Tullynessle and Forbes

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

Etymology
Tullynessle is derived from the Gaelic, Tulach, "a knoll," and deiseal, "the turn sunwise," meaning the knoll of the turn sunwise, and most probably has "received its name from the ancient heathen custom of the Gael, always making a turn sunwise before they undertook any important operation." Of the origin of Forbes, there is no satisfactory account. That the original parish of this name derived its appellation from the noble family, who have been the proprietors of it for several centuries, there is no doubt; but, to the curious in names, there is here no solution of the difficulty.

Boundaries
It is bounded on the north by the parishes of Clatt and Leslie; on the east by the parish of Keig; on the south by Alford; and on the west by Auchindoir.

Extent
The greatest length of the parish in a direct line along the the Don is about 6 miles; and the greatest breadth, from the top of Callievar to the north-west boundary with Clatt, is nearly 5 miles, also in a direct line. The whole area is computed to be 11,329.511 acres.

Topography
On the northern boundary of the parish there is a chain of mountainous hills, running from Benachie to Correen, which separate this parish from the parishes of Leslie and Clatt, called the Sowie, or Suie Hills, over which the old road is carried from Donside to Huntly, by the church of Tullynessle, and the highest point on this ridge, west of the Suie Hill road, is 1,568 feet above sea level; the summit on the road on the march with Clatt being 1,282 feet; the road opposite the church is 617 feet; and the bridge of Alford or Forbes is 470 feet, 6 inches. The lowest point m the parish on the Don, at the influx of the burn of Civldley, is 396 feet above sea level; and the highest point on the boundary with Kildrummy, opposite Logie, is 498 feet. The mountain of Callievar is 1,746 feet; and Lord Arthur's Cairn, on the Correen ridge of hills, is 1,698 feet above sea level. In regard to the external outline of the hills of Tullynessle and Forbes, the northern range appears on the slate strata with a flowing undulating outline; while the southern range which runs parallel to the Don appears a little more rugged and barren. There are few rocks, but in some places plenty of small stones. The top of Callievar appears with a more serrated aspect like the granite ranges of Benachie and Corrennie on the opposite sides of the Vale of Alford.

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