Gazetteer of Scotland

KIR
KIRKMICHAEL^ a parish in
Banffshire, lying in the western extre-
mity of that county, and distant from
the county town between 30 and 40
computed miles. Its shape is an irre-
gular oval, 10 miles in length and 3
in breadth, tapering from the extremi-
ties. It is also named, according to
the Gaelic idiom, Sirath-ath-fhin, or
" the valley of the ford of Fingal,"
written Strathaven, Avert or Ath-Jin
being now the appellative of the ri-
ver. The surface of the parish is hil-
ly, and in its western extremity the
mountain of Cairngorm raises its lofty
head 4050 feet above the level of the
sea. The general appearance is bleak
and dreary, intersected by numerous
torrents, which pour on every side
from the hills to join the Aven in the
bottom of the valley. The soil varies
with the appearance of the country,
being loamy and mossy in the low
grounds, and more gravelly the nearer
it approaches to the summits of the
mountains. It contains 29,500 ac'res,
of which only 15 50 are arable, the re-
mainder being hilly, affording sheep
pasturage, or covered with wood.
Tammtoul is the only village, and
contains about 180 inhabitants. Lime-
stone, freestone, and marl, are found
in every part of the parish ; and a
vein of ironstone was wrought for
some time, but has been given up
since 1739. Population in 1801, 1332.
KIRKMICHAEL; a parish in the
country of Dumfries, of an elliptical
figure, nearly 10 miles long, and 4
broad in the middle. The general
appearance is rather barren, being in-
terspersed with extensive unimprov-
able heathy tracts, and swampy
grounds and mosse?, which supply
the country with fuel. The upper
or N. W. district is hilly, chiefly co-
vered with heath, but possessing a
few valuable arable farms on the banks
of the rivers Ae and Kinnel, and the
Glenkill burn. Besides plantations,
nearly 200 acres are covered with
copses of natural wood. Notwith-
standing the unfavourable appearance
of the district, the produce in grain
is considerably greater than necessary
for the cpnsumpt of the inhabitants.
Here are the remains of several an-
cient fortifications ; and part of a
great Roman road can be distinctly
■traced through the whole length of
KIR
the parish. There are several veins
of ironstone, and many of the springs
contain that mineral in solution. Po-
pulation in 1801, 904.
KIRKMICHAEL ; a parish in the
N. E. corner of Perthshire, extending
17 miles in length, and from 6 to 7 in
breadth. It comprehends the greater
part of Strathardle, and the whole of
Glenshee, being watered by the rivers
Ardle and Shee, which run through
these vallies. The surface is moun-
tainous, and, from its elevated situa-
tion, it is exposed to all the severities
of a cold or stormy season. The coil
on the banks of the Ardle is thin and
dry, having a sandy bottom, and pro-
ducing light crops. In the higher
grounds, ar.d in Glenshee, the soil is
wet and spongy, and, except in dry
warm seasons, unfriendly to vegeta-
tion. But though there are several
arable farms, the greater part of the
parish is better adapted for pasturage
than tillage. The number of sheep
pastured is about 9000, of biack cat-
tie 2000, and of horses 800. There
are several lakes,' which abound with
trout. Near the Spittal of Glenshee,
a mountain called Bhein-Ghulbhuin
is distinguished as the scene of the
hunting which proved fatal to Diar-
mid, one of Ossian's heroes. Tradi-
tion points out the place where he
was slain, where he was buried, and
other circumstances relative to the
chace. There are several cairns, tu-
muli, and druidical circles ; and one
of the rocking-stones which are sup-
posed to have been subservient to
druidical superstition. This stone is
placed on the plane surface of a rock
level with the ground. Its shape is
quadrangular, of which the greater
diagonal is 7 feet, and the lesser 5
feet. Its mean thickness is about 2\
feet, and its solid contents is about
51,075 cubical feet. It touches the
rock on which it rests only in one
line. By pressing down either of the
extreme curves, and withdrawing the
pressure alternately, a rocking motion
is produced, which may be increased
so much, that the distance between
their lowest depression and highest
elevation is a full foot. The great
military road from Cupar-Angus to
Fort George passes along the Ardle
and through Glenshee. Population in
1801, 15G8.
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