New Account: Kirkmichael

Presbytery of Abernethy, Synod of Moray
The Rev. Alexander Tulloch, Minister.

[Biographical Notes for the Minister adapted from the Fasti ecclesiae Scoticanae
ALEXANDER TULLOCH (1780-1855) born Lybster, Caithness, son of James Tulloch, farmer, Skail, and brother of George Tulloch, minister of Eddrachillis; educated at Eeay School and King's College, Aberdeen (MA 1811); licensed by the Presbytery of Forres, 19th November 1816; presented by the curators of Lewis Alexander Grant, Earl of Seafield, in August and ordained, 14th September 1820. Joined the Free Church in 1843; minister of the Free Church, Kirkmichael, 1843-55.
He married, 27th April 1824, Katherine (who died in 1840, aged 44), daughter of Charles Stuart, and Christian Stuart, Bellabeg, and had issue —

(i) James, student, died aged 16;
(ii) Charles, died young;
(iii) John Forbes, died young;
(iv) Katherine Christian (married 1856, Captain George Mills);
(v) Anne Margaret (married John Macqueen, minister of the Free Church, Kirkmichael), died 1884; Elizabeth, died in infancy, 1837.]

The Account was drawn up by the Rev. Charles Macpherson, Minister of Tomintoul.
[Biographical Notes for this Minister adapted from the Fasti ecclesiae Scoticanae
CHARLES McPHERSON (1791-1846) eldest son of Cosmo Mcpherson, farmer, Ellic in Kirkmichael; educated at Marischal College, Aberdeen (MA 1821); schoolmaster of Kirkmichael, 1813-27; licensed by Presbytery of Abernethy 24th November 1825; presented by George IV. 15th June, and ordained 25th September 1827; first minister of the parish of Tomintoul 25th June 1845; died at Chapelton near Forres.
He married 5th July 1832, Mary (who died at Tarland in 1876, aged 75), daughter of James Farquharson, Belnabodach, Strathdon, and had issue —

(i) Major James Farquharson, 62nd Foot, born 11th November 1835, died 1912;
(ii) Margaret Isabella, born 11th April 1837 (married William Skinner, minister of Tarland);
(iii) Colonel Sir John Cosmo Farquharson of Corrachree, Tarland, KCB, Director-General of the Ordnance Survey of Great Britain and Ireland, born 18th March 1839, died unmarried 1905;
(iv) Mary Anne, born 10th April 1841 (married (1) Sept. 1864, John Ferguson, Brae of Coyrach, Old Deer: (2) Robert John Garden, M.D., Aberdeen), died 1903);
(v) Anne Farquharson, born 17th March 1844 (married 24th Sept. 1868, James Ferguson, Aberdeen), died 1905;
(vi) Charles Peter Farquharson, born 21st May 1846, died in New Zealand, 1914. ]

I: Topography and Natural History

Name

[296] The parish takes its name from the church, which was dedicated, previous to the Reformation, to St Michael, and called after his name, St Michael's Kirk, or Kirkmichael.

Extent and Boundaries

The parish is upwards of 30 miles in length from north to south along the banks of the Avon, a tributary branch of the Spey; and its average breadth is from 3 to 4 miles. Only about eighteen miles of its length is inhabited. The other twelve or fifteen miles stretch into the Grampian hills, and are uninhabited. Of this territorial extent, about nine miles of the inhabited part, and all the uninhabited portion, lie in the quoad sacra parish of Tomintoul. The main range of the Grampian mountains on the south, and branches of that range running from south to north on the east and west form its boundaries, and encircle it, except on the north, where it joins the parish of Inveravon in a narrow neck at the outlet of the Avon.

Mountains

The whole mountainous range of Glenavon, including the north side of Benmacdui and the east side of Cairngorum, [297]the highest mountain in the Grampian chain, lies in the southern extremity of the parish. The forest of Glenavon contains from 60,000 to 70,000 imperial acres, and has been lately set off by the Duke of Richmond, the proprietor, as a deer-forest. Cairngorum and Benmacdui rise respectively to the heights of 4060 and 4362 feet above the level of the sea, and retain the unmelted snow in the ravines on their ample sides generally all the year round. The general appearance of the parish is mountainous. Its inhabited parts consist of the narrow valley of the Avon, and the tributary glens of the Conglass and Kebat on the east, and the Lochy on the west.

