PRESBYTERY OF
EDINBURGH, SYNOD OF LOTHIAN AND TWEEDDALE.
THE REV.
JAMES BEGG, M. A., MINISTER.
I.- TOPOGRAPHY AND NATURAL HISTORY.
Name. - The real etymology of Liberton, formerly written Libertun,
is somewhat doubtful, although it is obviously of Saxon origin.
Most probably, the name is a corruption of Leperton, and arose from
the circumstance, that an hospital for the sick of Edinburgh was
situated at or near it, although all traces of such an institution
have long since vanished This supposition derives probability, both
from the elevated, and very healthy nature of the whole district,
quite near to, and overlooking the city of Edinburgh, and from the
lands of Liberton being called in certain old writings the lands of
Spital-town - Spital being synonymous with hospital in our old
language.
Extent and Boundaries.- The figure of this parish is exceedingly
irregular. It extends from nearly the eastern extremity of the
Pentland hills to within a few yards of the sea, near Fisherrow, and
from Edinburgh to within a mile of Dalkeith. It is thus nearly 7
miles long, and about 4 miles broad; In the centre, it is nearly
square, but towards the east it becomes very narrow, and runs out to
a sharp point for nearly two miles, between the parishes of Newton
and Inveresk on the one side, and Duddingstone on the other, in the
form of a wedge. [This irregular shape arises from the circumstance,
that this is, properly speaking, a united parish - the portion of it
beyond Craigmillar Castle having, in former times, been connected
with the chapel at Niddry.] It is bounded on the north and west, by
the parish of St Cuthberts; on the north-east, by Duddingstone; on
the east, by Inveresk; on the south-east, by Inveresk, Newton, and
Dalkeith; on the south, by Lasswade; and on the south-west, by
Colinton.
Topographical Appearances - Climate, &c. - The surface is very
undulating, and beautifully diversified with plains and rising
grounds, ascending occasionally to a considerable elevation, and,
from their more elevated positions, commanding a magnificent view of
the city of Edinburgh, the Pentland, Braid, and Blackford hills,
Arthur's Seat, the Frith of Forth, the coasts of Fife and East
Lothian, and, indeed, of the whole surrounding district, which is in
many respects the most interesting in Scotland. It is the "Heart of
Mid-Lothian," and there is not in Britain a more commanding view of
rich and varied scenery, including wood, water, a fine city, and a
richly cultivated country, than may be had from Craigmillar Castle,
the high grounds above Mortonhall, the ridge of Gilmerton, or the
neighbourhood of Liberton church. The land of the parish, too, being
in the highest state of cultivation, and almost all thoroughly
drained, the climate is very dry and salubrious. The people are, in
general, healthy, and many live to an old age. Epidemical diseases
seldom exist; although in 1883, cholera was very fatal in Gilmerton
and some of the neighbouring villages, no per-son being seized who
was engaged in agriculture. The temperature of the parish varies in
the different districts, the lower district towards the sea coast
being much wanner, and the operations of husbandry being, in
general, nearly a fortnight earlier at Niddry and Brunstane than at
Straiton and Morton. The parish is intersected by two rivulets, by
which eight water mills are driven.
Geology. [The remarks under this head were written by William Rhynd,
Esq.] - The parish of Liberton forms part of the great carboniferous
deposit of Mid-Lothian. On the north and north-west side, the
felspar and clinkstone of Braid and Blackford hills have elevated
the sandstone deposits to a considerable height. These consist of
the various layers of the carboniferous sandstones, which
constitute the greater part of the surface of the valley of
Mid-Lothian. On the northern declivity of the road leading from
Liberton to Edinburgh, a coarse conglomerate makes its appearance,
being here elevated to the surface, and which is probably one of the
lowermost beds of the sandstone deposit. A line commencing from
Burdiehouse, and extending in a slightly curved direction to Joppa,
forms the northern boundary of the the coal-field of Mid-Lothian.
Along this line there is an extensive slip and an abrupt elevation
of the lowermost members of the coal basin. Burdiehouse quarry
consists of a bed of limestone 27 feet thick, with several feet of
bituminous shale, superimposed. It crops out abruptly to the surface
in a westerly direction, and dips at an angle of 25° to the
eastward. Two faults interrupt the continuity of this limestone bed,
and are distinguishable from the limestone, by their composition,
which is of a brecciated character.
The limestone is disposed in regular beds, and is of a light grayish
colour below, and dark blue above. The shale, partly interposed
between the limestone, and partly lying above, is of a laminar and
highly bituminous nature. This limestone contains innumerable minute
shells of the genus Cypris, a species of Unio, and several other
fresh water Mollusca. It is also full of beautiful and most perfect
impressions of cryptogamic plants, such as several species of
Sphenopteris, Lepidodendrons, Lepidostrobus, &c. Entire impressions
of small fishes, and numerous scales and fragments of bones,
chiefly of the ganoid order of Agassiz, are also abundant, together
with bones, scales, teeth, and faecal remains of Sauroid fishes of
very large dimensions. This same limestone, characterized by its
fresh water remains, is also seen cropping out at Moredun. The
Gilmerton limestone appears from its position to lie above the
Burdiehouse strata, and its organic remains, unlike the other, are
exclusively marine. This bed is also about 27 feet thick. Below, is
a hard compact limestone, with numerous remains of encrinites;
above, are layers of a coarser limestone, called by the workmen
blaes, alternating with layers of bituminous shale. In these layers
Producti, Spiriferi and other shells are abundant. This limestone
also dips to the east and south-east at an angle of about 25°, and
lies below the great coal basin, which commences immediately to the
south.
Both limestones are very pure, containing about 95 per cent
carbonate of lime, and they have been extensively quarried and burnt
for useful purposes.
At
Niddry quarry, the same tilting up of the strata is visible, and
here they consist of sandstone, shale, coal, and limestone. The same
section extends onwards to Joppa, and terminates in the Frith.
At
St Catherine's is a well which contains a quantity of mineral oil or
petroleum, obtained most probably from the spring flowing over some
portion of the coal beds. This bituminous matter floats copiously on
the surface of the water, and is also partially dissolved in it. The
spring is reckoned medicinal by the country people, and may have
some slight efficacy in cutaneous eruptions.
II.- CIVIL HISTORY.
Account of the Parish.- There is a very elaborate account of this
parish, written by the Rev. Thomas Whyte, who was ordained minister
of Liberton in 1752, and published amongst the Transactions of the
Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. It will be found to contain an
elaborate account of all the places and important families in the
parish.
Land-Owners. - The principal land-owners of the parish are, Walter
Little Gilmour, Esq. of Liberton and Craigmillar; Richard Trotter,
Esq. of Mortonhall and Charterhall; Andrew Wauchope, Esq. of Niddry-Marshal;
Sir David Baird of Newbyth; David Anderson, Esq. of Moredun; the
Marquis of Abercom; Sir William Rae of St Catherine's; Miss Innes of
Drum; Miss Sivright of Meggetland; James Johnston, Esq. of Straiton;
Sir Robert Dick of Prestonfield; Lord Melville; Wardlaw Ramsay, Esq.
of Whitehill; Mrs Gilchrist of Sunnyside; John Wauchope, Esq. of
Edmonstone; John Tod, Esq. of Todhills; Robert Bruce, Esq. of Kennet;
and William Tullis, Esq. of Mount Vernon.
Parochial Registers. - The parochial registers, which have been
preserved, begin in 1639, and have been pretty regularly kept since.
Those connected with the business of the kirk-session alone amount
to twelve volumes. They were lately rescued from the dust in which
they lay, thoroughly inspected, the torn and decayed leaves
repaired, and the whole handsomely bound, and deposited, with other
valuable parochial documents, in a fire-proof charter-chest.
