Governors of Maiden Hospital, founded by the Company of Merchants of the city of Edinburgh and Mary Erskine, in 1728. The original inhabitants appear to have been fishers, and the chief trade carried on at Peterhead, for a long time after it became a burgh of barony, was the white-fishing, in which the proprietor had an interest by drawing teinds of the fish caught. The fish- ermen were taken bound to assist in the erection of a harbour, which they did, and which still remains under the name of Port Henry. By the original charter in 1593, the Earl Marischall esta- blished a municipal government in the town in the following terms : " For gyding and rewiling of the quilk brugh, the said Erie and his foresaidis sail elect, nominat, and chuse baillies, clerkes, and otheres officeares, necessares and meit for the governement of the samin, of the nichbouris, and fewares of the said brugh, actuall in- duellers for the time, within the same, the said Erie alwyse and his foresaidis remaning proveist or sd baillie yairof," &c. And this system of municipal government continued until the passing of the Parliamentary Burgh Reform Act. By this act the muni- pal government has been vested in twelve councillors, who, from their own number, choose a provost, three baillies, and a treasurer, and the boundaries of the town have been defined and considera- bly extended, embracing part of the lands of Black House and Invernettie, beyond the limits of the barony of Peterhead. The barony "of Peterhead, besides the estates of Peterhead prpper, embraces the lands of Clerkhill^ Auchtygall, and Collielaw. The lands of Torterston are erected into a separate barony, under the name of the Barony of Torterston. The town of Peterhead has been much extended, and the num- ber of its inhabitants has greatly increased since the last Statistical Account was written. The ground now occupied by the town ex- tends to about 70 imperial acres, of which about 20 are occupied by streets. The length of the streets is about 4 miles 5 furlongs and 148 yards. The number of inhabited houses is about 1000. The rental of houses and warehouses in the town is about L.7500. Ronheads. — The Ronheads is situated within the burgh, oppo- site a ridge of rocks on the north side of the north harbour. It is inhabited chiefly by fishermen, who supply the town with fish, and act as pilots. Some of these at least may be reasonably sup- ABERDEEN. A a 370 ABERDEENSHIRE. posed to be descendants of the original inhabitants. They have hitherto got the stances of their houses rent free, in consequence of being bound by the original charter to pay teind fish to the proprietors of the ground. Owing to the fishermen being also pilots, and some of them seamen and shipmasters, they do not pay that attention to the fishing which its importance deserves. The original harbour, built in 1593, and named Port Henry, is occu- pied by the fishermen's boats. Buchanhaven. — This village is also now within the Parliamen- tary boundary of the burgh. The inhabitants are employed in the white and herring fisheries. Five herring boats, and five white- fishing boats belong to it. A small harbour has been erected for the accommodation of the fishermen belonging to the village. Community of Feuars. — Certain properties and privileges of commonty and common pasturage, fuel, feal, and divot were grant- ed to the original feuars of Peterhead, by Earl Marischall in the charter of erection. In 1774, these properties and privileges were confirmed by the Governors of the Merchant Maiden Hospital, who agreed to divide the commonties, and they accordingly con- veyed those parts of them which fell to their feuars, to certain of the feuars, for themselves, as feuars of the town of Peterhead, and as trustees for and in name of the haill other (then) feuars there- of, and of all such persons as should at any time thereafter be- come feuars of the said town or lands, and the heirs and succes- sors of all (the then) present and future feuars, to be improved and applied as a majority of the said feuars, at the time, and from time to time, should think fit, for the public good and utility of the said town. In the charters subsequently granted a share of these properties and privileges is conveyed to the individual feuars. The rental of the feuars' properties now amounts to about L. 260 per annum. These properties are claimed by the magistrates, in vir- tue of the Burgh Reform Act ; and this claim has been resisted on the part of the hospital and their feuars, on the ground that the same are private property, arising out of legal deeds between superior and vassal. In order to have this point decided, mutual actions of declarator have been raised, and are now depending in the Su- preme Court. These actions, it is probable, would not have been necessary if proper inquiries had been made before the act was passed. Museum helonging to Adam Arhutlinot, Esq. — The formation of this museum has been the work of about twenty years. It con- PETERHEAD. 37 ^ tains subjects and specimens connected with the various branches of natural history, mineralogy, geology, &c. There is also a col« lection of antiquities, a portion of which is rendered particularly interesting, as they have been found in our own country, and some of them in our own immediate neighbourhood. The museum em- braces likewise a valuable and interesting collection of coins. The English coins embrace the whole period from the time of Edgar to that of William IV; the Scotch, from William the Lion to James VI. The Grecian coins consist of those of the princi- pal petty states ; of Philip, King of Macedon, and Alexander the Great. The Roman coins comprehend not only those of the Em- perors, but also of the consuls, coadjutors, and usurpers. The mu- seum is always accessible to the public. Police. — The town of Peterhead obtained an act of Parliament, in 1820, for supplying the inhabitants with water, and for paving, lighting, and otherwise improving the streets. Previous to the passing of this act, the inhabitants were supplied with water from the roofs of their houses, or from wells dug in the neighbourhood of them ; and in either case the supply was precarious, and the water of bad quality. Considerable expense had been incurred in searching for good spring water within a moderate distance from the town, but without success. At length, in draining upon the estate of Auchtigall, a very copious spring was found, yielding upwards of forty gallons of pure spring water per minute. This spring is now conveyed to the town, a distance of 2 miles, 5 fur- longs, and 10 yards; and the inhabitants enjoy the comfort of an adequate supply of excellent water fit for every domestic purpose. Before the Police Act was obtained, the streets had been much improved by removing obstructions and inequalities, and substi- tuting metalling for rough undressed stones, with which they were paved. Side paths were laid off, and paved either with dressed granite, or crib and pebbles. The expenses incurred in bringing water into the town amount- ed to L.-3167. The annual rate of assessment has hitherto been Is. 9d. per pound, which is applied to pay the interest of the money borrowed, and for lighting the streets and executing the other purposes of the act. Post-Office. — The revenue of the post-office for the last seven years has been as under. For ]R30, - L.718 15 10^ For 1834, - L.819 1 0^ 1831, - 781 5 2" 1835, - 811 16 2^ 1832, .- 828 2 4 1836, - 894 18 8| 1833, - 807 12 8* 372 ABERDEENSHIRE. making in all L. 5724, 12s. O^d., which, divided by seven, gives for the average revenue L.817, 16s. Turnpike Roads. — The turnpike roads are, the south road to Aberdeen, the west to Banff, and the north to Fraserburgh, amounting altogether in length to about nine or ten miles within the parish. Coaches. — There are four coaches connected with Peterhead: the Mail to and from Aberdeen daily ; the Mail to and from' Banff daily; the Defiance stage-coach to and from Aberdeen daily; and the Lord Saltoun stage-coach betwixt Peterhead and Fraserburgh every alternate day. The Harbours. — These harbours, from their peculiar situation at the termination of the most easterly promontory of land in Scot- land, and the great resort to them, deserve particular notice. The earliest notice taken of these harbours is in the charter of erection of the town of Peterhead, by George Earl Marischall, in 1593. In that charter the Earl binds himself to "build ane bul- wark in the mouth of the haven called Port Henry." This bul- wark was accordingly erected by his Lordship, and is the same for- merly noticed as being used by the fishermen in the Ronheads for landing their boats. The bulwark is built in a very rough man- ner, with masses of undressed granite. It has never required to be repaired, and the original pieces of oak timber used as moor- ing posts, are still in a serviceable state. This harbour is capable of holding from six to eight vessels, not exceeding 100 tons bur- den ; but is seldom used except by the fishermen for their boats. It does not appear at what time the south haven or harbour had been erected, but it does not seem to have been of much import- ance at the beginning of last century ; for in 1702, the whole re- venue arising from it was only L. 71, 6s. Scots, and it was ca- pable of containing a very few vessels of small size. It would seem that at this time the pier of the harbour had fallen into decay, and was in need of repair. In the year 1 705, in consequence of the great public utility of these harbours, an act of the Privy-council of Scotland was passed, authorizing a voluntary contribution for repairing the harbours of Peterhead, to be made throughout the three Lothians, and all north of the Forth. No collection, how- ever, was made in consequence of this act, the Earl Marischall having been of opinion that he would be able to obtain more effi- cient assistance from the British Parliament ; but in consequence of his being engaged soon after in the Rebellion, the matter was PETERHEAD. 373 never by him brought before Parliament, and the harbour conti- nued in the same ruinous state at the time of his forfeiture in 1716. The estate and harbours of Peterhead, after Earl Marischall's attainder, were purchased from Government by the York-Build- ings Company ; but this company adopted no measures for repair- ing the harbours, although a petition was presented to the mana- gers, pointing out the urgent necessity of having them repaired. In 1726, the estate was sold, along with the harbours, to the Go- vernors of the Merchant Maiden Hospital of Edinburgh, whostill continue superiors of the town and harbours. At that time, from the limited extent of the harbours, and the state of repair they had fatlen into, the revenue amounted only to L, 12 per annum ; and only three small vessels belonged to the port. In July 1729, an act of the Convention of Royal Burghs was obtained in favour of the town of Peterhead, for a voluntary contribution throughout all the burghs of the country for repairing these harbours. It does not appear what the extent of the contribution obtained was, but it would appear it had not been adequate to the repairs, for, in 1730, the ship-masters of Leith, and merchants of Edinburgh gave an attestation of the great public utility of these harbours; and the town- council of Edinburgh authorized a collection to be made in all the churches of the city and its neighbourhood, which was made accordingly, and amounted to L. 240, 14s. 6d. Sterling; and so much anxiety was evinced for the repairs of these harbours, that, in February 1 740, an assembly was held in Edinburgh in aid of the other collections for this purpose. From the year 1740 to the year 1771, it may be supposed that the trade of the town had not made rapid progress ; — the follow- ing being the annual amount of the harbour duties at different pe- riods in that interval ; in 1741, L. 20, 8s. 4d.; 1751, L. 30; 1761, L. 50, 15s. ; 1771, L. 59, 10s. In 1771, it would appear that the south harbour had again fal- len into disrepair, and, with the aid of contributions from the royal burghs, from the superiors, from private individuals, and from money raised upon the security of the property belonging to the community of feuars, the harbour began to be again repaired. About this time the plan of the present south harbour was obtain- ed from the late Mr Smeaton, engineer, and the building of it ac- cording to his plan commenced in June 1773. The construction of the old south harbour was just the reverse of that of the new one. The old harbour was enclosed by two curved piers towards 374 ABERDEENSHIKE. the sea, having an opening for the mouth, and the effect of this was, that the harbour was not quiet within. The present south pier is concave towards the sea, so as to make the waves run along it from each end until they meet in the centre, when they destroy each other and are thrown off seaward. The west pier is nearly at right angles with the south pier, and is covered by it, and the former has a jetty running eastward, parallel with the south pier, which protects the interior of the harbour from the seas which may yet get round the end of the south pier. By a contract entered into between the governors of the hospital and their feuars in 1774, the latter acknowledged that the har- bours, quays, anchorages, shore-dues, and petty customs, and emoluments arising therefrom, were disponed, and belonged to the hospital as part of their estate. Nevertheless, the governors, for the encouragement of their feuars, and for promoting the pub- lic good and utility of the town, agreed that the rents and profits of these subjects should be received and applied by their feuars for the time being, or the majority of them, for enlarging, build- ing, repairing, and upholding the harbours, piers, shores, and other public works within the town, in time coming, but always under the inspection, and subject to the control of the governors, or such person or persons as they should appoint, from time to time, for that purpose. The piers of the south harbour were completed in 1781, and cost L. 3256, 6s. lOd. ; but even after that expenditure, the harbour was only capable of containing about twenty sail of small vessels. The rock and other stuff continued to be excavated from the interior of the harbour, in consequence of which the accommodation to vessels was rendered greater, and the trade and revenue increased, as will be seen from the following account of the annual revenue, at different times, from 1772 to 1807: Years. Annual Revenue- 1772, . L. 50 3 1782, . . 55 5 1792, . 65 1802, . 122 1807, . 173 At the latter period the harbour had been so much enlarged as to be capable of containing 50 or 60 sail of vessels ; but even this increased means of accommodation was found inadequate to the trade of the place ; and the late Mr John Rennie, engineer, was applied to for a plan and estimate for extending the south harbour, and for building a new north harbour ; and an- act of PETERHEAD. ^575 Parliament was applied for and obtained, for the further improve- ment of the south, and the erection of the north harbour. Soon after this, 50,000 cubic yards of rock and other stuff were ex- cavated from the bottom of the south harbour, — the jetty of the west pier was extended 40 feet, — a quay, extending 300 feet in length, was built upon the east side of the harbour, — an addition of about 200 feet in length was made to the west pier, which cost about L. 13,800, including a grant of L. 3900 obtained from the Commissioners for Highland Roads and Bridges out of the For- feited Estates' Fund. By these improvements the south harbour was rendered capable of containing from 100 to 120 vessels in complete safety. The rock and other stuff taken from the bot- tom of the south harbour, was deposited in the direction of a small rocky island, called the Greenhill, so as to connect it with the south, and form the boundary of the north harbour ; and this stuff was protected from the sea by a bulwark. The trade and shipping still continued to increase; and in 1815 it was found that additional accommodation had again become necessary. Un- der these circumstances, the governors of the hospital and the trustees of the harbours again applied to the Parliamentary Com- missioners for Roads and Bridges, and made offer to find security for one moiety of the expense of erecting the north harbour, and building a graving dock, which had become very necessary, in consequence of many vessels being stranded, and sustaining da- mage during the winter season upon the coast near to Peterhead. The Commissioners having agreed to grant one moiety, ordered a survey and estimate to be made by the late Mr Thomas Telford, civil-engineer. Mr Telford accordingly gave in a report and plans for the works. The harbour was begun to be built in 1818 ; but, owing to the exposed situation of the breakwater or great pier, and its having to sustain the great force of the sea from the east a«d north, when in an unfinished state, and in consequence un- protected, it was totally destroyed by a tremendous storm which occurred in October 1819. Upon being applied to, the Com- missioners agreed to bear one-half of the expense of rebuilding the pier, which was immediately set about ; and the north har- bour, according to Mr Telford's plan, was finished in September 1822, at an expense of L. 25,194, 2s. 3|d. This harbour, being unprotected on the north side, the trustees soon after commenced to build a pier in that direction, which is now to be completed, 376 ABERDEENSHIUE. and is at present under execution, by contract, for the sum of L. 4680. The first Act of Parliament for the improvement of these har- bours was to continue for twenty-one years, and, therefore, it be- came necessary to apply for a new act ; and accordingly, in 1827, an act was obtained with additional powers to the trustees and un- limited in duration. The effects produced by the improvement of the harbours of Peterhead will be seen from the increase of shore dues from 1807 to the present time, 1st March 1837. Years. Annual Revenue. Years. Annual Revenue. 1808, L. 367 1 H 1823, . L. 1445 1809, 367 1 54 1824, 1445 1810, 495 1825, 1663 18 1811, 525 1826, 1660 1812, 525 1827, 1660 1813, 525 1828, 1660 1814, 675 1829, 1537 17 04 1815, 675 1830, 2124 4 8 1816, 1000 1831, 1961 1 1817, 1240 1832, 1901 34 1818, 1247 15 1833, 2420 2 10 1819, 1255 10 1834, 2473 8 1820, 1425 1835, 2568 18 4 1821, 1425 1836, 2663 10 11 1822, 1430 17 6 1837, 2879 8 2 Various improvements of these harbours have been contemplat- ed, which are well deserving of being undertaken at the national expense, their object being of national importance. The area of the south harbour is 6.6 imperial acres. The area of the north harbour 10.86 imperial acres. The length of the south quay of the south harbour is 480 feet, its greatest breadth is 42 feet, the height from the base to the top of the parapet 40 feet. The extreme length of the west quay is 653 feet ; length of parapeti 325^ feet; height of parapet, 26 feet ; greatest breadth at entrance, 90 feet. The total length of quays at the north har- bour is 2219 feet. Area of these quays 4 acres, 3 roods, 28 poles imperial. Exports. — From 1st January 1836 to 1st January 1837 ; the leading articles of export were Grain, Meal, Chests of eggs, each 130 dozen, Butter 112 lb. per cask, , Pork in barrels, each 2 cwt. Cod fish in barrels. Potatoes, Herrings, The whale fishery failed last year j but, taking an average of the 27,164 quarters. 14,424 bolls. 1110 3343 casks. 1634 1089 400 tons. 39,780 cranes. PETERHEAD. 377 five years preceding, 11 vessels brought yearly 4958 tons of blubber, yielding 3305 tons of oil ; and 271 tons of whale fins, which were again exported. Imports. — The imports during the same period were as under : Sugar, Do. Ale and porter, Rum and whisky, besides smaller casks, Molasses, Soap, Tea, Flour, Salt, . Clothiery goods, Hops, Wool, Iron, Wooden hoops, Lime, Bone manure, 108 hhds. 292 mats 355 hhds. 166 puncheons. 214 do. 103 chests 279 do. 2,040 sacks 3,081 tons 1,038 barrel bulks. 69 packets 24,760 lbs. 130 tons 5,800 bundles 49,716 bushels 545 tons Foreign and British timber amounting in value to L. 6000. Harbour Revenue. — The revenue of the harbours for the year, from 1st March 1836 to 1st March 1837, arose from Anchorage and wintering dues, Herring fishery, Whale fishery. Grain arid meal, Coals, Lime, Timber, Merchant goods. Sundry exports and imports. Warehouse rent. L.551 11 1 963 7 2 17 12 9 398 2 214 11 6 43 5 112 6 2 248 9 9 321 14 11 8 7 10 L.2879 8 2 The number of vessels which entered the harbours during the same period was 832, and their tonnage 48,136. The number of ships belonging to the Port of Peterhead on the 1st January 1837 was 82, and their tonnage 11,022. The number of wind-bound vessels which have entered the har* hours for the four years from 1833 is as follows : — In 1833, 1834, 1835, 1836, which shows of what importance these harbours are to the general trade and shipping interests of the country ; and this importance will be greatly increased, when the pier now under execution is finished, as the harbours will then be capable of affording accom- modation to steam vessels. Custom-House. — The merchants and ship-owners of Peterhead have often applied to have the full establishment of a custom- 253 216 209 240 378 ABERDEENSHIRE. house, but hitherto without effect. Of late, the officers have been reduced in number, while their duties have increased.* Village of Boddam. — This village is situated about three miles to the south of Peterhead, on a projecting point of land, a little to the north of Stirlinghill. It has a south and north boat har- bour, the latter being also capable of receiving ships of moderate draught of water ; these harbours are only separated from each other by a beach of small rounded stones. The light-house at Buchanness is situated on an island, separated from the mainland and the village by these harbours. Population of the village 460. The number of herring boats belonging to Boddam will amount for this year to 23. The annual produce of the Boddam herring fishery may be fairly stated at L. 100 per boat on an average of seasons. There are three principal fishings, called the summer, the her- ring, and the winter fishings. The summer or haddock fishing, which occupies from March to Jidy in catching, preparing, and going to market with the produce, is carried on in 22 smaller sized boats, manned with four men each, and generally a boy, who has a small share. From 25,000 to 30,000 fish are considered a fair fishing, and they generally bring from L. 3 to L. 4 per thousand, according to their size and quality. The herring fishing occupies the months of July, August, and September : after this the fishermen go for their bait, and occa- sionally go to sea, or prepare for the winter or cod fishing. This last is carried on in twelve boats, of a size between that of a her- ring boat and common fishing yawl, each boat being manned by six men. From 1200 to 1800 cod fish to each boat is considered an excellent fishing, and these bring 4d. to 6d. each, according to size. This fishing ends at Candlemas, when the fishermen again go to supply themselves with bait, and thereafter prepare for the summer fishing. The common kinds of fish caught here are, the cod, the had- dock, and whiting, with occasionally the turbot, ling, and skate. The fishing is made at no very great distance off the coast. Un- til a market was found in summer for haddocks, which is the time they are in poorest condition, the fishermen were in the habit of going to what was called the deep sea fishing, at a bank, a long way off the coast, where they were very successful in catching ling, cod, turbot, skate, and flat fish of different kinds ; but for some Since the above was written, the CKtablishincnl of a Custom-house has been granted to Peterhead. PETERHEAD. 379 years back this fishing has been entirely given up, as the summer dried haddocks have proved more profitable. From the locality of Boddam, extending into the German Ocean, and nearly as far east as Peterhead, the haddocks are always within the reach of the fishermen. These haddocks, when taken from the boat, are split up, carefully washed, and salted in heaps upon the beach ; after lying a sufficient time, they are carried to the rocks and spread out, one by one, great care being taken to preserve them from occasional rain. They are every night gathered into heaps, and again spread out in the morning. After being sufficiently dried, and in condition for preserving, they are taken home and stored up. Previous to being taken to market, they are smoked on spits with peat smoke, which gives them a fine colour and an agreeable flavour. They are then put into one heap, and strongly pressed down, which gives them a fine marketable appearance. The fish from Boddam obtain a decided preference in the market, — partly from the great care taken upon them, by the people themselves, but in a great measure owing to the rocks along the shore on which the fish are dried, and which are quite clean and free from sand. The average value of the last five years' fishing has been nearly as follows : — The crews of 21 boats with four men each, say at L. 25 each man, L. 2100 The fishing of 12 boats with six men each, say at L. 8 each man, 576 L. 2676 The yearly value of the iish used by the fishermen, and of oil made by them, and of the dog-fish, and refuse sold for manure, may be esti- mated at L.20 for each family, and, taking the number of families at 80, the sum is, . . . . . 1600 Total exclusive of herrings, . L. 4276 Q Add estimated produce of herring-fishery, 2000 L. 6276 which, divided among 80 families, gives nearly L. 80 to each. It would be improper to overlook the outlay incurred by the fishermen, which is considerable. Each boat while at the herring- fishing requires to have a hired man, whose wages are equal to one- eighth part of the price of a crane of herrings. Female servants are engaged, not for the half year, but during the fishing, perhaps for three months, and their wages are from L. 1 to L. 2, 10s. A considerable quantity of salt, bark, hemp, hair, &c. are necessary for the general fishings, and the boats used are of the best quality, and are never kept above seven or eight years, when they are dis- posed of to less wealthy fishermen, and replaced by new ones. A 380 ABERDEENSHIRE. summer line costs L. 3, and a winter one L. 4, and many of these are annually lost. All the haddocks caught during the past winter have been sold to curers in Peterhead, and the haddock-fishing in winter has now become a new branch of industry ; formerly the cod-fishing was the principal winter fishing, in the course of which the fishermen generally caught a sufficient supply for their own use and the home market ; since this opening has occurred, however, they have thought it worth their while to prosecute the haddock-fishery, and during last season they have been benefited to the extent of about L. 2 each man. The winter is the season when the haddocks are in the best condition ; and it is supposed, that if the finest of these were packed with ice, in the same manner as salmon, they could be conveyed to the most distant market in fine condition. Boddam has greatly increased within a few years. It has derived much benefit from its proximity to the Buchanness Lighthouse, aff'ording as it does a land-mark to the fishermen. If a harbour were erected it might soon be expected to become a large trading- place. With the exception of Newburgh there is no other place between Aberdeen and Peterhead where a harbour could be erect- ed. It is thought that an outlay of from L.1500 to L.I 800 would make a most commodious little harbour. There would always be a greater depth of water there than in the present harbours of Peterhead, and an entry could be made from the south or north.* Many of the fishermen appear, both from name and remaining habits, to be of Dutch extraction ; they are doubtless the descen- dants of those fishermen who were brought over by King William, and planted along the east coasts of Scotland and England. They retain a good deal of primitive simplicity. There are now few of the young men who cannot read, write, and cast up accounts in a very creditable way. Like all others of the same occupation, both sexes generally live to an advanced age ; they marry young, and have! in general large families. Buchanness Lighthouse — In the year 1819, a petition was pre- sented to the Commissioners of the Northern Lighthouses by the merchants, ship-owners, ship-masters, and others interested in ship- ping, representing the dangers of the coast from Girdleness to Buchanness, and from thence to Kinnaird's head, and pointing out the advantages that were likely to result from the erection of a lighthouse upon the Buchanness, not only to the shipping in- An extensive harbour has been contracted for, and is in the course of being erected. r PETERHEAD. 381 terest, but also to those engaged in the herring fishery. A se- cond petition was presented in 1822 to the same effect, detaihng some shipwrecks which had then recently occurred; and in Janu- ary 1824, the commissioners resolved to build a lighthouse at Buchanness, and it was soon afterwards completed. It is about 118 feet in height, and built of granite from Stirlinghill. The light afforded is what is called a flashing light, which in every five seconds of time emerges from a state of partial darkness, and ex- hibits a momentary light, resembling a star of the first magnitude. It is visible at the distance of five or six leagues, and lesser dis- tances, according to the state of the atmosphere. It has answer- ed all the good purposes anticipated, both in regard to the ship- ping interest generally, and those engaged in the herring-fishery at Peterhead and along the coast. Burnhaven. — Besides Boddam, Burnhaven is the only village in the parish not now included within the Parliamentary boundary of the burgh. It is a small fishing village, which has lately been erected under that name, on the north side of the bay of Sand- ford, by George Mudie, Esq. of Meethill. The houses are near- ly on a level with the high water-mark at the bottom of the sea braes, and near the mouth of the burn of Invernettie — hence its name. There have been already built 23 houses, and six more have been contracted for. Seven herring boats belong to this vil- lage ; three of which are to fish this season at home, and four at Peterhead. A small harbour or landing place for the accommoda- tion of these boats has been erected by Mr Mudie, at an expense of about L.300. Ecclesiastical State. — The parish church has already been de- scribed as standing at the entrance into the town from the south and west. It is about three miles and a half distant from the ex- tremity of the parish. It was built in 1803, has repeatedly under- gone repairs, and is at present in excellent condition. It is capa- ble of containing nearly 2000 sitters. There are twelve free sit- tings appropriated for the elders. A new manse was built soon after the last Statistical Account was written. The glebe consists of upwards of nine Scots acres of good land, which is worth annual- ly about L. 50, and the gardens extend to about one acre and a quarter, the manse being situated in them. The stipend was last modified in 1821. It is 18 chalders of victual, half meal, half bar- ley, payable at the highest fiar prices for the county, and L. 10 for communion elements, which was afterwards extended by the 382 ABERDEENSHIRE. heritors to L.20, in consequence of the sacrament being dispensed twice a year. East or quoad sacra Parish Church. — This church was opened as a preaching station in connection with the Estabhshed Church in October 1834. The Rev. James Yuille was inducted minister in 1835. The church is seated for 700 persons, and the number of communicants (February 1837) was 415. The stipend is L.120 per annum, and, in the event of the revenue amounting to L.200, the stipend is to be augmented to L.150. There is an endow- ment of L.IO in aid of the revenue. Episcopal Chapel. — The present church was erected in 1814. It is seated for 800 persons. The number belonging to the con- gregation is from 1400 to 1500. United Associate Congregation. — The church belonging to this congregation is calculated to contain about 450 sitters. The late Mr John Robertson, farmer in Collielaw, in this parish, mortified some property, for behoof of the Seceders in Windmill Street, which, since that congregation ceased to exist, has been transferred to this congregration. The property yields about L.80 per an- num, of which L.IO is applied to charitable purposes, and the re- mainder towards payment of the clergyman's stipend. Independents. — The place of worship of this congregation, for- merly belonging to the Secession, is not quite so large as that be- longing to the United Associate congregation. The number of persons belonging to this congregation has not been ascertained ; but it is believed that it has rather been on the decrease of late. Methodists. — There is a place of worship belonging to this sect, capable of containing about 200 persons. They are supplied with a preacher once a fortnight from Aberdeen. The congrega- tion is understood not to be equal to the extent of accommodation in the church. Members of Established Church. — The number of families at- tending the parish church has not been precisely ascertained ; it probably amounts to 1000, — the whole number of families in the town and parish being about 1700. The number of persons of all ages connected with the Established Church is not less than 5000, the gross population being reckoned 8000, which must be very near the truth ; for, adding to 6695, the population according to the census in 1831, 1000 as the number of seamen who were not included, and 305 as the probable increase for the last six years, we have 8000. Here the practice of exacting seat rents universally prevails PETERHEAD. 383 Sums varyinp^ from 2s. to 6s. are charged and paid for each sitting. The sacrament of the Lord's supper, since 1822, has been dis- pensed twice a year, previous to which period the number of com- municants was as high as 1900, and there has without doubt been an increase since that time. The number of communicants in both the EstabUshed Churches at each celebration now varies from 1200 to 1500, and as the seafaring part of the population is for the most part absent at the summer sacrament, and many of those in the country part of the parish cannot conveniently attend in winter, the number of those belonging to the Established Church, who communicate at least once a year, cannot be less than 2000. Education. — The parish school has for upwards of forty years been taught in a room in the town-house, which is vested in the community of feuars, and for which the landward heritors pay a • small sum of yearly rent. Of late the room has been found to be inconvenient, in consequence of the noise arising from apartments immediately below it, these apartments being used as market-places, and from the market stance being immediately in front of the town-house. The present schoolmaster, in consequence of these circumstances, has applied to have a school and school-house erected in terms of the statute ; and this has led to an inquiry whether the landward heritors are bound to erect such a parish school as is required for the town and parish of Peterhead ; or whether the erection of a parish school and school-house is not a parochial burden, to be borne, the same as the erection of the pa- rish church, by both the heritors of the parish, and the feuars of the town according to their real rents. In order to avoid the ad- judication of this point in a court of law, the principal heritors lately agreed to assess themselves in the sum of L.400, if the feu- ars and inhabitants would raise L.300 by voluntary contribution, and the Governors of the Maiden Hospital, with their usual liberali- ty, agreed to give a site for the school and school-house, gratis, to the extent of a quarter of an acre. A near prospect was thus af- forded of having such a parish school and school-house as the ex- tent of the parish of Peterhead seemed to require. But in the meantime, a delay has taken place in consequence of one or two of the smaller heritors having refused to contribute their share of the L.400, and in consequence of some individuals wishing to su- persede the parish school, by the establishment of an academy on a larger scale, to be conducted, as has been held out by some of 384 ABERDEENSHIRE. the projectors, independently of the supervision of the clergy of the Established Church, while others of the supporters of the academy scheme are decidedly against the voluntary principle, and there can be little doubt that these will form a large majority. It is not to be expected that an academy could supply the place of a parish school, although it might with advantage be joined to it, and, therefore, it may be anticipated, that, at no distant period, the heritors and feuars will be able to carry into effect their deter- mination to have a proper and suitable parish school, and at the same time avoid the expense of a litigation to ascertain their legal liabilities. At present the parochial schoolmaster has the maximum salary of L.34, 4s. 4^d., and an allowance of L.13 for a dwelling-house and garden, besides participating in the Dick bequest. Another school is taught in the town-house, in a room afforded gratuitously by the feuars. This school has been denominated the Town's School. The present teacher received his appointment from the baron bailies and the feuar's managers ; and he was ap- pointed to teach seven poor children, for which he receives L.IO per annum, in terms of a bequest by the late Mr William Rhind, baker. There is a Lancasterian school under the superintendence of the clergyman of the Episcopal chapel, the master of which receives a salary of L. 20 per annum, from funds mortified by the late Dr Anderson of St Christophers. There are besides, in the town, two schools conducted by ladies, in which the higher branches of fe- male education, such as Music, French, Drawing, &c. are taught by experienced and well qualified instructors. Besides these, there are six other schools in the town, and two in the country part of the parish, chiefly for the ordinary branches of education, viz. reading, writing, and arithmetic. The branches taught in the parish school not only embrace English from its lowest stages, Grammar, arithmetic, and Latin, but also the various subdivisions of mathematics, geography, his- tory, Greek, and French ; and this renders additional accommoda- tion the more necessary, and which, it may be expected, will, ere long, be obtained. At a former period, the schools in the town-house were con- ducted so as to confine each to a particular department, the pa- rochial schoolmaster taking the languages, and the other writing, arithmetic, and mathematics. This arrangement, it is believed, was conducive to the interests of both, as well as to the abridge- 4 PETERHEAD. 385 ment of the labour of the teachers, and it may again prove advan- tageous, if adopted. The number of scholars attending the different schools through- out the year may probably exceed 700. Although the people in this parish are generally alive to the be- nefits of education, yet there can be no doubt that some of them are brought up without receiving an adequate education, and that ample room remains for the endowment of a charity school, where the poorest children might be educated at very reduced fees. The extreme distance from the parish school is four miles, that is, to the south and west of the parish. The children in these districts attend either the school at Boddam or the school at Miekle Cocklaw; and it is a question worthy of consideration, when the proper time arrives, whether these schools should not be erected into parochial schools. Sabbath Schools. — There are several Sabbath schools, both in connection with the Established Church, and with other denomi- nations. These schools are numerously attended, particularly by females ; and they appear to have effected much good. The school under the superintendence of the church-session has lately been much extended, and is now taught within the church. There is also a numerous Sabbath school taught in the East or quoad sacra Parish Church. Literature. — There is no library connected with the parish church ; but it is understood that there are several small libraries belonging to the religious congregations in the town.* Connected with the quoad sacra parish church, more particularly, there is a library supported by congregational subscription, consist- ing of 240 volumes. There is also another library, consisting of 106 volumes, belonging to a religious instruction class, which is taught by the pastor, and meets every Monday evening. The principal library in the town is that belonging to the Read- ing Society, instituted in 1808. This Society is managed by a committee of its own members elected annually. The members pay a yearly subscript-ion of a guinea, and none but members are entitled to the use of the books. The library consists of about 1500 volumes of standard works, embracing the Bridgewater Trea- tises ; the seventh edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica, now pub- lishing ; the Edinburgh, Quarterly, and London and Westminster Reviews ; the New Statistical Account of Scotland, now publish- * There is now a library in cannection with the parish church. ABERDEEN. B b 386 ABEllDEENSHIKE. ing ; Sir Walter Scott's works ; Alison's History of Europe ; the philosophical works of Raid and Stewart, Hume, Beattie, &c. Another library was instituted in October 1836, under the name of the " Peterhead Mechanics' Library." It already contains upwards of 200 volumes, consisting of religious, historical, and scientific works. Scientific Association. — The only scientific society here is the " Peterhead Association for Science, Literature, and the Arts." This Society was established in 1835. At its monthly meetings there are occasional lectures, and the Society is in the course of fitting up a museum, to which various donations have already been made of shells, minerals, antiques, &c. News-Room. — The news-room is supported by the annual sub- scription of a guinea from each of the readers. There are received three London daily papers, a daily shipping list, an Edinburgh paper thrice a vt^eek, and the Aberdeen Journal. Friendly Societies. — When the last Statistical Account of this parish was written, there were nine friendly Societies in the town ; subsequently several others were formed, and the greatest num- ber at any time was seventeen. After the passing of the Act 10 Geo. IV, which made it imperative on Societies to remodel their rules, and adopt tables founded on the scheme of mutual assur- ances, a general panic arose among the members of nearly all these Societies. Few of them could be convinced of the advantages which the Legislature had in view by the alteration which was thus forced upon them, and so averse we're they to adopt the scheme proposed, that they refused to make that inquiry into the state of their funds which time had rendered necessary. No fewer than ten friendly Societies in the town of Peterhead were entirely broken up in the course of a year or two, and their funds divided among the members. This was the more to be re- gretted, as the greater part, if not the whole of these Societies were possessed of very considerable funds, and, up to the time of their dissolution, had continued to pay annuities to the widows and children of deceased members, and to members in old age, the want of which, particularly among a certain class of the commu- nity, has since been severely felt ; and although in some instances it might have been found on investigation, that a reduction in the amount of annuities would have been necessary, in order to put all on an equal footing, and secure the stability of the institutions, yet, in every case the funds were in such a state that great advan- PETERHEAD. 387 tages would have resulted from the Societies being kept up. An instance of this extraordinary spirit has recently shown itself among the members of the Seamen Friendly Society, formerly the Pilot Society. The funds of this Society amount to about L. 1500 ; both the contributors and those receiving relief are comparatively few in number, and many of the former are in the better ranks of life. In the course of the present year it has been resolved to dis- solve this Society, and divide the funds. At present the following Societies, much to the credit of the members, exist in the town : — Merchant, instituted in 1712. Revenue. House rents and feu-duties, Interest of L. 2774 lent, Contributions from 21 members at 3s. each, Expenditure Three annuitants at L. 10, Four do. L. 7, 10s, Five do. L. 3, Present yearly sinking fund, subject to expenses of repairs to houses, and other contingencies L. 173 4 10 L.175 4 10 Trades, instituted in 1728. Revenue^ House rents, - - - L. 102 9 Contributions from 09 members at 4s. - - 13 16 Expenditure. Nineteen annuitants at 13s. . - L. 14 3 Two families of orphans at 13s. - 110 Liferent annuity for money borrowed, 13 Interest of L. 693 borrowed, - 27 16 Present sinking fund, subject to repairs of houses and other contingencies, 37 14 _ L.57 11 3 _ _ 112 8 7 - 3 5 L. 30 30 25 ;ies, 90 4 10 L. 116 3 L. 116 3 Keith Lodge of Masons, instituted in 1734. Revenue. House rents, about L.62 Contributions from 128 members at 4s. 23 12 Expenditure. -Fifteen annuitants at 18s. L.13 10 Forty annuitants at 10s. 21 One family of orphans. Interest of L.480 borrowed. 19 10 4 Present sinking fund, subject to repairs of houses and other contingencies, . . 33 8 9 L.87 12 L.87 12 Weaver, instituted in 1778. Revenue. House rents, L.56 Contributions of 40 members at 4s. 3d. • • 8 10 L,64 10 388 ABERDEENSHIRE. Brouglat forward, L.64 10 Expenditure. T\ventv-t\vo annuitants at 10s. • L.ll Twelve do. at 15s. . . • 9 Interest on L.600 borrowed, . • 24 Present yearly sinking fund, subject to expenses of repairs on bouses, &c. . . -20 10 L.64 10 L.64 ID Gardener, instituted in 1 760 Revenue. House rents, .... Contributions of 10 members at 4s. Expenditure Forty annuitants at 15s. Eight amiuitanfs at 9s. Interest of money borrowed. Present yearly sinking fund, subject to repaii-s on houses, &c. L.45 2 L.30 3 12 9 4 8 L.47 L.47 Buchan Farmer, instituted in Revenue. Rents of houses and interest of money lent, . L. 104 5 Contributions of 23 members at 5s. • . 5 15 Expenditure. Ten annuitants at L.5, . . L 50 Pi'esent yeaiiy sinking fund, subject to expenses of repairs on houses, &c. . 60 L. 110 L. 110 None of these Societies have as yet availed themselves of the information collected and published by the Highland and Agri- cultural Society, and prepared tables of the rates on which the members ought to be admitted and contribute to the funds accord- ing to their ages ; although some of them adopted the means of ascertaining the state of their funds a few years ago, and altered the amount of their annuities accordingly. The Farmer Society has within these few years adopted a gra- duated scale for the admission of new members ; but it does not appear to have been prepared according to any correct data, nor with the view of the present state of the society's funds. By this scale each member of 25 years of age and under pays on admis- sion L.5. Those above 25 and under 41 years of age pay 10s. additional for every year their age exceeds 25 ; and those of 41 years of age and upwards pay L. 2 for every year exceeding 40. When the age of a member on admission exceeds by ten years that of his wife, he pays L. 2 additional of entrant dues for every year above ten that his wife's age is under his own. When the PETEEHEAD. 380 difference in the age does not exceed ten years, there is no addi- tional payment required. Savings Bank. — A Savings Bank was estabhshed in Peterhead in May 1824. It has been attended with very considerable bene- fit to the working-classes. The treasurer and one of the directors attend every Tuesday night to receive deposits. The accounts are audited once a year, and have been found to be kept with the greatest accuracy. On the 9th of March 1837, there were 295 depositors, and, including periodical interest, the sum deposited amounted to L.2095, 7s. 2d. Poor and Parochial Funds. — The number of persons receiving pa- rochial aid is from 270 to 280, and the averacre allowance to reo^ular paupers is about 15s. per annum. The annual average amount of con- tributions for relief of the poor is L.252; of which from L.160 to L. 170 arises from church collections, including the proportion of the collections from the East or quoad sacra Parish Church; L.20 to L.25 derived from the fees for the proclamation of banns, certificates, registration of births, &c. appropriated to that purpose by the ses- sion at the appointment of the present clerk; L.22 to L.26 inte- rest of L.650 from 3^ to 4 per cent. ; about L. 10 a year from pe- nalties exacted in cases of church discipline, and for the use of the mortcloth; and from legacies and donations, which, of course, are variable, being seldom under L. 5, and more rarely exceeding L.50. No other mode of procuring funds for the poor has hither- to been adopted; but, from the increased number of claimants within the last few years, arising in part from the dissolution of friendly societies, it is probable that some other means must soon be resorted to. Coal Fund. — This fund was established about sixteen years ago. It is supported by voluntary contributions made annually about the beginning of the year, and .is managed by the representatives of- the congregations of every religious denomination in the town. The managers meet together and examine the claims of all appli- cants, and admit such cases as they know to be fit, whether the parties have made application or not. The objects of the charity are the poor belonging to the town ; and it has only been in a very few instances that parties in the country part of the parish have been allowed to participate in the benefits, in consequence of particular recommendation. The amount of donations has varied during the last sixteen Years from L. 53, 16s. 6d., the lowest, to L. 68, 2s,, the high- 390 ABERDEENSHIRE. est. The number of poor supplied with coals has also varied from 287 to 342, (the average number throughout the whole period having been 311,) and the quantity of coals given to each has been equal to 4^ cwts. As soon,as the annual contributions are collected, the coals are distributed at that season of the year when the poor are in the greatest want of them. The whole management reflects the greatest credit on those who have undertaken it, (it being con- ducted gratuitously) and has given great satisfaction. The managers of the fund have received several small legacies, some of which they are left at liberty to apply to the purposes of the fund, and others are under the restriction, that only the annual rent shall be so applied. From the liberality of the public the managers have been enabled to reserve the whole amount of le- gacies, only applying the annual rents. These they have lent out on good security to the amount of L. 100, besides a small sum in the bank; and they intend, if circumstances permit, to act on the same laudable principle in regard to other legacies which may be left them by benevolent individuals. Pauper^ Lunatic, and Orphan Fund. — An association was form- ed in 1827, under the name of the Peterhead Pauper, Lunatic, and Orphan Fund. It is supported by an annual collection from each of the congregations in the town, and by donations and be- quests. The objects entitled to relief from the fund are orphans and lunatics having a legal claim on the parish. This institution is managed by delegates appointed by the session and managers of the different churches. The present number of objects is ten lu- natics and ten orphans. The receipts and expenditure average from L. 60 to L. 80 per annum. This fund has been judiciously administered, and of the greatest advantage to the public ; and has, to a considerable extent, miti- gated the sufferings of those for whose benefit it was established. It is to be regretted that more ample means have not been placed at the disposal of the managers. PETERHEAD. 391 392 ABERDEENSHIRE, Female Society^ — This Society was instituted in 1819. Its ob- ject is to assist deserving poor females, who are not in the practice of receiving weekly charity ; but in cases of sickness this condition may be dispensed with. It is under the management of three ladies, viz. a president, treasurer, and secretary, and a committee of twelve ladies, all elected annually. Two of these ladies in ro- tation visit the poor, and distribute the charity every month. The number of poor receiving aid from this institution is limited to 85, Young widows left with children receive aid until the youngest ar- rives at the age of six. From L. 70 to L. 80 are annually distri- buted by this institution. It has fully realized the benevolent in- tentions of its projectors, and is well deserving of the patronage and support of the public at large, which it has hitherto received. Fairs. — The weekly market here is held on Fridays, and is well supplied with all sorts of provisions and garden stuffs. There are two half-yearly markets, chiefly for the feeing of servants, held re- spectively on the first Tuesday after Whitsunday, and the first Tuesday after Martinmas. These markets are of very long stand- ing, having been established in 1669 by authority of an act of Charles II. passed in that year, in favour of William Earl Maris- chall. InnSi &^c.- — There are 46 licensed public-houses, and 28 licensed spirit-dealers in the town. The new inn, kept by Mr D. Fraser, is the principal one, where the daily coaches arrive and depart. The inn is large, commodious, and neatly fitted up ; and, under Mr Fraser's management, affords every comfort at a reasonable expense. Mr Fraser has a lease of the Mason Society's Cold Baths, and has lately added to his establishment a handsome bil- liard-room. Fuel. — About twenty or thirty years ago moss found in the neighbourhood was very generally used for fuel ; but this has been now almost superseded by coal, which is the common fuel through- out the town. Miscellaneous Observations. The improvements which have been effected in this parish since last Account was written are considerable. Some of these will be seen by the short comparative view subjoined of the state and cir- cumstances of the parish before the time of Dr Moir and the pre- sent time. This will serve a double purpose, in presenting and preserving a statement of the more prominent parts contained in Dr Moir's account relative to the then state of the parish i while, at PETERHEAD. 393 the same time, it will exhibit, in a condensed form, and of easy re- ference, much of the information contained in this account. Population. — In Dr Moir's time, the population in the town amounted to 2550, and in the landward part of the parish to 1 141 ; total 3691. By the census of 1831, the population in the town amounted to 5112, and in the landward part of the parish to 1583; total 6695. To which add the estimated number of seamen, 1000, and the probable increase since that time 315, which gives as the present population, 8000. In Boddam, separately, there were 192 inhabitants; houses and families, 49. The population of Boddam is now 460 ; houses and families, 99. The average number of births per annum was 105 ; it is now 270. The average number of deaths was 68; it is now 144. The average number of marriages was 28; it is now 51. Agriculture. — The extent of the parish is stated by Dr Moir to be 7000 Scots acres, of which there were under cultivation 5000. It has been ascertained that there are 7087 Scots acres, or nearly so, in the parish, of which there are now cultivated 6505 Scots acres, = 8266 imperial acres. Turnips and grass were only partially cultivated. Turnips and grass now form an essential part of the rotations of cropping fol- lowed here, and are very extensively cultivated. The arable land was interspersed with baiuks or patches between the ridges of waste and uncultivated land. The bawks have now been cultivated, the land drained and partly enclosed, and laid off in regular fields to answer the" rotations agreed upon. The implements of husbandry were in general very inferior. The ploughs formerly in use here, called Scotch ploughs, were, according to Dr Moir, often drawn by two horses with a cow or young steer. " I have even seen," he says, " a plough with one horse, a cow, and a young steer." The implements of husbandry are now greatly improved in their construction and increased in number, embracing all those which have been found useful in other districts of the country. There were no thrashhig-machines, and but few fanners. There is now no farm of any importance to which there is not attached a thrashing-machine ; and fanners are possessed by the crofters. The average rent in the country part of the parish was 12s. per acre. Near the town it was from L. 1, 10s. to L. 4, 4s. The 394 ABERDEENSHIRE. gross rents of land in the parish amounted to from L. 2800 to L. 3000. The wages of male servants were from L. 5 to L. 8 ; maid-servants from L. I to L. 1, 10s. The average rent of land in the country part of the parish is now about L. 1, 2s. ; near the town it is about L. 4, 10s. The rents now amount to L. 10,136, 19s. 8d. as near as can be ascertained. The amount of servant's wages may be fairly stated to be at least doubled. The building of earthen fences cost from 2d. to 3d. per yard ; faced with stones, 6d. ; complete stone fences, Is. Earthen fences now cost from 5d. to 7d. per yard; faced with stone Is. to Is. 6d. ; complete stone fences, 2s. to 3s. Dr Moir complains that the roads were kept in bad repair ; and that there were no turnpike roads. Turnpike roads were made in 1812, and other roads leading to and from the various possessions in the parish have been much increased in number, and are kept in good repair. Trade and Shipping, Sfc. — The number of taverns was 30. There are now 46. The post-office revenue was L. 280 per annum. The post- office revenue has amounted to L. 817, 16s. per annum on an average of the last seven years. There were two bank agents. There are now four. The number of ships belonging to this place was 26, and the tonnage of these 3000 tons. The number of ships is now (July 1837) 85, and their tonnage 11,429 tons. There was one ship sent to Greenland. There are now ten ships employed in the whale fishing. There were no London traders. There are now five vessels regularly employed in the London trade. These find ample em- ployment in conveying cattle and other produce of the district to the English market, and supplying the merchants and traders of this place with goods. There were exported on an average of the five years from 1789 to 1794 — of beans and pease 186 bolls; of bear 1173; of oats 771 ; total 2130. The quantity of grain exported in 1836 was 27,164 quarters; and this is about the average amount. The meal exported from 1789 to 1794, on an average of the five years, was 9216 bolls. The meal exported in 1836 \yas 14,424 bolls. The harbour dues amounted to L. 94. The harbour dues amounted for the year ending at 1st March 1837, to L. 2879. PETERHEAD. 395 Manufactures. — A thread manufactory was at one time carried on in this place. The manufacture of thread has been disconti- nued, but there is reason to believe, that it might be again carried on with advantage. Woollen cloth was rather extensively manufactured. This business is now carried on only to a very limited extent. There was formerly a distillery of whisky. There is now no such distillery. Fishing, — Boddam and Ronheads were the only fishing vil- lages in the parish. The village of Boddam has been greatly enlarged. The Ronheads remains the same as when the last Ac- count was written. Other two villages have arisen — Buchanhaven and Burnhaven — at both of which the different fishings are carried on to a considerable extent. There was then no herring-fishery. This is a new and most extensive branch of industry, of which a short account has already been given. There was no light-house on this part of the coast. This de- fect has now been remedied, and a short account of the Buchan- ness Light-house has also been given. Salmon sold at from 2d. to 2^d. per lb. Salmon now sells at from 6d. to Is. The salmon exported yearly amounted to from 50 to 60 barrels. There are not now so many exported, — the Ugie salmon-fishing having fallen off considerably. The rent of the Ugie salmon-fishing was L.IOO. The rent of it is now only L. 45. Stipend^ §^c. — The stipend was 5 chalders meal, 3 chalders bear, and L.41, 13s. 4d. in money, and L. 8, 6s. 8d. for communion elements. The stipend is now 18 chalders, half meal, half bar- ley, at the highest fiar prices for the county, and L. 20 for com- munion elements. The number of those receiving parochial aid was from 70 to 80. There are now from 270 to 280 receiving parochial aid. The schoolmaster's salary was 13 bolls and 2 firlots of meal, and L. 3, 6s. 8d. in money. The schoolmaster now enjoys the maximum salary of L. 34, 4s. 4^d., besides what he may receive from the trusteeSsof the late Mr Dick. The town was not supplied with spring water. The town is now supplied with excellent spring water, and in sufficient abun- dance for every purpose. 396 ABERDEENSHIRE. The streets were in want of repairs. The streets are now kept in good repair. Side paths with crib paving have been made — obstructions have been removed — and the town protected by bul- warks from the sea. The streets were not lighted in winter. They are now lighted with gas. Drawn up September 1837; Revised September 1840 PARISH OF PITSLIGO. PRESBYTERY OF DEER, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. EDWARD HUME, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — The name of this parish was derived from the estate of Lord Pitsligo, of whose lands it was originally composed, and signifies in Gaelic " Hollow Shell." Extent, S^c. — This parish contains about 9 square miles, is of the figure of a trapezoid, and one of the most compact in Buchan. The extent of coast is about 4 miles. The shore on the eastern half, extending from the burgh of Rosehearty to the confines of the pa- rish of Fraserburgh, is partly sand and partly rock, loose and flat ; the western half, extending from Rosehearty to the confines of the parish of Aberdour, consists of high and bold rocks, full of fissures of great extent and depth. The parish is bounded on the north by the Moray Frith for a distance of four miles. It abounds in springs of the best qua- lity, and also in mineral springs highly impregnated with iron. II. — Civil History. Eminent Men. — The only individuals of any note connected with this parish, were the celebrated Andrew Cant, and the last Lord Pitsligo. The former was tutor, it would appear, in the fa- mily of the first Lord Pitsligo about 1630-33, and was the first minister of this parish after its formation in 1634. He was after- wards translated in 1639, to the parish of Newbattle, and thence to the West Church in Aberdeen, in 1641, — which cure he serv- ed till his death in 1663. His tombstone is to be seen in the west side of that churchyard. Mr Cant must have been a man of some PITSLIGO. 397 consequence during his incumbency at Pitsligo, as the church still retains his name, _being called "Cant's Kirk" by the fishermen. He was distinguished as a defender of the Covenant, and was said to be " a mortal enemy to the bishops." Although there are neither session nor presbytery records of this date, it is more than probable that Cant was succeeded by Mr Duncan Forbes, of whom mention is made in the presbytery records of date 8th November 1649; a person held in high esteem ; and, in August 1650, he was unanimously " nominated" minister of Fra- serburgh, by " the whole elders and other gentlemen and honest men present ;" but the synod refused his "transplantation." In No- vember of the same year he was desired to accept a charge in Aber- deen ; but this matter seems to have been afterwards dropped. " In 1651, at a visitation of Deer, this sanie Mr Duncan Forbes having preached on Mat. ii. verses 7, 8, 9, is approven by all as having preached powerfully to the conscience, and pertinently to the times." Wodrow, in his Church History, Vol. i. p. 329, (Burns's edition,) states, that the same Mr Duncan Forbes was one of the seven in this presbytery who were tyrannically cast out of their parishes after the Restoration of Charles II. The kirk-session record of '26th May 1665 states, " the which day Mr* Alexander Swan was ordained mi- nister in this parish." The presbytery record of date 170 1 alludes to a Mr William Swan as being incumbent in Pitsligo ; but as both parochial and presbyterial records are very defective about this period, nothing farther can be ascertained than that they were brothers, and Episcopal clergymen ; the latter of whom was deposed in 1716, with several others, for their nonjuring prin- ciples and irregular conduct. The last Lord Pitsligo wrote a small work entitled " Thoughts concerning Man's Duties in this Life, and his Hopes in the world to come;" prefixed to a late edition of which is an interesting biographi- cal sketch of his Lordship by Lord Medwyn. Alexander, fourth Lord Forbes of Pitsligo, the only son, succeeded his father in 1691, took the oaths and his seat in Parliament 24th May 1700 ; adhered to the Duke of Athole's protest against the Union, 25th December 1705; and did not attend the Parliament in 1706-7, when that treaty was settled. He engaged in the Rebellion in 1715; but no notice seems to have been taken of his defection. He publish- ed, in 1734, essays, moral and philosophical ; engaged in the Re- bellion 1 745, after the battle of Preston, and, being considered 398 ABERDEENSHIRE. by his neighbours as a very prudent man, his example drew many into the same course. He was attainted by the title of Lord Pit- sligo, and his honours and estate were forfeited. He claimed his estate before the Court of Session on account of the misnomer, his true title being Lord Forbes of Pitsligo, and that court gave judgment in his favour, 16th November 1749. But on an appeal it was reversed by the House of Lords, on 1st February 1750. He died at Auchiries, in Aberdeenshire, on 21st December 1762. Land-owners. — The only heritors are, Sir John Stuart Forbes, Bart. ; John Duff Dingwall, Esq. of Brucklaw and Corsindae ; and Lord Saltoun. Parochial Registers. — -The earliest date of the parochial register is 1676: it contains an account of session matters only. From 1720 the entries are more regular. No register of deaths was ever kept, and that of births is very irregularly kept. Antiquities.-^-The only ruins of any note in this parish are the Castles of Pitsligo and Pittulie, both situated on the property of Sir John S. Forbes, and overlooking the sea. The former had evidently been a strongly built castle, the walls being from six to seven feet thick, and probably reared nearly three centuries ago. The ground around is planted with young wood, and the garden still yields some of the finest fruit to be found in the county. The latter castle, it is supposed, must have been built by the Saltoun family, as their coat of arms, carved in stone, is still legible on the original part of the building : it was, however, afterwards enlarged by the Cummings, in whose possession the property long was. HI. — Population. The ancient state of the population cannot be accurately traced. Population in 1801, - 1256 1811, - 1330 1821, - 1377 1831, - 1439 Families employed in agriculture in 1831, 93 trade, manufactures or handicraft, 33 fishing, 73 All other families, 97 320 The increase may be ascribed, in a great measure, to the more extensive prosecution of the fishing trade, especially the herrino-- fishing, which, until thirty years ago, had never been attempted on this coast. In the landward part of the parish, the population for some time back has rather decreased, in consequence of many PITSLIGO. 399 crofts and small farms, on which large families often resided, hav- ing- been thrown into more extensive ones. Number of families in Pittulie, - - 41 Rosehearty, including the Seatown, - 152 in coimtry part of the parish, - 1 16 Total number of families in the parish, 309 Number of souls in Rosehearty, including the Seatown, - 600 Pittulie, about - - 200 Total, 800 From census in 1831, - - - 1439 Deduct 800 Leaves number of souls in the country part, 639 Rosehearty is a burgh of barony, created by Royal charter, of date 13th July 1681 ; of which John DufF Dingwall, Esq. of Bruck- law and Corsindae is superior. It contains about 600 souls. It has a weekly market on Saturday, with a regular post-office and daily runner to Fraserburgh. The revenue of its harbour amounts to about L.70 per annum. There is erecting at Sandhaven, the most easterly point of the parish, by Sir John S. Forbes, Bart, of Pitsligo, and the Fishery Board, a new fishing harbour, which, it is considered, will be of great benefit to this coast. The fishing village of Pittulie, on the property of Sir John S. Forbes, Bart., lies a quarter of a mile north-west of Sandhaven. It contains about 200 souls. IV. — Industry. Agriculture. — The agriculture of this parish stood long in a backward state, compared with the husbandry of the south of Scot- land ; but since the conclusion of the American war in 1782, im- provement has proceeded with singular rapidity; and while the rent-rolls of proprietors have been much augmented, the circum- stances of the tenantry have been ameliorated in a proportional degree. Almost the whole of this parish is enclosed by substantial stone dikes, and there is ample material for enclosing the remainder, which is progressing rapidly. The late Sir William Forbes, grandfather to the present Sir John S. Forbes, set the first example in this respect, not only by enclosing many fields on his own estate at his own expense, but by introducing a clause in the general articles of his estate, — " that all his tenants should be entitled to payment of sixpence per ell of stone dike as soon as an enclosure was completed, the remain- der of the value to be paid at the expiry of the lease." The con- 400 AteEEDEENSHIRE. sequence is, that nearly the whole of his valuable property in this parish is now well fenced. The other proprietors in the parish soon followed the example, and gave liberal encouragement to their tenants in regard to en- closing and building houses. The number of acres, standard imperial measure, in this parish, which have been cul- tivated or occasionally in tillage is - - - - 3920 susceptible of improvement, _ _ _ 200 in roads, houses, &c. ... - 280 Total acres, ' - 4400 The commons were divided about twenty-five years ago. Planting. — The parish is very destitute of wood, having only about eighteen acres of planting, chiefly belonging to Sir John S. Forbes. The late Sir William planted most of it. As|i, elm, and larch seem to be the only wood congenial to this soil and climate. The first great difficulty in rearing of wood in this part of Buchan, is to get a barrier against the prevailing north- erly gales, which have a blighting, withering influence ; that diffi- culty once overcome, neither the climate nor soil seems to be ad- verse to the growth of hard-wood. Of the eighteen acres of planting alluded to, eight only are worthy of notice, the other eight being scattered, neglected, and exposed to the storms. The eight thriving acres are in one en- closure, not far from the church, and every attention is paid yearly to thinning, pruning, &c. Rent. — The average rent of the arable land is about 19s. 6d. per acre ; while the pasture or unimproved land is scarcely worth any thing in its present state, which can only be reclaimed by draining and trenching, at an expense of not less than from L. 8 to L. 12 per acre. The great obstacles to the improvement of low-lying land is the wantof leading water runs, particularly in marshes, or wherever there is a strong current ; an improvement which ought to be effected at the proprietor's expense. It would enable the farmer to drain and prevent damage from inundation. Wages. — The winter wages of good ploughmen are from L.5 to L.6, 10s. ; foremen and very superior servants realize a little more; boys and other supernumeraries, from L.l, 10s. to L.4. In the summer half-year, men's wages generally advance from 5s. to 10s., and again retrograde in the winter half-year. Wo_ men's wages range from L. 2 to L. 3 in the summer half-year, and from L.l, 10s. to L. 2 in the winter Mialf-year, according 3 PITSLIGO. 401 to their character in the country. Labourers get Is. per day in summer with victuals, and Is. 6d. without victuals. In winter, la- bourers' wages may be stated at from 8d. to lOd., with two meals per day ; but they are generally very ill employed during the win- ter months. Square wrights, who work by the day, charge 1 s. 6d. with victuals ; masons, '2s. 6d. to 3s. per day without victuals ; slaters the same. Live-Stock. — What is called the pure Aberdeenshire breed of cattle has been propagated in this parish from time immemorial. About five years ago, a few farmers joined and introduced a short- horned bull. The crosses with the Buchan cows have given every satisfaction. The cross breeds, which have been fed at the same stall from the birth with Buchan stock, have generally realized more money at the end of the third year. The pure Hereford cattle were introduced to this parish two years ago. The yearling crosses promise well, but nothing decided can as yet be said about them. The farmer's object now is to procure a breed of cattle, uniting early maturity with propensity to fatten. The general system of farming here is alternate cropping, either upon a five or seven-shift. The fifth shift is adhered to in small possessions, while the seven shift is more common on the large farms. The fifth shift is, 1. turnips or potatoes ; 2. barley or oats with grass seeds ; 3. hay ; 4. grass ; 5. oats. The seventh shift is, 1. turnips or potatoes; 2. barley or oats with grass seeds; 3. hay ; 4. pasture ; 5. pasture ; 6. oats ; 7. oats. Soils. — The parish has a diversity of soils, viz. clay or loam, light black soil and moss : these are so interspersed, that almost every farm has a share of each, the light soils being at least in the propor- tion of four to one. Manure. — The farmers on the sea coast have the advantage of the drift sea-ware, which enables them not only to top-dress their leas, but to have a crop of barley instead of oats, on what is here pro- vincially called yavil, or the second crop after grass. Farmers two or three miles from the sea shore have a substitute for sea-ware in the article of herring refuse, which is to be found at Fraser- burgh and Rosehearty. It is mixed up with earth, and has a won- derful effect. As much may be had for L. 1 as will completely top-dress an acre. Farmers still farther removed from the coast make use of bone-dust for the additional manure they require. Leases. — The common duration of leases is nineteen years. Far- mers complain that proprietors do not inform them, two years before ABERDEEN, C C 402 ABERDEENSHIRE. the lease expires, whether or not they will renew it. This is of more consequence to the tenants than the proprietors are aware of. Practical farmers agree that the average crop of the whole pa- rish does not exceed three and a half quarters per acre of oats and barley. Wheat husbandry does not suit the climate. As near as can be ascertained, the quantity of ground planted with potatoes in this parish is 120 acres. The crop is supposed to average twen- ty bolls of 3 cwt. per acre ; perhaps from 1000 to 1200 bolls are annually exported to Yorkshire for seed. Reds are principally planted. Kidneys have gone into disuse. Manufactures. — The only article manufactured in the parish is kelp ; which, however, of late years, has been little attended to. A little is still made on the property of Sir John S. Forbes, more for the purpose of giving people employment than for realizing a profit. Twenty or thirty yeai's ago, it was an article of considerable im- portance, giving employment to upwards of seventy people. The quantity made in 1838 was only twenty tons. Twenty or thirty years ago, the quantity .made was generally about 140 tons. When the duty was taken off Spanish barilla, a severe blow was in- flicted upon the labouring classes throughout Scotland, engaged in the kelp manufacture. Machinery is superseding manual labour, wherever it can be introduced with propriety. Fourteen thrashing-mills are now in this parish ; six are propelled by water; seven by horses ; and one by wind. A sowing machine has also been tried this season, and much approved of. Fisheries. — This parish has two good fishing stations, viz. Rose- hearty, which has a very good harbour for vessels not exceedino- 70 tons burden; and Pittulie. At Rosehearty a considerable her- ring fishery is carried on, commencing about the middle of July, and ending about the first of September. In 1838, forty boats here prosecuted the herring-fishing with success equal to that of any other place in the Moray Frith ; each boat manned with five men or four men and a boy, and seven vessels were constantly employed attending the fishing. Three vessels belong to this port. The fish caught at Rosehearty and Pittulie are cod, ling, had- docks, skate, and small black fish, commonly called cole, saith, and poddlies. The surplus is generally exported to London, Edinburgh, and Glasgow. Several of the Rosehearty herring-boats set out about the first of March, to prosecute the cod and ling fishing off the Island of Tyree : they carry the produce of their fishing to PITSLIGO. 403 GlasgoM', and return home before the commencement of the her- ring^fishing, bringing along with them a cargo of coals. The rocky shore of Pitsligo does not supply the whole quantity of bait required by the fishermen ; but the deficiency is made up by what is procured from Tain, Dundee, or elsewhere along the coast. The fishermen in Rosehearty pay the superior of the burgh, John Duff Dingwall, Esq. of Brucklaw and Corsindae, L. 1 per man for the privilege of landing their fish, gathering bait and bed- ding their muscles. At Pittulie the fishermen pay L. 1, 5s. for the same privileges. V. — Parochial Economy. Means of Communication. — The parish is intersected in the centre by the Old Banff road and the Strichen road, the former running from east to west from Fraserburgh to Banff, the latter from north to south, leading from Rosehearty to Strichen, which divide the parish into four nearly equal parts. The parish is otherwise well accommodated with roads ; and a turnpike line lead- ing from Fraserburgh to Banff winds its way through the south- east corner, skirting as it were about two miles and a half of its boundary, and is of great importance to that side of the parish. Ecclesiastical State. — The parish church stands in the very centre of the parish, where the Strichen and old Banff roads. in- tersect each other. It was built in the year 1634, and is at pre- sent in good repair, having been lately tastefully embellished. The church spire, and the carved work in the aisle, are much admired. The land north of the church slopes to the sea, in a fall of about 300 feet, from which circumstance the church is seen at a great distance, and hence it is sometimes called " The Vi- sible Kirk," as well as " Cant's Kirk," from the distinguished individual of that name who was the first minister, and whose likeness, carved in stone, with his initials, is seen on the east end, outside. The church is said to be seated for 504, but it will hold, including the aisle, when crowded closely together, fully 600. The number of communicants on the parish roll is 550, and at all times the church is well attended. The manse was built about seventy years ago, and was last repaired in 1836. The glebe extends to about 10 acres, exclusive of the garden and ground in front of the manse, and if let would rent probably about L. 18 per annum, being enclosed. The stipend is paid partly in money, 404 ABERDEENSHIRE. and partly in kind, viz. in money, L, 170, with 21 bolls of barley, and 38 bolls of meal. The Crown is patron. There is only one Dissenting chapel in this parish which is in con- nection with the United Associate Synod. The stipend is paid from seat-rents, collections, and partly from the Congregational Union Fund, and amounts to about L. 80 per annum. The number of Dissenters in the parish is 205, viz. 169 Seceders and Independ- ents, 34 Episcopalians, 1 Baptist, and 1 Roman Catholic. On the 19th February 1717, Mr John Forbes was ordained Presbyterian clergyman at Fitsligo, first after the Revolution ; but two years afterwards, he was translated to Old Deer. On the 22d September 1720, Mr William Mercer was ordained minister. On the 4th May 1768, Mr David Stephenson was ordained minister : he died in January 1786. On September 21, 1786, Mr James Greig was ordained : he died on 15th October 1803. On the 13th June 1804, Mr Alexander Farquhar was admitted: he died 26th March 1834; and on 25th September 1834, the present in- cumbent was admitted. Education. — The school-house lately underwent a thorough re- pair, and the school-room, erected last year, at an expense of no less a sum than L.300, is of excellent workmanship, and much ad- mired. It is seated to hold about 120 scholars, and it can be en- larged without inconvenience to hold 150. The design was fur- nished by Mr Smith, architect in Aberdeen. There are six schools in this parish besides the parochial, — five of which are taught by females: two of the females have small salaries from the proprietors on whose properties they are situated. The pupils attending each of these six schools average about 30, The branches taught, are English reading and writing. The branches taught at the parochial school are, English read- ing and grammar, writing, arithmetic, book-keeping, practical ma- thematics, (by which term is meant mensuration of surfaces and solids, &c.) geography; — Latin and Greek when called for, which, however, seldom happens, — together with the elements of religious knowledge. The salary amounts to L. 34, 4s. 4^d. with an allow- ance of L. 2 for a garden. Amount of fees in 1835-6, paid and unpaid included, L. 35, 2s. 2d. The teacher has the legal accom- modation. There are few, if any persons, in the parish who cannot read and write. None of the families are too distant from the parish school ; and no child capable of going to school need be absent I PITSLIGO. 405 ' from it, for those not on the gratis list of the parish schoohnaster, have their fees paid by the kirk-session. Literature. — There is ahbrary connected with the parish school, which was established about two years ago, and now contains 100 volumes. With a view to promote and encourage a taste for read- ing, the rate of subscription was made upon the lowest possible scale, — so low, indeed, as to be altogether inadequate for the pur- chase of such a stock of books as is required to keep pace with the growing desire for information among the juvenile and even among the grown-up portion of the community. Friendly Societies. — There are several Friendly Societies in this parish, viz. Masons, Wrights, Shoemakers, Gardeners, and Fish- ers, many of them of long standing, and distributing large sums annually to widows and aged indigent members. That of the Ma- sons, entitled the Forbes Lodge of Masons, was instituted in 1775, and pays to sick and superannuated members, with widows and orphans, annually, no less a sum than L. 70. The others dis- tribute in all about L. 30. Poor and Parocliial Funds. — The following tables show the state of the poor, the number of them relieved, collections and distributions, &c. for the years 1835-36-37, as rendered to the Church Commissioners : Collections Years. in church. 18.35, L.44 17 4i 1836, 39 7 2' 18-37, 36 11 9 No. of poor on parish. Years. roll. Sum 1835, 38 L. 34 11 1836, 34 31 17 1837, 33 32 6 The above expenditure does not include the session-clerk's fee of L. 3 per annum, nor that of the church officer of L. 2, nor pos- tages, stamps, &c. The average sum given to the poor on the roll is 19s. 2d; to those occasionally relieved, 10s. 6d. The lowest sum given per quarter is 5s. ; the highest, at present, is 3s. per week. It may be added, that numerous donations and legacies have been paid to the session of Pitsligo, for behoof of the poor, since the commencement of the present century. The late James Brown, Esq. M. D., son of the late Mr Brown, Boghead, left a sum of L. 100, the interest of which is to be laid Mortcloth, Average of do. Donations. money, &c. Total. L. 16 3| L.5 L. 18 5 2 L.68 2 61 14 3t 5 12 6 1 56 13 3" 13 3| 5 13 5 54 16 9 No. of poor re- Total Total sum ceiving occa- Sum gi ven poor re- given through ;iven. sional relief. to d( 3. lieved. the year 36 L.21 9 2 64 L.56 2 35 18 4 Oi 69 50 1 OJ 33 15 18 4 68 48 14 4 406 ABEUDEENSHIRE. out in keeping the family tomb in repair ; and the surplus to be given to poor persons who had been servants or cottars in Boghead. The trustees are the minister and schoolmaster of Pitsligo, and the farmer in Boghead for the time being, October 1840. UNITED PARISHES OF AUCHINDOIR AND KEARN. PRESBYTEHY OF ALFORD, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. JAMES REID, A. M. MINISTER. THE REV. WILLIAM REID, A. M. Assistant and Successor. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name, 8fc. — The parishes of Auchindoir and Kearn were united by the annexation of Kearn to Auchindoir in ISIL Previous to this period Kearn was in union with Forbes ; but circumstances of local conveniency having led to a disjunction of these parishes, Forbes was united to Tullynessle, and Kearn annexed to Auchindoir. The name Auchindoir, by which both these parishes are now usually designated, is of Gaelic origin, and is said to signify the " field of pursuit." This derivation is supported by the historical fact mentioned by Buchanan, that " Luthlac, son of Macbeth, was slain by Malcolm in the valley of Bogie." Tradition refers to several tumuli on an extensive moor (now improved), about two miles south of the church, as the scene of battle where Luthlac was defeated, and also points out the spot, about four miles north- east from this, in the parish of Rhynie, where he was overtaken and slain. The circumstance of his being pursued through the valley of Auchindoir to the place of his death, may have given rise to its present appellation. Kearn is understood to be a corruption of cairn, there being a remarkable cairn or tumulus in that pa- rish ; but of the history of which there is no tradition. Extent, ^c. — These united parishes form an irregular figure, the length of which is about 7 miles, and the breadth about the same extent. They are bounded by Kildrummy on the south ; Rhynie on the north ; Cabrach on the west ; and Clatt and Tulleynessle AUCHINDOIR AxSD KEARN. 407 on the east. Aucbindoir is the much larger parish in point of superficial extent. Their general aspect is varied and uneven. This characteristic is particularly applicable to the eastern por- tion, comprehending the whole of the parish of Kearn, and the northern extremity of Aucbindoir. The surface here is either rais- ed into long undulating ridges of extremely dissimilar elevation, or depressed into deep valleys of every variety of breadth j seve- ral of which are marked with features of a very striking and pic- turesque appearance. Towards the southern extremity, the parish is of a more level description, with a gradual ascent to the sur- rounding mountains, particularly Correen, round whose base it sweeps for a distance of five miles. The altitude of Correen is about 1350 feet. On the west of the parish stands the Buck, or " Buck of the Cahrach," as it is usually termed, the elevation of which, ac- cording to Ainslie, is 2377 feet. It lies partly in Aucbindoir and partly in Cabrach parish. It is of a very elegant form when view- ed from the north and east, presenting a pyramidical shape, taper- ing beautifully towards the top, and crowned with a cluster of rocks placed as if in studied artificial regularity, by the gigantic efforts of man. Climate. — The chmate of Aucbindoir and Kearn is, on the whole, salubrious. The heights, indeed, are cold and exposed ; but the lower grounds in both parishes are mild, sheltered, and dry. The distance from the sea, (not less in any part than thirty miles), and the interception of the easterly winds, by fre- quent ranges of hills, exclude those vapours, which bestow, too truly, the character of dampness, on the climate of the west coast of Scotland. On the other hand, the westerly winds are often boisterous and stormy, and the frosts somewhat early, and frequently severe. Snow falls in abundance, and sometimes lies long ; still the climate of these parishes may be denominated heal- thy, at least if longevity be the best criterion, — of which there are many unquestionable instances. Hydrograjihy. — The quality of the water in this district is ex- cellent, and its quantity sufficient for all the necessary purposes of human hfe and industry. There are no medicinal springs, properly so termed, although there are various rills tainted with iron; but nei- ther their strength nor virtues are such as to merit'^particular notice. The burns of Craig and Corchinan, which unite and form the Bocxie near to the Manse, take their rise in, and for a considerable space run through, mossy ground, from which they derive a strong 408 ABERDEENSHIRE. antiseptic quality, the effects of which have been frequently ascer- tained. This is particularly obvious in the preservation (the report- er may almost say the partial restoration to firmness) of salt water fish brought from a distance, and deposited, in wicker baskets, under the running stream for twenty-four or forty-eight hours after their arrival. It may be mentioned, however, as somewhat singular, that this effect is not perceptible on what are usually termed flat fish. The Bogie is a beautiful little river, meandering through a fine valley until it joins the Doveron at Huntly, about eleven miles from its for- mation. The Burn of Craig, its original principal constituent, is ra- pid and impetuous. The course of this brook, from its source to its junction with the sister stream at the commencement of the Bogie, is not more than five miles ; but it presents all the characteristics of a mountain torrent, suddenly rising to a great height, and as quickly falling to its ordinary level. In passing through the Den of Craig it forms several beautiful cascades ; one in particular is very fine, where it is seen leaping from rock to rock in a zig-zag direction, and finally dashing down a precipice of considerable alti- tude. The scenery here is of a romantic description. It may be far- ther mentioned that at this place, in the far-famed flood of 1829, the burn was proved by measurement to have risen 18 feet perpendicu- larly. The only other rivers connected with this parish are the Don and Mossat. The Don forms its boundary for about two miles on the south-east, after receiving the Mossat, a small stream which divides it from Kildrummy on the south. Geology, §"c. — Freestone of a very fine quality abounds in one particular stratum in this parish. It first presents itself in the adjacent parish of Kildrummy on the south, then passes through Auchindoir, and reaches the confines of Rhynie on the north, where it dips and disappears. The common whin or moorstone is also found in huge blocks and immense quantity on the estate of Craig. Limestone is to be had both on the es- tates of Clova and Craig, but its purity is not remarkable, and at any rate, the distance even from imported coal is so very great, that it has not been found expedient to work the quarries to any noticeable extent. The asbestos is also found on Mr Gordon's estate ; but in one place only, (a ravine in the bosom of a moun- tain,) and in no great quantities. There are also serpentine, mica-slate, and a coarse laminated marble, in the hills of Tow- en reef and Correen. On the estate of Druminnor there has lately been discovered a rather singular quarry, affording a hard AUCIIINDOIR AND KEARN. 409 and heavy stone, somewhat resembhng granite in external ap- pearance, but (unlike granite) susceptible of being split into slabs of great thinness, and of almost any length or breadth. These form excellent pavements for footpaths around farm offices, or for the floors of kitchens or cellars. The soil of these parishes is various ; towards the hills mossy and poor; but in the lower grounds sharp, dry, and productive. Where the upper soil is incumbent upon free- stone, it presents a rich fertile alluvial loam. Clay is found in many places, sometimes in a pure state, but for the most part mixed with sand and small stones, in different stages of decomposition. In the mosses, which are extensive, in the western quarter especially, there is plenty of peat of an excellent quality, and in these mosses there are not unfrequently found the remains of imbedded trees of considerable size, chiefly firs, and sometimes oaks and alders. Zoology. — These parishes afford roe-deer, grouse, partridges, snipes, and woodcocks ; hares and rabbits. Blackcock and ptar- migan are sometimes seen. There are also foxes, polecats, wea- sels, and occasionally badgers ; hawks, wild pigeons, and singing birds of all the varieties known in the north of Scotland. The breed of cattle is mostly the pure Aberdeenshire ; of sheep the Scotch black-faced and Cheviot kinds. The insects most common- ly injurious are the wasp and caterpillar. The former are usually destroyed, by cutting the nest at night and letting it drop into hot water, or by blowing it to pieces by a large charge of gunpowder. The latter are never effectually removed but by regular hand-pick- ing- Botany. — The writer of this article is not aware of any of the rarer plants having been found in these parishes ; but he has reason to affirm that the mountains of Auchindoir and Kearn, and the plantations and glens within their bounds, contain all the Scottish varieties that are usually met with. The plantations are extensive. On Mr Leith Lumsden's pro- perty of Clova, there are several plantations of thriving Scots fir and larch, and there remain a few specimens of the former tree in a comparatively low situation, of which the size is large, and the quality understood to be good. On Mr Grant's es- tate of Druminnor there are also promising plantations, though of a lesser age; and in that part of the parish which belongs to the Honourable Walter Forbes of Brux, there are similar young woods. Mr Forbes has planted over a very wide sur- face, but mostly in the adjoining parishes, which do not fall 410 ' ABERDIiENSHIRE, within the present report. The most noticeable plantations in this district belong to Mr Gordon of Craig, because these (and especially the romantic Den already alluded to) exhibit forest trees and hard-wood of considerable variety, and demonstrate how much may be done, by care and perseverance, in the rearing of valuable wood, even under the opposing obstacles to be met with in a highly elevated country. Of the sorts which have been successfully cultivated at Craig, the beech, the oak, the ash and elm, the chestnut, the lime, the sycamore, the silver-fir, the black spruce, and the larch, are conspicuous. Mr Gor- don affirms that, next to first nursing, the whole art of raising wood consists in thinnirig ; that, wherever forest trees or any sorts of trees are raised either for cutting or for decoration, it is I'n vain to expect success unless a steady, regular, and unsparing course of thinning is maintained. It is this which enables the ground to bring to maturity a certain number of plants ; it is this which alone contributes to the indispensable admission of light, and the free circulation of air; and it is the neglect of this prac- tice which exhibits in many plantations, which otherwise would have been valuable, stunted and unhealthy trees, covered with moss, disfigured in appearance and ruined in value. The conge- niality of the soil in this district is decidedly in favour of the larch in thin dry land ; and of beech, oak, ash, elm, and lime, in richer situations. The pinaster, the Weymouth pine, the balsam or balm of Gilead fir, and the holly, do not succeed here. In all the planta- tions in this part of the country, three facts are observable, 1. that the portion which fronts the north thrives the best, at least in the ear- lier stages of growth ; 2. that trees planted on sloping banks prosper better than those on a flat ; and 3. that trees of different sorts in- termixed, succeed better than when masses of the same descrip- tion are planted together. If there be any exception to the last rule, it is in the case of the oak. There are few trees of remarkable age, size, or figure in these parishes, if we except two veneral)le sycamores near to Mr Grant's house of Druminnor, and a few old ashes round the garden at Craig ; one of these (of large stem, and of which the tradition is that it was planted in 1688,) showed evident symptoms of decay about fifteen years ago, the tops fading and the trunk spoiling in the heart. To save it if possible, the proprietor pollarded the tops, and caused the opening in the stem to be carefully covered over with sheet lead, in order to exclude the rains. The consequence has been that this ancient tree is again in vigour. A AUCHINDOIII AND KEARN. 411 II.- — Civil History, Eminent Men. — One may be mentioned, whose talents, learn- ing, and accomplishments seem to have been considerable, from the terms addressed to him, in a Latin poem of great power and beauty, by Dr Arthur Johnstone in his " Parerga," published in 1642. This was John Gordon of Craig, born in 1607, the seven- teenth in descent from the principal stem of the family of Gor- don,* — a man who appears to have been held in great estimation at the Court of James VI. Antiquities. — The prominent objects of antiquity are the old parish church, the moat or mount on which the ancient Castrum Auchindorice, mentioned by Boethius, seems to have stood, and the houses of Craig and Druminnor. The old church, now a ruin, is extremely venerable, and every justice is done to its ivy-mantled walls, by the proprietor on whose estate it stands, in order to exhibit this impressive object with effect. The fine Saxon gateway or prin- cipal door ; the carved representation of our Saviour on the cross, with the letters j. ^r. r. j. ; the recess for the elements, &c. with the inscription immediately over it, Hie e. corp. d. n. j. c. v. m., (Hie est corpus Domini nostri Jesu Christi, Virginis Mariae) ; the stone vessel at the entrance for the holy water, &c. are the clearest in- dications of its once having been a Roman Catholic Chapel, though at what precise period it was converted into the Presbyterian pa- rish church cannot be ascertained. The oldest date is on the north gable, and bears 1557. The Houses of Craig and Druminnor, (still habitable even in their more ancient portions) are of considerable antiquity, and ex- hibit many of the characteristics of remote times ; the oldest date at Craig is 1518; that at Druminnor (which was the ancient Cas- tle Forbes, once the chief seat of the Forbes family,) is 1577. Of modern buildings it seems unnecessary to say any thing farther^ than that on all the principal properties, the owners have, by mo- dern erections or additions, given comfort and embellishment to their several residences. The proprietors are five in number; Mr Leith Lumsden of Clova ; Mr Gordon of Craig; Mr Grant oF Druminnor ; the Honourable Walter Forbes of Brux (now Mas- ter of Forbes) ; and Mr Gordon of Wardhouse. The three first named are the principal heritors ; and reside either wholly or for a considerable portion of the year within the parish. * See printed tables of the pedigree of the familios of Gordon. 412 ABERDEENSHIRE. III. — Population. The population in 1810, - 739 1811, - 780 18-21, - 889 1831, - 1030 The present population of the parish is . 1208 Of whom there are under 15 years of age, , 331 betwixt 15 and 30, . 319 Of whom there are betwixt 30 and 50, , . 312 50 and 70, . . 298 upwards of 70, . . 38 The yearly average of births for the last seven years is 34 deaths, ... 10 marriages, . . . 7 Within these few years there has sprung up a village in the pa- rish, named Lumsden, of which the population at this time is 243. The creation of this village has led to the sudden increase of the population, by attracting individuals, who resort to it from all parts of the country. At present there is something of a counterba- lancing decrease in the population, by the disposition to emigrate, which for two seasons has prevailed, especially among the young men. IV. — Industry. These parishes have never been entirely surveyed, and, conse- quently, their precise arable extent cannot be stated ; but it is pro- gressive both in measure and in manner ; both in the reclaiming of land heretofore barren, and in an improved style of operation. The appearance, comfort, and substantiality of the houses and cottages are much improved within the last twenty years. Leases. — The usual duration of the leases on good farms is nineteen years ; on farms more pastoral than in tillage, seven, nine, and eleven years. The people are almost all employed in agriculture and the rearing of cattle. In Lumsden village there are a few traders and handicraftsmen ; and blacksmiths, carpenters, masons, and tailors, are distributed through the different estates ; but the mass of the population is agricultural, and the people are sober, frugal, and industrious in their habits. V. — Parochial Economy. Market-Town. — The nearest market-town, with the exception of the village of Rhynie, is Huntly, distant at an average twelve miles. The road is turnpike, and excellent from the church on- wards. This turnpike runs in whole about seven miles through the parish. There is a stage-coach which passes through the pa- rish to and from Aberdeen on every alternate day. AUCHINDOIR AND KEARN. 413 The only village in the parish is Lumsden, already mentioned. The reporter can hardly say that it is as yet marked by the more striking features of great prosperity. Ecclesiastical State. — The parish church is, on the whole, not inconveniently situated. It was built in 1811, and its only fault is that it is too small for the existing population. It contains ac- commodation for 450 sitters only. There are in these parishes 10 individuals belonging to the United Secession ; 8 Indepen- dents ; and two Roman Catholics. The members, also, of one family of the resident heritors are Episcopalians ; but the mem- bers of this family regularly attend the parish church, there being no Episcopal place of worship in the neighbourhood. The present incumbents of the parishes under notice are, the Rev. James Reid, and the Rev. William Reid, assistant and suc- cessor. The former of these clergymen was inducted in 1785, and the latter in 1834. The manse was built in 1764 : it is in- commodious, and in very bad repair. The stipend of the united parishes is L. 150. The proper glebe of Auchindoir is 8 acres in extent ; and a compensation or excambion for the glebe of For- bes affords a rent of L. 8, 2s. 6d. Education. — There is only one parochial school for both pa- rishes, with two or three unendowed schools. The schoolmaster's salary is L. 30 ; the average amount of school-fees, L. 21. He has the legal accommodations. The branches of education taught at the parochial school are, Latin, English, mathematics, geo- graphy, arithmetic, and writing. Poor and Parochial Funds. — The average number of poor per- sons receiving parochial aid is 22. The annual amount of parish church collections for their relief is about L. 32, with about L. 14 additional from two mortifications and other sources. The whole of this is divided among them, and, small as it is, yet it seems sufficient for supplying their necessities. There is a manifest re- luctance on their part to be indebted to parochial relief, which leads to industry and economy. For many years, there has been no strolling beggar belonging to these parishes. Fairs. — Four cattle markets are held in the parish during the year. /nws.=— There are one inn and three ale-houses. The latter cannot be described as a blessing. Fuel. — The fuel in general use is peat. Coal is extremely ex- pensive. The carriage of it from the coast is more costly than the 414 ABERDEENSHIRE. article itself on the shore : and even if sent for by private carts, the loss of time and labour, together with expenses for men and horses, raises the price of this best description of all fuel, to a very heavy amount. Miscellaneous Observations. The most prominent variation between the present state of these united parishes, and their condition at the date of the former Statistical Report, arises from the improved state of husbandry ; the tillage of waste land ; the superior style of cultivation ; and the adoption of many of those advantageous changes, both in cropping and in the implements of husbandry, which have been equally recommended by the precept and example of eminent agri- culturists. Next in order may be mentioned the less essential, but cer- tainly not the unimportant improvements in cleanliness, dress, and modes of living. The becoming regularity, decency, and atten- tion of the attendants in the parish church of Auchindofr could not have been improved ; it has always been noticeable, praise- worthy, and exemplary. The most crying evil here was the overwhelming concourse of travelling beggars, to whom a mistaken liberality afforded the temp- tation to come among us, but whose visitations were in many ways prejudicial to the parishioners. This burden was considerably les- sened about two years ago, by a general resolution not to give alms of any sort to stranger beggars, but to confine our parochial chari ■ ty to our parochial poor ; and the recent institution of a rural po- lice has added to our security and protection. The mischiefs of absenteeism are luckily little felt in these pa- rishes. The presence of certain heritors for the greater part of the year affords, in the first place, the facilities of the magistracy, and what is of not less moment, it sets an example in the way of improvements ; it leads to the employment of tradesmen, to the extension of charities, and to the reciprocities of kindness and confidence between dissimilar ranks. October 1840. PRESBYTERY OF ALFORD, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN, THE REV. ADAM SMITH, MINISTER, I. — Topography and Natural History. Name, — The name of this parish is derived from the Gaehc word Tuaidh, signifying north, or north-lying land, — probably in reference to the district by which it is bounded on the south, namely, Cro- mar. The ancient name was Kilbartha, or Bartha's cell or church. The parish is now known by the name of Towie Kinbattoch, — the latter being from A7i«?i, signifying the head, and Battoch, grove ; and in thecess-booksof the county it is denominated Toicie Briix, having at one period belonged principally to the family of Forbes of Brux, in whom the patronage was long vested. Extent and Boundaries. — The parish is of an irregular figure. The extreme length from north to south is about 10 miles, and from east to west about 5. The medium inhabited length is about 4p and the breadth 2^ English miles. It is bounded on the south, by Tarland and Migvie ; on the west, by Migvie and Strathdon ; on the north, by the Cabrach ; on the north-east, by Kildrummy ; and on the east, by Cushnie. 2^opographical Jjjpearances.' — The parish is almost surrounded by hills ; those on the south-east, called the Soccoch, are about 2000 feet high. They were said by Gilderoy and his Katterin^ who made frequent predatory visits to this quarter, to be the cold- est they ever lodged amongst. The surface of the hills is unbroken, undulating, and covered with short heath. There is no level arable land, excepting the haughs on the banks of the river ; and on some farms, the land is very steep, and consequently causes an extra expense of time and strength in the tillage. The river Don divides the parish into two nearly equal parts ; it makes several beautiful serpentine bends, as it winds its course through Towie ; but as the current is rather rapid, and the channel gravelly, it is very apt to cut the banks and shift its course. The aspect of the parish, par- ticularly towards the south, is rather bare and bleak, having little 416 ABERDEENSHIRE. or no wood to relieve the eye, except in the north-western quar- ter. Soil. — The soil is a light friable loam with a gravelly subsoil ; and in a very few instances the soil is clayey, with a hard retentive subsoil ; but in general, there is no great depth of soil. Hydrography. — The Don, as already noticed, flows through the parish, and is the only river in it. The stream or water of Descry bounds the parish for about a mile on the west ; it flows al- most due north, and then bends away toward the north-west, and empties itself into the Don. In the north-western quar- ter, the water or burn of Kindie separates Towie from Strath- don, and flows in a south-west direction till it meets the Don. There are three or four smaller streamlets, which rise in the south and south-east quarters of the parish, and flow all in nearly a north- eastern direction to the Don, — one of which, called the burn of Towie, has a course of upwards of two miles, through a beautiful, secluded, and deep ravine. Springs. — The parish is generally well supplied with springs of excellent water. There are also some mineral springs ; but as they have never been analyzed, an account of their properties cannot be given. Geology and Mineralogy. — Limestone of a very hard and inferior quality has been occasionally wrought in different localities, for agricultural purposes. Granite rock is known only in one place, where, however, it is surrounded by plantations. There are pretty certain indications of freestone about a quarter of a mile south from the church ; but, being in a low wet situation, it is doubtful whether a quarry could be profitably opened. On the farm of Glencui, too, there are indications of serpentine, although it has never been employed for any useful or ornamental purpose. II. — Civil History. Eminent Men. — The most distinguished individual connected by birth with this parish is the Rev. Duncan Mearns, D.D., Pro- fessor of Divinity, King's College, Old Aberdeen. Land-owners. — The land-owners are, Harry Leith Lumsden, Esq. of Auchindoir ; John David Gordon, Esq. of Wardhouse ; Sir Alexander Leith, K.C.B. of Freefield; the Hon. the Master of Forbes ; Sir Charles Forbes, Bart, of Newe and Edinglassie ; none of whom have any seat or residence in the parish. Parochial Registers. — The register has been always regularly kept: the earliest entry in it is dated 1751. TOWIE. 417 Antiquities. — The most conspicuous object of antiquity is, the ruins of the Castle of Towie, of which a square tower is almost all that now remains. In November 1751, Sir Adam Gordon of Auchindoir sent Captain Ker with a party of foot to the Castle of Towie, to summon it in the Queen's name. Alexander Forbes, its possessor, was then absent, and his lady, whose maiden name was Margaret Campbell, not only refused to surrender, but also poured on Captain Ker a torrent of abuse, and from the battlement took a deliberate aim and fired at him ; but the ball only " grazed his knee," whereupon, transported with rage, he ordered his men to set fire to the castle, when the lady, her children, and domestics, in all thirty-seven persons, perished in the flames. The remains of the lady were interred in the church-yard, at what is now called the farm of Nethertowie, where a white stone long marked her grave. This catastrophe gave rise to a ballad, which commemo- rates the particulars. There are ruins of chapels at Nethertowie, Kinbattoch, Belna- both. Ley, and chapel of Sinnahard. At Kinbattoch is a doun or artificial mound of earth, which appears to have been surrounded with about ten feet of water ; but no vestige of any fortification that may have been there, now remains. The tumuli on the farm of Kinbattock were opened in 1750, in which were found several Mstivaen, containing urn^ trinkets, bones, Roman medals with in- scriptions, &c. At Fechley is a mound upwards of 60 feet high, and surround- ed by a fosse, partly natural and partly artificial, breadth from 12 to 41 feet, and depth from 8 to 35 feet. The breadth of the mound en the summit is 127 by~200feet; on which are the vitri- fied remains of a tower. On the Glasschill or Grayhill are large tumuli, one of which com- memorates the defeat of the Lord of Athol and 200 Englishmen at arms, who came to take the castle of Kildrummy from Robert Bruce's family, when Edward Longshanks had possession of al- most all the rest of Scotland. They were repulsed here principally through the valour of the Forbeses, who pursued and almost total- ly annihilated them in the forest of Kilblean. In the churchyard is a large stone, six feet in length, sculptured with hieroglyphics. In a field on the north side of the river, near the present bridge, is a stone of unhewn granite, standing upright, height about seven feet above ground, supposed to be of Druidical' origin. ABERDEEN. D d 418 ABERDEENSHIRE. Modern Buildings. — There are no buildings of any note. The church, a plain substantial building, was erected in 1803. The Masonic Society here built a lodge, in which there is a spacious hall, in 1821. It stands almost close to the turnpike road, and is kept as an inn, which is well frequented. III. — Population. According to Dr Webster's returns the number was . 656 The population in 1801, . . . 528 1811, ... 585 1821, . . . . 578 1831, . . . 728 The present population is . . . 739 The average of births for the last seven years is . 16 The number under 15 years of age, . . 247 upwards of 70 years of age, . . 53 Bachelors and widowers upwards of 50 years of age, 19 Unmarried women upwards of 45, . . 17 "The number of families, . . 99 f he average number of children in each family, . 4 The number of inhabited houses, . . 115 Number of families chiefly employed in agriculture in 1831, . . 70 in trade, manufactures, or handicraft, 24 There are 3 persons insane, and 1 deaf, dumb, and blind. Character, Manners, S^c. of the People. — The people generally are industrious, and neat and cleanly in their houses and in their per- sonal habits, and enjoy a reasonable portion of the comforts and ad- vantages of society. Vocal and instrumental music, particularly tlie violin, form the most prominent amusements of the people in the winter evenings, and it is believed that few parishes in Scot- land can boast of so many good Strathspey players, who are also temperate in their habits, and industriously employed in their other avocations. IV. — Industry. Agriculture. — The number of cultivated acres may be comput- ed at upwards of 2400. About 100 acres more might be brought under cultivation ; but the doing so would be attended with a heavy expense, and uncertain profit. A rotation of seven years is uni- versally adopted. Rent of Land. — The average rent of land may be stated atj IBs. per acre. The duration of leases is usually nineteen years.! The farm-buildings are, with few exceptions, substantial and com-j modious, having for the most part been built by the tenants, witl an allowance at the expiry of lease seldom exceeding a year's rent] a sum in most cases not equal to one-third of the cost of erection^ The native limestone has never been generally used ; and on ac-i count of its inferior quality, and the difficulty of obtaining fuelj it is now almost ^tirely abandoned, and is obtained from Corl TOWIE. 419 garf, Gienbucket, and Ardonald lime-works near Keith. Moss is obtained only from the hills adjoining the Cabrach, and the dis- tance proves a serious drawback on agricultural improvement. Rate of Wages. — The wages of ploughmen per the half year, exclusive of board and lodging, are from L. 5 to L. 7 ; women ser- vants from L. 2 to L. 3; labourers Is. per day with victuals. Mills. — There are two meal-mills, one barley-mill, one flax-mill, one potato-farina-mill, one saw-mill. V. — Parochial Economy. Means of Communication. — The turnpike road from Aberdeen passes through the parish on the north side, and the old country road from Aberdeen passes from east to west on the south side. There are about two miles of turnpike roads, and about ten of com- mutation roads. Ecclesiastical State. — The church, though not exactly centri- cal, is as nearly so as the locality admits of: it is situate on the south or right bank of the river. The manse is situated near the top of an acclivity of about sixty feet, at the bottom of which, and between it and the river, was a small haugh, part of the glebe land, about fourteen yards wide, and six feet higher than low water. This haugh was almost entirely carried away by a late flood. The glebe, previous to this flood, contained about four acres, and was worth L. 8. The manse was built in 1819, and consists of three stories, and is pretty commodious. The stipend, including allowance for communion elements, is L. 132, 8s. 7d. Sterling, in money, and 26 bolls, 1 stone, 10^ lbs. meal, and 7 quarters 1 peck of bear. The whole parishioners belong to the Established Church, with the exception of two families of Roman Catholics. The average number of communicants is 462. Education. — There is only one school in the parish, namely, the parochial school. The teacher has the legal extent of garden ground ; a house of four rooms, including the kitchen, and a spa- cious school-room attached ; and a salary of L. 28 Sterling. The branches of education usually taught by him are, Latin, English reading and grammar, writing, arithmetic, book-keeping, mathe- matics, and geography. The amount of school-fees is about L.20. The teacher is entitled to the Dick bequest, and has hitherto rank- ed above the average allowance from that fund. Literature. — A public library was instituted here by voluntary subscription in 1827, and consists of upwards of 500 volumes in history, religion, science, and general literature. 420 ABERDEENSHIRE. Friendly Society. — There was a masonic society instituted here in 1814, and denominated St Andrew's Lodge of Glenkindie Free Mason Friendly Society, which usually distributes among its members to the amount of L. 50 per annum. Poor and Parochial Funds. — The average number of paupers receiving regular aid is 15 ; the average sum allotted to each is about L. 2, 16s. per annum ; the annual amount of contributions for their relief is about L. 43 Sterling, of which L. SO arises from church collections, and about L. 13 from interest of funds, &c. Ale-houses.-^Theve are two licensed ale and spirit-dealers. Fairs. — There are two cattle trysts held annually at the Gleq- kindie Mason's Arms Inn ; the one lately altered to the first Monday after Trinity Muir in April, £\,nd the other on the first Saturday after Keith in September, There are also two feeing markets held at the same place, on the day after the Whitsunday and Marlinmas terms, unless the same shall happen on Sunda}', when they are held on the Monday following. These are well attended ; but it is generally acknowledged that the feeing mar- kets have a demoralizing effect upon the labouring classes. Miscellaneous Observations. In comparing the former Statistical Account of 1791 with the present, it appears that gravel was then a very prevalent disease, in consequence of some families, in which it was thought to have be- come hereditary, intermarrying. Very few cases of that malady have occurred for many years past. By the former Account, the number of ploughs was 43, each drawn by eight or ten small oxen ; now the number of ploughs is about 78, each drawn by a pair of horses, many of which are strong and active. Roads have been much improved of late, but are still susceptible of great improvement, especially the bye-roads to many of the farms. There are three wooden bridges across the Don for foot-passengers, which are often rendered use- less by the flooded state of the river, — much inconvenience being thereby occasioned to all classes, and danger to the children attend- ing school. The greatest obstacle to improvement is, that, mostly all the estates being held under entail, the common allowance for build- ing is one year's rent, which may be reckoned two-thirds too little for the ordinary conveniences of a farm-steadinff ; and seldom is any allowance granted for enclosures, drains, or the reclaiming of waste land. October 1840. PARISH OF RAYNE. PRESBYTERY OF GARIOCH, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. ALEXANDER CUSHNY, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name.^ — The name Rayne was sometimes written Raine in the records of the seventeenth century, but more frequently Rain, the orthography which is still retained in Old Rain, the post-town. It was probably derived from a Gaelic word of similar sound, Baon, signifying a field of good ground, — a term sufficiently appropriate to this parish, which consists of open and continuous fields, gene- rally of good soil, and under productive tillage. Extent, 8fc. — This is a landward parish, of moderate extent and compact form, being about 3i miles in each direction, and contain- ing 1 1 square miles. Its figure is not perfectly regular, but approach- ing to a square : it is bounded on the south side by the parish of Oyne, and divided from it by the water of Ury ; on the west, by that of Culsamond ; on the east, by parts of Daviot, and Chapel of Garioch ; and on the north, by parts of Fyvie and Auchter- less. It forms the northern boundary of an inland district of Aberdeenshire called the Garioch, which is divided from that of Formartine, by the hill of Rothmaise in Rayne, about 850 feet above the level of the sea. With the exception of this hill, the parish consists of undulating fields, and gentle acclivi- ties, with a long tract of peat-moss or bog, towards the north side, reaching from the west boundary to the east, where Daviot be- gins. Climate, Sfc. — The temperature is of a moderate range, and on the whole remarkably equal, the mean height of the thermo- meter being in 1S37. Morning. Evening. For January, . 33°. 2 33°. 8 ) July, . 57 . 56.13 [-Fahrenheit. December, . 38 .23 38 .61 ) The atmosphere is comparatively dry, from the circumstance of 422 ABERDEENSHIRE. there being no mountains of sufficient magnitude to attract the clouds and vapours, which are drawn towards the higher ridges of Bennachee on the south-west, and Foudland on the north-west ; so that while the summits of these are frequently enveloped in dense mists, and copious showers of rain and snow are precipitated along the sides of them, little of the falling moisture, comparative- ly, reaches this lower level ; and sometimes the air continues quite clear and dry. Hydrography. — The springs of water are perennial, but not very abundant ; there are no lakes within the parish, nor any considerable mountain streams, the Ury only bounding it for two miles on the south side. Geology and Mineralogy. — The stones which prevail here are of the species usually called whinstone, of a deep blue colour, hard texture, and great weight. They are found of various sizes and qualities, according to their situations, sometimes detached and near the surface, and sometimes in large and continuous masses under ground ; v/hich last, being split by means of gunpowder and wedges, and squared with the hammer, form the chief material of the country buildings, and are very durable. There is no granite here, although it is abundant both in quarries and outlayers on Bennachee, a mountain three miles southward ; neither have slates been discovered in the bounds, though they are found in a hill three miles northward ; but it is probable that there is slate in the hill of Rothmaise, which appears to be a continuation of the Foud- land and Culsamond hills, in which are many bush-quarries of valuable slates. The chief alluvial deposit is that of peat moss, of which there is an extensive flat, already mentioned, above three miles in length, varying in breadth and depth, and comprising above 500 imperial acres. In one part of this flat, peats were found about sixty years ago, containing a large portion of adipose or fatty matter, and having a white and unctuous appearance on the surface, and which when ignited emitted a flame and light as bright as those of a tallow candle. On this account they were commonly called " creeshy clods," i. e. greasy small peats ; and were burned sparingly, as a cheap sort of light, in the winter even- ings by all who could procure them. But the quantity of this pe- culiar kind of peat appears to have been small, and has been long exhausted. The chief remains now found in the moss are pieces of hazel, birch, oak, &c. which indicate that this tract had once been covered with natural wood, and trees of goodly size. RAYNE, 423 The soil of the best fields is loam on a bottom of clay, more or less mixed with gravel, and which, with good culture, bears abun- dant crops ; the residue is a poorer soil, of less depth, and on a harder bottom, in some parts of till, and in others of rotten rock, here called chad. But this ground also, when manured, produces grain of fair quality, though in much smaller quantity than the former ; and the green crops and herbage raised on it are found to be less succulent and nutritious than those which grow on the rich infield grounds. The soil and climate cannot be called favourable to the laro-er species of fruit, being neither a carse, nor a mountain-sheltered strath ; and few fruit trees are planted here, except in the gardens of proprietors; but a taste for growing gooseberries, and currants for preserving, is gradually advancing among the tenantry; and these small fruits are produced of very good quality. There are no rare species of wild plants in this locality, nor any forests of natural wood; but there are a few enclosures of moderate com- pass planted with larch and Scots fir, which last grows rapidly in the early stages, but begins to show symptoms of decay after the fortieth year. Ash and elm, beech and plane trees, which are here planted in belts and rows, and around gardens, grow to a goodly size, and yield timber of excellent quality. II. — Civil History. Eminent Men. — One native may be mentioned on account of the eminence which he attained abroad, viz. William Leslie, second son to William, the fifth laird of Warthill, in this place. Born in 1657, he got a classical education in the pa- rochial school, and, having, completed his academical studies at one of the universities in Aberdeen, became schoolmaster in the parish of Chapel of Garioch for some years ; but, being there persuaded by Count Leslie, a member of the Balquhane family, and his own cousin-german, to embrace the Romish faith, he went to Rome with the Count in 1684; and there became so noted for his learning and piety, that, at the age of thirty-three years he was chosen to be Professor of Theology in the College of Padua, and was afterwards made Bishop of Laybach in Carniola, and a Prince of the German empire, which honour, along with others, he retain- ed through life: he died at his see in 1727. During his long residence abroad, he faithfully corresponded with his brother Alex- ander, the sixth laird of Warthill, and sent him at one time an ori- ginal portrait of himself, esteemed a good picture, and which, with 424 ABERDEENSHIRE. many of his letters, is still in possession of William Leslie, Esq. the present proprietor of ihe family estate. Zjand-oxcners,. — In 1674, there were fifteen land-owners in this parish ; but in less than a century after, they had decreased in number to seven, afterwards to five, and now there are six, viz. Sir Robert Dalrymple Horn Elphinstone, of Old Rain and Logie- Elphinstone, Baronet ; Sir Alexander Leith, of Freefield and Cushiestown, K. C B. ; William Leslie of Warthill and Tocher, Esq. ; Alexander Gordon, of Meiklewarthill and Loanhead, Esq. : Alexander Forbes, of Rothmaise and Blackford, Esq. ; John Gor- don, of Kirktown and Lentush, Esq. Parochial Registers. — The Session records commence in 1672, and amount to ten volumes, comprising accounts of the poor's funds, church discipline, and register of births and marriages, but none of deaths. The baptismal record has been regularly kept during the last twenty years ; and that it was not so previously, was ow- ing to the negligence of the parents. Antiquities. — In the south-east part of the parish is a conical hiil, called a law^ on which, according to tradition, trials were held of old, and doom pronounced, and at times, perhaps, summarily executed. This little hill, of which the top is now covered with fir trees and furze, has given the name of Laicesk (now Louesk) to the adjoining farms, extending to several hundred acres. About a mile westward from it was a well, called St Lawrence Well ; and, at the distance of another mile west, is the village of Old Rain, where is held an annual market, named Lawrence Fair. On a small rising-ground in the middle of this village, and which was surrounded by a moat, there was once a house of residence for the Bishop of Aberdeen, who, upon the union of the Episcopal sees of Mortlach and Aberdeen in 1137, received from King David, in grant to himself and his successors, the lands of Old Aberdeen, Sclattie, Clatt, Kildrummie, Daviot, and Raine, by which the see was greatly enriched. It is recorded, " that Alex- ander Kinninmonth, who was made bishop in 1329, passed the winter in Mortlach, the spring in Aberdeen, and the summer and harvest at Fetternear and Raine, that he might the more com- modiously discharge his office in every part of his diocese." And he it probably was, that built the residence referred to, the foundation of which was discernible in the last century, but has since been effaced, and the ground brought under tillage, Here also is a market-cross, consisting of an upright pillar ofhewngra- IIAYNE. 425 nite, raised on a pedestal of circular steps, and measuring nearly 12 feet from the ground to the top. Above the middle of this pillar is an iron staple with links, the remains oHhejougs, in which offenders were wont to be exposed to public shame ; and half of the iron collar which clasped the neck of the delinquent remained attached to the chain about half a century ago, but is now gone. This cross was probably erected in the end of the seventeenth century, when John Horn of Westhall, superior of Old Rain, was empowered by charter to constitute it a burgh of barony, with re- gular m^arkets and bailie courts, — which last were held according- - ly in the eighteenth century. Four hundred yards eastward from this village, is a Druidical cir- cle or temple ; and at the like distance from this to the north- east, in the line of the church road, is part of an ancient cairn, called Drum's Cairn, said to mark the spot where Irvine of Drum was slain, while pursuing Donald, Lord of the Isles, after the battle of Harlaw, 1411. Another tradition bears that he was slain nearer to the field of action, about four miles to the south- east, and buried at Drum on Deeside, the seat of that ancient fa- mily ; a discrepancy which may be reconciled, by supposing that he was wounded near Harlaw, but able to pursue the enemy to this place, where, from exhaustion, or fresh wounds, he fell. The cairn was opened and partly removed eight years ago, on the road being widened at the place ; but nothing was found confirmatory of the above tradition ; and though a field in the near vicinity is named " D}'um Fauld" it may have acquired that name from its round and convex form, various other places of the like appear- ance being also called Drumsi Haifa mile eastward from Drum's Cairn is another small one, in the Moor of Rayne, called Tilly- daff's Cairn, as marking the place where Tillydafi, laird of Mains of Warthill, was killed in 1530. Having assaulted a neighbour- ing land-owner, Leslie of Warthill, second son of Wardhouse, in Lawrence fair, he was pursued by Wardhouse and his other sons for several miles, and fell by their hands at this spot : now a small green mound, which does not appear to have been opened^ A third cairn, of larger dimensions than either of the former, is found near the summit of the hill of Rothmaise, now called the Black Cairn ; but of the origin or intention of which there is no tradition extant. About fifty years ago, it was partially opened, and removed by the then proprietor, when a stone-coffin v,'as found, and a key of rude workmanship. Another Druidical circle is seen 426 ABEIIDEENSHIRE. on the east side of the same hill ; and on the top of It are two large stones, not far apart, called the Crighton Stone, and the Fede- raught Stone, which are probably commemorative of some feud, or fatal encounter betwixt the Crightons of Frendraught in For- gue, and the family of Federaught in Deer. The west of this hill looks to one about a mile distant, in the neighbouring parish of Culsamond, called Cai?'nhiUi whereon are several cairns or barrows ; by which passed a Roman road, leading, as is supposed, from the large encampment south of the river Dee, to the camp of Glenmellan near the Ythan, {castra ad Ithunum,) and with this latter the Black Cairn may have been in some way connected. At Freefield, a mile southward from Cairnhill, is an artificial grassy mound of 60 yards in circumference, and 18 feet in height, pro- bably a signal post, having relation to the supposed Roman way, above-mentioned. Near the church is a large flat-head- ed rock, called Bowman Stone, where archers may have met in ruder times to practise with the bow; as at the Bowhutts in other places. Half a mile east from this, is a rising ground nam- ed Saint Andrew's Hill, on which fetes may have formerly been held in honour of the patron saint ; and a mile eastward from that, is a round knoll or eminence on the lands of Meikle Wart- hill, called the Earl of Marr's Reive or Ree. Modern Buildings. — The church is a plain structure, erected in 1789 forL.350 Sterling. The mansion-houses are those of Free- field and Rothmaise, built in the last century ; and that of Wart- hill, In the present century. Freefield is surrounded with ash, beech, larch, and pine trees, of great height and beauty, and also with some Spanish chestnut trees, which blossom but do not bear fruit. There are five meal-mills in the parish, of which three are slated ; and forty-four thrashing-mills for grain, of which ten are moved by water, and the rest by horses. HI. — Population. In 1755, the population was estimated at 1131, and fifteen years after at 1143 persons. 1794, . • at 1173, showing an increase in 39 years of 42 1801, . . at 1228, by the census, increase in 7 years, 55 1811, • . . at 1249, by - -- 1821, ... at 1374, by 1831, . . . at 1484, by Making a total increase in these 76 years of. 353 There are two villages or rather hamlets in the parish, name- ly, Old Rain, already mentioned, containing 23 dwelling-houses and 90 persons ; and Meiklewarthill, containing 40 dwelling- houses and 152 persons. do. do. 10 years, 21 do. do. do. 123 do. do. do. ] 10 IIAYNE. 427 The yearly average of births for the last seven years was 44 deaths do. do. - 37 marriages, do. do. - 12 The number of parishioners in this year is - 1510 of which 734 are males, and 776 females. Of the whole, there are under 15 years of age, - 557 betwixt 15 and 30, - 378 30 and 50, - 296 50 and 70, - 220 upwards of 70, - 59 Of the last and most aged class, there are above 80 years of age, 12 90 do. 4 One old woman has been insane for five years, and an old man has been blind above twenty years ; but there are none deaf and dumb. Within the last fifteen years, a man died aged 97 years, and his wife aged 95 : a husband and wife, with his sister, lived in one house,- until their united ages amounted to 250 years, each of them being above 83 : and the like instance of longevity was witnessed in another house. Only two of the heritors are resident within the bounds, both gen- tlemen of good family and fortune; and the others have property and domiciles in different parishes. The people appear to enjoy the comforts and benefits of society, without extravagance. They are not addicted to poach- ing, smuggling, or such like demoralizing pursuits, but are general- ly of industrious and peaceable habits, and, with very few ex- ceptions, attentive to their moral and religious duties. IV. — Industry. Agriculture. — Four-fifths of the whole superficial contents of this parish are cultivated, and under regular tillage, i. e. in imperial acres, . . . 5S20 Moors reserved for market-stances and other pasture, not worthy of cultivation, 390 Under wood, chiefly plantations of larch and Scots fir, with belts and rows of ash, elm, &c. . ... 360 Peat-moss, and pasture connected therewith, . . 730 In all, . 730O The valued rent of the whole lands is L. 2544 Scots. The real rent, consisting partly of grain, commuted at the county fiars, is variable; but that of the best ground or old infield may average per imperial acre L. 2 Sterling ; and that for outfield, varying ac- cording to the quality, from 12s. to L. I, 4s. per imperial acre ; and the latter, comprising about four- fifths of the land in tillage, while the former is only one- fifth, reduces the average rent to something less than L. 1 Sterling per arable acre; and makes the gross rental of the whole, L. 5650. . There are no grass fields 428 ABERDEENSHIRE, let in the parish ; and the rates of grazing cannot be correctly stated. Wages.-— The farm-servants are engaged for six months, and, being chiefly unmarried, they lodge and eat in their masters' houses, and receive, besides, in money-wages half-yearly, for ploughmen, L. 5 to L. 7 ; for lads, L. 3 to L. 4 j and boys for herding cattle, &c. L. 1, 10s. to L. 2, 10s.; women servants re- ceive in winter, L. 2, in summer, L. 3; labourers working by the day, earn 2s. or Is. 6d. with meat; masons earn 3s. per day; carpenters, 2s. 8d.; and all other tradesmen charge by the piece of work done. Live-Stock. — A great many black-cattle are reared here, as in all the inland districts of Aberdeenshire, principally of the country breeds, horned and bald ; but some breeders are crossing this kind with the Teeswater or short-horned cattle, and thereby adding greatly to the size and weight of the carcase, when fed, but not, it is thought, to the fineness of the quality and grain of the meat. The number of milk-cows, kept by the crofters solely for dairy produce, and by the farmers for that and breeding, exceeds 500 ; and that of other cattle of all different ages, from calves to oxen of four years growth, 1300. Very few oxen are here yoked in the plough, though in the end of the last century it was the general custom to have ten of these ploughing on each of the principal farms. Most of them are now fed at three and four years' old, and sold to the butchers and exporters, weighing from 6 to 9 cwt. Our horses, though much larger than those of the country breed of foraier times, cannot be called heavy ; but they are hardy and active^ and fit both for ploughing in pairs, and carrying the grain to market in single carts, at the rate of four quarters to each horse. Of these the number used solely for husbandry is 220 ; as pleasure horses and ponies, 20 ; young horses bred for sale or use, 40 ; making of this kind, 280. There being no extensive range of hill or moorland pasture, the number of sheep kept is very limited, not exceeding in all 440 ; viz. of the Scots black-faced breed for feed- ing, 200 ; and of a large cross-breed, for wool for home use, and raising lambs, kept in small lots, 240. The system of agriculture pursued in this parish, and generally through the district of Garioch, may be reckonedgood, when viewed, as it ought to be, in relation to the soil and climate, the distance from sea ports and grain markets, and other local circumstances. One peculiarity to be noticed is the great variety in the size of RAYNE. 429 . the farms, from that of two horses labour to that of six horses; besides. which, are numerous small crofts for tradesmen keeping a cow, and other possessions, of eight, twelve, and twenty acres, oc- cupied in lease by industrious tenants, labouring with their own hands, and usually tilling with a horse and ox yoked together. These multiphed subdivisions of the ground, into portions so small, may no doubt be adverse to the adopting of new and improved modes of culture, on a large and uniform scale ; but this disadvantage has long appeared to the writer, to be counterbalanced by the powerful encouragement thereby afforded to the practice of honest industry and prudence, among the labouring classes of the com- munity. In counties that are under a different management, and which have no gradation of possessions betwixt the cottar's acre and the grain farm of 100 acres, or the sheep farm of 1000 acres, the man who begins life as a farm-servant, day-labourer, or trades- man, how diligent and economical soever he m.ay be, is almost precluded from the hope of bettering his condition, by the occu- pancy of a small farm, suited to his means and industry, and must limit his views to the cottar's croft, realizing, in most instances, the English adage, " once a hind, always a hind." But in Aber- deenshire, which has been sometimes called " the poor man's coun- try," a farm-servant or labourer, after having established his cha- racter by activity, temperance, and economy, has little difficulty in getting a possession proportioned to the amount of his savings, on which, by exertion and foresight, he may live comfortably, and bring up a family, in the like industrious, peaceable, and inde- pendent way. And, in proof of the efficiency of this stimulus there are at present within the bounds of this small parish, many instances of persons, who, from very humble beginnings, have gra- dually risen, by their own exertions, to be thriving and intelligent agriculturists. And though the small possessions are proportion- ally higher rented than the large ones, they have always more competitors for occupying them ; and if there be less capital in- vested, in cumuJo, for carrying on expensive improvements, (which is doubtful), there are more of the necessary sinews of industry- employed in comparison, and much more caution, sobriety, and contentment, exercised in bad seasons, which tend to secure equal and regularly" paid rents to the land-owners ; consequently, on well- managed estates in this place, arrears of rent are of rare occur- rence, and small amount. The leases are usually granted for nineteen years ; and as wheat 430 ABERDEENSHIRE. is not much cultivated, the turnip husbandry, with oats and bear, hay and pasture, is generally followed, under the various rota- tions of five, seven, and six years. Of these, the last may be con- sidered the best, for keeping the ground both rich and clean, and also producing most luxuriant crops; having three-sixths of the whole possession in grass, two-sixths in grain, and one-sixth in turnips, which are uniformly drilled and hoed. The manure chiefly employed is animal dung, with the addition of bone dust when required ; and it is now very customary to give the outfield lands a top-dressing, (with a compost of earth and lime, or earth and dung,) on the pasture grass, before ploughing it for a crop of oats. The farm-houses are plain substantial buildings, mostly of one floor, and thatch-roofed ; but a few of them lately erected have two floors and slate roofs, and as there are slate quarries in the neighbouring parish, it may be hoped that both the dwelling- houses and offices hereafter built on the principal farms will be slated. Very few of the fields are enclosed, either with hedges or dikes; from the difficulty -of watering the enclosures sufficiently for grazing cattle, and of procuring good stones for dikes at a moderate distance and expense. The only uncultivated ground likely to repay the cost of improvement, is the area of the moss that has been exhausted of peat, and which, on being dried and tilled, bears luxuriant crops in ordinary seasons ; and of this kind of ground lying along the sides of the moss, 400 acres have been brought into cultivation since the beginning of the present century, adding so much to the dimensions and value of the respective estates. Produce. — It is not easy to give a correct statement of the amount or value of the whole yearly produce, as that of many small possessions is in great part consumed by the occupiers and their families, and no account thereof regulai'ly kept. Bui, com- puting the annual returns of oats and bear (big) to be Q\ quar- ters from each acre of infield land in crop, and 4 quarters from each acre of outfield in crop, (which are fair estimates for ordi- nary seasons,) the gross yearly produce of these crops is 10470 quarters, yielding at the average of L. 1 each, L. 10,470 Sterling; cattle reared and sold from the parish, viz. oxen of three and four years old, 400 at L. 10, L. 4000 ; butter, cheese, and eggs, &c. sold, L. 1500; total, L. 15,970. Of the corn produced, there are required yearly for seed, 1800 quarters ; for food to 1500 per- sons, at 00 stones of meal to each, 3200 quarters ; leaving for RAYNE. 431 malt, horse-corn, sale, nad all other purposes, 5470 quarters, = 10,470 quarters. From the gross value of cattle sold, a de- duction should be made for grass parks rented by the tenants annually, amounting to about L. 400. But this outlay is much more than compensated by hay sold,"and potatoes and other farm and dairy produce consumed at home, but of which the value can- not be ascertained. The cheese made here is mostly from skim -milk, and does not bring a higher price in the market than from 3s. to 4s. per imperial stone. But butter is made in great abundance and of good quality by the farmers, and also by the crofters, who have little other pro- duce to spare for the market. It is bought up by the country mer- chants at 7d. to 9d. per imperial pound ; salted in casks and sold in Aberdeen, for city consumpt, or exportation. The annual value of butter, cheese, and eggs, sold from the rural parts of this county, was estimated some years since at L.90,000 Sterling; of which con- siderable revenue it may be affirmed that Rayne, with its nume- rous small possessions, drew an adequate share ; it being ascer- tained, that, on farms of L. 80 rent, the yearly value of dairy produce sold has been L. 20, or one-fourth thereof. The corns throughout this whole countv are now cut down with the scythe, which is found to be much more expeditious for oats and bear than the sickle, and consequently, more profitable, by preventing the hazard from over-ripening and shaking. The thrashing, on all farms of two horses' labour and upwards, is ac- complished by machinery, or thrashing-mills, which are now very numerous. Formerly, the oats were milled, and the meal sold in the Aberdeen market ; but now the greater part is sold in grain and carted to Inverury, whence it is conveyed by the canal barges to Aberdeen for being milled or exported. Manufactures. — Almost the only manufacture carried on here, is the knitting of woollen stockings, &c. with wires, as mentioned in the Statistical Account of 1794. All the women and some old men were employed in knitting coarse stockings for the Dutch market, and thereby brought into the parish about L. 400 Ster- ling yearly. This easy and lucrative manufacture was for a time interrupted, and nearly annihilated, by the war with France, and Holland under its sway ; but through the persevering enterprise of a few eminent capitalists in Aberdeen, it was succeeded by one of a similar kind, viz. the knitting of coarse worsted vests or under- jackets, for seafaring persons, and of blue woollen bonnets, com- 432 ABERDENSHIRE. monly worn by labouring men and boys, which are also knitted with wires, and afterwards milled. This is the common employ- ment of all the aged, and many of the young women in the dis- trict of Garioch ; and at the rate of 3d. to 4d. for. knittino- a jacket, and Id. to 2d. for a bonnet, it will yield, with some coarse stockings, to those of this parish alone, about L. 600 per annum. V. — Parochial Economy. Market-Toicn. — There is no market-town within the parish, and the one nearest to it is Inverury, a small royal burgh about eight miles distant, on the turnpike road to Aberdeen, Means of Communication. — There is a post-ofiico in Old Rain, two miles from the church, and the Royal Mail from Aberdeen to Inverness passes and repasses near to it every twenty-four hours, as does also another daily coach, on the same road, so that tra- vellers are well accommodated. A new line of turnpike was late- ly opened,- from the Huntly road at .Garden's mill, to Old Mel- drum, joining the line from that to the port of Newburgh. This turnpike is made through Rayne, about three miles from west to east, and though not yet much frequented, it may, from its vici- nity to the slate quarries, become very beneficial to the country. Ecclesiastical State. — The church is situated most conveniently for the parishioners, being nearly in the centre of the parish, and not more than two miles distant from the extremities of it. It was built in 1789, and made to contain in the area and two galleries 500 hearers, a number too limited vvhen the population exceeded 1100; and though by the addition of two other galleries, the sit- tings have since been augmented to 700, they are still too few for the parishioners, now above 1500, besides about 30 persons an- nexed quoad sacra from the large adjoining parish of Fyvie. All the seats in the area being divided among the land-owners, in proportion to their valued rents, are by them apportioned to their tenants, free of charge, according to their real rents ; and a few sittings are set apart for the poor gratis. Three of the galleries, havino- been erected by the curators for the poor, are annually let by them to the parishioners, at the very "moderate rate of Is. each sitting, and yield above L.i4 Sterling yearly to the poor's funds, besides affording some free sittings to those who require them. The manse was built in 1751 for L.IOOO Scots, and was last repaired and enlarged in 1826. The arable glebe contains six imperial acres of good ground, and there are above two acres of 3 RAYNE. 433 grass glebe, with 18s. Sterling in lieu of the residue of grass. The stipend was last augmented in 1823, when the heritors sur- rendered their whole teinds, amounting in Sterling money to L. 167, lis. 8d. ; meal, at 10 imperial stones to the boll, 65 bolls, 3 pecks, 2i lippies ; bear, in Aberdeenshire measure, 12 bolls, 3 pecks, 0| lippies, the victual of both kinds being made payable, with consent of the present incumbent, at the highest fiar prices of the county. There are no Chapels of Ease, Government churches, mission- aries, or catechists, nor any Episcopalian, Catholic, Seceding, or other Dissenting chapels within these bounds ; but in the parish of Fyvie, and about three miles from hence, there is an Episco- pal chapel, with a numerous and respectable congregation. Thirty- four families in Rayne, comprising 100 persons of all ages, attend there ; li persons grown up attend various Dissenting meet- ings at a distance ; and all the other families, amounting to 276, and comprising about 1400 persons, attend the Established Church, where the average number of the congregation is 700 persons, and of the communicants, 750. The amount of annual collections for the poor on the roll has risen to about L.48, 10s.; and of extraordinary collections for the Aberdeen In- firmary, the Pauper Lunatic Fund, and the General Assembly's Schemes, about L.14 yearly. It is but justice to add, that the church contributions of the householders form only a small pro- portion of their alms, as they are daily bestowing meal and provi- sions on their indigent neighbours, and also on many wandering mendicants. Education. — Besides the parochial school near the church, there is one in Meiklewarthill unendowed, and another in Old Rain, un- endowed, and presently taught by a Dissenter. In the latter two, the ordinary branches of reading, writing, and arithmetic are taught, which yield of yearly emolument to each of the teachers scarcely L.20, In the parochial school, Latin, Greek, and ma- thematics are taught, when required, in addition to the ordinary branches, and for which the teacher has the minimum salary of L. 25, 13s. 4d. ; school fees and other dues, L.30; allowance from Mr Dick's Trustees, L.28 ; total, L.83, 13s. 4d. ; also a house with the legal accommodation, and an enclosed garden of one- fourth of a Scots acre. The quarter fees, payable at entry, are very moderate, viz. for reading and writing, 2s. 6d. ; with arithmetic, Ss. 6d. : Latin, ABERDEEN. E 6 434 ABERDEENSHIRE. Greek, or mathematics, 5s. The parents are generally anxious to give their offspring an education suitable to their station ; so that there are few young persons above six years who have not had an opportunity of learning to read, write, and cypher. None are pre- cluded by distance from attending the parochial school ; but as it was built thirty years ago, and for only eighty scholars, it could not accommodate the number of youth who now apply to education during the winter months, or from the close of harvest to the seed-time, being above 200, or one-seventh of the popula- tion: hence the success of the two unendowed schools in the villages, each of them about two miles distant from the parish school, and equally well filled with it. There is no parish library, strictly so called ; but a reading so- ciety was formed about eight years ago, by thirty members, which affords the means of instructive and religious reading, at a very trivial expense, to all who desire it ; and may tend also to increase the number of readers in the rising generation. Friendly Societies. — Of several Friendly Societies formed here, only one remains, called The Freefield Ploughmen Lodge, which remodelled its rules agreeably to the Act of Parliament, and seems to flourish. Savings Bank. — A District Savings Bank, on the security of the national funds, was opened in Inverury at Whitsunday last ; and the industrious classes in this and other surrounding parishes have availed themselves of the means of providing for the wants of age ; the deposits in six months, chiefly by male and female ser- vants, beino; about L. 1500, and in two vears amounting to nearly L. 6000. Poor and Parochial Funds. — Of poor persons on the parish roll, the average is 40, and the amount distributed quarterly in sums from 8s. to 15s. according to their relative circumstances, is L.20 or L.80 per annum. The yearly amount of church collections is L. 48, 10s. ; rents drawn for seats of three galleries, L. 14, 5s. ; interest of poor's funds lent, L. 7, 10s.; donations, legacies, and other casual supplies, L.12; total, L.82, 5s. There is one fund for the poor of all the parishes in the county and synod, (except those in Fordyce, and two others which have assessments,) which deserves to be recorded, in memory of the benevolent do- nor, the late John Burnett, of Dens, Esq. a citizen of Aberdeen, who bequeathed a considerable part of his residuary estate for this charitable purpose. This having been realized and invested I IIAYNE. 435 in land, yields an annual rent of L.400, which is managed by the provincial synod, and distributed through the several- presbyteries in rotation, in sums from L.20 to L.50 to each parish, according to the relative numbers and necessities of their poor. And from this fund the poor of Rayne have received three distributions dur- ing the last twenty-three years, amounting in all to L.82. The first applications for relief from the poor's funds are gene- rally made with reluctance ; but aid being granted chiefly to the aged and infirm who have no relations able to support them, and widows with helpless children, the feeling of shame is in them gradually overcome by the fear of want. Fairs. — The principal fairs in the parish are the Tryst of Wart- hill, a large cattle-market held annually about Whitsunday N.S.; Lawrence fair, at Old Rain, also a considerable market, held yearly at Lammas; a new market in the same place in October; and Andersmas fair at Kirktown, after Martinmas O. S.-, besides two feeing markets for servants, held near Old Rain, before Whitsun- day and Martinmas respectively. Jlehouses. — There are at present four alehouses licensed to sell spirits ; a number much greater than is requisite for the accom- modation of the parishioners and lawful travellers. Fuel. — The fuel most used is peat, dug from the extensive bog or moss already mentioned, about Whitsunday, dried there for six weeks, and carted home and built in stacks in July. Miscellaneous Observations. The chief variations betwixt the present state of the parish, and that in 1794, are L The increase of population from 1173 to 1510 ; 2. The rise of rent from L. 1300 to L. 5650. Better parish roads, leading to the several turnpikes, would be a valuable means of improvement here. October 1840. PARISH OF GLENBUCKET. PRESBYTERY OF ALFORD, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. ROBERT SCOTT, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — This parish derives its name from two Gaelic words, gleann, a glen, and huidhe, signifying yellow, or from the stream of Bucket, which intersects the glen, taking its rise among the lofty mountains ; separating Glenlivat and Glenbucket, and which falls into the Don below the venerable castle, the seat of the ancient Gordons of Glenbucket. The castle stands in a com- manding and beautiful situation, totally neglected, and fast falling into complete ruin. Extent. — The average breadth of the parish is about one mile arable, and, including the mountain ranges, about 2^ miles ; its length arable about 6 miles, — including the mountains, 10 miles. The parish is almost surrounded by Strathdon : for a small space to the north-west it adjoins Cabrach and Glenlivat. But from these, it is separated by a regular range of lofty mountains. A narro'^ and romantic pass leads into the parish from the east, commencing at the confluence of the rivers Don and Bucket, be- low the castle. Craigenscore is the highest hill in the parish ; it lies to the north, and rises about 2000 feet above the level of the sea. Benneaw is the next highest, and is 1800 feet above the level of the sea. The castle is built on the acclivity of this hill. Climate. — The climate is severe. In the summer months it is sometimes excessively hot ; in winter, north winds, deep snows, and keen frosts prevail, which frequently continue long, and make late and bad spring months. Geology. — The rocks are generally primitive. There are to be found, hornblende, felspar, gneiss, mica-slate, granite, and pri- mitive limestone in great abundance, which contains about seventy per cent. lime. It is worked to great advantage by the tenants, both for their own use and for sale. GLENBUCKET. ^ 437 Zoology. — The breeds of cattle, horses, and sheep, have been much improved within these few years, and bring annually a con- siderable sum of money to the glen. The wild animals are, foxes, hares, common and alpine; roe and red-deer frequent Glen- noughty. Birds ; eagles, hawks, black-game, grouse, ptarmi- gan, snipes, dotterel, plover, partridges, &c. and a great variety of small birds. Fish ; salmon, trout, and eels are found in the Don and Bucket. II. — Civil History. The barbarous feud that took place betwixt Mowat of Aber- geldie and Cameron of Brux, is recorded by the celebrated Pre- sident Forbes in the Culloden Papers. The ancient Gordons (Lairds of Glenbucket) were long one of the most powerful feudal families in this county, a gallant and handsome race of men. The last laird had a distinguished com- mand under the Stuarts, in the bold, rash, and unfortunate en- terprizes of 1715 and 1745. It is said that George II. having the greatest horror at the name of the dread chieftain of Glen- bucket, often dreamed of him, starting in his sleep, and exclaim- ing in broken English, " De great Glenbucket be coming." The fact was, however, that very few gentlemen in the times in which he lived were more accomplished, humane, and brave. He made his escape to France (a very old man) after the fatal battle of Culloden. The Earl of Fife is sole heritor of the parish, as well as superior of the estates that once belonged to the ancient and powerful Earls of Mar. Parochial Registers. — The parochial registers, of late years, have been kept correctly. This summer, an excellent porter's lodge has been built by the Earl of Fife's orders at Badenyon, which will be of great be- nefit to that remote and celebrated spot. III. — Population. Beyond the year 1775, there is no report of the population of this parish. In 1775, the population was 430 1801, . 420 1811, .443 1821, . 479—246 males— 233 females, 1831, . 539—282 —257 Population has increased in this parish, in consequence of the increasing cleanliness of the people, greater attention to children 438 ABEUDEENSHIUE, in extreme infancy, vaccination, but, above all, the annihilation of smuggling. The improvements in every respect, since illicit distillation has been happily put down, are truly astonishing. Falsehood, swearing, drunkenness, and other immoral practices, although they linger with a few of the old and hardened, are fast disappearing ; and in their place are progressing, good manners, cleanliness, sobriety, exemplary attention to their moral and reli- gious duties, and diligence at their different avocations. The people are generally hardy, active, and intellectual ; and since smuggling has come to an end, manifest a strong desire for read- ing and general information. The establishment of a library in the neighbourhood has been of great use. IV. — Industry. The inhabitants are all employed in agriculture, as farmers, crofters, and farm servants, with a few mechanics. The soil is generally very good, and were the farms properly arranged, and leases of proper endurance given, great improvements would cer- tainly take place. There is excellent limestone, easily wrought, yielding upwards of seventy per cent; and inexhaustible peatmoss, of superior quality. Draining, enclosing, and planting would greatly ameliorate the climate ; and although the humane and truly be- nevolent proprietor, the Earl of Fife, gives very little encourage- ment here, yet the people are farming, notwithstanding their many disadvantages, on the most improved system of agriculture, raising good crops of turnips, potatoes, hay, bear, and oats. The Mains farm at the castle is perhaps as well managed in every respect as any in Scotland. Roads are much wanted. It is to be wished that the Noble proprietor may soon turn his attention to the im- provement of this beautiful but still much neglected part of his princely estates. V, — Parochial Economy. Ecclesiastical State. — About twenty years ago, there were from twenty to thirty Roman Catholics in the parish. With the ex- ception of two old people (Roman Catholics) there are no Dis- senters of any denomination from the Established Presbyterian church. Divine service in the church is well attended. The number of communicants is about 800. The stipend from teinds (exhausted) is L. 33, Os. 8d. ; from Government, L. 123 ; in all, L. 158, 6s. 8d. The glebe is worth about L. 10 annually; and the manse is in excellent condition. Poor. — The average annual collections for the benefit of the 4 I TULLYNESSLE AND FORBES. 439 poor amount to about L.14 Sterling annually, which, with a small fund from savings, furnishes the only means by which the poor are supported. There are 18 on the poor's roll. Education. — There is a parish school, having the medium le- gal salary ; the school fees, a good house, excellent garden, and small croft of land of three acres, at a very moderate rent, support a duly qualified teacher. The people are particularly anxious to have their children educated, and there is not an individual but can read and write. There is a small but useful adventure school kept during winter and spring, in the remote part of the parish, on the cele- brated classical spot where John of Badenyon lived. A proper teacher and salary at this station is much wanted. October 1840.' UNITED PARISHES OF TULLYNESSLE AND FORBES. PRESBYTERY OF ALFORD, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. JAMES PAULL, A, M. MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — Tullynessle is understood to be a word of Gaelic extraction, and is descriptive of the situation of the church and manse. They stand upon a slightly elevated bank at the junction of two burns, which descend from neighbouring glens. The name of one of those burns is the Esset, and it is the opinion of some that Tullyn-esset is the proper and more ancient spelling. Tally is said to signify a dwelling, and Esle a sloping bank. The latter part of the name may be, therefore, either from Esset or Esle. In the one case the derivation would mean a house on a slightly ris- ing ground ; in the other, a house on the banks of the Esset. Of the origin of Forbes there is no satisfactory account. That the original parish of this name derived its appellation from the noble family, who have been proprietors of it for several centuries, there is no doubt ; but, to the curious in names, there is here no solu- tion of the difficulty.* * A legend, which the writer has often heard, if it fails to instruct, may at least amuse. The family of Forbes carries three boars' heads in its arms, and the reason 440 ABEUDEENSHIUE. Boundaries and Extent. — Tullynessle and Forbes became a united parish in the year 1808; and it is one of those unions against which it would be difficult to raise any objection. Forbes had previously been, from the year 1722, joined to Kearn, from which it is separated by the range of hills which bound the dis- trict of Alford in that direction ; and the minister, whose residence was in the former parish, preached, the one Sunday at Forbes and the other at Kearn. The parishioners of Forbes now enjoy the public ministrations of religion every Lord's-day. A great pro- portion of them are nearer to the church at Tullynessle than they were to that at Forbes ; and none have a greater distance to travel than about three miles and a half. At the same time, the united po- pulation is not too large for the pastoral superintendence and labours of the minister. The length of the parish is about 7 miles, and its breadth 4 miles. With the exception of a single farm, and the part of Caille-var belonging to it, which lie on the opposite side, the river Don forms the southern boundary, separating it from the parish of Alford ; and the parish of Keig is the east boundary. On the west, it is bounded by Auchindoir ; and on the north, by Leslie, Clatt, and Rhynie. In these two last directions, it is se- parated from the parishes mentioned, by a mountainous range, of considerable elevation, at several points. As to their exact height above the level of the sea, the writer is unable to speak. Caille- var, on the opposite side of the river, is about 1350 feet above the level of the sea, and the points of Coreen, which is the general name of this chain, at Lord Arthur's Seat and Lord Forbes's Cairn, are probably about the same height. Taking the river Don as a line which intersects the district of Alford from north-west to south-east, and viewing the district in the circular form which has been given to it by the shape of its mountainous boundary on all sides, Tullynessle and Forbes, with the part of Keig lying on the same side of the river, constitutes the northern portion of the circle. The parish is intersected by various ridges of hills, which descend from the boundary-chain in a south-easterly direction towards the river. Meteorology and Hydrography, — There is little to be said upon assigned for this by Sir Samuel Forbes, in his " View of the Diocese of Aberdeen," (MS.) is, " because the first of this family slew a wild ravenous boar near Castle For- bes, where, at this day on a stone, the figure of that boar, though rudely carved, is still seen." According to the prevailing story, the actor in this bold exploit was de- sirous to give proof of his undaunted courage to the young and beautiful heiress of the Castle, whose name was Bess; and, having received her hand, as his reward, very properly assumed a name commemorative of his valour — " For-Bess !" TULLYNESSLE AND FORBES. 441 the first of these subjects, which would not equally apply to the whole district. The climate naturally good, owing to the soil, and there being little clay bog in the parish, has no doubt been considerably improved by planting and draining. It varies in dif- ferent parts of the parish. The crops upon those which lie to- wards the river and have a south exposure, are about ten days earlier than the others which look towards the north, or are con- fined within the hills. The harvest of 1837 will ever be gratefully remembered by the inhabitants of the north of Scotland. From its conclusion to the 8th day of January following the weather remained unusually fine. There was no snow, and so little rain fell that several of the springs which had been open in summer became dried up. Upon that day we had a heavy fall of snow, which experienced a slight diminution by means of a thaw that took place about a week after- wards, and continued about twenty-four hours. But this was im- mediately followed by an additional fall, and, for some time, scarcely a day passed in which there was not some increase. Until Satur- day, 24th February, the weather continued calm ; but, on thatday, it blew a dreadful hurricane, which was accompanied with a heavy fall of additional snow. The roads which had been partly cleared, were once more completely blocked up, and, in many cases, the cottages and farm-steadings were nearly invisible. For many weeks, nothing green out of doors was to be seen, but the tops of the fir trees. The sufferings of the sheep with those of wild ani- mals and fowls were very great. Wood-pigeons and partridges have been nearly exterminated. The thermometer, on more than one occasion, stood as low as. 12° below zero. Calculating from the rain-guage, and allowing a foot of snow for an inch of water, there must have fallen, in whole, snow to the depth of six feet over all. In duration and severity, there has been no season to com- pare with it since 1795. Sowing in favourable situations did not take place till about the 12th of April, and in many cases, even then, portions of a field behoved to be left, owing to the remaining snow. The parish is abundantly supplied with excellent water. Its springs are numerous ; and some of them, in consequencer of the strata through which they issue, are more or less im- pregnated with iron. There is a very good chalybeate of this kind in the garden of the writer. No fewer than six burns de- scend to the River Don from the glens extending into the moun- 442 ABERDEENSHIRE. tainous range already mentioned. The largest of these is the Esset. Its course, after reaching the cultivated part of the pa- rish, and before it discharges itself into the river, is only about two miles and a-half ; and in this short passage, it works three meal-mills, one flax-mill, and six thrashing-machines. On two occasions, viz. in 1829, during the great flood in the north of Scotland, and in 1835, owing to a water-spout near its source in the hills, it became flooded to a degree almost incredible : the inmates of a cottage upon its bank, in the immediate vicinity of the manse, were, on both occasions, so sudden was the irruption of the overwhelming torrent, with difficulty extricated from their perilous situation. Were Tullynessle and Forbes nearer to Aber- deen than it is, or to any great manufacturing city, the value of its burns, as a substitute for steam in driving machinery, would be very great. In many respects, they are highly advantageous to the farmer, and, in particular, by enabling him to thrash his grain without the laboiu* of horses, they save this most valuable part of his stock from the most tearing labour to which they can be put. Geology and Mineralogy. — Under this head little can be said, as the substances to which it relates, are in this parish probably few in number, and little varied in their nature. The rocks, it is believed, are all of a primitive character : granite, with its allies, gneiss and mica-slate. The second is not often to be seen in its most characteristic stratified form ; and the most prevailing rock may be said to be one intermediate to gneiss and mica-slate. Perfect enough specimens of mica-slate are, however, to be met with, both in its common form, and in that of the undulated and slaty varieties of Jameson. There are two quarries of this na- ture, which are worked to a considerable extent, for the purpose of furnishing pavement to halls and kitchens. The slabs found in them, more particularly in the one situated in Coreen, can fre- quently be procured of a very large size. One or two porches to farm-houses, which the writer has seen, and where each of the side walls consists of a single slab of about five feet in breadth, and nearly double the height, with a pavilion roof of the same material, have a very light and handsome appearance. The slabs are often used in place of wood for the water-courses of thrashing- mills, and sometimes in byres for the cattle's stalls. There is likewise a granite quarry upon the Forbes property, near the ri- ver, of excellent quality, which has ")een wrought for several years ; i TULLY^ESSLF. AND FOEBES. ^43 and in the immediate vicinity of a town, would yield a handsome revenue to the Noble proprietor. Some attempts were made about two years ago, to open in Corinne a quarry of roofing-slate, but although appearances were favourable, they were given up, in consequence of the expense. Limestone is to be met with here, and there are the remains of a kiln for burning it upon one of the shanks of the hill, which goes by the name of the Limer- Shank ; but the quantity of the lime does not appear to be such as would remunerate the manufacturer. Close by the public road which leads to Huntly, where it has been found necessary for the level to make a cut of several feet, there is to be seen, towards the foot of the northern range of hill, a small vein of silicious sand, ex- tending into the hill, seemingly of decomposed quartz, but ren- dered unavailable for the purposes which it would otherwise serve, owing to a small admixture of iron. Botany. — The following vegetable species are natives of the parish, and may deserve to be mentioned, viz. — Potamogeton pusillum Vacciniura Vitis-idea Cardamine aniara Campanula latifolia Arbutus Uva-Ursi Fumaria claviculata Trientalis Europaea Pyrola rotuiidifolia Habenaria albida. The writer may perhaps mention that Habenaria bifolia, though common enough throughout the kingdom, occurs but sparingly in "this parish, and, according to better information than his own on this subject, has scarcely been observed in any other part of the vale of Alford. It likewise appears somewhat remarkable, that ■common water-cress grows here in but small quantity, and is sel- dom or never observed in any of the adjacent parishes ; and it is worthy of notice that in the river Don, upon the west border of the parish, CEnanthe crocata (esteemed one of the most poisonous plants in Britain) occurs in one or two spots, being probably trans- planted from the Den of Kildrummy, where it is to be met with in considerable abundance. The most interesting feature, however, in the vegetation of the parish, is Linnma horeaUs, which was dis- covered at no great distance from the manse in 1826, by the late Dr A. Murray of Aberdeen, in whose recent death the science of medicine, as well as of botany, has suffered a heavy loss. The patch where it grows is small, but the plants are numerous, the Z/ZwncBa being mixed with f^acciniiim Vitis-Idea, Arbutus Uva-Ursi, and the whole overtopped with common heath. The Linnoca is understood to be found in Scotland either in old woods or in al- pine places, but the station mentioned is not greatly above the 444 ABERDEENSHIRE. level of the parish, and, though rather shaded, no wood appears ever to have existed there. Forests and Plantations. — Upon this subject the writer feels happy in being able to communicate the following valuable in- formation, with which he has been favoured by the Honourable the Master of Forbes, who is proprietor of the lands of Brux, which are situate in this and the neighbouring parishes. Since the year 1816, he has planted or sown above 2000 acres, and the following is the result of his extensive experience. — " The larch, spruce, and Scots fir are thriving well both on Coreen and Caille-var, and on the lower parts of those hills, oak, ash, elm, Spanish chestnut, plane, and gean-trees, grow rapidly. Although occasionally nipt by the climate in winter, they average annually a valuable increase of wood, both in height and circumference. I do not think that the raising of oak and Spanish chestnut from the seed, without transplanting, has had a sufficient trial in this part of the island. It seems to me that it would answer better than planting seedlings from a nursery. Those that I have raised from seed, in land not broken up from heath, have succeeded well ; the higher parts of the hills have, after burning the heath, been very successfully sown with larch and Scots fir ; but the larch raised in this way, as well as those which have been trans- planted, are not free from the general disease so common to this species of wood in this quarter." It may be remarked, that, if the common etymology of the name " Caillevar" be correct, viz. " Caille," a wood, and " Var," a hill, i. e. " the hill of wood," it has once more, through the spirited exertions of the proprietor, become entitled to its ancient appellation, being at the present moment a thriving forest. It may be here added, that, along the banks of the Don, there is a considerable quantity of alder, with some birch, and on the Forbes part of the river, a little hagberry, (Prunus Padus). Upon the estate of Whitehaugh, some hun- dred acres of full-grown park wood, chiefly larch and fir, have for the last twenty years added considerably to the annual revenue of the property, and the size of many of the trees, all of which were planted by the grandfather of Colonel Leith, the present pro- prietor, holds forth a strong encouragement to improvements of this description ; and this encouragement has not been lost upon the latter. Zoology. — The wild animals to be found in this parish are, it is believed, common to most other parts of Scotland, similarly TULLYNESSLE AND FORBES. 445 situated. In the hills are to be found, grouse, black-game, where the hills have been planted, hare, plover, and during the breeding-season, some wild-ducks near the mouths of the springs, and upon the banks of the streamlets issuing from them. There is likewise a superabundance of the enemies of game, viz. the fox, raven, and hawk. The most destructive of this last men- tioned enemy is what is here called blue-sleeves. It is much larger than the sparrow-hawk, and considerably smaller than the buzzard. The Alpine or white hare, is sometimes met with. There are plenty of roe-deer in the woods ; and during a severe winter they do much injury to the trees by stripping them of their bark. A red-deer is sometimes seen, but only as a bird of pas- sage. Owing to the obstructions to their passage up the river, occa- sioned by the stake-nets near its entrance into the sea, the cruives and cruive-dikes, at some distance above, and the abstraction of a great portion of its waters for driving the machinery of a large ma- nufactory in the vicinity of Aberdeen, the number of salmon in this part of the Don is very small. There is, however, an abun- dance of very fine trout, some of them of very large size. The writer has more than once killed them of the weight of nearly five pounds, and has heard of instances where they weighed conside- rably more. It is, however, but very seldom that the angler meets with such prizes ; but, in favourable weather, during the season, if possessed of the requisite knowledge of his craft and patience, he will find no difficulty in filling his basket with some dozens of a smaller size, from one-half to one and a-half pounds weight. The flesh of the larger sized ones, when in good condition, is of a co- lour betwixt that of salmon and the smaller trout. The par and small-trout are very plentiful in the Esset, as well as in the river. October and November are the months in which the salmon gene- rally ascend the river for spawning ; but some of them make their appearance for this purpose much later. They return in Decem- ber, and the beginning of January. Several of them, however, remain so late as the beginning of the month of March. II. — Civil History. Estates. — A short notice of the estates in this parish, and their present proprietors,' will in a great measure supply what has to be said on this head of its statistics. They are, 1. The lands of Forbes, which belong to the Noble family of the same name. A small portion of these lands were, about twenty years ago, sold to the 446 ABERDEENSHIRE. Honourable the Master of Forbes, in consequence of their conti- guity to bis property of Brux^ and, more especially, to the roman- tic situation upon which he has, since that time, built a comforta- ble house. All the rest belongs to the head of the family, James Ochonchar, Lord Forbes, who is Premier Baron of Scotland, a General in the army, and Knight of the Royal Sicilian Order of St Januarius. By far the greater part of the life of this amiable and distinguished nobleman has been spent from home in the ser- vice of his country ; and his conduct in the various important situa- tions he has filled, as well as the deep interest he has uniformly evinced in the welfare and prosperity of his tenantry, clearly pro- nounce him to be a worthy descendant of one of the oldest and most distinguished families in Scottish history. 2. The estate of Terperse or Dalpersie formerly belonged to a cadet of the house of Gordon. The fate of the last of this fa- mily who inherited the lands, may be mentioned as one of the nu- merous acts of barbarous severity which were exercised upon the unfortunate rebels of 1745. Having escaped death in the bloody field, Mr Gordon had contrived to elude detection for a conside- rable time, by concealing himself in the hills close to his house. But anxious, as it would appear, to obtain for one night a more comfortable repose than could be afforded by his mountain-cave, he imprudently repaired to his mansion for this purpose, and, in consequence, no doubt, of information, was apprehended by a party of the King's troops. There being some doubt regarding the iden- tity of their prisoner, the party endeavoured, but in vain, to have it solved, by carrying him before the minister of the parish ; but they were more fortunate, upon repairing to a farm upon the other side of the hills, which was rented by Mr Gordon, and where his wife and family then resided. For his children, on seeing their father, came running towards him, exclaiming, " Dady, dady," and, unwittingly to themselves, became aiding in consigning their parent to the block. His property was forfeited, and came into the possession of the York Company. It was purchased from them by a gentleman of the same name with the late proprietor, and connected, it is believed, with the same family. The present pro- prietor is James Adam Gordon, Esq. There is upon the property an old mansion-house, inhabited by the farmer who rents the surrounding grounds. It is in the old castle style, but of small dimensions, and there is nothing about it worthy of particular notice. TULLYNESSLE AND FORBES. 447 3. Wliitehaugh, the property of Lieut*- Colonel J. J. F. Leitli, H. E. I. C. S., who is a regular descendant of the ancient family of the Forbes's of Tohon. The first of this family, who succeeded to this estate through the female branch, and adopted the sirname of Leith, was John Forbes Leith, whose history is well entitled to a short notice in a work of this description. He had received an university educa- tion at Oxford, and resided chiefly in England until about the year 1735, when he came to reside upon his property. A man- sion-house nearly in ruins, and a tenantry, not only ignorant of the improved modes of agriculture, but wedded to old practices, must have been considerable discouragements to an Oxonian, and a gentleman accustomed to the comforts of a more advanced state of civilization : but in place of flying from, he determined to re- move them, and lived to enjoy the fruits of his resolution in a comfortable mansion, with suitable garden, a well improved per- sonal farm, several hundred acres of thriving wood, and an in- creased and increasinof rent-roll. His son and successor more than followed up the example which had been set him. He took under his own management a large portion of the estate, which had been before a number of unproductive possessions, and con- verted it into one beautiful farm of regular fields, tastefully laid out, and fenced with hedge-rows, and the whole surrounded by thriving wood. His labours now yield to his successor a hand- some rent. His attention was particularly directed to the im- provement of the breeds of cattle which, in his time, were in this quarter of a very inferior descrijition ; and at a very considerable expense he brought from a distance, and was the means of in- troducing amongst his tenantry, and throughout the district, ani- mals of a much better kind. It may be mentioned that a considerable portion of this estate at one time belonged to the Knights- Templars. One field of the farm which has been particularly noticed is called Temple Close^ and another St John's Close. Although the Templars, we be- lieve, had but one settlement- in Scotland, viz. the Hospital of St Germains in Lothian, they enjoyed the funds of several churches, and houses in various parts of the country. Modern Buildings. — In this class may be mentioned the very handsome mansion which is now being finished at Whitehaugh. The proprietor has, with equal good taste as feeling, retained the very substantial, and for the time splendid dwelling of his an- 448 ABERDEENSHIRE. cestor, and, by adding two large wings of a corresponding charac- ter, has contrived to give to the whole a very imposing effect. We have already noticed the mansion of the Honourable the Master of Forbes, proprietor of the lands of Brux and others, which is likewise situated in this parish. It stands near the river Don, and is completely surrounded with his thriving plantations. Cal- lievar rises in solemn majesty before it on the south, and Lord Arthur's cairn raises its head immediately behind it on the north. The public road which introduces you through this mountainous pass from the higher country to the vale of Alford, winds by the banks of the river, and the mansion, both in its character and lo- cality, corresponds well with the other romantic beauties of this short drive. - Parochial Registers. — The session are in possession of a regis- ter belonging to Forbes. Its earliest date is 1729, and the latest 1752. Another of the same parish is in the hands of the minis- ter of Auchindoir, which, it is believed, relates to the period from 1752 to 1808, when Forbes was annexed to this parish, and Kearn to Auchindoir. The register of TuUynessle commences in 1760, and comprehends Forbes since the date of the junction. It appears to have been tolerably kept. Eminent Men.' — The Rev. Walter Syme. Of this gentleman, in as far as his own character and talents are concerned, it is sufficient to say that both were good ; but it is not perhaps generally known that the present Ex -Chancellor, Lord Brougham, is a near de- scendant of his. His Lordship's history will obtain a conspicuous place in the annals of his day. Whatever may be the general verdict awarded him by posterity, the meed of unrivalled ora- torial powers will, without doubt, be unanimously conceded ; and it is with a feeling somewhat akin to pride, that the writer gives the following account of his Lordship's relation to a predecessor in the manse of TuUynessle. The eldest son of the Rev. Walter Syme, now mentioned, named James, was a short time minister of Alloa, and married a daughter of Principal Robertson of Edin- burgh. The only daughter of Mr James Syme, named Eleanora Syme* (still alive), was married to Henry Brougham, Esq. of Brouofham Hall. Westmoreland, and is the venerable mother of the present Lord Brougham and Vaux. Maps. — There is a recent map of the county, which was exe- cuted by a Mr Robertson, at the request of the county gentlemen. * The lady is since dead. 3 TULLYNESSLE AND FORBES. . 449 Of its correctness the writer is unqualified to pronounce judgment ; but, according to his present recollection, there were objections made upon this score, when it was completed, to the pay- ment of the sum which had been promised to Mr Robertson for the work. In regard to the height of several mountains where Mr Robertson has differed from the late Dr Keith, in his county sur- vey, the labours of the gentlemen employed by Government in the great trigonometrical survey of the kingdom have confirmed the accuracy of the latter. Antiquities. — Near the river, and in the immediate vicinity of a small village, named Mongarry, there is the site of General Baillie's encampment on the night previous to his defeat by Mon- trose, in the battle of Alford, 1645. Before the improvements, which have taken place in agriculture within the last thirty years, there were several remains of Druidical temples, as they have been called, but, with the exception of one, they have all been removed. The following account of the appear- ances which presented themselves to the workmen who were em- ployed in trenching and levelling the site of one of these with the surrounding ground, has been communicated by the gentleman who then rented the farm on which it was situated, and carefully watched the operations. The upright stones were mostly gone ; but it was evident that they had enclosed a circle of about fifty feet diameter. The ground on which the temple stood was slop- ing, and within the circle it had been levelled by removing the earth on the upper side, so as to present on this part of the circle, a bank nearly perpendicular, of not less than five feet, gradually decreasing to the east or lower part, when it became level with the natural surface. The upright stones were on the top of the bank. From the circle in a south-east direction, an artificially paved road could be traced to the distance of at least six hundred yards through a bog, which, at the farther end, was about six yards wide, but near twenty yards when it approached within fifty yards of the circle, and here the paving was covered with ashes. The stones of the pavement were not squared, but very neatly fitted into each other. On the upper or north-west side of the circle, although the ground here was very dry, there was likewise a considerable size of pavement, not under one hundred yards long by about forty wide. The greater part of the stones of this latter pavement had evidently been brought from a hill about three miles distant. There was no pavement within the circle. About fifty yards ABERDEEN. i' f 450 ABERDEExNSHIRE. above the circle, there were found two stone ladles, lying not far from 'each other. The handle of one of them had been broken off; that of the other was about nine inches long, with a knob at the end of it, evidently for the purpose of preventing it, when used, from falling into the vessel, by laying hold of its edge. A similar stone ladle was, a considerable time ago, found when clearing out another Druidical circle on the farm of Whiteside. III. — Population. In the year 1811, by Government census, the population was 540 1821, by Do. Do. . , 643 18,31, by Do. Do. . . 778 1837, by an account taken by the writer 783 Of whom there were under 15 years 250 betwixt 15 and 30, 253 30 and 50, 157 50 and 70, 99 above 70, 24 There are of inhabited houses in the parish, 136. Uni nhabited none. The average number of births for seven years s 12f of marriages, -H of blind. 1 The population, according to Dr Webster, in 1755, was, for Forbes and Kearn, 436 ; for Tullynessle, 269, The writer has not the means of ascertaining how many of the first number be- longed to Forbes, and how many to Kearn, and, consequently, is unable to show distinctly the great increase of population which has, since that period, taken place in the now united parish of Tul- lynessle and Forbes. There is only one resident proprietor, viz. Colonel Leith of Whitehaugh. The mansion-house of Little Wood Park, belong- ing to the Honourable the Master of Forbes, the only other pro- prietor's house situated within the parish, is at present rented by the gentleman who farms the neighbouring grounds. The whole population may strictly be said to be agricultural. There are no doubt wrights, smiths, shoemakers, masons, and tailors located over the parish, but in no greater numbers than what is required for its wants; and they generally rent a small posses- sion. Besides the resident proprietors, there are two or three gen- tlemen in possession of farms, whose income does not wholly de- pend on the produce of the ground. It is to be hoped that their agricultural occupations yield them profit as well as pleasure. Character of the People. — The character and habits of the people, are both good. Generally speaking, they are active and persevering, temperate, honest, and charitable. In every commu- nity, there will be exceptions to any tribute of commendation to TULLYNESSLE AND FORBES. 451 which the bulk of that community may be entitled ; but it is be- lieved, that the number of exceptions in tlie present case, if not smaller, does by no means exceed what will be found in any agri- cultural population, of equal extent, throughout Scotland. Habits. — Within the last thirty years, great improvements have taken place in the modes of living and dress. The houses of tradesmen and crofters are much more comfortable and clean ; while those of the farmers are commodious, in general suitable in size to the extent of their farms, and such as their industry and enterprize well entitle them to possess. Slates are now the com- mon roof for farm-houses, and those of tradesmen. It may be with truth affirmed, that although at times, in consequence of a numerous family, and unforeseen disaster, exposed to considerable privations, the crofter and labourer now enjoy luxuries, if they may be so called, to which even the farmers were fifty years ago entire strangers. The anti-agriculturist would make you believe that the farmer has reached a stage of comfort and external show to -which he is not entitled, and, in place of enabling him to -maintain his present status, by means of due protection, would reduce him to the drud- gery and spare living of last century. We perhaps touch upon a forbidden topic, but one passing remark may be allowed. Let the persons of whom we speak be impartial, and advocate a similar descent in the case of the merchant and manufacturer. Their rise is still greater than that of the farmer. In the case of all of them, it is the fruit of increased intelligence and enlightened enter- prize. They are now, in as far^as present prosperity is concern- ed, indissoluble linked together, and you cannot harm the one with- out injuring the other. From the general dryness of the soil, and the improvement in climate, which has no doubt been superinduced by the recovery of waste land, draining, and planting, the parish is favourable to health. We have our share of diseases common to the north of Scotland, but no disease peculiar to the parish. In the last Sta- tistical Account for Forbes, which now forms part of this parish, it is mentioned that there prevailed almost universally among the parishioners a species of latent scurvy ; and Malthus, in one of the editions of his work on population, has, according to the in- formation of the writer, noticed the circumstance as one of the checks interposed by Providence to counteract the great tendency which population has to exceed the means of subsistence. The 452 ABERDEENSHIRE. learned Professor would have been somewhat astonished to have been told the truth, viz. that this destructive, and, according to the description, most loathsome disease, in as far as Forbes was concern- ed, existed only in the writer's diseased imagination. The latter, who was otherwise a sensible and well-informed person, happened, at the time he wrote the account, to be labouring under severe hypochondria, which is abundantly evident from the note append- ed, in which he hypothetically mentions his own case. IV. — Industry. No. of acres in cultivation in the whole parish, . . 2681 in pasture on the lands of Forbes and Whitehaugh, 889 in roads and burns on said properties, . . 175 in hill on do. do . • • . 3321 in plantations on do. do. .... 1063 The survey and measurements of Forbes and Whitehaugh, from which the above table was taken, were made about ten years affo. Since that time, considerable additions have been made to the extent of cultivated ground in the parish. With the exception of the arable land there has, to the best of the writer's knowledge, been no exact survey of the Torperse estate. The late proprie- tor stated to the writer the amount of acres in hill pasture, roads, and burns to be about 2000. There are a few acres in wood round the old mansion-house. The soil is in general good, and exceedingly grateful for kind treatment. Upon the rising grounds, more especially along the Braes of Forbes, which include the greater part of the Forbes es- tate, it is thin and stony ; but being dry, and on a good bottom, produces crops excellent in quality, and not deficient in bulk. The corn and bear grown here, and in most other parts of the pa- rish, is generally superior in weight to the produce of the same kinds in most other parts of Aberdeenshire. It deserves to be mentioned, perhaps, that, upon the slopes of some of the interject- ed rising grounds, the depth of soil is very considerable, and that upon the very tops of some of the hills you meet at times with a considerable extent of table-land of the same description. The elevation, however, and consequently the want of climate, with the difficulty of access, forbid cultivation. Husbandry. — The following is the mode of cropping which is generally followed, viz. two successive crops of oats, followed by a cleaning crop of turnips and potatoes. Then a crop of oats or bear, when the ground is laid down with grass-seeds; which, the first year afterwards, is cut and made into hay^, and then pastured TULLYNESSLE AND FORBES. 453 for the two following years. A shorter rotation has been partially adopted by one or two individuals ; but the result of their expe- rience has not obtained many imitators. It is believed by many intelligent and experienced farmers, that, with the soil and cli- mate of Aberdeenshire in general, the consequence of a short ro- tation, and the over-excitement which it requires, is a state of ex- haustion almost irreparable. Oats, and bear or big with a little barley, are the kinds of grain upon which the farmer depends. He may at times sow a patch of wheat for family use, which in good years answers re- markably well ; but there is no chance of its coming into general cultivation. With almost no exceptions the grounds throughout the parish are remarkably well adapted for turnips, which, with potatoes, are used for a cleaning crop. The latter are chiefly cul- tivated for family use. In some cases, they are given to horses, and sometimes, in winter, when the snow is deep, or in spring, when an early vegetation has rendered the turnip useless, they serve the farmer in great stead for enabling him to carry on his feeders, or to bring his rising stock of cattle in good condition to the grass. But hitherto they have not been grovvn to such an extent as to serve as a staple article for either of those purposes. Bone- dust is now used very generally where there happens to be a short coming in the quantity of animal dung, and answers remarkably well. Produce. — The average gross amount of raw produce may be stated as follows ; — Oats and bear, reckoning six returns, and calculating, according to the ave- rage fiar-price of last seven years, . - - - - L. 5102 Turnips and potatoes, at L. 4, 15s. per acre, _ _ - 1818 Hay, at L. 3, 10s. per acre, .... - 1340 Pasture of arable ground, at L. 1, 10s. per acre, . _ _ 1149 Pasture not arable, at 5s. per acre, ... - 202 On many of the farms, the average return here adopted would be very much exceeded ; but, taking the inferior ones into the account with the croft-lands, which are not always the best ma- naged, it is believed to be a pretty correct approximation to the truth. The price of seed has to be deducted from the amount stated. For several years past, the breadth of land sown with bear has been gradually diminishing. In the above statement, it has been taken at one-third of what is laid down with grass seeds after turnip. The great improvements which have taken place in the ma- nagement of the ground, within the last twenty years in particular^ 451 ABERDEENSHIRE. have been followed by a corresponding advancement in the size and quahty of both horses and cattle. The Aberdeenshire breed of the latter at one time held nearly the exclusive possession of all the grass in the parish ; but recently a valuable cross-breed, betwixt the pure Aberdeenshire cow and Tees-water, or short- horned bull, has been introduced by several farmers, and their example promises to be very generally followed. Now that feed- ing for the London market has, in consequence of the facility of conveyance .by steam-vessels, become common, the great object is to select such breeds as promise, in the shortest time, both on account of size and fat, to bring the highest remunerating price. But the Aberdeenshire, after a certain age, is, in respect of qua- lity, very generally allowed to be superior to all others ; and the different agricultural Associations throughout the country, while they give due encouragement to such crosses as are likely to prove profitable to the farmer, ought to pay particular attention to the due preservation of the pure Aberdeenshire breed. The rotation of cropping which has been mentioned, clearly shows that the farmer has much dependence upon his cattle. For a considerable time past, owing to the generally low price of grain, the profits arising from them have mainly contributed to- wards the regular payment of his rent. It is chiefly for the rear- ing of young stock that cows are kept. At the same time, the returns from dairy produce and the poultry yards are very consi- derable ; but any attempt to give an exact statement of their an- nual amount, as confined to this parish, would only lead into error. A great proportion of the butter, cheese, and eggs, is purchased by our only shopkeeper, Mr Wilson, at Waterside of Forbes ; and he has stated the average of money paid by him on this account, for some years past, at L. 650 per annum, notwith- standing the scarcity of pasture last season. But, on the one hand, Mr Wilson deals with the surrounding parishes ; and, on the other, several of the inhabitants of Tullynessle and Forbes are in the habit of selling to other merchants, who have regular appoint- ments for this purpose with their customers at stated places, ge- nerally once every fortnight. Leases. — The usual length of leases is nineteen years, and, in ge- neral, a reasonable allowance is made for houses and fences. The common terms for the payment of rent are Whitsunday and Mar- tinmas. In the opinion of the writer, Candlemas and Lammas would, in several respects, be more advantageous for the farmer. TULLYNESSLE AND FORBES. 