Ochterlony's Account of the Shire of Forfar - Part Two

This is the second part of the valuable Account of the Shire of Forfar written by the venerable John Ochterlony, an Angus laird of the late 17th century. As one of the earliest coherent accounts of the county, it contains much interesting detail. Due to Ochterlony's social standing the focus is naturally on mansion houses and their occupants, noble and otherwise.

The first part of the account can be read here.  The third part will be posted in the future.

Ochterlony's home, The Guynd

PRESBYTERIE OF BRECHIN, continued

Logie. — The chief heritor is the Laird of Logie, Scott, a gentleman of a good estate thereabout. Galraw, belongmg to Sir John Falconer, ane excellent new built house, with much old planting, and fyne yards, and salmond fishing.  Craigo, to Mr James Gamegy. All lying very pleasantly upon the south syde of North Esk. Mr Symsone, minister. In the Diocese of Brechine.

Dun. — The whole parish did formerly belong to the Lairds of Dun, as did the parish of Logie, and Barony of Arret. It is ane ancient and honourable familie. It is a great house, well planted, good yards and orchards. The situatione is pleasant, and extraordinare good land ; hath a large outer court, and the church on the south-east syde thereof, and the minister's manse hard by. It lyes on the north syde of South Esk, where he hath a good salmond fishing. Mr Lichtoune, minister. In the Diocese of Brechine; the Laird, patrone.

Montrose — Is a Royal Burgh, having a Provost, four Bailies, and a Dean of the Guild, and others. It is a very handsome well built toune, of considerable trade in all places abroad ; good houses all of stone, excellent large streets, a good tolbuith and church, good shipping of their own, a good shore 

at the toune, a myle within the river of South Esk ; but the entrie is very dangerous for strangers that know it not, by reason of a great bank of sand that lyeth before the mouth of the entrie, called Long Ennell, but that defect is supplied by getting pilots from the neighbouring fisher-towns of Ulishavene or Ferredene, who know it so well that they cannot mistake. It is a very cheap place of all things necessary except house rent, which is dear, by reason of the great distance they are from stones, and makes their building very dear ; yet, notwithstanding, they are constantly building both in the toune, and suburbs, which are at a considerable distance from the toune, in the Links, whore are their malthouses, and kills, and granaries for cornes, of thrie storeys high, and some more, and are increased to such a number, that in a short tyme it is thought they will equall, if not exceed, the toune in greatness. They are well appointed of flesches and fishes, which are extraordinare cheap in that place, and have them in great abundance of all sorts. They have a good public revenue, two wind-milnes, ane hospitale, with some mortificationes belonging to it ; they are mighty fyne burgesses, and delicate and painfull merchants. There have been men of great substance in that toune of a long time, and yet are, who have and are purchasing good estates in the countrey. The generalitie of the burgesses and merchants do very far exceed these in any other toune in the shyre. They have a good landward parish, and severall heritors therein, viz. Logic, Scot, before mentioned, who hath very good houses and yards in the toune; Kinnaber, Fullertoune, a pleasant place, lying on the south syde of North Esk, with salmond fishings ; Borrowfield, Talzeor ; Heatherwick, a new built fyne house, belonging to David Scott. Mr Lyell and Mr Neill, ministers. In the Diocese of Brechine ; the Toune, patrons.

Inchbraick, formerly belonging to Sir John Carnegie, a second son of the House of Southesk, now to Patrick Scott, son to James Scott of Logie, sometime Provost of Montross.  It is a great estate, excellent good land lying upon the south syd of the water of Southesk untill ye come to the mouth of the water, and then tumeth west the coast untill ye pass Ulishavene, a fishertoune of his. He hath ane other called Ferredene, and hath salmond fishings there. The river makes ane island betwixt Montross and Ferredene, where the kirk in old stood, and the whole parish is designed from the island, and is still the buriall place of the parish. They always wait the low water, and carries over their dead then, being almost dry on the south syd when it is low water. He hath thrie houses there, viz. Craig, Bossie, two excellent houses, rebuilt with excellent good yards, orchards, and planting. Craig hath ane excellent fountaine, with a large basone of hewen stone, whereunto water is conveyed by pypes of lead from a spring at a good distance.

Baldovie, a gentleman's house, of the name of Dundas ; farther up the south syde of South Esk, with a salmond fishing. Dunynald, belonging to Thomas Allerdyce, a second son of the House of Allerdyce of that Ilk in Memes. A good estate, and a fyne new built house, with good yards, where there is great plentie of excellent lymestone ; it lyes upon the coast, which all alongst from Montross is a rookie iron coast, and there is a large spacious bay, which makes a sure and saif road for any ships in a storm, called Lounane Houp. Mr Mathie, minister. In the Diocese of Brechin.

