Laid out below is a copy of the New Statistical Account of Scotland entry for Dollar parish, published in 1845.
The New Statistical Account of Scotland – Volume 8, (1845)
PARISH OF DOLLAR
(Presbytery of Stirling, Synod of Perth and Stirling.)
By the Rev. A. Mylne, D.D. Minister.
I - Topography and Natural History.
Name. - There can be little doubt that the name Dollar is of Gaelic origin ; but there is some difficulty in ascertaining what is the meaning of the word in that language. Some say that the name is derived from Dal, a valley, and ard, a hill or lofty ground. But these terms scarcely apply to Dollar. Some derive the name from the Gaelic word, Doilleir, which signifies dark, sombre, or gloomy.*
* This opinion is founded on the following well known tradition : It is said, a daughter of one of the Kings of Scotland (who then resided at Dunfermline, a royal scat in the neighbourhood of Dollar) was, as a punishment for some improper conduct, immured in the cells of the royal fort, now called Castle Campbell ; and that while confined there, she gave names to certain places and streams adjoining the castle, corresponding to the depressed state of her mind at the time. The place of her confinement she called Castle Gloom. The hill on the east of the castle she called Gloom hill, which name it still retains. To the two streamlets which glide by on the east and west sides of the knoll on which the Castle is built, she gave the names of the burns of Care and Sorrow.
Extent and Boundaries, - The parish of Dollar is about a mile and a quarter in length from east to west. The breadth from north to south is considerably greater, being about three miles; but as the boundary to the north extends far into the Ochills, where there is no population, its breadth from the southern foot of the Ochills to the boundary line of the parish of Clackmannan, scarcely exceeds a mile and a-half. The breadth of the parish is, however, considerably enlarged by a piece of angular ground, almost detached from the rest of the parish in the south-east, called the Seik and Well-hall, near to Blairingone. The same thing occurs in the north-east of the parish, where Hill-foot and its farm steadings form also a detached corner. The boundary of the parish on the east is well defined by Kelly-burn, which separates it from Muckhart. The northern boundary is in the centre of the Ochills adjoining the parish of Blackford.
In the northern extremity of the parish, about two miles above Castle Campbell, there is a large moss called Maddie moss. Its area exceeds 120 Scots acres. It is very retentive of water, and occasionally bursts its barrier, and flows down in a muddy torrent to the Devon, by the stream on the west of the castle. The western boundary on the side of Tillicoultry is clearly marked (at least on the north side of the Devon) by a burn which descends from the Ochills, and crosses the turnpike road about a twelfth of a mile or less from the first mile-stone on the road from Dollar to Alloa. The boundary on the south is not well defined ; but the road from Blairingone to Alloa is pretty nearly the boundary, and separates the parish from Clackmannan. At Melloch, however, there are a few houses in Dollar parish on the south of this road, belonging to Mr Erskine, the boundary being in his wood of Aberdona, which cuts off from Clackmannan, a small portion of his property, which lies chiefly in the latter parish.
Hills. - The only hills connected with the parish of Dollar are the Ochills, an extensive range which runs nearly in the direction of west to east from the parish of Logie ; forming a barrier on the north to the parishes of Alva, Tillicoultry, Dollar, and Muckhart, and continuing in the same line to the centre of Fife. The hill on the western extremity is called Damiett, from which there is a most magnificent view of all the country around, more especially of Stirling, Alloa, Linlithgow, Falkirk, the kerse of Stirling, and as far as the centre of Lanarkshire, - together with the splendid range of mountains extending from near Perth on the east, to the banks of Loch Katrine and Loch Lomond, on the west. The highest hill in the Ochills is Benclough, north of Alva, nearly 2400 feet in height. The hills to the east, in Tillicoultry and Dollar, and more especially, in Muckhart and to the east of Muckhart, are of inferior heights. The chief hills which form the barrier of Dollar to the north are King's seat. Dollar hill, and the Wisp, which do not exceed 1800 or 1900 feet in height.
The Ochills, as seen a few miles on the south of Dollar, appear a continuous range, nearly of the same height, and not unlike in form to the Jura mountains which separate Geneva from France. Upon examining the upper ridge narrowly, certain notches or depressions are seen, which indicate the place where streams are formed on the upper part of the hills which descend to the plains below, increasing in size, and passing through romantic glens of great variety and beauty. The most remarkable are the burns of Dollar, Alva, and Tillicoultry, the two last of which furnish a supply of water for the shawl and blanket mills of these thriving villages.
The Ochills have been much admired for the lights and shadows that appear on their surface. This is particularly noticed by those who live on the south side of the Forth. And there can be no doubt, it arises from the particular slope of the hills, which is nearly an angle of 45, so that every cloud which passes over the sun has its shadow reflected on the green surface of the Ochills. If the inclination of the hills were more perpendicular, the shadows would not be seen by those who live on the opposite side of the Forth, and if the inclination were more horizontal, they would fall unobserved by them on the ground.
The greater part of the parish of Dollar consists of a valley or low grounds between the foot of the Ochills and a gently sloping eminence on the south of the Devon. The breadth of the valley may be about one mile or less, and it is nearly level ; but in the north-east portion of the valley, the ground begins to rise, and continues to rise to Hillfoot, in the north-eastern comer of the parish. The old village of Dollar, as it is now called, is situated at the commencement of this rising ground, and presents a most picturesque appearance when viewed from Sheardale or the rising ground in the parish on the south of the Devon.
The Devon glides, with many windings, through the valley ; but as it keeps near the high land on the south, it is not seen to advantage from the grounds immediately above it. The height of the Devon at Dollar above the level of the sea must be quite inconsiderable, - from the circumstance, that a canal was several years ago seriously proposed to be made to join Dollar and Cambus, (where the Devon enters the Forth,) but it was abandoned, whether from want of means to carry on the work, or a difference among proprietors through whose lands it was to pass, is not known. It would have been of great advantage to Dollar and the neighbouring parishes, by furnishing a ready mode of conveyance for their farm and other produce, - although it might have interfered with the picturesque effect of the "clear winding Devon."
There is a remarkable fissure in the front of Castle Campbell. Whether it is a natural or artificial opening, is not well ascertained. The general opinion is, that it was a passage cut out of the rock to carry water in the event of a siege, from the rivulet below; but it is more probably the work of some natural convulsion, - though it may have been improved by artificial means. It is said there were steps cut in the rock, forming the bottom of the fissure, all the way down to the rivulet. But it is difficult to ascertain the truth of this statement, as it is now completely covered with loose earth, several feet in thickness. The fissure is dark and gloomy, and the descent is very steep and difficult, and is rarely attempted. It is above 100 feet from top to bottom, and the breadth is about six feet. The sides are perpendicular, which gives it very much the appearance of an artificial cut. It is usually called Kemp's score or cut.
Meteorology. - The temperature of the atmosphere and its pressure, also the quantity of rain that falls in a year, are exhibited in the following table, which contains the monthly average result of observations made on the barometer and thermometer every day, morning and evening, for one year, viz. from October 1839, to October 1840; also the monthly average result of observations made with a rain-gauge regularly kept.
| Barometer | Thermometer | Rain-Gauge | ||||
| 9 1/4 A.M. | 8 1/2 P.M. | 9 1/4 A.M. | 8 1/2 P.M. | Minimum | Inches | |
| October 1839 | 29.84 | 29.87 | 47 1/2 | 45 1/2 | 42 | 4.05 |
| November | 29.47 | 29.46 2/3 | 42 | 41 1/2 | 38 1/2 | 3.75 |
| December | 29.40 | 29.39 | 37 | 37 | 33 1/2 | 5.37 |
| January 1840 | 29.31 | 29.30 2/3 | 37 | 37 1/2 | 34 | 9.45 |
| February | 29.64 | 29.65 | 36 1/2 | 36 1/2 | 33 1/4 | 3.84 |
| March | 30.13 | 30.11 | 40 | 39 | 31 | 0.31 |
| April | 29.86 | 29.87 | 49 1/2 | 44 1/2 | 40 | 0.72 |
| May | 29.71 | 29.71 | 50 | 47 1/2 | 42 | 3.74 |
| June | 29.65 | 29.66 | 56 | 50 1/2 | 48 | 2.44 |
| July | 29.57 | 29.59 | 57 1/2 | 54 | 49 1/2 | 4.79 |
| August | 29.674 1/2 | 29.68 | 59 | 57 | 51 | 3.19 |
| September | 29.46 | 29.50 | 52 | 48 | 44 | 4.36 |
| Total | 46.01 | |||||
The following is a statement of the quantity of rain that fell in Dollar, from March to March following, viz.
from 1830 to 1837 = 47 inches and 77 hundred parts;
from 1837 to 1838 = 36. 30 inches;
from 1838 to 1839 =: 49.92 inches;
from 1839 to 1840 = 49.46 inches.
The hottest day of the year 1836, was the 15th of June, 66 degrees at 9 1/4 A. M. ; the coldest night, 11th January following, 13 degrees.
The hottest day in 1837 was the 11th July, 70 degrees at 9 1/4 a. m.; and the coldest nights, 19th January and 14th February following, viz. 7 degrees.
The hottest days in 1838 was the 5th and 6th July, viz. 69 1/2 degrees at 9 1/4 A. M. ; and the coldest nights, the 6th and 30th January following, viz. 15 degrees.
The hottest day in 1839 was the 18th June, viz. 70 1/2 degrees at 9 1/4 a. m. ; and the coldest night, 30th January following, viz. 19 degrees.
Climate, -
The climate has a decided tendency to moisture; owing, no doubt, to the immediate vicinity of the Ochill hills.
The parish is remarkably healthy. The only disease which may be considered as peculiar to Dollar, is the glandular swelling of the neck, called bronchocele - obviously occasioned by drinking the water of Dollar Burn, which is impregnated, for more than half the year, with melted snow from the Ochills.
Hydrography. - There is a spring or rather drippings from the rocks at the Vicar's bridge, (so called from its having been built by Thomas Forrest, Vicar of Dollar, to be afterwards mentioned,) in the parish of Fossaway ; but it goes under the name of Dollar Mineral Water. It is reckoned a good breeding stream for salmon, and is powerfully astringent, and comes from a rock of iron-stone. It is said to be very efficacious in healing cuts and bruises of any kind - and has been particularly useful in healing the fleshy wounds of cattle.
The following analysis of this water is by Dr Thomson of Glasgow: -
Sp. Gr. 1.0109.
In an imperial gallon are the following ingredients :-
Muriate of soda, 5.87
Sulphate of soda, 170.99
Sulphate of alumina, 953.18
Dipersulphate of iron, 1753.10
Persulphate of iron, 141.55
Silica, 58.70
Total - 3083.39 grs
Rivers, - The only river in the parish is the Devon or Dovan. It takes its rise among the hills in the parish of Blackford. It flows almost due east from its source, till it reaches the parish of Glendovan. After this, its course is more to the south. At the village which has the appropriate name of Crook of Devon, it takes a sudden turn to the west, flows between the parishes of Fossaway and Muckhart, and then enters Dollar, where it has a very agreeable appearance, and is well entitled to the epithets of "Silver Devon," "Winding Devon," which Burns bestowed upon it,* After passing through the parishes of Tillicoultry and Alva, the Devon at last reaches the Cambus, in the parish of Alloa, where it joins the Forth : and it deserves to be noticed, that, after making a circuit of between 30 and 40 miles, it enters the Forth only a few miles south from its source.
* It is celebrated in two of the published songs of Burns, which were composed by him, when on a visit at Harviestoun, the residence of Mr Tait, in honour of two ladies, relations of that gentleman, Miss Chalmers, afterwards Mrs Lewis Hay, and Miss Hamilton, afterwards Mrs Adair.