Celebrated Characters. - Amongst the celebrated characters connected
with this parish may be mentioned Mr Clement Little of Upper
Liberton, who founded the College Library of Edinburgh, (Arnot's
History, p. 414.) John, Trotter, Esq. of Mortonhall, Merchant in
Edinburgh, founder of the present branch of that family, born in
1558, seems to have been a distinguished man in his day. He left in
charity to the town of Edinburgh 4000 merks; to St Paul's Hospital
2000 merks; and a considerable sum to Trinity Hospital. He also
built two chambers in the College of Edinburgh, for two bursars of
philosophy, and left 700 merks to the town of Lanark. Sir Symon De
Preston of Craigmillar was Provost of Edinburgh, in 1565,
immediately after the Reformation, and, in his house in town, Queen
Mary lodged on the fatal night she left the army at Caerberry hill,
(Keith, p. 402, 409-410.) - Two of the Gilmours of Craigmillar were
also distinguished for their ability as lawyers about the time of
the Restoration of Charles, and one of them, Sir John Gilmour, was
made Lord President of the Court of Session, (Nicolson's Historical
Library, p. 36970.) Gilbert Wauchope of Niddry, (a family of at
least nearly 500 years standing in the parish, and perhaps now the
oldest family in Mid-Lothian,) was a member of the Scottish
Parliament in 1560, when Popery was abolished and the Protestant
religion set up; and we find another member of the same family, Sir
John Wauchope of Niddry, a zealous Covenanter, (See Guthrie's
Memoirs,) and a member of the General Assembly in 1648. The late
proprietor was also for many years a representative of the
Presbytery of Edinburgh in the General Assembly. Sir James Stewart
of Goodtrees, who was Lord Advocate of Scotland, from 1692 till
1713, may be mentioned as one of the distinguished persons connected
with this parish. The lady of Little of Liberton was one of the
martyrs during the persecution. She was imprisoned in 1685 for
harbouring conventicklers, and was only set at liberty in
consequence of her husband agreeing to be confined as her
substitute. (Fountainhall, i. 363.) - The Rev. Samuel Semple, chosen
by the heritor and elders, under the Revolution settlement, ordained
on the 31st of August 1697, and minister of Liberton for upwards of
forty-four years, seems to have been a man of some note. From the
records it appears that he conducted the business of the parish with
much vigour, and the General Assembly appear to have looked to him
for a History of the Church of Scotland, which, however, he did not
live to finish. His monument, lately renewed, is placed on the
tower of the church. The Rev. Thomas Whyte, who wrote the account,
to which we have already referred, must have been a man of learning
and research. And in more distant times the Rev. John Davidson,
minister of this parish in 1582, a man of great zeal and talent,
discharged, by appointment, the task of excommunicating Montgomery,
minister of Stirling, who makes such a figure in the annals of our
Presbyterian Church, as having endeavoured to thrust himself into
the office of Archbishop of Glasgow, in defiance of the General
Assembly.
Civil Antiquities, &c. - In the neighbourhood of Mortonhall there
are several tumuli, which are supposed to have originated with the
Romans. Right west, also, from Mortonhall, there is a hill, called
Galachlaw, which became famous as the encampment of Oliver Cromwell
in 1650, with no less than 16,000 men, before the battle of Dunbar,
(Hume's Hist. Vol. ii. p. 24.)
At
St Catherine's, there is the famous well, before alluded to,
anciently called the Balm Well. Black oily substances constantly
float on the surface of the water. However many you remove they
still appear as numerous as before. In ancient times a sovereign
virtue was supposed to reside in this well, and it was much
frequented by persons afflicted with cutaneous complaints. The nuns
of the Sheens made an annual procession to it in honour of St
Catherine. King James VI. visited it in 1617, and ordered it to be
properly enclosed and provided with a door and staircase, but it
was destroyed and filled up by the soldiers of Cromwell in 1650. It
has again been opened and repaired, and is now in a good state of
preservation.
The whole of the lands of Mortonhall and St Catherine's in ancient
times formed part of the princely estate of the Sinclairs of Roslin,-
the Trotters being originally from Catchelraw, in Berwickshire, and
a very old family there.
Burdiehouse is supposed to be a corruption of Bourdeaux-house, and
to have been so called by some of Queen Mary's French attendants in
1561.
There is at Gilmerton a singular cave, dug out of the solid rock. It
contains several apartments, and was finished in 1724 by an
eccentric inhabitant of that place, after five years hard labour.
The person by whom it was made lived with his family, and carried on
his occupation as a smith, in this place till 1735. It is still
visited by the curious.
In
the lawn of Drum, the ancient residence of the Somerville family,
right opposite the front of the house, stands the old market-cross
of the city of Edinburgh. It was brought here in 1756. It is
composed of several stones, 20 feet high, and 18 inches in diameter,
and ornamented with thistles, the ancient badge of Scotland.
The Castle of Craigmillar is one of the most striking historical
objects in this parish. The name is Gaelic, Craig-moil-ard, and
signifies a rock, bare and high, running out into a plain. It is
impossible to say how old this Castle is. The wall around it was
built in 1427, as appears from the inscription on the gate, and the
modern portion to the west was built in 1661 by Sir John Gilmour,
then Lord President of the Court of Session, and was, for some time,
the mansion-house of the family. The Castle belonged for 300 years
to the Prestons of Gowrton of that ilk, and be-came the property of
the Gilmours about 1601. John Earl of Marr, a younger brother of
James III., was confined here in 1477. It was for some time the
residence of James V. during his minority, when he left Edinburgh,
because of the plague, (Leslie's History, p. 368.) It was taken, and
partly burnt and demolished, according to Pitscottie, by the English
in 1543. But what gives it its chief interest as connected with
Scottish history, is the fact, that Queen Mary chose to reside here
as much as possible after her return from France in 1561. A room is
still shown in the Castle as Queen Mary's bedroom, only 7 feet long
by 5 broad, but it probably was not devoted to that purpose. At the
foot of Craigmillar hill there is a small village, called Little
France, which was no doubt the place where the French servants of
the Queen resided. The tradition of the place points to a venerable
sycamore tree as having been planted by Queen Mary. The ruins of the
Castle are still strong and well-preserved, and the situation is
one of the most noble and princely that can be imagined. The grounds
have lately been much ornamented by clumps of beautiful trees.
The only other fact connected with the civil history of the parish
which I shall mention is, that on the Borough Muir, now partly
fanned by Mr Dale, and the property of W. L. Gilmour, Esq. James IV.
reviewed his troops before he set out for the fatal field of Flodden
in 1513, (Maitland's Hist. of Edin. p. 178.)
Ecclesiastical Antiquities - Churches.- In ancient times there were
three places of worship in this parish; namely, one at Liberton, one
at St Catherine's, and one at Niddry. The remains of the chapel and
burying-ground at St Catherine's have long since disappeared,
although "some persons yet alive," says Mr Whyte, "remember to have
seen the chapel;" but there are still some traces of the chapel at
Niddry, and, in particular, there is still a burying-ground in which
the people of the district continue to bury their dead. The chapel
at Niddry was founded by Robert Wauchope of Niddry-Marshal in 1387,
and dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The minister of it, who was
connected with the Abbey of Holyrood, had, besides other privileges
and emoluments, a manse, an acre of ground, pasture for two cows,
and twelve merks per annum from the lands of Pylmuir, in the parish
of Currie, which belonged to the proprietor of Niddry. The old
chapel and burying-ground were at the west end of the mansion-house,
but, in 1685, the burying-ground was removed to the south-west side
of the garden, where it still remains. The church of Liberton itself
belonged to the parish of St Cuthbert's previous to 1124, (Arnot's
History of Edinburgh, p. 5.) The patronage of Liberton, with an acre
of land contiguous to the church, belonged afterwards to Sir John
Maxwell, who bestowed them on the Monastery of Kilwinning in the
year 1367, and this was ratified by David II. in 1370, (Appendix to
Nisbet's History, p. 151.) How long this state of things continued
does not appear. But at length they became the property of the Abbey
of Holyroodhouse, as appears from Keith's History of the Scots
Bishops, (p. 28.) In 1607, Mr John Bothwell of Whitekirk, first Lord
Holyroodhouse, received a grant of the patronage, rectorship, and
tithes of Liberton, (Crawford's Peerage, p. 185-6.) But his son was
forced to resign them when a bishopric was erected at Edinburgh. At
the Revolution, the heritors and elders of course named the
minister, but by the Act of Queen Anne the patronage became the
property of the Crown, - Wauchope of Niddry claiming, and, it is
supposed, exercising a conjunct right of patronage from his
connexion with the ancient chapel of Niddry-Marshal. This right has
lately, however, been disputed by the Crown.