455 By the present arrangement, he is frequently obliged, in order to meet the Martinmas demand, to thrash out a greater quantity of grain than would be requisite for procuring the necessary fodder for his x:attle. The straw, before being used, is thus rendered much less valuable, and the grain, more especially in late seasons, is carried to market in a state of damp, which renders it unfit for shipping. In like manner, should the spring prove unfavourable, he is often obliged to prepare for the Whitsunday rent, by selling his cattle at a time when, owing to want of keep, the prices are low ; whereas, by making the rents payable at Candlemas and Lammas, both these evils would be obviated ; and this additional advantage would likewise be gained, that, as servants' wages are due at Martinmas and Whitsunday, the burdens of the farmer would be better divided over the year. There is an Agricultural Association, comprehending all the pa- rishes within the district of Alford, which has been established for several years.- It is warmly supported by the landed proprietors ; and Lord Forbes, the president, with his son, the Master of Forbes, has evinced a deep interest in its success. It is not one of the least of the good effects of such Associations, that landlord and tenant are thus brought into friendly contact with each other, and the bond of union, which is so essential to the prosperity of both, greatly strengthened. V. — Parochial Economy. . Market-Towns. — Aberdeen is our principal market-town, and is twenty-six and a-half miles distant from the bridge of Forbes, where the turnpike-road enters this parish. A considerable quan- tity of lime is brought from the quarries at Ardonald and Grange. The former is about eighteen miles distant, and the latter nearly twenty, and the road to both passes through Huntly ; but almost the whole of the grain is carried to Aberdeen. During the winter and spring months, there is a monthly market, in the neighbouring parish of Alford, for this and fat cattle, which is well attended. Two stated fairs for cattle of all descriptions are held annually during the summer at the same place. Means of Communication. —T\\e\-Q is a post-office near the bridge, where the Mail-gig arrives daily about three hours after leaving Aberdeen. The Lord Forbes stage-coach runs the one day to Aberdeen and returns the next. Very considerable addi- tions have been made to the Bridge-Inn this season, which, when completed, will render it one of the most comfortable to be met 456 ABERDEENSHIRE. with in a country district, with the command of excellent fishing, beautiful scenery, and a healthy climate ; and placed where the northern roads from Huntly to Kincardine, and then through the Grampians, crosses that from Aberdeen into Strathdon, it pro- mises to become during the summer months a favourite place of resort. The bridge is a most substantial piece of mason work. It re- ceived some injury in 1829, which was immediately repaired. About three miles above it, there is a very neat wooden structure thrown across the river by the Master of Forbes, directly opposite to the mansion-house, which is in character with the surrounding scenery, and adds to its beauty. Ecclesiastical State. — The church is neither old nor incommo- dious according to its size ; but, owing to the increase of popula- tion, it does not afford sufficient accommodation for the parish. An application is about being made to the heritors on the subjecty to which the writer, judging from the deep interest they have always shown in whatever was likely to promote the people's good, anticipates a favourable result.* Upon one of the stones in the belfry, which, from its workmanship, clearly shows that it must have originally belonged to a more ancient structure than the pre- sent, there is the date 1604. The manse was built about thirty-four years ago, and has since received some addition. It is both substantial and commodious. There is a glebe of about 9 acres, and the stipend, by a recent decision of the Court of Teinds, is 16 chalders, half meal, and half barley, payable according to the fiars of the year. There is like- wise the usual allowance for communion elements, viz. L. 100 Scots. We have no Dissenters of any description in the parish, and the people are exemplary in their attendance upon the ordinances of religion. It may be mentioned that in the parish there is only one church, one school, one inn, and one shop. Education. — The school and school-house, which are separate buildings, were erected about ten years ago, and do credit to the public spirit of the heritors. The schoolmaster's salary is the maximum, and the amount of his fees, although low, may, in consequence of his zealous attention to the duties of his office, be stated at about L.25 per annum. In addition to this, he enjoys the emoluments of * The writer's anticipations have, sineo the lime this account was written, been realized. TULLYNESSLE AND FORBES, 457 the session clerkship, which are, however, trifling. But the school- masters in this and the two neighbouring counties of Banff and Moray have, within these few years, received very considerable addition to their incomes, by a noble bequest from a Mr Dick of London, whose parents resided in or near Keith. The benefit of the fund which he established for this purpose, with a view, as he himself states, of raising the standard of literature, and advan- cing the comfort of this useful and meritorious class within the three counties mentioned, and which is under the management of a certain number of writers to the Signet at Edinburgh, is confined to the parish schools. The annual division of the in- terest of the fund has hitherto been regulated by an attention to other circumstances, besides that of the number of schools, such as the number of scholars at each school, success of the teacher, &c. The revenue, if equally divided, would afford, it is believed, from L. 25 to L. 30 Sterling per annum to each schoolmaster. It is with much pleasure that the writer bears witness to the fa- vourable state of education in the parish. There prevails on the part of parents a sincere wish to avail themselves of the important benefits for their children which are placed within their reach. Where the parents are poor, care is taken to remove, in a way the least hurtful to their feelings, the obstacle which inability to pay the customary fees might otherwise oppose to the attendance of their families at school. It has now become the practice to commence their education at a more early period of life than be- fore, and thus there is time for instruction in the common branches of reading and writing, withperhaps a little arithmetic, before the children are able to do anything for themselves. Here, and it is to be hoped that a similar declaration can with justice be made in reference to every other parish-school in Scotland, the great truth is ever kept in view, that education, to be useful, in rearing good and virtuous citizens, must be based on religion. A juvenile library has recently been established for the use of the scholars, and promises to be attended with much good. There are in the parish two female teachers of sewing and dress-making Neither of them enjoy any salary. Poor and Parochial Funds. — The average number for the last five years, of those who have received regular aid, is 8 ; but in ad- dition to these, considerable numbers have received occasional sup- plies. Of collections at church, the average annual amount for 4G8 ABERDEENSHIRE. the same period is L. 22, 7s. 5d. This is exclusive of collections for particular purposes ; such as the De&titution in the High- lands, and the four Assembly Schemes ; the average of which for the five years is L. 7, 17s. 3d. The session are in posses- sion of funds to the amount of something more than L. 300 Sterling, L. 100 of this sum was left them about twenty years ago by a journeyman bookbinder in London, in gratitude for the education he had received at the parish school here; and, as he himself states in his latter will, " to be an example to others." The poor receive aid partly in meal and partly in money. When sick, they are attended by the district-surgeon, to whom the session are in the habit of giving a slight compensation for his trouble. For some years past, it has been the practice at the com- mencement of winter, to purchase for the necessitous and their fa- milies,' whether on the poor's roll or otherwise, such articles of clothing and bedding as they stand most in want of. Of itself, our aid would do little towards the comfortable support of those who need it. But our poor are pretty equally divided over the parish, and around each of them there is a charitable circle, which readily supplies the deficiency. In cases of unlook- ed for disaster or severe affliction, when requisite, there are always in the neighbourhood some benevolent individuals, who are ready to start on the errand of mercy through the parish, and never fail in procuring the necessary relief. At present, the parochial ma- chinery for the care of the poor is in full and undisturbed opera- tion. Long may it continue so. Drawn up 1 bth September 1 838 ; Revised October 1840. PRESBYTERY OF GARIOCH, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. ROBERT FORBES, MINISTER, I. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — The parish of Monymusk is thought to have been so named from twoGaehc words monaugh, high or hilly, and mousick, which signifies low and marshy ground ; and this conjecture would seem to be justified by the appearance of its surface. It extends about seven miles in length from east to west, its greatest breadth from four to five. In some places it is much narrower, — which makes it of very irregular figure, so as to contain only about twenty square miles. Extent, Sfc. — It is bounded on the east and south, by the parishes of Kemnay and Cluny ; on the west, by the parish of Tough ; and on the north-west and north, by the parishes of Keig, Oyne, and Chapel of Garioch. It is separated from the parish of Tough on the west, and partly bounded on the north, by hills of various, and some of them of considerable, though not very remarkable, height, — Cairn william, which is the highest, being about J 400 feet above the level of the sea. Rivers. — The river Don, which rises in the mountains of Cor- garff, and, after an easterly knd winding course of about sixty miles, falls into the sea at Old Aberdeen, runs through the parish, and divides it into two unequal parts, leaving about two-thirds on the south, and one-third on the north of its banks. Its mean breadth within the parish may be about 35 yards, and depth 2 feet; ve- locity about 1^ mile per hour. Rocks. — The rocks of which the hills are composed are chiefly granite, of which there is abundance of excellent quality through- out the parish, many large blocks of which were quarried some years ago by a company in Aberdeen, and removed to London for the colonnade of the new market-place in Covent Garden. In the last Account of this parish, it is stated that an iron mine had been discovered, many years ago, in a hill about a mile distant from the church to the north-west, the ore of which had been found 460 ABERDEENSHIRE. to yield 13-20tb of iron, but that it had never been wrought on ac- count of the scarcity of fuel in this part of the country. The work- ing of it has never yet been attempted, probably for the same reason. In the same hill was discovered, some years ago, a quarry of fel- spar, which was wrought for some time by an agent of one of the Staffordshire potteries, but has been abandoned on account, chiefly, it is said, of the great expense of the land carriage to Aberdeen, a distance of twenty miles, from which the stones, broken small and packed in large casks, were conveyed by sea to England. This quarry was searched for and discovered, according to the agent's account, in consequence of a specimen of the spar, marked Mony- musk, having been observed in the British Museum. Zoology. — The wild animals found in this parish are of the same kinds with those common in the north of Scotland, such as deer, roes, hares, rabbits, foxes, &c. Besides the birds more common to the country, great numbers of the woodcock and blackcock are to be found in the woods and young plantations, as also phea- sants in considerable numbers, which, having been lately introdu- ced by the proprietor, are now thriving at large. The cattle and horses are, upon the whole, of a good breed, to which the farmers, in general, are careful to pay some attention ; but there is nothing remarkable in their quality or size to distin- guish them from those of the neighbouring parishes. Sheep, of which vast numbers were formerly kept in this parish, are now al- most entirely banished, being injurious to the young plantations on the sides of the hills where they formerly pastured. The river Don abouads with salmon and very fine trouts, and contains also some pike. The salmon are, observed here to come up for spawning about the end of September, and to return towards the sea about the beginning of April. Their progress depends a good deal on the state of the river ; but they are all down by the end of the month. Forests or Plantations. — There are several extensive woods and plantations in the parish, chiefly of fir, to which the soil in general appears most congenial; but on the lower grounds, the harder woods, such as oak, ash, elm, beech, and plane, birch, alders, and hazel, of all which there are considerable quantities, thrive well, and many of them come to large size. In the old and once beautiful garden of Paradise, laid out in 1719, and now forming part of what is called Paradise Wood, there is a number of large spruces and larches by the river side, upwards of a hundred years old, several of which MONYMUSK. 461 measure from 10 to 11 feet in circumference at the lower part of the trunk, and were found, from actual measurement in 1826, to be from 90 to 103 feet of extreme height, and to contain from 170 to 190 cubic feet of timber. The highest and largest of these is a larch. One of the trees, a spruce, which separates into two equal stems at five feet from the root, where it is 11 feet 2 inches in circumference, each rising to 92 feet in height, measures 212^ cubic feet. II. — Civil History. Land-owner. — The whole parish is the property of one heritor. Sir James Grant of Monymusk, Bart., lineal descendant of Sir Francis Grant of Cullen, who was knighted by Queen Anne in 1705, and afterwards appointed one of the Senators of the College of Justice by the title of Lord Cullen. That gentleman sold the estates of Cullen, Eden, Down, and fisheries in Banffshire, and purchased the whole lands of Monymusk in 1712, for L. 116,000 Scots, from Sir William Forbes, Bart., ancestor of the present Sir John Stu- art Forbes of Pitsligo. Eminent Men. — Among the eminent characters connected with the parish. Lord Cullen deservedly holds a distinguished place, as having been a gentleman of the highest respectability, both in private life and in his.professional capacity. The most profound erudition, un- remitting application, and the most inflexible integrity are known to have adorned his character, both as an advocate and a judge. He manifested through life a deep and lively sense of religion, the only true foundation of all real excellence in character ; and the fruit of his pious benevolence and parental care for the best interests of the successively rising generations on his estate of Monymusk, are enjoyed by the parish to this day, in the perma- nent provision which he made for facilitating the education of the poor, and of those at an inconvenient distance from the parish school. His eldest son, Sir Archibald Grant, was the first proprietor in the north of Scotland who planted upon an extensive scale, and introduced turnip husbandry in Aberdeenshire. He also exerted himself greatly for the improvement of the public roads throughout the district, and took a deep interest in the welfare, both temporal and spiritual, of his tenants, as appears, (among other things related of him,) particularly from an address which he had printed and circulated among them, entitled " Memorandum to the Tenants of Monymusk, January 1756," which contains most excellent ad- k 462 ABERDEENSHIRE. vices and directions as to the management and improvement of their farms, with offers of pecuniary assistance, besides premiums in carts, and tools, and seeds, to encourage and enable them to carry on such improvements as might tend to their prosperity ; and in which, after pointing at some of their prevailing vices, he strongly recommends and urges on them a virtuous conduct as one great mean of success, by drawing down a blessing on their endeavours. Nor did his improvements regard the soil alone. It was he who first introduced at Monymusk those improvements in sacred mu- sic which have since been so generally adopted, »having procured a qualified teacher for the congregation, and taken an active and leading part among the singers himself; whence this, like his improvements in agriculture, gradually overcoming the prejudices of the people, soon made its way through the surrounding country. His successors have also been found indulgent landlords. Lord Cullen's second son, William, was also a distinguished ornament of the Scottish Bar, and held successively the various offices of Procurator to the Church, and Principal Clerk to the General Assembly ; of Solicitor- General, and Lord Advocate ; was raised to the Bench by the title of Lord Prestongrange, and afterwards became Lord Justice- Clerk. Another remarkable character connected with the parish, of date anterior to the above, was George Lesley, a Capuchin Friar of the earlier part of the seventeenth century, whose life and mar- vellous adventures were first published in Italian by the Arch- bishop of Fermo, and dramatized at Rome in 1673. His bio- grapher represents him as the son of James, Count Lesley, and Jean Wood, his wife, by whom he was early instructed in the doctrines of the Reformation, and relates wonderful stories of his being miraculously converted to the Roman Catholic faith, while abroad at his education, on which he assumed the name of Arch- angel ; of his mother's great giief at the intelligence, and her disowning of him in consequence ; of his returning after many years to the Castle of Monymusk, leading the people to an ad- joining mountain, and converting thousands of them to the true faith, and at last the old lady herself, with the other members of the family, and the whole establishment of the castle ; with many other marvellous deeds and adventures, more like romance than true history. The only other eminent character of whom the parish has to boast as a native, is the late Rev. Dr Alexander Nicoli, canon of MONYMUSK. 463 Chrjstchurch, and Regius Professor of Hebrew in the University of Oxford, whose reputation as a general scholar, and a linguist of the very highest order, is well known among the learned through- out Europe. He was born in tlie village of Monymusk, 3d April 1793, and received the first rudiments of classical literature at the parish school, under Mr Duff, the late schoolmaster. His in- tense application to study is supposed to have been a mean of shortening his days, which terminated 24th September 1828, in the thirty-sixth year of his age. , Parochial Registers. — There are six volumes of registers belong- ing to the parish, of discipline and baptisms, &c. including those now running, the oldest of which commences with the admission of Mr John Burnett, late minister of Culross, to be minister of Monymusk, 18th August 1678. The oldest register of baptisms commences 27th May of the same year, and extends to 3d May 1685, from which time till 19th October 1706, there is no record of baptisms. It is also interrupted at some other periods, owing, as is recorded, to the loss of notes by some of the clerks. The register of baptisms is not very regularly kept at present, owing to the neglect of parents in not having their children's names record- ed at the proper time, and many of them not at all. Antiquities. — There is an old castle in the parish, called Pit- fichie Castle, which, with the small property formerly belonging to it, is said to have been long in possession of the family of Ge- neral Hurry, or Urrie, of some notoriety in the times of the Co- venanters. More lately it belonged to the Forbeses, as part of the estate of Monymusk, to which it has been long united. The Castle has been unroofed for many years. About half a mile east from Monymusk House, and close on the bank of the Don, there is a field called the Cpimpfield, on which, it is said. King Robert Bruce's army lay immediately pre- vious to the battle of Inverury, which was the beginning of his good fortune, when contending for the crown of Scotland. Besides two Druidical circles, one near the village, and the other on the side of a hill about two miles south-west of it, and the remains of a small chapel, surrounded with what appears to have been burial-ground, now covered with full-grown beeches and enclosed in the midst of a corn-field north of the Don, the only other monument of antiquity found in the parish is one figured stone, discovered upwards of forty years ago in a field near the river, about a mile east of the House of Monymusk, where it had 464 ABERDEENSHIRE. lain from time immemorial, and was conveyed to the nearest part of the public road by order of the late Sir Archibald Grant, and there fixed in an upright posture, where it still stands. The figure of a cross, about four feet high, with rude ornaments cut into it, is very distinct ; and below the cross is a double circle ornamented like the cross. It was supposed, at the time, to have been set up at first to mark the boundary of the priory lands on that side where it was found ; but as that boundary is now believed to have extend- ed about a mile farther east, no plausible conjecture can be formed at present as to its original use. In the month of September 1823, in digging a grave in the church-yard, there was found imbedded in the sand, a little below the depth to which the same grave had been formerly dug, a gold coin about the breadth of a shilling, or nine-tenths of an inch, clip- ped round the edge, and weighing 6'2 grains. An impression of the coin having, with the view of ascertaining its age, and the mean- ing of the inscription, been sent to William Marsden, Esq. F.R.S., &c. and Author of " Numismata Orientalia lUustrata," or, " The Oriental Coins, ancient and modern, of his collection, described and historically illustrated," the following account of it was received from that learned antiquary : " The impression of the coin shewn to me appears to correspond with No. cccli. of the Numismata Orientalia, and belongs to a Prince of the Morabetin Dynasty of Morocco. " The substance of the inscription is as follows : — Princeps Yusuf ben Tashfin. Quicunque aliam quam Islamismam profite- tur religionem, minime ab eo (Deo) acceptabitur, sed die novissi- mo peribit. " Al-Imam Abdallah imperator fidelium. In nomine Dei cu- ditus hie denarius in urbe Marakash (Morocco). Anno 491. — (1097.)" " 22d March 1827. W. M." When, or how it may have come to this country can be matter only of conjecture : probably in the time of the crusades. It is in keeping at Monymusk House. Mansion-Houses, — Monymusk House, the only building of note in the parish, is an ancient and spacious mansion, having received additions since first built, and is pleasantly situated on the south bank of the river Don. It has an excellent library, containing about 5000 volumes, including some old and valuable editions of the classics. There is also a very good collection of paintings in 3 I MONTMUSK. 465 the house, mostly by the old masters, some of which are of con- siderable value. There is a distillery in the parish ; and a very considerable ma- nufactory of wood is carried on, there being two saw-mills and seven pair of sawyers in pretty constant employment. The timber manufactured within the parish, is cut in the woods both of Mony- musk and of the adjoining property of Tillyfour, belonging to the same family, in the parish of Oyne ; and, after being sawn into planks and deals, is carried to, market in districts of the country where that commodity is scarce. III. — Population. The population of the parish cannot be traced, with any great degree of accuracy, farther back than the date of the last Statis- tical Account. From a comparison, however, of the yearly num- ber of baptisms recorded in the oldest register, with the number of births at present, the population would appear to have been ful- ly greater a hundred and fifty years ago than it is now. The excess of the population in 1831 above that in 1821 is to be attributed chiefly to the settlement, in several parts of the pa- rish, of younger persons who are rearing famihes. The yearly average of births for the last seven years is . _ 80 of deaths, as nearly as can be ascertained, about - 12 of marriages, - , - - - 6 The average number of persons under 15 years of age, - 387 betwixt 15 and 30, - - 273 30 and 50, - 216 50 and 70, - - 103 upwards of 70, - - - 32 The Grant family, residing in Monymusk House, is the only family of distinction residingin, or connected with, the parish. Number of unmarried men, bachelors, and widowers upwards of 50 years of age, 14 women upwards of 45, - - - 19 Average number of children in each family, reckoning as such those under 15 years of age, and 189 families, - - - - 2J-j- There are 2 insane persons, both young men, belonging to the parish, who have been in the Lunatic Asylum at Aberdeen for se- veral years without any prospect of recovery. Popular Customs. — There are no popular customs or amuse- ments peculiar to this parish at present. Formerly, the foot-ball, now the amusement chiefly of school-boys only, as in other places, was a favourite exercise with persons of almost all ages in the pa- rish, in which parties from other parishes occasionally joined to contend for the palm of victory : and " The Monymusk Christmas Ba'ing," with its various casualties, has been celebrated in a hu- morous poem by the late Rev. John Skinner, grandfather of the ABEUDEEN. Gg 466 ABERDEENSHIRE. present Bishop Skinner of Aberdeen, who was for some time as- sistant schoohnaster at Monymusk, and afterwards Episcopal mi- nister at Longside, and who, from his great poetical genius, clas- sical knowledge, and literary productions, is not unworthy of a place among the eminent persons connected with the parish. Habits of the People. — The people are of cleanly habits, and dress genteelly, both men and women, on Sundays, and on other particular occasions. The ordinary food of the peasantry consists chiefly, as throughout this part of the country in general, of the va- rious preparations from grain, with cabbage, greens, and potatoes, but little of butcher-meat being used by them in common. They are, upon the whole, a decent and industrious set of people, and are very regular in their attendance on the ordinances of re- ligion. Their situation and circumstances are, as is common, more or less easy with different persons, but as comfortable, upon the whole, as in the country around, the chief cause of complaint or dissatisfaction among them being the heavy tax on malt, which puts that necessary and wholesome beverage, a drink of good beer, almost entirely beyond the reach of the labourer and poor artisan. Neither poaching nor smuggling prevails among them, or is practised in the parish, IV. — Industry. Agriculture. — The number of acres, standard imperial measure, in the parish, which are either cultivated or occasionally in tillage, is about 5370 ; and of those which remain constantly waste, or in pasture, about 3080, A considerable quantity of waste land, probably about 300 acres, might still be profitably brought under the plough; and the occupiers of farms with such land attached are generally bound to improve the whole, or a certain portion of of it, during the currency of their leases. The number of acres under wood, almost all planted, and great part full-grown, may be estimated about 4150. There have also been planted within the last twelve years about 930,000 firs along the sides of the hills, and about 160,000 oaks and elms in other situations favourable to the growth of these trees. The thinning, felling, and pruning are well attended to, under the care and mar nagement of an experienced forester. Rent. — The average rent of arable land on the larger farms may be stated at L. 1 per acre. Some of the smaller possessions or crofts are higher, averaging about L.l, 12s. The average rent of the whole land in tillage is about 15s. per acre. MONYMUSK. 467 The average rent or cost of grazing is about L.2, lOs. per ox or . cow grazed for the season. There are, as already noticed, very few sheep kept in the parish. Wages. — The rate of labour for farm-labourers is Is. 8d. per day in summer, and Is. 4d. in winter ; fo)' wrights or house car- penters and masons 2s. per day through the year. Sawyers receive at the rate of 2s. per 100 feet, equal to about 3s. per day, all providing their own victuals ; but these rates are found to vary with the value of agricultural produce, and the demand for the different kinds of labour. A good system of husbandry is carried on in the parish, a re- gular rotation of cropping being observed, to which the tenants are bound by their leases ; and the most approved modern imple- ments of agriculture are in general use. The general duration of leases is for nineteen years, which term is considered favourable to the occupier, as being an encourage- ment to improvement, by giving him an opportunity of reaping the advantage of it. The farm-buildings have been greatly improved of late years, many of them being built with stone and lime, and slated, in con- sequence of encouragement given on the part of the proprietor, who supplies the wood gratis, and allows payment at the expiry of the lease for mason-work of the walls, and for slating, but not ex- ceeding a certain amount or extent of building stipulated in the lease, the value to be ascertained by two competent judges, mu- tually named, or oversmen, in case of their differing. On some of the farms, the fields are well enclosed with stone dikes. Produce. — The average gross amount of raw produce raised in the parish, as nearly as tliat can be ascertained, may be reckoned as follows : — Produce of gialn of all kinds, . . . L.8020 potatoes and turnips cultivated in the fields, . 2970 hay, .... . . 1970 land in pasture, rating it at L.2, 10s. per cow or full-grown ox grazed, or that may be grazed, for the season, . 1450 the annual thinning and periodical felling of woods and plaatations, there being little cut in the woods of Mony- musk at present, besides dead and decaying wood, . 500 Total yearly value of raw produce raised, L; 14,910 V. — Parochial Economy. Market-Town.— T\ieve is no market-town in the parish, the nearest being Aberdeen, distant nineteen miles from the village of Monymusk. This small village, containing at present a popi^- 468 ABEIIDEENSHIUE. lation of 131 souls, is a place of some antiquity, as Buchan- an, in his history of the reign of Malcolm Canmore, mentions, that that king lay encamped, ad " Monimuscnm vicum," at the village of Monymusk, in his way north to quell an insurrection in Moray. It has been almost entirely rebuilt of late by the pro- prietor, and forms a very neat square, with some fine old trees growing in the centre. It enjoys the conveniency of a daily post, and has at present three weekly carriers to Aberdeen, with which it has easy communication by two turnpike roads, one of which passes through the parish for four miles and a-half, and joins the great north road nearly a mile below Kintore, and the other leads through the parishes of Midmar, Echt, and Skene, in a more southerly direction, to which there is access at about three miles distance from the village, by a good commutation road passing- through the parish of Cluny, the whole distance of either of the roads being pretty much the same. Ecclesiastical State—The parish church stands on the east side of the village, the entrance to the churchyard being from the centre of one of the sides of the square, and is conveniently enough situated for the greater part of the population. Its distance is somewhat more than two miles from the eastern, and from four to five from the western, extremity of the parish ; but the upper part of the parish, which lies among the hills, being but thinly inhabit- ed, there are only four famiUes above three miles distant from the church. The date of its erection is not certainly known, but it is supposed to have been built in the eleventh century, when the priory was founded here by Malcolm Canmore, who, having en- camped at the village of Monymusk, as already mentioned, vow- ed, as Buchanan relates, that, if he returned victorious from his expedition to the north, he would devote the village where he lay encamped to St Andrew, the tutelary saint of Scotland. Having arrived at the Spey, and being about to enter that river, he was stopped by the priests, dressed in their canonicals, who, with his permission, passed over to the enemy, and finished the war with- out any effusion of blood. In fulfilment of his vow he, according- ly, founded, endowed, and dedicated the Priory of Monymusk, as appears from an old writing in Latin in Monymusk House, bear- ing to have been extracted from the register of St Andrews, and which, after describing the boundaries of the lands assigned to it, which were ample, concludes to this effect : " And thus these are the marches which King Malcolm bequeathed, on account of a vic- 4. MONYMUSK, 46Q tory granted to them, to God and the Church of Saint Mary of Monymusk, giving the benediction of God and Saint Mary to all who preserve the rights of the church." Of the buildings of the priory no remains now exist, unless the present parish church, which is unquestionably very old, may, as is supposed, have been coeval with, and formed part of them. The eastern part of the church, commonly called the quire, and now seated for about for- ty persons, is connected with the main part of the building by a large opening through the end wall, arched in form of a semi- circle. It has a square tower at the west end, 50 feet high, through which is the principal entry, with a large iron clock in it, purchas- ed by the session in 1699, for L. 145, 6s. 8d. Scots, surmounted by a spire 40 feet in height. It was considerably enlarged by the addition of an aisle on the north side, newly roofed and seated, and had the spire renewed in 1822, and is now a very neat and commodious place of worship, and will contain about 580 persons. The sittings are all free; and, with the exception of those in the east end already noticed, are apportioned by the heritor among the several tenants and householders in the parish, the division being subject to alteration at any time, as the circumstances of any of the families may require. The unappropriated seats are also left free for the accommodation of strangers.* The present manse was originally built in 1737, and was tho- roughly repaired, and enlarged by an additional building in 1824. A set of new offices was also built in 1829 ; and it deserves to be mentioned, on account of the laudable example in these times, that the enlarged church accommodation, on being represented as necessary, and the whole of the above-mentioned repairs and buildings, to the amount of very nearly L. 1400, were most readily agreed to, without any intervention whatever of the ecclesiastical court, decreet having been asked merely as a matter of what was judged necessary form, to sanction the plans. The glebe, exclusive of the garden and site of the manse and offices, measures about 7 acres imperial, and may be worth about L. 12. The stipend, the teinds having been exhausted at last augmen- tation in 1824, is L. 162, 3s. 8|d. in money; 51 bolls, 1 firlot, * In connection with the history of the church, it may not be unworthy of remark, as it is believed to be rather a singular circumstance, that William Allan, the late kirk-oflScer, who left the parish at Whitsunday 1835, is the fourth in lineal descent of a family who have held that office successively for 133 years previous to the above date. 470 ABERDEENSHIRE. and 1 peck of meal ; and 5 bolls, 8 firlots, and 3^ lippies of bear, the meal and bear payable at the fiar prices of the year. There is an Episcopalian chapel in the village containing 150 sittings, the number of persons in connection with which, in this and the neighbouring parishes, is about 130 ; but, with the excep- tion of 28 persons within the parish who belong to that commu- nion, and three other Dissenting individuals, all the rest of the po- pulation attend the parish church, where Divine service is always well attended. The average number of communicants at the Es- tablished Church for the last seven years is 506 ; for the last three years, 538. Education. — This parish is well provided with the means of edu- cation. There are two public schools in it, the parochial school, and another endowed school called Lord Cullen's School, in each of which the usual branches of education are taught, viz, English reading, writing, Latin, arithmetic, book-keeping, English gram- mar, geography, &c. Lord Cullen's School is so named in consequence of its endow- ment from a mortification by Sir Francis Grant of Cullen, Bart, one of the Senators of the College of Justice, and proprietor of the estate of Monymusk, as already mentioned, who, by a deed bearing date 11th August 1718, mortified 2 chalders of meal yearly out of the estate of Monymusk and Afiforsk, to and in favour of such country teachers as the minister and Idrk-session for the time being should name or approve, and in such division yearly as might best serve the end set forth in the deed. This continued for a good number of years under the management of the kirk-session, as ori- ginally intended ; but, owing to circumstances which placed the mortification foralong time, as it were, in abeyance, the annual value of the two chalders was allowed to accumulate to a very considerable sum, which, after building an excellent school and schoolmaster's house, and enclosing a garden" in the yeai* 1824, north of the river Don, where the benefit of a teacher was most wanted, and defray- ing other necessary expenses, has been invested, for better se- curity, in Bank of England Stock. The management of this ac- cumulated fund, and of the annual two chalders, according to a plan prepared by a committee of the presbytery of Garioch, who have the oversight of it, and agreed to on the part of the proprietor of Monymusk, and by the kirk-session, and sanctioned by the Lords of Council and Session, — is vested in the " Heritor of Mony- musk, or the legal administrator of the estate for the time being, MONYMUSK. - 471 the minister of the parish of Monymusk, authorized by, and as moderator of the kirk-session, and the minister of the parish of Chapel of Garioch (in which parish lie the lands of Afforsk) as moderator of the kirk-session thereof." The managers meet half-yearly in the months of January and July, in terms of the re- gulations, for settling the treasurer's accounts, and any other busi- ness regarding the school or funds. The teacher of Lord Cullen's School receives a salary in meal and money, amounting to about L. 50, less or more, according to the interest of money and the fiars price of grain ; and the parish schoolmaster has an allowance from the fund, also in meal and money, of from L. 8 to L. 10, variable with interest and price as above, for teaching ten or twelve poor scholars, less or more, as may be recommended by the kirk-session, and for keeping an evening school three months in winter, for which fees are payable by the scholars, and a Sunday school in summer. Alike number of poor scholars, recommended as above, is also taught gratis at Lord Cullen's School, and the poor scholars at both schools are furnished from the fund with all the requisite books. There is also a small surplus fund, to which the excess of income above ex- penditure is yearly added, for the purpose of keeping the school- house in repair, and meeting any other exigencies necessarily con- nected therewith. The salary of the parochial schoolmaster, payable by the heri- tor, is L. 26, and he also receives from the Trustee of the late Mr Dick's bequest to the schoolmasters of the counties of Aberdeen, Banff, and Moray, about L. 30, less or more, yearly. The yearly amount of fees at the parish school, which is situat- ed in the village south of the Don, amid the greater proportion of the population, may be about L. 13 at an average, and at Lord Cullen's School L. 10. The general expense of education per year, in respect of school fees, does not exceed from 8s. to 10s., as the fees are low. The parochial schoolmaster has an excellent house, with more than the legal accommodation, the repairing and enlarging of which in 1826 cost about L. 200. He has also a good garden. There are no other regular schools in the parish : nor are any such necessary. There is, at present, a school for females, but unendowed ; and one or two other private schools are occasionally kept by aged females, or other uneducated persons, for very young children, before they are able to attend the public schools. 472 ABERDEENSHIRE. There are, it is believed, none of the young betwixt six and fif- teen years of age who cannot read or write : nor are there any per- sons of any age in the parish, capable of being taught, who can- not read ; and most of them, both men and women, have been also taught to write, as the people, in general, seem sufficiently alive to the benefits of education, with the facilities of which this parish is so well provided. Friendly Societies. — There are two friendly societies in the pa- rish, one of them named " Sir Archibald Grant's Lodge of Gar- deners," established in 1808; and the other, " A Benefit Male and Female Society," established in 1824. But it is questionable whether they have been productive of any great advantage upon the whole, the quarterly payments being very low, and the benefit de- rived by sick and decayed members, seldom, if ever, equal to the small allowances promised in their rules and regulations, as has been generally the case with Friendly Societies on the old plan. Foo7^ and Parochial Funds. — The average number of persons receiving aid from the ordinary poor funds of the parish is 15, for whom these funds, after deduction of the fees usually paid by the kirk-session, afford, at an average, L. 3 each per annum. As actually distributed, however, some have more and others less, ac- cording to their various circumstances. Besides the number of ordinary poor just stated, from 20 to 25 poor persons receive annually, in the month of January, from 15s. to L. 1, 10s. each from the dividends on a charitable fund of L. 765, 3 per cent, consols, bequeathed to the parish of Mony- musk, by the late Dame Jane Johnstone Lady Grant, by her last will and testament, bearing date the 12th October 1787; the di- vidends on which are, according to a plan for the management and application thereof, approved of by a Master in Chancery, and sanctioned by the Court, distributed in the month of January year- ly, among such poor persons as receive no aid from any other cha- ritable fund belonging to the parish. The management of this fund is vested in four trustees, all residing within the parish, in- cluding always, as first trustee, the minister for the time being. The amount of contributions for the relief of the ordinary poor arises from the following sources : from church collections, at an average, L. 31 ; interest on L. 350, stock at 4 per cent. L. ,14, yearly donation from Lady Grant of Monymusk, L. 5 ; other inci- dental small sums, say L. 3 ; total, L. 53. Extraordinary collec- tions of various amount are also made annually for the Infirmary MONYMUSK. 473 ^at Aberdeen, and for the support of one of the lunatics belonging to the parish ; also for the India Mission, Highland Schools, and other schemes of the General Assembly. The poor here, in general, seem to possess that laudable spirit of honest independence, which renders them very averse from ap- plying for parochial aid, unless compelled by absolute necessity : and there have not been wanting instances of poor persons who had been in the way of receiving it regularly, having declined it as soon as, by a little assistance from their children or friends, they could possibly live without it, and of having again had recourse to it under another unfavourable change of circumstances. Fairs. — There are three annual fairs held in the parish, two of them at Whitsunday and Martinmas, chiefly for the engaging of servants ; and the other on the last Thursday of August, for cattle. Monthly markets have also been established of late, for the sale of cattle and grain, during the winter months, and are held in the village on the second Mondays of December, January, February, March, and April. Inns. — There is a good inn, with excellent accommodation, in the village, and an alehouse at the Ferry-Boat, on the opposite side of the Don, both which are found necessary at these stations, for the accommodation of travellers ; and they are not believed to have much, if any, bad effect on the morals of the people in gene- ral, as they are kept by persons of respectable character, who dis- courage drinking to excess in their houses, to which but few of the people are much inclined. There is no other public-house in the parish. Fuel. — The most common fuel consists of peat and turf ; but, as moss is not very plentiful in the parish, a considerable quantity of wood is also used, with some coals from Aberdeen, and from Kin tore, to which they are conveyed in boats by the Aberdeenshire canal, — the cost of the boll when brought from either place, includ- ing the carriage, and the higher price charged at Kintore, being about 7s. Miscellaneous Observations. Since the time of the last Statistical Account, a considerable quantity of waste land, (about 480 acres imperial measure,) has been brought into cultivation ; the plantations have been much enlarged, public roads greatly improved, and drainage carried to a considerable extent. The establishment of a distillery has been already noticed ; and there is little else worthy of remark under 474 ABERDEENSHIRE. this head, save the superior appearance and neatness of the farm- buildings and cottages throughout the parish, which, as already observed, have been greatly improved of late years, and are still being improved under every new lease. November 1840. PARISH OF MELDRUM. PRESBYTERY OF GARIOCH, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV, GEORGE GARIOCH, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — The ancient name of this parish, and by which Spal- ding takes notice of it in his History of the Troubles and Memo- rable Transactions in Scotland, is Bethelnie, which is a derivative from the Hebrew words "l]'?^?]"!"'! (Bethelnou,) signifying House of our God. It appears probable, that, at an early period, when sacred edifices were comparatively few in Scotland, the church situated in this parish may have served to accommodate the in- habitants of a large extent of surrounding country. For this rea- son it may have received the emphatic name of Bethelnie, or House of our God ; and the appellation has been at length ex- tended to the district in the vicinity of the place of worship, which now constitutes the parish. But whether the supposition of a great central religious locality be correct or not, undoubtedly the parish church was, from the earhest time, situated in that district which, to this day, retains the name of Bethelnie, Its site is marked by the place of interment which remains, where its foun- dations can be seen ; and the farm which formerly surrounded it, on which the manse was built, is still called the Auld Kirk. The modern name of the parish (Meldrum) is probably de- rived from the Celtic words Mealldruim, signifying the shoulder or ridge of a hill. This conjecture is supported by the peculiar nature of the locality, as the whole parish occupies a rising ground of greater or less degrees of elevation. At the northern extre- mity, the ground ascends to a considerable altitude above the sur- rounding valleys, and descends by an easy inclination, presenting a variety of rich and well cultivated table-land sloping to the MELDRUM. 475 south, the east, and the west. From several points of this ele- vation, extensive views are obtained of the districts of Formartine and Buchan on the one hand, and of the cultivated valley of the Garioch on the other, bounded on the west by the lofty and well- proportioned mountain of Benochie. Extent and Boundaries. — The length of the parish from north to south varies in diflFerent points from 5 to 8 miles, and its breadth from east to west varies from 2 to 5. It is consequently of an irregular figure, and contains about 11| square miles. On the south, it is bounded by the parish of Bourtie ; on the north, by Fyvie and Tarves ; on the east, by Bourtie and Tarves ; and on the west, by Daviot and Fyvie. A ridge of hills, none of which is of any great height, commencing at the northern extre- mity of this parish, stretches towards the north-west, but possesses no striking characters. The soil on the south and south-west aspects is rich and fertile ; and the summits are generally covered with heath, but not of that luxuriant description which is common on the hills in the higher districts of Aberdeenshire. The pre- valent winds during summer, autumn, and the later part of spring are westerly ; and the severity of the northern blast in winter is no doubt moderated by the chain of hills already alluded to. Climate. — The climate is temperate, but variable in spring; hence, during that season, pulmonary complaints are common, and others which are dependent on sudden changes of temperature. Geology. — Hornblende rock is found in large detached masses in one part of the parish. It admits of the finest dressing, and might even be polished like marble ; but the expense of obtaining^ it, on account of its very hard and compact structure, is such, that it is seldom employed for the ordinary purposes of building* Whinstone is common in different places ; and rock-crystal is found in the hill of Bethelnie. Limestone was discovered several years ago in this parish, near the boundary line which separates it from Tarves, and was wrought with success for some time ; the operations, however, have since been discontinued ; but in Tar- ves they are still carried on advantageously, close to the borders of this parish. The soil of the northern extremity is inferior ta that of the other districts of the parish. In the former it is more friable, of little comparative depth, and incumbent on a subsoil of rock or gravel. In this division, also, there is a portion of the soil of a mossy nature, and the climate is inferior : throughout the whole of it, the harvest is a week later than in the remaining 4T6 ABERDEENSHIRE. districts, and the crops raised are deficient both in quantity and quahty. A considerable extent of the highest parts of it is co- vered with heath, and fit only for planting. With the exception of the northern extremity, the soil of the parish is of a superior na- ture. It consists of a deep loam, resting generally, though not uniformly, on a subsoil of clay, and produces weiglity crops of grain. Plantations. — Since the last Statistical Account was drawn up, more than 500 acres have been planted in this parish. A consi- derable extent of the plantations is on the high lands of the northern extremity ; .but the greatest part of them is on the estate of Meldrum, about the centre of the parish, and in its eastern division. In addition to several large plantations which have grown with great rapidity, there are numerous detached clumps put down for the sake of ornament, which have a very pleasing appearance. Along with the different kinds of fir, there is a number of thriving ashes and elms ; and of late years, oaks, planes, and various ornamental trees have been introduced. There are some fine old spreading beeches in the plantations near the House of Meldrum ; and there is one in particular in front of it, of large dimensions and exuberant foliage. It is 60 feet in height and 243 feet in circumference ; the girth of the trunk is II feet 8 inches, and the longest entire branch is 51 feet. The foliage generally comes close to the ground ; it is very thick, and has a regular and rich appearance. There is an- other large and remarkable tree (an ash) supposed to be fully 200 years old, which stands on a rising ground at Parcook, above the town of Old Meldrum. Its position and appearance are altogether so singular and striking, that it is well known for many miles around by the name of the Ti^ee of Parcook^ or simply of tJie Tree. Be- fore the town was built, there was an inn at Parcock, which must have been a place of some note in former days, as it is frequently mentioned in Spalding's history, and formed at the period when it was written, one of the principal stages between Aberdeen and the north of Scotland. It is probable, therefore, that the tree of Par- cock may have been planted in its present solitary but very con- spicuous situation, in order to point out to the traveller from a dis- tance, the place where he might rest for a time from the fatigues of his journey. II. — Civil History. There is a plan of the whole parish, of date 17S0, in the pos- session of the proprietor of Meldrum, who is the principal land- MELDRUM. 47?" holder, patron of the church, and superior of the burgh of barony of Old Meldrum. Parochial Registers. — The date of the earliest parochial regis- ter is 1698; and there are regular documents preserved from that period to the present time, with the exception of one year. Antiquities. — The foundations of a small private chapel, built during the establishment of the Roman Catholic religion in this country, are to be seen on a farm in this parish, which for that reason still retains the name of Chapelhouse. They are surround- ed by a place of interment, in which there is the appearance of many graves ; and two bodies have been buried there within the memory of the present generation. The baptismal font, (or what tradition declares to be such) remains, and- a well inclosed with rude mason-work, which we are given to understand from the same source, was formerly dedicated to the Virgin ; it is called to this day the Lady well. During the prevalence of Popery, St Natha- lin was reckoned the tutelary saint of this district. There was a tradition, that when a dreadful pestilence raged in the country, St Nathalin prayed fervently that it might be averted from this parish, going round it on his knees; and the fatal disease never. entered within it. A day called St Nathalin's day was for a long period observed in honour of the supposed benefactor, — a proof of the powerful influence of superstition over the mind. Several persons yet alive recollect that, in their early years, St Nathalin's day was still so far attended to that no work was per- formed on it throughout the parish. Until a very late period, a market-day was held in Old Meldrum annually in the month of January, which was called Nathalin's fair. About half a mile from the ruins of the chapel lately alluded to, there was found by labourers employed in repairing a road a few years ago, a rude enclosure of stones about 3^ feet under ground ; two long stones formed the sides, and two short ones the ends of the enclosure, and the whole was covered by one large broad stone. The space enclosed was 4 feet by 2 feet 6 inches, and it contained an earthen urn, a human scull, and some of the bones of the extremities. Two urns of a similar nature were discovered in the same neigh- bourhood, not enclosed by stones, but deposited under a rough pavement. The remains of a Roman encampment existed until lately on the farm of Bethelnie; they have now been levelled and the ground is ploughed. The encampment was a very small one, and could only have given lodgement to a detachment from the 478 ABERDEENSHIRE. army. There is still a place of interment at Bethelnie, where the church of this parish formerly stood. Several families have their burial ground in it, and the sepulchral vault belonging to the pro- prietors of Meldrum is there. The present church is supposed to have been erected about the year 1684; it is consequently an old building, and has an antiquated appearance. In the immediate vicinity of Old Meldrum, there is a place of vs?orship belonging to the Scottish Episcopalians, and in the town, there is another be" longing to the members of the United Secession. The town- house and town-hall of Old Meldrum are respectable-looking build- ings, sufficiently adapted to the size of the place. The House of Meldrum, which is about a mile distant from Old Meldrum, is a large and elegant mansion, well sheltered and ornamented with wood. III. — Population. According to Dr Webster's report, 1603 In 1785, . 1353 1793, . 1490 1811, . 1653 1821, . 1772 1831, . ' 1790 Previous to the year 1672, when the town of Old Meldrum be- gan to extend itself, the population of this parish must have been very limited. An increase of 117 took place between the years 1811 and 1821, which arose, in all probability, in consequence of a number of crofts being set on previously uncultivated land, which has since been reclaimed and brought under cultivation by the oc- cupiers. These little additional possessions are principally on the estate of Tullo, in the northern district of the parish. Between J 821 and 1831, the increase was only 18. The population of the town of Old Meldrum was, according to the former Statistical Account, 783 ; for many years past, its population has been about 1000. In the rural districts of the parish, the number of the in- habitants is 790. The average number of marriages yearly is 15 ; and of births 45. There is no register kept of deaths. Number of persons under 13 years of age, . 390 between 15 and 30, . 456 30 and 30, . 371 50 and 70, . 286 upwards of 70, . . 87 Total population, 1790 The number of families is 402, and the average number of children is 3. There are 8 proprietors of land of the yearly rent of L. 50 and upwards ; and there is a large body of feuars in Old Meldrum. MELDRUM. 479 The people enjoy in a reasonable degree the comforts and advan- tages of society, and are contented with their situation and cir- cumstances. IV. — Industry. Agriculture. — The number of acres, standard imperial measure, in this parish, which are either cultivated or occasionally in tillage, is about 5774 ; and the number of acres which never have been cultivated, but are planted or remain constantly waste, is about 1700. Of this last number, a small proportion upon the hill of Bethelnie appears to have been formerly under tillage. It is most likely, however, that, owing to the poverty of the soil, the crops had not paid the expense of cultivation, and the land had been allowed to fall back into its natural state. Indeed, almost the whole land in this parish that has not already been brought under cultivation, would be turned to most profitable account by being planted. There is an undivided common near Old Meldrum, extending to about 25 acres. The'rent of the best land around the town of Old Mel- drum is L.4, lOs. per Scotch acre, and of inferior quality, L.3, lOs. In the country districts, the average rent of the best quality of land per Scotch acre is L. 2, and of inferior quality from 5s. to L. 1. Wages. — Farm-work is mostly performed by servants hired for the half year ; the average rate of their wages is L. 5 in winter, and L. 6, 6s. in summer. Servants of a superior description ob- tain higher wages. Day labourers, in winter, earn Is., and in sum- mer, Is. 6d. with victuals. Live-Stock. — The Aberdeenshire breed of cattle is by far the most common ; and, as great attention has, for many years, been paid to the rearing of them, they are much approved of in the southern markets. Crosses have of late been introduced with the Teeswater breed, which are said to feed well. Sheep are of va- rious kinds, as Southdown, Leicester, and crosses with the Scotch hill breed. The usual duration of leases is nineteen years, and the con- ditions are in general sufficiently liberal and favourable to the oc- cupier. The state of farm-buildings is good, being adapted to the value and situation of the farms. The rriethods employed for reclaim- ing waste lands have been judicious, and draining to a consider- able extent has been successfully executed. As an evidence of the improvement of agriculture, it may be mentioned, that the prize which was bestowed by the Aberdeenshire Agricultural As- 480 ABERDEENSHIIIE. sociation, for the best cultivated farm in the county, was gained by the tenant of Bethelnie in this parish. A considerable proportion of land has been substantially enclosed with stone dikes. On some of the largest farms, there are enclosures of hawthorn hedges ; and several fields in the vicinity of Old Meldrum, have, within these few years, been surrounded with a double row of hedging, consisting of beech and hawthorn, which has advanced with great rapidity, and is now very ornamental as well as useful. The crops raised are, oats, bear or big, turnips, potatoes, and a small proportion of wheat and barley. In the vicinity of Old Meldrum, all the varieties of turnip seeds are raised of a superior quality ; and the character of them is so well established, that some of the most celebrated agriculturists, both in England and Scotland, have, for several years past, supplied themselves from this quarter. Produce. — The average gross amount of raw produce raised in the parish, as far as it can be ascertained, is as follows : 2317 acres of oats, at L. 4, 0G a^res of bear, at L. 6, . . 20 acres of barley, at L. 7, SO acres of wheat, at L. 8, 741 acres of turnips, at L. 4, 80 acres of potatoes, at L. 5, . 821 acres of new grass, at L. 2, 10s., 1042 acres of pasture, at L. 1, 12 acres o/ turnip seeds, at L. 20, Produce of gardens, 'iiiinnings of woods, Manufactures.— T\\e knitting of worsted stockings is still much practised by females in Old Meldrum, although at a much redu- ced rate of remuneration. There are two pretty extensive weaving shops in Old Meldrum, rented by the proprietors of some of the large manufacturing establishments in Aberdeen, in which a con- siderable number of young persons of both sexes are employed at the hand-loom. Their wages have fallen very much of late years. Since the act of Parliament was passed in 1823, two distille- ries, upon a small scale, have been set to work, one of themjn Old Meldrum, and one on the estate of Tallo ; in the former place, there is a long established brewery. V. — Parochial Economy. Market-Toion. — The only market-town in the parish is Old Meldrum, which was erected by charter into a burgh of barony in 1672. There is a good weekly market in it for provisions. During the winter and spring months, there is a market every fortnight for the sale of cattle and grain ; and there are two annual fairs in the months of May and November, at which farm-servants are engag- 9268 576 140 240 2964 400 2052 10 1642 240 100 20 MELDEUM. 481 eel. From the year 1726, and for a long period thereafter, the town of Old Meldrura was governed by two bailies nominated by the superior; but at present there is no local magistrate, and no regular system of police. Means of Communication. — Since the year 1804, this parish has enjoyed excellent means of communication, both with the south and north, by the turnpike road which was opened at that time be- tween Aberdeen and Banff, which passes through Old Meldrum, and for the distance of six miles through the parish. Upon this road, two carriers belonging to Old Meldrum go from it to Aber- deen, and return every week, and one of them twice a week. The di>tance is seventeen miles and three-qUarters. A post from the south, and another from the north passes twice a day through Old Meldrum, where there is a post-office. There is a stage-coach on the turnpike road, which affords both an economical and expedi- tious mode of travelling. Ecclesiastical State. — When the parish church was removed from Bethelnie, the present one was built in the close vicinity of Old Meldrum. It is most likely that this situation was chosen in order to accommodate the people of Old Meldrum, which at that time had probably a considerable population, and now con- tains nearly three-fifths of the whole inhabitants of the parish. The rural district in the neighbourhood of Old Meldrum is also the most populous. The church, upon the whole, is centrical, taking for the criterion its vicinity to the greatest number of the people, as probably not above a tenth part of the present population reside beyond the distance of three miles from it. It affords accommo- dation to about 700 persons; but it is too small for the parish, and many who want seats in it cannot obtain them. The first and oldest part of the manse was built about the year 1710; a small addition to it was built in the year 1813, and a larger in the year 1829; it is now a most comfortable and commodious house. The glebe measures between 10 and 11 imperial acres. The stipend was last augmented in 1832, and is now \6^ chal- ders, half meal, half barley, with L. 8, 6s. 8d. for communion ele- ments. The ministers of the Episcopal and Secession chapels are paid by the seat-rents and contributions of their hearers, and they have each a house and garden. The Dissenters do not perhaps exceed a tenth part of the whole population. Divine service is well attended, and the number of communicants in the Established Church is above 800. ABERDEEN. H h 482 ABEIIDEENSHUIE. Education. — There are at present thriee schools in the parish, besides one for girls, the parochial in Old Meldrum, and two others in different districts of the country. They are all unendowed, except the parochial, and supported by the scholars' fees. A benevolent native of the parish bequeathed by his deed of set- tlement in 1795, to the kirk -session, the sum of L. 600, the in- terest of L. 200 of which he appointed to be paid annually to a teacher, who should instruct, without any other remuneration, such a number of the children of the poor inhabitants of the parish, as the session should consider he might be able to educate for that allowance. The parochial schoolmaster has hitherto received this sum, upon the condition, (which is rigidly fulfilled), that he shall give education to all whom the session recommend. Another in- habitant of the parish left also, by his deed of settlement, to the kirk-session, the sum of L.90, (legacy-duty deducted,) the interest of which he appointed to be applied to the conducting of a Sabbath school in Old Meldrum. This school is now taught gratuitously, and is in a very flourishing state ; and the interest of the sum of L.90 alluded to, is laid out in the purchase of a religious library for the use of the Sabbath school scholars. The branches of edu- cation taught in the parish school are, reading, writing, mathema- tics, Latin, and Greek. In the other schools, English, waiting, and arithmetic are taught. The parochial schoolmaster's salary is L. 28, and his fees for teaching are, per quarter, reading, 2s. ; writing, ^s. 6d. ; arithmetic, 3s. 6d. ; Latin, 5s. ; Greek, 5s. He has no dwelling-house from the heritors, but receives from them in lieu of it L. 6 per annum. The people are fully alive to the benefits of education, as is shown by the number of schools supported in the parish, without salaries from the heritors. By reason of the advantages which these schools afford, there is no part of the parish where children may not have the benefits of education ; but the want of salary renders the continuance of these seminaries uncertain. Friendly Societies. — There were until lately two or three Friendly Societies in the parish ; but they have been dissolved. Savings Bank. — A Savings Bank, however, was opened in the spring of 1834, in which a considerable sum of money has already been deposited, and it is hoped that the advantages of such an in- stitution will be duly appreciated by the labouring classes. Poor and Parochial Funds. — The number of persons receiving parochial aid has varied considerably at different periods. At MELDRUM. 483 present it is about 50, and the average sum allotted to each is about 8s. per quarter. In addition, two poor lunatics are main- tained by this parish in the Aberdeen Asylum, with the assistance of a sum allowed from the lunatic fund established by the presby- tery of Garioch. A collection is annually made in the parish church towards defraying the expense of maintaining these luna- tics. Another yearly collection is made at church for the Aberdeen Infirmary. There are also public contributions annually made for the whole of the General Assembly's Religious Schemes. The collections in church for the relief of the poor of the parish, in- cluding those received during^the time of the communion, amount to about L. 51 annually, and they have been on the increase for several years past. In addition, there is the annual interest of LJ400 Sterling, bequeathed to this parish by benevolent individuals for- merly connected with it. Of this sum, L. 1200, which had been lent previously, partly on heritable, and partly on personal security, was, on the 20th of June 1834, invested in the purchase of land in a neighbouring parish, which promises to yield a good return for the capital. One tenant occupies the land, and pays his rent into the poor's funds. The other sums, arising from the use of the mort- cloth, and from seat-rents of a part of two galleries, set by the kirk- session, with permission of the heritors, for behoof of the poor, amount to about L. 8 annually. But from the produce of these funds available to the poor must be deducted annually the sala- ries of the teacher already alluded to, of the session-clerk and officer, and other smaller charges. There are no other regular funds for the supply of the poor, but frequently in seasons of scar- city, or during the prevalence of disease, meal and other necessa- ries are purchased for their use, by a fund raised by private volun- tary subscription. A great deal of charity is bestowed by all ranks according to their circumstances ; and if this source of relief were not always open and ready, the parochial funds, although compa- ratively extensive, would be totally inadequate to supply the wants of the poor, especially in Old Meldrum, where the greatest num- ber of them reside. There is a reluctance felt by the labouring classes to ask parochial relief. Fml. — At one time, there was great abundance of excellent moss in this parish, but it is now much exhausted, and what re- mains is generally of inferior quality. Coals, therefore, are com- monly used, especially in Old Meldrum ; and as they are brought from Aberdeen and Newburgh in carts, the expense of fuel is greater in this than in any of the neighbouring parishes. 484 ' ABERDEENSHIRE. Miscellaneous Observations. Since the time that the last Statistical Account was written, the whole appearance of the parish has been much improved, and the quantity and value of its produce greatly augmented, by the superior system of farming which has been adopted. A regular rotation of cropping, suited to the nature of the soil, has been in- troduced, one indispensable part of which is the meliorating crop of turnips. For it, the soil is carefully prepared and properly manured, and the operations of thinning and hoeing are well at- tended to, as this crop is considered of great value in a district, where the rearing of a superior quality of live-stock is one of the most important objects which the farmer has in view. Bone ma- nure has been extensively and successfully employed in this parish for raising turnips. In deep clay soils it does not answer well ; but in those of a less tenacious nature, the produce after its em- ployment is very great. Every effort has been made to reclaim waste lands, and to bring them into a proper state of cultivation. The old system of mill-multures has been discontinued, which will have a favourable effect upon agriculture. Another most im- portant improvement has taken place in regard to the state of the roads. About thirty-six years ago, the turnpike road from Aberdeen to the north was carried through this parish, and at once establish- ed a regular and excellent communication, by which farm produce can be carried for sale to Aberdeen a:t every season of the year. The increased facility of every other communication by this road is equally obvious, both for the comfort of the inhabitants and of travellers, and a far greater intercourse is also enjoyed with the neighbouring districts. Hence, a general stimulus has been given to industry, and improvements of an extensive nature have been undertaken and completed, to which the former bad state of the roads would have presented an insurmountable obstacle. There is also a manifest improvement in the style of agricultural build- ings, in some instances, this improvement has extended itself to new houses in Old Meldrum ; and there seems to be a growing desire for it which is worthy of every encouragement. The extent of new plantations has already been taken notice of. A new line of communication with Old Meldrum by a turnpike road has lately been opened from the upper part of the Garioch on the one hand, and from the sea coast on the other. A new station for the disposal of grain and for the purchase of lime, will thus be obtain- ed by that district of country. The peculiar advantage to Old ALFOHD, 485 Meklrum will consist, in the more extensive communication by travelling, which will take place on the new road, and in the easier access to its home markets. Its inhabitants will also obtain their coals at the port of Newburgh, which is six miles nearer than Aberdeen, where they were formerly supplied with them. Upon the whole, since the publication of the last Statistical Account, the progress of agriculture has in this parish been rapid and ex- tensive, the facilities of communication, by new lines. of road, have been greatly increased, and the general aspect of, the country is very much improved. November 1840. - PARISH OF ALFORD. PRESBYTERY OF ALFORD, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. JAMES FARQUHARSON, LL.D., F. R. S., MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — The name of the small river, on the banks of which the church is situated, is Leochal. In the last syllable of this name, we recognize the Ale, which, according to Chalmers (Caledonia, Vol. i. p. 20), is a common Gaelic name for other rivers in Scotland, signifying " clear stream ;" a name very appropriate to the Leo- chal. The first syllable, Leoch, is the name of the most remark- able mountain which the river touches in its course. Alford is thus the ford of the river Ale, in contradistinction to Waterford, the old name of a ford of the larger river Don, about a mile dis- tant. Owing to the situation of the neighbouring high grounds, there has always been an important passage over the small river at the church ; and it supports the accuracy of the etymology of the name now given, that we again find the Ale in the name of the most important farm on its banks, — Dursale ; in which the first syllable — Durs, is, it seems, the Gaelic for oak. Situation, Extent, Boundaries, and Figure. — The parish is the most considerable one, in point of population and extent of culti- vated land, in the How (hollow or vale) of Alford ; a small dis- trict nearly in the centre of Aberdeenshire, well defined by natural 486 ABERDEENSHIRE, limits. The How, properly so called, includes three other pa- rishes, and is in the form of a trapezium, 10 miles long from east to west, and 8 miles broad at the east end, and 6 at the west. It is bounded on the east by the mountains Benochie, Cairnwilliam, and Mennowy ; on the south, by the mountain Correny, and a series of low hills, which form the south part of the parish of Al- ford ; on the west, by the mountain Callievar ; and on the north, by a ridge of mountains named Coreen. These mountains, with the exception of the low hills at part of the south side, all rise above the limits of cultivation, and give a peculiarly sheltered as- pect to the vale. They are scarcely continuous at any point with other mountain ranges, but spring up round the vale, from the table-land of Aberdeenshire. Their tops are rounded, with the exception of those of Benochie, which are finely serrated. The river Don flows through the vale almost directly from west to east, entering and leaving it by narrow winding gorges, which penetrate the two loftiest parts of the bounding mountains. The parish of Alford forms the south-west part of the How. Its extreme length from east to west is 7 miles ; extreme breadth from north to south, 3 miles, and area 13.6 square miles nearly. The church is nearly in Lat. 57° 13', north ; and in Long. 2° 40', west of Greenwich. The boundary on the west is the crest of Callievar, the loftiest bounding mountain of the How. On the other sides the bounda- ries are nearly all water-courses ; that on the north being the river Don, the outline of whose course is very nearly west and east. The figure of the parish is a semi-ellipse, cut off by the longer axis, represented by the Don. Surface and Elevation. — In reference to the forms of the sur- face, the parish is naturally divided into three distinct regions. The river Leochal, running into the Don by a course directly north, cuts off one of these, containing about 5.6 square miles, to the west. This region rises from the bed of the Leochal, which is 420 feet above the level of the sea, westward, by various waving acclivities, to the crest of Callievar, which is 1480 feet above the sea. The cultivation is here, at some points, carried to 950 feet above the sea. The other two regions on the east side of the Leochal are separated from each other by a somewhat waving line, passing from the mouth of the Leochal south-eastwardly, and contain four square miles each. The more westerly of the two, which is the middle region of the parish, consists of four or five ALFORD. 484' inosculating round-topped hills, of gentle ascent on the north, but steeper lo the south, whose bases are 420 feet, and their two high- est summits 800 feet above the level of the sea. The most easter- ly region is a relatively low land, chiefly consisting of two gentle swells, whose bases are 380 feet, and their summits 450 feet above the sea.* Meteorology. — No regular record has been kept in the parish, of either the thermometer or barometer. In absence of that of the former, we can have recourse to the temperature of perennial • A magnificent and exceedingly varied view is obtained from the summit of Caliie- var. Immediately under the eye of the spectator there is seen the richly cultivated and ornamented vale of Alford on the east, traversed by the clear river Don, and bounded at the opposite end by the rocky-sum mited Benochie. On the west, close at hand, are the contiguous cultivated valleys of Kikhumray and Towie, with the re- mains of their tivo ancient castles celebrated in history and song. On the south, the eye obtaining^ many peeps into cultivated valleys near at hand, commands in the re- mote distances splendid range of sixty miles of the loftiest Grampians, extending westwards from the shore of the Mearns, and including Mount Bettach, Mount Eeen, Lochnagar, Benin uckduie, Bouavon, and Cairngorm. On the north, it com- mands much of the varied surface of Aberdeenshire in that direction, with views of the Moray Frith and German Ocean beyond. Mean Results duruig each mouth, for seven yeai-s, of a register of the thermometer, kept at Alford, Aberdeenshire ; about latitude, 37° 13' N. ; 420 feet above the sea, and 26 miles inland from the coast at Aberdeen. Also, the extremes of botli heat and cold in each month, the mean of each year, the mean from April to September both inclusive, and from July to September both inclusive, and the quantity of rain that fell in the five last years, with the fair and rainy days. The thermometer was registered at 9^ a. m. and 8^ p. m. Months. 1833. Temp, at Tem]i. at Highest Lowest 9 h. 15 m. 8 h. 30 m. Mean. during tlie during the A. M. p. M. Month. Month, January, 28.°07 30='.09 29°.08 440 11° February, 85.07 35. 14 35. 10 46 21 March, 36. 79 35. 33 36. 06 45 26 April, 44.46 41, 23 42. 85 62 27.5 May, 56.50 53.87 55.16 72.5 34 June, 54.58 53. 38 ~ 53.98 67 38 July, 58.00 36. 60 57. 30 76 39 August, 53.80 52. 12 52.96 64 40 September, 51.95 50.86 51.40 66 33 October, 46.60 46. 42 46.51 61 28 November, 38.57 38.35 38.46 58 20 December, 35. 90 36. 14 36.02 47 20 . 45. 024 44.128 447573 mean of the year. 1834. January, 38.°3 36.°8 37.°35 52° 230 February, 38.39 38.78 38.53 55 24 March, 41.67 39.51 40.59 57 20 April, 45. 86 42.96 44. 41 bQ 25 May, 55.61 51. 74 53. 67 70 21 Jure, 61. 13 56.46 58.29 70 36 July, 62. 45 60.06 61.25 81 42 August, 59.9 57.67 58. 78 74 37 September, 54.03 51.03 52.53 70 31 October, 47.8 46.77 47.28 62 29 November, 41. 76 41.63 41. 69 CO 20 December, 42. 29 40.23 41. 27 53 21 49. 01 46. 97 47, 99 mean of year. 4.88 ABERDEENSHIRE. springs, which it is known indicates the mean temperature of the place. Several of these, not remote from the manse, have their Temp, at Temp, at Highest Lowest Rain Months. 9 . h. 15 SI. 8 h. 30 m. Mean, c uring the during the in 1835. A. M. p. M. Month. IMonth. inches. .lanuaiy. 34.°6I 34.°55 34.°58 52° 7° 0.75 February, 38.57 38. 37 38.47 59 24 2.95 March, 40. 63 37.06 38. 845 55 21 3.5 April, 45.53 42. 13 43.83 59 27 2.375 May, 49. 9 47. 16 48.53 64 26 2.6 June, 57. 76 54.90 56. 33 82 35 1.8 July, 59. 41 58.48 58. 945 73 42 1.6 August, 59.93 58. 58 59. '255 79 40 2.275 September, 53.2 51.23 52. 215 66 35 5.2 October, 44. 25 43. 19 43. 72 56 26 8.35 November, 41.03 41. 33 41. 18 52 21 4.5 December, 35. 45 35. 13 35. 29 47 mean of j 12 ear. l.S 46. 689 45. 17.58 45. 9325 37.7 1836. January, 36.03 36.2 36. 115 46 22 3.3 February, 35.0 34.3 34.65 46 14 5.25 March, 38.40 36.6 37. 5 52 13 3.6 April, 42. 63 39.4 41. 015 59 22 3.075 ]May, 52. 83 51. 16 51. 995 71 30 1.3 June, 57.03 55. 6 56. 315 74 38 1.65 July, 56. 12 55. 93 56. 025 73 41 5.6 August, 55. 19 54.54 54. 865 69 31 . 2.35 September, 49.86 48. 73 49. 295 60 31 5.6 October, 45. 38 44. 54 44.96 62 25 4.9 November, 37. 36 37. 28 37.32 48 26 5.575 December, 36. 12 36.9 36. 51 - 51 nean of yi 11 jar. 3.35 45. 1625 44. 265 44. 713 45.55 1837. January, 35. 19 34. 19 iU. 69 45 18 2.3 February, 37.03 36. 39 36.71 50 25 3.3 March, 33. 9 31. 96 32.93 46 8 1.2d April, 39. 18 37. 23 38. 205 54 20 1.75 May, 47.38 45. 83 46. 605 60 32 1.8 June, 56. 5 55.96 56. 23 77 28 1.9 July, 58.87 58.41 58. 64 69 44 7.8 August, 55. 25 55.83 55. 54 76 33 4.9 September, 51.56 51. S 51. 68 64 38 2.75 October, 4S. 93 -48.38 48. 655 60 25 .7- November, 38. 13 37.46 37. 785 57 25 1.45 December, 38. 9 39. 32 39. 11 57 22 2.15 45.068 44. 396 44. 73 mean of year. 32.05 , 1838. January, 28. 74 28.48 28. 61 46 9 3.0 February, 27. 785 27. 357 27. 571 44 12 3.5 March, ' 37. 258 35.838 36.548 52 13 5.4 April, 39.3 38. 33 38. 815 54 19 3.775 May, 49. 61 46.41 48.01 69 21 2.7 June, 55. 53. 7 54.35 66 24 4.2 July, 5S. 7 58. 61 58. 655 74 43 1.2 August, 55. 645 54. 774 55. 2095 67 34 3.025 September 51.4 50.4 50. 9 66 28 4.6 October, 43. 741 43. 967 43. 854 57 15 2.85 November, 35. 9 36.33 36. 115 48 18 4.9 December, 38. 645 38. 32 38.482 51 21 2.1 43. 477 42. 7096 43. 0933 mean of vcar. 41.25 ALFOUD. 469 source in a risincr ground of about 500 acres, whose mean eleva- tion is 500 feet above the sea. Their temperature has been exa- mined at different seasons of the year, and has been found to vary between 44° and 46*^ Fahr., giving a mean of 45"^ Fahr. nearly. The two extremes of heat and cold, as observed at the manse in fifteen years, by the registering thermometer, have been 84^ Fahr. the highest, and 4° below zero of Fahr. the lowest. Climate. — The climate is sufficiently favourable for ripening bear and oats ; and no remarkable deficiency in these two sorts of grain occurs, excepting in such unfavourable seasons as occasion a Temp, at Temp, at Highest I^owest Rain ]\Ionths, 9h. 1.5 m. 8 h. 30 m. Mean. during the during the in 1839. A M. p. ji. Month. Month. inches. January, .32. =87 .33.n6 .3.3.°015 48° 17' .3.15 February, 35. I .36. .36 •35. 73 46 11 1.0 March, 35.9 .34. 45 .34. 175 45 16 2.0 -April, 43. 3 40.46 41. 88 58 12 0.65 May, 48. 16 45. 64 46. 9 65 19 3.35 June, 55. 56 .54. 16 .54. 86 75 2.5 .3.0 July, .58. 8 56. 96 .57.88 68 •38 3.6 August, 56.32 54.06 55. 19 68 40 1.925 September, , 52.8 .50. 96 51.88 60 36 4.725 October, 45. 39 46. 45 45. 92 56 26 2.6 November, , 39. 86 38. 73 39. 295 51 7 40 December, 36. 58 36.48 .36. 53 50 21 6.3 45. 0.54 43. 988 44. 521 mean of vear. .36.3 Recapitulation of Means and quantity of Rain. Mean temp, of Mean temp, of Rain Years. Mean temp. April to Sept. July to Sept. in of years. both inclusive. both inclusive. inches. 18-3.3, 44. o. 573 52.0 27 ' - 5-3.0 88 1834, 47. 99 54. 82 57. 52 18.35, 45. 93 .5-3. 183 56. 8 37.7 18.36, 44. 713 5L 5^ .53. 36 • 45 55 1837, 44. 73 51. 15 .55. 2.52 .32.05 18.38, 4.3. 0933 50. 9899 .54. 9215 41.2.5 18-39, 44. 521 50. 98 .54. 98 .36.3 :Mn. of .38.57 five yrs :n. of 7 yrs, 45. 0784 52. 1407 55. 2447 Fair Days and Days of Rain or Snow for five years. Years. Fair Davs. Rain or Snow, more or less. 18.35, 233' 1.32 1836, 204 162 18.37, 2.39 126 18.38, 216 149 18.39, 195 170 The highest temperature of the seven years (S2o) occurred on the 9th June 18-35. The lowest temperature (12° below zero of Fahrenheit) on the 15th Febru- ary 1 8-38. The temperature has been below zero, Fahrenheit, only three times dur- ing the last twenty- four years. The two times of the day chosen for registration, namely, 9 h. 15 m. a.m., and 8 h. 30 m. P.M., are those at each of which the mean temperature of the year occurred at Leith, in 1824 and 1825, when an hourly register of the thermometer was there kept. The temperature at the two hours has not corresponded at Alford j but the mean of the two may yet be nearly the true mean of the year. 400 ABERDEENSHIRE. deficiency also in all the more cultivated districts of Scotland. Nor- folk barley, however, and wheat, both often tried here, too fre- quently fail to come to maturity, and their cultivation is now rare- ly attempted. The climate is admirably well adapted for turnips. Potatoes rarely fail, and there are great crops matured of clover and rye-grass. In the general run of seasons, the sowing of oats commences the last week of March, and the sowing of bear is fi- nished by the 1st of May ; potatoes are planted about the 10th of May, and turnips sown from the 1st to the 20th of June; hay harvest occurs about the 10th of July, and that of the grain crops begins about the 1st of September. In stating^ the nature of the climate, notice must be taken of a serious injury to which the grain crops are exposed, in some of the lowest and most sheltered parts of the parish, owing to the occur- rence in some years of a hoar frost during some part of the month of August. Regarding this the following facts have been observ- ed. The frost never occurs but during a calm with a clear sky ; the freezing cold is confined to the surface of the earth, or to within a few feet of it ; for a thermometer, raised only five or six feet into the air, will indicate a temperature of 39° or 40°, when serious mischief is going on below. The injury is strictly limited to the lower and more sheltered lands, and all the higher and more open lands escape. No injury is sustained in very nar- row gorges, through which water flows rapidly, although patches of land in them are otherwise low and sheltered. Spaces round mill sluices and other small waterfalls are also free from injury, and margins of 20 or 30 yards breadth on both sides of the larger and more rapid streams. If a breeze sets in before sunrise, no evil follows, although at some previous hour of the night it has frozen at the surface of the ground. These facts would seem to indicate, that, if a current of air could be artificially created, the evil effects would be warded off. It has been ascertained also that grain in a very green and milky state sustains no injury from these slight frosts ; but that if it approaches very nearly to a state of ripeness, even so much that there shall afterwards be found hardly any deficiency in the usual quantity of meal that it yields, it becomes altogether unfit for seed. It is in this view that great loss is often sustained, for there is no external mark by which the damaged grain can be distin- guished. It may, however be recognized at once, by carefully stripping the husks from the kernels, when the longitudinal groove ALFOHD. 491 in these will be observed black and cariousj and they may be crumbled with facility between the fingers. The climate is healthy ; and at no season of the year can there be said to be any peculiar prevalent diseases. We are lia- ble to the inroads of the contagious diseases, small-pox, mea- sles, hooping-cough, and scarlet fever; we have also occasion- ally typhus. The progress and character of this latter, and of scarlet fever, when they appeared here to a serious extent about twelve years ago, were examined by Dr Alexander Murray, who then acted as our medical practitioner ; and he gives autho- rity to state, that typhus did not prove so fatal here as it did at that time in other districts, for he lost only one or two out of fifty patients ; but that scarlet fever proved very destructive ; for, out of 200 patients, 1 in 10 died. These and similar facts subse- quently observed, led him to infer that typhus is milder, and scar- let fever more severe than these diseases respectively are in towns. He states also, that the peculiar inclosed character of this valley furnished him with an excellent opportunity to examine the man- ner of the dissemination of typhusj and that, upon a careful exa- mination, there was unequivocally traced to contagion as large a proportion of cases of that disease as of scarlatina, small-pox, or other diseases, which are admitted by all to arise from contagion, and from no other cause. Hydrography. — There are numerous small perennial springs of excellent water, especially in the two western hilly regions. A few springs also occur that are slightly chalybeate. In digging recently for a pump near Haughton, on reaching the rock in situ, a fountain was opened, which gives out a nauseous gas, and has a strong mineral taste, which excited attention. Some chemical tests, to which it was subjected, indicated that it contains sulphu- retted hydrogen, but the matter is not yet fully investigated. There are no lakes in the parish ; and a circumstance deserv- ing of notice is, that there are none connected with the Don or any of its branches; while the tributaries of the parallel river Dee, at no remote distance, either drain or pass through nume- rous lakes. The principal river is the Don, which has its source in the pa- rish of Strathdon, about thirty miles westward. It is here about 100 feet broad, and flows with a rapid shallow stream, over a pebbly bottom ; having dry grassy banks to the margin of the water. Next in order is the Leochal, which falls into the Don, 492 AliERDEENSHIRE. after a winding course of twelve miles from its source in the pa- rish of Cushnie. It is about 25 feet wide in its course through this parish, and is rapid and shallow like the Don. The Burn of Bents, a smaller and more sluggish stream, bounds the parish on the east, and the still smaller Burn of Buckie has its course wholly within its middle and eastern regions. Geology and Mineralogy. — The rocks of the whole parish are of those aggregates, which have been denominated primitive. The minerals composing the aggregates are, quartz, felspar, horn- blende, and mica : the species of the aggregates themselves, chiefly those which have obtained the names of granite, syenite, and mica-slate. The varieties of the granite may be pronounced infinite. It varies by an increase or deficiency in different spe- cimens of some of the minerals, quartz, felspar, or mica, of which it is composed ; or by an enlargement or diminution of the crys- tals of these minerals. It also varies greatly in point of colour, and in being sometimes flawed into large or middling blocks, and sometimes shivered into small fragments in situ. In some places, definite varieties of it may be seen forming continuous veins for a considerable space ; in other places may be seen amorphous beds, in which a great number of varieties are interlaced in the most inextricable confusion. Among other varieties, we have some closely resembling the well known gray granite of Aber- deen, and equally serviceable and durable for building; and others as closely resembling the equally well known red granite of Pe- terhead. The syenite can only be considered as a variety of the granite, in which hornblende is substituted for the felspar In fact, the granite is in some places seen gradually passing into a light-co- loured syenite ; but some circumstances attend the latter which do not belong to the former. Thus it is never observed shivered in situ into small fragments like the granite, but only flawed into large blocks ; and while both the aggregates are penetrated by numerous small veins, those of the granite are most frequently quartz, and those of the syenite are almost invariably a smaller granular syenite. The positions of the syenite in relation to other rocks have not been observed to follow any definite order, and it has not, like the granite, been seen forming large veins, but ir- regular beds. The mica-slate, which forms the prevailing rock for a consi- derable space in the north-west part of the parish, is subject ALFORD. 493 to pass into a great many varieties as well as the granite ; and the inclinations of its strata shift, with change of place, into every possible position, and the strata are often greatly contorted. It is penetrated by many small veins of quartz, and many also of numerous varieties of granite, of all dimensions, up to the width of twenty or thirty yards. Although, in examining these primitive rocks in such a narrow space as this parish, it would not be obvious that they held any defi- nite order in relation to each other, yet, on looking at a larger ex- tent of the neighbouring country, an outline of such an order may be perceived in respect of some of them. Thus the mica-slate in the north-west part of the parish is the south border of a long range of slaty rocks, that appears to pass in the direction of north-east and south-west, of varying but comparatively limited breadth from north-west to south-east. And again, in the south- east part of the parish, are found beds and veins of a peculiar somewhat porphyritic red granite, which are the north edge of a comparatively narrow range of that rock, which is known to ex- tend also from north-east to south-west for a space of twenty-five miles, and probably extends much farther. These ranges of pe- culiar rocks have no relation to the ranges of mountains, but hold their courses onward equally through mountains and valleys ; and their north-west and south-east edges are extremely straggling and irregular. A remarkable circumstance regarding the rocks of this parish is, that by much the larger part of them is in a state of decompo- sition ; or at least in such a friable state that they may be easily dug into with the pickaxe and spade. The varieties of the gray and red granite are most frequently found in this state ; but there are also many parts of the mica-slate in the same condition. The syenite has not been observed friable, with the exception of fragments of it often found included in the friable granite. The friable rocks have no definite position in relation to the hard. Posts of fine building stone, that resist the action of the weather, are in many places quarried in the midst of immense beds of the friable. As far as is known the rocks are very poor in metallic ores. A poor ore of iron sometimes accompanies the narrow quartz veins ; and that metal, disseminated in small quantity, appears to influence the colours of the rocks. A black heavy small sand, found on the strands of the Don, and in the beds of torrents over 494^ ' ABERDEENSHIRE. friable granite, has been analyzed by Dr Thomson, and found to be the ore of titanium and iron named Iserine. The only simple minerals, in addition to those forming the aggregates of the rocks, are small rock-crystals. The deposits covering the rocks in szVm, whose quantity and character could not have been ascertained thirty years ago without great labour undertaken for the purpose, have since been pene- trated at a vast number of points by various operations in the course of the improvements in the parish, and have been thus ful- ly exposed. The most remarkable circumstance regarding them is their shallowness on both the high and low grounds. On the north and west faces of the hills they are very thin, not generally more than a foot or two, and at their bases or in hollows, there, very rarely having a depth of five or six feet. At the south and east slopes and bases of the hills they may be considered, on an average, a foot or two deeper than this, or varying from one or two to six or eight feet, with the shallower depths greatly prevail- ing. On the relatively flat lands in the east part of the parish the deposits cannot be considered as exceeding the average depth of those on the hills. In a very few places only within the parish, and they of very limited extent, in lower hollows, and at the south and east bases of very friable rocks, deposits are seen of a depth of 15 or 20 feet. The deposits consist entirely of the debris of the underlying or neighbouring rocks, and, according as these are hard or friable, they vary from stony, through sandy, to a sandy brick clay, including, more or less, fragments of hard stone. The outlayers or dispersed fragments of a great many well- marked rocks are observed invariably at points between the east and south of the rocks in situ ; sometimes, when the descent of the surface is in that direction, at a great distance from their ori- ginal places. No organic remains have ever been found either in the rocks or their covering deposits. It is abundantly evinced by many facts, that our present valleys have not been scooped out by the rivers which now flow in them. Every stream has formed only a narrow lengthened hollow in the bottom of the irregularly expanding valley through which it has its course. The escarpments that bound the lengthened hol- lows on both sides are continuous in lines nearly parallel to the streams, and are more steep than any other rising grounds to be ALFORD. 495 found in the parish. The bottoms of the hollows themselves are , flat, and the soil in them and the natural vegetation diffei' from any to be found above the escarpments. The. deposits within them consist of horizontal beds of water-worn and rounded frag= ments of rocks, of all the different sorts to be found along the whole upper courses of the streams, brought into juxtaposition within narrow spaces. On the contrary, the fragments of rocks found in the deposits above the escarpments are angular, and not much water-worn, some of them not worn at all ; and within a given space, they consist of few varieties. The extent and depth of the river hollows are everywhere regulated by three conditions, — the magnitude of the stream, its rapidity, and the hardness or friableness of the materials of the bed ; and towards the sources of the streams they diminish to simple drains for the water. In addi- tion to these facts, many localities can be pointed out where it is obvious that, had the rivers ever run at higher levels than the escarp- ments bounding the present hollows, they would have taken their courses, and formed their junctions by lines very different from those they at present pursue. The beds of the streams have been very sensibly deepened within the last thirty years, presenting us with a measure by which to estimate the period that may have been required for the exca- vation of the river hollows ; and which, as a detail of particulars would show, agrees well with the era assigned by historical record to the last general flood. Soil. — The larger proportion of the"soil may be called a friable and dry loam, eminently adapted for the turnip husbandry ; but it varies materially with the nature of the subjacent rocks and the deposits covering them. Where these have been friable and[worn into a clay by the action of the weather, the subsoil is more or less retentive of too much wet to admit of turnips, without much attention to both under and surface draining ; but the soils in this condition produce the best crops of oats. There are also many spouty places caused by springs issuing from the beds and veins of shivered granite, which require under draining, often a delicate and uncertain process where the rocks have no certain order ; but the soil in such places is generally highly productive, when the springs can be fairly drained out. The soil of the haugh lands with- in the river hollows is very friable, and, where separated by drains from the bounding high grounds, always very dry. In respect of staple, all the soils may be called shallow, with the exception of 496 ABERDEENSHIRE, those of some of the old infields, small parts of every farm to which it was formerly the practice to apply all the dung, to the exclusion of the other lands. Of these the soil is generally deep. Many boulders, or large detached stones, recently cumbered much of the soil; but they have been to a great extent removed from the arable land within the last thirty years, at great labour and expense, needing often to be blasted with gunpowder. Zoology. — There are, besides the domesticated races, only twenty-three Mammalia ever seen in the parish. Among these are the red -deer, but rarely, and the variable hare in winter. Three species have lately come into it — the pine-marten and hedgehog about fifteen years ago, and the gray warren-rabbit more recently. They have probably been enticed by a fine cover of wood's, now greatly extended. Major Thomas Youngson, E.I.C.S., very obligingly gave his aid to perfect a list of the Birds; and it appears we have thirty species con- stantly resident; as many that breed here, but leave us in winter ; eleven species that are only winter visitants; thirteen species that are often seen hunting, and six species that have been seen occasionally, among which is the rare nutcracker, seen by Major Youngson. One species (139, Tetanus callidris of Dr Fleming's British Ani- mals), has been very recently driven away from its breeding haunts, by the extension of cultivation. The Anserferus is nearly banished by the same cause. This came formerly in large flocks, and of all migratory birds kept most regularly to its time — arriving the third week of September, and departing the second week of April. Our Reptiles are only five, — two lizards, two frogs, and the com- mon toad. The Fishes are also few. We have the sea-lamprey rarely ; the river-lamprey, salmon, common-trout, par, pike, minnow, com- mon eel, and stickleback. The salmon are not found clean in the Don till the 1st of April. The salmon fry disappear from the river about the middle of May. The grilses begin to come up about the last week of June. The fish after spawning partly return down in winter ; but great num- bers of the spawned fish remain in the river till the middle of March. Botany. — Dr Alexander Murray, who examined the botany of this parish several years ago, when he was resident here, has, on solicitation, very obligingly communicated a list of all the flowei'- ing plants which are native. We have full reason for thinking his 35 Primulacese . 3 Rosacea 15 19 Labiatffi 12 Leguminosas 15 11 Scrophularinffi 15 Hypericineae 4 7 Boragineas 5 GeraniaceJB , 4 2 Ericeae 4 Caryophylleffi . 12 7 Compositae 30 Cruciferae 8 2 Rubiaceffi 6 Ranunculaceee . 8 12 Umbelliferffi . 7 ALFORD. 497 list a very complete one. It is transmitted along with this ac- count, and must be esteemed curious, as exhibiting the character of the vegetation of a parish in the north of Scotland, as remote from the sea and the higher Scotch alps and large towns, as any other that could be named, having, besides, the peculiarity that the rocks are exclusively the siliceous and argillaceous primitive ones. The whole number of flowering plants is only 306 ; and we shall give here the numbers that belong to some of the more important natural orders of Hooker's Flora Scotica : Gramineae Cyperaceae . Juncese Orchideffi Coniferae Salicinae Euphorbiaceae Polygoneae Our attention ha\ing been directed to the subject by Dr Hook- er, we are enabled to give the following heights above the sea, at which some of the cultivated plants succeed in this parish. Feet. 1200 Larch. This valuable tree appears to find, in our region of primitive rocks, a soil well adapted to it. It thrives better than any other tree at the inferior heights, and ripens its wood early. 1100 Birch. 1050 Scotch fir. 1000 Broom. 950 Oats ripen fully here, and are attended by all the plants of our common hus- bandry in full perfection, including potatoes. Greens, and some cabbages, white peas, and flax, also succeed. Aller is native. 900 Ash, elm, ( Ulmus montana,) gooseberries ripen. 800 Cherries, jargonelle pears, raspberries, hawthorn. 750 Beech, Querciis sessiliflnra. 700 Quevcus rohur, (dwarfish). 500 Ribstone pippin apple. 450 Achan pear, lime, Salix alba, laburnum. 420 A fine silver fir at Haughton deserves notice, as it shews the species is well ad- apted to our soil and climate. It is 92 years old, more than 10 feet in girth, and 76 feet high — measuring upwards of 200 cubic feet. It is at present grow- ing very rapidly. The greatly varied heights and exposure of the lands in this parish afford great facilities for ascertaining the influence of as- pect on the various kinds of cultivated plants. Trees and shrubs which have to endure the severity of the winter storms are, on land having a westerly or north westerly aspect, always compara- tively stunted and irregular in their growth. It does not appear, that, among the remaining aspects, any one is much to be prefer- red to another for these plants. With regard to the annual and herbaceous plants, the effect of aspect appears to be insignificant. ABERDEEN. I i 498 ABERDEENSHIRE. The brairds of grain, and the grasses, are somewhat more forward in spring, on south-lying lands ; but when the sun comes near the northern tropic, those on the north-lying lands soon come up with them ; and there is scarcely a difference in the earliness of the hay crops, and none at all in that of the grain crops. In short, the influence of aspect on' the earliness or lateness of both these crops is quite obscured by the greater influence of a dry or damp subsoil. The earliest ripened grain crops in the parish, every year, are on a piece of the steepest cultivated land in it, having a directly north exposure, but of which the subsoil is uniformly dry. II. — Civil History. There is no other account of the parish knovrn than the one in the old Statistical Account. That contains a very interesting description of the then existing state of the parish, especially of its agriculture. The system of the. agriculture, to state it in few words, then was, to have about one-third of a farm, denominated infield, always in grain crop ; one-third part of this always in bear, to which allthe dung of the farm was applied, and the other two-thirds in oats. The other two-thirds of the farm, called outfield, was arranged into eight or ten divisions, each of which bore four or five crops of oats in succession, and was then left uncultivated for four or five years, to bear such grasses as might naturally spring up in it. Such animals, chiefly horses and black-cattle, with a few moun- tain sheep, were at the same time kept, as could subsist on the outfield leys and natural pastures round the arable land in sum- mer, and on the straw of the grain crops in winter. There was no application of any manure but the dung of the animals. The teams for ploughing consisted each of ten small oxen ; and car- riages were performed by small horses who did little other work. In the account thus given of it, the imperfections of this agriculture are pointed out with an ability which might have augured, that great improvements, since happily realized, were then near at hand. The printed copies of the account abound with typogra- phical errors, deforming a paper of much interest. Land-Owners, — The following gentlemen are the present land- owners of the parish : John Farquharson, Esq. of Haughton, who possesses nearly two-thirds of the parish, and resides here during the summer months ; Andrew Farquharson, Esq. of Breda, resident.* Charles Forbes, Esq. of Asloon, not resident ; William Stewart, * Since this was written, the parish has been deprived of this esteemed and valuable inhabitant by his death. The property is now liferented by his widow. ALFORD. 499 Esq. of Carnaveran, not resident ; Duncan Davidson, Esq. of Tillychetly, not resident ; Benjamin Lumsden, Esq. of Kingsford, now building to reside. Five of these gentlemen are freeholders of the county of Aberdeen. Parochial Registers. — The earliest entry in these is of date 1717. They have been very irregularly kept; but one branch of them is of great historical interest, as showing the inquisitorial cha- racter of our church courts in the former part of the last century, till the salutary influence of the General Assembly reduced their practice to a nearer conformity with the general candour and open- ness of British jurisprudence. Antiquities. — These are of little note. — A circle of large stones, known by the name of the " Auld Kirk," gives some countenance to the belief entertained by some persons, that such circles were places of worship to the ancient inhabitants. Two circular camps, recently very distinct, now nearly levelled by the plough, might hardly deserve notice, did not such remains sometimes happily illustrate ancient records. The larger of these contains an area of 25 acres, on the top of a regularly conical low hill named ** The Da-mil," perhaps a corruption of Danehill ; the a in Dane being provincially pronounced broad. The fortification has consisted of an earthen wall and ditch, strengthened, at intervals of one hundred yards, by round buildings, also of earth, of about fifty feet diameter. The smaller camp is on flat ground near the church, and has the name of the Roundabout ; its area little more than an acre ; but the vallum and fosse have been of very large di- mensions, and much earth for the former has been taken from the inside. A cairn of stones, in the form of a truncated cone, 120 feet in diameter, and about 25 feet high, having been partly removed, there were discovered under it several chests, formed of flat stones, in which were found ashes and pieces of charcoal, and in one a rude urn of baked earth, in which also were found ashes and pieces of bones. The cairn is on the summit of a hill named Carnaveran, a name interpreted, by a gentleman who speaks Gaelic, " the Cairn of Sorrow." The contents and the name of this monument thus both unite to show that it was erected to the memory of the dead ; and from the former we may infer that it was the practice of the inhabitants at the time to burn their dead. Modern Buildings. — The church is a substantial building of ru- ble stone and lime, rough-cast with lime outside, and roofed with 500 ABERDEENSHIRE. Foudland slates, which, for lightness and durability, are about equal to those of Eisdale. It is a finely proportioned house, having nar- row galleries on three sides, and the whole fitted up and paint- ed with simplicity and beauty. The stair for the galleries is in a building outside the line of the wall ; and as the ceiling is flat and not too lofty, there is none of that irregular vertical echo which makes it impossible to hear a speaker at any considerable distance, in so many of our public buildings constructed with too lofty roofs. There is a substantial mansion-house at Haughton, the seat of the principal heritor, built of finely dressed granite, and of modern construction. There is also a suitable mansion-house at Breda. There are three meal mills in the parish, with attached drying kilns, built of ruble stone and lime, and roofed with slate. The farm-houses and steadings are all built of durable stone, of which there is everywhere a good supply near at hand. Most of them are with thorough lime ; but some are only with clay and sneckpinned with lime. Many of them are roofed with slate, which is getting more into use ; but a large part is stob-thatched with straw, and a few with heath, which makes a more durable covering. III. — Population. Table of the population at various periods : Males. Females. Total The population in 1755, 990 1795, . 310 353 663 1801, 310 334 644 1811, 363 355 718 1821, 407 419 826 1831, 444 450 894 The increase of population since 1801 is exclusively owing to the improvement and extension of agriculture. The whole population resides in the country ; the only place having the name of village, consisting of about a dozen cottages, dispersed over a space of three-quarters of a mile. Yearly average of births for the last seven years, . 23 of marriages, . . . 4^ The number of persons in 1831 under 15 years of age, 305 betwixt 15 and 30, 252 30 and 50, 205 50 and 70, 100 upwards of 70, 32 Total, 894 Proprietors of land, one constantly residing, and one residing during summer and autumn. Number of unmarried men, bachelors, and widowers upwards of 50 years of age, 18 women upwards of 45, . . • .53 families, . . . ' . . . 183 ALFORD. 501 Average number of children in each family, at present, is four ; but this includes the families of recently married couples, and there- fore does not indicate the number of children to each marriage. Number of inhabited houses, . 176 uninhabited houses, . 1 houses building, . . 1 insane persons, . . 3 deaf and dumb persons, . 1 The ordinary food of the great body of the working people chief- ly consists of oat-meal, made into boiled pottage, or brose, or cakes, rendered nutritive and wholesome by an abundant sup- ply of milk, and varied occasionally by potatoes dressed in va- rious ways, and by soups made of greens, turnips, and pot-barley. The ordinary beverage of the working people is an excellent small beer, from malt made of bear of native growth, and hops ; and this, with a larger allowance of malt in it, forms in their diet an excel- lent substitute for milk, when occasionally the latter becomes de- ficient in any family during winter. Until about six years ago, the malt was all home made ; and the farmers and their servants, dur- ing some part of autumn or winter, found seasons of leisure from their busier occupations to make it, which they could all do very skilfully, so that the making of it virtually cost them nothing. Since that time, however, so many annoying regulations have been intro- duced in levying the excise duties, that the practice of private malt- ing has, of necessity, been almost entirely abandoned. A system of public malting, since partially introduced, has not much mitigat- ed the privations inflicted by these regulations. It involves an expense, which was before entirely avoided, and may, in the end, subject the whole supply of malt to a monopoly in the hands of the public maltster. The enforcement of these regulations is complained of by the inhabitants, as the greatest inconvenience to which any fiscal law has ever subjected them ; and as they have never complained of the amount of the duty, the revision of the regulations, with the view of restoring private malting to its recent freedom, might be a boon granted them, without hurt to the revenue. General Character of the People. — As to their general character, it cannot be spoken of otherwise than in terms of commendation. They are persons whose understandings are practically sound, and enlarged and cultivated by that perpetual exercise of them, to which the infinitely diversified nature and circumstances of their rural pur- suits, often requiring the nicest delicacy of judgment in conduct- 502 ABERDEENSHIRE. ing them, afford a constant excitement. They are not destitute of a serviceable share of that knowledge which is derived from let- ters ; but, with regard to their worldly affairs, experience may be called the great guide of their life. Their moral qualities are of a yet higher order. They are as- siduously industrious, temperate in their desires and enjoyments, affectionate in their families, careful of the education of their chil- dren, friendly and obhging to one another, liberal to the poor with- out the slightest ostentation, and sincere and upright in their deal- ings with strangers. These qualities secure a peaceable and or- derly neighbourhood, where any necessity for the interference of the civil magistrate is almost unknown. A law-plea is an event of the rarest occurrence ; and neither tradition nor record states that any inhabitant, native of the parish, was ever accused before a criminal court. These moral qualities, so beneficial to the individual and the present order of society, have their permanent root in a deep and steady principle of religion ; and the same wise practical discre- tion which regulates their worldly affairs is also a characteristic of their religion. There is perceived among them no loquacious pa- rade of religious knowledge, no casuistical disputation, no delight in controversy, and none of that ostentatious display of piety which is forbidden to a Christian ; but they who know them most intimate- ly, know also, that a constant feeling of their dependence upon God, and responsibility to him, rendered active by the promises and hopes of Christianity, directs the general tenor of their life. Happily, the demoralizing practice of smuggling never^ found its way into the parish : and poaching is unknown. IV. — Industry. Number of males employed in agriculture, as farmers, cottars, and farm-ser- vants, -._... 243 This includes a considerable number of boys under 15 years of age employed about cattle. Number of males employed in manufiictures, . _ - 6 trade and handicraft, as masters and workmen, 59 The larger proportion of these last are strictly employed for the purposes of agriculture ; as the blacksmith in making agricul- tural implements and shoeing the horses ; the cart and plough- wright ; the builder of the thrashing-machines ; the mason and house-carpenter in building agricultural houses ; the maker of agricultural harness ; and, besides, persons of all these handicrafts have crofts of their own, that they manage chiefly by their own labour, and many of them hire themselves out for the harvest. ALFORD. 503 These circumstances have never been attended to m ^stimatino- the relative proportions of the population of the united kingdom that strictly belong to agriculture on the one hand, and to all other classes on the other. The agriculturists have been thus al- ways reckoned much fev.er than they are. Number of educated and professional persons, . . 9 house servants, rnales, upwards of 20 years of age, 2 under do. do. 1 female servants, ... 84 These last are much employed in agriculture, especially during the seasons of hoeing and harvest. Agi'iculture. — Table of contents of the parish in imperial acres. Arable, ...... 4767 acres. Rich green pasture in slips near the rivers, or otherwise incapable of 1 n4 cultivation, .... 202 | § aj Uncultivated, but capable of being made arable, . . 512 ! a .§ Uncultivated, and unfit for cultivation, but, with the exception of 200 or | os ,5 300 acres, which are too elevated, fit for planting, . . 2009 j t- o Moss, . . . . . • 56J ^ 3 Wood, p:anted, . . . . .1169 Total imperial acres, . 8715 Plantations. — The species of trees planted to greatest extent are the Scotch and larch firs. There are also many spruce firs (Pinus abies) in lands too wet for the other two species. Recent experience has proved the wood of this last tree to be much more durable than any other we have, when used for gate and paling- posts, if put into the ground with the bark on. It can admit of no doubt, that great error has been committed in planting and managing the Scotch fir, the species first planted here. The plantations of that tree have almost all died before at- taining the age of fifty or sixty, or, in the most favourable cases, seventy years. This, of course, involves the necessity of early cutting and sale ; and the wood of the early cut trees has no durability, being liable to the attack of worm, which utterly destroys it in thirty or thirty-five years. The wood of young trees of the Brae- mar native forests suffers equally from worm, while that of the aged trees is equally durable with the best Baltic wood ; showing that the durability is entirely dependent on the age of the tree, and that no valuable wood can be obtained from the plantations till the cause of the early death of the trees is discovered and removed. It seems practically demonstrated by an incident which has occur- red in a plantation in this parish, that the generally early death of the planted fir is to be ascribed exclusively to the universal practice, from whence soever it may have arisen, of planting the trees too 504 ABERDEENSHIRE. thick on the ground, and not giving them spaces at all propor- tional to the ultimate size of the species. The incident is as fol- lows : In a plantation of oaks at Haughton, made ninety-two years ago, a number of Scotch firs have been planted dispersedly, per- haps intended for shelter to the oaks ; and as the latter have not thriven well, the firs have had room from the beginning to occupy spaces proportional to their native growth, and have become large and valuable trees, — at their present age already furnishing wood of an excellent quality. Not one of these trees has ever been known to die naturally ; and those which the axe has spared have all a healthy and vigorous aspect, indicating that they might live to the ordinary period of the trees of the native forests. While this has occurred with respect to them, other plantations of fir in the immediate neighbourhood, on soil exactly similar, and planted much more recently, but of the customary thickness, have, some years ago, died out. It would appear from a variety of circumstances, especially from the prosperous state of some other fir trees in this parish, which, from incidental causes, have enjoyed much room from the time of their being planted, but into the particulars of all which there is not room here to enter, that the proper correction of the error, which has so long prevailed, would be, to plant the trees at first so thin as to give each the space which it would occupy when arrived at full size and maturity of growth ; and not to trust to thinning with the axe, which is liable to many objections. Planting in this way would require only 200 or 300 trees to the imperial acre, instead of 3000 or 4000 according to the present practice. The same error of thick planting, which has proved so fatal to the Scotch fir, has been fully extended to the larch. That spe- cies was introduced here sixty or seventy years ago, and the trees were at first planted dispersedly, or among scattered rows of trees around gentlemen's seats. These, having ample room, have, with few exceptions, continued healthy and vigorous. Afterwards larches were planted to a greater extent promiscuously with Scotch firs, or in clumps alternating with these, and equally crowded; and un- der such management, they are now dying in equal numbers with the Scotch fir. A better system, in respect to this matter, begins to prevail ; for, although thin planting has not been adopted, more attention Is paid to early thinning. Besides the firs, many other species of trees have been planted ALFORD. 505 in the parish ; and there are trees to a great value of these spe- cies, now ready for use, especially round Haughton. The chief of them, in the order in which they are observed to grow most rapidly here, may be thus enumerated ; — beech, elm ( Ulmus montana of Hooker's Flora Scotica), ash, which is the most valuable, gean- tree (Prunus cerasus), lime, Scotch plane, mountain-ash ( Pyrus aucuparia), birch, quaking-ash (Populus tremula), aller, and white- beam tree (Pyrus aria). In addition to these, there are a very few black poplars, and wil- lows, as Salix alba, S. decipiens, S. lanceolata. These last prosper well, and might deserve to be more cultivated. There are also a few trees of the Cytisus laburnum, which become valuable for household furniture. There has been planted in the parish also a very considerable number of oaks fQuercus roburj, and the largest plantation ap- pears to be now ninety-two years old ; but the result does not seem to warrant the extension of plantations of that species, as the trees are much inferior in value to ashes and elms planted at the same time, under equal circumstances. This relative failure of the oak might appear surprising, when it is considered, that many remains of oak trees, yet occasionally dug from under the soil, prove it was once a common native. But it has been ascertained by the examination of an old native copse of oak at some distance from this parish, that the native species is not the Robur but the Sessiliftora ; and as that is said to yield only wood of inferior quality, it would not seem expedient to plant it with a view to the value of the wood, however it might be profitable for the bark. Rent. — The valued rent of the parish is L.3126, 12s. 8d. Scots money. The present gross rent is very evenly L.4000 Sterling ; giving, after making an allowance of a small rent for the unculti- vated land, nearly 16s. rent per imperial acre of arable land. The rent of grazing and rate of pasturing animals by the year cannot be stated. Rate of Labour and Mechanical Work. — Fees, besides provi- sions and lodgings, by the year : a good ploughman, L.13 ; a boy, L.4 to L.7 ; a female servant, L.5. For the harvest-work only ; a good scythesman, L,2, 15s.; a woman, L.l, 15s. Wages with- out provisions or lodgings by the day ; a labourer, 2s. in summer, and Is. 4d. in winter ; a mason, 2s. lOd. ; a carpenter, 2s. 3d. ; a tailor, 2s. With provisions, and without lodgings, a female to hoe turnips, 8d. By the rood of thirty-six square yards, a stone and 506 ABERDEENSHIRE. lime wall two feet thick, including all expenses, L.7, lOs.; a slated roof, independent of wood-work, L.5, 5s. ; a thatched roof, includ- ing value of straw, L.l, 5s. By the square yard, flooring, includ- ing joisting, 3s. 6d. Breeds of Animals. — Horses. — The present principal breed of these has been brought from the south of Scotland and England within the last thirty years. They are of such size that two make an excellent plough. A good many are now bred in the parish, but not quite enow to supply the yearly waste. There are yet also to be found a considerable number of the old breed of small- sized horses ; a healthy race, and of great endurance for the road. Sheep. — These, with the exception of one flock of black-faced sheep, kept on the hills, at the west end of the parish, consist of a few improved Leicesters, and Merino crosses, kept on account of the wool. Pigs. — There are very few, of the small Chinese breed; and they are getting quite out of favour as store beasts. Black-Cattle. — These form the most important store-beasts. The substratum of the present races is the well-known long-horn- ed black or brown Aberdeenshire breed, a healthy and handsome race, but small. The cows, when now properly fed at all seasons, are great milkers, and their milk peculiarly rich. This breed is, however, now rarely seen pure in this parish, although yet to be got quite pure in some of the neighbouring parishes. Since the introduction of abundance of food by the turnip husbandry, the cultivators have become desirous of having larger animals than their old native breed ; and they have obtained these by crossing it with larger bulls, brought from other parts. The crosses with the Galloway bull have been preferred, and the cattle have lost their characteristic horns. The resident heritors introduced the pure Ayrshire dairy breed ; and many of these, at one time, got dispersed among the farmers, but do not seem to be held in re- pute.' Table of live-stock in the parish, on the 15th June 1831, just after some of the largest sales of the year had been made : Large cart and plough horses, . 150 Smaller full-grown horses, . . 30 Horses under four years old, . 32 212 Milch cows, . . . . 425 Work oxen, . . . .48 Young cattle, including calves, . 1379 1852 Sheep, all kinds, . . . .703 Pigs, ... 33 ALFORD. 507 The general character of the Husbandry pursued. — The state of the husbandry is, on the whole, highly satisfactory. Per- haps no example could be adduced, at any period, in any other nation, of such a series of beneficial improvements being introduced, in so short a space of time, by steadily progressive but unobtrusive steps, and without any removal of the natives, as those which have converted the rude and unproductive husbandry of 1796 into our present skilful and productive one. The improvements have consisted chiefly in the regular appli- cation of lime, in sufficient quantity, as a manure ; — the introduc- tion of a dressed crop of turnips, and crops of artificial grasses, into a regular alternation with the crops of grain ; — the substitu- tion of the two horse and two oxen plough, for that drawn by ten oxen ; — of the thrashing-machine for the flail ; and of the scythe, in harvest, for the sickle ; — and also the cultivation of early varieties of oats, in place of the late kind, called common oats, formerly alone cultivated. Regarding some of these, it may not be improper to give a few brief notices. It might have been deemed, in former times, a thing incredible, that a great extent of land in the centre of Aberdeenshire, twenty- seven miles from the nearest sea-port, should be all sufficiently manured by hme, imported from Sunderland ; yet this improve- ment has been effected on nearly all the arable land of this pa- rish ; and it is one on which so much of the increased productive- ness of the present husbandry depends, that without it none else would have been of material benefit. The quantity of lime-shells, applied to the imperial acre, is 100 imperial bushelsj on the light and dry land ; and on the clayey damper soils a little more ; but this quantity must not be exceeded, and the lime must be equally spread on the land with the utmost care ; as it is found, when used in excess, to induce an utter sterility in respect of grain crops, for which there is no known practicable remedy. For the same rea- son, it must not be repeated in less than about twenty years, and then in somewhat smaller quantity. The lime, in the first in- stance, was properly applied either to the dressed turnips or a clean fallow. In applying it for the second time, it has become the practice to harrow it in with bear and grass seeds after turnips, by which means it remains in the surface during the common three years of grass. The cost of 100 bushels lime-shells, at the Aberdeen shore, is L. 3, 4s. ; and of the carriage to Alford, L. 2, 8s. These rates were recently about one-fourth more. 508 ABERDEENSHIRE. The rotation of crops adopted in this parish is a seven-shift. . 1. Turnips, with dung put in by double drilling. 2. Bear or oats, with grass seeds, (red and white clover and rye-grass.) 3, 4, 5. Grass ; the first year of grass cut for soiling or hay. 6 and 7. Oats. This does not agree with the rigid rule, laid down by most writers on agriculture, that two grain crops ought not to succeed each other. Into the question, whether the rotation might be improved, we shall not enter, farther than to say, that the second crop of oats is, on an average, nearly as productive and somewhat earlier than the first, which is liable to be injured by the grub ; that, where the dressing of the turnip crop is properly attended to, the land does not get weedy ; that, by this rotation, the quantity of food for the live-stock is so equally adjusted for summer and winter, as not to drive the cultivators to the inconvenient and hazardous ex- pedient of suddenly increasing or diminishing their stock, at either season ; that the crops of turnips, returning after considerable in- tervals, are never infected with any disease ; and that the whole soil of the parish is, under the present system, obviously improving from year to year. The practicability of introducing early varieties of oats, is a re- sult of the increased fertility and cleanness of the land. These varieties would have been exceedingly unproductive on the poor and foul land of former times. We have now varieties which ripen three weeks earlier than the old common oat ; and this, since it respects our most important, and, at the same time, latest crop, may be pronounced an advantage equal to what might have been obtained, if it had been possible to shift the parish several degrees to a more indulgent climate. The most favourite varieties of oats are, the early Angus, the red oat, and the Scotch birley. At one period the potatoe-oat was extensively grown ; and in favourable seasons it gave a much greater produce than any other; but in late seasons it becomes even more late than the common oat; and in the unfavourable years of 1816 and 1817, it failed so much more sensibly than every other variety whatever, that any considerable extent of it is not now hazarded. While on this subject, we may state the common weights of grain. Bear weighs from 52 to 55 lbs. per imperial bushel, being much superior to that which grows near the coast; and early An- gus oats weigh from 41 to 44 lbs. per imperial bushel. Black-cattle form so important a branch of the husbandry, that the management of them must be stated. Respecting them, ALFORD. 509 the system is that of rearing lean stock for the English mar- kets ; the beasts being sold off to the dealers in driving condition, when they reach the age of three or four years, and comparatively few being fed for the shambles. A bullock three years old brings at present from L, 7 to L. 9 ; and one four years old from L. 1 1 to L. 14. The whole cattle are turned out to pasture about the beginning of May, and the milch cows kept as much separated from the others as the facilities of the farm will admit. The milch cows are all housed during the night, and receive cut grass in addition to their pasture. The yeld beasts are allowed to remain day and night in the enclosures, where these are completed ; or, where there are no enclosures, are turned during the night into the dung courts. In this latter case they are herded during the day by a boy. In the month of October, the cattle are all housed and bound up in stalls, where they are fed with turnips and oat-strawj so as to keep them in a growing condition, but no more. New calved cows get in winter and spring a little hay, in addition to the turnips and straw. Many hundred acres of waste land have been reclaimed, chiefly by the plough, within the last thirty years. The method of proceeding is this : As the waste land is all more or less cumbered with stones, these are all first removed when they are seen, or can be dug out with the pick-axe ; and those that are large are blasted with gunpowder. The land is then ploughed with a strong plough, drawn by four strong beasts, attended by three or four men, according to the difficulty of the work. Oxen are more patient and fitter for this work than horses. Besides the men in immediate attendance on the plough, a gang of three or four men is stationed round the ploughed land with tramp- picks and spades to clear out the stones exposed in the furrow, and throw them on the ploughed land, and also to clear up the furrow itself where the plough has occasionally been thrown out. All this implies great labour ; but the expense incurred in this way does not equal half of that of trenching with the spade. After the land has remained a year in a ploughed state, the stones are removed, and it is cross-ploughed, reduced with the harrow, and laid up in proper ridges, after receiving dung, if any can be afforded to it from the farm. A proper quantity of lime is then applied and harrowed into the surface of the ridges before winter. In the succeeding spring, oats are sown, and harrowed 510 ABERDEENSHIRE. in without more ploughing ; and by this management, are generally a productive crop. The new land is then included in the ordinary rotation, but produces better grain than grass for a series of years. Trenching is seldom had recourse to, but for reclaiming small corners, or other pieces deforming large fields, when they are too difficult for the plough ; and indeed, the expense of it could rarely be vindicated by the returns. Drains have been executed to a great extent, both open and covered. For the latter sort there are excellent materials every- where, in the abundance of small stones. They are cut three or four feet deep, or sometimes much deeper, as the case may re- quire, then half-filled with the stones tumbled out of a cart into the drain itself. A thick coat of heath is put over the stones, above which the earth is returned. An improvement by irrigation, on a small scale, was attempted, several years ago, by one of the proprietors, who had a piece of haugli land irrigated by a properly qualified person, a native of England; but it did not answer expectation, and the work has been abandoned. A great extent of heavy stone bulwarks has been executed by the proprietors, along the Don and Leochal, at places where these rivers were liable to wear away the land. The parish is divided into forty principal farms, and forty-five small ones, named crofts, held of the land-owners. Of the for- mer, three or four contain somewhat more than 200 acres impe- rial. The remainder vary from 50 to 150 acres ; the larger num- ber being somewhere near 100 acres. Of the crofts, a few con- tain from 10 to 20 acres ; but the larger part only from 3 to 6 acres. There is also a considerable number of crofts held by sub-lease, to be afterwards referred to. Jjeases. — There are leases, enduring for nineteen years, of all the principal farms, and many of the crofts ; but some of the latter are held by a shorter tenure. At the commencement of the im- provements, about thirty years ago, the leases were granted for twenty-four years ; and this longer endurance, at that time, form- ed a desirable security and encouragement to persons engaging with farms, on which everything was to be done; but now that the improvements are nearly completed, it does not appear that the endurance of nineteen years, now adopted, is objectionable. The same may be said of the other covenants of the leases, some of the most important of which are, — that the tenant shall con- ALFORD. 511 Slime all the fodder on the farm, with the exception of that of the last crop; and, not restricting him absolutely to any particular rotation of crops, that he shall yet never take more than the two customary grain crops in succession after three years grass ; and that at the end of his lease he shall leave specified proportions of his farm in grass, of specified ages. Sub-letting is strictly prohi- bited, with the exception of certain specified crofts, that may be sub- let to farm-servants, or persons of certain handicrafts, needed in the neighbourhood ; and, however much this arrangement may be condemned by some persons as interfering with an open trade in farming, yet, it is humbly conceived, none could be more effi- cient for preserving some of the best interests of society ; as it al- ways secures to the proprietor of land the power of excluding per- sons of bad or doubtful character from among his tenantry. There is at least no doubt entertained, that the peaceable and orderly habits of the people of this parish have been preserved from con- tamination by the prohibition of sub-letting. Farm Buildings and Inclosures. — The farm buildings are now in general sufficiently substantial, and laid out on commodious plans. The materials employed in them have been already stated. The arrangements between landed proprietors and their tenants, regard- ing houses, are not uniform ; but the most frequent practice is, that the land-owner advances the necessary rough wood, and the tenant executes the building and work at his own expense, receiv- ing an obligation for payment, at the end of his lease, of the value, determined by arbitration ; but limited either to a maximum sum, or to a certain plan and specification of houses, agreed on by the parties. By this system much the larger part is advanced by ^he tenant; and it would therefore be highly objectionable, were there a want of capital among the tenantry, which happily does not appear to have been the case in this parish. Where the tenant has sufficient capital for the purpose, it is undoubtedly highly expe- dient, that he should have that deep interest in having the build- ings executed economically, and kept in constant repair, which the above arrangement gives him. Experience has proved, here, that the tenants can build and keep houses in repair, much more eco- nomically than the land-owners. About half the arable lands of the parish are enclosed and subdi- vided ; and this improvement, so important to the mixed husbandry, is in the course of being gradually extended to the remainder. The fences are dry-stone walls, the materials for which are either 5 12 ABERDEENSHIRE. gathered from the surface, or dug from quarries. The whole ex- pense of a fencible stone wall is 8d. per yard on an average ; and at this rate the inclosing and subdividing a farm of 100 acres, possessing ordinary advantages of march fences, is L.150. The common arrangements regarding fences are these, — the plan of the subdivisions must be approved of by the land-owner, and the ten- ant then receives an obligation from him to be paid at the end of his lease, for such fences as he may build in conformity with the plan. In some cases the land-owner has paid the expense of build- ing and quarrying, the tenant carting the materials. About thirty years ago, many attempts were made, and much ex- pense was incurred by the proprietors to raise thorn hedges; but the result was so nearly an utter failure at the time, that the planting of hedges was quite given up. As it was observed that there are several solitary thorn trees, of considerable age and great vigour, dispersed over the parish, this furnished a proof, that neither the soil nor climate are unadapted to the plant, and led to the infe- rence, that there had been some mismanagement which occasioned the failure ; and the consideration of several circumstances led at the same time to the belief, that the errors had consisted chiefly in planting the thorns too thick, (the distance was six or eight inches,) and clipping them too early and closely. Under these impres- sions, in 1825, a hedge of 240 yards was planted, of three years' old thorns, placed at 15 inches distance from each other, on land of medium quality, well limed and dunged, and laid perfectly flat across the line of the hedge, to receive the full effect of rain, as the thorn tree is evidently impatient of drought. The hedge was kept clear of weeds ; and the shears were no otherwise used than to prevent the plants from rising higher than five feet and a half, and more recently to cautiously reduce the sides to an even line. The success has, in this instance, been complete. The hedge was already fencible in the autumn of 1829 against all but vicious cattle ; and has since greatly improved. A desire to obtain thorn hedges has now arisen among some of the tenants, and a consider- able extent of them has been planted within the last two years. So7ne Improvements suggested. — It is not pretended that, under this head, we could be entitled to discuss the merits of the gene- ral plan of husbandry pursued by practical men, who have cau- tiously examined so many improvements, and adopted those which they have felt best promoted their interests ; but there is one de- fect, attending the present established rotation of crops, on some 3 ALFORD. 513 vof the richest but damp fields, and also on the newly reclaimed lands, that it would be very desirable to remedy. On these lands the pasture of the two last years of grass often fails much ; which is evidently owing to the pasture plants, now cultivated, being un- suitable to these soils. The red clover is only biennial, and makes no show in the pastures any where ; and the raygrass is the native of a very dry and rich soil, and cannot bear damp, and it also dis- appears on these soils — so that the white clover only remains, and in too small quantity ; and as every plant_^has naturally its vigour of growth confined to one part of the summer only, it requires more plants than one to make a permanent summer pasture. Un- der these circumstances, it would surely be desirable to sow, along with the comm.only used grass seeds, which answer well enouo-h for the hay crop, some seeds of those grasses, which naturally grow in damp lands, and at the same time are readily eaten by the cat- tle. Of these there are found several in our richest pieces of na- tural meadows, one or more of which might answer the purpose; as the roughish meadow-grass, thesmooth-stalked meadow-grass, the hard fescue-grass, the meadow foxtail -grass, and the crested dogs-tail-grass. Several of these are indeed often observed to make their appearance naturally, in some considerable quantity, in the pastures we have referred to, after the raygrass fails in them ; and, where the land is occasionally left for several years in pasture, come at last to make a rich sward. They vv'ould surely succeed if sown. There is a considerable extent of land, under peculiar circum- stances, the management of which might be changed to great ad- vantage. This consists of the flat haugh lands within the narrow lengthened hollows scooped out by the smaller rivers. At pre- sent, these streams form generally the marches between neighbour- ing estates or farms ; and, each occupier ploughs and crops, in the course of his rotation, the haugh on his own side ; where, from the lowness of its situation, the crop is often lost by floods, or the soil carried away if the land is in turnips, and, at the same time, slips of fine grass often cannot be turned to any account. All attempts made to straight these streams and render them fences have produced only great injury, where the river has any considerable descent; as in the straight course the water acquires an irresistible impetu- osity during floods, and undermines and tumbles down its banks, covering and permanently spoiling any flat land below with the debris ; so that here is another inconvenience, that the farm can ABRRDEEN. K k 514 ABERDEENSHIRE. have no fence at the river. This, it is conceived, might be all easily mended. The haughs of the river hollows, when left uncul- tivated, become the most valuable pastures which we possess ; and to tliese they should be exclusively devoted. They could easily be shut in, for their whole length, by fences running parallel to the streams, and so high as to be beyond the reach of floods ; and each land- owner or farmer could have his share at either end, di- vided off by a short fence running across the line of the stream, part of which, near the water, might be a paling for removing from the winter floods. The rich grass, the good shelter, and the sure water for the cattle in these hollows, would make them the most profitable of all ; whereas, under the present management, they rent lower than any other lands. Another improvement would add greatly to the comfort of a great number of individuals. The small crofts are managed under the seven-shift rotation, which has been adopted on the larger farms ; and as it is impracticable to fence in all the small divisions of these, on account of the magnitude of the expense in relation to the extent of the land, the cow, which is so necessary to the comfort and health of the cottager's family, and on account of which the croft is rented, becomes the cause of much trouble and wearisomeness to some of them, — for she must be herded on her small patch of grass by one of the children. It would be easy to remedy this by fencing in a proper proportion of the croft, perhaps about three-sevenths, for permanent pasture, the expense of which would not be exorbitant, and leaving the other four-sevenths for a shorter rotation of cropping. The richest land should be chosen for the permanent pasture to insure its being always good ; and perhaps the landed proprietors could not more effectually increase the comforts of their cottagers' families than by interfering to en- force this simple arrangement, and giving orders that the grass should never be broken up. The cow could be kept better with little trouble ; and the child would be set at liberty to go to school. A system of soiling could not be adopted on these small posses- sions ; as they have no resources in early summer before the grass is sufficiently grown for cutting. Fisheries. — In former times, the Don was celebrated for the abundance of its salmon : and so excellent was the rod-fishincr in this vale, even within the memory of the present generation, that one gentleman killed, in the course of one season, no fewer than forty fish out of a single pool of the river, which was, at the same ALFORD. 515 time, fished in by many other individuals. There are twenty- seven such pools in this parish, so that the fishery must have been an important one ; but now, owing to the river being diverted from its bed near the sea for manufacturing purposes, no salmon are found in it here, excepting after high floods that fill the bed, and enable the fish to make their way over the wears. The Don and the Leochal are both remarkably fine trouting streams. Average gross amount of Ilaio Produce raised in the Parish. — The following table of this was made up after a very particular in- quiry of nearly all the possessors of land, the answers to which, it is believed, were generally given with great accuracy and fidelity. The yearly value of pasture, turnips, and fodder could be ascer- tained only from the "yearly gross profit of black-cattle, young horses, sheep, and pigs; and this has been estimated not only by the particular inquiries, but by an average applied to the whole number of beasts from certain known stocks, of which regular ac- counts have been kept, the results derived from these two sources agreeing well with each other. Table of yearly produce. Oats, 6500 quarters, at L. 1, 2s. 6d. Bear. 1100 do. at L. 1, 7s. 6d. Potatoes, loO tons, at L. 2, Beasts, yearly profit, including whole dairy, Hay, 64,800 imperial stones, at 4d. Grass for soiling horses four months, This sum is distributed as follows, viz. Remains attached to the cultivation. Hay and grass for horses, . . . L. 1620 Oats for horses, 600 quarters, . . . 673 Oats for seed, 1100 do. . . . 1237 Bear for seed, 150 do. . ~ . . 206 For provisions for agricultural labourers, including harvest hands, ..... Oats, 960 quarters, . . . . . 1080 Part of dairy, .... 250 Bear for malt and pot barley, 100 quarters, . 137 Potatoes, . . . , . .75 L . 7312 10 1512 10 , 300 4450 1080 L. 540 15195 10 5 10 Total attached to the cultivation, L. 5281 5 Rent, ..... 4000 9281 5 Remains for money- wages, interest of capital ; and to replace wast- ing capital, and refund lime, &c. . . . . L. 5913 \5 In making the inquiries regarding the yearly produce, it was easy at the same time to obtain the following table of agricultural capital employed in the parish; and it is deemed too important to be withheld, as there is no branch of the statistics of the coun- try regarding which greater ignorance prevails. The capital of 516 ABERDEENSHIRE. manufactures and commerce is brought together in immense mas- ses, that. powerfully strike the senses, and its magnitude is readily allowed. That of agriculture is dispersed, in relatively small parts, over an immense extent of surface ; and the total amount, although, including the value of the land, it vastly outweighs that of all other real capital, is too often overlooked by the statesman and political economist. In the following table, the value of the cattle is deduced from a careful determination of the average value of some stocks, by persons of competent skill ; the prime cost of the horses in the same manner ; the value of the farm-steadings is ascertained by some which are of, the common construction, recently valued by arbitration ; that of the fences by the common well-established rate ; and that of the machines, implements, harness, &c. by in- quiries of the original makers. Table of capital. Capital that requires to be replaced wholly in ten or twelve years. 150 superior work-horses, at L. SO, 30 inferior do. L, 15, 153 carts, at L. 10, . 112 ploughs, at L. 3, 10s. 46 turnip- dressers, at L. 2, 200 harrows, at 15s. 15.3 sets of harness, at L. 5, 10s. Inferior harness for oxen, &c. 75 dozen corn bags, at L. 1, 10s. SO whcel-barrows, at L. 1, Pick-axes, spades, hay implements, baskets, &c. L.842G Capital that requires to be replaced wholly in a lease of nineteen years. Lime, prime cost at Aberdeen for 4767 acres, at L. 3, 4s., is L. -15,254. 8s,, but is applied only in the course of the first seven years ; on an average of the lease, exclusive of the recovery of the I... 15,254, 8s., interest must be had for . . L. 6200 N. B.- — Carriage of lime supposed done by the farra- horses and labourers. Drains, about L. 2000, under the same conditions as the prime cost of lime ; the average yearly capital needing interest over the recovery of the L. 2000 is . 800 4500 450 9 1530 392 92 150 841 10 78 112 10 80 200 - L. 8426 Capital that requires to be replaced, but more slowly 32 thrashing-machines, at I^. 70, 46 turnip-sowers and 46 rollers, at L. 5, 10s. a set, 46 barn fans, at E. 3, 10s. Corn measures and weights, / Dairy implements, . . • . Farm steadings in whole, L. 8750. Tenants' share, Fences, only one-half yet completed, which is Capital always a year advanced before there is any return Maintenance and wages for 243 labourers, at E. 16, E. 3888 Hay, oats, and grass for horses, . . 2295 Seed corn and grnss seeds, . . . 1743 15 lore slowly : 2240 O" 253 161 02 138 7000 3750 7000 13634 7926 15 ALFORD. 517 Capital which replaces itself over profits : 1852 black cattle, at L. 5, 10s. . L. 10,186 G 32 young horses, at L. 15, . . 480 8heep and pigs, . . . . 400 11.086 Whole capital requiiing interest, L. 48,052 15 There are some small branches of farming capital, as the furni- ture and bedding for farm- servants, "which cannot be estimated, being mingled with property, which, as far as it is used by the far- mer and his family, is not capital but expenditure. It will now be seen how far the L. 5913, 15s. left for paying money wages and interest of capital, and replacing wasting ca- pital, is adequate to these purposes. The money wages of 243 constant labourers is L.2916; to which is to be added at least one-fifth for additional labourers in harvest, making in all L.3499, 4s.; leaving only L.2414, lis. for replacing capital and affording interest, — a sum totally inadequate for these purposes. In short, the fact cannot be denied, that, since the year 1820, agriculture has not been in a prosperous condition. The cultiva- tors of this parish have, however, hitherto happily escaped that ruin, which has long since overtaken those of so many other parts of the kingdom ; and it is a question of great interest, " To what causes do they owe the exemption?" The first and most obvious is, that the tenantry here have not been speculators. Their capital is their own, the well-earn- ed fruit of their industry and economy ; and when the money- price of their produce fell, they were not caught with a money debt, to the liquidation of which that produce would have then proved unequal. The second cause is, their habitual temperance, which enabled them instantly, on the fall of prices, to retrench any superfluity to which more prosperous times had given encouragement. The third, that the farmers and their families are, to a very great exitent, their own labourers, and so can subsist by the wages of their labour, when their capital fails to yield them a proper re- turn. The last, that the agricultural resources of the parish were not as yet all rendered fully available at the period when the prices fell. The new fields that had just then only been added to the cultivation, or were in the course of being cultivated, have since enlarged their produce in quantity, to make up in part for the low price ; and they have thus been enabled to struggle on, though 518 ABERDEENSHIRE. not deriving that emolument from their capital to which they might be well entitled. There are at present, however, obvious symptoms in a gradual but continued fall of the wages of labour, and the difficulty with which workmen can obtain employment, and the earnestness with which they solicit it, that matters are, from period to period, getting worse, and that the distress is probably approaching this parish, which we have hitherto so fortunately escaped; and it thus becomes a question of deeper interest than the former, " To what is the present depressed state of the agriculturist owing ?" We shall look in vain for the cause of the depression in any thing peculiar to his particular pursuit ; for the same depression is unhappily extended to every branch of productive industry. We shall find a sufficient cause for the whole in one disastrous act of the Legislature, and that is the act of 1819, restoring a metallic currency. Gardens and Orchards. — There are good gardens at Haughton and Breda ; and a considerable orchard at the former ; but we cannot state the amount of the produce. Woods. — The annual fellings and thinnings of wood have pro- duced on an average yearly, for some time past, about L. 250 ; but this bears no relation to the actual value of wood now growing in the parish, which is great, but cannot be estimated without an extensive survey by professional men. Before concluding the subject of agriculture, it deserves notice, that through some cause which we cannot explain, the contents of this parish are considerably overrated in the Statistical Account of it published by Sir John Sinclair. The arable land is made equal to 4500 imperial acres, whereas some old plans with which we are favoured, along with more recent surveys, prove it was then only about 4000 imperial acres. The wood also is stated as being then equal to 875 imperial acres, whereas it cannot have exceeded 500 imperial acres. The whole parish is made nearly 10,000 imperial acres, and we have found it only 8715. Manvfactures. — These are very trifling. The six weavers weave various fabrics for home use, of home-spun yarns, from materials chiefly imported ; and there is a small manufactory, by some wo- men, of stockings also for home use. It is probable the whole value does not amount to L. 200. V, — Parochial Economy. Market-lhivn. — The nearest market-town with which the parish ALFORD. 519 has a regular communication, and to which the disposable grain is chiefly sent, is Aberdeen, at twenty-seven miles' distance. Means of Communication. — A daily post from Aberdeen passes through the parish ; and the Alford post-office is at the border of it. The parish is admirably well accommodated with good roads. A turnpike road, of which there are three miles and a half in the parish, leads to Aberdeen ; and in the other direction extends to Strathdon, at the distance of eighteen miles west. A branch turns north to Huntly, joining there the great north road. A finely kept road, executed under the authority of the Parliamentary Commissioners for Highland Roads and Bridges, crosses the pa- rish from north to south at the broadest part; and farther south crosses in succession two lines of turnpike roads, opening a fine communication in many directions on that side. There is only one deficiency, — in the Parliamentary road not being extend- ed over the Cairn-a-mont. 'J'he extension of that road, there, would shorten our distance from Brechin and Dundee about twenty-five miles ; and the distance from Huntly to these places nearly twenty miles. The commutation roads within the parish, made by an assessment of L. 2 on every L.lOO valued rent, and all the private roads, are mostly in a good state of repair. These good roads have afforded facilities for communication and land- carriage, without which the agricultural improvements could not have been executed. A stage-coach passes through the parish three times a-week to Aberdeen. Bridges. — We possess also the advantage of all necessary bridges. A beautiful granite bridge, over the Don, about a mile from the church, was built by the Parliamentary Commissioners in 1810, at an expense of L. 2000; and more recently another was built by them over the Leochal, close at the church, in the line of their road. These works are of the utmost utility, not only to the parish but the public at large, being in the line by which many thousands of cattle pass yearly to the south. The expense of the bridges and Parliamentary road was L. 5000 in all, one-half of which was derived from subscriptions by the gentlemen in the neighbourhood. Ecclesiastical State. — The situation of the church is sufficiently convenient for all the parish. It was built in 1804 and enlarged in 1826, and accommodates 550 persons. At a temporary divi- sion, arranged among the heritors, it was recommended to them 520 ABERDEENSHIRE. to adopt the principle of a former practice in dividing parish churches in Scotland, by which six feet of the area from end to end was allotted to the kirk-session for the right ordering of public worship, and celebration of the communion. This was listened to ; and the whole table-seats, or equivalents for them where some of them were preferred by the principal tenants for their private seats, were assigned to the session for the above purposes. These seats accommodate 140 persons; and the part of them not imme- diately necessary for the ordering of the worship, the session leave open to all such families, promiscuously, as have not sufficient room of their own. This arrangement has answered admirably well ; and every soul of the parish, who comes to the church, finds a seat of which no one is entitled to dispossess him. The manse was built in 1718. It is a small house, not suffi- cient for the accommodation of a family ; but arrangements are in progress for enlarging it. The glebe contains 4| imperial acres of arable land, besides a garden of nearly half an imperial acre. The stipend, which exhausts the teinds, consists of L.161, 8s. 8d. in money ; 53 bolls, 3 firlots, 1 peck, 3§ lippies meal ; and 4 bolls, 1 firlot, 1 peck, 1/g lippies bear, payable by the fiars prices of Aberdeenshire. The Crown is patron of the church. The number of families attending the Established Church is 176; of individuals, 858. Episcopalian families, 2; of indivi- duals, 9. Seceder families, 5 ; of individuals, 26. Roman Ca- tholic individual, 1. Divine service is very well attended at the Established Church ; and the average number of communicants is 455. No collections have been made in the church for purposes ex- tra parochial, excepting for the General Assembly's Highland Schools, and Foreign Missions. The average of the collections for these has been L.9, 7s. 6d. Education. — The parochial school is the only one in the parish. The branches of instruction taught at it are, Latin, practical ma- thematics, book-keeping, arithmetic, writing, and reading, and in- struction in the truths of religion. The school salary is L.28, 18s. 9|d. ; allowance for garden, L.2, 2s. 9d. ; a legacy to the teacher, yearly, L.2. Total, L.34, Is. 6|d. School fees per quarter, Latin, mathematics, or book- keeping, 5s. ; arithmetic, 3s. 6d. ; reading and writing, 2s. 6d. ; reading, 2s. Fees are not taken from poor people. 4 ALFORD. 621 The teacher has not at present the legal accommodation ; but is as well ])rovided for by the heritors, and with his own consent, in an excellent farm-house, with a proper teaching room near it, somewhat more centrical for the parish than the church. All the inhabitants have learnt to read and write, and always have been, and now are, alive to the benefits of education. Charitable and other Institutions. — The parish makes a yearly collection for the Infirmary at Aberdeen, and so possesses the right of sending patients there. It collects also for a pauper lunatic fund, at present in the course of being established under the ma- nagement of the presbytery. There were two Friendly Societies in the parish ; but, having felt annoyed by the act 1828, in some man- ner that we do not pretend to explain, the most important of them is dissolved. It is much to be regretted that anything should have disconcerted these voluntary associations ; for they certainly here served to ward off pauperism from not a few persons. Their rates might not have been judiciously established at first ; but, with the usual prudence of the people, they had introduced clauses in their regulations, that their expenditure should be limited by their income, which would ultimately have secured their stability and efficiency. At present all spirit for such societies is quite extin- guished, under the apprehension that the laws regarding them may be again changed. Poor and Parochial Funds. — The average number of poor re- ceiving parochial aid is 7, chiefly aged females. The average sum given to each cannot easily be stated, as the allowances vary continually, according to circumstances carefully ascertained every half year by the kirk-session.- The sums for their relief are yearly : Collections in the church, . . . . L. 27 10 Interest of L. 200 legacies, after deducting L. 2 of one legacy left, to the schoolmaster of the parish, . . . .600 Interest of L. 130> gradually saved, . . . 3 4 L.38 14 The L.130 form a fund, to which the session, with consent of the heritors, can have recourse for supplying the wants of a m.ore numerous poor, who would require aid in any year of great scar- city. A plan, adopted by the inhabitants, for providing for peculiar cases of distress, has succeeded so well, that it deserves to be de- scribed. When any great loss has overtaken a poor family, as loss by 522 ABERDKENSHIRE. fire, or the sickness of the father on whose labour they depended, or the death of their cow, which they have not funds to replace, or any other event has occurred which makes it necessary to aid them, and it is obvious, at the same time, that the most effective method of doing so is, to give them a considerable aid at once, to restore them to that condition in which they shall be again able to make provision for themselves, in that case, the principal in- habitants and their sons, having obtained the sanction of the kirk- session, form themselves into committees, and personally make col- lections for the family in their respective districts, of money or meal as the case may require. These collections, managed with great prudence, have never failed to answer the intended purpose, and have restored to independence some families which might otherwise have continued long burdensome to the public funds. But we should ill represent the manner in which the wants of the poor are supplied, were we to exhibit only the amount of the public funds and collections. That which passes through the hands of the kirk-session is only a part of the alms of the in- habitants of the parish. They are perpetually ministering to the necessities of their poor neighbours in many other ways. The farmers, with their servants and horses, repair their dwellings, and cart home their fuel. They frequently send them supplies of all the sorts of provisions which their produce affords. When a poor person or family has no cow, milk is supplied from the cows of some family in the neighourhood ; and it has occurred only rarely, in some peculiar cases, that the kirk-session have needed to hire nurses for the sick paupers ; for all around them watch them with an affectionate care that could admit of no purchase, and be compensated by no earthly reward ; and the poorest of all are as liberal of these last valuable services as any other persons. There is a general disposition among the poor to refrain from seeking parochial relief; and it has been discovered active under such privation, as to excite a great curiosity to ascertain all the motives by which they are actuated. A feeling of degradation is not the only motive ; for there is no reproach attached to una- voidable poverty among the inhabitants ; besides, experience has proved in many other parts of the kingdom, that where this mo- tive is unaided by any other, it soon ceases to be effective ; and, moreover, those very persons who are so reluctant to receive aid from the public funds, take, without any reluctance, the aid offered them by an individual, and make no attempt to conceal their doing ALFORD. 52 3 so. A particular inquiry has often elicited from themselves, that they are actuated by another motive. The public fund for the supply of the poor is in their eyes too sacred to be applied to, but when an overwhelming necessity compels. To that fund they themselves have willingly contributed, in their better days, from motives of the noblest order, whose power does not diminish as they approach the close of life. They must not undo their own charitable deed, by taking off the poor man's money. There is no difficulty whatever experienced in supplying the wants of the poor, in a competent manner, on the truly Christian plan which we have now described. There was even no difficulty in the years of great scarcity, 1799-1800, and 1816-1817, when the numbers of the poor were greatly increased ; for the kirk- session, on an appeal to the heritors and inhabitants, were imme- diately answered with supplies adequate to the urgency of the case. Fairs. — Two very considerable annual fairs are held in the pa- rish for the sale of black-cattle, one on the Tuesday before the second Wednesday of June, new style, and the other on the Friday after the second Thursday of September, old style. There is also a fair for black-cattle and horses, and the sale of grain by sample, on the first Monday of every month, from November to May, both inclusive. Inn. — There is one inn in the parish. Fuel. — Of fuel there is a great deficiency. The mosses are nearly exhausted ; and the mere cutting, carting, and breaking up the fire wood, which is very inferior, consisting only of thinnings, make it as expensive as English coal. Recourse is, therefore, of necessity had to this last for a large part of the supply; and the prime cost and sea and land carriage to Alford of a ton of New- castle coal is L.l, 15s. Miscellaneous Observations. It has been seen that there are many things in this parish which favourably influence the intellectual, moral, and reli- gious character of the inhabitants, in which perhaps there has been litile change for nearly a century. Respecting their phy- sical condition, very valuable improvements have taken place since the time of the former Statistical Account. They are much better lodged, and, on the whole, better clothed. The great improvements in agriculture have raised for them much extended resources ; of the benefit of which, however, the act of 1819 has in a great measure deprived them. The more import- 524 ABERDEENSHIRE. ant differences between the old agriculture and the new, we have already detailed. The result of the new is, that, after supplying an increased population, the parish can now export about double the quantity of grain, and more than double the number of beasts, and these of a greatly improved quality ; at the same time it has been enriched and highly ornamented, by extensive additional plantation.* * November 1840. — The above account was written so far back as the year 1831 ; all the materials for it having been collected in the summer of that year, excepting the thermoinetrical tables, which are added now. It is necessary to notice several improvements which have been since adopted in the parish, and some others of a more extended nature, by which it has been benefited. 1. On the 3d December 1831, the Vale of Alford Agricultural Association was instituted, through the influence of the Honourable the Master of Forbes, and has since been liberally aided by him and the other land-owners of the Vale. Many in- habitants of this parish are members ; and it has greatly promoted a spirit of agri- cultural improvement. 2. The regulations of excise, complained of in the Account, as preventing the inhabitants from making malt of their own bear, have been, through the exertions of the Honourable Captain Gordon, M. P. for Aberdeenshire, much modified, and deprived, in a great degree, of their objectionable character. 3. The facility of transporting cattle by steam-ships has made many farmers de- vote their attention to the feeding of beasts for the London market, which they find much more profitable than rearing store beasts only. 4. Bulls of the short-horned breed of England have been introduced, for crossing the native breeds of cattle; by which animals are produced of quicker growth, larger size, and much more profitable in every view than any before bred here. 5. A Vale of Alford Saving's Bank was instituted in 1839, which is very popular in this parish, and promises great benefit to the labouring population. 6. A parish library was, in 1839, established by subscription, under very judicious regulations. It already possesses a good collection of the best English books, which are much read. 7. In 1836, a liberal subscription was raised by the heritors and inhabitants, to build a school- room for a female school, and dwelling house for the mistress, both of a commodious and substantial kind. The teaching in the school commenced in 1837, and is continued with great success. It has been endowed with a yearly salary to the mistress by the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge. This is our greatest improvement. The young girls of both rich and poor receive the proper instruction in religion, literature, and the branches peculiar to their sex, while re- sident at home, and under their parents' eye. It would be a breach of duty not to add, that, in 1832, the heritors of the parish made a judicious and handsome addition to the manse. It is now a large and very commodious house. The heritors, also, some years ago, raised the schoolmaster's salary to the legal maximum. November 1840. PARISH OF aTRATHDON. PRESBYTERY OF ALFORD, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. ROBERT MEIKLEJOHN, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name, Boundaries, Sfc. — The original name of this parish was Invernochty, so called from the church being situated at one pe- riod, it is said, at the confluence of the Nochly and the Don. The etymology of the modern name is sufficiently obvious, and descriptive of the locality of the parish, which lies chiefly in an ex- tended strath stretching from the source of the Don down its course, from west to east, to the influx of the Kindy with that river. Strathdon is the most westerly parish in the synod and county of Aberdeen, and conterminous on the west with Kirkmichael, and the district of that parish now allotted to the Government church at Tomantoul ; on the south, with Glenmuick and Coldstone ; on the east, with Migvie now annexed to Tarland, and Towie ; and on the north, with Glenbucket, Cabrach, and Inveraven. It is about 23 miles in length, and from 3 to 8 in breadth. The parish is extremely irregular in its figure, both from the mountainous nature of the country, and from being intersected by other parishes. A portion of Tarland parish, 4 miles long and 2 broad, containing a population of 231, is situated in the very centre of it. At the junction of the Bucket with the Don, Glenbucket in- tersects Strathdon for about three-quarters of a mile ; and where the Deskry falls into the Don, Migvie juts in, scarcely three miles from the church. Topographical Appearances. — The appearance of the surface of this parish is singularly diversified, and, at many points, of great beauty — now presenting all the luxuriance of a fertile strath, and again all the wild and rugged scenery of the Highlands. One fea- ture of beauty is the river Don winding prettily through the main strath. Along its banks, there is a considerable extent of arable land, including some fine haughs subdivided into well cultivated fields ; while, in the lorver half at least of the parish, the sides of 526 ABERDEENSHIRE. the hills are covered with thriving plantations. Farther up, the scenery is of a different, but not less beautiful character. The strath becomes narrower, the mountains rise up precipitously, and on their sides, reaching almost to the river, here and there are clumps of coppice-woods, composed chiefly of birch, interspersed occasionally with pines and aspens, which are in fine contrast; and in spring and autumn the whole is beautifully tinged with shades of almost every varied hue. The highest district consists almost entirely of moorland and mountain, and is of a bleak and barren appearance, particularly toward the source of the Don. Besides the strath of the Don, there are five or six glens, wild and sequestered, indeed, but not destitute of beauty and interest, which generally lie nearly at right angles to the main strath, bend- ing towards the west at the upper end. Except in Glenkindy, the lower part of Glenernan, and the plantations of Auchernach in Glennochty, there is little or no wood in them, unless it be some detached bushes (clumps) of natural birch ; yet these glens, in the stillness of a summer afternoon, with the clear streams flowing through the soft green glades, and the mountains rising abruptly on either side covered to the top with long thick heath in full bloom, afford a richness of beauty rising almost to grandeur. Situated in, or in a branch of, the Grampians, the glens just mentioned are separated by masses of mountains, many of which are of considerable altitude ; yet there is little either in their con- formation or character that requires particular notice. The most remarkable mountain, which, although not actually in the parish, lies contiguous to the southern boundary, is Morven, 2880 f6et (according to Dr S. Keith) above the level of the sea. The principal mountains in the parish are Scroulach, 2700 feet, resting towards the west on the Glaschill, over which the old military line of road passes from the south, by Corgarff Castle to Fort Geoi-ge. Cairnmore, and Ben- Newe, each 1800 feet; and Lonach,* 1200 feet. There is also worthy of notice a mountain named the Green- hill, so called from the absence of heath, and the north and south- east side being partially covered with verdure. It is composed of ser- pentine. A quarry has recently been opened on the north side, from which large masses are with little difficulty extracted. It is easily dressed for building purposes, and looks well in coursed ruble-work Lonach is the doffan or watch-word of the Strathdo'i ineu. On the summit of this hill, a large cairn was erected, in ]82j, by the tenantry in honour of Sir Charles Forbes's elevation to a Baronetcy, with an inscription. STRATHDON. 527 when newly built, but, after long exposure to the weather, it as- sumes a clingy grey appearance. Any attempts that have been made to employ it for finer purposes have not been attended with success, as it is too soft to admit of a very high polish. On the south-west of the hill, the serpentine crops out in masses of considerable height, having, at a distance, the appearance of the ruins of old castles. On the western extremity, asbestos is found in abundance, lying on the surface of the different eminences. Upon the whole, the mountains of this parish are much inferior in picturesque effect and rugged outline to the sister district of the head of the Dee. Meteorology. — No regular account has ever been kept, so far as is known, of the meleorology of this district ; but it may be men- tioned that the highest temperature, indicated by the thermometer "within the observation of the writer, during the last seven years, was 83" Fahrenheit in the shade, on the 7th July 1833, and he has been informed, on unquestionable authority, that in 1826, at Auchernach, it stood at 90° in the shade. On the 14th February (1838), at 8 o'clock p. m., it stood at 8° below zero, or 40° below the freezing point.* No storm of such severity has been known since 1814, as that in the beginning of the year 1838, which con- tinued from the 8th of January, with only partial mitigation of rigour, till the 19th of April. The range of the barometer is extensive. On the 20th JNovem- ber 1838, it fell to 27.50 ; and on the 7th January 1839 to 27.20. The highest point reached, that we have observed, is 30.50, on the 10th April 1839. It is subject to very rapid depression and elevation, rising or falling sometimes three-fourths, or a whole inch in twelve or twenty-four hours ; and hence it would prove a fallacious guide to trust, irrespective of contingent cir- cumstances, to the rising and falling of the barometer as an index * The writer has not a self-registerhig thermometer, and may not have ohserved the lowest degree of temperature that occurred during this very severe storm. It is unnecessary to give the temperature of every day, but it is worthy of notice that the thermometer did not average higher than 24° at 8 o'clock a. m. from the 15th January to the end of February. The following are some of the more excessive degrees of cold that were remarked, viz. : — ■ January 18th, at 4 o'clock p. m., 10. °5 above zero. Fahrenheit. 19th, 5 7. 2.3th, 10 2.3 26th, 8 6. February 2d, 8 5. 12th, 10 5. 14th, at 8 A . M. , 3. above zero. 8 P. M., 8. below zero. 15th, 8 A. M., 1. March 24th, 9 P. M., IB. above zero. 528 ABERDEENSHIRE. of foul and fair weather. With a strong easterly wind, we often see a sudden start of | or | of an inch, while a three days' tor- rent of rain follows. Again, a sudden fall with a north-west wind often indicates a coming hurricane, as during the series of re- markable high winds in spring 18-37, when the barometer fell 27 1% inches without rain. The aurora borealis is very common, especially during the winter months, and of great brilliancy. Twice in the course of the last five years, a beautiful luminous arch shot athwart the ze- nith, at right angles with the magnetic meridian, irradiating the heavens with a vivid light. Towards the end of 1837, the polar lights assumed a new appearance : the fitful dancing of the streamers was exchanged for a deep red glare, resembling the vivid reflection of an extensive moor-burning. On the 25th of January 1838, when the thermometer stood at 2°, the aurora was unusually bright, and the hissing sound (about which so many people are still sceptical) remarkably audible. Climate, Diseases, ^c. — The elevation of the river Don, (ac- cording to the authority already quoted,) at a point about two miles above the church, and 47 from Aberdeen, is 950 feet above the level of the sea, while at its source it is stated to be 1740 feet. We, therefore, necessarily experience a keen atmosphere, but the climate is, nevertheless, bracing and healthy ; so much so, that valetudinarians frequently come to reside in the strath during the summer months for the benefit of the pure air, and it is believed the influx would be greatly increased, were there more convenience of lodging, &c. The climate of the upper or Corgarff district is distinctly different, and much inferior to that of what may be termed Strathdon proper. The parish is liable to the most seri- ous injury from spring and autumnal frosts, especially the latter ; but the Corgarff district, in an aggravated degree, suffers from this calamity. Few harvests pass in which the crops are not par- tially injured, but in many they are entirely ruined. It is true, for the five years previous to 1836, frosted grain was almost unknown in the parish, and fond hopes began to be entertained that a be- neficial change for the better had taken place in the seasons, and various sage theories were propounded satisfactorily to account for the fact. That year, however, the crop in the upper district was almost totally lost,* and in the present crop, (1838,) there is not one boll of safe seed in the parish. * It is a fact worth notice, connected with this subject, that it is a iinivcvsally re- STRATHDON. 529 Another evil the Strathdon farmer has to contend with is the high winds. From the funnel shape of the strath, the wind (being confined by the mountains on each side) may be said to blow only in two directions. From the west, varying a point or two north and south down, and from the east up the strath. The latter, however, except in spring, is comparatively of rare occur- rence, and generally only lasts three days, bringing continued heavy rain. But by far the most prevailing wind is from the north-west, which often sweeps down the valley with tremendous violence, in the more exposed situations shaking the standing corn, so as to leave the straw completely thrashed, and sometimes actually overturning the stacks that have been led into the barn- yard. Epidemic distempers are seldom known, and there is no endemi- cal disease. Stone or gravel is mentioned in the former account as very prevalent. It is now confined chiefly to one glen, (Nochty). A few years ago there were five or six cases at one time in that glen. One individual, in 1832, 73 years of age, went to Listen in Edinburgh, and had three stones the size of a hen's egg extracted. In a few weeks he returned cured, and at this day retains perfect health, walking three miles to church every Sabbath, and dis- charging his duties as an elder, which he has been in the parish for upwards of thirty years. Hernia is not uncommon. In seve- ral instances young men are afflicted with it. The former account states that " consumptions are very rare." There is no reason to believe the parish less healthy at the present day than forty years ago, but it cannot now be truly said consumption is rare. In its various forms, with the diseases resembling and connected with it, not a few fall victims to its ravages. Of these diseases, un- questionably scrofula is most predominant. One family in the parish, consisting of a father and four children, have been cut oflf by it, and the childless widow is a helpless cripple. There is one decided case of bronchocele, as distinctly marked as the writer has often witnessed it on the Cretins in Canton de Vallois in Switzerland. There is, however, no Cretinism or fatuity in this case. The woman has a numerous family, but the disease has not hitherto appeared in any of her offspring. It is a singular circumstance, that the woman lives in the glen already mentioned ceived opinion amongst the inhabitants of this district, founded on accuiate obser- vation, and verified by experience, if the strath escapes frost from the middle to the end of August, and more particularly about the 20th, they count upon the crop as safe for the season. ABERDEEN. L 1 530 ABERDEENSHIRE, as the locality where calculus prevails. It would be an interesting subject of inquiry, whether or not the common origin of both dis- eases might not be traced to some peculiar impregnation of the water in the glen. Still, on the whole, the quantity of disease is small, unusually small, when the extreme variations of tempera- ture, already referred to, and the insufficient protection that the dwellings and clothing of the poorer classes too often afibrd against the rigours of winter, are taken into account. Many of the pa- rishioners have from time to time reached an extreme old age. About four years ago, one man died in the 103d year of his age. When the present incumbent became minister of the parish, his session consisted of six elders, the youngest of whom was about 70. Not many years since, nine Forbeses, born within the sound of the kirk bell, met at Bellabeg, whose united ages were 750 years. Hydrography. — In a parish possessing so much of mountainous character there are, of course, innumerable springs, the mean temperature of which has not been ascertained with sufficient ac- curacy to warrant a statement being given. With one or two ex- ceptions, none of them merit particular notice. In Corgarff there is one remarkable for its copiousness. During the whole year, it dis- charges a volume of water sufficient to turn a mill wheel. The burn of Loinhcirie is entirely supplied by it. Its size, according- ly, is nearly the same at its source as when, after its course through its little glen, it joins the Don. At Glenconry, there is a chaly- beate spring, but, so far as is known, it has never been properly analyzed. There are several others that show impregnation with iron, but in so slight a degree that particular notice is unnecessary." The Don, the second river in the county in point of magnitude, takes its rise in this parish, on the very confines of the counties of Banff and Aberdeen, and takes its course from west to east, di- viding the parish into nearly two equal parts.* It runs nearly two miles through peat moss before it assumes the appearance of an ordinary burn. Then, augmented by the Vannich and other mountain-streams, it continues its course about ten miles, without attaining any considerable magnitude, till it receives the tributa- ries of the lower district. The most considerable of these are the Conry, the Ernan, the Carvy, the Nochty, the Deskry, the Bucket at the intersection of Glenbucket already noticed, and It is a singular £:ct, that tlie source of the Don has lately beea actually turned nto the Avon, in order to turn the neiehbouring farmer's mill wheel. STRATHDON, 531 the Kindy, the eastern boundary of the parish, all which take their rise in the glens of their respective names.* At the manse the Don is about 70 feet wide, and is of very considerable veloci- ty. The Don, as well as the lesser streams, is here justly held in high repute for angling, few places perhaps in Scotland affording better rod-fishing. The trouts are not large in general, perhaps not averaging three-fourths of a pound ; although instances are occasionally met with reaching three, four, and even sometimes five pounds. A few salmon every season find their way up, but the number is so small, that it is only in trouting that the angler can find amusement. Rising in the mountains, and receiving so many mountain tri- butaries, the Don often " comes down" with amazing rapidity. The most destructive inundation in the memory of man, was in 1829. The keystone of the arch of Pooldhulie bridge is 25 feet above the river, and on that occasion the water, it is said, reached within a few feet of it. Much is now doing in the way of making embankments, to guard against the devastation of the more ordi- nary floods. They have -been more frequent since 1829, which is believed to be occasioned by the shiftings that then took place in the channel of the river.f Geology, 8fc. — The prevailing rock in this parish, and particular- ly along the line of the Don, is sienite, generally of a granitic ap- pearance. It is composed of white felspar and hornblende. These minerals are oftentimes in pretty large crystals; and in veins the hornblende is to be found in large crystallized masses. Veins or beds of compact felspar are found in this sienite. Garnets also occur in some places. The most remarkable vein, however, by which this rock is traversed, is one of graphite, about four feet wide. This graphite is intimately mixed with dark-green chlo- rite, which may be partly separated from it by rubbing in a mor- tar, diffusing the powder in water, and allowing subsidence to take place. The difference in specific gravity, and the scaly form of the chlorite, cause the powders to arrange themselves in two dis- tinct layers. The graphite is not compact, but like soft clay, probably from this intermixture of chlorite. The rock on each * In a curious old poem entitled " Don," printed in'London, 1655, the tributaries of the Don in this parish are described. f Two or three years ago the proprietors of machinery on the Don contemplated building three extensive reservoiis in this parish, for a constant and regular supply of water ; one on the head of the Don, a second on the Nochty, and a third on the Deskry. Surveys were made, and, it is said, L. 30,000 was to be expended. Whether the idea is now abandoned the writer cannot tell. 532 ABERDEENSHIRE. Side of the vein is in a very shattered state, and has assumed a schistaceous appearance. On the north-west of the Don, there is a great ridge of serpen- tine rock, having in it small disseminated crystals of chromate of iron. It is about a mile in breadth adjoining to the sienite ; this is in contact westwards with mica-slate, in which are found beds or veins of primary limestone. To the mica-slate, clay-slate suc- ceeds, and lies upon it. In Glenkindy again, in the lower end of the parish, there is an- other great dike, or vein of serpentine, between four and five miles eastward of the former, and apparently running nearly parallel to it. It seems scarcely so broad. It is in contact with graphic granite, which probably is connected with the sienite in its vicini- ty. A red granite is found in abundance on the other side of the hill, which certainly conjoins with the sienite, although its junc- tion has not been laid open. In this serpentine of Glenkindy, there is at one point a consi- derable deposit of bright green, scaly chlorite, and immediately below, masses of compact white chlorite of a beautiful appearance. In the line of the first mentioned serpentine dike at Corgarff, in the south-west end of the parish, the serpentine and limestone intermixing form a marble exactly similar to the Glentilt. And it is deserving of notice, that the serpentine at Portsoy has con- nected with it the Glentilt marble and the graphic granite. The Portsoy vein or dike has been traced in a direct line towards Cor- garff for thirty miles, and at about twenty miles from Portsoy, it seemingly divides into two dikes, which, at the distance of thirty miles, are at about five miles from each other, just as in this pa- rish, as above stated. What seems further to prove the identity of the Portsoy, Corgarff, and Glentilt vein, or at least to call for investigation, is that, if a ruler be laid on the map of Scotland, (in the maps of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Know- ledge,) on Portsoy and Corgarff, Glentilt will be found within less than four miles of the line. The graphite vein in this parish also points to the identity of the Portsoy serpentine, and the dikes of that mineral here ; as graphite is found in several localities along the directly traceable course of the Portsoy serpentine dike.* It may only be further noticed on this head, that the distinc- tive peculiarity of appearance of this section of the Grampians * For the above notice, the writer is chiefly indebted to his friend, a learned pro- fcssor, who declines allowing his name to be given. STllATHDON. 533 is the covering of gravel and debris which rests on the sides of the hills, and generally forms the bed of the Don. The gravel varies from a few inches in depth to upwards of 100 feet, with occasion- ally interposed strata of sand, and assumes the form of terraces and low 'truncated hills in some localities, as at the mouth of the Nochty, in the vicinity of Pooldhulie bridge, and in Glencarvy. These have been formed by the action of water. Nearly half a mile below the junction of the Nochty with the Don, there is a ridge of sienite, traversed by a vertical dike of felspar porphyry, which runs right across the valley. At Pooldhulie there is an- other similar. Previous to the disruption of these dikes, the waters must have been collected in vast lakes, in which deposition of the washed down sand and gravel would take place. As these dikes gave way, the waters would cut for themselves passages through the deposited gravel, and hence occur those terraces, table- lands, and low truncated hills. Soil. — The prevailing soil in the arable part of the parish is a good loam of considerable depth. In the haughs, being alluvial, sections of gravelly loam occur, and traces of former beds of the river are distinctly marked. The loam is generally superincum- bent on gravel, a crust, technically termed a pan, in many places intervening, so hard and impervious, that it requires laborious pick-work to penetrate it. After it is cut through, gravel or sand and sometimes sandy clay succeeds, which generally yields to the spade. This description of the subsoil will show the urgency of drainage to carry off the surface water. An improvement which is yearly being more attended to. There are some peculiarities with regard to the soil worth no- tice. It is invariably deeper on the north than on the south side of the hill or mountain, and by consequence the north lying farms are generally supposed to be the best in respect of soil, although the advantage is counterbalanced by deficiency in point of climate. Again, the best quality of soil is not found in the haughs, but on the sides of the hills, and the higher up, as far as cultivation can be carried, the soil is said to improve. This is markedly exhibit- ed on the farms on the right side of the Nochty. But on the very tops of several of the hills good soil is found, and in many in- stances where they are now covered with heath, traces of the plough can still be seen, although the exposed situation, and the risk of the crop not ripening, probably led to the abandonment of their cultivation. Still, the more elevated fields on the hill side often 534 " ABEIIDKENSHIRE. escape the August frosts, that are so destructive to the crops on the margin of the river and rivulets. Last season every potato field on the banks of the Don was ruined early in autumn, while those at the very head of the glens escaped without injury. This may be partly accounted for by the vicinity of the water, but the visitations of this scourge are involved in much obscurity. Some farms, apparently in every respect as favourably situated as their neighbours, are proverbially "frosty places." Nay, sometimes one field on the same farm and with the same exposure, is more liable to be affected with frost than another only separated from it by a fence. Connected with the soil, it may be stated as a fact, probably of some interest in a geological point of view, that the peat mosses are all situated on the tops of the hills, — many of them of vast extent and very great depth. The peats taken from the different mosses are as various in point of quality and value, as the coals from different seams in a coal country. Some of them supply a rich black peat, which, when properly dried, becomes almost as hard as coal, and makes excellent fuel burning with brightness, and throwing out a very strong heat. In Corgarff and Glen- Nochty moss-fir is found. It was, and not at all rarely still is,, the practice for some of the poorer classes, who cannot afford other light, to go to the moss, and with a long probe something like a rude auger, search for trunks of trees buried perhaps six or eight feet deep. These, often of a diameter of 12 or 13 inches, are dug up, carried home, and cut into splits. Then being dried on the hilchan, or on a kind of round brander with spiral bars, they are made use of in place of candles, thus illustrating the passage in Ovid, " Flammifcra pinus manibus .succendit ab iEtiia. " A good piece emits a strong resinous smell, and when lighted, the rosin boils out at the root of the flame like a torch. In pro- vincial language they are termed candle, or fir-candle, in contra- distinction to a tallow-candle, which is denominated " white candle." Zoology. — This parish, comprising extensive woods, mountain, and moorland, affords a great variety of animals, some of them common to the Lowlands, and others only met with in the High- lands: rather a full account, although without pretension to mi- nuteness, of its zoology, may therefore be permitted. Among the quadrupeds we have the red-deer, {Cervus Elaphun^) I J STUATilDON. 63.) formerly only visitors in their passage between the forest of Brae- uiar and Glenfiddich, but now located in our woods all the year, although there is not as yet more than one well authenticated in- stance of their breeding here. The roe-deer ((?. capreolus) are very numerous ; as many as thirteen have been killed in a day. The hare; the alpine (L. var.) ; and the rabbit are found in abun- dance, although it is only about twenty years since they last ap- peared. The black-legged or hill fox ( Vtdpes vulgaris^ var.) only is found. Serious injury is sustained by the sheep-farmer from its depredations amongst the lambs. Those who possess consider- able flocks pay so much per annum to a fox-hunter for destroying these creatures. He, at certain seasons, comes with a motley pack, composed of a few couples of old fox hounds, greyhounds, lurch- ers, and terriers, which are turned into the woods, and the passes being guarded by men with guns, five or six are often destroyed in a day. The wild cat f Fells catus sylvestris) is met with, but is rare. A remarkable specimen, killed in winter 1835-36, measur- ed 12 inches round the head, 3 feet 9 inches including the tail in length, and weighed about 15 lbs. Five martins ( Martes fa- goTum,) were kille'd some years ago in one season, in Glenernan ; the polecat [Mustela putorius,) and the weasel {M. vulg.,) are very common; the stoat or ermine, (M. erminea,) less so. An opinion prevails that, when the stoats are numerous, it is the in- dex of a severe season. They were unusually abundant in the beginning of the winter 1838; the remark was often made, and the prediction fully realized. The otter {Lutra vuL) is not un- frequently met with on the banks of the Don. The water-rat {Arvicola aquatica) inhabits the banks of the Don and the Carvy. The badger {Meles Taxus) has been killed at Coilnabechan, and in the woods of Newe, but is now believed to be extinct. The hedgehog {IMnaceus Europ.) was unknown ten or fifteen years ago, but is now common. The brown rat [Mus decumanus,) has not hitherto obtained a footing with us. Some years ago, a soli- tary specimen was killed at Edinglassie, but the presumption is, it had been imported with luggage from London, or from on board ship. The black rat (M. Itattus) is, however, numerous. It is well known, that wherever the brown appears, the black is extir- pated. The latter is destructive enough in the house and offices of the farmer; but it is a singular fact, he does not, like the brown, infest the stacks in the corn-yard. The farmers here arc, indeed, incredulous respecting the depredations of rats in stacks. Tli(? 536 ABEllDEENSHIUE. shrew {Sorex araneus) is common; (^S.fodiens) more rare. The mole is abundantly common. The common or short-eared bat {Vespertilio murinus) is seen, but not very numerous. Before concluding the Mammalia, it may be worth mentioning, that, about ten years ago, Sir Charles Forbes sent tvfo varieties of the Zebu {Bos Indicus) to Edinglassle. The first were extremely diminu- tive, appeared to suffer much from the severity of the climate, and did not breed. The other was a larger variety, and bred readily with the common bull of the country. Two half-bred bulls were kept that grew to great size and weight. They became so furious that it was found necessary to destroy them. Both these and the next generation retained the distinctive hump, or excrescence, on the shoulders. A good many of their progeny were to be met with five or six years ago, but they were invariably rejected by the cattle-dealer, and hence unprofitable to the farmer. Two kangaroos were also sent. They seemed to experience no inconvenience from the rigour of the chmate, and fed readily on grass and vegetables in summer, and on hay with occasional green food in winter. Unfortunately they were both of the same sex. It would have been interesting to have ascertained whether they had been so far naturalized as to have bred in the head of Aber- deenshire. Birds. — There is, in the slocks of Glencarvy, an old eyrie, but no eagle has occupied it for many years. It would appear, how- ever, eagles had formerly been much more numerous, as pits are still pointed out in the hills that were made for the purpose of destroying them. Two different species are said still to be seen on the north-west extremity of the parish. Hawks of different species are numerous. The buzzard (F. Buteo) is very common. The kite ( Milvus vidgaris)^ is more rare. The hen-harrier {Circus cyaneus, here called blue-sleeves,) breeds in the parish. The sparrow-hawk {F. nisus) is very common. The kestril's nest {F.Tinnunculus) was found last season; and the merlin (F.