The Devon, after the sudden turn which it takes westward at the Crook, presents, as it flows through the parishes of Fossaway and Muckhart, some scenes of singular beauty. Of these, we may notice the Deil's Mill, the Rumbling-brig, and the Cauldron Linn or Falls of the Devon, which attract the notice of all travellers for amusement.
Its medium breadth is about 100 feet ; its depth seldom exceeds two or three feet, except when it forms itself into pools, which are often five or six feet deep, or more. It is subject to considerable inundations after heavy rains among the hills where it takes its rise, or after the sudden melting of new fallen snow. These floods or spates, as they are sometimes called, often prove very injurious to the farmers whose lands lie on the borders of the river. The Devon abounds with trout, and also with par below the falls ; but, as it is much frequented by anglers, more especially in the neighbourhood of Dollar, fewer fish are found than formerly. The best trouting station is in the parish of Glendovan and higher up. There are no par here, which corroborates the experiments of Mr Shaw, tending to show that par are young salmon in a certain stage, and they cannot ascend beyond the falls. The small streams or burns which descend southward to the Devon from the glens in the hills, abound with trouts of the finest quality, which are often caught in great numbers - more especially after warm showers.
The Devon, being but a small stream, is not navigable ; but it might easily be made navigable by deepening its bed. A survey of the river was made in 1766 by James Watt, engineer, who reported that its elevation above the Forth at Cambus was trifling, and that it might be made navigable as far up as Dollar, at an expense not exceeding L.2000. But nothing farther was done in the matter.
Mineralogy. - The rocks of this parish consist chiefly of two classes, viz. 1st, Trap rocks, 2d, Coal formation rocks. The north part of the parish consists of that range of the Ochill mountains which presents to the south a regular line of front running in an east and west direction for a number of miles ; this line passes through the parish a little northward from the town of Dollar.
These mountains are composed of trap rocks of various kinds, in thick beds, and very much on edge, the dip being to the south, and the line of bearing from east to west. The great mass is of the amygdaloid class, and clinkstone porphyry, of a light colour. The former abounds with agates, in the cavities of which small quartz crystals are found.
It is, however, particularly to be remarked, that Gloom hill, immediately north from the old town of Dollar, is distinctly different from the rocks which compose the great mass of the Ochills, it being that species of trap rock known by the name of greenstone, and commonly termed blue whinstone, being much more crystalline in its structure than the common trap rocks adjoining.
In the mountains of this parish, as well as in the whole range of the Ochills, there are many veins in which copper and lead are found.
From the face of the Ochills in this parish, the only class of rocks found arc those of the coal formation, abounding with valuable beds of coal. These rocks consist of, 1st, Sandstone of various shades of yellow, grey, and light red ; 2d, Argillaceous schistus, or shale of a dark colour, more or less mixed with sand ; 3d, argillaceous rock, commonly named fire-clay; 4th, Argillaceous ironstone in bands and balls, such as is commonly found in the coal-fields of Scotland ; 5th, Mountain limestone.
The beds of coal are of various thickness, as will be afterwards noticed, consisting of cubical coal, splint coal, smithy coal, and anthracite, commonly known by the name of blind-coal.
Below the mountain limestone, the strata of the coal formation continue to a great and unexplored depth, containing many beds of coal, but not workable to profit. Accompanying the coals, there are valuable ironstones, fire-clay, sandstone, and thin beds of limestone. Although the whole parish south of the Ochills consists of rocks of the coal formation, that part of it which contains beds of coal of a thickness workable to profit is comparatively small.
There are two workable coal-fields in the parish, viz. that of Dollar, next the Ochills, and Sheardale, upon the south side of the river Devon. Each of these viewed as a whole is of an elliptical or oval shape, termed a coal basin ; consequently the strata dip in every direction towards the deepest part of the basin ; but mining engineers regard the chief or true dip to be northwards, as the strata on the north side of the basins rise at a great angle with the horizon. These two coal-fields, so far as they contain coals workable to profit, are completely disjoined ; but they contain the same beds of coal, and the same accompanying strata.
The Dollar coal-field is the west portion of an elliptical basin, the trough or lowest part of which has its greatest length in a line nearly parallel with the face of the Ochills, the eastern part of which basin is found in continuation across the east boundary of the parish, and terminates in the parish of Muckhart. The greatest length of the basin, measuring from the outburst or crop of the main coal, which is the lowest workable coal above the mountain limestone, is about 1730 yards, and its greatest breadth, measured from the crops of the same coal, is about 960 yards, of which the breadth from the line of the trough to the south crop is 672 yards, and from the trough to the north crop, is only 288 yards.
The surface of the ground from the mountain foot declines gently towards the river Devon, and forms haughs or holms along both sides of the river. From these holms the ground again rises to the south, forming a steep brow ; from the top of which there is a considerable extent of table or flat land reaching to the south side of the parish. In this flat land, is found the Sheardale coal field already mentioned. The only difference regarding the beds of coal, compared with those of the Dollar coal-field, is that, in the Sheardale coal-field, no smithy coal or anthracite is to be found.
The organic remains found here are the same as are found generally in the coal-fields of Scotland ; but no organic remains are found in any of the rocks which compose the Ochills.
In both coal-fields, the following coals have been found above the mountain limestone, the place of section being at Kelly Burn, the east boundary of Dollar parish, and at the deepest part of the trough :
| Rock Strata | Coals | |||
| Fathoms | Feet | Feet | Inches | |
| Earth or alluvial cover, | 3 | 2 | ||
| 1. Upper coal rock, | 2 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| Rock strata, | 3 | 5 | ||
| 2. The crop coal, | 1 | 8 | ||
| Rock strata, | 4 | 0 | ||
| 3. Coal, | 2 | 3 | ||
| Rock strata, | 7 | 3 | ||
| 4. Rock strata, | 7 | 3 | ||
| 5. The rough coal, | 3 | 0 | ||
| Rock strata, | 2 | 1 | ||
| 6. Splint coal. | 3 | 3 | ||
| Rock strata, | 11 | 0 | ||
| 7. Rock strata, | 11 | 0 | ||
| 8. The main coal. | 5 | 0 | ||
| 34 | 2 | 15 | 8 | |
These coals are a mixture of splint and cubical coal, suitable for household use and furnaces, with the exception of the smithy coal, which is part of the main coal, gradually changing its quality into the smithy or blind coal, as it approaches the mountain rock.
Sandstone has been wrought on both sides of the Devon. The quarry at Sheardale has been wrought to a considerable extent. A good specimen of this rock is seen in the Academy of Dollar. The sandstone on the north-side of the Devon has not been much used for a number of years ; but at present it is being quarried at Quarrel-burn quarry, west from the town of Dollar, with a view to the erection of a new church for the parish : but it is feared it will not answer.
The ironstone found in these coal-fields is of the common argillaceous kinds, and is found in bands and balls imbedded in shale or dark-coloured argillaceous schistus, and yields from 28 to 33 per cent, of cast-iron.
The argillaceous rock or fire-clay is found in the pavement and roof of the coal. It is here of the ordinary quality, such as is common in the coal-fields of Scotland. When made into bricks it is very suitable for lining of furnaces, where there is an intense heat.
The alluvial deposits overlying or covering the rocks in this parish, are of the following kinds : -
Upon the Ochill mountains are found beds of peat, debris of the rocks mixed with sand and gravel, and also what is termed the old alluvial cover.
The cover along the mountain's foot over the coal formation consists of the angular debris of the Ochills, mixed with sand and loam ; from thence to the river Devon and to the foot of the steep banks on the south side of that river, it consists of gravel, sand, and loam. Few large boulder-stones are to be seen ; those found on the surface at the mountain's foot, are of greenstone. Adjoining the holm-ground, is a very thick bed of brown plastic clay, very suitable for the manufacture of tiles, bricks, and common pottery.
In this clay there are found angular and fantastic forms, of from an inch to three inches in length. They are hard, have a meagre feel, and have a portion of calcareous matter in their composition. These stones have attracted the attention of naturalists, as to the manner in which they have been formed ; but no satisfactory conclusions have been come to. They are collected as curiosities, and they are sometimes used as slate-pens.
All the alluvial cover upon the rising ground, south from the river Devon, is composed of what is termed the old alluvial cover, which abounds very much in the coal districts and uplands of Scotland. It consists of an intimate mixture of clay, sand, small gravel, and boulder-stones of various sizes. It is without beds, is very compact, impervious to water, and difficult to work. It is remarkable that no organic remains, either of the animal or vegetable kingdom, are found in this cover, although the rocks and strata upon which it rests, abound with innumerable petrifactions of shells and plants, such as are found in the coal-fields of Scotland. It is a most sterile substance; for although thrown up and exposed to the weather, it is long before any plant strikes upon it. In thickness it varies much, being from a fathom to eight fathoms thick, when it has been sunk through ; but there is no doubt it is in some places much thicker, as in other places of the county.
The thickness of the beds of gravel in this valley has not been ascertained, and at the foot of the Ochills are great mounds of this substance in these deposits. The boulder-stones are formed of trap rocks, and of hard and soft porphyry, from a small size to several hundred weight.
With regard to the mines which have been wrought or are now working in this parish, those in the Ochills have been given up long ago. Hitherto they have not been successful, and there is no prospect of their being set agoing. These metallic veins yielded both lead and copper.
Mines of coal have been wrought in this parish for a long period of years ; but how long it is since coal was first wrought here, is unknown. It is most likely that the first opening would be at Kelly-burn, east from the town of Dollar, as the coals and accompanying strata are there partially cut through by the water. The next operation was to lay dry a breast of coal, by means of a day level, which was commenced in the lands of Pitgober, in Muckhart parish, and was carried forward until it intersected the main coal, splint coal, and rough coals from the points of intersection of the three coals. These coals have been wrought in a water level course, directed to near the Dollar-burn on the west, and to the eastward to the boundary of the parish, and not only so, but in continuation eastward into the Middleton coal-field, in the parish of Muckhart.
After all the coals laid dry by the day level were wrought out, the main coal was fitted or laid dry to the dip north from the present turnpike-road, by means of a water-wheel for raising the water. This pit was 15 1/2 fathoms deep to the main coal, and the water so raised was delivered from the pumps into the day level. By this operation, the main coal was wrought in a water level course direction on both sides of the water-engine pit The mines to the westward extended to the glebe belonging to the parish church, and to the east they extended into the Middleton coal-field, in the parish of Muckhart.
The next winning or fitting of this coal-field was by means of a steam-engine, upon a pit considerably to the north of the watermill pit in the lands of Kelly bank, in Muckhart parish. By this new operation, the splint coal was gained at the depth of 20 fathoms from the surface. To this pit the Pitgober day level was continued, and the water raised by the steam-engine was delivered into the day level at 10 fathoms from the surface. Of the splint coal very little was wrought by this winning, the chief object being to work the rough coal, it being of superior quality, and commanding a ready sale, - and, in order to gain as large a breast of the rough coal by this fitting, a cross cut mine was run from the splint coal at the engine pit bottom, until it intersected the rough coal. This coal, by this operation, was wrought westward as far as the garden grounds belonging to the feuars of the old town of Dollar, and eastward into the Middleton coal-field. An attempt was made to work an additional breast of this coal, by means of under-dip workings, to the north of the engine-pit bottom, but a very limited area of coal was wrought by this plan. After this, the engine was stopped in consequence of a law-suit, afterwards noticed, and the coal is now all underwater. It is now nine years since any of the Dollar coal was wrought.
