Ordnance gazetteer of Scotland > Volume 4

KINCARDINESHIRE
known as the Howe of the Mearns. The length of this
district is about 16 miles, and its breadth gradually
narrows from 5 miles at the W till it runs out at Stone-
haven. It contains 34,340 acres. Sheltered by high
grounds from the ungenial N and E winds, it is a fertile
and highly cultivated country, with thriving plantations,
good farms, and a considerable number of gentlemen's
seats. The soil is of a bright red colour, which gives
the surface when newly ploughed a very peculiar, but
rich and warm, appearance. The Howe constitutes the
main line of access between the N and SE of Scotland.
The Deeside district extends from the sea westward
along the southern bank of the Dee for over 14 miles,
and then along both banks for about 8 miles. It com-
prehends also the valley of the Feugh. The area is
36,667 acres. The district is peculiarly favourable to
the growth of timber, and there are large and thriving
plantations, which in many cases extend to the summits
of the adjacent hills. At Banchory, where the county
occupies both sides of the Dee, the scenery along the
river is good.
As will be seen from this outline the surface of the
county is considerably diversified. The highest summit
of the Grampian range in the county is Mount Battock
(2555 feet), and the other principal summits are Sturdy
Hill (1784), Kerloch (1747), Hound Hillock (1698),
AVhitelaws (1664), Mount Shade (1662), Goyle Hill
(1527), Cairn -o'- Mount (1488), Fenella Hill (135S),
Cairnmonearn (1245), Mongour (1232), Hill of Trusta
(1051), Craig of Dalfro (1042). In the coast tract be-
tween Stonehaven and the mouth of the North Esk are
Clochna Hill (63S feet), Bruxie Hill (710), Law of Lum
(492), Leys Hill (495), Knox Hill (523), and Hill of Mor-
phie (486). There are a few small lochs in the county, the
chief being the Loch of Drum (6x2 furl., formerly 3
times as large) near the centre of the N side, and Loir-
stone Loch (2 x 1 furl.) near the NE corner. Leys
Loch is now drained. It contained a crannoge, traces
of which still remain. The drainage of the part of the
county to the N of the Grampians is effected by means
of the Dee and its tributaries. After that river enters
Kincardineshire the first stream of importance that it
receives is the Water of Feugh, which joins it a little
above Banchory, after itself receiving the Water of Aven
and the Water of Dye. At the church of Durris the
Dee is joined by the Burn of Sheeoch, and, farther
down, about a mile below Peterculter Church, by Cry-
noch Burn. The part of the Grampians immediately to
the W of Stonehaven is drained by Cowie Water,
Cap.ron Water, and Bervie Water, of which the first
two enter the sea at Stonehaven, and the last at Bervie.
In the coast district N of Stonehaven are the small
burns of Elsick and Muchalls. The district S of Stone-
haven has, besides the Bervie Water, also the smaller
burns of Caterline, Benholm, Fenella, and Lauriston ;
near the mouth of the second last is a prettily wooded
rock glen with a lofty waterfall. The SW eud of the
Howe of the Mearns is drained by the Black Burn, Dourie
Burn, and Luther Water flowing into the North Esk.
There are a number of small local burns flowing into
all of these streams, particularly the Dye and the Cowie.
The Dee and North Esk are valuable salmon rivers, and
in many of the smaller streams there is excellent trout
fishing.
