FROM THE ARCHIVES 3

As part of the research for my Masters Degree in Scottish History, I’ve spent many hours rummaging in archives. There are lots of interesting bits and pieces about the area that I’d like to share. You might even see a relative’s name crop up! 

The 18th Century was a time when the agriculture of Scotland, and Abernethy, was changing rapidly. Landlords had expensive life styles and wanted to get the highest income they possible could from their estates. When they agreed to rent farms to tenants they often put very specific clauses into the contracts with the aim of increasing the value of the land. Sometimes these clauses benefited both parties, but the landowner was usually thinking about his own purse.

1756 - James Buchanan and David Buist took possession of a parcel of land on Culfargie estate. They agreed to build a pier on the Earn, at their own expense for landing coal and lime for the whole estate, and to allow vessels in to export goods produced. There is no evidence this was ever built, but it would have been of great benefit financially to the then landowner, the Rev. Alexander Moncrieff.

1766 - Robt. Scott Moncrieff and Robt. Gillespie took on a piece of land, later to be known as Scotsfield, from Mathew Moncreiff. They committed to dividing the land into six equal parts so each could be drained and fenced with a view to improving the quality of the crops. The outline of their land can still be seen on modern maps, though the railway cut through it in 1845.

1792 - William Clink agreed to build a new house and steading at Netherton, on the Aberargie Estate . As part of his rental he also had to take all his grain to Aberargie Mill to be ground and he had to help with the maintenance of the Mill. Of course the Mill belonged to the landowner!

Irene Hallyburton