^salon) is occasionally seen. The barn-owl (Alucojlammeus), the horn- owl {Ot7/s vulgaris)) and the tawny-owl {St7'ix stridula), are all met with, but are rare. The raven (C. corax) breeds annually in the slocks of Glencarvy. The carrion-crow (C. comix) ; the liood- ed-crow (C. corone) ; the magpie {C.pica), and the jack-daw (C * Sii- Charles Forbes's keeper reports having frequently seen the goshawk (/". Palumharius) in Glenernan. A tine specimen was shot this winter in a neighbouring parish, and is now in the possession of Lord Aberdeen's keeper at Deskry Lodge. STRATHDON. 537 monedula) are very abundant. It is not many years since the rook [C.frugilegus) became established in rookeries with us : many attempts (whether wisely or not) have been made again to banish them, but without success. The jay (C. glandarius) is not known here. The goat-sucker [Caprimulgus Europceus) is an occasional visitant for a short time in the midst of summer. The wood- pigeon is common. The common thrush; the missel-thrush (T. viscivorus) ', the blackbird; the ring-ouzel (7^. torquatus), and the water-ouzel (Cinclus aquaticus), all regularly breed here. The fieldfare (T. pilaris), and the red-wing (T. iliacus) appear in great numbers in the beginning of winter, but speedily migrate further south. The snow-flake or bunting [Emberiza nivalis) con- tinues all winter congregated in immense flocks, and when they descend low down are regarded as the harbingers of severe wea- ther. The most common permanent small birds are the house- sparrow (Pyrgita domestica) ; the yellow-hammer (Emheriza citrinella), and the chaffinch (Fringilla Ccelebs), two white speci- mens of which were seen for a considerable time in Candacraig woods ; also the red-breast (Sylvia rubecida) ; the blue titmouse (Parus ccBrideusJ: the bullfinch (Pyri'hula vul.), and the creeper {Certhia Jam.). The goldfinch {F. carduelis) is not found here. The principal summer birds are the pied wagtail [Motacilla alba), here called the seed-bird, which comes regularly, as its local name bears, at seed-time. The yellow wagtail fM. flavaj is an occa- sional but rare visitor. The Motacilla boarula rare. The common wren {Troglodytes vul.), and the golden-crested wren {Regu- lus cristatus) both build in this parish. The wheat-ear, or fallow- chat, provincially called the chackhert (Saxicola oenanthe), is com- mon. The whin- chat (S. /-wZie^ra) rare. The white-throat (Cwr- ruca Sylvia), and the whin-sparrow [Accentor modularis) are seen in summer. The black-cap f Sylvia atricapilla) very rare. The skylark [Alauda arvensis) is rather rare. The meadow-pipit {Anthus pratensis) common. The swallow [H. 7'ustica) ; the sand-martin (H. riparia), and the martin [H. urhica), make their appearance about the first of May. The swift (Cypselus apiis) was observed here by the writer for the first time last season. The cuckoo pays his annual visit two or three weeks later than to the south of the Grampians ; but he continues longer, not ceasing his song sometimes till the first week of August. Of the game birds may be mentioned the red-grouse {Lagopus 538 ABERDEENSHIRE. " Scot.) * The hills in this district are amongst the most celebrated for grouse-shooting, but, it is said, the number of birds is mate- rially diminished within the last ten or fifteen years. The black- cock (Tetrao tetrix) is, on the other hand, supposed to be on the increase. The ptarmigan (T. Lagopus) breeds in Corgarff, on a hill called the Brown Cow. The partridge [Perdix cinerea) was abundant, but has suffered much by the storm of last winter. The gray plover (Charadrius pluvialis) is abundant ; and the dotterel's (C. Morinellus) nest is found in the more sequestered hills. The lapwing (Vanellus cristatus) appears early in spring. It is here called the teuchat, and the short storm that often occurs after field labour has commenced is hence called the teuchafs storm. Numbers of the nests of the lapwing are found every sea- son. The curlew (Numenius arquata) comes in numbers to breed in the marshes in the hills. The common snipe fScolopax gal- Hnago), and the jack-snipe fS. gallinida) are abundant. The woodcock fS. rusticola) is an annual visitant, and in some sea- sons plentiful. Their nests have several times been found in the parish. The water-rail (Rallus aquaticus) has been killed, but is very rare. The land-rail [R. crex) breeds every season. The wild duck (Anas boschas) breeds in numbers in the Bunzeach. The teal-duck (A. crecca) is shot occasionally. The heron ( Ar~ dea cinerea) breeds at Edinglassie, where there has been for many years a small heronry.-f- The indigenous reptiles are few, the adder (Coluber BerusJ has been seen in the hills, but is very rare. The Lacerta agilis is .also rarely seen. The Rana temporaria and Bufo vidgaris are common. Botany. — This parish is not deficient in variety of vegetable productions. The following will be found a pretty correct list of the less common plants. The locality of a few of the Alpine plants mentioned is, however, immediately beyond the western bound- ary of the parish, but the close connection with the botany of the head of Aberdeenshire will be an apology for noticing them here. • A specimen of the Lagopus Scoticus was shot this season with fully half of the plumage pure white. t A remarkable proof of the distance the heron goes in search of food was observed here some time ago. Monymusk (by the map published by the Society for the Dif- fusion of Useful Knowledge) is twenty-five miles distant from Edinglassie. A heron lost one of its legs in one of the Edinglassie keeper's traps. A few days afterwards, the heron without a leg was seen at Monymusk. STRATHDON. )39 Adoxa moschatellina Arabis turrita Arenaria verna Asperula odorata A vena alpina Botrychium luuaria Cardamine amara pratensis Carum carui Chrysanthemum Leucan- themum Circea alpina (rare) Cochlearia officinalis Cornus Suecica Corylus avellana Echium vulgare Epilobium angustifolium Festuca sylvatica Fumaria capreolata Fumaria officinalis Galium Aparine . boreale Gentiana acaulis campestris Gymnadenia conopsea Habenavia albida bifolia viridis Listera cordata Lonicera Periclymenum Molinia ccerulea ^ Menyanthis trifoliata Meum athamanticum Orchis mascula Origanum vulgare Oxalis acetosella Populus tremula Primula veris Prunus Padus Pyrola media minor secunda Ribes petrEBum Rubus Chamffiraorus saxatilis Sambucus ebulis Saxifraga aizoides Scrophularia nodosa Solidago virgaurea Statice Armeria Thalictrum alpinum Thlaspi arvense TroUius Europffius Turritis glabra Verbascum Thapsus Vicia sylvatica Woods and Plantations. — There is no feature in which the pro- gress of improvement in Strathdon is more distinctly indicated, within the last half century, than in woods and plantations. The whole extent of ground covered with wood did not, before then, exceed 200 or 300 acres, whereas there are now nearly 3000 acres of thriving plantations. Scotch fir and larch are the predominant description of trees, and to these both soil and climate appear to be most congenial. Ash, plane, and gean grow also freely; and in the more sheltered situations, the other kinds of hard-wood thrive. In the more recent plantations, a much greater propor- tion of hard-wood plants have been introduced. One proprietor, several years ago, obtained the Highland Society's premium for having put in the greatest number in one season. There are no trees of remarkable dimensions in the parish, but at the residences of the different proprietors there are large-sized trees of plane, ash, and elm. In the management of woods and plantations, the radical error has been planting too thick, and the prevailing one is the neglect of sufficient thinning.* Many extensive plantations are almost im- penetrable thickets. The superior, health and strength of the ex- terior trees of these very plantations obviously prove how injuri- ously this system operates. The woods of Auchernach are under very superior management, and although in a less favourable lo- cality with respect to climate, the progress they make shews the beneficial result of the proprietor's care and attention. II. — Civil History. Historical Events, — Under this head the parish furnishes no- Since the above was written, much has been done in the way of thinning the plantations. 540 ABERDEENSHIRE. thing of importance, unless the share its people had in the Rebel- hons of 1715 and 1745 deserves a passing notice. Although Strathdon lies in the country of the Forbeses, — a family which the Scottish Jacobites styled one of the most rebellious in Scotland — like most of the Highlands, it was deeply involved in the troubles of the times. There is no traditionary legend to countenance the supposition that the people were devotedly attached to the Pretender's cause. On the contrary, the remarkable letter* from the Earl of Mar, who was superior of the whole parish, to " Jock of Inverernan," would rather prove that it was the tyranny of feudal despotism which forced them to join the insurgent's ranks. Mar angrily complains ; " It's a pretty thing when all the Highlands of Scot- land are rising upon their King and country's account, that my men should only be refractory ;" plainly intimates to his vassal that " he was in the right not to come with the hundred men he sent, when he (Mar) expected four times the number," and sends a message to his tenants, " that if they come not forth with their best arms, he will send a party immediately to burn what they will miss taking from them," adding, " they may believe this is not only a threat, but, by all that's sacred, I will put it in execution." The aversion of the people to engage in the cause is further corroborated by the proceedings of the presbytery of Alford against the Episcopal ministers. The libel against Mr John Alexander, Episcopal minister of Kildrummy, commences — " his praying pub- licly in Braemar for success to the Pretender his arms when the standard was displayed there," &c. He protested against seven of the witnesses, " in respect they are habit and repute as of the number of those rebellious accomplices that were with the late Earl of Mar in arms at Braemar; and, therefore, till they be purged of the said scandall, cannot be sustained as habiles testes." " Upon which Maister Thaine, in the name of the presbytery, re- protested, that the former objection and protestation was ground- less, and no regard should be had thereto ; because, though these persons might have been at Braemar with the late Earl of Mar, yet it does not follow that they were of the number of his rebel- lious accomplices, because it is nottour in the country side that many of the poor countrey people were only brought thither upon pretence of hunting, and when they were there were pressed to • The original manuscript is still in the possession of the Inverernan family. It has more than once appeared in print, and need not be repeated here. 4 STRATHDON. 541 go along with the Rebells, contrary to their incHnation, and how soon soever they had an opportunity of deserting, they came home, thereby testifying their want of inchnation to rebel : and the Go- vernment is so conscious of this, that they have never called any of these people to account for their being in the Rebellion." The people of Strathdon, however, seem to have been pretty ge- nerally implicated ; for Mr Robertson, * the Episcopal minister, says in his confession on the presbytery's libel, " that he did read the proclamation for the thanksgiving from the pulpit, but did not observe the thanksgiving, because his people were out on par- ties, and, therefore, had none to keep it with him." In 1745, Gordon of Glenbucket joined the Pretender with 400 men raised in Strathdon, Glenlivat, &c. The families of Skella- ter, Inverernan, and Edinglassie, joined the cause of the Pretend- er; but, fortunately, no confiscations, nor even prosecutions by the Government took place after the insurrection was suppressed. Eminent Men. — There is no person of particular eminence, either in literature or science, with whom this parish can claim con- nection by birth or residence. There are not wanting, however, characters of distinguished moral excellence, some of which merit especial notice in the statistics of this parish. General John Forbes of Skellater, when a young man, distin- guished himself by resenting the attacks on his country of the ce- lebrated John Wilkes, contained in the " North Briton," and sought in vain for a personal rencontre with him. General For- bes married a princess of the blood-royal of Portugal, and rose to be a field-marshal in the Portuguese service. He was a distin- * Mr Robertson appears to have had a strong hold of the affections of his people ; and his being forcibly separated from them by deposition, will account for one of those ebullitions of violence against his successor at his first introduction, mentioned in the former account. The whole of his confession before the presbytery is made with so much naivete, that we extract it from the record of the presbytery. " Mas- ter John Robertson was called and compeared, and being interrogate upon the se- veral articles of his libell, replyed and confessed as follows, viz. That during the time of the late Rebellion he prayed for the Pretender ; but with these limitations, that God would incline his heart to be a true Protestant ; and if it were God's will he would bring him to the throne who was lawfuU heir to our native kings ; and if not, that God would be pleased to incline him to set his heart upon ane heavenly kingdome. That he prayed God would preserve the Earl of Marr and his own pa- rochiiiers from sin and wrath, and every mark of God's displeasure, and bring them safe home again. That he observed the fast-day lybelled, and prayed for the Pre- tender, the Earl of Marr, and his own parochiners, and that God would reconcile disagreeing parties. That he did read the proclamation for the thanksgiving from pulpit, but not observe the thanksgiving, because his people were out on parties, and therefor he had non to keep it with him. That he did not pray for King George in the time of the Rebellion, but prayed for him before and since that time nomina- iim.' ' 542 ABERDEENSHIRE. guished soldier, and acted with great success against the Spaniards. He accompanied the Royal family to the Brazils, where he died iii 1809. Johi Forbes, ^55'.— Mr Forbes was born at Bellabeg in September 1743. In early life he went to Bombay, and engaged in mercantile pursuits. His talents for business and indomitable probity and virtue speedily laid the foundation of that distinction which his name af- terwards attained in all the three presidencies. His enlightened views led him to embark in a field of commercial enterprize of vast magnitude, from which he realized a large fortune. The mercan- tile house he established at Bombay became of distinguished emi- nence, and still bears his name. Mr Forbes was a quick discerner of character, and to the deserving proved a stedfast friend and ge- nerous benefactor. From his innate goodness of heart, he took a warm interest in the young men recommended to his attention, and delighted to exercise the extensive influence he possessed in forwarding their views. The paternal counsel he gave at the out- set of life, and the benevolent assistance he afforded by pecuniary advances, are still gratefully remembered by many now retired upon their fortunes. Mr Forbes repurchased Newe, the estate of his ancestors, besides other extensive property in Strathdon, and from that era in reality commenced the improvement of the coun- try. The whole rental of his estates was laid out in carrying for- ward this great object, — but the nature of these improvements will more properly fall to be noticed afterwards. But -the character of Mr Forbes was pre-eminently distinguished for a spirit of philanthropy and Christian charity, founded on ge- nuine and simple piety. His private beneficence, both in India and at home, was almost unbounded, and his munificent donations to public charities, amongst others that of L. 10,000 to the Aber- deen Asylum, and L. 1000 to the Infirmary, are well known. A handsome monument in Aberdeen to his memory testifies the gra- titude of its inhabitants. Sh' Charles Forbes, Bart. — Mr Forbes died in 1821, and his estates descended to his nephew, Sir Charles Forbes, Bart. He also in early life went to India, returned to England in 1812, and in 1823 was created a Baronet of the united kingdom. He sat in Parliament for upwards of twenty years, steadily advocating the cause of the native Indian, and, although now retired from Par- liamentary duty, the energies of his mind are stilj untiringly de- voted to the amelioration of British India. Twenty-eight years STRATHDON. 543 ao-o, on leaving India, the natives, as a testimony of respect and affection, presented him with a service of plate of the value of L.1500; and in gratitude for the important part he has taken in exalting their position in society, obtaining their admission to the offices of justices of the peace, and grand jurors, the natives of Bombay have subscribed for a statue of him, for which he is now sitting to Sir Francis Chantrey. Sir Charles claims to represent the Lords Forbes of Pitsligo as heir-male. Rev. Dr Forbes. — Another member of this family, intimately connected with the parish for the greater part of his life, well me- rits notice. Dr Forbes, the immediate predecessor of the writer, was for twenty-five years minister of Strathdon. Although very early in life called to the discharge of the ministerial office, he zea- lously performed its duties, and, under the Divine blessing, his la- bours were attended with eminent success. No man could be more devoted to the best interests of his people, and none ever more fully enjoyed their confidence and affection. Dr Forbes died suddenly of an affection of the heart in 1834. No event ever caused a stronger sensation in Strathdon, — deep grief reigned in every cottage, and his memory is still affection- ately cherished by the people, as their best and kindest friend. Land-owners. — The landed proprietors are, Sir Charles For- bes, Bart, of Newe and Edinglassie ; Major-General Sir Alexan- der Leith, K. C. B. of Freefield and Glenkindy ; Robert Ander- son, Esq. of Candacraig ; the Earl of Fife ; Mrs Forbes of Inver- ernan ; General Forbes of Dunotar and Auchernach ; and Robert Farquharson, Esq. of Allargue. Parochial Registers. — The parochial register of births and mar- riages from 1674 to 1710 is carefully filled up, but the volume is in very bad condition. * There are no regular books from that date till 1741, when a register of baptisms comntjences, but down to 1830, it has been very irregularly kept. A regular register of baptisms and marriages has been kept from the year 1830. No register of burials has ever been in the parish. Antiquities — Old Castles. — From Kildrummy to the head of * The following quaint entries occur. " Anno 1666, September 22; William El- phinstone of Bellabeg (his first wife Jean Johnstone, a discreet, modest, and virtuous gentlewoman being dead, the twenty day of October last bye-past,) gave up his name to be proclaimed with Isobsl Forbes, second lawful daughter to William Forbes of Skellater, and were married October 1." " Anno 1705, September 22. Maister John Robertsone. parsone of Invernochtie, a son baptized by himself called James, v.'it. James M'Farlaa in Brux, and Maister James Mitchell, schoolmr, who held up the child. 544 ABERDEENSHIRE. Strathdon there is a regular chain of ruinous castles, and it is a singular coincidence, that the first four are all placed at equal in- tervening distances, — Towie Castle, being about three miles up the Don from Kildrummy ; Glenbucket, three above Towie ; and Culquhaimy, three miles higher up than Glenbucket ; a mile be- yond Culquhanny stands the Doune of Invernochty ; and, lastly, at the head of the strath, the Castle of Corgarff. The latter three only are in this parish. Tradition says Culquhanny Castle was built by Forbes of Towie (a cadet of the Putachie family, who married the heiress of Towie), early in the sixteenth century, but it was never finished. " The most ancient building still entire," says the former Account, " is the Castle of CorgarfF. It is supposed to have been built by some of the Earls of Marr for a hunting- seat. During the feuds between the Gordons and the Forbeses, it was burned down in 1571 by Adam Gordon of Auchendown or some of his officers, and in it Margaret Campbell, daughter of Campbell of Calder, then big with child, together with her chil- dren and servants, 27 in number, were cruelly burned to death. Having been afterwards rebuilt, it was purchased by Government in 1746 from Mr Forbes of Skellater, and for several years there- after 15 or 20 men were stationed in it." From 1827 to 1831, it was garrisoned by a captain, subaltern, and 56 men, to support the civil authorities in the suppression of smuggling. Doune. — A short way above the confluence of the Nochty and the Don, there is a very remarkable abruptly conical mound, about 60 feet in height from the bottom of the ditch ; 970 feet in cir- cumference at the base ; and 562 feet at the top. It is of an oval form, and the flat surface on the top measures about half an acre. It has been regularly fortified by a moat 16 feet deep and 26 feet wide at the bottom, which has been supplied with water by the stream Bardock. It has evidently been one of those gravelly emi- nences already mentioned, and probably the cutting of the wet ditch and the more regular formation of the sides is all that is ar- tificial about it. Its situation and figure pointed it out as a place on which to erect a stronghold. All around the top, the founda- tions of buildings are visible. A small portion of wall on each side of the gateway to the south is still seen, but it is too dilapidated to judge of -what the thickness had been. At the level of the ground it measures six feet. There is no account of this remnant of antiquity. Some vague tradition states that the church origi- nally stood here, which merely rests on the former name of the STRATHDON. 545 parish being Invernoclitie. It has been a place of considerable strength in a remote age. Chalmers mentions traces of a Roman iter from Dee-side, which would point precisely in this direction. The traces of science in fortification would support the conjecture, that it might be a Roman fort to preserve the line of communica- tion across the country ; or it may pertain to a later era, and have been one of those forts erected by the Picts or Britons as a pro- tection against the incursions of the Danes, and other northern hordes from the north-west. The former Account mentions " the ruins of buildings in the neighbourhood." These have been long since obliterated by the plough. Eirde Houses. — Five of these interesting vestiges of antiquity, called Eirde Houses, from being subterranean, have been discover- ed in the parish. We have been so often applied to for some ac- count of them, that a brief description of one is deemed necessary. It is a singular fact that, both in this parish and in Kildrummy, where they are still more numerous, they are all of the same shape. The outer passage, which lies to the south, is circular, and about 8 feet in length. The exterior chamber is 24 feet long, 6 feet 8 inches high, greatest breadth across the floor 8 feet 8 inches, while at the roof it is only 6 feet 6 inches. The floor is laid with stones. The foundation, or lowest course, consists of 22 stones, averaging 3 feet in height, so set up as to give the largest surface to the inside of the wall, and they all decline outwards from tile perpendicular. Above these are several courses of smaller stones, so placed that each covers the joint of the under stones, and in- clines a little more inward. The whole wall, on each side, thus forms the segment of a large vertical circle. On the side walls are laid nine flat stones, 8 feet 6 inches in length, and 3 feet 8 inches in breadth, which form the roof. The interstices are jammed full of small stones, but there is no appearance of any kind of cement having been used, neither is there any indication on the stones of the hammer having been employed. On the north side of this chamber is an aperture 15 inches high, 7 inches wide at the bot- tom, and 10 inches at the top, which communicates with a small apartment, 5 feet long, and 1 foot broad ; the back, cover, and ends being each a single stone. On the same side, very near the inner end of the outer apartment, is another opening, 2 feet high, and 1 foot 8 inches wide, and 3 feet above the floor which leads to the inner chamber. Here is the only angle that occurs, — all the other parts being segments of circles. The length of this ABERDEEN. M m 546 . ABEllDEENSHIRE. chamber is 16 feet 6 inches, breadth, 6 feet Q inches, and height, 6 feet, and precisely of the same construction as the outer. The whole length of the house, including both chambers, is thus 48 feet 6 inches. Rin^s and Coins. — In 1822, in digging the foundation of a dike, on the north side of the hill, opposite to Garchory, were found two rings and several hundred silver coins. One of the rings is gold, with a small dark sapphire. A ring precisely similar was discovered 16th July 1829, with other relics, in the coffin of a bishop of Chichester, in the cathedral of that city. The date of the tomb is a. d. 1146. The other was a broken iron gilt ring, with a pale sapphire, and is very similar to many Arabian and Indian rings. The coins are nearly all of Henry III. of England, Some of them are of William the Lion of Scotland, and two of them of King John. A portion of them was divided into halves, and others into quarters. Those of Henry III. have on the obverse, the King's head, full-faced and crowned, holding the sceptre with a cross patee : reverse, a cross with a small cross in each quarter. They all have the names of the towns where they were coined, and of the mint-masters. Such as simvn on 4- cant — (Canter- bury.) The coins of William have the King's head in profile on the obverscj holding the sceptre with a cross. Reverse, a cross with a star in each quarter. Those of King John are stamped with a triangle on both sides. The effigy on the obverse is within the triangle. They are much defaced. Modern Buildings. — The house of Newe is a handsome modern edifice, built in 1831, of Kildrummy freestone — Mr Simpson, ar- chitect. The style is a happy combination of the manor-house of James I.'s time, and the Henusk. The skill of the archi- tect has been ingeniously exercised in adapting the old house, {which was to be preserved) to part of the plan, without at all in- terfering witl,i the elegant suite of rooms on the principal floor. The portico, the vestibule, and the corridor, which are lighted with stained glass, are very successful efforts of architectural genius. The house of Candacraig is a mixture of the Elizabethan and Scotch manor-house — Mr Smith, architect. Built in 1835, of gra- nite, chiefly taken from a quarry which was fortunately discovered STRATHDON. 547 by the contractor on the property, and in the immediate neigh- bourhood of the house. The accommodations are worthy of Mr Smith's well-known skill in combinino- comfort and eleofance. The furniture and interior finishings by the present proprietor are much admired. The mansion of Inverernan received extensive additions and al- terations some years ago. The style is that of a modern villa, par- taking of the Italian. The accommodations are ample. The house of Auchernach was built in 1809, and for many years was the best in the countr3% Glenkindy, Edinglassie, Bellabeg, and Skellater are of an older date. In 1834, a new church, manse, and offices were built at the ex- pense of Sir Charles Forbes, Bart, for the mission of Corgarff. The plans were given by Mr Daniel. The church is a very neat structure. The manse consists of six rooms, kitchen, and other conveniences, and the offices are equal if not superior to those of most parish ministers. Sir Charles likewise built, in 1832, an ex- cellent school and dwelling-house for the teacher at Corgarff. A new parochial school, on the most approved modern plan, calcu- lated for 120 scholars, (but which would conveniently contain a third more,) with a suitable dwelling-house for the schoolmaster, was built in the summer of 1838 by the heritors. III. — Population. We have no account of the population of the parish previous to 1755, but, judging from the registers of births and marriages at the close of the seventeenth century, which at that period appear to have been very exactly kept, it had been much more populous than in recent times, the entries in any year then being greatly more numerous than now. The following is a statement of the population at different dates subsequent to 1755 : — According to Dr Webster's report the population in 1755 was 1750 to the former Statistical Account in 1793 1524 By the Government census in . . 1801 1354 Do. do. . . 1811 1463 Do. do. . . 1821 1698 Do. do. . 18:}1 1683 By a list taken for Church Extension Committee in 1836 16.31 By a private list taken in April (exclusive of Tarland locality), . . . 1839 1344 In 1831 there were of males, . . . 847. females, . . 836 In the present year (18-39) there are of males, . 652 females, . 692 In 1831 the total number of inhabited houses was . 344 In the present year is . . 290 548 ABERDEENSHIRE. Faniilics employed in agriculture in 1831, . 162 in trade, manufactures, &c. do. . 47 All other families, ... 142 Families employed in agriculture in 1839, . 148 in handicraft and manufactures, . 58 not employed in either division, . 84 The great defalcation of the population in the present year is obviously attributable to emigration and the enlargement of farms, also to a failure of the harvest, which induced many young men and women to seek service, or employment in the south. The niunber of children under 15 years of age, . . 501 persons above 70 do. . . .54 Average number of children in each family, . . • 3^*0 births for the last seven years, . . 47 marriages, do. exclusive of the Catholics, who do not re- gister with us, . . . .12 illegitimate children for the last three years, . 4 Number of persons partially insane, but not so'as to require constraint, 3 confined in a private asylum, . . .1 fatuous, ... .1 blind, or almost totally so, . . .4 There is no deaf and dumb person in the parish. Habits of the People, Popular Customs, ^'c. — In the habits of the people there is an obvious and increasing attention to comfort and cleanliness. The ordinary dress of the men is of stout home- made manufacture ; the women wear gowns or wrappers of home- spun wincy. Strangers commonly remark the well-dressed ap- pearance of the congregation on the Sabbath. The ordinary food of the peasantry is oatmeal, vegetables, and the produce of the dairy. Fortunately for morality and good order, the " bothy" system for servants is scarcely known in the parish. In some cases the men have their meal and milk, which is prepared in the kitchen. The people in general are frugal, and, upon the whole, tem- perate and iudustrious. Unhappily, a few individuals are ha- bitually addicted to the use of ardent spirits ; but these are the exceptions ; the majority are decidedly sober people. If they have sometimes been charged with indolence, it will be found that it arises chiefly from the circumstances in which they are placed. They are capable, when called into activity, of great and laborious exertion, as well as of patient endurance under privations. Their intellectual powers are not, perhaps, in general, much elevated by reading and education, although, with hardly an ex- ception, they can all read; but they are endued with great natural acuteness and sagacity in the management of their own affairs. If in some instances they are too mucdi disposed to retain a sense of injury, thev at the same time are extremelv sensible of, and STllATHDON. 549 grafeful for kindness and attention. The influences of pure and undefiled religion are, it is hoped, being more and more diffused over their minds, one evidence of vrhich is their habitual and re- gular attendance on Gospel ordinances. The favourite pastimes are, prize-shootings about Christmas, and subscription dances. These are generally made subservient to charitable purposes. They are set on foot for the relief of some case of poverty or incidental distress in the neighbourhood ; and thus, at the individual cost of a few pence, a considerable sum is realized for a needy neighbour. Another charitable practice prevails. When an extraordinary case of helpless distress occurs, the young men in the locality assemble together, and, often ac- companied with music, go from house to house, where they re- ceive a donation in kind or money. In this way a considerable supply is speedily raised iij, behalf of the object of their charitable exertions. There is, indeed, no feature of character that more peculiarly marks the people than their warm sympathy, humane attention, and active benevolence to their suffering neighbours : however straitened their own circumstances may be, the common beggar is never allowed to pass from the door unrelieved. Poaching in game prevailed to a considerable extent some years ago. During the shooting-season, bands of desperate characters still infest the hills ; but they are not connected with the parish. The analogous offence of moor-burning, however, is still too pre- valent. Neither can they be acquitted altogether of Mazing the river. A good many foul fish are thus annually killed. This is not done secretly as a crime, but openly as a diversion. Previous to the alteration in the distillery laws, this parish was one of the strongholds of smuggling. The inhabitants of Cor- garff, the glens, and not a few in the lower part of the parish, were professed smugglers. The revenue-officers were set at de- fiance. To be engaged in illicit distillation, and to defraud the excise, was neither looked on as a crime, nor considered as a dis- grace. As may be supposed, such a system of things proved most pernicious, productive of the grossest demoralization, irreligion, and sin, and destructive of every habit of regular industry. But a happy change took place. By the vigorous measures adopted by Government, effectively seconded by the proprietors, this mo- ral pest was struck at the very root, and speedily became utterly extinct. The lawless life of the smuggling " bothie" was wholly 550 ABERDEENSHIFIE. abandoned, and the honest labours of agriculture substituted. It is a subject of just congratulation, to contemplate the industrious spirit, the healthy tone of moral feeling, and the fixed religious principle that are gradually, under the blessing of God, acquiring ijiore and more strength over their minds. IV. — Industry. Agriculture. — The number of acres cultivated and waste can- not be stated with precision, as several of the properties have not been surveyed. The most accurate approximation the writer has been able to arrive at is as follows, viz. Arable land in round numbers, . 4.500 Scotch acres. Wood, . . 3,000 do. Waste and pasture probably vipwards of 60,000 do. Rent of Land. — The gross rental of the parish, (including the portion of Tarland* formerly mentioned,) is, as nearly as can be ascertained, about L.5000. The valued rent, exclusive of Tarland, is L.3039, Is. 6d. Scots, The average rent of arable land may be stated at L. 1, 5s. per Scotch acre ; the right of common pasture in the hills included. The grazing of a full-sized ox may cost L.2. A sheep pastured on the hill for a year, 2s. 6d, ; grazed in an inclosed field, 5s. 6d. Wof/es, 4c.— A farm-servant's wages with victuals, or two pecks of meal per week and a Scotch pint of milk per day, are from L.IO to L. 14 per annum ; a woman servant's vary from L. 4 to L. 5, 10s. according to the kind of work required. The scythe is now al- most entirely employed in cutting down the crop. The farmers engage hands for the harvest about Lammas. A cutter gets about L. 2, 10s.; a bandster from L. 2 to L. 2, 5s- ; women from L. 1, 10s. to L. 1, 15s. Formerly, thravers were engaged for harvest at 3d. per thrave without victuals, but the scythe has now super- seded every other method. It is more expeditious, the crop sea- sons sooner, and more straw is obtained. One scythe cuts down an acre and a-quarter per day, with a woman to gather the swathe into sheaves, and a bandster to bind and stook. A day labourer's wage is from Is. 6d. to Is. Gd. in summer, and Is. to Is. 4d. in winter. The prices of articles of country manufacture for rural purposes are, a full-mounted iron plough, L. 3, 10s. ; do. of wood, L. 2, 15s. to L. 3; harrows of hard-wood, L. 1, 3s. ; do. of larch, which is found to answer well, 16s.; a double close cart, L. 10 to " This portion of Tarland is so intermixed with Strathdon, that the writer has not been able to separate it in attempting to ascertain the real rent. As it is not mentioned in the Tarland Account, it was thought right to include it here. STRATIIDON. 551 L. 12; a long cart, generally made of Braemar fir, or larch, and to.fit on the axle of the close cart, L. 1 ; a wheelbarrow, 16s. ; a set of horse- shoes, os. 4d. ; a riding-horse's, with steeled toes, 3s. 6d. ; mason work per rood, materials afforded by the employer, L. 2 to L. 2, Ss. ; do. providing the materials, L. 6 to L. 8 ; ■ a car- penter, 12s. per week ; dry stone dikes, 3 feet 9 inches high, 4^d. per yard. Lwe-Stock. — The common breed of cattle is the Aberdeenshire. The polled are, perhaps, at present more in fashion than the horned. In the upper district and glens, a smaller horned race prevails, in which there is an intermixture of the Ross-shire and West Highland breed. Much attention is paid to the breeding and rearing of black-cattle in this parish. The dairy is altogether a secondary consideration to the rearing of good calves ; hence a cow good at the pail is of less importance than a good breeder, and strong prejudice exists against the admixture of any south country blood. The late Dr Forbes of Blelack and Inverernan, with great care and expense, succeeded in raising a justly cele- brated stock, which became widely diffused over the parish. The enterprize and skill of the Messrs Grassick are successfully employed in the improvement of this as well as other descriptions of farm stock. They do not spare expense to procure the best bulls, and keep valuable cows. The farmers, in general, are su- perior judges of cattle, and, as the better classes especially keep well, they find a ready market for their beasts. Since the Lon- don market for fat cattle has been opened up by steam ships from Aberdeen, a considerable number of beasts are stall-fed in the parish. One of the gentlemen above-mentioned sold four this winter for L. 105. One of the four was a four year old ox reared on the farm. The purchaser, after gaining two prizes for them at a fat cattle show, sold them to advantage in the London mar- ket. The sheep are of the black-faced breed. Some of the farmers purchase wedder lambs at Lanark lamb fair, which they keep till three years old. Yearling rams are generally bought there, and brought north to improve the stock. Few horses are reared in the parish, except to supply the place of such as are worn out. The number in the parish in 1835 was 314. Husbandry. — Within the last twenty years, very great and ra- pid progress has been made in agricultural improvement. By trenching, drainage, &c. many of the tenants have made consider- 552 ABERDEENSHIRE. able additions to the arable land of their farms. The facility in the command of lime is of material benefit in this respect. Ge- nerally each farm has its own lime-kiln, to which limestone is driven during summer to be burned the ensuing spring, and laid hot upon the land. Occasionally the old system is practised of spreading it over the turnip field, and hoeing it in with the second hoeing of the turnips, but this is rapidly falling into disuse. It has already been stated, that, upon the principal farms, the most approved husbandry system has been introduced. It is still, how- ever, a prevalent error to keep too many beasts ; and, in some cases, the old prejudice exists of considering it waste to give straw for litter. The economy of expense of labour, compared with what it was forty years ago, is illustrated by the fact, that, within that period the farm of Buchaam was worked by 6 ploughs, 1 8 horses, and 4 yokes of cattle of 10 or 12 each. The present enterprizing tenant works the same farm (with a great additional extent of arable land which he has reclaimed) in a manner not to be surpassed, with 3 ploughs, 4 horses, and a pair, or occa- sionally two pairs of work oxen. The rotation followed, and which the terms of lease commonly stipulate, is the seven-shift, viz. 1. oats ; 2. oats ; 3. green crop ; 4. bear or bigg ; 5. hay ; 6. and 7. pasture. No wheat is ever grown, and very rarely English barley ; bear or chester being found much more suitable for the climate. The favourite oats, and, unquestionably, the best fitted for the climate, are, the early Angus and Scotch birley. The soil is well adapted for turnip, of which excellent crops are raised. A few globes are sown for early consumption, but the principal crop consists of green and red-top yellow. Swedes grow well, but they have given place to the red-top yellow turnip, which is found to keep as long good in spring, and yield a more abundant crop. Few potatoes are raised ; the soil suits them well, but they run great hazard of being ruined by early frosts. Leases. — The general duration of leases is nineteen years. The farm-buildings are generally of a superior description. The dwelling-houses are comfortable and commodious, and the offices neat squares of substantial stone and lime, with slated roofs. There are nine thrashing-mills in the parish driven by water, and one by horse power. There are four meal-mills, which on an ave- rage grind from 1600 to 2000 bolls per annum. Distance from market, and uncertainty of climate, are the great STftATHDON. 553 obstacles to agricultural improvement. In not a few instances these evils are aggravated by deficiency of agricultural capital. It unfortunately happens, such is the desire to possess a farm, arising perhaps from local attachment, that whenever a place be- comes vacant, an unwise competition takes place, which leads to the offer of higher rents than prudence can at all times justify. Quarries. — There are eight or ten quarries of limestone, which are regularly worked for the supply of the parish, and to meet a considerable demand from Kildrummy and Towie. The quality of the lime is excellent, being part of the same great bed of lime- stone wrought near Keith and at Ardonald. It is a singular fact, that all the limestone rocks lie on the north side of the Don, with the exception of one near Boilhandy. The lime is burned with peats, with the addition of a small quantity of coals when they can be obtained. A slate quarry was formerly wrought, but the quality being coarse, it has been long abandoned. Produce. — The statement of raw produce is given as taken in the year 1835-36, no year since having been nearly an average crop. The gross amount, as nearly as can be ascertained, is as follows : — Bear, 1302 quarters, at L.l, 5s. per quarter, . L.1627 10 Oats, 3574 at L.l, do. . 3574 Hay, 39,310 stones imperial, at 44d. per stone . 737 1 3 Grass fields let annually, . . 700 Turnip and potatoes, 466 imperial acres, at L.5 per acre, 2330 Black-cattle 21 15, of which one-third for sale, at L. 4, 5s. each, 2996 5 Sheep 8664, of which one-fourth for sale, at 10s. each, 1083 Butter, sold 2138 imperial stories, at 8s. 2d. per stone, 873 4 Eggs, sold 11,200 dozen, at 4d. per dozen, . 186 13 4 2560 pairs of stockings knitted, and sold at Is. per pair, 128 L.14235 9 11 Manufactures. — There is not anything deserving the name of a manufactory in the parish. At the wool-mill of Glenkindy, the average quantity of blankets and plaiden manufactured per annum is about 2220 yards ; listing 4000 yards ; woollen yarn spun 5800 cuts. The number of persons employed is 6. V. — Parochial Economy. Market-Town, — The nearest market-town is Aberdeen, forty- five miles distant ; but at Rhynie, eighteen miles distant, there is weekly an excellent market for butcher-meat. It is to Aberdeen that all the grain and other produce is driven, and from thence that all the merchandize, groceries, and coals are brought. There is no village in the parish, unless nine cottages at Heugh-head may be called one. 554 - ABEIIDEENSIIIIIE. Means of Commmtication. — The means of communication are good. Strathdon has a daily post. The turnpike road runs through it for eighteen miles, and terminates in Corgarff. There are also excellent cross roads, most of them made by the heritors within the last few years, on their different estates. There are three stone bridges over the Don. The old bridge of Pooldhulie was one of the two on the whole course of the river that withstood the flood of 1829 uninjured. Luib-bridge was built by Sir Charles Forbes in 1832, There is an iron bridge, with a span of forty feet, for the turnpike road, over the Nochty, and seven other stone bridges over different streams in the parish. A public coach runs to and from Aberdeen on alternate days during the summer. In the winter months it does not come farther up than Mossat, twelve miles distant. Ecclesiastical State. — The church is, upon the whole, perhaps as conveniently situated as well could be for the lower district of the parish. In a widely scattered population, such as this, there must necessarily be many families at too remote a distance for regular attendance on public worship at the parish church. The distance of the church from the eastern extremity of the parish is seven miles, and upwards of fifteen from the western ; but the greatest distance of any dwelling-house from the church is about twelve miles. The church was rebuilt in 1 757, and thirty years ago was ceiled and reseated. The main fault of it is its inadequacy for the accommodation of the congregation. It is seated for 304, but the average number of communicants of the united congregations, for five years previous to 1838, (and they all communicate at the parish church), is 860. The tenants of each heritor possess a right of sitting in the division of the church assigned them. All the sittings are free. A missionary minister, on the Royal Bounty, has been stationed at Corgarff" for upwards of 100 years. A new church, manse, and offices, which have already been alluded to, were built in 1835, and cost nearly L.IOOO. The missionary receives L. 60 per an- num, a croft, and right of pasturage, for so many sheep in the hill. Every attempt that has been made to obtain the usual grant for dispensing the sacrament of the Lord's supper at Corgarff, where the accommodations are now of the most superior descrip- tion, has hitherto unhappily not been attended with success.* " Since the above was written, the Royal Bounty Committee have allowed L.3 for this desirable purpose, and the Lord's Supper was this year (1840) dispensed for the first time. STRATIIDON. , 555 Manse, Sfc. — Very, large additions were made, or rather, it would be more correct to say, a new manse was built in 1831, while the chief part of the old one (built in 1791) was retained. Having been completely gutted, it joined well with the new build- ing, and it now possesses every convenience for a family. An excellent steading of offices was built at the same time. The glebe is about If of an acre in extent. The value may be estimated at L. 2, 12s. 6d. per annum. The stipend is L.190, 5s. OJgd. money, including L. 20 Scots for grass, and communion element money : meal, 2 bolls, 3 pecks, | lippie : bear, 1 boll, 1 firlot, 1 peck, | lippie, and 634 back-loads of peats, which, by an agreement between the heritors and minister in 1838, were com- muted for half-a-merk per load. There is a small Roman Catholic chapel in the upper district of the parish, in which service is performed once in three weeks. Ten years ago there were 69 Roman Catholics in the parish. The whole number is now 23, consisting of 6 families and 9 individuals. There is one Dissenting family in the parish, which came from Aberdeen some years ago. The number of Dissenters is 2. Divine service, both at the parish church and the missionary chapel, is attended in the most examplary manner. The number of families attending the Established Church is 283, or all in pa- rish excepting the 7 above-mentioned. The average number of communicants has already been stated to be 860, including, of course, those who communicate from neighbouring parishes. The average annual amount of church collections for religious and charitable objects, as ascertained in answer to the queries of the Church Commissioners^ was found to be, for three years pre- vious to 1835, L.14, 12s. lid. Education. — There are seven schools in the parish, exclusive of a sewing-school taught by a dress-maker ; one parochial ; three supported by the Society for the Propagation of Christian Know- ledge ; and three adventure schools taught only in winter. The branches taught at the parochial school are, reading, writing, arithmetic, mathematics, English grammar, geography, and Latin when required. The school is daily opened with prayer. A por- tion of scripture is read by each pupil, sufficiently advanced, every day; and prayers, psalms, and portions of scripture repeated weekly. The general expense of education is, English reading, 6d. per month ; reading and writing, 8d. per month ; do. do. with arith- metic or Latin, lOd. per month. The salary of the parochial 556 ABERDEENSHIRE. teacher is L. 28 per annum, with an allowance of L,2 in lieu of a garden. The amount of school-fees is about L. 8. The nominal amount is fully a third more, — but they are very irregularly paid. The number of pupils may be stated to be from 65 to 90 in win- ter, and from 35 to 50 in summer. The excellent accommoda- tions that have been recently provided have already been noticed. The present incumbent was appointed in 1803, but for nearly twenty years has been afflicted by the hand of God, and confined in a private asylum. An assistant and successor has been appoint- ed. He receives a very small portion (L. 3) of the salary ; the school-fees, and possesses the dwelling-house. He also receives a share of the funds under the management of the Trustees of the Dick Bequest. The three teachers supported by the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge receive L. 15 per annum of salary, and have the requisite accommodations of a house, croft, and fuel. Each of the schools is mo&t useful in the locality in which it is placed. In Corgarff the Roman Catholic children freely attend the Pro- testant school, read the Bible, and commit the Assembly's Cate- chism, and the Psalms to memory. Friendly Society. — The Lonach Highland and Friendly Society was instituted fifteen years ago. As its name imports, its object was twofold, viz. the preservation of the Highland garb, and the Celtic language; and also the establishment of a Friendly and Insurance Society for affording weekly allowances to sick members, and widows, and orphans. At the outset, owing to the imperfect knowledge of the equitable principles on which such institutions should be founded, this society was not free from some of the prevalent errors of the time. The want of proper caution and foresight in the enrolling members, early caused an undue pressure on the funds. Fortu- nately its capital was strong, and it surmounted its difficulties. Aided by the Report of the Highland Society upon Benefit Socie- ties, it is now conducted on sound principles, its funds are pros- perous, and it proves a most useful association. Poor and Parochial Funds. — The average number of indivi- duals permanently on the poor's roll, together with their families dependent upon them, for the three years prior to 1838, was 79. The average amount of payments to these during the same years, L. 74, Is. 4d. The average number of persons that received oc- casional relief during that period was 33, and the average amount paid to them, L. 17, 17s. 8d. The highest ordinary rate to in- STRATHDON. 557 dividual paupers on the permanent roll varies from 6s. to 8s. per montH, but this is only to totally helpless or bed-rid persons. The average amount of church collections in the above years, exclusive of the special collections formerly mentioned, was L. 55, Is. 8d. ; other voluntary contributions, L. 18, 8s. 5d. ; mortcloth dues and interest from funds, L. 32, 16s. 8d. The funds avail- able for the relief of the poor are the interest of Newe's Legacy of L. 500, less legacy duty, which is intrusted to the management of the minister and kirk-session for charitable purposes, whether to the relief of paupers or others ; likewise L. 100, less legacy duty, bequeathed to the poor by the late Miss Forbes of Bellabeg ; and other smaller sums, altogether amounting to L. 600, which is lent on interest. At no distant period, a very strong aversion existed to the re- ception of parochial relief. There are still not a few instances to be met with of that creditable spirit, but, it is to be feared, that honest independence which rejected the aid of the kirk-box is fast dying away, and but little feeling of degradation remains at re- ceiving eleemosynary aid. The writer must not omit to notice here, that some of the he- ritors annually, and others from time to time, give liberal dona- tions in money, meal, or clothing to the poor on their estates. Fairs. — There are five fairs or markets held in the parish du- ring the summer. The principal one is John's Fair, for cattle, sheep, and horses. Three are small cattle markets, and the re- maining one, Andermas Fair, at the end of harvest, for the sale of meal, fodder, &c. Inns and Alehouses.- — There is one inn in the parish, in which very good accommodation can be had. There are also five houses licensed to retail spirits. Five or six years ago, besides the inn above-mentioned, there were no less than eleven tippling houses. The minister has resolutely refused every application that has ever been made to him for a certificate to open a spirit- shop, and, by the cordial co-operation of the heritors, seven have been shut up. It is believed all the existing houses are as de- cently and well conducted as places of the kind can be ; but a still further reduction of their number would be of advantage to the moral welfare of the community. Fuel. — Peat, as may be conceived, is the common fuel of the country. Wood, as far as it can be obtained, is also used. Amongst the better classes, coal only is burned in rooms. English 558 ABERDEENSHIRE. coal alone is used, brought from Aberdeen. The price, according to the supply there, varies from 3s. 6d. to 4s. 6d., and the carriage is from 5s. to 7s. per boll. Miscellaneous Observations. Few parishes have undergone a greater change within the last forty years than Strathdon. The vast improvement of the coun- try, by reclaiming and planting of waste lands ; the drainage and enclosure of fields, and general introduction of the improved sys- tem of husbandry ; the opening up of the strath by a turnpike road running through the centre of the parish ; and the formation of good cross-roads, with stone bridges over the different streams ; the elegant and commodious residences of the proprietors ; and the comfortable slated dwelling-houses and substantial farm-offices of the tenantry, are some of the more obvious marks of the pro- gress of cultivation. In the comparative state of the parish since the former Account was given, there are some remarkable differences. The real rent was then about L. 1600, now it is between L. 4000 and L. 5000. The old Account, speaking of improvements, states, " this practice (carrying out manure in creels) is still continued by almost all the tenants above the kirk, where two-thirds of the parish as to extent are situated. In the lower part of it, however, there are now upwards of fifty carts. One of the gentlemen keeps a carriage." There are at the present day 309 carts in the parish, and, with one exception, every proprietor keeps a carriage. On the other hand, the numbers of live-stock aresingularly coincident. Then, there were 8543 sheep, — now there are 8664 ; then, there were 2286 cattle, — now there are 2115. The number of horses, how- ever, was greatly more numerous, being 552, and now only 314. But the former Account says, "the ploughs are drawn some by 8, some by 10, and some by 12 cattle ; some by cattle and horses before them, and a great many by horses alone. All the tenants in Corgarff, and some in the other parts of the parish, yoke four horses abreast." Now, the horses are of a superior description, do vastly more work than all the formidable array here described, and, except for subsoil ploughing, there are never more than two in a plough. Such are some of the more striking variations betwixt the pre- sent state of the parish and that which existed at the time of the last Statistical Account; but what its capabihties may be for still STRATHDON. 559 further improvement, or how far the happiness of the productive classes might be increased, it would not be easy to determine. April 1838. Hevised and partly re-icritten April 1839. Earthquakes. — The writer avails himself of permission given him, while these sheets are passing through the press, to notice the in- teresting phenomenon that occurred in October 1839, of several distinct shocks of earthquakes. The most remarkable were those on the 17th and 23d of the month, — the former at ten minutes before three o'clock a. m., and the latter at twenty minutes past ten p. M. In both cases a rumbling noise preceded the concus- sion, which was accompanied with a tremulous and undulatory mo- tion, somewhat resembling the feeling on board ship when a wave strikies heavily against the bow of the vessel. The undulation was so violent, that, in some instances, people were turned round in their beds ; and the concussion so severe, that the doors slammed violently, and the glasses danced on the table. The concussion was most distinctly felt in the upper parts of the houses, and uni- versal testimony concurred in giving the direction from the south- west, — a fact which leads us to trace the connection of the shocks felt here with those at Comrie about the same period. The only other fact necessary to mention is, that the week pre- vious to the last shock, the weather was dry and favourable for harvest operations. The barometer had risen to 29.75. On the 22d there was a heavy rain from the east, which continued during the 23d, (the day of the shock), From that date the weather be- came completely broken. The barometer was carefully examined on both occasions, but did not appear, at the time, to be sensibly affected by either of the shocks. By a strange anomaly, however, it stood high during the long period of continued wet weather which followed. It is a remarkable circumstance, too, that the shock of an earthquake, which was felt here in 1816, (and which appears to have been much about the same in violence with those of last year,) was followed by a long track of wet weather, so that in that year, as in the last, the crop was wholly lost. December 1840. PARISH OF CHAPEL OF GARTOCH. PRESBYTERY OF GARIOCH, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. HENRY SIMSON, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name and Boundaries. — The ancient name of this parish was Logie Durno or Durnock, which is said to signify a low or hollow place. Before the Reformation, it would appear that there were three places of public worship in the parish, viz. Logie Durno, Fetternear, and a chapel, formerly called* Capella Beatse Msrise Virginis de Garryoch, where the present parochial church is now built. Early in the seventeenth century, the parsonage of Fetter- near, lying on the north side of the river Don, was annexed to that of Logie Durno on tlie north side of the Ury. The church w'as then transferred from Logie Durno to its present situation, at the east end of the hill of Benochie, on account of its being the most centrical part of the parish, and appointed to be called Chapel of Garioch, in a decree respecting the stipend obtained about that time. It is the seat of the Presbytery of Garioch, which consists of fifteen members, and forms one of the most convenient and compact presbyteries in Scotland ; no clergyman being farther dis- tant from the usual place of meeting than nine miles. The parish of Chapel of Garioch is 10 miles in length from north to south, and from 2 to 5 from east to west. It forms an irregular figure. Its greatest breadth at the northern^extremity is 5 miles, and at the southern 3; from whence it contracts, as it approaches towards the centre of the parish, where its greatest breadth does not exceed 2 miles. It is bounded on the north by the parishes of Rayne and Daviot ; on the east, by Bourtie, Keith- hall, and Inverury ; on the south, by Monymusk, and that part of the parish of Kemnay which lies on the south side of the river of Don ; and on the west, by the parish of Oyne, and hill of Benochie. Topographical Appearances. — The surface of the parish is un- even ; but can neither be said to be mountainous or hilly. There • Chart. Aberdon, p. 31. CHAPEL OF GARIOCH. 561 are two ridges of rising ground to the north and soutli of the Ury, which stretch from west to east, in a direction nearly parallel to it, and which are either planted or cultivated up to their summits. On the ridge to the south of the Ury the church is built ; by which the old road from Aberdeen to the upper part of the Ga- rioch and Cabrach went, previously to the present turnpike road being made. About half a mile to the east of the church, there is an eminence which commands an extensive view of the Garioch, and from which nine parochial churches, with as many manses, may be seen ; all of which, with the exception of Kinneller, are in the Presbytery of Garioch. Soil, Climate, 8fc. — The soil is of various characters. In some parts of the parish, it consists of a rich black loam, and in other parts, it has a considerable mixture of clay on a tilly bottom. On the banks of the rivers, it is generally of a strong gravel, in- termixed with vegetable mould. These soils produce fine grain, and early crops, considering their elevated situation ; and as an instance of the fertility of this district, it may be mentioned, that the Garioch has been considered and called the granary of Aber- deenshire. The climate is reckoned temperate and salubrious. There are no diseases peculiar to the inhabitants of this parish, who are in general remarkably healthy, and instances of longevity are numerous. Many persons in the parish have attained to the age of seventy, eighty, and even ninety years and upwards; which may in a great measure be attributed to the dry and bracing cli- mate, and to the temperate habits of the parishioners. Hydrography. — This parish is well supplied with excellent springs of water, which issue from gravelly soils. The only two rivers of any consequence connected with it are the Ury and the Don. The river Ury takes its rise in Strath bogie, and, after a course of about sixteen miles, following its windings, it enters this parish, and runs through it for about five or six miles. After leaving the confines of the parish, it moves onwards in its course for a mile and a half farther, dividing a part of the parish of Keith- hall from that of Inverury, and then falls into the Don, imme- diately below the said burgh. It is one of the finest trouting streams in the north of Scotland, and trouts have been caught in it weighing from one to five pounds. The river Don, which rises in the mountains between Aber- deen and Banffshire, about three miles above Corgarff, and empties itself into the German Ocean about a mile from Aberdeen, forms ABERDEEN. N U 562 ABERDEENSHIRE. the southern boundary of the parish for about three miles. Fol- lowing its turnings and windings, from the source to the mouth, it is about sixty-one miles in length, and in an ideal straight line about forty-two miles. It also abounds with salmon, eel, trout, and pike ; but the rod-fishing for salmon has been in this neigh- bourhood, for some years past, greatly deteriorated, in consequence of part of the water having been diverted from the channel of the river, to supply the various manufactories on the banks of the Don, in the vicinity of the city of Aberdeen. The salmon come up the river to spawn in the end of the month of September, and return again to the sea about the beginning of the month of April. Geology and Mineralogy. — The rocks consist chiefly of granite and whinstone. Their direction is from east to west, and they dip towards the north. Detached masses of these are also to be found scattered over the face of the country. It is rather a sin- gular circumstance, that almost the whole of the rocks to the north of the Ury, and for two miles to the south of it, are of whinstone ; whilst the remainder of the parish, for three miles to the south of a small stream called Burnervie, which issues from Benochie, is of granite. Cairngorums have been occasionally found here of con- siderable magnitude, and portions of the rock are sometimes stud- ded over with very minute crystals of it, which are generally very complete in their formation. The principal stones used for build- ing mansion-houses and farm -steadings in the neighbourhood, are obtained from the hill of Benochie, and also at its base in this parish. The chimney-pieces in the two drawing rooms of Logie Elphinstone are of Benochie granite, and the crystals of these specimens are similar to the Egyptian granite, which, although not so large in grain, yet admit of an equally good polish. A quarry of limestone was opened, some years ago, upon the estate of Pittodrie ; but, owing to the distance from coal, and as it was found to be neither pure, nor remunerating, it was soon given up. Zoology. — There are none of the rarer species of animals to be found in this parish ; but, under his head, the writer may remark that, among others more common, the following quadrupeds and birds have been seen in it, viz. red-deer, roebuck, hare, rabbit, fox, hedgehog, badger, polecat, weasel, otter ; wild goose, wild duck, teal, pheasant, woodcock, blackcock, fieldfare, raven, heron, snipe, magpie, jackdaw, swallow, sparrow hawk, bluehawk, corn- rail, grey owl, goldfinch, bullfinch, blackbird, thrush, and cuckoo. Some years ago, there was shot at Pittodrie, a great northern diver CRAPEL OF GARIOCH. 563 or ember goose, which was stuffed, and is now in the possession of Colonel Knight Erskine. II. — Civil History. Pictures. — Amongst many others, there are at Logie Elphin- stone, portraits of Bishop Elphinstone, of Charles Lord Elphin- stone, of Sir John and Sir James Elphinstone of Logie Elphin- stone, and other patrons of the parish of the same family; of Vis- count Dundee, of Count Patrick Leslie of Balquhain, and of Sir James Leslie of Pitcaple. Eminent Characters.— Sir Walter Farquhar, Bart, who was born at Peterhead, was son to the late Rev. Robert Farquhar, for many years minister of Chapel of Garioch. Having gone through a course of classical learning at the parochial school of that parish, he went to the University of Aberdeen, where, having finished his academical studies, he took his departure for London, and af- terwards became one of the physicians of King George IV. whilst Prince Regent. Land-oioners. — The land-owners, according to the valued rent of their respective properties, are as follows : Sir Robert Dalrymple Horn Elphinstone, Bart, of Lo^ Elphinstone, who is also patron of the parish, Ernest Leslie, Esq. of Balquhain, Colonel Knight Erskine of Pittodrie, r Hugh Lumsden, Esq. of Pitcaple, Patrick Irvine, Esq. of Inveramsy, Captain Skene of Lethinty, James Gordon, Esq. of Manar, Hary Leith Lumsden, Esq. of Auchindoir, Robert Grant, Esq. of Tillyfour, Sir James Grant, Bart, of Monymusk, Colonel Gordon of Cluny, Roderick Mackenzie, Esq. of Glack, Parochial Registers. — The records of the kirk-session begin on the 9th of May 1714, and from that time to the present period, they appear to have been accurately kept. There are four vo- lumes of these records. There are two volumes of baptismal re- gisters, which have been rather irregularly kept till within these few years. They begin upon the 6th of May 1763. The regis- ter of marriages only commences in the year 1817 | and there is no register of burials. Antiquities. — About half a mile to the south-east of the church is to be seen the old ruinous castle of Balquhain, the ancient seat of the Leslies of Balquhain. In it Queen Mary spent a day in her journey to the north, which terminated in the battle of Cor- richie ; and at which time, it is said, she attended mass in the church of Chapel of Garioch. This castle is of so great antiquity, that L.1285 18 4 873 1 8 565 3 2 517 3 8 438 433 6 8 234 19 10 158 129 40 40 19 564 ABERDEENSHIRE. there is no tradition of its erection ; but it is said to have been burnt to the ground by the Duke of Cumberland in the year 1746. The walls are six feet thick, and the cement almost as hard as the stone. From it, there is one of the finest echoes in Scotland. There is also, at a short distance to the east of it, a Druidical circle, which is very entire. About a mile to the north of it, the tenant in Mains of Balquhain, about three years ago, in trenching a piece of barren ground, called the Gallow Hill, dug up three human sculls, which, from the name of the spot, were supposed to have belonged to criminals or vassals in the fedual ages. The Castle of Pitcaple, which is situated on the south bank of the Ury, is also an ancient building ; but a considerable addition was recently made to it, according to a plan prepared by Mr Wil- liam Burn of Edinburgh, whose taste in this department of archi- tecture is generally acknowledged. There are various historical traditions connected with the old castle, some of which may be mentioned. The celebrated but unfortunate Marquis of Montrose, after mak- ing his final attempt to support the royal cause in the northern part of Scotland, was defeated by the Covenanters in Sutherland, and obliged to borrow the clothes of a poor Highlander, in the hope of escaping from his enemies. In this habit he traversed the mountains for a few days ; but, being at length exhausted by hunger and fatigue, he was induced to throw himself on the ho- nour and humanity of Macleod of Assynt, to whqse castle he re- paired, not doubting that Macleod, who had been formerly amongst his followers, would afford him an asylum in this period of adversity. Macleod betrayed his commander, and delivered him up to Generals Leslie and Strachan. In the course of their progress southward, they arrived at Pit- caple, on which occasion this illustrious nobleman, in his misera- ble costume, was seated on a Highland pony, having his feet tied underneath with straw ropes. Before him rode a herald, exclaim- ing " Here comes James Graham, a traitor to his country." The Laird of Pitcaple's wife, who was cousin to Montrose, hu- manely offered her assistance towards facilitating his escape. She showed him a hole in the wall, resembling a chimney vent, commu- nicating betwixt the room where he was detained, and a subterra- neous passage, and she advised him to creep down throug^h it. But on examining the place, he said, " Rather than go down to be 3 CHAPEL OF GARIOCH. 565 smothered in that hole, I will take my chance at Edinburgh." The room in which he was confined is called Montrose's room to this day. The circumstances now detailed must have taken place in the month of April 1650, as Montrose landed in Orkney in the be- ginning of March, and was executed at Edinburgh upon the 21st of May that year. In the month of July, the same year, King Charles II. having sailed from Holland, landed at Garmouth upon the Spey, from whence he proceeded to rest at the Bog of Gight, now Gordon Castle. When on his journey southward, the King sent notice to Leslie of Pitcaple that he was to dine with him. Pitcaple re- ceived the communication in the market called St Sair's Fair, and hearing that his Majesty was attended by a considerable number of followers, he was apprehensive of his stock of wine not being sufficient, and he purchased all the claret in the market, to aid in entertaining the Royal party. When Charles crossed the Ury, near the Castle of Pitcaple, he is said to have been struck with the luxuriancy of the crop, observ- ing that it reminded him of dear England. The farm, to which this remark was applied, has ever since been called England, and is still known by this name. On the occasion of the Royal visit, a ball took place here, and the party danced under the thorn tree which still stands on the lawn, and which is said to be one of the largest thorn trees in Great Britain.* When Charles took his departure from Pitcaple, the Duke of Buckingham was on his right hand, and the Marquis of Argfyle on his left. It will readily be believed that so interesting a spec- tacle would attract a great number of the people in the neighbour- hood. Among the multitude, and perched on the top of a dike, was the "good wife" of Glack, who, nothing daunted by the pre- sence of Argyle, exclaimed with a shrill voice, " God bless your Majesty, and send you to your ain ; but they are on your left hand that helped to tak aff your father's head, and if ye tak na care, they will hae aif your's next." There is also another tradition, that, upon a certain occasion, when there was a garrison of Covenanters in the Castle of Pitcaple, they expected a party of their friends to celebrate a marriage on the lawn. The opposite party having become aware of this cir- * Dr Keith's Agricultural Survey of Aberdeenshire, p. 117. 5€6 ABERDEENSHIRE. cumstance, very ingeniously availed themselves of the information, by decking themselves out as people attending a wedding ; and having brought with them a piper, they commenced dancing on the green. The garrison speedily went out to join them, when their enemies dancing around to intercept them, pulled up the draw-bridge, and thus obtained possession of the castle without violence or bloodshed. The traditions now detailed were communicated by the late Miss Lumsden of Pitcaple, the great grand-daughter of the laird who received King Charles as above, and who afterwards accom- panied the King to Worcester. Battle of Harlatc. — Upon the 24th of July 1411, on St James's Even, the memorable and bloody battle of Harlaw was fought in this parish, between Alexander Earl of Mar, who commanded the Royal army, and Donald, Lord of the Isles. Donald having pass- ed through Ross- shire, and having afterwards ravaged Moray, Strathbogie, and the Garioch, promised his followers a rich booty ,in the plunder of Aberdeen. The Duke of Albany, then Regent, alarmed at the progress of Donald, sent a commission to Alexan- der Earl of Mar to levy forces and oppose him. The Earl,* in a very short time, found himself at the head of the whole power of Mar and Garryach (Garioch,) in addition to that of Angus and the Mearns ; Sir Alexander Ogilvie, Sheriff of Angus ; Sir James Scrymgeour, Constable of Dundee, and hereditary Standard-bear- er of Scotland ; Sir Alexander Irvine, Sir Robert Melville, Sir William de Abernethy, nephew to Albany, and many other ba- rons and esquires, with their feudal services, joined him with dis- played banner; and Sir Robert Davidson, the Provost of Aber- deen, and a troop of the stoutest burgesses, came boldly forward to defend their hearths and their stalls from the ravages of the Island King. Mar immediately advanced from Aberdeen, and, marching by Inverury, came in sight of the Highlanders at the village of Har- law, on the Water of Ury, not far from its junction with the Don. He found that his little army was immensely out-number- ed, it is said, by nearly ten to one; but it consisted of the bravest barons in these parts ; and his experience had taught him to con- sider a single knight in steel as a fair match against a whole troop of ketherans. Without delay, therefore, he intrusted the leading of the vaward to the Constable of Dundee, and Ogilvy, the She- * Tyiler's History of Scotland, Voll. iii. pp. 173-74-75. CHAPEL OF GARIOCH. 567 riff of Angus, who had with them a small but compact battalion of knights and menat-arms; whilst he himself followed with the rearward, composed of the main strength of his army, including the Irvines of Drum, the Maules, the Morays, the Straitons, the Leslies, the Stirling's, the Levels, headed by their chiefs, and with their banners and penoncelles waving amid their grove of spears. Of the Islesmen and Highlanders the principal leaders were, the Lord of the Isles himself, with Macintosh and Mac- lean, the heads of their respective septs, and innumerable other chiefs and chieftains, animated by the old and deep-rooted hosti- lity between the Celtic and Saxon race. The shock between two such armies may be easily imagined to have been awful, — the Highlanders, who were 10,000 strong, rushing on with the fierce shouts and yells which it was their cus- tom to raise in coming into battle, and the knights meeting them with levelled spears, and ponderous maces and battle-axes, which inflicted ghastly wounds upon their half-armed opponents. In his first onset Scrymgeour, and the knights and bannerets who fought under him, with little difficulty drove back the mass of Islesmen, and, cutting his way through their thick columns, made a dreadful slaughter. But, though hundreds fell around him, thousands poured in to supply their place, more fierce and fresh than their predecessors; whilst Mar, who had penetrated with his main army into the very heart of the enemy, found himself in the same diffi- culties, becoming every moment more tired with the slaughter, more encumbered with the numbers of the slain, and less able to resist the increasing ferocity and reckless courage of the masses that still yelled and fought. around him. It was impossible that this should continue much longer without making a fatal impres- sion against the Scots, and the effects of fatigue were soon seen. The Constable of Dundee was slain ; and the Highlanders, en- couraged by his fall, wielded their broadswords and Lochaber-axes with murderous effect, seizing and stabbing the horses, and pull- ing down their riders, whom they dispatched with their daggers. In this way were slain some of the best and bravest soldiers of these northern districts, ^ir Robert Davidson, with the greater part of the stalwart burgesses who fought around him, were amongst the number ; and many of the families lost not only their chief, but every male in the house. Leslie of Balquhain, a baron of a noble and ancient lineage, is said to have fallen, with six of his sons slain beside him. The Sheriff of Angus, with his eldest son, George 568 ABLllDEENSHIRE. Ogilvy; Sir Alexander Irvine of Drum,* Sir Robert Maule, Sir Thomas Moray, William Abernethy, Alexander Straiten of Lauris- ton, James Lovel, Alexander Stirling, and above five hundred men- at-arms, including the principal gentry of Buchan, shared their fate; f whilst Mar himself, and a small number of survivors, still continued the battle till nightfall, when the slaughter ceased, and it was found in the morning that the Island Lord had retreated,| checked and broken certainly by the desperate contest, but neither conquered, nor very effectually repulsed. Mar, on the contrary, although he passed the night on the field, did so, not in the tri- umphant assertion of victory, but from the effects of wounds and exhaustion. The best and bravest of his friends were stretched in their last sleep around him, and he found himself totally unable to pursue the retreat of the Islesmen. Amongst those of the Highlanders who fell, were the chiefs of Maclean and Macintosh,^ with upwards of nine hundred men ; a small loss compared with that sustained by the Lowlanders. From the ferocity with which this battle was contested, and the dismal spectacle of civil war exhibited to the country, it appears to have made a deep impres- sion on the national mind. It fixed itself on the music and the poetry of Scotland. A march called the Battle of Harlaw continued to be a popular air, down to the time of Drummond of Hawthorn- den ; and a spirited ballad on the same event is still repeated in our own age, describing the meeting of the armies and the death of the chiefs in no ignoble strain. § Soon after the battle, a coun- cil general was held by the governor, in which a statute was pass- ed in favour of the heirs of those who had died in defence of the country, exempting them from the feudal fines usually exacted, be- ' There is a tradition in the family of Irvine of Drum that the Laird of Maclean was slain by Sir Alexander Irvine. Genealogical Collections, MS. Advocates' Li- brary, Jac. V. 4, 16, Vol. i. p. 180. Irvine was buried on the field, where in antient times a cairn marked the place of his interment, which was long known by the name of Drum's Cairn. Kennedy's Annals of Aberdeen, Vol. i. p. 31. . This cairn is still in existence (1834) upon the field of battle, and is known J^y the name of Drum's Cairn. t Fordun a Hearne, pp. 1173-76, Extracta ex Chronicis Scotis, MS. fol. 257. 4r Here it may perhaps be considered as not out of place to remark, that, in de- scribing the result of the battle of Harlaw, Mr Tytler has fallen into an important topographical en-or in stating that the army of the Isles retreated " by Inverury and the Hill of Benochie," — Inverury being in fact'two miles south of the field of battle in the rear of the Royal army, and directly on thf road to Aberdeen, and the Hill of Benochie being nearly due -west from the field; whereas there is every reason to sup- pose that the retreating army retraced their steps by the common route to the north, passing through the gorges of the Foudland hills, and that they fell back upon those districts, from which their force had been so considerably increased, on their advance southwards. § Battle of Harlaw, La'ng's Early Metrical Tales, p. 229. CHAPEL OF GARIOCH. 5G9 fore they entered upon possession of their estates, and permitting them, although minors, immediately to serve heirs to their lands. Bruce, on the eve of the battle of Bannockburn, encouraged his troops by a promise of the like nature.* Buchanan also observes, that, in the Battle of Harlavi^, there perished more noble and illustrious men, than had fallen in foreign warfare during many years ; and a village, formerly obscure, be- came distinguished to after ages. In the immediate neighbourhood, two cairns were opened a few years ago. In the first, nothing was found but ashes ; and in the other, a stone coffin of rude workmanship, containing hu- man bones, and also ashes. There are other two cairns upon the field of battle, still left untouched. The one, as formerly men- . tioned, is called Drum's Cairn, and the other Maclean's Grave.f The field upon which, it is said, the battle was fought, is about a quarter of a mile to the south-east of the farm of Harlaw, and still goes by the name of the Pley Fauld. About a hundred yards to the west of said farm, is to be seen a large whinstone, about 7 feet in heiglit and 2 in breadth, which is called the Liggar's Stane, and which is said to have been put up in its present situation, to mark the spot where the females who followed the soldiers, and who were slain in the battle, were buried. A few years ago, there were two of these stones ; but at that time, one of them was re- moved by a farmer in the neighbourhood ; and after being broken down, was put into his house which was then building. In the Genealogical Collections of Macfarlane, preserved in the Advocates' Library,;}: (as mentioned by Tytler,) there is a manuscript account of the family of Maclean, which informs us that Lauchlan Lubanich had by M'Donald's daughter a son, called Eachin Rusidth ni Cath, or Hector Rufus Bellicosus. He commanded as lieutenant-general under the Earl of Ross at the Battle of Harlaw in 1411, where he and Irvine of Drum, seeking out one another by their armorial bearings on their shields, met and killed each other. He was married to a daughter of the Earl of Douglas. " The fact mentioned in the text is proved by a retour in the Chartulary of Aber- deen, fol. 121, in favour of Andrew de Tulidef, whose father, William de Tulidef, was slain at Harlaw. f In the year 1837, when the tenant at Harlaw was trenching a piece of barren ground, about a quarter of a mile to the north of the field of battle, he dug up the bones of about twelve human bodies. Part of a scull, and of the thigh bones, are in the possession of the writer hereof. The place in which they were found was a trench about 34 feet deep, 4 feet wide, and 12 feet in length. X MS. Jac. V. 4, 16, Vol. i. p. 180. 570 ABEUDEEiNSIlIRE. In the manuscript Geographical Description of Scotland, col- lected by the same industrious antiquary, (Advocates' Library, Vol. i. p. 7,) it is mentioned, that to the west of the field of battle about half a mile, is a farmer's house, called Legget's Den,* hard by, in which is a tomb built in the form of a malt steep, of four large stones covered with a broad stone above, where, as the country people generally report, Donald of the Isles lies buried, being slain in the battle, and therefore they call it commonly Donald's Tomb. So far the manuscript. It is certain, however, says Tytler, that the Lord of the Isles was not slain. This may probably be the tomb of the chief of Maclean or Macintosh, both of whom fell in the battle. It is more likely to have been Macin- tosh's tomb, as Maclean's grave, as formerly mentioned, is still pointed out on the field of battle. Some of the stones com- posing this tomb, were in the situation as above described, till about thirty years ago, when the tenant unfortunately removed them. One of them is still shown as forming part of an embank- ment to prevent the river of Ury from encroaching upon the farm of Mill of Pitcaple ; but what became of the others is unknown. To the north of the House of Pitcaple, there are traces of an ancient camp; immediately adjoining to which, the foundation of an old bridge across the Ury was, some years ago, discovered. It is said that Lollius Urbicus, the gallant general of Antoni- nus Pius, crossed the Don at Inverury, passing Harlaw and Pits- curry in Chapel of Garioch, near to the latter of which places are the remains of a Roman post, placed there, as is supposed, to keep up their communications between the camps of Peterculter and Glen-mailen, about twenty-six statute miles from each other. Chalmers in his Caledonia observes, that there is indeed reason to believe, that there are traces of roads which may have been made by Roman hands, farther north than that which went across the moor at Brechin, where vestiges of it appear pointing to Keith- ock. In Aberdeenshire, between the rivers Don and Ury, on the-eastern side of Benochie, there exists an ancient road,f which is known in the country by the appropriate name of the Maiden Causeway. X It proceeds from Benochie, whereon there was a * There is a tradition still prevalent in the parish, that this farm was so named, in consequence of a conference having been held here, between one of the Kings of Scotland and a Pope's legate. t The traces of this ancient road are still visible. :{: Some of the Roman roads in the north of England arc distinguished by the same name of Maiden Causeway. CHAPEL OF GARIOCII. 571 hill fort, more than the distance of a mile, into the woods of Pit- todrie, where it disappears from the most inquisitive sight. It is paved with stones, is about 14 feet wide, and has every appear- ance of a vicinal way of the Romans. This Maiden-way (says Colonel Shand) is on the west side of the ninth Iter on its course from the Don to the springs of Ithan, (the Ituna of Richard, where the camp of Glen-mailen was placed,) the station of Rae- dikes. If this way were continued in its appropriate direction, it would join the tract of the Iter near the river of Ury, and conti- guous to the supposed Roman post. About a quarter of a mile to the north of the supposed Roman post, there was dug up about two years ago, within four inches of the surface, a stone coffin of rude workmanship pontaining human bones, and a Roman urn of baked clay filled with ashes, which is now in the possession of SirRobert Dalrymple Home Elphinstone, Bart. The scull and jaw bones, together with the teeth, were very entire. The coffin was composed of five stones. It had on each side and on each end of it, a rude granite flag, and was covered with a slab of the same material. It was four feet in length, two in breadth, one and a half in depth, and the cover one stone, mea- suring five feet by three. Another Roman urn of baked clay, containing human bones, which had been exposed to the action of fire, was dug up, in 1838, betwixt Pitcaple House and the Ury, and is now in Mr Lumsden's possession. To the west of the House of Logie Elphinstone, and about a quarter of a mile distant from it, the tenant of Craigmill, about three years ago, when trenching a piece of barren ground, dug up a stone coffin, in which ashes only were deposited. Nothing, how- ever, was found to elucidate the time and occasion of its being placed there ; but as it was surrounded by a cairn of stones, it marked, in all probability, the spot where one of the chieftains of Donald of the Isles was buried, in his retreat to Ross-shire and the Isles from the battle of Harlaw. About half a-mile to the north-west of the church, is to be seen a large stone, called the Maiden Stone, which is ten feet high above ground, two feet and ten inches broad, and about ten inch- es thick. It is supposed to be about six feet below the surface of the ground. Upon it there are several curious hieroglyphical fi- gures cut. The occasion of its erection is unknown ; but there is a tradition that there existed a feud betwixt the Laird of Balqu- hain, and the neighbouring proprietor of Harthill, which was carried 572 ABERDEENSHIRE. to such a height, that they had no intercourse with each other. Not- withstanding of this, it is reported that the daughter of the for- mer and the son of the latter became attached to each other. Up- on an appointed day, the young people set off together, when their flight being immediately communicated to the Laird of Balquhain, he pursued them with as many of his vassals as he could collect, and having overtaken the fugitives at the place where the stone is erected, a rencontre took place, in which the young lady was un- fortunately killed. Afterwards, this stone Avas erected to her me- mory, and from hence called the Maiden Stone. In the opinion of some antiquaries, the heiroglyphics upon it are Danish. ' It might have, also, had some connection with the Maiden Causeway on the hill of Benochie, as it is about equidistant betwixt it and the supposed Roman post near Pitcaple House. The ruins of the Church of Logie Durno, in the lands of Logie Elphinstone, and of Fetternear,* in the lands of Balquhain, w-ith their accompanying cemeteries, completely surrounded with wood, are still visible. Mansion Houses. — There are four mansion-houses in the pa- rish, viz. Logie- Elphinstone, the residence of Sir Robert Dalrym- ple Horn Elphinstone, Bart. ; Pittodrie, the residence of Colonel Knight Erskine. Balquhain, the residence of Ernest Leslie, Esq. ; and Pitcaple, the residence of Hugh Lumsden, Esq. Sheriff of Sutherlandshire. Logie Elphinstone is upon the north, and Pit- caple upon the south bank of the Ury. Pittodrie is upon an ele- vated situation on the east side of Benochie, and commands an extensive prospect of the rich valley of the Garioch. Fetternear (once the residence of the Bishop of Aberdeen, f) is upon the north bank of the Don. They are all elegant, commodious, and spa- cious mansions, surrounded by fertile fields, and well-wooded ; and have excellent gardens, avenues, and fields laid out with great taste. Mills, ^c. — There are in the parish seven corn-mills, with five barley mills attached to them ; another barley-mill ; two mills for carding^and spinning wool ; a lint-mill ; and three saw-mills. The mansion-houses of the resident proprietors, together with " It appears that there was a chapel built at Fetternear in the year II09, which received from his Majesty Malcolm IV., a charter dated 20th August 1160. — Orem's History of Old Aberdeen: j- The House of Fetternear was built in 1329. by Alexander Kininmonfh, Bishop of Aberdeen, for a summer lodging to the Bishops of Aberdeen, when coming to sur- vey the canons and priests of Fetternear Chapel, about 230 yards from the Bishop's lodging — Orem. CHAPEL OF GARIOCH. 573 the church, manse, and school-house are built of granite. Some of the mills and farm-steadings are also built of granite, and others of them of whinstone. III. — Population. In the year 1755, the population, according to Dr Webster, was 1351 1793, ..... 986 1801, ..... 12-24 1811 1207 1818, ..... 1543 1821, .... . 1616 1831, - - - - - 1873 Males, - ... . 938 Females, .... 935 The increase of the population seems chiefly to have arisen from the hitherto uncultivated parts of the parish having been converted into arable land, and cottages built for the occupants ; and also from the improved system of husbandry which is now fol- lowed in this part of the country. Tlie number of families in the parish is, . - - 386 families chiefly employed in agriculture, - 319 trade, manufactures, or handicraft, 61 all other families, - - . . 6 Average number of children in each family, is about, - - 3 The average number of births yearly, for the last seven years is, - 51 marriages, ... 16 deaths in 1834, ... 24 The average number of persons under 15 years of age, is - - 646 betwixt 15 and 30, - - 485 30 and 50, - - - 394 50 and 70. - - 236 70 and 80, . - - 75 above 80, ... 37 The oldest woman, at present, living in the parfsh is ninety-eight years of age ; the oldest man, ninety-one ; and both are enjoying good health. One woman died last year aged ninety-four, and another two years ago, aged hinety-two. The number of individuals or families of independent fortune residing in the parish, 4 of proprietors of land of the yearly value of L. 50 and upwards, 10 of unmarried men, bachelors, and widowers, upwards of 50 years of age is, - - . _ . 32 of unmarried women upwards of 45, including widows is, 82 The number of inhabited houses is, _ . . . 378 of houses uninhabited or now building is, - - 4 The people in this parish are, in general, a tall, robust, hardy race, and patient of fatigue. There are two fatuous persons in the parish. In their general character, the people are sober, cleanly, industri- ous, and charitable to thepoor; decent and exemplary in their attend- ance on religious ordinances ; and appear to be quite contented with their situation and circumstances. Their ordinary food con- sists of the different preparations of oatmeal, of potatoes, of greens, 574 ABERDEENSHIRE, and milk, and occasionally of a little beef at Christmas, — at which period the generality of farmers kill and salt a mart for family use. The parishioners are neither addicted to poaching in game, nor in the salmon-fisheries. IV. — Industry. Agricultural and Rural Economy, — The number of acres in this parish cannot be correctly ascertained ; for whilst some of the pro • prietorshave accurate plans of their estates lately made out, there are others whose plans are from sixty to one hundred years old, and they cannot be altogether relied upon ; besides, there are some farms which have never been measured ; at any rate, no plan giv- ing the amount of their contents, can be found. The writer hereof, however, has done all that was in his power to remedy this defect, by inquiring at tenants and others who could give him any infor- mation upon the subject, and if there are any mistakes, he is quite satisfied that they have been unintentional on the part of those to whom he has applied. The number of acres, standard imperial measure, in the parish, - 11,427 which are either cultivated or occasionally in tillage, including 12 acres in gardens and orchards, - 8,342 that might be added to the cultivated land of the parish, whether that land were afterwards to be kept in oc- casional tillage or permanent pasture, - 896 that never have been cultivated, and which remain con- stantly waste, - - . 114* in moss, - - - - 110 under wood, the greater part of which has been planted within the last thirty years, - - 1,965 The general kind of trees planted consists of larch, spruce, and Scotch firs ; but the mansion-houses and lawns of the resident proprietors are ornamented with fine old trees, such as ash, elm, beech, birch, horse-chestnut, and plane. The soil appears parti- cularly congenial to all kinds of trees. Rent of Land. — The rent of arable land per Scotch acre is from L.2 to L.2, 10s. for infield, and from 8s. to 16s. for outfield, ave- raging about 1 7s. 6d. per acre, and giving a rental for the parish of L.6000. The average rent of grazing is about L.3 for a cow or full-grown ox; L.l, 10s. for a two-year old ; and L.l for a year old. Rate of Wages.— ~K good ploughman gets from L.IO to L.14 per annum, and a woman servant, L.3 in summer, and L.2 in win- * If the east front of Benochie to the top of the hill was to be included in the mea- surement, it would make an addition of from 1000 to 2000 acres to the waste lands of the parish ; but as it is somewhat doubtful whether it belongs to the parish of Oyne or to that of Chapel of Garioch, it has not been taken into the calculation. 4 CHAPEL OF GARIOCFI. 575 ter, with victuals. In the time of harvest, men's wages are from L.2 to L.2, 10s., and women's from L.l, 10s. to L.2, with victuals. Common labourers have from Is. 6d. to 2s. in summer, and from Is. to Is. 6d. in winter. A mason and carpenter's wages is about 2s. lOd. in summer, and Is. lOd. in winter. An excellent wooden plough fully mounted costs L.3; a cart, L.IO ; and a pair of har- rows, L.l. Live-Stock. — To the improvement of the breed of cattle in this parish, great attention has been paid. A great proportion of them are of the Aberdeenshire and Buchan polled breeds, with a cross betwixt both. There are very few of the old Aberdeenshire horn- ed cattle in the country ; but the proprietors of this county pro- pose next year to give premiums, in order to encourage farmers to rear a greater number of this breed, which were always much ad- mired, both for their symmetry and many valuable qualities; and which would make their total loss a matter of serious regret to the aoricultural interest. Aberdeenshire cattle are held in high esti- mation by the English graziers, who fatten for the Smithfield mar- ket, and during the winter a great many in this parish are fed upon turnips and straw, and are either sold to the butcher, or sent by sea to London. Husbandry. — The system of husbandry pursued is, in most cases, a seventh rotation. In breaking up the lea or pasture ground, which has lain in grass for three seasons, the first crop is oats ; 2. oats ; 3. turnips or potatoes, having the soil well manured ; 4. oats, bear, or barley, sown down with rye-grass and clover seeds ; £. hay ; 6. pasture ; 7. pasture. A few acres of wheat are also sown annually after potatoes or summer- fallow, and good crops of it are produced. It has not been hitherto much cultivated ; but as there have been such fine seasons of late, and the climate hav- ing been much improved by extensive drainage, farmers are find- ing the culture of it profitable, and several of them have sown small patches of it, this year, who never before attempted to raise such a crop. Turnips have been for many years cultivated largely in the pa- rish, and the introduction of bone-manure has enabled the farmer to raise a greater quantity of them, and by this means to improve his ground, and also to rear and fatten more cattle for the butcher. A large extent of waste ground has been reclaimed within the last fifty years, and a considerable proportion of the fields have been enclosed with stone dikes. 576 ABEllDEENSHIUE. The duration of leases is nineteen years, and every encourage- ment has been given by the proprietors to respectable and indus- trious tenants. The greater part of the farm buildings are excel- lent, commodious, and suitable to the occupants. The landlords are not much given to change, and consequently the tenants are seldom turned out of their possessions. Indeed, many of the an- cestors of the present generation for more than a century have been inhabitants of the parish, and, in several instances, were tacks- men of the same farms which their descendants now occupy.. There are at present living upon the lands of Logie Elphinstone three brothers and two sisters, all above seventy years of age, and whose united ages amount to 390 years. With the excep- tion of eleven years residence in a neighbouring parish, they, to- gether with their paternal and maternal ancestors, have been te- nants in the parish for about 120 years. Produce. — The average gross amount of raw produce yearly raised in the parish, as nearly as that can be ascertained, is as follows : — Of 3570 imperial acres in corn crop of all the different kinds, whe- ther cultivated for food of man or the domestic animals, at L.3, 12s. per acre, exclusive of seed, - - L. 12,852 Of 1056 imperial acres of turnips at L.3, 5s. per acre, - 3,432 Of 134 do. do. of potatoes at L.4, 16s. per acre, - - 643 Of 1190 do. do. of hay cultivated at L. 2, 2s. per acre, - 2499 Of 2380 do. do. of first and second year's pasture at L.l per acre, 2-380 Of 12 do. do. of gardens and orchards, - - 150 Of crops cultivated for the arts, as flax, - - 40 Of the annual thinning and periodical felling of woods, plantations, &c. 100 Total yearly value of raw produce, - L. 22,096 4 V. — Parochial Economy. Market-Town. — The parish contains neither village nor town. The nearest market-town is Inverury, which is distant from the church about four or five miles. There is now a post-office at Pitcaple, which is of great advantage to the neighbourhood. Means of Communication. — The parish is well supplied with roads. There are four miles and a half of turnpike road, and thirty-five of statute-labour. The roads and bridges are kept in a good state of repair. The south mail from Aberdeen, and the north mail from Inverness, generally meet each other daily in the parish about ten o'clock every morning. There are also three stage coaches, which pass every lawful day to and from Aberdeen through the parish ; besides carriers from Huntly, Keith, and other parts of the country on their way to Aberdeen. Ecclesiastical State. — The parish church was built in 1813. It 4 CHAPEL OF GARIOCH. bit is a substantial edifice, built of granite, and in very good repair. It is situated as nearly as possible in the centre of the parish, as to its territorial boundaries (being about five miles from the south- ern, and the like distance from the northern extremities) ; but it unfortunately happens that the most populous parts of the parish are at the two extremities, and near to the old church of Logie Durno, and the parsonage of Fetternear. The Established Church is the only place of public worship in the parish, and accommodates from 750 to 800 persons. With the exception of the minister's and elders' seats, each of the heritors has his proportion of the church allotted for his own family, and also for his tenants, so that it may be said that all the seats are free.* The manse was built in the year 1789 : an addition was made to it in 1814, and another addition in 1831. It is now a large, comfortable, and commodious house, and one of the best manses in the country. The glebe is 18 imperial acres in extent, and is worth about L.'25 Sterling per annum. The stipend is 16 chalders Linlithgow measure, half meal, half barley, according to the fiar prices of the county, together with L. 8, 6s. 8d. for communion elements. The average amount for the last seven years, exclusive of communion elements, is L. 216, 12s. Ifd. The last augmentation was obtained in 1826, leaving the teinds unexhausted. * In 1839, a very neat church, capable of containing 500 sitters, was erected at BlairdafF, in the south side of this parish, about four miles and a half distant from the church of Chapel of Garioch. Itis placed in a beautiful situation, and com- pletely surrounded with wood. Besides the portion of this parish lying to the south, a part of the parishes of Oyne and Monymusk, containing in the three parishes a po- pulation of more than 1000 souls, are accommodated by this erection. The ex- pense of the church was about L. 300, and was defrayed by subscriptions from some . of the heritors and parishioners of Chapel of Garioch, Oyne, and Monymusk; from the ministers of the presbytery of Garioch, and other charitable individuals connected with this part of the country; and also from a liberal grant from the General Assembly's Church Extension fund. The ground on which the church is built, and that intend- ed tor a burial ground, containing in whole about a Scots acre, was most handsomely conveyed over by Robert Grant, Ksq. of Tillyfour, to the minister and elders of the parish of Chapel of Gaiioch, and their successors in office, the minister and elders of s.iid parish, in all time coming, for the payment of one penny Scotch, in name of blench farm at Whitsunday yearly, upon the ground, if asked only. There is no debt upon the building. The church was opened for public worship upon the 9th day of June 1839, and since that period has been always well attended. At the dispensation of the sacrament of our Lord's Supper this year (1840) in the new church, there were 318 communicants. It is much to be regretted that an endowrcent cannot be obtained for this church, as the hearers in the neighbourhood are in general so poor, that they can afford to give but little for the support even of a preacher to officiate each Lord's day. ABERDEEN. '>0 578 ABERDEENSHIRE. The numbers belonging to the Established Church are, of fa- milies, 367 ; of individuals, 1763. The numbers belonging to Dis- senters and Seceders are, of families of Episcopalians, 9 ; of Ro- man Catholics, 6; of Independents, 3; of Seceders, 1. Of in- dividuals, including parents and children. Episcopalians, 52; Ro- man Catholics, 29; Independents, 19; and Seceders, 10. Divine service in the Established Church and in the new church is exceedingly well attended. The number of communicants in the church of Chapel of Garioch, at the last dispensation of the sacrament, was 807. There are from 34 to 40 young communicants annually, and they generally communicate for the first time, when they are about sixteen years of age. . Edvcation. — The total number of schools in the parish six, — one parochial ; two receive each from the heritors annually L.3, 3s. ; another unendowed : two are schools taught by females, one of whom has a salary of L. 20, and the other a salary of L. 10 from two benevolent ladies connected with the parish. The branches taught in the parochial school, besides the ordi- nary ones, are, geography, practical mathematics, Latin, and Greek. The salary is L. 27 per annum, and the school-fees amount to about L. 20. A very commodious school, and dwelling-house has been lately erected for the schoolmaster. At the other schools, the ordinary branches of education are taught. The teachers' emoluments in whole may amount to from L.15 to L. 18 per annum. The parochial school is quite close to the church. The first of the three other schools is situated about a mile and a half, the second about three miles and a half, and the third about four miles and a half from the parochial school. There are no persons in the parish above seven years of age, who cannot read, and only a few of the old who cannot write. The people are fully alive to the benefits of education, and would ra- ther want some of their little comforts, than that their children should not be instructed in the ordinary branches taught at paro- chial schools. Besides the weekly schools, there are four Sabbath-schools, one of which is taught by the minister of the parish. Library. — There is a small parochial library, consisting princi- pally of religious books. Poor and Parochial Funds. — There never has been an assess- ment for the poor in this parish. They are supported by the CHAPEL OF GARIOCH. 579 church collections, interest of capital, mortcloth, proclamation- dues, and a mortification of L. 10 annually. The church col- lections for the support of the poor for the last seven years, in- cluding the sacramental ones, average L. 58, Os. 7jd. yearly ; and when it is considered that the population is entirely agricultural, the writer has great satisfaction in recording the amount, as it evinces the liberality of the parishioners, and also the regularity with which they attend public worship. The interest of capital * (L. 425, at 3^ per cent.) is L. 14, 17s. 6d. The mortcloth and proclamation -dues average L. 5, 6s. ; and a non-resident heritor gives to the poor annually a donation of L. 5. In addition to these funds, there is L.IO annually mortified to the poor by Dr Anderson, late of St Christopher's, a native of this parish. He also, at same time, mortified L. 20 annually for a free-school to be kept within the parish of Chapel of Garioch; but unfortunately for us, added, " or elsewhere in North Britain, as my aforesaid trustees shall think it most expedient." This addition has hither- to deprived the parish of the benefit of this school; for although it is much wanted by the distant population, for whom teachers can with great difficulty be obtained, as the remuneration is so small, — yet Dr Anderson's Trustees have never as yet seen the expediency of implementing this part of the testament so far as Chapel of Garioch is concerned ; but have, as I have every reason to believe, opened a school in some other part of the country, and pay the schoolmaster this mortified sum. The average number of poor persons receiving parochial aid is 35,* and almost the whole of them are old persons. The allowance to each averages from 9s. tb 15s. per quarter, and in the quarter in which the sacrament is dispensed, all of them receive 2s. ad- ditional. There is also a fatuous pauper, who receives annual- ly from L. 7 to L. 8. Occasional aid is likewise given to poor persons, who are not upon the roll. Some of the resident heri- tors are very attentive to the poor upon their estates, and give to several of them from one to two bolls of meal annually, together with a free house, garden, and fire ; indeed, the whole of the * The capital when the former Statistical Account was published was L.106, and till within these eighteen years no farther addition was made to the funds. Since that period, however, it has been increased by legacies, collections, &c. to the sum of L. 425, and about a month ago, another legacy of L. 90 has been added, so that the capital for the support of the poor is now above L. 500. f The number of poor upon the roll is now 64, and the expenditure has increas. ed proportionally. 080 ABERDEKNSHIRE. parishioners who can afford it, are ever ready to alleviate tlie distresses, and to supply the wants of their poorer brethren. The income for the last seven years (exclusive of L. 15 of le- gacies) has been L. 652, 8s. 8fd., giving an average annually of L. 93, 4s. Ijd. for the use of the poor. The expenditure during the same period has been L. 605, 9s. 7^d., giving an average annually of L. 86, 9s. 11^ yd. There is also an annual collec- tion for the Aberdeen Infirmary, which gives free admission to all parishioners recommended by the session. The seven last collec- tions amounted in whole to L. 66, lis. 6d. giving an average an- nually of L. 9, 10s. 2i fd. During the same period, there have been three collections for the pauper lunatic fund, under the ma- nagement of the Presbytery of Garioch, amounting in whole to L. 18, 10s. and two collections for the Propagation of the Gospel in India, — the first amounting to L. 7, 7s. and the second to L. 5, 5s., so that the church collections of this parish for the [)oor, and for religious and charitable purposes, during the last seven years, exclusive of proclamation dues, mortcloth, donations, and mor- tification, have amounted to the sum of L. 503, 17s. lid., ave- raging annually L. 71, 19s. 8yd. It is with reluctance that the poor, in general, seek for paro- chial aid; and there are individuals in the parish who would sub- mit to any inconvenience rather than apply for it ; but this spirit of independence is not so prevalent as it was some years ago.* Inns^ Alehouses^ ^c. — There is one inn, and two houses li- censed to sell ale and spirits in the parish, which, although they are kept in an orderly manner, yet, to a certain extent, are preju- dicial to the morals of the people. Fuel. — The expense of fuel, and the difficulty with which it is obtained, is one of the greatest drawbacks under which this parish lies. The tenants upon the estates of Logic Elphinstone and Fet- ternear, at the northern and southern extremities of the parish, are well supplied with peats from the mosses of Warthill and Fet- ternear ; but, as the great majority of the parishioners have no claim upon these mosses for fuel, they are obliged to have re- * An orphan family receives at the rate of L.13 per annum from the poor's funds ; and although the parishioners give as liberally at the church as usual, yet the poor have increased so much (about double) within these five years, that the expenditure has considerably exceeded the income, and in consequence, it has been found neces- sary to dravir from the capital. There has also been collected for the two by-past years L. 8 annually for four of the General Assembly's schemes, viz. Church Extension; Colonial Churches ; Education in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, and the Propagation of the Gospel in India, i, e. L. 2 annually for each scheme. CHAPEL OF GARIOCH. 581 course to the hill of Benochie for their peals, by a very steep and dangerous road, which, in a rainy season, is almost impassable. The moss is about 200 yards from the top of the hill, (which is about 1440 feet above the level of the sea); and as it is about four miles distant from the centre of the parish, two cart-loads can only be brought home by one horse during the day. The cost of a cart- load to the consumer is reckoned about 4s. English coals are also very expensive. They are to be procured at the canal basin of Port- Elphinstone, near Inverury, which is about five or six miles dis- tant from the church, and when brought here, including all ex penses, cost from L. 1, 6s. to L. 1, 8s. per ton. English coals can be bought cheaper at Aberdeen ; but when it is considered that it is twenty miles distant, a greater expense for cartage is thus in- curred ; so that the ton of coals from Aberdeen, and from the canal basin at Inverury, may be reckoned, when laid down at Chapel of Garioch, about the same price. Miscellaneous Observations. Since the last Statistical Account was published, great im- provements have taken place in the parish. The system of hus- bandry is greatly changed for the better, and a great proportion of the land that was then waste, has been either planted or im- proved. Instead of (as there stated) sown grass and turnips being little cultivated, excepting upon the farms in the possession of the proprietors, every farmer, and even cottager, has at present his rotation of these crops, and where nothing but heath formerly grew, are now to be seen well cultivated and enclosed fields. Thriv- ing plantations are rising up in every direction, beautifying and im- proving the face of the country. All the resident proprietors have had large additions built to their mansion-houses. The church, school- master's house, and parish-school have been rebuilt. Most of the te- nants' houses have also been rebuilt, and many of them covered with slate roofs. Their manner of living is more comfortable, and a change for the better has taken place in their dress. The po- pulation is nearly doubled. The number of poor upon the roll was at that period, 30, with an income of L. 35. The average number at present is 35, with an income for their support of L. 93, 4s. Ijd. ; so that it is pleasing to observe, that they have not increas- ed in the same proportion as the population ; whilst their means of subsistence are nearly tripled. A new turnpike road has been made through the parish, along which the mail and three other coaches daily pass to and from Aberdeen. In former timesj 582 ABERDEENSHIRE. there was no similar conveyance. The people are more desirous of knowledge, and anxious for the education and instruction of their children. Upon the whole, they enjoy many blessings and advantages, of which their forefathers had not the most distant prospect, and it is to be hoped that they duly appreciate and are grateful for them. Written in 1835, Revised in 1840. Addenda. Antiquities. — About half a mile to the south-east of the church, is to be seen the old ruinous castle of Balquhain. In it Queen Mary spent a day in her journey to the north, which terminated in the battle of Corrichie ; and at which time, it is said she attend- ed mass in the church of Chapel. This ancient castle was long the seat of the present proprietor. Count Leslie, twenty-third Baron of Balquhain. Of this venerable building the only remains are a few shattered fragments of the court or quadrangle of which it origin- ally consisted, and the noble square tower or keep, which was erected about the year 1530, by Sir William Leslie, seventh Ba- ron of Balquhain, to replace the more ancient castle, which had been burned down in the memorable feud with the Forbeses in the year 15'26. The walls are six feet thick, and the cement al- most as hard as the stone. From it, there is one of the finest echoes in Scotland. There is also, at a short distance to the east of it, a Druid's circle, which is very entire. Modern Buildings. — There are four mansion-houses in the pa- rish, viz. Logie Elphinstone, the residence of Sir Robert Dal- rymple Horn Elphinstone, Bart. ; Pittodrie, the residence of Co- lonel Knight Erskine ; Fetternear, the residence of Count Leslie, twenty-third Baron of Balquhain ; and Pitcaple, the residence of Hugh Lumsden, Esq. Logie Elphinstone is upon the north, and Pitcaple upon the south bank of the Ury ; Pittodrie is upon an elevated situation. In the house of Fetternear there is a well known relic of the Leslie family, called " John of Blairbowie's chair." This massy and gigantic chair excites the admiration and wonder of the dege- nerate men of modern times, on acccountof its tremendous strength and dimensions. It is of such weight that the strongest man could scarcely lift it from the ground ; and derives its name from KENNETHMONT. 5S3 one ot the family of Balquhain, noted for his gigantic stature, and famous in nortliern song and legend for bis many daring exploits and adventures. It may not be unsuitable here to mention that a club of gentle- men of Aberdeen, (the Maryculter Club), who generally pay an . annual visit for a day or two to some of the more interesting loca- lities of the county, and whose present president (1841) is Tho- mas Blaikie, Esq. chief magistrate of Aberdeen, selected this pa- rish as their rendezvous on the 24th of July of this year, on pur- pose to visit the field of Harlaw. Among the party were several of the members of the Town- Council ; and the writer of this ac- count of the parish had the pleasure of accompanying them over the scene of combat, and of pointing out Drum's cairn, Maclean's grave, and the other memorials still existing. Thus, after the lapse of 430 years, and upon the anniversary day of the battle, a Provost of Aberdeen led a body of his townsmen to render upon the spot their respects to the memory of his gallant predecessor, and the other brave men who had there died in defence of their burgh. August 1841. PARISH OF KENNETHMONT. PRESBYTERY OF ALFORD, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. WILLIAM MINTY, MINISTER. I. TOPOGRAPHV AND NaTURAL HiSTORY. The parish of Kennethmont consists of Kennethmont, strictly so called, and the parish of Christ's Kirk, which, at a very remote period, had been annexed to it. Of this annexation there is no written evidence nor oral tradition ; and both are now comprehend- ed in the common name oi Kennethmont. Name. — The name is said to have been derived from the cir- cumstance of one of the Kings Kenneth having been interred ia the church-yard, which is a small mount.* The name is some * This opinion was probably taken from a tradition that a grave-stone (still to be seen within the walls of the old church) had been originally placed over the reputed grave of the Scottish monarch, which is supposed to have' been at the church. yard gate. On inspecting the stone, no information can be derived from the inscriptions 584 ABERDEENSIIlilEf times spelt Kinnethmont, derived from two Gaelic words signify- ing head and moss ; which, from the natural shape of the emi- nence on which the old church is placed, and its proximity to mossy ground, is by no means an unlikely derivation of the name. Extent, Boundaries, Sfc. — Kennethmont or Kinnethmont is the most westerly parish in that fertile district of country known by the name of the Garioch. The Bogie, a good trouting stream, sepa- rates it from the parish of Rhynie on the west ; the Melshach hill (in which there is a medicinal spring, long in much repute among the country people,) separates it on the north from Gartly ; on the east, it is bounded by the parishes of Insch and Leslie ; and on the south, by Clatt. Its shape is almost a regular rectan- gular oblong, about 6 miles in length from east to west, and 3 in breadth from north to south. Topographical Appearance. — The surface is much diversified by high and low-lying ground j but, with the exception of two or three eminences, the high ground can scarcely be called hilly. Climate. — The climate is variable. In consequence, however, of the great improvement which has taken place within the last thirty years, in draining marshy grounds, and planting the more elevated parts of the surface, it is less changeable in general, and less severe in winter than formerly. II. — Civil History. Land-oicners, — There are four heritors in the parish, viz. Sir An- drew Leith Hay of Rannes, who has upwards of one-half of the valued rent ; Mr Gordon of Wardhouse, who has nearly one-third ; His Grace the Duke of Richmond, who has rather more than one- fifteenth ; and Mr Grant of Druminner, who lately purchased the lands of Craighall, the remainder. Sir Andrew Leith Hay is the only heritor who, at present, resides in the parish. The late Mr Gordon of Wardhouse (who died about seven years ago) resided about twenty years of the latter part of his life at Wardhouse, in this parish, and devoted the whole of his time to the improving and beautifying of his estate. Eminent Men. — The late Lieutenant- General Sir James Leith on it to trace it back to the days of Kenneth; — the date being 1685. A shield, on one quarter of which is a hoar''s head, is visible, and under the shield the initials " H. G." As this stone is now placed in the burial-ground of a family of the name of Gordon, the date, the shield, and the initials evidently refer to that family, and^ it would appear that either there is no foundation for the tradition, or that these inscrip- tions had been engraven, when the stone had been removed from its original site to the place where it now is laid. 3 KENNETHMONT. 585 was born at Leith-hall, August 9th 1763. He died Governor of the Leeward Islands in 1816. His brother, the late General Hay of Ran- nes, erected a very handsome tablet, with a suitable inscription, to his memory in the parish church. Sir Andrew Leith Hay, present proprietor of the estate of Leith-hall, besides some smaller works, published some years ago a very interesting narrative, in two volumes, of the Peninsular War, in which he had served. He was, for several years, Member of Parliament for the Elgin District of Burghs, and Clerk of the Ordnance. Rear- Admiral Sir James A. Gordon is also a native of this parish. Antiquities. — In regard to antiquities, there is little worthy of remark. King Kenneth's reputed grave-stone has been already mentioned. The remains of two Druidical temples are still to be seen — one on the hillof Airdler, belongingto Sir Andrew Leith Hay; the other on the lands of Cults, the property of His Grace the Duke of Richmond. A bag of small silver coins, with Alexander I. engra- ven on one side, was found some years ago in trenching the hill called the Cockmuir, belonging to Mr Gordon of Wardhouse. The coins might be about the value of 3d. Sterling each. HI. — Population. Amount of population in 1801, . 784 1811, . 888 1821, 974 1831, .1131 Number of families in 1831, - - - - 227 chiefly engaged in agriculture, - 110 in trade, manufactures, or handicraft, 31 Many of the inhabitants have attained to a great age. In 1 835, there were fourteen persons in the parish between the age of eighty and ninety in a population of little more than 1100. On comparing this number with that of those who had attained to a like agfe in 1792 (when the former Statistical Account was drawn up), it ap- pears that now almost three arrive at the age of eighty and up- wards, for one who then attained to such an age ; or if allowance be made for the difference in number of the population at these two periods, more than two for one ; a circumstance which may be accounted for, by the improvement in climate, in the dwellings of the inhabitants, their mode of living, and general habits of tempe- rance and cleanliness. Habits of the People. — The habits of the people are, in gene- ral, quiet, temperate, and industrious. Heinous crimes are un- known among them, and, with the exception of some small of- fences, the result generally of drunkenness, which is now fortu- 586 ABERDEENSHIRE. nately becoming every day less frequent, no criminal case has oc- curred for many years. IV. — Industry. Agriculture. — The modern improvements in agriculture are now in full operation, not only on the farms in the actual posses- sion of the proprietors, but on those also occupied by their tenantry; and crops of every description are frequently raised, both as to quantity and quality, equal to any in the county. The farms (with the exception of one upon Sir Andrew Leith Hay's estate) are not very extensive. They vary from 80 to 100 acres in extent. There are twenty occupiers of land qualified (in con- sequence of their rent being L. 50 and upwards) to vote at an election for a Member of Parliament. A considerable extent of ground is let in small farms under L. 50, and crofts of from two to fifteen acres. The greater part of the ground susceptible of cul- tivation is now under a regular rotation of cropping. What is com- monly called the seven years' shift is the mode of cropping ge- nerally adopted. Improvements. — Much has been done in the way of improve- ment, since the beginning of the present century. Several hundred acres of marshy ground have been completely drained, and now produce weighty crops ; many acres of moorland, upon which the appearance of ridges was still visible, showing that they had at one time been cultivated, have again been brought under the plough, and a very considerable extent of land has been trenched, parti- cularly upon the estate of Wardhouse. The old custom of erect- ing folds for young cattle in summer, has now gone into disuse; the modern style of farming having rendered the land unfit for erecting such fences. The dwellings and mode of living of the inhabitants have also kept pace with the improvements in agricul- ture. Many of the houses of the farmers are now built of stones and lime, instead of turf — and covered with slates instead of straw : they have generally one apartment at least floored with wood, and the walls and roof neatly cieled and plastered. The more extensive farmers use machinery in the thrashing of their grain ; and in har- vest, the scythe has universally supplanted the use of the sickle. V. — Parochial Economy. Market'Toion. — ^ There is no market-town in the parish ; the nearest is that of Huntly, distant about eight miles. I'he great- est part of the grain, however, is taken to Inverury, distant eighteen miles, and conveyed to Aberdeen bv a canal — the carts in return KENNETHMONT. , 587 bringing lime and coals ; and as the journey can be accomplished in one day, farmers seldom or ever send their carts with grain or meal to the east or north coast, as formerly. Means of Communication. — The roads were, until lately, bad; but a turnpike road, intersecting the parish from east to west, was com- pleted about six years ago, which opens up a communication between Aberdeen, Huntly, Inverness, &c. Two public coaches, for some time, have run on this line of road, instead of passing by the turn- pike road through the hills of Foudland, as formerly, although the distance be about three miles greater. The Kennethmont line of road is, however, so much more level and easy than the other al- luded to, that time is rather gained than lost by travellers coming in this direction ; besides, as an inducement for travellers to take the Kennethmont line of road, they pass through a fine, rich, ro- mantic valley ; by the other, they have, for many miles, nothing but barren and bleak hills. Ecclesiastical State. — The parish church, since the annexation, is not very centrically situated. A new one was built in 1812, capable of holding about 600. It is neat and commodious. The parishioners are, in general, regular in their attendance upon reli- gious ordinances, notwithstanding the distance of four or five miles which some of them have to travel. They all belong to the Es- tablished Church, with the exception of a few families who attend a Congregational meeting-house in a neighbouring parish. The manse was built in 1794, and has lately been repaired. The glebe consists of 12 acres of tolerably good land. The sti- pend at present is 4^ chalders of victual, and L. 137, 14s. in money, including allowance for communion elements. Education. — Although the parish school is so situated as to be almost inaccessible, from its distance, to many of the young, yet their parents have, at their own expense, for some years supported two private schools in those parts of the parish most distant from the parochial school ; which now enables every child to be- come early acquainted (along with other useful knowledge), with that knowledge which maketh wise unto salvation ; so that it is very rare, indeed, to find a child eight or nine years of age, that cannot pretty distinctly read the Bible, and repeat the Assembly's Shorter Catechism. The emoluments of the parochial teacher may average about L.35 per annum, exclusive of what may be re- ceived from the Dick Bequest. Those of the other teachers are from L. 10 to LJ5. 583 ABERDEENSHIRE. Library. — There is a small circulating library in the parish, principally composed of religious and historical publications. It was established some years ago. Small additions are made to it from the annual subscriptions. It has already been productive of some good effects, giving the people a taste for reading, and tendino- to check the habit of wandering from house to house, (a custom very common in the winter evenings.) Savings Bank. — A Savings Bank was instituted about eight years ago, which, considering the decrease of wages, and the low rate of interest, has succeeded far beyond the most sanguine ex- pectations of its originators. It is managed by a President and twelve Directors; — who have authority to hold four meetings an- nually, and two extra meetings, if necessary. About L.IOOO are already lodged. Poor. — The funds of the parish for behoof of the poor amount to about L. 200. The average number of persons re- ceiving parochial aid varies from 16 to 20. The weekly collec- tions average about 7s., from which, along with the interest of capital, and what arises from other sources, nearly L.40 are dis- tributed annually. The highly commendable feeling of independ- ence is still prevalent here ; and it is a rare occurrence for any to ask assistance from the parish funds, unless in cases of actual ne- cessity. The population are, almost, exclusively, agricultural in their pur- suits. About twenty years ago, many of the female sex derived a livelihood from the knitting of stockings for the foreign market. This species of manufacture is now almost given up, unless in the case of a few of the more aged, who, with the greatest diligence, are unable to earn the small pittance of Is. per week. Fairs. — There are three annual fairs held in the parish for the sale of cattle, &c., the first in the month of April, the second in the month of July, and the third in the month of October. A market was once held at Christ's Church, in the east end of the parish, during night, in the month of May, and which place is said to have been the scene of the celebrated ballad of Christ's Kii'k on the Green, composed by James I. : but this market has been long ago given up. There are still the re- mains of a church and church-yard or burying-ground to be seen at this place, but very few are now interred there. Fuel. — Peats are still generally used for fuel ; but, as the mos- ses are considerably exhausted, and no small difficulty and expense incurred in obtaining peat fuel, coals are coming daily more into SLAINS. 589 use; and, were it not that the people in the country are as yet un- acquainted with the proper method of using coals economically, there is little doubt they would be preferred by them to peats, being upon the whole almost as cheap, — and, moreover, the time which is spent in preparing peat-fuel might be more profitably em- ployed in agricultural and other operations. November 1840. Revised April 1841. PARISH OF SLAINS.* PRESBYTERY OF ELLON, SYXOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. JAMES RUST, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. All my endeavours to ascertain the era at which the parish of Forvie was annexed to that of Slains have entirely failed. Extent, ^c. — The extreme length of the parish is somewhat more than 6 miles, breadth about Sj, and it is of a triangular shape. It is bounded on the west south-west by the river Ythan, which divides it from Foveran ; on the north-west, by the rivulet called Forvie burn, which separates it from Logie Buchan ; on the east north-east, by the parish of Cruden ; and on the south-east, by the northern ocean. The surface of the parish is remarkably varied, and beautifully undulating. The rocky part of the coast abounds with caves, the most re- markable of which is the Dropping Cave, or White Cave of Slains. It would seem that, in former times, it was an object of deep interest to the curious, and it is still so considered. There are several other caves in which, as well as in the Dropping Cave, fine specimens of petrifaction are to be found ; but their chief ce- lebrity arose from their having afforded excellent places of conceal- ment for contraband goods in the " high and palmy state" of smusTgling, which was carried on here to an almost incredible ex- tent. One of these caves, called Hell-lum, is upwards of 200 feet in length, and the pitch of the arch within, in some places, rises to the height of thirty feet. There is one fissure of about thirty yards in length, four feet * Drawn up by the late incumbent, the Rev. Gavin Dunn. 590 ABERDEENSHIRE. in width, and from twenty to thirty in heighth, called the Needle's- eye, through which the sea, in an easterly gale, rushes with impe- tuous violence. This fissure perforates a round bluff hill of solid rock, which is covered with a layer of earth to the depth of several feet, and its sides are smooth and polished with the action of the waves. The extent of coast is somewhat upwards of six miles, the greatest part rocky, the remainder of a fine soft sand. The rocks rise to an elevation of from 170 to 200 feet above the level of the sea, and are bold and precipitous, forming innumerable little bays and creeks. In some places, they are riven asunder and piled on one another in terrible confusion, ever and anon yawning with deep and ghastly chasms. Many of these little bays, if they may be called so, are thickly studded with bare rocks, some rising to a great height in naked magnificence, while others heave their huge and horrid ridges just above the surface of the water. Climate. — Upon the whole, there is scarcely any perceptible va- riation of the climate over the extent of the parish ; and it may be characterized as damper and colder, and in every respect less ge- nial than in some of the inland parts of the county. One of the most painful and agonizing diseases that can afBict humanity carries off its yearly victims from amongst us, and has not once left the parish these many years. This fatal and almost incurable malady is the stone, which chiefly prevails among the aged fishermen ; and there are four men upwards of sixty years at present labouring under its tortures. Some attribute this disease to the quality of the spring-water, which is very hard, and after long standing, deposits a little limy sediment ; others to the beer which they drink, a beverage they are particularly fond of, when they return from fishing ; and others-, again, to the cold and raw nights to which their profession exposes them on the bosom of the deep. In the autumn of 1832, this parish was afflicted with Asiatic cholera, which here assumed all its most appalling and frightful symptoms. It was imported from Leith in one of the fishermen's boats, and soon spread over the village with its characteristic rapi- dity and mortality. In the short space of six weeks, in a popula- tion of little more than 350 souls, it swept off no less than 23. Its ravages, however, were entirely confined to the fishing-town of Colliston. Hydrugraphy. — All along the coast, there are many and copious springs of the purest, coolest, and most delicious water. These SLAINS. 591 springs are generally found along the rocky part of the coast, at the base of high and steep braes covered with verdure, from under which they rush out in a stream as abundant as a rivulet, and in quantity sufficient to turn an ordinary mill. There are a few cha- lybeate springs, the strongest of which is found near the old kirk of Forvie ; but their medicinal qualities have never been sufficient- ly tested so as to gain them any repute. There are three lakes in the parish, and one of these, called the Muckle Loch of Slains, is really a magnificent sheet of water, co- vering, in the depth of winter, a basin of from seventy to seventy- three acres in extent. It is surrounded on three sides by a ridge of land, Kippet hills, rising, by an easy acclivity, to the height of from fifty to sixty feet above the level of its surface. Its mean depth may be about twenty feet ; but, in one place, it has been ascertained to be fifty-two. The only outlet from it is by a small stream at the south end, which has been converted into a dam, to drive a meal mill about a mile below. The other two lochs, called Cot-hill and Sand-loch, have evidently been formed by the drift- ing of the sands from Forvie, and each covers a space of about fifteen acres. The only river is the Ythan, formerly mentioned as forming one of the boundaries of the parish. Geology and Mineralogy. — The rocks along the coast consist of gneiss and mica-slate, alternating with, here and there, thin seams of quartz, and their direction is from north-east to south-west, and their dip north-east. The small eminences, already alluded to as intersecting the parish, called the Kippet hills, are composed of gravel, mixed with smooth and polished limestones, generally from one to sixteen pounds, and few of them exceed the latter weight. Formerly they were carefully picked and burned for lime by the farmers, which produced most excellent crops. This species of manufacture has now long been given up, as English lime may be had at greatly less trouble and expense. The burning of these stones must have been carried on to a very considerable extent, as many excavations along the whole line of the ridge are still very obvious, though now covered with grass. The organic remains found in these limestones, are mussels and other shells. Though occasional blocks of granite are to be found in some districts, yet there are no rocks formed of it ; but so soon as the boundary to the north-east of the parish is crossed, the gneiss and mica-slate disappear, and graduate into red granite. This parish abounds with a kind of calcareous sand, which was long extensively used as 592 ABEKDEENSHIRE, a manure, and is still profitably employed on newly reclaimed land. It is of a very hot nature, and must be used with much caution. Many vestiges of its injudicious application are to be seen on dif- ferent farms, where it has been laid on in such quantities as to have burned up the soil, and rendered it incapable of bearing a crop. Fortunately, however, the scorched places are only in small patches, here and there, — the surrounding land having had strength enough to resist its influence. This sand varies in colour and size. It is chiefly of a grayish hue, and from the diff"erent strata visible throughout, it is evidently of marine production, as the strata con- sist of pulverized shells. Every kind of soil, from the heaviest clay to the lightest sand, is to be found here, but the chief character is clay. There is a tract of land, at the average breadth of a mile, extending across almost the whole of the parish, of a deep loamy soil, and most superior description, and, but for the climate, it would vie with the most fertile parts of Scotland. This lies on the estate of Colonel J. Gordon of Cluny Castle. Zoology. — The Ythan produces salmon, grilse, salmon trout, burn-trout, eels, flat-fish of several descriptions, and also cole-fish, sand-eels, and herring-fry, which latter, in some months of sum- mer, are caught in great abundance. In an economical point of view, the mussels found in this river are of the greatest importance, supplying bait not only to Collision, but many other fishing vil- lages on the east coast of Scotland. The rent for these was once L.500 per annum, but is now reduced to L.300. This reduction is owing to the great floods, of late years, washing away the beds, and rendering the mussels so scarce as to do little more than sup- ply the fishing villages in the neighbourhood, while formerly they were transported along the whole line of the east coast. This river, especially in the winter season, opens a wide and interesting field to the student of ornithology. It is frequented by a greater variety of birds than most rivers in Great Britain. Trees, Sfc. — There is not a single tree in the whole bounds, ex- cept on the estate of Leask, belonging to Mr Gordon of Parkhill, and these are by no means large or of a thriving appearance. I planted a few forest trees, such as birch and mountain-ash, in the garden, about ten years ago. The birch has gradually withered away, while the mountain-ash is very little thicker and no higher than when planted. The cultivation of gooseberries has also completely failed, though tried on the sunniest and most sheltered spots in the garden ; and, after an experiment of twelve years, the SLAINS. 593 bushes are now dug up, having, in the most favourable seasons, produced not more than two or three pints of fruit, and these never fully ripened. Buckthorn or marine-thorn has been successfully introduced, and, with the exception of the elder, thrives greatly better than any other shrub the writer ever planted. Under skil- ful management, hedges might be formed of it, which, though they could never prove a proper fence, would serve to beautify this naked and bare district. II. — Civil History. Land-oivners. — There are only two land-owners, — Colonel Gor- don of Cluny, — and Mr Gordon of Parkhill, whose property of Leask amounts to nearly one-fifth valuation of the whole parish. Neither of the proprietors reside on their estates here. Parochial Registers. — The parochial register extends back only to the-year 1722, and has not been very regularly kept, owing to the neglect of parents to register. Antiquities. — The foundation of the old kirk of Forvie is still visible, being the only vestige throughout the whole sands, com- monly called the Links, which indicates that this district was once the habitation of man. Graves have been discovered around it, but nothing found in them except a few bones. On the estate of Leask, there is another ruin of a religious house, evidently a Ro- man Catholic chapel, as the place where the altar stood is plainly discernible. It is small, but must be considered a fine old ruin, and in a state of better preservation, if the term can be so applied, than could be imagined from its supposed antiquity. One gable and Gothic window are still nearly entire, and the walls are over- grown with ivy. It stands in the middle of a small plantation of stunted firs and alder, on a little eminence gently rising from a swampy bottom, with a rivulet half enclosing it on the south side. It is called St Adamannan's chapel, and is said to have been erected in the end of the sixth or commencement of the seventh century in honour of that saint, who was a follower of St Colum- ba. Its antiquity is problematical, as its present appearance does not warrant a belief of its having been built at such a remote pe- riod. The extensive ruins of the old Castle of Slains, once the residence of the Errol family, stand in this parish, on the top of a rock jutting out into the sea, at an elevation of from 100 to 120 feet. Previous to the use of cannon, it must have been almost im- pregnable, the only approach to it being by a narrow defile on the north, which a few resolute and daring men might have made good ABERDEEN'. P p 594 ABERDEENSHIRE. against any opposing force. In the year 1594, the Earl of Errol having joined in the Earl of Huntly's rebelUon, James VI., at the instigation of the politic Lord Lindsay, issued orders for its entire demolition, which were faithfully executed ; and nothing of this ancient castle now remains but three sides of a square tower, and some masses of masonry strewed around it. Mansion House. — The only modern building is the House af Leask, built by the late William Gumming Skene Gordon of Park- hill, about thirteen years ago. It is a substantial and elegant resi- dence, and is at present let to Sir William Seton of Pitmedden, Bart. III. — Population. According to the census taken by Dr Webster, the population amounted in 1753 to . . . 1286 Males. Fern. In 1791, at date of last Statistical Account, the population was 1117 — 524 593 By census, in 1811, . . . . 1085—513 370 1821, . . . 1152— 534 • 618 1831, .... 1132—523 609 1841, . . . 1210 There are only two villages in the parish, Collieston, and the Old Castle, almost wholly inhabited by fishermen. The former contains 89 houses, and 167 inhabitants ; the Old Castle, 14 houses, and 48 inhabitants. Average number of marriages for the last seven years, ■• 12 births, as far as can be ascertained, - 23 deaths, - - - 17f Houses inhabited in the landward part of the parish, - 163 IV. — Industry. Agriculture. — The number of Scotch acres in the parish under cultivation is about 6000, and the system of husbandry is of the most improved description. The farmers are most industrious and enterprizing, and readily adopt any new improvement, either in the breed of the cattle or mode of farming. During the cur- rency of the present leases, there have been upwards of 900 acres of waste land brought under tillage, v^hile the rest of the arable land has been drained, and rendered much more productive. With the exception of the sand links and peat moss, there is very little barren or waste land ; and in a few years, if no check is im- posed on the spirit of enterprize, the whole will be reclaimed. The routine of cropping generally followed is, one crop of oats, then turnip, or other green crop, next bear or oats, and last two years grass The chief proprietor has a considerable breadth of land, in his own hand, on which he has grazed, for some years past, a flock of sheep amounting to the number of from 1200 to SLAINS. 595 1500 ; but there is no permanent pasture save a little along the coast. The rent varies from L.l to L.4 per acre; and by a regulation lately introduced, it is paid in grain, half oats half bear, at the fiars prices. The duration of leases is nineteen years. Several farm-houses have been lately built, which are in every re- spect more comfortable and commodious than the old ones ; and on the expiry of the leases, now at hand, there will be a consider- able number of new erections. Bone dust and steam conveyance have united in producing a new and improved system of rearing and feeding cattle ; and the attention of the farmer has of late been greatly turned to that profitable branch of industry, which has certainly attained to a wonderful degree of perfection. Total number of cattle, as far as can be ascertained, 1118; amount of cattle sold, L.1242; bolls of corn and bear, 3992. Fisheries. — The inhabitants of the only two villages, Collieston and Old Castle, are chiefly employed, and wholly dependent upon white-fishing, and realize an excellent livelihood from their labo- rious and very dangerous avocation. They are superior to other working tradesmen in the property which they possess, never interfere in the politics of the day, and are most regular attendants on the public ordinances of religion. There is a great variety of fish caught, viz. ling, whiting, mackerel, turbot, holibut, skate, soles, flounders of different species ; but what they chiefly depend upon, are haddocks and cod, which they catch in great abundance. They smoke and cure the haddocks principally for the Leith and Glasgow markets, which at an average fetch about 9s. the hundred, six score to the hundred. The haddock-fishing yields L.l weekly per man, when the weather permits their going to sea, and they are not allowed to go oftener than twice a-day, a regulation pro- perly introduced by the tacksman of the river Ythan, to prevent the extravagant consumption of bait mussels, and in order to re- serve a sufiicient quantity for the neighbouring villages. The mussels are sold at the Aberdeen market from 6d. to 9d. per peck ; but the fishermen here pay a stipulated sum yearly, — the young men L.3 each, and those above sixty years of age, L.2. They are allowed to gather the mussels only on their own side of the river. The cod-fishing continues from October to February inclusive, and the fish are contracted for by a merchant who pic- kles and barrels them for the London market, at the average amount of L.l, 8s. per barrel, each containing about seventy fish, for which he pays to the fishermen 4d. a-piece over head. The 596 ABERDEENSHIRE. number of barrels during the season is 29-3, which produces a handsome revenue to all concerned. Of late years, five boats, vv'ith the requisite complement of men and women, have gone to Peterhead for the herring-fishery, which has hitherto proved a profitable speculation, and not so detrimental to morals, as might have been expected from the accounts given of the demoralizing effects of this sort of occupation. V. — Parochi.vl Economy. Market-Toivn. — There is no market or post town nearer than Ellon, which is distant six miles, and letters and papers are brought thence. Ecclesiastical State. — The site of the parish church is within 300 yards of the sea coast ; but it is conveniently situated for tiie population, as the extreme point does not exceed above three-and-a-half miles distance from it. It was built about forty years ago, is seated to contain about 654, and is regu- larly well attended. The number of communicants varies from 450 to 470. The sittings are all free, and no other church or chapel of any description within the bounds. The num- ber of Episcopalians may be rated at 20, and Seceders of all denominations at 5. The extent of glebe, including manse, garden, and offices, is about 5 acres; and the stipend 16 chalders, half meal half barley. Education. — Two years ago, there was erected a very hand- some school-house, forming two sides of a square, of the very best materials ; but the slating, masonry, and general finishing of the whole bear little proportion to the excellence of the materials ; the rain already greatly damaging the roof and walls. The branches of instruction taught in it are, English reading, writing, arithmetic, Latin, mathematics, and navigation, and the schoolmaster's salary is L.30 per annum. He has the legal accommodation. There is an adventure school in the village of Collieston, attended by about '25 scholars ; but they are chiefly young, and merely taught the rudiments of education. Parochial Funds. — The average number of poor on the roll is 82, and each receives annually about L. 1, 12s.; and once and again, the allowance was returned to the session, from an unwil- lingness to receive it; but this honourable feeling of independence is fast disappearing. The poor are almost entirely supported by the weekly collections at the church doors, and the interest of a small fund of L.140 Sterling, deposited in the bank at the common SLAINS. 697 rate of interest. The amount of the weekly collections is about L.43 Sterling ; and were it not for the additional assistance they get from the farmers, in the shape of meal, potatoes, &c. the funds would altogether be inadequate to supply their necessities. Ale-houses. — There are three ale-houses in the parish, and one wholesale spirit-merchant. Fuel. — The fuel chiefly used is peat, obtained from the moss already mentioned, and which contains 245 acres. Miscellaneous Observations. The principal variation in the state of the parish since the date of the last Account, is the vast and rapid improvement of the system of husbandry. At that period, old men affirm, that it was no uncommon thing to see a plough drawn by sis horses, or by twelve oxen, and the work performed did not much exceed in extent what is now done by a pair of either animals, while the execution is inconceivably superior. The improvement of the implements of husbandry and breed of horses which has been introduced, has thus greatly lessened the expense of farming operations; as one man with his pair of horses will do even more work than could formerly be executed by two men and a dozen of oxen, with their clumsy and cumbrous implements. Another im- portant improvement since the year 1791, is the vast superiority of the breed of cattle, the system of rearing and feeding, and the great extent to which it is now carried on. The breadth of land under turnip cultivation is inconceivably greater than it was ; while the quality of the root itself is of a much better description, as the growers have long devoted their most scrupulous attention to the improvement of the seed. Each man raises his own seed, and carefully selects the best of each sort to plant out. The prin- cipal kinds are, the green top and yellow bottom, red top and yel- low bottom, a few tankard, and a considerable portion of ruta-baga, chiefly for feeding, in May and June. It is much to be desired that authentic information were obtained of the progress of the drifting sands of Forvie, which now cover and lay desolate 1700 acres of land. The traditionary tales on this subject" are mere legends, which in no manner can be depended upon. The great- est part of these links cannot be traversed without producing in the mind feelings of dreariness and desolation, as they pre- sent nothing but knolls and pinnacles of pure sand, of various dimensions, scantily covered with bent. Parts here and there might be reclaimed, but it would be at an enormous expense, and 598 ABERDEENSHIRE. at the eminent risk of their being again soon swallowed up. At the north-west boundary, there is an immense ridge of sand which is still encroaching on the land, but so slowly, that, if a judgment may be formed from its progress for the last twelve years, ages must have elapsed ere such a large district of country could have been overwhelmed. Fehruarij 1840. PARISH OF f ORGUE. PRESBYTERY OF TURRIFF, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. JAMES CORDINER, MINISTER, I. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — The ancient name of the parish seems to have been Forrig, as appears from an inscription on two old communion cups the mouths of which are of beaten silver, and the pillars of which are tastefully ornamented with the leaves and tendrils of the vine. * The name of the parish is believed to be Gaelic. Boundaries, &^c. — Forgue is bounded on the south by Insch and Culsalmond ; on the east, by Inverkeithnie and Auchterless ; on the north, by Rothiemay; and on the west, by Drumblade and Huntly. The boundaries are irregular. The greatest length from north to south, — that is, from the Ury to the Deveron, — is about nine miles and a-half or ten miles, and the greatest breadth from east to west may be about six and a half miles. 2'upographical Appearances. — The surface of the parish is^ un- • These cups were presented by the head of the Crichton family of Frendraught, to the church of Forgue in 1633, and bear the following inscription : " Giftit. to. God. and. his. Church, be. James. Creightoun. of. F'renuraueght., to. the. Kirk. of. Forrig., 1633." A baptismal basin, likewise, seems to have been presented by the head of the same family, but at a later period, as is plain from the different orthography of the Jnscri])tion. The basin is of beaten silver of large dimensions, but has no date. On the bottom, the Crichton arms and motto appear, and round the edge is the follow- jng inscription r " Giftit. to. Gon. and. his. Church, of. Forgue., by. James. "Viscount, or. Frendraught., Lord. Crichtone. From the difference of the spelling, the fiiir inference is, that the cups were pre- sented at an earlier period, and the basin at a later ; and from the addition of the title to the inscription on the basin, and the omission of it altogether on the cups, the Crichton family must have been ennobled between these periods. FORGUE. . 599 dulating, now rising into heights and knolls, now sinking into straths and holms. The plantations are tasteful, judicious, and extensive, covering a considerable part of the parish. The sce- nery on the whole is varied and beautiful, if we except the bleak, flat, cold, and uninteresting hills of Foudland, which furnish the parishioners with peats and turf for firing, either in part or in whole, according to circumstances. These hills rise from Ury, at the south extremity of the parish, but to no great height, are covered, generally, with a short stunted heath, and breed a few covies of grouse for the sportsmen. There is no other eminence in the pa- rish that deserves the name of a hill, if we except the Foreman, which rises from the Deveron, at the northern extremity of the parish, to the height of 1000 feet. This is a beautiful hill, some- what of a conical shape, finely wooded for a good way up its sides, and affords from its top an extensive and varied prospect. It is said to have got the name Foreman, or Fourman, from the circum- stance, that the four neighbouring lieritors, who divided the hill between them, could confer together on the top, or apex of the cone, each sitting on his own ground. The unfortunate Queen Mary, in her journey to the north, passed over this hill on her way to Rothiemay House, by what goes still by the name of the Queen's road. Meteorology. — From the inland situation of the parish, being about fourteen miles from the nearest sea, the comparative absence of marshy ground, the great extent of dry and well-cultivated land, the many springs and pure rills of water, the shelter and fragrance of the numerous plantations, and other circumstances, the air is pure, healthy, and bracing, though in winter it is, occasionally, par- ticularly keen. Hydrography. — The parish is well watered. Besides the Ury, bounding it on the south, and the Deveron, terminating it on the north, there are numerous brooks and burns, and purling rills, which gladden the straths and glens with their refreshing presence. In this parish the river Ythan takes its rise, and runs through it in a clear and healthy stream for some distance. In the interior of the parish, there are two burns, or rivulets, into which several of the others fall, of considerable magnitude, especially after their union a little below the church. They are called before their union, the burn of Frendraught, and the burn of Forgue, and after it they go by the name of burn of Forgue. This burn em[)lies itself into the Deveron near Inverkeithnie manse. All the streams 600 ABERDEENSHIRE. abound in trout; and some of tbem have their edges in some places beautifully fringed with alder. Besides a vast number of common springs, we have in different places mineral or chalybeate ones. Geology and Mineralogy. — 'J'he minerals common in the neigh- bouring parishes may be found in this. At Pitfancy limestone was formerly quarried in considerable quantity, as, at Lambhill, was likewise slate. The quarrying at both places has, however, been given up. The soils are various, — sandy, gravelly, clayeyj loamy, and mossy ; some rich and grateful, some poor and bar- ren ; some yielding eight, or even ten returns of the seed sown, and some no more than two or two and a half. p 11. — Civil History. The early history of the parish is involved, like that of most parishes, in darkness ; and tradition speaks of it as remarkable for nothing so much as the almost perpetual and desperate feud be- tween the Crichton family and the family of Gordon. Eminent Men. — This parish claims to be the birth-place of the famous James Crichton, who, about the middle of the sixteenth century, made such a conspicuous figure in the world, from his surpassing genius and learning, his bodily feats and mental ac- quirements, that he obtained the appellation of the Admirable Crichton. A parish in Perthshire, however, denies to this the honour of his birth ; " non nostrum tantas componere lites." Mr Morison, the famous hygeist, was a native of this parish ; and Dr Abercrombie, the present eminent physician in Edinburgh, is connected with it, his father having been for some time minis- ter of the parish. Land-oitmers.- — The land-owners, in the order of their valued rent, are as follows : Alexander Morison of Bognie, Robert Simpson of Cobairdy, Heiresses of Auchaber, Mrs Rose Innes of Monelly, John Henry of Corse, Robert Stuart of Aucharney, Alexander S. Shand of Terapleland, The Rev. George Garioch of Gariochford, The Earl of Fife for Corneyhaugh, William Simpson of Glenythan, Robert Kilgour of Balgaveny, John R. Thain of Drumblair, Robert A. Duff of Haddo, . . . James AUardes of Boyne's mill, The real rent is nearly double the valued rent in Sterling mo- ney. In the former Statistical Account it is mentioned as being 3 L.2245 13 4 666 13 4 197 10 9tV 133 6 8 100 100 99 5 2t% 92 8 ^1% - 88 13 4 75 6 7 50 18 3fV 40 12 Oi-^ S3 6 8 12 1 IOt'tt FORGUE. 60\ about L.2500 Sterling. That was about the year 1796. It has tripled since that period. Parochial Registers. — The oldest register extends back to 1637. There is a register of discipline, one of baptisms, and one of mar- riages ; they are in a tolerable state of preservation, and appear to have been regularly kept. Antiquities. — There are the remains of several Druidlcal tem- ples in the parish. On the Seedhill of Auchaber, there is what is conjectured to be the remains of a redoubt of the Romans. It is about a mile or so distant from their camp, near Glenmellan, (now Glenythan), is of a circular form, with a diameter of about sixty feet, and from it, the great Roman road is thought to have passed to the Spey, through Forgue, Rothiemay, and the intervening parishes. A small part of the ruins of the old castle of Frendraught is still to be seen, and on the green before it are some beech trees of great bulk and beauty, said to have been planted by the Crichton family. The old tower of the ancient castle was burnt down in October 1630; and in it perished the Viscount of Aboyne, the eldest son of the Marquis of Huntly, and four others. The fire broke out in the night-time suddenly, and with unquenchable fury, but whether from accident or design, was never clearly ascertained. Spalding, whose account, however, must be taken with considera- ble qualification, reports the calamity. Modern Buildings. — Haddo, the seat of Mr Duff, is a very pret- ty place, with an excellent mansion-house, well laid out pleasure- grounds, and a well- stocked garden. Cobairdy, the seat of Mr Simpson, from its fine south exposure, well-fenced fields, and ample plantations, is a charming residence. Corse gives proof of the care and good taste of its proprietor, Mr Henry. Drumblair, Templeland, Auchaber, and Boyne's mill, the seats of the other resident proprietors, have each its claims. Frendraught, however, the ancient seat of the Crichton family, is beyond all comparison, if it had a good mansion-house, and, if the pleasure-grounds and garden were done up with taste and neatness, the finest place in the parish. Frendraught is the property of Mr Morison of Bognie, who has already commenced a series of improvements on it, both tasteful and judicious. ^ At Glendronach is an extensive, thriving, and rather celebrat- ed distillery. Mills. — There are six mills, at one of which flour may be ma- nufactured, — all well employed. O02 ABERDEENSHIRE. III. — Population. Tiie population in 1755, according to Dr Brewster, was . . 1802 in 1796, according to the Statistical Account of Mr Dingwall, 1778 The Government return of 1801, gave .... 1871 1821, ..... 2000 1831, . . . 2286 By a census made by me in 1835, the population was found to be . 2440 1841, . . . 2490 The rapid increase may, in part, be attributed to the reclaiming of much waste moorish ground and letting it in crofts to the poor- est class of the people. There is no town, and, properly speaking, not a village even in the parish. The yearly average of births for the last seven years may be about . 63 of marriages, about . ... 21 of deaths, perhaps about ... 30 Proprietors of land of the yearly value of L.50 and upwards, . . 14 IV. — Industry. Agriculture. — The number of acres which are cultivated, or oc- casionally under tillage, may amount, perhaps, to 9000 or 10,000, and to these many more may still be added, as there remains much of hill and moor to be reclaimed. Some of the ground rents at L.2 an acre ; some at L. I ; some is worth 5s. ; and some so poor and worthless as not to be worth any rent at all. When let in small crofts, the best of the land rents at L.3 per acre. The average rent of the acre may be about 14s. The leases are in general for nineteen years. Husbandry. — Great improvement has of late taken place in all the departments of husbandry, but particularly in rearing of stock. Crosses, especially from the pure Aberdeenshire and the short horns, turn out well. The course of cropping should be regulated by the nature of the soil, but generally the five-course shift or the seven seems to be preferred by the farmer. Mr Walker, a land- surveyor, and valuator of great skill and experience, recommends, for strong and heavy clay land, a six-course shift, namely, 1. grass ; 2. oats; 3. beans or pease; 4. wheat; 5. fallow or green crop; 6. barley, with grass-seeds ; for a heavy loam or alluvial soil the four-course shift, namely, 1, grass; 2. oats; 3. turnips; 4. bar- ley ;' and, where the climate is favourable, beans or wheat may be introduced ; and, for a light loam, comprehending the old infield, he recommends a six-shift course, namely, three years in grass ; one grain crop after breaking up ; then turnips, to be partly eaten off by sheep ; and, lastly, barley or oats, to be sown down with grass-seeds.* The writer of this report believes the case practi- * Mr Walker's Essay on the Rotation of Crojis, read by him before tlie Commit- tee of the Highland Society of Scotland, met at Aberdeen on tlie 7th (Jctober 1840. FORGUE. 603 cally to be, that no single farm, much less any large estate in this part of the country, will suit, as a whole, any of the courses re- commended. The skill and experience of the farmer must regu- late the management of the farm, according to the nature of its various soils. With regard to some fields, a four-course shift may be advantageously adopted ; with regard to others, a five or six, or a seven may be suitable ; and, with regard to some, no particular course can profitably be followed, from the extreme poverty and backwardness of the soil. He believes, farther, that, to fetter the judicious and experienced farmer in the discretionary ma- nagement of his farm, by binding him down to the observance of, — as to many of his fields, — ill adapted and arbitrary rules, is as unwise as it is illiberal. It is right that the proprietor should guard against the wasting of the farm by overcropping; it is right that he should secure that, at the end of the lease, it should be found in a particular state. But it is not right that he should in- terfere with the judicious management of the farmer, and insist that every field that he possesses shall bear a specified crop at a specified time. It is right that he should take care that the fields, oncelaid down in grass, should continue in grass, at least for a specified period, say two or three years ; but it is not right that the tenant should be obliged, if he shall see good cause for the contrary, to break up his grass- fields at the end of that period. The fact is, that, on most farms, the writer believes, there is too much arable ground. More has been brought under the plough' from the mania of what is called improving farms, than can be cultivated profitably. The good land, on many farms, has been deprived of its just share of manure to put the worthless in heart. The attempt has, after every effort, proved a failure, — the good ];ind has been impoverished, — the bad has not been im- proved, — a good crop or so has been obtained from worthless forced lands, but obtained at immense labour and expense, and, in producing this crop or so, the land has been almost entirely worn out, so that it requires to be prepared and laid down with turnips, and then to be sown out with grass-seeds, and to remain afterwards in pasture grass for four, five, six, or seven years, aye and until it gather a surface. To force such land within any specified rotation appears to the writer to be altogether Utopian. The farmers here are, on the whole, steady, spirited, and pains-taking, manage their farms well, and are not slow in introducing any real improvement. 604 ABERDEENSHIRE, V. — Parochial Economy. MarJiet-Town. — The nearest market-town is Huntly, which is about seven miles from the parish church. We have two turn- pike roads in the parish, — the one passing from Huntly to Banff, the other from Huntly to Aberdeen. On this latter road, a public coach has, for some time, been running. The other roads are not good, especially in winter, though, on the whole, by means of these two turnpikes and otherwise, the parish is not ill accommodated as to roads for the conveyance of the farm produce to the principal market- towns. Ecclesiastical State. — The church was built in 1819 on a small eminence, which forms the church-yard, gradually sloping to the south. It is a substantial, chaste, and well-proportioned building, with Gothic windows ; seated for 900, and will hold nearly 200 more. And, as the external appearance of the church is in excel- lent taste, so the internal arrangements are very complete. The light is abundant, and the lofty roof is tastefully painted. Ti 3 interior is in the form of an oblong, with the pulpit standing in the middle of one of the short sides, namely, the gable, and finely sloped galleries running along the other three sides. As a whole, the church of Forgue gives proof not only of the good taste and liberality of the heritors, but also of their desire that the best possible accommo- dation should be afforded to their people when engaged in religious worship. The sittings are free. The manse is handsome, large, and commodious. It was repaired and enlarged in 1830. The glebe may extend to about twelve acres or so, and is worth about L.18 yearly. The stipend is now 16 chalders, half meal and half barley, converted at the highest fiar prices, with L.IO for commu- nion money. There is a preaching station, in connection with the Associate Synod of Seceders, at Bogfouton, in this parish, at the distance of about seven miles from the church. The property of the chapel, &c. as I hear, belongs, to the amount of L.5, to one of the members ; to the amount of L.65, to a Presbyterian farmer in the parish of Leslie ; and to the amount of the balance, which constitutes only a very few pounds, to the Associate Synod. For- merly, the Synod kept a fixed mhiister at Bogfouton ; latterly, there has been occasional preaching there. The attendance, es- pecially in the winter, may be sometimes considerable ; but there are not, so far as I am aware, four individuals connected with it belonging to this parish. There is an Episcopal chapel in the parish, within less than a FORGUE. 605 luarter of a mile from the churcli. In 1715, the parish minister, who was very popular and much esteemed by the people, was de- posed by the General Assembly for the part he took in favour of the Pretender. This gave great offence to the parishioners, and induced many of them to leave the church and join the Episcopa- lians. Hence Forgue has long been a stronghold of Episcopacy. The connection, however, it would appear, is not gaining ground, as, at the time of the last Statistical report, according to Mr Ding- wall, the Episcopalians amounted, within the parish, to 220, whereas they now amount to about 180. There is no Catholic chapel in the parish, and only three or four individuals of that persuasion in it. The other Dissenters may amount to about 40. The number of families in connection with the Church is about 464; do. of persons, about 2200. The average number of communicants for the last six years is about 920. 146 families are within two miles of the church ; 212 fami- lies are more than four miles ; 64 families are more than six miles; and 92 families or so are still farther, distant, — some upwards of eight miles. The above statistics are given from my own census taken in 1835. Ecclesiastical History. — Stipend at different times: Previous to 1731, the stipend was 800 merks Scots in victual and money, with L.20 Scots in addition for communion elements. It appears by the presbytery record, that, in 1731, an augmentation of 100 merks Scots of stipend, and 20 merks Scots of element-money was given unanimously by the heritors, which was paid partly in money and partly in victual. -The victual consisted of 44 bolls of meal, and 20 bolls of bear, and was valued, as it had been by the Commissioners of Tithes both in 1617 and 1633, at 100 merks per chalder, or about 6s. Sd. Sterling per boll. Hence it would ap- pear that the price of victual had continued stationary from 1617 to 1731, a period of 114 years. The stipend and element-money was by this augmentation made up to 950 merks Scots, and was paid from the great teinds (parsonage), and the small (vicarage), in the following proportions, namely, 550 merks from the great, and 400 from the small, or vicarage-teinds. This shows the re- lative value of the parsonage to the vicarage-teinds to have been at that period, as 550 to 400, or exactly as b\ to 4. It shows, farther, on the supposition that both the parsonage-teinds and the vicarage improved afterwards, /?arz ^:)as5'^, that in all future aug- mentations, for every L.5, 10s, paid by the parsonage, L.4 oufrht 606 * ABERDEKNSHIUE. to be paid by the vicarage-teinds. Now, it so happens, in this parish, that one of the heritors guarantees several of the others against all future augmentations of stipend ; but so far only as the great or parsonage-teinds are concerned ; hence, in the event of an augmentation being granted, as affects these heritors, say to the amount of L.9, 10s., if the above data be correct, it would come thus to be divided ; the guaranteer would have to pay L.5, 10s., and the guaranteed L.4 of the said augmentation. There seems to have been no farther augmentation for upwards of the next sixty years, as the writer of the former Statistical Ac- count, about 1796, states the stipend then to be 44 bolls of meal, 20 bolls of bear, 500 merks Scots of money, together with 50 merks Scots for communion elements. A year or two afterwards, the stipend was augmented to 52 bolls of meal, 20 bolls of bear, L.58, Is. l^d.. Sterling, of money sti- pend, and for element money, L.2, 15s. 6^d. Sterling. In 1803, it would appear the stipend was again augmented to 68 bolls of meal, 28 bolls of bear, and L.52, 10s. Sterling of money, together with L.8, 6s.8d. Sterling, for communion elements. In 1819, the stipend was raised to 14 chalders, half meal and half barley, with L.8, 6s. 8d. for element money. In 1840, 25th November, the stipend was augmented to 16 chalders, half meal and half barley, with L.IO for element money. Ministers. — The first Presbyterian minister that we hear of at Forgue was the Rev. John Maitland. He succeeded the last Episcopal clergyman, Mr Hastie, and, as appears from the record of presbytery, was translated from Insch by order of the synod, and settled at Forgue, on the 22d of May 1707.* This reverend • The presbytery record, which extends back to 1697, shows that the Episcopal clergymen in this district had abundantly availed themselves of the merciful provi- sion made in their behalf, by the act 1690. By that act, those of them who should conduct themselves peaceably were allowed to continue to discharge the duties of their cures, and enjoy the emoluments of their benefices till death. Their principles, in most cases, yielded to their interests ; and they conformed themselves readily, if not heartily, to the established order of things. Accordingly, we find, that, at 1697, of the eleven parishes, which now constitute the presbytery of TuirifF, ten were under the inspection of Episcopal clergymen, namely, Forgue, Drumblade, Inverkeithnie, Auchterless, Fyvie, Monquhitter, King-Edward, Gamery, Alvah, and Forglen. Turriff, at that period, was the only parish in which a Presbyterian minister was settled, in the person of the Rev. Thomas Thomson. The first Presbyterian mi- nisters who were settled in the other ten parishes of the presbytery, were the follow- ing, viz. The Rev. William Johnston (from Kearn) was settled at Auchterless, on the 6th of May 1697. The Rev. James Maitland (who was deposed in 1715) was settled at Inverkeith- nie on the I4th of May 1701. The Rev. John Turing was settled at Drumblade on the 18th of August 1 702. FORGUE. 607 gentleman and his brother James, the minister of the neighbouring parish of Inverkeithnie, were both deposed by the General As- sembly in a summary manner, on the 9th May 1715. The cause of their deposition was that they failed in their observance of a thanksgiving, appointed by both civil and ecclesiastical authority, to be observed on the ^Oth of January 1715, for the peaceable accession of George I. to the throne. In both parishes, the great bulk of the inhabitants espoused the cause of their ministers, and matters proceeded so far, that, as it had been impossible, formerly, for the members appointed by the sy- nod, to intimate the sentence of suspension, on account of the vio- lence of the people of these congregations, so the members, lately appointed by the Assembly to intimate their sentence of deposi- tion, were prevented by main force, not only from entering the churches, but even the church-yards of those parishes. On both occasions, the ministers sent were roughly handled, assailed by an enraged and furious mob, and obliged to make a hasty retreat without executing the orders of their superiors. Nor was it only on these two occasions that the turbulent spirit of the people ma- nifested itself, — these parishes were in a complete ferment for years afterwards. In the meantime, the Messrs Maitland, now that they were rejected by Presbytery, united themselves to Episco- pacy, and opened meeting-houses for their numerous friends and followers in both Forgue and Inverkeithnie. In this piece of out- The Rev. William Chambers (from Rathen), was settled at King-Edward, on the 3d of August 1 704. The Rev. John Maitland (from Insch, who was deposed in 1715), was settled at Forgue, on the 22d of May 1707. The Rev. James Bannerman (from Inveraven) was settled at Forglen on the 26th of March 1717. The Rev. John Gordon (from Glenbucket) was settled at Gamery on the 27th of May 1717. The Rev. Robert Hay was settled at Fyvie, on the 1st of May 1718. The Rev. James Stewart (from Inverkeithnie) was settled at Alvah on the 1.3lh of May 1718. The Rev. William Johnston was settled at Monquhitter on the 15th of Noven- ber 1727. At the time of the Rebellion, in 1715, there were six Presbyterian ministers in the Presbytery of Turriff; two were concerned in it, in so far as they neglected to observe the thanksgiving for the accession of George I., and were deposed accord, ingly ; namely, the Messrs Maitland. There were five Episcopal clergymen, who had been continued in their cures, living at that period within the bounds of the presbytery ; all entered heartily into the plan of the Pretender, and, notwithstand- ing their declinature of the authority of the presbytery, they were thus dealt with by that body, and the civil power sanctioned the proceeding. Mr Hay at Monquhit- ter was for some time suspended ; Messrs Campbell at Alvah, and Innes at Ga- mery, were deposed ; and Messrs Dunbar at Forglen, and Dalgarno at Fyvie, died during the dependence of the process against them. 60S ABERDEENSHIRE. rage, however, the people were but the puppets, the wires were drawn by jugglers, persons of influence, behind the screen. The presbytery exerted itself zealously to supply the vacancies, but ex- erted itself in vain, for the people were generally hostile; and the Viscountess of Frendraught had possessed herself of the keys of both churches. These she kept for several months, and was in- duced, at last, to give them up — not so much from the persuasion of the presbytery, as the dread of a threatened civil action. When access to these churches was again obtained, and the people had somewhat cooled in their resentment, supplies were furnished bv the presbytery, and matters were beginning to wear a more peace- able appearance. But, alas ! a new circumstance arose to rekin- dle into a flame the dying spark of discord. It was necessary that ministers should be settled at both Forgueand Inverkeithnie, and as the vacancy at both had been now upwards of a twelremonth, it was proper to proceed to the settlement of those parishes with- out loss of time. The right of presentation had now, in both cases, devolved 'on the presbytery; it was claimed by the patron, Mr Morrison of Bognie, son of the Viscountess of Frendraught. The presbytery, after sounding the inclinations of the people, and such of the heritors as were favourable to an immediate settle- ment, issued a presbyterial and general call in favour of the Rev. Alexander Forbes, to be minister of Forgue, because he was pre- ferred by the people of that parish ; as they did, a little after- wards, and for the same reason, issue another, in favour of the Rev. James Stuart, minister of Ordequhill, to be minister at In- verkeithnie. The presbytery commenced with the case of For- gue, and took the usual steps towards the settlement of Mr For- bes. They were opposed in these steps by the patron, who by his mandatory protested and appealed to the synod. The presby- tery acted in teeth of both protest and appeal, and appointed an edict to be served in the church of Forgue, intimating a day for the settlement. This was whispered to the people, and gave great off'ence to a decided majority. They took measures to prevent the servino" of the edict, and treated rather roughly the clergy- man who came forward to serve it. The presbytery, dreading per- sonal dano-er from the infuriated people on the day of settlement, applied to the proper quarters for the assistance of the sheriff to render the church of Forgue patent, and a party of soldiers to protect them on the day of settlement, namely, the 25th Septem- FORGUE. C09 ber 1716. Both were promised, but neither was forthcoming, so the presbytery had to proceed without escort to the church of Forgue. Nor were they the only party that was prepared for the settlement ; the people were equally prepared. They met the presbytery at the church-yard in a crowded body, bent on violence and outrage; commenced a furious attack upon them with stones and staves, obliged them hastily to retire, and literally chaced them beyond the bounds of the parish. They then returned to their homes in triumph, in the fond belief that they had prevent- ed the settlement. The presbytery, however, was not to be thus baffled; they proceeded to the church of Auchterless, a distance of nine miles, and there effected the settlement of Mr Forbes. The settlement was scarcely over, and the brethren met in presby- tery, when a presentation was lodged, by James Spence, in Pen- ny-burn, issued by Mr Morrison, the patron, in favour of the Rev. James Ramsay, minister at Bennethie, to be minister of Forgue, and placed upon the presbytery's table with all due formality. The scene that followed, it would be difficult to describe ; suffice it to say, that the effects of these proceedings were for a long time painfully felt in the parish. The ringleaders in these mobbings were forced to leave the country — and, after a series of years, the peace of society was restored, and the affections of the great body of the people gained over to Mr Forbes; a result in a great mea- sure brought about by his prudence, piety, benevolence, and ex- emplary conduct As in the cases of Inverkeithnie and Forgue, the inclinations of the people had been consulted, so in all other cases of the settle- ment of ministers about this period, and long afterwards, the feel- ings of the people concerned formed with this Presbytery the principal object of attention. The concurrence of the congrega- tions was considered in all cases absolutely necessary to give vali- dity to the presentation of the patron ; and what now goes with us by the name of intrusion seems to have been then altogether un- known. Education. — There is only one parochial school in the parish, though one or two more would be required. The schoolmaster's salary is the maximum. His school-fees may amount yearly to ra- ther more than L.20 ; and he derives, farther, a proportion of the Dick bequest. He has a good schoolhouse and garden ; and teaches English, writing, Latin, and mathematics, &c. The school-fees range from 2$. to 7s. 6a. per quarter. ABERDEEN. g q 610 ABERDEENSHIRE. There are five or six elementary schools, chiefly taught by fe- males on their own adventure. The people seem, in general, to be alive to the benefits of education ; and there is scarcely one in the parish between six and fifteen years of age who cannot read. Poor and Parochial Funds. — There are on the regular roll about 70 paupers, several of whom are widows with families, and they receive each on an average about Is. a week. The collec- tions at the church amount to about L.52. The heritors for the last four years have given yearly L. 60, in proportion to their va- lued rent, and the balance has been furnished principally from the funds, which would have been by this time completely exhausted, but for a legacy of L.400 Sterling, from a Mr Taylor, a native of this parish, and some other legacies and donations of minor amount. There is what is called Rainy's Mortification, besides, of L. 20 a- vear, given to poor people not actually on the roll, to prevent their falling on it ; but it is found from its working to have a contrary ten- dency, practically hastening what it was meant theoretically to retard, if not to prevent. The reluctance to receive parochial aid is growing less daily. Besides these regular supplies, we have when extraordinary exigencies demand it, another source of re- lieving distress, arising from the benevolence of the inhabitants, and manifesting itself in subscriptions, public beggings, &c. Savings Bank. — There is a savings bank in the parish, from which good results continue to arise. The money lodged in 1840 was L.1950. /ww5.— There is only one inn in the parish, at Bagniebrae, at the junction of the Banff and Aberdeen turnpikes. Fairs. — There are three annually at Hawkhall, in this parish, for the sale of cattle, sheep, and general merchandize, held on third Tuesday of April, old style; last Thursday of May, old style ; and third Tuesday of September, old style. April 1842, PARISH OF TOUGH. PRESBYTERY OF ALFORD, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. JAMES GILLAN, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — The name of the parish is said to be derived from a term in the Gaelic language, indicating its northern exposure. In a valuation of the thirteenth century, it is, however, written Tul- lyunch, of which the present name may be a corruption. Extent, Boundaries, Sfc, — The parish occupies the northern and western skirts of the range of hills called Corrennie, or the Red Hill, where it descends into the vale of Alford, and is of a very irre- gular figure. Its length, from the south-west to the north-east, is from 5 to 6 miles ; its breadth, which at one place is more than 3, at another place, where it is nearly cut across by the parish of Le- ochel, is scarcely half a mile ; and its square surface may be esti- mated at about 10 miles. It marches on the north with the pa- rish of Keig ; on the east, with those of Monymusk and Cluny ; on the south, with Midmar, Kincardine O'Neil, and Lumphanan, from which it is separated by the hills already "mentioned; and, on the west, with Leochel and Alford. Along with the parishes of Al- ford, Tullynessle, and Keig, it occupies that enlargement of the valley of the Don, called the Vale, or Howe of Alford ; but no part of this parish touches on the river. The distance from Aber- deen, the nearest point of the sea coast, is twenty-two miles. There is no part of the parish less than 420 feet above the level of the sea ; and the hill of Corrennie attains to the height of 1578 feet. Topographical Appearances. — The appearance of the surface is diversified and broken, and presents many varieties of soil ; the prevailing one, perhaps, being a light reddish mould, of no great depth, but " sharp" and kindly. The best soils, generally speaking, are to be found about the first risings of the hills. The low lands have a tendency to be wet and marshy, and often suffer from un- timely frosts. In the beginning of winter, it is nowise uncommon 612 ABERDEENSHIRE. to find every thing frozen over in these low grounds, while in high and exposed situations on the hill no ice is to be seen. In springy again, the reverse of this is the case. Geology. — The prevailing rocks are red granite and mica-slate, and, where the latter rock is laid bare by the courses of the various burns, it is seen to be everywhere penetrated by granitic veins. On the hill above Whitehouse, some huge masses jut out, of a nature approaching to quartz rock. Near Tillyfour, a magnesian limestone occurs ; and, in one or two situations, a primary trap appears. The eastern side of the parish is traversed by a re- markable dike of claystone porphyry, of great hardness, and of a reddish colour ; it runs pretty continuously, for several miles, in a direction nearly north and south ; and, it is said, that dikes of the same material, and in a direction corresponding with this one, may be traced, crossing the country from the mountain of Ben- nochie, to that of Clochnaben. Boulders of two or three feet in diameter, and sometimes of much greater size, of red and blue granite, of gneiss and mica- slate, of claystone and felspar porphyry, (the latter extremely beautiful), are scattered over the surface, and mingled with the soil and subsoil in many places very abun- dantly, furnishing a ready and excellent building stone. It is per- haps worthy of remark, that those consisting of blue granite often contain veins of the red variety, and nodules of mica slate ; while, in the boulders of red granite, no foreign material is almost ever to be observed, and some of the outlying blocks of this material from the hill have been polished into slabs and pillars of the great- est beauty. In some situations, the red granite exists in beds, in such a disintegrated state, as to be dug out with the help of the pick-axe, as a material for road-making. High up the hill, by the side of a little waterfall, there is a very strong chalybeate spring. The supply of water is abundant. To the taste, it certainly appears as strong as the well-known Pananich water ; and those who have used both, say that its ef- fects are by ho means inferior. Throughout the parish, generally, there is an abundant supply of pure and excellent spring-water. II. — Civil History. Land-oioners. — The landed property is in the hands of four in- dividuals ; viz. General Byres of Tonley ; Mr M'Combie of Til- lyfour ; Mr Farquharson of Whitehouse ; and Mr Elmslie of Tul- lochvenus. The valued rent is L.1670, 14s., Scots. The real TOUGH. 613 rental, stated in the last Statistical Account at L.600, now amounts to L.2200 Sterling. Parochial Registers. — There are entries in the parochial register as far back as 1706, but it has since been very irregularly kept. Antiquities. — There are several of those remains, known by the title of Druidical circles, in the parish, and among the hills ad- joining it, and generally, where one of these is found, others of smaller size are to be met with, in its close vicinity. The largest of these lies in a very sequestered situation, and is called the Auld Kirk of Tough (does this designation in any degree confirm the opinion, that the original purpose of these moss-grown remains was a religious one?). It is surrounded by numerous small tumuli, which suggest the idea of a burying-ground connected with the place of worship. There is one on a smaller scale, but more complete and interesting, on the moor which divides this parish from that of Monymusk. The tumuli around it are without num- ber ; and the remains of ancient walls or causeways may be traced among the heather, running out from the principal circle, and connecting it with several lesser ones. Altogether, it seems to deserve the inspection of an antiquarian. At Tullochvenus, in a small cairn opened a few months ago, there was found an urn con- taining calcined bones, and among them a lance head of bronze, of an elliptical form. Stone axes have been dug up in various places. On the hill above Whitehouse, near its summit, there stands a stone evidently monumental. It is upwards of 12 feet in height, and bears the name of Luath's Stone, from a tradition that a son of Macbeth's, so called, fell here, in flying from Lumphanan, where his father was slain. Lower down the hill, are some fields, known by the name of the Bloody Faulds, where some of Bailly's men are said to have made a stand in their flight from the battle of Alford. Towards the end of last century, a human skeleton, a sword, and a shilling of Queen Elizabeth, were found in a marsh near the fool of the hill, through which Bailly's men are likely to have passed. But the most singular relics of antiquity, of which the parish can boast, are two stone collars, preserved among other articles of curiosity in the mansion-house of Tonley. They are neatly cut in stone, and bear an exact resemblance to the horse's collar now in use. They are 17 inches in length, and 12 in breadth at the broadest part, so that they might fit the neck of a Shetland poney. These puzzling relics are said to have been found at Glenroy. 614 ABERDEENSHIRE. The late James Byres, Esq. of Tonley, by whom these and many other articles of curiosity were brought together, and who died here at a very advanced age in 1817, was a gentleman highly distinguished for his profound knowledge of architectural antiqui- ties, and the fine arts in general, and no less respected for his sterling worth, by those who were unable to estimate these ac- quirements. A great part of his life was spent at Rome, where he gave lectures, at one period, on the favourite objects of his study ; and Sir James Hall, who has occasion, in his work on Gothic architecture, frequently to refer to his authority, bears testimony, as well as many other writers, to "the very great success with which he contributed to form the taste of his young country^- men." A curious and valuable work of his, on the Sepulchres of Etruria, is likely soon to be given to the public, which will show that he had anticipated, by half a century, many of the recent in- vestigations of these monuments of antiquity. III. — Population. population in 1755 was 570 1791, 560 1801, 629 1811, 589 1821, 698 1831, 828 1841, 763 * The number of births from October 1, 1834, to October 1, 1835, was . 20 marriages, . . . . 1 deaths, . . . . . 12 Of unmarried men above 50 the numbers are, bachelors, 2; widowers, 15. Of women above 45, there are 33 maids, and 27 widows. This increase of the population is owing to the extended and improved cultivation, and to the encouragement that has been given to small crofters on the estate of the principal proprietor.^ There is no village, nor any manufacturing establishment. The number of insane or fatuous persons is 3. IV. — Industry. Agriculture. — The quantity of land in tillage is about 2970 im- perial acres ; the quantity of waste land, 2260 acres, of which 400 or 500 might perhaps, with proper drainage, be brought into profitable cultivation. The range of hills which bounds the pa- rish on the south, extending to 6000 or 7000 acres, is in a state of undivided common ; but what proportion of that tract belongs to this parish, it is hard to say, and no part of it is included in the above estimate. A process for the division of this common is at No regular register having been kept, I can only state the numbers within my own incumbency. 4 ToUGtt. 615 present before the Court of Session. There are in the parish 1097 acres of planted wood, covering most of the eminences. Some of the plantations are of only a few years growth, and are in a thriving state ; while others, which have attained to fifty or sixty years of age, are now cut down as a market offers ; and in a good many situations, the ground they occupied is now trenched and turned into corn land. The Scotch fir, the larch, and spruce, are the prevailing kinds of wood, but largely intermingled with the other sorts of forest trees ; all of which attain a large size, and yield excellent timber. In a picturesque dell, in the midst of the finest of the woods, lies the garden of Tonley, a spot which nature and art have combined to render singularly attractive. Bent of Land. — The rent of land varies exceedingly, from dif- ferences of quality and other circumstances, some being let at 8s. 6d. some at L.2. The average of the parish, however, may be stated at about 14s. the imperial, or 19s. the Scotch acre. Leases. — The duration of leases is, in almost every instance, nineteen years, and they are not clogged with unfavourable or op- pressive terms. The rents are payable half yearly, and are chief- ly in money. It would be of considerable benefit to the tenants, if, instead of Martinmas and Whitsunday, the terms of payment were changed to Candlemas and Lammas, as not hurrying them into the markets with their crop. Husbandry. — The seven-shift husbandry is in almost universal use, the land being allowed to remain for three years in grass, af- ter which two crops of oats are taken in succession, then turnips, and lastly, oats or bear with grass seeds; the ground being well clean- ed and manured when in green crop. The soil is very favour- able to the growth of the turnip, and its culture is well under- stood and much attended to. Bone manure is a good deal used, sometimes in combination with dung, and is found to answer well. Potatoes are reared only for domestic use ; and the field cultiva- tion of cabbages, carrots, beets, &c. is unknown. Oats and bear are the only kinds of grain raised, and in the proportion probably of ten acres of the former to one of the latter. The rearing of black* cattle is here a leading object with the farmer, and oat- straw, and turnips furnish the best winter keep. The cattle are in general excellent, of the old Aberdeenshire breed, crossed, however, with the West Highland and various other sorts, and of late years, in many instances with the Teeswater. They are usually brought to market at three years old. The number of 616 ABERDEENSHIRE. cattle, stated in the last Statistical Account at 625, is now about 1000, and the increase in weight is probably in a much greater proportion ; while the number of sheep has very much diminished, there being now only a few of the black-faced kind kept by those farmers who are close upon the hill. The farm-buildings are in general sufficient. There are about twenty thrashing-mills, most of them worked by water power, and the drains and enclosures, in both of which, especially the former, great improvements have of late been made, are kept in good order. The fences are in general dry stone dikes; but the small holdings are still mostly unenclosed. The lower part of the parish is pretty well accommodated with roads; but of its upper end the same can- not as yet be said. Since the date of the last Statistical Account, the whole agri- culture of this parish and district has been placed on a new footing. The ancient cumbrous plough, with its five or six yoke of oxen, whose whole force was often necessary to tear up the wild aEd matted surface, has been laid aside : the turnip husbandry, the rotation of crops, the periodical cleaning and manuring of the whole ground, and the sowing down of proper grasses, have dis- placed the old infield and outfield practice ; and the use of lime has become universal, which, when applied in the small quantity of sixty or seventy imperial bushels to the acre, is found to have the very best effects. Produce. — The average gross amount of raw produce raised in the parish may be estimated as follows : — Produce of grain of all kinds, L.4O0O of potatoes and turnips, 1300. of hay, 1200 of land in pasture, 900 Garden produce, 60 Wood felled. 100 Total yearly value of raw produce raised, 1^.7560 It may be added, that there are annually exported from the parish about 6000 dozen of eggs, amounting, at the average price of 4d. a dozen, to the value of L. 100; and 186 cwt. of butter, amounting at 6|d. a pound, to L.564> 4s. The quantity of cheese sold is not great. Altogether, however, the attention paid in this part of the country to these minuter points of "husbandry'' or " housewifery" is such as would have delighted the heart of old Tusser to behold, and these results show that such attention is Slot bestowed in vain. There is no manufacturing establishment TOUGH. 