Page images
PDF
EPUB

country, and are highly ornamental and useful. In this parish there are 10 orchards, 5 larger and 5 less, which, iq favourable feasons, yield a confiderable quantity of apples, pears, and plumbs. There is also a large natural wood, mostly of oak, which is cut twice in 24 years, and affords a plentiful and occafional fupply of timber for the various purposes of husbandry. The only timber trees in the Carse are saugh, which grow to a large fize; and, when allowed to arrive at full maturity, the red is durable, and admits of a most beautiful polish.

Bees. Several perfons in this parish have propagated bees with great fuccefs. The numerous orchards, the extenfive plantations of trees, which abound with the faccharine juice, the large fields of beans, whofe grateful flavour embalms the very air in the Carfe, and the up-lands adorned with varie gated bloffoms of clover and daifies, and furze and broom, afford a plentiful fupply to these industrious infects; and the warmth of the Bank, fo well sheltered from the N. and running from E. to W. through the whole extent of the parish, affords them that cover which fuits the delicacy of their frame, and cherishes their unceasing industry.

Heritors,

rance he fucceeded at last in carrying a small rivulet about half a mile below ground, in wooden pipes, which confift 4 of wooden boards, 1 foot in breadth, joined at right angles, and hooped with iron. In the space of 4 or 5 years he cleared, by the aid of this stream, about 20 acres down to the clay. This land produces fine crops of oats, and, by being properly wrought, and turned up frequently to the enriching influence of the air, there is no doubt of its carrying any other fpecies of crops, known in the clay land around it. But, to the unfpeakable lofs of his family, this ingenious and industrious man, whose name was MURDOCH, was loft about 2 years ago, within a few yards of his own house, in paffing the Forth; and fince his death, the improvements on the mofs have gone on but flowly.

Heritors, Rents, &c.-The heritors are 5 in number, none of whom refide within the parish. More than one half of the parish belongs to JAMES STIRLING, Efq; of Kier, whose refidence has a commanding prospect on the Bank of Lecropt, within a mile of the church. This family has been long and juftly respected, by all ranks, for the qualities which adorn human nature in the higher spheres of life. They have embellished the place of Kier, by well dreffed lawns and extenfive plantations; they have given bread to the poor, in carrying on these improvements; and have, by their example and influence, diffused a ftile of husbandry and cultivation through this country formerly unknown. The number of farms is 25; and their extent is from 40 to 100 acres each. There are 7 pendicles, confifting of from 3 to 14 acres. There are 20 cottages, occupied by labourers and married fervants. The land in the Carse lets, on an average, at 20 s. the acre; and the average rent of the up-land is 12 s. The valued rent of the parish is 2200 l. Scotch. The real rent is not exactly ascertained.

The

Population. The population of the parish has rather been on the decrease fince the farms began to be enlarged. population in 1755, as returned to Dr Webster, was The number of fouls at present (1794) is

577

420

Decrease

157

80

The number of families is

Employments.-The people are employed, for the most part, in the various operations of husbandry, as farmers, fervants, and labourers. There are 2 weavers, 1 fmith, and 1 millwright; but neither taylor, shoemaker, furgeon, nor lawyer, in the parish.

Fisheries.

Fisheries.-The cruives of Craigforth are placed on a ledge of rocks, which extend across the Forth, having one end in this parish, and the other in the parish of St. Ninian's. The tide flows up to this ledge; which circumftance renders it a proper ftation for a fifhing of this kind. A great number of falmon is taken, when the cruives are kept in proper repair. Salmon are also taken on the Teath and on the Allan, befides trouts, pikes, and perches.