Meteorology

The temperature of the atmosphere, as ascertained at Tomintoul by daily observation at 9 a.m., for the year 1839, was as follows: The observations were made on Fahrenheit's thermometer in the shade.

An extraordinary snow storm occurred on the 13th May, and continued to the 16th. The snow drifted to the depth of many feet. On the 14th, the thermometer stood on an average of the whole day, 6° under the freezing point.

The pressure of the atmosphere was as follows: Average monthly pressure:

Hydrography

The only river worthy of the name in the parish is the Avon, or rather this water is a deep rapid stream, clear as crystal, which, after running a course of about forty miles, and being increased by many tributary streams, falls into the Spey at Ballindalloch, in the parish of Inveravon. Salmon is found in the Avon from the month of June till towards the latter end of the year.

Lakes

Lochavon lies in the southern extremity of the parish, in the bosom of the Grampian mountains. It is estimated at three miles long and a mile broad. The scenery around it is [298] particularly wild and magnificent. The towering sides of Beinbord, Beinmacdui, Cairngorum, and Beinbainac, rise all around it, and their rugged bases skirt its edges, except at the narrow outlet of the Avon, at its eastern extremity. Its water is quite luminous, and of great depth, especially along its northern side. It abounds in trout of a black colour and slender shape, differing much in appearance from the trout found in the limpid stream of the Avon, which issues from it. At the west end of the lake is the famous Clach-dhian or shelter stone. This stone is an immense block of granite, which seems to have fallen from a projecting rock above it, rising to the height of several hundred feet, and forming the broad shoulder of Benmacdui. The stone rests on two other blocks imbedded in a mass of rubbish, and thus forms a cave sufficient to contain twelve or fifteen men. Here the visitor to the scenery of Lochavon takes up his abode for the night, and makes himself as comfortable as he can, where "the Queen of the storm sits", and at a distance of fifteen or twenty miles from all human abode.

There are various other small lakes called na-du-lochan or the black lochies, a little to the south-east of Lochavon, towards the forest of Braemar. These also abound in trout, and afford good sport to the angler. Lochbuilg lies between Inchrory and the Garron on the Beallach-dearg road. It is upwards of a mile long and about half that breadth, and abounds also in trout.

Geology

The whole range of the Grampian Hills is composed of granite rock. There is a bed of sandstone of rather soft and friable quality, running across the whole breadth of the parish at Tomintoul; and farther down, there is a bed of slate-stone, also running across the parish near the parish church. There is a slate quarry wrought in this bed close by the banks, of the Avon. It produces excellent gray slates and pavement slabs, not inferior perhaps to any in Scotland. Limestone abounds in almost every part of the parish. Ironstone is found in the south-eastern extremity of the parish, in the Hill of the Leacht. About a century ago, the iron ore from this place was transported sixteen miles across the country on horseback, and manufactured, with charcoal from the woods of Abernethy by an Iron Company established there. The ore is considered rich, and. is to be found in great abundance. Specimens of it have been analyzed and found to contain 85 per cent, of iron. It is also interspersed with rich veins or manganese, of which a considerable quantity has been dug out, in the course of last summer, by workmen employed by the Duke of Richmond. It is proposed to carry on the mining of this valuable mineral, which [299] it is expected will pay well and give employment to a number of people. Plumbago is also found in considerable quantity and of good quality in the immediate neighbourhood.

Fluor spar is found in the Braes of Avon, and there [299] is an extensive marl-bank close by the Avon, a little below Inchrory, in the southern extremity of the inhabited part of the parish, but it is not available for agricultural purposes, from the want of a road to it. If there were any access to this marl-bank, it would be of great value in the parish.

There is a considerable portion of the arable soil alluvial, i.e. on the haughs of the Avon, and its tributary streams; and the greatest part of the remainder rests on lime-rock, and consists of a rich loam. The soil, on the whole, is productive, and worthy of a better climate.

Zoology

The eagle is still found in the forest of Glenavon. It builds its eyrie in some inaccessible rock, and continues from year to year to hatch its young in the same spot. One of these noble birds was killed some years ago, which measured upwards of six feet from tip to tip of the wings. The following incident, illustrative of the habits of birds and beasts of prey, may not be unworthy of notice. One of the keepers of the forest being one day reclining on the side of a hill, observed an eagle hovering about for its prey, and darting suddenly down, it caught hold of a polecat, with which it rose up and flew away in the direction of an immense cliff on the opposite hill. It had not proceeded far, when he observed it abating its course, and descending in a spiral direction, until it reached the ground. He was led from curiosity to proceed towards the spot, which was about a mile distant from him, and there he found the eagle quite dead, with its talons transfixed in the cat. The cat was also dead, with its teeth fixed in the eagle's gullet.