617 in the parish or district. A number of the females employ them- selves in knitting stockings for a mercantile house in Aberdeen. The worsted is furnished to them at their own houses, and they are paid for their work at the rate of 3^d. or 4d. a pair. About 3000 pairs of excellent worsted stockings are in this manner made in the parish yearly. V. — Parochial Economy. Market 'Toions. — The nearest market-towns are Inverury and Kintore, each distant about thirteen miles. Meavs of Communication. — There is a good turnpike road the whole way to the latter of these places, and our farmers occasion- ally resort to it with their produce, (which is thence transported by the canal boats to Aberdeen,) bringing home lime in return. But by far the principal communication is with the county town itself, where it is found that both sales and purchases can be ef- fected on more favourable terms. The distance is twenty-two miles, but the turnpike road is excellent, and the acclivities few. The length of turnpike road within the parish is about two miles and a half; the road from Aberdeen to Strathdon passing through it near its northern extremity, and that from Aberdeen to Tar- land touching it on the south. There is a stage-coach and a mail-gig, which calls daily at the post-office at Whitehouse, in its way from Aberdeen to Strathdon. The bridges over the small streams which cross the turnpike and other roads are in good re- pair. Ecclesiastical State. — The situation of the parish church is per- haps as convenient for the great body of the people as could well be found in a parish of such irregular figure. A small proportion of the inhabitants, however, at the south-west corner of the parish, are four miles from it; but in almost every other direction, its dis- tance from the boundary does not exceed two miles. The church was erected in 1838. It is seated for 550 persons, and is hand- some and commodious in no ordinary degree. The manse was built in 1835, and bears testimony also to the good taste and li- berality of the heritors. The glebe consists of about 7 imperial acres of good land, and maybe valued at L.9 Sterhng per annum. The stipend is L.96, 12s. \^qA. in money, (with LS, 6s. 8d. for communion elements,) 25 bolls, 1 firlot oatmeal, and 2 bolls, 1|- firlot bear, and an Exchequer allowance of L.S3, 17s. l^d. under the small stipend act. There are about 60 Dissenters in the parish, of the United 618 ABERDEENSHIRE. Associate Synod, who attend a chapel on the immediate confines of this parish, but situated in that of Leochel. The original cause of their separation, as stated in the former Statistical Account, was their opposition to a new mode of singing introduced into the parish church in 1760, which, however, has been long since adopt- ed by themselves. The average number of communicants at the Established Church is 350, and divine service is well attended. About twenty years ago, a decree of the Court of Teinds was passed for the annexation of this parish and that of Keig ; Govern- ment having agreed, in consideration of the saving thus effected of L.57, 17s. 3d., payable yearly to the ministers of the two parishes under the small stipend act, to give about L.1200 towards the erection of the bridge over the Don at Keig. This arrangement, though, for the sake of obtaining the bridge, it appears to have been acquiesced in by all parties at the time, came afterwards to be felt so highly unsatisfactory, that when, by the death of one of the incumbents in 1832, the annexation actually took effect, sub- scriptions to the amount of several hundred pounds were raised by the heritors and the people of the two parishes ; the claims of Go- vernment, in so far as insisted on, were liquidated, a decree of dis- junction was obtained, and the ministrations of religion replaced in both parishes on their ancient footing. Education. — Besides the parochial school, there has lately been opened, under the direction of the kirk-session, a school for girls, which receives a small salary from the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge, and promises to be of great utility. The salary of the parochial schoolmaster is L.25, 13s. 4d., and the ave- rage amount of school fees which he receives, does not much ex- ceed L.12. He is provided with a neat and commodious dwel- ling-house and school-room, with a garden adjoining, and these, with the allowance from the Dick bequest, constitute the whole emoluments of the oflfice. Library. — There is a subscription library in the parish, esta- blished a few years ago. It contains from 400 to 500 volumes, in general judiciously selected, which are much read and enjoyed, especially in the long evenings of winter. Poor. — There are at present 15 persons receiving regular aid from the poor's funds, at the rate of about L.l, 10s. each per an- num. They are almost all old women, who are unable to earn anything for their own subsistence, beyond the pittance that is to Id 1722, L. 3 13 1740, 1 12 1783, 3 17 1805, 7 1 1816, 10 13 1826, 18 4 1834, 25 1 1835, 28 1841, 33 2 TOUGH. 61{> be made by knitting worsted stockings, at which they labour with the utmost diligence. It is of course often requisite to give occa- sional supplies to persons disabled by sickness, or otherwise in cir- cumstances of temporary distress. It may not be uninteresting to state the amount of church collections made at different periods for the poor. 4, more than the half of which collected at the sacrament. 1, there being no sacrament that year. 17 10, chiefly at sacrament. 9 poor on the roU. 0, nine poor on the roll. 9. 9, eleven poor on the roll. 7, twelve poor on the roll. 0, twelve do. 0, fifteen do. In addition to the collections, there are available for the poor (after paying the session-clerk's, precentor's, and beadle's salaries,) the interest of L. 200, made up by a bequest recently left to the session by the late P. M'Combie, Esq. of Lynturk, and some ac- cumulations. It would be, on all hands, looked upon as most de- grading, were any person capable of otherwise obtaining a liveli- hood, to apply for aid from these funds. No market is held in the parish, but there are several, in the course of the year, at Alford, Scuttry, Monymusk, and other places in the vicinity. Inn. — There is only one inn, that of Whiteley, which is situated at a point on the high road, where such an accommodation could scarcely be dispensed with, and is respectably kept. Fuel. — The fuel chiefly used is peat, which has hitherto been abundant and easily procured ; but as the principal supply is from the common already mentioned, and persons from all quarters have been at liberty to avail themselves of it, it is likely in a few years to be much less plentiful. The peat is made up, in a considerable degree, of the decayed branches of trees, among which the birch is the prevailing kind. Miscellaneous Observations. As there is not a single beggar belonging to the population of this or any of the neighbouring parishes, the prevalence of com- mon begging, by persons from other quarters, to the extent to which it was, till lately, carried on, is an evil of which we have good cause to complain. The greater number of those engaged in it describe themselves as belonging to the large towns, and although, no doubt, many of them are real objects of charity, in very many in- stances they are individuals whose dissolute habits have deprived 620 ABERDEENSHIRE, them of employment, and of every inclination for if. The oppor- tunities for theft, and many other vices, which such a practice af- fords, are too obvious to require to be pointed out; but the tax thus levied on an industrious and charitable population is perhaps not sufficiently adverted to. Suppose (which probably is below the truth) that every day twelve of these wandering mendicants, or seventy-two per week, perambulate a parish such as this, in which there are about 160 inhabited houses; that they call at one-fourth of these, and receive alms to the amount of a halfpenny each, (and where they are served with meal or provisions, so little as a half- penny worth is never offered them), then the sum thus levied would amount to L.6 a week, or L.312 a year; one-tenth part of which would probably exceed the contingent such a parish would be cal- led upon to furnish, were any general measure for the suppression of begging entered into throughout a district. This evil, we are happy to say, has been much lessened since the establishment throughout the county of a rural police. December 1 835. — Revised May 1 842. PARISH OF BOURTIE. PRESBYTERY OF GARIOCH, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. JAMES BISSET, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name.—Tnv. etymology of the term " Bourtie" cannot be traced ; but, as in some old charters, it is found written Bourtiach, we may reasonably presume that the first part of the appellative i& significant of some distinctive quality ; in like manner as the name of the district (Garioch or Geiriach) signifies shining ov splendid Held. Extent and Boundaries. — Bourtie extends from west to east 5 miles ; in average breadth nearly 2 ; and contains probably 9 square miles. In figure it resembles an irregular triangle, of which the western boundary, resting on Chapel of Garioch, forms the base, and the eastern point, where it touches Udny, the apex. On the north, it is bounded by Daviot, Meldrum, and Tarves ; and BOURTIE. 621 on the south, by Udny and Keith-hall. Near the centre of the parish, and distant a mile from each other, rise two hills of consi- derable elevation, being probably 600 feet above the level of the sea. That on the north is named the Hill of Barra, the other the Hill of Lawhill-side. These run in an easterly direction, and converging terminate in the Hill of Kingoody, by the foot of the eastern acclivity of which the parish is bounded. Meteorolgy. — From the height at which the manse is situated, the thermometer and barometer stand comparatively low. The greatest depressions which I have marked in the latter were, \st^ on the 20th September 1830, when, in a few hours from ten a.m. with a violent south-east dry wind, it fell fully two inches, and stood rather below 28 inches ; and, '2dly, on 1st April 1836, when, at ten p. M., in a tempestuous night of snow and rain, the wind very strong from south by east, it was as low as 27.7 inches. It need hardly be remarked, that, though the barometer, from its rise or fall, may lead us to expect a coming change of weather, it does by no means per se indicate what that change will be, and that for any purpose of practical value in common life the season of the year, the direction of the wind, the appearances of the clouds, &c. must be taken in connection, and the judgment deduced from a consideration of the whole. In making this judgment, consider- able assistance may be occasionally derived from observing the ha- bits of the common rook, which abounds in this neighbourhood. The signs which these afford have been pointed out with singular beauty in the Georgics of Virgil. Some allowance being made for the difference of climate, perhaps his interpretation of them still holds true, so indelibly have the instincts of animals been im- pressed by the great Fountain of Life. The rocks in the parish are chiefly of the trap formation, and the summit of the Hill of Barra has been held, by some naturalists, to be the crater of an extinct volcano. II. — Civil History. The session register of Bourtie commences with the transfe- rence of a minister from a neighbouring parish in 1709. He was the first Presbyterian minister settled since Episcopacy was abo- lished ; for the now ascendant church, with a moderation and re- gard to the peace of the country which do it honour, seems to have permitted many of the Episcopal clergy to continue for life in the unmolested discharge of their sacred function. Antiquities. — The parish is by no means destitute of ancient 622 ABERDEENSHIRE. remains. Three of the circles, which continue to be named Drnid- ical, existed at the date of the last report. Two of these remain, — one in a state of considerable preservation, on the lands of Thornton. Two barrows, or rather cairns, have been opened within the last ten years. In each there was found a stone-coffin, enclosing two urns of hard-baked carved pottery. The urns were full of rich loam, mixed with charcoal. The largest of these cairns, raised on an eminence called the Hawklaw, originally covered nearly half an acre, and was surrounded with a circle of small stones set on end. Cumming's Camp. — The most remarkable, however, of our an- cient remains is the fortification on the Hill of Barra,* known by the name of the Cumming's Camp. This, and the circumstances connected with it, have afforded a fertile theme of discussion to antiquarians, and I shall therefore, perhaps, be excused if I dwell on it at some length. The fort occupying the flat summit of the hill contains fully three acres of ground, and is surrounded with three nearly parallel walls of circumvallation, composed of earth and stone. Apart from its name, the camp would be considered merely one of those hill-forts, which, by no means rare in Scotland, are pretty numerous in the adjacent country. Thus we have, with such differences merely as arise from the nature of the accessible materials, the forts on Benachie and the Keirhill in Skene, and the Barmekyn in Echt. These all lie in the vicinity of the Roman Iter, from their camp ad Devanham (Norman dikes in Petercul- ter), to that ad Ituriam (Glenmailen in Forgue), towards the Cas- tra alata on the Moray Frith. Is it not probable, then, that, as these forts flank on either side, the line of the Roman progress northwards, they were erected by the then inhabitants of the coun- try (the Faixali), as places of refuge for themselves and their fa- milies, from which, sallying forth, they might engage in a Guerilla warfare with their haughty invaders ? The tradition which gives the building of this camp to the Cummings is evidently fabulous, — for to it their age affords nil vel simile aut secundum. That it was even occupied by them previous to their battle with Bruce, the accounts of that battle, whether by Hector Boece or by Bar- • The small western isle Barra is thus described ; " This island, which is low and flat on the west side, and steep and irregular on the east," &c. These features cor- respond exactly with those possessed by the estate of Barra, so that I should be in- clined to question the accuracy of Chalmers's derivation of Barra. It is, according to him, from two Celtic words Bar and ra, rae or Rath, signifying the fortified ground. BOUUTIE. 623 bour, seem to render very doubtful. They were the invading and more powerful party, and came to seek not a secure retreat but, as they believed, an easy victory over the Bruce, already depressed" with reverses and wasted by most valetudinary health. Barbour's account of the battle, which is the most authentic, is here sub- joined. It was fought on 22d May 1308. " The King having crossed the Grampians received the allegiance of some barons, but, in a short time, fell sick at Inverury; he was unable to take any sustenance, and his strength entirely ftxiled him. Having been placed in a litter, he was carried to the Slenach or Sliach, in the parish of Drumblade, a fortification of some strength. After Martinmas, when the ground was covered with snow, the Earl of Buchan raised an army, and along with his brother, Sir John the Mowbray, and Sir David Brechin, nephew to the Bruce, marched against the monarch. The conflict lasted three days, but, being confined to discharges of arrows, little harm was done. The forces of Bruce were at last obliged to quit their defences by famine, and having placed the royal litter in the centre of their army, they proceeded to Strath - bogie without any molestation from Buchan, who seems to have feared to attack them. Shortly after, they removed the King to Inverury. Meantime Buchan, Mowbray, and Sir David Brechin, assembled another army, and encamped at Old Meldrum. The next morning. Sir David Brechin, with a small party, rode towards Inverury, and so suddenly entered the west end of the burgh, that he drove the King's troops before him, and killed several. The Bruce lay at the east end of the town, and on receiving. tidings of the onslaught by his nephew, instantly called for his horse, that he might do battle with the enemy. It was in vain that his friends remonstrated with him. " The insolence of these men," he re- plied, " has made me hale and fair ; no medicines could so speedi- ly have cured me as they have, and so may God be my help, for either I shall have them, or they shall have me." At the head of his troops, in number about 700, Bruce marched towards Old Mel- drum, and was met by Buchan. Astonished at the sudden appa- rition of the King, the soldiers of Gumming hesitated, and were confused : Bruce pressed furiously upon them ; and in a few mi- nutes they were put to flight, and utterly discomfited.* The Earl * The disjecta membra of the various popular legends on this subject may be some- how thus incorporated : " On a time lang sync, whan the English wished to tak awa our liberties, the fause Comyn cam up frae Buchan wi' a' his falluwers and a fouth o' 624 ABERDEENSHIRE. of Buchan and Sir John Mowbray fled to England, where they died soon after ; and Sir David Brechin soon after embraced the cause of his royal uncle. The Bruce wasted the district of Buchan with fire and sword, and such was the desolation he left behind him, that the herschip of Buchan was mourned for more than fifty years." — (Barb, Bruce.) Boece says, " Qua victoria ad Hene- raurie (Inverury) parta :" it is accordingly by some historians cal- led the battle of Inverury, by others the battle of Old Meldrum. From Barbour's account, however, and from other circumstances, there is no reasonable doubt, that the scene of the conflict was a level field lying immediately under the Hill of Barra, called at this day, "the Bruce Field," which, though now levelled by the inexorable English forbye, to win the Crown to the English Tirran Edward. In ae nicht, they biggit a' that Camp o' the Hill heed, for the coinitry was mensely agen them. But they thocht themsels that they had the ba' fairly at their fit noo, for Bruce was lyin at death's door at Inraurie : and frae the time that he took ill, his folk, thinkin' a' was o'er wi' them, had turn't few in number. But fan the nicht's mirkest, it's nearest the crawin' o' the cock. Fan he heard o' their bein' at's very door as 'twar, up be sprang fra his bed, like a fey man, and cryin' for's sword said ' Is'e mak' a speen or spuil a horn. These loons are physick to me.' So out he gaed amang's folk, and fan they were dwindled awa' till a hanfu' amaist, and sair he seem't dishertent, but only said, ' Fot we wint o' folk, we man men' wi' can :' so he order't them a' to be ready by 12 at nicht, wi' a' the nowt and horse they could gather. A'vvell afFthey set but nae by the stracht road, but o'er the tap o' Lawel Side, which they cam 'till jist afor' the sky ; and for as bare as it is noo, it wis than as I'm tauld a braw forest coveret wi' bonny trees. Bruce noo tied lichts to the horns o' the nowt, and reed cloth and white napkins to the horse necks, and dreve them here and there through the wood, or- derin's folk to mak a' the din they could. The heart o' the Comyns lap to their mou, for they thocht the haill o' Scotlan' was risen agen' thera. Jist at this time, whan a stir began amo' them, Sir William Wallace, aswusagree't on wi' the Bruce, up's wi' astano like a House-side, and wi' the strenth o' 10 Galiahs, bungs' 't frae the tap o' Benachie ; and that they micht ken fa the compliment cam' frae, he first prented the initials o' his name ( VV. VV.) i' the side o't. Fung it gaed thro' the air and lichtin' i' the mid- dle o' the camp kill't not a few, and gart the yird stot to the very cloods. The hurly wus noo compleet, and oot they ran oot o'er ither's heeds like as mony sheep oot o' a fauld. In this confeesion, the Bruce and his folk cam upo' them, and tho'they foght hard, they war' sae sair defait that they could never baud up their heeds ahint it. The Kins's spirits waur noo high, as ye may believe ; but he wus doom't to get a s:iir heart brak afor' nicht. His bosom Comarade, the brave Englishman, Sir Tho- mas de Longueviile, wus mortally wounded i' the battle, but he continuet to feght while it lasted. He raid afFthe field 'till he cam' to the Dykes o' Fala, but there fell frae his horse. Callin' to the King, ' Noo, Robin,' he said till him, ' my eeu will soon be clos't, and I've ae request to mak. Ye maun jist lay my banes whar- ever thisarra fa's.' So drawin's bow, he sent the arra wi' a' his micht through the air, and it fell i' the Kirk yard o' Bourtie here, twa mile awa. The king's love o' Sir Robert wus great, and he caus't mak' that imaget o' him, whilk ye see lyin' yon- der, and placet it on's grave. That ither image, as I've hard say, is Sir Thomas Ladye, wha fan the news o's death reach't England, gaed oo't o' ae dwawn intill ani- ther, and wi' her last breath beggit to be laid aside him." f This derives some vraisemblance from tv/o rat'ner rude images of a knight in ar- mour and his dame, which occupied a niche in the old church of Bourtie. They lie now in the church-yard, neglected like the stranded remains of Polydorus, It is hard- ly necessary to remark, that no such knight as Sir Thomas de Longueviile is known historically to have been amongst the followers of either party. BOURTIE. 625 plough, contained, until very lately, a number of small elliptical entrenchments. Scilicet et tempus veniet, quum finibus illis Agricola, incurvo terrain molitus aratro Exaesa inveniet scabra rubigine pila. The only witness of this kind found in the entrenchments was an English bill-hook, now in possession of the tenant of North Mains of Barra.* III. — Population. In Dr Webster's tables, the population is given as being 327 1811, by Parliamentary census, it was . . 442 1821, . • . . .461 1831, ... .472 1841, . . .469 The decrease from the middle of last century to the beginning of this, was owing to the increased size of farms. The births for the last seven years stand thus rf * In the year l'J93, the parish was the scene of a feudal conflict, which is thus re- corded by Wyntoun, (Book ix. cap. xvi. vol. ii. p. 371-373) : " A thousand and thre hundyr yere, Nynty and fyve or thare-by nere, Robert the Keth, a mychty man By Lynage, and apperand than For to be a Lord of mycht Of raony Landis of rycht Richt, In Ferraartine, at Fivy, Asse.i^it his Aunt, a gud Lady That tyme the Lud of Craufurdis wyf, (That led in all her tyme gud lif. ) Schir James de Lyndesay, than her Lord, Merit agane hym in discord : For his Masonry's first gert he Fra thare werke removit be, And quha, that Wattyr broucht fra the Burn, He gairt thaim oft wytht his Ost spurn ; Thus he demanyt that Lady Wythin the Castil of Fivy. Than Schir James de Lyndesay, Quben he relatioune he hard say That then his Wyf, that gud Lady, Thare wes assegit sa straitly, He gadryt of his Frendis then, Thre, or nere foure, hundyr men, And owre the Mouth than als fast As he til Fivy could haif past. This Robert of Keith of purpos set lu the Ganyauch with James met. And, nere the Kirk than of Bourty, Of Robertis men were slane fifty And wele ma ; swa Robert gwyte Wes in that Bagane discumfyte ; Fra thine he past noucht till Fivy, For till assege that gud Lady." -f- The reporter, as well as some of his brethren in this neighbourhood, enrols in a pocket register, immediately when he baptizes it, the name of every child • and though he exacts the fee to the session-clerk, the people regard it as a kindness rather ABERDEEN. R r 626 ABERDEENSHIRE. Boys. Girls. 1829, 4 . 6 1830, 7 . 9 1831, 10 . 5 1832, 4 . 5 1833, 9 . 5 1834, 5 . 5 1835, 5 . 9 44 44 Unmarried men and widowers above 50, 8 Unmarried women above 45, 7 Widows above 45, . 10 Number of families. , 82 Average of persons to each fam.ily, 5| Land-oicncrs. — The landholders are, Mr Ramsay of Barra (a minor); Mr Leith Lumsden of Leithfield ; Mr Duguid of Bi)urtie and Collyhill ; Mr Mackenzie (of Glack) Thornton ; and Mr Ross of Arnage (part of Bourtie.) None of these are resident. IV. — Industry. The valued rent is L.2501 Scots. The real rent is about one- fifth part greater, or L.3000 Sterling. Agriculture. — The parish contains about 5000 imperial acres. Of these nearly 3600 are in cultivation, giving an average rent of 16s. per acre ; in plantations, chiefly Scotch fir and larch, 360 ; 1000 uncultivated and waste, and a few acres of moss. The most general rotation of cropping pursued here (as indeed through Aber- deenshire), is what is called the seven-shift ; i. e. after grass, two successive grain crops ; third year, turnips or potatoes ; fourth year, grain crop sown down with grass seeds; fifth, sixth, and se- venth years, grass crops. From trials made by some distinguish- ed agriculturists, the reporter is inclined to state his belief with some confidence, that, through the greater part of this county, which holds chiefly by a light loam, a six-shift, i. e. one grain crop after grass, instead of two, would be more beneficial to the soil, and, as a consequence, more beneficial eventually to the cultiva- tor. Leases are generally for nineteen years : it might be desira- ble that their endurance should embrace at least three complete rotations. Within the last ten years, between 300 and 400 acres of waste land have been improved. To this good work, Mr Du- guid of Bourtie has greatly contributed, both by his example, and by judicious aid granted to his tenants. Of the 1000 acres re- maining waste, nearly two-thirds might with advantage be brought than any hardship. Might not the church recommend the general adoption of some such plan, and thus save the country the heavy expense of the registration apparatus with which it is threatened. BOURTIE. 627 into cultivation ; and not only so, but what is already in tillage might be rendered very greatly more productive. According to what we even at present see, it is perhaps not extravagant to af- firm, that every acre in Aberdeenshire, under whatever crop, might, on an average, be brought to produce one-fourth more. It is not want of skill nor enterprise that prevents this ; nor want of capital ; nor want of proper encouragement by proprietors ; one and all of these may partially operate as retarding causes. There exists one barrier to our onward progress, of such supereminent magnitude that it stands alone, and before it, the others " hide their diminished heads." This is want of confidence in the stabi- lity of our external agricultural defences. Could it be whispered into the ears of those men whose motto is, " We are the people, and for the people," how many ten thousand pounds their motions for demolishing the corn-laws prevent annually from being com- mitted to the bosom of that " tellus gratissima, quae nunquam red- dit nisi cum foenore," we believe'that, having the end in view which they profess, they would cease from agitating this question. Far- mers will not lay out on waste ground the value of 100 bushels of grain, even with the prospect of reaping in time 200, for that time embraces a period of some years, if the sword be ever suspend- ed over their heads. The capital thus withheld would incalcula- bly increase the productions of the earth for man and beast : for each acre of land brought into cultivation does not increase grain and herbage only pro tanto, or arithmetically, but adds to the pro- ductive powers of all the land around, from the increased tempe- rature which it induces, and the diminution of mildews and ear- ly frosts. Nor is this all : the " bare boll,''' (as the farmer signi- ficantly calls it), brought from abroad, is a very different thing from an additional boll raised at home ; because this last carries with it the capacity of feeding more cattle, and thus brings a greater supply of milk, butter, cheese, and well-fed butcher-meat within the reach of the great body of the people. But this, says the modern school of economists, is forcing things unnaturally. It is, every Briton may answer, adding to the beauty, the fertility, the salubrity, and the riches of that land, " quae me genuit atque aluit ;" it is following the dictates of a sound mind, for preventing under Providence those violent and sudden alternations of ruinously low and ruinously high or famine prices, as to the desolating effects of which the traditional annals of this and other parishes bear au- palling testimony. 628 ABEUDEENSHIUE, V. — Parochial Economy. Market- Toivn. — There is no market held within the parish : the nearest market-town is Old Meldrum, which lies towards the north, but much the greatest intercourse is with Inverury, though rather more distant to the south-west. Ecclesiastical State. — The church is near the centre of the pa- rish : it was built in 1806, is in tolerable repair, and contains about 800 sittings. There is no other place of worship. The Dissenters are, Episcopalians, 2 ; Quakers, 2 ; Seeeders, 14 ; total, 18.* All the others attend church with commendable punctuality ; the average number of communicants is 210. Education. — The parochial school is the only one in the parish ; it is well attended, for the people are universally alive to the benefits of a sound, cheap, and religious education. All come to years can read and write, and there are scarcely any, even among the peasan- try, who have not made some progress in accounting. The work of education is begun at the age of four or five, and children are sent to school for the first time, from that period of life to six or seven, according to their distance from school. About one- eleventh part of the population are in attendance during winter. Poor and Parochial Funds. — The average number of paupers is seven ; the sum allotted to each varies from Is. to Is. 4d. per week, and averages nearly L. 3 a-year. The annual collections amount to about L. 20 ; we have besides L. 7 or L.B of interest on stock created chiefly by savings made in properous times. These sums are quite sufficient for all our wants. There is a creditable spirit of independence among the people. lam not aware that any one has ever directly applied for parochial aid ; while, on the other hand, there are not a few cases in which it has been declin- ed when offered. " Not that I would refuse it, Sir," have they said on such occasions, " if I were in want ; but I ought not to take it, until that comes : and I have yet something remaining, or am yet able to do such and such work." Miscellaneous Observations. The inhabitants are a sober-minded, industrious, frugal, and temperate people, and readily contribute according to their nieans, to advance any well-digested scheme of benevolence, whether at home or abroad. Several are reckoned very skilful farmers, and * This, according to my recollection, is the precise number of Dissenters given in the Report 1797, but the Episcopalians were then most numerous. MIDMAR. G29 the agriculture is, on the whole, equally advanced with that in the neighbourhood. There is neither inn nor alehouse in the parish. Our greatest reproach is the quantity of land unimproved or un- planted, and the state of the roads. These have been of late sonaewhat improved, but still they are worse than those in any other parish within the district. May 1842. PARISH OF MIDMAR. PRESBYTERY OF KINCARDINE o'nEIL, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. GEORGE COOK, MINISTER.* I — Topography and Natural History. Name, Boundaries, S^'c. — The name of this parish appears to be derived from the Saxon word Mid^ and the Gaelic word Man; signifving' a black forest. Extent, 8fc. — The parish is nearly 7 miles long from east to west, and about 5^ broad from south to north, in some places, and in others not above 4^. It is bounded on the east by the pa- rish of Echt; on the south, by Banchory Ternan and Kincar- dine O'Neil; on the west, by Lumphanan and Cluny; and by Cluny on the north. Tflpoffraphical Appearances, ^c. — The surface of the parish is very uneven, being elevated into two hill ridges, and of course de- pressed by their accompanying vales. Between the ridges flow rills or small burns from west to east. The ridges are of so gen- tle acclivity as to offer no obstacle to the plough from the bottom to the summit, and, if properly tilled, produce very fair crops, both green and white, unless where the soil is so thin as not to admit of ploughing. In that case, it is planted with Scotch firs, which thrive better than could well be expected from such meagre ma- terial, add considerably to the beauty of the country, afford shel- ter for the cattle, and tend considerably to improve the climate. These ridges slope to a level as they proceed towards the west end * Drawn up by the late incumbent, the Rev. George JViiddleton. 630 ABERDEENSHIRE. of the parish ; both, however, emerge suddenly from their depres- sion to eminences considerably loftier than those from which they descend. In the north-west end of the parish, there are two or three farms, of which several parts of the arable fields are be- tween 700 and 800 feet above sea level, but most of the farms in the parish are, on an average, about 460 feet above sea level. Though there are many eminences in the parish, yet there is not one in it but the hill of Fare that deserves the name of a hill. It rises about 1800 feet above the sea. On the north side of this hill, along its bottom, are between 400 and 500 acres of arable land, mostly of good quality. The Castle of Midmar, the seat of John Mansfield, Esq., is placed on the north side of this hill, at 300 feet from its base. The view towards the north and north-east is extensive. The scenery is very beautiful, owing to the alternate eminences and valleys which are interspersed with shrubs and trees of various kinds. Of the time at which it was built, there is no historical account. Tradition informs us, that part of it was erected by Sir William Wallace, when Governor of Scot- land, as a hunting-seat for his friend, Sir Thomas Longavale. Geology and Mineralogy. — Granite and whinstone are in abun- dance, both in blocks and quarries. The granite is beautiful, and capable of a fine polish. Some of the stones are from eight to ten feet long, and are very useful for lintels, and ornamental in building. Soils. — Though much has been done of late to correct and im- prove the soil, yet there remain still several patches of marshy ground, inclined to moss, to employ the ingenuity and industry of the active agriculturist. As a spirit of improvement is at present the order of the day, it is to be hoped that remaining defects and blemishes will soon be removed. Where the hilly ridges towards the west end of the parish slope into the valley or level, there pre- dominates a thin soil of sand and clay, slightly mingled with loam, resting on a subsoil of gravel. Of this character is a great pro- portion of the land lately brought under cultivation. The quan- tity of improved marshy ground is still yearly increasing. Hydrography. — Though this parish is well supplied with per- ennial springs and rills of fine water, there is no stream deserv- ing the name of river, or even rivulet. There are several chaly- beate springs, formerly esteemed for their effects in removing scor- butic complaints; but now they are rarely resorted to. Botany. — In 1808-1809, there were about 2 10 acres only under MIDMAR. 631 wood. Now the plantations, under trees of various kinds, amount to about 1400 acres, properly thinned, pruned, and thriving. The clumps and hedgerows are, for the most part, judiciously laid down and kept. Here it may be observed, however, that too little at- tention is paid to extirpate the noxious weeds that, in many places, infest the fields, offend the eye, and prove inimical to the crops of grass and corn. II. — Civil History. Parochial Registers. — These consist of the kirk-session minutes, earliest date, 17th April 1768; records of baptisms, 22d Sep- tember 1717; records of marriage- contracts, earliest date, 18th October 1718. Land-owners. — Of these are four: John Mansfield, Esq. of Midmar, who possesses the most extensive and valuable estate in the parish ; Mrs Duff of Corsindae has the next in extent and value ; Colonel Gordon of Cluny lately purchased the estate of Shiels ; Mr William Davidson is proprietor of Kebbaty. The only residing heritors are Mrs Duff of Corsindae, and Mr Davidson of Kebbaty. The former may be said to reside only occasionally. Eminent Men. — Under this head we may mention the Rev. John Ogilvie, D. D., the late incumbent, and predecessor to the present minister of the parish. He was allowed to be an able divine, a good critical scholar, an excellent orator, a sincere Christian, and an agreeable member of society. His superior abi- lities are evinced by his Britannia, and several other productions of his pen. He died in the year 1813, at the advanced age of eigh- tv-four. The late James Mansfield, Esq. of Midmar, and father of the pre- sent proprietor, John Mansfield, Esq. was a gentleman that de- served the gratitude, not only of his tenantry, but also of the neigh- bourhood. He had much merit in setting a good example of an im- proved style of husbandry, and liberally contributing to promote its advancement. From the most wretched and sterile condition imaginable, in which he found his property in Midmar after making the purchase, he brought about 500 acres most contiguous to his dwelling to resemble a flourishing garden, and these he set apart for his home-farm. When he began his agricultural operations, so rugged, wild, and barren were most of the fields, as not to be worth 5s. per acre; now they draw from L. 1, lOs. to L.2. Mr James Mansfield died in 1823, much and justly regretted by his tenantry, and a wide circle of friends and relatives,. 632 ABERDEENSHIRE. III. — Population. 1801, 8oa 1811, 888 1821, 900 1831, 1056 1841, 1093 IV. — Industry. Agriculture and Rural Economy. — Cultivated and occasionally in tillage, Scotch acres, . 3600 Do. under thriving plantations, . • . 1300 Pasture, about ..... 800 Hill, moss, and moor, , . . . 4080 of which a considerable extent may yet be brought under the plough, and planted with advantage. The crops raised generally are oats and barley. The green crops are turnips and potatoes. The duration of leases is nine- teen years, which is too short a period when expensive im- provements are undertaken. The most common complaint, how- ever, among the farmers, is the low price of grain, which ren- ders it very difficult to meet the term of payment of rents, ser- vants' wages, tradesmen's bills, &c. without encroaching on their capital. Produce. — The average gross amount of raw produce raised in the parish, as far as can be ascertained, is as follows : — Turnips, 340 acres, at L.6 per acre, . . . L.2040 Potatoes, 120 do. at L.7 per do. . . . . 840 Barley, 300 do. at L.7 per do. . . . . 2100 Uats, 700 do. at seven bolls per acre, amounting to 4900 bolls at 18s. per boll, 3920 Hay and clover grass for soiling, 460 acres, at L.4 per acre, . . 1840 Pasture on the fields under cultivation, . ... 600 Hill pasture for sheep at 4s. each, . . . . 100 Suine, 40, at L.2 each, . . . ... 80 Of annual thinning and sale of wood, about, . . . 200 L. 11,780 The value of cattle included in the turnip and grass valuation. Rent of Ttand. — The average rent of land may be said to be L.l, 5s. per Scotch acre of the ordinary quality. Some of it, however, is not worth above 5s. per acre, and other fields draw upwards of L.2 per acre. The real rent of the parish is about L.-3000 ; the valued, L.2387 Scots. Breeds of TAve-Stock. — The number of black-cattle of all ages, about 1420; of horses, 170; sheep, 730; swine, 40. The keep of a cow per annum is vahied at L.4 ; an ox, at L.3, 3s. ; young cattle, L.l, 10s.; a full-grown sheep on hill pasture, 4s. MIDMAR. 633 V. — Parochial Economy. Aberdeen, which is about fifteen miles distant, is the nearest market-town. Thither our farmers drive all their grain and farm- produce. The corn-merchants attend the Aberdeen weekly mar- kets to purchase grain, and when there is a brisk demand, they send their agents through the country to buy for them, and allow- about 6d. for the boll or quarter. Ecclesiastical State.- — The church was built in 1787. It ac- commodates about 600. It is rather too near the south side of the parish, and, by consequence, rather too far from the north, especially during the winter time. The sittings are free, the area being divided among the heritors according to their valued rents, for the accommodation of their tenantry, who are in gene- ral very well provided for. The average number of communicants is 470. Public worship is well attended, and the congregation make a very decent appearance on the Sabbath day. The manse is old, and it is not known when it was built. It has undergone several repairs within these twenty years, and it is very insufficient at present.* The glebe, including the stance of the manse, offices, and garden, consists of 12 acres, 3 roods, 2 falls Scots measure. It may be valued at L.25 yearly. The stipend, as modified loth and 27th February, commenced with crop 1829. Meal, at ei^ht stone per boll, 49 bolls, 3 firlots, I peck, 3^% lippies; bear, Lin- lithgow measure, 3 bolls, 1 peck, 2^ lippies; money Sterling, L.186, 6s. Education. — In the parochial school, the branches of instruction taught are, English grammar, writing, arithmetic, geography, practical mathematics, and Latin. The parochial teacher has the legal accommodation, and the medium salary, and his school fees may amount to about L.30 a-year; the session-clerk's salary and other dues, such as marriage proclamations, &c. may amount to about L.4. The average number of scholars attending the school annually may amount to 70. There are one or two Sab- bath schools in the parish. f Poor and Parochial Funds. — There are 17 or 18 on the poor's list. Our Sabbath collections amount to about L.30 annually, exclusive of the public collections for the Aberdeen Infirmary, and collections for Highland Schools and Foreign Missionaries, &c. There were L.2U0 belonging to the poor, which had been de- • A r.QW mai.be was built in 1840, nearly on the site of the old. •^ There Is now a large and select parish library, which is much resorted to. 634 ABERDEENSHIRE. posited in the hands of one of the heritors of the parish, who failed, and paid only at the rate of 3s. a pound. No assessment has as yet been imposed on the parish for relief of the poor ; but something, it is presumed, must soon be done for the support of an overgrown class of paupers. There are on the skirts of the parish two Dissenting congre- gations ; the one consisting of the United Associate Seceders, the other of the Original Burgher Associate Synod. Both are mostly made up from neighbouring parishes.* Miscellaneous Observations- Since the last Statistical Account was written, not only the population has greatly increased, but the land rents have advanced" from about L.llOO to about L.3000, and, I believe, from good authority, they are more punctually paid ; while most of the farm- houses have been rebuilt, enlarged, and improved, and the office- houses are on a much better plan. A considerable extent oft he fields is inclosed with stone dikes and improved ; turnpike and parochial roads have been made and are kept in good repair; stage- coaches pass and repass daily. Many acres of moory and marshy ground, that were useless and even offensive, are now producing remunerating crops of corn, grass, and trees of various kinds. Revised May 1842. PARISH OF OYNE.f PRESBYTERY OF GARIOCH, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. DAVID SIMSON, MINISTER. 1. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — The name of this parish is, in some old papers, written Oyen, but now generally Oyne, and is pronounced Een. Its ori- gin is doubtful, but it is thought by some to be derived from the same Celtic word as Inch, and to denote a place having a resem- blance to an is.land or a peninsula, an opinion which is very plau- sible, as the parish is bounded by the river Don on the southern • The latter has now joined the Established Church, and their clergyman is a member of Presbytery. t Drawn up by the Rev. Alexander Cushny, Minister of Rayne, son of the late Incumbent. OYNE. 63 J side, and in the northern part alone has three fresh water streanns which mark its boundaries, namely, the Shevock, dividing it from Insch on the north-west ; the Ury, separating it from Rayne on the north ; and the smaller stream Gady, running from the west, and falling into Ury at the eastern extremity, where Chapel of Garioch begins ; and these general features of the peninsula are distinctly seen from Ardoyne, which signifies the top or height of Oyne, and is the highest ground in the northern section of the parish. Extent and Boundaries. — Its extent, according to the latest county map, is 11,000 imperial acres, or 17 square miles, which is probably not overrated, as three-fourths of a considerable inland mountain are surrounded by cultivated grounds and inhabited houses belonging to this parish, and must therefore, in any ge- neral survey, be reckoned within its bounds. The extent from south to north, or from Don to Ury, is nearly 6 miles ; from east to west, about \5 miles ; but the form is irregular. The chief mountain already referred to, and which is a conspi- cuous object in the district, is Benochee, a name which in Gaelic signifies the Hill of Paps, and is very applicable to the round tops or summits of this mountain, which are six in number, and known among the country people by various names ; the highest and largest of the whole, on the south-east, being called the Mither Tap (Mother Top). It is 1677 feet above the level of the sea, and nearly 1400 feet from its base. The summits or crags are formed of masses of red granite of considerable size, the largest being about 50 feet in height, and of proportional length, but narrower on the top. The whole mountain extends from east to west about five miles ; from north to south, about three-and-a-half miles. The Don, which takes its rise in the mountains above Strath- don, runs along the south side of this parish for about three miles, separating it from Monymusk ; it is joined by the Ury about six miles eastward, and falls into the sea a little to the north of Old Aberdeen. But this river, though a boundary of the parish, is secluded from the most populous and cultivated part of it, and is accessible only to the occupants of one property lying on the south side of Benochee The chief mineral in this parish is granite, which is of a red colour. It is found in very large masses under ground, and could be cut into blocks of the greatest size required for 636 ABERDEENSHIRE. use, as was done about eighteen years ago. for the docks at Sheerness, from quarries on the south side of Benochee. It is also seen in great rocks above ground, as in the tops or crags above referred to, of which the seams or fissures are oblique ; and likewise in numberless outlayers or blocks of various dimensions, from two to ten cubic feet, lying over the whole surface of the hill, and which are much used for building through the neigh- bouring districts, being easily formed and transported. Rock crystals of considerable size, and having a yellowish tint, are found imbedded in some of these outlayers ; and specimens of Scots to- paz, felspar, shorl, and jasper, are got in the same mountain. But on descending to its northern base, these, with the granite, disap- pear, — and whinstone alone prevails, of a deep blue colour, and hard texture, but much used for building field dikes, and or- dinary walls. The chief alluvial deposit is peat-moss, found on the ridge of the mountain in long flats between the crags, and covering the granite rocks to a considerable depth. From this moss the inha- bitants of Oyne, and several neighbouring parishes, are chiefly supplied with peat fuel, of durable quality, but which is prepared and carried at an expense above its real value. The soil in ge- neral is open and fertile ; the lands near the church, and along the banks of the Gady, having much of the freeness and other quali- ties of garden ground, are particularly rich and early, and bring the crops to maturity about ten days sooner than in several adjoin- ing parishes. On the sides of the mountain, the ground is more or less mixed with granite sand, but it is likewise productive and not late. Wood. — There are several valuable plantations of wood on the re- spective properties ; as those of Tillyfour, on the south side of Beno- chee, consisting of coppices of oak, birch, &c. covering a large ex- tent of hill, and yielding a considerable annual revenue for bark, and plantationsof Scotch fir of good quality, and size, fitfor all ordinary purposes; the woods of Pittodrieon the east side of the same hi!!, containing Scotch fir of the finest grain, and almost equal to oak in durability, with larch and various kinds of hard- wood; and in the northern section of the parish, the woods of Westhall, con- sisting of fine old trees of beech, ash, elm, plane, lime, geen and holly, planted, in the seventeenth century, and many of them of large dimensions. These, with sundry plantations of Scotch fir OVNE. 687 and larch, made within the hist thirty years, occupy altogether a space of "2000 acres under wood. II. — Civil History. Eminent Men. — Among persons of eminence connected with the parish maybe mentioned John Leslie, Bishop of Ross, who had been educated in France, and was made priest of Oyne, and an official of the diocese of Aberdeen about the middle of the sixteenth century ; but in 1565, he was promoted to the bishoprick of Ross, and be- came the friend and counsellor of Queen Mary, and continued so during her long imprisonment and last trials. This John Leslie appears to have been a natural son of the minister of Kingussie, who was himself an illegitimate descendant of the Leslies of Bal- quhaine, an ancient and powerful family in this district ; so that the epithet of " Priesfs brat" given by John Knox to the Bishop of Ross, though harsh was not unjust. Sir John Runciman was also one of the Priests of Oyne, and an official of the diocese, be- ing " Rome raiker," or messenger to Rome. And that the Pro- testant established church may not appear altogether isolated from the honourable families in the land, it may be added that Mr Alexander Turing, who was minister at Oyne from 1729 to 1782, had a hereditary claim to the baronetcy of Turing of Foveran, a title which was claimed and enjoyed by his son. Sir Robert Tur- ing, Baronet, who died at Banff Castle within the last ten years ; and which has fallen to his cousin, Sir James Turing in Rotterdam. Land-owners. — About the middle of the seventeenth century, there were above twelve different proprietors in the parish, every considerable farm forming a separate lairdship or land ; but after- wards, these fell into fewer hands, and there are now only four he- ritors in Oyne ; viz. Sir Robert Dalrymple Horn Elphinstone, Bart, of Logie and Westhall ; Colonel William Howe Knight Erskine of Pittodrie ; John Gordon of Newton and Ardoyne, Esq.; and Robert Grant of Tillyfour, Esq. Parochial Registers. — The session records commence in 1663, and consist of three volumes, containing accounts of the poor's funds, church discipline, baptisms and marriages, which last are now regularly registered. In the Scotman's Library, published by Mr Mitchell, various excerpts are given, professedly from an- cient registers of the parish of Oyne ; but the originals of these are not among the books now in the keeping of the kirk-session, which, however, are not continuous from 1663 to the present time. 638 ABERDEENSHIRE. Antiquities. — These are neither very numerous, nor remarka- ble ; but the following appear to be worthy of notice; viz. three upright blue stones, about four feet high, having figures rudely cut in them, of crescents crossed with triangles, and single and double circles joined by lines, the middle one having also a Runic elephant on it, very similar to one cut in the " maiden stone ;" an ancient granite column, nine feet high, and about two miles southward, in the parish of Chapel of Garioch. These stones were formerly laid horizontally on the moor of Garden, at a little dis- tance apart, and designed probably to mark the scene of some fa- mily feud or quarrel, of which all other record is lost ; but on this moor being planted with fir about thirty years ago, these stones were set upright in the west dike of the plantation, on the side of the turnpike road from Inverury to Huntly, and may be seen by the traveller about half-way betwixt the twenty-third and twenty- fourth mile stone. On the north side of Benochee, and near its base, there is a ruinous old building called the Castle of Harthill, formerly belonging to M. Leith, a cadet of the family of Leith of Edingarioch, now Leithhall. The last possessor was a noted " reiver" or freebooter, who harassed his neighbours, and was ge- nerally in feud with them ; and tradition says, that, seeing many of these united against him as a common adversary, he set fire to his Castle of Harthill, and left the country, and at length ended his days in the King's Bench, London. The walls of the castle bear evident marks of fire, being rent in several places from top to bottom ; yet, after having stood for ages without a roof, they are perfectly erect, and very strong, being about five feet thick, and forty feet high, with round towers, bartisans, loop-holes, an arched gateway and turret, and chimney vents above ten feet wide. Another ancient seat, about a mile northward from this, is West- hall, of which the earliest date is uncertain ; but it is mention- ed bv Buchanan as a seat belonging to the church and diocese of Aberdeen, as early as the thirteenth century; and it probably continued in the possession of the church till after the Reforma- tion. It came into the hands of the family of Horn after the Re- volution, and was much improved and beautified by John Horn, Esq. Advocate in Edinburgh, (grandfather of David Dalrymple, Lord Westhall,) who enlarged the house, and planted fine ave- nues, orchard, and garden, adorned, according to the taste of the age, with statues, yew and holly hedges, fruit and forest trees, and flowering shrubs intermingled. Of these, many fine trees re- a OYNE. 639 main, and the old house of Westhall having been again lately re- paired and enlarged by Captain James Elphinstone Dalrymple, son of Sir Robert D. Horn Elphinstone, and great-great-grand- son of said John Horn, forms a spacious and suitable mansion. The walls of the oldest part are about five feet thick, and very strong and dry. The House of Pittodrie, on the east side of Benochee, is the seat of Colonel Knight Erskine, the patron of the church and pa- rish, and the representative of the ancient family of Erskine of Balhagerdy, known in the history of the civil wars. It stands in a very commanding situation, being fully 500 feet above the level »^ of the sea ; but as it is surrounded with wood of different ages, and well sheltered from the north wind, it is a pleasant residence both in summer and winter. On the south side of the mountain is Tillyfour, an old slated house, not now inhabited by the proprietor. This place once be- longed to the Earl of Marr, but afterwards came into the posses- sion of Sir Archibald Grant of Monymusk, great-grandfather of the present owner, and whose doings as an extensive improver and ornamental planter were the admiration of his time. Ecclesiastical State. — The church was built in 1807, at an ex- pense of L.400, and contains above 500 sitters. It stands on a little hill in the east end of the parish, and is a conspicuous object to travellers on the Huntly road. The manse was built for the last incumbent in 1796, for about L.230 Sterling, and the present school-house was erected in the same year, affording room for only sixty scholars, with three small apartments above for the teacher. Formerly, there were four meal-mills in the parish, it being thought an advantage to every property that had a fall of water, to have a mill for the tenantry : now, there is only one mill strictly within the bounds of the parish, slated, and having a public kiln ; but there are three others of the same kind, very near to it, in the adjoining parishes, and in which the tenants are accommodated on the same terms as others. Thrashing-mills, or machines, are now so generally used, that there is scarcely a farm above thirty acres that has not one, driven either by horses or by water. HI. — Population. According to Dr Webster the population in 1755, was 640 By the last Statistical Account, 1793, 630 Government census, . , 1811, 552 Shewing in 56 years a decrease of . 88 640 ABERDEENSHIRE. The population by the census in 1821 was . 676 1831, . 796 In 1839 it may be stated at 820 Shewing in the last 28 years an increase of 268 In 1841, . . 796 The cause of the temporary decrease was the letting of the lands in larger farms, and discouraging the croft system, in the end of the last century : but those farms having been again redu- ced and subdivided, and numerous crofts set apart for labourers and tradesmen, the population has increased, and is increasing. There are no villages in the parish, nor any hamlet containing more than twelve dwelling-houses. The yearly average of births for the last seven years, 16 of deaths for the same period, 12 of marriages for the same, . 7 The number of persons under 15 years, . 306 betwixt 15 and 30, . 258 30 and 50, . 172 50 and 70, . 62 upwards of 70, . - 22 Two gentlemen of family and competent fortune reside in" the parish, at the respective seats of Pittodrie and Westhall, already mentioned. The number of families in 1831 was . 149 houses then building, . . 1 then vacant, . . 4 Insane persons none ; fatuous, 1 ; dumb, 1. IV. — Industry. Males employed in agriculture in 1831, . 129 in manufactures, . 2 in retail trade, handicraft, or merchandise, 38 • Clergy and professional, . . 3 Other male labourers, . . 49 Total above twenty years, . . 221 Males under twenty years, and of whom many from twelve years upwards are employed in herding cattle, . 193 Total males, . . 414 Females of all ages, . . 382 Of these last, the young are employed from fifteen years and upwards, as house-servants and in field labours, and the elder fe- males who are unable for such work earn a little by knitting and spinning; but both these branches of industry are reduced in va- lue, in proportion to the increased and increasing use of machinery. Agriculture. — Number of imperial acres under tillage for grain, grass, and green crops, above . . 3200 Number under wood and coppice, about . . 2000 in natural grass, furze, and pasture on little hills, 450 in heath, moss, and granite rock on the hill of Benochee, 5350 11,000 OYNE. 64 1 As there have been no actual measurements of the surface of Benochee, which is reckoned a royal forest or common ty, with certain rights, granted by charters to neighbouring properties, the above must be held as only an approximation to the superficial contents of the parish. The valued rent is L. 2300, 13s. 4d. Scots, the real rental not less than L. 3000 Sterling, consisting chiefly of. money, with small proportions of farm meal, bear, and oats, by the county fiars, or payable in kind, as minister's stipend, &c. &c. There are five farms let at more than L. 100 of yearly rent, sixteen farms above L.50 yearly, and the rest from L. 20 to L.40 yearly, besides numerous crofts of a few acres, under L. 10. The rate for outfield land varies from 10s. to L. 1 per acre, impe- rial I that for old infield or croft land is about L,2 per acre, and some of it above L.3 yearly; and the latter having been enriched (under the old system of tillage), for many years in succession, with the whole manure produced on the farm, is found cheaper than much of the outfield, though let at double or even triple the rent ; there being a much greater surplus of produce left for other uses, after paying the higher rent, than from the poor field lands after deducting the lower rent, with seed and labour. The graz- ing of cattle is rarely charged by the head, but when it is, the ex- pense may be reckoned at 15s. for a year old beast; L.l, 10s. for a two year old; and L.2, 10s. for a three year old stot, during the five months from June to October inclusive. Grass parks are let principally by the proprietors in the district, who keep many of their fields in perennial grass, which bring from L.3 to L.4 per acre. Live-Stock. — The number of black-cattle kept in the parish may be rated at about 1200 ; horses of all kinds and ages, 200. But the number of sheep is much diminished since the last Statis- tical Account was given ; for at that time most of the wearing ap- parel and bed-clothes used in the country was of native grown wool, and home manufacture, — coarse in the fabric but very dura- ble ; hence almost every farmer and tenant kept a small flock of sheep, pastured in the hill, which was common to all ; and though the flesh of these brought them little gain, the pasture was cheap, and the aggregate fleeces were valuable. But now, very little home-made cloth is used, excepting coarse blankets; and propor- tionally few sheep are kept in the hill, — not above 400 in all, with perhaps 100 of a larger kind, kept on tether, in the fields, of finer wool, and for better purposes ; though the mutton of the lat- ter is much inferior to the former when equally fed. ABERDEEN. S S 642 ABERDEENSHIRE, The oxen now reared are chiefly for sale to the butcher, and are generally fed and parted with in their third or fourth year ; whereas formerly they were kept for ploughing, ten of them being yoked in pairs by bows around the necks, and dragging by a long iron chain, (called the soum,) a heavy and clumsy wooden plough, with un- equal stilts. These were larger of their kind than the horses, and more liberally fed ; but, being kept for eight years and upwards, and inured to labour, their flesh was not so rich and nourishing as that of the cattle now reared and fed in the country. Few sheep comparatively are now kept, and these are of the black- faced kind on the hill, and of a larger and mixed breed on the low grounds, for the sake of lambs and wool. The breed of swine has been much improved ; for, instead of the high-backed, long-nosed, and strong-bristled animals, formerly known as " mill swine," the pigs are now a short-legged cross from the continental breeds, feed- ing to six, eight, or ten stones in the first year, and sold at that age for the London market. Husbandry. — The state of husbandry in this parish, and through- out the district of Garioch and the county generally, must be reckoned good, when the peculiarities of the soil, climate, and markets are duly estimated, insomuch that very few tenants, who have come from more favoured counties to farm here, have been able to effect, with advantage to themselves, any material improve- ments of the system. The cultivation of waste lands has been carried on successfully during the last thirty years, being done piece-meal by individual tenants more than in large tracts by he- ritors or capitalists ; so that the low grounds, which had once been covered with natural brush-wood and furze, and thence changed into turf-bogs, are now under regular tillage for grain and green crops, and they generally yield an abundant remuneration to the hand of industry. The means and instruments of husbandry, as well as the modes of cultivation, have been completely changed, even within the recollection of the writer. The number of carts in 1793 was stated at 50, and that number was comparatively of little use in the narrow, steep, and rugged roads, which were then general ; so that the crop, dung, fuel, and meal were mainly car- ried on horseback, whereas back-loads are now entirely disused ; and the number of carts of various kinds, for crop and dung, wood, fuel, and long carriages is greater than that of the horses. The plough formerly in use was a lumbering wooden implement, of rude workmanship, and not unfrequently made at home by the OYNE. 643 ploughman in the course of a day or two. Large and clumsy in all its parts, and drawn at a slow pace by ten powerful oxen yoked in pairs, it made furrows of gigantic dimensions, not less than sixteen inches broad, and sometimes of equal depth ; and the ground being never cleaned by fallows or drilled crops, the noise occasioned by the tearing up and breaking asunder the strong mass of growing weeds was heard at a distance like the sound of burn- ino- furze or underwood. The whole manure collected and mixed was laid on the infield or home-fields, which were required in re- turn to give yearly crops of grain (oats, bear, or pease), without fallow, cleansing, grazing, turnips, or potatoes ; but, by the suc- cessive additions of manure, there was accumulated a deep bed of veo-etable mould, requiring only to be thoroughly cleared of weeds in order to produce luxuriant crops ; whereas the outfield or dis- tant lands received no dung, except what dropped from the cattle, penned in folds during the night and part of the day, — were occa- sionally ploughed for corn crops, and cropped for two or three years in succession, and allowed to return to pasture of the indi- genous grasses, there being then no sown grasses for either hay or grazing. Of this system of culture, which had its advantages in the existing state of the roads and markets, a remnant was to be seen in the parish so late as the beginning of the present century ; but it has since been completely eradicated, and has given place to the turnip husbandry, which is everywhere followed with more or less success, and with a rotation of five, seven, or six years' shift, — the last being undoubtedly the best where it can be adopt- ed, as it requires three-sixths of the farm to be in grass of one, two, and three years old ; one-sixth in turnips for succulent food in winter and spring; and two- sixths in corn, the straw of which, with the hay, yields a sufficiency of dry food during the same pe- riod. And such has been the effect of the drill and cleaning til- lage, that two pairs of horses will now perform the whole work of ploughing, carting, and distant carriages on a farm, which, in the last century, required ten strong oxen and four or six horses to do the work, for much less produce, in proportion to the land culti- vated. The chief distinction between the old infield and the best outfield lands does not exceed a quarter of oats per acre, with longer and coarser straw on the former than on the latter, but the grain not quite so heavy. Iron ploughs are now much used. Leases are granted, not as formerly during one or more lives, but for nineteen years and crops. ^44 ABERDEENSHIREo Produce. — The gross produce of grain (oats and bear) cannot be reckoned in ordinary seasons, much above or below 5920 quar- ters, of which there may be required as seed for two-fifths of the ground in tillage, 1020 quarters; for victual to the inhabitants at 30 stone, or 1^ sack of meal per head, 1900 quarters ; leaving for rent, horse corn, malt, and all other purposes, 3000 quarters. The raw grain is sold chiefly for milling or exportation, and car- ried to Port Elphinstone at the canal, Inverury. When milled, the meal is sold to Aberdeen, Huntly, or other towns. The next resource of income to the farmer is black-cattle, of which about 200 of the native breed, or cross breeds now reared, are annually sold, at three year's old, bringing each, about L.9, L. 1800; the revenue from young horses, sheep, and pigs is comparatively small, L.300 ; but that arising from butter, cheese, and eggs, as in all the inland parishes of Aberdeenshire, is equal to at least half the return from cattle sold, L.900. V. — Parochial Economy. Market-Town. — There is no market-town here, — the nearest being Inverury, already mentioned, about seven miles to the south- east, and accessible by a good turnpike road, of which two branches pass through the parish, one by Pitmachie towards Huntly, and the other by Insch to the same. On these there are two daily coaches passing to Inverness and backward, the mail and the De- fiance ; and one coach to Huntly and backward, each alternate day ; and the post-office is at Oldrain, two miles north of the church. Ecclesiastical State. — The church, built thirty-two years ago, is situated on a small hill in the east end of the parish, and is suffi- ciently convenient for seven-eighths of the inhabitants who dwell on the north side of Benochee ; but those on the south side of the mountain, nearly 100 in number (of all ages), are secluded from their parish church during the winter storms, and are not much nearer to any other parish church. But a new church has now been erected, by subscription, at Blairdaff, in Chapel of Garioch, which, from its local position, may be more convenient for this de- tached quarter, — if happily an endowment can be got for it, so as to secure public worship regularly in winter and summer. The manse is pleasantly situated, and, though not so large as some manses more recently built, may, by the necessary repairs, be made a commodious and comfortable house. The glebe con- tains eight acres of rich early soil, easily wrought, and productive. OYNE. 645 The stipend was modified in 1809, when all the teinds then valu- ed were decerned, being in money L.99, Is, ll^-d. ; in meal, at 10 stone or 140 lb. per boll, 68 bolls, 1 firlot, j lippie; in bear, Aberdeen measure, or four-fifths of a quarter, 15 bolls, 1 peck, 1 lippie. The victual is payable in kind, and, at the average of 16s. per boll of meal, and L.l per boll of bear, would make a stipend of L. 170, including communion element money. The unexhaust- ed teinds, if legally valued, are inconsiderable. There are no chapels of ease. Government churches, missionaries, or catechists in the parish, nor any Dissenting meeting-house near to it, the whole number of Dissenters of all sects being under 20. The average number of the congregation is about 350. Education. — There is one parochial school, in which, besides the ordinary branches of education, Latin and mathematics are taught when required; the teacher being a graduate of King's College, Aberdeen, and a preacher of the Gospel, — as the great majority of the parochial schoolmasters in this Presbytery are. His salary is about L.30, session-clerk's fees, L.3, with an enclos- ed garden, and a house containing three small apartments. Being conveniently situated, the school is full during the winter months; but the accommodation is too limited for the present population, and would not contain above one-twelfth of the whole. Two fe- males teach about thirty young girls to sew, and to read very im- perfectly. Poor and Parochial Funds. — The poor's funds consist of L.90 of lent money, with the weekly collections in the church, averag- ing 5s., and those at the communion, amounting to L.3, 15s. There are of extraordinary collections one yearly for the Aber- deen Infirmary; one for the Presbytery's Lunatic fund; and col- lections for the General Assembly's Schemes, amounting in whole to above L.7 annually. Besides the parochial collections, there are frequent subscriptions made from house to house in behalf of poor persons, who, from accidents or sickness, are brought into great distress; and a very considerable amount of alms, in meal, meat, drink, and money, is daily bestowed on wandering beggars, who are most numerous and importunate, coming chiefly from the manufacturing cities, towns, and villages. The average number of poor on the roll is 12 ; and the amount distributed annually, L.30, lOs., in sums from 8s. to 15s., divided five times in the year, according to their several necessities. The amount of church collections annually, including those at the 646 ABERDEENSHIRE. communion, is L.16, 10s.; interest of money lent, L.4; donations from heritors and casual revenue, L. 10 = L.SO, 10s. Fairs. — There are no great fairs held within the bounds ; but half yearly markets for engaging servants kept at Pitmachie, a few days before the respective terms of Whitsunday and Martinmas, old style. Inns and Alehouses. — 'There are four resident merchants, and also four licensed ale-houses in the bounds.* March 1839. Revised May 1842. UNITED PARISH OF CRATHIE AND BRAEMAR. PRESBYTERY OF KINCARDINE o'nEIL, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. ARCHIBALD ANDERSON, MINISTER.f I. — Topography and Natural History. Name, Extent, Boundaries, <§-c. — The name Crathie is evident- ly of Gaelic origin, and seems to be a compound of the two words. Crag and tir, or thir, signifying the rocky, or stony land. The face of the country favours much this derivation. * Since the above statement was written, an excellent addition has been made to the manse. It is now one of the most commodious in the neighbourhood. New offices have also been built. The old school-house having been found too small and un- comfortable, a new one has been erected, capable of containing between eighty and ninety scholars : also a very neat dwelling-house for the schoolmaster. The people, in general, are alive to the benefits of education, — few, if any, being unable to read. Two Sabbath classes are taught by the present incumbent, one before sermon for children between ten and fifteen years of age, the other after, for intending commu- nicants. Public worship is uncommonly well attended, so much so, that the church in summer is found to be rather too small, and additional seats have been erected in the passages for children, and those who have no right to sittings. There are only two families of Dissenters, consisting of six individuals, in the parish. One of these belongs to the Episcopal persuasion, the other to the United Secession church. The parochial collections have been rather on the increase ; the average being now be- tween 8s. and 9s. During the last three years about L. 30 has been transmitted to the General Assembly's Schemes; and nearly the same amount to other charita- ble institutions. Intemperance appears to be on the decrease, and a marked change to the better has been observable of late years among the parishioners. It is rather remarkable that the population has neither increased nor diminished during the last ten years, being the very same by the census for 1831, and that of 1841. t Drawn up by the late incumbent, the Rev. Alexander Macfailane. CRATHIE AND BllAEMAR. 64? Braemar was anciently styled the parish of St Andrews, but after Malcum Ceann Mor, who had a hunting-seat there, threw a bridge across the Cluney at Castletown, it obtained the name of Cemm-drochit, that is, Bridgend. And about the close of Queen Mary's reign, when the Earl of Mar became proprietor of the lands about Castletown, the name of the parish was again changed to the present name of the district. At what time it was an- nexed to Crathie is not known, but there is every reason to be- lieve it must have been ftvr back, as nothing can be learned con- cerning it, either from the records of session or presbytery. The form or figure of the parish is an oblong, lying from west, north- west, to east by south. It contains, according to Robertson's sur- vey of the county, 199,658 acres. It is bounded on the east, by Glenmuick ; on the south, by Glenmuick, Glenisla, Kirkmichael, in Perthshire, and Blair- Athole ; on the west, by Inch, Inverness -shire, Rothiemurchus, and part of Abernethy; and on the north, by part of Abernethy, Kirkmichael, Banffshire, by part of Strathdon, and by Glen- muick, Surface, Mountains, Valleys, ^c. — This united parish contains a greater variety of beautiful scenery, and richer display of what may be styled the grand and sublime, than any other district in Aberdeenshire. Its towering mountains, with their bold and shelvy cliffs, covered by lofty trees of variegated hue and deepening shade, and its sloping hills diverging into deep valleys and verdant plains, — afford such picturesque and diversified prospects, as delight every admirer of the works of nature. The principal mountains are Lochnagar,* Cairntoul, Benna- muickduidh,f Bennabuird, &c. The first of these is situated on the south side of the parish, and is partly in Glenmuick. Accord- ing to the latest surveys, its height above the level of the sea is 3815 feet. The other three are on the north-west boundaries of Braemar, and are respectively in the order stated above, 4220 feet, 4390 feet, and 3940 feet above the level of the sea. * On the north-east side of Lochnagar, there is a small lake, or loch, from which, unquestionably, that far-famed mountain must have got its name. Gar is a contrac- tion of the Gaelic word garren, which signifies underwood, or small thickets. This lake is 2500 feet above the level of the sea, and the perpendicular height of the huge rock close to it is 1315 feet, which has an awfully majestic and overpowering appear- ance when viewed from the edge of the lake. f According to the last geometrical survey by order of Government, this moun- tain was found to be 20 feet higher than Ben Nevis, which was before considered to be the highest in Britain. 648 ABERDEENSHIRE. The ranges of mountains and hills here lie in general from east to west, from which lower and shorter ridges are at various dis- tances jutting out in a south and north direction ; and between these are embosomed fertile valleys of different sizes and exposure, according to their position, on the north or south of the river Dee. Climate. — The climate is rather variable, and yet, from the pu- rity of the air, and the absence of marshes and stagnant waters, it is remarkably healthy ; so much so, that many strangers visit our hamlets for the benefit of their health during the summer months. Hydrography.' — The only lakes worthy of notice, are Loch Cal- lader, and Loch Bhrodichan, both situated among the hills and on the estate of Invercauld. The former is said to contain small delicate salmon, weighing from seven to eight pounds, and the lat- ter, excellent red trout. The largest of these lakes is about two miles in circumference ; but, being seldom visited except by fisher- men, neither the depth nor temperature of either has been as- certained. The principal river is the Dee, which takes its rise high up on the side of Breriach, a mountain close to Cairntoul, already mentioned ; and according to Dr Skene Keith's account, the well or fountain whence the Dee springs, is 4060 feet above the level of the sea, and the top of said mountain, is 4220 feet. The Dee, receiving in its progress the tributary streams issu- ing from other five fountains in that vicinity, and afterwards the Luidh, the Coich, the Cluney, &c. runs through Braemar and Crathie in a serpentine course, intersecting the parish longitudi- nally about the middle, and after running upwards of ninety miles, empties itself in the German Ocean at Aberdeen, where it forms the harbour of that opulent and flourishing city. There are several linns or cascades in Braemar, but the most noted is the Linn of Dee, which is about three miles above Mar Lodge, where the river is confined for a number of yards between two rocks in so narrow a space, that some persons have been har- dy enough to step across it. This natural curiosity is much visit- ed and admired by strangers, as are likewise the cascades of Coir- mulzie and Garvalt. The former is between Mar Lodge and Cas- tletown, and the latter is about three miles farther down the strath, on the south side of the Dee, and in the heart of a beautiful forest belonging to Invercauld. Geology. — The rocks here are generally pure granite, of vari-, ous shades, and of a hard quality, which renders the stone suscep- 4 CRATHIE AND BRAEMAR. 649 tible of a beautiful polish, and in appearance, when highly dressed, it much resembles marble. There are also immense rocks of ex- cellent limestone, of which there are often veins or strata running in different directions from the base of these rocks, occasionally becoming visible above the surface of the ground ; so that the farmer in some situations might, if he chose, work a limestone quarry in some of his corn-fields. And besides these, there are likewise rocks of a hard flinty stone, which, in many instances, seems impregnated with iron ore. The top of all these rocks is, for the most part, covered with a thin layer of a blackish soil, rather of a mossy nature. The soil of this district is loamy, and bedded sometimes on dry yellow clay, but more frequently upon hard gravel, and is generally rather dry. Plantations and Forests. — The indigenous woods are birch, al- der, poplar, and mountain-ash. There is no oak coppice in the parish. The planted woods consist of all the different species of firs, but the larch prevails most in all the plantations. It grows quicker than any other, and is found to supply, in many instances, the place of hardwood, which is said not to thrive in this countr3% Although at Invercauld there are some large ash and chestnut trees, yet the common Scotch fir may truly be said to constitute the glory of this district, there being some trees of this kind of immense size, which are supposed to be from 300 to 400 years old. The far-famed forest of Mar is too well-known to require any particular description here. Its fir timber, both as to size and quality, far exceeds anything of the kind to be found in any other part of the British Jsles ; and its pasturage, as to rich- ness and extent, is of a very superior description. It belongs whol- ly to the Earl of Fife and Mrs Farquharson of Invercauld, and is plentifully stocked with red and roe deer, and all sorts of game. To show the great value of this forest as a walk or pasturage for deer, suffice" it to state, that Lord Fife's part of it connect- ed with Mar Lodge is at present let on a lease of seven years for the annual rent of L.1800. Invercauld's share is also of great value, but is never let. II. — Civil History. Eminent Men. — Major-General Farquharson, late Governor of St Lucia, and who died there, was a native of this parish. Proprietors. — The sole proprietors of the parish are. Lord Fife ; Mrs Farquharson of Invercauld ; and Michael Gordon, Esq. of 650 ABERDEENSHIRE, Abergeldie. There are five proprietors' seats in the parish, vix* Mar Lodge, Invercauld, and Corymulzie Cottage in Braemar, and Abergeldie and Balmoral in Crathie. The latter has been near- ly all built by the Honourable Sir Robert Gordon, who rents the estate of Balmoral from the Trustees of the late James Earl of Fife, on a lease of thirty-eight years. Parochial Registers. — These are neither voluminous, nor have they been regularly kept. The first of them commenced with the ordination of Mr Adam Ferguson, on the 25th of September 1700, and appears to have been regularly carried on till 17th September 1710, after which date, there is a complete blank down to 19th May 1716. Whether a change of pastor took place during that period, the writer cannot discover; but, from a minute of ses- sion dated February 1721, it appears that Mr John M'Innes was then minister of the united parish, who was succeeded in office successively by Mr Murdoch M'Lenan, Mr Wilson, Mr Charles M'Hardy, and the present incumbent. Antiquities. — There are at Castletown of Braemar the ruins of an old castle, which is said to have been built by Malcum Ceann Mor, for a hunting-seat. From the vestiges still remaining, it is evident that the edifice must have been of considerable extent. On a small eminence below Castletown, stands the castle of Braemar, in an opening between two hills. It belongs to Invercauld. In 1748, it was let to Government on a lease of ninety-nine years, and has since been occasionally occupied by a party of soldiers as barracks, for which purpose it is well adapted, both from its situa- tion, and also from its being surrounded by a strong rampart. At Castletown, the spot is still pointed out where the Earl of Mar erected the standard of rebellion in 1715, and proclaimed King James. About a mile and a half down the valley, on the south of the Dee, there is a steep shelvy rock all interspersed with trees; it is known by the name of Charters Chests, from this circumstance, that, in the face of it, there is a cave of very difficult access, wherein the charters of the Invercauld property were de- posited during the Rebellion above-mentioned. About seven miles down, on the north side of the river Dee, there is a narrow pass between the water and the base of a high hill, and through this pass runs the line of road leading to Aber- deen, and also to Fort- George, and close by is a large cairn of small stones, which is called Corn nacuimhne, that is, tixe cairn of CRATHIE AND BRAEMAR. 6dl remembrance. Under the feudal system, when the chieftains, on any alarm being given, called out their adherents, they had to march through this pass, and on the said cairn, each laid down a stone ; by which means every successive party could discern the number that had advanced towards the scene of action, and, upon their return, by counting the stones thus deposited, it was discover- ed how many of the men were amissing, or had fallen in the field of battle. III. — Population. In 1755, according to Dr Webster, the united parish contained 2671 souls, 1794, bv the return made to Sir John Sinclair, . 2251 1831, by census, .... 1808 1841, ..... 1712 The only village in the parish is Castletown of Braemar, which contains 245 inhabitants. The average of births for the last seven years is 39, and of marriages, 23. Of deaths, no record is kept. There are, in the united parish, 9 bachelors and 7 widowers above 50 years of age, and 21 unmarried women above 45. Language. — The Gaelic is very generally spoken throughout the whole parish, and, during the summer months, is used in con- ducting part of the public worship, both at Crathie and Braemar. There are, however, very few, if any of the inhabitants, who are not so well acquainted with the English language as to be able to converse and transact business in it, when necessary. IV. — Industry. Agriculture. — The number of acres under cultivation is com- paratively small in proportion to the great extent of the parish. There is no undivided common. The number of acres under wood, both natural and planted, cannot be less than from 10,000 to 11,000. Considerable attention is paid to the pruning and thinning of plantations, although perhaps not so much as their ex- tent would require. There being so much of hill pasture attached to each farm, and valued along with the arable land, renders it the more difficult to fix precisely the rent per acre. Live-Stock. — The black-faced, or Linton breed of sheep, and the small black-horned breed of cattle prevail here, and of late some attention has been paid to its improvement. Several expensive bulwarks and embankments have been con- structed on the Dee since the flood of 1829; but the most ex- tensive of these is the one above the Lawn, in front of Mar Lodge, being 260 ells long, about 40 in breadth at the base, 9 at the top, and from 10 to 16 feet high. Another very strong bulwark was 652 ABERDEENSHIRE. erected by the heritors of the united parish for the protection of the glebe belonging to this benefice. The general duration of leases is nineteen years. The accom- modations for farmers have been greatly improved here within the last fifteen years, and inclosures with stone dikes are also increasing. Produce. — The average amount of raw produce raised in the parish per acre, and also its value, taken upon the average of last seven years, may be seen by the following table : — Grain, Acre Q,r. imp. Price per qr. wt. fodder. Value per Acre Oats, 1 produce 4 L.l 3 54 L.4 13 10 Bear, 1 4fo 1 11 If 7 7 Hi Pease, 1 34 15 5 4 12 1 Potatoes, 1 304 bolls. 8 6 12 19 2 Hay, 1 140 stone, G^d. p. St. 3 15 10 Turnips, 1 4 V, — Parochial Economy. Market-Town, — The nearest market-town is Aberdeen, which is distant forty-eight miles. Memis of Communication. — There is a post-office at Castletown of Braemar, with a daily post to and from Aberdeen, and there is to be a receiving office at Crathie, which will prove a very great convenience to the district. A chain bridge was erected across the Dee, near the manse, in the year 1834, which has superseded the use of two ferry boats, and is of great service to the district. Ecclesiastical State.-^—T\\e church of Crathie was rebuilt on a new site, and in a very eligible situation, in 1805, and was finished in 1806. It is a plain, but elegant structure, and affords very comfortable accommodation for all the parishioners ; it being in- tended that all attending religious ordinances in the whole united parish should be accommodated there at the dispensation of the Lord's Supper, the church contains about 1400 sittings, all free. The manse was built about forty years since ; it is a substantial, well-finished house, and is in a good state of repair. An excellent set of office-houses was built in 1828, which are likewise in com- plete repair. The stipend is 17 chalders, half meal, half barley. The glebe is from six to seven acres, and may be worth L. 10 a-year. There is no grass glebe. The Queen is patron. There are no Dissent- ers in the parish, but there are some Roman Catholics. At Castletown of Braemar, there is an ordained missionary regularly stationed, who is supported by the Royal Bounty. There is also a Roman Catholic chapel, and a resident priest. The number of souls under his care is 378. About two-thirds of the Protestant CRATHIE AND BRAEMAR. ' 653 population attend the Established Church pretty regularly, and the number of communicants is generally from 750 to 800. Education. — The total number of schools in the parish is nine, and at all these about 250 boys and girls attend during the winter season, of which number nearly 40 come from the adjacent parts of the parish of Tullich and Glenmuich. The parish schoolmaster has the legal accommodations and the minimum salary. Five of the schools above-mentioned are on the first and second patents of the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge, that is, two for boys on the first, and three for girls on the second patent. The schoolmasters have each L. 15 of salary, with the usual accommo- dations of a house, garden, and fuel, &c. required by the society. The female teachers have from L.4 to L.5 each. The school at Inverury is from the Committee of the General Assembly, with a salary of L.25, an allowance of L.5 by the heritor in lieu of fuel, and an excellent croft of land capable of keeping two cows sum- mer and winter. The other Protestant school is only kept during the winter season ; but it is hoped that a permanent school may be soon established. The other two schools are kept by the Ro- man Catholics in Braemar, for three months during winter. Friendly Society. — There is one Friendly Society in the parish, which was instituted in 1815, and being remodelled in 1830, it was designated the Braemar Highland Society ; of which the Earl of Fife and James Farquharson, Esq. of Invercauld, arejoint patrons, and The Honourable Alexander Duff, and James Duff, Esq. of Innes House, are presidents. It consists of two funds ; the ordinary fund is for the support of sick and aged members, and for granting annuities to widows and orphans. The annual payment by each member is 4s, The honorary fund is for the encouragement of the ancient games of the Highlanders, and is supported by donations from noblemen and gentlemen frequenting the district during the shooting season. The annual meeting of this society, held always in the month of August, is generally countenanced by many noblemen and gentlemen of the first re- spectability from all parts of the united kingdom. The funds are in a prosperous state. Savings Bank. — A savings bank was established here in 1816, and how far its investments exceed the withdrawings will appear from the present amount of its capital, which is L.1290, 10s. The contributors are generally tradesmen and servants, with a few of 654 ABERDEENSHIRE. the smaller farmers. The capital of the savings bank is now up- wards of L.2000 Sterling. Poor and Parochial Funds. — The number on the session's roll varies according to circumstances. At present there are from 55 to 60 receiving aid from the funds regularly twice in the year, On these occasions none get more than L.l, some 15s., and some less, according to their circumstances. But of the number before stated, there are nine or ten, who, being confined either by sick- ness or age, require more frequent relief; sometimes to the amount of Is. 3d., but not more than at the rate of Is. 6d. per week, except where a sick nurse is requisite. It may, however, be proper here to mention, that, in addition to the session's allow- ance, the proprietors give private benefactions to the poor on their own estates, such as meal or articles of clothing, just as may best suit their condition. The only mode of procuring a fund here for the relief of the poor, is by collections in church, proclamation dues, donations from the heritors and others, together with the in- terest on funded money, amounting in whole to about L.90 a-year, which, in general, covers all the disbursements. The sense of the degradation, implied in a dependence on parochial relief, is now much impaired, although there are still some persons who feel a great reluctance in making their case known, even when actually in need of pecuniary aid. Fairs. — There are 3 fairs annually at Castletown of Braemar, two of them principally for cattle, and the third for both sheep and cattle. There is one also at Clachnaturn in Crathie. Inns. — In the united parish, there are 3 public-houses or inns, and their effects on the morals of the people are, in many in- stances, very unfavourable. Fuel. — The description of fuel used here is principally turf and peats, together with some birch and fir-wood. But the use of coals is becoming more general. The boll of 40 stone, driven from Aber- deen, costs here lOs. 6d. About twenty years back, it cost double that price. May 1842. PARISH OF KIN TORE. PRESBYTERY OF GARIOCH, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. ROBERT SIMPSON, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — Kintore in Gaelic signifies the head of the forest. Both the history of the district, and its present appearance, supply many proofs that it was formerly almost covered with wood.* Extent, S^c. — The parish, including that portion of the old parish of Kinkell, which was annexed to Kintore in 1760, ex- tends from north to south about 6 miles, and its greatest width is a little more than 3. It is bounded on the north and east, by the river Don, which separates it from the parishes of Inverury, Keithhall, and Fintray ; on the south, by Kinellar and Skene ; and on the west, by Kemnay. The surface is broken by frequent inequalities ; but there is no eminence of great elevation. The beautifully wooded hill of Thainston is the highest ground in the parish, its summit being upwards of 140 feet above the ordinary level of the Don at Kin- tore, and about 280 feet above the medium level of the sea at Aberdeen. The lands immediately on the banks of the river are flat, and very liable to be inundated, which renders the crops on them extremely precarious. The immediate neighbourhood of the burgh of Kintore is well sheltered, and for the most part enjoys a very mild temperature. The most prevalent distemper here is low typhus fever, which often attacks whole families in succession, but seldom proves fatal. The exposed situations in the parish are cold and bleak. Hydrography. — The river Don, when it passes Kintore, is a * A distinguished Gaelic scholar has given a different derivation of the word. The origin of Kintore, he thinks, is Ceunn Torr, the head or end of the heap. If this be the source of the name, the best explanation of it may perhaps be found in the circumstance, that by the old road from Aberdeen, the town of Kintore lay at the termination of a very steep and rugged track of many miles, and at the com- metieement of the comparatively level district of Garioch. 656 ABERDEENSHIRE. considerable stream, its size being much increased by the waters of the Ury, about two miles above the town. In this part of its course, it flows so gently as almost to resemble a lake. It is scarcely visible from the low grounds, except at some points very close on its banks ; but when viewed from more elevated situations at a greater distance, its numerous windings form a pleasing object in the landscape. Were the course of the Don straighted, which is said to be a thing quite practicable, much new ground would be acquired, and that at present under cultivation would be en- hanced in value. But many obstacles stand in the way of this improvement, and, among others, the law of entail. The fisher- ies on the Don at Kintore were of considerable value forty or even thirty years ago, but, owing to various causes, they are now of little consequence. The pearls also which Arthur Johnston says en- riched our river in days of yore, have wholly disappeared in mo- dern times. Geology and Mineralogy. — No minerals of any particular inte- rest or "value are found within the parish. Granite abounds here, as in all the surrounding district, both loose on the surface, and in the condition of rocks from which it is quarried, but not to any great extent at present. The soils in the parish of Kintore are of various kinds, but they may all be comprehended, without much inaccuracy, under the following descriptions : 1. A thin light sandy mould, which prevails in the higher situations, and has so little depth in many places, that the solid rock occasionally protrudes above the sur- face ; 2. a considerable extent of peat moss, partly now brought into cultivation, and partly still used to supply fuel ; 3. a species of soil generally situated between the two former kinds, and ap- parently partaking of the qualities of both ; it is deeper, however, than the first, and of a firmer consistence than the second, and before being improved is full of large rude blocks of granite, which are removed with great labour ; 4. the lands on the banks of the Don, which are manifestly of an alluvial character, and chiefly composed of a deep rich loam. The grounds immediately around the burgh are of this last description , they rest on nearly horizontal beds of sand or gravel, and are particularly fertile. From the town of Kintore, which stands in the vale of the Don, near that point of the river where its course takes an easterly di- rection towards Fintray, the lands of the parish rise considerably to the north-west and south-west, but less to the south, so that KINTORE. 657 their aspect in general is southward or eastward. Besides the flat haughs, however, there are several extensive hollows where the moss grounds occur, around which the exposure is different. Botany. — There are but a few plants, that can be said to be rare, found in the parish. Of these the following may be consi- dered worthy of notice : the alternate leaved golden saxifrage, Chrysoplenium alternifolium ; the great water plantain, Alisma ; and restharrow. Ononis arvensis. Other rare plants growing wild occur here, which are sometimes called native, though they seem to be in reality outcasts from gardens. The woods in the parish are very extensive ; some of which are full grown, and others but recently planted. On Lord Kintore's property, a great deal of the uncultivated ground is now covered with thriving plantations. II. — Civil History. It is evident, from many circumstances, that Kintore was for- merly a place of some consequence. The original charter of the burgh, tradition says, was given by Kenneth II. That, however, has long been lost ; but one which bears to be a confirmation of it by James V. is said to be still extant. Kintore enjoys all the privileges of a royal burgh. It has always had a regular magis- tracy ; and under the late Burgh Reform Act, its municipal con- stitution remains unchanged. Several of the small heritors hold their lands of the Crown on very old deeds. One possession has continued in the same family of the name of Hill ever since the days of Robert Bruce, from whom they received their charter. Another family of the name of Smith still possess a piece of ground which was given to one of their forefathers by James V. Eminent Men. — Many persons born in the parish of Kintore have attained to the highest respectability in different spheres of life, and have been eminently successful in commercial or profes- sional pursuits ; but the writer is not aware that any of them are sufficiently distinguished, on public grounds, to merit particular notice here. The celebrated Arthur Johnston, though not a na- tive of the parish, when very young, attended the school of Kintore. This circumstance is beautifully adverted to in one of the lighter pieces of that most elegant Latin poet. The same fact is also mentioned in the Lives of Eminent Scotsmen. And surely his clas- sical and general acquirements were such as to reflect credit on the seminary in which their foundation was laid. ABERDEEN. T t 658 ABERDEENSHIRE, " Jiigera Kintorii si spectes, uber Eleusis, Fertilis et tlici Trinacris ora nequit. Dona, Caledonios inter pulcherrimus amnes, Hoc rigat, et pingui ditior unda solo est. » « « * * Hic ego sum, meminl, Musarum factus alumnus Et tiro didici verba Latina loqui Carmine Mseonio veteres toUantur Athenaa .Urbs h£ec versiculis est celebranda meis." Poemata Varia — Kintorium. Sir Andrew Mitchell, who acted with so much spirit and ability as British Ambassador to the Court of Prussia, in the reign of Frederick the Great, was proprietor of the lands of Thainston, and, though not born in this parish, often resided on his estate within it. Land-owners. — The two great proprietors of land in the parish are the Earl of Kintore, and Duncan Forbes Mitchell, Esq. of Thainston. But there are, besides, a few small heritors owning from two to six acres each, in the vicinity of the town. Parocliial Registers. — The existing parochial registers are not vo- luminous. They extend only to 1713, the date of their earliest entry. For the last ninety years they have been kept with the greatest apparent exactness and regularity. Antiquities. — The Castle of Hall-Forest is the only ancient building within the parish. It stands about a mile to the west of the Aberdeen road, from which it may be seen at various points, a little to the southward of Kintore. The date of its erection is unknown. It is now in ruins, and presents a most impressive picture of loneliness and decay. All that remains is a rectan- gular structure, nearly square, and of considerable height, con- taining two very lofty arched apartments, one above the other. The second arch is surmounted by an area of some extent, full of rubbish, in which several shrubs are shooting up amid long grass and weeds. Traces of much larger dimensions are still discernible, though the plough has evidently made encroachments on every side. At an early period, this castle was a hunting-seat of the Scottish kings, who often resorted to it, in order to enjoy the ex- ercise and pleasures of the chase in the adjacent royal forest. In later times, it became a residence of the Noble family of Keith, having been granted, together with the surrounding domain, to their illustrious ancestor, Robert de Keith, Great Marischal of Scotland, after the battle of Inverury according to some, but ac- cording to others, after that of Bannockburn, in which also he ren- dered essential service to the cause of Bruce.* • " Hull Forestj (a royal castle,) according to tradition, was built by King Robert KINTORE. 659 The Rev. George Adams, in his Statistical Account of this pa- rish, mentions the remains of three stone circles between Kintore and Inverury, and a fourth in another place. He notices, too, a tradition that prevailed in his day of a battle having been fought at Camiestane, near Thainston, where a general or chief of the name of Camus or Cambus is said to have been slain and buried. He also states that there was, in the same neighbourhood, a long and apparently artificial hollow or trench, about eight feet deep, called J3ruce's How, in which it is probable that Robert Bruce, during his stay in this district, had concealed a part of his army for some particular object. On the moor between Kintore and Kinellar, numerous tumuli, of various sizes, occur — a circumstance which gives ground for supposing that it had at some time been the scene of great car- nage either in battle or in flight ; though no record or tradition now exists on the subject. One of the larger of these barrows was opened many years ago by Mr John Lumsden, then farmer in Bogheads. In removing the stones for the purpose of building- fences, there were found several pieces of a black substance, very light, marked with dots of a different colour, and perforated, as if with the view of their being strung together. And from about the centre of the cairn, a stone-coffin was dug up, in or near which were discovered an urn containing human hair, and a large ring capable of admitting two or three fingers, and composed of a sub- stance resembling finely-veined marble. These relics, which seem- ed to all who examined them to be of very high antiquity, were sent to the late Earl of Buchan. Another cairn was more recent- ly opened, and found to contain, among some other things, a rude urn, which was put into the hands of Mr Wilson, at that time pro- prietor of Glasgowego. On the east side of the town of Kintore, near the Don, stands a mound of earth, to appearance artificial, called the Castle Hill, which probably at first served the purpose of a Law ; but, it is supposed, was afterwards used as a watch-tower, where beacon-fires were lighted upon any sudden invasion of the country, or other public alarm. And this last conjecture is the more likely, because Kintore, in former times, was a place of very general resort, being the point at which the great northern road Bruce, for a hunting hall. It consisted of four stories, having battlements, besides what is caP.ed a Capehouse, with a moveable ladder, by whicli those who occasional- ly lodged in it entered to the first floor. The Earl Marischal, having acquired a right to it from the crown, presented it to his son the first Earl of Kintore." — Ken- nedy, Vol. ii. p. 323. 660 ABERDEENSHIRE. by Aberdeen, and the roads leading from some of the principal pas- ses of the Grampians, met. The mansion-house of Thainston is the only private modern building of any consideration in the parish. It is a handsome and commodious family residence, in style and extent suitable to the property. The situation is particularly interesting, and the view from it very extensive. III. — Population. By the return made to Dr Webster, the number of inhabitants in the parish of Kintore was 830, Immediately before the an- nexation of a. part of Kinkellin 1760, it was between 700 and 800, and about 200 were added by that event. By the former Statis- tical Account, it was 862. Population in 1811, - 863 1821, - 10j7 1831, - 1184 1841, - 1299 The number of inhabitants in the burgh is 462 ; in the land- ward parish, 725 ; in the village^of Port Elphinstone, 1 12. But in the late Government census, this last section of the population of Kintore is by mistake included in the parish of Inverury, owing to the circumstance that Port Elphinstone falls within the ex- tended Parliamentary boundaries of that burgh. There are no fewer than three fatuous or imbecile persons in the parish, all paupers ; and two others, a boy and girl, who to appearance are simpletons, though not entirely incapable of in- struction ; these also are supported from the parochial funds. At present, there is but one insane person connected with Kintore, and he is kept in the Aberdeen Lunatic Asylum at the charge of his friends. In the customs and recreations of the people of this place there is nothing peculiar. These are the same as in the surrounding district. It appears, however, that, in ancient times, Kintore was the scene of a higher order of amusements, and boasted of a race- course. On this subject Arthur Johnston has the following lines : Hie locus hippodromi est, populo spectante quotannis, Hie alacres pubis Seotiea versat equos, Hie fugit, hie sequitur; vietori prsemia cedunt, QucE palmas superant, Elidis ora ! tuas. IV. — Industry. Agricultural Condition of the Parish of Kintore. — Cultivated lauds, (imperial measure), . 3408 acres. Waste or in pasture permanently, . 2477i^ Susceptible of cultivation, at present waste, 652:5 KLNTORE. 661 Under wood, . • '• 1892 Total number of acres, (imperial measure), 8430 Scotch firs, larches, and spruce firs are the only trees found in any quantity within the parish, except on the estate of Thainston, where (if put together) there may be a few acres of hard-wood. The firs are regularly thinned out, and their lower or dead branches pruned off. The hard-wood is pruned on theforeshorteningsystera. For some years back. Lord Kintore has inclosed and planted up- wards of 250 acres annually in this parish. The planting is done by contract with a nurseryman from Aberdeen, at the rate of about 10s. lOd. per acre. The planter is taken bound to fill up the ground regularly for three years. And great care is at the same time taken to cut down any broom or whins that might endanger the growth of the plants. The average rent of arable land in the parish is L.l, Is. ll|d, per acre. A few grass fields are let annually by public roup ; and on an average each full-grown ox or cow put on them may cost for the season L.2, 2s. No sheep are summer-pastured in the parish. In winter, in former years, there have sometimes been upwards of 2000 sheep brought to the Kintore moors ; but this practice is nearly at an end, in consequence of the extensive planting now ofoingf on. There are very few sheep kept by the farmers in the parish. The larger cattle are mostly of the Aberdeenshire breed. Much attention is paid to have them of a good figure, and free from horns. The system of husbandry is nearly the same with that which is in general practice throughout the country. The leases generally bind the tenants to a seventh course shift; but the rota- tion of five shifts is followed on the better soils. During the last thirty years, 300 acres at least have been thoroughly improved, by trenching, draining, and enclosing, en- tirely by the tenants. Of late, Lord Kintore has trenched a good deal of moorland ground, and let it in small crofts at a very low rate. Li such cases the tenant builds the houses, and the land- lord affords the wood. His Lordship also trenches ground to his tenants who already hold land, on condition of their paying the interest of the outlay ; or the amount is sometimes divided into equal portions, according to the remaining years of the lease, and added by such instalments to the old rent. There are several embankments on the river Don. The principal one is that which 662 ABEllDEENSHIRE. was erected by Mr Forbes Mitchell of Thainston, after the great flood in 1829. The whole parish, except the small possessions within the burgh, being held under entail, the leases are seldom for more than nineteen years ; and they are drawn up with reference to the rules and regulations of the different estates. The tenant is al- lowed meliorations for houses and dikes to the extent of from one to two vears rent. The rent is all payable in money at Whitsun- day and Martinmas. But Lord Kintore has now altered the terms to Candlemas and Lammas, which his tenants justly consi- der as a very great favour. The occupiers of his Lordship's lands seldom or never remove ; for when the leases are within about two years of the expiry, a competent valuator surveys the farms, with instructions to value them on the liberal principle, — " Live and let live ;" and at this valuation the tenant may continue to hold his farm. The farm-buildings have been much improved of late. The dwel- ling-houses, in many cases, are slated, and a few of the steadings also. They must all be built of stone and lime, and on an approved plan, before meliorations can be obtained. Happily the bothy sys- tem is almost unknown here. The farm servants, though their sleeping accommodation is often separate, generally have their victuals provided in the farm-house. An intimate and kindly in- tercourse is thus promoted between master and servant, which has for the most part a very salutary effect. The extensive planting which has, for some time, been going on is deservedly considered to be a great improvement. Much of the waste land, indeed, is better adapted for that purpose than for cultivation, on account of the immense quantities of large stones on or near the surface of the soil. Considerable progress has also recently been made in bringing new land into cultivation. One of Lord Kintore's tenants, Mr Abel of Auquherton, has improv- ed, within the last thirty years, upwards of 120 acres, for part of which he had the honour to receive the Highland Society's medal. On the farm of Crichie, several fields have lately been dried by furrow draining. The materials used were granite broken lo a proper size, and filled in to a considerable depth. The result of this expensive but effectual mode of improvement has been very satisfactory. The straighting of the Don, followed up with proper excam- KIN TORE, 663 bions, it is thought, would add considerably to the value of both the great properties in the parish. It has been calculated that a new cut of 528 yards would shorten its course 2280 yards, and reclaim 21|^ acres of land, which might soon be made of fine qua- lity. Produce. — The average amount of raw produce raised in the parish, as nearly as can be ascertained, is as follows :* Grain of all kinds, cultivated for the food of man and domestic animals, at L.l per quarter, • lj.5844 Potatoes and turnips cultivated in fields for food, . J 948 Land in pasture, at L.2, 2s. per ox for the season, . 1827 Hay (cultivated), . . 972 Woods and plantations, . . 1 jO River fisheries, - . 3 Granite quarries, . . 5 Total yearly value of raw produce, . L. 10749 V. — Parochial Economy, There are several very good shops in the burgh of Kin tore, which supply the neighbourhood with all commodities for common use ; but Aberdeen being- distant only twelve miles, and the means of conveyance numerous, almost every article of merchandise of a .superior description is purchased there. The post-office here is that of longest standing in the district of Garioch. The great northern road runs along the whole length of the parish, namely six miles, and a branch of it extends to the west, a distance of three miles towards Kemnay, and ultimately joins the Alford turnpike. Three stage-coaches, besides the Royal Mail, pass twice through Kintore daily. The Aberdeenshire canal terminates at Port Elphinstone in the parish of Kintore. This is a work of great importance. It has proved extremely beneficial to a large and populous tract of coun- try. When originally constructed it was only 17 feet wide and 3 feet deep ; but these dimensions have since been enlarged, and it is now from 21 to 23 feet in width, and about 3f feet in depth. Its length from the harbour of Aberdeen to Port Elphinstone is 18^ miles, of which about a third part lies within this parish. It was opened in 1807. The expense of its construction and subse- quent enlargement amounted to nearly L. 50,000. And though it has unquestionably accelerated improvement very much in this quarter, the shareholders receive but a low rate of interest as vet on the money expended. The trade on the canal, however, is " Tlic above statement was kindly furnished by Mr Tail; farmer at Crichie, in this pariih. 664 ABERDEENSHIRE. steadily increasing. Tlie tide-lock, an important addition, was completed in 1834. There is a small wharf at the town of Kin- tore, as well as at the canal head. At Port Elphinstone there are mills, on a very extensive scale, for grinding all sorts of grain ; and the enterprising pro- prietor of these works, Mr Tait of Crichie, sends the meal there manufactured to all parts of the kingdom. There are also, in that village two saw-mills, one driven by steam and the other by water power. Since the last census of the parish of Kin- tore, there has been a great increase of the population at Port Elphinstone ; and as the trade on the canal is daily extend- ing, of which it forms the principal depot, it is likely to be- come more and more a place of general resort. Besides the mills already alluded to, it contains several large granaries, some wood-yards, and numerous storehouses for lime, coals, bone man- ure, and various other commodities, conveyed to or from Aber- deen by the barges.* Ecclesiastical State. — The parish church stands in the town of Kintore. It occupies a centrical situation in reference to the po- pulation, but not in reference to the extent of the parish, being very near the boundary towards Keithhall and Fintray. The most distant parts, however, are not more than four miles from it. The church was built in 1819, and is at present in excellent re- pair. It affords sufficient accommodation for 700 people. It is quite large enough for the parish as yet, and, on the whole, con- venient; though the plan may be exceptionable in some respects, and particularly in the arrangement for dispensing the communion. All the sittings are appropriated. The country parishioners are amply provided for, but the inhabitants of the town have too li- mited a number assigned them. The manse was built in 1784, and repaired in 1835-6; new offices were erected the previous year. The glebe consists of two se- parate pieces of ground. That portion adjacent to the manse mea- sures 6 acres, and the soil being good, it might be let for L.3 per acre. The other part, containing nearly 2 acres, lies at a considerable distance, and is of an inferior quality. The stipend is 112 bolls of meal, 33 bolls of barley, and L. 87, 9s. lOd. in money, * Note of Articles tranqiortcd tipon the Canal, season 1841. — Hay, f tons ; whisky, 33; calves, sheep, and pigs, 37^ ; lime, 4138; coals, 5279; oats and bear, 5717^ ; sand, 8 ; meal, I087f ; flour, 66; potatoes and turnips, 53; salt, 60 ; goods, 22| ; slates, 8i ; stones, 1042 ; bricks and tiles, 95^ ; metal, 69^ ; wood, 8281 ; bark, 631 . du'jg^ 6i(3T . ^, o„es^ 14291. G KINTORE. 665 which includes the allowance for communion elements. The teinds are exhausted. There are seven families of Protestant Dissenters in the parish, and one family of Roman Catholics, comprising in all about thirty- six persons. The rest of the population adhere to the Church of Scotland. The average number of communicants may be stated at 560. On the last sacramental occasion the number was 600. There is a parochial Association for religious purposes. The funds, amounting to L.12 or L.14 yearly, are chiefly devoted to the support of the General Assembly's Schemes ; but some por- tion of the annual contributions is always given in aid of other mis- sionary objects. The two Sabbath schools in the parish are numerously attend- ed. One of them is taught in the church by the minister and four assistants, the other in the Port Elphinstone school, by the teacher of that seminary, and a well qualified young man, who as- sists him, and occasionally supplies his place. About 150 chil- dren are usually in attendance at these two schools. The Sab- bath school library contains 200 volumes. Education. — In the parish school all the ordinary branches are taught. There are also classes for English grammar, geography, and Latin. The Scriptures are daily read. The present school- master has been in office since 1836. His salary is L. 30. He has a dwelling house, but no garden is provided by the heritors. There is a good female school in the town of Kintore, About two years ago. Government aid was obtained for the erection of a school at Port Elphinstone. -This is now a very thriving school, but has no endowment as yet. The number of children attend- ing all these seminaries is upwards of 200. A legacy of L. 260 has just been left by the late Mr John Bu- chan of Aberdeen, a native of Kintore, for educational purposes. The benevolent donor appoints that L.200 of this sum shall be laid out at interest, and that the annual produce thereof shall form an endowment to a school to be founded in the west end of this parish where it is much wanted. In the town of Kintore there is a subscription circulating library. Among the young here, a taste for reading is very generally dif- fused. Poor and Parochial Funds. — The number of ordinary poor in this parish has considerably increased of late years. But the pa* rochial resources, supplemented as these have alwaysbeen by the 11- 686 ABERDEENSHIllE. beral yearly donations of the Earl of Kintore, would still have been amply sufficient, notwithstanding the increase of paupers, to afford the means of relief to all common cases of poverty from old age or adverse dispensations of providence. The cause which has chiefly operated to augment the disbursements of the kirk-session, has been the heavy charges of regular board, unavoidably incurred by re- cent circumstances. The cases here referred to are those of or- phans, deserted children, and imbeciles. Most of these cases, of which there are six, have arisen within a few years. The number of ordinary pensioners' on the roll is 40. Paupers of this class, embracing the aged and infirm, receive a very inadequate provision. Occasional supplies are given besides to families and individuals under temporary pressure from sickness or accidents. The year- ly expenditure at present may be thus stated : Weekly allowances as board, . L.42 13 Quarterly allowances, . 48 Occasional supplies and incidental expenses, 11 10 L.102 3 To meet these charges the kirk-session derives revenue from the following sources : Ordinary collections, on an average of three years, L.48 Rent of Session's property in In verury, . 24 16 Interest of money lent, . , . 3 15 L.76 10 Such being the unfavourable state of the poor's funds of this parish, the kirk-session felt it to be their duty to draw up a report of the same on the 16th of March last, which report or statement was given in to the agents of the heritors. Lord Kintore's annual donation of L.25 is distributed separate- ly among about seventy objects of charity, including all persons on the ordinary roll, and a great number of indigent families and individuals besides. Davidson's mortification, amounting to L. 9 a year, under the management of the magistrates and minister, is restricted to the poor of the burgh. Savings Bank. — In 1837, a National Security Savings Bank was established in Kintore. This institution has proved remark- ably successful. It appears from the last annual statement, dated 20th November^ 1841, that the number of depositors was upwards of 300, and the amount of deposits above L. 4000. Revised \2fh May lSi2. PARISH OF TARVES. PRESBYTERY OF ELLON, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. FRANCIS KNOX, MINISTER. I, — Topography and Natural History. Name. — Some suppose Tarves to be compounded of two Gae- lic words, signifying respectively fertile and plain. The designa- tion of the parish would thus be a tolerable description of its ap- pearance, compared with that of more hilly districts. Situation and Extent. — Tarves is situated in that part of Aber- deenshire called Formartine,* with the exception of a small sec- tion which lies on the north side of the river Ythan, and is there- fore reckoned in the Buchan district of the same county. It is bounded on the north, by Fyvie, Methlick, and New Deer ; on the east, by Ellon ; on the south-east and south, by Udny ; on the south-west, by Bourtie ; and on the west, by Meldrum. The church is distant from Newburgh, the nearest sea-port, ten, and from Aberdeen the county town, seventeen miles. In its greatest length, Tarves may be about 12 miles, and in its great- est breadth about 8 miles. It contains upwards of 12,000 Scotch acres, of which 11,000 are arable, 1000 woodland, and the residue moss and muir. Geology and Hydrography. — The appearance of the parish is of an undulating character, the land sometimes rising into sloping acclivities, and sometimes stretching out into levels of con- siderable extent. The acclivities are of various altitudes, and commonly in the form of ridges, sloping most frequently to the south-west and north-east. The lower grounds are intersected by numerous small rivulets, vernacularly called burns, which carry off the drainage to the river Ythan. This stream divides the pa- rish into two very unequal parts, the greater being on the southern * Formartine gives the title of Viscount to the Earl of Aberdeen. 668 ABERDEENSHIRE. and the lesser on the northern bank. The rocks are all of the pri« mitive order, and, with the exception of some limestone, consist en- tirely of gneiss and granite alternating with each other. These rocks are, in some places, buried to a great depth beneath diluvial depo- sits, in others they rise above the surface. Immense boulders of blue sienite were, at one period, scattered over the soil. The far- mers, who, at a great expense of labour and gunpowder, have re- moved most of those that obstructed the plough, term them heathens^ probably from the incessant contest they and their forefathers have waged with them from time immemorial. A bed of mountain limestone traverses the east end of the parish. It makes its first appearance on the south bank of the Ythan, in a precipice high above the river, where it was formerly worked, and passes in a southerly direction through the lands of Auchedly, the farms of the Ythsies, &c. into the adjoining parish of Udny, near the church of which it is at present worked with considerable suc- cess.* Soil and Subsoil. — The soil is a brown loam of various depths, but generally of good quality, resting on a diluvial deposit of stony clay, unless where the subjacent rocks find their way to the sur- face. The bottom lands, of a heavier and more tenacious cha- racter, are interspersed here and there with patches of peat moss. The streams are bordered with stripes of alluvial soil of various breadths, which, when drained and protected from floods, produce heavy crops. Most of the land is sufficiently friable for the growth of turnip ; and the rocky spots, where the plough can work at all, are often eminently fertile. II. — Civil History. Heritors, §*c. — The Earl of Aberdeen and Alexander Forbes Irvine, Esq. are the only heritors. The former possesses all the lands in the parish south of the river Ythan. The estate of Schivas, situated on the northern bank, and comprising about one- eighth of the whole parish, is the property of Mr Irvine, who is the only resident heritor. Antiquities. — Tarves, at a very early period, was erected into a Regalit)' in favour of the Abbot of Arbroath, and an instance is re- corded, in 1299, of his claiming a culprit, as feudal superior of this parish, from the King's Justiceayre at Aberdeen. About the time of the Reformation, the Regality passed to James Gordon of * Limestone is also found at Acquhorthici in this purish, about two and a half miles west of the church. TARVES* 669 Haddo, ancestor of the Earl of Aberdeen, one of whose titles at present is Baron of Tarves. Not many years ago, there existed, on the farms of North and South Ythsie, several large cairns, of whose origin tradition gave no account, and at the bottom of which, when the stones compos- ing them were carried away for the purpose of building fences, there was found a quantity of gigantic human bones. They were, in all probability, the work of an era prior to the introduction of Christianity. The Castle of Tolquhon, now in a very ruinous condition, with the exception of a part of it called " the auld tower," was built between 1584 and 1589 by William Forbes, laird of Tolquhon, Woodland, Knaperna, &c. It is of considerable extent, being of a quadrangular form, and enclosing a large court-yard, the arched gateway of which is defended by two towers, with loop-holes to enable those within to use fire-arms or arrows against assailants. Great part of it is now roofless, and its walls are fast sinking into shapeless heaps of stones and rubbish. It is nearly surrounded with wood, part of which, especially some fine yews, seems to be coeval with the buildinor itself. The family of Forbes, to whom this castle and the valuable property annexed to it belonged, was among the most ancient and honourable of that surname — the first laird of Tolquhon having been the son of Sir John Forbes of that Ilk, and a brother of the first Lord Forbes. He acquired the estate of Tolquhon, in 1420, by his marriage with Marjorie Pres- ton, daughter of Henry Preston, Lord of Formartine. In the church-yard of Tarves there remains, in good preservation, a part of an aisle, added to the former church by the same William For- bes who built the castle. It bears the inscriptions " W. F. 1589, dochter to Lesmore, E. G. ;" and the motto of the family, viz. " Salus per Christum." The mansion-house of Schivas was built, about 200 years ago, by a gentleman of the name of Gray, descended from a younger branch of the noble family of Kinfauns. In its immediate vici- nity, are some remarkably fine beeches ; and there is a large and beautiful plane, which, according to tradition, was planted by a daughter of the Gray family. It passes among the people in the neighbourhood by the name of Mary Gray. In the house there is an old oak cabinet bearing the inscription G. G. of Schivas, and the date 1697. The Grays vs-ere of the Roman Catholic per- suasion, and what is now the dining-room of the mansion had been 670 ABEriDEKNSHIIlE their private chapel. It contains a recess where the altar had for- merly stood, and where the cross still remains, with the motto " I. H. s. Jesus hominum salvator." There is also a small re- cess in which the elements of the eucharist and the holy water had been kept. The date of the communion cups is 1618, of tokens, 1622. III. — Population. In 1755, the population was 2346 1792, . 1690 1801, . 1756 1811, . 1804 1821, . 2093 1831, . 2232 1841, . 2397 Of the population in 1841, 1191 were males and 1206 females. The number of families in the parish is 463, of which 364 belong to the Established Church ; 92 are Seceders ; 5 Episcopalians ; 1 belongs to the Independent ; and 1 to the Methodist persuasion. IV. — Industry. Agriculture, — Seventy years ago, agriculture in this parish, as generally throughout the county of Aberdeen, was in a truly wretched condition. The stagnation of water on the low grounds utterly precluded tillage ; while the arable lands were overrun with noxious weeds, and chilled from November to May by innu- merable land springs. The cultivated ground was divided into what was called infield and outfield. The former received all the manure of the farm, and was perpetually in crop. The latter con- sisted of " rig and baulk," that is, of arable ridges, between every two of which there was an interjacent space, termed a " baulk," which the plough never disturbed. The arable part was cropped with oats five years in succession, and then permitted to lie in pas- ture for the same number of years, in order to recruit its exhaust- ed powers of production. Green-crops, with the exception of a few potatoes and coleworts in the gardens of the farmers and pea- santry, were unknown. The implements of husbandry and the mode of using them were equally rude. Two men with ten or twelve oxen yoked in a team barely accomplished the work which one man with two horses in a plough can at present perform with- out difficulty. The horses employed in agriculture were dimi- nutive in size, and used merely for burden, never for draught. They carried out manure, and home peats, in paniers or creels, and the meal to be sold was conveyed to market in sacks laid TARVES. 671 across the horses' backs. Carts and wheel-carriages were only to be found in the possession of landed proprietors. The improvements introduced by the land-owners towards the conclusion of the last century were at first but slowly adopted by the tenantry. Depressed by bad seasons, and deficient in capital, they had neither the courage nor the means to attempt expensive innovations. The rise, however, in the price of agricultural pro- duce which succeeded the breaking out of the war between this country and revolutionary France, by increasing the capital of the farmers, enabled them to take advantage of the more decided and valuable improvements. Draining, inclosing, a better system of cropping, superior agricultural implements, and the application of the great stimulant, lime, became general, and from this period the progress of improvement was extremely rapid. Besides the profits realized by the new system of husbandry, an additional sti- mulus was given to the exertions of the tenantry by the abolition of thirlage to particular mills, and of the pernicious practice of taking grassums on the renewal of leases, and by the letting of farms for periods of nineteen years on favourable terms for the oc- cupiers. Through the industry of the tenantry, and the encou- ragement afforded by the landlords, the parish is now in a highly cultivated and productive state. The extent of arable land is at present at least double, and the amount of produce more than tenfold, what they were a few years before the former Account of this parish was drawn up. The rotation of crops is adapted to that species of soil in which turnips can be most profitably raised. The land according to its quality is worked on a five, six, or seven years course. In the five years course, the crops succeed each other as follows: 1. Tur- nips; 2. bear, barley, or oats, with grass seeds; 3. pasture or hay ; 4. pasture ; 5. oats. In the six course, the land is pastured three years ; and in the seven, two crops of oats are taken after three of pasture. The crofts and small possessions are generally worked on the five course, the more extensive farms on the six or seven. The six appears now to be most approved. The sowing of turnips, mostly of the yellow kinds, with a por- tion of Swedes, commences in the end of May or very early in June, and by the 20th of the latter month is usually completed. From one-fifth to one-seventh of the arable land is under turnips annually, deducting a comparatively insignificant extent for pota- toes, which are raised almost solely for the consumption of the in- 672 ABliRDEENSHIRE. habitants. The drill husbandry is universally employed. The manure consists of farm-yard-dung, with from ten to twelve bushels of crushed bones, per acre, applied in the drills along with it. The dung operates first, and quickly brings forward the young plants, while the bones maintain them in a vigorous state during the latter stages of their growth. The turnips are carted off the ground, and consumed in the stalls of the farm-steads. The prac- tice of eating off a portion on the lighter soils with sheep has been adopted by a few ofthe farmers, but has little chance of being carried to a great extent in this quarter, while the remuneration derived from the feeding of cattle continues so ample as it has been for some years. As the turnips are cleared off, the land is ploughed, if possible in dry weather, and in the following spring is sown chiefly with oats, though a portion of the best of it is com- monly reserved for ^barley or bear, the latter being in most cases preferred on account of its superior earliness. Little more hay is cut than is necessary for the horses kept on the farms. The grain produced is of excellent quality, bear and barley weighing in good seasons from 52 pounds to 56 pounds, and oats from 40 pounds to 45 pounds per imperial bushel. Most of the pasture is rich, white or Dutch clover being indigenous on the drier soils. The grain crops are cut with the scythe,* which performs the opera- tion of reaping much more economically and expeditiously than the sickle. It also takes more straw off the ground, and the pro- duce is sooner ready for the stackyard, than when the last-men- tioned instrument is employed. Thrashing-machines have long been in general use on the principal farms, some of them being moved by water, and some by horses. Indeed, where water can conveniently be obtained, they are now to be seen here on posses- sions of as small extent as thirty acres. Some years ago, Mr Hay erected one on his farm of Shethin, of which steam is the moving power, and it continues to answer his utmost expectation. Bones were first used as a manure in this parish in 1827. They have added much to the fertility of the soil. From 8000 to 10,000 bushels are now laid on annually. The latest improvement intro- duced is furrow-draining, which promises to effect as great an amelioration on the heavy land as bones have done on the lighter soils. Live-Stock. — Formerly the cattle were of the long-horned * A scythe handle of a peculiar form, termed a cradle, is universally used here, and generally' over the county. The implement is known hy the name of the Aberdeen- shire scythe, and performs more work, with greater ease to the labourer, than the com- mon one. TARVES. 673 Aberdeenshire breed. These were succeeded by the polled breed of the district of Buchan, which were latterly crossed by importations from Galloway. About fourteen years ago, the late Mr Hay, Shethin, bought a short-horned bull from Mr Rennie of Phantassie, with which he crossed his native cows. This experi- ment turned out extremely well, and his example was soon fol- lowed by others ; so that the great proportion of the cattle at pre- sent bred in the parish are crossed by the Teeswaters. If properly kept, they are ready for the market when three years old, and bring at that age from L.20 to L.25 a head, and upwards, much more than the former breed fetched when a year older. They are either sold to the fleshers in Aberdeen, or conveyed to the Smithfield market by the steamers and sailing-vessels from that port. Cattle three years and three-quarters old, from this parish, brought L.42 in Smithfield last Christmas ; and an ox, being a cross be- tween a Hereford and a Teeswater breed, and fed here, obtained a premium from the Smiihfield Club at their annual show in 1840. In rearing the calves, it is the practice of several farmers to have them suckled by their mothers. After weaning they are fed on turnips, grass, and oat-straw, seldom any thing else being given. The land is principally worked by horses, of which there are many excellent teams in the parish. In plough and harrow they are yoked in pairs, but in carts for the most part singly. Very few sheep are kept, except on the Earl of Aberdeen's home- farm, part of which is situated in Tarves. Some swine are reared, but the number is insignificant. They are regarded as advanta- geous by our farmers merely for eating up garbage which would otherwise be lost. The usual" sorts of domestic poultry are to be found in our barnyards ; but they are reared for the supply of the home-larder, and never for sale. Dairy Produce. — A great cattle-breeding district cannot ap- pear to advantage in this department, calves being a kind of mo- nopolists in milk. As much butter and cheese is, however, made as abundantly serves for home consumption. The butter is ex- cellent, and the cheese, for Aberdeenshire, not bad. Buildings, Fences, ^c. — Most of the farm-houses and steadings on the Earl of Aberdeen's estates have lately been substantially rebuilt with stone and lime, and covered with slate. The slates, and some assistance in wood, are afforded by the proprietor ; the rest is done at the expense of the tenants, — stones, however, be- ing everywhere so plentiful, that they are to be had for the quar- ABEItDEEN. U U 674 ABERDEENSHIRE. rying and carriage. The principal farms are enclosed with stone- dikes, the materials in most places being found in abundance upon the land. There are some thriving thorn hedges, and had it not been for the superfluity of stones, such enclosures would have been far more common than they are, and would have added much to the shelter and beauty of the district. Indeed we can suggest no greater improvement for the appearance of the parish than their extension. There are clumps of old ash trees about many of the farm-steads. Around the seat of Mr Forbes Irvine of Schivas, and the old castle of Tolquhon, are some very fine trees. There are also se- veral thriving young plantations, but of no great extent. On the whole, Tarves is slenderly wooded, which is to be regretted, as respects both utility and beauty. Leases, Rents, Sfc. — The leases are all for nineteen years, and are mostly held for a fixed money rent, though some are valued partly in meal, the agreement in some cases being that the article itself shall not be exacted by the landlord, but the price of it ac- cording to the fiars of the year. Leases are generally renewed by private bargain before expiry; and such is the good understanding between proprietor and tenant, that for a long period no farm has been valued or put up to a competition of bidders, nor have any instances of the removal of tenants occurred. The highest rents paid in the parish are for the lands adjoining the village, which are let for L.3 per Scotch acre ; but the average rent per acre of the whole parish falls rather below one-third of that sum. The valued rent of the parish is L.4830 Scotch. The real rental at present amounts to nearly L.8000 Sterling. Wages and Condition of Servants, Sfc. — Servants are engaged by the half year at stated feeing-markets, and mostly live in the farmers' houses. Ploughmen get from L.6 to L.8, boys and men of all work from L.3 to L.6 for the six months, exclusive of board. Some of the married men get houses from the farmers, and a cow's keep, or 1^ pint of milk per day, with a spot of ground to grow vegetables, the rest of their wages being paid in money, meal, and potatoes. Many of the jobbers, ditchers, and day-la- bourers rent small crofts from the proprietor, and when the wea- ther will permit are always in full employment, at from 10s. to 12s. a week. Masons, carpenters, and other artisans earn from 2s. Gd. to 3s. a day. Work is frequently more plentiful than workmen, especially in the seasons of turnip-hoeing and of har- vest, when many come from a distance, and more would often be 6 TARVES. 675 acceptable than can be procured. Women engaged by the half year receive, besides board, from L.l, 10s. to L.2 in winter; and in summer from L.3 to L.3, 10s. In turnip time, they earn 8d. a day, besides victuals, and about L.2 in whole during harvest. The crop at that interesting season is all gathered from the swathe and put into the bandages by the females. The bread of the farm-ser- vants and day-labourers is oat-cakes, and their other food consists of various preparations of dairy produce, oatmeal, cabbages, cole- worts, turnips, and potatoes. Beer is allowed them in harvest and at other times when the work is severe. Our servants and labourers are as expert in their respective departments, and will perform as much work, and to as good purpose, as those of any other district in Scotland. V. — Parochial Economy. Roads and Markets. — The church of Tarves is distant from Aberdeen seventeen miles, and ten miles from the sea-port of Newburgh. To both of these places, where there is always a ready market for all kinds of farm produce, there is easy access by good turnpike roads. English lime, of which a great quantity is annually used, can be had within six miles of Tarves, at a place called Waterton, to which it is brought up the Ythan in lighters from the port of Newburgh. It costs half-a-crown per boll of four bushels. Good roads have been laid off and completed within the parish itself, and are now kept in excellent repair, Tarves has, within its own boundaries, six ancient markets or fairs for horses, cattle, and grain. They are generally well attended, though many of the best cattle bred in the parish are sold at home to the deal- ers who export them to Smithfield. These dealers are all native farmers. Ecclesiastical State. — The church was built in 1798, and un- derwent considerable improvements about seventeen years ago. It is a commodious and comfortable building, and in perfect re- pair. It was originally seated to accommodate 900 persons, but the improvements alluded to curtailed about thirty sittings, so that at present it will not contain more than 870 individuals when not over-crowded. The number of communicants averages rather more than 800. There is a Seceder meeting house at Craigdam, in this parish, situated rather more than a mile to the westward of the church. The manse was built in 1766, and, though still inhabited, is in a very crazy condition, and fast hastening to decay. The items 676 ABERDEENSHIRE. which make up the minister's stipend are, L.80 in money, 122^ bolls of meal, and 21^ bolls of bear. There is an allowance of L.8, 6s. 8d. for communion elements. The glebe consists of four Scotch acres, including the garden and the ground on which the manse and office-houses stand. Education. — The parochial school and schoolhouse were erected in 1 837, on a very liberal scale, and are extremely neat and sub- stantial, as well as commodious buildings. The schoolmaster's salary amounts, including the Dick Bequest, to upwards of L.60. The fees average about L.30 annually. There is a school at Craigdam, endowed by a benevolent indi- vidual of the name of Barron, with a salary of L.18 per annum from a bequest of L.600 in the three per cents. The trustees are, the minister and two of the elders of the Seceder church at Craigdam. There is a third school, at Barthol Chapel, in this parish, the teacher of which has a house and croft provided for him by the Earl of Aberdeen. There are three other schools whose teachers have no endowment, but depend for a poor and precarious liveli- hood solely upon the fees paid by their pupils. The total number of scholars attending all these seminaries is, on an average, from 300 to 350. There are also several Sabbath schools in the parish, and the minister gives instruction in the principles of Christian knowledge, every Lord's day before sermon, to a numerously attended class consisting of young people. The number of poor on the roll is 60, among whom upwards of L. 100 is annually divided, — L. 80 of which is supplied by collec- tions in church, the remainder by occasional donations, and a small fund, which, from the demands necessarily made upon it during the last few years, has been rapidly diminishing. May 1842, PARISH OF INVERURY. PRESBYTERY OF GARIOCH, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. ROBERT LESSEL, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Situation, §r. — Inveruky, or, as it was sometimes formerly written, Ennerurie, lies between the Don and Ury, and, extend- ing to the confluence of these rivers, thence derives its name. It is bounded on the west, by Chapel of Garioch ; on the south, by the Don ; and on the north and east, by the Ury. Its length from east to west is nearly 4, its breadth from north to south some- thing more than 2 English miles; and it contains fully 5100 im- perial acres. Topographical Appearances. — The vale of Inverury, in which the town stands, and the haughs and lower grounds along the ri- ver's side, embrace about 1000 acres of light fertile loam incum- bent chiefly on sand. The ground gradually rises towards the west, and terminates in three hills within the parish, almost equi- distant from each other, and separated by straths or valleys ; that on the south is called the hill of Manar, ihe middle hill is named Knockinglew, that on the north the hill of Drimmies. II. — Civil History. Perhaps the first mention made of Inverury is in the short nar- rative of King Eth. It is noticed in a charter, of date about 1 178, by David Earl of Huntingdon, brother of King William the Lyon. By this charter he conveys to the rich Abbey of Lindores, " ec- clesiam de Fintrichi (Fintray) cum omnibus pertinentiis suis; et ecclesiam de Inveruriu cum capella de Monkegin et omnibus aliis pertinentiis suis; et ecclesiam de Durnach (Durns) et ec- clesiam de Frame (Premnay) et ecclesiam de Inchemabarim (Insch) et ecclesiam de Culsamuel (Culsamond) cum terris et de- cimis," &c. (Archseologia, Vol. xiii. p. 177.) These churches came into the hands of Earl David, then probably the richest Lord in Britain, as part of the Lordship of the Garioch conferred on 078 ABEKDEENSHIRE. him by his royal brother. Prior to this time, a castle existed at Inverury, for, in 1180, Norman, son of Malcolm, Constable of the Castle of Inverurin, witnesses a charter, preserved in the Advocates' Library. It was situated near where the Bass now stands, and is the first fortified place in Aberdeenshire on re- cord, — the Castles of Aberdeen and Kildrummy dating no higher than the thirteenth century. In the Advocates' Library, Edin- burgh, there is an MS. entitled, A View of the Diocese of Aber- deen, by an unknown author. It appears to have been written about the year 1726. In reference to Inverury the author says, " The families here are reckoned about 80, {so, if allowing six to a family), the inhabitants cannot be above 480." The Edinburgh Magazine for 1760 contains a notice of Inverury and the country of the Garioch, written by a Rev. Mr Forbes about 1738. In- verury was not improbably the head burgh of the Garioch as early as the days of William the Lyon. Its original charter appears to have been lost, for it is, by a novodamus, created anew by Queen Mary, June 22, 1558; and, on the 17lh September 1663, on the })etition of John Earl of Marr, it was appointed to be the head burgh of his Lordship's regality of the Garioch. *' The Parlia- ment appoints the burgh of Innerauray to be the place where all courts of justice,and all executions belonging to the regalitie of Garioch, as hornings, inhibitions, &c. shall sit and be used." (Acts of Pari, of Scotl. Vol. vii. App. 97.) Its representative at that time was Mr William Ferguson of Badifurrow, the ancestor of the Fer- gusons of Pitfour in 1669. It was represented by Mr James El- phinstone. The Bruce lay at Stonehouse, in the south end of Inverury, be- fore his great battle with the Cummings. He had been carried in a litter from Sliach in Strathbogie in a very sickly condition, and was thought to be at the point of death. Hearing, however, of the insolent daring of his adversaries, who, relying on his weak- ness, had approached his very camp, he suddenly roused himselfj called for his sword, and, riding out at the head of his troops, now inspirited beyond measure by the sight of their beloved leader, whom they looked on as almost miraculously restored to them, he pursued the Cummings across the Ury, and encountered their main body between Barra and Old Meldrum, where he gained his great and decisive victory. This is happily alluded to by Arthur Johns one, who, though born on the other side of the Ury, being INVERURY. 679 a native of Keithhall, links himself with Inverury in the beauti- ful lines subjoined.* Inverury was the scene of a contest between the Pretender's and King's troops on 23d December 1745. The rebels being in possession of Aberdeen, and having imposed a tribute of L.IOOO on the inhabitants, Lord Loudon dispatched from the north Mac- leod of Macleod with about 700 men, for the purpose of relieving the city, and preventing the exaction of this heavy impost.f Lord Lewis Gordon, informed that Macleod had reached Inverury, marched his own regiment and all the men he had of Lord John Drummond's regiment, with a battalion of 300 Farquharsons, commanded by Monalhie (in all about 1200 men), to attack him. They proceeded by the Fintray road, and reached the Ury about sunset. This river they crossed with difficulty, near Mill of Keith- hall, losing a few men in making the passage.j They, however, surprised Macleod, whose men were partly quartered at Artannes and other farms in the neighbourhood of the town. He collected hastily such as could be brought together, and formed in order of battle. The action took place under moonlight, but lasted only about twenty minutes ;§ for when Drummond's men and the Far- quharsons advanced to close combat, Macleod's troops, greatly inferior in numbers, gave way, and escaped as they best could. Of the rebels 20 were killed in the action, besides those lost in crossing the river, and a considerable number were wounded. Of the King's troops 7 were killed, 15 so wounded that they could not be carried off the held, and 41 taken prisoners. Among these * " Inneruria." Urbs dilecta mihi, te mollibus alluit undis Urius, antiquum nomen, et inde trahis 'le quoque Dona rigat, cristallo purior, ilium Mox Gariochasis Urius auget aquis. Cur tua Mygdoniis non surgunt tecta columnis Nee radiat titulis Pyramis ulla tuis ? Cur humiles sorbis cinguntur vilibus sdes, Sacra quibus potius debita laurus erat ? Ante triumphatus te juxta Brussius hostem Trivit, et ex illo victor ubique fuit Nee proeul bine populos Stewarti dextra rebelles Fregit et Harlasam sanguine mersit bumum Te jactare mihi fas est, qua divite gleba Te beat, est cunis proxima terra meis, Te prope vitales puer hausi luminis auras, Te prope jam canis obsitus opto mori. Arct. Johns. Poems, Middelb. 1642, p. 441. The prayer of the poet in the concluding line wan not vouchsafed, for his gray hairs were carried to the grave at Oxford, t Kames's History of Rebellion. X Kennedy's Annals of Aberdeen. § London Gazette, 29th December 1745. 680 ABERDEENSHIRE. were Maitland of Pithichie, Principal Chalmers of King's College, and a few other low country gentlemen who happened to be with the army. Musket balls are still occasionally turned up on the field of battle by the plough. Antiquities. — Among the curious remains of antiquity deserving notice are the Bass and the Koning or Conyng Hillock, two tu- muli of conical form. About the name and origin of these, espe- cially the former, antiquarians have been much perplexed. There are at least two other places in Scotland called by this name, — ■ the Bass at the mouth of the Forth, and the Bass near Dryburgh on the Tweed. Chalmers, in his Caledonia, quotes an Icelandic Dictionary to show that Bass signifies, in that tongue, Pinnaculum, and a Celtic work to prove, that, among the Celts, it signifies a rock, a rock under water, something low. The French bas^ ac- cording to him, is derivable from a Celtic source. He might have added, that in the Celtic tongue, las signifies death. In none of its features does the Bass resemble any of the earth forts found in Scotland. Some maintain that it had been used for judicial purposes ; that it was the central court for the district to which appeals lay from the local courts held within the circles of stones, still popularly, though very erroneously, called Druidical circles. That the Bass, being in existence, may have been so employed, seems not improbable ; yet it far surpasses in magni- tude any of the places which we know for certain to have been used for judicial purposes. Thus on Sunday, 2d May 1349, the Justice- General of the north of Scotland, attended by many no- bles, held a criminal court, " apud stantes lapides de Rayne en le Gariach ;" and the chief seat of the Bishop of Aberdeen's courts was the small mount called Tilliedron, The old popular belief, that it would be of evil omen, unhappy, or dangerous to interfere with the Bass, as the plague or pest was buried in it, and if open- ed might escape, at once suggests the idea that it is of sepulchral character. Such traditions are found connected with not a few other sepulchral tumuli in Scotland, equalling it in size, and other- wise resembling it ; and Dr Clarke, in his Russian travels, describ- ing some burrows on the Steppes of the Don in that country, re- lates that the inhabitants were abhorrent from the idea of their being opened, lest the plague should escape from them. These tumuli, the Doctor has no doubt, are sepulchral. But if the Bass be of this kind, whose remains does it probably cover? When the bodies of the chiefs were burnt, savs Mr Pinkerton, describing the INVERURY. 681 customs of the Picts, " a burrow of earth, in proportion to the rank, was thrown up. That of a beloved king was sometimes hke a httle hill." (Vol. i. 392.) Chalmers (Cal. i. 381), describing the short reign of King Aodh, Hugh, or Eth (surnamed of the swift foot,) says, " It was his misfortune to reign while Grig was Maormor (ruler or earl) of the extensive country between the Don and the Spey. This artful chieftain found no great difficulty to raise up a competitor, with a faction, to oppose the King. The contending parties met at Strathalan, in a bloody field, where Aodh was wounded ; and, being carried to Inverurin, died two months after this fatal conflict, and one year after his sad acces- sion, during wretched times in 881." The Chronicon Pictorum, a good authority, also assigns his death to Inverury in the follow- ing words : " Edus tenuit idem (regnum) uno anno, ejus autem brevitas nil historia memoriae commendavit, sed in civitate Inruriu occisus est." (Antiqu. Celto Normannicae, 141). Another MS. has indeed Ururine (Innes's Critic. Essay), and Pinkerton makes it Uturin ; but this last I should hold an error of the copyist. On the whole, looking to the sepulchral character of the Bass, and to the high probability that Eth finished his days here, I am inclined to believe that this burrow holds the remains of that unfortunate Pictish monarch. There is a prophetic popular rhyme concern- ing the Bass, of which the most ancient version on record is in the MS. of Sir James Balfour, Lord Lyon King at Arms, who flou- rished about 1660. He says, " Ye river Ury springs from the hills of Faudlane, near Gartlie Castle, hard by Strathbogie, and falls in ye river Done, a little below ye church of Inverury, near the old fort or mount called ye Basse. Ye inhabitants here have this foulishe aid ryme always in their mouthe. When Dee and Don runs both in one. And Tweed shall run in Tay, The little river of Inverury, Shall bear ye Basse away." — IAS. Adv. Library. The Coning Hillock. — The popular belief gives this mound as the burial-place of the King. The mound is undoubtedly artifi- cial; but whether raised for sepulchre or a seat of judgment, it is impossible to decide. If we should hold it for the former, it seems of far too insignificant dimensions for marking the resting-place of a Pictish king. Landholders. — The landholders, with their valued rent Scots, are. 682 ABEUDEENSHIRE. The Earl of Kintore, Artannes and Dava, - - L.336 James Gordon, Esq. of Manor. Conglass, and Blackhall, - 504 The Count Leslie of Balquhain, - - - 570 Sharp Shand, Esq of Drummies, - - - 1-24 Robert Grant, Esq. (of Tillypun,) Braco, - ~ - 100 Burgh, - - - - 408 10 L.2042 10 The real rent, Sterling, of the landward part of the parish, according to [the valua- tion made in 1839, was . . .L.2647 12 11 Do. of burgh, land, and houses, . . 2364 9 7 L.5012 2 6 The Earl of Kintore holds nearly one-half of the burgh lands. The other burgh heritors are fully 100 in number. Of the land- ward heritors, Mr Gordon of Manar alone is resident. His mansion lies three miles west of Inverury ; it is situated on the southern face of the hill of Manar, and has the Don in view at a distance of 500 or 600 yards, is well wooded, and completely sheltered on the north and west. The house is modern, and is at once sub- stantial, comfortable, and commodious. On the lands of Manar, the now ruinous chapel of St Apolonarius, the patron saint of the parish, stood. The farm is heuce, by a corruption, called Polander. One of the two annual fairs, formerly held in the parish, was called Polander Fair ; the other, on the 8th of September, was called Latter Lady Day, from being held on the anniversary of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin. To Mr Gordon now also belong the lands of Blackhall and Conglass. In reference to the former, it is said, in the View of the Diocese of Aberdeen, already quoted, " Blackhall, formerly the seat of the Blackballs of that Ilk, but since purchased by Thane of Blackhall, and now, 1726, sold to one Grant." Parochial Records. — The session records of the parish date from 1716, and make up three volumes. They have been kept with sufficient regularity. For many years after the Reformation, Inverury appears to have heen left without any pastor. The first provision made for its spiritual wants was in November 1570, when Andro' Spens was appointed Reader at Monkegye, with a yearly stipend of L.20. The reader was the lowest of the three orders of ecclesiastics, in the early stages of the Scotch church. His office was simply to read the Scriptures to the people ; the expounder was allowed to lecture or explain what he read; while, to the clergyman alone, was entrusted the administration of the Sacraments. James Mill, Minister of Inverury, was one of those INVEttURY. 683 who held the forbidden General Assembly at Aberdeen in 1 606. (Spot. Ch. Hist. p. 480). III. — Population. The population continued pretty stationary during last century, and, at the beginning of this, was not above 500. By the census of 1831, it was 1419 ; and, according to that completed in 1841, it is 2020. This great and rapid rise has taken place within the burofh, which now contains 1619 souls. IV. — Industry. Placed as the terminus of an extensive, naturally fertile, and rapidly advancing agricultural district, this parish has attracted merchants, artisans, and additional labourers, in order to sup- ply the wants of anr industrious and thriving tenantry. But the main cause of the increase and prosperity of Inverury is, without ques- tion, the Aberdeen Canal, which has conferred on it many of the advantages of a sea-port. This patriotic undertaking was supported chiefly by[the landholders, through whose property it passes, and those of the Garioch. The Inverury Port (deservedly called Port El- phinstone, from the encouragement which Sir Robert Elphinstone gave to the canal), exhibits a scene not unlike the quays at Aber- deen ; hundreds of carts, sometimes, in a day, delivering grain, and carrying away coals, lime, bones, dung, bricks, iron, timber, or other materials for house-building. For many years, the be- nefits of the canal were comparatively unappreciated, and perhaps the carriage rates were injudiciously high ; at least, since they were lowered from one third to one-half, about ten years ago, the increase of traffic has been very remarkable, as the following tables show : Articles transported on Aberdeen Canal in tons weight. 1831. Lime, , 4086 1840. Coals, 173U Bones, . 498f Coals, 4965^ J.ime, 2526 Salt, . 11 Lime, 39384 Flour, 12 Flour, . 49 Bones, 13491 Iron, 1 Potatoes, 14 Salt, 6il Bark, 105 Iron, 9 Sand, 4 Wheat, 2 Bark, 106 Flour, 53^ Dung, . 3554 Wheat, , ll8i Potatoes, 7i Bricks and tiles, 29| Dung, 188| Whisky, 8| Meal, 51| Bricks and tiles, 694 Metal, 424 Goods, 2U Meal, 149^ Bark, 56i Wood, 4^ Goods, . 100 Calves, sheep, ai id (}ats and bear, 1104 Wood, 3224 pigs, 434 Stones, 3711 Oats and bear, 6542f Dung, 379 Slates, 700 Stones. . 142 Bricks and tiles. 94 Tons in 1831, I0;35353^ Slates, 3584 Meal, I124f 1835. Tons in 1836, 15,8434 Goods, 16 Co.ib, 3199a 684 AnERDEENSHIRE. Wood, . 10984- Stones, . 51f Tons in 1840, 17,914 Oats and bear, 4497^ Slates, . 263 Even now, the original subscribers to this undertaking derive no interest for their money, but the land rents have been raised from the facilities of transit which the canal affords. There are on the canal about thirty barges, besides an iron boat for passen- gers and light goods, which runs to Aberdeen daily.* About sixty hand-looms for weaving linen have been for some time employed ; the introduction of a manufacturing population has not been favourable to morals. The number of low public- houses and of houses for harbouring vagrants, is also a just sub- ject of complaint. Of the 5000 acres which the parish contains, 3000 are under til- lage, 1000 are in thriving plantations, and 1000 uncultivated. The rotation of cropping most generally followed is what is called the seven shift, ^. e. two green crops aftergrass; 3c?, turnips or potatoes ; 4?/i, grain crop, (bear, barley, or oats), with grass seeds ; 5^A, Qtli, and Ith^ grass. Perhaps 500 of the 11000 acres uncultivated might be reclaimed by a proper application of capital. The ave- rage rent of arable land (including the burgh lands) may be L. 1, 5s. per acre. No flocks of sheep are kept by farmers here ; many have a few ewes and lambs of the English breeds for domestic use, and chiefly for the sake of the wool. The Aberdeenshire breed of cattle is most general, but with a few of the more extensive and opulent farmers, the short-horns are coming into favour. The leases are mostly for nineteen years ; the farm-houses and steadings have, within a short time, greatly improved, and the con- dition of the tenantry is, I believe, on the whole prosperous : this I know, that when the Earl of Kintore's farms were nearly out of lease, he sent for an experienced land-surveyor of character, and the only instructions he gave him for valuing were, " now remember the maxim, ' Live and let live.' " V. — Parochial Economy. Burgh. — The government of the burgh continues by the Muni- cipal Bill of 1833, vested in a provost, three bailies, dean of guild, treasurer, and three councillors who seem to prosecute with zeal whatever they conceive for the interests of the burgh. The number of electors in the parliamentary burgh, (which includes Port-El- * For ten years before the reduction of tlie rates took place, the annual revcnne was not beyond L 700, for several years it has averaged L. 1^300 ; for 1840 it was L. 1430, 12s. lid. INVERURY. 685 phinstone, though locally situated in the parish of Kintore,) is (in 1841) fully 100. There are twenty fairs for cattle, horses, sheep, and grain, held annually in the burgh, the revenue from which, as they are well frequented, is considerable, perhaps L.GO a year. Branches of the Old Aberdeen Bank, the Town and County Bank, and the North of Scotland Banking Company, have been within a few years established ; and among recent improvements ought to be noticed the lighting of the town with gas, and the opening of a new turnpike road from Inverury, through Chapel Daviot, Fyvie, Auchterless, and Forgue, towards the bridge of Marnock. There is a post-office in the town, and three coaches at least run daily to Aberdeen. The length of turnpike roads through the parish is about five miles. Ecclesiastical State. — The church formerly stood near the river side, where the church-yard still is. A new church was built on the present site in 1775. From the recent rapid increase of the popu- lation of the burgh, the church had become wholly unequal to the accommodation of the congregation. It contained, with difficulty, 600 people, while the communicants averaged in number between 700 and 800. This having been represented to the heritors and the magistrates of the burgh, they, with enlightened liberality, re- solved to raise a church in all respects suitable to the increased im- portance of the burgh and parish. The new church is to contain 1330 sittings. It is built of beautiful granite, and is of most sub- stantial workmanship. The style is Gothic, moderately orna- mented. A neat Episcopal chapel is also in the course of erec- tion. There are, besides, in the town, a Methodist and Inde- pendent place of worship. Notwithstanding these differences of religious persuasion, it is pleasing to record that they do not in- fluence the charities or courtesies of life. Education. — Besides the parish school there are five female schools, chiefly for reading English, knitting, and sewing; none of these last is endowed. The schoolmaster's salary is L. 30, with the statutory allowance for a garden. The average number of scholars may be, summer and winter, 90 ; the school fees for the last ten years have averaged L. 32, the other emoluments arising from the office of session-clerk, &c. may be L.4, 1 Os. Savings Bank. — There were formerly several Friendly Societies in the parish, but they have all, so far as we know, been one after another dissolved. Their place, however, is well supplied by the 686 ABERDEENSHIRE. National Security Savings Bank for Inverury, and the Gariocli, which was established May 26, 1737. The progress of this va- luable institution will be seen from the following statement : Sums deposited : From May 26 to November 20, 1837, . L.1014 18 2 Nov. 20, 1837, to November 20, 1838, . 2111 .3 1838, do. do. 1839, . 2176 2 8 1839, do. do. 1840. . 2048 4 8 1840, do. do. 1841, . 1459 13 Sums paid with interest within said year to Nov. 20, L.193 18 9 From November 20, 1838, to November 20, 1839, 344 Do. Do. Do. 1840, 743 9 7 Do. Do. Do, 1841, 1026 7 9 The number of depositors on November 20th 1841, was 692, and the amount due to them, L.6919, 9s. 8d. Poor. — The number of persons receiving regular parochial aid is 38; those who receive occasional supplies fully equal that number. The collections made in church for their support amount to about L.45. There are no legal assessments, but the heritors give an- nually in donations, a sum varying from L. 32 to L. 40 Sterling. There is also a coal fund, to which the benevolent contribute li- berally. Formerly it was considered degrading to receive paro- chial aid, and those in labouring circumstances would have sub- mitted to hardships and privations, rather than " come on the box," but this feeling of honest pride has of late years been greatly weakened, which I attribute partly to the influence of the manufac- turing population, and partly to the indifference shown by some of the burgh proprietors to the characters of those whom they admit from other parts of the country as tenants of their houses. May 1842. PARISH OF STRICKEN. PRESBYTERY OF DEER, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. ALEXANDER SIMPSON, MINISTER. I. — Topography AND Natural History. 'Extent^ S^c. — The parish is about seven miles from east to west, and from two to three miles from north to south. It was erected into a parish in 1627, one division of it having belonged to Rathen, and the other to Fraserburgh. It is bounded by these two pa- rishes, and also by that of Lonmay, Deer, and New Deer. The small stream of water called the North Ugie runs through the pa- rish from east to west, and joins the other branch called the South Ugie about six miles below Strichen ; and, both united, fall into the sea about a mile north of Peterhead. There are throughout the parish a few spots of good land, but in general it is not of rich quality. There is no parish better sup- plied with moss for fuel. Little coal is used, and when used, the supply is from Fraserburgh. There is excellent granite for building, of which Strichen House, and the houses in Mormond village, are a fair specimen. There was formerly limestone worked, but it has now been given up, being of indifferent quality. Strichen House, which was built in 1821, and is among the largest private dwellings in the county, is surrounded by thriving wood of considerable value, particularly some fine old trees, which have been planted more than one hundred years. II. — Civil History. There is no residing heritor. With the exception of Mill of Adziel, a small spot of about 15 acres, the whole parish is the property of Lord Lovat, whose estate of Strichen comprehends also nearly 900 acres of the adjoining parishes of Fraserburgh and Old Deer, and whose constant residence is Beaufort Castle, Inverness-shire. The most elevated part of the parish is the hill of Mormond, 800 feet above the level of the sea, and which gives name to the village. A considerable part of this hill is in the parish of Stri- chen, and it afforded a station some years ago, for the gentlemen 688 ABERDEENSHIRE. employed by Government to take the trigonometrical survey of England and Scotland. Parochial Registers. — There are some old registers of the kirk- session, as far back as 1676, and it appears a register had been kept, from 1701 to 1735, of marriages, and baptisms, and minutes of kirk-session. After that time, till 1785, (with the exception of the insertion of baptisms), no register appears to have been kept ; or, if there had been any, they must be lost. From these early reo'isters, it appears that the Presbyterian form of worship had been always observed. Since the year 1701, there have been four incumbents, including the present, viz, Mr Udny, settled in 1701 ; Mr Smith, 1748; Mr Anderson, 178f>, and who died in 1806. III. — Population. Ill ihe letunis to Dr WeLster, in 1755, the population is stated at 115& In 1791. the number was 1400 In 18:31, . . 18!)2- In 1841, . . 2012 There are three medical practitioners in, and near the village, and the senior of them has practised with success for the long period of thirty-eight years. The people resident in the village, and throughout the parish, are, in general, healthy ; and some of them have reached a great age, being upwards of ninety. They are distinguished for their moral and correct conduct, and their orderly and industrious ha- bits. They are constant in their attendance on religious ordi- nances, strictly observe the Sabbath, and have always shown a laudable desire for the religious education of their children, and not a few have had the benefit of an university education. In proof of this, there are alive at present, three clergymen of the Established Church, having the charge of parishes, and five pro- bationers, all natives of this parish. IV. — Industry. The extent of the parish is in ail about 7916 acres, of which about 5004 acres are arable, about 300 acres under wood, and about 2612 acres uncultivated and roads, all Scotch measure. The old valued rent of the parish is L.1875 Scots; the present rental, including the feu-duties in the villages, and a valuation of the lands in the natural possession of the proprietor, amounts to about L.4170 Sterling. There are none of the farms throughout the parish of large extent. With the exception of a few, they rent from L.15 to L.50; and there are a good many small croft- STRICKEN. 689 ers. The land near the village rents from L.2 to L.4. The com- mon rotation is three years in grass; then two grain crops; then turnips or fallow ; followed by a white crop, and sown with rye and clover seeds. The grain generally sown is oats ; there is very lit- tle bear or big. The whole crop is cut down with the scythe. The culture of potatoes and turnips is now greatly increased, and, for securing a good crop of the latter, bone manure has of late years been found of great service. The breed of cattle is much im- proved, and the abundance of turnips during the winter, and good pasture through the summer, enable the farmers to bring them to market in good condition. V. — Parochial Economy. Means of Communication. — The turnpike road, from Aberdeen to Fraserburgh, passes through the east end of the parish, about three miles from the village. On this road, there is a mail-coach daily. The turnpike road, from Peterhead to Banff, passes through the village of Morraond, which is about half way between. From Fraserburgh, to which also there is a turnpike road, the farmers are in the way of driving shell lime, bone dust, and manure. A great proportion of the grain, which is disposed of, is shipped there, being the nearest port. Aberdeen is the principal town in the county, and, with this place, there is constant intercourse by a daily post, and a weekly carrier. A post-office has been long established Mormond village began to be built in 1764, by direction of Lord Strichen, the proprietor, then one of the Judges of the Court of Session. It is regularly built, and laid off in streets, A good number of the houses are slated, and are neat and com- modious. The respectable appearance of those who are resident in it, their quiet and industrious habits, have been observed by all strangers passing through the village. There are in it a good many shoemakers, house carpenters, masons, blacksmiths, and tailors; and the Messrs Richards and Co. employ a good many weavers. Ecclesiastical State. — The old church, built at the time of Strichen being erected into a parish, being found too small, and in a state of decay, was taken down in 1799, and a new one erected that year, in every respect commodious and comfortable, and seat- ed to contain from 900 to 1000 people. All the seats are rented, and paid for yearly. The manse is very old, having been built in 1748. Since that time, a small addition has been made to it, ABERDEEN, XX €f)0 ABRIIDEENSHIRE. The offices are slated, and are in good repair. The teinds of the parish were exhausted more than forty years ago ; and, to make up the living of the present incumbent to L.150, he has an allow- ance annually from the Exchequer. The glebe, including the garden and site for office houses, is just six acres, of rather indif- ferent quality of land. The fifteen acres of ground, mentioned in former Statistical Account of the parish as in the possession of the minister in lieu of augmentation, and which was considered part of his living, do not now belong to him. There was no regular deed of mortification, and many years ago, possession was resum- ed ; and the present incumbent now pays rent for it annually to the proprietor. Along both sides of the approach leading to the manse, also on part of his glebe and around the garden, the pre- sent incumbent has planted trees, which are thriving, and add greatly to the beauty of the situation. Education. — There is only one parochial school, which is at- tended, during summer and winter, by from thirty to sixty scho- lars. The schoolmaster has taught thirty-nine years. His emo- luments are, the maximum salary, the school fees, Dick's Bequest, and his allowance and perquisites as session-clerk. The proprietor of the parish, about forty years ago, resumed possession of the dwelling-house, of two storeys, with eight acr^s of land, mentioned in former Statistical Account, and the schoolmaster now resides in a house under the same roof with the school. There is a school in the village for girls, where are taught reading, writing, English grammar, needle work, and music; and three other schools, for very young children, taught by females, two of which are at some distance from the village. A Sabbath School has been taught for some years, in the Town-Hall of the village, by two of the elders, under the super- intendence of the minister, and assisted by several other teachers, and the number attending has sometimes reached 120. Another Sabbath school is taught in the east end of the parish, by two elders, and has been well attended. Of the population, which exceeds 1800, there are not thirty Dissenters, of all denominations, taken together, throughout the parish. Besides the private examinations, and the instruction communicated at the Sabbath schools, as many of the congrega- tion, as are desirous to attend, have an opportunity of doing so once a-year, at the annual examination of the people in the parish. Families, to the number of eight or ten, are called in, andj at STIllCHEN. 691 these examinations, which are well attended, are seen young and old, from seven to seventy years of age. Library. — There is a well selected library, and the books are lent out, on payment of a small sum annually. Poor and Parochial Funds. — The number of poor on the roll of the kirk-session varies from 50 to 60, besides from 10 to 20 more who get occasional aid in money, meal, blankets, and body-clothes. They consist principally of aged females, who are very destitute, and, though they were able, could not earn sixpence a week. The income for their support depends chiefly on the collections made in the church. The capital stock belonging to the session yields annually about L.16. The amount of the collections, including three extraordinary ones, 'and what is given at the time of dispen- sing the Lord's Supper, may amount to about L.75 Sterling. To this may be added a small sum for the use of the mortcloth. Of late years, the expenditure has increased so much, that the kirk- session have drawn largely on their small capital, and every six- pence of this capital would have been expended years ago, had not several benevolent individuals belonging to the parish, and now deceased, made liberal bequests to the session funds; and the mortification by the late truly benevolent Mr Burnett of Dens has been of great service. In the year 1807, the first of the pre- sent incumbent, the expenditure was L.53, 4s. 3d. During the years 1837 and 1838, it has each year exceeded L.160 Sterling. The collections for the poor on the Lord's day have been always liberal, and to the diflferent calls made upon the congregation for aid to the India Mission, Church Extension, Highland Schools, and other benevolent objects, they have been ever ready to re- spond. On two diflferent occasions, a good many years ago, when, from the deficiency of the crop, the price of meal rose to Ll, 10s. the boll, and even to Ll, 16s., a call was made upon them, by intimating an extraordinary collection, for reducing the price to the poor ; and, on one of these occasions, the amount was L.20, and, on the other, L. 18. Friendly Society. — There is in the village a Friendly Society. On payment of a small sum annually, the funds yield some aid to old men, above the age of sixty, and to widows. There is also a Mason Lodge, and a lodge of Odd Fellows. Banks. — A Savings' Bank was established some years ago, and the deposits amount to upwards of L.IOOO. The North of Scot- land Banking Company have an agent in the village. 692 ABERDEENSHIRE. Town-House. — There is a very neat town-house, with a spire, built in 1816, by direction of Mrs Eraser of Strichen, then re- siding at Strichen House, her son, the present Lord Lovat, being then a minor, and having just succeeded to the large property of the Lovat family, in Inverness-shire. Jnns. — In the village there are three inns. Fairs. — There are five annual fairs, for the sale of horses and cattle, in February, May, July, August, and November. The market in February was established for the sale of yarn, but there is now very little flax raised, either in this or the neighbouring parishes. Drawn up February 1840. Revised May 1842. PARISH OF PREMNAY. PRESBYTERY OF GARIOCH, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. JOHN WILSON, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name^ Extent^ and Boundaries. — The name of this parish is said to be derived from the Gaelic. In some old registers, it is written Premanal. Its greatest extent from east to west is about 4 miles, and from north to south about 4^ miles ; but its average breadth of arable land from north to south does not exceed 2 miles. It lies on the north side of Benachie, and from 25 to 29 miles north-west from Aberdeen, the county town. It is bounded on the east and north-east, by the parish of Oyne ; on the north and north-west, by Insch ; on the west, by Leslie ; and on the south, by Keig. Topographical Appearances. — Although the surface of this parish is cultivated, it is considerably diversified by little hills, having a few acres on the top of each covered with whins, the soil there being rocky and too poor to admit of cultivation. These hills occupy the centre of the parish, having on all sides extensive fields of arable land sloping down to their bases. In the valley between these hills and Benachie, the Gady runs from west to east, 4 PREMNAY. 693 having the acclivities on both sides, well cultivated, and interspers- ed in some places with hedgerows, which, in summer, have a very lively and agreeable appearance. The parish church stands on the north side of the Gady, and about a mile from the east end of the parish. Opposite to the church on the south side of the Ga- dy, Tillymuick rises, a bleak, lumpish hill, of no great elevation or extent, having the lower part of the north side of it cultivated. Still farther southward, rises the mountain of Benachie, the west end of which lies within the boundaries of this parish. Although thismountain is only about 1500 feet above the level of the sea, yet, as it rises rather abruptly from its base, and as there are no other hills of much elevation in its neighbourhood, it forms a very conspi- cuous and rather interesting object in this district of country. From its tops or paps, of which it has several, may be seen with the naked eye, in a clear day, the German Ocean, for many miles along the eastern coast, the Moray Frith, and the Caithness hills beyond it. The Brindy hill stretches along to the westward from the foot of Benachie, cutting off a small portion of the arable land which lies on the south side of it from the rest of the parish, and forms part of the ridge of hills which separates the district of Garioch from the vale of Alford. The parish is rather destitute of growing timber, there being only three or four small plantations within it, and these of no great value. There are, however, some fine old beeches at Licklyhead, the old family seat of the estate of Premnay. Soil and Climate. — The soil on the south side of the Gady is various. On the slope along the base of Tillymuick and Ben- achie, the soil is poor and on a'hard and retentive bottom. On the slope along the base of the Brindy, it is on a clay bottom and of good quality. Throughout the rest of the parish, it is chiefly on a rocky or gravelly bottom, and, except in very dry seasons, is very productive, and well adapted for the turnip hus- bandry. The climate is dry and early. The extent of arable land in the parish is about 3200 acres imperial. Hydrography. — The two principal streams connected with the parish are the Gady and the Shevock. The former enters the parish near the church of Leslie, on the west, and continues its course for a distance of about four miles to the eastern extremity, and receives a number of small streams as it passes along the base of Benachie, which swell it very rapidly in a thaw and in time of rain. The Shevock runs along the north side of the parish for 694 ABERDEENSHIRE. nearly a mile from west to east, and to this extent separates it from the parish of Insch. Both are reckoned good trouting streams. Mineralogy. — Benachie and Tillymuick abound in red granite^ suitable for all kinds of building purposes, which, being light and easily wrought, is extensively used throughout the adjoining dis- trict. No quarries have as yet been wrought for any considerable length of time. About two hundred yards west from the church,- is found a bed of serpentine rock, which may be traced west- ward through this and several contiguous parishes. Limestone rock has been found in two places, and some attempts have been made to burn it for manure, but hitherto with little success. There were, at one time, extensive mosses on Benachie. These are now greatly exhausted ; but they are still resorted to for fuel by the inhabitants of this and the neighbouring parishes. Besides these, there were several other mosses in the low grounds, but they are now almost entirely exhausted, and the surface nearly all brought into cultivation. In the east end of the parish, there is a bed of very fine clay, which, when wrought into mortar and dried, is almost as white as lime. In most of the little hills, which have been mentioned as occupying the centre of the parish, is to be found a coarse kind of rock, which answers well for metalling roads and filling drains, and, if quarried on an extensive scale, might al- so be available for stone fences. II. — Civil History. Land-owners. — The parish belongs to four proprietors, alT non- resident. The whole valued rent of the parish is L. 1878 Scot& money, of which the valued rent of the estate of Premnay, belong- ing to Harry Leith Lumsden, Esq. of Auchindoir, is L. 1082, 13s. 4d., that of Edingarrock, Mains of Leslie, Waulkmill and Ed- derlick, belonging to Sir Andrew Leith Hay of Rannes, L.316, 13s, 4d. ; that of the lands belonging to Alexander Abercrombie^ Esq. of Rothney, L.266, 13s. 4d. ; and that of Overhall, belong- ing to Theodore Gordon, Esq., L,212. The real rent of the whole parish is about L.3000 Sterling. Mansion-houses. — There is a mansion house at Licklyhead, built in 1629, which is inhabited, but much dilapidated. There is also a mansion-house at Overhall, which is inhabited and in. tolerable repair. Parochial Registers. — The parochial registers commence irs; 1723, but are not complete. 3 PREMNAY. 695 III. — Population. It would appear that the population of this parish has fluctuat- ed very much within the last hundred years. The former Statis- tical report states, that " in Dr Webster's account, it was 448. Fourteen years ago, it was as low as 260, after the old farmers were removed. Three years ago, it was 471 examinable persons, or about 550 of all ages ; and at present it is only about 450." Since the date of last Account the population has gradually increas- ed. In 1831, it was 625 ; it is now 691. The people are sober, honest, and industrious, and regular in their attendance on the public ordinances of religion. IV. — Industry. The males are chiefly employed in agriculture, and also many of the females at certain seasons of the year. About thirty years ago, such of the females as were not engaged in agricultural pursuits were chiefly employed in spinning flax. The perfection of machinery has superseded this branch of industry. This was succeeded by the knitting of stockings and jackets, — in which employment many of the females are still engaged. But the allowance for this kind of work has been of late so much reduced, that a woman, labouring constantly, cannot earn more than from Is. to Is. 6d. per week. Servants are usually engaged by the half year; men at from L.4 to L.7 ; women at from L.l, 10s. to L.3 of wages, all with victuals and lodging. Husbandry. — The husbandry pursued generally consists in rearing black cattle and a few sheep and horses, and in raising oats, bear, turnips, and potatoes. A seven years rotation of crop- ping is that which is commonly adopted, that is to say, the ground is allowed to lie three years in grass ; two white crops are then taken ; one green crop ; and one of bear or oats, with grass seeds sown. Leases are usually granted for nineteen years. The farm steadings are mostly covered with thatch ; only fourteen dwelling houses are slated. Little has been done as yet in the way of enclos- ing fields with stone fences. Thomas Gordon, Esq. already men- tioned, when improving his estate, laid out a considerable sum in raising earthen fences and planting hedges ; but these having been long neglected, are now quite useless as inclosures. The average rent of outfield land may be stated at L.l per Scotch acre, and of infield at from L.2 to L.2, 10s. per Scotch acre ; and some croft land is let at L.2, 15s. per Scotch acre. Manufactures. — There are three mills for the manufacture of 696 ABERDEENSHIRE. grain in the parish, one on the Shevock, one on the Gady at Auchleven, and one at Gariochsford, the southern extremity of the parish. At the village of Auchleven, there are three engines for carding wool, and two spinning jennies, and the owner manufac- tures woollen cloth on a small scale. V. — Parochial Economy. Means of Communication. — The parish is intersected by two public roads, which cross each other near its centre. The one leads from Insch to Keig, and crosses the Gady at Auchleven, by a neat bridge of two arches, erected in 1836, at a cost of L.70. The other road leads from the upper district of the country to In-» verury and Aberdeen. In 1824, this road was made turnpike from the church to Mill of Garden, where it joins the great north road from Inverness to Aberdeen, and affords easy access to the canal basin at Inverury, where lime and bones, for manure, and coals are to be had at all seasons, and where granaries have late- ly been erected for storing grain to be carried to Aberdeen by the canal. The distance from the church of Premnay to the canal basin is eleven miles. Another branch of turnpike road has late- ly been made, leading from Kennethmont to Inverury ; passing through the north side of this parish, it joins the former road a mile below the church. Ecclesiastical State. — The church, which was built in 179*2, af- fords accommodation for 360 persons, and, with additional galle- ries, could be made to accommodate 120 more. The sittings are all free, with the exception of 60 in a gallery erected by the kirk- session, with consent of the heritors, in 1828. These sittings are let annually for behoof of the poor, at a rent of from 6d. to Is. 6d. each. The number of communicants is usually about one-half of the whole population. The number of Dissenters in the parish does not exceed 15 grown up persons of both sexes, exclusive of their children. The manse is very old ; date of building not known. It received an addition, with repairs, upwards of fifty years ago, and also some repairs seventeen years ago. The glebe, including some pasture land, and sites of the manse and offices, extends to about six Scotch acres, and may be estimated at L.12 of yearly value. The teinds of the parish are exhausted, and the stipend is paid, partly in money, and partly in victual. The mo- ney stipend is L.95, 13s. 6^^d. The victual stipend consists of 71 bolls, 1 peck, and 1 lippie of meal, and 14 bolls, 1 firlot, 3 pecks, and 3 lippies of bear. The patronage of the church and parish belongs to Sir Andrew Leith Hay of Rannes. FOVERAN. 697 Education. — There is only one parochial school in the parish. The schoolmaster's salary is L.27 ; allowance for garden, L.2, 2s. 9^d.; mortification, L.l, lis. 8d. ; amount of school-fees, about L.12. The teacher participates also in the Dick Bequest. The average number of children that attend school in summer may be stated at 30, and in winter at 50. The branches of edu- cation usually taught are, English reading and grammar, writing, arithmetic, mathematics, book-keeping, geography, and Latin, the fees for which are very moderate. The schoolmaster's dwelling- house, which was lately built, is ample and commodious. The school-room is too small. Poor and Parochial Funds. — The number of regular paupers on the roll varies from 15 to 20, besides others who require occasion- al aid. The usual allowance to the former is at present 12s. per quarter, which must vary according to circumstances, — the avail- able funds for the support of the poor arising chiefly from the in- terest of a bequest of L.l 000 by the late Thomas Gordon, Esq. of Premnay. The amount of weekly collections at the church does not exceed L.IO annually, exclusive of occasional collections for charitable and religious purposes. The temperate habits of the people may in no small degree be ascribed to the circumstance, that there is no licensed public house or inn for the sale of spirits within the parish, and only one merchant has a shop license for that purpose. May 1842. PARISH OF FOVERAN. PRESBYTERY OF ELLON, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. WILLIAM WATT, MINISTER.* L — Topography and Natural History. Boundaries^ ^c. — This parish is situated in the district of For- martine. It is bounded on the south, by the parish of Belhelvie ; on the west, by the parish of Udny ; on the north by the burn of Tarty, from the parish of Logie Buchan, and by the river Ythan, from the sands of Forvie ; on the east, by the German Ocean. * Drawn up by the late incumbent, the Rev. Maxwell Gordon. 698 ABERDEENSHIRE, It extends about seven miles from east to west, and about three from south to north. The river Ythan is about a quarter of a mile east of the village. It is here of a serpentine form, and is navigable nearly a mile and a-half. The ships are loaded and unloaded at low water ; but it is hoped that a pier will soon be built, which would prove a great accommodation to the farmers, particularly those at a dis- tance. The river abounds with salmon, sea-trout, flounders, and a great many other small fish ; but it is chiefly famed for its abun- dant produce of mussels. The quantity taken out of the river annually amounts to some hundred tons, and is sold at L.l, 10s, per ton. It is much to be regretted that the entrance to the river is bad, and occasionally dangerous, owing to the sand shifting at its mouth, and there seems to be no remedy for it. The sandy beach extends from the mouth of the Ythan, about one mile and a half north, and eight or ten miles south. On the south beach, there were lately many stake-nets for catching salmon, but bag- nets have now been substituted in their room, as they are worked with less trouble and expense. The fine little burn of Foveran runs through the parish, and falls into the Ythan near the village of Newburgh. There are three meal-mills upon it, all of the best construction, and abund- antly employed. It is well known that there is little wood on this part of the east coast of Scotland ; but the plantations around Foveran H'ouse and Ythan Lodge, mentioned in the last Statistical Account, have thriven tolerably well. In the western part of the parish, where Mr Hunter of Tillery built, a few years ago, a most handsome and commodious house, and laid out the grounds with great taste, wood grows very rapidly. The Huntingdon willow seems pecu- liarly suited to the climate and soil of the coast side. II. — Civil History. Antiquities. — The following is an extract from a manuscript in the Advocates' Library of Aberdeen, written about the beginning of the last cen tu ry, by Sir Samuel Forbes of Foveran : " Foveran has its name from the castle here, which is very old, and is thought to be so called from a sweet and very impetuous spring (at the foot of the wall, having an arch built over it,) for the Irish ' Foveran* signi- fies a spring. There was once an hospital founded by Sir Alexander Gumming, second Earl of Buchan, and son to the founder of Deer FOVERAN. 699 Abbey, Justiciary of Scotland under Alexander the Third, and one of the six regents on his death. Here is still an hospital, founded for three poor men, by the first Alexander Forbes of Fo- veran, who have each of them a peck of meal and a groat weekly." There is still a small fund in the hands of the Foveran family, the interest of which a poor man gets under the name of bede money. There is now no vestige remaining of the Castle of Foveran, nor of Turing's Tower, which was still more ancient ; but we need not say that the sweet spring, that bountiful gift of God alluded to by Sir Samuel, continues to flow with all its wonted abundance. There is a marble bust in the dress of the time of Charles I. lying on the ground, near the site of the old castle. Land-oivners. — The heritors of the parish are, Colonel Udny of Udny ; Mr Robertson of Foveran ; Mr Hunter of Tillery ; General Gordon of Cairness ; and the family of Wardhouse. Colonel Udny resides in London, and only occasionally visits his fine property here. The Foveran family have not resided much at Foveran House for some years past, but it is hoped that Mr Robertson will soon settle amongp us. Antiquities. — There is a very ancient burial-ground in the neigh- bourhood of the village. It is the burial-ground of the family of Udny, and it should not be allowed to lie in so totally open a state. There are some remains of an ancient chapel within the ground, which goes among the people under the name of Rood Church. In a service before the Sheriff of Aberdeen, on lOlh January 1558, of Elizabeth Meldrum, relict of Alexander Gray, burgess of Aberdeen, among others, of certain crofts and roods of land, lying in the barony of Newburgh ; the boundaries often refer to the Cross of Newburgh, the lands of the altar of St Crispin, and Crispinianus, the lands of the Holy Rood, the lands of the Chapel of the Holy Rood. The castle of Knockhall, now in ruins, is situated about half a-mile north of Newburgh, and was, at one period, the residence of the family of Udny. It was built in the year 1565, was burnt by accident in 1734, and was never repaired. IV. — Industry. Agriculture, — The land, generally speaking, is fertile, and pro- duces abundant crops of all kinds. There are many large and fine farms in the parish, and the tenants are most industrious and intelligent. An excellent understanding subsists between them and their landlords, and they live in great harmony among them- selves. They are very hospitable. Their houses, or most of them- 700 ABERDEENSHIRE. are built of stone and lime, two storeys high, and covered with slates. They are neatly finished, and comfortably fitted up. As an instance of the progress of improvement in the parish, it is worthy of notice, that, since the year 1824, in the Cultercullen district, 250 acres of barren land have been improved ; about 16,200 ells of ditches for fences, and about 10,000 ells of drains have been cut; about 4900 ells of stone dikes have been built. About twenty fat cattle per week, on an average, have been shipped from this parish for the London market during the last six years. Navigation, — The number of ships belonging to the port is eight. Tonnage, 646. These vessels are employed in the coasting and foreign trade, and import coal and lime, timber and bones. Grain is the only export. There are a pilot-boat and two fishing- boats belonging to the village. The fish caught in the sea are, haddocks, cod, skate, flounders, &c. There is a ferry-boat on the Ythan, about three-quarters of a mile above the village, which gives at present a rent of L.16 per annum. V. — Parochial Economy. Village. — Thevillageof Newburgh,asmall but thriving sea-port, is pleasantly situated on the banks of the burn of Foveran, near its junction with the river Ythan. There are now several substantial and commodious houses in the village, and its general appearan e is much improved. In former times, Newburgh was too much famed for smuggling, but, happily for the morals of the people, since the appointment of the coast-guard, this has been entirely sup- pressed. The land at Newburgh is a fine strong black soil, and produces, abundantly, bear, turnips, and potatoes, with a few oats. The average rent of the land about the village is L.4 per acre. The village contains 450 inhabitants, and 120 houses. There are no less than seven ale-houses, the same number as when the last Sta- tistical Account was written. There are in the village a baker, shoemakers, wrights, blacksmiths, and fleshers. There are like- wise four merchants, who deal in all kinds of groceries and ha- berdashery goods. A tide-waiter resides in the village. There is one Society, called the Newburgh Shipmasters' Friendly Society. A branch of the National Savings' Bank has been established in connection with the Ellon District National Savings' Bank. A bone-mill, belonging to Messrs Black, of six or eight horse power, is in constant employment at the proper seasons. There are eight granaries, large and substantial buildings, belong- ing to Messrs Black, Falconer, Gray, and Mitchell. A consi- FOVERAN. 701 derable sum of money was bequeathed by the late Mr Mather, a native of this parish, for educating and clothing twenty poor fishermen's children belonging to Newburgh. The writer un- derstands that the Magistrates of Aberdeen, Mr Mather's Trustees, have established a school in the village for the educa- tion of these twenty poor children. The same benevolent individual left L.20 per annum to the minister, or schoolmaster, for lecturing once a-week to the poor people of the village. The minister preserves the right of lecturing in his own hands, but the duty has been performed during the last three years by the Rev. Robert Abercrombie Gordon, our parish schoolmaster. Mr Ma- ther left also four bursaries at Marischal College, under the pa- tronage of the minister of Foveran, to be given to boys educated at the parish school of Foveran. Means of Communication. — This parish is intersected by the Aberdeen and Peterhead turnpike road, on which two mails pass and repass daily. There is also a daily coach from Aberdeen to Ellon. There are three public-houses on this line of road within the parish. Another turnpike road from Aberdeen to Methlick touches the western extremity of the parish : and there is a most useful turnpike road now completed, I believe, from Old Meldrum to the village of Newburgh. There are several good cross roads which strike off from the Peterhead turnpike ; and one of them in particular, called " the Fiddes road," which branches off opposite the Foveran Arms Inn, is most useful to the inhabitants of this parish, as it joins the Udny turnpike road, and opens up a fine communication with that part of the country. Ecclesiastical State. — The church, a plain substantial building, was built in the year 1794, and accommodates about 700 people. There are three very handsome marble monuments on the inside wall of the church, two of them belonging to the Foveran family ; and the third, which belongs to the Udny family, is a most valu- able monument, (with busts said to be very striking likenesses of two of that family,) and was executed at great expense, by Bacon, the celebrated London sculptor. Handsome churchyard walls have just now been built, with a fund bequeathed for that purpose by the late Miss Robertson of Foveran. The attendance of the people at church is very exemplary, and their devout appearance and great attention to the preacher have frequently been taken notice of by strangers. The number of communicants is, upon the average, about 630. Between 20 and 30 young communicants come forward annually. 