TANNADICE, a parish, in the county of Forfar;
containing 1654 inhabitants, of whom 128 are in the
village of Tannadice, 7 miles (N. by E.) from Forfar.
The name of this place, of Gaelic origin, is descriptive
of the position of its church and village in a deeplysheltered
plain on the banks of a river. It appears to
have formed part of the possessions of the Earls of
Buchan, whose residence, the castle of Quiech, of which
there are at present no remains, was situated on the
north side of the river South Esk, and was well adapted,
from its foundation on a precipitous rock, to be the
stronghold of a feudal chieftain. No events of historical
importance are recorded in connexion with the place,
and the lands are now divided among a great number of
proprietors. The parish is about twelve miles in length
from east to west, and of very irregular form, being from
eight to ten miles in extreme, and only about four in
average, breadth. It comprises 38,400 acres, of which
7000 are arable, 5000 woodland and plantations, and
the remainder, comprehending some of the lower of the
Grampian hills, sheep-pastures. The surface is exceedingly
various, rising gently from the south-east, in successive
undulations, towards the Grampian range, and
in some parts attaining a considerable degree of elevation.
St. Arnold's Seat, the highest of the eminences,
is 800 feet above the level of the sea, and commands an
extensive prospect embracing the city of Edinburgh, the
Pentland and Lammermoor hills, and much picturesque
and richly-diversified scenery: on the summit is a cairn,
of considerable size, and conspicuous from almost the
whole of Strathtnore. The principal river is the South
Esk, which rises in the parish of Cortachy and Clova,
and after bounding and flowing through this parish,
receives near its south-eastern extremity, but in the
parish of Careston, the river Noran, which rises in the
parish of Tannadice, and separates it from that of Fearn.
Both these streams in their progress dis|)lay beautiful
and romantic scenery; they abound with excellent
trout, and salmon are also sometimes found in the South
Esk, but in very inconsiderable <nunilities.
The SOIL is extremely various, but in general not
unfertile; the chief crops are grain of all kinds, |)otatoes,
and turnips. Agriculture is nuich improved, and the
rotation plan adopted: the lands arc inclosed with stone
dykes; and subsoil-ploughing and thorough-draining
are very generally practised; the farm-houses are substantially
built of stone, and roofed with slate, and the
offices conveniently arranged. Bone-dust, rape-cake,
and guano have been for some time well known to the
farmers. The hills afford excellent pasture for sheep,
of which, on an average, about '2500 are kept; and
numbers of black-cattle are bred, and, when fattened,
sent to the Glasgow and London markets. The annual
value of real property in the parish is £97 92.
In this district is Downie Park, the property of the
late Lieut.- Colonel Rattray, by whom it was erected, an
elegant mansion situated on the South Esk, and commanding
some beautiful scenery. Inshewan, a handsome
modern mansion, is finely situated on the same river, in
a highly cultivated demesne with an extensive moor
which has been planted. Tannadice House, about four
miles lower down the stream, is also a mansion of modern
erection, embracing some good views, and embosomed
in a demesne embellished with young and
flourishing plantations; and It'liitewells is a pleasant and
spacious residence on the opposite side of the river.
Easter and Wester Ogle, and Glenquiech, are also handsome
residences; and at Marcus is a picturesque cottage
in the English style, built by Lieut.-Col. Swinburne.
The village stands on the banks of the South Esk, and
contains several well-built houses. Many of the inhabitants
are employed in spinning flax for the manufacturers
of Dundee and Montrose, and much yarn is also
sent from those places to be cleaned here: for these
purposes there are two spinning, and four plash, mills,
affording employment to about 200 persons. Facility
of communication with the towns in the district is provided
by several lines of good road, of which two join
with the turnpike-road to Dundee; and by bridges of
stone over the rivers South Esk and Noran.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of
Forfar, synod of Angus and Mearns, and in the patronage
of the Rector and Scholars of St. Mary's College, St.
Andrew's; the minister's stipend is £160, with a manse,
and a glebe valued at £16 per annum. Besides the
parish church, there is a place of worship for members
of the Free Church. The parochial school affords a
useful course of instruction; the master has a salary of
£34. 4. 4., with the fees, and a house and garden.
There is another school, the master of which has a
house and garden rent-free, and about £10 per annum,
in addition to the usual fees; also a school for females,
the mistress of which has a cottage and garden, with
an annual supply of meal, and a daily quantity of milk,
both the gift of Lady Airlie. A savings' bank has been
many years established, in which the amount of deposits
exceeds £300. Several tumuli have been removed in
the parish within the last few years, and the ground
brought into cultivation; they contained some stone
coffins, in which were urns of rude pottery, and ashes.
The site of the ancient castle of Quiech is now occupied
by a small cottage. Near the village was the castle of
Barnyards, the erection of which was commenced by a
member of the Lindsay family, but never finished, the
founder being compelled to flee fur having killed the
proprietor of Finhaven in a quarrel. A hill in the
parish, called Castle Hill, perpetuates the memory of
a third fortalice, whereof nothing remains but the
vestiges of the fosse by which it was surrounded.