Annals of Lower Deeside
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES J/^ i Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2007 with funding from IVIicrosoft Corporation http://www.archive.org/details/annalsoflowerdeeOOhendiala ANNALS OF LOWER DEESIDE ANNALS OF LOWER DEESIDE BEING A TOPOGRAPHICAL, PROPRIETARY ECCLESIASTICAL, AND ANTIQUARIAN HISTORY OF purris, X>tumoak, anb Oultet JOHN A. HENDERSON Author of " The History of Banchory-Devenick" ABERDEEN : D. WVLLIE & SON 1892 -DA INTRODUCTION. The history of the larger number of our Scottish parishes has not hitherto received the attention its importance deserves. There is abundant material of great value awaiting collection which is of more than parochial or local interest. In course of time many of the documents and traditions which are now avail- able will be lost or forgotten, and with them will pass away the record of much that not only has a charm for the antiquarian, but no little interest and value both for the historian of our country, and for the delineator of the character and manners of our countrymen in the days of old. These considerations, together with a liking for the subject, have induced the author to prepare and submit to the public the (oWowing A mia/s of Loiver Deeside, embracing the parishes of Durris, Drumoak, andCulter, It is hoped that, while material exists, others of antiquarian taste, with greater ability and more time at their disposal, may enter this interest- ing field of research, and give to the country the benefit of their investigations. In consequence of the scarcity of published matter bearing upon the district treated of, the 593379 EHGLISH LOCAL viii Introduction. writer has had to rely for information chiefly upon the title deeds and charters of estates, manuscripts, legal prints, and Presbytery and Kirk Session records, all of which were ungrudgingly placed at his disposal on application, and many extracts from which now appear for the first time. Where ma- terial has been taken from published works, it has invariably been acknowledged, and references have been given. The Kirk Session records of these parishes ex- tend to twenty-nine large volumes, the examination of which alone is no slight task ; but they throw so much light upon the old forms of ecclesiastical dis- cipline, and the habits and state of the people of the last two centuries, that the labour has been amply repaid by the results obtained. Readers of exclusively antiquarian taste may be inclined to think that the transactions of The Marycidter Club, which are here published for the first time, scarcely harmonize with the general character and aim of the work, but the extracts disclose such a striking contrast between the social state of half a century ago and that of to-day, that they may not prove uninteresting to the general reader. Antiquarian students may also bear in mind that these extracts are of an interest that will increase with the passage of years, for future Introduction. ix writers of parochial history will no doubt regard them as important helps in the description of local social life in an age that will stand in a more antique relation to them than it does to us. In addition to the acknowledgments made \x\ the body of the work, cordial thanks are tendered to the many gentlemen who have kindly given access to their title deeds and other documents, to Kirk Sessions for their ready permission to use their records, and specially to the Rev. William Lawrence, M.A., minister of Banchory-Devenick, for revising the proof sheets as the work passed through the press. The greatest care has been exercised to ensure perfect accuracy in all dates and statements, so that the work might be authoritative in its own depart- ment ; and the author expresses the hope that the pleasure of readers in perusing the book may be as great as his in preparing it. JOHN A. HENDERSON. AvoNDALE, Cults, Aberdeen, March, i8g2. CONTENTS. PARISH OF DURRIS. Page DURRIS, --.--.., Originally a hunting forest, i. In the possession of the Cumin P'aniily, i. Succession of the Eraser Family and notices regarding their des- cendants, 2-14. Bought by Anthony Mactier, 14. Bought by Dr. James Young, 15. Bought by Henry Robert Baird, 16. Description of Mansion House and Policies, 16, 17. Anti- quarian finds and traditional lore, 18-21. HOGGS OF BLAIRYDRINE, - - - - 22 Notices of the Family and descendants, 22-24. PARISH CHURCH, ----- . 