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About Google Book Search Google's mission is to organize the world's information and to make it universally accessible and useful. Google Book Search helps readers discover the world's books while helping authors and publishers reach new audiences. You can search through the full text of this book on the web at |http: //books .google .com/I i i THE NEW STATISTICAL ACCOUNT OF SCOTLAND. VOL. X. i THE NEW STATISTICAL ACCOUNT OF S C T L A N 1). BY THK MINI8TER8 OF THE RE8PECTIVE PAR18HE8, UNDKK TUB SUPERINTENDENCE OF A COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF THE CUSBGY. VOL. X. PKRTH. WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS, EDINBURGH AND LONDON. MDCCCXLV. PERTH. 2:ttre CONTENTS. ABRRDALGIE AND DUPPLIN» • PAOB 876 ABERFOYLR, ■ 1150 ABESNETBY, 838 ABBBNYTE, . 219 ALTTH, 1110 ARNGASK, • » 88? AUCHTERARDBR, 285 AUCHTERGAVEN, 423 BALQUBIDDBRy 344 BENDOCHY, 1176 BLACKFORD, 297 BLAIB-ATHOL, 558 BLAIRGOWRIE, • 896 CALLANDER, 349 CAPUTB, 670 CARGILL, 1167 CLUNIE, 1024 COLLACE, 210 COMRIE, 578 COUPAR-ANGUS, 1141 CRIEFF, 487 C17LROSS, 597 DRON, 862 DULL, 752 DUNBARNY, 790 DUNBLANE, 1038 DUNKELD AND DOWALLY, 958 DUNNING, t 716 ERROL, • • 367 FORGANDBNNY, • 948 FORTEVIOT, • 1172 FORTINGAL, . • 527 FOSSOWAY AND TlTLLfEBOLE, 1016 FOWLI8 WESTER, • 249 GASK • • 281 GLBNDOVAN, . • 338 INCBTURB, • • ■ 825 KENMORR, • • +52 KILLIN, . • • - . 1066 VUl CONTBNTS. KILMADOGK, KILSPINDIE, KINCARDINE IN MONTKITH, KINCLAVEN, KINPAUNS, KINNAIRD, KINNOULL, KIRKMICEIAKL, LECROPT, LETHENDY AND KIN LOCH, LITTLE DUNKELD, LOGIERAIT, LONGFORGAN, MADDRRTY, MEIGLK, . . . METIIVRN« MONRYDIE, MONIVAIRD AND STROWAN, . HONZIE, MOULIN, MUCKART, MUTllILL, PERTH, PORT OF MENTKITH, RATTRAY, REDGORTON, RHYND, ST MADOKS, ST MARTINS AND rAMBUSMICIlAKL, SCONK, TIBBERMORE, TRINITY CASK, TULLIALLAN, WBEM, PAGE 1224 1162 1243 . 1129 1205 228 933 785 1 160 1001 1005 685 405 748 232 142 198 723 262 637 301 311 I 1095 239 562 361 007 873 1043 1028 335 867 702 PARISH OF PERTH. • PRESBYTERY OF PERTH, SYNOD OF PERTH AND STIRLING. REV. WILLIAM THOMSON, D.D. Old or Middle Church, 1560. REV. ANDREW GRAY, . West Churchy 1716. REV. JAMES ESDAILE, . Eatt Chwxhy 1771. REV. JOHN FINDLAY, . St PauVt, 1807. REV. JOHN FERGUSON, . St Stephen' 9y\9;^. REV. JAMES MILLAR, St Leonards, 1836. I. — Topography and Natural History. Latitude and Longitude, — The latitude of the Academy of Perth is 56° «3^ 40" N., and its longitude b° 26' 20" W. As a subject intimately connected with geographical position, it may also be mentioned, that the magnetic variation was 26° 54' W. in Noyember 1836. In 1815, when the magnetic north seemed to baye attained its furthest range to the westward of the true north, the variation was 28^ lO' W. ; hence the annual diminution seems at present to be about 3^ ; but as the changes of all variable mag- nitudes, when near the maximum state, are smaller than the mean rate of change, the decrement will probably become more rapid till toward the close of the present century. Name. — The etymology of,the name is uncertain. Lord Hailes in his Annals, says, that he had been favoured with different inter- pretations of the word, and that not knowing which to choose, he had omitted them all. Fordun, in his Scotichroiucon, tells us, that he had found in some ancient writings that the town was for- merly called Bertha. The names of many places in the neigh^ bourhood are of Celtic origin. The vernacular language of the people not many miles from Perth, is Celtic, at the present day. Bhar-tatJia is a Celtic word, and signifies the height of Tay.-f- Thus ■ Drawn up by the Rev. Dr William Thomson, Minister of the Old Church pa- rish, Perth. For the valuable communication on the subjects of Topography, Mirteorology, Hydrography, Geology, and Mineralogy, the writer is indebted to his very talented 6cienti£: friiad» Adam Anderson, Esq. LL. 1)., Rector of tlie Perth Aeademy. -f- I shall here give some names in point. Dundee (Gaelic) Dhun-tatha, the hill of Tay ; Broughty (Gaelic,) Bhruich-tatha, the sloping ground, or brae of Tay ; PERTH. A 2 PERTHSHIRE. Kinnoul Hill, which is immediately contiguous to the town, may be the height referred to. B. and P. were and still are used by the Celts indiscriminately, and Bert, Berth, and Perth, are evi- dently contractions for Bertha. The parish of Perth contains altogether about 3410 imperial acres, and exhibits a considerable diversity of soil and aspect. Up- wards of two-thirds of it consist of rich arable land ; and of the remaining third about 750 acres are planted, and 350 acres are in a state of hilly pasture, the rocky nature of which seems to bid defiance to the farther encroachment of the plough. Boundaries^ Topographical Appearances. — The shape of the parish is somewhat incurvated, the extreme length, following the varying direction of the curvature, being about five miles, and the greatest breadth about a mile and a quarter. As the Tay washes the concave side of the arch by which the parish is bounded on the north and east, the general slope of the ground is toward the same quarter of the horizon. On the east and south-east, it is bounded by the Tay and the parish of Rhynd ; on the south by the parish of Rhynd and Aberdalgie ; on ,the west by the parish of Aberdalgie, Tibbermore and Forte viot; and on the north and north-east by the parish of Redgorton. The mountain ranges which occur in the parish form the west^ ern extremity of the Sidlaw hills, and are of limited altitude, the highest point (MoncriefF hill) rising only to the height of 756 feet above the mean level of the ocean. The surface of the parish is nevertheless diversified with numerous swelling ridges of moderate elevation, which graduate by insensible degrees into rich and fer- tile plains in a state of the highest culture, and bearing abundant crops of every species of grain. Though the hills skirting the parish are of the limited height already noticed, the view from their summit is at once extensive and varied, presenting on all sides prospects of unrivalled fertility and beauty, in which every object that can adorn the landscape is finely and harmoniously blended. The view from MoncriefF hill, in particular, is acknowleged to be one of the finest in Scotland. The soil of the parish consists, in the upland district, of a rich loam, which has resulted from the decomposition of the trap tuff, Ktncarathie, (Gaelic) Ceaii.car-tatha, the head or turn of Tay ; Abdie, Abbey-tatha, the abbey of Tay. N. B. — There is no Celtic word for abt)ey. The word spelled tetha in Gaelic sounds as ta in English. 3 and other mouldeiitig rocks, which at one period crownedtbe more elevated ridges. The low grounds along the bank of the Tav are composed chiefly of aluminous earth or clay, resting on beds of gravel and other alluvial, or rather lacustrine deposits, and are well adapted for bearing every species of grain. Their height above the mean level of the sea, varies from 20 to 30 feel, and as the plain on which the town is erected is still lower, it is occasionally exposed, during a flooded state of the Tay, to the inconvenience of partial inundation. Cultivation has been carried in the parish almost to the sum- mit of the hills, insomuch that crops of every description are raia- ed within 200 feet of the most elevated point. The following heights have been carefully ascertained by the ba- rometer. Migbat point of Edinburgh roMl (Mordun hill,) IRafeM. Hillabcne Fiiartoirn Turnpike, . . SM St Hmgdalcne'i hill, ■■ - 462 Hi^wst point on rat lida of the pviih, • - 618 MoDcrieff hill, . ■ - ■ 7X No caverns or fissures that can claim particular notice are to be (bimd in the parish, excepting perhaps on the south-side of Moncnefi' hill, the precipitous face of which exhibits some basaltic rocks of a columnar structure, occasionally standing out in detached masses of tlie most fantastic forms, and separated from the main body of the trap rocks, with which they are connected by intervening Assures of considerable width. Otology. — The greater part of the parish rests upon the red sandstone formation, which stretches through the valleys of Strath- more and Strathearn. The character of this rock, wherever it pre- Knls itself in the neighbourhood, whether in aniGcIal excavations, or deep ravines formed by the action of water, exhibits little varia- tion, either in composition or external appearance. In some few instances, the mica predominates, and being feebly united with the siliceous particles by means of an aigillaceous cement, the stone, when exposed to the weather, crumbles down, and is thus unfit for the purpose of building. Occasionally, nodules of granite, primitive limestone, porphyritic trap, Lydian stone, and hard masses of in- durated clay are imbedded in the sandstone; but noorganic remains, either of an animal or vegetable nature, have at any time been dis- coTered in it within the parish. Dip and direction of the Stratification. — The dip of the strati- Bed rocks, which is towards the north-west, has been carefiilly ex- 4 PERTHSHIRE. amined in a great variety of situations, and generally ranges from 1 0^ to 20°.* The lowest stratum of the extensive formation of sand- stone which traverses the parish occurs at the Friartown turnpike, about a mile and a half from the city, where the dip is Xb"" towards the N. W. by W. At the waterfall of Craigie, which is about half a mile to the north-west of this point, (and though about 80 feet lower in situation, occupies a more elevated place in the stratification,) the sandstone is covered by the trap which seems to have flowed over it, from the great mass of that rock to the south-west of it, when the latter was in a state of fusion. The inclination of the subjacent sandstone has accordingly undergone.no change, the dip being 12° 45' towards the N. W. ^ W. ; but the layers, in immediate contact with the trap, are assimilated to it in appearance, and possess great hardness, with a semi-crystalline structure. Tracing a line from the Friartown to the parish church of Money die, which is almost exactly in the direction of the plane of the dip, the distance is about 6 miles ; and as the dip of the stratification at the latter point, is 12^ 30' towards the N. W., it mav be inferred that the stratum of sandstone at Moneydie occupies a position, which had originally been upwards of a mile above that which is presented to view at the Friartown. Both strata where they crop out being at present nearly on the same level, it would seem that the portion of the sand- stone rocks above the Friartown, corresponding with the strata at Moneydie, has suffered great disintegration ; and indeed, however extravagant the opinion may seem, it is far from being inconsistent with appearances to suppose, that the debris of these rocks gave birth to the shifting hills of loose sand, which occur at the mouth of the Tay ; as well as to the extensive accumulation of arenaceous tumuli lying between that river and the mouth of the Eden, form- ing what is called the Tents -moor. The trap rocks which run along the southern boundary of the parish may be regarded as a continuation of the Sidlaw range of hills, and possess a direction which coincides with that of the planes of the adjacent sandstone strata; and it seems highly pro- bable, that the latter received their present dip and position from the same internal movement which gave existence to the former. From the main body of the trap, whin dikes may be traced, issu- ing at various points, and retaining for many miles a westerly direc- tion. These dikes, which are generally about 60 feet wide, seem to have resulted from immense fissures in the sandstone, formed * In the imme<^iate ▼icinity of the trap rocks, the dip extends soxnetimet to 35*. PERTH. ri O at the period when the strata were shifted from their horizontal po- sition ; their cavities being at the same time filled up by the melt- ed matter, which flowed into them from the principal mass of the fused trap. In accordance with this hypothesis of the origin of whin dikes, it is uniformly observed that the stratum of sandstone, in contact with the trap, exhibits a more compact and crystalline aspect ; the siliceous particles being more intimately blended ¥dth the mica, and other substances of which the sand- stone is composed, and converted into a homogeneous rock of great hardness ; while the dip of the stratification, at the distance of a few yards from the vein, is considerably altered, so as to exhibit, within the compass of several feet, a great variety of inclination. The hill of Moncrieffis almost entirely composed of compact trap, or greenstone, which on the south side exhibits a columnar structure. Near its western extremity, patches of conglomerate make their appearance, but it is difficult to trace either their thickness or ex- tent. On the western side of the great Edinburgh road, detach- ed rounded hills, also of the trap family, and occasionally present- ing an abrupt face of moderate elevation, towards the south-west, stretch onward to the western boundaries of the parish. These rocky eminences sometimes graduate into conglomerate, the nodu- les of which are always more firmly united at the line of junction; and frequently they betray the most unequivocal symptoms of hav- ing been exposed to igneous action. At other times, the basalt passes-by degrees into the rocks of a porphyritic structure, which are usually associated with trap ; felspar and augite being the more common ingredients in their composition. In some Ccises veins of calc-spar, varying from a small fraction of an inch to se- veral inches in width, traverse the more compact rocks ; and oc- casionally these calcareous veins include detached angular portions of the principal rock through which they are disseminated. Conglomerate, — An immense bed of conglomerate, composed chiefly of rounded nodules of porphyritic trap, varying in size from a pea to a man's head, runs along the southern part of the parish, above the farm of St Magdalenes. At various pi ces, thin laminae, consisting of fine-grained materials, of a siliceous nature, may be observed between the larger boulders of which this rugged rock is composed ; and in such cases, it is worthy of remark, that both the degree and direction of the dip coincide exactly with those which belong to the sandstone of the district. Thus, on the north side of St Magdelene's Hill the dip was found to be 14° 30' 6 PERTHSHIBE. towards N. W. JW., while on the south side of the same hill, at the distance of nearly two miles, the dip was 13° towards N. W. At Invermay, six miles onward in the direction of the plane of the strata, the same bed of conglomerate makes its appearance, (but disjoined by the vale of Strathearn,) with similar layers of sandstone interposed, having the same dip and direction. It may also be traced along the southern face of the Sidlaw range, as far as the western shoulder of Kinnoul hill ; its continuity bein^ in- terrupted at this point by the bed of the Tay. It is a curious cir- cumstance, however, that the planes of the lowest strata of the con- glomerate, on both sides of the river, are so nearly coincident, as to imply from that circumstance, and other appearances, that they had formerly been united; large detached masses of conglomerate occurring in the bed of the Tay, in the very position they might have been expected to occupy, in consequence of the disruption of the river. Previously to this event, the whole of the parish of Perth, with the flat and extensive district towards CrieflFand Dun- keld, on which water-worn materials are everywhere to be found, must have been covered by the waters of a lake, of no ordinary magnitude. In support of this opinion it may be stated, that trees of large dimensions, chiefly of the oak and willow kind, and other vegeta- ble productions, are frequently found in the alluvial soil on which the town of Perth is built, at a depth varying from 25 to 40 feet below the present surface ; and, what is still more confirmatory of it, oaks upwards of two feet in diameter may be still seen protruding from the immense bed of clay which forms the southern bank of the Tay, at the Friartown, in positions not less than 20 feet above the highest level of the river, in spring tides. In the mass of clay con- taining these organic remains, beds of fine sand, and other indica- tions of aqueous arrangement are distinctly observable : so that at a period, in the annals of geology, comparatively recent, no doubt can be entertained of a barrier having existed across the present channel of the river sufficient to raise its waters far above their pre- sent level. In fact, an obstruction of 200 feet in height, in the bed of the Tay, between the hills of Kinnoul and Moncrieff*, would cause the waters of the river to find their way to the ocean by the valley of Strathmore; nor are indications wanting that such a state of things once existed, in the chain of lakes, and the gravelly and sandy subsoil, which characterize the district of country stretching between the town of Forfar and Lunan bay. No ores of any description have been discovered to exist in the PEETH. 7 parish ; but agates of great beauty are found in the adjacent pa- rish of Kinnoul ; as well as the sulphate of barytes, the carbonate of strontites, calc-spar, &c. AUumal Deposits. — The alluvial deposits which cover the stra- tified rocks in the less elevated parts of the parish consist of gra- vel formed of rounded portions of granite, quartz, gneiss, and other primitive rocks, intermixed with sand and clay, both of which are frequently in a stratified state. Boulders. — Irregular blocks ofgranite and gneiss, measuring from 3 to 4 feet in every direction, are occasionally to be found on the borders of fields in the less perfectly cultivated spots of the parish ; but in consequence of the improved state of agriculture which now prevails in this district, these obstructions to the plough have long ceased to be observed in the lower grounds. These boulders, be- longing to rocks of the primitive class, must have been rolled from a very great distance to reach their present locality. The alluvial materials, composing th^ subsoil of the lower part of the parish, are largely impregnated with the muriate of lime ; and accordingly, the water obtained from wells and pits, sunk in the town and neighbourhood, are, in all cases, found to hold in so- lution a considerable quantity of the same salt, together with more limited portions of the muriate of soda and magnesia. Rivers and Streams. — The parish is intersected by no running stream deserving of notice, with the exception of the lade for con- veying water to the town-mill to be afterwards described, but it is bounded on the north by the Almond, and on the east by the Tay, which is not only the largest river in Scotland, butif the magnitude of streams be estimated by the quantity of water they convey to the sea, the largest in Britain. The surface from which the various tributaries of this noble river derive their supplies, possesses an area of 2750 square miles, whereas the basin of the Spey contains only 1298| square miles, and that of the Forth 541 square miles. It must be admitted, indeed, that the volume of water, discharged by a river into the ocean, is not always proportional to the extent of the sur- face which it drains; since the varying latitude of the district through which it flows, and still more the inequalities of its sur- face, especially when that surface assumes a mountainous character, modify, in a considerable degree, the quantity of rain that flows into the basin of a river. But in the case of the Tay, as contrasted with the Spey and the Forth, the criterion mentioned may be safe- ly applied ; the geographic position and condition of surface being 8 PERTHSHIRE. pretty much alike, with respect to the basins of the three rivers. It seems probable, therefore, that the Tay discharges about twice as much water as the Spey, and four times as much as the Forth. Quantity of Water discharged by the Tay, — Opposite to the town of Perth, the quantity of water, flowing through a section of the stream, measured with great accuracy for a judicial purpose, was determined by Dr Anderson to be at the rate of 3640 cubic feet per second, at a time when the river was in its mean state. As the area of the basin supplying the various tributaries of the Tay (excluding the basin of the Earn) is equal to 2*398 square miles, if we assume the annual fall of rain for the hilly districts to be dO inches, and suppose that one-third of it is lost by evaporation, and the various processes of vegetation, the mean discharge would be at the rate of 3496 cubic feet per second, which is probably not far from the truth, and differs but little from the above result. In the course of the summer of 1819, the discharge, after a long drought, was reduced to 457 cubic feet per second ; and at the close of the summer of 1835, it was still less. From the gradual exten- sion of the system of draining now generally prosecuted in the i^icultural districts, a very sensible change has taken place, of late years, in the magnitude of the stream, during great floods, as well as long-continued droughts ; and though, owing to the same cause, the Tay now conveys more water to the sea, than it did at a for- mer period, it' is an undoubted fact that the size of the stream, in its ordinary state, is considerably reduced. Tides. — The tide from the ocean flows up the river to a point about a mile above the town, in spring tides ; and rises, at the har- bour, about ten feet above the alveus, or the bed of the stream. At high water, according to the survey of Mr Jardine, the surface of the river attains the same level with the German Ocean ; but it appears by the observations of that accurate and distinguished en- gineer, that the level of the high water at Perth is actually 18 inches higher than it ever attains in the frith of the Tay, three or four miles above Dundee. This singular result is to be ascrib- ed, partly, to the frith of the Tay being so large, that the tide at the mouth of the river begins to subside before it has had suffi- cient time to fill that capacious basin, through the contracted inlet, by which it is admitted at Broughty Ferry ; and partly, to the sub- sequent elevation of the water above its natural level, in conse- quence of the gradual contraction of the channel of the river, from the town of Newburgh to the city of Perth, PERTH. 9 The form of the Tay being so extremely unfavourable to the production of river tides for navigable purposes, it was some years ago su^ested by Dr Anderson to the magistrates of Perth, the conservators of the navigation of the river, that they ought to adopt all the means in their power, in co-operation with landed proprie- tors along its banks, to contract as much as possible the breadth of the stream below the town, by encouraging the construction of embankments in suitable situations, and the junction of islands with either bank, wherever the river flowed in two channels, — com|>en- sating, at the same time, for the diminished area of the section of the stream by a corresponding excavation of its bed. Several is- lands have accordingly been joined of late to the nearest bank, and the result justifies the expectation that the prosecution of si- milar operations, on a more enlarged scale, will ultimately prove highly beneficial to the navigation of the river ; while it will be the means of recovering, at a trifling expense, extensive tracts of rich and valuable land. In fact, were a barrier of loose materials to be thrown across the Tay, from the lands of Pitfour to the west end of Mugdrum island ; and were a similar erection to be execut- ed from the eastern extremity of that island to Invergowriebay, land would be gained, along the north bank of the river, to the extent of upwards of 4000 acres ; and the river, by the operation, would be rendered navigable as far as the harbour of Perth, for vessels of 300 tons burden. The embankment would require for its completion, 960,000 cubic yards of earth, which would cost about L. 20,000 ; and the facing of stone next the river, which would be about 150,000 square yards, would amount to an equal sum ; so that the land would be obtained for about L. 10 per acre, — while the rise of the tides at Perth would be increased by the operation, probably from three to four feet* in perpendicular height. Meteorology. — In describing the meteorological phenomena of the parish, we shall first give a synoptic, or tabular view of the varying physical conditions of the atmosphere, by which the cli- mate of a country is chiefly afiected ; and conclude with such ge- neral obser\'ations on the subject, as the facts stated may seem to suggest. The circumstances which mainly contribute to the pe- culiar character of a climate, vve shall describe under the usual * The jimcCion of two island* with the western bank of the river, one n little abore, and the other a little below the Castle of Elcho, has already had the effect of raising the tides from six to nine inches, and accelerating the time of high water, at Perth, by half an hour. 10 PERTHSHIRE. heads of, Istf Atmospheric pressure, 2dj Temperature ; and Sd^ Humidity. 1. Atmospheric Pressure. — The mean height of the barometer, as deduced from a register of the state of the instrument for a pe- riod of six years, viz. from the beginning of 1829 to the close of 1834, is given for each month in the subjoined table ; the obser- yations having been made daily, at nine o'clock in the morning, and half-past eight o'clock in the evening. A column is annexed to point out the deviations of the means, for each month, from the mean height of the barometer, during the entire period of obser- vation. Month*, January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December, Height at Height at i AhberatioM of 9 A. M. past 8 p. M. Monthly meant. In. In. In. 29.884 29.889 + .082 .701 .749 —.101 .835 .851 + .033 .778 .786 —.024 .922 .830 + .122 .792 .810 —.010 .859 .870 + .057 .764 .770 —.057 .792 .816 —.010 .809 .825 +.007 .726 .746 . —.076 .763 .750 —.039 Means, 29.802 29.808 The mean pressure, derived from the means of the months, is 29.802 by the observations at nine a. m. ; and 29.808 by the ob- servations at half-past eight p. m. The extreme range of the means, on either side of the mean for the entire period of obser- vation, or the differences, in excess and defect, between the latter mean, and the greatest and least means of each month, during the six years of observation, are, in reference to the morning observa- tions, as follows : Exceu, Extreme range of Meana, In. In. .246 .757 .001 .618 .044 .260 .251 .733 .070 .207 —.008 .26^ .078 .366 — 070 .135 .023 .388 .126 .488 ..010 .325 .367 .771 It appears by these observations that the means, in defect, great- Month*. Defect In. January, .511 February, .617 March, .216 April, .482 May, .137 June, .277 July, .288 August, .205 September, .365 October, .362 November, .335 December, .404 PERTH. 11 ly exceed those in excess, in reference to the average mean for the whole period. Hence it may be concluded, that the causes which give rise to a diminished pressure are more sudden, as well as more powerful in their operation, than those which tend to produce an opposite condition of the atmosphere ; a result which implies that the causes contributing to a low state of the barometer are of local extent, and partial operation ; and may be satisfactorily explained by referring them, partly, to a diminution of aerial elasticity, occa- sioned by the rapid condensation of aqueous vapour ; and partly, to the combustion of large portions of carburetted hydrogen, in the upper regions of the atmosphere, over the place of observation. Hence it may be concluded, that an arithmetical mean between two observations of the barometer, the one expressing the highest, and the other the lowest height of the mercury, will rarely give the true average height for the interval of time between the ob« servations. This fact, which seems to have hitherto escaped the notice of meteorologists, is of considerable importance. The annual range, or the difference between the highest and lowest state of the barometer, in the course of each year, from the banning of 1814, tQ the close of 1822, being a period of nine years, was as subjoined : Vean. Highest, IxmeH. Afnmdl range. Inches. Incites. Inches. 1614, 80.785 28.a*i5 1.950 1B15, 30.G84 28.682 2.002 1816, 30.802 28.534 2.268 1817, 30.744 28.532 2.212 1818, 30.f!35 28.253 2.382 1819, 30.588 28.890 1.696 1820, 31.074 28.717 2.367 1821, 30.876 28.255 2.621 1822, 30.635 28.424 2.211 Means, 30.755 28.569 2.189 The mean annual range thus deduced from observations for a period of nine consecutive years is 2.189 inches: the extreme range for the same period, being the difference between the high- est state of the barometer, which took place on the 9th of July 1820, and the lowest state of it, which occurred on the 5th of March 1818^ is 2.821 inches. The greatest change observed to take place within a limited period occurred in the year 1820; when, ten days afler the very unusual altitude which the mercurial column reached on the 9th of January, it sunk to 28.830, being a change of 2.244 inches, in that short interval of time. We have already stated, that the mean height of the barometer at Perth, deduced from the observations for a period of six years, viz. 12 PERTHSHIRE. from 1829 to 1834, inclusive, was 29.80*2 inches ; but we may now remark, that if the mean height of the instrument be deriv- ed from the observations from 1814 to 1822, inclusive, it would somewhat exceed the former result, being 29.857 inches. It may be added, that the difference between this mean, and the mean of the highest altitude, viz. 30.755, is only .898 inches ; whereas the difference between it and the mean of the lowest altitudes, viz. 28.569, is 1.298 inches. Hence it appears that the aberrations of the barometrical pressures from either side of the mean, are greater in defect than in excess, in the case of the annual, as well as in the case of the monthly results; a state of things, the cause of which we have already endeavoured to explain. 2. The Temperature. — The mean temperature of the parish, as deduced from the annual mean, by Six's thermometer, accord- ing to observations continued from the beginning of 1829 to the end of 1834, is 48^.14. The mean obtained by the annual means, from observations taken at nine o'clock in the. morning, and half- past eight o'clock in the evening, is 47*^.9. The mean of the an- nual extremes, derived from the greatest heat and greatest cold, for each year, is 48^25 ; and the mean of the highest and lowest temperature for the entire period of years is 47®.5. Lastly, the temperature of the water, drawn from a well of considerable depth, was 48'.9, at the beginning of September. The mean temperature of each month, derived from a period of six years, and consequently from upwards of 180 observations, is as follows, the means being those of the morning observations. Meanajbr Highest Lowest Range of Alouths. 6 years. means, means. tneans. January, 87.032 41.000 32.837 8.163 February, 89.750 41.059 37.679 8.380 March, 42.812 45.355 39.774 5.581 April, 46.256 47.800 43769 4.031 May, 52.853 56.581 49.871 6.710 June, 56.978 58.333 54.400 a933 July, 59.712 61.000 58.193 2.807 August, 57.613 61.618 54.839 6.774 September, 56.387 56.467 51.133 5.334 October, 49.876 54.097 47.903 6.194 •November, 41.744 43.867 40.533 3.334 December, 39.357 41.968 36.645 5.323 It appears that in different years, the month of July possesses the greatest uniformity of temperature, and the month of January the least The temperature of March, April, and May, especially that of the last of these months, has a considerable range in dif- ferent seasons, owing to the variable winds which prevail in our PERTH. 13 spring ; and the temperature of August and September seems to be still more fluctuating ; a circumstance that occasions the late and early harvests, which happen in different years. The lowest temperature, as indicated by Six's thermometer, within the period to which these observations refer, was on the 26th of December 1830, when the instrument stood at 16°; and the greatest heat, as ascertained with the same instrument, was 79^, that temperature having occurred on the 28th of July of the same year ; the great- est annual range being thus 63°. The mean annual range, however, is onlv 57.°5. The most abrupt change of temperature occurs between Octo- ber and November, and to this we must, probably, ascribe the in- crease of pulmonary complaints, which take place at that gloomy and disagreeable season. The causes which conspire to produce a diminution of tempera- ture, like those which tend to occasion a low state of the barome- ter, seem to operate to a wider extent than the causes which give rise to an elevation of temperature ; and accordingly we find, that, for a given period of observation, the thermometer is generally de- pressed further below the mean temperature, than it is elevated above it. Thus if the mean tem|)erature of Perth be estimated at 47^.95, which is the mean of the different results already given, the greatest heat by Six's thermometer, for a period of twenty years, was in no instance observed to exceed 79% or dr.05 above the mean ; whereas the greatest cold within the same period was found to be — 10°, or 57°.95 below the mean. This very reduced temperature took place on the night between the 17th and the 18th of January 1820, when the thermometer, in a northern ex- posure, sunk to — 10". During the whole of the following day, the instrument remained under zero, except for a short interval at noon, when it rose to I*'. The effects produced by this great reduction of temperature were such as are usually observed to accompany the most intense cold, in high latitudes. The evaporation from the surface of the ice, which then covered the Tay, being conden- sed in the air almost immediately after its formation, produced over the river a partial fog, which being gently wafted to the neighbour- ing trees,, attached itself by degrees to the naked branches, and gave birth to innumerable and diversified exfoliations of the most singular beauty. And so great was the intensity of the cold within doors, that the windows of apartments, where a constant fire was kept up, were covered with a thick coating of ice, which 14 PERTHSHIRE. obscured the light of day; while liquors of various kinds were completely frozen, in situations where it might have been supposed they were beyond the reach of frost Had the cold been of long- er duration, or less interrupted by occasional remissions of severity, its physiological effects would have been more fatal to animal and vegetable life than it actually proved. During the short time it continued, several instances occurred in the vicinity of Perth, of per- sons perishing by its intensity ; domestic animals were found frozen to death, in attitudes which proved the sudden cessation of their vital functions ; and in some instances, the trunks of the largest trees were reft from top to bottom, by the congelation of their juices, as if they had been shivered by lightning. Among the peculiari- ties of this remarkable cold, it is deserving of notice, that on the morning of the 22d, when the thaw commenced, the thermometer rose from — 1° to 51° in the course of three hours, being a transition nearly as great, as if we had passed in that short interval from the ordinary cold of winter to the extreme heat of summer. A change of temperature, not quite so abrupt, but more injurious in its conse- quenceS) and scarcely less remarkable in degree, considering the season of the year in which it occurred, was experienced at the end of October, of the present year, 1 836. On the evening of the 28th of the month, a fall of snow commenced, which covered the ground to the depth of several inches. The wind blowing violent- ly from the north, a keen frost set in, and continued with increasing severity during the whole of the 29th and dOth, till on the night of the last of these days, the thermometer sunk to 12% being below the average of the greatest winter cold for a period of several years. The potatoes, owing to the coldness and lateness of the season, being still in the ground, were in many places great- ly injured ; and in the high districts, many fields of oats were com- pletely covered with snow. 3. The Humidity of the Atmosphere. — In a large proportion of meteorological observations, the pressure and temperature of the atmosphere are given with greater precision than its hygrome- tric condition. This is to be ascribed, partly to the want of a suit- able instrument for determining the quantity of moisture contain- ed, at different times, in the atmosphere ; but still more to the ab- struse and intricate nature of the subject itself, which requires for its due elucidation, not only the greatest accuracy of observation, but the subsequent application of tedious and difficult calculations, for the purpose of deducing the requisite results. These results PERTH. 15 may be arranged under the heads of, 1^, the Abwolute Humidity of the air ; 2dj its RelaHve Humidify; and dd/y, the Temperature to which the air must be reduced, before the moisture which it contains b^ns to assume the liquid form, or the state of visible Tapour. As the subject of atmospheric humidity is still, notwith- standingits great importance, very imperfectly understood, we shall, before giving the results of our observations, endeavour to lay be- fcre the general reader a brief explanation of the several points, to be determined by hygrometrical observations. For that purpose, we may begin with stating that the quantity of moisture which can exist in a given volume of air, or in any other substance having an affinity for moisture, is regulated, and limited almost entirely by temperature. Thus when air is per- fectly damp, or saturated with moisture, 7920 cubic inches of it are capable of holding in the vaporous state, the subjoined quanti* ties of moisture, at the temperatures to which they are annexed : At 32° it can contain 1 grain ; at 53° 2 do. ; at 66"" 4 do. ; at 75° 8 do. ; QSi"" 16 do. ; at 89° 32 do. Hence it appears, that the quantity of moisture capable of being held in a vaporous state, by a given volume of air, increases in a faster ratio than the tempera- ture, — a state of things which enables us to explain a great num- ber of meteorological phenomena connected with the humidity of the atmosphere. Thus it affords a simple and satisfactory ex- planation of the reason why the intermixture of different strata of air, by means of mountains, electrical action, or any other phy« sical cause, is usually followed by a cloudy atmosphere, and not unfrequently by rain. It accounts for the increasing dampness of the evening air ; explains the cause of the copious rains which fall in tropical climates ; and the reason of the rapid progress that is produced in vegetation by a slight increase of temperature, in consequence of the still greater increase of atmospheric humidity. The absolute humidity of the air being the quantity of moisture which a given volume of it actually contains, it is quite unneces- sary to add anything to what has been briefly stated on this head, farther than simply to repeat, that it can never exceed a precise and determinate quantity, at a given temperature, however long the air might remain over water ; but the relative humidity is of a variable nature, and depends fiiUy as much upon temperature as upon the presence of moisture. To render the meaning of the expressions perfectly clear, we shall assume a particular case, and 16 PERTHSHIRE. suppose that 7320 cubic inches of air contain two grains of mois- ture in the vaporous state : If the temperature were exactly 53% the air thus charged with humidity would be perfectly damp, or contain its maximum quantity of moisture at that temperature ; but if the temperature of the same air were to be raised to 66% in which case it could hold in solution four grains of moisture, or double of what it actually contained, the relative humidity would be expressed by | or ^ ; complete dampness being denoted by unity. Moreover, if a hygrometer, whose indications were rigidly conformable to the humidity of the surrounding air, should be ex- posed to an atmosphere containing in solution the quantity of mois- ture we have supposed ; and if the scale of the instrument were so graduated that zero was placed at perfect dryness, and lOO^'at perfect dampness, the index would- point exactly to 50^. More- over, if the temperature of the same air were afterwards raised to 75% the index of the hygrometer would descend to 25% now im- plying that the moisture contained in the aerial medium was only one-fourth of the whole quantity it was capable of holding in the vaporous state, at that elevated temperature. * It thus appears that the relative humidity of air, containing the very same quanti- ty of moisture, n^ht assume an unlimited variety of indications, as given by a hygrometer : Nay, however paradoxical it may seem, air may, in many cases, become absolutely drier, and yet be rela- tively damper. After the explanations which have been given of absolute and relative humidity, we need scarcely remark, that whatever be the quantity of moisture contained in a given volume of air, there will always be a temperature, more or less depressed below that of the atmosphere, which will be barely sufficient for maintaining that ^moisture in the state of vapour. The smallest depression of tem- perature below that point, which is termed the point ofdepositioriy and by some the dew-pointy will give rise to a separation of mois- ture from the air, in the form of visible vapour, producing fog, rain, or snow, according to the extent and rapidity of the change of temperature ; and according to the height in the atmosphere at which the change takes place. For ordinary purposes, the point of deposition may be deter- mined with sufficient accuracy in the following manner : Fill a • It may be proper to mention that there is no hygroscopic substance known, which possesses a dilatation by moisture that is exactly proportional to the rela- tive humidity of the air, to which it may be exposed. PERTH. 17 cylindrical glass vessel, or a common tumbler, with cold water, and observe if the outside of it become dim with moisture ; if a deposit tion tsike place very quickly,, the water is too cold, and must be allowed to stand for a few minutes to receive an increase of tem- perature from the air, after which the experiment must be repeat- ed, either with another tumbler, or with the one already used ; provided its surface be previously wiped with a dry cloth. When the water is brought to a temperature barely sufficient to cause a deposition of moisture on the external sur&ce of the tumbler, that temperature is the point of deposition, and may therefore be as- certained by suspending a thermometer in the water. On the other hand, if the temperature of the water is not low enough to occasion a precipitation of moisture on the surface of the tumbler, it must be reduced by artificial means, by ice for example, (when it can be procured,) or by any of the ordinary frigorific mixtures used for the purpose, till an incipient deposition of moisture is just perceived. When due precaution is employed, the point of de- position may be ascertained by the method we have described, (which was first proposed by Dr Dahon,) with greater accuracy, than by means of the costly and troublesome instrument called Daniell's hygrometer. Thus, suppose it had been found that a deposition of moisture ceased to take place, when the temperature of the water was 48°, but that it was perceptible when it was 47% the latter might be regarded as the point of deposition, and since it lies between 32^ and 53°, it would be found by an easy calcu- lation, even from the scanty table we have given, that at 47° air in a maximiun state of vaporization, ought to contain about 1.7 grains of moisture in 7320 cubic inches. Let it be farther sup- posed that the temperature of the air at the time of the experi- ment was 53°, at which temperature the same volume of air could hold in solution two grains of moisture, and the relative humidity would be expressed by ^-~- or .85, • complete dampness being de- noted by unity. Having thus explained the means by which the absolute quan- tity x)f moisture in a given volume of the air ; its relative humidity and the point of deposition, may all be easily determined, we shall now proceed to give the results of observations connected with the mean hygrometric state of the air, for a period of three years, viz. from the beginning of the year 1818 to the end of 1820. • Th€ most rigid calculation would give the rftlatiTc humidity in the circumstan- ces suted, at .824. PERTH. B 16 PERTHSHIRE. MMnmm Point qf Relative No. qf grains ing the very positions where we ought to expect, according to the views given in the tcstf the commencement of the depressed temperature that is experienced to the east- ward of the Stoney Mountains In America, and of the Uralian mountains in Asia. On the other hand, should it be estaUished by subsequent observations, that the me- ridiaai of greatest cold adranoe to the westward of the chain of these mountains, the ItypothiHriff of Sir David Brewster would acquire some claim to the attention of phi- losophoB, however liule it nuiy be supported at present by any known analogies. 2.65 1.85 4.60 2.15 1.15 aao 1.36 .02 2.00 .85 1.25 2.10 1.84 .61 2.45 1.78 .02 2.70 2.55 2.10 4.65 2.18 1.67 a85 1.90 .90 2.80 2.28 1.87 4.15 .92 .48 .80 1.18 2.07 8.25 20 PERTHSHIRE. accompany thunder storms in July ; and the latter to the uniform* ly cloudy weather which generally prevails in November. The mean annual quantity derived from the above table is 30.89 in- ches ; but if it be deduced from a period of sixteen years, it is only 25.948 inches, which is probably nearer the annual average. The minimum quantity, belonging to the period of sixteen years, was 15.59 inches, being the quantity in 1814; and the maximum, 31.01 inches, which fell in 1817. The greatest quantity of rain observed to have fallen at Perth, in a short period of time, was on the 7th of October 1823, when 2j\ inches fell in fifteen hours. The driest months of the year are March and April, and the wettest July and August. The cold north-easterly winds which ge- nerally prevail in the two former months, come to this country from the northern regions of Europe, charged with humidity at a low point of deposition ; whereas, in the Iwo latter months, the tempera- ture of the season having attained its maximum state, the absolute humidity of the air is increased in a corresponding degree. Hence the reason of the great dryness of the air in March and April, and of its opposite condition in July and August Tlie results obtained by a rain-guage at the top of a round tower on the summit of a detached conical hill belonging to Lord Gray, which is 612 feet above the level of the sea, and about 3 miles to the eastward of Perth, considerably exceed the quantity of rain collected in guages placed on the plain at the bottom of the hill, and about half a mile to the south-west of it. Thus,, for a period of six years, viz. from the beginning of 1814 to the end of 1819, the mean quantity of rain collected in a guage placed in the centre of the garden of Kin&uns Castle, was 26.15 inches; whereas that which was received in a guage at the top of the tower, amounted to 34.965 inches. In 1816, which was a remarkably rainy season, especially during the harvest months, the former gave 24.95 inches, one-half of which fell in July, August, September, and October; and the latter no less than 52.43 inches. This singular result receives a satisfactory explanation from the circumstance, that the prevailing wind of the district being from the south-west, and there being no hill of equal altitude for many miles in that direc- tion, the air, when transported to the summit of the hill, is consi- derably reduced in temperature, and being previously charged with humidity, to a degree corresponding with the temperature of the plains over which it has been wafted, it is frequently cooled down below the point of deposition, and thus deprived of a portion PERTH. 21 of its humidity, either in the form of small rain or of a dense fog, which, though minute in quantity, is sufficient, by the frequency ofiihe process, to affect the rain-guage. Winds. — The prevailing winds in the neighbourhood of Perth blow from between the south-east and south-west, but most fre- quently from the latter quarter, the most severe gales being ei- perienced from the same point of the horizon. By taking the means for a period of six years, viz. from the beginning of 1^9 to the end of 1834, the number of days which the wind blew from the principal quarters of the compass was as subjoined. Greatett deviations from men at. r p-Am Quarter*- No of day t. In exceu. In defect. N. and N. £. 234 4\ 6k E. andS. £. 97^ 1 4 16^ & and S. W. 174 39 3fi W. andN. W. 70 41 26 Sky. — In every region of the globe, the face of the sky presents an aspect which is intimately connected with geographical position, and the character of the earth's surface, whether flat Ar mountain- ous, over which it is spread. Thus in the equatorial zones, the heavens are more serene, as well as more elevated in appearance, than in the less genial climes belonging to the higher latitudes, in con- sequence of the decrement of heat, in the atmosphere, being more rapid as we advance from the equator towards the poles. Hence the region of clouds becomes depressed in a corresponding degree; especially in situations where the inequalities of the surface con- tribute to intermix the different strata of the atmosphere, and to produce that blending of vaporized air, upon which the formation of clouds chiefly depends. Though Perth, as already noticed, stands extremely low (being only a few feet above the level of the ocean) ; and though it is closely surrounded on all sides, except towards the north, by hills, the flanks of which descend to the plain on which the town is situated ; yet these hills being of moderate elevation, the hygrometric state of the incumbent atmosphere is little affected by their vicinity, and the air is accordingly more dry and clear, than might have been expected. Fogs are not more frequent than in the open plains ; and the diseases resulting from a damp soil, and a humid atmosphere, are of rare occurrence, or rather altogether unknown. The gravelly and sandy subsoil of the district, and the perpetual change of air occasioned by the current of the river, in all states of the weather, contribute to render the climate of Perth more salubrious, than that of many towns pos- 22 PERTHSHIRE. sessing a greater elevation above the level of the sea. The annual number of fair days is, according to the observations for six con- secutive years, 253 ; and the number of days on which there was either rain or snow, 112. Hence, the relation of the former to the latter is more than that of 2 to 1. • Thunder. — There is no recorded instance of a thunder-storm having been attended with fatal effects in Perth, or in its imme- diate vicinity. This is to be ascribed to the lowness of its situation, and the influence of the hills, by which it is nearly on all sides surrounded. The elevated ground in the neighbourhood, bein^ for the most part covered with trees, these act as natural conduc- tors, by which the electric fluid is slowly dissipated, before it has been permitted to accumulate in such a degree, as to be in a con- dition to produce violent explosions. Aurora Borealis. — The aurora borealis is not uncommon, more especially in the winter months, when it displays all the varied and fantastic appearances, which that remarkable meteor usually ex- hibits in high northern latitudes. When distinguished by more than ordinary activity and brilliancy, it not unfrequently terminates its restless developements, by assuming the appearance of a splen- did arch of light, about 5^ in breadth, spanning the heavens in a direction that is always at right angles to the magnetic meridian. Occasionally the coruscations are tinged with the prismatic co- lours, in which the red greatly predominates ; but the other co- lours, though feint, are also discernible. The appearance of the meteor is generally considered to be a precursor of unsettled and stormy weather. Parhelia, — Lunar rainbows are seldom seen ; and parhelia or mock-suns have been still more rarely observed at Perth. Of the latter, however, a striking instance occurred on the 30th of April 1835, the various phenomena of which were accurately measured with suitable instruments. About mid-day a luminous circle, pass- ing through the sun, and parallel to the horizon, began to make its appearance. This circle, which was about half a degree in breadth, was intersected by a halo encompassing the sun, and tinged all round with the colours of the rainbow, the red and yel- low being as usual, in such meteors, next the sun. The altitude of the sun's centre at half-past one o'clock, when the phenomenon was brightest, was 45° 15' ; and at that time it exhibited the ap- pearance represented by the subjoined diagram, which is a stereo- graphic projection of it on the plane of the horizon of Perth : In this representation N. EL S. W. is the horizon ; Z. the zenith ; S. PBRTH. 23 north. the true sun ; & and s. two parhelia or mock-suns ; F, G, H, a luminous circle surrounding the zenith; C. K. D. L. a smaller luminous arch surrounding the sun. The latter y halo, when carefully examined, was found to be elliptical, the longer axis being 43^. Beyond the halo, C, K, D, L, which exhibited very distinct- ly all the prismatic colours, the two parhelia, s and s', appeared at the dis- tance of 1^ from the intersection of the circles. The following arches were measured : A& = 22*' 30' ; CS. = 22** 45'; SD. = 20^ W; AM. = 42^ O'. The parhelia, though considerably inferior in bright- ness to the true sun, were extremely luminous. The phenomenon was risible, fix>m about noon till two o'clock, when it gradually vanish- ed. The sky during the appearance of the meteor was entirely free from clouds, but somewhat hazy. The wind had been blowing for se- Teral days from the NE. and the temperature was low for the season. Botany, — The rarer plants found in the parish are the GeranU wm eohtmbinum ; it grows near the summit of Moredun hill : the Sedum anglieum ; it grows on the rocks at Craigend : the Erythnea centaurium of Persoon, or Chironia centaurium of Curtis ; it grows on the dry pastures near these rocks : the Botrychium Limaria of Willdenow ; it grows on the North Inch of Perth : the Potentilla arffenteoj it grows sparingly on the rocks near Craigend, but more plentifully on the rocks in the parish of Kinnoul ; the Grammitis Cetarach ; it grows on the side of the Moredun hill ; but it is found in greater abundance on Kinnoul bill, and in the den of Pitrodie, parish of Kilspindie. The species of plants used for culinary, medicinal, and other pur- poses are what are generally found in other lowland parishes in Scotland. The soil appears to be congenial to the growth of every sort of timber, though not all equally so. There are no trees remarkable for either age, size, or form. There are no forests. The planta- tions extend to about 750 acres. IL — Civil History. There is no separate history of either the parish or town of Perth. By many of the Scottish historians particular mention is made of the town. The chief of these historians are Greoffrey de Mon- mouth, lUchard de Circenster, and Fordun, Major, Hollinshed^ 24 PERTHSHIRE. Boetius, Buchanan, and Sir David Dalrymple. Mr Henry Adam- son,, son of James Adamsbn, Provost. of Perth, and brother of Dr Adamson, Principal of the University of Edinburgh, wrote a metrical history of it about the year 1620, which was published after his death in the year 1638. It contains a faithful narrative of many interesting facts, but it is intermingled with traditions on which no reliance can be placed. For a considerable period after Boetius wrote his history, it was a generally received opinion that Bertha and Perth were two dis- tinct towns ; that the former, having been destroyed by a land flood of the rivers Tay and Almond in 1210, the latter was thereafter built in a contiguous situation. In this he was implicitly followed by Hollinshed, Buchanan, and other writers. Boetius had evidently as his text-book the Scotichronicon of Fordun, which was written 1377, on which almost all the early history of the country is founded. But in the Scotichronicon there is not a sentence which gives the least authority to believe that Bertha was a town distinct from Perth — that they were not one and the same ; indeed, the contrary is there distinctly taught " Villam quoque quae olim dicebatur Ber- tha, nunc quoque Perth, in Scotia aqua de Taya cum aqua de Al- mond maxima ex parte pertransiit." Lib. viii. c 72. Boetius wrote in the year 1525-26. He was a native of Dundee. In conse- quence of certain privileges granted by the Scottish Kings to Perth, but denied to Dundee, the inhabitants of the latter place were dis- posed to depreciate the former, and Boetius seems to have partaken- of this spirit, and thus to have fallen into a discreditable violation of historical truth. But what brings complete discredit on his story is the language used in many charters previous to 1210, referring to certain localities in the town. It mav be sufficient to refer to one of them, which belonged to the Abbey of Scone, and is contained in the old chartulary in the Advocates' Library of Edinburgh.* • " Charter of William the King to Henry Bald concerning a land in Perth. ^^ William, by thegraceof God, King of Scotts, to all good men uf his whole realm, clergy and laity, greeting : Know all who are or shall be. me to have given and consigned, and by this my present charter to have confirmed, to Henry Bald, that land in my burgh of Perth which James, the son of Simon and others, my Provost of Perth, have delivered to him according to my precept : To wit, that land which is in the front of the street which lends from the church of St John Baptist to the Castle of Perth on the east side, opposite to the house of Andrew, the sm of Simon, (lllam scilicet quae est in fronte vici illius qui tendit de ecclesia Sancti Johannis Baptisti usque ad castellum de Perl, ex orientali parte contra domum Andre® filii Simonis,) To be held he him and his heirs, of me and my heiis in fee and heritage freely, peaceably, fully and honourably, rendering theme yearly to my Chamberlain one pound of pepper at the feast of Ht Michael. Witnesses, Hugh, Chancellor ; Philip dc Valoines, my Chamberlain ; Malcolm, son of Earl Duncan ; William de Hay ; Alexander Sheriff of Stirling ; Roger de Mortimer ; Philip de Lundin ; at Perth Uth day of April." PERTH. 25 Whea this charter waa granted may be inferred from the follow- ing&rts. Hugh Roiburjh, Bishop of Glasgow, vaa made Chancel- lorof Scotland in 1189, and died in 1199. Philip de Valoines was made great Chamberlain about the year 1 160, and held the office about thirty-three years. Duncan M'Duff the fatherof Malcolm Earl of Fife died in 1203, and William de Haydied before the year 1109, The charter then must have been granted before the end of 1 199, that is, ten years before Boetius' ancient Bertha was destroyed, and a new city Perth built in another place. And it may be proper to observe, thaterery person who b acquainted with Perth at the pre- sent day can without the least difficulty, and with the utmost cer- tainty, point out the localities described in the charier. So that Perth now is exactly where and what it locally was in 1 109. The Picts, after they embraced the Christian faith, consecrated the church and bridge of Perth to John the Baptist. John, they appear to have made the tutelary saint of the town. Hence it was called St Johnstoun. In the Scolichronicon, Vol. ii. p. 90, it is called St Johnstoun, as the name by which it had been pre- viously known. " Villa St Johannis, quae nunc Perth dicilur, Bertha dicebatur." Unde Villa Johinnii plurlbui uinln Bertha dicebatur ; Perth quoquu dicitur, at, quia lincitur sic fucitalur. But there is no public document in which it is dcsignutcd St Johnstone. , Burffk Seal. — In the reign of Alexander II. a. d. I2I-3-1249, the bui^h had a common seal, but its particular character and im- pression are unknown. Of the seal which it had in the year 1400, many impressions are still in existence, appended (o the charters of the religious houses of Perth.* On the obversp it represented the beheading of John — Salome eral charters of the Mlowing dales: Nov. 1, NM: 26 PERTHSHIRE. standing by and holding a platter to receive the head. On the re- versoy he is represented enshrined, surrounded by a number of priests. Around both sides, the legend is ^^ S. communitatis ville Sancti Johannis Baptiste de Berth." The seal used since the Reforma- tion bears a golden eagle displayed, viz. an eagle of the double or imperial kind — the two heads looking opposite ways^ A red es • cutcheon charged with the holy lamb passant, carrying the ban- ner of St Andrew, with a silver double tressure, surmounts the breast of the eagle. The legend at the bottom, ^^ pro lege, rege, et grege." Antiquity of the Town. — But Perth must have been a place of con- siderable note longbefore the period when existing history refers to it Near to the east end, and on the south side of the High Street, there is a house having on its front a marble stone, bearing the arms of the family of Aldie, with this inscription, ^* Here stood the house of the Green." This house of the Green, which was removed by Co- lonel Mercer of Aldie about fifty years ago, for the erection of the present one, stood on what had been for ages reckoned the site of an old British temple, which, when HoUinshed wrote his history, 1571, was believed to have been built by the son of Regan, second daughter of Lear, who governed Britain long before the birth of our Saviour, and dedicated by him to Mars. The belief of this rests on the authority of Geoffrey, who wrote his history in the be- ginning of the twelfth century, and in the reign of Henry L In connection with this tradition, it may not be out of place to state, that the workmen, when they had dug about three feet below the level of the street, to find a proper foundation for the present build- ing, discovered two parallel arches. Under each of these, they found an apartment 26 feet long and 14 broad. The walls were 3^ feet thick, and strongly cemented. In the one there was a door to the south, and in the other one to the north. In digging some time since in the grounds of Mud Hall, about fourteen miles from Perth, in the parish of Bendochy, several similar subterraneous buildings were discovered, which, when cleared of the ashes and earth with which they were filled, were found to be about 40 feet long, and 6 feet wide, and 5 feet deep. Such buildings answer to the description which Tacitus gives of those of the Germans, De Mor. German. c. 16. See Dr Easton's Statistical Account of Kirriemuir, p. 177, for similar appearances in that parish. It is a generally received opinion that Perth was built and forti- fied by Agricola. This opinion is founded on a passage in the << Description of Britain by Richard de Circenster," an historian PERTH. 27 of the fourteenth century. Speaking of the Horestii, a people who inhabited the greater part of the county of Fife, and that por- tion of the county of Perth which lies to the south of the Tay, he says that their towns were Alauna, Lindum, and Victoria, — that the last named of these was the most illustrious not only in name but in reality, and that it was built by Agricola ob the river Tay, 20 miles from the exit of that river into the sea. There is here a description of the situation of Perth as accurate as could be look- ed for in a history written at that period. The distance between it and the exit of the river into the sea is indeed more than 20 miles. It is 26 miles. But Hoffman, in his Lexicon, published 1677, gives us computations of distances which very much corre- spond with that here given by Richard, supposing Victoria and Perth to be the same place. Hoffman says that Perth is distant from Dunkeld 12 miles, whereas it is 15 — from Stirling 2*3 miles, whereas it is d2 — from Edinburgh 32 miles, whereas it is 43 ; and it is a strong corroborative circumstance, that there are four mili- tary or Roman roads from different quarters, all leading to, if not centering in, Perth: one from Aberdour through the town of Kinross ; another from North Queensferry through Kinross also ; a third from Stirling through Dunblane, and the Roman camp at Ardoch ; and a fourth from Abernethy. These have been describ- ed and commented on by Sir Robert Sibbald in his history. Perth was a burgli in the reign of Edgar 1106, as appears from a charter granted by Mauricius de Cromad, in favour of John Mercer, burgess of Perth, of the lands of Meicklour.* The charter of confirmation by James VI. makes particular mention of one which had been granted to it by David I., who died 1153. King David's charter was renewed and confirmed by William the Lion, which is extant.-f- Ancienf Metropolis, — Prior to James II. Perth was the capital of Scotland. The Kings were crowned at Scone, in its immediate vi- cinity, and had a residence in the city. That monarch was born in the Castle of Edinburgh, and was crowned there 1447, whither the Parliament and courts of justice were in a short time thereafter re- moved. But Perth retained its priority as the capital till 1482, in the • See Sutistical Account of Perth by Rev. Mr Scott. t In the city records for 1657, there is the following entry respecting inventory of the town't wrics : " King William foundit the burgh of Perth anno Pomini Icq. ii. c. ten yearSf with divers privileges, and dt*ceast within four years after he rang fourtie- nyn years fra the incarnatione Icq. ii. c. fiftiesix yeares ;** and which inventory men. tions a charter by King William (now referred to) to the town of Perth, after the dett ruction thereof by the great inundation of water, and describing the privileges granted thereby, as also other charters by King Robert the Second, King James 11. — heing twelyc in aU, and which are gereraJfy described. 28 PERTHSHIRE. reign of James III. The estimation in which the town was held by James VI. appears from the following extract from the charter of con- firmation of the whole rights and privileges of the burgh of Perth, 1600. ** Our most renowned predecessors have not only beauti- fied, but abundantly heaped on our said royal burgh of Perth greatest benefices and egregious gifts, liberties, privileges, and immunities, that almost all the donations, liberties, benefits, and privileges conferred on other royal burghs of our kingdom are re- ferred to our said royal burgh of Perth ; and the benefices confer- red on the said royal burgh of Perth (as being first bestowed on our said royal burgh of Perth, and in a manner depending there- on,) are granted as agreeing thereto." In several of the public writings, especially in the time of James IV. it is designated the City of Perth, and it still bears the title. At present it ranks next to Edinburgh on the list of royal burghs. It was, at an early period, a fortified town. It is not known by whom, or under whose reign its walls were originally built.* On the outside of these, there was a fosse or moat, supplied with water by an aqueduct from the river Almond. Its strength as a fortified town in those times may be inferred from the fact that it was re- peatedly subjected to a siege. In the year 1311, Robert Bruce invested it with the most powerful force which he could muster. For a considerable time he pressed the siege with great vigour, but without effect, as he wanted a competent power of engines. He was obliged to withdraw his troops, and retire lest famine and the diseases occasioned by long encampment, on low marshy ground, in an inclement season, should cut off the flower of those true and faithful followers by whose aid he had now nearly conquered Scot- land. But he could not relinquish his purpose, and suffer this single walled town for ever to baffle his efforts. Therefore, pro- viding himself with scaling-ladders, and such other instruments as he could procure, he speedily renewed the siege at a time when those within were pleasing themselves, with the persuasion that they were enclosed within impregnable walls, and had no siege to fear. He chose a dark night, and in its silence, taking a chosen band, conducted them himself in person, partly wading and partly swim- ming across the ditch, deep, broad, and full of water, that sur- rounded the walls. His men were animated on this, as on many other occasions, by the example of the daring valour with which he exposed himself, the foremost, to danger. The contest among * Major, the historian, says, ** Est insuper oppidum dc Perth quod sanctum Joan, nem sive Sancti Johannis vill^ vulgo dlcimus, tolum inter Scotia viUas muratum,** PERTH. 29 them was, who should be first to cross the ditch, and, by scaling- ladders, which they had carried with them, mount the wall. The gallant and perilous enterprise succeeded. The King himself was the second to enter the city."* Historical Events of Importance. — When Edward I. subdued Scotland, towards the close of the thirteenth century, be took the most effectual means in his power to destroy every evidence of its former independence. He caused the chartulary of Scone (the place where, since the time of Kenneth M^Alpine, the Scottish Kings had been crowned,) to be carefully ransacked, for the pur- pose of getting possession of whatever might be found at variance with the King of England's pretensions. And when he left Scot- land, he carried with him to London not only the crown and sceptre surrendered by Baliol, but even the sacred stone on which the Scottish monarchs were placed when they received the royal inauguration — ^which inauguration every one knows took place at Scone, in the immediate vicinity of Perth. Perth was a chief seat of royalty at that time. We are warranted, therefore, to believe that the documents of public value there kept he would be partis cularly desirous to take possession of, and this may account for there not being such records of public characters and interesting events as might naturally be looked for, in a city so prominent in the nation's ancient history. His grandson, Edward HI. is said to have restored to Robert the records which he had abstracted* But it is more than probable that the spirit, in which he perpetrate ed the violent deed, would instigate him without delay, to make away with some of the most important of the papers ; and report says that the vessel that was conveying some of them was lost. But these are matters of probability only, or conjecture, and not of historical fact — See Hailes's Annals. In early times, the city was surrounded with castles, the resi- dences of powerful proprietors, who were often at war with each other and with the magistrates. Ruthven Castle was the seat and fortress of the Ruthvens ; Aberdalgie and Dupplin of the Oli- phants; Craigie, of the Rosses; Kinfauns, of the Chartres'; Gas- conhall and Fingask, of the Bruces and the Thrieplands, &c. &c. When they quarrelled with the magistrates, they caused their tenants to withhold from the town provisions and other necessaries, which was retaliated by the magistrates, who issued out at the head of the citizens, who were all trained to arms, and burned or de- * Heron's History of Scotland. 30 PERTHSHinE. stroyed their castles. In the records of the town, there is pre- served an account of a penalty which it paid to Sir Thomas Bruce of Clackmannan for burning the house of Gasconhall, about five miles east from Perth — also a remission under the Great Seal grant* ed to the magistrates, council, and community of Perth, for burn- ing the house of Craigie in the neighbourhood, dated dth February 1526. In the beginning of the fourteenth century, there existed a dead- ly feud between two powerful and fierce clans — ^the M^Intoshes and the McKays. King Robert III. sent the Earls of Dunbar and Crawford, with a strong force to reduce them to order. These noblemen, with a view to terminate the feud, proposed to their chiefs to select, out of their respective clans, each a band of thirty men, who should, by combat, decide the matter on the North Inch of Perth, in the presence of the King. The proposal having been agreed to by the chiefs, a place for the combat was prepared. It was surrounded by a trench, and by galleries erected for spectators. When the combatants were about to engage, one of the M^Intosh- es was seized with a panic and absconded. But a man of the name of Wynde, a saddler of the town, agreed to supply his place, pro- vided he should receive a half French gold doUan The terms were immediately complied with. The combat began, and was carried on with great fury on both sides, till twenty-nine of the McKays fell. The surviving one, unskaithed, seeing that he could not sin« gle-handed resist the impetuosity of Wynde, and ten M^ntoshes, who were left alive, burst from the arena, leaped into the river, swam across and escaped. In 1589, a company of players appeared in Perth. In confer- mity with an act of the General Assembly passed in 1574, they applied to the Consistory of the church for a license, and produ- ced a copy of the play which they intended to perform. The an- swer given them was as follows : — " Perth, June 3, 1589. The minister and elders give licence to play the phiy, with conditions that no swearing, banning, nor any scurrility shall be spoken, which would be a scandal to our religion which we profess, and for an evil example to others. Also that nothing shall be added to what is in the register of the play itself. If any one who plays shall do to the contrary, he shall be warded, and make his public repen- tance.'* This last sentence must be understood to intimate, that the person so acting should be subjected to imprisonment, and be rebuked publicly in the church. In the record, the actors are PERTH. 31 spokai of as being all of them men. It was not till after the res- toradon of the profligate Charles IL that women ventured to ap- pear on the stage. Female characters were before his reign perfimned by boys and young men, disguised in female attire* The answer of the minister and elders shews that the theatrical perfonnanoes were under the control of the local ecclesiastical juris- diction, and furnishes an eyidence that, unless restrained, the per- formers indulged in what was irreligious and immoral. In 1336, the Earl of Cornwall was murdered by his brother Edward IIL, before the great altar of St John, in the parish church. While the King was standing there, the Earl, who had newly arrived from England, came to him. An altercation between the brothers took place in consequence of some highly aggravated cruelties, which the Earl was reiK>rted to have perpetrated in the western counties, on his way to Perth, and for which the King reproached him. In the heat of the altercation, the King stabbed him with a kind of small-sword, and he immediately expired.^ In 1437, James L was murdered in the Blackfriars monastery, by Walter, Earl of Athole, Robert Stewart, his Lordship's grandson, and Robert Graham, their kinsman. The murderers were seiz- ed, tried, and put to death. The two most deeply implicated in the atrocious crime were the Earl and Robert Graham. They were therefore subjected tx) torture — perhaps the most appalling that is recorded in our country's history.-f- The King was buried * Fordun^ words are ** Comque idem rex ante magnum dtare Sancti JohannU super premism ipsum ut abit arguerat : et ipse regi indignanti animo responderct suinto fratris spatu sive culletto eitracto percuuus, rebus exutus est humanis.** f Caot gives the following account of the torture inflicted. " Walter's punishment, IS he was reckoned the chief conspitator, was inflicted on three successive days. On the first day, he was placed in a cart, in which a stock-like engine was erectedt and by ropes let through puUies, he was hoisted up on high, the ropes being suddenly let gii, he fell down, but stopped near the ground^ with intolerable paio by the luxatioa of his joints. Then he was set on a pillory that every one might see him, and a red hot iron crown set <»i his head, with this inscription The K I mo or TaArroas. On the second day, be was bound upon a hurdle, and drawn at a horse*s tail through the priocipal streets of Edinburgh. On the last day, he was laid upon a plsnk, in a conspicuous place, his bowels were cut out while he was yet alive, and thrown into the firebefcn-e his face; afterwards his heart was pulled out, and cast out into the same fire. Hta head was cut off, exposed to the view of all, and set on a pole in the high* est place of the city. His body was divided into four quarters, which were sent to be bung up in the moat noted pl^es of the principal cities of the kingdom. After him, hn grandson was brought forth to suffer, but, because of his youth, they would not put him to so much pain ; besides, be was not the author but only an ac- complice, being under the direction of his grandfiuher, therefore he was only hanged and quartered. But Jiobert Graham, who perpetrated the villainy with his own handy was carried in a cart through the city, and his right hand nailed to a gallows set op in the eat t : the executioners came ami run hot iron spikes into his thighs, arms and other parts fiutbest removed firom the vitals, and then he was quartered. After this manner was the death of James revenged, barbarous indeed, and which exceeds the bomifb of humanity.*— See Drummootf s and Buchanalin*s Histories of Scotland. 32 PERTHSHIRE. in the Carthusian Monastery, which he himself had, in 1429, found- ed. In 1539, there was interred in the Carthusian monastery, beside the tomb of James L, and his consort Jane, the body of Marga- ret, Queen of James IV. who was killed at the battle of Flodden, 1513. After the death of the King, her Majesty married Archi- bald second^Earl of Angus. He proved unfaithful; she therefore di- vorced him ; and afterwards married a son of Lord Evandale, whom thereafter her son James V. created Lord Methven. Her Majes- ty died at Methven Castle. The King, with a numerous retinue of his nobles, accompanied the funeral procession to Perth. In 1559, the Earl of Argyle and James Stewart, Prior of St Andrews, having learned that the Queen Regent was taking mea- sures for gaining possession of Stirling, resolved to prosecute the cause of the Reformation, or perish in the attempt They accord- ingly set out from Perth for Stirling, attended by three hundred citizens; and, that their determination might appear and influence others, they, instead of ribbons, put ropes about their necks, inti- mating thereby that whoever of their number should desert their colours should be hanged by the ropes. Hence arose the proverb of " St Johnstoun's ribbons." The people joined them every where as they proceeded. Wherever they met with monuments of super- stition, they destroyed them. The gates of Stirling, and of every other town in their way, were thrown open to receive them. They, without violence, took possession of Edinburgh, cast the images out of its churches, and placed in them ministers of the Reformation. There was a painting of the commencement of the march of these heroes of the Reformation, from the south port of the city, in the town-clerk's office, now the chamberlain's office, said to have been well executed. But it was wantonly de&ced in the year 1795, by the town -guard, who, in consequence of some riot in the town and neighbourhood, had obtained a temporary lodgement in the court-room adjoining the office. No vestige of the painting re- mains. Act of cautionary by Adam Ramsay, burgess of Perth, in behalf of John Smeaton, at the hand of the Provost, bailies, council, and deacons of crafts, of certain ornaments belonging to our Lady's altarage situated within the parish church of Perth, — entered on the record a. d. 1544. List of ornaments above referred to, viz. " In primis, ane chesable of blak welwet wt ye prost of blue welwet 3 PERTH. 33 stole, and fiuinour of bird Alexander all amyt and belt Ane ches- able of auld claith of gold, with ye prost stole and fannone of bird Alexander albaniyt and belt ane chesable of grene dames stole and Guinone samyn parrore of burd Alexander and the belt alb and amit ane chesable of auld stole fanone and parrore of the samyn wt ye belt all and ane chesable of auld claith of gold ane uthir auld chesable of quhite silk, and ye third chesable of auld ane stole and fanone. Ane new preut mess buke, ane auld mes buke of pchment, and ane auld mes buke of prent, thre pair of towellis with thre frontellefs ane pend of burd Alexr. of silk with ane frontell yat of reid damess. Ane pend of pime sating under ye tabnekle wt ane litil towel. Three coddis of auld pime silk. Ane corporale with ane cap, ffour great chandiflaris for ye pre- cate, and four for ye herst ffour precate ; ane crowet ; ane pig for wyne ane hingand chandellar of bress ; ane vyer of creive work ; ane valie pendt at ye altr ; ane silwer chandiler gilt, twa new torches and twa aid ; ane spoun of silwar, and aucht chandillaris, which are in John Smetone's hand as zit onedeliverit" Plague. — In the year 1512 the plague visited P^rth. The prin- cipal document respecting it is preserved in the city records. It is a letter from the King to the provost, bailies, and council of the burgh, and is as follows : ^^ James, be the grace of God King of Scottis, to our lovitts the Provest, Baillies, and counsal of our burgh of Perth, greeting zow well : Wit ye ws with consent of our counsall for stanching of this contagious playg of pestilence now raiging in maist pairt of our territorie alone be Goddis grace . . and apperand causes thairof in tym coming, so far as may be done be diligence of men and uisitingis, statutis and articles vnder written, to be maid and kepit anent the samyn in tyme cuming; and our will is heir- fore, and we charge zow straitlie, and commandis that zo mak the said statutis and actis to be kepit within the boundis of zour office, that is to say, that ze incontinent, and in our name and authoritie command and charge, be open proclamatioun at the mercat croce of our said burgh, all and sindrie our leigis and subiectis, and alsua strangearis of all utheris within this oure rcalme, t^^at none of thame tak upoun hand to receive anie personis in our realme, ylis, or ony paire thairof be sey or land, ony infect gudis fra thame, hot that they sail mak scharp travale and diligence to eschew the samjrn vndir the pane of deid ; and gif ony persons vnwitting hap- pinnis to bring ony infect stuf negligentUe, that they still take the PERTH. c 34 PERTHSHIRE. samyn to the provest, alderman, baillies, or officiars of the place quhair thai are to keip the samyn, and sail use the comand of the saidis officiaris thairin, in eschewing the danger of the said infec- tioun, under pain of dead ; alsua that no infect persone or perso- nis, man nor woman, nor ony utheris strangearis being infect or cuming flra ony infect placis or personis, or intromitteris with ony uthers infect personis or gudis, come to kirk or merket preartlie or apertlie, be day or night, vse ony traffik or converse with clene personis under the pane of dead ; alsua that na persone nor per- sonis of quhatsomever estait or degrie closit, in thair housis, or put to ony uther place be the provest, alderman, baillies or officiaris of the burgh or land quhair euir thai are cuming fra all sic hous- 's or placis that thai ar put or sail happin to be put to, be nicht or day, that ward or house so committit to thame, under the said pane of deid, and all sic infect personis, as God re* levis thame of the pestilence, and givis thame strength, may con- verse nocht nor hant with hele folkis, for the space of xl dayis thairafter, thai havand ane quhiet wand in thair hand, or ane qu- hiet claithe on thare breist, as ane taiken of thare seikness, gif thai cum furth, that utheris clene folkis may eschew thame under the said pane of deid ; alsua that the houssis, gif ony be now in- fect, or suspect, or sail happin to be infect« or suspect hereafter, that thai have nalit upone thare stairs, or dur, or other maist out- wart and sicht places of thare said houssis, ane quhiet claithe in taiken of thare infectioun, and that ze within zour boundis se at the samyn be dune, as ze will answere to us at zour uter pirrell, and quha that beis fundin doing or attempting to do contrare the saidis actis, statutis, and ordinanci maid be us and our council for the Weill of our realme or leigis, be ony manner of way in tyme cuming, efter the day of the dait heirof, that ze within all zour boundis mak thay suspect personis be in force put in sur prmance, and amangis vther suspect personis, thare to remane quhill thai be put to ane assize, and gif thai be convict of ony of the saidis poyntis, and articulis, that ze put the samyn to executioun of deid, attour that ze cause clenzeing be maid diligentlie of all infect personis hq^Bsis, and gudes, gif ony be at this tyme, or happinis to be in tyme cuming within the boundis of zoure office, and tak diligent cure, and mak sharp executioun herin, as ze will answere to us thairupoun, and under the pane of dittaye, to be takin of ze for your negligence • • . or fawouris to be poneist with re- gour, and ze be fundin neglegent or inhabit herein. Attour at ze 3(1 PERTHSHIRE. In 1608, the plague again appeared in Scotland. Vigorous measures were promptly adopted by the magistrates and council of Perth to prevent its entrance into the city. All communication with those places where it was known to exist was prohibited. Watchmen were placed at the different ports of the town, to pre- vent the entrance of any one without the sanction of a magistrate. But every means used was unavailing. Many of the inhabitants were seized with the pestilence and died. Of the number who died no correct account appears to have been kept ; but it must have been considerable, as the interments were at the public ex- pense, and places of burial specially appointed. The infected who were sent out of the city to St Leonards, a place in the neighbour- hood, and died there, were ordered to be buried at that place ; as also all the infected who died in the Watergate, Southgate, and beneath the Cross. Those who were sent out to the ** Lone" of Balhousie, also in the neighbourhood, and died there, were order- ed to be buried in the adjoining grave-yard of the Blackfriars ; as also all the infected who died in the north and south side of the Highgate. Those who conducted the interments received for each 12s., and the grave-maker, 6s. Men, designated cleausers, were employed in examining the suspected tenements, and received for each that they cleansed ids. 4d. Duncan Macqueen and others were imprisoned for speaking with David Hunter in Dundee, — the and this eitreme need, which otherwise cannot be helped ; and therefore desires both all the congregation, and also all them that shall come after us in our rooms, to judge charitably of this our ordinance, and rightly to ponder and weigh the causes tliat moved us, vis. the falling of the lives of our poor brethercn and sisters, and could find no other help at the present to relieve them withall, and therefore have received lor that efiect the promulctual sums from the persons under-written, and also discharges the persons underwritten from all other satisfaction to the kirk,— they are to say, George Johnston Bailie, Catharine Heron, James Gibson, John Robertson.*'-^ ** Oct. 11, 1585. Two parties (for gross impurity) ordered to be carted backward through the town, with paper hats on their heads, at 2 of the clock in the afternoon ; thereafter to be locked fast in the irons on the cross, and there to stand till 3 in the afternoon ; then to be put in prison, and on Sunday to be brought forth with their paper hats on their heads to the stool of repentance. They had been persons former- ly suspected of the plague, and put forth to the lodges (the pest-houses,) and hav- ing escaped with life, rendered this unsuitable return, when there was fasting and humiliation that the plague might be removed from the town and other towns in the country.** — " Nov. 7th 1587. Appoints an fast to begin on Saturday night, and to pertinue while Sunday 8 days thereof at even, with great humiliation and prayer to God that it would please him to remove the plague of the pest from the towns of Edinburgh, Leith, &c. and to preserve us therefrom ; as also to preserve us from the pest of the souU which is Papistrie's ignorance, maintained presently by thir Jesuits and Papists new come in, who press to bring men under the thraldom of idolatry and iffnorance, and from the true knowledge of Christ our Saviour, revealed to us m his Word, and to embrace the superstitious rites and ceremonies, from which the good Lord preserve us, — and ordain them to be notified from the pulpit on Thursday next, that none remain ignorant hereof,— that every one may address them to fasting, to prayer, to humiliation, at the time appointed.** PERTH. 37 plague being there ; and an order was issued to close up the houses of James Ross and others, they to remain therein during the coun* dl's will, for having purchased certain goods from John Peebles of Dundee, who died of the pest. In an old manuscript volume, I find the subjoined account of the plague in 1645.* It appears from an entry in the city records of 1667, that in 1645, a house without the Castle gavel port was burnt by order of the council for the purpose of ** preventing the spreading of the plague." It is remarkable that no historian of the time attempted to give any circumstantial account of this devastat- ing pestilence. The engrossing political condition of the country may have in some measure occasioned that. Cholera, — In 1832, the Asiatic cholera visited Perth, as it did many other towns in Britain. As in tlie visitation of the plague, the most effectual means that could be devised were adopted by the con- stituted authorities to avert or mitigate the malady. A meeting of the influential classes of the community was called. The meeting divided the town and suburbs into sections. To each of these a cer- * ** In Perth it raged with great fury, whole families was seized therewith. At firstt when one person in a family was seized, he was carried into a separate place in the hoti9e» where he was visited by the physicians. Such as recovered were of singu- lar use in assisting the sick, it being always the case, that if once they recovered, they never lell into a relapse, for which reason they were called cleansers. But the cala- mity still increasing, and the contagion spreading, not only one person, but severals in a family, nay, whole families, and several families in a lodging, were taken with the distempor. Wherefore a new method was fiiUen upon of shutting up the dwellihg- houses where the distemper was, and allowing none to enter them except the physicians and cleansers. All communication between them and the inhabitants who were whole was entirely stopt. But this method being found inconvenient, by reason that per- sons evil disposed among the cleansers entered the houses of the whole, and thereby spread the infection through the town, it was thought proper for the future to ))ut those out of the town at some distance who were sick. Accordingly, they went out and buiided huts for themselves in different places around the town, particularly in the South Indi, the Vicar Knoll in the grounds of Friartown, Witch hill, near the )ui- riah kirk of Kinnoul, and the grounds near the river Almond, at the mouth thereof, in all which places there are as yet the remains of their huts which they lodged in. The persona who died were buried deep in the open fields, none being allowed to be buried in the precincU of the town, or if they were, it was in a certam place allotted for that purpose, as in the west side of the South Inch. The wearing apparel, goods and gear of the persons affected were burned, and their houses shut up for some time, and their money was afterwards given to persons employed to boil it, who rcturnetl tile tame to the relations of the defunct. This calamity not only raged in the town, but was severely felt through the adjacent country ,-»great multitudes in the neighbouring parishes dying of it. 'lliree thousand of the inhabitants died of it during that time, be- tides many who died afterwards, it not ceasing for several years, though not raging with such violence. It almost depopulated Perth ; many houses in different places being shut up, which afterwards in back parts went to ruin ; and what houses stood to the streets uninfected, were inhabited but by few. Several houses were infected in a great degree to the front, and even some streets were entirely forsaken, particularly one between the church and the Meal Vennel. And the inhabiunts being few in number, had no courage to carry on trade or manufacture, and buildings for many years.** 38 P£aTH8HIRE. tain number of persons was appointed, with authority to remove nuisances, and cause the houses which required it to be thorough- ly cleansed and purified. A temporary hospital was fitted up to receive patients ; and competent medical officers were appointed to attend and take charge of them. A soup-kitchen was established, from which the poor of the place were supplied daily with broth and bread. The consequence of these precautionary measures was most beneficial. To them may be justly ascribed, under Heaven, the comparatively small number of cases that occurred. The deaths were 147. It is proper to mention, that, through the libe- rality of certain noblemen and gentlemen in the county, and of the inhabitants of the parish, no legal assessment was resorted to. The sum collected and expended was L.2091, 4s. dd. Trial and Execution for Witdieraft. — In the year 1623, three women were tried and executed for witchcraft. Their names were, Margaret Hormscleuch, Isabell Haldane, and Janet Trail. In- formation being lodged against them in the session, they were summoned before that court, their depositions were respectively taken, and witnesses were called, and examined to establish their guilt The examination of the witnesses appears to have occu* pied the court for seven days in the months of May and June, and to have been conducted with great minuteness. Instead of enter- ing into particulars, it may be sufficient to state the following things, deponed by witnesses, and confessed by the accused. " With regard to Margaret Hormscleuch, — that she came to Alexander Mason's house, and having seen his wife, who was very unwell, she commanded that south running water should be brought from the Tay, the bearer to be dumb both in going and coming, and to hold the mouth of the pig to the north. That she wash- ed her with this water, and afterwards made a bath of great meal. That the diseased immediately recovered, arose, and supped with her. That she cured Marjory Lamb in the Muirton, (who was sick by the dint of an ill wind,) by washing her with south running water, and rubbing her arms with fresh butter ; and that she learn- ed these cures from Oliver Kattray's wife in Pittmudyne.— That she had restored milk to the cow of Robert Christie from Ruthven, (which had grown yeld) by causing a peck of draff to be carried home to the cow, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost — That she had restored milk to the cow of Andrew Louraine in Mireside, by mumbling some words . over a firlot of draff, which he bought by her directions ; that she sent him home 40 PERTHSHIRE. black wool and butter. That she got a shot star at the bum sidey and sent it in with black wool, and that after the cure was used, the child was healed. That Duncan Tawis and Isabell Haldane caooe to her at her house in Black Ruthven, and Duncan told her, that he thought his bairn was taken away, it being stiff as an aik tree, and unable to move. That having heard this, she promised to come in and see the bairn. That when she came in, she took the bairn upon her knee before the fire, and drew the fingers of its hands and every toe of its feet, mumbling all the -while some words that could not be heard, and immediately the bairn was cured. ^* Being asked where she learned her skill, she deponed as fol- lows, to wit : When I was lying in child-bed lair, I was drawn forth from my bed to a dub near my house door in Dunning, and was there puddled and troubled. Being asked by whom this was done, she answered by the fairy folks, who appeared some of them red, some of them gray, and riding upon horses. The principal of them that spake to me, was like a bonny white man, riding upon a gray horse. He desired me to speak of God, and to do good to poor folks ; and he showed me the means how I might do this, which was by washing, bathing, speaking words, putting sick persons through hasps of yarn, and the like." The above are excerpts of depositions, and confessions, taken by the session, as formally en- grossed in the records. ^^ George Robertson, post, was sent with the depositions of the witches, to purchase a commission to put them to an inquest The clerk was ordained to direct a missive to Andrew Conqueror, com- missioner to Parliament from the town ; and another to Charles Rollock, baillie, who were both at the time in Edinburgh ; and another to Mr John Guthrie, minister there, that they all three might concur for obtaining the commission. ^' The commission having been obtained, directed to the civil magistrates, to try Margaret Hormscleuch, Isabell Haldane, and Janet Trail, accused of witchcraft ; they were put to an assize, and being condemned, suffered the ordinary punishment by being strangled at the stake, and afterwards burned, on Friday, July the 18th 162a " The session thereafter proceeded to censure the persons who had sought cures from them, and caused them to make their pub- lic repentance on a Sunday before noon, clothed in black cloth, and standing under the bell strings (ropes.)" PERTH. 41 There were, as there still are, perforatioDs in the arched roof of the Old, DOW Middle Church, immediately under the tower, through which the bell ropes were let down for the convenience of the ringers. And it was a frequent practice to make delinquents, as a particular mark of disgrace, stand under these before the congre- gation. The place where such tragic scenes as the one now narrated were perpetrated, is said to have been a hollow in the North Inch. Royal bounty towards the Town, — The following is a speci- men of the success of flattering adulation on the mind of King James Vl. It is a letter by the town-council to his Majesty, petitioning his bounty towards the repairing the Bridge of Perth, and the result of it : *^ Moist gratious Soveragne, above all zour Mj subjectb in this zour Mj aldest kingdome, we have cans to esteem zour Mj as our £ither, zea, and as the breathe of our nosethrilles, for, besyde the commoun ressones, for quhilk wtheris of the land may glorie that they have interest in zour Mj dele- verance among ws, our commoun welth, our selfl*, our childrene, were moist gratiouslie deleverit from vtter exterminioun, our li- berties gewin at the first by zour Mj moist nobiil progeni- touris, wome almoist without vigour, revivit by zourselff, so that your grace is restorit vrbi prope modvm . *• • illud quondam vigintatis etatis, our debaittis with our neighbouris for the privil- l^e of our Water of Tay, zour Mj, as a Solomon, indeed a Prince of Peace, a visdome wer tymeouslie remowit, we haid caus to know, quam difficilis sint exitus veterum Imagiorum^ and therefore wer the moir contorted at zour Mj fatherlie foirsicht, quhairby for zour Mj departure frome ws, cause diu plectanti tandem siabilem terminum quasi diuino ore . . * . • And now for the experience of zour Mj moist lowing affectioune toward ws makes us balde to crave that zour Mj wald not withdraw zour helping hand frome that wark quhairinto once zour Mj bed put it, ffor at zour Mj com- mand, we have begun the building of the brig of Tay, and hes brocht it ane gude way fordward without the help of ony saffeing zour Mj, we repairit upon our sute, directed to zour Mj, at Tishy- thall, the grant of sewin thousandis poundis money of this realme, quhilk is in sic sort payit, that ewerie zeir we resaive ane thousand poundis tharof ; and quhill that zour Mj wes resident amang ws, zour Mj granted to ws, for forderance of that wark, exemptioun • The words arc obliterated in tlie record from which I have copied the above letters. 42 PERTHSHIRE. from tazationis for ellewin zeiris^ quhairoff the maist part ar past alredie. This zour Mj moist princelie fiiwour maid the peopile the moir willing to contribute of their awin, till now that the Lordis of your Mj hienes counsell will not allow the same without zour Mj speciall command, quhilk, gif it be directed, they haif promesed to gave their willing consent thairunto ; and thairfor we craive that zour Mj wald direct commandment to thame, otherwayis the pay- ment thairof by our peopill will compell ws to interrupt the wark. As to ws, we haif no moir to offer to zour Mj than our selff ; or giff it be possibill we can do ony'moir than we ar, we vow to zour Mj the multiplicatioun of our best thochtis and affectionis to zour Mj serwise, wissing the samen mynd in all zour Mj subjectis, than the quhilk we knaw that yourselff crawis nothing moir, being asking qwho hes alwayis thocht that ama . . • . • dili • • est imperio. And thairfoir hes ewer lowit amang zour Mj weill affect- ed subjectis sine contemptis fsicilis sine terrore reverendus. And thairfoir, wissing from our heartis now, and in our daylie prayeris, that zour Mj may long regne owir ws, protectit be Aimichtie Grod from all zour enemies, we rest, commending to zour Mj all our maist humble services, Perth, 7 September 1607 zear, moist humble and obedient subjectis. Sic sub*; Robert Mathew, Baillie; James Drummond, Moderator; James Adamson, Dene of Gilde; Hen- rie Elder, Clerk." To this letter the King returned an answer in the month of February 1608, granting exemption to the town from taxation, " for the furtherance of the building of the brig." Royal Visit. — In 1617, James came to Scotland and made a tour through several of the principal towns. Before he came to Perth, his visit was announced by authority to the town-council. The cir- cumstances which characterized this event are peculiar, and, as they are not generally known, I shall briefly narrate a few of them. The annunciation produced no ordinary excitement The chief concern of the functionaries was how to provide for his Majesty's suitable reception and entertainment But his Majesty appears to have taken care that his dignity and comfort should be duly consulted. From the secret council there came a missive to ^^ pro- vide fed beef anent his Majesty's coming to the toun." To de- fray the expense, an order was issued by the town-council to stent the inhabitants for 2000 merks, and again for an additional 1000. While preparations were proceeding, there came from Edinburgh two missives from the secret council^ which, from what we know PERTH. 43 of the King's selfrestimation, were probably dictated, if not written hy himselC These missives were as follows : — ** After our verie hartlie com- mendatiodis, the Kingis Majestie being desyrous, that in the spe* dall burrowis of this kingdoroe quhilk his Majestie intendis, (}od willing, to Yisite the tyme of his being heir, such shewiss of orna- ment, cumliness, and ciyilitie may be sene, as may gif unto his Ma- jestie contentment, and may make the strangeris that ar to accom- pany his Majestie persave and see that the countrie is not sa barine of formalitie, ordour, and civilitie, as the ignorantlie apprehend. His Majestie has thairfoir commandit, that at his first entre in the said burrowis at the port thairof, the chief and principal inhabi- tants in the toun, in thair most comlie, civill, and formal ordour, sail attend his Majestie, and that ane speche sal be maid unto his Majestie be some person (nocht being of the ministeris of. the toun) in name of the haill toun, congratulating his Majestie's com- ing to the toun, and making his Majestie hartlie welcome, and that this speche be deliverit in sensible, ticht, and gude language, as alswa that at the principal portis of the toun quhairat hia Majesty is to enter, his Majestie's armes be engraven and sett up both with- in and without, and that they be overgilt in the best fassoun. And seeing his Majestie intendis, God willing, to visit that toune, we have though mete to acquentzou with his Majestie's will and plesour in thir poyntis, to the effect that according! ie zou may provide zourselfis in time to gif to his Majestie satisfactione thairintill, and recommending the samin to zour diligence, cair, and performance as speciall poyntis, heirtilie concerning his Majestie*s contentment and the credit of zour toun, we commit zou to God. Frome Edin- burgh the xiiiL day of Aprill 1617. Sicsub. your verie goode freindis Al. Cancellor Binning, S. M. Olyphant." Written on the back, ** To our Richt traist freinds, the Provest and Railleis of Perth." Then, in two days after, came the following : — " After our verie hartlie commendationis, haveing wrettin unto zou of lait anent the decoring of the partis of zour towne with his Majestie's armes, both within and without, and anent a speche to his Majestie at his firste eutrie, we haif thocht mete of new to put zou in remembrance thairof, and to adverteis zou that his Majestie's armes moist con- tene the armes of baith kingdomes, according to the impressione and prent and impressione of the great sealle, putting the Scottis armes in the first quarter, and the ditaie of the armes moist be drawn in hir letteres of gold. And anent the speche that is to be 44 PERTHSHIRE. maid to his Majestie, zou sail inform bim whome you are to trust with that matter, that first in name of the toun he mak his Majes- tie welcome, and then in sensible and good language, he sal sett forth his Majestie's awin praise, by innumerable comfortis and blessings, quhilk this countrey has haid boith in kirk and policie under his Majestei's moist happie government, and lait go ikr as modestie may' permitt, he sail speik to the praise of the toune both anent the antiquitie theairof, the services done by the saim to the crowne and estait, the willingness of the present inhabitants be their best endeavouris to serve his Majestic in all and everie, by and in thair possibilitie, without ony private respect or consideratione, and the constant and firme resolutione of the toun to contineu in all dewtifull obedience to his Majestic and his royal progenie and successouris in all tyme coming. This being the substance of the speche, you sail cans it to be deliverit in the best forme that may be, and remitting the same to your awin graive considerationis as a poynte heightelie importing the credit of your toune, we com- mit you to God. From Edinburgh, xvii. day of Aprill 1617. Sic sub. your verie good friendis, Al. Cancell. Bining, Geo. Hay, S. Murray, Balfour of Burley." Written on the back, " To our Right traist freindis, the Provest and Baillies of Perth." Upon the receipt of these missives an order was issued by the town-council to convene daily till the King's coming. On the 4th May, they received a missive from the Chancellor and President to provide a propin to his Majesty at his entry into the city, and to meet him with black gowns. Theyappointed fiftypersons to meet him, and ordered the propin to be 1000 merks, and the silver keys of the city ovei^lt The King's arms were painted over the Highgate port. The arms were also cut in stone, and placed on the west side of the bridge nearest the tolbooth. The Bridge of Earn be- ing the town's chartered property, and as the King must pass it on his approach, the following appointment was issued : '^ Appointis Henry Bannewis to tak cair upon the bigging of the calsayeis of the Brig of Erne, and brig thairof, and to take triel with the cosches of his Majesty, that they discretlie be careit langlandis the brig, hot hurt to the samen, and to the cosches, and the coun- cill to consider his panes, and the said brig to be ledget with tim- mer and new daillit" The town-officers were ordered to be furnished with clothes of red Fleming. The skinners were ord^ed to " provide for the PERTH. 45 sword dance,* the baxters for the Egyptian dance, and the school* master and the bairns gud dance to his M^esty." The wappen* shaw was one of the manly and athletic exercises in which the 3fouth were accustomed to engage in the North Inch. They went under the name of weapon-shawings. The magistrates put them under requisition on the occasion, and required them to practise for a week before the arriyal of the King. To gratify his Majesty to the full, four Latin poems were pre- sented to him by four of the citizens, full of the roost fulsome flattery, which would ha?e disgusted any one but James* They are to be seen in Mr Cant's notes on Adamson's Muses, &c In accordance with the instruction given in the missive, a speech was delivered before his Majesty. The person selected to do it was James Stewart, a merchant burgess. It is preserved, replete with servile adulation. There is in the town's record an ^' act granting to the children of James Stewart, who made and declaim- ed the oration to his Majesty on his entry into the town, in which his Majesty took grtaJt pleasure^ the sum of 300 merks, and the same to the survivor of them, and Cathne Peebles, their mother." In 1632, Charles I. came to Scotland to receive the crown of the kingdom. On that occasion he made a triumphal entry in- to Edinburgh, and amidst much pomp was crowned in Holyrood- houseon the Idthof June. Thereafter he visited Dunfermline, — the place of his birth, Stirling, Linlithgow, Falkland, and Perth. When it was made known to the magistrates and council of Perth that it was his Majesty's intention to visit the city, they, without delay, adopted every measure within their power to give him a suitable reception. Inter alia^ they ordered the bridge of Earn to be re- paired, and some improvements to be made on the south gate-port. Thev ascertained the number of beds and stables that could be furnished ; they ordered the best houses to be kept for the En- glishmen, (t. e, the King's English attendants,) and the malt barns to be fitted up for stables. They ordered " forty head of oxen to be provided," — appointed officers, and assigned them their duties, and provided them with new clothes. They issued an order prohibit- ing women wearing plaids during his Majesty's stay. They caus- ed a speech to be prepared to be spoken before the King by two boys equipped in suitable habiliments, for which they were each to receive a hundred merks. They appointed a body " of well • The council gare the skinners T.. 40 for their dance. 46 PERTHSHIRE. clad persons to go out with them to meet the King." Of the many amusements furnished for the occasion, ^* the Sword dance'' by the Skinner and Glover Incorporation appears to have been the most interesting. There is an entry in the council books, 27th May L6dd, that it should be performed before his Majesty, oppo- site to the chancellor's (Earl of Kinnoul) yard head, on a raft upon the water. The following account of the dance is given iu the register kept by the Glover Incorporation : — ^^ Memorandum of his Majesty's coronation, and coming to Scotland, his entry to Edinburgh and Perth, 15th of June 1633, — which day, our dread sovereign, Charles King of England, France, and Ireland, came to Edinburgh, being accompanied with the nobility of Scotland riding before, and the nobility of England riding behind him, de- sired, out of his gracious favour and love, with his nobility of both kingdoms, to visit his own burgh of Perth upon the 8th of July, and came to his lodging, and went down to the garden thereof: his Majesty's chair being set upon the wall next to the Tay, where- upon was a flat stage of timber, clad about with birks, upon the which, for his Majesty's welcome and entry, thirteen of our brethren of this our calling of glovers, with green caps, strings, red ribbons, white shoes, with bells about their legs,* shering rapers in their hands, and all other abulzement, danced our sword dance with many difficult knotts and allafallajessa, five being under and five above upon their shoulders, three of them dancing through their feet, drink of wine, and breaking glasses about them, which (God be praised) was acted without hurt or skaith to any, — which drew in to great charges and expenses, amounting to the sum of three hundred and fifty merks, (yet not to be remembered,) because wee were graciouslie accepted be our sovereign and both estates, to our honour and great commendation." Thereafter two tailors, David Black and George Pourie, came forward, and personating, the one the Tay, the other the City, performed a poetic comedy before his Majesty. It is to be found in Mr Cant's History. Inundations, — The situation of the town being low, and upon the bank of a river that is fed by numerous mountain streams, it is * These bells, with different pieces of the dresses then worn by the performers. are preserved by the glover calling. They are to be seen in their hall in the best possible keeping. There is, in the same place, also their flag or banner of yellow silk, having a square of blue silk in the centre, with the arms and motto of the cal- ling emblazoned on it. It is above 226 years old, and is very little tarnished. There is here besides an ostrich egg, which hung in their halls for above 200 years. Tradi- tion says, that it came to them in the time of the crusades, from the land of Palestine. 4 PERTH. 47 tobjeded to inundatioos. The most remarkable of these were in 1210» 1621, 1740, 1773, and 1814. A particular account of (bat which occurred in 1210 is gi?en by Fordun in his Scotichronicon. There is an account of it given also by Major or Mair, an author of the fifteenth century, and by Guthrie, an author of the eighteenth century. But that of Fordun appears to be the most circumstan« tial, while it differs in nothing essential from the others. It is as follows : — ^ Some authors have asserted that in this year (1210,) about Michaelmas, there occurred such heavy fidb of rain, that the rivers overflowed their usual channels, and swept away the crops from the fields. It is said that the rivers Almond and Tay became samuch swollen, that the town of Perth was almost wholly inundated. A large mound or hillock (situated at the old junction of the Almond and Tay *) was forced down by the waters, and overthrew not only several houses, but the bridge over the Tay, and an old chapeL King William, his son Prince Alexander, and the Earl of Huntingdon, the King^s brother, left the town in a small boat, and reached the dry land in safety. A few of the nobles who happened then to be at court accompanied them in other boats ; others on the tops of houses, along with the town's people of both sexes, with difficulty escaped a watery grave ; for in consequence of an extraordinary spring-tide, and the fall of vast torrents of rain, the river rose to ^uch a height, that not boats merely, but large vessels could be impelled along the streets and broad ways with* out any difficulty or impediment" The historian Major ascribes the flood to the sudden and unexpected melting of snow in the upper quarters of the country.f * The old junction of these rivers waa at the north end of tlie North Inch. f In the kirk-session records I find the following entry relative to tlie inundation of 1621 :— *^ Tuesday, 16th Oct. 1621. — The council and eldeis having convened, have ordered a voluntary collection to be uplifted of the haill inhabitants, £>r decla- ratioo oi their thankfulness to God for their deliverance from the fearful inundation of water, threatening destruction both of the town and the inhabitants, to be applied for the use of the poor, — the manner wRereof follows : *- An remembrance of God*s visitation of Perth.** ** It is to be noted and put in register in this book, the great and miraculous de- liverance that Use Lord gave to this burgh of Perth of an fearful inundation of water eompaating the same in all parts, so that therethrough the Brig of Tay was hailly dung doun, except only one bow thereof standing. None could get furth of it, nor yet cum within it to make any relief thereto.* ^ The manner of the rising of the water was this,— .the rain began on Friday the 12th October, about ten hours of the day ; it continued that day and Saturday ; and in * This catastrophe was ascribed to the lowness of the bowi of the bridge. The water had not free issue through them ; it rose above them, and being thus gorged, its Ibrce and weight bearing against the upper part of the structure, covered the key sioost, and tbm whole at last gave way. 48 PERTHSHIRE. Citadel on South Inch, — In the year 165), Cromwell, after he bad defeated the King^s troops in an engagement near Burntisland, marched directly to Perth. He found the gates shut against him. His purpose was to besiege it, but, having proposed honourable terms to the citizens, he obtained possession.* In the following year he built the night, unlocked for, the water rose so high, that all them that dwelt outwith the caste! gavel port in laigh houses, the water increased so, that they behoved to go to high houses, for preservation of their lives ; and being iu high houses, the water rose to the loftings in the highest mid houses in the castel-gavel before six hours on Mon- day in the morning ; and the wind and weet continuing, the water came up to Gil- bert Henderson's yett (gate) in the Castel gavel, and to Margaret Mon3rpenny*s yett in the Fish Market, and to Donald Johnston's yett in the Highgate, to the Meal Vennel in the South gate^ and the water ran like miln-clouses, at the yetts of diverse parts on the north side of the High gate. An great tempestuous wind at the eait blew all this time. The water also came above Henry Sharp's shop in the Speygate. The like fearful inundation of water was never seen in no living man's remembranee, which brought the people under such fear, that they looked for nothing but to have been destroyed. ** Whereupon Mr John Malcolm, minister, powerfully endowed with God's spirit, caused ring the preaching bell on Sunday at seven hours of the morning, and the haill inhabitants came to the kirk ; and there he exhorted them to repent for their sins, which had procured the said judgement of God to come upon the town ; assur- ing them, that if they were truly penitent therefor, and would avow to God to amend their lives in time coming, God would avert his judgements, and give them delive- rance ; whose powerful exhortations moved the people to cry to God with tears, clamours, and cries, and to hold up their hands to God to amend their lives, and every one of them to abstain from their domestic sins. " The like humiliation, both of men and women, has not been seen in Perth before nor since ; preaching and praying continued all that week. Our pastor with great magnanimity insisted in exhorting the people to true repentance and amendment of their lives. *^ The waters began to decrease afternoon on Monday (15th,) but after day light past, there arose a greater tempest of wind and rain than at any time before, which so affrighted the people that night, that they looked for nothing but the waters should have arisen to greater height nor they were before. Notwithstanding thereof, mi- raculously, through the great mercy of Gud, by (without) all men's expectation, the water greatly in the meantime decreased ; which in the morning moved the people in the kirk, and in all other places, to give most hearty thanks to God for his mercy Cowards them. " Mr John Malcolm proved the part of a faithful pastor to his flock, with great godly courage and magnanimity to comfort them with the mercy of God. ** Great plenty of corns in all parts, both stacks and stooks, being on haughs and valley ground, was carried away by the waters ; and divers ships by tempest perish- ed, and horn nolt, kye, and sheep were drowned" * Cromwell proposed honourable terms, under an apprehension that the town had in it a strong military force prepared to n^ke a vigorous defence. An ingenious device by one of the inhabitants occasioned this apprehension. He made carts be in- cessantly driven through the streets, and drums beat, and a continued and loud bustle be kept up, indicating warlike preparations. Cromwell's terms being honourable to the town, they were accepted, and the gates thrown open to him. He and his officers were conducted by the provost ( Andrew Grant of Balhagils, now Murray Hall,) to Uie house of the inhabitant referred to — Mr Davidson, who entertained them. After the en- tertainment Cromwell asked the Provost how, with such a small force as he now disco- vered it to be, he could expect to keep him out of the city ? Upon the provost simply replying, that they intended to stand out till they heard that the King had come to England. Cromwell smiled at his simplicity, but, knowing that it was Davidson who had deceived him, observed, that if he had had time he would hang him.— Upon this a person of the name of Reid entered, and being introduced to Cromwell, pre- sented to him a bond which Charles had granted him for a sum of money which he had lent him, and requested payment from him. Cromwell refused to accept it, ob- 3 PERTH. 49 ai citadel on the South Inch, with the view of keeping the place more effectually in subjection to him. It was strong, and had a command- ing appearance. Its figure was square. It had a bastion at each comer, and was surrounded with a rampart of earth, and a deep moat filled with water. It was near to and connected with the river, and had a pier for loading and unloading vessels. ^^ The en- try towards the town had an iron gate. The commanding officer ordered great trees to be cut down in the king's hunting-park at Falkland and brought to the citadel. The school-house was de- molished. It contained 360 scholars, was three stories high, with room for the rector, doctors, and music-master. They demolished the high walls of the Grayfriars, carried away the stones, with nearly 800 tomb-stones, and 140 dwelling-houses, with the garden walls; also the hospital, a stately building. The stone pillars and abut- ments of the bridge, besides many kilns and fishing-boats, all were carried away to build the citadel. One hundred and forty families were turned out of their houses, and had starved, if they had not been supplied by the town. The surface of the two Inches, which yielded 2000 merks yearly for grass, was carried off to build the ramparts."^ Charles IL, upon his restoration to the throne, made a gift of the citadel, with ^ the whole arms, amunition, and others therein," to the town, as an indemnification for the losses which they had sustained by its erection, and in consideration of their faithful ser- vices to his Majesty (^2Qih June 1661.) It soon after this fell into disrepair; for in 1666, complaints, which appear in the city records, were given in to the magistrates, that, notwithstanding frequent and positive prohibitions, some persons had theftuously taken from it stones and timber. " This year, 1666," says Mr Cant, " the ma- ^trates ordered it to be exposed to public roup (auction.) It was purchased by George Conqueror, merchant and town-treasurer, for 4000 merks, besides 702 merks for 1960 stones which he sold before, for which he was to answer in his treasurer accounts. In the records for 1681, it is entered, that the council, finding the time elapsed which they allowed to Bailie Craigdellie to remove serving, that he was neither the heir nor the executor of Charles. Ileid made this pointed and inanly reply,—*' If your excellency is neither heir nur executor, you are surely a vicious intromitter.** Cromwell turning to the company said, that he never bad such a bold thing said to him. Mr Davidson's house was that in the Watergate, in which the late John Richardson, Esq. of Pitfour, resided. lie gave a tack of the lands of St Leonards for a charger to fight against Cromwell ; afterwards he sold them to the Perth Glover Incorporation. • Cant's History of Peith. PERTH. D 50 PERTHSHIRE. the stones and lime out of the citadel, they empower the treasurer to remove them, and to use them for repairing the south shore; and • in the followbg year, in answer to a petition from David Murray, merchant, they granted him liberty to dig such stones as are under ground within the citadel, for erecting a dyeing work-house in the Castle gavel, and for other purposes. They gave the same privi- lege to Isabel Orney, but no logger than to next Martinmas, they referring themselves to the council for the price. Bailie Craig- dellie's son was allowed to carry away the stones which were left by his father above ground already digged. The place which the citadel occupied does not now appear, the trenches being filled up and the ground levelled. But there are persons alive who distinctly recollect both its appearance and po- sition in 1771. On Mr Buist's map of the city and its environs, (1765,) preserved in the Antiquarian Museum, its position is dis- tinctly laid down. It was 266 feet on each side within the moat. On the north side the wall ran parallel to Grayfriars burying- ground westward across the present south road into the ground where Marshall Place stands. The south wall was nearly as far south as the aged thorn tree on the east of the road ; and the east wall extended along the river side, and at a short distance from the river. For some time before the barracks were built, which was in 1793, a part of it was fitted up for cavalry. At one time there was in it stabling for 200 horse, besides a riding-house, a tavern, a bakehouse, and other corresponding accommodation.* Perpetual Service. — " December 5, 1701. Gift of Donald McDonald, as a perpetual servant to the Earl of TuUibardine. " At Perth, the 5th day of December 1701 years, the Commis- sioners of Justiciary of the south district for securing the peace of the Highlands, considering that Donald Robertson, Alexander Stewart, John Robertson, and Donald McDonald, prisoners with- in the Tolbooth of Perth, and indicted and tried at this court, are, by verdict of the inquest, returned guilty of deaths and that the Commissioners have changed their punishment of death to perpe- tual servitude, and that the said pannelsare at the Court's disposal, therefore, the said Commissioners have given and gifted the said Donald McDonald, one of the said prisoners, as a perpetual ser- vant to the Right Honourable John Earl of TuUibardine ; recom- mending to his Lordship to cause provide a collar of brass, iron, or copper, which, by his sentence or doom (whereof an extract is delivered to the magistrates of the said burgh of Perth,) is to be PERTH. 5t upon his neck with this just inscription, — Donald McDonald, PROVED GOILTT OF DBATH fOR THEFT AT PlRTH, DeCBMBBR 5th 1701, AND GIFTED AS A PERPETUAL SERVANT TO JoUN EaRL OF TuLLiBARDiNB ;" and recommending also his Lordship to transport him from the said prison once the next week. And the said Commissioneis have ordained, and hereby do ordain, the ma- gistrates of Perth and the keeper of their Tolbooth, to deliver the said Donald McDonald to the said Earl of TiiUibardine, having the said collar and inscription, conform to the sentence of doom foresaid.*^ — Extracted furth of the Books of Adjournment of the said district, by me, James Taylor, Writer to his Majesty'^s Sig- net, Clerk of Court — (Signed) Jamks Taylor, Clerk."" Maps^ PUms, tpc. — There are no separate maps, plans, or sur* veys of the parish. There are the following maps of the city t 1. By Mr Henry Buist in 1769, four feet by three. It is in the museum of the Antiquarian Society; 2. by Mr Rutherford in 1792, one sheet, engraved by Mr Kirkwood ; 3. by Mr Macfarlane in 1805, one sheet, engraved by Mr Kirkwood ; 4. by Mr Reid in 1808, four sheet It is executed with great minuteness and ac- curacy. The original is in the possession of the town-council ; 5. by Mr Wood in 1823, one sheet, engraved by Mr Clerk. There was published in 1831, a map of the basin of the Tay by Mr Knox, two sheets, engraved by Mr Gallatly. Eminent Characters connected with the parish by Birth, Rest" dence, or BuriaL — One of the most distinguished characters whose history is connected with Perth, was John Knox, who may justly be said to have commenced here the work of Reformation in Scot- land. In the year 1544, Cardinal Bethune, having obtained an act in fiivour of the bishops and clergy to persecute and punish here- tics, came to Perth, when an accusation was forthwith lodged against certain persons, for interrupting a friar of the name of Spence, while delivering a discourse in which he taught that there was no salvation without the prayers and intercession of the saints. Three of the persons were indicted for nailing two ram's horns to St Francis' head, putting a cow's rump to his tail, and eating a goose on Hallowe'en. A fourth was charged with haunting the company of those heretics, and the fifth, a woman, Helen Stark, was charged with refusing to pray to the Virgin Mary, and saying that she would pray only to God in the name of Jesus Christ The men were found guilty and condemned, and on the following day, they were, under the windows of the Spey tower, 52 PERTHSHIRK. hanged— 'the Cardinal feasting his eyes with this deed of horrid cruelty. Janet Stark desired earnestly to die with her husband, but was refused. She was taken to a pool of water hard by, where, having recommended her children to the charity of her neighbours, and her sucking child having been taken from her breast and given to a nurse, she was drowned, dying with great courage and com- fort. This barbarous execution, or rather murder of innocent per- sons, increased the growing aversion to the priests and their super- stitions, and spread the spirit of Reformation throughout the coun- try. These and various other atrocious acts of Popish oppression perpetrated in the neighbourhood, such as the burning alive Mr George Wishart, the son of the Laird of Pitarrow at St Andrews, and, at the same place, Walter Mylne priest of Lunen, in his eightieth year, prepared the great body of the people to embrace the first opportunity of openly expressing their hatred to the Ro- man Catholic superstition. John Knox, having been in Geneva, was sent for by some Pro- testant noblemen. He commenced his return in 1557, and arriv- ed at Leith May 2, 1559. From thence, he immediately came to Perth to the aid of his brethren, and having publicly made confes- sion of his faith, he entered on ministerial duty. *^ In a sermon de- livered in the Old ( Middle) Church, he declared what command- ment God had given for the destruction of the monuments of ido- latrie, and denounced the mass as an abomination. The service being closed, a priest, opening a splendid tabernacle which stood above the altar, was about to celebrate mass, when a boy cried out, " This is intolerable." The priest gave him a blow. The boy lifted up a stone, and throwing it at the priest, hit the taber- nacle, and broke down an image, and immediately the multitude dispatched the tabernacle and the other monuments in the kirk, before the tenth man in the town understood the matter, for the most part were gone to dinner. This being noised abroad, the ras- cal multitude assembled, and, finding nothing to do in the kirk, run to Gray and Blackfriars, and after they had destroyed the monuments of idolatrie, they began to seek some spoil."* John Ruthveriy sixth Lord Ruthven and third Earl of Gowrie, was the second son of William the first Earl, and Dorothea Stew- art, daughter or grand-daughter of Henry Stewart, the first Lord • Calderwood. PERTH. 53 MethveD. He was bora m 1577 or 1578. When about eleven years old he succeeded bis elder brother James, who died a minor b 158&* He was carefully instructed in the doctrines of the Protestant religion. He was educated at the grammar-school of Perth. While attending the university of Edinburgh, and in non- age, he was elected Provost of Perth (his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, and elder brother had all been in that office.) In 1594, he went abroad to prosecute his studies. The town-coun- dl, as a testimony of their respect for the Ruthven family, and of the good hopes which they entertained of him, bound themselves, and their successors in office, by a written obligation, to choose him annually as their Provost, till he should return to his native country. He returned in February 1600 (in the twenty-second year of his age) to the great joy of his friends. The reverse of satisfaction was remarked in the King^s speaking of him and to him. In the month of August, a few months after his return, he and his brother Alexander were murdered in his palace at Perth. There is a mystery connected with this atrocious transaction, which no historian has yet been able to unravel. The scrutiny which has been made into the circumstances of the case, leaves an im- pression unfavourable to his Majesty, which the ingenuity of his most powerful advocates has not been able to remove. His Ma- jesty volunteered to give the city a very full and kindly expressed charter of confirmation of rights and privileges. This, it has been believed, was intended by him to weaken the people's hostility to him, occasioned by the catastrophe. To the same cause is ascribed his entering his name on the guildry-book as a burgess.-f- * *' James, second Earl of Gowrie, was buried in tlie uortb-eost nook of the kirk of Perth, lo88, aged U." t The fallowiag papers have been published on this subject :— 1. In 1600, ** A discourse of the unnatural Conspiracy attempted against his Ma- jesty*s person at St Johnstone, upon the 5th of August 1600.** This is reputed to be the King*s own account of the matter. 2. In IGOI, '* Ruvenorum Conjuratio,*' suspected to be the production of Mr P. Galloway one of James' Chaplains. 3. In 1713, ** An historical account of the Conspiracies of Gowrie and Robert Lo- gan of Kestalrig, against King James VI.** written by George Earl of Cromarty. 4. In 1774> *' Gowrie*s Conspiracy/* This paper is introduced in the api^endix of Mr Cant*s edition of A damson's ** Muses Threuodie,** and is bellcTed to have been written by Lord Hailes. 5. In 1785, " The traditional account of the Town of Perth, concerning the death of John Earl of Gowrie and his brother, Alexander Ruthven, in the year 16(M) ,by the Rev. Mr Duff of Tiberroore." 6. In 17118, *< An historical Dissertation on Gowrie*s Conspiracy, by J. Pinker- ton, E^.** 7. In 1812. " A Treatise on the Gowrie Conspiracy by Mr W. Panton." a In 1818, *< History of the Life and Death of John Earl of Gowrie, by the Rev. Mr James Scott, senior minister of Perth.** M PERTHSHIRE The Mercers of Aldie^ proprietors of Meicklour, sprung from a burgess of Perth, of the name of John Mercer. ** According to an old inventory of writs," says Mr Scott, the venerable author of the former Statistical Account of Perth, " a copy of which I received from Mr David Mercer of Aberdeen, a descendant of the family, there was and perhaps is still preserved, in the archives of the fa- mily of Aldie, ^ an charter granted by Mauritius de Cromod in favors of John Mercer, burgess of Perth, of the lands of Meick- lour, which lands pertained before to Allan of Cambus, and were disponed by the said Allan to the said Mauritius, dated anno 1106, on Wednesday in the afternoon of St Matthew's day,'" viz, September 21st. This charter was granted in the last year of the reign of King Edgar, and before the reign of his brother Alexander. • The family have a burying vault in the Middle Church in the north aisle, which extends a considerable way under the wall into the street This was granted them by the King. The grant must have been before the year 1 126, because in or about that year the King had given away to the Abbey of Dunfermline all right that he had to any part of the parish church. The present represen- tative of that family is Baroness Keith.* Mylne was a celebrated architect, under whose direction the bridge, that was destroyed 1621, was built. He was the descend- ant of the architect Mylne, a special favourite of James III. and was master-mason to James VI. A tomb-stone in the Grayfriars burying-ground was erected to his memory by Robert Mylne, one of his posterity, in the year 1774. Another of his descendants re- moved to Edinburgh, and built Mylne's Court, Mylne's Square, and some buildings near to the Abbey of Holyrood. Two celebrat- ed architects, of the same name, one at London, and the other at Edinburgh, were descended from him. One of them, Robert, got the highest prize in the first class of architecture in Rome. Blackfriars Bridge was built according to his plan, and under his direction. He was born at Edinburgh 1734, and died 1811. Patrick AdamsoTiy Archbishop of St Andrews, was born in Perth 9. '' Summary of the ETidence on the Gowrie Conspiracy, with plans of Gowrie House,*' printed in the 1st vol. of the Tiansactions of the Literary and Antiquarian Society of Perth, 1827. ' * The aisle here referred to was in 1621 designated Mercer^ Aisle. In the kirk- session records of that year, February 21st, there is the following entry : ^* Andrew Conqueror, overseer, for the reparation and theiking of Meroer*s Aisle, produced his account, whilk being read were found equitably given, and admitted, whUk amounted to eight score eight pounds, sixteen shillings, three pennies ;*'— the Session, as hospi- tal managers, being up to that year the administrators of the temporalia of the Church. PERTH. 53 1536, and educated at the grammar-school of Pertk He was the author of a tragedy — *' Herod Agrippa, who slew James with the sword," and of a poetic paraphrase on the Lamentations of Jere- miah, published in the Musae Sacrse Poetarum Scotorum, and of various other works. With him originated the reproachful tenUf a Tulchan Bishop. In a sermon which he preached against the order of bishops, he told his audience that there were three kinds of bishops ; the Lord's Bidiop, my Lord Bishop, and my Lord's Bishop ; the first a minister of Christ ; the second a Lord who sits and votes in Parliament, and rules over his brethren ; the third one who is the receiver-general of some court nobleman's rent ; giving leases for his lordship's behoof, but without the means or power of a bi^op. This one he called a Tulchan Bishop, be* cause, as the Tulchan, which is a calfs skin stuffed with straw set up before the cow to cause her give milk, so such bishops are invested with the oflSce that their patrons may by them milk the bishoprics. He was, by Regent Morton, advanced to the ArchbLshoprick of St Andrews. Thus he himself became a Tul- chan Bishi^ For this conduct he was summoned before the sy- nod of the bounds (Fife,) and upon his refusing to recognize the synod's jurisdiction, he was excommunicated. Their sentence was by the assembly removed, in consequence of his giving some ex- planations, or making certain concessions. In 1590 he formally recanted these opinions concerning church government, which had given offence to his brethren, and died in the year following. James Crichtan. — This gentleman is known by the name of the Admirable Crichton, a name given him on account of his extra- ordinary endowments of both body and mind. It is believed by many, that he was in early life a pupil in the grammar-school of Perth. For that reason I have here introduced his name. But I can find no authority for such a belie£ His father was Robert Crichton, Esq. of Eliock, in the parish of Sanquhar, in the county of Dumfries. He was bom in the mansion-house of Eliock, on the 9th of August 1560. After his birth his father sold that property to a member of the family of Dalzell, afterwards Carnwath, and took up his residence on an estate of which he was proprietor in the parish of Clunie, in Perthshire. What authorizes the belief that he was born in the mansion-house of Eliock is, that the apart- ment there, in which his birth took place, has been preserved in its original state by the successive proprietors. (.Vid. Stat. Acct. San- quhar.) It may have been imagined that, the grammar-school of 66 PERTHSHIRE. Perth, being of great celebrity, he would be naturally sent to it for instruction. But it does not appear to have risen to any celebrity, till the time when Mr Rhind was chosen rector, which was in or about the year 1580. No inference can be drawn from Clunie being in Perthshire, as Perth lies distant from it, seventeen miles at least The Rev. George Hdlyhurton^ Bishop of .Dunkeld. The first place of his ministry was Menmour, in the presbytery of Brechin. He was admitted minister of Perth on August 4, )644. In a meet- ing of presbytery, 16th October of the same year, he was severely censured for holding intercourse with the Marquis of Montrose, during his stay in Perth, eating and drinking with him, and act- ing as chaplain at his table; the Marquis being at the time under a sentence of excommunication. Mr Haly burton acknowledged what was laid to his charge, and declared that he had been taken by surprise, and was urged thereto ; that he was heartily sor- ry for what he had done ; that he had given offence ; and that he was willing to give, under his own hand, a declaration anent the occasion of his going to the Marquis, and what was the con- versation between them. By an act of the Commissioners of the General Assembly, No- vember 8, 1644, he was summoned to appear before them on the 27th, to be censured for his holding conversation with the Mar- quis ; he appeared accordingly, and a sentence of deposition was passed upon him. In the following month, the presbytery of Perth joined with him in a supplication to the Commissioners to meet in January 1645. In the month of February, the Assembly passed an act in his favour, requiring the presbytery and synod of Perth to try his repentance, and to report to the Commission for his reponi- tion to his ministry, as the Commissioners shall find reasonable. In a meeting of the presbytery, 2d April 1645, he produced that act, and being removed, the meeting, after reasoning, concluded that he should humble himself upon his knees, and give such signs of re- pentance as might convince the brethren of his unfeigned sorrow for the offence given in despising the censure ofthe kirk, and abusing the censure of excommunication. Mr Halyburton being called in, did humbly on his knees acknowledge the offence, and the scandal given to his brethren and the Christian people, and made promise that, by God's grace (should he be reponed) he would walk more circumspectly in time coming. Whereupon the brethren declar- PERTH. 67 ed themselves satisfied, and ordained the said repentance to be re- presented to the ensuing synod, that from both, reports might be made, conform to the ordinance of the Greneral Assembly. In consequence of the £fiTourable reports of presbytery and synod, the General Assembly, May 16, 1645, ordered his reponition, which took place in the Old Church of Perth on the 15th of June there- after. He was made Bbhopof Dunkeld on the 18th of January 1662. He resigned his charge at Perth in 1664, and died there on the 5th of April L665. Mr George Wishart, Bishop of Edinburgh, preached the funeral sermon. Mr Wodrow says of him, Vol. L p. 102, ^* his character was, a man who made many changes, and was sincere in none of them.'' In addition to the names of '^ eminent characters connected with Perth, by birth, residence, or burial," it may be proper to introduce the names of some of those, who, while the city was the seat of roy- alty, made ii their occasional residence. The Earl of Gowrie : his palace was immediately in front of the South Street, stretching somewhat to the south, on the site of the present prison. It and the premises connected with it, occupied the square which belongs now to the prisons and the County Buildings. — The Earl of Athole : his house was on the west side of the Spey-gate, nearly opposite to that of Earl Growrie. — The Earl of Errol : his house was at the south end and west side of the Watergate. — The Bishop of Dun- keld : his house was near to the same place, and had an entrance from the South Street, probably by what is called the Fountain Close. — Lord Chancellor Hay : his house was at the south end and east side of the Watergate, immediately contiguous to Gowrie Palace. The description of the entertainment given to Charles makes this certain. Lord John Murray : his house was a little to the north of the Old Glover Hall, in Couvre-feu Street The front portion of it still remains. — Lord Crichton of Sanquhar: his house was in the Spey-gate, as appears in a minute of the kirk-session, 4th July 1631. * * Lord Crichton of Sanquhar was' William Crichton of RayhilU son of John the second son of Robert, second Lord Crichton. He was created Viscount of Air, hj James VI., in 16*22, and Earl of Dumfries by Charles I. in 1633. He was one of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, who, in a meeting of the kirk-session of Perth, (the minute of which 1 shall presently introduce.) held in 1CI6, caused it to be sessionally enacted, that the proTOst and baillies of the boreh should be thenceforth annually chosen members. His Lordship*s immediate preMcesaor in the title was Robert Ix>rd Crichton, to whom he succeeded, in conse* 68 PERTHSHIRE. Land-oumers. — The principal land-owners in the parish of Perth are, The Right Honourable the Earl of Kinnoul, non-resident ; The Right Honourable Lord Gray, non-resident; The Right Honourable Lord Elibank, non-resident; Sir Thomas Moncrieff of Moncrieff, Bart, non-resident ; John Nicol, Esq. of Few; the City of Perth ; the Glover Incorporation of Perth. Parochial Registers. — The date of the earliest entry in the ses- sion register is 1577. It consists of 28 volumes. The date of the earliest entry in the register of baptisms is 1561. It consists of 23 volumes. The date of the earliest entry in the register of mar- riages is 1567. It consists of 10 volumes. The session appears to have been a semi-episcopal court till the period of the Revolu- tion. Till then the records were ill kept, several volumes were lost, and in those that are extant, there are not a few chasms and muti- lations. The members of session were not the only ecclesiastical office- bearers of the parish, but, in conjunction with them, there were certain civil rulers also of the city. And the court thus constituted assum- ed and exercised an arbitrary controlling authority in almost all mat- ters, civiland sacred, affecting the well-being of the community. On some occasions elders and deacons had, on taking office, the oath administered to them that they would be '^ faithful and diligent in their employment." And not only so, but if after their election they demurred to accept, they were handed over to the bailies and coun- cil to be dealt with by them. Thus in a minute, of date October 18, 1584, — " Number of elders elected: ordained their names to be presented to the bailies and council, that they may desire and command the persons written to take upon them the office of elders quence of his leaving no male issue. This sixth Lord Crichton had» we are told by Douglas, in his Peerage, a charter of the Barony of Sanquhar, (27th July 1609) and' of the house in Perth, which formerly belonged to John Earl of Gowrie, (19th January 1611-12.) There is in the Perth city records an instrument of seisin, in fa- vour of William, Lord Crichton of Sanquhar, as heir to Robert, Lord Crichton of Sanquhar his father, in the great house or tenement of land formerly belonging to John Earl of Gowrie, dated 19th July 1619, proceeding upon a precept from c£ui- cery dated 17th July 1619. From Douglas we learn, also, that this sixth Lord, having engaged in a tilting match with a fencing- master of the name of Turner, the foil of his adversary depriv- ed him of the sight of one of his eyes. Believing that this was an intentional injury, his Lordship hired two persons, the name of one of whom was Carlisle, to assassinate him. This Carlisle shot him with a pistol, 11th May 1612. The assassins were shortly after apprehended, tried for the murder, and hanged. His Lordship fled. \ reward of L. 1000 was offered fur his discovery and apprehension. Being apprehend- ed, he was put upon his trial in the Court of the King's Bench, Westminster, 27th June 1612, and condemned to death, and on the 29th of the same month was hanged on a gibbet, erected in Great Palace Yard, before the gate of Westminster. PKftTH. 59 tor the present year /' the election being not ad viiam out culpamj but annuaL Id the minutes there occur instancesof interference with the affairs of the inhabitants, cognisable only by authority pure- ly ciriL Thus, in January 20, 1617, ** for as meikle as the session, understanding that Gilbert Robertson is tenant of an laigh house locate in die tenement of land pertaining to the hospital, whilk wants an chimney, and yet has daily ingill therein, to the perilling of the hail tenement to lie set on fire ; and therefore ordains that no ingill be kindled nor used in the said house hereafter, and the bai- li^ are requested to interpone their authority for that effect" They imposed and leried fines on persons guilty of certain offences, and sent some whose offences they judged to be peculiarly aggravated, to Halkerston's Tower, which stood over the north entry of the (now) West Church, there to be confined during the pleasure of the court The Episcopalian ecclesiastical dignitaries gave their full countenance to such a constitution of the session, and the conse- quent exercise of arbitrary power. Thus the following stands on record: — ^ Monday penult day of Dec 1616, present Mr John Malcolm, minister. Item, the haill elders were present except Da- vid Sibbald. In the New (now West) Kirk, with the bishops and council, the persons present. Archbishop of St Andrews, James, Archbishop of Glasgow, Alexander, Bishop of Dunkeld, William, Bishop of Galloway, and Adam, Bishop of Dunblane ; William Lord Crichton of Sanquhar, and David Lord Scone, Mr John Malcolm minister, the bailies, council, and deacons of crafts, and elders thereof. Whilk day it is agreed, for better ordering of all matters in the kirk and session, that the provost and bailies hereof shall always be elected and chosen members of the session, and that for this present year James Adamson and Constantino Malice be added to the present session, and give their assistance and concur- rence to the minister and rest of the elders. As likewise that the masters of the hospital, present and to come, shall distribute and dispense nothing but (u e. without) advice of the ministers and ma- gistrates, and that they make yearly account to them and others, three or four of the most discreet of the council and session that shall be named by the minister and magistrates." This entry is desig- nated on the margin, " sederunt of the Lords Spiritual and Tempo- ral." Agreeably to such a state of matters, the sederunt of the ses- sion frequently commenced ^^ whilk day, council and session being convened," &c 60 PERTHSHIRE. A new and more constitutional session was formed (after the Re- volution) in 1690, 4th June. Then the elders and deacons were formally and presbyterially ordained. From this. time the records have been regularly made up, and, with one or two exceptions, care- fully preserved. But it appears that the session continued to tran- sact, at their sessional meetings, the civil business of the hospital, and, in their minutes, to mix up that with matters of discipline : and, when the three Lethendy mortifications were committed to their management in the years 1660, 1686, 1743, to enter the busi- ness of these among the minutes. In 1796 this irregularity was rectified, and now there is a set of books for each of these institutions. In 1807, the original parish was divided into four by the Court of Session. Since that time the session of each parish has had its own register. The two for baptisms and marriages continue, as for- merly, for the whole original parish. The two quoad sacra parishes lately erected, have, of course, each its own register for matters of discipline. It may not be out of place to mention here, that the session of the Middle Church are in possession of four communion cups of singular- ly antique workmanship, chased. They are silver gilt, and have each an unique cover. In 1632, there appears to have been only two. In the session register of that year, we find the following entry: " May 21, the two silver overgilt goblets with gold, with the covers for the communion, and two basins pertaining to the session, are put within the charter kist in the revestry, there to be kept," Another of them seems to have been purchased about the year 1639, or soon after, for in a minute of session of that year, April 29, it is *' or- dained that the hundred pounds ( Scots) paid for permission to bury Lady Stormont in the kirk, shall be employed for the buying of an cup for the use of the communion." In the following year it is mentioned, that Mr John Robertson gave L.20 " to help to buy the cup." Besides these cups, there is a massy silver baptismal font, which appears from the legend to have beep the property of the Old or Middle Church, since the year 1649. The East Church have had it in loan since 1808. The charter kist above referred to is in the Middle Church. It contains a small box, in which there has been preserved since the year 1685 a calculus — the history of which is somewhat curious, and given in the following notice accompanying it: — ^^ September 10th 1685. This day this stone being cut and PERTH. 61 taken from Robert Ferguson, son to Donald Ferguson, by Adam Gordon, chirurgeon, before Mr William Hay, parson of Perth, and some other witnesses, was ordered to be preserved in the hos- pital box, the poore boy being cured att the expense of the session and hospital." The calculus is of the mulberry kind, enveloped by the fusible calculus. It is an inch and three-quarters by an inch and a quarter. The fusible calculus is three eighths of an inch in thickness. The register books of the presbytery of Perth are extant from the year 1618, and the register books of the synod of Perth and Stirling are extant from the year 1638. AntiquiiieSf Sfc — In the locality of the city, there are manifestations of antiquity, which carry us back to times of which no record gives us any account. The soil of the plain on which it stands is of al« luvial origin. At the upper and the lower extremities of it, the ap- pearance distinctly indicates that at one time it was insulated, — that on each side of it there was a water course ; and recent dis- coveries seem to make that almost if not altogether certain. When St Paul's Church, which is on the west side of the town, was built in 1806-7, the workmen, in digging for a foundation, came at about ten feet deep to a piece of well-built ashler masonry, stretching from north to south, in which there were iron staples and rings, such as are met with on piers. (The level of the street here is about 23 feet above the channel of the river at the water engine.) At some distance from this place, in a northerly direction, (Stor- mont Street,) a well was lately dug. At the depth of about 20 feet, there were found two willow trees, sixteen inches dia- meter in the bole, standing in their natural growing position, but with branches broken down. The soil around and above them was clay. The surface here is some^vhat higher than the site of St Paul's. Almost due north from this spot, another well was dug in the house built (1826) by the late Mrs Young of Bel wood, in Bar- rossa Place. And there one tree of the same kind was found at about eight feet below the surface, also in its natural growing position, having round it such alluvial matter as decayed nut-shells, leaves, &C. From these facts, taken in connection with the appearance of the upper and lower extremities of the plain, and its immemorial name, it is scarcely possible not to conclude, that a stream of water must have run at one time in the direction of these places, and that thus the plain had been at some remote period an Inch or Is- 62 PERTHSHIRE. land. From extant documents, it \» clear that the town's lade or aqueduct, which runs from west to east, must have crossed the line of that stream. But the aqueduct is proved to be in all respects at present what it was above 600 yearsago. Long before the year 1111, therefore, the water stream must have existed. To a mere stran- ger this may appear to be a matter of no importance ; but to every one who is acquainted with the locality it must be one of interest- ing speculation. The facts which I am now to state refer to a less distant period of time. In the excavations which have, for above these forty years past, been made for foundations of houses, there have been found in not a few places, a compact black rich earth, saponaceous to the touch, but friable when dried, which at one time must have been in a semifluid state. In that earth, various articles have been found imbedded. In some places there has been found what in- dicated that cattle had been there kept. A few weeks ago, I ex- amined an excavation made on the north side of St John's Church for founding a house. In it there was the kind of earth I have just now mentioned. The following articles were imbedded in it, viz. small pieces of leather, of various kinds, such as are thrown out of a shoe or saddle manu&ctory — such refuse of leather as is found in currying manufactories, — a spur of an antique shape ; a pair of scis- sors, in length similar to those represented on the tailors' arms, af- fixed to their seat in the West Church ; the rowels are peculiarly formed ; a small copper shield having upon it a bend dexter ; pieces of moss and heath, and straw, and oak, and a few oyster shells ; all which articles must have been deposited through mere accident. Over the whole of this deposition there were houses, which, through great age, had fallen into decay, and are now taken down for the erection of others. In accounting for such appearances, which are found in many quarters of the city, it seems most natural to refer to the repeated inundations which befell it in ancient times. In these times, the level of the streets was much lower than it is now. This is proved by the discovery of causeway pavements, 6, 8, and even 10 feet below the present ones ; and any one * who reads the narrative of the in- undationin 1210, given by Fordun, and that of 1621, given by Mr Malcolm, particularly the latter, may easily see how disposed the * In the year 1666* the causeways between the Highgate and the South Street port were raised, by order of the town-council. PERTH. 68 inhabitants would be to abandon those places of accommodation, whether for themselves or their cattle, which had been submerged. From many enactments and remarks that occur in the town re- cords, it appears that the principal fuel of the inhabitants was peat or moss turf. Peat stacks were numerous both within the town and on the North Inch, as were ^* heather stacks," laid up for winter fuel* The refuse and ashes of these appear to have been accumulated occasionally on the streets, so much so, as to require the order of the magistrates to have them removed. When the inundation took place, they, in part, would be carried into the places now mention- ed, and, with the addition of other such refuse materials, thrown in by the inhabitants, would soon give the mass a consistency. This seems to be the most natural way of accounting for the character of the earth, which is purely vegetable, and for the singular blackness of its colour, and the complete preservation of various perishable ar- ticles found in it — water impregnated with moss being a powerful antiseptic and preserver of vegetable and animal substances from corruption. When Mr James Ballingall, upholsterer, erected these buildings on the south of the church, in which are his wareroom and the Central Bank, there was found in the excavation made for the foun- dation, similar black earth, and imbedded in it a boat clinker-built, about ten feet long, resting on its keel. There was lying under it a caulking iron, and the soles of shoes. I infer, therefore, from this circumstance, and from there being found in other similar places, various pieces of cow-house furniture, that the overwhelming inun- dation was unexpected, and prevented the people from removing what they would not otherwise have allowed themselves to be de- prived of ; and this is rendered highly probable, by the narrative given of the inundation of 1621. " In the night, unlooked for, the water increased, so that all those that dwelt outwith the castle-ga- vel Port in low houses, behoved to go to high houses for preserva- tion of their lives, &c" With the lowness of the level of the street corresponded that of the channel of the river. It was so low in 1 600, that the most deeply ladened foreign vessels that traded with Perth did not break bulk till they reached the north shore, i. e. to where the council-house is, while such vessels now come no farther up the river than to the lime shore. Adamson, in his poetic history of the town, written in the year 64 PERTHSHIRE. 1630, intimates very distinctly that barges sailed past the Palace of Scone, and it is highly probable, from the appearance of the ground there, that the course of the river was much nearer the Pa- lace then than it is now. — His verses are *' As wc then talked, our barge did sweetly pass By Scone*s fair Palace, sometime Abbey was.'* In the city records, 27th November 1609, there is an entry con- taining a prohibition of boats ^^ weighing (casting) anchor at the North Inch head," i. e. the head of the original North Inch, which till 1785, reached only to the trees opposite to Boat-land. Before the Reformation, Perth abounded in monasteries and other religious houses. The monasteries were, 1^^, the Dominican or Blackfriars Monastery. It was situated at the north side of the town, and was founded by Alexander II. in 1231, who, in 1244, granted to it the whole ground where his garden was, and also a conduit of water from his milUlead, measuring four inches in wide- ness. The buildings were large and commodious, and were some- times spoken of as a palace. In this monastery, the Scottish kings, when at Perth, usually took up their residence, after the de- molition of the old castle. In the church of the monastery, the Parliament sometimes met, and the national ecclesiastical coun- cils held in it their annual meetings. The designation of the friars was, " the predicatory or the preaching friars of the burgh of Perth." 2rf, The Carmelite or Whitefriars Monastery, designated " the prior and convent of the Carmelite friars of Tulilum, near Perth.'* It was founded in the reign of Alexander III. and was situated a little way west from the town. After the Reformation, when the King's hospital was founded, the lands and rents of the monastery were annexed to it. Sd, The Charter- House or Carthusian Monastery ; this was the only monastery which the Carthusians had in Scotland. It was situated at the west end of the town, near to where the hospital now stands. It was built or founded by King James I. and his Queen in the year 1429. The original letter, sent by the prior of the great Chartreux in France addressed to that monarch, and giving consent to the erection of a house of the Carthusian order near Perth, for thirteen monks, with their competent number of servants, is extant among the papers of the hospital. It is beautifully writ- ten, and dated August 19th 1426. Its designation was, '^ The PERTH. Q5' prior and convent of the house of the valley of virtue of the Caiy. thusian order, near Perth." In the church which belonged to it* there were some royal sepulchres, in which were interred King James L, Jane his Queen; and Queen Margaret, mother of James V. 4M, The Franciscan or Grayfriars Monastery. It was founded by Lord Oliphant in 1460, and was situated at the south-east cor- ner of the town, near the river. The ground on which the mo- nastery and its church stood was, in 1580, ordered to be in all time coming, the common burying-ground for the inhabitants of the town and parish. The religious houses and chapels were, \st. The Nunnery of St Mary Magdalene, with its chapel. This nunnery, with its chapel, was situated about a mile south from the town. The time of its foundation is uncertain. The lands sur- rounding it, with some other lands and annualrents of several houses in the town, belonged to it. After the Carthusian monas- tery was built, the nunnery was siippressed, and its lands and rents were annexed to the monastery. 2dj The Nunnery of St Leonard, the Abbot, with the hospital and chapel. It was founded before the year 1296, and lay a little way south-west from the town. Lady Elizabeth Dunbar, daugh- ter of the Earl of March, who had been privately married to that unfortunate Prince, David Duke of Rotlisay, and whom he was afterwards obliged to reject, devoted herself after his death to a single life, and became prioress of the nunnery and governess of its hospital in the year 1411. After the Carthusian monastery was built, the nunnery was suppressed, and its lands and rents were an- nexed to the monastery. But the chapel continued to stand under the patronage of the monks. 3//, Our Lady's Chapel. It was situated at the foot of the north (High) Street, near to the old bridge. It was an old building in the year 1210, at which time it was in part overthrown with the bridge, by a remarkable inundation of the river. Afterwards it was repaired. I'he old prison is a portion of it. 4^, St Laurence Chapel. It was situated at the castle gavel, or on part of the ground which belonged to the old castle. It was founded by the predecessors of Robert III., December 3, 1405. He gave it to the monastery of the Blackfriars. The reason as- signed for this gift was, that prayers might be offered for the soul of his mother, Elizabeth More, " who was resting in the church PERTH. £ 66 PERTHSHIRE. of the predicatory friars of Perth." The friars, some time after they got possession of it, suffered it to fall into decay. 5th, The Chapel of St Ann, mother of the Virgin Mary. It was situated at the south side of St John's Church. The time of its foundation is uncertain. Sir Walter Eviot, of the family of the Eviots of Balhousie, was chaplain many years before 152di It had an hospital adjoining for the entertainment of poor people. 6th. St James's Chapel. It was situated at the south side of St John's Church. It was dedicated not only to the Apostle James, but also to St Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury. About the year 1400, the chapel fell into decay, and a new one was built by the alderman and community of the burgh, chiefly by the as- sistance which they received from William Whitson, a burgess. 7th. Allareit or Chapel of Loretto. It was situated near the head, and on the north side of the South Street 8/A. St Paul's Chapel. It was situated at the north-west comer of the street called New Row. It was founded December 25, 1434, by John Spens of Glendewglie, or Glen Douglas. It had an hospital adjoining for the entertainment of strangers, and of poor and infirm people. 9th. The Rood Chapel or Chapel of the Holy Cross. Mr Cant, in his History of Perth, says " it stood at the South Street port, on the north side." 10^ The Chapel of St Katherine. According to the descrip- tion in the foundation charter, it was situated at the west end of Perth, " at the Clay-pots." It was founded June 19, 1523, by Sir John Tyrie, who, for many years, was provost of the Collegiate- Church of Methven. At the west side of it there was founded at the same time, a house ^^ for the entertainment of poor travellers coming thither." All these chapels, as well as the monastery churches and parish church, had altars in them, founded and consecrated to the honour of particular saints, at which masses were celebrated, and prayers offered, for the souls of the founders or of their relatives. Each altar had its particular chaplain, or more than one when it happen- ed to be dedicated to two or more saints, which, for want of suffi- cient room, was frequently the case. Each chaplain had a yearly stipend of L. 10 Scots, besides occasional emoluments. The priests and chaplains, who were very numerous, besides performing ser- Tice at the altars, generally followed the business of the law as pub- lic notaries* PERTH. 67 After the Reformation, James VI. in ] 569, with the advice of the^Regent Murray, founded by charter an hospital, to be called in all time coming King James's Hospital of Perth. The foun- dation was confirmed by a new charter, which he granted when he came to full age in 1587,* and both were confirmed by an act of Parliament in 1587. By these charters and some subsequent acts of Parliament, the minister and elders of Perth were made the go- vernors of the hospital. They were established as a civil corporation in the name and on the behalf of the poor members ofjenu Christ residinff and abiding in the burgh of Perth j with power to hold le- gal courts with their dues and ammerciaments, and to have tenan- tries, and the service of free tenants." The masters of the hos- pital, who were to be annually chosen by the governors, were to produce their accounts not only to the governors and to the super- intendents of the county, who were a kind of temporary bishops, and thereby acted with a degree of civil power, but also when re- quired in the Court of Exchequer. For the support of the hospi- tal, the King assigned all the lands, rents, and emoluments which belonged to the monasteries, churches, chapels, and altars within the liberty and privilege of the burgh of Perth, and also what was paid out of the liberty and privilege thereof, to any other such re- ligious places in the kingdom. But this splendid endowment has been much diminished, partly through mismanagement, partly through the change in the value of the current coin, and partly through the violent seizure of portions of the property by commu- nities and influential individuals. This hospital has been the means of preserving ancient records more fully in Perth, than they are in most other places. The acts and canons which were made by the annual assemblies or national councils of the clergy of Scotland, and which are said to have been * When James, having attained the age of twenty-one, passed the famous act of the general revocation of church lands, it became necessary that the rights of the hos- pital should be renewed ; and more especially as the former gift of hospitality had been granted daring the King's minority, money, as well as interest at court, it might be expected, would be requisite for that purpose, both because of the composition money which the King might demand as the re-purchase of the gift, and because of the cus- tomary expenses of employing lawyers, and of getting deeds expedited by the officers of the crown. The commissioner from the burgh of Perth to the Parliament (held in Edin- burgh 1567) was William Fleming, a mai^ of great plainness and integrity, one of the most popular and respectable citizens in his day. He was in great favour with the Chancellor Maitland, Lord lliirlestane, chiefly through the Chancellor's lady, who was Jane Fleming, daughter and sole heiress of James the fourth Lord Fleming, and to whom William claimed kindred. The signal services done by this individual to the hoapital, and the manner in which the gift was obtained, appear in a curious letter, which is preserved in an old hospital rent-book, sometime before J 6^. 68 PERTHSHIRE. { deposited in the Dominican monastery of Perth, were destroyed or abstracted at the time of the Reformation. But the following do- cuments are extant in the archives of the church or hospital. — The chartulary of the Dominican monastery, viz. the book in- to which the charters of the monastery, 162 in number, were transcribed. Also the account book, or book of the receipts of rents which was kept by the prior of the convent, from the 20th June 1557, to May 6, 1559, and 162 loose charters or writs which belonged to the said monastery ; 20 charters which belonged to the Carmelites or Whitefriars ; 92 which belonged to the Carthusians ; 207 which belonged to the chapels and altars : — all these chapels, monasteries, and religious houses lying without the walls of the city. The other buildings of note were, 1*^, the Castle^ which stood without the walls, immediately at the end of the Skinner-gate. It was the usual residence of the kings previous to the erection of the Blackfriars' monastery. Not a vestige of it remains. 2. The Old Cross, It was not inferior to Mary Magdalene's Chapel. The time of its erection is unknown. But it must have been long before the year 1578, for in the session record of that year, there is the following entry : — " The assembly (session) re- quests the bailies to clear the cross, that the door may open and steik, and that they get a lock and key to the door, and likewise the master of the hospital to buy three locks for the three irons (jugs) where delinquents do penance at the cross." It stood in the middle of the High Street, between the Kirkgate and the Skinnergate, and, as in other towns, it was the place from which all proclamations were issued. What entitles it to special notice here is the following narrative, which I shall give as I find it in Cant's History. " In the guildry register is to be seen * a. d. 1601. Parcere suhjectis et debellare superbosy' and under this motto, * James R." all written with the King's own hand. Upon the next page of the register we see " Nemo me impitne lacessit^ July 24, 1650. Charles R." Written by Charles's own hand. There are blank leaves both before and afler these royal subscriptions. Charles II. was crowned on the 1st of Januarv thereafter. In the miscellaneous manuscript in my custody, before-mentioned, Mr Dundee, who was on the spot, writes thus : — " Item, on the xv. Apprill in anno a thousand vi hundred ane yeir, the King's Majes- tic cam to Perth, and that sam day he was made Provest, with ane great scerlane of the courteours, and the bancait was made at the Crois, and the King's Maiistie wes set downe thereat, and six 3 PERTH. C9 dozen of glassis brokine, with mony owder silver pissis and peuder vescilHs, and then the King made ane great soileime aith to defend the hail libertie of this brouche." With reference to this strange occurrence, I may here remark, that James V. demeaned himself in a manner somewhat similar on another occasion. There is a charter of the Abbot of Melrose, a. d. 1535, constituting that prince the bailiflF or steward of the Abbey of Melrose, vesting in faim all the powers which pertained to that office, and requiring him to be answerable to the abbot for his exercise of the same. Sure- ly James VI. did not act so far beneath his dignity in becoming the Provost of a city, as James V. in becoming the bailiff of an abbey. Notwithstanding the very positive and circumstantial manner in which this matter is presented to our belief, I am much disposed to call in question the truth of the fact as related ; and my simple reason is, that there is not only no mention of it made in the town's records, but a distinct relation given of the election of Sir David Murray of Golspetrie, knight-comptroUer, to be Provost. And it is remarkable that his election was, (what had not taken place before) entered in two books — the red book and the book of general entry. It is impossible to believe that such a very extraordinary event, as the election of the King to be Provost, would be passed without any notice whatever being taken of it in the records. In 1652, Cromwell demolished the cross and applied its mate- rials to the erection of his citadel. In 1668, after the restoration of Charles II. the magistrates contracted with Mr Mylne of Bal- fargie, the King's master mason, to rebuild it, and make it as ele- gant as any in Scotland, for L. 200 ; and in the following year, when it was finished, they issued an order to write Lord Lyoa for a license to Charles W ilson to gild it with the royal arms, and those of the town. It had a spacious terrace above. It was twelve feet high, and had a flight of steps within. On the anniversary of the Restoration, 29th May 1669, " the treasurer was appointed to cover the terrass of the new crois with a carpet, and to prepare glasses and two gallons (Scots) of French wine, to be run out of the mouths of lions, bears, and griffin^, and other heads with which the cross was ornamented." In 1765, the town-council, in consi- deration of the cross being an impediment on ihe street, empower- ed the magistrates to remove it. It was thereafter disposed of at a public sale to a mason, he being the highest bidder, for five ^ pounds. He immediately took it down, and carried off the stones. 70 PERTHSHIRE. 3. The Spey Timer was a fortress upon the city wall, near to Earl Cowrie's Palace, and had in it a strong prison. Among those who were at various times confined in it, were the pious persons whom Cardinal Bethune caused to be condemned for heresy. From it he witnessed their execution. It was the last of the towers on the wall, and was taken down about thirty years ago. Not a ves- tige of it now remains. 4. Karl Gowri^B Palace^ called in the days of its glory Perth's Whitehall, was built in the year 1520 by the Countess of Huntly. It fronted the South Street, and part of the Speygate on the west, the river on the east, the Water Vennel on the north. The city wall bounded its garden on the south, along which wall ran the lade which, at its entrance into the river, formed a dock or harbour for vessels. After the murder of the noble proprietor, it fell into the possession of the city. In 1746, the magistrates made a pre- sent of it to William Duke of Cumberland, as a mark of the gra- titude of the inhabitants for his services against the rebels. The Duke sold it to Government, to be converted into artillery barracks. It continued to be thus occupied till the commencement of the French war, when the Leith Fort became the artillery head-quar- ters. In 1805, it was repurchased by the city, and its buildings, so deeply interesting to every reader of ancient Scottish story, were ruthlessly razed, and the ground given to be the site of the public buildings which have been there recently erected. The materials of the house were sold for L. 597, Ss. 7d. 5. Tlie Parliament House, — Meetings of Parliament were some- times held in the Blackfriars monastery, but this was the place in which they were held in ordinary. It stood on the north side of the High Street, a few paces back from the street. The avenue leading to it still retains the name of the Parliament Close. Its site was where the Royal Arch Mason Lodge now is, for the erec- tion of which it was taken down in 1818. Long before that year it had fallen into decay, and was inhabited by some poor families, but it retained many traces of its having been a building of high pretension. The Scottish Parliament meetings were held in it till the reign of James II., when they and the courts of justice were removed to Edinburgh, that city having then become the seat of royalty. In Mr Cant's lucubration on Boetius' fable respecting Bertha, to which I have referred, there is mention made of urns hav- ing been found in that place on the bank of the river, worn away 4 PBRTH. 71 by the strength of the stream. One of them was very large, above half an inch in thickness, made of a fine light-brown clay, plated on the inside with brass, and capable of containing about ten English gallons. Mr Cant had in his custody a bit of the broM and tern. He observed on the face of the bank six semicircular pillars of earth, about 18 feet in height to the surface of the ground from the bed of the river. The earth of these pillars was quite differ- ent from that of the bank, being of a dark hazel colour, while the earth of the bank was reddish. Round pits had been dug out, and una deposited at the bottom. They were filled with a mixture of glutinous earth rammed down. After an inundation, which had washed away part of the bank about 150 yards farther up the river, he discovered a small tint, in which were a few ashes of oak-wood and part of a lacrymator^. It would contain about an English quart and a half. The pillars were in lines, about ten feet dis- tant from each other. Mr Cant's conjecture was, that the Ro* mans had here a station, a castellum, which carries in it great probability, as, from their regularly formed castellum at Ardoch, there are vestiges of a military way, which leads by Methven to the Tay, about a quarter of a mile above Bertha. IjOw*$ Work merits particular notice, as it is a part of the charter^ ed property of the burgh of no inconsiderable value. It is a strong and skilfully built weir or dike across the river Almond, about four miles up the river, which diverts a large portion of it into an aque- duct that formerly encompassed the walls.* Befmeal cakes, and the Council passed va- rious acts on the subject. In 1625, the deacon, in name of the craft, commenced an action against the taken ofcakts. In \Gd7, in consequence of a complaint given in by him, ^ the selling of cakes was prohibited, under the pain of forfeiting the meal, breaking of their girdles, and being fined — the eve of the fine to go to the ma- gistrates, and the other t j tlie bakers," i. e. the incurponition. In 16J^, bakers weto licensed to bake oatmeal cakes. * St Bartholomew was the patron saint of the corporation, lliey founded an altar to him ; and for keeping up the service of the altar, they appropriated a large portion of their property in the Curfew row. or Couvrefew-street. Sir Waiter Scott has immortalized the glover calling of Perth by his celebrated and admired novel of ^* The Fair Maid of i'erth, the daughter of Simon the Glover.** The calling is very opulent. It is not a little strange, therefore, that they should have lately, by a deliberate deed of their craft, sold, for the trifling consideration of about L. 100, their Hall, which has acquired a classic notoriety, and, besides, is ont of the moat ancient buildings about the city. There is a place descril>ed in an old charter of this corporation as ** the Vindaris, near the said burgh, vulgarly called the Gilt Arl>our of the Silver Hook or Missal : — Palia vestimenu sacerdotalia, and other ornaments of St Bartholomew, founded by the said craft,** — I. e. skinners and glovers. In a charter granted by the Provost and council in the year 158o to John Hunter, skinner, of a piece of ground, called the Duk Dub, it is specially mentioned as lying on the west side of the mill lade of the burgh, and in a precept of clare constat, 16(>8. in favour of George Hay of Bal- housie, in the lands of the Gilt Arbour. It has the name, also, given it of '' the Cow Causeway." I take notice of this principally with reference to what Adamson, in his Metrical History of Perth, avers, that King Robert III. witnefised from this place the bloody conflict on the Noith Inch, between the M'Intoshes and the M'Kays, 1396, and which Cant, the anootator of Adanison, assumes as certain. The historian's averment is erroneous. It must be evident to every ))erson acquainted with the locality of the place — the Cow Causeway — that from it neither the King nor any one could wiineit such a scene on the Inch ; and the chatter aud precept now re- ferred to makes it clear that the old hall could not, as traditionary report gives out, be the Gilt Arbour. PERTH. F ' 82 PERTHSHIRE. coopers, slaters, plasterers, glaziers and masons. Its income was, in 1833, L. 774, 7s. Id. arising from entry -money, recording indentures, house rents, and church seat rents. Tailor Corpo- ration consists of two sciences, tailors, staymakers. Its income (arising from the usual sources) was, in 1833, L. 238, 2s. 6d. The Flesher Corporation* consists of one science. Its income (arising from the usual sources) was, in 1832, L. 132, 7s. 6d. The Shoemaker Corporation consists of one science. The income (from the usual sources) in 1833, was about L. 139, 13s. 3d. The IVea-* vers are not a corporation. They have no right of being represent- ed in the council, and do not exercise exclusive privileges. In 1629, there was an appointment by the council of a deacon of the wea- vers. The building in which the town-council have their deliberations on the affairs of the city, is at the eastern termination of the High Street, in the immediate proximity of the old shore. It was erect- ed under the authority of an act of the Privy-council, obtained in the year 1696, and comprehended not only the council- room but a clerk's chamber, (now the chamberlain's office,) and a pack (weigh) house. One of the reasons assigned in the application for the act was, that the council had to meet in the session-house of the kirk. It was built by William Miln, wright, at Dupplin, and cost 7,500 merks. Particular attention was paid to the ornamenting and furnishing of the room. A painter was employed to adorn the chimney-piece, and " furnish a landscape." Orders were given to provide three dozen of " good rushie leather chairs" and a large table, and a carpet for it ; the carpet to be purchased in Edinburgh, and, if not found there, to be purchased' in London. In the city records 1696, there is an act for paying the "build- • St Peter was the tutelar saint of this corporation. In former times they had an altar before their seat in the Old Church illuminated with wax lights. For sup- porting this altar a tax was laid on all slaughtered cattle, which was usually called Patie*s alt4irage penny. The tax was regularly exacted till 1760, when it was abo- lished by the civil authorities as a relic of popery. Before 1761 the corporation had no market-place. They had stalls in the South Street ;— that was their exclusive privi- lege. Those who brought meat to the town for sale, brought it slung across horses* backs, and they were required to stand with it in this condition on the South Street till it was sold ; the incorporation having the sole right of erecting shambles. But in 1761, the College Yard, lately a public liowling green, was converted into a market- place for them ; for a considerable time it was the only place in the town where meat was exposed to sale, but of late years it has been almost entirely deserted, the fieshers finding it their interest to erect shops in different quarters over the town. In 1821, the council converted the northern division of it into market-places for poultry, ve- getables, and butter. PERTH. 83 ing of a pend (arch) over a piece of waste ground, between the south gavel of the new council-house, and the ruinous tenement on the north shore/* This was done to complete the western front of the building. At this pend or arch the passage boats on the Tay were moored. By an act of council they were all ordered to lie here during night In 1619, the council appointed their meetings to be on Monday, and that those who should come in later than nine o'clock should be fined in 6s. 8d. In the same year they passed ^^ an act prohi- biting persons speaking in the council without leave, and that the offenders should be fined 2s. for each offence." In no burgh of Scotland are the honour, the respectability, and the general good of the community consulted with more judg- ment and fidelity than in Perth. In confirmation of what I say I refer to the contents of the printed ^^ Lor^l Report from Commis- sioners on the Municipal Corporations of Scotland.'' There, there is given a state of the city affairs, full and distinct, which reflects much credit on its Amctionaries. The office of magistrates, in large towns, is generally difficult and laborious, however otherwise it may appear to the many, whose knowledge of it is general and superficial. They act without fee or reward ; and it frequently happens that, the more vigilant and fiiithful and impartial they are, the more reviling treatment they meet with from a multitude of the baser sort of people. Their gratuitous services insure to them no return of gratitude. It is matter of surprise, therefore, that persons of suitable respectabili- ty should be found to fill the office of the magistracy, and parti- cularly at the present time, when there is abroad so much of the spirit of insubordination, and of a desire among the lowest and most uneducated to have the supremacy in every department, both legis- kitive and executive. Our forefathers knew how much extrinsic circumstances, even those that are of no essential importance, in- fluence the minds of the mass of the people. They therefore as- signed to their rulers certain distinctive insignia of office, from the King downwards ; and the practical result has been highly bene- ficial. He must be under the influence of the wildest and most in- veterate levelling republicanism who will not acknowledge this. It is to be lamented, therefore, that among persons, from whose judg- ment in other matters, sounder notions might be expected, there should be attempts made to throw ridicule on these insignia. To the man of mere empty theory, the disparagement of these has the 84 PERTHSHIRE. appearance of wisdom, but to those who know how to control the pas- sions and prejudices of man, it has the reverse. In some of our burghs, there has, for some years past, appeared a disposition to diminish or abstract altogether the badges of magisterial office, on the ground of their serving no purpose but that of ostentatious parade. The proper dignity of our municipal officers may be lowered, but cannot be raised by such a paltry and impolitic mode of proceeding. The magistrates of Perth, in olden times, consulted what was becom- ing their rank, and how they should appear before the public eye, as the^rulers of the City. Thus, in 1688, they were among the nobility and other attendants on the funeral of Lord Strathallan, and it stands on record that they appeared there attepded by their trumpeter.* It may not be out of place here to mention, that in the list of chief magistrates, there appear the names not only of the princi- pal burgesses, but of the most distinguished noblemen and gentle- men of the neighbourhood, some of whom had residences in the town. I may mention the following : the Earl of Gowrie, the Earl of Montrose, the Earl of Athole, Lord Ruthven, Viscount Stor- mont. Sir Patrick Thriepland of Fingask, Sir William Murray of TuUibardin, Thomas Chartres, a descendant of Thomas a Longueville, who came from France with Wallace, ancestor of the Kinfauns family. His famed two-handed sword is preserved to the present day in Kinfauns Castle. Before the passing of the Reform Bill, the burgh was one of four (Perth, Dundee, Cupar, Forfar, St Andrews,) which sent a representative to Parliament. The inhabitants had no voice in the matter. The council appointed a delegate, who, with the dele- * In a former age the magistrates of Perth had a very distinguished official im- portance and authority. The chief magistrate wore a cloak of office, and carried •* a bend rapier." 1 he other magistrates carried " white staves '* Their officers or ser- geants were six, and on particular occasions seven in number, clottied, as at present, in red Fleming, and wore swords, and attended them daily. In church the Lord Pro- TOSt*s seat was ^* lined and covered with velvet.** Tlicre was also at their command a city marshall, a trumpeter, a drummer, a piper, and a swasher. In the records there is *^ an act for repairing the foot mantle and livery for the lacqueys, with the bridle and stirrup-leathers against the Provost going to Parlia- ment,** and theie is in the records, 1678, an entry, that there were deposited ** in the council-house four pairs of colours, an officer's coat with lace, two suits of livery cloaths, with fustian doublets, for lacqueys at Parliament, foot mantle with other horse furniture—a saddle only excepted, and the town*s trumpet.*' The magistrates of those times consulted what became the dignity of the ancient city, the former metropolis of the kingdom, by observing the feudal acts of hospita- lity to strangers and visitors of distinction. The entertainment, except on extraordi- nary occurrences, was, according to the practice then followed, very simple, '* wino and spices," i*. e. spiced wine ; and the visits of strangers, and the reception given to them, appear to have been regularly adveited to in the council minutes. P£RTH. 85 gates appointed by the other burghs, made choice of the represen- tatiire, the delegates acting of course in conformity with the in- ftnictions of their constituents. By the Reform Bill the burgh is entitled to choose a representative for itself. He is chosen not by the council, but by the whole population, within what is called the Bu'liamentary bounds, who hold or rent a property of the value of L 10 yearly. These bounds, as defined by the bill, are, ^' from the Dorth-western corner of the North Inch, on the right bank of the river Tay, in a straight line to the bridge on the mill-lead at the boot of Balhousie ; thence in a straight line to the bridge in the Glasgow road over the Scouring Burn ; thence in a straight line to the southern comer of the water reservoir of the depot ; thence in a straight line to the southern corner of the Friartoun pier in the river Tay, (passing to the south of the Friartoun Island,) to the point at which the same is met by the boundary of the respec- tive properties of Kinfauns, Kinnoul, and Barn hi 11 meet ; thence in a straight line to the north and eastern corner of Lord KinnouPs lodge, at the gate of approach to Kinnoul Hill ; thence in a straight line to the north-eastern corner of the inclosure of the Lunatic Asy- lum ; thence in a straight line to the point at which the Annaty bum crosses the Blairgowrie road ; thence down the Annaty burn to the point at which the same joins the river Tay ; thence in a straight line to the point first described." Laurence Oliphant, Esq. of Condie, was the first whom the burgh constituency elected to represent them in Parliament. The election was on the 27th day of December 1832. He was elected a se- cond time in 1834.* Modern Buildings, — Of these the most worthy of being here noticed is the Bridge om ex the Tay, — built 1771, Mr Smeaton, ar- chitectj^-cost L. 26,631, 12s. 5|d. The Barracks, originally in- tended for cavalry, now fitted up for intantry, — built 1793. — The Dfpo^, a military prison, erected by Government forthe reception of French prisoners, capable of containing 7000 men — built 1812, cost L. 130,000. St Paul's Church, built 1807— cost about L. 7000. The Academy and Public School Buildings, erected 1807, cost about L. 6000, Mr Burn, aLVchiiecL—Theatre^f built 1820, * Before the Union, Perth sent a Commissioner to Parliament. t lliis place of amusement has fallen very much into disrepute. Few inhabitants of anj respectability frequent it. Prices of admission have been lately lowered, not to tbe improvement of the morals of the place, for that has brought to it the lowest and the nuMt qHe*lumuhle characters of society. A correspondent of the Perth Constitutional Newspaper, Dec. 21, 1836, identifies the multitude of its frequenters with the baser sort wh squander their means in tippling-houses. 86 rEUTHSHlRE. — cost L.2625, — County Buildings and Jailj erected 1819 — cost L. 32,000— Mr Smirke, architect Mason Hall— huili 18ia Gas worky erected 1824, — cost L. 19,000, — Dr Anderson, rector of the academy, furnished the plan, and superintended its execution. He invented a method for purifying the gas, equally ingenious and simple. Its brilliancy is yet unrivalled. — Water -works for supplying the city and suburbs with water, erected in 1830 — cost L. 13,609, lis. ll^d. To Dr Anderson also is the community indebted for the whole arrangement of this valuable establishment. A filtering well is constructed in the Moncrieif Island, into which the water of the Tay finds its way through a natural bank of sand and gravel. From this well it is conveyed in a pipe under the bed of the river, to another under the great reservoir, which is i)5 feet high. It is raised into this reservoir by steam engine power, and from thence it is conducted in pipes through the streets. It is at the option of the inhabitants to take it into their dwellings. The establishment was got up under the authority of an act of Parliament, and the expense defrayed by a legal assessment on the real rent of occu- pied houses. The assessment cannot be more than five per cent. St Leonard's Church— built 1834,— cost L. 2500,— Mr Mac- kenzie, architect. IIL — Population. In the year 1562 the population is said to have been 6075, but the correctness of this cannot be relied on. As reported to Dr Webster, when he drew up the widows' scheme in 1755, it was 9019; in 1801, it was 14,878; in 1811, it was 17,248; in 1821, it was 19,068; in 1831, it was 20,016. The population of the parish has been of late on the increase, but no remarkable circum- stance has occurred to which this may be ascribed. There are three villages in the parish. — Tulloch, containing 193 inhabitants ; Craigie, containing 250 ; and Pittheaveless and Cherry Bank, con- taining 114. The yearly average of births for the last seven years is 6022 ;♦ the yearly average of deaths for the last seven years is 603^ ;f and the yearly average of marriages for the last seven years is 164^. • This is the average number of the births that were reported to the session-clerk, and by him enrolled in the itaptism register. There were 242 children who, during this period, died unbapti ed. and were not reported to the clerk. Besides, there were several parents who, from various motives, declined to register their children's names. It is from the register only that information on the point can be derived. No satisfac- tory conclusion therefore, can be drawn from what is here afforded. f The number of persons reported to the keeper of the buryiiig-ground at their interment, as having died of Asiatic cholera in 1832, was as follows :— in the month PERTH. 87 There are no resident nobility in the parish, and, with respect to &milies or individuals of private fortune residing in it, I have not the means of ascertaining with accuracy their number. Of proprietors of land of the yearly value of L. 50 and upwards, there are not more in number than 10. In 1831, the number of inha- l»ted houses was 2049; of uninhabited houses, 182; of houses building, 1 1 ; of families, 4956. The average number in each fa- mily may, be 4 nearly. The people are not remarkable for either strength, or size, or complexion, of any other personal qualities. The number of insane and fatuous people is 40 ; of blind, 7 ; of deaf and dumb, 12. Language J ^c, of the People, — The language generally spoken is English. There ar^ some Highlanders in the parish who can- not speak any language but the Gaelic, and there is a considerable number who can speak Gaelic and English with equal facility. There are no popular customs, games, and amusements in the parish that are peculiar to this part of the country.* The habits of March, 15 ; of April, 26 ; of May, 4 ; of Juoe, 9 ; of August, 1 1 ; of September' 15 ; of October, 31 ; of November, 25 ; of December, 1 1 ; toul, 147- * The games Vhich at present are most common are, foot-lmll, caning quoits, crick- et, and golf. Within these few years, a number of gentlemen have formed them- selves into a society under the designation of " the Royal Perth Golfing Society.** The golf and foot-ball were, in ancient times, favourite games in Scotland, but the Government, in the reigns of the James*s, consulting more the security of the realm than the amusement of the lieges, discouraged these games, and, by le;;^islative enact- ments, encouraged the more athletic and warlike exercises of weaponbliawing and of archery. It was enacted in the reign of James I. that weaponshaws l>e made in ilk shire, and sicklike in burroughs : — In the reign of James II., that the foot -ball and golf be cried down, and bow marks erected in each parish : — In the reign of James III., that sheriffs and bailies of regalities hold weaponshawing, and anierciat thcni that are absent or not well abuilzied: — In the reign of James IV . that neither foot. ball nor golf, nor unprofitable sport for the defence of the realm be used : — In the reiga of James V., that weaponsh:iwing be made twice in the year, in the months of June and October, at days and places as shall please the sherifl', and bailies, and burgesses o( the land. The harness of the weaponshaw was as follows :— ** For every Doblemao, sic as earle, lorde, knicht, and baroune, and everie greate landed man, hjvend ane hundredth pounde of zerlie rent, bee an armed in quliite harnesse, licht or heavie, as the please, and weaponed effeir, and to his honor. And that all others of lower rent and degree in the low>land, have jacks of plaite, halksikes or brigitanes, gorget or pesane, with spleots pause of mailzic, with gloves of plate or mailzie; that gentlemen, unlanded and seamen, have jacks of plate, halksikes, splents, salcate or steil bonet, with pesane or gorget, and everie with sworde ; — and na inaner o( wea- pon be admitted in weaponshawing, bot speares, pikes stacke and lang, of six clnes of length, Leith exes, halbardes, hand bowes and arrowes, crose bowes, culverings, twa- handed swordes, and every man to be an armed as said is, under the peine of five pounde to be tane of everie landed man, fiflie shillings of everie gentleman, and twcn- tle shillings of everie zeaman, alsafl as they be founden faltous in the premisses." Adamson, in his Muses Threnodie, laments that in his day archery was neglected in Perth. Mr Cant, in his notes on the Muses, comments on the lamentation in the following terms : — *♦ Archery, of which the gentlemen of Perth were great masters, was maile an indispensable part of education from the days of James 1. This most acoomplisbed and wise prince passed an act forbidding the favourite diversion of foot-ball, substituting in its place that of shooting with bows and arrows. Every 88 PERTHSHIRE. of the people do not in any respect differ from those of the inha* bitants of the country generally. Their style and manner of dress boy/ when he came to the age of thirteen, was obh'ged at stated times to practise archery at certain bow marks. There is a piece of ground without tlie north port, on the left hand of the road leading to Hunting Tower, called the Bow Butt, where this exer- cise was practised, but the strong and expeit archers had their bow marks on the South Inch. Near the south end of this Inch stands yet a stone which tradition says was the southern mark. The northern is near to the north-west side of the ditch that surrounds the mound, (CromwelPs citadel.) It was fixed on a rising ground called the ** Scholars Knoul." The stone was but lately carried off. 1*he distance between these marks is about Hve hundred fathoms. They must have been very strong and ex- pert archers who could shoot an arrow betwixt these marks. From the city records, it appears that the weaponshaw was from an early period observed in Perth according to statute. The magistrates, by beat of drum and pro- clamation, called out the weaponshawers to exercise on the North Inch at the fixed periods, and sometimes oftener. lliey appointed them a captain and other officers ; they gave them an ensign, which was called the hanzgcnzicr^ uihI the bearer was de- signated the hanzgenzier bearer. At particular times, the Hag, having upon it the holy lamb en pnnsani carrying the banner of St Andrew, was produced. Absentees were fined in 40 shillings each. In 1604, a ** Mr Brown, surgeon, and deacon of the Wrights, produced a letter of exemption under the privy seal, dated 2d February 1507, of divers contents, whereupon the council granted him exemption from all as- sizes, and weaponshawings, and others, during his life.** There is on record an account of a weapons^awing on the North Inch, 27th July 1614 — " The performers were assembled by beat of drum ; Alexander Peebles was nominated * hanzsengier bearer.' Persons were appointed to be * gydaris, and setting the pepill rank for ordour, and disobediencents to be warded,* (imprisoned) The seven ofllicers (town sergeants) got for the occasion a stand of new red Fleming. * Patrick Brcsone is ordained to deliver and lay the pledges, whilk aV in his handis, of the browsteris, in gardic for officerls clathis to this wcaponshawing." A riot took place, occasioned by the disorderly conduct of some of the skinnernien and hammer- men crofts. The Lord Scone, who was Provost of the burgh, was sent for to * take ordour with the riot.* An investigation took place ; the rioters were required to ap- pear next day, and say whether they would refer themselves to the town-council or the secret council. The deacons obliged their crafl to abide by the decision of the town-council. Th-: skinner rioters were fined in 500 merks, to be laid out on the east pillar of the bridge, and they paid the penalty. It does not appear what judg- ment was passed on the hammermen rioters. After the year 1620, there is no account of wcaponshawing in Perth. Horse racing appears to have existed in Perth from an early period. The place appropriated to it was the South Inch ; the course was marked by six stakes. The first account which I find of a prize having been run for is in 1613 ; it was a silver bell, presented by Ninian Graham of Garvock, in name of John Graham of Bogside. In 1631, there were three prize silver bells, but they were declared to be unsuitable, and a cup was substituted in their place, which it appears weighed no more than eight ounces. The race on that year was run on the day after Palm Sunday, and the prize was awarded to Thomas Tyrie of Drumkilbo ; his horse was called Kildair. The Palm Sunday race in 1633 was for a piece of plate, value L. 40. In 1637, the cup was won by Francis Story, servant to Lord Fen ton. Till 1688 the race was called ** the bell race.** By authority of the magistrates it was thereafter called, " race for a cup and other prizes.** The course was transferred from the South to the North Inch many years ago, being in several important respects preferable. By an cxcambion which the town effected with the Earl of Kinnoul in 1785, the Inch has been very much enlarged ; the course is 2220 yards. For fleet horses it is unrivalled, as throughout the plain there is not a single rising ; it is almost a dead level. It may be proper to mention, that, before the excambion took place, the course was nearly the same as at present, the Earl permitting it to go through his park, and the division wall to be for the time taken down. * There is an act of the town*council in 1624, " as to children going about weekly with their bows and arrows, at ute and wont,'* PERTH. 89 have DO peculiarity, as their intercourse with all quarters of the kingdom is free and frequent. Their habits are in general cleanly, and increasingly so. In the city, in which the poor of the parish principally reside, there are places where there is certainly a want of cleanliness, arising in some families from the inadequate means of support, and in others from the profligacy, or want of domestic economy on the part of the parents. I unhesitatingly ascribe much o^he squalid poverty that is found in many of the dwellings of the labouring classes of the community, to the number and proximity of low tippling-houses. These houses have, in many instances, proved a most melancholy source of evil to the families of the poor. It is scarcely to be expected that much attention to domestic comfort can prevail where dissipation and poverty are combined ; but among the sober and industrious operatives, even where the wages are very limited, there is a marked disposition to habits of cleanliness. The truth was lately shewn, when, upon the cholera making its appear- ance in the country, a strict scrutiny was instituted into the state of every quarter of the parish. A want of cleanliness was dis- covered in a few districts, but the utmost readiness was shewn by the people to remedy the evil. On the whole, the people enjoy the comforts and advantages of society, and are contented with their situation. There are, as in all such population, some who are discontented with their allotment in society, and are easily moved to take a violent part in the political questions of the day, and follow the standard of the turbulent agitator. The press is teeming with periodicals that are violent on both sides of every matter, bearing on the interests of the country, and such productions an ignorant and credulous multitude generally prefer to those that are moderate and dispassionate ; and thus it happens that our politi- cally disposed operatives arc particularly violent in their attach- ments and animosities. Were there fewer inflammatory newspapers brought into active circulation among them, they would be a much more sober, prosperous, and happy portion of the community. With respect to the general " character of the people, intellec- tual, moral, and religious," I am disposed to speak in commen- datory terms. The reading portion of them is considerable, and they have easy access to various libraries containing useful and practical treatises. When we speak of the morality of a place, it is always comparative, and I know of no town of the same size in which there is more attention paid to moral duty. If, on the one hand, it cannot be denied that immoral characters have become 90 PERTHSHIRE. more openly dariDg, it will not be denied, on the other, that moral characters have stood forward more openly and avowedly. The religious character of the people may, in some measure, be inferred from the fact that, exclusive of a Roman Catholic chapel, there are nineteen places of public worship in the parish to a population of 120,016. I am not aware of how the matter stands with respect to the other places of worship in the parish ; but this I know, that there is this year, in the establishment churches, a greater ni^p- ber of sittings taken than there was in any preceding year. There are persons among us who openly profess infidel prin- ciples, and some, also, who openly disregard all religious ordinances, and, what in this country is uniformly symptomatic of an abandon-- ment of all feeling of religious propriety, there are some tradesmen who walk abroad on the Lord's day in their ordinary working habiliments, as if ^to show a marked contempt of what the com- munity in general hold to be sacred. With the exception of these characters, who are generally held in the lowest estimation by their fellow townsmen, the inhabitants of the parish are entitled to the appellation of a moral and religious people. There is no ^^ poaching in game or the salmon- fisheries." Smyg- gling some years ago prevailed to a great extent, but it has now very much decreased — whisky being obtained from legal distilleries of a superior quality, and at as low a price as it can be obtained from smugglers. Pawnhroking is carried on to a very small extent. There are several brokers ; almost all of them are of the lowest order of Irish Roman Catholics. IV. — Industry. Agriculture. — The number of acres in the parish of Perth, either cultivated or occasionally in tillage, is 2606, standard imperial measure, or about 2032^ Scotch. It has been all, at one time or ano- ther, cultivated. The two Inches have for a very long period been irt pasture. There is no undivided common. There are about 750 acres of wood ; all planted. The kinds are almost entirely Scotch pine and larch. The management is good. The average rent of arable land is L.3, 12s. 5d, per acre. Some fields are so high as L. 5 per acre. There are no lands let for grazing except the Inches. The lessee is bound by his tack, which is from year to year, not to charge more than L. 2, 2s. for each cow. Many, however, are admitted for less than that sum. Sheep are not pastured on il for the year. That was prohibited in 1697, and the prohibition has continued in force ever since. The lessee PERTH. 91 is permitted to put sheep upon them, only after St John's market, which is held on the 6rst Friday of September. The wage of a common farm-servant for the year is about 6^ bolls of oat-meal, and a Scotch pint of sweet milk per day, and lodging. The wages of artisans, such as wrights and masons, are, besides victuals, about 2s. per day in the summer season, and is. 8d. in the winter. The price of butter is from 7d. to lOd. per pound; of eggs from 6d. to 9d. per dozen. Very little cheese is made. The price of common carts, including wheels and axles, is about L« 10, 10s. each; of com carts without wheels and axles, L. 3, 10s. ; of ploughs (iron) L. 3, 10s.; of harrows, L. 1, 8s. ; a thrashing mill of six horse pow- er costs about L. 100. Little live-stock is reared, as, from the land lying so very conti- guous to the city, greater profit arises from the production of corns. The stock that is reared consists principally of the Angus breed. Short-homed cattle have been of late introduced and successfully. No sheep are bred in the parish. With respect to the character of the husbandry pursued, it may suffice to remark, that the general practice is to take a white and green crop altemately. On dry lands, the green crops consist of potatoes, turnips, and grass. On strong land, the six course shift is followed; 1. fallow; 2. wheat; 3. beans; 4. barley; 5. grass; 6. oats or wheat The farmers are judicious, enterprising, and sub- stantial. Draining has been carried on to a considerable extent. There is much strong land. A considerable portion of it has been fur- row drained, and much improved thereby. There are no meadows, and there is of course no irrigation. The fields lying close upon the Tay have been embanked and secured from the general floods. The duration of leases varies from fifteen to twenty-one years. As the prices of grain have for some years past been falling, the length of leases has been unfavourable to the occupiers, in so far as rents are paid in money. Most of the rents, however, are now paid, half in money and half in grain. On the estate of Moncrieff, the rents have been converted en- tirely into grain, on terras which were satisfactory both to the land- lord and the tenant. In such cases the occupier is of course less affected by the length of his lease. The farm-buildings are generally good. They have been al- most all of them erected within the last thirty years. There are 02 PERTHSHIRE. no enclosures in the parish, with the exception of a few in the high grounds of upper Friartoun; their fences are of stone. All the dry lands would be greatly in^proved by enclosures. There has been little recent alteration in the mode of farming, except in the increased culture of potatoes, since the London mar- ket for that article was opened about seventeen years ago. From the proximity of the city, manure can, in abundance and without difficulty, be procured, either from the city itself or from London by sea. But it may well be doubted whether the land can bear such severe cropping. With regard to " the obstacles to improvement," that which seems to be most felt, and which is most complained of, is the want of enclosures, and consequently of pasturage, in the dry lands. The property is almost all entailed, which may be a reason why the ex- pense of enclosing is not incurred. The enclosing of the fields which are on the highways is obviously of very great importance to the farmer, as his crops are never safe without it. But, for some cause or other, various high-rented fields are altogether unprotect- ed from high-way encroachment. Tenants having only a tempo- rary interest in the soil cannot be expected to incur the expense of rearing up permanent fences. They entered on their leases with sufficient capital for the undertaking ; but that capital has, in some cases, been diminished under a management equally prudent and vigorous — the prices being lower than they were contemplated to be, when the leases were entered on. Thus, the tenant has no inducement to lay out on his farm more of his means than what is absolutely necessary to the production of such returns as will enable him to live, and pay the proprietor. " The covenants of leases" are generally fair, and present no obstacle to improvement, the want of enclosures, or a provision for making them always excepted. Quarries and Mines. — There are no mines in the parish. There is one freestone quarry, which appears to have been wrought at some remote period to a considerable extent, but the stone is so exceedingly soft that the houses in the city, which have been built from it, have become very much decayed ; it has, therefore, been entirely deserted. There is in the parish an excellent trapstone quarry, from which a great quantity of road-metal has been recently taken. It lies about a mile and a half on the road to Edinburgh. Fisheries, — The only fisheries in the parish are salmon fisheries. The rents of these are at present about L. 1350 per annum. The PERTH. 93 principal ones belongbg to the city are on small islands a short way down the river. The whole belonging to the city are let for about L. 830. Last lease, they were let for L. 1300; ten years ago the rent was L. 1500. All the fish taken in the river above New- burgh are shipped from Perth by lighters for the Dundee steam ships, in which they are conveyed to London. The number shipped in 1835 was above 25,000 salmon and 50,000 grilses, making 5000 boxes, or 250 tons of fish. The yearly average of ten years, however, might be only about 4500 boxes^ or 225 tons. The rental of the whole fishings of the district will rate between 1^8000 and L. 10,000, and employ upwards of 450 men. Previous to 1828, the close-time commenced on the 26th of August, and ended 10th December. It was then altered by act of Parliament, and commenced 14th September, and ended the 1st of February. But it has been found that the 14th of Septem- ber is too late for shutting, as many of the fish far advanced to- wards spawning are killed between the 26th of August and 14 th of September ; and, on the whole, the prolongation of the time has been of very little benefit to those interested in the matter,, while a great many fish that ought to have been left to stock the river are destroyed. A bill has now been introduced into Parliament to fix the close time for the Tay, from about the 25th of August to the middle of January, which has the approbation of all concerned in the Tay fish- ings. The act of ld2tt was, however, productive of several good effects, especially in affording greater facilities to the punishment of poachers, and the protection of spawning fish, so that there is reason to believe that not one is now killed in close-time, for twenty previous to the passing of that act. Owing to the above and other causes, grilses have increased very much of late years, — the num- ber taken being fiilly sevenfold to what it was forty years ago. Produce. — The average gross amount of raw produce raised in the parish, as nearly as can be ascertained, may be stated as follows : — Produce of grain of all kinds, whether cultivated for food of man or the domestic animals, namely, wheat, oats, barley, pease, beans, about d,G04 imperial quarters, which, at an average of the fiars prices for the last thrcj years, amounts to about . . . L. 8778 Ditto of potatoes from about 189 acres, at L. 10, 10s. per acre, or 14*21 tons at L. I, Ss. per ton, . 1984 10 Ditto from 90 acres of turnips, at L. 8 per acre, or 3600 tons, at 48. per ton, . . . 720 (One-half of the turnips require to be consumed on the farm.) Gross produce of hay, 44210 stones at 6d. per stone. . 1 105 5 L. 750 1350 94 PERTHSHIRE. (Three-fourths of this, in the shape of grass or hay, require to be con- sumed on the farm, and one -fourth only can go to market.) Produce of crops cultivated for the arts, of land in pasture, . . • of gardens and orchards, none, of the annual thinning, &c. of woods, &c. of fisheries, . . . of coals, quarries, or metals. Total yearly value of raw produce raised, L. 14,687 15 Manufactures. — The manufactures of Perth consist principally of cotton-coloured goods, of which umbrella cloth is the staple. A great quantity of handkerchiefs, checked and striped ginghams, imitation Indian shawls, scarfs, trimmings, &c. are also woven. The number of weavers is about 1600, some of whom are em- ployed by manufacturers in Glasgow and Paisley. But a consi- derable number are employed by manufacturers in Perth, Scone, Methven, and Milnathort. Most of the umbrella cloths are sent to London, Manchester, and other towns in England and in Scotland. But the other goods are generally exported to North and South America, the East and West Indies. Many of the shawl pieces are for the Turkey market. There has lately been erected a mill for spinning flax and tow yarns, containing 850 spindles. The number of hands employed in it are, one manager and four foremen; 18 boys from twelve to fifteen years old ; 47 girls from twelve to fifteen years old ; ] 7 girls from fifteen to twenty years old ; 16 women twenty years old and upwards ; in all 103. The working hours are sixty-nine in the week, being twelve each day excepting Saturday, on which there are nine only. There is only one set of workers ; but if the arrange- ments contemplated are completed, there will be two sets, working eight hours each day, or forty-eight hours in the week. There is preparation making for additional 400 spindles. Tulloch, which lies about two miles to the west of the city, is memorable from its having been the first bleachfield established in Scotland. It was established about the commencement of the eighteenth' century, by a gentleman from Ireland, of the name of Christie. The present proprietor of Tulloch is Hector Sandeman, Esq., who, with great integrity and enterprise, carries on an ex- tensive bleaching and printing- work. The number of hands em- ployed is 250. He has erected an apparatus for the produc- tion of pyrolignous acid, which is used in his works as a solvent for various metals and minerals. The charcoal is disposed of to foun- PERTH. 95 ders and dyers, and to private families for culinary purposes. It may here be mentioned, that the 6rst potatoes produced in Scot- land were at this place, from seed brought over by Mr Christie from Ireland. There are three iron founderies of considerable extent. Their work in cast-iron machinery and blacksmith's articles is well exe- cuted, and has an extensive sale. Navigation. — The direct importation from foreign parts into Perth for the year 1835, consisted chiefly of Baltic produce, and of the following articles : cheese, B40 cwt. ; clover seed, 780 cwt. ; foreign spirits, 120 gal.; flax, 2000 cwt; lintseed, 30 quarters (the importations of this article generally consist of from 600 to 800 quarters yearly;) and'a considerable quantity of timber, — pine, Nor- way, Baltic, and American, the whole imported in twenty-two ves- sels, the sales whereon were L.5191. Besides the above, there were corns, bark, hides, smalt, madder, tar, &c. Importations of bones and animalized carbon, to a considerable extent, have taken place, not only from the continent, but coastways, which have been found (the bones being ground) to be very beneficial in raising turnips. The articles imported coastways are, coal, lime, salt, manure, &c^ The quantity of coals in 1835 was, from England, about 22,000 tons ; and from Scotland, about 1 1,500 tons. The value about L. 28,500. The exports to foreign parts were trifling. Indeed, from the con- tiguity of the great shipping port of Dundee, a great many articles were sent thither in lighters for exportation, and a number of car- goes, ostensibly for Perth and its county, were entered inwards there from the continent, and transhipped into lighters hither. But the quantity of potatoes shipped from Perth for the London mar- ket during the last year was 27,1 14 tons, or 108,456 Scotch bolls. The value in Perth about L. 65,000; and the value in London, which includes freight, &c about L. 101.000. The other exports consisted of corns of all kinds, about 40,000 quarters, and a con- siderable quantity of timber, slates, &c. The number of vessels belonging to Perth is 78, — 5467 tons. The number of coasting-vessels which entered the port last year was 736, — about 40,000 tons. The only navigable river connected with the parish is the Tay. V. — Parochial Economy. Market'Town. — Perth is a market-town, and the only one in the 96 PERTHSHIRE. parish. Its population, as I have already stated, was, at the last census 1831, 20,016. It was in early times a place of great trade. In Camden's Britannia, the following distich is quoted from an English writer, Alexander Necham, who was Abbot of Exeter in 1215, and died in 1227. " Transis, itmple Tai, per rura per oppida, per Perth Regnum sustentant illius urbis opes." ** Great Tay, thou passest on through fields, through towns, through Perth. The wealth of that city supports the kingdom.'* An extensive commerce was carried on during many ages between Perth and the Netherlands. The merchants of Perth visited in their own ships the Hans towns. The German merchants, very early, frequented the port of Perth, and not {f few industrious Ger- mans, who wrought in the woollen and linen manufactories, and in staining cloth, seem to have fixed their abode at Perth, and to have been received as burgesses. But William the Lion, following the example of his grandfather. King David, put the foreign merchants under a great restriction when they came to Perth with their goods. In a charter which he gave to the town 1210, and as a further dis- couragement to these merchants, he granted to his burgesses in Perth, in that same charter, " that they might have their own mer- chant guild — fullers and weavers excepted." It does not appear that Perth has, since then, been disting^uish- ed as a place of trade. About 6fty years ago, several enterprising individuals directed their attention to the manufacturing of cotton goods, — there being a demand for them in the market to a very en- couraging extent This gave employment to weavers. The num- ber of these rapidly increased, as high wages were held out to the people who would engage in the trade, and as proficiency in it was very soon and very easily acquired. Besides capitalists in Perth, there were others in Glasgow who had agents here, employing weavers. But, owing to adverse circumstances and events, some ca- pitahsts failed, and others were necessitated to restrict their opera- tions. The number of operatives thereupon diminished. Wages fell very low, and no small distress ensued. There can be no doubt of the fact, that the temporary prosperity of this branch of trade was chiefly owing to the too adventurous spirit of speculating indivi- duals. Though it cannot be said to have yet revived, there are gentlemen among us, who, by sound and spirited application of skill and capital, are employing a considerable body of operatives. At the period now referred to, and for long before, the glove «i PERTH. 97 trade of Perth was prosperous. Perth-made gloves had a prefe- reoce throughout the kingdom. One tradesman had seventeen men employed in cutting out work for his sewers. The quantity yearly manu&ctured for home consumption was between 2000 and 3000 pairs. But the trade is now almost entirely gone» the sale of the article being in the hands of haberdashers and cloth- merchants, who obtain it from various quarters in England and Scotland. The con- sequence of this has been the falling off of another branch of trade, that of skinners, which, not many years ago, was very prosperous, and which, in ancient times, occupied such a numerous body of the in- habitants, that the main street from the north, being chiefly occu- pied by them, was named Skinner Street. About the year 1795, the number of sheep and lamb skins prepared and dressed was 30,000. The trade is now limited to two or three individuals. I'he number of these skins, prepared and dressed by them, is about 27,000. Perth was, forty years ago, the only town in Scotland, with the exception of Edinburgh, and perhaps Glasgow, in which book- printing was carried on to any extent. The Messrs Morison, who were distinguished for intellectual endowment and literary attain- ment, vigorously applied themselves to this branch of trade. They printed, Mr Scott informs us in his Statistical Account of Perth, between twenty and thirty thousand volumes annually. Since their time the trade has been more generally diffused over the kingdom, and in many other provincial towns it is prosecuted with consider- able spirit. Of course it is not now in Perth what it formerly was. Villages. — The villages in the parish are, as I have already stated, Tulloclm^ containing 193 inhabitants; Pitheaveless and Cherry-bank, containing 114 inhabitants ; Upper and Lower Crai- gie, containing 250 inhabitants. There was at one time a con- siderable village at South Muirtown, but it is now removed. Means of Communication. — Perth is a post-town. The net re- venue of the office is about L. 4000. The mail from Edinburgh arrives at 9 p. m. on its way to the north, to Dundee, Aberdeen, Inverness. The mail to Edinburgh is dispatched at 1 a. m. The Glasgow mail arrives at half-past 8 p. m., and is dispatch- ed at 1 a. m. The mail from Aberdeen and Dundee arrives at 10 minutes before 1 a. m., and from Inverness at 11 p. m. The turnpike roads in the parish, from south to north, are about four miles and a half, and from east to west about two miles. The roads diverge from the city as a centre,— one to Edinburgh, PERTH. o 98 PERTHSHIRE. on the south ; two to Glasgow, on the west ; and one to Dunkeld, Inverness, &c. on the north ; one to Aberdeen on the north-east They are not now as they were formerly, ill made and ill kept They are made and kept in repair entirely upon Mr M* Adam's judicious system, to the incalculable benefit and comfort of the tra-* Teller. On all these roads, four-horse coaches run daily. The Bridge of Perth is the only one in the parish that merits particular notice. It was founded in the year 1766, and finished in 1771. It is simple and elegant It has nine arches. Its length is 880 feet, and its breadth 18 feet of carriage way, and 4 feet of foot pavement, in all 22 feet between the parapets. It has been repeatedly proposed to make it wider ; and some advances have been made with that view. But the parties immediately inte- rested have not as yet agreed as to the way of carrying the pro- posal into effect To the spirited and patriotic exertions of the late Right Honourable Thomas Earl of Kinnoul, the county are indebted for this important building. In the traditional account of the origin of Perth, given by Mr Henry Adamson in his Muses Threnodie, it is said that Agricola having fortified the town with walls and a strong castle, did also, with much labour to his soldiers, and probably to the poor natives, also construct a large wooden bridge over the river at Perth. This may be true ; but he produces no fact to give probability to the tra- dition. Among the records belonging to the Abbacy of Scone, there is, as I have already stated, an order from King Robert Bruce^ 1329, to the abbot and monks, to allow the magistrates of Perth liberty to take stones out of the quarries of Kincarrathie or Bal- cormac, for building the Bridge of Tay, the Bijdge of Earn, and the church. A citizen of Perth, of the name of Dundee, has re- corded several events, with their dates, in a miscellaneous manu- script, of which Mr Adamson was in possession when he wrote the Muses Threnodie. The manuscript was commenced in 1570^ and was continued by his son till 1 636. In contains, inter alia^ a notice of " the falling down of the three bowis of the Brig of Tay be the greet watter, and of Lewis Vaiter, on the 20 day of Dec. in anno 1578." — " The downe falling of five bowis of the Brig of Tay on the 14 day of Janewir in anno 1582 yeiris." — " The downe falling of the bra trein pillaris of the Brig of Tay on the 29 day of De- cember in anno 1589 zeiris." This must have been the bridge that was built in 1329; and the substantial correctness of Mr Dun- dee's notice is established by the contents of a decreet of the Lords ^ 3 PERTH. 99 of Council in 1586, m eavsa, the magistrates of Dundee verms the magistrates of Perth, in which the latter plead, why they should not pay certain duties claimed for repairing the shore and bulwark of Dundee, that their need was equally great ^^ of sic exactions to support the common weil of thair awin burgh, mair requisit to be bott and helpit, nor the said shore and havin of Dundee, speciallie the brig haiffiog twyst fellin doun and decayit, and laitlie being erectit of tymmer, is readdy to fall without present help,*' &c. From this time till 1617, the bridge was under repair, and a con- siderable portion of it built anew. Among the records of the House of Pittheaveless, there is an order from the King and secret coun- cil, 7th February 1599, for allowing the magistrates of Perth to take stones out of thequarry of Pittheaveless for repairing the Bridge of Tay, on payment of fifty merks yearly, until it be finished. The progress of the work, the obstructions which occurred, and the means resorted to for obtaining the necessary funds, are entered faithfully and fully in the city records. In 1617 it appears to have been finished, as in that year 3000 merks were paid as the price of the last arch. The high national importance attached at that time to this bridge, appears from the charter which James gave, during its re- pair, to the town, confirming their whole rights and privileges, dat- ed at Holyrood, 15th November 1600. In it he designates the bridge " a most precious jewil of our kingdom, and a work pro- fitable and primely necessary to our whole kingdom and dominion, and for the suppression of rebels and such as are viciously aflccted, most commodious; and also keeping the one -half of the kingdom, with the other half thereof in faith, obedience, duty, And office, to- wards us their kings, in our kingdom and dominion." But in the year 1621, and about four years after the completion of its re- pairs, it was, as has been already stated, swept away by a flood. Numerous attempts were made to rebuild it. James himself, and Charles Prince of Wales, and many of the nbbility and others, subscribed with that view. King Charles II., in 1662, ra- tified all grants given by King James VI. and King Charles I., his grandfather and father, of the sum of 40,000 merks for rebuilding the bridge. There is preserved in the Antiquarian Society Mu- seum the following list of subscriptions, — Holograph — Richmond Knox, 2500 merks; Geo. Hay, 1000 merks; Mar, 1000 merks; Roxburgh, 800 merks ; Erskine, 400 merks ; Gray, 800 merks ; Carnegy,400 merks; Buccleugh, 800 merks; Asprynie, 400 merks; 100 PERTHSHIRE. Seaforth, ROOmerks; Prarsthalt, 800 merks; Lorton, 800 merks; Linlithgow, 500 merks; Melrose, 800 merks; Lauderdale, 800 merks; Cranston, L. 100. The scheme was ultimately abandoned* There are no canals or raiUroads in the parish. Between Perth and Dundee there is one passage stean^-boat, and sometimes two, which ply daily. The river not being deep enough in several places to ad- mit of their passing at all hours, their arrivals and departures are re- gulated by the flowing of the tide. There is at present an iron steam- boat constructing to pFy on the river, through the enterprise of Messrs A. M*Farlane and Sons, iron-founders. It is of 70 horse-power, 112 feet long, and will draw from 33 to 36 inches water when loaded with 600 passengers. From the present spirited exertions made to remove the fords and deepen the channel of the river generally, it is expected that the boat will make the passage twice each tide* A rail-road between Perth and Dundee is projected ; surveys have been taken, and some subscriptions raised to carry the pro- ject into effect. But it does not meet with the concurrence of se- veral of the proprietors, through whose parks and pleasure-grounds it would require to be carried ; and some obstacles will stand in the way of bringing it to the city, which it will not be easy to sur- mount It is not, therefore, probable that the work will be at pre- sent proceeded in ; and the more especially, as the improvements in the river navigation promise to make water conveyance both more rapid and more frequent Harbours, — In the royal charter now adverted to, there is an inhibition on all sea-vessels, small and great, coming within the water of Tay with merchandise, from disloading or breaking bulk till they come to the bridge, t. e, the bridge at the east end of the High Street, now called the « Old Shore" and « Old Light" Here was the harbour at that time, 1600 ; but it is now removed from the town down the river to what is called the Lime shore. This removal appears to have been gradual, in consequence of an accu- mulation of gravel in the bed of the river impeding the navigation. The removal was first to the south shore, opposite to the Gray- friars burying-ground ; and, finally, in 1752, to where it now is. What was in 1600 the principal, the only harbour, receivfhg ves- sels of the greatest burden that could come up the river, and even ships mounting great guns, (as appears from the account given by Buchanan of an attempt to storm the town in 1544 from the river . or eastern side,) is now frequented by small craft only. The citizens of Perth and the inhabitants of the surrounding coun- 102 PERTHSHIRE. salmon-fisbing stations became more numerous and valuable. To such an alamiing extent had these obstructions arisen, and so long had the authorities neglected to assert their right to remove them, that many years ago it was judged advisable to consult the most eminent engineers, as to the steps which ought to be taken, with xhe view of asking new powers firom Parliament. Messrs Smeaton and Rennie severally reported their opinion, the former recom- mending a line of quay, suited to the craft then frequenting the port, — the latter recommending a suite of wet-docks on the South Inch. Mr Jardine afterwards surveyed and proposed a new harbour on the site of the old one, but projecting much farther into the current of the river, together with the removal of the weel-ford, it being the greatest obstruction, and nearest to the harbour. Mr Jardine's plan was adopted, and an act of Parliament procured for carrying it into effect on the 17th June 1830, under the di- rection of a board of commissioners twenty-nine in number. The commissioners had proceeded so far with the works under this act, as to complete the new pier, when doubts were started£as to the efficiency of the remaining part of the plan, which provided^for the removal of the weel-ford, and the deepening of the river upon an inclined plane, within the very limited space from the County Buildings to the Friartown Hole. It is but justice, therefore, to Mr Jardine to state, that his recommendations were never fully carried out, but were departed from, chiefly because they did not embrace other fords between Perth and Newburgh, which would still have presented great obstructions to the navigation, although the weel- ford had been removed. During 1833, this important subject occupied much of the atten- tion of the town-council, the merchants, and the public generally. It was at last resolved to employ Messrs Stevenson and Son, en- gineers, to make a complete survey of the river, and to report fully their opinion as to the best mode of improving the harbour and navigation. On the 22d January 1834, these gentlemen gave a very full report, in which they recommended the removal of all the fords in the river from Friartown to Newburgh, by a dredging-machine, excavating from 4 feet 3 inches, to 4 feet 9 inches ; the junction of the several small islands to the mainland, by which means they an- ticipated that the track from Newburgh to Perth would be deep- enened to 16 feet at spring tides, and 1 1 feet at neap tides ; there- by admitting vessels of 380 tons burden to pass at the former, and PBRTH. 103 of 130 tons to pass at the latter tide.* The greatest difficulty in the way of this eolaiged impro?eiiieDt was tbe risk to the salmon- 6shiiigs from the operation. The report of these gentlemen then re- commends the formation of a tide-harbour commencing at the Friartown; an entrance lock to a canal leading from thence to a ca^ pacious wet-dock, to be excavated about 200 yards to the westward of the present quay. The total estimated expense of these works is as under : ImproYemeiit of tbe DBTigatioii* • L>5600 14 3 Tide harbour, - . . 9169 18 Entrance lock, - . . 10343 8 8 Ship canal, .... 6464 12 II Wet dock, . . - 22737 4 4 L. 54,314 le 2 It was recommended that these extensive operations should be proceeded with progressively, the benefit of the first branches being available by themselves, without reference to the remaining parts. The suggestions of the Messrs Stevenson were substantially ap- proved of by the town-council, and at a public meeting of the inha- bitants ; and an act of Parliament was applied for, and obtained on the 27th June 1834, for carrying these operations into efiect under the direction of a board of conunissioners, thirty in number, of whom the Member of Parliament for the city is one, fourteen are members of the town*council, six are justices of the peace in the county, three are ship-owners, and six are burgesses of Perth. By the act, ample compensation is provided for the salmon-fishing proprietors for any damage arising to the fishings from the opera* tions. The time allowed by the act for the completion of these works is twenty years from its passing, 27th June 1834 ; five years for deepening and improving the navigation of the river, and the remainder for the execution of the other works. Since the passing of the act, the commissioners have been actively engaged in carrying its provisions into efiect. And al- though they have met with some difiSculties and obstructions in the formation of the tide harbour, it is likely that they have now over- come the greatest of these, and that the work will proceed with ra- * In 1682, the town-council passed an act granting allowances to the then " late ProTott» ( Mr John Glas) as tacksman of the fishings, to take out a great stone in Um fishings opposite the sleepless Inch.** He failed in the attempt. The stone has, since that time, been very injurious to the fishings. It was this year, 18<')6, taken out by Mr TumbuD, employed to deepen the rirer, and lies on the contiguous shore. It ii above four tons weight. 104 PERTHSHIRE. pidity, while the success of their operations on the fords has been in the highest degree satisfactory and encouraging. Ecclesiastical State. — The original church of Perth was desig- nated " the Church of St John the Baptist." It is altogether un- known when and by whom it was founded. It could not be built before the year 412, for it was not till then that the Picts, who in- habited the country to the south of the Grampian mountains, be- came converts to the Christian faith ; and if it be the fact, that till the time of St Ninian (from Galloway) there was no church built of stone in the country, it could not be before the year 452. The Picts were the ancestors of the generality of the people, and Ninian laboured as a missionary among them. The church edifice was extensive and magnificent, as appears from historical facts and from vestiges which still remain. But . after the year 1226, when it, with the tithes of the parish, was given to the Abbey of Dunfermline, the edifice was neglected. The monks endeavoured to throw the burden of Qpholding it upon the town, and the town upon the monks ; and when the monastery churches began to be built in the parish in the reign of Alei^ander II. its interests were almost entirely neglected. This was parti- cularly the case during the national disturbances which began in the year 1290. At length, however, Robert Bruce, having in a great measure restored good order in the kingdom, directed his attention to the repairing of the church of St Johnstone. His death, which took place 1329, put an end to these laudable efforts. The following letter he addressed to the abbot and convent of Scone, as proprietor of some quarries in the neighbourhood, to ob- tain the stones which might be necessary. " Robert, by the grace of God King of Scots, to our beloved and faithful religious men, the abbot and convent of Scone, greeting : We request, and that very earnestly, that you will grant liberty to take hewed stones from Kincarrachie and Balcormac, for the edification of the church of Perth and of the Bridges of Perth and Earn, providing always that this liberty shall not be of any prejudice or damage to you. Given at Glasgow, the 4th day of July, in the forty-third year of our reign." In the year 1400 the edifice was in good repair. Before that time the east end or choir had been rebuilt. The former altars of the saints were removed, and a multitude of new ones began to be founded ; only the great altar of St John Baptist, according to the superstitious feelings then prevalent, required to be kept up and to PERTH- 105 Stand in the same place, viz. at the east end of the building. The first of the new altars was that of St Ninian, to whom I have now referred. It was founded 14th August 1401 by Robert Brown, a burgess of Perth. The whole length of the building is 207 feet. The most prominent part of the edifice is the square tower. It remains the same that it was originally, only that it has been at some after period surmounted by a wooden erection of a pyrami- dical shape covered with lead, designated in an act of council in the year 1675, ** the prikit of the steeple,'' — an erection which is by no means in good keeping with the building. The whole height is 155 feet. It was repaired in the year now mentioned, and in 1767 the pricket received a new covering of lead. The magistracy under whose reign this work was done have their names perpetuat- ed upon it in alt. It had anciently one dial or horologe on the north, — another was put on the south side in 1675. There was at one time in it a set of bells of celebrated power and tone. Respecting them there is the following entry in the city records, of date 2Jst March 1652. " VisitBtioune about the Steepell and Bellis. PreKhing BeU. L On the upper syde of the Bell without Meckle pearling is about. Pxx. Joannes Baptisti Votar Ego Vox clamantis in Deserto Mecline Petrus Magheneus me fonnavit Sit benedictu qui cuncta Creavit. 147 zeiris old. 1506. IL Commone Bell This bell is in the diameter in wydnes wtne the lippis 1 ell 1 quarter and ane half. Joannes Baptisti Votar Nofl autem gloriari opportet in cnicem domini nostri Jesu Christi. Anno Domini 1520. This upmost on the head Pearling on Ilk syd of the Bell Facta sum Meckline per Georgio Magheneus Ego vox clamantis in deserto Parata viam Domini Stamps of John the Baptist on Hk syd In middest Christ ryding on ane as colt and people crying. IIL On the skelloche* littill Bell anno dom. 1400 253 zeirs old 253 zeirs old this bell is IV. On the Curfew bell on legeabill letters old character No date onlie this read I pro nobis I clamare V. Anno 1526 Seven houre Bellis without the steepill viz. on Bell for the haill ho', and six for the haff hour. on It twa crounes and ane cross. * SkeDoehe, Northern Scots, a ihrill cry or squall. Jam. Scot. Oic^Skellat, a ioaU bcQ, a sort of iron rmttlei — lb. i 108 PERTHSHIRE. the session ordains the lofts to be put up in the kirk." ** March 5, 1593^ the session ordains the masters of hospital to cause repair the kirk floor." *^ June 18, 1599, the session condescends that L. 3 be given to the tailors for the reparation of their seat in the kirk, which was transported at the desire of the minister." ^' March 29, 1609, James Adamson, master of the hospital, produced account of sums of money disbursed by him at the command of the session, for bigging of twa lofts in the kirk, the one for the pro- vost, bailies, and council, and another for common people, and the scholars of the granmiar-school, which account being heard and allowed, the accounter was found to have super- expended L. 160, Is. and 6 pennies, which sum they ordain to be paid to him of the first and readiest casualities of the hospital." '^ April 1600, the session ordains a collection to be made the next Sabbath for reparation of the kirk, and for that effect ordains twa baillies to be at every kirk door, and the elders to be with them." *^ June 10, 1616, the ses- sion ordains the pulpit to be repaired, with a new sad green cloth fringed with green silk, like the pulpit of Edinburgh." ^^ January 21, 1639, whilk day the session ordains the of the burgh of Perth to put forth their auld seat equal with their new seat, and to repair the glass windows forenent both their seats." *^ September 3, 1639, whilk day the session ordains the masters of the kirk wark to do nothing of the kirk wark till the spring time, but only point and mend the sclates." Numerous similar extracts might be produced to evince the fact, that the temporalia of the church of Perth was, at the early period referred to, under the jurisdiction and management of the ministers and elders, — that all things connected with it were arranged and disposed of as they pleased. It is true they had no power given them as a kirk-session over the temporalia, but they had the power as the appointed hospital managers. A complete change has taken place. The temporalia are now entirely under the jurisdiction of the civil authorities of the city, and the kirk-session or ministers and elders have not even a sitting in the church to dispose of to any individual, however destitute. As a matter of curiosity, it may be worth while to inquire how this change has been brought about — whether members of the town- council holding office in the session, which they did for a consi- derable time during the semi-episcopalian semi-presbyterian period of the church of Scotland, may not have contributed to effect the change. PERTH. 109 It is an illustrative fact, and not out of place to mention, that the town-council got possession of, and retained for many years, till obliged to give it up, a property of considerable value belonging to the hospitaL James VI., among other immunities and privileges, gifted to the hospital by charter L. 69, 6s. 8d. of yearly burgage ikrm, formerly paid to the Exchequer, and for that sum the town was to bold count annually to the Exchequer, at the filling up of the aeque, as paid by them to the hospital. The town agents contriv- ed to conceal the grant, and might have continued to do so in all time coming, had not one of the ministers, in 1754, discovered the fact, in consequence of an incidental perusal which he had got of the town's great charter. An investigation forthwith commen- ced, and demands were made to obtain possession of the property. These were upon various grounds resisted, particularly the not very honourable one of n^ative prescription. Recourse was then had to the civil court, and in 1758, the Lords of Session decerned against the town, requiring them to pay in all time coming the said sum of L. 69, 6s. 8d. and also to make count for thirty-nine years, with certain deductions of bygones, to the amount of L. 2377, 12s. 8d. Sterling. Another illustrative fact may be mentioned. Immedi- ately upon the charter being granted, the minister and elders, as hospital managers, entered on possession of the Blackfriars and Charter- House lands. In a few years, the magistrates and council claimed as their right to have the management of the property. Their claim was indeed resisted, but they contrived to gain their point by means of that most disgraceful and outrageous transaction, which I have before particularly detailed (page 59.) Having, at this illegal self-constituted session, got into the management of the hospi- tal affairs, they contrived to appropriate to the use of the town the proceeds of these lands. The presbytery interfered, and threat- ened legal measures. They then proposed to the session to alie- nate the said proceeds to the maintenance of a third minister. The session applied to the presbytery for advice, who referred the matter to the General Assembly. The Assembly appointed a committee of legal members to consider it and report. The report was decid- edly against the town-council. Still, however, the council continued to hold the property, and appropriate and draw the rents. A num- ber of the councillors being members of session, the session was gained over. The presbytery coming to the knowledge of this, did at their own risk, and with their own means, and even though oppos- ed by the kirk- session, commence a process before the C!ourt of 110 PERTHSHIRE. Session, (1758) against the town, for recovering that property to the hospital, and for count and reckoning with respect to bygone abstracted rents. After a very keen litigation for more than two years, in the course of which the cause was carried to the House of Peers, Mr Boswell, one of the presbytery's counsel, craved that the hospital should be found entitled to the mails and duties of Blackfriars and Charterhouse lands since the commencement of the ptocess, and passed from the other claim of bygone mails and duties, pro loco et tempore. Accordingly, the Lords pronounced their final decree on the 25th of July that year, ordaining the town of Perth to cede the possession of the Blackfriars and Charterhouse lands to the hospital masters, and the tenants to pay their rents in all time coming to the said hospital masters, &c One other illus- trative fact I shall mention, and which is immediately to the point. The parish church of St John the Baptist was specially gifted in the charter to the hospital, and for many years the kirk-session exercised the uncontrolled administration of its concerns. They originated and appointed every alteration or repair that was made upon it, externally and internally. All the seats in it were erected by them, or by others with their permission. And both its walls and Its roof were repeatedly repaired by them. Nay, the steeple, and its clock, and its bells, were theirs, and they employed and paid persons for keeping them in proper order. The extracts which I have given (pp. 105, 6, 7.) from the session records make this mar nifest. Now the session have no acknowledged claim to the church, or to any thing pertaining to it. It is in the possession of the city and other incorporations, and it does not appear that there has ever been a legal transference of the property from the hospital to any individual or body of men whatever. The hospital has lost this with other property, through the incapacity of its managers to re- sist encroachments. From the year 1560 to the year 1595, the church was supplied by only one minister. From 1595 to 1716, it was supplied by two. In 1715 the town-council took into consideration, that "the inha- bitants of the town and parish had considerably increased," and being, with zeal for the glory of God, concerned for the advance- ment of the work of the gospel, and in compassion to the souls of many hundreds of people, " agreed that a third minister should be called and elected by the town-council and kirk -session, or present- ed by the council, if calling and election will not suffice," and un- animously agreed to assign the sum of 1000 merks Scots yearly. PERTH. 1 I 1 out of the common good for bis maintenance, with the promise that the sum shall revert to the common good when the popula- tion shall so far diminish that one church shall be sufficient for the accommodation of the inhabitants. Accordingly that portion of the Old Church which had been se« parated from it, some time before the beginning of the seventeenth century,* and which had, for a few years before this, been occasion- ally used as a place of worship, was fitted up to be an additional church. Mr Wilson preacher of the Gospel, was presented, called, and ordained accordingly, November 1, 1716. From that time till 1740 there were thus three ministers. But in that year Mr Wilson having been found guilty of following divisive courses, was deposed, and no one was appointed to succeed him. Matters re- verted to what they were previous to 1715, — only the two ministers preached alternately in the two churches. In 1771, the choir or east end of the edifice was separated from the old church, as the west had been, and converted into a third church. An additional minister thus becoming necessary, an or- dained assistant was appointed. But it was not deemed expedient that each should have his own distinct church. The three there- fore observed a rotation, making the round of the churches every three weeks. This unedifying and uncomfortable practice con- tinued till the year 1807, when the town council with the two mi- nisters, the landward heritors, and the presbytery, applied to the Lords of Session, and obtained a decreet disjoining f the parish, and erecting it into four. A fourth church being thus required, it was accordingly, in conformity with the condition of the decreet, * The particular purpose to which it was originally appropriated is unknown. But, as appean in the city records, it was in 1G04 in a state to require repair. In 1608, a general meetiDg of the inhabitants was held in it to raise the funds for the bridge which was building. In February 1618, the council issued an order to red the house where the guns lay in the new (West) Kirk, to receive tlie corps of Lady Montrose, mend the lock and key, and to lay the guns in the north side of the said kirk.** In the same year, August 25, the General Assembly of the church was held in it ; when, through the bully. ing and threatening of James, the famous five Perth articles were passed. In 1628 the convention of burghs took place in it, preparatory to which the great west window was repaired. In 1654, *'^ a room was divided off in it for the purpose of holding courts.*' In 1671, the Justiciary Court met in it. The seat erected for the judges cost nearly L. 173, 129. In 168i, the council gave license to the Marquis of Athole to hew stones in it. Prom the time when it became one of the city churches, I7I6 till 1771 f neither bap- tism nor the Lord's supper was dispensed in it. These sacraments were dispensed in the Old (Middle) Church only. !t was not till 1772 that these ordinances were dispensed in all the three diurches. Middle, West, and East. f The dty record for 1603 contains an order to speak to the Laird of Weem to stand the towo*a favoorer and friend in their adoes, and specially anent the division of the «- titm in Edinbtugh, to see if the same may be had *-*m our town.** 112 PETHSHIRE. erected, and each minister was restricted to his own church and parish. In the year 1788, a chapel was built by subscription and by col- lections made in the churches throughout the synod, for the High- landers who resided in Perth and its neighbourhood. By an act of Assembly in 1834, it became a church in common with many other chapels, and, as it was intended for the benefit of the High- landers in the city and neighbourhood, the presbytery assigned to the minister of it as his charge the whole Gaelic population resid- ing within four miles round it In the year 1834-35, a number of the friends of the Establish- ment, taking into consideration the increased population of Perth and its vicinity, and the great need of additional church accommodation occasioned thereby, agreed to build, by subscription, a new church.* It has been built accordingly. A constitution has been obtained for it from the General Assembly ; and a minister has now been officiating in it for above twelve months. Thus there are six Established churches in Perth. Their sittings are 6650 ; but none of ^these is free, or accessible to the community rent free. Two thousand nine hundred and fif- ty-four belong to the city corporation. The remaining 3696 are the property of other corporations, and the proprietors of St Ste- phens and St Leonards churches. The seat rents drawn by the city and other incorporations amount at present to L. 1050, 15s. 7d. The city expenditure on the churches, as stated in the report of the Commissioners, is L. 989, 19s. 4d. Thus the income to the city and corporations from the churches is L. 60, 16s. 3d. more than what is expended on them by the local authorities. That the city is a pecuniary gainer, by its connections with the Church Establishment, to a higher amount, I shall hereafter show. It may not be improper to remark her^ in passing, that the prac- tice of seat-letting is at variance with the fundamental constitutional principle of an endowed church. The great design of an endow- ed church is, that the poor as well as the rich may have free access * In 1650, the population in the landward part of the parish was so great, that the Presbytery found it to be their duty to recommend the erection of it into a separate charge ; and, in order to carry that into effect, to lay the matter before the Commis- sioners for Plantation of Kirks. Two of the brethren were deputed by the Presby- tery to hold conference with the heritors thereanent. Repeated conferences were held ; but obstacles were thrown in the way, and they proved unsuccessful. The minute of Presbytery, 9th April 1651, says, " the affairs of the landward parish of Perth de- layed, because of the troubles of tie times.** PERTH. 113 to the dispensation of religious ordinances. But that privilege they cannot enjoy, if heritors and corporations may at pleasure deny it to those who cannot pay them the rents exacted. The moral in- terests of the poorer classes in Perth, as well as in other such towns, have suflTered severely from this. There are not a few poor families in it who cannot possibly pay rent for the sittings which they require. The melancholy consequence of this is, that many young persons never acquire church-going habits, and gradually fall into the habitual neglect of Sabbath observance ; and then these, when they become heads of families, render the evil more inve- terate and extensive. It is a miserable and short-sighted po- licy to raise a revenue for any purpose, however important and va- luable, at the expense of the religious instruction and moral im- provement of the industrious poor. But such a policy does exist, and by wise worldlings is defended. The poor may be urged by the ministers of the church to attend ordinances with their families ; but in many cases the requiring it is almost a mockery, as they are excluded by the proprietors of the sittings, who will not accommo- date them without their advancing a sum which their limited in- come puts it out of their power to advance. The want of proi)er and sufficient church accommodation for the poor is a demoralizing evil which is every day becoming more apparent. Those who le- gislate and rule upon an enlightened Christian principle, unbiassed by considerations of party attachment, must admit that it is a pa- ramount duty to make spiritual provision for those of their subjects . who are spiritually destitute. The ministers of the East and Middle Churches have each a stipend of 70 bolls of barley and 80 bolls of oat-meal paid by the heritors of the old parish, and L. 130 each paid out of the city re- venues. The minister of the East Church has, in addition, the vicarage teind, which is L. 7, 8s. lOfd. The stipend of the mi- nister of the West Church is L. 250, an J that of the minister of St Paul's is L. 280, both paid out of the city's revenue. That of the minister of St Stephen's (Gaelic) Church is L. 80, and to increase as the income from the seat rents increases. That of St Leonard's is L. 100, and to increase in like manner. There are neither manses * nor glebes. The town-council are patrons of the East, * The pariah church, which had been dedicated to St John Baptist, the manse which belonged to it, and another house in the city, with the whole tithes of the parish, were given by David I. to the Abbey of Dunfermline. The abbot and monks received the xeetory tithes, and employed a vicar to officiate at Perth. At the Reformation the pro- perty of the abbeyiy aoa of other such religious houses, reverted to the Crown. In PERTH. H 114 PERTHSHIRE. West, Middle, and St Paul's. The minister of the Gaelic Church is chosen by the male heads of families being communicants, and so also is the minister of St Leonard's. By the Court of Session decreet 1807, the council guaranteed to the minister of the East and Middle parishes, besides victual stipend, L. 80 each of money stipend, and to those of the West and St Paul's, L. 200. But afterwards they voluntarily gave aug- mentations to the ministers of the West and St Paul's L. 80 each, and to the ministers of the East and Middle, L. 50 each. In 1835, the West Church became vacant by the death of the Rev. Mr Kennedy. During the vacancy, it was at different times keen- ly contested, by a party in the town-council, that the augmentation granted to Mr Kennedy should be withheld from his successor. The Strathmore Journal, a Perth newspaper, took up the point, and emitted, on the 4th February 1836, the following strictures, which, as they entirely accord with the sentiment that I enter- tain, I shall here introduce. — " Stipend of the West Church mi- nister. — We have not been much fascinated with the resolution of the town-council to restrict the stipend of the new incumbent in this parish to L. 200 in future : and we cannot comprehend the conduct of some of those who voted for that motion, and yet hold forth that by doing so they merely wished to delay a settlement of the matter. It does appear to us quite unreasonable that, in a city such as this, one of the clergymen should be restricted to the minimum rate of stipend in the Church of Scotland, when the ex- pense of living is so much greater than in country parishes. It must be noticed, also, that the Perth ministers have neither glebe, garden, nor manse ; and so the L. 200 proposed to be given is not worth more than L. 150 comparatively. This stinted remunera- tion is not economy, but positive parsimony, and it can hardly be expected that a clergyman of talent, such as Perth should have, will be obtained, or, at any rate, remain long in a situation where he is only to receive such a reward for his labours and attainments, as is to be found in the poorest livings in the church. For the 1589, James VI. conferred on Anne of Denmark, at the time of his marriage with that Princess, the lands and other property of the Abbey of Dunfermline. The deed was confirmed by Parliament in 16U3, but it was enacted that she should allow for the offi- ciitiri^ clergy and for some other purposes specified, one-third of the bcnifits of those churches which had belonged to the Abbey. The tack.snian of tlie tithes of Perth was John Koss, laird of Craigie. He paid a third part for the purposes enacted, and trans- mitted the overplus to the Queen. Her Majesty, however, soon after the year 1600, gave up her right to the tithes of Perth, and the town>council became patrons of the parish. PERTH. 1 15 sake, therefore, of the respectability of this parish, and the city generally, we look forward with some interest to Mr Dewar's mo- tion at the next council meeting, when the delay party will, we trust, vote more in accordance with their avowed wishes, than they did on Monday last." The discussion here commented on is re- corded in the prorincial newspapers, and presents to the public a curious and not very creditable specimen of the reasoning, by which the members of a town-council came to the conclusion, that the stipend of L. 280, previously given to the minister of the West Church of the city, was L. 80 too much, and that therefore it should be for the future, or in the mean- time, only L. 200. The liberality displayed may be judged of by the fact, that though the burgh of Perth be the first in Scot- land in point of unincumbered property, and freedom from local taxation, it now proposes to remunerate its ecclesiastical office- bearers at a lower rate than any other burgh in the nation. The ministers of Edinburgh receive per annum, L. 520 ; those of Dun- dee, L. 275 ; those of Aberdeen, L. 300 ; those of Glasgow, L.425; those of Montrose, L. 340; those of Paisley, L.313. The discussion referred to ended in a motion, carried by a ma- jority, that the stipend of the West Church should, in the meantime, be L. 200. At a future meeting of council, it wa<9 carried that the sum should be raised to L. 250. In consequence of reiterated broad averment, by some municipal rulers who are hostile to the Establishment, that the church is a burden on the funds of the city, Mr Dewar, one of the magistrates, published a pamphlet, entitled " an Inquiry as to the pecuniary gain or loss arising to the town-council of Perth, from its connection with the Established Church, containing a translation of Queen Anne's charter, of date 20th November 1604, which conveyed certain lands properties, and revenues to the town on account of the church.*' In this pamphlet, Mr Dewar has discussed the subject in a man- ner clear, masterly, and conclusive, and, by authorities the most unquestionable, has established the fact, that the town has by its connection with the Established Church been not only no loser, but a gainer to a very considerable extent ; that it ^^ is at the present moment a pecuniary gainer to the extent of at least L. 300 per annum.'' By the Queen's charter, it became titular of the teinds of the parish, and obtained possession of considerable property, which has never to the present time been valued or paid an fractio of stipend* Mr Dewar thus concludes his able pamphlet : <' In the 116 PEKTHSHIRE. meantime churchmen, those in Perth at least, have reason to be glad, that their religion does not cost the community a fraction, but has been beneficial to it both in a pecuniary, and in a far more important point of view. The dissenters in Perth have reason to re- joice, that the burden of supporting the Established Church which they have been taught to consider so galling, has never pressed upon either their purses or their persons, or on any thing else con- nected with them excepting their imaginations." There are in the city two home missions, appointed and super- intended by the General Session. The expense is defrayed by a subscription. One of the missionaries is appointed to officiate every Lord's day evening in the Middle Church. In 1814, a Sabbath Evening School Society was organized, to be conducted upon the localizing system. The office-bearers, teachers, and taught, were of all the religious denominations in the place. The returns of children in the schools were frequently as high as 1400, and visible good effects resulted to the community. But its pros- perity was blasted, by the voluntary agitation introduced among us some years ago. It then decayed and disappeared. In the Mid- dle and West parishes. Sabbath schools have been since establish- ed, under the superintendence of their respective sessions. In the Middle parish, there is one congregational school, attended by 81, and eleven local schools, attended by 200 young persons. In the West parish, there is one congregational school, attended by 215. The erection of local schools is in progress. The teachers of all these schools are the ministers and elders, and those religious friends who are zealous in the cause. With respect to Dissenting and Seceding meeting-houses — there are both. The dissenting houses are, one for Independents, another for Baptists, another for general Baptists, and another for Glassites. The Seceding houses are, one for Old Light Burghers, another for Old Light Antiburghers, two for the New Light Burghers and^ Antiburghers, or United Secession, and two for Relievers. The ministers of these places of worship are paid by the seat-holders and hearers, out of seat rents and collections. One of them has a stipend of L.200, another of L. 180, another of L. 170, another of L. 100, and another of L. 90. The other ministers have no fixed sums allotted them. They depend on " the spontaneous li- berahty" of their respective flocks. Almost all the meeting-houses are in debt, — some of them to a considerable amount But there is in some cases a satisfaction connected with the debt, as it forms a PERTH. 117 bond of union. Besides the meeting-houses which I have mention- edy there is an Episcopalian chapel, a Wesleyan Methodist chapel, and a Catholic chapeL The following will give a view of accommodation and attend- ance in all the places of public worship in the parish in 1835 : — SUting$. Let or SiUinys. Letoroc- EatabHahmetU. East Cbarch, . West Do. Bixddle Do. . St Pftul*8 Do. St Stephen's Do. 762 St Lepital Female School, •JG 12 6 15 1 1 6 110 The Dbpensary, . 47 1 1 37 13 U 18 Aged and Indigent Females, f!7 10 6:413 3 17 Sabbath Schools, . 10 10 913(i T Clothing Indigent Femsles, 60 185 5185 9100 Clothing Indigent Old Men, 118 36 96 130 21106 Infant Schools, . 73 8 6 72 3 15 6 ^498 11 5 ^435 18 11 ^62 12 6 This was the state of matters in 1833. Since then, the average contribution by the Establishment has increased to those Societies which continue in existence. The average amount of church collections yearly for religious and charitable objects is about h. 730. Education. — Perth is the most centrical town in Scotland. It is not matter of surprise, therefore, that in 1697, when, with a view to the public interest of the nation, it was proposed to remove the University of St Andrews to another place, this city should be made choice of, and particularly as it is more accessible than St Andrews to the population of the highland districts. A corre- spondence upon the subject was, for some time, carried on by Sir 120 PERTHSHIRE. James Stuart, the King's Advocate for Scotland ; and the Earl of Tullibardine, the Principal Secretary of State; Mr Munro, Provo&t of the Old College of the University of St Andrews ; Mr Craigie of Glendookie ;* the magistrates and town-council of Perth, &c. The arrangement did not take place. How it failed is matter of uncertainty. The following extract of a letter of Provost James Cree of Perth, 1698, to Mr Anderson, Rector of the University, shews how the city of Perth regarded the proposition. " For as we are confident that it will be found in due time a meane through God's blessing, to advance the public good of the Universitie, and also of the kingdome, so we are resolved to cum as great a length for advancing so noble a design as we are able, whereof we hope we have given sufficient evidence in the offer of a fund for pro- vyding of lodgings and accommodations needful for that effect" f Perth has been for a long time celebrated for distinguished teachers in its schools of learning. The first Rector of the Gram- mar School after the reformation, whose name is on record, was Mr William Rynd. Such was his reputation that he was appointed governor and travelling tutor to the young Earl of Gowrie, and his brother Alexander, when they went to study at Padua. His suc- cessors in office, of whom a list has been regularly kept, appear to have been men of professional eminence and great ardour in train- ing their pupils. Mr Logan, a gentleman of high scholarship, is the present Rector. * Mr Craigie alleges various reasons of translation, among which are the following : It would contribute much to the civilizing of the Highlands, Perth being near to them. The victuals are dearer at St Andrews than anywhere else, viz. fieshs and drinks of all Mirtii.— hou8e and yard for the college, or the sum of 20,000 merks to build one. In the articles of communing between the commissioner of the university and the town -council, the town-house js designated that great lodging situated next to the Spey- gate, whereof the council are heritable keepers, t. e. Couriers Palace, and the whole proffer is estimated at 80^000 merks. PERTH. 121 Hie Aeademi/^ instituted 1760. — Dr Robert Hamilton^ the well known Professor of Natural Philosophy in Marischal College, Aber- deen, and author of ^* Inquiry into the Rise and Progress, the Re* demption and present State of Management of the National Debt of Great Britain," was the rector of it for ten years before he was raised to the professorship. Its present rector is Dr Adam Ander- son, of distinguished scientific attainment The total number of schools, including those of the academy, which is an endowed institution, is 35. The branches of instruction generally taught, are, I. — In the Academy. 1. By the rector and his assistant : Arithmetic, book-keeping, algebra, elementary and practical geometry, including the mensu- ration of surfaces, surveying, fortification, measurement of solids, gauging, navigation, geography, natural philosophy, astronomy, and chemistry. 2. By the rector of the grammar-school and his assistants^ Latin, Greek, ancient geography, &c* du By the master of the school lor modem languages : ' French, Italian, Spanish, and German. 4. Bv the master of the writing school : writing, plain and orna- mental,' practical arithmetic 5. By the master of the drawing-school : painting with oil and water-colours, pencilling, and architectural drawing. 6. 7. By the masters of the two English schools : reading English, grammar, elocution, composition, history, and geography. II. — In various quarters of the town and suburbs. 1. The Endowed Trades' School, reading, writing, and arithmetic. 2. The Endowed School for the Children of the Poor: reading, writing, and arithmetic. 3. In the Subscription Manufacturers' School : reading, writing, and arithmetic 4. In the Subscription Female School : reading, writing, arith- metic, sewing, and knitting. 5. 6. In the two Subscription Infant Schools : reading, sewing, and knitting. III. — In various quarters of the town and suburbs, there are twenty-two unendowed schools, in which all the ordinary branches of education are taught * * In 1660, tl)e Town Council, in consequence of a representation given in by Mr Andrew Anderson, tchoolmatter, prohibited *'* all women who kept schools from taking any men to learn, than those that were seven years old and under, and that they should 122 PERTHSHIRE. The following stipends are paid out of the common funds of the burgh: — To the rector of the academy, L. 100; his assistant, L. 25 ; the rector of the grammar-school, L. 50 ; his assistant, L. 25 ; the master of the school for modern languages, L. 25 ; the master of the writing school, L. 25 ; the master of the draw- ing school, L. 25 ; the two masters of the English reading schools, L.25. The regulated fees for teaching duringa session often months and a half are ; the mathematical classes, four hours, L. 4, 6s. ; Latin and Greek, four hours, L. 2, 12s. ; modern languages, one hour, L. 3, 2s. ; writing and arithmetic, two hours, L. 2, 6s. ; drawing, one hour, L. 3, 2s.; English, four hours, L. 1, 8s. There is a teacher of music, who has a salary of L. 15, but his fees and hours are not fixed. Salaries paid to the masters of other schools in the parish are : to the master of the Trades' School, L. 76 ; the master of the Ma- nufacturers' School, L.20;* the master of the school for the poor, L. 50 ; the master of the Guildry School, L. 26; the mistresses of the infant schools, L.50; the mistress of the female school, L.20.-f- I have not been able to ascertain with sufficient accuracy the number of persons, young and old, who cannot read and write. But I am able to state, from personal knowledge, that the number of those is great, whose instruction in reading is lamentably defi- cient They are reported to be taught to read, and are rated ac- cordingly. But in general, theirs is the reading of half-educated children. Of the simplest book they cannot make out a page, without difficulty and much hesitation. They cannot comprehend aright, therefore, the import of what they are reading. This un- happy state of matters, among many of the labouring classes of the community, may be ascribed to two causes. The first is the strong temptations which are held out to poor parents of numerous families, by manufacturers and certain master tradesmen, to employ their children, at a very early period of life, — which temptation many of them have not moral principle to resist. Thus we often find children employed in spinning-mills and in weaving shops, sent thither by their parents ere they have been above a few months at school. There are indeed evening-schools with good teachers not presume to learn any boyit to write," and *^ t)ie jdnitor of the grammar School was appointed to visit the women*! schools, and put the councirs act in force.** * Each scholar pays Id. per week ; the average number of scholars is between 90 and 100. f With half of the fees, and half of the price of the work done. PERTir. 123 attached to many of our manufacturing institutions, and the pro- prietors of these have acted laudably in this respect But it must be acknowledged that the schools have much more value in ap* pearance than they have in reality : for how is it possible that such young creatures — a great portion of whose time, nature says, should be spent in amusing pursuit — can apply with requisite at- tention to the tasks of an evening school after a long day's toiling in a ^inning-mill. They in general require to be then put to rest, and not to any new exertion whatever. That children, at whatever age they be, may be taught efficiently, it is necessary Uiat their physical strength be unexhausted. Another reason to which I am disposed to ascribe the present deficient instruction in reading, that prevails among many of the labouring classes of the community, is insufficiency on the part of the teachers. Many of those (whose pupils are from among the poor) do not look upon teaching as an art which requires any previous training, but an employment which any one almost may easily follow ; and they, therefore, cannot be expected to conduct a school with advantage to the pupils, unfortunately placed under them. In short, they know nothing, as they ought to know, of the deeply important business in which they have engaged. Incalcu- lable detriment arises from this to the young generation. Their attention is directed solely to the drudgery of tasks, in reading words and sentences, and nothing is done to engage their under- standing in the import of what they read. With such schoolmas- ters, teaching is a mere mechanical operation. By them the young idea is not taught to shoot at all, and their ffood scholars^ as they call them, are at best mere readers, not understanders of what is read. These remarks are intended to have a general and not a local application. In Perth there are teachers who have ability and zeal in no ordinary degree, and who make it their special endea- vour to train their pupils, from the commencement of their reading exercises, to see and understand the import of what they read ; and, what is of prime importance, to make them acquainted with scrip- ture truth and moral duty. They sustain a character for pro- fessional attainment and vigorous discharge of professional duty, which will not be found equalled in many other such towns in Scotland. In 1834, the magistrates and town-council, with a laudable con- cern for the elementary instruction of the young among the ope- 124 PEUTIIjJHlUE. rative portion of the community, caused a survey to be taken of the city and suburbs, to ascertain the state of school accommoda- tion. A great deficiency was ascertained to exist, and measures were promptly adopted to correct the evil. A public subscription was opened for the purpose of erecting additional schools, and ap- plication was made to the Lords of the Treasury for aid out of the sum set apart by Government for the erection of schools in the large towns in Scotland. The town gave a donation of L. 200, and individual gentlemen subscribed to the amount of L.200 more. This having been represented to the Treasury, and satis- factory pledges having been given that the schools would be erect- ed, and conducted in conformity with the requirements of govern- ment, the sum of L. 400 was obtained. L. 800 being thus secured for accomplishing the benevolent object, the building of the school- houses immediately commenced, and they are now nearly finished. They will accommodate 400 scholars. The city is pledged to give to each of the teachers a salary of L. 10 per annum, and the scholars are to pay, for the day school, 8d. per month, and for the evening school, 6d. per month. The mode of teaching is to be, as far as it may be found practicable, that of Mr Wood of Edinburgh. The magistrates and town-council are the patrons. Literature. — There are in Perth six circulating libraries. Of these, the principal one is that which goes under the designation of the Perth Library, It was instituted in 1786. It originated with the late Rev. Mr Peebles, minister of the Episcopal Chapel. By his judicious management, it was settled on that basis on which it still rests. By certain unalterable articles of agreement in the deed of settlement, respecting the trustees, the curators, the gene- ral meetings, and election of office-bearers, it is preserved entire, and cannot be alienated. It is consigned over to the public, and conveyed in trust to certain official characters in the town and county, for the purposes of the institution. It contains between five and six thousand volumes, chiefly of history, philosophy, and belles lettres. It is kept in an apartment, fitted up for it within the monumental structure erected by the citizens to the memory of the late Thomas Marshall, Esq. of Glenalmond, formerly provost of Perth, to whose public spirit the city and its neighbourhood are in- debted for many of its most important improvements. The libra- rian attends for two hours each lawful day; and 15s. per annum entitles to the use of the library. The other circulating libraries are the property of private asso- PERTH. 125 dattoDS. In some of these the books are Dumerous and well selected. The Literary and Antiquarian Society was established in 1784. Its founder was the late Rev. James Scott, one of the ministers of the city, who, to the mind and manners of a gentlemen, and the piety and zeal of a Christian minister, added an unpretending but ardent love of literature and the fine arts. Its primary object was to investigate the history, and preserve the antiquities and records of Scotland generally, and more particularly of that portion of it of which Perth may be considered as the capital ; but when many literary and scientific men profiered their countenance and co* operation, Mr Scott and his associated friends enlarged the scheme of the society's pursuits, and gave it the name which it now has* It has lately obtmned a charter or seal of cause from the magis- trates* Since the year 1818 it has issued diplomas. An annual general meeting of the members is observed. On these occa- sions, papers are frequently read on literary, scientific, or antiqua- rian subjects, and, generally, deposited in the society's archives. Among these there are some by Dr Anderson of the Academy, on scientific questions, characterized by originality and a profound power of investigation. The society has a museum, consi5:ting of scarce and valuable books, manuscripts, and coins ; also of subjects of natural history, and of various articles of dress, &c. which cha- racterize the habits and manners of barbarous nations. It has re- ceived of late many valuable additions from natives of Perthshire — and others in foreign countries. The present Noble President is the Right Honourable the Earl of Kinnoul, and its annual meeting is held in the museum, which is under the same roof with the public library. There is in the city a public reading or news-room. It is spa- cious, and brilliantly lighted with gas. It is supplied with about twenty newspapers, English, Irish, and Scotch, and of every shade of political opinion. There are also magazines, reviews, and other periodicals. There are four weekly newspapers printed in Perth — the Courier, which commenced in 1809 — the Strathmore Journal, which com- menced in 1820 — the Constitutional, which commenced in 1835 — and the Chronicle, which commenced in 1836. Mr Morison publishes annually *' the Perth aud Perthshire Register, contain- ing accurate lists of the nobility, constituency, and institutions of the county and city, also the Tay shipping- lists. 126 • PERTHSHIRE. In 1772, a periodical, uuder the designation of ^^ the Perth Ma- gazine," commenced. After the publication of five volumes it ceas- ed. A similar literary effort was made a few years ago ; but it did not succeed. Charitable and other Institutions. — King James VI. Hospital or Alms House. To this institution I have already adverted, but the following particulars it may be pfroper here to introduce respecting its history. In neither of its charters — the one obtained before, the other aA:er, the King's coming of age, is there any injunction to build a house for the reception of the poor. They speak mere- ly of property given for their aliment They bear that his Ma- jesty, moved by certain weighty considerations, deemed it his duty to provide, by all honest ways, an hospital for the poor, maimed, and distressed persons, orphans, and fatherless children within his burgh of Perth, had therefore given, granted, and disponed to the poor members of Jesus Christ, now and in all time coming, abid- ing in, and residing within the said burgh, certain properties — the designation of which evinces the endowment to have been most munificent.* But it appears that soon after the endowment was granted, an, hospital-house was considered to be necessary, to carry into proper and full effect the intention of the Royal donor : for, so early as 1579, t. e, about ten years after the first charter was granted, there is in the session record the following entry : " Ordains Js. Sim, uptaker of the casualities pertaining to the hospital, to give to the poor folks in the hospital straw to lie upon." Thus there was then an hospital-house. But it must have been only a temporary one, for on the 7th December of the same year, this entry occurs : * These properties consist of " All and hail the lands, tenements, houses, buildings, churches, burial-places, chapels, colleges, yards, orchards, crofts, annual rents, fcu-farms canonries, pensions, mills, mill-lands and their sequels, fishings and fish mercat, fruit rents, duties, profits, incomes, emoluments, kain service, aims, distributions, deal-silver, obites, aniversaries, and others, whatsoever, which any way pertained to chapelaiies, altarages, prebendaries, founded on whatever kirk, chapel or college within the liberty or privilege of our burgh, in ]>ossession whereof the chaplains or prebends thereof were originally, the said^*^ cc/c/n are lying, or were uplifted respectively with the ma- nor-places, yards, lands, ground-annuals, emoluments, and duties whatsoever, which formerly pertained to the Dominican or Predicant friars, to the minor or Franciscan friars, and to the White friars of our said burgh, together with the yard belonging to the monastery or place of the charter-house in our said burgh ; as also all and sundry other lands, houses, and tenements lying within said burgh, given and founded to whatever chapelaries, altarages, kirks, monasteries or aniversaries, wherever they are with- in the kingdom ; as also all and sundry ground annuals and other duties which can be demanded, by whatsoever kirk without our said burgh, from the Provost, Bailies or in- habitants, out of the revenue of said burgh, and all and sundries of the foresaid to be bolden by the said members of Jesus Christ, and present, being, and to be therein, in all time coming, of us and our successors for ever." 3 PERTH. 127 " The Assembly," (i. e. the session or managers,) " think it good that the minister and some of the elders propose to the council, when they converse towards the advising of an hospital in which the poor may remain, either the Grayfriars or St Paul's Chapel." And again: on 9th April 1595, the ministers and elders conde- scendand agree that an hospital-house shall be erected for the main- tenance and entertainment of such aged and honest persons as are impoverished, and have not to maintain themselves, &c And again, in the following year, ^* the Session with one voice think it expe- dient that an hospital-house for the entertainment of the poor within our own congregation be erected and builded — the place to be in the chapel called our Lady's chapel at the shore, and for this effect, ordains James Anderson, master of the hospital, with all diligence, to buy timber and other materials for the furtherance of this work." That it was finished and occupied in 1 599, appears from an entry of that year : " The session ordains the master of the hospital to cause outred the timber work of the nether house of the hospital with all diligence, that some honest &iled men may be put therein and maintained." Cromwell, in 1652, having taken the city, demolished the hos- pital, with other public buildings, and applied the materials to as- sist in raising his citadel in the South Inch. With a reference to that catastrophe, the following report was given in by the ministers of Perth to the presbytery, at a presbyterial visitation in 1676. — ^^ They had no hospital-house, it having been pulled down by the Englishers, and never yet rebuilt," The present hospital-house was erected near the site of the Carthusian monastery, which had been destroyed at the commence- ment of the Reformation in 1 559. To defray the expense of its erection, money was raised by subscription, collections were made at the churches within the bounds of the synod, and the city con- tributed 2000 merks Scots. Mr Cree, provost of the city, laid the foundation. It was finished in 1750. It is a large and well ar- ranged building, three stories high. The foundation charter expressly limits the application of the funds to the " poor members of Christ's body, residing" not in the parish, but " in our burgh of Perth."* And accordingly, the poor * At the time when James granted the charter, which was a short lime after the Refiinnation, there were only two denominations of professing Christians in the country, — thoae of the Protestant Established Church, and those of the Roman Catholic Churcb. The Establiibcd Church was designated, in different acta of Par. liaroent, partieularlj in that which ratified iu form 159-2, " th« trew and bally kirk ;** 128 PERTHSHIRE. residing in the burgh were alone admitted into it, while it was in- habited by poor. There, was a teacher for the young, and the master acted as chaplain. A new arrangement took place in 1814. After due inquiry in- to the most economical mode of management, it was agreed to break up the establishment, and, reserving the hospital master's apartments, and the managers room containing the records, to let the house, and make each pauper an out-pensioner, at a certain sum per annum, to be paid weekly. Since the above-mentioned period, that system of management has been followed. The net income of the hospital is L. 597, 8s. 6d. The number of poor receiving from it is 61. In the year 1660, James Butter, sheriff-clerk of Perthshire, dot- ed two fifth parts of the lands of Scones Lethendy, to maintain four poor persons of the burgh of Perth. In the year 1686, Mr Jackson doted one half of one-fifth of the lands of Scones Leth- endy to support one poor relation, whom failing, one of the name of Jackson, whom failing any other. In 1 743, Mr Cairnie doted two- fifths of the lands of Scones Lethendy, to the poor of the burgh ^ of Perth, reserving two-thirds of the free rent to two of his descen- dants nearest the age of fourteen years, one-half to be paid to them annually, for ten years, and at the expiry of the ten years, the re- served half to be paid in full, but without interest, the other third annually to the hospital poor. Of these mortifications, the minis- ters and elders were appointed trustees, and the patronage of the two first was vested in the Magistrates and Ministers. It so happens that these lands are contiguous, and form one dis- tinct estate, in all 610 imperial acres, including 145 imperial acres of planting. The free rental is L. 513, 8s. 6d. ; two persons of the name of Cairnie get at present annually, L. 130 ; the hospital poor L. 50, 18s. 6d. ; total L. 180, 18s. 6d. Under Butters's and Jackson's mortifications, L. 170 are given to twelve annuitants, and a balance of L. 162, 10s. is applied for re- demption of about L. 1500 of debt incurred in building steading, &c &c. Dispensaries. — The Perth Dispensary commenced in 1819. The objects which it was intended to embrace, were the relief of the the poor members of Christ*s body, therefore, in such a charter, granted at such a time, could be those only who were bona Jide members of the Established Church. The decision in the case of Lady Hewly's bequest, shews distinctly who in the burgh of Perth are entitled to the benefit of the hospital funds. PERTH. 129 sick and diseased poor, by furnishing them with necessary advice and medicine — inoculation for cow-pox to all who might apply, without regard to recommendation, and the delivery of poor preg- nant women. For the proper administration of the institution, rules and regulations were drawn up, and medical oflBcers and a com- mittee of management were appointed. Annual reports have been regularly made to the stated meetings of the institution, and these hatre been most flattering and satisfactory* In January 1834, it was resolved, after mature deliberation, to adopt, in addition to the charity, the self-supporting system, which has been introduced with so much advantage in England, with the view of extending the usefulness of the institution, and ena- bling the honest and industrious mechanic or labourer, by means of a triiSing weekly payment, to procure for himself, his wife, and his children, that medical advic« and medicine which he would other- wise be unable to obtain, without resorting to the aid of public or prifale charity. The following table of results for the last year may serve to give a Tiew of the operations of the Dispensary. The patients admit- ted were as follows : Pamper Clatt, Free member Ciatt. Medical Deportment, Medical Depariment, Cored, . 440^) Cured, ^1 i io RelicTcd, . 84 1 nudes 240 Reliered, . 2 1 T*'*^ \% Dead, 37 T female. 373 Dead, 1 | ^"^^^^ ^^ Kemaaoing, ,91} —-31 613 Midmifirf^Department. Midjc\frry Depariment. DdiTered. 48J * . JlJ'J g Delivered. Bcnudnini^ 4 ^ 48 Total of pauper patients 661, and 31 of free member patients, giving the number 692 cases during the season. There fs a separate establishment from the above, but with the same designation. It originated in a disapprobation of the Dis- pensary's adoption of the self-supporting system in 1834. It em- braces no other object than the relief of the necessitous poor. It has not as yet published any table of results. Infirmary. — The erection of an Infirmary in Perth has been long desired and long contemplated. It is now in progress. Funds to the extent of about L. 5000 have been realized, and the building, agreeably to an approved plan drawn by Mr Mackenzie, architect, is far advanced. When finished, it will be capable of receiving fifity-six patients. The f6undation was laid on the 5th of October last, by the Right Honourable Lord Kinnaird, with masonic honours.. PERTH. I M30 PERTHSHIRE. Friendly Societies.* — About ihe time that the Highland Society directed its attention to the ascertainment of the true principles upon which friendly societies should be founded, there were in Perth eighteen in active operation, viz. the first, second, and tiiird shoemaker's, the coachman's, the mason's, the labourer's, the carter's, the fisher's, the stocking-maker's, the cabinet-maker's, the Stone and Perth free-mason's, the provident, the new Row, the High Street, the South Street, the Pomarium weavers', societies* The " first shoemaker's society," and the ** coachman's," were in- stituted in 1776, The former continued fifty>nine years; the others were gradually formed in succession. When the Highland Society's report was published, the most of them were experien- cing difficulties which sprung from their originators being ignorant of the true principles on which they should have proceeded. The light thrown upon the subject by this report, the subsequent attempt of Government to legislate upon it, and various internal causes, threw them into a state of alarm, and although many of them were possessed of considerable funds, and, with good manage- ment, might have struggled through, yet, in the course of a very few years, the great majority of them were abandoned. Those now in existence are " the Scone and Perth," the ** mason's," the " carter's," and the " labourer's," but even these are in a languish- ing condition. Little can be said of the benefits resulting from them to the community. That the community was ever much benefited by these institutions is questionable, for though many individuals and families received timely relief while in distress by their means, they were accompanied with evils of a deteriorating description. In the early period of the Societies' histor)', the members were very reluctant to be put upon the fund. Indeed, it was consider- ed by some of them as equivalent to being put upon a pauper fund. It very often happened that individuals in distress would defer reporting themselves for eight days or a fortnight, to see whether they might not get better, and render application to the fund unnecessary. This reluctance, however, soon evaporated, and at length it happened that no sooner was an individual affect- ed with a slight cold, or headach, or trifling temporary ailment, than he was reputed to be sick, and immediately received for a week or two something in the shape of aliment Others again who were members of two or three societies, would continue on the sick list, drawing m ore money than they were able when in health 4 PERTH. 