Parish of Lethnot and Navar

A historical perspective, drawn from the Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland: A Survey of Scottish Topography, Statistical, Biographical and Historical, edited by Francis H. Groome and originally published in parts by Thomas C. Jack, Grange Publishing Works, Edinburgh between 1882 and 1885.

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1791-99: Lethnot and Navar
1834-45: Lethnot and Navar

Lethnot, a parish in the Grampian district of Forfarshire, whose church stands near the left bank of West Water, 5 miles W by S of Edzell and 7¾ NNW of Brechin, under which there is a post office of Lethnot. Since 1723 comprising the ancient parishes of Lethnot and Navar, the former on the left and the latter on the right side of West Water, it is bounded N by Lochlee, NE by Edzell, SE by Stracathro and Menmuir, SW by Fearn and Tannadice, and W by Cortachy. Its utmost length, from WNW to ESE, is 12 miles; its utmost breadth is 47/8 miles; and its area is 26,3263/5 acres, of which 36¾ are water. The Water of Saughs or west water, rising at an altitude of 2680 feet, winds 15 miles east-south-eastward through the interior, then 31/8 east-north-eastward along or close to the Menmuir and Stracathro border, till it passes off from the parish on its way to the North Esk 47/8 miles lower down. In the SE, where West Water quits the parish, the surface declines to 295 feet above sea-level; and chief elevations to the left or N of the stream, as one goes up the valley, are the *Hill of Wirren (2220 feet), *West Knock (2273), *Cruys (2424), and *White Hill (2787); to the right or S, Berry Cairn (1433), Tamhilt (1759), the *Hill of Glansie (2383), and *Ben Tirran (2939)-where asterisks mark those summits that culminate on the confines of the parish. Clay slate and mica schist are the predominant rocks; blue roofing slate, of similar quality to that of Easdale, forms a vein from E to W, and was for a short time worked; and limestone occurs, but is of no practical utility. The soil in the lower lands of the valley is partly sandy, partly clayey, and in some places pretty deep; but on the higher grounds is gravelly and much more shallow. Remains of two small ancient Caledonian stone circles are at Newbigging and Blairno; several small tumuli are on a tract where tradition asserts a skirmish to have been fought between Robert Bruce and the English; and near Newbigging are remains of the ancient fortalice of Dennyfern. The Earl of Dalhousie is much the largest proprietor, 1 other holding an annual value of more, and 1 of less, than £100. Lethnot and Navar is in the presbytery of Brechin and synod of Angus and Mearns; the living is worth £188. The parish church, rebuilt in 1827, contains 250 sittings; and a public and a girls' school, with respective accommodation for 52 and 46 children, had (1882) an average attendance of 37 and 17, and grants of £30, 11s. 6d. and £12, 16s. Valuation (1857) £2716, (1883) £4389, 4s. Pop. (1801) 489, (1841) 400, (1861) 446, (1871) 318, (1881) 288.—Ord. Sur., shs. 57, 56, 66, 65, 1868-71.

An accompanying 19th C. Ordnance Survey map is available, or use the map tab to the right of this page.

Note: This text has been made available using a process of scanning and optical character recognition. Despite manual checking, some typographical errors may remain. Please remember this description dates from the 1880s; names may have changed, administrative divisions will certainly be different and there are known to be occasional errors of fact in the original text, which we have not corrected because we wish to maintain its integrity. This information is provided subject to our standard disclaimer

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