25 Early history, 25-27. Description of Communion Utensils, 28. Notices of Ministers, 28-32. Ex- tracts from Ecclesiastical Records, 32-34. PARISH OF DRUMOAK. DRUMOAK, ------ 35 Boundaries, &c., 35. Antiquities, 36. Super- stitious Customs, 37. Case of Body-snatching, 38-42. xii Contents. Page ESTATE OF DRUM, ----- 43 Originally a Hunting Poorest, 43. Wauchopes of Culter Royal Foresters, 43. Bestowed by Robert -the Bruce upon William de Irwine or Irvine, 43. Notices regarding the Irvine Family, 44-63. Des- cription of Castle, 63-65. ESTATE OF LEYS, - - - - - - 65 Early Notices of the Family of Burnett, 65, 66. Made Foresters of Drum, 66. Lands made into the Barony of Leys, 67. Notices of the Family, 67-69. Description of Crathes Castle, 69, 70. Extracts from Barony Court Book, 70-73. ESTATE OF PARK, - - - - - - 73 Park reserved by Robert I., and subsequently granted to AValter Moigne, thereafter to Alex- ander Irvine, and afterwards to Patrick Duff, 73. Notices respecting subsequent Proprietors, 74, 75- PARISH CHURCH, - - - - - - 75 Notices respecting titular Saint, 75, 76. Church Confirmed to See of Aberdeen, 76. History of the Parish Churches, 77-82. Notices of Minis- ters, 82-89. Extracts from Kirk Session Re- cords, 89-106. PARISH OF PETERCULTER. PETERCULTER, - - - - - - 107 Early History, 107. Notices regarding Pre- historic Remains and Antiquities, 108-110. Legends, &c., 110-115. Contents. xiii Page ESTATE OF CULTER, - - - - - 115 Owned by Alan the Durward, 115. Succession of the Cumin Family and notices regarding them, 1 16-120. Succession of the Duffs, and notices respecting them, 120-124. DRUM PROPERTY, - - - - - - 125 Notices regarding Anguston, Kennerty, Linn, and Leuchar, 125, 126. ESTATE OF COUNTESSWELLS, - - - 126 Early notices regarding Countesswells, Gardin, and Brutherfield, 126. Acquired by John Leith, 126. Succession of the Burnetts, there- after of the Sandilands, 127. Property bought by Alexander Livingston, thereafter by James Burnett, 128. Bought by James Gammell, 129. CULTER PAPER WORKS, - - - - 129 Origin of Works, 129. Changes of Proprietors, &c., 130. SCHOOLMASTERS, - - - - - - 131 William Forbes, author of "The Dominie Depos'd," 132. Selections from the Poem, 134. George Skene Keith, 135. PARISH CHURCH, - - - - - - 135 Description of Communion Utensils, &:c., 136, Notices regarding Ministers, 137-144. Extracts from Session Records, 145-15 1. xiv Contents. PARISH OF MARYCULTER. Page MARYCULTER, - - - - - - 152 Origin of Parish, 152. History of the Knights Templars and Knights Hospitallers, and their connection with it, 152-165. Notices regarding Graveyards, 165. Legend regarding Godfrey Wedderburn, 167-176, ESTATE OF MARYCULTER, - - - 176 Notices regarding the Estate and Fishings, 176. Erected into a Barony, 177. Acquired by the Menzies Family, 177. Bought by the Gordons of Fyvie, 177. ESTATE OF ALTRIES, 179 Notices regarding the Property and its Proprie- tors— the Kinloch Family, 179, 180. ESTATE OF KINGCAUSIE, - - - -180 Acquired by the Irvine Family, 180. Succession of the Boswell Family, 182. ESTATE OF BLAIRS, - - - - - 184 Acquired by Gilbert Menzies of Findon, 184. Notices regarding the Menzies Family, 186-189. Notices respecting Books and Paintings, 189-195. Notices regarding the College, 195. ESTATE OF AUCHLUNIES, - - - - 195 Acquired by the Family of Collinson or Collison, 196. Acquired by James Brand, merchant, Cullen, thereafter by Patrick Souper, 199. No- tices regarding subsequent Proprietors, 200-201. Contents. xv ESTATE OF HEATHCOT, - - - - 2?i Sold off Auchlunies to Thomas Gordon of Prem- nay, 201. Succession of Lady Mary Banner- man, 201. Notices regarding subsequent Pro- prietors, &:c., 201-203, PARISH CHURCH, ------ 203 Early Notices regarding the Old Church, 203-206. Description of the New Church and its Pulpit, Windows, and Communion Plate, 206. Notices respecting Ministers, 206-210. Notices regard- ing Session Records, 211, 212. * MARYCULTER CLUB, - - - - - 212 Notices regarding Origin and Rules, 212-216. List of Members with their Club Titles, 216- 219. Extract Minutes, 220-247. POPULATION STATISTICS, - - - - 248 ANNALS OF LOWER DEESIDE. DURRIS. DURRIS, or Dores, in early times was a hunting forest, with a castle or hunting seat of considerable strength. It was occupied for a time by Alexander III., and the earliest mention of it occurs in the Clianiherlain Rolls of that period, when certain sums of money were paid for repairs and alterations of the vessels and bridge at the house of Durris. Whether the bridge was of wood or stone is not recorded, but the connection in which it is mentioned suggests the probability of its having been a drawbridge for the castle, which would appear to have been moated. When Edward I. overran Scotland, and had almost the whole of it in subjection, he gave the keepership of the forest of Durris to his faithful allies the Cumin family, for in the mandate of B 2 Durris. Edward, in 1292, the Earl of Buchan is mentioned as holding that office.^ In July, 1296, the English King, in the course of his march through Scotland, visited the castle, where certain of the barons of the district paid him homage. The downfall of the Cumin family, during the reign of Robert the Bruce, led, not only to the forfeiture of the various offices held by them, but also to the confiscation of the greater portions of their extensive properties, and it is upon record in Robertson's hidex of Scottish Charters^ that Durris was in the hands of the Crown in 1308. Many writers and eminent antiquarians have fallen into the mistake of supposing that Sir Alexander Eraser, who married the sister of Robert the Bruce, and who acted as Lord Chamberlain of Scotland during the greater part of the reign of that King, was the first proprietor of Durris.