SPYNIE-NEW, a parish, in the county of Elgin,
25 miles (W. by N.) from Elgin; containing, with the
village of Bishopmill, 1 164 inhabitants, of whom 409 are
in the rural districts. This place derived its name from
Loch Spynie, originally an arm of the sea three miles in
length and one mile in breadth. Its distinguishing
adjunct. New, arose from the desertion of its ancient
church, which was situated at the eastern extremity of
the parish, and the erection of the present structure in
1736, on a more centrical and commodious site. On
the foundation of the see of Moray by Malcolm Canmore,
in 10.57, the cathedral of that diocese was established
at this place; and the castle of Spynie, the original
date of which is not precisely known, became the
chief residence of its bishops, and so continued till the removal
of the see to Elgin, by Alexander II., in 1244.
The palace, after this transfer of the seat of the diocese,
was still the occasional abode of the bishops: the last
prelate that resided here was Colin Falconer, who died
in 1680, universally respected and regretted. The remains
of the palace, which are in a very dilapidated
condition, are situated at the eastern extremity of the
parish, on the border of the ancient loch; and the
precincts occupy a site of nearly ten acres. This once
magnificent structure, with its various buildings, inclosed
a quadrangular area 120 feet long and nearly of
equal width, surrounded by a strong embattled wall, defended
at the angles with lofty square towers of unusual
strength, one of which, still remaining, is sixty feet in
height: on the eastern side was an entrance under an
embattled gateway tower protected by a portcullis and
drawbridge. Upon the walls of some of the apartments,
may be distinctly traced the outlines of paintings with
which they were embellished, chiefly representations of
scriptural subjects.
The PARISH is bounded on the south by the river
Lossie, and is about four miles in length and two in
breadth, comprising an area of ,5000 acres, of which
3000 are arable, 1500 in natural wood and in plantations,
and the remainder rough pasture and waste. The
surface is varied. For about a mile from the eastern
extremity it is tolerably level, but it is thence intersected
by a ridge which gradually increases in height, till it
terminates at the western extremity in a hill of considerable
elevation. Loch Spynie was drained in the year
I8O7, at a cost of nearly £11,000, in the expectation of
bringing a large tract of land into profitable cultivation;
but the bottom was found impracticable for any agricultural
purpose. The chief benefit derived from the undertaking
is the preservation of the rich grounds around
its margin from the inundations to which they were previously
exposed. The land recovered affords only coarse
pasture, which is neither nutritious nor wholesome; and
the black- cattle that are turned into it to graze, in a
very short time lose their original colour, which changes
into grey. The Lossie has its source in Loch Lossie, in
the parish of Edenkillie, and, flowing in a north-eastern
direction, passes the city of Elgin, and falls into the
Moray Firth at Lossiemouth; it abounds with trout,
and affords good sport to the angler.
On the banks of the Lossie, and on the lowlands on
each side of the ridge, the soil is richly fertile, though including
almost every variety from the lightest sand to the
most tenacious clay. The crops are, grain of all kinds,
beans, peas, potatoes, and turnips. Husbandry is in an
advanced state, and much waste land has been reclaimed
by trenching, draining, and embankments: on several
of the farms great efforts have been made by the tenants,
under the inducement of premiums of £5 allowed by
the landlord for every acre of waste brought into cultivation.
In general the farms are of moderate extent,
and the farm houses and buildings substantial and commodiously
arranged: the lands have been well inclosed
with hedges of thorn; and all the more recent improvements
in the construction of implements are adopted.
The number of sheep reared has been greatly diminished
since the plantations have been extended, and is now
inconsiderable; the cattle are usually of the most approved
breeds, and due attention is paid to their improvement.
The agricultural produce is chiefly sent to
Elgin, but considerable quantities of grain are shipped
at the adjacent sea-ports for the southern markets.
There are large tracts of natural wood: on the south
side of the hill at the western extremity of the parish, is
a fine forest of oak belonging to the Earl of Fife. The
plantations, which extend along the whole of the moorland
ridge, consist of firs interspersed with various other
kinds of trees, and are in a thriving state, adding greatly
to the beauty of the scenery. In this parish the substrata
are chiefly sandstone and clay-slate. The sandstone,
which is of excellent quality for building, is of a
yellowish hue, and susceptible of a fine polish; the principal
quarries are at the base of Quarrywood hill, and
from them was taken the stone for the erection of Dr.
Gray's hospital at Elgin. There are also freestonequarries
on the lands of Seafield and Findrassie, the
former of which supplied the materials for building
the village of Bishopmill; the latter quarry affords stone
of good quality for dykes. Near the summit of Quarrywood
hill is a quarry of hard and durable gritstone, producing
millstones for the supply of the surrounding
country to a wide extent. The annual value of real property
in the parish is £4295.
Findrassie House, a handsome modern mansion, is
situated about a mile to the westward of the ancient
palace, in a tastefully embellished and richly-planted
demesne. On the north bank of the Lossie, near Bishopmill,
is a bleachfield for linens and yarn; but no manufacture
is carried on in the parish, the population being
chiefly employed in agriculture. The village of Bishopmill
is connected by a handsome iron bridge with the
city of Elgin, of which it forms a suburb, and within
the parliamentary boundaries of which it is included.
Letters are delivered regularly from the post-office of
Elgin; and facility of communication is maintained by
the great north road from Aberdeen to Inverness, which
intersects the south-western portion of the parish, and
by the turnpike-road from Elgin to the sea-port of Lossiemouth,
which passes through its eastern extremity.
Ecclesiastically it is within the limits of the presbytery
of Elgin and synod of Moray. The minister's stipend
is about £185, with a manse, and a glebe valued at £14
per annum; patron, W. F. L. Carnefrie, Esq. New-
Spynie church, situated on the hill of Quarrywood, was
erected in 1736, and is a substantial structure containing
400 sittings. The parochial school is near the
church: the master has a salary of £34. 4. 4., with a
house, an allowance of £2. 2. in lieu of garden, and the
school fees; also a portion of the Dick bequest. A
parochial library has Ijeen established at Bishopmill, and
is supported by subscription. The only remains of antiquity
beyond what have been previously noticed, are
some vestiges of a Danish encampment on Quarrywood
hill, now almost concealed among the plantations. This
parish gave the title of baron to a son of the Earl of
Crawfurd, who in 1590 was created Lord Spynie.