131 to earn, at their ordiaary employments. These things were ob- served by the honest-minded and industrious members, and a spirit of jealousy and discontent was engendered in their minds even against those who were in real distress. Their frequent meetings for business was another evil. Most of the societies laid out their funds in the purchase of property. That requifed many committees, in which disputes arose which could not be finally settled without a meeting of all the members. These meetings not only consumed much time, but not unfre- quently ended in an adjournment to some public-house, where the matter was of new discussed, and where, amidst bumpers drunk to the prosperity of the institution, &c. scenes of not the most sober descrqption took place. Itwasnotunfrequently the case, that some of the principal orators had, through their beneoolent and disinterested exertions at these seasons, to be placed on the sick list, and receive aliment for a week or two. Banks. — There are two provincial banks, — the Perth Bank, and the Central Bank; and four branch banks, — one of the Bank of Scotland ; another of the British Linen Company ; a third, of the Commerdal ; and a fourth, of th^ National. Saving Banks. — There is a savings bank in Perth. It was formed in the year 1815. The sum at present lodged is L. 3188, Ids. lOd. The sum deposited this year, (1836,) is L. 381, 16s. 9\A. The sum drawn is L. 334, 19s. 8d. The investments are generally made by the labouring classes out of their savings. When the d^)osit of any one amounts to L. 10, he is required to dfaw it and lodge it elsewhere. The interest allowed is 3 per cent The bank is open every Monday morning at nine o'clock. It would be to the benefit of the industrious poor and for the well-be- ii^ of the country, though not to the interest of the banking cor- porations, were the Government scheme of such institutions intro- duced. Poor and Parochial Funds. — There are two separate funds out of which the poor receive aliment. One arises from an assessment on the whole inhabitants of the parish, producing, at five per cent. on the real rent, L. 2128, 13s. 3d. The other arises from the collections, &c. in the Established churches, amounting to L. 723, he. 2^; m all L. 2851, 18s. b^d. From this sum must be de- ducted the expenses of management, which for the assessed fund. 13^ PERTHSHIRE. are L. 88, 6s. 3^d, and for the church fund, L« 25, — in all L. 1 13, 6s. 3id. The funds arising from the assessment are distributed to the poor of the parish generally, without any respect to religious denomination^. The funds arising from the church collec- tions are distributed to the poor belonging to the Established church, and to those especially who are advanced in life, as they are supposed to have contributed to these in the days of their strength and prosperity. The parish was in 1807 divided into four parishes by a decreet of the Court of Session, and it was ordered in that decreet, that the money collected for the poor in each church should be placed at the disposal of the sessions of the four parishes, forming one general session. This general session ac* cordingly distributes these fiinds. It has a meeting on the first Thursday of every month for this purpose. It has been alleged that the proceeds of these two funds should be thrown together as a common stock for the support of the parish poor generally. But to this there are material objections. The Dissenters and Se- ceders have collections at the doors of their meeting-houses for their own poor exclusively, and they will not consent that these collections shall form part of a. common stock for the parochial poor. If, therefore, the legally assessed funds, and the Establish- ed Church charities, be made common stock, the poor connected with the Establishment will be in less favourable circumstances than the poor in connection with the Secession. It is reasonable that if the phurch door collections be joined to the assessed Ainds, so should the meeting-house collections. The number who receive out of the session funds is 219 ; and the number who receive out of the assessed funds is 576 ; but a good many poor receive out of both. The following Incorporations give to their poor members, whose number at present is 217, Tlie Guildry, L.8no TTie Hammermen, L. 1-20 The Glovers, 670 The Shoemakers, 90 The Wrights, 350 The Bakers, 60 The Tailors, 150 The Fieshcrs, so L. 1970 L.800 There are charity societies. The sums distributed by them in the year 1833 were as follows : by the Destitute Sick Society, L. 74, 6s. 6d. ; by the Aged and Indigent Female Society, L. 67, 10s. ; by the Society for Clothing Indigent Females, L. 60, 188. 5d. ; by the Society for Clothing Old Men, L. 1 18^ 8s. 6d. The PERTH. ^ 133 free proceeds accruing to the poor from the hospital of King James VL is on an average L. 435, 5s. Id. — and those accruing to them from the mortifications of Butter and Jackson are L. 312, 10s. I baTe not access to know to what extent the Seceders and Dis senters contribute to the support of their poor. It may not be out of place here to state, that there is a charity school for young females, supported by a subscription ; the sum subscribed is about Lb 46, — two for infants, supported by a sub- scription also ; the sum subscribed is L. 50, — one for the poor generally, supported by the magistrates and council — the accommo- dation furnished by the hospital ; the sum given is Lb 50, there is also a dispensary for the poor ; the sum subscribed is about L. 50. The sum total, arisingfrom these sources, may thus be about L. 196. There is no indisposition in the great body of the poor to ap- ply for parochial relief. The high-toned feeling of independence, which at one time characterized the lower orders of society in Scot- land, isnow seldom to be met with in town and country parishes, that are densely peopled; and by few comparatively is mendicity account- ed degrading. The causes of the poverty, which exists in Perth, are various. Among women, they are chiefly the want of suitable employment, such as spinning, knitting, &c. by which many of them were wont to earn a comfortable subsistence ; and, in not a few cases, to improvident marriages, and an extravagance in dress, and living, which they have unfortunately acquired when in the service of the more opulent. Among men, they are chiefly the frailties of age, or weakness occasioned by diseases, which incapacitate them from engaging in laborious work. I lament that I am ne- cessitated to confess, that no small number of poverty cases in Perth must be ascribed to habits of intemperance, in both men and women, — an evil which the increased numberof dram-drinking-shops has greatly promoted. The great proportion of those who are on the Perth pauper list are foreigners. They have come down from the Highlands of the county, driven from their cottages, and pendicles, and little farms, by the unpatriotic and illiberal system, prosecuted by some proprie- tors, of letting out their estates to a few individuals. They come with the miserable capital of a few pounds, scraped together with much toil and industry, into the town, and generally at an advan- ced stage of life. There it is soon spent, and they sink into pau- perism. Police. — The police is administered under two statutes, obtain- 134 PiiRTHSHIRE. ed in 1811 and 1819. The commissioners are, the Lord Pro- vost, the Dean of Guild, and the four bailies, seven members of the guildry, and one member for each of the seven incorporated trades chosen by these bodies,- according to certain statutory rules. The territory is divided into a certain number of districts and wards. The power of the conmiissioners extends to paving, clean- ing, loaded carriages, gunpowder, &c. and the regulation of the market-places. When any cause of complaint occurs, the matter is brought before the Lord Provost, or one of the bailies, by the procurator-fiscal of the city, or the police superintendent, or it is brought before the sheriff-depute of tbe county, or his substitutes, by the procurator-fiscal of the county, or the police superintendent Power is given to commit to hard labour or solitary confinement, for a period not exceeding sixty days, and to impose a fine not ex- ceeding L. 5. The bill of 1819 was obtained to amend and correct what was wrong and awanting in that of 181 1. But still there is a material defect in the police establishment of the city. In all criminal cases it is complete ; but it is not so in those cases which affect the com- fort and safety of the inhabitants. Whatever nuisance or obstruc- tion takes place in the streets may be found fault with by the su- perintendent, and complained of to the judge, but he is without au- thority to effect the removal of these, and punish the transgressor, by a summary procedure. Recourse must be had at common law, which is at once tedious and expensive^ It is principally owing to this that those nuisances take place in the city, which occasion fre- quent and severe animadversions from strangers and others. But neither the police magistrate nor the superintendent is to be blam- ed, but the bad construction of the bill. It is essentially defec- tive, and never will the peace, and comfort, and good order of the town be effectually secured till another be obtained, constructed upon a more comprehensive principle. Besides, the operation of the bill, such as it is, does not embrace sufficiently extensive bounds. It extends very little beyond the royalty. This is an evil of great magnitude. The population without the royalty is fully greater than it is within, and there is no visible line of demarcation between the habitations in the one place and those in the other. It is the interest, therefore, of the whole com- munity, both within and without burgh, to unite, without delay, and apply for a legislative enactment, extending the police establish- ment over the whole suburban population. Hints may be most ad- PERTH. 135 irantageotisly taken from the police bill of the neighbouring town of Dundee. PHmoms. — The number of persons committed to the jail of Perth during the year ending October 1835, from the city and county, was d75. Causes of committal stand thus : Aiult, ... 229 Contempt of oourtt 1 Theft, ... 100 Iwuing of baw coin, 2 PrrhiBg, . - 25 Fire railing, - - . 3 F o i gMj, - - 7 TrenMHing, - . 2 Mnr^r, - . . 3 Riodng, ... 2 Rape^ ... I Derangement, .7 About 70 more were committed for a few days from other coun* ties to be tried at the Circuit Court The prison is reckoned to be very secure. Only two or three pri- soners hare effected an escape since its first occupation, which was in 1819. The ground floor is not sufficiently ventilated. Three prisoners sleep in one cell, and four in each of the rooms, but in separate hammocks. They are allowed to associate daily in the air- ing-ground, and in a dirty day room in complete idleness, thus neu- tralizing all attempts at refonnation. Each prisoner b allowed per day one-half quartern loaf, and a portion of oat-meal and milk. The superintendence is by a jailor and turnkey, who live within the pre- cincts. There is no matron to take the superintendence of the fe- male prisoners. A chaplain was appointed about three years ago, who gives instruction through the week, and preaches twice on the Lord's day. The inspector of prisons in Scotland, Mr Hill, reports as follows : ^* Very little good effect can be produced by imprisonment in the Perth jaiL The number of recommittals is very considerable, as may be inferred from the fact, that two of the prisoners at present in it (both women) have been there more than twenty times be- fore. Indeed, it is believed that no small number of the lowest class at Perth are well content to be in the prison occasionally, as they £ire better there than at home, and are not required to do any work. The conduct of the prisoners is generally bad, and sometimes very turbulent. Occasionally, they enact what they call a *^ Hell scene." '^ Having assembled in the day-room, and provided a plentiful supply of water, they put out the candles, and then, amidst shouts and yells, and other discordant noises, and ut- tering revolting exclamations, they pull the fire to pieces, and fling the live coals round in every direction ; others, at the same time, dashing water about, and in every way creating uproar and confu- sion.** ♦ #••#♦♦*♦ << It. is but justice to the town-coun- 140 PERTHSHIRE. portance which the city must have had in ancient times. It was a walled city, but the period when it became so is unknown. After the battle of Falkirk in 1298, Edward L of England having reduced all the fortressesr in Scotland, strongly fortified Perth, and repeatedly made it the residence of his deputies. For some time, his son Edward, who succeeded him, resided in the city. He was succeeded by Sir Aymer de Vallence, who defeat- ed Robert Bruce at Methven 1806. In 1311, King Robert stormed the town, which was fortified by an English garrison. At the head of a chosen band he waded through the deep water m the moat, and was the second man who mounted the wall. He put the garrison to the sword, razed the walls and filled up the moat. In 1335, Edward III. strongly fortijied it, laid the ex- pense on six rich abbacies, * and appointed Sir Thomas Ochtred, Governor. In 1339, Robert the Lord High Steward, who was afterwards raised to the throne, laid siege to it. The siege continued for four months. By means of mines, the water in the moat was drained off, and the place becoming untenable, the Go- vernor surrendered. In 1443, it was besieged and taken by Sir William Wallace. In 1644, after the battle of Tippermore, it was taken possession of by the Marquis of Montrose. In 1651, Cromwell, when about to besiege it, proposed honourable terms, and gained possession of it ; and to overawe its inhabitants, built a strong citadel on the South Inch. In 1715, the Earl of Marr, and the rebels took refuge in it, after the battle of Dunblane, and kept possession till they were dislodged by the Duke of Argyle. In 1745, the rebels again obtained possession of it, and attempt- ed to repair the fortifications, but the government forces followed them, and compelled them to retreat. In 1769, Sir David Dalrymple published " Historical Memo- rials, concerning the provincial councils of the Scottish clergy, from the earliest accounts to the era of the Reformation." From these memorials it appears that they were held in Edinburgh, Perth, Dundee, St Andrews, Linlithgow, Scone, Roxburgh, Car- lisle, Northampton, and York, to the number of 37. Of this number sixteen were held in Perth, in 1201, 1206, 1211, 1221, 1242, 1269, 1275, 1280, 1321, 1420, 1428, 1436, 1450, 1457, 1459, 1465. * Major, the historian, says — ^* ex sumptuosis lapidibus urbis muros extrui jubet sex senobiorum cxpensis fcilicet, Sancti Andreas, Dunfermilinga? Lundoris, Bidmu- rinoch, Arbrothas, et Cupri; et arccs aliquot reparare jussit, scilicet. Sanctum An* dream, Lochris, Strivilinffum, Puellarum Arcem, et Roxburgum inquibus, suoscus- todes et Locumtenentes Tocavit.** — Lib. ▼. PERTH. 141 To those who are acquainted with the localities of the city and its neighbourhood, it may be somewhat interesting to have the following facts brought before them. The walls, which were once esteemed a sufficiently strong protection, have complete- ly disappeared, except in one place on the north side, where a small fragment remains. The fosse or aqueduct which sur- rounded the walls, and which was broad and open, has been much reduced in breadth, and been, since about 1802, arched over, on the south, and on part of the west side. Before this took place. Canal Street was an unpaved and narrow pathway, along which ran the aqueduct. Between it and the South Inch there were gardens, which, having originally their principal en- trance by the Spey Port, were called the Spey Gardens. In 1801, Marshall Place, on the South Inch, began to be built. This occa- sioned the removal of the gardens, and the cutting down of the northern division of a beautiful avenue of lofty trees which sur- rounded the Inch. The road to Inverness via Dunkeld was, at a remote period, nearly where it now is, only it commenced at the High Street Port, passed through the Miln Wynde, and the field on which the barracks stand. Its course, as far as to the Bridge of Almond, was changed, at an after period, — and, commencing at the north end of the Skinner Gate, where was the North Port, ran through the centre of the North Inch, and the Muirtoun village. In 1664-5, missives passed between the town-council and the presbytery of Dunkeld, *' as to the helping of the Muirtoun causeway." The present line of road was formed about the year 1790. Before this time, the north road to Stirling via Methven and Criefif, commenced at the High Street Port, and ran by Dove-cot-land, and Goodly Burn. The south road to Stirling commenced at the South Street Port, and ran by the Hospital House, Earls Dykes, and Pittheaveless Castle. The road to Edinburgh commenced at the same port, and ran by Leonard Causeway, and the Bridge of Craigie. It was afterwards changed, when it issued from the Spey Port, and passed to Mordun Hill, through the east side of the South Inchh — intersecting the ruins of Cromwell's Citadel. The present road to Edinburgh by Princes Street was not opened till about the year 1 770. The bridge over the Tay to the east of the city, which was destroyed by a flood in 1621, was not replaced till 1771. The river was crossed by means of boats and barges, which plied between the Quay at the foot of the High Street, and that on the 142 PERTHSHIRE. opposite shore — called the Gibraltar. Immediately after the building of the bridge, George Street, leading from it to the High Street, was opened. Charlotte Street, leading from the bridge also to the Dunkeld road, was not built till 1783. John Street, lying between the High Street and South Street, was opened in the year 1801. ' The suburban population was very in- considerable, till within these fifty years. Within that period al- most all the houses on the south of the city, including Pomarium, have been built, — and a great portion of those which are on the north and west But the populous yiaglles of Balhousie and Muirtoun, in the neighbourhood, have been thrown down, or allowed to fall into decay. March 1837. PARISH OF METHVEN* PRESBYTERY OF PERTH, SYNOD OF PERTH AND STIRLING. THE REV. THOMAS CLARK, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Nam€y Boundaries, 8fc. — It is not known by tradition, neither is it to be found upon record, that this parish ever had any other name than that which it now bears, the orthography of which, it is said, is derived from the Gaelic word " Meodhan^* signifying " mid^ die ;" and it is imderstood that the name, or rather the word from which the name is derived, has special reference to the situation of the parish, in regard to the GreaJt Strath, or Strathmore, which ex- tends from Stonehaven on the east, to Dumbarton on the west, and is bounded on the north by the Grampians, and on the south by the ridge of the Ochil hills, — near the centre or middle of which strath this parish is situated. The average length of the parish from east to west is 5 miles, and the breadth from north to south between 3 and 4. The whole area is estimated at about 17 square miles, or, more accurately, 10,700 imperial acres. It is bounded chiefly on the north and on the east, by the river Almond ; on the west, by the parish of Fow- * This Account has been chiefly drawn up by Mr R. Wilson, schoolmaster, Meth- Tcn ; and Mr Thomas Bishop, orerseer, M ethven Castle. MBTHVEN. 143 Its Wester, and on the south, by a small stream, called the Pow, which separates it from the parishes of Madderty, Findo Gask, and Tibbermore. We have said chiefly an the norths because the Almond runs through part of the parish in that direction ; the lands which constituted the original estate of Lynedoch (more properly Lednoch) forming part of this parish, are situated on the north bank of that river. Topographical Appearances. — There is neither hill nor lake of any note in the parish, but the sur&ce is agreeably diversified by hollows and rising ground, and as the higher parts are in general tastefully laid out in patches of thriving plantation, the landscape eflTect in many instances is highly creditable to the taste and skill of the proprietors. SoiL — The soil consists principally of clay, but there are tracts of considerable extent, both of loam and gravel, with moorish soil, recumbent on a tilly bottom. With the exception of 100 acres of moss, and about 250 acres of moor, the land in the parish is all either in a state of cultivation, or under plantations. There is a tract of up- wards of 1000 imperial acres towards the north part of the parish, which, until about forty years ago, was a common ; but soon after that time, it was divided among the heritors and feuars in the pa- rish, and is now in a comparatively high state of cultivation. Here, now, several farm-steadings are erected, and many families decent- ly and respectably supported, and wealth is now derived from, and comfort enjoyed upon, this extensive tract of ground, which was formerly a perfect waste. So much for the spirit of enterprise and the hand of industry. Climate and Diuases.'^The climate may be said to be mild and salubrious, especially towards the south, for the lands in the parish in general have a southern exposure ; but in the northern parts, the climate is not so genial, evidently on account of their greater elevation above the level of the sea, and of their proximity to the Grampians, .from which the boundary of this parish on the north- west is not farther distant than a mile and a half. It is evident, however^ that the climate here has undergone a very material im- provement since the year 17d8, when the former Statistical Ac- count was written, both from the agricultural improvements effect- ed since that period, by the important operations of draining, and, not less so, from the great extent of land in the parish, now cover- ed with thriring plantations, which was then in little else than a state of bleak barrenness. 144 PERTHSHIRE. It cannot be said that there is any distemper, disease, or species of sickness peculiar to this parish, and we may regard it rather as remarkable for health and longevity than otherwise. Several of the parishioners have, from time to time, attained very advanced ages, one of whom, a female, died in the month of August last, in the hun- dredth year of her 'age. It may not be improper to notice here a fact, which we consider worthy of record, namely, that in the year 1832, when that scourge of the human race, cholera^ was permitted to visit this country, and to commit its mournful devastations in some of the neighbouring parishes, the inhabitants of this parish were not only mercifully preserved from that direful visitation, but the mortality here that year did not much exceed the half of the average annual mortality for the seven years immediately preced- ing, or for that of the four years that have since elapsed. Meteorology. — The prevailing winds are from the W. and S. W., and it is from these points we have the greatest quantity of rain. We have also occasionally very heavy rains from the east, and in the spring months we have frequently cold and stormy weather from that quarter. A register of the weather has been regularly kept here for many years, at an elevation of about 300 feet above the level of the sea, from which we have constructed the following Mbteorological Table. (Observations taken twice a-day, at 10 a. m. and at 10 p. m.) Year. 1880, Barometer. Thermometer. Rain. ; Lowest Highest. Lowest When. Wind. Highest When. Wind. In.lU08. 28.00 30.90 I5« Dec. 26. N. 77* July 28. S. W. 32.91 18.31, 28.87 30.42 19° Not. 19. W. 78 July 7. & 26.79 ias2. 2a80 30.22 23* Jan. 7. w. 76 June 14. E. 26.00 1833, ?a80 30.20 W Jan. 15. N. 80 July 17. S. W. 32.12 1834, 28.47 30.40 2V Dec. 28. W. 80 July 1- E. 30.54 1835, 28.00 80.20 23° Jan. 17. W. 81 June 10. E. 30.25 1836, Aver. 2a29 30.20 19'» Feb. 26. N.E. 78 May 17. W. 82.00 1 1 of 7 28.29 da36 20f 78;^ 80.08 years Hydrography. — The Almond, which is a bold and rapid cur- rent, though it intersects a portion of the parish at Lynedoch, is rather a boundary to this parish than a river Hbelonging to it. It takes its rise among the hills which lie between Loch Earn and l^och Tay. It winds its way through the steep and rugged moun- tains of Glenalmond, receiving in its course the numerous tribu- tary streams which descend, through the extensive tract of Logie- almond, from the hills on the north, — passes this parish, — becomes 3 METEIVKN. M-'i a boundary between the parishes of Redgorton and Tibbermore, and falls into the Tay two miles and a half above Perth. As it passes Lynedoch House, the seat of the Right Honourable Lord Lynedoch, and the ^«9ods at Methven Castle, the seat of Robert Soiythe, Esq. which are contiguous, the scenery is grand and pic- turesque, and furnishes some views, which, for beauty and roman- tic effect, are- rarely surpassed. Geology and Mineralogy, — The sole rocks in this district belong to the old red sandstone or trap groups. On the line of the river Almood, up to near Lynedoch, as well as throughout the southern part of the parish, the sandstone is of a bright-red colour with greyish spots, and dipping slightly towards the north. This is sofi and friable, containing large portions of clay and lime ; it quickly moulders down by the action of the air. At the new bridge of Lynedoch, a thick-bedded, fine-grained, pale gray sandstone makes its £^pearance, and occupies all the north-western parts of the pa- rish. This is worked as a building stone, and is eminently adapted for architectural purposes. In the space of less than two miles from Pitcaim, up the Almond, no fewer than five veins or dikes of trap cross the country, from north-east to south-west, nearly parallel to each other. These are chiefiy of that variety called greenstone, and afford excellent quarries for road metal and causeway stones. One of these veins, which appears at Cromwell Park dam dike, has a singular aspect The middle portion is amorphous trap, like the cement of an old castle wall, while on both sides of it, like the hewn ashler work, are walls of horizontal basaltic columns, lying at right angles to the axis of the vein. The whole may be about fifty feet in thickness. There are no minerals found in the parish wor- thy of notice, or not of ordinary occurrence in similar localities, if we except the innumerable veins of satin-spar with which the red argillaceous sandstone is everywhere intersected. These vary from an inch and a half to an eighth of an inch in thickness, but they are too friable and ill-coloured to be of any value. Botany. — A considerable number of plants might be enume- rated, as natives of this parish, and rarely to be found in other districts of the country, but notice shall be taken only of the following few, which are rare. L Corallorhiza innata^ found in the wood of Methven in 1804, being upwards of thirty years from the time that it had been previously found in the country. It ceases to show itself in flower when the coppice is cut down around it, until it be again protected with the shade of the young PERTH. K 146 PRRTHSHIKE. shoots. The Epipactis grandijlora^ latifolioj and ensifolia are also found in the same wood, as also are the Listera nidus^avis,' Paris quadrifiliaf Chrysoplenium alternifoliiim^ and Convallaria majalisy the latter in great abundance ; the Erigeron alpinus^ on a rock by the side of the Almond, near to the house of Lynedoch, — and in a morass near the south boundary of the parish and close by the turnpike road from Perth to Crieff, the Schenchzeria pa- lustris^ this being its only habitat as yet known in Scotland. Woods and Plantations, — The natural woods occupy about 260 imperial acres, and are contiguous to the banks of the Almond. They consist chiefly of oak, Quercus pedunculata, with a mix- ture of birch, ash, alder, and hazel. The Quercus sessilijlora is not indigenous here. These woods have been treated as coppice for some hundreds of years, and they are still periodically cut as such, at a proper age. Some of the aged reserves are oc- casionally taken away, and some of the best seedling growths left to supply their place. There are about 1500 acres under planted trees of intermediate ages, from 150 years old and downwards; and to these, annual additions are making, not only of species/which are indigenous, or which have long been naturalized, but also of others recently imported. The soil in general appears to be most congenial to the oak, producing timber of great durability. Beech also succeeds well on all the hard-bottomed land that has been previously under cultivation ; and on moor soils the larch thrives uncommonly well, of which there are several hundred acres, which for quality cannot be surpassed. Remarkable Trees. — A noble and venerable ash, known bv the name of the Bell Tree^ supposed to be coeval with the first religi- ous establishment in this parish, stands in the west corner of the churchyard. At 3^ feet above the surface of the ground, this tree measures 20 feet in circumference ; and it contains in all 380 cubic feet of timber. Forty years ago it exhibited a magnificent top, but, wearied, as it were, of its former pliancy, it now chooses ra- ther to break than bow, and yearly it does homage to the soil which nourishes it, by surrendering a portion of its withered branches. The Pepper Well oak at Methven Castle is a tree of great pic- turesque beauty, and contains 700 cubic feet of wood ; the trunk measures 17^^feet in circumference at 3 feet above the ground, and its branches cover a space of 98 feet in diameter. It has at- tained an increase in girth of 3 feet since the year 1796. In the year 1722, 100 merks Scots were offered for this tree, and tradi- METHVEN. 147 turn reports that there is a stone in the heart of it, but, like the Grolenos oak, it must be cut up to ascertain this. A black Italian poplar, Populus accledesca^ stands by the burn- ade at Tippermallo, which was planted on the 5th May 1776. By a measurement of it taken in 1836, it was found to contain 300 cubic feet of timber; at 3 feet from the ground the girth is 1 1 feet 6 inches. There are perhaps but few instances of such a rapid increase of timber, this being at the rate of 5 feet yearly since it was planted. The management of woods and plantations is now better under- stood and more successfully practised than formerly, when the error of planting too thick, which is still too prevalent, and of neglecting to thin in proper time, operated so injuriously against the rearing of timber trees. The planter by this method may have had in some instances an earlier return of profit, when small wood was in request, and this is the only recommendation which in gene- ral can be bestowed upon too thick planting. There is perhaps no proprietor in Scotland who has realized a greater amount for trees of his oion planting than the venerable Lord Lynedoch, from whose plantations many thousands have been shipped to England. II. — Civil History. Ltand^oumers. — The chief land-owners are, Robert Smytlie, Esq. of Methven; Lord Lynedoch; Lord Elibank; and Baroness Keith. The property belonging to the latter forms part of this parish only quoad civilia, and is situated at a distance of several miles north-east from the rest of tlie parish, on the confines of the parish of Auchtergaven, and at the bottom of the Gramj)ian hills. The parish otherwise is of a compact form. The relative propor- tion of the lands in the parish, belonging to each of these proprie- tors, may be estimated at a half, a fourth, an eighth, and a sixteenth respectively, and the remainder, being about another sixteenth, is held by small proprietors and feuars. The ancient valuation of the parish, as appears by the county cess-books, and that by which the public rates are still charged, is L. 6400, 4s. 6d. Scots. Parish Registtr, — The earliest register of this parish extant, or known ever to have existed, appears to have been commenced in the year 1662, and, with the exception of nineteen years, that is from 1730 to 1749, the record has been continued up to the present time. This omission is supposed to have been occasioned by the political troubles which then distracted the country, — at least no other cause for it can now be assigned. The register is not volu- 148 PERTHSHIRE. minoiis, considering the extensive period which it embraces, but, with the exception above noticed, it seems upon the whole to have been regularly kept. From this register we learn a fact which has perhaps but few parallels in the history of the church, namely, that the present in- cumbent is only the (ouTih presbyterian minister in this parish since the period of the Reformation. The first was Mr William Mon- crieif, who was ordained here on the 14th June 1694, and after a ministry of fifty-six years, was succeeded on the 12th December 1750, by Dr James Oswald, who resigned the living in the year 1783, and died in August 1793. Upon Dr Oswald's resignation, the Rev. John Dowe, who had then been eleven years minister of Can- nobie, in Dumfries- shire, was translated to this charge in February 1784. He died in November 1823, and was succeeded in August following by the Rev. Thomas Clark, the present incumbent. Antiquities. — We take this article, without alteration, from the former Statistical Account written by the late Rev. John Dowe, who was eminently distinguished for extensive and authentic anti- quarian research, and whose authority we regard as unquestion- able. " The first mention found of Methven in history is about the year 970, when Colenus, reputed the 79th King of Scotland, is said to have been killed in its neighbourhood, by Rohard, Thane of Methven, whose daughter he had deflowered. Before 1323, the lands of Methven belonged to the Mowbrays, whose ancestor, Roger Mowbray, a Norman, came to England with William the Conqueror. The first religious establishment here was a pro- vostry or collegiate church, founded anno 1433, by Walter Stew- art Earl of Athol, who amply endowed it with lands and tithes, for the salvation of his soul, according to the superstition of those times ; and who was a principal actor in the horrid murder of King James I., his own nephew. An aisle, which was connected with the last church, appears, from a stone built in the wall, to have been erected by some of the royal family. On this stone is sculptured the Royal Lyon of Scotland, with the crown above, and there are some defaced illegible Saxon characters below. This aisle may have been built by Margaret the Queen Dowager, when she re- sided at the Castle of Methven. It is now the burying- place of the family of Methven." In reference to the Mowbrays above-mentioned, occasion is IMETIIVEN. 149 takeu to introduce the following illustrative note, which, in our opinion, is highly deserving of a place here. ^^ A branch of this fiimily afterwards established itself in Scot« land, and became very flourishing. To Sir Roger Mowbray be- longed the baronies of Kelly, Eckford, Dalmeny, and Methven, lying in the shires of Forfar, Roxburgh, Linlithgow, and Perth ; but for adhering to the Baliol and English interest, his lands were confiscated by Robert L, who bestowed Eckford, Kelly, and Methven on his son-in-law, Walter, the eighth hereditary Lord High Steward of Scotland, whose son, Robert, was afterwards King, and the second of the name, in right of his mother, Mar- jory Bruce, daughter of Robert L The lordship of Methven was granted by him to Walter Stewart, Earl of Athol, his second son, by Euphame Ross, his second wife, and after his forfeiture remain- ed in the crown a considerable time. It became part of the dowery lands usually appropriated for the maintenance of the queen dowager of Scotland, together with the lordship and Castle of Stirling, and the lands of Balquhidder, &c. all of which were settled on Margaret, Queen Dowager of James IV., who in the year 1524, having divorced her second husband, Archibald Earl of Angus, married Henry Stewart, second son of Andrew, Lord Evandale, afterwards Ochiltree, a descendant of Robert Duke of Albany, son of King Robert II. Margaret was the eldest daugh- ter of Henry VII. of England, in whose right James VI. of Scot- land, her great grandson, succeeded to that crown, on the death of Queen Elizabeth. She procured for her third husband a peer- age from her son, James V. under the title of Lord Methven, an- no 1528; and on this occasion the barony of Methven was dis- solved from the crown, and erected into a lordship in favour of Henry Stewart and his heirs-male, on the Queen's resigning her jointure of the lordship of Stirling. By Lord Methven she had a daughter, who died in infancy before herself. The Queen died at the Castle of Methven in 1540; and was buried at Pertii, be- side the body of King James I. Lord Methven afterwards mar- ried Janet Stewart, daughter of the Earl of Athol, by whom lie had a son, Henry II. Lord Methven, who married Jean, daughter of Patrick Lord Ruthven, and was killed at Broughton, by a can- non ball from the Castle of Edinburgh, in 1572, leaving a son, Henry III. Lord Methven, who died without issue. This third Lord Methven is mentioned on the authority of Stavarfs Genea^ logical Account of the House of Stewart. In the year 1584, the 150 PERTHSHIRE- Lordship of Methven and Balquhidder was conferred on Lodo' wick Duke of Lennox, in whose illustrious family it continued till It was purchased in 1664, by Patrick Smythe of Braco, great grandfather of the present Lord Methven, from Charles the last Duke, who dying without issue, anno 1672, his honours, (of which Lord Methven was one,) with his estate and hereditary offices, fell to Charles XL as his nearest male heir ; the King's great-grand- father and the Duke's being brothers." " It is only necessary to mention farther under this article, that Bessy Bell and Mary Gray, celebrated in one of our most po- pular songs, are said to have been buried in this parish, about half a mile west of the present house of Lednock." And that " the common tradition is, that Bessy Bell was daughter of the Laird of Kinvaid, and Mary Gray of the Laird of Lednock. Being near neighbours, a great intimacy subsisted between the young ladies. When they were together at Lednock, the plague broke out, anno 1645 ; to avoid which they retired to a romantic spot called Burn Braes, on the estate of Lednock, where they lived for some time, but afterwards caught the infection from a young gentleman, an admirer of both, who came to visit them in their solitude : and here they died, and were buried at some distance from their bower, near a beautiful bank of the Almond.'* Resident Landed Proprietors, — The only landed proprietor per- manently resident is Robert Smythe, Esq. of Methven. Seat, Methven Castle, " which stands with a dignified appearance" on a bold and steep eminence in the park, where, according to Guthrie the historian, Bruce, in the year 1306, was defeated by the Earl of Pembroke. The castle is a good specimen of the style of an- cient baronial building, and was finished in the year 1680. Its ori- ginal dimensions have been greatly enlarged by extensive addi- tions built to it from time to time, both by the late Lord Methven, and by the present proprietor, Mr Smythe. Lord Lynedoch, the only other landed proprietor, who has a seat in the parish, resides also occasionally at Lynedoch House or Cottage, which is pleasantly situated on the north bank of the Al- mond, and is justly celebrated for the beauty of the surrounding scenery. III. — Population. The actual statement of the population of this parish, at any very remote period. — if any such statement ever existed — cannot now be traced. The earliest account we have of it is in the year METHVEN. 151 1755, when it was said to be 1790. Again, in the year 1793, it was stated at 1786. It is supposed, however, that in each of these cases the population was estimated by the very imperfect mode of allowing three, four, or five individuals to each family. — a method, which, even under the most favourable circumstances, can be viewed only as an approximation to the truth, while in no case can it be depended upon, if »ny thing like accuracy be re- quired. By the Parliamentary census taken at different periods, the population was found to be as under : — Year. Population lucrcasc. Decrease. In 1801, 2073 1811, 1654 581 18-21, 2904 250 1831 2714 J90 The chief cause assigned at the time for the increase from 1801 to 1811, was the general introduction of vaccine ino- culation, which, previous to 1801, was scarcely known in this parish. Another reason then given was the encouragement afford- ed by Colonel Graham of Balgowan, now Lord Lynedoch, and by the Honourable Lord Methven, father of the present pro- prietor of the estate of Methven, to enterprising agriculturists to settle upon their estates. The apparent increase of 250 from 1811 to 1821, was evidently owing to this circumstance, viz. in the former case it was the population of the quoad sacra parish that was enumerated, while in the latter, it was that of the parish quoad civilia. The decrease of 190, between the years 1821, and 1831, was principally occasioned by the almost entire depopulation of the estate of Bachilton, the property of Lord Elibank, which in the year 1821 was occupied by twelve tenants, — farmers, besides' their cottars and dependents ; whereas at the latter date, this ex- tensive and valuable property may be said to have been, as it still is, in the hands of one person. The village of Methven contains a population of 1000; and that of Almondbank 300, these being the only villages in the pa- rish. The rest of the population are chiefly engaged in rural and agricultural employment. It is impossible accurately to state the average number of births in the parish ; for although all those who belong to the Establish- ed Church regularly attend to the registration of their children's names, even before they are baptized, yet very few of those who are in connection with the Seceders take the trouble of discharg- ing this duty to their children. If, however, we suppose the births 152 ^ PEUTHSHIRE. of the latter to be half the number of that of the former, the ave* rage annual number of births in this parish for the last seven years would be 58. If there be any advantage in the registration of births, either in a public or private point of view, the method by which this can be most generally accomplished is certainly a desi- deratum of no mean importance. The average number of deaths for the last seven years is 37 ; and that of marriages, 17. Within the last three years there have been 10 illegitimate births. Character of the People — It is not to be expected that every few miles of different locality should furnish the observer with striking peculiarities of character, but there are advantages possessed in one place which another does not enjoy, and which have a consi- derable influence in modifying the feelings and habits of a com- munity. Thus, without facilities of reading, and freedom of inter- course with other districts, how slow would be the march of im- provement, — how imperceptible the change of society. The in- habitants of this parish possess both these privileges. Having a library of considerable extent and variety, they have within their reach the means of knowledge, and, living in a district intersected by the great road which connects Glasgow with Perth and Dun- dee, they become early acquainted with what is transacted in these populous cities, and imbibe some portion of the activity and enter- prise of their inhabitants. Thus they are an intelligent and. in- dustrious people, devoting their time to the acquisition of the means necessary for their support, and spending their leisure hours in amusing or profitable reading. They are, moreover, kind and hospitable, moral and religious, shewing a becoming regard for the authority of the gospel, and a most exemplary regularity in attend- ing public worship. IV. — Industry. Agriculture and Rural Economy. — The total number of imperial acres in the parish is about 10,700 ' Cultivated or occasionally in tillage, - . - 8600 Under wood and plantations, - - ... 1750 Moor to be cultivated or planted, .... 250 Moss, - - ... . 100 10,700 The gross rental of the parish exceeds L. 1 1,000 ; and the ave- rage rate of the arable land let is about l^. 1, 7s. per acre, compris- ing the various gradations from L. 3 per acre down to 12s. The extent of the farms varies from 280 acres to 40, — and pendicles METHVEN. 153 and cottage holdings from 20 acres to less than one. Leases are generally for nineteen years. No particular breed of bestial can be ^ated as peculiar to the parish. Many Ayrshire cows, for the purpose of the dairy, have of late years been introduced. The grazing of a cow for the season costs about L. 3. Every farm has a thrashing-mill, and none but iron ploughs are in use. Ploughmen's wages vary from L. 12 to L. 18 per annum, with victuals. HiUbcmdry. — The alternate system of cropping is generally practised, and, on account of the diversity of soils, this is judicious- ly modified to suit the capabilities of land, localities, and climate. The best wheat lands are cultivated under a six course rotation, in which grass with clover has a place only for one season, beans and pease, with other leguminous plants, occupying the intermediate years between the grain crops. Lands of medium quality, which include the greater portion of that which is arable, are kept under a five years rotation, with two years under grass, the first year hay, and the second pasture. On dry and gravelly soils, and also on the inferior moorlands, a six years rotation is followed, with three years grass in succession, while the generality of small pendiclers and occupiers of village acres practise that of four years ; the first, green crop ; the second, bar- ley with grass seeds; the third, cutting grass or hay ; and the fourth, oats. Bone-dust has been used with much advantage as a manure, for the raising of turnips, on the dry lands which admit of the crop being eaten ofi* with sheep ; but lime is the stimulant most in use, ibany thousand bolls of which have of late years been carted from Perth, it being brought there by shipping from the Frith of Forth and the north of England. Potatoes, particularly the Perthshire red, are extensively culti- vated for the London market, and, for several years have brought higher returns to the farmer than the rest of his other crops. Ex- cellent crops of turnips are also raised for home consumption, especially for feeding cattle, which find purchasers both from Perth and Glasgow. Some good crops of mangold wurzel have also been raised. Several tenants now see the advantage of sowing out their fields with different kinds of natural grass seeds suited to the soil, in mixture with rye-grass and clover. As this system will improve the pasturage, so it will be the means of extending it, and conse- quently of lessening the quantity of land, so frequently held under 154 PBRTHSHIUE tillage, which is the greatest defect with which the present system is chargeable. Value of Annual Produce. m Grain of all kinds, sold or consumed, deducting seed, L. 21500 Green crops, do. do. - - . 9300 Hay and pasturage, . - • . . 7165 Woods and plantations, .... . x5oo Moss, ...... 30 Amount, L. 39,495 Manufactures. — The only manufacturing establishment in the parish is at Woodend, in the immediate vicinity of the village of Almondbank, and belongs to the Messrs Turnbull of Hunting- tower BleachBeld, in the adjoining parish of Tibbermore. This was formerly a paper manu&ctory, but was lately converted into a weav- ing establishment, and is 6tted up with power looms. It gives em- ployment to a considerable number of people in that quarter. The population of the village of Almondbank is chiefly employed at the public works on the river Almond, which are numerous and ex- tensive, but none of them are in this parish but the one now men- tioned. The principal employment of a great part of the population of the village of Methven is hand-loom weaving. They are chiefly sup- plied with work by resident agents, who obtain it on commission from manufacturers in Glasgow. V. — Parochial Economy. Roads, 8fc. — The north road from Perth to Glasgow by way of Crieif passes through the village of Methven, which is situated six miles from Perth, eleven from Criefl*, and fifty-eight from Glasgow. There is no other turnpike road in theparish, but several county roads intersect it, which greatly facilitate the intercourse between this parish and the neighbouring districts in all directions. These roads are generally kept in a state of excellent repair, and are maintain- ed by the funds arising from the statute labour conversion. Two coaches (one of them the royal mail) pass and repass from Perth to Glasgow daily, and there is a penny post-office here, which was established about five years ago, in connection with the post-office at Perth. Ecclesiastical State. — The parish church, which is conveniently situated, is a large commodious and substantial building, although not an elegant one, and, with the addition of an aisle built to it in the year 1825, at the private expense of Robert Smythe, Esq. of Methven, the patron and principal heritor of the parish, contains METHVEN. 165 about 1 100 sittings, which are in general nearly all occupied. The only other place of worship in the parish is a meeting-house in con- nection with the United Associate Synod, formerly Antiburgher Seceders. About the year 1770 this parish had become one of the most thorough Seceding parishes in Scotland, and the parish church at that time was almost entirely deserted. By an enumeration, very carefully taken in the beginning of the year 1 836, it was found that the gross population of the quoad «acra parish was then 2450, and that the number of communicants belonging to the Establish- ed Church was 903. In this parish there are no Dissenters in the proper acceptation of that term, for all those who do not belong to the church are connected either with the United Associate Synod, or with the As- sociate Synod of Original Seceders, who have a place of worship in a neighbouring parish. The number of families in the parish altogether is 630 ; of these, 354 belong to the Established Church ; 1234 to what were formerly Antiburgher Seceders : and 21 to the Original Seceders. The manse is an elegant modern edifice, built in the year 1830, at a very considerable expense, and may justly be regarded as an unquestionable proof of the liberality and good taste of the heri- tors. It is the largest, and perhaps the best finished and most convenient, manse in the presbytery. The stipend, as modified in the year 1829, is 18 chalders, half meal, and half barley, payable by the fiars of the county. The glebe consists of 15 acres of good land, capable of bearing all kinds of crops, besides 10 acres of unimproved moor land, which was allotted to the minister, as his portion of the common, at the time it was divided. Education, — Nothing can be more satisfactory than the state of education in this parish. There are very few if any adults that cannot read, and by the exertions of the benevolent, the poorest children have the means of instruction afforded them. About one- ninth of the population is continually employed in attending school, and while the general progress is extremely gratifying, there are many instances of great proficiency in every department of education. The parochial school has, for above twenty years, been under the superintendence of the present eminent teacher Mr R. Wilson, whose services and whose character have earned for him the esteem and confidence of all those among whom he 156 PERTHSHIRK. has so long and successfully laboured. And besides his profes- sional duties^ which have been uniformly discharged with great fidelity and talent, he has rendered invaluable services to the com- munity in the management of several benevolent institutions. The advantages of the savings-bank in this place are chiefly ow- ing to his business talent, and gratuitous labours. The existence, and happy effects of the friendly society, as it is now constituted, have the same origin ; and much of the comfort of the poor is to be traced to the kindness and accuracy with which he conducts their pecuniary affairs under the direction of the heritors and kirk- session. The salary paid to the schoolmaster is the maximum, and the amount of school -fees actually received may vary from L. 25 to L. 30 per annum. The rate of fees is 2s., 2s. 6d. and 3s. per quarter, for the ordinary branches of education, and 5s. for Latin, book-keeping, practical mathematics, &c. &c. The number of scholars attending the parochial school varies from 120 to 150. There is an unendowed school in the village of Almondbank, numerously attended, there being from 70 to 90 scholars who re- ceive instruction in this place. The right of nominating the teacher to this school belongs to Robert Smythe, Esq. of Methven, who along with some other benevolent individuals, contributes an- nually a few pounds for the education of poor children in that dis- trict. There is also in the village of Methven a school supported en- tirely by the Secession congregation of this place, and, so far as we know, this school is well attended and well taught, so that the means of education are abundantly supplied in this parish. Literature, — A library was established here in the year 1790, and now consists of more than 1100 volumes. It contains many standard works in divinity, science, and general literature. It is supported by the annual contribution of its members, the number of whom at present is 130. The members meet quarterly for con- ducting the general business of the society. It is governed by a pre- sident and committee of management, who are annually elected. The institution is in a prosperous condition, and eminently fitted to promote the dissemination of general knowledge. Friendly Society. — A Friendly Society was instituted here in the year 1790, but, from the imperfect knowledge, or rather the perfect ignorance which then, and for many years afterwards, prevailed re- garding the equitable principles upon which institutions of this METHVEN. 157 nature ought to be founded, this society, like all others of the same kind, had long to grope its way in uncertainty, and from time to time to vary and adjust its rates of contributions and allow- ances, according as the funds were supposed to be adequate to the purposes contemplated or not. This state of ignorance was evi- dently the true cause, both then and afterwards, of the almost uni- versal failure of Friendly Societies. But by the caution and fore- sight of some of its leading members, this Society was safely guid- ed through those difficulties which proved so fatal to others, and was even comparatively in a prosperous state in the year 1824, when the Report of the Highland Society of Scotland upon Be- nefit or Friendly Societies was published. For this important production, the public owe a deep debt of gratitude to Charles Oliphant, Esq. W. S. Upon the appearance of the Highland Society's Report, the members of this society, generally, eagerly availed themselves of the information it afforded, and showed a resolution, in spite of every difficulty, to reduce to practice, in their own case, the principles therein expounded. They, therefore, immediately set about re- modelling the Melhven Friendly Society, in strict conformity to the data contained in the Report of the Highland Society, and for this purpose they appointed a large committee of their number, to whom, in terms of the Friendly Society Act of 1802, they dele- gated all the power and authority the society itself possessed, to alter, to amend, and to enlarge its laws, its principles, and its ob- jects. The society accordingly, on the 22d May 1826, adopted a new constitution, principally derived from, and entirely founded upon, the Highland Society's Report, embracing the three great schemes therein exhibited, namely, Ist^ For affording weekly payments in money during sickness, until the member attains the seventieth year of his age. 2ch Ore, in his camp in the parish of Camock, and arrive with his troops at the scene of action, before mom- niog, as Chalmers supposes. 172 PERTHSHIRE. It is natural to think that the ever-watchful Romans would not permit a camp, so situated, and so fitted to annoy them, to remain undisturbed in the vicinity of so important a station as Orrea. Ac- cordingly, judging from the number of tumuli, or cairns, the vici- nity of this camp would seem to have been the scene either of a succession of contests, or of one great and bloody battle. No ac- count, or even tradition, indeed, concerning this camp, or these tumuli, has come down to us. But this is perhaps the most con- clusive circumstance that removes their date to the time of the Romans. For, had such transactions as they unquestionably in- dicate taken place in more recent times, we may conclude that some tradition, at least, about them would have come down to us, as has been the case with the battle of Luncarty with the Danes. That these tumuli or cairns were erected over ?iative chiefs, and not over the leaders of the Romans, or other enemies, is establish- ed by one circumstance, besides the practice of our ancestors, which of itself, however, might appear conclusive on the subject, whilst the same circumstance, as well as the magnitude of the prin- cipal cairn, bespeak the quality of the person intended to be com- memorated, and at the same time connects these cairns with the camp in question. The circumstance to which I refer, is the name which is given to the lands on which the camp stands. The names of places are one of the best evidences which we possess of ancient historical events, in the absence of historical records. The lands on which the camp stands are called Pitcairn, that is to say, the cairns of the graves ; pit^ in Gaelic, signifying a grave. This name then connects these cairns, which stand on the lands of Balm- blair and Bridgeton, with the camp, which stands on the lands of Pitcairn ; and therefore proves that the persons buried under these cairns perished in battle. The same name, which is compounded entirely of Gaelic ety- mons, proves that these tumuli were the burial places of native chiefs. For had they been erected over Romans, the name would have given some indication of its Roman origin. And, the cir- cumstance that these cairns have given the name to the adjacent lands, proves that' the principal person intended to be commemo- rated was a great landed proprietor in the country. For if he had been any inferior personage, or even any person of equal import- ance from a distance, though he might have given his name to the place of his burial, it is not likely that lands, which had never be- longed to him, or with which he had no connection, would have taken the name which is given them in tenures, from the circum- RKDGORTON. 173 stances of his death. Now in the time of the Romans the land was not parcelled out amongst a number of small proprietors as at present, but was held in great districts by a few nobles or petty princes. In this way, by putting together the different circum- stances in our possession, and comparing them with the ancient state of society in our country, we arrive, almost with certainty, at the conclusion, that the principal cairn in this place, of which an admeasurement is given at the foot of the page,* is the burial-place of a great landed proprietor, or British Chief, who perished in bat- tle, in defence of his country, most probably against the Romans. Battle of Luncarty. — Not much inferior in interest to the site of the Roman station of Orrea, is the scene of the battle of Luncarty, so extraordinary and almost romantic in its circumstances, and so important in its results. The field on which this battle was fought lies on the banks of the Tay, about two miles above the mouth of the Almond, and within the period of the incumbency of the last minister, which extended to forty years, was covered with small tumuli ; but there is now no other memorial of the contest but two upright stones, one of which, about four feet high, retains the name of Denmark. Although this battle is mentioned by all our his- torians, by Boetius, Fordun, and Buchanan, the precise year in which it was fought is not accurately known ; but it took place un- der the reign of Kenneth III. about the year 990, or somewhat earlier, Kenneth having been assassinated by Fenella in 994. The Danes had landed in great force at the mouth of the river Esk ;f and having taken the town of Montrose, they levelled both the town and its castle with the ground, massacring all the inha- bitants without distinction of age or sex. They then marched across the whole province of Angus, laying the country waste in their progress till they reached the Tay, where they encamped on one of the hills in the vicinity of Perth. The King was at Stir- ling when intelligence of these occurrences was brought him ; from whence he immediately marched with all the strength he could muster, to watch the motions of the enemy ; having written to those nobles who were not at hand, to follow him as soon as pos- sible, with all their forces. He speedily arrived at Moncrieff Hill, * This extraordinary cairn is situated on the top of a circular mound, the summit of which it entirely occupies. The cairn is raised to the height of 13 feet perpendi- cular above the mound, and has a diameter of 100 feet, thus occupying a space of 872 square yards. t Traducta dasae ad Eskc fluminis ostium — oppidum proximum diripiunt : in di- reptom fnro et igne samunt ; aroem solo apquant : cives sine discrimine occidunt : nulU vel aexui, Tel atati parcunt— Buch. Lib. 6, 5* ^t. 174 PERTHSHIRE. — Buchanan says at the confluence of the Tay and the Earn,*— * where he fixed his camp, which was soon filled by a multitude of his countrymen ; the nobles having joined him with all their re- tainers. Whilst he was here organizing his forces, word was sud- denly brought him that the enemy had crossed the Tay, and were laying siege to the town of Perth, then called Bertha. When the King heard that a place of such importance, and so near, was in danger, he immediately marched thither, and, passing by the ene- my, took up his position at Luncarty, to the north of them. The Scots were next day eager for the encounter, and drew out their forces in order of battle, on a level piece of ground ; but the Danes, who were stationed on an opposite eminence, would not be drawn from their advantageous position, and the Scots could not attack them in it without great danger. The King therefore threw forward his archers and javeline throwers, (sagitarii et jaculatores) who so annoyed the enemy from a distance, that they were forced to advance to the contest on more equal terms. A terrible battle ensued on the level ground, which was foiight for some time with doubtful success. At length, the centre of the Scottish army was exposed by the flight of both wings, which the Danes were pursu- ing with great vigour. It would have been a most disastrous day to the Scots, says Buchanan, had not assistance been providential- ly brought to them in their extremity by one man."|- The battle was observed by a man of the name of Hay, who, with his two sons, all of them of great strength both of body and mind, J were employed in a field, on the opposite side of the river. His love of his country, for which he was remarkable, was touched by the danger of his countrymen ; when, seizing on the yoke of his plough, and his sons on whatever they could find, and crossing the Tay at the shallow part of the river, they reached the field of bat- tle at the critical moment of the flight, which, first by entreaties, and then by threats, they endeavoured to stop, declaring that they would put to death those who persisted.§ Then throwing them- selves with fury upon the foremost of the pursuing Danes, they gave the Scots a moment to rally on an eminence, which still re- tains the name of Turn-again hillock. The battle was now re- * Brcvi ingens multitudo in castra Regis, quae erant ad conflucntcm Tai et ler- lue fluininum accessit. Id. loo. cit. f Fuisset profecto ilia dies longe Scotis funestissima, nisi velut divinitus per unum hominem in prope despera fuisset oblatum auxilium. Buch. Lib. 6, §. 32. 4: Qui cum corporis, animique viribus magnis essent, nee minore in patriam cari- tate. Id. loc. cit. § Se quoque Tociferantes adversus fugientes, Dauos fuere. Id. loc. cit. 3 REDGORTON. 175 newed on somewhat different ground, when Hay, leading some of the clans down a deep ravine, took the Danes in flank and rear, which threw them into confusion. At this critical moment again, another circumstance occurred which completed their disorder. A great shout was raised by a number of grooms, and a rustic crowd of peasants,* which appeared to the Danes to be a new army, and increased their pania The fortune of the day was now, therefore, entirely changed, and the Danes were routed with such prodigious slaughter, that those who escaped the sword perished in the river. A despairing effort was, however, made to save their commander's life, by defending an eminence close to the banks of the river ; but ^1 their efforts were unavailing. For here the Danish General, according to Fordun, the King himself, was slain ;-t- and the stone mentioned above, which yet retains the name of Denmark, still marks the spot of his fall. Such was the celebrated battle of Luncarty, which, having been turned from defeat to victory, by the undaunted valour and success- ful conduct of one man and his sons, laid the foundation of the for- tune of the family of Hay, which includes in it the three earldoms of Enrol, Tweeddale, and Kinnoull. After this complete victory, the King wishing to march in tri- umph into Perth, directed that splendid robes should be brought for the gallant Hay and his sons, that they might make a suitable appearance, but he refused to put them on ; and, having only wash- ed off the dust, and marching into the town, dressed in his every-day garments, and carrying the yoke with which he had done such ser- vice over his shoulder, he fixed the eyes of all men upon him, and received the whole credit of the fortime of the day.J An assem- bly of states having been held shortly after, at Scone, it was there decreed to give the valiant Hay his choice of the Greyhound's course or the Falcon's flight, as a suitable reward for having deli- vered his country from so formidable an enemy. Hay having chosen the Falcon's flight, the noble bird was unhooded on the top of a hill in the vicinity of the city, and stooped not in his flight till * Ad banc Danorum trepidationem agasones, et imbellis agrestium turba sublato clamore xpeciem novi exercitus prabuere. Id. loc. cit. f In illo admirabili bello de Luncardy ubi Norica gens una cum suo rege total!- ter perierunt. Ford. Scoticbron. Lib. x. Cap. 16. ^ Haius ad Regem productus — splendidas vestes slbi et filiis oblatas, ut inspeo- tiores Bertham ingrederentur, renuit ; ac tantum abstcrso pulverc, quotidiano ami- culo Indutus, jugumque quo erat in praelio usus, ferens — multis ad novi generis speo- taculum aoeurrentlbus urbem ingreditur : omniumquc ora et oculos in se unum con* ▼ertift : ae lolua prope omnem Ulius diei celebritatena tulit. Buch. Lib. 6, §. 33. 176 PERTHSHIRE. • he reached the conBnes of the parish of Enrol, where he alighted on a large stone, which still bears the name of the ^^ Hawk's stane." All the intervening ground was given in property to the family of *^ Hay of Errol/' though it has since that period been either ap- portioned to different members of the family, or alienated to other parties. In memory of these events, the family of Hay still wear as their arms, argent, three scutcheons. Gules : with the yoke in- scribed, t. e. three golden shields in a silver shield ; an indication, as Buchanan thinks, that the public safety was defended by the singular valour of three men, in an important battle.* * Of the existence of this battle there can be no doubt. And although some critics have pretended to find impit>babilitie8 or impossibilities in its principal circumstances, there is such unquestionable evidence of their truth, besides the direct testimony of all our historians, as no criticism can overcome. Lord Kames, in his *' Sketches of the History of Man,** has said, *^ Tliis story has every mark of fiction. A man ploughing in sight of a battle, on which depended his wife and children, his goods, and perhaps his own life ; three men, without rank or figure, with only a stick in the hand of each, stemming the tide of victory, and turning the fate of battle. I mention not that a plough was unknown in Scotland for a century or two after that battle ; for that circumstance could not create a doubt in the historian, if he was ignorant of it.** A little attention, however, to the circumstances narrated above, will, I think, remove this objection. If it be remembered, that the Scottish army did not arrive at the scene of action till the preceding day, and that the field in which Hay was at work was on the opposite side of the river from the field of battle, it will not appear so ut- terly incredible that he was at work as is pretended. Besides, the fair inference from this part of the criticism, only extends to the circumstance of his being actually en- gaged in agricultural labour. It does not follow that he could not be in the fields observing the action, nor imply the impossibility of his seizing the yoke; and bis me- rit would be as great on the one supposition as the other. Again, the criticism of this able and respectable author is as full of self-contradictious as the story itself. In order to give point to his criticism, he is obliged to suppose (what is not stated by any historian) that Hay was " unconcernedly" following his ordinary occupation, and this at the very moment that his own narration represents him as roused into rage at the flight of his countrymen. If the interest he should naturally have taken in the fate of the battle fVom '< his 9ijt and children, hi* goodt^ and perhopt hit life** being dependent upon it, ren- dered it impossible for him to be an uncuncemed ^spectator, as the criticism implies, would not these be excitements to strong and even desperate efforts in behalf of his countrymen ? Add to this that the learned author, in order to make his case the stronger, has founded on Hay and his sons wanting ** rank and figured which yet, if they had possessed, would not have been of the slightest avail to them in the given circumstances. Not only in that age, but especially in the circumstances supposed, personal prowess was every thing, and ** rank and figure*' nothing in stemming the tide of victory. Lastly, the learned author concludes his remarks on this battle by saying,*^* that a plough was unknown in Scotland for a century ox two after that bat- tle." It is a pity that the author had not quoted the authority on which so confident an assertion is founded. It is certainly contrary to all that we have read of the an- cient state of our country. A plough not known in Scotland till about the year 1 100 or 1 200 ! ! One might have thought that the Romans would have introduced the knowledge of the plough into our country eight hundred or a thousand years before this, if it had not been previously known. But what do their historians say on the subject ? Csesar De hello Gallico, lib. v. says that those '* qui ex Belgis transierunt** inhabited the coasts ** atque agros colere c. Do. Do. Do. Do. Villa Novi castrie. Villa Novicastrl. Vill. Nov. castri. Vill. Novicastri. Vill. Novicastri. Vill. Suedmundic. Vill. Suedroundi. Remarks. R. de Hadalie was Master of the Mint in the 1st 6 years of Edward I. Only 2. Particular mint mark. With particular mint mark. Ob. with mint mark, rev. with a cross. Only one found. asseveration, Lord Kames had either forgot the date of the battle of which he speaks, or had not remembered that Luncarty is in the very heart of the kingdom of the Picts, and in the vicinity of its capital. The battle of Luncarty was fought al>out the year nine hundred and ninety of our era. Agricola wan settled in his camp at Orrea, almost on the same spot, about the year eighty, or nine hundred years Ite- fore. Not a plough known during all this time ! ! Credat Judscus ! Tacitus shows us, ai great length, the care of Agricola to. initiate the Scottisli youth in the arts and luiury of the Romans ; I wonder he never gave them any lessons in agriculture ; the more eqpccially as some knowledge of that art was absolutely necessary to enable them to pay the tribute, which, the author tells tis, consisted of money and corn. And one cannot help wondering how the Scots could discharge these vectigalia before a plough was known among them. Abemethy and Brechin still testify to us, that the Picts were great artificen, but they could be no agriculturists, for a plough was not known io Scodand fbr three hundred years after the overthrow of their kingdom ! I PERTH. M 178 I'EUTIISHIRE. £dw R. R. Angl. Dus. Hyb. £dw R. Angl. Dus. Hyb. Do. Do. Edw. R. R. AngL Dus. Hyb. Edwa. R. AngL Dus. Hyb. Edwa. R. Angl. Dus. Hyb. Edw. R. Angl. Dus. Hyb. Edwa. R. Angl. Dus. Hyb. Edw. R. Angl. Dus. Hyb. Do. Do. Do. Do. Edw. R. R. Angl. Dus. Hyb. Henrici Dei Gra. Henrici TercL Face in a triangle. Edw. R. Angl. Dus. Hyb. Do. Do. Alexander Dei Gra. Johannes Dei Gra. Johannes. Dei Gra. Johannes Dei Gra. VUl. Suedmundi. Civitus Eboraci. Do. Do. Ci vitas Dunelm. Do. Do. Villa Berwici. Do, Do. Villa Brtstolie. Civttas Ozoniae. Civitas Cestrie. Civitas Lincoln. Vill. Kingestou. Romanorum Rex. Ntcoli iu London. Civitas Waterford. CiTitas Dublinie. ScottUh CoiuM, Rex Scotorum. Rex Scotorum. Civitas S. Andre. ' Civius St Andree. Cross with open dots, only 2. Cross and pallets without dots. With crook. The W divided by limb of cross V4.T. Only one. Only one. Ob. with mint mark and eagle. Rev. with cross and pellets in quarters. Fresh and entire. Scarce. Only one. Ancient Manners. — For a long time after the Reformation, so- ciety was in a state of disorder, the contemplation of which is apt to fill us with profound astonishment. The corruption of manners, which the depravity of the Popish clergy had introduced, and coun- tenanced, was not so speedily reformed as the errors of their faith; and for more than a hundred years after the introduction of Pres- bytery, ndt only the immoralities of drunkenness and debauchery, but the grosser and more enormous crimes of adultery, incest, as- sault, and murder, prevailed to an almost incredible extent The criminal law against these crimes seems neither to have been regu- larly nor vigorously enforced, and the correction or punishment of them seems to have been left, in a great measure, to the church. The records of our Presbytery, which extend back to 1619, teem with such enormities, and present us with strong pictures of the corruption of manners, — the defective administration of the law, — and the ancient power" of the clergy. There are two instances of this kind, connected with this parish, which are so extraordinary in their nature as to deserve to be recorded. In 1620, Harry Shaw of Pitmurthly, made an assault upon Mr Young, his minister, an aged and infirm man, because he had executed a summons against him, by direction of the Presbytery, " pursuit himj'* as the riecord says, ^' invadit him to the danger of his Ufe^ having in his hands ane rung^ with ane long dirk or else ane dalger ; and, although the poor old man repeatedly called for mercy, made him swear that lie would never speak of him before the Presbytery^ or by the blood of Jesus he should instantly die^ Yet the only punishment inflicted for this dastardly and cruel assault was, that he should appear in REDGORTON. 179 the kirk of Redgorton ^^ane Siibbath in lynen clothes^" " and confess thai he did the minister wrang in the manner foresaidJ^ * The other case referred to is more extraordinary still. On the 2dd November 1619, Colin Pitscottie, eldest son of John Pitscot- tie, of Luncarty, which was then a barony, was charged before the Presbytery with having murdered Alexander Lamb, in Ben- chill, mider cloud of night, in the house of Walter Whytock, smith, within the parish of Redgorton. No notice was taken of thb murder by the civil authorities. But, after various procedure, Colin Pitscottie appeared before the Presbytery, and confessed himself guilty of the murder. Yet the only punishment inflicted on him for this crime, was, that he was ordained '^ to make his public repentance for the mwrther ofumquhil Alexr Lamby in the kirk of Redgorton^ in lyning clothes ane Sonday afoimoonJ* The details of these very singular proceedings will be seen in the ex- tracts from the presbytery records given at the foot of the page.* • Extract from the Records of the Prethylery of Perth.^.The presby of Perth halden in the reristry, 12th Septr 16*20. Quhilk day WUHahin Young, minister of Redgorton, complains to the brethren upon Harry Shaw of Pitmurthly, of the quhilk complaint the tenour follows, bearand in effect, that the said Wm upon Thursday the 7 of Septr instant, he being among the stooks upon his own l^leib, in ane solitar and quyet place, callit the How of the Park, at his mediutions ID quyet and sober manner, thinking of na evil to have been wd or done to him of person or persons, but to have lived under God*s pace and our sovirane Lord^s. In the meantime, the said Harry Shaw of Pitmurtblie haveing conccivit ane dedly haterit agminest the said Wm Young, for citing him before the Presbytery of Perth, upon an sclander of adultery committed by him wt Janet Mar, the spouse of John Patone, sometime in Pitmurthlie, of set purpois, provision and forethought fieUonie wt crueltie invadit and pursuit him of his lyfe, haveing in his hands ane rung with ane long durk, or else ane dalger, and the said Wm Young seeing him in ane rage, and threatning him of his lyfe, ran away, the said Harry followed him ane great spaice, and cryed theif thy * feit shall not beir the from me,* the said Wm Young being ane eagit man^ and feiring he sould have fellit him wt the rung, cryed many tymes God's mercy, the said Harry overtaking him that was fleeing callit him traitor, and askit quhat he said of him to the presby, and quhen the said Wm answerit he mi^ht 9pw at Mr Johne Straquhan, his good friend, the said Harry Shaw commandit him to sweir that he sould neevir spcek of him again to the presby, or be the blood of Jesus he sould presently die. And wt greit difiicultie was steyed from &rder troub- ling him, be some puir men that cam from sheiring of the corns, and immediately thereafUr the said Harry made vant of his doing to his ain scheiriris, and expressly declared that he had causit the minister swair, and cry many times God*s mercy. The presby ordains information hereof to be sent to my Lord Archbishop of St Andrews, to rais ane summonds to summond the said Harry Shaw before the hie commission for the said violent and barbarous fact. At Perth, 8th day of October 1620 — Quhilk day compeirit Harry Shaw of Pit- murthlie, and being accusit of the wrangis lione be him to Wm Young, his minister, and being dcmanditin special gif he boistit the said Wm Young, and cheisit him and cryit * theif thy feit sail not beir the from me.* And when the minister crylt God*s roercie, gif he said then to the minister, theif quhat said thou yesterday of me to the presby, and bade the minister sweir that he sould never speak of him any moir to presby. The said Harry Shaw with great humilitie con fessit the samyne and every poynt thereof The presby ordains him to mak his public repentance in the kirk of R^orton ane day in Ijrning dotbes, and thair exprimlie confess he did the minister wrang in man- ner Ibroaid. * The Presby of Perth hauldin in the Revistry of the paroch. kirk thereof, the first 180 PERTHSHIRE. Modern History. — St Serffs, which, as has been stated, was i»ne of the three parishes which were united together at the Re- day of December, 1619, Alexr. B. of Dunkeld Modr— The quhilk day Mr Young, minister at Regorton, informs the Presby that Colin Pitscottie appeirant of Luncar- die, recentlie in the month of Novr. hist, by past, the 23 day thereof, cruellie murtherit umquhill Alexr. Lambe in Benchill, under silence and doud of night, comroitit be him in the dwelling-house of Walter Quhytock, smith, within the parochin of Regor- toun, diocese of Dunkeld, sheriffdome of Perth. The presby ordains the said Colin Pitscottie be summond literatorie to compeir befoir the Presby the 8 day of Decer. instant, at thetyme of meitting, to heir and see him ordeinit to satisfy the discipline of tht; kirk, for the removing of the sc'ander arysiug of the said murther, wt certifi- cation quhiddcr he compeir or not the Presby will proceed agains him. wt the censure of the kirk. The Presby of Perth (ut supra) 22 day of Deer. 1619. Quhile day is producit ane summons duely execute and indorsit, bearing that Coline Pitscottie appetrand of Loncardy is lawfullie sumfnonit at his dwelling-house in Myretown of Loncardy, to compeir tbls day befoir the Presby, to answer to the discipline of the kirk, for removing of the sclander arising from thefoimamit murther, wt certi6catton, an he compeir not, the presby would proceed to the sentence of ex- communication agaiuse him, as the said summonds and execution thereof in them* selffes at length bearis. Quho being ofl and diverse tymes callit exprimly at the said revistrie door, lawful tyme of day, and noght compcirand, be himselff nor na utheris in hie name, the modr. and brethren finding him to continue in his disobedience, ordains the censures of the kirk to proceed against him, and to that effect public ad- monitiones to be given him in the kirk of Redgorton, that he pretend na excuse, and with the admonitiones, public prayeris to be joined, that God may bring him to the knawledge of his sinue, and repentance therfoir, that he incur not the fearful sen- tence of excommunication. The first admonition to be given him next Sabbath. The Presby. of Perth (ut supra) 16 day of Feb. 1620. Quhilk day Wm Young reports that he gave the first public admonition on Sonday last to Colin Pitscottie^ foirsaid, wt prayeris joyned therewt, ordains him to pro- ceed. The Presby of Perth (ut supra) Ist March 1620. Quhilk day Wm Young declares that he admonishit not Colin Pitscottie on Son- day last, in respect that the said Colin's fathir promisit to send his letter subscrivit with his awin hand. The Presby finds fault wt the said Wm Young, that he proce- dit not againse him, without that he had received his letter befoir Sonday last, 'i here- fore ordains him to proceed on Sonday nixt, and giff" him the second admonition. The Presby of Perth, (ut supra) 19 day of Julii 1620. Quhilk day compearit Coline Pitscottie appeirand of Loncardy. and confessit the murther of umquhil Alexr. Lambe, in Benchill, committed by him in the month of November last, he beganehis repentcnce publicly befoir the brithrin, and promises for removing of the sclander to declair his repentance publictlie ae sail be injoyncd to him. He meined himself to the brithrin, that he has sutche urgent affairs with friends, that he may noght be in this countrie for the space of six weeks, and there- fore desyrit that his public repentance myght be delayed to his return. The modr. and brithrin grantis him the space of ane month, and ordaines him to compeir again befoir the presby the 16 day of August nixt to com, quhillc he promisis to do. The Presby of Perth (ut supra) the 18th day of October 1620. Quhilk day compeirit Johne Pitscottie of Loncardie« and declarit that Coline Pit- Bcottie, his sone, was noght in this countrie, nor will not be afoir Mertimes next, and most humblie besought the modr. and breithrine, to continue the proceeding of the proces and censures of the kirk agains him. And faithfully promises that at Mertimes next he sail compeir, and sail obey their wisdoms in declaring his repentance, for re* moving of the sclander of that unhappy fiu:t of the murther of umquhill Alexr. Lambe committit be him. The Presby after advysment upon tlie said John Pitscottie his promis continues all proceeding againes him until the said terme of Mertimes nixt. 'I he Presby. of Perth (ut supra) the 21 day of Novr. 1620. Quhilk day comperit Coline Pitscottie appeirand of Lancardie. and confessit his offence in committing of the murther of umquhil Alexr. Lambe, and promises for re- ITtOving of the sclander to mak his public repentance as sail be ordeinit to him. The KEDGORTON. 181 formation, — was formerly the parish to which the barony of Hun- tingtower belonged. Abbot Milne, in his History of the Bishops of Dunkeldy gives a curious account of the reason why that church was abandoned as the place of worship of the ancient family of Ruthven, to whom the barony of Huutingtower belonged, and who bad their residence at that ancient castle, on the op])ositc side of the River Almond. He tells us, " that a son of Lord Ruthven, having come to this church to be baptized, was drowned in the River Almond in returning home, and that from that time the church of St Mary's, at Tippermuir, became the )^rish church of the whole lands on that side of the river." But the lands whose history is most interesting are the Inuds of Benchill. These lands were long the property of the Gowrie family, who were generally provosts of Perth. After the Gowrie conspiracy, they were forfeited to the Crown, along with the rest of the &mily property. They subsequently came into the pos- session of the Amots of Benchill, who also, for a long time, were provosts of Perth. They next came into the possession of the family of Naime, and af^er the Rebellion 1745, were a second time forfeited to the Crown, with the exception of Nether Benchill, which a few years before had been disponed to Graham of BaU gowan, and concerning which a curious historical notice is given below. The Chief Land^Oumers. — The principal landed proprietors are. Lord Lynedoch, who possesses two-thirds of the whole pa- rish ; the Duke of Athole ; Mr Smythe of Methven ; and Sir J. Stewart of Murthly. Modem Buildings. — Almost the only modern building worthy of notice in the parish is the Chapel of Ease, now formed into the Ecclesiastical Church of Stanley. It is a very handsome structure, with a tower 85 feet high on the northern end. It is capable of containing 1000 hearers, and was erected at the ex- pense of L. 3000, laid out solely by Denniston, Buchanan, and Company, for the benefit of their work people employed at their extensive cotton-mills at Stanley. Being situated on the top of a bank, of considerable elevation above the river, it forms an ob- ject of interest and ornament for a great district of country round it. There are also at present building, and nearly finished, a mill Piesbj. ordains him to mak bis public repentance ane day in tbe kirk of Ragortoun, on aoe Sonday afbimune, confbrme to the ordinance set down in the butk of disci- pline anent murtheris, quhilk be promises to do. 182 PERTHSHIRE. for spinning cotton, and another for spinning flax, of which an ac- count will be given under the article Manufactures. Parochial Registers. — The first entry of births in the parochial register is 18th November 1706. The record has been kept pret- ty regularly since that time, with the exception of the period from September 1709, till June 1715, which is blank, and the year 1743, in which there are only two entries. III. — Population. The following is the population of the parish at different periods. Population in 1755, 1074 1763, . 600 1772, 1700 1798, 2123 1811. 2216 1821, 1589 1831, 1866 1836, 1912 In 1831 there were of females, • • 1005 males, • • 861 Number of families. • • 403 inhabited houses, • • 267 fiimilies employed in agriculture, 1 • 48 in handicraft and mannikctures, I70 not employed in either dirision. 257 Number of population in the country, 668 in villages. 1244 The latter of these numbers is distributed in five villages in the following proportions : Stanley, • • 600 Pitcairn Green, • 260 Luncarty, • • 226 Bridgeton of Almond, • • 95 Craighead, • • 63 The yearly average of births for last seven years. 36 of marriages. • • • 16 of deaths, • • • 19 Illegitimate births for 3 years • • • 9 The season ldd'2, in which Asiatic cholera prevailed, was the year in which the greatest number of deaths occurred, the number in that year being 28, of whom 13 died of cholera. If the 13 who died of cholera were not taken into account, it would reduce the average of deaths in the seven years to 17, and render it very nearly equal to the number of marriages. The year 1833, which succeed- ed the season of the cholera, was more than usually healthy, the number of deathsi in that year being only 8. This would seem to prove that some of those who were carried off by cholera were those of feeble constitution, and who would have died bv other diseases, or by the course of nature, in the following season. The deaths in the season of the cholera itself too, if the number who died of that disease be deducted, falls below the average ; which REDGOaTON. 183 seems to favour the supposition, that some who died of cholera would have died that very year of other distempers. At the^same time, it is certain that some young and healthy persons, who, by the calculation of human chances, might have survived many vears, were carried off by that dreadful malady. The number of children in the parish has been taken, in the district of Stanley, under fifteen years of age, and in the rest of the parish, under twelve, which give as nearly as possible the same re- lative result The number of children in Stanley district under 15 Tears of age is 299 in the rest of the parish under 12 years of age is 377 Giring as the arerage number of children in each family, 3} Taking the number of childrm in Stanley under 15« in proportion to the num- ber of inhabitants in the district, as the rule, it would gi?e as the number of children unber 15, in the whole parish, - - - 71 ^ ATcrage number of each family, - - . 4| Number of insane persons, ... .2 &tuous, .... 4 deaf and dumb, - - . . | persons above 80 years of age, of whom one is 93, - 10 The only residing heritor in the parish is John Marshall, Esq. the principal partner of the Luncarty Company, who hold a feu of upwards of 130 acres from Lord Lynedoch. The language generally spoken in the parish is Scotch, which, as education advances, is receiving an admixture of indifferent English. None of the natives speak Gaelic, but some recent set- tlers are imperfectly acquainted with English, and some, as they express it, have the advantage of the ^^ twa tongues.** Their ha- bits are cleanly, — at least much more so than in country parishes, where there is not such an admixture of people employed in pub- lic works. With the exception of the inhabitants of Stanley, most of those who are employed in public works are engaged in bleaching, which may be regarded as the staple of our manufactures. The people employed at such fields enjoy regular but not extravagant wages ; which, with prudence, are sufficient to provide for the comfortable subsistence of an orderly family; but do not give scope for that extravagance, arising from exorbitant wages, which is the fertile source of all manner of dissipation. This secures a propriety in their deportment, and a steadiness in their character, above what is ordinarily found in those who are engaged in public woi^ We cannot, therefore, free ourselves from some appre- hension that the flax and cotton spinning-mills that are erecting in 184 PERTHSHIRE. the parish, may introduce a dissohiteness of manners, and a disre^ gard of religion, which is as yet foreign to the character of our people ; and of which we have only had a slight specimen in the few strangers that have been attracted to the flax spinning-mill that is already in operation. Poaching salmon formerly prevailed in some degree, but is now entirely suppressed- Poaching in game also was formerly more prevalent than it is now. There are still some characters, how- ever, that are suspected to be addicted to it ; but these are al- ways looked down upon by the rest of the people. Smuggling and pawnbroking were never known among them. IV. — Industry. Agriculture. — There are in the parish 7080 acres. Of these there at p under woodf - - 860 uncultivated, including roads, fences, &c. 440 in grass about - - 600 under culture, - - - 6780 Rent of Land. — The average rent of land in the parish may be stated to be from L. 1, lOs. to L. 2 per acre. The grazing of a full-grown ox may cost from L. 2, lOs. to L. 3; of a two-year old do. L. 2 to L. 2, 5s. ; of a yearling do. L. 1, 10s. to L. 1, 15s. ; of a Highland sheep ds. to 9s. ; of a Leicester do. 12s. to 16s. Live-stock. — The breed of black-cattle in this parish was not, till within these twenty years, distinguished by any peculiar charac- ter, but consisted of a mixture of all different forms and sizes. About that time, however, an importation was made of the Tees- water, or short-homed blood ; and the prevailing stock on the best farms is now a cross, in various proportions, of that breed with the Ayrshire, or some other breed. Most of the farmers are also getting into the way of keeping a few Leicester sheep; and Lord Lynedoch has in the parish a small flock of Southdowns. With these exceptions, there is no re- gular breeding-stock of sheep kept in the parish, but most of the farmers are in the way of having a flying stock, which is bought in autumn, and sold at difiierent periods. If the stock purchased be three year old wedders, they are flaked through the winter on tur- nips, and sold early in spring. K they be two-year old wedders, they are kept on turnips through the winter, and grazed the ibl- lowing sunmier; or if, as is the more common case, they be Highland ewes, they are crossed with Leicester rams, and after feeding their lambs, are generally got fat by autumn, when they REDQORTON. 185 are disposed of to make way for a new stock. This system re- quires the land to be retained for three years in grass, which makes what is called the six course shift, and is followed with great ad- vantage by the best farmers. There are some, however, that still pursue the older practice of keeping their land only one year in grass, and thus taking a white crop every alternate year; which brings the rotation of crops so quickly round, and thereby so tires the land, that speaking in general, there is not more grain rais- ed on a farm by the four than by the six course shift. Potatoe Crop. — The principal dependence of the fiirmer in this parish, as in the rest of this county, is on their crop of potatoes. The Perthshire reds have for a number of years held a high cha- racter in the London market The price, however, has been very fluctuating, having varied from 7s. to 15s. per boll of eighteen stones. An average crop on tolerably good ground may vary from 30 to 40 bolls per acre. So that a crop of potatoes is more valu- able than any crop the farmers can raise ; and it is only from this circumstance that they have been enabled for a number of years past to pay their rent But unfortunately a great failure has taken place, very generally, in this crop, for several years, from a defect of vegetation in the sets planted. In some cases this fail- ure has extended to half the crop ; and in some, it has been so complete, that the whole has been ploughed up. Wherever agri- culture is treated of, a short statement of the causes and remedies of a failure, which is of such vast importance to the community at large, and of such transcendent interest in the rural economy of this great county, cannot be misplaced. Having paid some at- tention to this subject, I may state very shortly some considera- tions, which could be easily established by referring to what has occurred in the practice of various agriculturists. There are two classes of causes which must be taken into view, to account for this &ilure, and for all the phenomena which have occurred with respect to it The first of these may be denomi- nated the remote cause ; the second the proximate causes. The remote or primary cause appears to be a failure in the ve- getative power of the potatoe, arising from its age ; or the length of time that it has been planted since it was raised from seed. The potatoe cultivated in Perthshire has been in existence for perhaps sixty years. It is not certainly so long since it came into general use. But its age is to be determined by the number of years that it has been planted, and not in any measure by the ex- 186 PERTHSHIRE. tent of its propagation. The potatoe then seems to be in that stage of its existence in which, under favourable circumstances, it will grow as luxuriantly, and produce nearly as good crops as ever it did ; but in which its vegetative vigour is so far diminished that its growth is obstructed by causes, which, in the earlier stage of its existence, it would have overcome. These causes I have denominated the proximate causes of the failure ; and, so far as they have come under attentive observation, they may be reduced to four. The first, and perhaps the most general of these is permitting the potatoes to spring in the pits. The farmer will t«ll you, if you state this as a cause of the failure of his crop, that this can- not be the case. For he has repeatedly planted potatoes, when they were much farther sprung, without having a blank in his field. He forgets that a plant will push out its shoots much more fre- quently in one stage of its existence than in another. The second proximate cause of thisfeilure is the practice, which has been generally resorted to, of planting the potatoe crop at too late a period of the season, by which means the plant has not time to ripen, or come to full maturity. Betwixt the new and old terms of Whitsunday is the period generally adopted for this operation, whereas it ought to be performed in the middle of April. The third cause is keeping the potatoes too long above ground after they have been cut. This I know to have been remarked in the practice of several farmers, and was very strikingly exhibited in my own immediate vicinity ; where two sacks of old cut potatoes were placed at one end of a field, and two sacks newly cut, placed at the other, and two women set to plant them. They filled their baskets alternately from the one and the other as they reached the ends of the field, and the result was, that every two alternate drills was a complete failure, whilst in the other alternate two, there was scarcely a blank. The fourth cause is the practice of planting the potatoe sets upon the dung, especially if it be hot from the yard. The .soil is the natural place for a plant to grow in ; and it will often grow there, when it will grow nowhere else. But my observation of this cause is not founded on this reasoning, but upon what occurred in the practice of a clergyman in the north. Having a portion of a field on which the dung was spread in the drills, but which he could not get planted over night, he directed the harrows to be drawn longitudinally over the drills, in order to throw a little earth over RKDGORTON. 187 the dung, that it might not be dried before the morning. The result was, that the potatoes planted upon the hot dung were a great failure, while those planted in the soil were a full crop. The statement of these causes will in a great measure suggest their proper remedy ; and therefore a few words upon the subject will suflBce. It is obvious that the first or remote cause can only be remedied by having recourse to plants recently raised from seed, which is the method provided by nature for renewing or preserv- ing the vigour of every one of her productions. Upon this point I cannot but refer to the experiment made by Mr Bishop at Meth- ven Castle, who has been successful in raising a very excellent potatoe from seed, which he has now cultivated to some extent. It must be a long while, however, before plants raised in this way can be diffused over the whole country, and therefore it is of importance to attend to the remedy of the secondary causes ; and of these the first is the only one which does not itself suggest its own cure. Upon the first cause also, it is necessary to say the less, that the farmer has practically fallen on a partial cure by bringing his seed potatoes from the hiU country. Plants raised in a cold climate are slower in springing than those raised in a warmer la* titude; and if they be not only raised, but kept till about the season of planting, in the upland districts, they are often found not to have put forth a single shoot, whilst in the low country they have grown together like a mat, and perhaps are pushing through their cover- ing. Where this remedy is not attainable, its want may be in a great measure supplied by burying them deep in the pits, or put- ting a great thickness of earth over them, to prevent if possible the warmth of spring from reaching them before the season of planting. Draining^ Sfc, — Draining has been carried on to a good extent in the parish ; and almost all the waste land has been improved, except in the barony of Mullion. There is only one water-meadow in the parish, which has been irrigated within these few years, by Lord Lynedoch. But it is upon a very poor gravelly soil, and al- though it be certainly an improvement, it has not been found to answer expectation. Produce. * — It has been seen above that there are 5780 acres in the parish under culture ; and about 600 in grass. Kfrom the latter be deducted what is occupied by manufactories, &c. it will leave 500 available for pasture. * For woods, sec page lf»6. 188 PERTHSHIRE. The raw produce from the whole, taking the rotation of crop- ping to be five years, may be as follows : 1156 acres of oats, at 5 bolls per acre, at Ids. per boll, L. 4335 578 1 do. poUtoes, at L. 1 1 per acre, - 6358 578 5 do. turnips, at L. 7 per do. - . 4046 1 156 do. barley, at 5 bolls per acre, at L. 1 per boll, 5780 1 156 do. hay, at L. 4 per acre, - - 4624 1156 do. second year's grass, at L. 2 per acre, - 2312 500 do. pennanent pasture, at L. 2 per acre, - 1000 L. 28,455 Fisheries. — The Tay has long been famous both for the quan- tity and quality of its salmon. But a great diminution has taken place of late years in the value of the fisheries. This defalcation has taken place over the whole course of the river, and is to be ascribed partly to a decrease in the number of the fish taken, and partly to a fall of the price in the London market. This defalca- tion has taken place to such an extent, that the rental of the river is not now above one-eighth of what it formerly was. Lord Lyne- doch's fishing, for instance, in this parish, which used to bring L. 550, now lets for L. 65 per annum. Manufactures. — Although the village of Stanley, which is con^ nected with the extensive cotton-mills at that place, now the sole property of James Buchanan, Esq. of Duanhill, and his sons, be partly situated in this parish, yet, as the works themselves are in the parish of Auchtergaven, they will fall to be described in the account of that parish. It has been already stated that bleaching may be regarded as the staple of the manu&ctures of the parish. But, besides the three bleachfields at Luncarty, Pitcairnfield, and Cromwell Park, there are also in the parish two power-loom establishments, a flax spinning-mill in operation, and a cotton spinning-mill, ready to be -put in motion, all at Cromwell Park, where there are three falls of the Almond : and a flax spinning-mill at Pitcairnfield, also on the Almond, where there are two falls. Luncarty has . long been considered the most extensive linen cloth bleachfield in Scotland. The ground belonging to the com- pany extends to ISO acres and upwards, held in feu from Lord Lynedoch, for the payment of a feu-duty of L. 150. The power required for driving the machinery is obtained by water brought from the, Tay, by a dam dike, carried nearly across the river, and conveyed in a lead about two miles long, and which takes in the united waters of the Shochie and the Ordie, by the bed of these rivers being raised to the level of the lead by a powerful dike car- REDGORTON. 189 ried across them. The waters of the Shochie and Ordie are, how- ever, previously brought into the works, by a separate dam-dike, which gives a fall of twelve feet, on these waters by themselves. They are then conducted into the same channel with the water from the Tay, along with the superfluous water which had escaped over the upper dam-dike ; and the whole form a very powerful stream, on which three several falls are obtained. The power thus obtained, gives motion to twenty*four sets of beetles, which are in Aill operation, along with the corresponding number of calenders, and also to the necessary bleaching machi- nery, such as washing-stocks, nibbing-boards, &c. &c ; besides a fall reserved for giving motion to four other sets of beetles, in a separate building, which can be set agoing, should a press of busi- ness or other emergent, at any time require their operation. The first part of the operation of drying in some descriptions of goods, and the whole operation in others, which is often a very tedious process, is here accomplished in a very beautiful and ex- peditious manner, by the cloth being carried over fourteen cylinders, which are heated by being filled with steam. The cylinders are placed in two rows, every one being placed opposite the interstice of two in the other row. 'i*he cloth being wove round the cylinders in the two rbws alternately, is thus drawn over three-fourths of every one of them, and is taken out in the state of dryness re- quired. It is stated in last Statistical Account, that there were then 500,000 yards of cloth annually bleached here. There is now at least four times that amount of business done. There are therefore annually bleached here, of linen cloth, of which a considerable proportion is damask, 2,000,000 yards. In these different operations there are regularly employed from 120 to ISO hands, all of whom are resident on the company's grounds, and the greater part of whom have been born and brought up on the place. Cromwell Park is situated on the Almond, the water of which is collected and raised by a very beautiful dam-dike, in the form of an arch, having its convex side of course up the stream, and abutting on each side, upon one of those dikes, or veins of trap, which cross the river. Before this mode of arching the dam- dike was adopted, it was repeatedly carried away by the violence of the river when in flood, and from its waters being here con- fined by the trap dike already mentioned. But from the form 190 PERTHSHIRE. now adopted, it promises to stand as long as the abutment shall en- dure. By this means, three fells are obtained, which give motion to as many different works. The uppermost of these is that which belongs to Alexander Reid, Esq., and consists of a flax spinning-mill, power-looms, and a bleach- field ; so that the whole operations requisite to work up the flax into a finished article, ready for the market, are conducted on the premises. In the spinning-mill, there are 430 spindles, which spin flax from 2 to 3 lb. per spindles, and of tow from 3^ to 7 lb. per do., 1 1,000 spindles, per week, amounting to, per annum, 57,200 spindles. This is worked up by 40 power-looms capable of working, per week, of cloth each l5o yards, making per annum, after allowing for stop- pages, &c. a total production of about -300,000 yards. The whole is afterwards bleached upon the premises, and fi- nally finished by four single sets of beetles, for the markets. The whole of these operations employ 120 hands. The two next falls are possessed by Hector Sandeman, Esq. who has upon the upper of them a cotton spinning-mill, and power-looms. The spinning-mill is just finished and ready to be started, and will be in full operation before this account passes through the press. It contains of self-acting mules 1728 spindles; throstles 1152 do.; capable of spinning of No. 40 for warps per week 1000 lbs. ; of No. 36 for wefts per do. 1000 do. ; making a total per annum of about 100,000 lbs. The whole is intended to be worked by power-looms, of which there are for five-fourths 42 looms ; for eight-fourths 20 do.; of which there are in operation 34 do. The water- wheel for weaving is 10 horse power; do. for spinning 20 do. The third fall is employed in driving beetles for dressing cloth, which is bleached at Tulloch-field, and carried back there to be printed. The water-wheel is 17 horse power, and drives four single sets and two double sets of beetles. There are at present employ- ed 45 hands ; will be required in spinning 30 do ; the whole employing 75 hands. All these different works are on the pro- perty of Lord Lynedoch. Upon the same river there are, at Pitcairn-mill, two falls ; to the upper of which the river is taken in by a dam-dike run ob- liquely across the river, and abutting upon the rock, upon which the old bridge of Almond is founded ; a mine being driven through the rock, behind the foundation, for the passage of the water. This fall, which has been for some time employed in driving a RKDGORTON. 191 flour-mill, is intended to drive a Bax spinning-mill by day, which is now erecting, and the flour-niill by night. It is held by a com- pany of bakers in Perth, on a subset from R. Sutherland Esq. of which there are only seven years to run, who have again subset it for driving a flax-mill to Messrs M^Dougal and Langlands. The flour-mill, which was formerly capable of grinding 200 quarters per week, will by this restriction not be capable of grinding above 50 quarters, or per annum, 21600 quarters. The spinning-mill will contain BOO spindles ; capable of spin- ning per week of 3 pound yam, 2400 spindles ; giving a fabrication per annum of 124,800 do. * The bleachfield at Pitcairnfield is in the possession of Ro- bert Sutherland, Esq., who holds it and the preceding fall on a long lease from Robert Smythe, Esq. of Methven. The power here is obtained from the old mill-dam of Pitcairn, where there has been a mill as far back as our records go. This fall, besides the other requisite machinery, gives motion to eleven sets of beetles, which, besides finishing the goods bleached at the field, are em- ployed in dressing a considerable quantity of umbrella cloths ; an article, the febrication of which is much attended to by the manu- fecturers of Perth. There are employed at this work 50 hands. V, — Parochial Economy. Market^Taum. — The nearest market-town, there being none in the parish, is Perth, which is upwards of two miles from the most adjacent part of the parish ; and upwards of eight miles from the remotest part ; except the barouy of Mullion, which is from ten to twelve miles distant Perth is also the post-town. Roads. — The only turnpike road in the parish is the road from Perth to Dunkeld, which runs through it for four miles, and a branch from it passing Stanley. On this road, the Dunkeld coach passes and repasses every day, as is the case also with the Inver- ness mail. There are four statute labour roads in the parish. One cros- ses it from east to west ; one from north to south ; one branching off from the Dunkeld road crosses a part of it from south-east to north-west ; and one crosses from south-west to north-east Bridffeg. — In a parish situated as this is, at the confluence of two rivers, the one of which is seldom fordable, and the other ex- tremely dangerous when in flood, and which cannot be approach- * The eompletion of this work has been stopped since this account went to press, in consequence of the pressure on business in Dundee. 192 PERTHSHIRE. ed, except from the north-west, through the middle of the Gram- pians, without crossing one or other of^hese rivers, — bridges must always be an object of great importance. There is no bridge across the Tay betwixt Perth and Dun- keld, the former about two miles and a- half from the southern boundary of the parish ; the latter about eight from its northern limits. The only communication which we have across the Tay, therefore, is.by a boat impelled by oars ; and which can carry four or five horses, half a score of cattle, or a couple of scores of sheep at a time. This mode of conveyance, however, is not applicable to the River Almond, over which all our communication with the south and west takes place. The Almond is a very rapid river, and often comes down in a flood of four feet in a perpendicular breast, in which no kind of boat could live. Accordingly we have three bridges across that river. Of these, the middle one, called the Old Bridge of Almond, has now stood for more than two hundred years. It consists of one arch, founded on two rocks, and was built in 1619, by a number of gentlemen, the chief of whom was John Graham, Esq. of Balgowan, the ancestor of Lord Lynedoch, as appears from the following very curious entry in the presbytery record. " The presby of Perth hauldin in the revestrie pf the paroch kirk thereof the 26th day of Maii 1619, Mr Johnne Guthrie moder. Quhilk day comperit Johnne Graham of Balgowan, and exponk to the presby that the water of Almond being ane gryt river, quhairn be the violence thereof many ar yeirlie perishit (as is mair nor notorious,) for remeid quharof he and certaine uthir gentillmen has concertit with certaine measones to sett ane stone brige over the same, quhilk is ane wark wery deir and cost- lie, and cannot be gottin performit without that godhe and well aflectat gentillmen, and utheris, contribute to the building of the same. And in respect that it is ane necessarie wark for ane com- mon well and wary costlie, he desiris that the brithiring of the ministry every ane will deal with their awn parochineris for helpe to the samin with als greit diligence as possibly they can, that the wark may be endit befoir winter come. Quhilk desyre, as godly and reasonabill, the brithrin promises to obey, every ane for their awn pairt." The lower bridge is on the line of the Dimkeld road, from two to three miles below the former. It consists of three arches, each of them forming the segment of an ellipse, and was built in 1827. REDnORTON. 193 It is a very neat structure, but the settling has sunk the parapet over the central arch about an inch below the level of the rest of the wall The third bridge is that on which we are most disposed to pride ourselves. It is situated at Dalcruive, about as far from the old bridge to the west, or up the river, as the second is below it As a modem structure, it is remarkable for its elegance and simplicity, for the grandeur of its elevation, and the beauty of its workman- ship : — ^as a benefit, as well as an ornament to the district, it is worthy of the splendid scenery amidst which it is placed : — as an example of munificence and public spirit in an individual, it stands by an unmeasurable distance at the head of all the public, or re- corded traasactions of this great county. This bridge, like the Old Bridge of Almond, is founded on two rocks, or rather upon a dike, which here crosses the river, and affords a firm foundation for the superstructure on either side. It consists of one semicir- cular arch of 80 feet span ; the abutment of which is upwards of 10 feet high, so that the height of the top of the bridge above the bed of the river is fully 50 feet. The foundation stone was laid 25th August 1832. The arch was keyed 20th August 1836, and the centre struck the 1st of September following ; and such is the accuracy of the workmanship, that no perceptible settling has taken place. The approach to this bridge has required the cutting down of two hills, and the filling up of the valley betwixt them ; the whole of which, as well as the building of the bridge, has been ac- complished, we may say, at the sole expense of Lord Lynedoch, the county-having as yet contributed only L. 150 from the road- money towards the expense. One of these cuts too, having been carried through the ridge, along which the ride from Lynedoch to the bridge of Bertha runs, has been crossed by a beautiful little bridge of a semicircular arch, a miniature as it were of the former, at the cost of L. 500. The whole of this public improvement, the building of the bridges, the filling up of the valley over which the road is carried, with the cutting of the hills, and erecting the corresponding retaining walls, has cost his Lordship about L.4000, a sum rarely expended by an individual in one undertaking for the public benefit. The erection of the Old Bridge of Almond has transmitted the name of his -ancestor, as a benefactor of the public, for two hun- dred years. The erection of this bridge promises to transmit his Lordship's fiune in the same character, to a still more remote posteri- PERTH. N 194 PERTH8HIRE. ty ; — and forms, indeed, a monument to his memory, more perish- able only than that deathless name which he has carved out with his sword on the field of Barossa, and at the sieges of St Sebas- tian and Bergen-op-zoom. Ecclesiastical State. — The parish church is situated about the centre of the lower part of the parish ; and though not in the im- mediate vicinity of any village, is as convenient as it could be for the general population, being at an equal distance from the vil- lage of Luncarty on the east, and Pitcairn-green on the west It is therefore from three to four miles from the extremities of the lower part of the parish ; but it is upwards of eight miles from the extremity of the barony of Mullion. Though conveniently situated for the lower part of the parish, it is impossible that it can be so, for a district located from six to eight miles from it, as Mullion is. It was built in 1776, and the only repair it has since received is, that it was ceiled at the commencement of the presient incumbency in 1812. It is accordingly both defective in comfort for those whom it contains, and inadequate to the population of the parish. Its discomfort consists in its not being floored or paved below ; and in the narrowness of the pews, which do not admit of persons sitting in them without being cramped, unless they sit obliquely, which the state of the occupancy does not admit of. It is seated for 414, and there are upwards of 500 communicants ; so that it cannot contain the whole communicants at one time. And if it be admitted that every young communicant should have seen the solemn ordinance of the Lord's supper only twice administered be- fore he comes to be a partaker of it ; then there must,* on a com- munion Sabbath, be 160 communicants who cannot find accom- modation in the church. Accordingly it happens that on such oc- casions, not only is the church overcrowded, but, from the church door to the church-yard door, there is a mass of human beings who cannot get entrance into the church to keep with decency the me- morial of their Redeemer. The manse was built at rather a later date than the church, and was repaired in 1829. The glebe consists in all of about 8 acres of land; and there is a rent of 4 bolls of meal, and 10s. Scots paid by Mr Smythe of Methven, for the possession of an- other. The stipend has been recently modified to 17 chalders, half meal, half barley. But it is as yet uncertain whether this will be made good. There is a Chapel of Ease, now erected into an ecclesiastical REDGORTON. 195 parish^ at Stanley* The minister has a stipend of L. 150 for the payment of which he holds a bond by Denniston, Buchanan, and Co*, and that company has also very handsomely given him a house, for which there is no compact in the deed of erection. There are two Dissenting meeting-houses in the parish ; one of which belongs to the United Secession, and is attended by 61 in- dividuals, young and old, belonging to this parish, according to a list taken in 1835-36; — the other of which belongs to the Ori- ginal Seoeders, which is attended by 63 within the parish, ac- cording to the same list But part of both congregations come from the adjacent parishes. The ministers of both chapels are paid, I believe, entirely from the seat rents, and may be stated to have a stipend of L. 70 or L. BO each. There are at present belonging to the Establishment 1617; to other denominations 280 ; not known to belong to any denomina- tion, 15. This, however, would not give a just view of the state of dissent in the lower part of the parish ; for it gives nearly a sixth of the population as Dissenters. But it is worthy of observa- tion, that there is a remarkable difference in the proportion of dis- sent in the two districts of the parish ; a difference which shews that dissent is greatly increased by removal from the means of in- struction and superintendence in the Establishment. In the barony of Mullion, which contains a population of 100, th^re are 56 Dis- senters, which gives a proportion of more than one-half of the in- habitants ; whilst in the lower part of the parish, in the midst of which the church is situated, there are only 224 Dissenters out of a population of 1812, which gives only a proportion of one-eighth of the inhabitants. There are of fiunUiM that attend the Established Church, . 324 Families of whom part attend the Established Church, and part belong to some denomination of Dissenters, . . . . .9 Families attending Dissenting Houses of any kind, ... 61 IndiTidnak belonging to the Establishment, . . 1617 Indindiiab of all denominations of Dissenters, . . 280 The average number of communicants in the Established Church, 500 C qqo In the church of Stanley belonging to this parish, . . . 183 S The Established Church is at all times well attended, in sum- mer by as many as the house can contain. And were there bet- ter accommodation, or more of the kind that we possess, there would be a still more numerous attendance ; as many are withheld from going to church by not knowing where they are to sit, or whether they may obtain a seat at all. The average amount of church collections for religious and cha- ritable purposes is L. 27, 5s. lid. 196 PERTHSHIRE. Education. — If there be any thing like a reflection upon the he- ritors of the parish, implied in the statement which has been given of the state of our church accommodation, it is gratifying to turn to the encouragement which they have uniformly given to the in- terests of education in the parish. In the year 1828^ when the parish school became vacant, — in order to invite a person of respectability to the office, they doubled his house accommodation, and added an additional piece of ground to his possession. And this year, when they found that the number of scholars, whom the character of the person they had selected for teacher had drawn together, could not be accommodated in the school-room, they have added fifteen feet to its length. The number of schools in the parish is three ; of parochial schools one. The salary is the maximum, and the school fees may amount to upwards of L. 30, if the whole are paid up. There are no children betwixt six and fifteen years of age who cannot read or write ; and only one above fifteen destitute of these qualifications, which is regarded as a phenomenon by those who are aware of the deficiency. The whole of the barony of MuUion is beyond the distance which children can possibly travel to school ; and, together with some portions of the parishes Auchtergaven and Moneydie, quoad sacra^ would be greatly benefited by an additional school. Poor, — The average number of poor on the stated roll who are provided for by assessment is 25 ; average amount of monthly payments L. 4, 12s. t3d. ; of yearly do. L. 55, 7s. Besides these, there are a number of poor who are left to the management of the session, who receive L. 47, 2s. 2d. ; making the whole expenditure for the poor per annum, L. 102, 9s. 2d. ; of which the average amount of church collections, duesof morthcloths, &c. is L. 27, 5s. lid. Alehouses. — There are no less than eleven houses in the pa- rish licensed to sell ale and spirits. But of these, there are five, which being placed on the public roads, and not in villages, may be regarded as supplying the demands of the public beyond the hounds of the parish. Still six remaining houses should be more than adequate to supply the necessary demands of the parish, though the others should sell no spirits to the parishioners. And it would be desirable if the means of doing so could be devised, that some of them should be suppressed. Any attempts that have been made 3 REDGOUTON. 197 by the kirk-session for the accomplishment of this object have been counteracted from other quarters. General Observations. There are few parishes in Scotland that have undergone greater improvement, since the date of last Statistical Account, than this, whether we look merely at its external aspect, or regard it in an agricultural, or in a mercantile point of view. The woods which were then but recently planted have grown up, both for ornament and for utility. The marshes have been drained, and the waste land improved ; and a new and better system of agriculture in- troduced. It begins to be generally understood that the land cannot stand a constant system of cropping, without intervals of rest. The sheep husbandry is, therefore, daily gaining ground ; and the breed of cattle has been improved both in size and earli- ness of maturity. In manufactures those anticipations of future prosperity which were then indulged have been in a great mea- sure realized, though not exactly in the anticipated lines. There were then five' hundred thousand yards of cloth bleached an- nually in the parish, there are now from three to four millions. There were then about two hundred thousand yards of cloth print- ed, there is now nearly double that quantity made. The cotton- works now about to be put in motion may be nearly equal to those which were then in contemplation ; besides which there are or will be from twelve to thirteen hundred spindles, for spinning flax, and the introduction of power looms has opened up an extensive branch of manufacture, which was then altogether unknown. In the midst of such extensive operations, it would houseless to speculate upon the capabilities of the parish for future improve- ment It is only to be wished that the agricultural and commer- cial interests of the country may continue, or be increased; of whic^^ its local advantages, and the spirit of its people will always make this parish a proportional participator. Jpnl 1837. PARISH OF MONEYDIE. PRESBYTERY OF PBRTH, SYNOD OF PERTH AND STIRLING. THE REV. J. W. THOMSON, MINISTER. L — Topography and Natural History. Extent and Boundaries, — Thb parish of Moneydie (spelt Mo- nedie in the former Statistical Account) is of a lon^ irregular form, extending from S. E. to N. W. about 10 miles in length, and varying from 1^ to 3 miles in breadth. Its superficial extent may be reckoned about 18 square miles. It may be necessary here to explain the reason of the wide dis- crepancy between these statements, and those of the former Statis- tical Account The present parish of Moneydie consists of two por- tions, viz. the old or original parish, and the new parish or Logieal- mond, which, about eighty years ago, was disjoined from the neigh- bouring parish of Monzie, and annexed quoad sacra to Moneydie'. Of these two portions, the author of the former account treated separately, — giving the statistics of each by itsfelf. As the two districts differ so widely from each other in many particulars, some advantage itadght no doubt be gained in point of minuteness, by giving a distinct and separate account of each. It is hoped, how- ever, that every important and practical end may be gained, and some confusion avoided, by conjoining the two, and describing the parish as one whole, distinguishing them only in those particularis where circumstances seem to render such distinction necessary. The parish of Moneydie is bounded on the east by the parish of Redgorton ; on the south by Redgorton and Methven ; on the west by FowHs; and on the north by Auchtergaven, Little Dunkeld, and a detached portion of Redgorton. The western, or Logieal- mond section of the parish, lies on the southern face of the first range of the Grampians, sloping down toward the River Almond, which forms the march with the parish of Methven. The eastern extremity reaches almost to the River Tay, near Luncarty bleach- field. With the exception of the Logical mond hills, which rise to a height probably of 1800 feet above the level of the sea, there are no rising grounds of any importance in the parish. MONEYDIE. 199 Rivers. — Tbe Almond is the only river of any consequence in the parish, and abounds with salmon and trout. There are be- sides two smaller streams, the Shochie and the Ordie, both of which take their rise in the Grampian range, and flow into the Tay, aflbrding excellent trout-fishing. Geohffyj Soil, Sfc. — With respect to geological structure, the pa- rish is distinguished , by nothing remarkable. The Logiealmond Hills consist for the most part of blue slate rock, blended with smaller portions of other primitive formations. In the lower grounds, every diversity of soil almost is to be met with. In the vicinity of the streams, a light alluvial soil chiefly prevails, varied occasionally by a rich black loam, on a hard gravel bottom. A little fiirther from the bed of the fiyetj a kind of strong red earth is found, and a considerable proportion also of black loam. On the more elevated grounds, the soil consists for the most part of coW wet till. Clay is of rare occurrence ; and, except in the re- mote psffts, near the hills, there is little or no peat moss. Qzufmei.-*In Glenshee, there is a slate quarry, which, is now but little worked, owing to the greatly superior quality of the slates found in the neighbouring quarry of Craiglia, situated a few miles to the westward in the same range of hills, but in the parish of Fowlis. About the middle of Logiealmond, there is a quarry of grey freestone, of a remarkably fine quality, and easily wrought. 11. — Civil History. In Roman Catholic times, the parish of Moneydie seems to have been a parsonage connected with the diocese of Dunkeld. Little informtion tending to throw light upon this period of its history can now be obtained. About the year 1480, the living was held by Alexander Myln, Canon of Dunkeld, who also styles himself ^* Prebendary of Moneydie." Myln was the author of a work en- titled ** Lives of the Bishops of Dunkeld," a rare and curious work, containing much interesting information both of a general and lo- cal nature.* In the Cathedral Church of Dunkeld, the following inscription is found : — Hie jacet eximius vir Magister Alexander Dauffkuj Rector de Monidie^ qui obiii 1 7 Dec, anno Dni Millesi^ mo qmgenJtenmo XLViii. Ancient Proprietors of Land. — According to Myln's account a large proportion of the property of the parish seems to have been in tiie possession of his diocesan. About the middle of the fifteenth * This work has been recently reprinted in the first volume of the Transactions of the Lhcrsrj and Antiquarian Society of Perth. 200 PEKTHSHIRE. century, he tells us, that Bishop Brown " purchased from Ro- bert Waus, citizen of Edinburgh, for three years of the fruits of the Church of Cramond, the lands of Wester Kinvaid, Wester Low- stown, and Easter Lowstown. These lands he mortified to the church, and got them united to the barony of Dunkeld, but upon the express condition that a layman was to hold them of the church, and to perform the services to the King which fell to these lands." In addition to these, the bishop was proprietor of the lands of Pittendynie and Kinvaid. The present glebe of the parish, which has evidently belonged originally to the estate of Pittendynie, was in all probability allocated during the time of this bishop. The next largest proprietor in the parish in these days seems to have been the master of Gowrie : for in an old ^^ list of lands and baronies contained in the seizin of James Mas- ter of Gowrie," and executed on the 1 1th April 1584, we find enu- merated *^ the whole and entire lands of Moneydie, Balmblair, Ragilmy, with the half of the milns, multures, and miln-lands." The estate of Strathord was thep in the possession of Sir Patrick Crighton, from whom it was purchased by the ancestor of the first Lord Nairne. The only other proprietor of that period was An- drew Malcolm of Moneydie Roger, father of the Rev. John Mal- colm, minister of Perth, a distinguished scholar, and intimate friend of Andrew Melville. The above were all in the old or ori- ginal parish of Moneydie. The annexed district of Logical mond, which extends to more than double the size of the original parish, appears then to have been in the possession of a family of the name of Logic. Present Proprietors. — At present, the original parish of Money- die is entirely in the possession of Lord Lynedoch and the Duke of Athole : and almost equally divided between them. Logieal- mond is wholly the property of Sir John Drummond Stewart, Bart, of Grandtully. Eminent Persons. — In the former Statistical Account, there are notices of two eminent persons connected with this parish. The first " Bessy Bell," celebrated in song as the companion of " Mary Gray," a daughter of the house of Lynedoch, who, during the ra- vages of the plague, which seems to have been remarkably se- vere in this quarter,* took refuge together in a sequestered spot, (still pointed out) on the banks of the Almond ; where, however, * In digging the foundations of Uic new church about twenty years ago, the work- men came upon an immense accumulation of bones, as if they had been thrown to- gether into a pit, supposed to have been the remains of victims of the plague. MONEYDIR. 201 receiving occasional visits from a lover, they both caught infec-* tion, and fell victims to the desolating malady. The other indi- vidual mentioned is a great-grand-uncle of the late Sir William Drummond of Logiealmond, a zealous partban of the house of Stewart, who signalized himself at SheriiTmuir, not more for his bravery, than for his prodigious feats of strength. His formidable broadsword is still exhibited as a curiosity in the Tower of Lon- don. Without any disparagement to the merits of this redoubted warrior, it is presumed that posterity will be more disposed to re- cognize as the ornament of his family and of his country, his late eminent and accomplished kinsman, the author of ** Origines," and the " Academic Questions." Antiquiiies. — In the department of antiquities, few parishes, it is believed, are more barren than Moneydie. Some years ago, a few vestiges remained of the old castle of Kinvaid, which are now completely removed. The author of the last Statistical Account speaking of this ruin says, *^ it seems to have been built before lime was known as a cement" From Myln's history we learn that it was built by Bishop Brown, for the purpose of protecting his tenantry from the predatory incursions of some of their lawless neighbours, and cannot therefore be above 350 years old. A spot, supposed to have been the site of a Roman camp, is still pointed out ; but its genuineness is very doubtful. Like many other Roman camps, if its history were known, it would very likely turn out to have been a sheep-pen. Or if it must be held to have been a military post, it is more likely to have belong- ed to the Scots or the Danes, being in the immediate vicinity of the spot where the battle of Luncarty is supposed to have been fought Several cairns of stones have been met with, which upon examination have been found to cover human bones. One or two circles of stones also may still be seen, which are not unlikely to have been places of Druidical worship ; and particularly at the western extremity of Logiealmond, there is one remarkable block about 12 feet high and 18 feet in circumference, standing upon its narrow end, with three other stones in its immediate vicinity. It is conunonly called the Kor Stone. In the boundary line between Logiealmond and the old parish, there is a point at which the three dioceses of Dunkeld, Dum- blane and St Andrews met. Tradition has it, that the three bishops, happening to meet at this point in the course of their perambula- tions, pledged each others health out of three wells that 202 PERTHSHIRE. ed to exist within the limits of their respective territories. One of these wells was in existence forty years ago, and may possibly be so still. The parish of Moneydie belonged originally to the presbytery of Dunkeld, and was annexed to that of Perth only about eighty years ago. From the presbytery seat of the former it is distant about ten miles, while it is only six from Perth. Parish Register^ jfc. — The parish register goes back as far as the year 1655, and has been kqpt with tolerable correctness. One volume, however, embracing the period between April 1680 and August 17] 7, has been lost There is also an important blank from August 12, 1666, to August 28^ 1670, which is supposed to have been occasioned by the unsettled state of the church at that pe- riod. The following is a list of the ministers of this parish, with the dates of their settlement and death, so &r as has been ascertained : David Drummond, ordained May 17, 1655 ; William Smythe, or- dained before 1679; Alexander Chapman, ordained before 1705, died 1716 ; John Gardner, ordained August 6, 1717, died June 20, 1738; Gilbert Mann, ordained July 19, 1739, died April 30, 1754; Patrick Meek, translated from Rattray, December 26, 1754; and again translated to Kinnoul July 1761 ; George Fraser, trans- lated from Redgorton, May 27, 1762, died 1807 ; James Somer- ville, ordained 1807, died November 30, 1827 ; the present incum- bent was ordained August 7, 1828. IIL — Population. The population of this parish seems to have been at one time much greater than it now is. The causes of decrease may be easi- ly stated. In the old parish, within the last fifty years, many popu- lous hamlets have been completely rooted out, and the small pen- dicles possessed by cottagers have been thrown together and form- ed into large farms. In Logiealmond, where the system of large farms has not yet been adopted, and where the population is large in proportion to the soil, any decrease that has taken place has been in consequence of emigration. Within the last eight years, upwards of 100 persons have emigrated to Canada from Logieal- mond alone. The population is entirely agricultural, with very few excep- tions. Births^ Deaths^ and Marriages. — The yearly average of births for the last seven years is 17; of marriages 8; and of deaths no register is kept. It is proper to remark, however, that the num- ber of births here given, does not exhibit an accurate average, as MONETDIE. 203 there are some parents (chiefly Dissenters) who pay no attention to ha?e their children registered. Numberof pcnonv under 15 jrean of age, 875 upwards of 70, 99 The number of persons at the various intermediate stages, it is not so easy to ascertain. Unmarried men, bachelors and widowers upwards of 50^ears^of age, 28 women (exdustre of widows) 45 22 widows, 45 . . 42 The average number of children to a ikmtly is S^ At present there are no persons in the parish who can come un- der the denominations of ^ insane or fatuous." There are one or two who may be called of weak intellect ; one who is deaf and dumb) and one blind. Social CamfbrtSj S^e* — The people generally speaking are healthy and robust, and seem upon the whole to enjoy a reasonable mea- sure of the comforts and advantages of society. Among the pea- santry, the staple articles of food are potatoes and oatmeaL There are few cottagers who do not keep pigs ; but, with the exception of pork, animal food is rarely to be seen, except in the houses of the more substantial farmers. General Charaeter^ tfc. — With regard to " the general character of the population, intellectual, moral and religious," it is believed that they are pretty much on a footing with other parishes simi- larly situated. The outward forms of religion are in general punc- tually attended to ; few, if any, habitually absent themselves from public worship ; and the general tone of morals is upon the whole sound and healthy. The most prevailing vice perhaps in the pre- sent day, and in all parts of the country, is intemperance. Among the many causes that have contributed to bring about this melan- choly state of things, there can be no doubt that the lowering of the duty on spirits has had a most material effect; at the same time it may be questioned whether or not the needless increase in the number of public-houses has not contributed as largely to the same mischievous result Upon this point, the following fact is worthy of notice. In the old parish of Moneydie there was not, unn til within the last six months, a single whisky shop of any descrip- tion, nor was there known to the minister a single individual ha** bttuaUy addicted to drunkenness. In the Logiealmond district of the parish, on the other hand, there are unfortunately five public- houses^ and, as might be expected, the sin of intemperance and its accompanying vices are found to prevail in a proportionate dqgree. Such a fact as this goes strongly to corroborate the view ol theste 204 PERTHSHIRE. • who trace the increase of intemperance to the increased facilities of indulgence afforded by the multiplication of public-houses. It is a comparatively rare thing to find persons drinking to excess in their own dwellings. The public-house is the invariable place of re- sort It is there the habit is first acquired, and there it is strength- ened and confirmed. A bottle of spirits is seldom or never found in the house of a person addicted to drunkenness ; and, on the other hand, it is as seldom found awanting in the houses of sober persons, in the same rank of life. From this it would appear, that if, instead of adopting the temperance society principle, (which is neither more Dor less than entire abstinence, and the chief defect of which seems to be, that it aims at more than the word of God enjoins,) an associa- tion could be formed for discountenancing the practice of frequenting public-houses, the members of virhich association should resolve never to enter the door of a public-house, except on certain occa- sions to be specified ; and if at the same time every exertion were made for diminishing the number of such houses throughout the country, it is humbly conceived that more practical good would be achieved in the way of suppressing intemperance, than by any other mere human means that have yet been suggested. Smuggling and Poaching. — At one time, the practice' of illicit distillation prevailed to a considerable extent in the parish. It is now, happily, almost unknown. Salmon poaching, however, still continues to be carried on ; but chiefly by persons unconnected with the parish. IV. — Industry. In the old parish of Moneydie there are : Imperial acre8,],arable, 27 1 8 Do. pasture, 771 In Logiealmond : -3489 Imperial acres, arable, 2237 Do. pasture, 4869 .7106 Total, 10,595 Of the land under pasture there are about 300 acres in the old parish, and probably 600 in Logiealmond, which, by a judicious application of capital, might be brought under tillage. About 800 acres are under wood ; a large portion of which is old and valuable, and consists for the most part of Scotch fir. In the more recent plantations, larch, spruce fir, and oak, chiefly prevail. Of late years, oak has been very extensively planted on the estates of Lord Lynedoch ; and as this kind of wood seems to thrive upon every MONETDIE. 205 kind of soil, and to find nourishment where hardly any other trees will grow, there is little doubt that it will turn out a profitable mode of employing waste land. Rent. — The rent of arable land varies from 10s. to L. 3 per acre. The average in the old parish is about L. 1, 10s., and in Logiealmond L. 1, 38. The real rent of the whole parish is about Lb 7800, whereof about L. 3700 are in Logiealmond. The valued rent is L. 3023 Scots. Improvement. — That great improvements have been introduced into the practice of agriculture within the last forty years, are suf- ficiently indicated by the fact, that the rental of the parish, which was then only L. 2600, is now exactly trebled ; a circumstance which cannot be attributed to any rise that has taken place in the price of com, for at the close of last century, the value of wheat did not differ materially from that which it has borne for the last five or six years. Within the period before-mentioned, however, an immense deal has been done in the way of draining, enclosing, and improving waste laud. The system of run-riff^ which then prevailed to a great extent, is now completely abolished ; numbers of small pendicles are thrown together into one large farm ; and land, which formerly afforded subsistence to a hundred or a hundred and fifty individuals, is now in the possession of one tenant, not giving food to above twelve or fifteen persons, but proportionably augmenting the rent to the landlord. From these causes, together with various improvements in agricultural implements, — the intro- duction of new and improved seeds, bettersystemsof rotation, and in general the superior character of the whole mode of farm manage- ment, land which used seldom to yield more than three or four returns, now produces eight or ten, and sometimes more. The most decided improvement that has of late years been in- troduced is the application of bones as a manure for raising tur- nips. By means of this discovery, the farmer is now enabled to apply the whole strength of his dunghill to his potatoe crop ; and by sowing his turnips with bones, and then eating them off the ground with sheep, his whole fallow break is completely manured, and put in excellent order for the succeeding crop of barley. The advantages of this system are great. Of late years, the quantity of potatoes raised in this part of the country, and exported to the London market, has been very large. With the low price of grain for some time past, the chief dependence of many farmers for pay- ing their rent has been upon the potatoe crop. But experience 206 PERTHSHIRE. has shown, that, without very heavy manuring, there is no crop that more speedily exhausts the land. And there is little doubt, that, in process of time, it must have proved utterly destructive to all light soils lying beyond the reach of town manure, had not the introduction of bones come so opportunely to the aid of the far- mer, and enabled him to apply the whole of his farm manure to the potatoes. The ordinary price of bone-dust in Perth is about 2s. per bushel, and about ten bushels are employed to the acre. Another decided improvement in husbandry consists in pastur- ing grass land with sheep and cattle, instead of cutting it for hay ; but this is a practice, of course, which can only be followed with advantage in those £firms which are peculiarly adapted for stock. Cropptng.^The system of cropping most commonly followed is what is technically termed a four-course shift, viz. oats, green crop, barley, and grass. Most farmers, however, let their land lie two years, and sometimes even more in grass. There are no beans grown in the parish, and very little wheat. Lint, which at one time was cultivated to a considerable extent, is now seldom sown, owing to the almost entire discontinuance of the practice of do- mestic spinning. I^ock. — Cattle of all descriptions are reared in the parish, from the bulky Teeswater to the diminutive west Highlander. The rate of grazing differs of course very materially, according to the size and description of the animal. The summer grazing of a large full-sized beast when fattening for the butcher, may be rated at L. 3 to L. d, 10s. The sheep are principally of the Leicester breed, those at least which are fed upon the low grounds. Besides being peculiarly adapted to the . nature of the pasture, they are prized chiefly on account of their fattening so easily, being less destructive to the fences than Highland sheep, and also on ac- count of the superior value of their fleeces. Large numbers of wedder hogs of this description are annually reared, and sent to the Glasgow market from this parish, by Mr Richmond of Money- die, one of the most extensive and enterprising agriculturists in Perthshire, by whom this kind of stock was first introduced into this part of the country, about forty-five years ago. The grazing of a full-grown sheep, including a few turnips in winter, may be rated at from 5s. to 12s. according to circumstances. Produce. — The gross amount of raw produce, according to the nearest approximation that can be formed, may be stated to be, MONEYDIE. 207 Grain, 1062 imperud acres, at L. 6 per acre, L. 11892 PoUtoes, 495 ilo. ' do. at L. 9 per do. S960 Ttarnipt, 495 do. do. at L. 4 per do. 1960 Hay, 800 do. do. at L. d per do. 2400 SoirngraM, pasture, 1180 do. do. at L. 1 per do. 1180 HiUpaMure, 5^13 do. do. at 1*. fkL do. 423 1059ft L. 21825 Wapeg.'^The wages of farm-senrants vary from L. 10 to L. 14 per annum, together with 6^ bolls (140 lb& per boll) of oatmeal in the year, and 1^ Scotch pints of milk daily. Married men have besides, a house and garden, rent free, and as many potatoes as they can furnish dung to raise upon their master's field* Many of tli^n have^ besides, an allowance of coals. The ordinary wages of women servants are from L. 4 to L. 6 per annum. Day-labourers receive Is. 6d. per diem, and women working in the fields from 8d. to l(kL Harvest-^ork is for the most part done by threaving, which is gmierally at the rate of from ^Jd. to djd. per threave. Mamtfudures. — There has been recently established in Logie- almond, a flax spinning-mill, driven by water-power from the river Almond. It affords employment to about fifty persons, chiefly fe- males, and natives of the country. When trade is prosperous, as at present, the mill is kept going throughout the whole twenty-four liours, by means of relays of workers— one set commencing at six o'clock in the evening, and another relieving them at six o'clock in the morning. TheVe can be no question that this establishment has tended greatly to promote the physical comfort of the inhabi- tants of the district, by affording constant work and good wages to many individuals, who formerly could obtain neither. But it may, at the same time, be seriously doubted, whether or not these ad- vantages are not more than counterbalanced, by the usual train of moral evils which the introduction of manufactures seldom fails to bring along with it V, — Parochial Economy. Market'TaumSy Sfc. — There is no village in the parish. Perth is the nearest market-town, and is six miles distant. It is also the post-town ; although there are penny post-offices at Methven and Aughtergaven, each of them at the distance of four miles. No por- tion of a turnpike road passes through the parish : it is traversed however, by a statute labour road, which branches off from the Dunkeld turnpike towards Logiealmond and Glenshee. EedegkuHcal State. — The church, which is a handsome and sub- stantial edifice, was built about twenty years ago, and is seated for 208 PERTHSHIRE. 460 persons. Nothing, however, could be more awkward or in- convenient than its situation. It is set down at the distance of two miles from theeastern, and seven from the western extremity of the parish, where the great bulk of the population reside. A circle with a radius of two miles round the church, includes only about 330 parishioners, out of 1050, leaving 720 at an average distance of 5 miles. Accordingly, as might have been expected, there is a Secession meeting-house, planted in the midst of this population, (in Logiealmond) at the distance of six miles from the parish church. Under such disadvantages, it is not to be wondered at, that, in the course of nearly a hundred years, a large body of the inhabitants have become Seceders. It may be remarked also, that there are no Seceders (with one solitary exception) within two miles and a-half of the church. The following Ls a statement of the num- bers of church people and Dissenters. Individuals belonging the Established Church, 724 ; United Secession, 325 ; Episcopalian, 2; total 1051. . At Chapelhill, in Logiealmond, there was an ancient place of worship, which had lain in a ruinous and dilapidated state since the beginning of last century, but which it was thought, by a little repair, might be rendered fit for the reception of a congregation. A subscription accordingly was set on foot in the district, and through the exertions of the people themselves, aided by the liberal contributions of the sole proprietor, Sir iTohn Stewart, and the Misses Drummond of Logiealmond, the edifice was completed in a neat and substantial manner, at an expense of about L. 1 50 ; and opened for public worship by the minister of the parish on the 5th of October 1834. Since that time, divine service has beea regularly performed in it every Lord's day, to the unspeakable comfort of very many persons, who before, on account of this dis- tance from church, were almost excluded from the enjoyment of public ordinances. The Rev. Mr Omond, now minister of Mon- zie, was the first regularly ofiiciating preacher. The chapel, which is situated at the distance of four miles from the parish church, and two miles from the Secession meeting-house, is seated for about 320 persons ; and is completely filled, and to a great extent, by persons who formerly, for convenience sake, took sittings in the Secession place of worship. A small seat rent is exacted, averaging 2s. 6d. which, together with the collections at the church door, constitutes a fund, out of which the preacher's sa- MONBYDIB. tfi9 lary and other necesMury expenses are defrajed. All the poor are aeoommodated with free rittings. Although the erection of this place of worship has had the effSdct, to be expected, of diniinishiDg considerably the congregation iblingin the parish church, it is no small satisfection to think that, instead of fifty or sixty worshippers, which was all the usual atten- dance from Logiealmond at the parish church, there are now up- wards of 800 in the regular enjoyment of the means of grace in eoDDexion with the Establishment Mtmte, SHpendj Sfc. — The manse, which was built about the same time as the church, is in good repair, but inconveniently sroalL The offices are old and ruinous. The stipend was augmented in the year 1880 to 16 chalders; but the teinds not proving sufficient, it amounts only to 130^ bolls of victual, two-thirds meal and one-third barley, and 1m 108, 5s. 2d. in money. The glebe contains 7 Scotch acres of good average land. EdwDoHovL — There are three schools in the parish, viz. the paro- chial school at Moneydie, another at Chapelhill, and another at Heriotfield, both in Logiealmond. The parish schoolmaster has the maximum salary (Lh 34, 4s. 4^) The fees are fmall, and do not amoimt to above L. 10 per annum. He is also session*clerk, the emoluments of which office are about L. 5, 16s. The teacher at Chapelhill has a free school-room and dwelling-house, with 100 merks Scots of salary from the heritors ; he has also about two acres of land as cow's grass. The teacher at Heriotfield has merely a free school-room, which is attached to the Secession meeting-house. The branches taught in all these schools are nearly the same, reading, writing, arithmetic, English grammar, book-keeping, and practical mathematics. The parish schoolmaster is also qualified to teach the elements of Latin, Greek, and French ; but for these branches there is little or no demand. In all the schools the Scriptures are regularly read, and the catechisms of the church taught The following is a statement of the number of scholars : At Uie parish school, 50; Chapelhill school, 76 ; Heriotfield school, 60; total, 186. It will be seen that there are thus somewhat more than one-sixth of the population at school. It is necessary to remark, however, that many of these are not permitted to remain above eight naonths out of the twelve, as the circumstances of the parents often render it desirable that their children should begin as soon as pos- sible to do something for themselves. The consequence is, that, PERTH. o 210 PERTHSHIRE. whenever summer begins, numbers of the children are taken from school, and sent to herding or some other employment. So far as is known, there are no persons in the parish of sufficient age, who are unable to read, (except perhaps one or two aged individuals,) and the greater proportion are able also to write. All classes are fully alive to the benefits of education, and anxious to obtain it for their children. Poor and Parochial Funds. — The district of Logiealmond be- ing annexed to this parish only quoad sacra^ the kirk-session have nothing to do with the poor of that quarter. In the old parish, there are only five persons receiving aid from the poor's funds. They are allowed from ls.dd. to 3s. per week. The average amount of collections at the church doors is L. 17 per annum. The kirk- session have besides a sum of L. 70 laid out at interest There is no assessment ; and any deficiency of funds is made up by a half yearly donation of a few pounds from the heritors. Alehouses, — The number of alehouses, (or as they should ra- ther be called whisky-shops, for comparatively little malt-liquor is consumed,) has been already adverted to. FueL — In Logiealmond, peats and wood are almost the exclu- sive articles of fuel. In the east end of the parish, coals, princi- pally English, are used, and which cost at Perth about Is. lOd. per cwt. April 1837. PARISH OF COLLAGE- PRESBYTERY OF PERTH, SYNOD OF PERTH AND STIRLING. THE REV. JOHN ROGERS, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Namey Boundaries^ S^c. — The etymology of CoUace is uncer- tain. It is situated 7 miles north-east from Perth, is perfectly in- land, and surrounded by the parishes of Cargill, St Martins, Kin- naird, and Abernyte. Its length and breadth being nearly equal, and upwards of 2 miles, it contains nearly 6 square miles. The surface upon the whole is rather flat, except towards the hills, where the ascent is too steep for the plough. The soil in COLLACB. 211 general consists of alight, sharp, blackish loam, in some places in- termixed with clay ; but the bottom is free, being a dead reddish sand. The Sidlaw hills, which commence in the parish of Kin- noull, here assume considerable eleyation. Sid or Sud^ in the Gaelic, signi6es Sauthj a name most appropriate, as they form not only the boundary of CoUace on the south, but also of a great part of the valley of Strathmore. Ranging north-east, they traverse the country with little interruption for thirty miles, and lose them- selves in the German Ocean, at the promontory in Angus-shire called the Red-Head. The climate is variable. In winter and « ^ing, piercing and stormy winds from the south-east, are accom- panied with a chilly hadr from the sea ; but in general the atmo- q>here is clear, temperate, and salubrious. The mean annual tem- perature, ascertained from careful observations taken twice a-day for a series of years, is about 47^ of Fahrenheit. There are no epidemical diseases, and as to longevity there are not a few both of men and women seventy years of age and upwards, enjoying wonderfully good health, and engaged in their various occupations ; several are above eighty. 11. — Civil History. Parochial Registers, — There are neither ancient nor modem historical accounts of this parish, nor have any events taken place worthy of public record. The parochial registers go back to 1713, and have been pretty accurately kept They consist of six thin folio volumes. Eminent Men. — In reference to the eminently good men connect- ed with this parish, and now numbered with the dead, we have much pleasure in doing justice to the memory of William Nairne, Esq., a younger son of the family of Dunsinane. Bred an advocate at the Scotch Bar, he soon became Sheriff of Perthshire, and in due time was promoted to the important offices of a Senator of the College of Justice, and member of the High Court of Justiciary, with the title of Lord Dunsinnan. A more upright Judge never sat upon the Bench. In 1809, when hb public duties were becoming oppres- sive to his declining years, he resigned both gowns, and retired to his residence at Dunsinnan. He had become sole proprietor of the parish some thirty years before, by purchase from his nephew Sir William Nairne, at whose death the title also devolved on him. To the improvement of his paternal estate, he had as early as possible applied, with unabated zeal and perseverance, and so judicious were those improvements, that Lord Dunsinnan lived to see his rents doubled, and often quadrupled. 812 PERTHSHIRE. Tq ihi$ welfSur^ of the parisbf and more eapeoWUy to their reli- gious instniotion,.he was equally attentive. He feared Qod, and fapnQured the King. He remembered the Sabbath day, and was never absent from church, except from necessity. His example was highly useful in his own time. Still more useful must such [praiseworthy conduct be in our times, to put to shame, if possible, inereasipg impiety, and to stem the overflowing tide of iniquity. Lord DuQsinnan died 22d of March 1812, being upwards of eighty years old, and was buried within the walls of the old church of CoUace^ now converted into a mausoleum for the Dunsinnan &- nuly ; anil to which there is access by a large arched gateway of uncommon beauty, apd of the rare and ancient order of Saxon ar- chitecture. Lord Dunsinnan was succeeded by our present sole heritor, James Mellis Nairne, Esq. who has followed the exam- ple of his predecessor, and has laid out a great deal of money in improving and beautifying his estate, though it is strictly entailed on heirs-male. Modem Buildiuffs. — Dunsinnan House, situated in the north- west comer of the parish, with a fine southern exposure, and screen- ed from the winter blast by extensive plantations, has been lately greatly enlarged and modernized by Mr Nairne. No pains have been spared to render this mansion not only elegant, but capable also of containing the largest family. The offices have been re- built on the newest and most approved plan, and are uncommonly spacious and convenient The new church, which was finished in 1813^ is a handsome Qothic structure, with a square tower sur- mounted by minarets* Built on commanding ground, and sur- rounded with venerable trees, it is highly ornamental, and much and deservedly admired. In 1885 a new school and school-house were erected, fiimish- ir^ ample acconunodation for master and scholars. This build- ing, combining every desirable requisite, with a prudent regard to economy, may be safely recommended as a model for all such pa- rochial new structures when they are required. The garden, partly surrounded by i^ substantial wall,' eight feet high, is tastefully laid out, and the whole premises are kept in excellent order. QKarritf^^- Two quarries, which have been long wrought on the estate, furnish freestone in abundance, and of the best quality, for all the houses and other nMuson-work in the parish* AfUiquiiie$. — Of these the i9Pst remarkable is the far-famed hm of Duosinane, which rises nearly 800 feet above its base, and COLLXCB. 213 1114 feet above the level of the sea. Its oval and conical sum- mit is 169 yards in length, by 89 in medium breadth. Upon this insulated and chosen site, Macbeth, the Thane of Glammis, in 1943^ and soon after his usurpation of the Scottish crown, erected a strong and lofty castle. Here he held his court, and for some years was attended by his reluctant vassiils, and kept the surround- faig country in the most degrading subjection. In the meantime Maleolm, son of the old and good King Duncan, whom Macbeth had murdered, fled into England for protection. The reigning prince, Edward the Confessor, not only gave him a kind recep- tion, but was prevailed upon also to support his claim to the Scot- tish throne by a powerful army, commanded by his brave Greneral Siward, Earl of Northumberland. The discontented barons flock- ed to the English standard reared in Malcolm^s behalf; and in the eourae of the year 1094 this overwhelming force approached t6 Donsinane. Being observed from the battlements by Macbeth, he considered his fortifications untenable, and immediately fled northward. He waft pursued, overtaken, and slain, according to common report, at Lumphanan in Aberdeenshire. His fortress was immediately razed to the ground, and that the destruction might be the more complete, fire was employed, as appears from the calcined matter and scorched materials among the rubbish. Such as take the trouble of ascending this remarkable hill, will find themselves amply repaid. The enthusiasm of classic ground will be felt and acknowledged by the scholar. Tlie scenery, indeed, may call up some of the blackest pages of Scottish history, but our recollections will be accompanied by the grateful feeling of as- surance that such barbarous times are for ever gone by. The view presented from Dunsinane on every side is rich, varied, and pic- turesque. Nor is it a more delightful, than it is a commanding station. In a clear day, there is nothing to prevent the practised eye from taking in fifty miles all around, and obtaining a glimpse of sixteen difierent counties in the horizon. This eminence is also &vourable to devotion. Turning to the north and north-west, an amphitheatre of unconmion grandeur and beauty rises before us. Grampians piled on Grampians in countless succession, rear their heads beyond the clouds. They display the majesty of the Almighty Creator, and fill us with the most sublime conceptions of the power of him <*who meteth out the heavens with a span, weigheth the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance.* * For fiirUier pArticuUn, see notes taken on the spot in 1778, by Sir John Sin- 214 PERTHSHIRE. IIL — Population. By the last Statistical Account in 1793, the population was 41$ By the census in 1801, . . 562 1811, . . 663 1821, . . 691 1881, 730 The gradual increase of the population is chiefly among the la- bourers and handicrafts, which is in a great measure owing to the increase of trade and manu£aictures. Three-fourths of the people live in the villages, the remainder in the farm-houses and bothies. The yearly average of births for the last seven years, 18 of deaths, . . . 12 of marriages, ... 6 The Dumber of persons under 15 years of age, • . 200 betwixt 15 and 30, .162 betwixt 30 and 50, .212 upwards of 70, . . . 37 Of the 730 inhabitants in the parish 351 are males, and 379 fe- males. The number of families 142, each &mily at an average consisting of about five persons. Inhabited houses 141. One person blind, and two others fatuous. During the last three years there have been 7 illegitimate births in the parish. IV. — Industry. Agriculture and Rural Economy. — All the land in the parish which is considered arable is under cultivation by the plough, and in a high state of improvement. Iron ploughs are becoming ge- neral, and, when drawn by two good horses, can overtake the work- ing of 50 acres Scotch measure. Iron harrows are also coming into use. The number of imperial acres under tillage, is . .1 747 under wood, chiefly Scotch fir and larch, 560 under pasture, • 100 Hard wood thrives very well in hedgerows. Some of it was lately cut, measuring 3^ feet in diameter. There are some beech trees at Collace village whose girth is not less than 9 feet The rent of land varies according to quality. Some of it is so low as L* 1» some of it so high as L. 3 per acre. The average may be taken, therefore, at L. 2. The tenants, while they are most frugal and industrious, are considered, from the crops they raise, as managing their farms in the most skilful manner. Owing to clair, and published under the title of " Additional information respecting the Castle of Dunsinnan.** Sir John, though then only eighteen years old, gave promise of those talents, and of the powers of tbat inquisitive and discriminating mind, which in due time was to be directed to the acquisition and diffusion of such important practical knowledge, as has raised him to the highest rank among the benefactors of his country. See also Lord Hailes*s Annals of Scotland. COLLAGE. 215 tlie nature of the soil and climate, wheat and beans are not always profitable* The green crop system is therefore commonly follow- ed — a five-shift rotation, including two years in grass, has been found most advantageous, and best adapted to the soil. Plough- men's wages from L. 12 to L. 14 per annum, with the usual al- lowance of meal and milk ; women's wages, from L. 6 per an- num to L. 6, 6s. ; mason's and carpenter's from 2s. 6d. to ds. per day ; day-labourers Is. 6d. In winter, their wages are proportion- ally less. Women employed at out-door work, 8d. per day ; when lifting potatoes, Is. without victuals. Produce. — The average gross amount of value of raw produce raised in the parish, as far as can be ascertained, is as follows : Imperial acres. Quarter ^** P^ V' 264 of barley, 1064 at L. 1, 98. 453 ofoatu, 1916 at L. 1,4s. 500 of grass, (artificial) cut and pastured, value 193 ofpotato^ - • • 2414 of turnips, • - - • 18 of tares or &lIow. L. 589 4 1542 16 2299 4 iao3 1721 859 17474 Total value of raw produce, L. 8314 4 In the above calculations, the green crop (with the exception of part of the hay and potatoes) is understood to be consumed on the &rms, which is the practice generally followed in this parish. A few horses are reared for sale, the breed of which, as also of the cattle, being very much attended to, have greatly improved of late years. A considerable number both of cattle and sheep are fed oflF every winter, and disposed of at a fair profit to the butcher. The farm-steadings are among the best in the country, and kept in ex- cellent repair. The principal farms are let on leases of nineteen years — those of small dimensions for shorter periods. Manufactures. — The produce of the loom has long been our staple article of commerce, and has of late greatly increased. In the progress of human improvement, it has been ascertained, that yam fit for being woven into linen cloth, can be produced by ma- chinery, not only cheaper and better, but also in inconceivably greater quantities, than by the former tedious means of hard la- bour — a new direction has thus been given to the industry of this, and of many other parishes in Scotland. The spinning-wheel has been entirely superseded, or used only for the very refuse of flax ; and the spinsters, thrown out of their old and congenial employ- ment, have been obliged to have recourse to the loom. In weav* ing the lighter fabrics, we are happy to find they are succeeding 216 PERTHSHIRE. 'remarkably well, and without any apparent injury to health. This increasing branch of business has attracted a new set of agents, who weekly resort to the mill* spinners of Dundee, purchase their yam lo the annual amount of some thousand pounds, and bring it home in carts, when they distribute it amongst their customers, who work it into cloth, according to pattern laid before them. The webs when finished are returned to Dundee, where they find a ready market, — but with this drawback, the prices are more fluc- tuating in this than in any other trade, there being a continual de- pendence on the precarious state of distant and foreign markets, over which the home merchant can have no controL*— Upon the whole, however, there is such a profit to the agents as is consider- ed remunerating, and which enables them to give sufficient en- couragement to those whom they employ. There are upwards of 100 looms in the parish in full operation, by young and old of both sexes. This new channel for labour, as was to be expected, has occasioned in the meantime a slight rise in the wages of ser- vants, and handicrafts of every description. V. — Parochial Economy. In former times, there were two considerable annual markets in Kinrossie. The ancient Cross now only remains. The business in cattle and small wares has been transferred to Burreltown, and other places in the neighbourhood. Perth is the chief market- town, to which there is access by an excellent turnpike road, which traverses the parish for two miles, leading eastward to Cupar- An- gus, to which there is a daily post-boy from Perth, leaving and taking up letters at a receiving-house as he passes. There is also a splendid daily coach called the Defiance, with four very su- perior horses, which follows the same route, in its way from Edin- burgh to Aberdeen, Ecclesiastical State* — The church, which was built, as has been observed, in 1812 and 1813, is kept in good repair, and is socentri- cally and conveniently situated, that the bulk of the people are within a mile of it, and none further distant than two and a-half miles. Th6re is accommodation for upwards of 400 sitters. The church is generally well filled, and the number of communicants has often exceeded 400. This includes nearly 100 strangers from the neighbourhood, whose parish churches are at such a distance as renders it next to impossible for their being regularly attend- ed. The unequal, and, as it may be called, reckless division, of many of the parishes in Scotland, is an evil which has been long COLLAGE. 217 felty and juidy compbuned of. Should thit grierance be inquired into by the proper authorities, they would find it quite practicable, and eaay to reform so glaring an abuse. Tliis would greatly pro* mole the interests of religion, and contribute much to the comfort and ooDTeoienee of many thousands, in country parishes. As it would not be pnqposed to interfere with theciWio, but merely with the qimad sacra of the church, the arrangements, to give conreni* ency to the fullest extent, would be settled without the smallest oppositioD. The glebe contains nearly 9 imperial acres, and may be worth Lb 15 per annum* Tlie manse and oflBces, which were built in 1778^ on rather a small scale, have been repaired within these twenty years, and so much improved and enlarged, as to render them more commodious. The amount of stipend is Lh 150 yearly, including L. 87, Ss. 8d* from Government. The average number of persons receiving regular parochial aid is 7. The average- sum allowed to each is about L. 4 per annum, including 6s. to each for coal money. A house and garden are provided for each of them gratis* Small sums are occasionally given to such as are reduced to straits, but who are not on the poor^s roll. There is also an extended roll for coal money, which is distributed annually on the Monday after the sacrament The number of families in the parish attendmg the chapels of Dissenters or Seceders is 12. Edmoatioiu — The parochial school, which is centrical, being close to the church, is the only one in the parish. The salary is the maximum, and the accommodation most complete. The fees may amount to L. 30 per annum, and this arises more from the number of scholars (averaging upwards of 70 for three quarters of the year,) than from the rate of payment, which is very mo- derate ; beginning with 2s. per quarter for English, and rising only to ds. and 4s., when writing, arithmetic, and geography are included. The schoolmaster, besides being qualified to instruct the rising generation in the common routine of country schools, is capable of teaching geometry, mathematics, and many other branches of education, which are seldom required here. There is no fiu mily without a Bible, and no member of it exceeding ten years of age who cannot read it To assist in effecting this in the case of poor scholars, there is a small fund available. It arises from the mortification of seat-rents in the old church of Collace, by the fa- 218 PERTHSHIRE. ther of Lord Dunsinnan, upwards of one hundred years ago, and the transaction being engrossed in the session records of Collace, is in substance as follows : " The Hon. Sir William Naime of Dunsinnan, hath by letter under his own hand, of date 16th Au- gust 1736, doted the seats in the east loft and those under it, to be let, and the money to be bestowed for the benefit of teaching of poor children in the parish of Collace." The amount of these during the last thirteen years was L. 11. There has been a very considerable falling off in this fund, which has arisen chiefly from the erection of the new church, as it contains fewer seats for letting, but Mr Naime has generously made good the defi- ciency. There is a library, under the patronage of Mr Naime, consist- ing chiefly of historical, geographical, and religious books, the foundation of which was lately laid, by a handsome donation of ex- cellent works from the patrons, and although only in its infancy, it is most acceptable to the people, and is rapidly diffusing a taste for reading among them. Parochial Poor Funds, — These arise from the interest of money, the use of the mortcloths, and other small sources ; but chiefly from collections, made every Sunday after divine service in church, which amount on an average to L. 12, 10s. a year. Donations are also occasionally given by Mr Nairne. About L. 40 are annually distributed to the poor by the kirk-sesion. Inns. — There is only one inn or public-house in the parish, which is very useful, and under the best regulations, and against which no complaint was ever made, as encouraging in the smallest degree drunkenness or immorality. FueL — The fiiel generally used in the parish is English coals from Perth, at the average cost of Is. per cwt * ^ May 1837. PARISH OF ABERNYTE. PRESBYTERY OF DUNDEE, SYNOD OF ANGUS AND MBARNS. THE REV. JAMES WILSON, MINISTER. L — Topography and Natural History. Name, — The name Abernyte seems to be of Gaelic origin, referring to the situation of the principal village of that name in the angle near the confluence of two rivulets. One of these, per- haps, was anciently called the Nyte. Boundaries, Extent. — The whole parish, including Glenbran, annexed to it quoad saeroj is an irregular kind of oblong parallelo- gram, terminated by the highest hills above, where several parishes meet from Strathmore, as well as this district. It is bounded by the parish of Inchture below ; Longforgan on the east ; and Kin- naird on the west Its greatest length may be about 3 miles or little more, and its greatest breadth about 2, and it contains 4 square miles. Topographical Appearances. — The most populous parts of the parish in the lower grounds are nearer Dundee ; but those conti- guous to Dunsinnan hill, in the parish of Collace, are nearer Perth. The whole is situated in those eminences that rise gradually from the Carse of Gowrie to the top of the Dunsinnan ridge. The highest point here is called the King's Seat, which, according to an avejcpge of various measurements, seems to be 1155 feet high. The most cultivated parts of the parish are probably not above 300 feet above the level of the Tay, and about three or four miles in a straight line from it. The highest range of hills, which commands a noble prospect, runs parallel to Strathmore on the north-west side, and on the south-east in most places, to irregular undulations of inferior heights, with some hol- lows between. These inferior heights also form very interesting points of view through the whole extent, and in this parish protend, nearly at right angles, two other eminences like arms, on the north and south sides, embracing the beautiful glen of Abernyte. It opens toward the Carse on the south-east, and is bounded on three 220 PERTHSHIRE. sides by bold acclivities of well cultivated fields, watered below by the two united rivulets sufiBcient for a good mill. And this con- formation of the hills and vale, with the nature of the substratum in some places, is well adapted for emitting springs and rills. Meteorology.^^ The mean tempenUure of May 1831f as indicated by the thermometer in the shade 1 IM lere only • . 67^ Of June, . . 61 » While the hottest day was the 2d, about 67<' OfJuly^ 60^« The hottest day, the 31 st, about &dP Of August nearly, . . 64<* . The 2d being the hottest day, l(y* Of September, . 56^o The hottest day, the 1 1th. about W* The arerage pressure of the atmosphere in May 1831, according to the barooMter was nearly . . 30 In June, . « S9| In July, nearly . . 30 In August, . . . 29f In Septem'ber, . 29 The climate here is good^ and the air salubrious; consequent-^ ly, since the ground has been well drained, the people in general are healthy, not much subject to any particular distempers. The most prevailing complaints are, colds, rheumatism, fevers and dropsy, besides those incident to youth. But the natural small- pox rarely appears ; and now at least, there seem to be few or no instances of scrofula, and none of ague, which was formerly very prevalent. Hydrography. — There are some cold perennial springs in dif- ferent parts of the parish. These, with the drainings, contribute mainly to the united rivulets that pervade the vale, and in con- fluence with a larger stream below, in the parish of Inchture, de- volve meandering to the Tay. Here is a beautiful cascade of forty feet, almost all perpendicular, at the head of a romantic den, a deep wooded ravine in the low grounds. Geology, — The rocks in this parish are sandstone with amygda- loid containing agates or pebbles. The arable ground in the lower parts of the parish is in general of a light, but fertile soil, lying mostly on a bed of gravel, and some of clay, or both united. In some places, the soil is pretty deep. The higher ground in general is, of course, by no means so fertile. In some places^ it produces little except coarse grass or heath. But now, there is little of that last description left UDplaQted. ABERNYTK. 221 IL — Civil History. I^amt^Oumer$. — There are seven heritors, but none resident ex- eq>l one. James Miller, Esq, of Milton, and R. A. Bannennan, £sq« of Abernyte, are the principal heritors in point of valuatiojn. Lord Kinnaird, too, is a non-resident heritor, whose ancestors in very ancient times resided in their beautiful domain of Kinnaird, in this neighbourhood, whence they derived their name. Parochial Register. — The parochial register commenced in the year 1664 The first entry is in these words : <* December 4, 1664. The wbilk day Mr Andrew Shippert was admitted minister of Abemeit, by Mr Robert White, minister at Instur, being authorized by my Lord Bishop of Dunkelden to that effect^ ** Collected that day 7 shillings two pennies.'' ( Scots.) At the first meeting of session, the new minister found, that there was no session record, nothing in the poor's box, no money lent out, and no mortification for behoof of the poor. He preached his first sermon on Romans 8th ch. ii. ; and on every succeeding Sabbath for a long time, the entry in the session book is, ^* the nnister preached both sermons upon his ordinar." There is something interesting about church discipline, which was frequent and severe. But the register is not very regularly kept Antiquities. — ^* Upon the top of a hilt called Glenny law, are two cairns," said the Rev. James Adamson, ** and a few years ago there was another on the glebe, under which a few bones were found. These cairns were said to have been raised in consequence of a battle between two powerful families, the Grays of Fowlis, and the Boyds of Pitkindie, in this parish, in which the latter were victo- rious. On the same hill, is one of those circles called Druid ical, consistiiig now of only seven stones. And in Stockmuir, about a mile firom this one, there is another of nine stones ; both consisted of more ; three or four have been taken from the first not long ago. In* a few years there will be no vestige of either. Upon the top of King's Seat there is the ruin of a circular enclosure, similar to Mac- beth's Castle, but much smaller. This commanded a more exten- sive prospect than the castle itself; probably a watch-tower or out- post" The ** Long Man's Grave" is a noted spot at the road side, north-east from the classic ground of Dunsinnan hill. There is a tradition that a traveller had committed suicide there. Hence, perhaps, he was buried there. Others say he was murder*^ ed. North from Ballairdie, in the planting, are some remains of 222 PERTHSHIRE. an ancient ruin, called in Stobbie's map ^^ Carquhannan Castle," in Knox's Basin, ^^ Carguhannan." In the neighbourhood, it goes by the name of Balchuinnie. There is a fine spring near it, called " the King's WelL" The writer of this account found here, at the manse, what seems to have been in ancient times a baptismal font, an old octagon of hewn stone, perforated in the bottom, to emit the water occasionally. III. — Population. There are here seven proprietors of land above L. 50 of yearly value. At no distant period, the population was probably double of what it is at present, owing to the smallness of farms in those days, to the great number of cottagers, who possessed a large com- mon as cow's grass, owing also to the number of mechanics, parti- cularly weavers, on the old fashioned loom. There are still 64 young and old in two villages, including farm-servants and their families. The yearly average of births for the last seven years is . . 5 of deaths, ... .3 of marriages nearly ... 2 The average number of persons under 15 years of age, is 94 between 15 and 30, . . 76 30 and 50, . 51 50 and 70, 24 upwards of 70, of whom 1 is 96, . 9 Unmarried men, bachelors, and widowers, upwards of 50, . 2 Of unmarried women upwards of 40, ... . . 3 Average number of children in each family at home, at least in the parish, . 4 Number of families in the parish, . ... 48 chiefly employed in agriculture, . . 18 trade, manufactures, or handicraft, 9 There is but one insane pauper, who had been sent to an asy- lum several years ago. None blind, deaf, and dumb. The farms have been much enlarged within these forty years, and the mode of living is surely improved. But with increased rents and taxes, &c., the farmers are so burdened, that even they can afford very few luxuries. The lower orders are much at a loss for want of the usual employments of females. For spinning yarn, and knitting of stockings are at so low a rate, that it is now hardly worth the while to attempt that kind of work, and they have hardly any other means of subsistence out of service, except for a time in the fields in summer and harvest. IV. — Industry. In this parish, are cultivated about 1703 acres of standard im- perial measure, including a small portion in occasional tillage, and 172 of improved pasture, without any undivided common for many years. There may be 297 imperial acres, which cannot well be ABERNYTB. 223 improved but by planting. And some even of that number may be under roads and streams of water. Of plantations, there may be about 341 imperial acres, chiefly firs of various kinds, espe- cially larch and Scotch firs, thriving and properly attended to. Ash, elm, and plane trees thrive well also. Rent — The average rent of land is about L. 2 per Scotch acre, of grazing an ox or cow L. 1, 10s., ewe 6s. for the season. The real rent of the parish is about L. 2037. Wages. — Farm-servants come to maturity receive from L. 10 to L. 15 per annum, and 6^ bolls of meal, with a pint of sweet milk daily ; labourers from 8s. to 10s. weekly ; and artisans from Is. 6d. to 2s. 6d. dailv, without meat. Female servants in the house have its common fare, and about L. 6 of wages per annum. In summer, at day's work in the fields, when occasion re« quires, females receive about 9d. without victuals, and the same rate at threaving in harvest as in the Carse. Carts cost from L. 6 to L. 12 ; ploughs from L. 1 to L. 4; rollers from L. 1 to L. 10 ; Uirnip sowing machines from L. 1 to L. 6, harrows from 10s. to L. 3 per pair; wheel-barrows, from 10s. 6d. to 16s. Husbandry, — There are few pans of the country better cultivated than this, considering the high rents, and the very low prices of grain, which are great checks to enterprise. The proprietors, too, are heavily burdened themselves, and yet make great reductions of rent, notwithstanding the clamour even of many substantial citizens about cheap grain. The land seems sufficiently drained, and, owing to its declivity, it does not admit of irrigation. Very little embanking is here required. Tlie duration of the leases is from nineteen to twenty-one years. The farm-buildings have been greatly improv- ed, and in some instances rebuilt within these few years. But some are deficient, especially for feeding bought cattle, to which attention has been turned of late. The principal improvements recently made consist chieflv in the use of bone dust, in more extensive and regular green cropping, in feeding cattle, and eating a certain proportion of the turnips on the ground with sheep. The improve- ments in farming are considerable ; but cannot be equal in magni- tude to those in manufactures by machinery, especially from the fortunate discovery of steam engines. Hence, from the very low prices of the staple commodities, both proprietors and farmers are much depressed in many places. The rents, though greatly re- duced, are still too high for material improvements in manuring, deepening, and transporting soil, &c. Exhausted capitals, and 224 PERTHSHIRE. want of enclosures in jDQOst places, especially on the higher ground for sheep, are great additional disadvantages ; so that a consider- able proportion of the land is in the landlord's own hands. The old valuation of the parish, according to the cess-book, is L. 1126, Ids. 4d. Scots. Produce. — It is difficult to ascertain completely the gross amount of raw produce. But the following statement seems to approxi- mate to the truth. The value of wheat, with straw, 8M quarters at L. 2, \(h, - L. 700 barley with straw, 879 quarters at L. I, 8b. - 1280 12 oats, with straw, 11 4G quarters at L. 1, 28. - - 1260 potatoes 80 acres at L-le, - - 800 turnips, 200 acres at L. 6, ... . looo hay and second crop, 240 cultivated acres at L. 8, - 1440 land in pasture, 720 acres at L. 1, lOsi - - 1080 inferior improved pasture, 297 acres, at 10s. - 148 10 natural pasture, 172 acres, - - - 21 10 all the gardens, • - - * 24 one orchard. - - - - 17 Total value of raw produce, L. 7721 12 There are few trees full-grown in the parish, and it is seldom that any of them are cut down. The profits of thinning and prun- ing young trees do not much exceed the expense as yet ; and the profits arising from feeding cattle are already included in the value of the raw produce. There is no trade nor manufacture here, but for domestic purposes. V. — Parochial Economy. There are a few small bridges here in tolerable repair. The roads, within these few years, have been Macadamised, and kept in good order without a toll. Some of the fences are pretty good. But three-fourths of the land are unfortunately defenceless. Ecclesiastical State. — The church is at the lowest extremity of the parish, near three miles from the thinly inhabited places above. But it is commodiously situated for the extremities of some neigh- bouring parishes. The church was rebuilt in the year 1736, and has been lately repaired. It may accommodate the whole po- pulation ; and there is no seat rent The people are very ac- commodating to one another, and to strangers. The manse seems as old as the church. But about 1820, the manse received con- siderable repairs and additions, partly at the expense of the in- cumbent, as well as of the heritors ; for the accommodation was too little. But now, it is as commodious as can well be expect- ed. The glebe consists nearly of 7 acres arable, besides 3 of pas- ture, and a pretty lai^e garden. Being a small living, the sti- 4 ABERNYTE. 225 pend, of course, should amount to L. 150 ; but it has been less for several years, owing to the low fiars. There is a tabernacle here, built about forty years ago, by Mr Haldane, for the missionaries, when he was an heritor in this pa- rish. It is now occupied by a few Burghers, who have no stated minister. All the families in the parish except four, containing eight individuals, commonly attend the EstabHshed Church, and partake of its ordinances. The average number of people who at« tend both places of worship, though small, it is difficult to state ; because it varies so much on different days, according to circum- stances. But about 130, on an average, commonly attend the Es- tablished Church ; and much fewer, the Dissenters. The average number of communicants is about 160. The average amount of church collections yearly for religious and charitable purposes is between L. 2 and L. 3. Education. — There is one parochial school, which seems suffi- cient for the parish, except a female school, which has been some- times attempted without a salary. The public school-house, in- cluding the school-room lately built, is large and commodious, and could accommodate some boarders. The master has the maximum salary; and teaches English, writing, and arithme- tic, geography, and the principles of religion, very successfully, and could well teach mathematics and every other branch that might be required here, — he being now a preacher of the gospel. The probable amount of the school fees may be L. 25 per annum : and from other sources the teacher may receive about L. 4, 10s. per annum. , Poor and Parochial Funds, — Besides a pauper lunatic, there are at present only three families receiving a regular allowance, about a guinea in four weeks. But there are some other families who receive occasional supply. The average amount of collections for the poor, since the Seceders commenced preaching here, is only about 4s. 6d. — with the addition of some allowance at mar- riages, and for the mortcloth at funerals. There is a regular assess- ment of the heritors, for a pauper lunatic in an asylum, amount- ing in general to L. 20. There is but one alehouse in the parish, and the people are sober. Fuel consists generally of coals from Polgavie; and there is a frequent sale of brushwood in the neigh- bourhood. Miscellaneous Ob^rvations. The more striking variations between the present state of the pa- PERTH. p 226 PBRTHSHlRe. rishy and that which existed at the time of the last Statistical Account, seem to consist in improved instruments of agriculture, in using bone dust for turnips, and in the general introduction of thrashing mills by water, where it is practicable ; also, in the enlargement and im- provement of farms, and raising of rents : though both the rents and servants wages have fallen since the peace. There is a con- siderable difference also in the prices of work, of horses, and espe- cially of cattle fattened for the butcher. There is a remarkable difference in the low rate for spinning yarn, in the disuse of lint and of fallow, which is reckoned unnecessary for our free light soil, while potatoes are cultivated to such advantage, and the ground is sufficiently cleaned. But some farmers subdivide their land into too many little patches. There is little waste land here. But it is well known that there are many millions of that description in Great Britain and Ireland. Now, as humble ad- vocates for the comforts of the poor and labouring classes, we beg leave humbly to suggest a plan of general improvement, equally beneficial to rich and poor, especially to labourers, be- ing aware of no public reform more important for the temporal benefit of all classes of the community, without encroaching on the rights and privileges of any. A great proportion of the land in the United Kingdom that is too poor for bearing some useful crop may be still more improved for pasture. And what is unfit both for tillage and for pasture ought to be planted with useful kinds of trees, suitable to the soil. Even the heathy rugged Gram- pians may be planted to the great advantage of the community, especially of the proprietors themselves. Qf this, the late patriotic Duke of Athol set a noble example, whose extensive plantations, in less than seventy years, will, in the opinion of a good judge, who has been appointed to survey them, be worth eight millions Ster- ling, at Is. the solid foot. Roads had previously been made through them ; and there is still, at the sides of the roads in various direc- tions, sufficient room for grouse and deer, &c. and shelter for all. Whatever ground in Great Britain and Ireland is capable of im- provement, and yet every way neglected, should, by Act of Parlia- menti be taxed or fined at so much per acre, until the suitable im- provements are made. Or, perhaps, the same good effects might be produced more agreeably by the stimulus of premiums ; or with* out premiums, the plan would benefit the revenue. The proprie- tors, indeed, are in many cases too much depressed already. But the plan in time would tend to enrich them, and improve even ABBRNYTE. 227 ihe soil itself. In cases of entail, as much land might be per- mitted to be sold as would be sufficient. Multitudes of additional labourers might be furnished with cottages, and each with a few acres of improveable land at a moderate rate. It is unnecessary to enter on details. But it may be added, that in every district where it may be expedient, there might be a public ploughman with a pair of horses and implements of husbandry, like common est- riers at present All should be served in their turn, by lot, every year ;* and the ploughman might have three or four acres, himself. As part payment he might get his horses fed for the day, where he might be working. How greatly this plan would beautify and en- rich the country I of what immense importance to the State and to all concerned, to retain thus by encouragement, and to employ be- neficially, a race of hardy, healthy, and industrious peasantry, of peaceable and virtuous habits, rather than drive them murmur- ing and disaffected to great towns, where they would necessarily cause greater stagnations of trade and manufactures, by gluts in the markets, and, perhaps great and dangerous commotions; or to banish them expensively to foreign lands, where they may swell the number of our enemies I This simple plan would meet the grow- ing demand for timber, procure useful employment for the indus- trious poor, save much of the poor's rates, and in a great measure prevent the needless drain of the precious metals for many foreign commodities. It is unnecessary to say more than that such a plan as this, with embankments and enclosures, and the draining of bogs, with the making and improving of roads, and such public works, would afford employment to the industrious, and advantage to all, — besides improving the climate, adorning the face of nature, and ad- ding greatly to the strength and wealth of the united kingdom. Mat/ 1837. PARISH OF KINNAIRD. PRESBYTERY OF DUNDEE, SYNOD OF ANGUS AND MEARNS. THE REV. JOHN SPENCE, MINISTER. L — Topography and Natural History. Name, — The name of the parish (as observed in the former Statistical Account) is of Celtic origin, and is compounded of two "words signifying " high end or head." This is descriptive enough, whether it refers to the parish or to the estate of Kinnaird, both of which are higher at the one end than the other. An old castle or manor house, belonging to the latter, stands on the upper part of it. Situation, Boundaries. — The parish lies about half-way between Perth and Dundee, and has a beautiful southern exposure, looking down on the Carse of Gowrie, part of which is contained within its bounds. It is bounded on the south by Errol ; on the north by CoUace ; on the west by Kilspindie ; and on the east by Abernyte and Inchture. The extent is about 2 miles in one way, and near- ly 3 in the other. ' Several points command an extensive view in all directions, particularly of the Highland mountains. We have nothing here to attract naturalists ; the productions of the earth, so far as yet discovered, being all of the more common kinds. II. — Civil History. Antiquities. — This part of the world has not been the scene of any remarkable events, nor has any individual distinguished in the history of his country ever belonged to it; the only thing in any respect curious is Kinnaird Castle, an old and stately ruin, but of which there is little on record. It presents an excellent spe- cimen of the sort of dwelling-places in use, when safety was more considered than comfort, — having walls of an enormous thickness, and the different storeys floored by stone arches. We find that the Noble family of Kinnaird, whose present seat is Rossie, in the neighbouring parish of Inchture, were once connect- ed with this property, though they have long ceased to be so. " In the reign of King William, 1170, Randolph Rufus obtained from that prince the lands of Kinnaird, in the county of Perth, which KINNAIRD. 229 continued in his family till the time of King Charles I., and from that barony took his surname ; from him descended Sir Richard Kinnaird of that Ilk, whose son, Reginald, marrying Margery, daugh- ter and heiress to Sir John Kirkaldy of Inchture, in the same .county, he with her had those lands, in which he was confirmed by the charter of Robert III." Lcmd'-oumers. — The sole land-owners in this parish are. Colonel Allen of Inchmartine; Sir Peter Murray Thriepland of Fingask ; Robert Richardson, Esq. of Kinnaird ; and Alexander Greig of Hallgreig. Parochial Reffister. — A parochial register is kept with great neatness and regularity ; the first entry is dated December 1633. III. — Population. Popukttonin 1811, . 445 W2\, - 465 1K)1, - 461 The average number of persons uuder 1 5 years of age, 1 53 betwixt 15 and dO» . 142 90 and m, 88 50und70, . 70 upwards of 70, .13 Widowers and bachelors upwards of 50 years of age, 6 Widows and unmarried women upwards of 45, 16 Average number of children in each family, 4 Number of the pc^pulation residing in Tillages, * 816 Average number of births yearly for the li^t seven years, 14 marriages, 2 deaths, . . 7 Number of fiunilies in the parish, ..... 90 chiefly employed in agriculture, .80 trade, manu£Eictures, or handicraft, 27 During the last three years there have been 2 illegitimate births in the parish. Resident Heritors, — No heritor at present has a residence in this parish. Beautiful situations for houses, liowever, abound, and there are great facilities for building. Very fine stone for this purpose is found close at hand, IV. — Industry. Agriculture. — The number of cultivated acres is about 1550 imperial measure ; the number of acres that have never been cul- tivated is about 1500; the number of acres that could be culti- vated .with advantage does not exceed 50. The average rent of the land in cultivation is about L. 1, 16s. per imperial acre. The uncultivated part of the parish, consisting chiefly of moor ground, is pastured with sheep from the Highlands in winter, at about is. dd. per head, (say from December 1st to April 1st ;) xheremainder of the season, it is pastured with oxen. The highest 230 PERTHSHIRE. price per head for pasturing oxeD is about L. 1, 10s. Farm-ser- vants are hired by the year. They receive about L. i2 in money with sixty- five stones of oatmeal annually, and three imperial pints of milk daily ; day-labourers in summer get ]s. 8d. per day, and in winter Is. 4d. ; artisans, such as wrights, masons, &c. about 2s. — no victuals being provided. Raw Produce, — The raw produce consists chiefly of grain, po- tatoes and turnip. Potatoes, for a number of years past, may have averaged 2s. per cwt. ; turnips when sold off the land from K 6 to L. 1 2 per acre ; grain prices vary a good deal. This year best wheat is L. 2, 4s. per quarter; barley, L. ], 6s. 6d.; oatmeal 14s. 6d. per boll. Grain is the principal production of the parish, and all the in- habitants may be said to be more or less engaged in agriculture. Rearing of stock is little attended to ; the ground which is not arable being unenclosed and of inferior quality. The grain raised is gene- rally of the first quality. The arable land is almost all fit for carry- ing crops of wheat. The quantity of grain of all sorts raised is about 3250 quarters; of potatoes 1800 bolls (of 5 cwt. per boll;) of turnips about 100 acres ; of hay about 10,000 stones ; of flax 50 stones ; of fruit, apples and pears, the average value is nearly L. 60 Sterling. The total yearly value of raw produce is about L. 7700 Sterling. V. — Paiiochial Economy. Market^Tovms, — There are no market-towns. Markets are, however, held on a small scale in some villages at no great distance. Perth and Dundee are the chief places of resort for the sale and purchase of commodities. Each of these towns is distant from us ten or eleven miles, and the great road passes within half a mile of the parish. There is a port on the Tay, about four miles off, from which much of our grain is shipped, and at which coals, lime, &c are laid down. This is a great convenience. There is a post- office within rather less than three miles. Ecclesiastical State, — The church is conveniently situated. It was built only a few years ago, and is abundantly large as well as comfortable. The manse is quite new, and is substantial and commodious. The glebe consists of 7 or 8 acres, and is of good soil, though with the disadvantage of a northern exposure. The sti- pend is as follows : Imperial quarters wheat, 2.994768 ; ditto bar- ley, 6ad99616 ; bolls meal, 91.561392 ; money L. 8, 6s. 8d. Dissenters, — There are no dissenting chapels in this parish. Only one of the inhabitants is a Seceder. The rest belong to the KINNAIRD. 231 Established Church, and attend dmne service with much regu- laii^ and decency. EdmeoHon. — There is no seminary of learning besides the pa« rish school, which, however, is abundantly sufficient. 1 he peo- ple are all anxious that their children should receive a good edu- cation, and never grudge laying out money for this purpose ; con- sequently the attendance is very numerous. The heritors have built a large and comfortable school- room, and are soon to erect a new house for the teacher, — the present one being very old. He has the highest salary allowed by law. His fees may amount to L. 24 per annunu Ltibraries, — There is no public library ; but one or two have been established in the immediate neighbourhood, which answer every purpose ; a taste for reading seems to spread fast, from which, if always properly directed, much good may be anticipated. Poor, — The average number of persons who receive parochial aid is about d. They get from 4s. to 8s. per month according to circum- stances* There is still an aversion to take assistance in this way, so long as it can possibly be avoided, and, under the influence of this very laudable spirit, many submit to considerable hardships before making an application. It has never yet been necessary for us to make an assessment for supporting the poor. This is avoided prin- cipally by maintaining a fund, the amount of which at present is upwards of L. 300. The interest of this, together with collections at the church doors, amounting to about L. 12, 10s. per annum, usually does more than answer all demands. Alehouses, — We have only one alehouse, and there is no occa- sion for another. The fewer of these the better. Miscellaneous Observations. There does not seem to be a very remarkable difierence in this parish, since jast Statistical Account was published. No dout^ the mode of agriculture has been improved; some new methods have been successfully tried to make the ground yield her fruits more abun- daintly, and of superior quality. Several new houses have likewise risen on the ruin of old ones, every way superior to their prede- cessors. Sundry spots of waste land have also been planted, and much more it b to be hoped will soon be done in this way. One great improvement has recently been made. The higher and lower parts of the parish have been connected by means of a new road, over which carriages of all kinds may travel in any weather; whereaS) formerly, there was nothing but a precipitous rut, danger- 232 PERTHSHIRE. ous even for horses. This road is now become a sort of thorough- fare between the Carse of Gowrie and Strathmore, and is of public advantage, as well as private benefit. May 1837. PARISH OF MEIGLE. PRESBYTERY OF MEIGLE, SYNOD OF ANGUS AND MEXRNS. THE REV. JAMES MITCHELL, MINISTER. L — Topography and Natural History. Situation^ Extent^ Sfc. — This parish is in the centre of Strath- more, bounded on the north-west and north, by the rivers Isla and Dean; on the east and south, by the parishes of Essie and Nevy, and Newtyle ; on the south-west and west by those of Kettins and Cu- par-Angus. It lies in 56° 36^ north Lat and 5" east Long, from Edinburgh, being in length 4} miles from west to north-east, and from 1 to 2 miles broad. It probably derived its name from its local situation, — the church and manse being built on a plain be- tween two marshes or " gills," which might thus have given rise to the word Midgile or Meigle. Strathmore. — Strathmore, " the great strath or vale," reaches from near Perth to Brechin, about 40 miles long, 4 — 6 broad, bounded on the south and south-east by the Sidla Hills, and on the north and north-west by the Grampians. There are no caves in the parish, and no part of it is hilly. The gentle eminence on which Belmont Castle stands (says Dr Playfair) is 204 feet above the level of half-flood mark at Panbride, near Arbroath. The village of Meigle lies quite contiguous to the church, and is watered by the burn of the same name. Geology i 8fc. — Two quarries of red sandstone have been wrought, and used for building. The dip inclines to the west Marl was dug in great abundance in the Gill, on the south. It was covered with peat-earth. The remains of the marl are now mixed with the moss by cultivation. But where a bed of marl is found (as under the road to Dundee) it is very soft and white, retaining scarcely any remains of shells. Alongst the side of the marl-moss (called My res,) and occa- MEIOLE. 233 ftionally running into it, there is a stratum of sand, apparently sea- sand, which seems to be the deposit of an arm of the sea, that had flowed through the strath, from near Perth to Douglaston, and thence towards Arbroath. It may, however, be the deposit of an interior lake long ago emptied. On the Sidla hills, distant only one mile and a-half, geologists have observed some marine or aque- ous remains. The soil in general is a fine black mould, inclining to brown, on a bottom of mortar, and yields good crops of wheat, barley, oats, and green-crop. There are also some sandy and clayey soils. Each of them is generally well improved and cultivated. In the river Dean, good perch, pike, and trout are caught. The trout are often taken in February and March. Their flesh is red, and the flavour excellent. A few salmon ascend the Isla, but very few are taken. The common white trout and also pike are caught in that river. There are no forests. The plantations are of oak, ash, beech, elms, and of the plane and service-trees, of the larix and difierent sorts of pines. On moist soils, the birch, alder, and willow are planted, and occasionally elsewhere. There are some fine aged elms, beeches, and ash, chiefly in Belmont park, formerly Kirkhill, where the Bishop of Dunkeld occasionally resided. One of the beeches, standing in a back-court at Belmont, is somewhat re- markable. The height of it to the top is 74 feet, the girth is 13 feet 9 inches at 3 feet from the ground. The solid wood below the ofiset of the branches, which are large and extended, is 276 feet. There are some springs of excellent water in the parish ; some of them flowing from sandstone rock, others from clay and gravel. II. — Civil History. No ancient history of this parish is known. Boece mentions it, speaking of Vanora's tomb erected here. And there is no modern account of it, previous to the late Statistical Account, by Dr Play- feir, then minister of Meigle, afterwards Principal of the United College of St Andrew's, and known fo the world by his chronolo- gical and geographical works. lAmd-aumers. — The chief land-owners arc, Lord Wharnclifle ; Lord Strathmore, by late purchase ; Mr Murray of Simprim ; Mr Nairne of Drumkilbo ; and Mr Kinloch of Kinloch, whose pro- perty is ** temporaliter" in Cupar Angus. Parochial Reffisters. — The earliest date of the register of bap- tisms is the 31st of July 1727. It is pretty regularly kept ; but 234 PERTHSHIRE. no register will be ever quite complete, till it be made imperative on Dissenters and all persons to record the baptism of their children. Antiquities. — In the park of Belmont, there is a tumulus call- ed ^' Belliduff," which tradition gives as the spot where M^Duff slew Macbeth ; and about a mile distant, stands a large whinstone nodule, or block of twenty tons weight, ca:lled Macbeth 's stone. In all probability there has been fighting near these apparently sepulchral monunlents ; but it is more probable that Macbeth was slain at Lumphanan in the Meams. A font or trough for holy water was dug out of the rubbish, when the body of the old church was taken down. Its form is oc- tagonal, each compartment having some emblem of the crucifixion upon it, as the " mock robe," the " spear and sponge," &c. It is a very hard stone, and placed on a pedestal in the minister's gar- den. In the church-yard are the remains of the famous sepulchral monument of Vanora, or Guinevar, wife of the fabulous King Ar- thur, according to tradition. It relates that Arthur lived in the sixth century — that he lost a battle with the Picts and Scots — and that Vanora was made a prisoner, and detained in captivity on Barryhill, distant about two miles and a half from Meigle. Barry- hill, in the parish of Alyth, was fortified of old. Vanora, says tra- dition, held an unlawful intercourse with Mordred, a Pictish King ; and Arthur, when he received her again, enraged at her infidelity, caused her to be torn to pieces by wild beasts. She was buried at Meigle, and a monument erected to perpetuate her infamy. Such is the traditional story. But even Arthur's existence is now doubt- ed, while of the Arthur of romance every one has heard. The monumental stones called Vanora's have been described so often, and so minutely, that it seems unnecessary to dilate upon them in a work intended to be as concise as possible. Pennant, Dr Playfair, Pinkerton, Forsyth, and Knox, have given ample de- tails, and to them the curious inquirer will at any rate have re- course. Let it suffice to say, that on each of these stones, now quite separated, there is a variety of sculptured figures, chiefly of the monstrous kind. One is a huge serpent fastened to a bull's mouth ; another like a centaur — and there are two representations of wild beasts tearing a human body, — and one where the body seems tied or close to chariot wheels, — which may relate to Vanora, or may have given rise to the tradition. MEIGLE. 235 r#.-~ The body of the church was built about fifty-four yean ago ; but two aisles of the old one remain. It is a plain building of stone. Belmont House, the seat of Lord WbamclifTe, (called Kiridiill till about seventy years ago, when it was rebuilt,) is a hand- some quadrangular building, retaining part of the ancient tower, in the back court. The lawn is extensive and finely wooded, and well kept, as is the garden. Meigle House, Drumkilbo, and Kinloch, are good mansions, and pleasantly situated. Potento, a moderate sized house, occupied by a tenant, is delightfully situated on the south bank of the Dean ; surrounded with wood, and near the rocky banks of the river. On the opposite side of the Dean, is Caerdean, where there are still the vestiges of a camp. in. — Population. There is no authentic record of the population till Dr Playfair (Statistical Account) gave the amount at 1148. Since then it has decreased. Population in 181 1 , - 928 18-21, - 847 1831, . 873 The causes of the decrease are the enlargement of forms, and the removal of a linen manufactory. About 301 persons reside io the village of Meigle ; 45 in Longlees ; and in the country 530. The aTerage number of baptisms is . .18 of proclamutions, . 9 But marriages less by 4-5, one of the parties residing elsewhere. The average number of persons under 1 5 years of age is 316 betwixt 15 and 30 245 30 and 50 191 50 and 70 110 above 70 . . 30 Number of fiunilies, ... .... ]9I chiefly employed in agriculture» • -' - 81 < in trade* manufactures, or handicraft - 83 The number of bachelors and widowers upwards of 60 years of age 1 8 unmarried women under 45 years of age, 35 children in each £unily, . . . ^{^ nearly. One insane (a man) is in the asylum. There are two (males) fatuous ; and six of both sexes idiots, or quite silly. One peer occasionally, and three families of independent for- tune, reside in the parish. There are seven proprietors of the year- ly value of L. 50 and upwards. IV. — Industry. Agriculture. — The arable acres in the parish, exclusive of Kin- loch, are 2726 ; about 178 acres are under wood, and 100 acres in pasture, a small part of which is in the natural state. In parks 236 PERTHSHIRE. and lawns, trees have been for a long time planted, and pasture and wood-land are thus intermixed. There is no undivided com- mon, but a small part of what was such may be profitably im- proved by tillage, or planted with trees. The woods and beltings are regularly thinned and pruned. Bent, — Land rent is very various. The average rent (partly in grain and money) of land fit for wheat is reported to me, by fac- tors and tenants, at L. 2 to L. 2, 15s. ; that of land fit for bar- ley and green crop, L. 1, 10s.; and of land of an inferior quality, L. 1. But of this last description of soil there is little in the pa- rish. There is little permanent pasture, except in lawns and parks, of much value, and it is either pastured by the proprie- tor, or let together with arable land. The rent may average about L. 3 (o L. 4. The rental of the parish is about L. 5000. Wages. — Wages, including the value of victuals, (oatmeal and milk,) and lodgings of a farm-servant for one year, are stated at L. 20 to L. 24, 1 Is. ; and for a woman, living in the house, at L. 5 to L. 7. Day labourers get 2s. a day from March to September. Women for field work, 8d. ; masons and carpenters have from 2s. to 3s. in the long day — less in winter in proportion. Live-stock. — Few sheep are bred. In this parish and the neigh- bourhood the Leicestershire is generally most esteemed. Angus-shire cattle are the principal stock ; but some are bred from a cross with the short-horned (Teeswater) bull, and accounted good feeders, and early fattened. The general duration of leases is nineteen years. The farm-buildings and enclosures are well-preserved. Proprietors give encouragement to improvements, and in most instances have given deductions of rent since the late war — or when times required abatement. And their kind consideration is generally admitted by the tenants. There is no regular manufactory now in the parish. About fifteen men and women are chiefly employed in weaving coarse linen. Machinery has nearly put an end to hand-spinning, and old women, especially, get little or nothing to do, and are (many of them) reduced to poverty. A Perth manufacturer who resides here has a work-mill, &c for dyeing and dressing cotton cloth, for umbrellas. The people employed (from six to eight) live comfortably, and work only twelve hours every lawful day. About 72,000 yards are finished and sent to London annually. MEIOLE. 237 V. — Parochial Economy. Markets — Meigle is a market-town, but has now no regular weekly market. Lately it has had a fortnight tryst for the sale of cattle, which is well attended. It has also two fairs in the year, for cattle and horses, and ordinary traffic, when a considerable mul- titude assemble. The nearest market^town is Cupar Angus, five miles distant, but Dundee (13 miles) is the principal market-town, and port for shipping of grain. The quantity of grain and of po- tatoes sold is not ascertained, but is very considerable. Means of Communication, — Meigle has a post-office, and three post-runners daily. There are about six miles of turnpike-road in the parish. Every lawful day a coach runs to and from Edin^ burgh and Aberdeen, by Perth and Queensferry, and one from Blairgowrie, — and one from Cupar Angus, to meet the rail-road coach, to and from Dundee, at Newtyle, (two miles from Meigle) three times a week. A very old bridge over the Dean connects Meigle with Airly, in the county of Forfar. A well-built bridge has lately been erect- ed by subscription over the Isia, connecting this parish with Alyth. Bridges over the burn of Meigle, and over-drains, are kept in good repair, as are the fences. Ecclesiastical State. — The situation of the church is convenient for the people. Its distance from the extremities of the parish is from two to three miles. The church is in pretty good repair. Two bishops of Dunkeld, and two Presbyterian ministers of the seven- teenth century, are buried in the north aisle. The church affords accommodation for about 700 persons. Tenants, and householders have seats free, but, owing to the great inequality of the popula- tion on different properties, some seats are let The manse was built in 1809-10. The glebe, exclusive of gar- den, house stances and roads, is about 5^ acres of good soil, and worth L. 17 or L. 18 yearly. The stipend is 14 chalders meal and barley, vicarage worth about L. 3, and L. 8, 6s. 8d. for com- munion elements. There are no chapels of ease, or other places of worship in the parish, except an Episcopalian chapel, whose minister is paid by his people. He has two other chapels. There are 23 Epis- copalians, and 38 Presbyterian Dissenters in the parish. Divine service in the parish church is generally well attended. The average number of communicants is from 390 to 400. There is no society for religious and charitable purposes, but charity inva- 238 PERTHSHIRE. nous ways is liberally exercised towards the indigent, and the wants of the poorer inhabitants are readily relieved. Education. — There is one parochial school and one unendowed. The parochial schoolmaster's salary, including L. 2, 2s. Ojd., in lieu of a garden, amounts to L. 36, 7s. Id. ; as session-clerk he has also a salary of L. 2, 10s. ; register of baptisms and marriages, L. 5; school fees, L. 25; total L. 68, 17s. Id. He has good ac- commodation. The unendowed school produces yearly about L. 15 to the teacher; but he is paid for other things, as collecting the road-money, &c. In the parochial school, the usual branches of education are taught, also Latin, Greek, French, geography and practical ma- thematics. In the other, the teacher is qualified in much the same manner, but has no advanced scholars. School fees for read- ing and writing are very moderate. The poor pay none. Every person above childhood, or eight years of age, can read, and there are few who cannot write. The people in general are alive to the benefits of education, and endeavour to send their children to school, part of the year. The distance from school is nowhere great. Poor, — The church collections average yearly about L. 36, 10s., which sum, together with interest of money saved by the session, (L. 16, 17s. yearly) and mortcloth-money, has hitherto supported, in part or wholly, from nine to fourteen paupers in ordinary times. According to circumstances, we give from 4s. to 10s. a month. There is no alms-house or workhouse in the parish, or in any of the towns near it. A house of this kind is much wanted, to which we could send silly or weakly paupers, paying board, &c. for them. Few are averse to receive parochial relief. Some, how- ever, consider it degrading. Friendly Society. — The ploughmen have a friendly society here of about eight years standing, and it is found advantageous. We had a saving bank, but, from the low rate of interest for money, are giving it up. Inns. — There are five inns or taverns in the parish. Not more than two are necessary for travellers, &c. Puel, — The fiiel used is chiefly coal from Dundee, the cost, in- cluding carriage, about Is. 5d. per cwl. Wood is also used as fuel. MiSCBLLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS. Since last Statistical Account was written, great progress has been made in the theory and practice of husbandry; and in 3 RATTRAY. 239 Strathmorey landlords and tenants have concurred in advancing the art by all the known and approved methods. The latest improve- ment is the application of bones for manure, which was introdu- ced by a fiurmer here, and generally adopted. It is pretty well known in Scotland, that the farmers in Strathmore are amongst the most intelligent and enterprising of their profession. Great improvements have also been made in building gentle- men's seats, and tenants' houses, and the parish now presents a highly cultivated and pleasing aspect. Drawn up \QQ3— Revised May 1837. PARISH OF RATTRAY. PRESBYTERY OF DUNKELD, SYNOD OF PERTH AND STIRLING. THE REV. WILLIAM HERDMAN, MINISTER. L — Topography and Natural History. Name. — The name of Rattray seems to have belonged alike to the parish, and to the principal family that dwelt in it, and pro- bably was transferred from the one to the other. It is said that there are records which bear the name of Rattray of Craighall and Rattray, as early as 1066. No account is given of the etymo- logy of the name. BaundarieSf Sfc. — Rattray is the westmost parish in Strathmore, the district adjoining in that quarter being the Stormont. It is bounded by the river Ericht, which runs along the west and south side, the whole extent of the parish, and separates it from Blairgow- rie. On the east, it is bounded by the parish of Bendochy, and farther north by the parish of Alyth. The breadth of the parish, from west to east, is about 2 miles; the length from north to south is 5 ; besides the detached portion of Easter Bleaton. Topographical Appearances. — The whole surface of the parish inclines by a very considerable declivity from north to south. The southern part, washed by Ericht, is flat; but the ground soon be- gins to rise toward^ the village, a short way behind which, perhaps not more than a quarter of a mile, these hills commence, which continue to increase in elevation and ruggedness, till they termi- nate in the Grampian mountains ; though at the distance of many 240 PERTHSHIRE. miles beyond the boundaries of this parish. The high grounds on the north break the cold winds from that direction, and render the climate more mild, and the country more sheltered in the lower parts. The soil being dry, and the air mild, the situation of Rat- tray is thought to be very healthy. The most prevailing winds, though soft, are from the west; the most stormy, and accompanied with most rain and snow, are from the east, coming from the sea. As in other places, there are occasional distempers and fevers in Rattray ; for every person must die ; but there are no epidemics peculiar to the climate. Hydrography. — The only river in the parish is the Erich t. It issues from some springs in the Grampians; and, taking a souther- ly direction, holds on through Glenshee and Persie, till it reach the Strone, where it receives the water of the Ardle, a considerable mountain stream from the north-west ; the Ericht and Ardle unit- ed proceed nearly in the same course as before, pass by Craighall and Blairgowrie, and round the southermost point of this parish ; about two miles beyond which, they fall into the Islay, and thence flow- ing lo the west, they join the Tay at Meiklour, by which they are conducted to the ocean. In winter, and on all occasions of much rain, the Ericht swells into a flood ; and if this flood happens in autumn, like her more powerful neighbour the Islay, she carries off large quantities of grain from the low country. Mineralogy. — To the naturalist the mineralogy of this parish might afford matter of curiosity and entertainment. The rocks on the side of the Ericht above Craighall are of singular and formi- dable appearance. They rise to upwards of 200 feet above the bed of the river, and in front are almost as perpendicular as if cut with a chisel. No use has ever been made of them, and they re- main as they issued from the hand of nature, enormous masses of whinstone, and proofs of her gigantic power. As the access at top is hazardous, there is generally a strip of the surface planted, which is enclosed by a stone-wall, to prevent cattle from approaching it. The soil on the hill grounds is cold, thin, and moorish ; yet it is all let for corn and cattle farms, though the only grain raised is oats, as yielding the most profitable return. The soil in the lower part of the parish is dry, gravelly, and a good deal incumbered with loose stones. The produce of such ground must depend greatly on the season. In a dry summer, the crop is very light, and in such a year as 1826, it was almost nothing, either in corn or fodder. In a season of moderate rain, the crop is very good, and the grain true RATTRAY. 241 and pure. The crops commonly raised are oats, barley, and wheat ; though the latter more sparingly than in former years, when the price and increase were more abundant IL — Civil History. Eminent Men. — In the Civil History of the parish of Rattray, Mr Donald Cargill deserves distinguished notice. He was one of the mi- nisters who lived and suffered under the unhappy reign of Charles H. He was bom about the year 1610; his father was proprietor of an estate called Hatton, in this parish, and he was the oldest son of the family. He was educated first at Aberdeen, and then at the University of St Andrews ; and after obtaining a licence to preach, was called to be minister of the barony church in Glasgow. This situatioD, and his own zeal for religion, connected him with the covenanted clergy of that period, and involved him in all their troubles. After undergoing many hardships, and experiencing many escapes, (which it is unnecessary to mention) he was appre- hended in 1680, carried to Edinburgh along with some others, tried, and condemned by the Justiciary Court for high-treason, and the following sentence pronounced : ^' that he should be hanged at the Cross of Edinburgh, and his head placed on the Nether Bow." Hiis sentence was immediately executed ; and such was the con- fidence and composure of the sufferer at the last, that when about to ascend the ladder, he said, *^ the Lord knows that I go on this ladder with less fear and perturbation of mind, than ever I entered the pulpit to preach !" Such are the hopes that cheer the just ! Antiquities. — If large gray stones be entitled to the appellation of antiquities, or are any indication of the religious worship of our an- cestors, a few of these appear in a field, thence called Standing- Stanes, which are supposed to be the ruins of a Druidical temple. A more interesting object appears a little way to the south of that field. Alarge earthen mound rises in the low grounds, called the Hill of Rattray, on the eastern summit of which are the remains of a large build'mg, named the Castle of Rattray, and which was anciently the residence of the family of that name. The mound is of an oblong form, something resembling the shape of an inverted ship; but the eastern comer of it is circular, as if sucked up by the action of a whirlpool, when the waters were retiring from the earth. In the perilous times, which were so frequent during the reign of our Scottish Kings, the family of Rattray removed from this hill to Craighall, as a place of security against the sudden incursions of PSRTH. 242 PERTHSHIRE. Craighall is a very singular place. The house is seated on the top of a rock, about 214 feet almost perpendicular above the Ericht. A balcony on the outside of the drawing-room windows, secured by an iron railing, serves as a parade, whence the river, and rocks, and surrounding scenery may be viewed. Craighall is accessible only in front, which is from the south ; and on each side of the entrance, a little in advance of the house, are two round buildings, evidently intended for protection, with some openings for missile weapons, as if for the use of archers, a mode of defence very common in for- mer ages. The old house of Craighall, the date of which is opt known, was greatly altered about five yeare ago, by the late Baron Clerk Rattray. Without enlarging the premises, he new-modelled the apartments within, and added turrets to the corners without, which serve considerably to ornament the building. Land-owners. — The principal proprietor in the parish is Robert Clerk Rattray, Esq. of Craighall, son of the late worthy Baron, who succeeded to the estate on the demise of his cousin. Miss Janet Rattray, in 1B17. The present proprietor, with his family, reside at Craighall during the greater part of the year. The other he- ritors are, the Earl of Kinnoul ; John Rattray of Coral- Bank ; the Rev. George Whitson of Parkhill ; Colonel Chalmers of Glene- richt; Lord Wharncliffe; Miss McDonald of Easter Bleaton; and Mr Crichton of Mains, — besides a number of feuars of inferior note. Rattray is comparatively a small parish, the whole valuation being L. 2575 Scots. Parochial Registers. — The parochial registers are of consider- able antiquity. They commence about the Restoration in 1660, and, with a little interruption in the Revolution 1688, have been filled up and preserved with tolerable care. III. — Population. The population of Rattray must have undergone great altera- tion. In the time of Dr Webster it was reckoned 751 ; in the re- turn made to Sir John Sinclair it was stated at 500 : the number of the inhabitants at present is 1375, — a large increase in the space of forty years. This population resides chiefly in two villages, cal- led Old and New Rattray, the latter of which did not exist at the date of the last report. The new village is seated on both sides of the road to Blairgowrie, and extends almost to the Ericht, which divides the parishes. The ground for houses and gardens is fixed by the proprietors to persons from the country, and parti- cularly from the Highlands, who, finding it necessary to change their RATTRAY. 243 residence, seek a more sheltered situation. The rate of feuing is about Is. the fall, or L. 8 the acre, though some of it lately has risen much higher. The two villages are almost contiguous, and the climate and soil of both are warm, dry, and healthy. The in- crease of population is chiefly owing to the spinning-mills, which ha?e been reared within the last twenty years, and which will re- quire particular attention. The average number of births for the last seven years is 32, of marriages 12; of deaths, though more various, the number is perhaps nearly the same. The population of Old Rattray, of all ages and sexes, is about 400 ; of New Rattray, 800, — leaving 600 and upwards for the country part of the parish. The number of proprietors of L. 50 and upwards annually is seven ; and the whole rental about L. 2000. The inhabitants of the country are all engaged in agricultural operations ; those of the villages are employed in trades and ma- DQ&ctures. The great business of the common people is weav- ing of a coarse fabric, the materials for which are sent from Dun- dee. The inhabitants in general are sober, industrious, and eco- DomicaL In former times, smuggling in malt and whisky prevail- ed much in this neighbourhood, but has now almost disappeared, in consequence of the decisive measures adopted by Government. Tlis is a happy change for the character, the circumstances, and the morals of the people. Poaching in game is much complained of by gentlemen at certain seasons of the year ; which shows the idle, pernicious, and despicable habits, of a few of the lower orders of the people. Number of fiimilics in the parish, ..... 318 chiefly employed in agriculture, - - - 64 trade, manufactures, or handicraft, 1 49 IV. — Industry. AgricuUure. — Rattray being comparatively a small parish, and not remarkable for soil, furnishes no great scope for agricultural operations. The farms in general are of moderate size; and those in the higher grounds, intended both for pasture and til- lage, are seldom let by the acre, but by as much rent as the ten- ants imagine they will bear, according to the mode of husban- dry to which they are to be applied. The land about the village gives L. 3 per acre. The leases for small portions are for nine or eleven years ; for farms, fifteen or nineteen years. On the estate of Craighall, there are considerable plantations of Scotch and larch fir, which were much enlarged by the late Baron Clerk Rattray. They are scarcely in a state for felling, but they are regularly thin- 244 PERTHSHIRE. ned, and the produce sold for fiiel to the people in the neighbour- hood. Along the sides of the Ericht, the timber raised is copse- wood or small oak, which is cut down at a certain age, chiefly for the sake of the bark, and yields a very profitable return. There is a commonty in the higher part of the parish, of near- ly 300 acres, called the Broad Moss, which is become almost a waste, for want of being divided. The only use made of it is in individuals at pleasure casting turf for fuel, and the neighbouring tenants sending their cattle to brouse on it. Though called a moss, it is more properly a muir, being a high-lying barren sub- ject, but under proper management, might have become a planta- tion of some value. The farmers have their grounds laid out in such proportions, that, in addition to grain, they raise potatoes, turnips, and artifi- cial grasses. When potatoes bring good prices, besides their use for the benefit of the family, they are sent in large quantities to Perth and Dundee ; when the demand is low, they are consumed at home in feeding cattle. The turnips and grasses are^ solely for the support of the bestial on the farm. The occupiers of land rear or purchase annually as much stock as they can maintain, which they feed when two or three years old, and sell to butchers or dealers, who send a great proportion of them to the Glasgow mar- ket. The Strathmore and Angus breed, which have a mixture of the Teeswater, red and white, are much esteemed for their size and keeping ; and for some time past have been the principal ar- ticle that have put money into the hands of the farmer. The wages of farm -servants are from L. 10 to L. 12 a year with their board; day-labourers in summer get Is. 6d. or Is. 8d. ; in winter Is. 2d. without victuals Fishings, — The principal fishing station in this parish is the Keith, where the waters of the Ericht rush over a rock, and fall jnto a pool below, whence the salmon are taken. The fishing is the property of Lord Whamcliffe ; and during the season, when there is plenty of water in the river, salmon of the size of from eight to twelve pounds are caught in abundance. I shall transcribe the account of this fishing given by my predecessor, as it is more mi- nute and exact than any which I can pretend to give. " There is, at a little distancexfrom Rattray, a cascade or fall of water, about ten feet high, over a rugged rock, which forms a pool below, where sal- mon are caught It goes by the name of the Keith fishing, and rents at L. 30 a^ year. .The mode of fishing is curious. They RATTRAY. 245 make what they call a drumuck, resembling thin wrought mortar, which they throw into the pool to disturb the clearness of the wa- ters. The &shers stand on the point of the rock with long poles, and nets upon the ends of them, with which they rake the pool, and take up the fish.'' Besides this particular station, fishers and sportsmen, who occasionally visit the Ericht in summer, take treat and salmon by the rod, at various places along the river, as far as it skirts the parish of Rattray. Manufactures. — Under the name of manufactures may be com* orehended spinning-mills, of which there are seven in the parish of Rattray. The river Ericht, affording abundance of water, and numerous (SeiIIs for driring machinery, has -induced persons in the neighbourhood and even some from towns, to feu ground, and erect these structures. The mills vary in size from six to twenty horse power. The work about which they are employed, is manufacturing flax and tow into yam ; the former from one to three hanks, the latter from four to eight hanks per spindle. The number of persons necessary for these operations may be stated in round numbers at 250. They work all the six days of the week, commencing their labour at half an hour before six in the morn- ing, and, excepting an hour allowed for each diet, continuing till seven o'clock in the evening. Few are admitted to the mills be- fore twelve years of age, the wages of whom are 2s. per week ; and the average amount of all classes, young and old, beginners and experienced labourers, may be 6s. 6d. a week. I am not able to say how far the regulations in the late Factory Bill have been adopted, or what effects they have produced in this part of the country. It is evident, that, in a pecuniary view, these establishments are highly beneficial. They furnish the young with an income, and parents with the means of supporting their families, to an extent which could not otherwise be procured. But I am afraid that here their praises must terminate. Their effects on health must be deemed injurious^ from the long confinement the labourers endure, and the thick atmosphere they are constrained to breathe. Their influence on morals cannot be favourable, unless a rigid superinten- dence be maintained by proprietors and guardians ; as we never fiiil to observe, that when large bodies of people are assembled, human passions ferment and disorders ensue, except strict vigilance be preserved. A very laudable attempt to correct or prevent these evils, was made by the Legislature in their late enactment 246 P£RTBSH1RC< V. — Parochial EcoKomv. It has been already observed, that there are two villages in the parish, called Old and New Rattray, in which mostly the articles necessary for family use may be at all seasons found. Blairgowrie, a much more considerable village, is at hand, where there is a post- o£Sce, and shops of all kinds in abundance for food and clothing. Cupar- Angus is the next place of consequence, at the distance of five miles from Rattray, and to which there is a turnpike road from Blairgowrie. At Cupar- Angus, the turnpike roads break off to Perth and Dundee; and through Cupar- Angus, the Defiance coach runs daily from Edinburgh to Aberdeen. Lately, a railway was formed across the Sdlaw hills, from Dundee to Newtyle, by which coals, lime, and manure are brought from town in waggons, and grain and potatoes are sent in return. On the railway, there are close coaches for passengers, which are much used as a cheap and expeditious mode of travelling. A bill is just now be- fore Parliament for extending the railway from Newtyle to Cupar- Angus, which is expected to be a great benefit to this district of Strathmore. Ecclesiastical State. — The parish church of Rattray was built in 1820 and 1821, is a very commodious house, and in perfect order. It was made to contain 620 persons. In appropriating it, the first consideration was bestowed on the poor. A portion, which would accommodate twelve sitters, was allotted to them. A simi- lar portion was allowed to the elders, and for baptism room ; and the same to the minister's family ; after which, the area of the church was divided among the heritors, according to their respec- tive valuations. The heritors, after accommodating themselves and their tenants, let the surplus seats to the trade's people in the parish, who have no right of their own. These seats to the lower orders are exceedingly cheap, at an average scarcely amounting to Is. 6d. the sitter. The whole seats are occupied. The church is very conveniently situated for the parish in general, though there is one property, called Easter Bleaton, ten miles distant from it. This detached portion is cut off from the rest of the parish for five miles, by the intervening parishes of Bendochy and Aly th ; but the few inhabitants, there, are accommodated with public worship at the chapel of Persie, a preaching station in the higher part of the parish of Bendochy, not above two miles distant from Easter Bleaton. The manse of Rattray was built in 1813 and 1814. The glebe 4 ttATTRAY. 247 contains 15 acres, the greater part of it outfield; and in whole it might let for L. 20. The living of Rattray is one of the small stipends, augmented by Government to L. 150 per annum. Tliere is a dissenting meeting in the parish, formerly of the Antiburgher connection, but now belonging to the United Associate Synod. Their chapel will contain 340 sitters, but is partly unoccupied. The stipend arises from the seat-rents and collections, and is said to be from L. 80 to L. 100 a-year. Dissenters attend well on public worship ; and the members of the Established Church are not deficient in this praiseworthy conduct. The average number of communicants in the parish church may be 500 ; the collec- tions throughout the year L. 15. Since 1775, there has been an assessment on the parish for the support of the poor, which has had the effect of diminishing the collections, but could not now be easily dispensed with. The number of paupers on the list generally exceeds a dozen ; and instead of considering it degrading, every one is eager to prefer his claim as fast as he can. The average an* nual amount of assessments is L.45 : of church collections, L. 15. The number of families in the parish attending the chapels of Dissenters or Seceders is 65. Education. — With regard to education, it may be said that there are principally two schools for that important end; the parish school in Old Rattray, and a private one in New Rattray. The parochial teacher has the highest salary allowed by law of L. 34, besides the dues of baptisms and marriages, which must amount to some pounds more. His fees may amount to L. 15 per an- num. The private teacher depends entirely on the fruits of hiit industry. The numbers attending each school are nearly the same, — upwards of 40 : the wages for beginners are 2s. per quar- ter ; 2s. 6d. for reading and writing ; and 3s. for arithmetic and liatin. Both masters profess to teach Latin, arithmetic, writing, and English. I have reason to believe, that they are not defici- ent in attention and diligence. Besides these, there are schools on a lower scale kept by females, chiefly for young girls ; and some occasionally kept by males for the benefit of those in the remote parts of the parish. Perhaps, there are none of five years of age but have begun to learn to read ; and none farther advanced but are taught both to read and write. The blessing of education is brought within the reach of all classes in society. If they are poor, the kirk-session pay for them ; if they are in a better situation, they can easily furnish the expense from their own industry. They 248 PERTHSHIRE. need only show a willing mind, and the invaluable advanta^i^e will be attained. Fairs. — There are two feiirs in Rattray, — the one on the last Fri- day of April, the other the last Friday of August. They are intend- ed chiefly for the sale of cattle. In all villages, ale-houses exist in abundance, and perhaps there are six or eight of them in the pa- rish of Rattray. Inns are necessary for the accommodation of the public ; but, by the idle and profligate, they are perverted to pur« poses of disorder and abuse. Fiieh — Coals, the best of all fuel, are rather expensive in this part of the country. They are brought either from Perth, or by the railway from Dundee to Newtyle, and between purchase and freight are necessarily dear. By the wise appointment of the Creator, however, every place possesses it own advantages. In the high grounds, within three or four miles, there are mosses where peats are dug, and dried, and brought home in summer, as a pre- paration against the approach of winter. There are also occasion* al sales of wood in the neighbouring plantations, where fuel is got at a reasonable rate. With a portion of each of these, coals, peat, and wood, every person endeavours to be provided. Those on the roll of poor are furnished with a certain allovrance of coals at Christmas ; and all others lay up for themselves, as their wisdom or their wealth direct and enable them. Miscellaneous Observations. The only other object pertaining to this parish, which I shall mention as a matter of curiosity, is an iron bridge, which Colonel Chalmers of Glenericht, has thrown across the river, a little below his house. The bridge is supported by a stone pillar at each end, from which a direct span, not an arch, stretches across the whole breadth of the river. The bridge is of such wideness as to admit a passage for a carriage, with a foot tract on the side for travellers, the bottom or floor of both of which is covered with gravel to pre- vent alarm to man or beast. By this bridge, the Colonel has easy and elegant access to his property on both sides of the river, and also to the great road which runs from Braemar to Perth. The bridge was constructed by a Mr Justice in Dundee, and is well worthy of the notice of strangers. May 1837. PARISH OF FOWLIS WESTER. PRESBTTBRY OF AUCUTERARDER, SYNOD OF PERTH & STIRLING. THE REV. ALEXANDER MAXTONE, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — Fowlis is a Gaelic name, and derives its origin, accor- ding to a local tradition, from the following circumstance, charac- teristic of the age and country : One of the Earls of Stratheam, desirous of having a church in the vicinity of his castle, stood on an eminence, on which he had a summer seat, and resolved to erect it where the sun first shone, which was on the spot where it now stands ; and which he denominated Fowgnolish, under the light. The name is limited to this spot, and to the half of the village ; the other half is Lacock. Extent, S^c — The extent of the parish is 7 miles from east to west at its greatest breadth, and 10 from south to north. It is situated on the north side of Stratheam, west from Perth 8, and east from Crieff 2 miles ; and divided by two mountain ranges. The south range separates the lower part of the parish from Logiealmond, and is 3 miles in breadth, on which are large tracts of moss, and heath, and plantations, and only a few cottages and cultivated farms. The north range is of higher elevation than the south, divides Logiealmond from Strathbraan, and forms a part of the Grampian mountains, extending from the Atlantic to the Ger- man Ocean. Topographical Appearances, — The surface of the parish is re- markably irregular. There is only one valley in it, which stretches along the banks of the Pow, the whole extent of its southern boundary. From this valley to the summit of the south moun- tain range, the position of the ground is greatly diversified, and divided into different names, including the Braes of Fowlis, the Braes of Dury, Gorthy, and Keillor ; all of which have an ele- vated southern exposure, and are interspersed with trees, and clumps, and stripes of copse, which have a fine imposing effect to the eye of the traveller, along the turnpike road, exhibiting rich 250 PERTHSHIRE. enclosures, enchanting slopes, and sinuous ravines, formed by streams descending from the mountains, when swollen by the rains, in noisy and impetuous torrents, to the plains below. In no part of the parish is the inequality of its surface so^striking, as at Cultoquhey, its western boundary. Mounds composed of gra- vel are piled together there, in great numbers, and arranged in such a singular variety of grotesque sizes and figures, that they suggest the idea of a lusus natures. They appear as if they had been formed by the course of a river, probably the Shaggy, which is said to have run formerly in this direction. Some of them are covered with luxuriant wood ; and the village of Gilmerton is situated at their extremity on the west. A mile to the east of this, is the gate to Abercaimey, which opens to an approach on the margin of a copious mountain stream, meandring in a deep murky ravine, densely crowded with trees and shrubs, which, in its serpentine course, is sometimes invisible, and heard murmuring around projections of rocks. This narrow shady avenue, which is a fine specimen of romantic scenery, leads to a magnificent park, embellished with the enchanting art of imi- tating nature, in which extensive lawns salute the eye, the antique alley, venerable oaks, clumps and trees scattered in a lavish style of sylvan beauty, whose dark shades serve as foils to set off the lovelier mantle of the verdant surface. No bold features of moun- tains, and rocks, and cascades, no wild misshapen forms, no gro- tesque shapes constitute the beauties of this landscape. Nature is here arrayed, in gentle attire, in the softer charms of beauty unit- ed with utility ; rich meadows, pleasing acclivities, gardens ena- melled with flowers, artificial islands and lakes, enlivened with swans and cygnets ; and every hortulane and rural decoration, es- sential to an elegant and commodious residence. To the north-east of Abercairney, on a rocky protuberance, is Laterbannochy, once the site of a mansion-house, the residence of a family of Murrays, ancestors of Lord Stormont ; from which there is a delightful view of the admirable scenery of Drummond Castle ; and all the intermediate objects are embraced, at once, by the eye, as in a fine landscape painting. This splendid prospect was probably the cause of fixing on this position for the house, as it is different from the site of the other ancient mansion-houses in the parish. They were generally erected on the brink of those fissures and streams which are so numerous in the braes. Near one of them the manse stands, to the east of Laterbannochy, and FOWLIS WESTER. 251 io the same eleyation, — having a soutbera exposure, and command* iDg a view of Strathearn, Strathmore, and the Ochil and Lomond HOls, forming the grand and distant outline of this^extensive pro- specL At the distance of a mile to the east of the manse, once stood the castle of the Earl of Stratheam, on the east side of a den in which the bum of Dury runs. .The site was peculiarly appropri- ate for this Celtic chie^ the great proprietor and chief magistrate of the district The House of Gorthy was situated to the south- east of this, on the side of another den of the same name with it- selt It is now demolished, but the lawn is still marked by vene- rable trees with which it was ornamented. Behind a division of the south mountain range, and towards the eastern extremity of the parish, is the estate of Keillor, in which there is a considerable proportion of fertile soil, well cultivated, and partially inclosed. Here stood an ancient castle, with a den on each side of it, which a rivulet has formed into a peninsula. To the north of the lands of Keillor is the Ahnond, a beauti- ful river, which intersects the parish for the course of two miles. On the verge of this river, in a small but sweet spot, Mr T. Mer- cer has a neat cottage, embossed in wood and hills, which tower above it. West from this at Buchanty, there is a small copse, which, as well as the picturesque scenery above and below the bridge, are much admired, and numbered among the attractions of the district. There the water in the river finds its noisy way, over fragments and clusters of stones and rocks, torn asunder and hol- lowed, and worn into a variety of forms, and chasms, and pools, which with trees hanging on its side, in a deep mass of shade, and the soft spray of the cascade, when tinged with the pris- matic rays of the sun, form a coup d'ceil, truly romantic To the north-east of this, is the part of the parish in Logiealmond, in which there is a breadth of arable land, which rises with conside- rable acclirity to the northern mountain range. This range feeds numerous flocks of sheep, and gradually descends on the north side, to the termination of the parish, at the river Braaii, famed for its scenery and cascades as it approaches the city of Dunkeld. In the same range, are the hills of Conachan, at the western extremity of the parish, which are pastured with sheep, and extend to Strona- veille in Wester Glenalmond. Hydrography. — The parish is abundantly supplied with water. Copious perennial springs issue from rocks, and are soft and cool 252 PERTHSHIRE. in their temperature. Loch Luag is situated at the western boun- dary of the parish, in a narrow glen, from which there is a sublime and diversified prospect of the bold romantic scenery of Monzie and Ochtertyre, and the stupendous amphitheatre of hills around Comrie, with the lofky Benvoirloch towering to the clouds. The Pow is a slow running river, and once covered a great part of the ground, in its vicinity, before a channel was dug for it, by authori- ty of an Act of Parliament, remarkable for being the last of the Scottish acts. It has its source in the mosses below Methven, and joins the Earn nearlnnerpeffray. The Almond rises occasionally to a great size, and pursues a rapid meandring course, until it emp- ties itself in the Tay, above Perth. It is joined by the Shellegan, a fine limpid stream, which runs through the arable fields of Lo- giealmond. There are many pleasing cascades in the numerous ravines, in which the streamlets from the hills flow, but none of them are of great magnitude. The one at Buchanty has attracted most notice, from its singular appearance and curious course. Geology and Mineralogy. — The mountains and plains are gene- rally composed of rocks of granite, slate, and sandstone, of great thickness and extent ; and the direction and dip of the strata are to the north and east The slates are found in the hills of Lo- giealmond. There is a species of limestone at Buchanty, and a mass of columnar trap, which runs from east to west. The soil on the banks of the Pow is alluvial, and has been transported and deposited there by the inundations of the river. There is a great variety of fertile soils in the parish, which res! chiefly on rock, and are gravelly, sandy, loamy, and clayey. Where they rest on rock, they are in many parts thin and dry, but fertile ; and where the substratum is clayey, they are wet, cold, and retentive. The minuter animals appear less frequently on them than on the loamy soil, where they receive more nutrition. Zoology. — Such of the wild xjuadrupeds and fowls as are natives of the north, and the migratory birds which frequent Scotland, are numerous in the parish. Goats were pastured on the hills of Lo- giealmond about fifty years ago ; but they are all now displaced by another species of stock. The Fife, the Aryshire, the Tees- water breed of cattle, and excellent horses of the Clydesdale breed, the Garron and the Cleveland Bay, are reared to great size and value. Botany.— There is a great collection of herbaceous and green- V FOWLIS WESTER. 253 house plants in the gardens at Abercairney. Pines, grapes, apri- coftSi and nectarines, grow there to great perfection^ Few trees grow on the north side of the parish ; but there are large planta- tions of forest trees on the south side of the Almond, to all of which the soil is congenial, except the Scotch fir, which is slow and stinted in its growth. At Abercairney, there are two ashes of uncommon size and age. 11. — Civil History. Historical .Eo«iti!i.— The village of Fowlis was once a place of consideTable importance, where the Stewart of Strathearn held his court. This court is memorable for one decision, at which Sir Alexander Moray of Abercairney, who had been charged with cul- pable homicide, pled in 1397 the privilege of the law of clan Mac- Doff; and being within the ninth degree of consanguinity to him he was acquitted, on paying twenty-four merks of silver. The Marquis of Montrose is said to have been riding through the Bog of Bannochy, when his horse stuck at a place which is still called Montrose's goat. He first erected his standard at the bridge of Buchanty, where he was joined by the Drummonds and Graemes, on his way from Athole, with Macdonald, before he fought the battle of Tibbermore. These reinforcements were chiefly from Menteith, and under the command of Lord Kilpout, eldest son of the Earl of Men- teith ; — they had been raised by order of the Committee of Estates at Edinburgh, and were marching to the general rendezvous at Perth. Tne advanced party of Montrose's army were startled, when, proceeding through Glenalmond, they came in sight of so large a body of men. posted in their front, upon the hill of Buch- anty. Graeme of Inchbrakie, who commanded this advanced par- ty, immediately dispatched intelligence of what he saw to Mon- trose, who, with all his characteristic expedition, brought up his main body to vanquish them, should they refuse to join him. At his approach, a negociation instantly commenced. The oflicers be- ing gentlemen of his own family, and Highlanders of a kindred clan, were easily induced to abandon their destination, and to join the royal standard. This unexpected accession to his force, which now mustered three thousand men, animated this enthusiastic leader, and he resolved to commence offensive operations, by at- tacking Perth next morning. Eminent Men. — Sir David Moray of Gorthy, son of Sir Robert Moray of Abercairney, was Governor to Prince Henry. He ac- 254 PERTHSHIRE. quired reputation by the success with which he wrote in English verse, ^< The Tragical Death of Sophonisba ; Caelia, containing certain sonnets ; and a paraphrase of the 104th Psalnu" John, his brother, a learned and pious man, was minister of Leith, and an intimate friend of Andrew Melville's. He was prosecuted and ordered into conBnement by King James VL, for a sermon which he published, containing some free remarks on the conduct of the bishops. Andrew and George Moray of Abercairney, and Peter Max tone of Cultoquhey were slain in the fatal field of Flowden , 1 5 1 dw A proprietor of the latter house has been long famed for a cele- brated litany, which he repeated every morning, at a well near his re- sidence. Anthony, of the same family, was, in the reign of Charles I., prebendary of Durham. Mr Drummond of Broich, was deposed from his office, as minis- ter of Fowlis, at the Revolution, because, as stated in the records of the kirk-session, he would not pray for King William and Queen Mary.— The late Dr Ritchie, Professor of Divinity in the Univer- sity of Edinburgh, an eminent scholar, and a learned theologian, was a native of the village of Fowlis. — The Reverend Dr Alison of St Paul's, Edinburgh, and the late Principal Taylor, of Glas- gow College, were educated at its parochial school, which was then a seminary of reputation. Land-aumers, — The chief land-owners are, James Moray of Abercairney ; Sir Patrick Murray of Ochtertyre ; Mercer of Gor- thy; Stewart of Logiealmond; Maxtone of Cultoquhey; Graeme of Inchbraco ; Lord Lynedoch ; Mrs Robertson Williamson of Law- ers ; and Captain McDonald of Sunnysyde. Parochial Registers, — The earliest entry in the parochial regis- ters is in 1674. They are voluminous, and regularly kept, with the exception of a few years after the Revolution. Antiquities, — In the village of Fowlis, there is an ancient Cal- vary cross, on one side of which is a representation of a wolf-chase, in has relief, in which there are figures of men on horseback, and a blood-hound. The wolf appears grasping a head in his fierce jaws, and tradition says that, in the course of the chase, he ran through the town of Fowlis, and snatched off the head of a boy. In the same group of Bgures, are six men dressed in a peculiar grotesque style, and following an animal, supposed to be led to the sacrifice. The figures on the other side are much defaced, but there are gyves or chains on it, which fastened culprits, and ex- posed them to infamy, a species of punishment similar to the pillory. POWLIS WESTER. 255 On the margin of the Almond, at the bridge of Buehanty, St Methven, the local and tutelary saint of the parish, had a chapel, which is now demolished. At Cultoquhey, there is a small camp in which urns with ashes have been dug up, and which probably was connected with the great camp at Fendock. Tradition says, that Comhal Cult, the father of Fingal, fought here with the Ro- mans, and lost the battle. At the junction of the road from Fowlis with the turnpike, there is a large cairn, on which is a standing piUar, or the monumental stone of some hero or chieftain, who had hilen in a battle, which is said to have been fought here. Heaps of stones of this nature were formerly accumulated on battle fields, and so long as there was any memory of the dead, every passen- ger added a stone to the heap. Hence the Gaelic proverb, ^' I will add a stone to your cairn." The castle of the Earl of Strathearn is now a verdant mound. One of the most considerable families of the kingdom, whose ori- gin is now uncertain, formerly resided in it. Grim, Thane of Strathearn, was killed in 1010, at the battle of Mortlach, where Malcolm IL fought with the Danes. Walinus, a man of rank in England, is said to have received this dignity from Malcolm Canmore in 1068. Malise signalised himself as a brave and gal- lant man at the battle of the standard in 1138. In a council of war held in the Scottish camp, the evening before the battle, the King signified his intention, that the archers and men at arms should lead the van of the army. " Whence this confidence in these men, cased in mail, (said the Celtic chief, Malise Earl of Strathearn,) I wear none, yet will I advance farther to-morrow than those who are sheathed in steel. Earl, said Alan de Percy, you have said more than you dare perform." The King interposed to put an end to the dispute. Ferquhard, his son, with five other Earls, conspired to seize the person of Malcolm IV. at Perth, 1 160, and assaulted the tower in which he sought refuge, but were repulsed. Gilbert, in 1200, founded the abbey of InchafFray. Ro- bert was one of the guarantees, on the part of Alexander King of Scots, for ratifying the differences in 1237, between him and the King of England. MaUse, when a peace was concluded between Alexander IL and Henry III., was, in 1244, one of the guarantees of the truce. Malise, his son, signed the famous letter to the Pope, and during the minority of David Bruce, opposed Edward Baliol with all his interests ; and when that prince prevailed, his earldom was forfeited, and given to Warren Earl of Surrey. His countess also, 256 PERTII.SHI.RE. in 1320, when a treasonable conspiracy was formed against King Robert the Bruce, through fear or remorse, betrayed the guilty se- cret, with which she was entrusted, and was condemned to per- petual imprisonment Malise died without issue, by which the male line of the family became extinct; but the daughters of the preced- ing Earls had been married to the progenitors of the ducal families of Hamilton, Athole, and Montrose ; and to the noble families of Ruthven, Oliphant, and Bothwell, who got with them great estates. Sir John Moray of Drumsergard, (lineal heir and representative of Sir Andrew Moray of Bothwell, his grandfather, the eldest sur- Tiving branch of Freskine de Moravia,) was married to Mary, only sister of Malise, the last Earl, who got with her the lands of Abercairney. The earldom, which had been forfeited by Ba- liol, was resumed by King David, and conferred on their son, Sir Maurice Moray, heir of line, whom failing, to return to the Crown, in the same case, and as entire as possessed by Malise in the time of his forfeiture. Maurice was killed at the battle of Durham, in 1346, and leaving no issue, the earldom returned to the Crown, according to the last grant The family of Abercairney, continued by Alexander, the Earl's brother, are therefore the lineal heirs and representatives of the ancient Earls of Stratheam, as well as of the Lords of Bothwell. The only other heritor resident in the parish is Maxtoue of Cultoquhey, whose property has been in the singular predicament, during all the time it has been possessed by his fiunily, of being neither increased nor diminished. He has the same common an- cestor with the Maxwells, the one name being Maccuston, a Saxon, and the other Maccus- villa, a Norman termination, denoting the town and villa of Maccus, the son of Undyn, who had lands upon the Tweed, which acquired from him the appropriate name of Maxton and Maxwell. Fowlis appears to have been a favourite seat of the Druids. Several of their clachans have been demolished, but there are still four large Druidic stones, standing west from the village, one of which is a crondeach^ or altar-stone, in which there is an artifi- cial cavity, where the blood and oil of the sacrifices flowed. On the summit of the hill, due north from the same place, there is a Druidic circle of stones, and a double concentric circle. This is believed to have been the temple of an arch Druid, which when erected was probably in the midst of a forest in which were the oak, and consecrated grove, the favourite objects of their super- FOWLIS WESTER. 257 stition. The circle consists of sixteen stones, between which and the double circle there is a large stone incumbent, where the arch Druid stood, and addressed himself to those around him. The outer precinct of the concentric circle is 18 yards in circumfe- rence, in which are forty stones. Three yards north from it, there is a large standing stone, which is probably monumental of some illustrious dead, as they were then interred around those places, where they worshipped the Supreme Being. To the west of this temple, there is a Si'ti/i, which signifies in Gaelic a mount of Pfoce, near which is a fairy hillock, where urns have been found, and which was believed to have been inhabited by an inferior kind of genii, called fairies. On the SVunsy the Druids held assizes, when it was customary to kindle a large bonfire, called Samhin^ or the ^e of peace. On Hallow eve, a Druidical festival, these fires are still lighted up, in this district, and retain the same name. Modem Buildings. — The House of Abercairney is a superb modem edifice, in the form of an ancient cathedral, and in the Gothic style of architecture. Its exterior is much admired for its lightness, elegance, and symmetry ; but it is far surpassed by the exquisite enrichments of its interior finishing. The mansion-house of Cultoquhey has also been lately erected. It is a structure of beautiful and substantial workmanship, and graceful proportion, in the style of the Elizabethan age, from a design of Mr Smirkc. III. — Population. The population of the parish has of late fluctuated considerably. By Dr Webster's list it was rated Inl75jat 1 700 In 1770 it was I KM) 1794 . 1-2-24 18:31 . 1G8I This fluctuation is owing to the erection of the village of Gilmer- ton, to the quoad sacra part of the parish being included in the. census, and to the extent of modern farms. The population in the villages is . . . 396 country, • . . 128.3 The yearly average of births for the last seven years is ;)0 deaths, ... 20 marriages, . . 18 The average number of persons under 15 years of age is 541 betwixt 15 and aO, . 430 30 and 50, . 355 50 and 70, . 262 upwards of 70, . 93 PERTH. U 258 PERTHSHIRR. Families of indwpendeat ibrtuoe who generally rcatdc in the parish, 4 Tlie number of unmarried men, bachelors, and widowers, upwards of 50 years of age, . • . 89 unmarried woman upwards of 45, 5(y families. . . . 341 A x'erage number of children in each family. 4 Number of inhabited houses, . . 30.5 insane and fatuous, ... 4 IV. — Industry. Agriculture. — The number of acres occasionally in tillage, is 7009 pasture, 16000 wood, 2(K)0 Rent ofLand, ^c. — The average rent of arable land is L. 1, 13s. pet acre. The rate of grazing an ox or cow is L. 2, and 5s. per ewe or full-grown sheep pastured for the year. The rate of labour for the different kinds of farm-labourers and country artisans is ] s. 6d. per day, in summer, and Is. 2d. in winter, and the rate of mason, carpenter, and other mechanical work is 2s. The sheep is of the black-faced Linton breed, and attention has been paid to their im- provement The husbandry pursued is generally of an improved character. Many acres of waste land have been reclaimed, and due attention has been paid to draining ; though the Pow inundates the fertile valley, on its banks, and deteriorates its luxuriant crops. Were its channel enlarged, this would be prevented, the soil would be ameliorated, and the aqueous meteors which blight the crops would be less injurious. This great and obvious in)provement has often been proposed, but no measures have hitherto been adopted to carry it into effect. The general duration of the leases is for nineteen years, and the farm-buildings are in a superior style. The greater part of the arable ground is enclosed with hedges and stone dikes, but many of them are insufficient fences, and the enclosures are defective in their subdivisions. Every branch of agriculture has advanced ge- nerally of late; but the property of Sir Patrick Murray of Ochter- tyre has received the most elegant and substantial improvement, in respect of farm-building, fences, and planting. The chief ob- stacles to improvement arise (torn the distance from manure, and sea-ports, and the depression in the value of the produce of the soil, which represses the enterprise and industry of the tenant Quarries, — On the lands of Abercairney and Cultoquhey, there are two excellent quarries of durable sandstone, which admits of a fine polish, and has a beautiful colour. From them both the mansion houses on these estates have been recently built. Craig- FOWLIS WESTER. 259 tea slate quarry, from which ],200,000 slates are sold annually, is of a superior quality, and has a beautiful dark biue*colour. FMeries. — The only 6sh taken in the parish is in the Aimond. On the cascade at Buchanty, which is divided in its stream, by the projection of a rock, a basket is suspended, and the salmon and white trout, in attempting to overleap the cascade, which impedes their progress up the river, plunge into the basket, and are cap- tured. Prodncei — The average gross amount of raw produce raised iti the parish^ Produce of grain of all kinds, « L. 1 7000 potatoes, cabbage, &c. 2500 hay, ..... 1500 flax. ...... 200 lands in pasture at L.2 per cow, and at 5s. ewe, or full-grown sheep, pastured for tbe year, ..... 9600 gardens and orchards, 400 annual thinning and periodical felling of woods, plantations, and cop8e,600 quarries, ... 300 miscellaneous produce, ..... 1900 Total yearly Talue of raw produce raised, L. 28000 Manufactures* — The principal manufacture in the parish is the weaving of cotton cloth, and the weavers are furnished with the raw ihaferial from Glasgow. The construction of sieves, a species of handicraft, is almost peculiar to this place. Several families have been for generations employed in this trade, who carry them to the Perth and Fife markets, where they meet with a ready sale, at re* munerating prices. V. — Parochial Economy. The town and lands of Lacock adjoining to Fowlis, are a burgh of barony, with the privilege of a weekly market every Wednesday, and two yearly fairs ; but none of these have been held of late. Crieff, which is 6ve miles distant, is the nearest market-town. Villages. — There are two villages in the parish, Gilmerfon and Fowlis. The former is neat and well built, in a pleasant situation, through which the turnpike road passes from Perth to Crieff. The latter generally is in the state in which it has been for centuries, and ih its exterior appearance is a monument of the building of olden times. The progress of improvement, however, has commenced. Several of the houses have been lately slated, and the inn has been rebuilt, in a substantial and commodious manner, which, with the school-house, is an ornament to the villasfe. The parish enjoys the means of communication in all directions, by the excellent turnpike roads which have been formed. The 260 PERTHSHIRE. one to Perth, on which the royal mail travels, passes through it, the length of seven miles. Ecclesiastical State. — The situation of the parish church is con- venient for the population. It was repaired about thirty-five years ago, and affords accommodation for 800 sittings. The manse and offices were rebuilt in a neat and substantial manner in 1820. The extent of the glebe is seven acres, and its value is L. 20. The stipend is 7^ chalders of barley, and the same quantity of meal. 325 families, and 800 persons of all ages attend the Established Church, and 16 families attend the chapels of Dissenters. The two resident heritors and their families attend the chapels of Epis- copalians. 323 persons are connected with the parish of Monzie, and 60 with the chapel at Aumulrie, quoad sacra. Divine wor- ship in the Established church is well attended, and the number of commui)icants is 600. Education. — There are four schools in the parish, in which all the usual branches of education are taught. Two of them are un- endowed. The parochial schoolmaster has the maximum salary, and the legal accommodation. The s(;hool fees average L. 26. The schoolmaster at Buchanty is provided with a school-house, and has L. 5 of salary paid from the bishop's rents. The expense of education is, for children, 8s. ; and for those of greater age and attainments, L. I per year. Poor and Parochial Funds. — The average number of persons receiving parochial aid is 24, and the average sum allotted to each is 4s. per month. The amount of contribution for their relief last year was L. 70, the half of which arose from church collections, and the other half from the interest of L. 86 Sterling, and the vo- luntary assessment of the heritors. Fairs. — St Methvaninas market is held at Fowlis annually, on the 6th of November, and is a useful market for the sale of black- cattle, and hiring servants. This was anciently the festival of the parish, and the anniversary of the saint to whom the church was dedicated at its consecration, when the people constructed pavi- lions and booths to indulge in hospitality and mirth, which also became a commercial mart, and assumed the name oiferice or holy- day. Many of our most ancient fairs have a similar origin. Miscellaneous Observations. The parish, since the date of the last Statistical Account, has made great improvements in rural economy. Waste ground has been planted and brought into cultivation. The roads are in a FOWLIS WESTER. 261 loiperior conditioD, and new ones have been constructed, which increase the facilities of internal communication. Farm-stead- ings were then covered with thatch, and indifferent in building and accommodation ; but they are all now slated, well built, and adapt- ed for every necessary purpose. Wheat, potatoes, turnips, and ar- tificial grasses are cultivated in a much greater breadth. More manure is laid on the soil, and it is ameliorated by fences, cleaning and draining. Horses and harness, the different breeds of cattle and sheep, and all the implements of husbandry are much improv- ed. In short, such is the degree of agricultural science general- ly diffused, and the high state of the culture of the soil, that there is now little prospect of any great future improvement No doubt more waste ground might be profitably planted and enclosed, and the present enclosures greatly improved. The immediate de- mands on the soil are so pressing, that less attention is paid to a permanent than a present advantage, ^y being too frequently in tillage, and operated upon by stimulating manures, it is in some parts in a state of exhaustion, and Would require rest to consoli- date and invigorate its powers of vegetation. The cottage system is established in the parish, and has the effect of promoting the industry and independence of the labour- ing classes. It might, however, be extended. Had labourers and artisans a garden attached to their house, and as much ground at a moderate rent as would feed a cow, waste land would be culti- vated, and they would continue longer in a state of comfort and independence. Mr Jacob, who was employed some years ago by the British Government to inquire into the agricultural system of the continental nations, has laid before the public a detailed account of an establishment of this nature in Holland. Such agri- cultural settlements are deserving of attention. They would yield a due return to the landlord, at a moderate rent, afford profitable employment to the population, furnish them with many of the ne- cessaries of life, and lessen the tendency to pauperism, an increas- ing evil. May 1837. PARISH OF MONZIE* PRESBYTERY OF AUCHTERARDER, SYNOD OF PERTH & STIRLING. THE REV. JOHN REID OMOND, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — Monzib is derived from the Gaelic, Moighidh^ and signifies a level tract. Figure. — The parish, though extremely irregular in its outline, and not reducible to any known figure in mathematics, neverthe- less approaches more nearly to the form of the parallelogram than any other, — being intersected throughout its entire length by the river Almond. Boundaries and Extent. — It is bounded on the north by Dull, Weem, and Kenmore ; on the east by Fowlis ; on the south by Crieff; and on the west by Monivaird and Comrie. It extends about 12 miles along the course of the Almond, and its greatest breadth is estimated at 7. Topographical Appearances. — Situated within the limits of the Orampians, it presents a wearisome succession of hills, seldom trodden by the foot of man ; but, to compensate for this mono- tony, it contains two valleys, Glenalmond and the Vale of Mon- ?ie, — the only habitable parte of the parish, — both of which pos* sess no small degree of attraction to the admirers of natural beauty. Vale of Monzie. — The vale of Monzie commences at the south- ern boundary of the parish, and extends about five miles in a di- rection north-east, with a rise of several hundred feet, where it unites with Glenalmond, at nearly right angles. It is watered for about three miles by the Shaggie. The upper part of this small stream, — the lofty banks of which are covered with luxuriant copse- wood, — is rendered picturesque by three waterfalls, one of them 55 feet in height At that point where the wood terminates, the banks suddenly widen, giving place to a pretty extensive plain. Her^ stand the parish church, the hamlet, and at some distance * Drawn up by Mr John J>aurie, Parochial Schoolmaster of Monzie. 4 MONZIB. 263 the stately mansioa of Monzie, embosomed among trees of the largest growth, in " the full efflorescence and stateliness of their manhood/' The whole is bounded on both sides by hills of considerable though unequal elevation, and in front by the Knock, rearing its perpen- dicular masses of pine into the middle air. Here also, including the neighbouring village of Gilmerton, with the numerous farm- houses upon the estates of Monzie and Cultoquhey, are congre- gated two-thirds of the whole population. To one stationed upon the Highland road, east from the church, the view is of great beauty. In the foreground are the luxuriant woods, the rich pas- tures, and the House of Monzie, beautifully harmonizing with and forming an appropriate centre point to the whole. Extending the line of vision out of this narrow valley westward, we have, in the middle distance, the dark rampart of the Comrie hills, and far be- yond and above these, the delighted eye descries and rests with rapture upon Benvorlich, Benmore, and Benledi, blending their lofty summits with the blue tints of heaven. Were it not a well- authenticated fact, that Dr Johnson regarded Scotland as a regioo destitute of trees, one might be tempted to conclude, that he had visited this spot, and received from it his first impression of the ** Haf^y Valley," in Rasselas. GhnalmoruL — Glenalmond, to the eastward of its junction with the Vale of Monzie, is an open cultivated country, but here the banks of the river suddenly assume the form and character of lo% hills ; their bases on the opposite sides of the glen approaching so near, as, in some places, barely to leave room for the bed of the river. They may be said to average from 1000 to 1200 feet in height. They are entirely destitute of trees, but here and there may be seen a stinted shrub, seeking a scanty subsistence among the rocks. One of the highest eminences on the east side of the ^en is crowned with the ruins of a Celtic fort, and upon the top of a hill on the opposite side of the glen is a cairn. The river Almond here measures 70 feet in width. Its waters are transpa- rent, and nm with considerable velocity over a bed of rock and gravel. Its general depth varies from a few inches to several feet. This romantic pass continues for upwards of two miles, and, on ac- count of its narrowness, is familiarly known by the name of the " Small Glen." A new road, leading to the Highlands, runs through it, formed upon the most approved principles of engineer- ing, and kept in a state of admirable repair. It is nearly upon the same line with the military road, formed by Government for the 264 PERTHSHIRE. improvement of the Highlands, after the suppression of the Rebel- lion in 1745. Clach'-Ossian^ or OssiavLS Stone. — Towards the upper extremity of the pass, and near the side of the river, is a large stone, eight feet in height, and nearly cubical in form, which is said to mark the grave of the Caledonian bard, Ossian. When General Wade formed the military road, already mentioned, the soldiers, induced either by cu- riosity or the hope of finding secreted treasure, removed this stone from its ancient bed. Their curiosity was indeed gratified, but that constituted their chief reward. They found below it four stones set on edge, forming a small chamber, 2 feet long, 1^ broad, and *2 deep, containing bones and some pieces of coin. This was held decisive of its being a grave ; but the question, ^is to who might be the occupant of this " narrow house," the " four stones with their heads of moss" — remains unsolved. . An- other grave having been prepared at some distance, the bones were carried thither to the music of the bagpipe, and again consigned to the earth.* Although laid open to the view about ninety years ago, two of the stones still retain their erect position, and the chamber is not more than half-filled with rubbish. Surveying this simple tomb, situat- ed amidst the wild seclusion of Glenalmond, the reader of Ossian naturally reverts to the lines of the bard, so truly descriptive of it ; " Narrow is thy dwelling now ! dark the place of thine abode ! with three steps I compass thy grave, O thou who wast so great before ! four stones with their heads of moss are the only memorials of thee, a tree with scarce a leaf." Above the bridge of Newton, where the Small Glen terminates, the hills on each side recede, leaving a stripe of level ground on either side of this pastoral stream. This is known by the name of Western Glenalmond, and contains several interesting objects, which fall to be noticed under the head Antiquities. Tlie Thief ^s Cave, — In one of the lateral glens, communicating with Western Glenalmond, is a cave, called the thiefs cave, from its having been the retreat of a noted sheep-stealer, called Alas- tair Baine. It is of considerable dimensions, said to be capable of containing sixty men, and situated about midway up the fiice of a rock, called the eagle's rock. It might have afforded a more secure retreat, but for its total want of wood. Attracted by • These particulars are communicated by Peter M'Ara, an old man of eighty- four, stUl alive, and a native of Glenalmond, who received them from an eye-witness. MONZIE. 205 the light of his fire in the night, his pursuers came upon him in the very act of roasting one of his fleecy victims, and for his crimes he underwent the last penalty of the law at Perth, having previ- ously, without the form of trial, suffered the loss of one of his ears for a similar offence committed at Glen Ledneck. Kirk of the Grove. — In the vicinity of the cave is a natural cu- riosity, known by the name of the <^ kirk of the grove," consisting of several large stones piled above one another. Not far from this, stands a solitary and aged pine, perhaps the last of an exten- sive forest ; but as the Caledonians are said to have frequently planted ft fir tree near or upon the tomb of a warrior, it requires no great stretch of the imagination to suppose that this may point out the last resting place of an ancient hero : — *^ a tree stands alone on the hill, and marks the slumbering Connal." The small glen having attracted the notice of Mr Wordsworth, any apology for introducing the subjoined beautiful lines, from the pen of that distinguished poet, will, it is hoped, be deemed unne- cessary. In this still place, remote from men, Sleeps OssiAN, in the Narrow Glen ; In this still place^ where murmurs on But one meek streamlet, only one : He sang of battles, and the breath Of stormy war, and violent deatli ; And should, metbinks, when all was past, Have rightfully been laid at last Where rocks were rudely heaped and rent As by a spirit turbulent; Where sights were rough, and sounds were wild, And every thing unreconciled ; In some complaining, dim retreat, For fear and melancholy meet ; But this is calm, there cannot be A more entire tranquillity. Does then the Bard sleep here indeed ? Or is it but a groundless creed ? What matters it ? — I blame them not Whose fancy in this lonely spot Was moved ; and in such way expressed Their notion of its perfect rest. A Convent, even a hermit*s Cell Would break the silence of this l>ell : It is not quiet, is not ease ; But something deeper far than these : The separation that is here Is of the grave ; and of austere Yet happy feelings of the dead : Andy therefore, was it rightly said That, Ossian, last of all his race ! Lies buried in this lonely place. Temperature. — The temperature, as might be expected from the mountainous character of the district, is various ; that of Glen-* 266 PERTHSHIRE. almond, on account of its elevation, is cold, and contrasts strik- ingly with the mild atmosphere enjoyed by the southern portion of the parish. Prognostics of the Weather, — Among the phenomena of the at- mosphere, that indicate a coming change in the state of the weather, must not be omitted, the sound of the waterfalls upon the Shag- gie, and the roar of the distant Turret. In the vicinity of rivers, there are times, especially in the stillness of evening twilight, when the music of the rushing waters, and the fitful sighing of the wind, break upon the ear with more than ordinary solemnity, arresting the attention of the listener as if the voice of a spirit spoke. At such times, if the sound sent forth by the water is clear and loud, stormy weather may be expected ; but should it seem to recede from the ear, until it is lost in the remote distance, fair weather will soon follow. The approach of a storm may also be learned from observing the motions of the crows. When these are seen busily feeding, and hurrying over the sur£ice of the ground, all in one direction, and in a compact body, a severe storm may be an-* ticipated. Whirlwinds and Earthquakes. — The small glen having no la- teral communication or opening, resembles a funnel cut in the solid earth, presenting in its sinuosities various obstacles to a free trans- mission of the air ; it is therefore subject to contrary currents and eddies of the most violent character. Recent instances have oc- curred of travellers on horseback having been blown from the sad- dle, driven to seek shelter in holes or behind rocks, and there de- tained for hours, until the fury of the storm abated. Slight shocks of an earthquake, emanating from Comrie, (seven miles distant) as a central point, are frequently experienced in this parish ; but their severity has been greatly abated within these thirty years. It may not be uninteresting to mention, that a shock was felt at Comrie, on the 25th of August 1834, one of the days on which an eruption, attended by most disastrous consequences, took place at Mount Vesuvius in Italy. Longevity, — The climate seems to be favourable to longevity, there being many individuals above eighty years of age ; and one man died in 1825 at the advanced age of 103. Rivers, — The river Almond, which rises in the parish of Ken- more, traverses the parish of Monzie from east to west for a dis- tance of about twelve miles. After a course of eighteen miles, it falls into the Tay, two miles above Perth. The Shaggie, the Kel- MONZIR. 267 tie» and the Barvick, three small streams issuing from the hills» after a shcyrt and somewhat precipitous career, join the turret, and pour their united waters into the Earn, a little above Crieff. Waierfalls. — Like most Highland districts, this parish presents UB with a due proportion of waterfiills. Besides the three upon the Shaggie already mentioned, and many others of smaller note, there is one upon the Keltie 90 feet in height; while the Banrick, throughout nearly its whole extent, is one succession of cascades, the romantic effect of which is heightened by its lofty and steep hanks of naked rock, overshadowed by a thick, though unequal covering of such wood as can contrive to extract nourish- ment from a scanty soil, or from the fissures of the craggy preci* pices. When the visitor approaches this romantic dell from the west, and his ear is assailed by the moaning of the winds mingled with the sound of the waters, as they leap from rock to rock, the melodious lines of Spenser are vividly recalled to his mind ; ** The water's fall with difference discreet Now soft, DOW loud, unto the wuid did call ; The gentle, warbling wind low answered to all.** Geology and Soil. — Slate, sandstone, and limestone, are all found in this parish ; but the latter being of indifferent quality, ^ and far from coal is not wrought The prevailing soil is light, dry, and good. Zoology, — Among the various species of animals may be enu- merated the hare, the rabbit, the otter, the badger, the fox, the roe- deer, the squirrel, the weasel, the stoat, the marten and the wild cat : the common gray eagle, the falcon, the salmon-tailed glade, the common buzzard, the sparrowbawk, the merlin, the wood- cock, the pheasant, a great variety of the duck tribe, the partridge, the snipe, black game and grouse in great abundance. There is plenty of common trout in all the streams, and in the Almond are both sea-trout and salmon ; the former come up to spawn in the middle of July, and the latter in the end of October, and both return to the sea in the end of November and beginning of December. At Buchanty there is a fall upon the Almond, which effectually prevents the salmon and sea-trout from ascend- ing farther up the river, and many of those that endeavour to take this leap are caught by means of a basket or cruive, so placed as to intercept them in their fruitless attempt. Planiatunu. — There are several hundred acres of thriving plan- 268 PERTHSHIRE. tation in the parish, chiefly upon the estates of Monzie, GlenaU mond, Callander, and Cultoquhey. These consist principally of larch, Scotch fir, oak, ash, elm, and willow ; for the growth of all of which, the soil is well adapted. Extraordinary Larches. — In the garden of Monzie are five larches, remarkable for their age, growth, and symmetry. They are coeval with the celebrated larches of Dunkeld, having been brought along with them to this country from the same place, and are now superior to them in beauty and size. The tallest mea- sures 102 feet in perpendicular height : another is 22 feet in cir- cumference at the ground, and at the distance of 2^ feet from the ground, 16 feet, and it throws out branches to the extraordinary distance of 48 and 55 feet from the trunk. The late Duke of Athol, it would appear, evinced a more than ordinary degree of interest in the progress of these fine trees, — sending his gardener annually thither to observe their growth. When this functionary returned and made his wonted report, that the larches at Monzie were leaving those of Dunkeld behind in the race, his Grace would jocularly allege, that his servant had permitted General Campbell's good cheer to impair his powers of observation. IL — Civil History. There is no account of the parish, either printed or in manu- script, so far as is known, except that contained in Sir John Sinclair's national work. We shall, therefore, avail ourselves of the little information that can be gleaned from the session records, aided by tradition. Establishment of Preshyterianisnu — The records of session com- mence 5th April 1691, and are dated at Logy, where there was and still is a chapel. The first fact they record is the ordination of nine elders for the parish of Monzie, by Mr William Reid, minister of Rattray, " according to the appointment of the pres- bytery of Perth thereanent" The next minute is dated at Mon- zie, 15th July 1691, and records the ordination of Mr William Chalmer, the first presbyterian minister of Monzie, — Mr Reid of Rattray again preaching and presiding. Traits of Ancient Manner Sy Witches^ Sfc. — It affords a curious picture of the manners of the age, to be informed, that the parish- ioners were in the practice of assembling upon the Green of Monzie on the Sabbath mornings to play at foot-ball ; and that on these occasions, Mr Chalmer, who experienced great difficulty in indu- 3 MONZIE. 269 cing his people to attend church, occasionally took part with them in this amusement ; — by thus gaining their affections, he prevailed on them to accompany him to the house of prayer, and there listen to his instructions. Mr Bowie succeeded Mr Chalmer in 1711, and died in 1740. During his incumbency the Earl of Marr s§t up the standard of rebellion; and on the 12th of November 1715, was fought the battle of Sheriffmuir, within twenty miles of Mouzie. In reference to this civil war we find the following entry in the session records : " Monzie, June I9th 1715. ♦ * ♦ ♦ * The session being' informed that there is a rebellion about to be in the nation, and that Alexander Drummond •♦♦♦♦♦ has joyned that partie, they can doe nothing in that affair at this time." For more than two hundred years antecedent to this period, the mania of burning for witchcraft had raged with violence all over Europe. History informs us, that about the year 1515, 500 witches were executed at Geneva in the short space of three months ; in the diocese of Como, 1000 in one year ; in Germany alone, from the year 1484 to the suppression of persecution for witchcraft, 100,000. England, according to Barrington, put to death 30,000 ; and Scotland, with a narrower field and a smaller population, was nothing behind, — multitudes being burnt in every part of the kingdom. Need it excite wonder then, if in this san- guinary and appalling tragedy, — when " one-half of the population was either bewitching or bewitched," — the parish of Monzie should have immolated one solitary victim. Tradition informs us, that the name of the woman who was burned for this alleged crime was M*Nieven. The scene of her execution was the brow of a hill, commonly called the Knock, and the particular spot is still recog- nized by the name of M'Nieven*s Craig. Whether or not she was convicted before the Court of Justiciary is now uncertain ; but as the privy-council was in the practice of granting commissions to resident gentlemen and ministers, to examine, and afterwards to try and execute witches all over Scotland, it is probable that this unfortunate creature was convicted before one of those local tri- bunals. The date of this transaction must be between 1711 and 1722, when the last execution for witchcraft in Scotland took place at Dornoch. While at the stake, she is represented, like the sibyl of old, as pouring out predictions and denunciations : but these, in all probability, are much beholden to the inventive powers of others, and were they now detailed, could not afford gratification to any 270 PERTHSHIUE. rational mind. The unshaken belief of the people in witchcraft, and the atrocities of what, it is feared, was little better than a po- pular and lawless execution, must have powerfully operated upon their heated nninds ; for even to this day, when viewed at a dis- tance through time's dusky horizon, the " Witch of Monzie" pre- sents to the imagination a certain undeBned magnitude, shedding a dim inglorious halo around this period of our parochial history. — Belonging to the old church of Monzie, taken down in 1880, was an instrument of punishment called the jougs. It was simply an iron collar, fastened to the outside of the wall, near one of the doors, by a chain. No person alive, it is believed, has seen this pillory put in requisition ; nor is it known at what period it was first adopted for the reformation of offenders ; but there can be no doubt, that an age which could sanction burning for witchcraft, would see frequent occasion for this milder punishment. It is now regarded as a relic of a barbarous age, and has been affixed to the wall of the present church merely to gratify the curiosity of antiquaries. One glimpse more may be obtained into the condition of so- ciety at that period. Formerly there were extensive cattle markets held at Crieff, which have since been carried to Falkirk. These necessarily brought down from the north, crowds of Highlanders. They are described by people old enough to remember them, as barefooted and bareheaded, although many of them old men. Be- ing numerous, they used to enter the houses of the country people, take unceremonious possession of their firesides and beds, carry oflF the potatoes from their fields or gardens, and sometimes even the blankets, which had afforded them a temporary covering for the night NeiD Boundaries of the Parish, — Logiealmond and InnerpeflFray formerly belonged to the parish of Monzie, although lying detach- ed from it, and at a great distance from the church. To obviate this inconvenience, and that all might be admitted to' a participa- tion in church benefits, a decreet of the Court of' Session was ob- tained in 1702, separating them from Monzie, and annexing the former to the parish of Moneydie, and the latter to Muthil ; by the same decreet, the lands of Callander, Coynachan, Dalmore, Newton, Crag-na-farer, Curriemuckloch, the three Fendochs, Dalick, the Downies, the Lethandies, Greenfield, and Mill Rodgie, belonging to Crieff, — as also the lands of Cultoquhey, (including Oiknerton,) Counachan, part of the Parkneuck, belonging to MONZIR. 271 Fowlis Wester, were taken from these parishes, and annexed to MoDzie. This is found to be a more convenient arrangement, and is denominated Monzie parish quoad sacra ; while those lands within the old boundary are called the parish of Monzie quoad ci- viHa. The former build and repair the church : the latter build and repair the manse and school, and pay the minister's stipend and the schoolmaster's salary. Chief Land-HnonerBn — The chief land-owners are, Alexander Campbell, Esq. of Monzie and Inverawe ; James M. Patton. Esq. of Glenalmond, Anthony Maxtone, Esq. of Cultoquhey ; James Moray, Esq. Abercairney ; Mrs Williamson of Lawers; Tho* mas Patton, Esq. of Glenalmond ; and Sir Patrick Murray of Ocbtertyre^ Bart. Parochial Beffisters, — The parochial registers are comprised in eight folio volumes. The minutes of the kirk-session commence in 1691, and are brooght down to the present period ; but there is a ehasm of five years between 1706 and 171 1. The register of baptisms begins 24th November 1720, and is continued for six months; It is then discontined till 17th May 1724, during which year and the whole of 1725, there are only three entries. No names occmr in 1726, and in 1727 the register recommences, and is continued down till 1836. The register of marriages or marriage contracts, or proclamations, commences in 1728, and is continued to the year 1831, without interruption. There is no register of deaths. In addition to the above records, there is a cash-book regularly kept for the funds appropriated to the poor. The following is a list of all the ministers of Monzie since the establishment of Presbyterian ism in 1691 : Mr Chalmer, Mr Bowie, Mr Monroe, Mr Lundie, Mr Walker, who had three as- sistants, viz., Messrs Davidson, M^Leish, and M'Aulie, Mr Bartie, Mr Erskine, Mr Taylor, Mr Cameron, Mr Omond. . Antiquities. — This parish possesses some claim to the notice of the antiquary. Indeed there are few localities in Scotland more rich in Celtic and Roman remains than this and several of the adjoining parishes. Within the range of a few miles the travel* ler may visit the Roman camps at Ardoch, Comrie, and Stra- geth, — ^the first allowed to be the most entire specimen of Ro- man castrametation in Britain, — besides many small forts and frag- ments of military roads, some of ihe latter several miles in length. Druid Monuments and Subterranean Buildiru/, — But to return to the parish of Monzie. There are, first, its Druidic monuments^ 272 PERTHSHIRE. consisting either of a single stone of large dimensions st)Binding on end, or of 41 whole group arranged in the form of a circle. Spe- cimens of both may be seen in the park of Monzie. Adjoining these is a subterranean building of rude construction, having a few steps of a stone stair within it. The roof is gone, and the build- ing itself is but partially laid open to the view. When explored a few years ago, there were foijin^ in it a sword and a stone hatchet, both of which are now preserved in Monzie House. A large Druid stone, with rude carving upon it, lies on the side of the pub- lic road, between the villages of Monzie and Keppoch. This was one of a circle, which Mr Monroe, the then minister of the pa- rish, caused to be broken and dispersed ; the rest are now built into the stone wall which surrounds the glebe. At a place called " Clach'Tia-tiom-paTiy'' in Wester Glenalmond, is an oblong cairn, measuring about 60 paces in length ; and immediately adjoining are several Druidic stones. The cairn appears, from openings that have been made in it, to have been divided into chambers for the reception of the dead. Ancient Chapels and Burying Grounds. — A little farther down the glen, at Tomenbowie, formerly stood a small chapel ; it is now in ruins, but the burying ground remains, and even yet occasion- ally affords within its narrow precincts a last home to the weary. Near the north-east corner of the parish once stood " Stuck Cha- pel," in which, tradition says, sixty men took the sacrament, on the evening before the battle of Luncarty, in 976, and having gone to the 6eld only six returned. The cemetery still exists, but not a vestige of the chapel is to be seen. Forts, — On the top of Dunmore, overlooking the Small Glen and the Roman camp, are the ruins of a fort, believed to be Cel- tic It consists of a stone wall, in some places double, surround- ing probably half a rood of ground. The stones upon the west side are partially vitrified ; and at Middle Lethendy is another of larger size. Camps. — A few hundred yards above the village of Monzie, up- on an eminence called " Knock Durroch" (the Oaken Knoll,) is a small entrenchment, supposed to be Roman. It is of an oval form, measuring 120 paces in length, and 80 at its greatest breadth. It is surrounded by a double trench, which at one place appears to the eye to be not less than 8 or 9 feet in depth. At Cultoquhey, the property of Anthony Maxtone, Esq. there is a similar camp, but of much larger dimensions. MONZIE. 