Laid out below is a copy of the New Statistical Account of Scotland entry for Tillicoultry parish, published in 1845.
The New Statistical Account of Scotland – Volume 8, (1845)
PARISH OF TILLICOULTRY
(COUNTY of CLAKMANNAN, Presbytery of Dunblane, Synod of Perth and Stirling.)
By the Rev. Henry Anderson, Minister.
I. - Topography and Natural History.
Name and Boundaries, - The name of this parish is, by some, considered of Gaelic origin, and derived from Tullich-cut-tir, signifying the mount or hill at the back of the country, as descriptive of the rising ground, called Kirk-hill, and Cunninghar, running across the vale, in a south-east direction, from the bottom of the Ochils, near Tillicoultry House, to the Devon. This mount or hill, viewed from the west, appears as the termination of the valley, which stretches along the foot of the bills, from Abbey Craig, near Stirling, to Dollar.
The writer of the former Statistical Account considered the name Tillicoultry as of Latin etymology, derived from Tellus culta, referring to the introduction of Italian agriculture, or from Tellus cultorum Dei, as indicating a place of Culdee, or of Druidical worship, - the old church having stood on the northern extremity, and the remains of a Druidical circle being still visible on the south end of the Cunninghar.
The figure of the whole parish, including the hills, is an oblong, the two longest sides, which are on the east and west, measuring, each, nearly 6 English miles, the south side 2 1/2 miles, and the north side one mile. The low grounds taken alone form, also, an oblong, the length of the sides, from east to west, being more than 2 1/4 miles, and the breadth from south to north about 1 1/2 mile. It is bounded on the east, by Dollar ; on the west, by Alva and Clackmannan ; on the south, by Clackmannan ; and on the north, by Blackford.
Topographical Appearances, - The surface of the parish is much diversified, - two-thirds, or about 4000 Scotch acres, being in the hills and glens, and the remaining 2000 forming a beautiful plain, sloping southwards, from the bottom of the hills to the banks beyond the Devon ; and then a ridge of rising ground, which runs parallel with the hills.
The front hills are, in some places, bold and romantic ; but, in most places, in summer are covered with a beautiful verdure, affording fine pasturage for sheep, as also the back hills, and the deep winding vales that intervene.
There are two aspects of the Ochils strikingly grand, from the number and position of their burns and their glens. The one may be observed in the summer months, when the shade of night sits dark on the mountain's side, contrasting with the clear blue northern sky, seen through the openings, or glens, which, at distances, not irregular, appear as so many embrasures in the wall of a fortification ; the other is exhibited in winter, when the snow-clad-range has its dazzling whiteness relieved by the dark and deep-worn bed of each tributary rill that hastens to pour its contents into the Devon below.
From Bencleuch, the highest of the Ochils, which is 2300 feet above the level of the Forth, there is an extensive prospect in every direction, including the Grampian mountains, the Dundaff, the Lomond, and Pentland hills.
Hydrography. - There are many fine springs in the hills, which, collected in the declivities, form these beautiful burns intersecting the mountain and plain, at once so useful and ornamental in this part of the country. One of these burns, which forms the boundary with Alva on the west, is beautifully adorned with wood, and has some fine cascades ; another, which is wooded on both sides, is the boundary with Dollar on the east; and the gardens of Harviestoun and Tillicoultry have each their mountain-stream murmuring o'er its pebbled-bed, beautifying and fertilizing all around. The largest of these rivulets is the burn of Tillicoultry, formed by the confluence of Glooming-side burn, and Daiglen, two nearly equal streams, which rise in the middle range, and the water of which, after forming many a deep pool, well known to the angler, and dashing impetuous over many a rock, is made, by the art and industry of man, to turn the machinery of eight large woollen factories.