Village, Manufactures, Mills, &c.-There is only one village, called the Bridge of Allan, which consists of 28 families. None of the tenements are feued. They are all the property of Mr Stirling of Kier. The villagers are variously employed, miniftering to the convenience of the country. There is, particularly, a brewery for malt liquor, where ftrong ale, small beer, and porter, are made.-This village is fituated on the Allan, a river more remarkable, at this place, for its romantic scenery, of a deep glea covered with a variety of wood, and its tumultuous current, than for the quantity of its water. The Allan, within a short space, drives feveral mills, for meal, barley, and flour. There are, particularly, 3 mills for making a coarse paper, known by the name of Callender paper, which clothiers use in preffing cloth. The village has alfo the advantage of being fituated in a plentiful country, near coals, and at the separation of the two great military roads, the one going by Callander, to the west of Scotland, and the other, by Crieff, to the north: So that no fituation feems to be better adapted for erecting a village on a large fcale.

Sources of Profit.-The farmers in the clay land, who have lime in abundance near at hand, and for a moderate price, make their returns moftly by their grain. In the upland, the farmers have not only the fame command of lime, but

fhell

fhell marl, and make their returns partly by grain, and partly by the produce of the diary, and by fattening cattle for the market. The women fpin woollen yarn, which fells, when trade is good, at 2 s. the fpindle, for making stockings, fhalloons, and plaids.

Roads. The great roads in this parifh are but indifferent ; but a toll is foon to be erected on that leading northward, which will enable the gentlemen to pay more attention to the other great road, and to the bye-roads, which stand much in need of repair. The roads in the Carse are scarcely paffable in winter. The statute labour is not commuted.

Ecclefiaftical fate.-The church and manfe are beautifully fituated on the face of the rifing ground, above the Carfe, and command a rich and extenfive prospect, already taken notice of. The church, which is in good repair, is an old Gothic building *, confifting of a nave and choir, 72 feet in length; the nave being only 14 feet broad, and the choir but 11. The steps to the altar are ftill visible; and the facred font is quite entire. The manfe is commodious, and in good repair. The glebe consists of 7 acres of fertile land, properly inclosed. The ftipend is 48 1. 19 s. 2 d. in money, 43 bolls of meal, and 23 bolls of barley. Mr STIRLING of Kier is patron.

Religious Perfuafions.-The town of Stirling was the original feat of the feceffion from the established church; and, from

It was formerly a chapel annexed to the bishopric of Dunkeld, although it be fituated within the diocese of Dunblane, and only 2 miles from the bishop's feat. The curaté was establifhed at Lecropt, to be a check on the bishop of Dunblane; which practice it feems, from fimilar inftitutions, was not uncommon in these times.

from a variety of causes, the peculiar tenets of that persuasion took early a deep root in this neighbourhood. A great variety of opinions have sprung up fince that period. We have Burghers, Antiburghers, Cameronians, Bereans, and perfons who adhere to the prefbytery of Relief. But it ought to be remarked to their credit, that perfons entertaining all thefe different opinions live with thofe of the ettablifhed church, and with one another, in friendship and brotherly love. The acrimony of fpeech, the fournefs of temper, the fhyness of intercourse, and the reluctance to perform good offices, which characterifed religious parties fome years ago, have now given place to Chriftian benevolence, and the fweet intercourfe of focial affection. The intolerant heat of party zeal has become more moderate; and the mild fpirit, which the gospel breathes, polifhes the ferocity of nature, and finooths the ruggedness of the human heart. Men have discovered, what they ought always to have known, that their opinions, with regard to fpeculative points, are often as different as their faces; and that the harmony of fociety, and the intercourfe of life, ought not to be interrupted by the one more than by the other; that meeknefs and forbearance become Chriftians; that rudeness of manners is different from purity of morals; that afperity of temper is no mark of foundness in the faith; and that it is a precept of the highest authority, to "love one " another."

School and Poor.-The fchool is well taught. The fees are moderate; for Latin and arithmetic, 2 s.; for English, one merk Scotch, or 1 s. 1 d.; for writing, 1 s. 6d. Bookkeeping and mathematics are alfo taught. The falary 100 l. Scotch, with the perquifites arifing from the offices of precentor and feffion clerk.-There are no begging poor; but a few poor householders are comfortably maintained, without VOL. XVII. H any

« PreviousContinue »