Marietoune. — That parish lyes upon the south syde of South Esk from Baldovie up to Kinnaird. There are therein Old Montross, formerly belonging to the Marquis of Montross, and is their title, now to the Earl of Middletoune, one of his Majestie's Secretaries of State, a pleasant place, good house, excellent yards and planting, delicate land; with a salmond fishing on the water Bonnietoune, belonging to Sir John Wood, ane ancient gentleman, and good estate, well planted, good yard, orchard, and dovecoat, and excellent good land. Dysart, Lyell, a good house, lyes on the coast be-west Dunynald, with a dovecoat. Mr Lindsay, minister. In the Diocese of Brechine ; Bishop thereof, patrone.

Kinnaird and Farnell. — Both these parishes belong entirely to the Earl of Southesk, without competition the fynest place, taking altogether, in the shyre ; a great house, excellent gardens, parks with fallow deer, orchards, hay meadows, wherein are extraordinare quantities of hay, very much planting, ane excellent breed of horse, cattle, and sheep, extraordinare good land. Famell is lykewayes ane extraordinare sweet place, delicat yards, and very much planting. My Lord is patrone of both, and are in the Diocese of Brechine. The familie is very ancient and honourable 

these six generations. In Queen Marie Regent, Queen Marie, King James the Sixth, King Charles the First, and his Majestie now reigning, they have been Officers of State and Privie Counsellors, and have all of them been verie famous for their loyaltie, and of late have suffered much upon that accompt, and have been honoured by having his present King's Majestic, his father, and grandfather, of blessed memorie, at their house of Kinnaird.

Upon the west syd of both parishes lyes that great and spacious forrest called Montroyment, belonging to his Lordship, and abounding in wyld foul and haires. 

PRESBYTERIE OF ARBROATH

The Presbetrie of Arbroth is divided into eleven parishes, viz. Kinnell, Innerkillor, Lounane, St Vigeans, Arbroth, Arbirlot, Carmylie, Idvie, Guthrie, Panbryd, Barrie.

Kinnell. — Most part of the parish belongs to Earl Southesk, being adjacent to Farnell and Kinnaird, with the house of Balshione, well planted with excellent fine yeards. Easter Braichie, belonging to Sir Francis Ogilvy of New Grange, a great-grandchild of the House of Airlie. Wester Braichie, a gentleman of a nigh relation of the House of Gray; both good houses, and well planted. Mr Thompsone, minister. In the Diocese of St Andrews; Archbishop, patrone.

Innerkillor. — Most part of the parish belongs to Earl Northesk, as the Barronies of Ethie and Bedcastle, with others. Ethie is the principal dwelling ; a very good house, laitly re-edified by John Earl of Ethie, grandfather to this present Earl, and who was a son of the House of Southesk, a noble, worthie, and loyall persone, who suffered much for his loyaltie, as was also his son the Earl Northesk, father to the present Earl. They have fyne yards, orchards, and park.

It lyes pleasantly on the coast be-west Lounnan Houp, formerly spoken to, and is very good land, and hath a fishertown belonging thereto called Auchmuthie, whereby they are abundantly served of all kind of fishes all seasons of the yeir. In the rocks of Ethie there engendereth ane excellent falcone yeirly. Abundance of sea-foul and kittiewaicks formerly spoken of. Reidcastle, ane old house upon the sea. King William, when he built the Abbey of Arbroth, dwelt there. Laird of Boysack, a grandchild of the House of Northesk, hath a good estate there, and a good house called Boysack, on the water of Lounan. The Laird of Bonnietoune hath a considerable interest in the parish. Breying-toun, belonging to Mr John Bait, minister, a gentleman of the House of Halgreen in the Memes. Lawtoune, to Gairdyne of that Ilk, a very ancient familie, and chief of his name. Mr Rait, minister. In the Diocese of St Andrews; Earl Panmure, patrone.

Lounane [Lunan]. — The most part of this parish belongs to the Earl of Northesk, called the Barony of Lounane. Innerlounane, belonging to Ogilvy, brother (of) Innerwarity. Ardbickie to John Mudie, a good new house, and good land. All that parish, Innerkiller, Kinnell, Idvie, Guthrie, and a part of Rescobie parish, are in Strathbegg. An extraordinary pleasant country on both sides of the water of Lounane. Mr Peddie, minister. In the Diocese of St Andrews; Earl Panmure, patrone.

