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ST. VIGEANS, Angus - Extract from National Gazetteer, 1868

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The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868

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

"ST. VIGEANS, a parish in county Forfar, Scotland. It comprises the villages of St. Vigean's, Collistonmill, Marywell, Gowanbank, Auckmithie, and part of the post town of Arbroath. The parish consists in a main body and two small detached districts, the former extending in length about 8 miles from E. to W., with a varying breadth of from 2 to 4½ miles, and is bounded on the N. by Carmylie and Inverkeilor, on the E. by the German Ocean, on the S. by Arbroath and Arbirlot, and on the W. by Carmylie. The coast is rocky and indented with caves, the most curious of which is the "Gaylet Pot." entered by an arch 70 feet high and terminating in a nearly circular cavity, called the pot, 150 feet in diameter, and 120 in depth. The sea enters the cavern, and immediately communicates with the pot, in which the fluctuations of the tide may be seen, and during an easterly wind the water rushes and foams, creating a considerable noise. The prevailing rocks are sandstone and conglomerate. The soil is fertile and well cultivated. The parish is traversed by the Forfar railway. Previously to 1560 it included Arbroath, to which abbey it once belonged; it came through the Fletchers and Saltons to the Panmures. Some of the inhabitants are engaged in weaving, and others in the fisheries. This parish is in the presbytery of Arbroath and synod of Angus and Mearns, and in the patronage of the crown. The stipend of the minister is about £269. The parish church was enlarged in 1827. Near it is a hill which has an eight-syllable echo. In the district of Inverbrothock are a quoad sacra parish church, two Free churches, and a Methodist chapel, and at Auchmithie is a small chapel-of-ease. There are a parochial school and several other schools. At Grange of Conan are the ruins of St. Vigean's chapel, measuring 23 feet by 15, and near it a spring which was once of great repute; there are also traces of Castlegory, once the palace of King Gregory. At Dichmount Law Cairn a view of the Grampians is obtained. The principal seats are Letham, Seaton, Abbethune, Springfield, Parkhill, Newton, Millbank, Woodlands, Almeriecloss, Beachwood, and Hospitalfield."

"AUCHMITHIE, (or Achmuthie) a village in the parish of St. Vigeans, in the county of Forfar, Scotland, 3 miles to the N. of Arbroath. It is situated on a lofty bank of rock on the sea-coast. The inhabitants are fishermen. A coastguard station is fixed here. In the neighbourhood is a cave called the Gaylet Pot. Auchmithie House was the residence of the Guthries."

"COLLISTON, a hamlet in the parish of St. Vigeans, in the county of Forfar, Scotland, 3 miles N.W. of Arbroath. It has a station on the Arbroath and Forfar railway. There is a Free church. Colliston House, in the neighbourhood, is an old mansion now belonging to the family of Chaplin, and said to have been built by Cardinal Beaton."

"DENSIDE, a village in the parish of St. Vigeans, in the county of Forfar Scotland, 3 miles N.W. of Arbroath."

"GAYLET POT, a curious cavern in the parish of St. Vigeans, county Forfar, Scotland."

"GOWANS BANK, a village in the parish of St. Vigeans, county Forfar, Scotland, near Arbroath."

"MARY WELL, a village in the parish of St. Vigeans, county Forfar, Scotland. It is situated near Arbroath, and has a station of the county police."

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