In
connexion with this subject it may be mentioned, that a Presbyterian
chapel was erected at Craigmillar during the indulgence granted by
James VII. which, at the termination of the persecution and the
restoration of Presbyterian worship, became unnecessary, and is now
used as a stable or out-house. There is also at Bridge-end a chapel
built by James V., near a place which he used as a hunting- lodge,
but it also is now turned into a stable.
Church Lands.- The lands which lie west and south-west of the church
of Liberton were church lands, and termed Vicar's Acres. They are so
denominated in the entail of Mr Little of Liberton. To the east of
St Catherine's there is a rising ground formerly called Priest Hill,
now Grace Mount, which probably was connected with the chapel of St
Catherine's, and occupied by the officiating minister. Near the
Craigs is a piece of land, called the Kirk-lands, extending to about
five acres, which formerly belonged to the church or chapel of
Liberton. A part of Craigmillar hill belonged to the Abbey of
Dunfermline, as appears from Haddington's Collections. It was
mortified in pure and perpetual alms, as appears from a charter of
mortification in the reign of Alexander II. in 1212. The lands of
Inch belonged to the Abbey of Holyrood, as appears from a charter in
the reign of James II. (see Register-Office.)
There was in ancient times a mill at Nether Liberton, the tithes of
which were bestowed by King David on the Abbey of Holyroodhouse. The
Black Friars of Edinburgh also received six merks annually from the
proceeds of this mill.
The Burgh Muir, now in a high state of cultivation, formerly
belonged to the nuns at the Sheens or Sciens, so called from
Catherine of Sienna, an Italian. This appears from a charter of
confirmation in 1516.
There belonged to the vicarage of Liberton a husband land in the
manor of Gilmerton. (Inquis. Special. 1607, iv. 93.)
Ministers of Liberton since the Reformation.- 1. The first minister
of Liberton after the Reformation was Mr Thomas Cranston, previously
minister of Borthwick. He entered to his stipend here, which only
amounted to 200 merks, or L.11, 2s. 2d., at Lammas 1569, and was
translated to Peebles at Whitsunday 1570.
2. The second minister was Mr John Davidson, a man of great zeal
and talent, who laboured here till 1584, [Spottiswoods History.]
but was afterwards minister of Prestonpans, where we find him in
1596. [Calderwoodl He was greatly admired in both parishes, and
eminently useful. Fleming, in his Treatise concerning the Fulfilling
of the Scriptures, refers to him as a distinguished saint.
3. The next was Mr John Adamson, who was minister of this parish in
1616, and a member of the Assembly which met that year in Aberdeen.
He was afterwards translated to Edinburgh, and made Principal of the
College, in which capacity he sat in the Glasgow Assembly 1638. He
was reckoned a man of learning.
4. Mr John Cranston was minister of Liberton in 1625, 1626, and
1627.
5. Mr Andrew Learmonth was minister from 1629 until 1636.
6. Mr Archibald Newton was translated to Liberton from Duddingston,
May 19, 1639. During his ministry, the Covenant was renewed and
subscribed by all ranks at Liberton with great solemnity. Records of
the Kirk-session.] He died June 2, 1657.
7. Mr Andrew Cant was admitted minister of Liberton, March 10,
1659. He was translated to the College Church, Edinburgh, July 13,
1673, and in 1683 was Principal of the Edinburgh University.
8. Mr Ninian Paterson from Glasgow was ordained minister of
Liberton, October 14, 1674, during the Restoration of Episcopacy. A
violent resistance was made to his settlement, and the persons
engaged in it were put into the pillory, [Wodrow.] both at Edinburgh
and Liberton. He was distinguished by his taste for Latin poetry,
but only continued minister here for five years.
9. Mr Robert Farquhar, was translated from Cullen to Liberton,
April 12, 1683, and died in March 1687. Records of the
Kirk-session.]
10. Mr Alexander Cuming succeeded him, and continued for a few
months after the Revolution. He preached his farewell sermon, May
19, 1689. Records of the Kirk-session.]
11. Mr James Webster, Presbyterian minister of the meeting-house
at Craigmillar, was translated to the parish church of Liberton, in
consequence of the Revolution, and preached his first sermon there,
May 29, 1689. Records of the Kirk-session.] He was soon translated
to Whitekirk, and afterwards to Edinburgh.
12. Mr Gideon Jaque from Ireland succeeded him, and was
minister October 16, 1692. He soon went to England.
13. Mr Samuel Semple was chosen by the heritors and elders, and
ordained minister, August 31, 1697. After officiating upwards of
forty-four years, he died universally regretted, January 7, 1742.
Calamy mentions him in his Life and Times as a friend of his, and a
person of eminence, and states that he resided at his manse, and
preached for him to a full congregation during his sojourn in
Scotland.
14. Dr John Jardine was ordained assistant and successor to Mr
Semple, July 30, 1741, and was translated to Lady Yester's Church,
Edinburgh, December 6, 1750.
15. Mr David Mowbray was translated from Currie to Liberton,
May 28, 1751, but lived only four months and a few days.
16. Mr Thomas Whyte was ordained minister of Liberton,
August 20, 1752, and died January 13, 1789. For many of the facts
above stated, and much curious antiquarian information, the reader
is referred to his account of the parish.]
17. Mr James Grant was ordained August 18, 1789, and died June
8, 1831. A very handsome monument was erected to his memory by
subscription amongst the parishioners in 1838.
18. Mr William Purdie was ordained minister of this parish,
January 26, 1832, and after a short but zealous, esteemed, and
useful ministry, died November 16, 1834. The parishioners also
erected a handsome monument to his memory.
19. Mr James Begg was translated from the Middle parish of
Paisley to this parish June 25, 1835. He was presented by the Crown
in consequence of a petition from the heritors, elders, and
parishioners, and is the nineteenth minister since the Reformation,
and the ninth since the Revolution.
Modern Buildings.- The church of Liberton is a very handsome Gothic
structure, with a fine tower in a commanding situation, erected in
1815 from a plan by James Gillespie Graham, Esq. Its interior
arrangements, however, are not in keeping with the elegance of the
external building. The gallery projects too far, and is besides
flat, dark, and too near the roof, which gives the church an
uncomfortable appearance, and prevents the people from seeing and
hearing with advantage. A slight alteration would vastly improve it
both in appearance and comfort. A very handsome chapel was erected
at Gilmerton in 1837. Besides these public buildings, there are many
very handsome houses in the parish, the residences of the several
proprietors. Amongst these may be mentioned the Inch House, the
oldest date to be found on which is 1617: Mortonhall, an admirable
house, finished in 1769, and which the present proprietor has still
farther improved: The House of Drum erected by Lord Sommerville:
Moredun, a delightful residence, erected by Sir James Stewart:
Niddry, a very ancient baronial residence, with a large and handsome
modern addition; and the house of Brunstane, erected by Lord
Lauderdale in 1639. The houses of Southfield, Sunnyside, St
Catherine's, and Mount Vernon, are also excellent and beautifully
situated.
