NUMBER IV.

UNITED PARISHES OF LOGIE AND PERT,

(COUNTY OF FORFAR, SYNOD OF ANGUS AND MEARNS, PRESBYTERY OF BRECHIN.)

By the Rev. Mr ALEXANDER PETER.

Name, Situation, Soil, Air, &c.

T feems probable, that the parish of Logie, or LogicMontrofe, as it was formerly called, was annexed to the parish of Pert perhaps about the year 1610 or 1615. Logie, which is a very common name through Scotland, is faid to be of Gaelic extraction, and to fignify a 'flat or 'low fituation,' which particularly corresponds to that of the Old Church of Logie, which is fituated in a hollow or low ground, by the fide of the Northefk river. Pert is of uncertain origin. The Old Church of Pert is likewife fituated on the banks of the Northefk, very near the Old North Water Bridge, and about 3 miles up the river VOL. IX.

E

from

from Logie. The United Parish is something of an oblong, or rather elliptical form, though by no means regular; its greatest length from E. to W. is more than 4 English miles, and its greatest breadth from S. to N. about 3 miles. The lower part of it lies along the banks of the river Northefk, which, by a beaut ful curve, divides it towards the north and east, from the parishes of Marykirk and St Cy. rus. The upper part is pretty high, generally bending with a gentle declivity to the river, though good part of it likewife has a fouthern exposure.—The foil, chiefly in the lower parts, is a deep clay, yielding, even in an uncultivated state, plenty of natural grafs. That, in the higher grounds is partly a light loam, and partly of a black moorish caft, with a clay bottom, spontaneously producing in its natural ftate, or when left uncultivated, a fhort heath, intermixed with furze and broom.-The air is in general sharp and falubrious, though now and then rains and fogs from the fea, perhaps, in fome measure, contribute to render it unwholesome. The most prevalent diftempers are fevers, which fometimes prove highly infectious and epidemical. This was particularly the case in 1787-8, when, in little more than the space of a twelvemonth, about 30 individuals died of a malignant fever, which generally produced a delirium about the 4th or 5th day, and cut them off in lefs than a week after. Perhaps an officious, though ill-judged attention, shown by the people in visiting their fick neighbours, tended to spread the contagion, which might be aggravated by the want of a due regard to cleanliness, and to the admiffion of fresh air. It was remarked, that though several young perfons who were feized with that fever recovered, no one advanced in life, or even above the age 30, experienced a recovery. The other diseases most common are, gravel, rheumatism, and confumptions. The fmall-pox also at times make confiderable ravages, and, no

of

doubt,

doubt, prove the more fatal, as the common people still show a very general averfion to inoculation. The plague raged here in 1648.

Springs, Rivers, &c.-There are several springs, though not of very great celebrity; one of them is a ftrong mineral, which is faid to be ferviceable in ftomach disorders. There is a spring-well in the old church-yard of Logie, which was formerly much resorted to by people who had fores. There is a very copious spring in Martin's Den, that would fill a bore of 4 inches diameter, nourishing great abundance of water, with creffes in its ftream. And there is in a field, near the spot where the old manfe of Pert stood, a plentiful spring of excellent water, likewise feeding a great quantity of water-creffes. Both this, and the spring in Martin's Den, are fuppofed to be anti-fcorbutic. There is no lake, nor any river, except the Northesk already mentioned, commonly called the North Water, dividing the counties of Angus and Mearns. This river furnishes a title to the noble family of Northesk, who formerly poffeffed a large track of land in the parish of Pert, and neighbourhood, on both fides of the river, now in the poffeffion of the Earl of Kintore and others. Rofe Hill, which gives title to the eldest son of the Earl of Northefk, is an eminence on the road fide, near the gate of Inglifmaldie, (a feat belonging to Lord Halkerton, now Earl of Kintore,) and a little to the northward of the North Water Bridge; whereas the Southesk, which runs past the town of Brechin, gave title to the Earl of Southefk, who was attainted in 1715.

The North Water produces excellent trout and falmon; the latter, some years in confiderable quantities. In that part of it which bounds the parish of Logie Pert are caught, fome years from Candlemas to Michaelmas, (the legal term

of

of fishing here,) upwards of 120 ftone, though fome seasons often not half that quantity. The falmon-fishing in this part of the river has for fome time past, been much hurt by a dam-dike belonging to a proprietor of the fishing below, the height of which prevents the falmon from getting up the stream. To remedy this evil, recourfe has lately been had to a process at law. The falmon here are chiefly caught with the net, though angling both for trout and falmon is likewife frequently practifed. The falmon are reckoned in greatest perfection during the months of February, March, and April. They are commonly fent for sale to the Boil-house at Montrofe, where, at an average, they. bring about 5 s. the stone; from thence they are exported to the London market. When fold on the fpot, towards the beginning of spring, they frequently fetch 6d. a pound.

Minerals, &c.-There are here feveral freeftone quarries, the rock rather foft, and at no great depth from the furface. What ftones they have hitherto produced, have been used by the proprietors for their own private purpofes. But what particularly deserves notice, is the limework, which for fome years has been carrying on, and is still carrying on to greater and greater extent in the district of Pert. Limestone was firft difcovered here about the year 1780. For fome time it was wrought in the ufual way, but of late an attempt has been made by the principal proprietor, and with no inconfiderable fuccefs, to work it by mining, in the fame manner as coal is wrought in the fouthern parts of Scotland; and a fubterraneous drain, intended to be about 15 fathoms deep, and 400 yards in length, is now begun to be cut for clearing off the water from the quarries. The main ftratum, or vein of limeftone, extends from the Northefk nearly in a S. W. direction, through the whole parifla

parish of Pert, and enters the parish of Strickathrow, where it is likewise wrought to fome extent. There are feveral

veins, under one another, at different depths from the furface. One principal vein is at the depth of about 6 feet, and nearly 12 feet thick. To use the style of the workmen, it is covered with a strong fcourdy ftone, mixed with lime, and the pavement or bed is a thick body of reddish freestone, in which are feveral thin feams of limestone. The vein now mining, which is fuppofed to be rather of fuperior quality to the reft, is at the depth of more than 40 feet. The feveral quarries are faid to have produced this year, upwards of 16,000 bolls of fhells; each boll of fhells yielding about 3 bolls of lime of exceeding fine powder. The lime is reckoned remarkably good, and is very fit either for building or manure. It is fold by wheat measure at 1 s. 9 d. per boll ready money, and I s. 10 d. credit. There are a good many hands employed in this work, especially in fpring and fummer, perhaps from 20 to 30 or upwards. Good hands are allowed 1 s. 2 d. a-day, and when engaged by the quantity, at the rate of 6 d. the boll. About L. 2 being allowed for powder for 1600 or 1700 bolls. The limestone is burned with what is called Coom Coals, (the fame the blacksmiths use,) brought from Inverkeithing and other parts of the frith of Forth to the port. of Montrofe, and from thence carried in carts to the limework. This coal is generally purchased on the spot, at 3 s. 6 d. the boll, the freight to Montrofe, exclufive of cuftom dues, is about 1 s. 5d; the cartage from Montrose to the quarries, (about 7 miles distance,) 2 s. the boll or 72 ftone. In confequence of the above advantage of lime, improvements are faft advancing in this neighbourhood, and the value of land is every year rifing. One proprietor is faid to have let fome of his farms at quadruple rent, after having fallowed, limed, drained, and inclofed the ground.

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