But the Devon, celebrated by tourists and poets, is the most remarkable stream in the parish, which, rising in the hill behind Alva, runs in an easterly direction, on the north side of Tillicoultry, and through Dollar, Glendevon, and Muckart, thence issuing south into the vale, it takes a westerly course at the Crook of Devon, passes the church and manse of Fossaway, and, two or three miles below, it forms that wonderful group of rocks, waterfalls, etc. about the Rumbling Bridge and the Caldron Linn. Increasing in size, as it flows westwards, from the contents of many tributary streams, it was wont, in former times, frequently to overflow its banks, carrying along with it hay, corn, etc. but this is now, in some measure, prevented by embankments raised in places most exposed to inundation. A little below the bridge, on the south bank, it supplies the manufacturers at Devonside with water for their steam-engines, and other purposes ; and, winding along the north side of Glenfoot, it leaves Tillicoultry, passes through Alva and part of Logic, and falls into the Forth near Cambus, almost due south from its source in the hills.
Geology and Mineralogy. - The rocks in this parish belong to the trap, porphyry, and coal formations. Over these occur deposits of a diluvial and alluvial nature. The trap formation consists of greenstone, amygdaloid, etc. and the porphyry of porphyry, compact felspar, tufa, etc. The quarries in the Mill-glen have been wrought for some time, and afford excellent whinstone or trap for building and road-metal. There is abundance of sandstone in the parish, of various colours, - reddish, straw-coloured, and white, which greatly facilitates the increase of building, and is of considerable value to the proprietors. The stone of which Harviestoun House is built, was found on the estate, and, about thirty- five years ago, a large quantity of flagstone was wrought on Balharty, on the south-east side of the parish. The hills of Tillicoultry are thought to contain various precious minerals, as iron, copper, silver, lead, and cobalt. About a century ago, some of these were wrought to a considerable extent, in the Mill-glen, above the village of Tillicoultry, and there are still remaining the ruins of a large house, occupied by the miners, on the front of the hill, west side of the burn. About fifty men were employed for several years, by a company in London ; and, although four different kinds of copper were discovered, the thickest vein of which was about 18 inches, and the ore, when washed and dressed, was worth L. 50 Sterling per ton, the works were abandoned as not defraying the expense.
The ironstone, however, has proved a more lucrative concern. It is found under the hills, as well as south from the Devon, and was partially wrought, about forty years ago, by the Carron Company, and more extensively since by the Devon Company. On the west side of the parish, it runs in strata, from two to five inches in thickness, and on the east side, it lies in bands, or promiscuously among the blaes. The latter is of a kidney shape, and fine quality, said to yield from 20 to 30 per cent.
There is abundance of coal in the parish, of various and excellent quality; some seams of which were found under the hills, when the ironstone was wrought, and also at Harviestoun, when the sandstone quarry was wrought ; but, there being four excellent seams on the south side of the river, which have been partially wrought, the proprietors do not wish to have coal wrought on the north side. The only coal that has been wrought to any extent in the parish is Colsnaughton. It is at present wrought on Woodlands, and at Devonside, by Robert Bald, Esq. It dips to the north-west, and crops out to the south-east. The Craw-seam is about 3 feet thick, a rough cherry coal, about 17 fathoms from the surface. The 5 feet seam at present wrought is of very fine quality, being all cherry coal, except about 5 or 6 inches in the roof, and is 9 fathoms below the Craw-seam. The splint coal, which is nearly 3 feet thick, is 6 fathoms below the 5 feet seam, and the main coal, which is a strong coal, a mixture of rough and splint, 6 feet thick, is 14 fathoms below the splint seam. There are no coals sent to Alloa to be exported, although there is now a good turnpike-road, as there is a great demand from the country round, and from the north side of the hills, to which large quantities are driven, by the Yetts of Muckart.
The soil is various, in some places a rich loam, in others it is sandy or gravelly, and there is a considerable extent of moss on the hills, about 7 feet deep, which the heavy rains are, from time to time, removing to the Devon, or the holms below. There are also some pieces of moss on both sides of the river, in which oak is found, black as ebony, and in a high state of preservation, as also hazel-nuts.
