A written record of Comrie in 1791

Back to the Past

Comrie in the 1790s

We are somewhat fortunate in Scotland to have  preserved on line the Incredible Statistical Accounts . The  first produced in the 1790s  were  co ordinated  by Sir John Sinclair of Ulbster in Caithness . He sent out a  structured questionnaire  to over 900 parish ministers  covering the whole of Scotland  They were asked  160 questions  in four sections covering geography and topography , population , agriculture and industrial production  and  some  miscellaneous queries . The general response  was  excellent   and a detailed portrait of the Nation  was laid  before  the General Assembly ( of the Church of Scotland ) in 1799 . We  now have an incredible  picture of the world in which our ancestors lived and worked . A time  which enables us  to  look at on the eve of both the  Industrial Revolution and the French Revolution . Further Accounts  were prepared  on the same basis  in the 1840s and 1950s

The first account  for the Parish of Comrie was  written  by the minister of Monzievaird Parish  based on the information provided  by the  incumbent Comrie minister , the Rev Hugh McDiarmid . The Parish  extended  to some 13 miles in length and approximately  9  to 10 miles in breadth   with four glens off- Glenartney ,Glen Lednaig ( Lednoch ) , Finniglen and Glentarkin  .

Climate and Diseases

“ Air is generally  pure and healthy but the climate  in the Strath differs  considerably  from that in the hilly parts of the Parish . In the Glens there is a great deal of rain ; in the Strath , which is pretty broad near the village , they seldom think they have too much “

“ Before the goats were banished from the country , this Parish was much resorted to by the invalids from Edinburgh and Glasgow for the recovery of their health “ .

“ Most of the inhabitants  live to a good old age. There are among them at present 8 men and 9 women between 80 and 90 years old and a great number between 70 and 80 .

“ Colds and rheumatism are the most common complaints. A few have of late been attacked  by bilious  disorders especially in summer and harvest .Colics have  sometimes proved  fatal  particularly ( it is remarked ) to those of the name of Ferguson . “

“The smallpox was formerly   very destructive but about a few years the people  were prevailed  upon to allow  their children to be inoculated  and ever since  the practice Has been general and very successful “.

Rivers and Lakes

“Ruchil signifies Gaelic for “red flood “so called for the redness of the waters when filled with the rains. It is a fine fishing stream and remarkable for the great number of sea trouts which are found in it. “

“ Loch Earn  is not distinguished as a fishing lake – it is said it never freezes .”

Hills, Woods and Springs

“ The Parish has many high hills in it but the highest is Ben Vorlich that is the mountain of the great lake ( Loch Earn ) In a clear day this mountain is distinctly seen from Perth , from the  Castle Hill of Edinburgh  and from the rising ground at Loudon Castle  in Ayrshire. “

“A great variety of trees, particularly of the fir species have also been planted of late in several parts of the Parish and are in a thriving condition “ 

“The only remarkable spring here is that of St Fillan – the Papish saint of Breadalbane at the west end of Stratherne “.

“This Spring, tradition reports, reared its head on top of St Fillans Hill, for a long time doing much good, but not in the past (probably at the Reformation!) It removed   suddenly to the foot of the rock a quarter mile to the south ward where it still remains, humbled indeed but not forsaken. It is still visited by people of poor health, especially on the 1st of May and the 1^st of August. No fewer than 70 persons visited in May and August 1791.

“The invalids whether men, women or children, walk or were carried round the well, three times in an east or west direction, according to the course of the sun. They also drink of the water    bathe in it. These operations are accounted a certain remedy for curing barrenness, on which it is frequently visited by those who are very desirous of offspring. All the invalids throw a white stone on the Saint’s cairn and leave behind some rags of linen or woollen cloth.

The rock on the summit of the hill, formed a chair for the Saint, which still remains. Those who complain of rheumatism in the back , must ascend the hill , sit down in the chair , then lie down on their back and be pulled by the legs to the bottom . This operation is still performed and reckoned very efficacious. At the foot of the hill there is a basin made by the Saint , on the top of a large stone,  which never  wants water even in the greatest drought ; and all who are directed there with sore eyes must wash them three times with this water .”

Animals

“The number of sheep is about 16 500 , of black cattle 3 810 , of horses 720 .Deer in the forest of Glenartney between 200 and 300 , of goats a bout 100 . The sheep are of the black face breed and on most of the farms and every year improving. The small Highland breed once very numerous here are now almost entirely banished. “

Produce

“Principal crops are oats and bear (barley). Potatoes are planted everywhere in great quantities and with milk constitute the principal part of the food of the lower classes for 8 months of the year.   The adjoining Parishes ( Monievaird ( sic) ,  Crieff and Muthill ) supply our small whisky stills 1200 bolls  of barley yearly . “

Manufacture

Staple manufacture is linen yarn . With the money this brings most of the farmers pay a great part of their rents .