As the coals lying under the glebe lands, held in liferent by the parish minister, could be wrought in connection with these mining operations, part of the glebe coals were wrought long ago at a certain royalty for each ton, payable by the lessee of the Dollar colliery to the parish minister, as was common in such cases. This took place during the incumbency of the late Rev. John Watson; but, as matters did not go on comfortably, the lessee gave up the working of this coal.
Some considerable time after this, the whole of the coal in the glebe was purchased by the late Crawfurd Tait of Harviestoun, Esq. for the sum of L.100 ; which sum is secured in perpetuity to the minister of the parish and his successors, the interest of which sum he draws annually from the proprietor of the estate, such being the law of the church in such cases.
The greater part of the lands in the parish, with the coals and other minerals, belonged originally to the Duke of Argyle, and his Grace not only gave off small areas of land in perpetual feu, for payment of a feu-duty, but he also feued a great part of the Dollar or Castle Campbell barony in large areas for villas. In the greater part of these feus his Grace reserved the coal and the right of working the same under the usual servitudes. All the other minerals were the property of the feuars. In a few instances, the whole of the minerals, including the coals, were given along with the surface.
In this reservation of the coal in these different feus, and the servitude of using the surface in some instances without paying any damages, a very great difficulty has arisen in the course of working this coal-field as one continuous area of coal to which the superior has right, and this difficulty has already led to years of most expensive law-suits. The case is this : The property of Westertown of Pitgober, in the parish of Muckhart, has a servitude of drainage through it for all the coal under its surface. But the proprietor of the coal communicated the workings under Westertown with those contained in certain feus in Dollar. The proprietor of Westertown conceived, that, although he was obliged to submit to the drainage of certain coals on his lands, he was not obliged to submit to the drainage of the coal under these feus. After much litigation, this case was decided in the House of Lords in his favour. In consequence of this decision, the Dollar coal cannot now be drained as formerly, by means of the Pitgober day level, without the consent of the proprietor of the ground.
None of the edge coals of the Dollar coal-basin, which lie in a conforming situation, have been wrought. The western part of the main coal terminates or crops out under the New Town of Dollar. To the westward of this point, the mountain foot within the parish is composed of rocks of the coal formation; but whether any workable coals exist in this district within the parish, has not yet been ascertained. No coals have, hitherto, been found under the haugh or holm ground in the valley of the Devon ; and it is the opinion of mining engineers, that no coals will be found there excepting the thin coals under the mountain limestone.
The Sheardale colliery has been wrought upon a very small scale, for a long period of years, and was drained by means of a day level, which discharges its water into the river Devon. Within these few years a "winning" has been made upon it, to the depth of 14 fathoms to the splint coal ; and this colliery is now wrought to the extent of 6000 tons yearly.
With regard to dikes, slips, and dislocation of the strata, none but those of the most trifling kind have been found in the Dollar coal-basin; but the slips and dislocations are numerous in the Sheardale coal-field. The chief slip or dislocation hitherto discovered, is at or near the brow of the steep bank on the south side of the river Devon, which is supposed to throw the coal out to the north. This slip lies in a line nearly parallel with the face of the Ochills, and the chief great slips in the Clackmannanshire coal-field lie in the same line of direction. And it is worthy of remark, that, although the north part of the coal-field lies upon an immense mass of greenstone and trap rocks, no dikes of these last mentioned rocks have been seen in this parish, nor in any part of the Clackmannanshire coal-field.
The beautiful valley through which the river Devon runs, is here parallel with the face of the Ochills, and appearances lead to this conclusion, that a much more powerful river than what is seen at present has made the great excavation ; as the coal formation rocks on the steep banks, south side of the river Devon, are cut through from the top of the bank to a depth considerably below the present bed of the river. Upon the rocks to which this excavation is made, the recent alluvial loam, clay, and gravel are laid.
Upon this subject, geologists have as usual theorized; and amongst the many theories brought forward, one is, that the waters of Loch Leven were, at one time, discharged through this valley of the Devon, until, by some natural convulsion, the loch found a new discharge for its waters to the south-east, forming the present river Leven. The levels of the surface betwixt the loch and the river Devon render this theory plausible and probable.
As to the prices of coal, they vary from time to time ; but the rates are in general very moderate. At present, the price of coal at the Sheardale pits is from 4s. to 5s. per ton.
The colliers can make from 3s. to 4s. a day. They provide their own tools and light at present, they do not pay any rent for their houses.
Zoology. -
Insects found in the Parish of Dollar.
The insects most destructive to fruit-trees and fruits in the parish are :
[An extensive list of insects is given by their Latin names, - I have not included these here.]
Acarus tellurius, red spider ; A. Holosericus, scarlet acanis. - This and the preceding, similar in appearance, are often confounded with each other. Both are destructive to the leaves of all fruit-trees, and particularly the peach. These insects are too common. The means usually employed for their destruction are water with a little sulphur in it, thrown forcibly against the tree, from the pipe of a garden-engine, or other means.
Eriosoma Mali, American blight. - This is the scourge of the apple tree, no part of which is exempt from it ; it is sometimes found even in the pear. It exists in several gardens in the parish, but not generally. Among the many means employed to get rid of this destructive insect, the most effectual is to employ a painter's brush in rubbing in, on the infected parts of the tree, a strong size made of glue, or any other similar substance. This to be continued so long as the pest appears.
Coccus Arborea, tree coccus. - This insect, although usually confined to the forests, has found its way into the gardens, and covers the smooth branches of the apple and pear in the form of a brown scale. It is very common, and may be destroyed by the same means as the preceding, or by a wash made of tobacco liquor, sulphur, nux vomica, and water.
Anthonomus pomorum, apple weevil. - The larvae of this little insect are destructive to the flower-buds of the apple. It is not very common here, although in some districts it does much injury. No means have hitherto been found to prevent its ravages. Where-ever it abounds, the bullfinch is always to be seen in proportion, and is its natural destroyer.
Polydrusus oblongus, a weevil, the larvae of which destroy the unexpanded blossoms of the pear. It is not very common in the gardens, but is plentiful on the hawthorn and other trees. The same remarks apply for its destruction as in the preceding.
Yponamenta padella. - The larvae of this insect are very injurious to the apple tree, sometimes disleafing every branch. It does not frequently appear here, but is too common in many other parts. The most efficacious method to destroy it, is to pick the webs and insects off with the hand, as soon as they appear.
Phalaena pomonella, P. grossulariae, and P. wavaria, - The caterpillars of these three moths almost yearly commit great ravages on the leaves of the respective trees which they inhabit. Various means are employed to destroy them, but the most effectual is to pick them with the hand.
Nematus Ribesii, gooseberry fly, - The caterpillar of this fly also does considerable injury to the leaves of the gooseberry tree, and can only be subdued by picking.
Lampronia capitella. - The larvae of this insect enter the points of the young shoots on the currant tree, eating their way downwards : thus destroying the young wood. This insect does not confine its depredations to the currant alone ; the tender shoots of many other shrubs are injured by it. Its progress can only be arrested by removing the injured parts.
Aphis cerasi, black fly. - Infesting the young shoots of the cherry tree ; very common.
The green fly, a species of Aphis, is the pest of all fruit-trees, and of almost every other plant ; appearing on the tender points in considerable numbers. This and the preceding are easily destroyed, by washing the trees with tobacco water, or fumigation with the same material.
Vespa vulgaris, the Wasp ; and Formicula auriculata, the earwig, destroy pulpy fruits. The first may be taken in quantities by a common bottle half-filled with water and sugar; the latter, by tubes of tin, or even pieces of hollow bean-straw placed near their haunts.
Birds. - In the parish of Dollar, besides its due portion of the more common birds, there are several very rare ones, such as :
Parus palustris, Motacilla regulus, Loxia pyrrhula, Parus ater, Rallus aquaticus, Fringilla carduelis, Parus caudatus, Loxia curvirostra, Alcedo ispida.
Of the Falco order that occasionally appear in and near the village, we have seen the following :
Falco Tiniuinculus, F. Cyaneus, F. Aesalon, F. nisus.
To show the strength of wing, and keenness of pursuit of rapacious birds after their prey, we may here mention that in the summer of 1838, a female sparrow-hawk, in pursuit of a small bird, smashed and drove through a pane of glass in a private house. Other instances of the same kind have occurred here.
Botany. -
List of plants found in Dollar and its neighbourhood:
[An extensive list of plants is given by their Latin names, - I have not included these here.]
Trees. - The parish throughout is interspersed with plantations, belts, and hedge-row trees, of all the sorts usually cultivated in this country, viz. oak, ash, and elm, beech, plane, and the fir tribes. The rowan and the birch appear indigenous in Castle-Campbell Glen ; the alder to the banks of the Devon ; and the wild-cherry or gean is also a native tree. Of late years, the more rare hardy trees, as the chestnuts, walnut, maples and Turkey and American oaks have been introduced into ornamental plantations. In general, the whole, both common and uncommon, appear to grow in the greatest luxuriance. The soil in the low grounds is more congenial to the growth of hard-wooded trees, where they have, with few exceptions, been planted. The high grounds are more suitable for the larch and Scotch fir. Fruit-trees have been planted with variable success. The apple, for a few years, grows with vigour, and bears fruit ; but as soon as the roots penetrate the subsoil - which is in many places a retentive clay - the trees begin to canker, and gradually decay. The soil appears more adapted to the growth of the pear; even the oldest trees are, for the most part, healthy, and in favourable seasons produce fruit in abundance. The plum and the cherry are seldom planted.
Although there are a number of old trees scattered over the parish, few present any remarkable appearance for size or singularity of form. About thirty yards from the entrance to Castle-Campbell, on the north, there stands a group of aged plane trees, one of which measures 13 feet in circumference, at about 8 feet from the ground. This tree is remarkable for the singular beauty and symmetry of its form. From the earliest remembrance, it has borne the name of "the Maiden Tree." The whole group are very old, but still retain the vigour of health.
Near the church there are a few old trees, chiefly ash. One of them, some years since, presented a curious study to the vegetable physiologist. The trunk had become hollow, with an aperture at the bottom. A considerable quantity of decayed matter had accumulated within. A root, apparently from the insertion of a large limb, descended, lining the internal cavity with its long and slender rootlets, many of them luxuriating in the vegetable substance below. This decayed vegetable matter has been gradually exhausted, and the roots have since disappeared.
II. - Civil History.
Eminent Men. - We cannot omit to take some notice of Dean Thomas Forrest, commonly called the Vicar of Dollar, who suffered martyrdom for his liberal opinions. Spottiswood, in his History of the Church of Scotland, informs us, that there was a meeting of Bishops held at Edinburgh, in the month of February 1538, when five persons were accused of heresy. Among these was the Vicar of Dollar, Thomas Forrest, who, some time before the meeting, "had been called before the Bishop of Dunkeld, his ordinary, for preaching every Sunday to his parishioners upon the Epistles and Gospels of the day, and desired to forbear, seeing his diligence that way brought him in suspicion of heresie. If he could find a good Gospel or a good Epistle that made for the liberty of the holy Church, the Bishop willed him to preach that to his people, and let the rest be. The honest man replying, That he had read both the New Testament and the Old, and that he had never found an ill Epistle or an ill Gospel in any of them, the Bishop said, I thank God I have lived well these many years, and never knew either the old or new. I content me with my portuis and pontificall ; and if you, Dean Thomas, leave not these fantasies, you will repent when you cannot mend it. Dean Thomas answered. That he believed it was his duty to do what he did, and that he had laid his accompt with any danger that might follow. So at this time being brought in question with the other four persons, they were all together condemned, and burnt in the fire upon the Castlehill of Edinburgh."
