Historic Scenes in Forfarshire
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THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES HISTORIC SCENES IX FORFARSHIRE. WILLIAM MARSHALL, D.D, COUPAR-ANGUS, AUTHOR OF "MEN OF MARK IN BRITISH CHURCH HISTORY," " THE WESTMINSTER STANDARDS PERSECUTING," &C. EDINBURGH: WILLIAM OLIPHANT & CO. 1875. PRINTED BY CHARLES ALEXANDER, AT THE OFFICE OF THE 'DUNDEE CODBIER AND ARGUS" AND "WEEKLY KEWS. PREFACE. This volume is a reprint, with corrections and additions, of a series of papers which originally appeared in the Weekly News of Dundee. We began the papers by suggesting some considerations meant to commend what we were to write about to public attention. These considerations we have not reprinted : we felt that it was superfluous to do so. The acceptance which the papers met with as from week to week the desire to they appeared ; expressed in a form and the number have them permanent ; very large of Subscribers for this volume, to whom we offer cordial thanks, shew that the siibject is an interesting one to a wide circle of readers. Our title describes our subject. It is not the antiquities of Forfarshire, or its architecture, or its topography, or its land- scapes, or its agriculture, or its trade and commerce. With these our subject, in so far as it has been treated, has hitherto been in works but it is mixed up, generally large and expensive ; quite distinct from them. It is the Historic Scenes of the to which was relevant which did not shire ; nothing contribute, more or less, to the making of such Scenes. We have written for the information and entertainment of the general reader. All questions on which he could not be 872612 iv Preface. expected to accompany us with intelligence and interest we have studiously shunned. Our acknowledgments are due to preceding writers on For- of it to the Author of the farshire, or on parts ; primarily Land of the Lindsays and Memorials of Angus and Mearns, whose researches have added so largely to what the public had pre- viously known of the shire. History is not to be invented, but learned ; and if the sources from which we have learned much of the history embodied in the following pages, and the authorities on which we have relied for its authenticity, are less frequently named than they might have been, we do here all the more frankly acknowledge our obligations to them. We are sensible of the very imperfect manner in which we have accomplished our task. We have spared no pains to be as cannot as accurate possible ; but we hope that we have escaped mistake and misstatement, in a work dealing with matters so multitudinous and multifarious, and over many of which so much obscurity hangs. CotrPAR ANGUS, December, 1875. CONTENTS. FORFARSHIRE. Extent of Population Districts. 1. THE MARITIME DISTRICT. DUNDEE. Antiquity of Castle Limits of Old Dundee Name of the town, and lore about Burned by Edward I. of England Retaken by Wallace Taken again by the English Recovered by Wallace Scrimgeour made Hereditary Constable of National Council held in Robert II. in Contribution to ransom of David and new charter " by, II., got Briggant" execution in Visited by James V. and his Queen Burned by Edward VI. of England Zeal of, for the Reformation Wishart's Labours in The Wedderburns Their Gude and Godly Ballates Paul Methven Mary and Darnleyin Amerced by Mary One good deed by her Earl of Gowrie captured in Visited by James VI. in 1595 and 1617 An Asylum to Andrew Melville Four meetings of General Assembly in Stormed by Montrose Sacked by Monk Hilltown burned by Claverhouse Authorities of, Con- formists They and population opposed to one another in 1715 The Pretender Proclaimed at Exhibition of him at the Cross Dundee in 1745 Queen Victoria landing at, and departing from, in 1844 Opening of Baxter Park Inauguration of Kinloch Monument Place of Public Execution Birth-house of Admiral Duncan Birth- house of Admiral Middleton Strathmartin's Lodgings Whitehall The Earl's Lodgings (Crawford's) Witch Knowe Residences of Argyll, the Wedderburns, etc. The Luckenbooths St Margaret's Close Wallace Craigie Cowgate Port Blackness Belmont House Heathfield House Ancient Ecclesiastical edifices. 1 45. LIFF AND BENVIE. Roman Station and Camp in Early Church at Invergowrie Wishart's memorable night at Hurley Hawkin Battle of Liff Union of Scotts and Picts Stuart zeal of minister of Benvie. 46 50. MAINS AND STRATHMARTIN. " Claverhouse The Bloody Clavers" Lord Macaulay's pencillings of him and his associates for fortnight Nine Maidens' Well Clatto Moor Broughty Castle Notice of some Strathmartin ministers. 51-57. vi Contents. MURROES. Castle of Easter Powrie Anciently belonged to the Earls of Angus Tragic Story of Gilchrist, third Earl Castle of BaUumbie Story of the heroine, Catherine Douglas. 