CORTACHY-AND-CLOVA, a parish, in the county
of Forfar, 4 miles (N.) from Kirriemuir; containing
867 inhabitants. The former of these ancient parishes,
which were united in I6O8, is supposed to have derived
its name, anciently Quartachie, from a Gaelic term
descriptive of the situation of its church and castle in a
small valley surrounded with elevated lands. Of the
latter parish the name is of very uncertain derivation.
The barony of Cortachy belonged at a very early period
to the family of Ogilvy, ancestors of the Earls of Airlie,
and whose baronial castle here has for many generations
been their chief seat, and is still the residence of the
present earl. The district of Cortachy is about ten
miles in length and nearly four in average breadth, of
somewhat triangular form, narrow at the southern extremity,
where it is bounded by the confluence of the rivers
South Esk and Prosen, and comprising about 23,700
acres. Clova, which is nearly of equal length, and
varies from two to almost four miles in breadth, is situated
to the north-west of Cortachy, and comprises an
area of 19,000 acres; making a total in the whole parish
of nearly 43,000 acres, of which about 3540 are arable,
1000 woodland and plantations, and the remainder
mountain pasture and waste.
The surface of the parish is boldly diversified, and
embellished with features of picturesque beauty and
majestic grandeur in striking contrast. The south-western
portion embraces part of one of the Grampian ranges,
extending nearly through the entire length of the district,
and declining on the south and south-west towards
the river Prosen, and on the north and north-east towards
the South Esk. Opposite to this mountainous
range is another of greater elevation, stretching through
the whole of the parish; and between them are the
beautiful and richly-cultivated vales of Wateresk and
Clova. The latter vale is divided on the north by a
lofty mountain into two narrow glens, one of which takes
a north-western, and the other a south-western direction.
From these glens the adjacent mountains appear in all
their towering grandeur, varying in height from 1500 to
more than 3000 feet, and presenting a combination of
bold and precipitous masses of barren rock, immense
heights covered to their very summits with various kinds
of grasses, and hills of stupendous elevation, affording
excellent pasturage for both cattle and sheep. The river
South Esk has one of its sources in Loch Esk, and others,
of still greater power, in the stream of Falfearnie, &c.;
it flows through the parish for nearly twenty miles,
receiving in its course numerous tributary streams,
among which is the Whitewater. Loch Esk, situated
among the mountains, six miles north-west of the vale
of Clova, is about half a mile in circumference, of comparatively
inconsiderable depth, and surrounded with
scenery rather of bleak and rugged character. Loch
Wharral, in the heart of the mountainous district at the
north-eastern boundary of the parish, and about 1000
feet above the level of the Esk, is a mile in circumference,
and of very considerable depth. About two
miles to the north-east of Loch Wharral is Loch Brany,
on the same side of the mountain range, and nearly at
a like elevation; it is about a mile and a half in circumference,
and in some parts of great depth. These lakes
abound with trout, and many trout are also found in
the river, of large size and good flavour, as are sea-trout
during the summer. Salmon, too, are found in the Esk,
towards the middle of September.
The SOIL is very various. The greater portion of that
in the arable lands is sharp and gravelly, inclining in
some parts to a fertile loam, and in others to a thin stony
sand. In the southern districts of the parish it is much
mixed with clay; and along the bases of the hills, partly
a fine deep mould, and partly hard and stony, alternated
with moss. In the valleys there is a rich deposit of alluvial
soil, inclining to sand, with alternations of moss, and
in other parts a deep sandy loam. The principal crops
are oats, barley, wheat, turnips, and potatoes; the system
of agriculture is improved, and the rotation plan of
husbandry is generally practised. Great attention is
paid to the management of live stock. The cattle chiefly
reared are the Angus breed; they are of middling size,
and generally disposed of when two or three years old.
The mountains afford pasture for great numbers of sheep,
mostly of the black-faced and Cheviot breeds; and in
addition to those reared in the parish, numbers are
bought when young, and fed till three or four years old,
when they are sold at high prices. In this parish the
woods consist of oak, ash, mountain-ash, elm, plane,
beech, chesnut, alder, and birch; and the plantations, of
larch, Scotch, spruce, white and black American, and silver
firs. Much attention is paid to pruning and thinning
at proper times, especially on the lands of the Earl
of Airlie, to whose father the gold medal of the Highland
Society was adjudged in 1830, for his extensive improvements.
The rocks are of red sandstone, pudding-stone,
whinstone, serpentine, mica-schist, gneiss, clay-slate,
quartz, and granite; limestone is also found, but unless
taken from a considerable depth, it is not of very good
quality. The annual value of real property in the parish
is £3887.
Cortachy Castle, a seat of the Earl of Airlie's, is a spacious
and ancient structure with modern additions, beautifully
situated in a small valley on the south side of the
river Esk: the date of the more ancient part, and the
name of the original founder, are both unknown. Of the
castle of Clova but little remains; it is said to have been
destroyed by Cromwell, during the parliamentary war.
Facility of communication with the neighbouring towns
is afforded by good roads, of which that to Strathmore
passes through the whole length of the parish. Fairs for
cattle and sheep are held on the farm of Collow, on the
last Friday in April, and fourth Monday in October; the
latter is one of the largest sheep-markets in the country,
and the number of sheep sold is generally from 8000 to
12,000. For ECCLESIASTICAL purposes the parish is
within the bounds of the presbytery of Forfar, synod of
Angus and Mearns. The minister's stipend is about
£173, with a manse, and a glebe valued at £15 per annum;
patron, the Earl of Airlie. The present church
of Cortachy, situated near the southern extremity of the
parish, was erected on the site of the former edifice, in
1829, by the then earl, at an expense of more than £2000;
it is a handsome structure, containing 550 sittings, all of
them free. Clova church, about ten miles distant from
the church of Cortachy, is an ancient structure, repaired
and enlarged by the erection of a gallery in 1731, and
lately repewed. It contains 250 sittings, all of which
are free, except the gallery, which is let for the benefit of
the poor. Near it is a good house for a missionary, who
officiates alternately in this church and the chapel of
Glenprosen, and who has a regular stipend of £30 from
Royal Bounty, £30 from the inhabitants of the districts,
and £21 from the Earl of Airlie. The parochial school
is situated near Cortachy church; the master has a
salary of £34, with a house and garden, and the fees
average £15. The parochial library has a collection of
200 volumes, chiefly the gift of the Ogilvy family.