273 Pauloeh Camp. — But the chief object of interest to the aati- quary is the camp at Fendoch, called in Gaelic Haenfhandoch^ L e. Fendoch point. Its traditionary name is the Roman Camp, and there is no reason to doubt the accuracy of the appellation ; and that it is in reality the work of the Roman legions under Agrioola, or one of his successors. It is situated upon a table-land, at the lower extremity of that remarkable pass called the Small Glen, already described, and within view of the fort upon Dun- more. The River Almond, issuing from this defile, turns to the left, so as to form a right angle with its former course ; and with its steep banks constitutes a natural defence to the camp on the north side. The west is protected by a marsh ; the south by a small stream called the Burn of Fendoch ; and the east by a na- tural declivity. It may probably contain 45 acres of ground. It would appear that, at the period when the former Statistical Account was published, the trenches were entire, and in some places six feet deep ; but both rampart and trench are now &st disappearing under the operation of the plough. The rampart upon the north side, after running for a considerable distance in nearly a straight line upon the brow of the table-land, suddenly descends into the plain below, incloses a spring of excellent water, again climbs the bank, and pursues its rectilinear course. This is the only spring within the camp. Near the side of the river, there is a small elliptical inclosure, formed of turf and stone, measuring 12 paces by 8. The moor on the east side of the camp bears marks of having once been the arena of conflicting armies, and was covered till lately, to the extent of several acres, with cairns ; and when these were removed to form a new road, some fragments of urns containing bones were found underneath. Several of these eaims measured 10, 13, or 14 paces in diameter. On the right hand side of the road leading to Bucbanty, and at no gr^t distance from the cairns, is a small eminence called ^^ The Gallows Hill,'* and a few yards distant from it is a small enclosure of turf of nearly circular form. It is evident that the former, from its name, is a vestige of comparatively late antiquity. Ancient Belies. — An old man is still alive in the village of Mon- zie who recollects of having found, when engaged with some com- panions in a hunting excursion, in his younger days, several heads of spears, in the vicinity of the camp ; but they were disregarded as things of no value. There is a silver coin, evidently Roman, in the possession of Mr James Young, Crieff, which was found in FCBTH, S I *274 PERTHSHIRE. this place* ^ It is of the size of a sixpence, having on one side A head in high relief; and on the obverse three figures, the centre one an eagle ; the other two, as well as an inscription on each side, are so much effaced as to be nearly illegible. In the month of August 1834, while a labourer of the name of Donald Stewart, was employed in digging across the eastern ram- part of the camp, for the purpose of constructing a stone fence, he discovered at some distance below the surface, three pots or kettles, the largest of which broke in pieces while he was in the act of rais- ing it from the ground. The other two measured 8J inches in diameter, by 3 in depth, and 1 inches in diameter, by 4^ in depth, respectively, and were composed of a series of concentric circles, fastened together with nails, the larger pot having a straight handle 21 inches in length. Along with these were deposited three heads of spears or javelins, 7 inches in length, two of these still having wood adhering to their sockets : a piece of flat iron or other metal, 18^ inches in length, having a striking resemblance to a Roman sword preserved in the Museum of Antiquaries, Edinburgh, except that the latter measures 25 inches in length ; but as the former appears to have been broken at one end, it must have been at one time longer : three pair of bits, two pair of shears, 1 1 inches long, the blades alone measuring 4 inches : a sort of spoon, the handle of which measures 10 inches, including the diameter of the mouth ; — this corresponds exactly with the descriptions and repre- sentations given of the thuribulum found in Pompeii : a beautiful hinge of a yellowish metal, still covered with a slight coating of what appears to be silver, 4 inches in length, carved, and in excel- lent preservation : two implements resembling the wimble used by carpenters for boring ; a piece of flat iron about 2^ feet long, bent in the form of a pair of sugar-tongs, the edges at one end bent inwards, sb as almost to meet and form a socket, the other end be- ing broken off. Besides these, there were other articles, whose uses were not very apparent. Those, whose size would admit of it, were found carefully packed in the largest kettle, (which, as al- ready stated, was broken,) and a flat stone was placed over its mouth. The discovery of these relics establishes one important fact, namely, that cavalry lay in this encampment. The whole of the articles above described, except the hinge and one of the spears, have found a secure asylum in the custody of John Buchanan, Esq. Secretary to the Western Bank, Glasgow, whose property they have become. While all traces of that power, which the mighty Roman cast MONZIE. 275 like a mantle over the world, are fast hastening to decay, it would be matter of lasting and extreme regret should all such interesting fragments not be collected aud preserved with scrupulous and jealous care. To the imaginative miud it might seem like the ga- thering up of laurels which have fallen from the conqueror's brow, for here it was that a power mightier by far than that of Rome pro- claimed, *' hitherto shalt thou come, but no fitrther." Besides the antiquities already enumerated, which may be term- ed native to the parish, the House of Monzie contains a splendid collection of paintings, ancient armour, and many articles of virtu. Some part of these are wrecks of the feudal times, which have sur- vived the period of their usefulness ; but here also may be seen re- mains of Roman and even Babylonian antiquity, brought together like converging rays of light, into one common focus, thus com- bining with the present, ages and countries the most remote, and shedding a lustre over the pages of their written history. Modem Buildings, — The chief modern buildings, besides the church, are the mansion-houses of Monzie and Cultoquhey. III. — Population. The first account taken of the population of this parish, so far as is known, was at the request of Dr Webster in 1755, when it amounted to 1192. Another account was taken in 1792, by the Rev. George Erskine, then minister of Monzie, which amounted to 1136, exhibiting a diminution of 56, in a period of thirty-seven years, or about 1 ^ in the year at an average. And by a third enu- meration in 1836, made expressly for this work, we find the popu- lation to be 940, being a decrease of 196 in forty-four years, or about 5 in the year at an average. The present population is distributed as follows : — Momie viUage, .... 118— in 1792, 1 12 Cailt, ..... 25 Keppoch, . .13 £«Ute of Monsiey exclusive of these three villages, 134 Gilmeitooy ..... 232 Estate of Cultoquheyt exclusive of Gilroerton, 87 CaUander, . . . 62 The other districts not included in the above enumeration, 269 940 As the village of Gilmerton has sprung into existence within these few years, and Monzie has remained nearly stationary since 1792, the decrease has taken place in the population distributed among the &rms, and is to be accounted for by these being let out to fewer hands than formerly. 276 PERTHSHIRE. The yearly average number of recorded births for the last seven years is 12| : and the number of illegitimate births during the last three years appears from the session records to have been 10. Families of independent fortune and Proprietors of land. — There are three families of independent fortune who reside within the pa- rish, and six proprietors of land above the yearly value of L. 50. Language spoken. — The Gaelic is spoken in western Glenal- mond, while the Scottish dialect, with a strong Highland accent, prevails in the rest of the parish. The fact, however, that few in- dividuals in the southern districts even understand the Graelic, is evidence su£Bcient that that ancient tongue is fast falling into disuse. Games and amusements. — During winter, the national game of curling is a favourite out-of-door amusement The practice of as^ sembling in large numbers at weddings has been long upon the decline. Handsel Monday, old style, is spent in paying and re- ceiving visits, exchanging congratulations and feasting ; and where the requisites of music and a commodious apartment, or bam, are to be found, the young people conclude their festivities with a dance. Cards and draughts are also to be found among their amusements, and in summer the game of quoits is a favourite pas- time. DresSy Ordinary Food^ Sfc. — The habits of the people in re- spect of dress may be considered as cleanly, to which the gene- ral introduction of cottons has materially contributed. The ap- pearance of the rural population on Sundays indicates a pleasing degree of self-respect and comfort Like the majority of their countrymen, they are more solicitous about making a decent per- sonal appearance in public, than enjoying the luxuries of good eat- ing. Potatoes, pork, and the produce of the dairy, constitute a very considerable proportion of their ordinary food. Their bread is commonly of oat or barley meal, but the occasional use of tea and wheaten bread is becoming common. In estimating ^< whether the people on the whole enjoy, in a reasonable degree, the com- forts and advantages of society, and are contented with their situa- tion and circumstances," regard must be had to some standard of comparison. Those accustomed to the modes of living, and to the usages of manufacturing towns, would perhaps pronounce the people of this parish poor, and in want of the luxuries and even many of the necessariesof civilized life. And, although in this there might be no exaggeration, yet the people may be described as more con- tented with their situation, than those who thus affect to compas- sionate them. Not — ^it will be admitted — because poverty is of 4 MONZIE. 277 itself calculated to produce conteut, but simply because their wants are few, and their wealth does not exceed their ability to control it As prosperity seldom sets in upon a rural population with so strong a current as it frequently does upon manu&cturing districts, so the former are to a considerable extent without its concomitant improvideDce and crime* life flows on with a more equable cur- rent, and as there are not the same alternations of prosperity and depression, so is there less of misery and disappointment Poaching. — Poaching in game or the salmon -fisheries does not prevail to a great extent, and smuggling, once so common in this parish, is now unknown. IV. — Industry. AgricHlture. — The number of acres in the parish, whether ara- ble or in pasture, cannot be ascertained ; and there is no land in a state of undivided common. Wood. — The trees indigenous to the soil are the hazel, birch, oak, alder, plane, fir, common and mountain ash ; and those plant- ed are chiefly the larch, Scotch fir, oak, ash, elm, plane, and wil- low. The management of plantations is well understood. Rent and Grazing. — The average rent of arable land per acre is fnnn L. 1, 10s., to L. 2, but small pieces called pendicles some- times bring L. 3 per acre. Grazing an ox or cow costs from L. 2 to L. 9^ or upon hill pasture from 16s. to L. 1, 10s. : a sheep or ewe, on low ground, from 9s. to 10s., or on hill pasture, from 3^ to 4s. Rate of Wages. — A farm- servant, fit for all work, with bed and victuals, costs L. 12 per annum. A farm labourer engaged by the day, costs in summer Is. 6d, and in winter Is. 2d. or Is. dd; a female servant with bed and victuals, costs L. 6 per annum ; a mason receives without victuals from 12s. to 14 per week; a car- penter from 12s. to 13s. ; a thatcher with victuals Is. 6d per day. Live^gtock. — The common breed of sheep are the Highland or black-faced, and great attention is paid to their improvement. The cattle are a cross breed between the Highland and Lowland, and a few Ayrshire cows are kept Husbandry. — The character of the husbandry pursued may be termed good. A considerable quantity of land has been taken in, drained, trenched, and cleared of stones ; but the expense of lime, on account of the long carriage, (being brought from Perth, a dis- tance of from fourteen to seventeen miles,) is a great drawback to improvement. 278 PERTHSHIRE. Leases and Farm-Buildings. — The general duration of leases is fifteen years, and this is regarded by the farmer as a fiivourable period. Many of the farm*steadings have been lately rebuilt upon an improved plan, but much in this respect remains to be done. Quarries. — There is a quarry of excellent freestone upon the estate of Cultoquhey, of a red colour, and great durability ; and upon the property of James M . Patton, Esq. of Glenalmond, there is another, besides two quarries of slate, all of superior quality. Amount of raw Produce. — The average gross amount of raw pro- duce raised in the parish, as nearly as that can be ascertained, after making a suitable deduction for what may be consumed upon the farms, is as follows : Grain of all kinds. Potatoes, Hay, Grass parks, Sheep and wool. Cattle, Dairy produce. L. 981 205 110 1000 . 3195 513 337 L. 6341 V. — Parochial Economy. There is no market-town in the parish of Monzie ; but this de- ficiency is but little felt, as Crieff is only three miles distant, where there is a weekly market, besides eight fairs in the year. Villages. — The parish contains two villages, Monzie and Gil- merton, the former having a population of 118, and the latter of 232 souls. Monzie is built upon the property of Mr Campbell, and the inhabitants are merely tenants ; while Gilmerton is feued off Mr Maxtone. Moads and Fences. — There are about eleven miles of excellent turnpike road, besides several miles of road maintained by statute labour. As a great proportion of the parish is pastoral, much of the land is unenclosed, but where fences are necessary, they are in general kept in good condition. Ecclesiastical State. — The situation of the church, near the south- ern boundary of the parish, is convenient for the majority of the parishioners. It was built in 1830-31, and opened for public worship, by the Rev. Mr Cameron, on Sabbath, 24th July 1831. It is after a plan by Mr Stirling, architect, Dunblane, and is built to contain 512 persons. MansCf Glebe^ and Stipend. — The manse was built in 1779. 3 MONZIE. 279 The glebe contains about 1 1 acres of superior land. The stipend is the minimum, the annual sum of L. 15, 16s. 8d., being contri- buted by the Exchequer. Ntmber of CommunicantSy ifc, — The number of male heads of £unilies in communion with the church amounts in the present year to 153 ; and the total number of communicants is about 450. Church Collections. — The average amount of church collections for the poor, and to defray incidental expenses, for the last five years, is L. 25, 86. 2^. The number of Dissenting or Seceding families in the parish is 11. Education. — There are two schools in the parish, viz. the pa- rochial, and a private school at Gilmerton. The branches taught in the parish school are, reading, writing, arithmetic, geometry, book-keeping, geography, Latin, Greek, and French. The school salary is the maximum ; the school fees average about L. 30, and the parochial schoolm^ter has more than the legal accommodation. His other emoluments amount to L. 7, Ids. per knnum. The expense of education per annum is asunder: reading, 10s.; reading and writing, 12s. ; reading, writing, and arithmetic, 14s. ; LAtin, Greek, French, book-keeping, or geometry, L. 1. If En- glish grammar is taught with any of the above branches, 4s. addi- tional are charged. All are taught to read and most to write, and the people are generally alive to the benefits of education. There are several hamlets and farm-houses' in Glenalmond, so distant from the parochial school as to derive little or no benefit from it. These are, first, Easter Lethendy, containing 8 persons; Green- field, 8 ; Wester Lethendy, 1 ; Mill Rodgie, 20 ; Meikle Downie, 12; Little Downie, 18; Dalick, 35; Easter and Middle Fendoch, 75 ; total 177. The distance of the nearest of these from the parish school is about three miles, and the children are sent to the school of Buchanty, situated in their immediate neighbourhood, but within the parish of Fowlis. To these must be added Newton, contain- ing 1 1 persons ; Curriemuckloch, 13 ; Dalmore, fo ; Coynachan, 5 ; Auchnafree, 20 ; total 59. The nearest to the parish school is Newton, distant about six miles. The children are sent for education to a school at Amulrie, distant from the nearest of them about one mile, and from others from five to seven miles. Poor and Parochial Funds, — The number of persons regularly receiving parochial aid is 7, at the rate of Is. per week, and five of these are either old or infirm females. Occasionally sums are 280 PERTHSHIRE. also distributed to others, who are not so destitute. The weekly collections made in the church, and the sums drawn for the use of the mort cloth ; and L. 12 of interest for a sum of money placed at the disposal of the kirk-session, for the benefit of the poor, — are, with the aid of private charity, found suflScient for their mainte- nance. The heritors, however, assess themselves annually in the sum of L. 21, 17s. for the support of a lunatic, in Murray's asylum, Perth, and two illegitimate children. There is, unquestionably, a reluctance on the part of the people to accept of parochial aid. Fair. — There was formerly a fair (St Lawrence's) held on the green of Monzie, on the 22d and 2dd of August, for sheep and the ordinary articles of merchandise. The first day of the fair is still held at Monzie, for lambs, sheep, and cattle, but the second day of it has been transferred to Crieff, and is now reckoned one of its eight annual feirs. Alehouses. — There are three alehouses in the parish, — one in Monzie, and two in Gilmerton. Fuel. — The fuel is coal, peat, and wt)od. A ton of coal, brought from Bannockburn, a distance of twenty-five miles, costs L. 1. The same quantity from Dollar, distant twenty-four miles, costs 15s. A cart load of peats upon the estate of Monzie, including cartage, is Ss., and the wood (which is bought chiefly at sales) is equally dear. Miscellaneous Observations. That this parish has made equal advances in prosperity with other parts of the country, during the last forty years, we do not take upon us to assert ; but when we compare the present period with that in which the last Statistical Account was drawn up, we recognize a great improvement in its general condition. The present is distinguished beyond the former period by a more enlightened and judicious management of farming opera- tions, — an improved breed of cstttle and sheep ; superior roads, a total abolition of smuggling, and, as a consequence, by a greater sobriety ; an improved style of living and dress ; and a more ge- neral diffusion of the blessings of education. The establishment of infant schools (if one might hope for such where the population is so thinly scattered,) with a library con- taining a judicious selection of books, calculated to instil sound principles and correct views on all subjects, would unqu^tionably go far to elevate and improve the moral and intellectual condition of the people. May 1837. t PARISH OF GASK. PRESBTTBRT OF AUCHTBRARDER, SYNOD OF PERTH & STIRLING. THE REV. THOMAS YOUNG, MINISTER. L — Topography and Natural History. Name. — Gask, the name of the parish, is admitted to be a term of doubtful origin. Probably it is of Celtic derivation, and, ac- cording to the speculations of those acquainted with that language, may be regarded as compounded of two words, Ga or Gath^ signi- fying a dart, and uisffe water, thus Ga^uisge becomes Gask, — the signification being swift-running water ; or it may be from Gu or DhtMo^e^ and will signify dark-running water, — an acceptation of the term which applies to the Earn passing along the south side of the parish. Others trace it to a Gaelic word signifying a bero or great man ; and others suppose it may have been applied to point out the residence of some distinguished individual render- ed fiuDOus in former times, when the numerous encampments in this parish and its vicinity were inhabited. Situation, ^c. — It is nearly a square, each side of which is rather more than two English miles. A Roman causeway intersects the parish from east to west on the highest ground. The beautiful bank on the south side is divided Into fertile fields, where the mo- dem system of agriculture has been, for the last twenty years, cultivated with success, the soil being partly clayey and partly loamy. The River Earn is the boundary on the south. On the bank extending to the north are extensive plantations, with corn-fields and pastures; while a considerable part of this division of the pa- rish is bounded by a moss, which, notwithstanding the inroads made upon it by industrious farmers, still supplies the parishioners with peat for fuel. The Earn, which forms the boundary to the south, is a considerable river, though not navigable, the windings of which from the west to the east side of the parish are about three miles. It produces salmon, white and yellow trout, perch, flounders, pike, and eel. 282 PERTHSHIRE. The parish produces wheat, barley, oats, pease, potatoes, turnips, sown and pasture grass. It supports itself with all kinds of grain, independent of considerable quantities which are sold, and there are more than 1200 acres of wood, consisting of larch, Scotch fir, oak, &c These woods abound with all sorts of game, such as hares, rabbits, pheasants, black-cock, partridges, wood- cock, snipes ; and roe-deer, foxes, otters, badgers, and wild-duck. Marl is found in different parts, with large beds of freestone and grey slate, which are quarried with little difficulty. IL — Civil History. Land-oumen. — James Blair Oliphant, Esq. of Gask, is the chief proprietor in the parish. His ancestors for many generations have resided on the property. His house is a large substantial building, erected in the beginning of the present century. In its vicinity are many large and beautiful old trees. A small portion of land to the east belongs to the Earl of Kinnoul, who, along with Mr Oliphant, is the only other heritor in the parish. Antiquities, — The Roman causeway, which extends through the parish, on the highest ground, is 20 feet broad, composed of rough stones, closely laid together. It points west to a Roman camp still distinguishable in the parish of Muthil, near the Chapel of Ease, at Ardoch, and east to another camp in the parish of Scone. By the side of this causeway, Roman stations are still visible, capable of containing from twelve to twenty men. They are enclosed by ditches, which are very distinct Within Cask's policy, vestiges of two camps may still be traced, one on the south side, the other north of the Roman road or street^ as it is called by the inhabitants. A few years ago, on one of these Roman stations, north of the causeway, a number of human bones were dug up, all entire, par- ticularly two skulls. The place from time immemorial has been called the Witch Know, and the traditionary account is, that witches were burned there, and, as vestiges of coal- cinders are to be seen, the probability is that some people were put to death on that emi- nence. In the same place was lately found a small urn, of coarse workmanship, which would contain about three English pints. It was about two feet and a half below the surface. Eminent Men. — Two individuals belonged to this parish, who have risen to high honours in the church, — the late Principal Taylor of Glasgow College, and Dr Stewart, minister of the parish of Newburgh, in Fife. More recently, a native of this parish, Mr GA8K. 283 Laurence McDonald, has been distinguished as a sculptor, particu- larly in making busts. Parodiial Reguter. — The earliest date of the parochial register is the 10th of January 1669, and it ends 28th December 1679. Next volume commences 25th May 1703, and ends 20th July 1744. Third volume begins 29th December 1756, and has been regularly kept since that time. III. — Population. The population in 181 1 was 483 1821, 522 1831, 428 The decrease during the last ten years is owing to several te- nants being removed, in consequence of an enlargement of farms, — a want of employment for young men who go to large towns, — and the death of some aged individuals whose houses are not now inhabited. Tbe number of fiunilies, ...... 89 chiefly e^nployed in agriculture) 66 in trade, manufacturei, or handicraft» 17 persons under 15 years of age, 146 between 16 and 30, 106 30 and 50, 95 50 and 70, 59 above 70, .... 22 badielors and widowers above 50, A unmarried women above 45, . 8 fiituous persons, ... 4 Average number of births yearly during the last seven years, . 8 marriages, taking the same average, 3 deaths, . «... 5 IV. — Industry. AgricuUuTe. — All the land is cultivated except the 1200 acres under wood. Teeswater and Ayrshire cattle, Leicestershire sheep, with the common breed of horses, are reared throughout the pa- rish. The average rent of arable land is L. 1, 7s. per acre, and the length of leases generally nineteen years. Farm-steadings have of late been much improved. Prices. — As there is now but little encouragement for females to spin, many of them are employed in the labours of the field, and are paid 8d. per day. The wages of labourers in summer is Is. 6d. per day. Is. 3d. in winter. Wrights, 2s. in summer. Is. 8d. in winter. Tailors, Is. 4d. with victuals. Masons, 2s. 2d. in sum- mer, Is. 8d. in winter. V. — Parochial Economy. Markets. — There is no market-town in the parish. Dunning and Methven are within four miles ; Auchterarder six ; and the large 284 PERTHSHIRE. market-town, Perth, only eight miles distant Turnpike roads have been much improved ; but the roads which intersect the parish are tar from being good. There is one village called Clathey, con- taining a population of 84 individuals. Ecclesiastical State. — The church is conveniently situated in the centre of the parish, somewhat more than a mile from the extre- mities. It was built in the year 1800, and is in good repair. It will accommodate nearly 400, — all free sittings. The manse was built in the same year, and, as the ground of the glebe is inferior to the former glebe, which was in the neighbourhood of Gask House, it is much larger, being nearly 20 acres. The stipend is L. 150 per annum, of which L. 61, 17s. 8d. is paid by his Majesty's Ex- chequer. There is no chapel of any kind in the parish. There are, however, six families of Dissenters in the parish ; thirty-seven New Light Seceders. The rest of the inhabitants regularly at- tend the parish church, where divine service is uniformly perform- ed on the Lord's day, and the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper dispensed twice in the year, the number of communicants being at present exactly 200. Collections made on particular occasions are seldom below L. 6, and seldom exceed L. 10 Sterling. Education, — There is no school but the parochial one in the parish. English reading, writing, arithmetic, and Latin are taught, at the following rate of fees ; reading, 2s. ; reading and writing, Ss. 6d. ; arithmetic, Ss. ; Latin, 4s. per quarter. The people discover their regard for education, by generally sending their children to school, and as it is situated near the parish church, none are so far distant as to be unable to attend. The school may contain from 60 to 70 scholars, and the master, as to house and garden, has the legal accommodations, and the maximum salary, amounting to L. 34, 4s. 4id. Library. — There is a parochial library, which was founded in 1824. It is supported by the contributions of the subscribers, and at different times the Gask family has increased the number of books by valuable donations. Poor and Parochial Funds. — The number of individuals receiv- ing parochial aid is 6, and the average sum given is Is. dd. week- ly, when they are able to go about and do something for their own support. Besides this weekly allowance, they are allowed supplies of coals and meal in winter. The poor in this parish are much indebted to the Gask family, who pay particular attention to their wants, and bestow liberal supplies. The amount of collections at ACCHTERARDBR. 285 the church for last year was L. 17, 10s. 2d. The collections, with the interest of L. 260, under the management of the kirk-session, have hitherto supported the poor without any legal assessment Irmsj S^c. — There are no inns or alehouses in the parish. FweL — The fuel used is peat, coal, and wood. Peat costs about Is. per load ; coal 2d. per stone, and the price of wood sold by auction is regulated by the demand. May 1837. OF AUCHTERARDER.* PRESBYTERY OF AUCHTERARDBK, SYNOD OF PERTH & STIRLING* I. — Topography and Natural History. Figure, Boundaries, Sfc. — The parish of Auchterarder is Smiles from south to north, and 3 miles from east to west It inclines, in the form of a parallelogram, from the Ochil hills to the water of Earn, in a north-easterly direction. It is bounded by Blackford on the west ; Glendevon on the south ; Dunning on the east; and Trinity-Gask on the north. The greatest elevation i^ Craig- Rossie, one of the highest of the Ochils, which are 2359 feet above the level of the sea. To the west of this hill, the body of which runs north and south, there is a very striking chasm, commonly called the *^ Heuch of Coul.'' From the Ochils various rivulets come down, which meet in the Ruthven, a considerable stream, which nearly bisects the parish, and at the north-east extremity loses itself in the Earn. Climate. — The climate may be regarded as favourable. Crops are ripened earlier than in a more westerly direction, and not a week later than in the Lothians. The situation of the town is high, and more than ordinarily healthy. Geology. — Auchterarder rests upon a formation of old red sand- stone. In the lower part of the parish, this sandstone has an ar- gillaceous basis ; and is commonly called liver rock, thick in the post, and excellent for building. In the higher parts, it has a sili- ceous basis ; veins of mica slate traverse the rock, — rendering it very hard and frequently unworkable. Near the sur&ce, in some • Drawn up by Mr James Aitkeii. 286 PERTHSHIRE. places, it becomes very micaceous, and schistose, in bands from one to four inches thick, furnishing fit material by its flatness for fences without lime. The strata seem generally to range 1 5^ to the north- east, and to dip at an angle of 13^. 4'. Several trap dikes cross the parish, almost directly east and west Great isolated blocks seem to have been thrown up by some giant force, and lie piled upon each other. The direction of these masses is to every point in the compass, and dips with every inclination. The rock of sandstone at the side is highly indurated, very finely grained, bears evident marks of having been under the action of fire, and appears to have received, when in a state of fusion, much of the nature of the trap rock into its composition. Limestone is to be found in the upper part of the parish ; but it is not wrought on account of the distance from fuel. Attempts have been made to find coal, but without success. Agate, calcedony. and jasper, may be got in great abundance along the water-course at the base of the hill. Soil. — Boulders were of very frequent occurrence ; but, by the aid of gunpowder, and other means, they have been mostly forced to quit the field, and take their place in the fence. In the parish, there is a great variety of soil. The eastern part is sandy, the lower part inclines to clayey loam. The neighbourhood of the town ex- hibits a fine specimen of rich black loam. Zoology. — Roe-deer are frequently to be seen. A red deer may occasionally be observed crossing the parish, from the north, on its way, it is said, to enjoy the benefit of the salt water. The fox here finds a cover, and the otter a retreat. Wild ducks and some- times a wild goose, woodcock, and kingfisher, are the rarer spe- cies of our undomesticated animals. The horns of an " elk," found imbedded in the soil, render it probable that this species once existed in the parish. In the ponds at Damside, out of which marl was taken, leeches are to be found. During the greatest part of the year, they are never seen, and are supposed to lie buried in the slime ; but during the heat of summer, they come up in numbers to the margins of the different pools. They are of two kinds, — one which cannot possibly be got to draw blood ; another the genuine medical leech, Hirudo medidnalis. It is larger and more vigorous than those im- ported into this country, which may be accounted for, by its being taken directly from its native element, and not exhausted by con- finement and long carriage. This kind is preferred, by the people in the neighbourhood, to foreign leeches. AUCHTERARDER. 287 Botany. — It does not q)pear that there are many plants peculiar to this parish. Tuuilago or coltVfoot is of frequent occurrence. Petagites or butter-bur grows in one place, larger than we have seen it m any other. Trefoil is plentiful in our meadows. The Orchis £unily seem to be natives of this parisn. IL — Civil History. The earliest notice we have seen of Auchterarder is in a char- ter by Alexander II. in the year 1227, conveying the teinds of the King^s revenue of the lands of Auchterarder to the Convent of Inchi^ray. In 1328, King Robert Bruce granted a charter of the lands of Auchterarder to Sir William Montifix, Justiciar of Scotland, on the payment of a small sum, reservitig the liberties of the burgh and burgesses, as they were in the reign of Alexander IIL One of the daughters of Sir William, marrying Sir John Drummond, received as her fortune the barony of Auchterarder, which brought this property into the possession of the Drummond family, in which it continued until of late. In one of the books of Exchequer, entitled Liber Responsionum, 1576, there is this me- morandum : ^* Assignit to the baiilies of Octerardour the tent day of November, to compeir and mak comp, and to that eflfect bring with thame the copie of their last comp, with sic uther writtes as thai will use for making of thair seasance." This curious excerpt seems to countenance the opinion, that Auchterarder once enjoy- ed the privileges of a royal burgh. This is, however, rather a doubtful matter. On diligent search, it does not appear from the Rolls of Parliament, that it was a royal burgh, when the act 1696, for the division of commons, was passed, in which was excepted the property of royal burghs, all there enumerated. Auchterarder was one of the Scottish towns ironically compared by George Buchanan with the fine English cities. Some English noblemen, boasting to King James of the properties of the English towns, the sarcastic Scot replied, that he knew a town in Scotland which had fifty draw-bridges, and which is afterwards described as a " country village between Stirling and Perth, called Auchterar- doch, where there is a large strand which runs through the middle of the town, and almost at every door there is a long stock or stone laid over the strand, whereupon they pass to their opposite neigh- bours, and when a flood comes they lift their wooden bridges in case they should be taken away, and these they call draw-bridges.*' — So goes the story. In the troublous times of 1715, Auchterarder appears to have 288 PERTHSHIRE. t suffered severely, as shown by the subjoined interesting document, the original of: which is to be found in the possession of the So- ciety of Antiquaries.* It is almost needless to add, that the indemnification on that occasion proffered by the Pretender was never forthcoming; whilst, on the other side, the reigning family did make compensation for the losses sustained by those who had neither personally nor by their friends been implicated in the rebellion. ^^ Burning money," as it is called, was received by many. The family of Perth, to whom Auchterarder belonged, having forfeited their possessions, the Commission appointed to take charge of the annexed estates appears to have devoted much at- tention to Auchterarder. In 1778, a survey was made of the ba- rony by Mr Wigh, acting for the commissioners, and published by their authority. In this report, the inhabitants are described as '* idle and poor, — farmers not thinking it necessary to thin their turnip ^hile small, allowing them to grow until they be the size of large kail plants, and then it is thought a great loss to take them up, unless in small quantities, to give to the cow. A few tenants excepted, no family had oat-meal in their houses, nor could they get any. They eat nothing better than bear-meal and * '* BT THE KINO, A DECLARATION. ^' James R.— Whereas it was absolutely necessary for our service and the public safe- ty, that the villages of Auchterarder and Blackjbrd should be burnt and destrojvtfl, to prevent the far greater inconveniences and hardships which must have ensued to our mibjects, had our clemency and tenderness prevailed upon us to preserve these places. We were, therefore, at last, induced by the strongest motives, though with the greatest reluctancy and unwillingness, to give our orders for the effect above-mentioned, which we understand since have been put into execution. And in regard we came into this our ancient kingdom with a sincere and first intention to case and relieve all our subjects in general of the hardships and calamities which they have laboured under for these several years past; and being, therefore, most sensibly affected with the losses and sufferings of our good subjects, by the devastation of these villages, which justly moves our compassion and tenderness towards them ; and being, therefore, re- solved to make them suitable reparation for the damages they have sustained on this occasion, so as in the end they may be no losers thereby. It is therefore our SHll and pleasure, that all and sundry the persons concerned do immediately prepare esti- mates of their several losses and sufferings, and that they deliver the same in writ- ings to their several masters, so as we may order relief and reparation to be made to them for what losses and damages they have sustained in their houses, goods, fumi* ture, and corns, or any other manner of way whatsoever. This we hope will he suf- ficient to convince them and all the world, of the tender regard we have for our sub- jects, and of the part we bear in all their sufferings. And we hereby charge an4 command the minUtert of the several paroch churches of Auchterarder and Black' ^- fird, publickly to read this our declaration to their several congregations, immediate- ly after divine service the two Sundayt next after the date hereof, and copies hereof to be affixed on the church doors, so as all the people concerned may have due notice of this our intention towards them, and may, accordingly, reap the benefit thereof. — Given at our Court at Scoon, this 26th day of January 1716, and in the fifteenth year of our reign, by his Migesty's command.-^ Signed) Mar." Printed by Mr Robert Freelwirn, Printer to the King's Most Excellent Migesty, MDCCXVI. AUCHTERARDBB. 289 a few greens boiled together at mid-day, for dinner, and bear-meal pottage evening and morning." On this report, Lord Kaimes remarks, that he had twice visited Auchterarder, and made particular inquiries about it, and bears his testimony to the want of employment and distress of the people, and to the necessity of introducing manufactures, and establishing a weekly market. His Lordship speaks of one that sows clover, and mentions that a formal complaint had been entered before the sheriff against him by his neighbours, for causing them to herd after harvest, contrary to use and wont ; and engages, that, if this person should prevail on others to sow clover also, he should receive a reward from the Board. This Commission erected a granary to hold the unsold provisions of one market day until the next ; they gave houses, rent free, on condition of beginning and continuing the manufac- ture of linen. To this Commission we are disposed to ascribe the still rising state of Auchterarder. Plan of the Parish. — A plan or survey of Auchterarder, and some other parishes, was published in 1824, showing the length of the different roads, and their directions, and the names and localities of all the houses in the landward part of the parish. Parochial Records. — The records of the kirk-session have been kept with great accuracy. Those on baptisms, marriages, and burials, commence in 1661 ; those on discipline and poor's funds, ID 1668. They amount to thirteen volumes, and the entries seem continuous. Land-owners. — Captain Hunter, Colonel Graeme, Earl of Cam- perdown, Patrick Brugh Smeaton, James Beveridge Duncan, John Malcolm, Peter Smitten, James Brugh, James Sheddan, John Mailer. Mansions. — Auchterarder House is the principal one in the pa- rish. It is an erection, in the Elizabethian style of architecture, built by Captain Hunter, who, a few years ago, purchased the estate of Auchterarder, and who is doing much to improve and beautify the place. Antiquities. — A little to the north of the town, there is a ruin re- ported to have been a hunting-seat of King Malcolm Canmore. As happens to many other pieces of antiquity, the romantic has been made to yield to the useful. A great part of this building has been torn down, to put up the offices of a neighbouring farm. The walls of the remaining corner display great strength of masonry ; they PERTH. T 290 PERTHSHIRE. are nine feet thick, and cemented so (irmly that it is almost as dif- ficult to tear them asunder as to quarry the rock. Half a mile to the east of this, there are the remains of an old church, commonly cal- led Saint Mungo's, evidently an erection of Roman Catholic times. There is another ruin in the parish, the old church of Abruthven. This parish appears to have been united to Auchterarder, before the Reformation. The minister, however, of the united parishes continued to live in the manse of Abruthven, and often preached in that church. Here is the burial-place of the Dukes of Montrose. Their aisle is an elegant and chaste piece of architecture, surmount- ed by a well executed urn, which, seen from the public road, has a good effect. In this ducal mausoleum, raised upon pedestals, are five crimson-coloured cofiins, decorated with plates and escutcheons. In the vault beneath, it is said there lies a long line of illustrious ancestors — men distinguished for arms and address, and for excel- lent endowments of body and mind. IIL — Population. In the year 1755, 179), 1801, 1811, 1821, 1831, 1836, Residing in the town, village of Smi country, Yearly average of births, deaths, marriages. The births are taken from the parish records ; but many Dis- senters do not register. The number of deaths and marriages m^y be relied on as correct. There are in the parish under 12 years of age, . 943 upwards of 70, . 74 Families of independent fortune, ... 4 Proprietors of land of the yearly value of L. 50 and upwards, 19 Ministers 3 ; medical practitioners 5 ; writers 6 ; teachers 7 ; banker 1 ; veterinary surgeon 1 ; Unmarried men upwards of 50, 70 women upwards of 45, 120 Number of fiunilies, .... . 763 chiefly employed in agriculture, 108 in manfactures, . 478 males employed in retail trade, or handicraft, • 233 labourers employed in agriculture, 75 in manufactures, . 325 males not included in any of the above classes, 177 male servants above 20 years old, . 4 female servants, . . . 115 There are 5 fatuous persons, 1 blind, and 6 deaf and dumb. 1194 1670 2042 2508 2870 3182 3315 • 1961 ithyhaugh. 397 • • 937 • • 63 • • 65 • 28 AUCHTE HARDER. 291 Charaderofthe Population. — The inhabitants of Auchterarder may be regarded as in circumstances of more than usual comfort. The land is very much subdivided — many cultivating a great part of their own properties. Many have houses of their own, and keep a pig or perhaps a cow. On account of the distance from lime, most of the farmers in the neighbourhood are willing to let the people have as much land for potatoes, as they can supply with manure. By this means, the family with the whole establishment is supported year after year, with a principal article of food. IV. — Industry. jfyrieulture. — Acres in rotation under the plough, 7176 constantly waste or in pasture, 6571 With the exception of about 150 acres on the banks of the Earo, and some rock and moss upon the hills, all might be culti- vated. Traces of the plough are perceptible in the highest parts ; but it has been thought more profitable to allow these uplands to remain permanently in pasture. Common. — There is a common of 228 acres, lying immediately to the west of the town. No one can tell how it came to be ap- propriated to its present use. From time immemorial, every one liv- ing in Auchterarder having a cow, has been in the habit of send- ing it to graze in the moor — quarrying stones, cutting turf, or appro- priating to himself out of the moor, whatever he thought proper, without leave asked or obtained from any. Sixty cows belonging to different persons in the town are annually sent to pasture ; and the houses are all built with stones taken free from the moor quarry. Attempts have been frequently made to effect the division of this common, — the proprietor of the barony of Auchterarder claiming a great part as his, — the portioners claiming their respective shares, — the feuars also insisting that they have a right of participation. The question has been repeatedly before the Court of Session. In the meantime, the moor is allowed to remain in its natural state, sending up a most luxuriant crop of furze and other indigenous productions. IVoocL — ^298 acres are planted, chiefly with larch and oak. No old wood is now standing in the parish, and little has been cut for sale, for many years. A tree is only felled when thinning is re- quired, or for some agricultural or domestic purpose. Rent of Land. — Average rent of arable land per acre, L. 1, 10s. Average rent of grazing a cow, L. 3. ^92 PERTHSHIRE. Wages. — Agricultural labourers receive from Is. 6d. to 2s. a- day ; masons and carpenters and other mechanics, 14s. a-week. Livestock. — The parish of Auchterarder, until of late, was very deficient in stock of cattle, and indifferent to the breed reared in it A marked improvement in this respect is now visible. Cows of the Ayrshire breed for the dairy, and of the Teeswater for feed- ing, are universally sought. In the two hill farms which are in the parish, the description of stock raised is reckoned of a supe- rior kind. In the lower part, some attention has been given to the Leicester breed of sheep. Improvement of Land. — Draining has been carried to a great extent Scarcely is there a field without its drain ; and in most places, draining might still be prosecuted with immense advantage. Captain Hunter may be mentioned as having by this means brought many patches of useless morass into a state of profitable tillage, or converted them into pleasure grounds. Much waste land has also recently been reclaimed, by embankments on the side of the Earn. These, however, are not always sufficient to guard off in- undations. It is said, that if a few cuts were made to render the course of the river less tortuous, the destruction of fields and of the labours of the husbandmen would often be averted. The farmers on the low lands complain bitterly of the numerous dam- dikes, which obstruct the natural course of the river. The farm-buildings, with few exceptions, are excellent, recent- ly erected and commodious. The enclosures are far from being good ; and in some parts, a fence of any description is never met with to impede the passage either of the wayfaring man, or the wandering quadruped. . An agricultural Association has existed in the parish for upwards of twenty years. It has an annual ploughiog-match, when eight premiums are awarded. Considerable doubts are entertained con- cerning the advantages of this Society, and it is not kept up with very much spirit Produce. — Oats, 14S5 acres, at 7 bolls the acre, at 17s. per boll, L. 8538 Barley, 1 199 acres, at 7 bolls the acre, at L. 1, Is. 6d. do. 9022 Wheat, 236 acres, at 10 bolls the acre, at L. 1, 7s. 6d. do. 3245 Potatoes, 600 acres> at 40 bolls the acre, at 5s. do. . 6000 Turnips, 600 acres, at L. 8 an acre, . 4800 Pease, beans, flax 200 acres, at L. 5 an acre, . 1000 Hay, 1435 acres, 140 stones an acre, at 7d. per stone, . 5859 Grass 1435 acres, at L. 2 an acre, . 2870 Natural pasture 6571 acres, at 4s. an acre, . 1314 Thinning wood, . . 75 AUCHTBRARDER. 293 Gardens, ... 140 Quarries. .... 50 Total Taliieof raw produce raised, L. 42,918 Real value, of property assened in 1815, 64)4 Scottish Taluadon of the parish, • 5284 Manufactures^ — The trade of Auchterarder consists mostly in the weaving of cotton, supplied from Glasgow. There are upwards of 500 looms in the parish. Malting is carried on to a considerable extent. There are four malt barns, in one of which 7644 bolls of malt are annually made. On the water of Ruthven, there are 13 mills or manufactories on a small scale ; grain-mills 4 ; lint- seed oil-mills 2 ; flax-mills 2 ; a saw-mill ; a paper-mill ; a fulling- mill ; a woollen manu&ctory of shawls and blankets and similar materials. V. — Parochial Economy. In Auchterarder there is a weekly market, held on Saturday. It is the principal mart in the district ; and business to a conside- rable extent is done in grain. Fairs. — There are 6 fairs annually held here, one on the last Tuesday of March ; one on the day after Amulree, which is on the first Tuesday and Wednesday of May ; one in each of the harvest months, the Friday before the Falkirk trysts, principally with the view of allowing the people in this district, who may wish to buy stock, an opportunity of the cattle passing to Falkirk ; and one on the 6th of December, when, besides cattle, the current ac- counts of the year for lime and other articles required in rural and domestic economy are usually settled. Means of Communication. — There is a daily post by the way of CrieflF. The Perth and Glasgow coaches pass daily through the town. There are carriers who go every week to Glasgow, Edin- burgh, Perth, and Stirling. The turnpike road extends six miles in the parish. Villages. — The only village of note is Smithyhaugh, recently sprung up. It is distant two miles and a half to the east of Auch- terarder. It is pleasantly situated on the banks of the Ruthven ; its trade is chiefly weaving from Glasgow. The population of the district amounts to 638. Ecclesiastical State. — The parish church stands in the mid- dle of the town of Auchterarder, which is on the north-west corner of the parish. It was rebuilt in the year 1784. In 1811, the front wall was removed out, the old roof supported by a cross beam,^and 360 sittings added. The church now contains 294 PERTHSHIRE. 930 sittings, and is in a state of good repair. There are two other places of worship in the parish, — one Relief, and one United Se- cession. The Relief can accommodate 583; sittings let, 433, unlet 150. The Secession can accommodate 500; sittings let, 250, unlet, 250. Many who attend the dissenting meeting-houses come from other parishes. Of the inhabitants of Auchterarder, young and old, 593 belong to the Relief, of whom 342 have seats taken, and 315 are communicants. The attendance at the Secession meet- ing-houses is as follows : Auchterarder, 366, of whom 234 have sittings taken, and 226 are communicants; Dalreoch, 39, of, whom 17 have seats rented, and 20 are communicants ; Kinkell, 35, of whom 23 have seats rented, and 18 are communicants ; 16 persons attend Dunning. There are 13 Episcopalians, who go to Muthil ; 8 Methodists, who go to Perth ; and 2 Roman Ca- tholics, who attend at Crieff. There are belonging to the Church, . . . 2196 to other denominations, . . > 1070 Not known to belong to any, . . . « . 49 Communicants belonging to the church, . . . 1146 to Dissenters, .... 636 Having right to seats in any place of worship, 1617 in no place of worship, . . 755 ' Whole families without a sitting, . .103 Examinable persons belonging to the Establishment who cannot obtain a seat, 555 The greater part of the seats in the parish church are occupied by proprietors or their tenants, by whose favour the people of the town obtain admission to a place in the house of God, — a very disagreeable mode of tenure, and often made an excuse for persons absenting themselves from public worship. No preference seems given to parishioners. Several pews and sittings are held by persons from other parishes. A petition was lately given in to the presbytery, numerously signed, complaining of the want of church accommo- dation, and praying to be directed how this might be obtained in connection with the national church. The stipend of the minister of Auchterarder is, meal, 5 chal- ders ; barley, 5 chalders ; money, L. 52 ; communion elements, L. 8, 6s. 8d. The extent of the glebe is 5 acres ; its value L. 20. The stipend of the Relief minister is L. 115; of the Secession, L. 100. They have both houses from their congregations. Benefactions. — The most interesting benefactor of late years in the parish was John Sheddan, Esq. of Lochie. This singular person deposited in the hands of the kirk-session, in the course of several ) L. 61 1. His beneficence was not confined to anv«one class of AUCHTERARDER. 295 persons, or mode of distribution, it extended itself to all who were recommended to his compassion, or whom be knew personally to be in indigent circumstances ; with bis own hand, be is known to have distributed in various sums L. 850. Nor was Mr Sheddan^s charity confined to the physical wants of the poor, — he aimed at a nobler object, — the instruction of the mind, and the salvation of the souL That the education of the poor might not be neglect- ed, in the year 1811, be erected a school-house, and endowed it with adjacent land to the value of L. 1000 ; and that the heathen as well as his own countrymen might be sharers in his beneficence, he gave L. 200 to the Foreign and British Bible Society. Mr Sheddan died in 1831. Education. — There are seven schools in the parish, two of which are taught by females. There is a parish school, the teacher of which has the maximum salary, and the legal accommodation. His class fees amount to about L. 40 per annum ; his other CTioluments, though multi&rious, are but trifling in amount. There is the school built by John Sheddan, and endowed with the interest of L. 1000, on condition of teaching twelve poor children gratis. The school in Smithyhaugh was built by public subscrip- tion, is under the management of a committee of individuals resi- dent in the place, and held rent free by the teacher. The other schools are all on the private adventure of their respective teachers. The branches taught are, reading, writing, arithmetic, book-keep- ing, mathematics, geography, Latin, French, Greek. In those taught by females, there is also needle-work and music The school fees vary in the different schools ; in the parish school, per quarter, reading, 2s. 6d. ; writing, ds. ; arithmetic, geography, and grammar, ds. 6d. ; mathematics, book-keeping, Latin, and French, 5s. There are at their education during some part of the year, 587, of whom 307 are boys, and 280 girls ; of these, 40 are under five years of age ; 383 are learning writing, arithmetic, or the higher branches of education. We do not think there are any above six years of age who cannot read, and very few grown up who cannot write. We would say that the people are generally alive to the benefits of education. We have a mechanics' institute, in which lectures are deliver- ed to mechanics, during the winter months, on literary, and scien- tific, and moral subjects ; attendance 80 ; admittance for the season Is. 6d. Friendly Societies. — Friendly societies in this parish are fast 296 PERTHSHIRE. sinking into decay. Formerly there were five, with a great nuni' ber of members; but, partly on account of the kirk-session refus- ing to aliment some of the members, and partly because persons in better circumstances reckoned it rather a degradation to take the funds, a disposition has generally prevailed to dissolve the so- cieties and divide the stock, and year after year has this been ef- fected. One only is now existent, the Weavers' Society, instituted in 1781. It has 161 members, and a capital of L. 450. A mo- tion has also been made for its dissolution. Poor Funds. — Parochial relief is aflForded to 22 regular pau- pers: sixteen receive Is. weekly; five, Is. 6d. ; one, 2s.; ten of the regular paupers receive L. 1 yearly for rent ; five of them 10s. ; five, not regular paupers, receive yearly for their rent, Li. I. Dis- tributed in occasional charities, L. 47, 14s. 8d. Total annual amount for the support of the parish, L. 131, 16s. 8d. This ex- penditure is met by collections at the church door, L. 59, 1 Is. 3d. ; interest on mortified funds, L. 23 ; annual assessment, L. 50. This last mode of supporting the poor has been recently introdu- ced into this parish. Inns, — There are in the parish 23 public-houses; 21 in Auch- terarder, and 2 in Smithyhaugh, — in which spirits and ales are sold. The policy of the Justices, for some time, has been to di- minish the number of these, by withholding license, as much as possible, from persons wishing to begin business in this line, and withdrawing it from those who have been guilty of any gross misde- meanour. Fuel. — Coal is the principal fuel used. It is generally laid down at the door at the rate of 8d. per cwt. The Glendevon turnpike has greatly lowered the price of coal in Auchterarder. Miscellaneous Observations. Since the time of last report, Auchterarder has kept pace with the general improvement which has been going on in the kingdom. In the town, old foundations have been erased, and buildings of very superior appearance and comfort erected in their stead. In the country, a much better system of husbandry prevails, princi- pally by the increase of green crop, and the feeding of cattle of a superior breed. Water. — In former Accounts of Auchterarder, the want of water seems uniformly to have been stated as the greatest deficiency. This defect has been abundantly supplied. In 1832, mainly by the kind and scientific exertions of Captain Ay toun, a spring, nine BLACKFORD. 297 feet above the level of the town, has been made to pour in 72 gal- lons, every minute, of the most excellent water, which has been taken into many houses ; and baths have been fitted up in some,— the water supplying not only the necessaries but even the luxuries of life. Few things would tend more to improve the general appearance of the country than the planting of Craig Rossie. This hill pro- jects considerably from the other Ochils, and, covered with wood, it would present an object strikingly grand and picturesque. The erection of a church at Smithyhaugh or Abruthven would be most beneficial to that district, which seems naturally formed to have a distinct pastoral superintendence. The people themselves could not support a clei^man ; but we fondly anticipate that, at no distant date, something will be done to assist them in this. We cannot conclude this Account, without referring to the im- portant law-suit on the power of the veto with which Auchterarder has been long connected. In the future histories of our church, Auchterarder will be noticed as having first entered the lists, and fought the battle for all Scotland in defence of the laws of the church, and the rights of the people. May 1837. PARISH OF BLACKFORD. PRESBYTERY OF AUCHTERARDER, SYNOD OF PERTH AND STIRLING. THE REV. JOHN CLARK, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — If the name be not altogether English, it may, per- haps, be traced to the Gothic word fort^ singifying not only a strait or firth, but also a road or passage. Some probability is given to this deri?atioD by the circumstance of the parish being situated between the great vales of Strathallan and Strathearn, and conse- quently forming the line of communication between them. Situation^ Extent^ ^c, — It lies midway between Perth-and Stir- ling, and is intersected by the great road between them. Its length from north to south is about 10 miles. It is bounded on the south by the water of Devon, and by the river of Earn on the north. Its breadth is about 5 miles ; it is bounded by the parish- 298 PERTHSHIRE. es of Auchterarder and Trinity- Gask on the east, and by those of Muthil and Dunblane on the west Soil. — In such extent of surface, the soil is necessarily varied. The south part of the parish is traversed by the Ochil hills, and affords good pasture for sheep. The middle is formed by the ex- tensive moor of TuUibardine, which is covered with young planta- tions. The northern part consists of rich and well-cultivated lands. Climate. — The climate corresponds with the high elevation of the land above the level of the sea. The prevailing winds are those from the west. Rains in summer, and snow showers in winter, are more frequent than in the lower surrounding districts. The difference, however, is not so great as to cause any peculiarity in the produc- tions of the earth ; or in the kinds of animals to be found ; or in the constitution and health of the inhabitants. Rivers. — Beside the rivers Devon and Earn, at the south and north extremities of the parish, there are three others of inferior size, — the Madrany, which rises in the hilly part of the parish of Muthil, and falls into the Earn at Kingkell, — the Ruthven and the Allan, which both take their rise in Gleneagles. The first is but a small stream, and runs eastward through the parish of Auch- terarder till it falls into the Earn. For three miles of its course, it runs through Kincardine Glen, a place of great natural beauty, — its high banks being broken with small cascades, and all covered with fine copsewood of oak, hazel, and birch. The Allan too, is here but a small stream. It runs to the west, through the adjoin- ingpacish of Dunblane, and falls into the Forth below Stirling Bridge. IL — Civil History. Land-ovmers. — The landed property in the parish principally belongs to James Moray, Esq. of Abercairney ; and to Lords Strathallan and Camperdown. What does not belong to them is the property of three other individuals. Parochial Registers. — The parish records extend back to 1738^ and have been regularly kept since that period. Antiquities. — There are not many vestiges of antiquity to be found here. From the immediate vicinity, however, of the cele- brated Roman encampment at Ardoch, there are several traces of military works and adventures. There are three places where entrenchments are still so evident as to leave no doubt of their having been used as out-posts to the Ardoch station. And the situation of all the three is well chosen for local defence, for mu- tual communication, and for extensive survey. In different other BLACKFORD. 299 places, there are also many tumuli or cairos, showing the frequency of conflict between the natives and their Roman invaders. In some phces, the strife must have been evidently great ; as the cairns stand close to one another, and are ranged in a semicircular form, diowing how orderly the coiAbatants stood, how closely they fought, and how closely they felL Beside these, there are two other re- mains of ancient warfiure. These are the ruins of Kincardine and of Ogilvy Castle. Their situation indicates that these castles had been reared for defence, and great strength of masonry was employed in their structure. There are also a few vestiges of antiquity of another de^rip- tion. ' These are the ruins of two chapels, the one at Glen- eagles, and the other at TuUibardine. The date of the one is not ascertained ; the other was built in the fifteenth cen- tury. At TuUibardine also, may be seen a few thorn trees that may be Tiewed with a kind of antiquarian interest. They are thus referred to in Pittscotie's History : " James the Fourth was fond of ship- building, and built the Michael, the largest ship ever seen before. She was 240 feet long, 36 feet within the sides, which were 10 feet thick ; she was a year in building, and took up all the oak wood of Fife, except Falkland ; she hs^ 300 mariners, and carried altogether about 1000 men. Her length and breadth is planted in hawthorn at TuUibardine by the wright that helped to make her." Only three of these trees now survive the ravages of time and the encroachments of the plough, so that, like every other human memorial, they have long ceased to answer the purpose which the planter intended. III. — Population. In the year 1811 the population amounted to 1666. In 1821, it amounted to 1892, and 1831 to about the same number. The number of females exceeds that of males by two. 674 of the in- habitants reside in the village, where they are employed as weavers, day-labourers, and mechanics. Number of families in the parish, • - - 394 chiefly employed in agriculture, - - 9 1 in trade, manufactures, or handicraft, 140 IV. — Industry. fP^e».—L According to times and circumstances, the wages vary from Is. to 2s. arday ; Is. 6d. may be taken as a feir average. Those inhabitants not resident in the village are scattered over a wide extent of country, and employed chiefly in agricultural pursuits. Within the last fifteen years, the inclustry and skill of the peo* 300 PERTHSHIRE. pie, especially in agriculture, have rapidly improved. Much waste land has been cultivated, and what was formerly under cultivation is now managed in a more skilful manner. Manufactures have improved correspondingly in the same period, — especially a ma- nufactory of coarse woollen cloths, which contains a good deal of machinery, and gives employment to seventy or eighty individuals. V. — Parochial Economy. There are two markets held here yearly, but those held at the neighbouring town of Auchterarder render them of little import- ance. The roads, both public and private, are good, and inter- course between different places is easily maintained. The dif- ferent turnpike roads extend about twenty miles. Ecclesiastical State. — The parish is within the bounds of the presbytery of Auchterarder. The church is so situated as to ac commodate the more populous part of the parish, but inconve- niently for the more distant quarters. It was built in the year 1738, and was lately repaired. It contains seating for 500 per- sons, who pay no seat rent whatever. There is no other place of worship of any description in the parish. The manse was built about eighty years ago, and was repaired within the last fifteen. The glebe consists of 24 acres of very light gravelly soil ; and the stipend, as lately modified, consists of 12 chalders of meal, 2 chalders of barley, and L. 30 in money. ScliooL — The schoolmaster has the highest legal salary, and good accommodation both in dwelling-house and school-house. The usual branches of education are taught, and taught so cheap as to render education attainable by all. The school fees vary from 2s. to 4s. a quarter, according to the branches taught. There are three other schools in different parts of the parish, supported by those who attend. Poor and Poor's Funds, — The number of poor on the public funds seldom exceeds 10 or 12. To support these and other in- digent and industrious persons, who require occasional assistance, a sum varying from L. 80 to L. 100 is annually distributed. This money is collected at the church doors, and by contributions from the non-resident heritors. There is certainly less reluctance to be- come pensioners on this charitable fund, than there' was shewn in former times, and there is an increasing indisposition on the part of natural relations to assist one another. Miscellaneous Observations. There have been many and great improvements in the parish, 3 MUCK ART. 301 witbin the last twenty years. The chief of these has been the for- mation of roads, which has opened new channels for intercourse, and supplied new means and motives for improvement. With the improvement of the soil, the circumstances and habits of the people have also improved. They have become more industrious, more temperate, more alive to the comforts and conveniences of life, and more anxious to employ means by which these may be procured. May 1837. PARISH OF MUCKART. PRB8BYTBRY OF AUCHTERARDER, SYNOD OF PERTH & STIRLING. THE REV. JAMES THOMSON, MINISTER. L — Topography and Natural History. Name^ Bmmdary^ Sfc. — The name of the parish has been writ- ten in various ways. The most ancient way appears to have been Mucard, the more recent Muckhart, and the modern Muckart. It is obviously derived from the Gaelic words " Mucy' a wild boar, and " gart^^ the head, or " ard^* high ; alluding, as some suppose, to the shape of the hill terminating above the Yetts of Muckart, which, from one point of view in the parish, is suppos- ed to bear some resemblance to a boar's head ; or, according to others, to its being in ancient times infested by the wild boar. The shape of the parish is triangular. Its greatest length in a straight line, from east to west, is about 4^ miles, and its greatest breadth, from north to south, about 2 miles : altogether it may contain about 6 square miles. The Devon forms its principal boundary, sepa- rating it, with the exception of one farm, from the parish of Fosso- way, on the south and east. On the north and west, it is separated respectively, by two small streams, from the parishes of Glendovan and Dollar. Topographical Appearances. — A branch of the Ochils, running east and west, lies along the northern boundary of the parish, and is terminated on the east by a conical shaped hill, called Sea Mab, 302 PERTHSHIRE. which is about 1350 feet above the level of the sea. The whole ridge of the Ochils in the parish is covered with grass, miDgled with a little heather, and forms excellent pasturage for sheep. The course of the Devon, for some distance above the Rumbling Bridge, presents a remarkable appearance ; a passage being apparently cut for it through the solid rock. In some parts of the fissure, on the lower portion of the rock, th^re are manifest traces of the action of running water ; but higher up, the rock is rough, bearing the ap- pearance, in many places, of having been rent asunder. And as the level of the country at the Crook of Devon is such that, with a very little labour, the whole of the stream might be thrown into Lochleven, some who are fond of geological speculation have sup- posed, that the fissure had been opened by some convulsive movement of Che earth, and after the water had found a pas- sage through, it gradually deepened it by wintery torrents, un- til it reached the present level. In this fissure occurs the na- tural curiosity usually termed the " Devil's Mill." The water, in falling the height of some feet into a cauldron, is generally sup- posed to strike against a loose block of stone, which occasions it to emit a sound bearing some resemblance to that of a common grinding mill. And from the circumstance of the sound being con- stantly heard, on Sabbath, as well as other days, it has acquired its present name. The whole appearance of the fissure is very re- ' markable, the water forcing its way a little above the mill through a crevice of considerable length, and scarcely six feet in breadth. Meteorology. — In the upper parts of the parish, from its eleva- tion above the level of the sea, the climate is considerably colder than in the lower parts adjoining to Dollar ; the difference of level being not much short of 400 feet. And as, in addition, the hills . attract a great deal of moisture, the harvest in general is consider- ably later. The quantity of rain that falls at the Yetts must be very great, as the clouds may often be seen travelling along the face of the hill, and depositing their moisture, when, at the distance of half a mile from it, all is sunshine. And as these clouds in general draw to one point. Sea Mab, and thence proceed along the Ochils to Milnathort, or diverge to the Cleish Hills, on the opposite side of the vale, its neighbourhood gets a goodly share of almost every passing shower. Unfortunately there is no rain- gage to estimate the amount that falls, nor, as far as has been discovered, has any record been kept by any of the parishioners 4 MUCRART. 303 of the variations of the thermometer or barometer, or other at- mospherical phenomena. Hydrography. — The only stream of consequence in the parish is the Devon, which has rather a remarkable course. Rising toward the west of the Ochils in the parish of Blackford, it flows at first in an eastern direction for nine or ten miles, then southerly for about five, when, after passing the Crook, it turns nearly due west, and after a (iirther run of fourteen or fifteen miles, empties itself into the Forth above Alloa, about five or six miles from its source. Its depth varies very much, according to the season, and accord- ing to the inclination of its bed. In most places, it may be forded with safety, unless during a flood ; but at the same time, it con- tains a number of very deep pools, which it has cut out in its im- petuous course. It is rather rapid, so long as it skirts this parish ; but after tearing it, and especially when it reaches the carse grounds, it becomes very. sluggish, and presents little that is attractive in its ai^pearance. Being in many places confined in a narrow bed, and descend- ing from a high to a low level, the Devon, while it bounds the pa- rish, presents many &lls, and much natural beauty. While pasl sing the fissure above the Rumbling Bridge, to which allusion has already been made, the whole of its course for half a mile may be termed a succession of rapids. In some places, it may be seen bounding from rock to rock; storming at being confined within such narrow limits, and tumbling into some rounded basin to wind its way out to encounter some further turmoil. And at others, it may be seen through the overhanging wood, at a great depth below, indicating its existence by the whitened spray upon its surface. When riewed from the parapet of the Rumbling Bridge, the sce- nery beneath, on both sides, is such as is not often to be met with. Raised considerably more than 100 feet above the level of the stream, the passenger beholds it confined within two vast walls of solid rock, forcing its darksome way to the comparative calm and quietude of the scene below. After leaving the Rumbling Bridge, the Devon, in its course for nearly a mile, is rather smooth. But then it presents a very uncommon appearance. It suddenly pre- cipitates itself, by a fall of 30 feet, into a cauldron from which, when the water is not flooded, there is apparently no outlet The shape of the cauldron is circular, and the fall of water causes it to boil as if some vast furnace were highly heated beneath. From 304 PERTHSHIRE. this cauldron, by an unseen communication, it glides into a second ; from this second, in a similar manner, into a third ; and finally, in- to a fourth ; when at last, in one body, by a fall of 44 feet, it reach- es the open space below it. Geology and Minercdogy. — The rock that prevails in the upper part of the parish, is trap or whinstone. Near the banks of the De- von, at the Vicar's Bridge, there are some strata of ironstone, lime- stone, and sandstone or freestone ; and in the west end of the pa- rish, there is a bed of coal. The ironstone is wrought on the Fossa- way side of the Devon, and is esteemed a very rich ore. On the Muckart side, however, it is not wrought, owing to the want of a proper level to carry away the water. The limestone in the parish is occasionally wrought by the proprietors for their own use, but not for sale ; there being abundance of limestone in the neighbourhood. The coal occurs in the shape of a basin, fiiUy half a mile in length, by as much in breadth. There are a number of seams, but only one is wrought ; from which, some thousand tons are taken annual- ly, and carried principally to the western part of Strathearn. In both the ironstone and limestone, a number of fossil remains oc- curs, principally shells. Some rather pretty specimens of rock crystal are occasionally found, in quarrying trap for road metal. In the upper part of the parish, a number of rolled blocks occurs, composed generally of trap, but occasionally of sandstone, of con- siderable magnitude, — although there is no sandstone rock in the neighbourhood, but what is at least 200 feet lower. The soil in the upper part of the parish is in general light and gravelly, con- joined occasionally with moss, and, if not resting upon rock, rest- ing upon sand or gravel. Farther west, the soil becomes more re- tentive ; and on the banks of the Devon, in the immediate neigh- bourhood of Dollar, in the lower part of the parish, it approaches more nearly to sand. Zoology. — No rare animals occur in the parish, and the only cir- cumstance worth mentioning is the fact, that the same species as the Lochleven trout is in some solitary instances found in the Devon. Some have attempted to account for this, by the supposition, that some of the small tributaries of the Devon and other streams that flow into the loch, niay, in very moist weather, be so connected in certain situations, that the small trout from the one may find their way into the other. Sometimes the trout in the Devon attain to a great size. One was caught lately, with the common fly, which measured 22 inches in length, and weighed about 7 pounds. 306 PERTHSHIRE. From the house down to a small stream flowing past it,tbere are the remains of a covered way, as if indicating, from the means em- ployed to reach the water in safety, that in these troublous times it was occasionally converted into a place of defence. All that now remains is apparently a small part of a turret or corner of the building. Several stone coflSns have, from time to time, been found in different parts of the parish ; but there seems to have been nothing about them worthy of notice. IIL — Population. The population of the parish, according to Dr Webster's account in 1765, was 535 )7d2» 526 1801, 538 1811, 540 1821, 704 1831, 617 1833, 664 The last census was taken by the present incumbent, and in- cluded 324 males and 340 females. From the above it will appear that there is a considerable de- crease in the population between 1821 and 1831. This may be accounted for from the circumstance, that, at the first of these pe- riods, very considerable improvements were going on at Blairhill and Balruddery, which required an additional number of labourers ; and, moreover, a distillery in the parish was then in active opera- tion, which has now been given up. The number of the population residing in villages in the parish, in \S^, was 210 in the country, . 454 Yearly average of births for the last 7 years, 20 of marraiges, . . 7 Number of persons under 15 years of age, 256 from 15 to 30, . . IS** 30 to 50, .141 50 to 70, . . 74 70 years and upwards, . 9 Number of resident heritors who have more than L. 100 Scots yaluation, . 3 proprietors who hsTe more than L. 50 Sterling per annum, 15 unmarried men above 50 years of age, . 17 females above 45 years of age, .... 27 £irailiea, ....... 135 Average number of children in each family ... 3^ Number of inhabited houses, 135 uninhabited houses, . 4 houses building. . 2 fiituous persons, 2 Number of males employed in agriculture, as farmers, cottars, and farm-servants, 104 in manufacture, .... 4 in retail ti-ade, . * 1 9 in handicraft— .masters 13, journeymen and appren> tices, 1 1 . Number of clergymen, 2 ; surgeons, 1 ; schoolnuisters, 2 males employed in mines, . 3 MUCKART. 307 Numlwr ci male lenrants not cmployad in agriculturt, above 20 yemn of age, S under 30 do. .2 ibnalet, do. do do. 26 The people, upon the whole, appear to enjoy in a reasonable degree the comforts and advantages of society ; and the only great subject of regret is the number of public-houses which, for a po- pulation of 664, amount to 13, and exert an unfavourable influ- ence on the morals of some of the people. IV. — Industry. Number of aem cultiTated regularly or occasional) j, 2664 uneulttratedy . . . 905 undivided common, . SCO under wood, 250 Rent of Ixtnd. — Rent of arable ground per acre, L. I to L. 3, average, L. 1, 5s. Rent of grazing per ox or cow, L. 3 to L. 4 ; per ewe or sheep, 4s. to 6s. Bate affVoffes. — Labourer's wages per day, Is. 6d. ; mason's 2s. to 28. 3d. ; Wright's, 2s. Huthandry. — Little attention was paid, until of late, in im- proving the breeds of cattle and sheep. The short-horn breed of cattle has, however, been introduced by one enterprising pro- prietor, along with the Leicester and Southdown sheep, and, from his success, others seem disposed, in some degree, to imitate his example. Various improvements in the land have been carried on with grea# spirit. Mr Haig of Blairhill has com*- pletely changed the aspect of his part of the parish ; and there can be little doubt that his improvements have been as profitable as ornamental. The improvements on the property of the moor, belonging to Mr Mowbray, have excited general attention, from the rapidity with which they were carried on, and the remark- able success which has attended them. It appears that, with- in three years, he has built stone dikes of more than nine miles in length, lipped and pointed with lime ; planted upwards of 700 chain of hedges, and laid about the same length of drains, as well as trenched upwards of 100 acres of ground with the spaue. It is impossible, owing to the peculiar circumstances of the parish, to give any statement of the average gross amount of raw produce raised in it. From the high rent got for grass parks, the great object of the proprietors, in the upper part of the parish, is to lay down their ground for permanent pasture in the best condition. This induces them, from time to time, to lift some fields, when the grass has become deteriorated, and take a rotation of crops : which leadff to such an uneartainty as to the gross amount of produce, as would 308 PEUTIISHIRE. set all calculation at defiance. The total rental of the parish, however, as nearly as can be ascertained, may be about L. 4250. V. — Parochial EcoNOMy. Market-Town, — Alloa, which is about ten miles distant from the centre of the parish, is properly the market and post-town, al- though there is a penny-post to Dollar, which is about seven miles nearer. Means of Communication. — There may be about six miles of turnpike road in the parish, — one line stretching from Dollar to a bridge over the Devon, on the road to Milnathort ; and another from the Rumbling Bridge to about a mile up Glendovan. One coach from Glasgow to Perth passes through the parish daily, and another from Edinburgh to CrieflF three times a weeL The num- ber of bridges in the parish over the Devon is four, all in good repair. The first is on the road from the Yetts to Milnathort; the second at Fossoway Church ; — the third is the Rumbling Bridge, on the new road from the south ; — and the fourth the Vicar's Bridge, on the old county rodd from the south, about two miles east from Dollar. At the Rumbling Bridge, before the present arch was built, there was one beneath it, at about 86 feet above the stream, which still is allowed to remain, and adds much to the effect of the scenery when viewed from below. It was very narrow, and had no parapet, which must have made it very dan- gerous at any time, and particularly at night. The Vicar's Bridge is supposed to derive its name from an event that took place at the commencement of the Reformation. It was there where the Vicar of Dollar, who had embraced the Protestant faith, met with an untimely end from the hands of his persecutors. Ecclesiastical State, — The church is situated to the north-east of the principal village called the Pool, very conveniently for the villagers, but not equally so for those residing in the west end of the parish. It appears to have been built since the Roman Ca- tholic times, as the font stone is used to form part of the front wall. The following dates are cut on stone in different parts of the building— 1620, 1699, 1715, 1789,— which, as far as can be ascertained^ indicate that the church was rebuilt at the first of these periods ; got a thorough repair at the second, w hen the first active Presbyterian clergyman was settled after the Revolution ; was again repaired at the third ; and was partly rebuilt and re- paired at the last. At present, it is rather ruinous, and not suffi- cient for accommodating the population in connection with the Es- MUCKART. 309 tablished Church. The consequence is, that many of the young people remain at home, and others make it an excuse for irregu- lar attendance* The number of communicants at present is more than that of the regular seats in the church. The manse is newly built, at an estimate of L. 600, is very commodious, and does credit to the contractors. The glebe con- tains 10 acres 1 rood, and may be worth about L. 20 per an- num. The stipend is L. 150, part of which is paid by the Exche- quer. There is one meeting-house in the parish, connected with the United Associate Synod. The present incumbent, it is understood, in addition to a manse and a valuable glebe of IS acres, has L 100 per annum, paid partly from the seat rents, and partly by collections at the church doors. The number of fa- milies connected with the Establishment is 89, including 438 in- dividuals. The parishioners connected with the Secession church amount to 226* Their meeting-house contains sittings for about 360, and of these there are about 285 let. Divine worship in the Established Church is generally well attended, and the number of communicants is about 200. The average yearly amount of col- lections at the church door is about L. 15. Education. — There are two schools in the parish, the one paro- chial and the other unendowed. In both, the same branches in general are taught, viz. English reading and grammar, writing, arithmetic, book-keeping, and Latin, conjoined occasionally with geography, algebra, and French. The salary of the parish school- master is L. 25, 6s. 8d. ; the amount of the fees may be L. 17 ; in- terest on some mortified money, L. 9. These may give as a total in- come L. 51, 6s. 8d. ; along with a house and garden. The school fees are lOd. a month for English reading, with 2d. additional for any of the other branches, such as writing, arithmetic, or Latin. The fees in the unendowed school are understood to be a trifle higher. With the exception of two fatuous persons, all in the pa- rish arrived at years of discretion, as far as can be ascertained, have been taught to read, and almost invariably they have at least got some lessons in writing, although many may have altogether neglected it in after life. Literature, — There is a library in the parish, for the united pa- rishes of Glendovan, Muckart, and Fossaway, containing a good selection of books. Poor and Parochial Funds. — The average number of persons on the regular poor's roll is six, receiving each at the rate of 310 PEUTHSHIRE. L. 4, Os. 7d. yearly, along with a cart of coals. The poor's funds, arising from collections at the church doors, which may amount to L. 15, 5s. Id.; the use of the mortcloth, L. 1 ; interest on L. 240 mortified money* L. 8, 8s. ; and a voluntary assessment by the heritors, L. 12, 16s. 4d. ; amount altogether to the sum of L. 37, 9s. 5d., which is expended in regular monthly allowance to the poor on the roll, in temporary supplies to others in needy circumstances, and in paying the salaries of session*clerk, beadle, &c. MiSCBLLANEOUH OBSERVATIONS. Since the drawing up of the last Report, a total change seems to have taken place upon the face of the parish. Then, it was diffi- cult of access; but now, by the opening of the new road from Stir- ling to Milnathort about the year 1810, and that from Dunferm- ine to Crieff in 1816, it has become a thoroughfare. Upwards of 10,000 tons of coal pass through it annually, and from 4000 to 5000 carts of lime, — besides carriers' carts, and crowds of visitors to the falls, in all kinds of conveyances, in the summer and autumn months. Then, a considerable part of the higher district of the parish was covered with heather or peat-moss, mak- ing the ague not an uncommon complaint ; now, in the same dis- trict, unless in some plantations, the heather is no longer visible, and the moss is converted into a rich pasture meadow, and, instead of being, as it was then, bare and exposed to every wind that blows, this district is already clad with numerous beltings and clumps of trees, and in a few years will be as sheltered and ornamented as any parish in the neighbourhood. The circumstance, that the rental of the parish is now nearly four times the amount of what it was about the year 1792, al- though there is no great difference in the price of agricultural pro- duce, may show how busy the hand of man has been in the work of improvement September 1835. The materials for the above report were collected in 1833; aiul the various ntate- nients made are to be understood as having a reference to that date. PARISH OF MUTHILL. PRBSBYTEBT OF AUCHTERARDER, SYNOD OF PERTH & STIRLING. THE REV.- J AMES WALKER, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Nmme^ — The author oS the last Account of this parish says, thai, <' as the names of almost all places around are Gaelic, and ge- nerally descriptive of their local situation, this parish probably takes its name from an Ense word of somewhat a similar sound, which sig- nifies the north ride of the HiU" We prefer to derive the name from the Gaelic word, Mddailj compounded of Modj signifying a court of justice, and Dailj a field, bounded by river and hill ; and accordingly, that part of the parish lying near to the village pre* sents something of a delightful Geld or valley, limited by river and hilL The name was formerly spelled Mothil, as appears from a brief history of the Culdees, selected by Keith, wherein it is said, that one Michael was parson of Mothil, and Macbeath was his chaplain* In the history of Scotland, Mote-hill and Moothill are often mentioned. On the eminences so named the Druids sate, and delivered their decrees and their addresses to the people. It is said by Skene, de Verb. Signific ^^ Quhen Malcolm the Se* cond gave all the lands to the barrones of the realm, he retained to himself Montem placiti de Scona, the ^ mute hill of Scon^,' where he might hold his courts, and do justice to his subjects, in deciding their pleas and controversies." Chalmers, in his Caledo- nia, observes, there was a Moothill in every district of North Bri- tain, during an age when justice was administered to a coarse peo- ple in the open air. In this parish accordingly, there is still a place in the village, called " the Ward," where the chief of the strath distributed justice to his vassals. From this, Muthill would appear to have been held in some esteem, and it is certain that, previous to the Reformation, it was the residence of the Dean of Dunblane, and afterwards the seat of the presbytery, which now meets in Auchterarder. Boundaries and Topographical Appearances. — Muthill is one of the most extensive parishes in Strathearn. Upon a general calcu- 312 PERTHSHIRE. latioD, it may be said to contain about 80 square miles. Its figure is very irregular^ extending downwards into the vales of the Allan and the Earn. It is bounded on the north-west by Comrie and Monivaird ; on the north by Crieff; on the north-east by Madderty ; on the east by Trinity- Gask; on the south-east by Blackford; and on the south-west by Dunblane. The village is three miles from Crieff, nineteen from Stirling, and about the same distance from Perth. As to the general appearance of this parish, it is sufficiently diver- sified, and will be judged so by the traveller in passing through it ; but if viewed at a distance from the east, all inequalities are lost sight of, except that of Torlum Hill, and the aspect which it then assumes is that of two inclined planes, ascending gradually from the north and south extremes to a transverse ridge of considera- ble elevation. The transverse ridge, however, is found to be double as we come near it, and between the ridges flows the river Machony. The one ridge or part next to Muthill village, extends in a circuitous direction onwards to the foot of Torlum, and is in a state of culti- vation ; the other, bleak and barren, known by the name of Corry- aur, extends from the Muir of Orchill westerly, until it terminates abruptly amongst other hills wild as itself. The south ridge may be considered the natural division of the parish, and has led us to speak of the Muthill side and the Ardoch side. Each of these sides has its attractions and its beauties ; the one has its Allan and its Knock rivers : the other its Earn and Ma- « chony ; each has its kirk and village, its woods and cultivated lands ; but yet we are inclined to think that the observing traveller must give a preference to the Muthill side. And that he may do so, we would place hun on the eminence of the northern ridge, on his way from Ardoch by the military road. In this position he sees the parish church, a stately Gothic building, with its adjacent cleanly village, looking through the rows of shrubs and trees, — roads in several directions, half-shaded over with limes and chest- nuts, — large fields in the highest state of cultivation, and the wind- ing Earn moving slowly through them. But this is not all. On his left is Drummond Castle, full in view, whose shattered walls re- mind bim of other days; and behind it is Torlum hill, 1400 feet above the level of the gea, unsurpassed for beauty, in its conical shape and its evergreen trees ; and then before him is lofty Benchoan, and Turret Glen, and the Knock with Crieff on its sloping side ; and on his right, the far extending prospect to the hills of Sidla, MUTHILL. 313 CHmate. — From what we have already noticed of this parish, there may be expected in different parts of it a difference of cli-* mate. Accordingly, in comparing the south side with the north, it is found that snow lies two days longer on the former than on the latter ; and in accounting for this we would advert to the peculi- arity of the straths, whereof the districts alluded to form a part ; — Stratheam, lying deep and flat, is defended by its mountain sides from the violence of the storm, and the reflection of the sun's rays from the hills produce a great degree of warmth in it, — while tbrough the opening of Strathallan, currents of wind, that issue from the glens, sweep along the vale, and render it less warm and fertile. The greater spaciousness of Strathern removes it also the farther from the chilness of the mountain air, or of haze at- tracted by the mountains ; for it is not un frequently seen, that, whilst on the banks of the Earn the sun is shining, showers of rain or showers of snow are falling upon the hills. The soil also of Muthill may be taken into consideration as of a drier nature than that of the other, because upon an opener bed, less retentive of the rain, and so of the cold, — for doubtless there is a relationship be- tween the soil and the atmosphere. Storms, however, frequent- ly visit both. Our colder winds come from the east and north- east, and the more violent from the south-west. The parish is, on the whole, healthy. Of the healthy aged we have many examples. Hydrography. — In former days, there were in this parish several springs or wells much esteemed for their virtues, real or imagined. One of these is at Straid, in the district of Blair-in-roan, much frequented once, as effectual in curing the hooping-cough.* In the same district, is St Patrick's Well, so named from a cha- pel once there, probably dedicated to that saint. Part of the foun- dations of the chapel is still to be seen, and close by these are a few houses lately built, which bear the name of the saint. We know not what connection St Patrick had with this sequestered spot ; but it is certain, that the inhabitants, until very lately, held his memory in so high veneration, that on his day neither the clap of the mill was heard, nor the plough seen to move in the furrow. * Not fiirther back than a few weeks ago, a family came from Edinburgh, a dis- tance nearly of sixty miles, to have the benefit of this well. As a piece of useful informatioii, we may add, that the water must be drunk before the sun rises, or im- mediately ajfier it sets ; and that out of a *^ quick cow's honi,'* or a horn taken from a live cow, which indispensable horn is in the keeping of an old woman who lives near by the well ! ! 314 PERTHSHIRE. A third well upon the side of the Machony was of still greater im- portance. It was called the well of Struthill, and by the credulous was much sought after, as its virtues were considered effectual in curing madness. Doubtless, its celebrity was altogether owing to the artifices of the avaricious religionists, who» it would appear, practised on the superstition of frequent visitors, to call forth their liberality in the shape of offerings cast into the well. That this ac- count is more than mere conjecture, appears from the fact, that the Popish chapel which stood near the well was ordered by the pres- bytery of Auchterarder, anno 1650, to be demolished, on account of the superstitions which were practised within it But even this was not effectual to do away the celebrity of the well, or rather, we may say, was not effectual to lessen the avarice of those who kept it ; for in 1668 several persons testified before the presbytery of Stirling, that, having carried a woman thither, ** they had stayed two nights at a house hard by the well; that the first night they did bind her twice to a stone at the well, but she came into the house to them, being loosed without any help: The second night they bound her over again to the same stone ; and she returned loose. And they de« dare also that she was very mad before that they took her to the well, but since that time, she is working, and sober in her wits.'' This well was still celebrated, and votive offerings were cast into it, in the year 1723 ; but such delusions have now happily passed awav. * Formerly, the only lake in the parish was the loch of Balloch, a natural collection of water at the foot of Torlum, not remarka- ble for beauty or expansion. But now we have several artificial lakes, one of which is worthy of notice. It is commonly styled the Pond of Drummond. This is an interesting sheet of water, and cannot but be admired by the visitor. On its north side, is a rocky eminence, about seventy feet above its level ; around it are well wooded banks; and on it, swans, geese, and ducks are at all times seen. Its length is nearly a mile, and its breadth about half the same. Where the loch is now, there was once a cultivated valley, which was portioned out by the King's Commissioners on the forfeited estates, as a reward to some of the bravest men who hazarded their lives in the Rebellion of 1745 ; and after all of them had died out, or were removed, Lady Perth desired it to be form- ed into its present state. * See Darker Superstitions of Scotland, p. 82. MUTHILL. 315 There are four rivers in the parish* The principal of these is tlie Earn, which flows out of the loch of that name, and, running through Comrie and Monivaird, forms a line of separation between Crieff and Muthill on the north-east. Leaving Crieff, it passes be- tween this parish, and its quoad sacra part, named Innerpeffary ; and, keeping its devious course, for at least thirty-five miles through the Tale to which it. gives the name, falls then into the Tay. This river, although generally beautiful in its slowly flowing waters, yet at times, is truly terrific, when swollen by the mountain torrents. It is to be regretted that no bridge is over this river, at Innerpeffary, for oftentimes, by reason of its flooding, the people of that quarter can- not attend church. But we do not despair of this evil being re- medied, as, on each side of the river, the honourable proprietors of the land are both rich and liberal. Linerpeffary may here be no- ticed as a place of some interest It has a large room with a library for the use of students in the neighbourhood, founded by Darid Lord Madderty ; and beside it, there is an old church, now the bury- ing.place of the Perth and Strathallan families, and also close by the riyer is the old castle of Lord Madderty, — all of which remind us of other days. — The Machony is another river which fakes its rise from the confluence of rills as they descend from the heights of Blair-in-roan, and flowing along, is considerably increased be- fore discharging itself into the Earn, near the bridge of Kinkell. lliough not remarkable in itself, it is somewhat so, in its name, for as it signifies in the Gaelic a fight or battle, so we are led by it to think of Blair-in-roan, which also signifies the spotted battle field, as the place where the Romans and Caledonians fought. On the other side of the parish are the Knaik and the Allan, the only other two riyers in it. The former, rising in Glenlich-hom, and passing by the steep banks which form the west boundary of Ardoch Camps, joins the latter, to form the south limit of the parish, and after that moves slowly on, and meets the Forth near to Stirling by the way of Dunblane. All these rivers are excellent for small trout, the Earn especially, for pike, sea-trouts or whitings, and large sal- mon. Geology and Mineralogy. — Like other parts of the country, this has its variety of stone, — as grayish sandstone at Ardoch, reddish sandstone at Lucas, grayish sandstone at lower Concrai^, and at upper Concraig black trap, or as some style it, black whin rock. The three first are used for building, the other is excellent for mak- ing roads. 316 PERTHSHIRE. The sandstone or freestone appears in strata dipping northwards at an angle of 70% with till sand interposed between the strata. » The trap rock, however, is the one which will be most interest- ing to the geologist, and that not so much in its nature as in its history. At short intervals, it rises in ridges, and is again broken down, and thus forming a range, stretches not only across the parish, but across the island, from sea to sea. Below the loch of Drum- mond, as also on the side of the loch, it rises about 50 feet, and in the former place is perpendicular in its front, and as smooth as if cut with a chisel or hammer. From these two great rocks, the places in the neighbourhood may have received the name of Con- craig. Several species of fossil remains have, at different periods, been found in our peat mosses and marl-pits, such as the heads of oxen of uncommon size, and horns of the elk and forest deer ; so that we have proof that certain species of animals, which once frequent- ed this part of the country, are now there extinct Soil. — Along the sides of the Earn and the Allan, the haughs are for the most part a light loam, on beds of sand and gravel, which, with an admixture of lime and marl, produce very luxuriant crops. Between the middle or separation ridge of the parish, and the haugh ground, the soil may be considered to consist of three kinds ; one light, with a free bottom, which does not retain water ; this is next to the haugh ground, and is excellent for producing grass ; the next kind is a strong sandy soil, with a mixture of gravel, but with so much of a till bottom, and so cohesive in its nature, as not to admit the water to pass through it ; and the other is so poor and moorish, as only to send up heath and whins. How- ever, almost to the hill top, from the banks of the rivers, the ground is found to be made productive by cleaning, by draining, and by manuring ; and so every year, we see a little field made out, farther up the hill. The low grounds especially are very productive when limed, and drained, and manured. Lime to warm and quicken the soil is much required ; but that advantage, as yet, is almost denied us, for we have no lime nearer than Loch Earn or Stirling, a dis- tance of about twenty miles. Zoology. — Few places abound more in game than this. Our heath-clad hills and rising grounds are everywhere filled with them. Yet they are not so abundant as they were once, by reason of im- provements and cultivation. Goats have entirely disappeared from this quarter, also the forest deer ; but there is a sufficiency of MUTHILL. 317 grouse, black-cock, woodcock, partridges, pheasants, plovers, wild ducks, wild geese, snipes, hares, &c. The principal sorts of ver* min are foxes, polecats, and badgers. The following account may give an idea of the quantity of game in this quarter. Killed on the Perth estate, anno 1835, hares, 1521 ; grouse, 84*2 ; rabbits, 6268, &c. The large park of Drum- mond Castle is still well-stocked with fallow deer, which adds much to the beauty of its pleasure grounds. The stag has now been driven up to Glenartney for his abode. Botany and Plantations. — Although we had nothing more under this head to mention, than the garden of Drummond Castle, yet that should be enough to induce the botanist to visit our strath. It may be said to be in its style partly Dutch and partly French. The cas- tle stands upon an elevated rock, and on its south side is the far- £imed flower garden, — famed for the manner in which it is laid out, for its locality, arid its size. Scarcely a breath of wind can in- jure the most delicate flower in it ; for on all sides it is protect* ed from the blast ; and every thing about it, as its lofty trees, its descending stairs, its little ponds, and its lovely walks, with va- ried flowers on every hand, render it truly enchanting. We at- tempt not to number the different kinds of heath, of roses, &c. which are to be found in it ; but we notice ono kind of plant, in its hot- house, which latelv attracted much attention. It was the rare plant Aloe Americana. In 1832, June the 30th,- it began to flower. Its temperature was the common heat of the hot-house, and it was nourished by frequent waterings. Its height wjis 23 feet, circum- ference 1 1 inches at the bottom, and I inch at the top ; branches 29, and flowers on each branch 89, in all 2581 flowers. The flowering continued during the month of July, and when all fully blown, the plant died. What made this plant a matter of curiosity, was, the common be- lief, that it only flowers once in the hundred years, and then dies ; and on that account it was visited by most of the florists in Scot- land. Some rare plants are also found in the parish, such as the Pyrola rotundifolia^ Stellaria holosteay Polygala vulgaris^ Eupa^ torium cannahinum^ Anemone nemorosa^ Scahiosa arvensis^ Blech^ num borealej &c. The plantations are to a considerable extent, and consist of fir, in its various kinds, larch, oak, birch, sweet chestnuts, and limes. The largest plantation in the parish is that around Torium Hill, which is said to contain about 600 acres of Scotch 318 PERTHSHIRE. fir. But beaides it, there are others on the Drummond estate, as also on the estates of Ardoch, Braco, Orchill, and Culdees, of pretty large size. In fact, the plantations of Stratheam are amongst its beauties, and contribute much to fertilize it. 11. — Civil History. Accounts of the Parish. — The historical accounts of this parish are mostly of a traditionary nature ; and many of them not much to be depended upon.* All that is written concerning this parish is to be found in the books of the Presbytery of Auchterarder, and in the parochial registers of the kirk-session, and heritors' book. In the kirk-session records, are contained lists of marriages, of births, and baptisms; an account of the distribution of the funds; and of the meetings and doings of the kirk-session. The earliest date of these records is February !2, 1676; and from that time to 1692, incidents are noticed with great regularity. Afterwards, the register is lost, until 1704, when Hally, the first Presbyterian minister, took charge of them, and kept them very carefully, until 1754. After Hally's time, they become irregular and confused, with the exception of the last few years. It is to be hoped, how- ever, that this part of our parochial economy will be more attend- ed to throughout the bounds of the presbytery than in times past, as it has lately feillen under the particular inspection of that reve- rend court. Eminent Persons. — As an individual eminent in the church, we cannot pass by the Reverend William Hally, minister of this pa- rish, so well known in the religious world, especially in connection with the revival at Cambuslang, &c It is well known that the year 1688 was the glorious time of freedom to the Church of Scotland, from the power and persecu- tion of Popery and Prelacy ; but it is also well known that in many parishes these churches held their sway for years, after that bles- sed revolution. Muthill was one of these. By law, the Episco- * Passing along the military road to Ardoch, and near the Mill uf Steps, there are still to be seen the foundations of a blacksmith*s house, who lived seventy years ago, and who bad a beautiful daughter. This young woman could not endure the frowns of her stepmother, and with others embarked for America. On her way thither the ship was captured and carried into Morocco. And the tradition bears that the black- smith's daughter became the Empress o£ Morocco ! An old farmer, who died abcut eighteen months ago, told this tale to the writer, and said that he remembered her well, and that slie often wrote to her friends at the Mill of Steps. It is feirther re- lated that she left two sons, who, about forty years ago, are said to have applied to the government of this country for aid to place them upon the throne of their de- ocMed fkther, against an usurping kinsman, on the plea that they were of British de- scent. But the two young men are said to have been entrapped and cut off by some ambitious relative. 3 MUTHILL. 319 paUans were ejected ; and, from the history of that trying time, we find that the presbytery, /ure devolutOj sought out for an able mi- nister to this parish, but, that it was not until the year 1704 that Hally was ordained by them. In this, the presbytery was fortu- nate in llieir choice, for no one could have filled the situation bet- ter than be. With a heart devoted to the work given him to do by bts Lord and Master, he began, and continued, to labour amongst the people for about half a century ; and although many jFears hare passed nnoe his demise, Hally yet lives in the recollec- tions of the people, for his unblemished character and Christian boldness on the side of truth. At his settlement he had the greatest opposition to C4>ntend with. The Episcopalians, although ejected by law, stOl held out against his ordination, and their minister was resolved to possess the pulpit. ** The opposition," says the piresbytery record, ^* proceeded to the extent of a riot Several individnals of the parish kept the doors of the kirk and kirk-yard, armed with swords and staves, which they made use of, in beat- ing and wounding several that had come there to hear the word.'' But the presbytery persevered in their duty, and went on with the ordination of Hally, in the church-yard ; and in that place he preached for many Sabbaths,* oftentimes pelted with stones, by his widied opponents. At last, through the kind interference of the Duke of Athol, and the firmness shown by the presbytery, and especially by Hally himself, the contest was given up, and the keys of the church were surrendered to him. This took place in March 20, 1705. And then Hally entered that pulpit, which he filled in an eminent degree for forty-nine years and eleven months. * Hally vras succeeded by the two Mr Scotts, father and son, — the former. minister twelve years, — the latter forty- two; these again were socoeeded by Mr Russell. They were all faithful servants ef God, — and, as a proof of this, there has been no Secession church established here ; and we can say of the parish, at the pre- sent time, that there is not perhaps another, in Scotland, where the people are more attached to the Established Church. 7%« Dntmmand Family. — Few families in Scotland can trace a longer line of descent, or boast of nobler alliance, than the house of Drummond.f Its founder was Maurice, a Hungarian noble- * Viig Robe's Narrative of the Revival of Cainbuslang. t Vide Genealogy of the House of DrummoacU by the Honourable William Drum- mood, afterwards first Viscount of Strathallan, 1681, — one who was as illustrious by hts deeds aa by his writings. In his publication, are ^veral curious and interest- ing documents, which merit the attention of the antiquarian. 320 PERTHSIUKE. man, who was one of the attendants of Edgar Atheling, Prince of England, and his sisters, Margaret and Christian, when, in 1068, they took refuge in Scotland, to avoid the insidious designs of William the Conqueror; and who, upon Margaret's elevation to the Scottish throne, was, for his eminent services to the royal fu- gitives, rewarded with a grant of lands, and distinguished by the name of Drummond. * After a continued succession in the male line from Maurice the founder, through twenty-five generations, the estate of Perth and representation of the house of Drummond devolved upon the Honourable Clementina Sarah Drummond, the only survivor of her father, James Lord Perth. In 1807, this lady was married to the Honourable Peter Ro- bert Burrell, eldest son of Lord Gwydir, who succeeded his father as Baron Gwydir, 1820, and his mother as Baron Willoughby de Eresby, 1828; and thus the estate of Perth, and the representa- tion of the house of Drummond, belong now to the Right Ho- nourable Lord and Lady Willoughby de Eresby, who, with their family, are not more distinguished by their rank, than by their kindness and liberality to all around them. Their residence is Drummond Castle, when in this country, which merits some at- tention. It stands at the foot of Torlum, in the western part of the vale of Strathearn, and has a site of considerable elevation, rising gradually from the public road. It was built in 1490, by John first Lord Drummond, one every way distinguished both for his virtues and his illustrious deeds. Some writings of his, which reflect honour upon him, may be found in the genealogical account already referred to. The building now exhibits all the appearance of having suffered from the hand of time and from violence. Tradition says, that it was besieged, taken, and garrisoned by Cromwell's army ; and that, at the Revolution of 1689, it was demolished, with the ex- ception of some fragments, which are still standing. The south wing was fitted up for a library by the late Lord Perth, but is now an armoury. Respect is paid by the present family to the abode of their ancestors, for some repairs were made last summer upon the old walls, to preserve their ruins from further destruction. * An ioterpretation is given of this word by an ancestor of the family as follows : Drum signifies a height—ondef & teave ; hence the name Drummond was given to Maurice, to express bow gallantly he conducted through the swelling waves the ship in which the royal fugitives had embarked for Hungary, when they were forced, by stress of weather, upon the Scottish coast, where they were received by Malcolm with royal munificence. 4 MUTIIILL. 321 The modern castle is a little east from the old, on the same rock, and forms two sides of a square, and although not, at all, such a mansion as the family would have, were they residing constantly in this place, it is, however, comfortable as a summer residence during their visit, and is often the abode of the first nobility of the land. In the castle* there are a few paintings which interest the con- noisseur* Amongst these, we may notice the following : Charles I. with bis Queen and children. Duchess of Ancaster, Lady Ann Gor- don, Lady Ann Drummond, Lady Sarah Bruce, Cardinal Howard, Lord and Lady Perth, James V., James VL, two of Queen Mary, one in her sorrowful, the other in her happier days, a full-length of Peregrine Beatie, Lord Willoughby de Eresby, 1555, George second Marquis of Huntly, the Duke of Perth, James fourth Earl of Perth, Lord High Chancellor of Scotland, 1684, the Chan- cellor's son, &C. Other Families. — Other families of high respectability connect- ed with this parish, are those of the house of Ardoch, of Orchill, and Braco ; and Lord Viscount Strathallan, who lives at StrathaU Ian Castle, Blackford parish, has also a part of his property in this parish. Eminent Men. — Few individuals connected with this parish have risen to any great distinction, in science or literature, if we except Dr Barclay, so famed for his skill in anatomy, and his writings thereon. His uncle, the Rev. John Barclay, founder of the sect styled the Bereans, may be noticed as born in this parish. Rental — The valued rent of the parish in 1835 was L. 7784, Os. 4d. Scotch. Real rent in 1831, L. 14,937 Sterling. Camps at Ardocfu — All antiquaries who have written on the subject of Roman camps in Scotland, have alluded to those at Ardoch. These camps deserve this distinction, as the most entire in this country, nay, perhaps in Britain ; but we believe they would not have been half so much noticed, were it not for the mystery about them, as to whether they were the Castra Stativa of Agri- cola, when on this side of Bodotrla, skirmishing with the Caledo- nian leader Galgacus, or the abode of some other Roman or fo- reign foe. It is not our intention, in noticing these camps, to dispute with the many great authorities, from Richard Cirencester, Hec- tor Boetius,&c, down to a Lieutenant- Colonel Miller, who have published on this subject ; but we shall adhere to the life of Agri- cola, written bv his son-in-law, as the onlv common source to PERTH. X 322 PERTHSHIRE. which any historian can go for information, regarding the monu- ments, and transactions of that great commander, who came to subject the hardy tribes of Caledonia to the Roman sway. And certainly from that Life, we are as muph entitled to 6x upon Ardoch, and its neighbourhood, as the scenes where Agricola abode and repulsed Galgacus, previous to the decisive battle apud Montem Grampium, as others are, to fix upon the neighbour- hood of Loch Orr, in Fife, Blairgowrie, or Battle Dykes, north of Forfar, or Keithic, near Brechin. We consider the camps at Ar- doch and the other places of that nature, connected with them, to have been the abodes of the Romans, in the year 82, when they came to invade the inhospitable regions of the north. The whole space which was occupied by the Romans in their encampment, at Ardoch, consists of four departments, viz. the sta- tion, the procestrium, the great camp, and the less. The station is a permanent camp, situated upon an eminence close by the pub- lic road from Stirling to Crieff. The position was happily chosen for defence ; on all sides the camp was protected ; on the west, by a defence from the banks of the Knaik, rising fifty feet above the surface of the water, and having two fossae between it and the banks ; on the south, by a deep morass that rose a con- siderable way eastward, with its two fossae also ; and on the east and north, by deep intrenchments of five ditches, and six ram- parts parallel to the station ; all of which were very sufficient to guard those within, and to keep off besiegers. The area of the statidn within the intrenchments may still be seen, and is of an oblong form, 420 feet by 375, with its four sides nearly facing the cardinal points of the compass. The place of the Praetorium or general's quarter is a regular square of 60 feet in the side, in the rear or part farthest distant from the enemy ; but it is marked off rather irregularly, — for on inspection, it is not found to be exactly in the middle between the gates, nor paral- lel with those of the station. It is, however, elevated above the general level of the ground, and appears to have been inclosed by a stone wall. Within this, also, there are the foundations of a build- ing 30 feet by 27, which gives some probability to the conjecture, that ther^ was a place of worship once there, which is still called the Chapel hill.* * From one of the sides of the Prsctorium it is said that there was a hole, which went downwards in a sloping direction for many fathoms, in which it was generally beliered treasures as well as Roman antiquities might be found. In order to ascer- tain this, a man, who had been conc'emned by the baron court of a neighbouring MUTHILL. 323 Of the four gates which belonged to the Roman station, three only can now be distinguished, the fourth being scarcely traceable. Fronting the Praetorium is the Praetorian Gate, crossing the north lines in an oblique direction. Opposite to that gate, and behind the Praetorium where the Decuman gate should be, is a road lead«- iog out of the camp, which may have been the Decuman ; and cowards to the right and left of the Praetorium, are to be seen the two, which were called principal gates, as being at the ends of the principal street which crossed the camp in front of the Prae- torium. Upon the Polybean system of castrametation, this fort would acoonunodate 1200 men. Immediately adjacent to the north side of the' station, is the Frocestrium or pro castrum (for a camp,) or an addition to the other, as probably used by Agricola for containing his men and baggage, when he thought of dividing his army into three parts, in order to watch the movements of Galgacus, and fight him from the neighbouring hills. This procestrium seems to have been strongs ly fortified, and a subsequent work to the other, for part of the area of the great camp was included in it ; but its intrenchments are levelled by the plough) while the comer of the former is yet visible. Its south gate is also to be seen, as connecting it with the station, and this again with the fragments of another gate on the north stde^ It was of an oblong shape, consisting of 1060 feet by 900, and is capable of accommodating 4000 men. North-west of the procestrium is the great camp, — so styled Lord, upon obuuDing a pardon, agreed to be let down by a rope. He, at first, brought tip from a great depth, Roman spears, helmets, fragments of bridles, &c. ; but on be- ing let down a lecond time was killed by foul air. A gentleman, who lived at the House of Ardoch, anno 1 720, ordered the mouth of the hole to be covered with a taill stone, to prevent hares running into it when pursued by his dogs : but as there was c«rth to a considerable depth laid over the mill-stone, it cannot now be found, although diligent search has been made for it. Should it ever be discovered, it will Iprobaoly lead to a tank which was formed by the Ramans, in order co receive water filtered from the river Knaik. Sir William Stirling, a former proprietor, inclosed the whole camp with a stone wall, so as to protect the interesting remains from injury. t^ the ploughshare, or in any other way by the hand of man ; and we have little doubt that his successors will be equally careful, in all respects, of these Roman ves- ^gia. Many stone cofins have been found at different times, in digging about the camps or near them ; and the skeletons contained in them have been of an uncommon size. About a mile frest from the camps, a stone coffin was found, containing a skeleton seven ieet long. A mile and a half distant in the muir of Orchill, another was found of the same length, in Cairn WoehiL These have generally been in cairns or heaps of stones, whidi may be accounted for, from a practice in former days of throwing a stone upon the respected dead, or upon any place remarkable, in passing by. So Among the Highlanders there is still a saying, that if one shall do a favour to another, a ** atone shdibe added to his cairn ;**— .that is, his grave khall be remembered and 324 PERTHSHIRE. from its size. Its mean length is 2800 feet, and its mean breadth 1950; it would, therefore, according to the Poly bean system, hold about 26,000 men, and this was what induced General Roy to believe that it was in this camp that Agricola held his great army, previous to his dividing it into three bodies, in order to meet and conquer the Caledonians. The form of this camp is oblong, but not so regular as that of a parallelogram, — a fact which seems to prove that the Ro- mans did not stick close to mathematical nicety, where the nature of the ground did not well permit. The public road to the north, via Crieff, known of old, as the military road, enters by its south gate, and so has cut down one-half of the epaulment which cover- ed it; but the other half still remains rather entire. The north gate is a little east of the road, covered by a straight traverse, and another gate on the west is in the same, way protected. On the east side, towards the north, there is a gate that has been defend- ed, not only by a square redoubt, within the lines, but also by a clavicle, — from which circumstance, it may be supposed that a weak legion was there quartered. On the west side of this great camp is a smaller one of an oblong sihape. Its size is 1910 by 1340 feet, and it would afford accom- modation for 12,000 men. To the antiquary, this one is very in- teresting, especially in tracing the itinera of Agricola. It is evi- dently higher in position than the other camps— one-half of it lies within the other camp, which is adjacent to it — and the fact of its being left so very entire, would incline us to fix upon it, as the abode of the third part of the Roman army that remained with their leader, whilst the others were encamped at Strageath, and Dealgin Ross ; for the entireness of the camp proves that it was the last occupied, and that Agricola left it in great haste with his third division, to aid the 9th legion, who were then almost sub- dued, in the camp of Dealgin Ross, on the plains of Comrie. As to the fact of these being the camps of Agricola, we shall only refer to Tacitus. We take up the history of Agricola while at the isthmus between the estuaries of the Forth and the Clyde, and trace his steps onwards to the Grampians ; and, from the plain reading of the Latin text, throughout the fourth year, it appears he was employ- ed there in erecting forts to secure the conquests which he had made on the other side. This was the case, unless we adopt the very improbable notion that the two rivers named Glpta and Bodotria MUTHILL. 325 were on the borders, or were the boundaries between Scotland and England, and that the Taus is the Solway, &c — which view would overturn all our conceptions of the Roman movements ; and would be making the Taus of Tacitus not that beautiful river which separates Fife from Angus and Perthshire ; the Glota not' tlie Clyde ; and the Mous Grampius not that grand mountain range so well known to every Scotsman, but some little hill in the south. But the rivers Forth and Clyde answer too well to Tacitus' de- scription of Clota and Bodotria. ^^ Nam ,Clota et Bodotria, di* versi maris aestibus per immensum revectae, angusto terrarum spa- tio diremuntur. Quod tum praesidiis firmabatur; atque omuis propior sinus tenebatur, summotis velut in aliam insulam hostibus." This description cannot be applied to any other rivers between Anglesey and the Grampian Hills, but to the Forth and Clyde. This boundary, says Tacitus, would have been sufficient to li- mit the Roman conquests in Britain, had it been consistent with the bravery of their army or the glory of their name. But as it was not, then we read of their crossing the Frith of Clyde, some say at Dumbarton, the following year. With the new nations spoken of as lying to the west, or opposite the coast of Ireland, he had many successful encounters ; and having subdued them, he placed forts with a view to future operations, and afterwards pro- bably returned to the isthmus from which he went, there to winter and make ready for his Caledonian invasion in the spring. But, before leaving this part of the history, we would advert to a difficulty as to the third year's undertakings. — *^ Vastatis usque ad Taum (aestuario nomen est) nationibus.'* Agricola is said to have continued his devastations through the several nations to the mouth of the Tay. This being the case, it is evident he must have returned to the isthmus, where he erected his forts, for his undertaking in the fourth and fifth years were of course posterior to that in the third ; and in this view, we require not to correct the historian's words, as some have done, by saying, that by the Tay he meant the Solway Frith, or the Tweed, or the Tyne. In the fifUi year, it is said that Agricola placed forces towards the west, on' this side of the Clyde, which shewed that he was medi- tating an invasion against the Caledonians. That invasion he undertook in the summer of the following year ; but as to his route from the isthmus towards the camp in which the 9th legion was attacked in the night, and afterwards to the Grampian Hills, 326 PEETHSHIRE. vihere the decisive battle took place, we are left entirely to con- jecture. Next he encamps at Ardooh, eight miles and a-half from the former station, which agrees with the calculations of Ptolemy and Richard ; and, granting all this, the remaining part of Agricola's history, so far as the parish of Muthill is concerned, beconties plain. We have only, in accordance with others, to state, that Agricola being apprized that his enemy surpassed him in numbers, and in the knowledge of the country, and that they meant to at- tack him in divers bands, divided his army into three parts, and marched, to prevent their surrounding him. One part encamped at Dealgin Ross, the other at Strageath, and the other remained with Agricola, in the small oblong camp at Ardoch. On this hypothesis, it was the 9th legion which was assailed by the Caledonians, during night, and had their guards slain in the trenches of Dealgin Ross ; and this may have been owing to the information which the Caledonians might receive of the 9th le- gion, as being the weakest ** ut maxime invalidam," During the time that they were engaged in the camp, Agricola heard from his spies, in what direction the great body of the Caledonian army lay, and as it seems to have been between him and the camp, so he hastened forward, and commanded tho lightest of his foot and oavalry to charge them, whilst yet engaged in the rear, and the whole army presently after to give a mighty shout. This attack of Agricola and his men upon the rear-guard of the Caledonians must have been in a small glen, in the west end of this parish, two miles south of Dealgin Ross ; and so the design of the shout would be, that t^e Romans in the camps of Dealgin Ross might hear and know that tho$e in the small camp of Ardoch had come to their assistance. This may be inferred from the Roman sol- dfers regaining courage, and beating off their enemy to such a de- gree, that, had not the woods and marshes served for shelter to the fugitives, the war had been concluded by this victory. Wq therefore fix upon Blair-in-roan as the place of the de- cisive battle between Galgacus and Agricola at this time. Of this we have presumptive evidence,-^the name itself, as signifying the spotted battle-field, — a small stream which runs through the glen, and is one of the sources of the^achony, named Tai-na-blair, sig- nifying the stream of the battle-field, — besides, the several upright stones in that quarter, still called by the country people the Ro- man stones, — and in addition to all this, the discovery a few years *^ * / ; .-V> MUTHILL. 327 ago, of a very large urn filled with the ashes of the dead, and near by it, several stone coffins, covered over with a heap of stones or a cairn* The other camp or station of the Romans was at Strageath, up- on the banks of the Earn, near to Innerpeffary. Its origioal work appears to have been of small dimensions, and the intended ad* ditions to it, seem never to have been fully executed All its en- trenchments are now levelled by the plough. IIL — Population. In 1755, the population amounted to 2902, 1770, . . 2640, decrease 269 1792, 1821, 1831, line. 2948, increase 308 2925, decrease 23 3297, increase 372 3421, increase 124 Thus in eighty-one years the population has increased 519, which has been chiefly owing to the improvement of land ; for in propor- tion as more of it is brought under crop, more hands are required. The increase has been both in the villages and in the country. In MttthiQ village there are , 1210 In Biaco village, Ardoch, 384 .In the country, 1887 Nomhar of finniliea in the parish, . 695 chiefly employed in agriculture, ;. . 158 in trade, manu&cture, or handicraft, 1 97 inhabited houses, 453 The average number of births for the last five years, 80 deaths, . . . > 50 marriages, . . .25 The number of illegitimate children during the last year was 6. Character of the People^ S^c. — Of the inhabitants we may safely say, that they live comfortably and soberly, and at peace with one another. We have not the temptations of a populous city to con- tend with — neither have we the influx of strangers to captivate us with their novelties and oftentimes with their vices — neither have we any residenters wasting overgrown fortunes amongst us, and ex- citing the envy or dislike of their poorer fellow men. But we have a rural and simple-hearted people, remarkably kind to each other, and given to " rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep." IV. — Industry. HuAandry. — This parish consists of ten estates. About two- thirds of the whole belong to Drummond. Most of the heritors reside on their properties, and agricultu-* ral improvements are promoted by them. This is very percep« tjble in the draining of meadow and marshy ground^ and in tb^ 328 PEaxHSHiRi:. corn-fields rising higher and higher upon the acclivity of our hills ; also in the attention paid to the cropping of land, and the adop- tion of improved implements of husbandry. The order of crop- ping in general) is that of five divisions, viz. after lea, oats — next turnips and potatoes — next barley, with rye-grass and clover,-'and then grass for hay or cutting,— -and afterwards the lea. Wheat is seldom sown in this quarter, because less profitable than barley. Besides it is an uncertain crop, for by our long win- ters and continued frosts, there is a danger, some seasons, of its being altogether lost. Much attention is now paid to the grow- ing of turnips, by manuring with bone dust, &c., which crop is found to be very profitable. Distilleries. — Connected with the agriculture of this parish is the distillation of whisky, which is much to be applauded in every thing, except the object for which it is made. The three distilleries here are advantageous in the consumption of the grain, and the feed« ingof cattle, and the manuring of the ground, as also in employing many workmen; but when we think of the 100,000 gallons which they annually send forth, as of so little benefit to the human consti- tution, but rather very productive of much evil both to the soul and body, we would pause before we commend them ; and say that we hope for better days — days when the public purse will not be filled by « Scotland's scaith." Produce. — The following table will show the gross amount and value of raw produce raised yearly, on an average price for the last ten years : — Arable Und 11564 acres, Oats, 2312.8 7 bolls at 17s. L.> 137,615 rented at 30s. per acre. Barley, 2312.8 6 bolls at L. 1, 2 152,71 1 Green crop, 2312.8 Do. at L. 10 per ac. 23, 1 SO Hay» 2312.8 200st. p.ac. at6d. p. st. 231,200 Pasture, 23 1 2.8 Do. at L. 3 per acre. 6942 Plantation 2503 do. At L. 20 per acre in 20 years. 60,060 Uncultivated 12,170 do. At 10s. per acre. 6085 Total 26,237 do. L. 607,783 V. — Parochial Economy. In this part of our statistics, the statements will be better un- derstood, by noticing Muthill and Ardoch separately, for the lat- ter is now a parish of itself quoad sacra. Market'ToumSy ifc. — The village of Muthill once had its mar- kets, but all these have been properly given up, owing to its near- ness to Crieff. The public road to the south passes through the village. At present, its population is about 1210, chiefly consist- ing of the Icibouring classes, and those connected with them. MUTHILL. 3S9 About sixty of its inhabitants are employed in weaving cotton, which is sent to them from Glasgow. Few villages, we think, can be compared with Muthill, as to the beauty of its locality, its cleanliness, and the simple and artless manners of its people. All its poor are well supplied, and none of them are allowed to beg ; whilst, on the other hand, none of its inhabitants are so rich as to keep their hands from working. But what strikes the visitor of Muthill most, is, the amphitheatre of hills around it ; and then, its stately church, unequalled, it is said, by any country church in the land. Ecclesiastical State. — The parish church is well situated for the convenience of the major part of the people; and, with the excep- tion of 50 in the district of Blair-in-roan, all have it in their power to attend, and do attend the church regularly. Those in Blair- iu^raan attend at sacramental times, but in general go to Comrie, because they are two or three miles nearer that place. The parish church is of a recent date. The old building was condemned in 1825, having stood four centuries. Spottiswood says, that ^^ Bishop Ochiltree succeeded, a wealthy prelate, and well esteemed ; and so purchased to his see a great part of the forfeited lands of Stratheam, adorned the cathedral of Dun- blane^ built the bridge of Knaik and Machant, with the church of Muthill; and did in his time divers other good works.'' The ruins of this ancient fabric serve to suggest the thoughts of other days, and other men, who, although dead, yet live in dear recollec- tion. Beside the ruins, a monument, erected by the people, in me- mory of their late beloved pastor, Mr Russell, may be noticed ; and another erected with some taste, beside the grave of Mr Erskinc, son of an Episcopal clergyman, who lived and died here. The foundation stone of the new church was laid in March 14th 1826, and the building was finished in August 1828; ex- pense of the whole, L. 6900 ; it is of the Gothic style, and is seated for 1600 people. The sittings are all free, and are divided amongst the heritors, in the proportion, in which they paid for the building of the church. The manse stands on the north side of the village, with the glebe around it. It was built in 1720, rebuilt, or nearly so, in 1782, and since that time, it has been constantly receiving addi- tions and repairs, as every old house must do. The glebe, inclusive of the site of the manse, and of the gar- den, consists of 9 acres of excellent land, and the stipend is 16 330 PERTHSHIRE. chalders of grain ; the one-half meal, and the other barley ; with the allowance of L. 10 for communion elements. Besides the parish church, there is in the village a neat build- ing, where the Episcopalians of Strathearu assemble on the Sab- bath, and other days. The population of Muthill, exclusive of Ardoch district, is, 2472 ; and of these about 44 are Episcopalians, and 9 others. Dissenters. Poor oTid Parochial Funds. — The average number of poor on the roll is 80 ; and the average sum given to each of them annual- ly is L. 2, or L. 160 in all. This sum is made up from the church collections, L. 62 ; from Ardoch collection, L. 3, 10s. ; and from a voluntary assessment, on the part of the heritors. And it would be ungrateful not to mention the meal-list of Lady Willoughby, on which there are commonly 60 poor persons, and who have also from the same Lady, their rents paid, and an allowance of fuel and clothing. • . Societies. — A Bible and Missionary Society has for some years been established, in this parish, and is supported by collections on Mondays after the dispensation of the sacrament, which is once in the four months, or three times in the year. The sum' raised in this way, hitherto, has been about L. 26 per annum, which, with some other occasional contributions, prove that the people are some- what alive to the spiritual wants of their fellow men. And this Christian feeling, we would hope, is on the increase amongst us, for during the last half-year, we have collected L. 49 for the Ge^ neral Assembly's four schemes. Savings Bank. — A savings bank has been in operation for more than two years, and promises to do well. At present the amount of its funds is L. 270. Education, — On Muthill side there are eight schools, whereof the parish school is the most important, and by far the most nume- rously attended. The salary is the maximum, viz. L.34, 4s. 4id. which, together with a commodious house and garden, value L. 10, salaries of kirk-session and heritors' clerk, &c. L. 12, 10s. and school fees, L. 16, 10s. make the situation of the schoolmaster somewhat comfortable, although not so much so as it should be* The number of scholars attending the parish school has of late years been about 100, but it is likely that the number will soon be increased, as at present a very spacious and elegant school-house is building, which will contain many more than the former, and be MUTHILL. 331 mucb more comfortable and healthy. As to the success of the pa- rish school, we have only to remark, that frequently young men have gone from it to college, where they have been highly approved of both as to their scholarship and good behaviour. Three of the other schools are partly endowed by Lady Willoughby. The other four have no endowment, which is a matter of regret, as no teacher of abilities will accept of them, or if he do, his stay will be but short. The number of scholars instructed in all these, an« nually, as found at their examinations, has been about 400. We have also about 300 attending the Sabbath schools, a part of edu« cation truly important and useful. Libraries. — There is one supported by subscription in the viU lage ; also in the reading-room furnished by the Right Honour-* able I»rd Willoughby de Eresby, besides a sufficient supply of Scotch and English newspapers, there is a collection of books on agricultural pursuits for the farmers; but the most valuable library in this quarter is that of Innerpeffary, for the use of minis« ters and students. It was left by Lord Madderty, with a small salary for the librarian, which, with the fees of a school that he teaches in one of the wings of the building, afford him a small living. In the library, there are many rare and excellent books» especially on divinity, Ardocb. -^Statistics of Ardoch quoad sacra. — Tl>e perambu- lated bounds of the Chapel district (now a parish quoad sacra^ extend into the parishes of Dimblane and Blackford, and are as fol* lovrs : To Glenlichhom and Green Scores on the west ; Muir- houses, Cameron hills, and Redford on the north; Rahallach, Read and Butter Gask, on the east i and Middle Cambuscheny and Toddleburn, on the south. The church was built in 1780, and styled by the constitution ** the Chapel of Ease at Ardoch." A very thriving village is now rising up beside it, named Braco village, from the circumstance that it consists of feus on the estate of Braco. But we confess that we should have preferred the name Ardoch. Under the fostering and faithful care of the Reverend Messrs Simpson, Logan, Millar, Young, M^Farlane, and Laird, the members of the congregation have so increased, that there are as many communicants who attend the dispensation of the sa« crament, as there are seats, in the church. About a mile and a half south from the church of Ardoch, there is a handful of the United Secession, who have a meeting-house or church. A Mc United Secession, 159 Episcopalians, 12 Original Seceders, 6 Relief, 6 Bereans, 1 332 PERTHSHIRE. Patterson is their minister — number, young and old, 138— sti- pend promised, L. 60. We give the following statement of the district of Ardoch, as furnished to us readily by its present mi* nister, Mr Laird, Population. — In Muthil parish, 949 BeloBging to the Established Church, 1401 In Dunblane, 601 In Blackford, 85 1586 For the care of these 1401 people, we regret to say, that the minister has only a bond from the managers of the church for L. 80, with a free house or manse and garden, and keep for a cow; and we regret, also, that the church cannot contain the people. The people have done much for their church and for their mi- nister ; but yet they require some aid to enlarge their church, and some endowment for the better support of their minister ; and we trust that both will soon be granted them. Besides a prosperous church, they have also a prosperous school* A hundred children are well instructed there, in the common branches of learning. The schoolmaster's income arises altogether from the school fees, which doubtless should be otherwise. An- other school, where a very few children are taught, is about a mile to the north of the village, and has attatched to it L. 2 a year of endowment, left by the Rev. William Hally, minister of Muthill. There are also two unendowed schools in the quarter of Dunblane. The church is conveniently placed for the district, and has at- tached to it a space of country of nearly seventy square miles. Number of sittings in the church 600 ; collections annually, L. 40. Average number of births, 78. Braco village is rapidly enlarging in its buildings, and in its population. At present it has 180 families, and a population of 384. For their moral improvement there is a well-selected library, kept up by subscription. There are also in it two cattle-markets during the year ; and it has also its four public-houses. Miscellaneous Obseryations. During the last forty years, the population of the parish has increased from 2948 to 3421 : its schools have increased from three to ten ; and its cultivated fields have increased to double or treble their number. Of Presbyterian Dissenters, the number has been lessened from 160 to 9, and of Roman Catholics from 42 to 2. Other changes have not been so conducive to its well being and GLENDOVAN. 333 eomfort We allude to the increase of public-houses, from 7 to 20, throughout the parish ; and especially in the village, from 3 to II, — which during last year retailed 1583 gallons of whisky. AuguMt 1837. PARISH OF GLENDOVAN. PRBSBTTERT OF AUCHTERARDER, SYNOD OF PERTH AND STIRLINOi THE REV. JOHN BROWN, MINISTER. L — Topography and Natural History- Thb changes in this parish have been so few, that the writer has little to add to the Report which he furnished to the former Statistical Account. jVai»i«.*-The parish derives its name from the water of Devon, which runs through it in a narrow glen, in a direction nearly from west to east It is situated in the middle of the Ochils, — and is 6 English miles in length, and rather more than 4 in breadth. II. — Civil History. Parochial Registers. — These commence in the year 1700. Ldrndraumers. — There are five land-owners in the parish, viz. LfOrd Camperdown, J. S. Hepburn, Esq., Robert Haig, Esq. William Low, Esq., and Miss Jane Rutherford. HL — Population. Amount of population in 1801 » • 149 1811, . 170 18*21, 139 1831, . 192 Kumber of fiimilies in the parish, . • * 34 chiefly employed in agriculture, - - ]3 trade, manufactures, or handicraft, ^ There were no illegitimate births in the parish during the last three years. IV. — Industry. The farms are the same in extent, and managed in the same way, as reported in the former Account: the arable and pasture land remains the same. Of the arable land, seventeen acres have been, at considerable expense, prepared for being watered by the river Devon. 334 PERTHSHIRE. There has also been for some time past) at Bumfoot, in this pa^ rish, a mill, on a small scale, for spinning wool. This year great ad*- ditions are being made to it. The present erection is double the width of the former, and two stories are in the course of being ad- ded to it It is situated in the midst of a wool country, and I hope the tenant will not be disappointed in his expectations. V. — Parochial Economy. Since my former Account a tolWoad has been made through the Glen: tt passes through the parish for three miles and a hal£ tt was executed at great expense : the forming, metalling, cut^ ting earth and rock, building bridges, and conduits, damages, &c cost L, 5257, 16s. ; but the advantages obtained have been very considerable* The farmers who formerly took from 7 to 8 cwt. sel- dom more, now take from 15 to 18 cwt» ; and carters, who load heavily, take from 20 to 25 and sometimes 80 cwt* The villagers, . who are supplied from Blairengone and Dollar, burn their coal about 6d. per cwt. cheaper than before the road was made, estimating summer and winter together ; and a much greater quantity of lime is now driven by the farmers. ^ Ecclesiastical state, — There are four families in the parish who attend a Dissenting meeting at the Yetts of Muckart. They are descendants of those who separated from the church, when Messrs Wilson, Erskine, MoncreifT, and Fisher left it, and erect- ed themselves into a presbytery. All the rest belong to the Es-* tablished Church. The stipend amounts to L. 150 Sterling. Education. — The parochial school is the only one in the parish. Salary the maximum. Amount of school-fees received, from L. 25 to L. 30. Poor, — The average number of persons receiving parochial aid is four; and the average sum allowed to each is Is. per week. The average amount of church collections for the poor is L. 7 "per annum : and there is no assessment. September 1837. PARISH OF TRINITY-GASK. PRB8BTTSRT OF AUCHTERARDER, SYNOD OF PERTH AND STIRLIKO* THE REV. ALEXANDER H. GRAY, MINISTER. L— Topography and Natural History* Trinity Gask, generally pronounced Tamty, occupies a beau- tiful situation in Stratheam, extending principally on the north side of the river, about four miles east from Crieff, and two straight south from Auchterarder. f^Namc^^The word Gask signifies, I am told, slope or hrae^ and this description is perfectly applicable to the parish, as the amount of level ground in it is comparatively very small. There is ano* ther place bearing the name of Cow or Coul (t. e. behind) Gask^ in the parish ; and when Kinkell was joined, the united parishes got the name of Trinity-Gask, or the three united braes, which it still retains. Extent, 8fc. — There are about 1^ square miles of the parish extendii^ westward on the south side of the Earn ; on the north) it is about 5 miles long by 3 broad, — giving a total of 16 J square miles. Hydrography. — The only remarkable spring is the Trinity Well, a little south of the manse, of great renown in Popish days for the performing of miraculous cures, fortifying against plague, witch- craft, and such other evils. 1 have heard it said that a prohibi- tion of such practices is to be found in the records either of the parish or of the presbytery, but I have not hitherto been able to discover it The right of bleaching at this well is one of the pri* vileges of the minister. The Earn is our principal river, flowing along the whole length of the parish, from west to east, in windings beautifully diversified. In many places, its sloping banks are rich- ly wooded by the hand both of nature and of art. Mineralogy. — The parish presents few features of interest to the mineralogist. At Colquhalzie, in the western extremity of the parish, the Earn flows through a deep ravine or chasm of red clay* stone rock of a soft quality, crumbling by the action of the sun and frost To the westward, it becomes gradually intermixed with 836 PERTHSHIRE. micaceous particles, assumes a hard and durable quality, passing into red sandstone; quarries of which have been worked near Millearne, and at Lawhill, near the church. The trap dike, so conspicuous at Dninmiond Castle, traverses the county from west to east parallel with the northern boundary of the parish, occa- sionally rising into rugged ridges. Specimens of a heavy grayish stone, found at Denbum, on the property of Sir Thomas Moncrieff, were, I am told, sent some years ago to skilful mineralogists, who reported that they contained a small proportion of copper ; but the distance from coal is so great that the return never could have compensated the outlay. ITie parish contains soil of every variety. Zoology. — We have many varieties of cattle. The short-horned breed, recently introduced by the patriotic exertions of the Viscount Strathallan, are rising rapidly in estimation, and very high prices are given for bulls and bull calves of that valuable stock. There are few sheep pastured. The Leicester kind seem the general favourites. The beneficial practice, however, of feeding off turnip with sheep, is ra- pidly extending, for which purpose the black-faced are most com- monly used. The fish found in the Earn are salmon, yellow and sea trout, pike and perch. The Earl of Kinnoul, the Viscount Strathallan, Sir Thomas Moncrieff, Mr Home Drummond, and Mr Hepburn, have a right to fishings, but the operations of the stake-nets on the Tay have for many years rendered the upper fishings of little value. Plantations. — There are no very uncommon plants found in the parish. The extent of plantation is about 1000 acres, prin- cipally upon the properties of Mr Oliphant of Gask, Sir Thomas Moncrieff, Viscount Strathallan, Mr Graham Stirling, and Mr Hepburn. The oldest woods consist entirely of Scotch firs, the more recently planted of larch, spruce, and oak, all of which seem to agree well with the climate and soil. The largest hard-wood trees are found aroimd Millearne House and Colquhalzie, but they are in no respect remarkable. n. — Civil History. Parochial Registers. — The Session records of the parish contain accounts of baptisms, fines, collections, distributions, and disci- pline. They commence in 1641. The most memorable facts mentioned are " on Sunday, the 5th of November 1643, the cove- nant was read, explicate, and public intimation made tliat all be present the next day to swear and subscribe it," — " On Sunday, the 12th November, this day all did swear and subscribe the co- venant." We have also an account of the first provision made by TRINITY-GA8K. 337 the kirk-session for a parochial teacher, ordering his salary of 100 merks yearly to be exacted of the parish. The rebellions in 1715 and 1745 are not noticed in any manner. In 1774, there were no less than twenty-four table services ; now they seldom exceed five or six. . The parochial registers are very full in some respects, and equal- ly scanty in others. From 1770 to 1B34, they have been very cor- rectly and neatly kept, especially whilst under the charge of the late schoolmaster, Mr John Macintyre. Eminent Men, — I am not aware that any eminent characters have been connected with this parish, either by birth, residence, or burial. Dr Kemp, who afterwards became too notorious, was or- dained minister of this parish in 1 770, and was translated to Edin- burgh. Dr David Ritchie, now of St Andrew's Church, Edin- bai^h, was schoolmaster here for several years ; and my imme- diate predecessor Dr James Burgh, ordained in 1794, died 1834, from his great natural talents, learning, shrewdness, kindliness of heart and of demeanour, would certainly have, made no inconside- rable appearance in the church, had he not, for many years pre- vious to his death, been incapacitated for much exertion by bodily weakness and infirm health. LoTtd-moners. — The proprietors of the parish, arranged accord- ing to the rental of their properties, are. Sir Thomas MoncrieflT, Bart. ; The Viscount Strathallan ; Thomas Graham Stirling, Esq. of Strowan; J. G. Home Drummond, Esq. of Abbotsgrange ; J. Stewart Hepburn, Esq. of Colquhalzie ; The Earl of Kinnoull ; J. R Oliphant, Esq. of Gask ; Anthony Murray, Esq. of CrieflF; William Muckersey, Esq. Antiquities, — The only antiquities are the ruins of an old castle, at the eastern extremity of the parish, called ^^ Gascon Hall," said to have been the place where Sir William Wallace encounter- ed the ghost of Faudon, as narrated by Blind Harry; but its appear- ance would not justify any such remote origin. No one can fur- nish any information regarding it ; the idle traditions of the coun- try are every one more absurd and contradictory than another. It stands close upon the north side of the Earn ; but there are no in- scriptions nor monuments of any kind from which its origin and his- tory can be ascertained. The real Gascon Hall is said to have stood about a mile and a half north-east from this, amongst the pre- sent woods of Gask. There is also a peculiar-looking stone standing on the high ground, about a mile west, and north from this PERTH. Y 338 PERTHSHIRE. ruin, called the " Borestone." It has borne an inscription, but age has so completely obliterated the characters, that it is impossible to de- cypher a single word. The figures of animals, among which the boar, stag, and elephant predominate, may still be traced. Some maintain that it was a try sting-place for the hunting of the wild boar, others that it was an instrument of punishment, with which idea the stone corresponds. It is about 5 J feet high, with two holes at the top, through which the arms of the delinquent might be thrust, and be kept there in a sort of pillory. There are many traditions and legends connected with this relic also, but they are too ab- surd to be committed to writing. There was a chapel in former times upon the present farm of Cow or Coul Gask. The place still bears the name of Chapel-hill ; but it was trenched over some time ago, and not a trace of it is now to be found. Dr Ross, the present tenant, who was born upon the farm, has no recollec- tion of ever having seen crosses or any other curious relics. We have about four miles of the Roman road from the Stormont to the camp at Ardoch in this parish. Two of these are in a dreadful state of disrepair, — in winter indeed totally impassable. The other two, through the active liberality of Lord Stratliallan, and other pro- prietors and tenants, have lately been very much improved, and in a short time will form part of an excellent road to Perth. Some coins have been found in the parish, but none, I believe, of any great antiquity. About six years ago, a tumulus, about 3 feet by 2, con- sisting of four large stones, and covered with a fifth, was discovered upon the property of Lord Kinnoull, containing a considerable quan- tity of decayed human bones. It was supposed to be a relic of the Romans, but there was nothing from which this could be positive- ly determined. The remains of the skulls lying at the eastern end would indicate an origin prior to the introduction of Christianity. Around the sarcophagus, and mingled with the stones of the cairn which covered it, were ashes and burnt bones, as if animals or cap- tives had been sacrificed on the tomb of the chief. Modern Buildings. — The only modern building deserving par- ticular notice is the mansion of J. G. Home Drummond, Esq., built in the style of an embattled manor-house. It is in the late or Tudor Gothic siyle of Henry VII. and VIII. The carving, in stone and wood is beautifully executed, and almost entirely by workmen in this and the neighbouring parishes. The grounds are also laid out with the greatest taste, and, aided by its commanding situation, Millearne House constitutes one of the chief attractions TRINITY-GASK. 339 of the surrounding neighbourhood. The gardens and hot-houses contain an extensive collection of exotic plants. III. — Population. There are old people in the parish who speak of the population of -Trinity- Gask in their early days as having been double its pre- sent amount. Id 1755) Dr Webster's report makes the population 913 1796, it was 795 1831, . . 620 1837, . . .554 This rapid decrease is caused by the converting of a number of small into one large farm, and the dislike which the tenants have to keeping up the cottages upon them, both from the expense which it occasions, and the annoyance and loss to which they are subject- ed, by their occupants persisting in keeping poultry, which support themselves at the farmer's expense, and greatly aid the poor people in paying their rents. The yearly average of births is 8 deaths, - 10 marriages, 4 The aTerage number of persons under 15, is - 162 churchmen ; 71 dissenters. betwixt 15 and 30, 137 62 30 and 50, 40 31 50 and 70, 8 14 upwards of 70, 9 11 Episcopalians, 8 ; Roman Catliolic, 1 . 8 1 364 190 The only resident proprietors are, J. G. H. Drummond, Esq. residing at Milleame House ; and J. Stewart Hepburn, Esq. whose mansion of Colquhalzie is beautifully situated on the south side of the river. All the proprietors, with the exception of Mr Muckersey, are possessed of lands yielding far more than L. 50 of yearly rent. The number of unmarried men, bachelors and widowers, upwards of fifty years of age is - - - - 9 unmarried women upwards of forty- five, - - 14 There are 86 families with an average of 4 children. There are only two houses at present building, and three uninhabited. There is only one insane person in the parish ; no blind, deaf, nor dumb. IV. — Industry. Trinity-Gask is entirely an agricultural parish. We have two or three weavers, as many masons and carpenters as are requir- ed for the work of the parish, two shoemakers, but no tailor. The number of arable acres is 4290. Perhaps 2000 more might be brought in, and they are now in the course of being so. The expense, however, is very great, from the amount of draining requir- 340 PERTHSHIRE. ed. The number of acres underwood is nearly 1000. The trees are, Scotch firs, spruce, larch, and oak, with a few beeches here and there. The management of them is most skilfully conducted. Rent — The average rent of arable land in the parish may be rated at L. 1, 5s. per acre. It is impossible to hazard any opinion upon the rate of pasture; some of it is worth L. 2, 10s. and other parts again not worth Is. Considerable attention seems to be paid to the breed of cattle, and with great success. The character of the husbandry pursued upon the principal farms justly stands decidedly high ; draining and embanking are carried on to a great extent ; but irrigation, from the steep and unequal surface of the country, cannot be adopted. The leases in general are for fifteen, seventeen, or nineteen years, the last the most common. The farm-houses and steadings are in excellent order. All our landlords are actuated by a praiseworthy desire of seeing their tenants as comfortable and prosperous as pos- sible. The great obstacles in the way of improving the moorish lands are such as no capital nor industry could surmount with any prospect of a reasonable remuneration, arising as they do from the nature of the soil and climate. There are two quarries, both sup- plying stones for the building of farm-houses, steadings, dikes, &c They are of an inferior quality. The stone for Millearne House was brought from Dollerie, in the parish of Maderty. Produce, — The average gross amount of raw produce, as nearly as I can calculate, may be, Grain of aU kinds, . . L. 7050 Potatoes and turnips, . 4700 Hay and pasture, 2900 Gardens of the cottagers, 120 L. 14770 The only association in the parish is a society for the encourage- ment of good ploughing. It assuredly is productive of good, though sometimes giving rise to feelings of jealousy among the competi- tors, to say nothing of a little excess among the judges when de- ciding upon the rival claims. V. — Parochial Economy. There is no market-town nearer than Auchterarder, fully five miles south from the centre of the parish. There is certainly a boat by which passengers cross the Earn, and save nearly a mile ; but, except in very dry weather, the roads are so fearfully bad that the near way is sure to prove the most fatiguing and vexatious. Crieff is six miles west from the centre of the parish. Auchterar- 342 PERTHSHIRE. long be put upon a level with the neighbouring parishes. There is one Dissenting chapel, in connection with the United Associate Synod, in this parish. The first was built almost immediately after the Secession took place, and the present about 1 790. The present minister (Mr Forrester) came with the understanding that he was to have L. 65 a-year ; but the very utmost the congrega- tion can accomplish for him is to pay the rent (L. 39) of the farm upon which he resides, and to give L. 5 a-year, raised by two col- lections, to defray the sacramental expenses. The congregation, ga- thered from the surrounding parishes, consists, I am informed, of about 100 hearers, and 84 members. The chapel is seated for 800, but might contain 1000, and in former days was crowded every Sabbath, people coming from distances of twelve and sixteen miles* The number of families in connection with the Established Church is 50, and the average number of persons attending the parish church about 150 ; — many of the church people, except at the sacrament, attending the Established Church nearest them ; those at the east end going to Gask, — at the west, to Muthill,— and at the south, to Auchterarder. The number of comtnuni- cants, last two years, was 183. The number of families connected with dissenting chapels in Kinkell, Auchterarder, and Dunning is 36. The average amount of collections in the church is L. 18; pro- clamation of banns, 10s. 6d. ; mortcloth, fines, &c. L. 1, lis. 6d. Education, — The parochial school is the only one in the parish ; and the branches of education taught are, reading, writing, arith- metic, elements of practical mathematics, English grammar, geo- graphy, and Latin. The present schoolmaster is also qualified to teach Greek and French ; but these are not demanded by the heritors. His salary amounts to L. 35, 9s. 4d. He is also precentor, and session-clerk, with a salary of L. 2, 10s., and his school fees will make his income fully L. 50 a-year. He has a good house and garden. I have not yet met with any of my parishioners betwixt six and fifteen who cannot read and write. There are 50 upwards of fifteen who cannot write, — none, I hope, who cannot read. The people are deeply sensible of the infinite importance of education, and are willing to make many sacrifices to secure it for their children. The great distance of the west and south ends of the parish must make it inconvenient for young children to attend the parish school at any season of the yeaf, and for all in those quarters during the winter. They f^ere- TRINITY-GASK. 343 fore attend the schools of the neighbouring parishes in preference. Three additional schools, in the south, west, and east ends of the parish would certainly be a great convenience ; but there could not possibly be a sufficient number of children to fill them. Literature. — There is no library of any description in the parish as yet ; but there is every reason to hope that we shall be able to establish one in connection with the Sabbath school, to which the parents all seem anxious to afford every countenance and support. Poor's Funds. — The average number of paupers is 8; monthly allowance, 4s. When they have no relatives willing or able to take care of them, the house lent is also paid, generally L. 1, 10s. a year. We at present have 5 paupers, and only one house rent to pay. The collections amount to about L. 18 a year. The heri- tors for some time past have annually given a voluntary contribution of L. 50. In addition to this, we have the interest of a capital sum of L. 80. Allowances of coals are very general. This is assuredly a very heavy charge for so small a population, but there is an in- sane pauper, boarded at the rate of L. 15 a year, and his clothes; one illegitimate child at L. 4, 16s. and his clothes ; and till very lately another at L. 9. There is now good ground for believing that the heritors may be spared nearly one-third. The people do, generally speaking, feel a reluctance to apply to " the box ;" and one woman six weeks ago voluntarily gave up her allowance, her health having so much improved that she was able to work for her- sel£ Inns. — We have one public-house, the toll-house at Kinkell bridge, which, perhaps, could not be dispensed with. Fuel. — The want of fuel is perhaps the very greatest drawback upon the comfort of Trinity- Gask. Dollar, at the distance of twenty miles, is the nearest coal-hill. Tillicoultry, of which the coals are of a superior quality, is four miles farther, so that when driving and other expenses are paid they cost 2^d. a stone, — a present 2d. Subscriptions are being raised just now in this and all the neigh- bouring parishes, to sink a shaft at Tullibardine, in the parish of Blackford, on the property of the Viscount Strathallan, with the confident hope of finding coal. The subscription is advancing with great spirit, and, should the attempt prove successful, it will prove the greatest of blessings to all the neighbourhood. Peats cannot be got nearer than Methvcn moss, a distance of seven miles from the centre of the parish, and they cost 4s. 6d. 344 PERTHSHIRE. a load. Wood is consumed in considerable quantities, — principally the useless branches of the firs used for country purposes. Miscellaneous Observations. From the last Statistical Account of this parish, we are warrant- ed to infer, that much has been done to advance the style of agri- culture pursued, to reclaim lands, and improve them by draining, embanking, &c. The lands close upon the north side of the Earn are now never, I believe, flooded by the river, though often kept for a considerable period under water by the rain and melting snow from the higher grounds. There is now a considerable' quantity of bone dust and lime used. More of both would be em- ployed, were not the distance from Perth (thirteen miles) so great. Should any railway ever come near us, it will be a great en- couragement to attempt reclaiming many parts of the moor lands which now lie hopelessly waste. Every great farm has a thrash- ing-mill attached to it, and there are grinding mills, driven by water, at an easy distance from every part of the parish. The principal road through the parish is very good, and now 100 stones of coal are not considered an unreasonable load, even for so long and continuous a journey. It would add greatly to the beauty of the parish, were more hard-wood trees planted along the hedge-rows, and the fences of every description kept in better repair. September 1837. PARISH OF BALQUHIDDER. PRESBYTERY OF DUNBLANE, SYNOD OF PERTH AND STIRLING. * L — Topography and Natural History. Name. — The name is compounded of the words, baHe-ckul'tir, signifying the town or territory at the back of the country. Extent J §-c. — The parish is about 18 miles in length, and between 6 and 7 miles in breadth, and comprises many straths, glens, and valleys, and a vast number of hills and lofty rocks. It seems pro- per to mention some of these. — Strathyre, signifying in Gaelic the warm strath ; Glenbuckie, signifying the glen where roebucks • Drawn up by the late incumbent, the Rev. Mr McGregor. 4 BALQUEIIDDKR. 345 aiatmded in ancient times ; EdiDchip, the hill in the shape of a shoe" nutier^s last; Lochearnhead, where there is a small country village ^th a good inn, having every requisite accommodation for travel- lers ; E^inample, from the words, eadan^ face, and teampnilj tem- ple, and importing that a place of worship had been on the £ice of the hill at a very remote period : here stands an ancient castle belonging to the family of Breadalbane ; it is surrounded with lofty plane-trees ; and there is a grand waterfall close to it, which at- tracts the attention of travellers : Glenogle, signifying the terr\fk ^&ii, is a narrow pass leading from Lochearnhead to Glendo- chard in Breadalbane ; it is surrounded on both sides of the road by stupendous hills full of rocks and scamachsy the haunts of foxes and ravenous birds. Boundaries. — The parish is bounded on the south by the pa- rish of Callander; on the east by the parish of Comrie; and on the north and west by the parish of Killin. Topographical Appearances. — The country on both sides of the river and lakes is environed by a ridge of hills, some of which are of considerable height, and rise almost perpendicular from the strath. A few of them may be mentioned Binean, signifying the mountain ofbirdSi is nearly as high as Benmore, which is immediately adjoining : Stobchon, the hill of the dogs : Beinchroin, the mountain to here the deer used to roar : Craigruigh Hill, the King's rock, where, it is said. King Robert Bruce concealed himself after he had lost the battle of Dalrey, and before that of Bannockbum was fought ; on the south side of this stupendous hill are numerous rocks, cavities, and scamachs ; and to a traveller below, it appears indeed wild and romantic : Sithean a chath, an eminence at the western extremity of the parish : Fioghan situated on the north of the Kirkton Glen, and halfway between Balquhidder and Glendochard. Above the manse is a stupen- dous rock, much admired by all travellers, and seen at a great dis- tance. It is the resort of hawks, wild pigeons, and martins. About forty or fifty years ago the face of the hills was gene- rally covered with heather, which has now almost disappeared. Hydrography. — There are a vast number of springs, chiefly pe- rennial, in the parish. The lakes are, Loch^voil^ Loch-doine^ half of Lochhdmaigy and a part of Locheam. Loch-voil or phuil sig- nifies the muddy lake : Lochdoincy the deep water : and Loch^lub^ naig^ the winding lake. The only river of note in the place is Bal^ vag^ signifying the smooth running water. It takes its rise at Loch^ 346 PERTHSHIRE. voil, and runs smoothly in a serpentine direction to the south-east, about five miles through the strath, and discharges itself into Loch- lubnaig. Calair, a lesser river than Balvag, flows from Glenbuckie, and rages furiously in time of flood, from which circumstance the name is derived. Geology, — The rocks in this parish are mica-slate, clay-slate, quartz rock, primitive greenstone, and porphyry. Veins of galena or lead glance traversing the mic^-slate occur in several parts, but none of these appear to have been worked for the ore they contain. Woods, — There are several woods in the parish, consisting chiefly of oak, coppice, birch, ash, alder, and mounUiin-ash. There are likewise several young plantatious of Scotch, larch, and spruce firs, which are thriving well. There are some plane-trees of con- siderable size, and also oaks. The soil seems to be well adapted for growing all kinds of wx)od usually planted in the country, such as firs, oak, plane-tree, &c. II. — Civil Histoky. Antiquities, — In a field somewhat to the south-east of the manse, there is a stone resembling an obelisk, about five feet high. The people call it Puidrac : but the nature and origin of it, the writer has not ascertiiined. About a mile to the eastward of the manse, a desperate battle was fought between the M'Larens and the Leneys, some suppose in the time of the Alexanders. The McLarens from time imme- morial were inhabitants of Balquhidder, and the Leneys resided near Callander. The natives mention every circumstance relating to this conflict with great exactness. Eminent Men, — The late Sir John MacGregor Murray, of Mac- Gregor, Bart, was buried in the family vault, about a mile to the east- ward of the manse ; he was a distinguished Gaelic scholar, and zea- lous and unwearied in his exertions to collect and preserve the ancient poetry of the Highland bards. He held the rank of colonel in the army, and raised a regiment of infantry, called the Clan Al- pins, for the service of his country, which was commanded by his brother. Colonel Alexander MacGregor Murray, who was also bu- ried in the mausoleum belonging to the family. Land-oicners, — The chief land-owners are, the Marquis of Breadalbane; Sir Evan J. Murray MacGregor of MacGregor, Bart.; Alexander Buchanan, Esq. of Arnprior ; Earl of Moray ; and John Lorn Stewart, Esq. of Glenbuckie. arochial Registers. — There is a register of baptisms and mar- BALQUHIDDER. 347 riages kept in the parish, the earliest date of which is November 1696 : it is regularly kept. MoTision^ Houses, — There are two mansion-houses, Edinample Castle, and Glenbuckie House, the former built some centuries back, and the latter about ten years ago. HI. — Population. The greatest number of souls in the parish, so far back as can be traced, was 1592; by last census, the population was 1049. The yearly average of births for the last seven years is 24, and that of marriages 9. There are 9 proprietors of land, whose rentals all exceed L. 50 yearly. Graelic is the language generally spoken, but it has been ra- ther losing ground within the last forty years. Number of &milles in the parish, . . • . .218 chiefly employed in agriculture, . . J 13 in trade, manufactures, or handicraft, . 30 IV. — Industry. Agriculture, — The number of acres which are occasionally under tillage, has not been ascertained. The arable land and hill pas- ture are generally let together, excepting some small lots, consist- ing of a few acres arable land and meadow, which may be rented at the average of L. 1 per acre. J^ive-Stock. — The common breeds of sheep and cattle are the black-faced sheep and West Highland cattle, and considerable at- tention is paid to improve them, by introducing sheep and cattle from other stocks. As a proof of the attention which is paid to the im- provement of sheep stock in this parish, it may be stated that they generally bring the highest prices at the Falkirk Tryst V. — Parochial Economy. Market-Town. — There is no market-town in the parish, and the nearest market-town is Callander, distant from the Clachan about twelve miles. Villages. — There are two small villages in the parish, one in Strathyre, and the other at Lochearnhead, both on the turnpike road that leads from Stirlincr to Fortwilliam. Means of Communication. — The length of the turnpike road through the parish is eleven miles. There is a post-oflSce at Lochearnhead. There are two bridges on the river Balvag, and in fiill repair. Ecclesiastical State. — The church is situate about the centre of the parish, conveniently, at that time, for the population. In the 348 PERTHSHIRE. Braes district, to the west of the church, where there were 50 te- nants, with a cottar perhaps under every tenant, there are at pre- sent only 3 tenants and 1 cottar ; so that now the greater part of the population is in the Lochearnhead, or the north-east district, and in Strathyre the south-east district. The church was built in the year 1631, and has been repaired several times since ; it may contain about 600, and the seats are ail free. The manse was built in the year 1774, and was repaired about twelve years ago. There are no Dissenters in the parish. Divine service is generally well attended in the summer season. Education. — There are three schools in the parish. In the parochial school are taught, Latin, writing, arithmetic, reading, English and Gaelic. In Strathyre district, there is a school sup- ported by the Society in Scotland for Propagating Christian Know- ledge, in which are taught English, writing, arithmetic, and Gae- lic There is another school, established at Lochearnhead, and supported by the General Assembly's Committee ; the branches of education taught in it are Latin, writing, arithmetic, English, and Gaelic In all these schools, strict attention is paid to the morals of the youth, and to their religious instruction. The pa- rochial schoolmaster's salary is the maximum, and the school fees may amount to L. 10 a year. He has not a garden, but has the fiars price of 2 bolls oat-meal in lieu thereof. There are none in the parish between six and fifteen years of age who are not taught to read, and the people in general are alive to the benefits of edu- cation. October 1837. PARISH OF CALLANDER. PRESBYTERY OF DUNBLANE, SYNOD OF PERTH AND STIRLING. THE REV. P. ROBERTSON, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History . Name. — Callander is generally supposed to be derived from the Gaelic oames Calladhy signifying a ferry, and sraidj the way leading to the ferry, by which is meant the ferry across the river Teatb, a little below the place where the present bridge stands. Extent^ Sfc. — From east to west, the parish extends about 18 miles. In many places, it is very narrow, varying from one to six miles. A range of the Grampian mountains bounds the parish on the north and north-west Topographical Appearances. — The most conspicuous mountain is Benledi, contracted for Bemn-le-Dia^ the hill of God. This name was probably given to the mountain by the Druids, who had a temple on the summit of it, where the inhabitants in the vicinity assembled for devotion once a-year, and it is said that this meeting continued three days. The height of Benledi is 2863 feet above the level of the sea. The view from the summit is very fine. To the east is seen the Frith of Forth as far as the eye can reach ; to- wards the south, the Frith of Clyde and the hills of Arran ; and to the north and west is a splendid view of the Grampians, one rising higher than another. Benledi stands about two miles west of Cal- lander, and adds much to the beauty and grandeur of the surround- ing scenery. The next mountain to be noticed, is Stuic-a-chroin, which in the east is seen between Benledi and Ben vorlich, and makes a respectable appearance among the Grampians; it is 3171 feet above the level of the sea. Uamhmhor, from the Gaelic words, uamh signifying a cave, and mor or mhor great, may be mentioned also among our higher hills. Tradition says, that in the cave of this pile banditti took up their residence, and plundered the neighbour- hood, until in self-defence the tenants were obliged to rise in arms and extirpate them. Such practices were very common in the High- lands, in those feudal times when the law was set at defiance. We 350 PERTHSHIRE. ought not to omit mentioning a very picturesque hill, which rises above the village of Callander, and which, by having been planted a few years ago by Lord Willoughby de Eresby, contributes much to the beauty of the village. The principal valley in this parish is that in which the village is situated, bounded 6n the west by Ben- ledi : on the north, by the romantic Crag of Callander and hills of Leney, through which the river Teath meanders with its richly wooded banks. The valley may be about 40 feet above the level of the sea. Climate^ een traversing this neighbourhood, particularly in winter. Hares, rabbits, and foxes are numerous; the latter often commit sad depredations among the sheep and game. Wild cats, badgers, &c. are also found. Such places as the Glen of Hracklatid and the Trosachs afford shelter and security to these destructive animals. We have here the grouse, black-cock, the ptarmigan, the partridge, the phea- sant, the snipe, and plover. Wild ducks and other water- fowl abound, and not unfrequently the eagle is seen soaring in the heavens, or perched on the pinnacle of a rock in the Trosachs. Our lakes, and rivers, and mountain streams, abound in trout, sal- mon, pike, eel, perch, char, and other small tish. Botany. — The oak, the ash, alder, Scotch fir, birch, plane, holly, hazel, and the willow, grow spontaneously, 'I'he oak is valu- able, and is cut commonlv everv sixteen or twcntv vears, and the bark sold to the tanners. The proprietors pay great attention to their oak woods, and some of them are beautifying the ap- pearance of the country by rich and extensive ])lantations of Scotch fir, larch, spruce, plane, elm, beech, lime, chestnuts, pop- lar, and other trees. There are some trees which have grown to a good size, mostly of hard wood, and some Scotch fir. On the glebe are still remaining full grown trees, planted by the Earl of Cal- lander about the year 1596 ; and a venerable hawthorn in front of the manse, with its branches curiously entwined, is still in full vigour. The most common shrubs which grow upon the higher grounds are broom, whins and, heath of the usual kinds. Of the heath, the Highlanders in former times made a dye, first by boil- ing woollen cloth with alum, and then with the tops of heath, which produced an orange-colour. It has been used too in tanning leather. Juniper grows in all soils and situations, and of difl'erent sizes. The PERTH. / 854 PEUTHSHlllE. berries are three years in ripening, and upon the same bush they may be seen in their different stages. The juniper is esteemed a good antiscorbutic. * The grasses to be met with are the ryegrass, red, white, crow- foot clover, scirpus or rush grass, eriophorum or cotton-grass, alo pecurus or fox-tail ; with rib-grass, water-cress, thyme, mint, cow parsnep, chickweed, and wood sorrel. There abound here also digitalis, solanum or nightshade, hemlock, nettle, thistle, dande- lion, mugwort, mallow, filices or ferns. These last are much used in the Highlands for thatching houses, and endure for many years. When used for thatch, the fern is pulled out of the earth by the root. It is also used for making manure, and when cut green and properly dried, both horses and cows eat it IL — Civil History. Village. — The village of Callander is built upon feus held of the family of Perth. To each feu is attached an acre or two of land, for which the feuar pays about L. 1, lOs. per acre, or from that to L. 3, ac- cording to the quality of the soil. The houses are built substantially with stone and lime, and covered with slate. The street is wide, and regularly cleaned and repaired. There is an abundant supply of excellent water in different parts of the village, conducted in leaden pipes, the original expense of which was defrayed by Lady Wil- loughby, who has done much to add to the neatness of the village and the comfort of its inhabitants. Through Callander passes the principal road to the Western Highlands by Lochearnhead, Tyn- drum, and Black-mount ; and from this place, there are several other roads branching out in different directions. Antiquities, — About a mile west of Callander, there are the re- mains of a fortification on the top of a hill, called Dun ho chais" tily the hill of the castle. This must have been a place of considerable strength ; the face of the hill is perpendicular, rising to the height of about 300 feet, and quite inaccessible on the south. The gateway and three tiers of ditches and mounds are distinct upon the top. The mounds are strengthened with large stones, and within was a sunk well, which has been filled up, as cattle were liable to fall into it. From the summit of this hill, there is an extensive prospect, particularly to the east ; the * 1 have beard it said, that when the plague was in Scotland and )iad reached Callander, the people to the westward at I3ridge of Turk, where this plant abounds, were in the habit, two or three times every day, of setting fire to a quantity of juniper. Whether this prevented contagion or not, 1 know not, but the plague did not reach them. CALLANDBR. 355 approach of an enemy might be seen many miles off, and the people of the country would thereby have time to arm themselves and take shelter in this stronghold. In the plain of Bochastle, and in the immediate vicinitv of this fortification, is an artifi- cial bank of earth and stone, which perhaps was erected for the purpose of reducing this fort; but we have no authentic record on this subject In Loch Catherine is an island, which the inhabi- tants in Strathgartney used for the like purpose. When aware of the approach of an enemy, the most valuable possessions, with the women and children, were immediately conveyed to it. Then the men armed themselves and took possession of the passes and de- files of the Trosachs, to prevent the advance of the enemy. Dr Robertson, late minister of the parish, in a sketch of the scenery of Callander and the Trosachs, gives the following ac- count: — " In one of the defiles of this bve-road, the men of the country at that time hung upon the rear of the invading enemy, and shot one of Cromwell's men, whose grave marks the scene of action, and gives name to the pass (Bealach an duine^ the pass or defile of the man). In revenge of this insult, the soldiers re- solved to plunder the island, and, with this intention, one of the party swam in to fetch the boat to his comrades, who stood on the shore in full view of all that was to pass — but, just Jis the soldier had got to the nearest point of the island, one of the women severed his head from his body. The hostile party seeing this disaster, made the best of their way out of their perilous situation." There are still seen at the manse, the remains of the Castle of Callander, which, with the adjoining lands belonged to the Earl of Callander. It consisted of a square strong building of considerable height. The property was forfeited in the reign of James I. or II. of Scotland, and passed to Livingstone, who was created Earl of Callander and Linlithgow. This person pro- bably repaired the castle, after his accession to the earldom, as a stone is still preserved in the walls of the manse, bearing his initials and those of his lady, A. L. E. H. 1596. We find the re- mains of another forti6cation on the farm of Achinlaich, the pro- perty of Mr Buchanan of Arnprior. The hill is planted, and the ditch and mound on the top have been thus preserved, and are still very distinct. It was probably used for the like purposes as that on the Dun of Bochastle, There is a beautiful circular mount adjoining the church-yard of Callander called Tom-ma" Ckessaifff the hill of St Kessaig, who was the tutelar saint 35G PERTHSHIUE. of this place. A market is still held here, annually, in the month of March, which goes by I he name of FeiU-ma'Ches^ saig^ L e, the festival of St Kessaig. There is a similar tu- mulus, ahout half a mile west, at a place called Little Leney, where was a chapel of old, and which is still used as a hurying- place. There is only jone turnpike road in the parish leading from Callander to the West Highlands. The other roads in the parish are kept in repair, by money raised from the tenants, who are assessed according to their rents and tlie extent of their farms, and also from such others as are able to ])ay. The money thus col- lectcil is laid out by commissioners in repairing roads and bridges. There is a new line of road in progress from Kippen to Callan- der by Thornhill, which, when completed, will be of essential bene- fit to this place, as it will open up to us a direct communication with the farmers in the Frews, who have been in the habit of supplying this place with hay, &c. III. — Population. The population in 1 7.55, 1772, 1787, 1791, 1811, 1821, 1831, was 17jO 17{K) 18a) 2100 2042 20;u 1909 In 1831 the inhabitoJ houses were, - - • 3U> Families occupying these houses, - - . - 441 Families chiefly employed in agriculture, . - . - 89 trade, manufactures, and handicral\, - 167 Several individuals of independent fortune reside within the bounds of the parish ; and during summer and autumn, families come here from large towns, and take lodgings for a few months. There are eleven heritors, only two of whom are resident. Cap- tain Houston Stewart lately purchased the property of Gart, upon which he has erected a splendid and commodious mansion-house, and is now engaged in laying out the grounds, in improving the soil, and in beautifying tlie place, which lies along the north banks of the Teath. Both the English and Gaelic languages are spoken in the parish, and divine worship on Sabbath is performed in both. The name of almost every farm and hill is derived from the Gaelic. The Highland dress is not so generally worn as it was forty years ago. The people are in general well-informed, intelligent, sober in their habits, kind and affectionate in their dispositions, and upon the whole, moral, religious, and well disposed. 4 CALLANDEU. 357 IV. — Industry. Agriculture. — The pasturage of this parish is adapted for the rearing of black cattle and sheep. The attention of the tenants is therefore turned to this object, and many of them cultivate no more of their low grounds than what will serve to raise meal and pota- toes, for the consumption of the family. There are, however, farms in the parish which are entirely arable, and these are in general well managed. A regular rotation in cropping is attended to, and green crops are becoming common. The fanner tiiids the advantage of this, not only as the means of pulverizing and ameliorating the soil, but as of essential benefit in rearing young stock, which en- ables him to pay his rent when the price of grain is low as at pre- sent. A considerable quantity of waste land has been improved and brought into cultivation within the last twenty years, and the draining of wet and spouty land has rapidly increased, in some in- stances at the exj)ense of the landlord, and in others at that of the tenant himself Leases. — The general duration of the leases of arable farms is from thirteen to nineteen years ; and of sheep farms, from nine to thirteen. The style of farm-houses has been much improved of late ; many of them are comfortable and covered with slate. Were the farms more subdivided with sufficient inclosures, the industri- ous tenant would be more encouraged in going on with his im- provements. Oats are sown about the 22d of March. Potatoes planted about the end of April. Barley and turnips are sown in the middle of May. Very little flax is now raised in this parish* The kinds of oats sown are the Flemish, the Cupar-grange, the Hopetoun, and the Blainslic. The straw of the Cupar-grange is reckoned the best for feeding cattle, but the others are earlier and more productive, particularly the Flemish. The smooth barley is preferred to the rough bearded sort, and fetches a better price in the market. The barley sells at 19s. 3d. per imperial boll; the oats and oat meal at 14s. 6d. the boll of 140 lbs. avoirdupois im- perial weight. The valued rent of the parish is L. 3278, lOs, V. — Parochial Economy. Means of Communication. — The village of Callander has its ad- vantages. There is here a daily post; a coach that runs to and returns from, Stirling every lawful day in summer, and twice a-week in winter. Post-chaises and cars are to be had for hire, and there are regular carriers to Edinburgh, Stirling, and Glasgow, t358 PKRTIIsniRE. Ecclesiastical State. — The church is situated in the centre of the Tillage, and is a neat building, with a spire and bell. It was built about the year ] 773, and seated to contain 800. The seats are divided among the different heritors, according to their valued rents, and by them portioned out among their tenants. The manse was built in the same year. An addition was given to the present in- cumbent in 1810 ; and the former manse repaired at the same time It is a comfortable, convenient house, delightfully situated on the banks of the Teath. The glebe contains about 11 acres of very good land. There are no free teinds in the parish. The present stipend, as fixed by a scheme of locality in 1817, is 97 bolls, 1 peck, 1 lip« py of meal, 48 bolls, '2 firlots, 2 lippies barley, and L. 72, 14s. 24d. of money. Divine service in the church is generally well attend- ed ; but the extent of the parish renders it necessary that it should be performed at other stations as well as in the parish church. Hence it is customary for the minister to preach occasionally at Bridge of Turk, about six miles from this — and also upon the side of Loch Catharine, at a greater distance. The number of com- municants may be about 700. Number of Episcopalians, 2 ; Se- ceders, 4 ; Independents about 16 ; Roman Catholics, 6. The people are attached to the Church of Scotland. The average amount of collections at the church is in summer L. 1, 10s., and in winter L. 1, which collections are distributed among the poor of the parish. Education, ��� There are a parochial school, and two others upon the establishment of the Society in Scotl.ind for Propagating Christ- ian Knowledge. — In the parochial school, the following branches are taught : Latin, Greek, mathematics, arithmetic, book-keeping, mensuration, English, Gaelic, and writing. In the school at Bridge of Turk, there are taught, Latin, English, Gaelic, arithmetic, writing; and the other school is for sewing, reading, writing, arithmetic, and English grammar. The parochial schoolmaster's salary is the maximum, and the school fees may average from L. 30 to L.40 per annum. The salary paid by the Society to the teacher at Bridge of Turk is L. 15; the school fees may be about L. 1, 1 Os. The teacher of the sewing and reading school has a salary of L. 6. Much praise is due to the excellent Society for Propagating Christian Know- ledge ; but for it, thousands in the Highlands would have been de- prived of the means of instruction. The people are alive to the benefits of education. All in this parish have the means of instruc- tion, and all from six years and upwards can read. A very visible CALLANDBll. 359 change in the conduct, morals, &c. of the people has taken placei since the facilities of education were increased. Libraries. — There are three libraries in the parish supported by subscription, consisting of Histories, Travels, Religious publi- cations, &C1, and the books are lent out upon paying a small sum quarterly or yearly. Poor and Parochial Funds. — The regular poor upon the roll amount to about 45. The funds from which they are alimented, are the collections in the church, with the interest of L. 200, amounting in all to between L. 70 and L. 80. These funds are ma- naged by the kirk-session. On emergencies, the heritors make a voluntary contribution to assist the kirk-session funds. Much is done privately in this way by the family of Perth, who not only give money, but a regular supply of meal, clothing and coals, to a number of poor. Besides this, there are several opulent resident individuals who are very liberal in their donations, and when applied to in any cases of peculiar distress, cheerfully con- tribute to alleviate the sufferings of the indigent. Fairs, — There are several fairs held in the parish, one in the month of May for black-cattle, sheep and horses. "1 his fair is call- ed CockhiU, from its being held upon a hill of that name. The stance for the market is given free by Mr Hunter, the proprietor of the lands. Another very considerable market is held in March, called Peill ma Chessaig, There are also two or three smaller fairs for the sale of lambs, hiring of reapers, and the transaction of country fbusiness. ; Irms. — Callander forms a regular stage on the road from Stirling to the West Highlands. Owing to this, as well as to the Trosachs being in the parish, it is much frequented by travellers, for whose accommodation a large inn was built some years ago, to which an addition has been made this year, There are other inns in the village, and one on the banks of Loch Achray, near Loch Catharine. Fuel. — Owing to the improvement in the roads, coal is much more generally used as fuel, than it was twenty years ago ; and al- though it is carried from Bannockburn, a distance of eighteen miles, it is found to be cheajier than the making and carrying of turf or peat The latter, however, is still much used, and found about a mile from Callander. Miscellaneous Observations. There is a marked improvement in the state of this parish since the former Statistical Account was written, particularly in husbandry. 360 PERTHSHIRK. Rich crops of oats, barley, turnips, and potatoes, may be seen grow- ing upon places, which, a few years ago, were covered with barren heath, or so swampy that the cattle could not get access to the few tufts of grass that might appear here and there. Still there remains much to be done, a great deal of land is to be seen lying waste, and in a state of nature, which at a little expense might be brought into cultivation, and abundantly repay all trouble and outlay. The attention paid by graziers to the breed of cattle has great- ly promoted improvement in this respect, and several farms in the parish are noted for the excellence of stock, both of black cattle and sheep. Great attention is paid to ihe smearing of sheep in the beginning of winter, and selecting proper places in the low country for the wintering of the hogs, so that both the carcase of the animal, and quality of the wool are benefited thereby. The wool is sent to Bannockburn, Glasgow, and Liverpool, and bought by the carpet-manufacturers. Although much has been done by «ome of the proprietors in the way of planting, there is still a great deal of waste land unfit for tillage, which, if. planted, would both beautify the face of the country, and enhance the value of proper- ty. Considerable improvement has taken place within these few years in the management of the police of the country ; yet there are many crimes allowed to pass with impunity. Would it not tend much to diminish crime if there were fewer licenses granted for selling spirits, and more attention paid to the character of the persons to w horn licenses are given ? t November 1837. PARISH OF RHYND. PRESBYTERY OF PERTH, SYNOD OF PERTH AND STIRLIN(;. THE REV. JAMES TRAQUAIR, MINISTER. L — Topography and Natural History. Extent^ ^c. — Rhynd, a term which, wc are informed, signifies in ^he Gaelic language, a point, is a small parish situated at the con- Quence of the Tay and Earn. It is 4 miles in length, and ahout i mile in breadth, resembling, in some respects, an acute-angled triangle. It is bounded on the west, by the parishes of Dunbar- ^ey and Perth ; on the north and east, by the parishes of Kinfauns and St Madoes, from which it is separated by the Tay ; and on the south, by the parish of Abernethy, from which it is separated l)y the Earn. As might have been supposed from its situation, the land on the south-east part of the parish, and near the confluence of the rivers, is extremely flat and level, consisting chiefly of clay, intermixed, oc- casionally, with black loam of the finest quality. In the north-west part of the parish, and behind Moncrieft'-hill, it is considerably elevated, and slopes gradually towards the Tay, and is rather of a sharp or gravelly nature, but calculated, when properly cultivated, to repay abundantly the labours of the husbandman. From the low and flat situation of the greater part of the parish, the air is somewhat moist and hazy, but not unhealthy. It is rather, as we know from experience, the reverse. The wind, which blows from the west, sometimes with great violence, and the immense currents of fresh water, which are continually flowing along the two sides of it, lend to purify the atmosphere, and to purge it from the noxious qualities with which it might be apt to be impregnated. — Individuals of every rank and condition of life, often attain, here, an exfreme old age, eighty or ninety years being no uncommon or extraordinary occurrence. To this parish, accordingly, we are informed, the inhabitants of Perth, in the days of old, resorted in great numbers, when the plague was raging, in that ill-fated city, and spreading, in all directions, its baleful and destructive influence. 362 PERTHSHIRE. In the course of the last year, also, it may not be improper to ob* serve, only two funerals of the parishioners entered the church-yard, — a sufficient proof of the salubrity of the clime, and of its congeni- ality to the human constitution.- Topographical -4ppcara7ice«.— This parish, as might have been supposed from its situation, is possessed of considerable local beauty. The shelving banks of its rivers, adorned in many places, with stately trees, or with shnibs and bushes, — the meandering of its mighty waters, often in serpentine mazes, along its flats and haughs — the movement of vessels of various descriptions, up and down their channels, at every flux and reflux of the tide, supply- ing the wants, and administering to the comforts of the inhabitants, who live in the neighbourhood, are calculated to delight the eye, and to charm the imagination. 11. — Civil History. Land-awners, — There is no resident proprietor in the parish. The Earl of Wemyss and March, the principal heritor, resides at Gosford House, in the county of Haddington, and Mr Macgill of Kembach, the other heritor, resides at Kembach House, in the county of Fife. Antiquities, — This parish appears to have been well known in for- mer times. It was among its woods and winding streams, we are in- formed, that Wallace, occasionally, was wont to skulk from the ma- lice of his enemies, while he was endeavouring to avenge the injuries of his country, and to deliver his countr3mfien from a foreign yoke. The nunnery of Elcho, the ruins of which are still visible, de- monstrates the skill and judgment of the priesthood in the dark ages, as well as the power and influence of which they were pos- sessed, who always selected, as might have been anticipated, the most eligible situations for erecting those edifices, where literary leisure, as well as piety and peace, might take up their abode, but which, from the folly and weakness of mankind, were often pervert- ed to other and very different purposes. The Castle of Elcho, situated on the banks of the Tay, at pre- sent also in a ruinous condition, must at one period have been a place of some notoriety. Its walls are of considerable strength and thickness, and built of very hard and durable materials. The battlement^ on its summit, to which there is access by several winding stairs, which are still in good preservation, affords a varied and extensive prospect up and down the river in all directions. The present noble proprietor has, lately, much indeed to his ho- RHYND. 363 nour, covered it with a new roof, in order to preserve from the further injuries of the weather, the residence of many of his illus- trious ancestors. III. — Population. The resident inhabitants of the parish are the cottagers, who live in small huts or cottages, scattered up and down, and the fish- ers, who are employed in the Tay and Earn, and who are also occasionally employed by the farmers to assist them in their agri- cultural operations ; together with two or three tradesmen, whose labours are continually required. There is no public-house of any kind in the parish — a circum- stance which the inhabitants have little reason to regret. The parish was at one period much more populous than it is at present. At the period of the former Statistical Account, it cimount- ed to 49.5 ; it is now, only 400. This diminution was occasioned by throwing into one large farm, a considerable number of small parcels of land, which were occupied by separate and distinct tenants, and who, of consequence, were compelled to leave the place, and remove to other situations, where they could find employment. Of the present population, 88 belong to the Secession, and the re- mainder adhere to the Established Church. Number of £unilies in the parish, . .74 chiefly employed in agriculture, . . . 24 trade, manufoints and parts of ye ministerial function among yem."* Antiquities — There are few antiquities in the parish. Similar to the large stone, at the village of Hawkstane, just within the bound- ary of the parish of St Madoes, are two others in this parish, both in * To thif account of the parochial records may be appended a li&t of all who have been ministers of the parish since the Keformation. This list, the accuracy of which has been fully verified, was made out in the year 18*2*2 by Mr Scott, preacher, who was at that time contemplating a general index of thi» kind for every parish in Scot- land. The dates refer to the year of admission : \5 — , Alexander Dunmuir. 1581, James Smyth. 1614, John Strang, D. D. 16*26, Alexander Orney. 16-10, lliomas Halyburton. 1662, William Bell. 1666, John Nicolson, D. 1). 169*2, Samuel Naime. 1725, Lauchlan Macinto;>h. 17*14, James Wcmyss. 17o9, James Jobson. 1705, David Dow. 1819, James Gricrson. KRROL. 385 elevated and conspicuous situations ; the one in the west, near Clashbennie, and the other in the north-east, near Inchmartin. They are both quite solitary, and without any mark of art ; so larg^e as not to have been easily conveyed to their present situation by hnman contrivance ; and yet in such a position as to lead to the inference, that they were intended to be monumental — intended to mark a place of importance, or to perpetuate the- remembrance of some memorable event. In the public burj'ing-ground, there is one small monument sculptured over with emblematical representations, many of them taken from scripture, but so decayed and effaced, that neither name nor date can be found. It contains in a scroll the creed in Latin, and, in the same language, a translation of Rev. ii. 10. In the wall around the burying-ground, is seen the rude figure of n warrior in chain-armour, hewn in white sandstone. The arms are bent up on the breast, the palms of the hands having originally been made to meet, in the attitude of adoration. The figure has evidently been meant to be in a supine position, but when built into the modem wall, chiefly, it would seem, for the purpose of preservation, it has been stuck into it in a vertical position; and as, for the sake of stability, it has been sunk in the ground, nearly up to the knees, the appearance which it thus exhibits is exceed- ingly grotesque. Two of the ministers of the parish, Mr Omey and Mr Bell, have been buried, each under a stone sarcophagus. Of these humble monuments, the first is adorned with various se- pulchral emblems, and both of them are covered with inscriptions. Mr Bell had formerly been minister of the parish of Dron, in which parish he left, under the charge of the Presbytery of Perth, a few acres of land, the rental of which is devoted to the mainte- nance of a student of divinity in St Mary's College at St Andrews. He died in 1665, and on the south side of the cover of the sarco- phagus, under a scroll containing these words, — Mors patet^ hora iatetf — ^there is a brief historical record of his ministry.* About three miles and a half from the village of Errol, there arc * On the ftorth side* we have an inscription which aflPords a curious specimen of that grave quaintness of expression which is so characteristic oF the taste of the age :•— ** Death crackt this Bell, yet doth his pleasant chiming Remain witli those who arc their lamps a>trimniing: In spite of death, his word some (?) praise still sounds In Christ's church, and in Heaven his joy abounds." The top of the cover contains other two lines of the siune description :— « ** Here ceast and silent lies sweet sounding Bell, Who unto sleeping souls rung many a knell." PERTH. B b 386 PERTHSHIRE. at Westown, the ruins of a small Gothic church, of plain but very excellent workmanship, which, in one of the ancient charters of the estate, is called the church of the Blessed Virgin of Inchmartin. The ministers of Errol used to preach in it, half the day, once in every fortnight ; but after the parish church was enlarged and the roads were improved, this practice was discontinued. It is not above fifty years^ however, since the building was dismantled, nor nearly so long since interments have taken place in the burying- ground around it. Its situation is one of the most beautiful and picturesque that is to be seen in the whole district. The oldest entire building now in the parish is Megginch Castle. It bears the following inscription : — " Petrus Hay^ cedijicium extruxit^ A. D. 1575." Within the park at Murie there is an artificial mound, of a cir- cular form, 40 yards in diameter at the base, and about 30 feet diameter at the top ; the height from the base being about 20 feet. The platform at the top is surrounded by a low turf wall, with a walk outside of it, and the whole is enclosed with a turf wall at the base, in the form of an equilateral triangle. This mound is called the LaW'knolL Its sides are planted with trees, and it stands at the head of an old avenue of lofty oaks, which leads in a straight line towards a place, at the distance of two miles, which is now called Gallowjlat^ but which tradition reports to have been the Gailow'knolly — under the idea that the one knoll was the place where the law was administered, and the other where it was exe- cuted on criminals. The Law-knoll is, in respect of heigl]t, with- in a few feet of the highest position in the parish. Modern Buildings. — The only modern building worth mentioning is the parish church, which was erected in 1831. The former one had stood only sixty-five years, and had all the appearance of being as substantial as it was capacious. When greatly crowded, however, in the evening of the communion Sabbath, June 1830, a panic arose as to the safety of the gallery, which had nearly been attended with fatal consequences. This led to an inspection of the building, from which it appeared that, though there was no weakness in the gallery itself but what might have been easily remedied, the roof and the walls could no longer be depended on. The new church is a very chaste and perfect specimen of the plain Saxon architec- ture, after a plan furnished by James Gillespie Graham, Esq. It is in the form of a cross, intersecting a square, and has a hand- some square tower with pinnacles at the angles, which rise to the KRROL. 387 height of 93 feet above the base of the building. The interior arrangements are peculiarly convenient and beautiful. It is seated for 1448 persons. The whole expense of the buildin/j was con- siderably upwards of L. 5000. III. — Population. The only way by which an estimate can be formed of the an- cient state of the population of the parish is that of consulting the baptismal register. It appears that, even so far back as 1578, the number of baptisms which were registered was 59 : that in 1632 the number was 72; and that in 1728, nearly a century later, it was no higher. Judging from a comparison of the baptismal re- gisters, the population of the whole parish even in 1632, must have been upwards of 2000; and it is known that, in point of fact, it was in 1743 not less than 2229. The population of the landward por- tion does not, at the present day, amount to more than about 1720, and, as the population of the village is supposed to have been near- ly doubled within the last hundred years, that of the former can scarcely, if at all, have increased. The increase in the village has been owing chiefly to the improvement of manufactures. Where any diminution has taken place in the landward part of the parish, it seems to have been occasioned by the uniting of two or more small farms into one. The number of the population residing in the village of Errol, is . 1220 In three snoall villages in the outskirts of the parish, ... 273 In the rest of the couutry part of the parish, . - - . 1 449 Total, - .... - 2942 * The total population at the time of taking the census in 1831 was2992, but fiilly fifty persons included in that return were strangers who were employed as workmen at the building of the new church. The sum now given was that obtained by a survey taken in 1836, and corrected to the present date. The average of births for the last seven years is deaths, - - . marriages. The average number of persons under 15 years of age, is betwixt 15 and 30, 30 and 50, 50 and 70, - upwards of 70, 2942 Number of families in the parish, ..... 680 'chie6y employed in agriculture, . • 224 in trade, manufactures or handicraft, . 374 There is only one individual belonging to the nobility who re- sides in. the parish. The number of families of independent for- tune who reside in it is 9 or 10. . 105 . 36 • 27 1119 863 540 333 87 388 • PERTHSHIRE. The number of proprietors of land of the yearly value of L« 50 and upwards, is 14 The number of unmarried men, upwards of 50 years of age, in ofbacbelont, . . . . 99 of widowers, - ... 22 women upwards of 45 years of age, - .34 The numlier of insane persons is 3 ; of fatuous persons, 6 ; of blind persons, 3 ; and of deaf and dumb persons, 4. The number of illegitimate births in the parish during the last three years has been 9. Where so large a proportion of the inhabitants is employed in and dependent on manufactures, by the frequent and often violent fluctuations of which they are necessarily affected, a great deal of distress is occasionally experienced. Still, however, the people are, in general, contented with their situation and circumstances. In their intellectual character, they .are shrewd and deliberate, rather than acute. Where they have enjoyed the advantages of early and careful cultivation, the natural strength of their intellec- tual powers becomes sufficiently conspicuous. In respect of moral character, the people, as a body, may justly be said to be decent, industrious, and orderly. IV. — Industry. Agriculture. — The whole number of imperial acres which tho parish contains, as nearly as can be estimated from the actual mea- surement of each property, is 8626, all of which are either culti- vated or occasionally in tillage, with the exception of those portions which are under wood. The whole amount under wood, including hedgerows, does not much exceed 200 acres. Very few, if any, of the trees are indige- nous. They are confined entirely to the poorer soils, or to the grounds around the residences of the principal proprietors. Ex- cept in two or three locahties, none of those which have l>een plant- ed for economical purj)oses have advanced so far as to be cut for timber. The young wood seems to be under good management, every attention being paid to its periodical thinning and [)runing. Rent, — The average rent of arable land in the parish does not at present exceed L 3, 3s. or L. 3, 5s. per Scotch acre, which, at the former of these rates, is just L. 2, 10s. jier imperial acre. The land is still generally let by the Scotch acre, and the rent now com- rfionly agreed upon for the best soil, is four bushels of wheat, six bushels of barley, and six bushels of oats, converted into money at * the annual fiars prices of the county. In some instances, it is sti- pulated that the maximum price paid for all these three kinds and quantities united, shall not exceed L. 3, 17s. whatever the fiars fc^ prices may happen to be, — in other words, that the fiars shall regu- EKROL. 389 ^^*e the rent, only when the price of the three quantities does not ^^^^eed that sum. There are no grazings in the parish except in ^*^® parks or enclosed grounds of three or four of the principal P^prietors. When these are let, it is always per Scotch acre, the ^^inary rent being L. 3, L. 3, lOs. or L. 4. Very fine pasture ^oujetimes brings L. 4, 10s. per acre. /Vorface. — The principal articles of raw produce may be stated ^^ the following prices, taking the averjige of the last seven years. Wheat per quarter, . L. 2)1 4} Barley, - - 1 8 5J Oats, - - - I nj Pease, - - - 1 7 7j Oatmeal per half sack, of 140 lbs. avoirdupois, 16s. 5^. ; po- tatoes, lOs. per boll, of 32 stones Dutch, equal to 40 imperial stones or 5 cwt, which is at the rate of 2s. per cwt. The average price of new hay is about 8d. or 9d. per stone. The ordinary price of provisions is regulated by the markets of Perth and Dundee. Very little round timber, fit for mechanical purposes, is cut in the parish^ What little there is, sells for Is. per cubic foot Building stoues for rubble-work can be purchased at the quarry of Clash- bennie, at the rate of Is. per ton ; and stones for hewn- work at the rate of 6d, per linear or 9d. per cubic foot Stones for draining are got for 6d. per ton. Quicklyrie can be delivered at the shore of Port- Allen, at from 3s. to 3s. 6d. per boll, of 52 stones Dutch, or 8 cwts. imperial weight. JVages^ Sfc, — The average rate of mason- work, in the erection of farm-houses, not including materials, is from L. 2 to L. 3 per rood. In building farm-oflices the rate is from L. 1, 15s. to L. 2. The average rate of carpenter-work in roofing such buildings, with foreign timber, materials included, is from 4s. lOd. to 5s. per square yard. When home timber is employed, the rate is about 4s. per yard. Flooring, including joists, when of foreign timber, is about 5s. 6d. per yard ; and when of home timber, it is about 4s. Lvje-Stock. — Very few sheep are reared in the parish. Of cattle, no more are reared or kept than are required to consume the grass, straw, and turnips which are raised on the farms, and neces- sary for turning these productions to proper account. Much atten- tion is paid to the quality of the horses which are reared for agri- cultural work. Husbandry, — The general character of the husbandry pursued in the parish, seems to be skilful and judicious. About two-thirds 390 PKUTHSniRE. of tiie soil consist of clay^ and the other third consists of what is called black landy being in general a fine vegetable mould. Of the former, Jive-sevenths annually are kept under a grain crop, and of the latter, seven-twelfihsy according to the following method of ro- tation : In the clay, the rotations, generally speaking, are these seven : fallow, wheat, beans and pease, wheat, barley, grass, and oats, or, in some rare instances, wheat. In the black land, they are these six : potatoes, wheat, turnips and pease, barley, grass, and oats or wheat. From the difficulty of obtaining a sufficient crop of grass so often as once in six or seven years, some farmers have introduced a rotation of sevens, even in the black land, and of eights in the clay ; while others seem to think that, adhering to the ordinary rotations, in regard to the other crops, it would be better, where circumstances admit, to divide the land so that this import- ant production should not be required from the same soil, more than once in every alternate course of rotation. The drilling of grains has seldom been attempted in this parish. At the time of the former Statistical Report, indeed, and for se- veral years afterwards, the drilling of beans^ with the usual inter- mixture of pease, was a common practice, and some recent at- tempts have been made to revive it in the district. These, how- ever, have been without success, from the prevailing opinion, that the increase of crop would not afford sufficient remuneration for the increase of labour and expense. One plough is required for about every thirty Scotch acres that a farm may contain. Not- withstanding the curvilinear direction of the ridges, no more beau- tiful specimens can anywhere be seen than in this district, of equal and regular ploughing. The rate of production on the best soils is very high. Fallow wheat has often made a return of 16 bolls per Scotch acre,* and even considerably more. Oats, also, in fine soil, and under fa- vourable circumstances, have sometimes yielded 16 bolls. Barley has yielded 13 bolls ; and pease and beans have occasionally pro- duced 14 or 15 bolls. All these, however, are much above the average. Taking in all kinds of grain and all kinds of soil, the average rate of production is thought to be only between 7 anc' 8 bolls per Scotch acre. Hay is sometimes so abundant a crop that even the first cutting yields between 300 and 400 stones p( acre ; but even 300 is reckoned a good crop, and considerab above the average. • The Perthshire wheat boll is equal to 3 bushels, 3 pecks, 1.9442 gallons ir rial measure ; and the boll for other grain is equal to 5 bushels, 3 pecks 0.6009 OS. The Scotch is to the imperial acre as 126 to 100. 392 PERTHftlllRE. refuse of their stems, when they were cut for economical purposes, was gradually adding to the elevation of the surface. These reeds, it may be mentioned, were originally planted by dibbling at the expense of L. 12 per Scotch acre. The average produce per acre has been about 500 bundles, each of 36 or 37 inches circumference. The expense of cutting, binding, and car- rying them out, has been from ds. 6d. to 4s. per 100 bundles, the rope-yarn being furnished by the proprietor. The average price at which those of the best quality have been sold for thatch is L. 1, ds. per hundred bundles; and the price of those of inferior quality, now chiefly used in covering drains, is about 15s. per 100. The average number of both qualities yearly raised in the parish, before the recent embankment was made, was not less than 40,000 bundles. . The first two reaches of the embankment, both of them to the west of Port- Allen, when taken together, extend to fully a mile in length. The average breadth of the space enclosed is about 200 yards. They were begun and nearly finished in 1836 ; but in the course of the winter, and before the work was quite completed, a high tide broke in at two or three places, and did considerable da- mage, which was not thoroughly repaired till the spring of the present year. The width of the embankment at the bottom, is 40 feet, and the height 11 feet It is 2 feet broad at the top, the general level of which is about 3 feet above the highest tides. The slope of the embankment is thus at the rate of nearly 4 feet in width for each foot in height. The outside of it, however, to the height of about 4 feet, is only a little inclined from the per- pendicular, that part of it consisting of a strong dry-stone wall. Above this height, the slope of the outside is the same as that of inside, and is protected, moreover, by a rude causeway of stones on the sur&ce. In both divisions of the embankment, which was constructed in 1636, the whole earthy material was taken from the contiguous soil itself, of the area which it was the object of the undertaking to recover. This was a great sacrifice. For about SO yards immediately within the embankment, the soil has been excavated to a depth of 2 or 3 feet, so that what remains beneath, must, for the present, be in a great measure unproductive. The whole area enclosed, however, is about 70 imperial acres, and it is already bearing a crop of oats, which, in spite of the reeds that have still sprung up in the midst of it, has been sold at the ave- rage rate of between L. 8 and L. 9 per Scotch acre. In the course of the present year (1837), another embankment 394 PERTHSHIRE. raw produce annually raised in the parish, as nearly as can be as- certained, may be stated under the following heads : Produce of grain of all kinds, whether cultivated for food of man, or the domestic animals, . . » £ 45,600 potatoes and turnips cultivated in the fields, > 6500 hay almost all cultivated, . 9300 gardens and orchards, 1200 fisheries in the Tay, . . 500 annual thinning of plantations and occasional felling of woodi 50 a sandstone quarry, . . . 200 reeds, ... . , . 470 Total yearly value of raw produce raised, £ 6^,940 The valued rent of the parish is L. 16,982, 3s. 4d. Scots. The real rent in the year 1829 was L. 26,000 Sterling, including rents of houses and feus; but, at the present time, it scarcely amounts to L 24,000. Manufactures. — The principal branch of manufacture carried on in the parish, is that of different kinds of linen cloth. The only other one, indeed, is the manufacture of a species of soft coarse canvas, made from a sort of secondary hemp, and intend- ed for bags or coverings in the package of goods. In these manu- factures, there are upwards of 300 persons employed as weavers, exclusive of those who are employed in spinning and winding. Of these 300, more than one- third are women. Living in a country village, or in rural situations throughout the parish, the operatives do not seem to suffer any injury to their health, from their employment. Nor is there any evidence that they have been injured in their morals. Navigation, — Besides the daily passage boat between Port- Allen and Newburgh, which is fitted also for the transmission of lime, timber, iron, farm-produce, and other commodities, there is but one vessel which belongs to the port now mentioned, the only one in this parish. That vessel is chiefly employed in the importation of lime and coals, and in the exportation of grain and potatoes. Various other vessels, however, are occasionally employed in carry- ing on the trade of this port. The quantity of lime annually im- ported into the parish, though not all at Port- Allen, is not less than 5000 bolls. The boll consists, as already stated, of 52 stones Dutch. The quantity of coals annually imported at the same place, is about 700 tons of Scotch, and 300 tons of English. The harbour dues are at the rate of Id. per ton on articles in general, and ^d. per boll of lime. These dues were, till lately, levied by the proprietor, on whose property the harbour is situated ; EUttOL. 395 but they have recently been claimed by the city of Perth. The proprietor, however, has the acknowledged right of the ferry to Newburgh, and lets it along with a house for the boatman, at the ^ual rent of about L. 20. V. — Parochial Economy. Market'Tawn, — The nearest market-town is Perth, which is at ^e distance of ten miles. The principal intercourse, however, is ^th Dundee, from the extensive manufactures of which, almost all ^Mose which are carried on in this parish are derived. Besides the village of Errol itself, there are three others Carse^ ^^ange^ fVesioum, and Lee-town. Of these, the last mentioned is ^he largest, although even this does not contain a population much ^bove 100 individuals. Chapelhill and Glendoick are hamlets ^^her than villages. Means of Communication. — There is a post-oflSce at Flatfield, Mrhich is on the public road, almost immediately below the village of Errol, and at the distance of about a mile and three quarters. ^Besides this, there has for many years been a receiving-house in t.he village, between which place and the office, a runner goes every morning ; and since the month of October last, the postmaster him- self has been in the practice of receiving and delivering letters in the village. The length of turnpike roads in the parish is about nine miles. There are besides the mail, two public coaches which travel on the great turnpike road. The only harbour yet capable of being made use of, is that of Port- Allen. Its present is rather a dilapidated state. The em- bankment, however, which is now going on will, among other be- nefits, serve to deepen the channel, and facilitate the entrance of vessels into the harbour, till such time as steps are taken for com- pleting the new pier and harbour, about three-quarters of a mile farther down the river, and so much nearer the village of Errol. Ecclesiastical State, — The situation of the parish church is on a gently rising ground, at the north-east end of the village of Er- rol. There is no place which could have been more convenient for the greater part of the population, with the exception of that on which the former church was erected, but which could not have afforded a sufficient area for the new, without an interfer- ence with the repositories of the dead in the surrounding bury- ing-ground, which it was most desirable to avoid. Its distance from the extremities of the parish does not exceed three and a quarter, 396 FEUTHSHIRE. or three and a half miles, except at one place, where the distance is between four and five miles ; but where there are not more than five or s^ix families. It was built in 1831, and is in the best possible repair. The only benefactions on record do not exceed L. 600, the interest of which is devoted to assist in the support of the poor. There is nothing particularly interesting, connected with the his- tory of these charitable bequests. The number of persons, for whom the church affords accommodation, is 1448. All the sittings are possessed by the occupants, free of seat rent With the exception of those which are allocated to the poor, and of a certain proportion of the communion table seats, which has been assigned for the promiscuous occupancy of those parishioners who neither possess nor are connected with any farm or pendicle, they are all apportioned to particular individuals ; but no heritor derives any emolument from any of the sittings ; neither do the heritors as a body. The manse was built in 1798, and repaired in 1820. The extent of the glebe, including the ground occupied by the manse, offices, and garden, is 4 acres, 2 roods, 1 1 falls, Scotch measure ; but not less than 2{ roods have been lost in the con- struction of a road to the manse, and by the establishment of a right of servitude over another part of the glebe. The annual value of the glebe and garden may be between L. 15 and L. 20. The amount of the stipend, not including L. 8, 6s. 8d. allowed for communion elements, is 9 chalders* of barley, and 9 chalders of oatmeal, at the highest fiars prices of thfe county. The average value of these quantities of barley and meal, for the last ten years, has not exceeded L. 273, Is. 8d. There are three Dissenting chapels in the parish. Two of them belong to the United Secession Church, and the other belongs to the Relief Church. Their ministers are paid out of the seat rents, and in as far as these are inadequate to make the stipulated sums, the deficiency is supplied by contributions among the members. In the case of the oldest of the three, the sum to which the minister is entitled, is L. 130, exclusive of a free house and garden. In the case of both the others, the stipend is now only L. 80, with the ordinary addition of a free house and garden. These statements are made on the authority of information which the writer believes to be authentic, though not official. * 1 Chalder of barley is equal to 11 qrs. 5 bush. pk. I.GIOO gnl. imperial mea- sure ; one chalder of oatmeal is exactly equal to KM) stoiics. ERROL. 307 There are four or five Episcopal families in the parish, but there is no Episcopal chapel. The number of families attending the Established Church is 467 ; and the number of persons of all ages belonging to it is 2025. Tlie Episcopalians generally attend the parish church. The num- ber of families attending the chapels of the Dissenters is, as near- ly as can at present be ascertained, 218 ; and the number of per- sons of all ages belonging to them is 906, exclusive of the very few who are not known to belong to any denomination. Divine service, both in the Established Church and in the Dissenting chsqpels, is generally well attended. The whole number of comnui- nicants belonging to the Established Church, is 996. The ave- rage number of those who actually communicate every year is, in the month of June, 815 ; and in the month of November, nearly 700. Societies. — Of societies for religious purposes, there is, in con- nection with the Established Church, a parochial association, the object of which is not only to lend its annual assistance to the New Perthshire Bible Society, buf^lso to promote the four schemes of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. The contribu- tions of the parochial association have consisted partly of collec- tions made in its behalf at church. The average yearly amount of these contributions has been nearly L. 20. The average amount of church collections for charitable puq)oses, exclusive of the ordi- nary collections for the poor, has been about L. 12. Education. — The total number of schools in the parish, exclu- sive of Sabbath schools, is five. Among these, there is only one parochial school. Two of the others are partly endowed, the one by the proprietor who built it on his property, and the other by a society or body of subscribers. The endowment, however, in both cases, consists only in the teacher's enjoying the privilege of a free bouse and garden, as well as the school-house. The fourth school is altogether unendowed. The fifth is a small school-house in which very young children are taught mere reading, and the girls the additional art of knitting, by an elderly widow. The branches which the parochial schoolmaster is appointed to teach, are, Eng- lish reading and grammar, writing, arithmetic, geography, practi- cal mathematics, book-keeping, French, Latin, and Greek. In the two schools partly endowed, the same branches are appointed to be taught as in the parochial school, with the exception of languages ; and most of these are what the masters, though not re- 398 PERTHSHIRE. ' quired, are sufficiently qualified to teach. Tlie parochial school, for some years past, has been conducted entirely by an assistant and successor to the schoolmaster. The latter individual enjoys, as a retiring salary, the legal salary, which is the mnximum^ together with an addition, secured to him by the heritors, sufficient to make up to him a complete annuity of L. 40 Sterling. The assistant, so long as he continues in this capacity, enjoys from the heritors a separate and independent salary of L. 25, besides the school- house, which contains the legal accommodation, the schoolmaster's house, and the legal quantity of garden ground, * all rent free. He is also entitled to the whole of the school-fees. Having, moreover, been appointed session clerk, he derives from this office an addi- tional income of not less, on an average, than L. 15 a-year. In the case of the other schools, the fees form the whole of the teacher's income, with the exception of the privileges already men- tioned. The amount of the school fees in the parochial school may, at an average, be about L. 45 per annum. The amount in the largest of the other schools, may be about K 27 ; in the next, about L. 18; and in the two smallest, it cannot be more than L. 6 or L. 8. In all the schools, however, there are many instances in which the teacher finds it difficult to realize the payment of the sums which are due. Even in the parish school, the other branches, such as French and Latin, have very seldom been required by any of the scholars. At the time of the presbyterial examination of the schools in March 1837, the proportion' of those attending them was 9 J out of every 1 00 of the population. With the exception of one district, there is no part of the parish so distant from some one or other of the schools as to prevent the attendance of children. The centre of the district in question is three miles distant from the nearest school within the parish, although it is not more than half that distance from the school of the adjoining parish. The district contains a population of about 200 indivi- duals. One or two of the schools would require to be enlarged ; but the only additional school which might be required would be in this district ; but the school fees would be quite inadequate, as the experiment has already proved, to support a teacl;er. In the year 1820, there were six Sabbath evening schools form- * There is no garden ground belonging to the office of sch(K)lniaster in this parish, but he has the privilege of a garden, for which the heritors pay rent. 3 ERROL. 399 ed in the parisn in connexion with the Established Church. Owing chiefly to the death of some of the teachers, and the diffi- culty, in some localities, of finding others to occupy their places, these institutions are now reduced in number to three or four. At present, however, there is the prospect of having them restored to their former number and efficiency. There is also a Sabbath school in connexion with each of the dissenting congregations. Literature. — Besides a small public subscription library, which ^asmstituted in the village of Errol in the year 1824, there is a Pretty large and valuable library connected with the Sabbath ^hools of the Established Church. It was begun in the year i 820, and now contains 378 volumes, — a portion of which is made V) itinerate every year among the different local schools. In two ^t least of the Dissenting congregations, there is belonging to ejich ^ similar institution, though not of the same extent. From all ^hese sources collectively, the inhabitants of this parish must enjoy the privilege of having access to the perusal of not less than 1200 Volumes of useful and instructive books. This privilege, acquired chiefly through the repeated contributions of the people them- selves, appears to have been justly prized, and, in ordinary times, diligently improved, especially by the young, for whom, indeed, it ^as principally intended. Friendly Societies. — There is only one such institution in the parish, called " The Friendly Society of Errol." The sole ob- jects of this society are, 1. To afford to its members, after they have been in connexion with it for eighteen months, and paid all the sums that are due to it, a weekly allowance, when under sick- ness or infirmity, of not less than 6d., and not more than 4s. per week, according to the number of shares for which they have be- come contributors; and, 2. To afford an allowance for funeral expenses, not less than K 1 , and not greater than L, 4, according to the number of shares which they have taken in this department of the funds, and to which they have regularly contributed from the time of their entrance. The society was instituted in the month of February 1811, and remodelled in the year 1829 ac- cording to the data aflforded in the Report of the Committee of the Highland Society of Scotland. The present number of its members is only S9. The nature of its regulations is such as is calculated to promote industry, and to cherish a spirit of inde- pendence among its members ; but, considering the population of the neighbourhood, it would appear that there are few who have 400 PERTHSHIttK. felt inclined, or, if inclined, who have been enabled to avail them- selves of its obvious advantages. Savings Bank. — There is also one of these institutions in the pa- rish. It is called " The Enrol Parish Savings Bank," and was esta- blished in the year 1815. The sums invested yearly, as compared with the sums withdrawn, will be seen by an inspection of the fol- lowing tabular statement from the year 1817 to the year 1831, both included. Yean preceding Amount of * Amount of June \ ft, new deposits. sums vithdra-mn, 1817, - £123 6 4 - £\bl 3 1 18ia • 58 9 2 - 53 12 04 1819, - 100 3 9 - 70 4 9 1820, - 61 7 94 . 65 II 2 1821, . 63 2 94 - 48 19 04 1822, - 113 2 IJ - 62 9 44 1823, - 47 8 84 - 75 11 4J 1824, . 22 II 8i . 48 11 U 1825, . 23 10 114 . 83 13 8 1826, - 33 17 10 . 44 14 84 1827, - 69 9 4 - 42 12 54 1828, - 40 15 11 . 52 5 9 1829, - 28 6 9 . 39 8 3} 1830, . 34 13 2| - 35 13 64 1831, - 35 4 74 - 25 2 64 The largest sum total of deposits in the bank in any one year was L. 346, 9s. 6Jd. ; and the greatest number of depositors at any one time has not exceeded 47. In the year 1832, a panic arose as to the investment of the money belonging to savings banks in the national funds, — in consequence of which, though not un- connected with other causes, more than one-half of all belonging to the Errol Bank was withdrawn. In the year ending June 1, 1836, the institution began very slightly to revive, so that L. 18, 10s. of new deposits were received ; and in the year ending in June 1837, a farther increase has been received of L. 16, 2s. 6d. — only L. 4, during the whole of these two years, having been withdrawn. The number of depositors is at present 16. They generally belong to the class of operatives, though there are a few farm labourers and servants. The existing regulations of the bank do not admit of any individual increasing the amount of his depo- sits beyond the sum of L. ] 0. Poor and Parochial Funds, — The average number of persons for the last twenty-five years who have been receiving parochial aid, is 68. Of these 42 have been regular poor, and 26 occa- sional. At one time, in the course of that period, (1821,) the whole who received parochial aid were so numerous as 90. At present, they do not exceed 56, including two lunatics in asylums, 4 ERROL. 401 ^d four attendants, who receive nothing but in the form of wages. The average of the last eight years, (1829-1836,) during which there has been a compulsory assessment, has been 51 regular, and 21 occasional ; in all 72. Of the regular poor, 33^ have belong- ^ to the Established Church, and the remaining 17^ to the Dis- ^Qntera ; while of the occasional poor, 12^ have belonged to the ^^ablished Church, and 8^ to the Dissenters. Taking the average of the same period, — the last eight years, ""^--the total sum annually expended on the poor, regular and occa- ^^onal included, has, in round numbers, been exactly L. 369 ; so ^^at the average sum annually allotted to each of the above 72 is ^^ctly L. 5, 2s. 6d. And as all the poor in the same circum- stances receive the same rate of allowance, the share of the above *^* 369, annually received by those 46 who have belonged to the -^^tablishment, has been, in round numbers, L. 235 ; while that an- ^^ally received by those 26 who have belonged to the Dissent- ers has been L. 134, which is considerably more than one-third ^^f the whole. The proporUon of poor to the whole population, during the last ^^igfat years, has been exactly as 1 to 41 ; at present, notwithstand- ^ t)g the legal assessment, the proportion is not greater than 1 to During the last eight years, the average amount of annual con- '^ributioos for the relief of the poor has been, as already stated, ifa 369. Of this sum, the proportion arising from church collec- t:ions has been L. 54 ; from the interest of bequests, L. 20, 15s. ; ftom the hire of mortcloths and the parish hearse, L. 4 ; and from ^ general compulsory assessment, L. 290, 5s. This is not the ^hole sum raised by assessment, but only the sum actually expend- ed on the poor. The expenses of levying the money from the he- ritors and inhabitants, together with the business charges of a law ^gent, have amounted annually to some L. 20 or L. 30 additional. Of the assessment thus actually required for the poor, the pro- portion exigible from those inhabitants who do not attend the £stablished Church, has at no time exceeded one fifteenth of the >irhole. At present, it is not much more than one twenty^eighth ; and the sum actually exacted does not much exceed the half of this, or one-fifty-sixth, although to the collections for the poor they con- tribute no proportion whatever. Before the year 1828, the assessment for the poor was of a vo- luntary kind, although according to a scale of equalization, which had the general concurrence of the parties interested. Since that PERTH. cc L 2 PERTHSHIRE. ite» DO Other mode of procuring funds has been resorted to be- ides those which have been suflBciently referred to in the preced- ng statement As to the operation of the assessment, it must be confessed that, although it certainly has diminished the yearly amount of the ordinary collections by more than one-fourth, it has not hitherto been allowed to increase the number of the poor, nor otherwise, upon the whole, enlarge the expense of maintaining theoL It has, however, been attended with a great deal of trouble and vexation. An assessment on means and substance, with all the delicacy that can be used, is of so inquisitorial a nature, that it is sure, in many instances, to give offence; and then men's means and substance are so constantly varying, that tlie assess- ment lists have yearly to undergo a corresponding alteration, else complaints and heart-burnings, if not litigations, are the almost in- evitable consequences. With all the liberal and conciliatory pro- ceedings which have been employed, it cannot yet be said that the system in this parish has been working smoothly; and several among the heritors themselves are of opinion, that, in so far as con- cerns their share of the assessment as a body, it would be more ex- pedient to abandon the principles both of the real rent and of means and substance, and revert entirely to the principle of the valued rent ; while, with respect to that share which may be required from the tenants and other inhabitants, they would either leave these individuals to furnish it, on any principle on which themselves should agree, or require them to adjust the matter in private with their respective landlords. Some such plan as this would not only save much trouble and expense, but it might even yet be the means of ultimately superseding a general assessment altogether, by stimulating and enlarging the more wholesome form of contri- butions by collections at church. Fairs. — There were at one time two markets held in thb parish, the one in the month of July, and the other in October. The latter has long been discontinued. The July market, though generally attended by an immense assemblage of people from the whole surrounding country, is almost exclusively a hiring market. Inns and Ale-houses. — In the village of Errol there are eleven houses for tEe sale of ale and spirits, not more than three of which can be called inns. In the landward part of the parish there are three or four inns, besides two additional ale-houses. With one exception, there could not conveniently be fewer of these houses in the country districts than there are. With respect to the vil- 4 ^^4 PERTHSHIRE. early period of the Secession, and still more to the Burghers.* In some respects, this event may have been of advantage to the religious interests of the people, inasmuch as it would have been impossible for a single minister, however faithful and active, to have exercised any thing like an efficient pastoral superintend- ence over nearly 3000 persons, when almost two-thirds of them were dispersed over a large territorial extent. It is to be lament- ed, however, as having perpetuated and increased divisions in the Christian community. While those who have now, we regret ta say, taken to themselves the name of Dissenters, have incurred the expense of supporting three ministers to labour among not many more than 900 individuals, each of these three, instead of having a geographical district assigned to him, and being placed in the midst of the undivided population committed to his charge, has to encounter the disadvantage of visiting the scattered sections of his little flock over the whole bounds of the parish, — nay, has even to penetrate into other parishes in the discharge of his duty towards those individuals, however few in number, who, in these, distant localities, are connected with his congregation, and over whom it can rarely happen that an elder can be placed. To impartial men, these have appeared, and will appear, to be se- rious disadvantages. Had not the unhappy separation taken place to which reference has now been made, thoughts must by this time have been entertained of creating a second charge, by an eccle- siastical subdivision of the parish ; and it is no reflection on any of the existing labourers,. to say, be they ever so zealous and able, that two such labourers, with a manageable population of 1200 or 1600 each, within well-defined and moderate limits, would have done the work more effectually, more conveniently to themselves, and more economically to the people, than it can be done under present circumstances by all the four, and that, too, while far greater harmony and unanimity would have prevailed. The only other important difference which appears between the present and the former state of the parish, is one which relates to the number and support of the poor. In 1791, the number of the regular poor was 36 ; at present, it is 52, and for the average of the last eight years has been 51. The sum annually paid to the regular poor alone, at the former period, was L. 70 ; at present, (not including the board of patients in lunatic asylums,) it is L. 212, showing a greatly increased rate of allowance, occasioned partly, * The last two arc now part of the United Secession Church. LONGPOROAN. 405 biit not entirely, by the increased rate of provisions. At the for^ mer period, the annual amount of the collections at church, even Mfhen there virere comparatively few Dissenters in the parish, was L. 40 ; at present, when they are 900 in number, and when ah assessment, in one form or another, has existed for years, the col* lections amount annually to L. 54. December 1837. PARISH OF LONGFORGAN. PRBSBYTERY OF DUNDEE, SYNOD OF ANGUS AND MEARNS. THE REV. R. S. WALKER, MINISTER. L — Topography and Natural History. Namey Boundaries^ S^c. — The ancient name of the parish seems to have* been somewhat different from the present, as appears from a grant of the lands and barony of " Longforgund" or " Lonfor- gaund," by King Robert Bruce, in the year 1316, to Sir Andrew Gray of Broimouth. The epithet long^ which is quite appropriate to the village^ and by no means unsuitable to the parish itself, is prefixed probably to distinguish it from two other parishes, — For- gan, in Fife, nearly opposite to Dundee, and Forgandenny, in Stratheam, another district of Perthshire. Forgan or Forgund, in the absence of a better or more certain derivation, has been alleg- ed to sigDL\f^ foreground^ — a term, in fact, by which the parish is not unfitly described. The whole of it, excepting one farm, lies to the south of the Sidlaws, and, with a slight interruption, sweeps gradually downwards from that range of hills to the river Tay, by which it is bounded. The gfeatest length of the parish, from north-west to south- east, is about 9 miles. But it varies so much in breadth from 4 miles to 1^, as to contain only about 14 square miles, or 8992 imperial acres. It forms the eastern extremity of the Carse of Gowrie. It is surrounded on three sides, the west, north, and east, by the parishes of Inchture, Abernyte, Kettins, Lundieand Foulis, and Liff and Benvie ; while for its southern limit it has the Tay, along which it extends for four or five miles. Topographical Appearances and Soil. — This parish presents great 406 PBRTHSHIRB. inequalities of soil as well as of surface. From the bold and rod^y point of Kingoodyi a beautiful and gently sloping bank commences, and stretches in a north-westerly direction, diverging farther and farther from the river, as it advances, till it ends somewhat abrupt- ly at the Soabs of Drimmie ; from which a fine view of the Carse of Gowrie is obtained. The low grounds lying to the south of it and interposed between it and the river, are as flat almost as a bowl- ing-green, and the heariest crops of grain are raised upon them. They consist entirely of clay, and while they bring a high rent to the proprietors, are cultivated by the tenantry in a style of great excellence. The lands forming this bank are composed chiefly of a deep black loam, and yield a most abundant return, not only of wheat, barley, and oats, like the lower grounds, but also of po- tatoes and turnips, for which the others are very indifferently cal- culated* In a few spots, the soil is of a reddish colour, being a kind of clay mixed up with gravel, and usually termed mortar ; but it is also remarkably productive. The village of Longforgan is si- tuated on the ridge, at the height of 120 or 130 feet above the Tay; of which, with the whole intermediate country to the east, and particularly to the south and south-west, it commands an un- interrupted prospect A little to the north of it, the ground, which now falls oB in point of quality, sinks into a hollow, from which it continues to ascend rapidly till it terminates in the hill of Dron, 667 feet high. In a north-westerly direction, and at a consider- ably greater distance, it rises more gradually into the hills of Ballo and Lochton, which constitute branches of the Sidlaws, and are respectively 992 and 1172 feet above the level of the sea. The soil in the upper parts of the parish is inferior in value to that in the Carse, while the climate is later by ten days or a fortnight. In most of the farms there, however, it is dry and well adapted to the turnip husbandry, which is successfully prosecuted. But in two or three of them it differs materially, and, resting on a cold retentive bottom, is wet and spongy. Climate. — The climate generally is very salubrious, nor are there any distempers peculiar to the district. In spring and the early part of summer, cold easterly winds prevail, and then the at- mosphere is less genial and kindly. But the intermittent fevers, which were so common some fifity or sixty years ago, have entirely disappeared, owing in a great measure to the lands being now tnuch more thoroughly drained and kept in a higher state of cuIti-> vation. When any epidemic visits the neighbourhood, it is perhaps LONGFORGAN. 407 felt more severely id a village on the margin of the river than in Qoy odier quarter of the parish ; and there, too, complaints of the chest, and glandular diseases among children, are of more frequent ^xsconeDce. Hydrography. — The Carse of Gowrie has never been prover- liial for either the quantity or the quality of its water. But the irilli^ of Longforgan, the second in it in respect of population, cannot be considered as ill provided with this first necessary of life. There are two excellent springs, one at either end of it, furnishing an abundant supply to its inhabitants, even in the driest seasons, be- sides a pump and several draw-wells ; the whole of them, however, it may be remarked as somewhat curious, are to the south of the public road; for though water has been repeatedly sought for on the north side cxf the road, and deep excavations made with this view, all the attempts to procure it there have hitherto been unsuccessful. The streams that run through the parish are inconsiderable, though they impel the machinery of three corn-mills, one lint-mill, and some saw-mills. Its whole southern boundary, however, is wash- ed by the Tay; but, in consequence of the height of the sand or mud banks, and the great breadth with which they stretch into the river, KiBgoody, at its eastern extremity, is accessible, even at stream- tides, to no vessels drawing more than ten feet water; while those drawing above six and a-half have difficulty in reaching Monorgan. There is a bay here, formed by two projecting points, at the distance of several miles from each other; and it is understood that a large extent of valuable ground might be gradually gained from the bed of the river, were proper measures adopted, and a combined and vigorous effort for the purpose made by the contiguous proprietors of the Oarse ; while at the same time, the channel, which is close upon the opposite or Fife side, would be very materially improved, by having an immense body of water directed into it, which at present shapes its course to the northward, and is comparatively useless, in as far, at least, as the advantages of navigation are concerned. Whether such an effort will ever be put forth, remains to be seen. Many believe it to be quite practicable. In two of the adjoining parishes, considerable portions of soil have been already recover- ed firom the Tay, and are now under crop. IL— Civil History. IdrndrowReti. — The chief land-owners are, George Paterson, Esq. of Castle Huntly ; and the Right Hon. Lord Kinnaird, to whom nearly eight-ninths of the whole valued rent belong. 408 PERTHSHIRE. Mansion-Houses. — Drimmie House, which became the residence of the family of Kinnaird, after the Castle of Moncur was destroy- ed by fire, in the beginning of the last century, stood in this pa-' rish. It was pulled down, however, a few years ago, and not a trace of it is now visible. Rossie Priory, the present magnificent seat of his Lordship, more than supplies its place; but the site having been removed about half a mile to the northward, it is just within the bounds of the neighbouring parish of Inchture, in the Account of which it will of course be adverted to. There are only two other mansion-houses in the parish — Mylne- field and Lochton. Parochial Registers. — There is a register of baptisms, com- mencing in 1685; and one of marriages in 1633, in five volumes, two of which are in good condition, the other three being some- what torn, and the writing in many places not very legible. The records of the kirk-sessioo begin in 1654, and consist of eight vo- lumes, some of which are in a very indifferent state of preserva- tion. But, in so far as a judgment can be formed, they all appear to have been pretty regularly kept. Antiquities. — At Dron, on the high ground above the village^ there are still to be seen the ruins of a chapel, which belonged to the Abbey of Cupar- Angus, erected in 1 164 by Malcolm IV., the grandson and successor of David I., for a community of Cistercian monks. Its north and south walls have long since fallen down or been demolished, and only the gables remain, and these in rather a dilapidated state. In the west one, there is a large window, ter- minating in a beautiful pointed arch, which springs from a pilaster on either side. It is situated in a dcll, through which a rivulet flows ; and at the foot of the rocky eminence on which it stands, there is a fountain of the purest and most limpid water, on which the severest drought makes scarcely any impression, and which would doubtless be rendered available in the davs of Roman Ca- tholic superstition. Though it is now very old, a nearly direct road from it to the Abbey still remains open. In 1826, a silver coin of Robert II. or perhaps Robert III., not so much defaced or impaired as might be expected, was found by a farm-servant while employed in pulling turnips, and is now. in the custody of his master. The legend round the head, " Robertus Dei gratia Scottorum Rex," can be read with little difficulty. The inscription on the reverse is not so easily deciphered. It is with- .3 LONGFORGAN. 409 f3ut date, — the practice of recording the dafe on the coinage of Scotland not having been introduced till a subsequent reign. The objects of antiquity mentioned in the last Statistical Ac- count, need not again be enumerated or described. But any ac- count of this parish, which did not embrace a particular notice of Castle Huntly, by far the most remarkable building in it, would be unsatisfactory and incomplete. It is the seat of George Pater- son, Esq. and there are few nobler specimens of an old baronial residence to be met with in Scotland. The time of its erection is not known with certainty, but there can be no doubt that it must ha?e been very soon after the middle of the fifteenth century. It has thus already resisted the storms of nearly 400 years ; and the strength of its foundation, and the massiness and almost impe- netrable solidity of its walls, seem to justify the belief, that, if it is not overthrown by some convulsion of nature, it may stand firm for several hundred years more. It was built by the second Lord Gray of Foulis, who had very extensive possessions in the Carse of Gowrie ; and the tradition is, that he named it after his lady, a daughter of the Earl of Huutly. The castle, with the fine estate belonging to it, was sold to the Earl of Strathmore in 1615; but it did not become Castle Lyon till 1672, when, in virtue of a char- ter obtained from Charles IL, the barony of Longforgan was erect- ed into a lordship, to be called the Lordship of Lyon, a name which it retained till 1777, when it was purchased by the late Mr Paterson, the fether of the present proprietor, who, having married a daughter of John Lord Gray, the descendant of the founder, very naturally restored its first name of Castle Huntly. Large ad- ditions, in remarkably good keeping with the original edifice, were made to it by that gentleman, which had the effect, not only of improving its appearance, but also of greatly increasing its accom- modation. Its situation is a striking one, on a rock rising almost perpendicularly out of the surrounding plain, and scarcely acces- sible, except on the north-east side, from which quarter the ap- proach to it is conducted. It is built of Kingoody stone, which, notwithstanding the long period that has elapsed, can hardly be said to have sustained injury, or to exhibit the smallest symptoms of decay. Its walls are not less than 10 feet thick, while they are as compact and as firmly cemented as the basis that supports them ; and the height of the round tower above the ground is 116 feet. The view from the top is much and deservedly adniired. There are ma^ny views certainly in other parts of Scotland, of which the 410 PERTUSUIKE. character is grander or more picturesque, and there are points from which the eye may wander over a much wider tract of bill and dale, and of mountain and wild; but there are few spots of such moderate elevation, from which you can look down on a richer and more beautiful scene than from the battlements of Castle Huntly. The prospect, with which no stranger can feil to be de- lighted, comprises the whole of the Carse of Gowrie, studded as it is with gentlemen's seats, and waving with the most luxuriant crops of grain, — the river Tay, from Newburgh to within a few miles of its confluence with the German Ocean, — the opposite coast of Fife, where the east and west Lomonds in particular are very prominent objects, — part of Strathearn, with the Ochils and other loftier mountains in the distance, — the brae$ of the Carse, as they are called, cultivated to their very summits, and over them the higher range of the Sidlaws, by which it is separated from Strathmore. IIL — Population, In 1755y the population amounted to 1285 J795» . . - 1526 1801, - - - 1560 1811, - - . 1809 1821, - . . 1544 183J, . - . 1638 The population of 1811 exceeded that of 1801 by 240; and the population of 1821 came short of that of 181 1 by 265. The difierence is to be accounted for chiefly by the great demand for stones from Kingoody, prior to 1811, which induced a number of labourers to settle there, so that the village contained 53 families. That demand afterwards fell off*, and, in consequence, the decrease of inhabitants in Kingoody alone amounted in 1821 to not less than 134 The population in the country parts of the parish has, upon the whole, rather diminished since that period ; but this di- minution is more than balanced by an additional village which has been recently erected on the estate of Mylnefield, and in which nearly 40 families now reside, the majority of them finding em- ployment at a bleachfield, which was established a few years ago in their immediate neighbourhood, though not within the bounds of this parish. The population is thus distributed : There are in the village of Longibrean, Kingoody, Mylnefield feus, country parts of the parbb, 399 803 W15 16.38 MakM. Femakt, ToUL 195 256 451 123 119 242 m 74 160 , 399 386 785 LONOPOBO AN. 4 1 t 1W|wriy«f«n«eofbi|itisD*fortlitlMt7 7etftit m I7f 87f oriBMriiWft do. . - 8|« 9t 17^ Blcgil i i a te births in the course of the last three years, 8w Ths mTarage of baptisms does not exactly, but yet very nearly, repraaeot the average of births, because, though by far the greater aomber 6t births are entered in the baptismal register, yet all of dieai are not Neither does the record of burials entirely corre- ipoiid. with the number of deaths, though the difference must be iriiing. I^rsons belonging to this parish are occasionally interred ekei^eie. But the fimerals, too, of those resident in neighbour- ing parishes are brought to the burying ground of this, so that the one may not unfairly be set off against the other. Tbe atcrafe number of peiaons under 15 ymn of age t betwixt 15 and SO, b 585 476 a0aad50, 824 50aad70, 205 upwards of 70^ 45 Ixmd'immers* — There are eight land-owners, viz. George Paterson of Castle Huntly; Lord Kinnaird; James Mylne of Myhiefield ; Patrick Kinnear of Lochton ; Lord Douglas Gordon Hallyburton of North Ballo ; Captain Trotter of South Ballo ; William Drummond of Newton*; and Mrs Kiell of East Newton. Of these only two are at present resident The properties are very varjoos m point of extent, but the smallest of them exceeds the yearly vihie of L. 50* The number^ so far as it can be ascertained, of unmarried men, bachelors and widowers, upwards of fifty years of age, is 28 ; and of unmarried women upwards of forty-five, 24. There are 378 families, including ^/Am!^, in the parish, of whom 117 are chiefly employed in agriculture; 100 in trade, manufac- tureSf and handicraft; and 161 not comprised in the two preced- ing dasses. There is 1 insane person in confinement ; 2 fatuous ; and 4 deaf and dumb, 3 of whom belong to one family. CharaeUr^ Mannersj Sfc. of the People. — The people, generally qpeaking, may be described as industrious in their several callings, as neat and cleanly in their houses and personal habits, and as en- joying a reasonable portion of the comforts and advantages of so- ciety. A sensible improvement in point of dress has taken place, partly arising, no doubt, from the comparatively low price at which Doost of the articles of wearing apparel are now to be procured. Many are accustomed to feed and kill at least one pig in the * Botb parties residing in the parish. f One party onl y residing. 412 PERTHSHIRE. course of the year, besides frequently using other sorts of butcher meat All have their crop of potatoes and their provision of oat- meal, which are considered as necessaries of life. A good deal of wheaten bread, too, is consumed ; and tea, with its- appendages, once or even twice a-day, is by no means uncommon. The farm- servants, who, from the large scale on which agricultural operations are here conducted, form no small body, live almost entirely on oatmeal and milk, which they receive as a part of their wages. A laudable attention to their moral and religious duties, and an ex- emplary conduct in their social and domestic relations, are often to be met with among the labouring classes ; but, as might be ex« pected, there are unhappily not a few melancholy instances to the contrary. We have none of those public works, with which an injurious influence is very generally and justly associated; but bothies^ or de- tached houses, in which the unmarried farm-servants sleep and prepare their victuals, and of which there is a very considerable number in this parish, though convenient and beneficial perhaps in some respects, have not certainly contributed to the formation of pious and virtuous habits. It is among those who occupy them that the greatest ignorance is most commonly to be found, and that cases of immorality do most frequently occur. Could some alteration of the system be introduced, which would better provide for the worldly coipfort of the young men themselves, and be at the same time more conducive to their intellectual and spiritual im- provement, it would be extremely desirable. IV. — Industry. Agriculture and Rural Economy, — This parish, in common with the district to which it belongs, is essentially, and, it may be said, eminently agricultural ; and the following statement, in standard imperial acres, will indicate the uses to which the land in it is ap- propriated : Cultivated, - - 7200 Hill pasture and un river side, 189 Uuder wood, - - 1603 The soft wood, the whole, or almost the whole, of which has been planted, and of which there is a great deal, especially in the upper part of the parish, which it both beautifies and shelters, is the Scots fir, with a mixture of larches, though not nearly in the same proportion. The hard and ornamental timber, of which there are many different kinds, grows most luxuriantly about Castle Huntly, Longforgan, Drimmie, and Mylnefield. It consists of oak. LONGFOROAN'. 413 asb, elm, [^lane, lime, beech, Spanisb chestnut, &c. &c. Much of this wood is old, and some of it of large dimensions. From the variety of soil and climate by which the parish is di- Tersi6ed, the average rent per acre of arable land in it cannot be ascertained or stated with any degree of exactness. Rate of Wagesy ^c. — The wages of labourers, in winter, are from 86. to 9s. ; and in summer, from 10s. to 1 Is. per week« Females are allowed 9d. a-day for hoeing, and Is. when employed in taking up potatoes. Unmarried farm-servants have from JL 13 to L. 14, with 6^ bolls of oatmeal annually, and a pint of new, or three chopins (English quarts) of skimmed, milk daily. Their master, besides, provides them with fuel and bedding, the whole amounting to up- wards of L. 26 a -year. Foremen, or grieves^ as they are called, receive from L. 5 to L. 8 more, according to their qualifications, and the extent of the charge with which they are entrusted ; and those competent to build stacks, &c. get L. 1 or L. 1, 10s. in ad- dition. The yearly wages of married servants are about L. 12, with a house and garden, the same quantity of milk and meal, and the coals which they may wish to lay in brought home to them. But few now have cows kept for their use. — Smiths generally con- tract for farm- work by the year ; but what they receive depends a good deal on the nature of the soil and other circumstances. A cart-wrigh^ when he is occupied ten hours a-day, has 2s. with breakfast and dinner. A coup-cdiTi will cost from L. 1 1 to L. 12 ; acorn-cart, L.4, 4s.; a wooden plough, L. 2, 15s.; a harrow, 12s.; an iron plough, L.d, 10s.; and an iron harrow, 18s. These are the average prices ; but of course they tiuctuate a little, according to the weight of iron required, and the expense of it at the time. There is no such thing here as shearing or cutting down corns at so much per day, or at a certain sum for the whole crop, what- ever may be the duration of the harvest. These practices, either one or other of which was formerly adopted, are now completely relinquished. The whole work is executed by what is termed tkreaving, A threave of wheat is 2 stooks (shocks) of 14 sheaves each, the girth of the sheaf, when properly bound, being 33 inches. A threave of oats, barley, or beans, is 2 stooks of 12 sheaves each, the sheaf being 30 inches in circumference. The usual allowance for the former is 4id., while 3d. is paid for the latter. The ex- pense of cutting down a Scots acre in this manner, amounts on an average to somewhat more than 12s. But persons of all ages obtain fiill employment ; and while the young and the old are re- 414 PERTHSHIRE. munerated in proportion to what they can accomplish, the v^d- rous and expert shearer earns his 2s. 6d. or even %. a-day« Tbe work is as well and more expeditiously done, and the difference in point of saving is very ineonsiderable. Husbandry. — In the low or Carse district of the parish, consist- ing as it does of strong stiff clay, and perfectly flat, one rotation is invariably observed, viz. 1^, fallow ; 2^, wheat ; 3d^ pease and beans ; Athj wheat; bthj barley; 6^A, grass for cutting only; and, Ithy oats. Grass is found by experience to answer much better after the two white crops of wheat and barley than after CbJIow wheat, the great bulk of the straw in the latter case generally hav- ing the effect of smothering add destroying it When the season admits, pease and beans are always succeeded by wheat ; and oc* casionally too, wheat, instead of oats, follows grass, though this has of late been almost entirely discontinued. Wheat is an object of great importance here ; but the sowing of it in the clay grounds is rather precarious, depending as it does so much upon the weather, and in ordinary circumstances must be concluded in the first week of Octo- ber. Potatoes and turnips are rarely cultivated in the Carse, the soil being too stiff and tenacious for them. The second cutting of grass is often remarkably good ; but, for some time past, it has fallen o% owing, there is little doubt, to the too frequent repetition of thatcropu In the brae or dry land adjoining the clay, which is in general excel- lent, some of it even superior to the other, and all of it more easily managed, and in the upper district of the parish, where the soil is various and the climate not so favourable, there is no very uniform system pursued. Potatoes and turnips, however, are regularly raised, and the ground pastured for two or even three years in the course of the rotation. The home farm of Castle Huntly is all laid down in grass, which, from its richness, lets at L. 5 per acre. Lime was formerly imported in large quantities from England, bat having apparently lost its stimulating and quickening effects, there is not now nearly the same demand for it. Dung is brought from Dundee, by those whose farms are adapted for the green crop hus- bandry ; and bones are used in the higher grounds of the parish for turnips, which are partly eat off with sheep. Rape dust was tried, but with no great success ; and oil-cake in feeding is begin- ning to be employed, principally with the view of improving the manure. Live-Stock. — The cattle are in general a cross of the short- horned breed. Gowrie^ who gained the first premium for that de- •LONGFORGAN. 4 15 scription of bulls, given by the Highland Society at Perth in 1829, was bred at Monorgan, in this parish. The Carse part of it is not favourable for raising stock of any kind ; but a good many cattle and some sheep are reared in the upper division of it A few horses also are bred, but the chief supply of them is obtained from other quarters. Draining^ ^ — Furrow-draining was introduced into the Carse about eleven years ago. It has been carried here to a considerable extent, not only with stones, which are better for the purpose when they can be procured, but ako with tile, and no doubt can be en- tertained of its advantages. Owing, however, to the perfect flat- ness of the country, drains do not answer their end so well in time of high floods, when the water is necessarily obstructed in its course towards the leading drain into which it is received. Cross or trans- verse draining has been long and successfully practised in the high- er grounds of the parish, and bogs and patches of wet land have been eflectually dried, and rendered as valuable as the fields that sur- round them. Leases are generally for nineteen years. The extension of them to twenty-one years, so as to embrace three full rotations, would seem to be desirable. Some of the fitrm-steadings have been lately re- built, and others of them much enlarged and improved, and the dwelling-houses belonging to them, while they are commodious and comfortable in their interior arrangements, are remarkably neat and pleasing in their outward appearance. The fields in the upper part of the parish are subdivided chiefly by stone dikes which are kept in a proper state of repair. A num- ber of hedges, however, has been very recently planted. There are no enclosures in the lower part excepting those about Castle Hunt- ly and Mylnefield. The clay lands and those immediately adjoin- ing them, are under a regular system of cropping, and when a few acres are occasionally pastured, they, are surrounded with wooden railings, which can be conveniently shifted from one spot to an- other. The prosperity of the agricultural interest is essentially connected with that of the country at large, and in no way is a landlord piore likely to enhance the value of his property, than by giving every support, and holding out every encouragement, to an enterprising and respectable tenantry. QuarrieM. — The Kingoody quarries, which belong to Mr Mylne of Mylnefield, are in this parish, and close upon the banks of the 416 PERTHSHIRE. Tay. They have already been wrought for several hundred years, and the stone which they produce is considered as equal to any in Scotland. It is of a bluish colour, very hard, and difficult of be- ing chiseled, but extremely durable, susceptible of the Bnest po- lish, and scarcely .a£fected by exposure, however long, to the in- fluence of the weather. Castle Huntly, as is mentioned under an- other head, was built of it in the fifteenth century, and also the old and massy tower of Dundee, which was erected towards the end of the twelfth, and which is still in a wonderful state of pre- servation. A good deal of it is required to meet the wants of the surrounding country, but the chief demand for it of late years has been from Aberdeen, Perth, and Dundee, where, independently of what has been needed for more ordinary purposes, docks have been constructing, and other harbour improvements in operation. The company who rent the quarries give employment in them to between fifty and sixty men, at the average wages to good workers of about 14s. per week. They have three boats, one of fifty, and two of thirty tons each. The former carries stones to Aberdeen^ and other towns on the coast, while the voyages of the latter are confined within the precincts of the river. In some places, there is a depth of rock of not less than 70 feet, and blocks of stone for cylinders and engine seats* are furnished, 12 feet long, 8 broad, and 1^ thick, and of the enormous weight of 10 tons and upwards. There is another excellent freestone quarry on a farm in the higher part of the parish, the property of Lord Kinnaird, from which Rossie Priory was built Its colour is whiter than that of the Kingoody stone. It admits of an equally fine polish, and were the situation a more favourable one, it might be wrought to great advantage. Fisheries, — The landholders of this parish, whose estates are adjacent to the Tay, at least some of them, have rights to the cott- tiguous fishings on it, secured to them by charter. These were prosecuted with great success by means of stake-nets from about 1802 till 1812, when they were finally interdicted. On the reced- ing of the tide, which leaves nearly a mile of sand between its north bank, and the deep stream of the river, hundreds of salinon were occasionally found enclosed within the nets which were erect- ed when the fishing season commenced, and taken down when it closed. The loss to the proprietors has of course been consider- able, and the want of the advantage enjoyed in an ample supply of salmon has been felt in the neighbourhood. Produce. — In ascertaining the gross amount of raw produce 1 LONOFORGAN. 417 raised in the parish, it is obvious that any estimate we can form will be only an approximation to the truth. But the following view of it, from the principles on which the calculation has been made, ^ perhaps as correct a one as can be exhibited. 9S5 Seocs acres of wheat, tuppoied to jidd 8265 qrt. 4 budi. at h,% 1 It. 5d per qr.y being average of fiars for the last aeren years, L. 8995 1 H 7lOdo. ofbarley, yielding 3469 qrs. 2 bush, at L. 1,88. 54d. 4931 5 9^ 930do.or exportation to America. Some plain linen and tweeled sheet- i^^C^ are also made for family use, though not by any means to a e extent The value of the whole may amount to L< 310 per In these different branches, about 150 weavers are em- ^^loyed, of whom 70 are men, and 80 women, the wages of the ^^rmer averaging 10s., and those of the latter 9s. each, per week* erhaps 50 women and young persons are engaged in winding and ^^tiherwise preparing the yarns for the loom, whose weekly earnings ^^^y be nearly ds. each. The " Carse of Gowrie Agricultural Society," which was insti- ^Xited in 1820, to promote improvements in agriculture, and en- ^^oorage the breeding and rearing of stock, held its regular meet- ^^:ig8 in spring and autumn at Longforgan. It no longer exists, however, as a separate estabhshment, having lately been incorpo- ^*^ted with the ** Perthshire Agricultural Association," formed for Similar purposes. V. — Parochial Economy. Market''Tthe progress of which was interrupted by the lamented death of the late Duke of Atholl in 1831 — was found at Marlhaugh, where this parish joins that of Redgorton. At present, almost none of these building materials are carried out of the parish, except horn the slate quarry at Glen Shee. Zoology. — This parish has been long celebrated for the abund- ance, the variety, and the excellence of its game. The red-deer pays it occasional visits. A few roe-deer make it their home, and early in spring mornings may be seen grazing with their fawns. Hares are very plentiful, and of excellent quality ; and rabbits of late have become greatly too abundant, and injurious to the crops. Among the feathered tribes used for game, the pheasant claims the first place ; and the grouse, the partridge, the woodcock, the wild duck, the snipe, and the wood- pigeon, follow in their order. These have many enemies; among which are the fox, lurk* ing in the woods or among the rocks ; the polecat, the martin-cat, the stoat, and the weasel, frequenting stone dikes, crevices of rocks, old walls, and roots of hedges. Among the birds of prey are the ring- tailed-hawk, the sparrow-hawk, the fork-tailed-gled, the buzzard, not common, the magpie, and the jay-pie. The dotterel, the plo* ver, the lapwing, the curlew, the grey owl, and the fieldfiuie fre- quent the moors. The heron haunts a small beautiful lake, sur- rounded with wood, at the foot of Hirnam hill. In stormy wea- AUCHTBROAVEN. 429 ther during 8pring,,sea-inews visit this part of the country. Jack- daws and crows are abundant ; and so are also many sorts of sing- ii^4Hrdf» as the lark, the linnet, the blackbird, the thrush, the ro- bin. The house-sparrow, the finch, the wagtail, and other small birds, are common. In summer, the swallow, the land-rail, the cuckoo, and other birds of passage, pay their annual visit The parish has also its full share of insects and reptiles ; and some of the dragon-flies are large and beautiful. Boiiemg. — These plants are found on the hills : PolygilB Tuli^uii, milkwort Pinguicula Tulgu-is, butterwort. This Gauui tuwtile plant lias some appearance of the P. Gmqihaliomdioictiin, mountain cudweed Lusitanica, which has not been found Qjamaimnm, eonopaem, fragrant gym- on this side of the island. ■^•'^"'ft or sweet-smelling orchis Carex pulicaris OreUt tuberosus Potentilla vema TVioittlii £iiro|MBa, cfaiekweed winter- Pedicularis sylvatica grwip, beautifol and rare in low lands, Cardamine impatiens mora common in the high lands. Geranium Robertianura Viola OMiiii% dog's violet pratense Pedieularis palustris Orchis latifolia Hieradom idpioum« Alpine hawkweed Lycopodium alpinum. Pjrrola minor The three species of heath, natives of Britain, namely, Cattuna tndgarUj Erica tetralix^ and E, cinerea^ are found intermixed in the hills and moors. All the plants common in most parts of Scot- land are aho abundant here. Aud were the banks of the streams, the recesses of the woods, the moors, and the marshes, carefully examined, there is no doubt but a rich botanical harvest would be gathered. All the common sorts of wood grow in the parish, as the oak, the a^, the mountain-ash, the elm, the beech, the labur- ntmi, larch, spruce, Scotch fir, and other kinds of trees. The large plantations consist chiefly of larch and Scotch fir. At Stan- ley House, there are two very large and fine yew trees, and in the lawn and along the banks of the Tay a great number of beeches, of a large size and beautiful shape. Within six yards of the east comer of the manse is a weeping birch, which, by reason of its broad flat top, and long pendant tendrils, excites the admiration of all by whom it is beheld. XL — Civil History. Violence af Farmer Times. — Myln, in his Lives of the Bishops of Donkeld, tells us, that, while James Bruss held that see between 1441 and 1447, his nephew, Andrew Forrester of Torwood, who rented the lands of Little Dunkeld, had an encounter with Robert Beoch Makdonoquhy to the east of the Church of Auchtergaven, where he was so severely wounded in the head that he died in con* 430 PEKTHSUIRE. sequence. He was a great scourge to the Church, and in pariicuki had plundered the lands of Little Dunkeld. We are informed by tlm same author, that Bishop Brown recovered the estate of Makkers% now called Taymount, in the parish of Kinclaven, from Sir Jame Crichton'of Strathord, in the parish of Auchtergaven, who ha.4 taken possession of it by violence. On this account, Sir Jame laid snares for tlie Bishop, and did him all the harm in his power He waylaid and set upon him near the Bridge of Erne with onb twelve men, as the other was on his way to Court with a retinue of forty people. The Bishop and the clergy in his train restrain- ed their servants, otherwise Sir James and his people would have been cut to pieces. They parted, however, without exchanging blows ; and, to convince the world that the intentions of Sir James were bad, the Bishop returned to Dunkeld without proceeding to Court. From that time. Sir James was very hard upon the Bi- shop's tenants of Pittendynie and Kinvaid, in the parish of Money- die. These facts show us the insecurity of peace, life, and pro- perty in these times of violence. The Family ofNaime. — When the rebellion of 1715, headed by the Earl of Mar, became public, all suspected persons were summoned by Government to surrender themselves, and give se- curity for their fidelity as the law directed ; and in the lists ol these persons we find both Lord Nairne, and his son, the Master of Nairne, whose property lay chiefly in this parish. His Lord- ship, who was brother of the Earl of AthoU, and had married the heiress of Nairne, commanded the fourth of the six Scottish regi- ments of foot which were at the battle of Preston. And he is thus characterized by a contemporary author : '^ This nobleman was much esteemed in his country, where he made himself populai by the opposition he made to the Union, as well as by his othei great qualities. He was reputed a man of courage, having former- ly served in the navy, where it is said he gave proofs of his va- lour."* The representative of this family embarked also in the rebellion of 1745-6, and joined the Prince at Perth. He surviv- ed the disasters of that insurrection, and followed the Chevalier tc France, and thence to Rome, and shared in his friendship and for- tunes till the death of the latter. The title of Nairne, which was forfeited in 1746, was revived in 1824. The lineal descendant of the family returned to this country before the conclusion of the last century, and resided in a plain and private way in Perth • Campbell's Life of John Duke of Argylc. p. 209. 3 AUCHTERQAVEN. 431 ^here his tall and venerable appearance, with his cocked hat and ^^%fa gilt-headed cane, is still fresh in the recollection of the in- ^bitants of that city. He was buried in the family bui^ing-place ^ Auchtergaven. William Lord Naime, in whose person the title y^ revived in 1824, was succeeded by his only son, William, born ^ 1808, and died unmarried in 1837, an event by ^hich the title ^^^ become extinct in the male line.* The principal residence pf ^■^is ancient family was situated at Loak, in this parish ; and the ^ouse of Naime is still spoken of as one of tKe finest seats of the Scottish nobility. After the forfeited property was purchased by ^Oe Duke of Atholl, this residence was demolished ; and the only ^estige of it which now remains is part of the orchard, with a green ^ound planted, which terminated one of the avenues ; but there ^1^ persons still alive, who, amid the levellings of the plough and harrow, can point out the various localities, the favourite walks of the ^* last Lady Mary,'' her sylvan bower, the clear pebble well, of which the stream still flows, the old thorn tree, and the bowling green in which Lord Nairne marshalled his clan before they march- ed to join the Prince at Perth. The exploits of the Lord Nairne who embarked in the rebellion of 1745 have been celebrated in Terse.+ While Lord Naime and other noble chiefs were feasted in the Oastle of Strathallan, Galium Dhu, a formidable bandit, who had for some time haunted Methven wood, was talked of. When the castle clock rang the hour of ten, the company broke up ; and Xiord Strathallan urged Lord Nairne not to return home that night, as he might encounter the robber, his dreary way lyings throi:gh the wood and across the stream where be had his cave. Attend- ed, however, only by his servant Clarke, he mounted, and hasted homeward. He met the robber, and after a desperate duel, he slew bim, and carried home his head as a trophy of his victory. He had received a wound on his shoulder, which his servant wrapped with a bandage to restrain the flowing of his master's blood. The Old House of Nairne having been consumed by fire, a new mansion was erected at great expense, nor was it completely * *< By the death of John Lord Nairne, which lately took place at Brussels, Ba- Tone» K!eith becomes heiress to his barony. Being a female title (Lady Keith hav- ing no sonSy) it will descend to her dauj^hters, and the family will assume the name tnd arms of Naime.** — Perth Courier fur 1 1th January 1838. t *'*' Nairn, a poem, founded on fact, with notes and anecdotes, illustrative of the manners and customs of the natives of Nairn, or Stratherde, in Perthshire, in the eighteenth century,** is the title of a legend on this subject, by James Anderson, Perth, printed by Crerar and Son, 1B25. 432 PERTHSHIRE. finished at the Rebellion of 1745. Sixty masons were emplojed three years in building it ; and were, every Saturday evening dur-^ ing all that time, treated at his Lordship's expense, in a public- house at Loak, each with a large oat cake, a salt herring, aod a. pint of ale, equal to four English pints. Many who saw the founda- tion of this house laid, lived to see it taken down to the ground* It was sold, and the materials carried off; and it is said that the clock and weathercock on the spire of the hospital at Perth were originally on the house of Nairne. Robert NicoU — This was a young man of great promise cut off in the bloom of life. He was born in this parish in 1814^ where his grandfather, father, and mother, and other relations still reside. He was educated at the parochial school under the present teacher ; and his first outset in life was in a grocer's shop in Perth. But the bent of his mind being toward literature, he opened a circulat- ing library in Dundee, and distinguished himself as a political writer of the liberal school, and as the author of a volume of poems, chiefly in the Scottish dialect^ and descriptive of Scottish man- ners. The title of one of his songs is " The Fouk o' Oucher- gaen." When seized with his last illness, he had the management of a newspaper in Leeds, which in a short time he brought into extensive circulation. He died at Newhaven, near Edinbui^h, in December 1837. His poetry shows observation, pathos, and right feeling. Ixmd'OtDners. — In a list of lands and baronies in the seisin of James Master of Gowrie, dated 11th April 1584, communicated to " the Literary and Antiquarian Society of Perth," we find the fol- lowing places in this parish mentioned, Adanachy — Ardonochy, — Harehaugh — Hardhaugh — a third part of the lands of Arleu^ai; — Airly wight — the town and lands otCultrony ; the lands ofDrtan'- grain ; and the half of the Mibi of Ochtergavin, with the half of the multures and miln-lands. In the record of the valuation of the lands of the parish in 1649, published in the County Cess- Book, the following list of proprie- tors occurs: The Laird of Strathurd, Robert Graham, the Heirs of John Naime, Sir William Stewart, the Laird of Grandtully, the Laird of TuUybelton and over Blelock, the Earl of Tullybairdine ; Lady Grandtully, elder, for Airlywight and Cultrainie, possessed by her; John Burt of Little TuUybelton, William Wallace of Prieston, the Earl of Athol, and the Earl of Dunfermline, for feu duties. — The present proprietors are, his Grace the Dukeof AthoU; Sir John 4 AUCHTERGAVEN. 433 Drammond Stewart, Bart of GrandtuUy ;* James Wylie, Esq. of Airlywight ; Robert Robertson, Esq. of Tullybelton ; and the poor of the parish of Cockslands, under the management of the kirk- session. The lands of Tullybeagles belong to Lady Keith. The Duchess of Atholl has her locality lands in this parish. Parish Registers.f — The first entry in the parish register is dated 7th December 1740. Since that time the cash collected at the church for the poor, the dates of marriages and baptisms, and the minutes of the kirk-session, as well as the money distri- buted to the poor, have been regularly kept ; and are contained io four folio volumes : the fourth having been provided lately for keeping a roll of male heads of families communicants, in compli- ance with the regulations for carrying into effect the recent act of the Greneral Assembly on Calls. Antiquities. — In the vicinity of the Stare Dam, at Meikle Ob- ney, in the farm of Middle Blelock, and at some other places of the parish, are found instances of those large nide blocks of stone set on end, so common in Scotland, and of which the original de- ^\ff\ is so imperfectly known. To the north of Balwham, in the lands of Tullybeagles, were found, a few years ago, at the ruins of an old chapel, some old coins, and presented, it is said, to the Li« terary and Antiquarian Society of Perth. On the south march of fierryhill farm, in the same lands of Tullybeagles, there is the site of another chapel, where there was a burying- place, where bu- ttian bones have been recently dug up ; and, till of late, the people ill the neighbourhood used, on the first Sabbath of May, to drink Out of the Holy Well there. This sacred place is on the banks of tbe Ordie. On the banks of the Tay, near Stanley, are the remains of an old castle or round tower, called Inchbervis, and by some, Inverbervie, of which nothing now is known, except a tradition that it vras at one time a religious house in connection with the Abbey * sir Jdin died in May last in Paris ; his remains were brought to Dundee by «teaiii« and were interred in the family burying ground at Murthly on the 6th of June iC38. The tenantry, to the number of 400, were at the funeral. He is succeeded by bis brother William, who is at present in North America. "f Tbe parish roisters must have got into disorder during a vacancy : for on the ^9d Ffibrnary 1741, not many weeks after the present register commences, is the fol- lowing minot*. " Session constituted by Mr M^Lagan, minister of Little Dunkeld. In regard there has been for some time no register of sessional deeds in this parish, ■lor any clerk's fee, the session this day enact, that for the future one be kept, and that tlM» sum of twelve pounds Scots be paid yearly to their clerk for that purpose. tliej also appoint their present clerk to buy a book at their expense, for entering Uieir records.'* The clerk at this time was Mr Kemp, schoolmaster of the parish, ^flcrwards ministier of the parish of Gask, and father of the late Dr Kemp, one of tha ^tniKters of the Tolbooth Church, Edinburgh. PERTH. E e 434 PEllTHSHIllE. of DuDfermline ; and to this abbey, it is said, the proprietors of Stanley grounds are still liable in the yearly tribute of a grilse^ At Strathhead, in Tullybeagles, is a shooting lodge ; and on the top of Craig- Gibbon, in the same property, is an obelisk, both built by Colonel Mercer, grandfather of the present Lady Keith. The lodge is now inhabited by a shepherd ; and the obelisk was built, that Colonel Mercer might distinguish his own hill in the range to which it belongs from his house at Meikleour, twelve miles distant from it, in the parish of Caputh. There is the site of a mound or a cairn at the Westertown of Kinglands, but its foundation has not yet been examined. Modem Buildings, — Stanley House can scarcely be called a modern building with propriety, for it was once a seat of the fa- mily of Nairne, and is an old house, evidently built at sundry times. But it has recently undergone a thorough repair, and received some additions, and is doubtless one of the most comfortable and delightful modern residences in this parish, or in any other. By whatever name the lands on which this house is situated may have been called at a remote period, it does not appear, from any do- cument or tradition known concerning it, that the place was nam- ed Stanley till some years after 1683, when Margaret, Lady Nairne, succeeded her father Robert, the first Lord. This lady was married to Lord William Murray, fourth son of the Marquis of AthoU by Lady Amelia Sophia Stanley^ daughter of James Stan- ley, Earl of Derby. Tradition says, that after the union of the families of Atholl and Nairne, the mansion-house and grounds re- ceived the name of Stanley, in honour of the Marchioness of Atholl, that being her family name ; and, as the place is always spoken of as having been the dowager-house or residence of those members of the family not in immediate possession of the family honours, it is very probable that the above Lady Amelia, the Marchioness, came to reside in it at the death of her lord in 1703, when the name may have been first applied. This house is de- lightfully situated on the margin of the river Tay, amid magnifi- cent and beautiful scenery, and surrounded with beech and other trees of the most stately growth, evidently of a great age. Airly- wight House, the residence of James Wylie, Esq. of that ilk, is a large well-built edifice, erected within the last thirty years. It is situated on a rising ground, about a quarter of a mile from the public road between Perth and Dunkeld, from which it is a con- spicuous object. The House of Tullybelton is the only other man- AUCHTERGAVEN. 435 sion-house in the parish deserving of particular notice. Since the death of the proprietor, immediately preceding the present, in 1834, it has remained uninhabited, except by a gardener and his family. The parish church, two dissenting meeting-houses, the extensive cotton-mills at Stanley, and five corn-mills, are the principal pub- lic buildings in the parish. With the exception of the Stanley ootton-mills, which are chiefly constructed of brick, all these edi- fices are built of saftdstone found in the parish, and covered with slates, also found in the parish, or in that of Little Dunkeld. Home- grown fir has been also extensively used in some of these buildings. Tlius the parish contains an ample store of most kinds of building materials, for the clay out of which bricks are made is also found in it. IIL — Population. Tlie population in 1755, from Dr Webster's return, was - 1677 In 17^5, according to the last Statistical Account, it was - 1784 In 181 1, there were 1 188 males, 1369 females, Totol, 2557 1821, . - 1164 . 1314 - - 2478 1831, - 1599 . 