John Macnab, - Dollar Institution. - There is another person, a native of this parish, whom we must not pass over with a summary notice, as he was the endower of what now forms the most remarkable feature in the parish, viz. the Dollar Institution. We mean John Macnab. He was not distinguished by his parentage or learning, but eminently so by the munificent bequest which he made to his native parish. His parents were poor. It appears from the session records that John Macnab was baptized in the church of Dollar, on 14th May 1732. He attended occasionally the parish school: and it is said he herded cattle, even after he became a grown lad ; but, being tired of this occupation, he set off one day to Kincardine, the nearest sea-port, and engaged himself with a coasting trader. Afterwards, he went to sea again, and determined to try his fortune on the deep. We are told upon very good authority, that when he set out for Leith to get on board a ship there, he had not a farthing in his pocket; and that when he came to the Queensferry, he was unable to pay his passage across, though the demand was only three half-pence. Out of this difficulty he was relieved by the kindness of a person who lived in Dollar, and who knew him. After crossing the ferry, they both walked together to Edinburgh. They separated at Edinburgh, and at parting his kind acquaintance gave him a sixpence to enable him to make his way to Leith ; where he engaged himself with the master of a ship. While at sea he saved some money, and afterwards became what is called a ship-husband. In this business, he was very successful, and amassed a considerable fortune. He came to London, and settled in the neighbourhood. It was there that he added considerably to his former fortune, by several fortunate speculations in buying stock. At his death, it was found that he had amassed a very considerable fortune, invested in ships, and in the funds and other Government securities. By his will, he ordered the whole to be collected into one sum, the half of which he bequeathed to his cousin, John Macnab. The other half of his fortune he ordered to be laid out in the public funds, or some such security, to bring an annual income for the benefit of a charity or school for the poor of the parish of Dollar, his native parish. The half of his property thus bequeathed to Dollar was of a considerable amount, being no less than L.90,000 three per cents, besides certain small legacies. The stock set apart to pay these annuities was at the death of the annuitants to be added to the Dollar charity or school fund, and which has now been actually done.
His will is dated 8th of May 1800, a few months after he had paid a visit to his native parish, in Scotland, with the view of ascertaining to what purposes, and under what management, the legacy which he was then meditating could be best applied. He added a codicil on 12th January 1802, bequeathing to his house-keeper an additional L.50. The will, though oddly worded, from his defective scholarship, was sustained as a legal deed in Doctors Commons. But, in consequence of his executors refusing to act, the money was thrown into Chancery, which led to a long-protracted litigation. The Court of Chancery admitted that the minister and elders of the parish were the trustees of the fund according to the will ; but, before handing over to them the money, it was at first insisted that the kirk-session should exhibit, for the approbation of the Court, a scheme of the way in which they meant to dispose of the legacy. In compliance with this request, on the part of the Court of Chancery, the kirk session of Dollar laid before it a plan for erecting a great hospital or poor house, (misinterpreting, as we think, the meaning of the word charity in the will). When this intended scheme came to the ears of the heritors, they became naturally alarmed for their properties, - seeing at once the injury it might eventually do them, if poor were collected from all quarters, and the whole parish converted into a great lazar-house. Accordingly they, and especially Mr Tait of Harviestoun, the principal heritor, who was most anxious for the establishment of a great seminary for education, made every effort to defeat the scheme. But as the heritors were not trustees, and consequently had no right to interfere in the management, the Court of Chancery was disposed to give in to the views of the minister and elders. Accordingly, after certain modifications of the scheme proposed, the court was inclined to sanction the erection of a poor's house. Sir William Grant, then Master of the Rolls, had actually approved of the scheme of a poor's house ; but, before he issued his order, Mr Watson, the then minister, died, and the writer of this account was presented to the living, by Mr Tait, the patron. On becoming minister of the parish, he immediately put into the Court of Chancery, his claim to be heard on the subject of the appropriation of the legacy, and, by the advice of an eminent lawyer. Sir Islay Campbell, late President of the Court of Session, he urged this plea, - that, since the legacy was left for behoof of persons residing in Scotland, the Court of Chancery in England had no right to dictate or control the trustees in the disposal of the funds ; and since they had already found that the ministers and elders of the parish were the trustees named in the will, they should at once put them in possession of the money bequeathed, leaving it to them to dispose of the legacy pursuant to the will of the testator, but subject to the control of the courts in Scotland. Lord Eldon, who was Lord Chancellor at the time, entered into these views, and pronounced a decretal order, that the half-yearly dividends, accruing from the stock belonging to the Dollar School, which had been vested in the funds in the name of the Accountant-General of Chancery, should be paid over to the minister and elders of the parish of Dollar, to be by them applied for the benefit of a charity or school for the poor of the said parish of Dollar, pursuant to the will of the testator, John Macnab.
We then urged a new plea, viz. that, since the Lord Chancellor had ordered the half-yearly dividends arising from the stock in the funds belonging to the Dollar School at the death of the testator, to be paid to the minister and elders of Dollar, he should also order that the dividends which had been accumulating for more than sixteen years since the death of the testator in January 1802, should be paid over to the said minister and elders. This Lord Eldon admitted to be reasonable, and pronounced an order accordingly. The legacy paid into Chancery, by Mr Macnab's executors, for behoof of the Dollar School, when vested in the 3 per cents, amounted to L.55,110, 9s. 2d. of that kind of stock; and on the 31st December 1825, with the accumulated dividends, and after paying all previous expenses of buildings, salaries, etc. it amounted to L.74,256, 9s. 11d. of 3 per cent stock, yielding an yearly income of L.2227, 13s. 8d. Sterling.
Since then, the legacy of L.100, left to Mrs Jellard, and the legacy of L.50, left to Miss Edwards, has fallen into the Dollar school fund, which gives an addition of L.150 to the yearly income. But this annual income has somewhat diminished since 1325, by the trustees buying up the superiority of the grounds belonging to the school, and certain feus adjoining ; and also by building another teacher's house. The superiority and the new house together cost nearly L.7500.
Now to meet this outlay, it was necessary to sell out L.7111, 11s. three per cent, stock, which has reduced the yearly income to L.2057. To this may be added something more than L.l00, arising from school-fees, and the small feus which the trustees have purchased ; and the feu-duty formerly payable to the superior is now saved.
The next point to be noticed is the mode in which these ample funds have been disposed of. The trustees having made up their minds that a school and not an alms-house was meant by the testator, the next point was, how the funds could best be expended, seeing that they were more ample than was necessary for procuring for the poor the mere ordinary branches of education, taught at parish schools. After serious deliberation, they adopted the opinion, that it was within the sound exercise of the latitude given them by the very general terms of the will, for them to establish a great seminary of education in the parish ; in which, while the immediate object would be that of teaching the poor the ordinary branches of instruction, classes should be opened for the higher branches of education, in order that the more industrious and talented among the poor scholars might be enabled to obtain that knowledge, which might fit them for rising above their present level in society, and for acquiring both riches and reputation in the world.
But, before taking the necessary steps for this purpose, the trustees deemed it prudent to take the opinion of counsel, both with regard to the extent of their powers under the will, and also the soundness of the views which they entertained respecting the application of the funds intrusted to them. In these views, they were confirmed by the opinion of the most eminent counsel at the bar, Messrs Cranston, Thomson, and Jeffrey. Proceeding on the same advice, the trustees allowed a free admission to the children of the poor of the parish of Dollar, and to all others, whether natives of the parish or occasional settlers, on payment of school- fees. Counsel were also of opinion that the trustees might make allowances to assist the more deserving of the poor scholars after they had left school, either in the farther prosecution of their education, or in following any of the mechanical professions. The trustees, therefore, set about the erection of a large public building, corresponding to the ample means they possessed, and to the number of classes they intended to open - giving to each class a separate class-room. For some of the more important of the classes they appointed teachers immediately - providing temporary accommodation for them, and the rest they added when the building was completed. The design of the building was given by William Playfair, Esq. architect, Edinburgh. It is a Grecian building, 186 feet in length, and 63 feet in breadth. In the centre of the front, which looks to the west, there is an elegant portico of six columns, and the top of the wall all round is surmounted with a block course to conceal the different roof and chimneys. The whole of the centre of the building is occupied by a great hall, or library, 45 1/2 feet in length, and 45 feet in breadth, which is lighted by a cupola in the roof, the height from the upper part of the dome, which is supported by fluted columns, being 45 feet to the floor. The rest of the building is occupied by commodious and lofty class-rooms, the trustees' room, in which is a museum, and the janitor's house.
The different teachers appointed by the trustees of the Dollar Institution are as follows : A teacher of English, a teacher of writing and arithmetic, a teacher of Latin and Greek, a teacher of modern languages, a teacher of drawing, a teacher of mathematics, and also a female teacher of sewing and fancy-work for the girls of the parish. A class for geography is likewise taught for six months during summer, and an infant school-house has been added to the establishment. There is also a class for botany taught during the summer months. The appointments of all the masters are during the pleasure of the trustees. The first arrangement, with regard to the income of the masters, was to give each a fixed salary, with a house, for teaching the poor children of the parish gratis ; and they were farther allowed to exact from those pupils who were not entitled to gratis education, certain fixed fees for each class they attended. But as this arrangement of allowing masters to exact fees was represented as creating an invidious distinction between the children who paid fees to the masters, and those who paid nothing, the system was changed, and no fees were allowed to be received by the masters ; but the fees fixed by the trustees were appointed to be levied quarterly by the treasurer of the institution, from the pupils not entitled to gratis education. The fees paid to the institution are quite trifling ; and rise by a graduated scale corresponding to the supposed ability of parents to pay. The highest fees are paid by boarders, or those who have no domicile in the parish. The quarterly payments made by them are 5s. for each class they attend ; while those on the lower grade, or the income of whose parents is supposed not to exceed L.30, pay only 8d. perquarter for each class they attend ; and if there are more than one attending school in the same family, the rest are admitted at half-price. Besides the school-fees, each pupil, not on the foundation, pays a small sum quarterly for coals, cleaning the school and library ; and this contribution, like the school-fees, is levied upon a gradual scale, and with the same deduction, if more than one of a family are in attendance on school at the same time.
For some years after the first opening of the Dollar Institution, besides the education of the parishioners, it had considerable celebrity as an establishment for boarders from other parts of the country, the masters being allowed to receive boarders into their houses, who are admitted to the different classes of the institution on paying the highest rate of fees. Of late years, the number of boarders has much diminished, which may in a great measure be attributed to the short-sighted conduct of certain wrong-headed persons among the parishioners. The trustees were anxious to encourage the boarding system, both because it was beneficial to the master, and more especially with a view to the benefit of the parish generally, and particularly to the shop-keepers and tradesmen, to whom boarders give a great deal of employment : but certain of the parishioners set themselves, in almost every respect, against the system which the trustees, on the opinion of the first counsel of the time, had adopted, and, amongst other things, had the indiscretion to advertise in the newspapers, that they hoped no gentleman would send his children to Dollar, to derive any advantage from a legacy, which was destined solely for the benefit of the poor. This, as may be well supposed, had the worst effect ; and though the sentiments, even of those who were hostile to the trustees, are now much changed, yet the injury done by this rash step is scarcely retrievable ; and although the jealousies and disputes which had been excited, have now much subsided, they have necessarily operated to the prejudice of the school. Notwithstanding these unpleasant occurrences ; and although in as far as concerns the trustees, and more especially the minister, Macnab's legacy has not added to their comfort ; - at the same time, there can be no doubt, considerable good has been done. Many of the children of the poor have received a liberal education, which, had it not been for the legacy, they had little chance of obtaining.