St Vigeans lyeth about a myll above Arbroth, on the water thereof; ane old great kirk built upon ane high artificial mount, as is famed, by one Vigeanus, a religious man, and was canonized, and the church bears his name. Places in the parish are Innerpeffer, with a considerable interest, belonging to the Earl Panmure; a pleasant sweet place, lying upon the coast three myles be-west Arbroth; fyne yards, orchard, and planting, and although it be in St Vigeans, yet the whole parish of Arbirlot is interjected betwixt them. North Tarrie belonging to Earl Northesk, well planted with yards and orchards, lyeth on the east syde of the water of Brothock. Lethem, on the west syde of the said water, a pleasant place, with good yards, orchards, well planted, with a hay meadow, belonging to Sir John Wood of Bonnietoune. New Grange lying on the east syd of the said water, good yards, well planted, and pleasant meadows. Collestoune, presently purchased by Doctor Gordone, good house, planting, and meadows. Parkconnone, Bamsay; Gaimetoune, Ramsay; Muirhouse, belonging to the Laird of Guynd; Easter Seatowne, Crawford; Wester Seatowne, Guthrie; both lyeing together on the coast, good houses, yards, and planting, with a little park at the Easter Seatowne, the rocks whereof abound with sea calves, sea foull, and wyld pigeons. South Tarrie, Leslie, a fyne little house and yards, excellent ground, lyeing at the east syde of the toune of Arbroth. Hospitalfield, and Kirktoune, a pleasant place,  and good land, belonging to a gentleman of the name of Fraser, of the Familie of Philorth, where they gather abundance of that alga marina, wherewith they dung their land to their great advantage. Mr Strachane, minister. In the Diocese of St Andrews ; Earl Panmure, patrone.

Aberbrothock — Is a Burgh Boyall, hath a Provost, two Bailzies, whereof the Earl of Panmure hath the electioun of the first. It is a pleasant and sweet place, and excellent good land about it, built upon the east syd of the water of Brothock; they have a shore, some shipping, and a little small trade; it hath one long large street, and some by streets; it is tolerably well built, and hath some very good houses in it; but the beautie and decorement of the place in tymes past was that excellent fabrick and building of the Abbey thereof, built by King William, King of Scots, and endowed by him and others with great rents and revenues, and lyes buried there in a piece of very stately work built by himself for that purpose, and is a very stately piece of work of thrie storie high. The whole fabrick of the buriall-place is still entire as at first, and if it be not thrown downe, may continue so for many generations;the laigh storey is the buriall-place, and the second and third storeys were employed for keeping the chartours of the Monastrie. There is one lodging remaining yet entire; it had a most stately church, with two great steeples on the west end thereof;  most part of the church is ruined, but was the largest both for breadth and length it is thought in Scotland. There is much of the walls thereof as yet standing in many places; the tower thrie storie high is standing yet entire, and the roof on it; there was ane excellent roume, called the fish-hall, standing, with ane excellent oak roof; but that with much more of the building by the avarice of the town's people about there, were all broken down, and taken away.

There were, besyd the Cathedral Church, four chapples, viz. — St Thomas' Chappie, the Abbey being dedicat to St Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterburrie; it was richly furnished, and a gentleman told me he saw the verrie things in a chapple at Parish, and was told they were removed thither by the Monks of Arbroth the tyme of Reformartion, cxtraordinare rich, but of an antique fashione; Lady Chapple; St Ninian's Chappie. The Almes-house Chapple is now possest by James Philip of Almryclose,his house built of the stones thereof, and has all the apartments belonging thereto. The fabrick was great and excellent, having many fyne gardens and orchards, now converted to arable ground, about which is a high stone wall, and now by the King's gift belongs to the Bishop of Brechine. Hard by the towne upon the east syd is Newgait, belonging to a gentleman of the name of Camegy, of the Family of Southesk, a very good house and pleasant place; Almryclose is in the head of the towne, and good house and yards. Sundie Croft, a little interest belonging to a gentleman of the name of Peirsone, who is ancient, and withoutt debait chief of his name. Mr Carnegy, minister. In the Diocese of St Andrews; the King's Majestie, patrone.

Arbirlot. — Most part of the parish, with the house of Kellie, which formerly belonged to the Lairds of Ouchterlony of that Ilk, belongs now to Henry Maull, third brother to the present Earl Panmure, is a good and very great house, well -planted, and stands very pleasantly on the water of Eliot. The rest of the parochine belongs to the Earl Panmure, is excellent good ground, and lyes alongst the coast two or thrie myles. Mr M'Gill, minister. In the Diocese of St Andrews; the Earl of Panmure, patrone.

Carmyllie. — The most part of the parish belongs to the Earl of Panmure, with the house of Carmyllie. Oamegy, belonging to the Earl Southesk, and is the title of the eldest son of the Familie, is a good house, well grassed, a good moss, with ane excellent large park. Guynd, a good house, with yards and planting, lying upon the water of Eliot, belongs to John Ouchterlony, lineal successor, chief and representative of the ancient familie of Ouchterlony of that Ilk. Cononsyth, to a gentleman of the name of Bait, of the Familie of Hallgreen, in the Mernes. Mr Ouchterlony, last minister. Now vacant. Within the Diocese of Brechine; Earl Panmure, patrone.