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PRESBYTERY OF DEER, SYNOD OF
ABERDEEN.
THE REV. WILLIAM COCK, MINISTER.
I.—Topography and Natural
History.
The parish of Rathen is
said to be one of the most ancient in the county of Aberdeen, and at one
time contained within its limits the greater part of the parish of
Strichen, and a part of the parish of Fraserburgh. The church and teinds,
it is said, were at an early period appropriated to the Cathedral of the
diocese, the incumbent of the benefice becoming the stipendiary of that
establishment, till its dissolution at the Reformation.
Extent, &c.—The parish is 3
miles distant from Fraserburgh, and extends upwards of two miles along the
sea-coast betwixt that town and Peterhead; from thence it runs inland, in
a south-west direction, to the extent of seven miles. The average breadth
is 2 miles. There is a vein of limestone on the estate of Auchirus,
yielding lime of excellent quality for building or manure, which is
occupied by an industrious tenant, who has generally a great demand for
the lime, chiefly for building.
The few plantations in this
parish have made a rapid advance during the last fourteen or fifteen
years, to which (it is the opinion of the writer of this report) the early
seasons we have enjoyed since 1817, have not a little contributed, by the
young shoots coming to a degree of maturity before winter. The north-west
wind seems to be the most noxious in this district,—the few trees we have,
when in exposed situations, being bended towards the south-east.
II.— Civil History.
Antiquities.—The few
antiquities in this parish are, 1. A Druid temple on the estate of Cortes,
from which that property is said to derive its name; Cortes meaning a
circle in the Gaelic language. 2. The three cairns of Memsy, described in
the former Statistical Report, one of which only now remains, is composed
of small round stones; the cairn is about 60 feet in circumference at the
base, and about 15 or 16 feet high. In the foundation of one of the former
cairns, there was discovered an urn of peculiar shape, containing calcined
bones. There were also found several human skulls, and a short sword with
an iron handle. The latter, with the urn, were, a few years ago, presented
to the Society of Antiquaries at Edinburgh, by Mr Gordon of Cairnbulg. The
foundation of one of these cairns exhibits a large mass of vitrified
matter, resembling what is found in vitrified forts. On a rising ground
east of the church, there have been found at various times urns of
different sizes, containing calcined bones. In one of these, a large
boar's tusk was discovered about twelve years ago, which is now in the
Museum of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.
On the boundary of this
parish with that of Lonmay, there is a well called the Rood Well; but
regarding it, there is no particular tradition.
"There are also two mounds,
or hillocks of earth, near the church, and not a mile asunder, that seem
to have been formed by the hands of men. They are nearly circular, and
slope towards the top, forming there an horizontal plain, somewhat
circular also, of about 30 yards diameter. Both are pretty steep all
around; except that access to the top is tolerably easy on one quarter of
each, by means of the rising ground adjoining. The one is called Trefor
Hill, and the other St Oyne's. Some think they have been old encampments.
"There are two old castles
in the parish both in ruins—Cairn-builg and Inverallochie, which seem to
have been places of considerable strength, especially Cairnbuilg,—the
walls of which are almost entire, and of prodigious thickness. It was the
family seat of Lord Salton's predecessors, and called Philorth, till sold
by Sir Alexander Fraser in 1613 to Fraser of Durris, when its name was
changed to Cairnbuilg: And Sir Alexander then transferred its former name
to another house that belonged to him, about a mile to the westward, which
it still retains, and has been the seat of the Saltoun family ever since.
"Inverallochie appears to
be inferior in strength to Cairnbuilg. No date is seen about either of
them. Till of late, a stone above the entry to Inverallochie bore, with
the Cumines' arms, the following inscription: "I, Jordan Cuming gat this
house and land for bigging the abbey of Deer." (Old Statistical Account.)
Buildings.—Mr Gordon of
Cairnbulg, about thirty years ago, built a mansion-house on the estate of
Cortes, which then belonged to him, but is now the property of James
Strahan, Esq. the only resident heritor: it is surrounded with very
thriving plantations of different kinds of wood, and ornamented with ponds
of water.
The estate of Memsy was
sold by the late Colonel Fraser to Lord Saltoun, which estate is said to
have been the property of Colonel Fraser's ancestors for upwards of three
centuries. The. mansion house of Memsey is occupied at present by Mrs
Leslie, widow of Charles Leslie, Esq. M. D. who died in 1839. Auchiries
belongs to Mr Chalmers Hunter of Tillery. Colonel Fraser of Inverallochy
built a cottage lately with suitable offices on his estate of Inverallochy,
favourable for sea-bathing, no doubt, for the occasional residence of his
family; his principal residence is at Castle Fraser, a property belonging
to the Colonel, situated in the parish of Cluny, in this county.