Foxes were, some years ago, numerous in the mountain ranges of the parish, and were very destructive to the flocks, but it is believed that they are now nearly extirpated. Otters, weasels, polecats, and rabbits, are found in the parish. All sorts of game, such as grouse, hares, snipe, and partridges, abound over the whole parish. Ptarmigan, also, are numerous on the Grampian hills. Exclusive of the immense forest of Glenavon, (now being stocked with deer,) the shooting on the Duke of Richmond's portion of the hills alone lets at about £300 a-year. The domestic animals are all of the ordinary kind, but considerable [300]improvement is now taking place in the breed of cattle, horses, and sheep.

II: Civil History.

Eminent Men

Of military officers connected with the parish, may be mentioned Major-General William Alexander Gordon, C.B. of Inverlochy (of the ancient and respectable Gordons of Croughly), an officer of undaunted courage and intrepidity, who, at the memorable battle of the Nievo, at the head of the light infantry of General Hill's division, led the van in crossing the river, dislodged the enemy on the opposite bank, and turned the fortune of the day in favour of the British arms. The General still lives to enjoy his well earned honours and the respect of his countrymen. He had three brothers officers in the army, one of whom, James Gordon, Esq. of Revack, in Strathspey, retired from the paymastership of the 92d Highlanders at the close of the Peninsular war, and now lives beloved and respected by his family, and a numerous circle of friends and acquaintances.

Another family, that of the late Mr Samuel Middleton of Inveroury, has been equally eminent in the military department. One of his sons, Lieutenant-Colonel William Middleton, an accomplished gentleman and officer, has lately retired from the command of the 42d Highlanders, after an active service of more than thirty years, principally abroad. Another of them, Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Middleton, retired from the command of a cavalry regiment some years ago, and two more of his sons, John and Alexander, the one a captain, and the other a quartermaster, lost their lives in the service of their country. The promotion of this family rested solely on their own individual merit and bravery.

Another family, that of the late Captain Robert Macgregor of Delavorar, also furnished four meritorious officers for the King's service. The last of them, Captain Charles Macgregor, a worthy gentleman and magistrate, died at Delavorar some years ago.

Land-owners

The sole land-owners are the Duke of Richmond and the Earl of Seafield. The former owns about nine-tenths, and the latter about one-tenth of the parish.

Parochial Registers

The parochial registers have been very imperfectly kept. There are no original records previous to the beginning of the present century. At that period, there were some fragments of registers of births and marriages extending as far back as the year 1725. These were collected and transcribed about the year 1800, but there are considerable blanks in the manuscript. [301] The earliest entry in the register of births is in the year 1725, and of marriages, in 1726. There are no records of minutes of discipline previous to the year 1810, and even since that period, these records have not been regularly kept.

III: POPULAT10N.

The population, taken at different times during the last eighty-four years, is as under:

During upwards of fifty years previous to the commencement of the present century, the population appears to have remained nearly stationary. But, during the first thirty years of this century, it increased between 400 and 500. This increase has been owing to the introduction of an improved system of husbandry during that period, and the great kindness of Dukes Alexander and George Gordon to their tenantry, and their desire to continue them and their families on the estate, and promote their welfare. It may also be mentioned, as conducing to this increase of the population, that Alexander Duke Gordon gave great encouragement to the village of Tomintoul; in consequence of which the village increased from 37 to 143 families during the same period.

Since the year 1831, there has been a decrease of 19 on the population. This decrease is accounted for by the great failure of the crops during the last four years, and by the village of Tomintoul having been enlarged beyond the maximum of its resources for supporting its inhabitants, many of whom are now obliged to leave it; and also by a desire, manifested on the part of the proprietors, to enlarge the farms in the parish, with the view of increasing the comfort of those who occupy the soil; and it is more than probable, that, from the operation of the two last mentioned causes, the population will continue to decrease, at least for some time.

