History and traditions of the land of the Lindsays in Angus and Mearns

20 LAND OF THE LINDSAY'S.
the church, are still traceable in the kirkyard, which is yet
used for interments ; and the baptismal font, of an octagonal
shape, is broken in twain, and used as grave marks. The latest
notice of Neudos as an independent cure, occurs in the Register
of Ministers for 1567, when, together with Fordoun and Fethir-
kairne, it was superintended by a clergyman named Peter
Bouncle, who had twenty-two pounds Scots for his labours,
" with the support of the Priour of St. Androis." The precise
time of its union with Edzell has not been ascertained ; but it
cannot be much short of two hundred years, since about that
time the first notice occurs of the inhabitants attending the kirk
of Edzell in this quaint, but satisfactory record : — " Given to
Androw, the minister's man, for putting y e people of Newdosk
over the watter in a coble, 20s."*
In a field called the " Piper's-shed," nearly a mile east of the
site of the old kirk, a copious fountain bears the name of " St.
Dristan," or St. Drostan, to whom, in all likelihood, the kirk
had been dedicated. Like all consecrated springs, this is said to
have wrought numerous and wonderful miracles ; and, from the
waters proving so powerful a curative in all sorts of disease, the
Esculapian craft felt their occupation so much endangered, that
a few of the hardiest of them went to poison the fountain ; but
the neighbours hearing of their intention, fell upon them with
sticks and stones, and killing the whole of them, had their car-
cases buried around the well !
The farm adjoining the graveyard is called the Kirkton, and
"the manse field" lies on the west side of the burn, within
which an angular patch of land, of an acre in extent, is known
as " the glebe," and was perhaps the Temple lands of old. It
is certain, however, that this isolated acre is the only part of
the Panmure estates which lie in the county of Kincardine, and
is let to the farmer of Auchmull and Dooly, who sublets it to the
tenant of Kirkton, in the midst of whose ground it is situate.
Though now known as Balfour,f the whole district was an-
ciently designed " the thanedome of Neudos," or as more re-
cently written, Newdoskis, or Newdosk, holding in part, as already
seen, of the Knights of St. John. It acquired the name of
" thanage," or "thanedome," from having been anciently under
'• : Par. Reg., Jan. 1632. t Eal-fuar, i. e. " cold town'— a not inapt name for the place.