1818 - - 3417 No reason is assigned in the old Statistical Account for the in- crease of 107, which, according to the preceding statement, occur- red between the years 1755 and 1795. In the census of 181 1, the population of Tullybeagles was included, — a fact which sufficiently accounts for the excess of the census of that year above that of 1821. Indeed, the wonder'is, that the decrease of 1821 was not much greater than the figures indicate, namely, 79, for the popu- lation of Tullybeagles is now upwards of 200 ; and in the period between 1811 and 1821, the parish was not only in a state of transi- tion from small to large farms, but the Stanley cotton-mills remained idle from 1814 till 1823. The great increase of nearly a thousand, which took place between 1821 and 1831, arose from the operation of two very obvious causes, — the activity and extension of the Stan- ley cotton-mills, and the erection of two entirely new villages on the property of James Wylie, Esq. of Airlywight In the two last census, the population of Tullybeagles was included in that of the parish of Methven, to which, indeed, the district belongs quoad om* nia; at least there is no record of its having been annexed to this parish quoad sacra; although, for the convenience of the inhabi- tants, it has always in reality been so, as both minister and people act on the principle that it is so annexed. A considerable number of individuals, both male and female, has of late years emigrated from the parish, but not to the sensible diminution of the popula- 43G PERTHSHIRE. tion, as the place of those who have left it is more than supplied by new settlers. A great increase has taken place since the tak* ing of the last census in 1831, so that at present the population exceeds 4000, and about 2600 live in villages ; that of Stanley alone is 1455. The yearly average of births for the last seven years, - 56 of deaths for the last five years, - 48 of marriages for the last seven years, 28 During the last three years, there have been in Stanley* 9 ille- gitimate births; and 5 in the other districts of the parish. No register of deaths was kept in the parish till the beginning of 1833, when one was begun by the present minister. The only families of independent fortune residing in the parish are those of James Wylie, Esq. of Airlywight; and of George Buchanan, Esq. of Stanley. There is nothing peculiar in the strength, size, com- plexion, or any other of the personal qualities of the people. Many of them are the descendants of those who inhabited the same places in the parish several generations ago ; and the intermarriages which have taken place among them have formed them into an extend- ed community of blood- relations. The most prevalent surnames are Paton, Crichton, Duff, Chalmers, and Dow; and, on the whole, the inhabitants of the landward part of the parish afford very favourable specimens of the Scottish peasantry. There are at present three insane, four fatuous, and two blind persons in it. There are four families in the western districts which claim both the English and the Gaelic as their native language. As they say themselves, they speak the former when they go to the south, and the latter when they go to the north. Many native Highlanders have, within the last twenty years, taken up their residence in the pa- rish, and, of course, speak their native language when they meet together. The Scottish dialect, however, is the universal lan- guage spoken, and equally well by all. Old Handsel Monday is kept as a holiday by young and old of the working-classes, when they put on their best attire, and visit their friends and neighbours. In general, the people are shrewd, sober, industrious, moral, and religious. Smuggling is now unknown, and poaching, though some- times practised, is far from being common. Theft is a rare vice. IV. — Industry. Agriculture, — It has been already stated that this parish, in its full extent of hill and dale, woodland and pasture, moor and * The disciph'ne of Stanley is quite distinct from that of Auchtergaven. AUCHTKRGAVEN. 437 tnoss, covers an area of upwards of 19,000 imperial acres, of which about 6000 arc unable, 796 are under wood) — — ItSOO are in pasture, roads, ditches, &c. and the remainder, amounting to considerably more than the half of the whole, is hill and moorland, fit only to be employed as sheep-walks, and pasture for black-cattle. There is no part of the parish in the state of undivided common. Each proprietor knows the bounds of his own property, although there is a claim preferred by the Laird of Airlywight, on behalf of his tenants, to cast turf on the ground, once a peat-moss, to which they had a right. But this claim is not sanctioned by the Duke of Atholl. Subjudice lis est. Much of the land stated as pasture is capable of cultivation, and much formerly in that condition has been re« claimed of late years. Upwards of 100 acres of green pasture land have been added to the arable portion of the Obncy estate, be- longing to Sir William D. Stewart, since the commencement of the present leases, seven years ago. Nearly as large a portion has been added to the arable land in the barony of TuUybeagles. And valuable improvements — draining, fencing, and encroach- ments of the corn-fields upon the moors, are in progress throughout tbe parish. Woods. — Larch, Scotch fir, and a small quantity of oak, are the kinds of wood planted on the Strathord property, belonging to the Duke of Atholl. The plantations are from twenty to forty years of age, and all thriving well. A considerable portion of the wood in the barony of Obney is oak and other hard-wood trees. It is only seven years old, and occupies a part of the Birnam Forest The wood is well distributed throughout the parish in clumps and belts, and gives it a rich and sheltered appearance. More than one-half of the Airlywight estate is surrounded by a broad belt of Scotch fir and larch. The woods are regularly thinned, and used for fences, and the wood-work of tenants* houses. Rural Economy — Rent — The average rent of land in the parish may be stated at L. 1, 5s. per acre. Some farms, however, are let as high as L. 2, 10s. per acre. Grass parks, let annually by public roup in spring, bring about 10s. an acre more than land in lease. A milk cow is grazed at the rate of L. 3 ; an ox L. 2, 10s. ; and a ewe 10s. per annum. Wages, — The general rate of wan^cs for a labourer, per day 438 PERTHSHIRE. in summer, is 2s. and in winter, Is. 6d. If engaged for any length of time, from 9s. to 10s. a week is a common rate. Slate quarriers get higher wages, as their work exposes them to risk. A woman's wages for weeding and hoeing are 9dL, in some cases only 8d. A good ploughman capable of taking the management of a pair of horses gets from L. 12 to Lb 14 BrjeUTf with six bolls and a half of oat meal and a Scots pint of new milk a-day. When from home the greater part of the day with carts, they have each sixpence additional. Women-serrants get fnmi L. 5 to L. 7, with bed and board a-year. Reaping in harvest is generally done by the threave ; and »3d. are given for oats and barley, and 4d. for wheat per threave, exclusive of binding and stooking. A wright gets from 2s. 6d. to ds. per day, as does also a mason. A tailor when he goes out to work charges Is. 9d. per day with victuals. A blacksmith gets L. 3 for keeping a team of two horses in shoes, and for keeping the carts, ploughs, aodharrows, used by them in order. A cart costs from L. 7 to L. 10; an iron plough, — no other sort used now, — from L. 3 to L. 4 ; a drill harrow costs L. 1, 10s. There are 140 ploughs in the parish. Live-stock. — The draught horses are generally large and power- ful, and a considerable number of them is bred in the parish. of draught horses, 400 milk cows, 750 young cattle. 1400 sheep, - 4000 The breed of cattle has been greatly improved of late years, by being crossed with the Ayrshire and the short horn breeds. Some of the farmers have the pure Ayrshire ; and some of them have introduced a few of the Angus-shire with advantage. The black- faced Scotch sheep is the only breed kept on the hills. A small number of the Leicester breed is kept by several of the farmers on the lower grounds. Husbandry. — The most improved and skilful methods of hus- bandry are practised throughout the parish. The five hand shift is now generally in use, as it has been found by experience a great improvement to have the land in the course of five-years, two of them in grass, one for hay, and the other for pasture. Wheat is raised in the lower districts of the parish, but oats and barley are the most prevalent grain crops. One-fifth part of the farm is always under turnips and potatoes, and the application of bone manure to the former is now much practised. On the large farms, the half of the turnip crop is eaten on the ground by sheep ; AUCHTERGAVEN. 439 ^nd most of the potatoes arc shipped at Perth for the London xxiarkeL What has been said about the failure of this valuable Orop, in the Statistical Account of Redgorton, is equally applica- l>le to this parish. It is, however, worthy of notice, that there 'Was no fiulure — scarcely a blank to be seen — in the year 1837, 'Which perhaps was owing to the uncommon degree of cold, which prevailed in the spring of that year, having retarded the springing of the seed till it was planted. Trenching, draining, fencing, and the removal of boulder stones, with the application of lime and tnanuTe, are the chief modes of improvement And these have been going on progressively for the last forty years, and have com- pletely changed the face of the country. All the proprietors have more or less encouragedtheir tenants to proceed with these opera- tions, and both have reaped the benefits resulting from them. Leases are generally granted for nineteen years ; and this is con- sidered a term of sufficient length for remunerating an enterprising &rmer. Most of the farmers are comfortably lodged in well-built, and well-finishttd houses of two storeys, with suitable courts of of- fices. The land is subdivided into fields with thorn hedges, and strong wooden pailings put down for temporary purposes ; these are formed with upright posts and cross rails. Flakes are used in pasturing with sheep, and in eating off turnips. The wood for these enclosures in the Duke of Atholl's estates is prepared in the plantations, where it is cut by the woodmen, and driven by the tenants to its destination on the farms, and there put up by the woodmen. A saw-mill is now being erected at Loak for that purpose. Quarries. — Stones for all kinds of mason- work are obtained at Westerton of Kinglands, Speedyhill, Auchtergaven, Carrol, New- bigging, and Stanley. The quarries at the three last mentioned places are wrought at present ; and there is no doubt but good building materials would easily be found throughout the parish, wherever they might be wanted, as we'.l as an inexhaustible store of roofing slates in the Grampian mountains within its bounds. The only slate quarry, however, which is wrought at present, is that of Glenshee, near the western extremity of the parish. Fisheries. — The only fishery in the parish is one at Stanley for salmon. Produce. — The average gross amount of raw produce raised in the parish may be guessed at from the following statement : 440 PERTHSHIRE. Grain, oats, barley, and wheat, L. 14400 Potatoes, 60OO Turnips, 4200 Hay, 7200 Gras parks, and sown grass pasture, t24QO Sheep walks, 8000 Quarries, 500 Fishery, .50 Total raw produce, L. 42,750 Yearly rental upwards of L. 10,000, Sterling. Valued rent is, 4.599, lOf. SeoU. The Stanley Company are obliged to pay L. 75 per annum to the Duke of AthoU for the fishings on their grounds ; but now let them for L. 28 per annum. A rent of L. 80 a year is obtained for the game of the parish. Manufactures. — Under the head of manufactures, the first place is due to Stanley cotton-mills. They are situated between the village and the house of the same name on the margin of the river Tay ; and consist of spinning and weaving mills, propelled by seven water wheels, equal to 200 horse power, and affording em- ployment to 1000 people. These works were first built by Geoige Dempster and Co. in 1785, and continued in their possession till 1800, when they were bought by James Craig aiid others, who carried them on till 1814, when the works stopped till 1823, when they were bought by the present company, by whom, at vast ex- pense, they have been brought to their present state of magnifi- cence and efficiency. There has recently been some change in the copartnery of the works; and I believe the present firm is **-Buchanan and Sons." The fall of water is 16 feet, and the supply being from the Tay, never fails, though sometimes it is in such super- abundance as to stop the works. The lade or water course is car- ried across a hill 150 feet high, by means of a mine 800 feet long, 8 feet high, and 10 feet wide, arched and paved throughout Pre- vious, however, to the construction of this subterranean channel, two others were formed through the same hill at different times, — the earlier by John Lord Nairne in 1 729, for the purpose of driving a corn-mill ; and the latter by Dempster and Co. in 1785, when the works were first erected. The circumstance of a mine of such extent having been formed at the period referred to, shows the pub- lic and enterprising spirit of the nobleman under whose auspices, and at whose expense it was undertaken and executed. It is told of his Lordship that he superintended the transporting of the first millstones across the Tay, at the Norlane boat, the only ferry on the river in the parish ; and in those days, there being neither car- AUCHTERGAVEN. 4 41 Tr^^ Bor roads suited for the conveyance of such weighty masses, . ®y ^ere rolled on their edges from the quarry to their destina- ^> 'With a round beam or ** wand," through the centre, having -. ^^ber of men supporting at each end, and horses dragging in *^ot long ago there were four distilleries in the parish. At pre- ^^ there are only two in a state of activity. Malt is made at one ^^r place besides at the distilleries. ^ There are, as has been al- ^r^^y stated, five corn-mills in the parish. There are also two ^Umills in it Many obtain employment by weaving for the ma- Y^^cturers of Blairgowrie, Dundee, Arbroath, and Newburgh. ^^^'Vhite linens and dowlas are the stuflfs chiefly sent here to agents ^> be given out to the weavers, male and female. There are two ^lanufacturers in the village of Bankfoot, who employ a number of leavers ; and two others in the parish of Little Dunkeld, who ^'ve work to ten individuals resident in it, in weaving linen, sheet- ^%iig, and shirting for the home market. There are about 300 of ^e inhabitants of the parish employed in the different branches of the weaving craft, many of whom are young women ; many of them also are labourers, masons, wrights in summer, and almost all of them turn out to the shearing in harvest. The following table will afford an idea of the division of labour, and the different branches of industry carried on in the parish, ex- clusive of those already described : — Tailors 8, who employ 18; shoemakers, 26, who employ 40; masons, 8, who employ 14; Wrights, 14, who employ 20; blacksmiths, 7, who employ 18; surgeons, 5; coopers, 3; quarriers, 12; fishers, 10; seedsmen, 3; slaters, 3; woodmen, 5; gardeners, 4; shopkeepers, 15; tinplate- smith, 1 ; watchmaker, 1 ; turner, 1 ; sawyers, 6 ; bakers, 3. Work is carried on six davs in the week, from six o'clock in the morning till the same hour in the evening, with the intermission of two hours for meals. Work at the cotton-mills begins at half- past five in the morning, and ends at seven in the evening, with the intermission of an hour and a half for meals. On Saturday, work ends at three o'clock in the afternoon. Children begin their work at the mills a quarter of an hour to ten a. m., and end it at three p. m., that they may attend school. All in health when well employed can earn an adequate livelihood. V. — Parochiai. Economv. Filiates. — There is no market-town in the parish, although all the necessaries and even many of the luxuries, of life are to be 442 PERTHSHIBE. had within its bounds. Perth and Dunkeld are resorted to, the former on Fridays and the latter on Saturdays, by the fanners for the disposal of the produce of their farms. The greater part of the parish is about equally distant from these towns — namely, from six to nine miles. There are three considerable villages, with eight hamlets, or clusters of houses, inhabited by small farmers and cottars. These were once much more numerous, but Blelock, Ledmore, Tullybelton, anc^ others have been razed to their foun- dations, and some of those which still remain are destin^ also to destruction. Self-oor of this his native parish. This money is at present de- posited in the savings bank, and the interest is to be used in buy- ing ^^ann clothing for a few aged persons. There has never been •^y cissessment in this parish enforced by statutory enactment ; and^ it will be obvious from the above statement, that were the nentors resident, and did they attend the parish church, none ^"^tever would be required, as the small sum of about L. 30, vot- ^ ^t their annual meetings according to their valued rent, is but ^fraction of what they would give in the course of the year, did "^J and their families attend the parish church. The only heri- ^^ ^dent in the parish at present is a Dissenter, and consequent- ^ Contributes not one farthing towards the sum collected at the Hurch doors. The spirit of independence by which Scotsmen ^?e been so eminently distinguished is far from being extinct here, 'vhe villages at present absorb the whole of the monthly disburse- ments except 7s. monthly to a blind man, and 3s. to a bed-ridden ^Id man in the landward part of the parish. Fairs. — An annual fair 'or market was once held on the banks ^f the Ordie, at a place called the Hole of Tulybelton, a beau- ^ful dell, at which many Highlanders attended to sell wool, cheese, ^nd butter, and other produce of their land and industry. This ^narket no longer exists ; but there is still a fair held at Auchter- ^aven, on the second Friday of November, for cattle, sheep, and ^general business. Public-Houses. — There are no fewer than twenty-six houses "Vrithin the bounds of the parish, licensed to sell " porter, ale, and British spirits,'' a number altogether extravagant for the wants of '^he inhabitants. In the Stanley district alone, there are twelve of "^hese houses, which is about one public-house for every thirty-one families. At least three- fourths of these are public nuisances, ^nd most hurtful to the morals of the inhabitants, as it is by them ^shiefly that they are maintained. These houses are not so prejudi- cial in the other parts of the parish, as they are all on the turnpike ^nd other public roads in it ; and are supported chiefly by tra- vellers and carriers to and from the Highlands. Still they are ^ore numerous than necessary. It is difficult to get rid of houses t)f this description which have enjoyed a license any length of time. Unless some complaint be preferred against them ; but the justices PERTH. F f 450 PERTHSHIRK. of the peace have of late very properly set their face against in- creasing their number. Fuel — English coals from the depots in Perth, at the rate of L. 1 a ton, form the staple article of fuel. They are hawked through the villages occasionally by carters from Perth. They are also re- tailed at Stanley Company's store ; and they are kept by one ge- neral merchant in Bankfoot for the same purpose. The Duke of Atholl's tenants and the minister of the parish have the right of cast- ing peats in Craigleith moss, situated in the moor of Thorn, which occupies a part of this parish, as well as of those of Little Dunkeld and Kinclaven. The inhabitants of Obney, Tullybeagles, and Kinglands find peats in the Grampians, at the foot of which they have their habitations. The poor have also permission to cast a few loads of peats each in the Craigleith moss. Peeled coppice oak, slaps from saw-mills, in the parish of Little Dunkeld, and branches fallen in the woods are all used as fuel. Many of the farmers in summer drive coal^ from the coal fields of Fife, and Clackmannan. Miscellaneous Observations. In the old Statistical account of this parish, after a statement of its extent, it is added, — " But a great proportion of this con- sists of hills and muirs, or waste uncultivated ground." And cer- tainly, so long as the road from Perth to Dunkeld passed through the Moor of Thorn, the aspect of the parish to the traveller must have been bleak and dreary in the extreme ; and consequently in Gazetteers, it is described as a " hilly moorish parish," and dismis- sed as unworthy of farther notice. And about forty years ago, when the *' runrig" system of farming prevailed, it must have yielded a very limited quantity of produce in proportion to what now, under an improved system, it is made to yield. The hills stand, and must continue to stand, the north-western boundary of the parish, and a most striking feature in the landscape as far as the eye can reach. But now scarcely a vestige of moor ground can be seen from the turnpike road, and what still remains of it is on the outskirts of the parish, and is every year in the way of •being reduced in quantity. Draining, planting, enclosing, im- proved tillage, and judicious cropping have completely changed the face of the country ; so that this parish is entitled to rank with the best cultivated districts in the wide county of which it forms a part. The landlords have encouraged the improvement of their property, and have been seconded by their tenants. AUCHTERG AVEN. 45 1 It is to be regretted, however, that the moral improvement of the ploughmen has not kept pace with that of the land, which they know so well how to cultivate. The bothy system may be regarded as the main cause of this. Young men associate to- gether in an out-house of the farm, cook their own victuals, which is generally oatmeal brose and milk. Thus they never meet in a domestic capacity, spend much of their time, especially in winter, not under the inspection of their masters, and the bad tend to cor* nipt the good. The evil arising from these causes is not very fla- grant as yet. But instances of young men breaking their contracts, and becoming regardless of the duties of religion, occasionally oc- cur. A corrective of this might perhaps be found by introdu- cing the practice of having married hinds on the farm, as in East Lothian, and causing the unmarried young men to live in their fionilies. At present farm-servants who have wives have their houses not on the farms to which they belong, but in the villages. The police of Stanley is very efficient ; and ill-behaved persons whto found out, are forthwith discharged from the mills. And by this means there is not a more orderly or a more respectable manufacturing population in the empire than the inhabitants of that village. But the want of an active Justice of the Peace, as- sisted by a few steady and faithful constables, together with a tem* porary place of confinement for delinquents, is deeply felt occa- sionally at Bankfoot, to check the exuberance of youthful frolic. June 1838. PARISH OF KENMORE. PRESBYTERY OF WBEM, SYNOD OF PERTH AND STIRLING. THE REV. DAVID DUFF, A. M. MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name, — So far back as anything can be traced regarding the parish, it has been called Kenmore ; or, as it is found in the re-* cords of bygone times, Kenmure, Candmoir, Kandmor. The name is evidently Gaelic, and is a compound of the two simple terms, " ceann," head, and " mor," great The name has ori- ginated, in all probability, from the geographical character of the place where the parish church stands, being a beautiful and con- spicuous headland projecting into the lower end of Lochtay, and forming the southern bank of the river at its outset. But though this has immemorially been the name of the parish, and though, from an undefinable period, there has been a place of worship where the present church stands, it appears from the session records, and other old documents, that the principal place of worship, as also the burying-ground and residence of the clergymen, were at Inchadyn. * Extent^ Sfc. — The parish is of great extent, containing probably 62 square miles of surface, or about 40,000 acres. Its figure is exceedingly irregular, stretching on both sides of Lochtay, and with portions detached by the intersection of other parishes. It is bounded on the east by the parishes of Dull and Weem ; on the • In the " Black Book of Taymouth," there occurs this statement, ** Sir Duncan Campbell, 7th laird of Glenurquhay, had a daughter, Elizabeth, married in the kirk of Candmoir to the 2d son of Irving of Drume in 1621." And in the session re- cord, of date 28th December 17*^9, it is said **■ the minister went to the ferry, but could not get crossing fur the stormincss of the day, and so no sermon at Kenmure. But at Inchaidon there was both lecture and sermon to all that came thither, and on that side of the river.** llie place then and long known by the name of Inchadyn it now hardly to be traced. It lies on the north bank of the Tay, rather more than a mile below the site of the church of Kenmore« and is comprehended within the parks of Taymouth. Prior to the Reformation it was a vicarage, as appears by the follow- ing quotations from an old and rather curious MS. in the library of Taymooth. ** Obitus domini Morisii M*Nauchtyn, vicarii de Inchadyn, apud Weym viii Aprilis an" Di mv* prime, etsepultusin Inchadyn.** (1501.) Again ; " Obitus Dmi Dunca- ni M*Nauchtyn, vicarii de Inchadyn apud Perth et sepultus in Inchadyn, sexto die Novembris an** Dmi mv* xxiii." (1523.) i KKNMORE. 453 ^est by part of the parishes of Killin and Weem ; and on the *^uth and north by those hills which rise from the sides of the ^^ch, and border on the south with Comrie and Monivaird, and on ^^ north with Fortingal and Weem. Topographical Appearances. — The most striking feature in the ^}^rict is Lochtay, a beautiful basin of water, extending from the ^^^ageof Kenmore, at the one extremity, to that of Killin at the other, distance of nearly sixteen miles. On either side, there is a pa- llid range of mountains, rising gradually from the margin, and, in ^e instance at the summit of Benlawers, attaining to an elevation of ^^ore than 4000 feet above the level of the sea. The lower portion ^f these Alpine ranges, from the edge of the lake, and all round it, ^^ nearly a mile upwards, is in a state of tillage, or under pasture, or Covered with wood, partly natural and partly planted. At the Vipper limit of this zone, commences the russet hue of the heath, V^ut yet, all over, pleasingly and richly intermingled with verdure, Vrhich in many places prevails to the very loftiest ridge. Nor is %here any interruption to this agreeable appearance by the inter- vention of rough, broken, and precipitous rocks. The line pre- sented to the eye, as far as it can reach, is the varied and waving line of beauty. There is but little of what may be styled low, flat land. At the mouths of the more considerable streams, which rush into the lake, there are formed deltas of some few hundred jards. The most extensive formation of that kind is at the upper extremity of Lochtay, where the waters of Glendochart and Glen- lochay discharge themselves, and, by their spoils from above, have ^composed the rich meadows of Auchmore, Kinnell, and Finlarig. At die opposite extremity begins the basin or valley of the I'ay. This opens out at once into a fine plain, about a mile in width, ^th the river, even at its very birth, full and deep, as if it had l)6en a stream of an hundred miles, sweeping its powerful flood through the splendid parks of Taymouth. With these exceptions, the land rises everywhere with considerable acclivity, from the «dge of the water, — the character of the arable portion, being in general that of steep ground, and rather difficult to be worked. There is a small detached part of the parish in Glenquaich. This valley runs nearly parallel to Strathtay, and its waters, first collected into the Quaich, and afterwards into the Braan, empty themselves into the Tay at Dunkeld. For the space of more than a mile above the entrance of the Quaich into Lochfraochie, there is a dead level of swampy, undrained, and apparently un- drainable land. 454 PERTHSHIRE. Meteorology. — No register of a meteorological nature has beeu kept in this district But we may come to some interesting conclu- sions by the aid of a set o( observations made at no great distance. In Moulin, for instance, where the writer was incumbent for many years, a parish about 12 miles in a direct line to the north-eaat of this, I found, on an average of six years, beginning with 18ld» and terminating with 1818, the state of the thermometer to be 46.5; — that of the barometer 29.43; — that of the rain-gauge 30.81 inches; and the number of days in which the wind was from the west, with its different points to the north and south, to be 158, to which, if we add one-half of the days in which it blew from the north or south, which probably were as often on the west side of these points as otherwise, we shall have 204 days of a westerly wind. Though the distance between Moulin and Lochtay side be but small, I am inclined to think that we have heavier and more frequent rains in Breadalbane, so much so, perhaps, as to raise our average to about 82 inches in the year : as I am inclined also to think that the wind is here oftener from the west. Upon the whole, we are ex- posed to great degrees of neither heat nor cold. The vast body of water contained in Lochtay probably exercises both in summer and winter, no inconsiderable influence upon the state of the at- mosphere. Certain it is, that neither does the loch ever freeze, nor does snow lie long except in winters of extraordinary severity, as those of 1814 and 1838, within a certain height from the verge of the water. In January, and the beginning of February 1838^ when the thermometer in the open air was so low as to range be- tween 1° and 32°, the temperature of the lake was found to be 40®. The atmosphere of the parish Ls uniformly pure and salubrious, which is sufficiently evinced, as well by the general healthiness of the people, as by numerous instances of longevity. The prevalent dis- tempers may be stated to be affections of the breast and lungs, exhibiting themselves in coughs, consumptions, &c. Rheumatism is a very common complaint. Lochtay. — The principal lake is Lochtay, a vast body of water, stretching from north-east to south-west, in nearly the form of the letter S. It is about 16 miles in length, on an average rather more than a mile wide, and in some places probably not less than 600 feet in depth. It may be considered as presenting a surface of about 17 square miles, or 10,000 acres. Except at the two ends, the channel everywhere shelves rapidly from the edge, so as to bring you by a single step or two into deep and dangerous water. 1^ The lake is fed at its south-west extremity by the rivers Dochart KRNMORE. 455 ^^d Lochay, besides the supplies which it receives from the tribute ^^ innumerable streams rushing down the sides of the mountains ^^ both banks. From its north-east extremity, pours out the noble -I^ay, which, after flowing beautifully through Strathtay, part of ^^^rathmore, and along the Carse of Gowrie, discharges itself into ^^^ German Ocean some miles beyond Dundee ; delivering, as is ^Jj^XMed, a greater quantity of water than any other river of Bri- in« With the water which it is thus removing from us, it is, like ^ll its congeners, incessantly taking away what can be less spared. It were interesting to inquire, (if this were the fitting opportunity,) "^hat quantity of our best soil, the debris of the mountains and val- leys, is borne down by this ever-active agent, to the estuary of the "Tay, and to the caverns of the deep. Say this river discharges ^SOOO cubic feet of water per second. It is supposed that in each ^00 cubic feet of water, there is contained one cubic foot of mud. Say but the half of that, however. That would give to the Tay, 7.5 cubic feet per second, 648,000 per day, or about 236,520,000 cubic feet of mud per annum. The water of the lake suffers, at times, violent and uncommon agitations. An interesting descrip- tion of one of these phenomena is given in the former Statistical Account of the parish, (Vol. xvii. 457.) Next to Lochtay, is Lochfraochie in Glenquaich, a sheet of water about three miles in length, and one in breadth, of which but a part is in thisparish ; there being portions of it connected with the parishes of Dull and Little Dunkeld. The scenery of this lake is rather tame, and so is the general aspect of the glen, as there is hardly any plant- ing, and even but little natural wood. The chief feeder of Loch- fraochie is the Quaich, a bold mountain torrent rising in this pa- rish. From the loch, a little above Amulree, issues the Braan, which, shev a run of about ten miles through Strathbraan, enters the Tay, as stated before, at Dunkeld. Cascades, — The formation of the country naturally occasions the existence of numerous cascades. Almost all the streams, in- deed, which come down the mountain sides, may be regarded, each, as one continued waterfall ; and when swelled with heavy rain, or the sudden melting of snow, they become peculiarly striking. There is one, however, which is well-deserving of being particular- ised ; the fall of Acharn, or otherwise the hermitage, distant about two miles from the village of Kenmore. Of the many travellers passing through Kenmore, few fail to pay a visit to that remark- able spot : nor, if they have been endowed with the capacity of re- 456 PERTIISHIUE. lishing nature in a state of beauty or grandeur, can they leave it without bearing along with them feelings of high gratification. Geology and Mineraloffy.* — The rocks of the parish are said to consist almost entirely of the oldest or primitive class, and are, for the most part, of a highly crystalline structure, and devoid of or- ganic remains or petrifactions. Where the rocks are stratified, the beds or strata run usually in a course from south-west to nortk- east, and dip generally to the southward, at angles rarely reaching 80^. The mountains generally run in lines from south-west to north-east, parallel to the prevailing direction of the strata. The principal rock in the parish is the mica slate, which presents many varieties, and is in some places intermixed with some of those inter-stratified rocks which are commonly associated with it There are gneiss, clay slate, chlorite slate, and some varieties of horn- blende slate. The chlorite slate is very conspicuous in Ben- lawers, and in the ridge that is continuous with it. In the south- ern part of the parish, and not far from the village of Kenmore, where the mica slate joins with the clay slate, there occurs a variety of this, approaching in character both to chlorite and to talc slate, which has been wrought for building the Castle of Taymouth. It is an excellent stone for architectural purposes, and resembles that of which Inverary Castle is built. Beds of primitive limestone occur in two or three places, on both sides of Lochtay, forming beds among the other primitive rocks, and conformable to them in direction and position. They are often extenuated after a very short course, so as to disappear ; sometimes, however, they recur again, in the same line, so as to make us suppose, that they have been continued without our per- ceiving it. The strata about Lochtay appear to form part of the large bed which extends north-east towards Shichallein and Blair- Atholl, between which and Lochtay there are beds of this rock, which appear in several places. Zoology. — It is unnecessary to enlarge our article by many ob- servations on the zoology of the parish, as there can hardly be any thing in this respect to distinguish it from others similarly situ- ated. There is a long zoological list, given by the late Dr Stuart in his Statistical Account of the parish of Luss, Vol. xvii. 247 ; and it is likely that at one time or other of the year, there may be found, either remaining with us, or visiting us, almost every one of the • The scientific part of the articles Geology, Mineralogy, and Botany, ha* been furnished by a member of the writer's family. KENMOKE. 457 ^^imals there enumerated. If you should saunter through the ^^^rb or woods of Taymouth, you might regard yourself as being ^^thin the bounds of a vast menagerie, so considerable is the va- ^^^ty of animals which you would see. Besides the different ^■eeds of sheep to be found in one set of inclosures, and of ^^^ttle in another, you would perceive browsing or bounding here ^^id there, the red, the fallow, and the roe-deer ; and besides ^^mng your attention ever and anon attracted by the gambols of ^^e squirrel, . or the whirrings of the pheasant, your walk may ^^liance to bring you within sight, or perhaps encounter, of greater Strangers, — the clumsy emu of the Asiatic isles may appear stalk- ^^ig before you ; or you may meet the bison, which has come from ^he banks of the Missouri to astonish with his grotesque figure ; ^3r you may find yourself in the vicinity of a staring buffalo, or in ^he middle of a herd of white Caledonian cattle. But by much %be most interesting sight is that of the capercailzie, or cock of %he wood, about to be again introduced to the forests of Scotland. ^With us, the bird has been a stranger for about seventy years. In "•he course of 1837, there were brought to Taymouth twenty-eight ^irds of this beautiful species of grouse. They were given to the Marquis of Breadalbane by Mr T. Fowel Buxton, late M, P. for Weymouth, who sent his gamekeeper to ^Sweden to procure them. Of these, some are still kept in confinement, while a number have been allowed to go at large. The cock appears to be of a bold, ])ugnacious spirit ; is splendid in mien and plumage ; and may be ^bout 16 lbs. in weight. The bird must have been pretty com- mon at one period in Scotland. * Botany. — This parish, like most Highland parishes, presents an interesting field of observation to the botanist. In the low grounds, on the borders of Lochtay, and in the ^oods in its immediate neighbourhood, the lover of plants will ^nd the following specimens of the less common plants. Circca alpina Hubus saxatilis Scirpus sylvaticus 'fhalictrum roajus Bromus asper Geranium sanguineum giganteus Vicia sylvatica Asperula odorata Astragalus glycvphyllus Anchusa sempervirens Hypericum dubium Lyaimacliia vulgaris Cnicus heterophyllus Polygonum Bistorta Eupatorium cannabinum Sedum telephium Carex pendula. Reseda Luteola See copy of a curious letter regarding this sort of game from James VI. to the £«rl of TuUibartUno in the former i>talisticul Account, Vol. xx. 473. 458 PERTHSHIRE. In the woods and hedges about Taymouth, the following plao^ may be found : CoiiTolmhis lepiuni Campanula latifolia Solan um Dulcamara Viburnum Opulus Sambucus nigra Rosa spinosinima — ^ involuta >— — ccsia Rubus suberectus. The Myrrhis odorata and Ballota nigra sometimes occur in the neighbourhood of houses and villages; and the Eigphorbia exigua and Carduus maximus may sometimes, but rarely, be found in gardens and cultivated ground. The Scrophularia aquatiea^ which is not frequent in Perthshire, is found occasionally in moist, shady places. In the marshes, the following may be mentioned as among the rarer plants. Hippuris vulgaris Chara flexilis Eriophorum Polyttachium Lysimacbia Nummularia In the lakes, &c are found, Potamogeton heteropbyllum — — -"— perfoliatum — — — — - densum — — — - lucens crispum pusillum Cbrysosplenium alternifolium Rhodiola roillegrana Listera ovata Hypericum Elodes. Lobelia Dottmanna (£nanthe fistulosa Cicuta virosa Littorella lacustris Subularia aquatica. On ascending to the higher woods and pastures, a few rather rare plants, such as the following, may be met with : Eriopborum pubescens Melica natans uniflora Festuca calamaria Triodia decumbens Galium cinereum Plantago media Jasione montana Sanicula Europaea Ligusticum meum Allium ursinum i^ vineale Convallaria majalis Lusula Forsteri Trientalis Europea Polygonum viviparum Adoxa moftchatellina Pyrola rotundifolia ^ media secunda Saxifraga granulata -^' - ■ ■ " tridactylites Melampyrum sylvaticum ■ pratense Linnaea borealis Orobus sylvaticus Ornithopus perpusillus Astragalus hypoglottis Hypericum humifusum Hieracium dubium — ■^— ^— aurantlacum Apargia autumnalis Cnicus acaulis Habenaria albida viridis • bifolia Neottia repens — — — -- nidus-avis Listera cordata Epipactis palustris Malaxis paludosa. Eupborbia Lathyris And when you are among the higher rocks, or have reached the summits of the mountains, the following are among the less common plants, which will reward the toil of your research ; KBNMORK. 459 Veroiuea uxmtiJis — — fruticuIoM " alpiiui Eleodiaris pauciflonui Eriophoniixi capitatum — — gracUe Phleum alpinuin Alopecurus alpiDus Airaalpina Seilerui caerulea Piantbus deltoides Silene acaulis Stdlaria scapigera ■ cerastoidcs Arenaria Yerna — — rubella — iastigiata Cherleria sedoides Sedum villosum Cerastium alpinuin Cerastium latilbUum Spergula saginoides --^.»— subulata Rubus cbamsmorus Potentilla aurea Terna Dryas octopetala Thalictrum alpinum Ajuga alpina >- pyramidalis Bartsia alpina Draba rupestris ■ I.I incana Cochlearia Oroenlandica Cardamine bellidifolia Arabis hispida Astragdus uralensit Leontodon palu&tre Hieracium alpinum Halleri ^ Lawsonii Serratula alpina Gnaphalium supinum Erigeron alpinum Betula nana Rbodiola rosea Carex pauciflora depauperattt — Mielichoferi — capillaris — rarifiora — ^— ustulata atrata piUIa Salix phylicifolia — - sphacelata — ^ arbuscula — — Myrsinites prunifolia •— — venulosa — ^ carinata —^ Dicksoniana •— — hcrbacea — reticulata ■ glauca ~-^ arenaria — ' — Stuartiana rupestris Borreriana. Of the cryptogamic plants, the number is so great, that only a ^^ few can be mentioned. The rarer Alpine ferns are, Asfi^ iium Lonchitisj Cyatheafragilis and dentata, Woodsia hyperborea. The Aspidtum lobatumj Asplenium viride and septentrionale, Sco^ topendrium tmlgare^ and Hymenophyllum Wihoni^ are found on die moist rocks at the sides of rivulets. In rocky places, the Pofypodium Phegopteris and Dryopterisj Grammitis Ceterachy md Cryptogramma crispa^ may be met with. In upland pastures, iie Ophioghssum vulgaium and Botrychium lunaria ; and in fir 460 PERTHSHIRE. woods the Aspidium dilatatum and cristatum^ also occur. The beautiful Osmunda regalis grows on the north bank of Lochtay, about two miles west from the village of Kenmore ; and on the walls of the Priory ruins in the island of Lochtay, the Asphnium Rutn-muraria is found. In wet places and lakes, the Pilularia fflobulifera and Isoetes lacustris may also be met with. Of the order Musci, the following rare Alpine species may be found : Andrea Alpina Dicranum polycarpum Gymnostomum I^pponicum Dartramia ithyphylla — -^— — — ^— microstomum Ilypnum populeum Splachnum vasculotum • molle Polytrichum hercynicum ■ — flagcllare ■ — acptentrionale Bryuin dealbatum — — Alpinum -— ^ — crudum Weissia splachnoides »~ elongatum, In the woods in the lower parts of the parish are to be found the following species : Encalypta ttreptocarpa Ilypnum pluiiimum Orthotrichum Lyellii fluitans Neckera crispo ^— _ crista-castrcDsis. Hookeria luccns Of the HepntiaSi the following species are met with ; Junaer- mannia irichophyllay juniperina^julacea^ concinnatay curvifbHaj se- tiferoj and umbrosa. A great number of rare lichens occur, of which the following may Be mentioned : Lecidea fumosa Cetraria nivalis _— ~— Tcsicularis Islandica Solarina crocea Poltidea venosa Lecanora oculata Ccnoinycc bellidiflora — — frustulusa vcrmiculariit ^— ^— — erythrclla Isidium cornllinum — rubra Cornicularia bicolor. — Hookcri JVoodsj Natural and Planted. — The soil and climate of thisdistrict appear to be particularly favourable to the growth of trees. The indi- genous are, oak, ash, birch, mountain-ash, alder, hazel, bird-cherry, hawthorn, holly; and, of some of these kinds, not a few attain to a very great size. The plantations consist chiefly of larch and Scotch fir. There are interspersed, however, through these plantations, or there occur, either in groups by themselves, or in lines, a vast number of beeches, elms, sycamores, limes, chestnuts, both horse and Spanish, spruces, Weymouth pines, silver firs, geans, laburnums, white beams, &c. The laurel, Prunus laurocerasus^ is found in great profusion and of most luxuriant growth ; as is also the Portuguese laurel, Prunus Lusitanicusy though by no means in such plenty. You will likewise meet occasionally with fine specimens of the cedar, the ICKNMOBE. 461 cypress, the yow, the arbor-vitae of both east and west, the hem- lock-spruce ; not to speak of a considerable variety of smaller and shrubby evergreen exotics, now in course of planting. Tlie extent of ground covered with wood, whether planted or natural, is very considerable ; probably not less than 8 square ^^iles, or about 5000 acres. And the susceptibility of the soil ^^^ tbe growth of timber, as well as the favourable character of ^^ climate, may be clearly seen from an examination of the sub- joined table. It is the result of measurements made by the writer ^^ ttis article at a few " idle hours," which, it is to be hoped, will ^^t le said to have been altogether idly spent. The specimens ^i^cted are all within a circle round the Castle of Taymouth, of a ^^ius little more than two miles, in latitude 56° SS*, and growing *^ ^11 elevation above the level of the sea, ranging from about 360 ^ ^bout 700 feet ; and some of the very largest trees, particular- y the larches, oaks, and Scotch 6rs, are at the latter height. The ^^asurement was taken, in each individual, at two feet above the ^^pface of the ground. No. of 1 hixtreme girths. Mean of Mean > «»chfort 1 ttieasured. ' t wn A«- girth ofaU. Names of the sorts of trees Least Greatest trenpes. P" Ft. In F. In. Ft. In. Ft In. 100 Ltrch, Larix vulgaris, 7 6 14 10 9 8 8 100 O-'.Q— '{Setrnfl-uay 7 12 3 9 7 8 5 85 Scotch fir, Pinus sylvestris, 6 U 10 7 2 66 Beech, Fagus sylvadca, 8 22 15 9 6 66 ^-.^"■MSanSa, ' 8 13 6 10 9 9 5 40 Sycamore, Acer pscudo-plantanus, 7 6 13 8 10 7 9 7 33 Ash, Fraxinus excelsus, 7 6 18 12 9 10 1 33 Spruce, Abies vulgaris, 6 6 9 7 9 7 4 32 Birch, Betula alba. 5 2 9 6 7 4 6 2 25 Elm, Ulmus campestiis, 7 6 15 11 3 9 8 25 Gean, Prunus avium, 4 6 9 6 9 6 2 21 Spanish Chestnut Castanea vesca. 5 3 14 8 9 11 7 8 11 Weymouth pine, Pinus strobus. 5 3 7 6 2 5 11 11 Laburnum, Citysus Laburnum, 3 10 7 1 5 5 4 7 8 Alder, AInus glutinosa. 4 1 12 8 8 4 6 8 2 Golden willow, Salix vitellina. 8 3 8 9 8 6 8 6 If one desires to see specimens of the massy growth of some of these giants of the forest, let me recommend to him to look at the ash behind the Inn of Kenmore ; the beech at the saw-mill ; the four Spanish chestnuts at the foot of the bank in front of the fort ; the elm to the south of Lady Breadalbane's garden; the lime nearly in front of the castle ; and the larch beside the Rock-lodge. It is worthy of observation that many of the trees comprehended 462 PKRTIISHlftK in the list from which the preceding table has been construGted are flourishing in ground to which the plough could never be ap- plied ; — in some places, for instance, so steep as to be hardly climb- able ; and in others so rocky and fiill of stones, that no labour could remove them. To plant such situations, of which there are thousands in Scotland, seen bleak and naked, is the lesson obvi- ously urged by these facts. Nor would the doing so be a mere waste of labour or ground : on the contrary, there would, in process of time, be drawn from these solitudes more than a remunerating re- turn ; and besides, let it be considered how much there would thereby be added to the beauty and picturesque appearance of the country. Horticulture. — Nor do soil and climate appear to be less propitious hereto the growth and maturation of several of the gardener's nurs- lings. Some interesting exemplifications of this remark might be given ; as, for instance, the case of a gourd, probably the Cucurbitus pepOf which, in the open air, and without the aid of any artificial heat, in the summer of 1837, grew, in the space of about six weeks, to such an enormous size, that it measured round its largest cir- cumference 61 inches, and weighed 59 lbs imperial ;— or the case of a cabbage of the flat Dutch which weighed 24^ lbs ; — or the case of a plant of potatoe of a third year seedling which had nearly 200 tubers, the weight of the whole being 24 lbs. II. — Civil History. The session records, in which there are entries so far back as 1636, bring to view facts illustrative of the manners of the people in former times, by means of which we are able to institute a com- parison between them and the people of the present day. The result is an impression decidedly in favour of the superior know- ledge and comfort, as well as the superior moral tone of the ex- isting generation. From the middle of the seventeenth to that of the eighteenth century, scarcely a Sabbath occurred, but the session was occupied with a case of discipline, and sometimes with sever- al cases on the same day. These arose out of acts of drunkenness, quarrelling, and incontinence. To show still farther the state of those times, it may be mentioned that processes regarding the use of charms and incantations were not unfrequent The present age is certainly not without instances of moral delinquency : but I will venture to say, upon the evidence of that document, that they do not amount to a tithe of their number in the days of our fore- fathers. From the testimony of another manuscript, it would appear KKNMORE. 463 that those days were often disgraced by doings of a more atro- cious character. This manuscript, which is in the library of Tay- mouthy is of the nature of a Diary. The writer was a Roman Catho- lic, probably Vicar of Inchadyn or Fortingal, and lived several years before the end of the sixteenth century. Among the variety of curious things stated in that manuscript I find mention frequently made of bloody feuds and murders among the people. An event of cither description hardly now occurs in a lifetime. There is an- other manuscript to which I may refer here. It is known by the name €>f the " Black Book of Taymouth." It is chiefly occupied with a ^nealogical account of the Glenarquhay family and the narra- tion of facts and incidents connected with the lives of the Barons cf that house. Breadalbane Family. — In theoutsetof that manuscript it is stated, that ** Duncan Campbell, commonly callit Duncan in Aa, Knight of Lochow (lineallie descendit of an valiant man, surnamit Camp- bell, quha cam to Scotland in King Malcom Kandmoir his tyme, about the year of God 1067, of quhom cam the house of Lochow), flourisched in King David Bruce his dayes. The foresaid Dun- can in Aa had to wyfTe Margarit Stewart, dochter to Duke Mur- doch ; on quhom he begat twa sones, the elder callit Archibald, the other namit Colin, wha was first Laird of Glenurquhay." The following table exhibits a view of the succession in the family, from 1432 to the present day. Name. Title. Connection with last. Vr. of ac- cess. 14.32 1480 1513 1523 1536 1550 1583 1631 1640 1677 1681 1716 17ft2 1782 18;V4 Died at Buried at CoUn Duncan Colin Duncan John OAm Duncan CoUn Robert John John John John John John Knight I Knight 2 Knight |] Knight i Knight 5 Knight € Baronet, 1625 | Baronet , Brother of Duncan ) Brother also Son of last Colin ! Son of Duncan \ Brother of Colin Son of Robert ^ Son of John Son of Earl John kSon of 2d Earl Cousin of the last Son Ist Marquis Traphillan Flodden-field Hankelquhery Glenurquhay Lochtay Isle Balloch Balloch Balloch ! Holyroodhouse Holyroodhousc Taymouth Kilmartin Kilmartin P^inlarig Finlarig Finlarig Finlarig Finlarig Finlarig F'inlarig \ Finlarig Finlarig Finlarig Finlarig Longe, largequefaustussit. It were easy, if our space admitted of it, to give some rather curious sketches re^jarding a few of the persons mentioned in the preceding list Of Colin, who is at the head of the column, it is 464 PEUTHSIIIRK. related that, ^^ throch his valiant actis and manheid he was maid knicht in the Isle of Rhodes, quhilk standeth in the Carpathian sea near to Caria, and contrie of Asia the less, and he was three sundrie tymes in Rome." Descending along the series, we find Colin, the sixth in succession, represented as having been ** ane great justiciar all his tyme, throch the quhilk lie sustenit the deidly feid of the Clangrcgor, ane lang space ; and besides that he causit execute to the death meny notable lymarris, he behiddit the laird of M'Gregor himself at Kandmoir, in presence of the Erie of Athol, the Justice- Clerk, and sundrie other nobilmen.'* Dun* can, the seventh in the list, was the first, it is said, who attempted the civilizing the inhabitants of the estate ; for before, they were, like their neighbours, more given to arms than to any kind of in- dustry, and living pretty much at large, without distinguishing precisely between ^^ mcum and tuum." He set them the example of planting timber trees, fencing pieces of ground for gardens, and manuring their lands ; at the same time assisting and encouraginjr them. One of his regulations of police for the estate was, ** that no man shall in any public-house drink more than a chopin of ale with his neighbour's wife, in the absence of her husband, upon the penalty of L.IO, and sitting twenty-four hours in the stocks, toties quoties." But the most interesting statement of all, perhaps, is that which we have in connection with Robert, the ninth name in the list. " In the year of (lod 1644 and 1645, the laird of Glenurquhay his whole landis and esteat, betwixt the foord of Lyon, and point of Lismoir, were burnt and destroyit be Jam>s Graham, sometime Erie of Montrose, and Alex. McDonald, son to Col. M'Donald in Colesne, with their associattis. The tenants their whole cattle were taken away be their enemies ; and their comes, houses, plenishing, and whole insight weir burnt ; and the said Sir Robert pressing to get the inhabitants repairit, wairit L.48 Scots upon the bigging of every cuple in his landis, and als warit seed cornes, upon his own charges, to the most of his inhabitants. The occasion of this malice against Sir Robert, and his friends and countrie people, was, because the said Sir Ro- bert joinit in Covenant with the Kirk and kingdom of Scotland, in maintaining the trew religion, the King's majestic, his authoritie, and laws, and libertie of the kingdom of Scotland ; and because the said Sir Robert altogether refusit to assist the said James Graham and Alex. McDonald, their malicious doings in the king- dom of Scotland. So that the laird of Glenurquhay and his KENMORE. 465 countrie people, their loss within Perthshire and within Argyle- shire, exceeds the soume of 1,200,000 merks." Not less eminent than any of his predecessors was John, third Earl of Breadalbane, who, when yet but very young, exhibited an unusual degree of talent, as well as progress in education. As stated in a manuscript at Taymouth, " he possessed the talents of both father and grandfather in an eminent degree ; and was, at the age of 22, appointed by King George I., in 1718, Envoy extraordi- nary and Plenipotentiary to the court of Denmark, where he re- newed former treaties and concluded a new one. He filled after- wards several state offices ; was Master of the Jewel Office, Lord Chief-Justice in Eyre of all the royal forests besouth the Trent, Lord Privy Seal of Scotland, and Vice Admiral of Scotland. He died in 1782, aged 86.'** Landaumers. — The whole lands of the parish belong to the Marquis of Breadalbane, with the exception of the property of Shian, a three merk land in Glenquaich, belonging to the Misses Campbell of Shian. Parochial Registers. — The parochial registers go a considerable way back, the first entry being in 1636. From that date it would appear, though parts of the records have been lost, that marriages, burials, births, and baptisms were registered ; and considering the large and scattered nature of the parish, the different entries seem to have been made with laudable minuteness ; much more so, in- deed, than they are at the present day. A record has also been all along regularly kept of the proceedings of the kirk-session, whether in matters of discipHne, or in the management of the funds for the poor. Antiquities. — The ruins of greatest interest by far are those in the Isle of Lochtay. The isle itself forms a beautiful and pic- turesque object directly in front of the manse, being about a quar- ter of a mile above the outlet of the river Tay, and separated by a narrow channel from the northern margin of the lake. It is of • It may be mcntloned-here, as a portion of history connected with the parish, that DoniJd IV. of Scotland, who cainoto the throne in 632, perished in Lochtay, having been there, as it is said, " at fishing with his servants for pastime." — Old Chron. of Scotland, p. 56. It laxj likevise be mentioned here, more as a matter of literary curiosity, than of statistics, that the library of Taymouth contains a copy of the celebrated dispute be- tween John Knox aqd the Abbot of Crossragucll. It is worth while to record this circumstance, because it ift stated by Dr M*Crie, in his Life of the Reformer, Vol. ii. page 73, " that the only copy known to exist at present is in the library of Alexander BosweU, Esq. of Aucbinleck.** That copy is said to be imperfect ; so is also the Taymouth copy, the want of leaves 2d, 3d, J 4th, and 15th, or 8 pages, making an '* hiatus valdc deflendus,*' in a production so rare. PERTH. Gg gether with a tew superannuated Iruit trees, remnants, in al bability, of the Priory garden. The notices regarding this ing are rather scanty. '^ The ruins upon the Isle," observ* Walter Scott,* ^^ now almost shapeless, being overgrown with rose at one time into the towers and pinnacles of a priory, slumbered the remains of Sibilla, daughter of Henry L oi land, and consort of Alexander I. of Scotland. It was fo by Alexander, and the care of it committed to a small b monks.*' It was a cell from the monastery of Scone. appears by a charter of the same Alexander, in the c lary of Scone, directed " Episcopis," &c. ; and grants tl of Lochtay " ut ecclesia Dei ibi pro me, et pro anima regin billae ibi defunctae fabricetur ; et hoc do iis interim quo usq dero iis aliud augmentum unde locus ille in Dei obseqiuum « tur. Teste Herbert o apud Strivelyne." I have extract< quotation from a manuscript at Taymouth, in which it is stat Fordun, in Book 6th, confirms this information. " The 1 sidents in the Isle," according to the novelist, -f- were three who, when they " did emerge into society, seemed determi enjoy it in its most complicated and noisy state ; for the] out only once a year, and that to a market at Kenmore. that fair is still called '^ Feill nam ban naomha," the of the Holy Women. There are no precise data by to determine the time of the existence of these nuns. have been subsequent to the year 1565, for that was tl KENMOUK. 467 Collyn Campbell of Glenurquhay." In the interval between the foundation of the priory, and its last occupancy by these holy sisters, the island Dfiust have been the scene of some not uninteresting events. The following meagre notices are all that I have been able to collect. ** Sir Duncan Campbell of Glenurquhay, who succeeded Sir Colin in 1480, biggit ye great hall, chapel, and chalmeris in the Isle of Lochtay." — Black Book of Taymouth. ^' Combusta fuit insula de Lochthay ex negligentia servorum in Sabbato palmarum ultimo dieMartii anno Domini vn? quingente* simo nono." 1509. — Vicar's MS. page 8. ** Obitus Mariote Stuart dme de Glenurquhay xxvi die Julii apd Insulam de Lochthay et sepulta in Finlark ao Dmi mvxxiiii :" 1524— lb. page 28. ** Sir John Campbell, 5th Laird of Glenurquhay, deceissit in the Isle of Lochthay, in 1550." — Black Book of Taymouth. From the foi;fgoing quotations, it is manifest that the island must have been a residence, as well as a place of religious retire* ment But it has long ceased to serve either the one purpose or the other. At this day, however, it is not without its inhabitants. Besides being the haunt of some few swans which enliven with their presence and graceful motions this end of the lake, and nes- tle here for the purpose of rearing their young, the branches of its trees are colonized by a swarm of rooks, far more numerous, and of a nature infinitely more clamorous than were the recluses that first occupied the cells below. From the spot where the writer now sits, and whence the island is distinctly seen, it is often his amusement to witness the wheelings and circlings of these birds over their water- girt dwelling ; as oftener still is he pleased to listen to their singular music, when at even they return from their forag- ing flights, and ere they settle for the night, unite in one univer- sal song, as if they were offering the tribute of their vespers to the Great Parent, who deigns to comprehend them, as He does the highest seraph, within the range of His superintending Providence. Coins. — Some few coins, chiefly silver, of Edward 1. of Eng- land, and Alexander IIL of Scotland, have been found in the pa- rish ; and here, as in other districts, the situations where they have been discovered are such as could little have been expected to contain these relics of other days. There are some in the pos- session of Lord Breadalbane, which were turned up in digging a field near the head of Lochfraochie. In the parish of Moulin 468 PERTHSHIRE. when the writer was minister of that place, there were found, well up towards the ridge of a lofty hill at the head of Glenbriarchan, nearly two dozen of the same sort of coins ; of which two or three were of Alexander, and the rest of Edward. Of these the writer has half a dozen ; and the singularity regarding those of Edward is, that while the obverse of all presents the head of the king, the reverse of one bears the inscription " Civitas Cantor ;" of another, " Civitas London ;" of another " Civitas Eborac ;'* and of a fourth ^^ Civitas Dunelm ;" thus indicating, as it were, the different stages of the progress of that rapacious Monarch towards his destined prey. But it would seem that coins of even greater antiquity have been long imbedded in our soil. There is the following state- ment in a manuscript at Taymouth. *^ In the year 1755, in making a road across the hill from Taymouth to Glenquaich, there were found, near the crest of the hill, twelve Roman coins, about three inches under the surface of the ground, in what seemed like a bed of charcoal. They appear to be of silver, of thg circumference of a sixpenny piece, but much thicker. The dies and inscrip- tions of most of them are distinct and legible. They are of the Antonines, and their Empresses. They are at Taymouth." There is also at Taymouth, as is mentioned in the same manuscript, ^^an urn or vase" (a tripod) of a mixed metal, something like a coffee- pot, with a handle and spout. It was found, about the year 1733, in the pra^torium of a Roman camp in Fortingall." Modem Buildings. — The modern buildings of any consequence are few. Improvement in that respect, though slowly, is never- theless gradually taking place. The houses of the tenantry are in progress to become more comfortable in accommodation, as they are made neater in appearance, being built, where a new erection is put up, of stone and lime, and covered with slates. The school-houses, too, arc constructed in a style better adapted than heretofore to the purposes of these edifices. The only man- sion-house, understanding by that term the residence of a proprietor, besides the Castle of Taymouth, is the house of Shian, situated on the north bank of the Quaich, in the glen which draws its name from that water, and about a mile above its entrance into Loch- fraochie. The castle of Taymouth, formerly Balloch, is truly a splendid mansion, and is placed in a truly splendid situation. It is only within these few years tnat it has been finished, if indeed it can yet be said to be so ; for to the right of the great quadrangle there is still allowed to stand a remnant of the old castle of Balloch, KENMORE. 469 which, though sufficiently commodious, is hardly in keeping with the wing which stretches out so strikingly to the left. The castle stands on the southern margin of the Tay, in a semicircular lawn or field about a mile below the end of the \sijff69 and in the bosom of woods, which, rising on all sides, seem as if they were inter- minable. Nothing can exceed the beauty and grandeur of the scenery of this princely domain. Wood and water, mountain and meadow, objects animate and inanimate, in endless variety, are Iiere so blended, and on such a scale, that, when viewed from cer- tain positions, and in certain states of the atmosphere, they give ^ou an impression as if you had been transported to a region of enchantment But to speak becomingly, there is here the workman- ship of far more than enchanter's ken or enchanter's might ; ** Surrounded by His power, we stand ; On every side we feel His hand. Oh ! skill for human reach too high, Too dazzling bright for mortal eye ! " The most str^j^ing feature in the castle itself is its magnificent staircase, constructed in a quadrangular tower in the centre of the mansion, which rises to a considerable height above the main building ; admitting the light from the flanks and top, and having that light agreeably softened and varied in its hues by being made to pass through the medium of richly stiined glass. The apart- ments, both in finishing and in furnishing, are in admirable keeping with the external appearance, as well as with the elegant stair- case by which they are approached. The Baron's Hall, the dining- room, the drawing-room, the Chinese-rooms, are particularly wor- thy of notice. In the three former of these, as in other parts of the house, are several valuable paintings, there being specimens by such artists as Titian, H. Carracci, Rubens, Salvator Rosa, Van- dyke, Teniers, &c. There is a large collection of books, part of which are in the Baron*s Hall, and part in a room in the old wing fitted up as a library. Milky Sfc. — There is one saw-mill in the parish, situated on apower- ful stream, near the village of Kenmore. The only manufacture, properly speaking, is that of wool, and even that is yet but upon a very limited scale, though there are facilities for the purpose, as well in the command of water, as in the raw material being to be had upon the spot. We have sufficient proof that this species of ma- nufacture may succeed with us, from what has been done in our immediate neighbourhood at Camuserney, in the parish of Dull. At that place, a considerable quantity of wool is annually cleansed, 470 PERTHSHIRE. wrought into worsted, and woven into carpets, for which there is a regular demand. The manufactory is on the property of Sir N. Menzies, and receives from that spirited improver every pos- sible encouragement. III. — POPCLATION. There are no sufficiently accurate data by which we can with precision determine the ancient state of the population. The ma- terials within our reach indicate a fluctuation, for the last hun- dred years, between nearly 3000 and about 400 above that num- ber. Thus by The return to Dr Webster in 1755, it was 3067 Mr M'Vean's census in 1794, - 3463 Government do in ] 82 1, - 3347 Do do in 1831, . 3126 Parochial do in 1836, - 3158 i« i'7Q^ i '520 males } , ,0^ C 1471 males In 1794, ^ j^43 f^^^^^ J In 1836, | ^^^ ^^^^ It thus appears, as indeed is generally the case in rural situa- tions, that there is a considerable excess on the side of the female population. Emigration, — People have been emigrating from this district, more or less, almost annually for many years back : and yet the population does not appear to have altered in any very sensible degree, in its general amount, for the last hundred years ; — a clear proof that, though emigration may relieve tem- porarily the pressure of a redundant population, it is not suffi- cient of itself, without the contemporaneous application of other elements, to bring down the aggregate of a given number of years. On the contrary, it may rather have the effect of stimulating po- pulation, so as to do even more than fill up the ephemeral blank, unless, along with the encouragement of emigration, there be also, and simultaneously, the exercise of prudential habits, especially in regard to marriage, on the part of the people, as well as the ob- servance of a right economy on the part of proprietors in the letting of land and cottages. Villages, — There are no towns, and even but few such assem- blages of houses as are called villages. The only places worthy of this n^une are Kenmore, with about 80 inhabitants, Sronfernan with about 150, and Acharn with about 90. The population is thus entirely rural. Average yearly number of births for la&t seven years, 65 deaths . 55 marriages - 24 KENMORE. 471 Average number of persons under 15 years, 106? between 1 5 and •%, 835 30 and 50, 691 50 and 70, 411 upwards of 70, ] 22 Total, according to census 1831, 3126 t was mentioned in an early part of the article, that there are umerous instances of longevity. In corroboration of this aver- ^naent, it may be stated here, that, in the village of Kenmore alone, *here are eight individuals, all females, of whom the united ages amount to 683, giving an average of 85 years to each. The ex- tremes of these ages are 74 and 94. There is one Noble family, that of the Marquis of Breadalbane^ 'misually resident for a considerable part of the year in the parish- With this exception, there are neither individuals nor families ^f independent fortune in the parish. Number of unmarried men, bachelors, upwards of 50, 18 widowers, - 39 women, upwards of 45 years, 90 widows, - - 95 The number of families is 646 ; so that the average number of individuals in each family is 4.88. Number of insane, 7 ; blind, 5 ; fatuous, 10; deaf and dumb, 2. Language, — The language almost universally spoken is the Gaelic. It is likewise the language in which the greater part of the ministrations of religion is discharged. While I would say that, within the last forty years, the language has neither lost nor gained ground, I would likewise say that the English language is becoming every day more generally familiar; for there is now hardly an individual who is not capable, more or less, of making use of it. How this invasion of the speech of our southern neighbours is ulti- mately to operate, seems not a very difficult thing to conjecture. At no distant period, it will, in all likelihood, so far prevail over its less potent associate, as almost entirely, if not altogether, to -- take its place. Nor does the substitution appear to be an event greatly to be deprecated. HabitSj 8fc, — Our people are no longer the " Reidschankes** of Pitscottie, " cloathed with ane mantle, with ane schirt, fachioned after the Irisch manner, going bair-legged to the knie ;*' for a single instance of the kilt is scarcely to be seen from one end of the parish to the other. Irish-like, indeed, we use a vast deal of potatoes, but then we manage to season these roots with a due mixture of beef, mutton, and pork ; not to speak of the milk, cheese, and butter with which we are supplied from our dairies ; 472 PERTHSHIRE. or the higher dainties of tea and sugar with which not a few con- trive to regale themselves. I believe little or no poaching of any kind takes place in the parish ; and it is the same as to smuggling, though it is spoken of as a practice which was at one time very common. Independently of what many families import themselves, there are, within the parish, for the convenience of the public, ten small retail shops, where such articles as tea, sugar, tobacco, snuff, oil, cutlery, woollen, linen, cotton, and even silk stuffs, may at any time be procured. And, as if all this were not enough, two rival bakers from Aberfeldie penetrate, twice a-week upon an average, a considerable way into the parish with weli-stored carts, to sup* plant our oaten cakes by the substitution of the luxury of wheaten bread. IV. — Industry. Agriculture. — As this is confessedly the most important, so is it the most difficult part of our Statistical task. There are no ac- curate plans or maps of the parish to aid us in our calculations; neither has the land hitherto been let at a specific rate per acre. In the statements, therefore, about to be made, whether regard- ing the extent of ground in tillage, or but occasionally so, or re- garding the annual amount and value of livc-stock and produce, we must be considered as presenting only approximations to the truth. The soil, the primary source of wealth all the world over, may be described as being, in general, a light brownish loam with a slight mixture of clay ; such a loam as appears when hazel, birch, and the sort of underwood usually associated with these, have been gfrubbed out, and which has never been either richly or skilfully medicated with manure. " The hilly land," according to the statement of my predecessor, " chiefly consists of a light mossy kind of soil, which naturally is not unfriendly to vegetation. Heath, bent, and coarse grasses are the general product of the hills and muirs ; but the vallies, and water-carried soils in the glens, &c. produce good crops of excellent grasses." To the enumeration of the articles of produce mentioned in that Account, I have to add the cultivation of turnips and sown grasses ; a part of husbandry attended to, more and more every year. It may safely be said, that there cannot, with a profitable application of capital, be made much addition, if indeed any, to the existing cultivated land. The error here rather is to toil on, from year to year, trying to eep in tillage a great deal of land manifestly unfit for that pur- KENMORE. 47a pose, by being at once too steep and too shallow for the plough, and so unproductive as scarcely to yield a return of three. Per- haps ODe-sixth of the land at present tilled may be of this cha* racter, which it were far better to convert to the state of perma- nent pasture. There are no undivided commons with reference to landlord and landlord ; but there is abundance of them as to one ^^i^&nt and another; it being no unusual thing, though the prac* tice is now fast wearing out, for four, six, or even eight occupants <>f ^ hamlet to send their cattle to one upland common. There ^'^y about 5400 acres be in tillage ; 8600 in permanent pasture ; "UOOO in moor and hill ; and, 6000 in wood. The land in til- ^S^ may be rated at 16s. per acre, though it is no easy matter to "^^rmine this point, because to every arable holding there is ^^'ached a corresponding allowance, both of outfield pasture and ^ hill grazing, for the whole of which there is one undivided rent. ^^ rate mentioned, however, must be near the mark. The '^*tnre may be rated at 6s., and the moor and hill at 2s. per acre ; . ^liat, by this mode of reckoning, the rental would be, as in ^ it nearly is, as follows ; 5400 acres in tillage at 16s. per acre, . L. 4920 8600 acres in pasture at 6s. per do. . 2580 21000 acres in moor and hill at 2s. per do. - 2100 5000 acres in wood, natural and planted, - 360 40^000 acres. Rental, L. 9360 ^Ihe return from the woods is here stated to be, one year with ther, L.d60. But so rich in fine timber are now the plant- ^ J of Taymouth, and so much of valuable natural wood, parti- . _ ^rlv ash, skirts the lake, and covers the numerous ravines on l^^^^er side, that a much larger revenue might annually be derived ^^ this source, without damage to either the worth or appear- , ^^e of these places. The value of the woods themselves can ^^^ly be estimated under L. 75,000. The distribution of the ci%^^ . ^tivated land, as to cropping, may stand nearly thus : 3100 acres in oats ; chiefly the late white. 1048 acres in bear ; Chester. 640 acres in potatoes ; large Perthshire red. 306 acres in turnips, peas, rye, lint. 306 acres in sown grass. The live-stock is nearly as follows : 521 horses ; 3109 black cattle ; 12,050 sheep ; 500 swine. Ment. — The average rent of grazing for a horse per annum is *^ut L. 2, 10s. ; for a cow, L. 1, *2s. ; and for a full grown sheep, 4s. Rate of Wages. — The rate of the wages of labour, considering an I 474 PERTHSHIRE. that there is a numerous population, far from being over-employ- ed, is, upon the whole, high, varying from Is. ScL anlay in win- ter, to 2s. 4d. in summer. The wages of men-servants vary from L. 10 to L. 14 per annum; and of maid-servants from L. 4 to L. 6 ; and they almost uniformly fare at the same board with their masters and mistresses. Breeds of Cattle, — The common breed of cattle is the WesI Highland ; and of sheep, the black-faced. But the Ayrshire cow may sometimes be seen ; as may likewise the Leicester and South- down breeds of sheep, particularly in the parks and pastures ol Taymouth. Subjoined is a view of the value of agricultural pro- duce, as also of live-stock. 3100 acres oats, 4 bolls per acre, at 15s. per boll, - L. 9900 ( 1048 acres bear, 4 ditto, at 198. ditto, - - 3982 8 ( 640 acres potatoes, 16 ditto at 6s. do. - - - 3072 ( 306 acres turnips, peas, rye, &c. at L. 7 do. - - 2142 ( 306 acres sown grass, 100 stone per acre, at 8d. per stone, - 1020 . ( 400 acres meadow hay, ditto, at 4d. ditto, - 666 13 < 5*21 horses, pasture of, at L. 2, 10s. each, '- 1302 10 ( 3lc>9 black cattle, ditto, at L. 1, 5s. each, - - 3886 5 ( 11,050 sheep, ditto, at 4s. each, - - - 2416 ( 500 swine, -- - - - -75 0( Annual sale of black cattle, - - - 3497 12 ( of sheep, ... 1355 ( of wool, skins, &c. . - - 903 ( of butter, cheese, poultry, 8tc. - 95 ( of wood, ... . 360 ( Value of agricultural produce, L. 34,073 8 ' Value of Live'Stoch. 521 horses at L. 9 each, - L. 4689 3019 blaik cattle at L. 4, 10s. each, 13990 10 12050 sheep at 9s. each, - - 5422 10 500 swine at L. 2 each, < - 1000 Poultry, &c. - - - 150 Value of live-stock, L. 25,252 Till of late years, no great attention has been paid eithe to the management of land, or to the breeding of stock. But th< recent efforts of the Highland Society, seconded, as in this par of the country they are, by the spirited encouragement of Lon Breadalbane, and other proprietors, bid fair to lead rapidly to im provements in all the departments of husbandry. The ploughiuj matches which annually take place in sections here and there ii the country, together with the premiums given for green crops &c. are already accomplishing very perceptible effects, as well i the extent and quality of these crops, as in the better aspect c the ploughs, and horses, and their harnessing. And as we are be coming readers of newspapers, of which an astonishing numbc KENMOUE. 475 &Eid their way among us, I doubt not but we shall also be gradual- ly stimulated to further exertion, by learning the facilities present- ^ on both sides of the island, from the Tay on the east and the Clyde on the west, for transporting with unerring speed our sur- plus produce to the great marts of London and Liverpool. Leases. — Leases have as yet been but rarely granted, — theprac- **ce in Breadalbane having been for the tenant to hold from year ^ year. Such, however, is and has been the working of this sys- ^^ that, precarious and discouraging as it may appear, there "^vo been as few removals, on an average of years, among our pea- ^ntry, as are found to happen where the system of letting on lease is *n {\x\\ practice. At the same time, leases are occasionally given, ^*^d are for periods varying from seven to fifteen years. The farm *>uilding8, in. general, are in an indifferent state; nor, so long as ^^^ land continues so much subdivided as it has heretofore been, ^^*^ they well be otherwise. As lots and crofts, however, begin ^ l>€ thrown together, so as to make something like farms, an im- P'^^vement now in progress, neater, more substantial, and more ^^Odmodious farm-steadings as well as dwellings arise, and, as a ^^^ter of course, will more and more arise. The iron plough is ^^^^oming not uncommon ; and on a farm here and there you will ^ the drill-harrow, as you will also see larger and stouter-built ^^**1s than were formerly used. Exclusive of roads, to be after- ^-•^s mentioned, one of the most obvious improvements recently ^^**Tied on has been the clearing of land from large stones and » ^ ^^is by blasting. Another is that of draining such parts of the * * pasture as are too retentive of moisture, an operation which ^ms to promise results highly beneficial. In these works it is -j^^^dless to say, that the tenants are liberally assisted by the ^ble proprietor. • parries. — There are quarries both of limestone and of stone ^ building of different kinds, as is manifest from the mineraloey garden, and offices ; the other 9 have usually been in tillage, but the present incumbent has put them almost all under grass. If the whole place were rented, it might be worth about L. 30 per annum, 'i'he stipend is 17 chalders, half bear and half oatmeal, and there is an allowance of^I* 10 for communion elements. The last augmentation dates from the last half of crop and year 1823. There are, as has already been stated, two chapels within the parish, connected with the Church of Scotland ; those of Ardeonaig and Lawers. They are under the patronage of the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge, and intended to accommodate the distant inhabitantsofthe parishes of Kenmore, Killin,and Weetn. They are so conveniently situated as to be little more than three miles distant in any direction from the furthest part of their boundary. The two chapels, with the dwelling-houses and offices, were built entirely at the cost, and by the munificence, of Lord Breadalbane. The mission of Ardeonaig was established in 1792 ; the salary is L. 60, with 17^ acres of glebe land ; the cost of the building was about L. 800. The mission of Lawers, formerly a part of the mission of Ar- deonaig, was established in 1833; the salary is L. 50, with 6^ acres of glebe land ; the cost of the building was about L. 685. One-half of these salaries is paid by the Marquis of Breadal- bane, the other half by the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge. Dissenters, — There is one small Dissenting meeting-house in the parish, situated within the mission of Lawers, capable of holding about 100 sitters, and belonging to the denomina- tion of Baptists. They, with a few Independents, are the only description of Dissenters in the parish, and altogether they do not exceed 80 in number. There are neither voluntaries to whet our argumentative weapons, nor so much as a single Ro- man Catholic. The ministers of the denominations to which I have referred are paid by the free-will offerings of their fol- lowers, together with, I believe, some petty allowance from funds belonging to these separate bodies of Christians. The people o f this part of the country are a church-going people, of which cir- cumstance gratifying evidence is afforded by the distance from which many of them travel to attend public worship. It may ftir- KENMOUR. 481 tber be stated, that it is no unusual thing for the separatists to at- tend our churches and chapels. In fact, the odious spirit of bi-« gotry is scarcely known here, whether among the members of the Establishment, or among those out of its pale. The average num- ber of communicants is 870, and the number of male heads of families in full communion with the church, and entitled to exer- cise the veto in the settlement of a ainister, as adjusted in No- ▼ember last, is 261. Succession of ministers in Kenmore since 1640 : William Men- zies, Patrick Campbell, Alexander Comrie, John Hamilton, John Douglas, James Campbell, Thomas Fleming, Patrick M'Vean, Colin M'Vean, David Duff. Education. — The parish is not deficient in the means ofeduca- tioD, in so far at least as that may depend on the number of schools. These amount to 9 ; of which one is the parochial school ; three are endowed by the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge ; one is endowed by the Marchioness of Breadalbane, and the re- maining four are entirely unendowed, the teachers having no other emolument but that arising from the fees of the scholars, and the hospitality of the parents. The branches commonly taught are, English reading, spelling, writing, and arithmetic. In some, Gaelic reading also is taught, especially in the Society schools. At the parish school, besides the subjects common to the other seminaries, Latin, mathematics, English grammar, book-keeping and geo- graphy, are comprehended in the course of instruction. The Scriptures are read daily in all the schools ; nor does a day pass without some portion of religious information being conveyed to Jhe pupils. The parochial schoolmaster has the maximum salary, L. 34, 4^. 4j^ : each of the Society teachers, at the stations of Moreinsh, Ardtallanaig, and Shian, has a salary of L. 15, paid by the Society, besides a free house, and other accommodations, granted by Lord Breadalbane. The Marchioness's teacher at Kiltirie has a salary of L 10, and suitable conveniences. The remuneration of the four who teach upon their own adventure cannot be accurately stated. The general expense of education for the year may aver- age from 10s. to 15s. reckoning attendance to be but for three quarters ; and it is seldom that there is even so much, parents be- ing usually satisfied, if they can send their children to school for the winter half year. From the facilities afforded for education, as well as from the PERTH. H h ^ 482 PKUTIISHlllK. desire of parents and guardians to have the young instructed, I am inclined to think that there are none between six and fifteen, ciqpable of instruction, who cannot read, though there are undoubtedly many, and particularly females, who cannot write. And, in like manner, while they are but few, and these chiefly aged people, above fifteen, who cannot read, there are certainly a great many, both males and females, who cannot write ; but the females form by much the greater number. It is due to the people to say that they do appreciate the benefits of education ; one for every five of the population ; attending school, a ratio of school-going equal to that in any plac&or in any country. The instruction im- parted, more particularly in the unendowed schools, is of the hum- blest character. Nor could it well be otherwise. The private schools are all taught by young men from among the peasantry, with no advantage but the moderate stock of knowledge which they had acquired by their own exertions, and I may say almost all at their own fire-sides ; and with no encouragement but the scanty allowance stipulated for by the parents, many of whom are in indigent circumstances. These inconveniences being consider- ed, it is a matter of wonder that the proficiency of the scholani should be such as we find it to be. The Marquis of Breadalbane has resolved to place at the dis- posal of the ministers of Kenmore and Killin, a sum of money to be expended in the purchase of useful books for prizes, to be award- ed at an annual competition of all the schools of Breadalbane. It is proposed that, at certain intervals of years, the teachers should also have their respective merits ascertained, so as to be signalised by the bestowal of similar honours. It would tend greatly to ameliorate the system of education in our Scottish schools, if there were introduced, by authority, an uni- form set of elementary books ; as matters are at present, no two schools have the same books, and, even in the same school, there is often to be found the most heterogeneous mixture. Library, — There is a small library in the village of Kenmore, es- tablished some few years ago, at the suggestion, and by the aid, of Lady Elizabeth Campbell, now Pringle. It is composed chiefly of religious books. There are but few persons, however, who have hitherto made use of it ; the people, though advancing, being hard- ly yet arrived at that state of intellectual improvement that they can be said to have a taste or appetite for reading. But the thing is evidently in progress. Of late also, a small library of well se- KENMOKE. 483 lected, simple publications has been attached to the parochial school, by Lady Breadalbane, for the use of the pupils of that se- minary ; — a measure likely to stimulate the rising generation to the habit of reading, and so to generate and widen the desire of use* M knowledge. Saving Bank, — There is no such establishment as a Savings bank in the parish ; but there is one at no great distance in the village of Aberfeldie. It was established in 1838, and is in a thriving condi- tion* The sums deposited yearly exceed those withdrawn, and the ratio A regularly on the increase. The deposits are made chiefly by hbourers, and by servants, male and female. Ist year, no. of depositors, 29, sum deposited L. 215 16 94 2d year, ditto 65, ditto 4^ 10 5 3d year, do 71, do 673 7 2 4th year, do 83, do 879 16 2 Poor. — The average number of persons receiving aid from the poor^s fund, for six years back, has been 145 ; and, over head, they may receive somewhere about 12s. each per annum. A few, liowever, in more helpless circumstances, have an allowance pe« riodically given, at the rate of a shilling or two per week. Besides, we are always ready, from week to week, to give occasional aids of a few shillings, to persons who, from sickness or other valid causes, are brought to the need of temporary relief. In short, in- stead of being very nice about the technicality of an ordinary and an extraordinary list of the poor, and of making an avowed recog- nition of the right of any one to have a stated or periodic supply, we choose rather, laborious though the task be, to deal with each ease separately, and as it may chance to present itself to our notice at each recurring examination. The funds are 1. Ordinary collections, about L. 64 11 10 2. Mortclotb, proclamations, &c. 7 3 9. Interest of mortified money, &c 66 In all, L. 137 14 10 It is also to be taken into consideration that, within a certain distance round Taymouth, the poor are supplied, twice a-week, with nou ishing broth and meat from the castle, and,, when they are not supplied in that way, they have milk and other articles of food given them from the dairy. Towards the depth of winter, the Marchioness of Breadalbane, with humane and considerate li- berality, causes to be distributed a most seasonable supply of clothing, together with some little oflFerings of money. The num- ber, over the whole of Breadalbane, who share in this judicious act of charity, may amount to about 240 individuals. But with all 484 PERTHSHIRE. this ample fund at command, and more, as I have hinted, if re- quired, we feel that it i3, on that very account, the more necessary to be cautious in the discharge of our duty, lest perchance we should augment an evil i^hich is already too formidable. It may appear extraordinary that, in a rural district, such as that round Lochtay, with neither large villages nor manufactories, to oc- casion fluctuations of employment, we should have such a nume- rous body of poor. The proportion is unduly high, being rather more than one in twenty of the population. Nor does the evil seem to be one of recent origin. The cause, therefore, is to be sought for, not in any late change, but in something whose opera- tion is permanent. It may not be very obvious what that is. Perhaps it may have resulted from the excessive subdivision of the land, which has long existed on the Breadalbane property, and from the circumstance of the tenant, when no longer solvent, being permitted to descend to the condition of crofter, or even to a lower grade, that of cottar without sufiicient consideration whether or not that class of men might be too numerous for the demand for labour existing, or likely to exist in the country. To a certain extent, this has unquestionably happened ; and so that class of the population has become too numerous. The consequence is just what might have been expected. It must not be concealed that, generally speaking, there is no disinclination to apply for pa- rochialaid, and that, in too many instances, such application isdeem- ed to be no degradation. Nor is it at all improbable that the very kindness of their superiors may have tended, if not to generate, at least to foster, and to help on this unfortunate descent in spirit and condition. The policy of the Noble family of Breadalbane, for many years has been to retain, for the most part, their poorer tenants and dependents on the property, and to make provision for them by means of pensions, cheap crofts and otherwise. Here, therefore, at the very door, is exhibited a significant exemplifica- tion of one of the most important truths of political economy ; — that the more prominently you hold out the prospect of making pro- vision for people, and do actually provide for them, you tamper with the salutary spirit of independence, and in so far help to widen the domain of pauperism. One preventive, at least, of the evil seems, therefore, to be, to have the land so apportioned as to give full occupation to the tenant as a farmer ; to have no more cottages than suffice to fur- nish labourers for field-work, or such crafts as are required in a 3 KENMORE. 485 ^1^1 situation, and for a rural population, and to permit entry to ^ made to no cottage but according to certain known rules, and ^th the cognizance, if not the written consent, of the landlord. ^nder some such management the happiest results might, in pro- ^ss of time, be expected ; and, in particular, the peasantry would ^ trained, in early life, to turn their eyes elsewhere than to the ^rrow limits of their natal soil for a home, and to learn the whole- ^Qie lesson that it was the duty of at least many of the young lo betake themselves to other scenes, where their industry and talents would be abundantly in demand. Fairs. — The only place in the parish where fairs are held is the Tillage of Kenmore ; and of these there are in the course of the year the six following : 1. The first Tuesday of March, O. S. for horses and general business. 2. The 28th June, for general business. 3. The 26th July, for wool and horses. 4. The 17tfi September, for cattle and country produce. 5. The Frfday of November before last Doune tryst, for cattle and general business. 6. The 22d December for country produce. Irnis, — The principal inn is that of Kenmore, so well known as not to require any particular account or commendation : the only other inn is that of Lawers, midway between Kenmore and Killin, known by the name of Croft- House. There is not a single pub- lic-house in the parish. Distillery. — There is only one establishment for the distillation of whisky in the parish, and indeed in Breadalbane. It is a still of 150 gallons ; uses about 700 bolls of barley, or rather bear in the year, producing about 7000 gallons of spirit ; and pays about L.855 of duty in that period. Fud. — The principal fuel is peat, which we procure at a vast expense of time and labour. The average distance of the bogs is two miles. It is difficult to give a definite idea of the expense ; but it may be confidently said that, if the time and labour bestowed in working and bringing home the production were estimated at their proper value, our peat fires are as costly to us as are their coals to those who are twenty or thirty miles from the pit. It were a welcome boon, indeed, if the instrument for peat making, invented by Lord Willoughby D*Eresby, and exhibited at the meeting of the Highland Society at Dumfries in 1837, should be found to answer the purpose. Wood for fuel may be had from the thinnings of the Taymouth plantations, and the loppings of trees felled for timber. By a few families, coals are brought to 486 PERTHSHIRE. the oouDtryi but at an enormous cost, since, at this distance, wi find them to be rather more than double the price paid for them a the shore of Perth. Miscellaneous Observations. In briefly noticing the more striking variations betwixt the pre sent state of the parish, and that which existed at the tiine o drawing up the former Statistical Account, I have to observe par ticularly, — that, from the patriotic and praiseworthy exertions o the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland, as well a from those of a local nature, considerable improvement has ta^ ken place in the management both of land and of live-stock. A greater extent of green crop in general, and of turnips in particu lar is annually cultivated ; — greater attention is paid to the kim and quality of seed- com ; — the breed of horses, cattle, and sfaeej is in progress to be better ; — and the facilities are mightily increas ed, whether for sending away or receiving produce* Moreover there are afforded ampler means for the acquisition both of secu lar and religious instruction, insomuch that it is to be hoped that simultaneously with the improvement of the productive powers o the soil, and of the domesticated animals, we shall have to con template the still higher and nobler result of man's personal ad vancement in knowledge, power, and righteousness. Nay, this re suit is not altogether a thing of prospect. In a certain de gree, it has already begun to make its appearance. Our festiv* meetings, our markets, our funerals, our bridals are no longer dis graced with such instances of intoxication, brawling, and fighting as were but too common some fifty or sixty years ago. Commoi swearing, gross profanation of the Sabbath, low gambling, are vice almost unknown. The kirk-session of the present day does no require, as did a kirk-session of the days of our forefathers, t< reprimand the people, because they had gone on the Sabbath t the wood a-nutting, rather than to church ; — or to subject them t a course of discipline, because they had devoted the evening of tha hallowed day to the unsabbatical pastime of fiddling and dancing There is to be found among our peasantry a measure of religiou knowledge which might put to shame more favoured situations ; and while I would fain believe that, in the case of many, that knowledg is a knowledge unto salvation, I rejoice to testify, that, in almost all it manifests itself in the pleasing fruit of an orderly and respectfi regard to the civil and religious institutions of the country. In fine I would embody in one single sentence what, in my humble opi CRIRFF.. 487 ^ioDy seems calculated to promote the progress of industry, and, ^^ fiur as regards the peculiarities of this district, the comfort and happiness of the labouring classes. It is this : Let the popula- tion be proportioned to what is required for the due management ^)f the land, and for the demand for labour, whether in-door or out- door, existing or likely to exist among us ; and with matters in ^is healthy state, our valuable institutions, religious, educational, mnd agricultural, improved and improving as they daily are, will ^uioomplish all else desirable. And DOW I close these Statistical lucubrations by saying, in be- half of my own section of the country, as our Scottish classic said io b^alf of the country at large, ^ Semper pax tua rocnia Coiat ; semper in adibus Tuis copia dextera Larga raunera fundat — Buchanan. June 1838. PARISH OF CRIEFF. PRB8BTTEBYOF AUCHTERARDER, SYNOD OF PERTH ANDSTIRLING. THE REV. WILLIAiM LAING, MINISTER. JAMES FERGUSSON, ASSISTANT.* L — Topography and Natural History. Name, Scenery y Sfc. — It is a very common opinion that the name of the town and parish of Crieff is derived from the Gaelic word Craobhy a tree; though some have thought it probable that it comes from Cruhha Cnoic^ the " haunch or side of the hill" on which the town is built. The town of Crieff is situate near the foot of the Grampians, about 17 miles west from Perth, and 22 north from Stirling. It is the second in importance in Perthshire. It takes the rank of capital of upper Strathearn ; and it stands on the slope of a hill, enjoying a fine southern exposure, and commanding a prospect at once sublime and beautiful. Many ancient seats of distinguish- ed families are in the immediate neighbourhood, of which not a few are spacious and elegant ; and these circumstances, togetb^ • Drawn up by the Aiisistant Minister. 488 PERTHSHIRE. with the remarkable salubrity of the atmosphere, have long procur- ed for Crieff the distinction of being accounted the Montpelier of Scotland. Boundaries^ Extent^ 8fc. — The parish of Crieff, quoad civilia, is divided into two parts, viz. the Highland and the Lowland, which are separated from each other by the intervention of the parish of Monzie. The Highland division, in addition to Corriemuck- lock, contains by far the greater part of the strath of Glenalmond, through which the river Almond runs a course of more than nine miles. The lands on the north side of the river belong to two brothers, viz. James Murray Patton, Esq. Perth, and Thomas Patton, Esq. W.S. Edinburgh; and those on the south sid^ be* long to Abercairney. The whole of this tract of country, with the exception of the lower portion, exhibits a very good specimen of the wild and romantic, and even sublime in Scottish mountain scenery ; and though it be naturally much better fitted to afford occupation to the sportsman, and the shepherd than the husband- man, it was once the home of a goodly number of contented fa- milies. When the former Statistical Account was drawn up, the population of Glenalmond amounted to 500 souls, and the annual rent was about L. 700. The rental (including the yearly value of what is not let) has now increased to considerably upwards of L. 2000 ; but the population has decreased to 230 ; and while the diminution of the one and the increase of the other, have certain- ly been caused by the custom which has, for sometime back, been prevailing, of converting the pendicles of former days into large and extensive farms and sheep-walks, we have a striking proof of the fact that the latter mode is the more profitable for the pro- prietors. In addition to the district of Glenalmond, there are two de- tached portions of land in the low country, which belong to the parish of Crieff qtioad ctvilia ; viz. Callander and Achalhanzie or Aichanzie ; the former, consisting of several farms, lies to the north-west of the House of Monzie, and is the property of Sir William Keith Murray, Bart, of Ochtertyre ; the latter, consisting of one farm, lies east of the House of Cultoquhey, and is the pro- perty of Anthony Maxtone, Esq. ; and they both together contain a population of 69 souls. But as the whole of the fore-mentioned places have been annexed to the parish of Monzie, quoad sacroy* * The following entry occurs in the records of the kirk- session. *' At Crieff, September 20* 1702. This day was read from the pulpit the commission of Parlia* CRIEFF. 469 t\iey will more naturally fall under a description of that parish than <^ diis, and we shall therefore take no farther notice of them here ^^lian to say, that they are included in every census which has been %4iken of the parish of CrieflF by order of Government The lowland division, which is more properly the subject of our observations, is an irregular four-sided 6gure, and may contain about ^800 imperial acres. It is bounded on the north-east by the pa- Tish of Foul is Wester ; on the north and north-west by the parish of Monzie, and the water of Shaggy; on the west by the Turret, which divides it from Monivaird ; on the east by the Pow, which divides it from the parish of Madderty; and on the south by the river Earn, which divides it from the parish of Muthil ; with the exception of a single farm of about 100 imperial acres belonging to Crieff, which lies south of the Earn, and which was cut off by the river having changed its course about the end of the seven- teenth century. The length of the parish from north-west to south-east is about 4 miles ; the breadth of it from south-west to north-east is about 3 miles ; and the only eminences of any consequence ^re the Cnoc or Knock of Crieff, a hill of an oval shape, which lises immediately behind the house of Ferntower to the height of about 400 feet above the level of the sea, and Callum's hill, which stands south-west of the same mansion. They are both in the park of Ferntower, and both are well wooded with different kinds of fir and forest trees. Meteorology^ ifc. — The climate upon the whole is remarkably good, variable perhaps, but salubrious. The temperature is higher than either in the parish of Monzie on the north side,^ or in the district of Strathallan on the south ; and more rain falls in both these places than in this. The explanation usually given is, that the Ochil hills on the south, and the Grampians on the north, are believed to attract the clouds, and thus to cause a greater fall of rain among themselves, and in their neighbourhood. But what- ever may be thought of the explanation, the fact is undisputed, that heavy showers are often seen falling round us, while Crieff and its vicinity are enjoying fine weather. The quantity of rain that an- nually falls in the strath is ascertained to be much the same with that which falls in Mid-Lothian, and the harvest is generally ment for the plantation of Kirks, and their decreet of disjunction and annexation of seYera) landn within several parochers of the presbytery of Ochterarder, where- by the lands of Easter Glenaloiond, Callander, and Alehanzie were disjoyned from this paroch of Crieff, and annexed to the paroch of Monzie/' 490 PERTHSHIRE. gathered home in both places at nearly the same time. The snow seldom lies long, and it is the opinion of an intelligent English gentleman, who has resided for some years in this quarter, that though our spring months are colder, our winters are almost as mild as they are in the south of England. Winds.'^The directions of the winds are very irregular, — owing, in a great measure, to the different directions of the glens which form the channels of their currents ; but the north and west winds are certainly the most boisterous. In severe frost, the south-west wind is the harbinger of a decided change, and it is regarded here as an established fact, that the'thaws which sometimes commence, when the wind is in a different direction, are not of long continu- ance. Colds, catarrhs, influenzas, and other complaints that are usu- ally found in the train of variable weather, are not uncommon in winter. Consumption may be termed the principal disease of this country, and unfortunately it is not of rare occurrence in this pa- rish ; typhus fever is also prevalent among the lowest orders, more prevalent than might have been anticipated, and much more so than it would actually have been, if ordinary attention were always paid to ventilation and cleanliness. There are many old people in Crieff* at the present time ; and within the last few years, while we could enumerate several individuals who had outlived a century, there was one in particular who had reached the advanced age of 11 or 111 years before she died. It is worthy of remark, that the cholera was never known in Crieff*. Hydrography, — The springs in this quarter are all perennial, and the water is of the very finest and purest quality. At the north-west end of the town, rises the ever-flowing fountain of Coldwells, — overbuilt by a substantial stone edifice. From this spring an abundant supply of water is conveyed in a large pipe to St James' Square, in the middle of which stands a plain but hand- some structure, enclosing a cistern where the water discharges itself. This building, which forms the centre both of the square and of the town, and which is shaded by some very fine lime trees, is an object of considerable local beauty ; and most of the wells that are distributed over the west and south quarters of the town, arc supplied by pipes that communicate with this reservoir. The north and east parts of Crieff* are supplied from another, and al- most equally abundant source ; and the memory of St Thomas, the tutelary saint of Crieff*, has been rescued from oblivion by a CRIEFF. 491 ^narketand a well, which still bear his name. The principal river ^ the Earn, which flows from Loch Elarn, * passes through the '^bole strath, — and joins the Tay above Newburgh, after a course ^f more than thirty miles. It is joined at Crieff by the Turret, and is the southern boundary of the parish for nearly three miles. It lias very obviously changed its channel frequently below Crieff; and tradition says that it has ranged the whole of the level plain between Tom-a-chaistail and Comrie above Crieff, — that it once passed close to Ochtertyre House, f and much nearer to Crieff than it now is, — and that its present course, by Strawan^ must have been formed when its swollen current was impeded by ice or some other obstruction. Geology and Mineralogy. — ^^ The Grampian mountains, which Constitute the Highlands of Perthshire, on the north and west of Criefl^ extending many miles in breadth, and running from the east Coast of Scotland, south of Aberdeen, till they terminate at the extremity of the Mull of Cantyre, near Ireland, consist chiefly of mica slate rocks, with occasional beds of quartz and hornblende alate and some patches of granite. All the high mountains near CJrieff, such as Benlawers, Benvorlich, Benichonie, &c. are com- posed of mica slate. But, on the east edge of the Grampians, t\iere is a narrow tract of clay slate, which may be traced from Stonehaven, in Kincardineshire, to the Gareloch in Dumbarton- shire, without interruption. This strip of clay slate approaches within about a couple of miles of Crieff. It may be seen as we descend from Loch Turret to the low country. But its breadth in that place scarcely exceeds half a-mile. There is a patch of granite between Benichonie and Lochearn. It is bounded on the Bouth bv Glen Led nick, and extends from west to east about four miles. At the foot of the clay-slate rocks there is a narrow valley, which may be traced for many miles running parallel to th6 Gram- pians. To the east of this valley there rise a number of isolated hills; — Cnoc-Mary, Turlum, Lochlin, Tom-a-chaistail, Laggan, Cnoc of Crieff, Glowero*erhim, &c. are well known hills in the neighbourhood of Crieff. Many of these are covered with wood ; and, varying much in their shape and appearance, it is to them chiefly that the beautiful landscape to the south-west of Crieff, scarcely equalled in any other part of Great Britain, is. owing. These hills are composed of greywacke, varying much in its appear- * Loch Earn is 303 feet above the level of the sea. t See Blackwood's Magazine, Vol. i. No. vi. September 1817. 492 PERTHSHIRE. ance in different places. Sometimes it is a red sandstone in beds almost vertical ; sometimes a very coarse red conglomerate, com- posed chiefly of hornblende porphyry, very like the rocks in Glen- co ; and sometimes having the appearance of common grey wacke. The sandstone is frequently employed in the neighbourhood of Criefl*as a building stone. " The Vale of Strathearn, from about two miles east of Comrie, consists of a red sandstone, quite similar in appearance to that which accompanies the gre; wacke; but the beds, instead of being vertical, as they are in the hills, are in the low country about Crieff horizontal, or nearly so. This sandstone occupies the whole strath from the Ochils to the hills on the north side, and may be traced without interruption from the south-west corner of Dumbarton* shire to the east coast of Scotland. It is of great breadth. On the west side, its breadth is from Dumbarton to within a mile of the Row Church, or about ten miles ; and on the east coast, from Stonehaven to the Redhead, constituting the boundary of the Frith of Tay, not less than thirty miles. '^ This sandstone, so far as has been observed, contains no fossil remains either of animals or vegetables. It has been generally considered as the old red sandstone. On the north shore of the Clyde it may be seen reposing on clayslate, and we may presume that this is its position also in Strathearn. How far it is similar to the old redstone rocks in the neighbourhood of Bristol, it would be difficult to say. Trap dikes occur here and there in this sand- stone ; but they are not numerous. There is a very remarkable one between Muthil and Crieff, called Concraig^ composed of a kind of greenstone, which may be traced for several miles running east and west. There is another consisting of greenstone at Mon- zie, which is quarried for mending the roads. Many granite boul- ders occur in Strathearn. A considerable number may be seen on the south-east shoulder of the Cnoc : the most remarkable of these is the one known by the name of the Cradle-stone. It is nearly spherical, with a circumference approaching to 30 feet. Its weight is about 30 tons. It has been split in two by lightning, and one of the pieces has made a revolution down the hill. It is composed of syenitic granite. No ores of any kind, so far as I know, have been observed near Crieff. Boulders of sulphate of barytes, water- worn and about the size of an egg, occur in the bed of the Shaggy, indicating a vein of that substance ; but it has not been observed in situ,^* * * We owe the foregoing geological sketch to the kindness of Dr Thomson, CRIEFF. 493 There are no alluvial deposits except those that are found on ^de banks of the Earn, and those that are left by the mounfltin streams. They generally consist of sand, gravel, and sometimes ^^f vegetable substances; and do not appear to be in any way re- ^laarkable. The soil varies considerably in different parts of the parish. ^D the north, west, and south sides, it is light and sandy or gravel- ly, and occasionally rests upon rocks of freestone of a tolerably ^ood quality ; in the immediate vicinity of the town, it becomes a pretty rich loam, owing principally to the quantity of manure which it receives, and the care which is otherwise bestowed upon it ; and, on the east and south-east sides, it is in general a kind of stiff, reddish, tilly clay — often wet, and frequently resting upon rocks of the same colour, which do not admit of being hewn, but which are hard and durable, which split easily, and which are much used (or building fences. No mines have yet been discovered in the parish, and it is ex- ceedingly probable that none exist. Several attempts have been made to find coals in the neighbourhood. One was made with- out success, many years ago, and another is now being made with- out any flattering prospects, in the district of Strathallan. A pro- posal was lately made to Lady Baird Preston, of Fern tower, by one who professed to be acquainted with the subject, to sink a shaft in a part of her Ladyship's property, which lies about a mile and a half east of Crieff; and the terms on which he seemed disposed to make the attempt were such as could leave no doubt of his own hope of success. He was willing that the discovery of coals should be made the condition on which he was to be remunerated for his trouble, that he should receive so much if he succeeded, and that he should receive nothing if he failed. The terms were not ac- cepted, because it did not appear right to be the means of bring- ing any man into circumstances in which the chances of success were believed to be so much against him ; but the proposal was 80 very specious that it gave occasion to very particular inquiries. The result has been most decidedly unfavourable. And, however much we should desire that it were a mistaken one, we fear that the opinion is too well founded, that there are no coals to the north of the Ochils. Zoology. — There are few animals in the parish which can be ProieMor of Chemittry in the University of Glasgow. It was written expressly for tkbAooount. 494 PERTHSHIRE. called rare in Scotland, and those that are common in similar dis- tricts are also common here. The only species of foreign ani- mals are the pheasant, the woodcock, and the squirrel ; and it is not supposed that any which formerly existed have disappeared. The principal singing birds are, the blackbird, the thrush, the starling, the bullBnch, the goldfinch, thp linnet, and the lark. The crested-wren is also known here. The Game are, the black-cock, the pheasant, the partridge, the woodcock, the snipe, the landrail, the green and grey plovers, the curlew, the heron, the roe-deer, and the hare. The wild goose is often seen, but is rarely got at. To these may be ad- ded the wood-pigeon, wild ducks of different tribes, and rabbits in great abundance. The vermin are, the badger, the fox, the otter, the marten and polecat, the stoat, the weasel, the mole, the rat, and the mouse. The birds of prey are, the sparrowhawk, the harrier, the mer- lin, the salmon-tailed glede, the buzzard, the night-hawk, the grey, white, and horned-owls, the raven, the carrion crow, the magpie, and the jay. l^he eagle is occasionally seen in the Cnoc in severe winters. Since the establishment of the Agricultural Society, the b^st breeds of horses, black-cattle, and sheep are reared — the sheep in very limited numbers. There does not appear to be any thing peculiar about the breed of swine ; but great numbers of them are reared, and sometimes fed for the Glasgow market.* The rivers all abound with the common trouts ; and, in addi- tion to this, the Earn contains the salmon, the sea-trout, the eel, the perch, and the pike. The salmon generally comes up the Earn during the months of August and September, spawns in November and December, and returns again to the sea in Fe- bruary and March. The sea trout usually comes up the river earlier than the salmon, and spawns during the months of Sep- tember and October. And the loch and river trouts appear to seek the brooks with a view to spawn at the same time. Wood. — There are two small coppices of oak and birch, amount- ing to about ten acres ; and, if we except those on the Ferntower property, the plantations are nowhere else of any great extent The forest trees, which are planted, and which all appear to thrive^ • The Right Honourable Lord Willoughby D'Eresby has lately sent down a boar and sonic pigs— the latter as gifts to several of his tenants, with a view to in* iroduce the best English breed into Strathearn. CRIEFF. 495 are reared in a public nursery in the parish) and consist of the following kinds, viz. the common oak, the scarlet oak, Turkey nak, larch, spruce, Scotch and silver firs, Weymouth pines, ash, elm, l)eech, plane or sycamore, horse chestnuts, limes, walnuts, and po- plars of various descriptions. There is no tree in the parish that is remarkable for age, size, or form, save the yew at Inchbrakie, which is said to be the second largest in Scotland, and in the thick foliage of which the Marquis of Montrose is reported to have been concealed during a season of danger. II. — Civil History. Historical Notices^ ^t. — " This town," says one who is every way qualified to give an opinion, ^' is a place of respectable anti- quity ;-=-various notices of it occur in the annals of Scottish his* tory. Justice courts in Air sat at Criefi*at a period of a very distant date. It formed the head-quarters of the army of Montrose more than once during the civil wars of the seventeenth century, and in the two last eras of intestine commotion, it was traversed and occupied by the insurgent and royalist forces. In the year 1715 it was burnt down by the Highlanders, and in all probability it would have undergone the same fate in 1745, if the Duke of Perth had not interfered to preserve it from destruction." • The Highlanders had no good will to Crieff; and the fact, that was stedfast in its loyality to the then reigning Prince, will be Uy suiBcient to account for their dislike. They were wont to \r of it, that '* she would be a bra toun gin she had anither sing" * There are no ancient or modern accounts of the history of the parish, in bo fiu *€ know, neither arc there any nia\)s, plans or surveys, of the parish ; but there is m eitht town of Crieff in Wood's Town Atlas, publihhed in Edinbui^h in the year t, and, tioce, accompanied with a ** Descriptive Account** of the principal towns eoUand. The above extract is taken from the account which is there given itfft and it has the advantage of being written by a native. The only other do- Dts of public importance, concerning which we have been sble to obtain sny in* \tioD, are the records of the legal and judicial proceedings of the courts of the irla of Strathearn, including those of Chancellor Drummond. These interest- id valuable relics of antiquity, which are said to have consisted of upwards of umcs folio, bound in veltum, together with many loose papers, were certainly tence in Criefi about the year 171K). There are several respeen at kirk or market. CRIEFF. 497 thane giving way to that of Steward of Scotland^ and that of Thane to Steward of a district.^ The spot is still pointed out where the Steward of the King's estate of Strathearn was in the habit of holding his court, after the earldom was forfeited to the Crown, in the year 1320, by the trea- son of its heiress, Joanna, daughter of Malise, the last Earl. This lady married the English Earl de Warrenne ; and, while the alli- ance was the means of inducing her to violate her allegiance to Robert L, it proved fatal to all her pretensions as the represen- tative of a noble line of ancestors. She was deprived of her titles, and the forfeiture of her patrimonial possessions gave occasion to the appointment of a steward of Strathearn ; — an office which was vested in the house of Drummond ; which in course of time became hereditary in the family ; and which they continued to enjoy till the abolition of heritable jurisdictions in the year 174&t The spot referred to is a circle of about 12 yards diameter, which is situated in a field belonging to Mr M^Laurin, of the Broich, about half a mile south-east of Crieff, and which, in comparatively mo- dern times, was surrounded with a low wall of earth and stone which is now hardly discernible. It is marked out by a blasted tree, which stands in the middle of it, and many are the tales of those who werearraigned, and tried, and condemned at this dread tribunal. The Grallow-Hill, a rising ground where criminals were exe- cuted, is a little to the west of Crieff, adjacent to a street which bears the same name. A stunted tree of no great age is now growing where the fatal beam was wont to stand in the memory of a former generation. Arid the timber of the identical gallows itself is still in good preservation. It is now the property of a lady in Edinburgh. It would be a very hopeless undertaking to attempt giving any account of the numerous traditional stories which are related con- cerning the administration of the Stewards of Strathearn. Suf- fice it to say, that the number of convictions must have been con- siderable ; that the justice which was awarded was always sum- * Vide Buchanan, Hist. Scot. Lib. yii. f The bouse of Drummond has long held a most distinguished place among the aocieDt fiimilies of Scotland. T:s representatives are descended from the Kings of Hungary, and they have flourished in this country since the days of Malcolm 1 1. They have been repeatedly connected by marriage with the niyal house of Stuart ; aadf as^ they were uniformly admitted to the closest courtly confidence, and enno- bled with the highest honours which a king could bestow, it is not to be wondered if tb^ were found to cling to the cause of their benefactors with an uniwerving fidelity, and to share along with them many of those disasters which were consequent upon their fall. PERTH. I i 498 PERTHSHIRE. mary, and sometimes very arbitrary ; and that there is reason to fear that the innocent occasionally suffered with the guilty. Crieff was in consequence regarded with no little dread by all those who had any cause of apprehension, and especially by those lawless marauders who infested the country from the distant glens of the north. The fate of those who were once arraigned and brought to trial was looked upon by their companions as being already sealed ; and such is the tendency — we should have said the folly — of humanity, that the kind gallows of Crieff^ as they were pleas«> ed to tenn it, became a byword, at least, if not a jest, among- those who deemed it very likely that it might put a period to their own existence. * In the year 1665, the present tolbooth was erected in Crieff, for the accommodation of the Steward's Court, (which from this pe-* riod ceased to be held in the open air,) and for the despatch of other public business.-)- It now contains a jail in the ground flat^ where offenders are occasionally lodged for a night or so ; a courts room, where the justices hold a small-debt court, on the first- Monday of every month ; and another apartment above, whereapub-* lie library is kept There is also a spire attached to it, which con- tains the town clock, and a good bcU, of which tradition says that it was that which was rung at Scone when the Kings of Scotland were crowned. If the tiile be true, the bell must have been recast ; for it bears a Latin inscription, setting forth, that it was gifted in the year 1725 by John Lord Drummond, uncle of James, the third Duke of Perth. The bell was recast, perhaps we should have said re-recast, in the year 1821, at theexpense of the inhabitants of Crieff. Theori- ginal inscription was replaced, but an addition was made to it The motto to the Drummond arms is inserted between the old inscrip- * Sir Walter Scott alludes to this celebrated gibbet in Vol. i. of Waverley, p. 189, last edition, and he states in the notes, p. 199. that he is unable to inform his readers with certainty why it was called The Kind Gallows ; though he seems to think tli*t it may have been so designated from its " being a sort of native or kindred place of doom to those who suflbred there, as in fulfilment of a natural destiny.** f Originally the tolbooth contained several apartments, which have been ocmvert- ed to other uses. Some alterations have doubiless been made ; but one part of what once belonged to the tolbooth is now a dwelling house ; another is a shop, with one of the dungeons for a store cellar ; and a third is a coal cellar. This last appears to have been the strongest in the whole building. It is an arched dungeon of small di- mensions, which was secured by a strong iron door. It contained the celebrated Crieff cage— a netted iron safe, large enough to contain a man, and covered on the top with a lid of solid metal. And sunk in the ground, under the spot where the cage stood, was what was called the black hole, into which atrocious and desperate offenders were sometimes thrust ; though it is l*clieved that this dreaded place was tenanted cmly on rare occasions. The cage is remembered by several of- the present inhabitants of CrieflT; and the top, or at least a part of the top of it, is still preserved in the store eel* lar already mentioned. CRIEFF. 499 tion and the new addition, and the whole is, as nearly as possible, a iaosimile of the old. The superiority of the town is now vested in the three proprie- tors, the Right Honourable Lord Willoughby de Eresby ; Anthony Murray, Esq. of Crieff and DoUerie ; and Alexander M'Laurin, Esq. of the Broich, who hold of the Crown, and who respectively appoint baron bailies to exercise all that remains of the ancient feudal jurisdiction. From time immemorial, previous to the year 1770, Crieff was the great mart for the sale of black- cattle in the north of Scotland. The dealers from all parts of Britain were regularly accustomed to attend it. And it is stated in the former Statistical Account, that the ** old people used then to speak with deep regret of the glo- rious scene which was displayed to view, when 30,000 black cat- tle overspread the whole adjacent country." But at the period above- mentioned, the great annual trysts were removed to Falkirk ; and Pennant informs us, that, in 1771, 24,000 heads of black cattle were sold there. Eminent Characters^ Sfc. — James Drummond, fifth Laird of Milnab, was forty years steward- depute of Strathearn. A mar- ble bust, with the following inscription, was erected to his memory in the church of Crieff, from which it appears that he had made some figure both as a judge and as a poet.* ** Juridici, nullo saecli data crimine pessum, Obnita quill senio, busta verenda vidcs. Hunc juvenem amplexse Mu«e charitesquei senecUc Scd fuerat gravitas cunsiliumque decus. Quantus adest heros ! Viridi ipse pavesco juventA, Ut cineres tanti ceperat urna viri !'* <* Obiit anno M.OC.LXI V. Kal. Decembris xvii. tetatis sine IxxxiiL** Patrick Graeme of Inchbrakie, Colonel of the Posse Comitatus of Perthshire, and cousin-german to the celebrated James, Mar- quis of Montrose, was distinguished by the part which he took in that nobleman's fortunes. He held a conspicuous place during all his wars, and appears to have enjoyed a very considerable share of his master's confidence. He is said to have defeated the Duke * Milnab— or Mill of the Abbot, is now greatly reduced both in size and conse- quence from what it was in former days. We read, in Malcolm's Memoirs, of a royal charter of the lands and mill of Milnab being granted in 1521 by James V. to John nrummondi grandson of one of the stewards of Strathearn. In the year 1677, men- tion ii made of the lands and barony, which contained the town, mill, and mill-lands of Milnab. There was a religions house, connected with Inchaffray, near the mill ; •nd the last generation but one remembered the ruins of it. The family of Milnab W a branch of the house of Drummond, and maintained a distinguished rank In ^ eountry for many generations. The line is now believed to be extinct, and the is tiM property q. of Glttnahiiond. . 470 12 8 Sir William Keith Murray, Bart, of Ochtertyre, 421 6 7 L.261 16 8 241 8 7 144 18 4 140 97 59 10 69 10 41 6 2 22 19 15 9 18 12 5 CRIEFF. 501 Alciand«r M^Laurin, Esq. of the Broich» • Anthony Murray, Esq. of Crieff and DoUerie, Tbomai Patton, Esq. of Glenalmond, Colond Graeme of Inchbrakie, . . . . • Anthony Maxtone, Esq. of Cultoquhey, The Marquis of Breadalbane, . . . . • Patrick Maxtone. Enq. of Kincardine, Alexander Campbell, Esq of Monxie, . . . > Mr Donald Dow, of Croftnappock, MrJamesM*Di:ff, of xMilibills, ..... The Feuars of Croftweet, . . . . • Mr John Amot, for part of Pittenxie, and Earl of Perth's Feu, L.4I86 14 Parochial Registers * — The parochial registers of Crieff do not extend far back, and they are very incomplete. The earliest entry is 20th November 169'2; and from that date to the present (Au- gust 1837) the register of proclamation of banns is complete, with the exception of one blank between the 1st of March 1713 and the 6th of November 1748. The register of births and baptisms extends firom the *27th December 1692 to the present time, with the exception of a blank between the 8th of June and the 1 6th of November 1746. The records of discipline are very defective. They begin 3d October 1699 ; and from that date to the present time there are no fewer than four blanks, viz 15th of February 1713 to 16th September 1723; 14th October 1739 to 1st No- vember 1746; 26th October 1760 to 12th July 176 J ; and 6th December 1772 to llth April 1833. The accounts of the poor's funds commence 19th June 1700 ; and from that to the present time the following blanks occur, viz. 18th March 1713 to 25th October 1747, and 19th November 1790 to 24th May 1807. The whole is comprised in eleven volumes of different sizes. The deaths have never been recorded. Antiquities^ 8fc, — The antiquities of the parish are not nume- rous ; and of those that exist we have already mentioned some in connexion with those historical events to which they stand re- lated. We shall now proceed to notice the few that remain. The Cross of Crieff is certainly a monument of great antiquity. It stands near what was formerly the middle of the town, elevated a step or two on a base of hewn stone, and measuring 6 feet 3 inches in height, nearly 2 feet in width, and 6 inches in thickness. . * The following extract from the session records may account for the compara- tiTelj modern date of the earliest entry. ** At Crieff, December Jst, 1699, David Caw and James M*Culloch, in name of David Hohnes, not present, report that Mr John I homson, late session clerk of Crieff, now schoolmaster of Strowan, declares that the session book was uken away by the souldiers ; and that David Shearer, late box-master, declares that the box is in the beddal's custody, and the key thereof In n» own. They appoint Da\d Caw to require the key." 502 PERTHSHIRE. • It is curiously carved in front, having the form of a cross embossed upon it ; and there are traces of what is likely to have been a motto or inscription, but the characters are so much effaced that it is now altogether impossible to decipher them. Of its early history little seems to be known, save that it is not the original cross of Crieff. Nobody can tell what or whose it was ; but some of the last, or at least of a previous, generation remembered that it stood on the neighbouring farm of Trowan ; and on the back part of it (which is not carved) the remains of an iron loop or staple are dis- cernible, to which a ring or collar might have been attached, for the purpose of securing those who were sentenced to the pillory. Another implement of ancient jurisdiction, which was certainly used for this purpose, and which is still preserved, is what is vulgarly term- ed Choucks^ probably the French Jougs. It is a tapering octa- gonal stone, about 10 feet in length, to which an iron collar was attached, which locked by a padlock. The ancient Crieff Stocks are likewise preserved. At the demolition of the old parish church (which was an antique Gothic structure, 95 feet long, 18 feet wide, and 14 feet in the quire) in the year 1787, about forty gold coins of Robert I. of Scotland were found deposited in a niche of the wall, about six inches from the floor. Each piece, which was equal in breadth to a modern guinea, and precisely one-fourth of its weight, had the head of this monarch, with the words, '* Robertus Rex Sco- torum," upon the one side, and St Andrew with his cross upon the other. These relics of antiquity, it is believed, passed into the pos- session of some of the neighbouring gentry. * There is a Roman road, or what is reputed to have been one, passing through the lands of the Broich. It is supposed to have connected the encampment at Strageath with that at Dalginross ; and, as a confirmation of the tradition, it is worthy of remark, that, when the present road was being made through Burrel Street, a pavement was discovered under ground, composed of common flag stones, bedded close together, in the usual way that Roman roads are laid, and manifestly surrounded with a different sort of earth from that which was found in the immediate neighbourhood. • Fifty-eight gold coins, nearly of the same, and sixty.two of a larger description, were lately discovered in the Cathedral at Glasgow, by some workmen, who were employed in renovating the interior. They were all found deposited under the pare- xncnt, about five inches from the base of one of the pillars, which divided the outer High Church from the nave ; and they arc all said to he in a state of the most per- fect preservation. CRIEFF. 503 Close to this road, and near the field where the stewards of the King's estate of Strathearn were wont to hold their courts, stands a large upright stone, which is understood to have been either a memorial of some Roman event, or the remains of a Druidical circle ; and, while both suppositions are likely enough, it is im- possible to say which should have the preference. It is well known that many of these circles once existed in the neighbourhood, though most of them have been removed for agricultural purposes. There is one, at least a part of one, in the park in front of Fern- tower- House. The largest, and several of the smaller, stones of the circle are still remaining. And the spot is remarkable for more than Druidical rites. It was the scene of a deadly ren- contre, which took place in the year 1413 between Patrick Graeme, who had become Earl of Strathearn, by marrying its heiress, a grand-daughter of Robert IL, and Sir John Drummond of Concraig, who was then Steward of Strathearn. The Earl was slain by Sir John, and the life of the survivor was embittered ever after. It is also the spot which, according to popular tradition. Sir John Cope, cho2>e for his camp, so long as he remained in this neighbourhood, during the troubles of the year 1745. There is a very fine well, which still goes by the name of " Cope's Well,'* and, in a bog near it, an old sword was lately found, which cer- tainly confirms the truth of the tradition. This sword is still at Femtower House ; but there is another sword there, which is a trophy of for greater importance, viz. that of Tippoo Saib, which was presented to General Sir David Baird, in the name of the British army in India, immediately after the storming of Seringa- patam. There are several other articles at Femtower, which it may be proper to mention, — such as a magnificent Egyptian saddle, — massy silk window curtains, which were manufactured for Na- poleon Bonaparte, — and the remains of what is supposed to have been the bracelets of the Countess of Strathearn, who is said to have been imprisoned at Tom-a-Chaistail, before the castle was consumed by fire. The bracelets have manifestly undergone .the action of fire ; and the same thing is true of the stones that were dug out when the foundation of General Baird's monument was being cleared. But, for a full account of this matter, we would refer the reader to the New Statistical Account of Monivaird. Incfibrakie's Ming. — There is a curious relic in the family of, Inchbrakie, and the history of it is as curious as itself. It is well known that, at no very distant period, there was a war of exter* M 504 PBRTHSHIRE. mination carried on against all those hapless women who were suspected of being witches ; and the last who fell a victim in this quarter, is reported to have been one of the name of Catherine M^Niven, who was burnt at the north-east shoulder of the Cnoc of Crieff, at a spot which is called *' Kate M*Niven's Craig/* to this day. All accounts agree in giving credit to the Laird of Inchbrakie, for having exerted himself to the utmost to save poor Kate's life, though his exertions proved in vain. When the flames were lighted, and her sufferings commenced, she is said to have uttered various predictions against her enemies, — and, turning round to Inchbrakie, to have spit a bluish stone out of her mouth, which she requested him to take and keep, declaring that, so long as it was preserved in the family, his race would never cease to thrive. The stone resembles, and is said to be, an uncut sapphire. It is now set in a gold ring, and is most carefully preserved. The story of ** Inchbrakie's Ring" may not be an unfit companion to the celebrated Lockart Lee-Pennv of the West. Modem Buildings^ S^c. — The parish church is comparatively a modern building ; but there is an additional church in progress^ which is intended to become the parish church of half the present parish of Crieff, quoad sacra^ and which is likely to be finished in the course of the present year. It is building by subscription ; is cal- culated to accommodate about 1000 sitters ; and is likely to cost L. 1500 before it is completed. It occupies a commanding situation, and will be by far the finest object in Crieff. The ground was gifted by the Right Hon. Lord and Lady Willoughby deEresby, in addition to a very handsome subscription which they made; and the foundation stone was laid by this nobleman's only son on the 22d August 1837. There is another new church, nearly finished, in connexion with the United Secession. It is also building by subscription, and stands on the site of their former place of worship. It is fitted to accommodate about 500 sitters, and may cost between L. 500 and L. 600. The Masons' Hall, or St Michael's Lodge, was erected in the year 1816 at the expense of the corporation, and at a cost of about L. 2000. The weavers built their hall in the year 1786, at an expense of L. 200 ; and the only other hall in the place is that in the principal inn, which is sometimes termed the Assembly Room, though the other two are perhaps more frequently occupied by the public in this capacity. There are only three mansion-houses in tbe pamb, viz. Ferntover, Inchbrakie, and the Broich ; and the chief maouractories are three tan-norks ; a barley, a flour, and two corn millH ; a biirk mill ; a flax, and a flax-seed-oil mill ; a saw and taniiiig mill ; a woollen manufactuiy, and two distilleries. All these manufactories (with the exception of the tan26l Uo. in tnde, and olbet funilies. 450 «09 7PC m\ 87i 496 6jj 64( 16 9 21 Proprietoii ofland of the yearly vdue of L. 50 and upu-anis. Occupicra of land employing ' labourera. i>- Blrtba al an svenige of 10 yrar!>. 52 62 Marriases at an avtr. of ■Hi yFBrti 1 24 * Tbe principal caiue anigned for tbe rapid incresK of the populilion of Crieff*, prenouato the year 179-2, ii ibat. having liulc trade, and being ignorant uf the maan) by which any monry they had acquired, could be improved to adrant^e, the paoplc thought themieltei fariunate in hiTing it in Iheir power to invest it in ahmue and garden of their own property ; a ipirlE which the proprietors of the tovn vera tbea diipoaed to encourage and grmtity, by granting f mall feui lu thoae who were is- 506 PEUTHSHIRE. Number of blind, 5 ; deaf and dumb, 2 ; insane, in or coanect- ed with Crieff, 5 ; fatuous, in or connected with Crieff, 9. Language. — The language generally spoken is the best Scottish dialect. Within the last two or three years, a Gaelic sermon has been preached in Crieff on communion occasion^ and the attendance was considerable. But many of the hear- ers came from a distance ; and the great majority of them are ca- pable of deriving benefit from Sabbath ministrations in English. Habits of the people^ Sfc, — The habits of the people are cleanly; they dress remarkably well ; and, in general, they live comforta^ bly. This latter circumstance must doubtless be attributed, in a great measure, to their own industry ; but it is considerably aided by the accommodation which is given by the proprietors of the town and neighbourhood, in the shape of what are ordinarily term- ed ^cmj, pecks f and acres, Feusy Sfc. — The whole town consists of feus, which have been granted at different periods, and are held at different rates of feu- duty ; but its antiquity is not to be confined to the date of the earliest feu-charters ; inasmuch as there is every reason to believe that there was a village in the place, long before the exist- ence of any of the present charters. Crieff, properly so called, lies east of the tolbooth, and the oldest feus are near the cross. They all hold of the family of Crieff and Dollcrie, and some of them were granted before the middle of the seventeenth century ; others are of a more modern date ; and the last feus are not yet twenty years old. The remaining part of the High Street, from the tol- booth to Comrie Street, including St James' Square, was feued by James Drummond of Perth, in the year 1738, with the exception of the portion between Eraser's Corner and Hill's Wynd, on the north, and the tolbooth and Brydie's Corner, on the south side, which had previously been feued by George Drummond of Milnab, in the year 1683. Commissioners' Street ; King's Street, as far as the meadow ; Galvil More ; Tainshe's Lane ; the upper part of Hill's Wynd ; and the back feus west to Comrie Street, — were feued by the com- missioners upon the forfeited estates of Perth about the year 1774* Brown's Row, from the Meadow to M'Farlane's Lane, and a small portion of the street at the north of Bridgend; Mitchell Street; Miller's Street; Comrie Street; and Mil nab Street, — were feued by James Lord Perth, after the year 1785, when the for- feited estates were restored. CBIEFF* 607 Bridgend and Pittenzie have been feued by the family of Broich; the former after the year 1730, and the latter after the year 1766. And Burrel Street; Burrel Square ; that part of Brown's Row below M*Farlano's Lane ; and the villas north of the Comrie road, where the new church is built, were feued by the Right Honourable Lord and Lady Willoughby d'Efesby in the years 1809 and 1810. These feus are of various dimensions ; but the average size is 400 square ells ; and the rates of feu -duty are as follows : — The old feus paid considerable sums in the name of purchase money, in addition to a small feu-duty which is annually to be paid to the superiors. Dollerie's old feu-duties range from 2s. 6d. to 10s. each ; and Broich's are nearly the same. James Drummond of Perth's feus, and those of George Drum- mond of Milnab, are possessed on low terms, — so very low, indeed, that, in some instances, the feu-duties are nominal. The com- miasioners' feus paid no purchase money, but they pay a yearly feu-duty of 4s. each. Lord Perth's feus paid each L.4 of pur- chase money, and are paying 2s. 6d. of yearly feu-duty. And Lord Willoughby's feus, as well as those that have of late been granted by the other proprietors, have paid no purchase money, but are paying a yearly feu-duty at the rate of L.16 per acre. Pecks. — The pecks are patches of lands, containing each a fourteentii part of an acre, which are regularly let to the inhabi- tants at a yearly rent, and which may be continued or recalled at pleasure by the proprietors. They are all the property of Messrs Murray of Crieff and Dollerie, and M'Laurin of the Broich, with the exception of a few which belong to Lord Willoughby d'Eresby. And the rents range between 4s. 6d. and 9s. each ; that is to say, they are let at the rate of from three to six guineas per acre. Acres. — The acres differ from the pecks in nothing but their size and rents. They contain from one to seven acres each, and they are commonly let from two to three guineas per acre. The three proprietors of the town, and Lady Baird Preston of Femtower, have between them upwards of 300 acres of land, let out in these pecks and pendicles. The community, in general, are thereby enabled to raise corn, potatoes, and other necessaries. Many of them also keep a cow or cows, by which they have it in their power, not merely to add to the comfort of their own families, but also to supply the wants of their less fortunate neighbours, at 60B PERTHSHIRE. a moderate expense ; and there is scarcely a single housebokkir who does not possess a pig. Poachingy ^c. — Poaching was once very prevalent ; but it is be* lieved that it is now on the decline. Smuggling also, at one time, prevailed exceedingly in this quarter; but it may be said to be now altogether relinquished. Character of the People. — The general character of the people, as to intellectual, moral, and religious attainments, is much the same with that of .the inhabitants of most of our overgrown Scottibh villages. " The tradesmen here," says the author of the former Statistical Account, ^* very few individuals excepted, are all on a level ; no one chooses to serve another after he understands bu- siness himself. When the young weaver has finished his appren- ticeship, and acquired as much free stock as will purchase a loomi, furnish a room, and defray the expense of a wedding, he scorns to be a journeyman ; but sets up for himself, marries a wife, and be* comes the father of a family." The weavers commonly train their sons to their own occupation ; the boys are set to the loom at a very early age ; their apprenticeships are short ; and, by the time they are fifteen or sixteen years old, they are as expert at their business, and able to earn as much as their fathers are themselves. IV. — Industry. Agriculture, — There are, as already stated, about 3S00 impe- rial acres in the parish, quoad sacra ; and these are either planted or cultivated, with the exception of about 60 acres, which are in course of cultivation, and the ground occupied by the streets and houses in the village. The plantations may cover 550 acres, ex- clusive of about 10 acres of coppice, and the trees are generally a mixture of different kinds, many of them intended more for or- nament than use. They are usually interspersed with firs, as nurses for the hard-wood, and the nurses are removed, as soon as they are fit for palings, to leave room for the ornamental trees to grow. There are few sheep kept, except by the proprietors for their own use, and by the butchers for the use of the public. Any oxen which are grazed are merely put into condition for the home consumption, or for the south country market; and this kind of stock may be changed two or three times in the course of a season. But it is important to remark, that Crieff enjoys pecu- liar advantages in regard to butcher meat. Not less than 1500 CRIEFF. 509 « heads of cattle are annually fed by the different distillers within five or six miles round us. The best beef may thus be command- ed at a marketable price ; and, while the mutton of this district has always been accounted superior, there is no part of the country where a more regular or better supply of both can be had, at all seasons of the year. The black-cattle are commonly crosses between the Dunlop, and the Highland or Teeswater breeds. The farmers have paid particular attention to the improvement of their stock ; and there are few districts in Scotland where a comparison in this respect would not be creditable to them. The breed of horses has been greatly improved of late years by the exertions of the Agricultural Society ; and Strathearn might now compete successfully with the south of Scotland. Hm»bandry. — The husbandry is of the most improved kind, by alternate white and green crops ; and particularly by allowing the land to remain long under grass. Draining, too, has been brought to great perfection throughout the parish, and deep or trench ploughing is likely soon to become very general. Colonel Graeme, of Inchbrakie, has drained and trench-ploughed the whole of hia home &nn ; and he has likewise completed about ten acres of flooded meadow. Mr M'Laurin of the Broich has also been in the habit of ploughing his parks very deep, after they have been pastured for a considerable time ; and he has practised irrigation successfully for many years.* The farming at Inchbrakie is thus described by the enterprising proprietor himself, who has obliging- ly favoured us with the following remarks : " The fields are drain- ed five feet deep. The drains are filled with small round stones to within twenty-two inches of the top, and covered with the earth formerly cast up. In trench ploughing, the common plough drawn by two horses and two oxen is followed by the trench plough, drawn by four oxen and two horses, and making a furrow eigh- teen inches deep ; the ground is then cross-ploughed to the same depth, and in the same manner ; and, after the large stones have been blown with gunpowder, and removed, together with the small ones, which should be done with as little delay as possible, it is then harrowed, rolled, limed with forty bolls of shells, which are ploughed in with the small plough to the depth of six inches, and * Great care and attention are necessary, in order to flood meadows properly. If the drains or conduits be not well and skilfully managed, the thing is sure to fail ; and, if the necessary processes be neglected or delayed, beyond the proper time in •ptiog, sacoeas cannot be reasonably expected. 510 PERTHSHIRE. followed with such a rotation of crops as may be deemed ezpedient for the space of six years. On the expiry of this term, the next stratum, or bed of earth, is ploughed up other six inches, making a furrow of twelve inches deep, and the ground undergoes the same process as before (with the exception of the liming) during the next six years. At the end of the twelve years, the last stratum, or bed of earth, is to be taken up and treated in the same manner, for the third period of six years. And, at the conclusion of the eigh- teen years, it will probably be expedient to give a half-liming for the nineteenth year, and so on ; but this time must try. A con- venient portion of land should be let out in perpetual grass, after it has gone through the routine above specified, with a view to be- nefit the tenant, who is prevented, by the present system, from having the use of the grass for more than two or three years, and thus from having the advantage which arises from grass parks." By the foregoing mode of procedure, Inchbrakie has converted what was once comparatively an unproductive place into a perfect garden ; and it is only a specimen of what might be still more common than it is, if trench-ploughing were better understood, and more generally practised, by all those farmers who are likely to de« rive benefit from its introduction. Leases^ S^c. — The duration of leases is nineteen years. The ikrm buildings are almost all good, and generally covered with slate. The enclosures are also well kept, and fences of every description are maintained in proper repair. The superior state of the roads ought not to be passed over with- out a special commendation. The praise of this is certainly due to the late Sir Patrick Murray, Bart, of Ochtertyre, to whose pub- lic spirit, Strathearn chiefly owes this, as well as many other pri- vileges. Still, the great expense at which coal and lime are pro- cured, is certainly a bar both to agricultural and commercial ad- vancement. Quarries^ S^c. — There are five freestone quarries, which are or have been worked by the proprietors, and sold to the public They are composed of a gritty kind of sandstone, which varies consider- ably both in hardness and durability. The stones that have hi- therto been taken out, are not of first rate quality ; but there is no doubt that the Crieff quarries contain as good materials as any in the neighbourhood, and that stones and flags, admitting of a re- markably fine polish, might be obtained if the veins were worked to a sufficient depth. CRIEFF. 511 FMeries* — The fisheries are never let, though the principal heritors have the right of catching fish with arks, nets, gullets, cruives, and other instruments, secured to them by their charters. Nets are still sometimes employed on the lochs by the proprietors ; and cruives are also in existence on the Earn, in the neighbouring pa- rishes of Muthill and Trinity- Gask. But, with the exception of set linesj the rod is the only implement that is used in this parish for the rivers ; and the public arc permitted to use it, during the proper season, as often as they are disposed to avail them* selves of the privilege. Raw Produce^ 8fc, — It would be extremely difficult to arrive at any thing like a correct estimate of the average gross amount of raw produce raised in the parish. An approximation might be made to the value of what is raised in the difierent farms ; but the acres, pecks, and garden, are so numerous and so varied in their productions, that the labour necessary to form a tolerably accurate guess of what they may be likely to produce, would not be war- ranted by any practical good that could arise from a knowledge of the result. Suffice it to say that, with the exception of a few farms, the soil is not adapted for wheat ; but it produces excellent oats and barley, and it is particularly adapted for green crops, especially potatoes and turnips. The potatoes which are raised here may compare with those which are produced in any of the neighbouring counties. The great demand that has of late years been made for them in the London market has given a stimulus to their production ; and the growing crops are often sold at from Li.12 to L.15 the acre. Table showing the Rates of Labour, &c. : 1772. 1792. 1837. Man-servant's ayerage yearly wages exclu- dve of board, Maid-aervBnt*s do. do. Best labourer's hire per day, Mason's do. do. Hoose carpenter's do. MiU-wright's do. Currier's wages per week (from 9s. to 16s.), Tanner's do. (from 8s. to 12s.), Jfiller's ayerage yearly wages, exclusive of a free house, meal, and milk, - 20 L.3 6 8 L. 10 10 L. 12 12 2 2 3 3 6 9 1 1 10 1 2 1 8 2 6 1 1 1 6 2 2 3 6 16 12 512 PERTHSHIRE. A Table showing the Rents of Lfand, &c. and the Prices of dif- ferent commodities and necessaries of life :• — 1772. 1792. 1887. Highest rent of land near the town per acre, L.0 10 L.2 17 L.6 Lowest do. do. 3 2 Average rent of land in the country do. 5 12 1 10 Do. grazinga cow during the season. 2 5 Highest rent of shops and of dwelling. houses in the town. 25 Average rent of do. do. 10 Lowest rent of do. do. 6 Average price of wheaten bread per quar- tern loaf, ... 7 Average price of oatmeal per imperial stone. 1 10 potatoes per boll of 4 firlots. 5 cheese per stone (Tron wt. in 1772 and 1702,) in summer. S 3 6 8 6 in winter. 4 8 5 4 4 butter per lb. (Tron, in 1775 and 1792,) 6 8 10 best beef and veal per lb. 3 4 5 best pork do. 3 4 4 best mutton per lb. ( Dutch wt in 1772 and 1792,) in October, 2 3 5 in June, 3i 5 S fowls a piecet 6 9 I S chickens a piece. 2 8 9 dozen of eggs, 2 3 7 tea per lb. 5 sugar per lb. (refined), 10 do. (brown). 7 coals per stone (Tron wt in 1772 and 1792,) in summer. u 2 2 in winter. 2 3 Si coals per cwt 1 barley per lb. 2 best cart horse, 30 best cow, 10 10 best calf, 3 double-horse cart. 10 10 plough, 3 10 pair of harrows, IS goose and turkey, each, 5 duck. 1 Manufactures.* — It is stated in the former Statistical Account, that, previous to the year 1792, the manufactures had had little effect on the population, in comparison of what they would soon be found to produce. But when we compare the statement which was then made with the present condition of the manufacturing interest, we do not feel ourselves warranted in saying that the * Our remarks on the manu&ctures of Crieff are to be understood, as referring to the period immediately preceding the late stagnation of trade. CRIEFF. 513 writer^s ideas have hitherto, at least, been realized. The inland situation of the place ; its distance from every sea-port ; and the great expense of land carriage, have, doubtless, had a very con- siderable effect in checking the progress of manufacture, and in preventing speculators from makingCrieff the field of their commer- cial enterprises ; and yet, notwithstanding all this, it is on its manu- &cturesthat it may be said principally to depend. The most nume- rous class, beyond all question, is the hand-loom weavers ;* and the trade which they are the means of carrying on with (xlasgow is the most extensive in the town. There are about half-a-dozen in- dividuals, commissioned by different houses in Glasgow, who give out cotton yams to the weavers, to be converted into cloth, and to be paid for at so much per web of 180 yards, "f There are above S60 looms regularly employed at this work, and producing checks and handkerchiefs. The average value of the yam that has been annually brought to Crieff from Glasgow for a number of years back, is computed, by a very intelligent and experienced manu- facturer, at between L. 15,000 and L. 16,000 ; the average value of the same when converted into cloth, at between L. 18^000 and L. 20,000 ; and the average number of webs produced in the ^ year, at about 5200. There are others who are employed in weaving linen cloths and worsted stuffs ; but, with the exception of those who are engaged in one manufactory, they are almost en- tirely confined to articles of home consumption, — so that cotton yams may be said to be the staple commodity by which the weav- ing trade of Crieff is supported. The manufactory alluded to has been lately erected on the banks of the Turret, and is confined entirely to woollen goods. The business is extensively carried on in all its branches, embracing the manufacture of blankets, plaid- ing, shawls, and different kinds of coloured work, from the raw material It has the advantage of a plentiful supply of water ; and all the processes, except dyeing, weaving, bleaching, &c. are performed by machinery. It requires about forty work-people to keep the mill in full play. They work eleven hours a-day, and six days a-week ; and their wages are as follows : — weavers, from 10s. to 15s. per week; spinners, from 12s. to 15s. per week; and children from 2s. 6d. to Ss. per week. It is considered a very wholesome occupation ; and children, in particular, who enter in a * There are upwards of 480 weavers in the parish of Crieff, t The average sums paid for different kinds of work, in good times, are, L. 1, 2i. 6d>f 1^ l» 10s., and L. 1, lis. 6d. per weh. PERTH. K k 514 iM:nTiisiiiHK. delicate state of health, are often found in a short time to forget all their ailments. Of the three tan-works now in operation, two belong to one es- tablishment, which does business on a very extensive scale. It employs more men, perhaps, in the processes of tanning and leather- dressing, and produces more leather, than any similar ma- nufactory in the county, and its business appears to be daily ex- tending. The corn, flour, and barley mills, (which are all in the hands of one individual) are likewise on an extensive scale, and the produce is chiefly sold at the Glasgow and Dundee markets. There are two licensed victuallers; 2 distillers ; and 5 malt barns at pre- sent working. The grain malted may he computed at 120 quar^ teT< per week, and it is consumed in making spirits from malt only. The quantity of spirits produced is variable ; but at present, it maybe stated at about 1400 gallons weekly. The quality is con- sidered very good ; and the greater part of it is exported, and sold in the English markets. Crieff is the seat of the periodical excise collections for the dis- trict The following excise returns for the year ending Januaiy 1836 relate exclusively to Crieff, viz. licensed venders of ardent spirits, 48 ; gallons sold out of stock by permit, 2056 ; gallons retailed 14,622 ; revenue arising from duties on malt L. 5244, 12s. lOd. ; and revenue arising from the duty on distillation L. 7331 10s. lid. The oil-mill appears to have constant employment, and must produce a considerable quantity ; but the two other oil-mills, spoken of in the former Statistical Account, have long ago ceased to exist. The same thing is true of the paper-mill, the two mills for carding and spinning cotton, and the extensive bleachfields with suitable machinery, which were then in operation. And, though some females are still employed in what is called tam- bouring, the manufactory which was established in Crieff for this purpose in 1792, and which gave employment to 30 girls from eight to twelve years of age, is also not in existence. Tambouring, sowing plain and figured muslins, and filling the weaver's pirns, are the most common occupations of those industrious females in humble life that reside in town ; and those who are so employed are seldom able, in their old age, to do any thing more than earn a partial provision — the re- sidue-being made up cither by the public charities, or else by the private benevolence of the parish. Within the last two years, a manufacturing establishment was dissolved, by the part- CHIEFF. 515 ners retiring from business, which had given regular employ- ment to many of the inhabitants, and particularly to poor women, during the space of eighteen years, and which paid the average sum of L. 60 a-week in wages. The dissolution of this partner- ship was a great loss to many a poor person in Crieff. AgricuUural Society. — The Strathearn Agricultural Society was instituted on the 6th December 1809, by the late Sir Patrick Mur- ray, Bart, of Ochtertyre, for the improvement of stock, farm-pro- duce of all kinds, and other agricultural purposes ; ^nd it includes a district of ten parishes in the upper part of Strathearn. At its first institution, and for some years afterwards, the meetings of the society were well attended, both by the principal resident heritors, and by their tenantry. But the former became gradually more and more remiss in their attendance, and the latter seceded from it, owing to the neglect of the former, and to the depression in the ▼alue of agricultural produce, which took place about the year 1815, and which has continued ever since. From these circumstances, the Strathearn Agricultural Society had fallen into a state of such abeyance that it was found necessary, either to break it up alto- gether, or to remodel it upon a scale much less comprehensive than that upon which it had been originally framed. And accordingly, on the 27th March 1834, it received a new constitution, and was subjected to new rules, by which its transactions are still carried on. V. — Parochial Economy. Town. — There is no other market-town and no other village in the parish, than Crieff itself, and the population of the landward part of the parish bears no proportion to that of the town. The po- pulation of the town amounted in 1776 to 1532 ; m 1792 to 207 1 ; '" 1827 to 3700; and in 1835 to 3835. The trade of Crieff ^ principally carried on with Glasgow ; though mercantile con- ''^^ions are maintained with Edinburgh, Perth, Stirling, Dundee, ^^^ Several towns in England. And some idea may be formed of ^ home consumption of different commodities from the circum- - ^*^Ce, that employment is given to not fewer than 7 bakers, 3 ,^^kers, 8 blacksmiths, 12 butchers, 7 carriers, 21 carters, 10 ^^s-makers, 37 grocers, 10 haberdashers and cloth shops, 6 ^4*calmen, 17 shoemakers and shoe shops, 16 tailors (masters,) ^^^^8 writers. ^Ut though there is no lack of tradesmen, and professional per- ^^^ of every description, it is different with the representatives of ^^^ authority. It is very true, as we have already stated, that a ^^oti-bailie — we should have said that three baron bailies — are 516 PERTHSHIRE. nominally vested by the superiors with all that now remains of that formidable power, that was so rigorously exercised by the higher vassals of the crown in former days ; but the exercise of their power is little more than nominal. It is also true that a Justice of Peace Court is regularly held on the first Monday of eyeiy month for the settlement of small debts, and the punishment of minor ofiences ; but there are many irregularities of which no cog* nizance is taken, and which it would be much better to prevent than to punish. And it is likewise true, that there is a most re« spectable committee, who are appointed by the Right Honourable Lord and Lady Willoughby de Eresby, and their bailie, who take charge of the public affairs of the town, and who are sometimes denominated the town-council ; but there is no regular mag^tracyy — no properly constituted civil authority, — and (with the excep- tion of one individual, who is employed by the committee, and leA; to discharge, as he best can, a duty for which a considerable number would be necessary,) no police at all. This desideratum is likely to be soon supplied, for Crieff is one of those places for which the Legislature intend to provide a regular magistracy. And it is to be hoped that a regular police will be considered as an in- dispensable appendage. Means of Communication. — Crieff is a post-town ; and the gross annual revenue derivable from the Crieff post-office, on an ave- rage of the last three years, may be stated at L. 740. The public roads in the parish and neighbourhood are excellent. The Tay-Bridge Road, through Glenalmond, is perhaps the finest specimen of hill-country road-making in the whole country. And, besides the mail, a stage-coach passes and repasses be- tween Perth and Stirling every lawful day, while an arrangement is made for conveying the passengers to Glasgow by the Canal. There is also a coach from Crieff to Edinburgh, by Gleneagles, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday ; and it returns from Edin- burgh to Crieff on the alternate days. Three carriers leave this for Glasgow, and two for Edinburgh, (the one by Stirling and the other by Dunfermline,) every week. Two carriers leave for Perth twice every week. And weekly carriers come from Comrie, Killin, and Aberfeldy. " The rivers are all furnished with stone bridges, generally built by the voluntary contributions of the country. That of Crieff was the second stone bridge ever thrown over the Earn. It con- sists of four large arches ; and was built out of the vacant stipend CRIEFF. 517 of the parish, in the interval between the suppression of Episco- pacy in 1690, and the readmission of a Presbyterian minister in 1699.^* One of the arches — the farthest south — was broken down by the Highlanders in the year 1715, to arrest the progress of the Royalist forces. It was afterwards rebuilt ; but the frame that was used, must have been one which had been employed in constructing some other bridge, — for the new arch is somewhat higher, and not quite in keeping with the remaining arches of the Crieff Bridge. There is neither a canal nor a rail-road in the parish, but sur- veys have been made for both. In the year 1806, a survey was made by the late Sir John Rennie, at the expense of the late Marquis of Breadalbane, for a canal between Perth and Locheam. It was supposed that twenty-six locks would be required ; and of these there were to be only six below the town of Crieff. Another survey was made last year, at the expense of some private indi- viduals, by the Messrs Stevenson, for a railway between Perth and Crieff. The lines selected by both surveyors were nearly the same ; and though a canal be now out of the question, there is reason to hope that the railway may be laid out at no very distant period* It would be difficult to find a more level country ; and, while the want of minerals is the only drawback, the advantages that would result from a railway to the whole community, but es- pecially to the landed interests, are very great. A gas manufactory for Crieff was projected last year; and some ^teps were taken with a view to obtain a site, and open subscrip- tions ; but the matter has been allowed to drop. Eedesiaatical State. — " John Drummond was minister of Crieff ^•*om 1699 to 1755. In his time none separated from the church ^lio had been previously of the Establishment ; but a number still ^^hered to the Episcopal mode of worship, whose forefethers, in ^]be preceding century, had, in conformity to the wishes of the »urt^ embraced Episcopacy. During the incumbency of Thomas his immediate successor, about the year 1763, the se- ^^ders of the class of Antiburghers formed there a congregation. ^lext in succession was" Mr Robert Stirling, " admitted in 1770. Xn his time arose the sect called Bereans, whose founder had been ^ private tutor in the parish, and formed some of his relations and ^^nnexions there into a party. The sect of Relief also was in- troduced there about the year 1785, though a ferment excited by * Old Statistical Account, p. 585. L 518 PERTIISHIRK. the settlement of a minister on a reluctant congregation in the neighbourhood." After the death of Mr Stirling, which occur- red on the 16th December 1813, the right of patronage appears to have been claimed by the Crown ; and two presentations were accordingly laid on the table of the presbytery in one day, viz* one in favour of Mr Alexander Maxtone, (now minister of Foulis Wester,) which was issued by the Crown ; and another in favour of Mr Alexander M^ In tyre, which was issued by the Honourable Miss Drummond of Perth — now the Right Honourable Lady Willoughby de £resby, whose right had hitherto been undisputed. The question was settled in favour of the claims of the latter ; Mr M^Intyre's presentation was, in consequence, sustained by the presbytery, and the usual steps taken with a view to his settle- ment But, as he encountered a very strong opposition from the people at the moderation of his call, the matter was referred to the synod for advice, and instructions were given by the court, that a second call should be moderated in. This was done without being followed by any satisfactory consequences ; and the call was again carried to the synod, when it was decided that the presentee should be rejected, and that intimation thereof should be traihs- mitted to the proper quarter. Against this decision Mr M*Intyre protested, and appealed to the ensuing General Assembly, where the judgment of the synod was reversed, and a decision given, ap- pointing that the presentee should be ordained with all convenient speed, according to the rules of the church. The ordination took place in the midst of uncommon excitement and demonstrations of hostility. But the unhappy minister, whose health had by this time begun visibly to decline, almost immediately engaged the services of an assistant, and went to the south of England, where he died very soon after. He was succeeded by the present incum* bent, who was ordained in the year 1816. The parish church is conveniently situated in the town of Crieff, and is not more than three miles distant from the farthest bound- ary of the parish. It was built in the year 1786, and repaired in the year 1827, at the joint expense of the heritors and old feuars, the former paying in proportion to their valued, and the latter in proportion to their real rents. It affords accommodation for 966 persons, allowing 18 inches to each sitter, and as the seats are al- located according to the same rule by which the church was built, the old feuars have obtained a right to about three-fourths of the whole accommodation. The heritors in general retain their sit- CRIEFF. 519 tiogs for their own use or for that of their tenant^ ; but the feuars let as many as they do not themselves require ; and during the last five years, the prices of sittings have ranged from 2s. to 5s. each. There are no free sittings provided for the poor, with the exception of a few that are gifted by Lady Baird Preston, of Fern- tower ; but there are temporary forms and stools in the difierent passages, which the poor have procured for their own accommo- dation. Divine service is generally very well attended in the pa* rish church. The manse, which is very inconveniently situated at the distance of more than a mile from the town, was built and declared a free tnanse in 1701, and frequently repaired since that time. It is How in any thing but a comfortable condition, and whenever a new one may be considered necessary, a more eligible situation should be chosen. The glebe contains about eight acres imperial ; it may be worth «d)OUt Ij. 10 annually, and the stipend, which arises principally from teinds, averages L. 175 per annum. There are ten chalders, ^two-thirds of which are oatmeal, and one-third barley,) with X. 48 in money. The teinds are exhausted. There is no other place of worship in connexion with the Church of Scotland ; but the new church will be finished by-and-bye, and will afford ample accommodation to all classes of the inhabi- tants, who are at present destitute of it.* The General Assem- bly's Church Extension Committee have voted a most liberal grant of money towards its erection. An assistant minister has been employed and paid by the heri- tors and parishioners for many years, who has shared the labours of the pulpit with the minister, and aided him in the discharge of * The want of church accommodation in Crieff has for years been a subject of re- gret to many of the inhabitants. As far back as the year IP2'2, a public meeting of the feuars under Lord and I^dy Gwydir, called by order of the Imron bailie upon the estate of Perth, deemed it to be their indispensable duty to submit the urgency of their claim (for an additional church and minister in Crieff,) to Dr John Inglia, convener of the Government Committee for the erection of new churches and endowments in Scotland.*' . They grounded this urgent claim upon the facts that, in 181 1, the census of the town and parish of Crieff was about 3300 ; that in I8'2I, it was 4216; and that the population was then ra])idly increasing. An application was accordingly made in due form by the Managing Committee for obtaining a grant from Government, and an answer was returned by Dr Ingiis, which is engrossed in the Committee's minutes, and which is represented as l>eing as favourable as cuuld '.>e expected. The matter, however, was allowed to drop. On looking over the list of the Committee at that time, we find the names of several individuals who are not only unable now to discover any need of additional cfhurch accommodation in this parish, but who are entirely opposed to ecclesiastical endowments and establishments of re- ligion altogether. k 520 PERTHSHIRE. some of the other duties of a parish which is much too large for any one man pastorally to supeiintend. There are three Dissenting or Seceding chapels in the parish, exclusive of a Popish one, viz. the United Secession, the Rdi^ and the Original Seceders. The ministers of the two former are paid by the voluntary contributions of their people ; and at the rates of L. 105 and L. 94 per annum respectively, with allowances for sacramental expenses. The Original Seceders have no stated minister; and the Priest who died lately has hitherto had no succes- sor. There are some adherents belonging to other denominations, who have no place of worship, and no minister in Crieff, but their designations and their numbers may be gathered from the follow- ing abstract of a survey of the parish, quoad sacra, which was made by the kirk-session in the year 1635. If i ^ 'si I f &«. in the paruh of Criefl. ji-Md lacra. ^i Clergymen, IM* in ibe yoir 1895. Is L'il i E>Ublishmenl, 966 1 lUv. W. Laing, 3)27 le2l*: 643 lora I2U ReUef, 404 fte.. X Si^th', "' 370 1 70 IIQ 124 Unilcd Seccs-^ioii, 357 1 ^ 103 ISi Original Scceiiioii. 36 e i 13 S«oHi»h EiiiKopdians, |Rev. A. Undrum, 43 g 10 P«l.isla. M( Bereuis, Quuters, Not known lo belong to aiy ilunoini nation. ' - I 1 . . The only Association for religious purposes is the Bible Society, which promotes the circulation of the Scriptures without note or comment. Since the period of the Apocrypha controversy, an an- nual collection in the parish church, towards which the Original Seceders cheerfully contribute, forms the principal source of re- venue ; and the average sum of L. 9, 18a. 6d. has been annually realized. Education. — The total number of schools in the parish is 15, vii. one parochial school, taught by one male teacher ; an infant or juvenile school, taught by one male teacher; three schools on the teachers' own adventure, taught by males ; six schools on the teachers' own adventure, taught by females ; four Sabbntli even- le roll ill till' year I83(i. CRIEFF. 521 in^ schools ; and a Tuesday evening class, for the religious in* ^^■^vction of grown up young men and young women,* The Sabbath evening schools have been in operation for a con- ^*^^^«rable number of years, and they have doubtless been a great ^^^^ssing to the parish. Crieff has enjoyed the benefit of having e or more of them for nearly half-a*century. And they are io well attended, though the numbers have varied according circumstances. The parochial schoolmaster has the maximum ^lary of h, 34, 4s. 4^d. per annum^ and the full amount of ac- e mmodation allowed by law. The other teachers have nothing ^^t their school fees to depend upon. We have not been able to ascertain the exact numbers of those ^10 cannot read or write. There are various circumstances which ine to render the inquiry a difficult one ; but the nearest ap- ximation which the members of session have been able to make as follows : viz. between six and fifteen years of age, who can- T>t read, 18; between ten and fifteen years of age who cannot ^^>ite, 29 ; above fifteen years of age who cannot read, 41. The people in general are much alive to the. benefit of educa- ^ ion, and there are few who do not contrive to send their children ^f> school, during a longer or a shorter period. But many of them ^re not able to keep them there a sufficient time ; others are un- able to pay the fees for those whom they do send ; and the con- sequence is, that the teachers, who are ill able to afford it, are losers ^o a considerable amount. The managers of the Sabbath even- ing schools were in the habit some years ago, of sending a number of poor children to the week-day schools ; but they soon found themselves involved in such pecuniary difficulties, that they were t^luctantly compelled to relinquish the practice, and some bene- volent private individuals are still pursuing the same course ; but %here are many whom private benevolence cannot reach, and who ^re in consequence greatly behind in the attainment of that know- ledge which it is so desirable that all should possess, and which has Cdf so long been the glory of our Scottish peasantry. Morisan^s Bequest — The late Mr Thomas Morison, builder in Edinburgh, who died upwards of eleven years ago, left the bulk Df his property (which was very considerable) for the purpose of erecting and endowing an academy, where the higher branches of education might be taught There is a preference given in Mr * This class has lately been changed to the Sabbath evening. It meets afler the Sabbath evenuig schools have been dismissed. L 622 PERTHSHIRE. Morison's will to Muthill, the place where he was born, and to Edinburgh, the place where he made his fortune ; but his great object was to benefit his fellow- creatures : And, accordingly, his trustees were vested with the fullest powers to carry this object Into execution in any way, in any place, and in any form which they might deem the most desirable. The attempt to find a suitable site in Muthill was unsuccessful, and Crieff was then fixed upon as an eligible situation. Negocia- tions were entered into with a view to purchase ground ; and, at one time, they appeared to be all but completed. But somehow, the affair miscarried, and the plan was relinquished altogether. The at- tention of the trustees was next directed to Inverness, where they do not appear to have come to any arrangement; and the result seems to be, that hitherto Mr Morison's bequest has produced none of those fruits which the testator was so very anxious to realize. The re- spectability of the gentlemen who are still entrusted with the ma- nagement of this legacy is such, however, that it will doubtless be a guarantee to the public for its being managed well. It is sup- posed that the fund cannot now be much under L. 20,000. Literature, — There is a subscription library in Crieff, which contains about 900 volumes on general literature, and from which books are regularly lent out to the subscribers twice every week.* There is a circulating library, kept by one of the two booksellers in town, which contains a pretty extensive collection of those books that are usually found in such libraries. There is a small Sab- bath evening school library, which consists entirely of books on religious subjects. And there are two public reading-rooms, main- tained by subscription, where many of the Scotch and English newspapers are regularly taken in. Charitable and other Institutions. — The most important chari- table institution in the parish is the Crieff Female Society. It was instituted on the 9th March 1818, (principally through the exer- tions of Lady Baird of Ferntowcr, who has always been its Presi- dent, and the most liberal of its supporters,) for the purpose ofal- The Subscription Library was instituted in tlio year 1810, when several regula- tions were framed and printed, office-bearers appointed, and a committee formed for purchasing books and managing other matters. Tlie printed catalogue bears that many books have been presented to the library by private individuals, and that the library of the Strathearn Agricultural Society (which contained between 200 and 300 volumes, of which the greatest number had been gifted to that Society by Sir Patrick Murray, Bnrt. of Ochlertyrc,) was transferred to the Crieff subscription library in the year 1819. But the Agricultural Society have reserved to themselves the right of again recalling their books, in certain events, and on certain conditions set forth in the minutes of their meetings on the subject. CRIEFF. 523 leviatiDg the miseries of the sick, aged, and indigent in the town and parish of Crieff, especially the most deserving of them ; and it has since continued in active operation, doing much good in a district where the poor are proverbially numerous. We can- not afford the space that would be necessary to give a full de- tail of the history, means, and management of this society. But we may state, in general, that it commenced under the distinguish- ed auspices of many of the ladies of upper Strathearn ; that its be- nefactions are ordinarily distributed in the shape of meal, coals, and clothing; that the average number of those who receive monthly aid from its funds is between 80 and 90; and that the average annual expenditure exceeds L. 100. It is suported by private subscriptions, donations, and public collections ; and the gross amount collected in the parish church in its behalf is about L.500. Friendly Societies. — Not many years ago there were twelve friendly societies in Crieff, but four of them have been dissolved. Those now in operation are the Masons', Weavers', Shoemakers', Gardeners', Hammermens', Fax- Dressers', Ploughmens', and Pa- triotic Societies. Those dissolved are the Tailors', Joiners^ Strath- earn Union, and Friendly Societies. The Masons' Society was in- stituted by the Duke of Perth, on the 26th December 1737, and their fund is intended for the benefit of the widows and distressed members of the corporation. The weavers formed themselves into a corporation in the year 1770, and began to establish their fund at the same period. And the other societies have risen successively since that time, following the example which was set by the ma- sons and the weavers. Poor and Parochial Funds. — 1. Average number of person re- ceiving parochial aid, exclusive of four lunatics, who are supported at the Perth asylum, 1 1 1 ; 2. average sum allowed to each from the funds of the kirk-session per month of four weeks, 2s. 4d. ; 3. an- nual amount of collections at the church doors, on an average of the three years ending February 1837, L. 88, 5s. Ojd; 4. annual amount arising from proclamations of bans, on an average of the same three years, L. 10, lis. 4d. ; 5. ditto arising from bills and in- terest, on an average of the same three years, L. 14, 6s. 8d. ; 6. ditto arising from donations, on an average of the same three years, L. 9, 4s. lid.; 7. ditto arising from mortcloths, on an ave- rage of the same three years, L. 8, Os. 6|d. . In the year 1819, the heritors agreed to assess themselves vo- 524 PERTHSHIRE. luntarily in a sum equal in amount to what is collected at the church doors ; this agreement was fully implemented for a conside- rable number of years, and a majority of the heritors are still found to adhere to it But some have withdrawn ; others have allowed themselves to fall into arrears, which they decline paying up ; others again are dissatisfied with a system, which permits some to go free while the rest are submitting to the burden, and they make the payment of all arrears the condition on which they will continue to abide by the compact ; and the probability, therefore^ is, that the parish of Crieflf is, at this moment, on the verge of a legal assessment for the poor. The average value of the monthly allowance granted to each of those who are receiving aid from the funds of the Female So- ciety, may amount to ls« 1 l^d. But a very imperfect idea would be formed of what is actually done for the poor of Crieff, if pri- vate charity were not taken into account They obtain a great deal themselves, both in the town and country, by private beg- ging. They have the privilege of going about, if they be re- sident, from house to house, and many householders have a list of poor whom they regularly serve, once in the week, in the fortnight, or in the month, as it may suit their convenience. The Right Honourable Lord and Lady Willoughby De Eresby are in the habit of distributing clothes, coals, and meal, at stated periods, to the poor who are resident in that part of the town of which his Lordship is superior. — Lady Baird Preston of Fern- tower, and Miss Preston, are also very liberal in this way and in many others. They support a soup-kitchen, where a portion of excellent broth is regularly dealt out, three times a week, and coals once a month, to each of 60 individuals. They have many pensioners who receive weekly allowances in money. And the extra donations, which were received in the course of last winter, added greatly to the comfort of the poor during a season of peculiar distress and severity. The family of Ochtertyre have, for many years, been steady friends to the destitute in Crieff. And it would not be an easy task to enumerate the whole of what is done for alleviating the poverty of the parish. With regard to the feelings of the poor themselves, it is believ- ed that some of them, — and these perhaps not the least destitute, — do refrain from asking parochial relief, because they think it de- grading. But the feeling does not appear to be, by any means, a general one : on the contrary, that spirit of independence, which CRIEFF. 525 was once so characteristic of our Scottish population, has now great- ly declined ; and, in as far as paupers are concerned at least, it is in some danger of being entirely lost. Prisons. — There is a jail, to which we have formerly alluded as having been erected in the year 1665. It is still used as a place of temporary imprisonment, till the offenders are otherwise dispos- ed of by the proper authorities. It is seldom that any one is con- fined in it longer than a single night. And it might perhaps be prejudicial to the health of the inmates, if they were kept there for a much longer period. It is abundantly secure for all the pur- poses required. Fairs. — There is a weekly market every Thursday, principal- ly for the accommodation of the neighbouring farmers ; and ori- ^nally there were three annual fairs, viz. St Thomas', which was fermerly held on new year's day ; — Douchlage, which was held on the third Tuesday of June O. S. ; and Michaelmas, which was by far the most considerable, and which was held ou the 10th of Oc- tober. But as Crieff occupies a central situation, and as Lord Willoughby has granted a commodious stance, it has been found expedient to transfer the markets that previously belonged to the neighbouring parishes, to this place. Nine annual fairs are now held at Crieff, and they are arranged as follows : St Thomas', held on the first Thursday of January ;. Strowan do. third Thursday of Pebniary ; Big Thursday do. second Thursday of March ; Lady do. first Thursday of April ; Turret do. first Thursday of June ; Douchlage do. last Thursday of June ; Monivaird do. second Thurs- day of July; Monzie do. third Thursday of August ; Michaelmas do. Thursday immediately preceding the October Falkirk Tryst, l^hese fairs are intended for the sale of cattle, farm produce and ^tensils of every description. In former days the principal fairs at Crieff were opened with ^Considerable pomp by the Duke of Perth in person. He held his ^ourt (often in the open air) in the morning, with a view to make ^lie necessary arrangements, settle differences, and provide against ^Vie commission of outrages among the community. He after- 'Wards rode through the market at the head of his guard, and pro- claimed his titles at the different marches or boundaries of his pro- {^rty. Many of the feuars are bound by their charters to provide H. given number of the halbert-men that composed the guard at tbe feirs ; and it is not many years since their services were dis- pensed with.* * The halberts are preserted in the armoury at Drummond Castle. 626 PHRTH8HIRK. The regulation and management of the fairs are now entrusted to the committee (formerly mentioned) who have the charge of the town's affairs ; and the public funds of the town are principally derived from the grass upon the bleaching green, the public weights, and the rates of customs chaiged upon the different articles, and subjects that are exposed for sale during any of the market days.* Inns^ Alehouses^ 8fc, — There is one principal inn — the JDnmi- mond Arms, which is much frequented, particularly in the sum- mer and autumn, and which is generally approved of by travel- lers for the superior accommodation, which it affords. Of the 48 spirit licenses, which we have already mentioned as grant- ed, in the parish, by the Justices, a large proportion is held by the occupiers of alehouses. Their effects on the morals of the people here, as well as in every other place, where they jBLve equally prevalent, are injurious in a very high degree ; and the half of them might be swept away with great advantage to the best interests of the community. Fuel. — The fuel chiefly used by the richer classes is coal — though peeled oak is occasionally burnt by them ; and it is calculated that the average value of the coals that come weekly, from Bannoek- bum. Dollar, &c. to the Crieff market, may amount to L. 50. The price generally ranges between Sjd. and Is. 2d. per cwt. ; — but, during the last severe winter, it was higher, and averaged Is. 4d. per cwt. The poor contrive to buy some coals for themselves, in addition to what they receive in charity, and this is perhaps the cheapest fuel they can purchase ; but they are not able to obtain a constant supply ; and we may still say, in the language of the for- mer Statistical Account, that " there is nothing that the people, in general, feel more than the difficulty of procuring fuel.'* * Lord Willoughby has let a park, in the imtnediatu vicinity of the town^ sub« ject to the markets being held in it. Tlie rent of the park includes the customs realized at the markets, so that the committee do not levy them. But hb Lordtbip makes a suitable allowance to the town in lieu of the customs. June 18da PARISH OF FORTINGAL. PRESBYTERY OF W£EM, SYNOD OF PERTH. THE REV. ROBERT MACDONALD, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. -^tme, — This parish is said, at one period, to have had the name , . * Cille-Bhrain," i. e. the burial place of Bran, a reputed saint in ^ day,— -of whom little, however, is now known, excepting, that a few P ^ces in the parish, as also, in other districts, bear his name ; as A.th-Bhrain" i. e. St Bran's Fordy upon the river Lyon, near -^^ east end of Fortingal, — " Breanamh" i. e. Bran-naomh ** Holy ''^*i's,'* I. e, burying-ground or cell. , *he modern name is " Feart-a-chill " i. e. Fortingall, the ^•^Vation and etymology of which is involved in considerable ob- ^rtty. The English term would lead us to conclude that the ^^e is derived from " Feart Fhionnghail," FingaPs stronghold. 7*^d the many circular " Forts" (of which afterwards) in the vici- *^y» which the uniform tradition of the natives ascribes to the Fin- ^^**^ns, called " Caistealan-nam Fiann" — the castles or strong- ^*ds of the Fingalians, support this conclusion. Others resolve 1^^ tiame into *' Feart-nan-Gael," the stronghold of the Gael or ^-^ledonians, and they fix the date of this name to the period *^^ti the Romans invaded the country. Situated, however, as ^^ parish is, in the south-west corner of the ancient Caledonian ^•*est, it might, not inaptly, have obtained its Gaelic name, from ** ^eart Choille," " the stronghold of the Forest." T^e derivation of the name, as given by my predecessor, Mr ^*-Ara in his report of the parish, from Feart-nan-gall, " the ^oi^lcs or exploits of strangers," is one to which I am not inclined *^ Accede. '^i^teniy Boundaries, — The extreme length of the parish from east ^ ^^€st is about 40 miles, and extreme breadth from 30 to 35 miles. ^^^ taking the mean length at 35 miles, and mean breadth at 20, ^ ^ parish will be found to contain 448,000 imperial acres, including a*>^ut 25,600 acres for lakes, &c. It is bounded on the east by 528 PERTHSHIRE. the parish of Dull, the respective parish churches beiDg six miles distant ; on the north-east, by that of Blair- Athole, parish churches twenty-one miles distant ; on the north, by the parish of Laggan, In- verness-shire, churches being forty -one miles distant; on the north- west, by the parish of Kilmanivaig, the churches being seventy miles distant ; on the west, by the parish of Appin, Argyllshire, churches seventy -four miles distant; on the south-west, by the parish of Glen* orchy, churches distant forty-four miles ; on the south, by the parish- es of Kenmore and Killin, the parish churches being distant six and sixteen miles respectively ; and also by a detached portion of the pa- rish of Weem. The parish thus occupies a very considerable por- tion of the north-west corner of the county of Perth, and south-west angle of the great Caledonian Forest, as already mentioned* Fol- lowing the boundary line in all its indentations and projections) it is no less than 130 miles in circumference. It may be necessary here to premise that the parish is naturally di- vided into three comprehensive districts, viz. Fortingal (properly so called), Rannoch, and Glenlyon : besides the detached district of Bolfracks on the south side of the Tay, distant by the high road about ten miles ; — all separated from each other by high hills, rivers^ and other impediments. Mountains. — The mountains and hills connected with the pa- rish are almost innumerable. Both on the north and south sides it is bordered by high mountains. There is also a high chain of mountains, which may be said to belong exclusively to the parish, extending its whole length from east to west, and dividing it into two grand divisions, and almost into two equal parts, having the dis- tricts of Rannoch to the north, andOlenlyon and Fortingal to the south. This ridge rests upon a base of about seven miles broad ; and many of its mountains considerably exceed 3000 feet above the level of the sea. A little detached from this ridge, in the dis- trict of Rannoch, is the mountain Sith-chaiUinn^ conspicuous as you enter the country by its towering and commanding summit, — a mountain whose name is recorded throughout the scientific world as the scene of observations by Dr Maskelyne, Astronomer Royal, in 1777. " Sith," by the old Highlanders' interpretation, means any hill or mountain disjoined or apart from others^ — " Sitliain" a little round hill, is the diminutive of the term ; — which hill was in- variably haunted, as was supposed, by the " Sith-chean" or " da^ oinesithy* " men of peace," — whence the name, " Sith-chaillinny** given to this hill from its being the supposed place of resort of the Feet 8. Sgur-ch4irie» 3400 9. Garbh.mheall, 9280 10. Meal.Buidbe, 3480 11. Meal Gliaordie, 3480 12. Beinn-chreachinn, 3860 Id. Beinn- Sheasgiimich, 3890 FORTINGAL. 529 maiden or queen of the fairies* Viewing this lofty mountain from the north-west, it appears of a conical figure ; but from the south and east, it is the very reverse. It rests upon a long narrow base, ris- iDg frem the east end with a gentle acclivity, the west end and both sides being very steep, and here and there covered with a surface of stones ; but it is marked on the whole with fewer inequa- lities from base to top, than perhaps any mountain of equal magni- tude in the Highlands of Perthshire. The hei^t of the mountains within or connected with the pa- rish, above the level of the sea, may be reckoned nearly as follows ; but perfect accuracy is not to be expected. Feet 1. Sith-cbaillinn, (as ascertained),d564 2. Beinn^barbhla^n, - 3044 a Bciim.udlaiiiaim - 3520 4. Sgiirgbaibhre, - 3140 5. Cam^earg, - 3140 6. Cniacb — coniiDes of Argyle, 2790 7. Carn-a-mairce — Glciilyoii, 3390 Besides these, there are many other mountains of considerable magnitude, interspersed here and there, which have the effect of diversifying the character of the scene. From the top of the hill of Comrie, head of Rannoch, there is a very grand and extensive prospect A spectator finds himself situated in the centre of a vast amphitheatre, 40 miles by 20. The river Gauir meanders by, and Loch-Rannoch, 12 miles long, with its bosky banks, expands below. Of tl}is vast and picturesque amphitheatre, the range of mountains which intersects the parish from east to west, and the mountains of Glenorchy form the south side — the rugged peaks of the *^ Black mount" and Buachaille Eitibh, the west, — the moun- tains of Lochaber and Badenoch, the north-west and north ; — and on the east ** Sith-chaillin*' and ** Beinn-a-chualaich" upon opposite sides, — rear their summits like vast pillars, as if to guard the only seeming ingress to the grand expanse. Valleys — GUrdyon. — This district or valley extends in a westerly direction from the head of Fortingal, to near the stage-house of Tyn- drum, upon the western military road, — a distance of from 32 to 35 miles* A considerable part of the head of the glen is now but thinly peopled, being occupied by extensive sheep-graziers, one of whom possesses a tract of upwards of 15 miles in length, and numbers above 8000 sheep. The glen is very narrow ; wh:it may be termed its general level ground by the river's side, being seldom above a furlong broad ; and the mountains often encroaching so far from opposite sides, as even in some places to confine tliQ PERTH. L 1 530 PERTHSHIRE. Struggling river to a bed of not much more than eight yards broad. It is evident that, at one time, there were several lakes in the glen, especially in the lower parts of it ; but as the river, in the course of ages, wore a deeper channel through rocks and emi- nences, they disappeared. The only one now remaining is that at the head of the glen, ^' Lochlyon," which is the source of the river of that name. To this circumstance may, perhaps, be attri- buted the name ^^ Glenlyon," Gleann-Linne, t. e. the glen of the lakes, or pools. Others derive the name from ^^ Gleri'liffhe^mhuitm^*^ '^ the glen of the flooding river," a name highly characteristic* Tradition also bears that a battle was fought in this glen be- twixt the M'lvors, the first inhabitants of the glen, after the Finga- lians, (at which period it was called Gleann^Fasackj ^^ the desert- ed Glen,") and Stewart of Garth, commonly called the Cuikan Curta^ I. e* " the fierce wolf," in which the M*Ivors were defeat- ed, and the few that survived expelled the district ; and that the Stewarts, on their return from the pursuit, washed their arms, &c. in the river. From the tinge thus given to the water, it was called Gleann liamhuinny the tinged river. Various places in the glen take their names from circumstances connected with the battle fought da-ghob — the vale of Lochs, of Glenlyon, Gknmeraiif Glen-duibh, Glen-comrie, Glen-sasun, Glen-caillich, we shall now advert to that of Fortingal. iPor/tn^a/.— This interesting vale, from which the parish takes its name, is about 6 miles long. The river Lyon meanders through it. I'he base or level ground is, for the most part, fully half a mUe broad. A stranger, stationed at the village of Fortingal, would at once fancy there was no ingress or egress from or to the district. There are, however, three egresses, — one, on the south to the tuni« pike road on Loch Tay side, Breadalbane ; a second, to the uorth- west through Glenlyon, by and through the remarkable pass, narrow defiles, and romantic scenery of the wood of Chesthill, to which, in the opinion of many, the Tar-famed pass of Killachrankie is, in point of defence and security against the incursions of a foreign foe, ranked inferior. The third is to the eastward, meeting the Crieff and Inverness turnpike road at Coshiville, Appin of Menzies. It is a fact worthy of notice, that, except in the detached district of Bolfracks, there is not a foot of toll road in this extensive pa* rish : yet the country is well accommodated by statute labour roads, kept in very good condition. Like Glenlyon, Fortingal is surrounded with mountains. Al« though not equally calculated with those of Glenlyon to raise wonder and awe by their '' cloud-capt" summits, their precipitous fronts, and foaming torrents, bursting down their deep furrowed sides, — still it is a beautiful and naturally a picturesque vale, finely sheltered from the northern blast, and adorned with a number of gentlemen's seats, viz. that of Major-General Sir Archi* bald Campbell of Garth, Bart., the hero of the Burmese war, and lately Governor of New Brunswick, — which was formerly the proper- ty of Major-General Stewart of Garth, author of " Sketches of the Highlands," &c. and late Governor of St Lucia, where he died, — a name dear to philanthropy, and never to be mentioned but with respect ; also that of Mr Menzies of Chesthill, and that of Mr Garden Campbell of Troup and Glenlyon ; — all of which are embosomed in wood and environed with verdant fields. Fortingal is fronted on the south by Druim^Fhinn^ Drum- 3 FORTINGAL. 533 mond Hilly which intercepts from the district the view of Taymouth Castle, the seat of the noble Marquess of Breadalbane. From a point on the east end of this hill, where a strong fortification is still extant, called Dun-mac Tuail^ the stronghold or fortress of Tuail, a natural son of the King of Denmark, who, as tradition bears, Bgured much in this quarter during the Fingalian period, — there is to be seen one of the grandest views imaginable, of the whole dis- trict between Killin and Dunkeld. Fortingal is bounded on the west by the hills of Culdares, — green to the very top ; and by the pass of Chesthill : on the north, by Sith-chaillinn and contiguous hills : and on the east, by Appin of Menxies; — forming altogether a grand natural amphitheatre, not so extensive, to be sure, as the one to be seen in Rannoch, but, at the same time, comprehending as beiautiful and fertile a vale as is to be met with in any part of the Highlands of Perthshire. Bolfiracks, — This is a district of about sixteen ploughs of land, the only detached part of the parish, situated on the south side of the Tay, and containing a population of nearly 200 souls, who, from the distance, are precluded from receiving benefit at their parish church, and participate of Gospel ordinances in other parishes, viz. Weem, Kenmore, and Dull, from each of which they are some miles distant. This population is all connected with the Esta- blished Church, two individuals only excepted. Id this district is an extensive quarry of that beautiful stone, of which the splendid edifice Taymouth Castle is built. Rannodu — According to some, this name is derived from liai- meach. Ferns; but, though abounding with this plant, the district is not more *^ iemy than others. The name is rather to be derived from ** Rath," water, " Batheanachy'* watery — (the th being silent in- the Gaelic term,) — a meaning very descriptive of the country, especially when Bun-rannoch is covered over with back water, which it frequently is during a thaw after a great fall of snow on the surrounding mountains. Rannoch then appears as if it were one continued sheet of water. We have the term in the names of many waters, as Uisge-rath^ a considerable stream which pours its water into the head of Lochtreigj parish of Kil- manivaig; — Caol-rath, a mountain-stream at the head of Bade- noch, parish of Laggan ; — also Caol-rath^ the sound separating the isle of Skye from the main-land. The district of Rannoch is collateral, and runs parallel with Glenlyon, extending from the northern base of Sith-chaillinn, on the east, in a wester- 534 PERTHSHIRE, ly direction upwards of 30 miles, about 18 miles of which are in- terspersed with gentlemen's seats, viz. that of General Robertson of Strowan, chief of the clan Robertson, or ^' Claim Donnachidhj* as they are called, at Mount Alexander ; a seat of Sir Neil Menzies, Bart, of that Ilk, at Rannoch- Lodge, holding a valuable property contiguous, consisting of upwards of 70,000 acres Scotch measure ; a seat of Lord Grantley's, eldest son of the late Baron Norton of the Exchequer, whose name is yet mentioned with every mark of respect by the natives ; — that of Stewart of Bunrannoch ; thatof Messrs Stewart of Crossmount and LassintuUich ; and that of Colonel John McDonald of Dalchosnie, 92d Highland Regiment. The breadth of Rannoch from north to south, is in several places nearly 20 miles ; the distance from the lake to the top of the surrounding mountains, on the north, is from 12 to 13 miles. On the south, from 5 to 6 miles — the hilly part is generally a wild tract of moors and deep bogs, mostly covered with heath, with here and there, in a sequestered glen, by the side of a lake or at the foot of a mountain, a green spot, where a number of huts or *^ bothies," called (in Scotch) shealings, are to be met with, to which the natives were, and I believe still are, in some places, in the habit of retiring during the summer months, with their cattle for pasture, — although the sheep-system has, of late years, a good deal superseded this exhilarating and healthy practice. At the head of Rannoch, on the estate of Robertson of Strowan, there is a tract of flat land upwards of 4 miles square, consisting of moss, swamps, and bogs, a wild of little value, affording but an indifferent pasturage, even during the summer half-year. The Com- missioners upon the forfeited Estates, after 1745-6, observingseveral parts of this tract level or with a gentle slope, thought to convert them into arable land, and thus, in their estimation, benefit a country where the land capable of cultivation bears a very minute propor- tion to the waste ; they accordingly divided a flat of several hun- dred acres into four or five portions by deep ditches, digged and burnt the moss ; but, after carrying on their Libours for several seasons, they at last discovered that where nature does little or no- thing, art seldom succeeds ; and therefore they were obliged to re- linquish the design. The parallel ditches still point out the place, and the labours of the Commissioners. Caves, — There are several caves in the parish, which do not ap- pear to have ever been properly explored ; consequently, little is known of their extent and internal structure. Old people point out FOHTINGAL. 535 the cliffs and dales where formerly extensive caves existed, capable of containing some dozens of men under arms — which can no longer be discovered, probably because the earth and sand and even rocks have fidlen in, and thus for ever closed them up. They were prin- cipally formed by nature, but improved by art ; and they were re- markable on account of the events of history connected with them, and the heroes who, in troublesome times, took shelter in them, — such as Gille-Bride, or Bred us of the cave, Sir William Wallace, King Robert the Bruce, Ranald Og, chief of Keppoch. This last, a firm supporter of the royal cause under Montrose, was, after the de- feat at Philiphaugh in 1645, and the butchery at Dunaverty in 1647» obliged to seek shelter in the caves of Rannoch, several of which bear his name to this day. There is a very remarkable cave near the south-west angle of Sitk-chaiUinHf at the ^^ Shealing," called Tom-a-mhorairj or the Earl's eminence. Some miles to the east, there is an opening in the tBLce of a rock, which is believed to be the termination thereof. Several stories are told and believed by the credulous, relating to this cave; — ^that the inside thereof is full of chambers or separate apartments, and that, as soon as a person advances a few yards, he comes to a door, which, the moment he enters, closes, as it opened, of its own accord, and prevents his returning. JLeapa^'dionadh, or Sheltering Beds. — In several places, there occur the caverns known by this name. They do not extend, like caves, under ground, — being only hollows under the shelves of rocks or precipices where one might rest without being observed, and notice any danger or emergency. Several of them bear the names of those who, in consequence of having offended the law, or flying from some hostile party, betook themselves to these lonely retreats. One or two of them may be noticed. In the north side of Glencomrie, in the district of liannoch, in a rocky precipice, is Leaba Dhonnacha Dhuibk-a-mhonaidh, i e. the Bed of Black Duncan of the Mountain, — a Cameron belonging to that district, and one of Prince Charles Edward Stuart's heroes. After the battle of Culloden, he often lay concealed in his cavern viewing the soldiers in quest of him, passing and repassing at the foot of the rock, not more than twenty yards distant from him. This man was remarkable for agility and swiftness of foot. While Prince Charles was besieging Stirling Castle, Donnacha Dubh wiis sent upon some important business to Fort William. Duncan is said to have performed the journey on foot, eighty-eight miles, in one 936 PERTHSHIRE. day, — a task which few pedestrians of this generation, or probably of his own, could achieve. Another of these sheltering beds is in the &ce of a hill, oo the &nn of Invervar, Glenlyon. It is 14 feet long, 6 feet broad, and 4^ feet high ; and there is a spring of clear water at the end of iL Here, during their cruel proscription, a gentleman of the dan Gregor, commonly called Jain Buidhe ruadh, u e. John of the ydr low-reddish hair, concealed himself. He was a man of an extreme- ly handsome figure, possessed some lands in Glenlyon, and re- sided on the said &rm of Invervar. His principal pursuer was Campbell of Lawers, whose emissaries, by flattering promises, pre- vailed upon McGregor's wife to betray him, which she did in the following manner : She desired the pursuers to come to the glen, and wait in ambush in a certain place all night, and, by keeping an eye on the &ce of the hill upon the north side of the glen about sunrise, she would discover to them her husband's hiding place by coming out of the cavern, and would walk several times backward and forward in front of it. The morning arrived ; — and the sun had no sooner illuminated the rugged mountain than the traitress performed her promise ; and, upon her husband's remonstrating on the impropriety of her conduct, she expressed her hopes that no- body, at that early hour, would be in the glen to do them injury. So saying she returned to repose beside her devoted husband. McGregor, in a short time, happening to raise himself on his el- bow, observed his enemies just at hand, started up, and, after up- braiding his wife as false and treacherous, betook himself to the hills ; and never again was heard of. Meteorology. — Our high mountains have sometimes their peaks enveloped in white clouds, containing little or no moisture. This takes place only during the continuance of warm dry weather. At other times, the mountain tops are covered with dense black clouds, containing a good deal of moisture, and discharging a considerable quantity of very small rain ; while such places as are not covered with clouds, as well as the valleys below, are entirely free from rain. In wet weather, mists and fogs sometimes form many singular ap- pearances. At such times, if the day clears up and is sultry, the exhalation from the earth becomes so great, as to form thick clouds upon the face of the steep mountains. Sometimes, a great num- ber of these little clouds unite into one, forming a stripe, seemingly resting on the ground, several miles in length, and not a hundred FORTINGAL. 637 in thickness, half way up the accliYity, and maintaining a per- level along the hce of the hill. In the end of harvest or beginning of winter, cold fogs, which ^soiled upon marshes, lakes, or rivers, that receive mossy waters, ^sften prevail. They are seen to ascend the bottom of the glens 'Mn every direction, seldom, however, reaching farther up the hill '^ban 700 or 800 feet perpendicular ; and a spectator upon the top ^Df a high hill or mountain, would almost imagine the strath and low grounds, when thus cohered, to be a vast spreading ocean, with "^he upper parts of the hills as so many islands scattered upon its surfiice. Winds are seldom steady here in any quarter, for any consider- able time. In the end of spring or beginning of summer, we liave sometimes east or north-east winds, perh«ips for a month or more together. Our narrow glens and high mountains often give a con- traiy direction to the wind, especially when it blows across them, nordi or south. We find, then, in the bottom of the glen or foot of the mountains, the wind blowing straight east or west PrognoMticM of Weather^ — It is well known that large rivers and waterfidls sometimes emit certain sounds, even in the calmest wea- ther, resembling those of cataracts or torrents rushing down rocks and precipices, — which sounds are sure indications of the weather. If the sound of the rapid or cataract descend with the stream, it foretells such rainy weather to be at hand, as will swell the brook or river to its margin ; whereas, if the sound ascend along the stream, and die away in the distance, it is an omen of the continuance of dry weather. If, during a storm of frost and snow in winter, the ptarmigan, — the hardiest among the feathered tribes of the Grampians, — be re- peatedly heard in the face of the mountain, an additional fall of snow may soon be expected. Our climate has all the vicissitudes experienced in moun- tainous countries,— especially in the higher parts of the parish, where the atmosphere, when not damp and saturated with moisture (which in some seasons is the case for nearly two- thirds of the year,) is keen, sharp, and chill. In summer, our proximity to the mountains has a contrary effect upon the atmosphere. Their steep fronts reflecting the solar rays, occasion a greater degree of warmth in our narrow glens than is felt in lower and more south- em situations; and during the continuance of this warmth, vegeta- tion is very rapid. 538 ' PERTHSHIRE. The upper parts of the parish are liable, during summer and liarvest, to cold dews and fogs, which arise from low and marshy places and mossy soils, often destroying the crops. In the lower parts, the crops are generally sure and early.- Our climate, upon the whole^ is healthy. When easterly winds preml in the end of spring or beginning of summer, catarrhal complaints are common. We have no other epidemical distempers ; and often in wet weather and unhealthy seasons, when neighbouring districts are affected with influenzas and other pulmonary complaints, our glens, owing to their hard and gravelly bottoms, are quite healthy. Hydrography. — No mineral waters of any consequence have yet been discovered in this parish. On the south side of Sith-chaillinn, there is a spring of clear water, allowed by the common people to be nephritic and diuretic, and persons labouring under complaints of gravel or stone drink plentifully of it From time immemorial, young people of both sexes, sometimes to the number of several hundreds, on the morning of the Grst Sabbath of May O. S., have been in the habit of repairing to the mountain to quaff the spring. They come from all the surrounding districts, Rannoch, Foss, Ap- pin, Fortingal, and Glenlyon, often a distance of nine or ten miles. It is reckoned particularly lucky to get the first draught, or what is called the cream of the spring. Often^ the crystalline dew of Sith-chaillinn is qualified by some other dew of a more exhilarating nature. Lochs. — These are both numerous and extensive, amounting to four or five large, and eight smaller ones, — besides about fifteen pools of considerable size, scattered over the moors. Loch Rannoch. — This lake is about 12 miles long, and its ave- rage breadth may be about 1^ mile. Its depth has never been exactly ascertained ; but there is every reason to believe, that in the greater part of it, especially in the east end, it is from 60 to 85 fathoms, as 50 fathoms were at one period tried and found short. The lake extends nearly due east and west. In common frost, it freezes for a few miles at the west end, and it is there crossed, in time of hard frost, from side to side, by the country people, with- out apprehension. But the oldest inhabitant living does not remem- ber, nor has heard of its being frozen from end to end, except twice, the last occasion being in the beginning of the year 1809.* There are two small islands situate in the upper end of the lake. The east and larger one is wholly artificial, resting upon • It was also frozen all over in winter IS^JP. FORTINGAL. 539 large beams of wood fixed to each other. This island was some- times used as a place of safety in cases of emergency ; at other times, as a place of confinement for such as rebelled against or of- fended the chief. To this retreat, there is a road from a point on tlie south nde, — ^which road is always covered with three or four feet of water, is very narrow, and has a great depth on both sides of it. The scenery of Loch Rannoch is grand and picturesque, es- pecially when viewed from near the east end, whence you behold a vast body of water which covers the whole level be- tween the hills. The whole south side, from the very margin of the lake to half way up the face .of the mountains, seems one continued forest of native birch and pine, known by the name cf the ^^ black wood of Rannoch," hiding in its bosom here and iliere, as you go along, several beautiful farm villages and gentle- anen*s seat^^. The north side, also, presents alternately extensive woods and well cultivated spots. On both sides of the lake, the hills retire — gradually leaving an immense expanse open to the view of the beholder. Above the first tier, the highest mountains present to the eye, their dusky summits ; and the snowy peaks of Glenetive and Glencoe, are seen in the west, at the distance of 40 miles, as if piercing the highest clouds. IjoA EroduL — This lake extends from the head of Rannoch in a north-easterly direction towards the stage-house of Dalwhinnie, fully 16 miles. Its mean breadth may be reckoned one mile. A great portion of it belongs to this parish ; the rest to the parish of Laggan, Inverness-shire. It is surrounded on both sides by craggy, steep, and lofty mountains, of dreary appearance ; but beautiful q)ots are seen here and there, on which shooting quarters have been erected, and where game of all kinds are to be met with in great abundance. Notwithstanding its elevated situation its water never freezes.* * Before leaTing Loch Erochd, it may not be improper to notice a very old but vague tradition prevalent, regarding the circumstance of its original forma- tion. The tradition, old beyond the memory of several generations back, bears that the whole space now covered with the waters of the lake, was once an inhabited dis- trict, and formed a parish called the parish of Feadail ; that, in the course of one ni^t, after the inhabitants had retired to rest, the flood-gates of some great subter- ranean body of water were thrown open by some fearful convulsion of nature, and the vhole dlstnct or parish of Feadail was thus inundated, and the population, with their cattle, houses and fields, overwhelmed by this sudden and awful catastrophe. The tradition also bears, that, for a long period of years, the church, and other re- markable houses and objects were distinctly to be seen on a cl«ir summer *8 day, un- der the water. On the confines of this lake, Prince Charles Edward Stuart took dieher for some time, after the battle of C'ulloden. 540 PBRTU8H1UE. Lochgarry. — This lake is situated at the distance of neariy aefeti- miles to the north-east of Loch Rannoch, extending, nearly north about 4 miles, to the confines of the parish. It is about halt MS. a^mile broad. Loch Laoidean lies about eight miles west from the head of Loch—— -^ Rannoch, and is about 6 miles long, stretching westward imnnlii '^ ^^ Argyleshire. Its breadth is about half a mile. It is a beautifuK^ ^ sheet of water, with many little bosky creeks and promontoriesi^^Bi and studded with several finely wooded islands. There is near the west end, called the Island of Yew, where the red-deei often take shelter, and the noble eagle, undisturbed, builds hei nest, and rears her young. It readily freezes. Lfoch Lyon is situated at the head of the glen of that name, and extends upwards of three miles south-west Its breadth is not above half a mile. It is a beautiful and romantic little lake. All the lakes, both small and great, are well stored with trout^ with one exception, and that the only one requiring a particular description. This is in a hollow on the top of Bein^a-gharlagan, a detached mountain at the head of Rannoch. It is called Loch« a-mhig^, — literally the whey lake^ and is a real curiosity. It is nearly three-quarters of a mile round, and apparently very deep, and is probably the crater of an ancient volcano ; the mountain itself is circular, presenting on]the east side a front almost perpendicular, for a space of nearly 1500 feet. Rivers, — The Tummel, in Gaelic Teth-thuil^ signifying the. hot or boiling flood or river, bears a name not inapplicable to the stream after it has passed the boundaries of this parish. This river, issuing out of Loch Rannoch, is a deep smooth flowing water for several miles, until it leaves the confines of Rannoch, during which it is called the ** Water of Rannoch :" but leaving this district, it be- comes quite impetuous, till it enters Foss, where it properly receives its general name, — Tummel. This river at one period flowed out of the lake at a considerable distance south of its present channel. At that period, or probably prior to it, the level ground on both sides of the river, if not wholly inundated, was at least covered with water for several miles. That the water had a higher elevation is also quite observable at the head of the Loch, where the water-marks show that the lake has receded some hundred yards. Gamkairy i. e. Gaoir, signifying loud noise. The rapids and cataracts of this river when swollen are distinctly heard at the PORTING AL. 541 tlistance of sereral miles. It has its rise on the south side of Glen-Etive, in the deer-forest of the Marquis of Breadal'^ bane, or Coirreacha-Batha. Augmented in its course by the union of many mountain streams, it becomes a considerable river. Itin- l^rsects the military road in the Black Mount, 5 miles south of Che stage at King's House. After a course of 10 or 12 miles, and forming some lakes in its way, especially Loch Batha, nearly 2 miles long, and upwards of half a mile broad, with fine woody islets, -*-it expands into the fine lake, Loch Laoidean, already described. Israing thence, it assumes the name of Grearr-Ghamhair, or abort Gamhair, for 4 or 5 miles ; then it enters an extensive tract of low meadow land, which in time of rain it completely in- undites, presenting a lake of several miles in circuit, called Loch Eathach. Leaving this ocasional lake, it enters the inhabits «d parts of Rannoch, under the name of Gamhair, and after a course of 8 miles between Loch Laoidean and Loch Rannoch, it enters ~ the latter by two mouths, leaving a beautiful green islet in the middle. The JLyon^ — The source of the Lyon is the lake of that name. Issuing thence, it immediately receives the waters of Meran from the north* After flowing about ten or twelve miles, it receives the Conait, also from the north. The course of the Lyon, with little variation, is easterly. After flowing upwards of forty miles, and being in itscourse augmented by innumerable mountain streams and rills, it merges into the Tay below Tay mouth Castle^ Eroehd issues out of the lake of that name, already described. For the space of a mile or two, it is a slow, deep-running water ; then it becomes a torrent, tearing its banks with almost irresistible fury, till it is lost in Loch Rannoch. The course of Erochd is about 6 miles. There are a number of other considerable streams ; such as Uisge Arlair, Cam-chriochdain, Alt-Eathach, Meran, Conait, Duibhe, &c. &c Cascades. — These, as might be expected, are very numerous, there being hardly a solitary brook in a sequestered glen without its waterfall. On the confines of the parish the Tummel forms a fine cascade. The rivers Gamhair and Duibhe, at the head of Rannoch, pre- sent very fine and picturesque waterfalls, — that of the former call- " ed the falls of Garbhdhun ; and of the latter the falls of Termor. The only cascades on the Lyon are the Sput^ban^ as you en- i ] 542 PERTHSHIRE. ter the glen ; and the fall at Moar, where the river is precipi from a considerable height into a narrow deep pool. Here, the river is somewhat swollen, great quantities of salmon are caught^ The Conait, for upwards of a mile before it joins the Lyon, sents a succession of beautiful cascades. The falls of the Keltney, with its wild and rugged banks ani romantic scenery, are also worthy of notice. Geology and Mineralogy — Lime, — The remarkable bed of lime— ^"^ stone which traverses the range of the Grampians in a erly direction from Aberdeenshire to Dumbartonshire, through this parish towards the east end. The stone is allowed be of a superior quality. A fine quarry of blue granite has lately**-^ been opened and wrought to advantage on the estate of Mr Men- zies of Chesthill. Several veins of marble are to be met with in the parish, (par* ticularly on the estate of Garth,) of various hues and colours. Rock crystals, spars, and pebbles, of great variety and brilliancy, are frequently gathered among our mountains. In Glenlyon, there is a vein of lead glance, which is 'allow- ed to be of considerable richness. It was wrought for some time about the beginning of the last century, but was then relin- quished from some cause or other, probably the want of roads in the district at that period ; and it has never since been resumed. Behind the village of Fortingal, there are also several places where the ore partially appears. Appearances of slate are visible in several parts, particularly on the east side of Sith-chaillin, and also in the hill above Fortingal, the stratum evidently following the direction of the fore-men- tioned lime bed. The soil in the bottom of the low valleys is generally gra- velly and dry ; farther up the hill sides, it becomes cold, yet af- fords excellent pasturage for cattle, sheep, &c. Still higher up, it is, in general, bleak moor, producing little grass, and covered with heath, abounding with game of various kinds. The summits are often free of heather, and covered with a thick carpet of beau- tiful moss. Zoology, — The animals which formerly existed among us, but which are now no longer to be met with, were of the quadruped kind, viz. the wild boar and the wolf. The ancient Caledonian white cow also inhabited our forests in former times. And many are the places which take their designation from these several ani- PORTINGAL. 543 Uials, as Tom-ttn-hnrcj t. e. the knoll of the boar ; — Ruighe-Q'^mha'- ^iaidhf t. e. the haunt of the mastiff or wolf : — Daire na'^wgile, t.he thicket of the white cow. Of the feathered race we had, at one time, the capercailzie ^caper-coille) or great cock of the wood. In our remote dells and mountains, there are red-deer : and our ivoods and forests abound with roes and fallow-deer. We have also the common and Alpine hare ; the latter of which is always whit- ish, — and in winter perfectly white. The fox is of the kind pecu- liar to high mountains; and although there have been regularfox-hun- ters in this, as in other quarters of the Highlands, for these seventy or eighty years bygone, they have not yet been able to effect its ex- tirpation. We have, besides, badgers, otters, martins, wild-cats, polecats, weasels and other small quadrupeds. The squirrel has lately also made its appearance in our woods and plantations, as also the rabbit ; and another intruder, not quite so welcome, the rat, has forced his way into our most sequestered glens, and even to our most retired apartments. Among our hills are sometimes seen serpents from a foot to three feet in length ; but no person has ever been known to have been hurt by them. The indigenous birds are the great eagle, the kite, the hawk, the raven, the hooded-crow, the rook, the magpie, water-ouzel, &c. Those belonging to game are the ptarmigan, the red and black grouse, the partridge, and the woodcock : and towards the end of harvest, the snipe, plover, the fieldfare, the pheasant. Among the migratory tribes ^hat annually visit us and bring up their young with us, are, the swallow, the cuckoo, the corncrake, the sea-mew, the curlew. We have also the wagtail, the stonechatter, the yellow bunt- ing ; as also, on our waters, the crane, wild duck, sand-piper, &c. Id severe winters, flocks of wild geese visit our lakes ; but up- on the first setting in of fresh weather, they take their departure. Our finest native songsters are the thrush (mavis), the lark, bkckbird. In size and symmetry, our black-cattle, and especially our sheep, yield to fewer none in the Highlands; and some of our sheep, and cattle generally, fetch the highest prices, when exhibited at the great cattle»markets in the south. The lakes, not only those which discharge rivers, but even the small pools in the moors, as already observed, are well stored with 'A 544 PERTHSHIRE,, fine trout In Loch Rannoch, the trout vies in size and shape wl*i^ the salmon itseli^ although it is universally allowed that salm^C^ never reach that lake, — being intercepted by the falls of the Tuf^** mel. The spawning season of the great and small river trout comprehend from the beginning of October to the middle of N« veraber, when the fish descend uito their winter-quarters, in tkr:^® bottom of the deepest pools. The best spawning stream in Rannoch, or, indeed, in the whoi parish, is Ald-Eithach, at the head of that district. The fish wa the first flood, in the end of September or beginning of October ^' to ascend this stream ; and trout (not salmon) of upwards of ^ yard in length, and weighing above SOlbs., are met with, and ki^E^ ^' led by the spear and torch. The otter, too, sometimes the very largest of the trout, and they are often found dead in th water. The mode of his attack seems to be, to seize the fish i shallow water, by the breast, close to the gills ; for, when found dead^ no other part of it seems injured or touched. At the confluen of the Erochd with Loch Rannoch, the finest trout im are caught by the fly or minnow, in the months of December an January. The only river in the parish which the salmon reaches, is the Lyon, which it ascends as early as the middle of March. Its spawning-time commences about the middle of October, and ter- minates by the middle of December. In the Gamhair and Lyon, and also in many of the smaller streams, there is abundance of that species of shell-fish, or, as it is called, the horse-muscle or pearl oyster, in which beautiful pearls are sometimes found. Botanff. — This parish, from the mountainous nature of it, is fertile in rare botanical productions. On the tops of the highest mountains, the botanist may gather, with the greatest delight, different kinds of plants, such as the various kinds of Lycopodiums, as also that beautiful tribe the Saxifrages ; and on some of them, the Saxifraga reticulata : — the Azalea procumbens^ the Sihbaldia procumbenSf the Thalictrum alpinum^ the Epilobiwn alpin^ um^ the Vaccinium tiliginosum the Vacdnium Vitis-idcBa ; and on the tops of some of the hills in the braes of Glenlyon, the Vaccinium oxycoccoa ; also the Rubua Chanuemorus the Arbu^ tut alpina^ the Dryas octopetala : and the Drosera rotundifolia and longifolia^ (these two very common), and the MyosoHs ne- picola : also rearing its majestic head among the steepest rocks the Rhodiola rosea^ and numerous other rare small plants interest- PORTINOAL. 545 ng to the naturalist and botanist, and too numerous to be mention- id. But I cannot pass by that beautiful tribe of the vegetable dogdom, the Cryptogamia, without remarking the great varie- iea of them in this district Of the Filices, the botanist will find he Osmmula regalis^ the Lycopodiums, the Polypodium, and he Qrtheas; of the Musci tribe, the Sphagnums, the Phas- iumsy and the Splachnums : and that most interesting of all, the [)icranums, and Hypnums. Od the whole, this parish is well worthy of being travelled by Mtaoists, where perhaps they will discover new plants, on moun- ains never before explored by any with a philosophic eye. Forestt and Plantations. — Our plantations, though they meet ;he eye in many parts of the parish, are not very extensive. They ire diiefly of fir ; both the spruce and larch seem to thrive almost IS well as the native species ; as also ash, oak, birch, beech, elm. In Rannoch, there is a considerable forest of native fir, and a ;reat deal more of birch still remaining, which is considered as part of the ancient Caledonian forest, which, at one time, extended from Glencoe to Braemar, a distance of not less than 80 miles, and from Glenlyon to the Spian, Loch Laggan, and the Spey, Inverness- shire, — comprehending a tract of mountains, glens, morasses, and blue lakes, of upwards of 2100 square miles. What remains of the celebrated yew tree of Fortingal church- yard, described by Pennant in his Tour, appears as two distinct trees, some yards distant from each other. At the commence- ment of my incumbency, thirty-two years ago, there lived in the nllage of Kirktown, a man of the name of Donald Robertson, then iged upwards of eighty years, who declared that, when a boy going to school, he could hardly enter between the two parts; now a coach- UKk-four might pass between them ; and that the dilapidation was partly occasioned by the boys of the village kindling their fire of BeaUtumn at its root It is from 52 to 56 feet in circumference. II. — Civil History. Batdesn-^ln the reign of King Robert L or II., a battle was buglit near the River Erochd, two miles north of the head' of Loch Raonoch, between Donnachii Reamhar (i. e. athletic Duncan) progenitor of the Robertsons of Strowan, and M'Dougal of Lorn, who, with his followers, had penetrated into Perthshire as far as the Erochd, in order, it is said, to correspond with, or join, the English. Donnacha Reamhar, as soon as apprized of the PERTH. M m 646 PERTHSHIRE. circumstaDce, quickly assembled his followers from RannocI Strath-Tummel, and Athole ; concealed them near the east sic of Erochd, that he might seize the first opportunity to attai the invaders ; and, wishing to ascertain as well as possible the numbers and strength, disguised himself as a beggar, and got ini the very heart of their camp. The Lorn men anxiously inquire of him concerning the number of the army opposed to them, an Donnacha Reamhar's personal prowess. They were answered th; he was allowed tiy those who knew him to be a very cruel man ; bi he hoped they would have him soon in their power. Duncan ha^ ing now obtained his desire, and not wishing to remain any long< surrounded by inquiring crowds of enemies, endeavoured slowly I withdraw to the outside, which raised the suspicions of the invadei that their new acquaintance was either a real spy, or even Doe nacha Reamhar himself; and immediately they commenced a kee pursuit. But the Rannoch hero soon distanced them all except oo< on whom he turned with all his fury, despatching him before h countrymen could come up to his rescue ; then, redoubling his e> ertions and speed, he came to the Erochd, which he cleared by on spring, and his pursuers were obliged to stop short Afterward with his men, recrossing the river, he came upon the Lorn me almost unawares. They, however, made a noble and determine stand ; but after a dreadful conflict, in which many were slaii they were completely overpowered, and a great many taken pri soners ; among whom was the Chief of Lorn himself, who, for som time thereafter, was confined in the artificial island of Loch Rar noch, but was afterwards amicably released. About a century later, a severe conflict took place on the fan of Dunan Rannoch. The hostile parties were the Stewarts of Ap pin, Argyleshire, and a tribe inhabiting, at that time, the head < Rannoch, called ClannJain Bhuidhe^ (the children or descendant of John of the yellow hair.) The cause was this, — Two pedlars c the Stewarts of Appin went to Perth for goods, and, upon their n turn home by Rannoch, were robbed or killed by Clann Jai Bhuidhe. As soon as tidings reached Argyleshire, the Chief c Appin gathered his clan, and marched immediately to Perthshin The first night, he rested his men upon the confines of RannocI where he observed at some distance a habitation with some flock and herds. This belonged to one of the M'Gregors of Roro Gler lyon, who, for some fault, was banished that district by the rest c the clan. Stewart sent him a polite message, requesting some re FORTINGAL. 547 rreshment to his men ; when McGregor, in the true spirit of an- cient hospitality, sent his servant with a fat cow, which pleased the Chief of Appin so well, that he desired an interview with McGre- gor; and proposed that he should accompany him next day, and that, should they be able to extirpate or banish Clann Jain Bhuidhe from Rannoch, he should have all their lands to himself. This proposal was readily accepted ; and next day McGregor with his servants marched along with the Stewarts. On the farm of I^iuian, near the side of the river Gamhair, they were met by the ^^^tfin Jain Bhuidhe in full muster to receive them. In the battle ^hicli ensued, most of the Clann Jain Bhuidhe were slain, the rest ^ere hemmed in by the victors, and obliged to swim the river ; ^d the few that escaped fled to other districts. A small rill, call- ^ by old people Caochan-na-Fola (the rill of blood), points ^^ to this day, the place where the action was fought. The chief Appin, having now had his full revenge, quickly retraced his . f^^Ps to Argyleshire, after bidding adieu to his new ally, and wish- '% him joy of hid newly acquired possessions. McGregor had ^1^ as much land as his chieftain of Roro ; and the family of '^^i^an for many generations was among the most respectable of ^ clan Gregor in these districts. Many other battles might be mentioned, such as that of Lag- ^^"•anshatha, fought betwixt the Stewarts of Garth and the M* Ivors /^ Olenlyon; that of Glen-Sassun,— >fought betwixt King Robert , ® Bruce and Edward'*s adherents ; — of which a short notice was ^^©n in the former Statistical Account. .y^ A long and severe feud existed betwixt the clan Cameron and the ^^cintosbes, — wjiereof this parish was occasionally the scene, and hich continued, it is said, for 350 years ; during which, many acts J| cruel retaliation took place, until the latter submitted to Sir ^^ao Cameron in the seventeenth century. * ^etnarkable and Extraordinary Leaps. — These are, — 1st, Don- ^^ha Beamhar^s leap over the river Erochd, when he was pur- ^©d by the M^Dougals, as already related. The river is confined y the opposite rugged rock into a breadth of about 16 feet, where ^^ torrent rushes through with irresistible fury ; and this chasm ^® hero is said to have cleared at one spring, — the bank of the ^'^^am at that place being so steep and uneven that it could not * Details of these feuds are given in the MS. 548 PfiUTHSUIRE. be a running but a standing leap. It retains still the name of Dhonnacha ReamJiair. 2dy Leum-a-ChlecLsaichey (the man of Feats' leap^) This is at tb=3e head of Fortiugal, properly so called, where the Lyon has o] for itself a passage in the solid rock, seemingly not worn doi from the surface by degrees, as is generally the case ; but as " the river had at once burst through, leaving the rock joined abo* like an arch» which the swellings of the stream have in the coui of ages widened and separated. The breadth of the gullet ^ about 20^ feet. The depth of it is about 20 feet ^dy Leurn'mhic-a-Oieannaichef t. e. the chapman's son's lea^^ --P> over the river of Bunrannoch, — which consists of first a leap to "* * rock in the middle of the current, and then a spring to the site bank. The hero of this feat is said to have been one of t1 McGregors proscribed by the law at the time, — and pursued by Campbells and the black dogs^ as they were called. After the opposite bank, he turned round upon the latter with all his dispatched them, and got clear off. 4^A, Leum Phurraiff. — This was a nickname of one Campbel-^ J* who lived in Carie Rannoch iu the earlier part of the seventeent^^^^ century. He was a famous marksman with the bow and arroin^^^' and very swift of foot, — qualifications he had sometimes occasion t^' avail himself of. In flying from the Macdonalds of Glencoe, b^^ is said to have made the leap here mentioned over Linne*choimIif^ ^ ' leum, in the den above Innerchadden and Dalchosnie.* Records. — Most of the proprietors of this parish having rise with Prince Charles Edward Stuart in 1745, their houses, papers &C. were destroyed by the royalists, and consequently the prii cipal family records were thus lost. There are in my own posset' sion, documents showing, that, in the reign of Charles IL, a chial school was in existence in this parish. Eminent Men. — Major- General David Stewart of Garth, authcc^ ^^ of Sketches of the Highlands and of the Highland Regiments, ws^^^. a native and an heritor of the parish. He died in St Luci^^^T* We&t Indies, in 1829, Governor of that island, much and justl^^-*" ^ regretted by all who knew him. . Struan Robertson, chief of that name, and, in his day, one c^ the most considerable proprietors of the parish, was an elegaiT^ -^ poet. An octavo volume of Struan's poems was published aftc^^ his death from his manuscripts, or rather from the recollection '^^^^ * PArticuIars are detailed in the M S. FORTINGAL. 549 hose who heard tbem repeated at the time ; but while the worst »f them were recollected, as generally happens, the best were al- owed to escape the memory. Allan Stewart of Innerchadden, who lived much about the same ime, and was also a proprietor in the parish, was a poet no less iniiient than the chief of the brave Clann Donnachaidh ( Robert- ODs) above-mentioned. He, as well as Strowan, shared in the ommoD calamities of those who took up arms in favour of Prince ]!barle8 in 1745. Their houses were burnt, and their properties Jundered. Dougal Buchanan was another eminent character connected with he district. Though not a native, he resided here for a consider- ble time after the middle of the last century, as teacher on the stablishment of the Society in Scotland for Propagating Christian knowledge, at Kinloch Rannoch, — a valuable man in his day, and tighly useful in enlightening the people in the knowledge of the ruths of the Gospel. In his manners among his intimate ac- [Uaintance, he was affable, free, and jocular ; he was consequent- f much esteemed, both by the gentlemen and common people of he district, who, when they had not an opportunity of hearing ser- Qon from the parish minister, flocked to him upon Sabbaths, when le read and expounded the Scriptures to them. He was a severe liseipliDarian, feared, but at the same time beloved, insomuch, hat the people offered to raise a fund to send him to College, so s to get him licensed to preach the Gospel, and become their pas- or in the district on the Royal Bounty ; but, from some cause or »tber, the plan was not followed out. Dougal Buchanan was the lUtbor of a small but valuable collection of sacred poems, in the jraelic language, — which displays poetical talent of no ordinary jnd. They are to this day admired, and read with benefit by every [Christian who understands the language. He composed several ongs on various subjects, that were never published. Land-owners. — The chief land-owners are, John Stewart Mon- ies, Esq. of Foss and Chesthill ; Ronald Menzies, Esq. of Cul- lares ; Major-General Sir Archibald Campbell, Bart of Garth ; ^'rancis Grarden Campbell, Esq. of Troup and Glenlyon; The Most Noble the Marquess of Breadalbane ; General Robertson of krowan; Sir Neil Menzies of that Ilk, Bart.; Colonel John McDonald of Dalchosnie, C. B. 92d Highlanders ; Messrs Stew- ut of Innerchadden, of Lassentullich, and of Crossmount, Parochial Registers. — The earliest entry in the parochial re- 550 PERTHSHIRE. ^sters now extant, is 1748. They are now very irregularly kept, not a tithe of the births or baptisms being recorded. Antiquities and Ctiriosities, — Among these, may be included the yew tree in the churchyard of Fortingal, already noticed. Tlie Roman Camp, as it is called, is at the west end of Fortin- gal. The spot where the General's tent is allowed to have stood, is surrounded by a deep fosse. To the west of this, at a sboft distance from each other, are two obelisks, the one about 6 feet high : the other lying on the ground, having been undenniDed some fifty or eighty years ago. It is 8 feet long. The praetoriitf^ is still complete. A little to the north-west, is an ablong ef^ nence, nearly 60 feet long, and 18 broad, and about 7 feet hi^^ which appears to be a tumulus, raised over those who felliD t^ deadly conflict. From a slight inspection of the ground, it appears that t>-^ Lyon at one period flowed to the north of the camp, though some hundred yards to the south ; and this is farther confii — _^ ^^ by the tradition of the country. Nor is it unlikely that all t^^ ditches surrounding the camp were filled with water from the ri The area occupied is allowed to be from 80 to 90 acres in ex Near the church of Fortingal, in the middle of a field, is a la Druidical circle. Many of the stones have, from time to time, buried in the ground, to make way for the plough. The forts, of which the ruins of fourteen or fifteen are still distinctly ced, are built without any cement or mortar, of such large stones 0^ ced, are built without any cement or mortar, of such large stones a^^ would cost the moderns immense labour, if not altogether baffle theno^^^^^ without the aid of machinery, to raise and lay with such nicet^^^^^ and regularity on each other. The diameter of the circles with- ^^ in walls (which are generally 8 feet thick) is sometimes 60 feet^ ^^ ' The original height of the walls cannot now with accuracy be tra*^ ced or ascertained ; because of the constant dilapidation carried o by people from the neighbouring villages ; but the presumption h that it was not less than 12 feet It does not clearly appear thai they were watch-towers, as has been conceived by some, as the] are but seldom in view of each other, and are as often in low as in high situations. That they were real habitations, there can be little doubt; for it is quite evident that, in some of them, there were several halls or apartments ; tradition bears that there were twelve. The apartments extended from the wall, which served as a com- mon gable, towards the centre. Some ascribe these buildings to the Druids : but if any credit be due to the uniform tradition of old FORTINOAL. 551 M>ple, these buildings belonged to the Fingalians. For Fingal's leroes are said to have had 20 or 21 castles, as they were called, tcattered over this parish. In the upper part of the glen, on the farm >f CaMiej t . e. Castles, there are, within the distance of a mile, three of :hese, one — CaistealanDeirg^ the Castle of Dargo— -another. Cats- "eal an Duibhe — the castle of the black hero, — and Caisteal coin^ t-Maeain — the Castle of the dog's kennel. This bacan, or stake^ o which the Fingalians tied their stag-hounds, and from which he castle is named, is a thin stone, about 2^ feet in height, re- (erobling the letter q, with the small end set into the ground, up- m a little green eminence. Although it is difficult or rather impossible to ascertain the era o which these forts should be referred, — the total want of lime in heir construction, though it is often found in great plenty in the ery neighbourhood, renders it probable that they were built be- ore its use was known to the inhabitants. The presumption also i, that these forts are the first rude specimens of architecture in he country. The difference between these and the castles of suc- «ediDg or feudal ages is remarkably striking, and shoWs clearly hat the art of building had, before the era of the latter, under- gone a very gre^t change. Besides the Fingalian castles, there are other two old castles, the esidence of chiefs during the feudal ages, and which, before the ntroduction of fire-arms, might be deemed impregnable. The one 3 the east end of the parish, was occupied by the Cuilean CurstUf T the Fierce Wolf, as he was called, brother of the Earl of Juchan, from whom a great number of the Stewarts of Athol re descended. (See Stewart's Sketches.) This castle is built pon the point of a rock where two deep chasms meet, formed by rooks flowing at their bottom ; it was defended by a ditch or draw- ridge. The other castle is at the foot of Glenlyon, situated on a high teep bank, and defended also by a drawbridge. The last pro- rietor that resided here, about the middle of the sixteenth cen- jry, was Duncan Campbell of Glenlyon, commonly called Dan" aeha ruagh na /eileachdy i. e. Red Duncan of Hospitality : he is lid to have carried his hospitality to such an extravagant and ro- lantic height, that his fame in this respect was not confined to Icotland, but extended to the sister island, Ireland. There is on the ferm of Inverchadain, an old ruin, called She^ nar^na^Siainffej t. e. the Ditch Hall. It seems to have been 552 PERTHSHIRE. built of no other materials than earth and turf, according to description given of it by Blind Harry. Here Wallace, from Argyle, attended by a few faithful adherents, rested with men for some days. And the Rannoch men, glad of such an portunity, immediately joined the hero's standard, and marched ^ attack the English at Dunkeld and Perth. King Robert the Bruce was in Rannoch on two on one of which, he gained a victory over the English at chosnie. On another occasion, after sustaining a defeat on tfli^^ ^ confines of Argyle, he was obliged to conceal himself for a coc ^^^' siderable time in Rannoch, at a place, still called after bic^^ -^* Seamar an-righ^ the King's Hall, a sequestered and beautiful r»" mantic spot on the side of the Tummel, below Crossmoimt. Gi bride, or Bredus of the Cave, as he is called in history, also shelter in Rannoch. Being defeated by the King's troops in attempts to recover possession of ^^ the Isles," he for some concealed himself till the King's troops should retire. Hence was called Gilbride of the cave. The cave or hiding-place no other than the north side of Loch Rannoch, where he princi^^ pally took shelter ; and a farm there got its name from the cii stance, Aulich^ u e, Uamh-fhalaich^ the hiding-place or cave. Ther'*'^' is on the face of the hill above the farm, a remarkable well spring of water gushing out of the earth, the strongest I ever member seeing, called Fuaran Ghille'bhride^ or Bredus's welL few such would inundate the parish of Feadail, — of which already*^^^* Gillebride's Cairn is not far distant ; and other places in thr™" ^ neighbourhood are still called after him. IIL — Population. At present, no part of the parish is more populous than it in 1790; whereas in several districts, the population has since d< creased fully a half; and the same will be found to have taken^ place, though not perhaps in so great a proportion, in most or all of the pastoral districts of the county. According to census of 1801, the population was . . 3B76 ISn, - - 9286 1821, - - 3189 1831, - 3067 Number of families in the parish, .... 621 chiefly engaged in agriculture, • - - 278 in trade, manufactures, or handicraft, - 119 One of the principal causes of the decrease has been emigra- tion. Upwards of 120 families from this parish, since the former Account was drawn up, have crossed the Atlantic, besides many FORTINGAL. 553 lis of both sexes ; while many others have sought a liveli- the low country, especially in the great towns of Edin- Sriasgow, Dundee, Perth, Crieff, &c. The system of unit- al farms together, and letting them to one individual, has, in any other circumstance, promoted emigration, ^ are seven different burying-places in the parish, ��� two in D, one in Fortingal, and four in Rannoch, — at none of e registers of burials kept. Mo^e, Character^ Sfc. of the People. — The Gaelic is the ) of the natives. It is, however, losing ground, and losing y, very much of late. Forty years ago, in some parts Irish, especially in the district of Rannoch, it was spoken )at purity as in any district of the Highlands. That race ne natives having disappeared, many of their phrases and iiave become almost unintelligible to the rising genera- t is, however, gratifying to the antiquary and to the lover c literature, that so much has been done to rescue the I and insure its permanency and stability ; still all that is )le has not yet been achieved. Hundreds of vocables 9 collected which have escaped the notice of the several compilers of our Gaelic dictionaries, people may be characterized as intellectual, sober, and in- B in their habits, honest and religious. Crime and delin- are ashamed to raise their heads ; and consequently occur J among us, as in any parish of equal extent and popula- the Highlands, or in any part of the kingdom. IV. — Industry. tiUure. — Not even an approximation to the number of arable, waste, pasture, common, woods, &c can be given, indigenous kinds of trees that prevail are the birch, fir, azel, oak, elm, ash, plane, willow, beech, the yew. The tnerally planted, and which thrive well, are the Scotch fir, )ruce, oak. irable land in this parish bearing but a very small proportion 1 pasture, and the holdings invariably consisting of very dis- onate quantities of both, — the rent of small crofts will give idea of the rate of land in this parish. The rent of a lot of 169 with as much hill grazing attached as is sufficient for the ance of a horse, a cow, and two dozen sheep, summer and 18 from L. 6, 10s. to L. 7. ; of a lot of five acres, having 554 PERTHSHiaE. corresponding pasture for a horse, two cows, and one or two young cattle, with some dozen sheep, L. 14 to L. 17. The average expense of grazing a sheep, of which there are about 62,000 in the parish, is from t3s« to 3s. 6d. per annum. The summer grazing of a cow, of which there are about 1200 in the pa- rish, is L. 1 ; of young cattle, of which there are about 9000^ from 5s. 6d. to 8s. 6d. ; horses, of which there are about d6(^ from L. 1, 5s. to L. 1, 10s. on low ground, and L. 1 for hill grass. Wages. — A ferm-labourer receives in winter about Is. per day with victuals; in harvest from Is. 6d. to 2s. A woman, during the same seasons, respectively, from Sd. and 9d. to Is., with victuals also. A farm-servant's wages run from L. 10 to L. 19, with vic- tuals in his master's family. A servant-maid's wages are from L. 4 to L. 5, 10s. Ijive-Stock, — Our sheep are mostly of the black-faced kind, and our black-cattle of the West Highland breed. Great attention is paid to the improvement of both among all classes of graziers ; and consequently, when a public sale happens by one of our principal graziers, it is not uncommon to see a bull knocked down for L. 50, a cow for L. 40, and queys at L. 35 I Some of our best sheep stocks, when sold by apprizement, bring L. 26 per clad score. Leases generally run for five, seven, eleven, fifteen, and nineteen years. Seven is the most general term. Leases are considered fa- vourable to the occupiers, as affording them confidence in carry- ing on in^rovements on their ferms. The improvements on the old mode of farming have been very great. In my younger days hardly any plough went without four horses, and two athletic men to lead and drive. But that mode of agriculture is now gone by. The improvements in fiirm-buildings and inclosures are equally remarkable and progressive. When a new lease is obtained, the heritor or proprietor meets the farmer's wishes, with a liberality that does him credit Splendid and elegant accommodations are furnished for the tenant ; and the steadings and houses for the cat* tie, &c. are excellent. V. — Parochial Economy. Market'Town. — It can hardly be said that there is any market- town or village in the parish. The nearest market-towns are Crieff and Perth, distant respectively thirty and forty miles. Means of Communication. — The means of communication en- joyed by the parish are but indifferent. There are several carriers FORTINOAL. 555 from the parish, regularly plying betwixt it and Perth. Between Aberfeldy and the extremity of Glenlyon, there is a runner three times a-week, passing and repassing through the district of For- tingal ; but the graziers in the upper parts of the glen are served in- differently. At-Kinloch-Rannoch, a penny post-office was lately established. The communication is with Pitlochry three times a- week. The letters, &c. for the district are regularly brought for- ward thus far by post, and thence circulated by the best means that offer, through the country. Our bridges and fences are generally kept in good repair. I would particularly refer to the great improvements made, of late years, in bridges, fences, and roads, upon Sir Niel Menzies's pro- perty of Slismine, in this parish. In connection with the trus- tees of the estate of Strowan, the patriotic Baronet also caused to be erected, last summer, a most elegant new bridge over the Gamhaire, at the west end of Loch Rannoch. I regret to say that the heavy floods of last harvest carried off this beautiful struc- ture ; but it is now in the course of being rebuilt by the same par- ties. Eceksiastical State. — The parish church is situated within three miles of the south-east corner of the parish. There are, also, two Government churches, — one in the district of Rannoch, and the other in that of Glenlyon, — both ofl^hich have lately been erect- ed into parishes (quoad sacra J by the General Assembly. The three churches form nearly the angular points of an equilateral triangle, whose side is about twelve miles. The parish is thus di- vided into three great portions or districts, (exclusive of the dis- trict of Bolfracks,) south of the Tay. The parish church is about six miles from the limits of its own district, quoad sacra, on the west, three from the east, and about four from the north-east ; but its distance is from thirty-five to forty miles from the western boun- dary, quoad civilia. The government churches are at least seven- teen and twenty-six miles from the extremities of their respective districts. To afford the remote parts of their congregations every op- portunity to hear the word, the ministers often preach, the one at a station eight miles, and the other twelve miles, distant from their respective churches. There are eleven heritors or land proprietors in the parish, all whose estates are of the yearly value of L. 50 and upwards. It is but justice to mention here, as an instance of their generous spirit and liberality, that a few years ago they built one of 556 PERTHSHIRE. the most handsome school-rooms in the Highlands of Perthshire, for the parish, with suitable accommodation to the teacher. A most splendid manse and court of offices were also lately erected for the accommodation of the minister ; to the building of which the heritors agreed, without any solicitation on his part. The church, a very old fabric, though as firm as the surround- ing rocks, was newly seated, roofed, ceiled, lathed and plastered about the year 1821. It bears every mark of having been a Po- pish construction ; and is rather inconveniently narrow, particular- ly at the time of dispensing the Sacrament, when immense crowds attend from the surrounding districts. Education, — There are 12 schools in the parish, viz. the paro- chial school ; 2 schools on the General Assembly's scheme ; 2 on that of the Society in Scotland for Propagating Christian Know- ledge ; and 7 others supported by families, which, being remote from the established schools, join in hiring a young lad, to teach their children, during four or five months of the winter only. All are, however, connected with the Established Church. The pa- rochial teacher has the legal accommodations to the full, and the maximum salary, besides an allowance for a garden. The Assem- bly teachers have each a free house, croft, and cow's grass, and a salary of L. 20. Those of the Society have the same emoluments as the Assembly teachers, with a salary of L. 15 or L. 20, and a few pounds for fuel. The amount of fees received by the teachers of the Assembly and Society schools, owing to the indigence of the inhabitants in their neighbourhoods, is merely nominal, or quite in- considerable. Poor. — The number of persons receiving parochial aid is from 60 to 70, throughout the whole parish. The weekly collections at the churches may amount to about L. 50 per annum. Some of the poor get only 10s. or 12s; others L. 1 or L. 1, 10s. In cases of emergency, the heritors meet, and assess themselves for the sup- port of extraordinary paupers and lunatics, sometimes to the extent of L.60 or L.80. Rannoch, Glenlyon, and Fortingal have each their separate kirk- sessions and boxes for the poor; and eacli district may collect L. 16 or L. 18, which goes to the support of their own paupers, while the heritors' assessment is for the whole parish generally. Few of our poor go about begging, — none in this section of the parish. Still we are infested by a great many vagrants from the great towns of the south. Our poor arc thankful and patient un- FORTINOAL. 557 der privations ; and excepting in cases of real want, and when compelled by the strongest necessity, it may be said that the dis- position to refrain from seeking parochial aid is general. Fairs. — There are 7 fairs held in the parish, — one at Kirk- ton of Fortingal in the beginning of December, lasting two or three days ; at which sheep, goats, and cattle are exposed and bought for being slaughtered for winter store. Some of the in- habitants buy a clad score or two. At this market, a great deal of other business is transacted, accounts paid, servants en- gaged, &C. There is another fair held at Kirkton, about the end of April, called the " Seed Fair," because the tenants and others resort to it for their lintseed, clover.seed, &c. Another is held in August, being the greatest market for lambs in these bounds. At Kinloch-Rannoch, there are also three fairs, — one in August for lambs, &c., one in the end of October, and another in April for cattle, &c ; and one at Inverwick, Glenlyon, first Thurs- day, O. S. for sheep, &c. hms. — There are 4 inns in the parish, affording such accommo- dations as can be expected in a district like this. There are, be- sides, 6 other houses in retired or remote districts, where whisky, porter, &c. are sold to refresh the traveller, and to which the tenants in the neighbourhood retire on rent days, weddings, &c. FueL — The principal fuel of the parish is peats. In many places, these are scarce, and procured, sometimes, from an eleva- tion of little less than 3000 feet. Wood and turf are partially used also. Coals are brought to the district, by such as can afford it, from Crieff or Perth. Miscellaneous Observations. The changes which have taken place since the former Account was drawn up, are quite striking. Then, most of the tenantry in the parish removed, for the benefit of grazing, with their cattle to their shealings, sometimes to the distance of twenty miles. There they remained several months during the summer season, the men employing themselves chiefly in fishing and hunting, the women in spinning and attending to the dairy. And among the middle class of tenants, instances were not uncommon of families paying the rent in this way, by manufacturing lint of their own growth. But now, nothing more is done than what is barely re- quired for &mily use ; because there is no demand. The milk cows are now generally housed every night, summer and winter, and the dairy-maid's musical voice is no longer heard in the fold. 55S PERTHSHIRE. The tale and the song have now also ceased to cheer the win- ter ingle; and our old people often complain, that the reign of ancient faith and brotherly neighbourhood, which knew no guile, is usurped by mercenary and selfish aims, which have complete- ly done away with that clannish and family attachment, for which Highlanders in former times were so celebrated. At that time, the women, when they went abroad, dressed in lin- sey-woolsey, or other homespun apparel, their finest attire ; and it was exceedingly rare to meet a woman at church or market, with a straw bonnet or umbrella. Now, the meanest servant maid can- not appear at either, without being provided with both. Excepting in families of independent circumstances, tea was then unknown. Now, it is almost incredible how much Ls expended on this article by our peasantry. There was, then, little if any clover or turnip sown in the parish ; now, even the crofter who rents a few acres, must have his little plot allotted and enclosed for the former, and a ridge or two for the latter. Very great changes for the bet- ter have also taken place, in the management of funerals, late* wakes, and weddings. Instead of the unseemly scenes and riots which frequently took place on such occasions, the strictest pro- priety and decorum now prevail. In husbandry, also, a most re- markable improvement has taken place : and societies for the ad- vancement of every branch of agricultural improvements have been established among us, the beneficial effects of which are visible. July 1838. PARISH OF BLAIR-ATHOLL. PRESBYTERY OF DUNKELD, SYNOD OF PERTH AND STIRLING. THE REV. JOHN STEWART, MINISTER. L — Topography and Natural History. Name, Boundaries^ Sfc. — The four separate parishes of Blair, Lude, Kilmaveonaig, and Strowan, constitute what is now gene- rally designated the parish of Blair-Atholl. Though the condi- tions and period of the annexation of these parishes are unknown, it is certain that their union took place before 1632. The names BLAIR-ATHOLL. 559 are Graelic Blair, bldr, signifies a plain ; Lude, letk-jkoidj le'oid^ signifies the half of a furrow, and hence a declivity; Kilmaveonaigj Ctlle^Eonaiffj the chapel dedicated to St Eonaig ; Strowan,* Ciller Ittiainf the chapel dedicated to St Rowan ; and Blair in Atholl, or Blair- AthoU, the modern name of the parish, signifies the plain in or of Atholl. Blair- Atholl is a very extensive parish, and is situated in the north-west district of Perthshire. Its length is 30 miles, and it is about 18 miles hroad. It is bounded on the east by Kirkmichael and Moulin ; on the south by Dull ; and on the west by Rannoch ; on the north by Laggan and Kingussie, in Inverness-shire ; and on the north-east by Braemar, in Aberdeenshire. Topographical Appearances. — The valley of the Garry, from the pass of Killiecrankie to the point of Strowan, may be consi- dered the nucleus of the parish. On both sides of the Garry, there is a considerable extent of plain in a state of cultivation, and which is surmounted by sloping banks of excellent arable land, terminating in hills of valuable pasture, or covered with plantations. The back ground on the north side of the Garry is formed by the lofl^ Grampians, which separate Perthshire from the counties of Aberdeen and Inverness. Glentilt and Glenfendar, Glengarry and Glenerichkie, are narrow vales diverging from the leading val- ley of the Garry. They receive their names from their respective streams. Bohespick, Strathtummel, and Borennich, constitute the remaining portion of the parish. These are districts upon the sides of the river and loch of Tumme], separated from the valley of the Garry, by a moor of four miles in breadth, but of inconsiderable altitude. The Grampians form the northern boundary of the parish. In this extensive Alpine range, there are several mountains of great elevation. Beianghlo, with a base of many miles in'circumference, km four separate summits, viz. Cam-nan- Gabhar, 3720 feet high ; Airgiod-bheann, Cam Liath, and Cam Torkie. And in the same Alpine range, there are other mountains little inferior to Beinnghio in height, viz. Beinn-mheadhonaidh, Beinn-Chait, Beinn-deirg, &C. &c. Hydrography — Lakes, — Loch Garry is situated in Drumuach- dar, and very near the boundary-line of the counties of Perth and Inverness, or where the waters separate. It is surrounded by very high hills, and thus appears to be as it were in a deUj — hence the * Strowan is vulgarly understood to signify streams, 3 5fi0 PERTHSHIRE. etymology of the name. GaraidJi is a common Gaelic word, signi- fying a den. The lake is about six miles in circumference, and it abounds in large and excellent trout. Loch Tummel, teamhuil^ signifying dark or shadowy, forms a part of the southern boundary of the parish. It is a beautiful little Highland lake, of four miles in length, and about three-fourths of a mile in breadth. Its cultivated bank^ and numerous hamlets, and artificial island with its ruins, give it a peculiar aspect of cheer- fulness. Si-chaillein, with its barren dreary base, however, throws a gloom upon the scene, which may lead one to say that the i^ pellation is justly merited. It abounds in pike and in trout of su- perior quality, and of the largest size. It is well known to afford, the angler excellent sport Rivers. — The Garry is the leading and principal river of the parish. It issues from Loch Garry, and, after running for thirty miles, is lost in the Tummel, at the south-east extremity of the pa^* rish. It takes its name, like every other Highland river, from the parent lake. In its course it receives many tributary streams, as the Erichkie, the Bruar, and the Tilt. When flooded by a heavy fall of rain, or by the melting of the snow in spring, it forms a large, and rapid, and irresistible current, making destructive inroads upon its gravelly banks, and owning subjection only to the nigged rocks by which it is here and there confined. The river Tummel flows from the loch of that name. It is a large body of water, and though its course be short, it is one con-^ tinuous rapid stream from the lake to its magnificent falL The Tilt flows from Loch Tilt, upon the summit of the Gram- pians, and after a course of sixteen miles, it terminates in the Garrv at Blair. It is a beautiful mountain stream, whether con- sidered by itself, or in connection with the glen and the scenery through which *it runs. Falls. — The fall of the Tummel is remarkable for the great mass of water. Its height is about 18 feet. It is a grand and beautiful object The turbulent river, with its rugged banks and lofty precipitous rocks, covered with birch to their very summits, present to the traveller a scene of unusual magnitude and grandeur. The celebrated and well-known Falls of the Bruar consist of a series of falls, the highest of which falls perpendicularly, and is about 60 feet in height They have many natural and artificial attractions. The deep and narrow chasm of the river, its rocky and precipitous banks, its characteristic bridges, the well-dressed bi!air-atholl. 561 walks, and the continually increasing interest which every successive step excites, are objects with which the numerous visitors of the scene are powerfully struck. The merit of its wooded banks is ge- nerally ascribed to " Bums' Petition :" it may with much greater justice be ascribed to the Noble proprietor. One peculiar fall, and a rapid turbulent stream, confined by shelving and rugged rocks, form the cataract of the Garry. The banks were enclosed, planted, and ornamented about ten years ago only, by the late Duke of Atholl.* Climate. — In 1836, Fahrenheit's thermometer ranged from 18° to 75®. The climate is dry, which may be inferred from the cen- trical situation of the country, it being equidistant from the Ger- man and Atlantic oceans. Rain comes with an east or south-east wind, which, on account of the intervening hills, loses much of its humidity before it reaches the vale of the Garry. The climate is also cold, which its elevation must indicate. The north wind blows with piercing keenness ; and frosty dews are frequent in the beginning of summer and in autumn. Rheumatic and inflamma- tory diseases are the prevailing distempers ; and fevers are occa- sionally introduced from the low country. The great age to which many of the people live attests, however, that the climate is salu- brious. The oldest man in the parish at present is ninety-seven years of age. He is in the full possession of all his faculties ; and other five persons are alive who are about ninety years of age. Geology. — Glentilt has been the scene and subject of much geological discussion. Playfeir, Macknight, M*Culloch, &c. have contributed to its celebrity in that department of science. Marble of various shades was discovered in Glentilt about twenty years ago. It is found of a light gray and pure white, but the green is the one most prized. The late Duke of AthoU worked the quarry with that vigour and spirit which characterized all his undertakings. The green marble found its way to the principal towns of Britain, and is now frequently met with as mantel-pieces, &C. in many modern mansions. The great limestone vein which commences in the south-west at Leney, near Callander, runs through the parish, and terminates its course north-east at Braemar. The hills of the country abound in moss, which, when dried, produces black hard peat. The • The Falls of the Fendar also cannot fail to be appreciated by the tourist. A minute description of the scenery of the parish in this Account is avoided as unne. ecflsary, for every traveller can so easily furnish himself with a copy of the late Dr Macculloch*s correct and am)>lc guide upon the subject. Published in 182a PERTH. N n 562 PERTHSHIRE* mosses are full of decayed fir trees, and whole roots of a ?ery lai^g^ size, and perfectly sound, are often dug, supplying the people of th^ country with faggots to light up their cottages in the winter nights, and when dried well are not a bad substitute for oil or candle* Forest and Zoology, — AthoU Forest is understood to mean a mountainous tract of land furnished solely with deer and other game. Its extent and superiority to every other forest are well known. Its immunities and privileges in former times were great, which may be seen from the following curious legal document. Report concerning Forestries, &c in Scotland, anno 1680. (From the origimaL}^ At Edinburgh, the eighth day of July, sixteen hundred and eightie years, anent the supplicatione presented to the Lords of Counsell and Sessione, by Alexander Robert- son of Fascallie, shewing, that where the petitioner haveing obtaineat ane signature, superscrived by his Migestie's royal hand, of his lands and baronie of Fascallie, ocmCain- ing an novedamus and erection of the outfield, woods, &c ; which the petitumcr hcr- ing presented to the Lords of Treasurie and Exchequer, to be past by them, aftor rerising thereof; the same was taken up by the Marquis of Atholl, to see, and re- fused to be reproduced until the Lords ordained him to do the same ; and, after r^ production thereof, the petitioner having addressed himself by ane supplicatione to the said Lords of f^ichequer, craving that the said signature might be past ; the said Lords of Exchequer, by an act made by them thereanent, upon the eleroith day of February last by past, recommended to the Lords of Counsell and Sessione aforesaid* to consider the import and priveledge of a forrestrie, and how far his Miyestie^ inte- rest might be concerned in the foresaid signature, or the lyke ; craving, therefore, that the saids Lords of Sessione would appoint a tyme to the effect foresaid, as the said supplicatione at length beara,— Which being read in the presence of the saids Lords of Counsell and Sessione, they recommended to Sir Alexander Seatoun of Pitmedden, ane of the saids Lords of Counsell thcr own number, to call both parties before him ; and to hear them and thcr Prors. upon the said matter, and to make report thereof to them. According whercunto the said Lord Pitmcdden having called both parties, and ther Prors. before him, and having heard them debalt in the said matter, did make report of the same to the said Lords of Counsell and Sessione ; which rqxtrt being considered by the said Lords, they appoynteat Charles M aitland of Hattoun Ix>rd Treasurer Deput, Sir Thomas Murray, Lord Rcgr. Sir David Falconer of New. toun, and the said Sir Alexander Seatoun of Pitmedden, four of the saids Lords their own number, to prepare ane report to the saids Lords of Exchequer, anent the import and priveledge of ane forrestrie, and how iai his mi^estie*s interest nuiy be concerned in the said signature, or the lyke. Lykeas, according to the foresaid re- commendation, the saids Lords Treasurer, Deput Register, Newtoun, and Pitmedden, having considered the debait in the said matter, betwixt the said supplicant Prors. and likewayes the Pror. of the said Marquis of Atholl, heretable keeper of his Ma- jestic's forrestrie in Atholl, neir adjacent to Fascallie's estate, they fand, That by the lawes and acts of the Parliament of this kingdom, the priveledge and import of ane forrestrie is. That it is a place appoynted for deer, and for hunting ; and that any deer or cattle, or other beasts that are found within the forrestrie, are confiscable to the proprietor and keeper of the forrest ; and that his Mtyestie's and his Hedge's in- terest is, That whereas, by the lawes and custom, of this kingdom, no man is obliged to herd his cattle, or other beasts, except when the corns are upon the ground, after quhilk, the possessor of the ground may keep ther own ground, and turn of other rolk*8 cattle, but cannot oblidge them to herd, or keep ther cattle, or pay for the tran»- gressione, except in the case of enclosures, where violence is done to the dykes there- of ; yet this forrestrie now craved, is not to be enclosed, as commonlie forrestries are open. And by the erecting of new forrestries, all the neighbouring heritors must either herd their goods through the whole year, and keep them off these forrestries ; or otherwise suffer the loss of them, by being confiscate for pasturing upon these for- restries. And it is represented, that, in this particular case, there is a forrestrie of the King's foresaid, in which ther is a considerable stock of deer, as the report of the saids four Lords in the said matter at Icnth bears ; which being read in presence of, and consider ed by the saids Lords of Counsell and Sessione, this day, they have approv- BLAIR-ATHOLL. 563 ^^'sd hereby approre thereof and ordain the same to be reported to the saids Lords "'^*^ llajestie's Eichequer. Extracted by me, — (Signed,) Tho. MuaaAT, Cls. Reg. Edinburgh^ 9th July 1680. V^"Km Lords CommisMoners having heard and considered the above written report, ^^^ Ordain and appoint, that before Fascallie^s signature, above-mentioned, be past in BuKl^^ii^^ the claus anent the fbrrestrie, therein contained, be deleit and expunged : ^»^^ljo, that ther be an extract of this report transmitted to his Grace the Duke of ^^^^^clerdale, whereby, for the future, when any such signatures, bearing forrcstries, ^ ^^« offived to his Majesty, for his royal hand, whereunto his Mnjesty may be gra- fy^^Jy pleased to take notice thereof, and to signifie his pleasure to his Exchequer, 'J^^^^i^ofa great conceme, both to his Miyestieand his Hedges.— (Signed), Rotub9, C«^^«ll, I. p. D. C!opie of a letter from the Lords Commissioners of Treasury and Exchequer, to tbo XDokeof Lauderdale, anent the privelcdges of forrestries.^— 9th July 1680. ^ Edinburgh^ dth July 1680. _ ^ ^j it please your Grace.— In the last winter sessionc,there was presented, to be 1^^^ .in Exchequer, a signature under his Majestie*s royal hand, in favours of one V'^^^^vtioa of Fascallie, wherein was an action of a forrestrie ; which being taken no- ^ ^f^ o f in Exchequer, and not knowing what the privelcdge therof might import, ^y**5 was a stop put to the passing of that signature, until such time as the Lords ^\^ Sessiooe (to whom it was remitted) should give ther opinion in that matter ; ^icfa accordingly they gave in this day into the Exchequer. The extract whereof, '^'^ wbsft is rescued thereupon, they have appointed to be transmitted to your Grace, uXt jrou may be pleased to acquaint his Majesty therewith ; and, that his royal plea- 'Q'e therin, both as to signatures of the same natur, already past his majestie's hand, Dot yet expead in Exchequer, and such as shall happen to be offered hereafter, may, vith your con veniency, be signified unto them. May it please your Grace. Your Grace's most humble servant, (Signed,) Uothes, Cancell, L P. D. It is said that there are 7000 red-deer in the Atholl Forest, and the number is not over-rated, if the extent of ground, of which they have the undisturbed possession, be any criterion. The roe-deer also are numerous in the different plantations of the country. The fox, the wild cat, the martin, the polecat, the weasel, and the Alpine hare, are common. The rabbit, the squirrel, and tho rat have lately made their way into the country, and have increas- ed so rapidly as to become troublesome and destructive. The eagle has his eyry in the mountains of the Atholl forest. The kestrel builds his nest in Glentilt, and at the Falls of the Bruar. Red and black game, the ptarmigan and the plover, and partridges are plentiful. The jay and the woodpecker are to be met with in the plantations of Blair. The oyster-catcher {HcBma- icpuM ostralegus) comes up the Garry towards the end of March, and nestles upon its gravelly banks. The land-rail, the cuckoo, and the swallow, the woodcock and the fieldfare, are our migratory birds, and visit the country in their season. Botany, — In a tract of country so extensive as this parish, and with such a variety of soil, and climate, and surface, the number of indigenous plants may easily be conceived to be very great Of the rarer Alpine plants the botanist can scarcely meet with a more productive field than Beinn-ghlo itself. Upon its west side, 564 PERTHSHIRE. Saxifraga oppositifolia^ Silene acatdisy Dryas octopetala^ Azalea procunibens^ Bettda nana^ grow abundantly ; and it has been said that the Rubus arctica is to be found there. ConvaUaria verticil- lata grows upon the side of the Tilt near the Fender. It is now well known that the Menziesia ccerulea has been discovered upon Caman Dobhrain, which has obtained the soubriquette ^* the Sow of Atholl," to the north of Loch Garry. And Dr Amott of Arlary, one of our most learned botanists, states, that Dicranvm Schreberi is found in an old quarry towards the head of Glentilt. Of these two plants, this parish is the only habitat in Britain. The natural wood of the country consists of oak, birch, ash, as- pens, alder, &c. Oak ceases to grow as a natural wood in Atholl, at a height of 400 feet above the level of the sea, and at which the region of the birch seems to commence. This may be owing to the higher elevation, or to a difference in the soil, which certainly exists — or to both causes combined. At Aberwainie, and upon the glebe, about 500 feet above the level of the sea, there was an extensive clump of the largest oaks, and where many standard trees of great dimensions may still be seen. It grew, however, in a well sheltered spot, and in a bank of excellent soil. To the north of Killiecrankie, the birch is the prevailing tree of natural growth, and of which there are numerous and extensive woods. Along the banks of the Garry, the alder abounds, but it is dwarf- ish in its growth. Every different estate in the parish has its plan- tations, though some of them were but lately formed. A conside- rable portion of suitable ground upon the estate of Lude has been planted. The plantations of Blair are very extensive, and the size, age, and quality of the timber render them very valuable. Lime, elm, and plane trees are unusually large and numerous in the park. The surrounding grounds and hills are covered with Scotch fir, spruce, and larch. And though Blair supplied the materials of which the Atholl frigate was built, many magnificent speci* mens both of larch and of spruce still remain. II. — Civil History. Historical Events. — To give Pitscottie's account of the magnifi* cent hunt with which James V., his mother, and the Pope's Le- gate, were entertained by the Earl of Atholl, on the north side of Beinn-ghlo, is unnecessary. It is familiar to all the readers of Scottish history, and of Scottish tours from the date of Pennant's Journal to the present day. The battle of Killiecrankie cannot be said to be a subject which BLAIR-ATHOLL. 565 properly belongs to the account of this parishy and its history also is known to every one. Viscount Dundee had his head-quarters at the Castle of Blair, and the contending armies met on the north side of the Girnag, upon the lands of Runrory or Urrard, in the parish of Moulin. A despatch on the following day from Dundee himself, and which is published in the Stuart papers, contradicts the common belief, that he died near the scene of ac- tion ; and no good reason has ever been assigned for the assertion that that despatch is a forgery. He was buried in the vault of the AtlioU family, in the old church of Blair. Blair Castle was often occupied as an important military post, not only in the incessant warfare of feudal times, but even in the late Rebellion of 1745. When the Duke of Cumberland arrived with his army at Perth, in February 1746, he deemed it expedient to have a military force in Atholl, where almost all the inhabitants were known to be Jacobites. A detachment of 300 men, command- ed by Sir Andrew Agnew, Bart., Lieutenant- Colonel of the Royal N. B. Fusileers, was sent by the route of Dunkeld, and through the pass of Killiecrankie, to take post at Blair Castle. The chief object of the service committed to Sir Andrew was certainly to prevent any treasonable correspondence, and to cut oflF by proper parties, at fit out-posts, the communications by the great roads between the south and northern parts of the country.* So effectual was this manoeuvre for the purpose intended, and so annoying was the occupation of this military post by the King's forces, that Lord George Murray was sent from the north to re- gain possession of Blair Castle. He was accompanied by other officers of rank, and a force of about 100 men. After having com- pletely surprised and made prisoners of all the detached parties with- out the castle, his head- quarters were established in the village of Blair upon the 17th of March. From the measures adopted by Lord George, he seems to have wished to reduce the garrison to surrender by famine. He had heard of its scanty provisions, and with his numerous force he blocked up the castle so closely, that it was impossible to receive any supplies into it. * At this time no siege or blockade had been foreseen. It wa» never expected that the open communication with the country, and a regular supply of provisions, would have been interrupted. The quantity of garrison provisions sent to the castle WHS small. With respect to water, there was a draw-well in the castle. No artillery or military stores even were sent ; and when the number of serviceable cartridges of powder and ball in possession of the soldiers was strictly examined, it was found that they did not exceed nineteen per man. 566 PERTHSHIRE. It is also probable that he had some expectation of hastening a surrender, by threatening to set fire to the castle. He fired red hot bullets from two field-pieces which he had brought with him. The point from which he fired at the north side was so distant, that the heated balls only charred the very thick rafters of the root And a night or two before breaking up the blockade, he remoTed his field-pieces to the south side of the castle, whence their shot produced no greater effect than from the former position*. The garrison was reduced to the last extremity, and obliged to eat horse flesh. There was no probability of the blockading force being soon withdrawn. Wilson, the gardener at Blair, and a trust- worthy servant, was despatched with intelligence of its desperate state to the Earl of Crawfurd, who commanded some cavalry and Hessian troops at Dunkeld. On the 1st of April, the day after Wilson set out, not a Highlander was to be seen at Blair. Lord George Murray had received a sudden order to join the main body of the Prince'*s army near Inverness. At this distance of time we cannot but admire the prudence and sagacity which this distinguished officer exhibited in the blockade of his native castle. He knew its provisions consisted chiefly of bis- cuit and cheese, and of which, too, the quantity was small. The allowance fixed for each man was only one pound of biscuit, a quarter of a pound of cheese, with a bottle of water a day. Had the Prince's counsels, guided at the time by weak and ignorant courtiers, permitted Lord George to remain but a few days longer at Blair, the garrison must have capitulated, and Crawfurd's caval- ry perhaps would have been destroyed in Killiecrankie. Though the Prince's aflections were alienated by the basest acts, and his confidence withdrawn from his Lieutenant- General, Lord George paid implicit obedience to his commands, and served him with un- daunted bravery, fidelity, and zeal. By the unanimous concur- rence of the Highland army, he was its ablest officer. He was a man of a noble deportment, of independent mind, and indomitable spirit Though it was certain that the Highlanders had raised the blockade in the night-time, the garrison was kept shut up by Sir Andrew Agnew until the next morning. On the 2d of April, an officer arrived on horseback from the Earl of Crawfurd, and in- formed the commandant, that his Lordship, with some cavalry, might be expected in an hour. The garrison was accordingly drawn out, and his Lordship was received by Sir Andrew at the • 4 BLAIR-ATHOLL. 567 head of it with this compliment — " My Lord, I am very glad to see you, but by you have been very dilatory, and we can giTe you nothing to eat" * To which his Lordship answered laughingly with his usual good humour — " I assure you, Sir An- drew, I made all the haste I possibly could ; and I hope that you and the oflBcers will do me the honour to partake with me of such fare as I can give you." The Hessians would not march from Dunkeld with Lord Craw- fiird against the Highlanders. They were horror-struck at the thought of Kiiliecrankie. Their commandant feared the swords of the wild mountaineers, as he called them, and which had but recently twice beaten the King's troops with their regular artillery and fire-arms. Public thanks were afterwards given to the garrison by the Duke of Cumberland, for its steady and gallant defence of the castle, and Sir Andrew Agnew was rewarded with the colonelcy of a regiment of marines. Land-oumers, — The heritors of the parish, with their valued rents, are the following : — The Right Hon. Lord Glenlyon, The Trustees of the late Duke of Atholl, James P. M'Inroy, Esq. of Lude, Robert Robertson, Esq. of Auchleeks, James Hay, Esq. of Tennandry, Glas Saodeman, Esq. of Coillebrochan, Robert Menzies, Esq. of Blairfettie, Charles M'Diarmid, Esq. of Portnellan, Duncan Robertson, Esq. of Kindrochit, Colquhoun, Esq. of Flncastle, -f Robert Richardson, Esq. of Ruidhnancoileach Glaschorie ; W. Alston Stewart, Esq. of Badbheist ; — Esq. of Sttonphadrig. Parochial Registers. — The register of marriages, or rather of the proclamation of bans, is well kept There never was a re- gister of burials ; and the register of births and baptisms, pretty r^^lar and well kept from 1750, fell into disrepute with the pa^ * Of Sir Andrew's peculiarities and fiery temper, there are many reminiscences. The writer used to hear the following related, and long before he knew the scene of its operations, by a much esteemed and paiticular friend. A waggish subaltern in the garrison got hold of the block, upon which he placed Sir Andrew's wig with a cocked hat, an old uniform coat, &c. and set it up one morning in a loop-hole in the castle. The trick succeeded, and the HighlandeH instantly commenced pouring their fire upon the window. Sir Andrew was startled at ^e sudden incessant fire directed against one particular spot, and, upon going to reeoonoitre, he soon discovered the reason ; and a loud peremptory order was issued, that the playful hero should remove from the view of the Highlanders the object which had excited their hostility, and that, too, without delay, during the hottest of thdr fire. t These are shealings, or summer grazings, to which no valued rent is attached. L.2542 11 11 331 15 10 696 15 3 241 3 3 147 13 4 120 55 1 8 54 9 35 7 10 — ^Beaumont, Esq. of Hay, Esq., and -Milne, 568 PERTHSHIRE. rishioners after the militia ferment of 1798, and cannot yet said to have acquired its former regularity. Antiquities. — Cille Aindreasy St Andrews, lies upon the ba. of the Tilt, and immediately to the south of the inn. The se chral remains which were found there, and the names of some joining grounds, indicate that the place was the site of an eccl astical establishment Dail-an-t'Sagairty the priest's 6eld, is n the spot The establishment may have been removed to Kil veouaig, as a more convenient situation, and dedicated to St Eon A complete or perfect specimen of a Druidical temple is to be met with in the parish. Single upright stones, which are e dently apart of such temples, are to be seen in several places, upright stone at Pittagowan is still known by the name of Cli an iobairtj the sacriBce stone. Some writers have maintained t the circular stones so frequent in the Highlands, were places whe- Druids assembled for the administration of justice, and not for a religious service. Whether that be the case or not, the custo and the language of the Highlanders evince a connection betwe these stones and religious purposes. Burying grounds are fou near these Druidical temples, and to this very day, a village, wbe a church is situated, is called, An clachan^ the place of stones. A> bheil thu dol dd'n chlachan^ are you going to the stones ? is th common Gaelic expression for, are you going to church ? Buildings. — Blair Castle, the baronial mansion of the Atholl fa mily, is the residence of Lord Glenlyon. It is a building of grea strength, magnitude, and extent The date of its erection is no known. It is generally supposed to have been built by John o Strathbogie, a Cumin, who became Earl of Atholl in right of hi^ wife. A part of the castle is still known by the name of Cumin's Tower. Its locality rendered it an important military post in the warfare of feudal times; and in 1750, two stories were taken from its height, and the great military garrison of the country converts ed into a modern building. Whether James, Duke of Atholl, acted from personal feelings, or in obedience to a mandate of the privy- council, it is much to be regretted that the turrets, embra- sures, and bartisans of his feudal castle should have been demo- lished and replaced by a plane pavilion roof. Its apartments, how- nevcr, are numerous and elegant, and its accommodations are suited to the residence of a ducal family. The park contains many hundred acres of excellent arable land, exclusive of its extensive plantations ; the garden is large and productive ; the gravel walks be BLAIR-ATHOLL. 569 Dg the Tilt, the Banavy, and the Fendar, the Bruar, and the iry ; the various and well-conducted carriage drives : all afTord ! advantage of active exercise, with the pleasure of admiring gDi¢ scenery ; and, if the whole be viewed in connection h the forest and its lodges, its lakes and its rivers, Blair may be tly said to be one of the most ^lendid hunting chateaux in irope. The House of Lude* has been built at different times, and the ater part of it is old. Its elevated situation, and style of archi- ture, render it a very striking object in the scenery of the Garry. There is a good modern house at Auchleeks. III. — Population. In 1755, the population, by the returns of Dr Webster, was 3257 1791, by the last Statistical Account, 3120 1801, by the census, 1811, 1821, 1831, - - - 2495 nber of £unilies in the parish, .... 549 chietiy employed in agriculture, . . .197 chiefly employed in manufactures, trade, or handicraft, 75 S^umber of illegitimate births during last three years, 7. rhere is good reason to suspect that the last Government cen- is overrated. The present incumbent in his parochial visits, . more especially in 1814, found the number of his parishioners >e about 2333. The parish is divided into eleven districts, with slder in each district, and in May 1836, according to the cen- of the elders, the population was found to amount to 2312. rhe gradual decrease of the population is easily accounted for. former times, the higher grounds were inhabited by numerous uits. Their possessions were small ; their supply of farinace* food was precarious, and in the very best seasons afforded but »Dty subsistence. They had no potatoes, and their principal aent was animal food. A system of more beneBcial manage- Qt has converted these dreary and comfortless habitations into ep-walks ; and greatly to their own interest, though not perhaps irst so congenially to their feelings, the people have emigrated he large towns of the south, or to America. And though the mlation upon the whole has diminished, it has greatly increased ;he strath of the country, which is certainly a more natural and ;able residence for man, than the bleak unsheltered wastes of It is taid that a very handfome house, in the English manor style, from a plan lorn* ia to be built at Lude. 570 PERTHSHIRE. the Grampian mountains. The parish is entirely landward, it cannot be said that there is a town or village in it. Land'oumers. — There are 15 proprietors of land, and ? whom 1 1 are heritors with a valued rent Three of the h\ tors reside constantly, and four occasionally, in the paicish. of them has more than L. 5Cr of annual rent The people of the country are of the middle stature, active, capable of enduring much fatigue. Their food is plaiA and whc^ ^^^. some ; and the poor cottar has his cow, which supplies his fiui^ ^^' with milk. The Gaelic is the language of the country. Th^^" * are few, however, under thirty years of age who cannot read a write, and speak the English language. The manners of t people, as wel] as their dress, resemble those of their low- counts neighbours, and no power can resist the assimilation of their la: guage. The elementary books now in Gaelic, and the numeroi publications of the present day in that language, whether well ill executed, and the more general reading of Gaelic in the school are but indirect methods of enabling the children to acquire a knoi ledge of English with greater facility. Exertions are also made hei and there to restore the tartan costume, and the practice of Higfat- land games. Interest and industrious habits render the people im different to the latter ; and their dress is now regulated by views op comfort and convenience, rather than by vanity or conceit people are quiet and peaceable, and anxious to maintain good character for honesty, and sobriety, and industry. Even pett^ thefts are unknown among them ; and every species of immoralit] is discountenanced. They are sincerely attached to the Establish- ed Church. They are well acquainted with the plain and funda- mental truths of Christianity, and regular in their attendance upor^ its solemnities. The illicit distillation of whisky, which some years ago prevail-^ ed in the country, might then have been said to have been a ne-^ cessary evil. A wiser and more favourable system of excise law$ has enabled the Highlander now to convert his barley into money, and to abandon a practice which had well nigh ruined the country and its people. Though there be not a legal distillery in the pa- rish, there are many in the lower district of Atholl. If a young man be occasionally found in our distant and exten- sive moors with a gun in his hand, it need not be wondered at. Sportsmen from the south train them either as servants, or guides, or sacketmen to a fascinating amusement, and which, when their masters leave off their sport, it is not easy for them to relinquish. BLAIR-ATHOLL. 