DOLLAR - Extract from National Gazetteer, 1868

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

"DOLLAR, a parish in the county of Clackmannan, Scotland. It contains a town of its own name, and is bounded by the parishes of Glendevon, Muckhart, Fossaway, Clackmannan, and Tillicoultry. It extends 3 miles in length from N. to S., with a breadth of 1¼ mile. The Ochil hills bound it on the N., and the river Devon traverses it from E. to W. The soil in the northern parts of the parish is light and sandy, while that on the banks of the Devon is more clayey. The Ochils afford excellent pasture for sheep. Coal of superior quality is extensively worked. Iron is also abundant, and copper and lead were formerly obtained in the Ochils. Pebbles of agate or chalcedony are occasionally found on a hill called the White Wisp, and silver has been found in a glen to the W. of Castle-Campbell. The chief landowners are Haig of Dollarfield, Murray of Dollarbeg, and the Globe Insurance Company. Besides the above sources of industry, there are two quarries, a bleach-field, a woollen manufactory, and two tile works. A chalybeate spring of extraordinary strength was discovered at Vicar's Bridge in 1830; it is of a brown colour, and very astringent. Its waters contain a solution of the hypersulphate and the persulphate of iron, and sulphate of soda and alumina, together with silica and common salt. The greater part of the parish formerly belonged to the Argyle family, but in 1606 the whole property was farmed out, except Castle-Campbell and two neighbouring farms. Castle-Campbell has been in ruins since 1645, when the Marquis of Montrose destroyed it. It is still a noble relic of feudal ages, surmounting around insulated mound, bounded on both sides by a deep and wooded ravine. It is not known when, or by whom, it was first erected. The road from Stirling to Kinross traverses the parish, and there is easy access to the Tillicoultry branch of the Stirling and Dunfermline railway. This parish is in the presbytery of Stirling, and synod of Perth and Stirling, and in the patronage of the Globe Insurance Company. The minister has a stipend of £159. There is also a Free church for Dollar and Muckhart. Besides the parish school, Macnab's school, or the Dollar Institution (taught by a principal and nine masters), supplies a good education. The town of Dollar stands on the road from Stirling to Kinross, in the eastern part of the parish, 12 miles N.E. of Stirling, and the same distance S.W. of Kinross. It includes the villages of Old Dollar and New Dollar. Fairs are held in May, June, August, and October."

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