III
- Population
The population of this parish seems always to have been
considerable. From
an old roll of communicants, without a date,
amongst the session records, it appears that the number of persons
in full communion with the church was then 700. In 1755 the
population was 2793 souls. In 1786, when Mr Whyte's Account was
made, the population amounted to 3457.
The population was in
1801, . |
3565 |
1811, . |
4033 |
1821, . |
4276 |
1831, . |
4063 |
The number of families in the parish in
1831,
chiefly employed in agriculture,
in trade, manufactures, or handicraft, . |
922
145
201 |
|
|
|
The number of illegitimate births during the last three years has
been about 22.
The population since 1831 has rather diminished. This has arisen
chiefly from the suspension of the coal-work at Gilmerton, which has
not only forced many of the colliers to seek work elsewhere, but
dispersed some of the carters, who formerly employed themselves in
driving coals from Gilmerton to Edinburgh.
Resident Proprietors.- There are very few resident proprietors in
this parish, which is a great disadvantage in every respect. Mrs
Gilmour of Craigmillar; Richard Trotter, Esq. of Mortonhall; David
Anderson, Esq. of Moredun; and Sir William Rae, are the only
proprietors of any note who do reside, and some of these only
occasionally. Their residence, however, and the efforts made, and
contributions given for the temporal and spiritual good of the
people, are a source of great advantage to the parish.
Insane Persons.- There are several insane persons. The kirk-session
lately maintained wholly or in part no fewer than five, one of whom
had been supported in the same way for thirty years, and cost the
parish about L. 600.
Peculiar Games.- The only peculiar games here are what are called
"carter's plays." The carters have friendly societies for the
purpose of supporting each other in old age or during ill-health,
and with the view partly of securing a day's recreation, and partly
of recruiting their numbers and funds, they have an annual
procession. Every man decorates his cart-horse with flowers and
ribbons, and a regular procession is made, accompanied by a band of
music, through this and some of the neighbouring parishes. To crown
all, there is an uncouth uproarious race with cart-horses on the
public road, which draws forth a crowd of Edinburgh idlers, and all
ends in a dinner, for which a fixed sum is paid. Much rioting and
profligacy often take place in connexion with these amusements, and
the whole scene is melancholy. There are other societies in the
parish which have also annual parades with a similar result. These
societies have undoubtedly been in some respects useful, but the
"plays" are fortunately rapidly declining; and it is to be hoped
that savings' banks, in which there is neither risk nor temptation
to drunkenness, will soon become the universal depositories for the
surplus earnings of the people.
General Habits of the People.- Amongst so many people, there is of
course a great variety of character. The fanners are a highly
respectable class of men,- men of great skill and capital, some of
whose ancestors have been here for 200 years, and their servants
have in general clean comfortable houses, and are very sober and
industrious. The colliers and carters, on the other hand, are, in
many instances, improvident and careless, although amongst both
classes there are many exceptions. Some of the people are
excessively ignorant; a few grown up persons can neither read nor
write. In the villages, generally, there is, I lament to say, a
melancholy want of vital religion, and, in many instances, even of
the appearance of it. There is also amongst some of the people a
singular torpor and insensibility to moral and religious
obligations. This has arisen chiefly from the want of proper
schools; the long want of a church in Gilmerton, and of sufficient
moral and religious instruction for other portions of the floating
population of this extensive parish; from the dreadful prevalence of
whisky-shops; and the vicinity of Edinburgh, which throws out some
of the refuse of its population upon us, and, in many ways, tends to
lower the tone of our society. The prevalence of a practice amongst
the higher classes in Edinburgh of hiring unmarried country girls to
nurse their children is, in an obvious way, one of the most fruitful
parents of vice in this parish. I can scarcely believe that the
persons who employ these girls are sufficiently aware of this,
although the minister and elders cannot shut their eyes to it. We
are doing our utmost to remedy these evils, and with some success.
IV.- INDUSTRY.
Agriculture.- This is one of the most important agricultural
parishes in Scotland, although the number of acres habitually under
cultivation is only 3998. Besides these there is in grass about 370
acres, and under wood or in gardens and shrubberies perhaps 350
acres more, making in all 4718 acres. The cultivated land is divided
into thirty-four farms, varying in size from 40 to 268 acres, the
majority, however, being upwards of 100 acres, and six of them being
upwards of 200 acres. In some instances, two or even more of these
farms are cultivated by the same individual, making the quantity of
land held to be more than 800 acres.
Soil, Rotation of Crops, &c.- The soil of the parish is various, 1.
The greatest proportion of it, in the lower districts, is a rich
loam, made so by manure and draining, the soil being naturally bad.
This portion is at present in the highest state of cultivation of
which our climate will admit, the proof of which will be found in
the amount of the rents paid, and the high price its grain bears in
the market. The rotation of crops which formerly prevailed, was, 1.
potatoes or turnips, 2. wheat or barley, 3. grass, 4. oats. But,
owing to the failure of the grass crop, when so often repeated, a
rotation of five crops was adopted, viz. 1. potatoes, 2. wheat, 3.
barley, 4. grass, 5. oats. But there are so many variations, that no
fixed rule can be given. 2. The next kind of soil is a thin clay,
with a retentive subsoil, which prevails in the higher districts of
the parish, but which is in a rapid course of improvement by means
of draining. Mr Jamieson of Straiton, and Mr Allan of Broomhills,
are at present draining extensively. The rotation of crops observed
upon this soil is, 1. fallow or potatoes, 2. wheat, 3. grass, 4.
oats. 3. In the immediate neighbourhood of the Pentland hills, on
the farm of Morton for example, the soil is generally a dry gravel,
the rotation observed on which is, 1. turnips or potatoes, 2. barley
or wheat, 3. grass, 4. oats.
Rent, Produce, Manure, Servants' Wages, &c.- The rent of land varies
from L. 3 to L. 7 an acre. A common rent is L. 2, 2s. with a boll of
wheat and a boll of barley an acre. Grass lets at about L.5 an acre,
although some of Sir Robert Dick's parks, (which are supposed to
have been enriched by the shrewdness of one of his ancestors, who,
being Provost of Edinburgh, turned a large portion of the waste
sweepings of the town upon his lands,) are let this year as high as
L. 10 an acre. The valued rent of the parish is L. 13,685, 6s. 8d.
Scotch; the real rent in 1828 was L. 27,944, 3s. 2d. This includes
rents of farms, mines, houses, &c., the particulars of which I have
in a statement beside me. It also includes the rents of
seventy-eight houses under L. 2 a-year. This document was carefully
drawn up by the late schoolmaster after a strict investigation.
Potatoes are the principal crop in this parish. They are raised for
the Edinburgh market. The average number of acres bearing this crop
annually is 685, producing 23,124 bolls, or 34 bolls an acre. These
are sometimes sold on the ground at from L. 14 to L. 20 an acre. The
manure applied varies from 30 to 50 cart-loads at 5s. a cart-load,
the expense being about L. 12 an acre. The quality of the potatoes
is very superior. The cultivation and produce of other crops is at
an average as follows: 215 acres are devoted to turnips, the produce
being 5345 tons, or 25 tons an acre; 19 acres to beans, the produce
being 152 bolls, or 8 bolls an acre; 738 acres to wheat, the produce
being 6416 bolls, or 81/2 bolls an acre; 490 acres to barley, the
produce being 2990 bolls, or 6 bolls an acre; 850 acres to oats, the
produce being 8063 bolls, or 91/2 bolls an acre; 1001 acres to
grass, the produce being 132,340 stones of hay, or 200 stones an
acre. [These are of course the averages of the whole parish.
