PARISH OF KEMBACK.
THIS PARISH, containing the villages of Blebo Craigs, Blebo Mills, and Kemback Mills, is situated in the Stratheden district of the County. It is bounded by the parishes of Dairsie and Leuchars on the north, by St Andrews and Ceres on the east, by Ceres on the south, and by Ceres and Cupar on the west. Its length east north-eastward is three miles, and its breadth seldom exceeds one and a half mile. All the northern border is bounded by the Eden. The surface at the western portion is nearly level, with a gentle declination towards the Eden; but about the centre it rises into Kemback Hill, which is finely wooded, and beautifully varied and picturesque. Dura Den, a sweet, romantic glen, intersects the Parish, beginning at Pitscottie Mills, and ending a little below Kemback Mills. The Kame, or as it is more commonly termed, "Ceres Burn," winds through its centre. The rocks here, and indeed generally throughout the Parish, belong to the old red sandstone formation ; and being exceedingly rich in organic remains, form a favourite haunt of the geologist. The chief branch of industry, other than rural, is flax spinning, there being no fewer than three mills, driven partly by water, and partly by steam power. There is also a saw-mill at Kemback Mill. There were formerly some corn and barley mills, but they have given way to flax machinery. There are some excellent freestone quarries on Kemback hill, a portion of which are in the Parish.
The entire area comprises about 2200 acres, of which about 1800 are in cultivation, and the remainder in wood and natural pasture. The soil exhibits every variety-clay, black loam, light sandy soil with a dry bottom, and thin gravel, and is upon the whole very fertile. The Parish is well supplied with good roads, and the Dairsie station of the Edinburgh, Perth, & Dundee Railway, is only about a mile from Blebo Works and Kemback Mills. The Parish Church is beautifully situated at the foot of Kemback Hill, about three miles east from Cupar. It is a plain building, erected in 1814. There is a Preaching Station, in connection with the Free Church, in Dura Den, which is supplied with sermon once a month, by the neighbouring dissenting ministers. The Parish School, which is near the Church, is an old building, belonging to the type of School-Houses in general use half a century ago. There is an Adventure School, and a Female Industrial School at Blebo Craigs, and a School in Dura Den, in connection with the mills at Blebo Works.
The POST TOWN is Cupar, with a Sub-Office at Dura Den, David Hain, Sub-Post Master.- Letters from all parts arrive about 10.30 A. M., and are despatched at 2.20 P.M.
BLACKSMITHS.
Paton, David, Blebo Craigs
Stewart, Robert, Kemback Bridge
BOOT & SHOEMAKERS.
Adamson, Thomas, Blebo Craigs
Fisher, William, Kemback Hill
Walker, Andrew, Blebo Craigs
BUILDERS.
Buttercase, David, Jun., Hillhead, by Blebo Craigs
Dowie, Meldrum, (& Freestone Quarry) Blebo Craigs
Thomson, James, Kemback Hill
CARTERS & LAND LABOURERS.
Dunn, William, South Flisk, Blebo Craigs
Fisher, John, Blebo Craigs
Lumsden, Andrew, do Melville, Bethune, do
Robertson, Thomas, do
Wishart, R., South Flisk, Blebo Craigs
DRESSMAKERS.
Barclay, Miss, Blebo Craigs
Harvie, Miss, Dura Den
Swan, Miss Margaret, Hillhead, by Blebo Craigs
Wallace, Miss Jessie, Blebo Craigs
FARMERS.
Anderson, James, Blebo Mills
Bethune, Alex., Esq., Home Farm, Blebo
Bruce, James, Greenside of Blebo
Clement, John, Milton of Blebo
Cunningham, T. D., Newbigging of Blebo
Dalgleish, R. B., Esq., Home Farm, Dura
Forret, Robert, Blinkbonny, Blebo Craigs
Fyall, Robert, Morton of Blebo
Gibb, Andrew, Little Dura, by Cupar
Hepburn, Peter, Kinnaird
Thorns, Alexander, Esq., of Rumgally
Walker, Peter, Blebo Mains
GARDENERS.
Paterson, Alex., (Jobbing) Blebo Craigs
Rattray, John, Blebo House Garden
Scott, John, Kemback Garden
GENTRY & PEOPLE OF INDEPENDENT MEANS.
Bethune, Alexander, Esq., of Blebo
Dalgleish, Robert B., Esq., of Dura
McLaren, Rev. R. A., D.D., Minister of Parish, Kemback Manse
Small, John, Esq., Kemback House
Thoms, Alexander, Esq., of Rumgally
GROCERS.
Balsillie, Andrew, Pitscottie
Blyth, Betsy, Blebo Craigs
Forret, Miss Agnes, Blebo Craigs
Honeyman, Mrs Alexander, Kemback Mill
Morris, James, Dura Den
Rodger, Miss, Hillhead, by Blebo Craigs
JOINERS & WRIGHTS.
Adamson, John, Blebo Craigs
Adamson, Robert, do
Boyd, John, do
Wallace, John, do
LAND SURVEYORS.
Dandie, David, School-House, Kemback
Louden, James, Blebo Craigs
TEACHERS & SCHOOLS.
___ ____, Female Industrial School, Blebo Craigs
Dandie, David, (& Registrar) Parish School, Kemback
Martin, John, (& Inspector of Poor) Blebo Works School
Thomson, Thomas, Adventure School, Blebo Craigs
VINTNERS.
Balsillie, Andrew, Pitscottie
Keddie, David, (Ales) Blebo Craigs
MISCELLANEOUS.
Blyth, Alexander, Saw-Miller & Wood Merchant, Kemback Mill
Burns, Thomas, Contractor, Blebo Craigs
Doig, George, Tailor and Clothier, do
Watson, Alexander, & Son, Flax Spinners, Blebo Works
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