Topographical, statistical, and historical gazetteer of Scotland > Volume 2

146
KINCARDINESHIRE.
on the south and west by Forfarshire, from which
it is divided by the North Esk. The form is tri-
angular, with its most acute angle stretching north-
eastward to the city of Aberdeen, and terminating
at Girdleness. The coast-boundary extends south-
westward for 32 miles, being the greatest length of
the county ; and its greatest breadth, from east to
west, is 24 miles. Square area 380 miles, >or 243,444
English acres, of which 1,280 are covered with
water ; 120,000 consist of cultivated land, wood-
land, improveable moor, &c. ; and the remainder of
mountains, hills, and general waste. The county is
locally divided into four districts, — the Grampian,
the Dee-side, the valley or Howe of the Mearns, and
the Coast-side.
The Grampian, -or mountain-district, consists of
.the eastern termination of what is popularly called
the lower chain of that mighty rampart of ancient
independence, the Grampian range: see Grampians.
This sterile, rugged, dreary, region stretches from
•west to east, through the whole breadth of the
eounty, softening down almost to the verge of the
.ocean, and separating the Dee-side district, on the
north, from the Howe of the Mearns, on the south.
Rising, in the midst of highly cultivated land, about 3
■miles from the coast, with a height of 500 to 600 feet
, — if not rather forming, first of all, the promontory
of Girdleness itself — this bleak and solitary, but sub-
lime and grand division of the county rapidly in-
creases in altitude, among a vast congeries of dark
brown liills, until, at the western extremity of the
district, about 20 miles from the sea, Mount Battock,
nearly 3,500 feet above sea-level, towers in height
beyond them all. On the top of this mountain the
counties of Kincardine, Forfar, and Aberdeen, join
their limits. About 6 miles eastward is Cloehnaben,
or the White stone hill, remarkable for a protuber-
ance of solid rock on its summit, about 100 feet in
perpendicular height, appearing, from the sea, like a
watch-tower, and forming an excellent land-mark to
coasting vessels.
11 Tin 1 four great land-marks on the sea
Are Mount-Mar, Lochnagar, Cloehnaben, and Eenochie. 1 *
About 4 miles distant from Cloehnaben is Kerlook,
from the top of which, at an altitude of 1,900 feet,
is commanded a most noble and extensive view over
the greater part of Aberdeenshire to the north, and
southwards as far even as the Lammermuir hills in
East Lothian. Six miles to the north-east is Cairn-
manearn, almost covered over its whole surface with
great boulders, or blocks of granite. The hill of
Fare was the scene of the battle of Corrichie, in
] 562, between the Earls of Murray and Huntly, where-
in the latter was slain. Cairnmount, in the south
front of the Grampians, is about 2,500 feet in height,
— over it passes the public road from the Howe to
the Dee-side. Strathfinella, also on the south, is re-
markable for the manner in which it stands isolated
from the main body of the ridge, being out off by a
narrow vale, of very pleasant aspect, but in many
places not 100 yards in breadth. In summer the
glens and deep hollows between the Grampian
mountains are somewhat enlivened by the fringe
of green pasture springing up by the sides of the
different brooks, which alternately become either
dry channels or furious torrents ; but there reigns
throughout even these a cheerless, gloomy soli-
tude, devoid, except in a very few places, equally
of human habitation or of marks of human industry.
In some of them, however, there are spots of sur-
passing natural beauty. In a romantic situation on
one of these choice spots stands the shooting-lodge
of Glendye. The tract occupied in this county by
the Grampians is, on an average, from 16 to 18 miles
in length, by 6 to 8 in breadth. Square area 120
miles, or nearly 80,000 acres.
The Dee-side district extends from the sea west-
ward, along the southern bank of the Dee for about
13 miles, and then along both banks 9 or 10 miles
further,comprehending also the valleyoftbeFeugh.
In this district, which is peculiarly favourable to the
growth of timber, the face of the country is highly
embellished by the plantations, which here occupy a
greater extent of land than in any other part of the
county; the fir-plantations extending, in some places,
to the summits of the adjoining hills. At many
points, especially in the vicinity of 'the rising valley
of Banchory, the prospect along the Dee is rich and
'beautiful. That part of the district which lies north
of the river, in its narrow valley, and to which the
preceding observations more particularly allude, is
much diversified in heights and flats, and has a
southern exposure. It contains about 26 square
miles, or 16,640 acres. The southern portion of
this district contains about 54 square miles, or
34,560 acres.
The Howe district is a low, champaign, and highly
cultivated country, diversified and ornamented by
thriving plantations, gentlemen's seats, and villages.
The ground being, in many places, composed of a
bright red clay, gives the surface, when newly
ploughed, a very peculiar, but rich, warm and pleas-
ing appearance, finely relieved and contrasted as it
is, especially in summer, with the green plantations,
fields and hedges. This division of the county con-
stitutes the eastern termination of the Great strath
or valley of Strathmore, extending south- west wardly
from Stonehaven, in this county, with trifling inter-
ruptions, to the frith of Clyde. Its length, within
the county, is about 16 miles. At the western boun-
dary it is about 5 miles in breadth, but narrows to-
wards the east, till, at the water-shed, 4 miles west
of Stonehaven, where it terminates, it is little more
than half-a-mile over. It is sheltered from the cold
northern blasts by the towering Grampians, which
here present a wall rising from 500 to 2,500 feet above
the level of the Howe, or plain ; while, from the un-
genial easterly winds, it is protected by the heights
of Garvock and Arbuthnot, forming a range of hills
attaining here and there an altitude of 500 feet, and,
in most places, displaying a surface cultivated nearly
to the summit. By the continuation of the Sidlaw
hills, including these ranges, and in this instance
particularly by the Garvock-range, the surface on the
southern border of the county, more especially along
the banks of the North Esk, is much diversified with
hill and dale. The great road from Perth to Aber-
deen, through Strathmore, traverses this district, —
indeed, the Howe of the Mearns constitutes the only
proper access to the north of Scotland, owing to the
hills and mountains occupying, uninterruptedly, the
whole breadth of the country, except at this point ;
and it has, therefore, been the common passage for
armies since the earliest periods of history, — yet it
does not appear to have been the scene of any great
military achievement, unless, indeed, the grand en-
counter between Agricola and Galgacus, called ' the
battle of the Grampians,' occurred here. The term
' Mearns,' is probably a word of local meaning, but
it is commonly supposed to have been derived from
Mernia, the name of a brother of Kenneth II., on
whom the district was conferred, while iEneas,
another brother, held the neighbouring county of
Forfar, hence also corruptly called Angus. The
whole county from this district is sometimes, but
erroneously, termed Mearns- shire.* The square
* The Mearns, nevertheless, and ' the men o' the Mearns'
appear to have been highly aud peculiarly estimated, even from
aucieut times. The expression just quoted is a proverbial one