Parish of Carmyllie

Map source: National Library of Scotland. Map of the County of Forfar or shire of Angus, 1794, John Ainslie

The parish of Carmyllie had three major land inheritors: John Beatton of Balquharry, John de Balinhard, and Patrick Maule, Lord Panmure.

John de Balinhard, was granted a charter of the lands of Carnegie, which were annexed from the parish of Panbride, in the 13th century. John de Balinhard took the name of, Carnegies of Southesk, from his possession of these lands.⁽¹⁾ John de Balinhard, died in about 1275, and was succeeded by his son, Christian, whose grandson, John, in 1358, "parted with the family estate of Balinhard, which lay in the middle of the lordship of Panmure, and by exchange or otherwise acquired from Sir Walter Maule (family of Panmure) the lands and barony of Carnegie in the parish of Carmyllie." ⁽²⁾

The barony of Carnegie continued in the family of Southesk, until the middle of the 18th century when it was included in an excambion of lands which took place about that time, with the family of Panmure.

John Beatton of Balquharry, in 1549, was given charter to the lands of Guynd, which were annexed from the parish of St. Vigeans, in the southwest corner of the parish, . The lands of Guynd were in the possession of John Ouchterlony of Guynd in 1634 when he executed a contract with James, Marquis of Hamilton, in regards to feu-duties payable.⁽³⁾

The largest land owner in the parish of Carmyllie was Patrick Maule, Earl of Panmure, Lord Maule of Brechin and Navar, who came into possession of the lands of Carmyllie, which represented the majority of the parish in the 17th century.⁽⁴⁾In 1715 James, the fourth Earl, fled to France, and his titles and estates were forfeited. James never returned to Scotland and died in France. His great-granddaughter married the son of the Earl of Dalhousie, and through her the title passed to the Ramsays. ⁽⁵⁾By 1836 lands belonging to the Lord Panmure constituted the greater part of the parish. In 1839, the tenants of William Maule, Lord Panmure, honoured their lordship for his support of the poor, erected the Panmure Testimonial upon the Downie Hill in Monikie.

By the 19th century (1836) the major land owners were Lord Panmure, who owned the greater part of the parish; John Ouchterlony, Esquire of Guynd, and Alexander Smart, Esquire of Conansythe.

The kirk of Carmyllie was established in 1609 into a parochial charge. The parochial territory designed by the presbytery, in addition to the lands of Carmyllie, consisted of certain portions of the following parishes, which lay remote from their own parish churches, but contiguous to Carmyllie, and belonged to the Abbey of Aberbrothock: ⁽⁶⁾Panbride, St. Vigeans, and Inverkeillor.

The parish records cover were kept for the years 1666 through 1681; 1684-1709; and 1720 through the present except for the register of marriages, from 1745 to 1779.

REFERENCES

1. Way, George of Plean and Romilly Squire. Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia. "Carnegie" Harper Collins Publishers, Glasgow. 1994

2. Jervise, Andrew. The History and Traditions of the Land of the Lindsays in Angus and Mearns. Edinburgh, 1882

3. Robertson, Rev. William. A Statistical Account of Scotland-1845. "Parish of Carmylie"

4. Robertson, Rev. William. A Statistical Account of Scotland-1845. "Parish of Carmylie"

5. Way, George of Plean and Romilly Squire. Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopaedia. "Maule" Harper Collins Publishers, Glasgow. 1994

6. Robertson, Rev. William. A Statistical Account of Scotland-1845. "Parish of Carmylie."