The births in the parish for the last seven years are as under:
[302]

From this table, which has been constructed from the registers, it appears that the average Protestant births in the quoad sacra parish of Tomintoul, among a population of 623, has been, for each of the last seven years, 205/7 ; and in Kirkmichael, among a population of 614, 63/7; and among a Roman Catholic population of 485, 174/7. Average annual births in the whole parish, 443/7. From a comparison of the Protestant population allocated to the parish church, with the number of births, it is evident that not a third of them is registered.

The number of Protestant marriages for the last seven years in the quoad sacra parish of Tomtntoul is 14, average yearly 2; at Kirkmichael, 32, average yearly, 44/7; Roman Catholics, 16, average yearly, 22/7. It appears that the number of marriages registered at Kirkmichael includes several of the marriages registered at Tomintoul, both Protestant and Roman Catholic. Average yearly in the parish, 86/7. There is no register of deaths kept.

There are 20 individuals above eighty years of age, 3 are above ninety, and there is a married couple, each of whom is above eighty-seven years, and who have lived happily together in the bands of wedlock upwards of sixty years.

There are two proprietors of land of the yearly value of £50 and upwards.

In the quoad sacra parish of Tomintoul, in a population of 983, there are 10 widowers and 41 widows. There are 10 bachelors and 4 widowers above fifty years of age, and 50 unmarried women and 37 widows above forty-five years of age. There are 225 families; of these, 123 have married couples at their head. The other 123 are superintended by widowers, widows, bachelors, and [303] spinsters. There are 313 under twelve years of age, and 187 under seven years. There are 187 who usually employ themselves as servants, being 120 more than the number of individuals in that capacity which the parish requires. The number of illegitimate births for the last twelve years is somewhat under an average of 3 each year.

There are 362 families in the parish. The average number of individuals in each family is 52/6 in the landward part of the parish, and 3¾ in the village. There are two fatuous persons, and two dumb.

The language generally spoken is the Gaelic, but it has decreased very considerably within the last forty years. There is not an individual between twelve and forty years of age who cannot speak English. They all read English, and there are many of the rising generation who cannot speak Gaelic.

The people have improved much of late years in the habits of industry and cleanliness. Amidst many difficulties and privations, they enjoy, in a reasonable degree, the comforts and necessaries of life, and are a contented and happy people, enthusiastically attached to their kindred and country, of unshaken loyalty, and firmly adhering to the civil and religious institutions of the land.
Upon the whole, the inhabitants of this parish may be said to be an intellectual, moral, and religious people.
Poaching in game and salmon, though much on the decrease, is not wholly exterminated. Private distillation, and smuggling in ardent spirits, which not many years ago prevailed universally, and which tended much to the demoralization of the people, are now wholly unknown.

IV: Industry

The number of acres, standard imperial measure, which is cultivated within the parish, is about 2400. The number of acres which never have been cultivated, and which remain constantly waste or in pasture, is uncertain, but of great extent; it is estimated in the last Statistical Account at 80,000, exclusive of the forest of Glenavon, which is not less than 60,000, say 140,000 in whole.

There is not an acre of planted wood in the parish but the greater part of the Valley of the Avon is interspersed with natural growing birch and alder, which adds much to the beauty of the scenery; but the wood is of little value, as no care is bestowed upon the management of it. The average rent of arable land per [304] imperial acre, is about £1:3s.; but some extent of pasture land is allotted to each farm rent free, and several districts in the parish have a privilege of pasturing sheep and cattle in common over the hills and moors.

Wages

The rate of wages for farm servants in the year is from £9 to £12 for ploughmen, and from £3 to £4:10s. for women-servants, with victuals.

Livestock

The black-faced sheep are the common breed in the parish, and of cattle the west Highland is preferred. That attention to their improvement which would be desirable, has been for a long time neglected, but of late years, from the encouragement given by the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland, by the distribution of their premiums, more attention is now given to the improvement of the breeds. Some tenants of capital and enterprise have brought into the parish animals of a superior kind, and it is to be expected that the improvement in this important branch of agriculture will still advance. The total number of cattle in the parish of Tomintoul is 801; of sheep, 6536; of goats, 410; and of horses, 188.

The general mode of husbandry pursued is the six shift rotation, viz. green crop, barley or bear sown with grass, two grass drops, and two corn crops. This system was introduced about thirty years ago, and has tended much to increase the quantity of grain raised, and the number of cattle reared. The Duke of Richmond now restricts his principal tenants to a five shift rotation of cropping.

