The only accounts of the history and statistics of the parish which the author of this sketch knows of are, " Description of Drymmen paroch, by Alexander Graham 'of Duchray, 1724," to be found in McFarlan of McFarlan's Geographical Collections, in the Advocates' Library, Vol. ii. p.439, * and the old Statistical Account.

* This description is rather curious as to its computation of distances, and gives us a pretty good idea of" the lang Scotch miles" of our forefathers. " The church of Drymmen," e.g. is said to be "fifteen miles west of Stirling;" whereas it is now twenty-two, and these miles long enough. " A large half mile from the church, on the south side of the Enrick is the house of Edward Buchanan of Spittat" We would now reckon it distant a tolerably large whole mile.

Family of Drummond.- The parish gives name to the Drummond or Perth family. According to tradition, the founder of that ancient and noble house was a Hungarian, named Maurice, who came over from Hungary in the train of Margaret, Queen of Malcolm Canmore, and obtained, in reward of his services, a grant of certain lands, and, among others, of Drymen in Stirlingshire. It is not certainly known in what part of the parish the Drummonds had their residence. Mr Nimmo, in his History of Stirlingshire, says, that it was probably somewhere near the Endrick. The northern part of the parish, however, still goes by the name of the barony of Drummond; and we are inclined to think, from this circumstance, that it was there they had their original seat, though neither history nor tradition now indicates the spot.

It is uncertain how or at what time, the Drummonds ceased to be connected with Stirlingshire. In the year 1360, in consequence of a feud which had long subsisted between them and the Earls of Menteith, a compact was entered into at a meeting on the banks of the Forth, in presence of the justiciaries of Scotland, by which Sir John Drummond resigned certain lands in the Lennox, and obtained in lieu of them others of greater value in Perthshire. Shortly after this, and probably in consequence of it, their residence seems to, have been transferred to Stobhall in Perthshire, which, along with other extensive estates in that county, had some years before come into possession of the family by marriage. Previously to this change of residence, however, Anabella, daughter of  Sir John Drummond, married Robert, Earl of Carrick, High Steward of Scotland, who afterwards succeeded to the throne by the title of Robert IlL The fruit of this marriage was two sons, one of whom afterwards became James I.  Thus the parish may lay claim to the honour of having produced a lady from whom descended the Royal House of Stuart; and who was not more distinguished for rank and station, than for the many virtues which adorned her character.

Eminent Men.- The Napiers of Merchiston had, at one time, considerable possessions of land in this parish. On the 22d February 1494-95, Archibald Napier got a charter under the Great Seal, " of the lands and mill of Gartness, the lands of Dolnare, Wareour, Gartharne, the two Bollatis, Douchlass, Edinballie,' &c with the woods and forests thereof, and the fishings of the waters of Anerich and Altquhore, in the Earldom of Levenax and shire of Stirling. The whole, with some other lands in adjoining parishes, was incorporated into a free barony, and called the barony of Edinbellie Napier. *

* A miserable cottage on the farm of Finnich. Drummond, in this parish, is the last vestige, by name, of this once splendid barony. In the farm of Craigievairn, there is a large field  which still goes by the name of  " Lady Napier's Field."
 

The great grandson of this Archibald Napier was John Napier, the famous Inventor of Logarithms. According to some authorities, he was born at Gartness, in this parish, in the year 1550. At all events, he is known to have resided there, at various periods of his life. Upon his return from his travels on the continent, he betook himself to those studies and pursuits which have immortalized his name. The seclusion of Gartness, an isolated corner, far from the haunts of men, was congenial to a mind devoted to the mysteries of theological and mathematical science. In that sequestered spot, living like a hermit, and engaged in studies, which few, if any, in these parts could comprehend, it is not to be wondered at, that he was looked upon by the common people as a wizard, and was consulted as one who had insight into futurity, and intercourse with invisible beings. The retirement of Gartness was not without its annoyances. It is told of him that the noise of the waterfall and of the mill in the immediate neighbourhood of his residence, tried his temper not a little by disturb mg him in his studies. The former lie could not prevent; but often, when engaged in abstruse calculations, he was in the habit of ordering the miller to stop the constant clack clack of his wheel.

There are still visible some fragments of the ruins of the castle in which he lived, overhanging the falls of Gartness. A stone, with the date 1574, taken from these ruins, is seen built into the gable of the mill. The present proprietor, Mr Govane of Park, (into whose family the estate of Gartness came, about a century and a half ago,) has in his possession some globular stones, with the circles of the sphere and constellations engraved on them- and concave stones, with engravings of a similar character, which are understood to have been made by Napier. There is also a stone of this kind to be seen, forming one of the rybats of a window of the mill. It is very probably to some such handiworks of Napier, that Butler in his Hudibras (Part ii. Canto 3,) refers, when he speaks of

" A moon-dial, with Napier's bones,*
And several constellation stones,
Engraved in planetary hour,
That over mortals had strange power."
 

As connected by birth, and as formerly minister of this parish, may be recorded under this head, the name of the Rev. Principal Macfarlan, who so ably presides over the University or Glasgow; as also  that of his father, who was minister of this parish from 1743 to 1791. The latter is still remembered by the old people as a man of great shrewdness and vigour of mind-and of bold in trepid character.

Land-owners.-These are, His Grace the Duke of Montrose; William C. C. Graham, Esq. of Gartmore; Robert Govane, Esq. of Park of Drumquhassle; Mrs M. Buchanan, of Drumakiln ; James Macfarlane, Esq. of Ballwill; John Buchanan, Esq. of Carbeth ; General Graham Stirling of Duchray; John Todd, Esq. of Finnich Malice; Miss McGoune of Mains; William Lennie, Esq. of Ballochneck; William A. Maclach Ian, Esq. of Auchentroig; Rev. Dr Graham, of Balfunning; and James McNair, Esq. of Balvie.

The only family of independent fortune residing in the parish is, that of Robert Govane, Esq. of Park. -The number of proprietors of land of the yearly value of L. 50 and upwards is, 29. There are nine resident, who farm their own properties.

Parochial Register &c - There are five volumes of session-records, the two oldest of which are now in a very decayed and imperfect condition. The earliest date is 1676. The record from 1677 to 1721 is wanting. After that period, with the exception of a gap from 1740 to 1743, they seem fully and accurately kept. The earliest date of the minutes of session is 1723. The oldest date in the church-yard is 1618.

Antiquities.-On the farm of Garfarran, and within the barony of Drummond, are the remains of a Roman fort called the Peel of Garfarran, (castle of vexation.) It is at the western extremity of the Flanders moss,-and was erected by the Romans, probably to protect them from the assaults of the natives, who had betaken themselves to the forest. This fort is nearly square.

The outer and inner rampart are still quite discernible-as also the fosse surrounding it, with the opening through which it might be filled from the rivulet which runs near.

The names of two places in the parish indicate the sites or religious houses, viz. Chapel-Laroch, (site of a church or chapel) near Gartmore ;- the ruins of this chapel, which existed in 1724, when the laird of Duchray wrote his account of the parish, have now completely disappeared. And Knockinhaglish, (hill or knoll of the church,) on the lands of Finnich Drummond, not far from the sainted well already spoken of.

At a short distance from this, on the farm of E. Cameron, a large cairn was broken up, about twenty years ago,-in which a number of stone coffins were discovered, and human bones found therein; but there is no tradition as to the origin of the cairn, or the occupants of these kist-vaens.
 
 

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