•'^ mmk THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2007 with funding from IVIicrosoft Corporation http://www.archive.org/details/arbroathitsabbeyOOmilliala IM. VUTM .-. SKETCH BT L>. MILLAR. ARBROATH ABBEY CHURCH FROM THE NORTH-WEST. ARBROATH AND ITS ABBEY THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE TOWN AND ABBEY ABERBROTHOCK INCLUDING ANTIQUITIES NOTICES OF ECCLESIASTICAL AND OTHER IN THE SURROUNDING DISTRICT DAVID MILLER EDINBURGH STREET THOMAS G. STEVENSON, 22 FREDERICK ADAMS & Co LONDON : HAMILTON, SON GLASGOW : MURRAY & MDCOCLX »! i €nt«tij in Stationtrs' fall. '^ AND BUNCLE. PKINTEBS. ABBROATH : KKKNKDY 4S'/li> PREFACE. The following pages have been published chiefly for those who take an interest in the locality of the ancient and now flourishing town of Arbroath, and also with the view of removing the obscurity which has hitherto involved the history of its once magnificent monasteiy. Among other sources of information the Chartulary of the Abbey is entitled to stand first in rank. The most interesting portions of these monastic writings have been digested and arranged in this volume. An endeavour has thus been made to bring out the points in which they, along with other authentic documents, tend to illustrate the history of the district. In alluding to the history of past times, our ancestors have been allowed as far as possible to appear in their own dress, and speak in their own words. This will account for the number of quotations in the antique style, which may probably render the perusal of some portions of the book a little difficult to readers otherwise well educated. But if months or years are spent in the endeavour to acquire a knowledge of dead languages two or three thousand years old, some trouble ought to be taken with the view of being able to read with facility our own living mother tongue, in the garb which it wore two or three centuries ago, so that it may not be unintel- ligible unless expressed according to our present conven- 531739 UBRMtT IV PREFACE. tional orthography. Many details, which to general readers not acquainted with the locality may appear sufficiently minute, are inserted in the text, instead of being placed in foot-notes, as it was considered desirable to avoid that distraction of attention which numerous notes invariably occasion. For the same reason refer- ences to the pages of the Arbroath Chartulary have not been made, as these, if introduced, would have become innumerable and cumbersome. They would, at the same time, have been of no use to those who do not possess that collection of writings ; and those, on the other hand, who may wish to verify any statement founded on it, will be at once able to do so, by the names and dates referred to, with the help of the tables of contents and indices of the publislied Chartulary. It was omitted to be stated in the tenth chapter that the lands of Aldbar have been ranked among the possessions of the Abbey on the authority of an entry in the " Charge of the Temporalitie," 1592, which is not altogether conclusive in the absence of coiTobOrative evidence ; and that although Cotside and others near Barry have been generally ranked among the Abbey lands, the authority for placing these lands in the cata- logue is not very satisfactory, as they do not appear in the proper monastic writings under their modern names. While these sheets were in course of preparation the Author made every effort to procure definite information on the subject of the alleged pillage and conflagration of the Abbey Church about the time of the Reformation. He has not, however, succeeded in being able to fix the exact manner in which that building was unroofed and laid desolate. But a careful study of every con- PREFACE. V temporary record within his reach has tended to confirm him as to the coiTectness of the statements made in the text, that whatever might have been tlireatened or attempted, no general pillage or burning of this majestic edifice had taken place at the period in question ; and that its state of ruin can be easily accounted for on other grounds, by a simple reference to the churches of the Abbeys of St Andrews, Lindores, Coupar-Angus, and others, where the demolition is much more com- plete than at the Church of Arbroath, and where the agency of fire has never been stated to have been applied. It need scarcely be explained that the notices of the town of Arbroath have been in general limited to the period when the monastic establishment existed in its neighbourhood. The history of Arbroath during the last hundred and fifty years, including the extension of its population, buildings, manufactures, and commerce, within that period, could not have been added without swelling the volume far beyond the limits originally contemplated ; and is a subject which, along with the traditionary history of the burgh and its vicinity, yet remains to be taken up by one who can devote to it the necessary amount of time and research. The Author does not fiatter himself that what is now given to the public can escape what every book of the kind is peculiarly liable to, namely, the detection of errors and omissions. He has endeavoured, however, to make no definite statement, unless upon good authority : without being deterred from oflfering this contribution to the history of the district by that over-scrupulous dread of mistake whicli has prevented many persons well read in the aflfairs of Scotland from giving to the VI PREFACE. world the benefit of their researches. There could not be found a more striking instance of this than in the case of the late Reverend Principal Lee, who has allowed much of his vast stores of information to die with him ; and who, under the influence of this sensitiveness, most kindly dissuaded the author several yeara ago from engaging in an undertaking of a nature somewhat anti- quarian, by referring to another friend who had devoted much time and labour to the early history of a northern county, which, when published, " after aU contained some mistakes, and there were several things omitted." In the preface of a book devoted to the detail of facts regarding Arbroath, an allusion to a work of fiction supposed to bear reference to the same place may be allowed. Axi attentive reader of Scott's inimitable novel, " The Antiquary," acquainted with the vicinity of Arbroath, will have little doubt that it contains the scenery of that story. The allusions to the battery, the conmion, the Grecian porch of the new Council- house, the great interest taken in merchandise and linen manufactures, and the doings of the postmistress, are, among other marks, quite sufficient to identify the town of Arbroath forty or fifty years ago with the Fairport of the novel. Auchmithie and Ethie-haven are described with Scott's usual power in his pictures of the fishing hamlets, and contain fisherwomen who might sit any day as the originals of Maggie Mucklebackit. Ethie House is the only mansion in the neighbourhood that suits the description of Knockwinnock. But the claims of identity with Monkbams are divided betwixt Seaton and Anniston, while the description does not exactly suit either. The high rocky coast between Arbroath PREFACE. vii Ness and Redhead will supply Halketheads and Bally- burgh Ness Points in abundance. A poet's license is taken in placing "the root o' an aik tree" among the cliffs, and in making the sun set over the waves of the German Ocean during the storm ; and also in removing the ruins of St Ruth (described as Arbroath and Melrose Abbeys intermixed) from the bustling vicinity of a large town into one of the dells of the district, such as the den of Arbirlot. These liberties were obviously used for greater effect, and probably to involve the narrative in some degree of disguise. The veil becomes, however, very transparent when the writer makes Edie Ochiltree meditate on his appearance in the eyes of the villagers while he was " coming down the edge of Kin- blythemont"—a phrase which will suggest to every inhabitant of the neighbourhood the bluegown's return toward Arbroath, along the old Brechin road leading by Chapelton and the policies of Kinblethmont, The Author takes this opportunity of returning his thanks to those gentlemen whose subscriptions have led to the present publication ; and also to those who have facilitated his researches by affording information or access to original documents. Tlie frontispiece, engraved by Mr J. Adam, Edinburgh, a native of Arbroath, is from a drawing which the author made in order to shew the front of the Abbey Church as it now exists, and would appear to passengers were the view not obstructed by modem buildings which have been erected within a yard or two of its walls. Arbroath, IH November 1859. ::: CONTENTS. GENERAL INTRODUCTION. Page. The Monastic Writings of Arbroath : Historical subjects on which they supply information : Introduction of surnames : Topo- graphical names, and variations, changes and translations of same : Anglo-Norman and other settlers in Angus : Royal resi- dences from 1178 to 1249 : Introduction of Shires and Sheriflfs Formation of Parishes : Adoption of Tutelar Saints : Nature of Abthaneries : The Culdees and their Abbes : Culdees of Abernethy and Brechin : Causes of the fall of their order : Indications of Culdees at Monifieth and Arbirlot. 1-38 CHAPTER I. The Town of Arbroath and its Dependencies.—1. Origin and Condition till the foundation of the Abbey. 2. The Harbour. 3. Formation of Older portion of the Burgh, 4. Formation of Newer portion of the Burgh in the Almory.