571 ^^^oaching, however, is not so general now as it was, and it is get- ^^^ig every year into greater disrepute. IV. — Industry. Agriculture and Rural Economy, — All the land of the parish ^^ either arable, or hill pasture. There are neither meadows nor ^>xitfield. In such an extensive tract of country, it is impossible ^^D ascertain with precision, the number of acres in pasture, or in ^^illage. From those sources of information to which recourse was ^ad, the following list of acres may be relied upon as being pretty *^ early accurate. Land occasiomdly or constantly in tillage, 9000 acres, uncultivated land, or hill pasture, 105,000 under natural wood, - 50 under plantations, - 2000 The Scots fir was almost the only tree which used in former ^imes to be planted in the country. Experience has shewn that Sts growth upon light soil and moorish grounds is stinted. It ceas- ^^d, many years ago, to be a favourite with the late Duke of Atholl, >irhose knowledge and experience as a planter have not been ^squalled by those of any British proprietor. The larch is now planted in dry soils, and the spruce where there is moisture. The ^ireb is the indigenous wood of the country, and it grows here and %here in extensive clumps, affording excellent shelter for sheep and ^»ttle in winter. The ash and the mountain ash, the aspen and ^e alder, also grow naturally. Rent^ Sfc. — The average rent of arable land is about L. 2 per acre. To every farm, however, a considerable portion of hill is attached, and which is included in the preceding rent. The expense of hill grass for a cow is L. 1 a year, and for a sheep 3s. The rental of the parish, in which is included the rent for shooting grounds, may be about L. 14,000 a year. The yearly wages of male servants are from L. 10 to L. 12, and of female servants from L. 5 to L. 7. Tradesmen receive about 2s. a day ; and day-labourers Is. 6d. Breeds of Live-Stock, Sfc. — The black-cattle of the country are the Highland breed, and in this immediate district they have been much improved of late. The black-faced breed of sheep, which in exposed lands are the surest stock, is the only kind to be seen upon our hills. By some of the more intelligent storemasters, a few goats have lately been introduced, as they consume many plants which the sheep reject ; and among rocks they can find their way to pasture which is inaccessible to sheep. Husbandry and Produce. — At a remote period, there was cer- tainly a greater quantity of cultivated land than at present. '^•^ 572 PERTHSHIRE. rows, and the traces of the spade, are still to be seen in many spots which are now covered with heather, and have returned to their natural state. And in the higher districts, much even at present under crops, would yield a larger and more certain return under permanent pasture. In such elevated situations, the soil is deep, and mossy, and naturally late, which, with the want of climate, ren- ders the cultivation of the land in spring an arduous labour, and its produce in harvest extremely precarious. In the strath of the country, and upon the sloping banks of the Garry, the arable land is either a light loam, or a gravelly soil. The rotation now pur- sued is a four or five-shift. The soil is particularly well adapted for the growth of turnips. This valuable crop, however, is raised in small quantities only, and as a food for the cattle of the court- yard. The consumption of turnips by sheep, though the soil be dry and gravelly, has been hitherto on a very limited scale. Leases are generally given for nineteen years. The inclosures are dry stone walls ; and, though the old thatched tenements are in general the habitations of our peasantry, many of the tenants have good dwelling-houses and steadings, built of stone and lime, and cover- ed with slates. Fuel. — The greatest obstacle to improvement is the scarcity of fuel. Ck)als are driven by many from Perth, a distance of thirty- five miles. Our mosses are abundant, but, generally speaking, they are distant. The difficulty of bringing peats home by bad hill roads renders them a troublesome and expensive ftiel, and the months of July and August are necessarily devoted to this haras- sing work. Lime would be more extensively used, and made to contribute to the quantity of manure, if fuel to burn it could be more easily procured. The proprietors of the country, by their influence and example, encourage its agriculture, and the different breeds of stock ; and as constituent members of the Atholl Club, which meets once a year, they stimulate, by a distribution of prizes, a spirit of laudable emulation among the tenantry. The average gross amount and value of raw produce raised yearly in the parish, as nearly as can be ascertained, is as follows : 3000 acres, arable, produce at L 5 per acre, L. 15,000 30,000 sheep, at 3s. per sheep, 7,500 1200 milch cows, at L. 8 per cow, - 3,600 100 goats at ds. - - 15 lOOhiUhorses, atL. 5 - - 500 Wood and timber, - - - 500 L 27,1 15 i BLAIRATHOLL. 573 V. — Parochial Economy, There is no market-town in the parish, and it can scarcely be said that there is a village in it. The people of the country pro- cure what is required either from Pitlochrie, Dunkeld, or Perth. There are four weekly carriers from the parish to Perth. The great toll-road from Perth to Inverness runs through the parish. There are also excellent country roads through Strathtummel and Glenerichkie. Bridges are now numerous, and afford safe and easy access to every separate district of the country. The new 'Xilt Bridge is a handsome structure. At Blair Atholl is a post- office, where there is a daily arrival from the south and north by tilie Royal Mail CJoach. Ecclesiastical State. — Lord Glenlyon is patron of the parish. The walls of the old church of Lude are still standing, and the old church of Kilmaveonaig was rebuilt in 1791 by the Episcopals ^Df the country, as a place of public worship for those of their own ^^ooimunion. When the parishes were united, the churches of 3Blair and Strowan only were retained for divine service. Both of ^hem were for many years in a ruinous state ; but when the altera- tion of the public road, so long contemplated, was effected about ^en years ago, a very handsome parish church was built, and a new parochial churchyard assigned, and the site was changed so as to correspond with the new line of road. The church is seat- ed for 650 hearers. In 1829, a new church was built at Strowan and seated to contain 450. No scat rents are exacted. Public worship continues to be performed two consecutive Sundays at Blair, and the third at Strowan. The congregations are in a great measure distinct, but the sacrament is dispensed at Blair, only. The people are regular in their attendance at church.* In 1752, the manse was removed to its present situation, two miles distant from Blair, and three miles from Strowan. A good new manse with offices was built in 1828. The glebe upon which the manse is built was assigned in ex- change for the conjoined glebes of Blair and Strowan. The glebes of Lude and Kilmaveonaig still remain, and form a part of the be- nefice. The glebe land of the parish is much beyond the ave- rage value of a glebe, and it is worth about L. 100. The stipend, as modified by the Court of Teinds in 1813, consists of 6 chalders of victual, half meal, half barley, with L. 63 in money, including * The church of Tennandry is now endowed, and Uie above was written without reference to the new erection. 574 PERTHSHIRE. L. 8, 6s. 8d. for communion elements. In May 1835^ the stipen was augmented, and is now 13 chalders of victual, half meal, ha barley, with L. 10 for communion elements. A clergyman of the Scotch Episcopal Church officiates eyei Sunday at Kilmaveonaig, and the members of his cougregatio who are parishioners here may amount to 20. There is also a Baptist meeting-house at Bail-an-t»sabhuil. is conveniently seated for the accommodation of its members froi this parish, and Moulin, and Fincastle, in the parish of DulL Tl spirit which led to the introduction of this sect into the country^ manifested itself more than thirty years ago, and its adherents not numerous. About 20 persons of this parish are Baptists. Education, — The total number of schools in the parish is 7 vi2. 1. parochial school, and 2. Society schools. The pri schools are maintained by the inhabitants of those districts whi are remote from the established schools. They are generally wel attended, and are taught by young men whose incomes depend solely upon their school fees. In the parochial school, Latin and the other usual branches of education are taught. The number oi scholars is about 80. The school fees are extremely moderate, and amount to about L. 30 annually. A new dwelling and school-house were lately built, and a garden of one rood of land was assigned for the schoolmaster. He has a salary of L. 34, 4s. 4|d. There are about 358 children in attendance upon the 7 public schools during the winter months. There are other three districts viz. Bohespick, Glenerichkie, and Glen Garry, in which there is scarcely the semblance of a school, except for three months in win- ter. The very difficulties which the people encounter and surmount in procuring the means of instruction for their children are sufficient evidence of their anxiety to give them education. And to educa- tion we must attribute in a great degree the rapid and striking im- provement in the habits and manners of our people. Instead of indolence and sloth, and repugnance to every change, by which they were long characterized, a spirit of exertion and industry is apparent in our Highland glens. Pwyr and Parochial Fundi, — The poor's funds have always been under the management of the minister and elders of the parish. Every elder has the more immediate oversight of the poor of the district in which he resides, and in so extensive a parish, it is ne- cessary that care be taken to have an elder for every separate dis- trict. The heritors meet once a year, when they audit the poor's f BLAIR-ATHOLL. 575 Aeoounts, and settle any other parochial business in which they hsk.^%re an interest. The number of paupers is about 70, consisting l^ostly of aged unmarried women, or widows from whom their children have withdrawn their support. The funds are not dis- ^■"ibuted according to any stipulated rate, but according to the ^■Ig^ncy of the case. The fiinds arise from the following sources, in 1835 amounted to, — Church collections, L. 32, 8s. 4d. ; in- V'^st of L. 193 capital, L. 7, 17s. 4d. ; mortcloth dues, fines, &c* « 4, 10s. ; total, L. 44, 15s. 8d. *There is a mortification of twelve bolls of meal for six old men, r bolls from Blair, and eight bolls from the lands of Urrard. e benefit of this charity is confined to aged poor men, resident y^^^^on the AthoU estate in the parish. Each of them had a free *^^ise and garden in the village of Blair. When that village was ^^oved in 1750 by James Duke of AthoU, the bede-men were ^^oved from it, and 6s. 8d. was assigned to each as house-rent, ^^ich continues to be regularly paid. There is also a mortification on the lands of Blair, of 13s. 4d. each to two old men. As to v^*^ ^ origin or history of either mortification, no information can now ^^ procured. ^ The heritors have always given pecuniary aid to the kirk-ses- •-^n when required. If non-resident heritors do not contribute ^luntarily to the poor's funds, recourse must inevitably be had to '^^^sessment, when property will be severely taxed, and the condi- ^on of the poor rather worsened. That there is an encreasing ^tcry among the poor for pecuniary relief, and that they are well >vare of their legal rights, are facts which it would be wrong to ^^ODceaL And it must be confessed, that the shame which attach- ^^ to the receiving parochial aid, now acts but seldom as a re- straint upon their claim even for a trifling support. The tenantry ^:^f the country are charitable in a high degree. They give alms ^:Mf cneal, and ^* of such things as they have," to the poor of the pa- ^nsh) with the greatest liberality, and also to hosts of wandering \:>eggars from the south, by whom they are heavily oppressed. Fairs, — The fairs held in the parish are as follows : Blair Atholl (general business) Feburary 2d. Ditto (cattle and horses) May, third Wednesday. Bridge of Tilt (cattle) August 20th O. S. Ditto (Ditto) June 25th. Trinafour (horses) March, third Tuesday O. S. Ditto (cattle) October, Wednesday before Falkirk. Inns. — Upon the great Inverness road within the parish, there are three excellent inns, viz. Bridge of Tilt, Blair, and Dalna- 576 PERTHSHIRE* cardoch, where every accommodatiod in the way of posting and lodf^ ing is found, equal to that of any inn in Scotland. There is ako a good inn at Trinafour, at the junction of the Glenericbkie road with the toll-road from Dalnacardoch to Tummel Bridge. Se- veral small houses along the public road, and at proper distances, are licensed to sell British spirits. They afford cheap and con- venient accommodation to foot-passengers, and it cannot be said that they are hurtful to the morals of the people. Fuel. — Though coals be consumed by many families, yet peats are the common fuel of the country. In general, they are of ex* cellent quality,, but they are distant. Miscellaneous Observations. Several important changes in various respects have taken place since the last Statistical Account was written. The great mili- tar}' road from Dunkeld to the north was formed about fourteen years ago into a toll-road, which is kept in the very best state of repair. It has also been much improved by a total change of its line, or lowering its acclivities. A very beneficial change was made at Blair. The old line of road, which was one successive series of ascents and descents for nearly three miles, forming the arch of a circle, was drawn in the diameter, or in a straight line of two miles in length, through a level plain along the side of the Garry. - Within the last twenty years, it may be said that L. 25,000 at least have been expended upon buildings and bridges. Several farm- houses with courts of offices have been erected, not inferior to those in the low country. And many of our tradesmen and cottars live in comfortable houses, built of stone and lime, slated and plastered. About five years ago. Lord Glenlyon conferred upon the country one of the most substantial benefits, by the erection of a meal mill and kiln at Blair, upon the most improved principles of con- struction. Five wretched mills, to which his own tenants, and those of other proprietors, were thirled, have been demolished. The peo- ple have thus been generously freed from a vexatious and expen- sive thirlage, and permitted to dry and grind their corn at Blair, where the work is done in the most perfect manner, without loss of time to themselves, with a greater return, and at less than half the former charge.* There are five thrashing mills in the parish, and all these buildings, and an addition of 300 acres to its plan- * latere is uIho an excellent meal-mill and kiln at the bridge of Tilt, and a mill at Blair, and one at Lude. BLAIR-ATUOLL. 577 Nations, and the regular rotation of cropping, have greatly changed ^ it were the face of the country. The Royal Mail from Perth to Inverness leaves letter-bags at 31air post-office every day, and the receipts for postages are con- ^derable. In their dress, as well as in their domestic economy, the people exhibit a very &vourable change. In the houses of the peasantry, Xhere is a much greater attention paid to the simple comforts of life. And the cloths and muslins of the south have superseded the coarse expensive manufacture of the country. Schools are more nume- rous, newspapers are abundant, and general knowledge is more widely diffused. The acquaintance of the people with the Scrip- tures, and their serious respect and regular observance of the or- dinances of religion, sufficiently testify that they are not indiffe- rent to a knowlege of the truth as it is in Christ Jesus. Extensive plantations towards Strowan would beautify and im- prove that naked tract of country. A good road across Sliabh- bac would be highly beneficial, shorten, and facilitate an inter- course with the southern districts of the country. And the great- est disadvantage under which this extensive parish labours is the Want of divine service every Sabbath day in both its churches. The Utiperfect system of occasional public worship is the greatest evil ^nd defect in our Ecclesiastical Establishment. It holds out every encouragement to ignorant and wandering sectarian preachers, or it ^ 2^pt to confirm a people in habits of indifference to the habitations of religion. And if the labours of a minister could be regularly se- cured for the congregation of the church of Strowan, by which tbat of Blair would be no less benefited, it would greatly contribute to the ^ell-being and spiritual comfort of a people, who are obliged, ^s it were, to forsake the assembling of themselves together on every Xx)rd*s day, and thus to devote publicly unto the Lord only a third, of those days which he hath sanctified, and blessed to be a holy Sabbath unto himself. June IdSa PERTH. O O PARISH OF COMRIE. PRESBYTERY OF AUCHTERARDER, SYNOD OF PERTH & STIRLIB*^^^* THE REV. WILLIAM MACKENZIE, MINISTER. I — Topography and Natural History. The ancient parishes of Comrie, Dundurn, and Tullichetal, ^ gether with parts of Monivaird, Strowan, and Muthill, are coqi ed in the present parish of Comrie. Name. — The name Comrie^ signifying in Gaelic co^fht^Hcey derived from the site of the parish church, at the confluence the rivers Earn, Ruchill, and Leduock. A dun or fortified hiU H the east end of Loch Earn gave name to Dundum or Dun-d-earn* TulHchetal signifies '^ the plain of sleep/' referring, it is thoughtf to the burying-ground where the dead sleep around the ruins of a very ancient church. The date of the conjunction of the three original parishes is unknown. It was in 1702 that the Com- mission of Teinds, at the request of the General Assembly, made the additions, quoad sacra^ from the parishes of Monivaird, Strowan, and Muthill. Extenty Sfc. — The united parish is about 13 miles long and 10 broad, and if a district two miles long at the west end of Locheam, which in 1702 was annexed, quoad sacra^ to Balquhidder, be reckoned, the parish of Comrie, quoad civiliay is 13 milee long throughout its entire breadth, and contains about 130 square miles. This parish, lying at the head of Strathearn, is bounded by high mountains on three sides, the east opening on the valley of Strathearn. The principal range of mountains is the Gram- pians, running from south-west to north-east. Benhonzie is 2900 feet above the level of the sea, and Ben Vorlich, the high- est, is 3300, and may be seen from Perth, Edinburgh, and Ayr- shire. There is very little low or flat land in the parish ; the principal valleys Glenartney, Glen Lednock, and the banks of the Earn are from 200 to 360 feet above the level of the sea, and they open upon the village of Comrie. In a portion of country like this parish, whose surface is so di- COMRIB. 579 ^^i^Sfied with mountain, glen, and strath, a corresponding diffe- '^^^^'^ of climate is to be expected. The dry, grayelly nature of the s^^l> and the shelter of the surrounding hills, render the climate ^ ^l^e strath mild, salubrious, and favourable to longevity, so nauoli so, as to have formerly obtained for Stratheam the epithet of tl^Q Montpelier of Scotland. A thermometer in the village of ^^Oc^rie was found, during the months of November and Decem- °^^ 1831, to average hi^er than that registered in Edinburgh. ^ glens are colder than the strath, and the more so the higher ^^y ascend into the mountains. But in them the air is general- V dry and clear. Inhere is nothing so peculiar either in the soil, climate, or mode ^ li^wing here, as to produce any endemic disease. But, though '^*^EH>te and almost isolated, this parish appears to have no immu« ^'^y from those diseases that spread in that mysterious manner ^**xiied epidemical. It, however, was exempted from the visita- *"^^«^ of the cholera. Ix^ the ^ring and summer of 1831, influenza was prevalent; in ^ irater, chincough was common ; in the sununer of 1832^ ^*^leB appeared ; in the spring of 1833, influenza was again very Y^^^Bdent, succeeded in the autumn by scarlet fever, which was fol- V^^^d by small-pox, that continued till the winter of 1834. In- ^^^Ma again prevailed in the spring of 1835, and was followed by ^'^'^ONigh, which was more general among the children than either ^ ^e two preceding epidemics. In the spring of 1836, there were ^ ^^Unber of cases of continued fever, and the influenza, so univer- ^ ^t the beginning of 1837, seized at least three-fourths of the ^ulation, but apparently not with so many fatal results as in the ^tttricts to the east Before each of these epidemics appeared, they were prevalent for some time to the east of this parish. As Comrie has little communication from any other quarter, an inference might be dnwn from this, in favour of the opinion, that these diseases are caused by contagion alone, were it not a fact that epidemic dis« esses generally travel from east to west. Typhus fever is very rare ; intermittent fevers or agues never occur ; common continu- ed fever occasionally prevails, but never in the severe form, (the ijffkiu ffravioTy) so frequent and fatal in laige towns. Inflanuna- tions fiU up the largest space in the catalogue of our diseases, and of these bronchitis appears to be the most frequent and fatal. FkieiinioBia and pleurisy are not uncommon, but the true idiopa- 580 PBRTHSllIRE* thic croup is very rare, while the symptomatic and spasmodic va- rieties are more frequent. Rheumatism is common and severe; chronic gastritis is a very frequent complaint in this parish, which may be owing to one or both of the following reasons : The fre- quent imbibing of undiluted spirits, and taking the ordinary diet, potatoes, as hot as they can be got. Scrofulous diseases do not bear so high a proportion as in our larger towns, but they are by no means rare here. The deaths from consumption are as 1 to 9} of the whole mortality. Hydrography. — Loch Earn, the only considerable body of water in the parish, is 7 miles long, from 1 to 1^ broad, and its depth, in common with some other Scottish lakes, is very great, in many parts about 100 fathoms. Its temperature varies little through- out the year, so that even the river Earn, which flows from it, sel- dom if ever freezes above its junction with the Ruchili. There is a small artificial island at the east end of Loch Earn covered with ruins ; and at a small distance may be traced, under the surface on a calm day, the apparent commencement of another artificial isl- and. There is a tradition that freebooters of the name of Nish occupied the castle on the island at one time, and, having the only boat on the lake, were secure from reprisals, until, having presum- ed to seize the Christmas cheer of the Laird of M^Nab, on its way from Crieff to Killin, the sons of that chieftain carried on their shoulders from Lochtay, a boat across the Grampians, and, surprising the Nishes when asleep after their Christmas feast, car- ried back their heads in triumph to the old M^Nab. This feat is commemorated on a monument in the beautiful burying-ground of M*Nab, at Killin. The island was latterly occupied by the fami- ly of Ardvorlicb, who had an occasional residence and a granary there. The rivers in the parish are the Earn ; the Ruchili flowing from Glcnartney ; and the Lednock, from the glen of that name. Earthquakes. — This parish has acquired some notoriety from its earthquakes. These very remarkable phenomena have undoubt- edly been felt here at intervals for nearly fifty years, but of late have been very feeble and rare. The writer of this felt one earth- quake very distinctly, and has heard of several others during his incumbency. At and after the time of the last Statistical Ac- count, the earthquakes were so frequent and violent, and accom- panied with such loud noises, as to occasion great alarm, — especially one which occurred on a Sabbath, while the congregation was as* COMRIE. 581 sembled. Tliere has been no plausible theory of the causes of these local earthquakes ; their centre seems to be about the round hill above Comrie ; they have been felt at twenty miles distance, but their effects at no time have been serious. Probably there is some connection between the earthquakes and the numerous ex- tinct volcanoes in this neighbourhood. Topographical Appearances. — The scenery around Loch Earn, and along the river Earn, is rugged and picturesque, richly wood- ed on both sides, and hardly if at all inferior to the scenery of the Trosachs in the next parish. There is a beautiful cascade at Glenbeich, on the north side of Lochearn, seldom visited and little known. There are several on the Lednock, particularly the Cal- dron, a mile from Comrie, and a few on the smaller streams, as at Dunira, Aberuchill, and Ardvorlich. Few parishes can abound more in varied and striking natural beauties. The views from Lord Mel- ville's monument above the village of Comrie, and from the road to Glenartney, are peculiarly fine. The road from Crieff to Loch- eamhead passes through a district that is surpassed in natural and acquired beauties perhaps by no other of equal extent in the High- lands, and being within so convenient a distance from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Perth, and Dundee, is well worth the attention oftourists. Geology, — The prevailing rock of this district, in common with the other parts of the Grampian range, is the mica slate, con- taining in the western part of the parish, at Lochearnside and in Glenartney, a very extensive bed of primitive limestone. Granite also occurs in Glen Lednock, and extensive rocks of clay-slate in Glenartney. In the lower part of the parish, as well as in Glen- artney, the old red sandstone formation occurs, and also conglo- merate, or plum-pudding stone. Marble has been found at Ardvor- lich. Lead has been met with in small quantities. Iron ore is abundant, and seems at a remote period to have been wrought to a considerable extent. Many remains of furnaces for smelting iron are to be seen in different parts of the parish. Clay occurs mrely, and is mixed with sand. The soil is al- most universally a light, sharp gravel, abounding with stones, and not very fertile. In some parts of the glens, it approaches more to a loamy nature. Zoology, — Of rarer animals there are found the red-deer and roe in considerable numbers. At the head of Glenartney, to the south-east of Benvorlich, Lord Willoughby de Eresby has a pre- serve of red-deer, containing several hundreds. It was here that r i %: 082 PBBTH8HIBB. Sir Walter Scott laid the commeDcement of the ehase in tlie Lid; of the Lake. The ptarmigan, and the alpine or white hare are fomid in a few of the higher hills. The moor-fowl and black-codk afB | ^ abundant on most of the estates. The goats that formerly were abundant in this parish, as well as the hill horses, have now almost disappeared. In the rivers the salmon appears in June or July, and spawns in October or Nov^nber. The sea-trout generally appears in Julj or August in the Ruchill only, it being remarked that they 9se scarcely ever found in the Earn above its junction with the Rocbilly although it is the larger stream, while they go up to within a mile ^ the source of the Ruchill. Trout of good quality are found in ^ lake and river Earn ; perch also occur rarely. Abundance of six>^^ trout are found in the Lednock, and in the Boltachan, a hill locv above Dunira. In Loch Earn, char of excellent quality is fcuO^ > but, from ignorance of its habits, the fishery has never been p**^ secuted, although from the demand for that fish in the En^l^^ markets, a reasonable prospect of success might be anticipatedU Woods. — There are extensive naturar woods of oak, ash, bir^*** ^^^M.W4 alder, and hazel, and a large revenue is derived by the propm^^^^ from the annual cuttings of oak-coppice. The soil is peci\li^^jj adapted for oak and ash. There are several natural grown o^*" at Aberuchill, about 15 feet in circumference. The trunk of ^ ash at Wester Fenglen, on the estate of Ardvorlich, is 17 * -^^ inches in circumference. Firs of different kinds with larch b^^" . ^^ IS been extensively planted, and have thriven well. Where the so^^ - dry, rocky, and sloping, the larch thrives best. The Scotclm grows best where the soil is dry, and barren, with a mixture of p^^^ When the subsoil is moist and tilly, the spruce and silver fir thi ^^ well. 11. — Civil History. There are, in several places, remains of Druidical temples, ^ large upright stones. Tradition reports that Dundum wa^ preaching station of Fillan, the Culdee Saint, and at Dun Filli the hill overhanging the old church of Dundurn, is a holy vT' at which many Popish superstitions were practised, even so lat^ as at the date of the last Statistical Account. These happily now abandoned. Fifty years ago, there were very distinct remai of two Roman camps at Dalginross. The larger camp is n^^ obliterated by the plough. This station seems to have been ccf^^ nected with those at Ardoch and Strageath, and a Roman xo^^^ \ COMRIE. 683 ran from it eastward, down through Stratheam. It has been sup- posed that the battle described by Tacitus between Agricola and Galgacus took place on the plain of Dalginross, or, at all events, that it was in this camp that the ninth legion sustained their disas- trous night attack from the Caledonians. These suppositions re- ceive some countenance from local traditions and etymologies of the names of neighbouring places. The noted outlawry of the clan Grogor originated in this pa- ish* The Reformation, though then triumphant in the south of Scotland, had evidently benefited this district as little, as to this lay^ the south of Ireland. Drummond of Drummondernoch', a brester of James VL, having in 1588 cut off the ears of some McGregors whom he had found trespassing in the royal forest of Qlenartney, they, with the aid of clansmen, soon after murdered ium,* and after savagely exhibiting his head to his sister, Mrs Stew- irt of Ardvorlich, upon her own table, carried it to Balquhidder Kirky whero the McGregors assembling on the Sabbath, and each maD laying his hand on the bloody head, they swore to make com- mon cause with the murderers. This outrage and contempt of Royalty, at the time when James was on his marriage excursion to Denmark, brought upon the clan Gregor, by royal proclama* HaOf the vengeance of neighbour clans, and the proscription of ihmr very name. To this day, there are many of the clan in this parish who are known both by their original surname, so long pro- scribed, and by their adopted names of Murray or Drummond. Sir James Campbell, Lord Aberuchill, and the first Viscount Melville, wero connected by residence with this parish ; the for. mer a Presbyterian, and defender of the Whig government at the British Revolution of 1688, — most of the gentry of Strathearn be- ing then Episcopalian or Popish Jacobites. A very handsome and conspicuous monument has been erected on the hill over the village of Comrie to the memory of Lord Melville, by his friends in Perthshire. Dunira was his favourite residence during the in- tervals of parliamentary duties, and by him the extensive mansion house was erected. }/lr Menzies, the minister of this parish in 1745, rode to Carlisle, and, by his intercession with the Duke of Cumberland, is said to have saved the lives of many of his pa- rishioners who had joined the Pretender's army under the Earl of Perth. * Vide the Royal Proclamation, which distinctly states that the murder was commit- lad by tbe elan Gregor. 584 PERTHSHIRE. Land-^mmers. — The chief land-owners are, Lord and Lady Wil loughby de Eresby ; Sir David Dundas, Bart, of Dunira ; Mrs WU liamson of Lawers ; Thomas Graham Stirling, Esq. of Dalginros^ James Drummond, Esq. of Strageath ; Robert Stewart, Esq. .c= Ardvorlich. The Marquis of Breadalbane is connected with tl» part of this parish annexed, quoad sacroy to Balquhidder. . Parochial Registers. — The parochial registers consist of t^ volumes ; the date of their earliest entry is 1693. The money tran actions seem to have been always regularly recorded, and the cords of marriages and baptisms are tolerably full. I find fi the records of Presbytery, which commence in 1660, that the have been three presbyterial visitations of this parish ; one on Aix gust 7th 1678, under the system of pseudo- Episcopacy, then esta^- blished, at which time it is noticed that there were eight who were exhorted to assist the minister in censuring faults, an additional elders were ordered to be elected. A second visitatio^^ took place on June 10th 1707, when the elders Were exhortecS- to their respective duties as Christians and elders, and particularly^ to be careful to attend on meetings with their minister and amouj themselves for prayer, religious converse, and privy censures^** The third visitation was on 20th August 1718. The ministers of this parish since the Revolution were, Mr Johr*^ M'AUum, ordained in 1702, translated in 1710 to the parish o Callander; Mr Dugald Campbell, inducted 1711; Mr Adair^ M^Adam, inducted 1721 ; Mr Andrew Mushet, inducted 1723^ Mr iEneas Shaw, inducted 1731 ; Mr Robert Menzies, ordaine<9- in 1743; Mr Hugh M^Diarmid, admitted 1781; Mr Patricfe^ M^saac, admitted 1802; Mr William Mackenzie, ordained 1829.«i^ All the ministers previous to Mr M'Diarmid appear to have beec^ inducted on the call of the heritors, elders, &c. Antiquities, — A very curious relic of antiquity has been preserved in the family of Ardvorlich, from a very remote period. It is ap-^ parently a lump of pure white rock crystal, about the size and shape of a large egg, bound with four bands of silver of very an- tique workmanship. Over a considerable district of the country^ it is known by the Gaelic name of the Clach Dearg^ which means the red stone, arising probably from a reddish tinge it appears to have, when held up to the light. The water in which the stone had been dipped, has been considered a sovereign remedy in all diseases of cattle, and many persons even from distant parts of the district are in the habit of resorting to Ardvorlich to procure COMRIE. 585 ^^ "Crater; but, like all similar objects of superstitious reverence, it ^ ^^^^t losing its repute. It is supposed by antiquarians, that this reito^ as well as several others of a similar kind, is of Druidical ^^^"letnanship. One precisely similar in every respect to this, is to ^ s^t^n on the top of the Scottish sceptre preserved in the Castle ^^ -BicUnburgh. Some have asserted that this kind of stone was ^^ official badge of the Archdruids. -^^^cnsion^Hoiises. — The chief modern buildings in the parish f*^* the mansion-houses of Dunira, Aberuchill, Ardvorlich, Dal- ^*^^ie, and Comrie House. The parish church is a plain, sub- , ^*^tial building, with a spire, forming a striking feature in the "^ ~ ipe. An excellent parish school has lately been erected. III. — Population. y - ««e amount of population, so far as it can be traced, has varied *^ for upwards of a century. Webster in 1755 stated it to be, . 254(> ^t the period of the last Statistical Account, it was said to be, 9000 *The Parliamentary census of 1800 stated it at, - 2458 *The census of 1811 . 2689 1821 . 2614 1831 - 2622 r^^^^ being 1243 males, and 1379 females, in 1831. ^*^^)er of families, ----- 586 families chiefly employed in agriculture, - - - 221 trade, manufactures, or handicraft, 170 L^» ^iTie population of the district SLunexed quoad sacra to Balqu* ^^^er, which at present amounts to 205, so far as known, has l^^^^r been counted in this parish, unless perhaps by the writer of ^ last Statistical Account. ^^ XTie soil and situation of the parish form a natural barrier against 5^^ increase of population. Education having been general since ,^j^^ beginning of last century by means of the parish school, and ^J several schools maintained by the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge, the people were enterprising and ready to ^migrate when they felt straitened at home. Many have emigrat- ed to Canada, during the last twenty or thirty years. The system ^f enlarging the farms and introducing sheep greatly diminished \he agricultural population at the beginning of this century ; but \he villages which were then in process of being feued, kept up the population of the parish at its usual amount* The high war prices of hand-loom weaving, at the same time, encouraged the village system. The village population at present amounts to 1666, and the country population to 1010. The register of births being imperfect, and that of deaths be* 586 PEBTHSHIEE. ing more so, it is difficult to give their yearly averages. There being 446 children in the parish under seven years of age, 65 xdbj be the yearly average of births. The average of marriages is 15 for each of the last seven years. There are nine proprietors of land of the yearly valueof IaSO and upwards ; and of these only three are resident, and one other re- sides during the summer months in the parish. The parish maintains three lunatics at the. Perth Asylum ; be- sides whom, there are at least ten fatuous persons at present, one blind man, and five deaf and dumb, three of whom have received instniction in the Edinburgh Asylum, chiefly through the liberali- ty ef the Dunira family. The English language is generally spoken, and has gained ground greatly within the last forty years. At present, scarcely a fourth part of the congregation attend on the afternoon Gaelic ser- vice, whereas forty years ago, the attendance on English was very li- mited. An annual meeting for the encouragement and exhibition of Highland games and dress was, some years ago, instituted under high patronage at St Fillans. It is now kept up with very great difficulty, and probably will soon be discontinued. A great im- provement has taken place in the habits of the people, in re- spect of cleanliness in their persons and houses; about three- fourths of their houses being slated, and plastered, and their dress being in general bought, not homespun, as formerly. Their ordi- nary food is potatoes, milk, and oatmeal. The use of wheat bread is becoming general, though no wheat is ever raised in the parish. There are three butchers, two brewers, three bakers, and more than twelve grocers ; and there are annually consum- ed in the parish upwards of 1567 lbs. of tobacco, 1749 lbs. of snuff, at 4s. per lb., and 2000 gallons of spirits at 9s. 6d.; 3000 lbs. of tea at 5s., and 16,000 lbs. of sugar at 8d; making for these items a sum total of L. 3000, or of L. 1, ds. for each in- dividual to spend upon these articles of luxury. While the high duties were on spirits, there was much smuggling in this parish* which experience proved to be most detrimental not only to the morals, but to the temporal interests of all engaged in it ; now, however, it scarcely, if at all, exists. There is a good deal of poaching, although the game and fish are carefully watched. Upon the whole, it is believed that the advantages of edu- cation which this parish has so long enjoyed, and of ample cliurch accommodation, and above all the preaching of the COMRIE. 587 Go^l, have to a manifest degree operated beneficially on tbe intellectual, moral, and religious character of the body of the people. The intelligence of the agricultural class, the religion of the manufacturing, and the morality of both classes, are hence, it is believed, above the average. They read and think for themselves, and are not liable to be carried about by every wind of opinion. They are, on the whole, honest, sober, frugal, and indiistrious. Only on one occasion during the last seven years, was there anything like a serious disturbance on the streets, and that was at!a market, by some young men, who beat each other, and, being taken before the Sheriff, at once confessed, and were dismissed ^th a fine. Although there has been an endeavour to exercise -ipturally strict discipline, no more than about two dozen of per- are under sentence of exclusion excluded from church commu- iDion for offences of all sorts. All parents shew a laudable desire to educate their children. The public ordinances of religion are well attended; and the Sabbath is observed with great outward decorum. Some time ago, a south country proprietor, on a visit in this parish, ^wishing to send away his luggage by a cart on the Sabbath, could not get an individual in the parish who would do this, for favour or money. But, with all our external morality and religion, the vi- vifying power of the gospel of Jesus Christ seems to be not much sought or experienced amongst us. IV. — Industry. In so extensive a parish, it is difficult to obtain accurate statis- tics of agriculture ; and on various points, we cannot even reach ap- proximations to the truth. The proprietors, or their factors on all the estates, have politely furnished answers to the queries sent to them ; and from these, it is calculated that the number of acres, standard imperial measure, in the parish, which are either cultivated or occasionally in tillage, amounts to 7097 ; waste or in pasture 65,671; improvable, 1865; common or disputed, 1315; under wood, 3139. The qtwad civilia portion attached to Balquhidder may contain 260 acres arable, and 3500 acres of pasture. Oak coppice is the species of wood most attended to ; and in the larger properties, there are twenty-two annual hags or cuttings, which, sold by auction, amount to the annual value of L. 1246. Rent. — The average rent of arable land is L. 1, 6s. per acre, and of hill pasture 2s. per acre, making the average rental of the parish to be L. 12,000. The valued rent amounted to L. 844, 8s. 10^. Sterling, or L. 4133, 6s. 8d. Scots, so that the actual rental ,^ 588 PERTHSHIRE. is thirty-four times the amouut of the valued rent The average rent of grazing is for an ox or cow L. 2 for the summer half year, and for a sheep in the low grounds 8s., on hill pasture ds. 6d. Wages. — The wages of men farm-servants are L. 13^ and of wo- men L. 6» 6s. a year. Live-stock. — On the estate of Lawers, which is chiefly in the hands of the proprietor, most attention has been paid to the im- provement of sheep. The late enterprising proprietor, Lord Bal- gray, reported ^^ that the ordinary breed of sheep is the black-fiiced. These have been improved, entirely by introducing the best breeds from Crawford Muir, Dumfries-shire. Some years ago, the Che- viots were introduced, and they thrive well, and have been very pro- fitable. Of late years, Leicester sheep have been also introduced with much advantage, by taking cross-bred lambs from black-faced ewes. The wool on Lawers has been much improved and doubled in weight within the space of ten years. The most beneficial salve which has been found, is the tar and butter." The Ayrshire breed of cows has been very generally introduced, and its excellence kept up by superior animals purchased by the proprietors. Some good stocks of the best Highland breed are also to be found in the higher parts of the parish. In regard to the general character of the husbandry pursued, the very intelligent land -steward reports as to the Perth estate, which extends over the upper districts south and west : ^^ The arable land is stated at the utmost extent^ and comprehends all that was ever subjected to the plough, and, in my opinion, more than is so at the present time, as a great part of the land ciilled arable in that quarter is found to pay better, as pasture, except what may be necessary for the support of the people and stock in the winter, being mostly pasture or grazing farms. The tenant's principal de- pendence is stock, the preservation and improvement of it is his chief object. The general husbandry, in the pasture farms, is al- ternate white and green crops, and long rested as pasture." In the low grounds, the usual system is a rotation of five years, in the order of oats, green crop, barley, and grass seeds, — hay pasture. There is no wheat grown in the parish. The soil is excellently adapted for potatoes, barley, and oats, and, if largely manured, produces heavy crops. The deep soil ploughing has not yet been introduced. On the estates of Aberuchill and Ardvorlich, the cultivated land has been doubled during the last forty years ; and a large 4 COMRIC* 589 quantity has been reclaimed on Dunira of late, and in the time of Lord Melville. It is stated respecting Lawers, that any land at- tempted to be improved appears to be improved at an expense which affords no remuneration ; and respecting the Perth estate, that forty or fifty acres have recently been converted from bog and pas- ture to arable land, and about one-half of ^hich will return to pasture. Lectses. — Leases, when principally of grazing farms, run from nine to eleven years ; and when of arable, always nineteen years. The farm-buildings and enclosures are generally sufficient for the farm, and are in the course of improvement Improvements. — The improvements recently made in the parish Consist of drainage, enclosures, the erection of suitable farm-stead- itigs, irrigation, turning useless marshes into profitable hay-mea- clows, and planting woods. The oak woods have been brought tender a regular system of management; the vacancies planted i^p with oak, and the barren wood destroyed. Much might still done, and is now in course of being done. The hill pastures susceptible of very considerable improvement, were the prac- tice followed in the south of Scotland, of cutting open drains along %.he hills, generally introduced. Little, however, has been done in that way, except on the estate of Lawers. A whole farm has Vately been reclaimed by the proprietor of Dalginross, so as to ^ield a fur return ; and various other improvements have been ^Knade on that property. The lime -quarry at the head of Lochearn (in the quoad civilia district of the parish) greatly improves the agriculture of the dis- trict. A boat-load, containing from sixty to seventy bolls, may l)e had, burnt, for L. 3 or L. 4 ; and usually thirty bolls are ap- |)lied to an acre. Manure is sold at from 4s. to 5s. the cubic yard. Quarries. — There are two slate quarries on the Perth, and another on the Aberuchill estates. Both are wrought, though :mot extensively, and seem to yield a fair return. There are a number of whinstone quarries. Gross Produce. — I cannot ascertain with any accuracy the ave- rage gross amount of raw produce reared in the parish. The fol- lowing is a specimen. The farm of TuUybannocher, on Dunira estate, possessed by Mr M' Isaac, is the largest arable farm in the parish. It contains, in Scots acres, 270 arable, and 1200 uncultivated land ; and the average rent is L. 1, 10s. per acre. He grows annually, on an average of years, 250 quarters of barley, 350 quarters of oats, 27 690 PBRTHSHIRE. acres of turnip, 8 acres of potatoes, and 80 tons of hay, clofec» and rye-grass. At Mr M^Isaac's distillery, the malt made from 10th October 1835 to 10th October 1836 was 7098 bushels. Hie whisky du9-- tilled during the same period was 18,546 gallons; and the whisky sold and consumed within the parish, 1498 gallons. Manufactures. — The manufacture of cotton and woollen do^l^ is carried on in this parish. The hand-loom cotton weavers employed by houses in Glasgow and Perth. During the months, 136 hand-loom weavers are employed; and of these tenth are employed only during three months of winter. The maining 120 may, on an average, earn Is. per day, for 280 days i the year, — that is, deducting thirty days in harvest, and Suiidajr'^^ and other occasional vacant days, sixty-five. Of these there about 50 heads of families who have each good gardens, and patch of potatoes, and a pig, which may add about L. 4, 10b. each family's income. The only woollen manufacture is carried on at the river Led nock, in the village of Comrie. Eleven men and eight children employed at the mill, and five persons are employed out-oj There are several streams in the parish, affording ezcellen water-power for manufactures, which might afford eligible in- vestments for capital, were the contemplated railroad brought to the neighbourhood. But the distances from market, and conmia<- nication, and coals, will always form a heavy drawback. V. — Parochial Economy. The village of Comrie, with the adjoining villages of Dalginross and Ross, contains a population of 1469. The chief trade is cot- ton weaving. It is a burgh of barony. The baron bailie appointed by the superior. Sir David Dundas, resides in Perth. There are a number of constables, and one is paid by the heritors, to peram- bulate the villages and keep away vagrants. There is much need of an effective system of police for all the villages in this part of Perthshire. The four villages of Comrie, Dalginross, Ross, and St Fillans have populations respectively of 978, 337, 154, 197. Crieff, in which is held a weekly market, is six and ci-half miles distant from Comrie. Means of Communication. — In Comrie, there is a sub-post office to Crieff; its annual revenue is about L. 120. The length of turnpike roads does not exceed twenty miles. No public carriage travels upon them. There is a weekly carrier to Edinbui^ and COMRIE. 591 to Perth ; and one thrice a week to Crieff. The Killin carrier pas- sdts weekly through Comrie. There are three stone bridges upon ^^^^ Earn, three on the Lednock, and one on the Ruchill ; and there ^■"^^ five wooden bridges upon these rivers, all in good repair, ^^^tlere are no canals or railroads, although there have been pro- P^^^als to make one or other between Perth and Loch Earn. Farm P^^^uce and lime might be exported, and coals might be import- f^ by a canal or railroad, to the great benefit of the district, but, 1^ is to be feared, without corresponding advantage to the share- EedesiasHcal State. — The parish church, situated in the village Comrie, at the eastern extremity of the parish, is convenient for T^e greater part of the population. There are 674 persons resid- ^^^ farther than three miles from it, 107 houses are more than 7^:^ur miles, and 30 houses are more than six miles distant from ^^ Having been built in 1805 it is in good repair. The accom- ^^odation is for 1044 sitters, at eighteen inches each, and there ^IB no seat rents. The manse was built in 1794, and an addition was made to it im 1822. There are two glebes ; that of TuUychetal at the manse, Vfhicb is a mile and a quarter from the church, contains eight acres, for which Lb 1, 10s. per acre would be a high rent The glebe %A Comrie, adjacent to the village, contains four acres of good soil^ ^nd has drawn a rent of L. 12. The stipend consists of 16 chaU ^rs of victual, and an allowance of L. 10 for communion elements ; "the average value in money for the last seven years is L. 244. There is a chapel at Dundurn, five miles west of the parish ^urch ; in which the parish minister appears, for a long time back, txi have been in the habit of preaching every fourth Sabbath. In 1834, this chapel was almost rebuilt by subscription, and is seated for 400 persons. For the last three years, a preacher having been engaged at a salary of upwards of L. 60, raised by subscription, to officiate in the chapel and neighbouring district, not only have the population around Loch Earn, amounting to upwards of 800, and many of them much more than five miles distant from any church, been supplied with religious ordinances, but also 800 sitters in the church of Comrie are no longer deprived of preaching every fourth Sunday. An endowment would lead to the immediate esta- blishment of a parish at Loch Earn side, and is much needed. There has been a small body of Seceders in this parish, almost sinoe the commencement of the Secession in Scotland. The per^ 592 PERTHSHIRE. sonal influence of Ralph Erskine is said to ha?e originated f > The established pulpit was not very eflBciently supplied at the 6bi0 and the obligation on the minister to leave the parish church tb^ cant once a month by going to Dundum, occasioned a deficiency ii^ the ministrations of the national church, which it was most desire able and commendable to supply* The necessity of conducdog public worship in two languages gave a &rther opening to the Se- cession, by leaving the increasing English portion of the congrega- tion with only one-half of the ordinary Sabbath ministrations. For a time the Secession provided sermon only on the fourth Sabbatb, when the parish church was vacant. The minister has a house and garden, and is said to receive a stipend of L. 90. About half a dozen individuals occasionally attend the Episco- palian chapel at MuthiU* The Roman Catholics, since the last Statistical Account, have completely disappeared from this parish. According to the best information that could be procured, when re« plies were returned to the statistical queries of the Royal Conmiis- sioners and General Assembly, there were of persons of all ages belonging to the Established Church 2357, and of persons belong- ing to other denominations 317; of communicants belonging to the Established Church 1195, and to other denominations 157. Education. — According to the report sent to the Greneral As- sembly for 1836, there were seven schools in this parish, besides four Sabbath and three week-day evening schools, viz. one paro- chial school ; two schools on teachers' own adventure ; three sup- ported in part by individual subscription ; and one by subscription of the inhabitants of the district. The winter attendance at the seven day schools amounted to one in every five of the popu- lation. Besides the common branches taught in all the schools, the parish teacher instructs in Greek, French, and mathema^ tics. The modern improvements of the Normal and Sessional School of Edinburgh, and the training school of Glasgow, have been introduced with success. The salaries amount to about L. 71, and the probable amount of fees per annum to L. 90, be- sides the value of the legal accommodations of an excellent house and garden provided to the parochial teacher, and of three houses and of land for three cows, provided for three other teachers. The fees in all the schools are, per quarter, 2s. for English ; 2s. 6d. for English and writing ; 3s. for English, writing, and arithmetic ; and 5s. for Latin, inclusive of everv other branch. There are none between six and fifteen years of age who cannot read or write; and, k COMRIE. 593 so fiir as IS known, there are no natives of this parish above fifteen feaisof age who cannot read or write. The people are much alive ^ the benefits of education. With the exception of the parochial ^^Aciier, the others are in no better circumstances than day-la- ^urers ; and, from inability to support his family, one of them has ifttely exchanged his school for a weaver's loom. Small endow- ments are much needed in two or three districts, especially in v»lenlednock, where, for want of one, a teacher is engaged by the i^Qabitants only during winter. The facilities of education have ^^t been materially increased since last Statistical Account. Libraries, — There is a parochial library at Coinrie, containing about 600 volumes. It was commenced in 1822. The subscription ^ 2s. annually, and the annual proceeds amount to about L. 7. \ here is also a small subscription library at St Fillans ; and a small ^^tsulating library in Comrie. There is no public reading-room, — every weaver's shop and farm-house being more or less employed ** this purpose. No newspaper is printed in the parish, but a •**fficient number is sent to it. ^Heiidly Societies, — There were three, and are now two. Friendly ^cieties in the parish. The Friendly Society of Weavers was in- ^^^tuted in 1805, and dissolved in 1834. The capital then wai^ r** 270; the members were 200 ; the widows, 10. St Fillans High- ■*^d Society was instituted in 1819; present capital, L. 100; mem- *^ about 60 ; widows on fund, 3. The Mason's Society com- ^Oced in 1818; capital at present, L. 450; members, 320;'wi- ^^s on fund, 16. This Society is yearly increasing in numbers ^^ Capital. Neither of the Friendly Societies has as yet taken the ^efit of the Lord Advocate's bill for regulating Friendly Socie- 1^ 9 but means are at present employed to obtain this benefit for ^ Mason's Society. ^a^ifigs Bank, — A savings bank was established in 1815, by the I *^tors and minister. It affords an example of the evils of the ^ law now happily repealed, which did not extend to Scot- Tv|^^ the same protection and facilities, as to the English Savings P^ks. The funds used at first to be transmitted to Crieff, and j^C^ in the hands of the agent of the Leith Bank in that place. r|^^B23^ when the deposits amounted to L. 500, that agent failed. ^ ^^ directors expected that the Leith Bank would be responsible . ^ the amount, as having been lodged in the hands of their ac- T^^Medged agent ; but the directors of that establishment denied ^^t the money had ever been entered into their books. In this di- **Erth. p p 594 PERTHSHIRE. lemma, the directors of the Comrie Bank obtained upon their bon^ L. 300 from the Commercial Bank, in order to pay off the mo^^ clamant of the depositors, and to carry on operations until a settl^^^ ment could be procured with the Leith Bank. This has not y^^ been obtained ; and consequently, although the savings bank is ^^ doing business, it is comparatively on a limited scale. The amounf^ deposited since 1823 is above L. 1200, being an average of L9(F per annum ; the number of depositors 250, consisting of all classes of labourers, but especially of servant girls. The sum ac- tually deposited at present is about L. 600. About L. 300 of the sum invested, previous to the failure in 1823, have been paid up from the funds of the bank, or from the pockets of individual di- rectors. Poor. — The average number of paupers is 55, of whom 46 re- ceive an average monthly aliment of 4s. 2d. ; and 10 are occasion- ally aided. There are three lunatics in Perth asylum, who cost the heritors L. 60 a-year. The annual expense of the poor is thus about L. 1 80. The practical management of the poor funds is in the hands of deacons, who hold a monthly meeting, and their proceedings are reviewed at an annual meeting of the heritors and kirk-session. The ordinary church collections average L. 90 per annum : about L. 12 accrue from marriages and funerals ; and during the last twenty years, one legacy of L. 180, and another of L. 50 have been received. Since 1816, there has been a voluntary assessment paid by the heritors, amounting to L. 40 ; a good deal is given in private charity by heritors and other individuals. There is little disposition among the poor to refrain from seeking parochial relief, and it is not con- sidered so degrading as before the commencement of the village system, and of friendly societies. There is a small lock-up-house in the village of Comrie, erected about three years ago, but it has been scarcely, if at all, used. The great distance of this parish from the county town makes it necessary to have a place of security to lodge vagrants and disor- derly characters for a single night, or at least that they should be aware that such a place is at hand. The village constable, paid by the heritors, keeps the key. Fairs. — There are five annual fairs held in Comrie, in the months of March, May, July, November, and December. The principal of these are, St Kessack's on the third Wednesday of COMRIE. 595 March, and Clog Market on the first Wednesday of December. t^e Crieff fairs are the principal ones in this district. JhMj tfc — There are 13 inns or alehouses in the parish, licen- B^d to sell spirits. The number of licensed houses may not be so P'^eat in proportion to our population as in several neighbouring Parishes; but it is far too high. Four would be quite sufficient 'or* the real wants of the public, and the excess of nine is a source 0* deplorable evil to the morals of the people. Efforts have been ''*^jde to get the number reduced, which were so far successful, that ^^tii being 16 in 1829 they were reduced to 1 1 ; but, in opposi- ^^\ to the strongest remonstrances from the kirk-session, the Jus- have lately seen fit to add to the number of these moral pest- The excise returns give 1874 gallons as the quantity '^t^ed in the parish last year. -^W. — Coals, wood, and peat are the fuel used in the parish. ^^e coals are carried from Bannockburn, a distance of twenty-two °^^cs, and cost generally Is. the cwt At the annual sales of peel- ^ «ak| a cart load can be had for about 5s. Peats are distant, f^^ not very accessible ; they cost 4s. the cart load. It is stated ^ ^he last Statistical Account, that the greatest disadvantage un- ^^^ which many parts of the parish labour, is the scarcity and high of fuel. This disadvantage is still greatly felt, but the mak- . _ of a shorter road from Bannockburn across the hill between r^*^och and Comrie, and the increased quantity of oak coppice ^^2e that time, have both tended to diminish the price of fuel. Miscellaneous Observations. _ ^any changes have taken place in this parish since 1795. J^^iile the population has continued stationary in amount, it r^^ been changed in two respects ; from being resident in farms ^^^'^as come to be chiefly resident in villages, and from using the /'^^lic it now generally uses the English language. The High- ^^ dress is entirely disused. Proprietors have diminished in ^^:tiber to one-half, while their rental has been quadrupled. The -•^^tem of small farms has been put down ; considerable enterprize ^7^ been shown in the improvement of land and stock ; by means y^ C^een crops and sown grass, a proper system of rotations has ^^^n introduced ; excellent farming utensils are in use ; capital and . ^Xl have greatly increased, so that, instead of farm produce being /'^t^rted, a good deal is now exported from the parish. The roads ^>e been exceedingly improved, and a new road to the south has ^^n of great benefit. The manufacture of linen yarn, plaids, and 096 PERTHSHIRE. tartaD, has given place to handloom cotton weaving. The coar woollen manufactory, desiderated in the last Statistical Accoun has been set up and is useful. The small whisky stills that co; sumed 1200 bolls of barley, have all been put down, and a large leg distillery performs their Ainctions. Wages are doubled, and pa perism has increased fourfold. The small old and ruinous pari church has been replaced by a commodious erection, and tl chapel at Dundum has been renewed and supplied with regul preaching. The attendance at the Established Church has i creased ; education has continued stationary in quantity, but great improved in quality ; the *^ Papists" have disappeared, and tl ^^ Antiburgher Seceders in the village," have become Volunta Dissenters. As to the improvements of which the parish b susceptible^ canal or railroad, chiefly for the import of coal and export of lin slates, cotton goods, and farm produce, might, if practicable, bene the parish. A road to Loch-Tayside through Glen-Lednock woii be advantageous. If an endowment could be procured to supply the inhabitai of Lochearnside with an ordained and resident minister, and at least one endowment were given for an additional school in t village of Comrie, and if the Dissenters could be persuaded to c operate as brethren with the Established Church, and anendowmc procured for their minister, so as that there might be as formei three endowed ministers freely chosen by their congregations, a three parishes each with a population of about 1000 souls, — the i terests of religion, education, and morality would be greatly pi moted in this large district, the pressing danger of compulsory pa perism averted, sectarian and party bitterness would be greatly i moved, and while a better system of preparation for eternity woi be thus instituted, present benefits of great value would, under t Divine Blessing, be largely reaped — according to the ptomii ^' Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, a all other things shall be added to you." June 183a PARISH OF CULROSS. PRESBYTERY OF DUMFERMLINE, SYNOD OF FIFE. THE REV. A. B. DUNCAN, \ mINISTFRS • THE REV. JOHN BALFOUR, j ^*wiMJiU&. L — Topography and Natural History. ^ame. — The name is considered to be of Gaelic origin ; and ^ be compounded of two words, Cul and Ross^ the former signi- y ^Hg back or side^ and tbe latter a Peninsula : and this meaning ^ Certainly descriptive of the town and parish, lying as they do *^ the back or side of that tract of country, comprehended between ^^ Friths of Forth and Tay, and which in ancient times went ^'^cler the general name of Ross. The barony of Kincardine, on ^^ west, formerly belonged to this parish, but was disjoined in *^t& year 1672, and added to Tulliallan. It lies on the north bank ^^ the Frith of Forth ; the land, particularly that part where the ^ni is situated, rising abruptly from the shore. "The surface of the parish is generally undulating, with consider- able elevation of ground towards the north and north-west, but con- ^^^ing no hills. It is about 4 miles in extent from east to west, and *^^^ut the same from north to south. The soil which extends alonor )?^ shore is, for the most part, very fertile, being of a black loam. Awards the middle, it is generally of a clayey nature ; but being ge- l^^lly abundantly fertile, and when under active mangement, which ^moBt universally the case, it produces very heavy crops of all ^•^fls. Towards the north and north-west, the soil is naturally much '^^^rer ; but even there, a great deal has been done since the date . t:he former Account, in the way of improvement ; and the laud is, ^ the most part, either brought into a state of cultivation, oris under Ir'^iving plantations. It appears that the proprietors had, then and ^ some time before, begun to turn their serious attention to the ^ring of wood. Is no- many . Ceofa^.— The geological structure of the parish presents ^^lig peculiar. The soil consists chiefly of clay, mixed in i Drawn up by the Rev. A. B. Duncan. 598 PERTHSHIRE. parts with sand, resting on masses of sandstone and clay slatfl^-** these two substances being laid in alternate strata, and fonningslop^ ing banks and eminences of considerable height ; and rendering the general surface of the parish extremely uneven. The dip c^* the strata is inclined to the north-west, at an angle varying fioc^^ 30 to 40 degrees. Coal mines were wrought here at one period, but are now much exhausted to afford a profitable return. In some p there is found good tenacious clay, of considerable depth and tent, which might be turned to advantage in making bricks, &c There is also fire clay of good quality, fit for pottery, which has been partially wrought. Thin seams of ironstone a] pear in different places between the beds of clay slate, rich in oi but not sufficient in quantity to defray the expense of working. A bed of limestone of about eight feet in thickness is found one place, but at such an inclination as to be but partially wrougfa Zoology, — In zoology, there are one or two species of anii met with in the parish, which are becoming rare. The roe, ^Cif-^'*"'^ vus capreoltUfJ the most beautiful of the deer family, is frequent— ^-^' ly seen : it is, however, much persecuted, being considered very structive to the young plantations. The badger has also seen. The viper, (Coluber berusj) the only species of the serpent^ ^ tribe found in Scotland, is seen during the summer months bask^-^^^ ing in the open sandy spaces among the heath. , Botany. — A few of the rarer plants found here may be pointed^^^ out. Narcisstis pseudo-narcissus is found in one spot growing^^S*^ abundantly, and has by some been supposed to be indigenous^ "' but there is reason to think that its existence there, seemingly 'vn0^^^ a wild state, is owing to its having been cultivated in a garden, at^ -^ one time situated there. Doronicum Pardalianches is found at --^^ short distance from the last mentioned plant The other pi which are not so common are, Adoxa moschatellinay Aquilegia wl^ garisj Arum maculatum^ Ballota nigra^ Briza viediaj Chelidoni* ummajuSf Cistus Lelianthemum^ Corallorhiza innata^ Nepeta cat Parietaria officinalis^ Polygonum histortay Pyrola rotundifolia^ So^"^ hnum dulcamara^ Trientalis Europecu II. — Civil History. Town. — The town was erected into a royal burgh in the yej 1588, by James VI., and, in conjunction with Stirling, Dunfermline Queensferry, and Inverkeithing, sends a representative to Parlia- ment. The object of greatest historical interest is the Abbey or Mo-^ period at which the town seems to have attained its great- K>rtance, was about 200 years ago. Then, a very active 1 coal was carried on, the coal was conveyed to Holland, ad that supplies of various kinds of merchandise were brought jid sent from this to other parts of the country. This trade 7, for a long period, entirely ceased ; and there does not even supply for the parts h, — the coals which are used being all t from some distance. ther branch of trade and manufacture was established here, ich has now ceased. This consisted in the fabrication of , a kitchen utensil, formerly much employed for toasting un- td cakes of oatmeal. The right of making girdles was se- o the girdlesmiths of Culross by patent, both from James i Charles II. But the exclusive right was set aside by a Q of the Court of Session in 1727. But the decline in the €tiire which soon after took place, and which, at the date rormer Account, had proceeded so far, that the manufac- said to have then almost entirely disappeared, is attri- lot so much to the loss of the patent, as to the fact of the *ticle being made by the Carron Company at a much lower id to the more general use of wheaten bread, which began } prevaiL neni Men. — In the history of the place, it is proper to ipen- B names of two distinguished individuals, who were both for me ministers of Culross, viz. Drs Webster and Erskine, the 600 PERTHSHIRE. Antiquities. — Next to the monastery, the object of greatest in terest is the house now called the Abbey of Culross, so called from its being situated in the immediate neighbourhood of the old abbey or monastery. It was built by Edward Lord Bruce of loss, about 200 years ago, and here it is said King James VL entertained when he visited the proprietors. The abbey with the lands annexed came into the possession of the Dundonald £unily by marriage, and both were purchased about thirty-five years ago by Sir Robert Preston of Valleyfield, Bart., to whose representa- tives they have descended since his death. The church of this place was dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and also to St Serf or Servanus, who resided here, and who edu- cated St Mungo or Kentigern, the Patron Saint of Glasgow. The festival of St Serf was kept yearly on the 1st of July, when the inhabitants marched in procession, carrying green boughs. The custom has not altogether disappeared, although the day has been altered to the 4th of June, the birth day of his late Majesty George III. A convent was sent to the Abbey of Culross from the Abbey of Kinloss. The last abbot of this place was Alexander, son of Sir James Colville of Ochiltree, who was admitted a Lord of Ses- sion anno 1574. Sir James, brother of Alexander, was raised to the dignity of Lord Colville of Culross in 1609, when the King gave him a grant of the dissolved abbey. At the Reformation, the rental of the abbey amounted to Lb 708, 16s. 7d. money; besides considerable payments in kind, of wheat, barley, oats, &c. At that time there were nine monks in the convent of the Cistertian order. About a quarter of a mile to the west of the abbey, are the ruins of the former parish church ; but which, as appears from the terms of an act of Parliament of Charles I. sanctioning the use of the present, as the parish church had not been in use ^' in the memorie of man." At the east end of the town are the remains of a chapel, called St Mungo's Chapel, near to which, tradition says, that saint was bom. Modem Buildinffs,-^Close on the banks of the Forth, is a mo- dern house called Castle Hill, anciently Dunemarle, that is, the castle by or near the sea. The ancient castle of this name is said to have been a stronghold of the MacdufTs, Thanes of Fife, and was considered to mark the utmost boundary of their dominion. Ac- cording to tradition, it was in the ancient Castle, only small vesti- CULHOSS. 601 ges of which now remain, that the murder of Lady Macduff and her children by order of Macbeth took place ; which event forms so prominent an incident in Shakspeare's tragedy. Farther west, is Blair Castle, a handsome modem house ; the old house of the same name ^hich was removed when the present one was erected, is said to Iiave been built by Hamilton, Archbishop of St Andrews, about the time of the Reformation. In the east part of the parish, stands Yalleyfield House, the seat of the Preston family, a handsome smd commodious dwelling, surrounded with beautiful grounds. No noble family resides in the parish. Land-oumers. — There are nine proprietors in the parish, (in- cluding properties under the management of trustees) whose pro- perties vary in value from L. 150 to about L. 2000 a year. Parochial Registers. — The earliest date of the session records 18 the year 1646 ; they seem full and accurately kept from that year to 1662. There is a blank from that time till the year 1676. Thence until the year 1684, they are again full. There is again a blank from that year to the year 1700 ; and from that period they continue without interruption to the present time. IIL — Population. The population of the parish is not known previous to the year 1755| when it amounted to 1695 ; in 1791, it was 1442 ; and by the census in 1831, it was 1484. A very considerable decrease, which took place from 1755 to 1791, is stated in the former Ac- count to have arisen from the improved system of agriculture and husbandry then introduced, by which as much work was accom- plished by one man, as formerly by three or four ; and from the throwing of several small farms into one large, by which fewer hands came to be employed. Another great reason is stated to have been the loss or failure of several branches of trade and manufacture, which formerly employed from forty to fifty hands : something also must be imputed to the flourishing state of trade in Dunfermline and Glasgow, and to the carrying on of the numerous public buildings in Edinburgh, by which all the surplus hands ^re drained off. Population residing in the town, ' . . , . . 664 villages of Low Yalleyfield and Blairburn, . 349 In the country part of the parish, ... * 437 Total, 1450 Number of fiimilies in the parish, ... 347 children, •719 persons under the age of 15 years, . 484 between 1 5 and 30 years, . . 393 30 and 50 years, . 336 50 and 70 years, . . •192 70 and 80 years, . . ^ 602 PERTHSHIRE. Number of persons between 80 and 90jem, • • 14 90 and 100 years, . .1 Average number of children to a family 8, and about (. Tliere is 1 person blind, and ] fatuous. Illegitimate births in the course of the last three years, 8. From the great irregularity in registering baptisms, it is not easy to say with precision what the exact number of births may be ; but we think they may be safely reckoned at from 34 to 37 in the year. The average number of marriages for seven years, is 10 or 11; and of deaths for the same period, 26. In that period, 29 indivi- duals had attained the age of eighty and upwardis, at the time of their death. One individual, the late Sir Robert Preston, was ninety-four. Number of unmarried men, bachelors, and widowen upwards of 50 yearn of age^ SS women and widows upwards of 45* . . 50 The calculation for the above statement was made in the year 1835, and the population, as rated in the Government census of 1831, is a little more. The difference amounting to 34 may be accounted for, by the circumstance that, in the latter year, a num- ber of workmen were employed about the repair of the abbey, many of whom were strangers, but fell to be rated in the return to Government. When manufactures are depressed, they who are engaged in them experience, of course, an abridgement of their comfort ; but, such seasons excepted, the inhabitants are perhaps as well off as any in similar situations through the country, and they are, general- ly speaking, contented and industrious. Many even of the hum- blest show an inclination for reading. The number of persons of all ages employed in weaving is about 70, who are connected either with the Dunfermline linenj^manu- factures, or in working cotton cloths for the Glasgow trade. IV. — Industry. Agricultural Produce. — The soil of the parish has already been described, as also its general state as to cultivation ; and we give here a statement of the agricultural prodJee of the parish, with the value of the same. 314 acres wheat at L. 9 per acre, ... * L. 2826 404 do. barley at L. 5 do. 2020 659 do. oats at L. 5, Ss. do 3558 1441 do* potatoes at L. 10, do. - ■ ... 1445 924 do. tuniips at L. 7 do. - - - - . - 647 10 206 do. pease and beans at L. 5 do. - - - 10.^ 293 do. bay at L. 3 do. 880 10 1247 do. pasture at L. 1, 10s. do • - 1870 10 154 do. fallow, . - . - ^ - 000 3614 arable. Total value of raw produce, L. 14277 10 CULROSS. 603 855 acres uncultivated, part of which is capable of improvement for cropping, but chiefly fit fot planting. GO acres in gardens and orchards. 1693 do. in wood, yearly value L. 1563. 70 do. preparing for planting. 5792 acres surfiMre of the parish. Real rental of land, - - - L. 47^ Yearly value of wood, .... 1563 Real rental of the whole parish, - - L. 6289 Valued rent Scotch, 3628 18 8 Since the time of the former Account, the real rental has been more than doubled : nearly double the quantity of wheat is now raised ; more than double the quantity of potatoes ; and nine times the quantity of turnips. All sorts of trees are planted, but of hardwood, the oak and beech agree best with the soil of the parish. The management with respect to thinning and felling is very good. Since the date of the former Account, 806 acres have been added to the arable land of the parish, and 492 acres to the plantations. Leases. — The ordinary duration of farm leases is nineteen years, and the wages of a good ploughman L. 14 or L. 16, with perqui- sites. Rent of Land. — The rent of best land near the town is from L. 3 to L. 4. Land let in large farms through the parish varies from L. 1 to L. 2, 10s., and some in the worst situations, and of inferior quality, lets as low as 10s. and 15s. per acre. V. — Parochial Economy. Market-'Toton. — Although Culross is a royal burgh, it is not a market-town. Dunfermline, distant seven miles, is the chief mart for the produce of the parish. Villages. — There are two small villages in the parish besides the town. Means of Communication^^^Since the date of the former Ac- count, the means of communication in the parish have been great- ly improved, owing to a turnpike road having been made through the parish from east to west, in place of the former incommodious post road along the sea shore. There are about four miles of the turnpike road in this parish. From the state of the shore being very shallow and rocky, there is, and can be, no good harbour, and as there is no trade the want of one is not felt. A small pier, which will be a great accommodation for the passage and fishing boats, has been lately constructed. Ecclesicutical State. — The church stands at the upper part of the 604 PERTHSHIRE. town, and although the northern district of the parish is rather di&* tant from it, it is well situate for the population, the great propor- tion of whom reside in the town. The church being part of the ancient monastery, the time of its erection is the same with that of the monastery. It had fallen, like most other old churches in the country, into a state of great disrepair; but about fifteen years ago, it received a most complete and judicious repair, and is now one of the most comfortable places of worship in the country ; — while, from its structure and the ancient tower attached, it has all the venerable appearance which one expects to find in a building that dates so far back. It is seated for nearly 700. The communicants are above 400 in number. From a date upon it, it is probable the manse was built about 200 years ago. Like the church, it had fallen into great disrepair, and it was substantially repaired, at the same time receiving a consi- derable addition, soon after the church was put in order. This parish is a collegiate charge. The second charge was founded about 200 years ago, when the town was in its most flou- rishing state, and when it and the parish were most populous. The first minister has a manse with a small garden, a glebe of four acres, value L. 1 1 or L. 12 yearly rent, and about three-fourths of an acre of garden ground arising from private donation. There is no grass glebe, but the heritors have for some years back allow- ed a small sum of money in lieu of grass. Owing to the great fall in the price of grain, the average stipend drawn for some years back has only been about L. 150. The second minister has no house, but receives a sum of money from the Exchequer in lieu thereof, owing to an extension of the Small Stipend Act, meant to appTy to the cases of second ministers in burghs, whose stipends are below L. 200. This stipend has also of late years, and owing to the same cause, amounted only t^ about L. 150. There are no vacant teinds, but it is believed that some small portions of land in the parish are unvalued. The number of families in the parish connected with the Esta- blished Church is 333, of Dissenting or Seceding families, 16, and one Episcopalian family. Educatioru — This parish is well provided with the means of public instruction to the young. Besides the burgh and parish school, there is an endowed school for boys and girls, and two fe- male private schools. The salary of the parish teacher is the maximum, L. 34, 4s. 4^d. with house and garden ; besides which, CULROSS. 605 he receWes from a charitable foundation L. 10 for teaching twelve poor scholars, and may make from L. 20 to L. 30 in school fees. The salary of the teacher of the endowed school is L. 36, with a house and small garden. On account of his salary, he is required to teach twenty poor scholars and to keep a Sabbath school. He charges fees from all attending, above the number on the list of poor scholars. In both schools, the ordinary branches of education are taught ; and the parish teacher is required, besides, to be able to give instruction in Latin, French, practical mathematics, and the elements of Greek ; and the same branches are expected to be taught in the endowed school. Number of children under six years of age learning to read, 15; between six and fifteen years of age who are learning to read, 165 ; who are learning writing, 97 ; arithmetic, 67 ; Latin, 3 ; Greek, 2 ; mathema- tics, 13; geography, 32 ; total number at school, 180. There is no person in the parish above the age of childhood who cannot read ; and only about 40 individuals, and these chiefly elderly females, who cannot write. The inhabitants appear in ge« neral alive to the advantages of education. Fees at the parish school, 3s. for reading ; 3s. 6d. for writing with reading ; and 4$. for arithmetic along with the two other branches. Those at the other public school are nearly the same as the above. Charitable and other Institutions. — Compared with the popula- tion, the funds for giving relief to the indigent are very ample. besides the one for education, already mentioned, there are diffe- t^ent establishments for affording relief to the poor, or to those who ^ave fallen into decayed circumstances. Dr Bill, a native of Culross, who was settled in London as a phy- sician, and who died there in the year 1 738, mortified a sum of money, >vhich, won by savings made in former times, amounts to L. 1000 ; ^he interest of which is employed in giving quarterly allowances in ^noney to four decayed tradesmen, and two tradesmen's widows ; in the educating and putting to apprenticeship of some young per- sons of the town and parish of Culross ; and in providing a bursa- Ty for a student for four years at any of the Universities in Scot- land. In 1639, Sir George Bruce of Carnock founded an hospital in the west end of the town, for the maintenance of six decayed poor and aged women, widows of colliers or saltcrs, or, if these be defi- cient, to other decayed poor and aged women in the parish of Cul- > 606 PERTHSHIRE. ross. The building having long since fallen into ruin, was lately removed, but the garden exists ; the rent of which, along with the aliment of twenty-four bolls of meal, now apportioned among eight instead of six widows, is given to the incumbents on the charity. A very important endowment was established by the late Sir Robert Preston and bis lady, for the purpose of aflTording a weekly allowance in their own house?, of meal and money to six aged men and six aged women of respectable character, and who have lived ten years in the parish. These persons receive also some allowance for clothes, and a sum towards the payment of their house rent. In a building connected with this endowment, a supply of soup is given on two days of the week, and for three months during win- ter, to a number of families in this and the adjoining parish of Tor- ryburn ; and a large room is provided, where a Sabbath school is taught, and to the teacher of which a salary of L. 12 is paid out of the funds of the establishment. The appointment to the bene- fits of this endowment lies in the proprietor of Valleyfield for the time being. The fund has been in operation for several years. Out of the funds of the endowed school, which was founded by the late Patrick Geddes, Esq. provision is made, after the death of certain annuitants, for giving a bursary to a student, and for af- fording a small yearly pension to five indigent individuals. Miss Halkerston of Carskerdo, in Fife, left a sum of money to be invested in land, the proceeds of which are to be employed by her trustees for the relief of industrious persons who may be in dis- tressed circumstances, but who may not come so directly under the name of poor, seeking and receiving relief from the parish. Her trustees are the ministers and elders, and the proprietor of West Grange for the time being. The fund has only now come into operation. Poor^s Funds. — Notwithstanding the large private funds for the relief of the poor, the disbursements by the kirk-session have been for a long time considerable. The number receiving regular al- lowances averages between 20 and 30, occasional about 20. The weekly allowances to the regular poor are from 6d. to Is. 6d. The church collections with some other items amount to about L. 40. There is a sum of money consisting of L. 500, which was left at diflfe- rent times for the use of the poor, the interest of which is applied to the relief of the ordinary and occasional poor along with the col- lections. An assessment has also existed for a considerable time. ST MADOBS. 607 ^hich was as high, some years ago, as L. 60 or L. 70 ; but which of late years has fallen to L. 30 or L. 40. lAbrary. — A parish library has existed for some years. Number of Tolumes about 200. There is a benefit society for funerals. There is no savings bank in the parish, but a good many of the mobabitants have taken advantage of the establishment of a bank in Dunfermline last year, on the national security system, by lodg- ing their savings in it. JaiL — A small jail, containing an apartment for debtors, and another for criminals, is attached to the town house ; it is consider- ^ sufficiently secure. Inns, — There are two inns in the town, and five other houses in the tewn and parish, where spirituous liquors are either sold to cus- tomers, or consumed on the spot It is gratifying to be able to state, that the number of such houses has considerably decreased of late years ; from which circumstance we would willingly argue, that the desire for indulgence in spirituous liquors, which is de- plored as such an evil through the country, is on the decline in this place. June 1839. PARISH OF ST MADOES. PRESBYTERY OF PERTH, SYNOD OF PERTH AND STIRLING. THE REV. JAMES NOBLE, A. M. MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — In ancient records, the name of this parish is almost invariably spelt St Madois instead of St Mado^, its modern or- thography. Neither of these modes however, in which its name is written, will account for the strange appellation it receives from the inhabitants of the district in which it lies, viz. Semmiedores. It appears to the writer of this account, that a corruption has taken place alike in its written orthography and its provincial pronun- ciation. There can be little doubt that the saint after whom it is 608 PERTHSHIRE. named was Madock or Modoch, who is said* to have been a Bishop in Scotland in the third or fourth century. The tradition existing in this neighbourhood is, that on coming from France to Scotland, he landed on the banks of the Tay, and that having made converts to Christianity, a church was by them built and de- dicated to him, where the present church of St Madoes stands, from which, at a subsequent period, the neighbouring district, when erected into a parish, received its name. Whether there be any- thing of truth in this tradition, we have no means of judging beyond its common reception; but that Madoch, of whom Ecclesiasti- cal History makes mention as a Gallic Missionary to Scotland in the early times of Christianity, was the person from whom this parish originally derived its name, is much confirmed by the fact, that — there is another parish, also within the bounds of the county o£ Perth, which, from being the place of his usual residence, or fW>m -^ his being buried there, acknowledges him as the origin of its name : *= I mean Kilmadock^ in the presbytery of Dunblane. The Kkeli- — hood therefore is, that the name of this parish originally was St - Madoch or Madox, which would easily be corrupted into Madois^ and that as easily into Madoes. Extent and Boundaries j Sfc. — The parish of St Madoes is situ- ated in that division of the county of Perth called the Carse of Gowrie. In point of extent, it is among the smallest in Scotland, containing only 1152 imperial acres. From the irregularity of its form, it is difficult to convey any idea of it in writing. Bound- ed on the south, by the river Tay ; on the east, by the parish of Errol ; on the north, by Kinfauns ; and on the west, by Kinnoul, it lies about six miles from the city of Perth, and sixteen from Dun- dee, and therefore forms the western portion of that district so famed for its fertility — the Carse of Gowrie. Strictly speaking indeed, the Carse of Gowrie may be regarded as commencing about four miles westward of this parish, orwith the level land which skirtsthe Tay at the bottom of Kinnoul Hill ; but it is when approaching St Madoes that the Carse first begins to hefxdly disclosed to the view of the tra- veller from the west, and that suddenly he finds himself, from the narrow, though fruitful and picturesque limits by which he has been confined since he entered on carse-land, two miles eastward from the city of Perth, — ushered into the breadth and the beauty, the riches and the luxuriance, of that expanded and variegated ter- • Keith's History of Scottish Bisliops. 4 ST MADOES. 669 ritory, which for centuries has l>een renowned as affording the finest U) quality, as well as the largest in quantity of Scotland's fruits. Topographical Appearance. — A casual observer would pronounce the aspect of the parish to be that of an uninterrupted flat, except towards the northern part, where it rises into a gentle elevation ; but on minuter examination, apart from the more elevated ground, ^ consists of three different levels or flats, the first commencing ^ the verge of the Tay, and composed of land which partly ^Jtbin the last six, and wholly within the last fifty years, has been 'Claimed or banked off from the river, the greater portion of it oeiftg from three to five feet below highre fari- ed in its character. In some places it consists of a species of clay, or, as it is called, mortor, peculiarly tough, and containing'a consider- able portion of calcareous matter, but altogether destitute of stones or pebbles. In other places it consists of a clayey earth mingled with quantities of the debris of the old red sand-stone and masses of the trap rocks ; most commonly it consists of a soft brownish sand, in which the layers of deposition are apparent when a per- pendicular section is made, and in which rounded water-worn boul- ders of gneiss, greenstone, &c. sometimes occur. Soils. — In order to give any thing like a correct account of these, it is necessary to divide the parish into three parts. The highest part, which comprises about one-third of the whole, is a rich brown loam, mostly incumbent on the soft brownish sand above referred to, but partly on clay. That which lies on sand is deep, varying from 1 ^ to 3 feet, and consequently dry and very rich ; that on clay is not so deep nor dry, though in other respects similar. In depth it varies from 10 to 20 inches. The next division extends along the south, west, and north sides of the former, being nar- row on the north, but of considerable breadth on the south and west sides. The part of this division which lies farthest south has been reclaimed from the Tay at no very distant date, being but little elevated above high water mark, and considerably below the height of spring tides. It is composed of a rich alluvial clayey loam, fitted for the production of every kind of crop in large re- turns. The remaining portion of this division consists of a strong adhesive, but fertile clay, with the exception of a small part on the south-east side of it, which is of a much less adhesive and less fertile nature. It is what is called ^' end clay," i. e, clay standing in vertical layers. Being easily acted on by the weather, — frost quickly pulverizing it, — rain, again, running it into a solid body, — drought, as suddenly separating it into flakes — the roots of plants are thus so exposed to extremes, that they are prevented from de- riving the nourishment needful for the promotion of their health and vigour. The third division consists of 80 acres imperial, ex- clusive of embankments, reclaimed since 1826 from the Tay. The soil is a very rich alluvial loam, producing heavy crops of all kinds without manure. Boulders. — There are but few of these now to be seen; but ST MADOES. 619 fome fifty or sixty years ago, there were many of various sizes scat- tered over the surface, or slightly penetrating the soil in the higher part of the parish. In the progress of cultivation they have been removed, and are now to be seen about the foundations of farm- offices, &c. They were invariably of the primitive rocks, most generally of granite, gneiss, and primitive greenstone. This is a striking fact when viewed in connection with another fact already stated, viz. that in that species of alluvium, which consists of a clayey earth, mingled with debris of the old red sandstone, there are also considerable fragments of the trap-rocks ; for it seems to intimate that, subsequent to that watery agency which had depo- sited the alluvium, or as geologists would perhaps term it, the di- luvium mentioned, there had been some tremendous torrent which had rolled the superincumbent boulders from the primitive mountains ID the west, the nearest of which is upwards of twenty miles distant. Zoology. — The following Mammalia are found in the parish. Vespertilio murinuH, common rat Mu8 Aylvaticus, wood mouse. Krinaeeas Europsus, hedgehog. Rattnsi black rat. Talpa Europea, mole. dccumanus, brown do. Vnlpes vulgaris, fox. Arvicola agrestis, field mouse. Mustela Tulgaris, weasel. Sciurus vulgaris, squirreL Mas Musculus, common mouse. Lepus timidus, bare. The BeptHes are but few, being only Bufo vulgaris, toad. Triton aquaticus, eft. Rana temporaria, frog. Of Birds there is a considerable variety. I. Land Birds. Pyrrbula vulgaris, bullfinch. Perdix dnerea, partridge. Fringilla Chloris, greenfinch. Phasianus Colchicus, pheasant Coelebs, chaffinch. Falco Nifius, sparrow-hawk. Carduelis, goldfinch. Corvus fnigilegus, common crow. cannabina, brown linnet Pica, magpie. Troglodytes vulgaris, common wren. Monedula, jackdaw. Sylvia phcenicurus, redstart. comix, hooded-crow. Stumus vulgaris, starling. Strix stridula, screech owl. Turdus musicus, thrush. II. Wadeas. menila, blackbird. Ardea cinerea, heron. viscivorus, misselthrush. Ortygometra crex, corncrake. pilaris, fieldfare (in winter.) Gallinula chloropus, water hen. Hinindo rustica, swallow. Scolopax rusticola, woodcock. Sylvia rubecula, redbreast major, great snipe. Accentor modularis, hedge sparrow. gallinago, common snipe. Caluroba palumbus, wood pigeon. Vanellus cristatus, lapwing. Cuculus canonis, cuckoo. Alcedo ispida, kingfisher. III. Water Birds. Alaada arvensis, skylark. Anas Boschas, common mallard. arborea, wood lark. Penelope, widgeon. Motadlla alba, water wagtail moUissima, eider duck. Pyrgita domestica, bouse sparrow. Crecca, teal. Emberiza cithnella, yellow bunting. Querquedula, summer teal. milaria, common do. — — acuta, pintail duck. — i— nivalis, snow flake (in winter. ) Mergus merganser, goosander. 620 PERTHSHIRE. Last winter, the wild swan frequented the Tay, — a drcumstance which had not occurred for forty years before. The Fishes are the following : — Pleuronectes Flesus, water flounder. Leuciscus Phoxinus, minnow. Gusterosteus aculeatus, banstickle. Clupea pilchard us, pilchard. Salmo ralar, salmon- Acipenser Sturio, stui^on. — ^ trutta, salmon trout. Petromyzon marinus, spotted lamprey. albus, fiimock. fluviatilis, lesser do. fario, common trout Anguilla vulgaris, common eeL eperlanus, spirling. Of Insects the variety is great, particularly of the Lepidopterous class. They are only such, however, as are common in other parts of the country, and, excepting those that have lately proved inju* rious to the husbandman or the horticulturist, are scarcely worthy of being specified. Among these exceptions is the wheat-Jlyi a creature so tiny that its existence is endangered even by the com* motion caused among the stalks and leaves of wheat by a slight breeze. Yet, under particular circumstances, with ail its apparent insignificance, it might in the course of a few days not only ma- terially abridge the fanner's wealth, but bring a nation to the verge of famine. This is not the place to enter into a minute history of its nature and habits, or to do any thing more than make a few general statements regarding it. The name of the wheal-jly has been given it on account of its affection for the wheat-plant, for though when under necessity it will betake itself to barley, to most if not to all the varieties of the Triticum genus it discovers a peculiar attachment It is not, however, as a devourer of food for its own sustenance, but as a foreseeing provider of it for its progeny, that it seeks the wheat-plant. Depositing its eggs within the glumes of the wheat about the time when it comes in ear, these speedily are transformed into living worms, in various num- bers, from one to six. These worms fix upon the vessels intend- ed to carry the juices of the plant to the point where the grain is formed and nourished, and, cutting off the communication between the sap-channels and the embryo corn, they appropriate for their own aliment what in due time would have swelled and hardened into good fruit At the time that the worms or maggots come to maturity, being then about one- tenth of an inch in length, the ears of wheat may be seen covered with multitudes of a small in- sect call the Tipula Tritici. This is a blind, but in its own pe- culiar way, an active and ardent destroyer of the wheat-fly. It watches the maggots, (supplying its defect of sight by incessant ST MADOES. 621 movemeDts to and fro) as they are ready to be ejected from the glumes, which expand under the influence of a bright sun, and de- votes them to the use of its future progeny, — piercing their body as a nidus for its eggs, — and these being hatched, their place of shel- ter is converted into nourishment for the young brood. If the maggots escape this enemy, they spring downwards, and soon pe- netrate from half to three quarters of an inch under the surface of the soil, vvhere, if undisturbed, they remain till a suitable tempe- rature produces a transformation, and brings them from the tor- pidity of the chrysalis into the activity of the fly-state. The safe- ty of the wheat crop from their ravages, seems in a great mea- sure, to depend upon the period at which this temperature occurs. If it take place about the time when the wheat comes in the ear, and the weather be quiet, mild, and favourable for laying eggs, the race is perpetuated in perilous multitudes ; but if the temperature occur too early or too late for wheat-earing, or should it be ac- companied with strong sunshine and a sharp breeze, their num- bers are proportionally diminished. The havoc which the wheat- fly made in the Carse of Gowrie district of the crops of 1827, 18*28, 1829, and 1830 is almost incredible. It has been com- puted, that during those four years, little less a sum than L. 100,000 Sterling was, through its instrumentality, lost to the tenantry. This loss was felt the more that the wheat crop is that on which tbey mainly count to meet the rent-day. Many of them had a sore wrestle ere they could rise above it, and there are some who have not yet been able to overcome the difficulties which it gene- rated. Had the landlords not been patient and indulgent, as ge- nerally they were, — though only in a few cases to the extent which a just view of their own interest, as well as of the comfort of their tenantry, should have dictated, — perhaps half the number of these, or even more, would have been compelled to abandon what their industry and frugality entitled them to cherish, — the hope of a com- fortable subsistence for their families, and on the wreck of their property to embark in doubtful speculation for some distant coun- try. During the seasons that the wheat-fly committed such de- predations, many remedies were proposed for the purpose of pre- venting future injury from its attacks, — some founded on the idea of its possible extirpation or subjugation, others on the alleged ex- istence of one or more species of wheat which it refuses to employ as a residuum for its eggs. No attempt, however, of any conse- quence was made to apply these remedies. Before they had been 622 PEUTIISHIRE. well proposed, indeed* the evil was abafed; the fly, by a higher than human agency^ had been checked in its destructive powers. The wheat crop of 1831 generally escaped its ravages, and though here and there, as has doubtless been always the case^ in that year and those that have succeeded it, a field might be found in which partial damage was induced by its appearance, it has not proved a prevalent destroyer. May the search for remedies to prevent its injurious effects long continue to be as needless as in these latter years ! There are several insects which molest and prove injurious to our fruit-trees. The common aphis or green fly annually attacks the peach, nectarine, and plum*trees, and sometimes it descends even to the gooseberry-bushes. This insect is easily destroyed by the application of tobacco-juice, or of soap mixed with water. The web^apple caterpillars^ which are very destructive if they be allowed to remain undisturbed, may also be easily subdued if care be taken to pick them off before they have separated from the web, and been distributed over the tree. The Apliis lanigsra or woolly bug, has been gradually extending itself for the last thirty years ; and although it does not seem to have infested the orchards in any great measure, there is scarcely a garden to be found in the district into which it has not been introduced. It is by far the most mischievous of all the insects that infest the apple-tree, to which its attacks are confined. Numbers of it cluster together and digging into the bark, they .abstract the sap in its progress, produce excrescences in the branches, and thus render the tree sickly, while the fruit is crined. They know well, moreover, how to choose the best, for if there be a Ribston Pippin, a Cornish Jellyflower, or a Margile in the garden, they are almost sure to give them the preference. Various methods, such as clotting with oil and immersing in hot water, have been tried to eradicate them, but I hUve never known a single instance of their effectual removal from a tree when they had once fairly established them- selves upon it. After some experience, and with a full sympathy with the reluctance which every one has to adopt such a course, I have arrived at the conviction, that the only certain way of get- ting rid of the Aphis lanigera is to root out and commit to the flames every tree infested with it Every year I believe that this mode of procedure is delayed, will only afford new and most vexa- tious evidence of the necessity of adopting it, adding, in all pro- babilitv, to the number of its victims. 4 ST MADOES. 623 Baiany. — There is very little that is worthy of remark in the botanical productions of this parish. The plants that abound are those well known as invariably existing in deep loamy soils, or in alluvial clay. Though a considerable number of the rarest num- bered in the Scotica Flora, are to be found in the neighbouring braes and glens, there are not any here that can well be called un- common. Approaching to such may be mentioned the Typha an" gUMiifoliaj and the Listera ovatOy the former of which has its habi- tat in a mill-dam at Cairnie, and the latter in a belt of wood, on moist soil, to the south of Pitfour Castle. Plantations. — The extent of land under wood is about 33 imperial acres; — the whole has been planted. About one-third of the plan- tations is from seventy to eighty, nearly another third, forty to for- ty-five, and the remainder from twelve to seventeen years old, with the exception of a few standard and hedge-row trees, which have reached to ages of from one hundred and twenty to one hundred and thirty years. Some of these, particularly the planes and elms, are of large dimensions, and of excellent quality of timber. Planes of size suitable for beetling beams and other mechanical purposes were sold in the end of 1 837 at 3s. per cubic foot Almost every species of forest tree cultivated in this country has been planted in the parish ; but the sorts most general are, the oak, elm, ash, plane, beech, lime, Spanish chestnut, horse-chest- nut, (the three latter being principally for ornament,) larch, Scots fir, spruce, and silver fir. On the higher grounds all these kinds of trees grow luxuriantly, but elm and ash manifest symptoms of decay at an earlier period than any of the others ; indeed, they are the only trees of deciduous character which show any tenden- cy to disease in that part of the parish. This tendency, however, is not general, but in particular trees, and it is more frequently found on the slope than the summit. Most probably it arises from the roots penetrating into strata of the subsoil, through which the water from the higher ground descends. On the lower grounds, where the soil is strong clay, several sorts of trees do not thrive, particularly ash, elm, plane, and lime. Oak and Scots fir, how- ever, attain great age, with rapidity of growth, and vigorous health. About twelve acres of poor clay soil were planted seventy years ago with Scots fir, which is still in good health. Larch and spruce planted at the same time, have for the last twenty years been in a state of internal decay. A very convincing proof of a fact, which, till within the last, six or seven years, had escaped the notice of 624 PERTHSHIRE. arboriculturists — ^viz. a tendency in larch to disease when planted where Scots fir has grown — was afforded by. a plantation in this part of the parish. The proprietor, fifteen years ago, having oc- casion for a considerable quantity of timber for the repair of stead- ings, &c. cleared off about two acres of Scots fir, and replanted the ground with oaks and larches, both of which throve to all ap- pearance with great vigour ; but in thinning out some of the larches, which were only intended as nurses for the oaks, th^ were found, though only six years planted, to be in a state of dis- ease. The whole have since been cut out, and although external- ly they looked healthy, not an individual plant was sound ; from the root even to the point of the smallest branch, the core was ra- pidly decaying. The plantations in the parish are kept in good order as to thinning and pruning. No periodical felling is adopt- ed ; but occasional cuttings of oak and other hard-wood take place, II. — Civil History. Traditionary Account. — There is a vague popular tradition, that, at a remote period, this parish formed a portion of the parish of Rhind. Connected with this tradition it is alleged, that the Tay, which now divides them, instead of joining the Earn where it now does, took its course from somewhere about Inchyra, along the braes of the Carse to Invergowrie, where it formed a junction with the Earn. The only proof that believers in this tradition have to urge in behalf of its truth, is derived from the words of an ancient ballad — no great authority certainly — which speaks of ^^ The stanitin stunes o* Semniiedoreii, *" Be sou ihe rivtr Tay" — Present circumstances and appearances are entirely at variance with the main fact which is alleged in this tradition. The exist- ing levels are so utterly and obviously incompatible with the idea of the Tay having run by the bottom of the Carse braes, that any one who looks at them must at once dismiss it from his mind. That, at a period perhaps not very remote, a fresh water lake ex- tended a considerable way along the braes of Carse, is indicated not only by soils, which have all the characteristics of lacustrine deposits, but also by beds of the Arundo phragmites^ which pre- sent themselves in various places, and still more decidedly by a well-defined horizontal ledge or beach, with all the appearance of having been produced by the mechanical action of water. This ledge is peculiarly distinct along the whole of the north side of St Madoes parish. It is not unlikely that the tradition regarding ST MADOKS. 62b the former course of the Tay, owes its origin to the existence of fuch a lake as that just referred to. Pcarochial Registers. — The existing parochial records, which con- tain the transactions of the kirk-session and registers of baptisms aod marriages, consist of six volumes. The oldest of these is a -curious one. It is entitled " The Book of the Assembly of Si Madoss," and is partly in the handwriting of the famous Alex- ander Lindsay, who was afterwards Bishop of Dunkeld. It com- mences with a minute of the 7th September 1591, in which there is contained an account of the nomination of elders and • deacons, by commissioners from the presbytery of Perth, among whom were some of the most celebrated men of that period, viz. Patrick Galloway, William Rhind, Henry Guthrie, and Archibald MoDcrieff. In this volume there is abundant evidence of a strict and faithful administration of the discipline of the church during the period to which it refers. There is also a variety of circum- stances, incidentally stated, of an interesting character. The ac- counts, for instance, of collections made for harbours and bridges in different parts of the country, attest the interest then taken by the church in the civil prosperity of the people ; and the names of witnesses at baptisms, with their designations, throw light upon the division of property at that period. This volume closes with a mi- nute of the dOth of April 1615. The next existing volume com- mences with a minute of Ocfx)ber 2, 1659, from which date to the present time, the session records are complete. State of property^ ancient and modern. — Sir John Stuart Richard- son, Bart of Pitfour, is the sole proprietor of the parish. It may be worthy of notice, that property here and in the neighbourhood is in a strikingly different position as to ownership, from what it was in for- mer times. From the old session record just referred to, it appears that, 250 years back, there were in this parish four distinct laird- ships, Pitfour, Pitcog, Cairnie, and Dumgreen ; and from the same source it may be gathered, that the neighbouring district had been divided into small lairdships, four or five then existing for one that now exists. The prhicipal land-owner in this parish, in 1592, was a man of high lineage, being one of the Cochranes of Dundonaldv The lands of Pitfour, soon after that year, were sold by him to the Hays of Megginch ; but he continued to reside here till his death ; and his descendants, reduced to the humble condition of cottars, were to be found in the neighbouring parish of Errol, about a ge-' Deration back* when the last of them died. Antiquities. — Druidical circles had abounded in tV\\s patl^i V!t\ft PERTH. n r 628 PERTHSHIRE. moderation rare enough in those times, while he also retained the pastoral charge of St Madoes. From the records of the Presbj tery of Perth, it is evident that he bestowed considerable pains i the management of that part of his diocese. As perpetual mode rator, he appears down to the year 1632 to have been a very gular attender of the meetings of Presbytery, which were then o? almost weekly occurrence. Like the other bishops of that period when the power of Presbytery became again ascendant, Lindsay, had complaints lodged against him for h\s prelatic conduct, as the record bears, were brought forward by the ** Laird of Mon- crieffand Mr William Row, in the name of the gentrie and burnK gesses of the Presbyterie," and the bishop was called upon to ani swer them before the General Assembly of 1638. The bly found him guilty " of receiving consecration to the office oc^ o* Episcopacie condemned by the Confession of Faith ; of pressing ^^ ^g the kirk with novations in the worship of God," &c. ; and whiUi ^"^ he was " deposed from the pretended Episcopall function^ and «?/« pendedfrom all ministerial fuvction^*^ it was provided, that, " if hi should acknowledge that Assembly, reverence its constitutions, am make his repentance conforme to the order prescribed, he should ^ '^ be continued in the ministrie of St Madoes." On the 30th of Jj nuary 1 639, he gave in his declaration of repentance to the bytory of Perth, and became again the humble minister of St Ma- does, where he continued till his death, which happened soon aftei Archibald Stevenson, minister of this parish from 1747 to 1784- — ^ was a man of great talents, learning and piety. He was one of th^^ leaders of the popular party in the Church, and in point ofa know— — ledge of her constitution and laws, he was regarded as superior tCF them all. The lat« Dr Inglis of Edinburgh, who remembered hi^ appearances in church courts, always spoke of him as second to no man in his day in the management of church matters. He left no token of his powers behind him, but what is to be found in a speech on Catholic Emancipation, (now very rare), in the General As- sembly, 1779, distinguished by extraordinary sagacity, and great power of diction and of argument. * * The following is a list of the ministers of this parish since the Reformation. A reader preceded the first Protestant minister, who was Alexander Lindsay, admitted 1591, died . . 1689 James Campbell do. 1640, do. . . 1667 •lohn Omey, do. 1668, translated to Dumbarnie, 1676 George Dnimmond, do. 1676, died, . . 1687 Thomas Hail, do. 1688, ejected for disorderly practices, 1608 George Blair, do. 1701, translated to Perth, . 1706 ST MADOES. 629 III. — Population. Although there are not any data by which the amount of the population in ancient times can be correctly determined, there can be no doubt that, looking at its present state, it has rather dimi- nished than increased ; for, from a roll of examinable persons, re- gularly kept from 1596 to 1617, it is evident that during that pe- riod they were considerably more numerous than they now are. Then, it appears, a large proportion of the people were huddled together in five or six hamlets or villages, each family having a £bw acres of land attached to their house. The majority of these hamlets has long since disappeared ; the land attached to them having been thrown into large farms. For the last hundred years, the population has varied but little in amount, rating from 320 to 850, which latter is exactly its present number. The ftYerage births for the last seven years is - - - 5 deaths, ..... 44 marriages, ..... 3 Theavenge number of persons under 15 years of age is - - 127 betwixt 15 and 30, - - 97 30 and 50, - - - 88 50 and 70, - - 27 70 and 80, - - - 8 80 and 90, . -3 TIm nnmber of families in the parish is - - - - 62 chiefly employed in agriculture, - - 39 in tradc» wearing, handicraft, &c. 14 « There has been only 1 illegitimate birth in the parish during the last three years. . Character of the People. — It has often been remarked, that the inhabitants of the Carse of Gowrie are rather of a phlegmatic temperament, and somewhat wanting in quickness of apprehen- sion. In as far as the people of this parish are concerned, the writer of this account has formed a very different opinion. Though a stranger might be ready to mistake a coolness and deliberation of manner by which they are characterized for constitutional heavi- ness, or a little reserve for lack of intelligence, he who comes into close and familiar intercourse with them in the ordinary matters of life, will soon discover, that while they are as much alive as men in general to what is going on in the world, they are shrewd, sensi- Jobn Dempster, admitted 1706, died, 1721 Robert Watson, do. 1722, do. . 1727 Andrew Shaw, do. 1729, became Piofessor in St Andrews, 1740 Patrick Bannerman, do. 1741, translated to Kinnoul, 1746 Archibald Stevenson, do. 1747, died, .1784 Darid Black, do. 1785, translated to Edinburgh 1795 Thomas Kennedy, do. 1795, 1828 James Noble, do. 1828. 630 PERTHSHIIIE. ble, and calculating. In their worldly callings they are indus-* trious; in their mode of life, frugal and provident; in their gene- ral conduct, sober and orderly, just and upright. They, as theii fathers for generations past have been, are distinguished for theii regularity and decorum in attending on divine ordinanceSi an ob- vious consequence of which is to be seen in their comparative ex emption from flagrant immoralities. IV. Industry. Agriculture. — The parish, as previously stated, contains I acres standard Imperial measure, the whole of which, with th. -^ exception of 33 acres under wood, are arable. About 60 acr^^ are laid out in permanent pasture, the remaining 1059 are regtx- larly cultivated. Rents. — The rents are fixed in grain, (with a very trivial excep- tion), paid at the rate of the highest fiars' prices of the county. They average about 3^ bolls per Scots acre, in equal portions of wheat, barley, and oats. The average price by the highest fiars for the county for the last seven years for the 8 bolls (i. e. 4 bushels of wheat, 6 bushels of barley, and 6 bushels of oats), is L.3, 2s., making the average rent per Scots acre L. 3, 7s. 2d., or L. 2, 1 3s. 8d. per acre Imperial. As to Wages^ Live^Siockj and Husbandry^ the remarks made in the account of the parish of ^ Errol are entirely applicable to this parish, and therefore it is un- necessary to do more than refer to these remarks. Draining, — The system of wedge or furrow-draining first in- trodueed'to this district sixteen years ago, and first practised on the farm of Pitfour Mains by Mr R. W. Rannie, has been adopt* ' ed to a considerable extent by all the tenants in the parish ; the result has been a great improvement, especially in the more re- tentive clays. Different materials have been used in the forma- tion of these drains. When they were first introduced, turf was very generally used, but was found not to endure many years, particular* ly in clays much impregnated with ferruginous matter. Wood cut into boards four and a half inches broad by one inch or three quar- ters of an inch thick, was then adopted and found to answer weH in tenacious clay ; in more friable soils, stones broken to the size of road metal were preferred. Within the last five years, tiles have come into very general use for draining, but have not till the pre- sent year been introduced to this parish. The spirited proprietor, Sir John S. Richardson, having lately erected at a considerable expense an extensive range of buildings, consisting of drying sheds. ST MADOBS. 631 ttgine and moulding sheds, and kilns, for the purpose of manu- fiMluriog drain tiles by machinery, they are now within easy reach of the tenantry, who are beginning to employ them to a consider- lUie extent It cannot be doubted that much benefit will accrue to the surrounding district, as well as to Sir John's own property, from this manufactory. An article admirably adapted for drain- ing will dius be brought within the reach of many« who, from the ecpense incurred by the purchase and carriage of wood and stones, iriiich are with difficulty procured here, have hitherto been de- terred from draining to any extent. Such, indeed, has been the daniand for tiles since last spring, when their manufacture com- ttencedf that Sir John has resolved to double the size of his sheds. Ice., and to work the machinery by a steam-engine. Such too is the feeling towards him among the agriculturists not only in the Garse of Cowrie^ but also in Strathearn and the Stormont, on account of his spirited conduct in setting agoing, solely at his own liik, this tile manufactory, that, while I am now writing, he is un- der an'invitation by some three hundred of them to a public din- ner, in which, I may be permitted to add, they are joined by a niunber of the inhabitants of Perth, from a sense of the obliga- tioiie under which they lie to him for his attention to their com- mercial interests. Embankmentg. — About 68 Scots acres of land have been here at different times reclaimed from the Tay by embankments. In 1826, in consequence of an arrangement between the proprietor and Mr R. W. Rannie, tenant Pitfour Mains, by which the latter agreed to raise an embankment at his own expense, and after being allowed to take the first crop rent free, to pay L. 4, 10s. annually per Scots acre for the reclaimed land during a lease of nineteen years, operations were commenced which resulted in the complete reclamation of fifty acres during the autumn of that year. The whole expense of embankment, sluices, levelling, water-cuts, and trenching amounted to L. 1 530. So productive, however, did the new soil turn out, that Mr Rannie has been amply rewarded for his enterprise. According to his own account, he has had, before Urn'' img and manuringy on some parts of a field about 60 bolls of pota- toes per acre, the average produce being from 40 to 50 bolls. After liming and manuring he has had on some parts of a field 70 bolls per acre, the average from 50 to 60 bolls of 32 stones I>utch to the boll. He has had of oats, before liming and manur^' infff from 10 to 1 1, after liming and manuring from 12 to 13 quar- 638 PERTHSHIRE. ters per acre^ and of wheat from six to seven quarters per acre." He commenced liming in 1829 and manuring in 1835, the rota" tion up to that period being potatoes, and wheat or oats alternate-' ly. In 1833, Sir John Richardson reclaimed 18 acres more at air expense of L. 1200 ; and by means of head-dikes, breakwaters, &c., which he is from time to time throwing out in the river for the purpose of accumulating silt, upwards of 150 acres more maj ul-' timately be added to the parish ; of these from 15 to 20 may be banked off in the course of two years. It is worthy of being meo- • tioned here, that Sir John, in a paper on his Embankments, read before the Highland Society, and for which he received the So* ciety's medal, states, " that if various conflicting interests could be reconciled, there would be added to the Carse of Gowrie a tract of land equally rich with that which has been described, and extend- ing to many thousands of acres." He adds, " This scheme was ori- ginally suggested by my grandfather forty years ago, and I trust- that, before another forty years are gone, the now barren sand-banks of the estuary of the Tay may be converted into fertile fields." Fishings. — The only fishing carried on here is the salmon, the right to which belongs solely to Sir John Richardson. The an- nual rent is estimated at about L. 1000. ^' Average gross amount of raw produce. Wheat, - L.2800 Oats, 850 Barley, Beans, 832 560 Hay, (cultivated) Potatoes, 842 1640 Turnips, Pasture, 360 261 Orchard fruit, 25 Fishings, Thinnings of wood, Keeds, 1500 30 20 Total value of raw produce, L. 9720 The valued rent of the parish is L. 1300 Scots. The real rent- is about L. 4000 Sterling. Manufactures. — The only branch of manufacture carried on in the parish is that of linen and coarse canvass, the flax and hemp - being supplied to hand-loom weavers by Dundee merchants, who • pay so much per web for weaving. The numberof these weavers does not exceed a dozen, and their labours at the loom are con- fined to the winter months, as they prefer being employed at the salmon-fishery during the rest of the year. srr MADGES. 633 V. — Parochial Economy. . Markei-Tounu — The nearest market-town is Perth, six miles distant, where the produce of the parish is principally disposed of, and from which the inhabitants receive their supplies. Villages. — There are two small villages, named Hawkstone and Cot^town, with a population of 50 and 67 respectively. Sieans of Communicaiian.^The post-town is Perth, with which by coaches and carriers there are daily opportunities of intercourse^ The great north road from Perth to Aberdeen by Dundee runs along the northern boundary of the parish, and the road froni Perth to Errol passes through its northern parts. Various roads intersect it, affording easy access from all the farm-steadings to the turnpike-road from Perth to Dundee. New Pier — A pier and shorehouse were erected about seven years ago by the proprietor on his reclaimed land, nearly opposite to the junction of the rivers Tay and Earn. There has thus been provided an excellent and most convenient shipping-place, very advantageous to the inhabitants of the parish. Large quan- tities of potatoes are here shipped annually for the London mar- ket, while coals, lime, manure, &c are received. The shore-dues ar^Qt the rate of l^d. per ton. Ecdesiastical State, — Sir John Stuart Richardson is the patron. The parish church, although situated near the northern boundary of the parish, cannot be said to be inconveniently distant from any of thQ inhabitants, as there are not any of them farther from it than two miles. The old church was taken down, and the present one built in 1798. It is in good repair, and in every way comfor- table, having lately bad attached to it a stove for warming it with heated air. The number of sittings in the church is 410, a number fitted to accommodate nearly twice the examinable inhabitants of the pa- rish. A considerable portion of them, however, are occupied by persons from the neighbouring parishes of Kinnoul, Kinfauns, and £rrol, who are from two and a-half to six miles distant from their own parish churches, while they are quite close to St Madoes' church ; so that there is not a sitting that is not appropriated and occupied. There are no seat-rents exacted, the proprietor per- mitting even those persons who are in the habit of coming from the fpre-mentioned parishes to have free sittings. The only benefaction on record is one of ^00 merks left by Mr Campbell, minister of the parish in 1676, which, with good manage^ ment, and savings from the weekly contributions added lo \l)tTom 834 PEKTHSHIBE. time to time, by the kirk-sessioD, has accumulated to a coDsidenMff sum, the interest of which is employed for the support of the poor. The manse was built in 1804, and repaired in 1829. Tho glebe consists of between 2*2 and 23 acres Scots, exclusi?e of gtf- den, orchard, shrubberies, &c. which may contain two acres mora. The soil is generally of excellent quality. Ha?ing lately boa subjected to thorough draining, its producti?e powers hare beoo much increased, especially in reference to green crops. Aooord- ing to the mode in which land is let in the parish, the glebe wooU draw an annual rent of three bolls of grain per acre, (t. c 4 bushels of wheat, 6 of oats, and 6 of barley,) which, according to the average of the fiars prices of the county for the last five yesiii would amount to between L. 70 and L. 80. The present stipend ii 14 chalders, half meal, half barley, the average amount of which for the last five years, inclusive of an allowance of L. 8^ 6s. 8d. fcr communion elements, is L. 208, 10s. 5d. The last augmentatioa took place in 1818. The number of families in the parish who attend the Established Church is 62, and the number of persons of all ages belonging to it is 335. The number of families not in the parish, but who regularly attend the church of St l^ft Ao eii is 34, these affording upwards of 100 church-goers. There are 4 families in the parish belonging to the Dissenters, containing 15 persons of all ages. Divine service at the Established Church is attended by all classes with the greatest regularity. The sa^ crament of the Lord's Supper is dispensed twice a year, (in Fe* bruary and in August) ; at the former time the average number of communicants is 225, at the latter 245 ; of these from 70 to 80 come from the neighbouring parishes. There is a society for religious purposes in the parish. Its members all belong to the Established Church, and its funds are mainly appropriated to the advancement of the Church of Scot- land's four great schemes. The average amount of these for the last ten years is L. 25 annually, this partly obtained by private sub- scriptions, and partly by public collections. Education. — There is no week-day school in the parish but the parochial, in which English reading and grammar, writing, arith* metic, book-keeping, practical mathematics, and geography, with Latin and Greek, if required, are taught. The schoolmaster has the legal accommodation and the maximum salary. The school fees are small and ill paid, the whole sum realized from them not exceeding L. 10 Sterling annually, although the average num- 8T MADOBS. 635 W of fcholors throughout the year be nearly 50. It appears from one of the old sessiou-records that, upwards of 100 years ago^ die then Laird of Pitfour set apart two acres of land for the be- nefit of the schoolmaster in all time coming; but somehow or an- other they have since been swallowed up, and even tradition does sot very clearly mark their locality. Tbere is a Sabbath school taught by the minister and school- master, which is pretty numerously attended not only by children belonging to the parish, but also by those of tjie parents from neighbouring parishes who attend the church of St Madoes, and even by some children of Dissenting parents. It numbers at pre- sent 61. LUerature. — There is a religious library which was instituted in 1886, by the liberality of Lady Richardson, to which all the people who are in the habit of attending the church, as well as the parishioners of St Madoes, have access for the small sum of 4^. per quarter. It now consists of 200 volumes. Poor and Parochial Funds. — The average number of persons Ibr the last ten years, who have received parochial aid in one form or another, is ten. Of these four have been regularly on the pooi^s roll, three of whom received from ]lcctions for the district. MOULIN. 659 L. 35,750. But the yearly amount of excise duty charged in re* spect of spirits and malt may be estimated at about L. 20,000. Deducting the price of the raw material at the rate of L. 1 per boll barley, there remains in the hand of the manufacturer a small sum, indeed, to indemnify him for his time, servants' wages, tear and wear of his utensils, and the losses to which he is necessarily exposed. One of the great advantages which the farmer derives from his connexion with these distilleries arises, as already stated, from the means which they afford for enriching his farm. And when it is considered that many of the partners are persons who were previ* ously engaged in the " duty free trade," certainly the most demo- ralizing scourge that ever visited the Highlands, it may be some consolation to our *^ temperance friends" to know, that the tempe- rate, industrious, and honest legal trader has been engrafted on the once intemperate, improvident, and lawless smuggler ! Public Associations, — The AthoU and Weem Agricultural Club meets once every year, either at Weem or Pitlochry. The liberal encouragement given in the way of premiums to the successful competitors has been the means of directing the attention of the tenantry to the improvement of their farms and stock of cattle. The beneficial influence which this Association has had on the farmer and on his farm has been very considerable. A spirit of laudable emulation is excited, the farmer's own knowledge is en- creased, his farm is in consequence greatly improved, and his at- tention also is thereby directed to the proper breeds of cattle. Till within a few years, good ploughing was little thought of. The ploughing matches that have taken place of late, under the auspices of some of the country gentlemen, have been of great benefit in teaching the young men, and impressing the farmers in this re- spect with a just estimate of inferior and superior workmanship. V. — Parochial Economy. Market'TowTij 8fc. — Dunkeld is the nearest market-town, dis- tant nearly thirteen miles. The villages are Moulin and Pitlochry. The number of families in the former is 48, and the population 185. The number of families in the latter is 67, and the popula- tion 321. Pitlochry is a remarkably thriving village. Its locality is favourable, as situated on the great north road. It supplies not only the immediate district with all kinds of mercantile goods, but its mesins of communication enable it to extend its trade in va- rious directions, and to great distances. Till within a few years 660 PKRTHSHIRE. ago, Dunkeld and Perth were the places with which this district of I ^ country used to transact its business ; but of late, young men of in- I ^ telligence, enterprise, and capital, established themselves in Pitlo- chry, who have immediate connexion with the principal commer- cial cities in the south. The country, therefore, is now equally well served, and as moderately, with every article of merchandise, as in either of the above towns. One of the mercantile establish- ments is well lighted with gas, a novel spectacle in these quarters ! In 1834, a laboratory was opened in Pitlochry. In 1836, a branch of the Central Bank of Scotland, and also in the same year a brancb of the Commercial Bank, were cstablishedthere. It had been often the subject of complaint that such a village should have been so long without a suitable inn. The want is hoy^ remedied. Mr Butter of Faskally has built a good commodiou house, where the tourist will find himself comfortably accom modatcd ; and should he be a real admirer of nature's beauties, few districts there arc, if there be indeed any in Great Britain, equal it in the rich variety of its scenery. By adhering, however, to the high road, as the ordinary traveller can scarce avoid, he will lose the better part of what he might obtain, if, as the poet says, " he wooed nature in her coy retreats.*' — " He, then, who can com- mand, or borrow, or steal an hour from time, will be unpardonable if he doe.s not linger at Pitlochry ; and he who can rob the day of two or three, will be still more so, if he does not diverge to visit the unexpected and strangely placed village of Moulin, a village than which it would be diflicult to point out another more picturesque; an irregular mixture of houses, and mills, and bridges, and falling waters, and noble trees; a careless profusion of the elements of rustic landscape, to which is added a rich and singular surround- ing country, oflering all the characters of ancient wealth and cul- tivation, backed, on the one hand, by the beautiful declivity of Beinvrackie, and extending its views over the magnificent ex- panded vale of the Tay."* Post'Office. — The post-office is in Pitlochry, and yields to the revenue about L. 400 a-year. The Royal Mail commenced run- ning between Perth and Inverness on the 6th July 1836. It pas- ses through Pitlochry on its way north, about half-past one p. m., and on its way south about eleven o'clock a. m. It runs every day. Rannoch, to which there is a ruimer three times a week, is a sub-office to Pitlochry. In the summer and autumn months, two • Svc M»rul!ocirs Work. f f MOULIN. 6fil coaches run every lawful day between Perth and Blair Atholl. ig these months, our roads present a scene of the most live- scription. Travellers from all parts of Britain, as well as foreign countries, visit a place so rich in inspiring associa- and so justly celebrated for the beauty and sublimity of its ry* We are highly delighted to see them, but deeply regret they could not find it convenient to avoid Sabbath-day tra- g, which prevails to a great extent, and which Is most ofTen- smd may prove injurious, to the religious feelings and religi- abits of our people. mpike.^-^The old military road was converted into a turnpike, e is a toll-bar about the middle of the pass of Killiecrankie. present rent is L. 21*'^ The length of the turnpike road in arish is seven miles. risk Roads. — Of late a very laudable spirit has been manifest- the part of our road trustees. The improvements contem- I, and now in a great measure completed, will add essential- the comfort of travelling. The statute labour roads between ;hry and Kirkmichael and on boths sides of the Tummel, t great credit on the road trustees, and especially on those >m who have sacrificed much valuable property to accommo- ;he public These roads diverge in different directions from ;hry, and though not much frequented by strangers, are, in respects, little inferior to the turnpike. They are necessari- several parts steep ; but one can have no idea of the magni- scenery of alpine character which, in every direction, is pre- i to the eye. '' Hills over hills, and alps on alps arise," to le mind with the loftiest conceptions, and to '^ raise it from Ig nature up to nature's God." idffes. — In 1832, a substantial bridge of two large spans was by subscription, across the Tummel, nearly a mile west from thry. An error, which is not likely soon to be remedied, ommitted in the unfortunate locality in which this bridge was id. Had it been built at Portnacraig, a spot which seems d by nature for that purpose, it would have been found much convenient. As it is, our present spirited road trustees might t DO unprofitable investment of capital, to open a turnpike en this district and Strathtay, beginning at the White-fall ), and ascending the ^' Monadh-meadhonach" — in a zig-zag ion, descending the south side of the hill by a westerly indi- j and leading to Weem, Aberfeldy, and Taymouth. A» the jj (i62 PERTElSIIIRi:. beauties and advaatages of this line came to be appreciated, tbe outlay, which at first must be considerable, would be found to re- pay with interest. Travellers would prefer taking that route from Dunkeld to Kenmore, or vice versa^ rather than the present. They would lose nothing, and be gainers to an agreeable amount. In 1833, another substantial bridge was built, by subscriptioD, across the Garry, at the junction of the Girnaig with that river. Ecclesiastical State. — Lord Glenlyon is patron of the parish' The church is situated in the village of Moulin, and convenient for the greater part of the population. It is nine miles from th^* north-east, and six from the north-west extremity. There ar^ 155 families more than two; 130 more than four, and 65 mor^ than nine, miles from it by the nearest practicable route. It built in 1830-1 ; the style of its architecture is the Gothic; altitude of the tower is inconsiderable ; the windows are, however^ of a small size, and, owing to the abutments between them, the^ light is greatly obstructed, and the church in consequence, un— - comfortably dark. It is seated for 650 ; the sittings were allocated^ to the different heritors according to their valued rent, who divide— - ed them among their respective tenantry free of rent The manse was built in 1820. The glebe, including the gar—* den and the ground occupied by the manse and offices, is about ^ four acres and a half, worth L. 12. There is no grass glebe, but the minister receives in lieu thereof, L. 1, 13s. 4d. The stipend is the minimum. There are 73 bolls, 3 firlots, 2 pecks, 1 lippy of victual, half meal, half barley, and L. 29, 7s. 6^d. in money, and the deficiency made up by Government. Chapel of Ease. — In the neighbouring parish of Blair- Athol^ a chapel of ease, in connexion with the Church of Scotland, was opened in September 1836, to which a section of this pa- rish, containing a population of 269, was annexed. The whole population attached to the quoad spiritualia parish of Tenan- dry, from the three parishes of Dull, Blair, and Moulin, is about 700. This church, though located in the parish of Blair, was erected chiefly to accommodate the people of Glenfincastle, who are fifteen miles from Dull, their parish church. It was built and endowed by Mr and Mrs Hay of Seggieden, and Miss Stewart of St Fort. The endowment is L. 85. The allowance for com- munion elements, L. 8, 6s. 8d., is from the Sunday collections. The appointment of the minister rests with the Founders and Endowers during their lifetin^e, and thereafter devolves on the Society for MOULIN. (563 PropagatiDg Christian Knowledge. The present incumbent is the Rev. William Grant. At Strathloch, in the Strathardle district of the parish, the mi- nister officiates five or six times a- year. There is no church.* The preaching is in the open air. The inhabitants of that territorial division of the parish are inconveniently situated in regard to the means of religious instruction and pastoral superintendence. Ac- cess to the church for 83 families, or 412 inhabitants, is impeded by a hill of from three to four miles in length. The nearest resi- dence is five miles from the parish church, and the eastern ex- tremity of the Strathardle district is about two miles from the church of Kirkmichael. The Church is generally well attended, and, notwithstanding the section of the parish, containing 269 souls, attached to the recent erection of the Tenandry, there are still great complaints of the want of comfortable family accommodation. The sacrament of our Lord's Supper is generally dispensed on the third Sabbath of June. The average number of communicants is 600, and of these, 200 are entitled to exercise the " veto" in the settlement of a minister, according to the roll adjusted in November 1838. There are only seven Dissenting families in the parish ; three of these are Episcopalians, connected with the excise, who have late* ly come to reside within the bounds ; of the other four families, three are of the Baptist, and one of the Independent persuasion. There are also a few single persons. The whole number of Dissenters, reckon- ing the children of Dissenting families as such, is 58; of these, 22 are Episcopalians. Their places of worship are in the adjoining parishes. It may here be remarked, that the children of some of the members of the Dissenting body are connecting themselves " with the Established Church. Within a few years, the writer of this Account baptized two adults, one of whom was a married man, whose parents were Baptists. There seems to be no disposition on the part of the people to secede from the Established Church. On the contrary, they are deeply and ardently attached to the church of their fathers. Ministers of Moulin. — William Balneaves was minister of Moulin in 1643; died in March 1705. James Stewart was trans- lated from the parish of Scone, 1st October 1707. Adam Fer- * A subscription, amounting to L. 130, has been lately raised in the parish fo^* the purpose of building a church at Strathloch, and it is hoped that, ere long, with aid from the General Assembly's Church Extension ComniiUGe> we may be able to effect so desirable an object. .---■I ^ 6(i4 PERTHSHIRE. guson, ordained at Killin, 28th September 1728, and translatod I X to Moulin, 3d February 1736. Alexander Stewart, ordained I \ ctr 2l9t September 1786, translated to Dingwall in 1805. David | I Duff, ordained 21st February 1806, and admitted into his preseDt charge, Kenmore, April 1831. Duncan Campbell, ordained lit March 1832. I =*? Religious Societies. — There is no regular organized religious a*- eociation in the parish, but a subscription for religious and chan- table purposes, conducted by the ministers and members of ses* sion, has been made for the last two years, amounting in, 1837, to L.49, 17s. lid., and in 1838 to L. 52, 17s. 3d. Education* — There are 7 schools in the parish, one parochial, one connected with the General Assembly's Scheme ; and the rest on the teachers' own adventure. The branches of instruction ge- nerally taught are, Gaelic, English, English grammar, arithmetics mathematics, book-keeping, geography and Latin. The parisi schoolmaster has the legal accommodations except the garden for which he receives the allowance which the act assigns, salary is the maximum, L. 34, 4s. 4^d. In January 1839, the number of scholars in all the throughout the parish was 388, boys 234, girls 154 There we learning to read, 112; joined writing to their reading, 276, and o^ these again there were at arithmetic, 77 ; at English grammar, 31 1. at mathematics, 10 ; and at Latin, 6. In Pitlochry there is a sewin5j schoolmistress, who receives L. from the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge. Sabbath Schools, — There are six Sabbath evening schools in th parish, attended in January 1839 by upwards of 300 scholars. The people are in general fully alive to the benefits of educa tion. Many of them arc at such distances from school as to m it inconvenient for their children to attend regularly. The Strath ardle district of the parish, I grieve to say, is very destitute of the means of education. There is truly no lack of teachers, but, from the encouragement given, they are necessarily of an inferior descrip- tion. An active, zealous, and intelligent teacher, such as might be expected from the General Assembly's Education Committee, would be an unspeakable blessing to the children of that remote portion of the parish.* * It is gratifying to observe the lively interest that is being taken of late in the educational prosperity of that section of the {larish, and it is hoped that, ere loogi we shaU see the Strathardlc division enjoying the privileges of our more favoured locaJitiei* i MOULIN. 665 Libraries, — An attempt was made some years ago, to establish 1 circulating library in Moulin, but did not succeed. Friendly Societies, — There are none in the parish, but many of ;he parishioners are connected with the Atholl Wrights Brotherly Society, instituted at Logierait, 1st January 1812, and conformed in 1836 to the Friendly Society Acts of 10 Geo. IV. ch. 56, and 4 and 5 Will. IV. ch. 40. During the twenty-three years of its existence prior to 1835, it is stated in the preamble of the rules and regu- lations of the society, that it had been of incalculable benefit to many individuals and families who had the misfortune to require its seasonable and effectual aid. In proof of the magnitude of the society's operations, and the extent of its utility, it is mentioned that it has already expended the sum of L. 2221, Os. O^d. in re- lieving the sick and distressed belonging to it, and that in 1835, its net stock was L. 1073, I2s. 4^d. The largest allowance to which a sick member is entitled is 4s. per week. If he continue unwell and unable to work, the sum is gradually reduced, and should he remain in that stite for the period of a whole year, he is then put on a superannuation allowance of Is. 6d. a- week. The advan- tages of this society are great and obvious. Many, who, had they neglected to join it when in the possession of good health, would, on being overtaken by sickness or distress, be compelled to apply for parish aid. This last resource, so painfully degrading to an independent mind, is, however, happily avoided by being a mem- ber of this brotherly society. Savings Bank, — A branch of the National Security Savings Bank of Edinburgh was established in Pitlochry in December 1836. Its business is conducted gratuitously by Mr Alexander M*Naughton, agent of the Commercial Bank. The following is a statement of the first and second year of its operation ; 1st year, invested, L. 76, 3s. ; withdrawn, L. 31, 15s. ; 2d year, invested, L. 117, 2s.; withdrawn, L. 50, 10s. The classes by which the investments are generally made are workmen and servants. Poor and Parochial Funds, — The number of poor at present on the roll is 39 ; of these 21 are ordinary, and 18 occasional poor. The sum generally allotted to each regular pauper, is L. 2, 8s. a- year. The allowance, however, depends entirely on the nature of each individual's case. The session clerk and precentor's, the synod and presbytery clerk's, and the church officer's dues, amount to L« 5, 19s. a-year. Our funds consist of L. 400, which yield 4 i'-n G66 PERTHSHIRE. per cent, interest. The collections, &c. of 1836, 1837, and 1838 were as follows :• Cliurc!> collections. Donations, &c. Interest. Tola*. leae, L ^3 10 64 L. 19 9 34 16 L.85I9I0 1897, o9 4 34 33 9 8 16 106 13 H 1838, 6G 1 1 13 8 34 16 85 9 4 In the collections of ISS?, there is included L.6, 12s. 9|se I am at a loss to conceive, if it be not to accommodate the w-violators of the neighbouring parishes, or to receive the swarms idle vagrants and sturdy beggars that prowl among us from the uth at different seasons of the year. For any other purpose, a ison in this parish will be a tenantless erection, and the office of jailor a sinecure. Fairs, — At Moulin, there is a fair held on the first Tuesday of [arch, for the sale of horses and the purchase of seed-corn. At itlochry, there is a fair held for cattle and horses the Saturday )fore the Amulrie market, which is held first Tuesday of May ; id likewise in the same place, on the third Wednesday of Octo« jf, O. S., there is another for cattle and horses. Inns, — There are sevcii ale-houses in the parish, and, as for- erly stated, seven licensed distilleries. The influence of these I the morals of the people is far from being of so demoralizing a liure as one might be apt to imagine. That there are a few in- viduals who are notorious tipplers will not detract from the ge* »ral character of the people, which, in regard to high-toned mo- liiy, may challenge comparison with any peasantry in Scotland. Fiiel. — A great quantity of wood is burned by the distillers and hers. The consumption of coal is considerable, but the princi- il fuel is peat, found in the neighbouring hills, and procured at great expense. If it was dreaded fifty years ago, how much *eater reason is there now, to apprehend a scarcity in this neces- ry article. In consequence of the immense quantity used by the imerous distilleries in the neighbourhood, it is feared that, unless more judicious and economical system be adopted of cutting the osses than is at present in operation, the peat will, ere long, be exhausted as to add very considerably to the present outlay, bould the once-projected railroad betwixt Perth and Dunkeld » OD, it will tend much to remove all grounds of fear, and to di- inish the expense to which, in the article 4)f fuel, we are at pre- nt necessarily subjected. MiSCELLANBOUS OBSERVATIONS. At the time of writing the former Statistical Report, the real nt of the parish was estimated at L. 3000 ; now^ it is upwards of » 7000. Then, land in the neighbourhood of the villages paid >m L. 1, 10s. to L. 1, 14s. ; now^ the same land pays at the rate L. 3 per acre. Then^ some of the farms were intermixed toge* 668 PLCUTiisiiiiut:. ther in the way called runrig ; now, there is no such thing : the iand-owners have laid out their estates in farms of convenient siie, which are subdivided by the farmer into four or five divisions, ac- cording to his rotation. Tfien, the ploughs were small and clumsy, drawn by four horses yoked abreast, and driven by a man who held the horses by the halters, and walked backwards ; ?toto, the iron plough is universally used, and two horses instead of four. TTieih turnips and clover with rye-grass were cultivated by a few gentle- men only; nowy they form a part of the regular rotation, even of every one acre croft, nten, there wore no thrashing machines in the parish ; now, there are five thrashing mills, and two of them built within the last two years. TJien, beef was dd. per lb., hut very seldom sold in the parish ; veal, 2d. ; mutton, 2d. ; and pork, 4d. ; nawy beef is 6d. ; veal, 6d. ; mutton, 6d. ; and pork, 5d. per lb., and of these, especially beef and mutton, a great quantity is consumed. Then, a man-servant's wages, employed in husbandly, were from L. 6, 15s. to L. 7, and a maid-servant's from L.2, 15s. to L. 3 a year ; noiv, a man-servant receives from L.12 to Lbl6, and a maid-servant from L.5 to L.7 with victuals. Then, the yarn exported during the year brought a return in cash of about L. 2680; now, the return in cash will net amount to as many shil- lings. Then, a woman who was a good spinner and employed in nothing else would cam 3s. a week ; 7ww, a spinner has enough to do to earn the fourth part of that sum 1 Tfien, there were 24 li- censed retailers of ale, beer, and other excisable liquors ; now, thet« are only 7 ! Tlicn, there were two distilleries of 30 gallons eac^» now, there are seven, varying from 130 to 460 gallons each. 7%^' there was no post-ofiice ; now, the Royal Mail runs daily throi^^ the parish. Then, there were no bakers, no butchers, no banke^^' noio, there are all 3, — no bad indication of the favourable chai^ ® in the circumstances of the people. And a glance at the followi tables will readily show the more striking variations, in the pai culars of which they consist, betwixt the present state of the rish and that which existed at the time of the last Statistical count : — Value of Live-Stock in 18S9. 41 1 horstis, valued at L. 1:2 each, - - . - L. 497)2 609 milch cot^s at L. 5, 10s. each, .... 3349 5 915 young cattle, at L. 3 each, .... 2745 l*2,985shee|), at 12s. each, - - - . . 779I 18^3 Leiccsters, at L. 1 each, • . . . . IsdO^ Swine, poultry, bees, - - - - . . 9OO Total value of stock, L. 19,900 5 ^ MOULIN. 669 8 tual Produce, — jeh acres of oatB* producing 3536 bolls, at 1 6s. per boil, L. 2828 16 Do. barley, 2992 do. L. 1 do. 2992 Do. green crop, at L. 9 per acre, ... 4896 Da hay, at L. 6, 10s. do. . - . - 3586 it 4a. per boll of corn, producing 6528 bolls, - - 1905 12 4034 15 produce of thinnings, &c. .... 150 I and orchards, - - - - - -5000 a, - 45 8, 5000 Total value of annual produce, L. 19,888 3 ue of Live-Stock in 1790. r of tenants' horses, 564, valued at L. 5 each, - - L. 2820 md carriage do. 20, at L. 16 - - - - 320 «le, 52, at L. 2, - - - - 104 do. 1410, at X.1, 14s. - - - 2397 Bcp, 2400, at 8s. - - - - 800 do. 7000, at 5s. 6d. - - - . 1925 iwine, &e. supposed worth in all, ... 1000 - 480 1023 6 3385 - 225 200 Total, L. 9366 tual Produce, — )Otch acres of oats, producing 4690 bolls, at 14s. per boll, L. 3213 Do. bear, 2624 do. 14s. per boll, 1836 16 Do pease. 192 do. 12s. do. . 115 4 Do. poUtoes, 1875 do. 6s. 8d. do. 625 Do. flax, 2700 stones, at Ids. 4d. per stone, 1800 Mfeadow hay or natural grass, 5000 do. 5d. do 104 3 4 sotch acres of sown grass, at L. 8 per acre, it 3s. per boll of corn, ! at L. 1, 15s. per horse ; L. 1 per cow ; and 2.s. per sheep, produce of woods and plantations, about es, total value caught, about .... Total value of annual produce, L. 13,007 9 4 e preceding comparison will enable the reader to see the 3SS which this Highland parish made in the course of nearly LSt half century. What farther improvements other fifty may bring about, it is difficult to say. As matters now are, :hing bears the marks of intelligence, industry, and prospe- The aspect of the parish is greatly altered. Forests of trees risen up. Gentlemen's grounds have been ornamentally laid harmonize with their elegant mansions. The farmer's neat 1 cottage now meets the eye in every direction. Instead of thorns •riars, and mosses and quagmires, we have everywhere beau- fields of rich arable land. Our roads are also in the same rtion improved, and the ^^ old military road" converted into ike. Trade of every description is keeping pace with the improvements. The connexion which so many of the re- ible farmers have with the numerous distilleries scattered over istrict, gives to our roads the lively appearance of a city vici- 070 PERTHSHIRE. nity, rather than that of a quiet country parish. For the male ^ part of the population, ihere is, therefore, no want of employmeDt, but the female portion, it must be admitted, is not so fortunate. To ameliorate their condition is an object well worthy t)ie cod« sideration of the philanthropist At the time of writing the former Account, females could not only largely contribute to the support of their respective establishments, but it is an ascer- tained fact, that in many instances, the whole rentj amounting to a considerable suniy was the earnings of the wife and her handmaidens. How altered, in this respect, the state of things ! Spinning, except for family purposes, may be reckoned among the things that were. The very fact that, of the 39 paupers supported by the kirk-session, 32 are old women, is suflScient to shew that the weaker sex^ do what they will, if depending upon their own efforts for subsistence, nuut anticipate old age with feelings of the most painful solicitude ! << This is a sight for pUy to peruse, Till she resemble faintly what she views. Till njfmpathy contract a kindred pain, Pierc'd with Uie woes < these fenuiU* fsd in vain.** Cowrxa. February 1839. PARISH OF CAPUTH. PRESBYTERY OF DUNKELD, SYNOD OF PERTH AND STIRLING. THE REV. ALEXANDER WILSON, MINISTER. L — Topography and Natural History. Name, — It appears from our session records that formerly the name of this parish was variously spelt, Keapoch, or Kapoch, — more commonly Capoch ; but for the last half century invariably Caputh. The origin or meaning of the term is entirely lost in ob- scurity. Keapoch in Gaelic signifies " a decayed wood," as I am told I but how it applies to this parish I cannot discover. Situation. — It is situated in that district of Perthshire which is called the Stormont, and comprehends the greater part of the plain of the Stormont, which is just a continuation of the extensive vale of Strathmore, towards the foot of the Grampians. CAPUTII. 671 Boundaries. — Its figure is very irregular, save on the south, which is nearly a straight line for 10 miles, marked by the course of the Tay, from Dunkeld to the mouth of the Isla; which river forms the boundary for a considerable space on the east, viz. from where it receives the Lunan. This latter stream again separates it 6d the north-east from Blairgowrie. On the north it is bound- ed by Lethendy and Clunie; on the west, by Dunkeld and Dow- ally. It contains about 16,000 square acres, or 25 square miles. It, 18 about 13 miles in length from west to east, and varying from 2 to 7 miles in breadth. In the Lives of the Bishops of Dunkeld, (a MS. written by Alex- ander Mylne,* Canon of Dunkeld), it is related that Bishop Brown, in the year 1500, divided the parish of Little Dunkeld into the old parish of Little Dunkeld and the parish of Caputh ; and ^' at Caputh he built on his dwn charges, a quire, with painted ceiling and glazed windows. He gave for the support of the vicar, a vi- carage, which had been formerly united to his own see, four acres of glebe-land, and the rising ground, called the Mute-hill, to build a church upon." From the same author, it appears that the parish of Dowally was originally a part of Caputh. " Upon information (says Mylne), that the Irish was spoken in the Highland parts of the parish of Caputh, the Bishop (Brown) built and endowed a church in ho- nour of the blessed Mother, St Anno, among the woods of the church lands of Dowally."f * Alexander Mylne lived in the times of George Brown, Bishop of Dunkeld, from 1484 to 1514, and of his successor, the celebrated Gavin Douglas, fo whom his work is dedicated. The original MS. in Latin, was presented by the late Duke of Atholl to the Antiquarian Society of Perth, and printed in a volume of their Transactions. A MS. translation of it is in possession of a gentleman in Dunkeld, who kindly favour- ed me with a perusal of it. f There has l>cen, for a considerable time past, a good deal of discussion as to the precise boundary between Caputh and Dunkeld. Ttic small bum of Ketlochy, which riies in Cratgie- Barns, and which runs through the eastern part of Dunkeld into the Xay> a little above the bridge, was the ancient boundary. But this boundary is no longer visible, the water being conveyed by a conduit beneath the houses on the west side of Atholl Street, so that all of the town on the east side is in Caputh parish. The cause of this singularity will appear from the following extract taken from the Statis- tical Account of Dunkeld and Dowally, written by Principal Baird in 1796 : ^* Tlic boundaries of Dunkeld, viewed as a parish, are not extensive, but they are not hitherto diitinctly ascertained. As it was the scat of the Bishop, and the service of the cathe- dral was performed cither by his chaplain, or by some of the clergy who had fixed benefices in other quarters of the diocese, it was not necessary at that time to consti- tute it formally a parish, or to mark its limits. In fact, it does not appear that this iras ever done. It is not entered as a parish in the cess-books of the county, and none of the old title-deeds of the proprietors describe the property as lying within the parish, but within the city of Dunkeld. What is now, therefore, the parish, includes only what was formerly within the boundaries of the city. These, in the course of the present (eighteenth) century, have been considerably altered ; for during the commo- ticms of 16^ the greatest part of the houses were burnt by an irritated and lieentiotui 672 PBIITHSHIRE. Besides what is contained within the extensive boundaries al- ready described, there are several detached portions scattered throughout the counties of Perth and Forfar, viz. Balholmie, lying within the parish of Cargiil ; West and Middle Gormack, in Kin- loch ; East and West Logie, Cairns, Chapelton, Meadows and Crofty, in Clunie ; and Craigtown of Dalrulzian, in Kirkmichaiel, all in Perthshire. Also, South Bandirran, in Collace; Balbeuch- ly, (through which the Ncwtyle Railway passes), in Auchterhouse; Broughtay Castle and fishings, and a small piece of ground at Mylneficld, near Dundee ; and Fofarty in Kinnettles ; all in For- farshire. In Fofarty there is a field of about four acres, called, from time immemorial, ^^ the minister of Caputh's glebe,'' and which was believed to belong to him, though unoccupied by any person. On being claimed, however, a number of years ago, by the late incumbent, the Rev. W. Innerarity, he was opposed by the Trustees of the Earl of Strath more, and the Court of Session de- cerned in their favour. Surface and Climate. — Its surface is very diversified. To the south-east, stretching towards Strathmore, it is almost a perfect level, and presents a rich and beautifully cultivated champaign. To the north and west it partakes of much of the grandeur of Highland scenery, without its wildness, being an agreeable succes- sion of hill and dale, and pleasant little valleys opening their bosoms to the sun, enlivened by lakes or rippling streams. The temperature accordingly varies with the situation, being more keen in the higher parts, but the climate is everywhere genial and salu- brious. There are no prevalent distempers, and longevity is ve«1 common. At present there are several persons on the verge ^ ninety years, and two or three advanced beyond that period. Hydrography. — I'here is no stream of any consequence flowi ^ directly through this parish. But the Tay, which forms its south boundary for ten miles, from the bridge of Dunkeld to its juncti with the Isla, is a splendid river, from 150 to 200 yards in width. it soldiery, and such of them as had stood to the west and north-west of the cathedi^^ were not rebuilt. The ground which they, and the gardens which had lain inl ^ mixed with them, occupied, is supposed to liavc extended to about five acres, and space now forms a part of the Duke of AtholKs Inwn and policy. But as the boui daries of the town receded on one quarter, they stretched out in another. Severn" new houses were built on the slope of the eminence which rises to the eastward the town. These are uniformly described in the title-deeds as lying in the parish C^ Caputh. That parish, indeed, completely surrounds Dunkeld, (except where it ^^ skirted on the south by the Tay), and in former times had reached, it thus appeal close to the site of the buildings. Stipend is paid to the minister of Caputh from piece of ground lying but a few yards from the cathedral.'* — Vol. xx. j)p. 412, 4I3-«**^ 4 CAPUTII. 67 i nothing can be more lovely or picturesque than the scenery upou either side. On the north there is a chain of lochs, formed and connected by the burn of Lunan, which rises in the Grampians, and first passing through Loch Ordie, (a most romantic and much visited sheet of water at the base of Duchrav, a lofty conical moun- tain in the parish of Dowally), soon after enters the parish of Ca- puth, and rapidly descending a deep wooded glen of two or three miles in length, in which are situated Birken Burn, Hatton, and Calley, (at the latter of which are an ornamental loch and garden belonging to the Duke of Atholl), it reaches the loch of Craig- lush, immediately adjoining wliich is the beautiful loch of Lows, about two miles north- east of Dunkeld ; a little to the eastward is Butterstone Loch, all of which are in this parish. Leaving the last mentioned, the Lunan runs eastward to the loch of Clunie, in that parish) famed for its ancient castle, situated upon an island, once occupied by the Admirable Crichton, now possessed by the Earl of Airly. Emerging thence it pursues its course to the loch of Drumellie, both stream and loch forming for a considerable dis- tance the northern limit of this parish. From Drumellie it con- tioues its former direction, separating the parishes of Lethendy and Blairgowrie, till it reaches Littleour, where it forms the boundary between Caputh and Blairgowrie, till it falls into the Isia, about three miles west from Coupar Angus, and seven miles east from Caputh church. Soil, — The surface being so extensive and diversified, the soil must also greatly vary according to the locality. In the higher parts it is cold and wet, though yielding excellent crops. In the lower grounds it is light and dry, and along the bank of the Tay and Isla it is a rich loam. Much of the soil is alluvial ; these ri* vers often overflowing their banks, though now more carefully con- fined within their proper channels by strong embankments. Mineralogy. — There is a great abundance of clay-slate and lime- atone. At Newtvle, a little to the east of Dunkeld, the clav- slate is extensively quarried, the slates are in great request— « 900,000 being often disposed of in a month. II. — Civil History. There is no historical record of this pcirish, but in Milne's His- tory of the Bishops of Dunkeld, (already noticed), Caputh is fre- quently mentioned as being one of the mensal parishes belonging to the cathedral. Proprietors, — There are 30 heritors and portioners. Thir^ PERTH. u u 674 PERTHSHIRE. 10 teen of these stand in the cess-book at upwards of L. 100 Scots _ ^ valued rent* The principal heritors are^ Sir John Muir Macken- ■ ^j zie, Bart, of Delvine ; Lady Keith, or Countess Flahault of I '^% Meikleour ; the Duke of AthoU ; Keay of Snaigow ; Menzies of ■ fV> Culdares; Sir William Drummond Stewart, Bart, of Murthly; ^ vr- Kinloch of Gourdie ; Haggart of Glendelvine ; and Murray of Kincairney. The whole ancient valued rent of the parish i^ L. 9369 Scots, being the highest in the county save Errol. Th^ valued rent of Delvine is L. 3144 Scots, being one-third of th^ whole. Parochial Registers. — The register of baptisms and marriage^! and records of session, commence with the year 1671, and continued without intermission till the present date, though somi of the books are greatly worn and decayed. The insertion o- births appears to have been omitted till a recent period. A gister of deaths has been twice attempted, but left off after a fei years* trial, owing, no doubt, to the want of fees to the clerk, am there being no proper authority to enforce the registration, as ii the case of baptisms and marriages. The ministers of this parish in succession were, Robert Gordon^ admitted 12th March 1682; James Crockat, 16th Decembei^ 1688; James Hogg, 21st September 1721 ; James Bisset, dOtI August 1753; William Innerarity, 11th December 1783; Alex- ander Wilson, the present incumbent, was ordained assistant an( successor, 4th August 1835, and succeeded Mr Innerarity, 17tl March 1837. Antiquities, — With regard to the antiquities of this parish, then are but few objects of that nature deserving notice, and of these little can be said with certainty. Of cairns, Druidical stones, Pictish forts, and Roman encampments, not a few traces are to be found, but their history is almost entirely lost, and the vulgar conjectures regarding them are too vague for being recorded. The only truly classical ground is that of Inchtuthil, which is allowed, by the best antiquarians who have examined it, to have been the station in medio mentioned by Tacitus in his Life of Agricola, and to which the Roman general led his troops afker the celebrated battle with Galgacus. Inchtuthil, signifying " the island in the flooded stream," lies about two and a- half miles east of the church, on the north bank of the Tay. It is a singular piece of flat oblong table-land, with a steep declivity on all sides. On the north extremity of this table- land, stands Delvine House ; h d b -e e CAPUTH. 675 eD the south extremity, overlooking the Tay, are the distinct re- mains of what is supposed originally to have been a Pictish fort, and latterly a Roman encampment. It is evident that it must have been a place of great strength, giving the command of the whole district to the person who held it. It is particularly de- scribed by Mr Pennant in his Toun The following information respecting Inchtuthil is from the Statistical Account by Mr Innerarity in 1792: '^ It is a flat of 160 Scotch acres, regularly steep on every side, and iu every part of equal height, that is, about 60 feet above the great plain of the StormoDt, on which it stands. Here the Picts had a town, which must have been a place of great strength, and of which the ves* tiges may be discerned at the south-west corner of this singular elevation. Boetius calls it Tuline or Tulina. and savs that it was populous and well fortified, but deserted and burned by the Picts, on the approach of the Romans under Agricola. He adds, (as translated by Holinshed,) ^^ the Scottishmen in our time call the place Inchtuthil." The Romans also availed themselves of this situation. Their camp stood on the north east border, and com- manded an extensive view of the plain. It is 500 yards square ; the walls to a considerable height were strongly built, 9^ feet thick, with stones brought from a quarry two miles distant ; the stones have been gradually removed, and the walls are now almost levelled by the plough. In the course of ploughing, fragments of weapons, and some entire utensils, were formerly found. There are two tumuli or harrows^ and a redoubt, on the south-east side of the camp. A few years ago, the largest of these barrows was opened, and consisted of a rich black mould, possibly composed of the ashes of the funeral pyres that had been consumed there. It is now distinguished by a clump of trees. Inchtuthil is likewise believed to have been part of the land granted by Kenneth II L (who began his reign in 977,) to Hay, for his bravery in the battle of Luncarty ; and his descendants possessed it till the be- ginning of the seventeenth century. William, Fifth Earl of Er*^ rol, (who succeeded in 1506,) was in his father's lifetime designed William of Caputh, and Master of Errol." Cairnmure, or the Big Cairn, is about a mile and a-half norths east of the church, and is the largest in the county, being 456 feet in circumference, and 14 feet in height. It formerly gave nanm to the property in that district, but its origin and use are quite unknown. At some distance to the south-west, stands jaaotber, G76 PERTHSHIRE. 357 feet in circumference, and 14 feet high. In a line with thes«r^ two, and at the same distance, there is a third of a smaller si Near the burying ground there are the remains of a catm, where probably a cross had once been erected in Popish times, as th place is still called Crosscairn. Near the top of the craig of Steo- — ton, (a remarkable detached conical hill, about a mile west fromr^^ the church,) is a place called Kemp's Hold, or the Soldier's Fast- ness, bearing evident marks of having been a fortified spot. About two miles north of the church, in a very elevated situation, between the farms of East and West Cuilt, there is a small Druidical circle. Beside it are two larger stones, deeply sunk in the ground ; the top of the lowest is artificially formed into an inclined plane, facing the south, and contains a number of small cavities, which may have been used by the Druids in the performance of religious rites. Mansion- Houses, — The principal residences of proprietors are, Delvine House, the seat of Sir John Muir Mackenzie, Bart.^ a plain, but commodious building, and placed in a most beautiful and sheltered situation, on the extremity of the remarkable table* land before-mentioned. Meikleour House, the seat. of Lady Keith, on the north bank of the Tay, a little above its junction with the Isla, and opposite Kinclaven Church. Snaigow House, the seat of the late James Keay, Esq. Advocate, recently erected, upon the model of the Enolish baronial style of building, about two miles north of the church. A little to the north of Snaigow is Kincairney House, the seat of Mungo Murray, Esq. Glen- delvine House, the seat of James Valentine Haggart, Esq. S.S.C. is at present erecting (183J>,) on a similar style with Snaigow, about a mile north-east of the church. Stenton House, belonging to Captain Beaumont, opposite to Murthly Castle, on the Dun- keld road, one mile west of the church. Hillhead, belonging to Dr Henry Fisher, an elegant building, on the summit of the brae, on the east of Dunkeld, romantically overlooking the town, the river, the bridge, and ducal palace, and commanding a panoramic view of the adjacent scenery. Manufactures, — Happily for the peace and purity of our quiet rural population, no spinning mills have yet been erected ; neither is any great public work going on at present in this parish. HI. — Population. The population does not appear to have varied much during the last half century, and for the last twenty years has been nearly Stat onary. This is owing to the absence of all feus, and the so- CAPUTH. 677 Veral villages being the properties of the respective land-owners, which they have built chiefly for the accommodation of their own labourers and tradesmen. The population given by Dr Webster in 1755, was . . 2048 As taken by the Kev. William Innerarity in 1784-85, . 2023 By ditto, . . . 1791-02, . 2045 Aceording to Parliamentary census of 1811, males, 1062, females, 1198, 2260 1821, 1094, 1213,2307 1831, 1123, 1180,2303 There are several villages in the parish, containing from 10 to 60 families. The largest is Spittal field, upwards of a mile east- ward of the church, in which is the parish school. It is entirely the property of Sir John M. Mackenzie, and contains nearly .SOO inhabitants. The next in size is Caputh, including all the houses adjacent to the church, occupied by 250 persons. The next is Meikleour, the property of Lady Keith, five miles east of the church, containing nearly 200. The average of births fur last seven years, . 5*24- of marriages, . . 17^ of deaths, about . . .16 Number of illegitimate births for the last three years, 1 per annum. The principal, and almost sole permanently resident heritor, is Sir John M. Mackenzie of Delvine ; of the others, a few reside only during the summer months ; and the rest are scarcely ever seen on their properties, or care to be kept in remembrance hy any good deed done in the parish. Language. — The Stormont dialect, of course, prevails, in which the chief peculiarity that strikes a stranger is the pronunciation of the Scotch oo as ee^ poor being pronounced peer^ moon rtieen^ aboon abeerij &c. The Gaelic is not spoken by any of the natives ; but not a few Highland servants have of late been engaged by farmers and others who understand the English or Scotch very imperfectly, and who thereby occasion some annoyance to the mi- nister in his parochial rounds of visitation and examination. Habits. — The people are quiet and industrious, remarkable for their kind and benevolent disposition towards one another, and re- taining much of the old rural simplicity and frankness in their manners. In general they are sober, temperate, and exemplary in their habits ; and were it not for the very culpable conduct of those in authority licensing so many public houses, intemperance would be unknown among them. But so long as a license is granted to every man who takes it into his head to sell whisky, and rob thoughtless tradesmen and labourers of their hard-won earnings, dissipation and immorality must spread and prevail among the lower classes, and the country become the haunts of vice as muc\v as \\\e 678 PKRTHSHIRIC. towns. A road extends straight through the heart of this parisbf of eleven miles in length, from Dunkeld to the Bridge of Isla. On that line of road there are seven (and were lately eight) pablio- houses ! Can all these be necessary ? or is it possible for servants driving their master's horses along this road to resist these seven temptations, if they have a sixpence in their pockets ? IV. — Industry.* There is now very little undivided common in the parish. Rent of Land. — The rent of the arable land ranges from about L. 1 to L. 3 per imperial acre. The average rent of land in the parish is probably about L. 1, 15s. The best soil, and conse* quently the highest rented, lies along the north bank of the Tay. Husbandry. — In no part of the surrounding country has the style of husbandry more rapidly advanced. All the recent im- provements have been eagerly adopted, and are generally practised* Ground bones have been largely applied ever since they were 6rst introduced as a manure into Scotland ; it is of the greatest advan- tage, on account of the distance from the weightier manures, as it enables the farmer to pursue a more extensive system of green cropping, and consequently of keeping and feeding more sheep and cattle on the farm. This, as well as common manure, has been ap])lied at Delvine as a top-dressing to the pasture grass with the most beneficial effect ; bone dust, at the rate of 20 bushels per acre, and common manure at the rate of 15 tons per ditto. Mr James Listen, Hallliole, in this parish, some years ago, in- vented a very efficient and economical apparatus for dibbling bone manure, which he attached both to double and single turnip sowing machines. A great many of these have now been made, and old machines altered agreeable to Liston's plan, and found to answer well. These divide the bone manure most equally, at -my rate from 7 to 20 bushels (or even upwards) per acre, and in small quantities at any given number of inches apart. (See Quarterly Journal of Agriculture.) Draining. — Smith's (of Deanston Works) method of frequent draining and deep ploughing is vet but partially known in the dis- trict ; but will unquestionably in a few years be generally and pro- fitably applied, especially in the higher parts of the parish, where the subsoil is close and retentive, and the harvests generally late. From the results already experienced of this system in those places where it has been adopted, it seems the best calculated to effect a • The writer is indebted for the article Industry lo Mr George Bell, Factor, DcU CAPUTH. 679 great improvement, not only in the labouring of the soil, but also in the quantity and quality of the crops ; and it is presumed that proprietors can in no way more effectively and permanently pro-r mote at once their own, and the interest of the tenant, than by giving liberal encouragement to carry it into full operation. Embanking. — After sudden thaws or heavy rains the Tay fre- quently rises to a great height, and is therefore liable to inundate the low grounds along its sides. At Del vine it rose in 1831 Bfteen feet above the lowest mark there in 18*26. The late Sir Alexander Muir Mackenzie, and Lady Keith, raised embankments to a great extent, and on the most scientiBc principles ; these, with self-acting flood valves on the drains, &c. now completely protect these estates from all ordinary inundations of the river. Live»Stock, — The cattle are of a mixed breed. The larger and finer breeds of Teeswater (short-horned) and Ayrshire being intro* duced among the original stock, which were principally of the Angus-shire dodded cattle, have much improved it. They grow to a good size, are early fattened, and are generally sold in Blair- gowrie, for supplying the London, Glasgow, and Edinburgh mar- kets. Horses. — The local agricultural associations have done much for the improvement of the breed of horses for agricultural pur- poses, by awarding high premiums for the best Clydesdale horses to travel the district. Sheep, — Many of the farmers are getting into the way of keep- ing a few Leicester sheep, which, from the high price of wool, and the beneft these are to the land, are rather a profitable stock. Others of them purchase what is termed a flying stock in the autumn. These are in general three year old wethers, which they feed off* on their turnip, and sell them the following spring ; but what is more general, the farmers let their turnip with fodder, to graziers and others, to be eaten down by sheep. The sheep husbandry is much approved of, and found very profitable on dry soil. Swine. — There is a great variety of breeds of swine. However, the large mill swine are most sought after from the great size they grow to, but the American and the original Highland breed are of much better quality. Wages. — The wages of a common farm-servant vary from L. 12 to L. 14, with board and lodging ; and those of women ser- vants from L. 5 to L. 7 for the year ; labourers fronr 8s. to lOs. 680 PERTHSHIRE. per week ; women employed in field-work, from 8d. to lOd. per day ; carpenters and masons from 12s. to 18s. per week. Leases and Farm Buildings. — The leases on farms of mode- rate size are generally for nineteen years. The farm buildings have been much improved of late, and are now good and commo- dious. Quarries. — At Newtyle, on the Dunkeld or Atholl estate, and about two miles to the eastward of Dunkeld, a slate quarry has been extensively wrought for many years. The colour is a beau- tiful dark blue, and the quality durable. There is abundance of good limestone in many parts of the parish. On the Gourdie estate limestone has been most extensively burnt, to the great ad- vantage of the adjoining country. The quality is good, and lime might be sold at a moderate price, but for the expense of the coal, which hitherto has been carted from Perth, a distance of seventeen miles ; however, coal may now be procured at Cupar Angus, which will shorten the carriage about one-half. The construction of the kilns is such (bat the manager of the works, some years ago, ob- tained a premium from the Highland Society. Fisheries, — There are several fishing stations on the Tay and also on the Isla. However, I am sorry to say, that the farm-ser- vants in the parish may now safely omit a clause in their Engage- ments, in former days regularly inserted, namely, that they were not to be offered fish oftener than three times a-week. V. — Parochial Economy. Market-Towns. — There is no market- town in the parish. Th^ nearest are, Dunkeld, five miles west from the church ; Blairgowrie^ seven miles north-east ; Coupar- Angus, ten miles east; and Perth^^ the county town, twelve miles south. Means of Communication^ §'c. — Dunkeld is the post-town, andU- a daily runner between that and Delvine House accommodates alR- within the intermediate distance. The only turnpike road in the parish is that between the boat- of Caputh and Dunkeld, a distance of five miles, which is beauti* fully Macadamized, and is allowed to be the finest approach to the splendid scenery of Dunkeld. There is an excellent statute- labour road from the church to the bridge of Isla, six miles in length, another branching off northward to Clunie, and a third, branching off the latter, by Snai^ow and Loch of the Lows, to Dunkeld, all kept in constant and thorougii repair, so that every part of this extensive parish is easy of access. There is no coach or public CAPUTH. 681 "Conveyance, that runs through any part of this parish, — which is a source of inconvenience to travellers. About four years ago, a railway was projected between Perth and Dunkeld, which would have passed by Stanley mills, and then have crossed the Tay, aod run westward through a great part of Caputh. But upon a survey being made, the estimated expense was found far to exceed any profits ever likely to be realized by it, and the scheme has therefore been dropt. Had it succeeded it would have been of very great advantage, not only to this p^rt of the Stormont, but to a great part of the Highlands, by saving carriage and cheapen- ing fuel. Bridge^ BoatSy Sfc — The Tay, bounding the parish entirely upon the south, and the Isla on the east, must have presented a great obstacle to traffic in former times, when there were no bridges, and but very indifferent boats. Now that obstacle is greatly reme- died, if not entirely removed. Since the last Account was written two splendid bridges have been built, and two boats of a novel and ingenious construction have been erected, at the most suitable places on these rivers. The elegant and spacious bridge of Dun- keld, erected by the late Duke of Atholl in 1809, supplies the place of a dangerous ferry, which long existed a little to the east of it, called Eastferry. Nearly about the time that this commo- dious outlet was formed at the west end of the parish, another was opened at the eastern extremity, by a bridge thrown over the Isla, a little above its junction with the Tay, and which connects the Perth and Blairgowrie roads. Again, at Caputh Ferry, opposite the church, in the centre between these two extremes, in place of the common chain-boat which formerly plied there, in 1834, a boat was erected, under the superintendence of the late Sir Alex- ander Muir Mackenzie of Delvine, consisting of a large platform placed upon two long narrow-pointed boats lying parallel to each other and at several feet distant, which, by a simple machinery, are made to present their sides to the action of the stream, and are thus propelled to either side of the river, and the greater the strength of the current, the more rapid the conveyance across. A chain is also stretched across the river, and which, passing over a fly-wheel fixed to the side of the platform, keeps the boat in a straight course. It is capable of taking in four loaded carls at one time, without unyoking the horses, and the passage is performed in five minutes. By this ferry access is obtained to Perth by Stanley, the former being distant from the boat eleven miles and 682 PERTHSHIRE. tliree-quarters, and the latrer, four miles and a-balf.* Another boat after the same model has been very recently placed on the ferry at Meikleour, five miles below Caputh boat, by which the Blairgowrie and Stanley roads are joined. Ecclesiastical Slate. — The church stands on a commanding emi- nence about 400 yards due north of the boat. Though placed near the south border of the parish, and above eight miles from the northern extremity, it could not have been situated more conve- niently, being in the heart of the population, and nearly equidis- tant from the west and eastern extremities. It was built in 1798^ and is a |)lain and commodious structure, seated for 800, but easily containing 1000. It has at this present date (Oct 1839) under- gone considerable repairs and improvements, both internally and externally, and has received a new porch at each end, by which it is rendered more comfortable. The old church stood on the ris- ing ground, called the Mute-hill, about 600 yards west of the pre- sent, and where the burying-ground still is, around which a most substantial new wall is just now building and nearly completed. The ground on which the present church is built was given by the late Sir Alexander M. Mackenzie, on condition that no interment should take place within the new enclosure. There are no seats let, save two or three pews, belonging to a property attached, quoad sacra^ to another parish, let on behoof of the poor at a verj low rate. The heritors subdivide their respective portions among their tenants. But while the ftirmers have accommodation for their families, many of the villagers have no family seats, and arc obliged to press into any empty space they can find. Manse, — The manse was built in 1803, and last year was re- paired and considerably enlarged, and is now a commodious and comfortable habitation. It is situated in a most choice and sbel* tercd spot, having the little wooded brae, on the top of which the old church stood, immediately at its back, concealing it from the Dun* keld road, and the glebe in front stretching down to the river, which is about 200 yards south of it, and the splendid new castle of Murthly, rising among the gigantic trees on^the further bank, and the classic Birnam hill, towering in majestic grandeur in the distance. The offices were built in JdlS, and are in excellent order. The glebe consists of 10-^- Scotch acres of superior arable land contiguous to the Tay, of the yearly value of L. *27. * The inventor and fabricator of this l>oat w«is Mr James Fruser of Dowally. who had shortly before constructed a similar one to ply upon the Tummcl at Logierait* CAPUTH. 683 a 1807, an excambion was made of 16 acres of hill common be- gging to the minister for 8^ acres, lying before the manse, and ow annexed to the east side of the glebe. The stipend was last lodified in 1824 to 255 bolls, 1 firlot, 3} lippies, two-thirds meal, nd one-third barley, with L. 12, Ss. lOd. in money, including J. 8^ 6s. 8d. for communion elements. There is no chapel of ease, nor Dissenting meeting-house of any escriptioD within the parish. The whole population belongs to be Established Church, save nearly 30 Seceders, and 5 or 6 ndependents, and as many Episcopalians ; the latter, and some f the former, usually attending the parish church. The Lord's Supper is dispensed twice a-year, in June and Oc* ober, the number of communicants at the former occasion averag- ng 800, and at the latter, 600. There are upwards of 1 000 com- lunicants altogether. Poor and Parochial Funds, — The church-door collections for be last seven years have averaged L. 80 per annum, exclusive of BTeral very liberal collections for extra purposes, and dues arising rom hearse, mortcloth, &c. Happily as yet no assessment for he poor has been needed ; though the increasing list of paupers oay render this unpleasant mode of raising funds for their support ire long indispensable. There are at present 29 regular paupers eceiving from 4s. to L. 1 per month, besides some who receive Kxasional aid. The only mortification in behoof of the poor was that of Mrs Steel at Ruffel, who, in the year 1536, bequeathed the sum of li. 200 to the kirk-session, the interest of which only is allowed to \e used. The capital is at present in the Edinburgh National Se- 'urity Savings Bank, and, with the consent of the session, the in- erest is chiefly applied to the education of poor children. Education. — There are 5 schools. The parochial school in Spittalfield is well situated, and well attended. The salary is the naximum. The house and garden are good. The school-fees ire, 2s. 6d. for reading; 3s. for reading and writing; 3s. 6d. for irithmetic, &c. ; and 5s. for the higher branches of education. The total amount of fees received by him per annum is about Lt. 18. There is a school in Meikleour, with a house and salary )f L. 5, 5s. from Lady Keith. The three others are in Caputh Tillage, Snaigow, and Butterston, and one on the teacher's own idventure. The means of education are well supplied, and there kFe few, if any, who cannot read, and most can write. Beside the 684 PERTHSHIRE. day schools there are 5 Sabbath schools at the above places re- spectively, attended by upwards of 800 scholars, and which un- doubtedly are instrumental in promoting the religious knowledge and morals of the young. Libraries. — There is also a Sabbath school library on the iti- nerating principle, having a press with books at each school, which are given out to the scholars only on the Sabbath, when the class is dismissing. Once a year the presses are arranged, and moved forward to the next station or school ; and thus one library is sub- divided into five, and a constant interest kept up by the annual change of books. There are at present about 600 volumes siUh gether, and the number is from time to time increased, by means of occasional collections and donations. There are also small vil- lage libraries for more general reading in Caputh, Spittalfield and Meikleour respectively ; but they are now nearly superseded by the Sabbath school library. Savings Banks. — A Savings Bank was established in 1815, but the number of depositors is not great. The young men seem more disposed to become members of friendly societies, of which there are several ; and a good many persons are members of two or three of these at once, and thus, in case of sickness or infirmity, are able to draw from several sources a tolerable support. These societies arc well conducted, and are of incalculable advantage to the work- in \\ is apt to be cold and spouty, as they call it, or abounding in brings, with a subsoil of retentive clay. Mineralogy, — U&eful quarries, for common purposes, are occa- onally opened on almost every estate ; but, except some strata of mestone, which cross the parish in one or two places, there are, I I am given to understand, no mineralogical phenomena of which is worth while to give a detail. Botany^ — The plants are such as are common to the other lo« alities, of which the haughs stretch along the banks of the Tay nd Tummel. The mountain district of the parish on the north f Tummel is, in its character, identical with the other elevated arts of Athole, full lists of whose natural productions, in the de- artment of Botany, occur in the articles of Blair- Athole and ifoulin, already contributed to this work. The trees, to the ;rowth of which the soil and climate are most propitious, are, the irch, with the different varieties of fir cultivated in Scotland, the »ak, the ash, the elm, the beech, the poplar, and the plane. In ome situations, the alder seems, at one time, to have grown very plentifully. In pleasure grounds and gardens, trees and plants of ionsiderable delicacy are found in a thriving state. There are nany specimens of the Acacia. Walnuts frequently ripen ; and i vine, on the southern wall of one of the residences in Strathtay, las been known to yield ripe fruit. There is a remarkable ash- xee in the innkeeper's garden, near the village of Logierait. It measures at the ground 53^- feet in circumference, at three feet Tom the ground 40 feet, and at eleven feet from the ground 22 feet- The height is 60 feet ; but the upper part of the stem ap- pears to have been carried away. The height is said to have been, at one time, nearly 90 feet. The trunk is hollow from the base, and can contain a large party. This venerable stem is sur- mounted by a profusion of foliage, which, even in the advanced age of the tree, attracts the eye at a distance to its uncommon proportions. An old man of the age of one hundred is at pre- seutinthe habit of taking his seat daily within the hollow formed by its three surviving sides, — no unsuitable companion to the ve- getable relic ! Zoology. — The animals are such as are common to the neigh- bourhood. Squirrels are extremely numerous in the 'woods and plantations. 688 PERTHSHIRE. II. — Civil History. This parish does not appear to have been (he scene of any event of historical importance. The people, however, seem to have taken much interest, and commonly to have taken a part in transactions which have made Athole, as a province, so cele- brated in Scottish history. The names of Stewart, Robertson, and Murray, are very frequent, and speak to the part which the natives must be supposed to have acted in times of commotion, and more particularly in the Jacobite wars. There were 600 prisoners sent hither from the battle of Gladsmuir by Lord George Mur- ray. Stewart of Ballechin, chamberlain to the Marquis of Athole, took possession of the Castle of Blair- Athole at the beginning of Viscount Dundee's insurrection, and fortiBed it for King James. He rendered completely abortive a mission of the Marquis's eldest son to his father's tenants, for the purpose of securing their aeu« trality, and refusing the young nobleman admission to his own fa- ther's house. In the battle of Killiecrankie, a son or nephew of this person, who is said to have been a clergyman, distinguished himself by prodigies of strength. He cut down (as tradition says) Brigadier Balfour with an enormous two-handed sword, which he used with such vigour and application throughout the day that, it is said, his hand could only be extricated from the basket-hilt by cutting away the net-work. Court of Regality at Logierait. — The jurisdictions of the House of Athole were very extensive down to late times. They were ad- ministered by a commissary and other officers. Logierait was the seat of court. And there are scattered around the neighbourhood a variety of memorials of the formidable power exercised coder their authority, in the names of Bal-na- Maoir, ** the town of the rogue-takers ;" Tom-na'Croichy " the gallows-hill," &c. Tbe^ are, I am sorry to understand, no records extant of the proced^^ of the Court, although there is a record, in good preservatioDf ^ the jurisdiction of the same family in their barony of Hunti^^' tower. Justice — such justice as was then current — seem? • have been dispensed with much energy by the Lords of Ath- ^ ^ within their Regality Court of Logierait, down to the fartl^ ^ date at which such power could be exercised with any safety, (^^ that at leasty if there be truth in the following anecdote : — Soc^^ where about the year 1745, Lord President Forbes happening be on a visit at Blair Castle, was told by the Duke of an appli- tion, strongly backed, for mercy to a poor fellow whom his Co -^^ LOOIERAIT. 689 nissary at Logierait had sentenced to be hanged. ^* But you know/' said the President, *^ that mercy belongs to the King, and cannot be extended by a judge after sentence." To which the Duke's answer is said to have been a peremptory express (ordered within hearing of the Lord President) to his commissary, to set the criminal immediately at liberty. But by this time we suppose the l^^ality of Athole had sunk into a plain Court of Barony, where law was statedly administered by a bailie and commissary within memory. I find in the session records some strange in- stances of application, on the part of the session, to the commis- sary, to grant warrant against and imprison parties under scandal for refusing to delate or compear, e, ^., 24th February 1717. ^^ The minister reported he frequently conversed with Elspet Kennedie to no purpose ; that she continued stubborn and unruly, until that he procured a warrant from his Grace the Duke of Athole to incarcerate her in the common jail of Logierait; and af^ she was brought by a party to the place, finding no relief, she procured James Stewart, miller in Pitnacre, to bail for her submission to the session," &c There was here a court-house of such ample proportions, that the principal hall is said to have been the noblest apartment in Perthshire in its time. The building, in a ruinous state, is still well remembered ; and the justiciary hall is said to have been upwards of seventy feet in length, with galleries at the ends. The powers possessed by Courts of Regality, which, as the name denotes, was royal, and almost unbounded, must have been sufficiently terrible, in such hands, for example, as those of the famous Wolf of Bade- noch, whose le^al reign embraced the lordship of Athole and Badenoch, and extended from Strathspey to Loch Katrine. Antiquities. — In the neighbourhood of the village, there are the . ruins of an ancient building, said to have been a castle or hunting- seat of King Robert III. The royal residence may be traced in the names oi Bcd-na-gardj " the guard's town;" King's Stables; Glaic^an-riffh, or " King's hollow,'' which are names of places in (he neighbourhood. King's Stables is the name of a spot about 800 yards to the west of the ruin. In digging into a hollow for Soil and decayed vegetable matter near the place, the tenant, some ^ars ago, found a causewayed floor, at the depth of several feet below the surface, from which he picked up the iron of a small l^itcbfork of antique appearance. The place is again filled up, ^ad the stones were most likely in part displaced. Two copper PBBTU. X X 690 PRRTHSmilE. eoins are in the same person's possession, and bearing apparently the date 1070. They were found in the field between the King's Stables and the ruins of King Robert's castle. G&itc-ait-rt^i^ is a hollow way, cut through the side of a steep eminence, which fonns part of the glebe. This is supposed to have been the ac* cess to the royal residence, and must have been a work of im- mense labour. There arc, near Middlehaugh, the lines of an encampment, such as are so frequently met with in Perthshire ; and there is, near Aberfeldy, in the parish, an eminence called the Torr or battle- hill, surrounded with similar lines. We have many stones, either single or ranged in circles, and burial-grounds of great antiquity ; but I have discovered nothing remarkable except the stone of Dunfallandy, which was long the object of much superstitious at- tention to the natives. The part of it above ground, for it is much sunk, discovers the grotesque figures of several animals. On one side there is some ambitious tracery and fretted work. The animals arc of nondescript appearance and proportions. The figures are indeed partly decayed or effaced. The human forms bear an awkward rcseniblance to the knave on a pack of cards. On the other side, are two sitting figures, attired, as seems, in priestly vestments, with a tall cross between them. Below is ao armed figure on horseback — most probably some military saint or knin[hl-errant. Such stones are frequently met with, as at Abemethy, St Ma- does, Dunkeld, &c. and are very improperly regarded as Runic monuments. They are in fact rude samples of the Popish rage for sculpture, being always found in connection with the ruins of chapels. There is, at Dunfallandy, another stone still more "celebrated, though presenting nothing to the eye but a rude block, marking the bloody eminence from which the locality derives its name — the scene of a dreadful scene of murder and usurpation. A medal, supposed of Trajan, was found in this neighbourhood, and presented to the late Professor Fergusson of Edinburgh. Eminent Characters. — Dr Adam Fergusson was the son of the Rev. Adam Fergusson, minister of the parish of Logierait. Au- thentic particulars of his life, from information partly collected in this place of his nativity, will be found in the Supplement to the fifth edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica. Of course nothing can now be added to the well-known particulars of the life of so eminent a public character. LOQIERAIT. 691 Robert Bissett, LL.D., author of a Life of Edmund Burke, and of some other publicdtions, was the son of the Rev. Dr Bissett, j^^^^ of this parish. Dr William Dick, of Tullymet, was, during^ many years, a phy- sician of great eminence in the East India establishment It ap-* pears by the following notice of this excellent individual, that he on one occasion laid his country under obligations of no ordinary nature. In a letter to Mrs McLean Clephane, Sir Walter Scott writes, (in J 819, when his life was in danger,) ^^ My health, how- ever, seems in a fair way of being perfectly restored." (After noticing his regimen,) ^' Dr Dick of the East India Company's Service has put me on the course of cure, and says he never knew it fail, unless when the liver was irreparably injured." (Lockhart's Life of Sir Walter Scott, Vol. iv. p. 281.) Sir Walter considered Dr Dick as the preserver of his life ; and has recorded his sense of obligation on a valuable silver inkstand, suitably inscribed, now in possession of the family. iMud-awnerSf with their valued rents ; — The Duke of Atboll, L.148I 10 ScoU. R. Stewart, Esq. of Ballechin, . 910 17 11 J. Menzies of Pitnacree, . 492 13 4 R. S. Flemyng of Killiechasaie, 396 4 MtOor-General Sir R. H. Dick of Tullymet, 353 17 6 Colonel Macdonald of Dalchoisnie, 234 W. S. B. Campbell of Clochfoldich, . 217 11 5 F. G. Campbell of Troup, . 216 5 Archibald Butter of Fascally, . 211 19 4 A. Fergusson of Dumfallaudy, . )91 Mrs M'GIasban of Eastertyre, . 165 J. M-Gregor of Fonab, . 137 < A. Stewart of Findynate, . 129 6 8 J. S. Robertson of Edradynate, . 120 The Marquis of Breadalbane, . 11115 R. D. Macfarlane of Donavourd, . 03 General Robertson of Strowan, . 87 13 4 J. M.' Fergusson of Middlehaugh, . 38 4 J. S. Hepburn, Esq. . 31 The real rental is upwards of L.8000. Ministers of the Parish. — Mr James Moray was admitted 1650, and filled the charge with much acceptance, per varios sui tempo- vis motusj as his epitaph says, till 1 695. This respectable clergy- man was the second son of Patrick Moray of Ochtertyre ; and his ' eldest brother was the first Baronet of that family, (created 1673.) He was succeeded in the parochial charge by his son, Mr Mungo Moray, who died in 1714; and was succeeded by Mr Adam Fer- gusson, ordained minister of Crathie and Braemar in 1702, and admitted to Logierait in 1715. 692 PERTBSHIRE. A variety of procedure occurs in the Presbytery records in relation to this settlement ; as, a counter-presentation by Lord Stormonty claiming to be patron of the parish, in favour of Mr Moncrieff, minister of Methven, *^ a person ignorant of the Irish language ;"anda complaint against Mr George ** Robertson, for in* truding upon the paroch of Logierait, and kirk thereof, praying io express terms for the Pretender,** &c. This person's proceedings seem to have originated in the authority which he conceived him* self to have received from the following strange document, of which I have the original before me : — ** By William Marquess of TuUibardine, " These are ordering and empowering you to preach every Lord's day, and other solemn occasions, in the church of Logiereat, and to exercise all the other parts of the ministerial functions within that parish, as you'll be answerable at your peril ; ffor doing of which this shall be to you a sufficient warrant. Given at Logy* reat the 12th of December 1715 years, ( Signed) Tulltbardj ne." Annexed is the solemn seal of that Noble person. Mr Adam Fergusson officiated in the ministry at Logierait till 1754; when Dr Thomas Bissett was admitted, who died in 1800; and was succeeded by Mr Thomas Menzies, who died in 1831; lie was succeeded by Mr Thomas Buchanan, admitted minister of Methven in November 1841 ; and he by the present incum- bent, inducted Angust 1842. Parochial Eegisters. — The most complete (the volume com- mencing with Mr Menzies's ministry excepted) is a volume con- taining minutes from 1639 to 1664. This volume was reco- vered and restored to the kirk-session by Principal Lee in 1819. The volume had been, it seems, advertised for sale in Mr Con- stable's catalogue, several years before the title attracted Principal Lee's notice ; and when he inquired at Mr Constable how he might be able to trace it, he found that Mr Constable had transferred it from his stock in trade to his own private collection, whence he with- drew it that he might present it to Principal Lee. Shortly there- after, Principal Lee took occasion to replace it in the custody of the kirk-session, in whose records the fact is very properly and grate- fully acknowledged, ^' I considered it at the time when it came into my hands," the Principal observes, " as a curious memorial of the state of the country in the time of the Covenanters, and still look upon it as an important document, though I have examined 4 LOGIERAIT. ()93 many others which enter into much more minute details. The parts of the volume which appeared to me most interesting related to the schools. I have reason to believe that the state of educa- tion in Perthshire was much better from the year 1640 to 1700, than it was from 1740 to 1800." The remaining fragments are from 1672 to 1682, and thereafter with many breaks and lost leaves down to 1714, after which the record is continued with rather more regularity down to the beginning of this century, when it be- comes in all respects more regular and complete. The tempta- tion to abstract the lost volume seems to have been the curious elegance of the penmanship in which the entries are generally made. III. — Population. The population has, during several years, remained nearly sta- tionary. There are very few villages in the parish, and the change in the agricultural system pursued by the landlords has not been so great as to make any .observable diflPerence in the number of the rural population. The population of the parish in 1831 was . 3138 Males, .1483 Females, 1655 The number of inhabited houses is, . 683 ATcrage number of persons in each family from . 4 to 5 The numl>er of houses uninhabited or building, . 32 Population in 1841, . . 2774 There are 4 insane, 5 fatuous, 2 deaf and dumb, 2 blind. Yearly average of births during the l&st seven years, at>out 70 marriages when both parties are in the parish, 9 the man only was in the parish, 5 the woman only in the parish, 4 There is no register of deaths, and it would be exceedingly fal- lacious and unsafe to offer any conjecture on that subject from the mere amount of mortcloth dues, on account of the number of pa- rishioners, who bury in other parishes, and of estra-parochial per- sons, who bury here. It is to be regretted that parents are care- less in the extreme of the privileges and duty of registering the names of their children. The language generally spoken is the Gaelic. It cannot be said to be getting into disuse as the language of the fireside among the common people; but it is falling into manifest decline as a branch of school education. IV, — Industry, Agriculture, — Imperial acres either cultivated or occasionally in tillage, . 5002 which have never been cuUivatedi exclusive of moor, 92094 694 PERTHSHIRE. Imperial acres which are reported aa improvable, but as in some si- tuations wood is displaced to make room for crop, if this system is found to answer, a much greater space may be recorerable for tiUage, Acres in a state of common, . • 766 under wood, 2899 under moor, . 15588 The larch plantations of the Duke of Athole coYer the greater ' part of the ground which is described as under wood. In this situation, they are in the highest degree healthy and thriying ; al- though I should judge from appearance, that thinning is in some cases not sufficiently attended to. In woods of such immense ex- tent, this object is perhaps scarcely attainable, and the thinnings are in some degree according to the demand for materials for fences, &c« Rent of Land. — The rent of arable land in the parish Taries from L.l, 5s. to L.2, lOs. per acre. The haugh lands, on the banks of the Tay and Tummel, give the highest rent, aUhougfa by no means formed of the richest soil in the parish, which is commonly found on the slope ascending above the haughs. The haughs have of course the advantage in point of dryness, easy cul- tivation, and early ripening ; and, when enriched by strong dis- tillery manure, are usually distinguished in the award of premiums for crop. Live Stock. — The breeds of horses and cattle are too generally of the mixed and non-descript character, long established in the district. Spirited examples of a better and more improYed style of breeding have been set, however, of late, both by some of the proprietors and tenants. Horses for improving the breed have been introduced under the auspices of the Weem and Athole Agri- cultural Club. Leicester sheep have, in some instances, replaced the more ordinary breeds with great success. The Ayrshire breed of cattle is preferred on the best farms. An attempt has been made this year to improve in feeding qualities the Ayrshire breeds, by crossing them with a short-horn bull ; but of course nothing can be said decisively as to the result in so short a time. A cow may be grazed at from L.l, 5s. to L.l, 15s. ; a ewe in the parks, at 5s., and on the liill, at Ss. per year. The following may be given as a specimen of the prices of la- bour. Farm-servant's wages, L.14; maid-servant's do., L.6 per year; day labourer without victuals, Is. 6d. ; with. Is. t2d. ; fe- male labourer, 8d. ; journeyman mason, 2s. 6d. ; carpenter, 2s. ; LOGIERAIT. 695 weavers and shoemakers, 10s. per week; tailor, Is. a-day with board. Improvements, — Embanking and draining have been carried on to a great extent in certain situations of late. There are on the banks of the Tay and Tummel, about 6400 roods of embank- ment Waste land is in course of being reclaimed with great activity and skill in almost every district of the parish. In this parish some attention has been paid of late to the improvement of lands under wood. The ground on which the experiments have been made, was formerly planted, for the most part, with Scots fir and oak. The results are said to be, in a considerable degree, promising, and it is possible, that, as the value of coppice has been dciclining from a variety of causes, there may be inducements elsewhere to the adoption of a similar practice where the soil chan- ces to be worthy of redemption. The method adopted is to contract in the month of August to trench such a portion of waste and woodland as may be deter* mined on. The trenching is performed to the depth of fourteen inches. The operation is finished about December, so as to give the benefit of the winter frost, to break the rough clods. Early in the ensuing spring, the land is thoroughly drained ; the large stones blasted out; the drains are then filled with the small stones, and the remainder removed to the boundaries of the field for fencing. The land is subsequently twice ploughed, and then drilled for turnips, which are dibbled in with bone-dust at the rate of sixteen bushels per acre. In ordinary seasons, the result is a fair crop of turnips, which are eaten off the ground by a flock of Leicester sheep. The following year, the land is limed with twenty bushels of the best lime per acre, and sown with potato oats and the finest mixed perennial natural grass-seeds. The after-math is then pas- tured with sheep, and the parks, subsequently depastured with that stock, for at least three years before it is broken up for tillage. By this mode of management, it has been found, in some cases, that the capital expended on each field has been redeemed in five years or crops. Obstacles to Improvement. — The only obstacles to the improve- ment of agriculture that I am aware of in this parish are, first, the prevalence of small holdings, and, second, the consequent want of capital to be expended on improvement by that class of agricultu- rists. In many situations, the land islet in little patches, varying 696 PEUTHSHIRE. from one acre to fifteen, to the inhabitants of the neighbouring TiBa* ges or hamlets. The disadvantages of this system are to the land- lord over-cropping, expense in buildings and repairs, sometimes to the amount of five or six years' rent at the commencement of a lease, and the neglect of any improved system of tillage ; and to the tenant, a frequent struggle with difficulties in keeping up ibe skeleton of a little farming establishment, in paying for smith and Wright work, and in combining with the labour of his own land extra jobs as a labourer. This and similar depressing concomi- tants would seem to point out the advantage of a gradual change of system to all parties. I am, however, no friend to the expuK sion of any part of the community not chargeable with crime, and would humbly suggest, that caution, tenderness, and time be used and allowed in the treatment of the hamlet population, and in the alteration of their circumstances. The remedy, I should hope, may in part be left with themselves, as I observe in this class a growing anxiety to educate their children, and to send them from home for improvement and employment — a practice which in many individual cases has resulted in raising their children far above the depressing circumstances in which they began life. Farm-houses and offices are of a very inferior description, as might be expected, unless of very recent erection. But of late great attention has been paid to the improvement of this depart- ment ; and in two or three instances, resident owners of estates have set an example of the most perfect kind of accommodation suitable to a large farm, by the erection of home steadings, or of- fices on the most improved principles, with saw-mills and other fa- cilities for fences and enclosures. The duration of leases is nine, thirteen, and fifteen years. The five-shift raUition of crops is generally adopted by the te- nants of farms, and the four-shift by the cottars. A very few of the farmers practise the six-shift roUition. Produce. — The crops raised are, wheat, producing 9 bolls per Scots acre ; oats, from 5 to 8 do. ; barley, from 5 to 9 do. ; po- tatoes, from 40 to 50 do. ; rye, 9 do. llye is sown in small patches by the tenantry for their own use ; as is also lint, which, forty years ago, occupied perhaps every fourth arable acre in the parish. Tur- nips are extending in breadth every year. The only other crop is clover, the average yield of which may be stated at 200 stones of 2'2 pounds per acre. This crop will, in all probability, sood cease to form part of this rotation, as its produce is rapidly de« LOGIERAIT* ^ 69(r ereasing every year. When first introduced, the second cutting was much more luxuriant than the first at present, and even a third cutting was on good land often obtained. Distilleries. — There are six distilleries at work in the parish. The consumption is about 32,565 bushels of malt yearly, from which there are distilled 65,087 gallons of spirits, paying a net duty to Government (before the late addition) of L.8678, 5s. 4d. It deserves to be stated, in fairness, that the result of late inqui- ries as to the interference of these distilleries with the sanctification of the Sabbath, was very creditable to the Christian feeling of the several partners ; and that the near neighbourhood of distilleries does slightly affect the morals of the parish, but, owing to some regulation, less, on the whole, than might have been supposed. Edinburgh and Dundee, and occasionally Glasgow, are the markets to which the spirits are .chiefly sent ; but an increasing quantity is now consumed in Perth and Perthshire. The duty on malt is not included in the above estimate of the revenue paid to Govern- ment. At the time when the inquiries were directed to the dis- tilleries, the duty on malt was 2s. 7d. per bushel, and on spirits 2s. 8d. per gallon. The whole malt is distilled within the parish, and the malt dutv is to be estimated with the drawback. About one-third of the barley consumed is the produce of the parish. V. — PARocHii\L Economy. Villages. — The village of Logierait, near the church, contains a population of about ] 50 persons, and the portion of Aberfeldy which belongs to this parish may contain nearly 300. The village of Logierait is almost ruinous, and the only relic of its former very considerable importance is an annual fair on the 22d of August. Wester Aberfeldy is improved with a number of excellent new houses and shops. Means of Communication. — Strathtay has the convenience of an excellent turnpike road. At Logierait, the communication with this road is by two ferries, one on the Tay, and the other on the Tummel. These ferries connect the Strathtay road with the great road to Inverness on the north, and with that to Breadalbane, (from Dunkeld) on the south. There are good ferry-boats. That on the Tummel is of novel construction, adapted by the artist and inventor, Mr James Frazer, mill-wright, Dowally, to the charac- ter of the river. It is a fly-bridge, consisting of two boats placed along-side of each other, at the distance of a few feet, and con* oecting amid-ships by a platform, moveable on pivots, placed over 698 PERTHSHIRE. the centre of each boat, and by- a conDecting moTeable rod fas» tened to the stern heads. The vessel is slipped across on a chain, — there being a suitable apparatus for changing the relative posi- tions of the boats and platform. The main improvement on the action of the common ferry-boat is, by setting the boats below ip an oblique position to the stream, when, if the boats are placed so as to receive the impulse of the current on the larboard bows, they will be moved gently to the starboard across the river, and, by shifting" their position till the stream impinges on the starboard bows, the bridge will return to the point from whence it started, and that without any assistance of manual labour. There is a swing-boat on another part of the river ; but the near vicinity of a bridge lately erected has caused it to be, in a great measure, dis> used. There is a fourth regular ferry in the parish. There is a post daily, with the exception of Tuesday. Ecclesiastical State, — The parish church I regard as, under pre- sent circumstances, conveniently situated. It is within half a mile of the junction of the Tay and the Tummel, and within a few hundred yards of the two principal ferries. As about a third of the population is located on the farther side of the Tummel ferry, and as a considerable number of the parishioners of Little Dunkeld are located in a parallel situation to this parish on the south side of the Tay ferry, there can be no doubt of the convenience of the situation of the church, in so far as they are concerned. On the other hand, the length of Strathtay, at nearly the extreme end of which the church is placed, renders the situation, in some respects, inconvenient to the inhabitants of that district, who, in conse- quence, are partly driven to seek such accommodation as they can find in the parish church of Weern and the chapel of Grandtully. Frequent interruption to regularity of attendance occurs in winter from the swollen slate of the rivers, by which the ferries are ren- dered impracticable. Otherwise, there is a very commendable at- tention paid by all classes, and, I may add, by all religious deno- minations in the district to sacred ordinances. The church was finished in 1806, and is in a good state of repair. It accommo- dates 1000 persons. The manse was built in 1804; it has since received extensive additions in the kitchen and servants' depart- ment. In 1833, sufficient and substantial offices were built. The glebe consists of four acres and a half Scots, exclusive of grass for two cows. The stipend amounts to sixteen chalders, half meal and half barley, at the highest fiars prices for the county, with L.10 LOOIEBAIT. 699 for communion elements. The Parliamentary church of Ranno(;b embraces, quoad sacroy the part of the parish which is situated in that remote district. There is no chapel of ease, missionary, or catecfaist. There is an Episcopal chapel, and also a Baptist meeting-house. There are in this parish 50 Episcopalians, 30 Baptists, 10 Independents, and 2 Roman Catholics. There were distributed this year the following sums for religious and charita- ble objects, and I consider the amount as fairly proportionate to the resources of the parish, as well as an average specimen of what is done] in this department: Perth Infirmary, L.8; India Mis- sion, L.5; Assembly's Schools, L.5; Church Extension, L.4; Colonial Churches, L.4 ; parish Sabbath schools, L.5 ; circular tion of missionary intelligeuce, L.2 ; total, L.dd. There have also been collected among different denominations for the Branch Bible Society at Dunkeld sums ranging from L.IO to L.16 per annum, during a number of years. The provision and outlay for the poor is, on an average, as follows : Collections, L.50, 6s. 4d. ; interest of stock of L.150, L.6; church dues, mortcloth, dona- tions, &c., L.32, 14s. S^d. ; extraordinary provision for idiot poor, L.18L At present none is supported in any asylum. There are on the poor's roll commonly about 32 persons, ex- clusive of Parliamentary district ; and the number of persons oc- casionally relieved is about 12. The monthly allowance varies firom 2s. 6d. to 4s. A very few cases are relieved to the amount of 6s. monthly. Education, — There is one parish school, one free or endowed school, and there are eight adventure schools ; total number of scholars receiving the benefit of a common education, 634. The parish school is endowed with the maximum salary, and L.5 yearly from the rents of the bishoprick of Dunkeld. Stewards Free School^ Strathtay, — David Stewart was a native of Strathtay. Removing to Edinburgh in early life, a poor lad, he found employment in the family of one of the Barons of Ex- chequer, and subsequently became a macer in that court. Be- sides leaving funds, which are soon to become available for the endowment of an hospital in Edinburgh, he left a sum for the purchase of six acres of land, and the erection of a school-house, for the encouragement of education in his native district, with the interest of L.2500 for the support of a master and assistaut, ^nd the supply of stationery and prizes. The duties of the trustees and masters are ascertained by the contents of a deed containing 700 PERTHSHIRE. a variety of useful iustructions. Here nearly 200 scholars annually receive, gratis, the benefit of a most excellent education in the ordinary branches. A similar endowment, that should put the northern wing of the parish on a footing with Strathtay, would, in addition to the parochial school, form an ample provision for the educational necessities of this wide-spread parochial charge. The scholars throughout the parish are in the proportion of 360 males to 270 females. Persons that cannot read, above fifteen years of age, 50. There are two sewing-schools on a Society sa- lary. About 50 girls attend. There are six Sabbath schools, which are taught gratis, either by the ordinary teachers, by mem- bers of the kirk-session, or other qualified individuals. It is deemed advisable to teach them on a uniform and very simple system. Each teacher is provided with a small manuscript book, prepared by the minister, in which are marked, under several pe- riods, a series of Scripture lessons, adapted to give a general and consecutive view of the Bible history. The principal dates, with numeral references to the chapters or parts of chapters illustrative of each period, as also to the prophecies delivered under each, are alone entered in the manuscript. A rigorous, patient, and minute examination on each portion of Scripture read forms the chief exercise, and is entrusted to the teachers under the occa- sional and periodical supervision of the minister. The Shorter Catechism is gone over, by very minute portions at a time, in the same way. Memory -work is in a great measure dispensed with, except as connected with intellection and reference ; the first end in view being to lead the young to a habit of reading the Scriptures with attention and understanding. There are 230 scholars in attendance on six Sabbath schools. Friendly Societies, — The Strathtay Farmers' Friendly Society commenced in January 1826. Since that time, 620 members have been entered in their books, including about 50 honorary members, who derive no benefit from it. It has paid upwards of L.1000 to the objects of its institution, and has about as much more at interest. It allows 4s. a- week for the first sixteen weeks of a member's illness, 3s. for the next like period, and 2s. so long as he may continue on the invalid list. The Athole Wrights' Brotherly Society was instituted at Logie- rait in 1812. 676 members have since been entered on the books. Expended L.256B. Present slock at interest, L.1148. There are at present 13 men and 4 widows receiving seasonable support from the fund. LOGIERAIT. 701 Saving^ Bank. — At Aberfeldy there is a Savings' bank. It was instituted in 1883. There is but a small portion of this pa- rish which has the privilege of depositing, by which nearly L.200 have been deposited and about L.70 withdrawn. Inns and Ale-houses, — There are two inns and seven ale-houses ; of the latter description certainly by far too many. The Feill* ma-choitj (Sacred festival of St Machutus?) was once a very con- siderable market ; and there is a small cattle-market at Pitnacree in spring. Fuel. — Fuel is scarce and expensive. It consists of oak-cut- tings, at about 5s. ; peat, at Ss. ; coal from Perth, at about L.1, 5s« a cart, including carriage. There are eight meal-mills, two flax, two saw-mills, and one for the manufacture of potato-starch. General Observations. The march of learning, and, in some respects, uf real im- provement, since the last Statistical Account was published, is very noticeable. Then, linen yarn was the staple article of ex- port and manufacture, bringing into the parish yearly nearly L.3000 Sterling. Now, there is no reason to suppose that a single stone of lint is in any shape exported from the parish. Then, the philabeg and tartan hose were commonly worn. Now, this dress is almost never seen. " Many of the young women," says the former statist, *' had printed cotton gowns and duflle cloaks." Now, silks and cloth pelisses are, I sus- pect, as common as those luxuries of dress then were. Seve- ral of the farmers and handicraftsmen had then clocks in their houses, and many of the young men wore watches. Now, the rarity would be to find a house without a clock, and a young roan without a watch. Then, there were 3000 arable acres in the parish ; now, the number is 5000. Then, the rents amounted to less than L.8000 ; now, these amount to about upwards of L.8000, exclusive of land in the hands of proprietors. Then, the fields, whether in crop or in pasture, were generally open ; now, there is hardly an arable field that is not inclosed. Then, the people were praised for their aversion to litigations : now, no dispute can be adjusted out of the legal courts. But why pursue the parallel ? Since the result of such comparisons is ever the same, indicating a regular progression in physical and economical amelioration, with the drawback of a too certain retrogression from the blessings of contentment and simplicity. November 1842. PARISH OF WEEM. PKESBYTBRY OF WEEM^ SYNOD OF PERTH AND STIRLING. THE REV. ALEXANDER CAMPBELL, MINISTER. L — Topography and Natural History. Name, — The name of this parish must imdoubtedly have been derived from the Gaelic word, uamh or uamha, signifying a cave. But of the cave, which was the origin of the name» and is said to have afforded frequent shelter to the lawless and oppressed, no trace whatever is now to be found. Extent, jfc. — It would be difficult to give any thing like an ac- curate account of the extent of this parish, from the manner in which it is disjoined and intersected by others. The following remarks on the separate parts may, however, be suitably in- troduced. Glenlochay, — Several extensive farms of this parish are in this glen, which runs north-west of the village of Killin, and is thinly inhabited for an extent ofeight miles; and even these farms are disjoined and intermixed with other parishes. There is here a considerable quantity of good arable land, but the whole district is chiefly pastoral. The grazings are excellent ; and some of the stocks of sheep reared in it are said to be seldom equalled, and scarcely surpassed, in the prices which they bring in the markets of the south. The intersecting and bounding parishes are those of Kenmore and Killin. Achmore, — This district, of which the eastern boundary is nearly in a straight line south from the parish church of Killin, extends more than two miles eastward, first for a short way on the south bank of the river Dochart, and then of Lochtay. It also is chiefly pastoral. A considerable part is wooded, and the greater part is in the possession of the proprietor. The parishes which bound it are the preceding. Crannich. — This district extends about two miles on the north side of Lochtay, somewhat nearer the west end of it, and is bound- 3 WEEM. 703 ed, east and west, by the parish of Kenmore. It now belongs to the Marquis of Breadalbane, but once belonged to the family of Menzies ; as it appears^ from the history of that family, that in the fourteenth century, Sir Robert de Maynoers or Meyners got " from David de Strathbolgy, Earl of Athole, and Constable of Scotland, the lands of the Thanage of Cranach in Desewer^ in vice de Perth ;*' and this, with other similar facts, may furnish an explanation of the disjoined state and great distance of several parts of this parish. Ghrdyon. — A continuous district of this glen, of some miles in extent, under the general name of the Rorosj is in the parish of Weem, besides some other extensive farms, which are detached, and somewhat distant from this larger part. The whole is inter* sected and bounded by parts of the parish of FortingaU NewhalL — Newhall and Sticks, on the south side of the river Tay, and between the villages of Kenmore and Aberfeldy, may be said to be all included in the grounds of Taymouth Castle. There is, however, a considerable population here, consisting wholly of the work people employed by the proprietor. These parts are inters sected and bounded by the parishes of Dull and Kenmore. Comrie. — The ancient barony of Comrie, hitherto consisting of several small farms and holdings, and lying on the south side of the river Lyon, near the point at which it falls into the Tay, is now becoming the chief agricultural farm of the proprietor, the Mar- quis of Breadalbane. The ruins of the old family castle stand on the banks of the river, in a state of considerable preservation* This part is bounded by the parishes of Kenmore and Fortin- gall. Glenquaich. — There is a district of considerable extent and po- pulation belonging to the parish of Weem, on both sides of the river in this glen, through which the road from Kenmore to Crieff, the market-town of all that district, passes. Here are supposed to be some of the highest cultivated lands in Perthshire, which produce little else than straw in very late seasons, but which are not deficient in early harvests, either in quantity or quality of grain. This glen is always bleak, and often exceedingly stormy in winter, and almost all ingress and egress is sometimes cut off by snow ; but at other seasons, it presents to the lover of pure natu* * In GaeliC) DeUearach or Deit-thireach, is a common name for the north side pf Locbtay, and is sometimes applied to any place with a southern exposure. 7C4 PERTHSHIHE. ral scenery, no unintereresting appearance.* Descending, at the west end of it» from the heights of the Kenmore road, towards the end of summer or begining of autumn, and looking eastward oo its lake, its green meadows, its fields beginning to take their yellow tinge, and its sloping sides in many places clothed in green grass to the top, unwooded as it is, he will find much to admire. A re* markable feature in the scene is, a ridge of hills at the lower end, stretching from north to south, and appearing to be so united to the sides, like the base of a triangle, that the eye would seem to look in vain for a tract by which the waters could escape, or where roads could be found ; and hence must have arisen its name of Glenquaich, from the resemblance which it bears to a basin or cup, to which Cuach and Quaich are the corresponding terms in Gaelic and in Scotch. Murthly^ on the south bank of the Tay, and near'a mile east from Aberfeldy, is bounded, east and west, by the parish of Dull. Weem. — This part^ by much the most populous, extends about a mile and a half on the north bank of the Tay, and is bounded by the parishes of Logierait and Dull. The only probable reason which can be assigned for this dis- joined and intersected state of the parish of Weem, and of several neighbouring parishes, has been already given, and will further ap- pear from an account of the Menzies family, to have been the de- sire of proprietors to connect their properties with their own parish church ; but all the disadvantages which might be apprehended have not arisen from this inconvenient arrangement, as it has been and continues to be, the practice of ministers to perform many, and in some instances all, of the ministerial duties among those who are near them, though they be not their parishioners. Mountains. — The greater part of the south side of Benlawers is in Crannich Lochtavside, and all the north side is in Roro Glenlyon. This mountain, which is 4015 feet above the level of the sea, is the highest in Perthshire, and among the highest in Scot- land. Though all the divisions of the parish are hilly, no other part requires particular notice except the rock of Weem. It is at least 600 feet above the low grounds around Castle Menzies at the foot of it, is beautifully wooded, and in some places rises up so steep, as to be almost perpend icular.-|- It may safely be pro- * In a small publication, called the Geography of the Holy Land, by the Rev. David Esdaile, it is stated that some travellers compare the scenery of Amutreei in Glenquaich, to the locality of Jerusalem. f The following anecdote has been told of the late incumbent of this parish, who WEEM. 705 nounced one of the grandest objects of the kind in Scotland, and it may be wondered that it has not been a resort for travellers, as the fine view from its top would amply repay their labour in climbing it. Castle Menzies, with its rich haughs of Appin, a great part of Lochtay, and the towering summits of Benlawers and Benmore, the highest points of that line of the Grampians, are the most striking objects on the west side ; Aberfeldy with the wooded den of Moness, and the rich and beautiful valley of Strathtay, with its circle of hills behind, and a higher and more extended circle of Atholl hills beyond them, on the east side ; while the windings of the Tay, from west to east, enliven the whole of this interest- ing scene. Hydrography. — There is a tine spring about the middle of the rock of Weem, with which the superstitious notion had been once connected, that St David, the patron of it, on receiving a suitable offerings would grant such wishes as were preferred to him. The spring was cleaned out a few years back, and several proofs of wishes preferred were found in it, from a half-crown piece down to far more humble offerings. Tradition relates of this guardian saint, that he was one of the lairds of the place who had turned monk, and that he had a chapel on a shelf of the rock, still called Craig an-fsheapaily or the chapel rock. Loch Tay is the principal lake connected with this parish, but there are two hill lakes of considerable size on an extensive farm, called Lochs in Glenlyon. The river Dochart rises on the borders of Argyleshire, and receives the waters of the Lochay, which rises in the western hills of the glen of that name, very near the west end of Loch Tay, into which it flows. The river, on issuing from the east end of the lake, takes the name of Tay, receives the Lyon between Taymouth and Caslle Menzies, and the Quaich after taking the name of Bran, a little above Dunkeld. The name both of the river and of the lake has most probably been derived from the Gaelic word Teth, which may signify either hot or warm ; and the well-known fact, that Loch Tay is never known to freeze during coldest winter, must have procured this name for it, and for the river after issuing from it. had undergone a suitable preparation for executing the commission intrusted to hiia by an apprenticeship of some years in the Mission of Glenco : That about sixty years 8go, be had been requested by the baronet of that lime to conduct Mr Playfair (af- ring creature here before ?" and received for answer, " Oh yes; goats and eagUs." PERTH* y V 706 PERTHSHIRE. The rapids of a fine cascade in Glenlochay are in ibis parish, but the description belongs to Killin. Soils, — The character of the soil is almost as various as tbe di- visions of the parish are numerous. In a few places, it is wet and marshy, in the highest parts light and gravelly, and much of it, especially in the district of Weem, is loamy, with a strength and exposure capable of bearing wheat or any kind of crop, were it not for the frequent overflowing of the Tay, which would be difficult in any circumstances to prevent, and to which the interfering rights of proprietors are an additional obstacle. Zoology. — Besides the species of quadrupeds common to many dis- tricts in Scotland, there are in this parish, roe and fallow deer, mountain hares, which are dun in summer, but turn white in winter, and are smaller and more fleet than the common hares; and a few bisons, which are to be found only in the parks of Taymouth. Tbe rarer species of birds are eagles, black-game, and pheasants ; the beautiful ptarmigan, which occupies a still higher region than the mountain hare, and like it becomes whiter in winter ; and a few capercailzies on the grounds of the Marquis of Breadalbane* The principal fishes are, salmon, trout, and pike ; and anglers from various places resort to parts of this parish, and the districts in which they lie, especially to Glenquaich, not only for the sport of angling which loch Freuchie, and the streams that fall into it af- ford, but also for enjoying the pure and bracing air of this quarter. Botany, — The full account from the parish of Kenmore on this subject renders it inexpedient to offer an inferior one from an ad- joining parish. The dimensions of the following trees in the lawn of Castle Menzies, some of which have been measured several years back, and others just now, are worthy of being given : — 1. Solid contents of a plane, 1 132] feet ; extreme height, 77^ ; girth at the ground, '23, at four feet high, 16, and at six feet high, 15. 2. Contents of a second plane, 957 feet; girth at four feet high, 18^, and at seven feet and a half, 15. 3. Of a third plane, 810 feet; girth at four feet high, 20i, and at seven feet and a half high, 15. 4. Of a Spanish chestnut, 6I84 feet; girth at base, 21, and at six feet high, 14. 5. Of a second chestnut, 522| feet; girth at base, 18^, and at six feet high, 13. 6. Of a third chestnut, 450; and girth at base, 16. 7. Of a silver fir, 3125- feet; extreme height, 96.^ ; girih at base, 14:f, and at ten feet high, 10^. 8. Of a spruce fir, 216|; extreme height, 93; WEEM. 707 girlh at base, 13; and at six feet high, 10. 9. Of a Scotch fir, 183| feet; and girth at base, 13|. 10. Girth of a larch at base, 13 feet. 11. Of an oak at base, 15 feet; and at six feet high, 10^. 12 and 13. Of each of two oaks at base, 14 feet 2 inches. 14. Of an elm at base, 15 feet 11 inches; and at six feet high, 10 feet 9 inches. 15. Of a second elm at base, 15 feet 3 inches; and at six feet high, 12 feet 1 inch. 16. Of an ash at base, 16 feet 4 inches; and at five feet high, 11 feet 3 inches. 17. Of a second ash at base, 16 feet 18 and 19. Two beech trees; girth of the one at base, 17 feet 2 inches, and of the other, 19 feet. Many other trees in the same place nearly equal these dimen- sions ; and an ash was blown down two years ago of the girth at base of 20 feet. There is a remarkable beech that separates near the ground into two branches, which again unite about four feet above the point of separation, and have an opening between them through which a person of ordinary size might pass. There are also many large old trees, chiefly of oak, both at Acbnaore and Newhall. II. — Civil History. Family ofMenzies.* — The ancient history of this family is in- volved in considerable obscurity, from the burning of the family castle in the sixteenth century, when many of their private papers were consumed. They are generally supposed to have come first to England with William the Conqueror, to have been the same with the Maners, from which the Rutland family is descended, and to have settled in Scotland soon after the Conquest, in the reign of Malcolm Canmore. They became connected by mar- riage with many of the greatest and noblest families of the land. 1. The first who is specially mentioned in any records, and ap- pears to have been of considerable consequence, is Anketillus de Mayuoers, who lived in the reign of William the Lion, which commenced in 1165. 2. Robert de Meyners, Knight, supposed to have been his son, lived in the reigns of Alexander II. and III., was Lord High Chamberlain of Scotland, one of the barons called Magnates Sco- tise, and frequently employed in embassies to England, ^* which he discharged with great honour and commendation." His im- mediate connection with this country, with his power and posses- sions in it, is proved by the grant of a charter of the lands of Cul- dares, ^* Matthseo de Moncrief pro homagio et servitio suo." * Chiefly abridged from Nisbet*s Heraldry. 708 PEHTHSHIUK. 3. Sir Alexander de Meynecs, Knight, was one of the patrioU who stood firm to the interests of their country against the oppres- sions of Edward I. of England, for which he was imprisoned by that Monarch. He is specially stated to have got the lands of Weem and Aberfeldy, in vice de Perth ; and as he signed as wit- ness to a charter by Robert I. before the Marischal of Scotland, it may be inferred from this preference that he then held a pub- lic place of considerable rank. 4. Sir Robert de Meyners, in his father's lifetime, got several lands in the Abathnage or Lordship of Dull, from Robert de Bruce, besides Cranach, as already described, with Edramuckie and Morinch in Deserver, also explained. 5. John succeeded his father. Sir Robert. 6. Robert de Meyners must have had great influence with the sovereign, as he got charters ot several lands in Dumfries, Edin- burgh, Lanark, and Fifeshires, from Robert II. 7. Sir David de Meyners succeeded his father. He was one of the hostages for King James L's ransom, was employed in seve- ral embassies to the Court of Denmark, and made Governor of the Orkneys, then belonging to the King of Denmark. He after- ^ardij became " a monk of the Sestertian order in the monastery of Melross," and made many extensive and valuable donations of land to religious houses. 8. John de Meyners succeeded his father. Sir David. 9. Sir Robert succeeded his father in 1487. " It was in his time that the mansion-house of the family was burnt, which in- duced the sovereign to give him a new grant of his whole lands and estate, and to erect all of them into a free barony, to be cal- led the barony of Menzies." Roro, in Glenlyon, also belonged to him. 10. Sir Robert succeeded his father in 1520. IJ. Sir Alexander succeeded his father. Sir Robert, in 1557. 12. James succeeded Alexander, his father. 13. Sir Alexander succeeded his father James in 1588. 14. Duncan succeeded his father in IG24. 15. Sir Alexander succeeded his father Duncan, and was created a Knight- Baronet, 2d September 1665. His eldest son, Robert, who predeceased him, married the eldest grand-daughter .of Vis- count Canada, and the issue of that marriage are said to be the heirs of the territorial possessions of the first Earl of Stirling, and of the hereditary lieutenantship of Nova Scotia. His second son. WKEM. "Otf Captain James Menzies, liad Comrie, and lived in the castle, of which the ruins are still standing. 16. Sir Alexander, son of the sail) Robert, succeeded his grand- falher. * 17. Sir Robert succeeded his father. 18. Sir John succeeded his cousin, Sir Robert. 19. Sir Robert succeeded his cousin. Sir John. 20. Sir Neil succeeded his father, and is now in possession of the estate of his ancestors. He resides constantly on his proper- ty, is a spirited improver of his estates, and a practical farmer to a great extent. He has lately been elected Honorary Secretary of the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland, a merited reward for his attention to the objects of that distinguished and useful association. hand-owtiers. — These are. Sir Neil Menzies of Menzies, the patron of the parish ; the Marquis of Breadalbane ; and to a com- paratively small extent, Ranald Menzies, Esq. of Cnldares. Parochial Bugittert. — The first entry in the parish registers was ID 1692; but they do not appear to have been kept with much regularity till 1741, and at no period have the names of all the children been inserted. Anti(ptities. — There are two upright crosses, close to each other, in the district of Newhall, said to have been the sides of a gateway to a Druidical place of worship at no great distance, but in a neighbouring parish. Here must have been anciently the businesK village of the surrounding district, as a fair called Feiit Detidk, or St David's, had been held at it, which was removed to the village of Kenmore, where it is now one of the principal fairs, and is held in March. There was a burying-ground, also, with a fiimilar name, Cill Ddidh, but no tradition exists concerning this guardian saint. In the east end of the old church of Weem, which is still standing, and is now altogether the property of Sir Neil MeuzieSf there is a monument of very curious and varied sculpture, well-wor- thy of the minute examination of an antiquary, bearing, by a Latin ioscriptioD upon it, to be to )he memory of Sir Alexander Mis forests by which it is surrounded. II. — Civil History. Land'owners, — There is no district, perhaps, in the Highlands of Perthshire where the tenure of property is so fluctuating as in this parish. In corroboration of this, it is sufficient to observe, that no fewer than thirteen estates, belonging thereto either in whole or in part, have passed by purchase into the hands of diffe- rent proprietors during the last fifty years. The following list com- prehends the names of the present land -owners connected with the4)arish, and the valuations of their respective properties situat- ed within the same : 764 PERTHSHIRE. The Mo«t Noble the Marqutu of BrMdalbaoe* The Right Honourable Lord Glenlyon, Sir Niel Meniies of that Ilk, Baronet, Sir William D. Stewart of GrandtuUj, Baronet, John Stewart Hepburn, Km. of Clunj, Archibald Butter, Esq. of OunUulieh, &c. Robert Colquhoun, Esq. of Fincattle, Alexander Stewart, Eaq. of Derculieh, Glai Sandeman, Esq. of Bonakcid, James M*Jnroy, Esq. of Shicrglass, John Campbell, Esq. of Kinloch, Charlea M'Diarmid, Esq. of Bohallj, George Dow, Esq. of Tirehardy, John Campbell, Esq. of Wester Garrows, Misa Campbell, of Easter Garrows, L.021 47 1471 9 7 5 4 6 9 5 8 825 275 281 161 128 87 61 55 47 85 18 10 4 8 2 16 4 8 4 6 8 2 1 11 8 Total valued rent in Soots monej, L.4888 1 8 AsMiSMd Property. — The value of assessed property witbio the quoad civilia boundaries of tbis parisb in 1815, amounted to the sum of,L.d980. Constituency. — Tbe constituency of Dull at tbe last registra- tion was^ 130. Of this number, four were freeholders, thirty-four L. 10 voters, and ninety-two farmers of L.50 rent and upwards. Justice of Peace and Sheriff-Courts. — There are four justices of thejpeace within the original parish. It is included in tbe Weem district, and the resident justices within the same, bold tbeir courts always upon the first Monday of the month at the inn of Weem ; but these courts are now all but superseded by the sheriflTs court since the Small Debt Act came into operation. The latter court is held quarterly at Aberfeldy, in this parish, and, in addition ther to, it has jurisdiction over the parishes of Kenmore, Killin, For- tingall, Weem, and also partly over Logierait and Little Dunkeld. The following abstract, furnished by the depute-clerk, exhibits tbe number of cases tried, together with the value of the sums claimed at each court during the four years the act has been in force. No. of causes at Do. for 1 otal no. of Total amouot of each court for debts debts above causes at Courts. not exceeding L. 5. L.5. each court. > 1838, 1st court, 51 2d do. 32 dddo. 24 18d9, 1st do. 67 2d do. 3:J ad do. 59 1840, Ist da 82 2d do. 30 dddo. 17 4th do. 25 1841, 1st do. 23 2d do. 35 3d do. 13 4th do. 33 ) 4 court s, 524 15 66 6 38 6 30 24 91 20 53 20 79 31 . 113 13 43 9 26 9 34 15 38 19 54 7 20 : 5 38 199 723 debts sued for at owfa court L.219 5 H 100 6 94 5 n 311 11 4i 227 15 n 285 4 H 281 1 7 160 8 8 111 9 Hi 110 14 8 154 6 It 209 8 82 11 8 88 8 9 1^886 8 "5 DULL. 765 Parochial Registers. — The parochial registers consist of six vo- lumes, two of which contain entries of baptisms and proclamations of marriage banns, — other two, cases of church discipline, — ^and the remaining two exhibit transactions relative to the poor, and economics of the parish. The earliest entry is made in the year 1703, during the incumbency of the Rev. John M'Kerchar, who appears to be a greater observer of discipline than of book-keep- ing. At that period, registration of births and marriage banns may not unfrequently be seen intermingled with minutes of ses- sion recording the compearance of persons guilty of moral delin- quency before the congregation upon twelve, and sometimes more, consecutive Sabbaths previously to their being absolved from scan- dal.* Besides being thus irregularly kept, intervals of time, aud that at different periods, were allowed to elapse without any entries whatever being made in the earlier registers ; but, in the more re- cent ones, these faults have been, in a great measure, avoided. Antiquities, — Abbey. — At what period this abbey was first esta- blished, we have now no means of accurately ascertaining. But it appears from Scottish history, that an Abthanedum was attached to it at a very early period. This peculiar appellation existed no- where but in Scotland ; and even there we read of only three, the Abthaneries of Dull, Kirkmichael, and Madderty. These three Abthanedums, from the earliest period to which they can be traced, held of the Crown, and the monks of Dunkeld had ancient rights vested in all of them. Crinan, Abbot of Dunkeld, who married Beatrice, daughter of Malcolm II., and who gave a long line of kings to Scotland, is denominated by Fordun ^^ Abthanua de Dull ac Seneschallus insularum." But as the term Abthane is not so much a distinctive title as a modification of thane, which was only introduced into Scotland along with the Saxon policy, the title could not exist in the time of Crinan, but must have ori- ginated at a later period, most probably in the reign of Edgar. This sovereign conferred upon his youngest brother, Ethelred, who was Abbot of Dunkeld, the three Abthanedums above-men* tioned, under the peculiar appellation of Abthaneries ; and as he was the only Abbot of royal blood, to whom such a munificent gift * Rigid in matters of discipline as Mr M*Kerchar certainly was, one of his succes- tors in office, Mr M*Lea, was still a greater disciplinarian. It appears from the re- gister of discipline, that during the latter *s incumbency, offenders often appeared in sackcloth before the congregation for twenty-four consecutive Sabbaths ere they were absoWed ; and, at one period, no less than three of the heritors made their com. pearance in a body, and were publicly and frequently reproyed by the moderator fof violatinj^ the seventh commandment of the decalogue. 766 PEKTHSHIRR. was appropriate, so these were the only Abthanedums in Scotland, and, at his death, they all reverted to the Crown. ** This will likewise account," says Skene, ^^ for the appellation given by For- dun to Crinan. At that period there was certainly no such title in Scotland ; but it is equally certain that there were no char- ters ; and although Crinan had not the name, he may have been in fact the same thing. He was certainly Abbot of Dunkeld, and he may have likewise possessed that extensive territory, which, from the same circumstance, was afterwards called the Abthane- dum of Dull. Fordun certainly inspected the records of Dunkeld; and the circumstance can only be explained by supposing that Fordun may have seen the deed granting the Abthanedum of Dull to Ethelred, Abbot of Dunkeld, which would naturally state that it had been possessed by his proavus Crinan, and from which Fordun would conclude, that, as Crinan possessed the thing, he was also known by the name of ^^ Abthanus de Dull."* The religious structure which thus gave the title of Abthane to a prince of the blood*royal of Scotland, we imagine to have been an abbey or monastery of a useful class of monks, being likely of the order of Tyronenses, who had here a college of industrious artisans, in which were to be found smiths, masons, joiners, &c. This conjecture is not only borne out by the names of different lo- calities in and about the village of Dull, for which there existed no justifying cause from time immemorial, such as Sraid nan GaibkneaUy Sraid nan Clachairean^ &c. i. e. " the smith's street," ^^ the mason's street," &c. ; but there also existed, and still exists a popular tradition in this country, that a college was established here at a very early period, but which was afterwards transferred to St Andrews, — a tradition which is so far founded upon fact that Hugh, Bishop of Dunkeld, granted the Monastery of Dull to the Priory of St Andrews by charter, upon condition of " Reditu vi- ginti solidorum qui nos et clericos nostros contingit de Abthania de Dull."t The church or chapel attached to this establishment was dedi- cated to St Ninians, the companion of St Columba, and one of the fathers of the Scottish Church, but there is not a vestige of it now to be seen. There is a heap of ruins in the field below Dull, which is said to be the remains of the abbey church, but whether it is that or the ruins of a pit or tolbooth which was • See Skene's Highlandcre of Scotland, Vol. ii. chap. v. ; and also Brown's Hii- iory of the Highlands, Vol. iii. chap. vi. of Highland Clans, f Cbartulary of St Andrews. DULL. 767 fcobnecied with the monastery, as was frequently thei case in those times, is now entirely a matter of conjecture. The name of the locah'ty tends to confirm the latter supposition, being still called Jch an Toll'bHth, or the ** tolbooth's field." Dull had, and still has, what was then considered indispensable to all places of importance, a market cross. It is a tall time- worn stone, placed in a large round socket of the like material, and stands in the centre of the village. The most remarkable privilege attached to the monastery was, perhaps, connected with the erection of this obelisk or cross. A considerable part of the surrounding ground was constituted into a sanctuary, or sort of holy-rood, where debtors and offenders of all sorts were secured from molestation on fleeing to the above cross or its inviolable {Nrecincts, which were pointed out by three crosses of a somewhat similar description, — a large and two smaller ones, — running for half a mile in a direct line from south-west to north-east. The largest of these crosses was erected in the intermediate space be* twixt the other two, and the place where it is situated is still called Druimdiamhain, which is evidently a corruption of Dmim an dion^ ^* the centre of defence or safety." These ancient land-marks were, not many years ago, sacrilegiously removed, and, with a Goth-and- Vandal-like taste, erected to grace a neighbouring gateway; and now the only remaining evidence of the abbey's Allien greatness is the ** Cross of DulL" Moat hills. — Towards the west end of the vale of Appin, and within half a mile of the junction of the Tay and Lyon, there are three apparently artificial mounds of earth, of a flattish conical shape, situated within a short distance of each other, and forming a quadrant of a circle. They are now covered with tall stately beech trees, which must have been planted long after the original purpose ceased for which the mounds were raised. Barrows or TumulL — It is recorded in ancient Scottish history, that in the eleventh or twelfth century, a keen contest took place betwixt the Fingalians and Picts, at the bridge of Keltnie in this parish, the former fiercely but vainly defending that pass against the inroads of the latter, by whom the last of Fingal's race was shortly afterwards killed. At the pass of Keltnie, according- ly, quite close to the present bridge, and on the south-east aide thereof, there is a mound or hillock, now covered with birch and other indigenous trees, which, on the west side, has all the appearance of being artificial, and which still bears the traces 768 PERTHSHIRE. of a rauipart or fortification illustrative of its name, being called ^^ Tom an t'sdbhail^** literally ^* the hill or mound of pr^eetion or sqfeti/" But this is not the only corroborative circumstance. In the winter of 1836, while Mr Menzies, the present innkeeper at Coshieville, was removing a large barrow of stones situated be- twixt his house and the river Lyon, and in the immediate vicinity of the scene of action already mentioned, the workmen discover- ed no less than ten or twelve sarcopliagi above the ground and under the cairn, which was of a conical shape but flat in the top. They were composed of rough unhewn slabs of stone, set at right angles, and covered by a similar slab above. On the lid being removed, there were found in some of them urns of unglazed argil • laceous substance containing black ashes, while the others con* tained ashes and pieces of bone, without any urns. In the conti* guous field, there are three or four other large barrows, but dif- ferently shaped from the former, being of an oblong form resem- bling the inverted hull of a ship. Forts^ — The remains of several buildings of very great antiqui- ty are still to be seen in this district of country. These being of a circular form, are said by some to be of Danish origin, by others again they are ascribed to the Picts ; and, from being generally within sight of each other, they are supposed to have been beacon or watch towers. It is evident, however, that some of them at least, from the art and labour bestowed upon them, could not have been mere watch-towers, but that they were built for strong- holds, and were probably constructed by the Caledonians, and used as places of defence and safety against the incursions of the Romans, when they penetrated into this part of the country under Agricola. The most remarkable of these buildings in this parish is in the wood above Moness House, and is called the Dttn. It measures upwards of 50 yards in diameter within walls, and ap- pears to have been defended on all sides save the north-east, where the hill is very rugged and steep, with two concentric ramparts. On the south-west side, and close to the outer rampart or dike, there was a large artificial pond or well, which is now almost filled up with debris. The walls of the fort, which measured about six yards in thickness, and were built without either lime or mortar of any kind, were carried away several years ago, and appropriated to the building of a fence around the plantation with which the hill is covered, so that nothing beyond the vestiges of the foundation can now be traced of this ancient fortress. DULL. 769 Situ.ited within sight of the above, on the north-east shoulder of Drummond Hill, and in the parish of Weem, is another for- tress, commanding an extensive prospect of the whole vale of Ap- pin, and part of Grandtully and Strathtay. But instead of being circular as the former, it is in the form of a parallelogram, and is built upon the top of a rock measuring from 150 to 200 feet in Jieight, so as to have its south and east sides naturally formed tbereof. The wall on the west side measures about 60 yards in length, that on the north again is about 80 yards, and from near the east extremity thereof, another wall projects at an angle of about 30^ towards the northeast, and as these sides were the most accessible, they were defended by frenches or some sort of an out-work, which can still be easily traced. There is a part of the building still standing, from which it appears that the stones were regularly coursed and banded. The walls are of similar thickness with those of the preceding, and like them too are void of either lime or mortar in the construction thereof. The principal access led from the north-east along the edge of the precipice, and it was covered on the north-west by the foresaid projecting walL The rock forming the south and east sides of the garrison had its base defended by another rude but strongly built wall, through which a minor entrance led from the south to the fortress above. Druidical Temples, — The completest circle of this' kind in this part of the country is to be seen in the park at Croftmoraig in this parish, a little to the east of the principal lodge leading to Taymouth Castle, and on the right hand as the traveller proceeds from Kenmore to Aberfeldy. Besides this, there are several 9tanding stones to be met with in Appin, and elsewhere through the parish, both single and in groups ; but whether these are Druidical remains, or monuments of departed heroes, is now en- tirely a matter of conjecture. Mansion^Houses. — By far the most remarkable seat in the parisb ifi Grandtully Castle, one of the family residences of an ancient branch of the Stewarts. It is a Gne old baronial mansion. Un- til within these two years, its walls and turreted roof were mostly mantled over with ivy, but being found to have an injurious effect i|poQ the building, it was pulled off, which greatly detracts from its former air of antiquity and grandeur. The other principal mansion-houses are those of Foss, Moness, Cluny, and Der-^ culicb. PERTH. 3 c 770 PERTIfSHIRE* III. — Population. According to Dr Webiter, the population of the original parish in 1775 amounted to 4607 By former Sutistical report, 4976 By GoTernmeDt census in 1811, . males, 20d0« femalas, 3290 •■ 4929 1821, 2178 2330 » 45QS 1831, 22S5 2965 »i 4500 1841, 1806 2004i«»i0 The above decrease is mostly owing to emigration, arising from the enlargement of farms. Besides the village of Dull, containing about 150 inhabitaotSy there are several other small ones, varying in population from 50 to 140, and in the aggregate amounting to 860; but the only vil* lage of any note is Aberfeldy, and in that portion of it which be- longs to this parish, there is a population of 610 by last census. The rest of the population residing in the country amount to 2190. Tbe jrearly areragc of births registered for the Ust seven years is, 66 deaths, (no register thereof kept.) marriages, 30 The aversge number of children in each fiimily ix about . 3 Number of inhabited houses in 1841, . . 750 uninhabited houses, • 6 houses building, • 4 insane and fatuous persons, . 6 deaf and dumb, .2 blind, 2 There ar^ eight families of independent fortune resident within the parish, of whom three are heritors und proprietors of land of the yearly value of L.50 and upwards. Although almost all the people can both speak and understand the English language, still the generality of them have a decided predilection for the Gaelic This appears from the fact that it is the ordinary medium of their daily intercourse, but it nowhere appears so evident as during public worship in church on the Sab- bath. While the common classes are apparently indifferent and unconcerned during the English service, they are all eyes and at- tention during the Gaelic, and hanging with anxiety, as it weroi on the lips of the preacher, thus indicating that it is by means of their vernacular tongue the voice of instruction can principally reach them " savingly and to profit.'' The Highland garb, once the graceful costume of the peasantiy^ has fallen almost completely into desuetude ; and their once po- pular games and prevalent superstitions have vanished before the fairy wand of civilization. They enjoy an ordinary share of the comforts of life, and are apparently happy and contented with their DULL. 771 condition. To their superiors they aie courteous and respectful ; in their intercourse with each other, social, peaceable^ and friend- ly ; and both kind and hospitable to strangers. With a few excep- tions, they are irreproachable in their moral character, sound in their religious principles, and regular and exemplary in their at- tendance upon the public ordinances of religion. IV. — Industry. By the Government census of 1841, there were 601 males employed in agriculture, including farmers, cottars, and farm-ser- vants; and 282 males employed either in manufactures, retail trade, or in handicraft, masters and workmen included, viz. millers, 8 ; bakers, 4 ; fleshers, 2 ; flax dressers, 4 ; woollen-dyers, 4 ; hand-loom weavers, 44 ; stocking- weaver, 1 ; tailors, 84 ; shojp- makers, 35 ; saddlers, 2 ; masons, 27 ; slaters, 3 ; plasterers, 3 ; house-painters, 2 ; carpenters, 56 ; wheel- wrights, 3 ; turners, 3; coopers, 2 ; carriers, 3 ; blacksmiths, 18 ; coppersmiths, 2 ; shopkeepers, 12; hawkers, 6; clock] and watch-maker, I ; auc- tioneer and appraiser, 1 ; mole-catchers, 2. Number of male servants upwards of 20 years old, 68 under 20 years old, 113 181 female servants upwards of 20 years old, 113 under 20 years old, 89 — 202 Agricuiture and Rural Economy, — The parish cohtains about 134,400 acres of standard imperial measure, which may be thus arranged : — Under cultivation or occasionally in tillage, say 8,500 imperial acres, pasture, • . 9,000 meadow, . . 1,000 wood, natural and planted, . 3,000 moor and hill, . . 106,900 roads, rivers, lakes, &c. 4,000 134,400 By dint of labour and considerable expense, about 600 acres might perhaps be reclaimed and brought under tillage ; but it is ▼ery doubtful if much more could be added to the cultivated land of the parish with a proGtable application of capital, whether it were afterwards to be occasionally ploughed or permanently pas- tured. There are two pieces of undivided common in the parish. The one lies on the east shoulder of Schiehallion, and belongs to the Marquis of Breadalbane, and Mr Garden Campbell of Troop ; the other is the joint property of Mr Stewart of Derculich, and the neighbouring proprietors in the parish of Logierait. But their 7"2 PERTHSHIRE. extent is not known, as neither of them ha3 ever been measured* The woods, both natural and planted, are carefully attended to, and regularly thinned. T^e thinnings are either given or sold to the tenants for their farm-steadings and implements of husbandry, and larch is purchased to a considerable extent, from the forests of Breadalbane, for sleepers to the rail-roads carrying on in the south. Husbandry,'- The most approved method of husbandry is car- ried on in the district of Appin ; but in most of the other districts of the parish, the four rotation system is still adhered to. It must be admitted, however, that the patriotic efforts of the Highland Society have given a stimulus to agriculture all over the parish, perhaps unprecedented at any former period. These are now aided by other local Societies, so that, betwixt their united agency, and the facility and encouragement given by the heritors to every branch of agricultural improvement, not only the beautifying and fertilizing of the soil evince their beneficial effects, but also the rearing and symmetry of the cattle. Live-stock, — The principal stock of cattle reared is of the West Highland breed, with the exception of a few Ayrshires, in- troduced of late years for dairy use. On the lower grounds, there are some Cheviot or white-faced sheep kept, and a few Leicesters are there occasionally to be met with also ; but the common breed is of the black-faced kind, and to the rearing of these, as well as to the purity and improvement of the Highland cattle, the strictest attention is paid, particularly by graziers. Accordingly, their stock is of a superior description, and generally brings high prices. At sales effected within the last two years, on some of the prin- cipal farms in this neighbourhood, quevs brought from L.16 to L.22 each ; and, on one farm, the wedder lambs are annually dis- posed of about Lammas, when they generally bring between 9s. and 10s. a-head. The average number and value of live-stock, young and old, within the quoad civilia parish, may be thus stated, viz. Number of horses, say 770, at L. 10 each, L. 7,700 black-cattle, 4,600, at L.j, 20.000 sheep, 18,160, at 12s. . 10,896 swine, 650, at L.l, lOs. 975 L 42,571 Rent^ ^•c. — In some districts, the arable land is let so low as 17s. per acre, and, in other districts, the same quantity brings about L.3 ; but the average rent per arable acre, of standard piperial measure, over the parish may be stated at L.1, 10s. It DULL. 773 may be proper to observe, that there is no separate rent laid upon the pasture, as it is commonly let with the arable ground ; but the hill grazing may perhaps be estimated at an average of Is. 6d. and in the inland or better sort of piSsture, situated wiihin the head dike, at 5s. 6d. per imperial acre. The summer grazing of a horse upon this latter sort of pasture is about L.2, 8s., and of a cow, L.I, 4s.; but their grazing in the hilt or moor comes to little moj'e than the half of these respective sums; and the annual grazing for a full-grown sheep is about ds. Leases extend from seven to nineteen years'* duration. A great number of the small holders, however, have no leases, but are tenants at will, or occu- pants from year to year, which is alike disadvantageous to the te- nant, and unfavourable to improvement Real Meniah — The real rental of the parish amounts in the aggregate to about L. 13,250. Prices of Implements of Husbandry y Sfc, — A full-mounted cart, with wheels and iron axletree, costs L.8 ; a pair of wooden har- rows, full-mounted, L.I, 5s.; a full-mounted wheelbarrow, IBs.; a peat-barrow, 8s. ; a full-mounted long cart, exclusive of wheels and axletree, L.3, ds. ; an iron plough, full-mounted, L.4, 4$. ; a rood of mason work, containing 36 square yards, from 2 feet to 2 feet 6 inches thick, exclusive of furnishing materials, about L.2; building dry stone dike of 5 feet high, 3s. per lineal rood ; drain- making varies, in proportion to depth and the nature of the ground, from 6d. to Is. per rood ; boring and blasting stones, including powder, costs 6d. per foot of three-fourths of an inch bore. Full- grown fir-wood is sold at Is. per cubic foot ; hard- wood, viz. oak, 2s. 6d. ; ash and elm. Is. per do. ; sawing of fir- wood, at pit by hand-saw, costs 2s. per hundred feet ; larch, 2s. 6d. ; and hard- wood, 5s. per do. ; while again the price of sawing these at the mill is one-fourth less respectively. Prices of Provisions, — The price of provisions here as else- where, must necessarily vary according to the state of the market; but the current average price thereof may be thus stated : beef costs 6d. ; mutton, 7d. ; pork, 4^d.; fresh butter, 8d. per lb. respectively; salted butter sells at 17s. per stone of 22 lbs. ; and cheese at 6s. per stone of same weight. Fowls bring Is. 2d. each ; eggs, 5d. per dozen ; quartern loaf costs 9d. ; oatmeal, per boll of 140 lbs., 19s.; barley-meal, per boll of same weight, 14s.; and potatoes, 5s. per old boll of four firlots or six bushels. Quarries. — The only quarries of any consequence in the parish 774 PERTHSHIRE. are the lime quarry at Tomphobuil, and a sort of freestone quarrjt of a bluish colour, upon the Aird of Appin. In order to acoom- modate the tenants, the former is let at a nominal rent, and it supplies this and the neighbouring parishes with excellent lime, both for architectural and agricultural purposes ; and the latter furnished most of the hewn materials required by the recent ad* dition and improvements at Castle Menzies. Fisheries. — There are no Bsheries in Dull, excepting what there is of salmon-Bshing upon the river Tay, and that is retained by the heritors whose respective properties border therewith in their own hands. Of late years, they have been far from successful, in con«;equence, it is supposed, of the distance from the sea, and the many obstacles which the 6sh have to encounter in their progress thitherward. Bfiw Produce. — The average gross amount of raw produce rais- ed in the parish, as nearly as that can be ascertained, may be thus stated, viz. Imp- acres. 2,125 under oats, at j bulls ot*6 buMiiel per acre, at 15s. 6d. per boll, 1«.82S4 7 2 J 25 barley, do. at 18s. 6d. do. 1J25 potatoes, at 30 bolls do. at 5s. do. 1 ,000 turnips beans, peas, 8cc. at L.6 per acre, 2,125 sown grass, at 1;M) stones per acre, at 7d. per stone, 1,000 meadow hay, at 100 do. at 4d. do. 770 horses, summer pasture of, at an average of L.l, 16s. coch, 4,600 black cattle, do. do. 18s. do. 48.160 sheep, annual grazing of, do. 5s. do. . Annual sale of black cattle, .... sheep, .... wool, .... dairy produce, swine, ... . . wooo, .... Miscellaneous produce of gardens, orchards, &c. . • Total yeorly value of raw produce, L.60,913 8 4 Manufactures. — There was a carpet manufactory established some years ago at Camserney, by Sir Niel Meusies, Bart^ a gentleman who deserves well of his country, and who cannot be too highly spoken of for his laudable and assiduous exertions in promoting every species of improvement connected with mecha- nics and agriculture. This manufactory has hitherto been attend- ed with considerable success. It affords employment to between 20 and 30 hands, and has an annual consumption of about 600 stones of wool. Situated near the above manufactory, and upon the. same stream, there is a saw-mill, and a wheeUwright-mill, which has also a saw-mill conjoined ttierewiih. At the former, a good deal I1,1..82S4 7 6 982^ 2 6 . 8437 10 eooo . 7437 10 1666 13 4 . 1386 . 4140 4540 4000 2522 1008 458 120 290 250-0 DULL. 773 of wood is cuty and prepared for country use, ad well as for barreUstaves and other cooper purposes ; and at the latter, besides wheel- making being carried on, quantities of bobbins are manu- factured ; and both bobbins and staves are regularly sent to the Dundee market, and other manufacturing towns. In addition to these, there is, at Aberfeldy, in this parish, a dye-mill, with carding and spinning machines. The woollen yarn here spun gives employment to a number of weavers, and the webs are afterwards dyed and milled, and then exposed for sale at the country fairs to the natives for wearing apparel. At the time of the former Statistical Account, linen yarn was spun to an extent more than sufficient to pay the rents; but now this is almost wholly superseded by the manufacturing establish- ments of the south, so that scarcely any flax is either raised or spun, certainly not sufficient to meet the demands of home con- sumption. DUtiUerie9. — Within the last Bfteen years, there were thi*ee dis- tilleries in the district of Appin alone* The buildings were erect- ed, and all the necessary utensils and apparatus furnished and kept in repair, by Sir Niel Menzies, entirely at his own expense, for the sole accommodation of his tenants; but, owing to some mismanagement, they were not successful, and after a few years' ope- ration the buildings were either pulled down or converted to some other purpose. There are still two distilleries in active operation, and although not locally within the parish, they are yet intimately connected with it; in as much as more than two-thirds of the shareholders are parishioners of Dull. The one is situated at Blackhill, in the parish of Logierait, and the other at Pitilie Burn, in the parish of Weem. The former distills upwards of 14,000 gallons of whisky, and pays about L.d080 of duty annual- ly; and there are in the same space of time upwards of 6000 gal- lons distilled, and about L.ld20 of duty paid by the latter. The spirit manufactured at these respective distilleries is universally prized for its fine flavour and superior quality, and is readily dis- posed of at the highest market price. V. — Parochial Economy. Market-Towns. — The nearest market- towns, properly speaking, are Dunkeld, Perth, and Criefi*, at the respective distances of nineteen, thirty-four, and twenty-six miles from the parish church. But all the necessaries and even some of the luxuries of life can be easily and moderately obtained by most of the parishioners at tbs 776 PERTHSHIRE. ifillages of Pitlochrie and Aberfeldy. The latter contains 2-8ttN geons and laboratories ; 1 writer and notary-public ; 1 printer, sti« tioner, and bookbinder ; 6 grocers ; 4 haberdashers ; 2 clothiers or merchant tailors; 1 hardware and pottery retmler; *2 bakers; 8 fleshers; 2 coppersmiths; I saddler; 2 dress-makers ; dmillinere; 2 female accoucheurs ; 3 shoemakers ; 1 sheriff-officer ; 1 consta- ble ; 2 appraisers and auctioneers; I tallow-chandler; 2 smiths; and various other tradesmen and artisans. Means of Communication. — The parish is in the possession of ample and various means of communication. There is a regular post-office at Aberfeldy, through which the diligence, conveyingthe mail, and carrying three or four passengers, passes to and from Dun« keld every day in the week, with the exception of Tuesday. From the same office, and upon the same days, the Dunkeld diligence runs through a detached district of this parish, on the south side of the Tay, to Kenmore, and another conveyance, of an inferior descrip- tion, but for similar purposes, branches off to the north, and passes through Appin to Fortingall, and both return the following morn- ing to Aberfeldy. The inhabitants of Glenquaich and neighbour- ing districts have their letters and parcels conveyed and dispatched four times a week by means of a runner betwixt Dunkeld and a sub-office stationed at Amulree ; and to accommodate the people of Foss and Fincastle, and places adjacent, a post-gig runs three times a-week to and from Pitlochrie, and another sub-office at Kinlocb-rannoch. Besides the Dunkeld mail, a public coach was started, about three years ago, betwixt Dunkeld and Lochlomond, by some of the principal inn-keepers on that line of road, for the accommodation of tourists and travellers, and it still continues to run for three or four months in the summer. There are portions of three turnpike lines of road in the parish. Their aggregate length may be about thirty miles, having three toll-bars with- in the parish. On these roads, there are weekly carriers to and from Perth and Crieff. The rest of the parish is variously intersected with private roads. A bridge, however, is much wanted over the Lyon, to communicate with Kenmore. Ecclesiastical State. — The parish church is situated in the vil- lage of Dull. Considering the extent of the parish, the church could not have been placed originally, perhaps, in a more centri- cal situation ; but the inhabitants of several districts had to travel a great distance. Since that period, tbis has been, in a great measure remedied by the erection of additional places of worship* DULL. 777 The church is a long building, with a small belfry, and has a gal- lery at each end. The date of its erection is unknown. In 1840, il was completely gutted, and thoroughly floored and reseated, so that it is now, in a manner, comparatively comfortable. The area of the church is divided among the heritors in proportion to their respective valuations. It accommodates about 600 persons, and no seat-rents are exacted. A new and commodious manse, with a suitable range of offices, were this year built for the minister by the heritors, at an ex- pense of about L.940. Previous to the Reformation, the lands and immunities attached to the living of Dull were far superior to what they now are. It would appear that the then Popish vicar, a David Guthrie, wished to alienate, as was usual in the immediate prospect of the Refor- mation, the whole lands of his benefice, with the exception of what he considered a sufficient establishment for a minister of the pa- rish. Accordingly, in the year 1561, he granted a feu-right to George Johnston alias McGregor, and Janet Burgh, his spouse, and longest liver of them two, in liferent, and to the said|George's heirs and assignees in fee, of all and singular the half of the kirk« lands of Dull, viz. ^^ Omnes et singulas dimidietas terrarum] ec- clesiasticar. de Dull, viz. totas et integras terras de Croftclachan, Drumdewan, Kynell, cum integro molendino de Dull, cum suis multuris et privilegiis totar. et integrar. terrar. Ecclesiasticar. de Dull solit. et consuet. Necnon dimidietatem totius montis de Craigdull, dimidietatem terrarumde Achtavye, decimis garbalibus omn. praefat. terrar. inclusis, cum suis pertinen. jacen. in Regali- tate St Andreae et infra Vicecomitatu de Perth, excepto manso nostro, cum hortis et toftis eid. adjacen. cum illis duobus domi- bus vocat. Market-stance et lie Clerk's house, cum libera p-tate pascendi, sen libera pastura, ad sex summas animalium, cum ani* malibus diet. Georgii et Jacobi hseredumque suor. respective in terris praefatis. Cum cespitibus, viz. lie pettis, feal, et divotts in terris praedictis pro reparatione domor. et edificiorum praefat prout in n-ro desup. co-fecto latius co-tinetur.** Of the same date with the feu-right of the first half, the said David Guthrie, vicar of Dull, with the consent of the commendator of the priory of St Andrews, granted another feu-right to Alexander Stewart, brother to Grandtully, and his spouse, of the other half of the said kirk-lands of Dull, viz. ^' Omnes et singulas dimidietates terra- rum nostrum ecclesiasticar diet, nostras parochiaede Dull, viz. to* 778 PRRTHSHIRE. tas et integras terras de Carse, Carsmucky, et Pitvasaie, cum dimi- dietate totius montis de Craigdull, una cum dimidietate terranim de Achtayie, decimis garbalibus earundem inclusis, et cum toftis, croftis, et singulis suis pertiuen. jacen. in regalitatem Sancti An- dreas, et infra vicecomitatum de Perth, &c. excipien. toto ei iotegro Dianson-ro cum hortis, toftis, et croftis eidemadjaeen. nunc occupat, per Magistrum Duncanum Maclaggane, una cum dome vocat Mac- kilties house, et alio domo vocat He Clerkis house, cum libera pastura ad sex summas animalium, cum animalibus diet. Alexandri et Isabellas, haeredumque suorum, respectire subscript, in terns nostris pnedictis, cum cespitibus, lie peattis, feal, et divot, in terris praedict. pro reparatione domonim et aediBciorum praefatonim." * Such were the alienations suffered by, and the immunities re- served to, the benefice of Dull in 1561 ; and when an excambion had taken place during the incumbency of Mr CSampbell in 1758, the same privileges were confirmed to the living by the deed of excambion betwixt the then Sir Robert Menzies of that Ilk and the presbytery. Accordingly, the minister still enjoys the privi- lege of casting peats, feal, and divot, and pasturing twelve scums of sheep or cattle over the church lands, in addition to the maose and glebe. The glebe contains about 1 1 j acres, including site of manse, offices, and garden, and is capiibie of being much improv- ed. Within the last two years, the writer hereof has laid upwards of L.60 out in the ^ay of draining and clearing it of stones, and when these improvements, which are still going on, and which will take L.80 or L.100 more to carry them into effect, are eventually completed, its yearly value, including the above immunities, may then be estimated at about L.40. The stipend consists of sixteen chalders of victual, half meal and half barley, payable in money, according to the highest fiar prices of the county, with L.8^ 6s. 8d. for furnishing communion elements out of the teinds of the parish, together with 5 bolls of bear, and 18 bolls of black oats out of the teinds of the priory of St Andrews, conform to use and wont, and, in the aggregate, may have amounted to L.250 on an average of the last seven years. The benefice is in the gift of the Crown, and, according to the Royal Commissioners' Report of 1886, there are L.70, 18s. of unappropriated teinds. The following is a list of the different ministers who served in the cure since the Reformation, with the date of their incumben- * The above quotations are from the title-deeds of the family cf Mensies of that Ilk. 4 DULL, 779 ey, so far as that could have been ascertaioed : Duncan Maclag« gan, 1561-79; John Cunison, 1684; John M'Kerchar, 1699; Thomas Menzies, 1713; Duncan M* Lea (presented dejuredevo^ lutojf 1717; James Campbell, 1750; James Stewart, 1761; Alexander Campbell, 1769; Patrick M'Vean, 1771 ; Archibald Menzies, 1789; Duncan Dewar, 1839. The district of Foss was disjoined from the original parish in 1830, and annexed, quoad sacra^ to the Government church there erected; and in 1836, the district of Fincastle was similarly at- tached to the new erection at Tenandry, within the parish of Blair- Athole. There are two chapels in connection with the Established Church, and under the patronage of the General Aseembly's Committee for managing the Royal Bounty within the parish ; the one is at Amulree, and the other at Grandtully. The minister of the former has an annual salary of L. 65, including L. 5 for com- munion elements, and is paid entirely out of the royal bouuty ; the salary of the latter again is L.90, including a similar sum for communion elements, of which L.40 are paid either by Sir Wil- liam D. Stewart of Grandtully or his tenants, and the remaining L.50 are paid by the Royal Bounty Committee. Besides, the ministers of these respective missions are accommodated with a house, garden, and four or five acres of arable land, rent-free, by the proprietors, and provided gratuitously with fuel by the tenants connected with their missions. There is a chapel at Tummel-bridge in connection with the Scottish Episcopal Church, where the minister of Strathtay offi- ciates once in the fortnight during summer, and who is paid, partly by the Episcopal Church Society and partly by members of the congregation. The average attendance does not exceed 15; and for four months in winter there is no service. An Independent congregation was established upwards of forty years ago in Aberfeldy ; and in 1817 a chapel and house to the minister were built, at an expense of about L.650. The chapel con- tains about 500 sittings, and, if not lately liquidated, it was burdened with considerable debt. Excepting in winter, perhaps, the attend- ance is generally but small, and the congregation is composed, not only of the parishioners of Dull, but also, in a great measure, of the people of the adjoining parishes. The minister's stipend is raised from the seat-rents and Sunday collections, and, with L.10 paid by the Congregational Union of Scotland for itinerating, may average about L.50 annually. 780 PERTHSHIRE. There is no society established in the parish for religious pur^ poses, but collections are almost annually made for the General Assembly's Schemes, and other religious and charitable objectsi which may average about L.30. The following table exhibits the number of fiimilies, communi* cants, Dissenters of all denominations, and population, in the re- spective districts allocated to the different places of worship in connection with the Established Church within the quoad dinSa parish : Place of wonbip. No. of famUies. No. of commu- nicauta. Dissenters. Total po- pnlatioo. Episco- pal ians. Indepen- dents. Baptists. Roman Catholics. Dull, Foss, . Amulree . Grandtullj, Tenandry, 477 88 85 144 59 650 140 220 400 70 8 9 4 46 1 1 4 2 7 1 1929 439 406 731 305 853 1480 21 48 13 1 3810 Education. — There are at present nine schools in operation within the territorial boundaries of the parish, viz. the parochial school at Dull ; four schools supported by the Society for Propa- gating Christian Knowledge, whereof one is stationed at Abep feldy, Amulree, Grandtully, and Foss, respectively; together with four schools taught by young men entirely on their own adventure; and the aggregate average attendance at these schools is about 600. The parochial schoolmaster has the maximum salary of L.34, 4s. 4|d. ; his yearly receipt of school-fees may average L.18; and his other emoluments, as precentor and clerk to the heritors and kirk-session, may probably amount to L. 15, making an annual income of about L.67. He has besides the legal ac- commodation of house and garden ; but both dwelling-house and school-room are at present in a most wretched state of repair, and alike uncomfortable and incommodious. Libraries. — There are two libraries in the parish. The one is a subscription, and the other a circulating library. The former was established many years ago, and is denominated ^' The Aber- feldy Evangelical Library." Most of the books, consisting of nearly 400 volumes, are of a religious and moral character. The latter was only instituted about three years ago by Mr Cameron, bookseller at Aberfeldy. It contains about 250 volumes, consist- ing principally of fictitious works, travels, and voyages. Friendly Societies. — Many of the parishioners, especially in DULL. 781 the districts of Appin, Grandtully, and Strathtayi are members, either of " The AthoU Wrights' Brotheriy Society," instituted at Logierait in 1812, or of the " Farmers' PViendly Society," insti- tuted at Pituacree in 1826. The entry- money to these societies varies from 10s. to L.4, 18s. 6d., according to the age at which members are admitted, being from sixteen to forty years of age ; and the annual subscription towards the funds is 6s. Several of the parishioners are likewise brethren of the " Tay and Lyon Mason Lodge," whereof a branch was established some years ago in Aberfeldv. Savings Bank. — A savings bank was established in this parish at Aberfeldy in March 1833. The following is an abstract state of the funds of the institution since its commencement, showing the number of depositors, the amount of the sums lodged and drawn, together with the net ba- lance on hand, at each annual meeting — the first of which was held in January 1834. Annoal No. of Amount lodged. Amount drawn. ^^J*"^ Meetings. Depositon. ^ on hand. 1834, 29 L. 215 16 94 L. 4 10 L. 211 6 94 1835« 55 432 10 5 38 10 4^ 394 O4 1836, 71 673 7 2 73 10 600 6 4 1837, 83 879 16 2 90 17 6 788 18 8 1838, 99 1023 9 2 256 15 10 766 13 4 1839, 108 1096 9 9 191 13 10 904 15 II 1840, 115 1209 19 4 280 9 2 929 10 2 1841, 134 1284 8 254 16 1029 12 1842, 154 1385 16 8 266 6 4 1117 10 4 Poor and Parochial Funds, — ^The average number of persons receiving parochial aid is about 100, and the aggregate amount of church collections at all the places of worship belonging to the Established Church within the original parish, including three- eighths of the collections of Tenandry, is about L. 56. There is also a sum of about L. 24 yearly realized from other sources, such as dues for proclamation of marriage banns, and use of mortcloth, fines, and occasional donations, amounting in all to about L. 80 annually. This sum, with the exception of a few pounds which go to pay the clerks and officers of synod, presbytery, and kirk-ses- SiODS, is distributed among the above number of paupers, and the pecuniary assistance afforded to each yearly varies from 6s. to L.3, according to the recipient's respective necessities. The average amount of assessment levied upon the heritors during the last three years is about L. 120, being at the rate of nearly two and a-half per cent upon their respective valuations. And, although it must ^ 782 PERTHSHIRE. weigh heavily upon some of them, still, from an anxiety to ward off the burden otherwise imposed by statutory law upon the tenatiy they have hitherto confined the assessment solely to themselies. Nor is this the only instance of liberality deserving of notice rela* tive to the poor. Through the active sympathy and generosity of the Most Noble the Marchioness of Breadalbane and the Honour- able Lady Menzies, not a few of our poor on the Breadalbane and Menzies' estates are often both clad and fed. Willingly would the writer hereof say, if he could, that the poor show no dispositioo to ask parochial aid ; but such is not the case. Fairs. — The following table exhibits the number of fairs ob- served annually within the parish, the place where, the time when, and the purposes for which they are held. Name cf Place. Date of Fairs. Purposes of FairsL AberfeWy, 1 January 1, Thurs. O. S. | *iS^ ,^JJ!^, ^^^ 0^ 2 i March, Tuesday before Horses aod general boii- Keninore fair. Do. 8 ' Mi^y, Ia.t Thur.. O. S. j ^t^Tn^*""' """*^ Do. 4 July, last Friday. O. S. Cattle St emHiliy liiisiiie» Do. 5 October, last Thursday. HonOi 6att!a> and sbccp. Do. 6-6 Nov. 1. Thurs. O. i j *^^|^'„^.'*»'' "^ ^^ Araulree, I May I, Tuea. A Wed. Cattle and sbeep. Do. 2 = 2 Nov. Frid. bcf first Wed. Cattle and sheep. Cosbieville, 1 October, last lliursday. Cattle and sheep. -^ r» rt ( December, day before ) ^ , . . Do. 2»2J Fortingall fair. { Cattle and sheep. Foss, Kirktonof, 1 March, Tuesday, O. S. Horseb& country busiiie* Do.Tumaiel-bridge,2=2 Oct. last Friday, O. S. Cattle and sheep. T2 Inns. — There are five inns in the parish and six ale-houses. 1 be former are indispensable for the accommodation of travellers, but the latter may, with great propriety, be suppressed. Fuel, — The fuel of the common people consists almost wholly of peats ; but, along with these, the better classes burn a good deal of coal and white-wood^ cjt oak-copse. The coal is brought either from Perth or Crieff, and, in consequence of the long car- riage, costs between is. 6d. and Is. 8d. per cwt. Miscellaneous Observations. Since the former Statistical Report was published, the general aspect of the parish, both in a physical and moral point of view, has undergone a very manifest improvement. The real rental was then little more than L.4500, but now it is considerably up- wards of L. 13,000. Formerly, agriculture in all its branches was DULL. 783 at a very low ebb throughout the parish ; farms were not unfre« quently let on the monstrous principle of run-rig ; leases were seldom or ever given ; the system of rotationj was all but un- known ; and even fields which were under the plough were not unfrequently broken and detached, either by banks, heaps of stones, or marshy meadows. Now farms are divided and inclosed ; green crops and rotation in cropping are generally introduced ; cattle and sheep are improving both in size and symmetry ; and the tenants are encouraged in draining, liming, and clearing their farms by getting leases, so that almost every district of the parish witnesses a yearly improvement in husbandry. The total want of turnpike roads, together with the shocking and all but impassable state of repair in which the parish roads were kept, were then a bar to the social and mercantile improvement of the parish ; but now the opening up of turnpike, and the regular repairing and macadamizing of private, roads ; the establishing of regular car- riers ; the letting of horses, post«chaises, and other vehicles for hire at most of the principal inns, united with the frequent and regular conveyance of letters and newspapers by means of the post-office system, are sufficient indications of the wonderful tran- sition experienced by the inhabitants of this district in their social and trafficking intercommunication with their more southern neigh- bours. Formerly, the tenants were restricted to particular millers and smiths, to whom they were obliged to pay certain heavy ser- vitudes ; but now they are happily relieved from these remains of feudal slavery, so that they may choose their smith and miller where they best can. Then,^the old Scotch plough, which was universally used, was drawn by four Highland ponies yoked a- breast and led by a driver walking backwards ; the horses' harness were rudely made of tow ; sledges and creels were generally used instead of carts; thrashing-mills had no existence; and private gigs and carriages were exceedingly rare, if not unknown. Now, all the implements of husbandry are generally of the most im- proved and superior description ; thrashing mills are coming into use ; and private carriages are comparatively numerous. At the period above referred to, the common people's finest attire was made of coarse home-spun apparel. The men's only head-dress, both at church and market, was a common blue bonnet ; that of ibe matrons consisted of what was called the curch^ made of linen, and tied under the chin, while the unmarried females, again, ap- peare4 bare-headed, with their hair tied up with a piece of ribbon 784 PERTHSHIRE. or fillet ; and neither male nor female had any other cover to screen them from sun or rain save their plaids, variously dyed and wrought. But now, most of the young men appear on public occa* sions dressed in West of England cloth, hats, stocks, or silk hand- kerchiefs ; and while the matrons deck themselves in Merino and sombre- coloured cotton gowns, with straw and silk bonnets, tbe young unmarried females are gaudily dressed in fashionable priots, mousselines de laine^ or silks, and caps with a profusion of gum- flowers, not unfrequently surmounted with Leghorn bonnets, having their full share of ribbon. At that time, the baneful and de- moralizing practice of smuggling was carried on in almost every hamlet throughout the parish. Now, these seminaries of im- piety and dissipation have almost all disappeared before the es- tablishment of legal distilleries, and the rigid observance of ex- cise laws. Then, many were the men who could neither write nor cypher, while none of the women could do so, and but few of these could perfectly read. Now, there is hardly a man under sixty years of age to be met with that is not ordinarily versed in these branches of education, and mostly all the young females can both read and write, and not a few of them can cast accounts. But, great and manifest as these improvements are, others might still be effected with some trouble and expense. Ample as are the means of communication already enjoyed throughout the pa* rish, still the rebuilding of Comrie Bridge over the Lyon would greatly add thereto, and it were certainly desirable that those lo- cal and private interests which have hitherto opposed the erection thereof, would ere long give way to the far higher interests of the public necessity and welfare. The abolishing of servitude, still exacted by the proprietors from many of their tenants, in name of kain, — the building of more commodious and comfortable houses and steadings for the tenants, and neater cottages for the poor and labouring classes, — the planting of some of the knot ls]| presently lying waste and irreclaimable, but more especially, the planting of a belt along the head dike which separates the hill from the lower grx)und, with larch or some other wood congenial to the climate and nature of the soil, would also tend mightily to add to the per- sonal domestic comforts of the people, as well as to the sheltered and ornate appearance of the parish, — while the repressing of unnecessary ale-houses ; the encouragement of frugality and in- dustry, by means of subsidiary savings banks and friendly so- 3 KIRKMICHAEL. 