Leases &c

The general duration of leases is nineteen years. These, with few exceptions, expire in 1842. Considerable improvement has been made within the last twenty years, in the building of dwelling-houses and farm-steadings. The buildings on the farms of Inverlochy, Croughly, Ruthven, and Delavorar, are very substantial and commodious. The tenants on these farms, and generally in the parish, have of late years improved and enlarged their farms by draining, enclosing, and cultivating waste ground; and by the encouragement now offered by the Duke of Richmond, the proprietor of the principal part of the parish, there is no doubt but with the commencement of new leases this improvement will proceed still more rapidly.

Raw Produce.

The average produce of grain of all kinds, whether cultivated for the food of man or the domestic animals, may be estimated at £3500
Of potatoes and turnips cultivated in the fields, at £1200
Of hay £ 800

V: Parochial Economy

Village

[305]Tomintoul is the only village in the parish. It is situated about five miles south of the parish church. It was commenced in the year 1750, and now contains a population of 530. It has five markets held annually in it. There is no system of police established.

The villagers subsist chiefly on the produce of their tenements and the small lots of land which they rent from the heritor. The average quantity of land attached to each tenement is about two acres. There are 120 tenements, and 143 families, 56 of the families occupy all the land. The tenure is a 114 years' lease of the tenement, consisting of 36 falls. The lease commenced in 1825. There is no branch of trade or manufacture established, in the village, and the lots of land are too small for the comfortable maintenance of those who occupy them. There are 87 families depending on handicraft, trade, or on their industry as common labourers, or on charity for their maintenance. The site of the village was a bleak and barren moor previous to its erection in 1750, and still from its exposed situation, and having no wood near it, it presents a bleak and barren aspect. It is the highest in elevation above the sea, and probably the farthest distant from the sea of any village in Scotland of the same extent and population.

Tomiutoul, or tom-an-t’sabhail signifies the barn hillock. There was a small farm near where the site of the village now is, having the barn on a gentle eminence at a little distance from the dwelling-house. This eminence or hillock took, its name from the circumstance of having the barn placed on it, and hence the name of the village. Previous to the erection of the village, and many years thereafter, this little farm and all the ground now occupied by the village and attached to it, did not produce £30 of yearly rent to the proprietor. It now produces nearly £300. More than three-fourths of the land has been improved by the villagers within the last forty years, from barren moor and bog, with a wet, gravelly, impervious subsoil. The rent now charged for this ground is about £1 per acre, which seems altogether out of proportion to its quality and produce. From minute calculation of the produce of the crop of 1838, in the whole village, it was ascertained that the land rent for every boll of meal produced was £4:18s:2d., and taking the three crops and rents of 1836, 1837, and 1838 together, the land rent paid per boll of produce, was £2:5s:2d.; but these years, together with 1839 and 1840, formed a series of unprecedentedly bad years—the crop of each of them in succession being nearly all destroyed by frost in the month of August.

Means of Communication

The parish presents the greatest facilities and inducements for being made one of the most public thoroughfares of any Highland parish in Scotland, yet it is curious, if not extraordinary, fact, that it is shut out from all communication with the surrounding countries and remains at this moment nearly as unapproachable as it was a hundred years ago. Whilst the improvements of late years have brought turnpike roads [306]within some miles of it on the north and east, none of them have yet reached its boundaries, and on the south and west there is not a turnpike within thirty miles of it. There is a daily post to Tomintoul, and several small carriers go weekly, or as occasion requires, to Elgin and Forres. The supply of merchant goods is brought chiefly from Aberdeen.