Zoology. - Under this head there is nothing peculiar to the parish. But it may be noticed that there are three species of the feathered race, once well known here, but now seldom, or never seen in Tillicoultry. The snipe and the goldfinch, which, thirty years ago, were inmates of the manse garden, are never seen in the parish now, so far as the writer knows ; the former evidently banished by the draining of the bogs and marshes, and the latter gone to some less cultivated district, where its favourite thistle abounds. The glede, once an every day object, is never seen in this part of the country, but, whether from the want of its proper food, or from the great increase of rookeries, is uncertain. The roe is occasionally seen in the neighbouring plantations.
Botany, - There are several fine thriving plantations on the north side of Devon, on the estates of Alva, Tillicoultry, and Harviestoun, which, being laid out with taste, are at once ornamental and valuable. The oak, the elm, the ash, the beech, and the plane, the birch, the larch, and the pine are the most common. Near Tillicoultry House, there are some stately lime trees, and several very large and aged chestnuts, which, in a good year, bear excellent fruit. There are also very thriving plantations on the south side of Devon on the estates of Harviestoun, Tillicoultry, Shannock-hill, and Glenfoot.
Of cryptogamous plants, there is great variety, particularly the Filices and Musci. The phanerogamous found in the neighbouring parishes are also common here, as the Digitalis, Viola, Glechomahederacea, Primulaveris, Tussilago, Leontodon, Saxifraga granulata, Calendula, Oxalis, Atropa Belladonna, Agrostis, Trifolium, etc. There is a beautiful species of the Arundo on the banks of the Devon ; the Acetosa abounds in the woods, and the Serpyllum in the hills.
II. - Civil History.
About six hundred years ago, the estate of Tillicoultry was the property of the family of Mar ; and an original charter, granted by King Alexander III. of Scotland, in the fourteenth year of his reign, was in the possession of the late Mr Erskine of Mar, - a copy of which may be seen in the former Statistical Account of this parish. Since the beginning of the seventeenth century, and in less than two hundred years, it has been sold ten times, and in the possession of eleven different families. It was in the family of Lord Colvil of Culross from 1483 to 1634, when it was sold to William Alexander of Menstrie, afterwards Earl of Stirling, the distinguished poet. It was purchased by Sir Alexander Rollo of Duncrub, in the year 1644; by Mr John Nicolson of Carnock, Stirlingshire, in 1659 ;by Lord Tillicoultry, one of the Senators of the College of Justice, and a baronet in 1701 ; by the Honourable Charles Barclay Maitland, of the family of Lauderdale, in 1756: by James Bruce, Esq. of Kinross, in 1780 ; by Duncan Glassford Esq. in 1806 ; by James Erskine, Esq. in 1810; by R. Downie, Esq. in 1813; and by R. Wardlaw, Esq. in 1814. About four years ago, part of Tillicoultry estate, including the mansion-house, was sold to the late Patrick Stirling, Esq. which was bought in 1840 by the present proprietor.
Landowners. - The proprietors of the parish are, J. Anstruther, Esq. of Tillicoultry; the Globe Insurance Company, Harviestoun; R. Wardlay Ramsay, Esq. of Whitehill ; James Johnstone, Esq. of Alva ; the Earl of Mansfield ; Mr Harrower of Shannockhill ; Mr Blair of Glenfoot ; and Mr Ritchie of Cairntown.
Parochial Registers, - The earliest register of discipline is dated 1640; of baptism, January 1610; of proclamation, November 1752; of burial, October 1753. They have been kept with various degrees of accuracy ; and many parents have neglected to register the names of their children. The Devon Company having, many years ago, purchased ground in the church-yard, there are many persons from Clackmannan parish buried here.
Antiquities, - The remains of a fort or building on the Castle Craig, above the village, and the Druidical circle are mentioned in the former Statistical Account. About twenty years ago, a small axe, apparently of brass, was found in a bed of sand, at the south end of the mound on which the Druids circle stands.
