THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES glfflWlffilH si ,i HISTORY OF THE PARISH AND BURGH OF LAURENCEKIRK BY WILLIAM BUXTON FKASER, M.A. MINISTER OF MARYTON WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS EDINBURGH AND LONDON MDCCCLXXX TO PATRICK DICKSON, Esq. OF BARNHILL, WHO SUGGESTED THE WORK, AND LARGELY AIDED IN ITS PRODUCTION, THIS HISTORY OF THEIR NATIVE PARISH AND BURGH, IN HEART-PELT APPRECIATION OP A LIFE-LONG FRIENDSHIP, IS DEDICATED BY THE AUTHOR. 534791 USRAKT P E E F A C E. ' The writing of this History of the Parish and Burgh ' of Laurencekirk was first suggested to the mind of a friend by a short historical account of the Parish of Maryton, which had recently been printed. The suggestion, when conveyed to the writer, was not acted upon without hesitation. The diversity of interests to be dealt with was so great, entailing a corresponding amount of research, that the task appeared a somewhat formidable one. On the other hand, the suggestion was felt to be due to a kindly interest in the parish, and it touched a chord of sym- pathy which responded to the feeling. The research which had been needed for the brochure on Maryton gave some measure of preparation for the work, one or two of the leading families having in days of old been represented in both parishes. There was en- couragement, also, in the hope of receiving assistance from quarters in which the necessary information had to be sought, a hope which experience has more than justified. Vlll PREFACE. Under the influence of these considerations, the work was undertaken, and the issue is offered to the reader, with a claim for indulgence if it be found imperfect and unsatisfactory. Incomplete it must be, and inaccurate to some extent it may be. The difficulty of obtaining information of any kind, and especially reliable information on a series of events extending over centuries, renders completeness in such a subject impossible, and inaccuracy very prob- able. No credit is assumed for more than that care has been taken to make the History as full and correct as the available sources of information would permit. The benefits accruing from such a work are greater than on first thoughts may be conceived. On the lowest ground, it is a reasonable curiosity which desires acquaintance with the past history of the parish or neighbourhood to which nativity or resi- dence attaches importance. But, if fairly executed, these local expositions contribute to accuracy in that wider field of history, a knowledge of which is uni- versally regarded as one of the elements of intel- lectual culture. Scattered over the pages of such works as those of Balfour, Douglas, Chambers, and Jervise, are particles of information in regard to particular localities, which, gathered together, combine to throw no little light upon their respective histories. In the mass, those works may with some reason be pronounced dry and if utilised as uninteresting ; but, quarries of informa- PREFACE. IX tion, facts may be dug out to build a little fabric to interest and instruct the readers of the community to whose history they belong. The truth of this statement will appear more and more as these parish records are multiplied. The one will help to eluci- date the other; and, when several neighbouring- parishes have had this attention bestowed upon them, the result will be a knowledge of the district which cannot fail to be at once interesting and profitable. ' In preparing the History of Laurencekirk,' it has been found that ample sources of information exist for a similar treatise on all the surrounding parishes. There are few parishes in Scotland with such an abundance of interesting matter available as Fordoun possesses. Marykirk is rich in material for a parish history, and so in smaller measure is Garvock. It is to be hoped that some one, native or resident in these respective parishes, will be encouraged to make the necessary research, and give the result of his labour to the community in which he is interested, and to the public at large. No apology is offered for supplementing the strictly historical narrative with a short account of families and individuals connected with the parish. Nothing, it is hoped, will be found in those brief sketches calculated to offend surviving representatives in the or elsewhere and care has been taken to parish ; verify the statements which have been made. Many of the anecdotes which appear in the closing X PREFACE. chapter, or are interspersed in the narrative, may appear uninteresting to the general reader. It is to be borne in mind, however, that the work has been prepared, not for the general reader, but mainly for natives of Laurencekirk, and others specially inter- ested in the parish. For their sakes chiefly, it has been thought well to give permanent form to the quaint sayings and humorous anecdotes which have been floating about for more than half a century. The quaintness and humour may not be apparent altogether to those who can judge of them only