785 cieties ; a greater facility in acquiring every branch of useful knowledge, by introducing more generally the most approved system of tuition and suitable class-books into all our schools, combined with a more extensive diffusion and higher standard of educatioDy by establishing additional schools, and raising the en- dowments of such as are already established, — are means well cal- culated to advance the moral and spiritual improvement of the community, and which could not ultimately fail, by the blessing of Providence, to yield the peaceable fruits of <* A virtuous populace to rise the while. And stand a wall of fire around our much-lovM isle.** Dumber 184*2. PARISH OF KIRKMICHAEL. PftESBTTBRY OF DUNKELD, SYNOD OF PERTH AND STIRLING. THE REV. PETER DRUMMOND, MINISTER. L-<- Topography and Natural History. Boundaries^ Sfc. — This parish is bounded by those of Liogierait and Moulin on the west ; Braemar and Crathy on the north ; Glen- isla and Alyth on the east; and Blairgowrie, Kinloch, Cluny, and Caputb, on tba south. It couiprehends the greater part of Strath- ardle, the wholo of Glenshee, and a district lying at the lower extre- mity of that glen, on the west side of the river called Black Water. Strathardle is about 10 miles long, and from 1 to 2 miles broad, and includes part of the parishes of Moulin, Kirkmichael, Blairgowrie, Bendochy, and Kinloch. Glenshee is about 7 miles long, and less than a mile broad. At the head of this glen are two smaller ones^ uarrow, and about 3 miles long. The district bordering on the Black Water is of a form nearly circular, measuring somewhat more than 2 miles in diameter. Though this parish is pretty ex- tensive, there is no part of it detached. Its figure does not vary much from a parallelogram, being 17 miles long from north to south, and from 6 to 7 miles broad. According to tradition, Strathardle was anciently called in Ghielic Strath na muice brice, the strath of the spotted wild sotp ; PERTH. 3 D 786 PERTHSHIRE. which Dame it is said to have retained till the time of the Danish invasions, when, in a battle fought between the Danes and the Caledonians, at the head of the country, a chief, named Ard- fliuil, highj noble bloody was killed, whose grave is shown at this day. From him the country got the name of Srath Ard*fhuil, Strathardle. HiUs^ Lochia jfc — A hill at the head of Glenshee, called Beinn-Ghulbhuinn, is distinguished by having been the scene of a hunting which proved fatal to Diarmid, one of the FingaliaD heroes. Here are shown the den of the wild boar that was hunted, a spring called Tobar nam Fiann, the fountain of the Fingaliansi a small lake, called I^och an Tuirc, the hoards loch ; also Diar- mid's grave, where he was buried by his comrades. The highest hill in the country is Mount Blair, which divides this parish from Ulenisla. The only lochs of note are. Loch Sheshemiehy and Loch nan ean^ situated pretty high among the hills. These abouad in excellent trout There are one or two medicinal springs, which are believed to be of an antiscorbutic quality. Climate^ Soilj Crop. — The country being more elevated than Athole on the one hand, and Marr on the other, and being in ge- neral open and unsheltered, the climate is colder than in either of these districts, and more exposed to the severity of a cold or stormy season. The soil on the banks of the Ardle is thin and dry, having a sandy bottom, and yields in general light crops. In the higher grounds it is wet and spongy, unfriendly to vegetation, except in dry warm seasons, wheh it yields a pretty good crop. The same description applies to the soil of Glenshee, and of the Black-water district II. — Civil History. Antiquities and Curiosities. — In the middle of a pretty exten- sive and elevated heathy moor, stands a large heap of stones or cairn, 90 yards in circumference, and about 25 feet in height, which are described particularly in the old Account There can be little doubt that all these are relics of Druidism. About a mile north-east from the above-mentioned great cairn, on a flat- topped eminence, surrounded at some distance with rocky hills of considerable height, and steep ascent, stands one of those rocking-stones which the Druids are said to have employed as a kind of ordeal for detecting guilt in doubtful cases. This stone is placed on the plain surface of a rock level with the ground. Its KIRKMICHAEL. 787 shape is quadrangular, approaching to the figure of a rhombus, of which the greater diagonal is 7 feet, and the lesser 5 feet. Its mean thickness is about 2^ feet* Its solid contents are therefore about 51,075 cubical feet On the north side of the stone, at the distance of 60 yards, on a small eminence, are two concentric circles, similar to that al- ready described, and a single circle adjoining to them on the east side. Beyond this, at thirty-seven yards distance, on another small eminence, is another pair of concentric circles, with a single one adjoining to them on the east side. Beyond these, at forty-dve yards distance, is a third pair of concentric circles, with their adjacent circle on the east side. Farther on to the north-east, at the distance of 90 yards, is a single circle, add beside it, on the west side, two rectangular enclosures of 37 feet by 12 ; also a cairn 23 or 24 yards in circumference, and about 12 feet high in the centre. Several small cairns are scattered in the neighbourhood. One hundred and twenty yards west from the rocking-stone is a pair of concentric circles^ with a small single circle beside them of 7 feet in diameter. All the pairs of concentric circles are of the same dimensions, the inner one being about 32 feet, and the outer about 45 or 46 feet in diameter; and all of them have a breach or doorway four or five feet wide on the south side. The single circles are, in general, from 32 to 36 feet in diameter, and have no breach. The vesti- ges of all these structures are perfectly distinct, and many of the stones still retain the erect posture in which all of them had pro- bably been placed at first. Cairns and circles similar to those de- scribed are to be seen in other hills of this parish, particularly be- tween Strathardle and Glenderby. There are likewise several tall erect stones, called here in Gaelic, Crom-leaca, or Clach-shleuch- da, stones of worship. — (Old Account) Parochial Begisters. — These begin in the year 1650, and con- tain records of the marriages and births, and, at times, of deaths. They have not been regularly kept till of late years. Land-owners. — These are, Mrs Farquharson of Invercauld, valued rent, L.355, 176. 4d. ; Miss Rutherford of Ashintully, 1^320, 12s. ; Patrick Small Keir, Esq. of Kinmonth, L.336, 14s. Mansion Houses. — These are, Ashintully, the residence of Miss Rutherford; and Woodhill, the residence of Adam Fergusson, Esq. 7dS PERTHSHIRE. III. — Population. Amount in 1801, ISCS 1811, 1460 1821, 1551 1881, 1568 1841. 1411 IV. — Industry. Agriculture. — Cultivated or occasionally under cultiTation, 4419 Imperial men% Never cultivated, .... 44616 That might be cultivated with profit, . 901 In undivided common, 1400 Under wood, .... 683 Bent. — About L. 1, 2s* per imperial acre. Real cental of the parish, L.6450, 1 2s. 6d. About 400 acres of waste land have, of late years, been brought into cultivation. Lime, of which there is abundance in the parish, is applied with great success as a stimulant. The modem system of husbandry in the low country has been introduced in all its de- partments. Most of the farmers have neat and comfortable houses, instead of the mean and unseemly hovels which they formerly oc- cupied. These improvements have been greatly fiEu^ilitated and accelerated by the formation of good roads, and the erection of bridges. One of the most important of these, a handsome bridge of two arches, was built during last summer across the river Ardle at Kirkmichael, the expense of which, amounting to up- wards of L.500, was raised by voluntary subscription among the public-spirited proprietors and inhabitants of the district. Manufactures. — There is one distillery on the property of Pa- trick Small Keir, Esq., conducted by Mr Alexander Eraser, Pit- cam uck. Fishings. — There are none except trout-fishing in the streams and lochs. Several of the proprietors have a grant of the right of salmon- fishing in their charters, thereby clearly demonstrat- ing that valuable fish at one time frequented the rivers of Ardle and Blackwater, which unite a little below the Bridge of Cally and form the Ericht ; but in consequence of a natural obstruction in the river last named near Blairgowrie, thirteen miles from Kirk- michael, advantage was taken of the circumstance, perhaps 150 years ago, to raise an artificial barrier, which effectually intercepts the progress of the salmon upwards. V. — Parochial Economy. Ecclesiastical State. — 269 families belong to the Established Church ; 7 families are Dissenters or Seceders ; and there is I KIRKMICHAEL. 789 Roman Catholic family. Stipend, L. 150. Glebe, in extent 5 acres arable, and 1^ of pasture. The manse is at present in tolerably good condition, and was built in the year 1818. Education, — There are two parochial schools; one in the vil- lapre of Kirkmichael, and the other in Glenshee. As the valleys of Strathardle and Glenshee, which run nearly parallel, compose the parish, and the parochial schools are situated at the west or upper end, an additional school is required near the eastern ex- tremity in Strathardle. The first teacher has the maximum sa- lary ; the second L. 15 yearly. The first has about L. 15, the second about L. 10 yearly of fees. The first has L. 15, the se- cond L. 2 a-year from other sources. Poor. — The number on the roll is about 12, exclusive of two lunatics, whose maintenance requires about L.30 annually. They receive about 2s. per week. About L. 88 annually is the amount contributed for their relief; whereof about L. 42 is from church collections, and L.4 for mortcloth and hearse. The heritors have hitherto voluntarily contributed what is required in addition to the ordinary funds. There is a sum of L.8, 8s., being the interest of a capital sum of L.220, bequeathed by Messrs M'Dougall, Bruce^ and Lyons ; also L.200, bequeathed by the late Patrick Dow to the poor not on the pauper- roll, to be under the management of the kirk-session. There are also two mortifications; one yielding L.17 a-year, bequeathed by a Mr Stewart, for the education of boys of the name of Stewart at the schools of Kirkmichael, Glen- shee, and Drumfork; and another, yielding about L. 20 a-year, mortified by the late Patrick Dow, Esq., for establishing bursaries in favour of young men educated at the parish school of Kirk- michael, failing which, at the adjoining parish school of Moulin. The University of St Andrews is directed to be preferred. December 1842. PARISH OF DUNBARNY. PRE8BTTBRY OF PERTH, SYNOD OF PERTH AND STIRUNa THE REV. ALEXANDER GUMMING, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — Thb Dame of this parish is writteo Duobarnie, Duo* berny, Dumbarny, or Dumbaroie, In ancient times itsunial orthography was Dunbemy. It is supposed to be oompouod- ed of the two Celtic terms Dun, a hUl^ and Beam, or Beainiy or Beirn, which signifies a breach or ^fissure. Accordingly, in for* mer times, the church, as well as the most considerable village to the parish, were situated on an eminence close to Duntwroy House, fronting the Craigend cottage?, where a gap or aperture in a ridge of hills exists, through which the road between Edin- burgh and Perth now runs. Extent — The extreme length of this parish irom east to west is 4 miles ; its greatest breadth, north to south, is 4 miles ; its average breadth, l^ miles. Its superficial extent may be esti- mated at 5 square miles. Boundaries. — It is bounded on the north, by the parishes of Rhynd and Perth; on the east, by the Rhynd and Abernethy; on the south, by Abernethy and Dron ; on the west, by Dron, For- gandenny, and a detached part of Forteviot.* Its form presents a very irregular and waving outline. Topographical Appearances. — This parish is intersected by the river Earn, which, though it pursues a winding course, upon the whole, rolls its current in a direction from east to west, and its ge- nerally level form is diversified by Moncrieff or Moredun Hill, which towers to an altitude of 756 feet above the surface of the * It may excite the surprise of a reader not well acquainted with this district to be told) that any part of Forteviot bounds the parish of Dunbarny on the west. It ought, therefore, to be stated, that an insulated tract of Forteviot, embracing the Mailor and the Hiltown of Mailor is in immediate proximity to Dunbarny, join* ing it at Craigend, which is seven miles east from the parish church of Forterxot. The inhabitants of that district have been, for generations, in the habit of attending Dunbarny church, although they are properly under the pastoral superintendence of the minister of Forteviot. DUNBARNY. 791 sea. The summit of this hiil commands a view which has been termed by Pennant " the glory of Scotland." Towards the east the Carse of Gowrie, with its fertile and spacious plains, extends before the eye, with the Frith of Tay gradually widening, till at Dundee and Broughty Ferry, its waters swell to a majestic ex- panse. Towards the south and west, Strathearn spreads out its ample surface, being an irriguous and highly cultintted yalley, richly adorned with wood, studded with g^^Jemen's seats, enliven- ed with the graceful and picturesque sweeps of the Earn, and bound- ed by tbe rerdant and gently swelling Ochils. A curve made by these hills intercepts a view of Stirling, but the hills of Monteith may be seen stretching beyond it The spectacle of mountainous grandeur towards the west and north-west is august and imposing. Benvoirlich, Benmore, and other hills frown with a commanding appearance. Two monuments or obelisks of granite, commemo- rating the achievements of illustrious men, may be seen beyond Crieff; that of Sir David Baird, the hero of Seringapatam, on the elegant and conical hill of Tomahastle, in the parish of Monzie- vard, and that of Lord Melville near Comrie. A spectator turn- ing toward the north will observe, in the distance, a considerable part of the alpine scenery of Perthshire, and other contiguous counties. At his feet is a romantic view of Perth, the Tay, Kin<- noul Hill, and Kinfauns Castle. Before the trees that crown Moredun top had shot up to their present stately growth, Perth and Dundee could be seen from the same spot on it. Moncrieffe-Hill forms one of the most imposing objects that beautify the scenery of this district. It is covered with a rich va- riety of wood, which, contrasted with the bold and craggy preci- pices which adorn its southern declivity, gives it an appearance strikingly picturesque. Hydrography. — The river Earn rolls through this parish. Its waters in this district have by no means the crystal transparency which distinguish them near Crieff and Comrie. After traversing the rich loamy soil, which extends several miles along its course above the Bridge of Earn, it becomes considerably tinged by the fertile banks through which it meanders. It is reported that for- merly its channel ran close to the bank on which the manse is built. A spectator stationing himself on the new bridge, and look- ing westwards; will perceive the banks along which it formerly winded, and which it has now deserted ; they are a little to the south of its present current. It is gradually shifting its channel 19i PERTHdHIRE. farther towards the north, in consequence of which i^ was fooiid necessary, last century, to add an arch to the old bridge to span that part of it that was penetrating northward. Formerly, the Earn, after gliding along the bank close to the manse, rolled through what is now the garden attached to the inn. This will be easily understood by any individual who looks towards the old bridge. He will perceive it could only be by such a direction of its stream, that it could sweep in at right angles to that ancient structure. The current at present strikes that bridge obliquely, which could not have been the case when it was originally built, as bridges are placed at right angles to the current. It would have chansred its bed much more, had not arti6cial embankments coo- fined it ; and this accounts for the comparatively few deflexions it has made from its course since the fourteenth century, when the old bridge was reared. The velocity of the Eani is from one and a half to two miles an hour. The fish found in the Earn consists of salmon, salmon troot, whitings, and pike. The whitings are found from August to April, pike, chiefly after floods, being carried down by the impetuosity of the current. The salmon-fishing on the Earn has materially de- clined in value. The fisheries connected with Moncrieffe pro- perty yield only L.31 per annum; at one period, they produced more. Pitkeathly and Dunbamy Mineral Waters. — There are two tra- ditions current in this quarter concerning these mineral waters. The first is, that the notice of the country people was first attracted to them by observing pigeons frequently resort to them. But the most prevalent tradition is, that their medicinal virtue was first discovered by reapers, who, when using them to quench their thirst at their mid-day meal, experienced their strong efiects. The first authentic notice which is any where to be found concerning them is supplied by the session records of this parish. The following interesting extract from these documents bears the date 20th Sep- tember 1711 : '^ Session met according to appointment, and took into consideration the profanation of the Sabbath by people fre- quenting the medicine well of Pitkeathly, whereupon some of the elders were desired to visit the well every Sabbath morning, and dehort the people from coming to it on the lord's day, and in- quire what parishes they belong to, that word may be sent to their respective ministers to discharge them ;♦ and John Vailance is * It has been already mentioned, that the principal village in this parish was sT- DUNBARNY. 793 forbidden to give them passage at DuDberny boat, and Thorn as Drummond desired to spread the report, that they are to be stop- ped by constables, by authority of the justices of the peace." About sixty years ago, great complaints were made that the waters were turbid and foul. This happened from a variety of causes, but principally from persons laving their distempered limbs in them. Subsequeutly, a building was erected on what is now the property of John Grant, Esq. of Kilgraston, in which the water might be dealt out, and hot baths furnished. Great num- bers of individuals crowd to this district every year for the beneBt of the water. The following observations on the Pitkeathly waters are from the pen of Dr Edward, one of the medical practitioners at the Bridge of Earn. ** The mineral water of Pitkeathly belongs to the class saline, as distinguished from the acidulous, chalybeate, and sulphureous. Along, however, with the alkaline and earthy salts which form the basis of its constitution, it likewise contains a notable portion of carbonic acid, and it is the presence of this acid which gives to this mineral, when poured from one vessel to another, in a slight degree, the sparkling appearance so characteristic of water impreg- nated with this gas. When the Pitkeathly water is heated, its transparency is slightly affected, from the expulsion of the carbonic acid, and consequent deposition of carbonate of lime, which was held in solution by the gas, and this takes place in all mineral waters where carbonic acid and carbonate of lime exist together. There is also the escape of a quantity of atmospheric air, and an inconsiderable portion of nitrogen gas. Its other constituents are alkaline and earthy salts, and on these whatever medicinal properties it possesses altogether depend. The salt present in largest quantity is the muriate of lime, or, more properly speaking, chloride of calcium, and it is also the most im- portant in a medicinal point of view. There are different analyses of the Pitkeathly water, but they all nearly ^gree in the ultimate constitution of the mineral, although there is great disparity as regards their quantity, and state of tuatcd at Dunbainy. It would appear from this minute of session, that a boat was regularly connected with it, furnishing a more expeditious route to Perth than the circuitous one by the Bridge of Earn.' The Dunbarny family have the privilege, when they choose to avail themselves of it, of going to Perth by a ferry-boat, and travelling through the fields on the opposite side, though belonging to a differeoi proprietor. T94 PERTHSHIRE. combioatioii. The following veiy nearly coincides with the analysis of Dr Murray, — the only difference being tbe emC* ence of a mimile portion of nitrogen gas, which, howefcr, might have been prodneed, during the analysis, from the decom- position of atmospheric air, at tbe mercury used in collecting the gaseous products was very impure. The temperature of tbe Fh- keathly spring was 49° at the time the trial waa niado (July), be- ing 24^ under the temperature of the air. Proportion of ingredients in a gallon : — Carbonic acid, 9.6 e. inchet. Nitrogen, 1^ e. ii Carbonate of lime, . 5.7 grains. Sulphate of soda, . 6LSgraici; Chloride of calciuiUy . 170. Chloride of sodium, . 114.5 The most delicate te^ts afforded no indication of either iron or hydriodic acid, which, by some, have b^en supposed to exist in tbe Pitkeathly mineral. The effects of mineral waters on the animal economy must not be supposed to coincide with the individu* al action of the substances composing them, — for not only do these exist in different states of chemical combination from what we would infer from analysis, but their action is considerably modi* fied by the manner in which they are admixed. Much has been said about the medicinal properties of the Pit- keathly mineral, and there are few diseases in which it has not been recommended and tried. Like many other minerals, too, it is considered by not a few to be a panacea for all disorders, — a sort of Paracelsian elixir, by which not only the sick may be restored, but even the constitution of the healthy sustained and invigorated. It is to be regretted that this belief in their universal efficacv is so prevalent, since it induces many to employ them in diseases where they cannot but be prejudicial ; and many, also, who enjoj the utmost health, to persevere in their continued use, very much to the derangement, and it may be ultimate hurt, of their consti- tutions. There is not the least doubt, too, that many of the cures effected during a course of mineral waters, and willingly ascribed by the patient to the potent virtues of his favourite mineral, are, with far greater truth, to be attributed to the less equivocal agen« cies of change of air, healthful exercise, and buoyancy of spirits, the usual concomitants of rustication. It must not be supposed that these remarks are intended to underrate the value of the Pit* keathly mineral ; for the benefit to be derived from its judicious use, in some forms of disease, is very great. Their only object is to guard against its inordinate and indiscriminate employment, DUNBAKNr. 795 in many instances either aggravating the previous disordery or in- ducing others equally hazardous. It would be useless to specify all the cases in which these waters might be iadvaotageously used, as they should be employed in no one of any importance without the sanction and advice of the phy- sician. A few of the more decided, however, may be mentioned. In plethoric habits of the body, and where it is desirable to counteract such a tendency, they may be taken freely, provid- ed the presence of no other disease forbids their employment If not sufficiently active, some saline purgative, such as the Ep- som or Rochelle salt, should be added. When this plethoric state of the body is accompanied with what is by no means uncommon, determination of blood to the head, threatening apoplexy, their continued use will be highly service- able, since there is no form of medicine better adapted for quickly lessening the amount of the circulating fluids than the saline, and in the state which nature has furnished, it is more likely to be perseveringly continued than would be the less palateable pre- scription of the physician. In some chronic diseases of the liver, particularly that form of liver disease induced by residence in tropical climates, the benefit to be received from them is in most cases very decided. They afford relief in such cases, by unloading the large vessels in the neighbourhood of the disease, and it may be also, in some degree, by acting as a counter-irritant. Other remedies should be con- joined ; but these, of course, it is the province of the medical attendant to regulate, as the quantity and extent to which they are necessary, must depend entirely upon the peculiarity of the particular case. The diuretic properties of these waters (dependent on the large quantity of the chloride of calcium they contain) is the subject of remark by most individuals who use them, and this peculiar pro- perty renders them useful in some forms of calculous disease. There is no good reason, however, to suppose (looking at their constitution) that they possess any specific control over the disease mentioned. Indeed, if such remedies are required, we possess them of far greater influence, and more to be depended on, than the one in question. Their alterative and diluent qualities render them of consider- able utility as an adjuvant in the treatment of some forms of s}w philitic complaint. 796 PERTH8HIHE. When the muriate of lime (chloride of calcium) was considered by physicians to be a remedy worthy of trial in the treatcneot of scrofula, these waters, from containing it in large quantity, were, of course, highly extolled. This remedy, however, has since fallen into merited disrepute, and it is now on all hands allowed 10 be of little or no service in checking the disease in question. The same remarks, of course, are applicable to the PitkeatUy water : in such cases it can be of no service ; and, by usurping the place of more active remedies, must be prejudicial, by incur* ring all the evils of procrastination. There is a vulgar notion abroad that these waters possess great efficacy as an external application, and poor people from all quar- ters may be seen every season with diseases which a little surgical skill and attention could easily have eradicated, daily performiog the required ablutions, in the confirmed hope of an almost mira- culous cure : and this belief is not confined to that particular class, for it obtains also among those whose education would be a gua- rantee for their better judgment. It is a pity that such is the case, as most of the diseases allud- ed to are such as proper surgical treatment could soon overcome, whereas, the result of the treatment adopted is a degree of irrita- tion which renders the disease previously manageable, altogether incorrigible. Among diseases of this kind may be mentioned, chronic ab- scesses, ulcers, and some affections of the eye. The Pitkcathly warm-bath has been recommended in diseases of the skin, but on what grounds cannot be ascertained, as it con- tains no substance in its composition that can have the slightest specific action on the vessels of the skin. Of course it answers all the purposes of ordinary bathing, and may be used to the same ex- tent. In concluding these observations we cannot help remarking, that whatever may be said against the indiscriminate use of these wa- ters, they are at least valuable in so far, that they are generally taken cheerfully, and when other medicines would be refused or neglected ; the patient must undergo'change of scene, salutary ex- ercise, and, in short, altogether be placed in the situation of all others most conducive to the speedy recovery of an invalid." The mineral water may be found in greater or less abundance over an expanse of from 10 to \2 acres, stretching over the Pit* keathly, Dunburny, and Ballenderick properties. On one of th^ DUNBAUNY* 797 fields in the Ballenderick grounds, which is commonly designated the Nether Oxgang field, and is contiguous to the Pilkeathly and Dunbarny estates, the mineral water is so copious that when any part of the west end of it is dug to the depth of six or seven fe^t, it immediately accumulates in great profusion, and of the same quality as that diffused through the springs already mentioned. The new village of the Bridge of Earn was built for the accom- modation of strangers frequenting the wells. There the lodgings are good, cheap, and abundant. There are two inns or hotels in this parish intended for the entertainment of strangers, — one near the wells, and another at the Bridge of Earn. The former is the old mansion-house, formerly occupied by the proprietors of Pit- keathly. Of late it has undergone considerable repairs. But the hotel that is most resorted- to, is that of the Moncreiffe Arms, at the Bridge of Earn. It is one of the most commodious inns in Scotland, finely situated on the banks of the river, and Dear the handsome bridge that has been erected over it. Mineralogy and Geology, — The rocks which occur in this pa- rish belong to the secondary formation ; a great part of it consists of secondary trap, commonly called whinstone, and the remainder of sandstone. Trap composes the whole of Moncrieffe Hill ; at the north of the parish, it extends over the greater part of Dunbarny property ; it may be seen to advantage in the whinstone quarries on that estate ; and at Glencairn cottage, in the vicinity of Mr Craigie's mansion house. The sandstone, which stretches through a part of the southern division of the parish, is that kind of sand- stone which lies below the coal formation, and which is supposed bjr some to be the old red sandstone. It is to be regretted that, though the trap and sandstone are found within a few hundred feet of each other, there is no place where their junction can be discerned. . The trap of Moncrieffe Hill embraces the three different varie- ties of clinkstone, greenstone, and amygdaloid, which are frequently found in the same mountain. The amygdaloid occurs in various parts of the hill, but may be seen to the greatest advantage in the quarry near Easter Moncrieffe. The following contains an enu- meration of the various minerals imbedded in the amygdaloid fouhd there, and in the amygdaloidal masses distributed through the other parts of the hill : barytes or heavy spar, calcareous spar, fibrous limestone, jasper, agate ; but the predominating mineral at that quarry, and one which is frequently disseminated in the 796 PERTHSHIRE. amygdaioid of Scotland, is greeo earth, or compact chlorite. It u found in maU globular piecesi and in such abundance, that it is scarcely possible to detach a fragment from the rock at the quany without perceiving sereral specimens. This green earth is some* times used as a pigmeoi in water*paintiug, and is the mouDtaiQ* green of painters. Quarries. — There are fi?e trap or whinttone quarries in this pa- rish, which are now, or have been wrought at other timet. One of them is on the Kinmonth property, about two and a-half miles from the parish church ; two on the Moncrieffe property (one at Craigend and the other at Easter Moncrieffe) ; and two on the Dunbarny property, about a mile and a-half west from the dmrcb The stones taken from these quarries are used for drains and road* metal. A few blocks are oocasionally employed aa materials for building ; but from the copious masses of sandstone found in dif- ferent parts of the neighbourhood, little whinstone ia required for this purpose. At Dunbarny and Pitkeathly, there are sandstone or freestone quarries of a dark- red hue. Both dip towards the south*east. The sandstone of Dunbarny is of a durable chame* ter, and from it great quantities of stones have been conveyed for building, not only to different parts of this parish, but also to Perth, Abemethy, and other places. It is wrought with iron wedges, the application of gunpowder being seldom resorted to as in whinstone quarries. Some of the strata are uncommonly hard, and to penetrate and detach them requires great, labour on the part of the workmen. More than seventy years have elapsed since the Dunbarny quarry was opened. It yields an annual vent ofL.17. The sandstone of Pitkeathly quarry is composed of softer ma- terials, and from this cause the working of it has been discontinued for several years. The mansion-house of Kilgraston was built, partly from the Dunbarny and partly from the Pitkeathly quarries. At Dunbarny quarry, stone for hewn work is sold at from S^ to 5d. per foot; ruble or building stone at 6d. per cart-load. Botany. — Plants found on the face of Moncreiffe Hill. Atropa Belladonna Dianthus deltoidcs Geranium moUe Ancbusa officinalis Ro6a spinosissima __ sylvaticum Gentiana campcstris Cistus helianthemum columbiuum Erica Tetralix Meconopsis eambrica ■ lucidom .__-—> alba Antirrhinum cytubalaria — ^-_ sanguineum ——^ cinerea Thymus flora alba Ornithopus perpusillus Calluna vulgaris Digitalis alba Gnaphalium dioicum DUNBAttNY. 799 Plants found on the back of Moncreiffe Hill. Circm Lutetiana Polygonum viviponim Antbyllb Tulneram Pinguicula lusitanica Pyrola rotundlfoiia Paniassia palustris IMenyanthes trifbltaCa Coraanim palustre Trienulis europoa Astragalus hypoglottis Ferns. Asplenium viride Asplenium Tricbomanes Soolopendrium ceteracb adiantum nigrum septentrionale Dlecbnum boreale — Ruta muraria Scolopendrium vulgare Pteris crispa On the north bank of the Earn, a short distance west from the bridge, is found the Aira ccespitosa vivipara, one of the most ele- gant of the Scots grasses. Plants found in the neighbourhood of Dunbarny House. Veronica saxatilis Epilobiuro montanum Gcum rivale Alchemitla vulgaris Pyrola rotundifolia Ficaria ranuncaloides • pubescens ■ rosea Lotus oorniculatus Dipaacus fulionum Saxifraga granulata Vicia cracca Scablosa suocisa Dianthus caesius . ^ Orcbis maculata arvMisis Torroentilla reptans — — — bifolia Sagina procumbens Potentilla argentea Sambucus ebulus Geum urbanum The Moncrieffe garden contains many rare plants, such as heaths, Pelargoniums, and other natives of the Cape of Good Hope ; also a considerable number irom New South Wales and other regions. Trees. — Till about eighty years ago, scarcely any trees grew in Strathearn, except a few sprinkled around gentlemen's seats. The whole valley is now studded with plantations ; one effect of which, according to the testimony of old people, has been to abate very sensibly the violence of the blasts. About forty years ago, Moncrieflfe hill was overgrown with furze and broom ; it is now covered with thriving wood of various sorts* Around the house are some very fine trees : horse chestnuts, measuring eighteen feet round the stem ; walnuts, twelve ; ashes, ten ; and a willow, planted some years ago, is above ten feet in circumference. The number of acres in the parish under wood is 419. In the management of trees, there is a great improvement in the parish in comparison of former times. The trees which have been planted in the grounds of Moncrieflfe are, oak, ash, elm, birch, beech, Spanish chestnut, silver and spruce-firs ; and larch and Scotch firs are used for nurses ; but when it is intended to embellish any portion of the grounds, without reference to the profit to be ultimately derived from the wood, horse chestnut, lime, plane, and walnut, are interspersed amongst the former va- rieties. Among, the most remarkable vegetable productions in the pa** 800 PERTHSHIRE. rish is a tulip tree at Pitkeathly House, which is supposed to be above one hundred \ears old, and has been observed to flower for several seasons. It is perhaps the largest in this neighbourhood. It is generally supposed that the tulip-tree does not blossom in this part of the country until it is very old ; hut there is one in the grounds of Sir Thomas Moncrieffe that flowered in 1836, and was planted by the late gardener in 1796. There is a stately and umbrageous Spanish chestnut-tree, near Old Kilgraston, which is said to have been planted on the day of the capitulation of Perth to Oliver Cromwell. II. — Civil Historv. The teinds connected with the parish of Dunbarny, and pa- tronage to the benefice, belonged formerly to the Town- Council of Edinburgh. The revenue of St Giles's* Church in that city, which were administered by the Town-Council, arose from the teinds of several parishes scattered through Scotland, such as Eastern and Western Weems, Limpetlaw, Brotherstanes, Gogar, and, among the rest, Dunbarny. The charter of King James VL, given under the Great Seal of Scotland, and which confirms to the city of Edinburgh many former charters and privileges granted by previous monarchs, from Robert the Bruce downwards, desig- nated the Golden Charter, given at Holyroodhouse, 15th March 1603, confirms a decree pronounced by the Lords of Council and Session, in 1583, ^' ordaining and declaring that the churches of Dunberny, Potty, and Moncrieffe do, and in all time coming shall belong to the aforesaid provosts, bailiffs, councils, and com- munity of the said town of Edinburgh, according to the tenor of the aforesaid infeftmcnt, granted to them by our said dear mother, of all the benefices, prebendaries, and other foundations within the liberty of the said burgh, conform to the union and annexation of the tithe sheaves, and emoluments of the rectorv of the afore- said church of Dunberny, whereof the said churches of Potty and Moncrieffe are appendages, and were anciently annexed to the collegiate church of St Giles, situated within the said town of Edinburgh, as is more fully contained in the said decreet ; the * St Giles, though before the Reforination only a parish church (not hcing con- stituted into a cathedral till 1633) had attached to it a considerable religious body. It consisted of a provost* curate, sixteen prebendaries, a sacristan, bedall. nainister of the choir, and four choristers or singing boys. The patronage of St Giles's was, in remote times, lodged in the hands of the bishop of Lindesfem, or Holj Island, in Northumberland, and subsequently transferred to the abbot and canons of Dunferm- line, with whom it continued till it was vested in the magistrates and council of Edinburgh. See Maitland's History of Edinburgh. DUNBARNV. 801 charter of confirtnation given and granted by us, confirming the charter aforesaid, dated the 14th day of April anno 1582, and of our reign the fifteenth year." Several other documents, which might be quoted, bear a re- ference to the same right bestowed on the Town- Council of Edin- burgh. King James VI., by act of Parliament of this date, (t. e. 5th June 1592), *^ approves, and confirms, and annexes, to remain with the magistrates of Edinburgh, (for mciintaining the ministry and hospital), whereof they have now the property and superiority, as the Popish clergy had, to whom these lands and annualrents for* merly belonged, viz. the donations and mortifications granted by Queen Mary, his Majesty's mother, and himself at divers times, of the lands, benefices, and rents, which formerly pertained to any bishop, abbot, and prior, or other ecclesiastic, and the general annexation of the temporality of benefices, to the act of Parlia- ment, 29th July 15d5, is dissolved, in so far as it may appear to extend to the premises, or to the annexations formerly made in favours of the college and hospital in Edinburgh, of the teinds of Duuberny, (which pertained to the chapel of St Giles's kirk in Edinburgh), in the sheriffdom of Perth, whereof the kirks of Potty and Moncrieff are pendicles, the parsonage of Currie, and half the vicarage thereof, pertaining to the archdean of Lothian, the lands, annualrents, houses, yards, and biggings of the Trinity College, within Edinburgh, pertaining to the provost and pre- benders thereof, and common lands and annualrents of the same, which annexation, his Majesty, with advice of Parliament, ratifies and approves, as also of new annexes the other half of the vi- carage of Currie, to which no person is provided ; and the whole vicarage of the kirk of Dunberny, vacant by the deprivation of N. N.* last possessor thereof, to remain with the council and com- munity of Edinburgh in all time coming, declaring that none of the particulars aforesaid before disponed, and newly annexed for the sustentation of the ministry within the burgh of Edinburgh, and entertaining the hospital thereof, are, and shall be compre- hended in the greneral annexation of the ecclesiastical lands to the Crown." The patronage of Dunberny remained in the posses- sion of the town-council of Edinburgh till the year 1820, when it was sold to Mr William Anderson, Junior, merchant, Newburgh, for L.1400. It now belongs to Sir Thomas Moncrieffe, Bart. * The initials only of this individual arc conUiincd in the charter. PERTH. 3 & 8C2 PERTHSHIRE. The church of Potty continued an appendage to Dunbarny till 1652, when, from the distance of its locality from the Duobamy kirk, it was annexed to Dron quoad spiritMalia ; but, for long after this date, it was connected with this parish quoad dvUia* In the valuations of the county of Perth, taken in 1649 and 1667, part of Balmanno estate, Kirkpotta, Meikle Fielde, and Qocb- ridgestone, are marked as constituent parts of Dunbarny, though they now belong to Dron. It appears, that, in 1645, shortly before the battle of Kilsyth, the camp of the Co?enanters was pitched at Kilgraston, in this parish. ( Vide Wishart's Memoirs of Montrose). Eminent Men. — Robert Craigie of Glendoic, Lord President of the Court of Session. He was son of Laurence Craigie of Kilgraston, born in the year 1685, and admitted advocate dd Ja- nuary 1710. ^* He was appointed Lord Advocate, in the room of Charles Erskine of Tinwald, 4tb March 1742; and, on the death of Robert Dundas of Arniston, was promoted to be Presr- dent of the Court of Session, and took his seat on the 2d of Fe- bruary 1754. He was named by patent, 18th June 1755, one of the Commissioners for improving the 6sheries and manufactures of Scotland. Of this judge Lord Woodhouselee observes, " He united, to a very profound knowledge of the laws, and an under* standing peculiarly turned to the unfolding of the systematic in- tricacies of the feudal doctrines, the most persevering industry, which, introducing him to notice in some remarkable cases where those talents are peculiarly requisite, were the foundation of a very extensive practice at the bar. His rise to eminence, however, was slow, as he had none of the exterior accomplishments that attract attention ; and, though an acute and able reasoner, his manner of pleading was dry, prolix, and deficient both in grace and energy. In the earlier part of his life, he had, for several years, given private lectures in his chambers to students of the law, before he had any considerable business as a barrister; but his industry, and thegra- dually prevailing opinion of his deep acquaintance with jurispru- dence, overcame at length every obstacle, and he rose to the first rank among the counsel who were his contemporaries. His Lord- ship died 1 0th March 1760.* Lord Craigie, one of the Senators of the College of Justice, • See an Historical Account of the Senators of the College of Justice, from its in- stitution, in 1632, by George Brunton, Solicitor, Edinburgh, and David Haig, As- sistant* Librarian to the Faculty of Advocates. 4 DUNBARNY. 603 was born in this parish in 1754, and buried at the old churchyard of Dunbarny, in 1834. John Grant, Esq. who purchased Kilgraston in the year 1784. He was several years a Member of the Assembly and an Assist- ant Judge of the Supreme Court, in the Island of Jamaica, where he obtained the office of Chief Justice. He died at Edinburgh, the 29th of March 1793, and was interred in the West Church burying-ground, Edinburgh. He was connected with thb parish only by the purchase of property. Mr John Bonar, minister of Torphichen. The session register bears, that he was born on the 16th January 1671^ and baptized on the 18th January, by Mr John Wemyss, minister of Dunbarny. He presided over the spiritual welfare of the inhabitants of Tor* phichen from 1693 to 1747. He had the honour of being the last of the twelve ^' marrow men" to whom the twelve queries were sent by the Commission of the General Assembly of I72I ; but, after the answers were returned to the transmitted queries by the eleven others, he was seized with indisposition, and unable to give his personal attendance. He was well known as a zealous and godly minister. Mr George Whitfield commends him for his ardent zeal in the cause of Christ. He published a sermon in 1719; and afterwards a large and interesting letter to a society of young men in Edinburgh, on prayer meeting.* * He was ikther of the Rev. Mr Bonar of Fetlar, grandfather of Mr Bonar of Perth, great-grandfather of the eloquent and heavenly-minded Mr Archibald Bonar, who was successively minister in Glasgow, Newburn, and Cramond, and the author of two volumes of sermons ; the great-great-grandfiither of the Bonars ministers in Larbert, Greenock, Kelso, and Col lace. The family from which Mr Bonar sprung were portioners or small heritors in the parish of Dunbarny. In a statement of the families who possessed the lands of Kilgraston in 1625, which we have seen, the following notice occurs : — " Johannes Bonnar, portionarius de Kilgriaton, haeres Euphemiae Bonar, matris." About the year 1656, one of the So- nars, who is described as bein^ an heritor in this parish, is represented as applying in that capacity for a seat in the church. This family are mentioned in a charter of Jam« V. extending as far back as 1540. Not one individual of tliat name now re- rides in this quarter. Old FamUiet. — The following notices of some of the families among whom the property of Dunbarny parish was once parcelled, may be interesting to the curious reader:— 1. Oliphant (Lord Laurence) was a very extensive proprietor in Stratheam. To him belonged ** the lands and barony of Aberdgalie and Duppline, with the mills, isbings, and advocatione of the churches, lands, and barony of Gask, dimidietate ter- nurum de Dunberny, 2 quarterns terrarum de Pitcaitblie, quarta parte terrarum de Pitcaitblie, nuncupata < Stewart's quarter.*** In the lands which he possessed in Diinbamy parish he was infeft 14th June 1604. 2. Oliphant, (Laurence of Pitcaithly, for several years treasurer to the kirk-aes- Mon of Dunbarny,) succeeded his &ther, of the same name and title, and was infeft in the ^^ quarter of the towne and lands of Pitcaitblie, called Stewart's quarter, with- in the parochie of Dunbarny, 1654.'* His son succeeded him in 169S. 804 PERTHSHIRE. Land'Owners. — Sir Thomas Moncriefie of Moocrieffe, Bart The present family of Moncrieffe is a younger branch of the ori- ginal family of that name. Matthew de Moncrieffe, great-fjrreat* grandson of Ramerus de Moncrieffe, (the founder of the family, and who was keeper of the wardrobe to King Alexander I.), ob- tained a charter of the lands of Moncrieffe from Sir Roger de Mowbray, the superior of them. This charter has no date; a cir- cumstance not uncommon at that period. Matthew got the same lands erected into a barony by Alexander II., February 1, 124^ therefore the charter must have been received previous to that date,* His lineal descendant, Sir John Moncrieffe, the second baronet of the family, was obliged, from his extremely embarrassed circum- stances, to sell the estate of Moncrieffe, which was purchased in 1666, by Mr Thomas Moncrieffe, his cousin, who was created a baronet by King James VIL of Scotland, by his royal letter pa* tent to him and his heirs male, dated the 30th of November 1685. He was clerk of the Exchequer and Treasury, and had realized great wealth by the situations he occupied. He was founder of that branch of the Moncrieffe family from which the present Sir Thomas Moncrieffe of Moncrieffe is descended. The mansion-house of Moncrieffe was erected by him in 1679. It is nearly of a square form, and resembles the structures of that period. The armorial bearings of Sir Thomas and his lady are cut in stone over the principal door ; the latter belonged to the family of Hamilton, and her armorial bearings are impaled with those of the Moncrieffe fa- mily. It is to this lady that the parish is indebted for the two silver communion cups it at present possesses. The following inscription is engraved upon them : " Dam. Betha. Hamilton, Spouse to Sir Thomas Moncrieffe of that Ilk, left in legacy those two cups to the 3. 1681. A charter was given to Mr David Oliphant of Colcuqubar, eldest sod of Mr William Oliphant, under the Great Seal, at Hayston Court, to ratify to him and his heirs the barony of Forgandenny, and also, (^mter alia), ** All and bul the two parts of the shady half of that oxgate land of Piteaitblie, called the oxgateof Pitcaitb* lie, with tennents, tcnnendries, service of free tennents thereof, lying betwixt the lands of Pitcaithlie and the lands of Kilgcrstoun, within th eparochin of Dunbariiie, &c. &c also the toun and lands Qf Ardargie, with the privilege of erecting a burgh of barony on the west end of the toun and lands of Forgandenny, or on any part adljacent thereto^ with weekly inercats thereof, to be holden on Tuesday weekly, with the free fairs of the same twice in the year, one on the 10th June, the other the 20th October, yearly, with all the tolls and customs, ciisualties, and duties, of the said burgh of ba- rony, and as partially mentioned in the infoftnient of the same granted by King Charles I. of ever- blessed memory, to Sir James Oliphant of Newton* of date, at Ilayrude House, 23d June 1630'*— AVr Acti of Parliament of Scotland, • The charter here alluded to is in the Moncriellc archives. DUNBARNY. 805 diurch of Dunbarny, anno domini 1703/' She also bequeath* ed to this parish a large silver baptismal plate or font 2c/. Sir Thomas dying without issue, his estate and title de- volved on his nephew, Thomas, who was the second baronet of this branch of the family. He married Margaret, daughter of David Smyth, Esq. of Methven. His second son, David, became Moncrieffe of Moredun, and was one of the Barons of Exchequer in Scotland. Sir Thomas died in 1738, and was succeeded by his eldest son, 3c/. Sir Thomas Moncrieffe of Moncrieffe, the third baronet, who married Catherine, daughter of Sir William Murray of Ochter- tyre, Bart. He died in 1 739, and was succeeded by his eldest son, 4th. Sir William Moncrieffe, the fourth baronet. He married Clara Guthrie, daughter of Guthrie of Craigs. He was succeed- ed by his son, 5th. Sir Thomas Moncrieffe, the fifth baronet. He married Lady Elizabeth Ramsay, daughter of the Earl of Dalhousie, by ti'hom he had one son, 6th. Sir David, who was the sixth baronet, and father of the present, being the seventh baronet, and the fifteenth generation of this ancient family, in a direct male line, reckoning from Mat- thew de Moncrieffe. The mansion-house of Moncrieffe contains a number of paintings, the most valuable of which is a full-length portrait of Charles II. in his coronation robes. The ancient man- sion stood nearly half-way between the present house and the cha- pel. There is a tradition that a subterranean gallery communi- cated between this ancient building and the vault of the old cha- pel. It is now closed up. There are two bursaries, the patronage of which is vested in the family of Moncrieffe. The history of their origin may be comprised in a few sentences. Henry White, Dean of Brechin, in the year 1554, mortified dOO merks for the maintenance of two bursars, one in St Mary's College, and the other in St Salvator's. The right of presentation to these two bursaries was afterwards disponed to Sir John Moncrieffe of that Ilk. His descendant. Sir Thomas Moncrieffe, in order to afford a more liberal subsistence to the said bursars, mortified, in the year 1701, the sum of 4000 merks, of which the one-half was allotted to the New or St Mary's College, and the other to St Salvator's or the United College. The bursar of St Mary's must be a regular student of divinity^ 806 PBRTH8H1RE. and is entitled to a seal at the College table, in lieu of which be now receives, along with the eight foundation bursars, aD allowance amounting annually to two bolls of wheat, two of oats, and Gfe of bear, and L. 1, 17s. 2,^d. Sterling, the victual to be converted every session at the Fife fiars prices for the crop immediately preceding. The annual allowance to each bursar from the United College for four years is L.5, 1 Is. 1 i^^d. One of the colleges pur- chased from Mr Thomas Halyburtou the lands of New Grange, in the parish of St Andrews, amounting to eleven and a-half acres, with the sum of 2000 merks left by Sir Thomas Moncrieffe, and some other monies added to it, composing altogether the sum of 3750 merks.^ John Grant, Esq. of Kilgraston. ; Mr Grant's family is that of the Grants of Glenlochy, lineally descended from the family of the Grants of Grant, the chiefs of the clan of that ancient name. Kilgraston was purchased towards the end of last century by John Grant, Esq., who was succeeded by his brother, Francis Grant, Esq., the father of the present proprietor. The mansion, Mhich is large and commodious, is in the Grecian style of archi* tecture. It contains a collection of valuable pictures. Amongst these is an allegorical representation of a legend of St Louis by Guercino, measuring 12 feet by 9* It illustrates a story related of Louis IX., that, having been seized with a brain fever, he sent for his confessor, and vowed, in the event of recovery, his abdica- tion of the crown and assumption of the cowl. It is farther stated that, having been restored to health, his Queen induced him to believe, that a vow taken under these circumstances could not be binding, and that, as there were many religious monks and few religious kings, he was likely to do more for the glory of God in the latter than in the former capacity. The picture, which is one of Guercino's finest works, represents St Louis with his hair closely cut off, having assumed the surplice, with the crown of France and the Jteur-de-lis at his feet, presenting himself before the guardian angel of France, while a seraph is crowning him with a heavenly chaplet. A choir of angels heads the composition. There are likewise among the most remarkable pictures, a head of the Sa- viour and of the Virgin by Leonardo da Vinci ; a fine ** Corona- tion with Thorns," by Schedoni; a beautiful portrait of a child by * Evidencci oral and documentary, of the Koyal Comintssionirs for Sc Andrews in 1627. DUNBARNY. 807 Van (ler Helsted ; a battle-piece, by Salvator Rosa ; portraits of the Duke of York, Lord Macartney, and Lord St Vincent, by Sir Joshua Reynolds ; of Charlotte de la Tremoville, by Vandyke ; and of James I. of England, by Luchars. The House of Kil- graston stands in a spacious and wooded park. George Clerk Craigie, Esq. of Dunbarny. Mr Craigie is a branch of the family of Craigies who possessed Kilgraston, and of whom several were elders in this parish. They were remark* able for the elegant improvements they made on their estates ; and it is to their public spirit that the community is indebted for seve- ral avenues of trees which adorn the roads in the parish. Small Keir, Esq. of Kinmonth, who has no place of residence in the parish. Alexander Stoddart, Esq. of Ballendrick.* The House of Ballendrick, as well as all the buildings connected with it, was erected about seventeen years ago. The steading attached to it is most commodious and complete. There are on Mr Stoddart's property a few neat and substantial cottages, built with foreign wood, and slated ; they are occupied by labourers and artisans in hb employment. Parochial Registers, — These compose eight volumes, viz. two iu quarto and six in folio. The register of baptisms is comprised in the two quarto volumes, and commences in 1594. The session- * BaUendfick is a word of Gaelic etymology, and probably signiBes ** the town of the blae- berries** or bilberries. Bnile in Gaelic means a city or village, tannt a house, repository, or church (Shawns Gaelic Dictionary), and dearc or dearvioidc a bil or blae-berry ; hence Bdenderick or Baile'lann dearc^ as Baliendrick denotes *' the town qC the land** or ^ church of the biUberries." *' Hence,'* says the writer of the old Ac- count of the parish of Lanark, **■ Lan deareach signifies also bilberry-land or reposi* tory, pretty descriptive of ail the Lanarks, such as Drumlanark, in Dunifrics>shire, Lduiark, in Stirlingshire,** &c. Most of the names of places in this district, as well as in Fife, Kinross, &c. are of Celtic origin. This need not excite surprise when we remember, that the Gaelic language was spoken, even in the lowlands of Scotland, from A. D. 843 to 1097, and to a considerably later period. Even so late as the be- ginning of the sixteenth century, Major the historian and Munster inform us, that one-half of the Scottish people spoke Gaelic. It can be proved, from many existing ancient charters, that, about tlie year lldO, in a controversy decided about the lands of Kirkness, near Loch Leven, where Constant! ne, the Earl of Fife, and Great Judge In Scotland, and Macbeth, Thane of Falkland, were present, as well as at a peram- bulation of land at the Mearns, and of other lands in Fife, about a. d. 119U and 1231, the names of the persons who composed the jurymen were all Gaelic, e, g. Gillie Constantin, Gillicolm, Gillipatrick, &c. An ecclesiastical council to reform abuses and novelties that had crept into the Scottish Church, was convened in a. d. 1074. A difficulty soon occurred when the council met. The Scottish clergy could speak nothing but Gaelic ; Margaret, the Queen, who was the principal prolocutor, could spenk nothing but Saxon ; the King, Malcolm III., who understood the Eng* lish language (from his long residence there) as well as the Gaelic bis native tongue, acted as interpreter, in imitation of Oswald the Northumbrian at a similar conference. DUNBARNY. 809 barny. It stood about 800 yards south -east from the present inansion-house. Its dilapidated ruin:: still exist, though so deeply embosomed in wood, that a stranger may be near it without being aware of its existence, from the thick foliage of the trees and ever- greens by which it is surrounded. Bones occasionally dug up, and other appearances, as well as the uniform voice of tradition, concur in proving that the ground encircling it was used as a ce- metery. The interior of it is used as a burying-place by the fa- mily of Moncriefie, where the ashes of many successive generations repose. The walls of the edifice are nearly entire, though not a vestige of the roof remains. It is SO feet long, 1 8 broad, and the walls 10 feet high. It has a north aisle, containing a vault under- neath, and a small belfry at the east gable, the bell formerly be- longing to which is still preserved in the House of Moncrieife. This ancient and venerable pile is thickly overgrown with mantling ivy, and has a solemn aspect suitable to the spot where the bones of so many illustrious men are mouldering to decay. Douglas states in his Baronage, that at so remote an era as 1857, Duncan Mon- creifie of that Ilk and his lady were buried here. The families of the MoncrielTes of Tippermalach, and the Moncriefies of Kin- month were at one time interred within the same chapel. The remains of an edifice which constituted the residence of the lat- ter family, may still be seen a little to the west of Easter Mon- crieife; a part only of the walls have survived the ravages of time.* * George MoncriifTc, son of Sir Malcolm Moncrieffis who was appointed by King James II. one of the Judges of the Supreme Court of J udicature, (now called Lords of Scttion,) was the ancestor uf the old family of Tippermalach. His lineal descend* ants posseMed the estate of Tippermalach from 1473 to 1664 or 1G66. Matthi*w MoDcriefTe, brother of the said George Moncrieife, was ancestor of the family of Kast- er Moncriefi'e. He married Christian Mauld, the heiress of Easter Moncrieffis in I447» and had by her two sons, John and Archibald. John succeeded him, but died without issue in 151 4; he was then represented by Archibald, who had two sons, John and James. 'J he history of these two brothers is connected with some facts re- latlre to the ancient property uf the church. **• Adam Foreman, the last prior of the cbmrter-house near Perth, when his house was demolished by the Reformers, retired with his brethren to Krrul, of which church they were patrons, and there he let out, with consent of thuse who staid at home, to John Foreman, son and heir to Robert Foreman of Luthrie, for a puni of money, — Terras suas de saccllo beats Mariac Magdalenae (the Magdalene lands) nuncuptas, terras de Frireton, terras de Craigie, ct insulam australera burgi dc Perth, tenacum piscaria sua salmonum, super aquam de Taye infra vice comitatu de Perth. This charter is granted to John Fore- man, hut the lands specified came all into the possession of the family of Moncrieflfe, to whom the Forcmans were nearly allied, and have ever since belonged to them ; for, contemporaneous with the granting of the above* mentioned charter to John Fore- man, the property of the charterhouse itself, with the houses, grounds, and gardens connected with it, was sold to John Moncriif, the eldest of the brothers, previously r^erred to by a charter dated I4th November 1569, and this deed is afterwards con- firmed by a charter from James VI. dated 18th May 1672, in favour of hia brother, James, who succeeded him, and who is there designated Jacobus 6)ius Arcbibaldi Moncreif de Easter Moncreif.'* 810 PKRTU8U1RE. Kirk Pottie. — The church of Kirk PoUie was titiiated aboBf three miles south from the Bridge of Earn, at theentranoe to the north end of Glen Farg. Its ruins have been swept away withb the last tweWe years, and the site on which it stood, with the burial-ground belonging to it, are now occupied by the garden and dwelling-house of the tenant of Kirk Pottie Mill. A few hundred yards west firom Moncrieffe House, on the north side of the avenue, may be seen what is supposed by some to be the vestiges of a small Druidical temple, consisting of a circle of eleven rude stones of ten feet in diameter. In the centre of it is a tree that was planted on the birthday of the present possessor of Moncrieffe. On the summit of Moncrieffe or Moreden hill, (t. e. the large lull,) the distinct traces of a fortification may be seen. There b a circular fosse about sixteen yards in dian^eter ; in its centre stood Carnac fort, which belonged to the Picts, whose monarchs during the eighth and ninth centuries fixed their capital at Abernethy, about four or five miles south-east from the Bridge of Earn. On the tops of several hills in this vicinity, as well as in other parts of Scotland, fortresses were erected in ancient times, which served as watch-towers, where persons were stationed to give signals of approaching danger. This was the case on Tomahastle, a coni- cal eminence in the west of Strathearn, where the indubitable traces of a fort are conspicuous ; it coincides with Moncrieffe Hill, in the important point of commanding an ample range of pro- spect, and was therefore well fitted for the purpose now men- tioned. Village of Dunbamy. — At a remote period, when the church stood on the Dunbamy property, a considerable village existed close to the mansion of Mr Craigie, occupying for a short distance each side of the road conducting from it to the Bridge of Earn, and which was till seventy years ago the only line of communica- tion between Forgandenny and the Bridge of Earn. It contained thirty-six families. For their accommodation, a ferry-boat plied on the Earn, in a line with the west wall of the old church-yard, after crossing which, the villagers travelled to Perth by the Hilton knowe, the field called the " Muckle Bank," and St Magdalen's farm. The Forest of Black Earnside. — The ancient forest of Black Euinside, or Black Ironside, extended along the banks of the DUNBARNY. 811 £aro, and probably received the designation of black from the deep overshadowing gloom of the trees. It was four miles in length and three in breadth, and was signalized by the adventures of Sir William Wallace, and especially by a sanguinary conflict which he there maintained with the English. This forest has been long cut down, but large masses of black oak, which are supposed to be the remains of it, are found im- bedded in the soil, along various parts of the territory over which it once stretched. A large tree of this black oak was dug up on the south bank of the Earn, having been found when an excava- tion was made for the foundation of the new bridge. The lintels of one of the houses in the Bridge of Earn were made out of it. Four hundred yards further down the river, the Earl of Mansfleld, some years ago, employed a number of men nearly twelve days cutting an oak found there. Large pieces of the same valuable limber may be seen near the banks of the Earn, in the parish of Abernethy. Old Bridge of Earn, — The old bridge over the Earn was proba- bly built about 500 years ago. There is extant, among the records belonging to the abbacy of Scoone, an order from King Robert the Bruce to the abbot and monks connected with it, to allow the magistrates of Perth the liberty of digging stones out of the quar- ries of Kincarochie and Balcormac for building the bridge of Tay and the bridge of Earn. The tenour of it is as follows : *^ Ro* bertus Dei gratia Rex Scotorum, religiosis Abbati et conventui de Scona, delectis et 6delibus suis, salutem, nos rogamus, qua- tenus, ad iustantiam nostram concedere velitis licentiam capiendi lapicediorum de Kynkarochi et Balcormac, pro edificatione eccle- siae de Perth et Eryn, ita quod dicta licentia non cedat vobis in damnum aut praejudicium. Datum apud Glascua quarta die Julii anno regni nostri vigesimo tertio." The above was granted a. d. 1329. The bridge over the Earn was upheld till the Reforma- tion by the liberality of churchmen, who supplied stones for its repair as they had done for its original construction. It was com- posed of 6ve arches, as an additional arch was reared about eighty years ago, in consequence of the inroads the water was making on the northern bank of the river. This constituted the fifth or last arch. When the new bridge was built, a fragment of the old one was left, comprehending two arches. This dilapidated ruin is begin- 812 Perthshire. nin^ to be overgrown with ivy, and presents a picturesque appear* ance.* Notices of the Ministers of Duribamy since the Refarmaiiim,^^ 1. Mr Patrick Wemyss was minister of Dunbamy, Potty, and Hod- crieflfe in 1569, and probably the first minister placed at Dunbarov subsequent to the Reformation. His stipend is stated in the Re- gister of Ministers, Readers, and their Stipends, printed for the Maitland Club, to have been L.100 (Scots), ** now is providetto the kirk of Dumberny, and instantly gettis the thryd thereof, ex- tending to L.60, and also to 4 chaplanriis, quhilk will extend to L.40.''f In 1594, his name appears at the beginning of the oldest session register of baptisms, which commences in 1594. In 1599, his stipend is stated to be, X ** thrid of the personage of Dumberny, Paty, and Moncrief) iclxxxli. (i.^. L. 1 BO), with manse and gleib, with the haill vicarage thairof Ixli." (t. e. L.60 Scots.) In 1607, besides the above, there is added *^ the haill vicarage of Dron, with the thrid of the chaplanries of Dunkeld, called St Ni- nians and St Peter in Perth, xv. li. viiis. xd.," (i.e. L.I55 8s, lOd. Scot?.) Mr Wemyss was living in 1611, when he was pre- sent nt the diocesan svnod at St Andrews; but in 1614 and 1615, the church is not mentioned in the books of assionation. It is proper to notice here the following statements, viz.§ " An- dro Disart, reidar," (at MoncriefTe, i, e. at the old chapel of Mon- crieffe, where public worship seems to have been conducted then), * In an historical account of the internal government of the borough of Perth from 1745 to 1785, submitted to the Committee of Convention by the committee for the guildry of Perth, the following notice of the old bridge occurs : ** By an act cf James VI. the borough of Perth have right to a certain pontage at the iiridgc of Earn, with jhc b'urden of u])holdii)g the bridge. Some years ago an arch of the biidge wss thiiught insufficient, and was taken down. It was an arch not above SO feet vide, but the building ot it cost the town considerably n.ore than L.3G00 Sterling, althLUgh a con^plete new bridge over the same river^ about six miles above, (via. Bridgi tf l^'orteviot), was done by subscription for L.5('0 Sterling. This was not all, — for tbc county, before the arch was taken d(/wn, offered to take the 1 urdcn on thim, in all time coming, on being allowed the puntage. The town*s n)anagers lefused that,ard they draw about L.OO a year for it. If this was prudeut management the distDte> rested will judge." The following notice of the old bridge is extracted from a MS. in the Advocatet* Library, Edinburgh : — ^'' 2:^1 Jaruary 1614. Being Saturday, the northmost pend and bow of the Bridge of Krne fell down, being evil bigged from the beginning, filled only with clcy and earth, and without any blind pend, as the Brig of Tay has been in the same manner formerly bigged of old. The burgh and sbire, with all diligence, caused David Jack and David Mill, craftsmen, put up the same with timber- work." t *^ Anc obligatune quyle he gets full payment of the prf^omige,** i.e, parsonage. ^ Extracted from the Books of Assignation and Modification c dially complied with ; for documents, still extant, demonstrate, that, at this time, there were at least seventy bursars of Theology, llieir maintenance was derived from the kirk-session penalties, according to the provisions of an act of Assembly ; and every bursar was to have allotted to him at least L.IOG Sects. This act was cuspended, by another finding of Assembly, and formally repealed in 1756. About the banning of last century, there were, altogether, about 160 bursars of theology. See extracts from evidence before tli^ University Commission in 1828. •f" Extract from presbytery register: •* The Episcopal incumbent, (t. e.) Mr John Balneaves, having been very early deprived of his office, the lairds of Kilgraston and Dumbarny presented a call to the presbytery, August 9th, 1690, in favour of Mr ^ohn Tullidaph, preacher of the Gospel, to be minister of Dumbarny. The presbytery finding several informalities in the call, and particularly that there was not yet a constituted session in that parish, first proceeded to ordain a qualified session here* and after this was done, and all the necessary formalities observed, Mr John Tullidaph was ordained and admitted minister of Dumbarny, January %lV\ Y^^VC'^ His con was the celebrated Mr Thomas Tullidaph, Principal oC St Andrews. Sl6 PBRTUSMIBE. 10. Mr Thomas Finlavson was ordained here on the 11th of September 1717, and died on the 22d of May 1744. Oo the 5th of May 1715, a popular call, by the heritors^ elders, and heids of families, had been moderated in for Mr Chapman of Monedie; but for some reason that cannot be now traced, be declined ac- cepting of it. 11. Mr James Lindsay, minister of Laucher, was settled here in 1745, and translated to Lochmaben in 1750. 12. Mr James Gillespie, minister of Abdy, was unanimously chosen minister here by the heritors, elders, and heads of fami* lies, and inducted on the 21st of March 1751. He was transport- ed to St Andrews on the 25ih of October 1757, where he was invested with the office of Principal. Mr George Lyon of Strath- miglo received a call to succeed him in the pastoral office; but he does not appear to have complied with it. 13. Mr David Beatson, preacher in the parish of Kinross, was called on the 4th of February, and ordained on the 10th of May 1759. He died here in 1795, and was succeeded by his son. 14. Mr James Beatson, minister of Kingsbarns, who was in« ducted on the 26th of November 1795, and died on the 17tb of November 1820. 15. Mr (now Dr) Anderson was inducted here on the 9th of August 1821. He was translated to Newburgh in 1833, and succeeded by the present incumbent on the 23d of January 1834. HI. — Population. The population of this parish has undergone great fluctuations. In 175.5, it was 764; in 1759, 600, in consequence of proprietors letting out the lands in small possessions. It increased in 17749 to 1026; in 1792, to 1260. The village of the Bridge of Earn was erected in a great measure subsequent to the date last men- tioned ; but any accession it has brought to the population has been more than compensated by the diminution arising from the contemporaneous abolition of the small farms. The population, in 1801, was . , 1066 18II, ia37 1821, . 1IG4 1831. 1162 1841, 1105 If we may draw any inference from the number of baptism^ in former times as compared with the present, it would seem that from 1658 to 1700 the population was larger than at any subse*- DUNBARNT. 817 quent period, for the average amount of baptisms annually was, from 1658 to 1700, 35, considerably higher than it has since been. After 1700 it seems slowly to have declined, till, in 1755, it was reduced to 764. Population of the Bridge of Earn, 292 lOuts, 85 fkiniliee. village of Kintulloch, . 108 S6 landward part of the parish, . 762 284 Nombcff employed in agricxilture, ... 97 Labourers, • . • .25 Weavers, , 11 Number employed in trade, and manufactures, and handicraft, 129 There are of insane and fatuous persons, 14; blind, none; deaf and dumb, 2. The average rate of mortality for the last ten years is 12, or one in the hundred ; a remarkable proof of the extreme salubrity of this district The average number of births and marriages can- not be given with an approximation to rigid accuracy. VUlagef, — The Bridge of Earn may be said to consist of two villages, an old and a new. The first houses which existed in the Bridge of Earn were built by Mr John Gilloch, wright and un- dertalier, who obtained, about 1769, a ninety-nine years' lease of an acre and a half of ground, from Sir William Moncrieffe, com- prehending the tract of land between the old bridge of Earn and Seales bridge. Alexander Wilson purchased from him the houses next the old bridge; but there was astipulation in the bargain that L.1 per annum would still be paid to him for what is called the shore, or beach where ships unload their goods. Hence, when the former sold one of his houses with the shore to Robert Ford, the latter was bound to pay L.1 per annum to Mr Gilloch. Robert Ford's family possess the shore, and levy duty from the vessels that sail to the bridge and disburden their cargoes there. Gilloch pays yearly a rent of L.d to the house of Moncrieffe, and is bound at the end of the ninety-nine years' lease (of which only thirty years are now to run) to leave a house of the value of L.10 on each of the half acres above specified. The new village of the Bridge of Earn was erected ten years ago. Its buildings are so disposed as to form a row or street, and have been much admired for the symmetrical regularity of their architecture. The village of Kintulloch is situated about half a mile south- west from the parish church, and is terminated by a magnificent PRRTH. 3 V 818 PERTHSHTRR. gateway, through which the principal approach to Kilgraston runs* It is possessed by cottagers and pendiclers, and is remarkable for the taste with which its inhabitants embellish the fronU of their houses, by means of evergreens and roses, and for the uncommon cleanliness bv which their interior is marked. The word Kintulloch signifies, in Gaelic, the top of a gentle rising ground, or green eminence, and appropriately describes its situation, which is contiguous to a slope that rises from a brook that rolls a little to the south. The most remote allusion we can find to the lands of Kintulloch is in Chalmers's Caledonia, (Vol. i. p. 590). '* Hugh Say, an Englishman, obtained a gnmt of the lands of Kintulloch, in Perthshire, under William the Lion. His estate descended to Arabella, his sister, who married Reginald de Warrene. (Reginald is a witness to a charter of William de Ruthven, Lord of Ruthven, during the reign of Alexander 11. i.e. from 1*214 to 1249. See charter of Scone, 74.) Arabella after the death of her husband, granted, in 1249, to the monks of Scone, a toft and a croft, with three acres of land, in her territory of Kuntilloch," (lb. 65.) Kintulloch, after passing successively through various hands, has devolved upon Mr Grant of Kil- graston. When it belonged to the Craigies of Dunbamy, its inhabitants were ^^ thirled" to the wind-mill that stood a little to the west of Dunbarny House, and of which the remains may still be seen. IV. — Industry. iSoiV, Agriculture. — From the bridge of Forteviot to the con- fluence of the Tay with the Earn, there is along the banks of the latter a spacious tract of deep clay, chiefly of a brown colour. In the vicinity of the Bridge of Earn, there is a considerable number of feet below ground a stratum of moss, from one to three feet in thickness. It has been often observed when a shaft has been dug in the earth for finding water. It is owing to the presence of this stratum for some hundred yards along the margin of the Earn, in the parish of Dunbarny, that no good water is obtained at the vil- lage of the Bridge of Earn, as, in every well of water dug there, the liquid is impregnated by a disagreeable infusion from the moss. In the village of Kintulloch, situated about half a mile from the river, that precious fluid is found in the utmost state of purity, because the moss does not extend so far. Various kinds of tim- ber and other vegetable substances are found imbedded in it, and uniformly with their trunks and stems stretched in a direction from DUNBARNY. 8l9 north-east to south-west. They have been sometimes emploi^ed as fuel, but not frequently, from the offensive smell which the burning of them diffuses. Below this moss and its load of super- incumbent clay there is a stratum of sand of 18 inches in thick- ness, and below it a variety of soils. This moss must, like that designated the Moss of Flanders, have been formed by the pro- gressive decay of vegetable substances, and especially trees. While in the soil along the Earn we may see fragments of im- bedded timber that grew many years ago, we sometimes see in its banks a phenomenon^ which, though not leading us so far up the stream of time, is yet of an interesting character, that is, parts of branches of trees which, having become imbedded in the sand at the margin of the river, have been gradually petrified ; and it is easy to see how the process advanced. While the work of decompo- sition was going on in the vegetable substances, the particles of sand insinuated themselves into it, so that as each vegetable particle successively disappeared, it was replaced by a stony particle. Thus the sand or stony substance gradually occupied the spaces left vacant by the decay of the vegetable parts ; and, being moulded in their cavities, assumed the contexture of the original branch. The pe- trified wood presents such an exact imitation of the real wood, that, upon cutting it transversely, we can trace the concentric rings which marked the annual growth of the tree. About three miles aboire the bridge of Earn, many specimens of such petrified wood may be seen in a high bank close to the river. In several in- stances the petrifaction is complete, in others it is going on, the sand by degrees penetrating the decayed vegetable, and copying the exteriqf form of the organic body. In this parish there is to be found every variety of soil, from a rich loam to the poorest clay. The lands on the south side of the river consist of a strong, wet, clay soil, and are very flat ; those on the north side consist chiefly of a rich loam ; while towards the west end of the parish a red stiff till predominates. The mode of cultivation varies considerably on the difierent properties. On the Moncriefie estate, all the farms were formerly cultivated upon a four- shift rotation, viz. l^^, fallow or green crop; 2 in pease and turnips, one-balf of 440 or 220 being in pease, yielding 2 quarters per acre, at L.1, 12s per quarter, 704 And one-balf in turnips, at L.8 per acret . • 1760 Do. do. in potatoes and fallow, one-third being fal- low, and two-thirds potatoes, at L.1 per acre, . 2988 J Do. do. in grass, at L.6 per acre, . 2640 L.15985i The rental of the parish is^ nearly L.7000. The produce of the orchards in the parish not included in the 2640 acres is L.120. The parish has of late years been much improved by draining. Manufactures, — There are eleven looms in operation in this pa- rish, and chiefly for linen fabrics. V. — Parochial EcoNOMy. MarkeUTaumSf ^c. — The nearest market* town to the Bridge of Earn is Perth, at the distance of four miles to the north-west The Bridge of Earn is a post-town, and from it runners go to Newburgh, Dunning, and Auchterarder, delivering letters at these and the various intermediate places. The post-office here yields to Government an annual revenue of L.300. Several coaches pass through the Bridge of Earn every day, — . two mail-coaches, the^ Coburg, the Aberdeen Defiance, pass and repass in travelling between Edinburgh and Perth, and the Fife Defiance does the same between Perth and Kirkcaldy. There is one toll-road in this parish, which traverses its surface the length of three miles, being part of the great northern road. Besides it, there are four good statute-labour roads ; one of these is the old 822 PERTHSHIRE. turnpike, which intersected it, id passing from the Wicks of Begtie to the old bridge. The greater part of the parish is inclosed, and the fences are kept in good condition. Bridges* — The foundation stone of the new bridge was laid in May 1821, and the whole fabric was completed in the same year. It consists of three elliptic arches, each being 75 feet in span ; the width of the bridge is 24 feet over the parapet ; the roadway is about 28 feet above the bed of the river, and the total length of the masonry, including the wing or parapet walls, is 345 feet The bridge was reared at the expense of L. 16,000 by the city of Perth. To reimburse them for this large outlay, a pontage was put upon it which yields an annual return of nearly L.IOOO. The farmers on the estate of Moncriefife might have been exempted from the payment of this pontage ; but Sir David Moncriefife, ac- tuated by a spirit of uncommon liberality, was contented to forego this privilege. When it was opened, foot-passengers were charg- ed a halfpenny every time they passed along ; but, by the kind in- tervention of Sir David, this tax was abolished. There are two small bridges over a little stream which consists of two branches, one issuing from the Ochils in this parish, and the other from Forgandenny, which form a junction near Pitkeath- ly House, and formerly impelled the machinery of three mills. One of these bridges is near the west end of Kintillo, and, as ap- pears from the parochial registers, was originally built, and long maintained by the church door collections. Ecclesiastical State. — The present church of Dunbarny was erected in the year 1787, and can accommodate 651 persons, al- lowing 1 8 inches to each. No seat rents are exacted. It occu- pies a central position in the parish. The greatest distance at which any of the inhabitants reside from it is three miles, and, perhaps, this is one cause of the extreme regularity with which they attend the dispensation of public ordinances. The number of communicants is 400. Previous to the year 1787, a church stood a few yards west from the site of the present ecclesiastical fabric. It was erected in the year 1 684, but was taken down not from any decay in its materials, but because it was not of sufiScient dimensions to accommodate the whole population, which was doubled between the years 1759 and 17S7. Previous to 1684, the parish church stood a mile west from the Bridge of Earn, in the burying- ground near the mansion of Dunbarny. This site being near the 4 DUNBARNY. 823 extremity of the parish was found very iuconvenient, and on this account it was judged necessary to transfer it to the Bridge of Earn. In 1684, while the church was building, public worship was observed in the chapel at Moncrieffe. The ancient house stood in the hollow immediately south from the place of sepulture, at Dunbarny, and was constructed of clay and turf. The old burying-ground is still used as a cemetery. It is defended by a substantial stone wall of 10 feet high. It is situated on an ele- vated spot about one third of a mile from the Earn, and in it stood the ancient kirk of Dunbarny. The modern church-yard at the Bridge of Earn was formed partly in the year 1821, and partly some years after. It is altogether artificial, being composed of 2000 carts of sand conveyed from the banks of the river. The present manse was erected in the year 1775. A handsome addi- tion of two capacious public rooms was subsequently made to it on the north side by the Rev. James Beatson, at his personal ex- pense. The glebe consists of seven acres, and its annual value may be estimated at L. 2d. The stipend is as follows : Wheat, 16 bolls, 2firlots, pecks, 2 lippies : meal, 114 bolls, 3 firlots, 2 pecks, 3 lippies ; bear, 67 bolls, 3 firlots, 2 pecks, 2 lippies; money L.2, 13s. 7d. with a vicarage teind of 44^ loads of coal, reckoning the load 2s. 6d. The number of Dissenting families in this parish is 20. Of these, 3 are Episcopalians, 3 belong to the Relief body, 13 to the Associate synod, and 1 to Mr Pitcairn's congregation, or the Ir- vingites, Perth. There is no Dissenting chapel in the parish. Poor. — The church collections average yearly about L. 63, which sum, together with the interest of L.200 belonging to the session, mortcloth and proclamation money, amounts to L« 80. There is a voluntary contribution made by the heritors, varying according to the exigencies of each year. About L.100 is distri- buted to the poor annually. The number of regular paupers is 17, and the largest allowance 10s. per. month. There are about 12 occasional paupers. Education. — With regard to education, this parish enjoys pecu- liar advantages. So far as can be ascertained, there are no chil- dren above six years of age who cannot read ; and all above fif- teen have been taught both writing and reading. Ample provi- sion has been made for affording instruction to the poorest. In 1677, the Rev. Robert Young mortified 500 merks, which bene- volent provision was afterwards increased by John Craigie, Esqi 824 PERTHSHIRE. of Dunbarny, who, in 1743, mortified L.5 Sterling; aad still more by th e late Rev. James Beatson, who, in 1820, mortified L.108 Sterling, the annual interest of which sums is paid to the schoolmaster for teaching poor children. Shortly after the pre- sent teacher was appointed, the late Sir David Moncrieffe of Moncriefie, Bart., bequeathed to the school a bursary of L.100 Scots, to be awarded as a prize to the best classical scholar ; and in addition to the above mortifications for the education of the poor, the Right Hon. Lady Lucy Grant of Kilgraston allows annually the sum of L.5 Sterling (limited to the present teacher) for the same be- nevolent purpose. The parochial teacher's salary is the maximum. The school is commodiously situated, and the dwelling-house is a neat modern fabric. Fuel. — The parish is provided with coal principally from Kelty, Lochgelly, and other districts in Fifeshire, besides supplies con- veyed from the neighbourhood of Newcastle to the Bridge of Earn in small vessels by the river Earn, and which are sold about the same p'-ice as m Perth. Cottages. — At Craigend on the Edinburgh road, about two miles from Perth, the Moncriefib family have erected a number of ele- gant cottages, which have a certain space of ground for gardens attached to them. They are built with projecting eaves somewhat in the English style. Three years ago, the Highland Society agreed to award ten prizes to such cottagers in the county of Perth, paying L.5 of yearly rent or under, whose cottages should be distinguished by general neatness and cleanliness, and whose gardens should be laid out and kept with a superior style of taste- fulness and elegance. The inhabitants of five of the Craigend cottages became competitors for these prizes, and the first five of the prizes held out to the whole county were adjudged to them. Libraries. — A public library was established in this parish many years ago. It comprises 300 volumes, consisting of standard works in history, divinity, and other departments of knowledge. There is also a library connected with the Sabbath-school, containing 250 volumes on religious subjects, which are read with the great- est avidity. Savings- Bank. — There was a Savings-bank organized in the pa- rish some years ago, but it was dissolved through a groundless ap- prehension, very generally diffused through the country, that Government wished to appropriate the funds of such iiistitu- tions^ 3 INCHTURE. 825 Jk'hiuses, — There are 11 public-houses in this parish, exclu- sive of the Moncrieffe Hotel. Besides the provision made for the education of poor children already adverted to, there were several sums of money mortified by the Rev. James Beatson, and which are entitled ** Beatson's mortified sums,'' and which are to be appropriated to the benefit of Dunbarny parish. After the legacy-duty was deducted, these amounted to L.d78w The sum of L.dO was mortified by the mo- ther of the Rev. James Beatson, the interest of which was to be a stated annual fund, providing a salary for a Sabbath-school teacher in the parish of Dunbarny. December 1842. PARISH OF INCHTURE. PRESBYTERY OF DUNDEE, SYNOD OF ANGUS AND MEARNS. THE REV. J. A. HONEY, MINISTER. L — Topography and Natural History. Name. — The name Inchture, it has been suggested, is probably derived from the Gaelic words innis, an island, and ear^ the east, — the eminence on which the church and village stand being the eastern of those elevations in the Carse of Gowrie, which were anciently islands. Situatioru — It is situated to the north of the estuary of the Tay, in the county of Perth, between Perth and Dundee, thirteen miles from the former, and 9 from the latter. Extent — In extent it measures about 4 miles from north to* south, and about 3 miles from east to west ; and contains an area of about 12 square miles. Boundaries. — On the east, it is bounded by the parish of Long- forgan ; on the south, by the Frith of Tay ; on the west, by th& parishes of Errol and Kinnaird ; and on the north, by those o£ Abernyte and Longforgan. In figure it is nearly an oblong. Topographical Appearances, — Looking at the parish when the? tide has ebbed, we have, first of all, several hundred acres of sand- banks indented by *^ water-runs," &c the seaward course of the^ ** Pow," numerous temporary embankments, and a pretty broad 8*^6 PERTHSHIRE. fringe of reeds towards the land. Then, at the height of about twenty feet, forming a section of the Carse of Gowrie, stretches onward a plain of rich alluvial soil for from two to three miles northerly, and the whole breadth of the parish, at the extremity of which rises, first of all, the eminence on which Incbture stands, and then, after one or two undulatory elevations, the hills of Rossie, Baledgarno, and Ballindean, a portion of what in the dis- trict is termed ** the braes of the Carse," and of the vei)^ of the Sidlaws, whose acclivities are not very great, and the heights of which may be about 500 feet. The parish is in one of the most fertile districts of the king- dom, in the midst of an exceedingly rich and beautiful, as well as e&tensive, amphitheatre, and forms one of the roost im- posing portions of it. In the low ground, while the surrounding landscape is very rich in fields, and trees, and plantations, and parks, and edifices, and churches, and villages, not the least at- tractive, if not the most, are those of Inchture ; whereas from any one of the hills, which lie on its northern boundary, is to be de- scried a prospect which, in few places, can be equalled, and io scarce any surpassed, — the Carse of Gowrie, not inappropriately designated *^ Scotland's Garden,'* in all its richness, and the noble estuary of the Tay, dotted here and there with glistening sails, forming the foreground, while the back-ground comprises the hills east and west, north and south, in the direction of Dundee Law, the Fifeshire Lomonds, the Hill of KinnouU, and the far-famed one of Dunsinnan, till their peaks are lost in the *^ blue dis- tance," and their bases in the ocean. Climate. — The climate is, on the whole, mild and balmy, parti- cularly in the vicinity of the " braes," as exhibited in the early foliage and richer fruits. Hydrography, — The Frith of Tay, the southern boundary of the parish, is here about three miles broad. At low water, how- ever, it is confined to a much narrower channel on the southern or Fifeshire side. Owing to the extensive banks over which the tide flows, and the rapidity of the current, there is always a quaO' tity of sand suspended in the water, and its volume being so im- mensely greater than the contents of the river which are mingled with it, it is strongly impregnated with salt. The rapidity of the flow at neap-tides may be from two to four miles an hour, and, at stream-tides, from four to six during the same period. At the harbour at Polgavie, the water rises from six to eight feet during INCHTURE. 827 neap-tides, and from eleven to thirteen during spring-tides. Oc- casionally it has risen as high as seventeen feet, and these extra- ordinary risings usually correspond with the remarkable flowings in the Thames, which lay many of the lower parts of London under water, and in the Frith of Forth, as noticed at Granton Pier, &c. The parish is partly bounded, and partly intersected, by streams of no great magnitude, called ** pows,'' probably from the Gaelic polly a pond, a bog, marsh or miro, some of which names, portions of them in their passage from the highlands^ through the alluvial soil to the frith, at a former period, no doubt well de- served. They take their rise among the hills to the north, and being joined by various tributaries, flow, the one for a eonsideral^le way on the western extremity of the parish into the frith at Pol- gavie, forming and preserving the harbour of that name ; and the other, after uniting the burns of Baledgarno, which partially in- tersects the parish, and that of Rossie, which partially bounds it for some length on the eastern extremity, where it diverges into the parish of Longforgan, and reaches the frith some miles to the eastward. There are numerous excellent wells in the parish. The upper part is particularly well supplied with water ; and it is probable, were the wells in the lower part deepened, a fair supply, and of good quality, might be obtained there likewise, the experiment having succeeded well in other parts of the Carse. Geology and Mineralogy. — The parish aflbrds few geological features of importance and interest, as may be apparent from the preceding description of it, nearly three-fourths being almost level, a small portion only being undulatory, and the remaining fourth hilly. The level portion is almost wholly composed of rich alluvial clay of great depth, and seemingly resting on a bed of old red sandstone. A small portion, at the base of one of the hills, is of a darkish hue, indicating peat. Some of the undulatory portions consist of rich loam on old red sandstone, elevated above that supposed to form the substratum uf the Carse, by the upheaving of the trap ;♦ others again are gravelly. The hiils are chiefly the result of eruptions from beneath, partially only of denudation from above. All of them are composed principally of trap. That * The contact of the upheaved trap and of the uplifted sandstone is very manifest in the valleys which divide the hills in the parish. 828 PERTHSHIRE. of Rossie is covered with gravelly sandy soil. That of Baled- garno is similarly overlaid, though toward the top it is sprinkled with huge blocks of trap ; while that of Ballindean presents both limestone and sandstone towards its base, in addition to the other characteristics. The trap, when exposed to view in the quarries opened for supplying metal to the roads in the neighbourhood, and for building, exhibits a columnar appearance, indicative of the great- ness of the agency employed in forcing it, and of the greatness and the power of Him ** who toucheth the hills and they smoke*" The red sandstone, again, is mottled with circular and oval spots of a whitish colour. They do not in general present any thing peculiarly striking, beyond their greater hardness than the darker coloured material in which they are imbedded. In a few of these, however, are to be traced some very interesting forma- tions. In one of them in Rossie flower-garden, the section, which is circular, of about six inches diameter, presents a number of very distinct figures, resembling specimens of gypsum, or moss or the veins or arteries in the animal frame. In another in the same place, and of a like size, around the centre rise several beautiful concentric bands of difierent shades, not unlike the hu- man eye.* The limestone, I am given to understand, is of good quality. In digging the foundation for Rossie Priory, several veins of copper were discovered. On the hill of Ballindean have been found a considerable num- ber of valuable pebbles, as well as a variety of other minerals. Zoology. — Among the rarer species of birds may be noted the water-rail and water-ouzel. A multitude of cross-bills made their appearance in the winter and spring of 1839. Their visit, how- ever, was only temporary. Very fine Ayrshire and short-horned cattle are bred in the pa- rish, as well as Leicester sheep ; and particular and highly suc- cessful attention has been paid to the breeding and rearing of these different kinds of stock on the home-farm of Lord Kinnaird. His Lordship has also lately enlivened the beautiful den of Baled- garno with a number of healthy and thriving fallow-deer. On the banks in the frith, on the southern boundary, salmon * Similar &ppcaraDCcs are to be found in quarries in the neighbourbood, and to be seen in the stones of which the walls of the church arc compased. INCHTURB. 829 used to be taken. They have not, however, been fished for of late, owing to various causes. Botany, — The uncultivated spots in the parish being so few in number, it cannot be expected that the botanist in search of va- rieties will be very much gratified. The following, however, may be noted, furnished me by Mr Kidd of Rossie Priory garden : In the ponds or edges thereof are to be found Lemna gihba^ or duckweed, and EpUobium hirmtum^ or codlins and cream. In the ditches, Li/thrum salicariaj or common lythrum. On the road- sides, Malva moschata^ or marsh-mallow ; Rosa rubiffinosa^ or sweet-briar; Festuca loliaceoy or spiked fescue grass. In the corn fields, Bartsia odontites^ or red bartsia, and which, though com- mon here, is rare in many parts of Scotland. Also Melilotus offi^ cinaliM, or common melilot, and Gaieopsis Ladanunij or red hemp- nettle. The pastures present us with Antkemis arvensisy or corn chamomile, and the old pastures with the rare Botrychium lunarian or moonwort. The dens again abound with ChrysospUnium op* poiUifolium and altemifoUum^ or golden saxifrage ; Primula ela* tioTf or oxlip primrose, and P. vulgarU^ or common primrose, of which there is every variety, and of all shades and colours ; Ge«> ranium lucidum^ or shining cranesbill. In the parks is to be found Acinas vulgaris^ or basil-leaved acinos. And in the hills, Potentilla argenteoj or cinquefoil silvery ; Symphytum officinakf or common comfrey, &c. &c. There are many thriving woods and plantations in the upper part of the parish. The parks of Kossie are ornamented with many fine patches of wood, and numerous very splendid trees. The hills of Baledgarno and Rossie are likewise beautifully wood- ed. On Rossie hill, among many others deserving notice, may be remarked several very large and splendid silver firs, and its summit is capped by a clump of the Pinus sylvestris^ the native Scots fir, apparently that described by the late talented botanist, Mr George Don of Forfar, in the second volume of the Caledo- nian Horticultural Society's Memoirs. There are also many fine trees within the enclosures of Ballin- dean. One larch is said to be the same with the famous larches of Athole. The predominating kinds are, oak, ash, elm, beech, birch, larch, spruce and Scots fir, lime, alder, &c &c. II. — Civil History. Mapsy Sfc, — There are several maps and surveys of the parish. < 830 PERTHSHIRE. ns well as of the several properties in the possession of the diffe- rent proprietors.* Eminent Characters. — Not a few individuals of eminence have been born in the parish, or connected with it by residence, amoif whom the following may be instanced : In the noble family of Kinnaird, which takes its rise so far back as 1176, Randolp Rufus having obtained a grant of the lands of Kinnaird from King William the Lion; and George Kinoaird having been knighted by Charles II. in 1661, and afterwanb created Lord Kinnaird of Inchture in 168*2, — while many of its scions might be particularised, it would be impossible to pass over the late Lord Kinnaird, eighth Lord, whose talents were of the very first order. Among the ministers who laboured in the parish in ionner times, may be noticed the Rev. George Blaikie, the first Pkt>tfs- tant minister subsequent to the Revolution, translated from the pa- rish of Redgorton by the presbyteries of Dundee and Forfar to the united parishes of Inchture and Rossie, on a popular call. As also Randal of Stirling, and his son, the late Dr Davidaoo of Edinburgh. The former appeam from the records, Co have preached in Inchture for a considerable time previous to bis settlement, — his predecessor, Mr Thomas Rankine, translated * « Gregory (XI.) episcopus, ^cc., to our beloved sons the prior and chapter of SC Andrews in Scotland, &c. — Seeing your petition, Utely presented unto lu, oontaiDcd that our venerable brother William (de I^ndel) Bishop of St Andrews, fearing that, from the violence of the sea beating against the rock on which the church of St Andrvvt is situated (a great part of which rock tho continual action of the waTei bad deoK>- lished, so that the foundation and superstructure of the said church were threatened with totol ruin), and, seeing that the rents and revenues appropriated to the apboU- ing of the fabric were insufficient, on account of the wars and pestilences in tfaoH parts, to protect the rock and sustain the church ; and the said bishop being desiroaii as a provision against such danger, to grant the parish church of Inchtive^ with its chapel of Kinnaird, situated in the diocese of St Andrews, being one of the mcoial churches belonging to him and his predecessors, and which he then peaceably pos« Sissed with all its rights and pertinents, he accordingly, with the adTice and caofKtA of certain jurists, gave and bestowed the same in perpetuity on the said church of SC Andrews, iiut as your petition to us contains that you doubt whether a grant of this kind may hold good in time coming, and that you may hereafter possiblv t>e mdettcd in regard to it ; therefore we, moved by your prayers, and anxious as ur as possibls to provide against this danger, will, and by our apostolical authority permit, that you retain the aforesaid parish of Inchture, with its chapel and other pertinents, for s period of twenty years, reckoning from the date of these presents ; and that you up' ply the same to the upholding of the said church of St Andrews, provided alwi^ that you take care that the said parish church of Inchture be not thereby defrsadcd of its dues, and that the cure of its souls be not neglected; but that it be served by a good and sufficient vicar, who shall receive an adeijuate portion of its revenues fcNT his maintenance. Therefore let no one infringe this our decree, &c.— Given at Avignon, Id. April, the second year of our pontiBcate.*^ — (A.D. 1872.)— Read st meeting of St Andrews Literary and Philosophical Society, 6th DMenitjier 1841* INCHTURB. 88! from Clunie, having died 14th December 1737, and his ordi- nation having only taken place 21st March 1739« He was called to Stirling in 1770, and was, (as is perhaps not generally known,) the author of the 49th paraphrase, in which Christian love, " of all the graces best," is pourtrayed in all its charms. His son was regularly called, and settled in this parish 21st Fe- bruary 1771, Afterwards he was translated to the Tolbooth church in "Edinburgh, where he was reckoned an eminent mini- ster of the Gospel of Christ. The late Commodore Douglas is also deserving of being noticed here. Leaving the parish school, he entered into the service of a lady in Edinburgh, who obtained admission for him as a midshipman into his Majesty's service. He rose by degrees through several of the subsequent steps, and ultimately terminated his career as a Commodore in the Portuguese service. He bequeathed L.IOOO to the industrious poor of this, his native parish. ' Land'-owners* — The land-owners are, the Right Honourable the Lord Kinnaird, Captain R. K. Trotter, and James Vaughan Al- len, Esq. Parochial Registers. — There are nine volumes of parochial re- gisters, sessional records, heritors' minutes, &c. pretty regularly kept. The earliest entry is 1623. For a considerable period in the beginning of that century, there were no records of session kept, and different kinds of business were mingled together throughout several of the volumes. Some of the records of the parish of Rossie are preserved in one of the volumes. For a long period, baptisms seem to have been attested by witnesses ; and it was a common practice at one time to certify on behalf of those travelling into England, as reapers, &c that they were Dot " rebels." Antiquities, — The crosfs, which occupied a prominent place in the village of Rossie, still remains, though there is scarce a vestige of the habitations that once surrounded it. On a somewhat romantic elevation at the foot of the den, and the southern terminus of the hill, are the interesting ruins of the ancient church of Rossie, overgrown with ivy and ash, while around it lie the remains of generations which have passed away. To the eastward of these ruins, and on the boundary of the pa- rbh, is a large stone, which is spoken of in the neighbourhood a? the ** Falcon stane," and to which the subjoined paragraph, from i 832 PBaTHSHIRE. Boethius's History of Scotland, 1500, is supposed by some to refer. The battle of Luncarty having been turned aj^inst the Danes by Hay and his two sons, Boethius says, *^ Sone eft ane counsal was set at Scone, intbequhilk Hay and his sonnis war maid nobil and ¥0t« ed for thair singular virtew provin in the field, with sindry hndis to sustene thair estait It is said that he askit fra the king certane lands (qubilk he knew richt plentuous afore) liandbetwix Tayand Arrol, end gat as mekil thairof as ane falcon flew of ane maDo's hand or sho lichtit The falcon flew to ane toun four miles free Dundee, called Rosse, and lichtit on ane stane, qubilk is yet csllit the falcon stane, and sa he gat all the landes betwixt Tay and Arrol, six miles of length, and four of breid, which landisareyet inhabit by his posteritie." Another large stone, similar to the former, lies on the hill to the north of the priory, said to be of Druidical origin. Another is to be found near the church at Rossie. Another is spoken of as having been near Castlebill, and another near the castle of Moncur. Castlebill, and Baledgamo, the village lying at its base, are de« serving of peculiar notice under this head. The author just quoted from, tells us that tlie castle which, doubtless, once stood on the eminence alluded to, and which gave rise to the name the village beside it still bears, was founded by Edgar, fourth son of Malcolm and St Margaret, who was anointed King of Scotland by Lodovick, Bishop of St Andrews, in 1001, — of whom he says, ^* he had na uncouth waris nor trubyl in his dayis, and govemit his realme in gude peace, and was haldin in mair veneration than ter- rour amang his peppi ;" also, that it was repaired by Alexander, his brother, who succeeded him, who is represented as building the Abbey of Scone of Canons regular, and dedicating it to the honour of the Trinity and St Michael; — also the Abbey of Canons regular in honour of St Colme, and completing the Ab* bey of Dunfermline, besides endowing the Abbey of St Colme, and the convent thairof, as well as the church of St Andrews. The castle, he expressly says, was " foundit by Edgar in Gow- ry, wha gat certane landis fra the Erie of Gowry, and annexit his name to the castle." And some of its foundations and pavements have been met with, in preparing for the erection of the buildings now standing on its site. The only other antiquity of interest is the Castle of Moncur, INCHTURE. 833 which is said to have been destroyed by fire about the beginning of last century, and is now in ruins.* Modern Buildings. — Rossie Priory, the seat of the Right Ho- nourable Lord Kinnaird, is situated on the upward slope of Ros- sie hiil, at an elevation of 132 feet above the level of the sea, and commands one of the richest prospects that can well be conceived. It was founded in 1807, and erected of very superior stone from the quarries on the estate, by the late Lord Kinnaird, though it has been materially enlarged and improved by its present noble proprietor. The design was by Atkinson, and it is one of the most magnificent edifices of its kind. Ballindean House is situated near the base of the hill of BaU lindean, and was built chiefly by the late Mr Trotter. It is cha- racterized by the taste for which he was distinguished. The parish church is in the Gothic style, and was built accord- ing to a plan by Mackenzie of Dundee in 1835, the material be- ing old red sandstone from a quarry in the village. It stands to the south of the high road between Perth and Dundee, in the vil- lage of Inchture, in the midst of the church-yard, which has been elevated from siK to eight feet above the surrounding level, appa- rently from a hollow in the vicinity. Under the aisle of the church, which is wholly the property of Lord Kinnaird, is the family vault, where rest the ashes of the an- cestors of that noble family, for many bygone generations. In 1838^ a thrashing-mill, the machinery of which is propelled by steam, was erected on Powgavie, the largest farm in the pa- rish, by Lord Kinnaird, the proprietor, and is deserving of notice, as being the first and only one under the same moving power in the district. It has completely answered the end of its erection. III. — POPDLATION. At the time of the publication of the last Account the parish is said to have contained about 1000 souls and 184 families. In 1821 , the population was 985 Males, 474 Females, 51 ] 1881, . . 878 . 450 428 1841, . . 765 . 374 . 887 4 aboard ship. The apparent decrease is to be attributed partly to the enlarge- ment of the farms, parks, and pleasure grounds — the carrying of * A late author, quoting from the Annals of Ulster, the most valuable of the Irish chronicles, stales that it was near to this castle, during a civil war among the Picts^ tlwt Hungufl defeated Nectan 728, two years before he slew Elpin at Pitlessie in the neighbouring parish of LifT, and became triumphant over every competitor for the throne. PERTH. 3 G 834 PERTHSHIRE. the high road through the principal village, where twelve housei were sacrificed, &c. The decrease, however, is not so great as it appears — the time of taking up the last census being that when many families were absent at the sea shore, and numbers of the younger branches were employed as herds on the higher grouads in the adjacent part of the country and in Strathmore. My own visiting list shows, during the last five years, 825 as the lowest, and 850 as the highest amount in the winter and spring. The following statement, therefore, refers to my own enumera- tion: Resident in villages, .. . . 410 the country, . . •415 Average number of births in 7 years, 16 marriages in do., . 8^ under 15 years, . 310 betwixt 15 and 80, . .221 30 50, . 164 50 70, .99 upwards of 70, . 31 Number of unmarried men and widowers above 50, 7 women and widows above 45, 37 families, . . .182 Average number of fiimilies, . . 4 Number of inhabited hounes, . . .195 uninhabited bouses or building, . 13 Deaf and dumb, .... 1 Blind, ..... 2 Lunatic, . . . . . .1 With few exceptions, the habits of the people are good, and they are entitled to be characterized as cleanly, sober, and industrious, attendant on ordinances, while, in not a few, the good seed of the Word seems to have taken root, and is producing the peaceable fruits of righteousness. IV. — Industry. Agricxilture, — The number of acres cultivated, or occasionally in tillage, is upwards of 3000, Scotch measure. Several hundred acres might be reclaimed from the river, and are now in process of being added. Under thriving woods and plantations are about 400 acres. Considerable sums of money are annually realized from the sale of the prunings, thinnings, &c. ; and the manage- ment is excellent. The grass parks let from L.1 to L.6 per acre. lAve-Stock, — The Carse of Gowrie, in which the greater part of the parish lies, being chiefly a " corn" country, not so much attention has been paid to breeding as otherwise would have been. Several of the farmers, however, have been directing their atten- INCHTURE. , 835 tion more of late to this most important matter, as regards Ayr^ shire and Teeswater, or short-horned cattle, as well as horses. Husbandry. — The system of cultivation pursued is not sur- passed in Scotland, probably not in the world. The parish, consist- ing chiefly of rich alluvial soil, the greater part, about two-thirds, is farmed according to a rotation of ** sevens," i. e. wheat, pease and beans, wheat, barley, grass, oats, and fallow. The other third Dearly may be described as farmed after a rotation of ^' sixes," i. e. wheat, pease or turnips, barley, grass, oats, and fallow, or pota- toes. Of late, a few more acres of potatoes and turnips have been cultivated in the clay portion than formerly. A great portion of the farms is now very thoroughly drained ; and the reclaiming of the land at present overflowed by the tide is going on apace. The ordinary duration of leases is nineteen years. Farm^Buildings and Enclosures. — The houses and farm-build- iogs are, for the most part, good, having had their share of im- provement with most other things. The enclosures are as yet almost confined to the upper part of the parish, though hedge-rows have of late been planted to a very considerable extent on the pro- perty of Lord Kinnaird in the lower part. Where they do exist, they are in general good, being either hedge-rows or strong paling. Quarries. — There are several quarries in the parish of trap or whinstone and red sandstone. A limestone quarry was opened CD the Ballindean property at one time, but it has not been made available for several years. Mines. — Several veins of copper ore are to be found in the pa- rish. They have, however, never been wrought. Average gross amount of raw Produce.* — The produce of the parish may be nearly as follows : 298 aeres of wheat @ 9 t>olls, or 1069132 imp. qrs. @ L.% 1 Is. 6d. L.275d 8 @ 7 bolls, or 831-541 ... ... 2141 4 8 barle3r@6i9K)lls, or 1126-432 L.l. Ss 5d. 1600 9 5 oats, @8| bolls, or 1473-025 ... L.l,2s. SJd. 1641 15 7 pease @ 7 bolls, or 831-547 ... L.l, 8s. 5d. 1180 15 11 grass, or 300-1616 imperial acres, L.9.514, . 2855 14 9 fallow. 138 acres of wheat @ 9 bolls, or 619-9169 imp. qrs. @ L.2, 1 Is. 6d. 1596 5 ^ barley @ 7 bolU, or 482154 L.l, 8s. 5d. 685 1 2 oats @ 9 bolls, or 904-3495 L.1, 2s. 3did. 1007 19 5 pease @ 7 bolls, or 703-382 L.l,8s. 5d. 999 7 9 The principle of the above estimate is, that the parish contains about 3700 Scotch js, two-thirds of which are usually in cultivation, — 1666 farmed according to a roCatioD of " sevens,'* and 833 according to a roUtion of ** sixes ;** of the remain, fug third, about two-thirds are usually in grass, and the remainder in wood. Thji Average of prices for the last nine years is adopted. 836 PERTHSHIRE. 138 acres of grass, or 174 imperial acres, @ L.9.514, L. 1055 10 8 fallovr. * Quantity tisually in grass may give . . ' . 1500 Sales of wood may give annually . • 600 Orchard and garden ground, * . . . 150 Reeds and other produce, . . . . . . JO Manufactures. — There is a manufacture of linen, which is un- derstood to afford a fair remuneration to those engaged in it. It is principally carried on in the houses of those employed. Breweries, — Inchture has long been famous for its beer, which is the produce of a pretty extensive brewery in the village, from whence supplies are weekly sent to Perth, Dundee, Cupar- Angus, and the surrounding district for many miles. V. — Parochial Economy. Market' Town, — Dundee is the market-town, at a distance of about nine miles. Villages, — In the parish are the villages of Inchture, Baled- garno, Ballindean, and several hamlets. Means of Communication, — There is a post-office in the vil- lage of Inchture, which is a great advantage, the only other io the district being that at Errol, and its branch on the turnpike. Three coaches to the north and south, inclusive of the mail, pass through the parish every lawful day. Navigation, — The Frith of Tay, forming the southern boun- dary of the parish, there is a harbour opening out into it at Powgavie, which is frequented by a considerable number of ves- sels laden with coals, lime, seed, grain, manure, &c. for impor- tation, and with grain, potatoes, wood, fruits, &c. for exporta* tion. The number of vessels is not at present so great as for- merly, owing to a variety of causes. Ecclesiastical State, — The church is almost new. It is situat- ed in the centre of the parish, or nearly so, the most distant families being little more than three miles from it, while the greater number are within half that distance. Exclusive of the aisle, which is the property of Lord Kinnaird, one-half of which is occupied as a family-seat, and the other for the domestics and others, it affords accommodation for 550, and is apportioned, after the usual allotment of heritors' seats, &c among the farmers and their servants, — the table-seats and the greater part of the galleries being appropriated for the villagers. No part is * Most of the land usually in grass is not inferior to that usually in crop s tnd a considerable portion of the fallow land being now either planted with potatoes or with turnip, the annual gross produce wiU be considerably larger than the abovew INCHTURE. 837 let. The public services of religion are generally well-attended. The average number of communicants for the last 6ve years is 320. In connection with the Sabbath school, there is a library, com- prising between 300 and 400 volumes. It is much resorted to. The average amount of collections for the last 6ve years for religious and charitable objects, has been L. 25, 5s. dd. ; and for the poor, L.48, 13s. Id. L. 1000 in the 3 per cent, consols, as before noticed, was bequeathed by the late Commodore Douglas for behoof of the industrious poor. It was reduced by expenses to L. 795, ]s. 2d. L.10 has also been mortified folr the educa* tion of poor children. The manse was built upwards of fif^y years ago, and has lately been enlarged very considerablv, and repaired* The glebe is upwards of 10 acres, including the site of the manse, offices, and garden, &c. The stipend, inclusive of the annual value of the glebe, manse, &c. is stated by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners at L.250 a-year. Educaiion.^ln addition to the parochial school, there are three schools under the management of females. There is a dame's school at Baledgarno. The salary of the parochial schoolmaster is the maximum, L. 34, 4s. 4^d. The sohool-fees may amount to about L.25 per annum, and he has the legal amount of ac- commodation. He is also heritors' and session-clerk. The other schools are almost entirely supported by Lord Kinnaird. Poor, — Eleven is nearly the average number of persons receiv- ing parochial aid, or rather on the poor roll during the last five years ; the lowest sum being 4s. per month. It is to be taken into account, however, that these 1 1 and about 20 others receive 2^ bolls of coal, as well as other occasional assistance in money from extraordinary collections, &c. and that many are kept off the poor's fund altogether by the benevolence of those on whose property they reside. Inns and Alehouses. — There is an excellent inn in the village of Inchture, much resorted to by travellers ; and one alehouse at Polgavie, for the accommodation of those frequenting the har- bour. Fuel — Coal is generally used in the parish, though a very con- siderable quantity of wood is also burnt, and is obtained from the woods in the neighbourhood at a reasonable price. December 1842. PARISH OF ABERNETHY. PRESBYTERY OF PERTH, SYNOD OF PERTH AND STJIILINO. THE REV. DAVID DUNCAN, MINISTER. L — Topography and Natural History. Name, — The ancient form of the name by which the town and parish are known, was Abemethyn ; and so late as 1420, Winton, the rhyming chronicler, and prior of St Serfs Inch, in Loch Le- ven, makes the final syllable to rhyme with the Scottish word, ** syne," (Anglice "since.") The word evidently denotes the town upon the Nethy, a small stream which flows through the centre of the parish, and close by the town. About a mile ikrther down, on the same stream, and nearer to its influx into the river Earne, is Innernethy^ formerly the family residence of the Freere, and now belonging to Sir Thomas Moncriefle of Moncrieffe, and a place, the name of which may be traced back to the time of King William the Lion. Chalmers says, that " Neith'' or " NitC* in the British Ian- guage denotes a stream that forms " whirls" or " turns/' and that Nethan or Nethy are diminutives.* It is proper to add, that, in the last Statistical Account of the parish, drawn up by the father of the present incumbent, it is alleged that the name which the Highlanders give to Abernethy is Obair^ or Abair Nadchtnin^ i. e. the work of Neathan or Nectain, a name of more than one of the Pictish kings, who are supposed to have been founders of Aber- nethy, and by whom it was selected as their capital and place of residence. Boundaries. — The parish is bounded on the north by the rivers Tay and Earne ; on the west, by the parishes of Dron and Dun- barny, and the Farg, a rivulet which joins the Earne at Colfar- gie, and flows through the romantic scenery of Glen farg ; on the east, by a small rivulet which separates it from the parish of New- * Winton's Chronicle, Vol. i. p. 242, 270. Register, Aberbroath» quoted io Ja- mieson's App. Chalmers's Caledonia, Vol. i. pp. &, 4W, 47. ABERNETHY. 839 burgh, and is also the boundary in this quarter of the counties of Perth and Fife. On the south, its confines adjoin the parishes of Auchtermuchty, Collessie, Strathmiglo, and Arngask. A small portion of the southern district is in the county of Fife, but by much the larger part of the parish is in the county of Perth. It forms a very irregular trapezoidal figure, whose greatest diameter from the north-west to the south-east may be about nine miles. Its length and breadth from east to west, and from south to north, vary much in different places. . In the middle of the river Tay, opposite to Mugdrum, (which is in the parish of Newburgh,) is an island belonging to the parish, called Mugdrum Island, about an English mile in length, containing an area of 35 acres of arable land of the richest quality, which, by the improvements in progress and embankments, &c. may be greatly extended, as has been the case by similar operations, along the opposite shores of the Carse of Gowrie. The parish may comprise an area of about 7030 acres, two- thirds of which, forming part of the range of the Ochils, are hilly; ^be remaining part, lying between the Ochils and the rivers Tay and Earne, is arable, and in the highest state of cultivation. It forms the lowest part of the vale of Strathearne, and its beauties, -as well as fertility, not exceeded by those of any other district in Scotland, are too well known to require notice. In examining the soil along the banks of the Earn, and the sections in which the strata are exposed to view, there appears, under a thick layer of clay, a bed of peat of about two or three feet thick, being apparently a continuation of the submarine forest discovered in the neighbourhood of Flisk by Dr Fleming. Be- low the peat is a stratum of white or yellow sand, the depth of which is not known. The contents of the peat are thus arranged : Immediately above the white sand, lies the lowest and hardest part of the peat, composed of the leaves and branches of trees, princi- pally birch. Above this, is a stratum composed of moss, and a con- siderable quantity of seeds, similar to those of the common broom. Above this, the peat passes into a sedimentary like matter, form- ing the uppermost part of the bed of peat, in which are found re- mains of reeds extending upwards into ^ the bed of clay. These are found in abundance in that part of the bed of clay immediate- ly above the peat, leaving their impression on the clay. These remains are frequent for a space of three or four feet above the peaty but as we ascend they gradually become fewer and lesa d\«« 840 PERTHSHIRE. tinct, till they entirely disappear, leaving a bed of pure clay or loam. Geology and Mineralogy. — The old red sandstone^ which filb up so much of the Carse of Gowrie and Stratheme, was at one tinie quarried at Innemethy, near the junction of the Eame and Tay, and is visible in contact with the trap about 300 yards to the south of the manse, as also about half a mile distant from the House of Ayton, in the channel of the Farg. Though concealed elsewheie by a thick mass of alluvial matter, it most probably constitutes the only rock in that part of the parish which lies betweeo the Tay and the first trap range of the Ochils. It declines towards the north at an angle of from 15^ to 20^ It occasionally inclines to conglomerate. In the Glenfarg quarry, near Ayton, have beeo discovered fragments of scales of those extraordinary tckAyh liteSf which have of late been found in abundance at Clash- benny, in the Carse of Gowrie, and Duraden to the south-east of Cupar, Fife. The Ochil Hills, among which a consider- able portion of the parish is situated, consist wholly of trap, aod in this quarter, of the varieties known by the names of clinkstone, amygdaloid, porphyry, and claystone. A singular blood-red va- riety of the last of these is found around Balvaird Castle. From the Castle Law west towards Glenfarg, on the north face of tho hill, trap tulTa, resembling some of the gravel stones of Colonel Imrie, prevails. The boulders which are scattered over the pa- rish, and are especially prevalent on the tops of the bills, consist chiefly of gneiss, primitive trap, and quartz rock. Quarries. — The only quarries worked in the parish are from the greenstone and clinkstone rocks in the Ochil range. The; are used generally for road-metal, but sometimes for coarse build- ing. The quarry in Glenfarg, immediately above Ayton and in Lord Mansfield's grounds, exhibits the clinkstone arranged in beautiful distinct concretions. The Zeolites of Glenfarg have been long so celebrated, that they ueed not be particularly de- scribed. They are found on the rocks stretching from Ayton to Balvaird Castle. In the same locality, and particularly on the estates of Balvaird and Catochil, agates of various kinds, jaspers, and calcareous spars, are in abundance. In the range of hills near Auchtermuchty there are limestone rocks. Zoology. — The quadrupeds which abound are those common to AB£RNRTHY. 8U the surrounJing districts, the roe-deer, the fallow-deer, the fox, hare, rabbit, and weasel. The polecat is occasionally found ; and there are the ordinary varieties of the rat, mouse, and mole. As for the feathered tribies, there are the varieties of species comnnon to this and other parishes. Vast numbers of water-fowj are found around Mugdrum Island. Among these, specimens of the magnificent wild swan are sometimes observed. Wild* geese make their appearance in great flocks about the middle of October, and continue throughout the winter; while, all the year round, there are found on the shores of the rivers the mire-duck,^ the sheldrake, the teal, the poker-duck, the coote, the water- hen, and various tribes of divers, the red-shank, the curlew, the green and yellow plover, the heron, and sometimes, though very rarely, the bittern. The larger and lesser gull visit us in stormy weather; while kitty wakes, sea-swallows, and sea-pies, continue with us through the summer. Many other varieties of water-fowl are occasionally found. The mammifera which frequent the waters of the river itself are, the seal, the otter, the grampus, and the porpoise. The two Wter are rarely seen above Newburgh, and the otter seldom with- out the mouth of the Earne. II. — Civil History. There are few parishes so rich in antiquities as Abernethy ; and the town itself, though no longer occupying any prominent claims to attention on other grounds, is to be traced to a very remote pe- riod, and was much more populous and extensive than at present. According to traditions which exist, and which are confirmed by the discovery of ruins of buildings, it extended a considerable way to the eastward of the present village. We may here introduce a curious passage, as given by Sir James Balfour from Campden Manuscript Col. Stratherne. " Or ever the river Earne bath joined his waters with Tay in one streame, so that now Tay is become more spatious, he looketh up a little space to Abernelh, seated at the feete of the Ocellian mountains, anciently the royall seat of the Picts, and a weel peopled city, which, as we reade in ane ancient fragment, Nectan, King of the Picts, gave unto God and St Bridget, until the day of doome, togidder with the bounds thereof, which lay from a stone in Abertrent,^to a stone nigh Car- pul, (supposed Carpow), and from thence as far as to Ethan," sup- posed to be Hatton, the name of a farm-steading. 642 PERTHSHIRE. The oldest Scottish historians represent Abernethy as the ca- pital of the Pictish nation, both in civil and religious oiatters. Most probably, a church was built at Abernethy at a very re- Dfiote period — in the fifth century, by Nethan Morbet, a king of the Picts, according to the Pictish chronicle ; towards the close of the sixth century, by King Gamard M^Dourmach, acoording to Fordun, Winton, and Major ; or in the beginning of the seventh century, by King Nethan IL, Garnard's immediate successor, ac- cording to the Register of St Andrews. Pinkerton supposes that Nethan IIL, who asked architects or masons from Ceolfrid, Abbot of Weremouth, in the eighth cen- tury, and who, according to Winton, founded Roseoiarkie, may have been a founder of Abernethy also ; or, at least, have substi- tuted more substantial buildings in place of the original woodeo erections.* According to the Pictish chronicle, the founding and endowing of the church of Abernethy was a sacrifice which the Pictish king offered to God and St Bridget, in acknowledgement of the reco- very of his kingdom ; and over the sacrifice, t. e. on the occasion of dedicating the church and lands to the use of religion, hallelu- jahs were sung by Darlintach, an Irish abbess, who had previously in her own country prayed for the restoration of the Pictish king, and was then, as it would appear, placed at the head of an esta- blishment of nuns in her capital. Fordun, indeed, does not scruple to relate that St Patrick himself introduced St Bridget and her nine nuns into the religious establishment of Abernethy .f The antiquity as well as dignity of the church of Abernethy may be seen in this, that it was the seat of the Bishop of the Picts. Fordun says, that there were three elections of bishops at Aber- nethy, while as yet there was only one bishop in the whole king- dom of the Picts; and that the church of Abernethy was founded 227, some said 244, years before the church of Dunkeld. According to Boethius and Buchanan, Kenneth M* Alpine, King of the Dalriad Scots, translated the Episcopal see, after he subdued the Picts, from Abernethy to St Andrews, in the ninth century ; and the Bishop of St Andrews henceforward was known as the national Bishop, Episcopus Scotorum. The bishopric of Dunblane, within which the parish of Aber- * Pictish Chron. in Pinkerton and Innes ; Fordun^s Scotic. Chr. Lib. 4, 12 ; Winton, Vol, i. p. 127; Majorca Hist. p. 85; Regis. St Andrews; Pinkertonli In- quiry, Vol. i. p. 296, edit. Edin. 1814. f BoethiuB*B Hist. pp. 158, 180. ABERNETHY. ©43 uethy came to be included, was founded in the twelfth century, by King David L, seemingly out of the great national bishopric of St Andrews, according to the manuscript missal. Of the early history of the monastery established at Abernethy, and of the institutions of the Culdees, who had one of their prin- cipal seats in this parish, we possess scanty information. From a confirmation of some lands which were given to the Culdees of Lochleven, we learn, that, towards the end of the eleventh cen- tury, there were schools at Abernethy, in which was taught the whole circle of the sciences, as far as they werej^linown in dark ages, and among a barbarous people. Among the witnesses are, the rector of the school of Abernethy, three priests of Aberne- thy, and a fourth, who is styled priest of the Culdees. Almost «dl the names are evidently of Celtic origin, and indicate that the Saxon had not yet supplanted the ancient language in that part of the country.* In the following century, Orme, the son of Hugh, proprietor of various lands in Angus and Fife, received the lands of Aber« nethy from King William the Lion ; and from these lands, he and his posterity assumed their surname. A charter of the same King and of Lawrence de Abernethy, conveyed to the^Abbey^^of Arbroath, as a free and permanent alms-gift, the church of Aber- nethy and its advowson, with all its pertinents, the chapels of Dron, Denboig, and Errol ; the lands of Balloch, Pittenlower^ (Pitlour), and tithes of several kinds. But-, among other things, there are excepted the tithes of Mukdrum, KerpuU, (Carpow), Balchere- well, Baltolly, and Innernethy ; which tithes, as well as the lands themselves, were the property of the Culdees. The charters were confirmed by the bishop of Dunblane, within whose diocese the church of Abernethy lay. But the avarice of the Abbey of Arbroath ; the poverty, as it seems, of the see of Dunblane ; and the growing dislike of the hierarchy towards all the institu- tions of the Culdees, soon operated to the disadvantage of the monastery of Abernethy. About the year 1240, the altarage of the church, with the lands of Pittenlower, and a moiety of those of Balloch, were transferred to the bishop of Dunblane ; and, in return, the bishop engaged to provide for the service of the church of Abernethy ; to esta- , blish a vicar in his own cathedral, in the name of the abbot and * lUgUur of St Andrews, in Jamieson's Culdeet, App. No. & ^j 841 PBRTHSillRE. monastery of Arbroath ; to enrol Abernethy among tbe prebendal churches of the diocese ; and to instal the abbot of Arbroath, as a prebendary or canon, with a manse and privileges similar to those of the other canons. At last, the fate which sooner or later overtook all the Culdee institutions, came upon Abernethy also in* 1278^ when the ancient monastery became a priory of canons regular, and a cell of Inch- affray, from which place came the new order of priests.* It would appear, that, in process of time, the priory of Canons regular became a provostry or college of secular priests* Forbes says, that a provostry was founded at Abernethy by tbe Earl of Angus; and Sir James Balfour speaks of Abernethy as a colle- giate church with eight prebends, founded by Henry Lord Aber- nethy, the nobleman, perhaps, who is mentioned in 1455, id the Parliamentary forfeiture of the Douglases. It might have been expected that the provostry had been the work of an Earl of Angus, probably of the Earl George, who, receiving a great part of the forfeited estates of the Earl of Douglas in 1457, was one of the first subjects in Scotland, both in power and popularity, and rendered the Douglases of Angus formidable t« tbe throne as well as to civil liberty. But, be that as it may, we hear no more of Canons regular in this district ; and there is every reason to believe that, for a very considerable period before the Re- formation, Abernethy was a collegiate church, at the head of which was a provost.-f- In a charter of privileges given to the town of Abernethy, of date 2dd August 1476, and by which charter the government of Abernethy was and continues to be vested in two bailies and fifteen councillors, one of the witnesses is John Frizzel or Frazer, who is designated provost of the colle- giate church of Abernethy. The common seal of the collegiate church or establishment at Abernethy, of which a fac simile or plate is given in Jamiesoo's History of the Culdees, was as follows : Obverse, a shield of arms in a shield gule ; a lion rampant, surmounted with bend dexter argent ; Legend, " Sig. commune Collegii de Abemethe." Reverse, an abbess, probably representing St Bridget (the sup- posed tutelar saint, concerning whom there are traditions,) in a veil, holding a crosier in her right hand, and at her right hand is •Regist. Aberbroth. in Jamieson's Culdees, App. No. 1, 2, 8, 4. Fordun'i Scotichron. lib. x. 33. f Forbes on Tithes, page 90. Jaxniesoirs Culdees, page 115. Pinkcrton*s Hi** tory of Scotland, Vol. i. \i. 490, 238. . ABERNETHY. 845 a small figure of a bull, deer, or such other animal. Legend, ** In domo Dei ambulavimus concencu," — words which are taken from the vulgate Latin of the 55th Psalm, verse 14, a c being erroneously substituted in the place of s in the penult syllable. It is remarkable that the matrix for making casts of this seal was found so late as 1789, and so far from home as Euiskillen, in the county of Fermanagh, in Ireland. It is of brass, and, at the pe- riod when the last Statistical Account was published, was in the possession of the Honourable Mrs Drummond of Perth. Whe- ther it be still preserved by her successors, the writer has not been able to ascertain. In 1531, in a rental of the churches of the Abbey of Arbroath, the church of Abernethy is stated at 21)3 lib. 6s. 8d. In 1560, at the time of the Reformation, the valuation of the kirk of Abernethy is said to be 273 lib., a sum which is somewhat smaller numerically than that stated in the rental of 1531, and much smaller in actual value when the diminished weight of the coin is considered. After the Reformation, the church of Aber- nethy seems to have come under the denomination of a parsonage, like, perhaps, several other vicarages ; for the bond by which they were connected with bishopricks, abbeys, and other religious establishments, was then dissolved. The rental of the provostry at the time of the Reformation was as follows : — Money, 13 lib. Ids. 4d. ; bear, 2 chal. 9 bolls, 1 firlot, 1 peck; meal, 5 chal. 2 bolls, 3 firlots. Of the events in the department of civil history connected with Abernethy, few have been handed down. Fordun, Winton, and the English historians tell us that, in 1072, when William the Conqueror invaded Scotland, Malcolm Canmore did homage (pro- bably for his English possessions) at Abernethy. Goodal, in his introduction to Fordun's History, says that the place was on the river Nith, in the south of Scotland ; and his opinion is generally approved by subsequent Scottish historians. But the harangue of an English general, before the battle of the Standard, in the following century, implies that William had passed through several [trovinces before Malcolm made his sub- mission ; and David M*Pherson, the editor of Winton, supposes that the English army advanced as far as Stratherne. Winton's language is : — *' Ae tbousaad twa and aerenty yere, William Bastard, with his powere In Scotland came, and wasted syne, And rode through! till Abernethyn." 846 PERTHSHIRE. Alexander de Abernethy, the great-grandson of him who co- operated with William the Lion, in granting the church of Aber- nethy to the Abbey of Arbroath, swore fealty to Edward L in 1292 :a nd, adhering to the English interest, was appointed war- den of the counties between the Forth and Grampians in 1310, by Edward II. His lands seem to have been forfeited, after the battle of Bannockburn, by King Robert Bruce, and they were probably saved by the marriage of his three daughters, who carr ried them to husbands better affected towards the Scottish Crowo. With Margaret, the eldest daughter, John Stewart, Earl of Angus, inherited the lordship of Abernethy. Margaret Stewart, their grand-daughter, married William, Earl of Douglas. Their son, George Douglas, on the resignation of his mother in 1389, be- came Earl of Angus ; and Lord Douglas, as the representative of the Earl of Angus and Duke of Douglas, is still superior of the town of Abernethy and many neighbouring estates.^* In the early history of Scotland the Douglases were a most powerful family. Their historiographer has observed that, *^ so many and so good as the Douglases have been, of one sirname, were ne'er in Scotland seen." Pennant states, that ^* they went about with 2000 men with them, and had their councillors and established ranks, and constituted a Parliament, and might have provided a House of Peers out of their own family." The family, during their early and more intimate connection with the parish, seem to have had a castle or place of residence^ which, tradition says, was near to the House of Carpow. In this parish also, it appears, was a place of sepulture, in which the ashes of some of the family repose, and which is supposed to have been within an aisle of the old church, taken down in 1802. At Aber- nethy, says Monipenny, in his Scottish Chronicle in 1612, the Earls of Angus have their sepulture. Earl George, the second of the name, a loyal and good man, the head of the aristocracy, and chief of his family, after the forfeiture of the older branch, and who was probably the founder of the provostry, was buried here in 1462 ; as was also Alexander, his great-grandson in 1556, who led the van of the Scottish army in the unfortunate battle of Pinky. George's son, the Great Earl, as he is called, or Archi- • Hales's Annals, Vol. L p. 389, edition, Edinburgh, 1819. M*Pherson*8 Geo- graphical Illustrations. f Doug. Peerage, Vol. ii. p. 466. Robertson's Index, page 15. Statistical Account) Vol. xi. page 445-448. ABERNBTHY. 847 bald Bell-the-Cat, whose two oldest sons, with 200 gentlemen of their name, fell at Flodden in 1513, ended his days in the follow- ing year at Whittern in religious solitude ; but some time previ- ously, he had given to Abernethy a proof of his favour in the char- ter before referred to, which erected the town into a burgh of ba- rony, and vested the municipal government] in two bailies and fifteen councillors. Earl William renewed the charter in 1628.* Antiquities. — The most remarkable evidence of the antiquity of Abernethy, and of the prominent place it occupied in the civil and ecclesiastical history of Scotland at a very remote period, is the round tower, to which there is nothing similar in Scotland, except at Brechin. It is 74 feet in height, and consists of 64 courses of hewn stone. The external circumference is 48 feet at the base, and diminishes somewhat towards the top. The thickness of the wall is 3^ feet. The door stands a little above the base, and faces the north ; is 8^ feet in height, and 2^ feet in width from jaaib to jamb. Towards the top of the building are four windows, equidistant from one another, and pointing to the four quarters of heaven, each of them 5 feet 9 inches in height, and 2 feet 2 inches in width. The steeple or tower is a hollow pillar, and the only mode of ascent is by scaling ladders attached to different wooden platforms erected for the purpose. It stands detached from, but near to what was the site of the buildings connected with the col- lege and ecclesiastical establishment, and where stood the paro? chial church, one of the oldest in Scotland, which was taken down in 1802, when the present new church was built in a different locality. It is now, and has been, occupied from time immemo- rial, as a belfry for ecclesiastical purposes ; and a right to use it for civil purposes connected with the burgh, has been claimed and exercised within certain limits. Though this tower is generally, and by the voice of tradition, ascribed to Pictish times, and sup- posed to have been connected with ecclesiastical purposes, much obscurity rests on the subject, which has not yet been removed, and will probably remain on it Circular towers, of the same kind as those at Abernethy and Brechin in Scotland, are found in different parts of Ireland, and also in some parts of Asia. As to the origin and uses of these towers, there has been of late much speculation, and various theo- • Doug. Peerage, Vol. i. 43S, 487, 434. Sut. Account, Vol. xi. p. 446. Ja- cnieflDn*8 Cnldees, p. 126. 848 PBRTH8UIRE. ries have been proposed. O' Brian has recently drawn much at- tention to this class of antiquities. The theory which be endea- vours to establish is, that the round towers of Ireland and SooU land are by much the earliest buildings we possess, dating their existence before the Christian era, and owing their origin to ori- ental idolatry, being the temples of the Buddhist worshippers. This theory seems to derive much weight from the arpruments ad- duced in its support by the most recent and brilliant historiogra- pher of Ireland, as well as the learned writer of the Pictorial His- tory of England. Among those who ascribe the circular tower to Pictish and Christian times, some conceive that it was not only connected with ecclesiastical purposes, but was also designed as a place of sepulture for the Pictish kings, during the period Aber- nethy continued to be the capitol of their kingdom. A few months ago, the public attention was directed, through the newspaper press, to the discovery of a human skeleton within the basement of the round tower of Ardmore, in the county of Waterford. la the process of digging within this tower, there was found, first, a layer of large stones, then a perfectly smooth surface of mortar, and beneath this a bed of mould, in which, at the depth of some feet, a skeleton was discovered lying from east to west. After seeing this statement, the writer of this report had a communica- tion with the proprietor of Ardmore, and also with Mr Windele^ the secretary of the South Munster Antiquarian Society. It would appear from these communications, that the subject of round towers, which are numerous in Ireland, occupies at present much attention ; and that, with a view to throw light on the origin and uses of this class of antiquities, some of these towers have been particularly examined by competent judges. One of the re- sults of their investigation has been to prove, that they were gene- rally used as places of sepulture. Evidences of this fact have been found in the round towers not only of Ardmore, but of Ram Island and Timahoe, and latterly in the tower of Cloye. Of the operations in this last place, the writer has received froo) Mr Windele the account which follows : " In September 1841, the workmen under the superintendence of Mr William Hackett, after penetrating through about two feet of rubbish, reached a solid floor, about a foot in thickness, formed of small stones laid io gravel, so firmly bedded as to yield only to repeated efforts with the crow-bar and pick-axe. Under this they found, within a space of six feet diameter, a stratum of earth mould, in which were dis- 4 ABBUNBTHY. 849 covered three skeletons laid west and east, two of them lying side by side of each other, and the third under these. The gentlemen under whose directions these researches were prosecuted, and who were in attendance on this interesting occasion, were the Rev. Messrs Horgan, Rogers, Jones, Bolster, and D. Murphy, Messrs Hackett, Sainthill, Abell, Windele, Kelcher, and F. Jennings." YiTliile upon this subject, it is worthy of being noticed, that, in May 1821, the Rev. Andrew Small, author of a curious work en- titled Roman Antiquities in Abernethy and neighbouring parishes, discovered a stone-coffin, with an entire skeleton and several human skulls and other detached bones, within the tower at Abernethy, while digging in the foundation of the building. An account of the discovery will be found in the work to which I have referred, published in 18*2*3. After all, however, which has been written or suggested as to the origin and uses of this class of ancient monuments, it must be admitted, that the researches of the antiquarian have hitherto failed in producing any theory on which much reliance can be placed. ** On the summit of a hill immediately behind Pitlour, and in this parish, are the remains of an ancient fort, called ' the Roman Camp,' which Colonel Millar, in his Essay respecting the site of the battle of Mons Grampius, supposes to have been occupied by the army previous to the great battle, which he supposes to have been fought in the plain below. The sides of this hill, except on the north-east, where it is connected with the general range of the Ochils, are steep, and it rises about 400 feet from its base. The summit is surrounded by a chain of rocks upwards of 300 yards in circumference, which forms a sort of natural citadel, and is still called * the fort.' It has besides been well fortified ; and many of the stones used for that purpose have been brought from a great distance. Upon clearing the ground for planting it in 1828, the rond leading to it, laid with stone, was laid open. The entrance on the east side was also discovered cut through the rock, and the pavement in the inside quite entire. Upon digging, many human bones were found, both within and without the circumference of it) also the bones and teeth of horses. A little below the summit, and on the side facing the Lomond hill, the slope was cut into terraces, similar to those at Markinch, with this difference, that these seem to have been faced with stone. They are now all levelled but one, which is used as a farm road. Although this fort PEJITH. 8 U 850 PERTHSHIRE. may have been occupied by the Romans^ there seems little feason to doubt that it had previously been a British fortress, and that it had even subsequently been used by that people for the same purpose.*'* Among the Ochils, in the south-west corner of the parish, and in Fifeshire, stands Balvaird Castle, a relic of feudal times, — the property of the Earl of Mansfield and of his ancestors since the days of Robert II. Andrew Murray of Balvaird was settled mi- nister of Abdie in 1618, knighted in 1633, and created Lord Bal- vaird in 1641, some conceive in consequence of the manner io which he acted in the important Assembly of the Church of Scot* land of 1638. He died in 1644. His son, David, the second Lord Balvaird, succeeded a kinsman in the older titles of Scone and Stormont in 1658. The seventh Viscount of Stormont succeeded his uncle in the Earldom of Mansfield in 1793, and was grandfather of the pre- sent Earl. At an early period the titularity and patronage of the parish were granted by the Crown to Sir Andrew Murray of Balvaird, who was one of the Lords of Erection. " The Castle of Balvaird is at present in a ruinous state, but it has obviously been, in former times, a place of considerable strength and importance. No date can now be traced on any part of the building ; but there are the remains of several coats of arms, almost wholly obliterated, on different parts of it. Above the door which opens into the principal building from the court-yard is a shield, on which two coats of arms are emblazoned. They are very indistinct ; but they appear to be those of Margaret Bar- clay and her husband, Sir Andrew Murray. And if this be the Ccise, the building must be as old as the reign of James IV. In the open green in front of the castle, lies the recumbent figure of a female carved in freestone, which has obviously formed part of a monument. The stone was brought from the old church of Arngask at the time it was taken down, and is said to have been the monument of Lady Margaret Barclay, who married Sir An- drew Murray, youngest son of Sir William Murray of Tullibar- dine, and who, as the only surviving child of James Barclay of Kippo, to whom the barony of Balvaird and Arngask previously belonged, brought with her in marriage these baronies. Since that period, a considerable portion of the lands included in these - •. Vide Fife Illustrated, by Jose^.h Swan, &o. p. 206. ABERNETHY. 851 baronies have passed into the hands of other persons, who hold them in feu of the Earl of Mansfield, with whom the superiority still remains."* Besides the relics and monuments of other times, to which I have referred, there are others in the parish which, for some years, have drawn much attention, and have led to the conclusion, that here there was an important and extensive Roman station at a for* mer period. On the lands of Carpow, and near to the junction of the Earn with the waters of the Tav, there have been discovered founda- tions of buildings. These are within the policy grounds around the mansion-house of Carpow : and, when the surface of the ground was scorched by the extreme drought of 1826, attention was particularly drawn to them and to their extent A recent excavation in these grounds brings to light the foun- dations of many old walls. They are rudely constructed of stones and pieces of brick, with what would now be considered a very superfluous expenditure of lime and cement. One apartment, pretty entire, of which the walls are standing to the height of 20 inches, measures 10 feet by 18, and seems to have been neatly floored with tiles. Another appears to have been fitted up as a bath. It is 7 feet by 10, and the floors and sides are carefully plastered over with a hard compact cement, apparently composed of lime and brick-dust Near to this there was dug out, a few years ago, a piece of lead pipe about an inch and a half in internal diameter, and rudely sol- dered together with a coarse external seam. It is now, together with some Roman urns, coins, and fragments of bones, &c. found ID the neighbourhood, in possession of Peter Hay Paterson, Esq. of Carpow. While Sibbald refers to ruins as existing in his time, in this district, he also refers to a Roman road as leading from thence to Ardoch, and another to Perth, f The Castle Law, about three-quarters of a mile south-west from the village, is a steep, picturesque, grassy hill, rising to the height of about 600 feet. On its summit, from which there is a most de- lightful view of Strathearn and the Carse of Gowrie, are the ves- tiges of a very imperfect vitrified fort. The principal enclosure seems to have been surrounded by a rude mound of irregular * Vide Fife Hlustrated, by Swan, &c. pages 205« 206. f Vide article in the Transactions of the Society of Antiquaries in Scotland, hj Lientenant-Colonel Milhir, C.B. and F.Ii.S.L. Vol. iv. Part I. £din. 1830. 852 ^£IlTH^^^IRF. stones, many of which are burnt or parlially fused. The form is somewhat like the section of a jargonelle pear cut longitudinallj. — the greatest diameter from east to west being 16 yards, and from north to south, 24. Two indistinctly visible outworks, lower down the hill, as also a winding terraced walk, seem to have been connected with it It might have perhaps been designed to guard the pass into Abernethy Glen, which it overlooks, or to watch the Roman station below. Supposing it to have been a signal-post, nn office for which the site and construction of other hill forts point them out as well adapted, it could communicate with the vitrified forts on the Law Hill, seven miles east from Dundee; with those on Evelick and Dunsinnane Hill to the north, with which it nearly forms a straight line ; with Dunmore at the mouth of Logiealmoiid, on the north-west; and with its magnificent namesake, the Castle Law, about six miles west, ia Strathearn, in the same range of hills. The Chronicle of the Church of Abernethy is the title of are- cord long since lost, but to which there is reference in Fordoun, and in Innes's quotation from the Book of Paisley. In consequence of the loss of this document, and also the imperfect and mutilated state of the records of the diocose of Dunblane, within which Abernethy was, posterity have perhaps been deprived of much that would have been interesting in relation to the ecclesiastical and literary institutions of Abernethy. In order to set aside or depre- ciate their claims to notice, it has been asked why so little has been found concerning them in the registers of Scone, or in that of St Andrews, the metropolitan seat. This, however, will appear less surprising if we remember that it was the system of the ca- nons regular, after they obtained the superiority of the Episcopal scats and monasteries, to keep the Culdees and their institutions in the shade as much as possible, and to seek their extinction. To the ecclesiastical antiquities of Abernethy, and to the pro- minent place which the Culdees (who had their principal seat in this parish) occupy among those who were witnesses for the truth in a dark age, by testifying against many of the errors of the Church of Rome, the public attention has been directed in the collections of Sir James Dalrymple, and, more recently, in the Historical Account of the Ancient Culdees of lona, and their Settlements in Scotland, England, and Ireland, by John Jamieson, D. D., F. R. S., F. A. S. E. To these sources the author must ABERNETHY. 853 refer his readers for fuller information on this interesting subject than can be given within the limits of a statistical report of the parish. If Abernethy, as associated with the name of the Cul- dees, the pioneers of the Reformation, be a scene interesting to the Christian inquirer, both as a seat of learning and religion, it became, in a later age, one of the original seats of that secession from the Church of Scotland, which has now extended so widely, and produced an important change in the state of society in Scot- land. One of the fathers of the Secession, the Rev. Alexander Mon- criefie, was minister of Abernethy, and proprietor of Culfargie, a considerable estate in the parish. He was the son of Matthew Moncrieffe, Esq. of Culfargie, and born about the year 1696. His grandfather was the Rev. Alexander Moncrieffe, minister of Scoonie, in Fifeshire, from 1643 to 1660, who was ejected at the Restoration, and died in 1688. After prosecuting his studies in Scotland, and for some time at Leyden, in Holland, he returned home, and soon after was licensed to preach the Gospel by the presbytery of Perth, and was ordained minister of Abernethy in September 1720. He was one of the four ministers who protested against the Act of the Greneral Assembly of 1 733, which restrained ministerial freedom, and who, being afterwards ejected from the Established Church, constituted themselves into a presbytery for bearing tes- timony to the covenanted work of the Reformation in Scotland, and against all defections from the same. He is the author of two volumes of sermons, and of different pamphlets on subjects connected with the controversies and errors of the times. He was appointed Professor of Divinity to the General Associate Synod, after the death of Mr William Wilson of Perth, about the year 1742, and continued to have the charge of the students of divinity at Culfargie till the period of his death in 1761. His popular talents, and the influence which his property in the parish gave hin^ enabled him to draw away from the Establishment a great proportion of the population ; and though a great change has since taken place, the name of Moncrieffe is dear to many connected with that body of Christians in which he acted so pro- minent a part After his ejection from the Church, he continued to live on his paternal estate of Culfargie, and out of his private funds immediately erected a large substantial meeting-house, in the vicinity of Abernethy, capable of accommodating about 1000 854 PERTHSHIRE. persons, and also gave the ground for its site to the congregatiaD gratis. But besides the place of worship, he left them, for the support and accommodation of their ministers, four or 6fe acres of valuable land, on which the manse and offices are buik for the incumbent. It is understood that, both in relation to the meeting-house and glebe, the rights are given to Mr MoocrMfe*s successors in the charge of the Secession congregation, ool; so long as they continued to adhere to the principles for which be had seceded. The Rev. John Brown, who was for thirty-six years minister of the Associate Burgher congregation at Haddington, and the au> thor of the Self- Interpreting Bible and other valuable works on theology, was born at Carpow, in this parish, in 1722. Parochial Registers. — Many of the session records preceding the period of the Secession seem to have been carried away or lost during the troubles of this period, and all attempts to recover them have hitherto failed. The register of baptisms commences in the year 1667, and« with the exception of a few years before and after the Secession, has been continued to the present thne It is to be observed, however, that in this, as in other parishes in similar circumstances, many of the Dissenters, as well as some connected with the Established Church, have not registered the births of their children. Hence the little value of the register as a statistical document in relation to the number of births in the parish. Tlife same remark applies to any records which have been kept of marriages and burials, &c. The defects which exist in all our parishes, with few exceptions, in the system of registra- tion, suggests the necessity of some legislative measure on the subject. Ministers of the Parish. — The following is a list of the ministers of this parish, with the dates of their settlements and deaths, so far as it has been ascertained: — 1. Robert Jenkins, deposed by the coun- cil for not praying for William and Mary, &c. September 7, 1689; 2. Alexander Dunning, ordained, 1691, died, 1719 ; 3. Alexander Moncrieffe, ordained, 1720, deposed, 740 ; 4. Andrew Grey, D.D., ♦ ordained, 1747, died, 1779; 5. William Duncan, or- dained, 1780, died, 1809; 6. David Duncan, ordained, 1809. Vrovci a small document, entitled Some Notices of the Family of Moncrieffe of that Ilk, and its branches in Perthshire, furnished to the author by Mr Rowand, keeper of the Theological Library, Edinburgh, it would appear that one of the numerous branches • AulVvoi ot ti \»\\\^VAvi work on tlic Parables. ABERNBTHY. 855 of the family of Moncrieffe was the Moncrieflfe of Culfargie, in this parish. Alexander MoncrieflFe, deposed in 1740, and one of the fathers of the Secession ; and his sou, Matthew, the second minister of the Seceding congregation at Abernethy, belonged to this family, and were proprietors of Culfargie. It would appear, from the document adverted to, as well as from the presbytery books, that persons of the same name, and probably belonging to the same family, had been ministers of Abernethy before the Revolution. The first of these was Archibald Moncrieffe, who, after re- ceiving his education in England, returned to bis native country, and became minister of Abernethy about 1579 or 1580. He appears to have taken an active part in the disputes of the times between the Court and the Church, and in general to have sup- ported the Court party. In the act of the Secret Council for support of the Protestant religion in 1589, his elder brother and himself are both named as commissioners. He supported the King^s measures, violent as they were, in the Provincial Assembly of Perth, in 1607. But this is not surprising, when it is observed that his two brothers-in-law, David Murray of Balgonie, and Sir George Auchinleck of Balmanno, were joint commissioners for the King, with Sir David Murray of Arngask, the comptroller. Being appointed to attend the meeting of Assembly, they con- tended, with most incessant violence, to carry a point the King bad much at heart, viz. the appointment of bishops to be per- petual moderators of the Church courts, Mr Archibald Mon- crieffe does not appear to have had fortitude to resist their influ- ence. He was accused, besides, of aspiring to a bishoprick, and was for some time in the Court list for that situation, though he never obtained it. These facts are detailed in the manuscript copy of Calderwood's history, a much more complete and larger work than the printed book which bears his name. Mr Archibald Moncrieffe was also named by the Court party to be a member of the meeting, then called the " Privy Conference at the Ge- neral Assembly of Perth in 1618 (a committee the same in sub- stance with regard to the ecclesiastical assemblies which the Lords of the articles were with regard to the Parliament of Scotland) ; and although he does not appear to have attended, he was no- minated one of the Court of High Commission in 1619. His father had acquired the property of the monastery of Elcho, which was in the vicinity, and, in 1601, Archibald Moncrieffe^ 856 PERTHSHIRE. the minister of Abernetby, was appointed prior and commendator of that priory and monastery, with a right to the whole rents be- longing thereto, which must have been considerable. Archibald Moncrieffe married Margaret Auchinleck, the sister of Sir George Auchinleck of Balmanno, who was admitted a Lord of Session 14th February 1626. The fruits of this marriage were three sons and three daughters. His second son, George, was minister of Arngask, and afterwards represented the family. His eldest son, Archibald, was his heir, and also successor as minister of Abernethy. He succeeded his father about the year 1630, and married Barbara, eldest daughter of David MoncHeSe of Balcas- kie, one of six brothers who all belonged to the household of James VI. Archibald, the second of the name who was minister of Abernethy, lived till after 1662, as appears by a document of that date, in his own writing, in the possession of the late Sir Henry Moncrieffe of Wellwood. Land-owners. — The greater part of the parish belongs to the following heritors, who are non-resident : The Right Honour- able Earl of Mansfield, who is patron of the parish, and takes one of his titles from Balvaird ; the Right Honourable Earl of Wemyss and March ; Sir Thomas Moncrieffe of Moncrieffe, a branch of one of the most ancient families in Scotland, the genea- logical accounts of which go back to the beginning of the twelfth century, and represent Ramerus de Moncrieffe as the founder, who lived between a. d. 1107 and 1 124, and is said to have been kee|)- er of the wardrobe in the family of King Alexander I. The prin- cipal resident heritors are, Peter Hay Paterson, Esq* of Carpow; Joseph Murray, Esq. of Ayton, formerly Craigpottie ; James Rit- chie, Esq. of Carey, &c. The feuars generally hold of Lord Douglas, and are numerous, the number of heritors at present on the roll being 78. Though the greater proportion of these occupy only from one to three acres, yet, from the conjoined value of their lands and houses in the village, the number of individuals in the parish who enjoy the political franchise under the Reform Bill is very large. III. — Population. The return to Dr Webster, in 1755, was . 1490 1792. . 1415 1831, . 1776 1841, 1915 It appears from the census of 1841, compared with that of 1881, that there has been an increase in the population to the ex- ABBRNETHT. 857 tent of 139. This increase jnay be ascribed to the recent acces- sion made to the villages of Glenfoot and Abernethy ; but chiefly to the establishment of a bleachGeld at Chmie, in the eastern part of the parish. Of the population about 1100 reside in the vil- lages of Abernethy, Glenfoot, and Aberargie, and the remainder are scattered over the landward part of the parish, which is ex- tensive. The comparative state of the population, &c. in 1831 and 1841 is exhibited in the following certified extract : Population of Abernethy parish in 1841 : Inbab. Houses. Uninhab. Build. Males. Females. Total. Countj Pertb, Abernethy parish (part), County Fife, Abernethy parish (part), 1 316 32 20 I 1 855 78 907 75 1762 153 Total of parish. 348 Population 21 in 1831 • 933 962 1915 County Perth, Abernethy parish (part), County Fife, Abernethy parish (part), I 296 1 - 11 2 747 84 865 80 1612 164 Total of parish, 324 iT "2 831 945 1776 In the villages by far the greater proportion of the inhabitants, both male and female, are employed in weaving linen yarn. Duridg the Ashing season on the Earn and Tay about 70 individuals are engaged in the salmon- fishery, a great proportion of whom have recourse to the loom during the winter months. IV. — Industry. Agriculture, — There is no accurate survey of the parish, but the total number of acres, as nearly as can be ascertained, may be 7030, or thereby, which may be classed or subdivided as follows : Ist^ The north division, or low ground of the parish, forming the lowest part of the fertile and beautiful vale of Stratherne, may contain one-third of the whole, or 2568 acres, the produce and va- lue of which may be thus stated : 528 acres in wheat, at 3^ quarters per acre, = 1848 quarters, at L.2, 10s. per quarter. • • L.4580 428 in barley, at 5 do. do. = 2140 do. at L. 1 , 8s. 6d. per do. • • 3049 10 428 in oats, at 5 do. do. = 2140 do. at L.l, 2s. 6d. per do. • • 2407 10 300 in beans, at 3 do. do. = 900 do. at L.l, 10s. per do. • 1350 250 in potatoes, at L.IO per acre, • • 2500 ^38 PERTHSHIRE. 128 acres in turnips, at L.6 per acre, • I<.768 128 iu Fallow, 378 in grass, at L 4 iier acre, 1512 2568 I.16I67 2(2, The high ground, or hilly ground, forming part of the Ochil range, comprises the remaining two-thirds^ and contains 4460 acres, divided thus : Arable, 2660 aercs. Peimancnt pasture, 050 Under plantation, 858 Tout, 4460 Of these, the arable may be classed as follows : 740 acres in oats, at d^ quattcrs per acre, at L.I per quarter, L.2590 600 in barley, at 3 do. do. at LI, 58. per do. 2250 250 in turnips, at L.4 per acre, 1000 220 in potatoes, at L.9per do. I960 350 in bay. at L.S per do. . 1050 500 in pasture, at L.I per do. . . 500 2660 acres arable, Value^ L.9d70 950 acres pcrmrincnt pasture, at 5s. per acre, . L 237 10 850 under plantation, new and making, no returns. Toul acres of bigh ground, 4460 . value, L. 9607 10 Do. do low ground, 2568 . do. 16167 Total acres in parish. 7028 Total value, L.25774 10 To this add value of fisheries and orchards, 500 Total value of gross proJuce of parish, after deducting seed, L. 26,274 10 There is no district in which there is a better specimen of agricultural operations, conducted on the most improved principles of cropping and cultivation, than the parish of Abernethy, and par- ticularly that part of it which stretches along the rivers Earn and Tjiy. I'he valued rent of the parish is L.88d4, 15s. Id. Scots. The present avernge rental of the low land may be from L.2, 10s. to L.0, I5s. per acre; of high land, from L, I to L. 1, 15s. per acre. Some of the burgh acres are rented so high as L.5, 5s. per acre. The annual rental of the fishings on Earn and Tay, belonging to the parish of Abernethy, does not, during the present year, ex- ceed L.250 Sterling ; but in some preceding years, they have brought a much higher rent. It is supposed that the Carpow fishings have been greatly injured by the operations in progress for clearing and widening the channel of the Tay. The preced- ing statements in relation to agricultural statistics of the parish have been drawn from materials furnished by an intelligent farmer in the parish, Mr David Barclay, tenant of Balgonie. ABERNETHY. 859 V* — Parochial Economy. There are in the parish, besides Aberaethy, which is a burgh of barony holding of Lord Douglas, two villages, Aberargie, and Glenfoot Two markets are held at Abernethy in the course of the year, but for a considerable period few have resorted to them, and little business has been done. A peony-post office was esta- blished at Abernethy about two years ago, but our nearest regu- lar post-offices are at Newburgh and Bridge of Earn. The great turnpike road from Perth to Edinburgh, passing through the ro- mantic scenery of Glenfarg, is for a considerable way in this pa- rish. The other rocids in the district are upheld by statute labour, and one of these is the line of road leading from Perth to Cupar, Fife. In this line there has been erected since the last Statistical Account was published, a new bridge over the Farg, where it was much needed. Ecclesiastical State. — The parish church, which was built in 1802, is conveniently situated, and although externally it be a plain and unadorned edifice, is very substantial and commodious. It contains about 600 sittings, and would not be nearly sufficient for the population if a considerable proportion of the people who have no right to seats in the parish church, did not find accommodation in the Dissenting meeting-house. According to the census of the parish, given in the Statistical Account of 1792, when the whole population amounted to 1415, 628 were connected with the Establishment, and 787 with the Secession congregation. Since that period the population has greatly increased, and a very considerable majority of the people are now connected with the Establishment. Amidst all the influ- ences which have been at work to agitate the public mind, and to widen the unhappy breach which exists between the Church of Scotland and Dissenters, it is gratifying to be enabled to state, that the ministers of the different congregations in this parish have continued to live in harmony and friendship. The manse was built in 1774, and, though very inferior in ac- commodation to many built at a subsequent period, is sufficiently comfortable. The present stipend is 17 chalders of victual, half meal half barley, and L.8, 6s. 8d. is the allowance for communion element money. The glebe does not exceed the legal minimum extent of four acres, and might bring a rent of about L.3 per acre. Education, — Some years ago, the heritors erected a large and 860 PERTHSHIRE. commodious school-house and school-room^ and provided a garden for the schoolmaster. The present incumbent^ who is nov M and infirm, has withdrawn from teaching, and his place has» for tone years, been filled by a teacher selected by the minister and sooie of the heritors, who provide a salary in addition to the school feeSi The average number of scholars attending the parochial school for the last three years has been about 80 ; and the school fees msj amount to from L.20 to L.25 per annum. The rates of fees are, 2s., 2s. 6d., and ds. for the ordinary aqd elementary branches of education ; and 5s. for Latin, book-keep- ing, practical mathematics, &c. The schoolmaster retains all the fixed emoluments, which consist of the maximum salary, and the interest of L.190, being! sum mortified by the Earl of Mansfield for behoof of the parish teacher. He has besides the perquisites as session- clerk, which may amount to L.10 per annum. Besides the parochial school, and a school in Abemethy con- nected with the Secession congregation, there is a third school in the village of Aberargie, under the |)atronage and superintendence of Joseph Murray, Esq. of Ayton, who gives the teacher se- lected by him, besides the fees, an annual salary, with a school-room and house. The teacher is a member of the Esta- blished Church, and has his school annuallv examined bv the presbytery. In this school, the average attendance may be about 60, and here, as in the parochial school, the most approved modes of tuition are introduced. The heritors of the parish of Abeme- thy are entitled to much praise for the sacrifices and exertions they have made for the education of the people, and the fault is with parents themselves if they neglect the ample provisions made for the instruction of their children. There are Sabbath evening schools both at Abernethy and Aberargie, conducted by the teachers and assistants, and under the superintendence of the parish minister. Libraries are con- nected with these schools, from which books, chiefly of a religious character, are circulated among the children attending the schools, farm-servants, and other classes of the population. Poor ond Parochial Funds. — The average number of paupers on the roll for the last three years is 33, and the allowance given to each individual varies from 2s. 6d. to 9s. per month. Addi- tions, however, are occasionally made to these allowances in cases of distress, &c. Relief is also sometimes given to persons who are ABERNETHY. 861 not on the list of regular paupers. The sources of revenue are the collections at the church doorsi and the rents of lands morti- Bed for behoof of the poor, and under the administration of the kirk-session. The average annual revenue does not exceed L.86 'Sterling. Hitherto there has been no assessuient in the parish ; but as the regular income has not for some years been found suf- ficient for meeting the increasing wants and numbers of the poor, it has been necessary to make up the de&ciency by obtaining vo- luntary donations from the principal heritors, who, much to their credit, have not resisted the appeals made to their benevolence. There was a period when the Dissenting congregation contri- buted largely by their collections to the relief of the poor in the parish. It is stated in the last Statistical Account to the amount of L.20 Sterling; but it is to be regretted, that, for some years, this source of charity has been almost entirely closed by the diffi- culties felt in raising the stipend payable to the ministers.* Alehouses. — There are within the limits of the parish 6ve houses licensed to retail spirits. This number may not be considered large when compared with that of other parishes; but it is more than sufficient for all purposes of trade and good morals. Much of the poverty and misery existing in our parishes is to be traced to the increasing use of ardent spirits. Any measure cal- culated to check an evil so inconsistent with the temporal and spi- ritual interests of the people, is deserving of the countenance and support of all who would desire to see an amelioration in their condition. Ferries, — There are two stations on the river Earn where pas- sage boats are provided, the one at Gary, little used, and the other at Ferryfield, on the estate of Carpow, near the junction of the Earne with the Tay. There are passage-boats daily plying be- twixt Ferryfield and the Carse of Gowrie, where there is now a good pier and landing-place, on the property of Sir John Rich- ardson of Pitfour. If low- water piers were erected at Ferryfield and the opposite side of the Tay, it would be a great addition to the means of intercourse, and would be most beneficial to the public. Miscellaneous Observations. At the time when the last Statistical report of the parish was drawn up by the father of the writer of this article, there were few districts in Scotland which furnished a more favourable specimen of the state of agriculture. Since that period, the parish has kept A 86*2 PERTHSHIRE. pace with the progress of improTemeiit. The new system of drain- ing, &c has been generally adopted with much benefit; and for this mode of improvement there are now great facilities in a brick and tile work which has recently commenced at Ferryfield, on the estate of Carpow. In consequence of the di?isioD of two com- monties, which was effected some years ago, a considerable addi- tion has been made to the number of acres in plantation, or nnder cultivation. December 1842, PARISH OF DRON. PRBSBYTERY OF PERTH, SYNOD OF PERTH AMD STIRLING. THE REV. PATRICK J. MACFARLANE, A.M., M.D., MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name, Extent^ Sfc. — The name Dronn, in the Gaelic lan- guage, is said to signify a rid^e or projection, a hunch or bunch, which is descriptive of the situation of that part of the parish where the church and manse are placed. The parish is situated about a mile south of the river Earn, and five miles south-east of the town of Perth. It extends in length from east to west between three and four miles, including a narrow strip of the lands of Pit- kcathly, in Dumbarny parish, which intersects it ; and in breadth from north to so'ith, about three miles. The principal and lower part stretches, in a sloping position, along the bottom of the Ocbil hills, which form the southern boundary of the rich and beautiful vale of Strathearn, and presents to the view of the traveller pas- sing along the great road which leads from Perth to Kinghom and the Queensferry, a very agreeable prospect of well-cultivated and inclosed fields. The face of the hills here is generally smooth and regular, uniformly green, and adorned with strips and clumps of plantation. Some are covered with an extensive wood of firs, birch, ash, &c which at once ornaments the prospect and enriches the country. A few farms, more extensive than rich, occupy the higher part of the parish, being situated on the summit of the Ochil hills. DRON. 863 Rivers^ Springs^ Minerals. — Though there are no rivers which run through this parish, yet it is pleDtifulIy supplied with water, by springs and little currents which descend from the hills. The only river which borders on the parish, and divides it from Aber- nethy is the Farg. It rises in the Ochil hills, about five or six miles above, and runs through a deep and narrow and wooded glen, of romantic beauty, (through which the Great North Road passes,) for a considerable way, before it issues into the plain ; and after a short course directly north it bends to the east, and loses itself in the river Earn, at a place, which derives its name from it, called Culfargie. This river abounds with fine trout. There is some freestone in the parish, but seldom wrought, ex- cept on a particular demand. The appearances of coal are so great, that many attempts have been made to discover it, by dig- ging, boring, &c. but hitherto without success. Many different trials have been made within this parish since the year 1758, and sanguine hopes have been entertained, but as often disappointed. The nearest coal mines are at Keltic and Loch Gellie, at the dis- tance of eighteen and twenty miles south, from whence they are usually brought in carts during summer, for the supply of all the country south of Perth. There is no moss nearer than eight or nine miles. This scarcity of fuel is severely felt by the lower classes of the people. The soil in the lower division of the parish, though various, ac- cording as it approaches to the bottom of the hills, or the level of the Strath, is in general strong and fertile, consisting partly of elay, till, and loam, producing plentiful crops of potatoes and tur- nips, wheat, beans, pease, barley, clover, oats, which is the usual rotation observed here. The soil of those farms which lie on the hills is of a lighter kind, shallow and interspersed with rock, lying at the bottom of the furrow, and frequently jutting out above the surface. But in the flats and hollows the soil is good, and produces very tolerable crops, chiefly of barley and oats, turnips and potatoes, pease only in small quantities. Wheat has been also cultivated with success, and grass. Large tracts, however, in these farms are unfit for cultivation, and only afford an extensive range of indiffe- rent pasture for cattle and sheep. From the elevated situation of these farms, they are much exposed to suffer from high^winds and late harvests. II. — Civil History. Parcchial Registers. — There is a register of baptismsy marriagesi ^ 864 PERTUSHIIIE. collections, and minutes of. session, in eight volumes, in 168*2, and continued apparently with considerable regularilj to the present time. Principal Land-owners, — Alexander M. H. Belshes, Esq. of Invermay, possessing nearly half of the parish ; heirs of the lata Mr Hushand of Glenearn ; Earl of Wemyss ; J. Beatson Bell, Esq. of Glenfarg. Mansion- Houses. — Balmanno Castle, formerly the seat of the Murrays, Baronets of Balmanno, is now the property of Alexander Murray Hephurn Belshes, Esq. of Invermay, nephew of the last baronet, who was killed at the age of twenty-two at Long Island, in the American War. It is a fine specimen, in perfect preser- vation, of the old Scottish castle and mansion-house ; part of it of great antiquity. It is now partly occupied by the farmer. There is also the modern mansion-house of Glenearn, a neit small country-house. Antiquities. — In the parish church-yard there is the grave and grave-stone of John Wei wood, a celebrated minister of the Gospel in the times of the persecution under Charles II., who died in Perth in 1679, and was brought out and buried here during the night. In the old church-yard at Ecclcsiamagirdle, there is the grave of a Covenanter killed in these times. There were in former times two small chapels in this parish besides the parish church. One of these, which stood in the east corner of the parish, at the mouth of Glenfarg, where now stands the mill of Pottie, is now totally in ruins, no vestige of it remaining except some part of the foundation below ground. The other chapel of Ecclcsiamagirdle is at Glenearn, in the west end of the parish, and still remains, though in a ruinous state. Rocking Stone. — On the south descent of the hill, opposite to the church and manse, stands what is called the rocking stone of Dron, presenting at once a monument of ancient ingenuity and superstition. It is a large mass of whinstone, of an irregular figure, about ten feet in length, and seven in breadth, and stands in a sloping direction. (Vide Old Account.) III. — Population. The inhabitants of the parish consist exclusively of a few farmers of high respectability and great skill, and an indus- trious rural population. There are no resident herit^^rs, and the parish is divided into six large farms and four smaller hill farms. The population by the last census (1841) amounted to ' DU(5n. 865 44 L The number of houses in the parish is about 90 or 95. There is no village. Number of illegitimate births in the parish within the last three years, dw IV. — Industry. AgricuUure. — About 2600 imperial acres are cultivated. About 1 100 acres are in hill pasture. Every acre in the parish is culti- vated, both on the high land and the low, where cultivation would make any return. About 400 acres are under wood« Rent of Land. — The average rent of land may be stated at about L.^ for arable, and 9s. for pasture. The entire rental of the parish is about L.5000. The agriculture of the parish is in a high state of improvement. The most recent agricultural im- provement is that of tile^draining, which is carrying to a great extent, and for which the soil is peculiarly fitted, being for the most part retentive and clayey, and much of it on a low dead-level, not drainable by other means. V. — Parochial Economy. Ecclesiastical State. — Seventy-two families belong to the parish church ; about ten families to different Dissenting bodies. Num- ber of bothies in the parish, 8, of which the inmates belong to the Establishment. Stipend, — About i chalder wheat, 4 chalders barley, 10 chaU ders meal, money, L.12, Ids. 9^d. ; coals, L.6, 5s« l^d. Average in money, L.175. No allowance for communion elements. Teinds said to be exhausted. Glebe, about 4 acres, value about L.12. The present manse was built about twenty-five or thirty years ago, and received extensive alterations, improvements, and repairs, besides a large addition four years ago, at the ex- pense of the heritors and the present incumbent. The church was built about fifteen years ago in a plain and handsome sty^e, and is an excellent model of a country church. It is seated for 350 persons, and cost about L.800. The situation of the church and manse is one of great beauty, on an elevation at the foot of the line of the Ochils, and commanding a rid), and varied, and ex- tensive view over the whole lower part of Strathearn, the upper part of the Carse of Gowrie, and the whole extent of the braes of the Oarse on the one skle, and of the Ochils on the other, as far as the Law of Dundee. An entirely new school and school-house have just been built by the heritors, in the neighbourhood of the manse and church, in a handsome style, and on a commodious plan, at an outlay of about L.600. PEHTH. S I 866 PERTHSHIRE. Education. — No schools id the parish but the parish school, which is in a flourish incr state. Salary* the maximum. Probable yearly amount of fees actually paid to schoolmaster, about L.21. Probable amount of the other emoluments, about L.8 or L.9, io- cluding salary as session- clerk and heritors' clerk. There is a small piece of ground, about seven acres, adjoining to the ministei^s glebe, which was morti6ed by a Mr William Bell, minister here, 1641, and afterward conveyed to the parish of Errol, for the purpose of maintaining a student of divinity ; the management and disposal of this mortiflcation is in the hands of the presbytery of Perth, who let the lands, and appoint the rent to be paid annually as a bursary to the student whom they have chosen, and who continues in the possession of it for fou6 years. The bursars are obliged to attend the university of St Andrews. The present rent of these lauds is about L.21, exclusive of all public burdens, but subject to a deduction of one-flfth for stipend. Ministers' sons in the presbytery are preferred to all others. Public-Houses. — There are three public^houses in the parish* Poor, — Average number of persons receiving parochial aid, or 10, besides one in the lunatic asylum. Average sum allotted to each of such persons per week or year, about L.3, 1 5s. per annum. Average annual amount of contributions for relief of the poor, L.60. From the poverty of the greater part of the po- pulation, and the total want of resident heritors, the collectioDs are small ; average, about L.6 or L.7. There is no legal assess- ment, but the heritors voluntarily assess themselves for the sup- port of the poor to the amount, at present, of L.53 or L.54, of which L.23 are for a lunatic in the Perth Asvlum. December 1842. PARISH OF TULLIALLAN. PRESBYTERY OF DUNBLANE, SYNOD OF PERTH AND STIRLING. THE REV. GEORGE HOPE MONILAWS, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Situation and Extent — This parish is situated in the south-west extremity of the county of Perth, on a beautiful hill, gently de- clining to the south and west, and sloping to the north and north- east ; and this local peculiarity, in all probability, gave to the pa- rish the name of Tulliallan, — the beautiful hill It consisted ori- ginally of the barony of Tulliallan only ; but in 1673, the barony of Kincardine, lands of Lurg, Sands, and Kellywood were dis- joined from the parish of Culross at the instance of the Earl of Kincardine, ^^ with concourse of the King's advocate and solicitor, and the recommendation of the presbytery."* The extreme length of this parish is about 2| miles, and its breadth nearly 2^ miles. It contains about 3850 imperial acres. Soil, Climate. — The soil is various, consisting of coarse clay, loam, moor, peat, and rich alluvial soil recently reclaimed from the sea. Sheltered on the north and east by rising ground and extensive plantations, and exposed on the south-west to a free cur- rent of air, this parish is noted for a mild and temperate climate, the healthiness of its inhabitants, and the absence of those dis- eases and fevers which prevail in many neighbouring parishes. Agues, formerly prevalent, have not appeared for many years, and the recent improvements in agriculture have undoubtedly proved bene6cial to the general health of the people. Coast, Ferry, — The situation of Kincardine is one of the best on the Forth for trade and shipping. There is water on the road- stead to the depth of 21 feet, where 100 vessels may ride in safety. The ferry across the river here is decidedly the best on the Forth. It is under excellent management. The ferry is three-quarters of * Coxinell on the Law of Parishes, p. 49. Edin. 181 8. d TULLIALLAN. 869 IV. — Industry. Agriculture. — The arable laud in this parish is in a state of yearly improvement. Imperial acres, either cultimted or oocasionally in tillage, about 9055 remaining waste or in pasture, . . 20 under wood, natural and planted, • 505 The valued rent is about L. 2589, 9s. 6d. Scotch, but the real rental of the landward part of the parish is L.4549, 5s. 4d, Ster* ling, and this added to the rental of the town, which is L.1772, 14s., makes the whole rental of the parish L.6d22, Is. 4d. The average rent of land per acre is about L.2, lOs. The most im- portant improvement in the parish for the last twenty years, is the addition made to the arable land by two extensive embankments, one on the west, the other on the east of the town of Kincardine. The former of these was commenced by the late Lord Viscount Leith, in the spring of 1821, and was completed in 1823. The length of this embankment is 2020 yards. It height is 1 1 feet 6 inches above the level of the river Forth. The land thus re- claimed is equal to 152 imperial acres, and the expense of the embankment was L.6104, Os. 7d. The other embankment to the east of the town, extending from the shipping pier on the west to Longannat point on the east, is in length 3040 yards, or nearly one mile and three-quarters. Its height averages 16 feet. The land reclaimed is equal to 214 acres of alluvial mud, which, when the salt is extracted, will bear the richest crops. This embank- ment was commenced by the Trustees of the late Lord Viscount Keith, in 1829, by a stone embankment, by way of a break^walor, and was 6nished with a head embankment iuside the stone in 1839. The work proceeded slowly, in order lo allow an accumu- lation of mud inside, and the tide water which deposited the mud, was not excluded until the month of January 1838. This em- bankment cost nearly L. 14,000, and is regarded by competent judges to be one of the best in Scotland. The land thus reclaim- ed constitutes a new farm, and is a great improvement to the parish. The soil is strongly impregnated with salt, which must be extracted by the sun, rain, and frost, before vegetation com- mences, and the first plants which appear on the su^face are always those which are to be found in salt-marshes» and on the shores of the sea. Trade and Commerce^ — These are decidedly on the decline in 870 PERTHSHIRE. this parish. The extensive distilleries, collieries, and salt-works, which formerly employed many workmen, are totally extinct The shipping interest is also on the decline. Formerly many vessels were built here, and during the winter nearly 100 were to be seen in the roadstead. In 1786, there were nine on the stocks at one time; in 1842, there are only three. The ship-owners buy or build vessels of large tonnage elsewhere, and these are seldom seen at this port, being chiefly employed in the East and West India trade, — the Brazils, Mediterranean, and New South Wales. The tonnage of vessels belonging to Kincardine is about 9000 tons, and allowing L.12 to the ton, the capital invested in them will be L. 108,000. There are two small manufactories, one for rope, and the other for sailcloth. Several girls are employed in tambouring. There are a few plain cloth and damask weavers in the town, and the other labourers are chiefly employed by the farmers in the parish. Fisheries. — These were once numerous and successful in this part of the river, but there are now only a few cruives or baskets employed for this purpose, which catch a few small fish in autumn, and a few salmon are taken with nets in July and August The large quantity of moss floating down the river is supposed to have injured the fishings. V. — Parochial Economy. Ecclesiastical State. — There are three places of worship in the parish, two connected with the Church of Scotland, and one be- longing to the United Associate Synod. Lady Keith is the pa- troness of the parish, and her ladyship, in the exercise of her pa- tronage, has always manifested a due respect to the wishes and opinion of the people. The present parish church is an elegant and substantial building, erected in 1833, at the cost of L.d400, and contains accommodation for 1 176 sitters. The great majori- ty of the population belongs to the Established Church, and their number has been lately increased by the union of the Old Light Seceders with the Church. There are no Episcopal or Roman Catholic familes in the parish. The stipend enjoyed by the pa- rish minister is about L.259. The extent of the glebe is about 13 acres, and its annual value L.40. The present manse was built in 1823. It is situated west of the town, and is a comfort- able and commodious dwelling. Education. — There is a parish school, confessedly too sroalli with TULLIALLAN. 871 a dwelling-house and garden. The school is taught by the mas- ter, aided by an assistant, and is attended by 180 scholars. The salary is the maximum. The fees are not well paid. The mas- ter received for fees last year L.60, out of which he pays L.40 to bis assistant. Within the last year, a subscription school has been built by Government aid. It is taught by an elder of the Esta- blished Church, and an assistant, and is attended by ISO scholars. An infant school has been lately opened, and promises to be suc- cessful. There are three other schools in the town and parish, in which sewing, knitting, and the ordinary branches of education are taught There is a general library in the town, consisting of jup wards of 1000 volumes, which has afforded much instruction to the community, and is under excellent management. There are two other small libraries, chiefly religious, for the benefit of the members of the churches to which they belong. The state of education and instruction in this parish is good, and, under the Divine blessing, must prove highly beneficial to the moral and in- tellectual character of the rising generation. Town of Kincardine, — The town of Kincardine, which contains the greatest proportion of the population of the parish, is situated on the north bank of the Forth, about midway between Stirling and Edinburgh. It is a burgh of barony. The Trustees of Lord Keith are the superiors, and they appoint baron-bailies as magis- trates. The town has been very irregularly built. The ho^ises are mostly one story, and covered with tile ; but those recently built contain two or three flats, and are covered with slate. The streets are in a bad state, but there is a prospect of their being improved. There are two good inns in the town, and at the post- office there are two arrivals from the east and west during the twenty-four hours. There is a branch of the Glasgow Union and Commercial Banks in the town, which aflbrds great accommoda- tion to the surrounding district. A coach passes through the town daily for Glasgow, and steam-boats ply regularly between Edinburgh and Stirling, and take in passengers at the pier. Poor and their Provision. — The number of the poor on the ses- sion roll is 51. This number is small in proportion to the popu- lation of the parish ; but many of the parishioners receive Trinity money and other annuities, and are thereby rendered more indepen- dent of parochial assistance. There is also a society of ladies who minister much to the comfort and support of the poor. One of the 872 PERTHSHIRE. causes of pauperism is, the increased population of many where not one-half of the people are known by either the minister or elders. Applicants are put on the roll of whose name and cir- cumstances, the session knows nothing. ^ Wherever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together." The success of one applicant encourages others, and in a few years the poor roll of a parish may be crowded with the names of those who may be among the least necessitous of the poor. In any parish where the population exceeds 3000, this may happen, and the alone practi- cal sufficient remedy for this evil is, the reduction of our large pa- rishes to such an extent as shall enable the minister and elders to be acquainted with every family and individual within their bounds* The heritors of Scotland would consult their best interests by aid- ing the Church in any device for bringing the people under a strict efficient parochial superintendence, and thereby mitigating the manifold evils which flow from the ignorance, poverty, and vice of a neglected and discontented population. In this parish, however, every individual is known by name to the minister and elderSi Application for relief is made by the elder of the district in which the applicant resides, and the case is disposed of according to its merits. Occasional aid is given to those who may fall into dis- tress from sickness and other causes. In some cases, where the habits of the poor are bad, their allowance in money is converted into some of the necessaries of life, and given to them as such. They receive payment every Monday morning, and are generally contented and grateful. The elders have a sympathy for the poor, and this produces mutual confidence and respect. The average sum allotted to each per week is Is. 6d. Their support and other expenses connectea >vith the church and parish are defrayed out of the collections, aided by donations from the heritors. These last year amounted to about L.200. December 1842. :3i ti UNITED PARISHES OP ST MARTINS AND CAMBUSMICHAEL. PRESBYIBRY OF PBRTH, SYNOD OF PERTH AND STIRLING. r I THE REV. WILLIAM RITCHIE, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History, Name^ Extent^ S^c. — These two parishes were united about 150 years ago, and took their names from the saints to whom they were dedicated. The united parish extends from the banks of the Tay about 5 miles to the east, forming an oblong square, averaging nearly two miles in breadth. The soil in general is a black mould, with a till bottom, and seems originally to have been taken from moor, but is now mostlv all cultivated. Limestone is also found, though not used to any great extent II. — Civil History. Parochial Registers. — The registers commence in 1712. Till about 1820, matters of church discipline, cash transactions, births, and marriages were all huddled into one book; but since that pe- riod, there has been a distinct and accurate register of each kept* LaruUottmerSi with their respective valuations in Scots money, — Wiliiam Farquharson Macdonald, Esq. of St Marti fls, L. 1852 14 8 llie Earl of Mansfield, . - - 728 U 8 Guildry Incorporation of Perth, • - 248 10 P. M. Matthew, Esq. of Newmiln, - - 207 3 Mrs Drummond Nairne of Gardrum. - - 121 13 4 Andrew Couper, Esq. of Auchmague, - - 90 Colonel Steele of Eveiick, . . 20 Tout, . - L.3268 15 8 Antiquities. — Under this he^here he absconded for some time/' Btitany. — This parish affords no inconsiderable variety of plants, in consequence of its embracing part of KinnouU hill, together with some small detached portions of moor and upland pasture, as well as fertile fields in conjunction with the Tay. From a list of upwards of 430 species which might be enumerated, the fol- lowing are given as the most rare : — Aeiiuks vulgaris Galium borealc f Poteriam sangaisorba Anchusa sempervirens f Geranium pyrenaicum Primula elatior Allium carinatum _ columbinum Ranunculus hirsutos Arabia hirsuta Grammites ccterach Rumex sanguineuf Centaurca scabiosa Ilesperis matronalis Scirpus sylvaticus alba Hyoscyamus nigcr f Sedum album Cerastium semidccandrum Lactuca virosa Scrophularia vemalis Cichorium Intybus Lconurus Cardiaca Stachys arvensis Cheiranthus Chciri Lq)idium campestre Thlaspi arrense (ionium maculatum I^tus tenuis Tricntalis Kuropca Cynoglossum officinale Myosotis collina Viola hirta Echium vulgare Parictaria officinalis Veronica aoagalKa. Erythrsea Centauiium Potentilla argentea Fedia dentata verna II. — Civil History. Land owners. — The chief land owners are, the Earl of Kio- nouU ; Lord Gray ; Niel Fergusson Blair, Esq. of Balthayock ; Andrew Murray, Esq. of Murrayshall ; Robert Crystal, Esq. of Incliyra ; Sir Thomas Moncrieffe of Moncrieffe, Bart. ; Farquharson Macdonald, Esq. of St Martins ; Captain Moncrieffe of Barnhill or Woodend ; Archibald Turnbiill, Esq. of Bellwood ; and the Directoi*s of James Murray's Royal Asylum. Besides these, there are many proprietors of villas, in the central part of the parish, having from two to eight acres attached. Parochial Registers. — The session registers commence in 1618, and, with the exception of the period between 17'25 and 1730, have been regularly brought down to the present time. Eminent Characters, Antiquities, §'c. — As from this parish the title of the Noble family of Kinnoull has its origin, so did it con- tinue for many generations to be their burial-place ; and within the aisle which was attached to the old church, there still remains, in high preservation, a very striking monument, erected in 1685, 10 the memory of George, first Earl of Kinnoull, and Chancellor of Scotland. In a recess behind four colunms, enriched with a variety of curious ornaments, and surmounted by a pediment em- • Those marked f may most probably have escaped from the nurseries. I hey are quite naturalized on rocks and walls in the immediate vicinity of KinnouU church. 3 KINNOULL. 937 bellished with escutcheons, stands a statue of the Chancellor io his robes, his left band resting on a small table, and oa wbicb are placed, side by side, the Great Seal of Scotland, &c. (insignia of his office), and a human skull. There is u6 inscription. The simple but striking device explains itself. This curious relic is carefully roofed in and preserved ; and there is reason to believe that the present Noble representative of the family is disposed to give even greater external character to a building under which the ashes of his ancestors have long reposed. The site of this mausoleum is peculiarly striking, occupying the centre of the old parish burying-ground, which immediately over- hangs the river. The character of the Chancellor is given by Crawford in his " Lives of the Officers of State," as " by a person of honour and great probity, who had very good access to know. That he had the reputation of a very wise man ; behaved himself very well in his function, and appeared equal to it, and carried himself so moderately, both in Parliament and council, that he did his master much service, and preserved himself in the good opinion of the na« tion, — a favour very few other men in any high trust at that time were indulged with."* Although no inscription is to be found on the monument, an epitaph, by Dr Arthur Johnston, is given by Crawford. About a quarter of a mile south from this spot, some small vestiges of the old Castle of Kinnoull remained at the date of the last Statistical Account, but which have now disappeared, the site being occupied as an orchard attached to one of the many villas * A curious anecdote, f trikingly characteristic of the resoluteness of the chan- cellor in maintaining the high privileges attached to his officei is recorded by Sir James Balfour in bis Annals of Scotland. It appears that the King, in a letter to his Privy- council, had commanded that the Archbishop of St Andrews, as primate and metro« politao of Scotland, might have the precedence of the Lord Chancellor, ^* and so, con- sequently, before all others; wich, notwithstanding, the Lord Chancellor Hay, a gal- lant stout man, wold never condescend too, nor even suffer him to have place of him, doe quhat he could, all the dayes of his lifiletime. 1 remember (continues Sir James) that King Charles sent me, the day of his coronatione, in the morning, in Ao. 1693, to show the chanceler that it wes his will and pleasure, bot only for that day, that he wold ceed and give place to the archbishope; bot he returnid by me to his Majestic m werey bruske anssuer, wich wes, that since his Majesty had beine pleased to conti- new him in that office of chanceler, wich, by his meines, his vorthey father, of happey memorie, had bestowed upone him, he was rcdey, in all humility, to lay it doune at his Majestie's feete ; bot, since it wes his royall will, he should enjoy it with the knowen prsvilidges of the same, no prcist in Scotland should sett a foot befor him so long as bis blood was hotte.'* The King finding his chancellor immoveable, and hi» lown somewhat disingenuous proposal thus thwarted, seems to have been in no good hu- mour when, on hearing the result of the conference, he replied, " Weel, Lyone, ]ett» go to bussiness. I will not meddle furder with that olde cankered gootishe maoi at quhow hands thera is nothing to be gained bot soure wordcs.'* 938 PERTHSBIDE. with which the river side is studded. Hie ooly memorial of its existence preserved, is the name given by the proprietor to his re- sidence, Castle Bank. At Balthayock, the seat of a branch of the ancieDt fiunily of Blair, are the remains of a castle, bearing marks of great antiquity, and supposed to have belonged to the Knights Templar. It con- sists of an oblong tower of about 50 feet in height^ and the sides 52 and 37 feet. The walls are still entire, and of prodigious thickness. Its position is very commanding, cresting the top of a deep ravine, which the frowning mass, as seen from the Carse of Gowrie, appears to overhang. The present mansion-house of Balthayock,wbich stands within a few feet of the tower, had been built at different periods, and is also of considerable antiquity. The more modern part bears the date 1578» while that to which it is attached is supposed to be of a date about two centuries etN lier. There is nothing striking in the character of the edi6ce beyond the stibstantialness which marks buildings of that period. Modem Buildings, — The principal modem buildings (besides the church and Murray's Asylum, afterwards to be noticed,) are the mansion-house of Inchyra — a very handsome edifice of po- lished ashlar work, and in the Grecian style; and Bell wood, oc- cupying a very striking position on the face of the hill of Kinnouli fronting Perth. The other mansion-houses in the parish are Mur- rayshail, and Barnhill, or Woodend. Bridge of Perth. — So far back as L*^9, a bridge connecting Kinnouli with Perth appears to have been constructed. In 157S, this erection was partly swept away. Again, in 1582, *^ the down- falling of five bowis" (arches) is recorded. In 1589 the " bra trein pillars of the brig" appear to have given way ; and from that period being '^ ready to fall without help," it continued under repair, and a considerable portion of it was built anew, until, in 1617, the work was supposed to beat last substantially completed. But only four years thereafter (1621) ^' it was hailly dung down, excepting only one bow thereof standing." Strange to say, all after attempts to renew the fabric seem to have failed for a century and a-half, during which long period the only communication across this — one of the most frequented passes in Scotland — continued to be carried on by means of ferry-boats. At length, in 1766, the foundation scoiie of the present handsome structure, as planned by Smeaton, was laid by Thomas, eighth Earl of Kinnouli, and the work completed on the 13th of Novem* KINNOULU 039 ber 1771, at an expense of about L. 27,000. To that patriotic nobleman's exertions it may well be said to. owe its existence ; for not only was it commenced under his auspices, but a fund for its completion actually secured, by his Lordship's generous pledge of no inconsiderable part of his private fortune. From' the substan- tial character of the building, and the scientific principles upon which it is constructed, it promises to afford a lasting monument of the skill and taste of its able architect, while the memory of its chief promoter will continue to be associated with the manifold ad* vantages, not to Perth and its neighbourhood only, but to the country at large, which it has been the medium of conferring. It consists of ten arches, the clear water-way being 590 feet, and its extreme length 906 feet. It has often, of late years, been seyerely tested at the breaking-up of the ice in the river, when several of the arches have occasionally become nearly gorged by the gigantic masses which continued to accumulate on its upper side. Not- withstanding the tremendous pressure, it stood, as ** still unshaken and unscathed it stands." Repeated proposals have been of late years made to widen the carriage-way — an improvement called for by the great increase of traffic ; and it is now understood there is an immediate prospect of isuch a plan being adopted as, without disfiguring the structure, will not only effect this object, but afford a wider space for foot-passengers. Bridgend. — This village, or rather suburb, which, before the new bridge was built, consisted chiefly of a few cottages occu- pied by the boatmen employed on the ferry, has so increased, as now to contain about four-sevenths of the population of the parish. It extends almost continuously from the church to the southern boundary of the parish of Scone, a distance of nearly three-fourths of a mile, the bridge being nearly equidistant from these two points. This district of the parish, like that stretching from the church towards Baronhill on its southern extremity, is richly studded with villas, which, from the striking position many of them occupy, whether on the river side, or on the rising grounds towards the north and east, contribute in no small degree to the picturesque beauty of the landscape which bursts upon the eye, when Perth and its environs are first seen on approaching them from the south. The Earl of KinnouU is superior of the village, and in his Lordship's charter, it is styled the burgh of Kinnoull, with certain rights of markets, fairs, &c. but which have long since gone into desuetude. The houses, streets, and roads in and about I 4 040 PEttTHSHIRE. Bridgend are lighted with gas ; and to this district of the parish are extended the other benefits of the Police Xct lately obtained for Perth. III. — Population. The population of this parish, as returned in 175.5, was . 1163 1795, 1465 1801, 1927 1811, 2481 1821, 2674 1831. 2957 1841, 2870 The most remarkable period of increase is seen to be between 1795 and 1811, the increase being at no less a rate than 66 per cent. ; while, by the census taken in 1821 and 1831, it is about 10 per cent at each of these periods. The erection of the bridge in 1771 may be stated to be almost the sole cause of this large and progressive increase which has taken place in Bridgend and its neighbourhood. A decrease of nearly 3 per cent, is for the first time observable in 1841 ; and this is to be accounted for by the depression in trade and manufactures, which has been felt here as elsewhere, since the date of the former census. Hence, not a few families have recently emigrated, and no less than 77 dwellings in the parish are at present uninhabited. There is no public work or manufactory in the parish. The population in 1841 is reported as thus distributed : Central part of the parish included within the par- i Bridgend, 1578 I t^^ liamentary boundary of the burgh of Perthi ( Barnhill, 348 | Corsiehill, including Murrayhall, &Cm • • > 225 Balthayock, . . . . . 172 Balbeggic, ..... 255 Inchyra, ...... 137 In Murray's lunatic Asylum, . . . 150 Slept in a barge on the night of 6th June 1841, . . . 5 Population in villages, about . . . . 1900 ) agin country, . . . . 970) Number of inhabited houses, .... 4% uninhabited, ... .77 building, . . . . . None Birt/iSj Marriages^ Sfc. — It need]scarcely be remarked, that the following averages, given from the session records, afford no satis- factory conclusion, especially in a locality so closely connected with Perth. The yearly average number of recorded births for the last seven years, is 40 ; of burials no register is kept beyond the mort- cloth book, which records 30 ; proclamation of banns, 24. Number of illegitimate births during last three years, 5 ; insane persons in the parish, 2 ; fatuous, 2 ; blind, 2. IV. — Industuy. Almost ever^ variety of soil is to be found in the parish ; and KINNOULL. 9*1 such is the improv/Binent of late years in its culture and manage- ment, that very few spots remain in which the best systems of hus- bandry are not practised. The latest improvement introduced is that of tile-draining. Number of imperial acres in the parish , . 3700 Of which, arable and pasture lands, 3100 Under wood, • . 5B0 Undivided common, . . 20 3700 Rent of Land. — The average rent of land may be stated to be from L.2, 5s. to L.2, 10s. per acre; but in the central part of the parish, t. e. in the -immediate neighbourhood of Perth, from L.5 to L.10 per acre is readily paid ; and along the bank of the river, grounds for villas have of late years been sold at no less a rate than L.IOOO per acre. Rental of the iPcirwA.— The old valued rent of the parish is L.4775, 18s. 6d. The real rental, as made up in 1823, and by which the assess* ment for building a new church was regulated, was declared to be L. 12,303; but the rents both of lands and hoi^ses having since considerably fallen, perhaps L.1 0,000 should be now substituted. In this sunif the rent of the salmon-6shings in the parish is in- cluded. Nurseries, — So far back as the year 1767, a nursery was form- ed here, on the east bank of the Tay, by Mr Dickson of Hassen- deanburn, in Roxburghshire. He was soon thereafter succeeded by his brother, Mr William Dickson, who, for the long period of sixty-three years, continued to conduct this extensive estaiblish- ment in a spirit of enterprize and improvement, and with a good taste, which not only made his professional name well known throughout the island, but insured him a wide field of demand for those endless varieties of nature's productions which he was so successful in rearing. Since his death in 1835, its various de- partments have been conducted in the same spirit, and even on a more enlarged scale, under the direction of his nephew, who had for many years taken an active part in its management. These grounds now extend to not less than 60 acres : and from their /iV, their natural and artificial shelter, and the variety of soils which they contain, it is difficult to conceive a situation more adapted, whether by nature or art, for every possible purpose to which such establishments are sought to be appropriated. Its giving employ- ment to between 70 and 80 individuals, may be mentioned as not i 943 PBRTHSHIRB. the least important of the advantages which it confers on the pa- rish and neighbourhood. At the northern extremity of the village of Bridgend^ another nursery, containing about eight acres, has within these few years been formed. V. — Parochial Economy. Ecclesiastical State. — Mr Lewis Dunbar was translated from the parish of Dunning, in the presbytery of Auchterarder, to Kinnoull, 7th November 1782, and died there on 22d February I82d. The present incumbent was translated from the parish of Maderty, in the presbytery of Auchterarder, and admitted minister of Kinnoull on 24th September 1829. The former church of Kinnoull, rebuilt in 1779, accoromo* dated only 400 sitters; and although in 1795, the last iDOom- bent complains, that even then, it was ^* much too small," it con- tinued down to the year 1826, without addition or enlargement, the population still continuing steadily to increase, and nearly one* half of those connected with the Establishment being thus neces- sitated to seek accommodation in the various churches of Perth. In that year, however, the present handsome and spacious struc- ture, in the Gothic style, from a plan of Mr Burn, was erected within a few hundred yards of the old one, at an expense of about L. 4000. The internal arrangements, and the chasteness of the exterior, are alike creditable to the architect. It contains upwards of 1000 sittings. The only other place of worship in the parish, is in the village of Balbeggie, five miles distant, where an Antiburgher meeting- house was built in 1788, but which was taken down a few years ago, and replaced by one of more ornate character, containing about 350 sittings. It is in connection with the Associate Synod. There is a comfortable house for the minister, with garden, offi- ces, &c. attached. j A new manse and offices were built in 1829, immediately after the induction of the present incumbent They occupy a very &- vourable position on the rising ground above the Tay, command- f ing a view of a considerable stretch of the river. Several old \ trees, planted about a century ago, skirt the buildings. One of 1 these, a larch, is rather a picturesque object, from the fantastic form it has assumed. The glebe adjoins the manse, and contains about 4^ acres. It KINNOULL. 943 may let for about L. 22. There is no grass glebe nor any allow- ance for one. The present incumbent is in possession of an instrument of sei- sin, dated 13th June 1726, giving infeftment in these acres to the then incumbent, Mr Andrew Darling, for himself and his succes- sors in office — rather a rare mode, it is believed, of making good the title of a minister to his glebe lands. It follows on a contract of excambion between George, Earl of Kinnoull, and Mr Dar- ling, and contains a power of resiling, so soon as the minister or his successors ** shall complain of the quantity of his glebe, and desire to have the same augmented." The stipend was in 1835 augmented to 124 bolls, 3 firlots, 3 pecks, ^ lippie of barley ; 129 bolls, 3 Orlots, 2 pecks, l| lippie of meal. L. 42, 10s. 2\id Sterling; and L. 10 for communion elements. A small part of the money stipend, which is laid on the feuars of Bridgend, has hitherto been tost to the present in^ eumbent, from the difficulty of apportioning it. The proportion of the population belonging to the Establish- ment, as given up to the Royal Commissioners in 1 836, was stat- ed to be about 2060 ; belonging to other denominations, 780 ; not known to belong to any, 160. But in this last number were included 91 patients in the Lunatic Asylum; and the remaining 69 included the children of those who were not members in any church. The difference in the above proportions since that period is so 'trifling as to be scarcely perceptible. There are eight Episcopalians in the parish, and three Roman Catholics. From the circumstance, before noticed, of so many of the pa- rishioners having, for a period of half-a century, been accustomed to seek accommodation for themselves and their families, in the different places of worship in Perth, it can easily be understood that the habit of resorting thither still continues with not a few ; and when it is farther considered that, within the last seven years, two additional churches, connected with the Establishment, have been reared there (while the population, both in Perth and in this parish, has been rather on the decrease,) it is not, perhaps, to be wondered at, if the same fluctuations in the attendance of parish- ioners are observable here as in other localities similarly situat- ed. The partial disruption of the parochial system, which such concomitant causes tend gradually to introduce, it is difficult to obviate, and more especially where such a quantum of accommo- 944 PERTHSHIRE. dation exists in the close vicinity, as is to br found in Perth. Not- withstanding, however, this somewhat anomalous state of things, and the hindrances thence arising to the working of a scheme for supporting its poor, which has been introduced since the induction of the present incumbent, the fact of the collections being nearly treble the amount of what they were before the new church was erected, indicates a quantum of attendance throughout the year, as large as can, in the circumstances, be expected. The whole population, of all ages, connected with the Establishment, residing within two miles of the church, does not exceed 1500 ; and of these, from 500 to 550 are hearers at Kinnoull ; whilst about 200 attend other Established churches io Perth. The number of communicants varies from 420 to 500 The Lord's Supper is dispensed twice in the year, on the sam^ days on which that solemnity is observed in Perth. Occasionally a few individuals from the distant corners of the parish join here at these times, but the great majority of such, partake of the ordi- nance in the churches of St Madoes, St Martins, and Kinfauns, where, on account of their distance from their parish church, ihey seek the benefit of Sabbath-day service throughout the year. From 80 to 100 of the parishioners communicate in these churches. Education. — The parochial school is well attended by about 180 scholars on an average ; the salary is the maximum ; and the amount of the teacher's fees is about forty guineas annually. His emoluments as session-clerk may be reckoned at L. 10; but these ! are still more contingent. There is a good school and school- house, with an excellent garden attached. ? The higher branches of instruction are rarely sought for here, \ Perth, with its academy and grammar-school, being close at hand. J There are three unendowed schools ; one at Bridgend, and two ly- \ ing on the outskirts of the parish, namely, at Balbeggie and Bal- ' thayock ; the latter located in Kinfauns, but within a few yards of the ; Kinnoull boundary. In these districts, much difficulty is felt in re- taining the services of a good teacher. A small salary, in addition to the scanty amount of school-fees, is required, and endeavours ^ are at present employed with a view to secure this object. The " people may be said to be generallj fully alive to the benefits of education, and there are few, if any, of their children betwixt six and fifteen years of age who cannot read or write. Where pover- ty is pleaded or known as the hindrance to bestowing this invalu- able boon, the parochial teacher, on the recommendation of the KINNOULL. 945 kirk-session, willingly undertakes the task of instructing such gra- tuitously. There are several Sabbath schools in the parish, that in the central part being conducted by the parochial teacher and the minister, and having upwards of 100 scholars in attendance. National Security Savings Banks. — One of these useful in- stitutions exists in Perth ; and it is noticed here, on account of its benefit^ being as immediately available to the inhabitants of this parish as to the adjoining city, where it has its head office. Although established under the sanction of the more recent le- gislative enactments, no farther back than 1839, with a capital of L. 3032, the sum at the credit of depositors at November 1842, amounted to no less than L. 35,254, showing an increase in the course of four years of L. 32,222 ; the number of depositors in- creasing in the same period from 859 to 2800. These results fur- nish evidence of perhaps a greater proportional measure of success than distinguishes any similar institution in the country, that of Edinburgh excepted. ^ It is conducted under the superintendence of a very numerous and highly influential body of trustees and managers, and its be« Defits extend to the country as well as to the city, the branches or receiving-houses being six in number. The important fact, that it continues to grow in the estimation and confidence of those for whose benefit it was specially intended, is proved by the details given in last annual report, which make it evident that it is chiefly resorted to by the labouring classes, and is, in truth, what it pro- fesses to be, — t** the Working Man's Bank." Notwithstanding the late depression in trade and manufactures, the increase on deposits during the last year was L.4914. At the same time, there is little doubt that its beneficial operation is in no small degree hindered by the number and proximity of licensed alehouses, to which cir- cumstance, some measure of the poverty and want of domestic economy and comfort here occasionally observable in the families of the working-classes, may be traced. The evil has of late been sought to be lessened by an annual representation from the kirk- session to the Justices of the Peace, at the time of granting li- cences. The fact of such endeavours having been encouraged, and so far rendered efiectual, is gratefully recorded. James Murrat/s Royal Asylum for Lunatics, — To the benevo- lence of Mr James Murray, a native of the parish of Perth, the public are indebted for this splendid institution, which is ad- mitted to be one of the best conducted in the kingdom. A short PBRTH. 3 o 94C PEIITIISIIIRE. account of the events which put it in the power of that individual to bequeath the funds for its establishment, may not be uninte- resting. Mr William Hope, the son of Mr Murray's mother^ having gone to India in early life, realized in Madras a very large fortune as a merchant. Having, by the advice of his physicians, deter* mined to return to Europe in 1609, he early, in that year, exe- cuted his will, providing handsomely for his wife and four daugh- ters, and bequeathing, at the same time, considerable legacies to his mother and her two sons. The deed, however, contained DO provision against the event which afterwards followed ; but by a peculiar interposition of pro vidence, when Mr Hope was about to embark with his family, he hurriedly, as appears from his will, provided, that, in the event of himself and his family perishing at sea, his fortune should go to his mother and her sons. On the ^th of January 1809, he, with his wife and daughters, ^embarked for England in the Jane Duchess of Gordon. The sad fate of that vessel, and of other three Indiamen of the same fleet, is still well remembered. Mr Hope and his family were among the hundreds who perished in the storm. Neither ships, nor crews, nor pas- sengers were ever seen or heard of since the fatal night of the 15th of March 1809. Out of this appalling event a succession opened up to Mr Murray, which enabled him to endow this institution on Its present splendid scale. The building, which is spacious and handsome, stands on the ac- clivity of Kinnoull hill, commanding an immense range of view. Up- wards of L.40,000 have been expended on the house and grounds; and latterly, the directors have purchased a farm adjoining, atan ex- pense of nearly L.7000. The plan, and indeed the whole of the ar- rangements, were designed by Mr Burn, and these may be said to j have been so contrived as not only to embrace every modem ira- ! provement, which is to be found in similar institutionsthroughout the u'f kingdom, but to render available the many special advantages con- nected with so favourable a local itv. The house stands in the middle jl of a park of twelve acres, with its gardens, walks, and shmbberies, in which the convalescent patient may seek exercise or amusemenu A number of verandahs commanding the extensive view before re- ferred to, afford him the benefit of enjoying healthful occupations in the open air, during the greatest heat of summer, or the most inclement weather of winter. While all is sufficiently secure to prevent injury or escape, all is free from the gloomy aspect of con- :'i KINNOULL. 947 fiDement, and there is an air of quiet and of comfort which never fkiis to strike the visitor as pervading the whole arrangements of the institution. It was incorporated by Royal Charter in 18279 and its management vested permanently in twenty-five directors, viz. nine ex officio^ four for life, and twelve elected annually. It was opened on 28th June 1827, and at present contains 140 pa- tients* Poor and Parochial Funds. — Many years ago, the heritors of this parish found it necessary to meet the wants of the poor by annual voluntary contributions. Finding, however, the burden becoming gradually heavier, in consequence of the great increase in the population, a (und of about L.170 was uplifted and applied ; and, finally, in 1823, it became necessary to resort to the last and least desirable expedient of a legal assessment. The evils arising out of this system were soon felt and complained of, and almost immediately after the present incumbent's induction, he was urged by his parishioners to seek for a renewal of the previous system. Some difficulty was experienced in the first attempts to accomplish the object. The following pleas continued to be urged, however, on the part of the kirk-session : Isty That the heritors would have for the present (1831) to contribute somewhat less than they had been in use to pay for the preceding seven years ; 2dj That the expense connected with collecting from upwards of 400 individuals would be saved ; 3e/, That the plan proposed might operate, in some degree, as a check upon what seems to have become the necessary concomitants of stated assessments for the poor, viz. an increase in their numbers and in their demands ; and, 4^A, That it would at once remove that feeling of dissatisfaction and grudge, and even of resistance, which had manifested itself, and lead to the revival and enlargement of that true charity which gives not by constraint, but willingly. Then, and not till then, was it held to be likely that any successful appeal could be made to this Christ- ian principle among the parishioners generally. The heritors soon thereafter agreed to make the experiment, and the results have been such as to encourage its continuance up to the present time, — for one and all of the anticipated conse- quences have been the result, ]«/, the heritors themselves contir Due to pay soipewhat less than before ; 2cf, the expense of collect- ing, and of the legal proceedings occasionally required to enforce payment, are saved to the parishioners generally, — the minister and elders themselves undertaking the work of gathering in the I 948 PERTH8HIUE. contributions, whether from heritors or members of other congre- gations, or from those who are but occasional hearers in the parish church ; Sd, the number of ordinary or stated paupers has consi- derably lessened ; and, lastly^ the collections at the church door have continued considerably to exceed the estimated probable amount. Average collections for the three years preceding the imposing of assessment in 1824, L.47, 17s. 2jd. ; for the three years following, L.29, 9s. 8d. ; for the three years, 1839, 40, 41, L.114, Os. 7d.; average contributions by heritors for do. L.65; do. by parishioners attending other churches, or but occasional hearers at Kinnoull, L.23; average mortcloth dues, proclama^ tions, &c. L.8, 15s.; highest rate of annual relief to paupers on roll (exclusive of those in Murray's Asylum), L.6, 16s. 6d ; low- est, L.1, lis. 6d. The average number of ordinary poor is now reduced to 20 ; but there is a like number of orphan children upon the roll. Occasional relief is furnished to about 25 not on the roll. Coals are distributed annually in January to about 60 of those receiving permanent or occasional relief. The whole ex- pense of management since 1831 had been only L.5 annually, but in 1840, the heritors augmented the allowance to the kirk trea- surer, which is now L.10. It is to be hoped, that nothing may occur to mar the operation of this scheme, which has already proved so successful. December 1842. PARISH OF FORGANDENNY .♦ PRESBYTERY OF PERTH, SYNOD OF PERTH AND STIRLING. THE REV. JAMES DRUMMOND, MINISTER. I ^ I. — Topography and Natural History. . S| Extent — This parish is about 10 miles long and 2 broad on ♦ an average. It stretches from the river Erne, its northernmost boundary, south-west into the Ochil hills, until it joins the parish of Milnathort. It is bounded on the east by the parishes of Dun- barny, Dron, and Arngask ; on the west, by those of Forteviot and * From Notes furnished by a paiisliioncr of Forgandenny. FORGANDBNNY. 949 DuDning; and on the south and south- west, by those of Forteviot and Milnathort. A considerable portion of it, on the south-west, is in the county of Kinross ; but by far the greater part lies in Perthshire. Its whole extent is computed to be about 12,800 acres. Topographical Appearances^ 8fc. — It naturally divides itself into two parts, the lower and the higher ; the former reaching, by a gradual ascent, from the Erne to the foot of the Ochils, a dis- tance of about a mile and a-half ; and the latter including all that part of the Ochils which lies in the parish. The lower part is ge- nerally of a rich soil, some of it being the best carse land, and in a state of high cultivation, producing wheat and all other kinds of grain in great abundance. The higher part is also, on the whole, well cultivated ; but its climate being considerably colder, and its soil lighter, wheat is seldom grown on it. The Ochil hills occupy fully three-fourths of the surface of the parish. Hardly any part of these can be said to be rocky, as they are all either pastured by sheep and cattle, or regularly cropped. They vary greatly in their respective heights, beginning on the north side by gentle acclivities, until they reach about 1000 feet above the level of the sea, which is the height of the highest hill in the parish. There is a deep fissure on the boundary which separates this parish from Dron, on the edge, of which, it is said, one of the inha- bitants was shot in the time of the persecutions under Charles IL On the eastern boundary of the parish, and on Lord Ruthven's property, there are one or two springs, possessing exactly the same medicinal properties as the Pitcaithly wells. The river Erne skirts the whole of the northern side of the pa- rish. A great part of it also is intersected by the May, a beauti- ful mountain stream, which, taking its rise in the upper part of the parish of Auchterarder, flows westward through the Ochils, form- ing the northern boundary between this parish and Dunning, and dividing it in the highest part.* Geology. — Nearly the whole of the parish, and especially the Ochil part of it, is composed of trap. This rock is, indeed, found at different depths, and varies considerably in its degree of hard- ness, being softer and more brittle where it has approached near * Forgandenny was one of the eleven prebendaries of Uic Cathedral of OunkeId» and is ranked as the seventh in order, llie church was a mensal church of that ca- ^cdral, and furnished a stipend for one of its prebends. 950 PERTHSHIRE. the surface and yielded to the influence of the weather. The trap seems to overly the sandstone, with one trifling exceptioDy throughout the whole extent of the parish ; and in the case of this exception, the sandstone strata is found nearly in a ver- tical position. Atthat spot, too, the trap has changed the sand- stone at the line of junction. The old red sandstone, doubtless^ might be found in many places by cutting through the trap ; but this has never been tried in any part of the parish. In the upper parts are to be found beautiful specimens of conglomerate in great abundance, the nodules of which are either trap or por- phyry. Beautiful specimens of the blue and purple pebbles also abound in the decomposed trap. It is a singular circumstance, that, in so extensive a parish, and all lying upon rock, there has not been discovered any portion of the trap, with one solitary ex- ception, sufficiently hard to build even a common dike with. It has its uses, however, and these are of no small importance, — being excellent for metalling roads, and making drains. The only other variety of mineral found in the parish is a thin layer of laminar limestone on the lands of Dumbuils ; but, from the great distance of coal, and the thinness of the seam, the present proprietor, Lawrence Oliphant, Esq. of Condie, has not consi- dered it worth working. It is stated in the former Statistical Account, that copper bad at one period been wrought in the wood of Condie ; but no traces of this metal have been lately met with. II. — Civil History. Eminent Men. — The only public characters we have been able to discover in connection with this parish were. Sir William Oli- phant of Newton, who was King's Advocate in the reign of James VI., and at whose instance many of the trials for witchcraft, so prevalent at that period, were conducted ; — his grandson had the misfortune accidentally to kill his mother, and was obliged, in consequence, to fly the country : And Mr James Graeme of Newton who, before the Revolution in 1688, was solicitor to James VII. In the churchyard, on the south side of the church, there is a tombstone bearing this inscription : " Here lies Andrew Brodie, Wright in Forgandenny, who, at the break of a meeting, October 1678, was shot by a party of Higlandmen, commanded by Bal- lechan, at a cave's mouth, dying thither for his life, and that for his adherervciG to the word of God, and Scotland's cove- FORGANDENNY. 951 nanted work of Reformation. Rev. 12, c 7." The account of this deed, which Wodrow gives in his history of the sufferings of the Church of Scotland, Vol. ii. p. 484, substantially agrees with this inscription. He says, *^ By an attested account I find this year (1678), there was a conventicle in Perthshire, at the hill of Caltenachar," supposed to be what is now called Culteuchar, one of the Ochils, and belonging at present to Lawrence Oliphant, Esq. of Condie, *' in the parish of Forgandenny : and upon the Lord's day, an officer, with a company of wild Highlanders, came suddenly upon them, and, without any orders to dismiss, or essay- ing to seize any of them, discharged their pieces among the poor unarmed people. By good . Providence, there was but one man killed — Andrew Broddy, a wright by trade, who lived at my Lord Ruthven's gate, in the green of Freeland. He left behind him a widow and four orphans.'' The only point in* which the record on the martyr's stone, and Wod row's account seems to disagree, is the particular spot where the martyr was killed. The stone says it was a cave*s mouth ; while Wodrow's testimony is, that it was on the hill of Caltenachar. The tradition of the parish is, that the event took place at a cave, or rather what in this quarter is termed a deigh, or dell, on the boundary between this parish and that of Dron, and not more than two or three hundred yards from the hill of Caltenachar. In all likelihood, in those days, the whole of the range extending east to that deigh might be called Cultenchar, and Andrew Brodie's murder might be perpetrated at that spot. His descendants, some of whom are still resident in the parish, say, that after he had been shot, his wife, who was also present at the con* venticle, immediately went and covered his body with her scarlet mantle or cloak. One of the party of soldiers then came up to her, and asked her what she now thought of her husband ? To which she replied, " More than ever I thought of him." The same thing is related of the widow of the poor pious carrier, John Brown of Priestfield, in the parish of Muirkirk, whom Claverhouse shot with his own hand; but there is no difficulty in supposing that these widows might both speak in these terms of their husbands. The earliest registers of the parish begin with September 24th 1654 ; and from that date down to the present time, the entries are made with great regularity and distinctness. They are not volu- minous. On the north side of the Ochils, the re is a hill of considerable 9ii fBBTHSHIRE. height, on which there has evidently bee of great estent. The description given i tion in the former Statistical Account, §till strictly applicable. " Somewhat mo nearly two miles south of the village of Fo led Castle-Law. It is situated upon th< which resembles a low cone. Thecircumf 500 yards. This spot is defended on all : vestiges of which are yet to be seen. Thi nearly circular, and the wails seem to ha the top of the hill on which ihey were I there are also several outworks, which se for defence ; particularly on the south si sleep, and the ground below higher, mounds of earth parallel to the wall and the area of this castle or fortification are which vestiges cannot now be easily trac< ed by a former Lord Rulhven on this i part of which is still standing. The top prospect of the county to the mouth of t Ocean on the east ; all Straihcarn to the the west ; a great part of Perthshire and , and north-east ; and the summit of the Lr The general opinion concerning Castle- a Danish fortification." Another opinion, much entertained of late, is, that it must I believe some pieces of vitrified stone ha' immense mass of rubbish which it contai the liill itself, and the remains of the forti resemblance to the Castle- Law, in the pai is allowed on all hands lo have been a vil On the estate of Ardargie, belonging lying about a mile and a-half south-west a beautifully preserved small Roman cam[ led from time immemorial. Its walls ar tinct, and almost entire. The proprietors them from being altered in any way. Tl is situated upon a hifrh sloping bank look! mediately above the May, and commandin part of the Ochils, and also a view of the g assed from the T&^ to the great encamp FOROANDENNr* 9£3 its position, it must have been admirably fitted to prevent any par« ties from descending in that direction to the adjacent valley of Strathearn. Its figure is an exact square, each side of which is about 90 yards long. On its south side, it is defended by a deep hollow, through which a small brook runs ; and on the remaining three sides, by deep trenches. The width of these trenches at the top is about ten yards ; their depth, on the sides next the en« campment, is about 14, while on the outside it is 10. There are the remains of another fortification on what is called the Law of Dumbuils, belonging to the estate of Freeland, about a mile south-east of the village. This Law is a low craggy eminence ; it is elliptical in its form ; the south and west sides, be- ing a precipitous rock, form of themselves a natural wall ; while on the north and east sides a wall has been formed of very large granite boulders, many of which still occupy their original position. This Law commands a beautiful and extensive view of the lower part of Strathearn, of the north part of the coast of Fife, of the windings of the Tay, and of the Carse of Gowrie, all the way to Dundee, a distance of more than twenty miles. Land'Owners, — The principal land-owners in the parish are, the Right Honourable Lord Ruthven of Freeland; Lawrence Oliphant, Esq. of Condie; James S. Oliphant, Esq. of Rossie;*and Mrs Fechney of Ardargie. With the exception of the barony of Struie, which holds feu of Stirling of Keir, and which formerly belong- ed to that family, and also that part of the parish, containing about 1000 acres, which lies in the county of Kinross, and which holds feu of the Grahams of Kinross ; the remainder appears to have been divided betwixt the houses of Oliphant and Ruthven, who, during the fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth centuries, possessed large estates in this neighbourhood. About three-fourths of the parish still belong to the descendants of these houses. List of ministers who have been settled in this parish since the Re^ formation : — L Mr William Row, who preached before James VI. at Stir- ling. 2. Mr John Row, who died in 1589. 3. Mr William Row, who died October 1634, in the seventy- first year of his age. 4. Mr William Row, who was ordained assistant to his father, and died in 1658, in the thirty-fourth year of his ministry. 5. Mr David Orme, who was called in 1659, and ordained on 954 PBBTHSHIBE. the 30th of August. He continued here having removed when Episcopacy was inl time. 6. Mr John Liddell. He was present' ton. Bishop of Dunkeld, on the '25th A| parish in the followiDg AugusL He was February lfi67. 7. Mr Andrew Hardy was settled in 1 nister of the parish till the Revolution in ■ & Mr William Dick was called in Ma Sejiteniber 1695. He was translated to commission of the General Assembly in J 9. Mr Peter Pilmer was called 18th I ed on l.-3th May 1703, and died 16th Fe lioth year of his age, and the thirty-seven 10. Mr John Glen, who was called 25 dained 33d April, and died 10th Octob« fourth year of his age, and the Gfty-secon 11. Mr John Willison, who was orda tember 1793, and died on the 7th Febniai fuurlh year of his age, and the thirty-firil parish) having been translated from West been settled eight years. 13. Mr Jnmes Drummond, the preset called 3d July I8'28, and ordained on the same yc:ir. Ill, — Population The population of this parish must once than it has been for at least the last tifty } ' Of Mr Pilmer »c find a very inlereslirg notice " Lifl- and Oiiry aftlie lU-i. Itnlph Enkine of Dunft " Nor WM Mt Gow of Cargil," layt tlic author, " ll lion ultiiontely prevailed againsl liiii vourage. We m I'ilmer of l-'organdciinj, as •uiiplyiii); anullier iinUnce. sisted iMtwcen him and Mr Wilsun of I'erlh. Soou al was seizol vilh an illness tbal terminnleil in death. D he wan aniious u> enjoy much of Mr Wilson's compa point as Rir as lie could. Cuniersing one itay very clos ' ilratlicr, 1 think you should hare slood forth with m an open tratimony against Ihase indiunitici which yi which arc bo injurious to your Master s cause and int dying man replied, ' Yes, brother, I have always been fur my Lar<1 and Master, hut I hope, by the riches of li □ihcrsins shall he as the iniquities of Israel, which si shill be none, and as the sins of J udah, that shall not t t 111 an Old.AccouDt dated 1727, il is said to ban c FORGANDENNT. 955 has arisen chiefly from the small farms being thrown into larger ones. The population in 1801 was 958 1811 902 1821 902 1831 913 1841 796 Of the 796, the present population, about eighty live in the village of Fogandenny. The rest are scattered over the rural parts of the parish, with the exception of about forty, who live in a small village in the Ochils, called Path Struie, and now more commonly the Path of Condie. .IV. — Industry. Agriculture. — About 2000 acres have never been cultivated ; although one-half of these, it is supposed, might be cultivated with advantage. Mr Oliphant of Condie, who is a very intelligent and enterprising agriculturist, has of late years broken up a great deal of these waste lands, carrying his improvements to the very hill- tops, and has them now laid down in beautiful sheep pasture, and enclosed with excellent fences. Two of his tenants in the Ochil part of his estate are following his example, and have their ex- tensive farms laid down in the same manner. No part of this pa- rish is now in a state of undivided common. About 4dd acres are planted, and about forty of these are covered with natural wood. About 100 acres of the lower part of the parish are of rich clay land, through which the Erne has cut its way, and formed a low bed of alluvial soil, formed by the same process as the Carse of Gowrie. The rent of the lands in the parish varies from L.3 to 3s. The fishings on the Earne are let at about L.10 a year. In looking back two hundred years to the quantity of produce, or to the value of land, as estimated in 1 650, compared with the pre- sent time, we do not find that great rise which is exhibited in many of the other parishes of Scotland. This is easily accounted for ; three-fourths of the parish being hilly, and producing little else but grass, in which state it still remains to a great extent, it is obvious that it would feed as much stock 200 years ago, as it does at present. The difference of value, therefore, can arise only from the difference of value of the animal, and not from the num«> ber. Three-fourths of the parish being admirably suited for turnip husbandry, sheep-walks may be carried to the tops of the able persons, taking the age from seven and upwards. The annual number of bap. tisms was then about 30, and of deaths about 20. 956 PERTH£(HIRE. highest hills. This is, in fact, going rapidly forward at present oo the estate of Condie, under the direction of the present intelligent proprietor. At this moment, he has growing, on the summit of the highest hill in the parish, as beautiful a crop of turnip as is to be seen in any part of Strathearu. Several years ago he in« troduced wire fences into the hill part of his property, and has already erected six or seven miles of these. He was the 6rst to introduce them in this part of the country, and bis example is now generally followed, not only here, but in many other parts of Perthshire. A facility of enclosing has thus been obtained, the want of which was the great drawback to systematic improve- ment in the upper parts of this parish, as no stones are to be found fitted for building dikes or walls. These wire-fences are composed of oak, or larch, or ash posts, placed three and four yards apart, with five horizontal wires, the whole costing about 6d. per yard. A great portion of the lower part of the parish has been fur- row-drained. These drains have been filled chiefly with broken trap ; but drain-tiles are now beginning to be introduced to a considerable extent, particularly on the estate of Freeland. Fallows, except upon the stiffest clay, have been entirely given up, to make way for the growth of potatoes for the London mar- ket, which is largely supplied with these from this parish. A striking improvement has taken place in farm buildings of every description, since the last Statistical Account was published. At that period, almost the whole houses in the parish were thatched ^ with straw ; but now, every new building is either covered with reeds brought from the Carse of Gowrie, or with slates. V. — Parochial Economy. Ecclesiastical State. — The stipend is 12 chalders, 2 bolls, 1 fir- lot, 2 pecks, 1*5 lippy of grain, two-thirds of which are meal, and one-third barley, and L.24 payable in money. This includes an allowance of L.5 for communion elements. The glebe, including the stance of manse and oflSces, and the garden, is about six acres. Its value is about L.12. There are about 180 Dissenters hi the parish, chiefly belonging to the United Secession body, who have a small church at the Path of Condie. Schools, — There are two schools in the parish, viz. the parochial school, in the village of Forgaudenny, generally attended by about 70 scholars at an average, and another at the Path of Condie. PORGANDENNY. 957 The latter is an endowed school, in connection with, and under the superintendence of, the Church of Scotland. It seems to have been instituted shortly after 166d» by an act of the presbytery of Perth, dated October dd 1660, which was afterwards confirmed by the Privy- Council in the year 1663, empowering the heritors to uplift the vacant stipend of 165)9, and appropriate it to the formation and endowment of a school at the Path of Condie. The money thus raised is laid out at interest for the behoof of tl)e teadier. This sum, however, is small ; but the last incum- bent of the parish, Mr Willison, bequeathed a small field for its support, which, with a house upon it, yields L.7, 10s. annually* The parochial schoolmaster's salary is the maximum ; an'd the probable amount of fees paid to him yearly is about L.d5. His other emoluments arise from the oflSce of session-clerkship. Both of the above schools are very eflSciently taught. The teachers have adopted the most approved modern methods of in- struction« There are also two Sabbath schools in the parish, which are attended by 70 or 80 children. Poor* — During the last six years, there have been collected for the poor the following sums : — For 1836, L.30 6 1 1837, 29 5 2 1838, 42 13 81 42 19 4i 1839, 1840, 66 8 2 1841, 45 1 10 During the same period, the following sums were distributed : For 1836, to 8 regular paupers, L.d4 7 1837, to 9 do. 37 11 1838, to 7 do. 26 3 1839, to 8 do. 37 6 1840, to 9 do. 43 19 1841, to 9 do. 43 12 1 During the same period, there were distributed to occasional poor the following sums : — For 1836, L.4 1 10 1837, 2 14 8 1838, 2 11 74 1839, 2 9 6 1840, 12 6 1841, 2 4 6 There is no legal assessment for the poor. January I84t). I I I DUNKELD AND PARISH OF DOWALLY* PRB8BYTERY OF DUHKELD, SYNOD OF PERTH AND STIRLING. THE REV. JOHN MACKENZIE, MINISTER. • •* 1. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — The word Dunkeld-f- is derived from three ancient British words, DuHj **a stronffholdj'* and Kaled and tn, *e north-west of the cathedral, are the two noted larches, the first that were introduced into Britain. They were brought from the Tyrol by Menzies of Cul- dares in 1738, and were at first treated as green-house plants. They were planted only one day later than the larches in the Monzie gardens near Crieffl The two Dunkeld larches are still in perfect vigour, and far from maturity. The height of the highest is nearly 90 feet^ with girth in proportion. A little to the east of the two larches stood the old residence of the Atholl family ; and to the west, stands the new house in the course of erection. At the death of Duke John in 1830, the operations ceased, a mournful dispersion of the work people in- stantly took place, and from that hour not a stroke has been heard 964 PERTHSHIKI^. among the walls. Two floors of this noble edifice are nearly fi- nished, as well as a gallery 96 feet long, besides an elegant pri- vate chapel, a spacious staircase, and several noble Gothic win- dows, which were to have been emblazoned with all the family shields and quarterings, carved in stone. The walls have been temporarily covered for protection. In this neighbourhood, it is a singular coincidence, that the twin houses of Dunkeld and Murthley have both lost their founders, and have remained ever since unfinished. Climate. — Dunkeld and Dowally are, generally speaking, very healthy, but more particularly the town of Dunkeld. Fever is comparatively very rare, though it is not uncommon in neighbour- ing towns of the same population. It has been supposed, from the abundance of wood about the town and its neighbourhood, that Dunkeld would, in all probability, become more liable to disease, and to fever in particular. This supposition has not hitherto been borne out, for since the late Duke of Atholl extended his immense plantations, both here and in other parts of his estates, disease has become notoriously less frequent. In proof of the situation of Dunkeld and its neighbourhood being healthful, it may be men- tioned, that it is often recommended by physicians as a suitable summer residence for invalids. Many instances of longevity might be mentioned. About half a century ago, a friendly company oc- casionally met, which was called the Eighty-four Club^ where no member was admitted till he had attained that age. The meetings are said to have been characterized with fun and good humour. Geology and Mineralogy,* — The geological character of Dun- keld and Dowally is extremely simple. The limits are confined to about ten miles of the northern side of the valley of the Tay. Of these, the rocks in situ are exclusively of the transition clay slate, nearly devoid of simple minerals, and only remarkable for the sin- gular contortions into which the strata, or rather laminse, have been twisted, previous to their becoming indurated, which has given the blocks of stone much the appearance of knotted timber. The soils naturally arising from the decomposition of this slate are. in general, cold and poor, and seem better suited to the growth of timber than for agricultural purposes. The most pro- ductive parts of Dunkeld and Dowally consist of those great platforms and rounded knolls of water-worn and stratified sand * By George Fairholme, Esq. author of several works on Geology. t)UNKBLD AND DOWALLT. 965 and gravel with which the whole valley of the Tay has become loaded, and which are usually known as diluvial deposits, plainly bespeaking the violent action of waters at a much higher level than the waters of the Tay could ever have reached. Of these diluvial deposits consist the most productive farm-lands. Although these gravelly soils are in some parts too dry to be productive, especially in dry seasons, yet nowhere can be seen finer pastures, or more beautiful woods, than throughout the whole length of Dunkeld and Dowally ; and in addition to the more usual varieties of timber common to Great Britain, which are all found here in the greatest luxuriance, the earliest and finest specimens of the larch which are known in the kingdom are to be found around Dunkeld. The vast scale on which this useful species was planted by the late John, fourth Duke of Atholl, and the truly national object which his Grace had in view in so doing, render the subject too important to be passed over in silence, in taking a statistical survey of this district The only known indication of the more valuable mineral pro- ductions around Dunkeld and within this district, is a small vein of copper ore in the eastern base of the mountain called Craig-y- barns, but which has not been worked. The valuable slate quar- ries a little lower down the Tay are in the neighbouring parishes of Caputh on the north, and of Little Dunkeld on the south of the Tay. Gold in grain has been occasionally found in a sand-bank about three miles above Dunkeld, and fully twenty feet above the level of the Tay. A few small trinkets were made of it, but the quan* tity of gold was so small, and the expense of extracting so great, that no attention is now paid to the discovery. Pearls, of a coarse kind, but occasionally of good form and co- lour, are produced by the species of muscle common in the Tay. About half a century ago, the collecting of the pearls was a trade. A merchant in London who had contracted to receive all that was collected became insolvent, which caused a loss to the inhabi- tants who were engaged in the traffic. Since then, the people of the place have ceased to collect them. Many of the pearls that were collected brought high prices. Zooloffy* — Both Dunkeld and the parish of Dowally are very rich in natural productions. Of the Camivora^ there is a considerable variety, although they are not so numerous as they were some years ago, in consequeiic€i 966 PEKTHSHIBE. of the war of extermination carried on against them by the game- keepers. There is one species of the tribe Plantigraday the common badger, or Meles vulgaris. This used to be a very common animal in the neighbourhood ; but, since the introduction of the wild rabbit, it has been hunted down and destroyed, under the idea that it was destructive to the young litters. A number, however, are still to be seen. Of the Digitigrada there are several species. The sanguinary polecat, Mustela putorius^ Cuv. ; the weasel, Af. vulgaris ; and the ermine or stoat, M. erminea^ are very common, and very de- structive to the game and poultry. The elegant and beautiful pine martin, M. abietum^ Ray, used to be frequently met with, but is now, comparatively speaking, a rare animal. The fox, Cth nis vulpesj is now rarely seen in the neighbourhood. The common otter, — genus Lutra, Ray, — is still to be ob- served about the banks of the river and neighbouring lakes. This animal afforded at one time a considerable revenue to some of the country people, who, during part of the winter, used to hunt it down for its skin. This has now ceased, in consequence of the preference given in the market to the skin of the sea-otter. Of the genus Felis^ the only indigenous species is the common wild-cat, Felis Catus^ Linn. They were at one time in great num- bers, and of great size in the woods around Dunkeld ; but, like the fox, they are now rarely to be found. Rodentia. — There are numbers of these to be met with. The squirrel is so plentiful as to be a nuisance to the nursery aod seedsmen. The hare and rabbit are common. The alpine hare is to be found in great plenty in the upland parts of Dowally. Fecora. — Of this order, the only species common in this neigh- bourhood is the roe- deer, Cervus capreolusy Linn. About Dunkeld and Dowally they abound to an enormous extent. In th^ large kirch plantations of the Atholl family, they are as common as sheep on the moors. A stray red-deer, Cervus elaphusy from the Blair forest may also be occasionally seen. Ornithology. — Of the class Raptores there are, the peregrine falcon, /♦', peregrinus^ Linn. Although not common, yet it cannot be called a rare bird. The merlin, K j^aioriy Linn. ; the kestrel F, tinnunculuSf Linn., very common. Of the next division, or sub- typical, there are, the sparrowhawk, Accipiter fringillarius; the osprey, Pandion haliceetus. During the winter of J 640, Dunkeld DUXKliLD AND DOWALLY. 967 and Dowally were visited by considerable numbers of the rough- legged buzzard, Buteo lagopm^ of Fleming ; but they are only oc- casional visitants. A beautiful specimen of the honey-buzzard> Pemis apivarus of Cuvier, was shot here some years ago. It is the only one we have heard of north of the Frith of Forth. The stuffed bird is in the possession of the Right Honourable Fox Maule, Birnam Lodge. The barn and tawny owl, as well as the small short-eared owl, are very common. Amongst the Insessores a few of the beautiful kingfishers, Alceda Ispidoj are to be seen by the banks of the river in the neigh- bourhood of the town of Dunkeld. It is one of the rarest and certainly the most highly adorned of all our birds, and yields to few of its foreign brethren in lustrous beauty. In winter, the cross-bill visits this quarter in great numbers. Of the Rasotes there are the wood-pigeon in abundance, the pheasant, black grouse, and partridge. The migratory birds, both summer and winter, visit us in great number and variety. Botany. — The following list of the native plants to be found in and around Dunkeld has been drawn up by Mr Andrew Cruick- shanks of the Dunkeld Gardens. AcbilUea miUefblium ■ - ptarmica ^gopodium podagraria Ajuga reptans AlchemiUa alpina — — -^— — arvensis ■ vulgaris Anagallis anreosis tenella Anchosa sexnpervirens Anemone nemorosa Antbyllis Tulneraria Aitemina Tulgaris Anthoianthum odoratum Arctium lappa Asperula odorata Aspidiom Filix-mas Calluna vulgaris Caltha palustris Campanula rotundiiblia Capsella bursa pastoris Cardamine pratensis hirsuta Centaurea nigra Cerastium semidecandrum viscosum — -~i» Tulgatum Chelidonium majus Chrysanthemum leucanUie- mum segetum Cbrysosplenium oppoaitifb- lium Epilobium monta^um Erica cinerea tetralix Eriophorum aogustifolium 1 polystachioa Euphorbia helloscopia Euphrasia officinalis Festuca duriuscula — . elatior ovina yiyipara ^ ... Comarum palustre AspleniamadiantumnignimConium maculatum Fumaria capreolata m - officinalis Galium crudatum palustre saxatile verum nita muraria Atropa Belladonna Avena fatna ■■ flavescens Banna Odontites Bellis perennis Botrychium lunaria Briza media Bromus asper Buniuro flexuotum Coryliis aTellana Cynosurus cristatus Cytisus scoparius Dactylis glomerata Digitalis purpurea - alba Drosera rotundifulia Echium vulgare Enipetrum nigrum Epilobium angustifolium Genbta anglica Gentiana amarella Geranium dissectum , moUe ■ robertianum — — ^ — sylvaticum Geum rivale — -.- urban um Glechoma hederacea Gnapbalium dioicum Grammitis ceteracb d6d PERTHSHIRE. ! I H«deni helix Hierftcium pilotella "- sylTaticum I umbellatuin Holcus avenaceus — lanatus ' loollis Nuphar lutea Njrmpbaea alba Ononis arrcnsi* Orcbis latifblia — > maculata Orobus tuberotiM Oxalis acetoaella Hyacinthu* nonri>8criptus Papaver dubium Hypericnm peiibratiim Pedicularis paliwtris pulchruni Ilex aquifolium J uncus Gonglomeratus Juniperus communis Lamium album purpureum Latbyrus pratensis — — — - syWestris Linum catbarticum Listera cordata Lobelia dortroanna XK>lium perenne Lonicera caprifblium Lotus corniculatus ■ major Laxula campestris ' pilosa sylvatica Lychnis dioiea flos-cuculi viscaria Ljcopodium alptnuro — «— — clavatum Lysimachia neroorum nummularia ]\f alva moschata Mclampynim pratense Mentha arvensis Menyanthcs trifoliata Mercurialis perennis Myosotis arvensis ■ palustris Myrica gale Narthecium ossifragum Pinguicula vulgaris Plantago lanceolata mi^r — media Poa annua — — pratensis — i- trivialis Polygala vulgaris Polygonum bistorta ^^— -^— convolvulus — — — vivtparum Potamogeton natans Polypodium vulgaris Primula vulgaris -veris Prunella vulgaris Prunus spinosa — padus Pteris aquilina Pyrcthrum inodorum Pyrola rotundifolia Ranunculus ficaris '—' flammula — ^ rcptans Rhinanthus crista fruticosus Runiex crispus ■ — acctosa -^— — acetosella Sagina procumbcns Saxifraga aizoides granulata Scolopendrium vulgtr* Serophularia iMdoa* Seoedo Jaoobm vulgaris Siuapis Sileoe inflata — ^— maritiniB Sisymbrium ofiiciiiale Sdanum Duleamara S«]idago rirgaurea Sonchus arvenflis Sparganium simplei Spergula arvensb Spiroa ulmaria Stellaria bolostea grsminea Stellaria media Symphytum officinale Teucrium scorodoDia Thymus serpyllum Tormentilla officinalis Trientalis europaa Trifblium pratense — — reptans Tussilago farfora Ulex Europous Urtica dioiea Vaccinium mjrrtillus »— — ^ oxycocGoa Veronica beocabanga — — — — arvensis ■ chamadrys — i^— - hirsuta montana — officinalis Vicia cracca — sepium — syjvatica Viola cnnina tricolor II. — Civil History. At a very early period Dunkeld was, from its natural positioD, deemed a place of great note among the Caldones or Caledonians. The Romans, in the year 13B, approached near to the place; but, from the many passes and dangerous defiles with which it abounds, they never could successfully invade it. After they left Scotland, and prior to 500, the inhabitants, to meet the improvements in war, built a stronghold, which, in Gaelic, was called Dun-ghael-^huin^ and by the Southerns Dun-Kakdirif or Dun-calidon, It is authen- ticated by historians, that, about 570, Dunkeld became the abode of the Columbans or Culdees.* They were a religious body of * In Gaelic Culdeo signiBes a raonk. In the same language (?ri/ir signifies a ser- vant. Hence Oilc-de, the servant of God, dc being the genitive of ZHo, God. DUNKBLD AND DOWALLY. 969 tnen, by whose labours the character of the inhabitants in the northern districts of Scotland was materially improved. Conal, King of the Scots, about 570, built a monastery for them near to the Castle of Calidon, now called Dunkeld, where Kentigerne and Saint Columba, the leader of the order, resided about six months, ** teaching and preaching to the people of AthoU, Calidon, and Angus, who came in great numbers to hear their godlie instruc- tions."* This establishment was conducted after the original at lona. Over it an abbot ruled.-f The followers of St Columba, though erroneously called monks, were yet a body of regular clergy, whose form of governnient was essentially Presbyterian, To the members of their synod or assembly was given the name of seniores, or elders, to whom, in their collective capacity, be« longed the right of appointing and ordaining those who engaged in the ministerial office. To these, when settled in any particular locality, was given the name of Bishop, a dignity not different from that of presbyter or pastor. These bishops were subject to the discipline of the College of lona, with which they kept up a regu* lar correspondence. They taught and preached the truths of the Scriptures, but had no fellowship with the Church of Rome4 The Columbian institutions were formed for residence, teaching, and for worship. They were not only beneficial to the Scots and northern Picts ; but were also advantageous to the northern Eng- glish, as an asylum from the severities of war. The original monastery of Dunkeld, like the Abbey of lona, * Hollingshed, Vol. i. p. 204, and Smithes Life of St Columba, p. IS. Dean Mill, in bis MS. History of tbe Dunkeld Bishops, says, that the monastery was founded by Constantino III., King of the Picts, ** about the- year 729, being 226 years, 9 months, and 6 days after the church of Abernethy was built ; others bring It the length of 224 years.*' But Columba died on the 9th of June 597, leaving his monasteries firmly settled, a people converted by his labours from Paganism to Christ- MDity, and a name for the celebration of every age. Chalmers's Caled. Vol. 1. p. SOS. f Tbe abbots of Dunkeld were persons of great influence in Scotland. Many of them held offices of trust, and figured in several of the bloody scenes of tbe Scottish Government. The Ulster Annals, under the year 865, state the death of Tuathal MacFergus, the Archbishop of Fortren, and Abbot of Dunkeld. The annalist mere- ly means to speak of the primate by the florid expression of Archbishop, Under the year 872, the same annals state the death of Flavertach Mac Murtach, the primate of Dunkeld. These notices evince, in opposition to the claims of the Register of St Andrews, that Dunkeld long held the primacy of the kingdom. Duncha, the Abbot of Dunkeld, was slain at the battle of Duncrub, in the attempt to dethrone DuiK Chron. Na 3, Inncs. Under the year 964, the Ulster Annals state, that Crinan, the Abbot of Dunkeld, married Bethoc, one of the two daughters of Midcolm II., and fell In battle 1045, in an attempt to restore her grandson to the throne. Ethclred, the ton of Malcolm III., was Abbot of Dunkeld. Crawford *8 OflScers of State, p. 490, X The Culdees employed their time in teachins and transcribing the Scriptures; not indeed in tbe Hebrew, but in the f^atin translation. Religion of the Ancient Iriihy p. 6. They also instructed the people in secular knowledge. 970 PBRTHSHIRB. was constructed of wattles, the only materials then generally used in the country. Building with stone and mortar was the work of an after and more intelligent age. In 729, the monastery was rebuilt of stone, but not founded as a new institution, as stated by Dean Mill. This institution, howe?er, is neither noticed by Keith nor by Spottiswood among the religious houses of Scotland. In 834, Brudus, the king of the Picts, summoned all his sub- jects who were able to bear arms to meet on a certain day in Ne- ther Calidon with a suitable supply of provisions.* They mustered there in a great body. HolUngshed says, that this army {Missed over the Tay, and marched into the castle of CalidoD^ previous to engaging Alpinus, the King of Scots, at Angus. From this it may be inferred that, at that time, the dwellings erected near to this castle were so considerable as to have afforded, along with the castle, the requisite accommodation for so great a body of men. The various attempts of the Danes to plunder Dunkeld, also &- vour the view that the place was not only extensive, but its monas- tery was reputed important and wealthy. About 845, the Danes, under their celebrated sea-king, Regner Lodbrog, on theiradvanceto plunder Dunkeld, were successfully engaged and defeated between Cluny and Dunkeld by Kenneth MacAlpin, who united the Scots and Picts into one kingdom.-^ About 905, the Danes advanced a second time, when they successfully plundered the town. The extent of their booty is nowhere recorded. Under the reigo of Kenneth III. they meditated a third attack for a similar pur- pose, but they were met at Luncarty by Kenneth, where be fought a famous battle and routed them. In 848, Kenneth MacAlpin built a church at Dunkeld, from respect to the memory of St Columba, wherein he deposited the relics of that saint,:|: which had become unsafe at lona from the rapacity of the Danes. The site of this sacred depository has not * Chron. of Scotland, VoL i. p. 60. HoUingsbed, Vol. i. p. 246. f ChroD. No. 3 in Innes^s App. I^angbeck's Scriptores, Dan. VoL ii. p. 2, d ieq» \ Dean Mill, MS, HitU in reference to the bones of St Columba, and the pestilence whicb broke out in Scotland in 1500, says, **• What follows is surprising, and yet I tbink it must not be passed over. Tbe Bisbop had marked out and consecrated hur- rying ground for bis people, being much afraid of tbe pestilence. In tbe meantime, he visited some of the church tenants of Caputh, who had been bad of that disease^ and gave them such consecrated things as might be of use to them. Next day he caused dip the bones of St Columba in consecrated water, and sent it to tbem to drink bv the chancellor. Many did drink and were cured. But there was one for- ward feUow among them, who said to the cbunccllor, * for what does the Bisbop send us water to drink ? 1 wish he bad sent us some of his best ale.* But he and tbe restt to the number oF thirty, who refused to drink of the crater, died of tbe plague, and wero buried in one grave a little belt w the ordinary burying-ground.** 3 DUNKBLD AND DOWALLY. 971 yet been discovered by antiquarians.* By this act of Kenneth, St Cohimba became the patron saint of Dunkeld and its church.-|- In 1127, the monastery of Dunkeld was converted by David I. into a regular episcopate.^: It has been thought that he expelled the Culdees to make room for a bishop. On the contrary, he guaranteed to them during life the rights and possessions which had formerly belonged to their abbey. The Culdees continued to nominate their superior, but a short time, when they were super- seded in their elections by the canons regular. In 1318, Bishop Sinclair, better known as Robert the Bruce's (non bUlufp, built the choir on the site of part of the old monastery, — ^the old abbey church, built by Kenneth, serving as the place of worship until the new edifice was finished. As a memorial of his having built the choir, he placed on the top of the eastern gable a cross irigraiUe, part of the arms of his family, where it re* mained, much dilapidated, until the repairs of 181 7, .when it was renewed. § In the middle of the gable are to be seen several red- dish stones, which formed part of the wall of the monastery. Bi- shop Peblis, in 1380, glazed the eastern window of the choir, and adorned it with several figures painted on fine glass. Bishop Cardney, on the 27th April 1406, founded the nave of the church, and raised it as far as the second row of arches com- monly called the ^* blind storijs." Bishop Ralston, who assumed the mitre in 1447, finished the nave, and began the aisles of the cathedral. Dean Mill says, this bishop *' had this work so much at heart, that he and one or two people of high rank who staid with him had a custom of carrying every day out of the quarry of Burnbane several burdens of stones/' The stones for building the choir and cathedral were all of a small size, as they had to be * Prom the preceding foot-note, it would appear that the remains of St Columba had been disturbed by some of the early Roman Catholic bishops.— Chalmers's Cale- donia, Vol. i. p. 426. t The armorial bearings of the town of Dunkeld have been blazoned, with a view to the dedication of its church to St Columba, ^^ Sable, a dove argent^ holding in its beak an olive branch proper ; the shield is surrounded with a ribbon, or, whereon is written Caledonia, and in the bottom part of the shield is a thistle proper ; the whole iaencircled with two palm branches vert."— -MS. Cumin. Chal. Caled. Vol. i. p. 435. X Dean Mill wys, ** erexit in Catkedrakm Eecletiam. It is questioned whether the expression involves a physical or other meaning. It would seem to imply a change of physical structure. § In the centre of the choir the bishop made a burial-place for himself, near to the entrance of the chapter house. There was a marble monument over his tomb, and a handsome statue of him in alabaster. The statue was either mutilated by the mob in 1560, or by the soldiery in 1689. The tomb was lost sight of in the variouf changes which the interior has undergone. 972 PBRTHSHIREtf carried on horseback by means of eurachs. RoacU and cart« were subsequent inventions. The workmen's wages did not exceed 3d., Mor that of the labourers, 2d. Scots per day. The mortar was carried in baskets on horseback. The cost of a man with a horse and baskets, or with a curach, was Sd. Scots per day. In 1460, Bishop Lauder finished the cathedral. He built the porch of the south gate, and adorned it with several fine images. There is a gateway at the western end, of ^hich there is no record. Id 1464, Bishop Lauder dedicated the church to its old patron, St Co- lumba.* The palace of the bishops stood a little to the south-west of the cathedral. It consisted of several long houses of two stories, thatched after the manner of the times. For greater security te that residence, a castle was erected close to it in 1408. The castle contained ** a great hall, with vaulted granaries and a lar- der,""a precautionary step against any long-continued attack * It may not be unintere&ting to give, from Dean Mill, a list of Kome of tbt or- naments presented to the church by the different bishops. In 1406, Bishop Can!- ney gave a handsome and very valuable mitre and bishop *s staff. In 1441, Bishop Bruce *^ a cope and four vestments of great value.** In 1450, Bishop Lauder ''pro- cured many priests vestments of silk, and a deal of silver work, such as six candle- sticks, one cup, two phials, three flaggons, a box for the chrism, a cross, in which there is a part of our Lord's cross, a vessel fur holding the cucharist of considerable weight, and another for the holy water, two instruments for sprinkling the holy w ter, and two incense censors. There was over against the great altar a piece of paint- ing representing the twenty-four miracles of St Colme, and overhead of this, two sta- tues of that saint. There were two pillars on which rested two angels, who held tva candlesticks of fifteen branches, agreeable to what is said in the Revelation of John. Each of these branches was sufpendcd by a silken rope. He made a pillar fur sup- porting the great wax lights at Enster, with a bishop*s chair, and a bench for the dio- risters. Bishop Brown in 1500 gave various gorgeous dresses, as also a cover for the altar of blue and gold. He made a pulpit of brass, divided into four, each division of which supported the statue of an Kvangelist, and when the Gospel was read, it was in that division which answered to the name of the Evangelist which was then read. He made a lesser pulpit, which was supported by the statue of Moaes behind, on which there was a candlestick of three branches. He caused paint the upper parts of the pews. He made new the throne of the holy cross, the chancel, the altars of St Martin and St Michael. He caused make images of the apostles, and portraits of the other saints, to be drawn upon the wall all around. But as to tlie King's noble- men, bishops, and others who had been benefactors tothechurch he caused their figures be drawn upon the wall behind the altar, that the whole quire might, in time of pray* ers, have their eyes upon them. He also beautified all the altars with proper figures, and for the use of each gave proper vestments to the priests. He bought two great bells. — the lesser called George, and the greater St Colme. He procured another greater, named Mary ford, which he left his successor.** A number of the prebeads contributed vestments and other valuable and weighty silver ornaments. The pre- bend of Fungorth gave two chalices, silver gilt, two silver phials, and a pot adorned with the image of St Columba, his guardian saint. The altars in the church were dedicated, 1. to the Blessed Virgin—" save us from the pains of hell.** That altar stood to the right of the principal altar; 2. St Mi- chael ; 3. St Martin ; 4. St Nicholas; 5. St Andrew the apostle ; 6. the Innocents; 7. All Saints ; 8. Stephen the Martyr ; 9. John the Baptist ; 10. St Catherine ; I L St John the Baptist ; and the J 2. is beUeved to have b€«n the alUr of St Ninians or St Salvator. DUNKELD ANDDOWALLV. 973 from the clans. Although no vestige of this edifice remaiDs, its site is still called *^ the Castle Close.'^ In 1508, a wing was built to the palace, and adjoining to it a handsome private chapel. Bi-* shop Brown furnished the palace in 1509, and left the furniture to his successors in office. In 1469, Bishop Lauder built the chapter-house, and also the steeple or greater tower of the cathedral. The height of that tower is about 96 feet, and its base 24 feet each side. It was at one time nftounted with small cannon, and occupied, in 1689, by the Cameronians in their defence of the town. There is, on the ivest side of the tower, a singular zig-zag rent from the top to the bottom, which seems to have been caused by the insufficient foun- dation of the north-west corner. In the upper flat of this tower is the town clock and six music bells, — the property of the Atholl family. The morning and evening bells, to begin, and to return from, labour, are rung, — the former at six o'clock, and the latter at eight o*clock. It has often been a matter of surprise how any religious insti- tution could have existed 1300 years ago in such a spot as Dun- keld, and that it should, through so many ages of trouble and changes of character, have continued to the present day. So far as is known, the early clergy experienced little or no annoyance from the uncultivated clans within the diocese ; but when the be- nefice grew in wealth and importance under the Romish hierarchy, the clergy were fearfully harassed. It is pretty well established, that, at that period, the clans suddenly, through want of educa- tion, became more attached to the possessions of the bishops, than to their religious instructions. Many of the influential barons seized such portions as lay near to their own estates, and forced the bishops to grant them feudal rights, which they were glad to give as the price of peace. At the same time, it is amusing to find that, over the superstitious and half-instructed minds of some of the savage chieftains, the terrors of the church would occasion- ally assert their way. After they had attacked the prelate and his vassals with sword and buckler, or stolen his cattle, or burned his stack-yard, they would come to the altar in sackcloth, and at once implore the forgiveness of Heaven and of his Lordship. Once forgiven, they held themselves firee to sin again. From Dean Mill, we learn that neither the sacred office of bishop, nor the sanctity of the church, deterred the clans from attacking the prelate in his palace, or within the walls of the cathedral. In 974 PBRTHSHIRE. 1407, Bishop Cardney had to fly from his palace, from a band of marauders who sought to murder him. In 1441, Robert Reocb Macdonacbie, the progenitor of the Robertsons of Strowao, who are to this day still called the clan Donacfaie, fought Bishop Bruce and his vassals more than once, with loss on both sides. Robert was a powerful man, and a great scourge to the church. He plundered the church lands of Little Dunkeld, within sight of the bishop's castle, and fought the church tenants at AuchtergafOk After his engagement he appeared at Perth, before the King^ from whom he received the lands of Strowan for apprehending the Master of Atholl. Singular enough, about 400 years after, these lands came into the hands of the familv, on whose account they had been gifted. In 1452, Bishop Lauder, on assuming the mitre, found his diocese plundered in every quarter, and was obliged to solicit the King's commission as bailie. In virtue of his office he imprisoned and hanged the most outrageous. By the terror of his authority, he got rid " of an arch robber, Mao» bre, his sons, and his whole gang. This man was reckoned the most bold and infamous person of his time. The name he took was that of the Bishop's Sortter^ that is, one who went about to extort money and victuals from the bishop's tenants." The bailie's authority, however, seems not to have been much respected by the clan Donachie men. On one occasion he imprisoned one of them. The chief, on being told of the detention, collected his followers, marched to Dunkeld, in order to punish the bishop and release the prisoner. They found, on arrival, that the bishop was celebrating mass in the cathedral. Regardless of all decorum, they entered the church, and threw a shower of arrows at him as he stood by the altar, which "obliged him to give over the ser* vice, and to take shelter behind some of the timber of the quire." It is not recorded how the ])eop]e in the cathedral or in the town acted on that occasion. It appears, however, that the poor bishop had to give up his prisoner, and hostilities ceased. A complaint was made to the King; but the chieftain being son-in-law uf Lord Glammis, a court favourite, the matter was hushed. For fear of the catheranSf the bishop was obliged to remove the synod from Tulilum, near Perth, to the church of Dunkeld. Bishop Brown, one of the most conscientious of the bishops, had also bis share of trials. In 1494, he recovered the church lands of Muckersey, which had been violently possessed by Sir James Crichton of Strathord. On that account, " Sir James, with twelve men, lay DUNKELD AND DOWALI.Y. 975 in wait, and set upon the bishop, near the* Brid^ of Earn, as he was on his way to Court with a retinue of 40 people. If the bishop and the clergy of his train had not softened them, he had surely been cut to pieces by the Ser?ants. However, they parted without coming to blows; and, to convince the world of Sir James's bad intentions, the bishop returned to Dunkeld.'' Sub* sequently, both parties were reconciled* This bishop had the fruits of his benefice, on their way to Dunkeld, repeatedly carried off by bands of robbers, who seem to have defied his vigilance and despised his authority. It is said that Andrew, Lord Annandale, the then chancellor, favoured the laity in all suits for recovery of church lands, where there had been peaceable possession. For that reason, the bishop, in his last will, left a peculiar charge with his successors to recover, *^ under his heavy curse if he did it not," the church lands of Fordale, unjustly detained by James Pother- ingay, who was connected with the chancellor by personal obliga- tions. After the death of Bishop Brown, the Earl of Atholl, nephew to James IL, called the canons of the church of Dunkeld together, and requested them to make choice of his brother. An* drew Stewart, as bishop. The canons, from personal fear, una- nimously elected him, though he was not in full orders. Pope Leo X. rejected the appointment, and nominated the celebrated Gavin Douglas, uncle to the Earl of Angus, the Queen's husband. On Bishop Douglas's arrival at Dunkeld, he found Andrew Stewart, the postulated bishop, had armed his servants, and had possession of the palace and the steeple of the cathedral. He retired to the dean's house, to receive the homage of the clergy^ and while engaged in consultation with them what course to follow, he was informed that Stewart was in arms to relieve the palace. It is recorded, that at that instant, a shower of cannon shot came from the steeple and the palace. The people of rank hurried to the bishop's defence. Notice was sent of this transaction to the bishop's friends in Angus and elsewhere, upon which there came next day such crowds from Montrose, the low parts of Fife, and the country round about, that the city of Dunkeld could scarce hold thencL But, for all their numbers, the prebendary of Alyth had laid up such abundance of everything, that there was room and provision for all the men and their horses." Stewart not being able to relieve his servants who held the palace and steeple, retired to the woods. By threat of excommunication, and partly by force and stratagem, possession was yielded. Stewart was al- 976 PBRTH8HIRB. lowed to retain what be had collected of the bishop's rents, and he got the churches of Alyth and Cargill, on paying a small trifle yearly to the bishop. After the bishop had obtained peace with Stewart and the clans, he set about doing good works. The revenue of the bishops of Dunkeld was considerable. During the reign of James 1 1., Bishop Lauder got the church lands, south of Forth, erected into the barony of Aberlady ; and on the north, into the barony of Dunkeld. The bishops had four palaces; one in Edinburgh, Perth, Cluny, and Dunkeld. Bishop Brown could ride from the Dunkeld pMace to the palace of Cluny on his own ground, a distance of seven miles, by four different routes, — by Cairdney, the Litter, Stenton, and Caputh. The different parishes which were subject to the jurisdiction of the commissariat court of Dunkeld are given by Keith, p. 186, in his Catalogue of the Scotch Bishops. The cathedral, which had been erected with so much taste and ability, became a noble ruin in 1560, and stands to this day a striking picture of the mutability of human opinions. On the 12th of August that year, an authority, in the handwriting of Lord James Stewart, — ^judging from his signature, — and subscribed by him, Argyle, and Ruthven, directed the lairds of AirntuUy and Kio- vaid *^ to pass incontinent to the kyrk of Dunkeld, and tak doun the baill images thereof, and bring furth to the kirk-zayrd and burn tham oppinly. And siclyk cast down the altaris, and purge the kyrk of all kinds of monuments of idolatyre. And this ye faill not to do, as ye will do us singular empleseur; and so committis to the protection of God. Faill not, but ze tak guid heyd, that neither the dasks, windocks, nor durris be ony ways hurt or broken — eyther glassin wark or iron wark." It would have been well had this order been literally obeyed, but the demolition was un- fortunately carried on with a disposition of mind and temper more worthy of reprobation than applause. The cathedral and the choir were completely sacked. The windows were smashed, and the doors torn from their hinges. For the credit of the mob, it does not appear from the walls that fire had ever been applied as one of their engines of destruction. Tradition affirms that what these lairds had left undestroyed was demolished by the Laird of Caird- ney, among whose family papers the original order for the de- struction is to be found. This laird unroofed the cathedral, al- ibough one oi Vv\s atvce^lox^V^^VvQwourably presided in it as bishof^ .t DUNKELD AND DOWALLT. 977 whose tomb was and still is one of its attractions, and from whom part of his power as laird had been acquired. At the Reformation of 1560, the revenue of the Dunkeld church was upwards of L. 1600, but the benefice afterwards be- came so poor, that the king, as is understood, by an entry in the secretary's books, of date 23d October 1685, had to make a gift of L., 100 Sterling yearly to the incumbent. It appears that the Episcopalian bishops did nothing towards the repairing of the ca* thedral, for, in 1600, Stewart of Lady well repaired the choir, and roofed it with slate at his private expense. Although Episco- pacy was subsequently supplanted by Presbyterianism, yet there is still a Bishop of Dunkeld who regulates the Episcopal worship within the united diocese of Dunblane, Dunkeld, and Fife. The bishop at present resides in Aberdeenshire, and the Dean of Dun- keld in Forfarshire. By the Acts of the General Assembly of 1586 and 1593, Dun- keld was appointed as the seat of presby terial meetings, which con- tinues to be the place of meeting to the present day.* Id 1647, Sir James Galloway, Master of Requests to James VI. and to Charles I. was created Lord Dunkeld.f His grand- son James was attainted at the Revolution of 1688^ and dying about the year 1700, the title became extinct In 1689, Viscount Dundee endeavoured with a Highland army to oppose the Revolution settlement of 1688 in the north of Scot- land. With that view, he marched to Perthshire, where he fought and died at Killiecrankie. His troops, after the battle, marched down and attacked the town of Dunkeld. It was garrisoned by the Cameronians, now the 26th Regiment, then a body of raw recruits. The battle began at seven o'clock in the morning of the 21st August 1689, and continued with intervals till eleven o'clock at night The fiercest struggle was made on the site of the pre- * During the period of Episcopaay, the following notice occurs anent the obse- qutea and burials of the great : — Assembly of 7 July 1579. Sessio 5. Anent the bur- riall of the £arle of Atholl of good memorie, the kirk thoct meit to direct from the Assembly Mrs John Row and John Durie to desyre of them that all superstition be •voydcd thereat : quho reported that they had made information to their honours, that the bruit was of same superstitious rites quhilk were prepared fur the buriall, as ane qwbyte cross in the mortcloath, lang gownes with stroupes and torches : Quhais answer was that it was not ane crosse, and grantit the gownes anddenyit the torches ; alwayes desyred the kirk to direct two to sie if sic things as was prepared were su- perstitious, and they sould be reformit : According qwhairto war immediately sent to them David Fargysone, John Braid, and John Durie, to declare. The kirk thocht the crease and stroupes superstitious and ethineque like, and to desire them to remove Cfae same ; who returned with answer, that the Lords should cause cover the mort- aloatb with black velvet, and the stroupes should be removit.** f Gutbrie*s Memoirs, p. 155. Glasgow, 1748. PBRTU. Q 978 PERTHSHIRE. sent town. The Highlanders afterwards got possession of of the houses from which they galled the soldiers by their fiie. To dislodge them, small parties of the soldiers, with burning fag- gots, were sent to fire the houses. << Where ibey foond keys ia the doors, they lockt them, and burnt all withio," which raised distressing cries of help from those in the fire.* There were six- teen consumed in one house. The town was burned to at^hes, ex* cepting the cathedral and three houses where some of the soldiers were advantageously posted. The inhabitants found shelter in the church. After the enemy retired, the seats of the chuieh were carried out, and the defences repaired, in the event of a se- cond attack, — which the enemy never made. The Cameronians lost several officers, among whom was Lu-Col. Cleland, the fiither of William Cleland, Esq. the original of the celebrated ** W31 Honeycomb" in the Spectator. After the battle^ the dead were buried on the south of the cathedral. In 1691 or thereabouts, the Atholl family repaired the choir for worship at their own private expense. In 1762, Govemment con- tributed L.dOO towards a first repair, and in 1815, L.1000 to- wards a second repair, to which the Duke of Atholl added L.5000, and restored the choir, with some slight variations, to its origina) state.f The cathedral still stands unroofed, and unheeded by government. But from time to time it has received such repairs from the Atholl family as will prevent it becoming a total niio. The area of the cathedral, once the highly prized cemetery of tkv great, is, with a scrag of ground to the south of it, the oalj burial- place of the inhabitants of Dunkeld. Where the inhabitants in- terred their dead prior to 1560, is now difficult to tell. Although the cathedral and place of interment are situated within the walk of the Dunkeld park, yet access is freely given by the keeper of the east gate, at reasonable hours, to every person who have there a right of sepulture. During the reign of Charles II., an offer was made to erect the town of Dunkeld into a royal burgh, but that offer was at the time declined. Queen Anne renewed the offer in 1704, which was accepted. The requisite charter was prepared, and ready for the royal signature, when, as traditionally reported, a dispute * Life of Col. Blackadder, Chap. 5. Also Aikman*8 Edition of Buchanan'^ His- tory of Scotland, Vol. v. p. 268. t In lowering the floor of the choir, many foreign, Roman, and Scottish ooIds were found by the inhabitants. One person who had thirty coins, — some BomaUt sold them tea travelling jeweller for L.I. DUNKELD AND DOWALLY. 979 arose among the inhabitants as to the expense of the charter, which they refused to pay, and the matter was allowed to drop. The charter was dated 17th April, and written to the great seal, 16th, and sealed 20th September 1704. In 1745, the Marquis of Tullibardine, on his way from the north with the Pretender, took transient possession of the Castle of Blair, in the absence of his younger brother, the Duke of Atholl, and spent a short time with the Prince in the ducal palace, which, but for him, the Marquis might have called his own. Lord Nairn and Lochiel were sent forward to proclaim the Pretender at Dun- keld, which they did at the old cross.* Neither upon that occa- sion, nor on the Prince's resting with the Marquis on their way to the south, did the inhabitants manifest much attachment to the Pretender, or his pretensions. The Duke of Cumberland, early in 1746, made Dunkeld and Blair in Atholl his advanced posts. These detachments lived on the inhabitants, plundered the houses of the rebels, and committed very wanton excesses. On their de- parture, the stations were occupied by the Hessians ; but being ignorant of the country, and of the Highland mode of warfare, they were daily harassed by the Athollmen. Many well fought skir- mishes took place between them near Dunkeld. Dunkeld was visited by one of our early kings, William the Lion, for deer hunting. It is reported that he took his station for shooting the deer, on a small knoll now called the king's seat. It is a small terraced hill, on the summit of which is the remains of a building and the out-works of an ancient fort The road which runs between that knoll and Craig-y-barns is called the King's pass. Mary Queen of Scots also visited the locality for a similar amuse- ment. On one of her hunting excursions, she narrowly escaped serious bodily injury from the leader of a herd of deer, who ran in the direction where she stood, and which she selected contrary to the advice of her attendants. For the entertainment of that Queen, the then Earl of Atholl employed 2000 Highlanders to collect the deer of the central Highlands.! It is traditionally re- ported, that Queen Anne, who raised the Marquis of Atholl to ducal dignity in 1703, did subsequent to that year visit the castle of Blair, on matters connected with Scotland, and subsequently * The old cross was a round pillar, on which was four round balls, supporting a pyramidal top. It was of stone, and stood about 20 feet high. The pedestal was 12 Ibet square. On the pillar hung four iron jugs for punishing petty offenders. Tha eroas was reoaored about forty years ago. f Pennant*s Tour, Vol. ii. p. 64. 980 PERTHSHIRE. Dunkeld House. A state room in that castle is still shown as Queen Anne's bed-chamber. At a former period, the High Com- missioner of Scotland made a formal visit, and was royally enter- tained. Many of the present monarchs of Europe have visited Dunkeld, and enjoyed not only the Highland hospitality of the AthoU family, but have been liberally indulged in all the sports which the locality so amply affords. The last royal visit to Dunkeld was paid by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in September 18*12. Her Majesty was received on the boundary of the Dun- keld property by a guard of the AthoU men, and conducted to the park, where Lord Glenlyon, the heir apparent of the Atholl title, received her Majesty at the head of several hundred High- landers, and conducted her to the Royal tent.