Statistical Account - Logie Parish

Laid out below is a copy of the Statistical Account of Scotland entry for Logie parish, published in 1792.


The Statistical Account of Scotland, Vol 3 (1792)

NUMBER XLII.

PARISH of LOGIE.

(County of Stirling, Presbytery of Dunblane, Synod of Perth and Stirling)

By the Rev. Mr. James Wright.


Extent and Situation.

This parish is about four miles in length, and nearly as much in breadth, and is situated about two miles north from Stirling, in the presbytery of Dunblane, and provincial Synod of Perth and and Stirling. The parish lies in three shires, viz, Stirling, Perth, and Clackmannan.

Population.

About 30 years ago, when a computation of the number of the inhabitants was made, at the request of the Sheriff depute of Perthshire, it was reckoned, that the souls contained in each of the three counties, amounted to about 500, making in all 1500. In Dr Webster's report, the number is 1985.

Produce and Soil.

Provisions of all kinds are plentiful. There are four coal hills within as many miles of the church. There is plenty of peat in Moss Flanders, which is about four miles distant from the church. As to the soil of this parish, the one half of it is strong carse clay ground, and is reckoned to be the richest of any in the kingdom; the other half is dryfield, and hilly around; the former produces exceeding good crops; the latter is fit for pasturing cattle, sheep, and goats: these two soils are nearly equally divided by a high road, at the foot of the Ochil hills, running from Alva to Stirling.

Poor.

Poor’s rates are adopted in this parish, one half of which is paid by the heritors, and the other by the tenants. In the year 1774, the number of the poor was 33, for whom were contributed L 40 Sterling. L 28 was paid by the heritors and tenants, and L 12 out of the poor‘s funds; but in 1775, L 38 was distributed, and for some years past, the heritors and tenants have advanced only L 22, which, with L 12 paid yearly out of the poor's funds, shows that the expences have diminished. The poor live in their own houses, and none are allowed to beg.

Miscellaneous Observations.

The Abbey of Cambuskenneth is the only place of antiquity in this parish, where King James III of Scotland was buried. Nigh to this is the Abbey Craig, of considerable height; upon the top of which is to be seen the form of a battery, said to be erected in Oliver Cromwell's time, when he laid siege to the castle of Stirling, but without effect. There is a high conical hill in this parish, called Dunmyatt, from the top of which, is to be seen part of 12 counties. About half a mile from the foot of this hill to the north, is a very fine well, which issues from more than 60 springs, that rile through the sand. and channel. It is called the Holy Well, and is said to have formerly been much resorted to by the Roman Catholics. There are appearances of silver and copper mines in this parish. Some of them have been wrought, but with little profit to the adventurers. The only one that seemed to prove advantageous, was that on the estate of Aithrey, belonging to Mr Haldane, in the years 1761, 1762, 1763, and 1764, a company of gentlemen from England, along with the proprietor, laid out a considerable sum of money in working this mine; and they got about 50 barrels of silver ore, of which four barrels made a ton, and each ton was valued at London at L. 60 Sterling. One Dr Twiffe, to whom the ore was consigned, became bankrupt, which put an end to the adventure.


This short account for the Logie parish, does not do justice to the area compared to other entries of the old Statistical Accounts. The area covered several small villages and a reasonable area of farming land, much of it now part of Stirlingshire after the boundary changes of the late 1880's. The Parish is outlined below in James Stobie's 1783 map of the area.

Parish of Logie 1783