The long-projected south and north line of road from the shores of the Moray Frith to Perth, lies through the parish. This line of road, if opened, would create a transit of all marketable commodities, both to the north and south, and bring Elgin and Perth about fifty miles nearer each other. An east and west line from Aberdeen to Inverness also lies through the parish. This line if opened, would cross the former in the village of Tomintoul, and be fully as short as the present line by Keith and Huntly. There are only twenty-one miles of it to open from Grantown to Strathdon, through this parish. The opening of these two great lines of road would promote the means of communication in every direction, and conduce greatly to the improvement and prosperity of the parish. The present mail route between Tomintoul and Perth (by Dundee and Aberdeen), is 167 miles, whereas by the proposed line by Braemar it is only 67. This line was surveyed in the year 1810 by direction of the Commissioners for making Highland roads and bridges. It was again surveyed in the year 1832, by direction of the Lord Lieutenant of Morayshire, and other noblemen and gentlemen interested: and again in 1839 by direction of the trustees of the Blairgowrie and bridge of Cally turnpike road. The total estimated expense of completing the whole line from Elgin to Perth is variously stated in these surveys at about £18,000 to £23,100. It is calculated that the free revenue to be derived from tolls would yield 5 per cent, interest for upwards of £13,000 of this sum, and that about £10,000 will have to be subscribed by the heritors and others more immediately benefited by the undertaking. It is much to be regretted that after so many repeated attempts, during upwards of thirty years, this comparatively small sum could not be raised for the accomplishment of such a great national improvement. The only portion of the line at present impassable by wheeled carriages lies between Tomintoul and Castletown of Braemar, a distance of twenty-one miles, and the highest estimate for opening this portion, including the expense of a bridge over the Dee, is only £8200. It is, however, still to be hoped that the public [307] spirit of the heritors on this principal portion of the line, aided by Government and all others concerned, will surmount every obstacle, and speedily open up this great and important line of communication between the north and the south of Scotland.

Ecclesiastical State

The church was built in the year 1807. It contains sufficient room for 350 persons. It is situated about four miles from the northern extremity of the parish, and fourteen from the southern. Since the erection of Tomintoul into a parish quoad sacra, its situation (as regards the congregation now attending it) is the most convenient that could be chosen. It is a plain building, in tolerable repair. It has no gallery, but is of sufficient size for the congregation allocated to it. The sittings are all free. The glebe is about nine acres. The stipend is 15 chalders, at the fiars prices of the county of Banff, one-half in oatmeal, and the other half in barley, with £8:6s:8d. for communion elements. The manse and offices were rebuilt on a new site on the glebe in 1825 and are in good repair. The manse is an elegant and commodious dwelling, situated on the top of a romantic knoll, 200 or 300 feet above the level of the Avon, and commanding an extensive view of the picturesque valley of the Avon to the south, with the summits of the Grampian Hills in the distance. The good taste and liberality of the Rev. Mr Tulloch, the present incumbent, have done much in adding to the elegance of the manse, by his improvements in planting and. inclosing around it, and in opening up approaches to it.

There is a Government church and manse m the village of Tomintoul. It was built by Government in 1826, at an expense of £750 for the church, and £733 for the manse. It is situated five miles from the parish church. The district allocated to it was erected into a parish quoad sacra by the General Assembly of 1833. The stipend is £120, including communion elements, and is paid by Government. There is a glebe of half an acre, with another half acre and two roods for a garden and site of the church, manse, and the church-yard. The church affords accommodation for 336 sitters, and is built to admit of a gallery to contain about 200 more. Two-thirds of the area are let at from 6d. to 9d. each sitting, annually; the proceeds to be applied in keeping the church and manse in repair; but the collection of the seat rents has been discontinued for some years. The other third [308] part is allotted as free sittings. The manse is a neat cottage of one storey, consisting of seven apartments.

There is a Roman Catholic chapel also in the village. It is a very substantial and capacious building, and includes the priest's dwelling-house, which consists of eleven apartments. It was built in 1838, and is sufficient to accommodate 464 persons on the ground area, besides space for galleries to accommodate 300 more. The sittings at present fitted up are for 368 individuals. The expenses of the building were defrayed by private subscriptions over the three kingdoms. These are stated as exceeding £1200; but the exact amount, or how much has been expended on the building, is not known. The bishop resides at Presshome, in the Enzie, near Fochabers. The priest is paid by the seat-rents of the chapel, which are let at from 2s. to 4s. each sitting. He has also the interest of £400, bequeathed by a native of this parish to the priest at Tomintoul, besides the annual allowance of about £9 from the fund for the maintenance of the Roman Catholic clergy. The number of families attending the parish church is 115, and the individuals, 614. The number attending the church at Tomintoul is 148 families, and 623 individuals. Total attending both the Established churches, 263 families, and 1237 individuals. The number attending the Roman Catholic chapel is 99 families, and 485 individuals; and as the chapel is sufficient to accommodate 764 persons, it appears that the munificence of the supporters of Popery has, as in this instance, furnished accommodation for 279 individuals more than the whole congregation, young and old, attending it consists of.