Instances have been known of single fields producing far larger
crops. Potatoes have been known to grow at the rate of 80 bolls, and
sometimes even more an acre, and one farmer assured me that from one
acre he raised 19 bolls of oats or 132 bushels.] This is sometimes
let as green crop at from L. 15 to L. 22 an acre. The manure applied
to this parish at an average is nearly 40,000 tons per annum. All
kinds of grain are of excellent quality, the weight of wheat being
62 lbs. a bushel; barley 55 lbs.; oats 42 lbs. These statements are
not made at random, but are the result of a careful investigation
made in regard to every farm in the parish, the answers being
received from the farmers themselves. Very few cattle are reared or
fed here, owing to the high price received for turnips, viz. from L.
15 to L. 20 an acre; but that immense cattle can be reared, will
appear from the fact, that Mr Johnston of Niddry had last year a
bullock of his own rearing, which, at three years old, weighed
nearly 130 stones Dutch. The wages of married ploughmen are L. 16 in
money, 61/2 bolls of meal, 3 bolls of potatoes, 1 month's meat in
harvest, and a free house and garden. A few of a better class
receive L. 2 more. Young unmarried men receive L. 5 and board.
Women's wages are from 8d. to 9d. a day. Shearers in harvest receive
10d. or ls. 3d. a day, but have sometimes received as high as 2s.
and food, which consists of admirable porridge and milk, at morning
and night, the porridge made in a large boiler, into which half a
boll of meal is often thrown, whilst the mess is stirred with an
immense staff seized in the centre, and fastened at the top, which
thus is made to work with a lever power. An Irish shearer has been
known to eat 9 lbs. weight of these excellent porridge. At noon the
shearers get bread and beer.
Improvements required.- Nothing of this nature stands so much in
need of improvement as the farm-offices. Some of the cottages, too,
are much in want of being renewed, and constructed with two
apartments each. They are on some farms worse than the stables. A
most important effort is being made at present by the Highland
Society, to secure greater neatness and cleanliness in the cottages;
and Mr Trotter of Mortonhall is powerfully seconding their efforts
in this parish, by doubling the premiums offered, and adding two of
his own. The result undoubtedly has already been highly beneficial.
A good deal also requires to be done, and something is being done at
present, in the way of enclosing, especially on the Liberton estate,
and in the way of planting the tops of the hills towards the west,
which will greatly add to the beauty of the landscape, and break
the force of the west wind, which is here by far the most violent,-
the result of which is that the trees on the rising grounds are all
bent towards the east.
Horses.- The horses are mostly of a superior kind, and are generally
highly fed, which is a proof of the prosperity of agriculture. The
horse which obtained the prize at the exhibition of the Highland
Society at Glasgow, last year, was reared by Mr Law of Norton, one
of the farmers of this parish. It is supposed to be one of the
largest and most handsome horses in the world. Another splendid
horse, which also received several premiums, was reared at the same
time by Mr Jamieson of Straiton.
Modern Improvements.- One of the most important agricultural
improvements introduced into this district has been the steam
thrashing-mill. By its use time and labour are equally saved, and
one of the farm-servants can soon be trained to act as engineer. One
has been erected at Niddry, and another at Straiton, with engines of
six horse-power, made by Douglas of Edinburgh. They thrash easily 60
bushels of grain an hour, requiring, however, the aid of nine women,
six men, and two carts and horses, in feeding the mill, and clearing
away the grain and straw. Thus 600 bushels can easily be thrashed in
a day. There, are besides in the parish seven water thrashing-mills,
and one windmill. The rest of the grain is thrashed by horse-power.
Flails are unknown. The refuse of saltpetre has lately been applied
to grass as a manure, with great success. It is sown upon the grass
in February or March, the worth of L. 1 being applied to an acre. It
acts as a powerful stimulant, and sends up a dark green luxuriant
bulky crop. Soot produces nearly the same result. Amongst the most
important improvements may be reckoned sowing machines, which are of
two kinds, 1. the drilling-machine, by which oats and other grain
can be sown with the utmost regularity and precision. The effect
besides is to save seed, and to enable the farmer thoroughly to
clear out weeds between the drills, by means of the Dutch hoe: 2.
The broad-cast machine made by Scoular of Haddington is an immense
improvement. It sows at once a breadth of 18 feet as fast as a horse
can walk, or 4 acres an hour, holding as much seed at once as will
sow an acre, and only requiring one man and one woman to manage it,
but requiring eight horses to harrow in the seed. It costs L. 10,
but is so profitable in the way of saving seed, and insuring good
sowing, that, in the opinion of the most skilful farmers here, a
fanner of any extent had better borrow the money required than be
without one, as it will amply save the value of itself in one year.
It is peculiarly valuable in sowing grass seeds, a most difficult
operation, especially when they are mixed with clover seed, which
being heavy, requires to be continually stirred up amongst the grass
seeds, and thrown out with a considerable impulse. It is difficult
to get a servant who will take the trouble; but the sowing machine
secures this object most effectually, by stirring the seed
continually, and sowing it with such power, that in the face of a
tempest, (a sad enemy to the ordinary sower) its operations are
unimpeded. In a word, there is all the difference here which exists
between the powerful and steady action of a steam-vessel, and the
feeble and irregular motion of a paddle boat. Besides, the use of
this machine forces the farmer to straight his furrows, and square
his fields, which will be found a mighty advantage in ploughing,
harrowing, reaping, and every other operation of husbandry. There is
an instrument in use here, which I have not seen in the west of
Scotland, called a grubber, which is drawn by one horse, and is used
with effect in clearing out the weeds between the drills of potatoes
and turnips, thus making the operation of hoeing much easier, and
more effectual. The horse rake also may be mentioned as a modem
instrument, which is employed in raking over the whole ground, cut
with the sickle after the grain is carried, and thus clearing off
the entire crop. Carts here cost L. 12; a pair of harrows L. 3; an
iron plough (wooden ploughs being discarded,) L. 3; and smiths
receive L.3, 10s. for every plough kept on a farm, for which they
are bound both to supply iron and keep the fanning implements in
order.
Waste Lands reclaimed.- The upper part of the farm of Liberton Tower
Mains, where it joins the Braid hills, containing from 12 to 20
acres, was formerly covered with furze and brushwood. Mr Brockie,
the tenant, obtained a lease of it for 5s. an acre, and it is now
entirely cleared, and converted into good land, bearing all kinds of
crops. The land, too, in the barony of Broomhills, of which Mr Whyte
says, that "the expense of draining and putting it into order, would
far exceed any profits that might thence arise," was lately drained,
and is in the rapid course of improvement, and will, it is
believed, amply repay the expense incurred. It amounts to about 40
acres. There is scarcely, therefore, a rood of waste land in the
parish.
Pigs and Poultry.- Most of the fanners keep poultry, some of them a
large number. On some of the farms the ordinary stock of common
fowls is sixty or seventy, besides turkeys, geese, and ducks, so
that at Niddry Mains, for example, there may sometimes be about 200
of these creatures. The geese grow to a large size, weighing
sometimes not less than 1 stone of 16 oz. Poultry are not reckoned
profitable in any other sense, than that they are supported by
grain gathered in the barnyard, which otherwise would be lost. Pigs
are also kept about all the farms. They also receive little food
except what they pick up in the straw yard, and yet they become very
large and fat, weighing often 16 or 17 stones Dutch. They thrive
much better in consequence of being thus allowed to go at large;
those with short heads and upright ears are reckoned best, and in
the market the white are reckoned more valuable than the black.
Leases.- The general duration of leases is nineteen years.
