Tullynessle and Forbes, a parish in Alford district, Aberdeenshire. It comprehends the ancient parishes of Tullynessle and Forbes, united in 1808; and contains the hamlets of Tullynessle and Forbes, the former 2 7/8 miles NNW of Alford station, the latter 1 ¾ mile WNW of that station, and possessing a post office under Aberdeen. The united- parish is bounded N by Clatt and Leslie, E by Keig, S by Alford, and W by Kildrummy and Auchindoir. Its utmost length, from E to W, is 6 miles; its utmost breadth is 4 miles; and its area is 11,329 ½ acres, of which 50 ½ are water. The river Don has here an easterly course of 7 ½ miles - for the first ¾ mile along the Auchindoir border, for the next ¾ mile across a south-western wing (cutting off the farm of Bithnie, on its southern shore), and then along all the southern boundary. From the interior it is fed by the Burn of Esset and two or three lesser rivulets. In the extreme SE the surface sinks beside the Don to 396 feet above sea-level; and thence it rises to 1042 feet at Cranniecat Hill, 1376 at Manabattock Hill, 1747 at Callievar on the Kildrummy boundary, 1649 at Lord Arthur's Cairn on the Auchindoir boundary, and 1362 at Suie Hill on the northern boundary, the two last being summits of the Correen Hills. Granite, gneiss, and mica slate are the predominant rocks. Excellent granite has been quarried for building purposes, and strongly stratified mica slate for pavement slabs; whilst a coarsish limestone was at one time worked. The soil on the low tracts adjacent to the Don and to parts of the burns is alluvium; on the skirts or lower slopes of the hills is mostly a good loam; and on the higher ground is much of it stony. Fully one-third of the entire area is in tillage; nearly one-eighth is under wood; and most of the rest is hill pasture. The small old castellated mansion of Terpersie or Dalpersie, a farmhouse now, but till 1745 the seat of a branch of the Gordons, stands 1 mile NW of Tullynessle church. Several ancient Caledonian stone-circles have almost all been removed; but the site of General Baillie's encampment on the eve of the Battle of Alford (1645) is still pointed out near Mountgarrie. Mansions, noticed separately, are Whitehaugh and Littlewood; and the property is mostly divided among three. Tullynessle is in the presbytery of Alford and the synod of Aberdeen; the living is worth £324. The parish church at Tullynessle hamlet was built in 1876 at a cost of £2000, and contains 500 sittings. A belfry, which is preserved, bears date 1604, and has done duty for at least two previous churches. Two public schools, Scots' Mill and Tullynessle, with respective accommodation for 61 and 127 children, had (1884) an average attendance of 55 and 55, and grants of £51, 2s. 6d. and £55, 5s. 6d. Valuation (1860) £4260, (1885) £6125, 11s. 6d. Pop. (1801) 536, (1831) 778, (1861) 957, (1871) 970, (1881) 981.—Ord. Sur., sh. 76, 1874.
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