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Forglen |  |
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Parish of Forglen
By the Rev. Mr. Robert Ballingall
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Name.
The name of the parish was formerly 'T Eunan, or St. Eunan, after the titular
saint of that name, to whom the church or chapel has been dedicated. The common
name now is Forglen, or Foreglen, to distinguish it from the neighbouring
parish of Alvah or Back Glen. For some time, the two parishes were joined, and
supplied by one pastor; but, before the middle of last century, Forglen became
a separate erection, and an annexation was made to it from the parish of
Marnoch, comprehending the greater part of the estate of Carnousie. The
annexation of both quoad sacra et civilia. At Burn-end, about half a mile to
the W. of the present church, is to be seen the remains of a small chapel,
probably the place of worship of Popish times. For more conveniency, the
church had afterwards been transferred to its present situation. On a stone
built into the S. wall of it, is an inscription, in these terms: This church
was re-edified by George Ogilvie, Master of Banff, 1692.
Situation and Extent.
Forglen lies on the N. side of the river Diveron: it is bounded on the W. by
the parish of Marnoch, on the S. by Turriff, on the E. by Turriff and Alvah,
and on the N. by Alvah. On the S. and E. side of the river is the boundary.
Lord Banff's lands, however, cross it in two or three different places. He has
a large alley opposite his own house, on the Turriff side; another below the
church, by the house of Muirish, and a small part opposite the Boat of Muirish.
On the N. boundary, the part of the farm of Brownside, Captain Hay's, called
the Broadmyre, is in Forglen parish, and the rest in Alvah. - The figure of the
parish is an oblong, not far from regular; only the N.E. angle is cut off by
Alvah. The length, from the church to the river side, towards the S., is 3
½ English miles, and the breadth 2 ½ miles. It has a S. exposure,
one of the best in the country. The lands have a gradual slope, from the back
parts of the parish, to the river on the S.; and there are no high hills to
occasion any inconvenience of shade, being gentle rising grounds, affording a
beautiful variety.
Soil.
The soil, on haugh grounds, is sandy, but produces very fine crops of grain,
and very rich pasture. The soil on braes and flats above them is richer, and
yields the finest of crops of barley and oats. Having the river on two sides,
which acts as a drain, and there being little moss or marshy ground in this
parish, the harvest is early, and the grain, in ordinary seasons, well filled
and ripened. It is now customary with merchants to buy oats and barley by
weight. The Banffshire firlot is 32 Scotch standard pints, and the medium of a
boll of oats of said measure is 14 stone Amsterdam weight; of barley 18 stone:
barley, however, is often much above that; 19 ½ and even 20 stone: and
oats often yield 8 stone of meal, besides paying mill dues.
Cultivation.
The most part of the parish is arable, and has been, at one time or other,
under the plough. The lands on the river side have been, for some time
past, in a state of improvement. The tenants, stimulated by the example set
before them by the heritors, the late and present Lord Banff, and Captain
Hay, when he resided at Carnousie, in improving their mains, had made rapid
progress in cultivation. And now the same spirit has caught some young
farmers, and even the old are stirring, and extending the like improvements
over the rest of the parish. In the remotest parts of the parish, we have
now as good husbandry, fields as well dressed, and as good grain, grass, and
turnip raised, as on the river side. The principal tenants have been in the
practice of sowing turnip in broad-cast chiefly, for the space of 18 or 20
years; and now the smaller ones have each their proportion of them, and of
sown grass, which they find much for their profit, and is much in favour of
the brute creation. - The mains, in the hands of the heritors, are of
considerable extent, and well improved. There are only two large farms in
the parish; the farm of Old-Town of Carnousie, of about 100 L. Sterling
rent, and the farms of Kirktown and Eastside, presently conjoined, of about
60 L.: the rest, at a medium, rent from 20 L. to 30 L. There are a good
many crofts for the accommodation of the servants and labourers employed by
the heritors.
In ploughing, the farmers som times use horse ploughs, and sometimes oxen, according to the nature of the ground; and the cattle are now yoked with collars and traces, and trained to carts and wains. The breed of cattle and horses is much improved of late; and also the sheep, of which there are several flocks of larger size, with finer wool, and giving double or triple price of the ordinary country breed. Wool is sold from several farms at 20 s. and 12 s. 4 d. the stone.