702 ABERDEENSHIRE. The offices at the manse, which were built between sixty and seventy years ago, are at present in a ruinous state, especially the roof, and the manse will soon require considerable repairs. The glebe is very small, and is most inconveniently situated at a dis- tance from the manse ; but the minister is accommodated with suitable ground by Mr Robertson of Foveran. Education. — The parish school is situated in the eastern part of the parish, and is much too small and low-roofed for the accom- modation of the large number of scholars who attend it. There is reason to hope that the heritors will soon pay attention to this most important subject. There is another school at Cultercullen, in the western part of the parish, with an endowment of L.8, a free house, and ground for a cow. It is well attended. Poor, — The average collection at the church door is about L.60 per annum. The number of the poor has increased greatly of late, and their wants, from whatever cause, still more rapidly. Nearly L.lOO are now necessary annually for their maintenance. The session has hitherto been enabled to meet the demand, by having received several legacies and donations ; but an application to the heritors for assistance must very soon be made, or a small fund, which has not been broken in upon for many a year, must be used. 1840. PARISH OF CRIMOND. PRESBYTERY OF DEER, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN, THE REV. ALEXANDER BOYD, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — The ancient name of the parish was spelt CreichmonL It is perhaps derived from two Gaelic words signifying " moor for cattle." Extent^ Boundaries, ^c. — It contains an area of a little more than nine square miles, and is situated in the district of Buchan on the sea coast between the towns of Peterhead and Fraserburgh, being about eight miles distant from each by the present line of communication between these sea-ports. Its form resembles that of an isosceles triangle, being from three to four miles wide at the base, and from five to six in length. It is bounded on the north CRIMOND, 703 and west by the parish of Lonmay ; on the south and south-east, by that of St Fero^us ; and towards the north-east and east, by the Loch of Strathbeg and the German Ocean. Topographical Appearances, Coast, ^c. — Along the shore, the land rises to an elevation of perhaps 200 feet, gradually descend- ing towards the interior, which is but a very little above the level of the sea, and then gently ascending to the south and south-west boundary of the parish, where it unites with the upper parts of Lonmay and St Fergus. The coast extends about two miles, and presents a broad surface of fiat beach and sand hills, except at one particular point, where there is a long ridge of low-lying rocks, <;alled Rattray Head or Rattray Briggs, running at right angles to the shore, and extending from one to two miles in an easterly di- rection into the German Ocean. The most formidable part of this ridge is only visible at low water, which renders it peculiarly dangerous to vessels running too near the shore; and many a stately ship has been stranded there. Of late years, however, the number of wrecks on Rattray Head has very sensibly diminished, owing partly, perhaps, to the greater accuracy of modern charts, and partly to the erection of a lighthouse, on the one hand, at Kinnaird's Head, near Fraserburgh, and on the other, at Bod- dom, near Peterhead ; and it is commonly observed, that, of the few vessels that are now stranded, the majority of cases occurs through carelessness or ignorance, or when the wind is off shore, by standing too close in, either to catch the tides, or, during a breeze, to obtain smooth water.* Climate, Diseases, S^c, — From the circumstance of the district in which Crimond is situated extending considerably into the Ger- man Ocean, the temperature of the atmosphere is generally cold and bracing. The usual epidemics common to other districts make their appearance here. But it has frequently been remark- ed, that, while these have been raging virulently in the neighbour- hood, Crimond has generally escaped, or been mercifully dealt with. To what this exemption may be owing it is difficult to say. As an example of the longevity of the inhabitants, it may be men- tioned, that, during the last few years, three old women have died at the advanced age of one hundred, and there are many of both sexes in the parish who have seen fourscore years. * It has also been remarked, that shipwrecks have occasionally occurred on Rat- tray Head in so inysterious and unaccountable a manner, as to lead to the uncharit- able conjecture that seamen consider it a very eligible spot for stranding a frail but largely insured vessel. 704 ABERDEENSHIRE. Hydrography. — The character of the springs is generally mine- ral, and they contain a large proportion of pure oxide of iron ; but they are seldom, if ever, used for medicinal purposes. 'J'here is a scarcity of soft spring water in the parish. The running streams are few and insignificant, and never rise above the character of burns; of which the burn of Savoch, dividing Crimond from Lon- may, is the largest. They all terminate in the Loch of Strath- beg, which comprises an area of about 600 or 700 Scots acres, and is situated chiefly in the parish of Lonmay, but partly in Cri- mond. Although not more than half a mile from the sea, and separated only by a sandbank or bar, the water of Strathbeg is wholly fresh. This bar of sand is gradually accumulating by the action of the sea, and rendering the prospect of thoroughly drain- ing this loch every year more distant. An attempt of this kind was made about the year 1790, but it proved a fruitless one, chief- ly from the want of funds to complete the undertaking, and from the sand perpetually drifting into the channel of communication with the sea, and thus preventing the egress of the water. It is remarked, however, that the depth of this loch, which is rarely more than 3| feet, is gradually decreasing, owing to the great quantity of alluvial matter or detritus brought down from the interior by the winter floods, and left to vegetate in summer by the heat of the sun; and that, although the prospect of completely draining it is distant, yet, by the outlet to the sea being kept unimpeded, its level might be much reduced, and thus the low-lying lands along its borders so far drained as to produce in dry seasons the most abundant grain crops. In the former Statistical Account of Crimond the formation of the loch of Strathbeg is described as follows: " At the beginning of the present century, 1700, this lake was of much smaller extent than it is now. It was confined to a small part of the east end, and had a communication with the sea there, so that vessels of small burden could enter it. People born about 1700 well remembered the overflowing of the west part of the loch ; but the particular year is not now known, though it must have been about 1720. Previous to that, there was a hill of sand between what is called the Castle Hill at Rattray and the sea, and still higher than it. A furious east wind blew away this sand-hill in one night, which stopped the communication between the loch and the sea, by forming a sand-bar. The low-lying ground to the west was soon overflowed, and the extent of the loch much increased." From the great extent of sand which has CRIMOND. 705 since accumulated between them, the sea may be truly said to be receding along this part of the coast. The scenery around Strath- beg is far from interesting or picturesque, as on the side next the land it is bordered by bogs and marshes, and towards the sea by a succession of sterile and cheerless sand-hillocks, covered with bent. To the sportsman, however, it presents considerable attrac- tion, from the numbers of wild-fowl that frequent its surface, or breed among its marshes ; and few fresh-water lakes of the same extent are better calculated for boat-sailing. In the upper part of the parish, where a narrow portion of the estate of Logic almost intersects the parish of Lonmay, there is another loch, called the Loch of Kininmonth, but more properly the Loch of Logie, as it lies entirely within the bounds of that estate. It comprises an ex- tent of twenty-two Scotch acres, and is mostly surrounded by a low mossy land, which gives it a bleak and desolate appearance. Geology and Mineralogy. — On this head, the parish, it is be- lieved, presents nothing of peculiar interest. Granite of excellent quality, and of a darker blue than that commonly known by the name of Aberdeen granite, is found on the east side of the parish ; while towards the west, on the estate of Logie, the red granite is found, but generally in a state of decomposition. Whinstone is also abundant. There are the remains of a lime- stone quarry near Bilbo, on the estate of Crimond ; but it has not been wrought for many years. Iron ore is occasionally to be met with. The soil throughout the parish is generally of a light loamy nature, upon a clay bottom. Near the coast it is light and Sandy, easily laboured, and producing in moist seasons heavy crops of grain, turnips, and grass. Near the mosses in the upper parts of the parish, the soil is cold and damp, and retains the wet to a great degree. The crops are consequently late and variable, and liable to be blighted by frosts and mildew. In late rainy seasons, such as 1838, they never come to maturity. There is a large ex- tent of moss, of very great depth, belonging to the parish, deeply imbedded in which are to be found trees, chiefly oak and birch, of great size, and in tolerable preservation, the melancholy remains of an 'era when Buchan presented a very different aspect in regard to wood from its present naked and treeless appearance. Vestiges of decayed hazel are also very common. Zoology. — The wild animals are such as are common to the dis- trict. Grouse and golden plover are found in the mosses; par- tridges and corn-rail in the cultivated lands. The starling is an ABERDEEN. Y y 706 ABEIIDEENSHIRE. occasional visitor, as also the fieldfare. Two specimens of what was considered the American roller were shot some years ago ; and the bittern has been occasionally seen ; also the woodpecker. The loch of Strathbeg, from its shallow and marshy character, as well as from the circumstance of its being the most eastern fresh-water lake in Scotland, abounds in water fowl of great variety, of which may be mentioned wild swan and geese, wild ducks of every species eommon to the climate, teal, balcoot, widgeon, water-rail, snipe, redshank, and herons of great variety and beauty. The swans are only seen in the depth of winter, and when they appear in consi- derable numbers betoken the severity of the season in other quar- ters. They are frequently shot for their rich down, one skin bringing sometimes as much as 10s. or 12s. When one of their number falls a victim to the rifle or fowling-piece, the survivors, during their rapid retreat, send forth a melancholy and plaintive cry. Along the beach, curlews are seen in their season ; and at cer- tain periods, the woodcock is found in considerable numbers in the sand or bent hills along the shore. In these, they generally rest during the first day or two after their long transmarine migrations, and at such times, from their worn-out condition, may be shot without difficulty. The otter was at one time very common among the marshes at Strathbeg, but is now rarely seen. Roe-deer pay us a visit oc- casionally, and for several years a stray pair or two took up their abode in the young plantation at Rattray House. Rabbits are gaining ground in the sandy places. There is a very extensive rookery in the lofty ash trees where the ancient mansion-house of Crimond stood. Among beasts and birds of prey may be mentioned the fox, polecat, weasel, sparrow-hawk, glede, carrion-crow, and magpie. Among rare sea-fishes and whales, the turbot, halibut, mackerel, John Dory, seal, porpoise, spout-whale, and the red cod, found off Rattray Head and a few other localities, and much esteem- ed for its superior quality. Of Crustacea and shell-fish there are the lobster, crab, muscle, limpet, and periwinkle, among the rocks at Rattray Head. And of fresh-water fish, perch, trout, eel (some- times of great size), flounder, &c. in the loch of Strathbeg, or in the streams leading to it. Botany. — To the botanist, Crimond presents an extensive and interesting field. The marshes already mentioned, as well as the banks of the various burns leading to the loch, are well known CRIMOND. 707 stations for water-plants, while in the sand links and bents of Rat- tray, extending along the sea shore, are to be found those loving an arid soil. In the wood of Logie, likewise, a few of the rarer may be found. . The following is a correct list of the rarer plants to be found in Crimond.* Hippurus vulgaris Alisma vanunculoides Veronica serpyllifolia Polygonum bistorta Veronica anagallis Saxit'raga tridactylites Pinguicula vulgaris Spergula nodosa Lemna minor Papaver dubium Fedia dentata Thalictrum minus Eriophorum angustifolium Helleboris foetida Phleura arenarium Ranunculus lingua Arundo phragmites Galeopsis versicolor Aira cristata Stachys arvensis Foa rigida (not common) Cakile maritima Festuca duriuscula Brassica napus T riticum junceum Erodium cicutarium Lithospermum arvense Tussilago petasites Anagallis arvensis Orchis mascula tenella Habenaria viridis Potamogeton natans Cares recurva fluitans arenaria densum Elymus arenarius crispum Arundo arenaria pusillura Littorella lacustris Salsola kali Equisetum fluviatile Parnassia palustris Lycopodium selaginoides Allium ursinum Myosotis. Juncus Balticus f II. — Civil History. Eminent Characters. — Among many eminent men born in, or connected by ancestry with, the parish, are Arthur Johnstone, the famous Latin poet of the sixteenth century, (the rival of Buchan* an), and John Farquhar, born at Bilbo, and afterwards well known both in England and Scotland as the " rich Farquhar of Fonthill." By a long course of persevering industry, and almost miserly eco- nomy, he amassed an immense fortune in India, it is believed, as an extensive manufacturer of gunpowder for the government ser- vice, as well as a successful commercial speculator. At one pe- riod, there is reason to suppose, he had intended to leave the bulk of it for the advancement of education in Scotland, but his will not being forthcoming, his relatives succeeded to the whole. Land-owners. — The chief land-owners are, Forbes, Esq. of Crimond ; Adam Cumine, Esq. of Rattray ; Charles Bannerman, * This list has been kindly furnished by Dr Cowe, an intelligent botanist, resi- dent in the parish. \ This rusih was first discovered in Britain by Mr Drunimond of Forfar, about th? same time it was observed in this station. It appears here to be annually increasing. 708 ABERDEENSHIRE. Esq. of Logie and Crimondmogate ; and John James Laing, Esq. of Haddo. Parochial Registers. — The earliest date of these is 1718, from which time till now the session records, containing cases of disci- pline, and disbursements to the poor, have been regularly kept. The register of baptisms commences in 1743. At the present date, there is much culpable negligence in regard to the registering of births. Until very lately, no regular registry of marriages and deaths was kept. Antiquities. — At the east end of the Loch of Strathbeg, and close by the present farm-house of Rattray, " there is a small hill of a circular form, whose top," according to the former Statistical Account, " is exactly half a Scotch acre in extent, called the Cas- tle Hill. It rises 38 feet above a small plain on the north-east, but is only 12 or 14 feet above the higher ground on the opposite side." The famous Cummine, Earl of Buchan, had a seat here ; but after his defeat at the battle of Inverury, by King Robert Bruce, this castle fell into ruins. By the blowing of the light sand in the neighbourhood, which happens during every gale of wind, it is now covered with a deep soil, and produces crops of grain and grass. In Fordoun's chronicle, after mention of this defeat, it is narrated that " Bruce pursued Cummine to Turriff, and afterwards destroyed by fire his whole Earldom of Buchan," which may, in some measure, account for the marks of fire frequently discernible on the large trees dug out of the moss. About a quarter of a mile south-west of the castle hill, are the walls of a chapel, (surround- ed by a burying-ground), still in excellent preservation. It is sup- posed to have been a private chapel for the use of the Earl's fa- mily. The length within the walls is 45 feet, the breadth 18 feet, the thickness of the walls 3 feet, and the height of the gables 32 feet. In the east end of the chapel are three arched windows. The walls are built of very small stones, firmly cemented together with lime. Around this chapel formerly stood the burgh of Rat- tray. It is said to have had the same privileges as a royal burgh, except that of sending members to Parliament. The burgage lands were of considerable extent. There is now only one feu remaining. It measures about three acres imperial, and is possessed by Robert Sellar, who is thus an heritor in the parish. " The oldest charter upon this feu, extant," to quote the last Statistical Account, " was granted in 1627. In that year, in a burgh court holden at Rat- tray by the Honourable John Hay of Crimondmogate, William CRIMOND. 709 Dalgardno of Blackwater, and David Rivis of Strathstedlie, bailies of the burgh of Rattray, a jury of thirteen honest men, ci- tizens of the said burgh, find that Magnus Smith, the father of WilHam Smith, died possessed of four roods of land in the said burgh. Upon this, David Rivis, one of the said bailies, superior of the lands of Rattray, grants a charter on the said four roods in favour of William Smith. The next charter is granted in 1675, by William Watson of Haddo, bailie of the burgh of Rattray, su- perior of the said lands, in favour of Isobel Watson, spouse of Alexander Bisset in Bilbo. The latest charter is granted in 171 1, by Charles, Earl of Errol, superior of the lands of Rattray, in fa- vour of the daughters of the said Alexander Bisset and Isobel Watson." Near the mill of Haddo, at a spot called the " Battle fauld," tradition points out the grave of Sir James the Rose, who was slain in mortal combat by Sir John the Graeme, when contending for the hand of Lord Buchan's daughter. It was this circumstance that gave rise to the famous ballad of Sir James the Rose. Many ancient coins are occasionally turned up by the plough or spade, near the site of the old burgh of Rattray ; but as they are generally gifted away to the curious in numismatology, no re- cord of their dates has been preserved. On the north-east side of the estate of Logie, are the remains of a Druidical temple, the stones composing it of gigantic dimensions. III. — Population. In 1755 the population was . 765 1792, by the former Statistical Account, 917 1801, , . . 863 1831, . . . 879 1838, about . . 830 1841, ... 767 The decrease since 1831 may be accounted for by the removal of six or seven families of fishermen from Rattray Head to the new fishing village of Burnhaven, near Boddam, they having found the landing at the former place too hazardous for carrying on their ocf cupation with profit or success. Several families have also been re- moved from the interior of the parish, owing to the gradual dis- continuance, on the part of the proprietors, of the croft or cottar system. Farther reduction of the population from this cause may soon be expected, as the principal estate has recently been sur- veyed. Many small farms have been put into one, and subletting strictly prohibited. This will ultimately tend to check pauperism 710 . ABERDEENSHIRE. on the one hand, and on the other to increase the price of labour, as the tenants must hire the labourers of neighbouring parishes to assist them in carrying on their improvements. From the diffi- culty, also, of finding houses, as subtenants, for their wives and families, married ploughmen are in a manner debarred from ac- cepting engagements in Crimond, and thus both the worldly pro- sperity and respectability of the people must be so far retarded by an excess of zeal in the prevention of pauperism. Emigration has not hitherto prevailed to any extent in Crimond, but may be considered on the increase. As there is not even a village in the parish, the population is entirely rural. In the ab- sence of a correct register of marriages and deaths, the yearly average may be stated as follows : Marriages, . . . & Deaths, , .10 Number of population under 15, about . . 298 between 15 and 30, . 226 30 and 50, . 164 50 and 70, . Ill above 70, , . 41 Total population in 1838, . 840 Unmarried men, bachelors and widowers above 50, 23 women above 45, . . 16 The number of inhabited houses is about , . 165 Character of the People. — The common people are in general cleanly both in their persons and houses ; and their style of dress, in regard to neatness and comfort, has undergone much improve- ment of late years. Their, general character, intellectual, moral, and religious, may be truly said to be improving. A taste for reading, especially newspaper reading, is much on the increase. Attendance on the ordinances of religion is most exemplary, and, with the exception of the lowest class of men and women-servants, often thrown promiscuously together, with none to care for their best interests, they may with propriety be called a moral people. Since the establishment of the preventive force at Rattray Head, about the year 1825, smuggling from foreign parts has been alto- gether unknown on the Crimond shore. IV. — Industry. Agriculture.- — As nearly as can be calculated, the parish contains somewhat more than nine square miles, or about 5877 imperial acres as follows : arable, 4093 ; improvable pasture, 707 ; plant- ing (actual or in progress), 96; moor, moss, bent, and waste, 981. The gross rental of the parish is about L.3820 ; the valued rental is L,2160. There is no undivided common. The average CRIMOND. 711 rent of land may be stated at between 16s. and 18s. per Imperial acre. The average cost of summer grazing a full-grown ox or cow is about L.2, 5s. to L.*2, 10s.; that of a two-year-old, L.l, 10s., that of a one year old, L.l. A plough costs about L.3, 10s.; a cart, L.IO; a pair of harrows, L.3, 10s.; an iron plough (now coming into use), L.4, 10s. Wages. — A labouring man receives per day in summer, Is. 6d. ; in winter, Is. A woman receives per day in summer, Is. ; in win- ter, 8d. A mason receives per day about 2s. 6d. ; a carpenter, 2s. The above rate is exclusive of food. Ploughmen's wages half-yearly, board and lodging, L.7 ; young lads, do. L.4 ; herd boys, do. L.2; female servants, do. house-work, L.2, 10s.; out- work, L.2. Married ploughmen, living in their own houses, ge- nerally receive from L.4 to L.5 in the half-year, with a cow's keep, two pecks of meal per week, and their peats driven, — a class of men who merit in general the highest praise, as they frequently bring up and educate a numerous family on such scanty means. Prices of Provisions. — Beef per imperial lb. from 4d. to 5d. ; mutton, 4d. to 5d. ; pork per old stone, 5s. to 7s. ; butter per im- perial lb. 6d. to 8|d. ; cheese, Sd. to 3|d. ; eggs per dozen, 4d. to 6d. ; poultry per pair, 2s. ; chickens do. 8d. ; cod-fish each, 4d. to 6d. ; turbot each, 6d. to Is.; fresh haddocks each, Id. to 2^d.; smoked do. per pair, 2d. to 4d. ; lobsters each, 6d. ; skate each, 8d. to lOd.; meal per peck. Is. to Is. 6d. ; potatoes per boll, 6s. to 12s. ; brewery beer per half anker, 2s. 6d. Cattle, Crops, ^c. — Great attention has, of late years, been paid to the breeding, rearing, and feeding of cattle, and a new impulse has been given to this branch of agriculture by the facilities of steam navigation from Aberdeen to London, and the ready sale which is obtained for them there. A cross between the Teeswa- ter and Buchan breeds has of late been in great repute ; but there is consequently a great risk of the pure Buchan breed becoming extinct or greatly deteriorated, and many distinguished graziers are now turning their attention to this circumstance. The num- ber of milk cows at present in the parish is about 272. Since the attention of the farmer has been directed to rearing fat cattle for the London market, the dairy has been comparatively neglected. Very little attention is given in Crimond to sheep-rearing. Generally speaking, the system of husbandry pursued is excel- lent. The common method of cropping at present is a seven year's rotation. J. turnip and fallow; 2. barley or oats; 3. clo- 712 ABERDEENSHIRE. ver arid rye-grass, cut for hay ; 4. pasture ; 5. do.; 6. oats or bar- ley ; 7. do. Potatoes are grown for home use, and occasionally for exportation ; but, from the great expense of land carriage to Peterhead or Fraserburgh, they are not reckoned a very profitable crop. Turnips are very extensively cultivated for winter-feeding cattle, and bone-dust very often employed in raising them. Fish- refuse is also driven from the fishing villages at a great expense of time and labour. The price of this sort of manure is generally conveyed from the interior in the shape of peats. The total num- ber of ploughs in actual operation in the parish is 79, — a few of them drawn by oxen. The various kinds of oats in common use are the potato oats, — Sandy, Hopetoun, and Kildrummy. The last mentioned is generally considered the best adapted for the soil and climate of Crimond. Wheat is seldom or never grown here. The usual duration of leases is nineteen years. From the general character of the soil and subsoil of Cri- mond, draining is of incalculable importance. Much has al- ready been done in this way to improve the land, but a great deal still remains to be performed ; and proprietors stand much in their own and their tenants' light, by not encouraging it to a much greater extent. Tile or furrow- draining, by which such beneficial results have been produced in other parts of Scotland, yet remains to be commenced in the parish of Crimond. (1838.) The nearest manufactory at which drain-tiles can be procured is ten miles dis- tant, with three tolls, which proves a complete barrier to the tenant undertaking improvements of this kind at his own risk or expense. Were a tile-work commenced within a short distance, (and there are on almost every estate most excellent materials), there is every reason to believe, that the opportunity would be speedily embraced to carry on extensive improvements in draining. Plantations, Quarries, Fisheries. — Great improvements in plant- ing are at present going forward on the principal estate of Cri- mond ; ash, plane, elm, and beech, are found to thrive best in this climate and soil. Quarries of excellent materials, both for buildino' and road-rmaking, are open in various quarters. Produce. — The average gross amount of raw produce raised annually in the parish may be somewhat as follows : Grain of all kinds with fodder, . L.7000 Potatoes, turnips, &c. . 3.504 Hay, . . . 1410 J''lax, none, CRIMOND. 713 Grazing, . , L.2150 Gardens and fruit, . . 60 Butter, eggs, cheese, milk, poultry, . 1500 L.15,624 V. — Parochial Economy. Market-Town. — The nearest market-town is Peterhead, nine miles distant, where a weekly market is held on Fridays. Post-Office. — The most convenient post-office for Crimond is also at Peterhead, although Mintlaw is somewhat nearer. A foot- post, or runner, on his own adventure, goes to Peterhead daily in summer, and three or four times a- week in winter. Means of Communication. — Various attempts have been made, for the last ten years, to run a stage-coach between Peterhead and Fraserburgh, passing through Crimond; but, from bad ma- nagement, and the very small traffic upon the road, they have never succeeded. The length of turnpike roads in the parish is about two miles. There are seven or eight bridges, all in good repair, but none of them merit special notice. Most of the side- roads admit of great improvement, although much has been done in this respect within the last twenty years. Indeed, the manage- ment of the roads throughout the district generally is grossly de- fective. Ecclesiastical State. — The present parish church was built in the year 1812. As the farthest extremity of the parish is not four miles distant from it, it may be said to be conveniently situated for the whole population. It is in excellent repair, affords good accommodation for 500, and is divided amongst the heritors according to their respective valuations, and again amongst their tenants, according to the size of their farms. Al- though no free sittings are specially set apart for the poor, yet there is no want of accommodation for them, if inclined to attend. Unlike most country churches, the church of Crimond has a steeple, bell, and clock ; the last of superior workmanship, and presented by one of the heritors, the late James Laing, Esq. of Haddo, in this county, and of Streatham Hill, Surrey, a native of the parish, and one who invariably manifested a deep interest in its welfare. A part of the south wall of the old church, built in 1576, still remains in the churchyard. The present patron of the church and parish is the Right Honourable the Earl of Fife, the patron- age having been purchased from the Earl of Errol about the year 1800. 714 ABERDEJENSHIRE. The manse consists of three parts, viz. the original structure, built in 1763, and two wings or additions; that at the east end, built in 1798, and the other at the west end in 1815. Although it possesses a great deal of accommodation, it is far from being a convenient or sufficient house. The garden and grounds were laid out with great taste, and at considerable expense, by the late incumbent, the Rev. William Boyd, who was inducted and or- dained in 1797, and died in 1839. He has been succeeded by his youngest son, the Rev. Alexander Boyd, inducted and ordained 1st January 1840. The heritors of Crimond have long been dis- tinguished for their liberality in regard to the public buildings. The church, manse, and school-house are inspected annually by competent workmen, and every necessary repair immediately exe- cuted. They are also insured against loss by fire at the heritors' expense. The whole glebe land is exactly as follows : — Garden in front of manse, 1 rood 35 falls ; vegetable and small fruit-gar- den, 1 rood 33 falls ; arable land, 6 acres, 2 roods, 37 falls ; site of houses, planting, waste, &c. 1 acre. Total imperial measure, 8 acres, 2 roods, 25 falls ; or, Scots measure, 6 acres, 3 roods, 174 falls. Besides the above, the churchyard and site of the old church contains 1 rood 7 falls ; site of new church, 28 falls. Im- perial measure, 1 rood 35 falls. The glebe land is in a state of high cultivation, and worth annually about L. 1, 10s. per acre im- perial. The stipend, being 15 chalders, half barley and half meal, varies from L.200 to L.300 per annum, according to the fiar prices. L.8, 6s. 8d. Sterling are also allowed for communion elements. The Established Church is the only church or chapel within the parish. In the former part of this account, under the head Population, the total number of inhabitants in 1838 was stated to be about 830. Since that time, from causes already hinted at, a farther reduction has taken place ; and, by a pretty accurate cen- sus, made by the minister in the course of parochial visitation in January and February 1840, it does not exceed as follows: Pres- byterians in connection with the Established Church, 575; Epis- copalians, 158; Roman Catholics, 10; Seceders, 7; total, 750. There is, properly speaking, only one native Roman Catholic resi- dent in the parish ; the others belonging to that church come from Ireland, and have only a temporary residence in connection with the coast-guard service. The few Seceders being eight miles distant from their place of worship, attend the parish church, except at the observance of the Lord's Supper, when they join their own CRIMOND. 715 communion. The Established Church is well attended. The Sabbath day is decently observed by the great body of the people, and religious discord between different sects is comparatively un- known. The number of communicants at the parish church va- ries from 360 to 370. The Lord's Supper is celebrated once in the year, generally on the third Sabbath of June. Education. — The parochial schoolmaster's salary (through the generosity of the heritors) amounts to L.35. He enjoys also the yearly interest of L.400, bequeathed by a former minister of the parish, the Rev. Mr Johnston. The school fees may vary from L.15 to L.20 per annum, all which, together with the Dick Be- quest, (which, however, depends on merit,) affords a very superior income to the schoolmaster. The school-room is large, airy, and well lighted, and the schoolmaster's house contains considerably more than the accommodation required by law. Besides the parish school, there are several female schools for the initiatory branches of education, with sewing, knitting, &c. ; but one such school, conducted on improved principles, and by a regularly trained teacher, is still wanted, and ought to be established. A Sabbath school has been in operation for the last sixteen years. A parish library, containing about 400 volumes, was established some years ago ; but the advantages it holds out for acquiring sound and practical information are not so much ap- preciated as they ought to be. At the parish school, there is also a juvenile library for the use of the scholars. Poor's Funds. — The average number of regular paupers at pre- sent receiving parochial relief is 14, and of occasional paupers, 8. The average sum the former receive annually is L.2, Is. ; the lat- ter, L.l, 7s. The highest sum received by any one pauper at present (1840) on the roll is L.3, 15s. The average amount of annual collections for the benefit of the poor is L.32, 10s. 7i|d., which, together with the interest of L.400 in the heritor's hands and in the Aberdeen Bank, is in general found sufficient to meet all demands. A collection is also made yearly to provide medi^ cine and medical attendance for those upon the poor's roll. There is frequently to be observed a strong indisposition on the part of the poor to begin accepting parochial relief; but, once it is granted, it can seldom be withdrawn without occasioning much complaint. Fairs and Alehouses. — There are three fairs held in the parish, — one at Candlemas, another in September, and a third in Octo- ber, for buying and selling cattle, horses, and sheep, and some- 716 ABERDEENSHIRE. times grain and potatoes. There are also three alehouses, or ra- ther whisky-shops.* Fuel. — The common fuel used in Crimond is peat, which is procured with much labour, expense, and loss of time in the mosses of Crimond and Logie, lying to the south of the parish. Miscellaneous Observations. Among the remarkable changes which have taken place since the former Statistical Account was published, about half a century ago, may be mentioned the following : — 1. The whole land in the parish, with the exception of a small feu at Rattray, belonging to R. Sellar, has passed by purchase into the hands of other heritors than those there mentioned. 2. The population, from various causes, but chiefly from one already mentioned, has decreased from 917 to about 750. 3. The real rental of the parish has increased from somewhat more than L.1300 to nearly L.4000 per annum. The aspect of the parish, both in a moral and natural point of view, has under- gone much improvement in the above-mentioned period. The people are less slovenly in their habits, and less superstitious in their sentiments, and better informed, better fed, clad, and housed than they formerly were, while many evils which then existed, such as smuggling, poaching, and plundering of wrecks, have al- most entirely ceased. If we glance at the external appearance of the parish, we find a still more visible amendment. Trees have been planted on all the larger estates ; and although such planta- tions are few and far between, and, in many cases, present but a stunted appearance from their exposure to the cold north-easterly gales, yet such spots of sombre green among the brighter hues of the corn-fields in summer tend much to vary the landscape, and to relieve the general tameness of the scenery. Much wet land has been drained, regularly fielded, and thus considerably increased in value and productiveness. In several parts of the parish, where heather held formerly undisputed possession, rich crops of grain are now produced. Some small farms, thus reclaimed from the barren waste, have doubled their rental every nineteen years. Several new and convenient lines of road have been constructed, and only require to be kept in good repair to be of great benefit to the parish and district. In particular, the present turnpike road from Peterhead to Fraserburgh has done much to facilitate • Now reduced to one. — 1840. TYllIE. 717 communication with these sea-ports, and to increase the value of agricultural produce, and consequently the rental of the land. To these may be added a manifest improvement in many of the farm-houses and steadings, though much remains to be done in this respect ; also in the rearing and breeding of horses and cattle ; in the quality of farm implements, particularly thrashing-mills ; and in the method of husbandry generally pursued. Written 1840. Revised 1842. PARISH OF TYRIE. PRESBYTERY OF DEER, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — The name of the parish is said to be of Gaelic origin, and to signify " the King's house." Tradition bears that a reli- gious house once existed near the site of the present church. Mountain ranges, Sj-c. — At the westerly extremity of the parish there is a range of high grounds, — the continuation of the Auch- medden ridge, and of those high grounds which, crossing the ad- joining parish of New Deer, form a part of the eminences skirting the western extremity of Buchan. Those eminences in the lower part of the parish seem, in fact, to be continuations of the Hill of Mormond, distant only about three miles. Meteorology. — In the spring and summer months, a dense cloud, charged often with the electric fluid, is frequently seen hovering over that range of high lands terminating in the Auchraedden rido-e, and, after hanging in collected masses for a while, it generally breaks into two divisions, one of which branches off in a south- easterly direction towards Mormond, the other traversing the waters of the Moray Frith, — each dissipating itself in copious falls of rain. Hydrography. — We can boast of many and valuable springs, copious, perennial, salubrious, spread abroad with a lavish hand through all the parish, and adapted to the necessary wants and accommodations of the people. Many of them are of a tonic mineral description, impregnated more or less with carbonate 7J8 ABERDEENSHIRE. of iron. There are two streamlets, — the one running south- east, in the upper part of the parish, is one of the tributaries of the river Ugie, which flows into the sea near to the town of Peterhead ; but, so long as it continues with us, it is but a puny stream, flowing generally with a sluggish pace. The other streamlet has one or two of its fountains on the eastern side of the elevated grounds which bisect the parish. In a natural amphi- theatre, scooped out, it may be, by some convulsion of the ele- ments, and protected from every blast that blows, there bubbles forth from a grassy knoll a most copious stream, denominated the Mourning or Murnan Well, the waters of which, in conjunction with other streams, finally merge in those waters which constitute the rivulet of Philorth, as it falls into the sea about two miles south of Fraserburgh. Geology and Mineralogy. — It may be said that the course of the discoverable strata lies in a north-easterly direction, and that its dip is at an angle of about 45°. The ascertained strata are either composed of gravel or sand, or clay, sometimes pure, sometimes mixed, and it is, for the most part, imbedded on a basis of gra- nite rock. There is a species of rotten rock of the clayish mica kind, held together by a cement of crusted ferruginous sand, aris- ing in the adjoining parish of Pitsligo, entering this one on its northern frontier, opposite to the church, traversing it in a south- erly direction for about a mile, dipping occasionally, and finally losing itself at the base of one of the eminences which protrudes from the mountainous range formerly mentioned. This species of rock, unfit for any kind of building, is adapted solely for road- making ; but the difficulty and consequent expense of quarrying render it ineligible even for this purpose. On this strata of rock, however, is deposited the richest land in the parish. On the eastern extremity of the parish, there is a limestone quarry, formerly wrought, but now disused, owing to the difficulty and expense of extracting the under-ground accumulating water. This vein of limestone is only a small branch of that great strata which, originating in the rocks on the shores of the Moray Frith, close by Kinnaird's Head, traverses, in a south-westerly direc- tion, parts of the parishes of Fraserburgh, Rathen, and Tyrie, dipping occasionally, underlying the foundations of Mormond, exhibiting itself afterwards at the lime quarries of Strichen, and pursuing still its way in the same direction far into the interior of the, country. The breadth of the strata of limestone, from the. 4 TYRIE. 719 place where it manifests itself in this parish to where it terminates in Rathen, may be estimated to be about three or four miles. The great strata of granite rocks pursue the same south-west- erly course. The stone itself is composed of quartz, shorl, fel- spar, and mica, — the last, however, in very minute quantities. It is of a pale-grayish hue. Examples of it are found in all shades of formation, from the loose and uncompressed to the closely packed and the firmly-cemented blocks, capable of receiving the finest polish, and adapted for the most durable buildings. Oc- casional blocks of granite are discoverable in every valley ; but they most frequently appear to form the frame-work on which are deposited all the superincumbent strata of the mountain- ous range bisecting the parish, and also the greater part of the massy plains, &c. of the upper part. The granite quar- ries which have been opened, furnish blocks of about ten tons weight ; but what farther sizes might be procured it is impossible to say, without deeper excavations than what have been hitherto made. The stones already procured have been obtained with com- parative ease, and consequently with comparatively little expense. From these quarries have been taken the materials for building great part of the dressed work of the pier of the harbour of Fra- serburgh, and for the ornamental work of the modern buildings of that town, as well as of those in our more immediate neighbour- hood. Such a trade, if we may call it a trade, has been a source of some revenue to the proprietor, and to several industrious arti- sans and labourers ; and, as long as the facility of transportation, furnished by means of the adjoining turnpike road to Fraserburgh, exists, combined with the little cost in clearing away the superin- cumbent rubbish or soil, and the easiness of quarrying, and the little expense of dressing, owing to the comparative softness of the stone when newly quarried, — so long will, in all probability, such a source of revenue to the proprietor continue. Iron undoubtedly we have ; but not in sufficient quantity to render it a profitable speculation to embark in the process of smelting it. Mossy soils we have in vast abundance. With a few solitary exceptions, these are confined to one continuous plain, measuring about three miles long by two and a half or three miles broad. They not only supply fuel, but are capable of being converted into productive land. This parish seems, from the nature of its soil, to be adapted not so much for a grazing district, as for the production of oats, its 7 20 ABERDEENSHIRE. staple, nay, almost sole species of grain, and for the growth of tur- nips and potatoes, which, in favourable years, it grows in great abundance. A powerful auxiliary to the other kinds of manure, which our vicinity to the sea enables us to command, has been found in the bone manure, which is suited to the generality of our soil, and of which a considerable quantity is annually imported. A vast quantity of herring refuse and of sea-dogs, (the livers of the last of which are converted, by the thrifty farmers' wives, into oil for the replenishing of their winter's evening lamps), are also annually brought into the parish. Botany. — Our plantations are few. Placed in small, irregular, insulated patches or in narrow continuous beltings (amounting, however, in whole to about 270 acres, 40 of which have been planted since 1826, at the rate of 7000 trees per acre, thus giv- ing at an average, since 1826, 21,000 trees annually), in the vi- cinity of New Pitsligo, in the upland district of this parish, expos- ed, from their elevated and unprotected position, to every blast that blows, yet the trees have made tolerable progress. They prove that ash, plane, fir, aller, mountain-ash, the constituent trees of these plantations, are fitted to grow in this country. II. — Civil History. Eminent Men. — The first individual connected with this parish, where history and fate possesses any degree of public notoriety and interest, is Mr Forbes of Boyndlie, a scion of the noble family of Pitsligo, the first possessor and builder of the first house of Boyndlie, and who was killed at the battle of Craibstone in 1575. 2. His descendant, John Forbes of Boyndlie, was taken pri- soner on the 12th September 1644 at the battle of Aberdeen, by the celebrated Montrose; but was liberated shortly after on his parole of honour, to return in case he could not, along with his liberated fellow-prisoner, by the united influence with the Cove- nanters, procure the liberty of the young Laird of Drum, and also under the provisionary generous clause, not to return in case his captor should sustain a defeat before the stipulated period. With a spirit worthy of a man and a Christian, he, like Regulus, did return, upon finding insuperable obstacles in the way of the libe- ration of the stipulated prisoner. And when others, frightened by the apprehended dangers and privations of a winter's retreat, and perhaps a winter's campaign, amidst the wilds and fastnesses of the Highland mountains, were in crowds deserting Montrose, he nobly abode in the camp, determined to brave all things rather TYRIE. 721 than break his plighted word. It is pleasing to record, that this honourable man died in peace and in honour at an advanced age, at his chateau in Cremar. 3. Mr John Forbes, second son of Sir William Forbes of Mo- nymusk, resided at Pitfichie near the Hill of Bennachie, but pur- chased the estate of Ladysford in this parish ; was out in 1715 ; occupied the official station of collector of cess for the rebel army ; was, after the issue of that ill-planned and timidly executed enter- prise, obliged to leave his native country, embarking, after having collected what property he had time to realize, on board of a ves- sel bound for Holland ; but was heard of no more. Suspicions arose that he had not received fair play at the hands of the crew, as one of them was seen a few years after, wearing a part of the dress which an aged and attached servant of the family recognized as having once belonged to her master. He left a widow, with a family of ten or more children ; but He who provides for the wi- dow and the fatherless in their afflictions, raised up friends and protectors to them, and, in course of time, one of his daughters was married to her cousin, Sir William Forbes, and from her is descend- ed the present family of the Baronet of Pitsligo.* 4. Connected with this parish, though not by birth or burial, yet certainly by occasional residence, was the venerable and at- tainted Lord Pitsligo, whose memory is still cherished, and whose hair-breadth escapes from the hands of his pursuers are dwelt upon with enthusiasm by those dwelling amidst the scenes of his wander- ings and perils, — whose piety is attested by the thoughts which he has left, — and whose character and history are embodied in that interesting record which his relative, Lord Medwyn, has recently drawn up and made public. 5. Connected, too, with this parish by property are the Earl of Aberdeen, Lord Salioun, and the late Sir William Forbes, the au- thor of the Life of Beattie. These are, indeed, historical person- ages. The annals of diplomacy and of state policy will immortalize the name of the first ; the history of the campaigns of the Penin- sula under Sir John Moore and the Duke of Wellington, and the " There is in the possession of his great-grandson, the present proprietor of Boync?. lie, the original cess-book which he used for levying the cess-money. It is neatly written, is well preserved, is a curiosity in its kind, contains some curious statistics of contract between the ancient and present proprietary and estates of the county. It proceeds on the principle of making an enemy pay double of what is exacted from a 'riend,— for those who were against what it would account the good cause are repre- s?nted as charged double cess. There is a picture of him and of his wife in the prg. sent House of Boyndlie. ABERDEEN. Z Z 722 ABERDEENSHIRE, defence of Huguemont at Waterloo, will transmit the name of the second with honour to posterity; while deeds of active benevo- lence and of extensive public spiritedness will embalm the memory . of th'e last in the grateful remembrance of present and future ge- nerations.* Land-owners. — Two of the chief land-owners, the Earl of Aber- deen and Lord Saltoun, have been already mentioned. The only other two are Sir John Stuart Forbes and Mr Forbes of Boynd- lie, — men who, by the benevolence of their hearts, by the public spirit they manifest, have done, and are doing, an immense deal of good to the community at large. Antiquities. — A few years ago, there was standing, in the im- mediate vicinity of the church, a sort of circular mound, called the Moat, the work of a very remote era, but at what time, or for what purpose erected, we do not pretend to conjecture. Barrows or tumuli we possess, as well as other minor indications of battles and frays fought in our neighbourhood. Connected ap- parently with the authenticated coast-wise line of march of the Danish army, though partially diverging from, but afterwards con- verging to their line of march through the fastnesses of Auchmed- den to the bay of Gamrie, our principal tumuli seem to point out the scenes of successive conflicts and defeats of the retreating army, and to mark the graves of some slaughtered Danish or Scot- tish chieftain. About three miles farther west, almost in the entrance of the defiles of Auchmedden, stands the Law Cairn. This has been partially explored for the purpose of antiquarian research, but no- thing was discovered. Not far distant, however, there were found, about twenty-two years ago, in the course of quarrying some out- lying stones, remains of ancient armour, probably Roman. In recently digging up the foundation of the old church, (a building most unquestionably existing long previous to 1598, the oldest date legible on its oldest pews), there was found deposited in the north-eastern corner, as the foundation stone, a rough un- * It may be here noticed, that Major George Phillips, a ilesceiidant of the above- mentioned Forbesses of Boyndlie, born and educated in this parish, and, after going to India, and serving there in a most gallant manner, and after realizing a conside- , rable fortune, died there about the year 1806, bequeathing the munificent sum of L.600 Sterling, the interest whereof to be expended for the behoof of the poor of this parish. It may noticed also that William Anderson, who occupied the humble sphere of a blacksniith in this parish, bequeathed to the parish the sum of L.40 Sterling, the in- terest whereof to be expended on the education of poor children. 3 TYRIE. . 723 hewn shapeless mass of bhie clayish-mlca-stone, with a hierogly- phic or other figure, which has puzzled the conjectures of the most learned of our antiquarians. Modern Buildings. — The only mansion-houses in the parish are those of Boyndlie, and the old mansion-houses of Ladysford and of Tillanamols. III. — Population. Years of census. 1755 1771 1785 1790 1801 1811 1821 1831 1836 1841 No. ofiuhabitants. 596 612 715 864 1044 1454 1584 1613 2491 2639 IV. — Industry. Agriculture. — Vast, indeed, have been the improvements made within the last twenty years, in the reclaiming of waste, and the draining of wet lands. These improvements have been carried on by almost every farmer, but the principal have been the result of the exertions of a number of poor families, located on various pendicles of what was once a vast and unproductive surface of moor and moss. An extensive colony of these are in our im- mediate neighbourhood, and we have had many opportunities of witnessing their exertions. The parents of twenty-nine families, containing 156 individuals, who would have otherwise been held down in the most abject misery, or been eventually thrown as burdens on their respective parishes, have been empowered, under the blessing of God, to bring up their families in comparative comfort, and to look forward to comparative independence under the approaching infirmities of age. It must be confessed, that the experiment of this cottage or portionary allocation is as yet in its infancy, and its ultimate results cannot yet be properly fore- seen. One great means of guarding against any apprehended evils would be, to extend the duration of the present leases, (nineteen years, and all leases for that period are by far too short, and are obstacles to improvement), to three nineteen years at the least, taking care, however, at the expiry of each nineteen years, to secure the interest of the landlord by a new valuation of the land, at a rent to be affixed by two scientific agriculturists mutual- ly chosen. The general course of rotation is a seven years' shift, and, in some solitary instances, an eight years' one, and these are carried out with spirit upon the most approved system of husbandry, with the excep- tion of liming and plough trenching, previous to the preparation for turnips. Liming, however, is not so necessary, from the superabund- ance of hot dung brought up, bulk for bulk, in exchange for peats 724 , ABERDEENSHIRE. from the sea towns, with which most of our lands are saturated, nnd also from the adoption and application of bone manure. It may be stated, as an exemplification of the vast advantage attendant on plough trenching, that one of our proprietors has gone over the whole of his farm, consisting of 150 acres, with a trench-plough drawn by six horses, breaking up the soil to the depth of thirteen inches at an average, piercing through the iron-bound pan, and following up this process with a sufficiency of lime, and an extra quantity of dung, and, by these means, he has rendered his farm even more than doubly productive, and has superseded the neces- sity of manuring his lea-fields previous to ploughing them for crop- ping. From seeing the benefits resulting from this procedure, others have been induced to follow his example as far as their means permitted. A Horticultural Society was established a short time ago, at New Pitsligo, under the auspices of Sir John S. Forbes, and it has excited a considerable emulation among the villagers and tenantry ; and the beneficial effects are attested by the supe- rior mode in which their gardens are now kept, and the superior crops of cabbages and turnips, &c. raised on their fields. Many of our farmers have joined the Buchan Agricultural Society, and some of them have been successful at the different competitions for seed oats. Many of our farmers are in the practice of exporting their grain and cattle, directly on their own adventure, to the London markets, and have been successful in their speculations ; and one individual amongst us, (Mr Catto, at Mains of Tyrie), has dealt very considerably and successfully of late, in the purchase of grain for the London and other markets, ft V. — Parochial Economy. MarkeUToron. — The nearest market-town is Fraserburgh, si- tuated to the east about five miles. Village. — New Pitsligo is the only village in the parish. Placed as it is with its two main streets, lined with rows of neatly built houses, (one of its streets extending fully a mile in length,) on the brow of the hill of Tirlundie, and partly surrounded with oc- casional small beltings of wood, or with scattered patches of plan- tations, it presents, when viewed from certain spots, rather a pleas- ing and picturesque appearance. In former times, and in the days of Lord Pitsligo, its present site and the adjacent cultivated grounds were occupied by two or three farm-houses, with their patches of TYRIK. 723 miserably cultivated fields, scattered here and there on the moor and moss, and, from its connection with the history of that unfor- tunate nobleman, it presents a scene of historical interest and as- sociations. It was only about the year 1790 that its ancient nam« of Cavoch was transformed into its modern one of New Pitsligo, and that the former external aspect of the scene around it be- gan to change, for about that year the village was founded ; and it has, through the persevering industry of its inhabitants, been increasing year after year, till it has reached its present popu- lation of 1262. One great cause of its increase has been the cheapness of fuel furnished from the inexhaustible mass of moss around it, and the attachment to every feu of a few acres of arable ground, with abundance of reclaimable land given by the proprietor on a lease of two nineteen years, thus affording from the produce of their land the means of subsistence to their fami- lies, and tempting many an industrious labourer and mechanic to settle there, from the prospect of steady employment, and an adequate remuneration for his toil. In fact, its present inha- bitants, with the exception of ninety employed in the manufacture of cotton and of linen cloth, derive their livelihood from the pro- duce of their small allotments of land, or from undertaking agri- cultural jobs to their neighbours, or the farmers in the adjoining districts. Of late years, the proprietor has ceased to give off new feus, and therefore the village may be said, independent of other causes, to have reached its greatest size. Its police is under the superintendence of the proprietor's factor. Means of Communication. — ^The only post-office in the parish is in the village of New Pitsligo; and there is a daily mail- bag dispatched from it. There are about eight miles of turnpike road in the parish. Ecclesiastical State. — Situated about three miles from the east- ern end of the parish, about seven from its western, two and a-half or three miles from its southern, and about 200 yards from its northern, the parish church could not have well accommodated all within the bounds of the united parish ; but now that the people in the upper district have been detached from it, it is well enough situated for the comfort and convenience of all in the lower dis- trict. It was built in 1800 ; is a neat and substantial edifice, kept in admirable repair ; made to contain with ease 400 persons, al- lowing eighteen inches to each individual, and its sittings are all pent free. The public benefactions were bequeathed by Major 726 ABERDEENSHIRE. Phillips and William Anderson. The manse was built in 1763, and was augmented in 1809. The glebe measures 4| acres, in- cluding site of manse, offices, and garden, and may be worth about L.8 or L.9 Sterling. The stipend is L.irjO. For the accommodation of the people in the village of New Pitsligo and the adjacent lands, whom the distance of six miles from the parish church precluded from regular and convenient at- tendance, and from the benefit of a constant pastoral superinten- dence, a Chapel of Ease was erected by the proprietor in the above village; and a district of the parish, amounting to about four miles long, by two and a half or three miles broad, was attached to it. And, in accordance with the recent Act of the General Assem- bly, the district assigned to this Chapel of Ease has been erected into a parish quoad spiritualia. This Chapel of Ease contains about 400. The stipend of the minister amounts to L.80 Ster- ling, and is paid by the proprietor, who has also given a manse, and a glebe of about 18 acres. One Episcopal chapel, (a new and elegant building in the Gothic style), capable of containing about 260, has been recently erected by the proprietor, and its clergyman's stipend, L.80 Sterling, is paid by the same, who has also furnished a portion of land for a glebe. We have no Dissenting places of worship in the parish, save that of the Baptists ; who, however, only occasionally meet in the Society's Hall, in New Pitsligo. Divine worship is generally well attended Education. — Scattered as our schools are over the parish, they are easily accessible to all. Two are parochial. One of these, situate beside the parish church, has the maximum salary, and in addition, the master receives L.2 Sterling (the interest of Ander- son's bequest) for educating some poor children. The other is in New Pitsligo, and has the minimum salary, inclusive of the sup- posed annual value or rent of a dwelling-house and garden given by the proprietor of the village. A school is established at New Pitsligo by the Society in Scotland for Propagating Christian Knowledge ; has a salary of L.5 Sterling from the Society, and L. 10 Sterling paid by the sisters of Sir John S. Forbes, with a dwelling-house, commodious school-room, and garden given by the proprietor. About 120 scholars attend Sabbath schools. Poor and Parochial Fitnds. — The average annual amount of con- tributions during the last three years for the relief of the poor may be stated as under : church collections, including L. 2 Sterling re- CULSAMOND. 7 2^ pularly given by Mr Forbes of Boyndlie, as his probable collection «f he was attending the church (for he is an Episcopalian), L. 61, !8s. 8|d. ; the average interest of L. 467 Sterling, lodged in the hands of the Banking Company in Aberdeen, L. 12, 4s. Id.; the average interest of L. 613, 18s. 4d. bank three per cent, annui- ties (Major Phillips's legacy), L. 17, 15s. 8d. ; average amount of mortcloth money and penalties, L. 6, 5s.; total, L. 98, 3s. 5^d. That sum has been divided in proportions suitable, as far as can be judged, to their respective necessities, among 87 poor per- sons, 69 of whom were on the ordinary and permanent poor's roll, and who have 18 dependents on them ; while other 18 are only occasionally supplied with aid. It must be adverted to, that almost all are able to do something for themselves by means of their per- sonal industry, and that there is a silent active spirit of charity abroad in the parish, which contributes to eke out a subsistence to the necessitous. There is also a very considerable relief afforded to many poor families by the distribution from the proprietor's gir- nal at New Pitsligo of seventy-two bolls of meal, at the rate of one- half peck per week to each individual. This charily, furnished by the liberality of Sir John S. Forbes and his ancestors, is, how- ever, confined to indigent and decayed feuars of that village. Fairs, Injis, Alehouses, ($'c. — Four cattle-markets are annually held at New Pitsligo, and each of these uniformly takes place in the months of March, May, August, and September. A fort- nightly corn-market has been recently established there. There are two respectable inns and six alehouses in New Pitsligo. PARISH OF CULSAMOND. PRESBYTERY OF GARIOCH, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. F. ELLIS, MINISTER. L — Topography and Natural History* Boundaries and Extent. — On the north-east, north, and north- west, this parish is bounded by those of Auchterless, Forgue,. and Drumblade ; on the west, and south-west, by Insch ; on the south, by Oyne ; and on the east, by Rayne. Its extent from north to south is about A\ miles ; from west to east, about 3, 728 ABERDEENSHIRE. Name.— ^It is written Culsalmond and Culsamond. A variety of etymologies may be assigned to it, of which only one need be mentioned, — namely, CnUSal-Mon^ these words signifying in Gae- lic the end of the hill-lands. Rivers. — The only stream to which the name of river can be ap- plied, either in the parish or district, is the Urie, which, from its source, till it passes the church, is called the Glen Water. It runs along the whole length of the parish, and conducts to the Don al- most all the smaller streams which arise in the upper part of the Garioch, such as the Colpie Burn, the Kellock, the Shevock, and the Gady. It has its source in the parish of Gartlvj and termi- nates at Inverury, where it empties its water into the Don, tra- versing an extent of country of about eighteen or nineteen miles. In its course it passes the foot of Foudland, and betwixt the hills of Culsamond and Culmeaddin, receiving during this part of its progress several rivulets from the Foudland Hills on its northern border. To the west of the Culsamond Hill is a fine view of Belrinnes, and to the north-west are seen the hills of Caithness, with a dis- tinct view of a great part of the Moray Frith, and of the Buchan district. In same parts of the parish, the soil consists of a deep clay loam, in others, of a thin sandy loam, much mixed with small stones; but, in both, the ground is very fertile, and, in general, the crops are early ripened. About seventy years ago, plantation comnienced on Cairnhill ; and latterly, on the estates of Newton and Sheelagreen. Much wood has been sold from these properties since, especially from Newton. About 250 acres have been planted on the hill of Cul- samond since 1804, by the late Mr Fraser of Williamston, and a variety of belts and clumps around the manor house by his son. The late Mr Leith, of Freehold, and his son, Major-General Sir A. Leith, have also done a great deal in that way en the small farm of Cairnhill, which belongs to that family. Slate Hill of Culsamond.. — The stratum to which the masses in this hill belong begins at Melross, near Macduff, on the north- east, makes its first appearance here, and proceeds north-westward by Culmeaddin, Foudland, and several hills in the parish of Gartly. It seems to have been formed horizontally, and afterwards to have been raised up and split asunder by some force acting from be- neath it. The blocks are now, in general, vertically inclined. CULSAMOND. 729 though there be now and then found a few almost perpendicular to the horizon. The broken pieces have corresponding juttings out, and openings, evidently shewing that they had been originally united. The spaces between are often filled with gravelly matter, which had originally been lower than the slate. Sometimes other earthy matter crosses the slate. Blocks of slate are sometimes found at considerable distances from the masses to which they origi- nally belonged. The slate in both the hills of Culsamond and Foudland, at a certain depth, is of a fine blue colour, but the Culsamond slate is considered heavier and more durable. Great quantities are taken from both hills annually, and sent to considerable distances. No good slate has hitherto been found in Culmeaddin Hill. It is a curious circumstance, that none of these cubical, pale, brassy- coloured, crystallized pyrites, so plentiful in the Easdale slate, and in the slate in the west side of Foudland, have as yet been found either in the slate on the east side of Foudland, or in the Culsamond slate. In the Melross slate they are found. Those on thewest side of Foudland are in a rotten state, being composed mostly of iron, which rots sooner than copper. It may be observed here, that of the beds of rock which run through Culsamond, the slate-rock is the first on the north, and that it comes as far south as the northmost part of the Kirktown Farm. This is succeeded by the Waukmill Bluestone Quarry, without any split, as the masons call it. There is then, still going south, a small bed of limestone, which is workable, and has been burned above Largie, to the. west, in the parish of Insch, and, what is remarkable, at the same distance from the slate-rock as it is found on the sea-coast south of Troup, near the Melross slate-quarry. South of this limestone bed, the ironstone begins at a place called the Lady's Causeway, and extends to the south of the farm of Meikle Ledingham, in this parish. This is the ironstone direction, north and south. On the west, it extends beyond Dunnideer, in Insch, and east, through Culsamond, Rayne, and Daviot. Between this ironstone rock and the granite of Benochee the southern boundary of the Garioch, is another bed of limestone, which was worked near Likelyhead, in the parish of Premnay. It is observable that these beds have been deranged in many places, so that they do not always appear in the same di- rection, the dislocated parts being filled up with stones of a dif- 730 ABERDFENSHIRE. ferent nature, a plain proof of violent convulsions in the bowels of the earth at some period. Alluvial Sand. — On the farm of Pulquhite is found, at various depths below the surface of the ground, from 6 inches to 35 inches, a bed of rough sand, evidently broken down, and fonned of Be- nochee granite, and deposited there by the agency of water, in ■which it had previously been suspended. Mountain Subterranean Moss. — On the northern part of the same farm, at a place now called Mutton Hillock, is a moss about three feet below the surface of the ground, extending to the dis- tance of 30 or 40 yards from north to south, and, in some places, more than 8 feet deep. The superincumbent soil has been brought from a distance after the formation of the moss, as it consists of a variety of materials, — coarse gravel, flint stones, (of which an immense quantity is dispersed over a great part of the Garioch,) and stones of various sizes and kinds, some of them fragments of slate-stone from the adjoining hill of Culsamond. The field in which the moss alluded to is found, is a plane inclined to the south-east, and the slate-rock is to the north-west af it. It may therefore be inferred, that the direction of the great mass of water "which superinduced this disposition was from north-west to south- east. Ironstones and Iron-ore. — A considerable quantity of iron- stones are found on or near the surface of the ground, and also a larofe vein of ironstone stretches from west to east, through the whole length of the district, passing through the parishes of Insch, Culsamond, and Rayne. Some of the blocks were sent to Car- ron, and, it is said, produced plenty of good iron. The water which runs over these iron-rocks carries away part of them, which it deposits in various hollow places, forming bog-iron ore. Bog-Iron Ore. — At the bottom of the inclined plane already mentioned, there were found, in cutting a ditch, about eight feet below the surface, large quantities of this swamp-iron ore mixed with pulverized oak-wood, part of it in various stages of decompo- sition. The mixture was of a beautiful light blue colour, in con- sequence of the decayed wood being impregnated with the iron. Mineral Well at Sanghenloan. — Some years ago, a mineral well was discovered here, but it has not as yet been much frequented. It is said to have been of use in scrofulous complaints and in cal-^ cuius. CULSAMOND. ?3l II.— Civil History. Heritors. — Of these there are five ; Gordon of Newton ; Era- ser of Williamston ; Leith Lumsden, of Tullyniorgan ; Gamniel of Sheelagreen ; and Leith of Cairnhill. The valued rent of the parish is L.2100 Scots, the real rent supposed to be upwards of L.4000 Sterling. In 1790, it was rated at L.1150. Antiquities. — There is, in this parish, part of an ancient high- way. It crosses the hill of Culsamond, near its top, from the north-west, and had formerly been the road which people took when travelling on their way to St Lawrence Fair, at Old Rayne. It still retains the name of the Lawrence Road, and is, to all ap- pearance, nearly in the same state in which it had originally been, many hundred years ago. In times long since past, when the woods were haunted by ferocious wild beasts, and the valleys over- run with rivers and swamps, it was dangerous to travel in low-lying grounds. Hence, the most ancient roads traversed the tops of the hills, and, from this circumstance, were properly termed highways. There appear to have been at least three sacred fountains in this parish ; St Mary's Well, on the farm of Colpie ; St Michael's, at Gateside ; and another, at the foot of the Culsamond Bank, a little west of the Lady's Causeway. On the first Sunday of May, mul- titudes resorted to them from distant parts, in the full faith that, by washing in the stream, and leaving presents to the saints, as their heathen ancestors did to the spirit presiding over the well, they would be cured of all loathsome or otherwise incurable diseases. Pieces of money were always, accordingly, left in the wells, corre- sponding to the ability of the diseased person. In digging a drain, at the foot of the bank, some years ago, when the workman struck his pick into the bottom of the well which had been there, a large quantity of water sprung up into the atmosphere, in which he ob- served a shining substance, which proved to be a gold piece of James I. of Scotland, in as good preservation as when it came from the mint. It is now in the Freefield Cabinet. The standing-stone in the woods of Newton, near Pitmachie, has an inscription upon it, supposed to be in Runic characters. Some drawings of it have been published in the Monthly Maga- zine, and also by Pinkerton, but they are far from being accurate. There is another standing-stone, near the house of Newton, with figures upon it. Several arrow heads and axes have been found in this parish and neighbourhood. In one of the cairns on the farm of Moss-side, 732 ABERDEENSHIRE. in this parish, was found a large stone-axe, which is now in the possession of Sir A. Leith of Freefield. These axes were of different sizes, and made of different kinds of stone. A small one of flint was found in the parish of Insch about 1827, and is now ^ in the Freefield cabinet. The finest were of flint. They were used by our Celtic ancestors, in ages long prior to the Roman in- vasion, as battle-axes, spears, or tools for domestic purposes. The largest were generally made of coarse, but very hard, grey- stone, for home use. The smallest were manufactured from the finest flint, and used as warlike instruments, and in different ways. Druidical Temples. — Two of these were on the farm of Colpie, although now almost obliterated. Several urns were dug up in making a road near one of them. A Druidical place of worship anciently stood on the spot which is now the church-yard or burying-ground, and about the middle of it. It consisted of a circle of twelve upright large granite stones from Benochee, which were overturned when the first Christian temple was erected. One of these stones was taken out of the ground in 1821, and now remains above ground, near the spot from which it was dug up. The other eleven are still under ground. This is a proof that the first Christian missionaries, in this country, erected their places of worship as near as possible to the holy hills of the heathens, that the people might be more easily persuaded to assemble there. In digging out the foundation stones of an ancient but small building, to which the last kirk of Culsamond had been attached, there were found below them, side by side, and at right angles with the wall, the skeletons of two men in perfect preservation. This happened in the year 1321, when the new kirk-yard dikes were building. Burial Cairns — Of these there were, at one time, a considerable number. There are several on Cairnhill, on the north-east side of Pulquhite ; two on Moss-side, on opening one of which the stone axe, already mentioned, was found ; one on Mellingside ; one near Gateside ; and two on Colpie. The one on Moss-side and another at Gateside have not been opened. But the most re- markable one was discovered on the farm of Mill of Williamston in the month of May 1812, in an enclosure called the Liav-park (Saxon Law-hillock Park). In preparing a field for turnip, the plough, at a spot from which a large cairn of stones and moss had beetf removed about thirty years before, struck against something which impeded its progress. On examination, this proved to be a CULSAMOND. 733 wooden coffin of uncommon size, and of the rudest conceivable workmanship. It had been formed from the trunk of a huge oak, divided into three parts of unequal length, each of which had been split through the middle with wedges and stone axes, or perhaps separated with some red hot instrument of stone, as the in- side of the different pieces had somewhat the appearance of having been charred. The whole consisted of six parts, two sides, two gavels, a bottom, and a lid. Only a small part of the lid re- mained, the greater part of it having been splintered and torn up by the plough at different times since the removal of the stones and moss. All the rest of the pieces were entire, and, when put together in their original position, had somewhat the appearance of the body and shafts of a cart. The coffin lay due east and west, — the head of it being in the east end of the grave. The sides were sunk into the ground 13^ inches below the bottom piece. In the middle of them, were grooves of rough and incomplete work- manship, and of the same length as the length of the bottom, and a very little wider than the thickness of the bottom. Under the bottom was a bed of tough blue clay three and a half inches thick, on which and on these grooves it rested. The projecting parts of the sides rested on a hard oval substance, much mixed with ashes which had undergone the action of a very strong fire, and on which part of the grave evidently had been erected the funeral pile. The gavel pieces were sunk into large holes, and the empty spaces around them filled up with fine blue sand. In a corner of the in- side of the coffin was an urn, which was broken in the digging out. It had been formed of a mixture of clay and sand, narrowest at the bottom, very wide at the top, and about ten or eleven inches deep. After the different pieces were placed in the grave in their proper order, it appears to have been surrounded with a double row of unhewn stones to keep the parts firm together, and then covered over with the moss and stones formerly mentioned. This antiquity must probably be referred to a period prior to the Christian era. British Camp. — On the north-east side of the Hill of Culsamond are the remains of a British encampment, protected on the north- west side of the hill by double lines of entrenchment, still very dis- tinct. These lines are in the immediate neighbourhood of a farm town named Cadden, which name signifies warlike entrenchments, or a place where soldiers had been stationed to watch the motions of an invading enemy. There are also still distinct traces of mili- tary works on the west bank of the glen water opposite to Cadden» ?34 ABERDEENSHIRE. Lines of entrenchment are also still visible on the east side of the hill and camp to protect it on that quarter; and, about two and a- half miles north of this British camp is the Roman camp at Glen- meallin, enclosing about 120 English acres. The Romans, in their march northward, had a camp at Devana, on the north side of the Dee, in the parish of Peterculter. They must have had also a fort or camp on the eastmost top of Benochee, about twelve miles from Devana. This is evident from the remains still visible upon the top, and the existence of a paved Roman road, 14 feet wide, which, though long covered with heath, has been traced for upwards of a mile to the north-east. This road points upon a small fortified post opposite to Pitcaple, placed apparently for the pro- tection of the Benochee camp, and there is another larger work on the summit of the Barra hill, near old Meldrum, to protect it from any attack from the east, and which, in all probability, as a cas- tellum, served also to protect the castra cpstiva at Glenmeallin. What was the exact direction of the route of the Romans from Devana to Benochee may admit of a dispute. Some think they marched on the right of Achlae, Fiddy, and Kinmundy, and from thence in a north north-west direction, till they reached Kintore at Don, and thence by the strath of the river to the ford of Don at Inverury, which is very near Benochee. Be this as it may, it is certain that they had a station on the eastern summit of Benochee. III. — Population. Amount of population in 1801, . 730 1811, . 754 1821, . 836 1831, .1136 IV. — Parochial Economy. Ecclesiastical State. — The far greater part of the inhabitants regularly attend the parochial church, — only a few families at- tending a missionary meeting-house on the farm of Pulquhite. There are also a few Seceders and Episcopalians, but these have no chapel in the parish. The stipend is 124 bolls, 3 firlots, 3^ lippies of victual, one- third of which is bear by the Linlithgow measure. The meal eight stones per boll. L.60, li^s. has since been added by Govern- ment to make the stipend up to L.150. Glebe about ten acres. Education. — The schoolmaster's salary is the minimum, but he enjoys the benefit of the bequest of the late Mr Dick. Poor. — The poor are provided for from the weekly collections, seat-rents, and fines. Besides this, the late Rev. Mr Findlay, ECHT. 735 iriinister of Clat, whose grandfather had been minister of Culsa- inond, left the interest of L.300 for the purposes of assisting the aged poor. The late Mr Gordon of Premnay and Sheelagreen bequeathed to the poor the interest of L(.600. PARISH OF ECHT. PRESBYTERY OF KINCARDINE o'nEIL, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. WILLIAM INGRAM, MINISTER. L — Topography and Natural History. Name. — The etymology of Echt is not known with certainty. An old tradition refers it to the Gaelic word " Each," which sig- nifies a ho/'se. It bears that a division of an ancient Caledonian army having encamped in this parish, the officers and men, in the time of a severe drought, were reduced to great straits for want of water, when a horse which had been brought to the camp was seen to gallop to a spot where he had been accustomed to drink ; and that, by pawing and scratching with his feet, some signs of water were discovered ; in which spot, a well having been dug, af- forded relief from thirst to the army. In memory of that event, this particular district, and afterwards the parish, is said to have been designated by the above term. Extent, Sfc. — The parish of Echt lies west from Aberdeen, the eastern extremity nearly teUjand the western fourteen miles from that city. It is almost of a square form, each side about 4^ miles. It is bounded on the east and north-east, by the parish of Skene; on the south-east, by Peterculter and Drumoak; on the south, bv Banchory • Ternan ; on the west and north-west, by Midmar; and on the north, by Cluny. Topographical Appearances. — The hill of Fare lies about one mile south-west from the church. The base of this mountain is near- ly eighteen miles in circumference, and its height about 1794 feet above the level of the sea. Its surface is now divided among the proprietors whose estates surround it, and contains 7700 acres, 2 roods, 29 falls imperial measure ; of which 1826 acres, I rood, 4 falls belong to this parish. Mr Forbes of Echt has a thriv- ing plantation of young firs on its north-east corner, and has 736 ABERDEENSHIRE. formed another on its northern side. All kinds of game known in this country abound in the hill of Fare. Several chalybeate springs are found there which have been reckoned beneficial in scrofulous, scorbutic, and gravellish complaints. In the north- west corner of the parish stands the Barmekin, a conical hill, now entirely planted with wood. Its height is scarcely two-thirds of that of the hill of Fare. On its top is an ancient fortification, hereafter to be taken notice of. The soil of the best lands in this parish is mostly a light loam, incumbent on a substratum of clay. Fart is of a light sandy soil, and the low grounds for the most part mossy. The climate is mild, the harvests early, and the air salubrious. II. — Civil History. The chief historical event relating to this district is the battle of Corrichie, which was fought on the 28th October 1562, in a vale of the same name, by the forces commanded by the Marquis of Huntly and the Earl of Murray, the brother and general of Mary Queen of Scots. This battle is taken notice of by most of the Scottish historians. It appears that the Marquis was offended at the Queen for bestowing the earldom of Murray on her brother the Earl of Mar, and for her intention of giving him a great part of those large and valuable northern estates which belonged to that earldom, several of which had been seized by the Marquis. His son, Sir John Gordon, had escaped from the prison to which the Queen had sentenced him for some feudal outrage ; and had placed himself at the head of the vassals of his house, — soon after which, the Marquis assumed arms in person, and advanced towards Aberdeen. Murray drew up his men on the hill of Fare, and awaited the approach of Huntly with only a few troops from the midland counties on which he could depend, and some troops be- lono-ing to the northern Barons, whose intentions were doubtful. Huntly encountered first the northern troops, who fled towards Murray's main body, pursued by the Gordons, sword in hand. The Gordons were repulsed by Murray's firm battalion, and his victory was completed by the clans that had fled, who turned upon the Gordons as soon as they began to lose the day. Huntly, a bulky man, and heavily armed, fell from his horse, and was trod- den to death. Other accounts say that he fled nearly a mile, and there is a spot in the south-west corner of this parish, on the bor- ders of the estate of Cullerley, yet denominated " Gordon's moss" — where it is thought he was killed. Sir Walter Scott affirms ECHT. 737 that his body was afterwards brought into a court of justice, mean- ly arrayed in a doublet of coarse canvas, that the sentence of a traitor might be pronounced over it. The Queen, who was at Aberdeen during the battle, three days after beheld Sir John Gordon beheaded there. Murray was put in possession of the estates belonging to his new earldom. An excavation on the side of a rock, where it is said Mary sat soon after, and viewed the scene of action on her way south, still retains the name of the Queen's chair. Chief Land-oicners. — James Forbes, Esq. of Echt is the prin- cipal and only residing heritor; William Innes, Esq. of Raemoir has the lands of Cullerley ; the Trustees of the late John Harvey, Esq. of Kinnettles, those of Bragiewell and South Meanecht, and the Earl of Fife, as heir to the late George Skene, Esq. of Skene, the lands of Mill of Air. The valued rent is as follows : Echt, Tillyshoggle, and Easter Echt, belonging to James Forbes, Esq. L. 1808, 8s. 8d. ; Cullerley, L.432, 19s. Id.; Bragiewell and S. Meanecht, L. 75, 13s. 9d. ; Mill of Air, L. 47, 13s. ()d. ; total, L.2364, 15s. Parochial Begisters.— The oldest begins in 1642, and they ap- pear to have been regularly kept. They amount altogether to fourteen volumes. Antiquities. — On the Barmekin hill already mentioned, there is an ancient fortification, which is generally denominated a Da- nish camp. No record or tradition, however, confirms this sup- position. The entrenchments which enclose the summit of the hill are five in number, in a perfect state of preservation as far as regards the lines of fortification, though more or less crumbled into ruins. There is no appearance of cement having been used in construct- ing these ramparts, which, in several places, are still so entire as to exhibit a regular structure of masonry done with skill, particu- larly at the gateways, of which there appear to have been three on the south side, and two on the north, all in an oblique direc- tion. The walls measure about five feet in thickness, the height appears to have been considerable, but cannot now be exactly known. The three outer ditches are nine feet in breadth. The inner rampart exhibits great care and strength in its structure, be- ing at least 12 feet thick at the base, of which several feet in height still remain entire. The interior inclosure, which has been reduced to an uniform level, and nearly circular, is 300 feet in diameter, and contains about one acre of ground. On th§ ABERDEEN. 3 A 738 ABERDEENSHIRE. skirts of tliQ hill, there are three cairns, two on the south and one on the north. The largest and most entire on the south side, now nearly covered with wood, was probably connected with the for- tress above, as an entrenchment or out-post ; and afterwards se- lected as the sepulchre of those chiefs who may have fallen in bat- tle. The circular entrenchment formed by the earth dug out of the ditch is 60 feet in diameter, surrounded by six great stones, the remains most likely of an entire circle. In the centre is a cairn of loose stones supporting five large ones, which have all the appearance of sepulchral monuments. Besides these, there are three other cairns, and several tumuli in different parts of the pa- rish, and the remains of three Druidical temples. On the farm of Tilliorn, in the land of Cullerley, there is a large Pictish work in the form of a horse-shoe, hollowed out ; but it is uncertain whether it had been a fort, or a tank or cistern for holding water. It goes by the name of " Fusee." An ancient spear was lately dug up on the estate of Echt. It is now in the custody of Mr Forbes of Echt. It appears to be made of bell metal, is 2 feet 3 inches in length, at the broadest part of the blade If inch in breadth, and weighs 4 lbs. 2^ oz. Avoirdupois. Modern Buildings. — A spacious, elegant, and most commodi- ous mansion-house was built by the late William Forbes, Esq. of Echt in 1820, and finished by his son, the present proprietor. It stands near the site of the former mansion, in a park containing 80 acres. The grounds are laid out with superior taste, and as soon as the young trees have attained to a proper size, the effect will be delightful. To promote this, and to obtain early shelter for the house, Mr Forbes has transplanted 145 large trees, on the plan of Sir Henry Steuart of AUanton, Bart. These trees con- sist of oak, ash, beech, elm, 'geen, plum, lime, thorn, and maple, of which only four or five have died. The size of the trees runs from 15 to 45 feet in height. III. — Population. The population of this parish in 1755 was 1277 1793, 963 1821, 1030 1831, 1030 1841, 1078 The cause of the decrease was the uniting of a great number of small farms or crofts into farms of larger dimensions ; and the sin- gular foct of the population in 1821 and 1831 being the same, principally arose from the peopling of a small property, formerly ECHT. 739 wholly in grass, by dividing it into three separate farms and a croft for agriculture, and by a similar decrease of the inhabitants of a neighbouring estate. None of the population reside in towns or villages. The yearly average of births for the last seven years is 25 of marriages, - - 94 No register of deaths is kept. The average number of persons under 15 years of age is . 359 betwixt 15 and 30, . 283 betwixt 30 and 50, . 198 betwixt 50 and 70, . 140 upwards of 70, . . 50 Total, 1030 Unmarried men (bachelors and widowers) above 50, . 20 Unmarried women above 45, . . 58 The average number of children in each family, . 5 Three of the proprietors of land have upwards of L.50 of year- ly rent. IV. — Industry. The number of arable acres in the parish, imperial measure, is about 6306. The number of acres that have never been cultivat- ed, about 7370. No land is in a state of undivided common. There were 144 acres under wood on the estate of Echt in the end of last century. Since the beginning of this century, the late and present proprietor have planted from 1500 to 2000 acres, consisting of the following kinds of trees, viz. Scotch fir, larch, spruce, oak, ash, elm, beech, alder, birch, plane, lime, maple, horse chestnut, and Spanish chestnut. A number of farms were under old leases of long duration, including the rentals of which, the ave- rage rent of arable land per Scots acre would not exceed 15s. These leases are now worn out, and the average modern rent per acre may be about L.l, 15s. The common breeds of cattle are the Aberdeenshire and the short-horned or Teeswater. Few sheep are kept. The prevail- ing kinds are the Cheviot and black-faced. No parish in the county has undergone greater improvements in reclaiming waste land, inclosing, draining, roads, and farm- buildings. The estate of Echt contains 11,000 imperial acres, including 1441 acres, 1 rood, 14 falls on the hill of Fare. Of this quantity 5585 imperial acres are arable ; and of these fully one-third, or 1861 acres, have been reclaimed from waste land, chiefly at the expense of the proprietor. And the last and pre- sent proprietor have built 157,108 ells of stone-dikes, at an ave-= 740 ABERDEENSHIRE. rage expense of lOd. per ell, and have sunk upwards of 40,000 ells of drains. The estate of Cullerley contains 2886 imperial acres, whereof 1001 are arable, 89 meadow or haugh ground, 296 moss, and 1500 uncultivated, including its proportion of the hill of Fare. Improvement is going on there also with considerable spirit. The duration of leases in this parish is generally nineteen years ; but many of the old leases were double that extent. Most of the farms are substantially inclosed, and almost every farm-house is substantial and convenient. The style of farming has been im- proved exceedingly within the last forty years. The seven years shift is chiefly practised. Turnips and sown grasses are raised in abundance. Lime is much used, and the use of bone manure be- gins to be adopted at the rate of twenty-five bushels to the acre, and it succeeds well. Some farms are in a high state of im- provement, particularly the farm of Wester Culfosie, lately in the natural possession of the proprietor of Echt. There are thirty-five mills in the parish for thrashing grain. Produce. — This parish produces, as nearly as can be ascertained, 4269 quarters oats, valued at L.l, Is. . L.4482 9 305 quarters bear, do. L.l, 7s. . . 681 15 789 bolls potatoes, do. 10s. . 394 10 430 acres turnips, do. L.5, . , . 2150 26,150 stones hay, do. 6d. . . . 653 15 Amount, L.8362 9 There is a very large and productive garden at Echt House, containing within the walls 2 acres, 1 rood, 4 falls Scots, and near- ly 2 acres more without, cultivated as garden ground. Manufacture. — The only manufacture carried on in the parish consists in knitting stockings and mitts for one of the principal manufacturers in Aberdeen. V. — Parochial Economy. Market-Toivn. — The nearest market-town is Aberdeen, to which much of the produce of the parish is carried weekly. Means of Communication. — A penny-post office was established here about three years ago. There are nine miles and a quarter of turnpike roads on three different roads, and three toll-bars. The Lord Forbes coach from Aberdeen to A! ford, &c. runs two miles within this parish. A public vehicle on the middle road, which goes from Aberdeen to Tarland, and another on the Rae- znoir and Cullerlev road from Aberdeen to Kincardine O'Neil, ECHT. 74"! Aboyne, &c. would add much to the accommodation of travellers. On the roads here, there are nine small bridges in good repair. Ecclesiastical State. — The parish church is nearly centrical, and is convenient for the greater part of the population. It was built in 1804, is in good repair, and very commodious. When full it will hold 600 people ; and from 450 to 500 usually attend. The inhabitants are all of the Established Church, (excepting ten or twelve individuals), and are regular and decent in their attend- ance on Divine ordinances, and generous and kind to the poor. The average number of communicants is about 500. No Dissent- ing or Seceding chapels in the parish. One of the farmers acts as an Anabaptist clergyman to a very few members of that persuasion. The manse was built in 1805, substantially finished, and suit- able for the incumbent. The living consists of L.117, Os. 4^d. in money, (including the allowance for communion elements;) 88 bolls 1 firlot oatmeal, at 140 imperial pounds to the boll; 4 bolls, 2 firlots, 2| pecks bear, Aberdeenshire measure; and I firlot 2| pecks malt. The teinds are valued and exhausted. The glebe measures little more than 4i acres, is not all of good quality, and would barely rent at L. 10 per annum. There is no grass glebe, nor any allowance for it. The Earl of Fife is patron. The present incumbent was translated from South Ronaldshay, in Orkney, and settled here in March 1815. Education. — There is one parochial school, and two private schools. One of the latter is supported by an yearly salary of L.5, paid by the proprietor of Cullerley, and by the school-fees. The other private school is supported by the school-fees alone. Placed at the northern extremity of the district, the scholars are chiefly derived from the east end of Cluny, and the west end of Skene. The salary of the parochial teacher is L.29, and nearly L.2 arising from mortified money. The school-fees may amount, communibus annis, to L.18 or L.20. He has a house and garden of the legal size. He receives a proportion of Mr Dick's legacy. Poo?' and Parochial Funds. — The funds destined for the sup- port of the poor arise from the interest of the following sums, viz» L.300 accumulated from the savings of former years, except two small legacies amounting nearly to L. 60 ; including L. 1 00 be- queathed to the session by the late William Forbes, Esq. of Echt, to which the poor on the estate of Echt have a preferable claim, if pre- ferred quarterly by the proprietor ; from an annuity of ten merks Scots left by the late Mr Duff of Premnay, to which the poor in 742 ABERDEENSHIRE, Cullerley have a right ; from the weekly collections, mortcloth dues, fines, &c., amounting to L.30 and upwards annually ; and from the share which falls to the parish of the Synod Fund, cir- culated by the Trustees of the late John Burnet, Esq. of Dens, of which this parish has received two payments of L. 20 each, at an interval of sixteen years, and L.35 in the year 1839. Twenty- six persons, at an average, receive permanent parochial aid at the rate of from 7s. to lOs. quarterly, according to their necessities. Several persons receive occasional assistance, including repairs to dwelling-houses ; and the session are often called upon to bear the funeral charges of the poor. None of our regular poor travel from door to door begging bread. All who are able support them- selves in part by working. They are not disposed to claim paro- chial relief, unless when they need it, nor backward to receive it when compelled by necessity. The kirk-session have the manage- ment of the interest of L. 40 bequeathed by a Mr Thomson of Banchory to poor persons of the name of Reith or Mennie, or to relations of the testator. The late Mr Alexander Fowler, a mer- chant in this parish, bequeathed L.200 to the poor. He died in J 837. Fai?'s. — Two old established markets are held on the estate of Echt — the one in June, the other in August, for cattle, sheep, horses, &c. ; and seven trysts for the same purpose, and for sel- ling and buying grain. Two of them are held, one at Whitsun- day, the other at Martinmas, for engaging servants. Inns, Alt;honses, 8^c. — There are five inns or houses of enter- tainment in the parish, all on the turnpike roads. The morals of the people do not seem to be, in any great degree, deteriorated by them. Fuel. — Peat fuel has hitherto been chiefly used ; but the mosses, especially on the estate of Echt, are beginning to be exhausted, and English coals are getting into use,- — the average price of which, at the harbour of Aberdeen, is about 5s. per boll. Wood is scarce, but will be plentiful in thirty or forty years. Besides the planta- tions already mentioned, there are about 100 acres of wood on the property of Bragiewell and South Meanecht, July 1842. PARISH OF KEITHHALL AND KINKELL. I'RESBYTERY OF GARIOCH, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. JOHN KEITH, MINISTER. I, — Topography and Natural History. Name, — Kejthhall became the name of the parish after the greater part of it was possessed by Keith, the Earl Marischal of Scotland. It was anciently called Montkeggie. Kinkell was a parsonage of seven parishes, and retains the ancient name, which signifies the head or principal church. The annexation was in 1754. Extent — The length of the parish is about 5 miles, and the breadth is rather less, but very unequal. It contains 11^ square miles. Boundaries. — The rivers Don and Ury form the boundary with Kintore and Inverury. The parish adjoins Chapel of Garioch, Bourty, Udny, New Machar, and Fintry. The figure is irre- gular. The best land is either loam or alluvial. Very little of it ex- ceeds two feet in depth. The inferior consists of almost every variety, with the exception of marl. There is no less diversity in the subsoil. The worst is a hardened mixture of gravel and clay. The plantations are of beech, elm, ash, oak, plane, Scotch fir, and pine. The larch and oak do not grow freely. The others are of considerable size in the policies of Keithhall, the seat of the Earl of Kintore. At Balbithan, there is a very large beech, remarkable for its straight and branchless trunk, which is 24 feet high, with only two branches at 30 feet. Its average cn-cum- ference at that height exceeds 12 feet. Seven boughs rise from it, each 2^ feet in diameter, to an altitude of 30 feet; and the lateral extent of some is not much less. II. — Civil History. Eminent Men. — Caskieben, the ancient name of the estate of Keiihhall, was the birth-place of the distinguished scholar, Arthur Johnston. He was born in 1587, and died at the age of fifty- four. 744 ABERDEENSHIRE, Kinkell is the burial-place of a distinguished warrior who fell at Harlaw, as appears from a monumental stone, with the figure of a knight in armour, and an inscription on the outer part in old English characters: — "Hie jacet nobilis armiger Gualterus de Gre 1411." The other part of it has been destroyed. Land-owners. — The Earl of Kintore is proprietor of about three-fourths of the united parishes. Balbithan, the property of Benjamin Abernethy Gordon, Esq. forms an eighth part. Kin- muck, which is rather less, belongs to Alexander Irvine, Esq. of Drum. The Synod of Aberdeen hold in trust the small estate of Newplace, which rents about L. 80 ; and the Society of Friends or Quakers are proprietors of three acres, on which they have a meeting-house and cemetery. Parochial Registers. — The register of births, or rather bap- tisms in Keithhall, has been kept pretty regularly since 1678; but the oldest of them are a little frail. It is doubtful whether there were ever any similar registers for Kinkell. Antiquities. — The antiquities in this quarter have suffered much from the ploughshare and the erection of stone fences. The cairns or mounds raised to commemorate ancient heroes and events have been broken down ; and the place of the Drui- dic temples that stood in the end of last century is now un- masked, with one exception, where a single stone remains, nearly two and a-half feet square and seven feet high. It is remark- able that the corn grows very luxuriant around this solitary pillar to a distance of fifteen yards, and has always been eighteen inches higher than the crop immediately beside it. Part of an encampment still remains in the moor of Kinmuck, where tradition records that a great battle took place between the Danes and the Scotch. The latter are said to have slain a boar in their advance, and hence the name Kinmuck, or boar's head. The place of combat bears the name of Blair Hussey, or field of blood. In a large barrow or tumulus, about eighty yards from a Dru- idic stone, a chance visitor observed an urn partially uncovered. It was found to contain calcined bones. Two larger urns were subsequently found in a reversed position to the other, and were taken out in fragments. The bones in all the three were put into a box, and buried in the original spot. The residence of the Earl of Kintore, generally denominated the house of Keithhall, of which the castle of the Johnstons forms a small part, is a very magnificent building. KEITUHALL AND KINKELL. 745 III. — Population. Population in 1801, - 853 1811, - 883 1821, - 838 1831, - 877 1841, - 913 The number of unmarried men 50 years of age and upwards, is 16 women upwards of 45, , . 40 The resident heritors are the Earl of Kintore, and Balbithan. IV. — Industry. Agriculture. — The land under tillage is nearly 5000 acres. The waste land is about 2000. Of this a third part might be advantageously improved. About 400 acres are planted. Average rent of land in cultivation is 14s. per acre. The sheep are of the South Down, Leicester, and Scotch breeds. Several farmers have superior cattle, chiefly of the old Aberdeenshire breed. Lord Kintore has long had a very select stock of Ayrshire and short-horn or Teeswater cows and bulls, and is very indulgent to his tenantry in this matter. The Keithhall ox, as one of his Lordship's bullocks was called, was for some time one of the greatest wonders in the north of Scotland. This animal carried the first premium at the Highland Society's show in 1834, was sold at seven years of age for one hundred sovereigns, and cer- tainly was one of the hugest animals ever seen in the shambles. The gross weight of the bullock alive was 1 ton 8 cwt. or 3136lbs. There has been a considerable extent of waste land reclaimed within a short time. The duration of leases is nineteen years. All the turf-covered houses, have disappeared. A few of the farmers have their houses slated, and the others are neatly thatch- ed. The enclosures are mostly of stone. Lord Kintore brought a hedger from Berwickshire, a few years ago, and has planted hedges of hawthorn on several farms. None of the proprietors give any encouragement for improving waste ground. Only two or three individuals have accepted the terms of one who advances money at seven and a-half per cent, on that security. Produce. — The average produce of grain may be . . . L. 9000 of potatoes, turnips, &c. . . . 2500 of hay, . . . . 500 of- land in pasture, at L.3 per ox, or 15s. per ewe, 1750 Total yearly value of raw produce . . L. 13750 746 ABERDEENSHIRE. V. — Parochial Economy. Inverury is the nearest market-town, and only a quarter of a mile from the west boundary. The post-office is in that burgh. There are two bridges on the Ury ; one of stone, which has been built upwards of thirty years ; the other has stone piers and a wooden arch, and was built lately. Ecclesiastical State. — The parish church is in the most centri- cal situation, as ascertained by measurement. It was built in 1771, repaired last in 18'J3, and holds 600 persons. The seats are all free. The manse was built in 1772; the last addition was made only two years ago. The glebe is 25 English acres, and would rent for L.30, if let to a farmer ; but when the greater part is in grass, as at present, it is of more value. The stipend is L. 110, 10s. l-i^^d.; meal, 1 Ti bolls, 8 stones, O^^glbs.; bear, 20 quarters, 3 bushels, 1 peck, 1| quart; barley, 5 quarters, 6 bushels, 2 pecks, and 3 quarts. The Society of Friends have a meeting-house at Kinmuck. Their number in 1831 was 16 persons. The number of families who attend the Established Church is 168; and persons of all ages, 650. There are 13 Dissenters, and 8 Episcopalians. Due attendance is given in the church, and the number of communicants is 430. The yearly amount of church collections is L. 45. Education. — At the parochial school, Latin, geography, gram- mar, arithmetic, writing, and reading are taught. The lower branches are taught at the unendowed school, with the addition of needle- work. The salary of the schoolmaster is L. 30 ; fees in 1833, L. 15; other emoluments, L. 25; and his whole income L. 65, besides the legal accommodations. All between six and hfteen years of age either can read or are under tuition ; none above the higher age are known to be unable to read. The only library is one for the Sabbath scholars. Poor. — Paupers, at an average, are 17 in number; and the sup- ply for each, L. 4. Church collections during the year for the funds, L. 35 ; and for charitable purposes, L. 10 ; legacies, dona- tions, &c., L. 40. There is only one market, Michael Fair, at Kinkell, for cattle and horses, on the Wednesday after the last Tuesday of Septem- ber, old style. INSCH. 747 Alehouses — There is no public-house in the parish ; but there is a spirit shop on the lands of the synod of Aberdeen. Fuel. — The fuel is of peat and turf, the expense of preparing which is Is. the cart-load. General Observations. The greatest variations observable, within the last forty years, are in the value of houses and enclosures, which has risen from L. 150 to above L. 3000 ; and in the ordinary provision for the poor, which has been tripled within that time. The Earl of Kin- tore gives, unsolicited, an annual donation, which is more than the former yearly supply, then only L. 18. The other heritors are absentees, and draw their rents without remitting any return to the poor ; but it has not been necessary to solicit a contribution from them. July 1842. PARISH OF INSCH. PEESBYTERY OF GARIOCH, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. PATHICK DAVIDSON, MINISTER. THE REV. ROBERT QU'^H'^Y, Assistant and Successor * I. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — The name Insch is generally considered to be of Cel- tic oriijin, and to signify anisland. It is not improbable, that the Insch had originally been confined to the small town or village in which the church stands, or, at all events, to the spot of ground which forms the site of the village, and which bears some marks of having been at one time surrounded with water. Extent, Sfc. — The parish is of an irregular figure. Were one part of it, however, taken away, namely, the Daugh of Moreal, which there is reason to think had not originally belonged to it, but had formed part of another parish now extinct, called Rathmo- real or Christ-kirk, the remains of whose church, surrounded by a burial-ground, are quite adjacent, in the parish of Kennethmont, the remainder would be pretty nearly an oblong, the greater sides, * Drawn up by the Rev. Robert Cushny. 748 ABERDEENSHIRE. from north to south, measuring about 5^ miles, the lesser, from east to west, about 2^. The superficial extent of the whole parish is about llf square miles. It is bounded on the east by the parish of Culsamond ; on the south, by Oyne, Premnay, and Leslie ; on the west, by Kennethmont and Gartly; and on the north, by Drum- blade and P'orgue. The hill of Foudland is situated in this parish, and forms the principal of a range of Slate-hills, extending into Gartly on the west, and into Culsamond on the east. It stands at an elevation of about 1100 feet above the level of the sea, has rather a lump- ish appearance, but commands a very fine prospect. That rich and fertile tract, the How or Vale of the Garioch, is nowhere seen to greater advantage than from this hill, by which, indeed, a considerable part of it is sheltered on the north and north-west. The isolated hili of Dunnideer, about a mile from the village of Insch, and due west of it, is a singularly striking and beautiful object, and one which has long attracted the observation both of antiquarians and naturalists. Its form is that of a cone a little flattened at the apex; and, owing to this peculiarity, and its sum- mit being crowned with some curious ruins, it catches the eye of a stranger at a great distance. It is about 3000 yards in circumference at the base, from which it rises abruptly to the height of 550 or 600 feet. Immediately facing it, on the west, and rising with equal abruptness, is the hill of Christ-kirk, in the parish of Kennethmont, the two hills being separated only by a narrow valley, through which runs the She- vock, a small stream, which, at this point, and for a considerable part of its course, forms the boundary of the parish, and whose windings, as seen from Dunnideer, have a very picturesque effect. Dunnideer is nearly on a line with the west end of Foudland, and about due south from it, the distance between them being about three miles. There are no other hills of great magnitude in the parish. Some small hills there are, here and there rising abruptly from the plain, such as Knockenbaird, Greenlaw, &c. ; but, as seen from the top of the hill of Foudland, they have the appearance of mere knolls or hillocks scattered over the level or slightly undulating surface. Meteorology. — The average height of the mercury in the baro- meter throughout the year is 29.3 inches. There is a perceptible variety of climate in the parish, the crops being in general three weeks or a month later on the north side of Foudland than on the rNSCH. 749 south side, and about ten days later in the vicinity of that hill, even on the south side, than on the more southerly part of the parish. The climate throughout, however, may certainly be termed very salubrious, there being none of what are called local distempers known in the parish. Hydrography. — Though not in the vicinity of any considerable river, Insch is well watered by small rills, so that on a majority of the farms in it, the thrashing machines are driven by water. The Shevock has already been referred to as forming one of the boun- daries of the parish. This it does both on the west and south. About a mile from where it takes leave of the parish, running eastward, it unites with the Ury, a larger stream, which takes its rise in the Glens of Foudland, i. e. on the north side of the hill of that name, and there forms the boundary of the parish on the north. Geology. — The hill of Foudland is famous for its slate quarries. The slate, which is of a fine dark colour, and excellent quality for roofing, is found in beds running from south-west to north-east, and inclining northwards, the angle of inclination varying a good deal. Cross-bars or dikes cutting across the veins are of frequent occurrence, and consist of a slaty substance for the most part, with pieces of trap and sometimes decomposed granite intermixed. These cross-bars are found occasionally to derange the veins, so that the sections on the opposite sides are not in the same line with each other. The rocks composing the smaller hills in the parish seem to be chiefly gneiss, and black or grey granite. The soil is for the most part of a loamy nature, and generally what might be called a light loam, with a mixture of gravel and yellow clay forming the subsoil. In the low grounds, towards the base of Dunnideer, bog-iron ore is found in considerable quantities. On the sides of the hill of Foudland, the soil is generally a light clay, mixed with slaty particles, and the subsoil of a slaty nature, always retaining a certain quantity of moisture in the driest seasons, and in wet seasons, again, allowing the superfluous water to ooze off, so that the land here is not liable to be either droughted or drowned, as the expression is. There are some peat-mosses in this hill, in which large oak-trees have occasionally been discovered. The higher parts of the hill, and all that is uncultivated of it, are co- vered with heath. 750 ABERDEENSHIRE. II. — Civil History. Any authentic account of the more remote history of the parish would undoubtedly be very interesting, as the memorials of long past times, which still exist in it, are such as shew that it has once been the scene of important events. No such account, how- ever, is known to the writer of this. In a genealogical work, now rare, entitled Laurus Lesliana, and which gives an account of the various branches of the Lesly family, there is some information to be found respecting the former proprietors of land in the parish, the chief of whom had belonged to the house of Lesly. iMnd oioners. — The principal land-owners, at the present time, are, Count Lesly of Balquhain, proprietor of the lands termed the Barony of Meikle Wardhouse, Knockenbaird, &c. in the pa- rish of Insch. Count Lesly's ancestors had, it would seem, at one time been possessed of the greater part of the lands in this parish, as also in not a few of the parishes in the Garioch. The baronies of Balquhain and Meikle Wardhouse, the former in the parish of Chapel of Garioch, the latter in this parish, had formerly be- longed to separate branches of the family, and they continued to do so till about the year 1G42, when, according to Spalding, the estates of Wardhouse were " so much dilapidated, that the heir, Sir John Leslie, (who died in 1645), on coming home from Ger- many, on the death of his father, found that there was nothing left for him to live upon."" The greater part of his property, having probably been mortgaged, had come, about that time, into the hands of the Balquhain branch, in which it has continued ever since. A considerable portion, however, including the site of the castle of Wardhouse, having been otherwise disposed of, and having passed through various hands, is now in the possession of John David Gordon, Esq. merchant in Cadiz, who succeeded his father, Charles Gordon, about nine years ago. The family residence in Scotland is Gordon Hall, Kennethmont. The other proprietors of land are, Theodore Gordon, Esq. Overhall, who is possessed of part of the lands of Dunnideer, in this parish. — Robert Aber- crombie, Esq. of Rothney and Drumrossie, who came into pos- session of the above lands (lying partly in Insch, partly in Prem- nay), by purchase, only a few years ago, they having been sold by the executors of the late Miss Mary Gordon, the last of her family, which was a branch of the Gordons of Lesmoir, and in whose hands they had been for some centuries. — Sir Andrew INSCH. 751 Leith Hay, of Rannes, who is possessed of the lands of Insch and Netherboddom, and the superiority of the burgh of Insch. Be- sides the properties above referred to, there are in the parish the lands of Boddom, Cairneston, and Johnsleys, which are at present in the market, having fallen to be disposed of by the executors of the late Mr Gordon, Newton. Parochial Registers. — The parochial registers, including kirk- session records, and registers of baptisms and marriages, extend as far back as to the year 1683, but are not altogether complete. Antiquities. — There are a good many remains of Druidical tem- ples, all in elevated situations. There are also several rude obe- lisks, or stone pillars, in the parish ; one called the Picardy Stone, standing about 7^ feet in height above ground, with some carving, apparently emblematical, on the south face of it, and another, to- wards the centre of the parish, called the Earl of Mar's Stone, Near the village of Insch is a mound, or rising ground, called the Gallow Hill, the road leading past which has always been known by the name of the Gallow Road ; and there is a tradition, deriving some probability from this, that Insch, though but a burgh of barony, had had the power o^ pot and gallows. A fragment of a brass sword, or Roman gladius, was found some years ago on the farm of Mr A. Beattie, Dunnideer, and is still in the possession of that gentleman, who has also some frag- ments of what would appear to have been a gold chain, of very rude workmanship, which were found on the farm of Wantinwells, on the clearing away of the foundation of some old houses. When the vacant ground on the north side of the church was levelled out some years ago, a tombstone was laid bare, very near the wall, with the words randolphvs sacerdos inscribed on it lengthwise, and, after these, some date, which is illegible. The stone is about 6 feet in length, and 20 inches in breadth. By far the most interesting objects, however, which the pa- rish holds out to antiquarians, are the ruined fort and tower on the top of the hill of Dunnideer, the former being a fine speci- men of what are called vitrified forts, the latter the remnant of a square tower or castle built within the fort, and partly of fragments of it, covering from 13 to 14 square yards of ground, including the walls, 7 feet in thickness ; only one wall, however, standing entire, and it being from 50 to 60 feet in height. As to the fort or enclosure, the subjoined remarks from Mac- 752 ABERDEENSHIRE. 1 Culloch's Highlands and Islands of Scotland, give a sufficiently accurate description of it. " The hill of Dunnideer, having an elevation of about 600 feet from the irregular plain on which it stands, with a steep acclivity all around, has a flat oval summit, which is entirely occupied by the enclosure, so as to form a strong military position. Though much ruined, and consequently obscured, having apparently been used as a quarry for building a more modern castle in the same spot (the square tower alluded to), it is not difficult to trace either the dimensions or the disposition of the original work. The form is a parallelogram, of which one extremity is curved, so as to be nearly semicircular, and its longest side is about .^8 yards, the shortest being about 24. The thickness of the wall seems originally to have been 18 or 20 feet, (more likely 12), although, from the state and nature of the ruin, it is impossible to be very accurate in this particular. The highest remaining portion is about six feet above the present surface, and if one foot be added for the increase of the soil, and two for the loss which it has sustained at the summit, we shall have nine feet as the probable original altitude. At a certain stage down the hill are the well-marked traces of a work, which once seems to have encircled the whole. It is a kind of fortification, well known to antiquaries as occur- ring frequently in the ancient British hill forts, and consists of a single ditch and wall. The materials in the vitrified wall are partly roasted without adhesion, and partly vitrified or glazed. It is easy to see that dark granite forms the vitrified or scorified sub- stances. Wherever stones not capable of vitrification themselves have undergone any thing like a similar change, it has been pro- duced by the alkali of the wood used in the process. The mate- rials of the hill are chiefly grey granite, a fusible rock ; but there are scattered, in the surrounding plain, blocks of a black variety, which, from containing hornblende, is very fusible." It will be seen that the above writer adopts Mr Williams's theory as to the formation of the singular species of structure, of which this is a specimen, viz. that a mound of earth had probably been raised on each side of the intended wall, and the space between filled with stones of a fusible nature, along with large quantities of wood, which, being set fire to, a sufficient degree of heat had been produced to dissolve partially or wholly most of the stones, and thus to convert the pile into a solid mass. There are, however, other theories upon the subject, — one, that the vitrification had INSCH. 753 not been the result of design, but had been produced accidentally by the fires which, it may be supposed, the people, betaking them- selves to the fort for refuge, would kindle inside the wall. And another, — that there has been no vitrification, properly speaking, at all, but that the stones have been made to adhere to each other in the manner they do by the use of some strong cement poured in amongst them, and which constitutes the lava-like substance abounding in the structure. But it seems an insuperable objec- tion to this view of the matter, that the stones themselves have all evidently been subjected to the action of extreme heat. Nothing, of course, can be said as to what may be the precise age of this very ancient structure. Even the tower, which has been referred to as comparatively modern, has every appearance of having been built at a period considerably remote. As has been said, only one wall of it remains entire, and this having but two windows, one above the other, and the upper one very much en- larged by the crumbling of its sides, has a curious effect seen at a distance, and is known by the name of " Gregory's wall," from a tradition that King Gregory had resided here. But it may be doubted, whether this name is not more applicable to the vitrified or more ancient structure. Fordoun has it that King Gregory died at Dunnideer. His words are, — " Gregorious autem rex iste magnificus, postquam annos decem et octo, mensibus aliquot exceptis, strenue regnasset, apud Dornideare diem clausit extre- mum, et in lona sepultus insula requiescit." The erection of the tower is also ascribed to David Earl of Huntington and Garioch, the founder of the Abbey of Lundores. And mention is somewhere made of " the Abbot of Dunnideer," by which expression, however, it is supposed, the Abbot of Lun- dores is meant. That Dunnideer, if not formerly a regal residence, had been, at any rate, a place of great importance, is manifest from various circumstances, especially from the extraordinary care with which its safety seems to have been provided for. In the hollow or narrow valley to the west of it is the site of the ancient castle of Meikle Ward House, or, more properly, the Meikle Ward House of Dunnideer, — the only remaining vestige of which now is the fosse by which it had been surrounded ; although it is not very many years since the ruins of the walls were removed ; and a little farther on in the same direction, that is, more to the north from Dunnideer, is a place called Little Ward House, where, however, ABKKDEEN. 3 B 754 ABERDEENSHIRE. the name alone indicates the previous existence of a (jlace of de- fence ; and the northern extremity of the valley, or where it opens up to the west, is called Ward Head. Now, the idea that these names and relics are vestiges of the defences of Dunnideer, seems probable, from the circumstance, that it is only on this side (where it is nearly approached by other hills and rising grounds), that the place could have been surprised by any sudden attack, as on all other sides it commands a very extensive tract of level ground. It is possible, however, as the valley in which the traces of these defences occur forms a principal pass to the Garioch from the north and west, — that they and the fort of Dunnideer itself had been erected for the purpose of guarding against invasion from these quarters. III. — Population. According to the Statistical Account of the parish, published by Sir John Sinclair, the population was estimated, in 1755, at 995 souls; in 1795, at 900, shewing a decrease of 90 in the in- tervening forty years, which decrease is ascribed, by said account, to the scarcity of fuel then beginning to be felt in places distant from the coast, and also to the increased demand for hands in the manufactories, which had dravvu off some of ihe rural population to the manufacturing towns and villages. The population in 1831 amounted to . 1338 the males, numbering . 639 the females, . . 679 This shews an increase, in the space of thirty-six years, (that is, from the year 1795 to the year 1831), of 438, an increase which must be chiefly ascribed to the improvement of waste land, and the more extensive working of the slate-quarries in Foudland, to both of which a stimulus was given, by the opening of the canal from Aberdeen to Inverury, and which afforded considerable en- couragement to labourers to settle in the parish. The present population is 1379, which shews an increase of 41 in the last ten years. This increase has been altogether in the village of Insch. Rather more than a sixth part of the whole population of the parish, or about 220 persons, reside in this vil- lage, and there is no other besides it in the parish, but only two or three small hamlets, and of these there is none containing above ten families. The yearly average of births, for the last seven years has been 37 deaths, . . 23 marriages, . . 7 INSCH. 755 "The average number of persons under 15 years of age is about 550 betwixt 15 and SO about 300 80 and 50 250 50 and 70 200 upwards of 70 . 47 There is a good deal of wealth in the parish, the farmers, as a body, being fully as affluent as those of any other parish in the district. There is, however, only one proprietor of land residing in the parish. The number of unmarried men, bachelors and widowers, upwards of 50 years of age, is about . . , .21 The number of unmarried womeu, upwards of 45, about . . 47 Fatuous persons in the parish, one ; deaf and dumb, one; blind, (from decay of organs), two. IV. — Industry. Agriculture. — Land under cultivation, . . . 5312 Imperial acres. Uncultivated, . . . . . 2196 Capable and worthy of cultivation, about 200 ^ Undivided common (the commonty of Insch), , 5 __ _. '~' ~/ ' There are not above 47 acres in the whole parish under wood. A large proportion of the arable land is of excellent quality ; and there are some farms, the leases on which have been lately renewed, that are yielding a very high rent, in some instances nearly L. 2 per acre, over head. But the average rent of arable land over the whole parish cannot be stated as higher than 18s, or 20s. per acre. Very few sheep are kept. The cattle hitherto most generally reared have been of what are called the Aberdeenshire or Angus-shire breeds. The prac- tice of crossing these with the short-horned or Durham breed is, however, becoming very prevalent ; and the superior size of the animals thus produced holds out great temptation to it, though the beef is not considered to be of such quality as that of the old breed of the country. The cattle-shows held by the Highland Society of Scotland and by local agricultural societies, have had considerable effect in causing greater attention to be paid to the rearing of stock, and consequently in improving the quality thereof. The system of husbandry pursued in this as in the other pa-* rishes of the Garioch, may certainly be considered as having at- tained a considerable degree of excellence. The climate not be- ing suitable for wheat, oats form the principal corn crop ; and, according to the most improved rotation, one crop of these is taken after three years of grass; and the ground being next green- 756 ABERDEENSHIRE. fallowed with turnips, bears another crop of oats, sometimes bar- ley, the sixth year, grass being sown in along with it for hay crop the following year. This rotation is called the six -shift, and is rapidly taking the place of the seven-shift formerly used, and ac- cording to which two crops of oats were taken in succession after three years of grass, which, besides that the second crop was ge- nerally a poor one, took away much from the chance of a good crop of turnips the year following, — a matter of serious considera- tion where so much dependence is placed upon the rearing and fattening of live-stock. The application of bone-manure to the raising of this crop is now generally practised with great advantage in light soils. Although, generally speaking, there would be little difficulty in supplying enclosures with water, yet, owing to the scarcity of ma- terials, i. e. of stones and wood, suitable for diking or paling, and the cultivation of hedges being but little encouraged, there is as yet only a small proportion of enclosed fields. The farm-buildings, if the value of the farms be taken into ac- count, must in general be pronounced of an inferior description. Few of them are slated, notwithstanding their vicinity to the slate- quarries ; and a great deal of straw is, in consequence, annually consumed on thatch, which would be more profitably employed as provender or litter for cattle. The remedying of this state of things lies with the landlords, who would greatly enhance the va- lue of their properties by erecting substantial farm-buildings, on a good plan, and at their own expense, and thus leaving their te- nants with the full command of their capital to improve their farms, which would, of course, bear a higher rent ; whereas the general system at present is to let the tenant provide himself with buildings, such as he thinks proper, allowing him only one year's rent, or one and a-half year's, at the end of the lease, for his whole outlay ; or, in some cases, allowing the value of the mason- work, deducting lime and carriages; and, in others, only the value of the roof. The general duration of leases is nineteen years. The thrashing of corn by machinery is now almost universal. For driving the machines, water-power is used where available ; where it is not, horses are employed. On the farm of Nether- boddom, where there is not sufficient command of water, the en- terprizing tenant (A. Jopp, Esq. Advocate, Aberdeen,) has, for some time back, employed steam-power. iNSCH. 757 Quarries. — The slate-quarries of Foudland in this parish have long been in great repute, as producing an excellent quality of blue slate, large quantities of which were formerly taken to Aber- deen 5 but that town has for some years derived its chief supply from Easdale in Argyleshire, from whence slates being now brought by sea, free of duty, can be delivered at Aberdeen at full as low a price as the Foudland slates, which have to pay a heavy land and canal carriage, the former being at the rate of 14s. per 1000, i. e. Is. per mile per 1000 (the distance to Inverury being fourteen miles),the latter 9s. per 1000, or 6d. per mile per 1000, the distance from Inverury to Aberdeen per canal being eighteen miles. The average quantity of slates annually taken from these quarries amounted some years ago, to 900,000, but the present average is scarcely a half of this; and it is to be feared that the yield will be still farther diminished, unless some improvement is made in the mode of working the quarries, either by the application of machinery, or by clearing away the refuse, and laying bare the slate beds to a greater depth, much evil having been done by commencing the quarries too far up the hill, to save trouble and expense at the outset, and working along the tops of the veins, or, at all events, not quarrying them to their full depth, and so dis- posing of the refuse as to increase the difficulty of working them out to greater depth now. The prices of slates at the quarry mouth are as follows : first quality, L. 2, 7s. 6d. per 1000 ; se- cond quality, L. 2 per 1000. The cost of labour on first is L. 1, 10s. per 1000; on second, L. 1, 5s. per 1000. This includes quarrying, splitting, dressing, &c. Splitters get lOd. per 100 slates ; dressers, 2s. per 100. ' Produce. — Average gross amount of raw produce raised in the parish ; Of grain of all kinds, Turnips, potatoes, &c. Hay and first year's grass, Pasture grass, Slate quarries, . • . Total yearly value of raw produce raised, L. 18050 V. — Parochial Economy. There are two half-yearly markets at Insch; one for cattle, horses, and grain, the other for the feeing of servants. Formerly the town had its weekly market, but that may be said to have ceased many years since, except that there is a regular supply of butcher-meat every Friday. L. 9000 3400 2700 1950 1000 758 ABERDEENSHIRE. The feuars of Insch are heritable proprietors of their houses and small gardens, paying a small feu-diity to Sir A. Leith Hav, their superior, from whom they also rent about four acres of ground each. The present population is about 220. There are several shop- keepers who deal in groceries, cloth, hard and stone -ware, drugs, &c. There are also two watchmakers, a baker, a saddler, and other tradesmen. Most of the shops and dwelling-houses have been for some years lighted with gas. There is no post-office nearer than Old Rain, which is three and a-half miles off, the letters being at present conveyed to and from that by a runner (not a servant of the post-office), who is paid by a penny on each letter. A post-office at Insch would be a great boon to the neighbourhood. There are from six to seven miles of turnpike road in the pa- rish, including parts of three lines, one, the mail-road from Aber- deen to Huntly, which intersects the parish on the north side of Foudland, the other two, variations of this, taking, the one, a nearer course over the west shoulder of Foudland, the other a more circuitous but more level course throujrh Kennethmont and Gartly. Ecclesiastical State—The parish church stands in the town of Insch, close on the southern boundary of the parish, so that the parishioners in the Glens of Foudland, i. e. on the northern boundary, have to travel from five to six miles to it, and this by a very difficult road, over the east end of the hill. The date on the belfry of the church is 1613, and the common belief is, that the church itself had been built in that year. The building, although it has at various times undergone considerable re- pairs and alterations, and has therefore been in some sort moderniz- ed, still bears indications of considerable age. The walls are about four feet thick. It was new roofed in a very substantial manner in 1789, and new seated in 1793; and the roof is still excellent. But it is to be regretted that so much should have been expended in repairing a building, one of whose walls was even then bulged and out of plumb, and which, though perhaps at that time large enough, the population having previously undergone a considerable decrease, from which it was but beginning to recover, is now, as might have been expected, far too small for the accommodation of the people. About fifteen years ago, there was a meeting of Presbytery for the purpose of examining into the state of the INSCH. 759 building, when it was proved on the part of the heritors, that, though the state of one of the walls was such as has been describ- ed, yet, as it had been exactly the same for a long period of years, it could not be considered as incompatible with the safety of the congregation. It is to be hoped, however, that, notwithstanding i this finding, the heritors will soon of themselves see the propriety I of erecting a new church on a scale adapted both to the comfort and convenience of the parishioners. The present one is neither ceiled nor plastered, and is seated to contain only 460 people. There are 60 free sittings in the area of the church, under the control of the kirk-session, who let them at low rates, viz. from Is. to 2s. per annum, for behoof of the poor. The present manse, which is about half a mile distant from the church, the old site in the village having been relinquish- ed, was built in 1771, and enlarged and repaired about sixteen years ago. The glebe is 12 imperial acres in extent, and aboit L.25 yearly value, having been got in exchange for one-half the quantity of very superior ground, on the site of the manse being changed. The stipend was last modified in 1833, when an augmentation was obtained. It now amounts to 15 bolls of victual, half meal, half barley, commuted into money at the fiars' prices. By an ar- rangement entered into between the present minister and the he- ritors, and sanctioned by the Presbytery, the latter pay him L.9, 3s. 6d. annually instead of 550 back-loads of peats, which they were formerly bound to deliver to him, the back-load being as much as a horse could carry on a pair of panniers, or creels, the usual mode of conveying fuel from the moss in olden times. There is no chapel of ease nor Government church in the pa- rish, nor any Dissenting place of worship, properly so called. There is in the village of Insch an Independent preaching station, (or rather a hall given for this amongst other purposes), in which there is a sermon every second Sunday in the afternoon, the same being supplied by two Independent clergymen from neighbouring parishes. The number of families in the parish that attend Dissenting or Seceding places of worship is about 26; the number of indivi- duals, about 70 or SO. All the other inhabitants capable of church attendance come to the parish church, there being no Episcopalians or Catholics in the parish. 760 ABERDEENSHIRE. The parish cliurch is very well attended. The average number of communicants is 575. There are two societies for rehgious purposes in the parish, a Bible Society, and a Juvenile Missionary Society. The contri- butions of both together may average about L.25 per annum. The church collections for religious and charitable objects amount, on an average, to L.42 per annum. Education. — There are four schools in the parish, one of which is parochial, one endowed from the General Assembly's fund, and two unendowed. At the two first mentioned, in addition to the ordi- nary branches, — reading, writing, and arithmetic, — instruction is given in English grammar, geography, and mathematics, as also in Greek and Latin when required. In all, the Bible is daily read, and the Assembly's Catechism taught. The parochial schoolmaster has a salary of L.27, and receives on an average L.16 per annum in the shape of school-fees. His income has of late, however, been greatly improved, by his parti- cipating in the benefits of Mr Dick's Bequest, along with his brethren in the three counties of Aberdeen, Banff, and Moray. The present parochial school-house possesses ample and superior accommodation, having been built a few years ago, when also a detached dwelling-house was built for the schoolmaster. The teacher of the General Assembly's school receives a salary 6f L.25 out of the fund for increasing the means of education in Scotland, and draws about L. 14 annually in the shape of school-fees. He has the usual accommodation stipulated for by the Assembly's Education Committee, viz. besides school, dwelling-house, and gar- den, a croft of three acres of ground, rent free, with fuel cast and driven. This school has been established for about twelve years, and has proved a source of immense benefit to the people in the dis- trict where it is situated, viz. the Glens of Foudland, comprehend- ing, besides a detached part of the parish of Insch, peopled in a great measure by quarriers, parts also of the parishes of Forgue, Drumblade, and Gartly, all distant from their respective parish schools. It cannot be said that there is now any real deficiency of the means of education in any part of the parish. The general expense of education is lOd. or Is. per month, ac- cording to the branches taught, for each pupil. Children are now generally sent to school by the time they are five years of age, which was far from being the case in the more INSCH. 761 remote parts of the parish previous to the establishment of the Assembly school above referred to. There are none upwards of fifteen years of age, and that are natives of the parish, but are capable of reading, although there may be some aged women who have not learned to write. Charitable Institutions. — A Savings Bank has been established for some years, called the Insch and Upper Garioch Savings Bank, being for the accommodation of agricultural labourers and others in Insch and the neighbouring parishes. It is in a thriving condition, and promises to be of great benefit to the classes whose interest it was intended to promote. The deposits have been at the rate of L.528 per annum, while the sums withdrawn have ave- raged only L.177 per annum. Poor and Parochial Funds. — The average number of persons receiving constant parochial supply is 24. The rate of allowance per week varies from 9d. to 2s. 6d. ; but is sometimes higher in the case of widows left with young families, or bed-rid persons re- quiring hired attendance. The annual amount of contributions may be specified as under : Collections at church, L.34; seat-rents in church, L.4, 12s.; le- gacies, L.l, 10s.; interest of money funds, L.5, 10s.; rent of a piece of ground near the village of Insch, called the Bass, pur- chased with poor's funds about 160 years since, L.16, 10s.; mak- ing in all, besides casual donations from heritors, &c., L.62, 2s. In the distribution of the funds, the kirk-session are sometimes at a loss how to act, in order to prevent the risk of extreme distress, without, at the same time, encouraging habits of idleness and pro- fligacy. Fortunately, however, such cases are not very common ; while instances frequently occur of a reluctance to accept relief; and, generally speaking, the recipients are persons who have be- come such from actual necessity. Fairs. — The two half-yearly fairs that are held have already been referred to. The one for cattle, horses, &c. is held on the third Wednesday of May, and third Tuesday of October, old style. The feeing market is held on the Fridays preceding 26th May and 22d November. Inns^ Sfc. — There are no fewer than five public-houses in the parish, — three of these being in the village, and one closely ad- joining to it. Such a number as this is altogether unnecessary, and their decrease is much to be desired, as there can be no doubt Dut that, by furnishing people with additional facilities for indulg- 762 ^ ABERDEENSHIRE. ing to excess in ardent spirits, they are productive of most injuri- ous effects to the morals of the neighbourhood. Fuel. — Peat and turf from Foudland has hitherto formed the principal part of the fuel used in the parish. As the mosses in Foudland, however, are getting pretty much exhausted, and the peat is of inferior quality, it is probable that the people will soon become more dependent on English coal, the use of which, to a small extent, is already almost general. The feuars of Insch have the privilege of fuel from the Hill of Melschach in Kennethmont, where the peat is of better quality than on Foudland ; but the length of carriage is upwards of four miles. July 1842. PARISH OF MONQUHITTER. PRESBYTERY OF TURRIFF, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. HUGH GORDON, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — The name Monquhitter signifies the place for en- snaring the deer, and was derived from the farm on which the church was originally built. Extent, 8fc. — From east to west, the parish extends about 8 miles, and from south to north, about IO5 miles. It is bounded on the east, by the parish of New Deer ; on the north, by King- Edward ; on the west, by Turriff and Fyvie ; and on the south, by Fyvie and Methlick. The surface is generally of an undulat- ing and monotonous character. The hills present a bleak and barren appearance. Nevertheless, they are of much value in their present state, from the great abundance of excellent peat fuel which they supply to the neighbourhood, and more especially, as the nearest sea -port, Macduff, from which coals can be procured, is, from some parts of the parish, upwards of twenty miles, and, upon an average, fifteen miles distant. It is much to be regretted that so little has been done in this district of the country in the way of planting. There are num- berless spots which would appear to be particularly adapted for the MONQUHITTER 763 growth of wood, and which are of little value for cultivation, where not a tree has been planted. As there is a great extent of mossy and swampy ground in this parish and neighbourhood, it might have been expected that the atmosphere would have been much impregnated with damp, and consequently insalubrious ; but, on the contrary, the air of Mon- quhitter is pure and healthful, and unquestionably (he climate has been greatly ameliorated by the agricultural improvements which have taken place within the last forty or fifty years. A species of scarlet fever, accompanied with violent sore throat, has much inflicted this and some of the neighbouring parishes, and has been known, at times, to carry off two, three, and even four in a family in the course of a few days. Hydrography. — Monquhitter is watered by two small rivers, which receive the tribute of numberless and copious springs. The one of these, called the water of Assleed, runs in a southerly di- rection, separates Monquhitter from the parishes of New Deer and Methlick, and discharges itself into the river Ythan. The other, called the Water of Idoch, gives its name to the vale of Idoch. It passes within a short distance of the parish church and the village of Cuminestown, and runs in a westerly direction to the parish of Turriff, where it assumes the name of Dara, and falls into the river Doveron, at the village of Turriff. These streams still abound with delicious small trout of the common kind, and, al- though by no means so plentiful as in former times, in consequence of the extensive use of lime in agricultural operations, they still afford excellent sport to the angler, — the banks being in all places open and accessible. Geology and Mineralogy. — Below a stratum of pebbly clay, ex- tensive quarries of red sandstone lie in the direction of a plane, much inclined from east to west. This stone, though much im- pregnated with iron ore, may be raised in large masses, and is used in building. As the greater part of it is of a soft and spongy description, liable to decay, and moulders down from ex- posure to the weather, it is not calculated either for comfort or durability in the erection of dwelling-houses. Soil. — The two soils which chiefly prevail in the cultivated parts of Monquhitter are, the one, a reddish loam, the other, a deep black mould. They both rest on a stratum of pebbly clay, and, in the lower grounds, produce very luxuriant crops of oats. In former times, the crops throughout the parish seldom arrived at 764 ABERDEENSHIRE. maturity, from the wetness of the soil, and the consequent damp and chill of the climate ; but, by a system of judicious draining, for which the inclination of the surface affords great facilities, both the soil and climate have been greatly improved ; and the conse- quence is, that our harvests are now but little behind those of our southern neighbours, and the grain little inferior in quality to theirs. There are also large tracts of moss in the parish, which are valuable for the supply of fuel which they yield. The peats generally are of a very superior quality, being of a deep black co- lour, and close in the texture, and, when properly dried, are little inferior to the finest description of Scotch coals. The greater part of the parish seems, at one time, to have been covered with heath, and, even yet, the cultivated land has a great tendency to return to heath, which is only kept down by a regular rotation of cropping. Under these circumstances, the land can never be al- lowed to remain sufficiently long in grass to afford very rich pas- turage, which, in every situation, requires a series of years, as well as kindly soil for its production. Lands that have been long in cultivation are shy in retaining artificial grasses, while those which have recently been brought under the plough, after a proper application of lime, produce rich crops of rye-grass and clover, and retain the sown clover for two or three years, whereas, in land of a much richer quality, but which has been long in tillage, red clover seldom keeps the soil more than one year. Forests and Plantations. — There are no trees of any great age to be found, and the only plantations worthy of particular notice, are those in the immediate neighbourhood of the mansion-house of Auchry. These were put down by the late Joseph Cumine, of Auchry, about the middle of last century, and consist of ash, oak, larch, elm, plane, lime, Scotch and spruce firs, all of which thrive remarkably well, when planted in anything like good soil. All the hardier kinds of forest trees seem to thrive well, but par- ticularly the fir species ; Scotch and spruce firs and larches chiefly prevail, grow to a large size, and are excellent timber. In low and damp situations, the spruce fir grows with great rapidity, but the timber of this species is difficult to work, and by no means so va- luable. Mr Lumsden, the present proprietor of Auchry, is at great pains in keeping his woods, both by thinning and pruning those that are advanced, and trenching and digging in the young plantations, which tends greatly to promote their growth. MONQUHITTEll. 765 II. — Civil History. The parish of Monquhitter was disjoined from that of Turriff in 1649, and Mr William Johnstone, the first Presb^'terian minis- ter after the Revolution settlement, was ordained to Monquhitter on the 15th November 1727. Till about that period, this district was one of the strongholds of Episcopacy in Scotland. It is true, that, some time previous to this, Presbyterianism had again be- come the established form of worship in Scotland, but wherever Episcopal ministers, holding cures, were peaceably disposed, they were allowed to retain their emoluments during their lifetime, v/hich was the case in this parish. Mr Adam Hay, the last Episcopal minister of Monquhitter, has left a substantial memo- rial of the kindly spirit which existed between him and the peo- ple of his time, in a pair of silver communion cups, and a morti- fication of 200 merks, (L.ll, 2s. 2d. Sterling,) on his lands of Assleed, the proceeds of which to be applied to any poor persons residing on these lands. Parochial Registers. — The parochial registers commence in 1670 for baptisms, and in 1698 for marriages, and, with the ex- ception of one or two chasms, have been kept regularly down to the present time. III. — Population. In 1755, the return to Dr Webster, from this parish, gave 997 inhabitants. In 1757, the number of souls fell short of 800, but since that time population has greatly increased, partly by the practice of dividing large farms to accommodate small tenants^ and partly by the reclaiming of waste land, but principally by the establishment of CuminestowiT village, in 1763, and afterwards of the village of Garmond. The population of these villages in 1836 amounted to 715, and the country population to 1380, mak- ing a total of 2095. By the census of 1841, the population amounts to 2074. Under 15 years of age, 750 Between 15 and 30, 483 30 and 50, 443 50 and 70, 310 Upwards of 70, 109 The number of individuals of independent fortune residing in the parish, , 5 the proprietors of land of the yearly value of L.50 and upwards, 3 such who are non-resident, . . .9 unmarried men, bachelors and widowers, upwards of 50 years of age, . . . .30 unmarried women, upwards of 45 years of age, . 25 families, .... 466 inhabited houses, .... 432 7,66 ABERDEENSHIRE. Character of the People.— The great proportion of the people are industrious in their habits; and although the labouring popula- tion enjoy but very limited means of subsistence, yet they are dis- tinguished by a spirit of independence, and are generally desirous of supporting themselves and their families by their own industry ; and even the poorest are anxious to secure for their children the advantages of education, IV. — Industry. Agriculture, — Within the last thirty or forty years, a vast addi- tion has been made to the extent of cultivation, although a consi- derable portion of the land still remains in a waste and uncultivat- ed state. On some properties, by judicious draining, liming, &e. the number of acres under cultivation might be greatly added to, both with improvement to the climate, and profit to the proprietor. The average rent of arable land per acre is from lOs. to LI; bi)t some in the neighbourhood of the villages is let as high as L.2, 2s. per acre. In good pasture, the average rate for the grazing of an ox or cow is from L.l, 10s. to L.2 for the summer season. Live'Stock. — The breeds of sheep most prevalent are Leicester, south-down, and black-faced, but little attention, however, is now paid to breeding and rearing of sheep in this parish, except by Mr Lumsden of Auchry, who is one of the most spirited and intelli- gent agricultural improvers in this part of the country. Attempts have been made to introduce various foreign breeds of cattle, such as the Teeswater and Galloway ; but it has general- ly been found that, from the climate, the want of shelter, and the inferiority of pasture, they have degenerated; and many of the in- telligent farmers prefer the native Buchan breed to all others. The style of husbandry pursued is fully equal to that in any part of Scotland. Not only the larger farmers, but even the smallest crofters, adhere to a regular rotation of cropping, and bestow great pains in tilling and cleaning their ground. Nothing has afforded such facilities for, and given such an impulse to, the reclaiming of waste land, as the introduction of bone manure, which is very exten- sively used by every farmer. But another stimulus has been given to agricultural improvement by the system lately introduced, of transporting fat cattle by sea to London; from which the farmer has the profit both of breeding and of feeding, besides the advantage of securing a much greater quantity of manure for his farm. The MONQUHITTER. . 767 beef of our cattle is very highly esteemed, and generally brings a superior price in the London market. The horses in this parish and district, though not of a large size, are well built, and of a very hardy description ; and as the far- mers are generally careful, both as to their feeding, and the timing of their work, they can bear great fatigue. They seem to par- take somewhat of the old Galloway, which, perhaps, for all useful purposes, was the finest breed of horses ever known in Britain. The leases of farms generally extend to, and seldom exceed the term of, nineteen years. As the farms are generally small, with few exceptions exceeding two or four horse labour, the farm- buildings, which are mostly thatched with straw or heather, are not large, but commodious, and well adapted to the extent of the farms. Till within the last few years, and for several generations past, the Cumines of Auchry were the principal proprietors in the pa- rish of Monquhitter, and were much and deservedly esteemed for their public spirit and private benevolence. About the middle of the last century, the late Joseph Cumine of Auchry was distin- guished, not only in this district, but throughout the whole of the north of Scotland, for the stimulus which he gave to agricultural improvements. When he assumed the management of his estate in 1739, it was principally covered with heath, and yielded only L. 150 Sterling of rent. He laid out extensive plantations around his own house, subdivided his farm into ornamental enclosures, in- troduced a superior breed of cattle, founded the village of Cumines- town, in the immediate vicinity.of the church, and, in connexion with some neighbouring gentlemen, established in this villao-e a linen manufacture, which has been kept up ever since. By the judicious management of his property, he left it to his heirs, yield- ing an annual revenue of more than L.600 per annum. The rental of it was upwards of L. 2500 per annum in 1830, when it was divided into lots, and disposed of by his son, the late Archibald Cumine, Esq. James Lumsden, Esq. who was the purchaser of the principal part of the property, and who is the only resident he- ritor of any extent in the parish, has been doing much, and set- ting a laudable example in the way of improvement. He is drain- ing and trenching to a great extent, and by planting, hedging, and fencing, is not only beautifying his estate, but affording employ- ment to a great number of labourers. He has introduced several agricultural implements of a new and improved description; he 768 ABERDEENSHIRE. lias also secured a daily post, and, by his persevering exertions and his great liberality, in conjunction with several other proprietors, a turnpike road through the village of Cuminestown is about to be commenced, which, when completed, will afford great facilities to farther agricultural improvements, and will form the nearest route between Banff and Aberdeen.* But still the want of other resident heritors of influence and public spirit is severely felt, and stands much in the way of improvement on other properties. In the letting of farms, it is usual for the tenant, at the com- mencement of his lease, to pay to the proprietor or to the out-go- ing tenant, the amount of the valuation put upon the farm-build- ings, receiving in the same way value for the houses at the end of the lease. This system, although it affords an additional security to the landlord, (it being generally covenanted, that if the tenant fail to implement his lease, he shall receive nothing in the way of meliorations), yet, is in many cases, a great obstacle to improve- ment. P'or many a judicious and industrious tenant possessing, perhaps, but a limited capital, and being obliged to sink the half of it upon farm houses during the currency of his lease, is thus disabled from making improvements, which would not only yield a good return to himself, but ultimately also prove beneficial to the proprietor. Till within the last few years, much employment was afforded to females in the spinning of. flax and knitting of stockings, by which they were enabled to earn a comfortable livelihood. But the former source of industry is now almost completely dried up, the manufacturers finding that they can import spun flax at a much cheaper rate from Germany and Holland than they can get the work done at home. Upwards of 100 individuals till lately were employed in the weaving of cotton and linen cloth ; these were paid by the piece, and, if industrious, gained from 8s. to 12s. per week. About L.30 was paid out weekly for this branch of industry. V. — Parochial Economy. Market-Towns^ &^c. — There is no market-town in the parish. Periodical cattle-markets are held at the village of Turriff, dis- tant six miles from the church of Monquhitter. Macduff and Banff are the nearest sea-ports for the exportation of grain, whence all the lime and coal used here are driven. They are distant about fourteen or fifteen miles from the church. There are few parishes * From some misunderstanding the projected turnpike road has not been proceed, ed with, whilst the roads in the parisli are in the most wretched condition. MONQUHITTEH. 769 in this district of the country which have been worse provided than this with roads. Ecclesiastical State. — The parish church is conveniently placed for the greater part of the population, being close to the village of Cuminestown, and not more than a mile from the village of Gar- mond. It is situated upwards of seven miles from the most dis- tant part of the parish ; but since the erection of the chapel of ease of Millbrex, in the parish of Fyvie, which was built in 1833 for the accommodation of remote districts of Monquhitter and Fy- vie, there are few houses more than three miles distant from one or other of these places of worship. The minister of the chapel of ease is ordained, and is paid partly by an annual grant from the royal bounty, and partly from the seat rents of the chapel. He has also an extensive glebe, which is given rent free by the Earl of Aberdeen, on whose property the chapel is situated, and who not only affords this liberal accommodation, but also subscrib- ed L.lOO toward the erection of the chapel. In 1835, a comfort- able manse and offices were also erected ; and the whole of the funds needed for the building of these and the chapel were raised by voluntary contribution within the parishes of Fyvie and Mon- quhitter, with the exception of L.70 obtained from the Church Ex- tension Fund, and about L.30 of a presbyterial collection. The parish church was built in 1764, but in a very insufficient manner, and' is now in considerable disrepair. An addition was made to it in the year 1792, and it accommodates about 1000 sit- ters. There are no free sittings in the church, but the proprietor of Auchry charges no rent for the seats occupied by the villagers of Cuminestown and Garmond. The manse was built in 1778, and was thoroughly repaired in 1830, and then considerably added to. The glebe contains about nine acres, and may be valued at about L.15 per annum. The stipend consists of 15 chalders, one-half oatmeal, and one-half barley, payable according to the fiars of the county, besides L. 10 for communion elements. There is one Episcopal chapel, Avhich is the only dissenting place of worship in the parish. There are 1808 individuals attached to the Established Church, and of other denominations, 236, be- sides about 50 who cannot be said to belong to any denomination. The Lord's Supper is dispensed twice in the year, and the number of communicants, by the last survey, taken a few months ago, amounts to 946. There are no Societies specially established for religious purposes, but collections are made annually for the Ya» ABERDEEN. 3 C 770 A.BERDEENSniIlE. rious objects embraced by a Presbyterial association, and last year the contributions and extraordinary church collections for religious and charitable purposes, amounted to L.22, besides L.48 of or- dinary collections for the poor. Education. — There is in the parish one parochial school and one unendowed,* the teacher of which latter depends entirely on school fees for his payment. The parochial schoolmaster has the maximum of salary, with the legal allowance for a house and garden, besides an annual payment from a munificent bequest left by the late Mr Dick. The fees in the parochial school, upon an average, amount to about L,30 per annum, and those in the unendowed school to about L. 15. There are two localities which are at a most inconvenient dis- tance from any school, the district of Greens, containing a popu- lation of upwards of 300, the greater number of whom are distant about three miles from any school, and the lands of BalquhoUy, containing a population of upwards of 100, who are distant from four to five miles, and if schools were set down on both of these districts, they would accommodate equal numbers from the ad- joining parishes, both of New Deer and Fyvie. Besides the schools for ordinary education, there are four Sabbath evening schools, which are attended by upwards of 220 young persons and children ; and since the extensive introduction of this important department of religious instruction, a change for the better is visible in the conduct and morals of the young. There is a Sabbath school library, and also a subscription li- brary, in the parish. Charitable and other Institutions. — Till within the last few years, there was a Friendly Society in the parish, which had accumulated a considerable amount of funds, but, as in many other institutions of the kind throughout the country, the calculations had not been made upon correct and sound principles, and, finding the funds to be fast diminishing, the society was lately dissolved, and the pro- perty divided amongst the members. This has been succeeded by the establishment of a parish Savings' bank, which is likely to prove very beneficial in its effects. Although instituted only five years ago, the sum deposited in it amounts to about L.2000, and the depositors are all of the labouring classes. Poor and Parochial Funds. — The average number of persons * There are, besides, a number of small schools taught by females. 4 MONQUHITTER. 771 receiving parochial aid amounts to nearly 50, and the average sum allotted to each per year is L.S, 3s. 6d. The average sum of church collections for the relief of the poor for the last six years amounts to L. 50. This is contributed entirely by the farmers and labouring classes, the heritors being principally non- resident. In consequence of this, an accumulation which had been made, when the principal heritor, the late Mr Cumine, was resi- dent in the parish, and steadily and largely contributing to the poor's funds, is now fast diminishing. There is a disposition amongst the poor to refrain from seeking parochial relief as long as they can do without it; and many individuals have actually refus- ed to accept of it when offered, although some cases of rapacity do occasionally occur. In the year 1806, the sum of L.200 Ster- ling was left by the late Mr Grieve, merchant in Cuminestown, under the control and management of the kirk-session, the interest of which, according to the terms of his will, is annually applied to the relief of poor householders, not paupers, in sums not under 5s., and not exceeding 10s. to each. Fairs, &j'c. — There is an annual horse and cattle fair held in the village of Cuminestown, on the last Thursday of April, old style. The proprietor of Auchry has lately established several other markets. Inns and Alehouses. — There are five inns and alehouses in the parish, one-half of which might suffice. Fuel. — Hitherto peats and turf have been almost the only fuel used here. The mosses belonging to the property of Auchry, whence the villagers have been supplied, are almost entirely ex- hausted. Jime 1842. UNITED PARISHES OF GLENMUICK, TULLICH, & GLENGAIRN. PRESBYTERY OF KINCARDINE o'nEIL, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. HUGH BURGESS, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — Glenmuick is compounded of two Gaelic words. Glean Muic, signifying the sioine's valley or glen. Tiiere is a tradition that wild hogs once abounded in an oak forest, skirting both sides of a small river, called the water of Muick, from which the parish takes its name. Tullich is a corruption of a Gaelic word, Tulach, signifying hillocks ; and on such a situation stands a small village, named Tullich, which gives name to this parish, and also to the burying- ground around the walls of its old church, now in ruins. Glengairn is a corrupted compound of three Gaelic words, Glen-garbh-amhain, Rigmfy'wg the glen of the rough water; and this is very applicable to a small river intersecting this parish, and giving name to it, called the Gairn, or rough water, on account of its rocky and precipitous channel. Extent. — Glenmuick, at an average, is about 15 miles long from east to west, by 5^ miles broad, from north to south. It lies all on the south side of the river Dee, with the exception of a small part which, at some remote period, has been evidently cut off, or disjoined from the rest, by the Dee changing its course. Tullich, at an average, is about 14 miles long from east to west, by 7 miles broad from south to north, and lies all on the north side of the Dee, extending farther to the east than Glenmuick, but not nearly so far to the west. It is, however, intersected, about the middle of its length, by the parish of Glengairn, which stretches along both sides of the water of Gairn about 8 miles, at the average breadth of 4 miles, in a direction from north-west to south-east. This is one specimen of the many injudicious divisions of parishes at their origin ; for nearly one-half of Tullich lies on GLENMUICK, TULLICHj, AND GLENGAIRN. 773 the south-west, and the rest of it on the north-east side of Glen- gairn ; the latter (with the exception of a small part of it which is on the south side of Dee), being all on the north side of Dee, as well as Tullich. In many places, these united parishes are 18 miles long, by 15 miles broad; but, as their figure is very irregular, their average length and breadth is computed to be only 14^ by 12^ miles, making their extent to be about 180 square miles, that is 82 for Glenmuick, 66 for Tullich, and 32 for Glengairn. They are bounded by the following parishes, viz. Strathdon, on the north ; Coldstone, on the north-east; Aboyne, on the east; Glentanner, on the south-east ; Lochlee, on the south ; Clova, on the south- west ; and Braeraar and Crathie, on the west. They are moun- tainous and hilly, and mostly fit for pasture only. Mountains. — The principal mountains are Lochnagar, Cairn- taggart, Mountkeen, and Morven. But these mountains are all on the confines, and none of them wholly within these united pa- rishes. By a medium of barometrical observations, made by dif- ferent persons at different times, the elevation of Lochnagar, partly in Glenmuick, and partly in Braemar, and distant from this church about ten miles west, is 3814 feet; the elevation of Cairntaggart, partly in Glenmuick, and partly in Braemar, and distant from this church about fifteen miles south-west, is said to be 3000 feet ; the elevation of Montkeen, partly in Glenmuick, and partly in Loch- lee, and distant from this church about seven miles south, is 3126 feet ; and the elevation of Morven, partly in Tullich, and partly in Coldstone, and distant from this church about six miles north, is 2934 feet. The highest hills are in ranges, varying from 1000 to 2500 feet of elevation. One range, in the east end of the parish of Tullich, named Culblean, runs from Morven six miles south by east, and terminates at the river Dee. Another range (whose highest sum- mits have their distinctive Gaelic names, as have also all those in the other ranges to be now mentioned), runs westward from the middle of Culblean, along the north side of Dee, to the valley of Gairn ; after disappearing there, it rises again on the west side of Gairn, and goes along the north side of Dee as far as the church of Crathie, thus passing through the south side of Tullich and Glengairn. A third range, in Glenmuick, and on the south side of Dee, runs parallel to the former about six miles westward ; then it bends southward, and runs in that direction about two miles 774 ABERDEENSHIRE. along- the right bank of the water of Muick ; then it turns west- ward, and goes in that direction about twelve miles more, along the south side of Muick, Loch- Muick, and Loch Dhulocii, till it meets the parish of Braemar at Mont Cairntaggart, alm.ost due south from Livercauld. A fourth range, also in Glenniuick, and about four miles west from the church, runs northward from the left bank of Muick, a distance of five miles, till it terminates where a small river, called the Girnac, falls into the south side of the Dee. Besides these four ranges, there are several detached hills, one of which, named Craigandarroch, 400 yards north from the church, is about 1400 feet; and the other, named the Cnoc, about a mile west from the church, is about 1 150 feet of elevation. The low and flat lands, varying from two furlongs to two miles in breadth, lie along the banks of the Dee, the Muick, the Gairn, and some considerable brooks ; and these streams, according to their magnitude and windings, determine the width and bendmgs of the valleys. The acclivities, where not too rocky or steep, are cultivated to the height of from 100 to 200 feet above the bed of the streams, or from 900 to 1000 feet above the level of the sea. There are no caves, caverns, nor fissures in these parishes worthy of notice, except one in Culblean, in the east end of Tul- lich. This is an object of curiosity to strangers, and, from its re- markable figure, is termed the Vat, to which vessel it bears a striking resemblance. It seems to have been formed, in the course of ages, by the friction of pebbles whirled about by water. It is smoothly polished, and almost circular ; its diameter at the bottom is about 12 feet, increasing gradually towards the top. A stream of water, which, after thaw or rain, becomes a mountain torrent, falls into it from a height of not less than thirty feet. There is a small outlet for the water, at the bottom, on the east side, by which one can enter it. The surrounding rock is gneiss. Hydrography. — There are no remarkable springs, but the ce- lebrated wells of Pananich, in the parish of Glenmuick, on the south side of Dee, about two miles east from the church, and on the north side of the third range of hills, before noticed, from which they take their name. By chemical analysis, these wells, four in number, and all near to one another, have been found not exactly alike in their properties, but all containing carbonates of iron and lime, with small proportions of other ingredients. They are all chalybeate, stimulant, and tonic, of a cold temperature, GLENMUICK, TULLICH, AND GLENGAIRN. 775 but very agreeable to the taste ; and, although injurious to con- sumptive patients, they are allowed to be beneficial to those af- flicted with gravelly, scorbutic, and scrofulous complaints. For the accommodation of water-drinkers, there are comfortable well- aired lodgings at these wells, and also hot, cold, and shower-baths ; and, in the summer season, a great many people resort to them from distant parts of the country. There are three lakes in these parishes, viz. Loch Dhuloch, Loch Muick, and Loch Cannor. Loch Dhuloch lies in the south- west corner of Glenmuick, and about three miles east from Mount Cairntaggart. It is of small extent, of a cold temperature, and of considerable depth. The stupendous overhanging cliffs of Craig- dhuloch, surpassing in grandeur the celebrated rocks of Lochna- gar, rise on the south side of it to the height of more than 1000 feet, and, by throwing their gloomy shade over it, give a dark and sombre appearance to its limpid water, from which circumstance it probably took its name Loch Dhuloch, or the black lake. A mountain rill falls into it from a height of 200 feet, over a project- ing rock on the north side, which renders it altogether the most awfully sublime object in these parishes. A small stream, called the water of Dhuloch, issues from this lake, and, running eastward, forms a series of little cascades, till, at the distance of a mile and a-half below, it falls into the west end of Loch Muick. Loch Muick is about two miles long, and half a mile broad. In some places, this lake is shallow ; in others, which have never been properly sounded, it is said to be more than forty fathoms deep. Its temperature is cold, even in the greatest heat of sum- mer, being fed by several moimtain-streams, besides the water of Dhuloch. Its scenery is bold and romantic, having Lochnagar touching its north side, and a high range of the Grampians closely encompassing it on the south and west sides. Towards the west end of it, there is a small island, on which sea-gulls are always to be found ; but there is little wood, either on the island or the mar- gin of the lake, except some dwarfish birch. In the east end of the parish of Tullich, at the foot of Culblean, and not far from the Vat, there is a third lake, about three miles in circumference, called Loch Cannor. This lake, is beautifully skirted with birch wood, and studded with small islands. On the largest of one of these, once stood a fortress, said to have been built, and occasionally occupied as a hunting-seat, by Malcolm Canmore, whence it probably got its name. Towards the east end 776 ABERDEENSHIRE. it is shallow, in the middle from three to four fathoms deep ; and its temperaure is much warmer than either that of Loch Dhuloch or Loch Muick. Bivers. — The principal river is the Dee, which divides these parishes through their whole length. Its source is in the mountains of Braemar, in the head of the county. It receives many tributary streams, and runs in an easterly direction, till it falls into the Ger- man Ocean at Aberdeen. Its length, following the windings of its course, is from 90 to 100 miles ; its mean annual breadth at Glenmuick, about 70 yards ; its mean depth, about 4 feet ; its mean velocity, about 3 miles an hour ; and its mean temperature, between 40° and 42° of Fahrenheit. Besides the Dee, there are two smaller rivers or waters, the Gairn and the Muick. The Gairn has its source from springs in the east end of Benavon, a high mountain in the parish of Brae- mar. The length of its winding course is about 20 miles ; its mean breadth, about 10 yards ; its mean depth, about 18 inches ; its mean velocity somewhat greater than of the Dee ; its mean tem- perature lower. It runs in a direction from north-west to south- east, and, after intersecting the parish of Glengairn, it falls into the north side of the Dee, about a mile and a-half north-west from the church. The Muick takes its rise from Lochmuick, before noticed, and runs through a considerable part of Glenmuick, in a direction from south-west to north-east. The length of its winding course is about ten miles, and it falls into the south side of the Dee, at the manse, or about half a-mile west from the church. Its breadth, depth, and temperature, are nearly the same as those of the Gairn, but its velocity is less. About the middle of its course, there is a cascade, called the Lynn of Muick, where the water falls from a height of thirty- six feet over a perpendicular rock, and in floods, after rain or thaw, it makes a thundering deafening noise, and dashes its spray in every direction above and around it. Geology^ ^c. — The direction and dip of the strata, and the veins that cut across them, have not yet been well ascertained. The most prevalent rocks are, gneiss, trap, and primitive limestone. The two former, particularly the gneiss, are here and there cut across by veins of quartz, porphyry, &c., containing fluor-spar and galena. Some serpentine has been found, also some amianthus, and plenty of common asbestos. There is an abundance of granite, not in solid rocks, but in boulders and isolated masses ; bog-iron and GLENMUICK, TULLICH, AND GLENGAIRN. 777 ironstone are also very common. No fossil organic remains, either of the animal or vegetable kingdoms, have yet been disco- vered ; nor of alluvial deposites can anything interesting be men- tioned. The soil is generally shallow, dry, sandy, or gravelly ; some of it is loamy, and contains boulders of ironstone, gneiss, or granite ; little of it is clayey, and none of it marly. There is no indication of pit-coal, nor have mines been opened of any de- scription. Zoology. — One species of animal, that of rabbits, which formerly was never seen here except in warrens, has now overspread the country, and is more destructive to turnips and other vegetables than even hares. It may also be mentioned, as a rare occurrence, that a number of white rats have lately made their appearance. The fishes in the lakes and rivers are, pike, eels, par, trouts, and salmon. Salmon come up the rivers to spawn in October and November, and return to the sea in January and the two fol- lowing months. One species of them, called canavegs, from the smallness of the head, come up later, and do not return till April and May. Botany. — The rarer species of plants are what are termed al- pine, and are found chiefly on the highest mountains and hills ,- but they are seldom or never used for medicinal, or any other pur- poses. The forests consist of Scotch fir ; the plantations of Scotch fir, interspersed with larch, pine, mountain-ash, and some other varieties. Birch, oak, aspen, and hazel, grow spontaneously on dry, gravelly, and sandy soils ; aller on marshy soils, and along the banks of rivers. The soil is not favourable to the more va- luable kinds of timber, such as plane, elm, ash. II. — Civil History. Land-oioners. — The chief and only land-owners are, the Marquis of Huntly ; Mrs Farquharson of Invercauld ; Michael Gordon, Esq. of Abergeldie ; and the Representatives of the late William Farqu- harson, Esq. of Monaltrie ; and their respective valued rents, ac- cording to the order in which they here stand, are L.967, 3s. 4d. ; L. 1503, 7s. 7d.; L. 507, 5s. 9d. ; and L. 407, amounting to L.3384, 16s. 8d. Scotch money for the three parishes. Parochial Registers. — The parochial registers are very defec- tive, and not voluminous. During the incumbency of Mr John Ferguson, the earliest minister here on record, the cash and dis- cipline register begins 23d June 1661, and ends 6th January 1677 : then it begins again at the admission of his successor, Mr 778 ABERDEENSHIRE. David Guthrie, 11th December 1687, and ends 16th February 1696: it begins again at the admission of his successor, Mr James Robertson, 2-2d March 1699, and ends 13th November 17'26; then it begins again at the admission of his successor, Mr William Mackenzie, 5th May 1748, and ends i6(h May 1760: it begins again, in Mr Mackenzie's time, 8th March 1768, and from this date it has been regularly kept. The register of baptisms does not begin till 6th November 1768. Previous to this time, it is said to have been lost through the negligence of the re- latives of the session-clerk, about the time of his death. The re- gister of marriages does not begin till 4th June 1792. Since these dates, the registers of baptisms and marriages are entire ; but it does not appear that there ever has been any register of deaths. Antiquities. — There are many large heaps of stones, commonly called cairns, on a heath or moor near Culblean, in the east end of Tuliich : and they are said to cover the graves of those who fell in flight after the battle of Culblean or Kilblane, which, ac- cording to Buchanan, B. ix. c. 23, was fought between the adher- ents of King David Bruce and the followers of Cummin, Earl of Athole, in 1335. But, as none of these barrows have yet been opened, it is not known what may be under them, or whether they may not be of a still earlier date. Modern Buildings. — The chief modern buildings are the man- sion-house of Ballater, low called Monallrie House; Birkhall, a seat belonging to Mr Gordon of Abergeldie ; the present paro- chial central church ; and a mason hall, all built of granite and lime, covered with slates, and having the best Scotch fir for roof- ing and other carpenter-work. Of meal-mill? there are nine, and three of these have each a drying-kiln, and all their machinery of a new and improved construction. Of manufactories there are none, except a carding-mill for wool, at which also some coarse cloth is made. These mills are all driven by water. III. — Population. The number of souls, according to Dr Webster's report, was . 2270 Sir John Sinclair's Account, 2117 Census 1811, 1894 1821, 22-28 1831, . 2279 1841, 2118 All these returns show that there has been little difference in the population for nearly eighty years, except in 1811 ; and the cause of the decrease that year cannot now be discovered. It GLENMUICK, TULLICH, AND GLENGAIRN. 779 would seem that the census bad not been accurately taken that year. The number of the population residing in villages is 346 ; viz. in Ballater, '271, and in Kirkton of TuUich, 75; all the rest, 193-'3, reside in the country. The yearly average of births for the last seven years is 49 deaths. . . 40 marriages, . . 18 The number of persons for the same period under 15 years of age is 787 betwixt 15 and 30, 569 30 and 50, 456 50 and 70, 349 upwards of 70, . 94 There are no nobility residing in these parishes, nor any per- sons of independent fortune, except one for a few months in sum- mer. The number of proprietors of land of the yearly value of L.50 and upwards, is only 4. The number of bachelors and widowers upwards of 50 years of age is 36 uniuarried women upwards of 45, . . 87 families, . . . 548 The average number of children in each family is . 2|- The number of insane, fatuous, blind, deaf and dumb, is 11. IV. — Industrv. Agriculture. — The number of acres standard imperial measure, cultivated and occasionally in tillage, is . • . 3643 The number of acres never cultivated, and constantly was*e, 108,372 The number of acres that might be profitably added to cultivat- ed land is . . . . 253 The number of acres in a state of undivided common, none. The number of acres under wood, natural and planted, is . 3185 Total standard imperial acres, . 115,453 The general kind of trees planted is Scotch fir and larch ; of indigenous it is birch and aller. Little attention is paid to the yearly thinning, pruning, and the like. The total rental of the parishes is L.5105, which would make the average rent of arable land about L.l, 8s. per acre; but after deducting the rent of eight sheep farms, and a moderate value for hill pasture attached to others, it is not fully L.l, Is. per stand- ard imperial acre. Live-stock. — The common breed of cattle is the small home- bred animals, crossed with the Galloway and some other breeds; and of sheep it is the black-faced common Scotch, and a mixed breed between these and others brought from Lanark sheep fair in August. The cattle are improviiig insize and shape, in con- 780 ABERDEENSHIRE. sequence of greater attention paid of late to their improvement ; and the store-farmers are at considerable pains to improve the breed of their sheep, particularly as to the quantity and quality of their wool. But the small tenants, who are allowed to keep only a few sheep, in proportion to their rent and the extent of hill pas- ture in their respective districts, pay little attention to their im- provement in any respect. The general character of the husbandry hitherto pursued is not much to be commended. The specialties which distinguish it are over-cropping, want of proper attention to cleaning, liming, and dunging the ground under green crop, and a disregard to any re- gular rotation. However, the more slothful and indolent part of the tenantry are beginning to follow the example of the more ac- tive and industrious, old prejudices and practices are giving way to conviction, a seven shift rotation is becoming more and more ge- neral, and an evident change to the better has been gradually tak- ing place since smuggling was suppressed. About 312 imperial acres have been brought under tillage in the course of the last ten years, by trenching and draining : em- banking has been carried on to a considerable extent; but irriga- tion, unless in some rare instances, has not been attempted. The general duration of leases is nineteen years. The state of the farm-buildings in general is above mediocrity ; but sufficient enclosures, though becoming more and more com- mon, are still wanting in some parts of these parishes. At present, the main obstacles to improvement seem to be, the low prices of grain, cattle, sheep, and every sort of farm produce, the distance from markets and sea-ports, and a general scarcity of money. There are no mines in these parishes, nor any quarries, except two of limestone, and these are wrought by persons who sell the limestone to those who want it, at 6d. per cart load. Granite, without quarrying, is found above ground, in quantities sufficient for building, and every necessary purpose. Produce. — The yearly average gross amount and value of raw produce raised in these parishes, for seven years preceding 1833, may be stated as under : Imp. acres. Value. 1129 under oats, produce 3669 qrs., at L.l, lOs. 9d. per qr., with fodder, . . . L.5641 1 9 472 under bear or big, produce 1652 qrs., at L. 1, 14s. per qr. with fodder, . , . 2808 8 128 under potatoes, produce 480 tons, at L. 2 per ton, . 960 GLENMUICK, TULLICH, AND GLENGAIRN. 781 371 under turnips, at L.5 per acre, . . L. 1855 Small quantities of cabbages, &c. cultivated in the gar- densofthetenants.little or none in thefields, value about 310 504 under hay, produce 604 tons, 16 cwt., at 4s. per cwt., 2419 4 Flax, little or none cultivated, 1039 pasturegrass, lstand2d yearafterbay,at L. I, 10s. per acre, 1558 10 3643 total acres. Value of garden produce at Monaltrie Ho*se, L.50, ditto at Birkhall, L.15, . . . 65 Annual thinning and felling of woods, &c. for fuel, . . 200 Annual felling of wood for carpenter and mechanical work, 600 Horses of different ages and sizes, 304, at L.IO average value, 3040 Black-cattle of different ages and sizes, 2054, at L.4 average value, 8216 Sheep, ewes, and wedders, of different ages, 18132, at 13s. ave- rage value, . . . 11785 16 Goats of different ages, 200, at 5s. do . . 50 Swine of different ages, 450, at 16s. do. . . 360 Beehives, 1000, at L.l average value, . 1000 Butter and cheese, . • 670 Eggs and poultry, . . . 240 Total value, . . L.41,378 19 9 V. — Parochial Economy. Villages. — There are only two villages, — Ballater and Tullich. Ballater, though of recent origin, is nnuch frequented in summer by strangers from a distance, on account of the salubrity of the air and the beauty of its scenery. Its streets or lanes cross the main street at right angles. Its houses are built on a regular plan, and neatly fitted up for the accommodation of summer lodgers. A post-office is established in it, and it has the advantage of a daily post to and from Aberdeen. Means of Communication. — There is an excellent commutation road on the north side of the Dee to Charleston of Aboyne, where it joins a turnpike road, 30| miles in length, leading to Aberdeen. On this road, three weekly carriers travel between Ballater and Aberdeen ; but, at present, there is no public coach upon it, except a mail-coach, which runs daily. There is also a good commutation road to Aberdeen on the south side of Dee, and several cross roads northward and southward, all kept in a proper state of repair. As to bridges, this parish has been very unfortunate. Two ex- cellent stone bridges, each consisting of five arches, have been swept away by the Dee, within the space of thirty years. The first catastrophe was occasioned by an unusually high flood in the end of August 1799; and the last by a still higher flood on the 4th August 1829, of which some notice is taken by Sir Thomas Dick Lauder in his account of the floods. The second bridge, which stood only twenty years, was erected near the ruins of the first in 1808 — 9 ; and the expense of it, between L.4000 and L.5000, was 782 ABEHDEENSHIRE. defrayed, the one-half by pubhc subscriptions, and the other half by a grant from the Parliamentary Commissioners for Highland Roads and Bridges. In 1834, a neat substantial wooden bridge, of four arches, was erected on the site of the stone bridge, of five arches, destroyed by the flood in August 1829; and the expense of this third one, amounting to upwards of L.'2000, was defrayed, the one-half by public subscriptions, and the other half by a grant from the Parliamentary Commissioners for Highland Roads and Bridges. Near the manse, there is a stone bridge, of one arch, across the Water of Muick, in the hne of the road on the south side of Dee. There is also another stone bridge, of one arch, across the Water of Gairn, in the line of the road on the north side of Dee ; and both these are of great public utility, and are at present in a sub- stantial condition. Ecclesiastical State. — The parish church stands on the north side of Dee, and in the middle of a large open square in the vil- lage of Ballater. It is as central for the three parishes as possi- ble ; yet, the extremities being too distant, it is not convenient for a great part of the population. It was built in 1798, has a neat spire, is in a good state of repair, and accommodates about 800 persons, who have all free sittings. On most occasions, it is roomy enough, except on the communion Sabbath, — then it is by far too crowded ; and the reason of this is, that a distant part of tlie pa- rishioners, who attend a missionary chapel at Rinloan, assemble with others at the parish church on that day, in order to commu- nicate. The manse stands on the south side of Dee, and on the north side of Muick, on a narrow strip of ground, about 200 yards from the point of their junction ; and, following the windings of the road, it is nearly a mile south-west from the church. A part of it was built about forty years ago ; and a larger and older part appears, from a date upon it, to have been built in 1725. This older part has been repeatedly and recently repaired ; but it never can be made comfortable, because the walls of it have been built with clay instead of lime, and that too in a very insufficient manner. The extent of the glebe, in lieu of 3, should be 6^ Scotch acres, and its value about L.IO per annum ; but, since the flood in 1829, an acre of it has been carried away by the Dee. It has been lately embanked by the heritors at a considerable expense, — up- GLENMUICK, TULLICH, AND GLENGAIIIN, 783 wards of L.lOO ; and it is hoped this will prevent the river from making future encroachments. The amount of the stipend is 17 chalders, half meal, half bar- ley, standard weight and measure, payable in money, according to the county fiars, with L.8, 6s. 8d. for communion elements. But a part of it was permanently converted into money by the Court of Teinds, and is not affected by the fiars. There is a missionary chapel at Rinloan in Glengairn, about seven miles from the parish church ; and its minister receives L.60 annually from the Committee for managing the Royal Bounty, besides enjoying all the accommodations which they require. In these parishes, there are no chapels of ease. Government churches, catechists. Dissenting, Seceding, nor Episcopalian cha- pels. There is one Catholic chapel on Gairnside, about five miles north-west from the parish church, and about two miles east from the missionary chapel at Rinloan ; and its bishop resides at Pres- home in Banffshire. The number of families who are members of the Established Church is 462; of persons do. 1919. The number of families who are members of the Catholic Church is 865 of persons do. 360. Divine service at the parish church, and also at the chapel at Rinloan, is well attended, except on very bad days. The ave- rage number of communicants at the Established Church, for the last ten years, is 936 ; the average number of young communi- cants for the same period is 31 ; and the average of their ages about nineteen years. No Society for religious purposes has yet been established in these parishes. The average amount of church collections yearly for the Indian Mission, the Assembly's Schools, the Infirmary at Aberdeen, and other religious and charitable purposes, has hitherto been about L.12. Education. — The total number of schools at present is 8, viz. 1 parochial, 1 endowed, 1 unendowed, and 5 supported by subscrip- tion among the parishioners. The parochial schoolmaster's salary is the iTiaximum ; the amount of his school fees and other perquisites about L.20 ; and he has the legal accommodations. He has also a share of the Dick Bequest. The teacher of the endowed school has a salary of L.15, with the usual accommodations j and the amount of fees paid to him is about L.6. The teacher of the un- endowed school has a salary of L.30, without any accommodation 784 ABKRDE1I4SH1RE. but a house for teaching ; and the amount of fees paid to him is about L.5. The five subscription schools are taught for only three or four months in winter; and, during that time, the average of the whole emoluments to each teacher, without any accommo- dation but a hovel for teaching, is only between L.5 and L.7. The number of the young betwixt six and fifteen years of age who cannot read and write is 370 ; of those upwards of fifteen years of age it is 240. Some of the people are not so much alive to the benefits of education as might be expected ; but, in general, they begin to see and appreciate them much better than they did a few years ago. There are many parts of these parishes by far too distant from the parochial school ; but this inconvenience is, in some measure, remedied by the western and north-eastern extremities being near to the adjoining schools of Strathgirnac, Crathie, and Logie- Cold- stone. There are, however, two districts, each of which would re- quire an additional school, — they being five and six miles distant from any school either within or without these parishes, and hav- ing each a population of more than 300. Library. — A circulating library has been established in Balla- ter. Friendly Society. — There is a. Friendly Society, — St Nathalen's, a masonic lodge, whose charter from the Grand Lodge of Scot- land is dated 9th May 1815.* Savings Bank. — A parochial Savings Bank was established on the 26th February 1821, which, besides a treasurer and clerk, is managed by twelve directors, four of whom go out by rotation at the end of every year to make room for as many new ones, who are then elected to continue in office for three years. The in- vestments are generally made by servants out of their wages, mostly by females ; and the number of depositors has never yet exceeded 50. Poor and Parochial Funds. — Taking the average of the last seven years, the number of persons receiving parochial aid is 84, and the average proportion of the funds to each is only a fraction above 1 4s. per annum ; but, according to their age and other cir- cumstances, the sums which they actually receive vary from 12s. to L. 1 per annum. The average annual amount of contributions for • This society has now sold tlieir hall, and divided their funds ; but tliey still con- tinue to admit new members, and to maintain their connection with the Grand Lodge of Scotland. 3 GLENMUICK, TULLICH, AND GLENGAIUN. T85 their relief is L.65, 6s. 6d., viz. church collections, L.4I5 13s. 8d. ; donations, L.6, 13s. lld.i penalties, L.6, 12s. 6d. ; mortcloth dues, 6s. 5d. ; and L.IO, the interest of L.250, settled for their behoof, at 4 per cent. From this is to be deducted L.O for session-clerk's, precentor's, and kirk-officer's salaries, or L.2 for each, which leaves only L.59, 6s. 6d. to be divided among 84 paupers. Besides what has been now stated, there is no other mode of procuring funds for their relief. But here it may be proper to mention, that John Bur- nett, Esq. of Dens, and formerly a merchant in Aberdeen, by a deed of settlement, left his residuary estate, which turned out to be L.2000 Sterling, for the following charitable purpose : That is to say — he appointed his Trustees and the Synod of Aberdeen to appor- tion and divide the interest of it, in the way he has prescribed, for the behoof of all the parishes within the county of Aberdeen, with the particular exception of the town and parish of Aberdeen, for which he had made provision in a prior and separate deed. And the method pointed out by the latter deed, here referred to, is briefly this, — that his Trustees and the Synod shall, with the ex- ception of Aberdeen, take all the parishes within this county in rotation ; that, at the beginning of each rotation, they shall deter- mine the quantum to be allowed to each parish, according to its population, the number of its poor, the extent of its funds, and other circumstances at the time ; that no parish shall receive more than L.50 nor less than L.20 in each rotation ; that no distinction shall be made of persons on account of their religious professions, but that preference shall be shown to such as have lived soberly and religiously ; that, after having gone over all the parishes in one rotation, the managers shall, at- the beginning of the next rotation, determine the quantum to each parish anew, and proceed as for- merly ; and so on in all time thereafter. Our parish has been found entitled to the maximum, L.50, which it has received twice in rotation since the commencement of the distributions, viz. in 1816 and in 1832. And, it is to be hoped, that it will come round again in about half the former time, as an addition has been made to the original stock from funds lately realized, which will nearly double the interest. It must also be mentioned that, besides this, the Invercauld Trustees have under their management the interest of L.500, des- tined for poor householders and others in reduced circumstances, which they divide annually. With this our session has no farther concern than in recommending to the trustees such persons as it ABERDEEN. 