Many of them, it is but right to state, have been the most distinguished scholars in all the different classes, and have regularly carried off the most valuable prizes ; and although, as is to be expected, many of them lose the advantages of such an education, by entering into professions where it is not required, and in some instances contract bad habits, which render their superior education a curse, rather than a blessing, by increasing their powers and means of doing mischief; yet many of the children of the poor, in consequence of the superior education they have received at Macnab's school, have risen to respectable situations in life.
Some of them have become distinguished parochial schoolmasters, and tutors in gentlemen's families. Others of them have got situations as clerks in mercantile houses ; and not a few have become merchants themselves in different lines, and have been highly successful in business. A great number of pupils from the academy, after finishing their education, have been sent out as gardeners, and have got into very respectable situations in the gardens of the nobility and gentry in various parts of the country. We omitted to mention, that, besides an extensive lawn around the public building, the grounds on the north of the academy park, consisting of several acres, have been formed into a garden and nursery, where every kind of culinary and horticultural produce, besides shrubs, trees, and flowers, are raised. A certain number of the pupils of the academy, who have finished their general education, are allowed to enter the garden as apprentices, where, under the super-intendence of an experienced and scientific gardener, they are instructed in all the branches of gardening. They also attend a class for drawing in the evening; and with some other pupils, both male and female, receive lessons in botany from the master gardener. In this way they become qualified for places in gemtlemen's gardens. The number of pupils of both sexes who attend the different classes is at present above 200.*
* Reference may here be made to the notice in the Old Account of the Literary Shepherd, John Christie, who tended his own sheep on the farm of Craiginnan on the White Wisp Hill, one of the Ochills.
Land Owners, - The principal land-owners in the parish are, the Globe Insurance Company, (formerly Crawfurd Tait, Esq.); William Clark of Dollarbeg ; Robert Haig of Dollarfield ; Mrs Duncanson of Wester Sheardale ; John McArthur Moir of Hillfoot ; and James Erskine of Aberdona.
Parochial Registers. - The minutes of the kirk-session of Dollar commence in May 1701, and continue to the present time, with the exception of six years, viz. from October 1736 to May 1742, during which period no register seems to have been kept. There are three volumes of minutes, containing the transactions of the kirk-session, from 1701 till October 1834, with the above exception, and one in progress. The register contains nothing deserving of notice ; it is entirely filled with notices of births, deaths, marriages, and cases of church discipline. The two first volumes are very carelessly kept. The names of the persons who compose the sederunt of the meeting are seldom given, so that it is often difficult to ascertain who was minister at the time.
Ministers. - There have been four ministers in Dollar since the Revolution, the present incumbent making the fifth. The names of the four first are, John Gray, William Walker, Robert Finlay, and John Watson ; but, from the want of sederunts, we are unable to give the time when they first began their ministry. In the former Statistical Account, Mr Gray is said to have been ordained in 1709; but this is incorrect; for we find his name in the minutes several years previous to that date. * Mr Gray died in the year 1745 ; and left at his death a small legacy of 300 merks Scots for the behoof of the poor of the parish. He bequeathed his whole property to his only daughter, Jean Gray, who died in the year 1792. A few years before her death, she sold all the landed property left her by her father, viz. the two baronies, by which she realized no less than L.20,000. At her death, she left several considerable legacies ; among the rest, L.50 to the poor of the parish of Dollar, and a very beautiful large folio Baskerville Bible to the kirk-session, for the use of the minister.
* Mr Gray received the nickname of the Baron, from the circumstance of his having purchased two baronies during his incumbency, the one in Fifeshire, and the other in Fossaway parish. See further particulars respecting these purchases in a note in the former Statistical Account. It is said he paid for the two baronies nearly L.5000 - a large sum in those days ; and that the custom of his parishioners depositing in his hands the small sums they scraped together supplied him with the money for making these purchases. On one occasion, when a run was made upon him from his credit having become doubtful, it is said he arranged along the wall of his deposit room, a number of pewter pint stoups, filled nearly to the mouth with sand. Into the few inches near the top, not filled with sand, he put a number of guineas, half guineas, crowns, half crowns, shillings, etc. The first who came for his money, was frankly told he would have it, and it was immediately dealt out to him from the pewter stoups. The poor man, on seeing there was no want of money, as he supposed, returned what he had drawn, and begged the minister to keep it for him, as he had no use for it. This incident had a similar effect upon the other claimants; and by this ingenious contrivance, did the minister of Dollar stave off a rather formidable run upon his resources, for he bad really laid out the greater part of his deposits in buying land.
The only other minister of Dollar who attracted any kind of public notice, was Mr Robert Finlay, the third minister after Presbytery was again established. He was much esteemed by the parish, and was a person of great humour.*
* The following incident in his history is too remarkable to pass unnoticed : About the year 1767, Sir John Stewart of Allanbank gave a presentation to Mr David Thomson, minister of Gargunnock, to the vacant parish of St Ninians. Mr Thomson was not acceptable to the parishioners of St Ninians, who opposed it, and were joined in their opposition by the Presbytery of Stirling, who refused to translate Mr Thomson to St Ninians, on the ground that in their opinion he had not a sufficient call. The settlement or translation was, for one reason or another, hung up for about eight years. At last, the General Assembly gave a peremptory order to the Presbytery of Stirling to proceed with the settlement, and even named the particular day on which they were to induct Mr Thomson ; ordering at the same time every member of Presbytery to be present at the induction. The Presbytery, after this considered it unsafe to delay the induction longer, and therefore they resolved, though with great reluctance, to obey the order of the supreme court. The question now was, which of their number was to act as Moderator on the occasion. All of them wished to decline what they reckoned a disagreeable duty ; but Mr Finlay readily undertook it. Accordingly, on the day named by the Assembly, (the last Tuesday of June,) the Presbytery met at St Ninians, and after the usual sermon, Mr Finlay proceeded with the induction ; but, whether from forgetfulness, or by way of showing his contempt for the presentee, he omitted to put to him the questions which are usually put on the occasion ; but, what was worse, when he came to pronounce the verba solemnia of the induction, instead of saying - I, in the name of the Presbytery of Stirling, declare you, Mr Thomson, minister of the parish of St Ninians, with all the privileges and emoluments thereunto belonging ; he merely said, I appoint you, Mr Thomson, to be stipend lifter of this parish. This, as might well be supposed, gave great offence to the parishioners of St Ninians, and to the churches in general. The consequence was, that six of the elders and a number of the heritors of the parish gave in a petition and complaint to the General Assembly against Mr Finlay, which was served upon him, and he was appointed to be summoned to appear at the bar of the Assembly to answer the said complaint. Mr Finlay compeared at the bar, and made such an acknowledgement as satisfied the Assembly, after being sharply rebuked by the Moderator.
Antiquities, - There are no crosses or obelisks or ruins of religious houses in the parish, and no medals or coins have been dug up. There are two tumuli, the one in the north-east corner of the old village, and the other about half a mile to the west, on the borders of the old turnpike road. Both of them have been opened, and they are found to contain urns filled with bones : but nothing is known of their history. A man is said to have been burnt as a wizard, at the foot of Gloomhill, a little to the north-east of Dollar, towards the close of the sixteenth century. The wooden stake to which he was tied by the executioner, was still standing, fifty years ago ; but, being completely rotten, one of the lairds of Hillfoot on whose property it stood, removed it and put a stone in its place to mark the site, which still remains. The principal antiquity in the parish is the ruins of Castle Gloom or Castle Campbell. It is a place obviously of great antiquity ; but it is not known, when or by whom the castle was first built. The thickness of the walls, and the facilities which it possesses for annoying assailants and defending those within, plainly show that it was intended for a place of security in those times when Scottish barons were continually at war with one another. It seems to have been built at different times ; or at least large additions have been made to the original structure. The latest built is obviously the southern part, which is now in a state of perfect ruin ; - but the keep, which appears to be the oldest part of the edifice, is still comparatively in a state of good preservation. The outlines of the hall with its lofty ceiling, and other rooms of the same magnitude, are still easily traced, with the narrow openings for windows in walls of enormous thickness, which must have given the rooms an air of magnificence and of gloomy grandeur to their inmates, as well as a feeling of great security. The steps of the spiral staircase, which leads to the top, are a good deal wasted by time and the weather; but they still afford a safe ascent, though steep and fatiguing. The roof of the tower or keep is a square, or rather oblong, of considerable dimensions, covered with turf, where many a fete champetre has been of late years held, and where dancing parties have amused themselves in the moon-light. From the top of the keep, the view to the south is extremely beautiful, including the hills of Linlithgow and Stirlingshire, and Tinto, in Lanarkshire, in the distance, with the quiet village of Dollar immediately below, and its tiny stream, like a silver thread, winding its way to the Devon. The view of the wooded banks on both sides of the castle, is picturesque in the highest degree. There appears to have been large vaults under the south part of the castle, for stables, cellars, and other purposes. These vaults seem to have run under ground for a considerable extent beyond the wails of the castle ; at least the reverberating sound which is heard on striking with the foot the green sward in front of the building, would lead to this conclusion.
We believe it is pretty generally known that this castle, venerable for its antiquity, was consigned to the flames by the Marquis of Montrose in the year 1644. After the battles of Auldearne and Alford, in the north, in which the gallant Marquis was completely successful, he determined to march to the south of Scotland, in order to put a final period, as he boasted, to the power of the Covenanters; and the decisive victory which he gained next year at Kilsyth, nearly showed that it was no empty boast. On his way to the south, after his great success in the north, he made a halt at Kinross, and proceeded westward to Dollar, to burn the castle there, and the houses in the neighbourhood belonging to the vassals of the Earl of Argyle. Not content with wreaking their vengeance on the proud castle of their feudal enemy, they burnt at the same time every house in Dollar and Muckhart; the inhabitants of both parishes being vassals of the Duke of Argyle. It is said two houses, the one in Dollar and the other in Muckhart, escaped the vengeance of the savage clans, through a mistake on their part. The one in Dollar they imagined belonged to the abbey of Dunfermline; and the other being situated on the borders of Fossaway parish, they supposed to belong to that parish, and not to Muckhart.
