EXCERPTS FROM THE 1861 PAROCHIAL DIRECTORY OF FIFE AND KINROSS
PARISH OF STRATHMIGLO
THIS PARISH, containing the villages of Strathmiglo and Edenshead, is in the north-west part of the County. It is bounded by the parishes of Arngask, Abernethy, and Auchtermuchty, on the on the east, by Falkland, and by Portmoak and Orwell in Kinross-shire, on the south, and by Portmoak, Orwell, and Arngask, on the west. Its length north-eastward is seven and a half miles, and its greatest breadth four and a half miles. The waters of the Eden, or Miglo, the name it receives while in the Parish, intersects its whole length, dividing it into two nearly equal portions. The water within the Parish drives four corn, one flour, and a farina mill. The greater part of the surface consists of two ascents, rising, gently at first, from the banks of the Miglo, until, in the southern ascent, it reaches a height of 1500 feet in the West Lomond Hill. The northern ascent forms part of the Fife continuation of the Ochill Hills, which here attain a height of 900 feet. The prevailing rock in the north is trap, and in the south, red sandstone. There is also an excellent bed of white freestone within the Parish, in the Lomond Hill, of which antiquarians suppose that the Round Tower of Abernethy was built; and also that Macduff's and Mugdrum Crosses are blocks of it. Limestone is also found on the Lomond Hill. The soil is generally a rich friable loam in the north, and light and sandy in the south. The area amounts to upwards of 5000 acres, four-fifths of which are in tillage, and the remainder in pasture, waste, and wood. Formerly there were numerous cairns and tumuli in the Parish; and the latter were disposed in such order, and accompanied with such remains of ancient warfare, as to lead to a conviction in the minds of some antiquaries, that this Parish is the scene of the battle of Mons Grampus, fought in A.D., 85 or 86, between the Romans under Agricola, and the Caledonians under Galgacus, their brave and warlike General. The late Colonel Millar, who resided for some time in the Parish, read an essay on the subject before the Society of Antiquaries at Edinburgh, and which was published by them in their transactions in 1830. In that essay, the Colonel makes out a strong case that this locality is the long disputed site of that battle, and no serious attempt has been made to overturn his reasoning upon this subject.
The village, or Burgh of Barony, of Strathmiglo, is situated in a pleasant plain on the north bank of the Miglo, a little to the south of the road from Auchtermuchty to Kinross- two miles south-west of Auchtermuchty, three north-west of Falkland, and eleven west-south-west of Cupar, eight north-east by east of Kinross, and twelve south-east of Perth. Part of it is an old Burgh of Barony, and this, with the suburbs called Kirklands, Stedmorelands, and Templelands, are on the left bank of the Miglo ; while the other suburban parts, called the Cash and Town Feus, are on the right bank. The Burgh consists of one principal street running parallel to the river, and four or five lanes running at right angles to it, and a lane, called the East and West Back Dykes, running along the head of the gardens on the north side. The Kirklands are situated at the eastern extremity of the south side of the principal street. The Templelands are also on the same street, about the middle of the town; and the Stedmoreland Feus are at the western extremity, on both sides of the street. The Cash Feus and the Town's Feus form a long street of well-built tradesmen's houses, also running parallel to the river. Sibbald says that the lands of Strathmiglo anciently belonged the Crown, and that Malcolm IV granted them to Duncan, 6th Earl of Fife, on his marriage with the niece of that monarch. In 1509, Sir William Scott, of Balwearie. obtained a charter of the lands and Barony of Strathmiglo, with power to erect that town into a Burgh of Barony. It was only, however, in 1600 that the power was exercised, and the town erected into a Burgh of Barony, with the privilege of holding courts, &c., and the usual powers of such burghs. The charter was confirmed by James VI. in 1605; but, as the nomination of the bailies, and the admission of the burgesses, was vested in the person of the superior, their powers were annihilated by the Act 20th George II., which abolished heritable jurisdictions. The burgh feuars still, however, hold possession of the Town-House; and the fine green on both sides of the river is also their property, although the public have the use of it as a bleaching green.
A castellated mansion, called Strathmiglo, and sometimes Cairnyflappe, Castle, which stood about 100 yards north-east of the East Mill steading, is supposed to have been built in the reign of James V., but its ruins were removed about the year 1740, as building materials for the Steeple in front of the town-house. The remains of the moat still mark the site. The Steeple is a handsome structure, comprising a square tower, terminating in an open ballustrade surmounted by an octagonal spire, 70 feet in height. That portion of the town called Templelands anciently belonged to the Knights Templar, and appears, after the suppression of that order, to have come into the possession of the Knights of St John of Jerusalem, as the proprietor of the eastmost feu is bound by his title to maintain the cross of St John on a conspicuous part of his house, to mark the boundary between Templeland and burgage property.