3 D 786 ABERDEENSHIRE. thinks the fittest objects ; and, in this way, it assists our poor's funds, and affords rehef to many of the nr.ost necessitous. Fairs. — There are two annual fairs at Ballater for the sale of horses, cattle, and sheep, — the one on the first Tuesday of May, O. S., the other on the second Monday and Tuesday of Septem- ber, O. S. There is also a Martinmas fair at the same place for engaging servants, the sale of grain, and paying and receiving money; and it holds on Saturday immediately preceding 21st November, N. S. Inns. — In these parishes there are 1 1 inns and alehouses, most of them respectable in their way. Fuel. — The general kind of fuel is peats, procured from mosses in the hills at the cost of from 3s. to 4s. 6d. per single horse cart- load, according to the distance and other circumstances. Wood, though expensive, is also used ; and coals from Aberdeen at the cost of 2s. per cwt., including carriage, which, dear as they are, many people consider to be the cheapest kind of fuel. July 1842. PARISH OF BIRSE. PRESBYTERY OF KINCARDINE o'nEIL, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. GEORGE SMITH, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — The name of the parish is derived from a Gaelic word signifying bush, and seems to express what was formerly the ge- neral appearance of the district in which it is situated. Extent, ^c. — The parish is of great extent, being on the south side along the top of the Grampians, and on the west side from the top of the Grampians to the river Dee, about ten miles long. On the north side, it is about eight miles long, and on the east it is about six miles. This parish forms the south-east point of Aberdeenshire ; and is bounded on the east by the parish of Stra- chan, which is in the county of Kincardine, and along the Gram- pians ; on the south, by a part of the same parish, and by Loch- lee, in the county of Forfar ; on the west, by a mountain range BIRSE. 787, of the parish of Aboyne, which extends down to the river Dee ; and on the north, partly by the said river, and by a section of Aboyne, which stretches to the south of the Dee. Topographical Appearances. — The appearance of the parish is hilly and mountainous. If viewed from the highest ground on its western side, it would be seen to consist of three distinct valleys, running eastwards towards the Dee, and separated from each other by two ranges of hills. That on the south is the largest, and forms the valley of the Feugh. Its western extremity, called the " Forest of Birse," is narrow, and the appearance of it is bleak and wild ; but at the distance of about five miles from its com- mencement, the valley expands suddenly to a considerable breadth, improving in appearance and in soil, and forming the chief part of the property of Finzean. This improvement in its natural fea- tures is maintained throughout the valley to its termination at the confluence of the Feugh with the Dee, near the village of Ban- chory, in Kincardineshire. The total length of the Feugh which divides this valley is about fifteen miles, and its termination forms one of the loveliest and most romantic scenes on Dee-side. The second valley, called " Glen-chatt," is much smaller than the first, and the course of the stream which intersects it is shorter. Like the former, it is narrow at first, but afterwards expands con- siderably, forming the properties of Ballogie and Midstrath. The third district is not properly a valley by itself, but forms rather one side of the vale perambulated by the Dee at this part of its course. There is, however, a small stream of water running through it, and dividing it into two parts. Hence it has still something of the appearance ofa valley, although the ground on the north side of it separating it from the Dee is not much elevated. In the centre of this third district, the church and manse are si- tuated. Their position on the north-west side of the parish ren- ders the great bulk of the inhabitants at a very inconvenient dis- tance from church. The scenery in the parish is not sufficiently bold to be romantic, but may be called wild. Some of the moun- tains in the parish rise to a considerable altitude. Mount Geanach, one of the Grampian range, being between two and three thou- sand feet above the sea. Climate. — The temperature of the atmosphere is extremely va- riable. The climate cannot be called a humid one, yet it is very unsteady. Sudden alternations of heat and cold, wet and dry weather are constantly experienced. Severe thunder storms some- 788 ABERDEENSHIRE. times happen; but no case of injury to life or property from the electric fluid has occurred for many years. Springs. — Abundance of common springs of water are found in all parts of the parish. A few chalybeates exist in it, though none of them are of much eminence. One of them, resembling in some measure, when analyzed, the Moffat waters, was discovered a few years ago, near the suspension-bridge of Aboyne over the Dee, and was frequented for some time by the neighbouring invalids with apparent benefit ; but its celebrity seems now on the wane. Geology. — The chief mineral productions found in the parish are, blue heathen stone, as it is commonly called, granite, and limestone. A fine variety of red porphyry is also to be seen on the borders of the parish, in the bed of the river Dee, near the bridge of Potarch. The granite is found in large blocks, near the surface of the soil, throughout the whole extent of the parish ; and, as these serve all the purposes of building, quarries have not been opened. Traces of such, however, are seen in various places as the superincumbent strata are washed away by the mountain torrents. The limestone also abounds, an 1 is usually found with- in a few feet of the surface, lying under a deposit of gravel and small stones. It is used by the farmers in the district for agricul- tural purposes; but, from the great admixture of sand which it contains, the difficulty of burning it, and the distance from coal, none of the quarries will bear the expense of being worked for the general market. The soil of the parish is a light loam, approaching in many places to gravel. It chiefly consists of decomposed granite, sand, and a proportion of clay, — the latter in defective quantity. For this reason, the soil is loose and friable, ill adapted for raising wheat or heavy crops of oats, but better calculated for barley and turnip husbandry. The plants that seem peculiarly attached to the soil are broom, furze, juniper, and birch, and fir trees. Wherever the ground is protected from the pasturage of sheep and cattle, these quickly begin to appear. Among the hills the monotony of the heath is relieved by the blaeberry, the crowberry, and the cranberry plants; which last is found in great quantities, and affords a considerable source of employment and profit to the children of the cottagers and small farmers in the neighbourhood, who collect the berries, and take them to the Aberdeen market. Zoology. — The rarer species of animals found in the parish are, the fox, badger, hedgehog, wild-cat, polecat,^vveasel, otter, com- BIRSE, 789 mon and white hare, rabbit; and in the woods the roe and red deer. To the feathered tribes, the extent of plantation, and the varied surface of hill and dale, afford inviting shelter; accordingly we have a large proportion of them. Among these, may be num- bered, the grouse, ptarmigan, blackcock, snipe, partridge, various species of ducks, the heron, wood-pigeon, magpie, raven, crow, jackdaw, kestrel, hawk-owl, and others. Among the songsters of the field we have the goldfinch, chaf- finch, redbreast, linnet, yellow-hammer, thrush, blackbird, tit- mouse, and many others. Besides these, a great number of aqua- tic and other migratory birds frequent, in summer, the fields and rivers, such as the oyster-catcher, corncrake, lapwing, swallow, wagtail, cuckoo, plover, woodcock, and of late years the curlew. Of the insect tribe many varieties are to be found. In the gar- dens, a green insect proves often fatal to the blossom of the apple trees, and another to the carrots and onions. For these no ef- fectual remedy has yet been found. The fly which has so often desolated turnip fields in the south, and the insect, if insect it be, which has of late years been so destructive to potato cultivation, have neither of them appeared in this quarter to any serious extent. The breed of cattle in use cannot be distinctly classed, but may be called the Aberdeenshire polled and horned. The animals, in general, are small in size, and defective in many of the points of beauty and value. The breed of sheep in common use is the black-faced horned. II. — Civil History. The ancient history of the parish is involved in much obscurity, like that of many others. The multitude of tumuli, however, scattered in all directions on the mountain sides, would indicate that it was the scene, in former days, of battle and of blood. One immense cairn exists in the woods of Finzean, though now much beneath its original size; and on the adjacent hill are to be seen a great number of smaller cairns or tumuli ; while a little far- ther eastward a long granite stone, such as was used in ancient times to mark the grave of some eminent person, was dug up a good many years ago, and now stands on the top of the hill of Corsedarder. These appearances taken in connection would lead us to the belief of some serious battle having taken place, and that a chief had been killed on the spot alluded to. But whether that chief was, as has been said, an ancient king or prince of Scot- land, named Dardanus, cannot now be ascertained. It is far from 790 ABERDEENSHIRE. unlikely that many of the tumuli every where visible, mark the resting-place of individuals slain in some highland foray for cattle into the lovi'lands ; for which the upper districts were at one time so famous. On such occasions, the hills and mountains of this pa- rish, lying as they do betwixt the north and the south country, must often have been the scene where the fugitives and the pursuers encountered each other, and disputed the prize ; and these tumuli would indicate that the encounters did not always pass over without blood. This idea derives some probability of truth, from the cir- cumstance, that there is a mountain pass leading through this pa- rish, across the Grampians, to the south country, known to this day by the name of the " Cattrin road," or perhaps " raid," — a clear proof that this district was at one time well known to, and fre- quented by, the " Cattrin," in their excursions from the higher and more northern districts to and from the south. In Spalding's history of the " Troubles of Scotland" occasional allusion is made to the inhabitants of this parish and district. They seem to have followed the fortunes of the Gordon or the Huntly family, and, being opposed to the Covenanters, suffered frequent spoliation of their cattle and property from the soldiers of the latter. The same authority records that several of the mi- nisters of Birse stoutly resisted signing the Covenant, and refused to yield until high ecclesiastical censures were passed upon them. In modern times the chief occurrences connected with the pa- rish are, 1st, the building of the bridge of Potarch over the Dee, in 1813, establishing a communication between the parish and the Deeside turnpike road to Aberdeen ; 2dlt/, the building of a sus- pension bridge over the same river at t1ie west end of the parish, by the Earl of Aboyne, first in 18*28, and, on its being carried off by the great flood in August 1829, rebuilding it in 1830; and Sdli/, the building of a bridge over the river Feugh, in 1835, on the line of the great north and south road across the Grampians. Eminent Meji. — The most eminent men connected with the pa- rish by birth are- stated in the last Statistical Account to have been Dr Gilbert Ramsay, who was Rector of Christ's Church, Barba- does, and who left at his death L.500 to the poor of his native pa- rish, L.500 to endow a free school in it, and a sum of money to erect a bridge over the Feugh at the east end of it. Dr Alexan- der Garden, formerly in Charleston, South Carolina, and whose father was minister of this parish for upwards of fifiy years ; Dr Rose of Birsebeg, both of whom were American refugees during the re- 4 PIRSE. 791 volutionary war. George Rose, Esq. formerly of the Treasury, was grandson of Donald Rose, Esq. of Wester Clune. Captain David Ochterloiiny, who fell at Quebec with General Wolfe, was one of the Ochterlounies of Tillyfrusky. And another branch of the same family was the late Sir David Ochterlouny, who died in the East Indies a few years ago. To these may be added Bishop Skinner, grandfather of the present Bishop Skinner of Aberdeen, who was a native of Balfour, and who distinguished himself by various pub- lications, and some celebrated Scottish ballads. Land-owners. — The proprietors of the parish are, 1. Archibald Farquharson, Esq. of Finzean. The family of whom the present proprietor is representative, came originally from Braemar, but they have held property in this parish for several centuries. The second heritor is the Marquis of Huntly. The third heritor is Lewis Farquharson Innes, Esq. of Ballogie. The family to which he belongs were formerly Farquharsons of Inverey, in Crathie and Braemar ; but upon their succession to the property of Bal- logie, by the extinction of the family of Innes of Balnacraig and Ballogie, they have added the name of Innes to the former family one. The fourth heritor of the parish is John Mair Gerard, Esq. of Midstrath. The oldest son of this family, and the proprietor tlien in possession, fell at Waterloo.* Parochial Registers. — The date of the earliest register is 1699, from which year, for a period of eight years, during the ministry of Mr John Howe, it is kept with great exactness. From 1707, the year of Mr Howe's death, to 1726, the registers are either lost or have never been kept. From 1726 to 1744, they are kept regularly. From 1744 to 1765, they are again lost. From the year 1765, they are kept regularly up to the present day. In Mr Howe's Register, many interesting circumstances, connected * Since the present Statistical Account was compiled, some years ago, two small properties, called Balfour and Kinminity, have, in consequence of the bankruptcy of the Marquis of Huntlj% been sold. They have been purchased by Francis J. Cochran, Esq., Advocate in Aberdeen. The estate of Ballogie has also, by the death of Lewis Innes, Esq. in 1840, come into the possession of his four sisters, the Misses Farquharson, residing at Ballogie, and Mrs Lynch, who resides in London. The estate of Finzean, consisting of nearly the half of the parish, has, by the death of Archibald Farquharson, Esq. come into the possession of his uncle, John Farqu- harson, Esq., presently residing in London. Perhaps few things can more strikingly illustrate the mutability of human affairs than the fact, that, since the period that the present Statistical Account was begun to be written, about three years ago, more than two-thirds of the property of it, most unexpectedly, have come into pos- session of other parties than those who then held it, and that only one estate out of the four into which the parish was then divided, is now enjoyed by the same proprie- tor it then was. (1842). 792 ABERDEENSHIRE. with the state of the church and country, are incidentally noticed. Amongst others, the following may be noticed : A letter appears on the record, from the above-mentioned Dr Gilbert Ramsay, to the kirk-session, intimating his intention to found and endow an hospital for the support of a certain number of aged persons, and requesting the session to state to him the probable expense. The session, however, from motives of delicacy, declined to do so, and this first intention appears afterwards to have been abandoned for the endowment of a school. About the same time, an entry is made in the register, of a collection made for the harbour of Eyemouth, and again, a second collection for the same purpose. Nor does a spirit of enlarged charity and sympathy, for suffering brethren, seem then to have been wanting in the Church of Scot- land, for another entry appears of a collection made for the poor Christians, prisoners at Algiers. Not the least singular of the practices of these past days of our fathers, is the strictness of church discipline then prevailing, and the zeal which they mani- fested for the keeping of the Sabbath day, as evinced by the fol- lowing entry in the register : " Said day, * * * was dilated to the session for boiling beesbykes on the Sabbath day." Antiquities. — There are no antiquities in the parish of much celebrity. In the district called the Forest, stands part of an old castellated ruin, on which, however, no date can be seen. It ap- pears to have been built at a period when there were no settled inhabitants in that glen. Tradition says it was erected by a Bi- shop Gordon of Aberdeen, for a hunting seat. Another and more imperfect ruin stands near Easter Clune, beside which had also existed formerly an Episcopal place of worship, and a small bury- ing-ground. No tradition connected with this ruin exists in the neighbourhood. In the charters of Finzean, it is denominated the fortalice of Easter Clune. In all probability, it was merely the re- sidence of one of the many landholders who formerly held the property of the parish, and which the lawless state of society then prevailing required to be capable of maintaining a short defence against the sudden assaults of enemies. A few years ago, four silver coins were dug out of a grave in the churchyard. They are much worn, but had originally been nearly the size of modern half crowns. They bear the inscription of " Robertus Scotorum Rex" on one side, and on the other, " Villa Edinburgh," " Villa Perth.'' Buildincfs, — The chief buildings in the parish are the mansion- BIRSE. 793 houses of Finzean and Ballogie. The former is an old house, built in the form of three sides of a square ; the latter is, to a great extent, a modern building. Both are comfortable mansion- houses, but claim no particular notice from their architecture. The woods and plantations around each are extensive and thriving, and add much to the beauty of the parish. III. — Population. Previous to Dr Webster's report, no accurate statement of the population is on record. The population then given is 1126. In J 791, when a correct account of it was taken by the last in- cumbent of the parish, it was 1253. From this number the popula- tion gradually rose till 1827, when it was 1568. Since that period it has been receding. By the census of 1831 it was 1487, and, in 1837, it was still lower. The cause of the advance and subsequent decrease was the same, viz. illicit distillation of whisky. "While this infamous and demoralizing practice prevailed, population in- creased through the facilities by which families were maintained among the hills and valleys on its profits. But no sooner was this system put down, than the effect appeared on population. Fewer marriages than formerly now take place, and a considerable number of families, formerly supported by illicit distillation, have been obliged to remove to tovvns and other parishes : a good many families, also, have emigrated to America. This is entirely a rural parish, there being no village of any kind in it. The population may be divided as follows : * Number under !5 years of age, 526 between 15 and 30, 327 30 and 50, 362 50 and 70, 191 above 70, . G4 1470, — population in 1834. Number of unmarried men above 50, . 16 women never married, above 45, . 41 The number of marriages at present subsisting in the pa- rish, inclusive of widowers or widows, 259 ; of these, 245 have had families, 14 have had no family; besides these, 11 have had no family in their present marriage, although one of the parties had a family by a former marriage. In the above, ten marriages have had only one child, and eleven marriages have had only two children. The average number of children in a family is about 4| ; proportion of those marriages produ- * Tlie population, as taken by census 1841, was 1313, exhibiting a decrease from the census 1831, of 174. The cause of the decrease is that stated above, slong with the junction of small farms into larger. 794 ABERDEENSHIRE. cing no ftimily to those which have, 1 to 17|. Number of in- sane, two ; partially insane, one ; fatuous, one ; blind, partially, two ; (leaf and dumb, none. Character of the People. — As regards the general character of the people, they are more intelligent, and better informed than they formerly were. Newspapers are widely and greedily read, and some are anxious to improve their minds from other sources. The value of education begins to be more deeply appreciated, and where the young have the means of obtaining it, they manifest much readiness in apprehending the instruction communicated to them. In point of morality, the people are generally decent and well-behaved ; the chief excesses whereof they are guilty, arising from the abuse of ardent spirits, into which a good many occa- sionally fall, from the facilities with which spirits are to be had. In respect to religion, a just and proper value is put by the gene- rality of the people on its ordinances, and much exertion is made by those living in the distant corners of the parish to attend church. IV. — Industry, Agriculture. — The number of arable acres in the parish, as nearly as can be ascertained, is about 3380 imperial acres ; but they bear a small proportion to the unimproved, of which there are probably not less than upwards of 40,000 imperial acres. Of late years, considerable additions have been made to the arable portion of the parish, by squaring fields, and draining wet parts ; but such is the rugged and barren nature of the great bulk of the remainder, that any large additions from it can never be made. The number of acres under wood is as follows : on the estate of Finzean, 1800 imperial acres ; of Aboyne, about 900 acres; Bal- logie, about 960; Midstrath, 50; in all, 3710. Of this large number, however, many acres are comparatively thin, from the quantities of timber that have been sold and carried away for many years. The great proportion of the plantations is of Scots fir, many individual trees of which have come to great size, and produced a fine quality of timber. The annual value of wood sold in the parish for many years has been little short of L. 1000 Sterling, and often considerably more ; and if the proprietors con- tinue to plant in proportion to what they cut down, nearly this sum may be realized for many years to come. The average rent of the land per imperial acre is as follows : — on the property of Finzean, L. 1, 4s. 7d. ; Aboyne, L. 1, Os. 6d.; Ballogie, L.l, 2s. lOd.; Midstrath, L.l,4s. 9d. Average, taking BIRSE. 795 into view the size of the different properties, about L.l, 3s. In stating this as the average of the parish, it may be mentioned, that, along with the land rented, there is conveyed to the tenant right to the common pasturage of the hills, for which no separate rent is charged ; on which account, the average rent of an acre be- comes somewhat higher than it would otherwise be. Moreover, since the above average was taken some years ago, rents on some of the properties have considerably fallen, and may now be called about L,l, 2s. the imperial acre. The size of the farms in the parish is comparatively small, the generality being from 30 to 60 acres, and only two being above 100 acres. The chief part of the labour on these farms is done by the farmers and their families, for which reason the number of farm-servants in the parish is not large. Prices. — Fir wood can be bought at from 6d. to 8d. per cubic foot. Hard-wood, which is scarce, is a good deal higher. Lime, burned in the kilns at home, costs about 7d. per bushel ; that brought from Aberdeen Is. 2d., including the expense of car- riage. Coals cost about 2s. per barrel, the distance from Aber- deen doubling their expense. The state of husbandry has been much improved within the last twenty years. Previous to that time, regular rotation in cropping was scarcely practised, while limg and manure were very sparingly ap- plied to the soil. Now the great proportion of the land is farmed regularly, and the more enterprising of the farmers are beginning to introduce some of the modern improvements in agriculture. The rotation of cropping followed is what is called the seven- shift, one, which, though it may be doubtful whether it be the most proper, is at least better than the former practice of follow- ing none. The general duration of the leases granted by the proprietors is for nineteen years; but in most instances, where tenants are active and industrious, these are renewed. Several farms in the parish have been occupied by the present tenants and their forefathers for centuries. The chief difference in the present state of the parish and that which existed at the date of the last Statistical report, consists in the improved condition of the farm-houses and buildings. At that period, not one slated farm-house existed, and both dwelling-houses and other erections were built without lime, the upper half of either gable generally consisting of turf. Now, how- l;.2880 2187 1000 1000 1225 260 L.8542 796 ABERDEENSHIRE. ever, all the buildings connected with the farms have assumed n more commodious and substantial form. At that period, not a thrashing-mill existed ; now, there are upwards of thirty, and every year sees them augmented. Produce. — The following may be regarded as an approximation to the truth in respect to the quantity and value of farm produce raised in the parish : Number of arable acres 3360 imperial. Of these there may be in oats 960 acres ; in barley, 480 do. ; in hay, 480 do.; in grass, 960 do.; in turnips and potatoes, 480 do. Oats, 960 acres at 24 bushels per acre, 23040 bushels ; barley, 480 acres, 14040 bushels. Oats, 23,040 bushels, = 2880 quarters at L.l, Barley, 14,040 = I 750 quarters at L. 1 , 5s. 480 acres hay, value, say 960 acres grass, .... 480 acres potatoes and turnips, M''ool. bee-hives, &c. .... Manufactures. — The only manufacture which may be said to exist in the parish, is that of coarse woollen stockings by females. In this manufacture, a good part of the wool clipped from the fleecy inhabitants is consumed. It is customary for those so employed to purchase the annual stock of wool likely to be required by them during the summer season, which, having been carded by the mills in the neighbourhood, is then spun into worsted, and knitted into stockings chiefly during winter. Though the profits in this ma- nufacture be extremely small, yet it aff'ords occupation to a great many females who would otherwise be idle, and furnishes a ready employment for fragments of time. A very expert female will spin and knit a pair of stockings in two days. For these she receives generally from Is. to Is. 3d. when brought to market; of which sum, however, not more than «ne-half is the remuneration for her labour, the other half being the price of wool, carding, and spin- ning. One individual will manufacture about three stones and a half of wool in a year, out of which she will produce from 120 to 130 pairs of stockings. Few of the females so employed are entirely dependent on this work for their subsistence, the profits of it be- ing scarcely sufficient for this purpose. Many of them are partly employed in out-door labour, where they can earn higher wages. In times, however, when such is not to be had, or when the season does not admit of it, or when age and infirmities have debarred them from it, the stockings are the never-failing resource. And so much is this the habitual employment of the females, especially BIRSE* 79T of the elderly and unmarried, that, if a person were to go into the dwelling of such and find the " shank" absent from her hands, he might regard it as an unfailing symptom of indisposition. V. — Parochial Economy. Means of Communication. — There is no market-town, village, post-office, turnpike-road, public carriage, or canal in the parish. The principal roads are the Great North Road from Brechin to Huntly and Inverness, across the Cairn o' Mount and Grampians. It commences at Whitestone, and extends to Bridge of Potarch, a distance of nearly five miles. The other chief road is the South Dee-side Road from Aberdeen to Braemar. It commences at Whitestone, and extends to the suspension-bridge of Aboyne, a distance of about nine miles. Ecclesiastical State. — The church and manse are situated in the north-west corner of the parish, being about two miles distant from the west end, and seven miles from the east — nine or ten miles from the south, and half a mile from the northern boundary. The church was erected in 1779, and is a plain substantial building, capable of containing between 500 and 600 persons. The sittings are given over by the landlords to the farmers, who in turn supply their dependents. The manse was built at separate times. The last addition was made in 1834, rendering it a large and commo- dious house. The glebe is of small value, extending to four acres, besides the garden, and would probably rent for L.6. The amount of stipend is L.150, of which sum L. 19 are paid by the Exche- quer. There is a small Roman Catholic place of worship near Ballogie. To this is attached a glebe of about seven acres of land, and a house for the residence of the priest. In addition to his duty in this parish, the priest has a small chapel in the parish of Glenmuick, where he conducts worship once in the month. In 1834 the number of Roman Catholics in the parish was 59 ; of Episcopalians, 2. All the rest belong to the Established Church. Average number of communicants, 700. The amount of collec- tions, exclusive of those for the ordinary poor, made at church for charitable or religious purposes, is about L.12; but occasionally a good deal more has been obtained. Education. — The number of schools in the parish is three, one parochial school, one supported by the Society for Propagat- ing Christian Knowledge, in Edinburgh, and one by an endow- ment from the fund of Dr Gilbert Ramsay, already mentioned. Besides these, there are generally two or three small schools on the teachers' own adventure. 798 ABERDEENSHIRE. The salary of the parochial teacher is L.30, with the allowance from the Dick Bequest, common to the counties of Aberdeen, Banff, and Moray ; that of the endowed school is L.20, with a house, and six acres of land ; that of the Society school is L.17, with a house, and three acres of land. In the two latter the children are taught gratis ; in the former, the fees, owing to the poverty of the parents, seldom exceed a few pounds. Education is more valued by all classes than formerly, and in nothing is this more clearly seen than in the additional number of girls which is now to be found in all the schools. None in the parish are wholly uneducated, or are entirely incapable of read- ing, although the education of a good many has certainly been very defective. Library. — A parochial religious library was established in 1829, and has met with tolerable success. The books are given out gratis. Savings Bank. — A savings bank was established in 1837, and promises to do well. Poor. — The average number of individuals receiving parochial aid is about 50, and the amount received by them is from 7s. to 9s. per quarter. The funds by which they are supported amount to about L.1300, and the Sabbath collections to L.28 per annum. The sum distributed by the kirk-session is from L. 80 to L. 90 annually. Fairs. — There are three fairs of some local importance, all held at Bridge of Potarch— -one in May, one in October, and one in November. Inns. — The number of alehouses is four; besides which, there is one licensed shop where whisky is sold. Of all these not more than the half is required for public accommodation, and the remaining half is merely a tax upon the industry of the neigh- bourhood. Fuel. — The chief fuel in use is peat and turf from the hills, to- gether with dry wood from the plantations. The expense of peat is about Is. per cart-load for cutting, and Is. 6d. for driving home. July 1842. J PARISH OF LOGIE-BUCHAN. PRESBYTERY OF ELLON, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. GEORGE CRUDEN, MINISTER. 1. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — The name Lugie is understood to signify a low-lying place, and has been aptly applied to an estate of about 300 acres, on the south bank of the Ythan, upon which, as situated near a principal ferry, the church and manse have been built. From this circumstance that small property has given its name to the pa- rish. To distinguish it from others, Buchan is the addition made to the name, from its lying wholly or in part in that district. It is generally considered that Buchan, the most easterly land in Scotland, comprehends all that tract of coast which lies between the mouths of the Doveran and the Don, bounded for a certain length at least in the interior, by the courses of these rivers. But for two cen- turies back there have been some who considered Buchan as not ex- tending south of the Ythan.* Probably the most ancient division of Scotland was into thanedoms, of which more than twenty-seven are enumerated on the east coast,| of which Formartin, lying between the Ythan and the Don, is one. Earldoms are spoken of as ex- isting in the tenth century, and included several thanedoms, which were of less extent. That the Earldom of Buchan includ- ed Formartin, may be inferred from this, that the diocese of Aber- deen comprehended five deaneries, of which Buchan constituted • Buchania ab ostiis Doverini initiura habet, secundum littus in ortum tendens ad principium sinus Varar (Moray) dicti, unde littora circumflectuntur ad meri- diem ; in Mediterraneis fines incerti ; quibusdam consentientibus earn Dona flumine ad meridiem,finiri ; alii non escedunt Ythannamflumen. Quicquid terrarum Ythan- nam et Donam flumina interjacet, Formartini nomine apud incolas audit., qui se Bu' chanias accenseri dedignantur. See Gordon of Straloch's Map of Aberdeenshire in Bleau's Atlas, and Dr Anderson's Report of the State of Agriculture in Aberdeen- shire, 1794. It is probable that, from this ancient local prejudice of the Formartins, may have arisen the following common adages, " Your friends live in Buchan," i. e. '• far off," said of a man who praises himself. " He is like Buchan victual, twa part and third," i. e. " not better than he should be," alluding to the large proportion of bear former- ly mixed with oatmeal in Buchan. f See Robertson's Index of Scarce Charters, Notes, p. xxxix. 800 ABERDEENSHIIIE. one, including- among others the following parishes : Philorth (Fraserburgh), Rathen, Tyrie, Lonmay, Crimond, Langley (St Fergus), Deer, Inverugy (Peterhead), Cruden, Skins, Forvie, Logie-buchan, Ellon, Foveran^ Methlic, Tarves, and Bethelnie (Belhelvie).* Now, as a considerable number of these parishes lie south of the Ythan, we must conclude that the deanery, and of course the earldom, of Buchan extended beyond it also. It is known that the Earls of Buchan held their courts at Ellon, as being most centrical for Buchan and Formartin. -f- In the foun- dation charter of Marischal College, dated 1593, the Buchanenses, one of the quatnor nationes, comprehend all the students within the district bounded by the Doveran and the Don. From all which we conclude that this parish lies wholly in Buchan, Extent, 8fc. — The parish of Logie- Buchan consists of two parts of nearly equal extent, meeting at a considerable angle at the Ythan, opening to the west. The length of the north division is 3| English miles, that of the south 5J. Its breadth is from I of a mile to 3 miles; its mean breadth may be 1^. It is bounded chiefly by four small tributary streams of the Ythan, two on each side, separating it from the parishes of Ellon, Cruden, and Slains on the north, and from Ellon, Udny, and Foveran on the south. The number of Scotch acres it contains is 5084, or 6412 imperial acres. :]: Upon the erection of the parish of Udny in the end of the sixteenth century, it appears from our Presbytery records that the lands of Logierieve, Alla- than, and Bonitown were taken from this parish. Before the Re- formation there had been a well endowed church, called " Christ's Kirk," where the church of Udny now stands, and the reconstruc- tion and endowment of it was a work of great difficulty, and occu- pied the attention of the Presbytery for thirty years. Tarty, one of the highest liills in the parish, is only 135 feet above the level of the sea. The Ythan enters the parish through a barrier of rocks (gneiss), which in a calm evening re- verberate short sentences very distinctly. At particular stations the echo is double. On the south side are some considerable in- dentations in the rocks; and adjoining these is an opening through the superincumbent masses, called the " Needle's Eye," the See Kennedy's Annals of Aberdeen. t See a charter of Fergus, Earl of Buchan, in 1211, a copy of which was in the custody of the late Dr Skene Keith. See also the Statistical Account of Ellon parish. $ By Robertson's recent map of the county it contains no less than 8242.65 Scots acres. What egregious folly to pretend to give its dimensions to hundredth parts of an acre, when there is an error of upwards of 3000 acres in the integer! 3 LOGIE-BUCHAN. 801 threading of which is rather a dangerous amusement for young people. The shelving rocks lie in the direction of W. 10° N. in- clined to the horizon in an angle of 35°. Hydrography. — The most remarkable feature in this parish is the river Ythan, the Itima of the ancient geographers. * Taking its rise in the parish of Auchterless, after a pretty di- rect course of about thirty miles, it discharges about 55,000 f cubic yards of water per hour into the sea, about three miles be- low the church of Logie-Buchan. There, according to the sea- son of the year, and the age of the moon, the ordinary tide rises from two to six feet, and occasionally, when aided by a land flood, seven or seven and a half feet above extreme low-water mark, at which time it is perceptible at the village of Ellon, two miles above the church of Logie-Buchan. " In the year 1 642," says Spalding* " the tide rose so hio^h as to extinoruish the fires in some houses both in Newburgh and in Ellon." No such tide is now heard of at Ellon ; but whether the sea, as is alleged, J bs receding on this part of the east coast of Scotland, as it undoubtedly has done on some others,§ appears to be doubtful. That it has made, if any, a very slow and almost imperceptible retreat of late years in this quarter, is very certain. For in a very accurate plan of the estate of Tarty, drawn in the year 1762, the contents of a small island, called Inch-Geek, situated about a mile and a half from the sea, are 3 acres, 1 rood, 1 1 falls, and now but 3 acres, 2 roods, 10 falls, the addition of 39 falls being off the river side, where, from the increased cultivation on its banks of late years, it is not wonderful that some additional soil should be deposited, || I have measured * See Ptolemy's and Richard of Cirencester's maps of Britain, and General Roy's corrected map of Scotland accommodated to ancient times. Richard says, " Oceani littus ultra horum fines accolebant Taixali. His urbium princeps Devana ; fluvii autein Deva et Iluna." No mention is made here of the intermediate river Don ; nor is any such river delineated in the maps of Ptolemy or Richard, or even men- tioned in their tables ; while the Deva or Diva and the Ituna, in the district of the Taixali, are particularly laid down. There is reason, therefore, to believe, that, so late as the period when Richard wrote, (the thirteenth century,) the Don formed a junction with the Dee, a short way before it flowed into the bay of Aberdeen. In the earliest records of that burgh the Don is merely named " Aqua Borealis," i. c. " The North Water." Sec Kennedy's Annals of Aberdeen. •f It is difficult to specify the exact quantity, it differs so much at different times and seasons. The above is the inean of two measurements. X See Thorn's History of Aberdeen. § Ubi exiguus sinus est" Strathbeg" (twenty-four miles north of the Ythan) olim portus nobilis nunc arenis pene obrutus. Manent hie oppidi Rattray vestigia, quEenunc portus fortunara sequntur. See Gordon of Straloch's Dissertations. ll Dr Anderson, in his report, before quoted states that he had observed the Sleek of Tarty (a glossy space of 92 acres, on the south side of the Ythan, surrounding Inch Geek on three sides, and overflowed every tide by the sea,) to have risen nomc feet during the thirty years he resided at Monkshill. in the neighbouring parish of ABERDEEN. 3 E 802 ABERDEENSHIRE. the present height of the central point of the green surface of this island, above the bottom of the Ythan, and found it to be eight feet three inches. As the highest tide now just reaches this point (not quite the highest of the island), Inch-Geek may be consider- ed as a gauge to after generations for ascertaining the rate at which the ocean recedes from this part of the east coast of Scotland, That it has receded little or nothing at the mouth of the Ythan for many years back is farther confirmed by the observation of Gordon of Straloch, that it was in his days only navigable for small craft ; (minoribus navigiis solum pervius). \^ pervius alludes to the entrance of the river, it would seem that its mouth, which is still much obstructed by a moveable bar of sand, is yet more open than it was two centuries ago, for the shipping of the New- burgh at present consists of vessels from seventy to ninety tons burden. But as it is more likely he alluded to its interior naviga- tion, then also lighters, carrying from six to twelve tons, now ply up and down with the tide, aided, when the wind is favourable, by a sail, and always by a set (or pole), twenty feet long, in the hands of the lightermen. Eight or nine of these, belonging to the ship- owners of the Newburgh, are employed in carrying lime, coals, and bones to different landing places on the banks of the river, the highest of which is about four miles from its mouth. Whether the Ythan might not be rendered navigable to a greater height, by dredging or otherwise, (of the advantage of which to the interior of the country there can be no doubt), I pretend not to say; but I am happy, that, through the favour of William Gordon, Esq. of Fyvie, (who, a few years ago, employed a very ingenious servant of his own to take the levels of the Ythan, with a view to ascer- tain the dip of the horizon at his observatory in Fyvie Castle), I am enabled to furnish one of the data for the solution of that pro- blem. By him it was found that the ordinary current of the Ythan at Watertown, a little above Boat of Logic, three miles from the sea, is equal to the level of the sea at half flood. At Fechil, . . 4 miles from the sea, it is feet 4 inches above it. Ellon village, .5 4 7 Esslemont, .6 10 8 Foveran. But, though a man of learning and genius, in this he must have been iTtiistaken, for the oldest residenters assure me that they know no perceptible rise in it. The filling up of the Sleek of Tarty would indeed be a serious injury to the sea-port of Newburgh, as it is the discharge of the tide from it and the other sleeks on its banks that serve to keep the mouth of the Ythan so open as it is. An expe- rienced sea captain of Newburgh thinks, that the sinking of two or three old ships filled with stones would serve to improve the entrance to the Ythan. 22 4 28 2 31 11 39 48 49 9 57 2 64 5 77 78 6 81 9 91 8 110 10 113 5 LOGIE-BUCHAN. 803 At Kinhai-achie, . 7 miles from the sea, it is 19 feet 3 inches above it. Ardlethen, . 8 Town head, . . 9 Mill of Auchedly, . ! 10 Mill of Schivas, . 1 1 Mill of Kelly, . .12 Watermans, opposite } -, .-, Haddo House, ) Bridge of Methlic, . 14 Mill of Ardo, .15 Little Gight, . 16 Log House, .17 Braes of Gight, . 18 Mill of Fetterletter, . 19 Dooley bridge, . 20 Pat. Mennies, . 21 S. Dyers Ditch, near I no 194. 1 Fyvie Castle, ^ The water of the Ythan is brackish, more or less, for nearly four miles, but abounds with trout of various kinds, as the sea-trout, bull-trout, yellow or burn-trout, finnock, salmon, eels, flounders, &c. The salmon and sea-trout are said by the overseer to ascend the river for spawning in summer, and to return towards the sea with their fry in the months of March and April following. The salmon-fishing, which belongs to the Honourable William Gordon of Ellon, has been very unsuccessful of late years. Mr Buchan of Auchmacoy has right to a private net for flounder- fishing, which he occasionally exercises with success. The river is much resorted to by gentlemen from Aberdeen for rod-fishing. Otter hunting has lately been practised by parties from Haddo House, with Lord Aberdeen's hounds. Seals sometimes make their appearance in the river, opposite the church. The pearl muscle is found in the Ythan ; and the pearl-fishery seems to have been, in former times, an object of more attention than it is now. My predecessor mentions, that, in the list of un- printed acts of the first Parliament of Charles I., there is an act " for repealing the patent for the pearl-fishery in the Ythan, granted to Robert Buchan." This gives countenance to a preva- lent tradition that the large pearl in the Crown of Scotland was procured in the Ythan, it is said, by a person of the name of Jamieson, and the very spot is pointed out where it was found. About the middle of last century, a gentleman in Aberdeen got L.lOO Sterling, from a jeweller in London, for a lot of pearls found in the Ythan.* No wonder, then, that the Ythan has been called " the rich rig of Scotland." Pearls of considerable value are yet occasionally found in it, during both the droughts of sum- * See Dr Keith's Survey. 804 ABERDEENSHIRE. mer, and the frosts of winter. A very valuable and extensive mussel and cockle- fishery exists on both sides of the river, near the sea, beyond the bounds of this parish. Attracted by the abundance of food found in the river, and on the mussel beds and adjoining sleeks, the Ythan is frequented by a greater variety of sea-fowl than perhaps any other river in Scot- land. The following list of them has been furnished me by Charles Gordon, Esq. of Auchleuchries, who has paid much at- tention to ornithology, viz. the heron ( drdea major) ; wild swan (Anas Cygnus ferus ) ; wild goose (varieties) ; Solan goose fPele- canus Bassanus) ; moss-duck (Anas Bosckas) ; teal-duck (A. CreccaJ ; shieldrake (A. Tadorna) ; golden-eyed duck (A. Clan- gulaj ; eider-duck (A. mollissima) ; goosander and merganser ( Mergus Merganser and M. minutusj ; oyster- catcher (Hcemato- pus ostralegusj ; redshank (Tringa erythropus) ; great northern diver ( Colymbus glacialis ) ; red-throated and lesser divers; black guillemot and foolish guillemot {Uria Grylle and Troile) ; little grebe {Podiceps minor) ; land and water-rails (Rallus) ; gulls, five or six species, as Larus ridibundus, h. canus^ L. argentatus^ &c. ; kittywake ( L. tridactylus ; cormorant or scrath ( Pelecanus carbo) ; greater and lesser terns or sea-swallows, &;c. In the river the diver and duck tribe are to be found chiefly in the winter season ; and others only occasionally. Salt-marsh club-rush, here called star-grass (Scirpus mariti- mus), and common reed (Arundo phragmites), grow on both sides of the Ythan for half a mile downwards, from the point where its ordinary current is equal to the height of the tide at half flood. They are cut and used for thatching corn-stacks. Below this ve- getation ceases, and the sleek commences. The stoat is found in this parish ; rabbits and hedgehogs are multiplying; foxes are decreasing; badgers almost extirpated. After emerging from the rocks before-mentioned, where its breadth is about fifty yards, the Ythan gradually expands between clay and loam banks, till it forms, at high-water mark, a splendid bason upwards of 600 yards in breadth. Opposite the church at low water its breadth is about 60 yards, where a small boat is sta- tioned for passengers, and a large boat for conveying the parish- ioners to church from the north side of the river. There a chain- bridge* would be of great service. A little below the church a _ * The need of this would be superseded by the erection of a lately projected stone bridge of three arches about a furlong below the ferry, by which the turnpike road, 3 LOGIE-BUCHAN. 805 ralk dike has been formed in the middle of the river, in the shape of a horse-shoe ; and this, with other rude constructions for the con- venience of the salmon and flounder-fishings, are all that the hand of man has done for the improvement of this interesting but much neglected little river. At its mouth there is neither pier, nor wharf, nor quay for the accommodation of the increasing shipping.* II. — Civil History. Nothing is known as to the history of this parish prior to the sixteenth century ; but during the civil and religious contests that prevailed during the seventeenth, between the Covenant- ers and the Anti-covenanters, this parish had its full share of suffering, most of the proprietors being attached to the royal cause. Upon the '23d February 1644, (when every estate was compelled to raise a certain number of men to recruit the Scottish army, then in England), "the committee in Aberdeen sent forty musketeers to plunder the lands of the lairds of Rainieston, Tipperty, Tarty, and the Good-wife of Artrochie, non-subscribers of the covenant in this parish." Mr William Innes of Tipperty having obtained the assistance of the lairds of Gight, Haddo, and other gentlemen, to the number of eighty horse, met the Cove- nanters on the bounds of Tarty, defeated, disarmed, and dispersed them, to the great offence of the Earl Marischal and Commit- tee. " Such alarm did this occasion," says Spalding, " that the town of Aberdeen took instant measures for the defence of the city." The consequences of this skirmish give it an importance beyond what itself merits ; for it was the immediate occasion of that hasty rising of the Gordons, the ill success of which compelled the Marquis of Huntly to flee his country, and brought Sir John Gordon to the block ; -f- and for his behaviour, Mr Innes's house of Tipperty was plundered in May following, and his meal-mill burned. Nor were the proprietors of the above named estates the only heritors of Logie-Buchan who opposed the Covenanters : for Spal- ding farther informs us, that, " upon the 27th April of the same year, forty-four soldiers belonging to Mr William Seton of She- thin, Mr James Buchan of Auchmacoy, and Mr James Seton of both from Fraserburgh and Peterhead to Aberdeen, would be shortened upwards of two miles. The estimated expense of the bridge and road leading to it is about L. 5000. It is hoped that this very desirable improvement will not be lost sight of. * I am happy to announce, that Mr llobert Black, ship-owner, Newburgh, has just completed a substantial wharf, 120 yards long, upon ground on the south bank of the Ythan, which he has feued from Lieut.-Col. Udny of Udny. t He was executed at Edinburgh by the Maiden, on the 19th of July after. 806 ABERDEENSHIRE. Pitmedden," (who then had lands in this parish), " lay in Aber- deen four days, upon the charges of the poor Old town people," while the Marquis of Huntly was there. The family of Auchmacoy continued steady in their attachment to the house of Stuart, and, in particular, the services of Major- General Thomas Buchan deserve notice. He was third son of James Buchan of Auchmacoy, by Margaret Seton, daughter of Alexander Seton of Pitmedden. He was born about the middle of the seventeenth century, and after serving in subordinate ranks in France and Holland, in 1682, was appointed by King Charles H. Lieutenant-colonel, and in 1686, by James VH., Colonel of the Earl of Mar's Regiment of Foot in Scotland. Having received the thanks of the Privy- Council for various services, he was in 1689 promoted by King James to the rank of Major- General, and after the fall of the celebrated Dundee at the battle of Killiekran- kie, and the repulse of General Cannon at Dunkeld, obtained the chief command of King James's forces in Scotland.* Although in that high command, he fortunately failed in retrieving the for- tunes of the fallen monarch, yet there are letters to the General, and other documents, in the custody of the present Mr Buchan of Auchmacoy, from King James, his Queen, their secretary Melfort, and others, which demonstrate their undiminished confidence in his military skill, and his attachment to their cause.f There can be little doubt that General Buchan, though not in command, was present with the Marquis's troops at the battle of Sheriffmuir, on the 13th November following: but when the Marquis, to save his life and estates, withdrew from the rising a few months after, it is doubtful whether the General followed his * At this time Simon Lord Lovat served under him. t In evidence of this, from among other correspondence, we shall copy verbatim a holograph letter to the General from the Marquis of Huntly, not many days before Iij set out to join the Earl of Mar's army. " S", — It was with singular pleasur I heard from Dr Gordon of yr kind frank- iies to go with me in our King and cuntray's caws, where'" so many other brav gentilmen ar venturing thir livs and fortuns to indevor to serv thir King, and reliev thir poor opres'' cuntray from ever being in slavery, thes motivs hav induc'^ our noble predecessors to doe things brav as history can boast of of any cunti-ay, and I hope the noble vew wil be acomplish'^ ere long. I intend to bee in motion next weke with my people, who as I shal wil be all ready and willing to yield to yr com- mand, conduct, and experience. You have given such proofs of yr loyalty that all will be fond to have you with them ; besides it will be very much for the good of our King to hav such worthy, brav, experiencd offeshars on his side as you ar. I shall send you twenty-four hours advertisment wher to meet mee and mine. More you cannot expect in such a busy time, therfor ends at present this letter, with ashurances of my being, — Sr, Yr most affec^' and most hum'^ Servant, Gor" Ca'^ (Signed) Huntly." 22d Septr 1715. LOGIE'BUCHAN. 807 example, as, by a letter from the Countess of Errol, dated 15th May 1721, it appears he was still in communication with the exiled family. His picture is in the house of Auchinmacoy. It appears from Robertson's Index of scarce Charters, that the Buchans of Auchmacoy were proprietors of that estate so far back as the year 1318, holding it of the Earl of Buchan until the for- feiture of the too powerful Cummings in the reign of King Ro- bert Bruce. In 1503, James IV. gave Andrew Buchan of Auch- macoy a new charter, and erected his lands into a free barony, which has been inherited by his lineal male descendants ever since. Mr Buchan lately built an elegant turreted mansion, after a plan by Mr Burn, Edinburgh. John Gordon Cumming Skene of Pitlurg and Dyce, proprietor of Birness in this parish, claims even a higher antiquity for his fa- mily than that of Auchmacoy, tracing their origin from Adam de Gordun, who first settled in Scotland in 1057. During the 785 years which have elapsed since that period, there have been, ac- cording to Burke's History of the Commoners of Great Britain and Ireland, twenty-seven clear and uninterrupted descents in the lineal male line of Pitlurg, the present proprietor being the chief representative of the family. I cannot here omit taking particular notice of one of the Pitlurg family, who greatly distinguished himself as a literary character, I mean Robert Gordon, commonly designated " Gordon of Stra- loch," from his having purchased that estate lying in Formartine, to which district he seems to have been very partial. I notice him the rather that I have in this account quoted so largely from his most celebrated work, " Theatrum Scotise." He was born in 1580, and educated at Marischal College, Aberdeen, of which University he was the first graduate. At the request of King Charles I. in 1641, he undertook an Atlas of the different counties of Scotland ; and by two Acts of the Scottish Parliament, was, on that account, exempted from mi- litary burdens, while his labours were held in such general estima- tion, that he received a recommendation from the General Assem- bly to the clergy, to give him all the assistance in their power in the execution of his work. This undertaking, the first of the kind in Scotland made from actual survey, was completed in 1648, and published by the Bleaus of Amsterdam, and to this day remains a monument of his industry and accurate knowledge of practical mathematics. Mr Gordon wrote several other works, some of 808 ABERDEENSHIRE. which are said still to remain in manuscript. Two pictures of him remain, (believed to be by Jamieson of Aberdeen,) one in Marischal College, the other at Parkhill, the residence of the present Mr Gordon of Pitlurg. Parochial Registers. — As to parochial registers, the sessional record of doctrine and discipline is extant, and regularly kept from 1698, with some fragments so far back as 1630 and 1640. Re- gisters of marriages and baptisms are also kept, and extend from 1698 ; but the latter by no means comprehends all the births.* The deficiency of our session records is in so far supplied by our presbytery registers. These begin five years after the insti- tution of presbyteries (1592), the first meeting of the Presby- tery of Ellon being held, as it is expressed in the record, " on the penult day of November 1597." It may be noticed, what is known in other cases, that in our Presbytery records the beginning of the year was reckoned from the vernal equinox, or 1st of April, O.S., and continued to be so till the year 1600, when it commences with the 1st of January. The eight parishes of which this Presbytery consists previously belonged to the Pres- bytery of Aberdeen. From our records chiefly the following list of the ministers of Logie-Buchan is made up. 1. Mr Alexander Ar- buthnot, settled in 1568. 2. Mr John Read, probably on Mr Ar- buthnot's death in 1583. 3. Mr Thomas Mitchel, 1 622.1 4. Mr Patrick Guthrie, 1626.| 5. Mr William Seton, 1635. 6. Mr George Buchan, 1671. 7. Mr Robert Udny, 1699. 8. Mr John Rose, 1726. 9. Mr William Paterson, 1774. 10. Mr George Cruden, the present incumbent, in 1817, The first of these ministers, Mr Alexander Arbuthnot, was by far the most distinguished. Though the honour of his ministry has been assigned by Mr Kennedy and some others to the parish of Logiepert, yet the highest authorities concur with Dr M'Crie, ' I would beg to suggest, that the registration of births and baptisms, of mar- riages and burials, should be connected with the population Act of 1800, to which they naturally belong ; that the entries in the registers should be gratis, but the ex- tracts from them chargeable ; and that every tenth year, when the schoolmaster or session-clerk makes the population returns to Parliament, he should be required also to give in upon oath an extract of the number of births, burials, &c. for the like pe- riod, attested annually, if thought necessary, by the presbytery or officiating clergyman, and that he should be handsomely paid for each entry by the State, By the hope of re- ward, and the dread of an oath, regular registration would, in my humble opinion, be secured in an infinitely simpler and less expensive manner, than by the clumsy Re- gistration Establishment Bill, not many years ago proposed to Parliament. A du. plicate of the register, when filled up, to be deposited with the county records. t Mr Mitchel, previously minister of Udny, and afterwards minister of Turriff, received a presentation to Logie-Buchan, but was not inducted. " X Mr Guthrie was also Sub- Principal of King's College. LOGIE-BUCHAN. 809 in his Life of Melville, that he was minister of Logie-Buchan. And this is put beyond all doubt by an insertion lately discovered in an old missal or obituary, in the possession of the present Vis- count Arbuthnot; which also corrects another error into which almost all his biographers have fallen, viz. that he was the son of Baron Arbuthnot. In the manuscript he is stated to be the son of Andrew Arbuthnot of Pitcarles, the baron's brother. He was born in 1538, educated at King's College, Aberdeen, and in the year 1560 his name* appears in a list of young men of promising talents for the ministry, given in to the first General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. After further studying civil law, (as was then usual for students of Divinity,) four or five years at Bourges in France, under the celebrated Cujaccius, he returned to Scot- land in 1566, and was soon after licensed as a minister of the re- formed church. On the 15th July 1568, he received a presenta- tion to the church of Logie-Buchan, one of the common kirks of the Cathedral of Aberdeen. On the 3d of July 1569, he was ap- pointed Principal of King's College, Aberdeen, and three weeks after was presented to the church of Arbuthnot, " provyding he administrat the sacraments of Jesus Christ, or ellis travell in some other als necessar vocation to the utility of the kirk, and approvit by the samen." The emoluments of his two parochial charges were probably his only support as Principal, the funds of the Col- lege having been greatly dilapidated by his predecessor. Principal Anderson, in the view of his deposition for his adherence to Po- pery. To the University, Principal Arbuthnot rendered the most important services, both in the augmentation of its funds,-]- and by his assiduity and success in teaching. Besides being an emi- nent divine, he is said to have been a good mathematician, jurist, physician, and poet. To the Church of Scotland Mr Arbuthnot's services were in- valuable. He took an active part in the leading ecclesiastical questions of his time, was frequently a member, and twice mode- rator,:]: of the General Assembly. In 1578, he was appointed one of a committee to attend the King and Queen about the affairs of the church, and along with John Knox he revised the Second Book of Discipline, and assisted in drawing up that solemn and im- pressive form for the ordination and admission of ministers of the- gospel which is still in use. How he discharged his duties as mi- * See Calderwood. f See Professor Gordon's MSS. t In 1573 and 1577. 810 ABERDEENSHIRE. nister of this parish, there is no tradition nor record, our presby- tery registers commencing fourteen years after his death, and our parochial forty-seven. By his learning, his great candour, and power of persuasion, he is said to have been instrumental in open- ing the eyes of many to perceive and renounce the errors which had crept into the Christian church during the dark ages : and in this parish I have discovered no remnant of Popery since his time, except that, about the end of the seventeenth century, Alexander Buchan of Auchmacoy took priest's orders in the church of Rome, and resigned his estate in favour of his younger brother, Major James Buchan. Mr Arbuthnot died unmarried, "at night, on the 16th October 1583," in the forty-sixth year of his age, and sixteenth of his mi- nistry in this parish. The only book his active life left him lei- sure to publish, was " Orationes de Origine et Dignitate Juris," at Edinburgh, in 1572. How amiable his life was, and how sincere- ly lamented his early death, will appear from the following lines extracted from his elegy, written by the celebrated Andrew Mel- ville, — " Flerem ego, nee flenti foret, aut pudor aut modus, eheu ! Flerem ego te, te eheu ! flerem ego perpetuo, Deliciae humani generis, dulcissime rerum, Quern Muss et charites blando aluere sinu ; Cujus in ore lepos, sapiens in pectore virtus j Et suadse et sophiffi vis bene juucta simul ; Cui pietas, cui prisca fides, constantia candor Et pudor et probitas non habuere parem."* Mr Read, the second minister in the above list, seems to have been an active man, and to have taken a particular interest in the erection of the parish of Udny. Yet it appears a complaint was lodged against him, as contained in the following minute of Pres- bytery, which is too curious to be omitted : "Logic Buchan, 1st September 1620, convenit the Bishop of Aberdeen and Presbytery of Ellon, with the gentlemen of the pa- rish of Logic, and elders thereof, for visitation of the kirk of Logy-buchan. Mr John Read, minister at Logy-buchan, being challengit of non-residence, answerit the want of peits and want of ane sufficient gleib was the cause thereof. The gentlemen and elders of the parish foresaid consulting about the matter, and ad- mitting partly that it might prevent Mr Read, they advised, at the instance of the bishop and presbytery, to allow him ' sax leit of For Mr Arbuthnot's Life see Chalmers's Biographical Dictionary, Irvine's Lives of Uiu Scottish Poets, M'Kenzie's Lives, Dr M'Cric's Life of Melville, Cakienvooii, Ms. in possession of Viscount Arbuthnot. LOGIE-BUCHAN. 811 peits, of 24 feet in length ilk leit, and 12 feet in breadth, with height efFeirand, which would be sufficient for him, yearlie ;' the parish being wiUing hkewise to lead said peits, and ' Mr Buchan to give the coble.' " That so respectable a body of men should have allotted, or that the tenantry should have agreed to carry, so enormous a quantity of fuel, (nearly 300 modern cart loads,) is not easily accounted for. The allotment, indeed, was soon necessari- ly discontinued ; but it would be unpardonable in me not to record the ready consent both of the heritors and people that their minis- ter should have a warm fireside. III. — Population. In the year 1607, by a note in our Presbytery records, the number of communicants is estimated at 400, which exceeds, by about fourscore, the average number who have been admitted to the Lord's table of late years. The greater population at that time may be ascribed to the Ferry of Logie being then the great thoroughfare from the north-east part of Buchan to Aberdeen, — the principal road being along the sea- shore of Belhelvie. There was then a considerable kirk-town where markets were held, and one or more alehouses kept. There had been also more resi- dent heritors, smaller farms, and a more numerous tenantry. The number of parishioners which, in Dr Webster's time, had fallen to 575, was, in 1797, so low as 509. But, from the extensive agricultural improvements which then commenced, and an unli- mited power of subletting on some estates, it has been gradually increasing. In 1801, the population was 539 1811, .- . 557 1821, . . 629 1831, . . 684 1841, . . 713 cS 3. & rvts. ami. =2 <^ t'B ^ M *^ (U =*- 'i- rA w JtS °.2 'W " c o J •^ Inhabitants. 0) " 1 Deper unmar. resid. i Inhabitants. 'i'l s 57 Q 1:2 Resident heritor. 15 Masons, 1 7 Parish clergyman, 1 8 Millers, 2 10 Parish schoolmaster, I 3 Brickmakers, 3 11 Assistant do. 1 Shoemakers, 4 16 Farmers, 35 122 Tailors, 3 10 Married servants. 25 91 Weaver, I 5 Unmar. do., in 3 bothies, 11 — Ferryman, 1 3 Labourers with crofts. 17 58 Widows 8 8 Do. without crofts, 10 16 Unmarried women . 4 3 Cart and millwrights, 5 18 Paupers, 10 2 Blacksmiths, 4 11 812 ABERDEENSHIRE. The number of persons under 13 years of age is 268 betwixt 15 and 30, 2)5 30 and 50, 129 50 and 70, 74 upwards of 70, 26 Average of births during the last 7 years, W marriages, 5 persons in each family, . 54 Proprietors of land of L.50 and upwards yearly, 7 Character of the People, — The people, on the whole, enjoy, in a reasonable degree, the comforts of social life, according to their stations. The use of tobacco is excessive, but of ardent spirits rare. There is a remarkable annual change in the population, owing chiefly to servants changing their places. My lists show that it amounts to one-fifth of the inhabitants. This migratory nature of the population is certainly not favourable to religious in- struction. Public worship and diets of catechising are well attend- ed ; religious ordinances are very rarely neglected. The average number of young communicants for the last seven years is 15, and their average age nineteen years. In the beginning of the seventeenth century, the Presbytery took vigorous measures for suppressing tulzying (wrestling), foot- ball, and even holding markets at churches, on the Lord's day ! The athletic exercises of former times are seldom heard of here, even on week-days. The point of honour now among men-ser- vants is, who shall be the best ploughman ? Music is cultivated. " Boat of Logie" is still a well known tune ; but to the beautiful song of " Logie o' Buchan" we can lay no claim.* IV. — Industry. The parishioners are, with few exceptions, very sober, and most industrious in their respective callings, which are almost all con- nected, directly or indirectly, with the cultivation of the soil. The amount of their labours is estimated as follows : — Oats, 6153 quarters, at L.l per quarter, Bear, 545 L.l, 5s. Turnips, 543 acres Scots at L.6 per acre. Potatoes, 56 do. L. 10 do. Hay, 133 do. L.6 do. Pasture grass, 1750 acres, at L.l, * The hero of that song was a gardener at Logie in Criniond, about the middle of last century; the heroine, a good looking little woman, whom I have often seen in my early years, then married to a respectable farmer ; and its atdhor, said to be Mr George Halket, a poetical genius who taught a school in that neighbourhood, and whose rise in life was probably prevented by his Jacobitical principles.. He is re- puted to have written some of the popular songs that greatly aided the Pretender's cause in Scotland. L.6153 681 5 3258 560 798 1750 L.l 3200 5 LOGIE-BUCHAN. 813 The number of Scotch acres in the parish in tillage, 4566 = 5759 imperial ,• ditto improvable, 251 =316 do. ; ditto unimprov- able, including Sleek of Tarty, 267 = 337 do. Total, 5084 = 6412 imperial. Of the above there are under wood 66 imperial acres. Rent. — Average rent of arable land per acre, 15s. ; do. of graz- ing an ox, L.2, 10s. Improvements. — Various are the agricultural improvements that have taken place during the last forty years. From the commence- ment of that period, we date the introduction of a regular rotation of crops upon inclosed farms, which gradually extended itself to un- enclosed ground. The most common rotations are those of five or six years, with one grain crop, and of seven years, with two grain crops, after lea. The introduction of various species of early oats and greater attention to seed-corn in general have been going on since the late and calamitous harvest of 1782. The introduction of bone manure and the short-horned breed of cattle, and the con- temporaneous opening of the English markets for fat cattle by steamers, have been productive of the greatest benefit to the agri- cultural interest. The general sale of grain by weight has re- deemed Buchan victual from its ancient reproach, and given oats, its staple produce, a high character in the London market. An- other very important advantage has been gained to the agricultu- rist by the abolition of services, and particularly of thirlage and multure, which, with the improved state of meal-mills having dry- ing kilns attached, and the low rate of 6d. or 7d. for milling the imperial boll, are considered to be a gain of no less than 20 per cent, upon the return of meal.- The universal adoption of the scythe in place of the sickle in harvest is likewise considered here as a very great improvement, both as to expedition and expense. Under favourable circum- stances, one scythe will cut two acres in a day. The fields are all rolled after sowing. Besides these advantageous changes in the general system of farming, there have been many improvements in the implements of husbandry, which need not be enumerated here.* There is a field of excellent clay, of considerable extent and depth, on the farm of Westfield of Auchmacoy, upon which, in the * One, as yet peculiar to this parish, may be mentioned, viz. a simple, cheap, and efficient " self-acting flood sluice," for placing in embankments on the side of a river, particularly of a tide river; for which the Highland and Agricultural Society voted their silver medal. See their Transactions in 1837. 814 ABERDEENSHIRE. year J 834, Mr Brown, the tenant, erected a brick-work. At this place drain-tiles were first made north of the Tay. The quality is approved of, and the demand is considerable, and progressively increasing. V. — Parochial Economy. Market-Town, S^c. — The church of Logie Buchan is situated fifteen miles north of Aberdeen, the nearest market-town. The nearest post-town is Ellon, which lies two miles west. There are three portions of turnpike road in the parish, amounting together to about five and a half miles. Two portions of these are on the great north road to Aberdeen, on which the mail, and other pub- lic coaches, travel twice a day. On the other portion, leading to the shipping port of Newburgh, there is a great traffic carried on by the tenantry in lime, grain, &c. Ecclesiastical State. — Considering the great length of the pa- rish, the church is as conveniently situated as it could be. It was built in 1787 to hold 400 persons, and is in good repair. The sittings are all free, except about 50 in a gallery lately erect- ed by the kirk-session, with consent of the heritors, out of legacies left by Mr Paterson, late minister of the parish, and his widow, to purchase coals for the poor. The sittings are rented at from 6d. to 2s. 6d. each. The manse was built in the year 1775, and is needing no re- pair. The extent of the glebe, as laid down in the plan of Tarty, before-mentioned, is 5 acres, 2 roods, 33 falls, including the toft, besides the usual privileges. Its value is estimated at L.12, 10s. The stipend is 14 chalders. Mr Buchan is patron. The number of persons attending the Established Church is 685 ; Episcopalians, 7 ; members of the United Associate Sy- nod, 20;* Independents, 1. Total, 713. Education. — It was not till at a meeting of Presbytery, on the 30th of August 1721, that the heritors of this parish agreed to erect parochial schools, one on each side of the river, and to di- vide the minimum salary of 100 merks Scots equally between them. This arrangement was carried into execution immediately after, and continued till 1803, when the sum necessary, by the new Act, for keeping up two schools being deemed too burden- some for so small a parish, the school upon the north side was broucrht nearer the river with the view of accommodating both • These had a churcli in this parish, which was removed about ten years ago. LOGIE-BUCHAN. 815 sides of it. Agreeably to the tenor of that Act, the salary is now L.25, 13s, 4d., with accommodations. By an arrangement lately made with Mr Dick's Trustees, the school is in charge of an assistant teacher. All the usual branches are taught, and the fees are from 2s. to 5s. per quarter, and may amount, at an average, to about L.20 per annum. The average number of scholars is just now about 50. Considering the changeable state of the population, it is impos- sible to give an exact account of the general attainments of the people in learning ; but it is believed that few or none cannot read, and almost all can write a little, and all seem alive to the benefits of education. On the south side of the river, a few children cross the ferry to the parochial school. Some are taught by a woman about a mile from the church ; but the greater number are com- pelled to attend the schools in other parishes most adjacent. The late Mr Donaldson of Rosebank (a part of whose property lies in this parish), bequeathed the bulk of his fortune for religious and educational purposes, and from his trustees the minister lately received the sum of L.5 Sterling for purchasing books for the Sunday school and parish libraries, now amounting to 400 volumes. This parish is in connection with the district Saving Bank, late- ly established in Ellon. Puor. — The number of persons receiving parochial aid has greatly increased within these few years, for which no particular reason can be assigned. The following account of the receipts and disbursements of the kirk-session for the year 1837 will an- swer all the particulars required concerning the poor and parochial funds : — Receipts by the Kirk-session. Ordinary collections, L.24 9 Extra do. 10 14 6 Donations, 6 Interest of money, 4 Fines, . 2 Rent of session gallery. 3 3 Cash from bank, 9 7 1 L.59 13 7 Disbursements. Allowances to 10 resid. poor, L.20 5 Coals to do. . 2 13 1 Allowances to occasional poor, 2 15 Do. to 11 non-resident poor, 17 14 Collect, for pauper lunatic fund, 2 17 6 Do. for Aberdeen Infirmary, 3 3 Do. for Highland Schools, 16 6 Do. for Church Extension, 2 3 Do. for Colonial Churches, 16 6 Session-clerk's fee, . 15 Precentor's fee, . . 3 Kirk-officer's fee, . 15 L.59 13 7 The poor seldom or never seek parochial relief till their neces- sities are apparent ; but less objection is made to receiving it than formerly. 816 ABERDEENSHIRE. Alehouses. — There is only one alehouse in the parish. Fuel. — As to fuel, the mosses in this parish are almost exhaust- ed ; but a considerable quantity of peat and turf are brought from other parishes. Coals imported at Newburgh are the principal fuel. Miscellaneous Observations. Being one of the few whom it has pleased God to spare to as- sist in drawing up a second Statistical Account of Scotland, I may be allowed, more than others, to express my satisfaction at the vast improvements in agriculture which have taken place in Buchan since I transmitted to Sir John Sinclair an account of the parish of Old Deer in the year 1794. When I look around me, I seem to live not only among a new race of men, but in a new world. Cultivation, like the gradual spreading of a garment, has changed the external face of the earth, and every locality wears a new appearance. The irregular patches, and va- rious denominations of arable land which were then interspersed amidst the uncultivated waste, are now absorbed in regular enclo- sures or extensive fields, the dark expanse of moss* is greatly di- minished, and the sombre herds of our native brown and black cat- tle are enlivened by a mixture of the white and speckled Tees- water. The low-thatched farm-houses and long continuous rows of barns and byres are now converted into slated dwellings of two stories, and adjoining courts of offices ; and, where necessary, the steep and rugged tracks that led to them into smooth roads of easy ascent. One great and indispensable means of these changes has been the formation of turnpike roads, and of commutation roads upon improved principles.-f- Besides their other advantages, these have formed most convenient and gently sloping base lines in the process of Jielding, which process comprehends, in one word, the sum of the agricultural improvements which have taken place in Buchan during the period I have before mentioned. In this parish that process is nearly completed ; and in most others it is very far advanced. Although there is no doubt that the moral improvement of his hearers ought to be, and I trust is that, in which a minister of the Gospel most rejoices, yet surely the inferior gratifica- tion of seeing the soil of one's native country so greatly melio- * In 1810, Dr Keith, in his Account of the Soil of Aberdeenshire, says, that " one- tenth of the surface of Buchan consisted of peat moss." t These were unknown in Buchan when the last Statistical Account was compiled. I KEMNAY. 817 rated is not to be denied him, especially as it is not doubtful that the temporal advantages which it confers have a happy influence even on the manners of the people. From the perusal of the re- cords of our Presbytery,* I am disposed to think that the com- mission at least of heinous crimes is less frequent, and the propen- sity to low vices less general, than they were during the seven- teenth and greater part of the eighteenth century, and also that a higher tone of morals now prevails. Revised 1842. PARISH OF KEMNAY.f PRESBYTERY OF GARIOCH, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. GEORGE PETER, A. M., MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Extent. — The measurement of the estate of Kemnay, according to the last survey, is 3306 acres and a fraction ; that of Lord Kintore's property in the parish, 524 acres and a fraction ; several hundred acres are covered with thriving plantations. The whole parish was the property of the Earl of Kintore, and of our only residing land-holder, John Burnett, of Kemnay, Esq., till of late when Lord Kintore was authorized by law to sell part of his entailed Kemnay property to Colonel Eraser of Castlefraser, for the re- demption of his land-tax. Kemnay is from 4 to 5 miles in length, but, being of an irregular figure, it is not easy to ascertain its mean breadth, which may be perhaps nearly three miles. Boundaries. — This parish is fifteen miles west of Aberdeen, the county town. It is bounded on the east, by Kintore; on the * In the records of the seventeenth century, I observe cases of adultery, incest, and forgery, marked on the margin of three consecutive pages. It is also recorded, March 1621, that three men having gone into an alehouse at Tillycorthy, and consumed all the stale " beer that was upon the gantrees, two of them drank themselves dead out of a fat of new ale, and the third narrowly escaped with his life." The sense of shame became so acute towards the middle of last century, that the public appearances to which certain offences were exposed could no longer be enforced with their for- mer severity. That it was time to modify them is evident, from the act against child murder being appointed by the Presbytery in 1762 to be read at least twice every year from the pulpit. Yet many after this left the church on account of alleg. ed laxity of discipline. f- Drawn up by the late incumbent, the Rev. Patrick Mitchell, D. D. ABERDEEN. 3f S18 ABERDEENSHIRE. south, by Skene ; on the west, by Cluny ; and on the north, north -east, and north-west, by the river Don, and by a tributary of the Don, named the burn of Ton, which divide it from the pa- rishes of Monymusk, Chapel of Garioch, and Inverury. Rivers. — The Don and the burn of Ton. The former used to abound throughout in excellent salmon. A very great proportion is now intercepted by the stake-nets and cruives at and near the mouth of the river. Surface and Soil. — The surface of this parish is rather flat up- on the whole. The greater part of the soil is a light mould, lying on sand. We have alluvial lands on the banks of the Don and the Ton, which are a fine rich loam, deep, and free from stones ; but they are not of great extent. The soil of our rising grounds is, for the most part, bedded on clay, and is generally observed to improve in richness and fertility as the plough ascends to the highest point of elevation. There was, in Kemnay, a very considerable extent of peat-moss; but by much the greater part of it has been consumed in fuel, and converted by draining into corn-land. II. — Civil History. Parochial Registers. — -We have seven volumes of parochial re- gisters, five of which are very thin, the oldest beginning with the year 1660. They seem to have been regularly kept, and the volumes themselves are in sufficient preservation, and are all le- gible. The two first contain a register of burials, which appears to have been discontinued early in the last century. Antiquities. — The only remains of antiquity that are extant in this parish are, 1. a long stone set on end, whose height is 1 H feet above ground, and its mean girth about 9 feet, quite in the state in which it was found in the earth ; and, 2. that sort of repository for the remains of the dead which is called a cestvaen^ about 5 feet in length and 2 feet wide, fenced on the four sides below ground with four stones, and covered with a broad piece of granite (all the stones being undressed,) and containing a broken urn of burn- ed clay and a few human bones. It was accidentally uncovered by the plough. III. — Population. Amount of population in 1801, . 383 1811, . 341 1821,, . 637 1831, . 616 1841, . 626 KEMNAY. 819 All are of the Established religion, excepting a few Dissenters, chiefly Independents, to which connection the principal landhold- er and his family belong. IV. — Industry. Agriculture. — Scarcely any farinaceous grain, besides oats and bigg, is sown in the parish ; very few pease, and very little wheat. Every farmer and cottager has a certain extent of his land, pro- portioned to his holding, in turnips and potatoes, every year, which are succeeded, next season, by bear or oats, with rye-grass and clover. The most common rotation is the Berwickshire, but it begins to be thought too exhausting for our light soil ; and al- though some of the landholders of the county bind their tenants to this rotation, others prefer a six or a seven years' shift, the for- mer including two, and the latter three white crops. The gene- ral duration of leases is nineteen years. V. — Parochial Economy. Ecclesiastical State. — The parish church is not exactly in the certtre of the parish, but its site is nearly as convenient for the parishioners as it could be. It is not above three miles from the most distant house in the parish, and the greater part of the po- pulation is within a mile and a-half from it. It was built, as ap- pears from an inscription on the belfry, in 1632. It was pro- bably erected on the site of one of the tituli, which, in Roman Catholic times, depended on the parsonage of Kinkell, to which the parish of Kemnay belonged in the beginning of the fifteenth century. It was repaired in 1794, but is, at present, in a very insufficient state. Owing to the thickness of the walls, and the smallness of all the windows save two, it is not well lighted. It cannot be sufficiently ventilated, for the floor is from three to four feet below the level of the burying-ground, which is highest at the front wall of the building. It is consequently damp. It affords accommodation to nearly 600 sitters. Almost all the farmers and crofters have free sittings on the ground floor. The seats on the site of the communion table, and those of two galle- ries, belong to the kirk-session, as administrators for the poor, out of whose funds they were built, and for them the session draws annually, at 6d. each, nearly L. 4. The present manse was built in 1796, and succeeded a manse" which, in 1680, was built at the sole expense of the then minister, and was, with great propriety, denominated Castle Folly. Ar- rangements have been concluded for repairing the present build- 820 ABERDEENSHIRE. ing and erecting an addition. The glebe, including the garden, the site of the manse and offices, and the road by which it is ap- proached from the public highway, is nearly ten Scotch acres in extent, about three acres of which, of the most worthless soil, cal- led grass land, the present incumbent reclaimed from heath and marsh. The glebe is valued at L.IO per annum. The stipend is L. 150, of which, L.33, 6s. lOd. is received from the Exchequer. The communion element money amounts to L.S, 6s. 8d. Education. — There is no seminary of learning in the parish but the parochial school, with which Mr Stevenson, the present enter- prisingschoolmaster, has conjoined an academy for the education of boys of a higher class. Of these he has now about thirty, from differ- ent parts of the kingdom, under his charge ; and, including these, he has about 160 scholars in the course of the year. The salary amounts to L.25, 13s. 4d. The'schoolmaster also enjoys the interest of 850 merks Scots, bequeathed, many years ago, by different individuals, for promoting education in the parish, and under the administration of the kirk-session, who lend it at interest along with the funds of the poor. He also participates in the Dick bequest.* Library. — We have for some years had a parish library, con- sisting of works on divinity, civil and ecclesiastical history, and travels. Poor and Parochial Funds. — The average number of our parish poor is 26, chiefly widows and single women. We divide among them what is under the administration of the kirk-session, at four terms, giving sometimes occasional aid in cases of distress. Some of them receive nearly L.S a-year, some L. 2, others L. 1, 16s., and three or four L. 1, 4s., each, according to their respective needs. Our funds consist of the interest of legacies bequeathed at different times, and by different benefactors, to the poor of the parish, to the amount of L. 400 ; weekly collections at church, which have greatly increased during the last forty years, and, at an average, may be stated at L. 25 a-year ; an annual donation of L. 5 from the Earl of Kintore, who possesses about a sixteenth part of the valued rent of the parish ; seat-rents, which bring nearly L. 4 a-year ; and L.20, when our turn comes, from the charity of the late Mr Burnett of Dens, a successful merchant in Aberdeen, who bequeathed to the Synod a sum of money * For a more minute account of the Kemnay Academy and its conductor, see Chambers's Edinburgh Journal, No. 468. DAVIOT. 821 for the relief of the poor and distressed over the whole of their bounds, appointing the interest thereof to be paid in rotation to the several kirk-sessions of the synod, the lowest allowance to any kirk-session being L. 20. In general, our poor have shown great unwillingness to accept parochial rehef. This feeling is now, however, less prevalent than formerly. July 1842. PARISH OF DAVIOT. PRESBYTERY OF GARIOCH, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. THOMAS BURNETT, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — Daviot, — in Keith's Catalogue of Scottish Bishops spelled also Davot, — may perhaps be a modification of the Gaelic Dabhoch, pronounced Davoch, of which, in a dictionary of this language, is given the following account : " Dabhoch-oich, sub. fern., a farm that keeps 60 cows : Ager sexaginta boves pas- cens. Davata. Law Lat. — In the Hebrides a Davoch of land is a farm adequate to the pasture of 320 cows. Scot. Dawache of land." Extent, 8fc. — Its average length is about 3 miles, and its average breadth about 2. It is bounded by the parish of Fyvie on the north ; the parishes of Fyvie and Meldrum on the east ; the pa- rishes of Bourtie and Chapel of Garioch on the south ; and by the parish of Rayne on the west. Two quoad sacra annexations were made to Daviot by act of Assembly in the end of the seventeenth century, viz. part of the parish of Fyvie lying on the north-east, and part of the parish of Chapel of Garioch on the south, so that ecclesiastically its extent of surface is now about 8^ square miles. Topographical Appearances. — A gently undulated ridge passes through the middle, and traverses nearly the whole length of the parish from north to south, and two shorter lateral ridges of infe- rior elevation, one on each side, slightly undulated also, complete the figure of the parish. 822 ABERDEENSHIRE. The climate of the parish is, on the whole, dry, airy, and salu- brious, and accordingly the inhabitants enjoy in general good health. Soil. — There is a considerable variety of soils in the parish. On the higher grounds, a gravelly thin soil, — on those of less ele- vation, a rich loam and strong clay, — and on the lower grounds generally, a bluish clay underneath a formation of peat of inconsi- derable depth ; and these soils rest partly on rocks of whinstone and iron, and partly on granite of inferior quality. II. — Civil History. Parochial Registers. — The parochial records are neither volu- minous nor of an early date. The first entry in the record of bap- tisms appears to have been made on 10th March 1723; that in the poor's cash register on the 3d March 1731 ; and that in the record of discipline on the 30th May of the same year. Antiquities. — On the lands of Mounie, and on the highest ground in the parish, the remains of two Druidical temples are still observable. The remains of a third were to be seen, within the last twenty years, in the grave-yard ; but the stones were some time ago removed, and employed as materials in building the walls of a dwelling-house. There is a small enclosure on the lands of Fingask, which ap- pears to have been used formerly as a burial-ground. And in this enclosure were to be seen the remains of what was believed to have been a Roman Catholic place of worship, from the circumstance of a silver crucifix being found by the workmen in digging for the foundation of a mausoleum, erected by the late proprietor on the spot about forty years ago ; and of there being a well in its imme- diate neighbourhood, which still bears the name of " The Lady's" or " Our Lady's Well." The foundations of a building, said also to have been a Roman Catholic chapel, with a well close by, oc- casionally attracted notice a few years ago on the estate of Le- thenty. The well is still visible ; but no vestige of the building now exists. In a field of a farm on the property of Glack was dug up, in 1833, a species of battle-axe, which is now in the proprietor's pos- session. The handle and head are both of iron, — the former 30 inches long, and the latter 5 inches long on the one side and 3^ inches on the other, and varying from 4 to 4| inches in breadth. Both sides of the head appear to have been sharpened. It is sup- posed to have been used at the Battle of Harlaw, fought in the adjoining parish of Chapel of Garioch in 1411. DAVIOT. 823 There is now in the writer's possession a silver coin, which was dug up in some years ago, in a small kitchen garden, wherein stood formerly the old manse. It is larger but thinner than a shilling of the present coinage. On one side is Elizabeth : D : G : Ang : Fr : et Hi : regina, around the Queen's head, and on the other, the royal arms, surrounded by the following inscription ; . . . Posui Deu adjutorem meu;*' but there is no date upon it. A small pot or cooking utensil, of rather an elegant shape, was turned up on a waste part of a field, of a farm on the property of Mounie in 1834, and is now in the farmer's possession. It is made of bronze, has evidently been subjected to the action of fire, and may probably have been left by the troops which crossed this part of the country in 1745-6. Its depth is seven inches, its diameter, where widest, eight inches, the diameter of its neck, where nar- rowest, four inches and three-fourths, and the diameter of its mouth six inches, all inside measure. In 1834, a handsome substantial mansion-house was built by the present proprietor on the estate of Fingask, in the erection of which the stone chiefly employed was granite. III. — Population. According to return made to Dr Webster the population in 1755 was 975 The population in 1801, 644 1811, 693 1821, 651 1831, 691 1841, 643 The average number of males born during the 7 years preceding 1836, is ] i^ females, . . .9^ deaths, — no record of deaths being kept in the parish, supposed to be about, . 10 Number of persons under 15 years of age is, 249 between 15 and 30, . 242 30 and 50, . 190 50 and 70, . 82 upwards of 70, . 22 There are five proprietors of land in the parish, (under the ministers pastoral charge,) the yearly value of whose properties is above L.50 ; and of these, two are resident. Unmarried men, bachelors, and widowers above 50, . 6 women above 45, . . 15 The number of families in which both parents are alive, 85 The average number of children procreated by these, . 4f |^ The number of families in which only one parent is alive, 18 The average number of whose children, is . . 4i The average number of their children taking all together, is 4j^5- * The two letters before posui are effaced, and the remainder of the inscription is posui Deum adjutorem meum. 824 ABERDEENSHIRE. IV. — Industry. The industry of the parish may be best exhibited in the follow- ing tabular form, which shows the employment of its respective householders : Resident proprietors and farmers, 2 ; ministers, 1 ; schoolmasters, 1 ; farmers, 49 ; farmers, merchant tailors, and inn-keepers, 1 ; farmers and inn-keepers, 1 ; farmers and wrights 1 ; farmers and millers, 3 ; crofters, 16 : crofters, merchants, and spirit retailers, 2 ; crofters and dress-makers, 1 ; crofters and ma- sons, 2 ; crofters and wrights, 3 ; crofters and blacksmiths, 2 ; crofters and shoemakers, 2 ; crofters and tailors, 1 ; crofters and weavers, 2 ; crofters and fish-carriers, 1 ; crofters and labourers, 10; manufacturers, 1; gardeners, 1; midwives, 1; merchants and wrights, 1 : wrights, 2; blacksmiths, 2; shoemakers, 1; la- bourers, including decayed old men and women, householders, 34; total, 144. Male-servants above twenty years of age employed in agriculture, 65 ; do. under twenty, employed in agriculture, 44 ; female servants above twenty, 36 ; female servants under twenty, ^28; male servants above twenty employed in handicraft, 5 ; do. under twenty, employed in handicraft, 2; total, 180 = 324; and the married women, and such of the inhabitants' children as are not in service, and continue to reside in the parish, make up the remainder of the population. The whole population of the parish may be thus classified ; 144 occupants of houses; 99 m^ar- ried women, 362 children, and 180 servants. Agriculture. — The land in the parish under tillage measures about 3700 acres; the waste land, 150, of which 120 will, at no distant period, be improved; in wood, 180; and in moss, 100; in whole about 4130 Scotch, or nearly 5250 imperial acres. The plantations within the parish are chiefly of Scotch fir and larch. These continue to grow for about forty or fifty years, seldom at- taining any great size, and then begin to decay. No good mode of thinning has been sufficiently attended to; and con- sequently the value of the whole is comparatively small. The soil seems much better adapted for the growth of hard-wood, chiefly beech, elm, and ash ; and of these there are some very good specimens in the parish, and especially around the mansion- house of Glack. The mode of filling up blanks where they have occurred in these plantations, when they are somewhat advanced, seems to have been utterly unprofitable. Young plants stuck in among trees of twenty or thirty years growth have either died out, or rapidly shot up to a great height, without attaining any useful DAVIOT. 825 or profitable thickness. The error of this method has now be- come evident, and a plan, apparently more judicious, is adopted, namely, rooting up and removing those parts of the plantations which do not seem thriving, digging large pits, (in many cases trenching would be preferable,) and planting the young trees in masses, and such kinds only as appear to have thriven best in the soil. Uent of Land. — The average rent of arable land in the parish per acre is a little above L.l, Is. Rate of Grazing. — An ox or cow may be grazed for L.2, 10s., and a full-grown sheep for 10s. Wages. — The wages of a labouring man in summer is Is. 6d., and in winter Is. per day with victuals. Those of tradesmen 2s. per day in summer, and Is. 6d. in winter, with victuals also. Live-Stock. — The common breed of cattle in the parish, till within the last few years, was the Aberdeenshire, and the animals of this breed were by no means generally of the finest quality. Much more attention, however, has been paid of late to improve the qua- lity, and produce the greatest weights in the shortest time ; and ac- cordingly, a cross of the short-horned with the breed of the county is found to succeed well, — for the bullocks of this cross attain a greater weight in three years with good keep than the pure Aber- deenshire in four ; and, from the facility with which they can be conveyed by steam, without loss of weight, to the London markets, they yield a much greater remunerating price to the feeder. Few sheep are reared in the parish, and these only for family use. Husbandry. — The mode of liusbandry pursued is believed to be good. A seven-shift rotation is that generally adopted, viz. three grasses, two grain crops, one green crop, and one grain crop again, and with the seed of this last crop are sown rye and red and white clover grass seeds for the hay crop of next year. A few indivi- duals have, instead of a seven, adopted a six-shift rotation, that is, one instead of two grain crops after the third year's grass, and they affirm that the proceeds are as great, while the land is less ex- hausted than by following a seven-shift rotation. As the six-shift rotation, however, gives a less breadth for grain crop than the other, some time may yet elapse until its advantages be satisfac- torily established and duly appreciated. There are other two shifts occasionally permitted and practised, namely, a five-shift ro- tation, with one grain crop after two grasses ; and a six-shift rota- 826 ABERDEENSHIRE. tion with two grain crops after two grasses. But both these rota- tions, it is beheved, are injurious to the interest of the landlord, and over a nineteen years no less injurious to the tenant. Where the land has been previously well managed, and of good quality, they may prove advantageous to the tenant during the first years of his lease ; but, towards the end of it, he may discover his error, and that his loss exceeds his gain. Wheat is seldom attempted to be raised in the parish, as nei- ther the soil nor the climate appears to be adapted to its growth. Barley and bear are raised but in small quantities. The grain chiefly sown is oats, and considerable attention has been paid to have the seed frequently changed and of good quality, and the ad- vantage of the change is now universally admitted. The species of oats which appear to suit both the soil and climate best is that of those denominated Scotch barley and early Angus ; although no backwardness is shown to introduce other kinds which promise to be more productive. Accordingly, potato oats, Hopetoun oats, and sandy oats have been sown in the parish. The potato and Hope- toun oats do not bear much hardship, and begin to be discontinued. The sandy oat is rather in greater favour. The land in the parish seems well adapted for producing green crops ; in proof of which it may be stated, that the turnips which grew on a Scotch acre of second-rate infield in 1835, weighed, with the tops, 33 tons, 6 cwt. 8 lb., and without the tops 28 tons, cwt. 1 qr. 4 lb. They were, however, the old Scotch yellow, and sown in drills only 22^ inches apart, — the common width being from 26 to 28 inches. In the same year, and on land of the same quality, the weight of the potatoes raised on a Scotch acre was found to be 14 tons, 5 cwt. 2 qr. 24 lb. A good deal has been done lately, and is still doing, in reclaim- ing the low and marshy waste land in the parish. Several lead- ing ditches for carrying off the water have been cut at the proprie- tors' expense, while the tenants have cut and filled the necessary drains, and the work has in general been efficiently executed, the tenants are already reaping the fruits of the proprietors' liberality and their own industry, and so manifest is the advantage resulting from this operation, that it is not doubted, that, in a few years, the whole of the waste land susceptible of cultivation will be under profitable tillage. The leases are now almost uniformly of nineteen years dura- tion, — a period apparently sufficient to allow the tenant to derive DAVIOT. 827 the full benefit of such judicious expenditure as he may make for the improvement of his farm in the early part of his lease. The stipulated rents have, till lately, been principally in money. A change, however, has taken place on the property of the principal heritor. He now receives a half-money and half-corn rent for every possession above the size of a croft, — the corn rent payable by the fiars of the year ranging, however, between a certain maxi- mum and minimum per quarter. This mode of payment, when the minimum and maximum are judiciously and fairly fixed, must be alike advantageous to landlord and 'tenant. The farm-houses are in general substantial, convenient, and comfortable, and the steadings sufficiently large and commodious. There may be from 800 to 1000 acres enclosed with stone fences, several of which have been erected within the last few years. The advantages of enclosures seem now to be fully appre- ciated, and stones are being laid down for the erection of a good many more. Produce. — The average gross amount of raw produce raised in the parish may be nearly as follows : — Produce of grain of all kinds, . . . 1^.7135 straw of do. .... 2385 potatoes, turnips, and other vegetables raised in the fields, 3000 hay cultivated, .... 500 land in pasture, . . . 3250 gardens and orchards, say . . . 100 the annual thinning and periodical sales of wood, . 30 L. 16,440 Manufactures. — A manufactory for carding and spinnino- wool was, some time ago, established in the parish by a spirited indivi- dual, the machinery of which cost him L.270. There are com- monly four hands employed, who work ten hours a-day. In the year 1831, the Board for the Encouragement of Manufactures, in consequence of a representation of the manufacturer's enterprise, granted him a premium of Ij.35, 10s. V. — Parochial Economy. Means of Communication. — The parish enjoys neither market- town nor post-office. There are, however, very good commutation roads through a considerable part of it. That which passes the church from north to south divides itself into two branches about half a mile south of it, — the one leading to Old Meldrum, and the other to Inverury, both markets and post towns ; the former distant about four and the latter about five miles from the parish church. In 1835, a turnpike road was made to connect the east and west 828 ABERDEENSHIRE. branches of the Great North Road from Aberdeen to Inverness. It commences at Old Meldrum, and terminates near to Sheela- green, in the parish of Culsamond. Its length in the parish, tra- versing the east and north sides, is nearly four miles. No public coach, as yet, runs through the parish on this road. Ecclesiastical State. — This parish is said to have formerly been a parsonage or prebend in the diocese of Aberdeen, and to have been given as an alms' gift by Malcolm Canmore to the bishop of that diocese. The Established Church, the only place of wor- ship in the parish, being nearly in the centre of it, is very conve- niently situated for the parishioners, not being above three miles from the most distant of them. It was built in 1798, and is at present in good repair. It affords accommodation for 400 persons, allowing 18 inches, or for 450, allowing 16 inches for each per- son ; and by re-arranging the seats, and adding a couple of galle- ries, it might, if necessary, be made to contain 600. The inha- bitants have sittings in the church gratis, as occupants of houses and land rented from the heritors, and there is no person in the parish who does not enjoy this privilege. The manse was built in 1799-1800. A thorough repair, and comfortable addition to it, together with a new and complete stead- ing of offices, were very liberally and handsomely given by the heritors in 1830. The extent of the glebe, including the grass land, is about 7^ acres, which might be let for L.12 annually. The stipend arising from the teinds of the parish of Daviot proper, and increased by an annual payment from Her Majesty's Exchequer in Scotland, amounts to L. 150. The number of Presbyterians in the parish, old and young, was in May last 664; of Episcopalians, 112; of Seceders, 5; and of Quakers, 4. Divine service in the Established Church is generally well at~ tended, and the average number of those who regularly communi- cate there is 350. Education. — The parochial school is the only one in the parish. In it are taught English reading, English grammar, writing, arith- metic, geography, book-keeping, mathematics, Latin, and Greek. The Assembly's Shorter Catechism is also carefully taught, a por- tion of the Bible daily read, and God's blessing on the business of the seminary daily implored. The schoolmaster's salary is L.30,and the average annual amount of his fees about L.20. He also par- DAVIOT. 829 tlcipates in the Dick Bequest. The heritors of the parish, put- ting a just vahie on the services of an acceptable and successful teacher, have, greatly to their credit, given him, in a large and comfortable school-house, much more than the legal accommoda- tion. The annual expense of education varies, according to the branches taught, from 8s, to L.l. There is no one, it is believed, in the parish, between six and fifteen years of age, who is unable to read or write, none above fif- teen who cannot read, and not above fifty, chiefly old women, who cannot write. And it may be here stated, as a proof that the pa- rishioners are quite alive to the' benefits of education, that, during last year, there were no fewer than 107 young people attended school. Charitable and other Institutions.- — There is no savings bank in the parish. The nearest is that in Old Meldrum, established, in 1834, by a few private individuals. A National Security Savings Bank was estabhshed in Inverury in June 1837. Poor and Parochial Funds. — The number of persons receiving parochial aid is generally about 12, and the annual allowance given to each ranges from L.l, 10s. to L.5, lis. 6d. The average annual amount of collections in the church for their relief is L.25, lis. 4d. ; of interest of money belonging to the poor, L.7, 10s.; and of donations, &c. given and applied for their benefit, L.ll, 6s. Gd. It rarely happens that application, in the first in- tance, is made by the individual requiring parochial assistance ; and in more cases than one, when inquiry has been made, with all possible delicacy, if parochial aid was wanted, or would be accept- able, the reply has been, " that their own means were not yet ex- hausted, and till then they could not bear the thought of becoming burdensome to the parish." FairSf Inns, Sfc. and Fuel. — In the parish no fairs are held. There are two inns, besides two other houses in which ale and spirits are retailed ; but these being situated on the sides of the principal lines of road in the parish, appear to be required for the accommodation of the public. Almost all who occupy land in the parish have, in terms of their leases, the privilege of cutting turf and peat for fuel in the proprietors' mosses. There is also a con- siderable quantity of coals brought from Inverury into the parish for fuel, at the expense of about 5s. 6d. per boll, exclusive of carriage. 830 ABERDEENSHrilE. AIlSCELLANEOL'S OBSERVATIONS. The most striking variations between the present state of tlie parish and that which existed at the time of the last Statistical return, are, a diminished population, produced chiefly by the gra- dually improved arrangement effected by the proprietors in the division of their lands ; the adoption of a regular rotation of crop- ping, which was then but just commencing; an increased and in- creasing desire, on the part of the tenant, encouraged by his land- lord, to lay out his fields tastefully, and to bring every foot of them under the plough ; a more intimate acquaintance with the best modes of draining, whereby the greater part of the low and wet lands in the parish has been, and is being dried and rendered productive ; a more enlightened and systematic attention bestowed by the tenantry in improving the breed of their cattle, and in bringing them as early, and as far as they can, into the best mar- ketable condition ; and the generally improved position of the farm-houses and steadings, in reference to every part of the farm, and the consequent discontinuance of the assemblage of several farm-houses and steadings in one locality, which proved a source of no small inconvenience and annoyance to their respective pos- sessors. Subletting has, since then, also been almost, completely prohibited, and the proprietors, while they gratuitously give houses and small patches of ground for a garden to the well-behaved on their own estates, who have fallen into decayed circumstances, and otherwise humanely assist them, at the same time prevent the settlement of those who have no such claim upon them, and are likely, at no distant period, to become burdensome to the parish; and it is believed that, if this plan were more generally adopted, the poor in each parish would have their necessary wants amply provided for, and mendicant vagrancy would, to the great comfort of the community, be ere long entirely discontinued. The roads in the parish also have undergone a great improvement since the date of the last Statistical Account. The old lines of road have in several parts been improved, and the roads them- selves put in good repair. A new line of turnpike has since been made along the east and north sides of the parish, and another was finished in 1839, on which a stage-coach now runs daily be- twixt Aberdeen and Huntly. Drawn up in 1837. Revised August 1842. ¥ PARISH OF KINCARDINE O'NIEL. PRESBYTERY OF KINCARDINE o'nIEL, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. JOHN RODGER, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural Histoiiy. Name. — In old registers the name is uniformly written Kincar- den O'Neal. Kincarden is said to be derived from Gaelic words signifying " the head of the hill." The village of Kincardine O'- Niel, in which the church and manse stand, is situated in a valley at the south-west corner of a hill of considerable height, named Ordfundlie. A rivulet, named Neal or Niel, running by the vil- lage, gives, it is supposed, the addition of O'Niel to Kincardine. Extent, ^"c. — The average length of the parish from south to north is seven miles, and the breadth from east to west five. The form resembles that of a parallelogram, with some projections and indentations in its sides. As the extreme length in some places is fully eight miles, and the breadth above five, the area is probably about thirty-five square miles. On the west, the parish is bounded by those of Aboyne and Lumphanan ; on the north, by the pa- rishes of Tough and Cluny ; on the east, by Midmar and Ban- chory- Ternan; and by the river Dee on the south, which, in its windings, divides it from the parish of Birse and part of Aboyne. This parish may be said to be divided into three great straths or portions, by hills of considerable extent and height; one of which, the hill of Learney, may not improperly be regarded as a continuation of the hill of Fare. It runs in a circuitous direction north-west by west, cutting off a considerable portion from the other two divisions of the parish. The hill of Fare, which inter- venes betwixt Midmar and Banchory- Ternan parishes, forms a part of the east boundary of this parish. It furnishes good peats to the tenants around its base, — the circumference of which is reckoned fourteen miles. It is in height nearly 1600 feet above the level of the sea, and is a landmark to ships on the east coast near Aberdeen. The other hills in the parish are cultivated or 832 ABERDEENSHIRE. wooded to the tops. Ordfundlie divides the south from the mid- dle or centre division of the parish. The level ground in these two divisions is betwixt 400 and 500 feet above the level of the sea; the northern division of the parish a degree higher. Hydrography. — The average breadth of the river Dee here is from 60 to 70 yards. When salmon are abundant in the river considerable numbers are killed here with the fly. Two miles be- low the village, a beautiful and substantial bridge of granite was built in 1812, at an expense of L.3500, one-half defrayed by Go- vernment, and the other half by subscription. The bridge has three arches, the centre arch 65 feet span, and the other two 60 each. When all the pillars or piers were built, and two of the arches thrown, the whole was destroyed by rough timber floating down, when the river was high. On that occasion, the contractor, Mr Minty, recovered L.1200 of damages off" the owners of the timber. By the great flood in August 1829, two of the piers were considerably injured; but were afterwards thoroughly repaired and bolted with bars of iron by the original contractor. This bridge is in the line of the old military'road leading from Perth by Brechin, over the Cairn o' Mount, through this village to Huntly and Inverness. From the bridge to Huntly an excellent road has been made; but as no carriage road has yet been completed from it southward, much of the utility of this handsome edifice is lost to the public. But it is hoped a road to Cuttishillock, on this side of the Mount, part of which was made last year, will soon be completed. The only other stream of note that runs through the parish is the burn of Belty, which, rising in the hills in the north-west cor- ner of the parish, takes a diagonal course south-east, through the centre division, dividing it into nearly equal parts, and joins the Dee in the parish of Banchory. This stream, comparatively in- significant in its ordinary state, occasionally, when flooded, becomes a torrent, and the ground on its banks being level, it does much injury to the occupiers. In 1799 and 1829, by covering the crops then on the ground with mud and sand, it occasioned immense loss. In the latter year, this stream carried off" two bridges com- pletely, and much injured three more, all built of stone and lime. The valley through which it runs comprises the largest division of the parish, and much of the soil on its banks being alluvial, and the subsoil mostly clay, is regarded as the deepest and best in the parish. Along the banks of the Dee the soil is light, sharp, and early. KINCARDINE O'NIEL. 833 Geology and Mineralogy. — The rocks, of which there are few remarkable in the parish, are generally composed of whin and sandstone. There is also abundance of excellent granite, in ex- tensive masses, both above and under ground, some of which has been cut for pillars and other purposes, seventeen feet long. There is no slate or limestone in the parish ; nor, so far as I know, have any fossil organic remains, or any ores, mines, or simple minerals been found. There are some very extensive plantations, (above 1500 impe- rial acres, the property of one proprietor). The Scotch fir and larch are the most common kinds raised. Latterly, considerable quantities of oak and ash have been planted, and seem to thrive, particularly the former. To Scotch fir, larch, and oak the soil would seem to be favourable. Larch, on the estate of Learney, has been found to thrive on the top of a hill exposed to the north- ern blasts, when Scotch fir, after a dozen of years, has become stunted and dwarfish. Still, it is doubtful if they will thrive to be- come timber. Birch would seem to be indigenous along the banks of the Dee. n. — Civil History. Land-owners. — The land-owners are, Peter Laing Gordon, Esq. of Craigmile ; Francis Gordon, Esq. of Kincardine ; The Heirs of the late Alexander Brebner, Esq. of Learney ; Misses Innes of Ballogie; Duncan Forbes Mitchell, Esq. of'Thainston ; William Davidson, Esq. of Kebbity ; Miss Scott of Campfield ; Francis G. Fraser of Findrack ; Archibald Farquharson, Esq. of Fincrean ; James Lamond, Esq. of StrandufF; Duncan Davidson, Esq. of Mill of Kincardine ; and Mr Ross of Cochrane's Croft, who holds between two and three acres of land in feu from the Laird of Kincardine, and who is the oldest proprietor in the parish. Antiquities. — Tradition says that a bede-house or asylum for the support of eight old men existed in this village in the times of Popery ; that it was established and supported by a quondam bi- shop of Aberdeen ; but that it became extinct at the Reforma- tion. No traces of house or funds now remain. Parochial Registers. — Our parish registers of baptisms and mar- riages do not extend beyond the commencement of the last cen- tury ; and, it appears, had for many years been very irregularly kept. Parents are very careless in not registering the births of their children. Modern Buildings. — A very neat addition to his mansion-house ABERDEEN. 3 G 834 ABERDEENSHIRE. was erected two years ago by Mr Gordon of Kincardine, who, since he bought the property about twenty-five years since, has also built a very handsome and commodious inn in the village. The mansion-house of Learney was burnt by accident about four years ago, but is again built in a handsome and modern style. The only other modern building in the parish proper to be no- ticed, is a small neat cottage by Mr Lamond on his lands of Stranduff. The mills in the parish are all now on an improved construc- tion, particularly one on the estate of Learney, and another on that of Mr Davidson of Mill of Kincardine. These two are very effi- cient, and give great satisfaction. III. — Population. Population in 1801, - 1710 1811, . 1645 1821, _ 1793 1831, . 1936 1841, . 1857 The population of the village of Kincardine O'Niel (the only one in the parish), and its precincts, is 288. The yearly average of births for the last seven years is from 37 to 40 ; of deaths about 30 ; and marriages from 20 to 25, The average number of persons under 15 years of age about 676 betwixt 15 and 30, . 476 30 and 50, - 392 50 and 70, - 220 above 70, . - 57 Unmarried men, bachelors, and widowers above 50, - 49 Widows and unmarried women above 45, . , 84 No nobility reside or have property in the parish. A few of the heritors reside in it during summer and autumn. The rental of only one of the thirteen heritors is under L.50. IV. — Industry. Improvements. — This parish has fully kept pace with the other districts of the county in the rapid progress of improvements which have distinguished the last thirty or forty years. Within that pe- riod, above 560 Scotch acres have been brought into tillage by the proprietors and tenants, by trenching and the trench plough. Cul- tivation, which was formerly in small patches, has been seen, within the period alluded to, to extend to great breadths and in regular fields. Within that period, poor and uncomfortable cottages, in which the farmer and his family resided fifty years ago, have given place to substantial and commodious houses, many of them co- vered with slates. Handsome farm-steadings also appear on every A KINCARDINE o'nIEL. 835 farm of any tolerable size. Enclosures, built wholly of stones, and sunk fences faced with that material, are now very general. A similar beneficial change has taken place in the improvement of the implements of husbandry, and in the breed of horses and black- cattle. The threshing-mills have now been generally adopted on farms even of moderate extent. They are furnished of a light con- struction, on a small scale, and at an expense which the great di- minution of labour and increased production of grain from them will soon defray. A very favourable and agreeable change in the education, manners, and living of the people has also taken place within the last forty years. The inconvenience and hardship which this parish suffered from the want of roads previous to 1800 was very great. After that time, they were much improved, — and greatly to the benefit of the agriculture of the parish. Extent and Produce of the Parish. — The following estimates of the extent of the parish in imperial acres, and the annual average produce raised in it, it is hoped, is near the truth. Acres Improv- Not im • Proprietors. arable. Wood. able. provable. Total. Craigmile, . 1060 200 300 1200 2760 Learney, . 1100 1500 800 850 3750 Kincardine, . 550 650 100 200 1500 Campfield, . 450 J 30 100 500 1180 Easterbeltie, . 300 100 100 200 700 Midbeltie, . 500 100 250 150 1000 Dalhaiky, . 450 200 200 450 1300 West Kincardine, 160 150 20 60 380 Mill of Kincardine, 30 100 10 140 Kebbity, . 420 130 230 400 1180 StrandufF, . 220 120 40 70 430 Findrack, . 300 40 40 300 680 5550 3420 1650 4380 15000 Since the foregoing table was made out, I find, by plans shown me by the proprietor, that the estate of Craigmile contains above 1200 acres arable, and above 150 have been improved within the last three years, or are in the process of improvement. I must here advert to a considerable discrepancy betwixt the number of arable acres reported by my predecessor and the above. From the best information I have been able to procure, joined to my own obser- vation for above thirty years, I find the return to Sir John Sinclair should have little, if at all, exceeded 4200 acres ; for certainly above .560 have been since improved. Mr Morrice's advanced period of life, 1 know, rendered him wholly dependent on the information of others. 83- proved the different species of seeds that are brought forward for competition, as well as the live-stock on which the farmer mainly depends. By the liberality of its kind and philanthropic patron, the Earl of Fife, the Association has lately given premiums to de- serving farm-servants, and, in furtherance of this important object, a registry office is about to be established, which eventually must have a salutary moral effect upon the labouring classes. This Association has also lately directed special attention to the applica- tion of science to agriculture, and is believed to be the first which has, with this view, proposed to institute a series of experiments and inquiries in a thoroughly scientific manner upon the different soils and localities within its bounds, and, after accurately ascertaining their results, to report the same to the members. Should this TURIUFF. 1013 scheme be accurately carried out, it cannot fail to produce much I valuable local information, and to answer all the ends of an ex- ! perimeutal farm. Savings' Bank, — A bank for savings was opened in August 1817, and has more than realized all the hopes entertained by its pro- jectors. The depositors are chiefly tradesmen, labourers, and men and women servants. The accounts are kept, and the busi- ness almost wholly managed by the treasurer, who is parish school- master, and who receives, or gives out to those concerned, on every alternate Thursday evening, any sum from Is. to L.20 Ster- ling. When the savings reach L.20, the depositors are obliged to withdraw their money, and, if so disposed, to open a new ac- count, and operate upon it according to their inclination. It is worthy of remark, that several of them have actually transferred their earnings six times over to the provincial banks of the country, or otherwise invested them, and have thus, by prudent economy, been able to make honourable provision for themselves and their families in a safe and easy manner. The funds in the bank at 1st November 1841, when the last balance was struck, amounted to L.2289, 18s. 2d. ; the amount deposited for the year previous, L.594, 12s. S^d. ; and the amount withdrawn during the same year, L.552, i7s. 4id. Public Banks, ^c. — There is a branch of the Commercial Rank of Scotland in Turriff, one of the North of Scotland Banking Company, and a sub-branch of the Aberdeen Banking Company. They are all conducted by respectable agents, and have been found to be exceedingly conveni£nt, as, before their establishment, all bank business in the distrist was transacted at Aberdeen or Banff, which could not be effected but at considerable expense and risk. There are also agents for different insurance companies ; and as the advantages of fire and life insurance begin to be better un- derstood, a corresponding support may be anticipated. Gas Company. — In 1839, a joint-stock company was formed for the manufacture of gas. The capital, L.750, is held in shares of L.2, 10s. each. The buildings are conveniently situated, and the concern, now that the shares are nearly sold, will yield a moderate return for the outlay of capital, and give a brilliant beautiful light to the consumers. The quantity of gas consumed in the year ending June 20th 1842, was 188,000 cubical feet. Inns, Sj-c, — In the town there are respectable inns and taverns, 1014 ABERDEENSHIRE. where travellers and the public can enjoy every necessary comfort/ | Besides these, there are numerous ale-houses and spirit-shops, which, to a certain extent, may be convenient, though several of them might with great propriety be suppressed, as affording an undue facility to tippling. Courts. — One of the Sheriff-substitutes of the county holds a quarterly small-debt court here, for sums not exceeding L.8, 6s. 8d. ; and from the number of cases brought up for judgment, it may be supposed the establishment of this court has been found advantaoeous to the lieges. The justices of the peace and lieu- tenancy of the district also meet in Turriff when necessary ; and this being the Presbytery seat, the ordinary meetings of that body are held here. Police, ^c. — One of the most crying evils, and which was sensibly felt by the inhabitants, was the overwhelming concourse of vagrants and travelling mendicants, to whom a well-meaning but mistaken liberality afforded a temptation to make this place a favourite haunt. Since the institution of a rural police and the activity of the district constable, with the terror which his baton and uniform inspire, this annoyance has been much lessened ; and, notwithstanding that the town is a great thoroughfare, there is not one for ten of the visitants that formerly infested it, and diverted the charity of the parishioners from known and deserving objects at home. In this locality, therefore, though a feeling of opposi- tion has been manifested in some quarters to what is something like a ^ge7is d'armes, the general desire is, that the force may be kept up in all its efficiency. Prison. — The only place of confinement is a lock-up-house, consisting of two very small apartments, in which criminals may be lodged for a single night, preparatory to their being sent to the county jail, or in modwn pcena of those smaller offences which oc- casionally occur, particularly at the feeing markets. Fueh' — There is very little moss in the parish. Turf in some places is to be got ; but English coals are commonly used as fuel. Novembe?' 1842. PARISH OF RHYNIE. PRESBYTERY OF STRATHBOGIE, SYNOD OF MORAY. * I. — Topography and Natural History. The old parish of Essie was, very long ago, united to that of Rhynie. Boundaries. — The parish is bounded on the north by Gartly ; on the south, by Auchindoir ; on the west, by Cabrach. Its fi- gure is nearly square. The soil is various. There is but one mountain in the parish : it is called Noth, about lOGO feet above the level of the sea. II. — Civil History. Parochial Registers. — These have been irregularly kept. Land-owners. — The sole land-owner in the parish is His Grace the Duke of Richmond. Antiquities. — The most remarkable of these is on the summit of the hill of Noth, and considered by MacCulloch to be the re- mains of a vitrified fort. What appear to have been the walls are, in some parts, more than ten feet in thickness. It is very difficult to conceive how such a mass of loose stones could, by any artificial process, be cemented together by fusion, and, supposing that the requisite heat could be excited, it is difficult to conceive it possi- ble so to regulate the heat throughout so great a mass, as that only so many of the stones should be fused as were required to cement the others. The conducting power of earthy matter is so very low, that the outer surface would be run before the centre could be warmed. The result of such a process would be case-harden- ing; but the fact is, the cementation is as perfect in the centre as on the surface more immediately exposed to the fire. At the foot of the hill, on the north-west, there are several tu- * From notes furnished by the Kev. Thomas Wright. The proceedings consequent on the presentation to the parish of Marnoch in 1837, led to the deposition, by the General Assembly in 1841, of the Rev. William AUar- dyce, minister of this parish ; in which Mr Allardyce and a minority of the General Assembly do not acquiesce. They have obtained a suspension and interdict from the Court of Session. 1016 ABERDEENSHIRE. muli commemorative of an engagement fought in the year 1057, between the brave M'Duff and the usurper Lulach, who, for the brief period of six months, assumed the title of King, withholding the sceptre from Malcolm Canmore. Here Lulach was slain by Macduff. From this engagement it derives its name Mildeivne, {grave of a thousand.) To the west of the Noth, on the low grounds, there still exist the ruins of the castle of Lesmore, a stronghold once possessed by an ancient branch of the Gordon family. These, with some monumental stones scattered throughout the parish, rudely carved with hieroglyphics much defaced, constitute the only relics of an- tiquity to be found. III. — Population. of population in 1801, 676 1811, 676 1821, 776 1831, 1018 1841, 1033 There are two villages, one of which has a population of 240^ and the other of 150. IV. — Industry. Agriculture, — The average rent of land per acre is 15s. The real rental of the parish is L.2204, 13s. 6d. There has been re- cently a considerable increase of activity in farming operations. Large portions of waste land have been reclaimed. Lime to a large extent has been introduced, also a small amount of bone-dust. The produce of the parish has been doubled since 1820. V. — Parochial Economy. Ecclesiastical State. — There are only about a dozen Dissenting families in the parish. Stipend in money, L.130, 10s. 9d. ; value of grain stipend, about L.25. The manse was built in 1S2L Education. — There are two schools in the parish. The salary of the parochial teacher is Ij.24, 7s. 8d., with 8 bolls of meal. Poor, — Average number of poor on the roll, 16 ; average amount of funds for their relief, from church collections, L. 24, 2s. 6d. ; of other contributions, L.6, 13s. 4d ; of mortifications, mort- cloth dues, &c. L. 20, 7s. 8d. August 1842. PARISH OF CAIRNIE, PRESBYTERY OF STRATHBOGIE, SYNOD OF MORAY. I. — Topography and Natural History. This parish is bounded on the north, by the parish of Keith ; on the south, by Glass and Huntly ; and on the ea'Nt, by Huntly. II. — Civil History. This parish was part of the lordship of Strathbogie, taken from the Cummings by King Robert Brace, and given to Sir Adanci Gordon. It was the original estate of the family of Gordon. Land'Oioners. — The principal land-owners are, Duke of Rich- mond; Admiral Duff, Drummuir; and Mr Stev/art, Achhmchart. The Duke has about nine-tenths of the parish. There are no mansion-houses in the parish. III. — Population. Amount in 1821, - 1854 1831, - 1796 1841, - 1638 IV. — Industry. Under this head it need only be stated, that the agriculture does not differ from that of the adjoining parishes. There is a lime-work at Ardonald, where, from 1818 to 1841 inclusive, 620,269 bolls have been manufactured, at 2s. 3d. per boll, yielding L. 69,771, 2s. 6d. V. — Parochial Economy. Ecclesiastical State. — Amount of stipend, L. 210. The value of the glebe is about L. 12, 15s. per annum. The amount of the ordinary collections in the church is about L. 30 per annum. Education. — There are three schools in the parish. The sa- lary of the parochial teacher is L. 18, 16s. 7d. and 16 bolls of meal. His fees may amount to L. 15; and he shares in the Dick Bequest. The other two teachers are non-parochial. Poor. — The average number of poor on the roll is about 35. Average amount of church collections for their behoof, L. 30, 2s. 7d. ; of mortifications, mortcloth dues, &c. L. 9, 1 7s. 3d. * The proceedings consequent on the presentation to the parish of Marnoch in 1837, led to the deposition, by the General Assembly in 1841, of the Rev. William Cowie, minister of this parish ; in which Mr Cowie and a minority of the General Assembly do not acquiesce. They have obtained a suspension and interdict from the Court of Session. August 1842. PRESBYTERY OF KINCARDINE O NEIL, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. JOHN ERASER, MINISTER. THE REV. D. CAMPBELL, Assistant, I. TOPOGKAPHY AND NaTURAL HiSTORY. Name, — The word Cluny in Gaelic signifies meadows inter- spersed with rising grounds. It is descriptive of the surface of this parish and district. Boundaries, §"c. — The parish is bounded on the north, by Mo- nymusk and Kemnay ; on the south, by Midmar and Echt; on the east, by Skene; on the west, by Tough. It is about 10 miles long from west to east, and about 2 broad. The soil, in general, is warm and dry, and the climate salu- brious. 11. — Civil History. Parochial Registers. — There is a register of baptisms, which commences in 1761, but it has been irregularly kept. There is also one of marriages, commencing in 177'2, which has been kept regularly ; from that date the minutes of kirk-session have been re- corded. Land-oivners. — These are. Colonel Gordon of Cluny; Colonel Fraser of Fraser Castle ; Mrs Davidson of Kebatty ; Mrs Brebner of Lairney; and Mr Burnet of Kemnay. III. — Population. Amount of population in 1801, . 821 1811, 1821, 1831, 1841, Illegitimate births within the last three years, 16. IV. — Industry. Agriculture. — The average rent of land per acre is 13s. The improvements of land have kept pace with those of the neighbouring parishes. V. — Parochial Economy. Ecclesiastical State. — There are six Dissenting families in the 823 867 959 959 -LESLIE, 1019 parish, three Episcopalian, and two Roman Catholic. The sti- pend somewhat exceeds the minimum. The glebe is of rather more than the usual value and extent. The manse is very old, and in indifferent condition. Education. — There are two schools in the parish, — one the pa- rochial, the other for girls, supported by the Castlefraser family, The parochial teacher's salary is the maximum. He participates in the Dick Bequest. Poor. — Average number of poor, 22; average annual amount of contributions for their relief, about L.50. August 184*2. PARISH OF LESLIE. PRESBYTERY OF GARIOCH, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. JAMES PETER, MINISTER. I — Topography and Natural History. Name, ^c. — Tradition gives the origin of the name to the settlement of the Leslyns or Leslys in this district, which took place so early as the eleventh century. Boundaries, §t. — The parish is bounded on the south by the parishes of Keig and Tullynessle, from which it- is divided by a ridge of hills, which form part of a range beginning with Benochie on the east, and, terminating at Cabrach on the west, divide the Garioch from the Alford districts ; on the west and north, by Clatt and Kennethm.ont ; and on the east, by Insch and Prem- nay. Its greatest length is about 3^ miles, and breadth about 2^ miles. An elevated ground, rising in some parts into hills, and running from east to west, divides it into two nearly equal parts. Between this ridge and the hills which divide the parish from the Alford district, lies a valley in which rims the Gady. Skirting the base of this central ridge on the west, north, and east, lies the remain- der of the lands of the parish. The climate is rather moist, and very variable. In the valley mentioned, it is warmer than in the north-west part of the parish^ which is exposed to the north winds, and in the vicinity of a moss. 1020 ABERDEENSHIRE. Hydrography. — The Gady is the only stream worth notice in the parish. It takes its rise in Clatt, and running through Lesly and Premnay, falls into the Ury in the parish of Oyne.* Geology and Mineralogy. — The soil on the opposite sides of the Gadv differs considerably, that on the north side being a light loam generally on a gravelly bottom or subsoil, — that on the south being a strong " rich mould on clay bottom." On the south side of the parish, there is serpentine. No quarry has been opened, but the country people make snuff-boxes and trinkets of it. It has a greenish tinge, with gray streaks interspersed. The serpentine of this district, of which there is a great abundance, is most pro- bably a part of that tract which, it is conjectured, runs from Port- soy across the country to Strathdon. This serpentine does not take a fine polish, owing to its being interspersed with small pieces of spar resembling schiller spar in appearance, but much harder. The other minerals to be found in the parish are, steatite, manga- nese, asbestus, shorl, mica, albite, beryl, and the more common minerals, felspar and quartz. A farmer, in cutting a ditch through part of the serpentine rock which was contiguous to his fields, * This stream has been celebrated in song by the poet Arthur Johnston, in Latin. Tliere is also a beautiful ballad once often sung by the natives, beginning " Oh an I were where Gady rins," &c. It may not be thought improper to mention a strik- ing anecdote connected with this song, as illustrative of the power of association. After the siege of Pondicherry, when a Scotch regiment was marching into the town, the whole soldiers stood still on a sudden, being arrested by hearing this song sung by a Scotch lady from an open window. The song, being now very scarce, is sub- joined. O an' T were where Gadie rins, 'Mang fragrant heath and yellow whins. Or brawlin down the boskie lins, At the back o' Ben-no chie ! Ance mair to hear the wild bird's sang. To wander birks and braes amang, \Vi' friends an' f;iv'rites left so lang. At the back o' Ben-no-chie. How mony a day in blythe spring time, How mony a day in summer's prime, I've saunterin' wil'd awa the time On the heights of Ben-no-chie. Ah ! fortune's flowers wi' thorns grow rife, And walth is won wi' toil and strife, Ae day gie me o' youthful life At the back o' Ben-no-chie. Ah ! Mary, there on ilka night, When baith our hearts were young and light, We've wandered by the clear moonlight, Wi' speech baith fond and free. Oh ! ance, ance mair, whar Gadie rins, Whar Gadie rins, whar Gadie rins. Oh ! might I die whar Gadie rins. At the back o' Ben-no-chie. LESLIE. 1021 found in a fissure about 2h feet from the surface, several pieces of petrified wood. Zoology. — The domestic cattle are of the Aberdeenshire breed. Greater care than formerly is now taken in the selection of breed- ing stock, but very much remains to be done in this respect. Some attempts have been made at " crossing" with the short -horned breed. There are very few sheep, and these are generally a cross between the Leicester and Cheviot. Pigs are not much raised in the parish ; but the farmers are beginning to pay attention to this department of husbandry. Botany. — Wild mustard [Sinapis arvensis), diOck. {JRumex cris- pus), ragweed (Senecio Jacobcea), bishopweed [^gopodium poda- graria), bur-thistle {Cnicus lanceohtas), knot-grass [Holcus avena- ceus), couch grass {Triticum repjens), are the most common weeds. The farmers are now becoming careful in rooting them out ; but still a good deal remains to be done. Among the rarer plants may be mentioned, Arenaria verna (serpentine tract, mentioned above), Senecio saracenicus, Sambu- cus ebidus. Statice armeria may also be mentioned as a rather rare plant in districts not maritime. It grows on the serpentine tract, alongf with Arenaria verna above alluded to. There is one small plantation in the parish, but not in a very thriving condition. II. — Civil History. Land-owners. — There are only two proprietors, viz. Sir Andrew Leith Hay of Rannes and Leith Hall, &c. M. P.; and Colonel F. Leith of Whitehaugh. The former has about two-thirds, and the latter about one-third of the parish. Parochial Register^. — The session records begin in the year 1699, when Mr William Watson was minister. A register of marriages and baptisms, and minutes of session have been gene- rally kept from that time, but they are incomplete. No register of deaths has been kept. The following is a list of the incum- bents at Leslie since 1898, viz. Mr William Watson, admitted in 1698, died about the beginning of 1699. Mr Forbes, admitted in May 1701, removed to Tarves in September 1706. Mr Thain, admitted December 30, 1707, removed to Auchindoir in June 1719. Mr Robert Abercrombie, (grand-uncle of the present Dr Abercrombie of Edinburgh), admitted 24th August 1720, died in July 1751. Mr Alexander Stewart, translated from Grange 3d June 1752, date of his death not ascertained exactly, but it was in 1022 ABERDEENSHIRE. 1797 or 1798. Mr Harper, who was translated to Kildrummy in 1795, was appointed Mr Stewart's assistant and successor in 1782. Mr David Dunbar, admitted February 24, 1796, assistant and successor to Mr Stewart, died February 20, 1830. Present incum- bent admitted November 30, 1830. Antiquities. — This parish has little to boast of in this respect. There were, till lately, the remains of a Druidical temple. The farmer on whose ground it was, demolished it, and used the stones in building fences. On the south-west of the church is Chapel- ton, where there had been once a Ronlan Catholic chapel. The ruins were dug up many years ago. The font stone is still to be seen in one of the buildings of the farm-steading. There is a tradition, that the farmer who removed the stones lost the whole of his horses, and one race of horses after another, till he was com- pletely ruined, and obliged to give up the lease of his farm. Far- ther south, near to the road leading to Alford, is a circular hollow about five feet in diameter, and about three feet deep, called the Four Lords' Seat, or Little John's Length. The former name is given to it from a tradition that four Lords met here and dined together each on his own ground, viz. Lord Glammis, the Lord of Leslie, the Lord of Putachie, the Bishop of Aberdeen. A little to the south-west of this are some vestiges of an encampment, and a few cairns or tumuli. One of them, larger than the rest, is called Cock's Cairn. Tradition says a battle M^as fought here. A number of tumuli on the farm of New Leslie have been lately discovered. Leslie House, formerly the seat of the Barons of. Leslie, may be now numbered among the antiquities of the parish. It was first the seat of the Lesleys or Leslyns, from whom it got its name. It afterwards came into the hands of the Forbeses of Mo- nymusk, by John Forbes marrying the widow of George the last Baron of Lesley, who had left the property deeply burdened. John Forbes, by paying the debts, became possessed of the estate. The present house, of the castellated form,, now ruinous, was built by William, son of the said John Forbes. It was founded, as appears from an inscription on the walls, June 17, 1661, and was inclosed by a rampart and fosse. The draw-bridge was on the west, and guarded by a watch-tower. Over the gate is the date 1643. Over the door of the house or castle is the inscription, " Hsec Corp. Sydera Mentem." The Forbes coat-of-arms is to be seen in several places. The said William Forbes was buried in LESLIE. 1023 the church-yard of Leslie. On his tombstone is the following in- scription, viz. " Here lyes William Forbes of Leslie, who lived fifty-five years, and departed this life, November 12, 1670 years." John Forbes succeeded his father, after whom the lands came into the Leith Hall family, in which they continue. There W'as also a castle at New Leslie, a little to the west of the present Castle of Leslie, the foundations of which were lately dug up. At the time to which the tradition mentioned above refers, the lands of the parish were held by Lord Glammis, the Bishop of Aberdeen, and the Baron of Leslie. The part possessed by Lord Glammis belonged at one time to the Abbey of Lindores. A charter of a very ancient date is said to exist, conveying the part of the lands of the parish, now called Courtieston, but, in the charter, Cruterston, along with power to the proprietor of ruling cum Flaminga lack. HI. — Population. Population in ] 755, . 319 1782, 1792, 1831, 1841, 413 392 473 536 There are about 107 families in the parish, either engaged in, or dependent on, agriculture, with the exception of a few aged and infirm women, who gain something by knitting stockings, the wages for which are now reduced to a mere pittance ; a young and active woman being able to gain only from Is. to Is. 6d. a-week. The trades-people, such as wrights, blacksmiths, tailors, &c. are merely sufficient to supply the ^ants of the inhabitants in their respective branches.^ One fatuous person belongs to the parish. IV. — Industry. The number of acres under tillage is about 2000; valued rent, L.1566, 6s. 8d. Scots, and real, about L.2300. The rent of land varies very much. What is called infield lets in some cases at L.3 per Scots acre ; outfield varies from 10s. to L.I, 5?. per Scots acre. The rotation of cropping is generally a seven course shift, which allows three-sevenths in grain crop, three-sevenths in grass, and one-seventh in turnip. This system, which is almost uni- formly pursued, might, it is thought, be profitably exchanged in many cases for a six course shift, with only one grain crop before turnips, another after, and three grasses, which would allow the same rest, and crop the land less than the seven course shift. Complaints are general of the deficiency of the grass crops, which 1024 ABERDEENSHIRE. may be owing, in some measure, to the frequent cropping of the land. Produce. — The following estimate is made of the produce of the parish : — 900 acres grain crop, at 4| qrs. per acre, at L,l, 5s. L.4860 Cattle sold, 180, at L.9 each, . . 16-20 Dairy produce, • . 540 Sheep and pigs, . . . 50 L. 7070 V. — Parochial Economy. Means of Commimicatio7i. — A commutation road, running al- most along the banks of the Gady, leads by Premnay to the turn- pike to Inverury and Aberdeen, and another, in the direction of Kennethmont, leads from the church to the turnpike to Hunth% From Inverury and Huntly the church is nearly equidistant, and the farm produce of the parish is almost wholly carried to either of these towns ; but the greater part to Inverury. Ecclesiastical State. — The parish church is situated on the south bank of the Gady, at nearly the eastern extremity of the parish, and was built in 1815 to accommodate nearly 300. The manse was built in 1794. The teinds are exhausted, and an allowance from the Exchequer is required to augment the stipend to L.150. There is also a Dissenting chapel belonging to the Independents, on the north-west extremity of the parish, built in 1818. Education. — The parish school is situated within a few yards of the church. Instruction is given in English, writing, arithmetic, book-keeping, and Latin. Salary, L.25, 13s. 4d. Fees in 1834 about L.13. In lieu of a garden, aa allowance is given of L.2, 2s. 9d. There is a mortification of L.I, 13s. 4d. per annum as fees for the children of poor widows. Poor. — At present there are only four upon the poor's roll. One of these, however, has a family of four children, vvholly dependent on the sessional allowance and the charity of the neighbourhood. Miscellaneous Observations. Since the date of last Report, a good deal of meadow and bar- ren land has been improved. Much has been done in draining, and a good deal remains to be done. Furrow-draining on Smith of Deanston's plan would do much good in several localities ; but the expense is too great for the farmer. As the improvement would be permanent, the outlay by the proprietor would.be amply repaid. The rental of the parish is about thrice what it was at the date of last Report, and the value of stock is increased in about NEW MACHAR. 1025 an equal ratio. There is good field for plantations in the parish, and they are much wanted. Farmers have to drive wood from a distance: and much might be done by enclosing with paino-, if wood were more plentiful. The people are generally industrious, and a great change has taken place in their mode of living. June 1842. PARISH OF NEW MACHAR. PRESBYTERY OF ABERDEEN, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. GEORGE MOIR, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — In the earlier registers, the parish is called the Upper Parochine of St Machar; and in those of later date, Upper Ma- char. The modern name is New Machar, in contradistinction, no doubt, to the name of the adjoining parish of Old Machar, of which it originally formed a part. Extent. — The length of the parish from north-west to south- east may be 10 miles; average breadth about 2^ miles. Boundaries^ <§-c. — It is bounded on the north and north-east, by the parish of Udny; on the east, by the parish of Belhelvie; on the south, by Old Machar and the river Don ; and on the west, by the parishes of Fintray and Keith Hall. The greater part of the parish is situated between gently sloping hills of moderate ele- vation, inclining from north-west to south-east, and is considera- bly diversified by small hills, cultivated or under wood. It may be noticed, that certain lands in the parish, called the lands of Straloch, though surrounded on all sides by the county of Aberdeen, are yet in the county of Banff; and farther, that these lands, though forming part of the parish, are yet dis- joined from it, by a section of the parish of Udny uniting itself to the parish of Fintray. This portion of the parish of Udny, how- ever, consisting of the lands of Torryleith, has, for a good many years, by a decree of the Synod, been attached, quoad sacra, to the parish of New Machar, and the lands of Straloch are now rated and politically attached to the county of Aberdeen. Meteorology. — No barometrical observations have, so far as the ABERDEEN. 3 T 1026 ABERDEENSHIRE. writer lias been able to discover, been kept in the parish. It would appear, however, that both the temperature and salubrity of the atmosphere have greatly improved since the date of the for- mer Statistical Account. For this we are mainly indebted to the verv extensive improvements in draining and cultivating marshy land which have been made in the parish of late years. There is an observable difference between the climate of the upper and that of the lower parts of the parish, the climate of the former be- ing colder than that of the latter — owing partly to the difference of elevation, and partly to the difference of soil. The north-west wind is perhaps the most prevalent. Hydrography. — Copious springs are to be found in many parts of the parish. In the former Statistical Account, four mineral springs are named, one in particular as having been much used at that period, and found beneficial in scorbutic complaints. Now, they are seldom if at all spoken of, and certainly not used for me- dicinal purposes. Lochs. — There are two lochs in the south-east end of the pa- rish, the one remarkable for the rugged nature of the district around, and the other for its having been the scene of the resi- dence of the Bishops of Aberdeen before the chantry was erected. Of this residence, which was situated on a small island within the loch, mention is made in a " View of the Diocese of Aberdeen," MS. Advocates' Library, supposed to be written by Sir Samuel Forbes of Foveran, about 1720. " It looks liker a hermit's cell," observes the writer of the MS., " than a Bishop's Palace, and yet a great man lived and died there, — I mean Bishop Benham." The site of the palace may still be traced, as also part of a ditch con- nected with the drawbridge. The loch itself, now known by the name of the Bishop's Loch, (anciently Loch Goul), is beautifully situated, well-wooded, and of considerable extent. Rivers. — The Don, as has already been mentioned, forms one of the boundaries of the parish. It flows along the southern ex- tremity, in the direction of south-east, for the distance of about two miles, and then enters the parish of Old Machar, five miles above where it falls into the sea. The only other stream worthy of notice is a considerable rivu- let, which, rising about a mile above the north end of the parish, runs through it southward, and, after supplying in its course seve- ral corn-mills with water, falls into the Don, a little above the bridge of Dvce. NEW MACHAR. 1027 Geology and Mineralogy. — Granite abounds in the south end t3f the parish. Limestone is to be found in the estate of North Kinmundy, but not in sufficient quantity to repay the labour of quarrying and burning, &c. There is evidence of its having been burnt there at a former period ; but not, I am told, for the last fifty years. The parish presents a variety of soils. In the southern part near the Don- the soil is a gravelly loam; in the middle part, good loam ; in the northern part, patches of good loam, with a large proportion of inferior various land on a bottom of clay — the most valuable portions being those lately reclaimed by modern hus- bandry, by deepening the principal burn that runs through the parish, and by judicious draining. There are no large forests in the parish. The most extensive woods are those on the estate of Parkhill. The estates of Stra- loch and Elrick are also well-wooded. On another of the estates in the parish, the estate of Rainnieshills and Kingseat, there has been a good deal planted, within the last ten years. With a few exceptions, the young plantations are thriving well. II. — Civil History. There is no separate account of the history of the parish ; but several interesting particulars connected with its history are to be found in the chartulary of Aberdeen, in the library of King's Col- lege, and in the " View of the Diocese of Aberdeen," MS., al- ready referred to. There is in the possession of the Straloch and Pitlurg families a large collection of papers, which are of interest and importance, not only as regards this parish, but as regards this county. Many of these have lately been published by the Spald- ing Club (see Miscellany of the Spalding Club, Voh i.) The original painting of the celebrated Robert Gordon of Straloch, by Jamieson, is in the mansion-house of Parkhill, in this parish. Eminerd Characters. — Robert Gordon. — This eminent geogra- pher and antiquary was born at Kinmundy in this parish on the 14th September 1580. He was the second son of Sir John Gor- don of Pitlurg, a gentleman who long stood high in the favour of his sovereign, James VI. Mr Gordon has the merit of being the first who applied actual mensuration in topographical surveys to Scotland. At the request and earnest solicitation of King Charles he undertook, in 1641, the preparation of an atlas of Scotland, which was published in 1648, and soon afterwards went through a second and third editions. It was his diligence and accuracy in 1028 ABERDEENSHItlE. the science of geography, then in an extremely rude state, that first obtained for him the celebrity which he afterwards enjoyed. Dr Thomas Reid. — This distinguished metaphysician and moral philosopher was settled minister of this parish May 12, 1737, and continued in that office till June 21, 1752. • With respect to the two eminent individuals above-mentioned, it is not thought necessary here to detail the various particulars of their life, attainments, or writings ; all that is known with cer- tainty of them being already before the public. Land-owners. — The lands of the parish are divided among six proprietors, — Parkhill, Rosehall^ and Goval, the property of John Gordon Gumming Skene, Esq. of Dyce and Pitlurg, valued rent, L.927, 9s. 4d. ; Straloch, John Ramsay, Esq. of Barra, L.800 ; Elrick and Swailend, Peter Burnett, Esq., L.G53, 3s. 4d. ; Rainnieshills, Boddom, and Kingseat, Alexander Thomson, Esq. of Banchory, L.506, 13s. 4d. ; North Kinmundy, Earl of Aber- deen, L. 183, 6s. 8d. ; South Kinmundy, George Morrison, D.D., minister of Nether Banchory, &c. L. 183, 6s. 8d. Total rental, L.3254. Parochial Registers. — The oldest register extant commences November 1641, and ends 1650, in very bad condition; the se- cond commencing July 30, 1676, and ending about 1700, contains, along with a record of the session's discipline, a register of bap- tisms and marriages. The register of discipline, however, in this book, comes up only to July 1688, when a third register was be- gun, wherein are recorded the cases of discipline, together with an account of the management of the poor's funds up to March 10, 1706. The registers which follow are in better preservation, and have, on the whole, been well and accurately kept. The only blank which occurs in the registers after 1676 is sufficiently singular in its way to be deserving of notice. The first 160 pages of the register are occupied with sessional matters during the incum- bency of Mr Bisset. At the bottom of the page, recording his translation in 1728, there is an attestation to the examination of the register by the presbytery. The next entry, on the opposite page, mentions the admission of Mr (afterwards Dr) Reid in 1737. No leaves are cut out. This blank of nine years is accounted for by the joint testimony of history and tradition. History tells us that Mr Bisset's successor was settled by a riding committee, contrary to the will of the people or presbytery ; and tradition I NEW MACHAR. 1029 ^ays, the incumbent, whose name it is not. necessary to mention^ absconded for some open immorahty. Antiquities. — There is a stone in the court-yard of a farm in the parish, on which tradition says that one of the early Kings of Scotland (Malcolm Canmore) seated himself, being in these parts with his army. Weary with marching, and overpowered with thirst, he had water brought to him from a well in the immediate neighbourhood, which proved so grateful and refreshing to the exhausted energies of the monarch, that he pronounced nature's beverage to be better than ale, or better than ill ale. From these circumstances, the property on which this farm is, is called King- seat, and the said well, the Betteral Well, i. e. the Better Ale Well, to this day. At one time there were as many as four cha- pels in this parish, — St Colm's at Monykebbock ; Virgin Mary's at Clubsgoval ; Virgin Mary's at Straloch, supposed to be built by the Cheynes of Straloch ; Virgin Mary's at Bishop's Manor, in Loch Goul. The first of these, St Colm's, is at least 586 years old, as appears from the Chartulary of Aberdeen, where, among the other constitutions of Bishop Peter Ramsay (dated apud Aberdon, 14 Kal. Mail 1256), it is ordered that the Dean, being parson of Kirkton, or Old Aberdeen, is obliged to maintain a chaplain and clerk at Monycabock, as well as Kirkton. Connected with this chapel, was a church-yard, which is still used as a place of inter- ment. The site of the chapel at Straloch is near to the present mansion-house, and is marked out by numerous fragments of the building, by pieces of tomb-stones, of which the inscriptions- are in part legible, also by a well close by, called the Chapel Well. Church. — The church was erected in 1791, and is sufficiently neat, comfortable, and commodious. Ala nsion- Houses. — The chief of these is Parkhill, the residence of the principal heritor, who has also large properties in the ad- joining parishes of Dyce and Old Machar. It is a commodious handsome house, beautifully situated, and well sheltered by exten- sive ornamental and valuable plantations. The lawn is extensive, and finely diversified with wood and water; and the prospect up the valley of the Don, terminated by the picturesque mountain of Bennochie, is but rarely surpassed. The next in importance is gtraloch, the seat of Mr Ramsay of Barra, once the property and residence of the well-known Gordon of Straloch, so celebrated as a geographer and a man of science. This residence has also many attractions, and, improving upon a 1030 ABERDEENSHIRE. naturally fine situation, the late Mr Ramsay and his father have done much by planting and otherwise, to render Straloch one of the finest places in the country. The only other mansion-house is that of Elrick. It is a com- fortable residence, suited to the size of the estate, and well shel- tered by thriving plantations. The proprietor, Mr Burnett, from the state of his health, usually resides in Italy. III. — Population. Amount in 1801, . 925 1811, . 923 1821, . 1183 1831, . 1246 1841, . 1262 There are 2 fatuous persons in the parish, both males ; and 2 blind, both females. Character of the People. — The people are, for the most part, sober, industrious, and intelligent. They are not inferior, it is believed, to the parishes around, either in the knowledge or practice of the Gospel,— are most regular in their attendance on the ser- vices of the sanctuary, — are liberal, to a degree, in their contribu- tions for the support of the poor, — and, of late, have shown them- selves ready to attend on ministrations of a more private kind on week days. On the part of the young, especially, an uncommon and growing desire is manifested for instruction, both in the things that pertain to the life that now is, and in the things that pertain to the life which is to come. IV. — Industry. The inhabitants of this parish, with comparatively few excep- tions, are employed in agriculture. Agriculture. — The superficial extent of the parish may be esti- mated at about 8390 imperial acres, of which about 5570 are ara- ble, 958 in pasture, and about 810 under plantation, consisting chiefly of larch and fir, with a considerable intermixture of hard wood. Of the remaining acres, from 300 to 400 might be ad- vantageously cultivated. Rental. — The average r^te of land per acre has not been accu- rately ascertained; but may be stated in round numbers at L.l per imperial acre. The valued rent of the whole parish is L.3254. Wages. — Farm-servants receive about L. 12 per annum, exclu- sive of board. The period of engagement is usually six months. The system of feeing markets prevails in this part of the country ; but efforts are being made to establish district register offices, 4 , . NEW MACHAR. 1031 which have for their object to improve the respectability and effi- ciency of that numerous and hitherto much-neglected class of so- ciety, by rendering certificates of character essential to success. The wages of labourers are 2s. per day in summer, and Is. 6d. in 'winter. The wages of artisans are proportionally higher. Produce. — The principal crops raised in the parish are barley, bear, corn, turnips, and potatoes. The price of provisions much the same as in the neighbouring parishes. Husbandry. — The mode of rotation followed in this parish is either a five or a seven-shift, — the former being, L green crop or fallow; 2. oats or barley sown out with grass seeds; 3. hay; 4. pasture ; 5. oats ; — the latter, the same as the former, with this difference, that the land is allowed to lie three years in grass in- stead of two, and afterwards is made to carry two white crops in- stead of one. Modifications of either system are sometimes prac- tised, according to increased facilities of procuring manure and other determining circumstances. Live-Stock. — The cattle reared are either the Aberdeenshire horned and dodded, or crosses with the short-horn and Here- ford breeds. The policy of corrupting the native breeds of the country is still a qucestio vexata, which time and more experience only can solve. It is universally found in the Smithfield market, that pure Aberdeenshire bring a much higher price than the short- horn or even the finest cross, while, on the other hand, the latter attain a larger size, and are in general ready for the market a year sooner. Improvements. — In no parish", perhaps, vi'ithin the last ten years, have improvements in agriculture been more vigorously and suc- cessfully carried on than in this. By draining, liming, and other applications, not only has a large addition been made to the ex- tent of arable land in the parish, but the soil in previous cultiva- tion has been rendered much more productive. Size of Farms. — The farms vary in extent from 45 to 200 acres, or thereby. Leases. — The duration of leases is nineteen years, and the con- ditions generally favourable to the occupier. But we have heard not a few farmers complain that proprietors neglect to inform them, till within the last year or so, of the expiry of their lease, whether it is to be renewed or not. Farm-houses and Steadings. — These are for the most part com- modious, and adapted to the size of the farms. They have been 1032 ABERDEENSHIRE. greatly improved of late years ; but in many cases their condition is susceptible of farther improvement. With regard to the erection of farm-steadings, the following system has been adopted by the proprietor of Rainnieshills, &c. and has been found to answer well. After the plan and size have been agreed upon, the tenant erects the whole at his own expense, but is repaid his whole outlay except carriages, in the five subse- quent years, by ten equal half-yearly deductions from his rent. If it were not invidious to single out a particular individual, where so many have signalized themselves in the various departments of agriculture, it might be mentioned that the greatest improvements which have been recently made in this parish have been effected by Mr William Harvey, the spirited and skilful tenant of Mony- kebbock. v.— Parochial Economy. Market' Toions. — The nearest market-towns are Aberdeen and Old Meldrum, the former distant from the parish church ten and the latter eight miles. There is no village in the parish. Means of Communication. — There is a post-office lately esta- blished about midway between the church and manse, close by the turnpike road. The Aberdeen and Banff turnpike runs through the parish, a distance of seven miles, intersecting it in the direction of north and south. The old Aberdeen turnpike, com- mencing at the church, gradually diverges from the ?ze?^ eastward, until it joins the Peterhead turnpike, near to the old bridge of Don. It is still in very tolerable repair, and is the mean of communica- tion with Aberdeen to the inhabitants in the south-east end of the parish.* Carriers pass almost daily. A stage-coach from Aber- deen to Banff passes and repasses along the new turnpike daily, also a gig carrying a second mail. The most important bridge connected with the parish is that which spans the Don on the line of the public road. It consists of one wide arch,- — is built entirely of wood, — is much admired for its elegant as well as scientific construction, — but is now consider- ed frail and unsafe for heavy carriages, and is about to be repla- ced by one of stone a little higher up the river. Ecclesiastical State. — The parish church is situated exactly op- posite the tenth mile stone, a few hundred yards to the eastward, * There are, moreover, numerous excellent statute lal)onr roads crossing the pa- rish in all directions. i NEW MACHAR. 1033 and is nearly equidistant from the extremities of the parish. It was built in 1791, and can accommodate between 600 and 700 hearers. All the sittings are the property of the heritors, and are allocated according to their valued rent. The manse was built in 1781, and underwent a very thorough repair after the settlement of the present incumbent in 1840. The glebe, according to a recent survey, contains 21 acres, 3 roods, 18 polls imperial, and may be valued at L. 17 per annum. The stipend, including communion elements, amounts to L. 66, 2s. 2d. in money, 98 bolls, 4 stones, 4 lbs. white meal, — 19 bolls 7 stones, 1 lb. farm meal, — 15 quarters, 4 bushels, 1 peck bear, 1 bushel, — 3 pecks, 1 gallon, oats, — 27 quarters, 5 bushels, 1 peck, 1 gallon, 1 quart barley. There is no other place of worship, whether chapel of ease, or Dissenting, within the parish, besides the parish church. The number of families in the parish belonging to the Esta- blished Church is 251. The number of Dissenting famiHes is 4, and these occasionally attend the parish church. Divine service is remarkably well attended. The average number of communi- cants is about 600. There is a Parochial Society for Religious and Missionary Pur- poses in the parish, which is in a very flourishing state. The amount of last year's contributions exceeded L.20. The sum col- lected is divided among the Home and Foreign Missions of the Assembly, the London Tract, Bible, and other missionary societies. The amount of collections made in the church during the by- past year, for religious and charitable purposes, amounted to be- tween L.90 and L.IOO. Education. — There are at present three schools in the parish ; one parochial school, and two on teachers' own adventure. The parish school is situated beside the church, and under the same roof with the master's own accommodation. The branches taught are, reading, writing, arithmetic, geography, and English grammar. The schoolmaster's salary is L.30 per annum, including the value of a garden. The probable amount of fees may be somewhere between L.IO and L.12. The unendowed schools are taught by individuals in humble circumstances and of limited education, but who are assiduous in their endeavours to promote the spirit- ual as well as intellectual improvement of the children placed un- der their care. In an extended parish like this, with a scattered population, two side-schools are indispensable, one towards eithe 1034 ABERDEENSHIRE. extremity ; and it is much to be regretted that there exist not the . means of giving to the teachers a larger share of that comfort and encouragement to which the important duties they discharge so justly entitle them. There are three Sabbath schools in the parish. They are attended in all by about 120 children under fourteen years of age. All the cfhildren in the three schools learn the same lessons, and come up to the church on the last Sabbath of every month, when they are examined on the whole month's lessons by the minister after di- vine service. A syllabus of lessons is prepared, printed, and a copy sent to each family in the parish. A class, called the Bible class, for young persons of both sexes above fourteen years of age, is taught by the minister in the church on alternate Sabbaths. This class is attended by between 60 and 70 scholars. Here, also, a syllabus of lessons is used. Great advantages have been found to attend this system of religious instruction ;> 1. It has all the advantages of regularity, and of unity of design. Not only are the distractions consequent on a multiplicity of tasks and dif- ferent stages of progress in the school avoided, but occasional ab- sence from a bad day or sickness need not prevent any from pre- paring all the exercises against the monthly revisal. 2. It brings the young of the parish completely under the eye of the minister, and gives an impulse to the zeal and diligence both of teachers and taught. 3. By means of the syllabus, those parents who are opposed to Sabbath school teaching, or are prevented by circum- stances from availing themselves of it, have an opportunity of in- structing their children in the same lessons at home; and this done, of sending them up to church on the last Sabbath of the month, to be examined along with the other children. The les- sons prescribed to the Bible class are drawn up with the twofold view of preparing young communicants, and of promoting the spi- ritual improvement of the more advanced among the young. Literature. — There are two libraries in the parish. The one, for the use of the people generally, was instituted in 1816, and now comprises about 470 volumes on history, biography, travels, &c. with a large proportion of religious books;* the other, which was instituted last year, chiefly on the foundation of a church col- lection, is strictly a religious library, destined for the use of the Sabbath scholars. No payment is required for the use of it. The * A small annual contribution is required of readers. NEW MACHAR. 1035 books were selected with care, and, through the children, not un- frequently find their way into the hands of the parents. Charitable and other Institutions. — A savings bank was establish- ed in the parish in 1832. Amount of deposits up to June 5th 1841, was L.8S6 ; amount invested during year previous to that date, L. 129; amount withdrawn during same period, L.62. Poor and Parochial Funds. — The average number of persons receiving parochial aid is about 32; the average sum allotted to each about L. 2, 12s. annually. Besides the ordinary poor, as many as five or six or more poor householders require occasional relief. The yearly amount of church collections, on an average of the last four years, is L. 58, 3s. ; interest of poor's fund lent, do- nations, legacies, and other casual supplies, L.26, Is. In cases of continual sickness or other domestic distress in a poor family, it is no uncommon thing to raise a subscription for their relief. This has been done oftener than once during the last year, and very considerable sums have been raised. On the part of some, that true feeling of independence is still manifested by a reluct- ance to fall upon the poor's funds ; but on the part of many, little or no such feeling is exhibited ; and the desire of parties, once received upon the fund, seems to be to get all they can^ Fairs. — It has been attempted, within the last few years, to es- tablish a fair in the parish for the sale of cattle, but hitherto the business transacted has been on a very limited scale. Inns, Ale-houses, Sfc. — There are 3 inns in the parish, on the line of turnpike road. Fuel. — The fuel in general use is peat and turf, procured from one or other of the mosses in the parish. But the use of coal is rapidly on the increase ; and though it has to be driven from Aber- deen, it is in most cases now found to be nearly as economical. August 1842. PARISH OF HUNTLY.^ PRESBYTERY OF STRATHBOGIE, SYNOD OF MORAY. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name, Boundaries, §"c. — This parish consisted originally of two distinct parishes, Dumbennan and Kinoir. The former pa- rish, which, to a great extent, is surrounded by hills, is said from this circumstance to have received the name of Dumbennan, or the foot of the hill.f It is situated at the termination of the two straths, formed by the rivers Bogie and Deveron. The hill be- tween these rivers, which is of considerable height, and is called the Clashmach, or gray-headed hill, J forms part of this parish. The latter parish of Kinoir, or the yellow-headed hill, § stretches for about five miles along the right side of the Deveron, after it is joined by the Bogie on the right, and strangely enough, though ecclesiastically united to Dumbennan, it is separated from it for more than a quarter of a mile from this junction upwards, by the neighbouring parish of Drumblade. IJ The two parishes were united into the one parish of Huntly in 1727. Its greatest length is about 10 miles, and breadth 4 miles. It is bounded on the north chiefly by the parish of Rothiemay ; on the east, by a small angle of the parish of Forgue, but chiefly by Drumblade ; south, by Gartly ; and west, by the parishes of Glass and Cairnie. Rivers, Hills, Sj-c. — The river Bogie, which rises in the parish of Auchindoir, about twelve miles to the south-west, divides this parish from Drumblade for two or three miles, and the Deveron, from portions of Glass, Cairnie, and Rothiemay. The Deveron * By the Rev. William Sinclair, A. M. The proceedings consequent on the presentation to the parish of Mai-noch in 1837, led to tlie deposition by the General Assembly in 1841, of the Rev. James Walker, minister of this parish, in which Mr Walker and a minority of the General Assem- bly do not acquiesce. They have obtained a suspension and interdict from the Court of Session. f Former Account. j: Ibid. § Ibid. 11 The ancient burying-grounds both of Dumbennan and Kinoir are on the sites of the old churches, and, in fact, these are the only burying-grounds still used in the parish. HUNTLY. 1037 m i has its source in the parish of Cabrach, fifteen miles above Huntly, and after receiving- the Bogie about a quarter of a mile below the town, flows onwards north-east for twenty-one miles, where it falls into the sea at Banff. In the great floods of 1829, the town was entirely surrounded by water ; and though the Huntly bridges es- caped, the bridges above the town, both on the Bogie and De- veron, were swept away. The ruins of several still remain. The town of Huntly is embosomed in hills. Its climate, though cold, is exceedingly healthful. The water of the Bogie is pure, and fit for every purpose. It produces excellent trouts, and the Deveron affords good fishing both in salmon and trout. The soil of Kinoir is generally of a cold clayey description ; but in Dumbennan, there is more of a deep loanriy soil. The rocks are almost entirely of granite. Near the junction of the two ri- vers, some traces have been found of plumbago or black lead, (graphite, a compound of carbon and iron), but though of very superior quality, it has not been found in sufficient quantity to encourage the expenditure of any labour on it. Limestone also has been found in small quantity, and susceptible of a very high polish. On the top of St Mungo's Hill, which is in the Kinoir district, in the east of the parish, there are traces of volcanic ac- tion in a large crater-like cavity, around which there have been found fragments of lava and pumice-stone. II. — Civil History. There is a short account of this parish in one of the papers pub- lished by the Spalding Club, and written, it is said, by Spalding himself; but whether as useful as it is believed to be curious, the writer of this, never having seen it, cannot take upon himself to determine. Battle-hill, Castle, Sfc — The only historical events of importance are connected with the Battle-hill in the Kinoir district, next to St Mungo's, and the old Castle of Huntly. The former was the scene of the battle of Sleoch, (the name of a neighbouring farm in the pa- rish of Drumblade), of which an important notice will be found in the account of Drumblade in this work. The castle, which is now in ruins, evidently consists of two parts, — the remains of the ancient castle of Strathbogie, and the comparatively modern Huntly Cas- tle. All that remains of the former are a few vaults, forming apparent- ly part of the enclosure of the court-yard, which, from the immense thickness of the walls (now overgrown with ivy), and the coarse- ness of the structure, must be of a very early date. It originally 1038 ABERDEENSHIRE. belonged to the ancient and powerful fan:iily of the Comyns ; but the Lords of Gordon, a powerful border clan, having nearly ex- tirpated the Comyns in the wars of King Robert the Bruce, re- ceived, as their reward, the castle of Strathbogie, with the adjoin- ing demesne. This castle was destroyed after the battle of Glen- livet in 1594; and the present Huntly Castle was built in 1602 by the first Marquis of that name. The chief part of it consists of a large circular tower, erected evidently for warlike purposes, and which seems to have been surrounded by a moat. It is a fine ruin, but the interior apartments appear to have fallen much into decay since the last Account of this parish was written. The stone steps in the " spacious turnpike stair" have been removed; most of the ornaments in these apartments have been stripped off for the adornment of Huntly Lodge ; the square towers also which once stood in the avenue leading to the castle are among the things that were ; and their former site has recently been occupied by the Duchess of Gordon's new schools. It is now upwards of forty years since any part of the castle was inhabited ; and about ten years ago, Huntly Lodge, which originally was but a shooting-box of the Duke of Gordon's, was enlarged into the present handsome and commodious building. It is situated on the rising ground to the north of the castle, about a quarter of a mile distant from it, and is seen to advantage from various directions. After the fa- mily seat was removed to Gordon Castle at Fochabers, this place became the residence of the Marquis of Huntly, the Duke of Gordon's eldest son ; but the Dukedom having become extinct on the death of George the fifth Duke in 1836, the lodge is at pre- sent occupied by Fler Grace the Duchess-Dowager of Gordon. Other Buildings. — South of the castle, and looking along Gor- don Street, the principal street of the town, a large and very hand- some building has recently been erected by the Duchess for edu- cational purposes. It was intended as a monument in memory of her late husband ; but it will also be an enduring memorial of this Noble lady's munificence and zeal in promoting the best interests of the people among whom she resides. The whole parish is the property of the Duke of Richmond, with the exception of a small portion in the lower end of Kinoir, which belongs to Mr Gordon of Avochy. On these lands, there is part of the ruins of the old castle of Avochy ; but the present house connected with the property is a plain building of very hum- ble pretensions. The only other buildings of importance are, the HUNTLY. 1039 parish church, erected in 1805, and seated for 1800 ; the new church, built in 1840, and seated for 945, which cost, without Go- vernment drawback, upwards of L.ISOG; the Roman Catbohc chapel, which is surmounted by a curious rather than a handsome tower, the top of it appearing in the shape of a crown, built in 1834, and seated for 350, — which cost, with the priest's house, L. 1660, of which L.IOOO was paid by Gordon of Wardhouse ; the Indepen- dent chapel, built in 1802, with 500 sittings ; the Secession church in 1809, with 340 sittings; and the Episcopal chapel in 1770, with 140 sittings. It is in contemplation at present to build a new Episcopal chapel. III. — Population. According to the Parliamentary returns, the population of the whole parish was. n 1801, 2863 1831, 3545 1841, 3642 Taking the whole population at 3700, which, from the writer's own statistical notes, he believes at present to be nearly correct, the following will be found to be about the proportions in the re- spective districts, viz. — In the Dumbennan country district, 90 families to a population of 408, equal to 4.53 in each family ; in the Kinoir country district, 93 families to a population of 422, equal to nearly 4.54 in each family; in the town of Huntly, 804 families to a population of 2870, equal to nearly 3.51 in each family. The small proportion of individuals in each family in the town compared with the country, arises from the large number of single women, who, when disabled from active employment by age or other causes, generally find their way into the town from the whole surrounding district of country, and live in separate places by them- selves. And it may also be mentioned here, that, in 1831, the population of the town of Huntly was 2585, leaving 960 for the country; the diminution in this portion having arisen from the breaking up of a number of the smaller farms at the last lease let- ting. As a specimen of the number of children in each family, in a district of the town containing 242 families, — excluding the families of bachelors and single women where there are no child- ren, but reckoning every family where there are any children or a married couple, — there were found 542 children, giving 2^ to each. Her Grace the Duchess of Gordon is resident in the parish ; and, besides a few merchants and others deriving considerable in- 1040 ABERDEENSHIRE. come from trade, there are about forty individuals or families, chief- ly in the town, of independent means, varying from L.50 to L.500 or L.600 per annum. The people are a shrewd and intelli- gent race, some of them indeed exhibiting intellectual powers of a very high order. They are in general peaceable and well-be- haved, and free from many of the grosser vices. Poaching exists in a small degree, and drunkenness in a greater. The illegitimate births in the parish may amount to about 12 per annum. IV. — Industry.'^ Agriculture, ^c. — The writer has not been able to ascertain the proportion of land which is cultivated or not ; but it may be mentioned, that very little could be brought under culti- vation which is not already so. Several thousand acres have been recently planted with fir, larch, birch, elm, and oak in this i and the neighbouring parish of Cairnie, which in a few years will greatly improve the face of the country. The average rent of land per acre is about 16s.; but for " the Huntly acres" it is L.2 per acre, and the rental of the parish, which is partly paid in kind for 1841, is as follows: — Kinoir, . L.1204 Dumbennan, . 2280 Huntly acres, . 1050 Feu duties of Huntly, . 122 Avocliy, about, . 400 Total, I-.5056 This is not a sheep country; but the farmers on the high lands of the parish have a few flocks which range the hills. Cattle, however, are reared in considerable numbers on all the farms, and exported to the markets in the south ; though, whether this will be continued to the same extent is doubtful. The only grains cultivated in this parish are oats and bear, chiefly the former. Wheat does not grow here. Improvements, Leases, Sfc. — The greatest agricultural improve- ments needed in this parish are thorough draining and enclosures, and these are prosecuted every year with great vigour, the latter with tiles as well as loose stones. The leases almost uniformly ex- tend to nineteen years; but at the last letting, in 1841, the sys- tem was adopted of throwing many of the smaller farms into one. There is a Farmer's Club in this parish, for the improvement of agriculture, with the Duke of Richmond as patron, the pro- ceedinos of which are conducted with some vigour; and there are ttUNTLY. 1041 connected with it an Agricultural library, and an annual show of cattle, with competition for prizes. Manufactures, &;c. — In regard to manufactures, there are none in this parish worth naming. Formerly the manufacture of linen was carried on in Huntly, to the extent of L.40,000 per annum ; and latterly, till within a year ago, there were about twenty or thirty weavers in this trade employed by houses in Aberdeen ; and in the same way, employment in weaving worsted and in knitting stockings was got for many of the old women in the parish ; but the former is entirely extinct, and the latter has also been withdrawn. There is a bleach field on the Bogie of extensive fame, and a con- siderable run of trade ; and a tan-work and distillery are in active operation. In the town of Huntly, there are three banks, branches of the North of Scotland, the Town and County, and Aberdeen Banks; 27 merchants, including 2 hardware shops, and 6 for cloths and haberdashery ; 5 bakers, and 4 butchers. There is a Gas Company also, which has been very successful in its operation, as almost every house in the town is supplied with this most use- ful light. V. — Parochial Economy. Town, iS^c The town of Huntly, which is a burgh of barony, is built on what originally was a barren heath and marshy swamp. It is now well drained, and its situation is peculiarly healthful, be- ing sheltered from almost, every wind by the surrounding hills. The present population is about 2300. For its trade it depends chiefly on the surrounding district of country; but it has exports also to a very considerable extent in butter, cheese, eggs, pork, poultry and game. The streets of the town are very regularly laid out. The two principal cross each other at right angles, and in the centre there is a spacious square, surrounded by buildings, some of which are of a very superior description. On one side of the square, a hand- some new house is being built, which is to contain apartments for the North of Scotland Bank office. Roads, Bridges, S^^c. — The principal road from Aberdeen to Inverness passes through this square, crossing each of the rivers by an excellent bridge at either extremity of the town. The in- habitants thus enjoy the privilege of a daily communication with both these towns by the Mail and Defiance coaches, and with the former by the Duchess of Gordon coach every alternate day. Huntly is distant from Aberdeen to tlie east, thirty-eight miles; to ABERDEEN. ^ U 1042 ABERDEENSHIKE. the west, from Elgin by Keith and Fochabers, twenty-seven miles ; and from Inverness by the same road, seventy-two miles. To the south again, there is a good turnpike-road in the direction of Rhynie, Alford, &c. ; to the north, another road leads to Portsoy, distant seventeen miles; and north-east, there is another public road to Banff, which is twenty-one miles from Huntly. Ecclesiastical State. — The parish church is very conveniently situated in the middle of the town. It was built in 1805, and is a very plain structure, immensely too large, being seated to accommodate 1800 persons. The manse, which is on the south road, about a quar- ter of a mile from the town, was built about the same time, and is in a very good state of repair. The glebe contains 12 acres, and is worth about L.25 per annum, and the annual average amount of the stipend is L.185. The new church of Huntly was built in the end of the year 1840. The immediate occasion of its erection arose from the sus- pension, and ultimately, the deposition, by the General Assem- bly, of Mr Walker, the parish minister: but it had long been felt, that there was need of an ecclesiastical division of this populous, and, in the country, very scattered parish. The new church is served by a probationer, who is stationed there by the General Assembly's Committee as missionary ; but eventually it is proposed to erect it into a distinct quoad sacra church and parish. The missionary's salary of L. 100 per annum is paid from a fund rais- ed expressly for these church purposes. There are also other four chapels in the town belonging to the Independents, Seceders, Episcopalians, and Roman Catholics respectively. The stipend of the Independent minister is L.lOO;* and of the Secession minis- ter, it is understood to be about L.60 : both being raised by seat- rents and contributions among the people. The present Episco- pal minister is also chaplain to her Grace the Duchess of Gor- * It may not be out of place to mention here the eminently godly Mr George Cowie, the first minister of the Independent Church in Huntly. He was at first an Antiburgher minister, but was cut off from that communion in consequence of what they deemed irregularities in his proceedings in admitting to his pulpit deputations from the London Riissionary Society, and encouraging meetings for the revival of religion, and promoting the establishment of Sabbath schools. He died in 1806, after a most laborious and successful ministry of thirty-five years not only in Huntly, but in many of the surrounding parishes. He was a man of vigorous mind and most fervent piety. His labours were blessed to very many souls, and he was the instrument of an ex- tensive awakening. To this day, his aphoristic sayings are often quoted, and his me- mory is affectionately cherished by many of the old people in the parish. After bis death, his congregation, who almost to a man had clung to him, and had retained the Presbyterian modes of worship, became divided, and eventually the majority join- ed the Congregationalists, while a smaller section returned to the communion of tke Secession Church. HUNTLY. 1043 don, and with his family, resides in a separate house at Huntlv Lodge. The Roman CathoUc bishop resides at Preshome, in the Enzie, parish of Rathven. The people in this parish, and, indeed, in this district, are cer- tainly remarkable for their church -going habits. Missionary Societies, Sfc. — In the new church, there have not as yet been any missionary Societies formally constituted, but prayer-meetings, expressly for missionary objects, are statedly held, and, besides other objects, collections are made, and contri- butions raised for all the Assembly's Schemes, During the year 1841, L.40 were raised by this congregation for educational, and L.60 for missionary purposes. Among the Independents chiefly, there are auxiliaries to the London Missionary and British and Foreign Bible Societies ; their contributions to which, it is under- stood, amount to about L.60 per annum. There is also an auxi- liary to the Edinburgh Bible Society, chiefly in connection v^'ith the parish church. Education. — The educational wants of the town of Huntly are, on the whole, at present, well supplied. In the Duchess of Gor- don's new buildings, ample accommodation is provided for the pa- rochial school, the new school, — which is chiefly connected with the new church, — an infant school, and a sewing school. All these are very efficiently taught. In the two first, all the branches of an ordinary education are taught, as also Latin, Greek, French, and mathematics. There are also six adventure schools in the town, chiefly for reading, taught by females with various degrees of success ; another by an old pensioner, who teaches reading, writ- ing, and accounts with very considerable skill ; and one excellent boarding and dav-school for the hio^her branches of female educa- tion. The salary of the parochial teacher is L.34; from the Dick Bequest he receives L.30 per annum : his school-fees may be about L.60, and he derives L.8 from other emoluments. The teacher of the new school receives a salary of L.23 per annum, which is raised by subscription among the members of the new church, the security for which evidently must depend mainly on his own effi- ciency ; and his school-fees amount to upwards of L. 50. The teachers of the sewing and infant schools at present receive sala- ries from her Grace the Duchess of Gordon. The fees of the pa- rochial and new schools vary from 2s. 6d. to 5s. per quarter, but when the higher branches are included, they are 7s. 6d. ; in the infant school, the fee is one penny per week, and in the private fe- 1041 ABERDEENSIIIilE. male schools, Is. 6d. or 2s, per quarter. The greatest number of children attending these schools during last spring, the busiest season of the year, was nearly as follows : Parochial school about ]40; new school, 128; infant school, 80 ;* sewing school, 30 ; ladies' boarding-school, about 40; private adventure schools, 110; total, 528. Deducting the numbers at the infant and sewing schools, there are still about 420, most of them above six years of age, in daily attendance at school. In summer, about a fourth of these are withdrawn to be employed in herding and other country labour.f Of the adult population, there are very few who cannot read, and not many more unable to write. The people, in general, are alive to the advantages of the mere elements of education ; but they are only as yet learning the advantages even of such branches as geography, grammar, &c., and certainly they are not sufficiently sensible of the necessity of the attendance at school being regular. The country districts of the parish are not so well supplied. In the Dumbennan district, there is an Assembly's school, which, at present, is not well attended ; and in Kinoir, there is a private ad- venture school for reading, writing, and accounts, taught with to- lerable efficiency, and attended in spring by 50 or 60 children, and another school conducted by a female, which is attended by about 20 or 30 little children. Of Sabbath schools there are in the town, one connected with the new church, attended by nearly 200 scholars ; another connect- ed with the parish church with about 100 scholars; and a third conducted by the Independents. The Roman Catholic priest, it is understood, has also a Sabbath school. In Kinoir^ there is an- other Sabbath school connected with the new church, — the scho- lars of which are cabout 30, and in Longhill, in the Dumbennan parish, another conducted by Dissenters. Literature. — Besides the Farmers' Agricultural Library, there is a circulating library maintained by the principal bookseller; an- other called the Evangelical Subscription Library, which contains some excellent books, but none of a controversial character ; and a Coffee and Reading-room, with one or two provincial papers. Charitable and other Institutions. — About sixteen years ago, Dr Scott, a native of this parish, died in India, leaving, in the hands * The infant school being only newly established on its present footing, is just coming into favour : it numbers nearly 100. '\ During last winter the teachers both of the parochial and new schools had also evening classes, with upvirards of 30 pupils to each. 4 HUNTLY. 1045 of certain trustees, part oi his property, to be employed in erect- ing and endowingga house in Huntly for the maintenance of aged and indigent natives, and a farther sum of money for the estabhsh - ment of a bursary of L.20 annually to a student in divinity of the Established Church. The former endowment is still in abeyance, as Dr Scott's widow liferents the whole property, and, on this ac- count, the ultimate value of this legacy cannot, at present, be ac- curately ascertained ; but the latter has been in operation now for six or eight years. There is a Dispensary in the town, maintained by subscription, for supplying the poor gratuitously with medicines ; and in connection with this, the regular practitioners, of whom there are four, visit and prescribe for the poor at their own houses. The Huntly Savings Bank for this and a few of the surround- ing parishes is in a very flourishing condition. Tlie total amount of deposits at the last general statement, a month or two ao-o, was L.3644, 15s. 5d. ; the number of depositors, — tradesmen, servants, and the poorer classes, is 318; and, during the years 1840, 4J, and 42, the increase on the deposits has successively been L.36J, L.416, and L.51 1, and that, too, notwithstanding the double draw- back of the dulness of trade and the springing up of similar insti- tutions in the surrounding districts. The interest allowed on the deposits is 3^ per cent. Friendly Societies. — F'ormerly, there were several Friendly Socie- ties in the parish ; but these have all become extinct, as the meet- ings of their managers had degenerated into mere scenes of dissi- pation. One, however, has been recently instituted by a branch of the Total Abstinence Society. Poor's Funds. — The number of paupers in the parish is greatly increased by individuals, when disabled by age or otherwise from country work, or cast out of their small farms, repairing to the town from the neighbouring parishes, and there contriving to support themselves from various sources, till they acquire a legal residence in this parish. The number of paupers on the poor's roll is ac- cordingly 160, and the average sum allotted to each is about L.1, 6s. per annum ; but a few, who are bedridden, receive to the extent of L.2, 10s. and L.5 per annum. There is at present one pauper lunatic who is maintained at an expense of from L.12 to L.15. Formerly, the poor's funds were made up of the ordinary and other collections in the parish church, amounting annually to up- 1040 ABERDEENSHIRE, wards of L.lOO, and the pew-rents collected from the sitters in the church, amounting to about L.40, which were given as the Duke of Richmond's contribution. But last year, these contribu- tions being insufficient, it was found necessary to have recourse to a voluntary parochial contribution, which, including L.80 sub- scribed by the Duke of Richmond, L.25 by the Duchess of Gor- don, and L.5 by Mr Gordon of Avochy, yielded L.190; the col- lections at the church doors amounting besides to about L.70. It is exceeding probable, however, that, in a year or two, a legal as- sessment will be laid on the parish. Besides the regular paupers, there are not a few poor persons who shrink from the idea of receiving public relief ; but, in the former class, there are many who regularly, and with much boldness, on a fixed day every week, go their rounds to receive their accustomed alms. Fairs^ c^c. — There are about twelve annual fairs or markets held in Huntly, chiefly during the months of summer and autumn. Two of these, called "feeing markets," occur at Whitsunday and Martinmas, and are among the largest of the whole year. They are for the hiring of farm-servants, and may be described as un- mitigated moral nuisances, — not merely from the evils inseparably attendant on the congregating of large numbers of thoughtless young people of both sexes, with money in their pockets, and many of them with loose moral principles, but also from the utter de- struction of those moral checks and mutual kindly feelings which ought to subsist between master and servant, — the one class being hired generally without any regard to their character, as if they were mere beasts of burden, and the other feeling little interest in the welfare of those who are sure to leave them in half a year. The other markets are for the sale of horses and cattle. Inns, 4-c. — In the town of Huntly, there is one excellent inn, kept by a highly respectable individual, and four others of a lower grade. Besides these, there are twelve public-houses, and two or three grocers sell spirituous liquors. The Total Abstinence Society has certainly been a useful auxiliary to the Gospel, in reclaiming some drunkards, and diminishing the custom of some of these houses. Fuel. — The fuel here used consists of peat or turf, brought chiefly from a moss five miles distant, and sold at about 3s. for a cart load; English coal, brought by sea to Portsoy, and thence conveyed to Huntly, a distance of seventeen miles, by land car- ABOYNE AND GLENTANNER. ^ 1047 riaore, and sold at about Is. 8d. per barrel, which is equal to about L.l, 5s. per ton; and fir wood, procured at about 3s. per cart load, from the thinnings of the neighbouring woods. Long splin- ters of resinous pine are also used, chiefly in the country houses as a substitute for lamps. November 1842. UNITED PARISHES OF ABOYNE AND GLENTANNER. PRESBYTERY OF KINCARDINE o'nEIL, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. ROBERT MILNE MILLER, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — Aboyne is compounded of the Gaelic words, A^ aford^ and boinne or buinne, a current of rippling water ; a name very descriptive of a ford in the Dee, a little south of the church. Glentanner is compounded of the Gaelic words Glean-tan-ar^ signifying the glen of scanty arable land. The two parishes being now united are generally known by the name of Aboyne. Boundaries and Extent. — The united parish, on the west and left bank of the Dee, is bounded by TuUlch, and on the right bank by Glenmuick ; on the" south, by Lochlee and Birse ; on the east, by Kincardine O'Neil; and on the north, by Lumphan- an, CouU, and Logie-Coldstone ; the boundary line being gene- rally formed by mountain-crests, the river Dee, or some of its tributary streams. A detached part, containing a population of about 60, is situated on the left bank of the Feugh, not far from the north base of Clach-na-bein, and about nine miles south-east from the church. Between this detached part and the church, al- most the whole of Birse intervenes. The form of the parish is very irregular. Its length from east to west may be 13 miles, and its breadth from north to south, 12 miles. These, how- ever, are taken from extreme points; and its whole area may be calculated at 37,000 imperial acres. Glentanner is on the riirht bank of the Dee, bounded on the north by that river, and 1048 ABEllUEEKSHIllE. on the west, south, and east by ranges of the Grampians. The arable part is formed into two divisions by the hill of Bellrory, sloping eastward near to tlie Inver of the Tanner, which flows through the south-east division, or what is generally known by the name of Tannerside. The other division slopes from Bellrory in a north-east direction towards the Fan.