The farmers now raise flax for their own use*. - Pease oats, and barley, are sown from the beginning of March to the end of May; and harvest begins in August, and terminates, in ordinary years, in September or beginning of October. Harvest 1732, and several since, have been much out of course; and the last (1793) as bad as any.**
*They are but learners, however: they have not yet acquired the necessary skill, and not reckoning the crop essential, the often lose it, for want of a little attention to weeding and watering; and so come to be discouraged by their own neglect. A night or two extraordinary, in hot weather, will rot it in the steep. Care then should be taken of this, if it should lie a little longer on grass.
**The feed was late laid down, owing to a cold spring. Rains in summer kept it in the growing state, and extended it to an extraordinary length; so that it was, perhaps, the fullest in appearance we ever saw; but the rain continuing after the ordinary season of harvest was come, prevented its ripening, and also lodged it. In the beginning of harvest this year, about the end of September and beginning in October, a considerable part was got in in safety, but rendered very light by lodging. The weather was good till the middle of October, but then the rains came back again, and spoiled a great part of what remained in the field. Though ordinarily earlier than our neighbours, the victual was not fully secured in this parish when December was come. The same was the case over all this quarter of the country.
Heritors.
The heritors of the parish are, the Right Honourable William Lord Banff,
Colonel Duff of Carnousie, and Captain Hay of Mountblairy. Only Lord Banff,
who is patron, and Colonel Duff, reside in it. Colonel Duff's estate of
Carnousie is a late purchase from Captain Hay.
Lord Banff's house is called Forglen, and stands on the banks of the river Diveron, on the E. side of the parish; a most beautiful situation. Here the river takes a fine circular sweep inwards, close upon the house; so as, standing within, and looking out at the windows, to seem to run under it. The banks of the river, above and below, are covered with a variety of fine old wood, of a large size; consisting of ashes, elms, planes, limes, larixes, and beeches. The ground rises gradually from the river side, and forms a concentric circular hill in the front of the house. The top of the hill is planted, which shuts the fields and houses below finely in, and screens them from the winds and storms. In the centre, on the side of the hill, lies the mains of Forglen. The fields are divided with ditches and hedges, and surrounded with belts of plantation in a thriving state. Without these fields, on the N. and S., are accommodated, with neat houses and convenient crofts, all his Lordship's people; grieve, gardener, and farm servants, wright and smith, and labourers, with their families. These perform the Lordship's work, and have their reward, without burdening the tenants at all. - There are 500 or 600 acres, or upwards, of plantation upon the estate, mostly executed by the late Lord Banff, to which considerable additions have been made by the present Lord; all in a thriving condition. His Lordship has done much of late to beautify his seat. The workmen were sorry to put the first hand to change some of the improvements of his father, which they thought well enough, and to undo their own workmanship; but the execution pleased their eye so much, that they forgot their sympathy*. They found this was the order of Providence. - While they were executing these improvements, they were earning their own and their families bread by them. Sorry, sorry were their hearts when his Lordship was called away to the wars. Earnest is their prayer for peace, that he may return to them again.
On the front of the house, over the entry, is a coat of arms, and above it this sentence: Houp of reward causis guid service. Underneath, there is this inscription: "Do veil, and doubt nocht, althoch Thou be spyit. He is lytil guid vorth that is nocht invyit. Tak thou no Tent qvhat everi man dwellis." The date below, or age of the house, or year of building, is 1578.
Colonel Duff's house, Carnousie, stands upon a rising ground, about an English mile and a half W. from the church, not very distant from the river, but not in sight of it. There are several considerable plantations upon this estate, and a good deal of natural wood by the river side. The Colonel is presently enclosing his mains. There are no good quarries in the parish; they are obliged then to use such surface stones as they can find; and yet with these, they make the most beautiful work of dry stone fence I ever saw. The stones are all coursed; and the masons say, they make as much work that way as the other, when their hand is in use; but it requires to be bred to it, as ordinary workmen cannot do it.