There are three Churches in the town- the Parish Church, near the east end of the town, containing about 750 sittings, a Free Church, and a Reformed Presbyterian Church. In addition to the Parish School, there are a Subscription School, and a Female Industrial School. Gateside and Edenshead, about two miles to the west-ward of Strathmiglo, are often named as separate places, but strictly they form only one village, at which there are a U. P. Church and a Subscription School. There is also a Subscription School at Burnside, on the western boundary.
The chief mansion-houses are, Pitlour, the property of Patrick G. Skene, Esq., of Hallyards, situated a little to the north of Strathmiglo; and Wellfield, the property of George C. Cheape, Esq., which is situated about a mile to the west of Strathmiglo.
The Parish is traversed from east to west by the turnpike road from Auchtermuchty and Kinross, and northwards by several statute-labour roads. The Fife and Kinross Railway also crosses it from east to west, with stations at Strathmiglo and Gateside.
The inhabitants of the country districts are chiefly engaged in labour connected with agriculture, and the villagers generally in the weaving of diaper and damask. There are several manufacturers and agents resident in Strathmiglo, who employ most of the hands. There are also a power-loom factory and a bleachfield in Strathmiglo, at which a considerable number, chiefly females, are employed.
The POST OFFICE for the Parish is Auchtermuchty, with Sub-Offices at Strathmiglo and Gateside, Mrs James Troup, Post Mistress, Strathmiglo, and James Millar, Sub-Post Master, Gateside.- Letters, by a walking postman, reach Strathmiglo at 9.30 A.M. and 6.30 P.M., and are despatched every afternoon at 2 and 8.30 P.M. Letters reach Gateside at 10.45 A.M. and 7.10 P.M., and are despatched at 1 and 5.30 P.M.
BAKERS
Miller, John, Strathmiglo
Wheaten Bread Society (Francis Gordon, Salesman
BLACKSMITHS.
Farmer, Robert, Strathmiglo
Houston, Robert, Heatherwick
Hutchison, David, Strathmiglo
Simpson, James, Edenshead
Wishart, Joseph, Strathmiglo
BOOT & SHOEMAKERS.
Hutton, William, Strathmiglo
McLaren, Peter, do
Morgan, Andrew, Russell Street
Somerville, John, Strathmiglo
Thomson, George, do
Watt, Thomas, Feus, do
Hutchison, Peter, Edenshead
CARRIERS.
Dand, Matthew, to Kirkcaldy, every Monday and Thursday
Fife & Kinross Railway Co., Stations at Strathmiglo and Gateside
Oliphant, William, to Perth, every Tuesday and Friday, and to Falkland, King's Kettle, &c, every Thursday
CARTERS & LAND LABOURERS.
Brown, James, Strathmiglo
Carmichael, David, do
Cook, Mrs John, Edenshead
Dick, John, Burnside
Ellis, Robert, Strathmiglo
Ellis, William, Feus, do
CATTLE DEALERS.
Dick, John, Burnside
Oliphant, David, & Sons, Strathmiglo
CHINA, STONEWARE, & RAG MERCHANTS.
Tod, Mrs James, Strathmiglo
Whyte, William, Feus, Strathmiglo
CLERGY.
Henderson, David, Parish Church, Strathmiglo
Macara, William, Free Church, Strathmiglo
Martin, Thomas, Reformed Presbyterian Church, Strathmiglo
Milne, Charles, U. P. Church, Edenshead
COAL MERCHANTS.
Cook, Mrs John, Edenshead
Cruickshank, John, Feus, Strathmiglo
Strathmiglo Coal Society, Depot at the Railway Station (Alex. Sharp, Salesman)
DRAPERS.
Paton, Miss Janet, Skene Street
Skinner, Peter, Strathmiglo
DRESSMAKERS & MILLINERS.
Davidson, Miss Margaret, Burnside
Elder, Miss Ann, Strathmiglo t
Laing, Miss Christina, Feus, do
Oliphant, Misses M., & J., do
Scott, Miss Cecilia, do
Senior, Miss Agnes, do
Thomson, Miss Jean, Feus, do
FARMERS.
Balsillie, David, Cash Mill
Blyth, John, Upper Urquhart
Bogie, John, Balcanquhal
Campbell, David C., Pinochle
Campbell, David, Lappie
Cheape, Geo. C., Esq., Home Farm, Wellfield
Christie, James, Esq., Pittgorno
Fernie, William, Raecruick, by Auchtermuchty
Fraser, John, West Mill
Ireland, Alexander, Esq., Bannaty
Ireland, John, Esq., Urquhart
Kilgour, Robert, Nether Urquhart
Maxwell, William, Barrington
Oliphant, William, Strathmiglo
Page, George, Carmore, by Kinross
Pryde, Thomas, East Mill
Roger, Charles, Kincraigie
Roger, William, Wester Pitlour
Rollo, John, Bannaty Mill
Scott, William, Wester Cash Thom, John, Catochil
Thomson, Peter, Corrinzion
Tod, James, Easter Cash
Tod, William, Gospetrie, by Kinross
Wilson, Alexander, Tower Park
Wilson, Daniel, Corston Mill
GARDENERS.
