NORRIESTOWN, a quoad sacra parish (for a time),
consisting of parts of the three parishes of Kilmadock,
Kincardine, and Port of Monteith, in the county of
Perth; and containing 1284 inhabitants, of whom 105
are in the village of Norriestown, 3 miles (W. by s.) from
Doune. This place takes its name from the original
founder of the chapel of ease, Mr. Gabriel Norrie, who
in 1674 bequeathed funds for the erection and endowment
of a place of worship in connexion with the Established
Church of Scotland. The parish was about four
miles and a half in length, and three and a half in breadth.
It is mostly arable land, with small plantations; a portion
is good dry-field, and some is part of the beautiful
carse which extends from Gartraore, on the west, to
Stirling, eastward. The villages of Norriestown and
Thornhill, pleasantly situated on the road from Stirling
to Port of Monteith, have been so extended as to form
one spacious village, with a population of 636. A postoffice
has been established; and a fair for cattle and for
general purposes is annually held in January. The
Goodie river flows a short distance south of the united
village. Ecclesiastically the place is within the limits of
the presbytery of Dunblane and synod of Perth and
Stirling; the patronage being vested in the male communicants.
The stipend of the minister is £95, arising
from the endowment, consisting of two farms, by Mr.
Norrie, and from lands purchased by subscription under
authority of the General Assembly; with a manse, and a
glebe of six acres, the latter valued at £24 per annum.
The present chapel, the third erected on the same ground,
and which serves as the church of the district, was built
in IS 12, at the cost of£l 100; it was repaired in lS33,and
is a plain but neat and substantial structure, containing
870 sittings. A bell was presented by Mr. 31 c Gregor, and
communion plate by Mr. Downie of Appin. The members
of the Free Church have a place of worship. There are
two schools, one of which is supported by the General
Assembly, who, aided by some of the heritors, pay the
master a salary of £22 per annum, in addition to the
school fees; he has also a good dwelling-house, and garden,
rent-free, from the proprietor of the Blair-Drummond
estate. The other school is solely supported by
the fees.