Divine service at the Established Church is generally well attended. A great improvement has taken place in this respect of late years, although there are a few nominal adherents of the Church of Scotland, who still retain the pernicious habit of going to church only occasionally, or not at all.

The average number of communicants in the church at Tomintoul is 150, and in the parish church, 143: total, 293 There are occasional collections and subscriptions raised for the General Assembly's schemes for religious purposes, for the Bible Society, and for the infirmary at Aberdeen. These collections and subscriptions amount annually to about £10.

Education

There are three permanent schools in the parish.

1. The parish school, near the parish church. It is attended by [309]about 20 scholars annually. The teacher has the maximum salary of £34:4s:4½d., besides being eligible for a share of Mr Dick's bequest of from £20 to £30 a year. The school-fees average about £3 a year. By the liberality of the heritors, the teacher has a dwelling-house of six apartments, and a commodious school-room sufficient to contain about 100 scholars. The school-room was built in 1836, and both school-room and dwelling-house are in good repair. The teacher has a garden and croft of land sufficient to keep a cow. He has £1 a year of fee as session-clerk, besides the usual perquisites of office, which do not amount to more than £2.

2. There is a school in the village of Tomintoul. The school is at present on no established footing. The teacher receives £17:3s:3d. a year as a gratuity from His Grace the Duke of Richmond. The parochial school was situated in Tomintoul until the year 1835, and the teacher still enjoys the accommodations. The school is attended by upwards of 100 scholars annually. The school-fees average about £14 a year, There are measures now in progress for erecting this school into a parochial school, under the Act I. Victoria, c. 87. The heritors have liberally undertaken to enlarge the accommodations, so as to entitle the teacher to the maximum salary; and it is expected that he will be also eligible for a share of Mr Dick's bequest. An active and efficient teacher will thus be suitably encouraged. Besides the ordinary branches of English reading, writing, arithmetic, and English grammar, such scholars as may require it are taught Latin, mathematics, and geography at both these schools. The school-fees charged from those who can pay, are 2s. a quarter for reading, with 6d. additional for writing, and 1s. additional for arithmetic and English grammar. Five shillings a quarter are charged for the higher branches; but a considerable proportion of the scholars are unable to pay any fees. The greater number of them attend only about a quarter in the year - many of them for a shorter period.

3. There is another school in the village, endowed by the Trustees of the late Mr Donaldson of Aberdeenshire. The salary is £26. The school is attended by upwards of 100 scholars annually. No fees are charged; and only the elementary branches of education are taught.

Besides these, there are commonly two or three schools on the teachers' own adventure in remote corners of the parish. These are taught only during the winter season. One of these schools, [310] in the Braes of Avon, is usually attended by from 40 to 50 children. This portion of the parish is from seven to thirteen miles distant from the parish school, and from two to eight miles from the schools of Tomintoul. The population of the Braes of Avon is 280 souls. Of these 70 are under twelve years of age. An additional school is much required in this station. These facts refer to the state of the Braes of Avon previous to the year 1839. Since then, more than half the population has been removed by the new system of enlarging the farms, and many more will soon be removed from the same cause. This removal of the population removes also the necessity of any additional school in this district of the parish.

Library

There is a small circulating library belonging to the quoad sacra parish of Tomintoul. It consists at present of 160 volumes, chiefly religious and historical.

Friendly Societies

Various attempts were made some years ago to establish friendly societies in the parish and neighbourhood, but, being based on erroneous principles and under improper management, none of them succeeded.

There is no Savings bank in the parish, nor within twenty miles of it; and it is not known that any of the population invest any of their earnings in any of these institutions at a distance. It is believed that a Savings bank instituted in the parish, would be productive of great advantage, by inducing the labouring population to save their earnings, and make some provision for sickness and old age.

Poor and Parochial Funds

The average number of persons receiving parochial aid is about 80. They receive from 5s. to £2 each annually. These allowances are very inadequate to the maintenance of the poor, and much more depends on the private benevolence of the community than on the poor's funds for maintaining them. Such of them as are able, assist in supporting themselves by any industry of which they are capable. Others obtain supply by going from house to house, whilst those who are disabled by sickness or old age from doing any thing, are supported by the alms-givings of the neighbours sent into their houses.

