KIRRIEMUIR, a parish and market-town and burgh of barony,
in the county of Forfar; containing, in
1841, 7085 inhabitants, of whom 3067 were in the town,
6 miles (VV. N. W.) from Forfar, and 20 (N. by W.) from
Dundee. It derives its name, which is of disputed
origin, most probably from its local appearance and
position, which would equally justify its appellation, in
the Gaelic signifying " a large hollow ", or, as is supposed
by some, " a wide district." With the exception
of sanguinary conflicts between the chieftains of the seve-
ral clans, during feudal times, there are no events of historical
importance connected with Kirriemuir. It was
usual in the fourteenth century for tlie Highlanders beyond
the Grampian hills to form themselves into bands
under some warlike chieftain, and make depredations in
this part of the country; and in 1392, three chiefs commanded
by Duncan Stewart, natural son of the Earl of
Buchan, came to ravage the district, when a battle occurred
near the town, in which Sir John Ogilvy of this
place, with many of his retinue, were slain. In 1411,
Donald, Lord of the Isles, a firm adherent of the English
interest, who acted as an arbitrary and desjiotic prince,
advanced with his followers to Kirriemuir, to prosecute
his claim to the earldom of Ross, in which he was opposed
by Lord Ogilvy, at that time sheriff of Angus, who
mustered his warlike vassals, and, with the assistance of
the Earl of Mar, obtained a victory over the invader,
whom he defeated with great loss. In 1445, a memorable
conflict occurred between the clans of the Ogilvys and the
Lindsays, in which it is said not less than 500 of the
former were slain on the field of battle. At a subsequent
period, a bitter feud arose between the royal burgh of
Forfar and this place, originating in a dispute about some
ground called the Muir Moss, which was claimed by
both towns, and where a battle, celebrated by Drummond
the poet, was eventually fought, in which the inhabitants
of Kirriemuir had the advantage. Among the families
that have been connected with the place is that of
Ogilvy of Airlie, a collateral branch of the Gilchrists,
Earls of Angus. Its ancestor obtained from William
the Lion a grant of the barony of Ogilvy, whence he
took his name. His descendant. Sir James Ogilvy, was
in great favour with James IV., who created him a peer
of the realm by the title of Baron Ogilvy of Airlie; and
the seventh lord, in consideration of important services
rendered to Charles I., was by that monarch created Earl
of Airhe in 1639.
The TOWN is pleasantly situated, partly on a plain
and partly on rising ground, and consists of streets irregularly
planned, from which numerous others branch
oiF in various directions, with some handsome ranges of
houses in the upper part. From the upper part is an
extensive and richly-varied prospect over the whole vale
of Strathmore, with its towns, castles, plantations, rivers,
and lakes, and the other picturesque and romantic features
that enliven and characterize its surface. The
streets are paved and kept in order by statute labour;
the town is well lighted with gas by a company, and the
inhabitants are scantily supplied with water. A public
library, forming a large collection of volumes of general
literature, is supported by subscription; and there is
also a reading-room in the town, furnished with newspapers
and periodical publications. According to a
census taken by the incumbent about five years ago, the
town contains a population of 3112, and the Southmuir,
divided from it by the rivulet Garie, a population of
1 134: within a circle of one mile, there are about 6000
souls. The chief trade carried on here, and that to
which the town is indebted for its prosperity, is the
manufacture of brown linen, introduced into this part
of the country about the middle of the eighteenth century,
since which time it has steadily continued to increase,
now aflfording employment here to about 3000 persons.
The manufacture has maintained itself at Kirriemuir
in rivalry with towns more advantageously situated;
and it has attained to such perfection that considerable
quantities of yarn are sent here from Montrose and
Dundee, to be manufactured for those markets. The
average number of pieces made annually exceeds 50,000,
tontaining 6,500,000 yards. The post-office has a good
delivery; and a branch of the British Linen Company,
with a large and commodious building, is established in
the town. The market, which is abundantly supplied and
numerously attended, is on Friday. Fairs are held on
the hill at the upper extremity of the town, on the Wednesday
after the 24th of July and the Wednesday after
the 19th October, for sheep; and also, on a smaller scale,
in June and December, on the Wednesdays after Glammis
fairs. Means of communication are afforded by a
good turnpike-road, and by bridges over the Esk and
Prosen; the railway between Perth and Forfar passes
within four miles of the town, and an act was obtained
in 1846 for the construction of a branch railway to Kirriemuir.