*They began to remember, that there was a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which was planted; a time to break down, and time to build up; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather them.
River Diveron.
The river abounds with trout, eel, and salmon; and both heritors have fishings
on it. Lord Banff has about 3 ½ miles of the river, and Colonel Duff,
only one. The fish, however, are small, and the fishings inconsiderable. It
is only when there happens a high water on Sunday, when the cruives are open,
that there is a chance for a run. At other times, the fishings below are plied
so close, that few can escape.
There are three mills in the parish: Mill of Ribra, Lord Banff's; and Mill of Burn-end and Mill of Carnousie, Colonel Duff's.
Rent, Stipend, and Accommodations.
The valued rent of the parish is about 1700 L. Scotch. - The stipend is 42
bolls of meal and 6 bolls of bear, and 45 L. Sterling in money, besides 2 L. 10
s. for communion elements. - The manse was built in 1683. The present
incumbent has had his barn, kiln, stable, and byre renewed; and is getting the
wings of the manse repaired, with the addition of a kitchen and childrens room
in one of them, the house being small. - The glebe is good land, but is only a
few falls more than legal measure. For pasture, the minister has a den
adjoining to the glebe, and a small field on the banks of Diveron, annexed in
1751, by decreet of the presbytery, to make the pasture sufficient. He has
presently no accommodation of moss; the moss on which he had a locality being
exhausted, and no new one yet settled for him. There is indeed but little moss
in the parish.
Population.
According to Dr. Webster's report, the population in 1755 was 607. The list of
parishioners varies from accidental causes, by the residence or non-residence
of heritors and their families. The population has increased of late, by the
division of some tacks and sublets on a large farm. In 1782, the number of
souls was 577. The list at this time was exactly taken. Whether the following
year's list was exact, I know not, but find it set down at 544. This being a
year of particular scarcity of meal, perhaps the difference of 33 is to be
accounted for by fewer servants being engaged by the smaller tenants and
tradesmen, and by allowing their own children to go forth to service. The year
following it is up again at 573, and continues about that till 1788, when I
find 613; and since that time, it has been about 600.
There are but few tradesmen and mechanicks in the parish. There are 5 square wrights, with about as many journeymen and apprentices; 3 wheelwrights; 10 weavers; 4 shoemakers; 2 smiths; 1 tailor; and 2 good old soldiers, discharged and superannuated, enjoying each his pension, sober and industrious, and of course thriving. There is a smith, an elder of the church, and a miller fit to be one. There is 1 boat within the parish, the boat of Muirish, belonging to Lord Banff; and another, the boat of Ashoyle, belonging to Mr. Leslie of Donlugass, and lands upon it a little below the house of Forglen*.
*Boat of Muirish is the only publick house in the parish. There is no manufactory of any kind. There are two or three merchants who retail some small articles, and some of them give out lint to spin, and take in the yarn for manufacturers in Banff and Huntly.
Funds of the Poor.
Though the funded money does not amount to a large sum, only 65 L. Sterling,
yet the poor in this parish are as well supplied as in most other parishes,
owing to the liberality of the people themselves, and the distinguished charity
of the heritors. The Forglen family being resident, and giving regular
attendance upon the ordinances, have afforded a continual supply to the poor
and the sick. And Colonel Duff, when abroad in India, appointed a very
handsome sum, in place of Sunday collection. The interest of 65 L., then in
Lord Banff's and Captain Hay's hands, at 5 per cent., with the ordinary and
sacramental collections, and produce of mortcloth, goes to the supply of the
poor. A meeting is held at the manse annually, of the heritors, minister, and
elders, in the end of the year, to consider the state of the poor, and appoint
supplies for them. Blankets, clothes, shoes, and other necessaries, are
purchased for them, as they need. A supply of meal is appointed for the year,
and distributed in equal proportions of their quantity monthly. One of the
elders, in the centre of the parish, takes charge of the distribution. By this
means, the poor are kept from wandering, there not being one belonging to the
parish that goes out of it. In times of scarcity, upon application of the
session, the heritors generously afforded the meal at the easy rate of 10 s.
the boll, over and above their other charities. At other times, 2 members of
the session, Peter Mearson in Eastside, and William Robertson in Mill of Ribra,
respectable men, and men of substance, furnished it, and afforded it also at
easy rates. This was a great saving to the fund. Keeping the poor thus
comfortable within their own houses, would be one happy mean to lessen
iniquity, by preventing vagrants, thieves, and pickpockets, from going about
under pretence of begging, and save many from an untimely end. No one would
grudge the real indigent their supply; but so many impositions and thefts are
intolerable in a land that has any regulation. In 1783, this parish received
13 ½ bolls of the government meal.
