PITSLIGO-NEW, a village (populous) and quoad sacra parish
(at one time), in the parish of Tyrie, district
of Deer, county of Aberdeen; containing 1814
inhabitants, of whom 1363 are in the village, 11 miles
(S. W.) from Fraserburgh. This place was separated for
ecclesiastical purposes from the parish of Tyrie by the
late Sir William Forbes of Pitsligo, under the sanction of
the General Assembly, in 1799, and in 1834 was erected
into a quoad sacra parish. The village is beautifully
situated on the eastern brow of the hill of Tirlundie,
which is clothed with verdure to its very summit; and
consists of two spacious streets about a mile in length,
and two smaller ranges of building called respectively
Church-street and School-street. The houses are neatly
built; and attached to each of them are some acres of
arable land, with garden-ground and plantations, imparting
to the village a pleasingly rural aspect, and affording
to the inhabitants ample means of profitable employment.
A horticultural society is well supported under
the patronage of the superior, Sir John Stuart Forbes;
and much improvement has taken place in the production
of fruits, flowers, plants, and vegetables of every kind.
The linen and cotton manufactures have been introduced
with success; and about 100 of the inhabitants
are engaged in hand-loom weaving at three public weaving-
shops in the village, for the wholesale houses in
neighbouring towns. The post-ofBce has a tolerably
good delivery; there are several shops well stored with
merchandise, and an inn with excellent accommodation.
Fairs for cattle, sheep, and horses are held on the Wednesdays
after the 26th of February, the 25th May, and
the 5th October. Facility of communication is maintained
by good roads, of which the turnpike-road leading
to BanfiF passes through the western, and that to
Peterhead through the south-eastern part of the village.
Ecclesiastically the place is within the limits of the
presbytery of Deer and synod of Aberdeen: the church,
erected by Sir William Forbes in 1828, is in excellent
repair, but now too small, the weavers having increased
to upwards of SCO; the minister has a stipend of £80,
with a manse, and a glebe of eight acres from Sir John
Stuart Forbes, who is patron. An Episcopalian chapel,
a handsome structure in the later English style of architecture,
has been erected by Sir John, who has endowed
it with £S0 per annum as a stipend to the minister, to
whom he has also given a manse and a portion of land.
A parochial school, the master of which has a salary of
£25, with a house and garden, affords instruction to
nearly 100 children; and there is also a female school
established by the Society for the Propagation of Christian
Knowledge, the mistress of which receives £5 from
the society, with a house and garden from the superior,
and £10 paid by the sisters of Sir John Forbes.