In 1796, when digging a drain behind Harviestoun House, a sword was found ; and in 1802, when making the west approach to Harviestoun, an urn ; both of which are now in the possession of John Tait, Esq. Sheriff of Clackmannanshire. The sword is iron, but totally oxidized. It appears to have been double-edged, and is perfectly straight It is 31 inches long, including the handle, which is remarkably small, not large enough for an ordinary-sized man's hand. There is no basket at the handle, but a small narrow piece of iron, curved outward in a semi-circular form, at each extremity, one of which serves as a guard, separating it from the blade. It is thought to be Roman, as the Romans were certainly in this part of the country, and as it resembles some of the swords used by them. The urn is about five inches in height, and about the same width, formed of clay, baked, or perhaps dried in the sun. It has a rude waved pattern on the outside, as if it had been formed by a mould of plaited rushes. Inside, there was some dust or ashes, and a flat flint, about two inches long, and an inch broad, sharpened all round, except at the bottom, which may have been the head of an arrow or spear. It was found enclosed in a sort of rude stone-coffin, composed of flat stones not fastened together ; and altogether, it gives the idea of very remote antiquity.
Modern Buildings. - Tillicoultry House and Harviestoun are both elegant mansions, built about thirty-five and thirty-seven years ago ; the church, erected in 1828, is at once beautiful and commodious, and the meeting-house is a goodly building. There are several large and well-built mills, lately erected for the woollen manufacture ; and the dwelling-houses in the villages are many of them handsome and comfortable. The Edinburgh and Leith Bank and dwelling-house are especially so.
III. - Population.
In 1755, the amount of population was 787
1782, 853
1793, 909
1806, 1050
1821, 1160
1831, 1472
1887, 1803
1841; amount last census, 3213
The great increase of population which has taken place, of late years, is chiefly owing to the rapid increase of manufactures in the shawl trade, tartans, and other branches ; and many of the hands employed being strangers, who are not stationary, any general remarks on the character and habits of the people would of course be applicable only to the individuals. I believe, however, it is generally admitted, that Tillicoultry shawls and tartans are now as much in request, by skilled merchants, as the well known serge was in former times.
The principal heritors do not at present reside in the parish. There are eight heritors possessing more than L.50 of annual rent.
IV. - Industry.
Agriculture. - As a considerable part of the parish is well adapted to the purposes of husbandry, the most improved methods of farming have been used, draining has been general, in both sides of the Devon, chiefly with stone, but in several instances, also with tile. The lands are generally well fenced, either with stone fences or hedges, and the latter are neatly dressed. The four-shift rotation is chiefly practised, but in some cases the five-shift mode is used, viz. oats, green crop, barley with grass seeds, and hay or oats, green crop, barley or wheat, - hay, the second crop, being pastured, and pasture. The rent of land, on the north side of Devon, is from L.3 to L.4 per acre, and some fields have been let at higher rates. On the south side, rent varies as the quality of land, from L.1 to L.2. As many fields are let to the villagers, and cropped so as to suit the convenience of their families, and many also are let yearly for pasturage, it is difficult to get a correct statement of the value of the gross produce. The present rental of the parish is L.5273, 16s. 6d.
Labourers' wages are from 1s. 6d. to 2s. per day, for men ; and from 10d. to 1s. for women. Farm male-servants have from L.20 to L.25 ; and females, from L.5 to L.8 per annum.
Manufactures. - The manufacture of Scotch blankets and Tillicoultry serge has long been carried on with advantage in this parish ; but within the last twenty years, the manufacture of shawls and tartans has been found more lucrative ; and such is the demand for these articles, from Glasgow and other places, for exportation, that the old establishments have been enlarged, and several new ones erected. There are about 300 men, 120 women, and 140 children employed in these factories, besides those employed at home, and a considerable number by the small manufacturers, many of whom have from one to four looms. The rate of men's wages, is from 2s. 2d. to 3s. 4d. ; of women's, from 10d. to 1s. 6d. ; and of children's from 6d. to 8d. per day.
The quantity of wool annually used by the principal manufacturers is stated to be about 30,000 stones ; the price of the wool, from 1s. to 2s. per lb. The hours of labour are from six o'clock in the morning to seven in the evening, during which they have one hour for breakfast, and one for dinner. On Saturday the mills are shut at five o'clock. The persons employed in the factories are generally healthy, and the labour in which they are engaged does not seem to impair either the bodily vigour, or mental energy of the children, although there is no doubt that their being able so early to earn wages, has an influence, not very favourable, on their education and their habits in after life.
