In 1882-4, Frances Groome's Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland described Kirkden like this:
Kirkden, a parish of SE central Forfarshire, containing at its NE corner the village, station, and post office of Friockheim, 6¼ miles NW by W of Arbroath. Anciently it was called Idvie, its glebe forming part of Idvies barony; and it took its present name from the circumstance of its church being situated in one of those dells that locally are known as dens. ...
It is bounded N by Guthrie, NE by Kinnell, E and SE by Inverkeilor, S by Carmyllie and the Dunbarrow section of Dunnichen, and W and NW by Dunnichen and Rescobie. All but cut in half by the detached portion of Dunnichen, it has an utmost length from ENE to WSW of 53/8 miles, a varying breadth of 150 yards and 2¼ miles, and an area of 50181/3 acres, of which 19 are water. The Vinney rivulet winds 4¾ miles east-north-eastward along the Dunnichen and Rescobie boundary, then 2½ miles eastward through the interior, till at Friockheim it falls into Lunan Water, which itself flows 2½ miles east-by-southward along the Guthrie border. The gently undulating surface has a gradual west-south-westward ascent from 150 to 500 feet above sea-level, spurs of the Sidlaw Hills in the SW commanding extensive and brilliant views. Trap occurs in the hills; but hard grey sandstone, belonging to the Devonian formation, prevails throughout the rest of the parish, and has been largely quarried. The soil is chiefly friable clay, occasionally mixed with sand and gravel; and, though naturally cold and shallow, has been highly improved by marling, manuring, and judicious working. There is wood enough for shelter and embellishment; and nearly all the rest of the land is under cultivation. Gardyne Castle (Alex. Lyell, Esq.) is a fine old baronial residence, somewhat resembling Glamis Castle; other antiquities are an obelisk opposite Pitmuies House, and two artificial mounds on the estates of Gardyne and Idvies. Mansions are Idvies, Middleton, and Pitmuies; and 4 proprietors hold each an annual value of £500 and upwards, 2 of from £50 to £500, and 8 of from £20 to £50. Giving off a portion to the quoad sacra parish of Friockheim, Kirkden is in the presbytery of Arbroath and synod of Angus and Mearns; the living is worth £191. The parish church, on the left bank of the Vinney, opposite Letham, 6 miles ESE of Forfar, was rebuilt in 1825, and contains 525 sittings. The public school, with accommodation for 105 children, had (1881) an average attendance of 64, and a grant of £-63, 9s. Valuation (1857) £5629, (1883) £8946, 17s. 6d., plus £2029 for railway. Pop. of civil parish (1801) 674, (1831) 1039, (1861) 1862, (1871) 1623, (1881) 1682; of ecclesiastical parish (1871) 523, (1881) 541.—Ord. Sur., sh. 57, 1868.
Kirkden through time
Kirkden is now part of Angus district. Click here for graphs and data of how Angus has changed over two centuries. For statistics about Kirkden itself, go to Units and Statistics.
GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of Kirkden in Angus | Map and description, A Vision of Britain through Time.
URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/16406
Date accessed: 19th April 2024
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