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

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LUN
Church built in 1762; sittings 383 Schoolmaster's
salary £27 ; fees, &c. £15 2s. There is a private
school.
LUMSDEN. See Auchindoir.
LUMSDEN, an ancient manor in the parish of
Coldingham, Berwickshire, belonging to a family of
that name so early as the reign of David I. The
ancient peel of Lumsden probably occupied the site
of the present farm-house of East Lumsden ; but in
the early part of the 14th century the Lumsdens re-
moved their family-abode to Blanerue on the banks
of the Whitadder, where its picturesque remains
still exist.
LUNAN (The), a river of Forfarshire. Issuing
from a spring called Lunan-well, in the parish of
Forfar, it runs 2J miles north-eastward to Rescobie-
loch, half the distance in the interior of Forfar, and
the other half on the boundary with Rescobie.
While traversing the lake, and for half-a-mile fur-
ther, it bisects Rescobie ; over the next 2£ miles,
during which it expands into Balgaves-locb, it di-
vides that parish, on its right bank, from Aberlemno
and the northern section of Guthrie on its left ; and
thence to the German ocean, except for 3 miles,
where it cuts off a wing of Inverkeilor, it has Kirk-
den and Inverkeilor on the right, and Guthrie, Kin-
nell, and Lunan on the left. Its course, for 3J miles
above its embouchure, is north-easterly ; but, from
entering Rescobie-loch to that point, it is due east-
ward. Its length is 16f miles ; and its terminating
point is at Lunan-bay in the vicinity of Redcastle.
It flows with a clear current, and abounds with trout
and pike.
LUNAN (The\ a rivulet of Perthshire, formed
by various picturesque rills emptying themselves into
the sylvan and beautiful loch of Lows, in the parish
of Caputh. Speedily after its efflux from that lake,
it becomes lost for J of a mile in the circular loch of
Butterstone. Issuing thence it runs 2 miles east-
ward, and 1J south-eastward — nearly all this dis-
tance in the parish of Clunie — and for another J of a
mile expands into a lake, the Loch-Clunie. A mile
farther east, it is once more a lake, or, for ]A mile,
is lost in Loch-Drumellie. Running now 3.f miles
south-eastward it divides Kinloch and Blairgowrie
on its left bank from Clunie, Lethendy, and Caputh
on its right, and falls into the Isla, 2 miles east of
Meiklour. See Clunie.
LUNAN, a small parish on the coast of Forfar-
shire; bounded on the north by a detached part of
Maryton ; on the east by Lunan-bay ; on the south-
east and south-west by Inverkeilor; on the west by
Kinnell; and on the north-west by Craig. It is an
oblong 2 J miles in extreme length from east to west,
and 1| in mean breadth. A small rapid rill, leaping
along in cataracts sometimes 20 or 30 feet deep, and
traversing a beautifully romantic dell, called Buckie-
den, occasionally perpendicular on its sides, and
generally gemmed with the polyanthus, the cowslip,
and other flowers and shrubs of the joyous wilder-
ness, forms its boundary-line on the north. Lunan-
water, limpid in its waters and pebbly in its strand,
traces the boundary on the south-east. The beach
of the marine boundary on the east is fine and re-
freshing ; but will be noticed in the next article.
The surface rises rapidly from the sea and the Lunan
till it attains a height of nearly 400 feet above sea-
level, and then recedes in a scarcely perceptible
ascent, almost in a table-land to the further boun-
dary. Seen from the Inverkeilor side of the Luuan
near the sea, it has the appearance of a richly-culti-
vated hill-side, with a fine southern exposure, and
blanched and cadaverous in its beauty from the al-
most total absence of both shrubbery and trees. Its
summit-land commands an extensive and enlivening
prospect of the German ocean, and an expanse of
country on the coast. The soil, for a brief way on
the shore, is sandy ; on the lower declivities is deep
and rich ; on the higher grounds is frequently shal-
low; and on the average, is good and fertile. The
arable and the uncultivated grounds are in the pro-
portion to each other of about 7 to 2. A dark-blue
moorstone rock abounds, and is quarried for building.
The chief landowner is the Earl of Northesk. Lu-
nan-house on the coast, and Arbiku-house on the
south-west, are the mansions of the only other heri-
tors. Various localities have names indicating the an-
cient vicinity — supposed to be at Redcastle — of a
royal residence. See Inverkeilor. Walter Mill,
or as some historians call him, Sir Walter Mill, the
last Scottish martyr in the cause of the Reformation,
was priest of Lunan during 20 years preceding his
renunciation of popery. He was burnt at St. An-
drews, in the 82d year of his age, by the infamous
Cardinal Beaton. Alexander Peddie, nearly the last
surviving priest of compelled prelacy, and allowed by
sufferance to retain Ins cure after the abolition of
Episcopacy, was minister of Lunan till 1713, and be-
queathed to the parish some plate for the commu-
nion-service, on the singular condition that it should
be lent when required to any Episcopalian congre-
gation within a distance of 7 miles. The parish
is obliquely bisected by the mailroad between Dun-
dee and Aberdeen ; and is distant, at the nearest
parts, 6 miles from Arbroath, and 3} from Mon-
trose. Population, in 1801, 318; in 1831, 298.
Houses 72. Assessed property, in 1815, £1,558.
— Lunan is in the presbytery of Arbroath, and synod
of Angus and Mearns. Patron, the Crown. Sti-
pend £158 0s. lOd. ; glebe £15. Schoolmaster's
salary £28 17s. 3d., with £25 fees, and £5 10s.
other emoluments. The church was anciently a
vicarage under the monks of Arbroath.
LUNAN-BAY, a beautiful semicircular indenta-
tion of the German ocean, 5 miles in extent of
coast line, in the parishes of Inverkeilor, Lunan,
Maryton and Craig, Forfarshire. Its coast for a
mile at each extremity is bold and rocky, occa-
sionally exhibiting pyramidal columns upwards of
100 feet in height; and, over the intermediate or
central 3 miles, in the middle of which enters Lu-
nan- water, it is a low sandy beach, slightly chequered
with small stones, and regularly flanked with bent-
covered knolls, and immediately overlooked by the
high grounds of Lunan. Beautiful varieties of sea-
shell, and occasionally some jasper and onyx gems
are found along the strand. The bay has a fine
sandy bottom, and affords safe anchorage in any
storm except from the north-east and east.
LUNCARTY, a suppressed parish and a village
in the Strathmore district of Perthshire. The par-
ish was anciently a rectory, is now incorporated with
Redgorton, and forms the north-east division of its
main body. The village stands near the Tay, 4
miles north of Perth, and has about 230 inhabitants.
Luncarty bleachfield has long been reputed the most
extensive in Britain. Its grounds comprehend up-
wards of 130 acres. The water-power by which
the works are driven includes the whole volume of
the streams Ordie and Shochie, carried along an
artificial canal, and also a considerable volume led
out from the Tay by means of a dam run nearly
across the river. Four falls of the water-power are
effected, and impel 24 sets of beetles. The works
bleach about two millions of yards of linen-cloth in
the year, and employ upwards of 120 bands. Lun-
carty is famous in connection with the decisive over-
throw of the Danes, about the year 990, by Kenneth
III., romantically aided by the peasant-ancestor of
the noble family of Hay. The scene of conflict is