V. - Parochial Economy.
Market-Town. - The nearest market-town is Alloa, about four miles distant. The distance from Stirling is nine miles. The parish, however, is well supplied with the necessaries of life, there being three bakers, three fleshers, and several grocers in Tillicoultry. There are two villages in the parish, Tillicoultry and Coalsnaughton, both extending rapidly, and another has sprung up within these few years, at Devonside, where a brick and tile-work has lately been erected. There is a surgeon in Tillicoultry, an increasing number of smiths, wrights, and masons, and an extensive work for making machinery. There is a post-office, and a post daily passes between Alloa and Muckart.
The public roads to Alloa, Stirling, and Kinross, are all good, and the materials for keeping them in repair are abundant, and of excellent quality. The bridge over Devon, which formerly was narrow and uncomfortable, was widened about twenty years ago, and is now spacious and secure. There is a wooden bridge for foot-passengers, below the village of Tillicoultry.
Ecclesiastical State, - An elegant church, which does honour to the liberality of the heritors, was built in 1828. It contains 650, and is conveniently situated near the centre of the parish, and at no great distance from the villages. About three-fourths of the population belong to the Established Church ; the rest are connected with the United Secession meeting-house in the village, the Relief, the Original Seceders, the Episcopalians, or the Unitarians. There are many who are regular and exemplary in attending Divine ordinances, although there is reason to lament that too many seem to consider the Sabbath as merely a day of cessation from labour, and spend it just as inclination or companionship may dictate.
The manse, erected in 1811, is good, and the offices are commodious. The glebe is about 13 acres. The minister is understood to have a right to pasturage in the hills, which the present incumbent has never enjoyed. The stipend is 15 chalders, half meal half barley, with L.8, 6s. 8d. for communion elements.
Education. - Besides the parish-school, which is not well attended, there are two subscription schools in Tillicoultry, one taught by a member of the Established Church, the other by a Dissenter. There is also an academy taught by the Rev. Mr Browning. There is a school in Coalsnaughton, connected with the Church, built by Mr Wardlaw Ramsay. The parochial school-master's salary is L.25, 13s. 3 1/4d. The subscription school in Tillicoultry connected with the Church has a salary of L.8, paid by Mr Ramsay and Mr Johnstone of Alva, besides the school-fees ; and the school in Coalsnaughton has a salary of L.5, paid by Mr Ramsay, with house and garden, besides the school-fees. There is a small library attached to this school. The people generally are sensible of the advantages of education.
The children employed in the factories attend evening-schools in both villages. A Sabbath evening-school was taught in the church by the minister for many years, and the schoolmasters in the villages continue to teach Sabbath evening-schools.
Poor and Parochial Funds, - The poor are well provided for in this parish, as besides an aliment, many of them have house-rents paid, and frequent occasional supplies. The number permanently on the roll, is from 15 to 18, who receive from 2s. 6d. to 6s. per month. There are also from 5 to 8, who occasionally get assistance for clothes, fire, etc. - liberal donations being given for these purposes in winter by the families of Tillicoultry and Alva. There have been two or three lunatics, or persons in a state of mental imbecility, supported by the parish, at great expense, for some years.
Besides the collections at the church-door, averaging for 1835, 1836, and 1837, L.26, 11s. 10 3/4d. ; mortcloth dues, etc. from L.2 to L.3 ; and the interest of L.203 at 5 per cent ; the heritors, for some years past, have found it necessary to assess themselves to defray the above heavy expenditure.
Inns and Public-Houses, - There are ten public-houses in the parish ; and there is no doubt that our Saturday evenings would be more quiet and our Sabbaths more solemn, were fewer opportunities afforded the thoughtless and the dissipated of injuring their health and morals, and exposing themselves to all the evils which drunkenness entails.
Fuel - Abundance of excellent coal may be had, at no great distance from any of the villages, from 4s. 6d. to 6s. per ton, according to the season and the demand.
September 1841.