apart from a knowledge of the persons or circum- stances to which they refer. But a hope is enter- tained that some, from early association or cherished tradition, will have pleasure in the perusal sufficient to justify their insertion. Whatever diversity there may be among natives of Laurencekirk in other respects, they are all alike in cherishing a strongly sympathetic feeling in all that concerns the past and present of their native parish. The main purpose of the volume is to minister to this essential element of a truly patriotic and the labour on it will be spirit ; expended doubly rewarded if, from time to time, a stray copy find its way to some foreign land, and help the reader to " recall the vision of his early village home." Among the many who have contributed their own reminiscences and other information, only a few can be expressly mentioned, though all are gratefully re- membered. More than one of the chapters are PKEFACE. XI indebted to Mr James Cowie, whose acquaintance with the history of the parish for the last century and a half is probably unsurpassed. Part of the information connected with the burgh was supplied by Mr John Kinnear, the late Mr Alexander Bobert- son, Mr William Main, Mr David Glass, and Mr James Forbes, who has been unsparing in his friendly aid. Mr James Scott Hampton, S.S.C., has shown his kindly interest in the parish and burgh of which he is a native by his readiness in procuring extracts from the public registers, which would otherwise have been inaccessible. Old documents of consider- able interest have been furnished by Mr Eobert Crabb and useful information has been ; supplied by Mr William Alexander, Bent. Access at will has been given to all available writs in of the heritors of the possession parish ; and thanks are specially due to Mr Alexander Edmond commissioner for the Earl of Kintore Mr Pearson of Johnston Lodge, and Dr Johnston of Kair, for the interest which they have manifested, and the trouble which they have taken whenever applied to. The courtesy of Bailie Eae and Mr Craig, burgh- clerk, is also to be acknowledged in responding to repeated applications for liberty to consult the burgh records. A like acknowledgment is due to the Eev. Mr Morrison and Mr Keppie, for frequent opportunities Xll PREFACE. of the records of the kirk-session and to consulting ; the Eev. John Brown, clerk of the Presbytery of for access to the records as Fordoun, Presbytery ; well as to the Eev. H. D. Simpson and the Eev. James Gam mack, Drumlithie, for kindly according the same privilege in regard to the whole records of the Episcopal Church in their custody. In addition to the sources of information already noticed, the following works, among others, have been ' ' consulted : and the Douglas's Peerage Baronage ; ' works of Andrew Jervise, F.S.A. ; Scott's Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae ' of the ' ; History Carnegies ; ' Biscoe's ' Earls of Middleton Dr ' Life of ; Eogers's Wishart ' Sir William Forbes's ' Life of George ; Dr Beattie ' Chalmers's ' Life of Euddiman ' ; ; Duthie's ' Memoir of to his George Menzies,' prefixed poems ; ' ' of f Memoir Eev. David Moir ; Balfour's Annals of ' Scotland;' Chambers's Domestic Annals;' the 'Black- ' book of Kincardineshire ' of ; Spalding's Memorialls the Trubles in &c. ' Wodrow's ' Scotland, ; Correspon- ' dence ; the Kincardineshire Eetours. Maxse of Maryton, July 1880. CONTENTS. INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. Situation Extent and population Boundaries of the parish Largely a morass The ague Conversion into arable land Bogs of Bent Skeletons found Site of village The "Snowy Terminus" Castle of Kincardine Royal gifts and honours Claim to literary distinction Ancient name of the parish Modern name Statistics of popula- tion Manufactures Prospects of burgh, . PART FIRST. THE PARISH AND ITS LANDOWNERS. CHAPTER I. THE LAND AND ITS OWNERS. Scotland divided into parishes Subdivisions of Conveth The Berkeleys Falconers Middletons "Wisharts Frasers Keiths-Marischal Earl of Crawford Barons of Gray Meldrum Strachan of Thornton Allardice Irvine of Drum Stuarts Hamilton Livingstones Moncur Carnegies Lord Gardenstone Farquhar and successors Allardyce Crombie Dr Johnston, . 12 XIV CONTENTS. CHAPTER II. DE BEEKELEYS. Their origin Humphrey receives grants of "Mernez" Grant to the monks Confirmed by Richenda The monks dispossessed Compromise made by John and concurred in by Robert Hugh receives charter of Westerton of Conveth Founder of Berkeleys of Mathers Successive Berkeleys Kaim of Mathers Name changed to Barclay A father's counsel Last Barclay of Mathers Inscription in Howff at Urie Founder of ' ' Barclays of Urie Author of Apology for the Quakers Robert the Strong New town of Stonehaven Last Barclay of Urie Barclays at Newton Supposed descent from Alexander Barclay Earliest known progenitor Balmaleedie Aisle of kirk of Aberluthnott Successive Barclays at Newton Remarkable longevity Represen- tative of the main line of Berkeleys of Mathers, .