This place was a burgh of royalty at a very
remote period, and is subject to a baron, who had formerly
unlimited jurisdiction both in civil and criminal
cases, but whose power, since the abolition of hereditary
jurisdictions, has been greatly diminished. A bailie is
appointed by the baron. Lord Douglas; but his jurisdiction
is limited in civil cases to pleas not exceeding forty
shillings, and in criminal cases to oifences punishable by
fines not above twenty shillings, or imprisonment not
beyond one month. There is a justice-of-peace court
held here for the district, including the parishes of
Glenisla, Lintrathen, Airlie, Kingoldrum, Cortachy, Taunadice,
and Oathlaw; and the peace of the town is preserved
by a sufficient number of constables. A trades'
hall was erected by the various friendly societies of the
place; the lower part is let for shops, and the upper
part, intended for the meeting of the societies, is now
appropriated as a place of worship. There is a small
prison for the temporary confinement of vagrants, and
oifenders against the peace till brought to trial.
The PARISH, which is situated to the north of the vale
of Strathmore, is divided into two extensive districts by
an intervening portion of the parish of Kingoldrum.
The northern district, containing a population of about
.300 only, is nine miles in length and from two to four
in breadth, and comprises about 18,000 acres, of which
2000 are arable, interspersed with portions of fine pasture
and meadow, 500 woodland and plantations, and
15,500 mountain pasture and waste. The southern district
of the parish is five miles in length and of nearly
equal breadth, and comjjrises about 16,000 acres, of
which 11,000 are arable, 2000 woodland and plantations,
2000 moor and pasture, and the remainder roads, water,
and waste. In the north the surface is liilly and mountainous,
extending on botli sides of the river Prosen, and
hemmed in by a continued ciiain of mountains, of which
the most conspicuous is the Catlaw, the first in the range
of the Grampians, having an elevation of '2264 feet above
the level of the sea, and by some writers supposed to be
the Mons Grnmpius of Tacitus. These mountain ridges
are indented with numerous small glens and occasional
openings; and from many of the steep acclivities descend
torrents, which afterwards form tributaries to the Prosen.
Of tbe southern division of the parish the surface is
nearly level, in some |)arts gently sloping, and in others
varied with gentle undulations; the only heiglits of any
importance being the braes of Inverquharity and the
hill of Kirriemuir, which are richly cultivated to their
very summit. The principal streams of the parish are
the South Esk, the Prosen, the Carity, and the Garie.
The South Esk has its source among the mountains in
the Clova district of the parish of Cortachy and Clova,
and after receiving many tributary streams in its progress
by this parish and through the eastern part of
the county, runs into the sea at Montrose. The pearl
mussel is common in this river, and a pearl-fishery was
formerly carried on with success: some years since a
considerable number of pearls found here were sold to a
jeweller in the town for a considerable sum, one of them
being nearly a quarter of an inch in diameter. The
Prosen rises in the northern extremity of the parish, and
extends through the whole length of the glen to which it
gives name. Augmented in its course by the streams of
the Lidnathy, Glenloig, Glcnlogy, and numerous others
issuing from the sides of the mountains, it falls into the
South Esk near Inverquharity, not far from the influx,
into the same stream, of the Carity, which rises at Baliutore,
in the parish of Lintrathen. The Garie has its
source in the lake of Kinnordy, in this parish, and joins
the river Dean near Glammis Castle. Loch Kinnordy,
which was formerly extensive, and abounded with perch,
pike, and eels, was drained about a century since, by Sir
John Ogilvy, for the marl; but the draining having been
imperfectly accomplished, it is still a lake, although of
inconsiderable size. The stream which issues from it, in
dry weather, is scarcely sufficient to turn a mill, though,
by the construction of numerous dams to collect the
water, it is made to give motion to the machinery of a
large number of corn and spinning mills.
The SOIL is very various. In the northern division of
the parish, it is sometimes of a gravelly nature; on the
acclivities of the mountains, particularly those of gentler
elevation, of a richer alluvial quality; and in other parts,
especially towards the mountain summits, a deep moss,
which in many places has been partially drained. In the
southern division the soil is for a considerable extent
sandy and gravelly: on the sloping grounds, where
there is frequently an accumulation of alluvial deposit,
it is richer, intermixed with black and brown loams of
great fertility; in the lower tracts it is thin and dry; in
some places mossy, and in others deep and fertile. The
crops comprise oats, barley, wheat, potatoes, and turnips:
the system of agriculture is in a very advanced
state; the lands have been well drained, and inclosed
partly with dykes of stone and partly with hedges of
thorn, which are kept in good order. Irrigation has
been practised with success on lands requiring that process;
and all the more recent improvements in agricultural
implements have been generally adopted. The
natural woods in this parish, of which the eastern portion
formed part of the ancient forest of Plater, are now
inconsiderable; they consist chiefly of birch, alder, hazel,
blackthorn, and willow. Around the castle of Inverquharity
are some ancient chesnut, yew, and ash trees; and
in other parts, some beeches of stately growth. The
jjlantations are Scotch fir, with a few larches, and various
other kinds of trees; they are well managed, and in a
flourishing condition. The jirincipal substrata are, the
old red sandstone, alternated vvitli red schistose and
trap rock; slate; and limestone. A dyke of serpentine
occurs on the farm of Halloch, and ni (ilenprosen are
rocks of primitive formation, containing mica-schist.
hornblende-slate, and gneiss, in which last are found
beautiful specimens of rock-crystal and garnets. The
slate, which is of a grey colour, and contains some vegetable
impressions, is of good quality for roofing; and
the limestone is quarried, and burnt into lime in rudelyconstructed
kilns. The annual value of real property in
the parish is £11,591. Kinnordy is a handsome mansion
pleasantly situated; the gardens contain many rare
and valuable plants, and in the house is a museum of
natural curiosities and antiquities. Balnaboth, Logie,
Ballandarg, and Shielhill are the other seats.