* Bishops of Dunkeld, — As they are identified with the civil his- tory of the locality, it has been considered proper to subjoin a ca- talogue of them, so far as they can be collected, from historical writer8."f- * The royal tent stood on the lawn to tlie north of the cathedral, which commaDd- ed a view of the wild alpine scenery to the west, north, and south of Dunkeld. Tbif yiew is bold, but it is soflened when combined with the mellowed beauties of the lawn, and the grey walls of the cathedral. Nature and art heie harmoniae. The tent was appropriately situated for the gratification of royalty, and' the lieges present. Her Majesty first reviewed the Highlanders, and then walked along the line formed by the members of the local Societies, inquiring into the provident ob- jects of each body, with which she expressed herself much interested and delighted* The Queen, with a select party, afterwards retired to the tent, where a princely lunch was served up on gold and silver, with the most choice liqueurs, and Atholl broee. Her Majesty tasted a little of the brose out of Neil Gow*8 glass. After lunch, the officers of the Atholl clan were formally introduced to the Queen, and kissed hands in the tent. Several of them at her request danced a set of the Highland reek ; the sword dance, which is very intricate from the gradual rapidity of its movemeuts. vai also gracefully performed. Her Majesty, afler enjoyinga few hours at Dunkeld, depart* cd for Breadalbane. The Honourable Captain Murray, his Lordship*s brother, rode beside the carriage to the lH)und.'iry of the Atholl property, in Strathtaj, a distance of 13 miles, giving the names of the places, which Her Majesty carefully noted down. The Royal salutes on her arrival and retiring from Dunkeld were finMl from Stan- ley hill. t 1. Cormac, who came out conspicuously in the stage of life.— Chalmers's Cakd. Vol. i. p. 429. He was witness to two charters of David I. to the monastery of Dun- fermline, along with Kobert, Bishop of St Andrews, consecrated 1128. See Keith*s preface to his Catalogue of Bishops, p. 9. 2. Gregory is found af\er Cormac, attesting, between the years 1147 and 1 163* with Robert* Bishop of St Andrews, several charters of King David I. and bis grandson Malcolm. Gregory died 1169 Chron. Melrose and Fordun. d. Richard de Prebenda. Fordun, lib. viii. c. 13, calls him **• Capellanus Regis Willclmi.** He was one of the Commissioners for Scotland in negociating with Henry II. in 1174 for the release of King William, at that time a prisoner in Eng- land, (FcDdera Angliae, t. 1, p. 39,) and in 1 176 he attended William to a council held at Northampton by Cardinal Huguccio Petrileonis, the Pope*s Legate. — Ho- vedcn, 550. Mill and Keith think he died in 1 173 or 1 174 ; but the &cU mention* ed prove this to be a mistake. Fordun, lib. viii. c. 13, says he died in 1 178. A diflSculty occurs as to Richard's successor. Dean Mill says it was Connae who died in 1174. Keith adds nothing in confirmation of such an election, and Dsl- 4 DUNKELD AND DOWALLT. 981 Ancient Chapels. — About 1420, Bishop Cardney built and de- dicated a chapel to St Ninian. It stood upon the ground now rymple says Cormac never came to settle at Duokeld.— Collect, p. 240-5. Suppos- ing Cormac to have been the bishop, bis successor is another difficulty. Dalrjrrople makes Gregory to be the fourth bishop, but Keith expresses doubts on the subject. Mill omits Gregory altogether, and makes Walter to be Cormac*s successor. If For- dun be correct as to the time of the death of Bishop Richard de Prebenda, which he says was in 1 178, Walter would then be his successor, for his consecration takes place in the same year. 4. Walter de Bidon was one of the Clerici Regis, and afterwards Chancellor of the kingdom. Though elected to the See of Dunkeld, it is said that he died before his consecration, and cannot therefore t>e numbered as one of its bishops. Mill says that he was consecrated in 1 178, and died full of years and pious works. 5. John Scot, lliis prelate was, in 1177, elected Bishop of St Andrews by the chapter. ** £Ieotusest(Fordun, lib. vi. c. S5) Rege Willelmototisviribusrenitente;** that monarch passionately exclaiming, when the election was announced to him, *^ By the arm of St James, John Scot shall never be Bishop of St Andrews.** The Pope, however, supported the pretensions of John, and a controversy ensued, which agitated Scotland, and embroiled William with the Head of the Church for several years. The Pope, in consequence, was about to put Scotland under interdict, but by Scot's entreaties that step was prevented. The dispute, however, terminated at last, by the nomination of John Scot to the diocese of Dunkeld, with liberty to retain the emoluments belonging to him as Archdeacon of St Andrews, an office which he previously held, — Ford. lib. vi. c. 95-^. This Bishop had great influence with Pope Alexander 111. *^ eum in quamlibet partem quam vellit ratione tamen previa inclinavit.** — Ibid. That Pope, at his request, constituted Argyle, which, till bis time, was a part of the diocese of Dunkeld, a separate see. John Scot held the mitre twenty- five years, and died in 1203, and was buried in the north side of the quire of the Abbey-church of Newbottle, " ubi(says Fordun) claret miraculis.** The Bishoprick of St Andrews was then estimated at the yearly revenue of L. 8018, Ss. and that of Dunkeld at L. 1206, 6s. 8d Chart. Aberbrothock, Vol. i. fol. 10, as quoted in the Annals of Scotland, Vol. iii. p. 205. The life of Scot was written by William Benyng, prior of Newhattle, afterwards Abbot uf Coupar, and by Bishop Lauder of Dunkeld. Richard de Praebenda. He was one of the King*8 clerici^ and his kinsman. It is said he was consecrated in 1203, and died at Cramond in 1210, and was buried in Inchcolm— Fordun, lib. viii. c. 64 el c 78. But, M-** According to Mill, there was a Richard Provan named John's successor, who must have died shortly after, and before consecration, for there is no mention of him as bidiop in Keith or any other writer. John of Leicester, cousin to King William, succeeded John, and filled the see eleven years, and died at Cramond 1214. Keith •ays. that Richard de Prsbenda is not designed bishop, nor is it likely that there should have been two bishops so near to one another of the same name and surname. 6. John of Leicester died in 1214.— Mill, Ford. lib. ix. c. 27. 7. Hugh, called Hugo de Sigillo, a monk of Arbroath. Fordun, lib. ix. c. 47, ealb him ^* vir mansuetissimus qui dicebatur puerperum Episcopus.'* Mill says, that Hugo died within the year, on the 2d January, and was succeeded by Gilbert. liathew Scot, Chancellor of the kingdom, 1227-31, is said to have been elected, but died before his M>nsecration. — Fordun, Ibid. Although stated as Chancellor, Chalmers's Caled. Vol. i. p. 712, he died before 1231. Scot is not in Mill's Cat. of Bishops. 8. Gilt>ert He had been chaplain to his predecessor. Bishop Hugh. He appears at a witness to a deed of Alexander II. in 1227 A copy of this deed was published in 1771, by the late John Davidson, Esq. along with some other curious papers, in the Appendix to the Annals of Scotland. I'hough it proves that Fordun, lib. ix. c. 47, la mistaken in saying, that Gilbert was nut elected till 1229, it does not fix the date of that event. Gilbert filled the see twenty-two years, and was buried at Inch- eolm 1236. 9. Galfrid Liverance succeeded in 1236. Mill says that he reformed the cathedral worship in imitation of the Church of Surum, and the music according to the Gre- gorian manner. According to Fordun, lib. ix. c. 63, Galfrid died at Tibbermuir in 1249, and was buried within the old Church, formerly the Abbey Church of Dun- kMp *' quam praediis et possessionibus dotavit, quam regulis et institutis informv«\t^ 962 PBRTH8HIRB. occupied by the present buildings in the city of Dunkeld called AthoH Street. It is recorded, that the bishop bought the lands of quam vestibus et oroamentis decoravit, quam fete per omniit ezaltaTiu** His epi- taph was, Hac. Dunkeldentia cleri decus, Kgb et cnrit Osuftidua tumba pauut, nib patre Cohimba.— Fobdw, «rf tuprm. After Galfrid, Mill places Richard, but David was elected in 1250, though never consecrated.— CataL of Bish. p. 50. 10. Richard of Inverkeithin^ was Appointed 1250. He was one of tbe Regntsof the kingdom during the minority of Alexander 111. (Feed. i. 566), and ChanecBor, 1255-7.— Chalmers's Caled. Vol. i. p. 7ia Cardinal Ottobonus dm Fiesehi, in 1206^ came as Legate frtim the Pope to Scotland, and required a oontribution from tbe Church to defray the expense of his vibitation. The King, with the adriee of tbe clergy, forlMide it to be levied. The Legate called a council, and Riebard was de- puted by the Bishops to attend it : **• Ne quid, ipsis absentibus in eomm pr^judieiimi statuerctur.**— Fordun, lib. x. c. 24. He died in 1272, ** vir," says tbe nmeanthir, lib. X. c. 90, ** magnsB maturitatis et gravitatis, qui fiiit fidelissimus regis et rcgai consiliarius et justitia inflexibilis.** 1 1. Robert de Stuteville. He was a man of high birth, and Dean of Dunkdd. According to Mill, he filled the see twenty-eight years with great efaaiacter, and died in 1800. Historical facts, however, seem to disprove the time of his death, fat 12. Mathew was elected in 12d5 or earlier. In that year, he appears aa one of the Commissioners sent to France to negociate with Philip an alliance, by the marrisgs of the daughter of the Count of Anjou with the son and heir of Balisad kifing after wards removed, Vu oid^t vo x^^x^t^ W't x^>w^\«:^ ^\ ^xxsva^saw^ \«i{^>i. DUNKBLD AND DOWALI^Y. 985 ' There was auother small chapel, called the Red Chapel, not far from St Ninians, built oo the top of the eminence east of the town called the Hiilhead, which was dedicated to St Jerome. The chapel was principally erected for the inhabitants of Fun- gorth. The building is now levelled ; but its site is enclosed by a stone wall. From the name of the saint, the people of Fungorth are ludicrously called to this day Jortims. Monuments. — In the vestibule of the choir is an ancient monu- ment of the Wolf of Badenoch, in a recumbent position, clad in armour, with a lion at his feet. Round the stone plate is the foU lowing inscription : *^ Hie jacet Alexander Senescalus, filius Ro- bert! Regis Scotorum et Elizabethe More, Dominus de Buchan et Dns. de Badenoch^ qui obit vigessimo quarto die Julii" The rest of the inscription is awanting. The words in Italics are cut on a different kind of stone, and recently added. The statue stood in the ancient choir, and that part of the inscription may have been broken off at the Reformation, in 1560, or, in 1689, by the soldiery. The sculptor, however, has given a wrong date : the Wolf died 20th February 1394. This personage was the ce- lebrated Alister More Mac an Righ, the third son of Robert IL, and better known by the name of the Wolf of Badenoch. He appears to have been a sort of Rob Roy in his day, and consider- ed it no sin to plunder church lands. He was excommunicated by the Bishop of Moray, on account of some predatory outrage against his ecclesiastical possessions. The Earl, however, reta- four* he Was readmitted in 1610. — Lord Hailes*s Catalogue of Lords of Sess. p. 12, note 45. In 1603, he attended King James to England. — Spot. Hist, of the Cb. of Sect. p. 476» where be was naturalized. — Keith. d. James Nicolson. He was Parson of .Meiglc, and was chosen to preside in the Aitembly which met at Linlithgow in 1606.— Caldcrwood) p. 552. He was called to Court, for agreeing with the contentions of the clergy. He died 1607. 4. Alexander Lindsay, parson of St Madoes, succeeded. He was deposed for m{^- lignancy in 1638.— Acts of Assembly. It appears that he next year abjured Epis- copacy, and accepted bis former charge of St Madoes.— Unprinted Acts of Assembly, 1699. 5. George Halihurton, minister of Perth, was appointed Bishop of Ounkeld by Charles U. in 1662. He died in 1664. 6. Henry Guthrie, was minister at Stirling, but deposed '* for malignancy,** in 1648.— His own Memoirs p. 299. After the Restoration he was again admitted to the office of the ministry, and became Bishop of Dunkcld in 1665. 7. William Lindsay, minister at Perth, was consecrated to this see in 1677, and died in 1679. 8. Andrew Bruce, Archdeacon of St Andrews, was advanced to the bishoprick of Dunkeld on the death of William Lindsay, and was ejected in 1686, for hia opposi- tion to the measures of the Court. In the year following, *^ his Migesty's dispensa- tion,** says Keith, p. J 80, " was issued to Dr Bruce, late Bishop of Dunkeld, for ex- ercising the office of the ministry.** Keith adds not unnaturally, *^ A xigjht «U«xv^ paper truly !** In the year 1688) he was appointed bibhop of Orkney. • 9. John lIami]ton, son to John Hamilton, who was Arcbbi&hop of Sx. Kti^t«^% «lV 1^ time of the He/brmadon. This prelate survived the Revolution, and Ave4 c»i« oi ift# minUten of Edinburgh, and subdean of the Chapel IloyaV 986 PERTHSHIRE. liated. He raraged the bishop's diocese, burned the town of Elgin, its hospital, and its magnificent cathedral. For this sacri* legions misdemeanour he was compelled by his lather to appear, barefoot and in sackcloth, at the door of the Black Friars at Perth, and afterwards to appear at the High Altar, where he promised before his father and the nobles there assembled to oEiake indem- nification to the Bishop of Moray. Dr MacCuUoch isGetiously re* marks, if the Wolf ** claims that Dunkeld shall canopy hia booes till doomsday, it is probable that he obtained the privilege by dis- gorging to Bishop Moneymusk some of the good things of which he had robbed their fraternity in the north/' In the centre of the vestibule is a very neat and affectionate tri- bute of respect to the memory of the Rev. John Robb, minister of Dunkeld, who perished in the wreck of the Forfarshire steam- ship, at the Feam Islands, in 183& In the north wall of the choir is a plain stone, bearing an in- scription commemorative of Thomas Bisset, late commissary of Dunkeld. It is a well-expressed eulogy on the strict integrity and blameless manners of the man, and is one of the few instances where a tombstone is made to speak nothing but the truth. In the south aisle of the cathedral is the monument of Bishop Cardney, lying in a recess of the wall, under a canopy adorned with crockets. The figure of the bishop is represented in pmtHfi" calibus^ wearing his mitre. The inscription on the stone-plate is very much defaced. It runs thus : '* Hie jacet Dnt, Sobertwt m^ execVj^db^ his Duchess, in 18di3. To the back of it is a tnbule Vo \\\e icv^\wo\^ ^\ >\\w %^w^ \a\^ Clvarles Mur- ray, who d\ed Vn Gte^ce^ K\A di^^ v^ S\\a.\. v^^\.\^^^wjvw*«r. DDNKELD AND OOWALLY. 987 ful monument to the Marquis of AthoU, emblazoned with the quartering of his many powerful connections. The vault of the chapter-house is now the burying-place of the Atholl family. It is traditionally reported, that the upright stone situated in a field near to Polt'tian^gobhair^ now called Pol-na-gates, marks the grave of a Highland chieftain ; but the name or cause of his death is linknown. The two upright stones at the Doo's Nest, near Newtyle» are understood to mark the graves of two Danish warriors, who fell in one of the engagements that were fought near to Dunkeld in the tenth century. There is a natural curio- sity on the top of the hill to the west of Dunkeld, called in Gae- lic Creag-bhan^riffh or Creag^nam-ban righ^ but better known in English as Craig-y-barns. It is a hqge mass of stone, supported, at some distance from the flat surface of solid rock on which it stands, by means of three fragments. Dr MacCulloch and others are of opinion, that it is merely the relic of a heap of fragments, from which time, having produced the whole, has carried off the smaller parts. Antiquities and Aiunent Places. — The first is the roofless cathe« dral. It measures 120 by 60 feet; the walls are 40 feet high ; and the side ables 12 feet wide. On each side are seven spacious Gothic arches with flutted soflBts, resting on six plain Norman pillars having shafts 10 feet high, and 4^ feet in diameter, and two half columns. Over the arches are two tiers of windows, the lower semicircular, the higher acute. Buttresses project between the windows of the side-aisles, surmounted above the church with traceried spiracles. The windows are all of different designs. At the west end rises the great tower or steeple, and adjoining it, a small octagonal watch-tower, which is very much admired. There are two upright stones on the south of the cathedral, which form- ed part of the old monastery. The oldest house in the town, and which belonged to the Dean of Dunkeld, stands not far from the choir. It is the only house now standing out of the three that escaped the conflagration of the town in 1689. Its walls are of great thick- ness. On the eminence east of the town is a very extensive terrace with a pyramidical-formed hill rising in the centre, called the Craigwood, which commands a very fine view of Dunkeld and the passes leading into it. On this terrace, close to the hill, are to be found water-stones of various shapes and sizes. The hill where the bishops hanged manjr a lawless freebooter \s silualedi c\o^i& V.^ the second lodge of the Dunkeld grounds ; and tYie \io\\o^ ^to\x\A 988 PERTHSHIRE to the'[back 'at the lodge is the place where so r cer e r s were burned. The oDly two castles within Duokeld were ancieDt Cttledoo, and the bishop's. In Dowally was the castle of Rotmel, occa* sionally occupied by one of the Roberts. It was remoTed about forty years ago. A number of coins were discoTered under the foundation*stone, now believed to be in the possession of the Dal- guise Gamily. Caves. — On the side of Craig-y«barns, overlooking the King's pass, there are two caves, — one called the Hermit's Cave, the other, Duncan Hogg's Hole. Neither of them are of any site. Duncan, who was a lawless character, was shot, on his return from the well of St Coluroba, on the east side of the King's Seat. T^ Duchess's Cave is on the east side of Craig-y-barns. It is partly artificial. At one time, it was very neatly fitted up, but it is now much destroyed. Parochial Records. — The register of discipline does not extend farther back than 1 830. The former register has been accideo* tally mislaid. There is no register of deaths. The raster of births, baptisms, and marriages go back to 1672* The inhabit- ants, however, are not very strict in recording their families' births and baptisms ; but this may, in part, be attributed to the circum- stance of a division of the town lying in the parish of Caputh. III. — Population. In 1755, the population of Dunkeld and Dowally was 1298 *■ 1791, . . . .1773 1821, .... 1917 1831, .... 2092 1841, . . . . 1752 The census of 1831 shows an increase attributable to the great improvements that were commenced at Dunkeld in 1829. The population of Dunkeld in 1831 was 1471. In 1841, it was ool; 1094, and is still decreasing. Around Dunkeld the country is very thinly populated. Character and condition of the People. — The inhabitants of Dun- keld and Dowally may be generally characterized as intelligent, moral, and industrious, frank and courteous in their intercourse with strangers, and among themselves obliging and neighbourly. To the resident poor they show great kindness. In all their tran- sactions they exhibit shrewd good sense. They are very particu- lar about \\amg vVevc c\\\ldrea well educated, for which the town schools afford eNex^ ^?^cJK\V^%- ^V^ ^\.\fc\AasiRA ^l church is uni- formly reguW. DUNKKLD AND DOWALLY. 989 In Dunkeld there is no field for labour. During the spring and ' summer months, the labouring classes are principally employed in peeling oak, and in spring and harvest work in some of the adjoin- ing parishes. For the remainder of the year they are idle. The principal trade and manufactures of Dunkeld, half-a century ago, were yam, linen manufacture, and tanning, which were carried on to a great extent. These have now ceased. Shoemaking is now the chief business. There is no kind of manufactory. There are two slate quarries in the neighbourhood, and also a saw-mill, which give employment throughout the year. There are several excel** lent &lls for machinery and ground for bleaching-fields in t-he neighbourhood of Dunkeld. Habits and Amusements. — There is no singularity in the habits of the people as regards dress or mode of living. Tlie English language is spoken in Dunkeld. In Dowally, with the exception of 110 persons, English is spoken with fluency, but they prefer Gaelic Gaelic is still preached, and it is taught, along with English, at school. Smuggling prevailed extensively at one time in the district, but after the late Duke of Atholl got the Highland distilleries legalized, smuggling ceased. Poaching is rare ; when committed, it is generally by strangers. Crimes of a serious charac- ter are equally rare, although petty offences do occasionally occur. The holiday kept in the district is Auld Hansel Monday. The Highland games are contested for once a-year. Curling is the fa- vourite game during winter. IV. — Industry. From inability to obtain a sight of the plans and measurements of the Dunkeld grounds, it is impossible to give a table of the con- tents as required under this head. V. — Parochial Economy. Market^Town^ Sfc. — The weekly market is held in Dunkeld on Saturday, and there are five annual fairs for the sale of cattle, fee- ing servants, &c., 14th February, 25th March, 5th April, 9th June, and second Tuesday of November. The customs, which are small, belong to the Atholl family, and are collected by the tacksman of the markets. The post-office has a daily delivery, at which money orders can be obtained. There are the offices of excise, stamps, and taxes. 'J'he branch banks are, the Commercial Bank, the Perth Bank, and the Central Bank. There is no savings bank. There are agents for several of the English and Scotch Life and Fu^Vvsmt- ance Companies; There is a public library, caWed iVv^ NV^cvw- /osb Library, containing nearly 2000 volumes ot Nan^d xeadAxi^, 990 PBRTHSHIRB. It dates its origin to a doDation of books nrmde in 1811, by the Rev. Donald Macintosh, a priest of the old Scots Episcopal church, and the last of the non-jurant clergy in Scotland. It is managed by curators. There are two large and commodious ho- tels with posting establishments, at which the lofemess mail stops daily. Besides these, thera ate three secondary inns, and excellent summer \odgfDga, The lodging houses for the humbler classes are —dor the surveillance of the county police. The district jas> tices hold their courts in the town. Their clerk is also the fiscal and the sheriff-clerk for issuing small debt summonses. The quar- terly sheriff's small debt court, the registration court, and all public meetings are held in the mason lodge. The commissary court, before it was removed to Perth, was first held in the Bi- shop's castle, and afterwards in the under flat of the steeple ; in the room above the records were kept The Court day was Saturday.* The old prison was removed about 1743, but one of the land arches of the Dunkeld bridge is now used as a lock'tgK It is a cold damp hole, without a fire-place, windows, or furniture, or even straw for a bed. It is intended to build a small prison with a court-room, and a room for keeping the district records. At one time there was a town drummer and piper, whose dress was faced with blue. These functionaries were supplanted by a bellman, whose insignia of office bears the following inscription : '* Dunkeld kirk-sessioo, Soli Deo Gloria^ 1693." It was called the builibean^ or funeral bell. The town is well supplied with butcher-meat and all other pro- visions, excepting sea-fish, which are occasionally brought in carts from Arbroath, Dundee, and Perth. Coals sell about L. 1, Ss. per ton ; peats are not openly sold, as the Highland tenantry are restricted from disposing of them. The principal fuel is wood, which is purchased by the cart load. There is a brewery ; a dis- tillery ; and also malt barns. The properties in the principal street are held in feu ; but thd rest of the town property is a branch-holding. The old feuars have a right to quarry stones in Newtyle hill, for building withid the city, as a part of the consideration for their right of the com- monty hill of Dunkeld, which they sold to the Atholl family about 1812, and which is now under plantation. House property in * On removing the commissary records to Perth, there were found, books, recordst and warrants of the Court of Regality of Dunkeld ; and of sundry regality, barony, and prebendary courts, and other papers, all of which were, conform to inveotory, transmitted to tV\e »Yiw\tt-c\«V of Ptstth in J uly 1 834. Many ancient writings reUtive to propertiea in DuuVcVd «xvd \ioN«^\\'s wi owVj \» Vsui ^<^ 992 PERTHSHIRE. teinds of Dow ally, and partly by grants made to the minister by Queen Anne in 1704, and George II. in 1744* In lieu of maine and glebe the incumbent has an yearly allowance of L. 60 Ster- ling. Communion elements, L. 8, 6s. 8d. The Episcopalians, 25 in number, have no chapel in Dankeld, but it has been proposed to build one. The Roman Catholics for years have performed worship in the house of one of their number. Prince Maximilian and suite went there, for worship, on their visit to Dunkeld, in 1815. About two years ago a small chapel was consecrated on the Murthley estate, where the Catholic service is now performed. The Congregational Union erected a chapel in 1800 in Dunkeld ; they are few in number. The Independeots or Glassites were a strong body some years ago ; only four or five now reside in the town, but it is unknown whether or not thej meet together for worship. Schools. — In 1567, James VI. made a grant for the erection of a grammar school at Dunkeld, which is designated by the charter *^ the Royal School of Dunkeld." The right of presentatiou is conferred on John Earl of Atholl, and his successors, but the exa- mination and admission to office of the person presented is in- trusted " to the superintendent of the church of God within the bounds of Perthshire." By the grant it is declared, that the rec- tor shall reside within the city of Dunkeld, and shall teach in the school himself.* The salary, according to the grant, amounts to L. 67, lis. Id. Scots, exclusive of school fees. He has also an official residence. The school and dwelling-house are kept up by the AthoU family, the sole heritors of Dunkeld. The average number of scholars may be estimated at 80. The branches of education are similar to those taught in the first establishments in Edinburgh. There are half-yearly examinations ; one for recita- tion exclusively, called the ^^ Orations," which is succeeded by a ball in the evening ; the other examination is general, and is conducted by the presbytery. There are in the town five unendowed schools for education, but there is no infant school. The fees are moderate. In 1788, Jane Duchess of Atholl instituted a school for teach- ing the different branches of female education, such as sewing, tambouring, &c. with an annual salary to the teacher. By the death of the late Duchess, the patronage and support of the semi- * He is removable from office by a decree of the synod of the church, if found ne- gligent in life or doctrine, affording a scandal to the young. The rector is also the ebaplain of St lilim»ii« mxidVa'ira]ly was 687 1831, ... 561 1896, • 596 1841, ... 656 IV. — Industry. In the absence of any accurate data, Dowally may be taken, at a rough guess, to contain about 12,000 acres, whereof Arable, . . 1200 Pasture, 300 Woods, 10,200 Lochs, . 200 12,000 The valued rent of the parish is L. 1399, 2s. 2d. Scots. The average rent of the arable land is L.I, 15s. per acre. There are thirty farms of various sizes. Of late years, the farm steadings have been built of stone and mortar with slated roofs. The roads are good. There are three markets and three meal mills within a few miles of the parish. The potato mill at Tullimet, adjoining Dowally, which uses nearly forty bolls of potatoes per working day, is the mart for the potato crop of the district There are two saw mills in the parish. The ancient markets within the parish were the Kindallachan market for sheep, and the herd's ^^ japping^' market at Dowally for fruit.* A great proportion of the farmers have their lime-kilns for fiinn purposes. Limestone is to be bad in the parish of Blair, twelve miles distant Bone manure is now much used, and answers well the soil. The shifts in cultivation are in some places four, five, six, and seven. Oats and barley are the general produce. The oats are the potato and Hopetoun ; barley, Dunlop and English ; the Chevalier is given up. Patches of bear or bigg, rye, and lint are occasionally to be seen. Wheat has been tried without any beneficial result Tares, potatoes, and turnips are ge- neral. There is no meadow hay ; it all consists of rye-grass and white and red clover. The principal fuel is peat. Farming, draining, and enclosing are well understood in Dow- * The japping market was discontinued about 100 years ago. The herds, in the course of the day, arranged themselves on each side of the Burn of Dowally; on a signal given, they beat the water one against the other with sticks, till one of the sides gave way. The vanquished then left the market, and the victors had the ezelusivt honour of treating the lasses to fruit, and of ergoying their society at the ball. 4 DUNRELD AND DOWALLY. 999 ally, as also the rearing of cattle. Many of the tenants keep a few English and black-faced sheep. Harvest labour has undergone a great change of late years, shearing having now been nearly abolished, and the scythe gene- rally used. The farming utensils are naostly of the newest pat- tern. The smith and wright work are excellent A few of the farms have thrashing-mills. There is an agricultural association in the district, which has been productive of great benefit. The wages of out and in-door servants are similar in amount to those of the surrounding parishes. All the lands in the parish, excepting the barony of Dulcapon, ' were thirled to the mill of Dowally, which does not now exist. Farmers some years ago were sadly pestered with tinkers and sturdy beggars, who used to encamp in great numbers in the well* sheltered Bog of Dowally, but they have disappeared since the in- troduction of the county constabulary force. In 1700, there was no road through the parish. The military road was cut in 1739. It was made in a straight line, just sufficiently broad, but not conveniently formed for a horse to travel. There were no bridges. The Duke of Atholl, in going from Dunkeld to Blair, at that period, was carried in a sedan chair. The journey was through the low grounds of the valley of Atholl, a distance of twenty-six miles, and took thirteen hours even with the aid of the tenants. About 1760, when the roads were a little better improved, the Duke travelled the same journey in a carriage drawn with six horses, which occupied twelve hours ; the tenants assisting to get the vehicle over holes and rivulets. The first bridges built in the parish were those over the waters of Dowally and Oishnie, about seventy- eight years ago. When the late Duke succeeded to the title, he widened the military roads ; and here and there he cut out a new and more convenient line, and erected several bridges. There are now twenty-seven bridges within the parish. He compelled the farmers to follow a modeof rotation in cultivation, and brought the locality, in little more than forty years, into its present improved state. At the present day, there is a daily mail to and from In- verness, with about twenty weekly carriers. In summed there are five stage-coaches, which pass through the parish, exclusive of travelling carriages, &c. to the northern counties. V. — Parochial Economy. Ecdesicutical State. — The parish church was erected in 1818, nearly on the site of the old one. It is conveniently fitted up. 1000 PERTHSHIRE. The iron jowgs, for con6ning petty ofTenders, which huiig on the side of the old church door, were ordered to be replaced at the door of the new church, where they now hang as a memorial of the rude olden times. On the east wall, are the family arms of Bishop Brown, the founder of the church. The burial-yard sur- rounds the edifice. The Rev. Donald Munro, the Gaelic assistant to the present incumbent, resides in Dowally. There is worship every Sunday, and the sacrament is dispensed once a- year. The service is per- formed both in English and in Gaelic. Education. — There was no regular school prior to 1780. The Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge fixed one of their schools in the parish, which was productive of great good. Afier it was withdrawn, one of the parishioners opened a school for the common branches of education, which he taught up to 1832. On an application from the inhabitants to the Atholl trustees, they, in 1833, appointed a parochial teacher. The salary is the maximum, L.d4, 4s. 4^d. with school fees. He has as yet no dwelling-house. The school-house, erected in 1836, has been found too small, and is to be enlarged. The attendance is irre- gular. Poor. — The funds are derived from the church collections and the mortcloth dues. They are divided monthly among the poor, and consequently the division is greater in some months than in others. They receive assistance from the farmers. In sickness, they are visited by their neighbours, and every relief and attend- ance given without ostentation or parade. The Atholl family gives them fuel and free houses. February/ 1843. UNITED PARISHES OP » LETHENDY AND KINLOCH. PRESBYTERY OF DUNKELD, SYNOD OF PERTH AND STIRLING^ These parishes were united in the year 1806. Parish of Lethendy. 1. — Topography and Natural History. Boundaries, — Lethendy is bounded on the east by the parish of Blairgowrie ; on the south by Caputh ; and on the west and north by Clunie. Situation and Extent. — The extent of this parish in a direct line from east to west, is 5 miles. Its greatest breadth from south to north, 1^ mile. It is bounded on the east by the burn of Lu- nan, which divides it from the parish of Blairgowrie ; on the south, by Caputh, and on the west and north, by Clunie. From the eastern extremity, the ground rises gently westward, the whole length of the parish, except on the west point, where it falls suddenly for about half a mile. Soil and Climate. — The west half of the parish is a black mould inclining to a reddish clay, excepting some small corners, exceed- ingly rich, and well adapted to all kinds of crops. Towards the east, the soil becomes blacker, more wet, and less productive. From the southern exposure of the parish, the climate is perhaps a little milder than that of the parishes immediately adjoining. The difference, however, is not material. II. — Civil History. Parochial Registers. — The first register extant of the kirk-ses- sion of Lethendy commences at the ordination of Mr George Freer, 1698; the second in 1754; and the third in 1823. It is unfortunate that each of these registers has been devoted to se- veral purposes, such as acts of church discipline, collections and distributions for the poor, marriages and baptisms, &c. Some of the registers have, upon the whole, been well kept, but are much injured by having been exposed to damp. Others of them have been very carelessly kept for the last twenty or thirty years, owing 1002 PERTHSHIRE. very much to the circumstance, it is thought, that, although there was a session-clerk, there was no session for the greater part of the above period. Land-ottmers. — These are, Andrew Gemmel, Esq. of Lethen*' dy, valuation L. 830, 15s. Id. Scots; Sir John Muir Mackenzie, Bart. Delvine, L.264, 12s. Scots ; David Kinloch, Esq. of Gour- die, L.165, 4s. Id. Jniiquities. — The tower of Lethendy, the property of Mr Gemmei, is a very old building. It is supposed to have been a stronghold, before the use of fire arms was introduced into this country ; but, upon the whole, it does not appear to have been well defended by its situation, especially on the east and south. A few years ago, a pot was found in the peat moss at Black- locb. It is supposed that it was one of the camp pots used by the Romans. It is made of a compound metal, something like our brass or bell metal. It stands upon three feet, is about 17 inches high, is 3 feet 4 inches in circumference, and capable of holding about six Scotch pints. It was found about 6 feet under the surface. III. — Population. The population in 1841 was 287, viz. 132 males, and 155 fe- males. It is altogether rural. The number of illegitimate births in the parish within the last three years, 3. IV. — Industry. Number of acres, standard imperial measure, in the parish, which mre either cultivated or occasionally in tillage, about 1486 Number of acres which never have been cultivated, and which remain constantly waste or in pasture, . 16 Number of acres that might, with a profitable application of capita], be added to the cultivated land of the parish, whether that land were afterwards to be kept in occasional tillage or in permanent pasture, about . . 3 Number of acres in a state of undivided common, . under wood, whether natural or planted, . 128 Average rent of land per acre, about L. 1, 5s. Real rental of the parish, L.1797. Live-stock. — There are only about 70 horses in the parish. The number of black-cattle in the parish, young and old, is now about 270. On some farms, the number of young cattle kept three years for sale (that being the general selling time) is one*' third of the whole stock ; on other farms, one-half ; and on our largest farms, they form five-sixths. LETHENDY AND KINLOCH. l003 V. — Parochial Economy. Ecclesiastical State. — Number of families in the parish belong- iug to the Established Church, 65 ; Dissenting or Seceding fa- milies, 4. Amount of stipend, in all about L.78. Glebe, 8 acres imperial in extent, and may be worth about L.2, 5s. per acre. Education — The only school in the parish is the parochial The salary is the maximum. Probable yearly amount of fees ac- tually paid to schoolmaster, L.12; other emoluments, L.2. Poor. — Average number of persons receiving parochial aid, two permanently. We have also some occasionally needy. Average sum allotted to permanent paupers, from L. 2, 10s. to L.3 per an- num : it being presumed that they provide a little for themselves, or are partly supported by relations. Average annual amountof contri- butions for relief of the poor, L.9, lOs. Church collections and ndortcloths are almost the only sources of support for our poor ; from church collections, about L.8, 10s. Parish of Kinloch. 1. — Topography and Natural History. Boundaries. — Kinloch is bounded on the east and north by the parish of Blairgowrie ; on the south by Clunie and Caputh ; and on the west by Clunie. Lakes, Brooks, Sfc. — There are two large brooks in the pa- rish, viz. Lornty Burn, and Lunan Burn. There are three lakes or lochs in this parish, viz. the Loch of Drumelie, the Rae Loch, and the Fenzies Loch, all the property of Mr Farquharson of Invercauld. Drumelie Loch is situated a little to the west- ward of the house of Marlee ; the Rae Loch about a quarter of a mile to the eastward of it ; and the Fenzies Loch about a mile to the south-east of the house. II. — Civil History. Parochial Registers. — The first register extant of the kirk -ses- sion of Kinloch commences at the ordination of Mr J^mes Gray, 1697 ; the second in 1726 ; the third in 1741 ; the fourth in 1762 ; the fifth in 1783; the sixth in 1803; and the seventh in 182a The first of these registers is much decayed, and in many places illegible. Upon the whole, they seem to have been well kept^ but, as the same book has been devoted to difierent purposes, (al- though a separate place has been assigned to each,) such as acts of discipline, collections, and disbursements for the poor, &c« the same remark applies here that was made as to the Lethendy books«. John Campbell, Eiq. oC Achiliter. J. Firqubinon, Biq. of laiereautd, Georse Hiw, E>q. of Wester Kinloch, R«f. John BuiM. minuter of Tannadicc Nethsi Baleutn, Junes Oliphaat, Esq. of Gaik, ATiiiquitiei. — There is one Dniidical the road leading from Blairgowrie to Di castle at GlasscluDe, situated on the pn There is avast number of tumuH called t in the parish. IIL — POPULATII The amount or the population in 1841 and 188 females, altogether rural. Number of illegitimate births in the p: years, S. IV. — Ikdubtbi Agriculture, — Number of acres, itwiilard imperiil meuure, cniti rated or oeoiBionally in tillage. Number of urea whicb nrier bsTe been culli' main constatitl; wule oi in pislurc, np< Number ot acres which might be cuhlvatt pense, probably Number of acret under wood, wbelhcr natun Rent of Land. — The average rent of I 4s. 6d. Rental. — The real rental of the parish V, — Parochial Eco Ecclesiastical Stale. — The number of longing to the Established Church, 69. or Seceding families in the parish, Th( families, 1. Amount of stipend, about eight acres imperial in extent, and may per acre. Education.— ^0 schools but the paroc parochial schoolmaster's salary, L.34, 4; amount of fees actually paid to parochial s< emoluments, L.2. Poor. — Average number of persons three permanent, and two or three occasi Dtcembcr 184a PARISH OF LITTLE DUNKELD. PRESBYTERY OF DUNKELD, SYNOD OF PERTH AND STIRLING. THE REV. ROBERT ALLAN, MINISTER. L— Topography and Natural History. The parish of Little Dunkeld is a united parishi consisting of Little Dunkeld and the old parish of Laganallachy. Its extent from east to west is 16 miles. It is of an irregular form, nearly resembling the letter y, the narrow extremity being toward the east, and the broad towards the west. It is divided into three districts, viz. Murthly, Strathbran, and the Bishoprick, these two last diverging from the other near the village of Inver, and sepa* rated from each other by a mountainous tract of waste ground. Though called Little Dunkeld, it is of much greater extent and population than its neighbouring parish of Dunkeld, and has pro<> bably got its name from the circumstance of there being formerly a small village on this side of the Tay opposite to Dunkeld. There is an extensive range of hilly ground throughout the pa« rish, with a considerable quantity of arable land in the low grounds, and which also extends a good way up the face of the mountains on each side. The celebrated hill of Birnam rises in majestic grandeur, on the southern extremity of the parish, to a very con- spicuous elevation, from the top of which there is a fine and ex- tensive view of the surrounding country. Hydrography, — There are several lakes in the parish, all abounding in excellent trout In one of them (Loch Skiach) there is said to be a good deal of pike. These lakes lie in the mountains which separate the two western divisions of the parish. The river Bran, which gives its name to the district through which it runs, takes its origin from Loch Freuchy, at the south-west ex- tremity of the parish. It is precipitous in its course, and has some fine cataracts in its progress towards the Tay, which it joins oppo- site to Dunkeld. TJie scenery on the river Bran, for three miles above Little Dunkeld, is very romantic The Rumbling Bridge is an object of curiosity to visitors. The bridge is thrown 1006 PEHTUSHIRB. over a deep chasm, under which the river precipitates itself with great violence among the rocks. Farther down is situated the Hermitage, as it is called, on the north bank of the river, encircled in wood, the property of the Duke of Atholl. Here is another cascade; and the place is one of great resort in the suaimer months to strangers. There are guides appointed to conduct through the grounds, who receive payment from the visitors. It is to be re- gretted that these walks have been long open to visitors on the Lord's day. Considerable desecration of the Sabbath is the con- sequence, as these Sunday pleasure parties not only absent them- selves from the house of prayer, but set a bad example to the in- habitants of the district Application was made some years ago to the proper authorities to have the nuisance put a stop to, by shutting the walks on the Lord's day. The concession granted was, that the gates should be shut ^' during divine service." Woods* — In the districts of Murthly and the Bishoprick, there is a considerable extent of woods. The planted trees are, oak, ash, Scotch fir, larch, and plane. The indigenous are birch and hazel The oak and fir are of most extent, and also the most profitable. The former is divided into coppices, which are successively cut down once in twenty years, and afibrds a good return for land io other respects of little value. It fetches a good price for the sake of the bark; and, in the summer season, gives employment to a good many people. A considerable quantity of Scotch fir and larch, of large dimensions, has been cut of late, and sent to Eng- land for ship-building. The birch, which gives so much beauty to Highland scenery, is nearly extirpated in this parish, and the oak is taking its place. At Inver there is a powerful saw-mill, driven by water, which gives employment to a good many hands. Here there is a very large quantity of timber prepared and exported to England for railroads and other purposes. Geology. — Near Murthly, in the eastern district of the parish, there is a quarry of freestone, of a fine grain, and light ash colour. The cathedral of Dunkeld was built of this stone, and also the fine bridge which crosses the Tay at Dunkeld. In Birnam hill, there is a slate quarry, which furnishes abundance of excellent slate, of a deep blue colour, resembling violet. SoiL — There is a considerable variety of soil in the parish. The best seems to be in the eastern district, consisting generally of black loam. In the other districts, the soil is composed partly of black mould, and partly of sand and gravel. LITTLE DUNKELD. 1007 II. — Civil History. There are but few remains of antiquity in the parish. As is the case in several other Highland parishes, there are to be seen the relics of Druidical circles, where our rude ancestors performed their super- stitious rites ; and for these remains the people have still a vene- ration. On the farm of BaKnloan^ there is a remarkable stone, of large size, called Clack a mhoid^ or the stone where the court was held. U is said that a baron in the neighbourhood held his court here for the trial of offenders, with power to *^ hang and drown ; (Comas croiche agus poll;) and tradition says, that the last baron who exercised these functions was not undeserving of one or other of these ends himself. There are two very large trees near the church, on the bank of the Tay, and said to be the remains of the unce celebrated forest of Birnam ; the one is oak, the other plane- tree, and each about 18 feet in circumference. They are objects of curiosity to strangers, and are interesting from their antiquity, being the twin survivors of a numerous family long ago departed. In a plain on the banks of the Bran, four miles from Dunkeld, are to be seen the ruins of the Castle of Trochery, once a resi- dence of the Gowrie family. A small circular part of the wall is still standing. From its weather-beaten appearance, it must have withstood the shock of many a pitiless storm ; but its pride and glory have long since passed away, like those of its original owners, showing nothing but the melancholy wrecks of time. Land-owners. — The chief land-owners are, the Duke of Atholl ; Sir William D. Stewart; John Stewart, Esq. of Dalguise; and Mr Campbell of Kinloch. The valued rent in Scots money is L. 4805, i6s. 4d. ; and the real rental is said to be about L.1 1,620 Sterling. Parochial Registers. — The register of births and baptisms be- gins in 1759 ; and the register of proclamation of banns for mar- riage in the same year. Mansion Houses. — The principal of these is Murthly Castle, the seat of Sir William D. Stewart, Bart, (of Grandtully), situated about four miles below Dunkeld, on the south side of the Tay. There is a new mansion lately erected in front of the old castle, remark, able for beauty of design and elegance of architecture. The shell of the house, or mason-work, was completed ten years ago ; but the rest remains in an unfinished state. The present proprietor has expended a considerable sum in levelling the ground in front, and transplanting rows of ornamental trees, which, if they thrive 1008 PERTHSHIRE. will add to the beauty of the site. The situation of Murthly Castle, with its undulating grounds and woods, is very fine, llie whole bears the marks of antiquity, exhibiting an interesting ap- pearance, and leading the mind back to the rude ages of feudal power. The family seat of Mr Stewart of Dalguise is situated in the Bishoprick ; the mansion-house is partly old and partly modem, and is prettily situated on the left of the public road which leads to Tay- mouth. Two miles above Dalguise, on the right, is Kinnaird Hous^ the residence of the Lady Dowager Glenlyon, the property of the Atholl family. It is situated on a rising ground near the bank of the river Tay, and the situation is romantic. Besides these, there is Birnam Liodge and Bimam Cottage, nearly opposite to Dunkeld, — the former the residence of the Ho- nourable Fox Maule, the latter of Dr Smyttan, late of India. There is also a handsome mansion now being built, in the cottage style, by a Perth gentleman (Mr Wallace), on the western bte of a beautiful detached hill called the Torwood. It looks toward Dunkeld. The situation is very fine, and the prospect lovely. The Bridge of Dunkeld is so well known, that it is not neces- sary here to give a minute description of it. It was built in 1809 by the late Duke of Atholl, assisted by a grant from Government. It is a splendid specimen of architecture, and of vast benefit, not only to the inhabitants of the surrounding districts, but to the country at large. Family of Stewart of Dalyuise, — The following brief notice of the family of Dalguise has been communicated : " This family derives its descent from Sir John Stewart of Cardney and Amtul- lie, the youngest natural son of King Robert II., by Marion or Ma- riote de Cardney, daughter of John de Cardney of that Ilk, and sister of Robert, Bishop of Dunkeld, from 1396 to 1436. *' From King Robert III. his brother. Sir John Stewart, ob- tained a charter of the two Cardneys and Butterston inter lacas^ dated 12th February 1399. There was also granted to him a pension * furth of the customs of Dundee.' He was knighted in 1424 at the coronation of King James I , and married Jean Drum- mond, sister of Arabella, Queen of Robert III. To the Laird of Arntullie, bailie of the regality of Dunkeld, the descendant of Sir John Stewart, the Regent Earl of Murray, addressed his order in 1560, directing him to take down, and burn openly, all the LITTLE DUNKKLD. 1009 images in the cathedral, and to cast down the altars and pur^e the church of all monuments of idolatry ; but to preserve from de- struction the desks, windows, and doors, the glass and iron-work, &c. King James VL, by warrant dated in 1592 (still extant), appointed the son of the preceding laird to hold the office of bailie, ^ as his predecessors had bruicked the same.' *^ The lands of Dalguise in this parish, which had been given by King William the Lion, in 1060, to the church of Duokeld, were, in 154.% granted by Bishop Crichton to John Stewart, the second son of Stewart of Arntullie, and Elizabeth Stewart his wife ; and from them the proprietor is descended. John Stewart, the first of Dalguise, who married a daughter of Alexander Stew- art of Grandtully, died in 1576, and was buried in the church of Little Dunkeld. His next younger brother. Sir Thomas Stewart, was vicar of Dowally. John Stewart, grandson of the first laird, married Isabel, daughter of William Stewart of Kinnaird. He is traditionally remembered in the Gaelic language as Ian Mor Macalastair^ and was engaged, along with the Atholl Stewarts, in most of the military actions of the civil war, under the gallant and unfortunate Montrose. He was also, for some time, cham- berlain to the Bishops of Dunkeld, and died in 1653. His great- great-grandson, John Stewart of Dalguise, was born in 1 689. Having embraced the cause of the exiled royal family, and after being present at the Battle of SherifTmuir, he was subjected to fine and imprisonment. He built the House of Dalguise, which bears the date of 1716. Hew Stuart, a younger son of John Stewart of Dalguise, was Governor of the British settlement at Bencoolen in Sumatra. David Stewart, another of his younger sons, was a banker and merchant in Edinburgh, and Lord Pro- vost of that city about the year 1778. John Stewart, the seventh laird, having possessed the estate during the long period of seventy years from 1706 to 1776, and having attained the age of nearly ninety years, greatly beloved and respected, died at Dalguise in September 1776. ** The present proprietor, who is the great-grandson of the last mentioned, is employed in the Ck)lonial Civil Service, and resides abroad." III. — Population. Populaliouin 1801, . 2977 1811, . 29^2 1821, . 2977 1831 . 2867 1841,' . 2715— males, 1307,fem. 1408. PERTH. 3 B 101" PERTHSHIHE. There has been n gradual decrease in i perhaps partly owing to the decay of tb employment to a great many persons, a gyslem adopted by some of the proprie the Refonn Bill, of converting small fai The great bulk of the population re there are about twenty-four, the principi pnise, and Balnagard. The average of births for the last sevc riages, 16. There is no record kept of persons under mental imbecility, 12; d« The number of proprietors of land of in 6. There is only one of these reside Language. — The language generally populous districts, viz. Strathbran and t lie, which does not seem to be losing gr is more generally understood than foniv the inhabitants are a Gaelic populatio their vernacular tongue. IV. — Indltstr Agriculture. — Live-St'jek. — The people are chiefly agriculture. There are a good deal of parish, which are sold in the soulhern n country, thnofih there are conMderable ni ter)Rnls, chielly the l)l»ck-faced, and son breed of cattle cannot be expected lo keep more than iheir .^mall portions ( though this is chiefly done wilb the Ian yearly demand for renl. Bent. — The average rent of lurid ma; acre, some of it so high as L.3, and e must be far beyond the abilily of ll with ilint frugality and industry for wl Wiicn the present low price of produce twnty of the crops in this district frn seasons, ihe inferior quality of the praii distance from market (eighteen In twent LITTLE DUNKRLD. toll this parish may be set down as among the highest rented in the kingdom. The people are so attached to their native soil, that they frequently offer more than the land is worth, which keeps them poor, and deprives them of many of the comforts of life. In the Strathbran district, until very lately, most of the te- nants had no lease but from year to year, nor did they care for any lease, considering themselves sure of their lands while they lived under their late kind and indulgent landlord, Sir George Stewart; and, in many cases, the same farms were possessed by the same fomilies for three or four generations. Within the last sixteen years, a great extent of waste land has been reclaimed by the in« dustry of the tenants, which must have added very considerably to the value of the property. Such tenantry deserve encouragement and kind treatment from their landlord. Yet it may be observed^ that letting land only from year to year can be beneficial neither to tenant, landlord, nor property. The system of giving leases has now been adopted, varying from twelve to nineteen years ; and the larger farmers follow a rotation generally of five years. The crops raised are barley and bear, oats, turnips, and potatoes. Wheat growing is hardly ever attempted. The quantity of pota- toes raised in this parish is very great, and the quality excellent , and, from the preference given to them in the London market, vast quantities of them are shipped for that place. The potato trade is indeed the great stay of the farmer, though the carriage to Perth, the shipping-port, is expensive. There are a few as good practical farmers in this parish, per- haps, as in Scotland, among whom may be mentioned Mr Grant tacksman of Claypotts, and Mr M*Naughton, tacksman of Inch, both on the Duke of AthoU's property. In Strathbran there is some very good land, especially in the flats, and on the north side of the Bran, where there is a southern exposure ; but on the south side, the land is spouty and cold, producing late crops. The present proprietor in this district (Sir W. D. Stewart) is converting the small farms into large ones. The consequence is, that many of the small tenants are turned out of their possessions, to shift for themselves and families the best way they can. Some of them have sought farms in other parishes, and some have emi- grated to Canada, never again expecting to return to the land of their nativity, and of their early associations. OrcAarrf^.— In the Bishoprick, there are several orchards, which 1012 PERTHSHIRE. produce a considerable quantity of fruit ; but the price baa fallen so very low, that they are of very little value. Fisheries. — Though the parish is bounded on the north for six- teen miles by the noble Tay, yet the produce of the fisheries in all that ^* reach^' is very trifling. The cause of the failure of the salmon is not well understood ; for although the fish have many snares and enemies to encounter in their progress up the river, yet, in spite of all these impediments, were the fish very plentiful, they would still find their way up our noble river in abundance as in days long gone by. The rents of the fisheries have fallen prodigiously, within the last thirty or forty years, to the great loss of the proprietors. This trade appears to have been conducted with too great cupidity and thirst for gain, and the present state of the fisheries may be a just retribution. For many years, most of the salmon caught in the Scotch rivers have been sent to the London market ; and for the few fish sold at home, very extra* vagant prices have usually been demanded ; so that the commu- nity in general have little reason to regret the failure. Manufactures, — Flax, which was at one time an article of great importance in this parish, and afibrded employment to a consider- able portion of the inhabitants, is now in very few instances grown. The linen trade has been in abeyance for many years. There is but one lint-mill in the parish. The extensive use of machinery in this trade has given a sad blow to the domestic spinning-wheel, by which many females earned a comfortable livelihood. The vast importation of American cotton, and the increase of that trade has occasioned a great fall in the value, and consequently in the price of linen manufacture. There are only two linen manufac- turers in this parish, both of them active and intelligent men, and who are said to do business to the extent of nearly L.2000 each per annum. V. — Parochial Economy. MarkeUTown. — There is no market-town within the parish. Dunkeld is the chief market-town for the surrounding country. There are generally four held yearly. The Martinmas market is the chief, and usually attended by great assemblages of people from considerable distances. At this market there is a good deal of business transacted in the way of buying and selling, engaging servants, and other necessarv matters. Still these markets are attended with evils, from the great gathering of idle and loose LITTLE DUNKBLD. 1013 characters^ who hate no real business to transact, and are of no use but to swell the number of dram-drinkers. ViUagu, Boads, J-c— There are from twenty to thirty villages or hamlets in the parish, with a population in each varying from 30 to 180 inhabitants. There is a good turnpike road in each of the three districts of the parish ; that in Strathbran is ten miles long ; the one in the Bishoprick the same ; and in the eastern di- vision, about four miles, and all in excellent condition. There is a new bridge across the Bran, nearly half-way between Dunkeld and Amulree. It crosses the river at a romantic bend of the stream, opposite to a beautiful copse of birch which skirts a pretty cottage, or shooting-lodge erected by the Murthly family. Eccksiastical State. — The parish church is situated near the south bank of the Tay, nearly opposite to Dunkeld, and was built in 179& It is commodious and comfortable. The situation is fine. It is nearly surrounded by trees ; and for its neat and simple appearance, may be considered a model for Scottish country churches. In respect to the population, however, the site is not the most eligible. Though seated for upwards of 800, there is not the half of that number within three miles of it The people, however, who reside in the different extremities of the parish^ usually attend the nearest church in the neighbouring parish. The mission of Amulree, at the west end of Strathbran, is con- nected with this parish, and to which a district of it, comprising 500 or 600 of Highland population, is attached quoad sacra. The sittings are all free. The manse was built in 1820, and is rather a handsome modem house. There are two glebes ; one at Little Dunkeld, the other at the old church of Laganallachy ; the former contains about eight acres, the latter about four, but not very valuable; both may be valued at L.20. The stipend is lO^chalders nearly, partly meal and partly barley, and L.8, 6s. 8d. for communion elements. The teinds are said to be exhausted. The stipend is paid ac- cording to an interim locality, and is considerably less than in the time of the late incumbent, between whom and one of the heritors (Logiealmond) a process had been going on for years. Soon after the admission of the present incumbent, and for whom no appear- ance was made in court, an interlocutor wss pronounced in favour of the heritor. There is another church in the parish, that of Laganallachy^ which name may signify « the valley for buryinff" from the two 1014 PERTHSHIRB. Gaelic words, Lagan and adhlaic ; or it may be conoected widi Aulachy, a traditionary saint. This church is in Strathbran, about three miles from Dunkeld, and near the celebrated Ram- bling Bridge. It contains from 400 to 500 people. Senrioe b performed here once every month, and wholly in Gaelic There is no Episcopalian nor Catholic chapel in the parish, if we except a small old and decayed chapel attached to Murtkly Castle, and lately fitted up for service by the present proprietor. It is believed that there is not one other Roman Catholic io the parish. There are a very few families in the eastern division of the parish who belong to the Secession, and attend a meeting-house on the confines of the parish of Kiuclaven. These appear to be diminishing in number. The attendance in the principal church of Little Dunkeld va- ries from 400 to 700 ; the average number of communicants, 740. There is a parochial association for religious purposes, which distributes annually about L. 20 for the spread of the Gospel at home and abroad, and for support of the Assembly's schools. Be- sides this, there are occasional collections for other charitable purposes, to which the people very readily contribute. Education. — The number of schools is seven, of which two are parochial, three on the establishment of the Society for Propa- gating Christian Knowledge, and of great benefit to the parish. The remaining two are private schools. The number of children attending these schools during winter may be about 400. The sa- lary of the first parish schoolmaster is L.29, 18s. ll|d., of the other L.10, along with the fees, which are not considerable. The salaries of the Society teachers average L.15; but, their schools being situated in populous districts, their fees are con^i- derable. In all these the expense of education is low. Some are taught gratis; and the schools are so judiciously distributed, that the children have easy access to them. Poor and Parochial Funds. — The average number on the poor list is 31. The lowest allowance, 5d. and 6d. weekly, the high- est, 2s. 6d. and ds. The amount annually contributed for their relief is about L.100 ; of which L.24, 10s. arises from church col- lections; L.12, 16s« of interest of money in hands of the heritors, and belonging to the poor. The rest is raised by voluntary as- sessment. It may be mentioned, that, *' towards the beginning of last century, John Stewart, Esq. of Grandtully, mortified the sum of LITTLE DUNKBLD. 1015 20,000 merks Scots, for the support of twelve poor men on his estate, of the Scotch Episcopal communion, appointing his own heirs, and the heirs of three other families allied to his own, administrators of this fund. About 1740, a building was erected for the objects of the benefaction in tiie district of Murthly ; but for certain reasons, the original plan was not carried out. In the former Statistical Account of this parish it is said that the sum had accumulated to L.2600 Sterling, — the interest of which is dis« tributed among certain poor persons in this and other parishes, without regard to their religious creed. Library. — There is a small parish library, and the subscription is so low that the great body of parishioners have access to it Fuel. — The fuel used by the common people is peat, which ap- pears to be abundant, but much of it of inferior quality. The se- curing of this necessary of life costs the people much care and la^ hour. Coals are used by those who are in better condition. These are a very expensive fuel, from the extent of land carriage. . Inns. — The number of inns in the parish is 14, too many for any parish in the kingdom. Within the compass of one mile, ia the vicinity of the parish church, there are no less than four. Miscellaneous Observations. This parish may be said to hold its place in the general march of improvement since the former Statistical Account was written. Ploughing-matches have been long ago introduced ; the rotation of crops better understood ; the old clumsy wooden plough has almost universally been succeeded by the iron one ; and on some of the larger farms, comfortable houses and good offices have been erected for the occupiers; yet, we are constrained to say that these advantages are, in too many cases, more than counterba* lanced by the very high rate at which farms in general are let in this parish. The roads in this parish are now excellent* January 1843. FOSSOWAT AND TULIJBBOLE. 1017 one lying on the south side, and the other on the north side of the united parish. These, at the nearest points, are upwards of a mile distant from each other. The northern district compre- hends, besides several farms of considerable extent, the baronies of Fossoway and Carnbo. It was once entirely in Perthshire, but the latter barony was, with the exception of one farm belong- ing to Stewart of Grandtully, annexed about a century and a half ago to the county of Kinross. This district contains a consider- able portion of the Ochil Hills. These afford excellent pasture for sheep and cattle ; while at the same time they furnish, in the intervening valleys, good soil for cultivation. The hills may vary in height from about 1000 to 1500 feet above the level of the sea. One of them, called Easter Downhill, presents a very pleas- ing appearance, especially when viewed from the south or west. It is of a conical shape, clothed with verdure to the top, and skirt- ed with natural wood around the base, along which, in a deep ra- vine, the Devon pursues its winding course. At the bottom of this hill the bridge of St Serf, on what was the road to Perth by Dunning, till the present turnpike road was formed, less than thirty years ago, is still standing, though now much out of repair. The hill is of considerable height, and the view from its summit in clear weather is very extensive and varied. In respect of height and extent of prospect, however, it is surpassed by Inmer- dowoie, which is the highest hill in the parish, and commands at once a view of the Forth and of the Tay. The southern district of Fossoway is wholly in Perthshire. It consists of the barony of Aldie on the east ; of the barony of Sols- girth and the lands of Blairngone on the west ; and of the baro- nies of Gartwhynean and Pitfar in the middle. Here the wide valley, reaching from the Ochil Hills on the north to the hills of Cleish and Saline on the south, is divided by the Devon, between the parish of Fossoway and that of Muckart. The parish of Tul- liebole, however, lying chiefly east of the curve formed by the river, extends over the whole breadth of the valley. All of Tulliebole belongs to the county of Kinross. It includes the baronies of Tulliebole and Coldrain, and the farm of Brig- lands. Though the lands in it and the southern branch of Fos- soway are low, compared with the hills on the south and north, yet comparatively little of them are flat. They rise into ridges of different heights, stretching from east to west, and thus form slop- ing banks more or less steep. TOSSOWAY AND TULLIBBOLE. 1019 formation of walks, which conduct the visitor in safety to the dif- ferent points whence the most striking views are obtained. Mineralogy. — There are whin and freestone quarries in several parts of the parish. In the west end of it there are lime rock, iron ore, and coal. At present three collieries are in operation. The colliery of Blairngone is of very long standing; the working of the other two commenced hut recently. The work at the iron- stone mine was, for a considerable number of years, till about two months ago, actively prosecuted. A mixture of copper is found in a rock near the Rumbling Bridge, but it appears that the pro- portion which the copper bears to the alloy is not sufficient to ren- der the working of it advantageous.* SoU&, — There is great diversity of soil in the parish. In some part:^ it is mossy, in others gravelly, in some places clayey, and in others loamy. Some of it is of good quality, while not a little of it is very inferior. Botany. — There is a good deal to interest the botanist here. The following are some of the plants found in the district : — CirGaea alpina Ruiuck «aKatilis Vicia sylvatica Veronica montaDa Nympha^a allia Hieraeium umbellatum. Gentiana campestris Butomus umbellatus Ruracz alpious Geranium pratense There are some fine old trees in the parish, but none of them of very remarkable size. Within these few years, much of the larch fir has appeared to be in a back-going state. Till then, the cul- tivation of it was accounted profitable. Spruce and Scotch fir, ash, elm, plane, and beech thrive well. Oak, till of late years, was not much reared ; where it has been tried, however, it promises welL II. — Civil History. Till the year 1729, there was a church for each parish, and the minister officiated every third Sabbath in the church of Tiilliebole. In that year, a new church was built in a more central situation, to accommodate the inhabitants of both parishes. The spot fixed on is on the south of the Devon, in the western part of Tulliebole, about a mile and a-half west from the former church of that pa- rish, and about two miles south from the old church of Fossoway. Soon after the erection of the church in its present situation, the glebe and manse of Fossoway were sold, but the churchyard was retained ; and in it, as well as in that of Tulliebole, some of the * The late proprietor of Briglands, Thomas Young, Esq., got it scientifically ex* amiiiedy and had in his possession some very iieat seals made of it. F0S80WAY AND TULLtEBOLE. 102 1 Rent — The average rent of arable land in the parish is L* I per acre Scotch. The real rental of all the land in the parish amounts to about L. 9700. The average of grazing is about L.d| 15s. for each cow, and 4s. 6d. for each sheep per annum. The general duration of leases is nineteen years. The farm-houses, with very few exceptions, are good and com- fortable dwellings. The fences are generally stone dikes; the thorn hedge is also partly used. The wire fence, with wooden posts, has of late been introduced to a considerable extent on the estate of Fossoway. V. — Parochial Economt. Market'-Tawns, — The nearest market and post-town to the east end of the parish is Kinross ; and to the west end, Dollar. The former is six miles from the parish church, and the latter about five* The principal villages are Blairngone and Crook of Devon. These, as stated in the former Account, are boroughs of barony. There is also a small village at Easter Gartwhynean. Means of Communication. — The turnpike road from Dunferm* line to Crieff intersects the parish from south to north, and that from Kinross to Alloa from east to west, passing near the parish church. Parallel with the latter, and about two miles to the north, another turnpike passes through the parish, being the road from Stirling to the eastern district of Fife. The turnpike road to Dunning also passes through a part of the parish. At one time a public coach from Perth to Glasgow, and another from Crieff to Edinburgh, travelled through the parish. But for some years, there has been no public conveyance to be had nearer than Kinross, Dunfermline, or Alloa. The parish does not thus enjoy great fa- cility of communication with other parts of the country. The want of a post-oflSce is felt to be a great inconvenience. Bridges. — There are six bridges on the Devon connected with this parish. Of these four belong to turnpike roads, and two Xo county roads. All of them are kept in good condition. Ecclesiastical State. — Till the opening of the Extension church at Blairngone, about five years ago, the parish church was the* only place of public worship within the parish. Though it could not have been placed in a more central situation, yet it is above" five miles from some of the extremities of the parish. It was built IB 1806, and is commodious and in good repair. It affords ac- commodation for 525 persons, allowing 18 inches to each. Thet manse was built in 1781, repaired and a little enlarged in \^f2n y l022 PBRtHSKin^r Knd is in a good and comfortable state. The glebe is abouC 1? Scotch acres in extent, and may be valued at about 12s. per acre* The stipend is L. 70, ds. 2j^d., and about six chalders of victual, half meal, half barley, payable according to the Bars of the county. The number of householders in the parish at the time of the last census was 372. Of these 309 belong to the Established Church ; 59 to the Unked Secession Church ; 2 to the Synod of Original Seceders ; and 2 to the Roman Catholics. In favourable weather, divine service is well attended at the Es- tablished Church. The number of communicants since the ereo- tion of the new parish of Blairngone in 1841 is upwards of 300; before that time, it was from 400 to 500. There are some eon« tributions yearly for the General Assembly's schemes, and for the purpose of education in the parish. . The Extension church already mentioned was opened for public worship in the spring of 1 838. It is situated in the west end of the parish, a little east from the village of Blairngone, and about four miles from the parish church. The ground on which it stands was given gratuitously by Mark Watt, Esq. — that gentleman, in addition to a handsome subscription, having generously made us a present of half-a Scotch acre of land. The church was used for some time as a preaching station, the minister of the parish offici- ating in it when his presence was required to administer the ordi- nance of baptism. By the constitution of tliis church, agreed to at a meeting of the subscribers on 28tli October 1839, the boundary between the proposed new parish and the parish of Fossoway was fixed ; one article containing these words, in reference to this point, that the parochial territory of the church of Blairingone shall be ** Thfit part of the parish of Fossoway lying to the west of a line from the conQux of the Garney and the Devon, immediately by the east of the house of Barnhill, to the southern boundary of the parish." But, after this agreement, an attempt was unhappily made to extend the boundary much nearer to the parish church. This attempt, however, was successfully resisted, and the matter finally settled by the Presbytery, acting under a remit to them by the General Assembly at their meeting in December 1840, when they determined to hold by " the original boundary agreed upon by the subscribers." The population within that part of the pa- rish of Fossoway thus assigned was, at the last census, 558^ most FOSSOWAY AND TULLIEBOLE. 1023 of whom are above four miles from the church of Fossoway* These, and the inhabitants of the adjoining districts of the pa- rishes of Clackmannan, Dollar, and Muckart, form a population as numerous as the church of Blaimgone can accommodate, it being seated for from 200 to 300. The necessary steps having thus been taken, the present in^ cumbent was ordained minister of Blaimgone in autumn 1841. He holds a bond for L.60 per annann, payable from the seat-rents and church-door collections. Education. — There are 4 schools in the parish. Of these, one is parochial, two are on the teachers' own adventure, and one is aided by a small sum raised by individual subscription. The branches taught are, Latin, English, writing, arithmetic, and prac- tical mathematics. The parochial teacher has the maximum salary, house, garden, and a few acres of land. The land was pur-> chased with vacant stipend, and a small sum borrowed from the poor's funds, for which the teacher pays interest Poor and Parochial Funds. — The average number of pauper^ in the parish is about 11. At present there are only eight on the roll, the average allowance to each of whom is about L.4, 7s. yearly. The funds for their support, and for occasional aid to others, arise from the collections at the parish church, interest of money, donations from heritors, and burying- ground sold in the church-yard. Many of the poor, but not all, manifest a reluct- ance to apply for parochial aid. Fairs. — There are two fairs kept in the parish yearly, at which a few cattle and some small wares are exposed for sale. JnnSy Sfc, — There are 14 inns or public-houses in the parish. It appears that three would be sufficient for the accommodation of travellers. The increased number of these houses tends very much to deteriorate the morals of the people. Fuel, — The fuel in general use in the parish is coal procured within the parish itself. Peats are also used, but to a smal ' ex-* tent January 1843. PARISH OF CLUNIE. PRESBYTERY OF DUNKBLD, 8YNOD OF PERTH AKD STIRLING. THE REV. GEORGE MILLAR, MINISTER. L— Topography and Natural History. Extent, <$*c. — The parish lies in the district of Stormont, and extends about 9 miles in length and 4 in breadth. It is bounded by a section of the parish of Blairgowrie on the north ; the united parishes of Lethendy and Kinlochi on the east ; and the parish of Caputh, on the south and west. Topographical Appearances. — The parish is supposed to con- tain upwards of 8000 acres, and exhibits great variety of climate, surface, scenery, and soil. The arable parts comprehend, pro- bably, about from 2000 to 3000 acres. The soil, though light and gravelly in many parts, affords good crops of oats, barley, and wheat, equal to any in the neighbourhood. Upon the estates of several proprietors in the parish much has been done in planting. Hundreds of acres, not many years ago covered with heath, furze, broom, and brushwood, are now crowned with beautiful thriving plantations of fir and larch. Benachally, the highest mountain in the parish, commands a most extensive and varied prospect. At the foot of Benachally is a loch of the same name, about one mile in length and a-half- mile in breadth. IL — Civil History. Pour miles to the south is the Loch of Clunie, having a beautiful little island, on which stands an old castle belonging to the Earl of Airly. On the island is the site of an old chapel. There are the re- mains of three others yet visible in different parts of the parish. The Loch of Clunie is from two to three miles in circumference, aod abounds with trout, perch, and pike. Its greatest depth is about seventy-four feet. The castle on the island is said to have been the birth-place of the Admirable Crichton. On the west side of the loch stands the old Castle Hill, a large green mound, on the top of which are the ruins of an old building, said to have been the sum- CLUNIE. 1025 mer palace of King Kenneth Macalpin. Close by this beautiful mound stand the parish church and manse. Curiosities and Antiquities. — In the face of Benachally, which looks towards the east, there is a cave of considerable magnitude. It is called the Drap^ or Drop, from the water oozing through the crannies, and perpetually dropping from the roof. Below the Drop, and near the foot of the mountain, is a cove, called Henry's Hole, from its having been in former times the hiding-place of robbers or plunderers of that name. A little to the north of Stanley Know, there is a rising ground styled the Gallow Drums and about 300 yards south-west of the minister's glebe is another eminence, named the Gibbet Know, both which were places of execution in the times of baronial jurisdiction. On the east side of the moss, at the foot of Benachally, we find a sepulchral cairn which has never been opened ; and a few furlongs to the southward of this cairn, there is a great number of small cairns* There are two immense collections of stones, one on the south- west, and the other on the north-east extremity of the parish. These are said to have marked the boundary here between the Caledonian and Pictish kingdoms. At the east end of the Hill of Gourdie, in the middle of a cultivated field, may be seen a cu- rious piece of antiquity, called the Steeds'Stalls. It consists of eight mounds, with eight corresponding trenches ; perhaps some more have been obliterated by the plough. The mounds and trenches are of equal length, alternate, and parallel. At the south end of each trench or fosse, there is a circular concave, the centre of which lies in the line of the fosse, and to this circular concavity the fosse seems to have formed the entrance. It is said that an advanced guard of the Caledonian army was posted here, to watch the motions of the Romans, when thej lay en- camped at Inchtuthill, about two miles to the southward in the plain below. Mansion- Houses. — There are two that merit description. Forneth, the seat of James Speid, Esq. stands on the north-west bank of the Loch of Clunie, on a fine elevation, commanding a small but beautiful prospect of the island, the loch, and the ad- jacent grounds. The Lunan, washing, in gentle meanders, the foot of the bank, steals softly into the loch, a little below the house. Gourdie, the seat of David Kinloch, Esq. is a large, con- venient, and substantial house, beautifully situated. The prospect firom it is delightful. Immediately under the eye, you see the PERTH. 3t 1026 PERTHSHIUE. level, rich, and well cultivated estate of Delvin, with the magnifi- cent house of that name, rising on a woody bank about a mile and a- half to the south. IIL — Population. Amount of populstkm io 1811, 1060 1821, M2 18S1, "Til 1841, 763 There are 189 families in the parish. One family is Episco- palian, but regularly attends the parish church. Three families, with a few other persons, belong to the Secession church, and at- tend their own place of worship in the immediate neighbourhood. All the families, however, with these exceptions, are connected with the Establishment. IV. — Industry. Great improvements in agriculture have been for some time taking place. Wet grounds have been drained, rough grounds cleared) stone fences built, and hedges planted. Lime is brought from the quarry and lime-kilns upon the Gourdie estate, be- longing to David Kinloch, Esq. Rich clays are applied to sand, and a good permanent soil formed where there was no soil before ; green crops begin to be raised, and a regular rotation of crops begins in some places to be understood. The valued rent of the parish is about L.4000 Scots money. With one or two exceptions, the farms in general are small. Few of them probably rent above L 200 Sterling, and the g^ter part of them are under L.IOO. Each plough, at an average, turas annually about twenty-seven acres; and the rent of the infield acre varies according to the quality of the soil, &c from 10s. to L.2, lOs. The parish, besides supplying itself, exporta a quantity of victual to Perth, Dunkeld, and the Highlands. The staple grain is oats and barley. V. — Parochial Economy. Ecclesiastical State. — The parish church was erected in 1840. It is a most substantial building, of the Gothic style of architec- ture, with a handsome ornamental tower. The church accom« modates about 600 peopio, and was built entirely at the heritors' expense, who have shown great taste and much liberality in the erection of a place of worship every way so comfortable. The manse was built about forty years ago. There was, how- ever, an addition made to it in 1839, with several extensive alte- rations and repairs, which have rendered the present manse both CLUNIE* 1027 a convenient and comfortable dwelling. The oflBces were re- paired at the same time by the heritors of the parish, who in every way have been forward to promote the comfort of the present in- cumbent. A part of the stipend is payable at the term of Martinmas in money. The greater proportion, however, is a grain stipend. The amount exceeds the minimum. Including the area of manse, offices, and garden, the glebe contains about six acres of ground inclosed. The Duke of Athole and the Earl of Airly are vice-patrons. Education* — There is a good dwelling-house and school-room for the parochial teacher, both of which were repaired in 1840. The school-room is large and commodious, having attached to it a considerable extent of play-ground for the use of the scholars. At present there are about 40 young people taught the ordinary branches of reading, writing, and arithmetic Two only at pre- sent are learning Latin. The teacher receives the maximum salary. There is, besides, a chance school in the parish, taught by two females. The girls attending this school learn knitting and needle- work. The number of scholars at present is 51. A Sabbath-school is taught by the minister. The number of names upon his list at present is from 80 to 90. Library, — A library has been established for about two years in the parish. The wish having been expressed by the minister from the pulpit, that a library might be established for the benefit of the parish, and a collection having been intimated for that object, the people came willingly forward and contributed to the large amount of L.20 and upwards. Several handsome donations of books have since been given. Poor. — The parish supports its own poor. The number of poor and infirm at present upon the list is 10. There are others, however, receiving occasional assistance. The poor receive from da. to 6s. each per month, besides aid in fuel, clothing, and house- rent, as circumstances require. The money is distributed by the kirk-session. Church-door collections, which average each Sabbath about 8s ; the use of the mortcloth, the purchase of burial-ground, occasional legacies and donations, and the iotecest of a principal of L.80 in the bank, — are the sources from which the session funds are derived. By the late minister, the Rev. William M^Ritchie, a sum of about L.50 was left in the hands of the kirk-session, the interest of which, accordincr to the 1028 PERTHSHIRE. intention of the benevolent donor, is annually expended in coal for the behoof of the industrious poor of bis natiTe parish. The farmers drive the coal from Perth free of ezpenseu February 184a PARISH OF TIBBERMORE. PRESBYTERY OF PERTH, SYNOD OF PERTH AND STIRLING. THE REV. WEIR TULLOCH, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — The name which is commonly given to this parish by strangers is Tibbermuir, and sometimes Tippermuir ; but the pro- per name is undoubtedly Tibbermore ; for we 6nd it written in a charter granted by William the Lion, Tibbermoria ; in Fordun's History, Tybbermore ; and in a very ancient tombstone in the wall of the church, Tibberroire. This word signifies a great welU referring, in all probability, to a perennial spring that once issued from behind the church, and was long known by the name of ^' the Lady Well," but which has lately been carried away by the drain- ing of the adjacent field. Extent and Boundaries. — The parish is about six and a-half miles in length, and from one to three in breadth. It contains about 4700 Scots acres ; and is bounded on the north by the Pow and the Almond, which separate it from Methven and Redgorton ; on the east by the Tay and Perth ; on the south by Aberdalgie and Forteviot ; and on the west by Gask. Topographical Appearances, — This parish lies behind the high ridge which bounds the north of Strathearn, and falls with ft gradual declivity down to a level plain which is watered by the Pow and the Almond. The greater part of it, therefore, has a northern exposure. On the west there are several old planta- tions of Scotch fir, the wood of which is said to be of excelleat quality. There is a considerable extent of uncultivated moor, and a peat-moss, from which the farmers on the barony of Cultmalun- die have a right to cut turf for fuel. The eastern portion of the parish is studded with a number of neat comfortable houses, the seats of resident proprietors, most of TIBBERMQRE. l029 • wbich are surrounded with young tbriviog plantations, which add greatly to the beauty of the general landscape. But the most re- markable feature of the parish is a large plain or valley, which sinks down abruptly to a considerable depth below the surround- ing country. It is about three miles long ; and from a-quarter to three-quarters of a mile broad. On the south, north, and west, it is bounded by precipitous banks, rising from 50 to 100 feet high, while, on the east, it opens out into a level plain, which stretches onwards to the Tay. On digging a well into it lately, there was found beneath a thick bed of gravel, sand, and clay, a considerable depth of peat-moss. This fact, together with the general appearance of the banks, would almost seem to indicate that in some remote age it had been the basin of a fresh water lake. Now, however, it is the site of two of the most thriving es- tablishments in the parish. Hydrography. — The parish seems once to. have contained seve- ral wells of considerable note. One of the most celebrated of these was situated in the eastern part of the parish, at a place called the " Hole of Ruthven," in the neighbourhood of Perth. The civil and ecclesiastical records of that city testify that this well was long the source of great annoyance both to magistrates and ministers. Its virtues were so famous, thai neither the authority of the one, nor the admonitions of the other, although most rigorously applied, could deter the citizens from frequently trying their efficacy. The name of the place still remains, but the well has long since lost not only its fame, but its existence. The river Almond bounds the parish on the north. It is describ- ed at full length in the accounts of the parishes of Methven and Red- gorton. There is a stream of water taken off from this river, which runs through the parish. The dike or weir thrown across the river, at the point where this stream leaves it, is called " Low's Wark," and none can tell the origin of this name. We find from yarious indentures written upwards of three centuries ago, that the stream of water which issues from the Almond at " Low's Wark,** vras then, as it still is, called the " Mill- Lead," and that the family of Ruthven, with the town of Perth, and the proprietor of Balhousie, had mills upon it. Its great object seems, however, to have been to drive the mills of Perth, for it appears, from a charter of confirma- tion granted by James VI., 15th November 1600, that this aque- duct was regarded as belonging exclusively to the communky of 1030 PERTHSHIRE. Perth, although there can be do doubt that long before this the family of Ruthven and the Eviots of Balhousie had» b; special gnmt or otherwise, acquired a right to mills upon the course of it The community of Perth still possess their ancient rights oTer the ** Lead," and a committee of the town- council perambulate its banks every year, to see that they are kept in proper repair. The utility of* this I^ad has been greatly extended in modera times. Instead of the three mills which it originally drove, it now affords sufficient water power to drive the machinery of Huntingtower bleaehfield, the Ruthven mills and Ruthven printGeld, in the parish of Tibbermore ; and the Tulloch print6eld, the Balhousie millsi and the Perth mills, in the parish of Perth. Geology. — This parish, like most of the neighbouring, rests upon the red sandstone formation. In two or three places the sandstone is penetrated by trap dikes of considerable extent, where excellent quarf ies have been opened for making and repair- ing roads. The sandstone also is deemed of very superior quality, and has been quarried to a great extent. There are three quarries, which have been in operation for a number of years, and from which most of the stones used for building in Perth and the neighbourhood have been taken. II. — Civil History. Historical events. — This parish has been the site of several his- torical events of no small importance ; but, as most of them are rather national than local, they are to be found detailed at length in all our Scottish histories, and, therefore, it is not necessary to give any particular account of them in a work of this description. It was here that Gowrie, Mar, Lindsay, and the master of Glarob perpetrated that assault upon the liberty of James VI., which is commonly called the Raid of Ruthven. The castle where the King was first seized and for a time confined, is still standing and in con* siderable repair. It is now the property of General Cunningham, and was then called Ruthven, but now Huntingtower Castle. It was here that the Covenanters under Lord Elcho sustained a signal defeat from Montrose with his Irish auxiliaries. The raw untrain- ed bands which had been hastily raised in Fife, Perth, and Angus to oppose Montrose, were encamped in the south of the parish on the night before the battle, where traces of this encampment arestill in some places distinctly visible. There were indeed within these few years, men alive in the parish, who well remembered that it was TIBBERMORB. 1 031 in their youth no uncommon thing for those engaged in trenching the ground in the neighbourhood to find gun bullets, broken spears, and many other memorials of this disastrous battle, Land-Owners. — Until lately, this parish was divided into two large baronies, Huntingtower and CultQialundie, and, with the exception of about 500 acres, was entirely possessed by the Duke of Athole and the Earl of Kinnoul. The barony of Cultmalun* die is still the property of the Earl of Kinnoul, who, besides this, has recently purchased several other properties in the parish, so that he now possesses nearly twelve*twentieths of the whole pa« rish. He has no seat in the parish ; but.Dupplin Castle, his fa- mily residence, is in the immediate neighbourhood. The barony of Huntingtower was broken down into a number of small pro- perties, and sold by the late Duke of Athole, upwards of thirty years aga These properties were chiefly purchased by men who made their own fortunes, and were the founders of their own families. Those heritors who possess land in the parish of the yearly value of L.50 and upwards, besides the Earl of Kinnoul, are General Cunningham of Newton and Huntingtower ; the Glover Incorporation, proprietors of TuUilum ; Thomas Ritchie, Esq. of the Hill of Ruthven and South Black Ruthven ; William Dron, Esq. of North Black Ruthven and Marlefield ; the Rev, Dr Thomson of Ruthven Farm ; William S. TurnbuU, Esq, of Ruthven mills ; Thomas Duncan, Esq. of Ruthven Field ; Mrs Black of Law Grove ; John Martin, Esq. of Newhouse ; Thomas Millar, Esq. of Letham ; James Macmillan, Esq. of Alexanderia ; D. S. M^Lagan, Esq. of Ruthven House. Huntingtower bleach- field is the joint property of Robert Smythe, Esq. of Methven, and Sir John Richardson of Pitfour, Parochial Registers, — Our parochial registers do not extend farther back than 1724, nor do they appear to have been kept with great regularity for a considerable time after that period. Fo» the last thirty years, however, there has been a regular entry made of most of the births, deaths, baptisms, and marriages in the parish. ^n^tjmftVj.— Huntingtower Castle is a very ancient build- ing, but it does not appear to have ever been a place of great strength. It is chiefly interesting as the seat of the Gowrie family, who long performed a conspicuous part in the busir ness of the nation. Besides the Raid of Ruthven, and othef public transactions connected with this castle, tradition has 1032 PEUTUSlllRE. preserved the memory of a private exploit which has contri- buted in no small degree to its renown. The story, as told in Pennant's Tour, is this, ** A daughter of the Grst Earl of Gow* rie was courted by a young gentleman of inferior rank, whose pretensions were not countenanced by the family. When a visitor at the castle, he was always lodged in a separate tower from the young lady. One night, however, before the doors were shut, she conveyed herself into her lover's apartment, and some prying duenna acquainted the Countess with it, who, cutting off, as she thought, all possibility of retreat, hastened to surprise them. The young lady's ears were quick ; she heard the footsteps of the old Countess ; ran to the top of the leads, and took the desperate leap of 9 feet 4 inches over a chasm of 60 feet, and luckily lighting on the battlements of the other tower, crept into her own bed, where her astonished mother found her, and of course apologized for her unjust suspicion. The fair daughter did not choose to repeat the leap, but the next night eloped and was married.** The place between the two towers is still &miliarly known as the Maiden* 8 Leap. This castle, with the adjoining barony, became the property of the Athole family by a marriage with the Tulli- bardine family, who had received it from James VI. after its for- feiture by the Gowrie Conspiracy. It is now a mere appendage to a small portion of the ancient barony, and is let to a baker, who has converted the lower flat into dwelling-houses, and the upper flats into granaries for wheat, &c. Tibbermore was the residence of several bishops of Dun- keld, particularly of Bishop Geofl'rey and Bishop Sinclair, who both died here, the one in the year 1249, the other in 1337. During their times, the principal place of worship belonging to this parish was the Church of St Servanus, commonly called St Serf's Chapel, situated on the north side of the river Almond, and now within the parish of Redgorton. The desertion of this church is ascribed, by tradition, to the melancholy accident of a child of the Lord of Ruthven, who had been baptized there, hav- ing, on the way home, been drowned in the Altnond. III. — Population. In 1841, there were in the parish 359 families, consisting of 814 males and 847 females, in all 1661, being an increase on the population of 1831 of 437. This increase is to be accounted for by the revival of Ruthven printfield, which had been, for a num- TIBBERMOBE. 1033 ber of years, dormant, during which the population fell from 1634, which was its amount in 1821, to 1223, its amount in 1831. Character and Habits of the People. — The employments of the people are very various, and their characters are in no small de- gree influenced by their respective avocations. They may be di- vided into three great classes, — agriculturists, bleachers, and printers. With the exception of about twenty farmers, the agri- cultural population consists of ploughmen and cottars. There is some reason to fear that these last named classes are neither so intelligent nor so moral as they were 6fty years ago. The bothy system and the practice of our great landed proprietors accumu- lating on their estates great quantities of game, are daily producing havoc on the morals of our agricultural population. Migratory habits also operate most perniciously upon their general character. Most of them change their master and also their parish every year, 80 that it is scarcely possible to bring any of the usual means of religious instruction to bear with effect upon them. The bleachers are perhaps the most moral and religious portion of our population. Many of them live and die in the place where they were born. A strong attachment exists betwixt them and their respected employer, who maintains an affectionate but very firm discipline among them. Their temperate habits, their constant employment, and their regularly paid, though by no means high wages, enable them to maintain their families in comparative com- fort, and to give their children a respectable education ; and the result of this is, that fewer cases of scandal and fewer instances of abject poverty are to be found among them than in any other class in the parish. The character and habits of our calico-printers are, 1 believe, very similar to those in other parishes where they are to be found. IV. — Industry. Agriculture and Rural Economy. — The parish contains about 4670 Scots acres. The whole is arable, and in a high state of cultivation, with the exception of about 200 acres, which are un- der wood, and about 150 acres covered with heath and peat-moss. Rent of Land. — In the neighbourhood of Perth, there is some land let as high as L.5, 10s. per acre, while there is some in the parish as low as L.l. There are several farms let on a grain rent, which, of course, varies every year. On an average, the rent of the parish may be said to be from L.3 to L.l, 10s. per Scots acre. The valued rent of the whole parish is L.4921 Scotch 1034 PERTHSUUIE. money ; the real rent, as nearly as can be calculated, about L. 10,700 Sterling. Husbandry. — There is a considerable diversity of soil io this pa* rish. Upon the banks of the Almond, it is a sandy loam ; in the neighbourhood of Perth, it becomes stronger, and approaches to clay ; on the higher grounds, it is light and thin, on a gravelly bottom; towards the west, there is some deep dry black land, of an excel- lent quality ; but the greater proportion is on a tilly subsoil, which renders it naturally damp. Our farmers are all meo of capital and intelligence, and in general manage their farms according to the most approved modern systems. Draining has already been carried to a great extent on the wet soils, and is still going on with great vigour. Turnip husbandry is universally followed on those soils which are fit for it; and the practice of resting the land, by allowing it to be two or three years in pasture, is now be- come very general. By these means the average produce is great- ly above what it was twenty years ago. The gross value, as nearly as can be ascertained, is as follows :— Wheat, . L.4400 Pease, 960 Barley, 4116 Oats, 5883 Potatoes, . 4185 Turnips, . 2100 Hay, 8200 Pasture, 2100 QMarries, . . 600 Miscellaneous produce, 1360 Total yearly value of raw produce, L 28,904 Manufactories. — As early as 1774, Hun tingtower field wasform* ed for the purpose of bleaching linen cloth. This work was car- ried on with great spirit and success for forty years, by Messrs Richardson and Co., when it was let by the present proprietors. Sir John Richardson of Pitfour, and Robert Smythe, Esq. of Methven, to Messrs William Turnbull and Son. Under the energy and activity of the present lease-holder, the work has now become one of the first in Scotland. At present about 40 Scotch acres are covered with cloth. The quantity whitened annually is about a million and a-half of yards, besides from 80 to 100 tons of linen yarn for a power-loom factory in the neighbourhood. The number of people employed is about 150, of whom nearly one-third are women and boys. Immediately below this work, on the same Lead, are the flour and barley-mills, the property of Mr Turnbull, the tacksman of the bleachfield, at viVv\d\ ^ considerable amount of business is done. TIBBEBMORB. 1030 RutbYen printBeld occupies the next waterfaU on the Leadt About sixty years ago, this waterfall was employed in turning aa oil-mill, when Messrs Ross, Barland, Meliss, and Co. obtained a lease of the premises from the late Duke of AthoU, and erected upon it a bleachfield, which they carried on for a considerable time. They sold their lease to Messrs Young, Ross, Rich* ardson, and Co., who soon afterwards became proprietors of the place, and converted it into a printG^eld. This business was carried on by them for many years with great success, and to a very great extent. From 1000 to 1200 people were constantly employed at it, who printed goods to the value of nearly half a million Sterling annually. At length this company resolved to wind up their extensive and very prosperous business, and to sell the whole of their premises ; but, as it was some time before they could meet with a purchaser, the work lay dormant till 1830, when it was sold to the Messrs Duncan from Glasgow, the pre- sent proprietors. These gentlemen have revived the work, and are now carrying it on with great spirit. Nearly 2,000,000 of yards are printed by them, in every variety of style, for the home and foreign market At no other field has the printing of mousselines de laine been carried on with greater success, or to a greater extent, than at Ruthven. About two-thirds of the whole are performed by block-printing, and the remainder by machine- printing. There are employed at this work 188 men, 67 women, and 113 children ; among whom there are 5 drawers, 8 engravers, 19 cutters, and 123 printers. The average wages of the drawers are from Ii.1 to L.2, 10s. ; of the engravers, from 15s. to L.1, 10s. ; of the cutters, from L.1 to L.1, 10s. ; of the printer, from L.1 to L.1, 15s. per week. This is, of course, when they are constantly employed, which unfortunately has not been the case for these some years past; although it is generally allowed by the men themselves, that employment has been more regular at Ruthven field than at any other field in Scotland. V. — Parochial Economy. Villaffes. — The villages of this parish are now nearly all swept away. At one time, there was a large village of cottars and pendiclers at Wester Cultmalundie, who used to send to the moor with their herd, no less than eighty cows. Of this village, four small cottages are all that now remain. There was once a considerable village around the church, with its malt-barn and public-house; but this also is gone, with the exception of one house. 103<> P£RTHSHtRfi. SOW occupied by the church oflScer. There was also a vQIage of some extent at the Hole of Ruthveu, and there is still to be seen ID the ueighbourhood an old stone cross, where a regular market was wont to be held ; but the village is now no more. The only Tillages in the parish at present, are those at the two public works^ Huntingtower field and Ruthven field. Means of Communication. — The roads in the parish are in ge^ neral very good. The turnpike road to Crieff passes through it for about three miles, after which the line is continued to the west of the parish by a statute-labour-road, not much inferior to the turnpike. There is also a good statute-labour-road along the north of the parish to the new bridge of Almond, and it is inter* cepted from north to south by another excellent road. The roads are kept in good repair, and they are all of easy access from the principal farm-^teadings and public works. Ecclesiastical State. — The main body of the church is very an- cient It appears to have been built as early as 1632. The walls are very strong, and the whole fabric is in excellent repair. In the year 1810, the Ruthven Field Company were permitted to build an aisle to the north of the church for the accommodation of their work-people. This aisle was purchsised by the heritors in 1835 for L.120^ when about L.100 more was laid out in repairs on it and the rest of the church. The aisle is nearly as large as the church, and they both together contain about 600 sitters. This was nearly the legal amount of accommodation at that time; but the population, and also the church-going habits of the people have increased so much since, that every f^eat is occupied, and there is a constant demand for more. A considerable num- ber of families reside within a mile and a-balf of Perth, which is fully three miles from the parish church. Hence many of them find church accommodation in Perth. The. church is planted very near the centre of the parish, and must have been commodiously situated for the population when it was built The erection of the public works, however, has removed the great body of the people to a considerable distance, so that the ma- jority of the hearers travel from two to three miles to church. There is no Dissenting place of worship in the parish ; but there are two or three in the immediate vicinity, and there are in the parish about 70 families not connected with the Established Church. The manse was built in 1824 for the sum of L. 735. The of- TIBBERMORE. 1037 6ces are in good repair, and the accommodation ?ery ample. The stipend is 17 chalders, one-half barley and one-half meaU There are about 10 acres of glebe land, including the garden and the ground occupied by the manse and offices. The land is worth about L. 2, 10s. per acre. Education. — There are two schools in the parish, viz. the paro- chial school, in the neighbourhood of the church, and another at Ruthven field. The parochial school is taught by an assistant teacher, who is allowed a small salary by the heritors, and all the fees. The schoolmaster has retired, being allowed to retain the school-house, salary, and other emoluments. The school is at- tended, on an average, by about 40 children. The school at Ruth- ven field, with the exception of a free school-house, is entirely an adventure schooL Mr Duncan, the master of the work, guaran- tees L. 50 to the teacher, should the fees not amount to so much* but the fees are supposed to be rather above than below that sum* This school is attended by about 60 children through the day, and nearly as many in the evening. One great drawback to the edu- cation of this and many other parishes, is the early age at which children are permitted to enter public works. No one ought to be permitted to receive into his service any young person without a certificate from his minister, testifying that he can read the Scrip- tures with fluency, and write so as at least to be able to sign his own name. Poor and Parochial Funds, — There are about 20 regular pau* pers on the roll, besides several occasional, who require assist- ance to pay their house rent and to procure coals in winter. The regular paupers receive from 4s. to 12s. per month, besides house-rent and coal- money. The funds from which they are sup- plied are raised by assessment and church-door collections. The assessment is levied only from the heritors and farmers, and amounts to about L.70, and the church* door collections average nearly L.50 annually. Ale-houses, — There are 6 public-houses in the parish, which is at least 4 more than there ought to be ; but although it has been tried, it has not hitherto been found practicable to lessen their number. FueL — Coal is the principal article employed for fuel, which is brought to Perth in ships from Newcastle and the Fife collieries. There is a large peat-moss in the north-west of the parish, from 1038 PERTHSHIRE. which a considerable number of peats are dt^ every yean Brush* woody alsoi is eagerly bought up by the people for the same pur- pose. February 1849. PARISH OF DUNBLANE. PRESBYTERY OF DUNBLANE, SYNOD OF PERTH AND STIRLING* THE REV. WILLIAM MACKENZIE. MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name, — Dunblane is supposed to take its name from St Blane, a Culdee, and Holme Hill, an eminence or dun orerlook- ing the cathedral. Extent^ ^c. — The extent of the parish is about nine miles in length, by six in breadth. It is bounded by the parishes of Lecropt, Logie, Blackford, Muthill, Comrie, and Kilmadock. Its situation at the western termination of the Ochill range, and reaching to the •* braes of Doune," an offshoot of the Grampians, renders it, es- pecially around the " city" of Dunblane, well sheltered from the east wind ; the climate is consequently found to be salubrious to persons who suffer in an eastern exposure. Its position in the centre of Scotland exempts it equally from the damp of the west, and the cold of the east wind. Mineral Well. — The mineral well of Dunblane, two miles distant from the town, was casually discovered in 1814, and for a time, be- ing deemed more mild and safe, rivalled the well at Airthrey. The concourse of strangers promised to restore to Dunblane the stand- ing it had lost by the fall of Prelacy and loss of its bishop. The in- habitants used every effort to encourage this; but the refusal to do or permit what was necessary to render the discovery available, has kept Dunblane far behind its rival, — at which now has sprung up the beautiful and prosperous village of the Bridge of Allan. The analysis of the mineral spring, by John Murray, M. D., gave the following results : In a pint of water there are. Muriate of soda, . 24.gr.' of lime, 1 8. Sulphate of lime, . 3.5 Carbonate of lime, . 0.5 Oxide of iron, . .17 DUNBLANE. 1039 During the summer months a supply of the water is carried daily to a neat lodge erected close to the town. Rivers, — The rivers in this parish are the Allan and the Ardoch. Soih — The red sandstone formation underlies the whole of the parish, and its soil varies from gravel to a reddish clay. II. — Civil History. Dunblane is said to have been the residence of a Culdee fra- ternity. By David L it was erected into a Bishop's See. The names of thirty-one bishops have been handed down, of whom twenty-five were Popish. One of these was canon of St An- drews, and one of the three first professors in the infant uni- versity there. Another, Maurice, obtained the see, from being King Robert Bruce's chaplain at the battle of Bannockbura. A third. Bishop Chisholme, at the Reformation alienated the whole lands, and, as Spottiswood angrily asserts, utterly ^* wracked" the benefice. And a fourth, Graham, was the first bishop in Scot- land to give up the Episcopal office as unlawful, which he did in the very General Assembly that condemned Prelacy as unscrip- tural. A sixth, Ballanden, was the confidential correspondent and agent of Laud in introducing his Popish noveliies; and a seventh, was the distinguished Bishop Leighton. He was son of Dr Alexander Leighton, a sufferer under the tyran- ny of Laud, who publicly thanked God when Leighton was sentenc- ed to have his nose slit, his ears cut off, and his cheek burned, for an alleged libel, entitled Sion's Plea against Prelacy. Robert Leigh* ton, after being minister of Newbattle, and Principal of the Uni- versity of Edinburgh, was, by his Popish brother, Elisha, pri- vate secretary to James II., then Duke of York, and at the per- sonal solicitation of Charles II., persuaded to accept a bishoprick, and took Dunblane, as the poorest After vain attempts to re- concile Prelacy with Presbytery, he abandoned his office, broken- hearted, declaring that he ^^ would not have Christianity itself, much less a form of church government, planted in a country, at such expense of blood." His Commentary on 1st Peter is a model of excellence. He bequeathed his library to the clei^y of the diocese of Dunblane; and bis executors, being his sister, Sapphira, and her son, Edward Lightmaker, erected, at their own expense, a house to contain the books, and mortified L.dOO, the interest of which to go to a librarian, and to uphold the fabric, and add to the books. After the full establishment of Presbytery, Mr Lightmaker const it uted seven trustees, — the Right Honourable 1040 PERTHSHIRE. Viscount Strathallan, (whose right is now inherited by the Earl of Kinnoul,) Sir James Paterson of Bannockbum, Sir James Campbell of Aberuchill, John Graham, commissary-clerk of Dun- blane, and their heirs-male, the minister of Dunblane, and two other beneBced clergymen of the Presbytery of Dunblane, chosen by the Synod of Perth and Stirling. Various additions by will and purchase have been made to the books. Im 100 of the mortified money have been expended on the repair of the house. About 700 volumes have been lost during the last fifty years. The room has recently been refitted as a subscriptioD reading-room. By the new catalogue it appears that there are excellent editions of the classics, several works of the fathers, a host of obscure theological writings of the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth centuries, a thin sprinkling of publications of last cen- tury, and few or no modern publications. Land^umers, — The land-owners, in the order and amount of their valued rent, are as follows : — John Stirling, Esq. of Kippendavie, . L.2482 6 1 Seoto. The £arl of Kinnoul, in right of his lecond ton, 1445 3 4 Archibald Stirling, Esq. of Keir, . 811 IS 4 Sir James Campbell of Kilbryde, Bart. . 754 A. H. M. Belsher Esq. of Invermay, . 500 W. M. Murray, Esq. of Abercairney, . 452 D. Macgregor, Esq. of Balhaldie, . 426 13 4 Robert Gardner, Esq. of Hottearns, . 250 Alexander Smith, Esq. of Glassingall, . 210 13 4 Lord Abercromby, . 73 6 8 . Mrs Jane Lawrence of Rottearns, . 46 Rev. Thomas Young of Cask. ... 43 James Stirling, Esq. of Holmehill, . . 41 10 7 John Finlayson, Esq. of Greenhill, . 37 John and James Galloch, Esqs. . . 5 Total valued rent, L.7578 6 8 The real rental may amount from L.16,000 to L, 17,000. Antiquities. — The battle of Sheriffmuir took place in this parish in 1716, between the Earl of Mar and the Marquis of Ai^le, which established the throne in the house of Hanover. The great relic of antiquity in this parish is its cathedral. Date of its erection uncertain, possibly 1140, in the reign of David I. None of the diocesan records are known to exist The nave is 130 feet by 58. It was unroofed probably at the Re- formation. The choir, which is the parish church, is 80 feet by 30. There were no transepts. The tower is 128 feet high, and seems, from its three different styles of architecture, to have been erected in three successive periods. Probably a church 4 DUNBLANE. 1041 with a tower, both in the earliest style, was afterwards enlarged into the nave, and had the choir added at a subsequent period. Some of the prebend stalls, in curiously carved oak, are placed in the lobby of the parish church, and the original Popish roof is still over the choir. The windows of the choir were renewed at considerable expense, in the ornamented Gothic style, in 1819, and the interior having been then repaired at the instance of the Earl of Kinnoul, the whole appearance of the parish church is striking and elegant. The ruins of the bishop's palace are still to be seen to the south of the cathedral, both overhanging the Allan. Kilbryde castle is the ancient seat of the Campbells of Aberu- chill, a family once honourably distinguished for support of the Reformation and revolution settlements. There is no mansion on Cromlix, the Episcopal heritage, now Lord Kinnoul's. Keir and Kippendavie houses are substantial modern mansions. Parochial Registers. — The parochial registers have been pre- served with considerable care. The Presbytery records of Dunblane extend back as far as 1616. The record of the Episcopal synod of Dunblane, from 1662 to 1683, is extant, comprehending the whole of Leighton's Epis^io- pate. It might be interesting to some if published. 1 1 1. — POPULATJ ON. So little encouragement having been given to public improve- ments, Dunblane has been as neglected a spot as any in Scotland. It contains 1800 inhabitants, a great number of whom are ex- tremely poor, and some in the lowest degradation and wretcbednes.«<. The population of the whole parish is 3367, including 631 in the portion assigned to the district of Ardoch quoad sacra, A violent settlement of a parish niinister, about a century ago, scattered the Established congregation, and it has never been well gathered since. IV. — Industrv. On the estates of Keir and Kippendavie, there has been every modern improvement in agriculture and buildings ; but in conse- quence of the tenure on which the Cromlix property is held, there have not been many improvements on it. There are three manufacturing establishments in the parish at Dunblane, and mill of Keir and Kinbuck, together with a con- siderable number of private looms in the town. At present there is a very great depression and want of employment. peHth. 3 u 1042 PEnXHSIllUE. V. — Parochial Economy. Market'Towny 8fc. — Dunblane is a market-town*,* Kinbiick is a village with 125 inhabitants. There is a post-oflSce in Dunblane. Three mails and three sta^-coaches pass through daily. The only bridge of importance is that over the Allan in Dunblane ; very old and very narrow, and being on the roail- road between Glasgow and Perth, it loudly calls for enlarge- ment. The parish church is the chancel of the cathedral, in the most convenient place for the parish ; date of erection un- certain ; walls in good repair, but roof very old, and not deemed quite safe. The accommodation does not amount to 500 sittings : very inadequate for so populous a parish. AH the seat3 allocated, and all therefore free ; but numbers are excluded. 'J^he manse was built in 1829, and is one of the largest and handsomest in Scot- land. The glebe is four acres in extent, and having been lately well fenced, brings a rent of L.i5. The amount of stipend last year was L.277. There are three Dissenting chapels belonging to . the United Secession ; two in Dunblane and one in Greenloan* ing. The stipends are said to be L.ldO, L.dO, 1^60. A room in Dunblane is at present hired for a few Episcopalians, The number of communicants in the Established Church, in July 184% was 444. Education, — There is one parochial school, besides four unen- dowed, and two schools supported by individual subscription. There is still, however, a considerable deficiency of education. Libraries, — Besides Leighton's library, there are two others of religious books. Savings* Bank, — A savings' bank was established about a year and a-half ago, which the great depression of trade has kept from making much progress. Poor and Parochial Funds, — The average number of poor on the roll is 45, among whom from L.6 to L.7 are divided every fortnight. The voluntary assessment amounts to L.250. The church collections average L.30. There is little disposition among the poor to refrain from seeking parochial relief. Prison. — A new prison was erected last year by the Prison Board, for the western district of Perthshire. It contains eight cells and a house for the jailor. * The sheriflf.substitute of the western district of Perthshire resides in DunUanei Connected with his court there are a sheriff- clerk, procurator- fiscal, and four other practising altorue'jv SCONE. 1043 Ale-houses. — Forty years ago, there were 41 houses where spi- rits, &c. were retailed. In 1831, there were 2*2, and at present there are 16. The evils in connection with such houses have been incalculable. February 184a PARISH OF SCONE. PRESBYTERY OF PERTH, SYNOD OF PERTH AND STIRLING. THE REV. JAMES CRAIK, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. ATame.— The common name, for a long period, given to this f>arish is Scone, sometimes written and generally pronounced Scoon. Its vulgar pronunciation, Scin, or Skuyn, is frequently heard among the older inhabitants. It receives from Slezer, in his Theatrum Seotiae, the names both of Scoon and Skuyn. Scone, it is well known, became distinguished very early in Scottish history. It was probably a royal residence even before the subversion of the Pictish monarchy. Analogy would, there- fore, lead us to look for its name in the old British language. The situation of the old castle, and tlie grounds adjoining it, to which alone, properly speaking, the name of Scone applies, tend to confirm this conjecture. It is a gentle ascent, which, gradually rising from the Tay, extends into the interior of the parish with little interruption for a mile or two, when it attains an elevation of some hundred feet. In strict accordance with this topogra- phical fact, we find that, in the Welsh language, ysgwn^ or ysgyn^ (pronounced iscoon^ or iscin^) signifies " a rising," " an ascending," f^ a rising or ascending ground." This seems the most probable etymology of the term Scone, or Scin, as vulgarly pronounced. The common derivation of Scone, from the Gaelic sgdin or shiin^ *alariaf Hieracium syWaticum *Kpilot)iuni angu&ttfoliuai *Linn*a bofealis Cnicua heterophyllus Pyrola uniflora^ Geranium sanguineum Doronieum pmrdaliancbea Sapooaria officinalis ........i.......^ sylyaticum Pyreihrum partheoiiuii Silene inflata * pretense Centaiirea scabion ........^ maritima§ Genista anglica Orchis maacida * Viburnum opulus Fumaria capreolata ,.. latiifolia *Adoia Moschatellina Hesperis matronalis ■■„ conopaeH *Agrimonia Eupatoria Vicia sylvatica ^.^.^^^.^^ Bifblia ilubus SMxatilis *Oroleus syWaticus *£U|uisetuiii byemale Uosa spinosissima (I *Ornithopu8 perpusillus ^Botrychium lunaria ...^.^.. involuta Astragalus glycyphyllos Aq;>lenittm trichonrtanea .^ «^ Sabini Trifolium arvense ..««,........^ ^ Adianfam iii> *Chelidonium majus Hypericum quadrangulum grum Thalictrum minus «>... .... humifusum Aspidium diUtatum "Ranunculus hirsutus ^^ ,.^^>-,,,^ perfbratuin ,,.«..,..-^^- Fnix-maa Malva moscbata ^.,.^ , ... hirsutum <...i.. fbemiiui ^Clinopodium vulgare ..«.■ pulcbrum Blechnum boreale '* Agaricus campestrisy common mushroom/' it is added^ *^ grows in extraordinary abundance in Scone Park, interspened copiously with Bovista niffrescens, snuff-box fungus, more sparingly with Agarictis oreadesy small pale mushroom, interesting from its growing in fairy rings, occasionally with the highly poisonous Ago* ricus semiglobatus^ grey-mottled mushroom ; and Affaricus Geor* giiy large yellow mushroom, frequently mistaken for Agarieuteam* pestris, but which, from its tough quality, is infinitely inferior for the table, if at all tit for it, and may easily be distinguished by its yellowish whftegills, and smooth thick yellow stalk/' It is said that those kinds of mushrooms that are wholesome in one country are not so in another. In great Britain, the Agaricus campestrisy the A. pratennsy or oreades^ and the A. Georgiiy are the only roots that it is safe to eat, while the A, muscarius and A. virosus areex- *f- This plant is said to be the frequent cause of black or smut in wheat. X This abundant hal>itat of Ft/rolann {flora is referred to in the Statistical Account of Redgorton ; but a wrong description of it is given in consequence of the bridge of Isia road having been mistaken fur that to Cupar Angus. The habitat here given has been verified by personal inspection. § Of this plant the writer remarks, '^ we regret that we cannot enter into SrW. J. Hooker's arrangement of this plant, in his Flora Scotica, who makes it only the variety /8 of iiijlata. The two plants are dissimilar in every particular. The flower of the maritima is always crowned and cleft beyond the middle, that of the other is generally naked and not cleft so deep : the stalk of the former is simple, with not more than three terminal flowers, that of the latter forked and many flowered ; th« root of the former is creeping with long runners, that of the other fibrous; the cap- sule of the former is round, that of the latter ovate." II " The Scottish roses are yet in a very unsatisfactory state. It is not even defini- tively settled what should constitute a species in this genus ; but this is the most de- cidedly marked of the whole, and is the original of all those uncultivated varieties known in the Gardens as Scottish roses. These all retain the characteristic of this* of creeping extensively with their roots, which is one of the greatest inconveniences in their cultivation. The brilliant colouring of Jiosa im^otuta might perhaps reward tlic trouble of similar improvements in the cultivation of that species. ** ^ Nol\nd\^QU0U^\T\\\\UsUv.\ati6n.t though it has withstood the severest winters. SCONE. 1047 tremely poisonous. But in other countries of Europe it is different. — Vid. Art. Agaricus, Vol. i. P. Cyclop. There are extensive plantations on the same estate) belonging to the Earl of Mansfield, consisting chiefly of oak, larch, Scotch fir, and various sorts of useful and ornamental trees. And in other parts of the parish, there is a considerable quantity of larch, and also hard-wood of various kinds. II. — Civil History. Scone is well known to have early obtained historical import- ance. It received, it would appear, the title of the '^ Royal city of Scone," so early as a. d. 906, or a. d. 909 ; by another calculation, the Pictish Chronicle informs us that Constantine, the son of Ed, and Kellach the bishop, together with the Scots, solemnly vowed to ^^ observe the laws and discipline of faith, the rights of the churches and of the Gospel, on the Hill of Credu- lity near the Royal city of Scoan (SconCk)" ** Here," it has been remarked, *^ we have an account, not only of a very early nation* al (Council, but of one that mav be reckoned a council of Culdees. The very language in which the result of their meeting is expres- sed, indicates a very different spirit from that which characterized the generality of subsequent councils. We hear nothing of the authority of the pope or of bishops. The laws and discipline of faith, the rights of the churches and of the Gospel, is a style of writing peculiar to an age comparatively unadulterated." If the Stone of Destiny was transferred by Kenneth Mac Al- pine from Dunstaffnage, in Argyleshire, to Scone in a. d. 838, we may see a reason for the title of " Royal city of Scone," which seems to have been acquired before the meeting of the ecclesias- tical council. One of the most memorable of the combats with the Danes was fought at Collin near Scone, in the time of Donald IV«, the son of Constantine II., for the possession of this stone. This must have been previous to a. d. 904, in which year Donald fell in battle at Forteviot. It is said that a religious house was es- tablished at Scone when the stone was transferred by Kenneth Macalpine. There seems no doubt that there was a foundation of Culdees at this place before the reign of Alexander L We might indeed infer this from the circumstance, that the church of Scone at that early period was dedicated to the Holy Trinity, the esta- blished mode of dedication with this religious body. We learn from the ^^ Chronicle of Mailros," that in 1115 the church of Scone was delivered up to canons regular, who deprived the CuU 1048 PEUTHSHIRE. dees of almost all their possessions. The abbey then rounded was dedicated to the Trinity and Michael the Archangel. The re. sidents were canons regular of St Augustine, under the direction of a prior, and had various privileges conferred on them. The abbey wall is supposed to have enclosed about twelve acres. Dur- ing the reign of Alexander, Scone seems to have been occasional- ly a royal residence, and, like St Andrews and other places in which monasteries were established, it was a market for foreign na« tions. Alexander addressed a writ to the merchants of England, inviting them to trade at Scone, and promising ibem protection, on condition of their paying a custom to the monastery. This custom was an impost on all ships trading with Scone, from which it appears to have been anciently a port. About a mile from the river there was at a comparatively recent period, a bog called the full sea mcre^ which, according to tradition, had been covered by the tide, and in which, when digging for a pond, stones similar to those in the bed of the Tay were found. Whatever may be tht value of the commonly received fact, as to the transference of the fntal stone to Scone, there can be no doubt that many of the Scottish kings were inaugurated here. Here, also, during the reiga of Culen, there was a great assembly of the states convoked for the purpose of oganizing the government of the nation.* According to Buchanan, Culen was slaiu on his way to this as- sembly, near the village of Methven, by Rohard, or Radend the thane, whose daughter he had violated.-f- At this assembly the bold and energetic Kenneth III. was crowned, and several import- ant statutes were enacted, which are said to be dated at the "Royal Palace of Scone." 1 have not, however, been able to verify this statement by any inspection of these statutes. It does not appear that any of the competitors for the throne, left vacant by the death of Kenneth, were crowned at Scone. Constantine IV., a son of Culen, is regarded as having been crowned first. He, within a year, was succeeded by a son of King Duff, who assumed the sove- reignty under the name of Kenneth IV. and is known as Kenneth the Grim. But neither in their coronation, nor in that of Mal- colm II., the son of Kenneth III., whose reign, during its earlier • Que saniores ciant e nobilitate, duplici inalo circumventi, ac, de summa rerum consuftare coacti, conventum publicum Sconani indicunt. — Buch. Lib. vi. ■f Ibi rex adesse jussus, ut ui)a cum ceteris, in tam pracipiii rerum statu, saluti publici prospicerct * * * Igitur cum Scoiiaui irtit, satis magno comitatu, sed inil'clli, ac jam ad Methuanum vicum propinquum provenisset, a Thano rcgionis, ob slupriun per vim filiae Ulatum, estoccisus. — Buch. Lib. vi. SCONE. 1049 portion, was spent in almost constant conflicts with the Danes, does theni seem to have been any ceremony of inauguration on the fatal stone ; and the next notice of Scone is as the place at which Malcolm IIL, surnamed Canmore^ was declared King on, according to the best authorities, the 25th of April 1057, the FestiYal of St Mark. Of the immediate successors of Malcolm, Eldgar, his son, is said to have been crowned at Scone, A. D. 1098. As already noticed, the transference of the religious house at Scone, from the Culdees to the Canons regular of St Augustine, is said to have taken place during the reign of Alexander L in 1115. According to Keith, " the Canons regular of St Augustine were first brought to Scotland by Atelwolphus, Prior of St Oswald of Nostel, in York- shire, and afterwards Bishop of Carlisle, who established them at Scone at the desire of Alexander I. A writer (the author of Sconiana, Edin. 1807), asserts, without quoting any authority, that ^* the Culdees led very profligate lives, and were dismissed by Alexander/' Sir James Balfour, under the year 1114, has the following statement ; *< After the death of Edgar, his brother Alexander, surnamed Ferss, succidit him. Quhill he was a print man, he had at his christening, by the donatione of hes vnckell, Donald Bane, Earle of Gowrey, the lands of Liffe and Innergow- rey, quher, in the first zeire of his raing, he began then to bnld a staitly palace and castle, bot was interrupted by the rebells of Meimes and Murray, quho besett him in the night, and had. doubtesley killed him, had not Alexander Carrone firmly carried the King save away * * * and by a small boat saived themselves, to Fyffe and the south pairts of the kingdom, where he raised ane armey, and marched against the forsaid rebells of Meirnes and Murray, quhome he totally overthrew and subdewed, for which great mercy and preservatione, in a thankful retribution to God, he foundit the monastarey of Scone ; and too it gave hes first lands of Liffe and Innergowrey, in A© 1114." This foundation of the monastery, in 1114, may have paved the way for the dismission of the Culdees in the following year. Wo have no means of ascertaining whether there was any connection between this step and the long contest in which Alexander was engaged with the English archbishops, on the subject of their as* sumed authority over the Scottish church ; but after Eadmer had been compelled to resign the bishoprick of St Andrews, and his petition to be restored had been rejected by the King, we find 1050 PERTHSHrRE. Robert Prior of Scone appointed to that Episcopal throne. 6at« four informs us that David, the imnkediate successor of Alexander,. ~ was crowned at Scone ; and we learn from several sources, that Matilda^ or Maud, the wife of David, the daughter of the Earl of Northumberland, and widow of Simon de St Liz, Earl of North* ampton, was interred heror At Scone, also, Malcolm IV., as yet only in his twelfth year, is said to have been crowned ; and here, about a. d. 1163, the Bishop of St Andrews delivered ao address to the King on the subject of the vow of chastity, by which it is alleged he had bound himself, at a great national council held for the especial purpose of taking this vow into con- sideration. The coronation of Alexander III. took place *< at Scone on the Idth" of July, the Bishop of St Andrews knighting the King, as well as placing the crown on his head. * * Aft^r the corona- tion oath had been administered to the King, both in Latin, and in French, the language of the nobility, he was placed upon the sacred Stone of Destiny, which stood before the cross in the eastern end of the church ; and while he there sat with the crown on bis head, and the sceptre in his hand, a gray-headed Highland bard stepping forth from the crowd, addressed to him a long genealo- gical recitation in the Gaelic tongue, in which, beginning, " Hail Alexander, King of Albion, son of Alexander, son of William, son of David, &c. he carried up the royal pedigree through all its generations to the legendary Gathelus, who married Scota, the daughter of Pharaoh, and was the contemporary of Moses. It may be doubted if Alexander understood a word of this savage paean, but he is recorded to have expressed his gratification, by liberally rewarding the venerable rhapsodist." Pict, Hist.of £ng« land, Book iv. chap. i. It was at Scone that the General Convention of the States was held after the death of Alexander's daughter, the Queen of Nor- way, and of his son, Alexander, the Prince of Scotland, in his twentieth year. Margaret of Norway had left only an infant daughter. " On the 5th of February 1284, the Parliament was assembled at Scone, when the estates of the kingdom solemnly bound themselves, failing Alexander and any children he might have, to acknowledge for their Sovereign the Norwegian Princess, * the Maiden of Norway,' as she is called by the old writers." Her marriage with her cousin, the son of Edward L of England, was afler>Natds agreed to ; but having set sail for Britain^ she fell^ SCONE. 1051 sick on her passage, and, landing on one of the Orkney Islands, died there about the end of September 1290, in her eighth year. This event, as is well 'known, was most disastrous for Scotland, but it is not necessary to do more than refer to the competition ibr the Crown that then took place ; — to the claims of Edward to be Lord Paramount of Scotland ; — and to the final decision pro- nounced by him on the 17th November 1292, in the great hall of the Castle of Berwick, ^* that John Baliol should have seisine of the kingdom of ScotlaniL" On the 19th, ** the Great Seal, that had been used by the Regency, was broken into four parts, and the pieces deposited in the Treasury of England, in testimony, as it was said, to future ages, of England's right of supe/iority over Scotland. The next day, Baliol swore fealty to Edward at Norham. On the dOth (St Andrew's day) he was solemnly crowned at Scone." Two years afterwards, that is, towards the latter end of 1294, we find a Parliament assembled at Scone« Even the degraded Baliol had been now somewhat roused against the unrelenting tyranny of Edward, and the nobles also became convinced that it was necessary to make some effort to -cast off the yoke. This Parliament directed, ^^ that all Englishmen maintained at the Court should be dismissed, and then appointed a council of four bishops, four earls, and four barons, without whose advice the King was restricted from performing any public acL" The suspicions of Edward having been awakened by such proceedings, he made demands, that certain towns to the south of Scotland should be delivered up, and, advancing into the king- dom at the head of a powerful army, reduced Baliol to a state of the most abject submission. Edward penetrated to the north ns far as Elgin. " It was on his return from this triumphal progress, that he ordered the famous stone, on which the Scottish Kings had been wont to be crowned, to be removed from the Abbey of Scone, and conveyed to Westminster, in testimony, says Heming- ford, an English contemporary chronicler, of the conquest and surrender of the kingdom. He appears to have been at St John- stone's, or Perth, on Wednesday the 8th of August 1296." A few years afterwards, a. d. 1800, in an account of the wardrobe of Edward, there is a particular account of the sum expended on this stone, in having it fixed in a new chair, &c. Although not mentioned in the Treaty of Northampton, (a. d. 1328), it was then^ as we shall see, stipulated that the stone should be restored. This, however, like the other conditions of that treaty, were never 1052 PERTHSHIRE. complied with, and, consequently, with the other articles pillaged by Edward, it still remains in England. ** This fatal stone," says Sir Walter Scott, ** was said to have been brought from Ire- land by Fergus, the son of Eric, who led the Dalriads to the shores of Argyleshire. Its virtues are preserved in the celebrated leonine verse : ** Ni faUat fatum, Scot! quocuiiqiie locatum IiiTenicnt lapidem, regDwre tenentur ibidem. •» ** There were Scots who hailed the accomplishment of the pro- phecy at the accession of James VI. to the crown of England, and exulted that, in removing their palladium, the policy of Ed- ward resembled that which brought the Trojan horse in triumph within their walls, and which occasioned the destruction of their royal family. The stone is still preserved, and forms the support of King Edward the Confessor's chair, which the sovereign occu- pies at his coronation ; and independent of the divination, so long in being accomplished, is in itself a very ancient remnant of ex- treme antiquity.'* In preparing this chair for the coronation of her present Majesty, some small fragments of this stone were broken off. I have been assured by a geological friend who contrived to obtain part of them, that stone, of exactly the same kind, is to be found in some of the quarries on the Scone property. Edward seems to have carried nwav, besides the stone, the regalia of Scotland. John Baliol is said to have been stripped of the regal ornaments when he surrendered his kingdom after the battle of Dunbar. When, therefore, Robert Bruce was crowned and inaugurated at Scone, 27th March a. d. 1306, neither the ancient crown nor the stone could have been used. A circlet or ring of gold, was hast- ily prepared for the occasion, and the Bishop of Glasgow furnbhed robes and a banner. The ceremony was performed on the 27th by the Bishop of St Andrews; and on the 29th, Isabella, sister of Duncan Earl of Fife (whose family had the privilege of crown- ing the Kings of Scotland,) and wife of the Earl of Buchan, hav- ing secretly repaired to Scone, placed the crown on the King^s head, in assertion of the pretensions of her family. At this coro- nation there were present William of Larabyrton, Bishop of St Andrews ; Robert Wisheart, Bishop of Glasgow ; the four bro- thers of Bruce, Edward, Nigil, Thomas, and Alexander ; his ne- phew, Thomas Randolph of Strathdon; his brother-in-law, Chris- topher Seaton of Seaton ; Malcolm, fifth Earl of Lennox; John of Stralhbogie, tenth Earl of Aihole; Sir James Douglas; Gil- SCONE* 1053 bert de la Haye of Errol, and his brother Hugh de la Haye ; David Barclay of Cairns in Fife ; Alexander Eraser, brother of Simon Fraser of Oliver Castle ; Walter de Somerville of Linton and Carnwath ; David of Inchmartin ; Robert Boyd ; and Robert Fleming. — Lord Hailes' Annals. During the reign of Robert Bruce, that Parliament was held at Scone, in December 1318, at which it was enacted that, in the event of the King dying without issue male, his successor should be Robert Stewart, son of the Princess Marjory and of Walter, the Lord High Steward of Scotland ; and that, should Robert be a minor at the time of the King's death, Randolph, Earl of Mo- ray, should be his tutor. In this Parliament many other laws were passed. AH were required to assume military attire, which was minutely described. Churchmen were prohibited from purchasing Papal bulls, and absentees residing in England were required to draw no money out of Scotland. The enactment respecting the succession was, in some measure, rendered of no avail by the birth of a son to the King at Dunfermline 1323, who, after a long mi- Dority, became King of Scotland under the title of David II. la the various conferences that were carried on about this time be- tween Scotland and England, the coronation stone that bad been removed from Scone by Edward was demanded, but at that period the negociations were broken off without any settlement of the disputes. The restoration of the stone, though omitted in the treaty of Northampton, of which the original duplicate is preserved among the archives in the general Register- House in Edinburgh, was stipulated by a separate instrument. The stone, as is well known, was never restored. This treaty was most unpopular in England ; and so much opposition was felt to the restoration of the fatal stone, that the populace of London " arose iu a riotous manner, and would not suffer that emblem of the conqqest of Ed- ward I. to be removed." In the treaty, it was agreed that all in- struments and charters having relation to the independence of Scotland should be delivered up to Robert Bruce. Edward, when at Scone, had mutilated the ancient cliartulary of that Abbey, and carried away some of its charters, his object being to destroy every monument connected with the antiquity and independence of the nation. The treaty, though ratified by Parliament, was never promulgated, nor does it appear among the ancient records. The coronation of David II. took place at Scone with the usual solemnities, in 133 i, when that prince was in his eighth year, on. 1054 PERTHSHIRE. which occasion he was knighted by the Regent Randolph, and then conferred this distinction on several of the nobility. When the assistance of the English King had enabled Edward Baliol to invade Scotland, and his success in the battle of Dupplin emboldened him to take possession of Perth, where he was joined by many of the disaffected, he was crowned at Scone on the 24di September 1332. After the restoration of David IL, who returned from France in his eighteenth year, and, with his wife, landed at Inverbervie on the 4th of May, Scone is mentioned as the place where the Parliament assembled. It was in a Parliament held at Scone in March 1363, that David Bruce, whose weakness con- trasts so unfavourably with the gallantry of his illustrious father, and whose wife had died childless the year before, proposed that Lionel, Duke of Cambridge, Edward's third son, should be chosen to fill the Scottish throne in the event of his dying without issue. The proposal was rejected with indignation. After the death of David in February 137 1, his nephew Robert, the Steward of Scot- land, ascended the throne. During his reign, a Parliament was held at Scone, in which the succession of his children by his first wife, Euphemia, was set aside in favour of his former children by Elizabeth More. This king was succeeded by his son John, who was crowned at Scone under the name of Robert III., the name John having been unfortunate for kings, both of England and France; and here also, it is said, was the Parliament held at which David, the King's eldest son, afterwards starved to death in Falkland, was created Duke of Rothsay, and Robert, the King's brother, Duke of Albany. Buchanan, however, states, that this Parliament was held at Perth, and notices, that these were the two first Scottish dukes. '* Hie sane honoris titulus turn pri- mum inter Scotos, magno ambitionis, nullo virtutis incremento, est celebratus : nee cuiquam postea feliciter cessit." — Buch. Lib. x. The next interesting incident at Scone was the coronation of James I. and his queen. He had married, on the 24tfa of Fe- bruary 1424, the Lady Joanna Beaufort, the daughter of the Duchess of Clarence by her first husband, the Duke of Somerset, and the descendant of Edward III., to whom he is said to have become attached some years before. The treaty for his liberation from^fais long imprisonment in England had been concluded in September 1423, but he is said to have seen and admired his fu- ture queen from his prison in the Round Tower in Windsor Castle, and ibal lV\\s suggested his poem of " The King's Quhair." " He SCONE. W55 arrived in Scotland on the 5th of April 1424, and on the 21st of May was solemnly crowned with his queen in the usual venerated sanctuary, the Abbey Church of Scone." From this time the importance of Scone greatly diminished. It was neither the place at which the immediate successors of James were crowned, nor where the legislative assemblies were lield during their reigns. The abbey must have given it some importance in an ecclesiastical point of view, but Edinburgh had now become the seat of civil government, as it was the metropolis of Scotland. Passing over more than sixty-four years, the next coronation which took place at Scone was that of James IV. After the funeral of bis father in the Abbey of Cambuskeneth, James was overwhelmed with remorse for his undutiful conduct. He immediately pro- ceeded to Perth, and thence to Scone Abbey, where he was crowned with the usual rejoicings on the 26th of June 1488, in his sixteenth year. Both James V. and Mary were crowned at Stirling, so that the next notice of Scone occurs after the lapse of more than seventy years. On the 11th of May 1559, John Knox preached a sermon at Perth against the mass, idolatrous worship, and the adoration of saints and images. From the zeal of the people in the Protestant cause, and the daring opposition of the Roman Catholics to the doctrines delivered by Knox, the altar, images, and other ornaments of the church were torn down and destroyed. In their subsequent destruction of the monasteries, the people acted in conformity with the wisdom said to have been inculcated by Knox, " that the best way to keep the rooks from returning, was to pull down their nests,** On the 14th of June, the church at St Andrews was stripped of its images and pictures, and the motiasteries overthrown ; and on the 27th of the same month, it would appear, the abbey and other religious houses at Scone were burned to the ground by a furious mob, who had come from Dundee on this work of destruction. This has been de- scribed as having been done ^^ under the auspices of Knox ;" but it is right to quote his own words from his " Historie.'* Having mentioned the provocation given to the populace by the Bishop of Murray and his friends, who were living there, and noticed what seems to have been the Bishop's palace, he adds, ** So was that abay and plaice (palace ?) appointed to sackage; in doing whereof, they tuk no lang deliberation, but committed the hollo (whole) to the merciment of fyre, whereat no small number of ajs 1056 PERTHSHIBE. were oflfendit." About this period, all the rights and pasaessioiM of the Abbey of ScoDe passed into the hands of the family of Gowrie. Such was the state of affairs until 1600, when the whole was forfeited to the Crown, in consequence of the myste- rious conspiracy, as it is called, of John Earl of Gowrie and his brother Alexander, the sons of William, Earl of Gowrie, who had been beheaded in 1584, for his share in the Raid of Ruthven. This affair occurred in August 1600, and soon after an act of annexation was passed by the legislature, by which the lands, lord- ships, baronies, &c. which pertained to the abbacy and monastery of Scone, were annexed and incorporated to the Crown. In 1605 or 1606, a considerable portion of the Gowrie estates was takes from the Crown's patrimony, and erected into a temporal lordship in favour of David Lord Scone. He had been Sir David Murray of Gospertie, a descendant of Sir William Murray of Tullibar* dine, also ancestor of the Dukes of Athol. Previous to this, he had received various marks of distinction, having enjoyed, besides his other honours, the office of Ranger of the Lowlands and Fo- rester of the Woods. He was Master of the Horse, Captain of the Guards, and cup-bearer to James VI., and was created Lord Scone in 1604 or 1605, and Viscount Stormont 1621. In a charter, of date 1616, he is stvled David Lord Scone. The represen- tative of the family is William David Murray, Earl of Mansfield, lineal descendant of Sir David Murray, and through him, enjoy- ing all the Scottish titles and property, to which large additions have been made, together with the English honours of his great- grand-uncle, the Chief Justice. There seems to be no authority, by charter or otherwise, for the title of Hereditary Keeper of the Palace of Scone, commonly assigned to the representative of the family. The property was erected into a temporal lordship in hr vour of Sir David Murray, but neither in this, nor in any subsequent charter, is there any reference to this office, the whole property, with all rights and privileges appertaining, having been entirely severed from the Crown, with the following reservation in the statute of 1606 : ^^ Reservand and exceptand all ways furth of this present act and erection all regalities, and all privileges' thereof, possessed by the abbots and titulars of Scone of before, to remain with our Sovereign Lord and his Highness' successors, and their Crown, in* separable in all time hereafter." Subsequently to this period. Scone was not marked by the oc^ SCONE. 1057 currence of many public events. The ecclesiastical palace and abbey having been destroyed, the rest of the town may have also suffered. It is probable, however, that, ^s soon as the rights and possessions of the ancient abbey passed into the hands of the Gowrie family, a residence would be built. It seems to have been erected between the abbey and the river, and perhaps was called a palace, as being nearly on the site of the palace occupied by the Bishop of Murray, and burned to the ground. At ail events, the Gowrie family appears to have had a residence at Scone in 1593. The lands erected into a temporal lordship in favour of David Lord Scone, ancestor of the Stormont family, have ever since continued in their possession. They consequently belonged to Viscount Stormont in 1651, when the coronation of Charles IL took place at Scone. The circumstances of this coronation are minutely detailed in a small quarto printed at Aberdeen, entitled " The Fonn and Order of the Coronation of Charles the Second, King of Scotland, England, and France and Ireland, as it was acted and done at Scone, the first day of January 1651." From this account, it appears that the house partially built, probably by the Gowrie family, and subsequently by Lord Scone or his de- scendants, was regarded in some respects as a palace. We read of the King being conducted from his bed-chamber to his ^^ cham- ber of presence," and that he was there placed in a chair, under * From a List of the ftfagistrates of Perth, with such occurrences ns happened under their magistracy, printed in the second vf)lume of '* The Muses ThVenodlc, Perth, 1774,*' we learn that John Earl of Gowrie was provost of Perth from 1592 to 1600, although during part of that time be was abroad. Sir David Murray of Gospetrie is entered uncier that title as provost in 1601, 1602, and 1603, but, in 1604, he appears as David Ix>rd Scone, and. in 1621, for the first time, as David Viscount Stormont. The Inst year in which he filled that office was 16*27. He was elected provost on 6th October 1628, but by a decree of the Lords of the Secret Council of the 21st February, the election was declared illegal. The Viscount wa«i laid aside, and Peblis of Chapelhill elected in his room. 'Hiere were laws which prohibited nol)leraen or gentlemen not resiJent, nor bearing burden as citizens, to be elected into the magistracy — Vid. Muses Then. Vol. ii. p. 113. Lord Scone, together wiili Lord binning and Lord Carncgy, were his Majesty's Commissioners to the General Assembly, that met in the OKI or St John's Kirk, on the 2oth August 1618. *'' The Assembly met in the Little Kirk; Mr Spotiswood, Archbishop of St An.lrews, ])laicd himself in the moderator's chair without election, which was objected to. The Archbishop answered, that the Assembly was convened within his diocese, and he hoped no one would take his place/* The King's letter to this Assembly was somewhat stern : lie says, " Do nut think we will be satisfied with refusals, or delays, or mitigations, and we know not what other shifts have been proposed) for we will content ourselves with nothing biiL with a simple and direct accCf tation of these articles in the foran by us sent unto you.'* On the 27th, the five articles received the sutfra;;;es of all the members except one nobleman, one doc- tor, and forty-five ministers. They were rati6ed in Parliunieit at Edinburgh, eighty-one voting for, and fifty-nine against, the ratific.ition on Saturday 4th Au;:ust ld2iy " ciilled by the people,** sAys Calderwood, " the Black Saturday. It began with fire frojn earth in the morning, and ended with fire fVom heaven in the evenii;^.*' 'ITiere had l>een a severe storm in tlic cjursc of the afternoon of ViaW aw^i \\^\Vn\v\>jj* PEKTH. S X ^058 PEIlTilSHlUE, a cloth of state, by the Lord of Angus, ** Chamberlaine ap* pointed by the King for that day." He was afterwards conducted to the Kirk of Scone. Of this " kirk" there remains now only an aisle, which was probably erected by the 6rst Lord Scone. On the north side is his monument, 6nely executed in nnarble and alabaster, and on which there is a long inscription. Here, also, b a statue of his Lordship in armour. He is represented kneeling on a cushion ai an altar, with a book lying open before biiDi On either side of the large statue is a man in armour; the one said to be the Marquis of Tullibardine, and the other the Earl Marischal. This kirk, we are told, was prepared for the coronation, with t table, whereupon the honours* were laid. ** A chair was also set in a fitting place for his Majesty's hearing sermon, over against the minister, and another chair on the other side, where he sat when he received the Crown, beyond which there was a bench decently covered. Besides these, there was a stage for the throne. All being quickly composed into attention,'' the sermon was preached by Master David Douglas, Moderator of the Commis- sion of the General Assembly. His text was 2d Kings xi. 12, 17. After the King had been solemnly sworn, he signed the National Covenant, the League and Covenant, and a copy of his oath. Having taken the coronation oath, and having been invested witk the royal robes instead of the prince'^s robe with which he entered, the King was brought to the chair on the north side of the kn-k, and then Archibald Marquis of Argyle, having taken the crown in his hands, and the minister having prayed, the said Marquis put the crown on the King's head. " It was remarkable,'^ says Sir Walter Scott, " that upon this occasion the crown was borne by the unhappy Marquis of Argyle, who was put to death in no very legal manner, immediately after the Restoration, using upon the scaffold these remarkable words, * I placed the crown on tb« King's head, and in reward, he brings mine to the block.' " It is supposed that the seat of the Scone family, now removed to the parish church in New Scone, was used at this time, and that * These honours, consisting of the crown, sceptre, and sword of state, &c, were soon after this carried to DunnotUr Castle. After bein^ preserved in a remarkable manner by the dexterity of Mrs Granger, wife of the minister of Kinneff*, they con- tinued to be produced in public, during the sittings of the Scottish rarUameDt, dcnm to the Union, when it was stipulated that they should be kept In Scotland in all time coming. It was, however, supposed by many, that they had be^n removed to LmI" don, until on February 4, 1818, they were found in the Crown- Room of Sdinbur^ Castle, deposited iiv «i cYv«si, in the very sute in which they had been placed there in J 707 "Vide ** Descfvpuoiv lA >&i«i ^wgaJCva. ^i^ Scotland" by Sir Walter ScotC dCONB* 1059 the chair on which Charles sat, either when hearing sermon, or when the crown was placed on his head, stood behind the bench in front of this seat. It is made of elegantly carved oak, having towards one end of the front of the canopy, the arms of Lord Scone, with the motto <* Meliora spero^* and beneath, the words " David Lord Skone." Towards the other end, in the cor- responding place, carved also in the oak, is a different coat of arms, with what seems to have been intended for the motto, ^* nee tenure^ nee timide," and beneath, ** Elizabeth Ladt Skone,'' with the date 1616. The star and crescent had formed part of the ornaments, and seem to have been highly gilded^ Lord Scone, as appears from the inscription, married Elizabeth Beaton, said to have been an ancient baron's daughter of Crich, ip e. Criech, in Fifeshire. After meotioDiBg several additional ceremonies, the account eoBcludes in these words, " Then did the King's Majesty descend from the stage with the crown upon his head, and receiving again ihe sceptre in his hand, returned with the whole train in solemn Boanner to his palace, the swond being carried before him." It does not appear in what sense the house or castle was called ^^ his palace." He may, perhaps, have appointed it to be so, like the chamberlain, '* for that day ;" but the whole seems to have been in. the possession of Viscount Stormont, who is not mentioned among the nobility then present. In these troubled times, the authority of the Assembly and of those noblemen who adhered to the Church was triumphant. Tliere is no reason to suppose that diere was any other house in Scone in which the King could have bad a bed-chamber and presence-chamber except that castle or palace begun to be built by the Gowrie family, afterwards enlarged, though never entirely completed, by their successors, and almost ivholly removed when the present splendid house was built, about jthe beginning of this century. It was probably in the same palace that the Pretender fixed his residence, when, after embarking at Dunkirk, he arrived at Peter- bead on 22d December 1715. Having reached Dundee, he hast- 4BDeA to Seone, and there held a council on the 16th January 1716, When he received intelligence that the royal army had reached Atichterarder, a council of war was held on the 30th of January,. when the question was proposed, whether to fight or fly ? The council came to no decision ; but a few hours afterward it was de- termined by a select committee to fly, when the Pretender hast- .eji9d to Perth, supped and rested, and next iporntng Aed "wVvVi >ev\% 1060 PERTHSHIRE. rebel army over the Tay on the ice towards DiiDdee. Prince Charles also visited Scone in 1745. The residence of Lord Stormont had been chiefly built bj Lord Gowrie and the first Lord Scone, but considerable additions were made by David, seventh Lord Stormont, and Earl of Mansfield, as heir to his uncle William, Lord Chief*Justice. The arms of the first Lord Scone were painted on the ceilings and walls, with the date 1627. The gallery, which was about 167 feet in length, with a wooden ceiling painted in water-colours, and representing the hunting and hawking of James VL, is said to have been erected by this nobleman. But the house was never finished, nor entirely furnished. There was no communication between some of the adjoining buildings, which made it necessary to pass through the outer court to reach several of tl^e apartments. Palace. — The present " Palace of Scone," as it is now generally called, was built about the beginning of the present century, having been begun in 1803 and finished 1808w The design was by the late William Atkinson of Grove-end, London, and the erection might coFt about L.60,000 or L.70,000. The ground on which the former house stood is occupied by this splendid mansion ; but in its imposing Gothic style of architecture, and magnificent halls and spacious apartments, the modern palace is incomparably superior. The late Earl of Mansfield, the grand-nephew of the Chief-Jus- tice, spared no expense on this edifice. In most instances, the walls of the former house were entirely taken down and rebuilt. A new front, facing the river, 240 feet in length, was an entire addition. The apartments were greatly enlarged, with the excep- tion of the gallery, which is how 150 feet long, part of it having been taken off for an entrance by a porch. It is a very elegant room. The floor is of tesselated oak, the dark having been found in the beds of the Tay and the Earn. On the windows, partly of stained glass, are represented the various coats of arms of the fa- mily. The roof still retains somewhat of an antique form. It is splendidly furnished, having at the upper end a large and richly- toned organ, and in different parts of the room several very valu- able cabinets, lately purchased, of the age of Louis XIV. Amon^ the ornaments are marble busts and vases of great beauty, both as to material and workmanship. Almost the only portions of the old walls not taken down but merely incased, are in that part of the house immediately under the dining-room and the draw- intr-room. 'i'he dining-room, music-room, and Library, are ele- gant anA spacAovxs w\v^xV.m^tvV&^ ^^wUvvuing, in the midst of niatoy SCOxNE. 1061 modem ornaments, some antique cabinets that had been in the former house. In these rooms there are several valuable paintings by Vandyke, Titian, Guido, Paul Veronese, Teniers, &c. There is a ** Dutch Burgomaster" by Rembrandt, and a portrait of Bas- sano by himself; a " Denial of St Peter," and a " Judith and Holofernes," by two old masters. There are some excellent por- traits by Sir Peter Lely, exhibiting all the softness, beauty, and delicacy of his style. Among the family portraits are those of the 6rst Karl of Mansfield, the second Earl, the late Earl, the Coun- tess Dowager, &c. As a modern room, the drawing-room is the finest. It commands one of the most magnificent views that can be found, from any point, of the richest parts of Perthshire, and its interior is fitted up with great elegance. There seems to have been an intention to combine with the splendour and comfort of the present age, some remembrance of the simplicity of the past. The entrance, for example, has an air of antiquity, having an ancient knocker with the initials D. V. S. The door-way is surmounted with the arms of Lord Mansfield in stone, and the motto, *< uni cequus virtuti^ The house is par- tially surrounded by terrace walls, and bastions, one of which com- mands a very extensive view. There are several large trees at a short distance, one of them an ash, said to have been planted by James VI., and many ash and sycamore trees about 300 years of age. One is commonly known as Queen Mary's tree. The ground slopes gradually to the Tay, which flows within about 600 yards of the palace. The bouse may be approached either through an ancient gateway on the east, or by the modern terrace gate on the south, to which there is a drive entering the park at the dis- tance of about a mile from Perth. This new drive passes over a bridge which crosses a ravine at no great distance from the ter- race gate. The gardens lie to the south*east of the palace. At the recent visit of the Queen to Scone Palace, the royal cortege entered by the terrace gate, and were received at the grand en- trance by the Earl of Mansfield, the Countess Dowager, and the Ladies Murray. Apartments were fitted up with great elegance for her Majesty and Prince Albert. The Queen reached Scone Palace about seven o'clock p. m. on Tuesday, September 6, 1842, and left early next day for Dunkeld and Taymouth. Among the va- rious costly preparations made for her Majesty's reception mav be mentioned two magnificent chairs, quite unique, procured from Lon- don, on which the Queen and Prince Albert sat at dinner. The carv- ing and other rich ornaments of the royal bed, n^UVv \V\e> ^vve\v\\.>»^ 1062 PERtHSUIRE. and decorations uf the private rooms prepared for ber the Prince, are of a beautiful and magni6cent description. Be- fore the Queen's departure, the magistrates of Perth sent a depu- tation to the palace to solicit the honour of her Majesty's sigua* ture in the guild ry books of Perth, where James VI. and Charles II. had written their names; the former thus: *' 1601, Paroere subjectis, et debellare superbos. — James R.'* And the latter as follows: '* Nemo me impune lacesset, July 24, 1650. — Charles B." Sir Robert Peel carried the book to the Queen, when her Ma« jesty and Prince Albert recorded their names. Among the remnants of antiquity within the palace may be mea* tioned an old bed of dark-brown Genoa velvet embroidered, which is said to have been worked by Queen Mary. The Queen, when at Falkland, is supposed to have given the bed to one of the ances- tors of the family, to whom she showed great favour. It was pro« bably conveyed to Scone at the time when the Balvaird brancb succeeded to the title of Viscount Stormont. The bed and fumi* ture of a room are preserved, which was called the KJng^s room, and in which there is a tradition that James VL slept, but it was more probably the *^ bed-chamber" of Charles II., of which notice is taken in the account of bis coronation. The bed and furniture are handsome, and more conformable to his age than to an eariier period. The bed on which the celebrated William, Grst Earl of MansBeld died, was put up in the room in which^he is said to hare been born. Viliage. — The village, or " royal city," of Scone was built in the immediate neighbourhood, and partly during the era of the monas- tery. One street was named the chanter gate. Near this street there were some trees that are said to have stood in the garden of the monastery. Among them were some remains of a wall. At the end of the chanter gate was the gallows knowe^ and in another direction the prison-house^ which would suggest that extensive rights were attached to the place. Some of the houses of the village, which had belongs ed to the abbey, were appropriated to the courtiers who accompanied James VL, who is said to have been wont to come to Scone for the purpose of hunting. One house was called, at a comparatively recent period, the Earl of Errol's stables. He probably attended on the king as hereditary grand constable of Scotland. Part of a wall which stood between the palace and the village still remains, together with an ancient gateway. A little to the east of this is the cross, the only vestige now of the village. It consists of an up- right piWar, \3 feel Va^, ^\^^^ ^\^^\aft\ited at the top, standing 8CONE. . 1063 on a pedestal, surrounded by steps, and gradually diminishing to a small flat octagonal stage from which the pillar rises. Antiquities. — The greater part of the ground in the immediate neighbourhood of the palace seems to have been disturbed at a for- mer period, probably about sixty years ago. In making some altera- tions on the terraces in 1 841 , and up to the present date, various frag- ments of grave and other stones have been found. In 1841, the workmen came upon what may have been the foundations of the monastery. One apartment, which seemed to be a sort of cell, was found in pretty good repair. It was surrounded by stone seats, about 15 inches broad, and might be from 10 feet to 12 feet in di- mension. Near the same place was two stone-coffins in good pre- servation, but from the appearance of the skeletons, they appeared to have been previously disturbed. They were of different shapes and covered with flat stones, but with no inscription. Between the present palace and the church-yard, there were a great many stone- coffins, some rough, and others in some degree hewn, in which the skeletons were very entire. In one of these were found a piece of gold lace, a piece of a leathern belt, and some buckles. Above these were large stones,rising like a ridge in the middle, and bearing inscriptions, but so much defaced as to be illegible. At no greatdistance were many skeletons without any coffin, and apparently committed to the dust in the most confused manner. Very recently a coffin was found com- posed of various stones, and covered with a large flat stone, on one end of which there is apparently part of an inscription. There is no date, but the form of the letters strongly resembles that used about the year 1216, as given, for example, on the great seal of Henry III. The first line is " Alexander Mar" — the second seems to contain the following letters : ** Abbassex de m;" the letters beyond the d^ and the m are unknown. It is probably the grave of an early abbot of the monastery. One of the oldest grave- stones bearing date, lately found, is that of '* ane honest voman, Bessy Ferry, spouse of Gilbert Couper, quha depertit this 1607." The ancient gateway on the east is supported on either side by a round tower. Walls at one time seem to have run from each of ihese towers towards the house. The royal arms are cut in stone immediately above the gateway, and in the towers there are the same arms and mottos as those represented on the seat in the church. The only additional pieces of antiquity dug up are parts of a nide leaden water-pipe, in the neighbourhood of what seems to have been the site of the monastery ; and an old bell found about a hundred years ago. 1061 PEaTHSHIRE. The old churchyard, still used by those who claim ibe right io consequence of their relations having been interred there9 lies at some distance from that part of the grounds in which these stooe- coffins were placed. It is stated in the old Statistical Account, that ^ the Roman mi- litary road leading from the camp at Ardoch to the bottom of the Grampians, enters this parish on the west, a little above a farm- house on the Tay, and passes through till it leaves it on the north- east quarter. On the other side of the river opposite to the place where the road enters the parish, stood the ancient towo of Bertha, now a hamlet bearing that name ; and it is said that, in former times, there was a bridge over the river, and that several large beams of oak yet to be seen under the water formed a part of it*' ^' Alx)ut a quarter of a mile up the river from this place are the vestiges, it is supposed, of an encampment. It is a spot of ground inclosed on the west by the Tay, and on the other sides by a fosse. Its 6gure is nearly an oblong, and its circumference about 535 yards. A small brook runs through it; and on the south side of this brook, about SO yards up from the river, are the vestiges of a furtificiition called the Silver castle ; probably from a vulgar idea that money was hid in it. This place is situated nearly about half-way between the Roman military road, and a place on the opposite side of the river, where the battle of Luncarty was fought between the Danes and the Scots. But time, and the recent ope- rations of the plough, have now almost obliterated those monu- ments of ancient times." This last remark, made about fifty years ago, is still more applicable now. What was vulgarly called the " boolhill^*^ or ** oainis terra," every man's land, remains to be noticed. It is evidently a corrup- tion of Motehill or MoothilL " The term," says the late Dr Jamieson,"is evidently Gothic, denoting a place of meeting. Skene cjills it " the Mute-hill of Scone ;" verb, signifying vo. Mote^ vide Etymol. Dictionary of the Scottish language va Mote^^ In the history of the House of Douglas and Angus, written by Master David Hume of Godscroft, Ed. 1644, it is said, " Robert Bruce was crowned at Scone in the year 1306 in Ap. at which Sir James Douglas assisted, casting into a heape, as others did, a quantity of earth of his lands of Douglas, which making a little hill, is called yet omni$ terra. This was the custom of those times, by which ho- mage they that held the King of Scotland supreme under God were distinguished from others." This story Dr Jamieson cha- racterizes as " a ^aX^vxWoi ^\v^ N^^^ ^vU^ fable." According to the SCONE. iM5 old Statistical Account, this hill was between 60 and 70 yards north from the old Abbey church. Of this church there were scarcely any vestiges when that Statistical Account was writ- ten. ^^ Such changes,'' it is there said, ^^ does time introduce, that on that sp<3t where our ancient kings were crowned, there noW grows a clump of trees." The church, of which the aisle remains, seems to have been built on the Mote-hill by the first Viscount Stormont about the year 1624. ** The people in the Highlands," it is said, ^^ call the Boothill at this day Tom-a*mhoid, ?. e. the hill where justice is administered." Is the ^* gallows knowe^' con- nected with this ? or the fact that Macbeth, the earliest sheriff in the shire of Perth, was styled Sheriff of Scone ? On the farm of Bonhard, which lies on the eastern side of the pa- rish, are two circles of large stones. Each circle is about 7 yards in diameter, and contains nine stones, placed at unequal distances. They are said to be Druidical temples. There are also the re- mains of an old castle in Lower Springfield, the greater part of which is now in ruins. It has been twice burned to the ground. Eminent Characters connected with the Parish, — Of the eminent characters connected with the parish by birth, residence, or burial, may be mentioned the gallant Hay, so distinguished at the battle of Luncarty, who is said to have been born here. At no very re- mote period, the inhabitants were wont to point out the remains of his humble habitation. They are now entirely obliterated. Ac- cording to tradition his name was originally Deluce^ for the change of which to Hat/i a ludicrous and silly reason is assigned, in con- nection with his fatigue after the battle. The families of Errol and KionouU are generally said to have had their descent from this individual. According to the common story, this ^^ husbandman, who chanced to be busy at work in a neighbouring field, having, accompanied by his two sons, armed only with their plough-beams, opposed a chief division of their countrymen, when flying from the fight in a moment of panic, and " drove them back to victory." In this, it is said, originated the nobility of the Hays of Errol. " The armorial bearing of this family, which exhibited three escut- cheons, supported by two peasants, carrying each the beam of a plough on his shoulder, is appealed to in proof of the story ; but it is just as likely that the story may have been invented to explain the arms. At all events, the arms are of much less antiquity than the battle of Luncarty, at the date of which event armorial ensigns were unknown. It is well established that the Hays are a branch of the Norman de Hayas, whose ancestor came ovet lo ^tk^^w<^ l06a PBRTHSHIKE. with the Conqueror ; that they did Dot eome to ScotWoid till oiore than a hundred years after the battle of Luncarty ; and tbat they only obtained the lands o{ Errol from King William the Lioo of Scotland about the middle of the twelfth century. It was not till the middle of the iburteeiith century that they were ennobled/'* The celebrated William, first Earl of Mansfield, was bora al Scone, according to common report, on the 3d of March 1704, O. S. By some authorities, however, he is said to have been born at Perth. He was the fourth son of Andrew, one accouat saysf but, according to Debrett, of David, fifth Viscount Stormont, and Margery, daughter of David Scott of Sdotstarvet, in Fife. He was removed in his infancy to London ; admitted a King^s seho- lar at Westminster school in 1719; entered at Christ Church, Oxford, in 1723; and called to the bar in 1731. He soon rose to great eminence, and after conducting the defence in a cause in which his leader was prevented by sudden illness from appearing in Conrt, so great an amount of business flowed on him that his income rose at once from a few hundreds to thousands a^year. In 1743, he was appointed Solicitor- General, and obtained a seat in the House of Commons, where his brilliant eloquence and le^ knowledge raised him to the greatest eminence. He was made At* torney- General in 1754, and two years afterwards he was appoint* ed Chief Justice of the King's Bench, and raised to the peerage by the title of Baron Mansfield of Mansfield, in the county of Not* tingham, becoming at the same time a member of the CabineL Strong inducements were held out to lead him to devote bis talents entirely to politics, but he firmly refused to abandon his position as Chief Justice. - For a short time he held the seals of office as Chancellor of the Exchequer on the resignation of Legge, and was then entrusted by the King with full power to negociatere* specting a new administration. He incurred much popular odium on the trial of the publishers of Junius*s letter to the King, but he did not court popularity. Lord Mansfield's house in Bloomsbury Square was attacked and set fire to during the riots of 1780. The superb furniture, flung into the streets, was destroyed by fire, together with some thousand volumes, many capital manuscripts, mortgages, papers, and other deeds, besides the rich wardrobe and some very valuable paintings. On this occasion. Lord and Lady Mansfield made their escape through a back-door only a few minutes before the rioters entered and took possession of the house. 6C0Nfi. 1067 Having sat ftt the head of the King's Bench for Upwards of thirty-two years, his Lordship retired in 1788^ On September 20th 1788, he had married Elizabeth Finch, sixth daughter of Daniel Earl of Winchelsea and Nottingham. He left no issue. On October 31st 1776, he had been created Earl of Mansfield with remainder to Louisa Viscountess Stormont, wife of David Viscount Stormont, his nephew, it being then held that a Scots peer was disqualified from taking a peerage of Great Britain even in remainder. Her ladyship still survives, having become Countess of Mansfield on his deaths A difierent opinion, however, was after* wards established respecting the descent of a British peerage, and in August 1792, the Earl was created Earl of Mansfield of Caen- wood, in the county of Middlesex, with remainder to his nephew David, seventh Viscount Stormont, K. T., who consequently be- came Earl of Mansfield at his uncle's death, in the eighty-ninth year of his age, on the 20th of March 1793.* This second Earl of Mansfield dying September' 1st 1796, was succeeded in his Scotch and English honours by his son William, born March 7th 1777. At his death in February 1840, the present Earl succeed- ed. He was born in 1 806 ; married in 1 829 Louisa, daughter of Cuthbert Ellison, Esq. who died November 24th 1837, leaving a daughter. Lady Louisa Nina, born 1830, and a son. Viscount Stor- mont, born 183d« The seventh Lord Stormont and second Earl of Mansfield was much engaged in the political transactions of his time, and filled the offices of ambassador at the courts of Vienna and Versailles. The canopy of state which his Lordship then used has been con- verted into a bed, which is still preserved. He was appointed am* bassador in the room of Lord Harcourt, who succeeded Lord Townsend as Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland in 1772. In October 1779, Lord Stormont was appointed one of the Secretaries of State, in room of Lord Sufiblk. Lord Stormont went out with his party, when the Marquess of Rockingham was appointed first Lord of the Treasury; but was President of the Council during the Duke of Port land's administration, when the Earl of Mansfield was made Speaker of the House of Lords, and the great seal was put in com- mission. This coalition ministry was formed April 2, 1783. Be* fore his appointment as an ambassador at Paris, Viscount Stormont bad spent much of his life in a diplomatic capacity. He married first, Henrietta Frederica, daughter of Henry Count Bunau, who * The first Earl of Mansfield survived bis elder bi other David, slxiU V\%«:^u\\\ Stormont, for the long period of/ort/five ^ears. 1068 PERTHSHIRE. died March 1 6» 1 766. He married second io 1776, Louisa, daughter of Charles ninth Lord Cathcart, and sister to William^ the present venerable Earl of Cathcart* She still sunrives. Countess of Mans- field in her own right, as already mentioned. Among the individuals deserving remembrance counected with the parish, may be mentioned the Rev. John Honey of Biairhall, and at his death minister of Bendochy, in the presbytery of Meigle. He is well remembered by many of the parishioners of Scone, not merely for his piety and professional attainments, but also for his active e&ertions in the cause of humanity. His name in St Andrews continues to be associated with the dangers and the preservations experienced on that coast, in several instances of which his intrepid humanity was displayed. He married, on September 20, 1809, a daughter of the Rev. D. Adamson, one of the minis- ters of St Andrews, and Professor of Civil History in the Univer- sity. He was ordained minister of Bendochy in 1812, but was cut off by fever in the prime of life on the 14th October 1814, being then only in his thirty-sixth year. The celebrated bonanist and traveller, Mr David Douglas, was a native of Scone. He was born in this parish in 1798, His fa- ther, John Douglas, was a working mason. David was chiefly edu- cated at the parochial school of Kinnoul, and at an early period became apprenticed as gardener in the garden of the Earl of Mans- field, where his activity and obliging disposition were soon per- ceived. He wiis afterwards employed in the garden of Sir Robert Preston of Valleyfield, whence, in about eighteen months, he re- moved to the botanic garden of Glasgow. Having here attracted the notice of Dr (now Sir W. J.) Hooker, Professor of Botany, and accom])anied him in his excursions through the Western Highlands, assisting in collecting materials for the Flora Scotiea, Douglas was recommended, through Dr Hooker, to Joseph Sa- bine, Esq. the late Secretary of the Horticultural Society, as a botanical collector. In consequence of this, he was despatched to the United States in 1823, where he procured many fine plants, and greatly increased the Society's collection of fruit-trees. He returned in the autumn of that year, and again, in July 1824, he sailed for the purpose of exploring the botanical riches of the country adjoining the Columbia River^ and southwards towards California. He collected many rare orchideous plants, when the vessel touched at Rio de Janeiro ; shot many curious birds in bis voyage round Ca\^e Horn ; visited and sowed a collection of gar- 800NE. 1069 den seeds in the Island of Jutn Fernandez, and arrived at Fort Vancouver on the Columbia, on the 7th of April 1825. The vast collections of seeds which he transmitted home from this lo- cality, amply proved his talents and assiduity. He traversed the country across the Rocky Mountains to Hudson's Bay in 1827, Vid returned to England in the autumn of that year. Having - ^n then introduced, through Mr Sabine, to the Literary and ilentific Society in London, he was elected, free of expense, a "iber of the Linnsean, Geological, and Zoological Societies, u>ntributed some valuable papers. After remaining two years mdon, he again sailed for Columbia in the autumn of 1829. ; he continued his favourite pursuit. Afterwards he visited jtndwich Islands ; and when his return was expected, intel- fe was received of his death in very shocking circumstances, dad fallen into a pit made by the natives of the Sandwich nds, for the purpose of catching wild bulls, and a bull b^ing .he pit at the time, this celebrated botanist was killed in the fost horrible manner. This event took place on July 12, 1834, • the thirty-sixth year of his age.* The Chief Land^owners. — The land-owners of the parish are as follows: The Right .Honourable the Earl of Mansfield; An- drew Murray, Esq. of Murrayshall ( Murrayshall is in the parish of Kinnoull, but part of Mr Murray's property is in the parish of Scone) ; Alexander Macduif, Esq. of Bonhard ; Jelf Sharpe, Esq. of Kincarrochy ; Rev. John A. Honey of Blairhall ; Patrick Matthew, Esq. of Barclay hills; George Grant, Esq. of Limepotts; and the Trustees of Scone's Lethendy. — Vid. New Stat. Account, Perth, p. 128. There are many feuars, who hold chiefly of Lord Mansfield and Mr Murray. Parochial Registers. — The parochial registers are very defective. The earliest entry is dated 17th February 1622, and goes on to .7th November 1647. There is no register of any kind for the "*next twenty-seven years. From 1673 to 1688, there are some memoranda of births, &c. ; but from 1688 to 17i6, nothing whatever. From 1736 to 1740, there is a book containing some brief notices, and again, after a gap from 1740 to 1762, there are registers from 1762 to 1772. Minutes of session seem to have been kept from 1773 to 1787. Subsequently to that date they * Fur a more detailed account of the life of Dou^Ias the Companion to the Bo- tanical Magazine may he consulted, and also the Gardeners* Magazine, Vol. xii p. 602. A particular account of a monument erected to his memory in the church- yard uf Scone, may L>c found in the MS. of this article. 1070 PBRTH8HIBB. are very rare, the only regifiters, thcn^ being those of births and mar* riages. Regular session records have been kept since 18% to the present date (February 1843) together with registers o( births and marriages, when partiesr apply to have the birth of their chil- dren registered and pay the fee. Since 1 888^ a register of deaths has also been kept, stating the age and the disease that proved fatal when known. ^ The only apology for the loss of any part of the session records appears in the following entry: ** Feb. 5, 1716, After sermon, session met and was constituted with prayer, and were present the Rev. Mr Tho. Schaw, minister, and the elders. This being the first Sabbath after dispersing the rebels, they having banished many ministers of this comer from their flocks, and that conftisioD and disturbance occasioned the loss of the session minutes from November 26, 1713, to February 5, 1716." On the north-west of the parish, there is the large bleaeh6eld of Stormontfield, together with the requisite buildings. There is an abundant supply of water, as it is on the banks of the Tay, and suitable fields for carrying on the operations. This field has long maintained a high reputation under the present tenant, John M&xton, Esq., who makes every provisioix for the comfort of thoss workmen and their families who conduct themselves with propriety* There is accommodation for between twenty and thirty families, all the members of which, able to work, are generally employed. The late Earl of Mansfield erected a neat and commodious school for the children in the neighbourhood. Stormontfield, with tbe land for a great extent on the east side of the Tay, belongs to the Earl of Mansfield. III. — Population. Formerly the population was more scattered over tbe parish ; but as tbe land has been divided into larger farms, the village has increased. Several valuable farms are now in grass, forming the extensive parks around and beyond the palace. The population has increased progressively. The village of New Scone has been almost entirely built within the century. Much of it is occupied * The session seems to baye exercised complete control oyer edueatioo wlthia the parish. " Oct. 25, 1676, — This day it is inacted, that no person nor persons wbatsomevert to wit, naither men nor wom^n, shall hare liberties nor be permitted within Scone nor the paroch thereof, to teach nor instruct children, that is to say, neither male nor female to sylabicat nor reade directly nor indirectly, to the hurt and prejudice of the publick school and schoolmaster.'^ And oyer the seats in the church, « Sep. l.S, 1675, This day it is inacted that every seat or chair standing in the kirk floore that is found emptie two Sabbaths together, shall bethrowen to the church doof by the kirk oCE^oer, e^eepV w^tv t^tsonable excuse made to the minister." SCONfi. 1071 by feuars. The late Earl of MansBeld, partly by purchase and partly by giving an equivalent in land, obtained possession of the feus at Old Scone. The village of New Scone has been greatly extend- ed, containing between 1200 and 1300 inhabitants. Many of the feuars have sub-feued their properties ; and other proprietors have increased the village by encouraging feuing on their ground. A large part of the village stands on the property belonging to An- drew Murray, Esq, of Murrayshall, and some on that of the pro- prietor of Kincarrochie. The only nobleman connected with the parish is the Earl of Mansfield* IV. — Industry. Affricultiire. — The average number of acres, either cultivated or occasionally under cultivation, may be as follows : Wheat, about 200 Scotch aoreii Barley, 400 Oats, . . 700 PoUtoes, . aSO Turnips, . 300 Hay, . 600 The average rent of the cultivated land may be about Im% 10a. per Scotch acre. The average rate of a cow's grazing may be about L.d, 15s. Ordinary ploughmen, engaged for the year, hdve from L. 11 t^ L. 14 wages, besides board and lodging; foremen have from L.15 to L.20. Day-labourers earn from Is. 4d. to 2s. in summer, and from Is. to Is. 8d. in winter, per day ; artisans from 2s. to 3s. in summer, and from Is. 8d. to 2s. 6d. in winter. The general duration of leases is for a period of nineteen years. The farm-buildings are generally good; but the cottages, in seve- •ral places, very uncomfortable. Some part of the parish is well enclosed, but there are considerable portions where enclosures are but little attended to. A great improvement has taken place in the whole economy during the last thirty or thirty-five years. The produce of oats, at an average per acre, may be rated at 46 bu- «hels ; of barley, 38 ; of wheat, 34 ; of potatoes, 8^ tons per Scotch acre. Neither beet nor cabbage are cultivated in the field. The average value of an acre of turnips may be about L.9 ; of hay, about L.6 ; and land for pasture may bring from L*l, 1 5s. to L.2 per Scotch acre. The above was furnished in 1837. There has been since then « diminution in the value of all kind of farm-produce, and, in some degree, of wages, both for farm-servants and labourers. The dif- ficulty of obtaining employment as hand-loom weavers has increased 1072 PBRTHSHIDE. the number of out-door labourersi and consequently brought down their wages.* Fisheries. — The fisheries in the parish belonging to Lord Mans- field extend from opposite the palace to Cambusmichael, and were let last year for about IaIOO. Lord KinnouU has a fishing in the lower park above Quarry Mill-dam, let for about L 20, making about L 120 of rent. About eighteen years ago, the rent was about LllOO. The reason for the extraordiuary diminution is to be sought for in two causes, — the greater keenness with which the lower fishings are worked, and the reduction of tiie Talue of the fishings above the tide-way, occasioned by the alteration of the close- time. The close -time, formerly from 26tb August te 12th December, is now from 14th September to 1st February* I am assured by the intelligent gentleman (R. Buist, Esq., Perth,) to whom I am indebted for this information, that ^^ our ancestors were right in their close-time, and that the sooner we return to it the better for the fishings on the Tay." The fish got in the Tay opposite Scone are, salmon, grilse, sea-trout, yellow-trout, pike, perch, eels, and, occasionally, trouts that frequent burns and streams running into the Tay. The fish are seen going down the river after spawning, the mates very early in the season, in December and January, and the females and fry in the latter end of March, April, and beginning of May. V. — Parochial Economy. The market- town is Perth. There is no village of any extent except New Scone, which is within two miles of Perth, thus ren- dering any market-town within the parish unnecessary. There is in the village a sub-post-office to Perth, and a delivery of letters, free of exf>ense, on the arrival of the south mail. The turnpike road from Perth to Coupar-Angus passes through the parish for more than four miles, on which the Defiance coach travels north and south daily. Ecclesiastical State. — Before the village was transferred to New Scone, the parish church was situated in the old village. It had been built in 1784, but in 1804 it was removed to New Scone, the same materials being as much as possible made use of. The pre- sent situation is not very centrical, but being near the village, it is much more conveniently situated than it would have been at Old Scone, now that the bulk of the population are in New Scone. The whole seating of the church, exclusive of Lord Mansfield's seat is said, in a minute of a meeting of date 1786, to be 677 feet, • The iuforTOalvott as Vo ft^ne\x\\\xtvi>N^s ^\\^\\vid b^ a very int.Iligent farmer, inJ may be rc\icd on so ?at ais \\. ^Qt%. SCONE. 1073 4 inches. Of this, the communion seats, which are free, take up 106 feet, 8 inches. In the year 1834, it was found that the pa- rish church, though in good repair, was too small to accommodate the members of the congregation, whereupon some of the heritors and a number of the feuara agreed to build an additional aisle by subscription. This was done at an expense of above L.280, and furnished about 180 additional sittings, besides greatly improving the appearance of the church. The manse was built at the time at which the church was removed. Considerable repairs were made on it in 1832-3, but it is deficient in accommodation. The stipend is as follows: barley^ 105 bolls, 1 firlot, 1 lippie, one-half peck ; meal, 1 13 bolls, I 6rlot, 2 lippies, one-quarter peck. Money, L.61, Oe. 4d. ; for communion elements, L.10. The glebe is about S7 Scotch acres. Nearly twenty-four of these are let at a money rent There is a Dissenting congregation in connection with the United Associate Synod. The parish church is, in general, very well attended, asalso the Dissenting chapel. Theaveragenumberofcora- rannicants at the Established Church is about 600. In 1833, there was a society established in connection with the parish church, for tlie purpose of raising contributions in aid of the schemes under the direction of the General Assembly, and for procuring Bibles for gratis distribution, and at a cheap price. The collections for the poor at the church-door amount to between thesumof L.50and L.60 a year ; the collections for the schemes to somewhat above L.20. For some years, there was a collection for the Infirmary at Perth^ but the scheme of parochial subscription was adopted last year, realizing about L.35. There are also from time to time collec- tions for the Sabbath school. The late Earl of Mansfield and his ancestors exercised the right of patronage up to a recent period. On the 12th November 1828, a summons of declarator, at the instance of his Majesty's Advocate against the Earl of Mansfield, was raised for the purpose of having it declared, ** that the right of patronage of the churches and parishes of Redgorton, Kinfauns, and Scone," belongs to, and is invested exclusively in, the Crown. The Lord Ordinary, in 1830, decided in favour of the pursuer. This decision was acquiesced in without appeal to the House of LfOrds. So far as can be ascertained, the following were ministers of Scone : Before 1673, Mr John Liddell. He seems to have died end of June 1 686. In 1 687, Mr John M urray was minister. In 1 7 1 6, the PBRTH. 3 Y 1074 PERTHSHIRE. minister was Mr Thomas Schaw. On August 15, 1754, Mr James Knox,* probationer, whose predecessor bad been admitted on a call, was admitted minister of this parish on a presentatioo by the Viscount of Stormont's commissioner. On 27th October 1777, Mr Charles WiIson,f Mr Knox's successor, waiS admitted minister on a presentation by the Viscount of Stormont. On 15th August 1782, Mr James Hunter, Mr Wilson's successor, was admitted minister on a presentation by the Viscount of Stormont. On 25th September 1793, Mr John Wright, Mr Hunter's suc- cessor, was admitted minister on a presentation by the late Earl of Mansfield. On November 19, 1795, Mr William Aitken, who succeeded Mr Wright, was admitted minister on a presenta- tion by the late Earl of Mansfield. The present incumbent, who succeeded Mr Aitken, was presented by the Crown, and ordained September 20, 1832. Education. — There is a parochial school exceedingly well at- tended, and admirably taught by the present teacher, Mr William Keay. Hisf salary is the maximum. The fees are not high* The branches required, according to minute of election, are Eng- lish reading, writing, arithmetic, and Latin; but mathematics, French, &c. are also taught. There are other schools for girls in the village, but the attendance is very small. The teacher at Stormontfield has always had an allowance of L.4 from Lord Mansfield, and L.2 from Mr Maxton ; but this is purely gratui- tous, and may be withdrawn at any time. By a sermon preached at Stormontfield annually, a small addition is made to his salar}^ and his fees are rather higher than at the parish school. He has in winter about fifty scholar?. There are at the parish school in winter from 130 to 150. The Sabbath school is numerously at- tended. Poor and Parochial Funds. — The average number of poor re- ceiving parochial aid may be about 28 or SO. The allowance va- ries from L.2, 8s. per annum to L.4, 16s. or L.5. The funds • Mr Knox was descended from William Knox, minister of Cockpen, broUicr ntinuous linoy from Benmore to Benlomond. Another range of exceeding into* rest and grandeur is that of Craig-ChaUleadi (old wives' craig), in the immediate neighbourhood of Killin, rising abruptly (and richly wooded more than halfway up) from the noble plain of Finlarig, at the head of Loch Tay, and stretching westward into Glenlochay. It forms the grandest by far of all the objects which combine to render the scenery of Killin so rich in the variety of its parts, and so splendid in its general aspect The turretted peaks of this mountain-range may be seen to great advantage by moonlight from any spot near the church ; and the tourist who is fortunate enough to obtain this view, will confess that it is grand beyond expression. The hills, though rising to a great height, are, generally speak- ing, clothed with verdure to their summits. The principal val* leys arO) Glendochart, stretching westward from Killin about ten 1078 PERTHSHIRE. miles ; Strathfillan, which may be considered a continuatipn of the same valley, extending about eight miles further till it meets the parish of Glenorchay, at the boundary between the connties of Perth and Argyle : Glenfalloch, branching off from Sirathfillan in a southerly direction, and extending to the boundary between Perthshire and Dumbartonshire, near the head of Liochlomond ; and Glenlochay, stretching from Killin to a distance of about fourteen miles in a line nearly parallel to Giendochart, from which it is separated by a fine range of hills, called the Mid- Hill. These valleys are rich and fertile, yielding good crops of com, pototoes, and turnips ; and in the .more marshy districts, on the banks of the river, bearing meadow hay of excellent quality in great abun- dance. Their scenery is in many places highly picturesque, being enriched with thriving plantations, and a considerable quantity of natural wood. With the exception of these valleys, which in few places hardly exceed a mile in breadth, there is very little flat knd in the parish. The fine plains of Finlarig, Kirmell, and Dall may, however, be mentioned. Meteorology. — The temperature of the atmosphere in this pa- rish varies to an extraordinary degree, according to the changes of season. During the winter and spring months, it is generally very low ; towards the middle of April, a change often very mild takes place ; and generally during the summer months, the heat is great, sometimes excessive, causing the most rapid vegetation. There is in general much cloudy weather, especially in the latter end of autumn, and in the winter and spring months, when there arc frequent and heavy falls of rain. As might be expected in so elevated a region, far removed as it is from the sea, the snow, which falls in great quantities, remains long, especially on the high grounds. In the beginning of the year 1838^ there was a storm of uncommon severity ; the whole surface of the ground being covered (in some places to a depth of several feet) for eight weeks, while the ice on the river Lochay was ascertained to be about fourteen inches in thickness. It is no uncommon thing to observe considerable quantities of snow on the high grounds till far on in the summer, and traces of the old snow have sometimes been noticed even in August. The prevailing winds are the west and south-west ; but in the spring months, there is a good deal of northerly wind, which is peculiarly keen and piercing. In summer^ there is often a long KILLIN. 1079 tract of very calm weather, in which, for days together, scarcely a breath of wind can be felt. Climate. — The climate is, during a great part of the season, decidedly damp. It is also very variable, except during the sum- mer months, and after long-continued frosts of winter and spring. It is, however, decidedly healthy, and many of the inhabitants live to a great age. We have before us a register of the state of the barometer and thermometer at Killin, at 8 a. m. and p. m., kept by the late Mr M'Gibbon, schoolmaster, from the year 1800 till his death, and since that time by a member of his family. The following table gives the average for 1820, for each month, and for the whole year : — January, average, Barometer, 29.4226 February, . . 29.5276 March, , . . 29.4709 April, • . 29.5 May, . . 29.2903 June, . . 29.4666 July, . . 29.4638 August, . . 29.2903 September, .29.4 October, . 30.1290 November, . . 29.4166 December, . . 29.5516 Whole year, . 29.495 Thermometer, 31.226 39.241 41.354 47.633 51.806 57.6 6ai6l 56516 53. 42.677 42.8 41.322 47.528 In the opinion of some, the winters are not so cold, nor the summers quite so warm now as they were then ; but the average is still the same. The state of the thermometer, for May 1840^ was 50.9, and for November, 43.1. ^Hydrography. — The principal lake connected with the parish is Lochtay, at the west end of which Killin is situated. It extends eastward from Killin to Kenmore, about fifteen miles, varying from one to two miles in breadth. It is generally of great depth, and has never been known to freeze. The scenery of LfOchtay is much admired, especially at the two extremi- ties. The mountains on either side, and especially on the north, are lofty, and rise abruptly from the edge of the loch. Its shores are also tastefully skirted with wood, and the slop* ing sides of the mountains are cultivated to the height gene- rally of about half a-mile from the margin of the lake. To the tourist in search of views and romantic scenery, the road by the south side of the lake is recommended. Into Lochtay, two rivers discharge their waters, the Dochart and the Lochay. The for* 1080 PEBTHSHIRC. fner takes ks rbe about twenty miles to tbe weal of KiUio^ at the boundary of the counties of Perth and Argyle^ then flowing through Strathfillan, under the name of Fillan, for a distance of about seten miles, it enters a small lake called Loch Dochart, and thence is- suing, enters Lochure. These two lakes are nearly joined It then, under the uame of the Dochart, flows rapidly through the romantic glen of that name, and, after a course of about ten milesi joins the Lochay, and falls into Lochtay. The river Locbay rises in the braes of Glenlochay, through which it flows for about four* teen miles. There is another stream, the Faliocby which runs through the beautiful glen of that name, and discharges itself into the queen of British lakes, Loehlomond. Cascades. — In times of rain, thousands of cascades dash down the sloping sides of the mountains. The &Us of the Falloch, as it pursues its way through the lovely wooded glen, will richly re- pay a visit. The falls of the Dochart at Killin are mgch admired by the traveller of taste. ^ From the bridge, looking upwards, few scenes present a more striking and grander appearance. The falb of Lochay, about three miles from Killin, are uncommonly grand. The glen is naturally divided into two parts, and the river has forced its way through the solid rock of the precipitous defile which separates the upper from the lower glen. This part, extending to about a mile in length, is not inferior in grandeur or richness of sGenei7, in rugged knolls and wooded dells, to the £ir- famed Trosachs, while the falls have been pronounced equal to those of Clyde. The different points from which the best views may be got, are accessible by romantic winding walks formed through the woods. From these points, at one time high above the foaming cataract, and sometimes near its edge, it may be seen tumbling and dashing in majestic grandeur, sending clouds of spray to a considerable distance. Mr Pennant thus describes the view from a hill above the manse: ^ A most delicious plain," he observes, '* spreads itself beneath, divided into verdant meadows, or glowing with ripened oom ; em- bellished with wood, and watered with rivers^ uncommonly con- trasted. On one side pours down its rocky channel the furious Dochart ; on the otlier glides between its wooded banks the gentle Lochay, forming a vast bend of still water, till it joins the first, both terminating in the great expanse of Lochtay." — ** Killin," says Dr MacCuUoch, " is the most extraordinary coliectioo of ex- xiLLiK. loai traordiDary ic«nery in Scotliuid, uolike every thing «lse in the oouDtry, Bnd, perhaps, on earth, and a perfect picture-gallery in itself, since you cannot move three yards without meeting a new landscape. A busy artist might here draw a month and not exhaust it Fir-trees, rocks, torrents, mills, bridges, houses, — these produce the g/eat bulk of Uie middle Undscape, under end- less combinations, white the disUmces more constantly are found in the surrounding hills, in their varied woods, in the bright ex- panse of the lake, and the minute ornaments of the distant valley, — in the rocky and bold lummit of Craig Cailliach, and in tlie lofty Ttsioa of Ben-lawers, which towers like a huge giant to the clouds, the monarch of the scene." Geology. — The predomiuating rock is mica slate in the greatest variety of mineral character. The talcose, chloritic, and horn* blende rocks are of frequent occurrence, and of considerable thick- ness. Limestone, of a highly crystalline character and greyish co- lour, is abundant Trap veins are also to be met with, and por- phyry and syenitic greenstone. Lead-ore is abundant. . The Tyndrum mines have been re-opened and carried on with spirit for some years past, under the direction of experienced German miners. Cobalt is found, and is so rich as to yield sixty ounces of silver in the ton. In Craig- Cbailliach, near Killin, there is a rich vein of sulphuret of iron. It has been examined with the view of working it for the manufacture of sulphur. Specimens of rock-crystal, amethystine quartz, smoke quartz, and imbedded garnets, are to be met with. A large cru3hing>mill has been erected at Tyndrum, and rails liiid for conveying the ore down the sleep descent to the mill. The country is rich in metallic veins, though the great distance fivm coals and from the market may render them less valuable. The working of them would be highly bene&cial to the people ; and this is the object chiefly in view in the researches of the noble proprietor. i*«ar&,— In the Dochart the pearUmuscle is found, from which beautiful and valuable pearls are extracted. Soil. — The soil is generally on limestone, and is light and dry, A considerable part of the arable land ia wet and marshy, particu-. larly in Glendochart and Strathfillan, and the crops are often en- dangered or swept away by tlie overflowing of the river ; so that an autumnal flood, converting our valleys into lakes of many isles, 1082 PEBTHSHIRE though highly interesting to the passing traveller, is very alarming to the anxious farmer. The soil, though capable of producing good crops of oats, barley, potatoes, and turnips, is best adapted for pasture. The hills afford the richest sheep-walks. Botany, — The following valuable paper, on the Botany of the district, we owe to the able pen of Sir William Hooker. There is not, perhaps, in all Britain a more interesting field for the botanist, than the vast mountain tracts of the Breadalbane range, so large a portion of which is imbedded in the present parish. It may, indeed, in this point of view, be looked upon as classic ground ; for here the lynx-eyed Dickson, the inde- fatigable Don, Mackay, Stuart, (Rev. Dr, the friend of Lightfoot, and a most important contributor to his valuable Flora Scotica^) Turner, Borrer, Wilson, Hooker, Graham, and a host of compe- tent students of the two professors now mentioned, have scaled the highest peaks, and explored the deepest glens with such ar- dour, that no part of the Highlands has been l)etter investigated as to jts vegetable riches, than the district in question. Our li- mits will only allow us to give a brief notice of the rarer, and es- pecially the alpine species. * The following list of the rarer, chiefly alpine species, is arranged according to the natural orders : Ranunculace^. Thalictrura alpinum Cruciferje Subularia aquatica Draba verna — — rupestris incana CARYOrUVLLEiK. Silenc acauHs Spcrgula saginoidcs Stellaria cerastoides. Arcnaria verna .. rubella Cerastium alpinum Cberleria sedoides Rosacea. Dryas octopetala Hubus suberectus ._^-. — saxatilis —1..— Cbamosmorus Potentilla alpestris Sibbaldia procumbeiis Alcbemilla alpina Onagrarijb. Epilobium alsinifolium ....^- alpinum Circaca alpina Crassulace^. Rhodiola rosea Scdum villosum SAXirRAGEJB. Saxifrnga stellaris nivalis — oppositifolia — cernua — rivularis — hypnoides Caprifoliacejb. Linnaea borealis RUBIACEiB. Galium boreale COMPUSITJB. Apargia Taraxaci Uieracium alpinum Halleri -^— — — — Lawsuiii Saussurca alpina Cnicus hcterophyllus Gnaphalium dioicum — supinum Umbflufer^. Meum Athamanticum Myrrhis odorata Araliace^. Corn us Succica ErigerOD alpinum LoBXLlACKJI« Lobelia Dortmaiina Vaccines. Vaccinium uligtnosum Arbutus Uva-ursi * The Geographical Distribution of British Plants,*' by Hcwett CottrcU Watson/ may here be referred to as peculiarty nj)plicable to the vast Breadalbaae range. KILLIN. 1083 Ericejb. Azalea procumbenf Pytola media GamnANSiB. Gentiaha nivalis campeatria AsFEairoLXiB. Myofiotis alpestris Sc ROPBULA aiACiB. Bartala alpina Melampyrum ^ylvaticum Veronica alpina -— — saxatilis — »— « fruticuloaa PaiCIILACXiE. Trientalis Europoea Plumb AOiNBJB. Statice Anneria PLAyTAGIHSJB. Littorella lacustris PoXTOONEiB. Polygonium vivipanim Oxyria renifbrmit Ambittac&a. Saliz reticulata arenaria — - Stuartiana — - sphacelata — - Andenoniana Forsteriaoa — > rupestris — - petroa tenuior ^axiflora radicans .^— Borrerlanm — - tetrapla — Weigeliana — - bicolor — ■ vaccinifoUa . carinata ■ ■ pntnifolia ■ ■ venutosa — — myrBinitet — ^ procnmbenfl — — berbacea Juniperus communis Tar. nana OacBiDXiB. Gymnadenia conopsea Habenaria viridis ' albida Ustera cordata Tofieldia palustris JuMcsA Lusola spicata Juncus castaneus ■ trifidus ■ biglumia ■ triglumia Ctpe&acxje. Rbynchospora alba Enophorum capitatum -graoile Carex pauciflora «-— — Mielicholere - ustulata — ^— atrata — puUa rigida Elyna caricina GftAMIKILft. Phleum alpinum Aira alpina Melica nutans Sesleria caeruleft Poa alpina Ad equally rich catalogue might be made of the rare fems^ mossesy and other cryptogamic plants, were it not that space would be occupied which requires to be devoted to subjects of more ge- neral interest. Plantations, — There are about 1000 acres of wood in the pa- rish, and of these a great part consists of very thriving plantations. In the higher parts of Strath GllaD, where there is now rather a want of wood, it is evident it once abounded, as the trunks of large trees are very frequent in the ground. The following kinds of wood are indigenous, and grow to a large size : oak, ash, moun- tain-ash, birch, elder, hawthorn, and hazel. The plantations con- sist chiefly of Scotch and silver fir, spruce, and larch. At Finla- rig, some fine specimens of yew may be seen, and a plane proba- bly three hundred years old. Laburnum and holly are also abun- dant. The following table of trees, measured about three feet from the ground, will give son>e idea of the adaptation of the land to the growth of wood : — Feet. Inches. Feet. Inches. 5 Asbes, smallest 12 Largest, 17 4 CbestnutSi do. 13 10 Do. 15 10 3 Beecbes, do. 13 2 Do. 14 1 Horse-chestnut* 11 5 Do. — ._ 4 Oaks, 12 6 Do. 14 3 Planes, 11 Do. 17 3 Elms, 10 Do. 10 1084 PEUTHSIIIRE. Feet Joebee^ Feet. Incfaci. SSilver.firs, .7 8 . Largest 12 8 1 UoUy, . 8 8 . Do. _ ^ 3 Scotch Art, . 10 . Do. 12 5 1 W«lou^ .10 8 . Do. — — Zoology. — The following animals abound : roe-deer, brown and mountain-hares, rabbits, black-game, grouse, ptarmigan, pheasant, brown and white partridges, woodcocks, snipes, plovers, && The following, which are found in this country, are reckoned rare : the scaup-duck, the water- rail, the ring-ouzel, the greater spotted woodpecker, the nut-hatch, the greater and lesser red pools, &c« There are the following quadrupeds : foxes, badgers, wild martin, and polecats : — of birds of prey : eagles, kite-glade^ buzzard-glade, falcon, hawk, hen-harrier, kestril, mertin, spar- row-hawk, owls, white, brown, and homed : — of aquatic birds: the swans, wild geese, sea-gulls, and herons. Fish. — The following abound in the lakes and rivers : salmoe and trout, also pike, char, and eels. Salmon of thirty-siz pounds have been killed in Lochtay ; and pike, weighing upwards of twenty pounds. The angler may have excellent sport in the lochs, or in the rivers and mountain streamlets. The salmoD-fishing is worth about L.150 per annum. At the Bridge of Killio, the vi- sitor may see a curious mode of fishing. Standing on a rock beside the deep foaming pool, may be seen an aged weather-beaten fi.sh- erman, having in his hand a rod fourteen feet long, with a strong twine attached with a sinker of half a pound weight, and a large steel hook two and a-half inches wide. In the dark pool the sal* mon rests after ascending the lower rapids, and before he ventures to attempt the raging cataracts above. The fisherman throws his line into the foaming linn, and the moment the sinker readies the bottom^ he gives the rod a sudden jerk, and not unfrequently the hook gets fastened in the side of a lai^ salmon, when the deadly but unequal struggle begins, and the fish is speedily landed on the rock. Neither fly, nor worm, nor minnow is used; and yet the fishing, though in dark and troubled waters, is often very successful. From the spot where the fishermim stands, the lover of the sublime may obtain a grand view of the descending river, and of the towering Benmore in the distance. Several sketches of this scene have been taken from the Innisbuidhe, but none from the spot pointed out IL — Civil History. Family of Breadalbane. — The history of the Noble family of KILLIN« 1085 Breadalbane is connected with this parish from very remote times.* Finlarig, one of their ancient seats, is near Killin. It occupies a Gne site, embosomed in wood of a venerable age at the north-west end of Lochtay, with the rirer Lochay sweeping past its base. The castle was built by Sir Duncan Campbell, seventh Laird of Glen- orchay. The following incidents are from the ** Black Book of Tay mouth/' 1. Sir Colin Campbell, first Laird or second son of Duncan, in a Knight of Lochaw, *^ conquessit the takis of the ten mark landis of Auchmore." 2. Sir Duncan Campbell, second Laird of Glenurquhay, who was at the Field of Flodden with King James IV. ^* He con- quessit the heritable tytill of the barony of Finlarig.*^ & The third Laird, Sir Colin Campbell, son to the second, mho died 1523. ** He biggit the Chapel of Finlarig to be ane burial for himself and posteritie.'* 6. The sixth Laird, Sir Colin, who succeeded 1550, and died 1583, ** conquessit the superiority of M'Nabb, his haill landis." 7. Sir Duncan Campbell, " sevint Laird of Glenurquhay," «iho died 1681, ^* in his time biggit the Castle of Finlarig, Pitt, and office-houses thairof ; repaired the chapel thairof, and decored the same inwardlie with pavement and paintine ; for the bigging and workmanship quhairof he gaiff ten thousand poundis." *' Item, in the zeir of God 1627, he causit big ane brig over the watter of Lochay, to the great contentment and will of the countrie." ^ He was ane great Justiciar all his tyme, throch the quhilk he sustenit the deidly feid of the Clangregour ane long space. And besydes that, he causit execute to the death mony notable lym- maris. He behiddit the Laird of Macgregor himself at Kand* moir, in presence of the Erie of At hole, the Justice- Clerk, and sundrie other nobilmen." Several other families of the clan Campbell, such as Glenfal- loch, Lochdochart, &c., connected with, or cadets of, the family of Breadalbane, long resided in the parish, and owned extensive properties. Many scions of these houses have distinguished them* selves in the service of their country. M*NabofM*Nab. — Kinnell, on the banks of the Dochart, was long the residence of M*Nab of M*Nab, who was descended from the abbots of Glendochart A manuscript in our possession gives a minute account of this ancient family. In the reign of David * For an interesting account of tbe Breadalbane family, sec the able Account. o£ Kenmure. 1086 PBRTH8H1RE. I., 1124, it states that they were called M^Nab Eyre or Oighre, the son and heir of the abbot. The Baron of M'Nab fought with Baliol against the Bruce at Dalree. The manuscript quotes several an- cient charters; one is by King David Bruce, under the Grrett Seal, dated 1836 : << Gilberto M'Nab et hseredibus suis, &c. de Bovain in dominatu de Glendochart/' &c. Another is by King James III. to ** Finlao M^Nab et Glio, &c de omnibus et singu- lis terris de Bovain, Ardchyle, &c., dated 1486." Another date, 150*2, is, ^^ Finlao M^Nab de Bovain et hseredibus suis terrarum de Ewar Leiragan," &c. From another deed, conGrmed by a char- ter under the Great Seal from Queen Mary, dated 27th June 1553, it appears the Laird of M^Nab mortgaged a great part of his lands to *^ Colino Campbell de Glenurchy et hsredibus sois, &c de omnibus et singulis terris de Zeuir et Leragau cum suis pertinent, ac etiam de terris de Bovain, Ardchyle," &c John M^Nab of that Ilk suffered much for his adherence to the cause of Charles I. He was with Montrose at Kilsyth, and was killed at the battle of Worcester.* This ancient family intermarried with some of the best and oldest houses in the country. Land'Otoners. — The land-owners are. The Most Noble the Marquis of Breadalbane ; W. L. Campbell of Glenfalloch ; T. H. Place of Glenure ; Miss Campbell of Coninish ; Mr M^Naiigh- ton of Suie ; Dr W. Shaw of Craignavie. They are all non-re- sident except Mr Place, who occasionally passes a part of the autumn at Glenure House. There are several genteel residences in the parish. Besides Auchmore House (though qtioad civilia in Weem) and Kinnell, there is Acblyne, beautifully situated on the Dochart; GlenurCi * Interest was used to have his sequestrated estates restored to his infiknt son, and the following was the reply of General Monk. ** I do hereby declare that it was not intended by my order for repuing the Laird of Glenurchy *s leases by the M'Nabs out of their estates, that the same should extend to the molesting and intermeddling with the estates of any of the M*Nabs who lire peaceably ; and, for as much as I understand that the widow of the Laird <^ M*Nab hath lived peaceably, you are hereby authorized, and I desire, in case any vexation be offered to the outing or dispossessing of the said widow or her children of the 0id lands, or anything that belongs to them under color of the said order, to preserve ibe rights that to them belong, as if the said order had never been made, and to eater and receive them into their lands : and this favor also is to be extended for Archibald M^Nab of Acharane. Given under my hand and seal at Dalkeith, Itttb January 1654. S. S. George Monk. Directed to CapUin Gascoigne, Governor of Fin- larig.*' But, adds the manuscript, *^ it had no effect.** At the Restoration a considerable part of their lands was recovered. The whole property was sold some years ago. KILLIN. 1087 on the banks of Lochure, near Benmore ; and Boreland, embo- somed in the woods of Glenlochay. Ministers ofKillin*'-^}. The Rev. Robert Stewart was minister of Killin before the Revolution, and till the year 1728. 2. He was succeeded by Mr Adam Ferguson, who was translated to Moulin in 1736. 3. Mr James Stewart, who died in the year 1789. 4. His son, Mr Patrick Stewart, had been ordained as- sistant and successor to his father in 1781. He died 1796. 5. He was succeeded by Mr Hugh M^Dougall, who died in 1827. 6. Dr Hugh M'Kenzie, M. D., who was translated from Clyne in Sutherland, and died in 1834. 7. Mr Robert Elder, who was translated from Kilbrandan, and was called from Killin to St Paul's in Edinburgh in October 1838; and was succeeded by the present incumbent in July 1839. In the manse of Killin the present version of the Gaelic Scrip- tures was begun. The Gaelic Testament was executed by Mr James Stewart, from whom his son, the well-known Dr Stewart of Luss, obtained that knowledge of and taste for Gaelic literature which enabled him so faithfully to finish the Gaelic translation of the Bible. Killin may then fairly lay claim to the honour of this great work. Parochial Registers. — The register for proclamations commences in 1687, and the register of baptisms in 1689 ; and, with the ex- ception of ten years, from 1717 to 1727, they have been re- gularly kept to this date. The meetings of session are not re- corded till 1771. Cases of discipline appear to have been were very frequent. One person was publicly rebuked eight times. Fines also were imposed on culprits. These went to the poor's funds. It appears also, that it was usual to make a collection for the poor after the marriage*service, as, along with the sum paid by a party *^ for the benefit of marriage on one proclamation,'' there is, almost uniformly, another entry, ^^ collected at said marriage.'' Such entries as the following, showing the charity of the session, and the number of strange poor which visited the district, are very frequent : " To a travelling object. To a poor object. To a poor object from the Isles. To a poor object from the Highlands. To 17 objects from different quarters. To the Presbytery sexton for three years. Given out for a Gaelic Testament for a poor orphan. Quire of paper for certificates for the begging poor." Clandestine marriages were then frequent, but are now unknown. lose PKRTHSH11 AKtiquitiet. — We tiKve already im vered castle of Ftnlarig.* In Loch- to be one of the Mven tonen buill This castle was oiice taken by the 1 it on the ice, and having lurpHsed to the Eword. There is at StrathBlUi feet long and 22 broad, which is sai Parts of the walls are still standing, is very uncertain. There are several be seen near Kinnell, Old coins hi some of which are now preserved at ' At StrathGIInn there is a deep ] where, in olden tintes, tllie; were The ceremony was performed aftei the quarter, O. S., and before sunrii ped persons were instructed to take torn of the pool, and walking three cairns on the bank, throw a stone ii conveyed to the ruins of St Pillan called St Fitlau's bed, they were laid all night. If next morning they we deemed perfect, and thank!< returnee still visited, not by parishioners, for { tue, but by people from other and • not heard of any being cured ; but tb especially in a cold winter evening, n eons pretending insanity. The bell referred to in last Accc hand-bell, and was an ancient relic ol by an English antiquarian about forty endowed it with the power of retumir would seem England is deemed a cc of Killin, there were long kept a stoi seven small round stones that had be and endowed with the power of curl had its peculiar merit. They got a eve from the straw and weeds cast a them are still preserved at the mill, v by the curious. KILLIN. 1089 There is in the possession of Mr Sinclair, tenant of Inverchag- gernie, an old rifle, four feet long, with an octagonal bore. It was long the property of M'Nab of Innis-Ewen. It was afterwards used by the celebrated Gaelic poet, M*Intyre, when one of Lord Breadalbane's foresters. In bis classic poem *^ Beinn dourain/' he thus praises his companion : '* Ochd-shlisneach gun fbeall, Stoo cl*en fhiodb gun mbeang, Lotadh an damb seang * Sa leonadb e.** It had, however, been used for other purposes than wounding the antlered monarchs of Coire-cheathaicb and Beinn dourain. A party of soldiers bad, in 1745, been sent from Finlarig Castle to burn the House of Coire Chaorach near Benmore. They were watched by M^Nab of Innisewen from the opposite side of the glen. After setting fire to the mansion, they' were again on their march to Finlarig, when, happening to look back, they observed that the fire had gone out. One of them was sent back -to rekindle it He was observed by M^Nab, who, from his place of concealment, fired and killed the red-coat. The rest of the party, seeing the fate of their companion, rushed down to the river, but ere they had reach- ed it, other three were made to kiss the earth. M^Nab then re- treated to the rocks above, still watching his pursuers, and, from the heights, he killed three more of his enemies, when the rest be- came terrified, and gave up the destructive pursuit. In the stock of the rifle there is a recess for a supply of bullets. The same person has the celebrated bottle, known to many of M^Nab's friends as the Bachelor, and containing nine gallons. It was long in use at Kinnell. He has also a very handsome gold brooch, which used to adorn the shoulder. of Rob Roy McGregor: also bis powder-horn, elegantly mounted in silver. There is in the possession of the minister a copy of Bishop Beddell^s Bible in the Irish Gaelic, with this inscription, ^^ 1688. The donation of the honorable, pious, and lairn'd Rob. Boyle, Esquire, a principal Member of the Royal Society, bestowed on the church of Killin, to continue there as a church- Bible for the use of the present minister and his successors, ministers of that parish." III. — Population. There are no data older than the last Account by which the state of the population can be ascertained. At that time there PERTH. 3 Z 1090 PERTHSHIRE. were 2360 persons in the parish. The census of 1831 gives 2002; and in 1841, the nunnber was 1702. Number of persons under 15 jeats of age« • 511 from 15 to 30 475 d0to50 986 50to70 87D above 70 . 110 1702 Of these, 817 are males, and 885 females. There are 394 fami- lies, giving 4J nearly to each family. There are 23 miners, 14 shoemakers, 12 tailors, 11 smiths, 14 wrights, and 18 weavers. In the village of Killin, there are 26 persons above seventy ; one is ninety-two, and another one hundred and five, with all their faculties entire. Owing to the number of burying-places in the parish, there is no register of deaths kept Many also neglect to register the births of their children ; but the following may be taken as an average of births, deaths, and marriages: Births, 35; deaths, 20*: mar- riages, 10. There are 6 fatuous persons and 7 insane. Language. — Though nearly the whole population can under- stand and speak less or more of English, Gaelic is still, and will long be the language of devotion and of the affections of tbd people. IV, — Industry. Agriculture, — The number of arable acres is • 2500 of wood, • . 1000 of pasture, 86U00 There are no undivided commons. Rent— The valued rent is L.3115, 6s. Sd. Scots, but the real rental is about L.8640. The average rent for grazing a horse is L.1, 10s. ; an ox or cow, 15s. ; ewe or wether, 4s. Live-Stock.— The number of sheep is about 30,290 ; black cat- lle^ 1 138 ; horses about 200 ; and swine about 250. Value of Live- Stock. 80290 sheep® 158. each, . L^2I7 1 138 black cattle @ L.7 each, 7966 200 horses @ L.8 each, . 1600 200 swine® L.1, 5s. . 250 L.SdOdd TVie sme^xux^ ol ^^^>^ <:.o^its the farmer at the rate of sixpence eacVi, axvA. \)Ci^ ^^^etis^ Q^ w^Xe^-^-^Wfct^wi^iBA ^outh is at the rate KILLIN. 1091 of 2s, 6d. each, or L.1'2, 10s. a hundred. About a fourth of the stock is usually wintered from home. Allowing five fleeces to the stone, the wool will amount to about 6000 stones. The sheep are the black-faced, and of the best kind. A few Leicesters and South- downs may be seen in the parks. The cattle are of the pure West Highland breed. There are also a few Ayrshire cows introduced for dairy purposes. Wages, — A ploughman gets from L.12 to L.15, and a female servant from L.5 to L.7 a-year ; the wages of a common labourer are from Is. !2d. to Is. 6d. a-day without victuals; masons and car- penters, from 2s. 6d. to ds. Husbandry. — The husbandry is undergoing rapid improvement. Draining is carried on to a considerable extent, also blasting, the proprietor paying one-half of the expense. Could the rivers be embanked, an immense benefit would accrue to the farmer. The deepening of the channel has been attempted with some success. The farm-houses and offices are still in many places very infe- rior, but they are gradually giving place to neat slated accommo- dations. The five-shift rotation, though adopted with advantage by many, is still disliked by some. The leases generally are from seven to fifteen years. Manufactures. — There is a wool-mill, where spinning and card- ing are carried on. There are two saw- mills, and two mills for meal and barley. V. — Parochial Economy. Market' Towns. — There are no market- towns in the parish. The nearest is Crieff or Stirling ; the former being twenty- seven, and the latter thirty* eight miles distant. ViUageSy Sfc. — There are two villages, Killin and Cliftown. Kil- lin contains a population of 400. It has a sub-office of the Cen- tral Bank of Scotland, and also a savings' bank. There are seve- ral shops where goods can be purchased at a reasonable rate. There is a daily post to and from the south, so that the Glasgow papers may be read at Killin at five or six o'clock p. m. of the day of publication. There is a post three times a-week to and from Kenmore and Aberfeldy. • Means of Communication. — The roads and bridges are in excel- lent repair, and the means of communication very good. There is a weekly carrier to Stirling, &c. and one monthly to Glasgow ma Dumbarton, also one monthly to Crieff. In sumuv^t) vV^t^\& a daily or thrice a-week coach running beUeeu K\\\\u ^vwdiXiNXiv- 1092 PEKTIISIIIRB. keld, while a coach leaves Killin every morning for Lochlomoiid to meet the steamer on that lake. Ecclesiastical State. — The site of the church is, on the whole, very convenient, especially as there is a church at each extremity of the parish, where ordained clergymen oflBciate erery Sabbath. The church was built in 1744, and repaired in 1892. It has 905 sittings. Of the population, 488 are attached to the mission or quoad sacra parish of Strathfillan, and 288 to the missioD of Ar- deonaig, leaving 926 to Killin. To this may be added 473 be* longing to the adjacent parts of Weem and Kenmore, who attend the church of Killin, receive ordinances there, and are under the pastoral superintendence of the minister. £xcept about 45 per- sons, the whole population belongs to the Established Church. The Dissenters are Baptists and Independents, who worship in a hired room in the village. They have no stated pastor. There are no Episcopalians. The manse and offices are good, and the beri* tors evince every disposition to make the minister comfortable. The stipend is 16 chalders, half meal and half barley, at the highest Bars of the county, and L.IO for communion elements. There is a considerable amount of free unexhausted teinds, and the last aug- mentation was given in 1815. The glebe extends to about thirteen acres, and may be worth about L.ld. The solemn ordinance of the Lord's Supper has since 1840 been administered twice a-jear, and the additional opportunity has been gratefully appreciated. The number of communicants in the whole parish may be about 600. The present incumbent has, for the last eighteen moDths, been in the habit of occasionally officiating on the Sabbath even- ing in the remote districts of the parish, particularly at Ardcbjle, where the school-house is always crowded. There are several Sabbath schools in active operation. The minister of Strathfillan has L. 60 per annum, arising from a sum mortified by the pious lady Glenorchay, for the maintenance of a chaplain in that district. He has also a manse and glebe, with a valuable hill pasturage. The minister of Ardeonaig has also a stipend of L. 60, with manse and a glebe, consisting of 17^ acres. The half of his stipend is paid by Lord Breadalbane, and the other half by the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge. The noble family of Breadalbane have long been distinguished church and school extensionists. liducotiou. — ^TW Y\x\^^ \s ^^Vl supplied with schools, vix. 1 naroc\\VA\-, '^ ^OQ\ev\^^ W^t^^^^gC\\v^v:>c^xv5^^^^^ Vw\s.^Hiledge ; 3 kiLLlN. 1093 supporled by tbe Marchioness, and taught by females ; 2 adven- ture schools. In the parish school, besides the ordinary branches, Greek, Latin, mathematics, and book-keeping are efficiently taught. In March the number in attendance at all the schools was 485, being one in four of the population. The parish school is en- dowed with the maximum salary, with a commodious house and garden. The Society's teachers have from L. 15 to L. 17, with a free house, croft, and cow's grass. Lady Breadal bane's schools are also endowed. The teacher at Killin receives L. 20, with a free house, garden, and fuel. In this school about 50 girls and 10 boys receive their education gratis. The girls, in addition to the usual branches, are taught sewing and knitting. There is also a dame school in the village, where very young children attend, and are taught the rudiments of English and Gaelic with knitting, and we are not sure but the venerable teacher might lay claim to the ho- nour of having invented the infant school system ; she has a free house from the Marchioness. All the children above six years of age can read, and nearly all in Gaelic and English. Among the aged, especially the females^ there are many that cannot write, but of the young, both boys and girls, almost all learn writing and arithmetic. The expense of edu- cation may average for the whole year about 10s. We must add that nearly all the people, even the poorest, make an effort to give to their children the benefits of education. Most of the teachers bestow much care on the communication of religious knowledge to their pupils. Literature, — There is a library in the parish, consisting of about 800 volumes, principally of religious books. The Breadalbaife Phi- lanthropic Association has been in existence for several years, and has been of gfeat use in furnishing the Scriptures and school books to the people at a low rate. Savings ^ayiA.— It was instituted in 1832, and its advantages are felt and acknowledged by the population, for it often stands in good stead when rent-day comes round. The following gives a view of its progress for the first three years : 1832, amount de- posited, L.91, 15s.; depositors, 17. 1883, amount deposited, L.158, 9s.; depositors, 17. 1834, amount deposited, L.201,2s. lO^d.; depositors, 23. Total deposited in eleven years, L.237I, IBs. 5^d. ; withdrawn, L.1479, 12s. Il|d., leaving due the depo- sitors, L.1128, 5s. lid. Poot. — Tbe average number of poor TeceWmg ?i\Oi ^tovcL\^'^^ "jy-* PEBTHSHII to 1841 is 81, being 1 in 21 of the ihem hare a free house, and many o free, They have the liberty of cu get a supply of fuel. The averagt years is L.180, being L.2, 4s. to eaci several persons have private peosioDi Marchioness causes a yearly distril about Christmas among the most n to the above, about L.40 worth of m poor. The old feeling of independ< on the " box" is, we regret to say, f Fain. — There are several fairs h< ral business on the third Tuesday o of May for business, and the l*ith (i day of November O. S. for general bi is a market at Tyndrum for lambs t day of July. Inns. — There are six excellent in of them post-horses and carriages been lately much enlarged and impn ceiving very extensive additions, wl modious house. Fuel. — Fuel is scarce and expei costs 5s., of peats, 3s. ; and a ton o It may here be mentioned, that Most Gracious Majesty Queen Vici Prince Albert, on the lOlh Septem that could be wished. The lake, i its bosom, though sometimes rude a day placid appearance. All classes lisping the name of its sovereign, and the venerable dame of 105, in t see and welcome their Queen. Roy since the illustrious Bruce fought al * In uldilian to Ihc nimi ariting rrum coll eUnwiion-dun. ibout L. ISO h** twen railed IbeHlued rpnulofpropcrtj. Tbe tum annuil L.40. 1'hli ii incluiJTe of the collection* ■! thou at Ardeoniig, PARISH OF PORT OF MENTEITH.* PRE6BTTBRT OF DUNBLANE, 8TNOD OF PERTH AND STIRLING. , MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Nam€y ffc. — This parish is not known to have ever had any other name. The principal of the landing-places of the Priory of Inch* mahome and of Talla, a seat of the Earls of Menteith, was natu- rally called, by eminence, Port, a word of the same meaning in Gaelic as in English ; and, when a church was built here, it gave its name to the parish. In the Parliamentary erection of the abbacies of Dryburgh and Cambuskenneth and priory of Inchmahome into a temporal lord- ship in 1606, the parish of Port is mentioned as having anciently belonged to the Priory. In January 1615, the parish of Lany was dismembered, and part of it annexed to that of Port ;t of which the dimensions have since been, in extreme length from east to west, about 9 Eng- lish miles ; and in breadth, 6. The southern confine is nearly 8, the northern 8 only. The general shape is an irregular square. Topographical Appearances. — About half of the parish is moun- tainous moor and level peat- moss ; and the productive surface is farther diminished by lakes, the largest of which is in the centre, and towards five miles in circumference ; and the rest, five in number, amount jointly to a third of the other. The mountainous tract is on the north, at the commencement of the Scottish Highlands, to which the transition from the low« lands is here abrupt. The lake of Inchmahome, close to the * Principally drawn up from an account written by a late inoamben.t, the Re?. WUIiam M'Gregor Stirling. f See Manuscript note by a land-owner of the parish of Portf Alexander Graham, Eaq. of Ducbray, Writer to his Maje8ty*8 Signet, made in or before the year 1724, and inserted with his hand in the Macfiirlane Collections in the Advocates* Library, Edinburgh. Mr Graham sutes, as the reasoq of the dismemberment of Lany, th« emalhiess of the stipend. 1096 PERTHSHIRE. foot of the mountains, is not more than fifteen feet abo?e the high-tide mjirk in the rirer Forth, into which it sends the sluggish stream of the Guidie. The mountainous tract above-mentioned is part of the Gram- pian. The highest point, being that of Craig Dbii or Black Craig, is from 1800 to 2000 feet, lliis mountain, of which the general form is that of a sow's back, and which is harshly cut into 6ve or six parts, is composed of conglomerate rock and of lime- stone. The laUer, blue and streaked with white, is fit for being cut into chimney-pieces ; and specimens are, as is believed, to be seen in the house of Ballikinrain, distant from the quarry about ten miles. When burnt, it afibrds a quick-lime of the purest white. In another mountain, which stands on the east, and is, by the lowlanders, called the Craig of Port, but, by the Highlander, from its colour, as seen from the north, Craig Dhereag or Red Craig, there occurs, on the south side, in the lands of Audrig, a rock avalanche a quarter of a mile long. Masses of rock, detachol from the mountain, and interspersed with ivy of ancient growth, are piled in rugged disorder, and resorted to by the fox and the badger. Prom their base, a copious stream of limpid water issues in the driest weather. Of Craig Dhereag the height may be esti- mated at from 1 500 to 1 600 feet. Immediately above the rock ava- lanche now described, and within 300 feet of the highest point of the mountain, a lake occurs about half a mile in circumference, and of which the outlet is towards Loch Venachar, which bounds the greater part of the parish on the north. This sheet of water, from its being invisible from the lower parts of the country, is called Lochan-fallocb, or " hidden little loch." South of Craig Dhereag about half a mile, and in a moor considerably higher than ttie country south of it, is Loch Rusky, about a mile in circum- ference, having a small island, on which are the ruins of a house, partitionally assigned to that noted Sir John Menteith of Rusky by whom the patriot Sir William Wallace was apprehended. In the neighbourhood of this lake are some medicinal springs, which have never been scientifically examined. Geology. — Of the strata in the mountainous tract above-men- tioned, the dip is towards the south-east. In a ravine, a quarter of a mile north of the lake of Inchmahome is a deep fissure, cut, by the stream of Glenny, in a tortuous direction, and to the length ol aboul a Vvwwdved ^ards« The sides, about thirty feet high and PORT OF MENTRITH. 1097 separate five or six feet, lean> one of them backward, and the other in the same proportion forward. In the champaign district, there is a deposit of binish-gray sand- stone, of a close texture, and of great use for pavements and stair- cases. This, indeed, is part of a deposit which extends diagonally across Scotland many miles. It has the same dip as the strata of the Grampian range. The soils of this division of the parish are various. Of the peat- mosses the principal is part of the extensive Moss-Flanders; another is the mossofGartur ; and a third, smaller than either, is Talla-moss. There are some tracts tilly and difficult to drain ; others gravelly and ferruginous, and comparatively barren ; others consisting of mea- dows and swamps, more or less fertile ; others of a shallow loam, very fertile ; others of a shallow loam on rock, and considerably productive ; and, along the Forth, which bounds the greater part of the southern frontier, and intersects the parish on the south- west, so as to have the barony of Gartmore wholly. on its southern bank, there is a rich carse, part of which has been acquired by float- ing off the incumbent peat. Some fields include, each of them, several of the soils above-mentioned. The climate inclines to moisture, owing, as is supposed, to the proximity of the Grampians, to the profusion of peat-moss, and to the want of acclivity. Hydrography. — Of the lakes, namely, Inchmahome, Rusky, Lochanballoch, Loch-lettir, and Loch-macanree, the first is by far the principal. A sixth lake, Loch Drunky, principally in the parish of Aberfoyle, and three-quarters of a mile long, nins a short way into the parish of Port, through which its rivulet finds its way into Loch Venachar. The lake of Inchmahome is, for the most part, shallow, but in some places abruptly deep. Nigh shore, opposite the porter's lodge of ilednock, the sounding is 46 feet ; and be- tween Inchmahome and the north shore, 88. Half-way from Inchmahome to the old ferryman's house at Gateside, it is 63 ; and in the large bay south of Talla, south-west of it, and more than half-way to the shore, 42. This sheet of water quickly freezes; and the ice, in even the deepest parts, is sometimes so strong as to bear loaded carts. Its scenery is of a tranquil character ; and the epithet classic has been applied to it. The island of St Columba, as Inch-ma-home is supposed to signi- fy, constitutes the leading feature. It consists of about &s^ acres, surmounted hy a forest of ancient Itees^ ol viVivcJti \\v^ 1098 PERTH8HIBI« principal are the Spanish chestnut, several centuries oU« mostly in a state of decay. These, interspersed with pfaas and ashes, considerably old, and with a profiiaioQ of wood, more particularly the Spanish filbert, form ao accompaniment to the ruins of the priory, which, this forest, is seen in gh'mpses from the northern shore, w] twenty to thirty full-grown park trees, the plane, the chestnut, and the oak, scattered over the fields, and arouod fkt richly*wooded hill of Coldon, heighten the eSecU From an ena- nence north-west of the lake, and over which the public rond paae^ the whole prospect, including the islet of Talla, which, too^ is pro- fusely wooded, and contains the ruins of a castle of the late Eailsof Menteith, is enhanced by Stirling Castle in the remote with a considerable tract of country still more remote, the hills of Inchy covered with thriving plantations, and adorned by an extensive grove of full-grown trees. Tradition, as intimated by an intelligent statist, who account of this parish above a century since, asserts that the vak of Monteith contained an arm of the ocean as far as the south-west confine of the parish, the hill of Gartmore ; and this is countenanced by the lowness and flatness of the surface to that point, where^ as stated by the author now referred to, there was in his day a stooe with a hole in it, and in which there was an iron ring for tying boats to ; ^^ which stone/' he says, ^* is to this day called clack-noM' loanffj or the * ship or boat-stone.' " This name, it may be added, still marks a place or small farm on the hill of Grartmore.* It may be mentioned that, above twenty years since, in driving a level in a ditch which, due east of the church port, forms the march betwixt the estates of the Duke of Montrose and General Graham Stirling, the exuviae of the marine mussel, the periwinkle^ and other shell-fish, were thrown up from seven feet below the sur- face of the incumbent soil, consisting of from three to four feet of gravel, and, next, of a substance resembling pipe»clay, and appli- cable to the same domestic use. Zoology. — The osprey built, till lately, in a tall oak at the east end of the ruined church of Inchraahome, but, scared by the re- peated plunder of her nest, has deserted the lake. The white- horned owl builds in the ruins of both islands. Various species of the hawk hover about the lake. The Falco gentilis has his eyrie • "MS. V>^ KXe'WXvAw Ot«^wcv^ "5*^, t^^ Duchray, in Adrocfttes* Library, Edin- burgh. PORT OK MENTEITH. 1099 in Craig-Dhtu The common heron frequents this lake, but .builds in a desert isle of Loch- Con, and nowhere else in Monteith. The wild-duck and the diver abound more in the lake of Inchmahome than in any of the known Highland lakes ; attracted, as would seem, by the vast profusion of aq\iatic plants on a shallow bottom. The cormorant and the swan are occasional visitants. The otter is an inhabitant. The lake of Inchmahome contains a variety of fish. The staple is the perch, which, of late years, has been much diminished by the steeping of flax, and by the increased use of lime as a manure. This lake has trout also, and of the same quality as the Lochleven in Kinross-shire. Its pike has, in man's memory, been much les-^ sened in both number and size by the draught-net, whilst the trout has proportionally increased in both respects. The eel, too, which was numerous and gigantically large, has been swept away by that destructive implement. Salmon is said to have come into the lake before the erection of mills on the Guidie. Botany. — Of the plants of Inchmahome and the vicinity, the fol- lowing may be noticed. The Arum maculatttm^ or wake robin, grows profusely in Inchmahome. The Typha latifolia is found on the shore of Talla, and at the efl9ux of the Guidie. The great bulrush oc- curs in great abundance on the northern shore of the lake. The Littorella lacustris grows within the water- mark of the western margin of Inchmahome. The Lysmachia^ or loose-strife, occurs in Talla, but in no great quantity. The shore of Inchmahome abounds in the Lythrum salicaria^ or willow-herb. The water- lily, yellow and white, adorns the shores of both islands. The com- mon reed, once in requisition by the weavers of Glasgow and Pais- ley, but, now by the flyshuttle rendered of no estimation, grow!^ profusely on the shores of the lake.* The principal plantations of trees in the parish have lately been made by General Graham Stirling on his estate and residence of Rednock, in forming an extensive park, consisting of a highly diversified surface. They are in a very thriving condition. Of the lawn tree, the most venerable specimens occur in the park of Cardross, anciently the seat of the priors of Inchmahome, on whom it is said to have been bestowed by Sir Malcom Orum- mond of that ilk, one of the heroes of Bannockburn. * For the notices of animals and plants, the writer was indebted to the late Rot. Fitriek Graham, D. D. minister of Aberfoyle, who had made hotan^ O'da o^ YC\% ^%x« -tieular studies. IIM PERTHSHIRE. II. — Civil History. Hutarieal Notices. — The only kDown account of the parisb of Port, previously to the very short one in the fonner Statistical Ac- count, is that by Alexander Graham, Esq. of Duchray, It was, as stated by the author, composed in the year 1724, and, along with accounts of sixteen others of the parishes around, is inserted in the valuable collections of the late Walter MacFarlan of Mac* Farlan, deposited in the Advocates' Library, Edinburgh. Timothy Font's Map of the Lennox, from a surrey made early io the seventeenth century, includes the parish of Port, and part of that of Aberfoyle, neither of which belonged to that ancient divi- sion of Scotland. A much more particular map of the parish of Port, surveyed above half a century since by James Stobie, along with the rest of Perthshire, and with Clackmannanshire, was soon after pub- lished, and is a model of minute correctness. Some letters and other papers, illustratire of local antiquities, and preserved, amongst others, in the archives of the Earls of Men- teith, and latterly in the house of Gartmore, have been in print since 1815. In regard to the early history of this part of the vale of Mod- teith, one of the points occurring for consideration is the site of a town of the Pict?, as stated by an English historian, the venerable Bede, in the earlier part of the eighth century. This topic is na- turally suggested by the stream of Guidie, being that by which the lake of Inchmahome discharges its superfluous waters into the Forth eight miles east of the efflux. To claim the site of the an- cient town of Guidie to the parish now treated of, is no part of the writer's intention. It may, however, be, from a concurrence of circumstances, inferred, that Guidie was situate near a stream which, at even the present hour, bears its name. Correspond- ing to Bede*s intimation of the extent of the Friths of Forth and Clyde, and their joint intersection of Britain till each of the parts could be said to be nearly contiguous, is the tradition above-mentioned, that (he eastern arm of the ocean anciently ex- tended along the vale of Monteith as far as Gartmore. The stream of Guidie, indeed, till drained artificially, which it was at no very distant epoch, formed a lake, and, in old writs, is styled ** the lake o{ Gu\d\e." It hence occurs, as not only not unlikely but most \\\g\i\^ pto\i^\^^ \!ftv\\. ^^ Y\Oikf^ ^\V^ q{ Guidie was situate near ihe v» aVet \i^at«\% nJc^^ ^^"tti^ ^^'^^'^^ ^V^\\^>^%\x^^^^vt^ should PORT OF MENTEITH. HOI now exist in this quarter, is certainty no reason why it had not ex- isted in the eighth century.*^ The well-known Sir John Monteith, Commissioner of Edward I. of England, and the individual who delivered Sir William Wal- lace into Edward's hands, was younger son of Walter Stewart Earl of Monteith, and took his paother's surname, having obtain «, ed part of her lands, the barony of Rusky. Between his sons, John Menteith of Rusky and four others, on one part, and Sir John Drummond of Drummond, aided by Sir Walter Murray of Tulli- bardine, a feud arose, from the slaughter in 1330 of Bryce Drum- mond, procurator, son of Gilbert Drummond of Balquhapple, a jounger son of Sir John Drummond's family ; and this led to a hos- tile rencontre at Tor or Tar of Rusky, as reported by tradition, when, as from an extant document certainly appears, three of Rus- ky^s brothers, namely, Walter, Malcolm, and William were killed. Mutual outrages followed ; nor was the difference adjusted till 17th May 1360, when Robert Erskin and Hew Eglinton, Justiciaries of Scotland, Sir Robert Graham, and others of the nobles of Scotland, at the command, as is said, of King David II. met on the banks of the Forth, near Stirling, as arbitrators, and, amongst other ar- rangements, awarded Rosneth, belonging to Sir John Drummond^ to the only survivor of Rusky's brothers, Alexander, as a compen- sation for the slaughter of the others. It is a fact worth noticing, that Sir John was father of Anabella, Queen of Robert III. North-west of the lake of Inchmahome, at the Moss of Talla, where the Earl of Lennox, at the head of an army levied to avenge the death of King James III., had, (after marching from Dum- barton Castle, held by him against King James IV.,) pitched his camp, — a skirmish took place, and ended in a chase, in the night of the Ilth or morning of the 12th of October 1489, when the Sovereign in person, with Lord Drummond as his Commander- in-Chief, attacked Lennox unexpectedly. This affair is known in popular history as the battle of Tullimoss, which Bishop Lesly, in ignorance, as would seem, of the topography of Menteith, speaks of as fought at a morass near the Castle of Touch. Buchanan, * The learned Stukeley supposes that Guidie might have been a wooden fort on Incbganrey. It is quite necefsary, indeed, both in this caset and in the hjrpothesisof its being in the vale of Menteith, to have recourse to a perishable material. A more celebrated writer, but an inferior antiquary, has fixed on Camelon as the site in ques. tion.— Bucbanani Historia, iv. 37. The Itinerary of Hardinge, who visited Scot- land in the fifteenth century in the service of Henry VI. of England, is the basis oC the theory of Sir Robert Sibbald, that the site of Guidie was the tqcV oti ^VmSiei ^<« castle of Edinburgh glands, 4 110-i PERTHSHIRE. on the other hand^ a Dative of the LeoDos, and during some of his earlier years resident in the lands of Cardross, in Mentritfa, affirms expressly that Lennox crossed the Forth, not fiir firom the foot of the Grampians, and is seconded by Hawthomden. One of the principal of the prisoners was Thomas Galbnith of Culcreuch, who was executed on or before the 1 8th instant, on which day James IV., at Stirling, granted to his household ser- vant, Adam Hepburn, brother-germau of Patrick Earl of Both- well, and to his heirs, a charter of Culcreuch, &c. in Stirlingshire, of Millegs, &c. in Dumbartonshire, and of some lands in Renfrew- shire, wliich had belonged to the deceased Thomas Galbraith, formerly of Culcreuch, and were in the King's hands by the death of the said Thomas, who, for his treasons, had been justly exe- cuted. The village of Port was, by King James IIL, on 8th February 1466-7, erected into a burgh of barony, as appears from the re- cord of the Great Seal of Scotland, which contains a chaiter by that sovereign at the above-mentioned date, to Malise, Earl of Monteith, and his successors, erecting this village, as above-stated, for the accommodation of the King and his lieges, in the bounds of Meuteith. The Priory of Inchmahome was, from before September 1547, to the end of February following, the seat of the Scottish Court. Soon after the disastrous battle of Pinky, the Re- gent Arrau, by advice of the Queen mother, the Earls of Angus, Argyle, Rothes, Cassilis, and others at Stirling, sud- denly conveyed the infant Queen Mary to Inchmahome, and committed her to the joint care of the Lords Erskine and Li- vingston.* This measure was intended to secure, as far as pos- sible, the safety of Queen Mary's person, which now ran great risk of falling into the hands of the victorious English. Of Mary's residence in this sequestered spot, the particulars have already been some years before the public in the elaborate biography of Queen Mary by the author of Caledonia, who, from record, has 6xed the time, as above-stated, of her departure. Whilst here, she enjoyed the company of her mother as her more im- mediate guardian. Lady Fleming, natural sister of Queen Ma- ry's father, acted as her preceptress, aided by John Erskine, Com- * BWhop 1^^^**% V«tTv«ic\A«LT History of ScoUand, first printed in 1890. He sap lUat lt\\» ^aa dotife^Vi?i^iX\J^^^tv\|^>^'W'«^^\\jft\>>^>v^^ the battle of Pinkej, wbicb, accotdvug to \um aVv«^ ^«x^\^\\ssj Ni\^ Earls of Mon- PORT OF MENTEITH. 1107 t&itby at the south end, stands the Nun's hill, as it is called, though for what reason cannot be conjectured, for the name is the only symptom of a nunnery in the island. Westward of this island, and distant about a stone's throw, is another, but much smaller, island, named Talla, signifying ^' hall'V or ** mansion,'' and containing the ruins of one of the seats of the Earls of Monteith. At the nort-west extremity of Moss Flanders is a Roman ca8-> tellum, about fifty paces in diameter, and irregularly square. There seems to have been in this direction a Roman iter from the great Roman causeway which ran along Scotland from south to north, from the wall of Antonine at Camelon, by Stirling, Dun- blane, &c to Brechin. This iter is supposed to have crossed the river Forth at the ford of Drip, and next to have crossed the stream of Guidie, near where the Forth receives this minor and tributary body of water. Here, as is supposed, the iter branched off towards parfarran, another Roman castellum, which is situate j^outh of the Forth, which the iter recrossed, and south of the Kelty, a short way from the influx of the stream into the Forth. In the moss of Kincardine, a Roman way hqs been discovered, twelve feet broad, and formed by trees crossing each other in two distinct strata of beams ; and in Moss Flanders, another from south-east to north-* west. Several logs of wood lying across each other, in the form of a raft, and squared by the axe, as appeared from the marks of this implement, were, several years since, found in this moss» In the banks of the Guidie, several large oaks, about twenty feet un- der the surface, appear projecting; and, at the union of this stream with the Forth, one tree, nearly six feet in diameter, ap« pears equally deep, and extending nearly twenty feet. Again, south of the Forth, and west of the places above mentioned, a road has been discovered about twelve feet broad, and formed of • trees laid across each other. These notices connected with the Roman Castella at Garfarran, below Gartmore, and in the an- cient Lennox and modern Stirlingshire, and at Flanders Hill, seem conclusive of the Roman footsteps in the vale of Monteith. > A house in the barony of Rusky, about a mile north-east of the castellum of Flanders Hill, is named Keirhead. It is situate on an eminence resembling some others in Monteith, which are called -Keirs, and seems to have anciently been a military post overlook- ing the plain on the south, and to have been, partly at least, form- ed by the hands of man. 1108 PERTHSHIRE. Land'oumers. — The principal land-owners of the parish of Port are, in the order of properly, David Erskine, Esq. of Cardroasy Patron ; General Graham Stirling of Duchray and Auehyle; His Grace the Duke of Montrose ; William Cunningham Cun- ningham Graham, Esq. of Gartmore ; James Graham, Esq. of Leitchtown ; G. B. Home, Esq. of Argaty ; Mrs Eastmont of Drunkie; James Forrester, Esq. of Polder, &c. There are twelve other land-owners. Parochial Registers. — Those of the parochial registers which are extant commence on the 14th September 1664; and contain, in the earlier part, some curious intimations of manners, sooie of which appeared in print some years ago. MofuioH'Heuses.'-^The principal mansion-houses in the parish are Cardross, Rednock House, and Gartmore, all of them large and commodious. Of the other houses of this class, the most worthy of notice is Leitchtown, the property of James Graham, Esq., which is very favourably situated on a well-wooded bank, with a southern aspect Mrs Eastmoot is at present erecting a mansion on her property of Dnmkie, in the northern part of the parish, which will conunand a 6ne yew, including Loch Venachor, &c« The name of the property has lately been changed to In- ner- Trosachs. Rednock House has received a great addition with- in these few years. The proprietor, Greneral Graham Stirlingy had previously formed an extensive and beautiful park from the lake of Inchmahome on the west, through the hills of Inchy, in which he has two arti6cial sheets of water, amid the plantations with which he has embellished those elegant though small rising grounds. These, however, are but a small part of the improvements which this spirited proprietor has made on his barony of Rednock. Ill, — Population. Amount ot pouulation in 1801, • \o60 1811, • 1659 1821, • 1(514 1831, ■ 1664 IBU, • 1446 The language generally spoken in the parish of Port in 1 724 is, by one of the land-owners of those days, stated to be the Gaelic When, accordingly, a minister came to be settled in 1726, the Earl of Buchan, then proprietor of the estate of Cardross and the patron of the parish of Port, listened to the application of the parishioners for a Gaelic minister. A native of Cowal, Mr John Fergusson, was appointed, although from 1694, the Presbyterian charge in PORT OF MBNTEITH* 1109 this parish was held by an individual who did not preach in that tongue. Nor is there the slightest reason to think that either of '^the Episcopalian clergymen, from the Restoration downward^ nanoely, Mr James Donaldson and Mr Patrick Bell^ ever officiated in the Gaelic tongue. IV. — Industry. The example of the late Lord Kaims, and of his successors in the lands of Blair- Dnimmond, in the neighbouring parish of Kin- cardine, has been followed in the parish of Port by Mr Erskine of Cardross, in the establishing of a colony for clearing off the peat from the south-west extremity of Moss- Flanders by runs of water into the Forth, and acquiring, as in the case above-mentioned, a rich alluvial soil. Mr Erskine^s operations on the Forth were commenced about ten years since. The prevalent breed of cows in the parish is a cross of the Highland and the lowland ; and of sheep, the black-fiiced. V. — Parochial Economy. EccksiasHcal State. — The amount of the stipend is I^ 269 ; the value of the glebe about L. 8 per annum. The number of Dis- senting families in the parish is about 18. The manse, was built upwards of half-a-century ago. Education. — The number of schools in the parish is 4. The parochial teacher's salary is the maximum ; and the amount of his school-fees yearly may be from L. 15 to L. 20. Poor. — The average number of poor on the roll is 16 ; amount of funds for their relief, L. 45 ; whereof there are, from Church collections, L. 10, and marriage dues, L.35. Five public-houses in the parish. PARISH OF . rRRSBVTERY OF MEIGLE, EYKOD THR REV. WILLIAM RA! I. — TciI'DGRAPHY AND N Name, — The name of tbii parinl wilhout materia) change from the ea be traced ; and in ihe very oldest d< the spelling la ennctly the same as a records and other documents, it som of Alicht, Elicht, Elitb, &c.; but tl accidental, and can only be rc);arded thngrapby of ancient times. The na the Gaelic ailtadh, a slope or ascent being pronounced like the English th slope on which the old church and tl village are situated. At least, no m been suggested, Tlie same name, w ing, belonged to one of the suppressed 3 Celtic di»lect was spoken. Boundaries, §r. — Tlie parish is bou isia; on the enst, by Airlie and Huth gle; and on tlie west, by Bendochy. KirkmichiK^l. It is separated from Meigle by the river Isia, and from t part of Bendochy by Ihe Ericht oi irregular oblong form, narrowing froi with a length of 15 miles, and a from less than I to above 6 miles, parish is 53.375 square miles, or 3 the greater part of which is uncu the hills of Alyth, Loyal!, and B: nnequal extent, differing cooipleieh features. The lower and more fertil of ibcse hills in the vallev of Stra ALYTM. 1111 regular square of nearly four miles a-side. The aorthern district may be again subdivided into three parts ; I. a tract of cultivated ground immediately behind the hills ; 2. the forest of Alyth, an «;Ltensive tract of moor and moss, separatingthe lowland from the Highland part of the parish ; and, 8. the Blacklunans, a small lertile district lying along the side of the Blackwater. The dis- trict of Blacklunans belongs to the county of Forfar. Elevation and Climate.'^The elevation of the parish, from the banks of the Isla on the south to the summit of Mount Blair at the northern extremity, ranges from about 130 to about 1600 or 1700 feet. Mount Blair, the most considerable eminence in this neighbourhood, belongs partly to this parish and partly to Glen- isla, the line of march running across the summit. The hill of Kingseat, 1178 feet above the level of the sea, is picturesquely situated on the side of the Ericht, about three miles south from Mount Blair. The elevation of Barryhill was calculated by the late Principal Playfair at 668 feet ; and the hills of Alyth and Loyall are somewhat higher. The climate is bracing and salu- brious ; and there is no distemper to which the inhabitants are eubject in a more than ordinary degree. Fevers and other infec- tious diseases are comparatively rare. The whole of this district is a good deal exposed to easterly winds, particularly in the spring months, but in this parish the north-west wind is, on the whole, the most prevalent ; so much so, that trees in unsheltered situa- tions frequently receive a permanent bend to the south east. Rivers and Streams. — This parish, as has been already stated, is bounded in part by the Isla and Ericht ; and it is also traversed by several minor streams. The most considerable of these is the bum of Alyth, which rises in the mosses of the forest, and falls into the Isla at Inverquiech, about two miles east from the village. Geology. — With regard to its geological formation, the parish is divided into three districts, which are chiefly occupied, respec- tively, by the crystalline slates, trap, and the old red sandstone. The first of these comprehends the Blacklunans and the forest of Alyth. Towards Mount Blair, the rocks exhibit the character of mica-slate, and, in the southern part of the forest, that of clay- slate, the intermediate space presenting the usual gradations, interspersed with quartz, hornblende slate, and other ana- logous species. Beds of limestone, although generally of rare occurrence in the Grampians, are frequent at Mount Blair, and farther down on the side of the Blackwater. 1112 PERTHSHIRE. Tbe ridge of high ground behind Bamff House consists of A band of trap rock, generally about a mile in breadth, with firooti stretching down into the hollow behind the hill of Alyth. Od the north side of the ridge, the trap rocks are coDglomerate in tiieir structure, the pebbles being also trap ; but towards the sooth tfiej are more homogeneous, and of a felspathic texture. Within this series, some narrow beds of light-grey sandstone occur; and to- wards the north of the trap beds, there is a large nucleus of yel- lowish compact limestone, which is well adapted for building. A little to th^ south of Bamff House, the trap range is intersected by a dike or vein of weIUde6ned serpentine, about a hundred yards in width, forming a prolongation of that which traverses tbe district to the eastward. The southern part of the parish, with the range of hills behind the village, is occupied by the old red sandstone strata, intersected by narrow dikes of trap, two of which are laid open by the chan- nel of the burn. These strata, at their commenoeoient on the nortli, are generally conglomerate, the pebbles ranging from one to six inches in diameter, and consisting of quartz, porphyry, && As they descend towards the south, the strata become more ho* mogeneous and of finer grain, and are occasionally of a soft marly texture. The synclinal line of Strathmore passes near the village^ from northeast to south-west. On the south of the line, the dip is to the south-east ; on the north, to the south-west. On the north side of the line, the amount of dip is very great, ranging in the conglomerate beds from seventy to ninety degrees. No fossil remains have been observed. No ornamental stones are found in the parish. The beautiful agates, formerly well known under the name of Alyth jaspers, were found in the Burn of Kilry, in the adjacent parish of Glen- isla, and derived their name from the circumstance, that they were generally searched for by persons from Alyth. The flat grounds or haughs, on the side of the Isla, consist of a fine deep loam, with a subsoil of sandy alluvial silt, and are very productive. With the exception of these alluvial loams, the best soils are where the rocks are thinly covered by their own detritus^ which forms a warm dry porous subsoil. When the cover is deeper, it is chiefly composed of detritus from the Grampians forming an impervious piixture of clay and stones of all sizes. The subsoil is generally of this kind, in the hollows behind the bills of Alyth, &c., apd in the Muir of Alyth, an extensive com- ALYTH. 1113 inoQ lying on the south of the village. On the faces of the hilk, the soil is a fine sharp gravel, producing good crops of oats, po- tatoes, &c. In the Blacklunans, the arable land is generally a light fertile black loam ; but some parts are very moorish. There is an extensive peat-moss in the forest, called the Culpanach, and several smaller ones in other parts of the parish. A deposit of marl, being the only one known to exist in this immediate neigh- bourhood, was lately discovered in draining a small loch on the farm of Nether Balloch, near the village. A pair of antlers, con« siderably larger than any now seen on the living animal, were dug up some years ago in a peat-moss at Ballach. Bota?^ and Zoology. — From its situation, this parish exhibits both the vegetation characteristic of alluvial and highly cultivated districts, and also that which is peculiar to upland and subalpine regions. Its Flora has not been minutely examined, but the fol- lowing plants, interesting from their beauty or rarity, have been gathered within its limits. In the lower part of the parish, the Aliima ranunadoidesj the Scrophularia vemalisj the Senecio sara^ cenicusj (a doubtful native), the Astragalus glycyphyUuSj on the banks of the Isla, near Inverquiech, its only habitat, so far as is known, in the basin of the Isla. The banks of that river are also adorned with the Trollivs EuropcBuSj the Campanula latifolia^ and the Gallium boreale^ which last, though rare in many districts, is abundant on the Isla and its mountain tributaries. In the upland districts, the Orobus sylvatieusj the Hahenaria albida^ and H. m- ridis^ (the latter sparingly), the Trientalis Europaaj the Alche" miUa alpina, in rocky and elevated situations, and the Saxifraga aizoides, and 5. stellarisj along the brooks. The white heath, {Erica vulgaris alba)y is said to be of unusually frequent occur- rence. The right bank of the Den of Airlie is in the parish of Alyth, but it is the left bank which is peculiarly interesting to the botanist. Both banks are clothed with a fine stool of natural wood of every species indigenous to this country. The native wood in the rest of this parish, of which there is not much, is chiefly birch, hazel, and alder. The rivers and larger rivulets are well stored with trout, and, in some seasons, a considerable number of salmon ascend the Isla. There is also excellent pike-fishing in an old channel of the ri- ver, on the property of Mr Whitson of Bardmony. Roe-deer and the common kinds of game are plentiful. Pheasants havd 1114 PERTHSHIRE. been Introduced, and thrive very welL Ptarmigan is occastoDally met with in the higher part of the parish, and white hares have been shot in severe winters. 11. — Civil History. The earliest document in which the name of this parish occurs, is a charter of the lands of Bamfif, &c. granted by King Alexander II., in the year 1232, to Nessus de Ramsay, the lineal ancestor of the present proprietor, Sir James Ramsay, Bart. The rest of the property in the parish has repeatedly changed bands sines that period. The Lyndesays, afterwards Earb of Crawford, foe- came connected with it in 1808, when Alexander de Lyndesay received a grant from Thomas, Earl of Marr, confirmed by a charter from King David IL of the lands of Balwynddoch, now Ballendoch. By successive charters from the Scottish Kings, to whom they were nearly related, the family came into the posses- sion of the whole of the parish of Alyth, or at least of all the land in it worth occupying, with the exception of the estates of Bamff and Balhary, the latter of which was then much less extensive than at present. About the beginning of the fifteenth century, they fell into straitened circumstances, and sold or pledged their lands piecemeal, until, in 16f30, they disposed of all their remain* ing property in this district to the family of Airlie, who were al- ready the chief land-owners in this parish. The village of Alyth is a place of considerable antiquity, and has enjoyed the privileges of a burgh of barony since the reign of James HI. The family of Airlie, who have also the title of Ba- rons of Alyth, are the superiors. At a much earlier period, it seems to have been a place of some importance. In the History of Dundee, published 1803-4, it is said that David Bruce, who reigned from 1341 to 1371, granted an edict in favour of that town, prohibiting Kirriemuir, Alyth, &c. from holding weekly markets, as being within the liberties of Dundee. The people of this village, with Thomas Greig, Prebendary of Alyth, took ao active part in the tumultuous election of the celebrated Gravin Douglas to the Bishopric of Dunkeld, a. d. 1516, and are even said to have taken up arms in his favour (En. Brit, new edition, Art Douglas). Stewart, the defeated candidate, obtained the livings of Alyth and Cargill, as a solatium for his disappointment This parish had a considerable share in the commotion and turmoil of the troublous period, from 1640 to 1660. Notwith- standing the prevalent malignity of the district, and the proximity of powerful royalist families, the people of Alyth seem to have ALYTH. 1115 adhered rigidly to the cause of Presbytery. In the session re- cords for the years 164^6, there are several intermissions of public worship, *^ because of the common enemy." From Febru* ary to August 1646, Montrose's army was stationed in the imme- diate neighbourhood, to the great consternation of the inhabitants, as appears from the following entries in the session book. *^ July 5 day 1646, first Sabbath. Given to Hendrie Cargill, x sh" for to go to the camp to trie and search some news from the malig- nants, and that he may be for wamisse of ibeir cuming upon us. July the 2 Sab. This day no preaching, because of the comnion enemie. July the 3 Sab. and 4 Sab. : No preaching, because Montrose was so near us. August the first Sab. and 2 day : Ther was no preaching with us since the last Fast, (Feb. Ist^) because the enemie was quarterit in our bownds. This day our minister taught." When Dundee was besieged by General Monk in 1651, the Committee of Estates and of the Kirk met at Alyth with other lords, gentlemen, and ministers, to concert measures for raising the siege ; but the meeting was summarily dissolved by a detachment of the English army, who surprised them and took a number of prisoners. This occurrence is generally stated by Hume to have happened near Dundee ; but in Gumble's Life of General Monk, it is expressly said to have taken place at Alyth, near the Highlands. The writer has not given his authority for the statement, but it is confirmed by several entries in the parish re- cords. It appears from the following, that Mr John Rattray, who was minister of this parish from 1637 to 1678, was among the pri- soners. ** August the- last day 1651 : This day no preaching, be* cause our minister was taken on Thursday last by the Englishes, be- ing the 28 of August 1 65 1 ." Mr Rattray was carried with the army into England, and was not restored to his parish till the month of June in the following year. Mention is also made in other places of persons taken or wounded in the ^* onfall of Alyth." The fol- lowing entry seems curious enough to be quoted, as illustrative of the state of the country at that period. ^' March the 28, 1652 : No preaching, except only ane Englishe trouper went up to ye pulpit, and made ane forme of aue preaching, who hade no war- rant to preach, whose text was upon the 45 Psalm, 13, 14 vs." After the Restoration, the minister and parishioners of Alyth ap- pear to have submitted quietly to the altered state of things < March 15, 1663: This day, the clerk writter hereof, b^vcv^<^^«^ 1116 PERTHSHIRE. pointed and ordained be the minister and sessioo to read ererk Sab before tbe incoming of the niiinister to the pulpit, red thb day,** &C. In 1667, Mr Thomas Robertson was inducted as as- sistant and successor, with the usages and ceremonies of tbe Efi^ copal Church. Tbe Forest of Alyth was so called, as having been a banting- ground of the Scottish Kings. In the Register of tbe Great Seal, published by Thomson, (p. 134, No. 40, Roll 5), there is a charter dated in the sixth year of the reign of Robert II., Test- ing John de Roos in the oflBce of Justiciary of the King's Forests of Clunie and Alvth. Before the Reformation, the benefice of Alyth was attached to one of the prebends in the Cathedral of Dunkeld, and the patron- age seems to have been exercised by the bishop down to the Re- volution. There was also a chapel dedicated to St Ninian, de- scribed as situated ** infra coemeteriam ecclesiae parochialis de Alyth." The chaplainry was likewise in the gift of the Bishop of Dunkeld. The vicarage of Alyth and the chaplainry of St Ni- nians were unquestionably distinct oflSces, although they might sometimes be held by the same person. It seems most probable that the chaplainry was a provision for the clergyman who dis- charged the duties of curate of the parish in the absence of the incumbent. The lands of Balwhyme, in the neighbourhood of Alyth, formed part of the provision of the chaplain. In a dispute with respect to the teinds of Balwhyme, which took place about thirty years ago, the £arl of Airlie produced a deed, executed.in 1554, by Robert Fowler, Chaplain of St Ninians, with consent of the Dean and Chapter of Dunkeld, the see being then vacant, conveying the lands of Balwhyme, with the teinds, &c. to Ogilvy of Clova. A charter of confirmation was granted by tbe bishop in 1546. There is also extant a deed of cognition and infeftment, dated 1670, vesting Mr Thomas Robertson, assistant minister of Alyth, in the chaplainry and altarage of St Ninians, to which he had been presented by the bishop, on the demission of that be- nefice by the incumbent of the parish. In this document, tbe chapel is said to have been situated ** on the north side of tbe kirk-yard." The site is still pointed out The feu-duties of Balwhyme were drawn for a long time by the minister of Alyth, as part of the stipend, but they are now merged in the Teinds. Remarkable Persons, — Nessus de Ramsay, the founder of tbe family of Ramsay of BamfT, was a person of considerable note io the lVi\Tleet\l\v cjetk\.\xt^« He held the ofiice of Physician to King ALYTH. 1117 Alexander II., and received a grant of lands in ibis parish, which his descendants still hold, in reward for having saved the life of the King by a critical operation ; according to popular tradition, by '* cutting a hair-ball from the King's heart" One of his de- scendants, James Ramsay, attained to eminence in the same pro- fession, and was Physician to James L and Charles I. Mr Tho- mas Alton, who was minister of this parish in the earlier part of last century, was a man of considerable learning, and the author of a Treatise on the Original Government of the Church* James Sandy, a bed-ridden cripple, who died here in 1821, attained great local celebrity by his extraordinary mechanical genius, Land'owners. — The chief land-owners in the parish, in respect of valued rent, are, the Earl of Airlie; John Smyth, Esq. of Balhary; Sir James Ramsay of BamfF, Bart.; George Knight, Esq. of Jordanstone ; Captain Clayhills Henderson, of Hallyards ; and the Honourable William Ogilvie of LoyalL In respect of real rent, Mr Smyth of Balhary is the principal heritor. The family of Airlie have a special grant from the Crown for the name of the lands of Loyall, in commemoration of their fidelity to Charles I. and II. during the great Rebellion. Antiquities^ — On Barry Hill (from the Gaelic Bar-ra^ a hill fort,) there are the remains, still in very perfect preservation, of an ancient Pictish entrenchment of great strength. The summit has been levelled into an area of an oval form, about 150 yards in circumference, and surrounded with a rude rampart of unhewn and uncemented stones. It is protected on the east and south by a deep fosse about ten feet in width ; the other sides of the hill being so steep as to render such a defence superfluous. The ap- proach was from the north-east, along the verge of a precipice, and the entrance was protected by a bulwark of stone. There are some remains of a narrow bridge thrown over the fosse. In the different accounts of this fort which have been published, the stones of the bridge are said to have been cemented by the action of fire ; but the slight marks of vitrifaction, which may probably be accidental, are not suflBcient to warrant the statement. There is no vestige of a well ; but, on the west side of the entrenchment, between the base of the mound and the precipice, there was a deep pond, apparently artificial, which was filled up about fifty or sixty years ago by the tenants in the neighbourhood. On the de- clivity, about a quarter of a mile to the eastward, there are som^ less perfect remains of a smaller entrenchment of the same VatA^ The tort on Barry Hill is considered by Chalmers as coev»\ ^\Ocw 1118 PERTHSHIRE. the Roman iDvasioD. Like other places of the same kind, it is the scene of innumerable legends, which agree in representing it as the residence or prison of the infamous Vanora or Guioevar, the wife of King Arthur, who appears in the local traditions under the more homely appellation of Queen Wander, and is geoerally described as a malignant giantess. This tradition perhaps arose from the vicinity of the celebrated sepulchral stones at Meigle, which are generally considered as remains of the monument of Vanora. E?en with respect to these famous tombstones, the le- gendary account, which connects them with the Vanora of tradi- tion, is certainly more than doubtfuL A more satisfactory account of them has been suggested by Captain T. P. Mitchell, a gentle- man distinguished by his research and sagacity in investigations of this nature. He considers them as neither more nor less than the monuments of the Knights Templars, who unquestionably bad a burying-ground at Meigle. At the top of the south iace of the burgest stone, the armorial bearings of the kingdom of Je- rusalem may be distinetfy traced^ and the group of figures, now almost obliterated, which has been supposed to represent Vaoonr torn in pieces by wild beasts, (and on which the popular tradition was very probably founded), may be considered, with great pro- bability, as an allegorical representation of Judea rescued by tbe Crusaders. In the barony of Alylh, on the south of Barry Hill, there are several rude obelisks, or ^^ standing-stones," probably intended Co commemorate some long- forgotten conflict They are referred by tradition to tbe time of King Robert the Bruce ; but there can be no doubt that they belong to a much more remote period. On the most remarkable, about three miles to the east of the vil- lage, there is the mark of a large horse-shoe, rudely cut out with indistinct traces of other figures. There is no vestige of sculpture on any of the others. Stone coffins, containing human bones, are said to have been occasionally turned up ; and about fifty years ago, an artificial cavity, of considerable size, partly filled op with ashes, was discovered in a field on the farm of Loyall. The ruins of the old Castle of Inverquiech are situated at the junction of the Burn of Alyth with the Isla. In a charter granted by Robert II. in 1394, to his nephew, James de Lyndesay, it is mentioned as ^^ the King's Castle of Inucuyth," and appears to have been even then in ruins. At Corb, on the north-west of the forest, there are also the remains of a castle, probably a huntings ^at of the Scottish Kings, or of tbe Earls of Crawford. ALYTH. 111ft The old church, which is now unroofed, and will soon be ea-* tirely demolished, is a building of considerable, though uncertain antiquity, having been in a ruinous state for upwards of^ two hun- dred years before it was disused. It was probably dedicated at its erection to St Molonoch, or Malachi, Bishop, as the original fair of the village is still called St Malogue's, apparently a cor- ruption of the latter name, and coincides with the day consecrated to that saiui in the old Scottish Calendar. St Molonoch was a disciple of St Brandon, and is mentioned in Keith's Catalogue of Bishops as having flourished or deceased, a. d. 629. The build- ing had never any pretensions to architectural beauty. Some pillars and arches, in the Saxon style of architecture, are appa- rently much more ancient than the rest of the building. It was originally intended to preserve them when the church was pulled down ; but this, it is feared, will be found to be impracticable. Near the pulpit is a plain stone monument, to the memory of the Rev. Thomas Lundin and his wife» who died ia 1^6^ widiBrs few days of each other, and were buried in the same graven II was erected in 1748, by the Rev. J. Robertson, then minister of Alyth ; and it is a singular coincidence that his own death took place under the same circumstances which had affected him so much in the case of his predecessor. Modem Buildings. — The new church was completed in 18'')9, from a design of Mr Hamilton of Edinburgh, at a great expense. It is a remarkably handsome and commodious structure, in the Norman style of architecture, and bears ample testimony to the taste and skill of the distinguished architect. There are few ru- ral parishes in Scotland, and not many even in towns, which en* joy the advantage of possessing such an appropriate and splendid edifice for the services of the sanctuary. Bamff House, the seat of Sir James Ramsay, Bart, about three miles to the north-west of the village, is a respectable mansion of considerable antiquity, and sufficiently improved in later times to render it the elegant and commodious residence of a country gentleman. The prin- cipal houses in the lower part of the parish are, Balhary, the seat of John Smyth, Esq. ; and Jordanstone, George Knight, Esq. The former is a large and commodious mansion, erected about twenty-five years ago by the present proprietor. The church and most of the houses are built of a durable red sandstone, of which there are several quarries in the parish. - Parochial Registers. — The parish records are in general fuW .^nd well kept. The register of births and marrvdg^^^ ^otCL\£i<^w^:j&^ 1120 PERTHSHIRE. in 1624, and the minutes of session in 1687. Tbey are oomprised in nine volumes of different sizes, pome of which contain fine spe- cimens of old-fashioned penmanship. Many of the earlier entries (some of which have been already quoted) are extremely earions^ either as referring to passing events of historical importance^ or as illustrative of the rigorous discipline and ezhorbitant pretensions of the Kirk. One of the most remarkable is the entry for the 9th of February I65I9 which is as follows: ** This day, my Lord Ogilvy||declared his repentance before the congregation, in the habit of sackcloth, in presens of Mr Georg Patillo, minister at Newtyle;^and Mr Robert Crightoun, minister at E^ssai; and Mr David Patton, minister at Kettyns; who were appointed be the presb'^ and, in sackcloth, confessed his sinful accession to General Major Middleton's rebellion, and for his sinfuU miscarriages against the Covenant, and gave great evidence of his heartie grief for the samine, to the full satisfaction of the whole congregation." Oo the 18th of August, and 1st of September 1649, fifteen soldiers^ who had taken arms in what is called ** the unlawful! engagement,** professed their repentance, and were admitted to the renewal of the covenant as a necessary preliminary to their participating in the communion. The page containing the entries for the Sab- baths immediately after the 29th of May 1660, the day of the Restoration, have been torn out, whether by accident, from pru- dential motives, or by some rancorous Covenanter, it is now im* possible to conjecture. Inhere are instances of persons being re« quired to ^^ sit the stool" for periods of more than twenty and eveu thirty Sabbaths. It is remarkable, that two cases of this unprofit- able rigour took place during the temporary establishment of the Episcopal form of government after the Restoration. In addition to the classes of offences which usually fall under the cognisance of a church court, the kirk-session seem to have been frequently occupied with cases of ^^ fechting and flytting," slander, Sec, with occasional investigations into charges of witchcraft. The cases of contumacy are numerous. In some respects, the ecclesiastical dis- cipline of that period appears to have been less rigorous than is generally supposed. Under January 20th 1650, there is the fol- lowing entry : ** The minister did intimate ane ordinance of the presb'**, that in time coming, when people shall burie their deid upon the Lord's day, they doe it timouslie ; in the winter season before sermon, and in the simmer time after the aflemoon's ser- vice."* On the whole, however, if we mjiy judge from the ecde- * «» Oclo\)eT 5, ^b. last, 167j. T1iu> duy the merchants in Altgrh beirg chairgeda ALYTH, 1121 fiastical records of this parish, the parochial police of that period, to which many are disposed to look back as a golden age of purity and piety, can hardly be regarded in any other view than as moat injudiciously and unjustifiably rigid, and rather calculated to irri^ tate and harden the offender than to win him to repentance. IIL — Population. The only means of estimating the ancient state of the popula- tion, is by comparing the present average of births and marriages with the number of former periods, of which very accurate ac« counts have been preserved in the session books. If we may judge from these, the population seems to have continued nearly stationary down to the end of the last century, since which it has slightly increased. There is a marked diminution in the number of births and marriages from 16»*30 to the Restoration, and an equally marked increase for some years after that event; but this is easily accounted for without supposing any variation in the number of inhabitants. We have no exact account of the popu- lation before 1774, when it was found to be 2680. In the year 1792, the date of the former report, it amounted to 2734 ; in 1821, to 2387; in 1831, to 2888; and in 1841, to 2913. The number of inhabitants within the limits of the baronial burgh of Alyth is 1738; in the country part of the parish, 1175. The population of the village has increased very much within the last sixty or seventy years. In 1774, it amounted to only 555; in 1792, to 1060. The great increase between these dates is ex- plained by the circumstance, that, during the intervening period, several additional acres had been feued by the superior. The decrease in the rural population is owing to the abolition of the class of small farmers, and to the smaller number of hands now required in agricultural operations. It is impossible to state the number of l:)irths with perfect accu- tacy, from the remissness of members of Dissenting congregations in registering their children. Taking the number of children not registered at one-tenth of the whole, the average annual number of births may be stated at 77 ; the average number of marriages at 16. Within the last seven years, there have been 36 illegiti- were called and coropeired, and promised not to sjII any wares to any person upon the Sabth, betveeen or after sermons, ixcopt it be upon nccessitic, and that to any sick person ; or that it be of ncce&sitie to tielp to give our some necessaries for bure- ing of the dead or such lilce needfuil tbit>acco or bread." PERTH. 4 B 112S PERTIISHIR mate childran born. No obituary fai The Dumber of burisia in 1642 waa i above the average. Four families of independent fortuc number of proprietora of tlie yearly resident in the parish, is eight; not i blind persons ; and 5 insane or fotuoi Until lately, the Gaelic language northern part of the parisK English, part of the lowlands, is now universall Smuggling and poaching were at i former is now entirely suppressed, and paratively rare. IV. — Indubt The inhabitant]! of the country part clusively engaged in agriculture, thot and the retail trade. There are 53 gularly engnged as farm servants. T1 facturers, and 404 weavers, besides a and children employed in winding. Agricultm-e. — It is impossible to | ment of the extent of land under cull surement has been made of the princi can be ascertained, the number of ai 8,100; under wood, 1070; leaving 2' of houses, roads, &c. There are tw Muir of Mornity, extending to about Alyth, 120 acres. Two extensive c within the last fifty or sixty years ; t lands of Bardmony and Aberbothrie. about 600 acres Scots, were, till forty sessed by two proprietors in run-rig. has been mora than tripled, and the wl than half, is now under tillage. Thi be added to the cultivated land with pro&t. From tlie nature of the subs( general be necessary to render the , considerable extent of uncultivated trict might also he profitably brougl derable part of the moorlands in the tural capability to those parts which ALYTH. 1123 under cultivation, but it would be exposed to great disad- vantages from the want of shelter, unless planting on an extensive scale were resorted to as a preliminary step. Great improvements have been effected since the last Statistical Account in reclaiming waste land, fencing, and draining. On the property of Balhary, since the present proprietor.succeeded to the estate, the extent of arable land has been increased by one-half, and the land formerly under cultivation has been very much im- proved in value by the liberal and judicious apiplication of capital. The greatest liberality has been shown by the landowners in ac^ commodating their tenants with commodious houses and steadings. Both the farm buildings and the cottars' houses have been greatly improved of late years. The old thatch roofs are daily giving place to slate, and a stone and turf cottage is now looked upon as a relic of bygone times. The lands near the Isla were formerly much exposed to inundation, and still are so to some extent, but the evil has been remedied in a great measure by straightening the channel of the river, and by the erection of embankments which have been raised by the proprietors at considerable expense. Most of the land in the lower district, and some farms in other parts of the parish, are in a high state of culivation under the most approved system of husbandry, and the whole of the arable land may be generally said to be under good management. The ro- tation preferred by the best farmers on good land is the com- mon one of five years. The six years' rotation, embracing three years in grass, is not unfrequently followed. The practice of taking two successive grain crops after lea is still kept up on several farms, although reprehended by every good practical far- mer, not less decidedly than by the scientific agriculturist. A considerable part of the cultivated land is at present thrown per- manently into grass parks, and only occasionally ploughed up. Live-Stock.— From 2000 to 3000 sheep, all of the black-faced breed, and 200 or 300 cattle of the Angus and West Highland breed are kept on the hill and moorland pastures. Sheep are seldom seen on the cultivated land, except those which are put upon bone-dust turnips. A considerable number of cattle are reared and grazed on the arable farms. In the upland district these are generally of the native Angus breed, but on the finer soils, a^ cross between that breed and the Teeswatcr is found to be more profitable. Plantations. — The plantations consist chiefly of larch au\ o>5wi\ 1124 PERTHSHIRE. firs, sometimes without any other kind of trees, but more frequent- ly interspersed with the different kinds of hardwood generally cul- tivated. A great part of the wood in the parish has been recent- ly planted. The younger larch plantations baTe suffered severely by the prevalent blight, and threaten in many instances to disap- point the hopes of the proprietors, who naturally expected that they would become in a few years, a shelter and ornament to their estates, as well as a direct source of profit. Rental and Wages. — The average rent of arable land is about L. 1, ds. per acre, some of it near the village being let as high as from L.3, 10s. to L.4, 10s. The valued rental of the parish U L. 8*233, I4s. 4d. Scots. The real rental, by a valuation made in 1837, amounted to little less than L. 12,000, including the value of the houses in the village. The land cannot be looked upon, in ordinary times, as exce&sively rented, although in the pre- sent depressed state of agricultural markets, several of the tenantry have some difficulty in fighting their way. 