Gardens, &c.- Gardening is carried on in this parish with great
skill and success. The soil is peculiarly adapted to the growth of
vegetables of all kinds. I have seen even in the manse garden an
early cabbage weighing 16 oz. The earliest strawberries in the
Edinburgh market are sometimes raised at Stenhouse. In 1832, they
were ripe as early as the 5th of June. There are admirable and most
productive gardens, with forcing houses, at Mortonhall, St
Catherine's, Inch, Moredun, Drum, Sunnyside, Southfield, and an
excellent garden at Niddry. The Moredun gardens are still as famous
as when Mr Whyte's account was written, and no expense is spared in
improving them by the present excellent proprietor. Besides moveable
glass frames, there is exposed to the light in the vineries,
peach-houses, and pine-pits, at Moredun, upwards of 8223 square feet
of glass. Hollies thrive admirably in this soil, and there are not
only many splendid specimens, but whole hedges of this beautiful
plant. At Moredun there is a holly hedge, very tall, and reaching
the whole breadth of the garden, and at Niddry a very splendid one,
30 feet high, which, when annually cut, are of course scaled by
ladders. These hedges are like solid evergreen walls. There are
several very large trees in this parish. A sycamore tree at Niddry
measures 19 feet in circumference, and another at Mortonhall, said
to have been planted in 1700, measures 14 feet. At Moredun, Drum,
and Inch, there are also many fine trees.
Mines and Quarries.- 1. Coalwork at Gilmerton.- At Gilmerton there
are about 20 seams of coal from 2 1/2 to 10 feet thick. The working
of the coal, which is of excellent quality, is supposed to have
commenced at a very early period; probably 300 years ago. It was in
vigorous operation in 1627, and in Mr Whyte's time, fifty-four
colliers were employed. This number was, however, greatly augmented
afterwards, about eighty families being constantly employed, the
quantity of coals annually raised being from 20,000 to 24,000 tons,
and the amount of wages paid being L.180 a fortnight to colliers
alone. In addition to colliers, a number of carters were employed,
and employed themselves in driving these coals to Edinburgh, making
the population of the village of Gilmerton to be upwards of 800
souls. The seam of coal lately worked is 4 feet 4 inches thick, with
8 inches of parrot coal above. Of late, however, these operations
have been suspended, partly owing to the expiry of the lease of the
late tenant, but chiefly owing to the quantity of coal brought to
the Edinburgh market by means of the Dalkeith Railway, from mines
which can be worked at less expense. The mines at Gilmerton may
remain dormant for a time, till some of the neighbouring collieries
are exhausted to the same depth, but there is at Gilmerton an
immense supply of coal unworked.
Iron.- Blackband ironstone of the best quality, and 14 inches thick,
has lately been discovered at Gilmerton, which may immediately
cause a great increase of population.
Lime-works at Gilmerton.- The Gilmerton lime-work was perhaps the
oldest in Scotland, and had also been in operation from time
immemorial. It was at first worked by tirring, afterwards by mining,
according to the plan at present in use. Its present waste,
stretching from Moredun Mains along by Hyvot's Mill, to Muirhouse,
presents abundant evidence of former operations, there being a vast
series of pillars with open areas, the rock being 9 feet thick, and
resting on a declivity of 45.° The stones from the mine or quarry
were formerly carried to the bank- head by women with creels
fastened on their backs, and when the works were in full operation,
probably fifty women were thus employed. At length asses were with
more propriety employed in this occupation; a change suggested by a
man of the name of Pidie, who had been at the siege of Gibraltar,
and had seen asses employed there in carrying up sand to fortify the
trenches. The east part of the quarry was afterwards worked by means
of a steam-engine, but this was found unprofitable, and was
consequently abandoned. The working was, however, renewed, and
carried on with great vigour during the years 1825, 1826, and 1827,
when the rock was laid dry by the draining and working of the North
Green coal, which lies regularly above it. At this time there were
upwards of twenty quarrymen employed, and the quantity produced was
about 15,000 bolls of six imperial bushels per annum. Nearly the
same quantity of small coals was consumed, and the rock was forced
out by means of blasting with gunpowder; a very difficult operation.
This limestone extends from the adjoining parish of Lasswade, nearly
across the entire breadth of this parish. It begins near Loanhead on
the west, and runs nearly in a north-eastern direction to Moredun,
passing through Muirhouse, the property of Mr Trotter of Mortonhall,
entering a corner of the Moredun grounds, turning to the west by
Hyvot's Mill, entering the grounds of Southfield, running through
the village of Stenhouse, Moredun Mill, and Moredun Mains, where it
again takes a turn almost due south, and enters the property of Sir
David Baird, and continues nearly in the same direction till it
enters the parish of Newton, near Edmonstone. I understand that in
all these places, except at Muirhouse, it is of excellent quality;
but its working on Sir David Baird's property can only be resumed by
employing a steam-engine to remove the water, or in consequence of
the working of the North Green coal.
Lime-works at Burdiehouse.- The limestone at Burdiehouse, which is
entirely distinct from that at Gilmerton, was discovered about
eighty or ninety years ago. It was worked by tirring till about
thirty or forty years ago, when a successful attempt was made to
work it by means of a mine. A level was at first made to the burn
near Burdiehouse Mains, for the purpose of carrying off the water,
but afterwards a steam-engine was procured for this purpose. The
rock is about 30 feet thick, lies at an angle of 45,° and is of
excellent quality. It runs from Burdiehouse Mains to Straiton, and
rock precisely the same kind is not found in any other part of the
parish. Its organic remains have attracted much attention, and many
valuable specimens of them are to be seen in the Museum of the
Royal Society, Edinburgh, collected with great care by Sir John
Robison.
The limestone was formerly carried to the surface by means of asses,
as at Gilmerton, but, in 1822, two gins, with inclined planes, were
erected for this purpose. From that period till 1827, this quarry
was worked very extensively, producing in 1825 and 1826, when the
mania for building raged in Edinburgh, from 800 to 1000 bolls of six
bushels each per week during the summer, and employing from forty to
fifty men during the year. In 1829, the rock being worked out to the
level at which the steam-engine carried off the water, a new
discovery of rock was made to the west, a quarry opened, and a level
run to the old quarry, in consequence of which the work is now
carried on. The stones are brought to the surface by means of a gin
and inclined plane, and conveyed from thence to the kilns by a
railroad. There are at present employed about twenty-five or thirty
men during the year. The produce is about 300 bolls a-week, or
between 15,000 and 16,000 bolls per annum. The consumpt of small
coals is about 12,000 bolls a-year, formerly obtained from Gilmerton;
but since the coal-work there was discontinued, from Sir George
Clerk's works at Loanhead.
Sandstone Quarries.- There is an excellent and valuable quarry at
Niddry, but the working of it is at present suspended, except for
purposes connected with the estate. There is also abundance of
excellent freestone at Craigmillar, but lately the quarry was shut
up. It was worked very extensively whilst the building mania raged
in Edinburgh; and George's Square, the Regent's Bridge, and the
greater proportion of the south districts of Edinburgh were built
from it, as were also the barracks at Jock's Lodge.
The quarry at Straiton is in operation. The stone is good, and the
annual produce is stated to be L. 40. A beautiful yellow sand, of
considerable value, is also excavated at Gilmerton.
Produce.- The average gross raw produce of the parish, and its
value, as nearly as these can be ascertained, are as follows:
Wheat. 6416 bolls, at L. 1, 7s. per boll,
- L. 8661 12 0
Barley. 2990 bolls at L. 1, ls. per boll
- 3139 10
0
Oats, 8063 bolls at 17s. per boll
- 6853
11 0
Hay, 132,340 stones at 10d. per stone
- 5514 3
4
Beans, 152 bolls at L. 1, per boll,
-
152 0 0
potatoes, 23,124 bolls at 9s. 6d. per boll
- 10,984 18 0
Turnips, 5345 tons, at 15s. per ton,
- 4008
15 0
Grass parks, 370 acres,
-
1680 0 0
Coals at present discontinued] 22,500 tons, at 10s. per ton
- 11,250 0 0
Lime, 15,500 bolls,
-
1937 1 0
Gardens and orchards, .