* About a mile east of the Fan, on the right bank of the Dee, are the ruins of the old church of Glentanner, with an enclosed burying-ground still around it ; which, having been thatched with heather, was known by the name of the Black Chapel of the Moor. Previously to Glentanner's be- ing united to Aboyne, it formed a separate chaplainry. Aboyne, which is mostly on the left bank of the Dee, was then united to TuUich, with an intermediate chapel at Braeroddach equally dis- tant from the churches of Aboyne and Tullich. At what period Aboyne and Glentanner were formed into one parish, is unknown to the writer; but, previously to 1763, there was a church at each, in which the incumbent performed Divine service in the rotation of two Sabbaths at Aboyne, and the third at Glentanner. That part of Aboyne on the north or left bank of the Dee formed the barony which, in the words of Gordon of Straloch, " titulos Ba- ronis Faralamentarii dat Marchionis Huntleei filiorum uni." Its burgh, called Charlestown, (formerly Buuty,) stands near Aboyne Castle. The tolbooth was demolished about fifty years ago ; and all traces of the pot and gallows also are nearly effaced. Climate. — The banks of the Dee and braes of Marr have long been celebrated as favourable to health, and although so far inland as Aboyne, (the parish being between the twenty-fourth and thirty-seventh mile-stones from Aberdeen,) heavy falls of snow in winter, accompanied Vv'ith intense frost, do often occur, yet the ge- neral salubrity of the air is not destroyed by those sudden alterna- tions of heat and cold which are frequent in localities nearer the coast, and more under the influence of the sea breeze. The dry and sandy soil of Strathdee, the shelter of its close and numerous woods, and the reflection of the sun's rays from the mountains which tower on either side, all combine to raise the temperature, and render the climate remarkably genial. Hence many stran- gers resort in simimer to this district, for the recovery or invigora- tion of their health, by breathing the salubrious air, and diinking * Fan — '■'■ a dcicent." The river here, in a confined channel, pas:ies with great impetuosity over a ledge of rocks. A.BOYNK AND GLENTANNER. 1049 goat whey, or chalybeate water. The most of these visitors are contented for exercise, with a walk along the shaded banks of the river, while a few, more to brace their constitutions, may be seen threading their way through heath and alpine forests, or scaling crags and lofty hills, from whose summits may be seen the dense smoke of Aberdeen, Montrose, &c. curling in dark clouds on the distant horizon. Hydrography. — The river Dee, which runs either along or through the parish for fifteen miles, rises in the highest ground of Britain, the mountains which separate Braemar from Badenoch ; and, after a north-easterly course of nearly one hundred miles, it falls into the German Ocean at Aberdeen. The Tanner, which rises from Mountkeen, the Allachy and the Gairney, both issuing from the Firmonth and other hills of the Grampian range, all flow for miles through the natural forest of Glentanner, then unite in one body, and, after intersecting the arable part of the strath in a north-easterly direction, fall into the Dee on its right bank, about half a mile west of the church. The Feugh, which rises in the forest of Birse, waters the detach- ed part of Aboyne, and empties itself into the Dee opposite to Banchory-Ternan. The burn of Dinnet, which is the western boundary line on the left bank of the Dee, is formed by the united streamlets disem- bogued from lochs Kinord and Dawin. in the adjoining parishes of Tullich and Logic- Coldstone. The burn which flows past, and forms a picturesque moat round Aboyne Castle (also on the left bank of the Dee) bears different names in its course through Cromar ; and, after reaching the pa- rish of Aboyne, is generally called the burn of Aboyne ; but here its ancient name was Allach. This name has been dropped, ex- cept in one place, where a bridge over it near the castle is called the Allach Bridge. The burn of Dess, which, on the same bank of the Dee, divides the parish from the old barony of O'Neil on the east, flows about a mile from the loch of Auchlossen into the river, and is remark- able for a high and romantic cascade, called the Sloe of Dess. Several other streamlets in the parish, such as the Aultroy, Aultdinny, ContuUich Burn, the Rossachy, &c. might be men- tioned. At some remote period, before the waters forced natural bar- 1050 ABERDEENSHIRE. riers which had intersected the present courses of the running streams, extensive lakes -must have existed. One striking place, where such a barrier to the Tanner appears to have stood, is near the influx of Aultroy, and another at Bridge of Ash. Before these barriers yielded to the Tanner, the upper glen must have formed the bed of a lake. The several heights at which the wa- ter, after different disruptions, had stood, may be traced, — the same, on a smaller scale, as the famed parallel roads in Glenroy. The most considerable lakes still remaining, are those of Braerod- dach and Auchlossen. The extent of the former may be about 60 acres, and of the latter 300. The greater part of the latter, however, is in the parish of Lumphanan, and, previously to its outlet at Drumduan, in the parish of Aboyne, having about 150 years ago been deepened with the view of draining the whole lake, must have been of more than double its present extent, and its waters had then reached the strongly fortified mound of Peel Bog, under whose fosse Macbeth received his death wound.* Within the policies of Aboyne Castle, there is also a lake covering 32 acres, artificially formed, and interspersed with wooded islets. From the higher grounds overlooking this lake, the view is exten- sive and interesting. Numerous channels, in which it is evident the Dee has for- merly run, many of them at a very considerable altitude above its present bed, are distinctly visible; at which period, as already noticed, lakes must have stood on some of the land basins, now filled with water borne debris, gradually excavated from the high- er grounds by the descending river. The water power within the parish, of which the only use now made is to drive a few mills for country piu'poses, would be more than sufficient to supersede the steam required for moving the machinery in all the public works in and about Aberdeen ; and to render the power more available, a railroad along the banks of the Dee could be formed more easi- ly than in most localities, the gradient being only 420 feet on 31 miles, and it is thought no tunnelling would be required. Geology and Mineralogy. — The geognostic appearance of the parish indicates little beyond the primitive formation of granite, and of that little the student, without the sinking of shafts, may, by examining the face of the mountains, easily inform himself. * Macbeth maintained himself for three years in this distiict after ihe battle of Dunsinane, before he fell at the Peel Bog of Lumphanan. 3 ABOYNE AND GLENTANNER. 1051 The granite is various, and, as its component parts of quartz, mica, felspar, and hornblende predominate, differs in hardness of grain, and is diversified in colour from the white to the black tinge and the red. Some of the red has been beautifully polished. It much resembles that of Peterhead, but is more variegated in size of grain and shades of colour. Along the valley of the Dee, to the east of Lochnagar, rolled masses of the primitive rock of that moun- tain are to be found ; and it is also remarkable, that, at a lower level, fragments of the black ferruginous rock, of which the ledge at the Linn of Muick is composed, can be traced along the same valley, but in a line frequently diverging from the present channel of the Dee, and only found to the east of the confluence of the Muick with the Dee. To account for this, the appearance at the Linn indicates that the river, in some of its fitful risings, had swept before it a huge mass of the opposing rock, — hence the disruption in its fall, and, tossed by the maddened stream against harder for- mations, it had been split into fragments, and deposited along the then channel of the Dee. In the hill of Glentanner, topazes fit for the lapidary are often found. Crystallized quartz, both pale and rose, are frequently picked up, and occasionally, in the heart of granite blocks, beautifully studded nests of them are disclosed. Gneiss is common in the parish, and, in a few localities, limestone (not very pure) on both sides of the river; also ironstone, and, in stray river boulders, faint appearances of manganese conglomerat- ing with quartz occur, but no traces of any organic remains. On the left bank of Aultdinny is fuller's earth, which has been successfully tried as a substitute for soap. In the hills are exten- sive peat-mosses, in some of which, after the removal of the peat formation, at the depth of five or six feet, the original surface ap- pears covered with charred oak, hazel, and birch. The soil along the banks of the rivers is thin ; from the rapidity of the streams, the only alluvial deposit formed, is of sand and gravel ; but ascend- ing from the rivers the fields improve, and some of them are of either a black or clayey till. Botany.— Yov the following list of plants andtrees indigenous in the parish, the writer is indebted to Mr A. Thomson, the pa- rochial schoolmaster, — a gentleman who has devoted much atten- tion to botany. L A list of a few of the rarer plants and trees to be found in- digenous in the united parishes : — 1052 ABEIIDEENSIIIRE. Fraxinus excelsior Veronica scutellata humifusa hederifolia Pinguicula vulgaris Valeriana officinalis Scirpus fluitans setaceus Iris Pseud- Acorus Calamagrostis epigejos Arundo phragmites Melica cffirulea Briza media Festuca vivipara sj'lvatica Avena alpina Galium boreale Alchemilla alpina Ilex aquifolium Potamogeton compressa Radiola millegrana Primula vulgaris Verbascum Thapsus Lonicera Periclymenum Gentiana campestris Sanicula Europsea Meum athamantieura Sambucus Ebulus Parnassia palustris Statice Armeria Oxyria reniformis Vaccinium Oxycocoos Pyrola media Saxifraga aizoides Silene maritima Reseda Luteola Prunus Padus spinosa Pyrus aucuparia Rosa spinosissima Rubus saxatilis fruticosus Chamasmorus Potentilla Fiagaria Comarum palustre Nympha3a alba Cistus Helianlheraum Aquilegia vulgaris Trollius Europaeus Ajuga reptans Glechoma hederacea Geranium sylvaticum Ononis arvensis Anthyllis vulneraria Hypericum pulchrum Ai'ctium Lappa Cnicus heterophyllus Orchis maculata Goodyera repens Corylus avellana Popuius tremula Mercurialis perennis Lycopodium clavatum — — — ■ alpinum Equisetum fluviatile sylvaticum. 2. A list of the more common plants abundance in the united parishes : — Veronica Beccabunga Vaccinium Vitis-Idasa officinalis Polygonum Convolvulus Anthoxanthum odoratum Arenaria rubra E riophorum angustifolium Arbutus Uva Ursi and trees to be found in Aira ctespitosa flexuosa Holcus mollis Poa pratensis Triodia decumbens Dactylis glomerata Bromus mollis Triticum caninum —^ repens Montia fontana Scabiosa succisa Galium verum Plantigo lanceolata Alchemilla vulgaris Myosotis arvensis iVIenyantlies trifoliata Campanula rotundifolia Viola canina tricolor Bunium flexuosum Conium maculatum Linum catharticum Narthecium ossifragum J uncus conglomeratus Luzula campestris Rumex acetosa acetoscUa Trientalis Europaa Erica Tetralix cinerea Vaccinium Myrtillus Stellaria media Oxalis acetosella Cerastium vulgatum Spergula arvensis Spiraea Ulmaria Rosa canina Rubus idfEus Potentilla auserina Tormentilla officinalis Anemone nemorosa Ranunculus aquatilis Ficaria repens Caltha palustris Mentha arvensis Teucrium Scorodonia Lamium purpureum Prunella vulgaris Euphrasia officinalis Rhinanthus Crista»Galli Pedicularis palustris Digitalis purpurea Capsella Bursa- Pastoris Draba verna Cardamine pratensis Sinapis arvensis Polygala vulgaris Ulex Europaeus Genista anglicans Cytisus Scoparius Orobus tuberosus Lotus corniculatus Sonchus arvensis Leontodon Taraxacum Hieracium Pilosella ■ murorum Carduus acanthoides Artemisia vulgaris Gnaphalium dioieum sylvaticum Tussilago Farfara Senecio vulgaris Jacobrea Bellis perennis Chrysanthemum Leucan- themum Aehillasa Millefolium Centaurea nigra I cyanus Euphorbia Peplus Carices. Alnus glutinosa Urtica dioica Urtica urens Quercus robur Betula alba Pinus sylvestris f^alices, Empetrum nigrum Myrica Gale Juniperus communis Atriplex patula Pteris aquilina Aspidium Filix-mas. Forests and Plantations. — A remnant of the ancient Caledonian ABOYNE AND GLENTANNEK. 1053 Forest, extending to about 4500 acres, still exists in Glentanner. It is now very open, but if preserved, the most of the hills and valleys would soon be again covered with natural alpine fir ; and it is observable that this tendency to extend itself is generally to- wards the east ; the prevailing wind, at the time the seed is ripe and falling, being from the west. The plantations about Aboyne Castle contain 2144 acres, consisting chiefly of Scotch fir, but with a considerable proportion of larch, oak, ash, beech, elm, and other species of hard-wood and ornamental trees. The plantations on the Balnacraig property amount to about 1400 acres. They are almost exclusively of Scotch fir, and very advantageously situated on the banks of the Dee, for transmission of the timber to Aberdeen. The whole of the woods in the pa- rish are flourishing, and give every indication that the soil and climate are congenial for their support. II. — Civil History. Eminent Men. — The chief characters of eminence connected with this parish have been the Earls of Aboyne and members of that Noble family ; but an account of the more distinguished of these is to be found in the general history of Scotland. It may not, however, be out of place here to state, that George, fifth Earl of Aboyne, succeeded to the Marquisate of Huntly on the death of George, fifth and last Duke of Gordon, eighth Marquis of Huntly, on 28th May 1836. The pedigree, as on that occa- sion proved before the House of Lords, shows that the late Earl and his son, the present Marquis, have been seized in the estates of Aboyne since 1732, the unusual period of HO years; and that since the lamented death of the last Duke, S. P., the Marquis has become chief of the Gordons, a clan ever lydand ; and that the loyalty which held the Crown on James ll.'shead, "animo non astutia," has never been wanting in their chief. Adam Gordon of Aboyne, second son of George, second Earl of Huntly by his Countess the Lady Jean Stuart, daughter of James I., became Earl of Sutherland by marrying Elizabeth, sole heiress of John, thirteenth Earl of Sutherland. This Countess Elizabeth died in 1535, and her husband, Earl Adam, in 1537, both at Ferrack, (now Ferrar) in Aboyne; and were buried there. (Sir R. Gordon's History of the Sutherland family, page 103.) William Bisset of Aboyne, and chief of the tribe, was accused of burning the House at Haddington, in which, 1242, Patrick, Earl of Athol, and two of his servants were consumed. Bisset 1054 ABERDEENSHIRE. proved, by the evidence of the Queen, that he was that night at Forfar. The Chronici Scotise even state that he was in " Castro suo de Obeyne." He offered to assert his innocence in single com- bat ; this was declined ; and some of the Aboyne vassals having been that night seen at Haddington, and enmity subsisting between Athol and the Bissets, William was afraid of the power of his ad- versaries, the Cummines, and did not stand his trial, but passed over into Ireland, where, as stated by Buchanan, lib. vii. cap. 57, he left a noble family. This family is now extinct. In the pa- rish of Aboyne, there is not now a single person of the name of Bisset ; and within less than a century (1335) the Earl of Athol and other two Cummine chiefs fell in Edward's army at Culblean, six miles from Aboyne Castle. The late Thomas Innes, A. M., Principal of the Scots College at Paris, was born at Drumgask, in the parish of Aboyne. He is well known as one of the most learned of Scottish antiquaries. He published a Critical Essay on the Ancient Inhabitants of Scot- land, two vols. 8vo, London, 1729. His elder brother Lewis was his predecessor in said college ; and more lately, their nephew, the Reverend Henry Innes, was procurator of the same college. This individual died at the advanced age of eighty-eight, and was buried at Aboyne in 1832 ; and it is remarkable of him, that he was probably the last individual in this country who corresponded with the unfortunate Charles Stewart. Two of that Prince's let- ters addressed to him, the one dated " Florence, 18th July 1777," and the other, " Florence, 13th February 1778," and signed Charles R., are now before the writer. The late James Cromar, A. M., a very successful teacher of youth, and who died rector of the grammar-school of Aberdeen in 1826, was a native of this parish. Alexander Ross, author of the Fortunate Shepherdess, and of many popular songs, was translated from the office of parochial schoolmaster at Aboyne to that of Lochlee. As connected with the parish, it may be also mentioned, that the adventurous Peter Williamson, who, about 1740, was kid- napped at Aberdeen and carried to Virginia, and there sold for a slave, was, as stated in his autobiography, born in the parish of Aboyne, if not of rich, yet of reputable parents. Land-owners. — These are, 1. the Marquis of Huntly, whose va- lued rent in the parish is L 1631, 17s. 8d. ; 2. John Farquharson of Finzean, with a valued rent of L.200, 4s, 6d. ; 3. Miss Farquhar- ABOYNE AND GI.ENTANNER, 1055 son, Mrs Lyncb, and their sisters. Misses Catherine and Louisa Farquharson, (L. 173, 6s. 8d.) who succeeded as heirs-portioners to their brother, the late Lewis Farquharson Innes of Balnacraig and Ballogie. Their father was male representative of the ancient house of Inverey, and on succeeding to the lands of Ballogie and Balnacraig, &c. in this and the neighbouring parishes of Birse and Kincardine, assumed the name of Innes, that of his relatives, the former proprietors. One of his authors, Findly Farquharson of Tnverey, was killed carrying the Royal banner at the battle of Pinkie, 1547. 4. The Earl of Aberdeen, who is proprietor of a small farm in the parish, but to which no valued rent is attached. Historical Events. — There are no papers or writings of which the writer is aware, that can throw much light on events of former times, and tradition furnishes but few particulars respecting the early history of Aboyne; hence at what time even the castle was first built, the writer is unable to obtain distinct evidence. — Possi- bly this might be supplied by the Huntly charters, and the date of the royal permission for its erection ascertained. It may, how- ever, be inferred, from the circumstance of the castle being placed in a swamp, and having (till in recent times the water was lower- ed) been accessible only by boat or drawbridge, that it was erect- ed about the tenth or eleventh century, — the moat fortification be- ing then followed for castles, as previously and subsequently duns, rocks or some eminence secure from sudden attack were se- lected for strongholds and baronial castles. In 1242, it was pos- sessed by William Bisset, who being then, as already noticed, ac- cused as accessory to the death of the Earl of Athol, was sum- moned to stand his trial at Edinburgh. He went there, and of- fered to peril his life with any of his accusers, but his challenge was not accepted, and he being afraid that his judges might be concussed by his inveterate and powerful enemies, the Cummines, went with a number of his relations into voluntary exile in Ireland. From the chartulary of Aberdeen, it appears that the Bissets gave the lands of Aboyne to the Knights Templar, and it is a remark- able fact, that some fields near the castle still bear the name of " Tiran Teampull" i. e. the Templars' ground, which circum- stance is evidence that Gaelic was then the vernacular language about Aboyne, but which has long since retired farther west. Re- garding the possession of the castle by the Earl of Marr, there is also an order from Baliol, recorded in the " Rotuli Scotiae," From the Knights Templar the lands of Aboyne passed to the Erasers 1056 ABERDEENSHIRK. of Cowie, and from the Frasers to Lord Keith, progenitor of the Earl Marischal. Lord Keith's daughter, Elizabeth, was married to Sir John Gordon of Huntly, and with her the lands and castle of Aboyne passed to the Gordons, with whom they have since re- mained. Sir John was killed at the battle of Otterburn, 1388, and his only daughter and heiress was married in 1408, to Sir William Seaton of Seaton Mallonally, descended from a sister of Robert I. Their son Alexander was, in 1449, created Earl of Huntly, and resumed the surname of Gordon. This Earl Alexander was succeeded by his son George, in favour of whose second son Adam (who afterwards became Earl of Sutherland,) it is stated, in Gor- don's history, of the clan, that James II. granted a novodamus of the lands of Aboyne. They seem, however, to have reverted to the Earl of Huntly, and to have been bestowed successively on the second sons of that noble house, first, on John, who was cruel- ly burned to death at Frendraught, on 30th April S630, and se- condly, on James Viscount Aboyne, on whose death they passed to his next brother Charles, who was created Earl of Aboyne, and of whom is lineally descended the present Marquis of Huntly. In 1671 the castle was repaired or rather part of it rebuilt, by Charles first Earl of Aboyne, and in 1801, his great grandson, the present Marquis of Huntly, added the east wing or half to it, cor- responding in appearance and architecture to the west, on which occasion, the old foundations, which had been laid on brandered oak above peat moss, were raised of what had once been the baronial hall. The old mansion-house of BaliKicraig, * in which the for- mer proprietor resided, is in the parish, and on the Balnacraig pro- perty is also the House of Carlogie, now occupied by Admiral Sir Arthur Farquhar. At Tillphoudie, once the seat of a branch of the Gordons, but now forming part of the Aboyne property, are to be seen the ruins of the proprietor's house. Antiquities. — On Knockbeg, or little hill of Tillfoudie, are the remains of a circular building, -f- (diameter 83 feet,) composed of * While a party of military were preparing to burn the house of Balnacraig in 1746, a soldier thrust his head into ajar of honey, from whicli he could only, amid the jeering of his comrades, be extricated by breaking part from the mouth of the jar, during this scene a counter order to save the house arrived. Tlie honey jar, with its broken lip, has been preserved by the representatives of the family. ■j" The writer has seen the remains of similar stone buildings, extending in a line across Sutherland. The most entire one he has met with is on the Blackwater, Strath Brora, and called "• Castle Coull." There are also a few of the round " turf forts or pits" close to the turnpike road, two miles east from Fort George. ABOYNE AND GLENTANNER. IO57 Stones regularly laid, and the foundation partly imbedded in rock but without mortar or cement; and at the base of the hill, in a corn-field, about half a mile to the north-east, may be traced the site of another erection, said to have been similar; and connect- ing them are to be seen the remains of two parallel dikes, forming a fenced avenue or roadway. This avenue, thus secured on each side and in no place under the breadth of fifteen feet, though in many places more than double that extent, leads to the east over the adjoining moor of Drumduan, and can be traced for miles, in the direction of the hill of Fare, where, the writer has been told, it is connected with similarly raised structures, known by the name of Pict's houses or forts. The line extends also westward to the hill of Knockice, and Kinord, and is there too connected with a number of these Picts' houses, though none of them, like the one on Knockbeg, has been erected entirely of stone. From Knockice, the enclosed line branches off towards a ford in the Dee, and appears on the opposite side in Glentanner, with more of these ancient ruins planted, at intermediate spaces, along it. The same is observable at Tillphoudie hill (distantfrom Knockice five miles,) leading also towards a ford in the Dee, and not far from either bank are two of these raised forts, placed like lunettes to pro- tect the passage. Both the diverging lines seem to point to a pass through the Grampians, directly leading to Catterthun, the great Caledonian fort, about twenty miles distant, in the braes of Angus, and thought by some to have been a stronghold of Galgacus. The main line may be traced nearly parallel with the north bank of the Dee, for about fifty miles from hill of Fare by Knockice to Braemar, said to be the Tamea of the Romans, and these paral- lel dikes (a line of them branching also northward from Knockice) have been represented by some antiquaries as the remains of itinera of that people. The dikes, however, appear always in connection with these round forts or pits, which was the form adopted by the Picts and the ancient Scots for their places of strength. Those of the Romans v.'ere rectangular, and the stone one on Little hill (to and from which the iter evidently led,) had been erected with- out lime or mortar, which would not likely have been the case had it been of Roman origin. At Knockice, along the south face and base of Mulloch hill,* are the ruins of three rectangular stone en- * Mulloch, Gaelic, " the top or highest part of the mountain." On this Mulloch or summit of the hill, there is a cairn 60 yards in circumference, and the average depth of the stones 2 yards. There is a confused tradition that this cairn marks the ABERDEEN. 3 X 1058 ABERDEENSHIRE. closures, all close to and connected with each other. The west- most one, 140 yards by 88, the next larger, and the eastmost about double the size of the other two. All the three have been ap- parently open on the south side, except in so far as naturally se- cured by a small rill of water and marshy ground. There are two smaller enclosures, of from 12 to 18 yards diameter, a little out from the north-west corner of the smallest of the three, on steep rising ground, and overlooking the whole. The road or diked avenue from Kinord leads to the westmost of the three, and is lost in it. It again appears skirting the other two, except in one place where it is blocked up by the wall of the inclosure, to form which the stones of the two dikes appear in that place to have been re- moved. Hence if these be the remains of a Roman encampment for the troops of Domitian or Severus, as some have inferred, the encampment and the iter must have been formed at different times, and if by the Romans, it is not likely they would, in an enemy's country, have blocked up their iter without the formation of a new line. It may be noticed, that the enclosures had been mere fences of loose stone and turf, without any outside ditch, and present no- thing of the formidable appearance of a Roman rampart. Three sides of the hill slope as regularly as if they had by art been formed into a glacis ; and contain several deep trenches, of no great length, like so many redoubts to check an advancing army ; and the whole ground is covered with cairns, many of them within the inclosures; and the tradition of the country is strong, that more than one severe battle had been fought on this ground, but when, or by whom, an opinion cannot well be formed. One tradition is, and some authors have stated it as a fact, on what evidence is un- known to the writer, that the Romans did pass to Moray by Brae- mar, and were signally routed at Knockice. Severus indeed, with his son Caracalla, did attempt, in the year 208, the entire conquest of Scotland ; but, after losing 50,000 men in one campaign, was glad to retire south of the Tyne, and the Romans never again evinced any desire to face the six Scottish knights. Sir Moss, Sir Moor, and Sir IMoutitaiii, Sir Rock, Sir River, and Sir Duntan. Among other antiquities in the parish there is, close to the turnpike road near the bridge of Dess, a large round stone with a spot on which some Danish King or general fell. It is not, however, raised conical ly, but flattened like cairns on other hills (and several of them can be seen from it,) on which beacon fires are said to have been lis^hted. I I ABOYNE AND GLENTANNER. 1059 hole in the centre, somewhat like that of a millstone, and suppos- ed to have been used for the erection of a gibbet-tree. It was about twenty years ago, with the view of examining it, placed on its hem, and, on raising it from the flat bed on which it rested, there was some difficulty experienced, in consequence of larae stones which had been laid around to firm it. That it was a gibbet- stone, may be the more readily inferred from its being placed at the foot of a natural tumulus, which bears the significant name of Tiremdd," i. e. " the court-ground." Six years ago, a canoe, neatly formed out of a single block of oak, was dug out of the peat-moss at Drumduan, on the south side of Auchlossan Loch. It was quite entire; but being in an unsound state, and left on the bank to dry, it was unfortunately broken by the rude handling of some herd boys. On a knoll near Aboyne Castle stands a sculptured stone, six and a-half feet high. This stone formerly stood on an eminence nearly fronting the land-end of the drawbridge which had commu- nicated with Ceanmore's fortified island in Loch Kinord, but, in commemoration of which of the many eventful occurrences con- nected with that locality, no evidence exists beyond its carved hieroglyphics; and as these contain what appears intended to re- present a cross, curiously and very laboriously cut, it may be inferred to have been erected within the Christian era. It was removed by the Earl of Aboyne from its original site to that which it now occupies near a small Druidical circle ; hence its history may, at some future period, puzzle the antiquary. About a mile and a-half north-west from the church, there is a stone with a cross cut on it, and standing near a well. This stone, when removed at some olden time, is said to have been miraculously brought back by Muchrieha, the guardian of the well. Near the cross formerly stood a stone of considerable size, with a hollow rudely cut in it, and called Muchrieha's chair. This chair some masons, about thirty years ago, unawed by Much- rieha, split into pieces to assist in the building of the neigh- bouring farm-house. On the hill of Little Tullich, overlooking the site of the old Castle of Cean-na-coily are the remains of what is called " My Lord's House," consisting of five courses of a square stone build- ing, the wall at the base course 12 feet thick, and diminishing about a foot each course, so that the five courses present, on the outside, the appearance of a stair of as many steps on each side. 1060 ABERDEENSHIRE. The entry is from the west, and the apartment within is 7| feet each side. The base course also projects inwardly from 12 to 15 inches, forming a seat or bench all around ; and in laying the courses no cement had been used. It may have been originally arched or roofed in, but it is now open, and the height of the apartment within from 5 to 6 feet. The use of this building is reported to have been for obtaining a view during a deer-hunt ; and this part of the ancient forest of Marr being the nearest to the old Castle of Kincardine (about fifteen miles distant,) which was frequently honoured with a royal visit, it is thought it was in this locality his Majesty, Alexander III., was saved from an infu- riated stag by Colin Fitzgerald, of whom were descended the Earls of Seaforth. The charter in favour of Fitzgerald for the lands of Kintail is dated " Apud Kincardine ix. die Jan. anno regni nostri xviii." or 1267 ; and the interesting occurrence which becomes associated with the date and locality of this charter, was, as recorded by Sir George Mackenzie of Tarbet, " about that time when Alexander was on a hunting excursion in the forest of Marr, an exasperated stag, hotly pursued by the hounds, made a dead push at the place occupied by the King, when Colin bravely interposed his ovv-n person, and adroitly shot, with an arrow, the infuriated assailant." Half-way between the castle and the old church is an old tree called the Skeulan tree, and a well called the Skeulan Well. They are still held in great veneration, and the name appears to be a corruption of St Eunan, to whom the parish and church of Aboyne were anciently dedicated. Within a short distance of the Skeulan tree, there is another well called, the Lady's Well. At Newton of Tilliecairn, in 1828, several urns, containing cal- cined bones, were dug up while trenching some grovmd, one of them perfectly entire: and the gentleman into whose possession it has fallen has either lately presented it, or intends to present it, to the Museum of Marischal College. About fifty yards distant from the tumulus in which the urns were found, the soil has a blackish appearance, with small pieces of charcoal imbedded in it, the whole appearing to have been under the action of strong fire ; and here, it is presumed, the bodies had been burned, prepa- ratory to the calcined remains being placed in the urns. And it may be remarked, too, that the site is near some Picts' houses, or, as they are here called, Mullochies, on the communication branch ABOYiNE AND GLENTANNER. 1061 of ihe parallel dikes which diverge from Knockice on the opposite side of the Dee. Nearly a mile to the east of Newton, on the top of a ridge on which are several small cairns, is one of great extent called Cairn- more, which, in 1818, was partly opened for the purpose of ob- taining stones for the erection of a house, when a number of bones were found, and a small gold chain of four links, attached to a pin of such size as might have been used in a brooch for fastening the Celtic plaid. The bottom of the cairn was neatly paved, and about one-tenth part of it only has been explored. On the summit of the hill of Mortlich, in this parish, has been a pretty large enclosure, apparently an extensive encampment. Now this is the only Mortlich or Murtlach in Marr; and Bu- chanan writes (Lib. vi. cap. xlix.) that Malcolm IL, after a hard- contested action ad Murthilacum in Marria, and taking advantage of a prcBsidium or old strength, fortified by a wall and ditch, gained a signal victory over the Danes. The Peel Bog, about two miles east from this Mortlich in Marr, most exactly corresponds with the de- scription given by Buchanan of the prcesidium or old strength. Some, however, think, that the enclosure on the top of Mortlich may have been used for a more ignoble purpose than that of an encampment of warriors, and that it was a fence, difficult of access and easily guarded, for securing the cattle of the country during the foray of any hostile clan or inroad of pillaging foes. In 1834, there was dug out of one of the cairns at Ferrar a sil- ver coin, (hammer struck,) bearing on the obverse, within a double tressure, or leaves of a rose, (except the bust, which extends to the legend,) the king's head in profile, with an open crown fleury, before him the sceptre fleury, with the legend, david dei gra REX scoTORVM. On the reverse, a cross potent extending to the edge, with a spur-revel of five points in each quarter. In the inner circle villa edinbvrgh, (the place of coinage.) In the outer, the legend, + dns-ptector-ms -\- libator ms, (being {he con- traction for Dominus Protector Mens et Liberator Mens.) It bears no date, neither is the king's name designated by any num- bers. It may, therefore, be presumed to have been of the reign of David I.,* sixth son of Ceanmore, and who, in 1124, succeeded his brother Edgar; but those acquainted with the history of ' Since the above was sent to press, the writer has seen a copy of " Numismata Scotia," from which the coin would appear to have been of the reign of David IL,^ and that the legend (being common) was not assumed in reference to the liberation ot that Sovereign. 1062 ABERDEENSHIRE. Scotch coinage may be able to determine whether this piece be of the reign of David II., who, when only eight years of age, suc- ceeded his father, " the Bruce," in 1329. Of either reign, it would fall within the date (1335) of the battle of Culblean, fought about two miles to the westward ; and in the direction of Ferrar it is generally admitted the routed Baliolites fled, closely pursued by " the Gordon" and his gallant band. Some of the fugitives are reported to have rushed into the mill at Dinnet, and there (except two saved by the address and bravery of the miller,) cut down by their fierce pursuers. From this incident the name of the mill was changed from that of Dinnet, Dion-aite, (sheltering place^) (o Muillean donas (the mill of mischief). The sucken considered their mill polluted. A new one was erected about one hundred yards distant; but the old site is still called Muillean donas. Connected also with the chase from Culblean, a small rill, nearly a mile north of Aboyne Castle, is called " the bleedy burn," the tradition being, that, for twenty-four hours, the water was reddened with the blood of the slain. But " bleedy burn" being expressed in Scotch and not in Gaelic, it may be inferred, that the occurrence from which arose the name must have been of more recent date than the battle of Culblean. If, too, the coin be of the reign of David II., and if the legend have refe- rence to the liberation of that monarch from England, (1358,) the piece (and bones found with it in the cairn) must have been deposited on some memorable occasion subsequent to the rout, in 1335, from Culblean. Cairns (some of great size) and tumuli are to be found on every hill and moor in the parish. Some of them may mark the graves of the Sassenach and the Dane; but many of them may be claimed by every Celt in the north as a " Cam na Cuimhne" a cairn of remembrance over a clansman of his own, who fell either in nobly repelling a foreign foe, or in the direful conflict of chief against chief. But it is not to be suppos- ed that all these tumuli and cairns owed their origin to the casual- ties of war. Around the Druidical places of worship, there were no cemeteries. Such convenient spots* as, amid their pasto- ral and migratory life, might at the time occur to the surviving relatives, were selected, and the grave secured against the raven- ous wolff by a heap of stones. " Cum mi cloch er do charne" I * The writer knows some remote Highland parishes in which still are many places of interment which have never been connected with any place of worship. + At a hunting in forests of Athole and Marr, so late as 1328, a wolf is mentioned among the game killed by James V. ABOYNE AND GLENTANNETJ. 1063 will add a stone to your cairn, is still a complimentary'expression among Highlanders. Parochial Register. — The parochial register only extends back to 1752. It contains minutes of the kirk-session meetings, and a record of marriages and births, but not of deaths. The births have been very irregularly entered, from the neglect of some pa- rents, and the disinclination of others, to have their children's names recorded. III. — Population. In 1755, the population amounted to 1695 1831, - - - 1163 1841, - - -1138 This falling off may be accounted for from the increased size of the farms and a diminution of the cottar system. The people are orderly and industrious, shrewd and intelligent, well informed in the principles of religion, and regular in their attendance upon its ordinances. A very intelligent and respect- able farmer of the name of Gillanders, who, since the in- cumbency of the writer, died in the parish, was the eighteenth oldest son of the family, who, in succession, had been born on the same farm. The adjoining farm is now rented by his oldest son ; and others in the parish are possessed of evidence that they, and those they represent, have lived under the Earls of Aboyne from the time that noble family succeeded to their honours, and were ever ready to follow their feudal chief to the field. In more recent times, though the Earl of Aboyne did not formally embark in the unfortunate risings of 1715 and 1745, yet did his tenants zealously support " the Prince'^' with their services.* IV. — Industry. Agriculture. — The arable land in the parish is 2178 Scotch acres; and the gross rental is L.3300, (exclusive of shoot- ing-grounds), which would be at the rate of about L.l, 10s. per Scotch acre. If, however, the arable were let without the extensive moorlands and natural pastures attached, the average rent of the arable would perhaps range from L.I to L.l, 5s. • In 1715 the Earl of Mar, to mature his plans e.nd collect his hounds, invited his- sporting frisnds to a deer-hunt in Glentanner, and to meet him at Cean-na-Coil. Thence, with the men of Aboyne, he proceeded to Braemar Castle, and there un- furled the banner of James VII. In 1745-6, a battalion, named by Lord Lewis Gordon "the Aboyne battalion," and commanded by Farquharson of Monaltree, beat the Macleods at Inverury ; and, in the fierce onslaught at Culloden, cut through " Burrell's Blue." The survivors who returned from that eventful field are all now beyond the din of war. The writer remembers seven or eight of them, and has often heard from them an account of their disastrous adventure. 1064 ABERDEENSHIRE. per Scotch acre. The usual system of cropping followed in the parish, as generally throughout the district of Marr, is the seven years' shift ; and to observe this rotation most of the tenants are bound by their leases. A less exhausting course, however, is beginning to be introduced, viz. the six years' shift, which only differs from the former by taking one grain crop instead of two after lea. The only grain crops to which the climate is found congenial, are oats and big. The surplus grain is carried to mar- ket at Aberdeen, and the carts return loaded with lime, coals, or bone-dust. There are only three farms in the parish exceeding 100 acres arable. Most of them are only from 20 to 50 acres, and many of them mere crofts, extending from 5 to 12 or 15 acres j and the smaller the farm, generally the higher the rent, arising chiefly from a competition among steady farm-servants, who have saved from their wages as much as is sufficient to stock one of these small holdings. The usual duration of the leases granted is nineteen years. There is improvable ground in the parish, perhaps equal in extent, and not inferior in natural quality, to what is already arable, but which, on a nineteen years' lease, would scarcely repay the expense of bringing it into tillage. In cutting dov/n the crops, the sickle has of late been superseded by the scythe. Farm-Buildings. — The farm-houses with lum and earthen-floor have entirely disappeared, and in their stead plain and comfortable erections have been built with chimneys, and one end at least floored with wood ; and those erected within the last few years are slated, and generally of two stories. An improving style of offices has also begun to be introduced. This better system has chiefly arisen from the houses becoming more generally the direct property of the land-owners, in place of being built or paid for by incoming tenants. Some of the farms, too, have of late been well enclosed with stone fences at the expense of the pro- prietors. Under this head, it may be also mentioned^ that traces of the plough are visible far up the brows of the hills, and at greater elevations than it is thought any grain would now ripen. These alpine rigs are all straight, arising, it is presumed, from the plough* * The plough with a single handle is said to have been then used. The writer has seen such a plough at work in the higher district of Caithness, and was struck with its resemblance to the old Roman plough as described by Virgil, Geor- gica, lib. i. 162. Ovid, too, alludes to the single-handed plough, " stiva" (notstivis) *' innixus arator." * ABOYNE AND GLENTANNER. 1065 having been drawn by the amUn-mor (great yoke,) to which the cattle were attached abreast. In connection with these rigs, the more hmited operations of the spade or cas chrom appear in small cleared patches, from which the grubbed up stones have been collected into heaps. From the mountain's brow, cultivation would appear to have gradually descended to the richer and stiffer soils of the glen, as it became cleared of wood and water, and there the straight rig of the amlin-mor appears to have been succeeded by the curvilinear of the ten-oxen-plough. Livestock. — Much attention is bestowed on the rearing of black-cattle. These are generally of the Aberdeenshire horn- ed, or of the Buchan poUed breeds ; but they have of late, on several farms, been crossed with the short-horned, much to the improvement of the weight, and a year's earlier maturity of the animals for the market. A few are fed either for the Aber- deen fleshers, or for exportation by the steamers for the London market ; but a greater number are disposed of in a lean state to the south of Scotland and English dealers. From any of these quarters, however, there has been little demand, and at greatly reduced prices, since the ports were opened for the admission of foreign cattle. On the hills and moorlands, from 5000 to 6000 sheep, mostly of the Linton breed, are pastured ; and a few pigs are also to be seen about most of the farm-steadings. The ave- rage amount yearly sold of these different kinds of stock has been calculated at rather more than half the rent paid to the land- owners. The horses are not heavy, but hardy ; and, from the lightness of the soil, a pair of them is sufficient for drawing a plough, and one of them for carrying in a cart four quarters of bear to the Aberdeen market. V. — Parochial Economy. Market-Toicns. — The united parish is distant from Aberdeen, the principal market-town, from twenty-four to thirty-seven miles. Stonehaven is two miles nearer, but with it, though there be turn- pike roads leading to both towns, the intercourse is very limited. In the village of Charlestown, within the parish, and a quarter of a mile east of the church, there is a very commodious inn, noted for the excellent manner in which it is kept : Also a post-office; bake and brew-house ; shop for general goods ; meal, flour, barley, and malt-mills; shoemakers, carpenters, tailors, and a saddler. Through the village, a mail-coach to and from Aberdeen passes daily, and several carriers weekly. 1066 ABERDEENSHIRE. Means of Communication. — The turnpike road from Aberdeen, (which is joined by the one from Stonehaven at Banchory Ter- nan), terminates at Aboyne ; but the communication is continued by excellent commutation roads, on both sides of the Dee, to Ballater and Braemar. The Parliamentary road to Alford com- mences in the parish ; and there are also, leading from Aboyne, good commutation roads in the direction of Tarland, of the Cairnamonth and to Inchmarnoch, by either side of Bellrory. Over the Tanner, there are two stone-bridges, and five over other tributary streams of the Dee, all arched, besides several other smaller bridges, either of wood or of stone, but not arched. At the place where the ferry-boat now passes the Dee, between Kin- cardine O'Neil and the lands of Balnacraig, in the parish of Aboyne, a wooden bridge was erected, by Durward of Coull, in the fourteenth century, but of which all traces have long since disappeared. Two miles further east, on the verge of the parish, there is now the elegant stone- bridge of Potarch, of three arches, and each pier founded on rock. At Aboyne, and nearly opposite th.e church, the much admired* chain or suspension -bridge, was erected by the Earl of Aboyne in 1831, and solely at his Lordship's expense. A previous one, on the same site, and nearly on the same design, had been constructed in 1828, but which was unfortunately carried away by the great flood of 4th August 1829. The two bridges cost his Lordship from L.6000 to L. 7000, and there is no pontage. The stability of this bridge being now tested, and there being an excellent road, either turnpike or Parliamentary, from Huntly to Aboyne, a continu- ation of the line southward, through the Grampians, is natu- rally indicated, and a very inviting line as to levels and facility of formation has been surveyed, from Aboyne, through the top of fo- rest of Birse, lower part of Glenesk, Clash of Wurren, and parish of Menmuir, to join the great Strathmore road at a point near the bridge of Finhaven, distant about twenty-five miles from Aboyne. Were this projected road formed, (and the estimated expense is less than what the bridge at Aboyne cost), the saving which would be gained in travelling from many of the northern counties is not only obvious, but property along its tract would be greatly enhanced, and a spur given, in a neglected district, to ■*• Length of suspension portion, 230 feet ; do. of two iron trussed arches, 60 and 50 do. ; and length of two stone arches, 30 and 20 feet ; depth of the foundation of the two principal piers under the level of the river, 1 1 feet. ABOYNE AND GLENTANKER. 1067 that spirit of improvement which is generally carried on along a new line of road, by which easy access is afforded. Ecclesiastical State. — The church is very handsome and com- fortable, and seated for 628. It was erected this year at an ex- pense, exclusive of carriages, of about L.900. The manse was built in 1790, and two new rooms added in 1835. The stipend is L.150, of which the sum of L.12, 16s. S^d. is paid by the Ex- chequer. The glebe extends to nearly twenty imperial acres, but of such worthless soil, that it has never repaid the expense of la- bouring it. The old glebes of Aboyne and Glentanner, of ex- cellent soil, were, on the occasion of a central church being built for the united parish in 1763, excambed for double extent of a bleak moor, which had evidently at one period been the bed of the Dee, and which had scarcely any soil on it. It is only fit for growing furze and broom, or stunted firs. The minister has the privilege of a peat-moss, four miles distant, on the top of a very steep hill. Education. — The salary of the parochial schoolmaster is L. 28, which, with allowance from the Dick bequest and school fees, may raise his income to L. 89 per annum, with house and garden. The usual branches of education are taught, and the number of scho- lars last winter was as high as 140. From the school there is at present one student at Marischal College and another at ■ King's, both holding competition bursaries. In the Glentan- ner division of the parish, there is a school established by the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge, with a salary of L. 16, and the usual accommodations from the heritors. The ave- rage number of scholars, 60 : but their fees do not amount to much. From remote corners of the parish, several children attend neigh- bouring parochial schools, to which they are nearer than to that of Aboyne ; and in winter, some are instructed in adventure schools. The minister, parochial and society schoolmasters, are natives of the parish. Foor and Parochial Funds. — The number of persons on the poor's roll has nearly doubled within the last few years. They at present amount to 34. Among them, in proportion to their re- spective wants, are divided, by quarterly distributions, about L.35 per annum, arising from church collections, amounting on an ave- rage to L.23; interest of money, L.3; and the balance from volun- tary contributions by some of the heritors and others. There are no beggars in the parish ; and the paupers on the roll derive much 1088 ABERDEENSHIRE. of their support from the kindness and beneficence of their more affluent neighbours. Whenever any urgent case occurs, a contri- bution in meal and money is immediately made in the vicinity for its relief. Fairs. — There are five great markets held on a green admir- ably adapted for the purpose, between the village of Charlestown and the church, viz. at Candlemas, Michaelmas, and Hallowmas ; one also in June, and another in July. Lins. — There is an excellent inn, the Huntly Arms, at Aboyne, and four secondary ones in the parish. Fuel. — Bog peat and hill turf are used for fuel. There is also much wood, particularly fir, burned ; and many drive coal from Aberdeen. Miscellaneous Observations. Fifty years ago, the fields were regularly checkered by baulk and rig. Drill husbandry and green crops not to be seen, save in a few rare patches of grass or turnip in some of the farmers' kailyards, and perhaps a head- rig or some odd corner in potato for a honne bouche in harvest. The breed of cattle light, and of an inferior stamp ;the horses (though mettlesome) mere highland garrons ; the sheep small in carcass, and scanty in wool. The houses of simple struc- ture : lums for chimneys, and wooden boards for windows. Currocks, and creeh, and littei' trees supplied the place of carts ; tolunowing loeiyhts that of fanners; and hair and moss-fir tethers.^ or willow and birch wiihes, were substitutes for hempen ropes. The querne was partially used; and though the laddie »»"// had disappeared, it had been only superseded by the cog and rung. Clumsy and ill- constructed ploughs were drawn by ten or twelve oxen, v^'ith the " curvus arator" slowly turning the huge furrow, and the gad- man's whistle, in autumn and spring, heard on every side. The roads were wretched; and the nearest post-office and bake-house at Aberdeen. Many of the young men appeared in kilt, hose, and brogues ; and all, old and young, at church and market, with breacan and bonnet. The women, too, were dressed mostly in home-made stuffs, and gudewives adorned with the barred plaid. The grain raised was little more than sufficient for the wants of the parish. From seed-time to harvest many of the men were employed in the manufacture of tubs, harrows, plough-beams, &c. which they carried to Old Rayne fair, the Aberdeen timber and Auldton markets. In summer, the women were employed in spin- ning the wool of their sheep ; and many a web was ready for the ABOYNE AND GLENTANNER. 1069 gudewives to start with for Bartle fair of Kincardine. A new order of things has now gradually sprung up, and the dress and habits of the people are similar to those in other rural parishes in the county. It may be also observed, that, fifty years ago, many a legendary tale, blended with some historical facts respecting the parish, was told ; it is said that, at some very remote period, an irruption had been made through the Grampians by an overwhelming host of in- vaders ; that these were assailed by the natives from the woods, rocks, and hills, and finally routed at Knockice ;* that a line of tumiiH and cairns marks the graves of fallen Danes and northern marauders ; that Macbeth fled from Dunsinane, and maintained himself for three years among the fastnesses of Marr; and that, in one of his flights forlife, and unattended, through Aboyne — himself exhausted and his mare jaded — he dismounted to drink from a well situated at the point-f- from which he could first see his castle of Peel Bog, distant about two miles, and, obtaining a bit of bread from a herd boy, asked him the name of the well, and, being told that it was Brien (Braon), he ejaculated, " wo is me, the spell is gone, and my doom is sealed." It is said also, that feuds and conflicts often raged between the Forbeses and the Gordons, the Gordons and Farquharsons ; and that, after one memorable foray, orphan chil- dren were carried towards the banks of the Spey; and that some of their descendants are still to be found there bearing the name of " Strathdee" It is said that the vassals of Aboyne suf- fered in Marr's year, the 45, and in the wars of Montrose and Dundee; and that Mackay, after " Killiecrankie," visited Strath- dee with fire and sword ; and, in forcing the pass of Ballater, that, with hand granades, he fired the heath and burned the forest of Culblean, encamped at Tarland, and, with other pa- rishes, laid Aboyne under contribution. Hence the couplet. Wo to the day John Tarn was marriedf Culblean was burn'd, and Cromar was harried. Instead of listening much to such traditionary tales and imper- fectly recorded facts, the people now take an interest in reading standard works on history and general science, and have provided themselves with a pretty extensive parochial library. * Knockice, i. e. (Gaelic) Cnochdi, derived from a little hill, and many cairns in its neighbourhood. + The pass in which the well is situated is known by the name of Tilliebreen, i. e. Silleadh (the dh quiescent) Iraon — water formed by rain falling on opposite hills, and running along their base. One of the hills here alluded to is JMortlick, (the slack of death,) on the base of which, and in a mountain pass, Macbeth now stood. Hence the name of the hill rather than that of the well might have conjured up sad forebod- ings to his superstitious mind. December 1842. • PARISH OF LOGIE-COLDSTONE. PRESBYTERY OP KINCARDINE o'nEIL, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. JOHN M'HARDY, MINISTER. I.— Topography and Natural History. The parish of Logie-Coldstone is principall}' situated in Cro- mar, a district of Aberdeenshire comprehending part of five pa- rishes, and fornaing an extensive amphitheatre amid that range of mountains and hills which runs between the rivers Dee and Don for a considerable part of their course. At some remote period, a great portion of this district seems evidently to have been the site of a large lake or chain of lakes (two of which still subsist), fed by several rivulets, which now wend their way sluggishly through it, occasionally inundating the lower grounds to some extent, when swollen by much rain, or by the sudden dissolution of the snow, which falls abundantly on the sur- rounding hills during the winter. Since this evanished lake burst the barrier which confined it on the south, several tumuli or mounds have been formed in different places of its site, by the drifting of the finer particles of sand which covered its bottom, while the flat ground around them consists generally of coarser gravelly deposits, interspersed with patches of peat-bog. Name, ^c. — The parish of Logie was annexed to Coldstone anno 1618. When a separate parish, it appears to have been ge- nerally called Logie- Mar, to distinguish it from the other pa- rishes into which the word Log enters as a compound, such as Lo- gie-Buchan, Logie-Pert. The etymology of Coldstone (formerly written, and still pronounced, Colstane by the inhabitants of the district), cannot be determined with any degree of certainty. Extent, Sfc. — From east to west, the parish of Logie-Coldstone extends, in some places, to upwards of 5 miles, in others, to not more than half that distance. From north to south, that portion ■of it situated within the district of Cromar does not extend to more than 4 miles ; but, including the portion which lies without the district on Deskry-side, the extreme length is not less than 7 miles. LOGIE-COLDSTONE. 1071 The figure of the parish is extremely irregular. It is bounded on the south, by the parishes of Glenmuick and Aboyne ; on the west, by Glenmuick ; on the north, by Strathdon, Tarland, and Towie ; and on the east, by Tarland, Coull, and Aboyne. Topographical Appearances. — On the west side of the parish a range of steep and high hills runs the whole distance, among which Morven stands conspicuous, commanding a view to the east as far as the eye can reach. On the north, the hills rise more gradu- ally, and are less elevated. Climate.— T\ie climate of this parish, with the exception of that part which lies on Deskry-side, is tolerably mild, equable, and sa- lubrious, and must become still more so from the extent of drain- age which is taking place, and from the additional shelter which will be afforded by the plantations made and making. Hydrography. — There are numerous springs in the parish, but the only one which has attracted the particular notice of the inhabitants, is a powerful chalybeate, which arises in a planta- tion a little south from the church, and seems to have acquired its Gaelic name of Poll-duhh, " black mire," from pouring its water into a small mossy hollow within a few yards of its source. It is occasionally resorted to by some for the benefit of their health, and by others for amusement. One of the lochs alluded to as still subsisting in the district is partly in this parish. It is called Lochdawan, (supposed to be a corruption of the Gaelic Loch cVabliainn, " lake of two waters,") and is about two and a half or three miles in circumference. There is a small circular pond upon an elevated part of the farm of Nether Ruthven, which bears the name of Lochan-uaine, " the green pool or lakelet," from the peculiar colour of the water. The water of this pond has never been analyzed with a view to disco- ver its colouring ingredients or particular qualities. Though seemingly of a very impure nature, the cattle upon the farm are said to prefer it to any other. The only stream of running water of any magnitude connected with the parish is that of Deskry, which forms a boundary line for same distance betwixt it and Strathdon. The other rivulets in the parish, in common with those of the whole district of Cromar, discharge their water into the river Dee in the parish of Aboyne. Geology. — The granite formation prevails generally throughout the parish; but the direction and dip of the strata and beds has not been particularly attended to. No mines or ores of any de- 1072 ABERDEENSHIRE. scription are known to exist. On the slope of the high grounds, where the soil is untransported, it is generally of a good depth and fertile quality. On the low grounds, where it is transported, it is mostly shallow, and of a sandy or peaty nature. Wood. — With the exception of a few patches of dwarfish alder, no indigenous wood exists in the parish ; but roots and fragments of oak, fir, hazel, &c. of a large size are frequently dug up in the mossy ground. From 800 to 900 acres have, at different times, been planted by the different heritors, principally with fir and larch, to which sorts of timber the soil appears most congenial, or at least that part of the soil which has been set apart for plantation. IL— Civil History. In a volume recently published by the Spalding Club, there appear a few letters written by one of the heritors of the parish of Logie, (Gordon of Blelack), who espoused the cause of the Stu- art family in the Rebellion of 1745; and also an account of the trial of some inhabitants of the parish accused of the crime of Vt'itchcraft. Antiquities. — Two different farms in the parish have received the name of Cairnmore, from the existence of large cairns or plies of stone within their boundaries. One of these cairns, situated about half a mile north of the manse of Coldstone, must have ori- ginally been of remarkable size ; for though it has, according to the report of the inhabitants, furnished materials for the erection of several enclosures in the neighbourhood, it still stands conspi- cuous. As the remains of several smaller cairns appear on a piece of moor ground, a little west from the large one, there is reason to think, that a fierce battle, of which, however, there is no tradi- tion, must have been fought upon the spot. Upon the farm of Parks of Coldstone, and on a spot of ground which, though now drained and improved, has evidently been a morass, there is still to be seen a deep and wide moat, surround- ing a slightly elevated area of about an acre. In the gable-wall of a house, which forms part of the farm-of- fices at Mill of Newton, may be seen a sculptured stone, which formerly stood on a rising ground a little to the west, which still bears the name of Tomachar (Gaelic Tom-chathair, " hillock of the chair.") Drawings of the stone are said to have been taken and forwarded to antiquaries ; but no satisfactory explanation of die figures delineated upon it has been given. During the last season, the tenant of Cairnmore of Blelack, LOGIE-COLDSTONE. 1073 while ploughing a field which has been long arable, found the plough striking against a stone, which he resolved to remove, and on proceeding to do so, discovered that it formed part of a paved road of considerable width, the extent of which has not 'yet been ascertained. Near to the spot where it was laid bare, there is a hollow, which is known by the name of the Picts' Howe, with which it is supposed to be somehow connected. In removing part of the stones forming the pavement, numerous pieces of charred wood were found lying beneath them. There are no resident heritors in the parish, and the only man- sion-house is that of Blelack, which is at present unoccupied. Parochial Registers. — Registers of baptisms and of church dis- cipline have been kept since 1748. Land-owners. — The heritors of the parish, in order of their re- spective valuations, are, — Mrs Farquharson of Invercauld, Earl of Aberdeen, Marquis of Huntly, John Forbes, Esq. of Blelack, IMajor Farquharson of Corrachree, L.2784 Modern Buildings. — The church was rebuilt in 1780; the manse in 1783, and repaired and enlarged in 1826. There are three meal-mills, one circular saw-mill, and nume- rous thrashing-mills in the parish. III. — Population. L.1250 781 323 290 J 40 Amount of population in 1801, 1811, " 1821, 18S1, 1841, Number of illegitimate births within last three years, 10, 861 815 858 910 936 IV. — Industry. In few districts of Scotland, perhaps, has agriculture made greater progress than it has done in this parish, since the former Statistical Account of the country was published. At that pe- riod, we are told, that few turnips were sown, and clover and rye- grass cultivated only on three farms. The other lands in the pa-- rish, though capable of improvement, are said to have been " in a state of nature." The farms at that time, so distinguished for en- closing, straighting, and dressing, can no longer boast of superiority of appearance or peculiarity of produce, for skilful and successful competitors have gradually sprung up around them, and stripped them of their honours. 3 Y ABERDEEN. "^074 ABERDEENSHIRE. There are in the parish about 3000 acres cultivated or occa- sionally in tillage, and about 900 acres under wood. The average rent of land per acre is L.l, 5s.; real rental of the parish, L.3100. V. — Parochial Economy. Ecclesiastical State. — The number of families in the parish is 190, and all belong to the Established Church. Stipend, 128 bolls barley, 128 bolls meal, with L.8, 6s. 8d. for communion ele- ments. The glebe is about twelve acres in extent, and may be valued at L.15. The manse was built in 1783; it was repaired and additions made to it in 1826. Education. — There is but one school in the parish, — the pa- rochial. The teacher's salary is L.34, 4s. A.\^. ; probable amount of his school-fees, L.25. He receives, as session-clerk, L.l, 10s. per annum, and shares in the Dick Bequest. Poor, — Number of poor, 18. Average annual amount of con- tributions for their relief, L.34, whereof, from church collections, L.24; from alms and legacies, L.IO. PARISH OF OLD MACHAR. PRESBYTERY OF ABERDEEN, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. ROBERT SMITH, \ j^- ■ . THE REV. P. FORBES, D. D., / ^'^""«^'*- THE REV. GAVIN PARKER, Bon Accord. THE REV. JAMES BRYCE, Gilcomston. THE REV. ROBERT FORBES, A. M., Woodside. THE REV. WILLIAM MITCHELL, Holburn Street. I. — Topography and Natural History. The parish of Old Machar was originally a deanery, called the Deanery of St Machar, and comprehended the parishes of Old Machar, New Machar, and Newhills. In times of Popery, they do not seem to have been divided into separate parishes, but to have been chapels in the deanery, at which chapels divine worship was regularly performed, as the inhabitants of so extensive and po- pulous a district could not conveniently meet in one place for pub- lic worship. New Machar seems to have been erected into a se- I OLD MACHAR. 1075 parate parish about the time of the Reformation ; and NewhilJs about the year 1663. The extent of this parish is great, and its form irreo-ular. Its south-east corner forms the north and west boundaries of the city of Aberdeen, or parish of St Nicholas. It extends about three miles up the Dee, by which river it is bounded on the south, and divided from the parish of Nigg, and county of Kincardine. The western boundary stretches in a crooked line from the Dee to the Don, at the distance of about two miles and a-half from the parish church. By this line it is divided from the parishes of Nether Banchory and Newhills. Crossing the Don, it extends a mile and a-half farther up the river, making in all four miles from the river's mouth. On this part the Don divides it from the pa- rishes of Newhills and Dyce ; its northern boundary passes by the parishes of New Machar and Belhelvie, till it joins the sea at the Black Dog, forming a sweep, every part of which is distant from the parish church at least four miles. On the east, it is bounded by the sea, from the Black Dog to Aberdeen, the extent of coast being about five miles. Its greatest length, from north to south, may be seven or eight miles, and its greatest breadth about four miles. This'parish rises in a gentle slope from the sea, and though there is no eminence in it that deserves the name of a mountain, its surface is beautifully diversified by rising grounds. The wind- ings of the Dee and the Don, the manufactories, and the woods on the banks of the latter, some detached clumps of planting on the rising grounds, interspersed with a number of gentlemen's seats and villas, — together with the various prospects of the sea, the^ rivers, the cities of Old and New Aberdeen, and the villages of Gilcomston and Woodside, — give a pleasant variety to the general appearance of this parish. The soil is in some places naturally fertile; in others bar- ren. II. — Civil History. Zjind-owners.-—T\\e principal of these are. City of Aberdeen. Per Master of Kirk and B. Works, . L. 579 16 10 Valued rent. Treasurer, . . 248 2 Master of Mortifications, . • 200 Union Street Trustees, • 138 9 8 uum 8 6 1076 ABERDEENSHIRE, John Paton, Esq. of Grandholm. Land, L.710 Valued rent. Fishings, 271 15 10 L. 981 15 10 Lord and Lady James Hay. Land, L. 622 4 4 Fishings, 166 13 4 L. 788 17 8 Heirs of Colonel Gordon of Parkhill. I-and, L.543 H. D. Forbes. Esq., Balgownie. 6 8 Land, L. 541 Sir M. and Lady Bruce. 15 Land, L. 488 King's College. 12 6 Land, L. 425 James Skene, Esq. of Rubislaw. 15 2 Land, L. 370 John Leslie, Esq. of Powis. Land, L. 186 16 Fishings, 166 13 4 L. 353 9 4 Walter Duthie, Esq., Ruthrieston. Land, . . . L. 300 In this list are not included several smaller heritors, who are pro- prietors of fishings chiefly. The average valuation of these may be about L. 260. Parochial Registers. — There are registers of births, marriages, and burials. They contain only the ' burials in Old Machar churchyard ; but there are three other churchyards in the parish. Mansion- Houses. — The chief of these are, Grandholm, Scots- town, Denmore, Balgownie, Hilton, Powis, Cornhill, Woodside, &c. III. — Population. Amount of population in 1801, - 9,911 1811, - 13,731 1821, .. 18,312 1831 , - 25,107 1841, . 28,102 All south of the Don is included in the Parliamentary boundary of Aberdeen. Population in the continuous village from Preventive Station (inclusive) to its ter- mination north-west of old Bridge of Don, . . . 290 At Grandholm Haugh, including cruives, manufactory, and dependencies, 238 At Persley, ...... 102 Total in villages north of Don, . , . . 630 In country north of Don, , . . . . 860 Total north of Don, ... . 1490 OLD MACHAR. 1077 The population of the quoad sacra divisions in 1841 was as follows : — Bon-Accord, . 5171 Gilcomston, . 4115 Woodside, . 4825 Holburn Street, . 3729 IV. — Industry. Agriculture. — Extensive improvements have, of late years, been eflFected in the way of reclaiming waste lands on the property of the late Colonel Gordon of Parkhill, by Messrs Nicol, Reld (Leuchlands), Craighead (Mindurno), Simpson (Cranbay), and others. One of these active farmers, Mr Nicol, received a pre- mium, a few years ago, for his improvements from the Highland Society. Much credit is also due to the late Colonel Gordon, the proprietor. The real rental of the parish is not known; but the valuation, at allocating the schoolmaster's salary per decreet of the Commis- sioners of Supply, 2d February 1758, was L.10,882, lis. 4d. Scots. Where no valuation cess-books was attainable, the Com- missioners affirmed the valuation at one-fifth of the then real rent. Fishings. — Salmon-fishing is carried on in the Don, but princi- pally by stake- nets in the sea. Manufactures, — Cotton-spinning is carried on at Grandholm Haugh by Leys, Masson, and Co. ; thread-spinning and weaving at Gordons Mills, by Milne, Cruden, and Co. j and at Printfield, by Gordon, Barron, and Co. ; and bleaching at all of these places for their own goods ; flax-spinning, weaving, and bleaching, at Broadford and Rubislaw, by Richards and Co. All of these ma- nufactures are carried on to a considerable extent. V. — Parochial Economy. Ecclesiastical State. — The parish contains the four quoad sacra divisions of Gilcomston, Bon-Accord, Woodside, and Holburn Street. The stipends are as follows :— Old Machar, first minister, . L.273 I 3) i7„„^ ^„;„ j„ second do. . . 282 19 9 [ ^"^""^ ^^^'^^^ Gilcomston, . . . 230 i Bon-Accord, , . . 150 f „ ^ ^ Woodside, . . . 150 or ^'^^"^^^^t-rents. Holburn Street, . . 180 O) In regard to the religious denominations of the population of the whole parish quoad civilia, the report to the Commissioners of Religious Instruction in 1836 was as follows : — Belonging to the Established Church, . . 19,654 other denominations, . . 6,253 Not known to belong to any denomination, . 1,658 27,565 1078 ABERDEENSHIRE. The present parish church formed part of the Cathedral of St Machar, which was founded in 1357, and finished in 1522. It was last altered in 1832-3. Besides the parish church, there is a chapel in King's College, which is open, during the session, for the accommodation of the professors and students. Gilcomston, formerly a chapel of ease to Old Machar, was erected into a quoad sacra parish by the General Assembly in 1834. There are within its bounds an Episcopal congregation, and another of the Original Seceders. Bon- Accord also was a chapel of ease to Old Machar from the year 1828 to 1834. In this district, there is a Baptist congrega- tion. Woodside was also a chapel of ease to Old Machar. There is a congregation of Independents within its bounds. The glebe attached to the second charge of the quoad civilia parish is between six and seven acres in extent. Present rent, L.31, 10s. The manse was built in the end of last century, and is in good repair. Education. — There are two schools north of the Don, and a great many on the other side of the river. The salary of the pa- rochial schoolmaster is nominally L.30, but several moieties are an- nually lost; — the original heritors assessed in 1758, and their successors, being unknown. Fees from L.30 to L.35 ; allowance from the Dick Bequest, about L.30. Savings' Bank. — There is one in the parish, but the business done is very trifling. Poor. — Average number of paupers, 157, receiving an average payment per quarter, of 7s. ll^d. each ; 435, average payment per month, 4s. 6^d. each ; 50 orphans and deserted children, 7s. 9d. per month ; 277 temporary supplies, 4s. 9d. each supply ; 17 lu- natics in asylum, L.15 each; 11 do. not in asylum, L.5, 3s. 8d; 63 children at school," 2s. 5d. per quarter each ; 63 funerals of paupers, 10s. 6d. each; clothing and shoes for paupers, L.91, 6s. 2id. 25 paupers belonging to this parish are supplied through the parish in which they reside, at a cost of L.30, 2s. lid. Ex- pense of poor's house, Gilcomston, (containing 20 very aged or disabled paupers who have no relatives to care for them), L.140, Os. 5^d. ; medical attendance and medicines for poor in the north division of the parish, L.14, 8s. 8d. The income ap- plicable to defray these expenses was, in the year ending 31st July 1842, L.170, 7s. 2id., arising from church collections, after LUMPHANAN. 1079 deducting those made for the Infirmary, church schemes, &c. — viz. Old Machar, L.28, 8s. 7 id.; Woodside, L.31, Is. 3^d. ; King's College Chapel, L.5, 9s. 0|d. ; Gilcomston, L.60, 8s. 3d. ; Bon- Accord, L. 25 ; Holburn, L. 20. The gross collection at the four first churches, in the year ending 31st July 1842, amounted to L.31 8, 17s. 3jd. Bon- Accord and Holburn churches con- tributed stated sums. Gross legal assessment for the same year, L.2378, 13s. 8id. December 1842. PARISH OF LUMPHANAN. PRESBYTERY OF KINCARDINE o'nEIL, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. CHARLES M'COMBIE, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — The etymology of Lumphanan, which is spelled in the most ancient writings, Lunfanan, Lonfanan, and Lanfanan, can- not be ascertained with certainty. We may conjecture that it comes from three Celtic words, Llaii or Jjun, a church — PaUy a descent — and An, water,* — a derivation which might naturally sug- gest itself to those who observed that the principal stream in the parish passes near the church, in its descent from the mountains to the Loch of Auchlossan. Situation, Extent, and Boundaries. — The parish is situate be- tween the Dee and the Don, in the district of Mar, twenty-four miles from Aberdeen. The length of the parish from north to south is 6 miles ; the breadth from east to west, 4 miles. It is bounded on the north by the parishes of Tough, Leochel, and Coull ; on the south by Kincardine o'Neil and Aboyne; on the east by Kincardine o'Neil ; and on the west by Coull and Aboyne. Geology. — The rocks of the parish are of the primitive order, formed chiefly of porphyritic granite and granite. Zoology. — Besides the domesticated races, the following animals reside during the whole, or a part of the year, in the parish, or Occasionally visit it. * Chalmers's Caledonia, Vol. i, p, 34, 23, and Vol. iii. p. 3. 1080 ABERDEENSHIRE. Mammalia. Red-deer, Roe-deer. Hare. Alpine hare. Fox. Polecat. WeaseL Stoat. Hedgehog. Rabbit. Bat. xMole. Common rat. Water rat. Otter. Common mouse. Field-mouse. Shrew-mouse. Field-vole. Birds. Black-cock. Grouse. Ptarmigan. Partridge. Woodcock. Golden plover. Green plover. Curlew. Landrail. Wood-pigeon. Swan. Wild goose. Common duck or mallard. Teal duck. Shieldrake- Water-raiL Redshank. Snipe. Jack snipe. Water hen. Bald coot. Heron. Common gull. Black-headed gull. Sea-pie or oyster catcher. Water ouzel. Black-headed bunting. Sandpiper. Lapwing. Cuckoo. Mavis or common thrush. Missel-thrush. Fieldfare. Redwing. Blackbird. Ring blackbird. Lark. Corn bunting. Snow bunting or snow- flake. Meadow titlark. Wren. Willow wren. Golden-crested wren. Yellow hammer. Bullfinch. Goldfinch. Chaffinch. Greenfinch. Siskin. Grey-linnet. Redpole. Redbreast. Redstart. Creeper. Common sparrow. Hedge-sparrow. Swift. Common swallow. Martin. Bank swallow. Ox-eye titmouse. Blue titmouse. Cole titmouse. Red wagtail. Gray wagtail. Yellow wagtail. Wheatear. Whin chat. Stonechat. White owl. Tawny owl. Long-eared owl. Kestrel or common hawk. Sparrow-hawk. Buzzard. Blue hawk. Kite. Rook. Hooded-crow. Carrion crow. Raven. Jackdaw. Magpie. Reptiles. Adder. Blindworm. Common eft. Frog. Toad. Fishes. Pike. Eel, Trout. Minnow. Stickleback. Botany. — Among'st the wild plants growing in Lumphanan, the following are noticed in Dr Murray's Northern Flora. MoNANDRrA. Hippuris vulgaris. DiANDRIA. Utricularia vulgaris. Triandria. Scirpus fluitans. ■ setaceus. Eriophopum vaginatum. Arundo phragmites. Molinia ccerulea, Potamogeton heterophylla. Radiola millegrana. Ranunculus lingua and Sedum villosum have been found in the parish by Francis Adams, Esq. Surgeon, Banchory, and Saxifraga Hirculus by Dr Robert Fraser, near the House of Findrack. The common water plants of the country, marsh marigold, marsh tre- foil, Lancashire asphodel, &c. grow luxuriantly near the loch of Auchlossan. Equisetum limosum or marsh horse-tail rises from its deepest water ; while Carex ampullacea or bottle carex is the LUMPHANAN. 1081 principal material of which the green sward on its margin is com- posed. II. — Civil History. Ecclesiastical History. — Alan de Lundin, named, from his of-' fice in the King's court, the Doorward or Durward, erected, in 1233, an hospital at Kincardine O'Neil, dedicated to God and the Blessed Mary. He conferred on it the patronage of the church of Kincardine O'Neil, the patronage of the church of Lon- fanan, and its chapel of Forthery (probably Fordie), with certain pieces of land, the names of which are given, and the marches ac- curately described, in the chartulary of Aberdeen.* In 1330y the hospital and church of Kincardine O'Neil were incorporated with the cathedral establishment of Aberdeen ; the rector was raised to the dignity of a prebend ; after that period, he had a manse assigned him within the chanonry, while a perpetual vicar re- sided at Kincardine, and discharged the duties of the benefice. Dun- can, Earl of Fife, the inheritor of the possessions of the Durwards, bestowed on the Bishop of Aberdeen the patronage of the church of Kincardine O'Neil, and the chapels annexed to it, reverently depositing, to increase the solemnity of the transaction, with his own hands, on 7th March 1338, the charter of donation on the altar of the Blessed Mary in the cathedral church of the city, -f- The first Protestant minister was George Levingstoun, who had under his charge the parishes of Kyncardin, Lanfannane, Midmar, and Clwyne. To enable him to perform the labours of this ex- tensive cure, a reader was appointed at Lumphanan, whose name was John Mychell.j In 1595, William Strathaucin of Cluny was infeft in the patronages of Kincardine O'Neil, Glentanner, Lumphanan, Cluny, and Midmar, annexed thereto. In 1599, his possession of these patronages was ratified by the parson of Kin- cardine. In 1617, he disponed them to Mr William Forbes of Craigevar, who obtained, in the same year, a ratification from Bi- shop Patrick Forbes, and twenty of the chapter of Aberdeen. His son. Sir William Forbes of Craigevar, obtained another ratifica- tion, in 1637, from Adam Bellenden, Bishop of Aberdeen; and his lineal representative. Sir John Forbes, Bart, is now the pa- tron of three of these churches, — Kincardine O'Neil, Lumpha- nan, and Midmar.§ • Chart. Aberdon. pp. 174—78. t Chart. Aberdon. p. 173-74. Orem's Old Aberd. p. 125. Aberdeen, 1830. X Register of Ministers, pp. 63-67. § Charters in possession of Sir John Forbes of Craigevar, Bart. For the greater part of this section, as well as for many of the most interesting. 1082 ABERDEENSHIRE. Historical Notices. — Macbeth was killed and buried in Lum- phanan. It is necessary to record the evidence of this fact, fur- nished by history and tradition,';as Shakspeare has represented Dunsinane in Perthshire as the scene of his slaughter. " Macbeth, the son of Finleg-, reigned seventeen years ; he was slain at Lunfanan by Malcolm, the son of Duncan ;" — is the brief notice of the event in the register of St Andrews.* " Macbeth seeing his own forces," says Fordun, " daily dimi- nishing, and those of his adversary increasing, suddenly left the southern parts of the kingdom, and fled to the north, in whose narrow passes, and in the depths of whose forests, he hoped to find safety. Malcolm, however, quickly followed him across the moun- tains to Lunfanan, where he slew him, in a skirmish, with his few followers, on the 5th December 1056."-f- A similar testimony is borne by Wyntown : — " He wes rycht wa, and tuk the flycht : And owre the Mownth thai chast hym than Til the Wode of Lunfanan. This MakdufFwes thare mast felle, And on that chas than mast crwele. Bot a Knycht, that in that chas Til this Makbeth than nerest was, Makbeth turnyd him agayne, And sayd, ' Lurdane, thow prykys in wayne. For thow may noucht be he, I trowe, That to dede sail sla me nowe. That man is nowcht borne of Wyf Of powere to rewe me my lyfe,' " The Knyelit said, ' I wes nevyr borne; But of my Modyr Wame wes schorne. Now sail thi Tresowne here tak end.' •' Thus Makbeth slwe thai than In -to the Wode of Lunfanan ; And his Hewyd thai strak off thare ; And that wyth thame fra thine thai bare Til Kynkardyne, quhare the Kyng Tyll thare gayne-come made byding. , Of that slawchter are thire wers In Latyne wrythyne to rehers ; " Rex Macabeda decern Scotiae septemque fit annis, In cujus regno fertile tempus erat : Hunc in Lunfanan truncavit morte crudeli Duncani natus, nomine Malcoliraus.":(: facts recorded in this article, the writer is indebted to Joseph Robertson, Esq. author of the Book of Bon- Accord, — a gentleman who possesses an extensive acquaintance with the antiquities of Aberdeenshire. See his Collections for a History of Aberdeen- shire, pp. 6, 13, 14. • Regist. Sti. Andr. apud Johnstone's Antiq. Celt. Norm. p. 148. f Forduni Scotichronicon, lib. v. c. vii. X Wyntownis Cronykil, Book vi. cap. xviii. 1. p. 382 — 410. LUMPHANAN. 1083 The evidence furnished by the ancient chroniclers has been re- garded as sufficient by modern historians and antiquaries. " Malcolm," says Bishop Leslie, " having received from King Edward ten thousand English soldiers, returned to Scotland, and hotly pursued Macbeth to Dounsinnan, and from thence to Lun- fanan. There Macduff, the Thane of Fife, whose wife and chil- dren he had lately ordered to be slain, killed him, and, present- ing his head as a gift to Malcolm, received the highest rewards."* " Macbeth," says Dalrymple, " retreated to the fastnesses of the north, and protracted the war. His people forsook his stan- dard. Malcolm attacked him at Lunfanan, in Aberdeenshire : abandoned by his few remaining followers, Macbeth fell (5th De- cember 1056)." t " The Northumbrians," says Chalmers, " led by Siward and his son, Osbert, penetrated probably to Dunsinan. In this vici- nity were they confronted by Macbeth, when a furious conflict ensued. The numbers of the slain evince the length of the battle, and the bravery of the combatants. Osbert was slain ; yet Mac- beth, after all the efforts of valour and vigour of conduct, was overcome. He retired into the north, where he had numerous friends, and where he might find many fastnesses. Siward re- turned into Northumberland, and died at York in 1055. Mean- time, Macbeth continued his bloody contest with Malcolm ; and this uncommon character was at length slain at Lumphanan, on the 5th December 1056, by the injured hand of Macduff.":!: " Macbeth," says Sir Walter Scott, " engaged the foe in the neighbourhood of his celebrated Castle of Dunsinane. He was defeated, but escaped from the castle, and was slain at Lumphan- an in 1056."^ A tradition prevails over a wide district of country, and has been unhesitatingly received for ages, that the murderer, or the victor of " the gracious Duncan," was slain in Lumphanan, and that the heap of stones, which to this day is called Macbeth's Cairn, is the place of his sepulture. If, then, the evidence of the fact furnished by history and tra- dition is so strong, why, it may be asked, does Shakspeare, in a drama which has been pronounced, by Augustus William Schlegel, |{ * De origine moribus et rebus gestis Scotorum libri decern, Auctore Joanne Les- Iebo Episcopo Rossensi, lib v. 85. + Dalrymple's Annals, pp. 2-3. + Chalmers's Caledonia, Vol. i. pp. 409-410. § Sir Walter Scott's History of Scotland, Vol. i. p. 18. II Lectures on Dramatic Art, Vol. ii. p. 204. 1084 ABERDEENSHIRE. to be grander than any other work that has been produced by man since the time of jEschykis, represent Macbeth as killed in front of the gates of the Castle of Dunsinane ? A glance at the Scottish Chronicle of Hollinshead, from whom our immortal poet received his information,* will enable us to reply to the question. " Malcolme following hastilie," says this chronicler, " after Macbeth, came the night before the battell unto Birnane wood, and when his armie had rested a while there to refresh them, he commanded everie man to get a bow of some tree or other of that wood in his hand as big as he might bear, and to march forth therewith in such wise, that on the next morrow they might come closely and without sight in this manner, within view of his ene- mies. On the morrow, when Macbeth beheld them coming in this sort, he first marvelled what the matter meant ; but in the end remembered himself, that the prophesie which he had heard long before that time, of the coming of Birnane wood to Dun- sinane Castell, was likelie to be now fulfilled. Nevertheless, he brought his men in order of battell, and exhorted them to do va- liantlie. Howbeit, his enemies had scarcely cast from them their boughs, when Macbeth, perceiving their numbers, betooke him streight to flight, whom Macduff pursued mth great hatred, even till he came to Lunfannaine, where Macbeth, perceiving that Macduff was hard at his back, leapt beside his horse, saying, ' Thou traitor, what meaneth it that thou shouldst thus in vain follow me, that am not appointed to be slaine by anie creature that is born of a woman ; come on, therefore, and receive thy re- ward, which thou hast deserved for thy pains ;' and therewithall he lifted up his sword, thinking to have slain him. But Macduff, quicklie avoiding from his horse, yer he came at him, answered, (with his naked sword in his hand) saying, ' It is true, Macbeth, and now shall thine insatiable crueltie have an end ; for I am even he that thy wizzards have told thee of, who was never born of my mother, but ripped out of her womb ;' therewithall he stepped unto him, and slew him in the place. Then, cutting his head from his shoulders, he set it upon a pole, and brought it to Malcolm. This was the end of Macbeth, after he had reigned seventeen years over the Scotishmen." f May we not hazard the conjecture that Shakspeare, desirous that the range of the action in the closing scene of his drama • Sir W. Scott's Hist, of Scotland, Vol. i. p. 17. •j- Hollinshead's Scottish Chronicle, i. 351. LUMPHANAN. 10S5 should not be extended beyond the ground before the Castle of Dunsinane, and fancying, probably, that Lunfanaine was some insignificant village in the immediate vicinity, specified the place where the contest between Macbeth and Malcolm had been re- presented by Hollinshead as commencing, and took no notice of the place where the contest had been represented by the chroni- cler as terminating ? James VI., animated by a desire of extirpating sorcery from his dominions, issued, in 1596-1597, commissions for the purpose of " haulding justice courtis on witches" in Aberdeen.* The trials that took place in these courts have been lately published by the Spalding Club. They are marked by features of folly and atro- city that cannot now fail to awaken feelings of wonder and indig- nation. Of the preposterous charges brought against the parties, a large proportion of whom were from the parish of Lumphanan, a few specimens may be given. Of the Dittay against one Issobell Richie, the following charge forms a part : — " Thow art indyttit for the being at the twa devylische dances, betwixt Lumfannand and Cragleauche, with vmquhill Margerat Bane, vpon Alhallowewin last, quhair thow conferrit with the Dewill; and at that time thow ressauit thy honours fra the Dewyll, thy maister, and were appoynted be him in all tymes thairefter his special domestic, seruand, and furriour, qwhilk thow can nocht denye." In the Dittay against Margrat Og, this accusation is preferred : " Thow art indyttit as a notorious witche, for the bevitching of vmquhill Agnes Ross, Lady Auchinhuiff, in maner folowing, to vit: The said vmquhill Agnes having bocht a schowder of mut- toun fra Johne Duged, at the mylne of Auchinhuiff, in the moneth of Merche, fourscoir fyftene yeris ; and the said vmquhill Agnes having brocht the said schulder to the houss of Beatrix Robbie, thy dochter, compartner with thee in all thy devilische practizes, quhair the said vmquhill Agnes tareit all that nicht, thow and thy dochter tuk out thrie grippis out of the middist of the said schul- der, and causit rest the same vpon the morne ; quhilk being rest- ed, and the said vmquhill Agnes eating thereof, scho instantly contractes a deidlie disease, quhairin scho continowit the space of thrie quarteris of a yere, the ane halff of the day burning as giff it • Preface by the editor of the Miscellany of the Spalding Club, Vol. i. p. 49, John Stuart, Esq. 1086 ABERDEENSHIRE. had been in a fyrie fornace, and the vther halff of the day melting avay in a cauld sweyt, quhile scho at last depairtis this lyfF. And this thow can nocht deny, for the said vmquhill Agnes, imme- diatlie befoir her departure, left her dead on the, and thy said dochter." In the Dittay against Margerat Clerk, this charge is made: — " Thow art accusit, that, being desyrit by Alexander Cultis, att the Mylne of Auchlossin, to cum to him, quha had then ane cow caffit, and the said cow wald na wayes suffer hir calfF to sowk hir, nether wald the cow talk with the calff, bot continewlie repynit and strak the samen, thow said than to the said Alexander, I sail remeid this, and sail gar the cow talk with the calff, and the calff swek the cow. And immediatlie therefter thow passit in the byre quhair the calff and cow was, and wald not suffer the said Alex- ander nor his wyflf gang in the byre with the, nor no vther, bot pat them all out except thyselff allone, and thair, by thy devilische socerie and inchantment, efter thow had sitten downe in the staw, before the cowis heid, thow gaue ane devilische low and terible voice, quhairthrow the haill houss trimlit and schuik, and imme- diatlie the cow tuik with the calff, and the calflF with gryt feirce- nes to the cow, aad sowkit hir; and throw the quhilk terrible cry and devilische [ ] gevyn by the at the time aforesaid, the wyiflf of the said Alexander being exceidinglie affrayit and terre- fiet, tuik and contractit immediatelie ane deidlie sickness be thy socerie and witchcraft, and was nevir coyit thereof quill scho de- partit this lyflf." Mr John Ross, minister at Lumphanan, makes this report con- cerning Agnes Fren : — " Scho is indyttit to haiflf taine thrie heiris out of her avine kawis taill, and to haiflf cuttit the sam in smal peiceis, and to haue put- tine it in heir kowe's trouch, quha thairefter gaiflf milk and (the) nychtbouris nane." In the Notes by the parson of Kincardine O'Neil, the follow- ing memorandum is found : — " Isobell Oge, indytet for hinging wpe ane bitill in Cragtoune of Lumquhanan, for lounding of the wind."* Proprietors of Land, — Lumphanan formed a part of the barony of O'Neill, which in the thirteenth century belonged to the Dur- wards. In the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries it passed through * Miscellany of Spalding Club, Vol. i. LUMPHANAN. 1087 a variety of hands, which cannot, in the imperfect records of the period, be accurately traced.* About 1330, Randolph, Earl of Moray, tenant to Duncan, Earl of Fife, in the estate of Lumphanan, granted to Sir James de Garvieaugh (Garioch), the lands of Balnacraig, Belode (Beltie), Cloychock (Cloak), and Talanchsyn (Tillyching). From the son of this knight, Andrew de Garvieaugh of Caskieben, Robert de Camera or Chalmers obtained these lands, to be holden of the Earl of Moray for a pair of white gloves rendered yearly at the manor of Caskieben, and became the founder of a house which flourished for more than 400 years. Of the Chalmerses of Bal- nacraig, Patrick Chalmers, Esq. of Auldbar is, it is believed, a re- presentative.-f- About 1363, Andrew, second son of William Rose, second ba- ron of Kilravock, acquired the lands of Auchlossin.:}: In 1544, a feudal strife arose between the Forbeses and Strachan of Len- turk, in consequence of the real or imaginary guilt of Strachan in betraying the conspiracy formed by the Master of Forbes against the king's life to the Earl of Huntly. Nicholas Rose of Auchlos- sin joined the Laird of Lenturk, and fell in one of the conflicts. He was personally obnoxious to the Forbeses, as he had sat on the assize which had found the Master guilty.§ In 1643, the possessions of the Rosses comprised the barony of Auchlossin, the lands of Bogloch, Deray-croft, and croft of Alderan (Ardenra- ver).|| In September 1709, Captain Francis Ross of Auchlossan was slain at the battle of Malplaquet; and, in 1715, his estate was sold by his creditors.lF The Duguids of Auchinhove were of later origin. In 1634, they pleaded, in an action brought by the Earl of Mar against his vassals, that " they and their predecessors had been infeft in their lands, holding of the king, for the space of 200 years."** In 1656, Francis Duguid purchased, from George Forbes of Corse, that part of the barony of O'Neil Corse which lay in Lumphanan, in- cluding Easter and Wester Kincraigie, Knowhead-Hillock, and • Robertson's Collections for a History of Aberdeenshire. f Nisbet's Heraldry, Vol. ii. Append, p. 115; and charters in possession of Pa- trick Chalmers, Esq. of Auldbar. J Shaw's History of Moray, p. 119. § Robertson's Collections for a History of Aberdeenshire, pp. 3, 7, 8, where the original authorities are quoted. II Inquis. Retorn. Abbrev. ^ Charters in possession of John Farquharson, Esq. of Finzean ; Robertson's Col- lections for a History of Aberdeenshire. ** Spottiswoode's Practicks, p. 226. 1088 ABERDEENSHIRE. Boglocli.* In addition to these lands, the Duguids possessed, in 1675, AuchinhuifF, Over-Auchinhuiff, Warthill, Tulloch, Whyte- hous, Blelak and boigs thereof, Cornetoun and boigs thereof, Badin- ley and Mariewell, in the parish of Lumphanan, besides an estate in CouU and Aboyne. f In 1745, the representative of the family joined the forces of the Pretender ; his mansion-house was burned by a party of the Duke of Cumberland's soldiers ; and the spot is still pointed out on the hill of Coull, from which he beheld the pro- gress of the flames. In 1755, the Mains of Auchinhove were ad- judged to William Young ; the greater part of the estate having been sold at an earlier period. In 1699, Robert Duguid married Miss Teressa Leslie of Balquhain,^ and his descendant now repre- sents that ancient house under the name of Count Leslie. Camp Hill belonged for a considerable period to a family of the name of Forbes, sprung from the Forbeses of Monymnsk, and in 1783 was sold by the Reverend Francis Forbes, minister of Grange, father of the Reverend Dr Patrick Forbes, Professor of Humanity in King's College, Aberdeen, to Sir William For- bes of Craigevar.§ In 1670, Francis Fraser purchased Findrack from Sir Robert ForbesofLearnie.il In addition to their estate in Lumphanan, the Frasers acquired at different periods the lands of Tolmads, Drumlassie, and Birselassie, in Kincardine O'Neil. In 1712, Kintocher passed by adjudication to the Forbeses of Craigevar,^ a family which can trace its descent through the Lords Forbes to a remote antiquity, and which has ranked among its members Patrick Forbes of Corse, Bishop of Aberdeen ; John Forbes of Corse, the first Protestant Professor of Divinity in King's College ; and Sir William Forbes of Craigevar, the Cove- nanter. The Farquharsons of Finzean have for a long period possessed lands in Birse. The property of this family was during last cen- tury greatly increased by the purchase, in Lumphanan, of Balna- eraig, which had belonged to the Chalmerses of Auchlossan, * Charter in possession of Sir John Forbes of Craigevar, Bart. + Inquis. Retorn. Abbrev. ; Robertson's Collections for a History of Aberdeenshire. ± The descendant of Robert Duguid obtained possession, about 1780, of the es- tate of Balquhain, after a law-suit of forty years duration, the papers connected with which would fill volumes. § Charters in possession of Sir John Forbes of Craigevar, Bart. Ii Charters in possession of Frances Garden Fraser, Esq. of Findrack. K Charter in possession of Sir John Forbes of Craigevar, Bart. 3 LUMPHANAN. 1089 which had belonged to the Rosses, and of the greater part of Auchinhove, which had belonged to the Duguids. Land-owners. — The present land-owners of the parish are, John Farquharson, Esq. of Finzean ; Mrs Farquharson, senior of Finzean ; Alexander Smith, Esq. of Glenmillan ; Sir John For- bes of Craigevar, Bart. ; Mrs Lamond of Pitmurchie ; Joseph Elmslie, Esq. of Camphill ; and Francis Fraser, Esq. of Fin- drack. Antiquities. — The Peel Bog. — The Feel Bog, situate in a marshy hollow near the church, is an interesting monument of an- tiquity. The circular earthen mound, forty-six yards in diame- ter, rises about twelve feet above the level of the bog, and is sur- rounded by a moat. The course by which the water was convey- ed from the burn of Lumphanan may still be traced; the mea- surement of the eircumvallation by which the water was confined may still be made ; the situation of the drawbridge is still discer- nible ; the path leading from the fosse to the top of the mound may still be trodden ; and the sluice by which the water issued from the moat was laid bare by the flood of 1829. That the Peel Bog, a name which is of Saxon origin, was erect- ed in the beginning of the thirteenth century, when the Saxon language was probably introduced into Scotland ; that a wooden castle, erected on the artificial mound, was a residence of the Durwards, who then possessed a wide domain in Aberdeenshire, stretching from Skene to the western boundary of Cromar, and that this ancient structure, guarded by a moat, and surrounded by that " wode of Lunfanan," into which Macbeth, according to Wy'ntown, had been chased, was, during that century, a strong place of defence against warlike and predatory attacks, — these are conjectures which the writer of this article is disposed to make respecting this fortress. Edward I., after the battle of Dunbar, marched his victorious army to Aberdeen, where the bishop, Walter Blackwatre, the Dean, Sir Walter de Scherwinglawe, Sir Norman de Lechelyn, Sir Duncan de Frendragh, Sir Hugh de la Hay, &c. took the oath of allegiance to him. On Saturday, 21st July 1296, he road to Lunfanan, accompanied by Sir Walter de Beauchamp, Sir John de Tregotz, Sir Thomas de Bigenore, Sir John Merk, and many other knights and esquires, and received the submission of Sir John de Malevill, a copy of which, extracted from the records, ABERDEEN. 3 Z 1090 ABERDEENSHIEE. preserved in her Majesty's Exchequer, has been published by Sir Francis Palgrave : " 24 Ed. 1. — Submission and fealty of Sir John de Malvill. " A touz ceux qui cestes lettres verront ou orront Johan de Malevill Chevaler saluz. Pur ce q je venu a la foi t a la volunte du tres noble Prince mon chier Seigneur Edward par la gace de Dieu Roy d Engletre Seigneur d Irland t Dues d Aquitain : je pmet pur moy t pur mes heirs, &c. Donees a Lunfanan le vintime pri- mer jour de Juyl Ian du regne nostre Seigneur le Roy d Engletre avant dit : vintisme quart. " (Indorsed — A Lunfanan, xxi die Jul. LraDni Johis.de Ma- levile p qua. Ide Stowe quesivit ecciam de Glenberuy. — Lun- fanan, xxi. Jul. — Seal lost.")* It can hardly be doubted that the Peel Bog which, with the exception of the Bass at Inverury, was then the most important wooden fortress in the county of Aberdeen, was the scene of the submission of Sir John de Malevill to the English monarch. In 1487, the lands of Halton, Pitmorchie, and Craigamore in Lumphynhanan, were granted by James III. to Thomas Charteris of Kinfauns.f In 1546, Thomas Charteris of Kinfauns was served heir to his grandfather Thomas, in the barony of Lun- fanan, lying within the barony of O'Neil.:!: In 1655, Patrick Ir- vine was served heir to his grandfather, John Irvine, in the lands of Halton, Pitmurchie, and Craigton of Lumphanan, lying within the barony of Lumphanan. § The trials for witchcraft published by the Spalding Club, show that John Irvine of Pitmurchie was a per- son of no little consequence, as he was appointed chancellor of an assize held on 25th April 1597, of which John Ross of Auch- lossin, Alexander Chalmer of Balnacraig, and John Forbes of Camphill were members. || A building formed a part of the Peel Bog within the memory of the present generation. That there existed on the top of the mound, before the year 1782, the ruins of an ancient structure fronting the east ; that the northern gable was close to the path which winds from the draw-bridge ; that the walls and the south- ern gable, though decayed and defaced, were distinctly visible ;" • Documents and records illustrating the history of Scotland, preserved in the Treasury of her Majesty's Exchequer. Collected and edited by Sir Francis Pal- grave, K.H, 1837. Vol. i. p. 177. t Kisbet's Heraldry, Appendix, p. 140. J Inquis. Retorn. Abbrev. § Retours published by Record Commissioners, Aberdeen, 325. ij Miscellany of Spalding Club, Vol. i. p. 183. LUMPHANAN. 1091 that this building resembled in size, form, and the solid charac- ter of its masonry, the old mansion-house of the Duguids of Auch- enhove ; that behind these ruined walls a few stunted gooseberry bushes rose out of the green sward ; that this ancient structure was called Haa-ton House, belonging to a family that once pos- sessed the surrounding estate, bounded on the west by the Burn of Brankum, and extending towards the east beyond Craigton and Burnside ; that about sixty years ago the tenant of Bogloch, ani- mated by a zeal for improvement, razed Haa-ton House to the foundation, and that the stones of which it was composed were employed in erecting the rude dike that now surrounds the mound, and in building houses in the neighbourhood ; — these are facts which are attested by eye-witnesses, who, though they have ar- rived at a mature old age, possess the perfect use of their faculties, and by a multitude of men in middle-life, whose fathers saw the ruins of Haa-ton House, before they were touched by the hands of this zealous agriculturist. 1 -t / > Viewing the facts recorded in ancient documents, in connection with the facts handed down by tradition, we may form the conjec- ture, that, about the year 1400, the wooden castle erected on the artificial mound was superseded by a building of stone ; that the more modern structure, which bore the name of Haa-ton House, was, during a part of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, the re- sidence of families who possessed the surrounding estate, including Halton, which might easily come to be pronounced Haa-ton, — a more natural corruption, indeed, than the modern Hilton, Pit- murchie, and Craigamore or Craigton, — and that the proprietors of the eastern section of the parish of Lumphanan found, in the moat which surrounded their mansion-house, a protection against the attacks of feudal chiefs, animated by the love of plunder, or smarting under the sense of private wrongs. The Houff. — At a remote period of Scottish history, the HoufF was a place of strength ; the traces of ancient buildings are still visible ; and very little labour would be necessary to complete the moat by which it was surrounded, and fill it with water. At a more recent date, it became the burial-ground of the Duguids, — the tradition of the country being, that one of the lairds of Auch- enhove, to prevent the necessity of his body being carried after his death through the lands of Auchlossan, erected, on his own pro- perty, a place of sepulture for himself and his family.* ' The Houff has probably given its name to the surrounding property, — Aucfa 1092 ABERDEENSHIRE. Macbeth's Stone and Macbeth's Cairn. — On the farm of Carn- bady is the Brae of Strettum, where Macbeth, according to tradi- tion, was wounded. It was thought, for ages, unlucky to disturb the spot, which was associated with the memory of the monarch whom the genius of Shakspeare has immortahzed ; when the attempt was made to plough it, the oxen ran off, and did not stop till they reached the Peel Bog. The Brae of Strettum, however, was successfully cultivated by the late tenant of Carnbady, and nothing now remains to distinguish it from the surrounding ground but Macbeth's stone. On the Perk Hill, about a mile from the church, is Macbeth's cairn, which, when Mr Shand, the late incumbent of the parish, wrote his Statistical Account, " rose pretty high in the middle," but is now little elevated above the field which surrounds it. The conjecture of Dalrymple, that Macbeth sought an asylum in the Peel Bog,* is neither probable nor consistent with the narrative of Wyntown. It is very likely, however, that the cairns which are scattered over the Perk Hill, a little to the north, near which sword-blades, stone battle-axes, and other memorials of warfare have been found, mark the spot where the diminished forces of the unfortunate monarch were vanquished.f Cairns on Glenmillan. — On the estate of Cloak, now called Glenmillan, there were lately some sepulchral cairns of consider- able size, in one of which two curious rings of copper were found, apparently designed to ornament the arms or ankles. They have been deposited in the Museum of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland.;}: Camps. — At the foot of the Hill of Corse is an earthen ram- part, 230 yards long, and at the foot of the Hill of Milmahd, ex- actly opposite to it, at the distance of a quarter of a mile, there is another bulwark of a similar character. As implements of war have been found in the intervening space, and in the immediate neighbourhood, may not the conjecture he hazarded, that, behind these entrenchments, the forces of hostile chiefs, at some remote period of feudal strife, encamped ? Parochial Register. — The earliest entry in the parochial regis- ter was made in 1740. The proclamation of banns, and the in- signifying a field, an of, and hoif, hofF, hove, houff, hufe, a hall, or burial-place.— See Chalmers's Caledonia and Jamieson's Scottish Dictionary. • Annals, Vol. i. p. 2. Edinburgh, 1776. f See Robertson's Collections for a History of Aberdeenshire. X Ibid. LUMPHANAN. 1093 come and expenditure of the session, have, since its commence- ment, been regularly recorded. III. — Population. The population was, in 1755, _ . - 682 according to last Statistical Account, - 621 in 1811, .... 680 1821, .... 733 1831, .... 957 1841, - - - - 964 The yearly average of births for the last seven years has been 28^ ; of marriages, 7. IV. — Industry. Agriculture. — Arable land, about 2770 acres. Wood, . 550 Uncultivated, . 4300 Rent. — The valued rent of the parish is L.2082, 6s. 8d. Scots ; the real rental is about L.2830 Sterling. If no separate value is supposed to be put on the rough pasture, the arable ground rents about L.l per imperial acre. Husbandry. — The soil is a dry and friable loam ; the climate is early ; the average produce of the imperial acre is about four quarters ; the grain is heavy ; oats weighing from 40 to 44 lbs. ; bear, from 50 to 54 lbs. ; and barley, from 54 to 58 lbs. per bushel. The general character of the husbandry is excellent. The pure Aberdeenshire breed of cattle, which in many parts of the country is corrupted and ruined, has been kept up in this parish ; an intelligent tenantry perceiving that it is much better suited to the soil and climate than those crosses which require rich and sheltered pastures to bring them to maturity. Within the last twenty-five years, great and permanent improvements have been effected ; substantial and commodious farm-steadings have been built; farms have been subdivided by fences; marshes have been drained ; and the range of cultivation has been gradu- ally extended over our waste moorlands, and up our mountain sides. Under the old leases, the seven course system of cropping was followed, consisting of three grasses, three grain crops, and one green crop. Under the new leases, on Mr Farquharson's property, the tenants are generally bound to adopt the six course system of cropping, consisting of three grasses, two grain crops, and one green crop. The draining of the Loch of Auchlossan, which consists of about 250 acres, would be an improvement of a valuable character ; the cold damp vapours, which in August and September often blast the crops, would be no longer exhaled from 1094 ABERDEENSHIRE. its waters ; while a large extent of rich alluvial soil, added to the estates of the surrounding proprietors, would amply repay them for the expense* of executing the work. If, in addition to this drainage, which might be easily effected, as the average depth of the loch is only five feet, and as its level is considerably higher than that of the Burn of Drumdouan when it approaches the Slog of Dess, the hills which surround Mr Far- quharson's estate were clothed with wood, few spots in the county of Aberdeen would surpass in beauty the valley of Lumphanan. Woods. — The average sum which has been realized from the fellings and thinnings of the woods in the parish, which consist chiefly of larch and Scots fir, has been for some years about L. 10. V. — Parochial Economy. Means of Communication. — The means of communication are ample. The turnpike from Aberdeen to Tarland runs through the parish from east to west, while the rude military road, made about the year 1746, and the finely kept one, executed under the authority of the Parliamentary Commissioners for Highland Roads and Bridges, cross it from north to south. Ecclesiastical State. — The church, which was built in 1762, and is placed in as centrical a situation as it could well be, contains 383 sittings. The manse, which was built in 1782, was repaired and enlarged in 1828. There are about 7^ imperial acres in the glebe. The stipend consists of L.112, I7s. 3d. money; 51 bolls, 1 firlot, 2 pecks, S^ lbs. of meal, and 1 boll, 1 firlot, and 3| pecks of bear. Divine service is well attended in the church. The average number of communicants is 509. There are four Dissenters in the parish. Collections are annually made for the General Assembly's Schemes, and the Aberdeen Infirmary. Education. — The following branches are taught, and fees ex- acted in the parochial school. English reading, 2s. per quarter ; English and writing, 2s. 6d. ; arithmetic, 3s. ; Latin, 4s. ; ma- thematics, 4s. ; elements of Greek, 4s. ; book-keeping, per set, 15s. ; English grammar, 3s. 6d. The schoolmaster has a garden. His salary is L.27. He shares in the Dick Bequest. There is a school at Camphill, the teacher of which receives the interest of L.150, bequeathed by James Hunter, Esq. of DarrahilL * L. 1500 according to Mr Walker's estimate. LUMPHANAN. 1095 Library. — The library, established in 1814, at Tillyching, now contains more than 400 volumes. The inhabitants of the parish, with the exception of two indi- viduals, can read and write. Poor and Parochial Funds. — The average annual amount of the collections made at the church door, during 1836, 1837, 1838, 1839, 1840, and 1841, was L.17, 5s. 9d. The average annual amount during these years of funds de- rived from interest of money and other sources, that passed through the hands of the kirk- session, was L.IO, 6s. 9|d. The average number of impotent persons during these years receiving relief was 2^. The average annual sum divided during these years among these impotent persons, was L.6, lis. llgd. The average number of persons, not impotent, receiving relief during these years, was 18^. The average annual sum divided during these years among persons not impotent, was L.'20, 17s. llfd. Since the account of this parish was printed, the writer has dis- covered someinteresting notices respecting the Peel Bog. In 1657, Patrick Irvine obtained from Oliver, Lord Protector, a precept under the Great Seal respecting the lands of Craigtown of Lum- phanan, Halton Peill, and Colliescroft. In 1 702, Robert Ross granted a disposition in favour of Francis Ross, of the lands of Auchlossan, Cairnbady, Bogloch, Aldcairn, Craigtown of Lum- phanan, the Peill thereof, called Halton of Lumphanan, Collie's Croft, Wester Kincardine, Dean's Cotts, and Haughhead. — (Char- ters in possession of John Farquharson, Esq. of Finzean.) Among the estates which were entailed in 1790 by the trustees of Fran- cis Farquharson, Esq. of Finzean were included " All and haill the lands of Halton, with the Peill and manour-place thereof, houses, biggings, yards, and orchards of the said lands of Halton." — (Appellant's Case, page 4, in the suit respecting the validity of the Finzean entail, now before the House of Lords.) It is obvi- ous that these notices afford a strong confirmation of the opinions expressed in the article respecting the Peel Bog. January 1843 PARISH OF SKENE. PRESBYTERY OF ABERDEEN, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. GEORGE MACKENZIE, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — The name of the parish is said to be derived from the Gaelic sglan^ [ovskian), "the dagger, or knife," that weapon having been used by the man who killed a wild boar which had attacked King Malcolm (Canmore) whilst hunting within the bounds of the parish, then supposed to be part of the King's forest. For which service, the same tradition says, the young Highlander, was re- warded by a grant of the whole land in the parish.* Extent, c^'C. — The extent of the parish is nearly 6 miles by 4. It is bounded by the parishes of Kinellar, Newhills, Peterculter, Echt, Cluny, Kemnay, and Kintore. Hydrography. — The Loch of Skene is nearly three miles in circumference, situated near the west boundary of the parish. Its greatest depth. does not exceed twelve feet. It is supplied by se- veral small streams, and is the reservoir which supplies water for one of the meal mills in the parish, and for the works of Messrs Hadden and Sons (a wool manufactory) at Garlogie mills. Geology. — The soil is various, from the undulating nature of the grounds in the parish ; several of the ridges (although they can scarcely be called hills) rising to a considerable height, and, "with two excepted, which are planted, cultivated to the tops. There are some rich and fertile fields ; but few comparatively ; the greater part of the land being either light or cold. The sub- soil is chiefly clay, part sand or gravel, and there is a considerable extent of moss. There has been a great improvement, by means of plantation, since the time of the last Statistical Account. Almost every he- ' The reward offered by the King is said to have been a hound's chace or a hawk's flight. The latter was preferred. 4 SKENE. 1097 ritor in the parish has planted to a greater or less extent on his property. There are some fine old trees around the house of Skene, particularly a chestnut tree on the lawn, and some silver- firs in the line of the west approach to the house. II. — Civil History. Ijand-oioners. — There are fourteen heritors in the parish. Their lands are, Skene, Easterskene, Kirkville, Leddach, Black- hills, Kinmundy, Concraig, Auchenclech, Newton, Fiddie, Easter Ord, Wester Ord, Easter Carnie, and Garlogie Mills. The ori- ginal charterjof the lands of Skene, granted by King Robert Bruce,* is still preserved. But the family and name of Skene, as lairds of Skene, after long possessing the lands in the direct line, be- came extinct in 1827. The lands are now in the management of trustees. The Earl of Fife is heir of entail. Parochial Registers. — The oldest session record begins in the year 1676, and continues to 1696 ; the second, from 1709 to 1714; the third, from 1720 to 1744; after which year they have been regularly kept to the present time. The register of bap- tisms begins in 1726, and has been carried on to the present time. The register of marriages begins in 1756, and is continued to 179-3; then there is a blank of twenty jiears; and from 1813, it has been regularly kept. A cash-book of the distribution of the poor's funds has been kept from the year 1744; and minutes of the meetings of heritors, for the last ten years, have been regu- larly kept. Mansion-Houses. — The House of Skene consists of two build- ings united. The oldest has evidently stood for several centuries, from the style of building and strength of the walls. The date is not known. The other part of the house is comparatively mo- dern, — the interior having been completed only a few years ago. There are some fine old paintings in the house, and an extensive library of books, upwards of 6000 volumes in ancient and modern literature, well arranged, and carefully kept. The House of Easterskene, built by the present proprietor, William M'Combie, Esq., is a spacious modern building of the Tudor (or Elizabethan) style, surrounded by thriving young plan- tations and belts of wood, and commanding an extensive prospect, having the Loch of Skene and the lower range of the Grampians in the front view. * The expression in the charter is " confirmasse," seeming to imply that the king had renewed the grant of the lands, as formerly held. 1098 ABERDEENSHIRE. Kirkville House, belonging to William Knowles, Esq. is of mo- dern date, having been built within the last twenty years : it is in the cottage style. Antiquities. — Besides the Druidical temples and tumuli noticed in the former Account, with the Hill of Keir, the top of which seems to have been well adapted for a watch-tower in former days, we have now to mention two Roman urns and a Roman sword, and the points of two spears, which have been lately found near the line of the Roman road, passing through the parish from the river Dee to the Don. These relics are in the possession of the proprietor of Kirkville, on whose lands they were found. Among the anti- quities may also be noticed some valuable manuscripts in the li~ brary at Skene House, beautifully written previous to the inven- tion of printing ; and, not less valuable to the proprietors of the lands of Skene, the identical skian by which the lands were won, said to be in the possession of a relative of the family. A stone,* bearing the inscription, " Drum stone, Harlaw, 1411," stands on a height upon the lands of Easterskene. HI. — Population. The population in 1801, was 1 140 1811, 1297 1821, 1440 1831, 1677 1835, 1734 1841, 1846 The number of male heads of families in Established church, 236 Average number of marriages in the year, 15 — of baptisms in do. 50 IV. — Industry. The parish contains about 9393 imperial acres, of which are. Arable, 6349 In woods, . 1258 Uncultivated, 1240 Mosses, 267 Loch, 279 Total, 9393 Produce. — Grain, oats, and bear, (with potatoes), . L. 10,325 Cattle, including grasses and turnips, . 6,340 L.16,665 Live-Stock. — Number of cattle, 2200 ; and of horses, 230. Very few sheep are now kept in the parish, as the greater part of the moorland is either improved or planted with wood. Con- siderable attention is paid by farmers to improving the breed of cattle, as also to the feeding. Some of the best oxen have been * It is said that Mr Irvine, the laird of Drum, rested on this stone, (his men drawn up in line near by,) whilst on his march to the field of Harlaw, where he fell fighting hand to hand with M'Lean of Coll. SKENE. 1099 sent to the London market, for several years past, from the port of Aberdeen, particularly by Mr Milne at Fornet of Skene, who occupies an extensive farm. Rent. — The rental of the whole parish is about L.6410. The average rent per acre isL.l. Valued rent, L.2500, 6s. 8d. Scots. The length of leases is generally nineteen years. A general improvement in agriculture has taken place since last Account ; and of late, furrow- draining has been introduced, which must ameliorate the soil in several parts of the parish, where the ordinary mode of draining had little effect in preventing the injury done to the land by surface water. Most of the fields are in- closed with dry-stone fences, as there is a superabundance of ma- terial for this purpose throughout the parish. A good specimen of these inclosures presents itself to the eye of the traveller on the Skene turnpike road, upon the lands of Easterskene, where the proprietor has furnished employment to the labourer for several years past, in trenching the land, and in building dikes. A considerable extent of waste land has been brought into cul- tivation (above 1000 acres) since last Account, particularly on the lands of Ord, Fiddie, Carnies, Easterskene, Leddach, Blackhills, Kinmundy, Concraig, Newton, and Auchenclech. The late pro- prietor of Kirkville added (by draining) two new farms, with farm- steadings, where farm had never been before, on the haughs (ra- ther bogs) of the Leuchar Burn, on his lands of Hillcairnie. This he effected by straighting, cutting, and deepening the burn at considerable expense, part of which, of course, was borne by the heritors on the opposite "side of the Leuchar. Manufactures. — At Garlogie, there is a spinning manufactory* for wool, belonging to Messrs Hadden and Sons in Aberdeen, where about 120 people, old and young, are generally employed* Steam power is occasionally added when the supply of water from the Loch of Skene falls short. Gas has been introduced of late for lighting the works in the winter season. The Company are very attentive to the comfort of the families employed at the work v they have built neat cottages for their accommodation, and give them garden ground attached, all divided and inclosed. A com- modious school-house has been added, which is attended by about 50 scholars during the day, consisting of the younger children, and by nearly as many of the older children in the evening, after the work of the day is over in the mill. The school-room is also occu- * Part of the worsted spun at Gatlogie is manufactured at Aberdeen by the same Company into carpets of excellent quality. 1100 ABERDEENSHIRE. pied every alternate Sabbath evening as a place of worship for the families in the place, as they have not sittings in the parish church. On the other Sabbath evenings, the younger branches of the fa- milies attend for instruction in the Sabbath school, under the care of the schoolmaster of the place, with three assistants connected with the works. V. — Parochial Economy. Means of Communication. — There are two branches of turnpike- road leading to the west from Aberdeen, (which is distant only six miles from their junction at the east boundary of the parish), the one branch running nearly through the middle of the parish towards Alford and Strathdon ; the other, more to the south, to- wards Tarland and Kincardine. A stage-coach passes by the for- mer line, every alternate day, from Aberdeen to Alford. A mail- gig runs daily on the same line ; and there is a sub-post-office near the centre of the parish. The disposable produce of this and the surrounding parishes finds a ready market in the town of Aber- deen. Coals, lime, and bone-manure are brought from Aberdeen. The commutation-roads are now kept in a much better state of repair than formerly. Ecclesiastical State, — The church was built in 1801 ; has been lately repaired by the heritors ; is centrically placed for the pa- rishioners; but is now rather small, being seated for 700, whilst there are 800 communicants ; and the preceding table of the po- pulation shows an increase of 706 since the year in which the church was built. The manse was built in 1779, and contained only four rooms and two small attics; but, with an addition lately given by the heritors, without solicitation, it is now amply commo- dious. The glebe contains ten acres of land, part of which was brought into cultivation by the last incumbent, having been for- merly pasture or grass glebe. The stipend is one of the small livings, made up to L. 150 by the Exchequer. In some years it exceeds this amount, as some of the heritors pay their proportions by the fiars' prices. There is a small Congregational chapel in the parish, seated for 200 hearers, the members* of which belong partly to this and partly to the adjoining parishes. Their present pastor is well educatedy and is an acceptable and faithful labourer among his people. Education. — The parish school is centrically situated. There is an average attendance of from 80 to 90 scholars in winter, and from 40 to 30 in summer. The ordinary branches of education are There are not above twelve families members within the parish. SKENE. 1101 taught, including Latin, geography and book-keeping. The salary is L.30, with an allowance of L.2 for a garden. The teacher has the benefit of the Dick Bequest, and also L.20 yearly from the funds of the late Dr Milne of Bombay, for teaching 25 poor schloars. Since the time of the great increase of the population, there have been two private or unendowed schools set on foot by the parish- ioners, one in the east, and the other in the west end of the pa- rish. The average attendance of scholars at both these schools is from 60 to 70 throughout the year. There are also two small schools taught by female teachers, attended by about 50 younger children. The school at Garlogie mills has been already no- ticed. There are seven Sabbath schools in the parish, well attend- ed. These facts prove that the people generally are fully sensible of the benefits of useful and religious instruction to their children. Libraries. — There is a parish library, supported by regular an- nual contributions of Is. by each reader. There are now upwards of 600 volumes. There is also a library connected with the Sab- bath schools, supported by an annual contribution of sixpence from each member of the society. There are now upwards of 900 small volumes entered upon the catalogue. The books are given out to the scholars by the teachers at a monthly exchange. Society. — There is a Juvenile Missionary and Bible Society in the parish, which has contributed about L. 12 yearly for the last three years to the Assembly's Schemes, besides giving a donation to the Aberdeen Bible Society, and Bibles and New Testaments to the poor children within the parish. Poor and Parochial Funds. — The average number of poor on the roll is 36, besides orphan children, and others who receive oc- casional assistance. The ordinary poor receive from 6s. to 10s. quarterly. A few bed-rid paupers have received from 2s. to 3s. 6d. weekly. The sources of supply are, collections in the church, L.50 in the year; interest of money, L.16; proclamation of banns and mortcloth dues, from L.2 to L.3; all of which having been found insufficient, the heritors have for several years past made up the deficiency by a voluntary contribution of from L.45 to L.60 a year. Part of the allowance to the poor on the roll is given in mea I, andthe rest in money. Inns, 4-c, — There are two inns on the middle line of turnpike- road, where travellers and carriers may be comfortably accommo- dated. There are 6 grocers' shops within the parish, and 4 meal- mills. There are 3 blacksmiths, 6 cart and plough -wrights, and 1 mill-wright. 1102 ABERDEENSHIRE. Fuel. — There is, as has already been stated, abundance of moss in the parish, so that most of the parishioners are well supplied with peats. Wood is occasionally got from thinning of the young plantations ; and coals are brought from Aberdeen. January 1843. PARISH OF LEOCHEL AND CUSHNIE. PRESBYTERY OF ALFORD, SYNOD OF ABERDEEN. THE REV. ALEXANDER TAYLOR, MINISTER. L — Topography and Natural History. Name. — The present parish of Leochel and Cushnie consists of the two old parishes of these names, with the addition, eccle- siastically, of the lands of Corse, which are civilly in the parish of CouU. In ancient documents, the following varieties of spelling are found : Loychel, Loquhell, Lochel, Lochal, Leuchell, and Leochell : Cussenin, Cusschene, Cusseny, Cuischnie, Cusney, and Cushney. The etymology of Leochel, given in the former Statistical Account, is evidently untenable. It is there derived from Leath-Chuil, signifying the " half of Coull." But there is no trace of the termination oul in any of the ancient forms of the word, and the separate and independent existence of the parish of Leochel can be established from about the year 1165, the begin- ning of the reign of William the Lion. A much more probable account is, that, as the parish takes its name from the burn or water of Leochel, and as this stream rises from a cleft or hollow in the Hill of Cushnie, near an eminence called Crag-Leoch, Leochel, or Leochal, is compounded of Leoch, the name of this crag, and o/e, signifying a " clear stream." But perhaps the most probable derivation of all is from the Celtic LU, signifying a " stream," and uchel, signifying " high," a character very ap- plicable, in consequence of the elevated ground from which the Leochel descends in its course to the Don. Cussenin, the oldest form of Cushnie, seems to be derived from Cosh, foot, and Fainn^ height, in composition Coshnainn, " the foot of the height or hill," which is exactly descriptive of the place. Extent and Boundaries. — The form of the parish is irregular. The middle portion may be considered as approaching to the figure LEOCHEL AND CUSHNIE. 1103 of a parallelogram, 5 miles from east to west, by 3^ miles from north to south. To this there is added, on the north-west angle, a projection, running to the Don, of two miles by one ; and ano- ther on the east side, extending south-east, of like dimensions. This will give an area of about 21 square miles, or 13,440 impe- rial acres, a result very nearly corresponding with actual survey. It is bounded on the east by Alford, Tough, and Lumphanan ; on the south, by Lumphanan and Coull ; on the west, by Tarland and Towie ; and on the north, by Kildrummy and Alford. Surface. — The surface of the parish is much diversified. The western boundary is the Soccoch, or Hill of Cushnie, rising to an altitude of 2000 feet above the level of the sea ; and from the base of this hill, there are four mountainous ridges, running from west to east, through the whole length of the parish, and as many valleys, each watered by its own little stream. The crests of these ridges are barren, and the cultivated ground lies on the southern and northern slopes, and in the bottoms of the valleys. The lowest parts of the valleys are 500 feet above the level of the sea, and the cultivation is in some cases pushed up the accli- vities of the hills, to the height of at least 500 feet more. The prospect from the summit of the Hill of Cushnie well repays the toil of the ascent. To the south are seen the fertile vale of Cro- mar, with the lofty chain of the Grampians beyond, among which M ount Keen and Lochnagar rise preeminent ; to the west, Mor- ven and Benavon ; to the north-west, the windings of the Don through the valley of Towie, and Bel-rinnes in the distance ; to the north, the Buck of the Cabrach and the Tap of Noth, with the upper part of Strathbogie ; and to the north-east and east, the vale of Alford, highly cultivated and richly wooded, with its bounding mountains, the district of the Garioch, and the flat country extending even to the Buchan coast. Various other points afford pleasing, though much less extensive views ; and to look down from the Hill of Corse on the south, the Hill of Crai- gievar on the east, or the Hill of Fowlis near the centre of the parish, on a summer afternoon, when the heat has been tempered by a refreshing shower, and the soft light of the setting sun re- poses on the uplands gray with heath, the slopes green with corn and grass, and the hollows sparkling with their winding rivulets, gives a lively idea of " a land of hills and valleys, that drinketh water of the rain of Heaven." Meteorology. — A thermometer has been registered at 9 o'clock morning and evening, since the 1st January 1842 ; and the direc- Mean temp. Mean temp. Rain or at 9 A. M. at 9 p. M. Gen. mean. Fair days* snow. . 32°.5 31°.0 31°.7 16 15 . 36.0 33.3 34.6 20 8 . 39.3 35.7 37.5 17 14 49.0 40.5 44 .8 26 4 . 51 .5 43 .0 47.2 16 15 54.5 52.8 53.6 13 17 . 54.5 50.5 52.5 15 16 60.6 54.2 57.5 18 13 . 53.3 50.1 51 .7 13 17 43.5 40.3 42.0 20 11 . 37.3 34.6 36.0 13 17 40 .6 40 -8 40.7 19 12 1104 ABERDEENSHIRE. tion of the wind noted, with the days on which rain or snow fell, and the followinsr are the results obtained : January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December, This gives as the mean temperature of the year 44°.2 nearly. The number of fair days, 206 ; and of days in which rain or snow fell, 159. The wind blew from the E. 8 days, S. E. 82, S. 23, S. W. 116, W. 10, N. W. 83, N. 7, and N. E. 36. It thus ap- pears that our prevailing winds are the S. W. the N. W. and the S. E. winds. The S. W. is the genial point, the N. W. the stormy one, and the S. E. the wet one. The strongest gales are from the N. W., of which there was a remarkable instance on the night between the 11th and 12th March 1842, when it blew a per- fect hurricane, overthrowing corn- stacks, damaging the roofs of houses where not slated, and laying prostrate trees, to a melan- choly extent. Upwards of 200 trees fell in the wood of Craigievar, though by no means a large plantation. Climate. — Both Leochel and Cushnie have long had an evil report, on account of the coldness and lateness of the climate, and the consequent uncertainty of the crops. When Gilderoy and his gang of freebooters haunted the hills of Cushnie in the beginning of the seventeenth century, they are said to have de- clared them to be the coldest in Scotland. There can be no doubt that, on account of the great elevation of the district, and its mountainous character, together with the nature of the soil, the seasons are from ten to fourteen days later than in the lower part of the vale of Alford, and the adjoining vale of Cromar. The air is also keen and bracing, but, on the whole, conducive to health and longevity, of which the fifty years' incumbency of Mr Thomas Reid at Leochel, and Mr Francis Adam at Cushnie, in the last century, was no unsatisfactory proof. In confirmation of this, and also in illustration of the prevalent dis- eases, it may be stated, that, of 49 persons who have died in the pa- rish during the last four years, 1839, 1840, 1841, and 1842, twenty- one have died from old age and general decay of nature, chiefly LEOCHEL AND CUSHNIE. 1105 dianifested in derangement of the digestive and respiratory or- gans, 11 of consumption, 2 of dropsy, 2 of epilepsy, 2 from ac- cidents by burning, ] of apoplexy, 1 of hydrocephalus, 1 of in- flammation of the bowels, 1 of constipation, 1 of hooping-cough, and 6 of obscure and unknown complaints ; and of these 49, 6 died in infancy, 3 in childhood and under twenty, 9 from twenty to thirty, 4 from thirty to forty, 1 from forty to fifty, 3 from fiftv to sixty, 5 from sixty to seventy, 9 from seventy to eighty, 8 from eighty to ninety, and 1 at the age of ninety-five. Urinary complaints seem not uncommon among men in advanced life, and chronic rheumatism prevails to some extent. Last season, two or three cases of small-pox appeared, fortunately not fatal, which were clearly traced to infection and neglect of vaccination. . Hydrography. — The district is very well supplied in general with perennial springs of excellent water. The burn or water of Leochel, already mentioned, is the principal stream in the parish. It rises at the south-west angle, from a cleft in the Hill of Gush- nie, runs east for three miles through the south part of Corse, then turns north-east and north for other three miles, partly bounding and partly intersecting the parish, and then north-west and north for four miles more till it falls into the Don at Alford, The other rivulets are almost all tributaries to the Leochel, and run from west to east. The burn of Rumlie rises in the moss of Confunderland, waters the " Howe of Corse," and,, after a course of three miles, falls into the Leochel at Muirton. The burn of the Sheal rises at the head of the " Howe of Leochel," and runs throuD-h it for three miles till il ioins the Leochel at Knockan- doch. The burn of Cushnie, the next in size to the Leochel, rises from the Glen of Cushnie, at the eastern base of the hill, and has a course of four miles east, to its junction with the Leo- chel at Brigton of Ininteer, and the Droich's Burn runs from the south-eastern slope of the Hill of Caillievar, and divides the par rish from Alford on the north. From the deep and narrow vaU leys through which they flow, and the high and steep grounds on either side, all these rivulets are liable to sudden floods, and, in 1839, did no little damage in demolishing bridges, and carrying away patches of the haugh land lying along their course. Most of these little streams abound with trout, especially the Leochel, which is reputed the best trouting stream in the whole district, At the south-eastern extremity of the parish, a tiny streamlet, which divides it from Tough, and the property of Lynturk froi» ABERDEEN. 4 A 1106 ABKRDEENSHIRE. that of Tonley, passes through a deep and well-wooded dell, and forms a picturesque little waterfall. It is called the Linn of Lyn- turk, and has the reputation of being haunted by the apparition of a lady in green or white ; but the oldest living inhabitant not having had ocular demonstration, the colour of the dress remains doubtful. * Geology. — The rocks are almost exclusively granite. Towards the west and north sides of the parish, its colour is gray, and on the south side of Corse it inclines to red. Where it is met with at or near the surface, it is generally in a state of decomposition. Boulders are by no means frequent ; and waste land, when re- claimed either by the plough or by trenching, yields but a small quantity of stones, and these so diminutive, as to be mostly unfit for fences. There is, consequently, a great dearth of stones both for dikes and houses, and they must often be brought from a con- siderable distance for the latter purpose. The soil, in general, has a strong admixture of clay ; in some places it is a rich loam ; and at the bottoms of the valleys, and along the courses of the rivulets, occasional plots of an alluvial nature are found. The subsoil is commonly a retentive clay. Zoology, — In the parish are found the fox, badger, polecat, wild- cat, weasel, stoat, hedgehog, common hare, mountain hare, rabbit, roe-deer, rat, water-rat, mouse, water-mouse, shrew-mouse, earth- mouse, mole, and otter; the blackcock and gray-hen, moorfowl or grouse, partridge, golden-plover, gray-plover, green-plover, com- mon pigeon, wood-pigeon, woodcock, heron, wild-duck, teal-duck, pigeon, water-ousel, mire-snipe, jack-snipe, curlew, land-rail, wa- ter-rail, water-hen, water-crow, raven or corbie, black carrion crow, gray-hooded crow, rook, magpie, barn-owl, horned-owl, spar- row-hawk, pigeon- hawk, falcon or game-hawk, goshawk, ring- tailed hawk, moorland hawk, cuckoo, titlin, jackdaw, common swallow, fork-tailed swallow, black-martin swallow, corn-bunting, blackbird, mavis or thrush, lark, rose-linnet, green-linnet, whin- iinnet, heather-linnet, goldfinch, bulfinch, chaffinch, common • The last instance of her appearance, which tradition has handed down, is the following: The Laird of Kincraigie had dined with his neighbour, the Laird of Tulloch, and as he returned home late at night, mounted on a spirited horse, and attended by a faithful dog, he was passing along the brink of the dell above the linn, when suddenly the apparition seized the bridle of his horse, and exclaimed, " Kin- craigie Leslie, I've sought you long, but I've found you now." The dog, however, fiercely attacking the spectre, it quitted the bridle for a moment, and the horse dashed off at the top of his speetl, while his terrified master could see the spectre and the dog tumbling down in mortal struggle to the very bottom of the dell. Kincraigie was thus saved, and his generous canine friend leturned nest day, showing evident maj-ks of the perilous strife in which he had been engaged. LEOCHEL AND CUSHNIE. 1107 wren, gold-crested wren, common sparrow, heather sparrow, yel- low hammer, robin redbreast, bluebonnet, oxeye, and fieldfare.* Botany. — In Murray's Northern Flora, Culmelly is given as a station for a hairy variety of Veronica scutellata, the banks of the burn of Lynturk for Asperula odorata, and the parish generally for a variety of Campanula rotundifolia with white flowers. Py- rola secunda is found in the wood of Craigievar, near the cas- tle, and the Aivron or cloudberry, abounds in a part of the glen of Cushnie, hence called the Aivron brae. Plantations. — In former times planting was much neglected here, though wood tends so greatly to beautify and improve a a country, especially when high, mountainous, and exposed as this is. Its advantages are now fully understood, and about 1500 acres imperial have been planted, mostly within the last twenty years. Of this about 950 acres are on the property of Craigievar. and Corse, 260 on Lynturk, 230 on Cushnie, and 70 on Hallhead. All these late plantations consist almost exclusively of Scotch fir and larch. The former promises well, but the latter, after thriving very well for ten or fifteen years, is all but universally going to decay. The stem becomes covered with a grayish or whitish parasitic pro- duction like moss, the top shoots wither, and the plant in a few seasons perishes altogether. This prevails widely at present among the young plantations of larch all over the district The ash, beech, and plane seem very well adapted to our soil and climate, and attain a large size. Of this we have proof in some fine old ashes and beeches near the Castle of Craigievar, an avenue of planes leading to the mansion-house of Cushnie, and a magnificent beech near that of Hallhead, the trunk of which is twelve feet in girth. Several of the plantations are already found very useful in supplying thinnings both for paling and fuel. II. — Civil History. Accounts of the Parish. — There are short notices both of Leochel and Cushnie in a View of. the Diocese of Aberdeen, MS. in the Advocates' Library in Edinburgh ; and a brief description of Cushnie contained in Macfarlane's Geographical Collections, MS. in the same repository, was published in the Edinburgh Ma- gazine for 1761, Vol. V, p. 187. Proprietors of Land. — The first possessors of land in the pa- rish of Leochel, so far as can be ascertained from ancient records, were the Earls of Mar. Between the years 1165 and 1 170, Gil- * This list was obligingly furnished by Mr Wilson, gamekeeper to Sir John For- be5, wliosj names are retained as being most intelligible to the common reader. 1108 ABEIIDEENSHIUE. crist, Earl of Mar, gave to the church of St Mary of Monymusk and the Culdees there, the church of Leochel, with all its tithes and offerings, together with the half-davach of land in which the church is situated. The date is fixed by the terms of the gift, which is said to be for the safety and prosperity of his Lord King- William and those dear to him. Now William the Lion came to the crown, Dec. 9, 1IG5, and Gilcrist, the donor, died about 1170. I'his gift of Gilcrist was twice confirmed by John, Bishop of Aberdeen, from 1200 to 1207 ; it was renewed by Duncan, Earl of Mar, son of Morgrund, and as it seems, grandson of Gil- crist, in the reign of Alexander II. about 12114, and this king confirmed it by a royal charter; Colin Durward, the Lord of Oneill, in that century, granted to the same Culdees of Monymusk, the said half-davach of land in which the church of Loychell was situ- ated, with all its pertinents and privileges, and among others the common pasturage of 15 cows and 100 sheep, with their follow- ing of two years old, and of 4 horses; and this was confirmed by Anna, daughter and heiress of the said Colin, and her husband, Philip de Monte Scicheter. In a rental of the priory of Mony- musk, in 1260, the value of the church of Loychell is stated at 15 chalders and 12 bolls meal, and of the land of Loychell at 2i mcrks.* Corse. — The lands of Corse formed part of the barony of Coul and Onele, which in the thirteenth century belonged to the family of Durward. In 1389, this barony was resigned by Isabella, Countess of Fife, daughter of Duncan, Earl of Fife, and bestow- ed by Robert II., on his son, Robert, Earl of Fife, and Menteith, better known as Duke of Albany. On the dovvnfal of the house of Albany, after the restoration of James I., and the forfeiture of their possessions, this barony appears to have remained attached to the crown till 1476, when James III. bestowed it on his ar- mour-bearer, Patrick Forbes, third son of James, second Lord Forbes, who, in 1482, had a charter under the great seal of the " barony of Oneil, viz. the lands of Coule, Kincragy and le Corss." In 1510, his son and successor, David Forbes, had a charter of the lands of Onele-cross, Kincragy, le Mureton, with the mill and alehouse thereof, (the lands of Coule being now disjoined there- from,) and uniting and incorporating them into a haill and free ba- rony, to be called the barony of Onele in all time coming. David * The cliarters relating to all these grants and coniirniations are printed at length from the cluutulary of St Andrews, in the appendix to Jamieson's History of the Culdees, 4to, Edinburgh, iSll, pp. 390-395. LEOCHEL AND CUSHNIE. 1109 Was succeeded by his son Patrick, infeft in 1554; Patrick, by his son William, infeft in 1568, who acquired in 1593 the lands of Wester Corse and Norham, which, in 1512, belonged to Pan- toun of Pitmeddan, in 1531, to Fraser of Staniwood, and in 1540, lo Urry of Pitfichie ; William, by his son Patrick, Bishop of Aber- deen, who died in 1635; Patrick, by his son John, Professor of Divinity in King's College, Aberdeen, who died in 1648; and John^ by his son George, who, having, in 1656, sold that part of the ba- rony lying in Lumphanan, consisting of Easter and Wester Kin- craigie, and pendicles tb Duguid of Auchinhive, sold the remain- derin 1670, to Sir John Forbes, Bart, of Craigievar, to which pro- perty it is still united.* Craigievar. — This property belonged for upwards of 200 years to a family of the name of Mortimer. In 1457, Edmund Morti- mer had from James II., on his own resignation, a charter of the lands of " Craigievar, Ballindene, Innyteire, and Wester Loch- ale;" in 1503, Alexander Mortimer resigned these lands in his own favour, into the hands of James IV.; in 1600, Alexander Mortimer, eldest son of James Mortimer, fiar of Craigievar, had a charter of confirmation of these lands from James VI. ; and in 1610, John Mortimer, fiar of Craigievar, sold the property to William Forbes of Menie. He was the second son of William Forbes of Corse, already mentioned, was educated in Edinburgh, and having acquired a large fortune by commerce, he had char- ters of the lands of Menie in Aberdeenshire, in 1607, of Craigie- var in 1610; of the barony of Auchtertoul in Fife, in 1617; of the barony of Finhaven and Carreston in Forfar, in 1619 ; and of the lands of Fintray in Aberdeenshire, the same year. He has been commemorated by the celebrated Arthur Johnstone in an epitaph, who says of him, Quas possedit opes, et terras jugera, nemo Miretur, dominum plus fuit, esse sui.f He was succeeded by his son William, who, in 1630, was created a baronet of Nova Scotia, and having embraced the side of the Covenanters, took an active part in the troubles which followed. He was appointed one of the committee for stating the national debt, one of the commission for planting of kirks and valuation of teinds in 1641, one of the commissioners for conserving the Rip- pon treaty in 1644, one of the committee of estates in 1645, one of the commissioners for selling the estates of malignants in Charters preserved at Fintray House, t Charters at Fintray House. Douglases Baronage, Art. Johnstoni Poemata, p. 380. 1110 ABERDEENSHIRE. 1646, and sheriff of Aberdeen in 1647. He is frequently men- tioned by Spalding, who styles him " a great Covenanter," and " a prime man" — and represents him as " a rick-master" and commander of a troop of horse. He was succeeded by his son Sir John ; Sir John by his son Sir William ; Sir William by his son Sir Arthur, who represented his native county in Parliament, and was the bosom friend of Sir Andrew Mitchell, well known as British Ambassador to Frederick the Great of Prussia, who left to Sir Arthur the bulk of his property, including his valuable library and his estate of Thainston ; Sir Arthur was succeeded by his son Sir William, Sir William by his son Sir Arthur, and Sir Arthur by his brother Sir John, the seventh baronet and present proprie- tor.* Easter Fowlis or Fowlis Mowat. — This small property belong- ed in the fourteenth century to the Earls of Mar, and was given in 1377, by William Earl of Douglas and Mar, to James Mowat. The Mowats appear to have held it for about a century ; and there is to be seen, in a hollow on the hill of Shiel, a curious me- morial of the last Mowat of Fowlis. This is a little mound, over- grown with grass, called Mowat's Seat, and a field near is named from it the '• Mowat Seat" park. The name is accounted for by the tradition, that when the funeral procession of this last Mowat of Fowlis, whose usual imprecation had been, that " he might be buried beyond sight of kirk or mill," had reached this sequestered spot, the corpse suddenly became preternaturally heavy, and the bearers were obliged to inter it there, whence accordingly no view can be obtained of either of these objects of his animosity. In 1479, Robert Lumysden of Madler, had a charter from the Earl of Rothes, superior, of the Halflands of Fowlis-Mowat, in the ba- rony of Cusny ; in 1628, Robert Lumisdane, fiar of Cushny, with consent of his father, John Lumisdane, sold these lands to Andrew Birnie, merchant-burgess of Aberdeen ; in 1635, Andrew Birnie sold them for 14,000 merks Scots to " Capitan James Forbes," son of umquhile Robert Forbes, commendator of Monymusk, whose only daughter and heiress, Margaret Forbes, with consent of her husband, Peter Forbes, second son of Sir John Forbes of Craigie- var, sold them to Sir John in 1696; and since that time they have remained united to the Craigievar estate. f Wester Fowlis. — This property, including Easter- Leochel and Craigmill, belonged about the middle of the sixteenth century to * Douglas, Charters at Fintray House. f Charters at Fintray House. LEOCHEL AND CUSHNIE. 1111 the Earl of Huntly, who, in 1554, sold it to George Gordon of Beldornie; his son Alexander, in 1607, sold it to Abraham For- bes of Blacktoun ; his grandson Walter, in 1659, sold it to John Robertson of Clunie ;* and he, in 1675, sold it to Sir John Forbes of Craigievar, to which property it is still attached. It held of the priory of Monymusk, and the feu -duty of it is now paid to the Deans of the Chapel-Royal, in consequence of the priory having been annexed to the bishoprick of Dunblane by James VI. in 1617, the bishop of that see being made Dean of the Chapel-Royal by the same king.-f- Lynturk. — Thig is the only other property in the old parish of Leochel, and belonged, at an early period, to a family of the name of Strachan. In 1407, the Regent Albany confirmed a charter by Alexander de Strathechine de Ledynturk to David Barclay de Durna of an annuity of five merks from (he lands of Pitgerwy, in the Mearns.^ The family kept possession of this property for about 200 years, but the crimes of John Strachan, younger of Len- turk, seem at length to have caused its downfal. In 1526, he was art and part with John Master of Forbes in the " cruel slaughter" of Alexander Setoun of Meldrum, for which, and for " hereschip and spuilzie of goods and slaughter," committed at the siege of Kil- drummy with John King, younger of Bourty, he obtained re- mission from the king in 1531 ; but, in 1537, he was again accus- ed of participating in the alleged conspiracy of the Master of Forbes against the King's life, for which the Master was condemned and executed; while Strachan " came in the King's will, and was warded beyond the water of Dee." § The whole history of this matter is singularly obscure ; and there are not wanting writers who afiirm, that the conspiracy was the invention of Strachan, in concert with the Earl of Huntly, in order to destroy the rival house of Forbes, with which his own had been so long at feud. Strachan is said to have gone afterwards abroad, and to have led at Paris a most abandoned life. || He was dead before 1588, in which year his son Alexander succeeded him. But the part which he had act- ed drew down upon him the hostility of the Forbeses. In 1544, they invaded his lands, and slew his allies, Duguid of Auchinhive and Ross of Auchlossan ; and about the end of the century, the lands of Lynturk became the property of the eldest cadet of the • He presented two silver communion cups to the church, bearing the inscription DEDICAT FOR THE CHVRCH OF LEOCHEL, 1659. t Charters at Fintray House. t Reg. Mag. Sigilli, p. 245. § Pitcairn's Criminal Trials, Vol. i. pp. 200,* 246.* || Buchanan, Lesley. J112 ABERDEENSHIRE. ancient family of Irvine of Drum. They continued in possession of the Irvines for about a century ; and it may deserve mention} that Katharine, daughter of Alexander Irvine of Lenturk, was the wife of the famous Robert Gordon of Straloch, by whom he had eleven sons and six daughters ; the fifth son being James Gordon, parson of Rothiemay, author of a " History of Scots Affairs" from 1637 to 1641, and of" A Description of both Towns of Aber- deen," with a map thereof, which he delivered to the town-coun- cil on the 16th Octobe? 1661 ; and in consideration " that he had been at great paines in draughting" it " upon ane meikle cairt of paper," and that it was " weill done," they ordained him to re- ceive " ane silver piece or cup wechtand tvt^entie unce, and ane silk hatt, with ane silk gown to his bedfellow." Both these works have lately been printed for the Spalding Club.* About the mid- dle of the eighteenth century, Lynturk had come into the posses- sion of Gordon of Cairnfield. It was purchased from that family in 1816 by Peter M'Combie, late merchant in Aberdeen ; and by him it was left to his nephew, William M'Combie, Esq. the pre- sent proprietor. Cuslinie. — In 1222, a person of the name of Adam de Cusse- nin is a witness to a deed of the Earl of Mar; and he probably derived his surname from the lands conferred upon him, accord- ing to the custom of that time. Nisbet states, that he had seen a charter of Hugh de Abernethy of the lands of " Owrebenchery" to William de Federeth, in the reign of Alexander HI. If this be the same with ' Corbanchory,' in the barony of Cushnie, which seems very probable, it would serve to connect the Abernethies with the Leslies as proprietors of Cushnie. For, in the reign of Robert I. Alexander de Abernethy left three daughters co- heiresses, one of whom was married to Norman de Lesly, and brought to him the barony of Ballinbreich,-f- in which Cushnie is often said to be by annexation ; and we find Andrew de Lesly in possession of the barony of Cusheny in 1374, when a grant of his of the lands of Culmelly and Aid Culmelly to Bernard de Ker- gyll was confirmed by Robert II. Again, in 1390, Robert III. granted a charter to Norman de Lesly, son of Andrew, of the ba- rony of Cusschene, with other lands.j These were the progeni- tors of the Earls of Rothes, and the lands of Cushnie appear to have remained in their possession till the early part of the fifteenth • Gordon's Scots Affairs, Vol. i. pp. Pref. 29, Ixiii. f Jamieson's Culdees, pp. 128, 129. f Keg. Mag. Sfgilli, pp. 100, 187. L.131S 13 4 Scots. 43-2 4 6 586 17 6 360 166 17 6 90 LEOCHEL AND CUSHNIE. 1113 century, when they were acquired by the Lumsdens, of whom we have had occasion to mention Robert in 1479 as proprietor of Easter Fowlis, and John and Robert in 1628, as proprietors of Cushnie, and to whose descendant, the Rev. Henry Thomas Lumsden, vicar of St Peter's, Ipswich, they now belong. Hallhead. — Towards the end of the fourteenth century, this property was acquired by George Gordon, fourth son of Thomas Gordon, in Daach of Ruthven, whose descendants, in uninterrupt- ed succession, have possessed it to the present time. The rehct of the last proprietor, Major Gordon, now by a second marriage Mrs Ferguson, is the present proprietrix. In addition to the proprietors above-mentioned, the Honoura- ble Walter, Master of Forbes, has a small part of his estate of Brux in the parish. The valued rents of the different properties are, Sir John Forbes, for Craigievar, . . Do. Do. Corse, The Rev. H. T. Lumsden, for Cushnie, . William M'Combie, Esq,, for Lynturk, Mrs Ferguson, (late Gordon), for Hallhead, The Honourable the Master of Forbes, for part of Brux, Total, (exclusive of Corse), L.2522 8 4 Eminent Men — Patrick Forbes, Bishop of Aberdeen. — William Forbes of Corse, already mentioned, a most zealous supporter of the Protestant Reformation, as his father Patrick had been,* had seven sons, four of whom were remarkable men. Of the second, William, the founder of the family of Craigievar, we have pre- viously given a short account. The eldest was Patrick, born in 1564, and educated first at the gr&mmar-school of Stirling, under Thomas Buchanan, a nephew of the more celebrated George, and afterwards both at Glasgow and St Andrews, under the fa- mous Andrew Melville, his cousin, where he made distinguished attainments in learning. On succeeding to the family estate about 1598, he did not allow its cares to put a period to his stu- dies ; and being accustomed to read and expound the Scriptures in his own family, the great dearth of religious instruction then prevalent, and the solicitations of the Aberdeen clergy, induced him to transfer his ministrations to a vacant church in the neigh- bourhood, in all probability that of Leochel. This was con- demned by Archbishop Gladstanes, and, in 1610, Patrick Forbes addressed a letter to the King in his own vindication, from which • " Guid, godlie, and kynd Patrick Forbes of Cors." — Melvill's Diary, p. 18. Wodrow See. Ed, 1114 ABERDEENSHIRE. the following extract will show at once the excellence of his mo- tives, and the lamentable want of pastors in this district at that time : " Being cast in these parts, where, within the precincts of two presbyteries, at least twenty and one churches lay unplanted, whereby our state were little from heathenism, I began in a simple and private manner (necessity enforcing it on my con- science) to catechise my own family. Thereafter, the church- men of that province dealing earnestlie with me, to accept of some publick charge in the ministrie of the church, which, upon divers respectfuU considerations, I could not as then yeild to, they next, with all instance, requested that, at least for the gude of others, I wold be content to transfer my domestic paines to ane void church, now joining to my house ;* whairto having for a space condescendit, they afterward, by thair commissioners from thair svnod, directed to me for that effect, yet more earnestly en- treated that I wold still hold on that course which (as they judged) had been in some degree fruitfull. Now, Sir, as this made my voice to be heard in any public place, so all my uther carriage therein hath been such, both in respect of the place, ane obscure corner of any in all your Majesty's kingdoms, and in respect of my quiet manner, so far from all pretences, as I never opened my mouth in any uther part (albeit oftener than once, either seriously entreated, or curiously tempted) and except ane ordinary lecture on the Lord's day, never meddled with any part of that calling in private or publick assembly." -f* He was afterwards, however, persuaded to enter into the office of the ministry, and, in 1612, was settled at Keith, whence, in 1618, he was translated to the see of Aberdeen. He discharged the duties of his office with great diligence and faithfulness, being, according to Burnett, in his Life of Bishop Bedell, " in all things an apostolical man." He reformed many abuses in the University and King's College, of which he was ex officio Chancellor, and, by means of subscrip- tions from the synod of Aberdeen, he founded there a chair of divinity, which was first filled by his son, Dr John. He died on the '28th March 1635, at the age of seventy-one, and was buried in Bishop Dunbar's aisle, in the cathedral, where a flat stone with a Latin inscription may still be seen over his grave. He was the author of a " Commentary on the Revelations," London, • The old church of Leochel was within a mile of the Castle of Corse, while no other was within four miles. f Spalding Club Miscellany, Vol. ii. pp. 133, 154. LEOCHEL AND CUSHNIE. 1115 1613; Middleburgh, 1614; and, in a Latin version by his son, Dr John, Amsterdam, 1646 ; and also of " Eubulus," or a Dia- logue, wherein a rugged Romish Rhyme is confuted, Aberdeen, 1627 ; together with a " Defence of the Lawful Calling of Mi- nisters of the Reformed Churches against the Cavillations of Ro- manists," appended to the Latin edition of the Commentary in 1646. On his death in 1635, a volume of funeral sermons, ele- gies, and other eulogistic compositions, in prose and verse, and in various languages, by the most learned men of the time, was pub- lished at Aberdeen, entitled " Funerals of a Right Rev. Father in God, Patrick Forbes of Corse, Bishop of Aberdeen." Portraits of the Bishop by Jamieson are in King's College, and at Fintray House. John Forbes, Minister of Al ford. — This was the third son of William Forbes of Corse. He became minister of Alford, and, in 1605, the Synod of Aberdeen and Moray " maid speciall choise of their loving brother, Mr Johne Forbes, baith for his fidelitie and uprichtness, and for his sincere affectioune borne to the ad- vancement of the kingdome of God, his Majestie's service, and peace of the land," as their Commissioner to lay before the King " all their proceedings and present difficulteis quhairwith they were straitit."* The commission is dated at Aberdeen the 21st Fe- bruary ; and in March, he " past to the King, and wes verie weill acceptit of his Majestie, and wes sent back with diligence, carie- ing lettres and credit against the Erie of Huntlie and all Papistis, with certificatioune of the King's constancie in that religioune he wes brought up into, and concerning the order of the kirk, that his Hienes wes not myndit to alter ony thing thairin." He was chosen " with uniforme consent" Moderator of the General Assembly which met at Aberdeen on the 2d of July following j and in consequence of the proceedings there, he and all the bre- thren present were " denunceit rebellis and put to the home." The tyrannical measures of the court which followed are well known. The minister of Alford was imprisoned " in the dungeoune of Blacknes," and various others in the " prissounes of Dumbartan, StirUng, and Doune."t They were called before the Lords of the Secret Council on the 24th October; and on the 10th January * Commission, Spalding Club Miscellany, Vol. ii. pp. 149, 130. + Forbes was supported in his firm adherence to Presbytery by the other two commissioners from Alford to the Aberdeen Assembly, Mr James Irwin, minister of Tough, and Mr Robert Youngson, minister of Clatt, who were also confined at Blackness, and brought before the Council on the 24th October. 1116 ABERDEENSHIRE. 1606, he and five others were brought to trial at Linlithgow fof treason. They made a resolute defence ; and " Mr Johnne Forbes and Mr Johnne Welsche, to quhom the rest gave the place of speich, spake very powerfully and unveighingly." Forbes especi- ally distinguished himself; for he "rememberit thame of the Con- fession of Faith, quhilk they had sworn and subscryvit to profess, mantein, and defend to their uttirmost; and thairwithall, taking the same Confession of Faith in print out of his pockett, the oath quhairof is maist fearfullie conceivit, he red the. same distinctlie and moveinglie ; and thaireeftir directit his speich to the nobillraen and counsellores thair presently sitting in judgement, he gaive thaime ane maist grave admonitioune, with horribill threatenings ;" and in conclusion, "maist pithilie reassouneing from les to moir, and directing the admonitioune and threatneing most terribill, maide all the heireris astonischit, and their hairis to stand !" But notwithstanding the " assyse," by a majority of nine to six, found them guilty, sentence of banishment was pronounced against them on the 23d October, and finally, on the 7th November, they em- barked at Leith, in presence of " a guid number of peiple waiting on to tak the guid-nicht at thame, and to see thame, quhois de- pairtour wes beith joyfuU and sorrowfull to many ; joyfull, in that many guidfolkis quho were present saw thair constancie and cou- rage to stand for the guid caus they had in hand, but sorrowful), because the land is deprivit of sua notabill lightis as they wer."* 'Mr John Forbes was afterwards minister for many years at Delf in Holland, and died about 1638. He was author of many tracts on religious subjects, and had a son, Patrick, who subscribed the Covenant in presence of the famous Glasgow Assembly of 1638^ but was subsequently Bishop of Caithness from 1662 to 1680 ;f and another, Arthur, a captain of horse under Munro, in the army of the Covenant in 1640, who, according to the parson of Rothiemay, was " none of the wysest nor best commanders.^ It was rather a singular circumstance that, in 1668, a grandson of the exiled minister, John Forbes, should come back to lay his ashes with those of his ancestors in the churchyard of Leochel.§ * James MelviU's Diary, 1605-6, pp. 570, 620-26,669. Wodrow, Soc. Ed. 1842. f Gordon's Scots Affairs, Vol. ii. p. 4, note. But Row states, that the person who thus subscribed was " a minister of Holland, Mr John Forbes, son to Mr John at Delf, banished for the cause of God." — Hist, of Kirk of Scotland, p. 504, Wod- row Soc. Ed. \ Gordon's Scots Affairs, Vol. iii. pp. 196, 197. Several of his exploits are also commemorated by Spalding. § 25th October 1668 " The said day, John Forbes, Commissar of Catness, son LEOCHEL AND CUSHNIE, 1117 Str Arthur Forbes. — This was the fourth son of William Forbes of Corse, who, having entered the army, served in Ireland, was created a baronet in 1628, and became proprietor of Castle Forbes, in the county of Longford. His son was raised to the dignity of Earl of Granard by Charles 11. after the Restoration. Dr John- Forbes, Professor of Divinity in King's College. — He was the second son of Patrick Forbes of Corse, Bishop of Aber- deen, and Lucretia Spence, daughter of Spence of Wormiston, in Fife, of whose marriage, in 1588, Mr James Melvill states him- self to have been the occasion.* John Forbes was born in 1593, and having passed through the usual course of study at King's College, Aberdeen, he went abroad, and attended several of the universities of Germany, especially Sedan and Heidelberg, in the latter of which he studied theology under the famous Parseus. In 1619, he was called to the office of the ministry at Middleburgh, and having soon after returned to his native country, he was ap- pointed in 1620 to the newly established chair of theology in King's College. He was also for a short time one of the minis- ters of St Nicholas, In 1635, his elder brother being already dead, he succeeded his father in the estate of Corse. In 1638, he and the other Aberdeen doctors opposed the commissioners of the Co- venant both by their preaching and writing; and this soon involv- ed him in trouble with the dominant party. He appeared frequent- ly in synods and committees appointed to deal with him ; and " muche panes was tackne upon him by some of his neer rela- tiones, who stood for the Covenanters, for to draw him to sub- scrybe ; but it wold not bee. Therefor he was conveened before ther comittye, (viz. of the General Assembly at Aberdeen in 1640), at Marshall's house, and ther interrogated concerning his doctrine and beliefe; to all which he answered so readily, so learndly and orthodoxly, and with such candor and modestye, that to Patrick B. of Catness, departed this life in Craigivar in the morning, being the Lord's day, before sermon. His burial was upon the Fryday yrafter, the penult of October, at night, with torches, in the Laird of Craigivar his yle and burial-place at Leochell. " — Burial reg. of Leochel. In the same record of mortality we find that '■ Mr John Young, some time minister at Birss and Keig, died at Miltonbank, Octo- ber the 18th 1671, and was buried in the Laird of Craigivar his yle at Leochell Oc- tober 24th." He was one of the commissioners from the Presbytery of Alford at the Assembly of 1638, and no doubt ejected by the re-establishment of Episcopacy after the Restoration, when upwards of 350 churches were summarily rendered vacant by the Act of Conformity. * " This wintar (1387) I past ower to Dalkethe, — and in retourning, of mere Pro- •vidence, was the occasion of the marriage of Patrik Forbes of C(jrs with Lucres Spence, sistar to the Lard of Wilmerston, married in Anstruther in the simmer fol- lowing." — Diary, p. 260, Wodrow Soc. Ed. ins ABERDEENSHIRE. the moderator of that comittye was forced to tell him, that they had nothing to say to his lyfe, but that they founde him piouse, learnd, and fully orthodoxe, and to disagree with them in nothing but in poynt of churche governement ; and earnestly beseeched him he wold be pleased to tacke the Covenant, shewing him that it was ther greefe if they wer necessitated for to putt him from his statione upon his refusall."* He was deposed in 1641, and obliged to leave his native country in 1644, when he took refuge in Hol- land, and remained for two years, preaching frequently in the churches, and employing himself in the publication of his father's commentary, and his own greatest work, the " Instructiones His- torico-Theologicse." In 1646, he obtained leave to return home, after which he lived in retirement at Corse, and died there '29th April 1648. He applied to the presbytery of Aberdeen, a short time before his death, for permission to lay his remains beside those of his wife and father, but this being refused, he was buried in the church-yard of Leochel. The hardships which he under- went from the Covenanters were not the only misfortunes which fell to his lot. His lands of Corse were repeatedly plundered by the Highland caterans, and in 1638, they carried off his own cou- sin, threatening to put him to death unless ransomed at a heavy sum, and also to take his own life if he complained against them to king or council, or sought peace otherwise than by the payment of black-mail. On the face of the Hill of Corse, nearly opposite to the castle, there is still to be seen a small excavation, known as *' the Laird's hiding-hole or chawmer," where he is said to have concealed himself on such occasions of danger. A collected edi- tion of his works was published at Amsterdam in 2 vols. fo. 1703, with a copious memoir by Dr Garden ; and, in the words of Dr Irving, " his learning was such as to obtain the warm approbation of these eminent scholars, Vossius, Usher, Morhof, Ernesti, and Cave ; and to this it would be superfluous to add any other com- mendation."! It only remains to be stated, that " His Diary, or as he himself entitles it. Spiritual Exercises," in his own hand- writing, is still preserved at Fintray House. It extends from the 3d of February 1624 to the close of 1647. Its allusions to pub- lic events are not very numerous ; but it contains many interesting particulars of private history, outlines of sermons, expositions of passages of Scripture, meditations and prayers, all characteristic of the varied learning and fervent piety of its author. It was included * Gordon's ecots Affairs, Vol. iii. p. 233. f Il^id. Vol, iii. pp.234, 23f. 3 LEOCHEL And CUSHNIE. 1119 in Dr Garden's edition of his works, but in a Latin dress, which much impairs, in many cases, its highly expressive phraseology. Alexander Irving of Lenturk. — This gentleman was a lawyer of eminence, and the author of a treatise " De Jure Regni," publish- ed at Leyden in 1627, and again at Helmstadtin 1671, — a work which is held in good esteem. He died before 1641, when Robert Irving, his cousin-german, was served heir to him in the lands of Lenturk. Matthew Lumsden of Tilliecairn. — He was the brother of the Laird of Cushnie, the proprietor of Tilliecairn, in the parish of Clunie, where an old castle still stands, and the author of a " Ge- nealogical History of the House of Forbes," published with con- tinuations in 1819. He died the 27th June 1580. Andrew Lumsden. — This gentleman was private secretary to Prince Charles Edward ; and in an account of his family given by himself, and published in the Analecta Scotica, he traces his de- scent from the house of Cushnie. He is the author of " Remarks on the Antiquities of Rome and its Environs," Lond. 1797, 4to, — a work which called forth the praise of the learned Matthias, and is still in considerable estimation. Several interesting papers by Father Innes, author of the justly celebrated " Essay on the Ancient Inhabitants of Scotland," preserved in the hand-writing of Andrew Lumsden, with some notices of the life of that eminent antiquary, have been included in the last publication of the Spal- ding Club. Mr Lumsden died at Edinburgh on the 26th De- cember 1801, at the age of eighty- one.* John IjUmsden of Cushnie. — He was the second son of John Lumsden of Cushnie, and highly distinguished himself in the civil service of the East India Company. After filling various subor- dinate situations with great " credit and ability," he was called in 1805 to be a member of the supreme council, an office which he held for seven years " with eminent advantage to the public ser- vice." When he embarked for Europe in 1813, after having serv- ed the Company for nearly thirty-six years, he obtained from the Governor- General, in a letter to the Directors, an honourable tes- timony to the " unsullied purity of his character both in public and private life, his official knowledge equally useful and exten- sive, and the abihty with which he had discharged the functions of the different situations (even the highest and most arduous) in which he had been placed." In 1817, he became a candidate for * Spalding Club Miscellany, Vol. ii. pp. cxiv-cxxi. 353-380. 1120 ABERDEENSHIRE. the directorship, to which office he was chosen ; and on that oc- casion, the Marquis Wellesley addressed to him a letter, in which he expressed himself in the highest terms of his talents and cha- racter, and the important public services he had performed in In- dia. By the death of his elder brother, Mr Lumsden succeeded to the family estate, and having died in London in December 1818, in the fifty-eighth year of his age, his only son, the Rev. Henry Thomas Lumsden, became proprietor. Dr Matthew Lumsden. — This was perhaps the most eminent person of his name. He was the youngest brother of John Lums- den of Cushnie, last mentioned, and having received his education at King's College, Aberdeen, also sought his fortunes in India. He turned his attention to the oriental languages, and became assistant Professor of Persian and Arabic in the College of Fort- William. In 1805, the fruit of his studies appeared in an elabo- rate " Persian Grammar," and, in 1808, he succeeded Captain Baillie as Persian and Arabic Professor. In 1810, he published a new edition of his Persian Grammar; in 1812, he was ap- pointed secretary to the Madressa, and superintendent of the various translations of English works into Persian, then in pro- gress; in 1813, he published an Arabic Grammar, in two vols, folio ; in 1814, he received charge of the Company's press at Calcutta, which he retained for three years; and, in 1818, he added to all his other duties that of secretary to the Stationery committee. But his health failed under these multiplied labours, and a journey to his native country was deemed essential to his recovery. He travelled to England through Persia, Georgia, and Russia, and his health being improved, in 1821, he returned to India, and, in the early part of 1822, resumed the duties of his professorship in the College of Fort- William, and the super- intendence of the Calcutta Madressa. Having finally retired from public life, with the highest commendations from the Ma- dressa Committee and the Government of Bengal, he returned to England, and died at Tooting Common, Surrey, on the 31st of March 1835, in his fifty-eighth year. His own, and many other oriental works, in the publication of which he was concerned, were presented by himself to the Library of King's College, where he and all his family were educated, and from which, as a testimony of his high acquirements, he received his degree of LL. D. Other two of his brothers. Colonels David and James, served in the Indian army, the former of whom, then Captain, LEOCHEL AND CUSHNIE. 1121 presented to the Library of King's College, a very remarkable roll, nearly twenty feet long, beautifully written in Sanscrit, and containing an account of the Hindoo mythology, with grotesque paintings of their gods. This is generally shown to visitors of the college, as one of the curiosities ; as well as another memorial of the Cushnie family, a complete suit of mail, said to have been worn by their ancestor at the battle of Harlaw in 1411. Parochial Registers. — These records amount to eleven volumes, as follow: 1. Register of baptisms, marriages, and burials of Leo- chel, from the 22d December 1657, to July 27, 1709. 2. Re- gister of discipline, collections, and debursements of Leochel, from 23d November 1707, to 30th December 1739, 3. Register of baptisms of Leochel, from 4th June 1715, to 30th December 1768. 4. Register of discipline, collections, and debursements of Leochel, from 6th January 1740, to 25th June 1768. 5. Re- gister of baptisms of Leochel and united parish, from 3d Sep- tember 1768, to 28th December 1829 ; and also of marriages, from 12th July 1769, to 7 th July 1806. 6. Register of collec- tions and debursements of Leochel, from 6th July 1768, to 27th July 1801 ; and also of marriages and deaths of united parish, — the former from 1st August 1813, and the latter from 21st Ja- nuary 1823, to the present time. 7. Register of discipline of Leochel, and minutes of session of united parish, from 8th Sep- tember 1782, to 10th April 184L 8. Cash-book of united pa- rish, from 19th October 1798, to the present time. 9. Register of baptisms of united parish, from 15th January 1830, to present time. 10. Register of discipline, collections, distributions, and baptisms of Cushnie, from 25th April 1731, to 31st December 1769. 11. Register of discipline, collections, distributions, and baptisms of Cushnie, from 7th January 1770, to 27th July 1801. No register of marriages or deaths in the old parish of Cushnie is extant; and, except in a few cases, it is only since 1822, that the date of the births as well as of the baptisms has been entered. Antiquities — Cairns. — At one time these were numerous. Nine are specified in the former account of Leochel ; but in the pro- gress of cultivation and building, most of them have disappeared. A large one still remains, on the highest of several remarkable indentations, rising the one above the other, from the Mill of Brux towards the elevated ground of the farm of Corbanchory, and looking like the steps of a gigantic stair. Ancient Coins. — About sixteen years ago, a gold coin, of the ABERDEEN. 4 B 1122 ABERDEENSHIRE. Roman Emperor Constantius, was ploughed up in a hitherto un- cultivated piece of ground on Mains of Cushnie, which was sold in Aberdeen ; and, in 1839, there was found, near the manse, a silver piece of James VI. in fine preservation, struck after the union of the crowns. Plots' Houses. — Several of these subterraneous abodes are found on the farm of Cairncoullie. When first discovered, they contained a quantity of ashes, and fragments of half-burnt woodj clear indications of their having been once inhabited. They are about five feet high and eight feet wide, and roofed with large flat stones. Entrenchments on Hill of Corse. — Near the summit of this hill, there are two or three long trenches, with a considerable number of small tumuli beside them ; and on its south-eastern aspect, looking towards Milmad, in Lumphanan, there is a long earthen rampart with a ditch, facing a similar one, on the opposite brow of Milmad. Tradition connects these with the closing scenes of Macbeth's career, whose cairn, marking the spot where he fell, is still to be seen, about a mile north from the church of Lumphanan. Ancient Chapels. — It is stated in the " View of the Diocese of Aberdeen," that there was formerly a chapel at Lenturk. There is now no trace of the building; but there is a spot still known as the " chapel croft," a little way south-east from the site of the castle. A small bit of ground, on the farm of Corbanchory, still untouched by the plough, and called the " Chapel Yard," was no doubt attached to another place of worship. The ruins of a third, named " Terry Chapel," on the farm of Newton of Corse, are still distinguishable ; and the good taste and feeling of Sir John Forbes, the proprietor, have led him to enclose and plant the spot. Ancient Buildings. — The Castle of Lenturk, the most ancient of these, was probably built by the Strachans, if it did not exist before their date. In Monipennie''s Brief Description of Scotland, iippended to his Abridgement of the Chronicles, 1612, he enu- merates the castles of " Lenturk, Corsse, and Cragywar," among the strongholds of " Marre." In the Old Account, in 1792, the Castle of Lenturk is described as in ruins, and having a large deep broad fosse around it. The very ruins have now disappeared, and a farm-house occupies their site ; but still a considerable por- tion of the circular fosse is distinctly visible. Castle of Corse. — The date of this structure is pointed out by LEOCHEL AND CUSHNIE. 1123 the inscription on the lintel over the door; wf. 1581. es. The initials are those of William Forbes, father of the bishop, and of his wife, Elizabeth Strachan. It is traditionally reported, that his former dwelling having been plundered in his absence by some Highland freebooters, he vowed, " If God spare my life, I shall build a house, at which thieves will need to knock ere they enter." The castle has long been unroofed and ruinous, but a good part of the walls is still standing. Castle of Craigievar. — The Mortimers are said to have begun this building early in the seventeenth century; but the embar- rassed state of their affairs prevented them from completing it. William Forbes, who purchased the estate from them in 1610, carried it on, and finished it in 1626. It is still perfect, and af- fords one of the very finest specimens of the Flemish style of cas- tellated architecture. In 1826, Sir John Forbes, the present proprietor, expended L.600 in giving the castle a new roof of the best Memel timber ; and since that time, various internal im- provements have been made, all, however, in strict keeping with the original style, which render it a commodious residence for the family during the summer months. Mansion- Houses of Hall-head and Cushnie. — The former of these was built in 1688, and the latter in 1707 ; but having both been uninhabited for a considerable time, they are hastening to decay. Histot'ical Incidents. — On the 26th August 1580, John Gor- don of Blelack and others carried off James Mortimer, " apperand of Craigievar, and detained him captive and prisoner in the wood of Kilblene for ten days," for which they were afterwards brought to trial. About 1590, Gradoch, a reputed witch in Coldstane, " took in hand to haif destroyit the Laird of Craigievar, his son, and utheris," for which, and many other like crimes, she suffered death.* A few years after, in 1596-97, an active inquiry for witches was instituted all over this district. Commissioners at Aberdeen were appointed by his Majesty, for " tacking and ap- prehending of witches, sorceraris, consultaris, and traffiquaris with witches," who directed precepts " to all and sindrie ministeris of Godis word, elderis, and deaconis," charging them " to convein and tak up dittay" against all suspected persons in their parishes ; " the quhilk persones being delaittit as said is," these commis- sioners could " do na less for the advancement of Godis glory, • Pitcairn's Crim. Trials, Vol. i. pp. 94, 208, 1124 ABEUDEENSHIRE. and dounethraw of the kingdome of sathan, then to put tham to the knawledge of ane condigne assize."-f- In 1620, William Ga- rioche, son of James Garioche of Kinstair, and Thomas Anderson in Awfurd, were tried for " carrying John Bonar, in Tullichetlie, twa myles to the water of Lochell, and douking him dyverse tymes thairin, and compelling him to yield to the furnissing of 500 merks money."* In February 1636, seven of the followers of Gilderoy, who were " notorious limmers, and did great oppressions in the lands of Corse, Craigievar, and other parts, were taken in Athol, by persuasion and advice of the Laird of Craigievar and Corse, and hanged altogether at the Cross of Edinburgh, and their heads cut off, and set up in exemplary places," In July after, their leader, " and five other limmers," shared the same fate ; and on the 8th August 1638, in revenge of Gilderoy's death, a band of freebooters " came to the Laird of Corse his bounds, and spulzied the ground, and Mr Thomas Forbes, minister at Lochell's House, and oppressed the King's lieges grievously, taking their horse,- kine, and oxen, and causing the owners pay for their own gear." In April J 644, " the Laird of Craigievar takes to Craigievar, and transports his haill victuals of Fintray to the place there, to be kept from plundering." In 1745, Harry Lums- den of Cushnie, George Gordon of Hallhead, and Jonathan For- bes of Brux, all took the side of Prince Charles. In July 1746, the Duke of Cumberland granted a lease during pleasure of the lands of Essilmont and Hallhead, belonging to George Gordon, to James Chalmers, printer in Aberdeen ; and his house in Aberdeen was plundered by the Duke and General Hawley.:[: • Pitcairn, Vol. iii. pp. 489-90. t Spalding Club Miscellany, Vol. i. Trials for Witchcraft, pp. 83-193. J It may not be improper to add here the following notices of husbandry and manners. These are entirely derived from the records of the Barony Court of Crai- gievar, two volumes of which, extending from 1710 to 1766, are preserved at Fin- tray House. From 1710 to 1714, the price of a boll of meal was ten merks Scots : of a boll of bear, Ii.8 ; of a boll of corn and straw, seven merks ; of an ox, L. 18 ; and of a horse, twenty-six merks ; the harvest fee of a woman, L.4 ; and of a man, eight to ten merks. In 1711, the officer was ordered to search out all the men and women capable of service, who are idle, that they may be obliged to enter to service immediately ; and to summon all in actual service who are taking extravagant fees, that they and their masters may be punished. The same year, the heritor com- plaining that the tenants were wasting their lands, in not " gooding" them once in the three years, it was ordained that none should let the third year pass " ungooding the third of their barlands yearly ;" or if any " pretend that their land would bear four crops of bear and oats without gooding, then they shall pay at their outgoing whatever their lands are made worse, or else continue their tacks and pay their duties, aye and while their respective lands should recover the said loss. In 1723, another complaint was made against certain tenants for taking six crops of their out- field land, and they were henceforth restricted to five. None but millers were al- low ed to keep swine, and all were free to kill them if found in their corn o grass; 3 Total. Corse, 1286 734 267 668 _ , 671 _ 766 __ 1077 270 1084 282 LEOCHEL AND CUSHNIE. 1125 III. — Population. Leochel. Cushnie. The population in 1 755, was 786 500 1791, 304 430 1801, 1811, 1821, 1831, 1841, The yearly average of births for the last 7 years is 29 of those illegitimate, . 3 of deaths, . . 17 of marriages, . 5 The family of Sir John Forbes Bart., have occasionally resided for some months in summer, at Craigievar Castle during the last few years ; and for the last two seasons William M'Combie, Esq. of Lenturk has resided there for the summer half-year. The other heritors are non-resident. Agriculture. — IV. — Industry. Arable land, - - 5455 acres imperial.' Green pasture, - 963 Moor, - - 3790 Wood, - - 1000 Total extent 11208 Wood. — With the exception of a small extent, near the Castle of and the millers to have them upon chain as soon as the corns begin to fill. In 1726, all the crofters in Corse were limited to a stack each, 8 feet broad, 12 long, and 5 high, under a penalty of L.4 ; the kindling of fire in any moss was forbidden, under L. 20 ; and four tenants were fined L. 10 each for labouring moss-ground never laboured before. To the following offences, the following punishments were awarded : Louping and breaking down park dikes, a fine of 40s. toties quoties ; applying to any other judicatory than the laird's court, " where they will get reason," L.20 ; breaking and destroying young trees in the churchyard of Lochell, one merk for each tree ; letting cattle into mosses and breaking peats, 40s. ; beating, bruising, blooding and wounding, L. 50 ; making a ply betwixt families, L. 50 to the laird, L.5 of assythment to the party injured, and the party offending bound to keep the peace in L.lOO; giving opprobrious language, L.IO, and to satisfy the party offended, or be put in the stocks ; putting fire to a ueighbour's door, and calling his wife and mother witches, L.lOO; a man for blooding and wounding, and preventing all peace where he lives, is ordained to flit, red, and remove himself, his haill goods and gear, wife, children, and all that belongs to him, out of the lands of Craigievar and Corse within seven days ; another for abusing the minister, and cal- ling him a liar, and saying in the church-yard that he would prove him a liar, is put in the stocks during the baillie's pleasure ; two neighbours, betwixt whom there are strifes, which cannot be accommodated, are obliged to cast lots, and the one on whom the lot falls to flitt at the next Whitsunday 1725 ; the same year, a man for offering a charged gun to shoot the officer, when warning him to do his master's lawful or. ders, is amerciate in L.5 Sterling for keeping and wearing a gun contrary to act of Parliament, and L.4 Scots for his contumacy and disobedience; and, in 1736, a man for " dading" another man's wife to the ground, blooding her at the nose, and taking up her clothes and belting her, is fined L.50, and L.4 to the husband and wife for the indignity. By far the most common of these offences is that of beating, blooding, and wounding. The two stations where the court met were the Hall of Craigievar, and Briggs of Leochel. The officials were the baillie, clerk, procurator- fiscal, officer, and dempster. 1126 ABERDEENSHIRE. Craigievar, now almost exhausted, the wood is of recent plantation, the greater part, indeed, within the last twenty years. It consists mostly of larch and Scots fir. The larches in many places are failing, but the firs are vigorous. Rent of Land. — The average rent may be stated at 15s. per acre imperial. This would give a real rental ©f about L.4000, which is believed to be very near the truth. The period of lease is now uniformly nineteen years. Husbandry^ 8fc. — What is called the seven-shift rotation is gene- rally in use, but the six-shift is now recommended by some compe- tent authorities, and partially adopted. The soil and climate are well adapted for grass and turnips, but not so favourable for grain, especially in late seasons. Very few sheep are now kept, and the Aberdeenshire horned or polled breed of black cattle is that ge- nerally reared. Farm-Steadings, Sfc, — These have been very much improved of late years. There are four meal-mills in the parish, and one carding and spinning-mill, where woollen fabrics for blankets, plaids, &c. are manufactured to a small extent. There are now 45 thrashing- mills in the parish ; nineteen driven by water, and twenty-six by horses. The ploughs are all drawn by two horses or two oxen ; and of the former there are 104 ; of the latter, 18. Recent Improvements. — It may be safely asserted that no parish in Aberdeenshire has of late made more rapid advances in every branch of agricultural improvement. It is equally certain, that Sir John Forbes, Bart, of Craigievar, who, on the death of his brother Sir Arthur in 1823, succeeded to the family honours and estates, has been the mainspring of the improvements effected. Sir John is truly a model of a country gentleman. The Rev. Mr Lumsden of Cushnie has, for several years, paid us an annual visit, and shown himself anxious to encourage his tenants in improving their farms. William M'Combie, Esq. of Lenturk, has lately got the mains or home-farm into his own possession, and, by beginning to plant and furrow-drain, has already given a sample of those exten- sive and tasteful improvements by which he has so much embel- lished his beautiful seat of Easter Skene. About 700 acres of bar- ren ground have been reclaimed within the last thirty years. Produce. — The yearly produce may be briefly stated in round numbers at 8000 quarters of grain at L.I, .... L.8000 And 500 black-cattle at L.8, , . . 4000 Carry over, Total, L. 12000 LEOCHEL AND CUSHNIE. 1127 Brought over, L.1'2000 Rent, . 4000 Balance to pay expense of cultivation, and afford a return for capital invested, .... L.8000 Manufactures. — At the carding-mill already mentioned, plaids, blankets, &c. are manufactured to a small extent ; and a conside- rable number of women, chiefly of the aged and poorer class, em- ploy themselves in knitting stockings from worsted, furnished to them by the Messrs Hadden in Aberdeen, and thereby earn an- nually from L.70 to L.100. V. — Parochial Economy. Market-Town. — Aberdeen, the county town, though not quite so near as Kintore and Inverury, is the market, to which almost all the produce is carried ; and the carts generally return laden with lime or coals. The distance is twenty-eight miles from the centre of the parish. There is a pretty good commutation road of about six miles, which joins the Alford turnpike at Whiteley, in the parish of Tough. The Government road from Donside to Dee- side, the best road in the district, intersects the lower part of the parish, running along the western bank of the Leochel for about three miles ; and the Tarland turnpike passes for about two miles through the southern border of the lands of Corse. The bridges on these and the other roads in the parish are generally in good repair, with the exception of that over the Leochel at Scuttrie, on the Whiteley road, which was carried away by the flood of 1839. The nearest post-offices are Alford on the north-east, and Tarland on the south-west, each six miles distant from the centre of the parish. Ecclesiastical History. — The old church of Leochel was dedi- cated to St Marnan, that of Cushnie to St Bride. Marnoch fair, at the kirk-town of Leochel, was long held on the first Tues- day of March, and the small farm adjacent to the old church of Cushnie is still named Bride's Well. The sites of both the old churches were, according to tradition, supernaturally pointed out. Portions of the walls of the old churches are still standing ; no date is visible at Leochel, but at Cushnie the date 1 637 is to be seen, and on a broken stone, 14 — , indicating an erection in the fifteenth century. For some time after the Reformation, there were only readers at Leochel and Cushnie as spiritual instructors of the people. In 1576, the reader of Leochel had a stipend of L. 16, with the kirk land, and in 1593, Mr Gilbert Brown was reader there. In 1567, Mr James Patersoun was reader of Cush- 1128 ABERDEENSHIRE. nie, with a salary of L. 20. In 1618, the parishes of Leochel and Cushnie were united by a decreet of the Lords of Plat, and the tacksmen of the teinds were ordained to build a centrical church at Culmellie, and provide a manse and glebe, on the condition that, if this was not done within three years, the union should not take effect. Accordingly, the condition was not fulfilled, and by the exertions of Bishop Patrick Forbes, about 1621, the union was dissolved, and the churches separately planted with ministers. It is highly probable that the annexation of the lands of Corse quoad sacra to Leochel took place at this time. In 1793, a process of annexation of the parishes of Leochel and Cushnie was raised by the heritors. The people of Leochel seem to have been passive, but those of Cushnie, with their minister, and a party in the presbytery, strenuously opposed the measure. But, notwithstanding this opposition, decreet of annexation was passed by the Court of Teinds on the 28th January 1795, and two years after the centrical church was built. Ministers of Leochel since the Reformation. — L Mr Thomas Forbes, 1638-47. 2. Mr George Watson, 1651-81. 3. Mr John Paton, in 1682, transported. 4. Mr Alexander Seatoun,'* collated 5th April 1683, died 6th April 1707. 5. Mr George Middleton, ordained 2d March 1708, transported to Keig, and admitted there 27th June 1717. 6. Mr Thomas Reid, ordained 24th April 1718, died 3d January 1767. 7. Mr George Forbes, admitted 6th July 1768, died 30th August 1799. Ministers of Cushnie. — 1. Mr James Leisk, in 1614. 2. Mr James Pontie, in 1628. 3. Mr Alexander Garioch, in 1631. 4. Mr William Glass, 1651-60. 5. Mr Patrick Copland, in 1674,'died 1710. 6. Mr Patrick Gordon, ordained 31st January 1711, transported to Lumphanan, and admitted there 27th June 1717. 7. Mr WiUiam Bidie, ordained 26th August 1720, died 2d February 1730. 8. Mr Alexander Orem,f ordained 28th * Mr Seatoun and his contemporary, Mr Copland at Cushnie, were both of Epis- copal principles. f Mr Orem was settled in opposition to the wishes of the great majority of the people, who carried the case to the Assembly ; but as they themselves candidly ac- Icnowledge, in their answers to the reasons of transportation, this was entirely "ow- ing to the groundless stories and false reports which they had heard concerning him," he was " but a short time settled among them when they were perfectly reconciled to him ;" and they declare, that the people of Forbes and Kearn " neither are nor can be more harmonious and united in seeking him from tliem, than they all and every one of them are to have him who is so universally acceptable to all concerned, heritors, elders, and people, continued fixed pastor amongst them." Mr Orem and his immediate predecessor, Mr Bidie, are still remembered in Cushnie as two of the " best ministers" whom the parish ever enjoyed. LEOCHEL AND CUSHNIE. 1129 April 1731, transported to Forbes and Kearn, and admitted there 22d May 1745. 9. Mr Francis Adam, ordained 9th July 1746, died 30th March 1795. Ministers of United Parish. — 1. Mr George Forbes succeeded to the whole charge on the death of Mr Adam in 1795. 2. Mr James Kelly, admitted 7th May 1800, died 12th December 1804. 3. Mr George Anderson, ordained 21st August 1805, died 23d December 1820. 4. Mr William Malcolm, admitted 8th August 1821, died 24th August 1838. 