It appears from charters belonging to the family of Argyle, that the Lordship of Campbell, on which the castle stands, was in the possession of that family as far back as the year 1465, and continued in their possession till 1805, when the lordship of Campbell, with the castle, was purchased by Crawfurd Tait, Esq. the proprietor of the adjoining estate of Harviestoun, In the year 1489, by Act of the Scottish Parliament, the name of Castle Gloom was changed to Castle Campbell, by which name it is now generally known. It is correctly stated in the former Statistical Account of Dollar, that the lands called the lordship of Campbell were held of the Bishop of Dunkeld : but it has been said erroneously by others, that Castle-Campbell was given by Shevez, Bishop of St Andrews, to the Earl of Argyle, as a reward for his having been an abettor in the disputed title of precedency between the Archbishop of St Andrews and the Archbishop of Glasgow. This is a mistake, as appears from the Reliquiae Divi Andreae, published by George Martine in 1683. It is not said, in the Reliquiae Divi Andreae, that Castle-Campbell was given to the Earl of Argyle by the Bishop of St Andrews. It was Muckhartshire, which was a separate barony to the east of Dollar, that was so given, and at that time it appears that Castle-Campbell belonged to the family of Argyle. The words are, "It is reported that Muckhartshire was then (1491,) feued out by Shevez of St Andrews to the Earl of Argyle for siding with him; and I have heard that the first feu-charter thereof was granted at Dollar Castle, now Castle- Campbell, then and still a house belonging to Argyle.''*
* In the former Statistical Account it is said, "we cannot discover how or when Castle-Campbell, with the adjoining lands, came into the possession of the Argyle family." There is certainly some difficulty in ascertaining that point. But, having got access to the charter deeds of the family, and having made a considerable research to get at the truth on the subject, we shall lay the result of our inquiries before the public. In the statute 1489, which we have given above, the Castle is described as belonging to Colin, Earl of Argyle. This Colin was the first Earl of Argyle, having been created an Earl by King James II. in 1457. We find that this Colin, first Earl of Argyle, married Isabella, said in Douglas's Peerage to be the eldest daughter, and co-heiress of John, third Lord of Lorn and Innermeath. It is stated in Douglas's Peerage, that this Lord Lorn made a destination by charter of his whole estate, to the heirs-male of his body, whom failing, to his brothers, Walter, Allan, David, and Robert. Walter, the eldest, became the fourth Lord Innermeath, as his brother Lord John left no male issue. It is stated by Douglas that this Lord Innermeath exchanged the lands of Lorn with the Earl of Argyle, for the lands of Baldoning, Inverdoning, etc. in Perthshire, and that after that exchange he dropped the title of Lorn, which was then assumed by the Earl of Argyle. Now, although Walter, the elder brother, succeeded in virtue of his brother's will, to the principal part of the landed property of John, third Lord Lorn, we have reason to think that the lands of Dollar and Gloom must have belonged to this John - Lord Lorn and Innermeath, (who had lands in different parts of the country,) and that these lands descended to his daughters as heirs-portioners. Whether the lands of Dollar and Gloom had been part of the Lorn property, or part of the Innermeath property, we have not been able to ascertain ; but it is probable they belonged to Innermeath, for the Lorn property was afterwards added to Innermeath by a John Stewart, proprietor of Innermeath, marrying the daughter of Ergadia, the old Celtic proprietor of Lorn, somewhere about the year 1386. But, be that as it may, there are good grounds for supposing that the lands of Dollar and Gloom did not go along with the other property to Walter, the heir at law, but descended to his three nieces, daughters of Lord Lorn, as heirs-portioners.
What these grounds are, will appear from what we are now to state. John, third Lord of Lorn and Innermeath, had no son, as may be inferred from his brother succeeding him ; but he had three daughters, Isabell Stewart, married to Colin, first Earl of Argyle ; Margaret Stewart, married to Sir Colin Campbell of Glenurchie ; Marion Stewart, married to Arthur Campbell of Ottar. Now, in looking to the inventory of the Argyle title-deeds, which we have compared with the title-deeds themselves, we find first mentioned a sasine dated 9th April 1465, of all and haill "the third part of the lands of Dollar and Gloom in favour of Duncan Campbell, son of Sir Colin Campbell, Knight." But Douglas (voce Breadalbane) tells us, that the eldest son of Sir Colin Campbell and Margaret Stewart, daughter of Lord Lorn, was called Duncan ; and hence we are entitled to infer, that the Sir Colin Campbell mentioned in the sasine was the laird of Glenurchie, who married Margaret Stewart. The next sasine mentioned in the inventory of the Argyle title-deeds, and which is of the same date as the last mentioned, is in favour of Dame Isabell Stewart Countess of Argyle, who was the daughter of the said John, third Lord of Lorn and Innermeath, and married to Colin, first Earl of Argyle. The third sasine in the Argyle papers, of the same date with the other two, is in favour of Marion Stewart, sister to the said Countess. Now, supposing the lands of Dollar and Gloom to have belonged to John, third Lord of Lorn and Innermeath, and that they were not included in the entail in favour of his brothers, failing heirs of his own body, they must have descended to his three daughters, each of whom would have a right to a third part pro indiviso till a division took place. But it may be asked, what proof have we, that each of these three parts came into the possession of the Argyle family? As to one of these three parts, there is no difficulty. It was acquired by Colin, first Earl of Argyle, in right of his wife Isabella, who was one of the daughters of the said John Lord Lorn and Innermeath; and we rather think the eldest daughter, from the circumstance of the castle being situated in thdt portion of the lands which fell to her share, as appears from what is said in a charter of confirmation by James IV. The third of the lands which came into the possession of Duncan Campbell of Glen-urchy, through his mother Margaret Stewart, daughter of Lord Lorn, etc., became part of Argyle lands, by a deed of renunciation on the part of the said Duncan Campbell, of all rights he had to the third part of the lands of Dollar ; which renunciation he made in favour of Colin, first Earl of Argyle, of date 1481, as appears from the inventory of the Argyle title-deeds. We cannot find any deed conveying to Argyle the third portion, which belonged to Marion Stewart, wife of Campbell of Ottar ; but there can be no doubt that Argyle acquired this third part also, either by disposition or force ; for in a charter of confirmation by James IV. of a charter by the Bishop of Dunkeld. it is expressly stated that the bishop gives to Archibald, Earl of Argyle, all and haill the lands of Campbell, alias Dollar or Gloom. This charter of confirmation is dated 1 1th May 1497. The preceding remarks, we hope, will help to solve the question how and when Castle Campbell, with the lands of Dollar or Gloom, came into the possession of the family of Argyle.
Castle Campbell, with its romantic scenery, has been so often described, that we can add nothing new on the subject. Its majestic ruins are situated on a knoll or eminence - occupying a narrow glen of the Ochill hills. The view of the castle from the public road, as we pass through Dollar on our way either to Stirling or Kinross, is peculiarly striking : but it is impossible to form an adequate idea of the grandeur and variety of the scenery, without advancing nearer to the castle. After leaving the old bridge in the village of Dollar, and advancing northward along the banks of the rivulet, which descends from the Castle - as we approach Campbell wood, (as the people here call it,) and which covers the whole of the ravine - through which the stream forces its way - the castle is now more distinctly seen, and seems more elevated than it did when seen from the public road. It now appears perched on the top of a lofty knoll, or conical hill - embosomed in the surrounding mountains. The acclivities on each side of the ravine are covered with continuous woods, which gives the whole a truly picturesque appearance. Several attempts have been made to reach the castle, by tracing the bed of the stream upwards ; but they have all proved unsuccessful. After great fatigue and risk, some have forced their way upwards to the place where the two streams, that surround the castle, make a junction; but beyond this, the over-hanging rocks in the bed of the stream, and which nearly meet at the top, form an insuperable barrier. But though the castle is inaccessible by the bottom of the ravine, it may be approached on foot, both on the east and west side of the wooded hollow. The road on the east side, through the village of Dollar, is the only approach for carriages, or rather carts. It is a steep and rugged ascent, and passes the castle on the east, and then winds round to a low bridge, which forms the entrance to the castle on the north, the only point where the prominence on which the castle is situated, is connected with the surrounding mountains. The tourist on foot, instead of clambering up the whole of this rugged path, leaves it about half-way up, or less, and takes a footpath on the left, which leads down to the stream in the bottom of the valley, and, after crossing the rivulet, ascends by a narrow and difficult foot-path, which winds round the knoll on which the castle is situated - gradually ascending, till it joins the carriage road at the north entry of the castle. The castle may be approached also on the west side, but there is no regular footpath. This last mentioned approach is peculiarly interesting on account of the diversified views which it gives of the old ruin and the wooded banks on the opposite side. After reaching the highest part of the bank on the west side - nearly opposite the castle, we descend to the bottom of the ravine below by a narrow winding footpath, at each turn of which, new views of the castle, and the surrounding scenery are presented. We then, by means of a wooden bridge, made of the trunks of two trees, and without any hand-rail, pass a considerable torrent, which comes down from the hills, and flows round the castle on the west side, and then joins the stream on the other side, immediately south of the castle. There are several very beautiful waterfalls on this mountain stream ; but they are so much hid by the woods, through which the torrent forces its way, that they seldom attract the attention of the traveller. After passing the wooden bridge, we have to climb a very steep pathway, before we reach the carriage road, we formerly mentioned, which leads to the entrance at the back of the castle, where are the remains of the principal gateway looking to the north. It must have had a very striking appearance, when complete. A little to the north of this entrance, are seen a few ancient and noble sycamores, seemingly the remains of an avenue, which add much to the picturesque effect of the ruin.
The area around the castle is so narrow and confined, that it is impossible to quit its walls, but for a few yards, without the risk of being hurled into the depths below. On the east side, the steep acclivity terminates close to the bottom of the walls, and renders it impracticable to get round the ruin on that side. On the south side, there is a beautiful green area of considerable extent, which slopes gradually from the bottom of the ruin to the edge of the precipice in front of the castle. Near the south-western extremity of this area, is seen the entrance to Kemp's Score, a frightful chasm in the rock, which we formerly noticed. Immediately adjoining this chasm, we find the remains of an old outwork now in ruins, which gives a highly picturesque effect to the scenery. Passing this outwork, and advancing a few steps towards the brink of the precipice, we find a concealed half-formed footpath, which winds down the wooded front of the rocks, and leads to a projection about twelve feet above the bed of the torrent, which is here seen forcing its way beneath shelving rocks, which now and then conceal it from the view of the spectator. This is certainly the most romantic part of the scenery of the castle, and will amply re-pay the labour of those who have sufficient nerves to undertake the descent ; for it is not without some degree of risk that the attempt is made - as one false step would infallibly precipitate the traveller into the abyss below ; and it is only by laying hold of shrubs and roots of trees, with which the path is strewed, that the descent and re-ascent can at all be effected.
It has been matter of surprise to many, how a place like Castle-Campbell, almost inaccessible, by its steep approach and rugged road, should have been chosen as the residence of a noble family. But there can be no doubt that the family of Argyle frequently resided here, and indeed made it their favourite residence, till it was burnt by Montrose in 1644. That the family frequently lived here, appears from the various feu-charters given to certain inhabitants of Dollar, conveying to them portions of land, on the condition of their performing certain services to the family, when they resided in the castle.* One piece of land, for instance, was given to one person for supplying bread to the family, to another for furnishing butcher-meat, and oats for the horses ; to another for supplying coals; to another for providing beer, etc. On the grounds given to the brewer of the family, there is a small eminence or knoll, called the brewer's knowe - which name it still retains. But independent of the evidence arising from the feu-charters, we know from general history, that the castle was frequently made the residence of the Argyle family. About the year 1556, Archibald, the fourth Earl of Argyle, lived here. Knox, in his history, informs us that he visited the old Earl (as he calls him,) and preached for some days in his house of Castle-Campbell. The aged Earl seems to have received durable impressions from his instructions, and was, therefore, anxious that Knox should remain with him for some time : but, having received letters from the English congregation at Geneva, stating that they had made choice of him as one of their pastors, and urging him to come and take the inspection of them, Knox had made up his mind to comply with their request and to leave Scotland. Among those who listened to his discourses in Castle-Campbell, was the laird of Glenorchy, one of the ancestors of the present family of Breadalbane, who was much edified by what he heard from Knox, and, therefore, he joined Argyle in his endeavours to prevail upon him, to abandon the thought of going to Geneva, and to remain in Scotland. But as the congregation at Geneva was a favourite flock - and as he regarded the invitation sent to him, a call in Providence to go there - he considered it his duty to obey the call : and, therefore, no entreaties could prevail upon him to remain longer. On parting with them, he said, "If God so blessed their small beginnings, that they continued in godliness, whensover they pleased to command him, they would find him obedient ; but, once he must needs visit that little flock, which the wickedness of men had compelled him to leave."