'i*he rate of wages has been lately reduced in consequence of the low prices of agricultu- ral produce. The wages of a farm servant at present, range froni L. d to L. 12 per annum, with lodging, meal, and milk. Ordi- nary day labourers make from Is. 4d. to Is. 6d. per day; masons in full employment, 12s. ; and carpenters, 10s, per week. The general duration of leases is nineteen years, except on the estates of the Earl of Airlie, who is prohibited by the terms of the entail, from granting leases for a longer term than fourteen years. The greater part of the cultivated land is now enclosed, but there is still room for improvement in this respect. Manufactures. — There is no manufacturing establishment, but a great part of the inhabitants are employed in weaving coarse or brown linen for the Dundee trade. This branch of manufacture has been established here for more than a century. The quan- tity made annually is about 10,500 webs, of 150 yards each. The depression of the linen trade has been severely felt in this village. The present average weekly gain of a weaver is only from 2s. 6(1. ^ to 3s. ; of a winder. Is. 2d. Many families have, in consequence, great difficulty in providing themselves with a supply of the bare necessaries of existence ; and a great number would be in a state of melancholy destitution, if they had not an opportunity of eking out their scanty means by assisting in the harvest work on the neighbouring farms. There is a fulling mill in the village, ami one al \v\vevcYvv\e^\\. "'" ALYTH, 1125 Vv — Parochial EcoNOMr. Alyth is, or rather was, a market town, and there is still a kind «xf weekly market held on Tuesday, The nearest regular market- town is Blairgowrie, distant five miles. Dundee, the nearest sea- port, and the principal mart for this district, is seventeen miles from the village, and fourteen from the southern boundary of the pa- rish. The situation of the village is healthy, and the inhabitants are well supplied with excellent water. A system of police has been established, and a baronial court is held on the first Tuesday of every month. There is no turnpike road in the parish, but the inhabitants en- joy tolerable facilities of communication by means of county roads, which have been much improved of late years, and are generally kept in good repair. There are three stone bridges in the village over the burn ; the newest and best of which was built a few years ago by Sir James Ramsay, with the view of improving the approach lo Bamff house. About twenty-four years ago a bridge was built over the Isla at Crathie, on the road from Alyth to Dundee, at an expense of L. 3500, raised by subscription. By means of this bridge, and of the Dundee and Newtyle Railway, the inhabitants Are enabled to keep up a constant intercourse with Dundee, and have thus facilities for disposing of their produce, and for provid- ing themselves with many of the comforts of life, which would otherwise be beyond their reach. There is a sub-office in the village of Alyth, in connection with the post office at Meigle, four miles distant. -RitV*. — There are six annual fairs held at Alyth, but two of these, St Malogue's, and another about Christmas, known by the unaccountable name of Troit Fair, have fallen into disuse, and are now merely nominal The others, two of which continue for two days, are held in the Miiir of Alyth, for the sale of sheep and cattle. They have been very much improved under the manage'^ ment of John Hill, Esq. of Cotton, the present baron bailie. Public Houses, — There are eight public houses and four shops licensed for the sale of spirits, all in the village. They are in ge- neral decently conducted, but their effect on the morals of the people is decidedly prejudicial. The number is less than it was some years ago, but it might still be advantageously reduced by at least one-half. Ecclesiastical State. — The parish church is situated in the viU lage, one mile from the western, three from the southern and ewaN.« 112G PERTHSHIRE. cru boundaries of the parish, and upwards of twelve from the Dortb- ern extremity of the Blacklunans. It is seated for 1290. There is consequently no want of church accommodatioD. The inhabi- tants of Blacklunans and the northern part of the Forest, amonnt- ing to about 250, very seldom attend, even at communion seasons. Their ordinary place of worship is a chapel at Persie, in the pa- rish of Bendochy, supported by the seat rents and Toluntary con- tribution. It would be a great boon to the inhabitants, and a con- siderable relief to the neighbouring clergy, if the whole of that dis- trict were disjoined from the six parishes with which it is ecclesi- astically connected, and placed under the superintendence of an ordained and legally recognized minister. The manse was re-built in 1821, part of the old hoase being retained. The stipend is 18 chalders, half meal and half barley^ with an allowance of L.10 for communion elements. The glebe is about four acres of good land, worth about L.2. 10s. or L.dper acre. There is no grass glebe. The minister has a right of pas- turage on the moor of Alyth, casting peats in the moss of the Culpanach, and to a small quantity of teind yam. There is a Dissenting meeting house in the village in connec- tion with the United Associate Synod. The emoluments of the minister amount to L. 80 per annum, from seat rents, collections, and voluntary contributions, with a free house and garden. There was some years ago another place of worship belonging to the On- ginal Seceders, but it is now disused* A meeting house is at pre- sent building for the accommodation of the adherents of the recent secession in this and the adjoining parishes. The Episcopal cler- gyman at Coupar Angus has a chapel in Alyth, in which he oflS- ciates once a fortnight. The number of sittings in the Disscn:- ing meeting house, is 270 ; in the Episcopalian chapel, 92. The new meeting house is intended to accommodate between 700 and 600 sitters. No exact account has been taken of the diflTerent religious de- nominations since 1835. Making allowance for the few changes which have since taken place, there are probably about 300 be- longing to different bodies of seceders ; 50 Episcopalians, includ- ing the families of the two chief resident heritors; 30 Roman Ca- tholics from Ireland and the Highlands ; and 50 not known to be- long to any religious denomination. The ordinary congregation in the parish church is at present about 800. Several are pre- venlcd horn ?A.l^v\dmg:^ jmd not a few from sending tl.cir childrea ALYTlf. 1127 bj the want of proper clothing. The sacrament is administered twice a-year* On the last occasion about 800 communicated, but, as a considerable number attend only once a-year, the whole num- ber of communicants may be stated at 1000. Both the attend- ance at the parish church and the number of communicants haye been affected to someextent by the late disturbances in the Church of Scotland. Four out of eleven elders, and a considerable sec- tion of the people, probably equal in number to the other dissen* ters collectively, are understood to adhere to the seceding cler- gymen. A parochial association for religious purposes was established in 1836. The annual contributions have varied from L.2d to L.d0. Educatioru — The salary of the parochial schoolmaster is the maximum of L. 34, 48. 4^d., with a good house and an allowance for garden ground. A new school-room was erected in 1835, with accommodation for 150 pupils. The number attending this school at the last examination was 98. The fees of the parish school are, for reading alone, 2s. per quarter ; reading and writing, 2s. 6d. ; reading, writing, and arithmetic, 4s. ; Latin, with the com- mon branches of education, 7s. 6d. ; mathematics, 10s. 6d. One of the General Assembly's schools is situated at Drumfork, in the Blacklunans* It is very eflBciently taught, and was attended last spring by 101 children. There is also a school at Gauldswell, supported by Sir James Ramsay, and nine unendowed schools, all, with one exception, in the village. The total number of children attending the different schools in February last was 547. The people are in general attentive to the instruction of their children, and few or none are allowed to grow up destitute of the benefit of education. Sabbath Schools^ conducted by the elders and others, have been in a flourishing state for many years. They are at present attend- ed by about 350 children. A class for young men and women it taught by the minister during part of the year, and is generally at- tended by about 50. Poor and Parochial Funds. — The number of persons who re- ceived regular parochial aid during the last year was 107, and 79 (including 55 of those on the permanent roll) received occasional relief from the poor's box. The total amount raised for the relief of the poor was L.51], Os. O^d., of which L.445, 3s. 6d. was raised by assessment, and L. 65, 17s. 3^d. from collections and other sources, including about L. 14 from mortifications, mo!:tcU^\,Vv 1128 PKRTHSHI dues, and penalties. The assessmen liiedrentofeach heritor, the half beir to the real rent. A commission or 5 p( tor. Ofthe9Umcollected,L.4l2,lf port of the regular pupers. There i ject to the annuity tnxon the Ballindo tees, for clothing and educating Rve b< of various sums, amounting in all to of the kirk-session for the education derably greater sum is annually appi thod of assessment was resorted to s Jaeen continued without intermission was then debated whether the poor i or by a system of licensed begging, the latter alternative, it may be safe) bad one, and only to be justified on i cessity, which certainly did not exist sessment was first imposed. Pauper: what it feeds on," has for many yeai steadily in this parish. Manypersont exertions to keep themselves and t justly regard as a degradation, but tl al aid is perceptibly diminishing. It mission at present inquiring into this gest some means for checking' the p which threatens, in this and many oi riniis burden upon property, and whi baaing influence on the character of June 1648. PARISH OF KINCLAVEN. FRESBtTERY OF DUNKELD, SYNOD OF PCRtH AND STIRLlNO. THE REV. HENRY HENDERSON, MINlSTl-R. I.— Topography and Natural History. Name. — The word Kinclaven seems to be derived from the three Celtic words, Caen^ a head or headland ; Cil or Kil^ a church or churchyard ; and avon^ a flowing stream or river, — which is an etymolog;^ perfectly descriptive of the local circumstances on the north-east corner of the parish. Extent^ Boundaries^ Sfc. — The parish is of an irregular oblong form, and nmy be nearly 5 miles in length, and may average 2 miles in breadth. The superficial extent may be estimated at 10 square miles. It is bounded on the north by the Tay dividing it from Caputh ; on the east and south, by the same river dividing it from Cargill ; on the south-west and west, by the parishes of Auch- tergaven and Little Dunkeld. A ridge of elevated ground stretches through the middle of the parish from the Castle of Kinclaven on the north-east to the village of Arntully, on the south-west; and from this ridge, the fields lie in an easy descent towards the Tay on«the north and south. Seen from the higher grounds on the Cargill side of river, this parish has a very agreeable appear- ance, from the intermixture of farm-houses and cottages with the thriving plantations and oak coppices that are scattered over its surface. Climate. — Judging from the henlthy state of the inhabitants, the climate must be considered highly salubrious. There are many instances of very aged persons, who have spent their lives in this parish in the enjoyment of a course of good health. This may, no doubt, be partly owing to their temperate habits and their out-door occupations ; but there can be no doubt that the situation of the parish, washed as it is by the rapid course of the Tay on its northern and southern boundaries, contributes also to the general health of its inhabitants. On the eastern corner oC HdO PKKTHSHU the parish, the air is peculiarly mild to the drier nature of the soil, and pi by ihe Meiklour woods, and the oak ing eminence called the Court Hill. Hydrography. — At the eastern ei Tay is joined by the IsU, which, deso nf Ihe Grampians, flows to the vestwi of Sirathmore, until it runs into the 1 rivers, after their junction, still retai their peculiar appearance ; the Tay, < while the Isla, on the other side, is are several small lakes in the parish very large eels are found. About eighty years ago, in conseq from the Highland mountains, the 1 height, and forced out to itself a m side of the parish ; for instead of floi along the south side of the farm then a peninsula, it burst through straight form and course, and com| from the parish of Caputh to which it the river was about three miles, whe exceed half a mile in extent. Alth filled up to a considerable extent, i excellent pasture, or has even been floods it is also covered with water, far up on the farm, as to assume the )n ordinary seasons, the pools in the i frequented by wild ducks, and other ' tioned that it is this farm of Haugh maps is designated the " Bloody Inc gin of the name can now be assigned Botany, — The plants peculiar to t also to be found here, in the spots wl the low banks of the Tay, some alpi supposed to have been brought dowc forest trees seem to thrive remarkably congenial. There are some splendid ! plane, beech, limes, and firs of vari policy grounds of Meiklour, betwixt t the ruins of the old casile. KINCLAVEN. 1131 IL— untS9 he seems, to have been a man of talent, intelligence, and worth. His expo- sition of the Assembly's Catechism is still deservedly held in high repute. It is rather a remarkable circumstance, however, and well fitted to convey an instructive lesson of mildness and modern- tion in these days of ecclesiastical strife, that, in a few years, Mr Fisher was not in communion with his old flock, whom he had been instrumental in carrying o£f from the Established Church ; for, while he attached himself to that party in the Secession who were denominated Burghers, they chose to connect themselves to the Anti-burgher party. Under the faithful ministry of his suc- cessors, Messrs Blythe and Pringle, the Secession Church in this parish continued to flourish, and has long been one of the most prosperous country congregations belonging to that body. In ad- dition to those belonging to this parish, it is understood that they have always drawn a considerable portion of their members and hearers from the neighbouring parishes of Little Dunkeld, Auch- tergaven, Redgortou, and Caputh. The Rev. David Young is their present pastor, having been elected two years ago on the de- mise of the late Rev. James Pringle, who had been minister of the congregation upwards of fifty years. He was, in all respects, a good man, and, emphatically, " a lover of peace." Education, — There are two schools in the parish, one paro- chial and the other unendowed. The average number of scho- lars attending the parochial school may amount to 40. The salary is the maximum. The branches of education taught, and the school fees are as follows, viz. English reading, 2s, 6d. ; ¥rriting, ds. : arithmetic, geography, and preceding bran- ches, 3s. 6d.; book-keeping and preceding, 4s.; for practical mathematics, Latin, and preceding, 5s. In 1833, the heri- tors expended L.200 in erecting a neat and commodious school- room, and in making a thorough repair on the schoolmaster's dwelling-houde, which now contains much more than the legal ac- commodation. There is also a good garden attached to the school- bouse. The unendowed school is situated in the village of Arn- tully, in the west end of the parish. The average number attend** ing the school may be estimated at 50. It is principally sup- ported by the Dissenters, who are numerous in that part of the parish. Parents, in general, seem to be fully sensible of the beue-^ fit of giving their children all the schooling which they can aSL^x^^. 1140 PERTHSHIl Poor and Parochial Fwndt.-~~T\\i on the roll is 6. At present, there residing in other parishes, although be in this. It may thererore be stal there is not a single pauper resident boast of much wealth, we are thus and miseries of pauperism. The i pauper varies from 4s. to 10s. acco at Martinmas, each pauper receives J of their winter coal& There has nei for the poor ; aod during the last t once found necessary to solicit a t L.I6, which was chiefly occasioned relative to the aliment of a pauper, however, attentive lo present donatic ally Baroness Keith, who gives L. that are placed at the disposal of tl from collections at church-doors, L. proclamations &c. about L.6; in all sum must also be paid the salaries of and variuus other claims. The abo able to the frugality, as well as to tl spirit of ihe parishioners. Even wid children have refused to accept of n the kirk-session, but have expressed the fees paid for *' the winter's sch< Stewart of Newbigging in this par queatlied a legacy of L.20 to the po executors, after paying several othei of her free estate, supposed to iimoui institution the Perth InBnnary. Jnns or Ale-houttt — There are t near the Secession meeting-house, ii tion of the more remote attendants at at the ferry boat, for the use of Ira) is also frequented by gentlemen fron lent salmon angling io iu immediate! part of the country, during the sumn I'uel — Coals, both Scotch and £n or purchased at a trifling additional pot recen\.\\ es\ab\\&hed there. Fir COUPAR- ANGUS. 1141 on reasonable terms at the sales of decayed timber, brushwood, &c that frequently take place. The tenants on the property of the Duke of Athole are entitled to a certain quantity of peats from the moss of Craigleith, on the western boundary of the parish. It is understood that the parochial minister has also this privilege; but during many years, it has not been exercised, owing to the distance of the moss, and the trouble and expense of pre- paring the peats. June 184a PARISH OF COUPAR-ANGUS PRESBYTERY OI^ MEIQLE, SYNOD Of ANGUS AND MEARNS. THE REV. PATRICK J. STEVENSON, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Extent and Boundaries, — The parish of Coupar- Angus lies in the centre of Strathmore. By far the larger portion of it belongs to the county of Perth ; but the original part of the town being in Forfarshire, the parish takes its distinctive name from that county. It is bounded on the north-west, by the parish of Bendochy, from which it is separated by the river Isla; on the north-east, by Meigle ; on the south-east, by Kettins ; and on the south-west, by Cargill. Its length is about 5 miles, stretching from north- east to south-west. Its breadth varies from 1^ to 2^ miles. The parish is divided, in the direction of north-east, by a ridge of some height ; along which the road to Aberdeen runs ; and which commands a splendid view of the Sidlaw, (or perhaps Sud« law,) hills on the south ; the lower range of the Grampians on the north, with the distant summits of Ben More, Schihallion, and Ben Voirlich. The river Isla forms the north-west boundary of the parish. It is supposed to take its name from Yllif, a flood. In the twelfth century, Giraldus Cambrensis calls it Hylef. This supposition derives some corroboration from the whole of the haugh-land, which is of considerable extent on the south side of the river, V\s:^- ing been formerly liable to be overflowed. After continued, t^xv^ COUGAR-ANGUS. 1 14d Coupar was once the seat of a rich and flourishing abbey of Cis* tertian monks. It was founded in 1164 by Malcolm IV., grand- son and successor of David I., whose liberality to the church led King James to remark, ^* That Saint David must have been a sore saint to the Crown." Fordun (Scotichronicon, lib. viii. cap. 7,) says, '^ Anno mclxiv. de oonsilio Waltheri, Abbatis de Melros, rex Malcolmus, fundavit nobile monasterium de Cupro- in- Angus;'' and (lib. ix. cap. 48,) *^hoc anno (1233) dedicate sunt ecclesiae de Newbotil, Abirbrothoc, et Cupro." Wynton, in " De Orygynale Cronykil of Scotland," tells us, ** A thowsand a hundyre and sexty yhere And fowre ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ Malcolme, KyDg of Scotland, And pesybly in it re^nand, De elevynd yhere othis crowne. Mad the fundatyowne Of the Abbajjr of Culpyre-in- Angws, And dowyt it wyth his almws. In honoure of the may kles may Relygyws munkis there dwellis ay, Ail lyk to Cystwys in habyt. We oys to call thame mwnkys qwhyt*' — Book vii. Cap. vii. The revenues of the abbey appear to have been great. Boece says, *^ Ea est abbacia divae virgini sacra amplissimis dotata reddi- libus. Inhabitant eam viri religiosi ordinis Cistertii, multa pietate celebres ; nee in hunc usque diem ullo notati manifesto flagitio." There are two rentals of the abbey ; one in the Book of As- sumptions, where it is valued at L.1886, 8s. 6d. ; and another by Keith, as follows : money, L. 1238, 14s. 9d. ; wheat, 7 chalders, 12 bolls, 1 peck; bear, 75 chalders, 10 bolls, 3 pecks; meal, 73 chalders, 4 boils, 3 pecks, 3^ lippies ; oats, 25 chalders, 4 bolls, 2 pecks, 2 lippies. It possessed, in the parish of Coupar, the estates of Keithick, Arthurstone, Denhead, Balgersho, Cronan ; in the parish of Ben- dochy, — Coupar Grange, probably the home-farm of the abbey, where the abbot had a country seat, and to which the monks oc- casionally retired when sick, Drimmie, Persie, and Cally, com- monly called Monks'- Cally, to distinguish it from another Cally in the same neighbourhood. The abbey appears to have pos- sessed land in the parish of Fossaway also ; as we find that, in the year 1572, ^' John Edmonstoun, minister of Tuliibole, had his stipend, L.7d, 15s., out of the third of the Abbey of Coupar, be the taxmen or parochiners of Fossaway.*' The Hays of ErroU 1144 PEHTHSHIRS. as we Uarn from Keith, were great benefactors to this i " William de Hajra grants thereto the laods of Lideipole o derpole," in the Cane of Govrie. David do Heya, hit grants also, *< pro aainiB Wilfaelmi patris lui et Elenie tposa cum consensu Guilberti heredis sui unum rete super aqua Thei ; with three acres of arable ground,—*' Guilbert de '. miles, dominus de Errol," grants to the monks of this place, berum transilum sine impedimento cum bobus suis super I Buas per omnes vias et semitas." And Guilbert Hay, Cons of Scotland, grants to this monastery, " in quo progenitore sepulti erant et ipse etiam elegerat sepeliri jus patronatus eccl de Errol et capells du Inchmartin cum earum juribus et perti tiis." This gift is conBrmed by Pope Clement. Donald Campbell, the last Abbot, bad fire sons, for whot made handsome provision out of the estates belonging to tfat bey, assigning to them the properties of Balgersho, K^tl Denhead, Crooan, and Arthiirstone. Two of them lie-buri< the churchyard of Bendochy. Leonard Leslie, commendatt the abbey, was also biiried in the same church. His tomb b entire. He died in 1605, aged Bl. The extent of the abbey buildings may be guessed at, but not be accurately defined. The only fragment now remaini in the south-west corner of the churchyard, on the side o( turnpike road leading to Dundee. In 1780, a part of the at consisting of an arch, of beautiful architecture, situate neai centre of the present churchyard, was demolished for the pur of furnishing stones for building the present church ) Till w these few years, the base of a pillar was to be seen to the east of the present church. The northern wall of the oldest pa the present church rests on part of (he foundation of what apf to have been the northern part of the abbey. 1 H.^PorUtATION. The population of the parish in 1831 was 2615 ; in li 3533; of whom 1173 are males, and 1359 females. The crease during the last ten years may be ascribed prindpal! emigralion. This statement in regard to the population does include the estate of Kinloch, which, though in Coupar f civilia, hag always been taken up with the census of the pari: Meigle. The avetage number of births and deaths cannot be accnn aftcerlained, (torn V\ie un'«\ViTO%'(\ftw ct\on^ &«& ovWt W\(l5t for the COUPAR-ANGUS. 1149 date might require parochial aid. It was hoped that the kirk^ses- sion would be able, from the increase of the contributions at the church doorsy and the small number of poor, who, for some years at least, were likely to require assistance, to realize such a sum as would render an assessment unnecessary beyond the period, when those, for whom the heritors engaged to provide, should cease to require support. The scheme seemed to work well at first ; but the funds which the kirk-session calculated on receiving have not equalled their anticipations, and the probability is, that ere long a legal assessment will be again resorted to. One thing, how- ever, may be noticed as the result of this experiment, viz, that the poor^ are less disposed to refrain from asking parochial aid when there exists a legal asseesment, than where the funds for their maintenance arise solely from voluntary contributions. Markets^ <$*c. — There are yearly markets for horses and cattle, besides those which are held weekly. These are now much less frequented, than they formerly were. Alehouses. — The number of houses at present licensed to sell spirits, &c is 24, — a number most unnecessarily large for the size of the parish. Fuel. — The chief fuel employed is English coal, which is brought by the railway from Dundee. It costs from L.1, Is. to L.1, 2s. per ton. Miscellaneous Observations. Almost all the houses and the streets are now lighted with gas, a gas company having been established a few years ago. The steeple, which marks the town at a distance, is unconnect« ed with the church. It was built in 1767, by a subscription among the inhabitants. It stands on the site of the old prison, when Coupar was a burgh of regality. The lower part of it is still em- ployed as a temporary place of confinement. There is a reading-room, provided with a daily London, and several provincial newspapers. Jti/yl84a PARISH OF ABERFOYLE. PRESBYTERY OF DUNBLANE, SYNOD OF PERTH AND STIRLING. THE REV. ROBERT C. GRAHAM, MINISTER. L — Topography and Natural History. Name. — It appears from the public records of Scotland, thai in 1485, the name of this parish was AbirfuU ; and in 1505, Abir- fule* It is mentioned in the books of the Lord High Treasurer, that on the t22d August of that year, (1505,) << Maister William Ogilvy gaif, by the King's command, to the priestis of Aberfiile^ xiiij. s." The modern name of the parish is Aberfoyle — some- times written Aberfoil. It is suggested by the confluence of a stresim of water with the Forth, about a quarter of a mile to the east of the church ; which stream is called in Gaelic the Poll. Extent^ Boundaries. — The utmost length of this parish is 13 miles; its utmost breadth, 6. It is bounded on the north, by Callander parish ; on the west, by part of Buchanan parish ; on the south, by the parishes of Dry men and Gartmore ; and on the east, by Port of Menteith. Topographical Appearances^ 8fc. — Aberfoyle is situated in the Stewartry of Menteith, and on the southern verge of Perthshire. The general aspect of the country is marked by features very different from those which characterize the district to the east and south. Here, the extensive plain and grassy eminence cease, and the rugged precipice and lofty mountain commence. There are, however, only two mountains in this parish worthy of particular no- tice, viz. Benvenue and Ben-chochan. The former rises to the height of 2800, and the latter to 2000 feet above the level of the sea. Both of these mountains command extensive views to the north, west, and east. The celebrated scenery of the Trossachs lies immediately beneath them ; and from their summits can be distinctly traced *^ the windings of the Chase," so beautifully de- scribed by the late Sir Walter Scott in his Lady of the Lake. The i^s in iVve viciaity of these mountains are of small extent, none ABERFOYLB. 1151 of them exceeding a mile in length and a quarter of a mile in breadth. They are, in fact, mere strips of land recovered from heath, and which, if allowed to remain for a few years uncultivated, would be covered with heath again. Climate^ ^c. — The climate of Aberfoyle, though rainy, on ac- count of the vicinity of the mountains, is upon the whole healthy. That part of Aberfoyle where the manse and church are situat- ed, is only about forty-five feet above the Frith of Forth at Stir- ling ; and being completely sheltered by hills on every side, the climate is mild and warm. In summer, the thermometer is fre* quently known to rise to 80^ in the shade, and has been seen even as high as 84. Hydrography. — There are five lakes in Aberfoyle, of conside- rable extent, — Loch Katrine, Loch-ard, Loch Con, Loch Au- chray, and Loch Drunky. The first of these, which runs into Buchanan parish, at its western extremity, and extends to Callan- der parish on the north, is about nine miles in length, and one in breadth. It was stated some years ago, in an Edinburgh newspa- per, that a party of scientific men had visited three of the Scottish lakes, — Loch Lomond, Loch Tay, and Loch Katrine, for the pur- poses of sounding and ascertaining the temperature of the water at different depths. According to this statement, the deepest part of Loch Katrine is about the middle, nearly opposite to the farm of Letter. The lead is here said to have struck the ground at seven- ty-eight fathoms from the surface, the thermometer showing forty- one degrees by the register, the surface being sixty-three. Only small portions of this lake have ever been known to freeze. Loch-ard is next in extent, being four miles in length, and one in breadth. No measurement of its depth has been taken, but that it does not reach to that of the former, appears from the circum- stance, that in severe winters it is so completely frozen, that not only is it frequently crossed over, but heavy loads of fuel are carried on the ice from south to north. Loch-con, which lies farther to the west, is two miles and a half in length, and three-quarters of a mile in breadth. It lies immediately under high and precipitous hills, and appears to be of considerable depth. It is seldom known to freeze completely over. Loch-Auchray and Loch Drunky, which are each about two miles in length and half a mile in breadth, are of inconsiderable depth, and consequently soon affected by frost. The river Forth has its rise at the western extremity of this pa- rish, — at a place called in the Gaelic language Skid-rCuiry or the 1152 PERTHSHIRE. ridge of Yewtrees, where it is probable a wood of yews formei grew, (hough no vestige of it now remains. Here there arises pretty copious spring, which divides itself into two branches, tl most considerable running eastward through LochcoD and Lod ard, and communicating with the German Ocean ; the other nil ning westward into Lochlomond, and communicating by the Clyi with the Atlantic. About half a mile to the east of Loch-ard, tl Forth receives an important accession to its streams by the wati of Duchray, which has its rise near the summit of Benlomond, an which may seem to have an equal claim to the source of the FortI It may be observed, however, that the branch which issues fioi Skid-n'uir, by passing through the above-mentioned lakes, and n ceiving the streams poured down by a much larger tract of cotin try, sends forth a body of water, which, upon an average of tk whole year, may be estimated larger than the other nearly by ooc third. For the first four miles after the junction of these branches the Forth is a shallow and narrow river. After passing GarUnore however, it increases in depth ; but the fall from that to Sdrliog during a course of twenty miles, is not more than eighteen feet, a found by a measurement taken under the direction of the late Lon Cathcart, when it was proposed to carry the great canal up by tbi bed of the Forth, and to join it to the Clyde by Lochlomond aoc the Leven. That scheme, however, was abandoned on manv ac counts, and it is not likely that any great benefit will ever be de rived to this neighbourhood, from the navigation of which the Fortl may be rendered capable, above Stirling. At the farm of Ledard, near the western extremity of Loch- ard, there is a very beautiful cascade, formed by a mountain streaa of considerable size, passing first over a height of twelve feet intc a magnificent basin formed of the solid rock, and so transparent, that, at the depth of ten feet, the smallest pebble may be seen. From this basin, dashing over a ledge of rock, it precipitates it- self again over an irregular slope of more than fifty feet. The sides of this stream are closely covered with oak copse, birch, and moun- tain ash, so that in approaching the fall, you enter, perhaps, one of the finest scenes of the grand and beautiful to be met with in High- land scenery. This cascade is rendered peculiarly interesting from its having been made the subject of description in two of the cele- brated works of Sir Walter Scott, — Waverley and Rob Roy. There is another cascade about a quarter of a mile to the north of the \uu \ but as it is supplied by a much smaller mountain stream, ABERPOTLE. 1163 it makes little appearance) except after aheavy fall of rain. When a flcKHl occurs, however, which is frequently the case during autumn and winter, there is a splendid fall of at least ninety feet. The sides of this cascade are also covered with natural wood, oak, birch, and hazel. Geology and Mineralogy. — The valley of Aberfoyle is inclosed on the south, south-east, and east, by that celebrated range of mountains called the Grampians, which traverse the whole breadth of Scotland from south-west to north-east. In the line of these mountains, and uniformly on the west side, limestone of a superior quality is found. It is traced from Leny, in Callander parish, through Aberfoyle to Auchmar, and some of the islands on Lochlomond in Buchanan parish, a course of near thirty miles; and it is probable that the same rock formation may be traced much farther in the same direc- tion. The limestone in Aberfoyle is blue, with veins of white, is hard, and admits of a Gne polish. It is wrought near the eastern extremity of the parish, and is considered equal to the best Irish limestone for the purposes of building and plastering. As a manure, the use of it is principally conGned to the tenants of the proprietor, the Duke of Montrose. To the west of this range, there is an extensive mountain, con- sisting almost entirely of slate. It lies in regular strata, is of ex- cellent quality, and regularly wrought, giving employment to about twenty men. The want of water carriage, however, and the dis- tance of a market, are serious drawbacks. Conglomerate, and trap, or whinstone, are the prevailing rocks in this neighbourhood. Zoology. — It cannot be said that any of the rare species of ani- mals now exist in this parish. Several names of places indicate, that at one period, the wolf and wild boar were not unfrequent in the district; but the native quadrupeds are now of a less ferocious and destructive kind, viz. roe-deer, hares, foxes, badgers, martins, polecats, wild cats, otters, weasels, hedgehogs, &c It is stated in the former report of the parish, that the black eagle built in some of the more inaccessible rocks. It is now, however, unknown in this quar- ter. The osprey or water eagle has also departed. Kites, hawks, and ravens, are at all times seen hovering around the cliffs. The felcon, too, is occasionally seen ; and during winter, some of the rarer species of Colymbi or divers; and flocks of swans have been observed. The ptarmigan ( Tetrao lagoputy Linn.) is now rarely to be found, even on our highest mountains ; but the moors still PERTH. 4 D II M abound witb black and red game, inon on the low grounds ; and phea lill about twenty years ago, are now Tho 6shea in the lakes and rive eel. In Loch Kutrine alone, the S found. The trout of Loch-ard and one to three pounds, are of the san Icven in Kinross-shire; the 6esh i They run up the streaniK connected af September. Pike are often can twenty pounds. The spawning sea: of March, and it is not in good con of June. I'lantt. — A great variety of plant iidered rare, are to be found in th sucb as the following : Circtta luleti»na I'icnmi* paluiiri Sctiovnus alLiui Allium uniuum Moniin ruiUann Trigloehin |»luil iMchfinilla Alplna Trieauli* Europ: Saniculi Europm Pari* quadrifolia fttliiminiB mFiim OsmunilA regalii Sison inuniluiuin Vaoclnium The native woods consist of oak, : lain~ash, holly, the birds' -cherry, w li;is been lately introduced, but to thrives remarkably well. The nati' juniper, broom, furze ( Ulex Europa everywhere abound. II.— Civil t Aberfoyle appears to have dep larra, on the monastery of Inchms of which are to be seen in the Isle ing parish of Port. In the genealo teith, we find a Patrick Graham, a titled " Vicar of Aberfoyle." Aboi R Mr Robert Kirk was minister of learning, and had a principal share i into Gaelic verse. His grave-ston< east end of the church of Aberfoyli bertus Kirk, A. M., Linguie Hibern To him succeeded Mr William Fis mentof E^is^opacy, had been minis ABBRPOYLE. 1155 During his incumbency there, he had saved the life of Maxwell of Pollock, one of the Senators of the College of Justice, by af- fording him shelter when under proscription for his adherence to Presbytery. On the ejection of the Episcopal clergy, under King William, Lord Pollock procured from the Montrose family the office of domestic chaplain for Mr Fisher. Under cover of that title he officiated unmolested at Aberfoyle for thirty years, and was, beyond question, the last Episcopal clergyman who enjoyed a benefice in Scotland. He died in 1732. To him, in the same year, succeeded Mr James Richardson, a man whose learning rendered him respectable in the church. He died in 1770, leav- ing an only son, who, at an early period of life, was appointed Professor of Humanity in the University of Glasgow, and who, in that situation, highly distinguished himself as an accomplished scholar and successful teacher. Mr James Dymock was ordained minister of Aberfoyle in May 1773, and resigned his charge in April 1786. He was succeeded in April 1787 by Mr Patrick Graham (afterwards Dr Patrick Graham,) who died in Septem- ber 1835, in the forty-eighth year of his ministry. He was emi- nent for the variety and extent of his literary acquirements, — a profound scholar, an able divine, and elegant writer, and publish- ed several works of well-known merit. He was, besides, long en- gaged, as a member of the committee of the General Assembly, in revising the new edition of the Gaelic Scriptures. Land-owner, — His Grace the Duke of Montrose is the sole landowner in the parish of Aberfoyle, being, at the same time, patron, proprietor, and superior. Parochial Registers* — One of the parochial registers is dated as far back as 1698, but it is now nearly illegible. The other registers, which are not voluminous, appear to have been kept with tolerable regularity since 1753. III. — Population. In 1755, the population ut* Aucrtuyle was 895 179-2, ... 790 1821 790 18dl| males, dSl ; females, 329; . 660 1841, ... 549 The census taken in 1821 is believed to be incorrect, but how far cannot now be stated. When the last census was taken, some fa- milies were absent from the parish at wood-cutting and other em- ployments; but these, had they been present, would not have added above 20 to the population. This decrease may be attributed in a great measure to the sys* t 1156 PERTHSlllRB. t^h)y now so general over the Highlands, of throwing several souJI farms into one. The families thus dispossessed of the land on which they had found employment, emigrate to the mannfactoring towns and Tillages in order to procure a liTelihood. The yearly ATtrage of births for the Utt teren years may be ttated ai 13 deaths, . . ID maniageay • 4 The average number of persons under 15 years of age^ 180 betwiit 15 and 30, 155 80 and 50, 1S8 50 and 70, . . 37 upwards of 70, • 94 Number of unmarried men, &o. upwards of 50 years of age, 30 women upwards of 45» 90 families, ...... 148 Average number of children, .... 5 Number of inhabited houses, .190 uninhabited, ..... 6 insane, 2 ; blind, 1. In former times, Gaelic was the language generally spoken in this parish. At present, the inhabitants all understand and speak English. Number of males employed in agriculture as farmers, &e. . 140 retail trade or in handioralt as masters or woffanen, 8ft male servants upwards of twenty years old, .19 undqr twenty years old, . 18 Hsmales, ... H IV. — Industry. The upper part of the parish, which occupies by far the great- est superGcial extent, consists of sheep-farms, and the lower part of cultivated grounds. The occupiers of the sheep-farms seldom raise so much grain as is sufficient for themselves and for their shepherds. The farmers in the lower district are generally able to send a small quantity to the market. The cultivation of sown grasses is now much more attended to than formerly ; and good crops of rye-grass and clover are gene- rally raised in the lower parts of the parish. It appears, that, when the former report was drawn up, the culture of field turnip was almost unknown. Of late years, however, this crop has been ex- tensively introduced into the parish, much to the benefit of the farms. The average rent of grazing is at the rate of L.3 for a cow, and 4s. for a ewe or full-grown sheep per annum ; but the business done in this way is trifling. The rate for farm labour, if you engage a man by the year, is from L.r2 to L.15. For day-labourers. Is. in winter, and Is. 6d. in'^mmer, besides maintenance. The rate of carpenter- work is 2s. ; and of mason work, 2s. 6d. when the day admits of working from s\x o^c\ov:V \tv\!tk!^ tCLOtwvn^ till six o'clock in the evening. ABBRPOYLE. 1157 Breeds qfSlieep and Cattk. — The breed of sheep reared in this parish is the black-faced, and great attention is paid to the im« proTement of the stock. On most of the farms, the sheep are of a very superior quality, and bring high prices in the market. Highland black cattle are chiefly reared in the upper part of the parish, and the Ayrshire breed in the valley. Leasee. — The leases on the grain-farms are given for twelve years, those on the sheep-farms for nine years, and are considered* upon the whole, as favourable to the occupier. Farm' Buildings and Enclosures. — With one or two exceptions, the farm -buildings in the parish are new dbd commodious, and very superior to those generally found on Highland estates. The enclosures, so far as they extend, (and they are now extending ra- pidly,) are strong and sufficient If applied for by the tenant, and if built of stone, six per cent, of interest is charged on the outlay. The principal improvements which have recently been introduced into the parish are, the proper rotation of crops, fencing, draining, and liming, and rearing better breeds of sheep and of cattle. Produce, — The grain raised is, as formerly noticed, consumed chiefly in the parish, but no accurate calculation has been made as to the gross amount. A considerable profit is sometimes made by the wintering of black-cattle, for which many of the farms are peculiarly adapted by the shelter which the woods afford against the inclemencies of the weather. Wool, too, is a considerable article of commerce ; and a few of the farmers are assisted in making up their rents by the sale of butter and cheese. Woods. — The whole woods, consisting principally of oak, from the head of Ix>ch-con to the lake of Menteith, in the parish of Port, all the property of the Duke of Montrose, are divided into twenty«four portions, one of which is cut down annually, and care- fully defended by enclosures, till it has grown beyond the reach of cattle, it is, in the meantime, properly thinned ; and, at the end of twenty-four years, when the whole woods are cut down, the same rotation is ready to commence. Before a lot of wood is cut, the wood-forester marks out a certain number of trees which are to be left as standards, viz. in a lot of ordinary size, 400 trees of 24 years' growth, 8 of 48 years, and 8 of 72 years. V. — Parochial EcoNOMy. Market'Town^ SfC. — The nearest market-town to Aberfoyleis Stirling, which is twenty miles distant. To Glasgow, whi ch is 1156 PBKTHSHIRK. twenty-eight miles distant, there are regular weekly carriers, which proves a great convenience. There is also a post-office now es- tablished in the parish, by which letters are received on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and transmitted on the other days of the week. Ecclesiastical State. — The situation of the parish church is by no means convenient to the greater part of the population, being placed within a mile and a-half of the eastern extremity of the parish, and consequently more than eleven miles from the westero extremity. It was built in 1744, and was for many years in a very uncomfortable state. It was thoroughly repaired, bowever, in 1839, and is now a neat and comfortable place of worship, having a session-house at one end, and a porch at the other. It affords accommodation for about 250 persons. The sittings are all free. The manse was built in 1732, and has undergone several re- pairs. A considerable sum was last year laid out by the heritor in building a new front, and in altering and greatly improving the principal rooms. The glebe consists of fifteen Scotch acres of ground of good quality, partly arable and partly meadow. The stipend amounts to L.147 in money, together with a chalder of barley and a chal- der of oatmeal. The parish church is the only place of worship, except a school house, where the clergyman generally officiates once in two months. Although the population is very scattered, the roads, in some di- rections, of the worst description, and the distance great to which several families are removed from church, it is generally well at^ tended. Education. — There are two schools in the parish, one parochial school, and one on the foundation of the Society in Scotland for Propagating Christian Knowledge. The common branches of instruction only are taught in these schools, viz. reading, writing, arithmetic, and the knowledge of the Scriptures. The salary of the parochial schoolmaster is L.28 per annum, and the amount of school fees from L.5 to L.6, He is provided with a house and garden. The salary of the teacher of the So- ciety school is L. 15 per annum; the school fees seldom amount to more than L. 1, 10s. He is allowed by the heritor a house, garden, and cow's grass. It *\s v\o\. \i^\\^N» made to find coal ; but after much labour* and nut a little expense, the project vas abandoned from want of the neccanry ftmdL CARGILL. 1169 of a Roman station, now called the Castlebill ; on one side, this encampment is defended by the steep banks of the Tay ; on an- other, by a deep ra?ine ; a high breast- work and strong entrench- ments guard it on all other sides where it was accessible. The fossae are perfectly discernible, and the aqueduct by which they were filled from a neighbouring rivulet, is still in high pre- servation ; but the site of this encampment is now converted into a corn-field — Et seges est ubi Troja fuit. In this camp, accord- ing to Bcethius, the Romans took up their winter-quarters under Tribellius, after Agricola left him, and preserved their communi- cation with other detachments of their troops who had advanced farther into the country, towards the foot of the Grampians. Upon the top of a high rock which rises perpendicular above the Linn of Campsey, in a most romantic situation, stand the ruins of an old religious house, dependent on the Abbey of Cupar. Next to our Kings, the Hays of Errol were the principal benefactors of this monastery, and some stones picked up from the ruins still bear the arms of that family. Stobhall, a seat of the family of Perth, is situated on the banks of the Tay in this parish. It ifi an old fabric, most fancifully situated on a narrow tongue of high land, and seems to have been built at different times and on different plans. It has been in the possession of the family of Perth since the year 1360, when Sir John Drummond, by marry- ing Lady Mary, the eldest daughter and coheiress of Sir William de Montifex, Justiciar of Scotland, and head of a most ancient ikmily, with her obtained the lands of Cargill and Stobhall, which then became the designation of the family. A Roman road or paved way runs along the high grounds in this parish, which deserves particular notice. This road, which is about twenty feet broad, and composed of rough round stones rudely laid together, can be plainly traced from Innerpeffry, through the parish of Gask, (where there is a camp,) to Duplin : from thence to Ber- tha, few vestiges of it can be discovered. About a quarter of a mile above Bertha, (which seems to have been a Roman station from the number of urns that have been discovered there), a ridge of stones, which extend far into the river, and a great num- ber of large oak trees, which have been dug up there, and many of which still remain in the water, give strong appearances of a military Roman bridge over the Tay there. From thence the road is to be traced to Rome, (which probably got its name at that time), passed Sherifftown and Innerbuist, where there is a PERTH. 4 E 1170 PRRTHSlilRE. large camp and several tumuli, through the parish of St Martin's to Byres, keeping the ridge of the hill through the estate of Stob- hall ; and passing near Gallowhill, where it is very discernible, it bends its course to the Isla at Windyedge, where the remains of another military bridge are distinctly to be traced, and the houses adjacent to which are still knowh to the old residenters by the name of Bridgend. This bridge seems to have communicated with different Roman stations which are to be seen on different places on the extensive plain on the other side of the river towards Blairgowrie, where the Romans fought a bloody battle with the united armies of the Caledonians and Picts. When this military road was made is uncertain ; probably by the army at Ardoch, to preserve a communication between their different camps, and as convenient for their after marches, had they conquered the coun- try,* (Old Statistical Account.) Eminent Persons. — The family of Drummond, which has always been ranked among the most ancient and illustrious of the Scottish nation, and who had for a long time their chief residence here» gave birth to many characters, not more distinguished by their high stations than by their personal merit ; among a variety of these which might be specified, the brevity of this sketch per- mits only one to be mentioned. Annabella Drumtnond, daughter of Sir John Drummond and Lady Mary Montefix. She was a lady of the most exquisite beauty and distinguished accomplish- ments, and had the honour of being married to Robert III. King of Scotland, and crowned at Scone with him in the month of Sep- tember 1390. She was the ornament of the Court of which she was the Queen; and her death about the year 1401, was con- sidered and lamented as a public loss. Queen Annabella was mother to James I. King of Scotland, and from her are lineally descended all the royal race of the Stuarts. • Near the village of Cargill were, until lately, to be seen some erect stones of con- siderable magnitude, having the figure uf the moon and stars cut out on them, and probably the rude remains of Pagan superstition. The corn 6eld where these atoRO stood is called the Moonshade to this day, or Moonslane Butts. There are several round artificial little hills or conical mounds, in this pari^ eal* led Laws, particularly one at Lawton, the property of James Wright, Esq. whK^ as it is situated in the near neighbourhood of Macbeth*s Castle, on Dunsinnan hill, is said to have been the place where Macbeth dispensed laws and settled differences among his subjects. Near the village of Gallowhill is a field called the Gallowshade, which was a pl*^ of execution under the feudal system, and in a field about a hundred yards north froa> the school house is a well, said to have been used by the eiecutioner for washing btf hands aflcr being engaged in his bloody work, and which still goes by the name « CARGILL. 1171 III. — Population. Amount of population in 180], . 1565 1811, 1521 1821, 1617 1831, 1628 1841, 1641 IV. — Industry. Affriculture.'-^Mosi of the recent agricultural improvements have been introduced into this parish. Much, however, still re- mains to be done. The land being generally of a cold damp bot- tom, thorough draining must be resorted to before thorough pro- ductiveness can be expected. Surface contents of Stobhall estate, Scots measure : arable, 4386.02 acres ; pasture, 161.16; moor, 147.17; wood, 70a02; total, 5397.37 acres. V. — Parochial Economy. Villages. — There are three large villages in the parish, viz. Bur- relton, Woodside, and Wolfhill, which, according to the last cen- sus, contain the following population respectively, 485, 169, and 122, which, added together, amount to nearly half the populatioD of the entire parish. Eccksiastical State. — The parish church of Cargill, which was erected in 1831, is a neat substantial fabric, without ornament, stands on the banks of the Tay, at the base of a sloping bank, and is unseen until close upon it. The manse stands adjacent, and is one of the most delightful parsonages in the country. The amount of the stipend is L. 224, 9s. ; value of the glebe per annum, L.14« There is a chapel at Burrelton. Education, — The parochial teacher*s salary is the maximum. Besides, he has L.10 per annum from Lady Willoughby d'Eres- by for teaching the poor gratis; and in addition to all, has a glebe of about three acres Scots. There are two private schools, — one at Burrelton, the other at Woodside. Poor. — The average number of poor of all classes is 37. The average annual amount of church door collections for their be- hoof is L.14. Besides, there is a legal assessment for their sup- port which has been in force for three years. Tota) expenditure for poor last year, L.158, 13s. 4d. October 184a PARISH OF FORTEVIOT. PRESBYTERY OF PERTH, SYNOD OF PERTH AND STIRLING. THE REV. R. J. ROBERTSON, MINISTER. 1. — Topography and Natural History. This parish is composed of three widely detached portions. The middle part, in which is the village of Forteviot, in the val- ley of the Earn, situated on both banks of that river, is bounded on the north by Tibbermoor : on the east, by Aberdalgie on the north side of the Earn, and by Forgandenny od the south side ; by Forgandenny on the south ; by Gask on the west, north of the river, and by Dunning south of it. This division is the largest. A smaller portion, lying in the Ochils, is bounded oo the east by Amgask ; south, by Orwell ; north and west, by For- gandenny. A still smaller part lies on the east of Aberdalgie^ bounded by it on the west ; by Dumbarnie on the east ; by the Earn on the south ; and by the East Parish of Perth on the north. The first and last portions are fertile, highly cultivated, and richly wooded ; the other, in the Ochils, comprehends some of the dis- tinguished summits belonging to the northern division of that well- known ridge of mountains, and is chiefly in the hands of the pro- prietors, small lairdsy each farming and improving his own land. Rivers, — The river Earn or Earne flows across the breadth of the parish, from west to east. It frequently overflows its banks, and is thereby the occasion of great damage to the low grounds through which it runs. The May is a rivulet that takes its origin among the Ochil-hills, at the distance of about eight miles from the Earn, into which, after a greatly variegated course, it is lost. The water and banks of the May exhibit some natural curiosities, that deservedly attract the attention of strangers. The Humble Bumble, in parti- cular, is extremely remarkable. This name is given to a narrow course which the water has cut for itself a considerable way through a rock, the sides of which meet almost together, especiallv near the top. This passage is both deep and dark. A rumbling noise, FORTEVIOT. 1173 which the water makes in its passage through it, is believed to have given rise to the name by which this remarkable place is known. A little above the Humble Bumble is the Linn of Muck- arsey, about thirty feet perpendicular, which, when the water is high, and comes foaming from the hills, exhibits a beautiful cas- cade. The banks of the May, and several other places in the pa- rish, abound with plants not frequently to be met with, as the Lt- thospermum officinale^ Astragalus uralensis^ &c. a great many of which have been discovered by Lieutenant-Colonel Murray Bel- shes, brother of the proprietor of Invermay, and an eminent florist* IL — Civil History. Antiquities. — This parish affords not a little matter for the in- quiries of the antiquary. Here, it is said, was the residence of some of the kings of the Picts in remote periods ; and here King Kenneth, after the Pictish kingdom was annihilated, departed this life, as narrated in the MSS. of Melross, and Andreas Vintonius, who wrote in the time of Robert Duke of Albany. Halyhill, near the present church, was the summer residence of Malcolm Canmore, and others of the Scottish kings, who granted many charters from this place. At certain distances from the palace were erected large stones, by way of pillars ; as the Standinff'Stane of Bankhead and Cross of Dronochy. Se- veral urns and stone-coffins, with fragments of human bones, were found some years ago in different parts of the parish. The mill of Forteviot, and the Coblehaugh, mentioned by Andrew Wyntoun, yet remain. At Coblehaugh was the boat for ferrying over the Earn. The miller's daughter was mother to Malcolm Canmore. The Halyhill, as it is commonly called, a small eminence atthe west end of Forteviot, was once the site of a royal residence, first, it would appear, of the Pictish, and afterwards of some of the Scottish kings. Here Kenneth XL, having reigned in peace six- teen years, after revenging the death of his father Alpin, whom the Picts beheaded, by exterminating that people, and entirely subjugating their territory, died of a fistula. This place seems to have been a favourite residence of King Malcolm Canmore, and many charters are said to bear date from it. Near to this place, Edward Baliol encamped his army, 31 st July 1332, on the Mil- ler's Acre, immediately before the bloody battle of Duplin. There is a stone cross, quite entire, a good way up the rising ground (Bankhead) on the opposite bank of the Earn, almost straight 1174 PBRTHSHIRE. north from the ford by which BalioVs army crossed the river ; am another on the south of Forteviot, upon a rising ground, callec Dronachy, lying broken over at the pedestal, on which are man; emblematical figures. About half-amile north from the first o these, a large tumulus or cairn was opened about thirty year Ago* hy the people repairing a road in the neighbourhood, and ii it were found some coffins formed of rough flat stones, containiD] many fragments of bones, and some trinkets in various figures, c a vitrified substance and blackish colour ; and, a few years ago some urns were dug up at the west boundary of the parish, whe the road was repairing between Invermay and Dunning. The ruinous buildings on the Halyhill were visited as an objec of curiosity, so late as the reign of Charles I. ; but nothing noi remains of these buildings, and only a part of the eminence where on they stood, as the water of May, by undermining below, is coa tinually washing away less or more of the rubbish. The Kingfi Haugh, a little east from the place, still retains the name. Tra dition informs us, that some houses in the neighbourhood ban been built, or rebuilt, of the stones of the palace at Halyhill ; aoc some of these are easily distinguished by the antiquated figures cui thereon, in the possession of Lord Ruthven. Land-owners. — The land-owners, with their valuations, are ^ follows : Lord Ruthven, .... Alexander H. M. Belshes of InTermayy Robert Niven of Whitehill of Struie, Mr Robert MitcbeU, The Earl of Kinnoull, Sir Thomas Moncrieffof that Ilk, Bart.| Thomas Condie bf Pitwhanatrie's Heirs, John Reid of Mains of Struie, James Condie of Whitehill of Struie, Laurence Oliphant of Condie, . « William Hood of Pitwhanatrie's Heirs, Alexander Stoddart of Dunkirk, Robert Niven of Pitwhainatrie, . L.6683 6 8 Mansion^ House. — Invermay House, the residence of the ok family of Belshes, is the only mansion in the parish. It is a mo dern structure, plain and neat, beautifully situated on a rbinj ground overhanging the May (a rivulet that takes its rise amonj the Ochils, flows through the length of the grounds, and intersect them in its course) and commanding an extensive view of the ro mantic and picturesque scenery around, and of the rich vale o the w\nA\tv^ TSi^ttk, Tbie walls of the ivy-clad tower, all that re L.1233 17 1297 9 8 72 19 6 27 2252 243 10 146 17 1 96 8 9 129 12 11 42 6 9 50 8 4 ao 8 4 50 8 4 FOUTETIOT. 1175 mains of the ancient residence, now bearing all the marks of a complete ruin, although a few of the apartments are still entire, contrast strikingly with the light and handsome appearance of the modem building very near it. About a mile above the house, near the banks of the May, is the burying-place of the family, called the ^^ Chapel of Muckersey." In former times, it was used as the church of Muckersey before the union of that parish with the parish of Forteviot. The approach to it is tastefully formed, lined on each side with fine trees, and well kept. The whole policy of Invermay, in addition to the beauties of nature, is laid out with such exquisite taste, and kept in such excellent order, that it is a great attraction to all strangers, and especially to those at Pitcaithly Wells, who are once a-week permitted to visit this delightful spot. Parochial Registers, — There is a register of births, commencing in 1710; and, excepting a blank from 1713 to 1720, it has been regularly kept from that time to the present. III. — Population. of population in 180l» 786 1811, 835 1821, 797 1831, 624 1841, , 638 IV. — Indtjstry. Agriculture. — Draining is now carried on to a very considerable extent, and is evidently producing great improvement in agricul- ture. The whole of the lands in the lower parts of the parish are well farmed. The farms are large, and the farmers are men of capital. Among the farm-servants, the bothy system univer* sally prevails, and is attended here, as everywhere, with a demo, ralizing effect. IV — Parochial Economy. Ecclesiastical State. — The stipend amounts to L.244, 9s. 9d., and the annual value of the glebe is L. 6, 15s. The manse was built about twenty years ago, and is in excellent condition. Education.^—The salary of the parochial teacher is L.d4, 4s. 4d., and in lieu of a garden he has L. 2, 2s. 9d. He has also L.3 as session-clerk, and L.2, 2s. as heritors' clerk. Poor. — Average number of poor of all classes, 18. Average yearly amount of church collections for their behoof, L.20; of other voluntary contributions, L.27; of mortifications, L.4, 10s. October 1843. PARISH OF BI presbvtkky of meiole, synod THE KEV. J. S. BART I. — Topography and N Name, — Thb name of this parisl In llie parochial registers the followi In 1642, Bendochiei in 1692, the in 1731, Bendocliie; in 1760, Ben cups the inscription is Bendothy, A. is clearly unwarrantable, and witbou tjiscovered, and apparently has bee rending of Bendochy, which is so < sometimes as to resemble Bendothy. " expresses the vulgar pronunciatio etymology Nether-Hill," (Old Slatis ter remark I cannot agree with my p that there can be any good precedi compound of Gaelic and Saxon, as statist supposes: while the exislenc etymology seems in a great measiiri pears the most ancient and correct s| very difficiilt to ascertain the true im| the great uncertainty of Gaelic etym matters are referred to a note below. ■ An ingenious gnd learned friend writes mi be 1 compound of Iliree Gaelic syllables, Ben, ihe prcLeriie or future, and clii, the future of of t/ie gfiod proipecl." The rising ground on tl Qnd rnitise stand is midiriy betviit the Sidia uid equidistant from t'orfur and Perth, the lln from it is eitensiie. varied, and beautifnl. " ndds mj correspondent, " admit of being writt fortunate, giving aulliotily for the supposed and meeting to some eitent the predilections ol vhal is to be done with " Uendothj," thespellin cd by the writer of the former account? Here i water, The Toy if water pir rxcellena. Ben^o or "' " 01 da aieani two, and lAa would be tlie olyi BENDOCHY. 1177 Extent^ Divisions^ ^c. — This parish lies towards the eastern boundary of Perthshire, and the church stands in north latitude 56^ 33^, and longitude 5' from Edinburgh, being two miles from Coupar- Angus, nearly fifteen nniles from Perth, and seventeen from Dundee. As an approximation to the truth it may be stated, that the whole extent of the parish is in imperial acres 10,000, in square miles 16. The length of that part of the parish which is contiguous is about 7 miles, and its greatest breadth about 1^ miles. The parish consists of two great divisions, the highland and low- land, and each of these again admits of a very natural subdivision. The lowland part of the parish is divided into two nearly equal parts by the river Ericht. That portion lying west of the Ericht, (in which the church, manse, and school-house are situated,) is se- parated from the parish of Coupar-Angus on the south by the river Isla, with the exception of a small slip of land belonging to the estates of Bendochy and Mudhall, which is on the south of the Isla ; while on the north and west it is bounded by the parish of Blairgowrie. It consists chiefly of a ridge sloping gradually upon the one side towards the Isla, and on the other towards the Monk Mire. Its greatest height may be 90 feet above the level of the Isla, and 190 above the level of the sea. The summit and sides of this rising ground are varied by gentle undulations, and there is a good deal of perfectly level ground along the banks of the Isla, and towards the confluence of the Ericht and Isla. The other part of the lowland division of the parish lying eastward of the Ericht, after stretching out into a level haugh from the banks of the Ericht and Isla, rises with a gradual ascent, and finally forms a part of the frontier of the Grampians. The highest part of this ridge may be 800 feet above the level of the sea. It is bounded on the east and north, by the parish of Alyth ; on the west, by Rattray ; and on the south the Isla flows betwixt it and the parish of Cou- par-Angus. Betwixt the Highland and lowland divisions of the parish, the two parishes of Rattray and Blairgowrie intervene ; and that pari of the Highland division which is nearest to the parish church is about eight miles distant, while its remotest point is upwards of thirteen miles off. The Highland division is bisected by a small portion of the parish of Blairgowrie. It is thus not only widely (wliy called a hill I know not) is bounded on the north* by the Monk Mire, and on the south by the Isla ; or the church is on the base of the eminence, bounded on two sides by the Isla and Ericht. Select for yourself, reader, and acknowledge with thankfulness the plastic powers of Gaelic etymology ! 1178 PERTHSHIRE. separated from the lowlaud division, but consists itself of two dis- tinct parts. The western portion of this part of the parish lies in the angle of confluence between the Ardle and Black water. The Ardle separates it on the south from the parishes of Blairgowrie and Kinloch ; and the Blackwater, on the east and north, froni the parishes of Blairgowrie and Alyth. On the west, it is bounded by the parish of Kirkmichael ; and on the north-west, by a small dissevered portion of Caputh parish. It consists of an elevated ridge, ascending more or less abruptly from the banks of the two rivers, and having its northern terminus in the hill of Persie, the highest locality in the parish, being probably 1400 feet alyve the level of the sea. On the banks of the Ardle at Cally, there u some arable soil. The arable portion on the Blackwater is chiefijr the elevated flat at Persie, which is considerably higher than that on the Ardle; and, from this cause, and the character of the sub- soil, the crops are considerably later there than at Cally. The valley of the Ardle (Strathardle) runs nearly due east, while that of the Blackwater, with its parallel ridge, comprising this portion of the parish, runs nearly due south. The other portion of the Highland division of the parish, and which is not marked in ike map of Perthshire in this toorkj being the estate of Drimmie, is a large shoulder of hilly ground, composed of two parallel wavy ridges. It lies on the left bank of the Ericht, being the united waters of the Ardle and Blackwater, and about half a mile below their junction ; and it is embraced on the south and west, by the parish of Blairgowrie ; and on the east and north, by the parishes of Rattray and Alyth. Meteorology. — I regret that I have taken no observations with the barometer or thermometer with such care and regularity as to be worth recording. It may be mentioned, that in the severe winter of 1837-8, the mercury in the thermometer stood as low here, perhaps, as in any district in Scotland. On the dd of Fe- bruary, at 8 o'clock A. M., it stood at zero. On Thursday the 15th, a memorably cold day, it ranged from from 8^ to 5^ below zero betwiit six and eight o'clock a. m. On the morning of that day, water spilt in a bed-room, in which there had been constant 6re night and day for ten days previously, almost instantly congealed. The effects of the long-continued intensity of the cold were re- markable. Partridges became so enfeebled as scarcely to be able to fly ; and wood-pigeons, which had become very numerous and ver^ Uoublesome to the farmer, were all but exterminated. I saw BENDOCHY. 1179 them shot at, as they were feediDg upon the tops of the turnips, and though some of them fell dead, others beside them kept their position unscared, so completely had the rigors of the season altered the nature of this shy and chary bird. On the vegetable world, the effects of the cold were even more remarkable. Lau- rels and bays, of twenty years' standing, were cut to the ground. The I^avTus nobUisj arbutus^ and LauresHnus were killed. The native holly and common whin, in very many cases, were destroyed. There have been as severe winters which were followed by no such effects ; nor is it to the intensity of the cold alone that the whole destruction is to be ascribed. Up to the beginning of January, the weather had been unusually genial and warm. On the 8th of January, a sudden and decisive change took place. At that time, the trees were perhaps as far advanced as they generally are in March. The sudden transition was fatal. The violent expansion caused by the intense frost burst the tender vesicles containing the sap, and vegetable life was destroyed. Plants in warm and shel- tered situations, being more forward, were injured most; and in more elevated and exposed localities, evergreens suffered less, not probably because the season there was less severe, but because, being later, they were better prepared for enduring it. As a counterpart to the severe winter of 1838, and as by far the most remarkable season that has occurred since the last Statistical Ac- count was written, the extremely hot and dry season of 1826 may be mentioned. That year, the harvest commenced on the 14th of July, and finished with the month. The antagonist winds are the west and east, and the lie of the trees seems to indicate that the former prevails. The east wind is generally accompanied with rain, except in the spring months. In the months of March and October, we have generally two or three days of a strong dry gale from the north. In a wet har- vest, a breeze off Loch Brandy, (due north), goes through stack and stock, and cheers the farmer's heart From the difference of elevation and geographical position, the climate, as might be expected, is various. The climate of the lower part of the parish where the manse is situated, is probably as good as any in Scotland. The incessant rains which deluge the western shores of the island are unknown here, while, on the other hand, the cold eastern winds are broken and modified by the intervening barrier of the Sidlaw hills. The eastern haan^ so annoying to the invalid, seldom penetrate into our comparatively 1180 PERTHSHIRE. inland position. We observe them filling the opposite valleys in the Sidlaw range, and pausing there as if their commission went no &rther. Nature, however, confers her boons with no indiscrimi- nate hand, and it must be mentioned, what might be expected, that the hoar frosts are at once more frequent and copious here than in the more elevated parts of the parish. This, however, is the only meteorological advantage enjoyed by the Highland part of the parish, and forms a poor compensation for a longer winter, a colder spring, and a later harvest Indeed, the northern parts of the parish are only a little removed from that truly Highland region, where scattered patches of potatoes and bear in the midst of surrounding barrenness, too plainly mark that man is strug- gling with a sterile soil, and a deteriorated climate. There are no diseases peculiar to the climate. Hydrography. — The Isla bounding the lower part of the parish on the south, runs with an insensible fall, and the stranger who sees it meandering gently and harmlessly ^* at its own sweet will," through the vale in summer weather. In many a winding bout. Of linked sweetn^s long drawn out, can scarcely imagine the altered form it assumes when autumnal rains or the melting snows of winter have roused the genius of the stream. At high floods, it rises thirteen or fourteen feet above its summer level. In 1 774, it rose to within six inches of the top of the lowest arch at the bridge of CouJ^tie, and on one occasion I saw it oozing over the top of the church-yard dike into the bury- ing ground. Below the church it is seventy-five yards broad, and at the ford there (by which there is a right of road to Coupar- An- gus,) is, in summer, three feet in depth. The Isla takes its rise in the Grampians, and runs south-east with a rapid current, un- til it is joined by the Dean from the Loch of Forfar, about seven miles to the east of this, after which its direction is south-west to the Tay, into which it falls at Kinclaven. The river Ericht, bi- secting the lowland part of the parish, debouches fiercely from the Grampians, and runs in a rapid and straight forward course until it reaches the middle of the great strath, where it falls into the Isla about one and a-half mile east of the church. It well merits its old name, " ireful Ericht," and although it loses its name the instant it joins the Isla, it nevertheless communicates to that river something of its own character, turning the torpid Isla into a brisk stream, av\A \tu\ieAdvcv^ its channel for some way with gravel, of BENDOCHY. 1181 which, above their junction, the Isla for nailes is altogether des- titute. After rains, the Ericht rises and subsides much more ra- pidly than the Isla. The Ericht is composed of the united streams of the Blackwater and Ardle, which, as has been men- tioned, bound on two sides one division of the Highland district of the parish. The Monk Mire may be about a mile in circum- ference. Its size was diminished by a drain taken from it to the Ericht, for the purpose of facilitating the removal of the marl which it contained. The marl is supposed now to be exhausted. There are several chalybeate springs in the parish, particularly a very 6ne one in Persie hill, the healing virtue of whose waters it is said drew at one time pilgrims to it from afar. Geology and Mineralogy. — This parish includes in its geology rocks of the primitive, transition, and secondary series. In the lower part of the parish, we have the sandstone of that gray co« lour which is supposed to be of an earlier formation than the red sandstone. It is wrought at the hill of Couttie and Coupar- Grange, and in the quarries there no vegetable or animal im- pressions have been noticed. At PictBeld the sandstone is red, and a little farther up, at the hill of St Phink, it passes into con- glomerate. Below the house of St Phink, a dike of trap appears in juxtaposition with red sandstone. At Drimmie, the bed of transition clay-slate which crosses the island makes its appearance, and was at one time partially wrought. In the same neighbour- hood, a seam of Fuller's earth is to be found, and has been used ' for cleansing purposes. The rocks at Persie belong to the pri« mitive class. Erratic blocks of gneiss, mica-slate, granite, &c. are found throughout the parish, and are gradually undergoing a second transportation to dikes and cottage walls. Limestone is not found in the parish, but in its vicinity near Persie and Tully« fergus. The low haughs on the estates of Bendochy, Coupar- Grange, and the Grange are evidently transported soils, being the alluvial deposit of a former era. In many places, they are of a clayey na- ture, but in them all at a certain depth, there is a substratum of sand keeping them dry, and rendering them capable of imbibing with impunity more moisture than much shallower soils. The as* cending fields rest on a basis of red clay (mortar), keeping them wet, when not thoroughly drained, — and in some parts on gravel, and in the latter case, when there is sufficient depth of soil, the ground is extremely early and fertile. The lands of the Grange 1182 PERTHSHIRE. are of a tenacious whitish clay, generally iQcumbent on sand, and retain marks of old tracts of the Ericht 2Soa/c^.^— There is nothing very peculiar or interesting in the zoology of this parish. Among the rarer species of birds may be mentioned the Muscicapa gruota^ the fly-catcher. A pair of these built, for many successive seasons, in the cleft of a weeping birch immediately before the manse. A felonious squirrel plunderai their nest three years ago, when they shifted their quarters to i jargonelle pear tree on the end of the manse. This bird has in- creased very much within these last fifteen years, and perbap twenty pairs of them now may be found scattered throughout th€ warmer localities in Strathmore. It is the latest of all our sum* mer migrants, and is singularly punctual to its time, having arrif- ed for many years on the Slst of May. On the morning of that day, I now infallibly expect to be greeted by the appearance of this gentle mannered bird. The Haematopus ostraleyus^ the oyster- catcher, builds regularly on the gravelly banks of the Ericht, aod yet ornithologists* say, that ^^ this bird is never found inland." I observe that Dr Fleming, in his British Animals, notices the error. We have flocks of Siumus vulgaris^ the starling, in au- tumn and winter, but a pair or two of these birds have for two or three seasons built in the cavities of some elm trees at Coupar- Grange. The Parus caudatus^ the long-tailed titmouse, builds near the Strone of Cally, and the parents, with their brood, gene- rally a numerous one, keeping together until next spring, may be seen during autumn and winter flitting from tree to tree, — a happ; family party. The Fringilla spinus^ the siskin, is a frequent winter visitant, and I have noticed a distinctly marked variety of this bird. The Loxia curvirostra^ the cross-bill, has of late years been frequent in our pine woods, and I have reason to suppose that tbey breed sometimes with us. The Reguliu cristatuSf the golden- crested wren, abounds in our woods, although at one time appa- rently rare. The Alcedo ispida^ the kingfisher, is seen occa- [j sionally on the banks of our rivers, dazzling the patient angler with the brilliancy of its plumage. The Fringilla montifiingillay com- mon. Emberiza nivalis, rare. Mergus merganser^ frequent, and \ as stragglers may be mentioned, the Padiceps cristatus^ and rubried' lisy Answer ferusy Cygnusferus, and Alca Torda. Partridge and phea- sant are found, the former abundantly, and in the Highland part • Sec Bewick, aod Wilfon*s American Ornithology, edited by Profeaaor Jameson. BBNDOCHT. 1183 of the parish, grouse and blackcock. In the hill of Persie, the Turdus torquatusy the mountain ouzel, builds. The mountain ouzel, and the spotted flycatcher, I consider our ornithological ex- tremes, and the fact of their being found in the parish may indi* cate its variety of climate and altitude above the level of the sea, to the attentive student of ornithology. The fox, badger, otter, weasel, ermine, foumart, and squirrel are found in the parish, and rarely the Felis sylvestrisj or wild cat. The mole is nearly extirpated, but in its place another ^^ miner of the soil,*' the rabbit, has made its appearance, and is multiplying rapidly. The common hare abounds, and sometimes the Lepus variabilis, alpine hare, is to be met with in the Highland part of the parish. The roe {Cervus capreolus) is frequent in the planta- tions on Persie hill where it breeds, and in the same neighbour- hood occasionally in the winter season, a red deer, (^Cermu Ela^ phus), that has wandered from the herds of Caenlochan. In the Isla and Ericht the Salmo Salar, the common salmon, it found in considerable abundance ; the Salmo Trutia and Eriox more sparingly. New light has been lately shed on the natural history of the Salmonidse by the discoveries of Shaw and Young, and the ichthyologists will require to alter their terminology to meet the new facts that have been elicited. The par, long of doubtful extraction, seems now, as the precursor of the samlet, to merit the protection of an act of Parliament. The Salmo Trutta and the S. Eriox frequent our streams, but not in great numbers. The common trout, pike, perch, and eel are found in our rivers, and very rarely the Petromyzon fluviatilis, the river lamprey, and FlatessaJksuSf or flounder. Botany. — 1 have examined with much tare the phaenerogamous botany of this parish, and believe that the following catalogue con- tains almost every plant found in it, of interest to the botanical col- lector. From its geological features, from its variety of climate and altitude above the level of the sea, the botanist will infer that its flora must necessarily be various and extensive. If he will add to it the adjoining parish of Coupar Angus, (in which five or six plants occur not found in this parish,) he will have the botany of a sec- tion of country extending from the base of the Sidlaws, across the valley of Strathmore, and over the first tier of the Grampian range. It may be considered important, as embracing the vegeta- tion of a large central district in Strathmore, the botanical trea« gures of which have, as far as I know, never been recorded. In •i ilB4 PERTHSHIRE. drawing up his catalogue of Angus-shire plants, Don's researches dc not seem to have extended so far westward. To the east of thu his practised eye has left little to be discovered by future observ- ers, I give the plants not in Linnean order, but as the botanisl would find them, were he to perambulate this parish, begfinniog al its western extremity. At Hill of Couttie, near the boundary oi the parish, the Hieracium sylvaticum^ a rare plant in Strathmore; and in the Gelds on the same farm, the Dianthus deltoides. On the arable gravelly soil at Mayriggs, Teesdalia nudicaulis aod Cerastium arvense ; and on the moorish pastures the Vicia angja- tifolia and Astragalus hypoglottis. Along the margin of the Monk Mire, the Radiola millegrana^ Bidens cernua^ and Saii- fraga aizoides. Botanists seem to have supposed that this latter plant was to be found exclusively in subalpine regions. The Monk Mire is not probably above 150 feet above the level of the sea. No Alpine stream runs into it, and yet this saxifrage grows in great abundance on its western shore, flowering a month earlier than in the Highland part of the parish. The EpUobium hirwtum grows in the drain leading from the Monk Mire, and is by oo means common in this quarter. In the dry fields about the mause the Omithopus perpusillus is very abundant, and very fine. In the churchyard the Hyoscyamus niger occasionally appears. In ditches on the farm of Knowhead, Lythrum Salicaria ; and in the fields on that farm, Lepidium campcstre and Smithii. Along the banks of the Isla I have gathered the Aira oBspitosa in a viviparous state. In the Isla the predominant pond-weed is the Potamogettm perfoliatumy and on its banks the Scirpus sylvattcus grows. About Coupar- Grange, the Barbarea vulgaris ; at Ryehill, the Chelido* nium ma jus. On the banks of the Erich t, the Trollius Euro- pcBuSj Silene maritimay and Chrysosplenium altemifolium. Like- wise the Galium boreale, I have found this plant, however, io the neighbourhood not near any river, and in other similar loca- lities, and am convinced that it does not possess that exclusively alpine character which the books give it. In the island below the Boat pool, the Veronica montanay Adoxa moschatellinaj Stdlaria nemorumy and Campanula latifolia grow. On the road sides, above Cotyards, there is a patch of the Galium erectum ; at Greymount, Smymium Olusatrum ; and at Hill of St Phink, Pyrola minar^ and Trientalis Europcsaj very large and fine. In the Highland part of the parish the vegetation is of a subalpine type, the Akhemilla alpina^ Viala lutea^ Mevm athamanHcum, Sesleria cosruleOy Faly^ BBNDOCHY. 1185 ffonum viviparum^ and several of the upland carices appearing in the pastures. The Hippuris mdgaris is found in a small pool on the left hand of the road leading to Kirkmichael. The marsh has been drained, and the plant is rapidly disappearing. The Habe'^ naria viridis grows sparingly on the pastures east of the Strone, and H, albida plentifully there and elsewhere. In the same loca- lity the H, hifolia is abundant, and the variety H, cklorantha (see Transactions of Botanical Society, Edinburgh.) Entering on the left bank of the river at fridge of Cally, the Primula elatior and veris will be found in great plenty : and on the bank of the Black- water, that very rare and elegant plant the Convallariarverticillata,'^ which I discovered seven years ago. It is to be found, I believe, in only three other stations in Britain. Some straggling plants of it may also be seen above the bridge of Strone, where the collector may likewise gather the Vicia sylvatica^ the Circcea lutetiana^ and alpinaj the Melampyrum pratense and sylvaticum^ the Melica nU" tans and unifloray and the Listera ovata. On knolls, at the base of Persie Hill, the Listera cordata may be seen along with the Pyrola media ; and near the top of the hill I once gathered some plants, of what I convinced myself at the time was the Py- rola rotundifolia. On dry rocks at Drimmie, Myosotis eollina ; and on the banks of the Ericht there are the Epilohium angusti- folium and Festuca elatior. I have gathered in the parish also the FestunabromoideSf Bromus secrdinusj and the Lolium temulentum^ and the Prunella vulgaris^ Veronica serpyllifolia^ and Pedicular is palustriSf with white flowers. It is important to add, that some plants having a very general distribution are not to be found in the parish or district, such as the iMmium album and Bromus sterilis, while others, of which some localities seem all but destitute, abound, such as the Sedum Telephium. On the banks of our rivers (as is always the case) plants occasionally may be picked up not indigenous to the soil, — such as on the Ericht, the Oxyria re- niformisy evidently a migrant from a more elevated region, and * It is with some hesitation that we have mentioned the habitat of this interest* ing plant ; and we hope that the young gentlemen who issue every autumn from our seatu of learning will use their botanical trowels tenderly, when they visit the banks of the Blackwater. At the original station in the Den of Rechip this plant is all but extirpated. The reason of its disappearance is no mystery. The country is an- nually overrun with hordes of herborizers from the south and west, who, instead of contenting themselves with a specimen, root up, without remorse, the rat est treasures, leaving, locust like, nothing for those who succeed them. We implore our learned friend, the Professor of Botany at Glasgow, to restrain the herbivorous appetites of the rising generation. If matters proceed at the rate they have been doing for some time past, nothing but docks and nettles will be left in the land. PERTH. 4 F 1186 PKRTHSHIRB. transported from its alpine home by the torrents of winter. I ba made some progress in ascertaining the Cryptogamic plan of the parish, but will content myself with stating that, sixteen Filices identified, the Bolrychium lunaria grows in tl moorish pastures around the Monk Mire, and that the Qypi gramma crispa occurs in three several stations, viz. anaong loo rocks on Persie Hill, out of the dike on the road side, a mi south of Persie church, and in a similar locality at Hill of Phink. Of the Fungi, it may be mentioned that an exceeding minute one appeared on the corns in 1835 when ripe, coi pletely blackening them, alarming the farmer, but, as it turned oi quite unnecessarily. It seemed to be the Cladosporium herbaru As a contrast to the above, it may be added that, in 1836, I foui below the manse a specimen of the Bavida giganteoj measuru 4 feet 8 inches in circumference, and 1 foot 8 inches in diameti This enormous specimen equals those mentioned by the Frem botanist, Bulliard. — (See his Herbier de la France.) II. — Civil History. I know of no ancient or modern account of the history of tl parish, saving that in the Old Statistical Account, which is a t luable and interesting paper. The notices of the parish in g zetteers, &c. are very inaccurate. Eminent Characters. — The Right Honourable Lord Wharnclifi Lord President of the Privy Council, the proprietor of Bendoch deserves to be noticed here, although his seat, Belmont Cast! is in the parish of Meigle. He is as much beloved by his t imntry for his liberality and kindness, as he is respected by tl nation for his patriotic labours in the Senate. The late Principal Playfairof St Andrews, author of the Chr nology, &c., was a native of the parish ; and likewise the Re J. Playfair, the writer of the former Statistical Account, who w an ingenious man. He had a large apiary, and had studied wii great care the natural history of the bee. He drew up some a count of his discoveries, and remitted it to London for publicatio It fell into the hands of a piratical bookseller, who, it is unde stood, turned it to some account for his own behoof. Mr Pla; fair's successor, the Rev. J. Honey, was remarkable for his g gantic stature and immense strength, and for his daring and hi roic feat at St Andrews, when a very young man, in rescuing fro a watery grave five shipwrecked mariners, at the imminent hazai BENDOCHY. 1187 Chief Land-owners. — The chief land-owners are, Patrick Mur- ray, £sq. of Simprim ; Lord Wharncliffe ; George Kinloch, Esq. of Kinloch; Sir James Ramsay, Bart, of Bamff; and Colonel W. Macdonald of Powderhall. Parochial Registers. — The parochial registers are contained in seven volumes. The earliest date of the baptism register is 2dd January 1642. It has been regularly kept, with the exception of a blank from 12th May 1695, to 29th December 1700. The proceedings of session commence with 1 1th September 1692, and are continued regularly to this date, with the exception of some omissions in the end of last century, and beginning of this. The marriage register begins in 1700, and the record of procla- mation of banns has been regularly kept. There is no register of deaths. The minutes of session in the end of the seventeenth, and more especially during the beginning of the eighteenth cen- tury, give curious proof of the rigid discipline, and somewhat in- quisitorial surveillance exercised by the ecclesiastical guardians of the people in those days. The following selections throw light on the history of the period. Regarding one offender, *^ the ses- sion thouyat 6tt to bring him in sackcloth, and cause him acknow- ledge his guilt on his knees." And regarding another, she ap- pears for the twentieth time before the congregation on the stool of repentance. Again, T. B. ^^ being examined anent what was alleged anent his stricking Thomas Craigie (a boy) on the Sab- bath day, answered that the said Thomas threw in a stone among the children, and that he went out and only shot him over, he being removed, the members after discoursing of it, thought fitt to dismiss him with the session rebook." Again, the laird of having been cited, appeared, and being asked whether he did *^ scandalously go out on the fast day with his gun,'' answered, ^ that he went out only to fleg the tod from his sheep." He was dismissed with the session rebuke. It would seem that some of the elders were appointed occasionally to perambulate the pa- rish during the time of divine service, for the purpose of disco- vering who were absent from public worship, and how they were occupied. Notwithstanding such vigilance, the records contain melancholy proof, that, in this parish at least, these were not ^Uhe purest times" of the church. The limits of civil and ecclesiastical jurisdiction seem> at this period, not to have been much better under- stood than now. Thus, '* received from G. B. 2 lib. 9sh., with other S lib. paid by him before to the session, is accepted as sa- 1188 PKRTHSHIRE* tisfaction for his daughter's resiling from purpose of marriage with one A. B.9 after the publication of the banns." An assault, in ITSl, of a very extraordinary nature, having been committed on the person of a servant by his master, the case was taken up by the civil magistrate. The master, however, was cited before the ses- sion. He appeared and gave in a paper, which he called *^ a de- clinator," having in company with him Mr Charles Hay, writer in Cupar. The declining their jurisdiction seems greatly to have provoked the session, and, ^^ having considered the whole matter, the insolent carriage of the said W. R*, in presuming to declioe this judicatory, his bringing in a public notar on the Lord's day/ &c., ^* they did and hereby do refer the samen to the reverend presbytery of Miggle to determine therein, in such a way as may either make the said W. R. obsequious to discipline, or bring him under ecclesiastical censure," &c« It is not recorded whether the presbytery rendered the said W. R, " obsequious." " There is no- thing new," saith the wise man, " under the sun.'* Antiquities. — Very nearly the whole of this parish was abhey lands, and the property of the ecclesiastics belonging to the ab- bacy at Coupar- Angus. The fact'is well known, and the names of many places indicate to this day, the connection betwixt this parish and the religious house at Coupar- Angus. Thus we have Monk Mire, Monk Callie, the Abbey Mill of Blacklaw, to which the adjacent lands were thirled, after a most grinding fashion, and to be relieved from which bondage the proprietors have lately paid large sums. There was anciently a chapel at St Phink, dedicated to that saint, a small part of the foundation of which still remains. It had been surrounded with a burying-ground, out of which the present proprietor's father dug some human skulls, inclosed be- tween four square stones. Below a cairn he found human bones partially burned, and below these again two rudely sculptured urns inverted, with human bones in a state of perfect preservation. Very lately, near the chapel, there were discovered some singular looking bottles, nearly globular, likewise inverted. On the neigh- bouring property pf Blacklaw, at Pict field, there were also cairns; and not far off, a bronzed battle-axe and spear-head were found. At Monk Callie, it is understood that there was a small relicrious establishment attached to the abbey at Coupar- Angus. There is a small burying-ground there, and it is still used as such. Tra- dition says that the soil of this burying-ground had been at one time sUled, and freed from stones. There is no trace of the sub- BBNDOCHY. 1189 terranean buildings at Mudhall, described in the former Account as Pictish buildings, and which, it is remarked, answered to Ta- citus' description of the buildings of the Germans. " They dig caves in the earth, where they lay up their grain, and li?e in win* ter." (De Mer. Germ. c. 16.) My predecessor adds with cha- racteristic naivety : ** If people were obliged again to creep into a hole, they would know the value of good government by the want of it." There are two of those eminences, partly artificial, which are generally denominated Laws, — one at Blacklaw, and another near the Bridge of Couttie. Some suppose, that, in the olden time, these were the seats of justice, whence law, rude and simple as themselves, was dispensed to the lieges. Others incline to the opinion, that they were used as telegraphs ; and derive the name not from the Anglo-Saxon klawe^ Q^ffff^^) ^"^ from the Swe- dish ioa or lue (hence our low), a flame. The walls of the church are understood to be very old. The pulpit is curious, be- ing carved of oak, resembling John Knox's pulpit at St Andrews, and evidently of the same era. There is a monumental stone in the back wall of the church to the memory of Nicol Campbell of Keithock, (son of Donald, Abbot of Coupar, and grandson of the Earl of Argyle), who died 1587, aged seventy. Another, in the west passage, (the inscription on which will soon be obliterated), to David Campbell of Denhead, the brother of Nicol Campbell. There are two other stones on the wall of the church, — one to the memory of Leonard Leslie, entitled Dominus de Cupro, com- mendator of Coupar, who died 1605, aged eighty-one ; and an- other representing a John Cummin of Couttie in this parish, dressed in a coat of mail, and standing on a dog ; the date 1606. III. — Population. The return to Or Webster was . 1293 In Old Statistical Account 1796, . 878 Census, 1801, . 860 1811, . 748 1821, . 760 1831, . 780 1841, . 783 In 1841, there were of males, 376 ; and of females, 407 ; and of distinct families, 142; inhabited houses, 186; the average num- ber of births for the last seven years has been IS; and of mar- riages rather more than seven. There is one insane person ; one blind ; none deaf or dumb. There are 21 proprietors of land of the yearly value of Li50 or upwards. 1190 PERTHSHIRE. • The eDiargement of the fiirms has caused the decrease of the population. The lands of Coupar-Grange^ for instance, were at one time in the hands of twelve proprietors. At a subsequent pe- riod, they were farmed by as many or more tenants, and around each farm-house were clustered the retainers and servants. Al this time there were 6fty families in Coupar Grange ; and I ud< derstand it then had its carrier, its brewer, and its seller of small wares. The land now, with a small exception, belongs to one proprietor. It is farmed by four tenants, and two bothies and eight cot-houses contain the population. At Blacklawand hills of Ben- dochy, there was, at one time, a considerable population, wbicl has disappeared from the same cause. The slight increase thai took place after 1811 was probably owing to the division of the common at Hill of St Phink, and the consequent building of cot- tages that took place in that quarter. Character J «S*c. of the People. — There are no popular customs oi amusements peculiar to the parish. There is a small curling club ic the parish instituted not only ^* for the purpose (as its laws bear) ol joining in an innocent and interesting amusement, but also for cbe rishing feelings of kindness and of friendship towards one another/ There has undoubtedly been a vast addition made to the com- forts and advantages of the people since the former Statistica Account was written. Their houses are far more comfortable and their habits more cleanly. Their food is more varied, aoc their clothing cheaper and more tasteful. " The common peopk live on oatmeal pottage twice a-day. It is the most wholesonu and palatable of all their food, being purely vegetable, notwith standing the reflection in Johnson's Dictionary, that * Oats an eaten by horses in England, and in Scotland by men.' Such foo( makes men strong like horses, and purges the brain of pedantry^ (Old Statistical Account.) This is better than the remark o (1 think) Lord Lyttleton, " Yes, and where will you find such mei and such horses.*^ There are now more potatoes, more wheatei bread, and more animal food used by the peasantry. Each cotta feeds one pig, many two, in the year ; and the majority of then have a cow. The illicit distillation of whisky has totally ceased, although, a one time, in the district of Galahill, there flourished a daring se of contrabandists, who lived in wild freedom, and laughed at tb restraints of the law. The morality and comfort of the people i tV\al c^v^atVet Wn« ^Uke improved since the practice of smugglio; BENDOCHT. 1191 was put down. The establishment of a water police has stopped the midnight amusement of black-fishing, although some of the older inhabitants continue to believe in the medicinal virtues of foul fish. They are a sovereign cure for rheumatism and sundry other ailments. IV. — Industry. With a fractional exception, the whole of the people are more or less engaged in the occupations of husbandry^ the parish being purely an agricultural one. Those who are engaged weaving in the winter months, relinquish their looms during summer and au- tumn. There may be twenty families, however, who, during the greater part of the year, are employed in weaving linen yarn sent from Dundee, the great mart of our linen manufactures. The two following tables contain a great mass of statistical information, not only regarding the present agricultural state of the parish, but re- garding its agricultural condition fifty years ago. Wages, &c 1843. Wages, &c, 1796, from Old Statistical Account. Ploughman*8 average wages per annum* Ploughman's wages with board per an- 64 bolls oatmeal, 1 Scotch pint sweet num, L.10. milk, and L. 12. Woman's wages with board per annum. Woman's wages with board per annum, L. 6. L.4. Day-labourer with food in summer, Is. Day labourer with food, 8d. to lOd. 9d. to Is. 6d. In winter. Is. to Is. 3d. Day-labourer without food in summer, 1 s. 6d. to ls.8d. Wright, smith, or mason per day, 2s. 2d. Wright, smith, or mason per day, Is. 8d. Bent of labourer's cottage and garden par to Is. lOd. annum, L.2 Price of new cart, L.IO. Price of new cart* L.6. harness for do. L.d, 10s. harness for do. L.2, lOs. new plough, wood, L.S. new plough, L.2. Iron plough, (almost invariably used) L.d to L.4. Harrow, lOs. New barrow, 78. Fat ox 50 stones imperial, L.17. Fat ox 40 stone meal weight, equal to 50 stone imperial, L.10. Load of manure from Coupar- Angus, Gs. Load of manure from Coupar* Angus, 2ti. From the note on the other side, it N. B. The average produce per acre would seem that on the average there is is given in former Statistical Account not much difference betwixt the weight thus, wheat, 8 bolls; oats or bear, 5 bolls, and price of grain (see Perth Bars of last The weight of grain thus, oats, 12 or 13 ▼ear) now, and at the period referred to stone;* the latter, equal to 39 lbs. imperial In the former Statistical Account. On per bushel; barley, 18 stone equal to 54 IbOp the farm of Coupar Grange Mr Archer imperial bushels ; wheat, 14 stone equal Utt year had oats, 46 lbs. ; barley, 59^ to 60 lbs. imperial bushel. The average lbs. ; and wheat, 65 lbs. per imperial price of wheat, L. 1 per boll ; oatmeal, bushel. But these are reckoned great fSs. 4d. per boll; bear, 14fl. to 15s. per weights. On the other hand, it appears boll. The price of cheese and butter that there is a greater average number of much the same as now. bolls per acre grown now than formerly .^t be best proof of an improved system of * A stone equal to 17 lbs. 6 ounces husbandry. English Avoirdupois. it h U 1 1 oeo o o^*** o o' o « oo< i "t\a o ^oTaivv o> ooe o »«< »_e, Z HZmm^ - -ea«c\^^ ^^w ^w^\i^>^k S5<^ss, or a rotation of BCNDOCHT. 1195 five years ; the fourth crop being potatoes or turnip, and the fifth wheat or barley. All this applies to the lowland part of the pa- rish ; the mode of farming being very different in the Highland district. Its altitude above the level of the sea forbids the culti* vation of wheat, and the climate is only suflScient to ripen the earlier varieties of oats and barley. The rent of grazing a cow in the lowland part of the parish is L.4, in the highland, L.2, 10s. Three years ago, Mr Archer erected at Coupar-Grange, a mill for extracting the farina from the potato. Nothing can be finer or more beautiful than the flour here manufactured ; but I under- stand that this is by no means so profitable a trade as it was five or six years ago. Quarries. — The lowland part of the parish is well supplied with freestone, there being four quarries opened at convenient points, and now that the road from Blairgowrie to the bridge of Cally is being converted into turnpike, it seems probable that the bed of clay slate which crosses the Highland part of the parish might be profitably wrought Fishings. — The salmon-fishing on the Isia and Ericht is not worth altogether above L.20 per annum. From the care that has been taken for some years to preserve the fish during the spawning sea* son, and from the increased numbers that appeared in our rivers dur« ing the past season, there is ^a hope that the fishing may become more valuable, although the extreme vigilance of the fishers on the Tay forbid the expectation that our rivers ever can be so stocked with fish as they were fifty years ago. Produce. — I have found it impossible to make any calculation of the value of the different items of raw produce raised in the pa- rish, so accurate as would warrant any general statistical deduc- tions to be drawn from it. As a near approximation to the truth, the average annual value of raw produce raised in the parish may be stated at L.2d,000. But the table on a preceding page will enable the reader to form his own opinion on this branch of the in- quiry. V. — Parochial Economy. There is no market-town in the parish. There is not even any village in the parish. Assuredly my predecessor had no parochial exemplification of the evils of centralization, (a sub- ject to which political writers have had their attention of late so much directed), and yet these evils seem tohav£\xv^<&^^^Jtv^ \v^\v^ \!Cka^\. ^^ vVve ^ain is sold at BENDOCHV. 1107 Coupar Angus. Corn-merchants from Dundee, and the millers of the adjoining district, attend the weekly market there. The fat cattle (if not sold in the byre) are disposed of at the fortnightly markets held in Blairgowrie, which are frequented by the Glas- gow dealers, and at these markets the farmers from the Highland district sell their oats, — the distillers in the neighbouring glens relieving them generally of their spare bear. In 1835, the road from Coupar Angus to Blairgowrie was con- verted into turnpike. About a mile of it traverses the parish. An omnibus from Blairgowrie passes along the road once a day in winter, and twice or thrice a day in summer, to the terminus of the railway at Coupar Angus. Passenger trains start three or four times a day from Coupar to Dundee, and the parish enjoys its own share of the advantages conferred on Strathmore by the opening of this line of railway. The bridge over the Isla at Couttie was built by Government in 1766. It is inconveniently narrow. The ridinff stone and the wading stone^ immediately below the bridge, mark the course of the ford used before the erection of the bridge ; ^^ and, as works of nature outlive those of art, they may show the place where it stood after it is gone." (Old Statistical Account.) There is an- other bridge over the Ardle at Cally, and a third over the Black- water at Strone, each of those of one arch. There is a great improve- ment on the parish roads of late years. About twenty years ago, the road struck off immediately at the bridge of Couttie, straggled deviously through the low haughs within flood-mark, and passed within six yards of the manse. In these days travelling in wet weather was not unattended with danger, and the carting away of the grain, saving in the time of frost, next to impossible. Within the last four years, our roads have got into a much better state of repair, apparently from the circumstance of the outlay of the road money being entrusted to two or three of the farmers. The car- riages are mostly driven gratuitously, and, if the present system is adhered to, the principal lines of road in the lower part of the pa- rish ought soon to be in an excellent state. Ecclesiastical State. — It may already be inferred that the situa- tion of the parish church is about as inconvenient as can well be imagined. It is within 300 yards of the southern extremity of the parish, while it is distant from the northern extremity about thir- teen miles. There is scarcely a third of the people that can con- veniently attend the parish church; and such is the territorial H98 PEttTHSUIRE. character of the parish, that it is not easy to see how this efit could be remedied. If a bridge were thrown over the Ericht, and the church removed to the bank opposite the present boat-house, every thing perhaps would be accomplished for the accommoda- tion of the people that the circumstances of the parish permitted. This, however, would be but a partial cure of the evib to which both minister and people are exposed. A new territorial arrange- ment would alone remove the evil. Nothing can be more discou- raging to the minister than the scattered and distracted nature of the locality in which it is his duty to labour ; and, from the same cause, the usefulness of the parish schoolmaster is much interfered with. The boat at Coupar- Grange was long the property of the kirk-session, and under its exclusive management, as the sessioa records abundantly prove. Many years ago it seems, from some unknown cause, to have fallen into the hands of the proprietors of Coupar- Grange. The late proprietors of Coupar- Grange, upon the petition of the minister, allowed the people to be ferried over to church gratuitously ; and the present proprietor (Mr Murray of Simprim) has kindly continued the boon. Before the abolition of Popery, the church here was the parish church of Coupar Angus, and so lately as fifty years ago, the seats of Keithock, in the parish of Coupar Angus, stood in the church of Bendochy. The situation of the parish church was then sufficiently centrical, and when it is remembered that in these days, there were chapels at St Phink and Callie, it would seem that, as far at least as the plantation of religious edifices was cod- cerned, our Popish predecessors had provided most judiciously for the convenience of the people. It is not known when the walls of the church were built. It is in a tolerable state of repair at pre- sent, — the old grey slates having been removed and replaced with blue ones during last summer, while the roof was strengthened by additional wood being put into it, and the seating partially repaired. It continues damp and cold. It would accommodate about 400 people, and there are none of the sittings let.* The manse, with the exception of two apartments of an older * Ministers of Bendochy Previous to 1692, Mr Thomas Blair; 1692, Mr DaTid liankine ; 1700, Mr James Ramsay, the first Presbyterian minister after the Rerolu* tion, the people having retained Mr Rankine twelve years after the Revolution, and having adhered to him for some time even after his succssaor was settled ; 1 748, Mr Alexander Dun ; 1785, Mr James PUyfair ; 1B12, Mr John Honey ; 1815, Mr llio- tnas ftati^f *, and in lb29 the present incumbent was ordained assistant and successor to bis f«L\\\et. BENDOCHY. 1199 date, was built in 1815, and since that time, no repairs on it have been asked from the heritors. It is sufficiently commodious and comfortable. It is sweetly situated on the banks of the Isla^ snugly embosomed in its own little grove of wood, — and oh ! ye, my successors, lift not up the axe against the trees. Touch not the old ash that has stood for a century the centinel of the manse, guarding it from the eastern blasts, and protecting from the storm the graceful birches that weep and wave their branches below. The glebe, exclusive of garden, &c. consists of 7 Scotch acres of excellent soil, and would let at L.2 per acre. The stipend consists of 164 bolls, 2 firlots, 3 pecks, 3^ lippies oatmeal ; of barley, 22 bolls, 2 firlots, 1 peck. If lippies ; of bear, 74 bolls, 1 firlot, 1 peck, j% lippies ; and of money, L. 29, 14s. 11 ^%d. It is understood that the teinds are exhausted. The Crown is patron. The Chapel of Persie. — This preaching station is at North Persie, about thirteen miles from the parish church. The chapel was erected about the year 1785, at an expense of L.150 Ster« ling, raised by contributions throughout the district, and amongst the proprietors and ministers connected with it. It contains about 400 people, and accommodates not only the people of this parish in that quarter, but the inhabitants of a large adjoining district, comprising portions of the parishes of Blairgowrie, Alyth, Kirk- michael, Rattray, and Caputh. It is most conveniently located, and has proved a great blessing to an extensive district of country, containing a population of 1000 souls, which otherwise would have been very destitute of the means of religious instruction and pastoral superintendence. For some years past the average amount of the seat rents and collections has been about L.70. These form the salary of the preacher. (In the old Statistical Account they are stated at L.30.) The proprietor of North Persie grant- ed the site (half an acre) for the chapel, upon the express condi- tion that it should continue inalienably in connection with the Established Church ; and the deed provides, that, in the event of any successful attempt being made to sever the chapel from the Established Church, that in that case the fabric and the site should revert to him or his heirs. He nominated certain proprie- tors and ministers connected with the district as trustees on the chapel ; but for many years past, a committee of the hearers have managed the whole affairs of the chapel. In 1835, a manse for the accommodation of the preacher was erected, at a cost of 1^150^ 1200 PERTHSHIRE. (exclusive of carriages,) raised in the same way as the money for the erection of the chapel, and more lately a small court of offices, —the proprietor of North Persie again granting half an acre of ground for a site and garden, and the managers of the chapel rent- ing from him a bit of ground for the convenience of the preacher. There are no Dissenting or Seceding chapels in the parish. The parish church never has and never can be well attended. The members of the Established Church who are within conve- nient reach of the parish church, are exemplary in their attendance on Divine service, and those who are not, statedly worship at the parish churches of Rattray and Alyth. The chapel at Persie is well attended. The average number of communicants at the pa- rish church is 260, and about 40 others communicate in neigh- bouring parishes. The number of the parishioners not members of the Established Church, and belonging to other religious de« nominations, is as follows : — 184a 1796. (Old Sue Aceount) United Atsociate Synod,* 86 Seceden. 143 Original Seceders, 4 - Relievers, 32 Relief body, 13 Episcopaliaiia. . 3 Papists, 1 Papiiits, . 2 It having been found that collections at the church were not the best way of giving the people an opportunity of contributing to the educational and missionary schemes supported by the church, a parish association for religious purposes was established in 1828b Its collections are limited to the lower part of the parish, and for some years past they have averaged annually about L.1d. Education, — There is one parochial school. The salary is L.34, 4s. 4^d. ; the average amount of fees^ L.9, 9s. 6^d. The schoolmaster is session-clerk, to which a salary of L.2 is attached, and the customary dues. He acts likewise as clerk to the heritors, and as collector of the assessment, for which he receives L.3 per annum. The usual branches of education are taught, and the school fees, per quarter, are as follows : English reading, 2s. ; with writing, 2s. 6d. ; with arithmetic, grammar, and geography, 3s. ; with practical mathematics, 38. 6d. ; with Latin and Greek, 5s. Many years ago, Colonel Macdonald erected, at his own ex- pense, a school-house at Strone of Cally for behoof of the High- land district of the parish. The school-room is given free of rent, but the teacher has no other means of subsistence than the school * In l\\e a&)ONe\;a&A^\X VAVV^^ observed, that no notice is taken of the new seces- •lon. BENDOCHY. 1201 fees. A school-house was built four years ago at Mayriggs by subscription, and its affairs are very well managed by a small body of Dissenters in that neighbourhood. There seems, however, to have been no necessity for this erection, as it is within little more than a mile of the parish school, and about two miles from Blair- gowrie, where there are schools of every denomination. The kirk-session have a right to' nominate ten scholars to the parish school of Blairgowrie on the " Barty mortification." The pupils enjoying the benefits of this bequest are entitled not only to their education free, but to school books and writing materials gratui- tously, and, if wished, to have their education carried on until they are fit to go to a university. There is a Sabbath school taught by the parish minister and schoolmaster ; and the religious in- struction of the young at Persie is faithfully attended to by my friend and fellow-labourer, the Rev. Mr Mitchell. The people in general are alive to the benefits of education, and seem espe- cially to appreciate the advantages of Sabbath school instruction. Hospital. — In 1841, the parish remitted L.21 to the Dundee Infirmary, in virtue whereof the minister of this parish is ex-oflScio a governor of that institution, and the parish has acquired a per- petual right to send to it patients. Lord Wharncliffe authorizes the kirk-session to procure, at his expense, medical attendance and medicine for the industrious poor on his estate when sick. This is a most judicious charity. Savings Bants. — There are no saving banks in the parish, but those at Coupar- Angus and Blairgowrie are sufficiently convenient for the parishioners. Poor and Parochial Funds. — The average number of persons receiving parochial aid for the last five years is seven ; and the average annual sum allotted to each has been L.S^ 12s. 7d. The average amount of church collections for the poor for the last five years, L. 12, 9s. 5d. ; do. of interest of money (viz. L. 58,) L. I, 14s. 9d. ; do. from mortcloth, &c. L.1, 10s. 9^d. ; do from assess- ment, L. 23, 19s. 5d. The assessment was first laid on in 1775. For the first half of that year it amounted to L.8, 2s. 6d. The origin of the assessment in such a parish must have been the same cause that alone renders its continuance necessary, the impossibi- lity, viz. of the great body of the people attending the parish church. In the old Statistical Account, the assessment is stated at L.6, and the monthlv collections at 8s. When the difference in the value of money, and the larger aliment now allowed to the PERTH. 4^v 1202 PERTHSHIRE. poor, are taken into consideration, it might seem that the assess- ment has not increased since the time when it was first levied. Tb< late Patrick Playfeir, Esq. of Dalmarnock, Glasgow, a native o the parish, left L. 30, minus the legacy duty, for the poor of tfa< parish. It was committed to the care of the kirk-session. Tbi interest of this sum is appropriated in adding to the comforts o the more necessitous poor during the winter months. Occasiona aid is administered from the poor's funds to persons not on th( pauper list ; and, while the rich are liberal and attentive to tb wants of their poorer neighbours, it must be added, that the poo are very kind to one another. In general there is a disposition among the poor to refrain fron seeking parochial relief; but when once the rubicon is crossed, and their names added to the regular list of poor (which is nevei done but at the half-yearly meetings of the heritors and kirk-ses sion,) I cannot say that they consider their dependent situatior as degrading. Markets, — There are three cattle markets held at Persie, vii on the first Wednesday of June, on the first Wednesday of Sep' tember, and on the last Friday of October, O. S. The Septem- ber market is the most important. It is preparatory to Falkirli tryst, and generally exhibits an extensive show of excellent High- land cattle. Inns. — There is only one inn in the parish, viz. at Persie. Il is conveniently situated ; nor am I aware that the morals of the people are thereby deteriorated. Fuel — In the lower part of the parish, coals from the railwaj depots are almost exclusively used as fuel. Those of the besi quality cost L. I per ton. In the Highland districts of the parisfa< peats form the principal part of the fuel, although coals are noi driven from Coupar- Angus in considerable quantities, and are em' ployed chiefly in the burning of lime. Miscellaneous Observations. With the aid of the former Statistical Account, three agricul- tural eras in the history of this parish are distinctly discernible The Jirst^ about 1756, when the farms lay in runrig, — wher there was no winter turnip, or wheat, or sown grass, or potatoes, and, indeed, could be none, as, immediately after the corns were removed off the fields, they were pastured promiscuously by the bestial of the village, the farmers in those days living together in hatnVeta, a.^^?v.t^Tv<\.^ \tq\s\ vVv^ ancient policy of mutual protection, BENDOCHY. 1203 The plough, a truly primitive implement, was dragged by a yoke of eight oxen, or of four oxen led on by two horses. By means of this motley and formidable cavalcade, the surface of the soil was only scratched, although apparently it might have preceded the great Deanston trench -plough. Sledges, having the wheels and axle of one piece, were used instead of carts. The farming was strangely partial in its character. All the manure was laid on the in6eld. The outBeld was treated as the common foe. At irregular intervals it was cropped, and then consigned again to the unassisted powers of nature, the crop being private property, but the grass, such as it was, common pasturage. As a specimen of the rental of the parish at this time, it may be added that the rental of the Coupar- Grange property was only L.115 Sterling. The second era is that described in the former Statistical Ac- count., 1796. Forty years had effected a great change to the better. The farms are now divided, hedge-rows are planted, wheat is grown, and, to a considerable extent, turnips and potatoes (bad varieties, however, of these invaluable esculents,) are culti- vated. Flax was now grown in large quantities ; the parish had two lint-mills; and the women, rich and poor, were much em- ployed in spinning the lint into yarn. The Isla flowed amain, and, wanting the protection of embankments, the timorous hus- bandman removed to higher ground his corns immediately when cut There were then only three thrashing-mills in the parish, and the means of transport and communication were miserably deflcient. The whole rental of the parish was L.2467. The third period, that of the present day, may be described as the era of green crop husbandry, of cattle-feeding; of bone-dust, of em- bankments, of furrow-draining, of improved roads and railway communication. The spinning-wheel is mute, and the clatter of the loom is heard in its stead. Twenty- five thrashing-mills have frightened the flail, and that venerable weapon is well nigh obso- lete. The rental has risen to L.7087. At this moment, it would seem that we are on the eve of great agricultural changes, and if farmers wish their employments to be profitable, the sooner they direct their attention to the advantages of furrow-draining, of trench-ploughing, and to the application of new manures, the better will it be for themselves. In the matter of draining they ought to be directed, encouraged, and aided by the proprietors of the soil. There can be no doubt that the pro- ductive powers of the parish may be greatly increased. Thus, for 1204 PERTH8HIRE4 instance, the proprietors of the Highland part of the paiish, or their factors report to me, that there are 700 acres in that district which might be profitably added to the arable soil, and if it were allowed, which may very fairly be done, that there are 1000 acres of the arable soil, the fertility of which might at least be doubled by being subjected to a proper system of drainage, it must be evi- dent that a vast increase may be made to the agricultural produce of the parish ; and although the existing rental with the present prices might not be raised, yet it could be easily maintained, with- out impoverishing the cultivators of the soil. It is not so easy to say what means ought to be adopted to in- crease the moral and religious advantages of the people. Our hearts, alas ! are more cold, ungrateful, and intractable than our soil. A bridge over the Ericht would make the parish church more accessible to a considerable portion of the parishioners. Above all, would it be advantageous to a large district of the pa- rish, were the chapel at Persie endowed, its preacher ordained, and some salary attached to the school at Strone of Cally ? At- tempts have been made to attain each of these objects, but thev have hitherto failed, and in these uneasy times there is little hope of their speedy accomplishment. The people attending the cha- pel of Persie have the election of the preacher; they have the ex- clusive management of the affairs of the chapel ; but this is not freedom enough for them, and some of them, deserting the iniois- trv of a most faithful and assiduous servant in the Lord's Vine- yard, have joined themselves to the " Free Church." October 184a PARISH OF KINFAUNS. * PRESBTTERT OF PERTH, SYNOD OF PERTH AND STIRLING. THE REV. LACHLAN M*LEAN, MINISTER. I. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — It does not appear that this parish has ever been known by any other name than that which it at present bears. It is said to be of Celtic origfin, and is resolved, by persons acquainted with that language, into ceann, signifying head, and fauns^ signifying an opening ; and is thus made by them to mean the head of the opening. What the opening here referred to was, however, it is not so easy to determine ; and it must be confessed, that much room is left for fanciful conjecture. But as the western part of this parish consists of a narrow belt of flat land, confined on both sides by hills, and gradually expanding, or opening eastward into the vale of the Carse of Gowrie ; one of the most probable con- jectures is, that this constituted the opening in question. And if this was the case, the western extremity, or upper end of this belt, might very appropriately be called ceannfauns^ or the head of the opening ; and the name bemg thus applied, at first, to a single spot, might, naturally enough, afterwards be extended to a wider dis- trict, and ultimately become the name of the parish, of which that formed a part. As a sort of confirmation of this opinion, it may be remarked, that though Kinfauns has been the name given to the whole parish from time immemorial ; yet, to this very day, it is to the west end of the parish, consisting of the property of the Right Honourable Lord Gray, that this name is applied in the strictest sense. Extent and Boundaries. — The length of the parish from Barn- hill toll-bar, at the western extremity of the hill of Kinnoull, to the east end of the wood of Glendoick, is fully five miles. The breadth is very various, but may be estimated, on an average, at one mile and a-half. These dimensions give a superficial area of seven and ahalf square miles, or 4800 imperial acres, for the whole parish. • Drawn up by Mr Robert Stewart, Parochial SchooVmasVet ol YAcv^MtA, 1206 PERTHSHIRE. It is bouaded on the west, and north-west, by the parish of KiiH noull ; on the north, by a detached portion of that parish, called Balthayock, and by the parish of Kilspindie ; on the north-east] by Kilspindie; on the east and south-east, by the parish of Errol and on the south, by the parish of St Madoes, by another detached portion of Kinnoull, and by the river Tay. Its figure is yery ir< regular, and it is difficult to convey an idea of it in words. Foi the first three-quarters of a mile from the western extremity, itj breadth is scarcely more than half a mile ; farther east than this it extends to upwards of a mile and a half; then about the middle. it is reduced again to half a mile ; farther east still than this, it ex- tends to about two miles and a quarter, but becomes graduallj narrower towards the. east end. Its general outline may be said, in short, to bear some faint resemblance to that of a violin. Topographical Appearances^ Sfc. — The surface is considerablj diversified by level and rising grounds, by wood and water. The lands on the banks of the Tay are fiat. From this they arise by a gradual and easy ascent to the base of the hills which traverse the parish lengthwise from east to west. Of these hills, Kinnoull, the most westerly, is also the most remarkably. It lies partly ia the parish of that name, and partly in the parish of Kinfauns; and presents to the south a large abrupt front of rock, of a striking ap- pearance, especially from the old post road, which went close to its base. On this side, the ascent is exceedingly steep, and cloth- ed with a profusion of young and thriving trees, whose matted roots prevent the soil, in some degree, from falling down, which it some- times, notwithstanding, does, bringing numbers of the trees along with it. This ascent extends upwards to fully three-fourths of the whole height of the hill, which is 632 feet above the level of the Tay. The remaining one-fourth, or nearly so, next the summit, consists of almost perpendicular rock. The summit projects, however, here and there, in rugged cliff's of a seamy texture, which, being gradually loosened by the frost and rain, have sometimes fallen in large masses, with prodigious force, into the plain below. On the east of this hill, the ground slopes gradually downwards ; and here, in a hollow, stands Kinfauns Castle, yet at a considerable height above the Tay. A little to the east of the castle, the ground begins to rise again, by a mther steep but smooth ascent, forming the west side of another beautiful hill, c\ol\\ed all around with wood. This hill is sometimes called Binn \u\\, ttom \l^ some^Wv q.q\^rA ^W'^e^ and sometimes the Tower b\\\ ^tom v\s Wn w« Q^ \V5» \,c>^ ^ \«^^\^ xs^-^^^^ ^^ ^0 feet highi K1NFAUN8* 1807 built, about thirty years ago, by the late Lord Gray, for an obser- vatory, from the top of which may be obtained almost a bird's-eye view of Kin fauns Castle and gardens, and the pleasure grounds around, with an extensive prospect of the surrounding country. To the east of this last-mentioned hill, the land is arable, sloping gra- dually downwards, till it ends in a deep ravine, on the opposite side of which there is another hill, remarkable only as consisting of the largest continuous mass of conglomerate rock to be found in this part of the country. Farther east still, is another hill, which bears a strong resemblance to that of Kinnoull, only the rock imnfedi- ately below the brow is not so nearly perpendicular. The top of this hill commands a view of ihe whole of the Carse of Gowrie, of the tower of Dundee, and of Broughty Castle, and also of the whole of the river Tay, from a mile below Perth to the German Ocean, a portion of which likewise is seen. To the south may be obtained a view of the whole east end of Strathearn, and to the south-west, a considerable portion of the middle of the same strath may be seen, the view being bounded in this direction by Auchterarder moor. These hills already described, with another still farther to the east, which are almost all wooded on the top, and also up the southern acclivity, as far as the soil will permit, form what may be called the screen of the lowlands. But from these run north- ward other hilly ranges, forming various ramifications, rising, sink- ing, and rising again, by gentle undulations, till they pass beyond the bounds of this parish, and sink down at last into the valley of Strathmore, of which, to a certain extent, they form the southern boundary. As we do not intend to enter on the geological department, it may be mentioned here, that all these hills consist of trap, with here and there patches of conglomerate; that in the sloping grounds, near their bases, on the south side, are found onyxes, jaspers, agates, and cornelians, of various sizes and colours ; and that, also, in various places are found large boulders of whinstone, which is of a lighter colour than that of which the hills are compos- ed, — with others which seem to consist of a sort of coarse gra- nite. The only cave in the parish, as far as is known to the writer, is one in the face of Kinnoull hill, rather difficult of access, called the Dragon-hole, and noticeable only on account of its being re- ported, by tradition, to have been the occasional hiding place of 1208 PRRTHSHIBE. Sir William Wallace, and for its being, in former times, the seem of certain superstitious obserTances. ** The soil is various. The banks of the river are covered withi strong clay, capable, with proper culture, of carrying the heavies crops. The grounds rising towards the hills consist of an eas; black mould, in many places deep and rich, even at a coAsiderabl height. In the level part of the parish, on the east side, the sam kind of soil is in some places, mixed with clay ; in others, witl sand. The lands under cultivation are, in general, good and fer tile : the uncultivated parts are mostly covered with plantations so that there is scarcely an acre of waste ground within the pa rish." (Old Statistical Account.) Meteorology. — With regard to aqueous and luminous meteors it may be said that a full description and history of these, in a far as regards this parish, have already been published in tb Statistical Account of Perth, from which city this parish is do distant quite a mile in a direct line. We shall therefore only sub< join the following meteorological tables, extracted from the regis- ter kept at Kinfauns Castle. The 6rst is for 1841, which is the latest that could be procured. Mean. "X « . No. of ^^ ^ ^ "Kyi I84I Morn. J past 8, Evening 8, Temp. ■S'c-^ ^^ 1 c 1 v7 Y 1 • Mean height of Mean height of by Six's ^.5 t ST -3 S •ii .- Barom. Then Barom. Ther. Ther. Q«^ :3^ 21 January, 29 648 29-258 29-611 30-516 31-064 2-30 10 Februar)', 29-713 36-928 29-705 37-000 37 964 1 85 13 15 March, 29-384 43-580 29 -590 ,42-677 45-774 1-55 16 15 April, 29-042 43-133 29 664 41-266 44-233 1-38 9 21 May, 29-306 51-741 29-674 49-838 51-451 1-56 9 22 June, 29-713 53-900 29 787 151-800 53-400 1-91 7 23 July. 29 621 56 032*29-625 53-935 56-580 396 15 16 August, •29-627 57-225 29-656 54000 56-935 4-76 16 15 September, 29 597 52 066 29-595 50-933 54-566 2« 16 U October, 29-430 42-832129-425 40-742 43-709 4-66 23 8 November, 29-504 35-933 29-501 36-7()P 37 433 212 12 18 December, Average of the Year. 29-377 36-806 29-410 36-256 37-548 2-40 15 16 204 29.563 44-953 29 595 43-805 45 888 31 10 161 Annual Results. Morning. Bar ometer. Thermometer. Observations. Wind. Wind. Highest, 1st Feb. East 30.56 26th May, . South-east 66' Lowest, 30th Nov South-west 28.43 9th January, North-west 6 Evening. # HigYiesl, \^ \l n?«& W^ ol "wViQiUi %>) ^ ^Vi ^raoDs, died. K1NPAUN8. I'iil til the approach of winter, by large Bocks of fieldfares, and cross' bills are then, too, sometimes found in the woods. The Tay is frequented by different sorts of wild ducks, particularly the teal and the widgeon ; and also by gulls, and birds of the awk kind. The Tay, besides abounding in excellent salmon, affords also fine trout of different kinds, particularly two species of sea- trout, the white and red, weighing from 2 to 6 lbs. The large bulU trout is sometimes found from 16 to 80 lbs. and upwards. Stur- geon of large size are sometimes, though but rarely, caught in the salmon fishers' nets. Pike, too, are very numerous ; and seals and porpoises are occasionally taken. One species of animals deserves here to be noticed, which has of late given more annoyance to the inhabitants of this parish, than all the other wild animals put together. It is of no consequence, indeed, whether we term this wild or domestic, as it seems de- termined, at all events, to make itself the latter. We mean that detestable and mischievous little animal, the brown or Norway rat, which has intruded itself into every dwelling-house and out- house in the parish ; and has multiplied to such a degree, not- withstanding all the means that have been used to destroy it, as to become a perfect pest. Plantations. — In this parish, all the common kinds of trees are found. Some of the plantations consist chiefly of hardwood trees ; such as oak, ash, elm, beech, &c. ; while others consist mostly of Scotch fir, with larches and spruces intermixed. But some con- sist of a mixture of all these. Birches and mountain-ashes are not very cx)mmon, and are, for the most part, comparatively young trees. The young plantations consist, for the most part, of larch and oak. The oaks planted in woods, whether old or young, are almost all of the variety called Quercus robur^ or true British oak. Bui many of those planted in hedge-rows, and along road-sides, are of the variety Quercus sessili/lorusj or Turkey oak, with narrow leaves and mossy acorn-cups, — a variety which is said to be infe- rior to the former, both in the quality of its wood, and also in that of its bark for the purposes of the tanner. In the vicinity of the mansion-houses, there grow sycamores, limes, poplars, Spanish chestnuts, horse-chestnuts, silver-firs, &c. There are no trees in this parish very remarkable for age or size. Near Kinfauns Castle, grows a Spanish chestnut, 1 4 feet in circumference; an elm, 11 feet 7 inches; an ash, 12 feet; a sy- camore, 12 feet 9 inches. Near the east gate of Seggie'den there 1212 PERTHSHIRE. is an oak, 1 1 j feet. The boll of this tree is also very long ; and being altogether of a very handsome appearance, and standing near the highway, it frequently attracts the attention of travellers, On the north side of the road here is a beech 1 1 feet ; a poplar, near- ly in front of the house, is 1 1 feet ; and a horse-chestnut, a little to the west, is 1 1 feet 4 inches. Close to the west end of Glencarsa House there is a sycamore, 12 feet 2 inches, and containing nearlj 250 feet of wood, exclusive of bark. Right in front of Glendoick •House, there is a gean tree, 9 feet 8 inches; and another beside it b nearly of the same size ; — being the largest trees of that kind in this parish. At a little distance from these is an ash, 11 feet 4 inches. These girths were taken at 3^ feet from the ground, except where there were large protuberances near the root, in which case they were taken a little higher. A little to the west of Kinfauns Castle, are a few trees of the Pintis sylvestrisy or true Scotch 6r. They are not remarkable for size, the largest being but 8 feet 2 inches in circumference; but they may be mentioned, as being the only trees of that kind in the parish, at least so far as is known. n. — Civil History. Antiquities. — In the Castle of Kinfauns is kept a large old sword, probably made near 500 years ago, and to be used by both hands. It is shaped like a broad sword, and is Gve feet nine in- ches long, 2^ inches broad at the hilt, and of a proportionable thickness, with a round knob at the upper end, near 8 inches in circumference. This terrible weapon bears the name of Char- teris*8 sword ; and probably belonged to Sir Thomas Charteris, commonly called Thomas de Longueville, once proprietor of the estate of Kinfauns. Sir Thomas Charteris, alias Longueville, was a native of France, and of an ancient family in that country. If credit can be given to accounts of such remote date, when he was at the court of Philip le Bel, in the end of the thirteenth century, he had a dispute with, and killed a French nobleman in the king's presence. He escaped, but was refused pardon. Having, for several years, infested the seas as a pirate, known by the name of the Red Reaver, from the colour of the flags he carried on his ships, in May 1301 or 1302, (by Adamson's Chro> nology), Sir William Wallace in his way to France, encountered and took him prisoner. At Wallace's intercession the French King conferred on him a pardon and the honour of knigbt- Viood. ^^ ^^itoTw^^T^ft^ ^^\V^<5e on his return to Scotland, KINFAUNS. 1213 and was ever after his faithful friend, and aiding in his ex- ploits. Upon that hero's being betrayed, and carried to Eng- land, Sir Thomas Charteris retired to Lochmaben, where he re- mained till Robert Bruce began to assert his right to the crown of Scotland. He joined Bruce; and was, if we may believe Adamson, who refers to Barbour, the first who followed that king into the water, at the taking of Perth, January 8, 1813. Bruce rewarded his bravery, by giving him lands in the neigh- bourhood of Perth, which appear to have been those of Kinfauns, and which continued in the family of Charteris for many years. About ninety years ago, upon opening the burying vault under the aisle of the church of Kinfauns, erected by this family, there was found a head piece, or kind of helmet, made of several folds of linen, or some strong stuff, painted over with broad strips of blue and white ; which seems to have been part of the fictitious armour, wherein the body of Thomas Longueville, or Charteris, had been deposited. The estate of Kinfauns afterwards belonged to a gentleman of the name of Carnegie, of the Northesk family; from whom it passed to that of Blair, whose heiress was married to John Lord G ray, grandfather of the present Lord. There is also in the house of Kinfauns, which stands on an ele- vated situation, overlooking the Tay, an iron flag or vane, 2 feet long and 1 foot broad, turning upon a staff of the same metal, 8 feet high. It has the date, 1688, cut in the middle, and was wont to be placed on the top of the castle. This was a mark, or badge, of an heritable oflice, or power of admiralty over the river, annexed to the estate of Kinfauns, for preserving the fishing, and punishing all trespasses committed in destroying the salmon. In a charter under the great seal, in the year 1671, the old jurisdic- tion is explained and confirmed ; and, according to the tradition of the country, it was acknowledged by all vessels passing in the Tay, by a salute, or lowering of their colours to the castle. This power extends from Drumlie Sands below Dundee to the heart of the river, and entitles the family of Kinfauns to a salmon, annu- ally, out of every fishing boat on the Tay. There is an old house, still standing, on the estate of Glendoick, near the east end of the parish, in which the Pretender, Prince Charles Edward Stuart, is said to have passed a night after his defeat at Culloden. This house was at that time in the occupancy of Lord George Murray ; but how his Lordship came to reside 1214 PERTHSHIRE. here is not well known, as he does not appear to have had any property in the neighbourhood. Eminent Characters. — Besides Thomas Charteris, the founder of the Kiniauus family, another eminent individual connected widi this parish deserves to be noticed, viz. the Right Honourable Robert Craigie, Lord President of the Court of Session, the grandfather of the present proprietor of the estate of Glendoick. It was he who purchased the lands belonging to said estate, aod built the mansion-house, in which he afterwards occasionally re- sided, when his professional duties permitted. Parochial Registers.-^The registers of this parish, regularly kept, are only two in number ; viz. a register of births and bap- tisms, and a register of marriages. Both these commence in 1646, and are continued to the present time, except that in the former there is a blank from 1691 to 1700, and in the latter, from 1692 to 1700. Since the year 1825, what was before only a register of baptisms, has been a register of both births and bap- tisms. Previous to that year, only the child's name and the date of its baptism, together with the name, designation, and residence of the father, were set down ; the date of its birth and name of the mother being seldom, if ever, mentioned. The average an- nual number of births or baptisms registered is 16 ; but, as many parents are very neglectful in getting their children's births and baptisms entered, this probably falls somewhat short of the total number of births in the parish. The average annual number of marriages, for the last ten years, is 6^, and there can be no doubt but that this is correct There has never been any thing that could be called a regular register of deaths kept in this parish. In the year 1783, a re- gister of burials was commenced, which was discontinued again in 1793. The total number of burials, as shown by that register for those ten years, is only 53, averaging about five annually, which must have been greatly below the real number. From 1793, indeed, to 18 L6, the dates of both the deaths and burials of a few distinguished persons, amounting to only nine in all, are set down ; but, since the last-mentioned year, no register what- ever of this kind has been kept Besides the above, there are also the minutes of the kirk-ses- sion, composing a record of church discipline, which is occasion- ally examined and attested by the presbytery. A strict account \s WVem^e Vli^^I of the management of the poor's funds, and this KINFAUNS. 1215 m last is usually audited and docqueted, once a-year, by a joint meeting of the heritors and kirk-session. Zjand-owners. — The whole of the land>owners of the parish, at present, with their respective valued rents, are as follow, viz. — The Right Honourable Lord Gray of Kinfauns, valued rent, L.20S8 6 8 Laurence Craigie, Esq. of Glendoick, . . 1427 17 6 Charles Hunter, Esq. of Glencarse, . . 1244 2 1 1 James Richardson Hay, Esq. of Seggieden, . 897 13 4 Neil Fergusson Blair, Esq. of Balthayock, . 260 12 1 1 Robert Cristall, Esq. of Inchyra, ; . 70 U Mansion^Hauses. — These are, Kinfauns Castle, Seggieden House, Glencarse House, Glendoick House^ — all modern buildings. HI. — Population. There is good reason to believe that this parish is not now so po- lous as formerly. Within the remembrance of very old persons yet living, it bad three public-houses, two meal-mills, one brewer, and one baker. It has none of this now except one public-house. It also contained at a former period one village, if not more. This village was called Clien, and must have been of considerable size, as there is a saying among old people, that ^* it had a reeking lum in it for every house in the parish of Semmiedores," (St Madoes.) The parish of St Madoes is, indeed, a small one, and probably contains fewer houses now than it did then ; but if these could be all brought together, they would form a pretty large village. So the one in question could not have been very small. The following is the state of the population at the different pe- riods mentioned : Number of souls by return made to Dr Webster in 1 755, 639 Population in . . 1772, 710 By old Sutistical Account in . 1793, 628 Government census in . . 1801, 646 1811, 621 1821, 802 lasi, 732 1841, 720 What may have been the causes of the increase or decrease of population at distant periods, is not now well known ; but the great increase in 1821 was owing to the building of Kinfauns Castle, which was then going on, and which drew a great number of arti- sans and labourers from other parishes, and, of course, as many of. these as lodged within this parish were included in the population return thereof for that year. There is at presept neither town nor village in this parish, the largest hamlet contaiuing only 14 families. 11216 PBRTHSIIIKB. 145 144 140 ia9 9 The number of families of independeut fortune residing in it is only three ; but there are usually more. The number of proprietors of land of the yearly value of L» 50 and upwards, is 6 — being the whole number of land-owners of the parish. Th€ number of famiUes in 1831 in 1841, inhabited houset in 1831, in 1841, houses uninhabited or building in 1831, in 1841, fiorgoCtcB. It was stated in the last Statistical Account, that the people ol this parish were rather above the middle size. This, howeTer. does not appear to be the case now ; for though there are sonn persons to be found considerably above the ordinary stature^ yei it would be easy to find as many others as far below it. There are, at present, two insane persons belonging to the pa- rish, both conBned in the lunatic asylum. There is no person be- longing to it, who can properly be called an idiot ; but there an three of rather weak intellect One old woman has lately become blind. There are none deaf and dumb. Smuggling is not at present known here, nor has it been so foi a long time past. Poaching is still practised within the parish tc a considerable extent — not, however, by its own inhabitants, bul by fellows who come from Perth, or places in its neigh bourhoodi very often on the Lord's day, in bands of from three to six, or up- wards, accompanied by as many dogs, and scour our woods and hills in search of game. The number of illegitimate births within the last three years has been two. IV. — Industrv. Agriculture. — It has already been stated, that this parish con- tains altogether 4800 imperial acres. Of these, 2380 are arable, 240 consist of pasture, and the remaining 2180 are occupied by wood, roads, ditches, &c. The various kinds of trees commonly planted have already been described. There is little or no natural wood in the parish, so far as is known to the writer ; or, if there was any in for- mer times, the interstices have been so closely filled up with planted wood, as to give the whole the appearance of plantation. Within the last twenty or twenty -five years, several old plantations of large extent have been cut down, and the ground which they occup\c\\ \\^ Vi^ew replanted with various kinds of trees, amon^ KINFAUN8. 1217 which the oak and larch predominate. A considerable extent of ground, too, which was formerly allowed to lie waste, or which afforded very poor pasture, has, within the same period, been planted with those same sorts of trees. Some of the young plan- tations, however, consist chiefly of Scotch fir. The whole of these plantations, whether old or young, with very slight excep- tions, are all in a thriving condition, and are, generally speaking, under the very best management. Extent of Farms^ Rentj 8(v. — Eleven farms, which lie wholly in the parish, contain respectively as follows, viz. 126, 126, 127, 134, 145, 164, 170, 214, 216, 252, 287 imperial acres. Be- sides these, there are a number of pendicles and small farms, va- rying from two to thirty-eight imperial acres. And, lastly, there are six farow, some of them rather large, which lie partly in this^ and partly in other pari^es. The best land in the parish lets at about L.2, 16s. per imperial acre, while there is some not above L.I. The average rent per acre of arable land, for the whole parish, is about L.2, 2s. 9d. ; that is to say, this was the rent for the last year (1842) ; but^ as some of the land is let at a money rent, and some partly at a money and partly at a grain rent, the rate above-mentioned is liable to some degree of fluctuation. There is no pasture land let by itself, except a few grass parks. These are commonly let, by public roup, to the highest bidder ; not at so much per acre, but at so much for the whole park, and for one season only at a time. The rent varies considerably from year to year ; bidders being determined in their offers, partly by the appearance of the grass, and partly by the prospective state of the cattle markets.* The average wages and allowances of farm-servants, for the pre- sent year (1843) are as follows: Unmarried men, who usually lodge in a bothy, have about L.12 wages, with 6^ Scotch bolls of oatmeal per year, and threepence worth of milk per day. Mar- ried men have about L.9 wages, with milk and meal as above, to- gether with 5 bolls of potatoes, and a house and small garden, worth about L.2, 5s. Foremen have generally about L.2, lOs. or L.S more than common ploughmen ; but their wages vary accord- ing to the extent of their charge. Female servants have about L.5 * The real rental of the parish, for the year 1842, was about L.8940, including 14^74 for land, cottages, &o., and L.3366 for fishings. As the prices of grain for that year, however, were all but unprecedentedly low, the real rental for land must on former years, have been considerably more. PERTH. 4 H 16 PERTHSHIRE. ot yeari; rtj.rs, ^^ith bed ami hoanl. Agricultural day* labourers, aiiil those employed in other out-of-door work, have about !«;. Gil per day ; but some less during the short days of winter. Women when employed in agricultural labour, such as in planting pola toes, hoeing potatoes and turnips, hay-making, and the like, hav< 8d. per day, without victuals. At lifting potatoes, women ean Is. per day, without victuals; and children of eleven or twelvi years of age, when employed in this sort of work, are paid a the same rate as women. During harvest, reapers of all sexe: and ages are paid according to the quantity of work done, viz at the rate of 3d. per threave for oats and barley, and A^d. fo wheat. Journeymen masons, wrighis, and blacksmiths, have l^s a-weck. But most artisans here are masters and apprentices, tin former being generally paid according to agreement with em ployers. There are at present 26 artisans in the parish, including apprentices. The number of male agricultural labourers hircc by the year (excluding farmers' ^ons, and also the small farmer who arc usually labourers themselves,) is 45, of whom 26 are mar ried. There is evidently a preference shown by the farmers hen to married over unmarried ploughmen ; a<( there are always more of the former than of the latter; and, taking all their allowance: into account, they are paid at a somewhat higher rate. Perhaps they would have more of the married than they have, if they had houses to accommodate them; for though there is abundance ol houses on certain farms, yet there is a scarcity on others. Live-Stock. — The horses at present used for agricultural pur- poses are not of so large size as they are in some other parts oi the country, nor as they were in this parish at a former period : but they are, for the most part^ well-proportioned, vigorous, and spirited, and remarkably free from diseases. The statement in the former Statistical Account that, in this parish, *^ horses are bought, few being reared," does not now, in general, hold true ; though it may be still so on certain farms. Great attention has not been paid to the breeding of neat cattle. They are, generally speaking, of cross breeds ; and often rather inferior beasts. Cows kept for dairy purposes by some of the pro- prietors, and also by a few of the fiimiers, are of the Ayrshire breed — though, in most cases, perhaps, not quite pure. Some of the proprietors choose, however, to keep cows of a larger size than these, lVvov\^V\\\\Q\' may be deficient as milkers. A few oxen of the KINPAUNS. ^210 pure West Highland breed are likewise usually kept by certain of the proprietors for the use of their own tables. But most of the cattle of this parish are crosses, as just stated ; and are generally deficient either io size or symmetry — not unfrequently in both. As there is but little land allowed to lie in pasture, young cattle are kept at home^ only in the winter months, to consume the straw ; and sent to a distance to graze at the commencement of summer. There is only one farmer in the parish who keeps sheep. These are of the pure Leicester breed, and usually number about 300. Two of the proprietors also keep a considerable number of the same breed ; but those kept by the proprietors, in general, are of the Highland or black-faced breed, as affording the inost delicate mutton for the table. Character of the .Husftandry, — The general character of the husbandry pursued may be termed judicious. In the low flat clay land near the Tayy the usual rotation of crops is the following: Is/, fallow; 2er of communicants for the last ten years has been in Slimmer 345, and in winter 320. Education, — I'here are two schools in the parish exclusive ol Sabbath schools, viz. the parish school, situated close beside the church ; and another, situated in a barren moor, on the north bor- der of the parish, which derives most of its scholars from Bal- thayock, a detached portion of the parish of Kinnoull. The brnnches of education commonly taught in the parish school are, English reading and grammar, writing, arithmetic, and geonrraphy. Practical mathematics and Latin are occasional!) taught. There have been sometimes also pupils learning Greek or French, but these were usually persons not belonging to the parish. The branches taught in the other school are the same as those commonly taught in the parish school. The parochial schoolmaster's salary is L. 34, 4s. 4^d. As the school-fees are very low, they do not amount, on an average, to more than L. 25 yearly ; but of this sum more than L. 17 is sel- dom paid ; often considerably less. His other emoluments amount to about L. 7, 10s. at present ; but the amount varies in differeat years ; and these emoluments are not inseparably connected with the office of schoolmaster. The rates of fees at the parish school are 2s. per quarter for 3 R1NFAUN8. 1223 re.'idingr; 2s. 6d. for writing; and ds. for arithmetic; it being under- stood that those who pay the higher rate» get the lower branches for nothing. Thus, for instance, children paying for writing, get re^ciding for nothing ; and those paying for arithmetic, get both reading and writing Tor nothing. English grammar and geography are always taught gratis, as it is not the parents, but the teacher, who wishes tiie children to learn these branches. At the other school, the fees are a little higher. At both schools, the prin- ciples of the Christian religion are daily taught. The people in general are fully alive to the benefits of educa- tion ; and th^re are scarcely any children above six years who are not taught to read, and very few above nine who cannot write. Poor. — The average number of persons receiving parochial aid for the last seven years was 12; that is to say, the average num- ber of names on the permanent roll, for these years, was 12 ; but as some of those persons bad others depending on them, the total number relieved was considerably more. Those persons had each an allowance in money advanced to them every twenty-eight days, varying from ds. to L. I, according to their necessities ; about half the number received each 12 cwt. of English coals annually ; and a still smaller number had their house-rents paid. So that 1 he average sum allotted to each person on the permanent roll for those years, including money, coal, and house-rents, was L. 5, Os. /\^d. annually. Besides the paupers on the permanent roll, there are always a number, more or fewer, receiving occasional relief; and the average annual sum distributed among these for the period above- mentioned was L. 4, I6s. dd. It may be mentioned also that, within the same period, the kirk-session expended considerably up- wards of L. 100 on the board, medical treatment, &c. of paupers in the Lunatic Asylum. The average annual amount of funds which have passed through the hands of the kirk -session for the purpose of relief to the poor, during the last seven years, has been 1^90, 19s. 2^d. This has been made up of church collection^ averaging annually L.31, 8s. l^d. ; and of mortcloth and proclamation dues, averaging annually \.A^ 4s. 6^. ; together with an additional sum, amounting, on an average, to L. 52, 6s. 6^d. annually, consisting of the interest ol capital, and of part of capital itself lifted. It ought to be observed, however, that, out of these L.90, &c, there are paid the salaries of the synod, presbytery, and session clerks, — synod, presbytery, 1224 PBKTHSHIRE. and church, officers, &&, amounting to a little upwards of L.K a-year. No assessment, either legal or voluntary, for the support of th poor, has hitherto been necessary in this parish ; but, as tb church collections and other casualties are now not half sufficiec for the purpose, it is but too evident that some such mode of su[ port must very soon be had recourse to. Inns. — There is only one inn in the parish, in which very goo order is kept, and it has had no bad effects on the morals of th ))eople. Whatever may be the faults of our people here, inten perance is a vice scarcely heard of among them. Fud. — The fuel commonly used consists of English coal, at froi 15s. to 17s. 6d. a-ton ; or of Scotch coal, commonly called gres coal, from the south of Fife, or the other collieries in the vicinil of the river Forth, at from 16s. to 1 8s. 6d. a-ton, according to tfa quality. This is delivered at the piers in the parish or its neigli bourhood, and costs little for carriage. A good deal of wood i also used for fuel, consisting of the thinnings or prunings of plan tations. October 1843. PARISH OF KILMADOCK. PUESBVTEIIY OF DUNBLANE, SYNOD OF PERTH AND STIRLING- THE REV. GORDON MITCHELL, A. M., MINISTER. I) It 'I i I. — Topography and Natural History. Name. — The name is believed to signify the Chapel of St AIu fiocky Maciocusy or Modocus, one of the Culdees, Extent. — This extensive parish is about 12 miles in length, an 9 in breadth, containing at least 64 square miles. Boundaries^ ^-c. — It is situated in the ancient stev^artry of Mor teith, and is bounded on the north, by Muthill and Comrie; o the soutli, by Kincardine and Kippen ; on the east, by Dunbiaii and Lecropt; and on the west, by Callander and Port-Monteiit Topographical Appearances, — Its fit^ure, though somewhat irre ^rular, approaches to a paralielo^rram. Situated betwixt the Gram pians and the Ochill hills, with a variety of hill and valley, it con KILMADOCK. 1225 tains one considerable hill, the' Uamvar of the ^' Lady of the Lake."* The view from this hill is splendid and extensive. That " magnificent mountain," as Sir W. Scott calls it, Ben- ledi, which signifies the mountain of Godj appears to great advan- tage from ** the iD0untain*8 southern brow, Where broad extended far beneath, The varied realms of fair Menteith." Climate^ 8fc, — ^^ This parish is an extremely healthful situ- ation. While the Grampian mountains protect it from the nipping frosts of the north, it is finely exposed to the Atlan- tic breeze and heat of the sun. The rapidity of the river Teith and the smaller rivers have likewise a strong tendency to sweep away those noxious vapours that haunt the low countries. Be- ing situated in the centre of the kingdom, the climate is mild and free of those rains that drench the western coast, and the piercing winds that blow incessantly on the inhabitants of the eastern borders. Hence in this parish there are very few diseases. The inhabitants enjoy a clear healthful atmosphere, and live to a good old age." ** This parish abounds with fine water springs, from its pecu- liar situation on the side of the Grampian mountains. From the sides of Uaigh-mor a great number of springs issue, and at one place, near the burn of Garwall, there is a very large spring rush- ing out of the solid rock in the form of a spout, the water of which is (said to be) mineral. The town of Doune is plentifully sup- plied with springs of soft water that never dry in the warmest summer, and the banks of Teith abound with similar natural springs." — (Old Account.) Lakes or Lochs, — There are two lakes or lochs in the parish ; * Tlie word Uamvar (Uaigh-mor) signifies the great cave. The hill is remarkable fur a cavern in the south or the Kilmadock side, as it is for a chasm on the north. •• Ua-var,"say8 Sir W. Scott, (appendix to Lady of the I^ke, note A ), ** as the name is pronounced, or mureproperly, Uaigh. mor, is a mountain to the north-east of the village of Callender in Menteith, deriving its name, which signifies the great den or cavern, from a sort of retreat among the rocks on the south side, said by tradition to have been the abode of a giant. In latter times it was the refuge of robbers and banditti^ who have been only extirpated within these forty or fifly years." I'he last Account, written in 1794, says, ** they were only extirpated about forty or fifty years ago.'* In one part of the south brow, large towering rocks arc piled sublimely togeUier. At a little distance is the " great cave,'* so called, — a rocky cavern of great extent, in the form of a parullellogram, connected with which are two small caves, one of them form- ing a very commodious place of shelter or concealment, and the other producing very fine echoes when stones are pitched into it. Such are the ** heights*' and ** wild beatln of Uamvar/* With " the cavern where 'tis told A giant made his den of old." KILMADOCK. 122? Connected with the parish hj birth are, the Rev. John Row of Row, and the Rev. Alexander Fletcher of London. Land-moners. — The chief land-owners are, the Earl of Moray, who has one- third of the valued rent and upwards ; Henry Home Drummond, Esq., M. P. of Blair-Druromond; John Burn Mur- doch, Esq. of Gartincaber; Andrew Jardine, Esq. of Lanrick, nephew to the late W. Jardine, Esq., M. P. ; Major Buchanan of Cambusnr)ore ; Captain Graham of Coldoclf ; Archibald Stir- ling, Esq. of Keir; and George Home Binning, Esq. of Ar- gaty, &c. The estate of Lanrick, formerly the property of Sir Evan Mur- ray Macgregor, passed in 1840 ihto the hands of William Jardine, Esq^ M. P., partner at Canton of James Matheson, Esq. of Achany, M. P. The suggestions of Mr Jardine on the subject of the late war in China are said to have met with due conside* ration from the British Government. He died in London in Fe- bruary 1343. Parochial Register s. — The parochial registers commence in 1623. They are not voluminous. One volume was destroyed by fire in the school-house. Antiquities. — The principal antiquities are, Doune Castle and the Bridge of Teith. This castle is thus noticed by Sir Walter Scott in Waverley : " On the opposite bank of the river, and partly surrounded by a winding of its stream, stood a large and massive castle, the half-ruined turrets of which were already glit- tering in the first rays of the sun. It was in form an oblong square of size sufficient to contain a large court in the centre. The towers at each angle of the square rose higher than the walls of the building, and were in their turn surmounted by turrets differing in height and irregular in shape. This noble ruin," adds Sir Walter in the note, '^ is dear to my recollection, from associations which have been long and painfully broken. It holds a commanding station on the banks of the river Teith, and has been one of the largest castles in Scotland. Murdock, Duke of Albany, the founder of this stately pile, was be- headed on the castle-hill of Stirling, from which he might see the towers of Doune, the monument of his fallen greatness. In 1745-1 6, as stated in the text, a garrison on the part of the che- valier was put into the castle, then less ruinous than at present. It was commanded by Mr Stewart of Balloch, as governor (o^ 1226 PBUT Prince Cbarlea. He vas a man < caslle became at that time the ai made b)' John Home, the author BODer«, who, having been taken a 5ned there by the insurgeota. miud a large stock of that romani venture which he has described a hie drama, devised and undertool ing from his prison. He inspiiet ments, and when every attempt e less, they resolved to twist their to descend. Four persons, with t in safety ; but the rope broke wil man. The sixth was Thomas I man, a particular friend of Home even in such unfavourable circum self to the broken rope, slid dowr and then let himself drnp. Hii breaking his fall ; nevertheless, h iseveral of his ribs broken. His ' to bear him off in safety. The I for their prisoners with great acti author he remembered seeing tlic *■ Ulooily witli ^uiriuff, riding furiously through the coun Doune Castle stands on a rou sive edifice with a spacious sqi (me end of the froni, and auothci site extremity, nearly 40 feet in an ample quadrangle. It is i though the trudiiion is, that part of the Dukes of Albany, two of ' an occasional residence. It was leeiith century, by Margaret, dai of James IV." Macgregor of ( John Home was confined in it of the Earl of Moray, and gives t extensive building overhangs a ste romantically situated on a peniiis< ArdoL-h, il- lofly towcTs rising far KILMADOCK. 1229 producing a fine effect. The great gate stands in the north, and the iron gate with its bars still remains entire. The north-west corner is said to have been the family residence. There are se- veral cellars and prisons on the ground- floor, on each side of the entry, and after being introduced to the great area, the ascent to the tower and family mansion is by two inside stairs, standing over against each other. The western stair leads up to a spacious lobby that divides the kitchen from the great hall, which is 63 feet by 25. The fire-place in the kitchen occupies an entire side of the room, and is supported by a strong arch, which is still entire. The eastern stair leads up to the apartments in the tower. One is a spacious room with an arched roof and a large fire-place, contain* ing a circular pillar. From its south-east corner, a narrow stone stair descends by a subterraneous passage into a cell or dungeon. The writer of the former account doubts the truth of the com- mon tradition as to the founder of this castle ; but there is every reason to think that Murdock must have built part of it, as the difierence between the more and less ancient parts of it may still be traced. Murdock was son of Robert, who was son of Robert II. Kinff of Scotland. He was taken prisoner by the English at the battle of Homelden in 1401, and succeeded his father in the Government on the 3d of September 1420, but resigned it four years after- wards. His resignation was followed by an accusation of high treason against him as well as his two sons and his father-in-law, who were seized and carried prisoners to Stirling. Murdock was taken betwixt Doune and Dunblane, at a small rivulet, which was therefore called Murdock's ford, a name which it retains to this day. Though the castle is roofless, the walls are still entire, hav- ing the appearance of great solidity and strength. Doune castle is mentioned in the beautiful traditional ballad which relates the death of the '* Bonnie Earl of Moray." Interesting as it is on account of its other associations, *' it is rendered still more interesting," says Dr Graham (Sketches of Perthshire), "by its having been for some time the residence of Mary Queen of Scots. And though Sir W. Scott, in the observ- ance of the Horatian rule — ad eventum festinat et in noedias res Non secus ac notas auditorem rapit it seems to be unquestionable that the knight of Snowdon and his KILMADOCK. 1231 Scottish lan^Utige was called S|)ittel. It is a sintrulur coiucicience that the people at first were, it is s;iid, as jealous and suspicious of the hridge of Teith, as they were of the Deanston mill 250 years after. " Thougli this goodly edifice was a work of charity, and intended exclusively for their convenience," (as indeed the words ^* of ahns" express), the common people could not help regarding it with all the suspirion and dislike which the lower classes of Scotland too often entertain respecting attempts at improvement, comfort, or decoration. While they took advantage of the expen- sive public work erected for their service, they could not help thinking upon the good old Bridge of Callander with feelings of tenderness, and this sentiment seems to have extended itself into a comparison between the old and the new bridge, much to the disadvantage of the latter. The rhyme in which this sentiment was embodied has been preserved by tradition, though the object of its flattery is supposed not to have been in existence since the time of the Reformation — l*he new brig of Doune, and the auld brig of Calknder, Four-and-twcnty bowi in the auld brig of Callander." This, we suppose, alludes to. the circumstance of there being no fewer than the extraordinary number of twenty-four arches in the ancient bridge ! * Of the former church at Kilmadock, there is still standing a small part, chiefly the east gable. The ruin is highly picturesque, and the efiect of the beautiful ivy-mantled window is in fine keep- ing with the romantic scenery of this sequestered spot. Out of six chapels which are said once to have existed in the parish, four have entirely disappeared, — those of Annat, Lanrick, Torry, and Walton. There is still to be seen at the bridge of Teith, a wall said to have been part of an old chapel there. Of the chapel at Newton there remain the west gable and part of the side walls. A cave is said to have been discovered at Coldoch, and there is the appearance of a camp close to Doune Lodge, with a large stone at some distance called the ^^ camp stone," said to have given the property its former name Cambuswallace quasi Wallace camp, — while one or two standing stones are to be seen, which are supposed to be Druidical monuments. Before the date of last Account, several graves were discovered below Rosehall, en- closed with four stones each, in the form of the ancient tombs of Caledonia, but no bones remained ; from which it is evident that * Chambers*! Popular Rbjmes, &e. &c. oC ^oiCbxv^. l2.-)-2 PKII ttiey are of great antiquity. It u were discovered, there was n loc^ fought near this spot, and that The tombs discovered may have chiefiains. Modern BuilditiffM.—Iha prin parish church at Donne, Laorick Deanston House manufactory e chapel at Bridge of Teith. in.— Pop The populntion oTlbi* pariah [| Bt the bit ccnHU ( IMI } it h> lDlR31it«» 1821, 1792,11 the due of lutSui One cause of the great increase i nnd 1831 is said to have been Works. Language. — The language ger lish, with Gaelic by a few families. Account, is said to have been " a " In the cjuarier towards Calland generality of the inhabitants speak this day. IV.-iND AgTiculture. — The parish conl of which remains constantly wasi mi^hl, with a pro6labie applicati ciiiliviited land of the parish. ReiU of Land. — -The average i about L.) per acre. Great improvements have bee Besides those on Lanrick and at tice the syslem carried on by Mr 1 only completely changed the fac( wilderness into a garden. It is Smith's published " Remarks on Ploiigjiing." These are the twi known " Deanston system."" M be the foundation of subsoil plniig ' Tlus s)«evn'w\\\MSW^Ven of ill ihc I KJLMADOCK. 1233 itfanv/adures.-— In this parish are the celebrated Deanston CottOD-works. The following correct description of them is taken from the Inverness Courier. *^ Deanston Cotton- Works employ above 1100 persons, young and old, and contain the most perfect machinery in the kingdom. The first erection took place in the year 1785, by the Messrs Buchanan of Carston, four brothers, the eldest of whom was an intimate acquaintance of Sir Richard Arkwright, and was his first agent in Glasgow for the sale of cotton twist. The English had annoyed Sir Richard so much by invading his invention, that he resolved to instruct young Scotsmen in the art, in preference to his own countrymen ; and among others, Mr Archibald Buchanan (now manager of the Catrine works, Ayrshire,) went apprentice to Sir Richard, and was the only one who had the privilege of living 1889). '* The thorough or Deanston mode of draining, of so great benefit, not for Scotland only, but for the whole kingdono, is as yet in its inrancy. Already, the fiiine and the utility of it are spreading all over the island, and we hare not a doubt, in a short time, there will not be found a spot, where improvements are carried on, that has not been * made anew' by means of this simple, yet powerful and efficient system of draining.** ** The principle of the system,** as explained by Mr SmiUi him* self) '^ is the providing of frequent opportunities for the water rising from below, or falling on the surface, to pass freely and completely off.*^ Mr Smith adds, that the most appropriate appellation for it, therefore, seems to be '^ the frequent drain sys- tem,** or ** thorough drainage sj-stem.'* In deference to Mr Smith, but in justice to bis claims as the inventor,, it seems not inappropriately called the Deanston system, *' In proceeding to apply this system of drainage to a farm, the first object,** bays Mr Smith, *' is to allow a sufficient fall or level, as it is commonly termed, for a main drain to receive the water flowing from the ordinary or parallel drains.'* We do not here describe the system, referring to Mr Smith *s own description. Suffice it to re- mark the necessity of ** closely covering the upper surface of the stones with a thin thatch or flautcher, divot or turf, as many drains are ruined at once by the running in of the loose earth.** With regard to deep ploughing, Mr Smith remarks, ** AU who have ever studied or experienced the most common gardening must be aware of the important advan* tagea of deep working, and, when it can be attained in the broad field of farming, at BO small a cost as 98. per acre, they may easily believe that the whole will be more than doubly repaid in every succeeding grain crop, and abundantly even in pasture. When this subject was treated of in the Second Report of Drummond*s Agricultural Mu» aeum, published in March ISd3, the system was beginning to be adopted in a few places, in a very few districts of Scotland, England, and Ireland, and, in most in- stances, on a very limited scale. Since then, the intrinsic meriu and evident results of the system have raised its character even with many of its former opponents, and one cannot now travel almost anywhere in the country without seeing, cither on a large or a small scale, the operation of thorough draining going on. The deep plough* ing is not yet so general, but it will undoubtedly follow ; and, it is to be regretted^ that, in the meantime, some zealous and ^good farmers, not aware of its advantap:cs, are filling their drains so near the surface, as to mar the future thorough application of the system of deep working.** *' I have been oflen asked,*' says Mr Smith in a note, ^^ if I would recommend subsoil ploughing of land which had not been drained. To this I answer, certainly not. * * * So soon as wet lands are thoroughly drained, deep ploughing may follow with the greatest advantage, but not sooner.** ** Thorough draining,** adds Mr Smith, ** is the foundation of all good husbandry, and when combined with deep ploughing, ensures a general and uniform fertility, as- sisted, no doubt, by the essentials, thorough working and cleaning, nmplc manuring, and a proper rotation of cropping," PERTH. 4 I 1234 PERTHSIi in the house with him. Sir Richa •o intent on his schemes and calc and be often sat for weeks tof^the without exchanging a syllable. Tb other moods extremely kind and fai Id after life. " The powerful fall and supply o gested to the elder of the Buchans ■pinning establishment at this spot, was soon ripened into action. T1 upon the property, and the owner gave him a feu of six acres aloi Carding mid roving for jenny -spini ses whii-h were driven by power (a; pose the old lint mill was appropr dose by for the reception of the jt ere were shy of entering this low ■ounds and sights : they considere respectable manner in which thew gradually reconciled to the empU that both themselves and childre bald Hiichannn was then a fine a or nineteen, of a social generous d people ; and thus a number of act the better classes, were led lo woi did they become, that as fine yan has subsequently been made by t Some of these young men aflerwi and the Grm of the Macphails in < power weavers) had ils origin in c Ross-shire to work at Deanston. " In the year 1 7B3, the works at of a Yorkshire Quaker, a benevole ders; and in 1608 they became tl Co. from Glasgow, with whom M come connected. The establishm under the charge of the present of Mr Buchanan), who is well kr as his agricultural inventions and company made arrangements with KILMADOCK^ 1235 additional water-power, by which they acquired a &11 of 20 feet, making the whole iisill 33 feet. ^^ An extensive plan of enlargenient and improvement was now adopted ; the works were thriving, and machinery was daily be- coming more and more perfect. In this plan, it was proposed to erect eight water wheels in one square building, each to be 36 feet in diameter, and 1 1 feet wide inside, being overshot, and having the shrouding and buckets 24 inches deep. At present four of those wheels are in operation, and pedestals have been erected for two more. They are the most gigantic-looking things we ever saw, and distribute, by innumerable shafts, the whole of the vast concentrated power over the different apartments. Each wheel has a power equal to eighty horses I ^^ The whole of the works are lighted with gas, and they posses- sed this advantage so early as 1813) before any of our towns could boast the same brilliant light. Tunnels are made all under ground, by which communication can be had with the different depart- ments without going out of doors, and every other facility has been adopted for carrying on the operations. Carts proceed daily to Glasgow with the produce. The construction of the various works must have cost an enormous outlay of money, and a considerable charge annually will be brought against it in the shape of interest; but we were informed that the power being once acquired, the annual expenditure for management and repairs is small indeed — not exceeding, on the average, L.400 per annum. The steadiness of the stream of the Teith, which flows from LfOch Katrine and five of her lakes, renders the command of water extremely uni- form, and the loss of a few hours' work per day for a week or fortnight in the driest period of summer is all the stoppage the works ever experience. *^ The process of manufacture may be described as follows: — The bags of cotton, containing each about 300 pounds weight, are laid upon the floor in rows, taken out and thrown into a machine called a Willow. This willow is a revolving cylinder with iron teeth, which divides and breaks down the masses. The materiel is then conveyed to another machine — the Angel. The cotton is then weighed in small portions, spread out, and put into a machine which determines and regulates the grist of the thread. Passing through pairs of rollers, the cotton is struck by iron beaters (as in a thrashing-mill) at the rate of six thousand feet per minute ! The lighter dust is drawn through a revolving wire sieve by thet 1236 rBBTHSHIRE. action of a fanner, and is thus blown to the open air, ridding all the processes of that annoyance which used to be so hurtful to health. The cotton is now in the form of a web— -is next wound on rollers— and put to the carding-machines, whereby the 6bres of the cotton are completely separated, and any remaining lumps or refuse are taken out ** The machines used here are of a peculiar construction, in which a process formerly done by hand is now performed by mechanism, and for which Mr Smith holds a patent By the variously im- proved construction of this machine, the saying of labour in this process will amount to about thirty per cent Some peculiar and beautiful movements are introduced, but it is impossible to de- scribe them. The next process to which the materia) passes, is the drawing machine, wherein the 6bres are drawn into a parallel and longitudinal position, by means of successive pairs of rollers, the first pair holding the material, and allowing it to pass with a slow progress, whilst the second pair lay hold of it and pull it in the same way as a man draws straw for thatching. When the fibres have been sufficiently brought to parallel (which is done by repeating this process three or four times in the same machine), the material is carried to what is called a roving frame^ where it is drawn to a much smaller grist, and then twisted into a thready form, and is wound upon bobbins. These bobbins are carried to spinning machines, when the grist is still more reduced, until the thread reaches its desired size, when it is twisted sufficient! v firm to become thread fit for weaving. The thread intended for warp is spun upon a machine called a throstle^ which is a modification of Sir Richard Arkwright*s original machine, and at this work a recent American invention has been adopted; it admits of great velocity in the twisting process, and, consequently, produces a much greater quantity of work in the same time. The bobbin^s by the movements of which the twist is thrown into thread, go at the amazing velocity of 8000 revolutions per minute ! The effect is magical. These machines are attended by children, chiefly little girls, who are singularly dexterous, and they are superin- tended in divisions by grown-up women— -one male superintendant having the general charge of a department. The work is light and easy, but requires constant attention and great cleanliness and order, and thus it may be said to form an excellent school for train- ing the youno[ to habits of attention and industry. These little g\v\s toVVovj Uve employment with spirit and cheerfulness, from KlLM\DOCK. 1237 eif^ht to twelve hours a-day. The yarn intended for woof or weft is upon the mule jenny^ a machine invented by a Mr Crompton, near Bolton, Lancashire. It is an adaptation of the twisting pro- cess of the old jenny, or meickle wheel of this country, to the draw* ing process of Sir Richard Arkwright. Hitherto such machines have generally been worked by men of great strength and skill, who acquired high wages, and were the chief movers in all the combinations of the cotton trade. To obviate the inconvenience of these strikes, the attention of mechanical men has been for many years directed. The machines employed here were invent- ed by Mr Smith some years ago, for which he holds patents for the United Kingdom, most of the countries on the continent of Europe, and for America. The machine is now being extensive- ly introduced in the trade generally. Mr Smith has just com- pleted an adaptation of this principle to mules for spinning wool, and which is likely to be of vast importance in the present rising state of the woollen manufactures of our country. ^* The invention of this machine removes the only laborious and slavish employment that remained in the cotton manufacture, and efifects a saving of about 50 per cent, besides producing an article of superior quality, and insuring regularity. It has created a de- mand for young females' labour, who are better paid than when they worked under the spinners — the money being thus more equally distributed. It gives, besides, to this country an import- ant advantage over the cheap labour of other countries. ^^ In preparing the warp for the weaving process, from 500 to 1000 bobbins are arranged in regular rows in a wooden frame, and from these the threads proceed towards a beam, or roller, on which they are wound, having a peculiarly beautiful appearance, the threads converging towards the mass, like the rays of the sun from behind a cloud. Being collected, the threads are passed through a machine whereby the threads are stiffened, by being immersed in a paste formed of flour and glue boiled together with water. Brushes attached to mechanism sweep along the surfaces of threads, laying all the Bbres, and rendering them smooth and uniform. Fanners are put in rapid motion, and blow heated air upon the mass of threads, so as to render it perfectly dry before being placed on the weavers' beam. From this it is carried to the power-loom, where the whole operations are performed by me- chanism ; the young women, who attend two looms each, having mejrely to supply the woof from time to time, and mend such 1238 FERTHSHlflS. threads of ibe warp as may break in the process. The woof is supplied in little pirns or cops, formed on the self-acting mules ; each loom will, on cloth of ordinary thickness, such as a commoa calico, produce about thirty yards per day, making 60 the work of each girl. These looms, to the number of about dOO, are arrang- ed in rows, with alleys between, in a most spacious apartment, which, when lighted with gas, has a nK>st magnificent effect ** In going over the vast establishment, it seemed to us like en- tering an illuminated village, and we shall not soon forget the effect of 300 gas lights in one apartment. This building is quite novel in its structure, the roof being composed of groined arches, sup- ported on cast-iron columns, 12 feet high, and the rise of the arches being 6 feet; the greatest height of the ceiling is 18 feet The groins are in squares of 33 feet 6 inches, and in the centre of each groin there is a circular opening 8 feet in diameter, sur- mounted by a handsome glass cupola light, affording a most uor- form and perfect light for the operations carried on below. The arches are rendered water-tight in the most simple manner by a coating of pitched coal tar, about a quarter of an inch in thick- ness, and the whole is covered with three or four feet of soil, intended to form a garden for flowers and other plants. It is re- markable, that during the intense frost of the winter 1837-8, the hardening did not penetrate more than one and a-half inches into this soil^-owing, doubtless, to the heat from below. This building covers altogether upwards of half an acre, and every individual io the apartment can be seen from any point The whole is fire-proof. The general order of management at the Deanston Works is very much on the principle of Arkwright — a proof of the talents of that eminent person. There is a head or superintendant to each de- partment^-every one has his own allotted part — and in most cases they are paid by the piece, not in weekly wages. They receive the amount of their earnings every Thursday morning (that being the market day) ; and the youngest individual about the works is paid his or her wages into their own hand, which seems to give them an idea of personal consequence. They have all the privilege of leaving any moment they choose, without previous warning ; and we were informed that this is found to insure a more steady, agree- able, and lengthened service than could be obtained by the firmest indenture. There is no fine or punishment, excepting for dam- age to the works through evident carelessness. The order of the eslabWsVimQWl \s preserved by the dismissal of offending individuals, KILMADOCK. 1239 or their banisbment for a limited period. By * stopping the sup- plieS)^ every member of the family is interested in the good con- duct of the whole, and a banished child, man, or friend, finds no rest at home. The morals of the people are in general very cor- ' rect ; no drunkard is permitted about the establishment. We in- quired of an intelligent medical gentleman at Doune (Dr M'Ansh) whether the spinners were as healthy as the other villagers. His answer was, ^ They are not so robust (owing to their confine- ment), but their health is as steady and uniform/ *^ Immediately adjoining the works is a handsome little village, built and founded by the company, which contains about 1200 inhabitants. The houses are neat, built in one long street paral- lel to the water course, and are two stories high, with attics. They are most exemplary patterns of cleanliness, and to each house is attached a small piece of garden ground, and a range of grass plot for bleaching. A school-room is united to the esta- blishment, capable of containing 200 children, and a teacher is paid by the company. The young children generally go to school when about five years of age ; and as none are admitted into the works until they are nine, they are mostly good readers, and able to write and cypher before they enter the works. The children employed in the works from nine to thirteen years of age, must, according to the Factory Act, work only eight hours per day, and about three hours are devoted to the school-room. The number at this age amounts to 100, and they are divided into relays of 33 each ; so that while two relays are at work, one is attending school. The youth above thirteen years of age and under sixteen are ex^ pected to attend an evening school four nights in the week ; and a Sabbath school in the village contains about 150 pupils. Thus the works at Deanston seem to possess every facility and recom- mendation ; they have changed the aspect of the country — beauti- ful and romantic as it is — by introducing into it habits of industry, order, and the highest mechanical genius and dexterity ; they cause a circulation of money to the extent of about L.2U,000 per annum ; they furnish employment for the people of all ages ; they have called forth the spirit and activity of the agriculturists to meet the ever-recurring demands of the place; and in all respects they are a splendid monument of British enterprise, skill, and per-i severance."* * To thii^acoonnt it may now be added, that Mr Smith has ceased to be a part- ner, and has retired from the managemeutt while the machine making departmexvx.N^ 1240 PERTUSUIKB. '■i . ills I ►■-Si V. — Parochial Economy. JfarAeZ-Tbum.-— Stirling is the principal market for giain. It is eight miles distant from Doune. VUlagti. — The only two considerable Tillages in the parish are Doune and Deanston. Doune is a pleasant village^ with three principal streets. It contains a market cross, a handsome chnrchi and several good houses. It was formerly celebrated for three manufactures,*— viz. skinning, Highland purses, and Highland pistols. The houses are well built, mostly slated, and of ra- ther recent erection. Deanston, the other considerable village, is mentioned in the Lady of the Lake, where it it spelt Deaiistone. Torry and I.Anriek now we past. And Deaustouc lies bchitid them cast. It is a very neat and clean -looking village, consisting of two rows of houses, which form one wide street, with a lane behind. The one row, which is small, is several feet below the level of the street ; the other consists of four detached divisions of equal extent. The houses are uniform (two stories high with attics) and white-washed, giving the village a very neat appearance. There are four hamlets or small villages besides, viz. Buchany, or Burn of Cambus, Druravaich, Delvorich, and Bridge of Teith, sometimes called the Cotton Row, and formerly the new town of Doune, — a name which is now more applicable to Deanston. 6u- chany and Burn of Cambus were formerly distinct villages, but three houses of the latter onlv remain. Means of Communication. — Doune is a post-town. We have a maiUgig daily between Stirling and Callander, and two carriers twice a-week betwixt Doune and Stirling. Though there is no great length of turnpike roads in the parish, a stage*coach runs between Callander and Stirling daily in summer, and twice a- week ( Mondays and Fridays) in winter. Last two summers, there were two coaches daily connecting with the Edinburgh and Glas- gow Railway. The former Account said, " There is no bridge over Teith below Callander, except one near Doune, called Bridge of Teith." This complaint continued to be well founded up till 1642, when a suspension bridge was erected at Lanrickon plans by Mr Smith of Deanston. now given up, with the exception of what is required for the wants of the estahli>b- ment, wtiicb has long been celebrated for the manufitcture of the patent self-acting mule invented by Mr i>mith. This gentleman is well known as an eminent agricul- iur'iHt and cn^tnccr^ranking with not only the Wattscs and Arkwrightsfbr hbmc- %iuca\ bWiW, \ju\. a\vi w\\\v VW >\oN»^\ and the Bumbank bums, which hai been employed in driving mills and floating moss into the Fort! There are also the bums of Cessintully and Little Mill, in th western division of the parish, which have been employed for tb same purposes. The principal rivers which water this parish are the Forth, th Teith, and the Goodie. The Forth, the Boderia of Ptolemy, and Bodotria of Tacitu is the southern boundary of this parish. Near its source it ba two branches, the one in Stirlingshire, which comes from a sprin; on the north side, and near the summit of Benlomond, and is coo sidered to be the proper source of the river ; the other, which is sues from Lochard and Ix>chcon in Perthshire, has its souro westward of Lochcon. These two branches meet at Aberfovl in Perthshire, where they are called the Aveudhu, or .BlacI River ; and at Gartmore House, 6ve miles below this junctioo thev receive and retain the name of the Forth. The course of this river from Benlomond to Stirling may h about 35 miles. The upper part of the Forth is narrow and sbal low ; but in its progress it deepens from three to seven feet, anc when it passes from the dryBeld into the carse, its breadth ao( depth are greatly increased, by receiving the contents of many tri- butary streams. In its progress, for Bfleen miles, the channel i: sometimes rocky, and sometimes gravelly, and its water is clea and pleasant to the taste ; but, on entering the flat, mossy, am clayey district, it is discoloured, not merely by the nature of x\h soil, but also, during a great part of the year, by the moss whid is floated into it, and by other agricultural improvements. This appearance of the river is increased by the influx of thi Goodie, which joins the Forth about nine miles above Stirlin^i after running through part of this parish. It issues from the lake of Monteith, in the parish of Port; and at a short distance from the lake it enters Moss Flanders, and, like the Forth, flows slowh in a channel so deep as to be seen only by thoso who approach ita banks. KINCARDINE IN MONTEITH. 1249 At a remote period, and before the vale of Monteith was so tnuch improved as it is now, by draining, and the receding of the waters, this river, with its beautiful source, was called the Lake of the Guidi, or Guddie, because, by its level course, and many windings and interruptions, it formed, especially in the rainy sea* sons, a complete morass. The Teith is of a different character from the Forth and Goodie. The name Teith is supposed to be derived from Teth or Te, sig- nifying hot^ and is said to have received its name from its ra^ pid progress, in the higher parts of the river, over a channel con- sisting of innumerable round stones and pebbles, which, from the beautiful clearness of its waters reflecting the sun's rays, give it a sparkling prismatic appearance. Flowing eastward from Lochs Katrine, Achray, and Vennachar, on the south side, and from Loch Lubnaig, on the north side of Benledi, (its two branches meeting above Callander,) it may well be called ** Daughter" not '*of three," but of *' four mighty lakes." It bounds Kincardine parish on the north, (a portion of Kilmadock intervening,) from about four miles below Callander, to its junction with the Forth at the extremity of this parish, about two and a-half miles west of Stirling. Its gravelly channel, and the lakes at its sources, ope- rating as so many filters, give a beautiful clearness and freshness to its waters. Although it loses its name by its junction with the impure and sluggish Forth, yet it sends one-half more water into the Frith of Forth than that river does* Its length from Callan- der to this junction is about thirteen miles; and, except where pools occur, some of which are very deep, it is shallow ; and its breadth is generally contracted by its firm and rocky banks. Af- ter much rain, or the melting of deep snow, when the mountain streams pour their contents into it, its rise is sudden, and, over- flowing its banks in various places, it sweeps irresistibly before it every moveable object within its reach. Its velocity is increased by a uniform fall from Callander to its junction with the Forth of about SOO feet. Were it not out of place here, we might dwell on the natural grandeur and beauties of this river, with its adja- cent scenery, such as the elegant mansion-houses, tastefully orna- mented parks, thriving plantations, and agricultural improvements which adorn the course of the Teith ; but this would be superflu- ous, because the immortal Sir Walter Scott, in his Lady of the Lake, has celebrated in song this part of Perthshire. PERTH. 4 K 1250 PERTHSHIRE. Geology and Mineralogy. — The north diTision of this parish i composed of various soils, resting on sandstone of the transitioi series. The south side consists of clay, resting on the same reel and stretching along the north bank of the Forth. The greate part of this division was, till lately, covered by moss. The clay i rich and deep, and good for agricultural purposes. In the banks of the Forth and Goodie numerous beds o oyster, muscle, cockle, and other marine shells |appear at va- rious depths between the surface of the clay and the channels ol the rivers. The discovery of these marine remains and others which have been found in the neighbouring parishes, furnishes an increasiog proof, that the sea extended over the level part of this parish at the period of the deposition of the ciciy. l^he transition from the Carse to the drytield is abrupt, and frequently as well defined as are the banks of a river. The dr}- field has an increasing elevation northward. In the vicinity of Blair- Drummond, the soil in the first part of the rising ground is a light loam, having in general a gentle slope, but in some places an abrupt face to the south, and extending about a mile in breadth. It is well adapted to the growth of trees and shrubs, and is beau- tifully wooded and tastefully adorned by walks and shrubberies,-- forming part of the pleasure-grounds of Blair-Drummond. The sandstone which has been formerly mentioned, and vul* garly called gray freestone, has been considered as the old red sandstone of the transition series. It has been used for various purposes, the best kind being a good stone for building. In the moor of Ballochneck, and for several miles to the west of it, the colour is of a light gray or smoke colour, and of a hard con- sistency, and valuable for flags and buildings. There is a re- markable instance of the first kind at Ochtertyre, where it rises above the clay in a detached circular eminence, which is covered with trees and brushwood. The prevailing dip of the strata, as appears from the various quarries which have been wrought, is to- wards the north-west, and in general at a slight inclination. Veins of calcareous spar are often met with in quarrying, and occasion- ally barytes. No organic remains of any kind occur in the sandstone, except a few vegetable impressions. In the soil of many of the higher parts of the parish, boulden 3 KINCARDINE IN MONTEITH. ^251 of various species of rocks have been found in great abundance, and removed for draining the fields, making roads, and building fences. In the latter, many specimens have been preserved of granite, gneiss, mica and common slate, conglomerate, sandstone, and grit, and of various kinds of trap rock. The mica slate is frequently studded with garnets of a coarse quality. Zoology, — Roe. deer are frequently found, and, occasionally, red deer in the young plantations in the higher parts of the parish ; and the former frequently visit the woods of the level country. Foxes, polecats, stoats, weasels, and hedgehogs, are numerous, but less so of late years, in consequence of the constant and suc- cessful exertions of the gamekeepers in the district. Otters fre- quent the banks of the Teith, Forth, and Goodie. They have been traced by their foot-prints in the snow to their hiding-places ; and on one occasion, four were killed at one place by terriers of sufficient strength and courage. They are very destructive to the salmon and other kinds of fish. The badger used to be seen, but has now disappeared. The black rat of Scotland, which till lately abounded in this parish, has also disappeared, but has been succeeded by great numbers of the brown rat, which are very destructive to the farm-houses, barn-yards, and hen-roosts of the farmers. Although the common squirrel was unknown in this parish till about twenty years ago, yet it now abounds in almost all our plantations. Hares, rabbits, common and ring-necked pheasants, and partridges, are very nu- merous. Pheasants were not seen here till about twenty-five years ago, but since that time the common kinds have multiplied greatly, and the white kind occasionally appear in the plantations. The curlew was formerly plentiful, and is still to be seen ; and the woodcock is an annual visitor. Snipes are now scarce, in conse- quence of draining and other improvements. Black and red grouse used to be numerous, but are now seldom seen, and in small num- bers, since the moss of Blair- Drummond has been improved. For the same reason, adders are more seldom seen. Various birds of prey belong to this district, or frequently resort to it, such as the kestril (Falco tinunculus^) the spar- row-hawk {Accipiter frinffillariusj) and the merlin {Falco cesa^ Ion.) These are the most common, but there are also frequently seen here the peregrine falcon {Falco peregrinus^) the common buzzard {Bttteo vulffariSf) and the hen-harrier {Circus cyaneus^) 1252 PEHTHSllIRB. The kite {Milxms Ictinus) its rarely seen so far from the lake and mountains to the north and west; but the long-eared on {Oiis aurituSi) the common ivy or brown owl {Strix Aluco^) am the bam owl (Strixflammea^) are common. Rooks are very nu merous, in consequence of there being large rookeries on the es tates in the neighbourhood, especially at Oehtertyre and Blair Drummond. The hooded-crow (Corvut comix^) the jay {C.glan darius^) and also the jackdaw and magpie, are natives. A whiu crow was lately shot in this neighbourhood ; and a magpie, almosi white, was entrapped by the gamekeeper at Blair- Drummond Both have been preserved. This parish is periodically visited by the landrail {Crex stre- perof) by the bat, the goatsucker {Caprimulffus Europanuy) b; starlings, and a few golden plovers. We have also the fieldfiire, redwing, and missel-thrush, the two former of these remaining till the middle of March or beginning*of April (the missel-thrush re- maining permanently,) when they migrate to Norway or Sweden, and are succeeded by the common thrush, after it has been some months absent. As the following list of smaller birds contains generally the di^ ferent species of those which visit this parish periodically or are permanent, it may perhaps with propriety be admitted into this Account, especially as many of the more common kinds are pur- posely omitted : Certhia familiaris Silvia salicaria Parus ater Muscicapa grisola Regulus cristatus caudatus SUvia phoniicurus Saxicola oenantlie Pyrrhula vulgaris — cinerea -• riibicola Fringilla montium trochilus __— rubetra - linaria hypolais Anthus pratensis spinus sibilatrix __ arborcus i.- carduel's atracapilla Parus palustris The crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) is rarely seen here, but a great number appeared during the winter of 1838, especially at Ltinrick Castle, and after continuing some months in the planta- tions of spruce firs, on the seeds of which they feed, thev disap- peared in the spring. During their stay, however, specimens of the male and female were shot and are carefully preserved. The common sandpiper (Ti-inga hypoleucus^) and the water ouzel and dipper, (Cinclus aquaticus) frequent our rivers; and the king-fisher (Alcedo ispidd) also is occasionally seen, displaying his brilliant plumage as he skims swiftly along the streams, or perches watchfully on the twigs which overhang his favourite fishing pools. T\\c \^T\el\es of water-fowl arfe very limited. Seagulls of differ- KINCARDIRE IN MONTEITH. ^^^^ ent kinds and in considerable numbers come up the Forth into the interior, fifteen or twenty miles above the flow of the tide, at dif- ferent seasons of the year, but chiefly in spring, when they cover in great numbers the newly ploughed Gelds, and devour worms, &c. They come also to escape from the storms which sweep the Frith ; and to nestle in the islands, and on the shores of the lakes to the westward. The wild swan does not remain here ; but is often seen in win- ter, passing from one favourite haunt to another among the sur- rounding hills and lakes. Wild ducks are very numerous along the streams of the Teith and Forth, but especially on an ornamental piece of water in Blair- Drummond park. Here they are allowed to hatch and rear their young in safety ; and so securely do they occupy this peaceful re- treat, that one may pass within a short distance of a great number of them, especially in the months of October and November, without disturbing them. There is an island in the middle of this sheet of water, bearing trees of various kinds about fifty years old. Among the reeds and rushes which skirt this island, and on the island itself, coots and water-rails build their nests, and rear their young ; and here the majestic swan, in imperial dignity, is lord of the isle and the waters. The trees are the abode in spring, summer, and harvest of the sombre heron, whose ponderous nests, containing a noisy and vo- racious brood, weigh down the more elevated branches of the trees. The cry of the heron and her brood is very peculiar, and has been alleged to have led to a superstitious belief in Scotland, in the existence of a being called the Water Kelpie. The jack- daw and the heron *nestle in the same trees, and the wily little daw not un frequently usurps the heron's nest, and seems even to watch for some of the young heron's food. The breeding season appears to reconcile . some kinds of the feathered tribe to each other ; and in this retired and peaceful spot, where the rays of the mid- day sun are powerful, but where no storm can enter, there live together in apparent harmony, the heron and the daw, the coot, the rail, the wild duck and the swan ; with hares, ])hea- sants, partridges, and pea-fowl, rejoicing in undisturbed peace on the margin of the water; while the venerable grove of mighty oaks which overlooks the scene, sends forth the varied music of a thousand happy inhabitants. Salmon have always been found in the river Teith; and althougU 1254 PERTHSHIRE. formerly they were more abundant, yet the floods in spring, summer, and autumn, still encourage considerable numbers of ex- cellent salmon, weighing from 6 to 25 lbs., and grilses from 5 to 7 or 8 lbs., to frequent the river. A considerable improve- ment has recently taken place by the protection given to the smoults during the months of May and June, when they descend in shoals to the sea. Common and sea- trout are plentiful, and a few perch and pike are occasionally to be found. There are two species of eels, the lamprey and common eel, and parr, minnow, loach, and stickle- back are numerous. Very few salmon resort to the Forth on account of the impure and mossy nature of its waters ; but pike, perch, and lai^ eels are abundant. Common trout are rarely seen in the lower parts of the Forth, but higher up they are numerous and excellent, and in the Goodie, one of its tributaries, which issues from the loch of Monteith, the fine red trout which inhabits that loch is to be found. The muscle that produces pearls {Mya Margaritifera) is com* mon in the Teith, and the size and value of the pearls have oc- casionally been considerable ; but they are not found in such numbers as to remunerate the search. The families of insects in this parish are numerous, varied, and beautiful, but do not in general differ from those that are to be found in all the dis?trict. It would, however, be an omission, not to mention a beautiful specimen of the death's-head moth, which was found on one of the south windows of the church of Kincar- dine in 1834, and is preserved, the body measuring 2i inches long, 2 inches in circumference at the insertion of the wings, and 1^ inch at the middle; the wings being ^ths of an inch broad, and 4 inches from tip to lip when moderately extended. The figure of the death's-head, which gives the name to the insect, is half an inch long, and very distinctly marked. The down of the insect is perfectly beautiful. It emitted, when caught, a shrill \ sound resembling that of a mouse or bat. It did not verify the j common superstition, by preceding the cholera in this district t It may also be proper to mention the glow-worm here, which ! the writer has found in a warm sheltered locality near the manse. ' This beautiful visitant, however, is but seldom seen here. Hotany* — ^TW ^^^ds and plantations of this parish are com- KINCARDINE IN MONTEITH. ^255 posed chiefly of oak, ash, beech, elm, birch, and fir. The soil is well adapted to the growth of all of these ; but oak, beech, aod fir predoBiinate. In the park at Blair-Drummond there are many fine trees' chiefly beech and oak, which are probably not surpassed by any others of the same age. Great attention has been paid to thin- ning and preserving them from injury, and on this account no ani- mal but sheep is admitted to the pasture, so that each kind of tree is allowed to display the peculiar beauty of its form and mode of growth, and to extend its branches near the ground. One beech, in January 1835, measured in circumference cit the smallest part of the bole, between the swell jo{ the roots and the swell of the branches, 15 feet 1 inch. Another nieasured in the same way was 14 feet Another, at 4 feet 8 inches from the ground, is 1 3 feet, and many others at 3 feet or 3^ feet from the ground from 13 feet 6 inches to 1 1 feet. An oak at 3^ feet from the ground is^ 12 feet 8 inches, and many others at the same height from 9 to 11 feet. It will be observed, that these measurements refer to the per- pendicular height above the ground, and are taken somewhat higher than is usual, at what is considered the fairest point of com- parison for the dimensions of trees. The trees above-mentioned were not, in 1835, more than 120 years old, and probably some years younger. In December 1839, a larch, which grows in sand in the south bank of what is called the Sand Hill, measured at 2 feet perpen- dicular from the ground, quite free of the swell of the roots, 9 feet 10 inches. Another larch, cut at the same date, measured at above a foot from the ground, free of the swell of the roots, 9 feet 2 inches, having 49 rings of wood, of which 36 were red wood. There are also five larches above 100 years old,' which have risen to a great height by being planted among the other trees, one of which measures, at 3^ feet from the ground, 8 feet 1 1 inchesi. From former measurements, these last-mentioned larches do not seem to have gained above four or five inches in the last ten years, while some of the beeches and oaks have added above a foot to their circumference. There are several birches of a much later date from 9^ to 10^ feet, and also some old Scotch firs measuring from 8 feet 5 inches to 10 feet. The seed from which a plantation of Scotch firs, along the side of the turnpike road near Blair-Drummond, 1256 PERTHSHIRE. was raised was procured by Lord Kames from old trees a1 Aucbenbowie in Stirlingshire. A great Dumber of them have sprung up in the moss on the opposite side of the road, and form- ed a new plantation, being self-sown from the cones, which crovs have been observed carrying to the open moss for the purpose oj feeding on the seed. ^^ The timber of this species is much superioi to that of the other two kinds which are frequently cultivated, one of which has a short and thin foliage, and produces but little tim- ber, and the other, although it is of rapid growth, produces timber of an inferior quality." (Journal of Agriculture, October 1843.) The ash and plane (sycamore) trees at Bumbank are much older than the trees at Blair- Drummond. Some of them exceed 11 feet in circumference, and there is a walnut tree there 11 feet 7 inches at 3 feet from the ground. Walnuts usually ripen, chestnuts not so often, though not loDg ago they ripened three years consecutively, and as many plants as were wanted were raised from seed. On the estate of Ochtertyre, belonging to David Dundas, Esq, M.P., there are some trees remarkable for their age and size, and of which the following deserve particular notice. An ash near the house, called the jug-tree, from the jugs haf- ing been tixed in it, was measured in 1800 by the late Mr Ram- say, and, at about two feet from the ground, was 1 1 feet in cir- cumference, the branches extending 38 feet from side to side, The circumference of the same tree in 1838, at two feet from the ground, was 13 feet 8 inches. In 1838, the following measurements of other trees of various kinds were taken at the height of two feet from the ground : Se- veral oaks, seventy years old, were from 8 feet 8 inches to 8 fed 1 1 inches in circumference. One large lime, ninety-eight years old, 10 feet 5 inches; a beech, 10 feet 7 inches; a poplar, V2 j-. feet; another, 10 feet 7 inches; a larch, seventy years old in •f 1 1838, growing near the river, measured 7 feet 7 inches, and others ft) growing near it from 7 feet 7 inches to 9 feet 5 inches. Twc I' ;[i others, on the bank of the river, 10 feet; one elm, 10 feet; and iti several Scotch firs from 6 feet 8 inches to 6 feet 10 inches. These trees grow chiefly in a gravelly or sandy soil, [fjl In the neighbourhood of the manse and other situations in thi< parish, some of the commoner plants, as they appear in succession, are remarkable for their profusion and elegance. The woods are VvtcraW^ c\o\\\^\ \w k^\\\ ^\\.\\ dve white flowers of the anemone KINCARDINE IN MONTEITH. 1257 {Anemone nemorosa)^ and in May with the graceful clusters of the blue hyacinth (Hyadnthus non»8criptu8)y to which the white earth- nut (Bvniumflexuosum)^ and a profusion of other plants succeed. The red campion (Lychnis dioica)^ and the blue geranium (Ge- ranium pratense)^ grow in similar abundance on a part of the bank of the Teith, which has been nearly insulated by a lead cut from the river. And in this situation, and in the mosses, some of the rarer plants are found, which are mentioned in the subjoined ca- talogue, kindly furnished by Mr James Drummond, the intelligent gardener at Blair-Drummond. Growing in the Maue*. Pedicularis palustris Drosera longirolia Narthecium ossifragum Andromeda polifolia Hydrocotyle vulgaris Erica tetralix, v. alba Myrica gale Triglochin palustre Calluna vulgaris, v. alba Vaccinium ozycoccos Lycopodium Svlago Alisma plantago myrtillus Polygala vulgaris, 3 var. Comarum palustie Drosera rotundifolia Empetrum nigrum Gramincoua plantx in the Mosses, Eriophorum vaginatum Alopecurus geniculatus Holcus mollis — — — . polystachion Agrostb vulgaris Carcx vulpina, &c. Scirpiis palustris ._ caiiina Juncus cffusus, &c. Nardus stricta — — - stolonifcra Poa fluitans Holcus lanatus Growing by the river Teith, Linum catharticum Hypericum humifusum TroUius Europvus Adoxa moschatellina perforatum Circiea lutetiana Allium ursinum ^___ pulchrum Mvlampyrum sylvaticum Anthyllis vulneraria Alchemilla vulgaris Saxifraga granulata Meum athamanticum Campanula latifolia Stellaria nemorura Chrysoplenium oppositifo- rotundifolia v. holostca Hum alba Gramineous plants by the river Teith, Aira flezuosa Phalaris arundinacea Melica uniflora caryophyllea Triticum repens Luzula maxima Poa aquatica Brlza media Growing in the Woods, Convallaria majalis Habenaria bifolia Orchis Morio Pyrola rotundifolia Listera ovata .—...-. maculata I minor Epipactls latifolia Hyacinthus non-scriptus Growing in tlie Marshes, Lochs, and Ponds. Parnassia palustris Potamogeton natans Typha latifolia Pinguicula vulgaris Nuphar lutea Lobelia dortmanna Menyanthcs t rifoliata Nymphaea alba Growing in Hedges. Solanum Dulcamara. II. — Civil History. There are no accounts, ancient or modern, of this parish, except the last Statistical Account by Mr Tait; but the following short notices may be worthy of a place here, on account of their ancient dates and connection with this parish. From the chartulary of Cambuskenneth, at the time that Hugo was chancellor betwixt 1190 and 1200, and by whom the follow- 1253 PEHTHSHIRB. ing deed w^s signed, it appears that William the LioD granted l the Abbey of Cambuskenneth the church of Kincardine, as un der, ^* Ecclesiam de Kincardin cum ca|)ellis decimis et oblationi bus omnimodis et tredecem acris lerrae arabilis, et unum toftun brasiatoris cum uno orto, et unum toftum ad campanam sancti Lo lani cum uno orto, et unum tofium ad baculum sancti Lolani cuii uno orto." It also appears that '* the lands of Guddie were, by James IL, on the 1st of June 1452, given to Robert Norrie for bringing the tidings of the birth of Prince James, afterwards James II L" Scots- tarvet's Calendars in the Harleian Library. Eminent Characters^ §'c. — The Muschets long held high rank in this parish and district. They were descended from the Earls of Mont fort, who were the Dukes of Bretagne. The Duchess of John de Mont fort was daughter to the Earl of Flanders, and her daughter Ann, was married first to Charles VIII. and thereafter to Lewis XII., kings of France. The Muschets, originally called Montefitchett or MontGchet, and De Montefixo, are said to have come from France into Eng- .and with King William the Conqueror, and in King Edgar's reign, to have come from England into Scotland with that king's sister, who was married to Malcolm III. The above particulars are taken from a manuscript in the pos- session of Dr Muschet of Birkhill, near Stirling, who is the lineal descendant of the Muschets, and, it is said, their only representa- tive in this district. For the following statements in reference to this ancient family, the writer is indebted to H. Home Drummond, Esq. " In the churchyard, over the door of a burial-place at the east end of the ground where the old church stood, there is a shield of arms, consisting of two cheverons. Gules, on a field ermine, with a pigeon for crest, and the motto, " I thank my God/' Above the shield is the date 1686, and below it this inscription: " Sepultura antiquissimae Mushetorum familiae a Gulielmo de Montefixo, qui hie Horuit circa annum m.c.c.c. progenitae.** Sir David Lindsay in his '* Register of Armes," gives the same shield as the bearings of " Muschet of Kincarne," with the difler- ence of an additional cheveron charged with a star. There were various branches of this ancient family, who were proprietors of many estates in this part of the country, and in this parish inpar- UcuW, \\\e\^ \i^\^ ^wSi^Ws of Burnbank, Culgarth, Miln of KINCARDINE IN MONTF.ITII. 1*259 Torr, Miln of Goodie, Cuthil, &c A few years ago, hi repairing the mill of Torr, a stone, on which there had been a coat of arms, was found, which had probably been placed in the wall of the pro- prietor's house, when the Muschets had a residence there. The shield is unfortunately defaced, but the motto ** I thank my God,** and the date *^ 1598," are distinct There is a tombstone of this family in the orchard of Burn- bank, and near where the house of the Muschets once stood. It bears the following inscription : > ^^ Here lyes the corpes of Margaret Drummond, third daughter to the Laird [of Invermay,] and [Spouse to] Sir George Mus- chet of Burnbanke : Her age 26 : Departed this life in the wisitation, with her three children at Burnbanke, the 10 of Au- gust 1647/' In confirmation of the English origin of the family, the coinci- dence of the arms of the ancient name of Moutfichet in English heraldry may be noticed. ^' Montfichet, Lord of Stansted, Mont- fietch Essex, Gules three chevrons or, with a label of three points azure," v. Arms of the Barons of England added to the supple- ment to Heylin's History. The author of remarks on Ragman Roll, p. 42, (v. Appendix to Nisbet's Heraldry,) afler mentioning *' Richard Muschet" as one of those who swore fealty to Edward I., adds, " This is a very ancient family, designed in Latin De Montefixo, and were Barons of Cargil in Perthshire. Sir William de Montefixo was Justici- arius Scotiae in 1332. By his daughter and heiress the estates of Cargil and Stobhall came to Sir John Drummond, one of the ancestors of the noble family of Perth. Mushet of Burnbank was the heir-male, but lately decayed, though severals in Monteith are of them, as the Mushets of Craighead, Cailziehat, Mill of Torr, and Mill of Goody." An exemplified copy is preserved in the Perth charter-chest of a very old charter, by which William the Lion grants " Richardo Mountfecht" the lands of " Kergill et praeterea Kincardine juxta Strivelyn, cum socca et sacca, cum furca et fossa, cum thai et them, et infanganthef," to be held in free barony for the service of one knight* An eminence about a quarter of a mile from the house of Blair Drummond, known by the name of the Gallow Hill, was pro- bably the place of execution under this jurisdiction. The residence of the ^^ Muschetts of Kincarne," according to 1260 PERTHSUIUE. tradition, was a castle in the immediate vicinity of the church- yard, the old walls of which were mentioned above, and were visi- ble in some places not many years ago. George Drummond of Blair, in 1684, acquired by purchase from the Earl of Perth the lands of Drip, Cambusdrennie, and others in this parish, being part of the ancient *' Barronnie of Kiucardin in Monteith, which came to the bouse of Drummond by the Lady Mary Montefix."* These lands were, at the same time, erected, in favour of the said George Drummond, into a free barony, to be called the barony of Blair- Drummond, from his own name, and that of his paternal estate of Blair, in the Stormont.f But it was not till 1714 that be obtained from the Earl of Perth the conveyance of the other parts of the barony of Kincardine on which the house of Blair- Drummond is built The building was commenced soon afterwards ; and before that time there was no family residence in the vicinity, nor a tree planted, except the few that were usually raised, according to the custom of the times, in the turf dikes that surrounded the small com- vards of the tenants," There is an inscription in elegant Latin on a shield in the church of Kincardine, in memory of this George Drummond ; and there are also other separate inscriptions to the memory of seve- ral of his descendants. His grand-daughter, Agatha Drummond, the Lady of Lord Karnes, succeeded to the estate of Blair- Drum- mond. Lord Kames died in December 1782, and his lady in June 1795. There is a monument over their tomb in this church- yard, bearing an inscription, which is also in the church, and whigh was composed by Dr Hugh Blair, and is particularly noticed by Lord Woodhouselee ui the second edition of the Life of Lord Kames. In the church there is also a very appropriate inscription to the memory of George Home Drummond, Esq., (the only son of Lord Kames,) whose lady was the sister of Sir Henry Jardine. The estate has descended to Henry Home Drummond, Esq., their eldest son, who lately represented the county of Stirling in 'j tho British Parliament, and who is at present the Member and the Vice- Lieutenant of the county of Perth. • Genealogic of the House of Drummond, 4to, Edin. 1831, p. 111. t The first of the name who was designed *' of Blair" was George Drummond!, who, with his youngest son, AVilliau., was waylaid and slain by the Lairds of Cot- mock, Drumlochie, Ardblair, and others, in 1654. ( V. Appendix to the ** Geoea- logie.") He was son to John of I^edercefe, and grandson to Waller of Lcdcreefe, who vras \ii\c\c Vo 3o\\T\>^t%t Lord Drummond. KINCARDINE IN MONTEITH. 1261 In referring to eminent characters who belonged to this parish, the late Lord Karnes deserves to be particularly mentioned. As a philosopher, an author on various subjects, a lawyer, and a judge, and a zealous supporter of every patriotic undertaking and useful improvement, his name is above all praise. There is a painting of his Lordship in his robes of office as a judge in the drawing- room at Blair-Drummond. There are also several original por- traits there by Sir Godfrey Kneller, particularly one of the Lord Chancellor Perth, and one of his brother, the Earl of Melfort. In the church there is an inscription in Latin to the memory of the late John Ramsay, Esq. of Ochtertyre, which was composed by himself some time before his death. He was related to the family of Dundas of Manor, near Stirling, and studied as a lawyer at the University of Edinburgh, but did not follow the law as a profession. He was very indulgent to his tenants, was a kind friend, an intelligent country gentleman, and was highly esteemed by all classes of the community. He composed several epitaphs in Latin, of which the one in the church is a good specimen. He died in March 1814. His name appears in Dr Currie's edition of our poet Burns's works, as one of the correspondents of the poet, who was a visitor at Ochtertyre. Land-owners. — The following is a list of the heritors of this pa- rish, being twenty-one in number, showing their respective valua- tions : H. Home Drummond, M. P., David Dundas, M. P., Colonel Graham, ... C. A. Moir, - - . - Andrew Jardinc. - - - - J. McQueen, Dunblane Presbytery, A. Watson, Earl of Moray, J. Kinross, .... W, Mackisson, - - . . J. Paterson, T. Sommers, .... J. Doig, A. Syra, J. M*Laren, P. Doig, .... R. Downie, . . . W. Reid and J. Morison, Mrs Sommers, J. Duncanson, .... Total, - L.4783 17 The heritors have, at much expense and with great success, culti- vated their estates, by adopting the most recent improvements in Valued rent, Scots. L.d218 m 448 13 4 322 16 8 - 225 17 133 6 8 64 54 10 11 50 64 39 13 4 37 34 6 8 30 25 13 4 21 20 13 4 19 10 17 3 4 9 4 10 6 5 1 16 1262 PERTHSHIRE. agriculture and the rearing of stock. They have made this pa- rish, compared with what it was formerly, very productive. Parochial /^t«l^«.— The books of discipline in this parish, which are not voluminous, dated from 1695 to 1734, in the hand- writing of Mr Matthew Wallace, who was the minister of the parish, contain a minute account of the parochial coUectioos and disbursements. These old manuscripts are at present in the possession of Mr Home Drummond. The book of discipline has been regularly kept to the present time. There h also a register of births regularly kept by the sessiou- clerk. The registry of baptisms commenced in 1691, and that of marriages in 1692, and have been distinctly kept. Antiquities. — Some interesting vestiges of antiquity belong to this parish. When the Doune approach to Blair- Drummond was made, several stone coffins, containing urns and bones of the human body, were found, which are noticed in the *^ Transactions of the Antiquarian Society of Edinburgh," Vol. iii. p. 42. Each coffin consisted of a box of stone rudely formed, and half the length of the human body. A portion of the skeleton of a whale was found some years ago about a quarter of a mile from the manse, imbedded in the clay, which had formerly been covered with moss, and lying on another stratum of moss below the clav. An account of it is to be found in the Transactions of the Wernerian Society. It is very re- markable that a small piece of deer's horn, with a hole bored in it, was found along with this skeleton, of exactly the same descrip- tion as a piece of horn which Mr Bald mentions as found with the skeleton of the Airthrey whale, now in the Edinburgh College Museum. The skeleton of the whale found here is also deposited in the same museum. There is a very well-defined tumulus within the garden of Blair- Drummond, of a conical shape, and of considerable dimensions, which has never been opened, measuring 92 yards in circumference, and about 15 feet in height ; and there is one of larger dimensions within the pleasure-grounds, on a bank overlooking the carse, which was probably a watch-tower or signal-point, as there is no intervening object between it and Borrowstownness. It is 150 yards in circumference, 15 yards in height, and 40 yards from the bot- tom of the bank. There is a tpmulus near Blair-Drumoiond east Lodge, in which, on being opened, some fragments of urns KINCARDINE IN MONTEITH. 1263 and human bones were found. It is surrounded by a circular foss, from which it has been formed, and is vulgarly called WaU lace's Trench. It is 63 yards in circumference, and 5 feet in height from the bottom of the fosse. The history of Sir William Wallace brings him, after having burned the Peel (a stronghold) of Gargunnock, across the Forth to this very point, by a road which led across the moss of Kincardine to a ford in the Teith, where, in the ordinary state of the river, it is fordable. In addition to these antiquities, we may take notice of a large stone which stands on the summit of the Borland Hill, lEit a short distance and in a north direction from the first-mentioned tumuli. It is 5 feet in height above the ground, and 12 in circumference, but more flat than round, and of a conical form near the top. It is apparently in a natural state, bearing no marks of the ham- mer or the chisel, and is a very large boulder of slate. A very vague tradition represents it as having' been a place of religious worship in superstitious times. There are do other re- mains near it to confirm this opinion ; but whether it be correct or not, it is evident that its site is a very important one, and may have been useful as a signal station, as it commands a view, not only of the road across the moss of Kincardine already referred to, but also of the line of the Roman stations along the Forth and 1 eith in the direction of the camp at Ardoch. In the operation of removing the moss, several specimens of antiquities were found between 1770 and 1840. One of the most remarkable of these is a large brass camp kettle, of a circular form, of the shape of a common boiler, which was found upon the estate of John Ramsay, Esq. of Ochtertyre in 1768, and presented by him to the Antiquarian Society of Edinburgh. For an ac- count of it, see the Farmers' Magazine, 4th August 1817. A similar vessel was found at a much later date in a similar si- tuation, which is preserved at Blair- Drummond. Antiquarians are of opinion that they are Roman camp kettles. Several spear- heads of brass have also been found from time to time in the mosses of Blair- Drummond and Meiklewood, which are in the possession of the proprietors. A considerable number of a remarkable kind of stone has been found upon the clay, under a thick bed of moss, some of them composed of slate, and others of a compact stone of a greenish colour. They are from four to, six inches long, of a flat shape, well polished, some being wedge-shaped at one end, and some at 1264 PERTHSHIRE. both, and others having a hole through the thick end. They are by some supposed to have been used for skinning animals, and are apparently too short for the purpose of reaioving bark from the trees, for the purpose of tanning leather. Some of the moss tenants found small heaps of embers or charred timber on the surface of the clay below the moss. The late John Ramsay, Esq. of Ochtertyre, who was a zealous antiquarian, had a pair of jugs which were fixed in a large and very old ash tree near his house, at about five feet from the ground. The jugs consisted of a piece of iron to be fastened in a wall or tree with an iro'n collar which enclosed the neck, and which was secured by a padlock, for the punishment of culprits. There was a ring or hook on the outside of the old church, to which, it is understood, jugs had been formerly fastened. When the walls of the old manse here were taken down, the die of the communion tokens was found in a recess above tbe front door, bearing the impression '* k. p. 1699," within a square on the die, bounded by double waving lines. There are no ancient roads in this parish, except the one found by the moss improvers, which is universally ascribed to the Ro- ^. mans. Seventy yards of it in length were discovered on the sur- face of the clay, at the bottom of the moss, after the peat, to the depth of eight feet, had been removed.' It was formed of trees i», about twelve inches in diameter, having other trees of half this size crossing them, and brushwood covering the whole. This road crossed the moss of Kincardine northward from a narrow part of the Forth, towards the Roman road, passing between the moss and the river Teith. This last-mentioned road has been traced from a ford in the Teith, about four miles north-west of the Drip, in a south-east direction, by Torwood and Larbert, to Camelon, on the Roman wall. It is supposed to have been made by the Romans for checking the incursions of the Caledonians by the Pass of Leny, and also for opening a communication by Dunblane with the well known station at Ardoch. A part of this road, near the mansion-house of Ochtertyre, is still called Staniegates, from the stones of which it was formed, there having been no moss there to require a foundation of trees. The stone coffins already mentioned were found on this line in Blair-Drummond Park. By pursuing this line along the Forth ai\A TevlVv, \,\\^ Romans had not only the advantage of the more open eou\\U^^W\.^%^Q>^^\^^^\^'ij'^^\^^v^^ by these rirers. Modem Buildings.— "W^ xsv-^xxiv^^-Vw^sy^ ^\ ^^^-\S\^\mmond KINCARDINE IN MONTEITH. 1265 was built by George Drummond, Esq., as above-mentioDed, be- tween 1715 and 1717, and is a good specimen of the style of that time. Although it is in extent, elegance, and convenience^ wor- thy of its founder, and of the estate on which it is built, yet the present proprietor lately added to it an elegant and extensive wing, which has greatly enlarged the family accommodation. The church of Kincardine is of recent date, a new one having become necessary in consequence of the decayed state of the former, the age of which cannot be ascertained. That old build- ing had been a place of worship in Catholic times. When the heritors agreed to build a plain church, more than two-thirds of the expense of it fell upon the estate of the late George Home Drummond, according to his valuation. But, having laid before the heritors an elegant plan of a Gothic building, from a design of the late Mr Crichton of Edinburgh, he generously o£fered to pay his proportion of the plain building, and to defray all the ad- ditional expense of the new one, according to Mr Crichton's plan, expressing his wish to put an end to the poverty-struck ch'urches of the district. The heritors gratefully acceded to his o£fer, and hence the much admired structure in which the people of Kin* cardine worship. The taste and example of our heritors have since that time been followed by some of the neighbouring pa- rishes, as their elegant and commodious churches evince. There was also a new manse lately builf^ which in elegance, si- tuation, and convenience, harmonizes with the church. III. — Population. By the former Statistical Account it appears that the amount of the population of this parish in 1746 was, . . 2000 and in 1791, . 2068 Since that time it has been as under :— In 1801, . . 2212 1811, • 2419 1821, 2888 1831, 2455 In 1831 thenumber of males was 1246 female^ 1209 In 1841 the population was • . 2292 The increase in 1831 is accounted for by the number of men employed by Colonel Graham of Meiklewood, in floating the moss from his estate in this parish. The excess of the males above the females for the same year is to be ascribed to the same cause. Of the above population the amount in the Tillage of Thornhill (not including the rural populstion there.) . in 1821 was 595 and in 183U S^ . PERTH. 4 \- 1266 PKRTH8H1RB. The ytariy arerage of births for the Ust seTen ytmn preceding I8S1 wms M marriages for da .28 No register of deaths is kept. The average number of persons under 15 years of age included In the census of 1821 was • . 877 The arerage from 15 to 80 years of age, 658 aOtofiO, 449 50 to 70, . 316 upwards of 70 .88 There is only one resident proprietor of independent fortune. The number of proprietors of land of the yearly value of L.50 and upwards it .17 The number of famiUes in 183! was 510 Average number of children in each fiimily in 1831, was 4^ The number of inhabited houses in 1831 was 470 uninhabited houses, • 14 bouses building, . . 2 There are two insane females in this parish, two females deaf and dumb, and one blind man. Language^ S^c. of the People. — A mixture of the Scotch and English language is spoken by the original inhabitants of this pa* rish, and Gaelic and English by the moss population who settled here from the commencement of the moss improvement The Gaelic language has fallen so much into disuse during that time that few or none can profit by a sermon from the pulpit in that language. The habits, dress, and food of the parishioners are similar to those of the agricultural population of Scotland in general. It may be observed, however, that there has been a marked improve- ment generally since the last Statistical Account, in their habits of cleanliness, style of dress, and mode of living, arising from their being more independent in their circumstances. They are a so- ber, industrious, contented, enterprising, and successful people, and generally unexceptionable in their moral and religious cha- racter. IV. — Industry. The number of farmers, cottars, and fnrm-servants, exclusive of \ the moss, is 110, and the number of such labourers in the moss, 110. There are 20 artisans, by whom about 30 subordinates are era- ployed. There are six superannuated male labourers in this pa- rish, two of them diseased both in mind and body. There are also two females of the latter description. Although the able-bodied portion of the population are em- pVo^ed \tv ^eld labour, yet such as are confined to their houses, Auni^^ \\\^ mwv^t ^^^'^wv^ ^\^ ^\sc<^lQ^ed in thrashing grain, feed- KINCARDINE IN MONTFITH. 1267 ing cattle, and keeping in order every thing connected with their farming establishments. The females in particular are occupied in needle work, knitting stockings, spinning flax and wool, making coarse kinds of dresses for themselves and their families ; in car- rying eggs, fowls, butter, and cheese to the market ; and in brings ing in return things necessary for domestic use. The system of small wheel spinning and hand-loom weaving, which used to pre* vail in this parish, as well, as in the other parts of Scotland, has been superseded by machinery in the cotton and woollen ma- nufactories. Much time is spent during a great portion of the year in cart* ing peats and produce to various places. The sale of peats was formerly carried on by all the moss people, and engaged much of their time and attention, and was found to be so pro&table that in some years individuals have been known to realize from it as much as L.40 Sterling. Agriculture, — There are about 6560 acres in this parish which are cultivated. There are 142 acres of moor which are un6t for agricultural purposes, but would be proBtable if they were planted; and there are 470 acres of moss, a great part of which will soon be removed by floating, or by making it into peats, and the subsoil, consisting of a superior quality of clay, brought into cultivation. There is no common remaining but about 10 or 12 acres in the vicinity of Thomhill, open and unenclosed, as liable to certain servitudes. There are on the estate of Blair Drummond, about 500 acres in permlment pasture, and ornamented with trees, and about 300 acres of woods. In the pleasure grounds at Ochtertyre there are about 24 acres of fine old trees. And on a part of the moss there are about 24 acres of a young plantation. The trees which appear to be indigenous to this parish are, the oak, common and mountain ash, Scotch fir, elm, alder, birch, plane, beech, and various kinds of willow. The spruce, larch, and silver fir, and others of the fir kind, as also the walnut, and Spa- nish and horse chestnut have been at different periods successfully introduced. The Spanish chestnut grows rapidly and to a great size, and its timber when matured is considered as next to the oak in value. The management of the woods in this parish with regard to re- gular thinning, periodical felling, pruning, and the like, has been very judicious. \^68 PBKTHSIIIRB. Rent of Land. — The average rent of carse land per acre has been about L. 2, 7s., and of the dryfield, about L. 1, 7s. The average rent for grazing an ox or a cow is from L. d to L. 4 per annum. This is not a sheep grazing parish. Rate of Wages. — The rate of labour during summer and winter, for the different kinds of farm-labourers and country artisans, is from 2s. to Ss. per day ; of masons, carpenters, and other country mechanics, from 2s. Gd. to ds. 6d. per day. The yearly wages of ploughmen are from L. 14 to L. 16, and of women employed as farm servants from L.5 to L.8. Live-stock. — The horses in this parish are of a medium size, altogether fitted for agricultural purposes ; but as the labour of the carse farms requires a more powerful horse than that of the dryfield, a larger size is reared for this purpose by across between the hardy race of the western district of Perthshire, and the Clydesdale horse. Of late years, much taste and skill have been shown by the farmers in selecting at the neighbouring markets horses of strength and symmetry, by which means the breed has been much improved. The cow common to the Highlands of Perthshire till of late years prevailed ; but for dairy purposes the Ayrshire breed has been generally reared, and has been found profitable to the farmer for milk, butter, and the market. A cross of one remove between the Ayrshire cow and the short-horned bull, has by some farmers been lately introduced for the purpose of increasing the size of the stock, as well as for dairy purposes, but the practice has been too limited to warrant any general conclusion. A five years' system of rotation is generally followed by the farmers in the dryfield, and a six years' rotation by those in the carse, and during this rotation marked attention is paid to the draining, cleaning, liming, and manuring of the land, which has greatly increased the return of every kind of produce, both in quantity and quality. Kincardine Moss. — It may be proper to take some notice here of the history of the moss of Kincardine. In showing the recent improvements of the parish, this becomes in some degree unavoid- able, anil the utility is obvious, because these interesting topics are more satisfactory and useful when condensed in a Statistical Ac- count, than when in detached statements in various publications. The reader may see a good account of this moss and its improve- ii\ei\Xs\iv\.\v^Y?vxrcv^\'%Ma.^zinefor August 1817, containing a plan KINCARDINE IN MON.TElril. 1269 of the moss and a drawing of the large wheel, and also in the En- cyclopaedia Britannica, Vol xii. and in the appendix to the former Statistical Account. The man who renders waste land productive increases the re- sources and prosperity of his country. This remark applies to some of the enterprising proprietors of this parbh, and in particu- lar to the proprietor of the Blair Drummond estate. In the moss of Kincardine there were above 1800 acres of moss, including nearly 1 500 on the estate of Blair Drummond. This moss was very deep, resting on a subsoil of rich clay, which consists of strata of a gray, reddish, and blue colour, of the same quality as those of the level country along the Forth from Stirling to Falkirk, and which are called carses. The sea at one time must have co« vered the country where the moss of Kincardine was, and must have been the cause of this accumulation of clay. On the reced- ing of the sea and the subsiding of the waters of the Forth, the Teith and the Goodie, by the formation of deeper channels, this rich flat district was soon covered with oak, birch, alder, and hazel, and even with a few firs, some of the oaks being of a very great size, indicating a great age. These trees have been found as numerous under the moss as they can be supposed to have grown in their natural state, and the roots and heath have been found fixed in the clay. The trees and roots thus found correspond in dimensions. In *' an Account of the Peat Mosses of Kincardine and Flanders in Perthshire," by the Rev. Christopher Tait, formerly minister of this parish, read before the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1793, and printed in the dd volume of the Transactions, it is stated, that ^' Forty large oak trees were lately found lying by their roots, and as close to one another as they can be supposed to have grown, — one of these oaks measures 50 feet in length, and more than 3 feet in diameter, and 314 circles or years' growths were counted in one of the roots. In another part of the moss, an oak was found that measured 4 feet in diameter, and I am assured that some years ago, a root was discovered at Ross, on the south side of the moss, that was 15 feet in diameter at the surface of the clay ; and the tree, which was 22 feet in length, was 4 feet 8 inches in diameter at the lower end, where it had been cut over, at the height of a yard from the ground.' In 1823, an oak of the following dimensions was found in Blair DrOmmond moss: Length of bole 41 feet, circumference at the surface of the ground 16 feet, and at the top 9 feet. One branch 1270 PCBTllSH 16 feel in leiif^fa, measured 5 {e Tbe M>lid contents of this tree we was oaly a part of the trunk found, must have been about 60 feet. In are some beatitiful pieces of furniti of great size, which was dug out ol in 1826. These trees cannot have died could not have retained iheir stre Nor can they have fallen before would have broken at various hei{ torn up by the roots, which has cut about two and a-half feet fr where the tree is easiest cut, and the person cutting can be applied, they were cut down by tbe Romi a Romnii aze have been seen on and trunks are found together thi the value of the timber^ but for c1< the natives. This is confirmed b; of Agricola, the Roman soldiers a employed to cut down the woods ( to make roads through the marsl mies. In proof of this, various found upon the clay under the mc formerly made. Thus we find tb. northern frontier of the province, b sive forests which covered the level Forth and Teith, and by establisl the direction of Kincardine moss, tion at Ardoch, where the forests Tacilus mentions ihe chain o Clyde as the work of Agricola in incides with the year 81 of our er, the wall of Antoninus was built n these references, therefore, the a must be about 1760 years. Ill 1766, Lord Karnes having tate of Blair- Drummond, by the si iiilelligenl and comprehensive m mosa, %n&, dating his lifetime, wa: KINCAHDINE IN MONTEITH. 1271 want of sufficient water-power made the process very slow. He was successful, however, in showing the practicability of the plan of floating which he had adopted. In the year 1783, his son, George Home Drummond, Esq., succeeded him. At this time, by the genius and perseverance of Mr George Meikle of Alloa, the son of the inventor of the thrash- ing machine, a water-wheel was invented for raising a large supply of water for floating the moss. It was lined with buckets round the whole inner circumference, made about four revolutions in a minute, and in that time raised from forty to sixty hogsheads of water. This it discharged into a cistern connected with it, seven- teen feet above the surface of the stream which supplied the wheel with water and turned the whole. From the cistern, the water flowed partly in pipes and partly in an open canal about 1754 yards in length into the reservoirs in the moss. The water-power being thus procured, the floating by means of spade labour became comparatively easy, and the Forth served as a recipient for carrying the moss into the Frith. By the end of October 1787, the wheel, pipes, and aqueduct were all fi- nished, and the result realized the most sanguine expectations of all parties. The total expense exceeded L. 1000. The tenants voluntarily enaged to pay the interest of the money so expended, but the proprietor generously relieved them from this engagement. During the time of the great wheel, occasional and expensive repairs were necessary. Its labours commenced in 1787, and ended in 1 839. At the time of the erection of the wheel from 1200 to 1300 acres were still to be cleared of Mr Drummond's moss, and a great number of settlers were required for this pur* pose. These were procured chiefly from the parishes of Callan- der, Balquhidder, and Killin. The population in this moss soon increased to from 800 to 1000, and the colony increased in pro- sperity, until they became in many instances so independent in their circumstances, as to become farmers on a larger scale. When a new line of turnpike road was made along the north side of the moss, giving them easier access to and from the mills and markets, so grateful were they to the proprietor, who had at great expense encouraged this road, that they made him a volun- tary ofler of one hundred guineas for its advantages to themselves, which offer he generously declined. By the system of improvement which was then adopted, and which has been in operation since that time, nearly the whole of 1272 PKBTH8HIRE. the Kincardine moss on the estate of Blair- Drummood has been reclaimed. The subsoil on which the moss rested, consists of very produc* tiye clay, and carries good crops of wheat, oats, barley, hay, tur- nips, potatoes, and pasture. It is well known, however, that, for some years after the moss is removed, the new land does not pro- duce pro6tab]e crops of wheat, beans, and barley ,*nor even of green crops. To prepare it for these crops, the roots and stocks of the trees must be removed, the ridges made straight and level, the water from the clouds skilfully disposed of by draining, the soil exposed by the plough to the action of light, air, and moisture, and enriched by lime and manure. By following this system these crops in the carse are even more abundant now than in the dryBeld, and in all respects equally good in quality. The moss improvement on this estate has in all respects been completely successful, in reference to the return to the landlord and tenant, and in its advantages to the community. In thus adding to his estate, the proprietor has certainly been at great expense, in cutting canals, erecting the great wheel, mak- ing roads and sinking wells, dividing the water among his diffe- rent tenants, and in keeping the whole in repair; but the suc- cess which has attended his operations in this and his other agri- cultural improvements on his estate, for the mutual beneBt of him* self, his tenants, and the public, must have afforded him very great pleasure. He has now the satisfaction of seeing, instead of the stagnant waters and the deceitful quagmires of the moss, the presence, prosperity, and happiness of hundreds of his fellow- crea- tures. Mr Drummond's predecessors were considered as roman- tic when this plan of improvement by floating was devised, and measures adopted for its execution; and the very people whom they employed were regarded with more than indifference by many, as a dangerous class, and as likely to become a burden to the parish and the district. But who does not now admire the foresight of Lord Karnes, and the bold enterprise and liberal expenditure of his son and his grandson in this great improvement ? The result of this wisdom is seen in the many happy families on the estate, in the many thousand additional bolls of produce which these te- nants carry annually to the market, and in the great amount ol wholesome food which they thus provide for the public. In addition to the moss of Kincardine, Mr Drummond acquired KINCAUDINE IN MONTEITH. 1273 by purchase, some years ago, 280 acres of moss below Thornhill. There is no stream here, the level of the Goodie being too low, nor a water-wheel to carry away the moss from the spades of the work- men ; but reservoirs are made in the higher moss, called Moss Flanders, for receiving rain water, and from these, by sluices, the operation of floating is carried on. Although the moss here is very deep, and the labour and expense great, yet, of the 280 acres, 170 have been cleared; and the remainder diminishes daily. On n part of this moss, and higher up the Goodie, about 75 acres have been cleared by the same system, by Messrs Sim, Doig, Paterson, and their predecessors, who are still very in- dustrious and successful in thus adding fo the extent of their farms. The trees found below this moss are of the same character as those found in Kincardine, consisting chiefly of large oak, and ly- ing on the clay with their tops towards the east. It is the gene* ral opinion, that no moss nor forest existed between this moss and that of Kincardine ; and, on the supposition that the trees were cut down by human labour, this is the position in which they would naturally be laid, because the space to the east of the ori- ginal forest being open, the first cut trees would be made to fall in that direction. In addition to these improvements in this parish, it is gratifying to refer to a most important one by Colonel Graham of Meikle- wood, for an account of which see the Quarterly Journal of Agri- culture, and the Prize Essays of the Highland Society of Scotland for March 1832, from which the substance of the two following paragraphs is taken. Colonel, then Major, Graham had 130 acres of good clay land in this parish covered by moss to the depth of ten feet. He had no water power of sufiicient elevation near this moss ; but, as it was near the Forth, and running parallel to it, he adopted the plan not hitherto employed of raising water from the Forth by a steam- engine, for carrying the moss into that river by means of spade labour. He erected an engine of ten horse power, which, by means of pipes, forced as much water into a cistern at the engine- house, and from that into a large reservoir in the moss, as kept 25 men constantly employed. This was allowed to flow as usual by a sluice from one side of the reservoir, in the direction of the portion of land which was to be cleared, and the 25 men, with their spades, were skilfully and actively employed in loading the 1274 PERT Stream with moss as it returm whence it had been raised. The engine raised the water a to the height of 38 feet from th' servoir at the top of the dioss, c to the distance of 400 yards. T and the ground was all bearing i to the contractor for clearing 10' L.2095; for coals, L.8I6; wn L.323, 4a. ,- inllow, oil, leather, 100 acres, L3290, 4s. The ardour, liberalilv, and pei this operatiun excited the attent the whole proprietors and farmt appear hereafter, he is also ent other improvements. Another system of moss ioiprt the estate of David Dundas, Es' iherlandsliire. When, at the death of Mr Ran Dundas, Esq., succeeded to thii acres of it under moss, cxncllj sii: mond, to which it in united. Oi claimed and bear crops, and 2( thriving pIant.ition. These 38 late William Dundas, Esq., who dia, and, during a short resident universnlly esteemed. He died i the Falls of Niagara. As he had not a siifhcient com conveniently reclaiming his deep commonly called spreadjiuld, by performed by buryiiig the moss un which, by spade-labour, was throw at the same time made in it at pr The land thus treated bears at to repay the expense of improving from which the peal from general and is generally about two or two clav. The Iwenlv acres of fine t KINCARDINE IN MONTEITH. 1275 OD this kind of moss, which is' kept dry by open ditches at regular distances. Draining. — The proprietors and farmers of this parish have been peculiarly successful in adopting the most improved system of draining ; but, as so much has been published of late respect- ing the construction of drains, in reference to their depth, distance, and thie mode of filling them, it is deemed unnecessary to enter particularly into the subject here. It may be stated, however, that the utility of the frequent draining system was shown by Mr Ord, factor at Blair-Drummond, so early as 1826, in the north side of the cow park there, in which parallel drains were cut from top to bottom, at distances of fifteen feet, and filled with stones broken to a small size. Partial draining was practised at a much earlier period, in the dryfield part of this parish than in the carse ; but the system of deep ploughing and thorough draining, which Mr Smith of Dean- ston has done so much to introduce into general use, now prevails in both, and has been productive of the most beneficial results. That gentleman is so universally celebrated for his inventions in machinery, and improvements in agriculture, as to require no en- comium here. Mr M'Ewan of Black-dub, in this parish, who is a very intel- ligent and enterprising farmer, invented his well known drain- plough, the utility of which is particularly described in the Third Report of Drummond's Agricultural Museum. As a proof of its eJQBciency, it may be added^ that he has opened drains by this plough in this parish to the extent of 448 acres, and about 100 acres in the neighbourhood. It is highly creditable to the tenants of this parish in general, that they have been most skilful, persevering, and successful, not only in draining, but also in adopting all other modern agricultu* ral improvements. In 1831, a tile work was erected on the estate of Blair-Drum- mond, from which tiles are supplied gratis to the tenants of the carse lands, to the yearly value of about I/.400, and the tenants are allowed to divide them among themselves, according to the size of their farms, the landlord reserving to himself the power of refusing them where the drains do not appear to be properly exe- cuted. So sensible are the tenants of this advantage, that they vie with one another to meet the wishes of the landlord, by making their 127G FBRTH8HIBE. drains properly, and by skilfully improving tbeir Airms. Tfa« dryfield farmers are accustomed to use broken stones for filliog tbeir drains, of whicb tbey ba?e abundance on tbeir farms, and wbicb, by competent judges, are in ligbt soils preferred to tilei. Many of tbe most improved implements of husbandry are io general use bere, not only in tbe cultivation of tbe soil, but also in tbe reaping of tbe crops, and in preparing tbe grain for the mill and the market. Some years ago, Mr Drummond secured a beautiful part of his park, on wbicb were some 6ne old trees, against the encroachments of the Teitb. This was accomplished at an expense of about L.100 per month, during two summers, by a strong wall of large stones projected into tbe bed of the river, and well sloped back- ward to tbe edge of tbe bank. In some places large piles were driven by a machine to secure tbe foundation, and at one place in water of considerable depth. This work has stood firm and un« injured by flood or ice ever since its construction. The progress of agricultural improvement in this parish gives the best proof of the comfortable relations that subsist between pro- prietors and tenants. Tbe terms on whicb the land is let to tbe tenants, are by leases at so much per acre for nineteen years, in which they become bound to follow an improving system of rota- tion of crops by draining, liming, manuring, and judiciously ploughing their farms, the proprietors binding themselves at tbe same time to assist, according to the state of tbe farms, in bearing a part of these expenses. Hence a strong mutual interest in im- proving the soil. The lease includes the obligations of the contracting parties in reference to fences and farm'buildings,&c. and tbe general prac- tice in regard to houses is, that the proprietors pay for the build- ing and furnish all the materials, and the tenants bear tbe expense of driving them. These houses in this parish, but especially in the eastern division of it, are very creditable to tbe proprietors and comfortable to the farmers, and have improved with tbe ad- vancement of our country in civilization. On the farms of CJolo- nel Graham and Mr Dundas, excellent new farm houses ha?e lately been built, and also on the estate of Blair Drummond. There were formerly five corn-mills in this parish, but now there are only two. One of these, called Little-mill, is at tbe western boundary, for the benefit of the farmers there, and tbe KINCARDINB IN MONTEITH, 1277 Other, called the Mill of. Torr, is in the eastern division. This mill is convenient for the farmers, and is under good management The buildings are good and suitable, the whole process of grind- ing and sifting is done by machinery, and the wheel is driven by water povrer. The miller dries and grinds the oats at 9d. per boll. The roads to this mill are so good and level that a horse can with ease carry an extra load. The mill is the property of Mr Drummond, who keeps it in repair. Three mills, virhich were called the Mill of Burnbank, Mill of Muck, and Mill of Cambusdrennie, no longer exist. The last was either built or rebuilt about 1690, as a stone bearing that date was lately found where it stood.^ Either then or some years af- terwards, George Drummond, or his son James, accomplished what was at that time a great undertaking, by forming a water lead along the whole length of the north side of the moss, to the extent of three miles, for conveying the water of the mill of Muck to the mill of Cambusdrennie. A modern mill certainly executes more work than two did for- merly, and the diminished consumption of oatmeal, and the im- provement in machinery, may, in a great measure, explain why there are fewer mills now. Some years ago, Mr Drummond erected a saw-mill near the church of Kincardine, which cuts timber by circular saws; and 18 of great convenience and utility to the proprietor and to the people in the neighbourhood, who get their timber cut for farm and other purposes at a trifling expense. In addition to these improvements it may be proper here to re- fer to an elegant range of cottages which some years ago were built on the estate and near the house of Blair Drummond, for the accommodation of the people who are, from father to son, employed on this estate. These cottagers have houses and large gardens free of rent ; receive assistance in planting their po- tato crops, and have from 10s. to 12s. of weekly wages, during the year. When the plantations are thinned, they have the use of the crops, &c. for firewood. Their condition is one of compa- rative ease and comfort, enhanced by the old having the happi- ness of seeing a portion of their offspring rising up to fill their places, and also by the hope of spending their own last hour in the place and house of their birth. The system is generous on the part of the proprietor as well as ' comfortable to his people, 1278 PBRTH8BIRB. and it is 90 carried on as not to relax diligence nor encoaragc vice on their part, but the contrary. The same kind system, de- scriptive of the good old country gentleman, has lon^ existed ai Ochtertyre, not only in the time of the late Mr Ramsay, but ab under his enlightened and accomplished successors. The facts which have already been stated id reference to th estate of Blair Drummond (which is strictly entailed,) refute tlu objections, in as far as it is concerned, which are occasiooalh made against entails, and this remark may be more completel] confirmed by referring to the general system of management Through several generations, part of it has been emerging firoa the condition of a wilderness into a state of high cultivation and abundance. On its improvement, above L.2000 are annually ex- pended, and it may be noticed that on another entailed estate, at d( great distance, where the improvements are Tery great, a largei rum was expended for several years. But in both these instances he proprietors are zealous land improvers, and the intelligence, io< tegrity, and success of their factors are so well established, tbatao] sum for improvements may with advantage be put into their bands The landed proprietors, in general, have it in their power toea' courage agricultural enterprise, and to increase the comfort and independence of the farmers, by placing objects of ambition with* in their reach. This can be done not only by setting the ex- ample of skilful improvements in general, but also in so regulat- ing the size of their farms, as to give employment to men o\ small as well as of large capital. It is very encouraging to thi skilfiii and industrious farm-servant, for example, to labour anc ecx)nomize, when he knows that he may in due time invest hit hard-earned savings in a farm, where he becomes the master, anc where he may rear his family in industry and comfort. It is a na- tional benefit to give all the population as great a stake in tbc great interests of our country as possible ; and as our peasantry in peace and in war, are the main-springs of our wealth and strength, let them by all means be encouraged, so as to secure their patriotism and independence. This principle is in operation in this parish : in proof of whicl it may be remarked, that the great number of small proprieton who farm their own estates have risen to this distinction by the very principle here recommended. Nor has it been overlooked b) the more wealthy heritors. It became the more necessary, how- KINCARDINE IN MONTEITH. 1279 ever, on the estate of Blair-Drummond, because, in consequence of the moss population being suddenly superadded to the usual numbers of the parish, arrangements became necessary for giving them employment Their rural labours did not occupy them dur- ing the whole year; but they have always had sufficient employ- ment beside the moss operations, in draining, making and repairing roads and fences, and other improvements. It is part of the sys- tem of management on the estate of Blair-Drummond, to give, as much as possible, constant employment to the same number of persons, that industry and good conduct may have their due re- ward. It is considered of importance for the best interests of this class of the community to encourage them to maintain a good character, by securing to them a steady demand for their labour, and to avoid the evils of vicissitude in their condition, inseparable from any sudden increase or diminution of expenditure. And per- haps in no other place will persons of this class be found more in- dustrious, more skilful, and more respectable in their station than here, or in more comfortable circumstances. On the same prin- ciple the farms here are so varied in their extent, as to meet the capabilities of men both of large and small capital. But to apply these remarks to the moss population and their possessions, it may be stated, that the moss-field was originally let to the tenants in farms of about eight acres to each, for fifty- seven years, and at a nominal rent per acre during a great portion of that time. From the length of the lease the tenants were usu- ally called moss lairds, and, with their families, at one time amounted to about 1000 souls. On the expiry of the lease, however, the land must, to reimburse the proprietor, bring a much higher rent than formerly; but, as the tenement of each was too small to enable him, after the moss was re- moved, to pay even an ordinary rent, and at the same time maintain a profitable farming establishment, such as were not prepared to occupy larger farms contracted with their neighbours, for the disposal of their leases, which, with the consent of the pro- prietor, they were at liberty to sell. So early as 179*2, there were sales of this description to the amount of L.849 Ster- ling, and since that time, the reversion of their leases has tri- pled in value, and many sales have taken place. In the pro- gress of the moss improvement, the practice has prevailed of one tenant purchasing the possessions of two or more of his neigh- 1380 PBRTHBUIRE. I!i boun, and thus, when the moss was removed, the sum people, with the exceptioD of those who had sold, renuunec in possession of the lands, and the extraordinary influx o that class of population diminished so gradually, as to prevea the evil of a number being suddenly thrown upon other re sources. The farms where the moss used to be, are, by th . wise system of the proprietor, made as small as the benefit o all parties would admit, and thus provision is made for continmiii on these lands as many as possible of the original cultivators. Quarries. — The sandstone of this parish is used for the piir pose of building houses and dikes, and making roads. In som places it is too soft for such purposes, but in others it is hard ani durable. Fisheries. — There is a cruive dike extending across the TeitI at Doune Castle, containing boxes for catching salmon. Tb right of fishing, which is of little value, belongs to the Earl o Moray, who pays yearly to the proprietor of Blair Drummond, ii terms of an old decree-arbitral, 24| merks Scots, being L.1, 7i 9d. Sterling, for resting the dike on the south bank of the rivei From this dike to the commencement of the town of Stirlingfi fishing near the junction of the Teith and Forth, the esclusi?( right of salmon -fishing is attached to the estate of Blair Drum mend, but it is now much reduced in value, the only portion le producing a rent of no more than L.6 Sterling a year. Produce. — The valued rent of this parish is L.4784 Scotch. 1 is difficult to give accurately the amount in money of the aggre gate value of its raw produce ; but the real rental has for man years greatly increased^ In the last Statistical Account this rent al was stated to be L.d500 Sterling, but it is now more than dou ble this sum, not only in consequence of the great agricultural im provements here, but especially by the addition of about 170 acres of good clay land, which have by the proprietors been re claimed from moss since the last Statistical Account was writtei Associations. — A horticultural society has existed for some year in this parish, which has excited much competition in the cultiva tion of shrubs, flowers, and plants, and of all kinds of vegetable which are necessary for domestic use. It has been productive o much improvement in the appearance of the cottages and of thei flower plots and gardens. Many of the cottages here are model of neatness and cleanliness. 1KINCARDINE IN MONTBITH. 1281 V. — Parochial Economy. Villages. — There are no market-towns in this parish ; the mar- ket-towns being Stirling, six miles, and Doune two miles distant from the manse. The only irillage in the parish is Thornhill, which includes Norriestoun, and in which there is a post-ofiice subordinate to Stirling. Police. — One of the recent improvements, which have proved beneficial to this parish, is the establishment of a county police. Previous to their appointment, vagrants, tinkers, and gipsies from various quarters were numerous; but, by the vigilance of the police, they have been suppressed. Means of Communication. — From the Bridge of Drip, six miles of the turnpike road from Stirling to the Port of Monteith pass through this parish, and about two miles from the manse towards Doune parish. There is a cross road turnpike as far as Thorn- hill, entirely new made, and about five miles long, which runs from near the Bridge of Frew, past the west end of Thornhill to the top of the ridge in this parish, which overlooks Callander. The Nethertoun Bridge, across the Goodie, on this road, was built, and the new part of the road in the carse, and in the moss, was made at the expense of Mr Drummond ; and if the proprie- tors in the neighbourhood of Callander were to extend the road on their side, there would be a very short line to Kippen, Fintry, and Glasgow. One public coach runs from Stirling to Callander twice a-week during winter and spring, and there are coaches daily on the same road during summer. There is now a direct communication between the north and south sides of this strath by a suspension bridge, which was de- signed by James Smith, Esq. of Deanston, and erected at the expense of Colonel Graham of Meiklewood in 1331. An ac- count of this bridge may be seen in the Third Report of Drum- mond's Agricultural Museum, and in the leading journals of that date. From the nature of the soil, and the state of the banks of the Forth, much difficulty occurred in finding good foundations for the pedestals at each end, but these were surmounted by the ge- nius of Mr Smith. The north end of the bridge rests on Colonel Graham's land in this parish, and the south end on a portion of land which he procured for the purpose from the proprietor of the estate of Gargunnock. This bridge cost at least L.800, and PERTH. 4 M 1282 PKRTHSHI&B. entitles the Colonel to the gratitude of the whole district, because, previously, the only means of crossing the Forth, from the Bridge of Drip to the Bridge of Frew (a distance of about ten miles,] was by insecure boats, and what was called a temporary pei^ bridge. A pontage is here levied from foot passengers, and al kinds of conveyances, and the Colonel, with the assistance of th Statute Labour Fund, keeps in good order the road from thi point to the public road between Stirling and Doune. Abodt a mili and a-half farther down the Forth, and shortly after the date o this bridge, he built another of smaller dimensions for L.d5(l The genius of Mr Smith appears in the simplicity, economy, am utility of this structure. It leads directly from Colonel Graham' new and elegant mansion-house, across the Forth to a part of hi estate in this parish, part of which was, till lately, covered witi moss, but is now, by moss-floating, levelling, draining, fencing and planting, in a very profitable state of cultivation. Ecclesiastical State. — The parish church, which is near th site of the old one, is too far north-west for a small proportion o the population ; but the situation was central before a chapel wa built at Norriestoun. With a few exceptions, however, the mos remote population are only from two-and-a-half to three- and-a 1 boll and 1 firlot of oatmeal payable to the minister, by the pro prietor of the Blair- Drummond estate, in lieu of a servitude c peat, according to a decision of the Court of Session, in the tim of the late Rev. Christopher Tait. L.10 Sterling are also pai annually to the incumbent for defraying the expenses at the con munion, by the award of the Court of Teinds, the sacramei being dispensed twice a-year. The number of families belonging to the chapel at Norrieslou and the church of Kincardine in 1831, was about 580, and th number of persons 2383. The number of Dissenters was froi GO to 70, who belonged to the old and new light congrcgatior KINCARDINE IN MONTEITH. 1283 10 Doune and Stirling. The attendance of the people in general on divine service in the Established Church is regular and devout, and they are attentive to the duties of family devotion. The number of communicants in the. church of Kincardine is about 800 in winter, and about 400 in summer. The Chapel of Ease at Norriestoun stands in this parish, and is four miles distant from the parish church. Gabriel Norrie of Norriestoun, a descendant of the ancient family of the Norries in this parish, gave the church-yard and the site of the church there, upwards of 170 jeurs ago, for a burying ground and a place of worship, in connection with the Established Church of Scotland. The minister of this chapel receives his stipend from the rent of lands which were purchased by public and private collections, which were made by the authority of the General Assembly. The Presbytery of Dunblane are appointed by the Assembly to ma* nage this fund called the Norriestoun fund, with authority to let the lands, keep in repair the farm buildings, pay the public burdens, and the stipend of the minister at Norriestoun. The stipend va- ries from L.80 to L.95 per annum according to the state of the buildings and the amount of rent the land produces. He has, in addition to this sum, six acres of glebe, a garden, and also a good house, but the house, like the farm buildings, is built and kept in repair out of the rent of the land. There is a Bible Society in this parish for Bible and mission- ary purposes, whose annual contributions to the General Assem- bly's Schemes have been about L.15. Education. — There are five schools in the parish ; one parochi- al school, one General Assembly's school in Thornhill, one in Kincardine moss, one unendowed in Thornhill, and another near the bridge of Drip. In these schools the branches taught are, English reading, writing, arithmetic, practical mathema- tics, book-keeping, geography, and English grammar ; and in the Assembly's school, in addition to these, the Greek, Latin, and French languages, and mathematics are taught There is also a well attended Sabbath evening school. The parochial schoolmaster's salary is the maximum, and in all respects he enjoys the legal accommodations. His school fees amount to about L.1 4 per annum, and in addition, he receives as session and heritors' clerk, and from a mortification, about L.1 2 1284 PERTHSHIRE. F^l RDDually. This mortification is recorded in the minute of tli kirk-session as follows : '< At Kincardine, Tuesday 30th April 1695, the Earl of Pert! after the Revolution, and with consent of the United Presbyteri of Stirling and Dunblane,* mortified, out of the yacant stipend Kincardine, for the encouragement of a schoolmaster in this plac 2000 merks Scots money," being L.11], 2s. 2j^d. Sterling. The school-fees, including all the classes, are firom Is. 6d. ds. 6d. per quarter for each pupil. The teacher of the Assei biy's school receivesTrom the Assembly's Commitjtee, and some the heritors of the Norriestoun district, an annual salary of LSi The other emoluments of the teacher arise from the school-fee which are from 2s. to 3s. per quarter, the number of scholars fa ing 50. He has besides an excellent school-house, dwellin, house, and garden, free of rent, from the proprietor of the Blai Drummond estate, who lately repaired the buildings at a gre expense. The teacher of the school in Kincardine moss has a free schoc house and dwelling-house, and an acre of good land from Mr Drui niond, and also a small gratuity for teaching a Sabbath eve ing school. His school-fees are from Is. 6d. to 2s. 6d. p quarter, the number of scholars being about 100 during the great part of the year. The other two schools, which are unendowc are supported entirely by the school-fees, with the exception school-houses and dwelling-houses free of rent. In the one therea 100 scholars, who pay individually, per quarter, from Is. 6d. to l 6d. In the other, which is near the Bridge of Drip, the number scholars is 38, and the school-fees are from 2s. 6d. to 3s. 6d. f quarter for each pupil. The teacher receives in addition a sm sum annually from the parents of his scholars, and an allowan for a garden from the proprietor. The education in this parish is good, and the people are ger rally attentive in sending their children to the schools, which £ at a convenient distance, so that no additional school is require The ample provision which is made for education has had a sal tary influence upon the moral character of the people. Poor and Parochial Funds. — As the greater part of this pari is landward, the poor are generally few in number, and the syst( * The preshytciics of Dunblane and Slirliiig arc now disjoined. KINCARDINE IN MONTBITH. 165 of management such as has always prevailed in the rural parishes of Scotland. The paupers have, either by long residence or re- lationship, a claim upon the sympathy and benevolence of their friends or neighbours, who are always willing to assist in support- ing them. On this principle, the kindly and unostentatious flow of private charity circulates from hand to hand and from heart to heart, and the aid from the poor's fund of the parish is adminis- tered as the circumstances of each individual may require. The minister and kirk-session select the most deserving objects of pub- lic charity, and adapt the monthly allowance to such as equitably as they can. There is no regular parochial assessment; but when extraordinary cases occur, the heritors frankly come for- ward with a voluntary contribution according to their valued rent to meet such cases. They have of late contributed in this way to a considerable amount for the support of two lunatics, a foundling child, and other extraordinary cases of pauperism. A legal assess- ment should, if possible, be avoided^ especially in landward parishes, as tending to the increase of pauperism, and to the destruction of a feeling of independence among the poor ; but still the legal as- sessment is the most equitable system of parochial support, espe- cially in towns and boroughs, and where there are many Dissenters from the Estciblishment. The average number of paupers on the permanent roll during three consecutive years previous to 1838 was about 16, each of whom received on an average yearly L.2, lis. dd.* The average annual contributions for their relief dur- ing these years was, from collections at the church door, L.24, 18s. ; and from mortcloth, proclamation, and other dues, L.16, 2s. The latter sum includes L.5, 17s., being the interest of mo- ney mortified for the benefit of the poor. Although the poor in some instances show a delicacy in seeking parochial relief, yet in general they do not think it degrading to receive it, and are content with what they receive. Fain. — There are no fairs held in this parish, except one for cattle at Thornhill on a small scale, being in the month of Ja- nuary annually. Iruisj (J*c. — In all this landward part of the parish, containing a population of about 1400, there is only one house licensed to sell ale or spirits, and only two i.n the village of Thornhill and its vi- * This sum is less than the usual amount given to the poor, because the list of paupers for these years includes a greater number than usual from Thornhill dis- trict, from which the fund receives no aid. 1288 PEBTHS cinily, containing a jwpulation of at one time more numerous than of ibeir number has had a beneB the pecuniary circumstances of tb temptation to drink, instances of sipatioD are fever, the class of pu bouses are more orderly and the The community are deeply iodet for their judicious attention to thi Fuel, — Coal and peat are both coals at Greenyards and Banooi and the price is about 14s. per ti custom at Stirling. There are and Bannockburn. The road is is nine miles. The population of the Moss h of which, from their situation, tl and of excellent quality. At tli the moE!^ the peat was very chea roundinf; district ; but latterly, tl ling and llie neighbouring villag ierics, h.is raised the price to fron ing to the qnality of the peat, an< ried. MlSCELLANBOUS By attending to the preceding variations betwixt the state of the of the last Statistical Account an Thus from 1600 to 1700 acrct claimed from moss, capable of pr< per ncre of all kinds of grain. A proving land has been extensively turnpike roads have been made, 8 of the whole district. Three nei add greatly to the advantage of erected a new church and manse, number of new farm- buildings ai hundred acres have been planted mond. Several acres have also Ochlcrlyre. The population, wl KINCARDINE IN MONTEITH. 1287 increased by the settlement of the moss, has, for some years, de- creased by emigration to Canada ; by the removal of some to other places when they sold their moss possessions, or no longer found occupation there ; and also by the villagers of Thornhill and Nor- riestoun removing to places of greater trade, for the more profit- able employment of their families. The people being more in- dependent in their circumstances give their children a better edu- cation than formerly, and hence a marked improvement in their general character. January 1844. COUNTY OF PERTH. The extreme length of this county from east to west is 77 miles ; the extreme breadth from north to south, 68 miles. Its area is about 2588 square miles, or 1,656,320 acres. Upwards of 500,000 acres are in a state of cultivation. The county is bounded on the east, by the counties of Forfar, Fife, and Kinross ; on the west, by Argyle and Dumbarton ; on the north, by Inverness and Aberdeen ; on the south, by Stirling and Clackmannan. It was anciently divided into the districts of Monteith, Athole, Strathearn, Breadalbane, Rannoch, Stormont, Perth and Gowrie, Balquidder, and Glenorchy. The valued rent of the county in 1672 was L. 339,892 Scots ; the annual value of real property, as assessed in 1815, L. 555,532. The Parliamentary constituency in 1843 amounted to 3944. PERTH. 4 1^ *«- -■ i o B 3 O o CA O o W o v: .2 "IS to o C/3 b3 •J I o 2 3 O E ee c < ^ Mi o <9 w OOtt o 9 CO O 09 O 1^ o eo a s Ji o • O c c • O c E c u :^ « as 5 X -8^ o o oo J oo o »oo o Si:2 oo :oo 28 5 oo" • o • • o •5 ^ ^ o oo :o — s 5:*^ :»oo o o «5g 1^ 00 <^ -^ — « < «3 «: 01 o d oo^^ : c c oo »-'5 "^ © O •o •* n 3 ^ oo 1^ 3 S o o o !>. 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J •0(I -OQ s|BnpT.\Tpu| • S As — — ;5 »^ O O o : 6i ^ : : : (N !2 JO 'pajog o — 30 o •3 ■c 9 3 £ SB 1 o o o o o 00 00 00 00 00 0000 0000 0000 -^05 X S oc ;o Q S < 5 o S5 ?•***•• •• _ - ■ a •» • 'sJ^ ■ ■« -iS •-* - ° ' ' ' ' 4J c^ -i -* a d CO 01 ^ *; 01 M £ Jj u»j^^^ e ^ " o ^ c £ i*S 00000000 00000 00 00 oo«ooooo .00000 o o . .0 .0 X O a » X 2 J: c • |g§2 III- 3 O .0 o o :o :o • • . o o • • o • o • • $ g I o o :o :o o ^ o o o *?3 o :o o o o : o O 00 00000 »0 ^ — -Tj" ^ J 0) S "H jK :^oc2eedowSo^^QS:?Q i2 Q^ • • • • • J^ ■ a • -curious cross in, 254 Fowlis Wester, parish of, 249 Fhindscan monastery in Perth, the, 65 Praochie or Preachy loch, 450, 755, 1005 Fraser, James, 997 Frith of Tay, the, see Tay Frost, remarkable, in 1814, 382 Fuel, 139, 161, 210, 218, 225, 238, 248, 280, 285, 296, 343, 359, 403, 421, 450, 485, 526, 557, 572, 576, 595, 636, 667, 684, 701, 715, 723, 747, 782, 824, 837, 896, 931, 1015, 1023, 1037, 1075, 1094, 1140, 1149, 1159, 1 167, 1202, 1224, 1242, 1286 Gaimey water, the, 1018 Galgacus, supposed site of the defeat of, 170 — defeat of, at Blair-in-roan, 326 Callow Drum of Clunie, th^, 1025—- hill of CargiU, 1170— of Crieff, 497 —of Enrol, 386— of Kincardine, 1259 — of Lecropt, 1161— of Monzie, 273 Games, common, in Monzie, 276 Gaoir or Gauin water, 529, 540 Garbhdhun, falls of, 541 Garbh-uisge water, 351 Gardens at Drummond Castle, the, 317 Garr glen, pass of, 426 Garry, loch, 540, 559— water, 426, 559, 560, 639, 640, 757, 759 Grart house, 356 Garth castle, ruins of, 650 Gartmore house, 1108 Grartwhynean, village of, 1021 Garvock house, 720 Garwall, bum of, 1225 Gas works of Perth, the, 86 Gasconhall, ruins of the castle of, 337 Gask, parish of, 281— house, 282 Geddes, P., bequest by, 606 Gellvbum, sandstone quarries at, 166 Geology and Mineralogy, 3, 143, 145, 165, 199, 220, 232, 240, 252, 267, 285, 304, 315, 335, 346, 352, 373, 426, 456, 491, 542, 561, 581, 597, 611, 641. 673,*687, 728, 764, 797. 827, 840, 876, 883, 905. 934, 949, 964, 1006, 1019, 1030, 1044, 108 J, 1096, nil, 1153, 1163, 1168, 1181, 1207, 1250 Gilbert, Earl of Stratheam, 255 Gilbride, tradition regarding, 552 Gilmerton,vilkigeof, 250,257, 259, 275, 278 Glasdune castle, ruins of, 915, 1004 Glass, Robert, bequest by, 894 Glenalmond, scenery of, 263, 488 Glenartney, 578 Glenbeich, cascade at, 581 Glenbran, district of, 219 Glenbuckie, vale of, 344 — house, 347 Glencarse house, 1215 Glendelvine house, 676 Glendochart, vale of, 1077 1300 Olendoi<^ bouse, 1218, 1215— ^Tillage of, 395 GlendovBO, pvish of, 833— Pass of, 305 Oleneagle, ruins of church at, 299 Oleneam bouse, 864— ruins of chapel at,tft. Glenericht, 896— iron bridge at, 248 Olenfidloch, 1078 Olenfamate bill, 638 Olenfendar, 559 Oleofooi, village of, 857, 859 Olen Garr, Pass of, 426 Glengarry, 559 Glenlednock, 578 Glenlocbay, 702, 1078 Glenlyon, 529, 703 Glenmore, 581 Glenny bum, 1096— law, cairns, &c. on, 221 Glenogle, scenery of, 345 Glenorcby, Lady, bequest by, 1092 Glenquaicb, 703, 753 Glen Sassum, battle of, 547 Glenshee, 785 — slate quarries of, 199, 428 Olentilt, 559 Glenure house, 1086 Glovers of Perth, the, 80 Goblin's cave, the, 351 Gorthy, district of, 249 — Chouse, remains of, 251 Gourdie bouse, 1025 Gowrie conspiracy, the, 52 — Earl of, his residence, 57 Gowrie, a prize bull, 414 — Carse of, see Carse Graeme, Patrick, of Inchbrakie, 499 — Father, 500 Grahame, Colonel, of Meiklewood, im- provement of moss by, 1273 — Rev. Dr, 1155 — John, Esq., of Balgowan, 192 — Robert, murder of Jas. I. by, 31 Grampian mountains, the, 199, 249, 349, 424, 491, 559, 578, 725, 752, 1096 Grandtully castle, 769 Grant, John, of Kilgraston, 803 — famfly of, 806 Gray of Fowlis, family of, 409 Grays, feud of, with the Boyds, 221 Gi-een, house of the, 26 Greyfnars monastery in Perth, the, 65 Grim, Earl of Stratheam, family of, 255 Guidie bum, 1096, 1248 — ancient town of, 1 100 Guildry corporations of Perth, the, 79 Guine\'ar, Queen, supposed monument to, 234 — traditional residence of, in Alyth, 1118 Habits of the people, see Population, character of the 3 PBRTHSHIRB. Haer cairns, the, 918, 1004 Haig, Mr, ofBlairhill, improvements by, 307 Haldane, Isabell, trial and execution of, for witchcraft, 38 Halkerstone, Bfiss, bequest by, 606 HaUy, Rev. William, 3IS— bequest bv, 332 Hallyburton, Lord Doug^ Gordon, im- provements by, 1 146 HalyburtoOf Bishop, 56 Halyhill, residence of the Scottish kings at, 1173 Hanged men's trees, the, 425 Harbours, Perth, 100 — Kingoodie, 418 Hawkstone, village of, 638 Hay, family of, 881— its alleged origin, 1 74 — of Luncarty, birtb-phux, of, 1065 Heath, ancient use of, for dyeing, 358 Hermitage, the, 1006 Heuch of Coul, the, 285 Hill of Rattray, the, an artificial mouod, 241 Hillbead house, 676 Hilton, sandstone quarry at, 428 History, avU, 23» 140, 147, 169, 199, 211, 221, 228, 233, 241, 253, 268, 282, 287, 298» d05» 818, 388, 836^ 346, 354, 362, 381, 407, 462, 495, 545, 564, 582, 598» 624, 645, 673^ 688, 717, 733, 748, 763, 786, 800, 829, 841, 863. 868, 878, 876, 884, 909, 936,996, lOOJ, 1003, 1007, 1019, 1024, 1030, 1039, 1047, 1085, 1100. 1114, 1130, 1142, 1154, 1161, 1164, 1168, 1173, 1186, 1212, 1226, 1257 Holly, remaricable, at Megginch castle, 381 Home the Tragedian, escape of, from Doune castle, 1228 Honey, Rev. John, 1068, 1186 Hooker, Sir William, botany of Killin by, 1083 Hormsleuch, Margaret, trial and execu- tion of, for witchcrajft, 38 Houston Stewart, Captain, improve- ments by, 356 Humble Bumble, the, a cascade, 1172 Hunter, Captain, improvements by, 292 Huntingtower castle, events connected with, 1030, 1031— bleachfield, 1032, 1034— village, 1036 Huntly castle, history and description of, 409 Husbandry, systems of. 91, 153, 205,215. 223, 258, 277, 307, 328, 340. 357, 364, 389, 438, 509, 571, 588 656, 678, 696, 711, 720, 743, 772, 820, 835, 890, 919, 998, 1034, 1090, 1 123, 1133, 1145, 1156, 1165, 1194, 1219 Hydrography, 7, 144, 164, 199, 220, 240 INDEX. 1301 ^1, 285, 303, 313, 335, 345, 350, 370, 407, 426, 454, 490, 538, 580, 611, 639, 672, 686, 705, 716, 726, ' 748, 755, 791, 863, 868, 876, 883, 903, 949, 1003, 1005, 1018, 1029, 1044, 1079, 1096, 1111, 1130, 1151, 1168, 1172, 1180, 1210, 1225, 1247 Inchbervie castle, ruins of, 433 Inchbrakie, yew of, 495 Inchbrakie's ring, tradition regarding, 503 Incbeffray Abbey* remains of, 749 Inchmaborae, island of, 1097 — ^lake of, 1095, 1097— priory, 1105 Incbmartin, standing stone at, 885 Inchture, parish of, 825 — ^village of, 836 Incfatuthil, Roman camp at, 674 Incby, chapel at, 1105 Inchyra hill, 609^hou8c, 938— village, 933 Infirmary, Perth, 129 Innerpeffary, old church, &c. at, 315 — library, 331 Inns and alehouses, and their effects, 138, 161, 196, 204, 210, 218, 225. 231, 2.'18, 248. 280, 285, 296, 333, 343, 359, 363, 402, 421, 449, 485, 526, 557, 575, 595, 607, 6a5, 667, 684, 701, 715, 723, 747, 782, 825, 837, 861, 866, 895, 931, 1015, 1023, 1037, 1043, 1075, 1094, 1109, 1125, 1140, 1149, 1159, 1167, 1202, 1224, 1242, 1285 Interment, regulations regarding, in Perth, 74 Inver, village of, 1010 Inverbervie castle, ruins of, 433 Invermay house, 1174 — grounds, 1175 Inverquiech castle, ruins of, 1116 Ironstone found in Errol, 376 — in Muc- kart, 304 — and works in Fossoway, 1019 Isla water, the, 233, 1110, 1 1 1 1 , 1130, 1141,1168, 1180 Jackson, Mr, bequest by, 128 James I., murder of, at Perth, 31 James VI., visit of, to Perth, 42 James VIII., destruction of Auchterar- der by, 288 Joanna of Stratheam, death of, 735 John, first Lord Drummond, 320 Jordanstone house, 1119 Kames, Lord, 1262 — errors of, regard* ing Luncarty, 176 — observations by, on Auchterarder in 1778, 289 — im- provements begun by, at Kincardine moss, 1270 Katrine, loch, 350, 1151 Keillor, district of, 249, 251 Keir house, 1041 Kdr of Lecropt, the, 1161 PERTH. Keirhead, watch post at, 1 107 Keith, salmon fishing at, 244 Kdthick, village of, 1147 Kelde water, 266, 351, 1226— falls on the, 267 — scenery of the, at Brack- land bridge, 352 Keltnie water, &lls of the, 542, 759 Kemp, Rev. Dr, 337 Kenmore, parish of, 452 — village of, 470 Kenneth III., defeat of the Danes by« at Luncarty, 173 Kenneth IV., scene of the death of, 734 Kilbryde castle, 1041 Kilgraston house, paintings in, 806 Killiecrankie, pass of, 644 — ^battle of, 564,645 KiUin, parish of, 1066— village of, 1090, 1091 Kilmadock, parish of, 1224 — ^niins of the church of, 1231 Kilspindie, parish of, 1162 — bum, 1163 —village, 1166 Kinbuck, viUage of, 1042 Kincairney house, 676 Kincardine in Monteitb, parish of, 1243 Kincardine castle, ruios of, 298 — ferry, 867— ^len, 298— moss, 1245— history of the improvement of, 1268 — town of, 868, 871 -its trade, 869 Kinclaven, parish of, 1129 — castle, ib, 1131— its capture by Wallace, 1 131 Kindallachan, village of, 996 Kinfauns, parish of, 1205 — castle, 1206, 1215 — remarkable trees at, 1211 — antiquities in, 1212 — its history, 1213 King James' Hospital at Perth, history, &c. of, 67, 126 Kings of Scotland, crowning of the, at Scone, 1050 King's haugh, the, 1174 King*s seat hill, 219, 1111 King's WeU, the, 222 Kingoody point or hill, 406, 407 — sand- stone quarries of, 415 — village of, 410,418— harbour, 418 KinkeU bridge, 341 Kinloch house, 235 Kinnaiid, family of, 228, 830 Kinnaird, parish of, 228 — castle, ruins of, ib — house, 1008 Kinnell, Druidical remains at, 1088 — mansion-house of, 1086 Kinnoull, family of, 936— alleged origin of, 1065 — monument to the first Earl of, 936 — parish of, 933 — castle, rm'ns of, 937— hill, 2, 935, 1206 KintuUoch, village of, 817 Kinvaid castle, ruins of, 201 Kippcndavie house, 1041 Kirk, Rev. Robert, 1 154 Kirk of the Grove, the, 265 4o 130S PERT Kirkbill haiue, 235 Kirkmkhul, puisb of, 7S5 Kirk Potlic, luins of, BIO Kinnell, nllejr of. 1078 Kiwick or Knock nter, 312, 319 Knock hiU, 263 Knock DuiTocfa, Roman cunp u, S79 Knock-mB-bu hill. 898 Knock of CrieK. the, 489 Knoi, John, connection of, nith Perth, 51 Koi Stone, the, 201 Lacock, village of, 249. 259 Lamb. Alexander, murder of. 179 Lamberton, ArcbbUhop, ruiiu of Ua pa- lace. 305 Land-ownerg, 58, 147, 181, 200. 221, 229, 233, 242. 254, 271. 282, 289, 298, 305. 319, 321, 333. S37. 346, 3G2, 383. 407. 411, 432, 465, 500, 649, 567. 570, 584, 001, 649, 673 691, 709. 719, 739. 748. 763. 787, S04, 831, 856, 864. B6B, 873, 88^ 900. 936, 953, 996, 1002, 1004. 1007 • 1020, 1031. 1040. 1069, 1086. HOB 1117. 1130, 1142, 1155, 1161. IIM 1168, 1174. 1187, 1215, 1227,1261 Lanrick, CMtle of. 1232 — ilate quarrj of. 352 — auspeniion bridge, 1232 1240 Lany. «iippres5e^llliam, Eh\ of Dunsinane, 21 1 Nairne house, 431 Nan-ean loch, 786 Napier of Merchiston, residence of, ii Kilmadoek, 1227 Nethy water, the, 838 Newburgh, ferry of, 395 New Rattray, village of, 242, 243, 246 New Scone, village of, 1071, 1072 Newspapers published in Perth, 125 Newton castle, 915 — ehapel, ruins of 1231 NewtylehiU, 961 NicoU, Robert, the poet, birth-place oC 432 Nicolson, Rev. Dr John, 384 Norriestown, chapel at, 1282, 1283 Northesk, the Earl of, 382 North Persie, chapel at, 1199 Nunneries, remains of, in Perth, 65 Nun's hiU, the, 1107 Nurseriei in Kinnoull, the, 941 Oak, remarkable, in Errol, 380 Obney hills, the, 426-~slate quarries oi 428 Ochils, range of the, 285, 298, 901 INDEX. 1305 302, 333, 839, 862, 882, 949, 1017, 1172 Ochiltree, Bishop, 329 Ochtcrtyre, history of the family of, 737 Ochtertyre house, 727, 741— falh at, 727— ^remarkable trees at, 1256 Ocfatred, Sir Thomas, 640 Ogilvy castle, ruins of, 299 Oishnie loch, 996 Old bridge of Earn, the, 81 1 Old Rattray, vUlage of, 242, 243, 246 OHphant, J. B. Esq. of Cask, 282— Sir WiUiam of Newton, 950 Orchards in Little Dunkeld, 1012 Orchil], muir of, 312 — plantations on the estate of, 318 Ordie loch, 673, 995— water, 163, 164, 199, 426 Organic remains found in Moulin, 642 —in St Madoes, 613 Omey, Rev. Mr, monument to, 385 Orrea, Roman station of, 169 Ossian, supposed grave of, 264 Oswald, Rev. Dr, 148 Ouan loch, 726 Paintings in Drummond Castle, 321 — in Scone Palace, 1061 Palace of Scone, the, 1060 Parhelia seen at Perth, 22 Parliament house of Perth, the, 70 Parochial registers of Abemyte, extracts from the, 221— of Alyth, |1119— of Bendochy, 1187 — of Blairgowrie, 910 —of Dunbamy, 808— of Errol, 384— of Monzie, 268— of Perth, 58— of Red- gorton, 17a— of Trinity Cask, 337 Pauperism, see Poor Pearls found in the Dochart, 1081 Pear trees, remarkable, in Errol, 380 Pepperwell oak, the, 146 Persie, hill of, 1178, 1199— mineral spring on, 1181 Perth, the Earl of, bequest by, 1284 Perth, parish of, 1 — town ox, its situa- tion, ib meteorology, 9 — average fall of rain in, 19 — prevalent winds, 21 — climate, ib, — history, 23— ancient seal of, 25— its antiquity, 26 — its cap- ture by Bruce, 28 — spoliation by Ed- ward I., 29 — murder of James I. in, 31 — ravages of the plague in, 33 — and of the cholera, 37 — tnals for witch- craft in, 38 — is visited by James VI., 42 — and by Charles I., 45 — remark- able inundations in, 46 — capture of, by Cromwell, 48 — citadel built by him, 49 — eminent persons connected with, 51 — antiquities in, 61 — its mu- nicipal constitution, 77 — revenues, property, &c. 78— corporations, 79 — town* hall, 82 — its representation in Parliament, 84 — public buildings, 85 —population, ^ — their amusements, &c. 87 — manufactures, 94 — trade, shipping, 8ec. 95 — its early wealth and commerce, 96 — means of communica- tion, 97-~improvement of its harbour, 100 — its churches and ecclesiastical statistics, 104 — ^religious and charita- ble societies, 118 — schools, 119 — ^li- braries and literature, 124 — ^news- pipers published in, 125 — charitable institutions, 126— dispensary, 128 — in- firmary, 129— friendly societies in, 130 — banks, 131 — stadstics of pau- perism in, 131^police regulations, 133 — prisons and criminal statistics, 135— law courts, 137 — general obser- vations on, 140 Perthshire, general observaHons on, 1289 — tabular view of its ecclesiasti- cal statistics, 1290 Phuil loch, the, 345 Pictish remains in Abeniethy, 842— on Barryhill, 1117 Pilmer, Rev. Mr, 954 Pitcaim, British camp at, 171 — bleach- field of, 188, 190 Pitcaim house, 720 — ^village, 722 Pitfour castle, 627 Pitkaithley mineral springs, the, 792 Pitlochry, village of, 659 Pitrodie burn, 1163— village, 1166 Pitscottie, Colin, trial of, 179 Pittheaveless, village of, 86, 97 Plague, ravages of the, in Perth, 33 — in Monivaird, 733 — prevention of, in Callander, 354 Plantations and planting, 23, 90, 146. 166, 204, 214, 223, 238, 243, 267, 277, 282, 291, 317, 336, 340, 346. 353, 365, 380, 388, 412, 429, 437, 460, 494, 564, 570, 582, 623, 644, 654, 694, 711, 716,733, 762,799, 829, 834, 865, 876, 908, 917, 955. 1006, 1024, 1047, 1083, 1099, 1123, 1134, 1157, 1165, 1211, 1216, 1267 Playfair, Patrick, Esq., bequest by, 1202 ^Principal, 233, 1186— Rev. J., 1186 Polgavie, village of, 382 Police of Perth, the, 133 Poor, management of the, 131, 160, 196, 210, 218, 225, 231, 238, 260, 279. 284, 296, 300, 309, 380, 334, 343! 359, 367, 400, 420, 448, 483, 523, 556, 574, 594, 606, 635, 665, 683, 699, 715, 723, 746, 751, 781, 789. 823, 837, 860, 866, 871, 875, 881. 894, 929, 947, 957, 993, 1000, 10031 1004, 1014, 1023, 1027, 1037, 1042, 1074, 1093, 1109, 1127, 1140, 1148^ PBRTl 1159, 1162, 1166, 1171, 1175, 1301, 1223, 1242, 12S4 Pupkr, remaricable, in Metbven, 147 Population, retunu of the, 86, 150, ISS, 202, 2U, 222. 229, 242, 257, 275, 2«3, 290, 299, 306, 327, 333, 39l(, 347, 356. 363, 387, 410,435,470. £05, 552, 569, 585, 601, 629, 651 676, 693, 710, 720, 741, 750, 770 788, 816, 833, 856, 864, B6S, 874, 678, 889, 916. MO, 954, 988, 998, 1002, 1004, 1009, 1020, 1026, 1082, 1041, 1070, 1089, 1108, 1121, 1I3U, II44, 1155, 1162, 1165, 1171, 1175 1189, 1215, 1232, 1265 — cbancter. lubiU, >nd language of the, 97, 153 184, 203, 222, 243, 276,291,307. 327, 356, 386. 411. <36, 471, 50(i. 553, 570, 586, 629, 652, 677, auS, 770, 834, 890, 917, 988, 1010, 1033, 1090. IlOe. 1122, 1132,1160,1190, 1216, 1232, 1266 Port Allen, village and harbour