CULTER, a village and parish, in the Upper ward of
the county of Lanark, 2^ miles (S. W.) from Biggar;
containing, exclusively of Kilbucho, 536 inhabitants, of
whom 197 are in the village. This village takes its
name from its situation in the rear of the district.
The parish was originally of less
extent than it is at present, having in 1*94 been much
enlarged by the addition of part of the parish of Kilbucho,
in the adjoining county of Peebles. It is now
seven miles in length, and rather less than three in average
breadth; it is bounded on the west by the river
Clyde, and comprises 11,547 acres, of which 4000 are
arable, 7000 meadow and pasture, and 500 woodland
and plantations. The surface is pleasingly undulated,
and towards the south rises into hills of considerable
eminence, increasing into mountains, the highest of
which, called the Fell, has an elevation of more than
2300 feet above the sea. The lower part of the parish
is diversified with spreading vales and narrow glens.
The former are enlivened by the course of the river
Clyde, whose banks are ornamented with handsome seats
and pleasure-grounds; and of the latter, the glen of
Culter Water, which derives its name from its rivulet, is
beautifully picturesque and romantic. The wider portion
of this glen is richly cultivated and wooded, and
the narrower part gradually diminishes till it scarcely
affords room for the passage of the stream, which, after
flowing through the whole length of the parish, falls
into the Clyde a little below the village. At a point
called Wolf-Clyde, the river Clyde makes a remarkable
curve towards the north-west, approaching very nearly
to the bank of the Biggar Water, which runs into the
Tweed; and in high floods, uniting with that stream, a
considerable portion of the Clyde waters is carried into
the Tweed.
The soil varies considerably, but is generally dry and
fertile. The lower lands consist of a sandy loam, which
under good management is very productive; on the hills
the soil is of much lighter qualitj', and on the summits
mostly a sterile moss; towards the eastern part of the
parish, on the lands of Kilbucho, it inclines to clay. The
hills are of the greywacke formation; and little variety
is found in the substrata, except the occasional occurrence
of conglomerate or pudding-stone. In this parish
the system of agriculture has been much improved under
the auspices of the chief landed proprietor, who has
greatly promoted the plantation of timber, the draining
and inclosure of the lands, and the raising of wheat
crops, to which previously little attention was paid.
The rotation plan of husbandry is now generally prevalent,
and green crops are found to answer well; the chief
produce is oats. Barley and wheat are sparingly produced.
The sheep are the short black-faced breed,
which are found to be the best adapted to the hilly pastures;
the cows are the Ayrshire. The annual value of
real property in the parish, exclusively of the Kilbucho
portion, is £5231. The plantations are principally of
Scotch fir; but though it thrives well for a few years, it
soon falls into decay, and consequently little timber of
any growth is produced. At Culterallers, however,
are some acres of natural trees, among which are the
alder, birch, hazel, mountain-ash, and willow; and in
other parts of the parish are remarkably fine specimens
of ancient timber. The mansion-houses, most of which
are beautifully situated on the banks of the Clyde, add
greatly to the scenery. The village is pleasantly situated
on the banks of the Culter Water, along which, at irregular
distances, a range of neatly-built houses with intervening
trees of fine growth, extends for a considerable
way. It is intersected by the turnpike-road from Dumfries
to Edinburgh, which is carried over the stream by
a neat bridge of modern erection.
The parish, which is of some antiquity, belonged in
the reign of David II. to Walter Byset, who held the
half barony of Culter of the king in capitc, and in 1367
granted the lands, with the advowson of the church, excepting
only the lands of Nisbet, to William Newbiggin
of Dunsyre. They subsequently came into the possession
of WiUiani, Earl of Douglas, by whose descendant, James,
they were in 1455 forfeited to the crown. Sir David
Meuzies, who afterwards obtained possession of the half
barony, gave the lands of Wolf-Clyde to the abbey of
Melrose, and they now pay annually a small sum to the
Duke of Buccleuch as lord of that manor. For ecclesiastical
purposes the parish is in the presbytery of Biggar,
synod of Lothian and Tweeddale, and in the patronage
of the families of Baillie of Lammingtoune, and Dickson
of Kilbucho, alternately. The minister's stipend is £217,
with a manse, and a glebe valued at £30. 12. per annum.
Culter church, erected in ISIO, a plain edifice beautifully
situated, commodious, and accessible to the parishioners,
is adapted to a congregation of nearly 400 persons. A
place of worship has been erected in connexion with the
Free Church. The parochial school affords education to
all the children of the parish except those of the part
formerly in the parish of Kilbucho, the original school
of which is still retained; the salary of the master of
Culter school is £34, with £20 fees, and a dwelling-house
and garden.
Remains exist of four circular encampments, which
seem to have been formed for the protection of the inhabitants,
and the security of their cattle, during the
periods of the border warfare. There are also two circular
moats, one at Wolf-Clyde and one at Bamflat, which
appear to have been raised as signal stations; and along
the vale between the Clyde and the Tweed is a continuous
chain of similar mounds, most probably employed
for the same purpose. About half a mile from the lands
of Nisbet, is an oval mound in the midst of a deep
raorass; the longer diameter is about forty yards, the
shorter about thirty, and the mound rises above the
surface to the height of nearly three feet. It is called
the Green Knowe, and consists of heaps of loose stones,
compacted together by stakes of hard oak, sharpened at
the points and driven into the ground. Around the
base is a causeway of larger stones; and the whole is
surrounded by a soft elastic moss, impervious to the
approach of an enemy. The mound has for many years
been used as a quarry.