* In some of the charters, the vassals are taken bound to carry the wine used in the castle from the Port of Alloa, and in others, to furnish horses to bring their superior and his family from Stirling.
It is generally believed that Castle-Campbell was the place where the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was first dispensed after the Reformation began.* This is extremely probable, for Knox, as we have already seen, preached there for several days, in the year 1556, and it is likely he would dispense the sacrament at the same time. Some go the length of pointing out the precise spot on the green sward, in front of the castle, where the ordinance was celebrated. But this is certainly going too far ; for field-preaching and dispensing ordinances in the open air, though common afterwards, was then quite unknown.
* The sacrament of the Lord's supper was dispensed by Knox for the first time after the Reformation in the castle at St. Andrews.
Modern Buildings, - There is a new parish church building this year (1841), upon a plan by Mr Tite, architect, London, which promises to be a very handsome structure. Its site is peculiarly well chosen, being a piece of rising ground immediately south of the present church, and gradually sloping to the south and west. The old church is but of recent date, having been built in the year 1775; but, owing to bad materials and insufficient workmanship, the walls and roof are in a state of decay ; and besides, it afforded only the half of accommodation in sittings, which the parish were legally entitled to.
The principal manufacture in the parish is bleaching of linen. There are besides two collieries, which have an extensive sale; one of them properly speaking is in Muckhart parish, but the workmen all live in Dollar. Two tile-works have recently been set agoing. The largest of the two is situated a few yards beyond the eastern boundary of the parish, and may, therefore, be considered as belonging to Muckhart, but the workmen all reside in Dollar. There is besides a small woollen manufactory connected with the mills in Alva. It is used chiefly for carding and spinning of wool, and the yarn is sent to Alva to be made into blankets, shawls, and other fabrics of that sort.
III. — Population.
The amount of the population, as appears from a survey taken (May 1841) is about 1500, which is nearly triple of the number in 1755. This great increase has been chiefly of late years, and owing principally to the erection of Macnab's school or Dollar Institution, which hath brought to Dollar a great number of masters with their families, besides a number of boarders. Several families have come to reside in the parish, with a view to the education of their children. The increasing prosperity of the bleach-field, a new coal-work on the south of the Devon now in active operation, and the two new tile-works, have created a great demand for labourers, who, with their families, have lately settled in Dollar. Those who reside in the villages, or what are called the old and new towns of Dollar, with the mains, amount to 1058. The remaining population reside in country villas, and in detached houses, scattered over the parish.
The yearly average of births for the last seven years is 36 5/7
deaths for the same period 14 1/7
marriages, - - 14 5/7
The average number of persons under 15 years of age, - 536
between 15 and 30, - 333
30 and 50, - 380
50 and 70, - 202
above 70, - 45
No nobility reside in the parish.
Of those who follow no profession, but have an independent fortune, the number is about – 10.
Proprietors of land, of the yearly value of L.50 and upwards, - 9
The number of unmarried men, bachelors and widowers, upwards of 50 years of age, is - 22
The number of unmarried women, above 45 years of age, is - 76
The average number of children in a family is – 4 1/2
The people in general are shrewd and intelligent, and sufficiently capable of managing their own affairs to the best advantage. The morality of the people is upon the whole praiseworthy, though the minutes of the kirk-session record too many aberrations, on the part of young people, from the rules of strict morality; and the scenes that sometimes occur at fairs, and other merry-makings, give much annoyance to the more orderly and well-behaved portion of the community. Their religious character, compared with other parishes, is quite unexceptionable.
IV. - Industry.
Agriculture, - The following is a statement of the amount in imperial acres of the lands in Dollar parish, - in a state of cultivation, - also of the lands that have never been cultivated, - and of the lands under wood : -
| Globe Insurance Company | ||
| Arable and Grass Parks | Never Cultivated, but in pasture | Under Wood |
| 461.778 | 1,990.988 - in Ochils | 91.125 |
| Sheardale | ||
| 227.742 | 110.609 | 18.228 |
| Dollarbeg and Wellhall - Clark | ||
| 350 | 60 | 26.356 |
| Dollar Field, etc. - Haig | ||
| 246.561 | None | 59.275 |
| Hillfoot - Moir | ||
| 136.207 | 380.876 | 25.223 |
| West Sheardale - Duncanson | ||
| 110.983 | 17.656 waste | none except brushwood |
| Lawmuir - Erskine | ||
| 79.454 | none | 13.872 |
| Lower Mains - Late Futt | ||
| 40.357 | none | none |
| Upper Mains - Izatt | ||
| 25.223 | none | none |
| Three Small Heritors | ||
| 17.024 | none | none |
| Lower Mains - Lamb | ||
| 46.663 | none | none |
| Total - 1741.992 | Total - 2560.129 | Total - 234.139 |
There are about twenty acres of moss in easter Dollarbeg, which, by draining and burning, etc. might be brought into a state of cultivation ; there are also about forty acres of waste land in Sheardale moor, which, by a similar process, might be converted into arable land : great improvements have with this view been carrying on in that district, for two years past, by an active and spirited tenant. There are also about fourteen acres in the lower grounds of wester Sheardale, which are, at present, in a marshy state, and covered with brushwood ; but we fear nothing can be done to improve it, as the ground lies low, and draining is rendered impracticable by the Devon at every flood, closing the drains and forcing back the water.
There are no undivided commons in the parish. The trees usually planted are, the oak, elm, ash, beech, and plane or sycamore, the larch, Scotch fir, and the spruce. The hard-wooded kinds, with the spruce and larch as nurses, have been generally planted in the lower parts of the parish, and the larch and Scotch fir as timber trees, on the higher grounds. In the older plantations, the beech and the plane are found in considerable numbers ; but the timber of these trees being now less valuable, they are not so much planted as formerly. The oak, ash, and elm, prevail in recent plantations. The woods on the estates of the principal proprietors have been regularly attended to in thinning and pruning, from the time of planting ; and generally present a healthy and luxuriant appearance. The few patches of trees found on the lands of tbe smaller proprietors, are usually left in a state of nature, and felled without distinction of seasons, whenever required for home use.
The ash and gean or wild-cherry are found in abundance growing in a native state, in the woods on the estates of Castle-Campbell and Harviestoun ; the birch, rowan, and bird-cherry, in Castle Campbell glen ; the alder, on the banks of Devon ; and the holly and hazel, in the copse-woods on the estates of Sheardale and Dollar-beg.
Rent of Lands. - The average rent of arable land is about L.3 per annum. The rent of some lands of excellent quality is so high as L.5 : of inferior lands, where the soil is not good, and the exposure bad, about L.1. The annual rent of grazing an ox or cow on good pasture is about L.4, 10s. A full-grown sheep may be pastured on the Ochills for the year at about 6s. or 7s. The black-faced breed of sheep is the most common. They are much improved by getting rams or young ewes from the south; this keeps them pure, and prevents them from becoming dwarf-ish. This also preserves the quality of the wool, for when sheep- farmers breed too long with their old stock, without a change, the wool becomes grey. The Leicester breed, or a cross between Leicester and black-faced, is also a good deal tried here, and found to do well. The cattle here seem to be the old or Scots breed crossed with the short-horn or Ayrshire breed.
Wages. - The rate of wages for labourers in country work is from 12s. to 15s. per week in summer, and from 10s. to 12s. in winter. The wages of a farm-servant are from L.14 to L. 15 per annum in money, with 6 1/2 bolls of oatmeal, L.2, 12s. for what is called kitchen, five or six bolls of potatoes, a free house and small garden, and the privilege of driving his own coals. Women employed in farm work get 1d. per hour or 9d. per day. In harvest- time, when employed in reaping, the wages generally given are 1s. 6d. per day, with 4d. for dinner, and 1s. with 4d. for dinner when gathering potatoes. A mason at present gets 18s. and some L.1 per week in summer and 17s. in winter; a carpenter 18s. in summer and 15s. in winter; a mason's labourer 12s. in summer and 10s. in winter; slaters get the same wages as carpenters; black-smiths get 6s. to 7s. per week, with board ; bakers 10s. with board, tailors 7s. with board ; shoemakers are paid by the piece ; they get for men's shoes from 2s. 4d. to 2s. 6d., for women's from 1s. l0d. to 2s. Colliers are paid according to the quantity of coal they lay out, at the rate of 2s. 2d. or 2s. 3d. per ton, furnishing for themselves picks, lamps, and oil. A good hand will gain about 3s. 6d. per day, but they work only nine days in the fortnight. Workmen at the tile-work, when paid by the week, generally get 12s. ; but those who work by the piece make 15s. or 16s. per week. The wages at the bleachfield for men are 8s. per week, and for women 3s. 6d.
Articles of Raw Produce. - The price of oatmeal varies according to the rate of the Edinburgh and Stirling markets. For several months past, it has been selling at 17s. or 18s. per boll of 140 lbs. avoirdupoise, and barley-meal at 14s. per boll. The price of potatoes depends upon the season being either favourable or unfavourable ; but for some years past, they have been selling at 1s. per bushel or 6s. per boll. The usual price of carrots is 1d. per lb. or 1s. 4d. per stone of 16 lbs. Hay was selling last year at 1s. per stone or rather higher; but this year, it cannot bring that price with us, and, from the favourable prospect of the hay harvest this season, it is likely the price next year, (1842,) will be considerably reduced. Butcher-meat has been selling for many months past at 6d. per lb. of 16 oz. ; but the price has recently, (May 1841,) risen to 7d. per lb. A good hen may be bought for 1s. 6d. or 1s. 8d., and chickens 1s. 4d. per pair. Eggs sell at 6d. to 8d. per dozen; butter at lid. or 1s. per lb., and country cheese at 3 1/2d. and 4d. per lb. of 16 oz. Sweet milk sells at l 1/2d. per chopin ; skim milk 3/4d. ; butter milk, 1/2d. and cream at l0d., though some charge a little higher, under the plea that their milk is better.
The Character of the Husbandry. - The system of a rotation of crops is universally followed. Supposing the land to be in grass, there is taken first a crop of oats ; and if the land has been for several years in pasturage, a second crop of oats is taken ; then it is laid down for potatoes or turnips, or both. After potatoes, it is sown with wheat or barley and grass-seeds, and the fourth year there is a crop of hay from the rye-grass seeds and clover, sown with the barley of the preceding year. If the grass seeds sown are perennial, the ground is sometimes allowed to remain in pasture for one, two, or three years, and then the same rotation is repeated ; but if the tenant considers pasturing less profitable than tillage, and more especially if he has a short lease, he generally follows the four years rotation above-mentioned, though there can be no doubt that tearing up the ground so often exhausts the soil.
The land in the parish has, for some years past, been greatly improved by liming and draining. The common duration of leases is fifteen or nineteen years - too short a period certainly for tenants venturing to lay out money in the improvement of the soil. But most of the proprietors who let their lands are all so eager to get high rents (for a reason to be mentioned immediately, ) that the tenants find great difficulty in paying their rents, and often congratulate themselves upon the shortness of their leases. The chief obstacle to improvement in the parish is the unfortunate circumstance, that by far the greatest part of the property has, for many years, been under trust, or in the market for sale. The great object of a landlord, in these circumstances, is to increase the amount of his rent-roll by every means in his power ; and this leads him to ask extravagant rents for his land, which are seldom paid, but which involve the tenant in ruin. Old pasture land is sometimes let for tillage for two or three years, and a great rent is thus obtained; but the soil is greatly deteriorated. The fences at the same time are often entirely neglected. Most of the farm-buildings are in a good condition. Such of the proprietors as farm their own lands, keep their fences in excellent order.
