Crieff
Crieff,
in Perthshire, occupies the southern slopes of a hill on the
left bank of the Earn, here crossed by a bridge, it practically
consists of a main street, with narrower streets branching
off at right angles. Its climate is the healthiest in mid-Scotland,
the air being pure and dry. Its charter is said to date from
1218, and it was the seat of the courts of the earls of Strathearn
till 1747, when heritable jurisdictions were abolished.
A
Runic sculptured stone, believed to be of the 8th century,
and the old town cross stand in High Street, but the great
cattle fair, for which Crieff was once famous, was removed
to Falkirk in 1770. It was probably in connection with this
market that the kind gallows of Crieff acquired their notoriety,
for they were mostly used for the execution of Highland cattle-stealers.
The
industries consisted of manufactures of cotton, linen, woollens
and worsteds, and leather. Drummond Castle, about 3 miles
South, is celebrated for its gardens. They cover an area of
10 acres, are laid out in terraces, and illustrate Italian,
Dutch and French styles. They were planned by the 2nd earl
of Perth (d. 1662), and take rank with the most magnificent
in the United Kingdom. The keep of the castle dates from 1490,
and much of the original building was demolished in 1689,
a few years after its siege by Cromwell. The present structure
was erected subsequent to the extinction of the Jacobite rebellion.