Ecclesiastically the parish is in the presbytery of Forfar,
synod of Angus and Mearns, and in the patronage
of Lord Douglas: the minister's stipend is about £250,
with a manse, and a glebe valued at £11 per annum.
Kirriemuir church, a neat plain edifice, was erected in
1787, and is adapted for a congregation of 1240 persons.
There is also a church at South Kirriemuir, to which a
district with a population of 2691 was for a time annexed;
it contains 1021 sittings. A missionary, who has an income
from the Royal Bounty, ofticiates alternately at
Clova and Glenprosen. There are an episcopal chapel,
and places of worship for members of the Free Church,
the United Presbyterian Synod, and the Original Constitutional
Synod. The parochial school affords a very
liberal course of instruction; the master has a salary of
£34, with £128 fees, a good house, and an allowance of
£2. 2. 9^- in lieu of garden-ground. John Webster,
Esq., in 1S29 bequeathed about £8000 to Charles Lyell,
Esq., to the minister of the parish, and others, in trust
for the erection and endowment of a school; a handsome
house containing five spacious schoolrooms has been
erected, and teachers have been appointed by the trustees.
Mr. Henry, of Kensington, near London, a native
of this place, bequeathed £1400 to the minister and
elders, in trust for the education of children, to which
purpose the interest of £1200 was to be appropriated,
that of the remainder being directed to be paid to the
parochial schoolmaster for keeping the accounts. Fifty
boys are taught in the parochial school from this fund,
with preference of admission to those of the name of
Henry; and their fees are paid out of the funds, for four
years. A savings' bank, and some friendly societies
established in the town, tended to diminish the number
of applications for parochial relief; but they have now
mostly gone down, from incorrect calculations.
There are several erect stones in the parish of large
dimensions, none of which, however, have any traces of
inscription; and near the hill of Kirriemuir were two
rocking-stones, within a short distance of each other, one
of whinstone, and the other of Lintrathen porphyry.
These two stones were lately demolished by order of the
proprietor. The parish also contains some caves, the
most remarkable of which is one called Weems Hole, on
the summit of the hill of Mearns. It is of artificial construction,
built with stones, and covered with flags of
rough stone six feet in width; the cave is about seventy
yards in length, and has the entrance to the south.
When first explored, a great number of human bones
were found in it, with some querns and other relics of
antiquity. There is a similar cave at Auchlishie, called
the Weems Park, in which, when opened, were found a
currach and several querns. In the loch of Kinnordy a
canoe was found in 1820, of which one extremity was
scarcely hidden under the surface. There are also va-
rious mutilated remains of ancient buildings, supposed
to be the ruins of some of the earliest religious establishments
after the introduction of Christianity into Britain.
In a bed of marl in the parish was found the skeleton
of a stag of large dimensions. It was discovered in an
upright position, the tips of the horns reaching nearly to
the surface of the marl, and the feet resting upon the
bottom at a depth of nearly six feet. The horns had
nine branches, and when dried weighed nearly eighteen
pounds. Above the marl in this part of the parish is a
deep layer of peat, in which the skeletons of other stags,
though of very inferior size, have been frequently found.
In the House of Logie is preserved the head of a stag of
ten branches.
Many eminent persons have been connected with the
parish. Of a branch of the Ogilvy family, resident at
Inverquharity, was Alexander, second son of Sir John
Ogilvy; he joined the Marquess of Montrose at the battle
of Philiphaugh, in which he was taken prisoner, and
for his loyalty be was executed at Glasgow in 1646.
Captain Ogilvy, son of Sir David, attended James II. at
the battle of the Boyne, and was afterwards killed in an
engagement on the Rhine; he was one of a hundred
gentlemen who volunteered to attend that monarch in
his exile. David Kinloch, a descendant of the very ancient
family of Kinloch of Logie, was born in 1560, and
educated as a physician, in which profession he acquired
a high pre-eminence. He travelled much in foreign
countries, and was incarcerated in the dungeon of the
inquisition in Spain, from which, however, he was liberated
in recompense for having performed an extraordinary
cure upon the inquisitor-general, after he had been
given over by his own physicians. Afterwards, he became
physician to James VI., and wrote several poems
in elegant Latin. A portrait of him is preserved at the
family seat at Logie.