Laing, John, Pitlour Gardens
Laing, Robert, Wellfield Gardens
GENTRY & PEOPLE OF INDEPENDENT MEANS.
Arthur, Mr William, Strathmiglo
Barclay, Mr Matthew, Sen., do
Cheape, George C., Esq., Wellfield
Christie, James, Esq., Pittgorno
Christie, Miss Mary, Gorno Grove
Elder, Mrs William, Strathmiglo
Ferguson, Mrs Robert, do
Gilmour, Mrs William, Edenshead
Heggie, Mr Walter, Strathmiglo
Ireland, Alexander, Esq., Bannaty
Ireland, John, Esq., Upper Urquhart
Middleton, Mr Gee. , Mansfield, Strathmiglo
Molteno, Mr Charles D., Edenbank
Scott, Mrs John, Bellfield
Skene, Patrick George, Esq., Pitlour
Storrar, Richard, Esq., Nether Urquhart
Wishart, Mr John, Strathmiglo
GROCERS.
Brabner, James, Edenshead
Eadie, Mrs Thomas, Strathmiglo
Herd, James, Old Co-Operative Store, Strathmiglo
Logan, .John, Feus, Strathmiglo
Lumsdaine, Thomas, do
McDougall, Donald, Skene Street
Menzies, John, New Co-Operative Store,
Miller, James, Burnside
Morrison, Robert, Edenshead Strathmiglo
Smith, John, (& Druggist) Strathmiglo
Thomson, William, (&, Spirit Dealer) Feus, Strathmiglo
Tod, Mrs James, Strathmiglo
Troup, Mrs James, do
Wallace, Mrs David, do
Whyte, William, Feus, do
INNKEEPERS, See also Vintners.
Douglas, Robert, Strathmiglo
Senior, Andrew, do
INSURANCE AGENTS.
Skinner, Peter, Draper, Life Association of Scotland, life
Walker, George A., Bleacher, Northern, fire and life
JOINERS & WRIGHTS.
Eadie, John, Strathmiglo
Elder, Alexander, do
Henry, John, Edenshead
Herd, Henry, Strathmiglo
Herd, William, do
Wilson, William, do
LINEN MANUFACTURERS.
Matthew, Robert, Strathmiglo
Thomson, Wm. , R Son, Feus, do
Troup, Alex., (power-loom) Skene Street
MILLERS, CORN & BARLEY.
Balsillie, David, Cash Mill
Fraser, John, West Mill
Pryde, Thomas, East Mill
Rollo, John, (& Flour) Bannaty Mill
Wilson, Daniel, Corston Mill
RAILWAY AGENTS.
Adams, Thomas C., Strathmiglo
Grieve, James, Gateside
SOCIETY.
Strathmiglo Funeral & Deposit Society, David Haxton, President, Alexander Sharp, Treas., James Elder, Sec.
TAILORS.
Goodall, David, Edenshead
Kennedy, James, Strathmiglo
Neilson, William, do
Robertson, William M., (& Clothier) Strathmiglo
TEACHERS & SCHOOLS.
Cuthbert, Andrew, Subscription School, Strathmiglo
Elder, Miss Jean, Female Industrial School, Strathmiglo
Howie, Peter, Parish School, Strathmiglo
Kennedy, James C., Subscription School, Burnside
Dishington, Edward, Subscription School, Edenshead
VINTNERS, See also Innkeepers.
Cook, Mrs John, Edenshead
Wallace, Robert, Strathmiglo
WEAVERS' AGENTS.
Craigie, William, Strathmiglo
Elder, James, do
Laing, John, do
Whyte, James, Feus, do
MISCELLANEOUS.
Bonella, James, Road Contractor, Feus, Strathmiglo
Buist & Skinner, Lessees of Corston Free-stone Quarry, Strathmiglo
Duncan, James, Builder, Strathmiglo
Elder, John, Sexton, do
Hay, Mrs Peter, Farina Works, Glen Eden
Howie, Peter, Inspector of Poor, Strathmiglo
Laing, William, Registrar, & Collector of Poors' Rates, Strathmiglo
Lister, David, Gas Manager, Strathmiglo
Menzies, William, Town Officer, & Keeper of Town-Hall, Strathmiglo
Miller, George, Flesher, Strathmiglo
Philp, David, Land Stewart, Wellfield Robertson, William C., Medical Practitioner, Strathmiglo
Shepherd, Jas., Painter & Paper-Hanger, Strathmiglo
Skinner, Peter, Merchant, Strathmiglo, Agent for P. & P. Campbell, Dyers, Perth
Walker, George A., Bleacher, Strathmiglo