Monikie, a hamlet and a parish of S Forfarshire. The hamlet stands near a station of its own name on the Dundee and Forfar Direct section of the Caledonian, 11¾ miles NE of Dundee. The parish, containing also the villages of Craigton (with a post office under Carnoustie), Guildy, and Newbigging (with a post office under Dundee), is bounded N by the Kirkbuddo section of Guthrie, NE by Carmyllie, E by Panbride, SE by Barry, SW by Monifieth, W by Murroes, and NW by Inverarity. Its utmost length, from NNW to SSE, is 65/8 miles; its utmost breadth is 5 miles; and its area is 90271/8 acres, of which 106 are water. By Buddon, Pitairlie, Monikie, and other burns the drainage is carried south-south-eastward or east-south-eastward to the Firth of Tay or the German Ocean; and the surface has a general north-north-westerly ascent, attaining 118 feet at Mains, 204 near Templehall, 500 at Cambustane, 800 at the Inverarity boundary, and 693 at Gallow Hill. Two ranges of hills, which cross the parish from E to W, divide it into three districts of three different characters. The southern, containing in the extreme S a small tract of sandy downs, approaches within 3 furlongs of the Firth of Tay, and rising thence to the first range, called Downie or Cur Hills, presents a warm and pleasant appearance. The middle district, which forms a valley between the two ranges, at an elevation of about 300 feet above sea-level, produces inferior crops in everything but oats, and during great part of the year has a cold and damp climate. The northern district is chiefly swampy and moorish, and, though partially reclaimed, continues to be better for pasture than tillage. A fine trap rock, admirably suited both for building and for road metal, forms the greater part of the Downie Hills, at whose western extremity is an excellent sandstone, well suited for masonry; whilst the rock yielding what is known as 'Arbroath pavement,' abounds in the N; and all three have been quarried. Beautiful specimens of agate, jasper, and spar are und in the trap of the Downie Hills. The soil of the southern district is rich, sharp, and productive; of the middle district is chiefly a thin black loam, incumbent on cold wet till; and of the northern district is either reclaimed or unreclaimed moss. Denfind, a deep and winding ravine, bisecting the Downie Hills, is traversed by Pitairlie Burn, and spanned by a massive one-arched bridge. To the N are reservoirs of the Dundee waterworks, forming artificial lakes of considerable extent and beauty. Rather more than half of the entire area is in regular cultivation, and some 500 acres are under wood. Cambustane, with the 'Live and Let Live Testimonial,' and Affleck Castle are noticed separately; other antiquities being vestiges of Hynd Castle and the Hair Cairn on the western border, only survivor of several cairns which appear to have been raised there as monuments of some ancient battle. The property is divided among five. Monikie is in the presbytery of Dundeeand the synod of Angus and Mearns; the living is worth £400. The parish church, at the hamlet, was built in l812, and contains 921 sittings. There are also a Free church of Monikie and a U.P. church of Newbigging; and Bankhead public, Monikie public, and Monikie female Free Church schools, with respective accommodation for 65,100, and 79 children, had (1883) an average attendance of 48, 71, and 82, and grants of £49, £55, 17s., and £70, 16s. Valuation (1857) £8411, (1884) £19,524, 9s., plus £2884 for railways. Pop. (1801) 1236, (1831) 1322, (1861) 1460, (1871) 1397, (1881) 1412.—Ord. Sur., sh. 49, 1865.
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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.
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