From the tow of the lint , they spin yarn which is made into cloth . The finer sort is used for men and women’s shirts – the coarser for  sailor’s jackets and trousers . The women make a great quantity of plaid  cloth and a considerable amount of  tartan of which  they make plaid and hose . “

Price of Labour

“The wages of servants and labourers have risen very much within these  10 years . Day labourers 10 pence to one shilling in summer  and from seven pence to nine pence in winter when their provisions are not allowed then . When they take work by the piece and are employed making roads, ditching, and building stone founds, quarrying lime stone and slates , they earn one shilling to one shilling and six pence per day .

The servants receive  from the farmer £5 to £10 per year and women  servants  £2-10 shillings to £ 3 – 10 shillings .”

Farms

“About one third of the Parish belonged to the Perth family – whose Estate was forfeited  and put under management of the Commissioners ( of Forfeited Estates after the 45 Uprising ) . Several farms possessing many tenants were given to one person . This lessened the number  of inhabitants  considerably .

The village ( Comrie ) has  increased  very much of late . “

Population

A census/ population estimate was carried out in 1755 by one, Dr Webster. The population for the Parish was given as 2 546. In the Statistical Account of 1797 it was estimated as being 3 000 an increase of 454 .

“ When the number of arable acres  , the instant  state of trade , the scarcity and high price of fuel  are considered – this part of Strathearn  is  sufficiently populous . “

“Boys and girls – employed as herds – young men and women employed as servants in the Lowland parishes “

“- a course woollen manufactory in Comrie  would employ many half idle hands “

Ecclesiastical State

“Church old and small and not in very good repair “ ( NB The White Church was built  some 10 years  after this was written )

“Another Church, 4 miles from the village, in which divine service, almost wholly in Gaelic, every fourth Sunday “   (NB In probability this is St Fillans at Dundurn)

“Manse built 1774 with glebe of 9 acres .Stipend paid £52 . 2.3  plus grain – 16 bolls of meal and 8 bolls of bear ( barley ) “

“ Small meeting place for the Anti Burgher Seceders “

“ 6 Roman Catholics  attend Muthill Church “

Schools

72 -100 pupils in Parochial School. Three other schools  supported by Society for Propagation of Christian Knowledge  . In the remoter parts 2 to 3 schools supported  by tenants .

Poor

In 1791 there were 12 persons on the Parish Roll. Those termed weekly “pensioners “ received 6 pence or 1shilling per week. “Occasional “ones   got 2 shillings to 3 shillings    or 4 times per year , all pensioners  got  2 shillings  or 2 shillings and six pence  each . Money was raised from church collections, mort cloth dues and fines from irregular marriages. Poor were permitted to beg

Roads and Bridges

“There were  5 stone bridges  between Crieff and Lochearnhead and several wooden   bridges on the Ruchil and Lednaig “

Maintenance had  been by Statute Labour throughout Scotland ( ie  labour  raised by  the proprietors or land owners  through which the road went )  In 1791 money was raised  by farmers at 9 to 14 shillings  per week and £32 or more  per annum  dependant  on size of holding .

Character and Language

“Like the generality of the common Highlanders , the lower ranks are peaceable  and  very obliging “

“Few lawsuits  and none  for  10years except over legacies , multures and marches “.

“They are frugal, moderate and industrious and except at merry meetings  are not  much addicted  to drinking.”

“The common language of the people is Gaelic. All the natives understand it but many especially the old don’t understand English well.”

Advantages and Disadvantages

“Good roads gives easy communication with both Highlands and Low Country. “

“ Village (Comrie ) trades  with Balquhidder  and Killin selling oats , meal , barley  and whisky  and in return get flax , linen yarn and wool .”

“There is one slate and one lime quarry.”

Antiquities

“ A number of druidical temples (ie  standing stones/circles ) and Roman Camps

Earthquakes

“First heard by the inhabitants of Glenlednaig in the autumn of 1789 – thought noise was the firing of carronades at Dunira “

“5th January 1789 at 6 o’clock in the evening – a loud rumbling followed  by a severe shock – was felt some 20 miles away – quiet thereafter “

“ Centre was north at Glenlednaig  - a mile or two  north of the village of Comrie “