Forgue

A New History of Aberdeenshire, Alexander Smith (Ed), 1875

Etymology
The ancient name of this parish is Forrig, as appears on two communion cups :-- "GIFFIT. TO. GOD. AND. HIS. CHURCH. BE. JAMES. CREIGHTOUN. OF. FRENDRAUEGHT.,To.THE. KIRK. OF. FORRIG., 1633." The mouths of these cups are of beaten silver, and the pillars are tastefully ornamented by leaves and tendrils of the vine. On a baptismal font of beaten silver, but without date, the Crichton arms and motto appear on the bottom of it, with the following inscription around its edge :-- "GIFFIT. TO. GOD. AND. HIS. CHURCH. OF. FORGUE, BY. JAMES. VISCOUNT. OF. FRENDRAUGHT. LORD. CRICHTONE."

Boundaries
The parish is bounded on the north by the parishes of Rothiemay and Inverkeithney in Banffshire; on the east by the parish of Auchterless; on the south by the parishes of Culsalmond and Insch; and on the west by the parishes of Drumblade and Huntly.

Extent
Its extreme length from south to north, in a direct line, from the water of Ury at Auchentender, to the Doveran at Corneyhaugh, is fully 9 miles; and its extreme breadth, also in a direct line, from east to west, from Gariochsford to the Corse of Kinnoir, is nearly 8 miles. The whole area of the parish is computed to be 17,379½ acres.

Topography
The general appearance of the parish is undulatory, but the chief features consist of the two central valleys formed by the burns of Bognie and Frendraught, which, after their confluence at Mill of Forgue, form the burn of Forgue and Inverkeithney. On the south-west point of the western ridge of Yonder Bognie, stands the Foreman Hill (1,130 feet above sea level, and the highest land in the parish), with the Doveran running along its western base. The central ridge rises with gentle slopes from the Mill of Forgue, by the Raich and Comisty Hills, to the Corse of Monellie, and terminate in the Bisset Hills, which are bounded on the south by the water of Ury and the cheerless glen of Foudland. The eastern ridge is formed by the lower rounded hills of Drumblair, Largue, Balgaveny, and Auchaber, which run in a southerly direction, and converging with the central ridge, also terminate in the Bisset Hills west of the source of the Ythan. The lowermost point in the parish on the water of Ury at Auchentender, is 538 feet above sea level, and the highest point on the stream at Bainshole, is 635 feet. The lowermost point on the Ythan, at the influx of the burn of Ault-davie, near to the Statio ad Ithunum opposite Glenmailen, is 508 feet, and the wells of Ythan, or source of the river, is 768 feet. The summit of the road from Hawkhall, to the glens of Foudland, at the Bisset Moss, is 917 feet. The lowermost point on the Inverurie and Forgue road at Mill of Gariochsford, is 419 feet, and the summit of this road in the Den of Largue, is 577 feet; the bridge of Place Mill is 315 feet, the junction of the Turriff road, at Boyndsmill, is 321 feet; the bridge of Forgue, near the church, is 245 feet; and the termination of this road, at Bognie-brae Inn, is 368 feet above sea level. The confluence of the burns of Forgue and Frendraught, at Mill of Forgue is about 232 feet, which is near to the lowest point in the parish; the church of Forgue is about 260 feet; the bridge over the burn of Cobairdy, which forms the southern boundary of the parish, on the Huntly and bridge of Marnoch road, is 310 feet; and the north boundary of the parish on this road, at Yonder Bognie, is 354 feet. The lowermost point on the Doveran at Bognie"s Ca", is 242 feet, and the houses of Corneyhaugh, are 290 feet above sea level.

[A New History of Aberdeenshire, Alexander Smith (Ed), 1875]