Heritors.— The parish is
divided among the following proprietors : Right Honourable Lord Saltoun,
the patron ; John Gordon, Esq. of Cairnbulg; Colonel Fraser of
Inverallochy; William C. Hunter, Esq. of Auchiries; Thomas Gordon, Esq. of
Cairness; John Lumsden Sherifs, Esq. of Rathen; William J. Anderson, Esq.
of Mains and Mill of Forrest; and William Shand, Esq. of Craigellie.
III.—Population.
IV.—Industry
Several substantial
farm-houses have been lately built in the parish, some of them covered
with slate and others with tiles. On the farms of considerable extent,
thrashing-machines have been erected; which are considered a much more
effectual method of separating the grain from the straw than the old mode,
and a great saving of labour to the farm-servants. Agriculture is
conducted, as in the neighbouring parishes, by a regular rotation of crops
of sown grass and grain, the fields being previously prepared by fallow,
crops of turnip, potatoes, or beans. A considerable addition has been made
to the quantity of arable land in the parish, since the Statistical Report
of 1793.
Fishings.—The estates of
Cairnbulg and Inverallochy are the only lands in this parish which extend
to the sea-coast. On these estates there are fishing villages very
contiguous, containing by the census of 1831, 820 inhabitants. In 1801,
there were only 404 inhabitants in those villages. During the
herring-fishing at Fraserburgh, which commences in July, and generally
continues to the end of September, the fishing villages in this parish are
almost deserted, as the fishers who are able to be employed at that
fishing remove to Fraserburgh with their families.
On the shores of these
estates, there is often abundance of seaweed, affording additional supply
of manure to the lands. Till of late, when the season and weather
permitted, a great part of the sea-weed from the rocks, or drifted ware,
was manufactured into kelp, in some seasons, it is said, to upwards of 80
tons. The reduced value of kelp, within these few years, has caused the
making of kelp to be almost discontinued on this coast. The estates of
Cairnbulg and Inverallochy are very valuable when compared with their
extent, the abundance of sea-weed affording a great additional supply of
manure, by which means the occupiers of the lands are enabled to keep
their farms in a high state of cultivation. Rent.—The real rent of the
parish is supposed to exceed L. 5000 Sterling; the valued rent is L. 3520
Scots.
This parish is separated
from the parish of Fraserburgh by a small stream called the water of
Philorth or Rathen, which has its source in the upper part of the parish
of Tyrie. Trout of considerable size and various kinds are caught in it;
but it does not appear at present to be frequented by salmon. The writer
of this report is informed by the proprietor of Cairnbulg, that he has a
grant of salmon-fishing in that stream from the Crown, of a remote
date,—which would lead to the conclusion, that at one period it had not
been entirely destitute of that description of fish.
V.—Parochial Economy.
Means of
Communication.-—The turnpike-roads from Aberdeen and Peterhead to
Fraserburgh form a junction in this parish on the estate of Cortes. The
cross roads have of late been much improved.
Ecclesiastical State.—The
church is old, and inadequate to the population. The minister's stipend is
L. 100, 3s. 9 10/12d. including communion elements allowance; 39 bolls 2
firlots bear; and 44 bolls, 3 pecks, and 4/5 lippy meal. The glebe
consists of 5½ acres. The manse was built in 1803. The number of families
belonging to the Established Church is 400; of Dissenting or Seceding
families, 40.
Education.— There is at
present only one parochial school in the parish, and two private schools;
but the parish would require additional schools, which it is hoped will
soon take place. The parochial schoolmaster's salary is the minimum, but
he receives a share of the donation bequeathed by the late Mr Dick to the
schoolmasters in the counties of Aberdeen, Banff, and Moray. His fees may
amount to betwixt L. 24 and L. 32 per annum.
Poor.—The average number of
the poor of all classes in the three years preceding 1838, 77; average on
the permanent roll, 24|; average of those not on the permanent roll, 43.
Average amount distributed among poor on the permanent roll, L. 46, 19s.;
average amount distributed among poor not on the permanent roll, L.14,
16s.; average amount distributed for support of lunatics, L.14. Average
amount from church collections, L. 55; from other voluntary contributions,
L.11, 11s.; from mortifications, mortcloth dues, &c. L. 24, 10s.
January 1840. |