Mortification in favour of the Minister.
There is a mortification in behalf of the minister, of 10 L. Sterling, which
lies in his hands, free of interest, and is transferred to the successor at
entry. This is said to be made by one of the Earls of Buchan, who had
property in this parish, in testimony of the minister's hospitality, which
had much pleased him, upon honouring him with a visit.
Mortification in favour of the Schoolmaster.
The Reverend Mr. George Bruce, minister of Dunbar, has, within these two years,
mortified 100 L. Sterling in behalf of the schoolmaster, through an attachment
to the parish, he himself having taught the school here in his younger days.
He has required the schoolmaster to be established, and to be put in possession
of at least 100 merks of salary; and the heritors, to concur with him, have
made it 200 merks. He requires, as a condition of tenure, that the
schoolmaster shall read portions of scripture to the congregation, betwixt the
second and third bells. In case of neglect, the mortification to be
transferred to Rothiemay, Mr. Bruce's native parish. Lord Banff, as patron, and
Colonel Duff, as next great heritor, and the minister, and their successors,
are appointed trustees for the management. And the reverend presbytery of
Turriff are requested by the donor to inspect the application, with power to
question any abuse; and a copy of the deed of mortification is inserted in
their records.
Lord Banff and Colonel Duff have taken the 100 L. Sterling betwixt them, 50 L. each, and bound themselves to pay the interest annually to the schoolmaster, Mr. Morison, and his successors in office, at the rate of 5 per cent.
Mr. Bruce has become a rich man. How honourable to himself is such testimony of his gratitude to God, who hath blessed him with prosperity! How beneficial to society is such benevolence! There is no class of men more useful than schoolmasters, when attentive to their duty, and few worse provided. Their salaries are small, their perquisites in small parishes, inconsiderable, and their payments, by the poor, not very punctual. The schoolmaster here, however, from having one of the smallest, will now have as good a fixed income as most of his neighbours in the country schools.
Mortification in behalf of the Poor.
George Gerard, Esq. of Midstrath, late factor to Lord Banff, through attachment
to the parish, in which he has long resided, and from pious motives, presently
pays the school fees throughout the year of four of the present scholars, to
enable them to read the Bible, and to write their name; and intends mortifying
a sum sufficient to make the payment perpetual.
Character and Manners of the People.
The people, excepting two or three of the Scottish Episcopal congregation at
Turriff, are all of the Established Church. There is no Catholick nor
Seceder in the parish. They are sober and industrious, and discreet in
their behavior; respectful to their masters and superiors, and kind to their
minister; and give regular attendance to the ordinances. The superstition
of former times is now much worn out*.
This parish, from its situation, is dry, and the air pure and healthy. There are no epidemic diseases; fevers occasionally, but not so mortal as in other corners. They now see by experience the advantage of medical skill, and more readily apply to the doctor than formerly in time of the small pox. They find it as good to let the doctor prepare them, and do it, as to let the children inoculate themselves at random. They live to a good old age. A good many are on the borders of fourscore, healthy and vigorous; and severals of late have past 90.
*There remains, however, still a little. Some charms are secretly used to prevent evil; and some omens looked to by the older people. There are happy and unhappy days for beginning of any undertaking. Thus, few would choose to be married here on Friday, though it is the ordinary day in other quarters of the church. There are also happy and unhappy feet. Thus, they wish bridegrooms and brides a happy foot; and to prevent any bad effect, they salute those they meet on the road with a kiss. It is hard, however, if any misfortune happens when you are passing, that you should be blamed, when neither you nor your feet ever thought of the matter. The tongue too must be guarded, even when it commends; it had more need, one would think, when it discommends. Thus, to prevent what is called forespeaking, they say of person, God save them; of a beast, Luck sair it.
