MARYCULTER, a parish, in the county of Kincardine,
7| miles (S. W. by W.) from Aberdeen; containing
991 inhabitants. The name of this place has
been derived from the Latin words Mari/e Cultura, on
account of the dedication of the church to the Virgin
Mary; but some Gaelic scholars are of opinion that the
latter part of the name may be traced more correctly to
the compound word cul-tira, in the Gaelic signifying
" the back of the land ". The parish was a settlement
of the Knights Templars; but very little of its ancient
history is now known. It is of an oblong form, six
miles in length and two in breadth, extending from the
river Dee to the Grampian mountains, and containing
between 8000 and 9000 acres. Maryculter is bounded
on the south by the parish of Fetteresso, on the east by
that of Banchory-Devenick, and on the west by the parish
of Durris. In general the surface is rocky and stony,
with much hilly and mossy ground; and the rushy
moors and heath, with only here and there a green hill,
give to the district an appearance of wildness and sterility.
An exception, however, may be made of that part in the
vicinity of the river, where some small haughs and dales
are to be seen. In the parish are many good springs.
The river Dee flows on the north side of the parish, and
has an ancient ford opposite the manse. There is no
mill upon it throughout its entire course, it being subject
to great and sudden floods, of which a remarkable instance
happened on the 17th of September, 1768, and
another on the 4th of August, IS'ig.
The SOIL near the river is sometimes thin and sandy:
in the midland grounds it is deeper and blacker, resting
in parts on a subsoil of clay; while in the southern
quarter it is swampy, turfy, and mossy. About 3300
acres are under cultivation, 4200 in waste, and S50 in
plantations: some hundreds of acres of the waste land
are considered capable of profitable tillage. No wheat
is raised, but other white crops are grown; and of the
green crops, turnips form a prominent part, and are prodaced
of excellent quality by the application of bone-dust
and of guano. Improvements in agriculture have been
carried on to a considerable extent, and, notwithstanding
the untoward nature of the soil, are still in progress:
the manure in general use is dung, much of which is
obtained from Aberdeen. The native cattle are small,
but good, and are almost all black, without horns: the
rest of the cattle are a cross with the Teeswater. The
horses are poor, though improving in breed; and few
sheep are reared. A considerable number of swine, of
the Chinese and Berkshire cross breed, are exported
to London, and hams are also forwarded. The rocks in
the parish consist chiefly of granite, and masses of gneiss
are to be seen in different parts; the granite is quarried,
but to a very small extent. The annual value of real
property in Maryculter is £4,513. The mansion-houses
are Maryculter, Kingcausie, Ileathcote, and Auchlunies.
They are all pleasantly situated, and ornamented with
gardens and with wood; the two first are in the immediate
vicinity of the Dee, and their scenery is much
improved by their contiguity to this stream. The
mansion of Heathcote is built in the villa style, and is
of recent date; Auchlunies is an ancient edifice, much
adorned by its elegant grounds. The parish has good
roads, several miles of which run parallel with, and
sometimes nearly touch, the river. There are five salmonfisheries;
but they have been for some time in a very
declining state.
For ECCLESIASTICAL purposcs the parish is within the
limits of the presbytery and synod of Aberdeen; patron,
the Crown. The stipend of the minister is £\''i, with
a manse and suitable offices, and a glebe of about ten
acres, worth £'2. 8. per acre. Maryculter church was
built in I"''/, and is in good repair; it will accommodate
about 460 persons with sittings, and is conveniently
situated. There is a Roman Catholic chapel, forming a
distinct portion of a building used as a seminary for the
education of youth for the priesthood; the average number
of scholars is thirty. This institution is on tlie ])r()-
perty of Hlairs, given not many years ago to the (church
of Rome by Mr. Menzies of I'itfoddels. A parochial
school is .supported, in which the usual hraiiclu's of education
are taught; the master has a salary of £.jO, with
a house, and about £10 fees. There are also two or
three private schools, on a small scale, entirely supported
by the fees; and a savings' bank, instituted in 1823.
Numerous cairns still remain in the parish, in which
human teeth and bones have been found; but they are
not entitled to notice.