Topographical, statistical, and historical gazetteer of Scotland > Volume 1

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costume— is not a little animated and interesting. St.
Fillan rilled, in the days of his mortality, the office
of prior of Pittenweem, and afterwards was the fa-
vourite saint of Rohert Bruce; and a relic of him was
carried in a shrine by Maurice, abbot of IncbafTray,
at the battle of Bannockburn. His well, at the vil-
lage, was long believed to have miraculous power over
disease, and even yet is viewed by the superstitious
Highlanders as possessing saintly virtue. In 1818,
a poor Highland emigrant carried with him to Amer-
ica, a curious relic, traditionally believed to have
been the head of the crosier used in office by the abbot
Maurice, who administered the eucharist to King Ro-
bert Bruce and his nobles previous to the memor-
able battle of Bannockburn. It is said to have been
preserved in the family of the possessor ever since the
death of St. Fillan, which took place in 649, and was
confirmed to them by James II., in letters of gift,
dated at Edinburgh, the 11th July, 1437; which let-
ters were registered in the books of council and ses-
sion on the 1st of November, 1734. The relic it-
self is called in these letters of gift a Quegrich. It
is about 12 inches long, in the form of a shepherd's
crook, of solid silver, gilt and neatly carved ; in front
is a large pebble, and the figure of our Saviour on
the cross.
FINCASTLE, a district in the shire of Perth, 15
miles distant from Dull, to which parish it formerly
belonged ; it is now annexed to the parish of Ten-
nandry. It stretches along the northern bank of
the Tummel; and is said to take its name from the
great number of old castles with which it abounds.
It gives the title of Viscount to the Earl of Dun-
more.
FINPHAVEN. See Finhaven.
FINDHORN (The), a river in the counties of
Inverness, Nairn, and Moray. It rises in the Mo-
nad-leadh hills, between Strathdearn and Strath-
errick, in Inverness-shire; and flows in a north-
easterly though not very straight course, through
part of Inverness, Nairn, and Moray shires, to a
loch, or arm of the sea, called Findhorn harbour, in
the Moray frith, at a distance of 60 miles in direct
extent from its source, increased, by its windings,
to 30 miles more. It runs, to a considerable extent,
nearly parallel with the river and the strath of Nairn.
Struggling on through many opposing barriers of
granite mountains, it rushes through the narrow
gorges with boiling and tumultuous current ; — now
reposing its still waters in some round sweeping dark
pool, and now patiently but assiduously wearing its
way through the dark red sandstone cliffs, which jut
out from its channel, or range, in layer above layer,
forming high barriers on its banks, while plants, and
shrubs, and lofty trees, crown and encompass the
steep heights, and finely contrast their variegated
green with the deep red of the cliffs on which they
grow. Here, in some overshadowed dells, where
the sun with difficulty penetrates, we find the soli-
tary eyries of the eagle, or the falcon, with the
dwellings of the congregated heron, thickly perched
among the trees, while the ascending salmon rest,
by dozens, during the summer's noonday heat, in the
deep dark pools beneath. As the stream winds to-
wards the sea, its course becomes less interrupted
and boisterous : it now sweeps along fertile mea-
dows, and wooded copses, till, at last, all opposition
giving way, it flows out into a broad, still, placid,
sheet of water, meeting the tides of the ocean half-
way up the smooth and sandy bay of Findhorn. A
low and level district surrounds its estuary; and,
during the ever-memorable floods of August, 1829,
such was the rapid rise of the stream, then swelled
into another Amazon, that the whole plain, to the
north and west of Forres, became one sea of waters,
so that a large boat in full sail swept along the fields
to within a few yards of that burgh ! From its sud-
den speats, without the slightest warning, rushing
in upon the fords, and overflowing all its banks, this
river is, perhaps, the most dangerous one in Scot-
land; — a notoriety to which it is fully entitled from
the frequent falls of its bridges, and the injuries
done, almost every year, along its banks, as well as
on the low grounds near its mouth. It is crossed
only by three bridges, — one at Forres, a second at
Dulsie, and a third on the military road from Inver-
ness to Aviemore. The scenery on this river, in
its course through Moray, is the finest in the county;
and on its romantic banks are situated a succession
of gentlemen's seats, among which are Altyre, Logie,
Relugas, Dunphail, Kincorth, and Tannachy. There
is an excellent fishing of salmon in the Findhorn.
" The quantity of salmon, exported from Forres,"
observes the author of the Old Statistical Account
of Forres, "upon an average of ten years, from 1773
I to 1783, was about 300 barrels, annually, besides
the home-consumpt, which is not very considerable.
Since the year 1783, the quantity of salmon taken
is considerably less; but last year, 17S2, the fishing
of the Findhorn has been much more productive
than for several years preceding. The price of sal-
mon is 4d., and for trout 5d. per lb." Since that
period the fishing has varied greatly; but the aver-
age of 12 years, from 1813 to 1824, was 156 barrels
of salmon, and 77 barrels of grilses. This river is
navigable for boats no farther than the tide flows;
" but did the increase of commerce and manufactures
require it," observes the writer above quoted, " there
is no place where a canal might be more easily made."
See article Forres.
FINDHORN, or Fixdhern, a small sea-port
town, in the parish of Kinloss, Morayshire, situated at
the mouth of the river Findhorn, on a point of land
which is rendered peninsular by the harbour of Find-
horn on the west, and the bay of Burgh-head on the
east. It is distant 5 miles north of Forres, to
which, as well as, in some measure, to Elgin, it is
considered as a sea-port. It has a tolerable foreign
and coasting-trade: exporting salmon, grain, and
other goods, and importing coals, groceries, and
manufactured goods. It was long celebrated for
curing and drying haddocks in a peculiar way, uni-
versally known as Findern speldings. The village
has changed its site more than once. It formerly
stood a mile to the north-west of the present one,
but was swallowed up, in one tide, by an inundation
of the sea and river, in 1701, and the place where it
then stood is now the bottom of the sea. The en-
trance of the river Findhorn itself to the sea, being
formerly two miles to the westward of its present
situation, was shifted, and the ancient town of Find-
horn said to be swallowed up, by the drifting sands
of Culbin: — see article Dyke. The present village
is still beset with sand-banks, which are continually
shifting, with a heavy surge in general beating on
them. A piece of land, here called Binsness, has
been already destroyed, and fears have been enter-
tained that "the village itself must again be deserted.
FINDOCHTIE, a small fishing-village, in the
parish of Rathven, Banffshire, west of Cullen. It
was made a fishing-station in 1716.
FINDON, or Feskan, a fishing-village and har-
bour in the parish of Banchory-Davenick, about 6
miles south of Aberdeen. It is celebrated for its
dried fish, called Finnan haddocks. These are pre-
pared, by smoking, in a peculiar manner; and the
process is said to be so expeditious, that the fish is
sometimes presented at table, in Aberdeen, 12 hours
after it has been caught. So soon does the Finnan
haddock lose its fine and delicate flavour, that they