GLAMIS, Angus - Extract from National Gazetteer, 1868

[Description(s) from The National Gazetteer (1868)]

"GLAMIS, a parish and post village in the county Forfar, Scotland, 5 miles S.W. of Forfar. It is a station on the Scottish Midland railway. The parish lies at the foot of the Sidlaw hills, along the margin of the river Dean, and contains the villages of Charlestown, Newton, Thornton, Milton, Grasshouses, Drumgley, and Arnifoul. It extends over an area of about 15,000 acres. The surface is gently hilly in the N., and the soil is fertile on the whole. The glens of Denoon and Ogilvie lie in the hilly district. Glamis burn and Eassie, both issuing from the hill of Auchterhouse, are fine trout streams. This parish is in the presbytery of Forfar and synod of Angus and Mearns. The minister has a stipend of £308. The church, a handsome building standing in the village, was erected about a quarter of a century ago. Here are a parish school and three private establishments, a library, and two friendly societies. The village consists of the new and old towns, standing at the cross roads from Perth to Aberdeen, and from Dundee to Kirriemuir, near the turbulent and romantic Glamis burn. It contains a police station, and masons' and gardeners' society halls. This parish contains the old castle of Glamis, a residence of the earls of Strathmore, in which, it is related, Malcolm II. was murdered in 1031, the castle then belonging to Macbeth, the "Thane of Glamis." There are some portions of the castle remaining in their original state, but many modern additions have been made from time to time. In 1372 Robert II. gave the castle to Lyon, his son-in-law. Curious armour, portraits, and relics, are preserved within its walls. Near the manse stands a rude column called "Malcolm's pillar," with sculpture supposed to refer to the murder of that king. There is a smaller stone close by, believed to allude to the same subject. A third stone, popularly known as St. Orland's, stands at Cossan's, with carved figures which have been thought to represent justice in pursuit of the regicides. At Glen Denoon on a prominent point are the ruins of a fort called Denoon Castle. Shell marl is found here, besides mil, and sandstone, and the Arbroath paving stone is worked to some extent. A lead mine was formerly worked, but is now abandoned."

"ABERCAIRNIE, a village in the parish of Glamis, in Forfarshire, Scotland, 8 miles N.W. of Dundee. Abercairnie House is the seat of the Earl of Strathearn."

"ARNYFOUL, a village in the parish of Glamis, in the county of Forfar, Scotland, 5 miles from Forfar."

"CHARLESTON OF GLAMIS, a village in the parish of Glamis, in the county of Forfar, Scotland. It is quite modern, having been built since 1830."

"DRUMGLAY, (or Drumglye), a village in the parish of Glamis, in the county of Forfar, Scotland."

"GRASSHOUSES OF THORNTON, a village in the parish of Glamis, county Forfar, Scotland, 5 miles S.W. of Forfar."

"MILTON, a village in the parish of Glamis, county Forfar, Scotland, 6 miles S.W. of Forfar."

"NEWTON, a village in the parish of Glamis, county Forfar, Scotland, 8 miles N. of Dundee. It is sometimes designated Newton-of-Glamis."

"THORNTON, a village in the parish of Glamis, county Forfar, Scotland, 5 miles S.W. of Forfar."

[Description(s) from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868)
Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2003]