Geology. — The area occupied by the ancient crystalline
rocks in Kincardineshire lies to the N of the great fault
which bounds the Old Red Sandstone formation. This
line extends from near Edzell, NE by Fenella Hill, to
Craigeven Bay, about 1 mile N of Stonehaven. The
synclinal fold which traverses the crystalline rocks in
Forfarshire is also traceable across this county. As we
ascend the sections in the North Esk and Cowie rivers,
green and grey slates and shales are seen dipping towards
the NW at high angles, which are succeeded by crystal-
line micaceous grits and mica schists. On the N side
of the synclinal axis the same beds reappear with a SE
inclination, but in a still more highly altered form. By
means of repeated undulations they spread over the
northern part of the county towards the valley of the
62
KINCARDINESHIRE
Dee. A traverse along the rugged and rocky cliff be-
tween Stonehaven and Aberdeen furnishes admirable
opportunities for the examination of the lithological
varieties of these crystalline rocks, and the numerous
flexures by which they are repeated. From the great
faidt in Craigeven Bay, near Stonehaven, to a point
about \h mile to the N, there is a regular ascending series
through green and grey slates, with bands of pebbly
grit which are overlaid by contorted mica schists and
micaceous quartzites. In the neighbourhood of Much-
alls Castle the latter beds are repeated by gentle undu-
lations, and at Skateraw they are inclined to the W or
N of W, wdiile from Portlethen to Findon there is a
general dip to the S or SSE. In the eastern portion of
the county no limestones are associated with the crystal-
line series, but, near Banchory and also near Lochlee in
the adjacent county, some bands of limestone occur
which are probably on the same horizon as the calcareous
series of Loch Earn and Loch Tay. An important
feature connected with these crystalline rocks is the oc-
currence of masses of granite in their midst. From the
gradual disappearance of the foliation in the micaceous
gneiss as we approach the margin of the granite, it is
probable that the granitic masses may be the result of
extreme metamorphism. By far the largest area of
granite extends along the watershed of the county from
Mount Battock E to Cairnmonearn Hill, but, besides this
mass, there are several small bosses on the S side of the
Dee between Maryculter and Aberdeen. The granite to
the S of the Dee, which has been largely quarried for
building purposes, is coarsely crystalline, of a grey colour,
aud is composed of the normal constituents — quartz,
felspar, and black mica. Veins and dykes of this rock
also occur throughout the county in the midst of the
stratified crystalline series.
The geological structure of the Old Red Sandstone
formation in Kincardineshire has a close resemblance to
that in the adjacent county of Forfar. (See Geology of
Forfarshire, Ord. Gaz., vol. II., p. 40.) The great syn-
clinal fold which traverses Strathmore runs E to the
shore at Crawton, while the N limb of the anticlinal fold
of the Sidlaws extends along the shore between St Cyrus
and Kilmer!'. In Kincardineshire, however, there is a
great thickness of strata belonging to this formation
which occupy a lower position than any met with in
Forfarshire. This subdivision, which immediately
underlies the volcanic series, is admirably displayed in
the shore section at Stonehaven. By means of the great
fault which bounds the Old Red Sandstone formation
along the flanks of the Grampians the members of this
subdivision are brought into conjunction with the cry-
stalline rocks in Craigeven Bay about 1 mile N of Stone-
haven. The base of the Old Red Sandstone, therefore,
is nowhere visible in this county. The strata consist
of red sandstones and flags, with purple clays and shales
which are either vertical or highly inclined to the E of
S, and as they extend along the shore to the Bellman's
Head S of Stonehaven, it is evident that their thickness
must be about 5000 feet. Notwithstanding the great
thickness of the members of this series, it is important
to note that when they are followed inland in a WSW
direction they are abruptly truncated by the great fault
already referred to. Not far to the S of Stonehaven the
highest beds of this subdivision pass conformably below
the representatives of the volcanic series of Forfarshire.
In this county, however, there is a remarkable change
in the aspect of the latter subdivision. Instead of a
great succession of lavas and tuffs, we find a remarkable
development of coarse conglomerates, with ashy grits
and a few thin sheets of diabase porphyrite. It is ap-
parent, therefore, that the centres of volcanic activity
were far removed from this part of the inland sea in
which the strata accumulated. The active volcanoes
must have been situated along aline extending from
Perthshire into Forfarshire. The massive conglomer-
ates, containing large and well-rounded pebbles of dia-
base, and various metamorphic rocks are admirably seen
on the bluff cliff at Dunnottar Castle, where they are in-
clined to the S. In Tremuda Bay they swing round to
"393