WOODSIDE, a quoad sacra parish (for a time), in
the parish of Old-Machar, district of Aberdeen and county of
Aberdeen; containing 4839 inhabitants. This place,
which derived its name from the seat of the principal
landed proprietor, was separated for ecclesiastical purposes
from Old Machar, and erected into a quoad sacra
parish, under act of the General Assembly in 1834. The
district is nearly two miles in length, and about a mile
and a quarter in breadth; is bounded on the north by
the river Don; and consists principally of three contiguous
villages, extending along the line of the great
north road. Of these, the principal is Woodside, and
the others are called respectively Cotton and Tanfield.
The villages are neatly built, and lighted with gas from
the works at Aberdeen; they consist of detached houses,
and a few small streets intersecting the turnpike-road at
right angles. The inhabitants of this district are mostly
employed at the Grandholm works in the vicinity, and
in the spinning and weaving of cotton in the village of
Woodside. The cottop-works were erected by Messrs.
Gordon, Barron, and Company, of Aberdeen, who also
established a printing and a bleach field here; they are
driven by a water-wheel of 180-horse power, and by a
steam-engine lately erected, and afford employment to
960 persons, of whom fifty-six are children of less than
thirteen, and 312 between thirteen and eighteen, years
of age. Many of the population also are occupied in
granite-quarries, which are extensively wrought for exportation.
A post-office under that of Aberdeen has been established:
and facility of communication is afforded by
the turnpike-road to Aberdeen and Inverury, which traverses
the valley of the Don in a direction nearly parallel
with the road. The scenery is pleasingly diversified
by the windings of the river, and the adjacent country
abounds with interesting scenery. The Don contains
trout and salmon; and fisheries were formerly estabhshed
on it, but they are gradually diminishing in
value. Woodside House, the seat of Patrick Kilgour,
Esq., is a plain modern mansion, on the west bank of
the Don. Hilton, the property of Sir William Johnstone,
Bart, situated on a rising ground commanding a
fine view of the city of Aberdeen, is an ancient mansion
in the cottage style, rapidly falling into decay. The
church, erected in 1829, at a cost of £"2100, is a handsome
structure in the Grecian style, and of the Doric
order, containing l.'jQO sittings; it is lighted with gas,
and attached to it are a vestry, and a room capable of
containing 100 persons. This building passed to the
Free Church, and in 184,5 the members of the Establishment
erected an elegant chapel of ease. At the village
of Cotton is a place of worship for Independents; and
there is also in the district a small Gaelic meetinghouse.
A school was erected in 1837, and is supported
by subscription; it affords instruction to 150 children,
and has a small library. A public library, forming a
collection of 1200 volumes, is also maintained; and a
library connected with the Free Church has nearly COO
volumes. There is a school connected with the factory
at Woodside, and in several Sunday schools are more
than 600 children.