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EXCERPT FROM THE 1861 PAROCHIAL DIRECTORY FOR FIFE AND KINROSS

 

PARISH OF DALGETY.

THIS PARISH is situated in the south-west of the County, and is bounded by Inverkeithing on the west, Aberdour on the east, Beath and Dunfermline on the north, and by the Firth of Forth on the south. It is in the form of a triangle, being about five miles in extent from north to south, three miles from east to west at the southern extremity, which stretches along the Firth of Forth, and little more than one half mile in breadth at the northern boundary. The ground rises gradually from the shore, but there are no hills of any considerable altitude, the highest point in the Parish being about 450 feet above the level of the sea. The soil is partly a light dry loam, but more generally is a deep strong loam, and well cultivated. Coal abounds in the Parish, and there is a very extensive colliery at Fordel, which employs nearly one half of the population. The principal mansions are, Otterstone, Cockairney, Fordel House, and Donibristle, the seat of the Earl of Moray. The old Parish Church is a very ancient building. The precise date of its erection is not known, but documents exist which show that a grant of the ground on which it stands was made to the Abbot of St Combe in the fourteenth century. It however bears evident marks of having received considerable additions and repairs of a more recent date. The present Church was erected by the Earl of Moray in 1830. It is a fine building in the Gothic style, and stands about half a mile from the shore, contiguous to the road leading from Aberdour to Inverkeithing. There is also a Chapel of Ease at Mossgreen, in the north-east district of the Parish. In addition to the Parish School, there is a non-parochial School in connection with the works at Fordel colliery. There is a small loch in the Parish called Otterstone Loch, about three-fourths of a mile in length, and not exceeding a quarter of a mile in breadth. It is about a mile inland, and its banks are richly ornamented with fine beautiful woods. There is a fine waterfall near the loch, on the grounds of Fordel. The old Castle of Fordel, built in 1111, has recently undergone extensive repairs, both internally and externally, and presents nothing of that ruinous and dilapidated appearance so much to be found in old castles. It is an object of great interest to visitors, and is surrounded by fine and picturesque scenery.

The inhabitants are partly engaged as agricultural labourers, but the great majority of them are employed as colliers, or otherwise connected with the coal-works. Most of the coal is shipped at St Davids, a small harbour in the Parish, and is conveyed thither from the pits- a distance of about four miles- by a railway constructed for the purpose. The villages in the Parish are, St Davids, Fordel Square, part of Crossgates, and part of Hillend.

The POST TOWN is Inverkeithing, with a Sub-Office at Crossgates, James Miller, Sub-Post Master.- A walking postman leaves the Post Office about 10 A.M., and reaches Crossgates about 11.30 A.M. He leaves Crossgates on his return about 2 P.M.. Those residing in the eastern extremity of the Parish receive their letters by Aberdour, but there is no regular postal communication from the Post Office there. This accounts for Aberdour being given in the Directory as the address of a few parties in this Parish.

 

BLACKSMITHS.

Andrew, Wm., (& Engineer) Crossgates

Dow, William, Mossgreen

CARRIERS.

Black, James, from Dunfermline, Monday and Thursday

Dand, Henry, from Kirkcaldy to Dunfermline, by Crossgates, Tuesday and Friday

CARTERS.

Downie, George, Crossgates

Drysdale, James, Mossgreen

Wilson, Ralph, Hillend

CLERGY.

Nicol, David, Parish Church, Dalgety Manse, by Aberdour

Ramsay, Wm., (Pastor) Baptist Church, Crossgates

Thomson, Robert, Quoad Sacra Church, Mossgreen

FARMERS.

Aitken, David, Annfield

Aitken, David, Drumcooper

Coventry, Wm., Pleasance, by Aberdour

Drysdale, James, Chapel, by do

Drysdale, James, Hillend

Drysdale, James, Seafield

Drysdale, John, (& Contractor) Minnywick

Harvey, David, Broomside

Sharp, Francis, Doverhall, Crossgates

Syme, George, Dalgety Mains

GARDENERS.

Forrester, Adam, Cockairney House

Fowlis, Robert, Fordel House

Gavine, John, Donibristle House

Taylor, John, Otterstone House

GENTRY & PEOPLE OF INDEPENDENT MEANS.

Barn, H. J., Esq., Cuttlehill House

Henderson, G. W. M., Esq., Fordel House

Moray, Earl of, Donibristle House, Aberdour

Moubray, Misses, Cockairney House, Aberdour

Moubray, Robert, Esq., Cockairney, Aberdour

Moubray, W. H. , Esq. , Otterstone, Aberdour

GROCERS,

Those marked thus* are also Spirit Dealers.

Allan, Robert, Crossgates

*Hamilton, James, Fordel Sutlery

* Millar, James, Crossgates

*Pearson, Thomas, do

Penman, Archibald, Mossgreen

Ramsay, William, Crossgates

JOINERS & WRIGHTS.

Duncan, John, Springhill, Crossgates

Swan, James, Crossgates

SOCIETIES & CLUBS.

Crossgates Funeral Society, John Muir, Clothier, President

Fordel Funeral Society, Walter Young, President

TAILORS.

Those marked thus * are also Clothiers.

*Brown, David, & Sons, Crossgates

* Muir, J., (& Inspector of Poor) do

Reid, William, Hillend

TEACHERS & SCHOOLS.

Cunningham, John, Parish School, (& Registrar) Hillend

Currie, James, Colliery School, Fordel

MISCELLANEOUS.

Berwick, David, Custom House Officer, St Davids

Beveridge, Thomas, Clerk, Fordel Colliery

Campbell, John, Flesher, Crossgates

Cole, Henry, Esq., Factor for Fordel Estate, Seafield Cottage, St Davids

Currie, James, Librarian, Fordel Library

Hamilton, William, Vintner, St Davids

Henderson, G. W. M., Brick & Tile Maker, St Davids

Inch, Miss Mary, Dressmaker, Springhill, Crossgates

Moodie, Thomas, Plasterer, Springhill, Crossgates

Morgan, R., Builder, Springhill, Crossgates

Philips, J., Esq., Commissioner to the Earl of Moray, St Colme House, by Aberdour

Pitbladdo, C., Quarry Contractor, Muirend

Robertson, Thomas, Manager, Fordel Colliery, Anstonhill

Robertson, W., Shipping Agent, St Davids

Waters, W., Boot & Shoemaker, Crossgates

ADD

Andrew, William, Ironfounder, Crossgates

Cairns, James, Grocer, do

Kellock, Geo., Boot & Shoemaker, do

Rolland, Archibald, Grocer, do

DELETE

Allan, Robert, Grocer

Burn, H. J., Esq., Cuttlehill House

Pearson, Thomas, Grocer

Sharp, Francis, Farmer

 

 

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