The following natives of the parish may be here mentioned: Miss Isabella Macpherson of Tomachlaggan, who, by her talents and industry, acquired a respectable rank and fortune in Edinburgh, and after making provision for all her relations, bequeathed £350 to the poor of the parish, which laid the foundation of the handsome permanent funds now belonging to the poor. Mr Eneas Cameron [311]of Ballinlish, a partner of the North-West Company in America, left considerable property to his relations, and destined £100 to the support of the poor. Messrs James and Gabriel Stewart of Cults amassed a handsome fortune by their business in London, and the former bequeathed £1000 to the poor; and Mr George Gordon of Fodderletter, of whom honourable mention is made in the last Statistical Report, as a chemist and botanist, left £50 to the poor, which, under the provisions of his deed of settlement, has now accumulated to £155. Mr McDonald of Grantown also bequeathed £45 to the poor.

The annual amount of contributions for the poor is about £95. Of this sum there is about £17 collected in the parish churches. Charitable donations make about £13 a year more. Of this sum, the Duke of Richmond has given £10 for the last few years. There is a fund of £760, bequeathed by various benevolent individuals belonging to the parish, which yields about £80 of yearly interest; and there is a sum of £1000 in the hands of William Forbes Stewart, Esq. of London, for which he pays about £35 yearly interest. Two-thirds of the interest of this last sum is destined to the support of the Roman Catholic poor in the parish, under the management of the Roman Catholic Priest, the other third is under the management of the kirk-session, for behoof of the Protestant poor.

The spirit of independence and a desire to refrain from seeking parochial relief prevails to a considerable extent among the poor, but, it is believed, that, in proportion as the means of extending parochial aid to them are increased, this spirit of independence decreases.

Owing to severe harvest frosts, the crops of 1836, 1837 and 1838 were almost complete failures, especially the crop of the year 1838; and it was found necessary, towards the beginning of 1839, to raise extraordinary supplies for the maintenance of the poor. On application to the committees in London and Glasgow for the management of a fund raised for the relief of the destitute in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, a grant of £150 was obtained. This sum, aided by other sources, afforded the means of distributing 167½ bolls of meal in the parish, which relieved the necessities of 198 families.

Prisons

Any criminal offenders in this part of the country, of whom the number is happily very small, are sent to the county-jail [312] at Banff, a distance of about fifty miles. There is a lock-up-house in the village of Tomintoul, under the charge of a district constable. But this place of safe keeping is comparatively useless, from the want of any resident magistrate, or efficient means of securing those disturbers of the public peace, who not unfrequently infest the village, and annoy the peaceful and well-inclined portion of the community.

There are five markets held annually in Tomintoul, viz. on the last Friday of May, new style; on the last Friday of July, old style; on the third Wednesday of August, old style; on Friday after the second Tuesday of September, old style; and on the second Friday of November, old style. These markets are principally for the sale of cattle and sheep, and engaging servants.

Inns

There are four inns or public-houses in Tomintoul, and two in the country part of the parish. It is much to the credit of Mr Skinner, the Duke of Richmond's factor for this parish, that he strenuously opposes the indiscriminate licensing of dram-houses.

Fuel

The only description of fuel used in the parish is moss-peat.

Miscellaneous Observations.

The more striking variations betwixt the present state of the parish and that which existed at the time of the last Statistical Account, exhibit considerable improvement in the state of society. The means of religious instruction and attendance on these means are greatly increased, as appears from the Sabbath collections made for the poor. These have increased about eightfold, or from £2:2s:6½d. to about £17. The total annual funds for the maintenance of the poor have increased fortyfold, or from £2:2s:6½d. to £95. The population has increased more than one-third, and the attendance of children at school is fourfold, or from about 80 to 320. The minister's stipend is increased about fourfold, or from £68:6s:8d. to an average of more than £240, whilst he has less than half the charge.

The arable acres are increased from 1550 to 2400, and the rent from about £1100 to £2760. The permanent poor's funds have increased from £5 to about £1800.

The parish is susceptible of considerable improvement, by means of planting the hills and moors, improving waste ground, enclosing the fields, and road-making. In this last particular, something has been done within the last ten or twelve years, by opening up a line of internal communication along the banks of the [313] Avon, and another to the east by Glenlivat. Arrangements are also made by the Duke of Richmond for subdividing and enclosing the farms; and as His Grace evinces a disposition to promote the interests of his tenantry, and improve his extensive domains, it is expected that he will give orders to plant a considerable portion of the waste ground in the parish.

April 1842.