5. The present incumbent was ordained and admitted 3d January 1839. Present Ecclesiastical State. — The present church and manse were built in 1797-98, in a new and centrical situation for the united parish. They do not seem to have been very substantially executed, and are now in a state of very considerable disrepair. The church was built to hold 500, but, notwithstanding some temporary expedients to obtain additional sittings, is too small for the congregation. The glebe, obtained in excambion for the two old glebes, including the site of the manse and offices, consists of 19 acres, 33 falls Scotch, and may be worth L.18 a-year. The stipend, by decreet of locality in 1829, which exhausts the teinds, is L. 140, 7s. 3|d., 79 bolls, 1 firlot, 1 peck, and 2 lippies oat- meal at 8 stones ; and 2 bolls, 3 firlots, and ^ lippy bear, Aber- deenshire measure ; with L.4, 16s. 2d., consisting of a payment of 50 merks, and the conversion of certain services paid by immemo- rial usage by the proprietors and tenants of Corse. The average amount of the whole in money, at the fiars prices, for the years 1839-41, is L.209, T7s. b^d. .The Bishop of Dunblane presented Mr Alexander Seaton to Leochel in 1683. Sir William Forbes presented Mr Thomas Reid in 1717; and since that time the Craigievar family have exercised the patronage of Leochel. In 1727, the Earl of Rothes was patron of Cushnie, and presented Mr Francis Adam in 1745. In 1762, the patronage of Cushnie was acquired by John Lumsden of Cushnie, and has continued in his family since. Sir John Forbes, Bart., and the Rev. Henry Tho- mas Lumsden, as patrons of the respective old parishes, are alter- nate patrons of the united parish. Nearly at the eastern border of the parish there is a chapel, in connection with the United Associate Synod. The emoluments of the clergyman are L.60, a house, and five acres of land, paid by the hearers. Six or seven families in the parish attend this 1130 ABERDEENSHIRE. chapel ; and there are besides, 3 Independents and 1 Baptists No other Dissenters are known. The number of families worshipping at the parish church is 244, and Divine service is remarkably well attended. The num- ber of communicants for some years has been about 700. Col- lections are annually made for the Aberdeen Infirmary, Pauper Lunatic Fund of the Presbytery of Alford, and the General As- sembly's schemes, to the amount of L.12 to L.14. Education. — The parish is well supplied with the means of edu- cation. There are five schools, two parochial, one in connection with the General Assembly's Education scheme, and two endow- ed. Each of the parochial teachers has the minimum salary, and legal accommodations of house and garden, with an allowance from the Dick bequest of about L. 30, and the fees may average from L. 12 to L. 15. The school situated near the old manse of Leochel, with a comfortable school-house, was built by Sir Charles Forbes, Bart, of New and Edinglassie, who, for several years, al- lowed to the teacher a salary of L. 20. The salary was withdrawn in 1837, but the late Charles and Peter Ritchie, in Wester Leochel, have since bequeathed L. 300, the interest of which is to be given to the teacher of this school, and another benevolent person con- templates a bequest of L. 200 for the same purpose. Sir John Forbes allows him a garden, and the fees may average from L. 10 to L. 12. Another school is situated in the eastern district of the parish, and was endowed by the late Peter M'Combie, Esq. of Lenturk. The emoluments of the teacher are, a commodious house, garden, half-an acre of land, and a salary of L. 20. The fees may yield from L. 10 to L. 12 annually. Libraries. — There are two small parochial libraries, one be- longing to each of the old parishes, and consisting chiefly of reli- gious works. Poor.— 'The following table shows the state of the poor for six years Years. 1836, 1837, 1838, 1839, 1840, 1841, Benefactions. — About 1 730, Charles Gordon of Hallhead mor- tified 1000 merks Scots for the poor of Cushnie. In 1735, Dame Margaret Rose, Lady Dowager of Craigievar, mortified lOOQ No. of Church col- Interest, do- Allowance to Do. to occa- Poor. lections. nations, &c. poor on roll. sional poor. 32 I,.24 3 114 L.30 7 Hi L.66 7 44 L.l 8 6 30 26 11 7s 44 7 53 9 5 10 2 10 25 24 13 12 41 15 6 55 14 34 3 4 1 23 27 9 34 15 6 61 4 6 3 5 6 21 29 3 11^ 27 6 55 7 9| 1 18 17 30 10 3* 25 2 52 1 6 1 5 LEOCHEL AND CUSHNIE. 1131 merks for " depauperated tenants and their widows" on her son's lands of Craigievar and Corse; and since her death in 1742, four bolls of meal have been distributed annually as the interest of this bequest. In 1761, John M'William, in Briggs of Leochel, mor- tified 500 merks for the poor of Leochel. In 1812, Sir Charles Forbes, Bart, gave L.lOO to the poor of the united parish, and, since 1816, has continued an annual donation of L.IO, amounting in whole to L.270. In 1827, Miss Anna Forbes, sister of Sir Charles, left L.lOO to the poor of Leochel and Corse. In 1833, Peter M'Combie, Esq. of Lenturk, left L.lOO to the poor of the united parish. In 1841, Major Mitchell, whose first wife was another sister of Sir Charles Forbes, left L.200 to the poor of Leochel, payable after the death of his second wife : and, in 1842, Peter Ritchie, in Wester Leochel, left L.lOO, the interest of which is to be applied to purchase meal for the poor on the lands of Craigievar and Corse. In addition, there have been received from the fund of Mr Burnett of Dens, in 1809, L.25 ; in 1824, L.20; in 1834, L.24; and, in 1842, L.39, making a total of L.108. It is also proper to state, that much charity is given in private. Fairs, — Five of these are annually held in the parish, in the months of April, May, July, August, and September, at a con- venient station on a moor near Scuttrie, on the Craigievar estate. They are well frequented, and a considerable amount of business is done in cattle, harses, sheep, and wool. Inns. — There is but one regular inn in the parish, excluding Corse, where there are other two. Fuel, — The mosses in the parish are nearly exhausted ; and peat and turf are procured at a great expense of time and labour; the latter chiefly from the Red-hill of Lumphanan and the Glen of Cushnie, both distant, and of difficult access. In consequence coals from Aberdeen are more and more used. They cost«from 8s. to 10s. per boll, including the price of carriage. In preparing this account, the writer was much indebted to the unrestricted access which he had to the extensive and valuable series of charters and documents in possession of Sir John Forbes at Fintray House ; to a short accountof Leochel and Cushnie, privately printed by Joseph Robertson, Esq., author of the " Book of Bon- Accord ;" and to communications, both written and oral, from William M'Combie, Esq. of Lenturk ; iVlessrs Lumsden, Advocates in Aberdeen, factors on the Cushnie property ; Mr George Strachan, factor to Sir John Forbes ; Mr William M'Combie at Tillyfour House ; Mr Andrew Ross Tarland, factor on the Hallhead estate ; and Mr John Gray in Ley of Cushnie. March 1843. COUNTY OF ABERDEEN. This County is situate betwixt 56° 52' and 57° 42' north la- titude, and betwixt 1° 49' and 3° 48' west longitude from Green- wich. On the north and east, it is bounded by the German Ocean ; on the west, by the counties of Inverness, Moray, and Banff; and on the south, by those of Kincardine, Perth, and Forfar. It is computed to contain about 1980 square miles, or 1,270,700 acres, of which about one-third is under cultivation. It is divided into the five districts of Marr, Formartin, Buchan, Garioch, and Strathbogie. The principal rivers are the Dee, the Don, the Doveran, the Ythan, Ugie, and Bogie. The valued rent of the county is L,235,665, 8s. 1 Id., and the annual value of real property, as assessed in 1815, L.325,218 Sterling. Population in 1841, 192,283; inhabited houses, 32,193; families, 42,422. Parliamentary constituency in 1842, 3542. Table showing the number of persons committed for trial, or bailed for different offences, in the county of Aberdeen, during the year 1841 : — Offences against the person, . . 26 property, committed with violence, 8 without violence, 52 the currency, . . 4 Other offences, . . , , 2 92 ABERDEENSHIRE. 1133 O O O OOOOOO O O O O O O 05 173 Q »c : 00 _ , . _ . o 05 IX) o 00 «:) lo i> ■* o oo O' ooo ■* oooo oooo oooooooo oooooooo O -"tOOCOOOOO o o rf< cooo oo cDO o :o (N Tti 05 lO CD QD Oi X t> rt! 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CL lid Q D m 3 s 1= 6 E > -o ^ a; "■ &£ _ o H m c ,o i o o o oo _oooooo :ooooo in : CO CO .-^-^co I--! :Tf— ii>.cococNi>. ■.'— :coo5 isoco'O : X o Amount of Parochial Ministers' sti- pend. w. .O0w.!-..m.«mo; o5 'io'"oc^rt-roo'''|cN 'g-r''9'i t£j J ..'rfcdo 2 .- .t-:d'.> ■gt^^COCCO-ScO "coCi-CsO'g-gcOtNXt^'gt^OiO'O'O 22J SJ2J2JS2J S:J •oQ oa sjEnpiAiptij io»n (M oco:co:ir5:oco:ao:::::'0 :oc^ : : :— coco .^o .c5:co— - "^ — . (M . . . CO — H •doosidg ao -paaag •sin '"IBJ O (N O I> t^ Oi 00 o : : •*:;•: -<:.•:;•:: : : • : i> . • .... X .... OJ •OQ -OQ s[BnptAipur :S : :S§^S -S :SSg : : : : : J : : : : : .CO . . rS lO CD 00 -00 . O — i — CC OiSuiSuopq S3I]IUlB,y 1000 276 176 283 367 '1^81 ur uouBindoj COC'O»0C00DQ0O'OO'— 'C^^I>"^OI>t^-^C0 — OCO l>^H— ' — < — H — — '(N — — (N •—' — .—"(NClfN Parishes. - „ ^ SB.. ABERDEENSHIRE. 1135 o © o o ©05 Sj J^J ^i= £ j3 S O o O oooooo©©© ©OOOOTOCJO'-i « g = 53 © © © O O O «o >o — © © © © :©©©■* one 50 "* © © © © ; © ©O © O O OO :ooo o O OO OO OOOOO O OOO OO o ooooooo ; o o ■* o o o o •* ■* o CO so o o o o o o o o o •<* o iO'^'0»OCiO'~^'^'*OiO»00«liO'0 lO lOi— lOOO-^iO cocoo^|^^(^^coc^^oeoco<^^(MeoG^<^^(^^ ci (MsO'-^r-,) GO CO . d t-T d -*■ "i !S o' 5 do j3 ^ -2 ^ J :i; wj > > — "OOO — UD ■^ « J ItSf ai uoT^Btndoj o t^ C^ CO CO !>• Oi '-^QD CO C5 -^ CO CO CO QD CO eo ot-* — t>.t>.i— lOO-^CN-* CO —< O Ci CO O — (M l> CO o ~ ^- >— < ^-< g^ tN ""^ ■ O « ■JBj ut spoqog o o CO o © o o o o o o o — OJ © o o o o a> o o _© © © © >o © © ■ 00 © CO-* t^ ©o © © © :c3 ©'^ ©© ;■<* © CO .J fe © © © : © ! © ; o © © © : © © © © © • © © ©©©©©© 00 © © © ©-* © tg © © © © l> CO "* CO © -"^i © © © ©•* © ©O (N J ; _^ T}< I— I lo "O (M CO (M : CO Amount of Parochial Ministers' sti- pend. §§©^^|5§2§^coS§'|j2?S «- ■* CJ CO cc(M^Ti'coco'Oioco'*cocoo ;oi>r>coco-^oco05'0 1674, at the request of Bishop Scougall. The salary is the small- est in the college. It is chiefly made up of royal grants, with the balances of the college accounts. In 1836, it amounted to about L.195, and the class-fees in that year to about L.45. No house is attached to this chair. 1148 ABERDEENSHIRE. The present Professor is Mr James Bentley, A. M. The students are divided into students of arts and students of divinity. Most of the latter have previously obtained the degree of A. M., or, if not, have attended the necessary courses, and may obtain the degree when they require it. The curriculum of study for the degree of A. M. occupies four winter sessions, each of five months' duration, viz. from the first Monday of November to the last Friday of March. The students of the first year constitute the first class, or Ba- jans. They attend Greek about three hours a-day, and Latin one hour or one hour and a-half. In the second year, they form the second or senior-class. In this they attend mathematics, the second or advanced Greek and Latin, and chemistry. The latter class, however, may be attended during any year but the first. In the third year, the students form the third or tertian class, in which they attend Natural Philosophy, the second Greek and Latin, and Chemistry, if they choose to take that class in this year. In the fourth year, the students constitute the Magistrand or fourth class, attending Moral Philosophy and Logic, the second Greek and Latin ; and, if not previously attended, the Chemistry. The second or advanced mathematical class may be attended either in the third or fourth year. The Professor of Moral Philosophy graduates his class, that is, such of them as desire the degree of A. M., at the close of each session. The number of students in Arts in the first class varies from 50 to 80 ; in the second, from 4-0 to 70 ; in the third, from 35 to 50 ; and in the fourth, from 35 to 45. This progressive diminution arises from the circumstance, that many leave the university to enter on professions before completing the course. The number of students attending the chemistry varies from 40 to 70, includ- ing a certain number of medical students, and of others who at- tend this class alone. In all of these classes frequent examinations are held, in most of them daily ; exercises are prescribed, and regular attendance is strictly enforced by calling the roll daily and fining absentees. At the end of each session, examinations on printed questions are held, the average duration of which, in each class, is about four UNIVERSITY AND KING S COLLEGE. 1149 hours. To the four or five best answers in each class, prizes are awarded, and these are pubhcly dehvered by the Principal to the successful students on the last day of the session. On Monday mornings, during the session, the whole students and professors meet in the public school ; when the Sub-principal enforces the discipline of the college, by levying the fines for ab- sence from prayers or misconduct, and reprimands such delinquents as may seem to him to require reproof. The students meet in the public school every morning under one of the regents, who, with the humanist, take this duty, styled that of Hebdomader, by turns, weekly. The roll is called and absentees marked, and the fines, as above stated, are levied on the Monday mornings. The fines for absence from the classes are inflicted and levied by the profes- sors, each in his own class. All students, except those of divinity and medicine (who have already completed the curriculum of Arts) wear a scarlet gown and a uniform cap, the latter lately adopted by order of the Senatus. Students of Arts are hence called gown students. Bursars, or those students who enjoy bursaries or scholarships, formerly wore a black gown, and were made to perform menial ser- vices about the college. But for a long time past there has been no distinction in dress or duties between them and other students, with this exception, that the bursars in each class act by turns as censor, calling the roll and marking absentees, &c. The fees paid by students in the four chief^classes are L. 3,'3s. but the holders of the smaller bursaries pay much less, and these form generally about a-fourth of "each class. The fee in the Latin class, and in that of oriental languages, is only L.l, Is., and in the chemistry, L.l, lis. 6d. ; the holders of the smaller bur- saries, as before, paying much less. At the commencement of the session, all bursars who had at- tended during the preceding session are examined on printed questions, and if found deficient, the payment of the bursaries is suspended till the student shall prove, by his examination at the end of the session, that he has made the desired progress. No session passes without several bursaries being suspended in this manner. Those presented to bursaries by lay patrons are also examined at the beginning of the session in which they produce their pre- sentations, and are only admitted if found habile, that is, properly 1150 ABERDEENSHIRE. qualified. The rejection of unqualified presentees is by no means unfrequent. When once admitted, they are examined, with the other bursars, at the beginning of each Session. All the bursaries in the gift of the Senatus are conferred after public competition, held a week before the commencement of the session. Of these there are now about twenty-four annually va- cant. The Sub-principal collects the exercises, removes the names, substituting numbers, and then submits them to the judgment of the other masters. The best exercises obtain the bursaries which are vacant; the order of merit in the exercises regulating that of the amount of the bursaries. The entire number of bursaries attached to King's College now amounts to upwards of 140. Their amount is very various. A few are under L.4 ; a few more L.5 ; the majority range from L.IO or L.12 to L.20 or L.25 ; and, within the last three years, the late Dr Simpson bequeathed to the university funds sufficient to provide six Bursaries of L.30 each, four of which are already in operation. There is one bursary of L.40 and one of L.50. Each bursary is enjoyed for four years, and if a vacancy occur during this period by death or resignation, the vacancy is not filled up till the four years have expired, and the vacant revenue is in the interim added to the proper fund of the bursary in question. The following is a list of the foundations and bursaries attached to King's College, with the names of founders and patrons. 1. Foundiid Bursaries. — These belong to the original founda- tion by Bishop Elphinston. Their number was originally thirteen, but, from some cause or other now unknown, was long ago re- duced to twelve. Three are presented annually, and decided by competition. Patrons, the Senatus. The value originally was L.40 Scots each, or L,3, 6s. 8d. Sterling ; but for the last seventy years, the Senatus has raised it to L.5, at which sum these bur- saries now remain. "2. WaWs Bursary. — Mr James Watt, Minister of Snaith, mor- tified, in 1625, a rigg or croft of land. for the support of a bursar in theology of the name of Watt, Barclay, or Chalmers, failing whom, of one born in the city or chanonry of Old Aberdeen. Its value was for a long period L,5 ; but the property having much improved in value, the Senatus, in 1819, established on this fund two bursaries of L.20 each. Patrons, the Senatus. 3. Leys Bursaries. — In 1648, Sir Thomas Burnett of Leys UNIVERSITY AND KING S COLLEGE. 1151 disponed to the college four crofts of land, for the support of three bursars on the same footing as the founded bursars ; the patronage to remain with Sir Thomas and his heirs, and the Se- natus to present in the event of the patron failing to do so. The college accepted these conditions, and have strictly fulfilled them, increasing these bursaries from L.3, 6s. 8d. to L.5, along with their own founded bursaries. They also released Sir Thomas from arrears of feu-duties due to the College as superiors of the crofts. For a very long period, this transaction was a source of loss to the College, the revenue of the crofts being quite inade- quate to the payment of the three bursaries. But at length the crofts were feued for building, and thus produced a large revenue,- amounting now to upwards of L.300. It seems but just that the college, which has always, even at a loss, fulfilled the original contract, should now benefit by the improvement in value of the property which they took with the risk, which was actually for a long time fulfilled, of deterioration. But the present Sir T. Bur- nett has brought an action to compel the college to divide the whole produce of the lands among the bursars, apparently con- sidering this contract as an ordinary mortification, from which, however, it differs in every particular. The college maintains, that, having received the property in fee, on condition of main- taining three bursars on the same footing as the founded bursars, having always done this, and having incurred great loss in fulfil- ling the contract, it is now entitled to the benefit of the improve- ment. The question is now in a court of law, for which reason we have given the above details, as the question has been very generally misunderstood by the public. 4. Redhyth Bursaries. — In 1678, Walter Ogilvie of Redhyth mortified his estate for the board and education of twenty poor boys, twelve at the school of Fordyce, and eight at King's College. At present, the number supported at the school of Fordyce is thirteen, and at King's College, thirteen. The former receive each L.l, 16s. 8d. in money, and 8|- bolls of meal The College bur- sars formerly received L.9 each, then L.ll, and at present, L.l 6, 10s. each, their number being also increased from eight to seven- teen. Patron, Earl of Seafield. 5. Melville Bursaries. — Three in number, founded by Mr G, Melville in 1679, of the value of L.-S, 6s. 8d. each. They have been increased to L.3, 16s. 8d. Patrons, the Senatus. 1152 ABERDEENSHIRE. 6. Parkas Bursaries. — Founded in 1691, for two bursars, at. L.2, 15s. 6d. each, by James Park of Cranock. They have been increased to L.3, 18s. lOd. Patrons, the Senatus. 7. Adam's Bursaries. — Founded in 1691, by Dr Alexander Adam, for three bursars, at L.3, 6s. 8d. This was increased, before 1755, to L.5 ; and now, instead of three, there are thirteen bursars on this fund, four at L.20 each, and nine at L.15, 10s. each. Patrons, the Senatus. 8. Fuller ton's Bursaries. — Founded in 1692, by Mr James Fullerton, for maintaining as many bursars as the revenue of the original sum, L.850, would support. There were, in 1704, ten at L.3, 6s. 8d. These are now twenty-six; six at L.14, 10s., eight at L.14, and twelve at L.12 each. Patrons, the Senatus. 9. Watson's Bursaries. — Founded in 1699, by the Rev. William Watson, for two bursars at L.2, 15s. 6d., since increased to L.3, 18s. lOd. In this and several other cases, the mortification con- sisting of a fixed annual payment, it has not been in the power of the Senatus to improve the fund in the same proportion as where they were enabled, as trustees, to invest a capital sum in land or otherwise. The Senatus are Patrons. 10. Lady Braco's Bursary. — In 1706, Lady Braco mortified the interest of L. 1000 Scots (L.83, 6s. 8d. Sterling,) for the sup- port of one bursar. He receives at present L.12. Patron, Earl of Fife. 11. Glenfarquhar Bursaries.— Founded in 1716, by Sir Alex- ander Falconer of Glenfarquhar, who mortified the annual sum of L.320 Scots, about L.26 Sterling for the support of four bur- sars. The value of these four bursaries, for the reason mentioned above, has never changed, being still L.80 Scots, or L.6, 13s. 4d. Sterling each. Sir Alexander Ramsay of Balmain presents to two, and the Earl of Kintore to the other two. 12. Ogilvy's Bursary. — Founded in 1723, by Mr David Ogilvy for one bursar. L.200 were mortified, and for some time the in- terest of this sum amounted to L.IO, but latterly has been reduced to L.9. 13. Greig's Bursary. — Founded in 1724, by Mr James Greig, who mortified 1500 merks Scots, to be invested by advice of Mr Robertson of Foveran and his heirs, and the interest applied to support one bursar. This fund has not been invested as the other funds over which the College has full power have been. For this reason, although its value at first was L.4, 3s. 4d. annually, it was UNIVERSITY AND KINg's COLLEGE. 1153 reduced, in 1762, to the free produce of the mortification, viz. L.3, 18s. 4d. at which it has since remained. Patron, Mr Ro^ bertson of Foveran. 14. Mackintosh's Bursary, — In 1728, the Laird of Mackintosh and his lady mortified the interest of 2000 merks Scots for one bursar of the name of Mackintosh, or of some other tribe of Clan Chattan. Patron, the Laird of Mackintosh. Present value of bursary, L.5, lis. lOd. 15. Dr Eraser's Bursaries. — In 1730, Dr James Eraser, one of the greatest benefactors to the College, founded two bursaries, one in theology, the holder to be librarian after he graduates for four years, with L.6 annually ; the other a bursar in philosophy, with L.5 annually. There are now on this fund two bursars in philosophy at L.15, and two in theology at L.l 1, with L.30 addi- tional if one of them act as librarian. If not, the L.30 go to provide a substitute librarian. The bursars to be of the name of Eraser^ and the magistrates and ministers of Inverness are patrons. 16. Moir's Bursaries. — In 1769, Dr Alexander Moir of Sante Croix bequeathed L.600 for the support of four poor students, each of whom at first had L.5. This sum having been with many others (also mortified for bursaries) judiciously invested by the Senatus in land, there are now on this fund thirteen bursars in all, four at L.l 7, and nine at L.15. Patrons, the Senatus. 17. Coil's Bursary Founded in 1791, by Maclean of Coll, who mortified L.200 for the support of one bursar, presented by him or his heirs, of the name of.Maclean. In the event of a va- cancy, the interest to be added to the capital. At first, the value of the bursary was L.9. It is now L.l 4. 18. Dr Murray's Bursary, — In 179.S, Dr Alexander Murray of Philadelphia, bequeathed to the College the residue of his es- tate, to found a lectureship in the College Chapel on Sundays ; the lecturer to receive three-fourths of the revenue, and one-fourth to be given to a bursar of the name of Murray, to assist in edu- cating him for any secular profession. The present revenue is about L.200, of which one-fourth or L.50 forms the secular Mur- ray Bursary, held for three years only. Of the remaining L.150, L.120 are divided between two licentiates of the church, who per- form divine service on Sundays during the session in the College Chapel, both forenoon and afternoon. They are elected annually by the Principal and Regents. The balance is employed in the expenses incidental to the performance of divine service in the ABERDEEN. 4 D 1154 ABERDEENSHIRE. chapel, which had long been discontinued, and in keeping the chapel in repair, also in paying a small salary to a precentor. The College is deeply indebted to Dr Murray for this very va- luable foundation, which has restored Divine Service to the Uni- versity, and is of the utmost advantage in every point of view. 19. Mrs Udny Duff's Bursaines. — Founded in 1794, for two bursars, who receive L.7, 14s. each. Patron, Earl of Fife. 20. Grant's Bursary. — Founded in 1795 by the Rev. James Grant, for one bursar of the name of Grant or Fraser. Value originally L.8, 5s. ; at present, L.9, Is. 6d. 21. Hutton' s Bursaries. — Founded in 1801 by MrGeorge Hutton of Woolwich, who left a large amount of property, both landed and personal, for the support of forty-eight bursars. The act of mortmain defeated his intentions as to his real property, and the College at last only received the residue of the personal estate, amounting to about L.5000, 3 per cent, red, ann., and yielding a revenue of about L.153. On this fund there are now four bur- sars at L. 18, and four at L. 16; and L. 15 are annually given by competition under the name of the Huttonian prize. In the amount of the bursaries and the arrangement of the prize, the College has adhered as closely as possible to the intentions of Dr Hutton. Patrons the Senatus. 22. Finlay's Bursaries. — Founded in 1804 by the Rev. Robert Finlay. The sum of L.600 was vested in the hands of Mr Moir of Scotstoun, who was to pay the interest to the bursars, three in number. These bursaries, of the value of L. 10 each, are now paid by Sir M. Bruce as husband of Mr Moir's heiress. Sir M. Bruce is also patron, in right of his lady. 23. Macleod's Bursary. — Founded in 1806 by Dr Hugh Mac- leod of Glasgow College, for one bursar of the name of Macleod. Value, L.8, 15s. 6d. Patrons, the Senatus. 24. Milne's Bursary. — In 1808, Dr John Milne of Madras paid to the College L.600, to be invested at 4^ per cent, for the assist- ance of a bursar studying medicine, after passing through the curriculum of arts. Value at first, L. 30 ; at present, owing to the fall of interest, L. 24. Patrons, the Principal and Regents. 25. Stuart's Bursaries. — Founded in 1809 by the Rev. James Stuart of George Town, South Carolina, who left L.IOOO, 3 per cents., to be sold, and the interest of the price applied to the pro- motion of education, by the Principal and other trustees named in the deed. On this fund are two bursars, at L. 14, lOs., who arie, UNIVERSITY AND KING's COLLEGE. 1156 like all those of whom the college is patron, chosen by compara- tive trial. A preference is given, by the will of the founder, to those of the names of Stuart and Simpson, 26. Johnstons Bursaries. — Two bursars, at L. 4, 10s. each, to be chosen by competition, those of the name of Johnston and Forbes to be preferred, if found habile. The Senatus and the family of Caskieben are joint patrons. 27. Cruickshank's Bursary. — Founded in 1815 by Mr James Cruickshank of Touxhill, who ordered L. 400, deducting the le- gacy-duty of L. 40, to be lent on personal security, and the inte- rest to be paid to one bursar of the name of Cruickshank or Jopp. For some time it yielded L. 18 per annum, but in consequence of the bankruptcy of the parties to whom the trustees had lent the capital, it has been much reduced, so that in future it cannot yield more than from L.IO to L.12, according to the rate of inte- rest. Patron, the minister of Monquhitter. 28. Macpherson's Bursary. — Founded by the late Sir John Macpherson, Bart., for one Highland student. The founder di- rected the revenue of the bequest to be paid annually to a new bursar, but the Senatus found it more likely to promote the ob- jects of the foundation, to appoint annually a new bursar for four years, and to pay him the annual revenue of the fund by four equal annual instalments, that is, during his curriculum of arts. As the revenue amounts to L.80, the annual value of the bursary is L.20, and the foundation thus yields four bursaries of that value, instead of one at L. 90 ; a sum considered by the Senatus much too large in proportion to the expense of living and of education in Aberdeen. Patrons, the Senatus. 29. Forbears Bursaries. — Founded in 1821, by John Forbes, Esq. of New. The bequest consists of L.200 long annuities, ex- piring in 1860, to be applied to the support of eight bursars at King's and Marischal Colleges, at L. 25 each. Patron, Sir Charles Forbes of New, Bart. 30. Simpson Bursaries. — Founded in 1840, by the late Dr Simpson, an alumnus of King's College, who left upwards of L.11,000, 3 per cent, consols, for the purpose of founding six bursaries of L.30 each, and two annual prizes of L. 60 each, one for the best Greek scholar, the other for the best mathematician in the magistrand class of the year. The Senatus are patrons of this splendid bequest, and the bursars are chosen by public com- petition. 1156 ABERDEENSHIRE. 31. King William^ s Divinity Bursaries. — Besides the above, there are two divinity bursars, founded by King WilUam III. out of the Bishop's rents, the patronage of which is in the Lords of the Treasury, who select from a leet sent up by the Masters of King's and Marischal Colleges. These bursaries are conamon to both colleges. At first, their value was L.20 each ; but Queen Anne reduced them to L.IO each, and transferred L.20 in aid of the salary of the Principal of King's College. Although these bursaries are said to be paid partly by King's College and partly by Marischal College, they have never, in point of fact, been paid by either body, but always by the Exchequer. 32. Bruce s Bursaries. — Founded about 1827 (but the money not received till 1836,) by the Rev. George Bruce, for six bursars in divinity, who receive L. 10 each. Patrons, the Senatus. 33. Davidson's Bursar?/. — Founded in 1827, by Mr William Davidson, for one bursar, who receives L.14, 8s. Those of the name of Davidson to be preferred. Patrons, the Senatus. By the above statement it appears that there are, on the thirty- three foundations, 150 bursaries, including those in medicine and theology, the aggregate annual value of which is above L, 2000. This is exclusive of the two Sunday preachers, who receive L. 60 each on Dr Murray's foundation, and of the 17 boys educated and supported at the school of Fordyce under Redhyth's foun- dation. There can be no manner of doubt that this large amount of scholarship, large in proportion to the whole number of stu- dents, is of the very greatest benefit in a country like Scotland, where the inhabitants, although poor, are yet intelligent, and very desirous of giving to their children a liberal education. It has been thought right to give the details of the original and present state of these foundations, that the public may know how well the funds thus entrusted to the college have been managed. It will be seen, on referring to the above statement, that in every case where the college has been at liberty to invest a capital sum according to their judgment, this has been so judiciously and con- scientiously done, and also so fortunately, that in every such in- stance either the amount or the number, or both, of the bursaries on a special fund, have been augmented. In no case has the num- ber been augmented without an addition to the value of the bur- saries, and in no one such case has the value been diminished. It has been said that the multiplication of small bursaries produces 3 UNIVERSITY AND KINg's COLLEGE. 1157 bad effects ; but it is to be observed that the College has uniform- ly raised the value where it had the power to do so. Besides, it is the opinion, formed on experience of all the members, that large bursaries, that is, above L.'20 or L.30, are not favourable to stu- dious habits, and that the inconvenience on this side is greater than on the other. No doubt, it is desirable, that no bursary should be under L.IO to L,15 ; and it may safely be said that, had the Col- lege been in all cases trustees of the capital sum, with full power, I there would now be none under that value. But King's College ! has, at all events, reason to be proud of her management of the funds actually intrusted to her for the benefit of poor scholars, and may safely challenge the world to produce another example of equal skill and integrity in the management of so numerous and often individually small trusts. If we take the earlier bursaries, thus managed by the College, excluding one or two recent and large bequests, we shall find that the annual revenue of the trust- funds is not far from being equal to the original fee-simple of the funds. It is only just that the truth on this matter of the mortifi- cations of King's College should be known, for it has often, and especially of late, been much misrepresented, and King's College has been accused authoritatively of malversation, and of acting contrary to the will of the founder, for acting as they have done. To take only one example, in Adam's mortification, at first design- ed to support three bursars at L.3, 6s. 8d. each, or to yield L.IO jn all ; this fund might have been kept in its original amount, say in the funds, and such a mode of management has not only been frequently practised elsewhere, but praised in others, as ful- filling the intentions of the founder, by the very parties who blame King's College. But King's College acted differently ; invested the capital with caution and skill ; and now maintains out of this fund twelve bursars instead of three, expending on them L.200 in- stead of L.IO annually. This is called acting contrary to the will of the founder, nay, it is actually affirmed to be contrary to the spirit, and not merely to the letter of that will. This is, moreover, what is stigmatized as multiplying small bursaries ; twelve bursa- ries averaging L. 16, 13s. 4d. being substituted for three of L.3, 6s. 8d. It ought here likewise to be stated, that the masters have no personal interest in the gradual and slow improvement of these trust-funds. The only way in which they are personally benefit- ed thereby is by the class-fees paid by the newly made bursars. JBut the increase under this head to any one individual during his 1158 ABERDEENSHIRE. incumbency is quite trifling; the bursars, besides, for the most part pay reduced fees, and the aggregate number of students is not now so large as it has been, nor larger than it often was in early periods, although there are more bursars, and the non-bur- sars always pay the full fees. Even if the mastersj however, de- rived a much greater benefit than they do from this source, they could not do so without a corresponding extension of university education ; in other words, a great benefit to the country at large, — and to this they are surely well entitled. Exclusive of the Huttonian prize of L. 15 and the two new Simp- sonian prizes of L.60 each, about L.80 is annually bestowed in prizes in the form of books. This money is made up by contri- butions from the surplus funds of the richer mortifications. The Professors also frequently add prizes at their own private cost. A fund, called the Edilis fund, formerly existed for the neces- sary repairs in the College, and in the houses of the masters ; but, owing to the dilapidation of the College property, this fund has long been merely nominal, it being now considerably in debt. Part of the public buildings was about twenty years ago repaired and rebuilt by a public subscription ; and one hundred years ago Dr James Eraser, formerly mentioned, built, at his own expense, the whole range of buildings now forming the south side of the Col- lege. The square tower in the north-east corner was built before the Restoration by subscription. Owing to the decay of the Edihs fund, the houses of the Pro- fessors, intended by the founder to be free, are now all more or less in debt, for building or repairs. In most cases, the interest of this debt amounts to from L. 10 to L.20, but in two it reaches L.S5 and L.40 ; thus, in reality, forming a heavy house rent, where the house ought to be free. The masters pay to the College five per cent, for money expended on their houses, and of late one to one and a half per cent, of this has been devoted to a sinking fund, in each case intended gradually to diminish the debt. The revenues of the College form three separate accounts. The mortification account includes all the trust-funds belonging to bursaries. The superiority account includes the sums received for superiorities and feu-duties sold by the College, and is kept sepa- rately ; while the procuration account includes the proper annual revenue of the College from all other sources, such as land, tithes, feu-duties, &c. &c. After deducting from the two latter accounts the annual charge on each, the respective balances, which have 4 UNIVERSITY AND KING's C0LI,F.GE. 1159 been already alluded to, are equally divided among the ten mem- bers. The balance of the superiority fund hardly varies from L.230, while that of the procuration or general account varies from L.200 to L.500, or even more, according to circumstances. When money must be expended on permanent improvements of the Col- lege property, it is borrowed from the mortification funds, at the current rate of interest, and the debt thus incurred each year is paid off by ten annual instalments. The accounts are kept and the property managed by the com- mon procurator or College factor. This office was formerly held by one of the masters ; but, of late years, a man of business has been appointed, who receives a small salary, and a very small com- mission on his intromissions with the trust-funds. The present procurator is William Gordon, Esq. Advocate. Degrees are granted, as formerly mentioned, in all the faculties. Those of D.D. and LL.D. are commonly honorary degrees. The degree of M. D. is conferred after examination in presence of the Senatus, according to regulations adopted in 1839. Since that period, the average annual number of medical degrees conferred, exclusive of a few honorary degrees, has been seven. For many years previously, no degrees at all had been conferred in medicine. The cost of a medical degree, including the L.IO stamp, is L.26, 5s. 6d. Of the degree of A. M. mention has already been made. The expense of it is L.2, 16s. 2d. The students in divinity are common to both Colleges, and at- tend alternately the Professors of Divinity in King's and Maris- chal College. They often amount to 150. The Medical School of King's College includes the following classes : Chemistry, taught by the . Mediciner. Anatomy, . . . D. A. Moir. Surgery, . . . Dr D. Kerr. Practice of Medicine, . . Dr A. Kilgour. ^. J ... { Mr Fraser and ^' ■ ■ ■ I Mr R. Robertson, Surgeons, Theory of Medicine and Physiology, Dr Templeton. Materia Medica, . . Dr G. Dickie. Botany, summer class, . Dr G. Dickie. Medical Jurisprudence, . Mr W. Fowler, Surgeon ; besides Clinical Lectures at the Hospital. A building, as already stated, has lately been erected for the accommodation of the lecturers. The school is at present prosperous, and this not- withstanding the existence of another medical school in Aberdeen attached to Marischal College. 1160 ABERDEENSHIRE. The Library of King's College is very extensive and valuable, but sadly cooped for want of space. As one of the four univer- sities of Scotland, King's College enjoyed, till lately, the Station- er's Hall privilege, and now receives, by Act of Parliament, the compensation granted in lieu of that privilege. By a decision of the Court of Session, in the exercise of their nohile officium or le- gislative power, the Marischal College has long been entitled to the use of the books derived from Stationer's Hall. But the cus- tody of these books, as well as the choice of those to be purchased with the compensation fund, remain with the University of King's College. The library possesses some other funds, partly derived from be- quests, partly from martriculation, and other fees paid by students. It is managed by a librarian with two bursars as assistants. The students attending College have the use of the books on deposit of L. 1 for each volume, to be returned when the book is restored. The Masters have the use of a certain number of volumes without deposit. One of them is annually named curator, and is aided by a Library Committee. A very neat room in the newest part of the College was fitted up, in 1842, very beautifully for a Museum of Natural History. It is expected it will be opened in summer. There are no funds yet provided for the Museum. It has been fitted up by subscrip- tion. The Natural Philosophy Class has a tolerable cabinet of appa- ratus, which the Professor is annually improving and extending, by means of a small fund set apart for the purpose. The class of Chemistry possesses a moderate stock of apparatus, the property of the College, and an excellent lecture room. The Professor has a considerable amount of apparatus of his own ; but there is no fund worth mentioning for the purchase of apparatus, materials, or speci- mens, for this class. It may here be mentioned, that in summer he gives a course of Practical Chemistry ; average number of students, 10. There has for some years existed in the Natural Philosophy Class, an excellent class library, purchased chiefly by subscriptions from the students, aided by the Professors. A simi- lar library has this session been instituted in the Chemistry Class. There are a few astronomical instruments belonging to the College, but no regular Observatory. The College Chapel is a very handsome building, being the quire of the old College Church, the nave of which is now- UNIVERSITY AND KING'S COLLEGE. 1161 the Library. The stalls for the members of the church in the quire are of beautifully carved black oak, and are surrounded by a screen of the same material, which, in point of beauty and delicacy of carving, far surpasses any similar remains in Scotland. The tomb of Bishop Elphinstone is in the middle of the chapel, and, although once highly ornamented, is now covered with a slab of black marble without inscription. In the Senatus meeting-room is a fine portrait by Jameson, of Bishop Patrick Forbes ; and in the Public Hall adjoining are portraits of Bishops Dunbar, Elphinstone, Lesley, (of Ross), and Scougall, also of Hector Boece, and of Henry Scougall, of George Buchanan, and curious likenesses of many of the Stuart Kings. The College is rendered conspicuous at a distance, by its fine square tower, surmounted by a beautiful imperial crown, which again is surmounted by a cross. The effect of this belfry is re- markably fine. In its present form it is said to have been built by Bishop Dunbar about 1530, the original tower or spire having been blown down or damaged by a storm. The old part of the College to which this belongs is ornamented with the arms of James IV., of several of the Bishops, and of some of the nobles. The tower and crown are faced with freestone from Moray. It only now remains to mention, in addition to the eminent Professors formerly named, those distinguished men who were educated at King's College. Among these may be named James Cheyne, LL. D., who became Professor in Paris and Douay, about 1570; John Erskine of Dun, who assisted in promoting the Reformation in Scotland ; Sir George Mackenzie, King's Advo- cate, 1674; Mr George Gordon of Haddo, Regent in the Col- lege, afterwards President of the Court of Session, 1681, Chan- cellor, 1 682, and the first Earl of Aberdeen ; Dr Thomas Bower, a distinguished mathematician; the celebrated Dr Thomas Reid, first Professor of Philosophy here, and afterwards in Glasgow ; Lord Monboddo ; Robert Hall ; Charles Burney, the celebrated Greek scholar ; the late Dr James Gregory of Edinburgh, author of the " Conspectus Medicin£e Theoreticse," and long Professor of the Practice of Medicine ; he was son of Dr John Gregory, formerly mentioned, and received part of his education at King's College, before his father was invited to Edinburgh ; and lastly, the late Sir James Mackintosh, M. P. ; George, Earl Marischall, the founder 1162 ABERDEENSHIRE. of Marischall College ; and Arthur Johnston, the celebrated Latin poet, were also educated at King's College. Such is a brief account of the University and King's College of Aberdeen. Attention has been chiefly devoted to its present state ; and the vk'riter trusts that it will appear that this Institution was never more flourishing than it is now. That it may long con- tinue, as it has always been, a blessing and an ornament to the north of Scotland, is the wish of every true Scottish man who knows its history. The Mariscual College and University of Aberdeen.* As soon as the Reformation had received a legal establishment in Scotland, an attempt was made to improve the three Univer- sities then existing in the country, and in the First Book of Dis- cipline of 1560, many alterations in their government and teach- ing were proposed, with a view to accommodate them to the great change in religion which had taken place. In a few years afterwards, new charters or erections were given to these semi- naries, and partially put in force ; the University of Edinburgh was founded ; and the city of Aberdeen, then ranking as the second or third in respect of weahh and population in the kingdom, re- ceived a similar establishment. A grammar-school, which had produced many eminent scholars, had existed in it for nearly two centuries ; and the magistrates and citizens appear to have been exceedingly desirous of propagating the principles of the reformed faith, in connection with the advancement of learning and science. In the principal Protestant family of the north of Scotland, they were fortunate in finding a nobleman, who seconded them warmly in this design, and became the founder of the fifth and last University which has been established in the country. This eminent person was George Keith, the fifth Earl Maris- chal, who succeeded to the large estates and influence of his grandfather, William, in 1581. His ancestor had been an emi- nent promoter of the reformed cause from its commencement, and paid great attention to the education of his grandson in the prin- ciples which he had himself adopted. After receiving the best education Scotland afforded, the young nobleman spent nearly seven years on the continent, during which he visited most of its courts, and studied under eminent masters, particularly at Gene- va, under the learned Beza. He afterwards rose into great fa- vour with James VI., and was sent to Denmark as ambassador extraordinary, to arrange the King's marriage with the Princess Anne. Soon after his return, he received a commission of Lord- lieutenancy over all the counties of the north of Scotland, with the view of checking the Roman Catholic party opposed to the go- vernment ; a task which he accomplished without bloodshed.-f° * Drawn up by Professor William Knight, LL. D. f The following account of bis character is from a short " Opinion of the present 1164 ABERDEENSHIRE. The plan of establishing a college in Aberdeen having been com- municated to him by the magistrates, and the royal authority hav- ing been obtained, an appropriate site was found in the buildings and garden which had belonged to the Franciscan friars. This property, having passed into other hands, was purchased by the ^nagistrates for 1800 merks, and, by a vote of the community, presented to the Earl, who had obtained from the crown a right to the property of the other monastic bodies in the city. The preamble of the foundation charter, which is dated 2d April 1593, recites, at considerable length, the reasons which induced the Founder to establish and endow his seminary. Among these are, the great want of a literary and Christian education in the north of Scotland, the advantages that would follow to the Church and the State, and his own wish to benefit and deserve well of his country. The property bestowed on the college is then described, being the fields, houses, feu-duties, and annual rents, which, before the Reformation, belonged to the Black, White, and Grey Friars' monasteries in Aberdeen, together with the lands attached to the chapels of Bervie and Cowie in Kincardineshire ; but the latter portion was revoked by a second charter given by his son and successor, the sixth Earl, in 1623. The whole reve- nue was appropriated for the maintenance of a Principal, three Professors, who were termed Regents, six poor Scholars or Bur- sars, an Economus, and a cook, all to live in a collegiate manner, eating and sleeping within the buildings. The Principal was to give instructions in theology, and also in Hebrew and Syriac, lan- guages which the founder expresses a desire of propagating, be- sides continuing the curriculum of the education of the other stu- dents, during their fourth year of residence, in various branches of physical science. The subjects taught by the first or highest regent were, mathematics, ethical philosophy, and physics ; those of the second regent were, the logic of the Organon, with exer- cises in the Greek and Latin languages ; the latter, together with an introduction to dialectics, being the employment of the third or lowest regent. This curriculum of four years is minutely laid down, and is almost exactly the same as in the foundation of Edinburgh State, Faction, Religion, and Power of the Nobility of Scotland," written in 1583, and evidently intended for the information of Queen Elizabeth or her ministers — *' George Keith, Marshall, a young nobleman, of good commendation; his lynnige ancient, and revenow greatest of any Erie in Scotlande. * * * He was left very wealthye, and is esteemed honest, religious, and favouringe the best parte." — Banna- tyne Club Publication, 1842, p. 58. MARISCHAL COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY. 1165 College, and in the new erections given to the other Universities of Scotland. A principal circumstance is the fixing of each teacher to a particular class of subjects, in order, as is stated, that the students may possess teachers worthy both of their genius, and of the subjects of study. The same plan is prescribed in the First Book of Discipline ; but it never appears to have been carried into practice in any Scottish university till the eighteenth century, ex- cepting in Marischal College ;* the mode of one professor con- ducting the same students for a period of three or four years through all the sciences taught being substituted for it. In Ma- rischal College, indeed, the founder allows of the old method be- ing continued, provided the chancellor, rector, and other authori- ties shall think it best for the good of the university. He enjoins a strict attention to examinations and exercises in all the classes, besides examinations at entering the first year, and in passing from the first to the second, from the second to the third, and from the third to the fourth class ; care being taken that those who are un- worthy be kept back ; and those who have studied four years, and exhibited sufficient aptitude, are to receive the degree of Master of Arts. The founder reserved to himself and his heirs the nomination or presentation of the principal and professors ; but since the for- feiture of the Marischal family, in 1715, the patronage has been vested in the Crown. The mode in which the examination, elec- tion, and admission of incumbents, subsequent to their receiving presentations, is appointed to be regulated by the university au- thorities, has been seldom practised, and some of the provisions are apparently inconsistent with the patronage retained by the founder in his family. The rest of the charter, and indeed its larger part, is occupied in providing for the choosing of an econo- mus, adjusting the quality and prices of provisions, keeping up a constant visitation and inspection of all the inmates, regulating minutely the discipline, dress, and hours of the day for teaching and recreation, the amount of fees to be paid by different ranks of ' That the professors in Marischal College were limited to particular branches for several years after its commencement, is evident from their designations in College Theses, and other publications. Thus, in the " Qrat'io Funehris" of the founder, printed by Raban in 1623, William Ogston is styled Professor of Moral Philosophy; William Wedderburn, of Greek ; Andrew Massie, of Logic ; and James Sibbald, of Natural Philosophy; these being the four regents. In Bishop Forbes's " Funerals," 1635, John Ray styles himself Professor of Aloral Philosophy in Marischal Col- lege. Tliis separation of duties appears to have been continued so late as 1643 , but the year when the ordinary method was introduced cannot be stated with certainty. 1166 ABERDEENSHIRE. society, the menial services to be performed by the founded bur- sars to the other students, the prohibition of bearing arms of every description, the profession of adherence to the Confession of Faith then sactioned by law, at least once a year, dum albo Universita- tis inscrihuntur ; together with other provisions, most of which have been altered or discontinued in the changes of time. Other parts regulate the mode of electing annually the rector and dean of faculty, and prescribe the qualifications and duties of the uni- versity officers, which, as in the courses of study above-mentioned, are the same as were oriven in that age to the other colleoes of Scotland, with which, in all these respects, the new establishment was placed on a footing of equality. In the General Assembly which met at Dundee in April 1593, the foundation charter was approved and confirmed by the church ; and in July following, an Act of Parliament conferred upon the se- minary all the usual freedoms, privileges, and jurisdictions of the other colleges in the realm, with the exception of preserving the jurisdiction of the magistrates of the burgh over its members " in all thingis to be done or co'mitted be thame out wt the wallis of the said college, and within the territores or fredome of the said burgh," — a provision which is nearly the same with that proposed in the First Book of Discipline, many years previously,* In the year following, the deed of .foundation was formally pre- sented by Earl Marischal to the magistrates and council of Aber- deen, who immediately delivered it in a solemn manner, to Mr Ro- bert Howie, one of the city ministers, who entered upon the duties of principal, and who signs as one of the witnesses of the charter, Howie was an eminent divine, and in a few years succeeded An- drew Melville at St Andrews. Of the other witness to the deed of foundation, Peter Blackburn, who acted as one of the first re- gents, and was afterwards Bishop of Aberdeen, Principal Baillie says, that " his hand was chief to order your Marischall Colledge just after our orders of Glasgow."f The new establishment demanded and received much attention * Other Acts of Parliament referring to Marischal College, or confirming its pri- vileges, are, A. D. 1617, (Vol. iv. p. 577,) Liddel's endowment; 1641, (Vol. v. p. 565,) and 1644, (Vol. vi. p. 129,) Bishops' rents; 1661, (Vol. vii. p. 69,) New con- firmation of privileges, and virtual abrogation of the United or Caroline University ; 1663, (Vol. vii. p. 465,) power to send a commissioner to a National Synod ; 1695, (Vol. ix. p. 463,) allowing the College to apply the vacant stipends of churches in Lord Marischal's patronage to their buildings then erecting ; 1698, (Vol. x. p. 168.) the same subject. t Letter to Professor W. Douglass.— Baillie's Letters, edited by D, Laing, Vol. iii. p. 402. MARISCHAL COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY. 1167 from the magistrates and community of Aberdeen, of which many evidences appear in the town-council records. It is probable that an additional regent was established in a very few years after the foundation, from the Principal ceasing to teach the fourth or high- est class of the curriculum; the earliest accounts of the revenue which have been preserved representing the whole as allocat- ed to the principal and four regents. The exertions of private citizens were also of great service to the rising seminary. In 1613, Duncan Liddel, M. D., an eminent scholar, who had taught me- dicine and mathematics, in the University of Helmstadt, bequeath- ed a large sum of money and some lands, for endowing a profes- sor of Mathematics, and six bursars in Arts. A divinity bursar was endowed in 1616 ; and in the same year a professorship of Theology was founded, and five years afterwards an additional sum was given for the same chair. In 1625, Mr Thomas Reid, who had held the office of Latin secretary to James VL, bequeathed his valuable collection of books, together with a large sum for a salary to a librarian. Many other endowments, mostly for bur- sars, were made during the seventeenth century. A professor- ship of Humanity was commenced in 1653, from a grant of part of the rents of the diocese of Aberdeen by Cromwell ; but this fell at the Restoration, and a subsequent attempt to have a separate teacher of Latin towards the end of the century, was discontinued from the want of funds. During the eighteenth century, pro- fessorships of Medicine, Oriental Languages, and Chemistry were founded by private benefactors; and within, these few years, pro- fessorships of Church History, Anatomy, Surgery, and Humanity, have been added by Government, and additional endowments have been given to the professors of Chemistry and Medicine. The following enumeration of the founders and principal bene- factors exhibits the gradual progress of the college to its present state : A. D. 1593. George Earl Marischal. ) College properties for salaries of Principal and rg- Town of Aberdeen. j gents — College buildings, books and MS S, 1613. Duncan Liddel, M. D. 6000 merks for a professor of Mathematics ; lands of Pitmedden for six bursars ; books and mathema- tical instruments. 1614. James Cargill, M. D. 4000 merks for fourbursars,(nowincreasedtoeio-ht.) 1616. Mr John Johnstone. lOOO merks for a divinity bursar. 1616. Rev. Patrick Copland. 6000 merks between 1616 and 1627, for aprofessor of divinity. 1621. Mr David Chamberlain. 1000 merks for the same. 1625. Mr Thomas Reid. 6000 merks for librarian's salary, and his library of books. 1628. Mr William Jameson. His library of books. 1168 ABERDEENSHIRE. A. D. 1629. Sir Al. Irvine of Drum. 1633. Alexander Reid, M.D. 1641. King Charles 1. 1641. Wm. Johnstone, M. D., Prof, of Mathematics. 1644. Patrick,^Dun of Ferry- hill, M.D. and Principal. 1644. Sir. Thomas Crombie of Kemnay. 1654. Oliver Cromwell. 1655. William Guild, D. D. 1655. Alexander Ross, D.D. 1659. Mrs Katherine Rolland. 1662. Robert Downie, M.D. 1677. Mr James Milne. 1677. Mr Robert Cuming, 1678. Rev. George Melville. 1 684-1 700. The subscribers for the college buildings then erected. 1638. Jn.TurnerofTurnerhall. 1691. Alexander Adam, M.D. 1694, Rev. William Lorimer. 1695. Mr John Fraser. 1699. King William III. 1701. William, ninth Earl Ma- rischal. 1706. Mr John Davidson. I 706. Mr Alexander Galloway. 1711. Gilbert Burnet, D. D. Bishop of Salisbury. 1713. Mr John Moir. 1714. Rev. John Dunlop. 1714. Rev. Gilbert Ramsay. 1718. King George I. 1722. Rev. William Lorimer. 1725. Rev. Walter Denoon. 1727. Rev. Gilbert Ramsay. 1736. 1737. 173S. 1739- 1741. 1746, 1762, Rev. Dr John Moir. Rev. Charles Gordon. Mrs Margaret Garden. -40. The subscribers to the south wing of the college buildings now commenced. Rev. Alexander Smith. Rev. Thomas Forbes. Rev. John Paterson. L. 10,000 ScotSj for six bursars, two of them in di- vinity, four in arts. L. 110 Sterling, for two bursars, and part of his Library. Rents of the Bishoprickof Aberdeen, one-third part to Marischall College, and two-thirds to King's College. His books and mathematical instruments. 2000 merks for repairs of college buildings after a fire. 10,000 merks, one-half for eight bursars, and half to the Principal and four Regents. The same grant of bishops' rents as made by King Charles L, one-third part to .Marischall College, and two-thirds to King's ; and an annuity of L. 1 33, 6s. 8d . Sterling, out of the customs of A ber- deen, of which two-thirds to Marischall College, and one-third to King's. A house in Castle Street, for Trade's bursars. L.200 Sterling for two bursars. The price of ten bolls of meal to each of four bursars. His library. 2500 marks for two burjars. 900 merks for a bursar. L.211 Sterling for three bursars. Annuity of 400 merks for four bursars. A croft for a bursar ; the produce, L. 5, lis. 1 gd. yearly. L. 1 40 Sterling for a bursar. 1000 merks for a bursar. Annuity of L.86, I3s. 4d. from bishops' rents. Founded the professorship of Medicine. Annuity of L.2, 15s. 6|d. from ahousefora bursar. L.50 Scots, annually to a bursar. 20,000 merks for four Philosophy and two Divinity bursars; Salisbury missal MS. on vellum, finely illuminated, and other books. His Library. His library. L.400 for four philosophy bursaries. Annuity of L.l 05 Sterling to the principal and seven professors. His Library. 1000 merks for a bursary. The interest of L. 1000 Sterling for a professor of oriental languages, L. 800 to augment his bur- saries of 1714, and L.2000 for four divinity bur- saries. L. 83, 6s. 8d. for a Trades' bursar. L.200 for a bursar. v L. 4 Sterling annually for a bursar. L.l 00 for a bursar. L.l 11, 2s. 2|d. for a bursar. L.300 and L. 100 three per cents, respectively for a bursar, and for the professor of medicine. MARISCHAL COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY, 1169 1764. 1768. 1770. 1775. 1779. 1781. 1781. 1783. 1793. 1793. 1793 William Lorimer, M. D. John Gray, Esq. Mr Alexander Cruden. John Gordon, Esq. of Buthlaw. Rev. Hy, Primatt, A.M. Subscribers to the Ob- servatory, commenced this year. John Earl of Bute. The same. John Lorimer. Alex. Donaldson, M.D. Sir Wm. Fordyce, M.D. 1793. Mrs Barbara Blackwell. 1794. VVm. Ruddiman, M.D. 1801. David Mitchell, LL.D. 1801. John Henderson of Cas- kieben. 1801. Hon. Cosmo Gordon. 1802. Sir Alexander Ramsay of Balmain, Bart. 1805. James Adams, LL.D. 1807. John Mather, Esq. 1809. Rev. James Stuart. 1812. King George IIL 1813. Mr James Cruickshank. 1815. .L Gordon, Esq. of Murtle. 1816. John Calder, D.D. 1820. Jn. Forbes, Esq. of New. 1820. Sir Charles Forbes, Bart. 1825. William Davidson, Esq. 1826. Wm. Ruddiman, M.D. 1826. G. Hoggof Shannaburn, 1829. Adam Martin, Esq. 1833. King William IV. 1833. Alexander Scott, M.D 1836. The subscribers to the new buildings which ■were commenced th year. James Kinloch, Esq Mrs Launie. Queen Victoria. 1838. 1838. 1839. p. J the ^ ich ( hisj L. 200 for a bursary. L.IOOO for two mathematical bursars, and for a gold medal for eminence in mathematics. L.lOO for a bursar. L.lOO to the library, and his MS. tables of the moon. His Library. Amount, L.336, 2s. 6d. An Equatorial and a Transit instrument. 1300 volumes of medical books. L.200 for a bursar. His books on Oriental literature. His medical library, bust in marble, an antique statue of Esculapius, and L.IOOO fourpercents. for a lectureship on Agriculture. Lands of Pulmuir for a salary to a professor of Che- mistry, for an English prize essay, and for addi- tional salary to the principal, regents, and profes- sor of Mathematics. L.lOOfor a bursar, enlarged by him in 1824 to L.250, L.2000 three per cents, for six bursars. L.500 for two bursars. L.lOO for assisting in erecting the Observatory. L.IOOO additional to Dr Ramsay's four philosophy bursars of 1727. L.225 three per cents, for a bursar. L.1600 for fourteen bursars. L.IOOO three per cents, for two bursars. L.337 yearly to the principal and nine professors. L.400 for a bursar. Endowment for a lecturer on Practical Religion. His collection of coins. L.lOO yearly of long annuities, expiring in 1860, for four bursars in divinity or philosophy. A fine mummy from Upper Egypt, and other arti- cles for the museum. L.600 for two bursars. L.lOO for College buildings. L.300 for a bursar. I, .1000 for three bursars. Professorship of Church History. L.IOOO for two bursars. L.IOOO for three bursars. L.500 for two bursars. Professorships of Humanity, of Anatomy, and of Surgery. Plan of Education.— T-\t does not appear that in the Universities of the countries where the Reformation was estabhshed, any great alteration in the curriculum of education was effected till a long period after that event, if instruction in theology be excepted. The principal changes were in the attention paid to the Greek language, and the introduction of a somewhat larger proportion of ABERDEEN. 4 E 1170 ABERDEENSHIRE. mathematical science. Yet the first Reformers and their imme- diate successors seem, from many circumstances, to have been fully aware of the imperfections of much of the philosophy of their time, and of its incompatibility with the principles of freedom of inquiry, and appeal to the scriptures, upon which they rested their claim of superiority to the Roman Catholic Church. But the contests which arose and divided the Reformers themselves, and the wars, partaking more or less of a religions character, which followed till the peace of Westphalia, were circumstances adverse to the introduction of improved curricula of study; and till the discoveries and systems of Descartes, Locke, and Newton came forward and were taught in universities, there was little to sub- stitute in the room of the scholastic logic of the middle ages, which had so long kept in trammels the powers of the mind in the search, of physical and psychological truth. The course of study came thus to vary very little in Reformed and in Catholic Universities. The same professor carried on the students with whom he com- menced, for three or for four years ; and the attempt to confine each teacher to a particular branch was, after a trial of many years, not followed in Marischal College any more than in the other universities of Scotland, although enjoined in its foundation charter. One advantage, indeed, it possessed over some other se- minaries, in the early possession of a separate endowment for a professor who was confined to mathematical science. Of the nu^ merous visitations which took place during the seventeenth cen- tury, very few had their attention directed towards the improve- ment of the plan of teaching, although a subject into which they were generally ordered to inquire. Those of 1664 and 1695 were especially for prescribing "a course of learning;" and the plan adopted by the commissioners was to draw up and circulate among the colleges copies of uniform " dictates," which all professors were to use in teaching philosophy and the sciences; — a useless and impracticable undertaking, which after many years labour was left as far as ever from being accomplished. The common mode of teaching continued long afterwards to be by Latin dictations and examinations upon them ; and particular works of compilers in various sciences were also used, and commented upon in oral instructions. Besides frequent commissions of visitation, the Scots Privy?J Council often interfered with the Universities, in consequence of the arbitrary power which that body exercised till its abolition afterl the union of the kingdoms. To it was owing a useful order in' MARISCHAL COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY. 1171 1700, by which the teaching of the Greek language was allotted to one professor ; but this improvement was not carried into effect in Marischal College till session 1717-18. A visitation, by royal authority, of the University of Glasgow in 1727, having ordered that each professor should be limited to teaching one particular department, this led the way to an at- tempt by the Principal and Professors of Marischal College to ex- tend the same benefit to their own seminary in 1733; but, from the opposition of one of their number to the measure, it proved unsuccessful. Twenty years afterwards the same plan succeeded, chiefly from the ability of Dr Alexander Gerard, who drew up a " Plan of Education, with the Reasons of it," which was adopted by his colleagues, and, with a few alterationSj has been followed since. This publication is remarkable, not only for assigning reasons for confining the professors of the curriculum of arts to particu. lar departments, but for a greater change, — the alteration of the order in which the different branches of knowledge had hitherto been taught in universities, both in this and in other countries. The following extract from a college minute, dated 11th January 1733, exhibits the substance of the reasons which were brought forward to justify this change. " The Principal and Masters of the Marischal College of Aber- deen being, after the maturest consideration, all fully persuaded that the present order in teaching Philosophy, introduced by the Scholastics, is, since the reformation of Philosophy, very improper, — as by it the students are all at once engaged in the most diffi- cult sciences, such as are most abstract from sense, — as they must be taught the theory and foundations of evidence and reasoning before they are acquainted with the sciences in which examples of the various kinds can be found, so that it is impossible to ex- plain or illustrate these different kinds to them, — and as the diffi- culty of bringing them to conceive these abstruse subjectsj before they have been gradually prepared by the easier parts of study, takes up so great a part of the time allowed for academical edu- cation, as to leave none for some very useful parts of knowledge ; being also of opinion, that the gradual openings of the human mind, as well as the natural order of things, render it proper to begin with particular facts, which are subject to sense, or easily conceived ; from these to proceed to general reasonings on ob- jects which are most familiar, material things; and, last of all, to come to the abstruser inquiries concerning the operations, nature, and states of the mind, the Deity, and Moral Philosophy founded 1172 ABERDEENSHIRE. on them; and hoping that the following this natural order will tend to'render the study of the sciences more advantageous in life than It is generally thought to be, and will remove the prejudices some have entertained -against university education as useless, — they do, therefore, unanimously agree and resolve, that for the future (the first year of the Academical course being spent as usual under the professor of Greek, and the meetings on Sabbath evenings in all the classes as formerly, in discourses on such subjects of na- tural and revealed Religion as the professors shall judge most use- ful, and adapted to the capacities of their students), the following general order in teaching Philosophy shall be observed in this Uni- versity, viz. that the Semi-year, or second of the course, shall be spent in the most useful parts of Natural History, in Geography, and the elements of Civil History ; that the Tertian, or third year of the course, shall be employed in the scientific parts of Natural Philosophy, Mechanics, Hydrostatics, Pneumatics, Optics, Astro- nomy, and such other branches not reducible to any of these, as either are in some measure invented already, or may be invented and improved hereafter, as Magnetism, Electricity, &c.; and that the Magistrand, or last year, shall be taken up in the abstract sciences, or the Philosophy of Spirits, Pneumatology, Ethics, and Logic, leaving it to the several professors to follow that order and method in teaching each of the general branches which they shall find from experience to be most useful and convenient." On this change being carried into effect, the students increased greatly in number, and a considerable impulse appears to have been given to the courses of science and literature, which are describ- ed by Dr Reid as having been, in his time, " slight and superfi- cial," as indeed they must, when one instructor had to teach the whole curriculum.* The custom of Latin prelections was also gra- dually discontinued, and instead of declamations in that language, examinations on the subjects of the lectures were introduced, at first in Latin, and afterwards in English, till the former language was retained only at the public examinations of the classes, where it ex- pired about 1776. The present curriculum for students in the Faculty of Arts con- sists of, — First Year. — First Greek class, 14 meetings a~week; First Hu- manity or Latin class, 8 do. Second Year. — Second Greek class, 3 meetings a-week ; Second Latin class, 3 do.; First Mathematics, 6 do.; Natural History, 12 do. " Stewart's Life of Reid, p. 10. Dr Reid attended Marischal College in the years 1722-1726. MARISCHAL COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY. 1173 Third Year. — Second Mathematics, 6 meetings a-week ; Na- tural Philosophy, 1*2 do. Fourth Year. — Moral Philosophy and Logic, twelve meetings a- week. Evidences of Christianity, one meeting a week. The meetings are of one hour each. The above numbers are exclusive of extra meetings, which occur occasionally. A third and a fourth Greek class, and a third Latin class, are attended voluntarily by several students of the third and fourth years ; the chemical class is also attended by many during these years ; and a third Mathematical class, which meets daily, is at- tended by the mathematical bursars, and by some students of the fourth year. The students of all these years also attend a weekly lecture on Practical Religion, given on Fridays by the Professor of Divinity,' who receives a salary for it under the will of the late John Gordon, Esq. of Murtle. The morning meetings of the classes are open- ed with a prayer; and on the Lord's day a part of the students attend divine worship in a gallery in the College church ; but the greater number have long been in the habit of accompanying their relations or friends to other churches in the city, and students of other religious denominations have never been required to attend in the Established Church. The session extends from the last Monday of October to the first Friday of April. There are no vacations, Christmas and new-year's days excepted ; and regular meetings are held on Sa- turdays. Premiums, generally of books, are awarded in the classes by comparative trial among those students who come voluntarily for- ward ; and there have also been instituted a biennial prize of L.20 for an English essay on a subject prescribed by the Principal and certain of the Professors, who are trustees of Mrs Blackwell's foundation ; and a gold medal of two ounces in weight, which has been occasionally awarded, under the deed of John Gray, Esq. to such of his bursars as are certified by the professor of Mathema- tics, to " possess an uncommon genius in that science, and to have made discoveries and improvements therein." During the last fortnight of the session, a public examination of each class of the curriculum of Arts is held in presence of the Principal and Professors, and of all the students and public who choose to attend. These have always existed; and since 1826, entrance examinations during the first week of the session have been carried on. In the latter, all under graduate students wearing 1174 ABERDEENSHIRE. gowns, and admissible to academical honours, are examined on the subjects which are taught in theclasses immediately below those which they are about to enter, and any who are found to have made so little progress in their studies as to be unqualified for receiving sufficient advantage in the higher classes, are ordered to return to study in those classes, in the subjects of which they have been found deficient. Sttidents refusing to submit to this condition are disqualified from holding bursaries, and can enter the higher classes only as private students, not wearing gowns, or admis- sible to the degree of A. M., but in all other respects are on the same footing as the rest. The qualifications for the degree of master of arts are regular attendance for four years in the above classes of the curriculum, and strict examinations, which are carried on for seven days, in the Evidences of Christianity, Latin, Greek, Natural History, Mathe- matics, Natural Philosophy, and Moral Philosophy and Logic, The students of Divinity attend the professors of divinity, Ori- ental Languages, and church history during a session of fifteen weeks, from Christmas to the beginning of April. The courses of lectures, and the modes followed of delivering discourses and other exercises, are accommodated to suit the rules of the Church of Scotland. For a long period, the number of stu- dents who attended regularly was far smaller than that of those who gave partial or irregular attendance, and who were generally present for a week, or even less, in each session. About fifty years ago, the synod of Aberdeen recommended the discontinuance of this irregular attendance, and overtured the General Assembly on the subject ; but it was not till of late years that any alteration in the laws regulating attendance took place. At Aberdeen, how- ever, the number of regular and irregular students began to be about equal in 1820 ; and from the rules of the church, now en- forcing attendance on Hebrew and Church History classes, instead of recommending it, and from other changes, the proportion of those giving partial attendance has been still farther reduced. Medical. School. — From an early period there have been in this city many medical students who obtained their professional edu- cation chiefly from the private instructions of the physicians esta- blished in it, to whom they were engaged as pupils or apprentices, and whose private practice they witnessed. The institution of an infrmary in 1742, and of a public dispensary in 1786, added to their number, from the facilities of instruction being greatly ex- tended ; and in 1789, they associated in originating " The Medi- MARISCHAL COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY. 1175 cal and Chiriirgical Society," which gradually acquired a library, a museum, and an elegant building in King Street for holding their meetings and collections. Various attempts to open regular classes by the professors of medicine and other physicians were made, but discontinued from want of sufficient support; and, in the discussions of 1786, the formation of a medical school was held out to the public as one of the chief advantages to be derived from an union of the Colleafes. For some years previously, courses of botany and chemistry had been carried on in Marischal College. In the former Statistical Account, published in 1798, the number of medical students is stated about 30 ; and in 1802, there was erected in the court of the college a small anatomical theatre, in which some courses of anatomy were given. In 1818, the two colleges joined in giving their sanction to several medical lecturers, each college nominat- ing alternately to the offices as vacancies occurred. Under this arrangement, classes of anatomy and physiology, surgery, insti- tutes of medicine, materia medica, midwifery, and other branches were carried on, and accommodation provided for them in Maris- chal College buildings. The institution of these regular courses was followed by a great increase in the number of students. In 1839, the agreement, under which these lecturers were appointed, was broken up, and each college was left to establish its own me- dical school. In the same year, professorships of Anatomy and Surgery were founded in Marischal College by the Crown, and the Faculty of Medicine in the Senatus Academicus now consists of four professors, those of Medicine, Chemistry, Surgery, and Anatomy, who are associated, in a permanent medical committee, with lecturers on Materia Medica, Institutes of Medicine, Mid- wifery, and medical jurisprudence, — practice of physic being taught by the professor of Medicine, and Botany by the professor of Natural History. The medical session extends from the first Monday of November to the third Friday of April, with a va- cation at Christmas; and the course of Botany is taught in sum- mer. The regulations for granting M. D. in this University under- went a considerable change about twenty years ago, when the plan of granting that degree by certificates of merit was aban- doned, and personal examination of candidates substituted, which, in 1830, was confined to those who had obtained the degree of A. M. ; the Senatus Academicus being of opinion " that no uni- versity ought to confer the degree of M. D. on any one who has 1176 ABERDEENSHIRi:. not previously taken a degree in arts."* But the Royal Commis- sioners of Visitation having, in their new plans, proposed to re- strict the preliminary education of such candidates to Greek, Latin, Mathematics, and Natural Philosophy, the Senatus found that the higher standard which they had advocated, with a view of adding to the respectability of the medical profession, could not be supported ; and they have subsequently modified it, retaining at the same time a full curriculum of medical instruction, in the last regulations issued in 1840. This extends to four years, three of which at least must be passed in a University, including one year at least at this University ; and the classes to be attended are Anatomy, Practical Anatomy, Chemistry, Materia Medica, Insti* tutes of Medicine, Surgery, Practice of Medicine, and Midwifery, each for a course of six months ; and for courses of three months, Botany, Practical Chemistry, and Medical Jurisprudence. To these are added hospital attendance, Clinical lectures on Medicine and Surgery, and the compounding and dispensing of medicines. Three separate professional examinations have been instituted for medical degrees, which take place in April and October, and are conducted partly in writing and viva voce, and partly by demon- stration. To these examinations candidates are admitted at dif- ferent terms ; to the first one, at the beginning of the third year of medical classes, and to the others at subsequent stages. No fees are taken by the College or the examiners for the degree of M. B. or M. D., — the expense of the diploma and the Govern- ment stamp on the latter degree excepted. In the " Evidence, Oral and Documentary," taken in 1826-7, by the Royal Commissioners for Visiting the Universities of Scot- land, and published ten years afterwards, there will be found de- tailed statements of the views of the principal and professors of that time on many important subjects connected with the efficiency of university education, particularly in a minute examination of the plans of improvement or alteration proposed by the Commis- sion in the Curricula of Arts, Theology, and Medicine. (See Vol. iv. p. 321-335.) In the same volume are contained lists of the number of stu- dents and graduates for a long period, tables of fees, and com- plete information as to the whole property, salaries, and endow- ments belonging to the college. Under this head it deserves to be noticed, that the whole of the property with which the college was originally endowed by its founder, has been preserved and * Evidence, Oral and Documentary, Vol. iv. p. 331. MARISCHAL COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY. HvT greatly increased in value, with the exception of some small feu- duties of Id. and upwards, most of which had ceased to be col- lected before 1753, or were disputed, and of which the whole amount is only L.2, lis. Id. Sterling. The Royal Commission did a useful service by printing this list, and many other documents connected with the Scottish Universities. (Vol. iv. p. 266-267.) The amount of fees paid by students of arts for instruction dur- ing four sessions, including smaller payments for the library, col- lege servants, and the expense of taking the degree of A. M. is, at present, L.27, 2s.; but from fhe greater part of the bursars, smaller class fees are charged by the professors. The fees in the classes of law and medicine are on a scale of equal moderation, and the same is the case in those of Hebrew and Church History. In the Divinity class, no fees have yet been taken by the professor. The bursaries, which, as will be seen from the list of benefac- tors, are very numerous, are held for four years, with the excep- tion of the two founded by John Gray, Esq. for eminence in ma- thematics, which are held for two sessions only, and the Ramsay Divinity Bursaries, which are held for three. All the bursaries, of which the college, and the magistrates and town-council of Aberdeen have been constituted patrons by their deeds of founda- tion, have been, for a very long period, disposed of by an open comparative trial, which takes place yearly on the last Monday of October. Those, which are under the patronage of private indi- viduals, are bestowed by presentation. In some cases, where the disposal of the bursaries has been subjected to restrictions by their founders, or to preferences in favour of particular descriptions of students, it sometimes happens that a few are left vacant from the want of qualified candidates. The funds are then accumulated, and the annual value to be bestowed is increased. Several other bursaries, without having been left vacant, have been increased in value, from the nature of the investment of the funds, or from the reservation of a small surplus left to accumulate. All the pro- perty of this description has been preserved, except a sum of L.90 lost by a bankruptcy, and much of it has been increased in value. The Royal Commission, in their General Report of the Uni- versities of Scotland, expressed a decided opinion, that the great number of these bursaries in some of the colleges produces an ar- tificial resort of numbers who otherwise would never enjoy the advantages of academical education. In the various arguments adduced in support of their views, one fact of great importance has been omitted, — the superiority of the parish schoolmasters- irr 1178 ABERDEENSHIRE. the counties of Kincardine, Aberdeen, Banif, Moray, and other northern counties of Scotland, almost all of whom have received university education, to those in the southern parts of the country, many of whom have not attended any college. The very low state of education in England, among those of the same class in society who benefit from the Scottish schools, and the difficulty experienced in the former country of obtaining cheap and efficient schoolmasters, may also be stated in favour of promoting the ex- tension of university instruction in Scotland. The claim of the Universities to encouragement in fulfilling this most important part of their duty, is indirectly acknowledged by the same Com- mission, when they state respecting the Universities of Aber- deen, that " they have silently and unostentatiously raised the intellectual state of Scotland." * College Buildings. — The original buildings of Marischal Col- lege were those of the Franciscan convent on the same site. Part was appropriated for the residence of students, but no plan or perspective view of them has been preserved. It would appear that even in the infancy of the establishment they had been insuf- ficient, for in 1633 the magistrates ordered a house to be fitted up with beds for the accommodation of students who formerly lodged in the town house.-f* In 1639, a part of the monastic edifice was destroyed by fire, and was soon afterwards rebuilt, chiefly by the munificence of Patrick Dun, M.D., then Principal of the College. The buildings having become unsuitable or ruinous, the Principal and Professors commenced in 1684, the erection of a new edifice, which was carried on slowly for several years chiefly by voluntary contributions, some aid from the city funds, and some small pub- lic grants of the vacant stipends of those parishes of which the Earls Marischal were patrons. The numerous Scottish merchants who in that age resided in Poland were among the principal con^ tributors. The highest part of the edifice, the north tower, rose to the elevation of about 80 feet, and was erected in 1 694-95 for an observatory, partly at the expense of the town. The whole pile was for the time extensive and not inconvenient ; but parts of the interior remained long in an unfinished state, from the want of funds, and a great economy appears to have been necessary, as the vouchers of accounts, all of which have been preserved, abundant- ly attest. Several portions of the old monastery remained, and were occupied as class-rooms and students' chambers. Most of • General Report, p. 368. t Registers of the Town-Council of Aberdeen, Vol. lii. p. 135. MARISCHAL COLLEGE AND UNITERSITY. 1179 these were taken away, when an extensive wing was erected on the south side in 1740-41, also by vokintary subscription chiefly, the attempts made to obtain aid from Government proving abortive. After this addition, the whole fabric was appropriated for the pub- lic purposes of a hall, library, public school, divinity hall, obser- vatory, natural philosophy apparatus room, and class-rooms, toge- ther with lodgings for three of the professors, for which they paid rents. The largest apartments, the public school, hall, and li- brary were respectively of the lengths of 82, 75, and 97 feet, with a width of 22, and a height of about 13. In the court adjoining, there still remains the ancient church of the Franciscan convent, commonly called the College church. This edifice was erected about the commencement of the sixteenth century, by Bishop Gavin Dunbar, and was dedicated to the Virgin. For a long period, no lofty houses, as at present, inter- vened between it and the Broadgate, excepting booths or small shops, which were placed against its wall by permission of the ma- gistrates. In the various changes to which the property of the monasteries was subjected at the Reformation, the church of the Greyfriars seems never to have been lost sight of by the munici- pality ; it was then by far the newest church in the city, and was formally ceded to the magistrates in 1556, when the Franciscans made a resignation of all their property to them. When, in 1574, the town disposed of the other buildings by feu, the church was reserved ; but the population not being so large as to require it for the reformed worship, it fell into neglect, and sometimes received repairs. The General Assembly of the church, which began July 28, 1640, was held in it.* The College long retained a claim for the use of it at the public graduation, and other privi- leges, which, after several attempts, were arranged in 1768 by an agreement with the magistrates ; and soon afterwards, the popu- lation of the town increasing, the structure, a very long and plain Gothic hall, with pointed-arch windows, was shortened 20 feet, an aisle added at the east side, and a regular clergyman settled in it • The church was provided with seats, " after the form of a theatre, for ac- commodation of the Assembly, which was done upon the towne's charges, in so pro- digall a forme, as there was accommodation eneuch (the churche being large of itselfe) for five or six times as many as wer appoynted to sitte. And, that Aberdeen might not be behynde with others in honouring the Assembly, ther was a select number of the yowthes of Aberdeen ordered, with partisans (made for that purpose, and dyed blacke,) for to guarde the Assembly constantly at every sessione without the doores of the churche, through which guarde every body must passe as through a line." — Gordon's History of Scots Affairs, from 1637 to 164], Vol. iii, p. 213. 1180 ABERDEENSHIRE. by the town-council, who had obtained a gift of the patronage from King Charles I. in 1688. In the new aisle, one-half of the gallery was set apart for the students, who had previously been accommodated in the West Church of St Nicholas. The sums raised for erecting the College buildings appear never to have been sufficient to complete them, and the whole having been constructed when mason and carpenter work were of a very inferior description in this part of Scotland, they required nume- rous repairs annually. The increase of students rendered the class- rooms inconveniently small for many years; and in 1818, a plan of additional apartments was made, but nothing was done till 182 4, when, after a minute inspection by three architects, who reported that the whole edifice was in a ruinous state, and incapable of al- teration or repair, a memorial was drawn up, setting forth the ne- cessity of a new structure, and application was made to the Lords of the Treasury, to whom a plan and elevation of a new college were submitted in the following year. The Treasury replied without delay, concurring in rebuilding rather than in attempt- ing repairs, stating it to be a case in which a grant of public money might be recommended in addition to private subscriptions, and remitting to the Barons of the Scottish Exchequer to inquire farther. Their inquiries having been answered by the College, the Treasury delayed farther steps till it should be " ascertained how far the union of the two Universities at Aberdeen in one es- tablishment may be practicable," and referred to the Royal Com- missioners for visiting the Universities of Scotland for farther information on that head. This postponed any thing being done for nine years. The report of the Commission, which began its sittings in 1826, was not made public till 1831 : it recommended strongly a union of the seminaries, but towards accomplishing which, as only general provisions and no particular plans, in a case affecting so many complicated interests, were stated, nothing was done ; and the College received no certain hope of a public grant till 1834, when, on their continued applications, the Treasury made offer of the moiety of a sum of L.30,000, which, by a war- rant dated 1 1th December 1826, had been set apart by the Scot- tish Exchequer Barons " to be applied to the support of certain Universities which were in a ruinous and dilapidated state,"* and of which the other half had been received and expended at St * Return to the House of Commons in I8'31 from the Scottish Court of Exche- quer before its dissolution 4 MARISCHAL COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY. 1181 Andrews some years previously, without any aid being raised by private subscriptions. The conditions on which the Treasury agreed to advance the above sum of L. 15,000, together with the interest accruing on the whole sum set apart in 1 826, arose from a proposal made by the College to guarantee, within five years, the completion of a new edifice of an extent not inferior to that in the sketches of Mr Keid, His Majesty's Master of Works in Scotland, who had visited Aberdeen in February 1834 for the purpose of obtaining informa- tion as to the accommodation required. Their Lordships termed the offer made by the College " liberal," and considered it unne- cessary that the King's architect should be employed, — the plan and site adopted being still left subject to their approbation. This allowed the Principal and Professors again to bring forward, with such improvements as the delay had suggested, the plans prepared in 1825 by Mr Archibald Simpson, architect, whose excellent taste and great ability have been displayed in the new edifice, as they have been in the Assembly Rooms, the Infirmary, and other prin- cipal buildings erected of late years in Aberdeen. The subscriptions of the numerous alumni and friends of the college now commenced, the town of Aberdeen giving L. 1050, the Chancellor of the University, the late George, Duke of Gor- don, L.500, the Principal and Professors, L.500, &c. In about three months, they amounted to nearly L.5000, but soon after- wards they experienced a check from the agitation connected with a bill brought into Parliament, which met with great opposition from the public generally, because it attempted to divest the Col- leges of all management of their property, and by its provisions for uniting them, to injure greatly the interests of University edu- cation in the north of Scotland. Although this bill was with- drawn in an early stage, yet the prospect of speedily obtaining thei Government grant continued to be clouded by the revival of the subject of the Union in other shapes; and it was not till after a tedious negociation that the Treasury approved of the plan and estimate finally transmitted by the College, and engaged to pay L. 15,000 as soon as L.6000 of subscriptions were realized, and on these L.21,000 being expended to their satisfaction, to pay the ad- dition of accrued interest, the edifice to be completed in June 1841. On this occasion, the magistrates and town-council of Aberdeen assisted the College in guaranteeing the erection of a building to the above extent, in the hope, that, while the work was in pro- 1182 ABERDEENSHIRE. gress, a change of circumstances might induce new subscribers to come forward, and those who had already subscribed to permit the application of their subscriptions to the finishing of the work, which many had refused to allow, should the intended new modelling of the constitution of the University take place. This hope was re- alized. The subscriptions already made were paid, and many new ones received after the agitation ceased. The Government grant was paid, in August 1836, to the Chancellor and Rector of the University, the Member of Parliament for the city, the Provost, and the Dean of Guild, all for the time being, who were constitut- ed a commission for expending it, and the sums subscribed ; and in the same month the building was contracted for. In this tran- saction it is proper to preserve a record of the services of Alexan- der Bannerman, Esq. M. P. for Aberdeen, to whom the College and the community are deeply indebted for the exertions which he made towards obtaining the Government grant, during a negocia- tion complicated with unusual circumstances, and continued for several years. In 1841, the Lords of the Treasury, having been satisfied, from an examination by their agent, that the sum of L.2 1,000 had been expended, ordered the accrued interest, amounting to L.5853, 9s. 2d., to be paid to the same commissioners, by means of which they were enabled nearly to complete the building, including many interior furnishings in the library, class-rooms, &c. ; although some expensive fittings, particularly those of the museum, remain to be provided for. When finished, the whole cost will be about L.30,000 ; which, considering the style in which it is erected, and the extent of accommodation afforded, may be considered as com- paratively cheap. In front the new college presents three sides of a quadrangle,'placed nearly on the site of the old building, which it was necessary to keep up till the greater part of the new one was so far advanced as to supply accommodations for teaching the classes. The exterior is of Gothic architecture, partaking of that seen in many collegiate structures in England, but in a simple and bold style, in order to harmonize with the nature of the material, which is the very hard and durable white granite of the vicinity. In the centre a square tower, terminated by four ornamented tur- rets, rises to the height of nearly 100 feet from the court in front, and, from the fall of the ground, to 120 feet from the enclosure on the opposite side. On both sides of the principal entrance are open arcades, 48 feet long, by 16 wide. On the ground-floor the MA.RISCHAL COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY. 1183 principal apartment is the public school, 74 feet long, and 84 wide, used for all purposes where several classes are assembled together, and for competitions, examinations, &c. A lofty staircase, with a ceiling of enriched groins and a massive stone balustrade, con- ducts to the three principal apartments, which open from the same vestibule, — the Hall, the Library, and the Museum. The dimen- sions of the first of these is 71 feet by 34; of each of the other two, 75 feet by the same width. The interior altitude of all is about 32 feet to the top of the enriched ceilings, painted in imi- tation of oak. Adjoining to the Library are two small rooms, used for reading, and as an office for the librarian ; and on the Museum side are a room for the meetings of the Senatus Academicus, and one for containing additional articles of Natural History, adjoining to the class-room in which that science is taught. The astrono- mical Observatory is placed in the highest story of the tower. There are six class-rooms for teaching Greek, Latin, Natural His- tory, Mathematics, Natural Philosophy, and Moral Philosophy and Logic; one for Scots Law and Conveyancing; three for Divinity and Oriental Languages, in one of which is held the Theological library ; two others, at present occupied by the lecturers on Mate- ria Medica and Agriculture ; and five used in teaching the Practice of Medicine, Surgery, Anatomy, Chemistry, and Practical Che- mistry. Besides these seventeen class-rooms, there are also a spa- cious Chemical Laboratory, arid two rooms adjoining for Chemical Apparatus ; a Dissecting-room adjoining the Anatomical Theatre, and rooms for Anatomical preparations ; an Anatomical Museum, fitted with glass cases and a gallery ; and two rooms for holding the apparatus used in teaching Natural Philosophy. The college servants have suitable accommodations ; and to most of the class- rooms is annexed a closet for the professor ; but no part of the building has been appropriated for lodgings for any of their body, the whole being set apart for the public purposes of edu- cation. The plan of heating is by warm air supplied from furnaces placed in the sunk story, excepting in three of the class- rooms, in which the circulation of hot water in iron pipes has been adopted. When a new and wide street is opened from the College gate, passing by a gentle declivity towards the East Church, a fine ef- fect in regard to architectural beauty will be produced, besides the advantages which the property in the neighbourhood will re- ceive from the improvement. This design, together with the re- 1184 ABERDEENSHIRE. building of the College Church in a style suitable to that of the university, will probably be carried into effect in a few years. College Library^ Museum, 8fc. — The library, which will this year be transferred to the fine apartment destined for it in the new buildings, consists, for the greater part, of old books, which have been, on the whole, well preserved. It originated in a collection of volumes which was made at the Reformation, among which are numerous manuscripts of parts of the writings of Augustine, Je- rome, Gregory, and other fathers of the church, which belonged to the monasteries in the city, and were taken charge of by the magistrates on the breaking up of these establishments. Before the foundation of the college these and other books, mostly on theological subjects, were kept in the church of St Nicholas, chiefly for the use of the Reformed clergy, and were called the Town's Library, and Bibliotheca Ecclesiastica. In 1624, the large be- quest of Mr Thomas Reid, above-mentioned, transferred his li- brary to the college, where it was united to the books given by Dr Liddel and those of the Bibliotheca Ecclesiastica. The librarian's salary, for which Mr Reid also left 6000 merks, was then about 600 merks, the common interest of money being ten per cent. Some smaller donations of books were made ; and in the oldest catalogue extant, dated 1670, the books of each donor are distin- guished. The number of volumes at present is not above 12,000. The magistrates appointed the librarian till 1673, when the right of electing him was claimed by the principal, the four regents, and the rector of the Grammar school, in tetms of Mr Reid's will, and after a four years' law-suit a decision of the Court of Session con- firmed the claim, and the above-mentioned persons have since exer- cised it. From the salary having been for a very long period reduced to L,14, 3s. 4d., it was found necessary, in 1754, in order to pre- vent dilapidations, that each of the regents should in turn take im- mediate charge of the Library, giving personal attendance for three years. The collection is accessible to all under graduates, and to masters of arts, on condition of a single payment of 7s. 8d., and a deposit of money, which is returned when required ; and literary men or others, not authorized to claim in these respects, are always allowed the loan of books on the responsibility of individual pro- fessors, subject to an annual return in October, when all the vo- lumes lent are called in, and the whole inspected. It is greatly to be wished that the funds of this library were increased, the only sources whence new books are purchased being MARISCHAL COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY, 1185 the above payment, and any fees paid by graduates in divinity or laws, the whole fees of whose diplomas, excepting the expense of writing them, have been for a long time given to it; but the num- ber of these has always been small. The college has never en- Joyed the full benefit arising from the books entered in Stationers' Hall; for only one copy being sent to Aberdeen, the righ tof keeping them was given, by the Court of Session, in 1737, to the older establishment, but, as the decision bears, " for the use of both colleges." The late alteration, by which an annual payment is given to King's College in lieu of these books, has not remedied the unequal circumstances in which Marischal College is placed, and which the Royal Commissioners have represented in their reports. A theological library was instituted in the year 1700 by the Synod of Aberdeen, who granted the sum of 1000 merks to the Professor of Divinity in Marischal College, out of the rents of an estate mortified to support the Professor of Divinity in King's College ; the books purchased " to be set up in a distinct library by themselves in the Marischal College, or some convenient room in New Aberdeen," " so as to he patent for all the students of Di- vinity in both colleges." In 1754, the books were placed in the Divinity Hall of the college, and the professor continued to select those to be purchased till 1785, when a committee of the students received the management. The contributors of a small sum an- nually for four years are constituted life-proprietors. There is a printed catalogue of the collection, and the regulations under which it is managed are sanctioned by the colleges, no alteration of them being valid unless mad^ with the consent of both colleges, in order to avoid " the many evils arising from precipitation." Many articles of curiosity and specimens of natural history, presented to the college at different times, were lodged in the Library, till 1786, when a separate apartment was partially fitted up for them with cases, and which, in 1823, was remodelled and ex- tended. It is to be ardently hoped that, with the great advantages of display which the new apartment to be fitted up as a Museum is capable of affording, this collection will rapidly increase. The present professor of Natural History is in possession of an exten- sive museum of objects useful in teaching that science, particularly in Zoology and Mineralogy, which have beenpnrchased at his own expense. . The Apparatus for teaching Natural Philosophy is extensive, and ABERDEEN, 4 F 1180 ABERDEENSHIRE. articles are added annually to it. It commenced in 1717, when the Principal and Professors obtained a royal warrant for applying some vacant salaries towards purchasing instruments ; and it ap- pears, from entries in the college accounts, that the money thus obtained was laid out under the direction of the celebrated Mac- laurin, then Professor of Mathematics, and probably the first who gave instructions in any parts of the Newtonian philosophy in this university. In 1726, a printed proposal was circulated for in- creasing the apparatus, so as to afford a complete course of Expe- rimental Philosophy ; and in that year, the Commissioners of Supply for the County of Aberdeen granted some aid to the de- sign. From 1721 to 1755, a custom prevailed of the graduates in Arts contributing voluntarily small sums for the same purpose. Soon after the late Dr Patrick Copland entered as Professor of Natural Philosophy, he turned his attention to the enlargement of the apparatus; and being assisted by a small grant from the Board of Trustees for the Encouragement of Manufactures in Scotland, he employed an able workman in the construction of a great number of models and other apparatus, many of them of elegant design. The possession of these allowed him to com- mence, in 1786, in addition to the regular course of scientific lectures, a popular series of instructions in Experimental Philoso- phy, illustrating many of the practical applications of science to the arts and the common purposes of life. These he continued, at intervals, for many years; and upon his death in 1822, the part of the apparatus which was his own property was purchased by the College. A catalogue of this apparatus is kept, and on removing it lately to the new building, it was for the first time arranged in the order of subjects, the accommodation for it in the old edifice having become, from its increase, exceedingly incom- modious. The Astronomical Apparatus is another department which will benefit considerably from the new edifice, the access to the old Observatory having been very inconvenient, and the difficulty of keeping the roof water-tight great. The chief instruments are an excellent transit, by Ramsden, of 4 feet focus, and 3 inches aperture ; a moveable quadrant, of 2 feet radius, divided by Ramsden ; and an equatorial, with circles of 18 inches diameter, originally made by Sisson, but afterwards divided anew, and an achromatic telescope added, by Ramsden. The time-keeper is an excellent instrument, with a gridiron pendulum, by Mariotte* MARISCHAL COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY. 1187 There are also the usual auxiliary apparatus, two reflecting tele- scopes, and a fine refracting one, double achromatic, by Dollond, of 4 feet focus, and 2| inches aperture, with a divided object-glass micrometer, by the same artist. These instruments were procured by donation or purchase in 1780 (the Earl of Bute giving the transit and equatorial,) when Dr Copland originated a subscription for setting on foot an Ob- servatory, for which the town gave a site on the Castlehill, where the building was erected. In 1795, Government requiring the site of the Observatory for a powder-magazine to the barracks then erect- ing in its vicinity, it was removed to the north wing of the College, and a grant of money given in exchange, the greater part of which was expended on the new arrangements necessary, and the remainder reserved for its maintenance, under the management of the Prin- cipal and Professors. A collection of books in astronomical and mathematical science is connected with the Observatory, purchas- ed with a small fund appropriated to that peculiar purpose by Dr Liddel, who founded and endowed the mathematical professorship. The late Andrew Mackay, LL. D., was keeper of the Observa- tory for some years after its institution ; the present keeper is the Professor of Mathematics, but no salary has ever been attached to the office. Eminent Persons educated at Marischal College^ or closely con- nected with it, — Robert Howie, the first Principal (1593-98,) author of several theological treatises ; translated to Dundee by the General Assembly, and afterwards appointed Professor of Theology at St Andrews, and successor to Andrew Melville. Peter Blackburn, the first in the list of Regents, an office which he had held previously in the University of Glasgow ; Bishop of Aberdeen, 1603-15. He was the author of a treatise against James Gordon the Jesuit, and is termed by Wodrow "a judicious and famous divine." Robert Gordon, nineteenth Baron of Straloch, was the first graduate in arts of the university, probably in 1597, and eminent as a geographer, poet, and antiquary. He was the author of the Atlas of Scotland, published by Blaeu in 1648, some of the countv maps of which were constructed from his own actual surveys. Pie died in 1661, in his eighty-first year. Gilbert Jacchseus, or Jack, M. D., was an eminent writer on various branches of physical and metaphysical science, and became Professor of Philosophy in the University of Leyden, where he died in 1628. 1188 ABERDEENSHIRE. • Duncan Liddel, M» D,, a native of Aberdeen, became Professor of Mathematics and Medicine in the University of Helmstadt, and pubHshed several works on medicine, which were long esteemed. Returning to his native country, he died in 1613, in his fifty-se- cond year, after bequeathing his books and mathematical instru- ments to the college, and founding in it bursaries and the pro- fessorship of mathematics. A large tablet of brass, with his effi- gies and an inscription, is placed in the principal church of the city, and a monument erected on the lands of Pitmedden in memory of him, has been lately repaired by the magistrates and town- council. Thomas Reid, A, M., was appointed one of the masters of the Grammar School in 1602, and afterwards became Secretary in the Greek and Latin tongues to King James VI., and wrote Latin poems, many of which are preserved in the Delitiae Poeta- Eum Scotorum ; and in the same work there is an elegant epice- dium upon him by Sir Robert Aytoun. He bequeathed his va- luable library of books to the college, and a fund for a librarian Among them are a fine manuscript of the Hebrew Scriptures, of which Kennicott had the use when engaged in his collation ; many feli-o Alduses; and Reid's transcript of King James's work on the Revelations, with alterations in his Majesty's hand-writing. David Wedderburn, A. M., Rector of the Grammar- School of Aberdeen, 1602-1640, wrote several Latin poems, which are in the Delitiae Poetarum Scotorum, and for some years taught a humanity class in the collegew WiUiam Forbes, A. M., 1601, fourth Principal of the college, 1618-1621, and the first Professor of Divinity, 1616-1625, and. afterwards Bishop of Edinburgh, a see which Charles I. erected for him, as one of the most learned divines of the time. He was one of the first who took the degree of D. D. after the introduc- lion of that dignity among the reformed clergy of Scotland. Robert Baron, D. D., the second Professor of Divinity, 1625- 1639, author of " Philosophia Theologise Ancillans," and several other theological works. Patrick Dun, M. D., the pupil and friend of Dr Liddel, was Principal of the college, 1621-1649, and bequeathed his estate of Ferryhill for the support of the Grammar school of Aberdeen. William Johnston, M. D., of the family of Caskieben, Professoi' of Philosophy in the University of Sedan, and afterwards the first MARISCHAL COLLEGE AND UNITERSITY. 1189 Professor of Mathematics in Marischal College, on Liddel's foundation, 1626-1640. Arthur Johnston, M. D., younger brother of the former, author of Latin poems, and of a well-known translation of the Psalms of David into that language. He studied medicine at Padua, and afterwards settled in France ; returning in 1633, he be- came Physician to King Charles L, and died at Oxford in 1641. George Jameson, born at Aberdeen in 1586, studied with Van- dyck under Rubens, and became celebrated as a painter. Some fine portraits by him are preserved in the College Hall. William Guild, (A. M. 1604,) D.D., author of a Harmony of the Prophecies and many other theological treatises, and the en- dower of the Incorporated Trades' Hospital of Aberdeen, and founder of bursaries. He was Principal of King's College, 1640— 1651. Alexander Ross, chaplain to King Charles I., was the author of " Virgilius Evangelizans," " A View of all Religions," and up- wards of thirty other works. He bequeathed two bursaries at his death in 1654. Alexander JafFray of Kingswells, Provost of Aberdeen during the civil wars, Member of Parliament, and one of the Scottish Commissioners sent to invite Charles H. in 1650. He afterwards became a leader among the Quakers, and his interesting Diary has been of late years discovered at Ury, the seat of the Barclays^ and published. John Menzies, D. D., Professor of Divinity, 1649-1681, author of " Roma Mendax," and other works. James Gordon, fifth son of Robert Gordon of Straloch, minis- ter of Rothiemay, in Aberdeenshire, and author of " A Descrip- tion of bothe Towns of Aberdeene," for which he made a survey and map; and also of a " History of Scots Affairs from 1637 to 1641," both of which works have been lately printed by the- Spalding Club. Robert Morison, M. D., the celebrated botanist, and the first Lecturer on Botany in the University of Oxford, author of " Plan- tarum Historia Universalis," 3 vols. 1672-1699. David Gregory of Kinardie, Librarian of the College, 1663— 1669, and father of David, Savilian Professor of Astronomy at Oxford. James Gregory, M. D., younger brother of the former, published in 1663, " Optica Promota," in which he gave a plan of that Re- 1190 ' ABERDEENSHIRE. fleeting Telescope, which has been called after him. He was Pro- fessor of Mathematics at St Andrews, 1668-1674, and afterwards at Edinburgh, where he died in 1675, in his thirty-seventh year, having displayed in his various writings the highest talents in ma- thematical science. Gilbert Burnet, D. D., Bishop of Salisbury, the celebrated au- thor of the History of the Reformation in England, the History of his own Times, and many other works ; founded bursaries. John Arbuthnott, M. D., Physician to Queen Anne, and the friend of Pope and Swift, with whom he was associated in several works. William Meston, A. M., appointed Regent in November 1715, by the last presentation signed by Earl Marischal ; expelled in 1717, having been active in the Rebellion; author of poems which have gone through several editions. George Keith, the last Earl Marischal of Scotland, alumnus 1708-1712 ; resided long at Berlin as the friend of Frederick the Great, and died there in 1778. James, his brother, at College, 1712-1715, Field-Marshal in the service of the same prince, and killed at the battle of Hoch- kirchen in 1758. George Turnbull, LL.D., Regent 1721-1727, author of Prin- ciples of Moral Philosophy, and of a Treatise on Ancient Paint- ing. James Gibbs, the celebrated architect, among whose works are, St Martin's Church, London, and the Radcliffe Library, Oxford. Colin Maclaurin, A. M., appointed Professor of Mathematics in 1717, in his nineteenth year; in 1727, removed to the same chair in Edinburgh, on the recommendation of Sir Isaac Newton. Robert Keith, A. M., Bishop of Caithness and Orkney in the Scots Episcopal Church ; author of a History of Scotland, and of the Catalogue of the Scottish Bishops. Alexander Cruden, A. M., Author of the Concordance to the Bible ; founded a bursary. Thomas Blackwell, D. D., Principal, 1717-1727, and Pro- fessor of Divinity, 1711-1727; author of " Ratio Sacra," " Me- thodus Evangelise," " Schema Sacrum," and other works. Thomas Blackwell, LL. D., son of the former. Principal, 1 748- 1757, and Professor of Greek, 1723-1757; author of " Letters on Mythology," " Life of Homer," and " Memoirs of the Court of Augustus." MAUISCHAL COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY. 1191 David Fordyce, (A. M., 1728,) Regent, 1742-1751, author of " Dialogues on Education," a " Treatise on Moral Philosophy," and other works. William Duncan, (A.M., 1737,) Professor of Moral Philosophy, 1753-1760, author of a Treatise on Logic, and Translations of Caesar's Commentaries, and part of Cicero's Orations. John Stewart, A. M., Professor of Mathematics, 1727-1766, Author of " Sir Isaac Newton's Two Treatises on the Quadra- ture of Curves explained," 4to, 1745. Thomas Reid, (A. M., 1726), D. D., the celebrated author of the " Inquiry into the Human Mind," " Essays on the Intel- lectual and Active Powers," &c., was for some years the College Librarian, afterwards Professor at King's College, whence he re- moved in 1763, to the Moral Philosophy chair at Glasgow. Alexander Gerard, (A. M., 1744), D. D., Professor of Moral Philosophy, 1752-1760, and of Divinity, 1760-1771, when he removed to the same chair in King's College ; author of an Essay on Taste, Dissertations on the Genius and Evidences of Christ^' ianity. Sermons, &c. Gilbert Gerard, (A. M., 1775), son of the former. Professor df Greek in King's College, 1790-1796, and of Divinity, 1796- 1815; edited and continued his father's works on Biblical Criti- cism, and Evidences of Natural and Revealed Religion. • George Campbell, (A. M., 173S), D. D., Principal, 1759- 1795, and Professor of Divinity, 1776-1796; author of the Essay on Miracles, Translation of the Gospels, Philosophy of Rhetori c. Lectures on Ecclesiastical History, &c. James Beattie, (A. M., 1753), LL. D., Professor of Moral Philosophy and Logic, 1760-1803; author of the " Minstrel," '* Essay on Truth," " Essays on Poetry, Music, &c., " The Theory of Language," " Elements of Moral Science," &c. James Hay Beattie, (A.M., 1786,) son of the former, Assistant Professor of Moral Philosophy, 1787- J 790, author of Poems, Essays, &c. John Skinner, (A. M., 1738,) author of Popular Songs and other poetry, an Ecclesiastical History of Scotland, &c. John Skinner, D. D., (Alumnus, 1757-1761), son of the former, Bishop of Aberdeen, 1786-1816, author of " Primitive Truth and Order Vindicated," and other theological works. John Ogilvie, D. D., Minister of Midmar, Aberdeenshire ; author of " Providence," " the Day of Judgment," " Britannia," and other poems and philosophical works. 1192 ABERDEENSHIRE. James Fordyce, (A. M., 1753), D. D., Presbyterian minister in London, author of " Sermons to Young Women," &c. Sir William Fordyce, M. D., brother of the preceding, (A. M., 1742), physician in London, and author of several medical works; Lord Rector of the University, 1790-1792; bequeathed his li- brary, and founded a lectureship on Agriculture. George Fordyce, M. D,, nephew of the former, (A. M., 1751, M. D., 1758) ; lecturer and physician in London ; author of " Ele- ments of Agriculture and Vegetation," and many medical works and papers in the Philosophical Transactions. William Trail, LL. D., Professor of Mathematics, 1766-1778; afterwards Chancellor of the diocese of Down and Connor ; au- thor of " Elements of Algebra," and " Life of Dr Robert Simp- son ;" died at Bath in 1831. Robert Hamilton, LL. D., Professor of Mathematics, 1779- 1829 ; author of " an Inquiry into the National Debt," " Intro- duction to Merchandise," " The Progress of Society," and other works. James Beattie, (A. M., 1783,) Professor of Civil and Natural History, 1788-1810; an excellent Latin scholar, and the first discoverer of the lAnncBa borealis in Scotland, in 1795, and of many other plants of the British Flora. William Laurence Brown, D. D., Principal and Professor of Divinity, 1795-1830 ; author of Essays on " Scepticism," " the Natural Equality of Man," " the Existence of a Supreme Creator," ** a Comparative View of Christianity," &c. John Stuart, A. M., Professor of Greek, 1782-1S27; author of a Life of Dr Duncan Liddel, and of papers on the Roman Progress in Scotland, &c. in the Archseologia Scotica. Alexander Chalmers, (A. M., 1778), LL. D., F. S. A. ; editor of the " General Biographical Dictionary," " the British Poets," •" the British Essayists," and many other works. Alexander Crombie, (A.M., 1778), LL. D. ; author of " Gym- nasium," " Essay on Philosophical Necessity," " Natural Theo- logy," and other works. Alexander Jolly, (A. M., 1775), D. D., Bishop of Moray, 1796-1838; author of several theological works. Alexander Nicoli, {Alumnus, 1805-1808); Canon of Christ- Church, and Regius Professor of Hebrew in the University of Oxford, 1826-1828, February 1843. INDEX. Abbey land, tbe, 988 Abbey of Arbroath, cell of the, 326— its history, ib of Deer, ruins of, 148 Abel, Mr, improvements by, 662 — Rev. George, bequest by, 312 Abercrombie, Dr, 600 Aberdeen, city of, 1 — origin of its name, &c., ib. — its boundaries and parochial divisions, 4 — its soil and climate, 6, 16 — average quantity of rain in, 10 — prevalent winds, 10 — its civil history, 17 — origin of its arms, ib its early municipal constitution, 20 — visits of James VI. to, 21 — trials and execu- tions for witchcraft in, ib — capture of, by Montrose, 22 — occupation of, by the rebels in 1745, 24 — insolvency of the city, 25 — eminent men con- nected with, 26 — its ecclesiastical his- tory, 2S — progress of the Reforma- tion in, 29 — establishment of Episco- pacy, 30 — its churches^ 33 — classified population of, 38 — educational statis- tics of, 39 — grammar school, 43— universities, 1139 — see also King's College and Marischal College — me- chanic's institute, 47 — benevolent and other institutions, 48 — management of the poor in, ib — hospitals, 51, 52 — house of refuge, 53 — house of indus- try, deaf and dumb institution, &c., 55 — various other charities, 56 — its harbour, 64 — shipping and trade, 66 — exports and imports, 68 — canal from, to Inverury, 68 — manufactures in, 70 — fisheries connected with, 73 — supply of water in, 76 — lighting, cleaning, and police superintendence, 77 — gas works, 78 — bridewell, 80 — criminal statistics of, 83 — scientific institutions, 84 — infirmary, 86 — dis- pensaries, 89 — lunatic asylum, 91 — incorporated trades of, 93 — society of advocates, 95 — of shipmasters, ib post-ofiice, stage-coaches, roads, &c., 96 — banks and branches, 97 — savings' banks, 98 — insurance offices, 99 — newspapers published in, 100 — pub- lic and other libraries, 101 — markets, ib — inns, 102 — public buildings, 103 ABERDEEN. Aberdeen, the Earl of, 721, 963, 966 — Chancellor of King's College, 1142 Aberdeenshire, general observations on, 1 132 — criminal statistics of, ib. — tabu- lar view of its ecclesiastical statistics, 1133 Aberdour Bay, 260— parish of, 258— its physical character, ib its history, 263 land-owners in, 264— population of, 265 — agriculture, 267 — its paro- chial economy, 270 — general obser- vations on, 274 — New, village of, 265, 270 Abergeldie house, 650 Aboyne, family of, 1053, 1056 Aboyne, bridge of, 788, 790, 1066— castle, history of, 1055 — mineral spring of, 788 Aboyne and Glentanner, united parishes of, 1047 — their physical character, ib. — history,1053— land-owners, 1054 — population and agriculture, 1063 — parochial economy, 1065 — general observations on, 1068 Adam, Dr Alexander, bursaries founded by, 1152 Adams and Co., yarn mills of, 1004 Advocatesof Aberdeen, society of the, 95 Agricultural association, the Alford, 455 —the Buchan, 724— the Huntly, 1040 —the Methlick, 971— the Old Deer, 158— the Turrig; 1012 Agricultural implements, prices of, 337, 550, 575, 711, 951 Agriculture and rural economy, statistics of, 109, 116, 125, 133, 152, 169, 179, 199, 226, 239, 245, 252, 267, 279, 289, 305, 333, 358, 399, 412, 418, 427, 438, 452, 466, 479, 502, 550, 574, 586, 594, 602, 614, 626, 632, 640, 651, 660, 670, 683, 688, 695, 699, 710, 723, 739, 745, 755, 766, 779, 794, 812, 819, 824, 834, 84-3, 853, 864, 890, 908, 950, 959, 968, 977, 979, 997, 1016, 1017, 1018, 1023, 1030, 1040, 1063, 1073, 1077, 1093, 1098, 1125 Ainslie, Sir Whitelaw, 277 Airdler, Druidical circle on, 585 Alexander III., tradition regarding, 1060 4 G 1194 ABERDEENSHIRE. Alexander, Rev. John, trial of, 540 Alford, parisli of, 485— its physical cha- racter, ib. — history and land-owners, 498 — population, 500 — agriculture, 502 — parochial economy, 518 —ge- neral observations on, 523 — agri- cultural association of, 455, 524— bridge, 519 Allach water, 1049 AUachy water, 1049 Alvah, bridge of, 282 Anderson, David, 26 — Dr, bequests by, 40, 384, 579— Thomas, trial of, 1124 — William, introduction of the reap- ing scythe by, 174 — bequest by, 722 Andet, old chapel at, 972 Antiquities, 108, 114, 122, 147, 148, 167, 177, 195, 224, 244, 251, 264, 277, 286, 293, 300, 320, 326, 354, 398, 411, 449, 463, 477, 499, 543, 563, 585, 601, 613, 621, 638, 650, 658, 680, 698, 708, 722, 731, 737, 744, 751, 778, 792, 818, 822, 833, 842, 851, 862, 887, 946, 958, 976, 987, 1015, 1022, 1029, 1037, 1056, 1072, 1089, 1098, 1121 Aodh, King, death and probable burial- place of, 681 Aquharney, factory at, 972 Arbuthnot, Adam, museum belonging to, 370— Rev. Alexander, 808— Dr, 1190 — George, Esq., plantations formed by, 359 — Robert, of Scotsmill, 194 Arch, natural, at Pitjossie, 259 Ardmiddle, hill of, 982 — tumulus on, 993 Ardonald, lime-works at, 1017 Ardoyne hill, 635 Argyle, the Marquis of, siege of Haddo house by, 967 Arkey brae, tumuli at, 147 Armour, ancient, found in Culsamond, 731— in Drumoak, 888— in Echt, 738 —at Glack, 822 Artesian wells, sinking of various, in Aberdeen, 12 Assleed, burn of, 763 Astronomical apparatus in Marischal College, 1186 Athol, defeat of the Lord of, at Gray hill, 417 Auchaber house, 601 Auchernach house, 547 Auchindoir and Kearn, united parishes . of, 406 — their physical character, ib. — history and land-owners, 411 — po- pulation, 412 — agriculture, ib — parochial economy, ib — general ob- sea'vations on, 414 — ruins of the old church of, 411 Auchinhove, history of the property of, 1087 Auchiries, limestone quarries of, 298 — ■ house, 295 Auchleven, village of, 696 Auchlossen loch, 1050 — history of the property of, 1087 Auchmacoy, family of, 806, 807 — tile- work at, 813 Auchmedden, natural arch at, 259 — dens of, 262— hills, 717 Auchry house, plantations at, 764 Auchterless, parish of, 285 — its physical character, ib history and land-own- ers, 286 — population, 288 — agricul- ture, 289 — parochial economy, 291 Auld kirk, the, a Druidical circle, 499 — of Tough, 618 Aultdinny burn, 1049' Aultroy burn, 1049 Aurora, phenomena attending the, in Aberdeen, 11 — in Strathdon, 528 Austin, Rev. Thomas, 989 Avochy, ruins of the castle of, 1038 Ba' hill, the, 302 Badenyon, shooting lodge of, 437 Baillie, General, encampment of, before the battle of Alford, 449 Balbithan, remarkable beech at, 743 Balgownie house, 1076 Ballater house, 778— village of, 779, 781 Ballogie house, 793 Balmoran house, 650 Balnacraig house, 1056 — curious tradi- tion regarding it, ib. note — history of the property of, 1087 — plantations on it, 1052 Balquhain castle, history and ruins of, 563, 582— house, 572 Balquhindachy, hill of, 963 Balquholly castle, ruins of, 994 — pro- perty of, 991 Banks and branches in Aberdeen, 97 — Ellon, 923— Huntly, 1041 — Inverury, 685— Turriff, 1013 Barbour, John, birth place of, 26 Barclay, origin of the family of, 287 — ■ of Towie, family of, 995 Bardoch water, 544 Barmekin, hill of, 736 — remains of Da- nish camp on, 737 — cairn on, 949 Baron, Robert, 1188 Barony court of Craigievar, extracts from the records of, 1124 Barra, hill of, 621 — ancient camp on, 622 Barthol, chapel and school at, 675 Bass, the, and tradition regarding it, 681 Battlefauld, the, in Crimond, 709 Battle hill in Drumblade, the, 302— of Huntly, the, 1037 I .INDEX. 1195 Beattie, the poet, 1191 — James Hay, ib. Beaumont, Sir Thomas, 264 Bede house, ancient, in Kincardine O'Niel, 833 Belhelvde, parish of, 241 — its physical character, ib — history, 243 — popula- tion, 244 — agricultural statistics, 245 — parochial economy, 246 Bell, Dr, hequest by, for the endowment of schools, 40 Bellabeg house, 547 Bellrory, hill of, 1048 Belnaboth, ruins of church at, 417 Belnagoak, hill of, 963 Belty, hurn of, 832 — damage done by floods in, ib. Benachie or Benochie mount, 422, 486, 635, 693, 943— the granite of, 562 Benavon hill, 776 Bennabuird, mount, 647 Bennarauickduidh or Benmackdhui, Mount, 647 Benneaw, Mount, 436 Ben-Newe hill, 526 Bentley, Professor, 1148 Bents, the burn of, 492 Bequests, vai'ious, to King's College, 1150— to Marischal College, 1167 Bethelnie, origin of the name of, 474 — hill of, 316, 475 — ancient burial- ground at, 478 Betteral well, tradition regarding, 1029 Bhrodichan loch, 648 Bible societies, various, in Aberdeen, 62 Bieldside house, 106, 108 Bilbo, limestone quarry at, 705 BinghiU house, 106, 108 Berkhall house, 778 Birse, parish of, 786 — its physical cha- racter, ib. — history, 789 — landowTiers, 791 — population, 793 — agricultural statistics, 794 — parochial economy, 797— forest of, 787 Bishop's Loch, the, 1026 — palace in Rayne, remains of the, 424 Bishoprick of Aberdeen, fomidation of the, 28 Bisset, William, of Aboyne, 1053 Black cairn, the, 425 Black chapel of the moor, ruins of the, 1048 Blackhill of Peterhead, the, 345 — im- provement of it, 362 — granite quar- ries in, 364 Black mire spring, the, 1071 Blackburn, Peter, first Regent of Maris- chal College, 1166 BlackweU, Dr, 1190 Blairdaff, chapel of ease at, 577 Bleeding burn in Aboyne, the, 1062 Blelack house, 1073 Bloody faidds, the, and tradition regard- ing, 613 Boddam castle, ruins of, 354 — light- house, 703— ^^llage of, 345, 378 Boece, Hector, principal of King's Col- lege, 1143 Bog iron ore bound in Insch, 749 Bogie water, 297, 407, 408, 584, 1036 —floods on, 1037 Bon Accord, origin of the motto of, 17 — quoad sacra parish of, 1077, 1078 Bone dust, extensive use of, in EUon,91 1 Botany, 15, 145, 191, 221, 262, 276, 318, 352, 409, 423, 443, 496, 538, 592, 630, 657, 706, 720, 777, 788, 804, 848, 861, 879, 945, 958, 965, 985, 1021, 1051, 1080, 1107 Bourtrie, parish of, 620— its physical character, ib history, 621 — popula- tion, 625 — agricultural statistics, 626 — pai'ochial economy, 628 Bowman stone, the, 426 Bo}Tidlie house, 723 Boyne's Mill house, 601 Braccans, tumulus at, 993 Braco, Lady, bursary founded by, 1152 Braemar, district of, 647 — ruins of the castle of, 650 — Highland society of, 653 Braeroddach, loch, 1050 Breriach, mount, rise of the Dee in, 648 Brickwork at Auchmacoy, 813 — at Peterhead, 367 Bridewell, the Aberdeen, 80 Bridges near Huntly, destruction of, in 1829, 1037 Brindy hill, 693 British camp in Culsamond, remains of, 733 Broadford, factories at, 1077 Broadhill, the, 5 Brodie's cairn, tradition connected with, 264 Brony water, 900 Brougham, Lord, connection of, with Tullynessle, 448 Brown, Dr James, bequest by, 405 — "William Laurence, 1192 Bruce, Rev. George, bursaries founded by, 1156 — Robert, residence of, in Drumblade, 300 — defeat of the Cum- mings by, 623, 678 Bruce field, the, 624^hill, tradition con- nected with, 178 Bruce's how, tradition regarding, 659 Brux house, 411, 448 — plantations on the estate of, 444 Bruxie, ancient camp at, 147 Buchan, boundaries of the district of, 799 — agricultural association, 724^ 866 1196 ABERDEENSHIRE. Buchan, the Earl of, defeat of, at Old Meldrum, 6-23 — John, bequest by, 665— Major-General, 806 Buchan-haven, village of, 370 Buehanness, promontory of, 345 — ^light- house on, ib. 380 Buckie, burn of, 492 Bucket water, 436, 530 Bullers-buchan, village of, 979 Bunty, village of, 1048 Burial-ground, ancient, at Fingask, 822 — in Foveran, 699 Burnett, Bishop, 1190 — John, of Dens, mortification by, 56, 235, 312, 742, 785, 820, 1131— of Leys, family of, 885 — Sir Thomas, of Leys, bursaries founded by, 1150 Burn-haven, village of, 381, 709 Burnside of Dalgety, tumulus at, 993 Bursaries founded by Irvine of Drum, 883 — various, attached to King's Col- lege, their values, patrons, &c., 1150 — to Marischal College, 1167— effects produced by them, 1177 Bursars in King's College, fees paid by, &c., U49 Buss, remains of Roman camp at, 286 Byres, James, Esq. of Tonley, 614 Byron, Lord, connection of, with Fyvie, 325 Byset water, 303 Cadden, remains of British camp at, 733 Caillevar or Callievar hill, 440, 486— view from, 487 Cairns, various, in Aberdour, 264 — in Alford, 499— in Birse, 789— in Bour- trie, 622 — in Braemar, 650 — in Cul- samond, 731, 732— in Echt, 738— in Glenmuick, 778 — in Keithhall, 744 — in Kintore, 659 — in Leochel, 1121 — in Leslie, 1022 — in Logie-Coldstone, 1072— in Lumphanan, 1092— on Mul- loch, 1057 — inRathen,293 — inRayne, 425— in Tarves, 669— in Tough, 613 various origins of, 1062 Cairnbuilg, ruins of the castle of, 294 — village of, 295, 296 Cairnchedly, 331 CairncouUie, Pictish remains at, 1122 Cairn ess house, 224 Cairngall, oak coffins found at, 354 — granite quarries of, 860 — improve- ment of the estate of, 865 Cairnhill in Drumblade, tumuli at, 302 ■^ — in Culsamond, plantations on, 728 — cairns on, 732 Cairnie, parish of, 1017 Cairnmore in Aboyne, hill of, 1061 — in Logie Coldstone, cairns on, 1072 — in Strathdon, 526 Cairn -nacumhne, the, 650 Cairnaveran, cairn on, 499 CaiiTiorie, school at, 974 Cairntaggart, hill of, 773 Cairntoull, hill of, 647 Cairn William, hill of, 459, 486 Caledonian forest, remains of the, in Glentanner, 1052 Callader, loch, 648 Camiestane, tradition regarding battle at, 659 Cammaloun, sandstone quarry of, 317 Camps, remains of ancient, in Alford, 499 — in Auchterless, 286 — on Barme- kin, 737— on Baira hill, 622— in Cul- samond, 733 — in Drumblade, 301 — in Garioch, 570 — in Keithhall, 744 — in Leslie, 1022 — in Lumphanan, 1092 —on Mortlieh hill, 1061— in Old Deer, 147 — in Peterhead, 356 — in Rathen, 294 Campbell, Margaret, catastrophe of, 417 — Principal, 1191 Campfield, tradition regarding, 463 Camphill, history of the property of, 1087 Canal, the Aberdeen and Inverury, 68, 683 Candacraig house, 546 Cannon loch, 775 Canoe, old, found at Drumduan, 1059 Cant, Rev. Andrew, 396, 1145 Cant's kirk, origin of the name, 397 Carlogie house, 1056 Carnegie, John, bequest by, 59 Carvy water, 530 Castle Folly, 819 Castle Forbes, 949 Castlehill of Crimond, the, 708 — .of Kintore, 659— of St Fergus, 186 Castle Rainy, ruins of, 981 Castletoun of Braemar, village of, 652 — antiquities in, 650 Cattle, see Live- Stock — peculiar ma- nagement of, in Alford, 508 Caves, remarkable, in Aberdour, 259 — in Braemar, 650 — in Glenmuick, 774 — at Kinnaird's head, 251 — in Slains, 589 Carvock, village of, 725 Cean-na-coil, site of the castle of, 1059 Chalmers, Alexander, 1192 — of Balna- craig, family of, 1087 Chancellor of King's College, duties, &g. of the, 1142 Chapel of Garioch, parish of, 560 — its physical character, ib history and land-owners, 563 — population, 573 — ■ agricultural statistics, 574 — parochial economy, 576 — general observations on, 581 Chapel of King's College, the, 1161 a INDEX. 1197 Chapels, old, ruins of, in Aucliterless, 287 — in Crimond, 708 — at Easter Clune, 79-2— in Foveran, 699 — in Fraserburgh, 251 — in Inverury, 682 — at Laithers, 983 — in Leochel, 1 122 — — in Leslie, 1022 — in Lethendy, 822 — ^in Monymusk,463 — in NewMachar, 1029— in Turriff, 993 Chapel well in Methlick, the, 972— of Straloch, 1029 Chapelden, ruins of Catholic chapel at, 264 Chapelhouse in Meldrum, the, 477 Chapeltown, ruins of old churches at, 972, 1022 Charles I., union of King's and Marischal Colleges by, 1141 Charles 11., landing of, in Scotland, 565 Charlesto\\T], village of, 1048, 1065 Charteris, Thomas, of Kinfauns, 1090 Charters Chest's cave, the, 650 Cheyne, family of, 193 — Dr, birth-place of, 966— Reginald, 322— Robert, be- quest by, 210 Cheyne's tower, ruins of the, 195 Cholera, ravages of, in Slains, 590 Christ's kirk, suppressed parish of, 583 —ruins of, 747— in Udny, 800— hill, 748 Christmas, celebration of, in St Fergus, 198 Church, the old, of Turriff, 992 Churches, Established, see Ecclesiastical Statistics — Dissenting, see Dissenters. Clashmach hill, 1036 C'latt, parish of, 846 — its physical cha- racter, iO. — history, 849 — landowners, 850 — population, 852 — agriculture, 853 — parochial economy, 856 — ^^llage of, 849, 856 Claymires, mineral spring at, 983 Clerk, Margaret, trial of, for witchcraft, 1086 Climate, see Meteorology. Cloak, cairns at, 1092 Cloghill house, 238 Clothing society of Aberdeen, tbe, 61 Clova house, 411, 976 — plantations at, 409 Cluny, parish of, 1018 — water, 648 Cnoc hill, 774 Coal fund of Peterhead, the, 389— of Turriff, 1011 Cobairdy house, 601 Coburty, millstone quarry of, 269 Cocklarachy, fossil remains found at, 299 Cockmuir, ancient coins found at, 585 Cock's cairn, the, 1022 Coffins, ancient, found at Cairngall, 354 ■• — wooden, in Culsamond, 732 Coich water, 648 Coins, ancient, found in Belhelvie, 244 — in Birse, 792 — in Culsamond, 731 —in Daviot, 823— in Drumoak, 888— at Ferrar, 1061 — in Kennethmont, 585 — inLeochel,1121 — inMonymusk,464 —at Rattray, 709— in St Fergus, 196 — in Strathdon, 546 Coldstone or Colstane, see Logic- Cold- stone Collision, viUage of, 590, 594, 595 Colp, tumulus at, 993 Colpie, Druidical remains at, 732 — burn, 728 Combs, manufactory of, in Aberdeen, 73 Confunderland, moss of, 1105 Coning hillock, the, 681 Conns, quarry of, 985 Conry water, 530 ContuUich burn, 1049 Corbanchory, cairn at, 1121 — remains of old chapels at, 1122 Corchinan burn, 407 Coreen hills, 440, 486, 846 Corgarff, district of, 528 — remarkable spring in, 530 — chapel at, 547, 554 — castle, ruins of, 544 Cornhill house, 1076 Corrennie hill, 611 Corrichie, battle of, 736 Corse, history of the property of, 1 108 chapel, ruins of, 958 — castle, ruins of, 959, 1122— hill, 957, 1122— remains of ancient intrenchments on, 1092, 1122— bouse, 601 Corsedarder, standing stone on, 789 Cortes, Druidical remains at, 293 — house, 294 Corvichen, granite quarry of, 299 Corymulzie, cascade of, 648 — cottage, 650 Cotbuni, hill of, 982 Cothal, cloth mills of, 170 Cothiemuir hill, Druidical remains on, 946 Cothill loch, 591 Cotton factories in Aberdeen, 70 Coull, parish of, 957 — its physical cha- racter, ib history, 958 — population and agriculture, 959 — parochial econo- my, 960 — observations on, 961 — cas- tle, ruins of, 959 Countesswells house, 106, 108 — planta- tions at, 107 Covenanters, defeat of the, at Tarty,, 805 — siege of Haddo house by, 967 Come, Rev. George, 1042 Covvshaven, remarkable cave at, 259 Cowsrieve, hill of, 345 Cragloch, the, 1102 1198 ABERDEENSHIRE. Craig, John, the colleague of Knox, 30 Craig, plantations at, 410 — burn, 407, 408— house, 41 1 Craigandarroch hill, 774 Craigdhuloch, cliffs of, 773 Craig-Ewen, 188 Craigenscore mountain, 436 Craigie, Rev. John, 207 Craigievar, history of the property of, 1109 — plantations on, 1107 — damage done to them by a storm, 1 104 — cas- tle, 1123 Craigston castle, 277 Crailston house, 238 Crathie and Braemar, united parishes of, 646 — their physical character, ib — history and land-owners, 649 — popu- lation and agriculture, 651 — parochi- al economy, 652 Crichie, village of, 150 Crichton, the admirable, birth-place of, 600 Crighton stone in Rayne, the, 426 Criminal statistics of Aberdeen, the, 83 — of Aberdeenshire, 1132 Crimond, parish of, 702 — its physical character, ib history, 707 — land- owners, ib population, 709 — agri- culture, 710 — parochial economy, 713 — general observations on, 716 Crimonmogate house, 225 Cromar, James, birth-place of, 1054 Cromar hills, the, 840 Crombie, Dr, 1192 — Messrs, cloth fac- tory of, 170 Cross of Rayne, the, 424— of Turriff, 993 Cross Gight, hill of, 175 Cruden, Alexander, compiler of the Con- cordance, 1190 Cruden, parish of, 978 — its physical cha- racters, ib. — history, population, and agriculture, 979 — parochial economy, 980— bay of, 979— Scares of, i6.— vil- lage of, 978 Cruickshanks, James, bursaries founded by, 1155— Miss, bequest by, 60 Culblean hills, 773— cave in, 774— cairns at, 778 — tradition relating to the battle of, 1062 CuUen, Lord, 461 CuUerley, improvement of the estate of, 740 Culmeaddin hiU, 728 Culquhanny castle, ruins of, 544 Culsamond, parish of, 727 — its physi- cal character, ib. — history and land- owners, 731 — population, 734 — parochial economy, ib. — hill, 728 — plantations on, ib. — slate quarries, 729 Culsh, hill of, 175 — standing stones of, 177 Culter, burn of, 105— house, 106, 10& — plantations at, 107 — property of, 886 Cults, Druidical circle on, 585 Cumine, Joseph, Esq. of Auchry, plan- tations formed by, 764 — agricultural improvements introduced by, 767 Cumine's Trench, remains of, 287 Cuminestown, village of, 765, 769 Cummings' camp, the, 622 — defeat of the, by Bruce, 678 Cunningham, David, first Protestant bi- shop of Aberdeen, 30 Cushnie, origin of the name of, 1102 — burn, 1105— hill, 1103— history of the property, 1112 — house, 112S Dairy husbandry in Turriff, 1003 Dalmaik, parish of, see Drumoak — an- cient coins found at, 888 Dalpersie, property of, 446 Da' mill, ancient camp on, 499 Danes, defeat of the, at Peel Bog, 1061 Danish camp on Barmekin, 737 — re- mains in Fraserburgh, 252 — in Tur- riff, 993— in Tyrie, 722 Dara burn, 763 Dardanus, supposed burial-place of, 789 Dardar, cascade of, 260 Darra hill, 982 Davidson, George, school endowed by, 40 — -George, of Pettens, bequest by, 237— Mr, mortification by, 666— Pro- fessor, 1146 — Sir Robert, death of, at Harlaw, 18, 567 — William, bursary founded by, 1156 Daviot, parish of, its physical character, 821— history, 822— population, 823— agriculture, 824 — parochial economy, 827 — general observations on, 830 Dawan loch, 1071 Deaf and dumb institution of Aberdeen, the, 55 Dee river, the, 1, 2, 64, 106, 648, 776, 832, 874, 1047, 1 049— changes in the course of, 1050 — floods on, 5, 781, 832— linn of, 648 Deer, ruins of the abbey of, 143 — hill, 315 Deer, New parish of, 175 — Old, parish of, 138 Degrees, mode of conferring, and ex- pense of, in King's College, 1159 Delgatty, property of, 991 — castle, 994 Den of Boddam, ancient camps at, 356 — of Craig, the, 408 — of Howie, an- cient camp at, 147 — of Rothie, wood of, 319 Denmore house, 1076 Deskry water, 416,525, 530, 1071 INDEX. 1199 Dess, gibbet stone found at, 1058 — burn of, 1049 Devana, Roman camp at, 734 Deveron river, the, 274, 398, 599, 982, 1036 Dbalocb, loch and burn, 775. Dick bequest, the, 163, 172, 209, 247, 257, 2S4, 292, 313, 340, 384, 419, 433, 457, 556, 587, 609, 618, 676, 690, 715, 734, 741, 760, 770, 783, 797, 815, 820, 828, 838, 845, 857, 897, 927, 961, 973, 978, 980, 1009, 1017, 1019, 1043, 1067, 1078, 1094, 1101,1130 Dingwall Mr, improvements by, 268 Dinnet, tradition regarding the mill of, 1062— burn, 1049 Disblair house, 168 Diseases prevalent in Keig, 944 — in Strathdon, 529 Dispensary, the Aberdeen, 89 — the Huntly,' 1045 Dissenters and Dissenting chapels, 35, 129, 136, 151, 171, 183, 208, 233, 240, 247, 256, 271, 283, 291, 297, 312, 339, 382, 404, 419, 433, 438, 456, 470, 478, 481, 520, 555, 578, 587, 596, 604, 617, 628, 634, 645, 646, 652, 665, 670, 675, 685, 690, 696, 714, 726, 734, 741, 746, 759, 769, 783, 797, 814, 819, 828, 837, 845, 868, 897, 925, 955, 960, 973, 978, 980, 1007, 1016, 1018, 1024, 1033, 1039, 1042, 1077, 1078, 1094, 1100, 1129 Distilleries in Drumblade, 305 — of Glendronach, 601 — in Longside, 864 — in Meldrum. 480 — in Monymusk, 465 Don river, the, 1, 2, 120, 166, 408, 415, 416, 436, 440, 459, 486, 49 1 , 525, 328, 330, 561,635, 655, 818, 945, 1026— remarkable iioods on, 168, 531 Donald of the Isles, defeat of, at Har- law, 566 Donald's tomb, tradition regarding, 570 Donaldson, Mr, bequest by, 41 Donan fair, 292 Douglas, Lady Marion, 883 — Professor, 1147 Doune of Invernochty, the, 544 Dour, burn of, 258, 260 Doveran river, the, 274, 598, 599, 982, 1036 Draining, 133, 510, 662, 712, 740, 826, 855, 865, 891, 915, 959, 1001, 1024, 1040, 1099 Drimmies, hill of, 677 Droich's burn, 1105 Dropping cave in Slains, the, 389 Druidical circles and other remains in Alford, 499— Auchterless, 287— Bel- hel vie,244— Bourtrie, 622— Clatt,83 1 — Coull, 958— Crimond, 709— Culsa- mond, 732— Daviot, 822— Dyce, 122 Echt, 738 — Forgue, 601 — Garioch, 364— Insch, 751— Keig, 946— Keith- hall, 744 — Kennethmont, 585 — Kin- ellar, 114 — Kintore, 659 — Leslie, 1022 — Lonmay, 224 — Monymusk, 463— New Deer, 177- Old Deer, 150 — Peterculter, 109— Rathen, 293— Rayne, 425— Skene, 1098— Tarland, 842— Tough, 613— Towie, 417— Tul- lynessle, 449 Druidical worship, remarks on the, 947 Drum, history of the property and fami- ly of, 880— fort of, 887— hill, 873— house, 888 — loch, 875 — partial drain- age of it, 876 Drum's cairn, history of, 425 Drum's stone, tradition relating to, 882 —in Skene, 1098 Drumblade, parish of, its physical cha- racter, 297 — history, 300 — -ministers of, from 1703, 303 — its population, 304 — agriculture, 305 — parochial eco- nomy, 310 — general observations on, 315 Drumblair house, 601 Druminner, plantations at, 409 — house, 411 Drumoak, parish of, 872 — its physical character, ib history, 880 — owners, 886— population, 889 — agriculture, 890 — parochial economy, 894 Driimdouan, ancient canoe found at, 1059— house, 1094 Dudwick house, 906 Duff, General Sir Alexander,994 — Grant, Esq. of Eden, improvement of live- stock by, 279— Garden, Esq., 994-^ Mrs, bursaries founded by, 1134— Mr, of Premnay, bequest by, 741 Duff house park, 278 Duguid of Auchinhove, family of, 1087 — Mr, of Bourtrie, improvements by, 626 Dumbennan, ancient parish of, 1033 Dun, Dr, 1188— bequest by, 44 Duncan, Professor, 1191 Dundony, island of, 343' Dunfermline, the Earls of, 323 Dunnideer, hill of, 748 — vitrified fort on, 731 — tower on, 753 Durward, family of, 1081 — tradition re- lating to, 959 Dyce, parish of, its physical character, 120 — history, 121 — population, 12-3 — improvements in, 127 Earl of Mar's stone, the, 751 Earl's hill in Ellon, the, 903 1200 ABERDEENSHIRE. Earthquake, shock of, in Strathdon, 559 Easter Clune, ruins of castle at, 792 — Fowlis, history of the property, of 1110— Skene house, 1097 Easter town, hill of, 316 Ebrie water, the, 90, 963 Ecclesiastical statistics, 28, 118, 128,135, 151, 160, 171, 182, 206, 231, 240, 246, 256, 271, 282, 291, 296, 311, 337, 381, 400, 413, 419, 432, 438, 456, 468, 481, 519, 554, 576, 587, 596, 604, 617, 628, 633, 639, 644, 652, 664, 675, 685, 689, 698, 701, 713, 725, 734, 741, 746, 758, 769, 782, 797, 814, 819, 828, 836, 844, 857, 867, 895, 923, 954. 960, 971, 978, 980, 1007, 1016, 1017, 1018, 1024, 1032, 1042, 1067, 1074, 1077, 1094, 1100, 1129— tabular view of, for the county, 1133 Echt, parish of, 735 — its physical cha- racter, ib — history, 736 — owners, 737 — population, 738 — agriculture, 739, — parochial economy, 740 — house, 738 — improvement of the estate of, 739 Eden castle, ruins of, 277 — house, 278 Edinglassie house, 547 Education, plan of, in Marischal college, 1169 — remarks on the present system of, 929— statistics of, 39, 113, 118, 129, 136, 162, 172, 184, 209, 233, 241, 247, 257, 272, 283, 291, 297, 313, 339, 383, 404, 413, 419, 433, 439, 456, 470, 482, 520, 555, 578, 587, 596, 606, 618, 628, 633, 645, 653, 665, 676, 685, 690, 697, 702, 715 726, 734, 741, 746, 760, 770, 783, 797, 814, 820, 828, 838, 845, 857, 868, 897, 926, 955, 961, 973, •978, 980, 1008, 1016, 1017, 1019, 1024, 1033, 1043, 1067, 1074, 1078, 1094, 1100, 1130 Edward 1., visit of, to Fyvie castle, 320 — passage of, through Lumphanan, 1089 Edward III. destruction of Aberdeen by, 17 Een, see Oyne. Egerton, Lord Francis, rector of King's College, 1143 Eirde houses, various, in Strathdon, 545 Ellon, parish of, 899— its physical cha- racter, ib. — history, 902— landowners, 904 — population, 906 — agriculture, 908 — parochial economy, 921 — castle, 905— village of, 904, 922, 923 Elmslie, Mrs, bequest by, 59 Elphinstone, Bishop, foundation and endowment of King's College by, 1 139, 1141 Elrick house, 1030 — plantations at, 1027 Embankments in Braemar, 651 — in Drumoak, 891 Eminent men connected with King's College, 1161 — with Marischal Col- lege, 1187 England, farm of, tradition regarding its name, 565 Ennerurie, see Inverury Entail, the law of, an obstacle to im- provement, 916 Ernan water, 530 Errol, the Earl of, 990 Eslemont house, 905 Esset water, the, 442 Essie, annexed parish of, 1015 Etb, King, death and probable burial- place of, 681 Fairs, see Markets Fairley house, 238 Falconer, Sir Alexander, bursaries found- ed by, 1152 Fare, hill of, 630, 735, 831 Farm-buildings, state of, 127, 180, 203, 309, 430, 467, 479, 511, 552, 616, 662, 673, 695, 740, 745, 756, 780, 795 827, 834, 855, 865, 892, 919, 969, 980, 1002, 1031, 1064, 1093, 1 126 Farquhar. John, of Fonthill, 707 — Sir Walter, 563 Farquharson of Finzean, family of, 791 1088— Findlay,oflnverey,1055 — Mrs, of Invercauld,649 — Major-General, ib. Fechley, artificial mount at, 417 Fedderate, ruins of the castle of, 1 77 Fedderaught stone in Rayne, the, 476 Felspar quarry in Monymusk, 470 Female society of Aberdeen, the, 62 Ferguson, James, of Pitfour, plantations formed by, 145 — agricultural improve- ments by, 361 — Rev. John, 777 Fernystripe, mineral spring at, 983 Ferrar, ancient coins found at, 1061 Fetterangus, village of, 150 Fetternear, ruins of the church of, 572 — house, i6. 582 — remarkable chair in, 582 Feugh water, the, 787, 1049~valley of the, 787— bridge of, 790 Fife, the Earl of, 278, 438, 649 Findlay, Rev. Robert, bequests by, 734, j 857, 858 — bursaries founded by, 1154 Findrack, property of, 1088 Fingask, ancient burial-ground at, 822 — — house, 823 Fintray, paiish of, 166 — its history, 167 population and agriculture, 169 — • — parochial economy, 171 — house, 168 — property of, 991 Finzean, cairn at, 789 — house, 793 INDEX. 1201 Fir, remarkable at Haughton, 497 Fisher, Messrs, Artesian wells sunk by, 14 Fisheries, herring, 14, 76, •229.25-2, 269, 296, 365, 378, 402, 596— salmon, 15, 76. 110, 205, 246, 285, 445, 464, 514, 656, 803. 832, 879, 892, 901, 1077 —sea, 269, 378, 402, 595— whale, 75, 365 Fishermen of Fattie, the, 73 Fitzgerald, Colin, tradition regarding, 1060 Flax manufactures in Aberdeen, 70 — in Turriff, 1004 Fleeming, Jamie, 862 Fleming, Professor, 1144 Forbes castle, 949 — history of the es- tates of, 445 — defeat of the clan of, at Tillyangus, 850 — legend relating to the name of, 438 — of Boindlie, family of,721— ofCampbill, 1088— of Corse, history of the family of, 1108 — of Craigievar, family of, and its origin, 1088, 1 109— of Leslie, family of, 1022 — Rev. Ale.xander, circumstances at- tending his settlement in Forgue, 608— Miss Anna, bequest by, 1131 Colonel Arthur, improvements in- troduced by, 959 — Sir Arthur, 1117 — Sir Charles, sketch of his life, 542 — plantations formed by him, 263 — bequest by him, 1131 — Dr, of Ble- lack, 551— Rev. Dr, 542— Rev. Dun- can, 397 — General, of Skellater, 541 — Sir John S., 399, 724— Rev. John, 404 — John, Esq. of Newe, 542 — be- quests by him, 92, 1 1 55 — John, of La- dysford, 721 — John, of Boindlie, i6. — Sir John, of Craigievar, improve- ments by, 959 — Rev. John, minister of Alford, persecution of, 1 1 15 — John, professor of divinity in King's College, 1117_the Master of, plantations by, 444 — Miss, of Bellabeg, bequest by, 557 — Patrick, Bishop of Aberdeen, 1 1 13 — Professor, 1 145— Sir William, 721, 1 109 — agricultural improvements by, 399— William. Bishop of Edin- burgh, 1188— William, of Echt, 741 Fordyce, David, 1191— James, 1192— Sir William, ib — George, ib. Foreman hill, the, 599 — passage of Queen Mary over, ib. Forest of Birse, the, 787 — ruins of cas- tle of, 792 — the Caledonian, remains of, in Glentanner, 1052— of Mar, 649 Forgue, burn of, 599 — parish of, 598 — its physical character, ib. — history and land-owners, 600 — population and agriculture, 602 — parochial economy, 604 ABERDEEN. Formartine Agricultural Association, the, 920 Fort of Drum, ruins of the, 887 Forvie, burn of, 589 — ruins of the old kirk of, 593 — the drifting sands of, 597 Fossil fish, bed of, 261 — remains found in Drumblade, 299 Foudland hills, the, 599, 728, 748 — slate quarries of, 749, 757 Four Lords' seat, tradition regarding, 1022 Foveran burn, 698 — castle, site of, 699 house, 698 — parish of, its physical character, 697 — history, 698 — land- owners, 699 — agriculture, ib -paro- chial economy, 700 Fowler, Alexander, bequest by, 742 Fowlis Mowat, property of, 1110 Eraser of Findrack, family of, 1088— Dr James, bursaries founded by, 1153 Fraserburgh, bay of, 250, 251 — parish of, 249 — its extent, &c. ib history, 251 — population and agriculture, 252 — parochial economy, 256 — observa- tions on, 258 — town of, 253-^its har- bour and trade, 254 Freefield house, 426^tumulus at, ib. Fren, Agnes, trial of, for witchcraft, 1086 Frendraught, burn of, 599 — castle, ruins of, 601 — house, ib. Frost, damage done by. in Strathdon, 528 Fuel, 130, 137, 164, 174, 185, 214, 235, 245, 273, 284, 292, 314, 344, 392, 413, 420, 4-35, 473, 483, 523, 557, 580, 588, 597, 619, 654, 724, 742, 747, 762, 771, 786, 798, 816, 829, 839, 859, 871, 893, 975, 980, 1014, 1035, 1046, 1068, 1102, 1131 Fuller's earth, bed of, in Aboyne, 1051 FuUarton, James, bursaries founded by, 1152 Futtie village of, 5, 73 Fyvie, parish of, 315— its physical cha- racter, ib — history, 320 — land-own- ers, 325 — population, 333 — agricul- ture, 333 — parochial economy, 337 — burgh of, its history, 329 — castle, 317, 330 — its history, 320 — priory, history of, 326 Gady water, the, 635, 692, 693, 728, 847, 1019, 1020 Gairn, water of, 772, 776 Gairney water, 1049 Gairnside, Roman Catholic Chapel at, 783 Gallowhill of Auchterless, the, 286— of Garioch, 564— of Insch, 751— of Clatt, 850 4h 1202 ABERDEENSHIRE. Garchory, ancient coins and rings found at, 346 Garden, Dr Alexander, 790 — Peter, re- markable longevity of, 289 — Rev. Ro- bert, 207 Garioch, see Chapel of Garioch Garioche, William, trial of, 1124 Garlogie, mills at, 1096, 1099 Garmond, village of, 763, 769 Garvalt, cascade of, 648 Gas-works, the Aberdeen, 78 — the Pe- terhead, 367— the Turriff, 1013 Gask, property of, 991 — house, 993 Gateside house, 238 — cairn near, 732 Geanach mount, 787 Gellan, hill of, 957 Geology and mineralogy, 107, 121, 131, 142, 166, 176, 188, 220, 242, 260, 275, 286, 293, 299, 317, 347, 408, 416, 422, 436, 442, 459, 473, 492, 526, 33!, 362, 591, 600, 612, 630, 635, 648, 656, 667, 687, 694, 705, 718, 728, 749, 763, 776, 788, 818, 822, 833, 840, 847, 860, 876, 901, 945,958, 964, 983, 1020, 1027, 1050, 1071, 1079, 1096,1106 George 11., anecdote of, 437 Gerard, Alexander, 1191 — Gilbert, i6. Gerrard, Bishop, school endowed by, 40 Gibbet stone found at Dess, 1058 Gibbs, James, the architect, 1 190 — birth- place of, 27 Gilcomston, quoad sacra parish of, 1077, 1078— village of, 1075 Gilderoy and his followers, execution of, 1124 Gight castle, ruins of, 330 — water, 963 Glack, ancient arms found at, 822 Glasschill, the, 526— tumuli on, 417 Glen water, the, 728 Glenbucket, parish of, 436 — its physical character, ib. — history, 437 — popula- tion, ib — agriculture and parochial eco- nomy, 438 — castle, ruins of, 436, 344 Glen Chatt, 787 Glenconny, mineral spring at, 530 Glendronach, distillery at, 601 Glenfarquhar bursaries, the, 1 152 Glengairn, suppressed parish of, 772 Glenkindy house, 547 Glenmeallin, Roman camp at, 601, 734 Glenmillan, cairns at, 1092 Glenmuick, Tullich, and Glengairn, united parishes of, 772 — their physi- cal character, 773 — history and land- owners, 777 — population, 778 — agri- culture, 779 — parochial economy, 781 Glenroy, stone collars found at, 613 Glentanner, ruins of church of, 1048 — hiU, topazes found at, 1051 Gordon of Craig, plantations formed by. 410 — of Dalpersie, death of, 446 — of Gight, family of, 325— of Glenbucket, family of, 147, 437— of Mamar, 682 — of Pitlurg, family of, 807 — of Prem- nay, bequest by, 735 — of Wardhouse, 584— Adam, of Aboyne, 105-3— Sir Alexander, monument to, at Haddo, 967 — Charles, of Halhead, bequest by, 1130— Colonel, of Cluny, 593 — Duchess of, 1038, 1039— school en- dowed by her in Huntly, 104.3 — Gene- ral, of Fyvie, plantations formed by, 319 — Admiral Sir James A., birth- place of, 585 — Rev. James, 1189 — Sir John, of Haddo, 966— Sir John, death of, at Otterburn, 1056— Sir John, execution of, 737, 803— John, of Craig, 41 1— John, of Murtle, be- quest by, 58 — Lord Lewis, defeat of the Royalists by, in 1745, 679— Ro- bert, of Straloch, the geographer, 807, 1027, 1187— Rev. Thomas, 222— Thomas, 1145 — Thomas, Esq., im- provements by, 69.5 Gordons, feud between the, and the For- bes's, 830 Gordon's hospital, 45 Gordon hall, 730 Gordon's mills, thread factory at, 1077 Gordonstown, village of, 288 Gouch stone, the, 122 Goul, loch, 1026 Gradoch, a witch, death of, 1123 Grammar school of Aberdeen, the, 43 Grandholm house, 1076 — Haugh, cot- ton factories at, 1077 Granite, see Quarries Grant, Sir Archibald, of Mony musk, 461 — Sir Francis, school endowed by, 470 — Rev. James, bursary founded by, 1134 — Lady, bequest by, 472 Gravel, remarkable bed of, 983 Gray of Schivas, history of, 669 Grayhill, tumuli on the, 417 Greenhill, the, 326 Greenlaw hill, 748 Gregory, James, inventor of the reflect- ing telescope, birth-place of, 27, 886 — John, birth-place of, 27 — connec- tion of the family of, with Aberdeen, 1146, 1189 — the present Professor, 1146 Gregory's Wall, tradition regarding, 733 Greig, James, bursary founded by, 1132 Grieve, Mr, bequest by, 771 Guild, Dr William, 276,' 1189 Haa-ton house, ruins of, 1091 Hadden and Son, factories of, 1099 — Artesian wells sunk by, 12 Haddo house, 601, 906, 967— its history, INDEX. 1203 967 — policies of, 963 — lochs in them, 96i Hall, Dr, bequest by, 1010 Hall Forest, ruins of the castle of, 658 its origin and history, ib. Hallhead, history of the property of, 1113— house, 1123 Hamilton, Robert, Professor of Mathe- matics in Aberdeen, 27, 1192 Harbours of Aberdeen, 64 — Fraserburgh, 254— Peterhead, 372 Harlaw, the battle of, 566 — its site and remains found on it, 569 Harthill, ruins of the castle of, 638 Harvey, Mr William, improvements by, 1032 Hastie, Rev. Mr, 606 Hatton castle, 994 Haughton house, 500 — remarkable fir at, 497 Hawklaw, cairn on, 622 Hay, Rev. Adam, bequest by, 765 — Sir Andrew Leith, 58.5 — general, ib Lady Jane, bequest by, 272 — William, canon of Aberdeen, 988 — William, sub-principal of King's College, 1144 Hazelhead house, 238 Hell lum, a cave, 589 Hepburn, the Rev. Alexander, 206 Heriot, Adam, first reformed minister of Aberdeen, 29 Herring fishery, see Fisheries Hervey, Mr, improvements by, 127 Heughhead, village of, 553 Hilton, mineral spring at, 983 — house, 1076 History, civil, 17, 107, 114, 121, 132, 146, 167, 176, 193, 238, 243, 251, 253, 263, 276, 286, 293, 300, 323^ 353, 396, 411, 416, 423, 437, 445, 461, 476, 498, 539, 563, 584, 593, 600, 612, 621, 631, 637, 649, 657, 668, 677, 687, 694, 698, 707, 720, 731, 736, 743, 750, 765, 777, 789, 805, 818, 822, 833, 841, 849, 861, 880, 902, 946, 958, 966, 976, 979, 987, 1015, 1017, 1018, 1021, 1027, 1037, 1053, 1072, 1075, 1096, 1107, —Ecclesiastical, 28, 118, 206. 303, 327, 354, 560, 605, 621, 688, 765, 867, 897, 902, 955, 971, 988, 1021, 1074, 1081, 1127 Hoar frost, damage done by, in Alford, 490 Hogg, Mr, bequest by, 40 Holburn Street, Aberdeen, quoad sacra parish of, 1077 Horn, John, of Westhall, 425, 638 Horticultural Society of Pitsligo, the, 724 Hospitals, various, in Aberdeen, 51, d'2 — ancient, in Foveran, 698 — founded by Earl Cumyn, 988 HoufF of Lumphanan, ruins of the, 1091 House of Industry in Aberdeen, 55 — of Refuge, 53 Howe of Alford, the, 486, 61 1— of Ga^ rioch, 748 Howie, Robert, first Principal of Maris - chal college, 1166, 1187 Human sacrifices, offering of, by the Druids, 949 Hunter, James, of Darrahill, bequest by, 1094 — Mr, of Tillery, plantations formed by, 698 Huntly, parish of, 1036 — its physical character, ib — history, 1037 — popu- lation, 1039 — agriculture, 1040 — pa- rochial economy, 1041 — town of, its situation, 1037 — population, 1041 — churches, 1042 — schools, 1043 — cha- ritable institutions, 1045 — castle, ruins of, 1037 — its history and possessors, 1048 — lodge, ib. — agricultural asso- ciation, 1040 — origin of the family of, 1056 — Marquis of, his defeat and death at Corrichie, 736 Hurry, General, 463 Husbandry, system of, 1 10, 1 17, 126, 1 33, 135, 153, 174, 180, 201, 227, 267, 270, 280, 307, 334, 3>0, 401, 428, 452, 507, 551, 575, 536, 594, 602, 615, 642, 670, 671, 684, 689, 695, 711, 723, 740, 755, 766, 780, 795, 813, 819, 825, 854, 865, 890, 911, 952, 969, 997, 1023, 1031, 1064, 1093, 1099, 1126 Hutchison, Mr, remarkable bull reared by, 865 Hutton, George, bequest to King's Col- lege by, 1154 Hydrography, 12, 120, 141, 166, 175, 187, 218, 242, 260, 275, 286, 298, 317, 346, 407, 416, 422, 440, 459, 491, 530, 561, 593, 599, 612, 630, 655, 667, 693, 698, 704, 717, 728, 749, 76-3, 774, 788, 818, 832, 840, 847, 860, 874, 900, 945, 963, 979, 982, 1020, 1026, 1036, 1049, 1071, 1096, 1105 Hj'grometer, imperfection of the, 8 Idooh burn, the, 763 Improvements in Aboyne, 1068 — obsta- cles to, in Ellon, 916 Infirmary of Aberdeen, the, 86 Innes, Rev. Henry, 1054 — of Tipperty, defeat of the Covenanters by, 805 — Principal, birth-place of, 1054 Inns and alehouses, and their effects, 102, 130, 137, 174, 185, 213, 235. 248, 273, 284, 292, 314, 344, 392, 413, 420, 435, 436, 473, 523, 557, 580, 1204 ABERDEENSHIRE. 597, 610, 619, 646, 654, 692, 697, 700, 715, 727, 742, 747, 761, 771, 786, 798, 816, 829, 839, 871, 898, 961, 975, 980, 1013, 1035, 1046, 1068, 1101, 1131 Inscb, parish of, 747, its physical cha- racter, ib history and owners, 750 — population, 754— agriculture, 755 — parochial economy, 757 — village of, 757 Insurance offices in Aberdeen, 99 Inverallochie, ruins of the castle of, 294 —house, 295-^ village of, ib. 296 Invercauld house, 650 — plantations, at, 649 Inverernan house, 54? Invernettie, hill of, 345 — improvements on the estate of, 361 Invernochty, ruins of the Doune of, 544 — parish of, see Strathdon Inverugie castle, ruins of, 195, 353 Inverurie, parish of 677 — its physical character, ib. — history, ib. — land- owners, 681 — population and agricul- ture, 683 — parochial economy, 684 — canal from, to Aberdeen, 68, 683 — castle of, 678— town of, 677, 683, 684 — defeat of the Royalists at, in 1745, 679— vale of, 677 Iron manufactures in Aberdeen, 71 Ironstone found in Culsalmond, 730 — in Monymusk, 459 Irvine of Drum, history of the family of, 881— death of, at Harlaw, 425, 568, 881 — his cairn, 569 — Rev. Alexander, 887— Alexander of Lenturk, 1119— John, of Pitmurchie, 1090 Jack, Gilbert, 1187 JafFray, Alexander, the Quaker, 1189 James VI., visits of, to Aberdeen, 21 — passage of, through Turriff, 989 Jamieson the painter, birth-place of, 26, 1189 John of Blairbowie's chair, 582 John of Badenyon, residence, 439 Johnston, Arthur, birth-place, &c. of, 657, 678, 707, 743, 1189— John, bequest by, 1010 — Mr, bursaries founded by 1155— Rev, Mr, bequest by, 715— Dr, 1188 Kangaroo, attempt to naturalize the, in Strathdon, 537 Keig, parish of, 943 — its physical cha- racter, ib history and land-owners, 946 — population and agriculture, 950 — parochial economy, 954 — general observations on, 956 — attempt to an- nex it to Tough, 618 Keir, hill of, 1098 Keith, George, fifth Earl Marischal, foundation of Marischal College by, 1162 — his character and career, ib.-^ last earl, 1190 — field -marshal, 194— bishop, 1190 Keiths, feud of the, with the Irvines, 881 Keithhall house, 743, 744— ox, the, 745 Keithhall and Kinkell, united parishes of, 743 — their physical character, ib. — history, ib. — population and agricul- ture, 745 — parochial economy, 746 — general observations on, 747 Keith Insch, island of, 344 Kellock burn, 728 Kelly water, 964 Kelp, manufactory of, at Peterhead, 367 — in Pitsligo, 402 Kemnay, parish of, 817 — its physical character, ib — history and population, 818 — agriculture and parochial econo- my, 819 Kemp, John, bequest by, 49 Kenmuick, tenure of the lands of, 903 Kenneth, King, alleged burial-place of, 583, 585 Kennethmont, parish of, 583 — its physi- cal character, ?6.— history and own- ers, 584 — population, 585 — agricul- ture, 586 — parochial economy, ib. Ker, Captain, destruction of Towie cas- tle by, 417 Kidnapping, former prevalence of, in Aberdeen, 23 Kilblane, battle of, 778 Kildrummy castle, ruins of, 544, 976 — oat, the, 977r— parish of, 976 Kinbattoch, ruins of chapel at, 417 Kinbroom house, 331 Kincardine house, 833 — village of, 834, 836 Kincardine O'Niel, parish of, 831 Kindyburn, 416, 431 Kinellar, .parish of, 114 — its physical character, ib — history, ib — popula- tion, 1 15 — agriculture, 1 1 6 — parochial economy, 118 King's college, foundation of, 1139 — its original constitution, 1140 — endow- ment of, by Bishop Elphinstone, 1141 — temporary union of, with Marischal college, ib. — its office-bearers, 1142 — course of study in, 1 148 — fees, &c. 1149 — bursaries attached to, and their values, 1150 — on the management of these, 1156 — general management of its funds, 1 158 — expense of, and mode of conferring degrees, 1159 — classes in, ib its library and chapel, 1160 —portraits in, 1161 — eminent men connected with, ib. King Edward, burn of, 275 — ruins of the castle of, 274, 277 — parish of, 274 — its physical character, ib. — bis-- INDEX. 1205 torV, 276 — owners, 277 — -population, 2/8 — agriculture, 279 —parochial eco- nomy, 281 — observations on, 285 Kingoody, hill of, 621 Kingseat, tradition regarding, 1029 Kink ell, annexation of, to Keith-hall, 655, 743 Kinloss, abbacy of, 902 Kinmuck, ancient camp at, 744 Kinnaird's head, lighthouse on, 249, 703 Kinninmonth, Alexander, 424 — chapel at, 233 — loch of, 705 — mineral well at, 983 Kinoir, ancient parish of, 1036 Kintocher, history of the property of, 1088 Kintore, Lord, 661, 662, 745 Kin tore, parish of, 655 — its history, 657 — population, 660 — agriculture, ib — parochial economy, 663 — town of, 656 — its antiquity, 657 Kippet hills, the, 591 Kirktown of Auchterless, village of, 888 —of TuUich, 779, 781 Kirkville house, 1098 Knights Templars, establishments of the, in Aboyne, 1055— in Turriff, 988 Knightlaud moss and burn, the, 298 Knockbeg, Pictish remains on, 1056 Knockenbaird hill, 748 Knockhall castle, ruins of, 699 Knockice, Roman camps on, 1057 — supposed battle of, 1058 Knockinglaw, hill of, 677 Lady's well of Aboyne, the, 1060 — of Daviot, 822 Ladysford house, 723 Laing, Dr William, account of Peterhead by, 353 Laithers, property of, 991 — ruins of old church at, 983 — slate quarry of, 985 Lambhill, slate quarries at, 600 Lancastrian school in Aberdeen, the, 40 Land-owners, 107, 115, 121, 132, 147, 167, 177, 178, 194, 206, 264, 277, 286, 295, 304, 321, 354, 398, 416, 424, 437, 461, 498, 543, 563, 584, 593, 600, 612, 626, 631, 637, 649, 658, 668, 681, 687, 694, 699, 707, 722, 731, 737, 744, 750, 777, 791, 817, 833, 841, 850, 862, 886, 904, 946, 958, 966, 976, 979, 1015, 1017, 1018, 1021, 1028, 1054, 1073, 1075, 1086, 1089, 1096, 1113 Lathmon, supposed residence of, 987 Law cairn, the, 722 — hill of Rayne, the, 424 Lawrence Road, the, 731 Leadlich hill, 957 Learnley, hill of, 831— house, 833 Leases, duration of, &c., 126, 134, 170, 228,268, 335, 360, 401, 412,429, 454, 479, 510, 552, 576, 602,615, 643,652, 672, 684, 695, 712. 740, 745, 756,662, 767, 780, 795, 819, 826, 836, 843, 855, 865, 892, 916, 919, 953, 969, 1002, 1031, 1040, 1064, 1099 Leaak, ruins of chapel at, 593 — house, 594 Leedhill, Roman camp at, 601 Leith of Freefield, plantations by, 728 —General, Sir James, 584 — John For- bes, 447 Leith Hay, Sir Andrew, 585 Lenturk, site of old church at, 1122 — ruins of castle of, ib. Leochel burn, 485, 486, 491, 1102, 1105 — hill, 485 — and Cushnie, united pa- rishes of, 1102 — their physical cha- racter, ib — history, 1107— popula- tion and agriculture, 1 125 — ^parochial economy, 1127 Leslie of Balquhain, family of, 563, 750— death of, at Harlaw, 567 — of Kincraigie, tradition regarding, 1016 — of Pitcaple, 563 — of Rothie, plan- tations by, 319— Andrew, 904 — Count, 582 — George, career of, 462 —John, Bishop of Ross, 637, IMS- Margaret, remarkable longevity of, 289 — William, birth-place and career of, 423 — settlement of the clan of, in Aberdeenshire, 1019. Leslie house, ruins of, 1022 — parish of, 1019 — its history, 1021 — population and agriculture, 1023 — -parochial eco- nomy, 1024 Lesmore castle, ruins of, 1016 Lessendrum house, 304 Lethendy, ruins of church at, 822 Leucher burn, 105 Levingston, George, first Protestant mi- nister of Lumphanan, 1081 Ley, ruins of chapel at, 417 Leys, history of the family of, 885 — bur- saries, the, 1150 Leyton hill, 242 Libraries, 101, 163, 184, 211, 284, 313, 385, 405, 419, 524, 578, 588, 618, 665, 691, 746, 784, 798, 820, 838, 846, 869, 898, 974, 1010, 1034, 1044, 1095, 1101, 1130— of King's College, 1160— of Marischal College, 1184 Licklyhead house, 693, 694 Liddle, Duncan, 1188 — bequest to Mari* schal College by, 1167 Liggar's stane, the, 569 Lighthouse on Buchanness, 345, 380 -■ on Boddam, 703 — on Kinnaird's head, ib. Lindesay, Sir James de, 322 1206 ABERDEliNSHIRE. Lindores, northern abbey of, 167, 168, 174 Linen,* manufactory of, in Huntly, 1041 Linn of Dee, the, 648 Linshart house, 862 Littlewood park, house of, 430 Live-stock,, breeds and treatment of, 109, 133, 154, 137, 167, 180, 181, 204, 226, 246,"233, 262, 279, 290, 307, 334, 335, "330, 359, 401, 428, 460, 479, 506, 551, 575, 595, 632, 641, 644, 651, 672, 684, 700, 711, 739, 743, 755, 766, 779, 825, 854, 864, 890, 909, 952, 969, 999, 1021, 1031, 1040, 1063, 1093, 1098 Lochan-uaine, loch of, 1071 Lochnagar, mount, 647, 773 Logie, origin of the name of, 799 — loch of, 705 — Druidical remains at, 709 — o"Buehan, song of, 812 Logie-Buchan, parish of, its physical character, 799 — history, 805 — popu.. laton, 811 — agriculture, 812 — paro- chial economy, 814 — observations on, 816 Logie-Durno, ruins of the church of, 572 Logic- Coldstone, parish of, 1070 — its history, 1072 — population and agri- culture, 1073 — parochial economy, 1074 Logie-Elphinstone house, 573 — paint- ings in, 563 Logie-Nevvton, Druidical remains at, 287 Loinheirie, burn of, 530 LoUius Urbicus, remains of roads form- ed by, 570 Lonach hill, 526 Longevity, instances of, in Auchterless, 289— Clatt, 847— Crimond, 703— Drumoak, 874— Garioch, 561 — Ken- nethmont, 585 — King Edward, 275 — Leochel, 1004— St Fergus, 187 — Strathdon, 530— Turriff, 982 Longside parish of, its physical charac- ter, 859 — history, 861 — population, 862 — agriculture, 864 — parochial eco- nomy, 866 — observations on, 871 — village of, 860, 863, 866 Lonmay castle, ruins of, 224 — parish of, its physical character, 215 — history, 222 — population, 225 — agriculture, 226 — parochial economy, 230 — ob- servations on, 236 Lord Arthur's seat, 440 Louesk^ lawhill at, 424 Luath's stone, tradition regarding, 613 Luib bridge, 554 Luidh water, 648 Luie hills, 846 Lulaeh, defeat and death of, 1016 Lumpbanan, parish of, 1079 — its phy. sical character, ib. — history, 1081 — population and agriculture, 1093 — pa- rochial economy, 1094 Lumsden, Andrew, secretary to the Pre- tender, 1 119 — James, of Auchry, im provements by, 766, 767 — John, of Cushnie, 1119— Mathew, of Tillie- cairn, ib — Dr Mathew, the oriental- ist, 1120 — Miss, bequest by, 1147 Lumsden vilkige of,412, 413 Lunatic asylum of Aberdeen, the, 91 Lundin, Alan de, 1081 Lyiui, of Muick, the, 776 Lynturk, linn of, and tradition regard- ing it, 1106 — plantations at, 1107 — history of the property of, 1111 Macbeth, scene of death of, 1050, 1082 — traditions regarding, 1069 — his cairn and stone, 1083, 1092 M'Combie, Peter, Esq. bequest by, 1131— of Lynturk, 619 Macduff, defeat of Lulaeh by, 1016 Machar, New, parish of, 1025 Mafhar, Old, parish of, 6, 1074 Mackintosh, the laird of, bursary founded by, 1153 Maclaurin, Colin, the mathematician, 1190 Maclean of Coll, bursary founded by, 1133 — of Maclean, death of, at Har- law, 568 — his cairn, 569 — defeat of, at Inverury in 1745, 679 — Dr Hugh, bursary founded by, 1154 Macpherson, Sir John, bursary founded by, 1155 — Professor, 1144 M'William, John, bequest by, 1131 Magdalene Asylum, the Aberdeen, 55 Maiden causeway, the, 570 — stone, the, 571 — tradition regarding it, 572 Maitland, Dr Charles, birth-place of, 96& Rev. John, 606 Malcolm Canmore, tradition regarding, 468, 1029— defeat of the Danes by, at Mortlich, 1061 Malville, Sir John, 1090 Manar, hill of, 677— house, 682 Mansfield, James, of Midmar, 631 Manufactures, 70, 110, 150, 170, 239, 270, 305, 366, 402, 431, 465, 480, 518, 553, 617, 641, 684, G89, 695, 697, 740, 768, 796, 827, 864, 894, 920, 954, 960, 971, 979, 1004, 1041, 1077, 1099, 1127 Manuscripts, ancient, in Skene house, 1098 Mar, forest of, 649— lodge, 650 Marischall, family of, 353 — college, foundation of, 1163 — its original con-- stitution, 1164 — changes subsequent- ly introduced, 1165 — its first office- INDEX. 1207 bearers, 1166 — various professorships endowed in, 1167 — bequests to and bursaries founded in, ib. — original plan of education in, 1 169 — changes in this, 1 1 70 — present course of study, 1 172 — medical school of, 1174 — fees, 1177 — its bursaries and effects pro- duced by them, — history of the buildings of, 1181 — present condition of them, 1182 — library, museum, &c. 1184 — eminent persons educated at, 1187 Markets and fairs, 101, 137, 164, 185, 233, 248, 273, 284, 292, 413, 435, 473, 480, 523, 557, 588, 610, 619, 646, 654, 682, 692, 715, 727, 742, 746, 757, 761, 771, 786, 798, 829, 836, 843, 871, 898, 922, 975, 980, 1004, 1035, 1046, 1068, 1131 Marr's Reive, 426 Mary, Queen, visit of, to Balquhain, 563 Maryfield house, 995 Mather, Mr, bequests by, 340, 701 Mavor, Dr, birth-place of, 177 Meams, Professor, birth-place, &c. of 416, 1147 Mechanic's institute of Aberdeen, the, 47 Medical school of King's College, the, 1159— of Marischal College, 1174— Society of Aberdeen, 84 Meethill, the, 345— cairn on, 302, 356 Megg's moss, 349 Meiklefolla, Episcopal chapel at, 339 Meikle Wardhouse of Dunnideer, the, 753 Meiklewarthill, village of, 426 Meldrum, parish of, 474 — its physical character, ib history, 476 — popii- lation, 478 — agriculture, 479 — pa- rochial economy, 480 — observations on, 484 — house, 478 — remarkable trees at, 476— village of, 478, 480 Meldrum, Sir George, 323 Mellingside, cairns on, 732 Melshach hill and spring, 384 Melville, G. bursaries founded by, 1151 Memsey, cairns at, 293 — house, 293 Mennoway hills, the, 486, 943 Menzies, Professor, 1189 Merchant Maiden Hospital, improvement of the estates belonging to the, 361 Mess John's Well, 260 Meston, William, regent of Marischal College, 1190 Meteorological tables, Aberdeen, 7 — Al- ford, 487 — Leochel, 1104 — Lonmay, 217— Peterhead, 346 Meteorology and climate, 8, 106, 120, 139, 166, 176, 186, 216, 250, 260, 274, 285, 298, 316, 345, 407, 421, 436, 440, 475, 487, 489, 527, 328, 561, 584, 590, 399, 611, 621, 655, 693, 703, 717, 748, 787, 822, 840, 847, 873, 900, 944, 937, 963, 979, 1018, 1019, 1025, 1037, 1048, 1071, 1103, 1104 Methlick, parish of, 962 — its physical character, ib. — history, 966 — popula- tion, 967 — agriculture, 968 — parochial economy, 971 — agricultural associa- tion of, ib family of, 967 — village of, 968 Mildewne, battle of, 1016 Middleton, Rev. Mr, circumstances at- tending his settlement, 955 Midmar, castle of, 630— parish of, 629 its physical character, ib history, 631 — population and agriculture, 632 — parochial economy, 633 — observa- tions on, 634 Migvie, annexed parish of, 839 — castle, ruins of, 842 Milbank, woollen factory at, 864 Mill, Rev. James, 682 Mill of Newton, sculptured stone at, 1072 — of Williamston, cairn at, 732 Millbrex, chapel of ease at, 338 Millstone quarry of Pennan, the, 269 Milmahd hUl, ancient camp at, 1092 Milne, Dr, of Bombay, bequest by, 1 101 — Dr John, bursaries founded by, 1154 Mineral springs, see Springs Mineralogy, see Geology Mintlaw, village of, 863. 866 Missionary societies, various, in Aber- deen, 63 Mitchell, Sir Andrew, 658 — James, be- quest by, 868 — Major, bequest by, 1131— Rev. Thomas, 989 Moat of Tyrie, the, 722 Moathead of Auchterless, the, 286 Moir, Dr Alexander, bequests by, 973, 1153 Monaltrie house, 778 Mongarry, village of. 449 Monquhitter, parish of, 762 — its phy- sical character, ib, — history, 765 — po- pulation, ib agriculture, 766 — pa- rochial economy, 768 Montcoffer house, 278 Mont Keggie, ancient parish of, 743 Montrose, capture of Aberdeen by, 22 — his camp, 520 — capture of, 364 Monwig, loch of, 260 Monymusk, parish of, 459 — its physical character, ib — history, 461 — popula- tion,465 — agriculture, 466 — parochial economy, 467 — observations on, 473 — house, 464 — sculptured stone near, 463— village, 467 1208 ABERDEENSHIRE. Moorish coin found in Monymusk, 464 Moothill of Ellon, the, 903 Morison, Dr, the botanist, 1189 Mormond hill, 250, 687— village of, 687, 689 Morrison, the hygeist, birth-place of, 600 Mortimer of Craigievar, history of the fa- mily of, 1109 Mortlich hill, 957 — ancient camp at, 1061 Morven hill, 526, 773, 1071 Moss, subterraneous, in Culsalmond,730 Mossat water, 408 Mossside, cairns at and weapons found in, 731, 732 Mothertop hill, 934 Mounie, Druidical temples at, 822 Mountkeen, hill of, 773 Mowat of P'owlis, family of, 1110 — tra- dition regarding the last, ib — of Aber- geldie, feud of, with Cameron of Brux, 437 — Barbara, monument to, • 992 Muchrieha's well and chain, 1059 Muckle loch of Slains, the, 591 Muick loch, 775 — water and linn, 776 Muiresk, property of, 991 — house, 995 Mulloch, Roman camps and cairns on, 1057 Murnan well, the, 718 Murray, Dr, bequest to King's College by, 1153 — James, improvements by, 997 — the Regent, victory of, at Cor- richie, 736 Murtle house, 106, 108— woods at, 107 — burn, 105 Murtle's fund, 58 Museums of King's College, 1160 — of Marischal College, 1184 — at Peter- head, 370 Mussel beds of the Ythan, the, 698, 804 Mutton hillock, subterranean moss at, 730 Natural history museum of King's Col- lege, the, 1160 Needle's Eye, the, a cave, 590, 801 Nethertowie, ruins of church at, 417 New Aberdour, village of, 265, 270 ' Newark, Druidical remains at, 224 Newburgh, village of, 700 Newbyth, village of, 278, 281 New Deer, parish of, 175 — its physical character, ib — history, 176 — popula- tion, 178 — agriculture, 179— parochial economy, 182 — village of, ib. Newe house, 546 Newhills, parish of, 237 — its history, 238 — population, i6 — agriculture,239 — parochial economy, 240 New Leslie castle, ruins of, 1023 New Machar, parish of, 1025 — its physi- cal character, ib history, 1027 — po- pulation, 1030 — agriculture, ib pa- rochial economy, 1032 New Pitsligo, village of, 724 — chapel of ease in, 726 Newspapers published in Aberdeen, 100 Newton, plantations on, 728 — cairns near, 1061 — of Tilliecairn, urns found at, 1060 Nicoll, Rev. Dr Alexander, 462 ' Nochty water, the, 525, 530 — iron bridge over, 554 Norman dykes, the, 108 North Ugie water, the, 187 Northern Abbey of Lindores, the, 1 74 Noth, vitrified fort on, 845, 1015 Oak, large fossil, found in Drumblade, 299 Observatory of Marischal College, 1187 Ochterlouny, Captain, 791 — Sir David, ib. Og, Margaret and Isobell, trials of, for witchcraft, 1085, 1086 Ogilvie, Sir Alexander, death of, at Har- law, 567— Rev. Alexander, 904, 972 — David, bursary founded by, 1152 — Rev, Dr John, 631— Walter of Red- hyth, bursaries founded by, 1 151 Old Castle, village of, 594, 595 Old Deer, parish of, 138 — its physical character, ib. — history, 146 — popula- tion, 1 50 — agriculture, 1 52 — parochial economy, 160 — observations on, 165 village of, 150 Old Keig, Druidical circle at, 947 Old Machar, parish of, 6, 1074 — its his- tory, 1075 — population, 1076 — agrir. culture, 1077 — parochial economy, ib. Old Meldrum, village of, 478, 480 Old Rain, village of, 426 Ord hill. 873 Ordfundlie hill, 832 Orem, Rev. Alexander, 1128 Oscar Greenlandman, loss of the, 25 Overhall house, 694 Oyne, parish of, 634, its physical cha- racter, ib. — history, 637 — population, 639 — agriculture, 640— parochial £co- noray, 644 Paintings in Logie-Elphinstone house, 563 Pananich, wells of, 774 Paper-mills in Aberdeen, 72 — in New- hills, 239— in Peterculter, 111 Paradise wood, remarkable trees in, 460 Parcock, the tree of, 476 Park, James, bursaries founded by, 1152 Park, property of, and its possessors, 885 — improvement of it, 892 — house, 889 — Druidical remains at, 150 INDEX. 1209 Parkhill, plantations on, 1027 — house, 1029 Parochial registers-of Birse, extracts from the, 792— of Gadie, 1021— of Logie- Buchan, 808— of Lonmay, 223— of New Machar, 1028 Parson's well, the, 874 Pauperism, see Poor Pavement, ancient, in Logic- Coldstone, 1072 Pearls, remarkable, found in the Kelly, 964— found in the Ythan, 317, 803, 963 Pearson and Son, bleachfield of, 1005 Peel Bog, fort of, 1050 — description and history of the, 1089, 1095 — ruins on, 1090— supposed battle at, 1061 Pennan bay, 260 — millstone quarry of, 269— village of, 265 Perk hill, Macbeth's cairn on, 1092 Peterculter, parish of, 105 — its physical character, ib history, 107 — popula- tion, 109 — rural economy, ib — eccle- siastical statistics, 112 Peterhead, bay of, 345 — parish of, 344 — its physical character, ib — history, 353 — population, 357 — agriculture, 358 — parochial economy, 368 — chan- ges in, since last account, 392 — town of, 345 — its public buildings, 356 — population at various periods, 357, 358 — granite quarries and trade of, 363, 364— whale fishery, 365— manu- factures, 366 — history, 368 — civic constitution, 370 — museum, ib. — po- lice regulations, 371 — post-office, ib. — harbours, 372 — exports and imports, 376, 377— custom-house, 377— news- room, &c., 386 — charities, 389 — sta- tistics of pauperism in, ib. Philips, Major George, bequest by, 722 Philorth house, 250— water, 251, 296 Physic well in Turriff, the, 983 Picardy stone, the, 751 Pictish remains in Aboyne, 1056 — in Leochel, 1122— in Logic- Coldstone, 1073— in Peterhead, 356 Pitcaple castle, 564 — tradition regarding it, 565— house, 572, 582 Pitfancy, limestone quarries at, 600 Pitfichie castle, ruins of, 463 Pitfour house, 150 Pitjossie. natural arch at, 295 Pitlurg, family of, 807 Pitmeddan house, 132 — gardens, 135 Pitsligo, founder of the family of, 721 —the last Lord, 259, 397, 721 Pitsligo, parish of, 396 — its physical cha- racter, ib. — history, ib — population, 398 — agriculture, 399 — parochial eco- nomy, 403 — castle, ruins of, 398 ABERDEEN. Pittodrie house, 572, 582, 639 — plants- tions at, 636 — lime quarry at, 562 Pittrichie house, 132 Pittulie castle, ruins of, 389 — village of, 399, 402 Plague, ravages of the, in Aberdeen, 20 Plaidy, property of, 991 Plantations, 107, 125, 145, 167, 192, 221, 245, 279, 289, 293, 305, 319, 358, 400, 409, 423, 444, 452, 460, 503, 518, 526, 539, 574, 592, 615, 626, 629, 630, 636, 649, 651, 657, 661, 674, 693, 698, 712, 720, 728, 735, 739, 743, 755, 762, 764, 777, 794, 817, 824, 833, 841, 849, 861, 880, 890, 902, 946, 968, 979, 987, 1021, 1027, 1052, 1072, 1074, 1094, 1096, 1107, 1125 Pley Faidd, the, 569 Plough, improvement of the, by Mr Rae of Ardmiddle, 998 Plumbago, bed of, near Huntly, 1037 Poaching, prevalence of, in Strathdon, 549 Poll-dubh, spring of, 1071 Pooldhulie, bridge of, 554 Poor, management of the, 48, 113, 119, 129, 136, 162, 172, 184, 212, 235, 242, 248, 257, 273, 284, 292, 297, 314, 341, 389, 405, 413, 420, 434. 438, 457, 472, 482, 521, 556, 578, 588, 596, 610, 618, 628, 633, 645, 654, 665, 676, 686, 691, 697, 702, 715, 727, 734, 741, 746, 761, 771, 784, 798, 815, 820, 837, 845, 858. 870, 940, 956, 961, «75, 978, 980, 1010, 1016, 1017, 1019, 1024, 1035, 1045, 1067, 1074, 1078, 1095, 1101, 1130 Poor's hospital of Aberdeen, the, 48 Population, returns of the, 38, 109, 115, 123, 150, 169, 178, 197, 225, 238, 244, 252, 265, 278, 288, 295, 304, 332, 357, 398, 412, 418, 426, 437, 450, 465, 478, 500, 547, 573, 585, 594, 602, 614, 625, 632, 639, 651, 660, 670, 683, 688, 695, 709, 723, 734, 738, 745, 754, 765, 778, 793. 811, 818, 823, 834, 843, 852, 862, 889, 906, 950, 959, 967, 977, 979, 996, 1016, 1017, 1018, 1023, 1030, 1039, 1063, 1073, 1076, 1093, 1098, 1125 — character, habits, and language of the, 124, 169, 197, 225, 239, 245, 252, 266, 279, 289, 304. 333, 418, 427, 450, 465, 501, 548, 573, 585, 660, 688, 695, 710, 766, 793, 794, 812, 863, 889, 908, 968, 996, 1030, 1040, 1063 Port Elphinstone, village of, 660, 664 canal from Aberdeen to, 663 4 I 1210 ABERDEENSHIRE. Portraits in King's College, 1161 Post office, the Aberdeen, 96 Pot, ancient, found in Daviot, 823 Potarch, bridge of, 790, 1066 Powis bouse, 1076 Premnay, parish of, 692 — its physical character, ib. — history, 694 — popula- tion and agriculture, 695 — parochial economy, 696 Preston, Sir Henry, 323 Prestongrange, Lord, 462 Principal of King's college, duties of the, 1143 Printfield, thread naills at, 1077 Priory of Fyvie, history of the, 327 Produce, average annual, 128, 134, 169, 180, 205, 229, 246, 269, 308, 334, 363, 430, 453, 467, 480, 515, 553, .576, 616, 632, 644, 652, 663, 712, 740, 745, 757, 780, 796, 827, 836, 866,894, 919, 953, 970, 1003, 1024, 1031, 1098, 1126 Pulquhite, subterranean moss at, 730 Quaich stone, the, 122 Quarries, granite, 121, 134, 143, 239, 269, 299, 363, 442, 459, 636, 648, 687, 705, 712, 718,860. 980,— Lime- stone, 134, 143, 293, 436, 443, 475, 553, 562, 600, 668, 687, 694, 705, 729, 1017 — millstone, 269 — sand- stone, 269, 281, 317, 985— slate, 729, 749, 757, 985 Queen's road in Forgue, the, 599 Raban, Edward, the first printer in Aber- deen, 27 Rae, Mr, of Ardmiddle, improved plough invented by, 998 Rain, annual fall of, in Aberdeen, 10 Rainnieshills, plantations on, 1027 Rainy, Mr, bequest by, 610 Rainy castle, ruins of, 981 Ramage, John, the philosophical instru- ment maker, 27 Ramsay, Dr Gilbert, bequestby, 790,792 Rathen, parish of, 293 — its history, ib. — population and agriculture, 295 — parochial economy, 296 — water, ib. Rathmoreal, ruins of church of, 747 Rattray head, 723 — burgh of, its site, 708 Ravenscraig castle, ruins of, 196, 354 Rayne, parish of, 421 — its physical cha- racter, ib, — history, 423 — population, 426 — agriculture, 427 — parochial eco- nomy, 432 — ^observations on, 435 — Old, village of, 426 Read, Rev. John, 868 Reaping scythe, introduction of the, into Aberdeen, 174, its general employ- ment, 431, 970 — comparison of, with the sickle, 915 Rector of King's College, duties of the, 1142 Red hill, the, 611 Redhyth bursaries, the, 1151 Reid, Dr Thomas, the metaphysician, 1028, ] 191— Thomas, 1188— bequest by, to Marischal College, 1 167 Rent, rates of, 109, 117, 125, 133, 157, 170, 174, 179, 201, 226, 240, 245, 268, 279, 290, 296, 306, 333, 335, 359, 362, 400, 418, 427, 466, 479, 505, 550, 574, 586, 602, 615, 632, 641, 661, 674, 684, 688, 695, 710, 737, 739, 745, 755, 766, 779, 794, 813, 825, 836, 843, 853, 864, 890, 909, 951, 959, 968, 977, 979, 1016, 1018, 1023, 1030, 1040, 1063, 1074, 1093, 1099, 1126 Rhind, William, bequest by, 384 Rhynie, parish of, 1015 Richards, Messrs, artesian wells sunk by, 13 Richie, Isobell, trial of, for witchcraft, 1085 Richmond, Duke of, 1015, 1017 Rickart, Mr, bequest by, 49 Rings, ancient, found in Garchony, 546 Rinloan, chapel at, 783 Ritchie, Messrs, bequests by, 1130, 1131 Road, ancient, in Culsalmond, 731 — ancient paved, in Logic- Coldstone, 1072 Roads and means of communication, 1 12, 118, 128, 135, 160, 171, 182, 206, 231, 246, 270, 282, 291, 296, 310, 336, 337, 372, 403, 412, 419, 432, 455, 468, 481, 519, 554, 576, 586, 604, 617, 628, 633, 634, 652, 663, 675, 685, 689, 696, 701, 713, 725, 740, 746, 758, 768, 781, 797, 814, 827, 836, 844, 856, 866, 894, 922, 954, 971, 1005, 1024, 1032, 1041, 1065, 1066, 1094, 1100, 1127 Robertson, John, bequest by, 382 — Mr, Map of Tullynessle by, 448— Rev. Mr, 541 — iMiss, of Foveran, bequest by, 701 Robin's height, tradition regarding, 300 Rocking stone on Clothiemuir, 947 Roman armour, found in Tyrie, 722 — Camp in Auchterless, 286 — in Drum- blade, 301— in Forgue, 601— at Glen- meallin, 734— in Meldrum, 477— Re- mains found in Aboyne, 1057 — in Ga- rioch, 571 — in Skene,1098 — Road, re- mains of, in Culsalmond, 734 — in Ga~ rioch, 570 — in Rayne, 426 — sword found in Insch, 751 Ronheads, village of, 369 Rood church, remains of the, 699 — well, #294 Rope-works in Aberdeen, 72 — in Peter- head, 367 INDEX. 1211 Rora, granite quarries of, 860 Rose. Dr, of Birsebeg, 790 — Sir George, 791 — Margaret, bequest by, 1130 Rosehearty, \'illage of, 399, 402 Ross of Auchlossin, family of, 1087 — Alexander, 1054, 1189 Rossachy, bum of, 1049 Rothie house, 331 Rotbmaise, hill of, 421 — house, 426 Roundabout, ancient camp called the, 499 Rubislaw, factories at, 1077 Rumlie, bum of, 1105 Runciraan, Sir John, 637 Runic monument in Culsalmond, 731 — in Dyce, 122 St Adamannan's chapel, ruins of, 593 St Andrew's hill, 426 St Apolonarius, ruins of the chapel of, 682 St Caraac's chapel, ruins of, 993 St Colms, chapel of, 1029 St Combs, village of, 216, 229 St Congan, hospital of, 988 St Devenick, 962 St Fergus, parish of, 185 — its physical character, ib — history, 193 — popula- tion, 197 — agriculture, 199 — parochial economy, 206 — observations on, 214 St John's close, 447 — well, in Fyvie, 317— in Turriff, 983 St Laurence's well, 424 St Machar, cathedral of, 1078 St Maik's well, 873 St Mary's well in Culsalmond, 731 St Michael's well, 731 St Mungo's hill, traces of volcanic action on, 1037 St Nathalin, tradition regarding, 477 St Nicholas, parish of, see Aberdeen St Ninian, history of the chaplainry of, 328 St Oynes, artificial mound of, 294 St Paul's well, 317 St Peter's well, 3 1 7 St Rule, chapel of. its history, 328 Salmon fisheries, see Fisheries Salthousehead, 345 — granite quarry of, 364 Saltoun, Lord, 721 Sand loch, the, 591 Sands, drifting, at Towde, 597 Sandford, bay of, 345 Sandhaven, village and harbour of, 399 Saughenloan, mineral well at, 730 Savings' banks, 98, 164, 21), 248, 256, 284, 341, 389, 434, 482, 524, 588, 610, 653, 666, 685, 691, 761, 770, 784, 798, 815, 829, 846, 870, 940, 974, 1013, 1035, 1045, 1078 Savoch, burn of, 704 Scares of Cruden, the, 977 Schivas house, 669 Schools, see Education Scobbach house, 995 Scotch fir, errors in the management of the, 503 Scotstoun head, 188 — ^house, 1076 Scott, Dr, bequest by, 1044 — Professor, 1145 Scougall, Bishop, chair founded by, in King's College, 1147 — Henry, ib. Scroulach bill, 526 Scrymgeour, Sir James, death of, at Har- law, 567 Sculptured stones in Aboyne, 1059 — at Hill of Newton, 1072 — in Rhynie, 1016 Scurvy, alleged prevalence of, in Forbes, 451 Scythe, the reaping, 431, 672, 915, 970 Seaforth, origin of the family of, 1 060 Severus, supposed route of, 1058 Shaw, Alexander, bequest by, 59 Sheal, burn of, 1105 Sheddocksley house, 238 Sheelagreen, plantations at, 728 Sheep, see Live-stock Shevock water, the, 635, 693, 728, 748, 749 Shier, Professor, sketch of the geology of Turriff by, 983 Shirras, Mr, bequest by, 163 Sick Man's Friend Society in Aberdeen, the, 52 Silver well in Turriff, the, 983 Silverhilloch, loch of, 298 Simpson, Alexander, Esq. bequest by, 46 — Dr, bequests by, to King's Col- lege, 1150, 1155 Sinnahard, ruins of chapel at, 417 Sir James the Rose, death and grave of, 709 Skellater house, 547 Skene of Pitlurg, family of, 807 — of Skene, 1097 Skene, parish of, 1096 — its history, 1097 — population and agriculture, 1098 — parochial economy, 1100 — loch of, 1096— house, 1097 Skeulan tree and well, the, 1060 Skilmony, hill of, 963 Skinner, Bishop, 791, 1191— Rev. John, 466, 861 Slains, parish of, 589 — its physical cha- racter, ib — history, 593— population and agriculture, 594 — parochial eco- nomy, 596 — observations on, 597 — castle, nuns of, 593 Slap, mineral well at, 983 Slate hill of Culsalmond, the, 729 — quarries of Foudland, 749, 757 1212 ABERDEENSHIRE. Sleoch, battle of, 1037 Sliach, encampment of Bruee on, 300 Sloe of Dess, the, a cascade, 1049 Small farm system, advantages of the, 429 Smuggling, former prevalence of, in Birse, 793— in Newbui-gh, 700 — in Strathdon, 549 Soccoth hills, the, 415, 1013 Societies, Friendly, 153, 234, 272, 386, 892, 405, 420, 434, 472, 482, 556, 653, 685, 691, 770, 784, 869, 940, 974, 1012, 1045, — religious and cha- ritable, 48, 256, 313, 389, 521, 760, 857, 1033, 1043, 1044, 1101 Soil, see Geology South Ugie water, 187 Spence, Rev. Andrew, 682 Springs, mineral, 12, 141, 187, 242,298, 346, 416, 441, 491, 530, 584, 591, 612, 704, 718, 730, 774, 788, 847, 874, 964, 983, 1026, 1071 Springhill house, 238 Spruce fir, remarkable, in Monymusk, 461 Stevenson, Mr, schoolmaster of Kem- nay, 820 StewartSeld, village of, 150 Stirlinghill, the, 345 — granite quarries of, 363 Stone coffins found in Aberdeen, 264 — Bourtrie, 622— Clatt, 851 — Cruden, 355— Drumoak, 888— Garioch, 571 — Kemnay, 818— Kintore, 659— Rayne, 425 — collars, found at Glen- roy, 613 Stones, memorial, sculptured, &c. at Aboyne castle, 1059— in Clatt, 852— on Corsedarder, 789 — in Culsalmond, 731— in Drumoak, 888— Garioch, 571 — Insch, 751— Kemnay, 818 — Kin- kell, 744 — Monymusk, 463 — Oyne, 638— Towie, 417 Strachan of Lynturk, family of, 1111 Slraloch, property of, 1025 — plantations on, 1027— house, 1029 Stranduff house, 334 Strathbeg, burn of, 218— loch, 218, 704 — attempt to drain it, 219 Strathbogie castle, ruins of, 1037 Strathdee, climate of, 1048 Strathdon, parish of, 525— its physical character, ib. — history, 539 — popula- tion, 547 — agriculture, 550 — parochial economy, 553 — observations on, 558 Strettum, brae of, the scene of Mac- beth's death, 1092 Strichen, parish of, 687 — house, ib. Stuart,Rev. James, bursaries founded by, 1154 Submarine peat moss, 243 Suspension bridge of Aboyne, the, 1066 Swan, Rev. Alexander and William, 397 Sword, Roman, found in Insch, 751 Syme, Rev. Walter, 448 Tanner water, 1049 Tarbathy hill, 242— tumuli on, 244 Tarland, burn of, 840 — and Migvie, united parishes of, 839 — their physi- cal character, ib. — history, 841 — po- pulation, agriculture, and parochial economy, 843 — village of, ib. Tarty hill, 800— skirmish at, 805 Tarves, parish of, 667 — its physical cha- racter, ib history, 668 — population and agriculture, 670 — parochial eco- nomy, 675 Taylor, Mr, bequest by, 610 Teller's well, 298 Templars, establishment of the, in Aboyne, 1055— in Turriff, 988 Temple Close, the, 447 Templeland house, 601 Terperse, property of, 446 Terry chapel, ruins of, 1122 Thain, James, school endowed by, 40 Thainston, hill of, 655— house, 660 Thomas the Rymer, tradition regarding, 195 — prophecy by, and its fulfil- ment, 261 Thomastown, fossil remains found at, 299 Thomson, Mr, of Banchory, bequest by, 742 Thorn, remarkable, in Garioch, 564 Thornton, Druidical remains in, 622 Tile work at Auchmacoy, 813 Tillanamols house, 723 Tillery house, 698 Tilliebreen, tradition regarding, 1069 Tilliecairn, urns found at, 1060 Tilliorn, Pictish camp at, 738 Tillphoudie house, ruins of, 1056 — Pictish remains on the hill of, ib. Tillyangus, feudal skirmish at, 850 Tillydaff's cairn, tradition regarding, 425 Tillyfour, plantations of, 636 — house, 639 Tillygreig house, 1 32 Tillymuick hill, 693 Tolquhon castle, ruins and history of, 669 Tomachar, sculptured stone at, 1072 Tomna-hivrich, Druidical remains in, 958 Tomnaverie, a Druidical temple, 842 Ton, burn of, 818 Torrie, fishing village of, 73 Tough, parish of, 611 — its physical cha- racter, ib history, 612 — population and agriculture, 614 — parochial eco- nomy, 617 — observations on, 619 Towie burn, 416— castle, ruins of, 417 INDEX. 1213 544 — parish of, 415 — its physical cha- racter, ib history, 416 — population and agriculture, 418 — parochial eco- nomy, 419^ — observations on, 420 — property of, 991 Towde Barclay castle, 'ruins of, 287 — house, 995 Traill, William, Processor of Mathema- tics, 1192 Trefor hill, artificial mound of, 294 Trees, heights at vhich grown, in Al- ford, 497 — remarkable, in Keithhall, 743— in Meldrum, 476 — in Paradise wood, 460 — at Schivas, 669 TuUich, ruins of old castle at, 1059 — suppressed parish of, 772 — village of, 779, 781 Tulloch, Professor, 1144 Tullochvenus, remains found at, 613 Tullynessle, and Forbes, united parishes of, 439 — their physical character, ib. — history, 445 — population, 450 — pa- rochial economy, ib. Tumuli in~Aberdour, 264 — in Aboyne, 1060— Belhclvie, 244— Birse, 789— Bourtrie, 622— Clatt, 851— Drum- blade, 302 — Drumoak, 888 — Inverury, 680— Keithhall, 744— Kintore, 659 — Leochel, 1121 — Leslie, 1022 — Longside, 862— Old Deer, 157— Peterhead, 356— Rayne, 425, 426— Rhynie, 1015— Skene, 1098— Tough, 613 — Towie, 417 — Turriff, 993 — Tyrie, 722 Turing, Rev, Alexander, 637 Turing's tower, remains of, 699 Turnbull, Dr, 1190 Turner hall, 906 Turriff, parish of, 981 — it physical cha- racter, ib history, 987 — population, 996 — agriculture, 997 — parochial eco- nomy, 1005— town of, 982, 1005— cross of, 993 — early reputation of its school, 990 — gas company, 1013 — prison, 1014 — old church of, 992 — agricultural association, 1012 — skir- mish at, in 1639, 989 Turry chapel, ruins of, 958 Tyrebagger, hill and quarries of, 121 Tyrie, parish of, 717 — its physical cha- racter, ib. — history, 720 — population and agriculture, 723 — parochial eco- nomy, 724 Tytler the historian, errors of, regarding Hariaw, 568 Udny, parish of, 131— its history, 132 — agriculture, 133 — parochial econo- my, 135 — improvements in, 137 — castle, 132 Ugie water, the, 141, 187, 345, 347, 860 United Fund of Aberdeen, the, 48 Universities of Aberdeen, the, 1139, see King's and Marischal Colleges Upper Machar, see New Machar Urne tower, ruins of the, 251 Urns, ancient, found in Aboyne, 1060 —in Drumoak, 888— in Fyvie, 331— in Garioch, 571 — in Keithhall, 74 — in Kintore, 639 — in Meldrum, 477 — in New Deer, 177 — in Rathen, 294— in Skene, 1098 Urquhart, John, tutor of Cromarty, 277, 278— Sir Thomas, 276 Urrie, General, 463 Ury water, 561, 598, 599, 635, 656, 728, 749 Vale of Alford agricultural association, the, 524 Vannich water, 530 Vat, a cave called the, 775 Vitrified fort on Dunnideer, 751 — ac- count of it from M'Culloch, 752 — on Fechley, 417— on Noth, 848, 1015— stones found in Clatt, 848 Volcanic action, traces of, in Huntly, 1037 Vrae, hill of, 982 Wages, rates of, 1 1 7, 125, 180, 204, 226, 253, 267, 279, 291, 306, 400, 419, 428, 467, 479, 505, 550, 574, 695, 711, 825, 853, 951, 957, 1000, 1030 Walker, Rev. Mr, deposition of, 1042 Wallace, Sir William, tradition regard- ing, 630 Wantin wells, old ornament found at, 751 Ward head, the, 754 Wardhouse, mansion-house of, 584 Wardhouses of Dunnideer, the, 753 Ward of Cruden, village of, 978, 979 Warthill house, 426 Water- works of Aberdeen, the, 76 Waterton house, 238 Watson, Rev. William, bursaries found- ed by, 1152 Watt, Mr, bursaries founded by, 1150 Waukmill, bluestone quarry at, 729 Weapons, ancient, found in Peterhead, 355 Wedderburn, David, 1188 Well of Spa, 12 Wester Fowlis, history of the property of, 1110 Westhall, plantations of, 636 — house, 638 Whinnyfold, village of, 979 White, John, of Ardlawhill, 260 White cave of Slains, the, 589 Whitehaugh, property and mansion-house of, 447 Whitehouse, monumental stone on, 613 Whiteside, Druidical remains at, 450 1214 ABERDEENSHIRE. Williamson, Peter, case of, 23— his birth- place, 1054 Winds, prevalent, in Aberdeen, 10— da- mage done by, in Strathdon,^529 Windy hills, the, 316 Witchcraft, trials for, in Aberdeen, 21, 1083— in Leochel, 1 123 Woodhead, Episcopal chapel at, 339 Woods, see Plantations Woodside house, 1076 — quoad sacra -pa- rish of, 1077, 1078— village of, 1073 Woollen manufactures in Aberdeen, 70 Young, Rev. John, 1117 Ythan river,' the, 131, 286, 817, 589, 391, 399, 667, 698, 800, 900, 963— its fall from Fyvie to the sea, 802 — navigation and fisheries of, 901 — lodge, 698 Ythsie, cairns at, 669 Zebu, the, a'^'r >pt to naturalize in Strathdon, i37 Zoology, 14, 121, 146, 167, 189, 221, 261, 318, 330, 409, 437, 444, 460, 496, 534, 562, 592, 705, 777, 788, 803, 861, 876, 965, 986, 1021, 1079, 1106 ERRATA ET CORRIGENDA. Page 437, line 30, /or porter's lodge read shooting lodge. Page 582, 9th line from top, /or " addenda," read " corrigenda et addenda." — 15th for " present proprietor," read " ancestors of the pre- sent proprietor." Page 848, line 33, for '« Carduus nutans," read " Carduus acanthoides." 850, 29, for " the Gordons under command of two of the Earl's bro- thers," read " the Gordons under the command of Sir Adam Gordon, and another brother of the Earl of Huntly." Add to the notice of the " Feudal rencontre,'''' p. 850, as follows : " This was cal- led the Battle of Tillyangus, and was almost the last, if not the last, clan battle fought in the north." EDIi\BURGH : PKINTED BY STARK & COMPANY, OLD ASSEMBIY ClOSE. University of Connecticut Libraries