CLEISH, a parish, in the county of Kinross, 3 miles
(S. S. W.) from Kinross; containing, with the villages of
Kelty and Maryburgh, 681 inhabitants. This place, the
name of which is of uncertain derivation, is distinguished
by its having formed part of the route taken by Mary,
Queen of Scots, on her flight from the castle of Lochleven,
which circumstance is commemorated by the insertion
of a stone in a bridge at the eastern extremity of
the parish, recording that event, and marking out the
road. The parish is about six miles and a half in length,
and one mile and a half in average breadth. Its surface
is diversified with hills, which form a continuous range
between this parish and Dunfermline, and the highest of
which is Dumglow, rising 1215 feet above the sea; the
summit is fiat, commanding an extensive view over the
surrounding country, from almost every part of which
it is a conspicuous object. The next in height are the
hills called the Ingans, all of them more than 1000 feet
in elevation. The largest stream is the Gairney, which,
after forming the boundary of the parish for nearly five
miles, falls into Loch Leven; it abounds with trout of a
small size, and there are some smaller streams issuing
from the lakes, and numerous springs of excellent water,
affording an abundant supply. Of the several lakes.
Loch Glow is two miles and a half or three miles in circumference,
and the others of very inferior extent; the
fish found in them are pike, perch, eels, and a few trout.
The scenery has been much improved by recent plantations,
and there are some fine specimens of stately timber,
some of them of extraordinary growth; the slopes of
several of the hills, and the summits of others, are finely
planted. Blair-Adam, the seat of Sir Charles Adam, is a
handsome residence, pleasanth' situated: here Sir Walter
Scott composed many of his works.
The soil is varied; in the lower grounds, clay and
deep alluvial soil, with portions of deep moss, which,
when brought into cultivation, is extremely rich. The
chief crops are oats, barley, wheat, potatoes, and turnips,
with various grasses, which grow luxuriantly in
many parts; and the hills afiFord good pasture for
sheep and cattle. Very important improvements have
been made, by which a large extent of unprofitable
land has been brought into cultivation; draining has
been carried on with great spirit, and the system of
husbandry is in a very forward state. Considerable
attention is paid to the rearing of stock: the sheep
pastured on the hills are generally of the black-faced
breed, and those on the lower lands of the Leicestershire
breed; the cattle are the Kinross-shire, Angus, and Fifeshire.
The annual value of real property in the parish
is £5535. Among the substrata are whinstone, greywacke,
and sandstone, of which the hills are mostly composed;
limestone is quarried to a great extent, and coal
is found in seams upwards of thirty feet thick. Whinstone
is wrought for mending the roads, and there are
extensive quarries of freestone; from one of the quarries,
about 14,000 cubic feet are raised annually. At Blair-
Adam is a post-ofRce, a branch of that of Kinross; and
facility of communication with the neighbouring towns
is maintained by good roads, of which the turnpikeroads
from Queensferry and from Dunfermline to Kinross
pass through the parish. Cleish is ecclesiastically in the
presbytery of Dunfermline, synod of Fife, and in the
patronage of Harry Young, Esq.: the minister's stipend
is £156. 15. 4., of which about a half is paid from the
exchequer; with a manse, and a glebe valued at £14
per annum. The late church, erected in 1744, was accidentally
destroyed by fire in 1S32, and the present
church erected in its place; it is a handsome edifice,
adapted for a congregation of 500 persons. The parochial
school is well attended; the master has a salary
of £34, with £26 fees, and a house and garden. Two
other schools in the parish are also well attended.