Dress.
There is a great change to this article of late. Hats are as common as bonnets
now; and the bar plaid is changed for a scarlet one. On Sundays, there is no
distinguishing the country clown from the town beau; the farmer' s goadman from
the merchant's clerk; and the lasses have their ribbands and muslins to match
them. There is a great odds in their living too; they are more social in the
way of visiting; and flesh is more frequently used by all*.
How agreeable is it to see people advancing and thriving. There is one drawback, however, upon them. Price of labour, and tradesmen's rates, are rather too much raised against the country man, and most of all among the farm servants.
*The farmer is designed by the name of his farm, as the master is by his estate. The goodwife is mistress; and yet the husband modestly declines the compliment. When you ask for the goodwife, by the name of mistress, his return is, I thank you, my wife is well.
Price of Labour.
The price of labour is much augmented of late. A farmer's servant, though but
an ordinary one, draws 7 L., and some 8 L., instead of 5 L., a few years back.
Womens wages were long stationary at 2 L., but are now up to 2 L. 10 s.*
Day-labourers receive from 6 d. to 8 d. a-day, and victuals. Harvest wages are
very high: women 1 L. Sterling, and men 1 L. 10 s., and above. In hurried
times, some have had the conscience to ask 2 L.**
*Not, however, in proportion to the men. The men can more easily remove to a distance: and with them indeed now, all is a mercantile or rouping spirit; the highest bidder, though a stranger, is preferred to a good old master, who would willingly retain his servant. But there is now little gratitude, or attachment with these persons, and no room left for their master's generosity and compassion, in case of sickness or settlement.
**For such, one would almost with a scarcity to follow, that they might the sooner eat up their notes. Is it any wonder, when the farmer gets such power, that he should take his price for his meal?
Rates of Provisions.
Butcher meat is raised, in the space of a few years, from 2 ½ d. to 3
½ d.
and 4 d. the lb.; butter from 6 d. to 8 d. the lb.; cheese from 3 s. 4 d. to
4 s. 6 d. the stone; and fowls from 6 d. to 8 d. and 9 d.* - The most
reasonable article of all our provisions is salmon, which we have in the
season, if the fishing is tolerable, at 2 d., and sometimes even so low at 1
½ d. the lb, when there is a good run. Eggs are scarcely to be had: they
are carried off to the Banff market, where they get 3 d., 4 d., 5 d., and 6
d., in times of scarcity, the dozen.
*The fishers wives and daughters were in use formerly to supply us with fish, and the farmers gave them a very adequate barter of meal for them; but now they are at such rates, that meal, in comparison, is of no value, and will not purchase them. From 6 d. and 8 d. they are now up to 1 s. and 1 s. 6 d. at times the dozen. Our own fish are cheaper.
Miscellaneous Observations.
There are no natural curiosities. Two small wells, one in the wood of
Carnousie, and another on the N. side of the moss of Whitefield, called the
Red-gill Well, are medicinal, and used by the neighbours. The one by the moss
is a pretty strong chalybeate, iron mineral; if a little attention was paid to
it, it might be of use to the neighbourhood: the water is said to be as strong
as some of those resorted to. There is a Druidical temple in the heart of the
woods of Forglen, but shut up thereby from view, till the wood grows up, and
becomes penetrable. The tenants are in danger of losing their beasts in them
sometimes. And the deer, either chased from the herd in the Highland forests,
or pinched from hunger in severe winters, come some of them down as far as
this, and are seen to pasture with the cattle on the side of the woods. These
woods abound with foxes for sport, for the supply of the Turriff hunts; but
they frequently make sad depredations among the poultry around.
A loch, called the Earl's Loch, on the farm of Scotstown, was probably named after one of the Earls of Buchan, who were proprietors here: it is now mostly drained up. There is a know, called the Rounie Law, where formerly markets were held, on the side of the wood of Forglen, a little N. of the church; but none are held now. The privilege was probably transferred to Turriff, where are now the best cattle markets in the country.