-
1200 0 0
Annual thinnings of wood,
-
250 0 0
Wool,
-
310 0 0
Stones at Straiton quarry,
-
40 0 0
Sand at Gilmerton,
-
200 0 0
L.56,181 10 4
V.
- Parochial Economy
Market Town &C. - There is no market town in the parish. Edinburgh
and
Dalkeith are the two market places, the former distant rather more
than two miles from the church, the latter nearly four.
Villages.- There are about twenty hamlets in the parish, but the
only village worth naming is Gilmerton, which contained lately 800
souls, and with the immediate neighbourhood no less than 1100.
Means of Communication.- There is here a penny post-office connected
with the establishment in Edinburgh. We have many excellent roads.
The London, Dumfries, Musselburgh, and Dalkeith roads all intersect
the parish, besides the railway to Dalkeith, which passes through a
corner of it. The parish roads are, besides, most admirably kept.
The length of the turnpike roads is fully twelve miles, and besides
the Dumfries and London mails, coaches to Lasswade, Dalkeith,
Jedburgh, Carlisle, and Peebles pass through the parish daily, and
some of them more frequently.
Ecclesiastical State.- The situation of the parish church is,
perhaps, upon the whole, as good as any that could be found,
although for some parts of the parish it is very inconvenient. Its
distance from the northern and western extremities of the parish is
only about a mile, whilst from the eastern extremity it is nearly
five miles, and from the southern extremity three miles. The remedy
for this, however, is obviously to strike off these districts from
the parish altogether, as it is by far too extensive, and this has
now been done with Gilmerton, and is in progress, as it seems to
have been contemplated in regard to the eastern district as far back
nearly as 200 years ago, as will appear from the following extract
from the records of the Synod, 1650: "The whole meeting" of a joint
committee of the Synod and Presbytery of Dalkeith, "unanimously
voiced that Brunstane, and the lands and milns thereto belonging,
should be recommended to be annexed to the kirk to be erected at
Fisherrow." The parish church of Liberton was erected in 1815, and
has not been altered since. It is a very handsome building, with a
beautiful tower, and forms a fine object in the landscape. A vast
improvement might be made by forming a new approach to it from the
Dumfries road on the west, and ornamenting it with trees. It is
melancholy to see so little taste displayed by our Scottish
heritors, generally, in regard to the exterior and even interior of
our places of worship. The churches in England are generally models
in this respect. The church here contains 1430 sittings, and is
therefore much larger than any church should be. Seat-letting
prevailed to some extent for 100 years, but was lately discontinued
as an illegal practice, and now the sittings are entirely free. It
appears from the records, that the control of the seats of the
church anciently belonged to the kirk-session. The manse was built
in 1821, and is a substantial and comfortable building. The glebe
contains only about four acres of land in two detached portions,
besides the garden and site of the manse. Its value is about L. 20
a-year. The stipend amounts to 20 chalders of grain, with L. 10 for
communion elements, and L. 10, called Prebend's fees, from the
tithes of Sir David Baird. The value of the whole stipend, on an
average of seven years, ending in 1835, was, L. 326, 14s. 7d.; but
it was only augmented to its present amount in 1830.
New Churches - There is a new church in the parish, erected in
connexion with the General Assembly's Church Extension Scheme, for
which the people are in a great measure indebted to the zeal of Mr
Anderson of Moredun. Several of the other heritors have contributed
handsomely towards its erection and support. It is erected in
Gilmerton, and was opened on the 20th April 1837. It is seated for
300 people. It cost, including the expense of the gate and walls, L.
600, raised, partly by subscription, and partly by a grant from the
Assembly's Committee. It is quite free from debt. The ground on
which it is erected, and which extends to 1 rood, 20 poles, and 20
yards imperial measure, is feued by the Liberton kirk-session from
Sir David Baird for L. 2 a-year. A constitution for this church was
granted by the Assembly in 1838, and the first minister, the Rev.
Walter Fairlie from Whitehaven, was inducted on the 16th of August
of the same year. The new parish contains a population of nearly
1100 persons, the greatest distance of any of the people from church
being scarcely more than one mile. It is bounded by Lasswade,
Dalkeith, Newton, and Liberton. The minister of the new church
receives L. 80 a-year, raised by a subscription of L. 5 a-year
each, from a number of gentlemen, chiefly connected with Liberton,
and by annual collections here and at Gilmerton. But we are
earnestly expecting a more secure and competent endowment from
Government, The seats are all free, and the collections, amounting
to from L. 32 to L. 35 annually, after defraying the necessary
expenses, are given to the poor. At the first dispensation of the
Lord's Supper in the new church the number of communicants was 130,
but this number is slightly diminished, owing to the breaking up of
the colliery. A subscription has been commenced for the building of
a manse to the minister of Gilmerton, which amounts already to L.
180. Great and obvious good has already resulted from the erection
of this church.
Missionaries.- There was a catechist employed in this parish last
year under the management of the kirk-session, and supported by a
subscription, which amounted to about L. 34. His place has not been
supplied. A missionary is at present employed in the eastern
district of the parish, and in parts of the parishes of Inveresk,
Duddingston, and Portobello, where it would be most desirable to
have a new church erected. The missionary is a licentiate of the
Established Church, and is supported very inadequately by
subscription. There is also a preaching station at Niddry, conducted
by this missionary and the parish minister, attended by nearly 100
persons.
Dissenters.- There is no dissenting place of worship in the parish,
and the great mass of the people profess to belong to the
Established Church. In 1836, 2873 persons professed to belong to the
Established Church, and 689 to be Dissenters of all denominations.
But the number of Dissenters has diminished since then, and,
although some of them are most excellent persons, a few who call
themselves Dissenters are in fact heathens, as is also the case with
some who say they belong to the Established Church; nor will it be
otherwise until the parish is considerably subdivided. There are no
Papists in the parish.
Attendance at the Parish Church.- Divine service at the parish
church is well attended, especially in summer and when the weather
is good, and the number of worshippers is increasing. A good many of
the people, however, have long been destitute of regular habits of
church-going. Mr Whyte states, that at his time "a great many were
lukewarm and indifferent, or rather seemed to have no religion."
Still it is a melancholy fact that, in this respect, we are not
worse than others, for if the population be considered and the
number of seats (about 1800 between Liberton and Gilmerton), it will
be found that the average of attendance on public worship here is
above that of a good many of the parishes of Scotland. It is only
meant, that it is still very far short of what it should be. The
average number of communicants is about 600, of whom about 100 were
admitted in 1835, and 80 in 1836. There are besides 130 at Gilmerton.
Contributions for Religious Purposes.- The average amount of
extraordinary collections in 1835 was L. 70, 9s. 6d. Since then,
however, it has been greater, nearly L. 100 a-year being raised for
the support of Gilmerton church; L. 17 for our Sabbath schools;
upwards of L. 20, for our new day schools; a small sum for a Bible
Society; and, in 1838, L. 34 for a catechist, and about L.10 for the
missionary at Easter Duddingston.