Quarries and Mines. - There are two excellent stone quarries, which furnish well-coloured and durable materials for building. The chief mines are coal, which are worked to a great extent, and supply Strathearn and its neighbourhood with coals, which are not found anywhere to the north of Dollar. Copper mines were attempted to be worked in the Ochills connected with Dollar, but did not succeed.
Produce. - The average annual amount of agricultural produce, as near as can be calculated, is as follows.
Oats. 3085 1/2 bolls, at 19s. per boll - L. 2916 18 0
Wheat, 1848 bolls, at L.1 4s. per boll - L. 2217 12 0
Barley, 1799 bolls, at L.1 1s. per boll, - L. 1889 9 6
Cultivated Hay, 82,500 stones at L.3 10s per hundred stones, L. 2837 0 0
Turnips, 204 1/2 acres, at L. 12 per acre - L. 2448 0 0
Potatoes, 204 1/2 acres, at L. 13 per acre, - L. 2672 19 0
Land formerly in a state of cultivation, now laid down as permanent pasture, - L. 95 0 0
Meadow hay, - L. 93 0 0
Total, - L. 15,219 18 6
The above calculation has been made on the presumption, that the land is cultivated in a regular rotation of crop, which it generally is. The fractional parts of acres, on the different estates, have not been taken into account, which, if done, would add something to the yearly amount. It will be seen from the above table, that the oats, wheat, and barley are the principal grains cultivated. Beans and peas have been found not so productive, and are seldom sown. Bear was formerly in use, but has now given place to barley. Bone dust begins to be in use for the culture of turnip, when the crop is usually eaten off with sheep, or if sold for that purpose, the value of an acre is from L.2 to L.3, according to the quality of the root.
Manufactures. - The principal manufacture in the parish is bleaching. It was begun by the late Mr Haig in the year 1787, and since that period, the quantity of cloth bleached has been yearly increasing. The field for the first two years consisted only of four acres ; at present the cloth covers about 30 acres. The use of oxymuriatic acid in bleaching was early introduced here, and Mr Haig obtained a premium from the Board of Trustees, for his success in applying it. It is said, in the former Statistical Account, that cotton goods, to a great extent, are bleached at this field, but this is a mistake ; for the field, at least at present, is exclusively appropriated to the bleaching of linen goods. There are employed at the bleachfield 31 men, 26 women, and 5 boys, in all 62 ; at the brick and tile-works, 14 men, 1 woman, and 4 boys and girls. The woollen mill employs 2 men, 4 boys and girls. The usual hours of labour are twelve, including the breakfast and dinner hours. The work people seem all contented ; at least, we hear of no murmurings about the smallness of wages.
V. - Parochial Economy.
Market-Towns, - The nearest market-town is Alloa, about seven miles distant from Dollar. A runner, paid by the General Post-Office, arrives daily from Alloa about one o'clock p. m., and, after going and returning from Muckhart, sets out again to Alloa, after an interval of nearly six hours. The turnpike-road from Kinross to Stirling passes through the parish for about a mile and a quarter and the turnpike-road to Dunfermline, for about a mile and a-half. A public carriage or stage-coach began, a few years ago, to run from Perth to Glasgow by Dollar; but has been given up for want of encouragement. There is a wooden bridge over the Devon at the Rack-mill ; but in a very ruinous state, and often impassable, which proves a great inconvenience to parishioners who live on the south side of the Devon, in going to church, and also to children going to school.
Ecclesiastical State,- The parish church is situated about a tenth of a mile or less from the eastern boundary of the parish, but is very convenient for the great body of the population, who reside chiefly in the old and new villages of Dollar, which are in the immediate neighbourhood of the church. The old church was built in 1775. A new church is building at present, (1841.) The most important benefaction to the parish is Macnab's legacy, which has been fully noticed already. There are, besides, a few small donations to the poor, amounting to L.319, and the interest of L.31, left for the behoof of the schoolmaster.
The old church afforded accommodation to about 300 sitters; the new church will accommodate above 600. There are no free sittings. The whole seats, with the exception of the minister's, schoolmaster's, and elders' seats, are divided among the heritors and feuars. The kirk-session have, for several years, been in the habit of letting the communion table seats at a small annual rent, for the benefit of the poor, but of late it has amounted to almost nothing. The manse was built in 1795. It was repaired and a considerable addition made to it in 1817, and new offices were built in 1820. The glebe consists of four acres of good land. The stipend is in general below L.150. The augmentation from the Exchequer amounts to L.23, 6s. 8d. There is a Dissenting chapel connected with the Associate Synod of Original Seceders. The minister's stipend is paid from seat-rents, and collections at the door of the chapel. The stipend promised is L.90, but he has no bond for security of payment. There are no Episcopal or Catholic chapels in the parish. Several Episcopalians reside in the parish, and attend public worship regularly in the Established Church, except on the great festivals of their own church, when they generally go to Alloa, where a new Episcopal chapel has been lately erected. There are 262 families who attend the Established Church, and 1306 persons of all ages, connected with the Established Church. Thirty-one families, consisting of 140 individuals, attend the meeting-house in the parish. Six families, consisting of 25 individuals, attend the meeting house in Muckhart. Two families of 10 persons go to Tillicoultry meeting-house. There are, besides, one family of four who profess to be Methodists : one consisting of eight connected with the Relief Synod ; and one family of six, who give out that they are Baptists.
Divine service is generally well attended in the Established Church ; and we believe also in the meeting-house ; making allowance for the small number of Dissenters.
The average number of communicants in the Established Church is about 350. There are no societies for religious purposes established in the parish, except a ladies missionary society, lately formed. The average amount of collections yearly for the Assembly's different schemes, including an annual public collection for the poor, may be about L.15.
Education, - The schools in the parish are three : 1st, the parochial school ; 2d, Macnab's school ; 3d, a girl's school. The branches of education taught in the parochial school are, reading, writing, and arithmetic None of the higher branches, - such as Latin and mathematics, - are taught : indeed, the parish school is almost superseded by Macnab's school. The parochial school-master's salary is L.25, 17s. 9 1/4d : he receives besides, L.3 as session-clerk ; and about L.1, 6s. as interest on mortified money, which varies with the rate of interest. His school fees, at an average, amount annually to L.11 or L.12 ; - say L.11. The following branches of education are taught at Macnab's school or Dollar Institution, under separate masters, viz. 1. English and English grammar ; 2. writing and arithmetic ; 3. Latin, Greek, and oriental languages ; 4. modern languages ; 5. mathematics ; 6. drawing ; 7. geography. There is also a numerous infant school in connection with this establishment.
The amount of salaries of the masters in Macnab's school was, at one time, made partly dependent on the number of their pupils ; but, of late, the minimum of salary to each master has been fixed at L.140 per annum, with a large house and garden. No fees are paid by the pupils attending Macnab's school to the master, but are paid quarterly to the treasurer of the institution. The fees formerly amounted yearly to about L.100; but, in consequence of their being lately lowered, they now average about L.80 yearly. Boarders pay 10s. per annum for library and other school dues, and 5s. Per quarter for each class they attend; consequently, if they attend three classes, the yearly expense will be L.3, 2s. 6d. ; if four classes, the yearly expense will be L.4. The children of residenters who have been three years in the parish, and are supposed to be in good circumstances, pay 2s. per quarter for library, etc and 5s. per quarter, for each class they attend. Consequently, if they attend three classes, the yearly expense is L.2, 19s. 6d. ; if four classes, the yearly expense will be L.3, 17s. The children of artisans or labourers who have been three years in the parish, pay 6d. per quarter for the library, etc, and 8d. per quarter for each class they attend; consequently, if they attend three classes, the annual expense will be 8s. 9d. per annum ; if four classes, it will be 11s. 1d. per annum.
The above statement of expense of education at Macnab's school is made upon the supposition, that one pupil only out of each family attend ; but when more than one of a family enter, the first only pays at the rate now stated ; but if more than one, all the rest are admitted at half-price. The fees for teaching in the parochial school are, for English 8s. 9d. per annum ; for English with writing, 10s. 6d. per annum ; for English, writing, and arithmetic, 14s. per annum. In the girl's school, English, writing, and sewing are taught, and the fees are 2d. per week, or 2s. per quarter.
Library, - There is a very extensive and well-chosen collection of books belonging to Macnab's school or Dollar Institution, to which the parishioners have access.
Friendly Society. - A Friendly Society was instituted here in the year 1829, and is doing well. Its object is to give a weekly allowance to sick members, and such as are not able to work. Its funds are regularly on the increase ; at present, they amount to L.220. Besides the weekly aliment to the sick, small pensions are given to the more destitute widows of deceased members.
There is no savings bank in the parish ; and the nearest to Dollar is in the parish of Tillicoultry, about three miles distant, and was established about the year 1835.
Poor and Parochial Funds. - The average number of persons on the poor's roll, and who receive regular parochial aid, has for some years past been about 12 or 13. Of late, the number has been on the increase, amounting occasionally to 19 and 20. Various causes may be assigned for this increase of pauperism ; among others, we may notice Macnab's legacy, which has been the means of inducing a number of worthless, at least not very respectable, characters from other parishes to settle in Dollar. In corroboration of this opinion, we may mention that the number of illegitimate children has, of late years, considerably increased. During the three years preceding 1841, there have been no less than 12 illegitimate children born in the parish.
The average monthly allowance to those who have got upon the poor's roll is 5s. or 6s. Besides those upon the poor's roll, who get regularly their monthly allowance, there are others not on the poor's roll, who receive small sums to help them in cases of sickness and want of work. In addition to the money distributed to the poor from the kirk-session funds, a collection is made annually at the church-door, and a subscription paper is handed round the parish, to obtain a fund for the supply of coals, etc. for the poor in general, during the severity of winter. The money raised in this way is very considerable, and does great credit to the more wealthy of the parish. The collections at the church door have, for some years past, amounted to something more than L.50. There was paid into the poor's box last year, after deducting the session-clerks dues, L.2, 10s. for proclamations of marriage, L.1, 18s. 6d. for the use of the mortcloth, and L.1, 7s. for lairs or ground purchased for burying. To the above must be added the interest of L.319, the amount of several bequests to the poor, and a small sum derived from the letting of the communion seats. Both heritors and kirk-session are very averse to have recourse to an assessment ; but, if the number of the poor increase as rapidly as it has done of late years, it will be impossible much longer to stave off an assessment.
Fairs. - There are four fairs, according to the Almanacks, held in Dollar, but only two of them deserve to be noticed, the fairs in May and October. In both of these fairs, cattle are chiefly sold ; horses or sheep are seldom seen in these markets. At the May fair, the chief transaction is the sale of cattle that have been kept during the winter on straw and a few turnips. They are bought up by butchers and others, who have grass parks to stock during the summer. At the October fair, young cattle chiefly are sold as winterers to farmers and others, who require manure, and are resold at the May market.
Inns. - There is only one inn in the parish ; but about five or six alehouses. There are, besides, four or five houses where spirits and malt liquors are sold over the counter. The number of alehouses and retail-shops for spirits, has of late diminished, but without the effect of increasing temperance. Clubs are now formed for drinking in houses. We are sorry to be obliged to add, that whisky is often sold in retail-shops on Sabbath. One of the greatest nuisances arising from whisky-drinking, is the licensing of the house at the toll-bar.
Fuel - Coal is universally used as fuel, of which there is an abundant supply, as two extensive collieries are wrought in the parish, or in the immediate neighbourhood. The price of coal at the coal-hill or fold, is only 5s. per ton, and the distance to the village is so inconsiderable, that the driving makes only a trifling addition to the price.
October 1841.