The cattle on the water side, by the richness of the pasture, are of a large size; one tenant in Eastside, had a plough of 8 oxen, which would, in most seasons, have been good beef from the yoke, and would have weighed from 50 to 70 stone, at an average; and if full fed, from 70 to 90; and some seemed size enough to carry 100. Now however, as more profitable, farmers change oftener, and dispose of them when young. The fleeces of sheep, I am informed, extend to 5 lb. English weight. They shear the lambs, weighing 42 ounces.
We have marked weights for oats, at the medium of 14 stone; barley 18; but these are the lowest mediums. I am informed, there have been oats as high as 16, and have had from 19 to 20 stone of barley, at the end of the seed time, when the victual was clean and dry. This parish used formerly to be supplied with lime, manufactured at Banff, at 9 d. the boll, of 2 firlots slacked. They are now supplied with shells from Sunderland, at 3 s. the boll, of 4 firlots; both from Banffshire, distant 10 English miles. This, when used as a manure, is laid on at the quantity of from 80 to 160 firlots the acre. Some part of it is brought from Streisa, Edingight's land, in the parish of Grange; and a small quantity is burnt in the parish, with peats. The stones are brought from Whitehills quarry, on Lord Findlater's estate, in the parish of Boyndie. But this is very expensive now, and little used, by reason of the scarcity of peats. What is burnt with peats, must be mashed down with the hammer to the size of an egg or so.
Peat fuel is very expensive, by reason of the waste of time and labour in casting, winning, and especially carrying the peats. Country people, however, know not yet well how to make use of Mr. Dundas's blessing, as they find the coal does not answer so well on the hearth. They are at length beginning to get small grates for their chamber fires; and they will next see it convenient to have grates for their kitchen fires also. The relievin g of this quarter of the kingdom from the tax upon coals, is certainly a great benefit to the country at large, and a special blessing to the poor, of which the clergy know their people to be very sensible: they feel the obligation; they received the news with joy: and, if collected in a body, they would have been as forward to have borne publick testimony to the effectual endeavours to the Honourable Secretary, Mr. Dundas, as any society. They, indeed, deserve of their governors whatever can be done for them; for they are steady friends of Government. It does one's heart good to see their loyalty; while the clergy, in every corner of the church, have manifested their sentiments in favour of Government. The people here, of every description, are in uniform with their teachers. There are no murmurers here: No evil men seeking only rebellion. "The King and the Constitution," or, "The King, his Family, and Friends," are the toasts in the letter, as well as in the greater circles. They pay the taxes without murmuring; and when a just and necessary war imposes an addition, they do not grudge it. They bear the taxes, and they also go out readily, and in numbers, to supply the fleets and armies, and fight the battles of their country. And this parish has afforded the due proportion at all times*.
*The gentlemen are all of the military profession. One of them, Captain Hay, late of the Royals, has now indeed quitted the army. Colonel Duff of the Artillery, in the service of the Honourable the East India Company, after long and honourable service, and joining as a volunteer in prosecuting the war against Tippoo, returned from India upon the peace, and is now enjoying the otium cum dignitate. The Right Honourable Lord Banff, oldest Captain of the Inniskillings, is in the actual service of his country, under his Royal Highness the Duke of York. With his Lordship are two young men from this parish; and other two soldiers of the 53d, brothers, of the name of Gallant, who, both at the siege of Valenciennes, and defence of New-Port, behaved most gallantly. - The absurd system of France is universally detested. The cruelties practiced to support it shock the sentiments and feelings of all, and disgrace and degrade human nature to a level, indeed, with the most wild and ferocious beasts of the brute creation. Say what the world will, the world, nor France neither, will never be governed by such a system. It has exhibited already, and will continually exhibit horrid scenes of butchery. It lays the foundation of constant jealousies, plots, and massacres. There is no proper subordination of the governed, nor no confidence in the rulers. Such a government then, they know must be feeble and fluctuating, and can have no permanency. It gives every man an opportunity to gratify his private revenge. He has only to stir a little jealousy against him, as an enemy to the Convention to-day, and to-morrow he will be guillotined without mercy or mediation.
The Statistical Account of Scotland 1791-1799 Volume XIV Banffshire, Moray & Nairnshire