Tannadice

   TANNADICE, a parish, in the county of Forfar; containing 1654 inhabitants, of whom 128 are in the village, 7 miles (N. by E.) from Forfar. The name of this place, of Gaelic origin, is descriptive of the position of its church and village in a deeply-sheltered plain on the banks of a river. It appears to have formed part of the possessions of the earls of Buchan, whose residence, the Castle of Quiech, of which there are at present no remains, was situated on the north side of the river South Esk, and was well adapted, from its foundation on a precipitous rock, to be the stronghold of a feudal chieftain. Few events of historical importance are recorded in connexion with the place, and the lands are now divided among a great number of proprietors. The parish is about twelve miles in length from east to west, and of very irregular form, being from eight to ten miles in extreme, and only about four in average, breadth; it comprises 38,400 acres, of which 7000 are arable, 5000 woodland and plantations, and the remainder, comprehending the lower part of the Grampian hills, sheep-pastures. The surface is excedingly various, rising gently from the south-east, in successive undulations, towards the Grampian range, and in some parts attaining a considerable degree of elevation. The highest of these eminences is St. Arnold's Seat, which is 800 feet above the level of the sea, and commands an extensive and interesting prospect embracing the city of Edinburgh, the Pentland and Lammermoor hills, and much picturesque and richly-diversified scenery: on the summit is a cairn, of considerable magnitude, and conspicuously seen from almost every part of Strathmore. The principal river is the South Esk, which rises in the parish of Clova, and after flowing through this parish, receives, at its south-eastern extremity, the river Noran, which rises also in the parish of Clova. Both these streams in their progress display much beautiful and romantic scenery; they abound with excellent trout, and are much frequented by anglers, and salmon is also sometimes found in the South Esk, though in very inconsiderable quantities.

   The soil is extremely various, but not generally unfertile; the chief crops are grain of all kinds, with potatoes and turnips. The whole system of agriculture is improved, and the rotation plan of husbandry adopted; the lands are well drained, and inclosed with stone dykes; the farm-houses are substantially built of stone, and roofed with slate, and the offices conveniently arranged: guano, &c., have been introduced for manure. The hills afford excellent pasture for sheep, of which, on an average, nearly 3000 are reared annually; and great numbers of black-cattle are bred, and, when fattened, sent to the Glasgow and London markets. The horses reared in the parish are much esteemed. The woods contain many stately trees of ancient growth; and the plantations, chiefly of fir and larch, intermixed with several varieties of forest-trees, are in a very flourishing condition. The principal rocks are whinstone and red sandstone, the latter of which is quarried for building dykes to inclose the lands. Slate of dark-blue colour is also found in abundance; but it is of inferior quality, and, from the facility with which slate of better colour and quality can be obtained, is not quarried. The rateable annual value of the parish is £9792.

   The seats are, Downie Park, which is the residence of Mrs. Rattray, widow of the late Lieut.-Colonel Rattray, by whom it was erected, an elegant mansion situated on the South Esk, and commanding some beautiful scenery; Inshewan, a handsome modern mansion, finely situated on the same river, in a highly cultivated demesne with an extensive moor which has been recently planted; Tannadice House, about four miles lower down the stream, also a mansion of modern erection, built by Charles Ogilvie, Esq., embracing some good views, and embosomed in a demesne embellished with young and flourishing plantations; and Whitewells, a pleasant and spacious residence on the opposite side of the river. The houses of Easter and Wester Ogle, and Glenquiech, are also handsome residences; and at Marcus is a picturesque cottage in the English style, built by Col. Swinburne. The village is on the banks of the South Esk, over which, a mile off, is a stone bridge of 105 feet span; and contains several well-built houses. Many of the inhabitants are employed in spinning flax for the manufacturers of Dundee and Montrose, and much yarn is also sent from those places to be cleaned here: for this purpose there are two spinning, and four plash, mills, affording employment to about 200 persons. Facility of communication with the towns in the district, and with distant places, is provided by several lines of good road, of which two join with the turnpike-road to Dundee; and by bridges of stone over the rivers South Esk and Noran. The parish is well supplied with fuel.

   The parish is in the presbytery of Forfar, synod of Angus and Mearns, and patronage of the Rector and Scholars of St. Mary's College, St. Andrew's; the minister's stipend is £160, with a manse, and the glebe is valued at £16 per annum. The church is an ancient edifice, and being in an almost ruinous state, is about to be rebuilt; it is adapted for a congregation of 619 persons. The members of the Free Church have a place of worship. The parochial school affords a liberal course of instruction; the master has a salary of £34. 4. 4., with £15 fees, and a house and garden. There is another school, the master of which has a house and garden rent-free, and about £10 per annum, in addition to the usual fees; also a school for females, the mistress of which has a cottage and garden, with an annual supply of meal, and a daily quantity of milk, both the gift of Lady Airlie. A parochial library in the village is managed by the parochial schoolmaster, and another, in Glenogle, by the schoolmaster of that district. A savings' bank has been for many years established, in which the amount of deposits exceeds £300; it is under good regulations, and has slightly assisted to diminish the number of poor. Several tumuli have been removed in the parish within the last few years, and the ground brought into cultivation; they contained some coffins, in which were urns of rude pottery, and ashes. The site of the ancient castle of Quiech is now occupied by a small cottage. Near the village was the castle of Barnyards, the erection of which was commenced by a member of the Lindsay family, but never finished, the founder being compelled to flee for having killed the proprietor of Finhaven in a quarrel. A hill in the parish, called Castle Hill, perpetuates the memory of a third castle, whereof nothing remains but the vestiges of the fosse by which it was surrounded.