Gazetteer of Scotland 1803 by F Ray

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Containing a particular and concise description of the counties, parishes, islands, cities, etc. With an account of the political constitution. Illustrated with an elegant map. F. Ray for W. Chalmers, 1803.

STRATHBLANE; a beautiful vale in the counties of Stirling and Dumbarton, formed by the Lennox hills on the S., and the Grampians on the N., in the middle of which runs the water of Blane, meandering through rich pastures and fertile fields. This strath comprehends the parishes of Buchannan, Drymen, Kilmarnock, Killearn, and Strathblane.

SRATHBLANE ; a parish in Stirlingshire, in the valley of the same name, in the N.W. corner of Stirlingshire, of a rectangular form, 5 miles long, and 4 broad. The general appearance is agreeably picturesque: the land in the valley is exceedingly fertile, and beautified by several neat villas : while the sides of the hills are clothed with the luxuriant foliage of natural woods : beyond these there is a considerable extent of muirland,- covered with heath, but affording good pasture for sheep. Towards the W., the hill of Dumgoiack presents a singular and striking appearance ; insulated in the middle of the valley, of a conical figure, and completely covered with wood, it forms an interesting scene ; whilst a cliff of the opposite hill, projecting like a pedestal, directs the eye, as it were, through an immense vista to the plains below, where the prospect is bounded by the lofty mountains on the side of Loch Lomond. There are 3 old castles, Mugdock and Duntreath, which have been strongly fortified : the latter is the mansionhouse of the great barony of Duntreath, in right whereof the proprietor sat in the Scottish parliament, without election or patent. The present proprietor, Sir Archibald Edmonstone, Bart, is lineally descended from the royal family of Stuart. Opposite the castle of Mugdock is a square tower, the echo of which repeats a syllable fix times distinctly. The river Blane, in this parish, forms the cascade called the Spout of Ballagan, at which a remarkable section of the adjoining hill is presented; (vide BLANE.) In 1794, the population was 620 ; decrease 177 since 1755.

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Strathblane Record of Applications for Parochial Relief 1888-1917

The applications for poor relief often survive as a separate series. Between 1845 and 1865 the information they contain is not much less than that in the registers of poor, but they are considerably less detailed than the general registers of poor introduced in 1865....

Farm Horse Tax Rolls for Strathblane, 1797-1798

In order to raise extra tax revenue to finance the cost of fighting the French Revolutionary Wars of the 1790s, the British government imposed a number of taxes, including Farm Horse Tax. The Scottish farm horse tax rolls (National Records of Scotland, E326/10) list...

Hearth Tax Records for Strathblane, 1691-1695

In 1690 the Parliament of Scotland granted a tax of 14 shillings on every hearth, payable by both landowners and tenants, to raise money for the army. Only hospitals and paupers living on parish charity were exempt. Because hearths were a proxy for wealth, hearth...