LONMAY, a parish, in the district of Deer, county
of Aberdeen, 6 miles (S. E. by S.) from Fraserburgh;
containing, with the village of St. Combs, 1919 inhabitants.
The name is supposed to have been derived from
a word in the Celtic language descriptive of the flat
marshy nature of the ground, now drained. The parish
is about nine miles and a half long, and varies in breadth
from half a mile to three miles and a half, containing an
area of 11,045 acres. It is bounded on the north-east
by the German Ocean; on the north-west by the parish
of Rathen; on the west by Strichen; on the south by
the parishes of Deer and Longside; and on the east by
Crimond. The sea-shore is flat and sandy, without bay
or headland; and with the exception of two or three
moderate ridges, the interior of the parish consists of
two extensive plains, of which the northern contains the
estates of Cairness, Craigellie, Lonmay, Blairmormond,
and part of Inveralochy and Crimonmogate. The chief
portion of this division is well cultivated, and ornamented
with flourishing plantations of various kinds of trees:
the waters of Strathbeg loch cover several hundred acres
in the division. The southern plain, the surface of which
is higher and more unequal, comprehends part of Crimonmogate,
and the estates of Park and Kinninmonth.
Two very extensive peat-mosses are situated in this district,
belonging to the properties of Kinninmonth and
Crimonmogate, and connected with other large mosses
in the parishes of Strichen and Crimond.
A branch of the river Ugie runs between Lonmay and
the parishes of Deer and Longside; and the estuary of
the Moray Firth is considered as commencing at the
north-eastern boundary of the parish. The lake of
Strathbeg has nine-tenths of its extent within Lonmay,
and the other tenth in the parish of Crimond; its average
depth is three feet and a half, and its greatest
depth about six feet and a half. The waters have sunk
considerably during the last thirty years, having been in
1817 four feet higher than at the present time. Upwards
of forty years ago, an attempt was made to drain the
loch; but after great expense had been incurred, it was
rendered abortive by the open canals cut for the purpose
being blocked up by drifting sand. There are a few
small islands in the loch; but its scenery is in general
barren and uninteresting. It contains, however, numerous
kinds of fish, among which are red and yellow
trout, perch, flounders, and very fine eels. In the sea
are found red and white cod, ling, haddock, soles, Johndories,
abundance of the finest turbot, also shell-fish,
sea-trout, shoals of dog-fish, and coal-fish; the whales
called Finners are also occasional visiters, and there are
large quantities of herrings during the season.
The SOIL is generally light and sandy, of a dark hue,
and resting upon a hard bed of red sand with a large
admixture of iron-ore; in some parts, however, the land
is clayey, and in a few places partakes of the nature of
loam. The number of acres cultivated or in pasture is
8175; in wood 280; and in waste, moss, moor, and
stony land, 2590; making the total of 11,045: nearly
900 acres of the land now waste are thought capable
of cultivation. Grain is raised to a considerable extent,
but the soil is best suited to raising grass and turnips.
A regular rotation of cropping has long prevailed; that
which is most approved of is the seven-years' shift.
Much benefit has also been derived from the extensive
use of bone-dust manure, which answers for surfacedressing
the pasture and for sown grasses, but chiefly
for green crops. Near the coast, sea-weed is mixed with
compost, and employed for fallow ground. Large tracts
of land have been reclaimed from waste; good stone inclosures
have been raised in the parish, and roads have
been constructed for local convenience. But the most
prominent feature in the improvements is the introduction
of trench-ploughing. The farm-steadings, also,
once very indifferent, have in some instances been placed
on a much better footing. The cattle were originally
the celebrated Buchan breed, with a kind produced by
crossing the Highland small-horned bull with the larger
native cow. These, however, were displaced by the
polled-cattle, which prevailed during the present century
till within the last twenty years, and always fetched the
first price in the London market. Crosses of the shorthorned
are now preferred, numbers of which are sent to
London. The sheep, which are a mixed breed, carry a
tolerably fine fleece, and their mutton is well flavoured,
but not equal to that of the black or the white faced
Highland sheep, many of which are imported here, and
fattened for sale. On the estate of Crimonmogate are
some South-Downs and Lincolns, and a number of halfbred
English sheep. The small draught-horses formerly
in use, six or eight of which were joined to the plough,
have yielded to a very superior race, distinguished for
hulk and symmetry, and a pair of which are sufficient to
turn the soiL The horses for the saddle are also much
improved in their character, great pains having been
taken by some of the resident gentry to effect this object.
Considerable numbers of pigs are reared, some of which
are a cross of the Bedford and Westphalia, and the
Orkney and Chinese: pork and eggs are sent largely to
London. The annual value of real property in the parish
is £5443.
Among the mansion-houses, that on the estate of
Cairness holds a prominent place. The porch, supported
by four Ionic pillars, and the carved cornices, are of
granite obtained from the parish of Longside: the body
of the fabric is built of greenstone dug on the estate.
It was finished in 1799, at an expense of about £25,000.
Another elegant mansion, on the Crimonmogate property,
was erected a few years ago at a cost of upwards of
£10,000. The only village is St. Combs, situated at the
north-eastern extremity of Lonmay, by the sea-side, and
principally inhabited by fishermen: the main part of the
population are scattered over the parish. The manufacture
of kelp, formerly carried on to some extent, is now
at a very low ebb, in consequence of the free importation
of barilla; about twenty tons were annually made, and
the rent of the kelp-shore averaged £50 per annum.
There are two annual fairs, one in spring and the other
in autumn, for cattle and sheep and for hiring farmservants.
Thirteen boats are employed in the herringfishery,
and about the same number for ordinary whitefishing.
The turnpike-road from Peterhead to Banff, by
Fraserburgh, traverses Lonmay for about a mile and a
half; and that from Fraserburgh to Aberdeen, by Mintlaw,
runs from north to south for nearly six miles through
the parish. A mail-coach passes daily to the south;
and there are two stage-coaches, one from Peterhead to
Banff, by Mintlaw, and the other between Peterhead and
Fraserburgh.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within the
bounds of the presbytery of Deer and synod of Aberdeen;
patron, Gordon of Buthlaw. The stipend of the minister
averages £'2'26, with a manse, erected in IS'24, and a
glebe valued at £18. 15. per annum. The church, which
was built in 1*87 upon a new site, is pretty conveniently
situated, though more than seven miles from the southern
boundary of the parish; it contains 6S0 sittings, and is
in good repair. Originally the church stood by the seaside,
near the village of St. Combs; in 160/ it was removed
to the spot which is now occupied as a buryingground,
where it remained till the present edifice was
erected. There is an additional parochial church at
Kinninmonth, in the south of the parish, built by voluntary
contributions, and through the aid afforded by the
Church-extension committee of the General Assembly,
in consequence of an application made in March, 1S36,
to the presbytery of Deer for another place of worship
on account of the great distance of many parishioners
from the parish church. It accommodates about 400
persons, and a preacher is appointed, who has a cottage
near the church; divine worship is regularly performed,
and the services are well attended. There is also an
episcopal chapel, built in 1797, the minister of which
is paid from the seat-rents; it contains 342 sittings.
Three parochial schools are maintained, in all of which
the usual l)ranches of education arc taught; and in the
chief school, in addition to these, instruction is given in
mathematics, navigation, and Latin. The salaries arc
£28, £13, and £10 a year, respectively; each of the
masters has in addition his fees, and a share in the Dick
bequest. At Crimonmogate is a Druidical circle: the
materials of Lonmay Castle, which was situated near the
sea, have been used in building farm-houses. There are
several chalybeate springs.