Education.- There are ten schools of all kinds in the parish. Only
one of these is a parochial school. The maximum salary is attached
to this school, and the teacher has the legal accommodations; It is
attended by nearly 80 children. The usual branches of instruction
are well taught. Four of the other schools are endowed to a small
extent. The teacher at Gilmerton has a free house, school-house, and
garden, with L. 15 a-year contributed by Sir David Baird, Miss Innes,
and David Anderson, Esq. The school-house is not in good repair. The
teacher at Niddry has a free house, garden, and school-house, with
L, 10 a-year from the family at Niddry. The schoolhouse was rebuilt
in 1837 by means of a sum of money left under the charge of the
parish minister, and it is also used as a preaching station. The
school at Cameron, with the houses attached to it, belongs to the
kirk-session. It was purchased in 1838 for L. 200, although it cost
only the year before more than twice that sum; but, when bought, it
was part of a bankrupt estate. The teacher there, besides a free
house and garden, receives L. 15 a-year from the Assembly's
Committee; but the district in which he labours is very poor, and
the people careless about the education of their children. His fees
are therefore very small. The school at Burdiehouse was commenced
in 1837. It is attended by nearly 80 children in winter, and the
teacher is endowed by Mrs Trotter of Mortonhall, who has also very
generously established a school for girls, which is succeeding
admirably. A free school was in former times supported by the
Craigmillar family at Nether Liberton, when the population of that
village was greater. The other schools are at Niddry, Liberton Dams,
Echobank, Cameron, and Gilmerton, and are chiefly for girls and
smaller children. About 450 children only attend all the schools in
the parish, and perhaps 30 more are at schools in the neighbouring
parishes. The school fees are from 1 s. to ls. 6d. a-month. The
teachers are nearly all members of the Established Church.
The people in general may be said to be alive to the advantages of
education, although to this rule there are a great many exceptions.
Many efforts have been made lately by addresses from the pulpit, and
otherwise, to stir them up to send their children to school, and
with some success. A good many have, lately, been sent to school by
the kirk-session and by benevolent individuals, but in three
districts of the parish around our district schools I counted lately
70 children, between five and fourteen years of age, who are
attending no school, and in the other districts the same evil
prevails.
Schools required.- It would be a most important thing, were a proper
female school established and endowed, as part of the regular
parochial machinery of every parish, and were the number of schools
always to bear a proportion to the population. One parish school
can never instruct one-sixth of the children in a parish like this.
There should be a well endowed school for every 500 of the
population. For this purpose, all our district schools should be
raised to the rank of parish schools and suitably endowed. The
status and character of all teachers, even those at present called
parochial, should as much as possible be raised, by a liberal
provision for their maintenance (which at present is often not so
great as that of a collier or mason), and the fees should be as much
as possible lowered A most marked improvement has already followed
even the imperfect efforts made in this parish for the improvement
of education.
Literature.- There have been for several years libraries in Liberton
and Gilmerton. The one in Gilmerton was chiefly established by the
late Rev. Mr Grant and Dr Stevenson, and is now valuable, containing
a great many excellent books. The Liberton library is also good, and
is managed by a committee of the subscribers. A new library was
lately established at Liberton Church in connexion with the Sabbath
School, which meets in the church before public worship. It contains
already 150 volumes, which are eagerly read by the children, who
amount to about 100, under eight or nine teachers. A similar library
has been established in connexion with the Sabbath school at
Gilmerton.
Poor and Parochial Funds.- The average number of persons receiving
aid from the kirk-session was, in 1835, 129; in 1836, 120; in 1837,
110; so that the number is gradually diminishing The sum given to
each varies from L. 7, 16s. to L. 1, 6s. per annum. The sum expended
on ordinary paupers was, in 1837, L. 309, 9s, 1d.; in 1836, L. 348,
1s.; in 1835, L. 391, 18s. 10d. Besides this, other sums were
expended, amongst which from L. 3 to L, 5 were given each year in
the form of occasional relief to persons not upon the poor's roll;
L. 7, 18s. ld. was applied to the education of seventeen poor
children; and in 1836, L. 29, 4s.; in 1837, L. 36, 19s. 4d. raised
by voluntary contribution, was devoted to the purchase of coals for
the poor during the unusual severity of winter. The poor of this
parish are partly supported by voluntary contributions, partly by
assessments. The first assessment was made in 1779. Before that the
average collections at the church doors was L. 42, 10s. 9 1/4d. At
present the average is greater, being L. 55, 0s. 8d. The amount of
assessment was in 1835, L. 399, 3s. 4 1/2d.; in 1836, L. 497, 5s. 9
1/2d.; in 1837, L.350, 0s. 11d. For the same years the collections
were, 1835, L. 53, 9s. 1d.; 1836, L. 61, 11s. 11 1/2d.; 1837, L. 50,
0s. 11 3/4d.; of which two last sums, if the extraordinary
collections above-mentioned be added, the amount of collection will
be, for 1836, L. 90, 15, 11 1/2d.; and for 1837, L.87, 0s. 3 3/4d.
The mortcloth and other dues were, in 1835, L. 37, 6s. 6d.; 1836, L.
35, 14s. 5d.; 1837, L. 25, 11s. To this may be added the collections
at the new church of Gilmerton, amounting to from L. 32 to L. 35 a-
year, part of which are given to the poor. There is also distributed
the interest of L.1000, left by Captain Home in the hands of the
Magistrates of Edinburgh, for the benefit of decayed labourers in
this parish, and the rents of other property belonging to the
kirk-session.
The assessment has the effect of drying up the sources of charity,
and emboldening paupers to cast themselves and their children on the
poor's funds. The old Scottish plan of voluntary contributions was
certainly the best for supporting the poor. But it is only
practicable in small parishes, with an efficient minister and staff
of elders. Nothing can remove the evil of assessments now, (which
would be ten times greater, but for the efforts of the
kirk-session,) but the subdivision of parishes, the diffusion of
sound instruction and Christian principle amongst the people, and
the removal of whisky-shops. Crime, drunkenness, and poverty, are
always
found together, and expending money upon the poor, except for the
purpose of making them better, will as soon cure the evil as
pouring oil upon a flame will quench it. It would be well if the
attention of the proprietors of Scotland were called to this mighty
evil in our overgrown parishes, for unless something is done to
break them up, and to apply a moral remedy, which is the only
effectual one, and by far the cheapest, the clergy and kirk-sessions
must, as in large towns, throw away the reins which at present they
hold with difficulty. There is no part of our duty in large parishes
so laborious and thankless as the management of the poor.
Ale-houses.- There are 32 shops for the sale of spirits in this
parish, which is just thirty too many, and the effect is as
pernicious as possible. It is just so many persons scattered over
the parish with their families and relations, whose living depends
on the success with which they can prevail upon their neighbours to
drink. One man is paid for teaching sobriety, but thirty-two have an
interest in defeating his efforts, and human nature is on their
side. At the same time some of these publicans are very respectable
people, and the blame chiefly rests with those who let and license
so many houses of that description. No ale-houses are allowed to
exist by the proprietors or tenants on the estates of Niddry,
Mortonhall, Moredun, or Brunstane.
MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS.
A
vast improvement has taken place in the physical state of is parish
since the last Statistical Account was written. Then the real rental
was L. 10,000 a-year; lately it was nearly L. 28,000, or almost
three times as much. It is in fact one of the richest parishes in
Scotland. But other improvements have not kept pace. Little has been
done towards improving the cottages in which the great mass of the
people reside, for of the whole inhabitants, amounting to nearly
4000, only 207 are above the poor and working classes, and even
amongst this number are included teachers, fanners, and sometimes
publicans and shop-keepers. Some of the houses of the others are
very wretched, although something is likely to be done now for the
purpose of improving them. The means of religious instruction also
were till lately precisely in the same state, notwithstanding the
immense increase of wealth and population; and, as might have been
expected, vice has increased; and whereas formerly there was no
assessment, now there is one of L. 400 a-year, which till lately was
rapidly increasing. The assessment for the first half year after the
induction of the present minister was L. 300; for last half year it
was only L. 150, and for the whole year L.350. We have no precise
means of ascertaining, but the number of public-houses has probably
increased fourfold or perhaps tenfold since the last Account was
written, thus still further increasing the evil, and filling the
land with crime. Some important changes have, however, lately been
made. The church, manse, and school-house have all been renewed
since the last Account was written; a new church has been erected in
Gilmerton; new and improved schools set up at Cameron and
Burdiehouse; a good many Sabbath schools opened; two new religious
libraries established; additional elders ordained; a preaching
station begun at Niddry; and a missionary established in the eastern
district of the parish.