KETTLE, a parish, in the district of Cupar, county
of Fife; including the villages of Balmalcolni, Bankton-
Park, Coalton, and Holekettle- Bridge, and the hamlets
of Muirhcad and Myreside; and containing 2312 inhabitants,
of whom 480 are in the village of Kettle, 6
miles (S. W.) from Cupar. This place derives its name,
which in ancient documents is written C'atril and
Katel, from its having belonged to the kings of Scotland,
by whom it was appropriated to the pasture of the cattle
of the royal household; and towards the close of the last
century there were, on the lands of Blackdikes, the
remains of an ancient building, said to have been the
residence of the king's herdsman. The greater portion
of the lands is still the property of the crown, and the
rents are duly paid into the exch.equer. The parish is
situated on the river Eden, and is bounded on the north
by the parishes of Auchtermuchty and Collessie; on the
south by Markinch, Kcnnoway, and Leven; on the east
by the parish of Ceres and Cults; and on the west by
the parish of Falkland. It is about eight miles in length,
and three miles at its greatest breadth, forming an irregular
area of nine square miles. In some parts the surface
is level, and in others rises to a considerable elevation:
the lower parts are watered by the Eden, which abounds
with red and white trout, pike, and eels; and though in
summer its stream is very shallow, yet, from its winding
course, and the sluggishness of its current, it sometimes
inundates the adjacent lands. To remedy this evil,
frequent attempts were long ago made to open a canal
of considerable depth, to receive and carry off the superfluous
waters; and Mr. Johnstone, in 1783, cut a spacious
canal through the extent of his own lands, which
materially improved his property; but the neighbouring
proprietors not continuing the line through their estates,
the evil is but partially removed, and many of the low
grounds are still subject to occasional floods.
The SOIL is very various, even in the level lands, part
of which are extremely rich and fertile, and others
sandy, with moss resting on beds of stifif clay. On the
rising grounds are light friable moulds, with a strong
clayey soil, which under proper management produces
good crops: the more hilly parts of the parish afford
excellent pasture, and even to their summits are covered
with verdure. The whole number of acres is 6375, the
principal portion of which is arable; very little land is
in pasture, and the chief plantations comprise not more
than 200 acres. A moderate extent of common has
been divided, and partly brought into cultivation and
partly planted, by which the appearance of the parish
is greatly improved. The crops are barley, wheat, oats,
potatoes, and turnips, with the usual green crops; the
system of husbandry is of a highly advanced kind, and
much greater quantities of grain, and of finer quality,
than formerly, have been raised of late years, a very
considerable portion being now sent to the neighbouring
markets. The farm-buildings are substantial and commodious,
generally roofed with slate; and all the improvements
in agricultural implements havebeeii adopted.
Considerable progress has also been made in draining
and inclosing the lands; the fences, partly of stone and
partly of thorn, are kept in good order. The substratum
is mostly limestone, freestone, and fine trap whinstone.
The limestone is of excellent quality; it contains, according
to an analysis, ninety-eight parts of fine lime in
every hundred, and is worked at Forthar quarry, belonging
to General Balfour, from whose pits at Balbirnie the
kilns are supplied with coal. This quarry affords employment
to a considerable number of men; and the
produce, after supplying the neighbourhood, is sent to
Newburgh, whence it is shipped to Dundee and other
places. Coal was formerly wrought at Burnturk, in the
parish; but with the exception of a little which is employed
in burning lime, it is not now worked. Ironstone
is also found, but in small quantities. One of the beds
of trap whinstone rises perpendicularly in pentagonal
columns from five to seven feet in height; and these,
when detached from the quarry, are without further
preparation used for gate pillars. There is also a quarry
of trap tuffa, which, from the durability of the stone, and
its capability of resisting the action of fire, is admirably
adapted for ovens and other purposes subjecting it to
intense heat. The annual value of real property in the
parish is £S6r5.
The lands are divided among numerous proprietors;
the late Mr. Johnstone, of Lathrisk, built an elegant mansion
upon that estate, and there are several other handsome
houses, belonging to resident proprietors, which,
with the plantations on their demesnes, greatly enliven the
scenery. The village of Kettle is pleasantly situated on
the south side of the river Eden, and is well inhabited;
it is plentifully supplied with provisions of every kind
at a moderate price. Many of the inhabitants of the
parish are employed in weaving linen, in which, upon
an average, 400 hand-looms are engaged; the principal
article is dowlas, and about forty looms are occupied in
weaving window-blinds. There is also a mill for the
manufacture of linen yarn. Facility of intercourse with
the neighbouring district is greatly promoted by the
line of road forming the thoroughfare from the Firth of
Forth to the Firth of Tay, which is continued for four
miles through the parish. A post-office has been established
in the village, and the Edinburgh, Perth, and
Dundee railway has a station here. Ecclesiastically the
parish is within the bounds of the presbytery of Cupar,
synod of Fife; and the patronage is vested in the Crown.
The stipend of the incumbent is f'i'iS: the manse,
built in 1792, is a substantial and comfortable residence
in good repair; and the glebe is valued, with £"2. 3. 4. in
lieu of pasturage, at £5.3. 4. per annum. Kettle church,
a handsome cruciform edifice in the later English style,
with a square tower, was erected in 1S34-5, at an e.xpense
of £3000, and is adapted for 1200 persons. There are
places of worship for members of the Free Church and
United Presbyterian Church. The parochial school is
under good regulation; the master has a salary of £34,
with an e.vcellent house and garden, and the fees, which
are very moderate. On the hills of Bowden and Downfield
are some remains of ancient encampments; and
there are several barrows in the parish, of which two,
called respectively Pundlers Know and Lowries Know,
are in the grounds of Forthar, and a third, called Lackerstone,
in the grounds of Kettle. In the eastern extremity
of the parish are some lands called Clatto, formerly the
residence of the Seatons, whose predatory excursions are
still the subject of traditionary story.