57 59. MONIFIETH. Grange Seat of the Durhams Centre of Reforming influence Marvellous preservation of Lieutenant Durham Meetings at Grange of Alexander Durham, sixth baron, Erskine of Dun, and Knox Erskine's narrow escape at, from the Papists Montrose a night at, on his way to the gibbet, and almost made his escape John Durham of Pitkerro Linlathen House, seat of the late Thomas Erskine, Esq. The parish a model of coercion in religion Fierceness of the '15 Rebellion in. 5962. BARRY. Battle of Barry Great victory of the Scots over the Norsemen Monuments of the battle. 62 64. MONIKIE. The Live and Let Live Testimonial to Lord Paumure Vestiges of war in the parish William Bait, minister of, deposed for Jacobitism in 1715 Alexander Balfour, copious literary writer, a native of. 64 66. PANBRIDE. Panmure Castle, and House Battle of Panmure Panbride the birth- parish of Hector Boece. 66 67. ARBIRLOT. Black Den Crown lost in Kelly Castle and Barony Once the pro- perty of Walter, Lord High Steward of Scotland Old Christian Monument at Manse Arbirlot the parish in which the late Dr Guthrie began his ministry. 67 68. ARBROATH. The Abbey Founded by William the Lion Dedicated to Thomas a Becket Kings who sojourned in William the Lion buried in His grave identified Twice visited by Edward I. of England Often by King Robert Bruce Parliament held in, in 1320 Suffered much from the English during the Wars of the Independence Battle of Arbroath Death of the Earl of Crawford and of the Laird of Inver- quharity James V. entertained in the Abbey Overthrow of, at the Reformation First and Second Reformed ministers of Arbroath Captain Fall's attack on Hospitaln'eld, the Monkbarns of the Anti- quary The Right Honourable Fox Maule, Lord Pan mure, banquetted in Arbroath Bell Rock Bell Rock Lighthouse. 6879. ST. VIGEANS. Sculptured Stones at Reading of one of them Peter Young, tutor to James VI., buried in Church of Ludicrous superstition in the parish Anecdotes of John Aitken, minister of St Vigeans. 79 81. Contents. vii INVERKEILLOR. Redcastle, a Royal hunting-seat The De Berkeleys of The Inglerams The Stewarts of Innermeath Monstrous attack on, by Gray of Duninald Lunan Bay, a landing-place of the Northmen Vestiges of, in the neighbourhood Auchmithie fishermen's awe of the Earls of Northesk, when Barons of Redcastle Eathie House A favourite residence of Cardinal Beaton Still haunted by his ghost The seat of the Earls of Southesk Notices of several of these Boysack, the Carnegies of, and their Jacobitism Jacobite ministers of Inverkeillor. 8187. LUNAN. Vestiges of the Northmen in The Knaps Memorials of war in Walter Mill long parish priest of Turned Protestant His martyr- dom. 8789. CRAIG. Birth-parish of Andrew Melville His education, and scholarly emi- nence Made Principal of the University of Glasgow Transferred to St Andrews His special mission that of a Church Reformer The head of the Second Reformation What his struggle with King James cost him His noble character Illustrations of The birth-parish also of Dr Alexander Leighton Horrible persecution suffered by Two Scots who rose to a high place in India, natives of the parish The King's Cadgers' Road. 8995. KINNELL. Traces of the Romans in Indications of war in the locality Barony of Kinnell given by The Bruce to the chief of the Clan Fraser for his exploits on the field of Bannockburn Other Angus and Mearns' estates given for the same reason to the Lovats Pare of Montreath- mont Moor, one of the Royal forests, in Kinnell Royalty often hunted in it James VI. did so for a week in 1617. 95 97. MARYTON. Old Montrose, the seat of the Grahams Took from it their several titles of nobility Notice of the family The great Marquis His heart got by Lady Napier after his execution, and embalmed Taken to India, and worshipped there Lost at Boulogne Marquis's noble qualities After his death, Old Montrose passed to the Earl of Middleton His infamous character and administration His fall, poverty, and death Bonnington and Usan, and the Tullochs and Woods of Censure of Lammie, minister of Maryton, for his activity to get the Earl of Southesk returned as a member of the General Assembly of 1648 Irvine, minister of the parish in 1715, forced to flee from it by the Jacobite Rebels. 97100. FARNELL. Lands of, originally belonged to the See of Brechin, and Castle the Bishop's Palace Worldly wisdom of Alexander Campbell, Bishop of Brechin at the Reformation Kinnaird possessed by the Carnegies viii Contents. from 1409 Kinnaird Castle the seat of the Earls of Southesk Fre- quently honoured with the presence of Royalty Burned by Earl Beardie after the Battle of Brechin Notice of the Carnegies of Kinnaird Stuart zeal of David, first Earl of Southesk Fined by Cromwell Father-in-law of the Great Marquis of Montrose, who, when on his way to Edinburgh to his doom, was conveyed by Kionaird Castle Second Earl a reputed magician His extraordinary disappearance from Earth Fifth Earl a leading Jacobite in 1715 Proclaimed the Chevalier at Montrose Fought for him at Sheriff- muir Entertained him at his Castle Was forfeited, and died an exile in France Estates bought back by Sir James Carnegie of Pitarrow Titles restored to Sir James's great grandson in 1855 Farnell Cistle Laudable use made of, by the Ladies Carnegie.