In 1882-4, Frances Groome's Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland described Birnie like this:
Birnie (Brennack in 12th c.), a parish of Elginshire, containing the hamlet of Thomshill, 3½ miles S of its post-town and station, Elgin; and bounded N and NE by Elgin parish, SE by Rothes, W by Dallas and Elgin. In shape resembling a rude triangle, with eastward vertex at Netherglen, it has an extreme length from N to S of 61/8 miles, an extreme width from E to W of 3 miles, and a land area of 6777 acres. ...
Lennoc Burn winds 4 miles along all the Dallas border to the Lossie, which here has a northerly course of 3½ miles, chiefly upon the western boundary with Elgin, and which here too is joined by Geddoch Burn from the SE. The surface has a general southward rise, from 100 feet or so above sea-level in the furthest north to 323 feet near Claypot, 614 near Hangingfolds, 630 near Glenlatterach, 907 on Mill Our, 902 on Hart Hill, 1164 on Pikey Hill, and 1095 on Red Taingy, these three last summits culminating on the south-eastern border. The rocks are gneissose in the S, Old Red sandstone in the N; and gravelly or sandy soils predominate, but rich alluvial loam and deep and retentive clay also occupy considerable tracts. About two-fifths of the whole area are under the plough, besides some 500 acres of plantations, the rest being mostly moss or heathery hill. Birnie is in the presbytery of Elgin and synod of Moray; the minister's income is £193. Its church, St Brandon's, stands near the Lossie, 1¼ mile NNW of Thomshill, and is one of the oldest in Scotland. A good example of Romanesque, though sadly modernised, it consists of chancel and nave, the former wanting an E window, the latter shortened to the W in 1794; while special features are the enriched chancel arch and jamh-shafts, a characteristic Norman font, and the ancient 'Coronach' or 'Ronnel' bell, made, it is said, of silver and copper at Rome, and blessed by the Pope himself. Here in 1184 was buried Simon de Tonci, fourth Bishop of Moray, Birnie, during the 12th century having been one of the seats of that bishopric, Spynie and Kenedor being the others. A public school, with accommodation for 144 children, had (1879) an average attendance of 83, and a grant of £86, 18s. Pop. (1801) 366, (1851) 427, (1871) 375, (1881) 367.—Ord. Sur., sh. 85, 1876.
Birnie through time
Birnie is now part of Moray district. Click here for graphs and data of how Moray has changed over two centuries. For statistics about Birnie itself, go to Units and Statistics.
GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of Birnie in Moray | Map and description, A Vision of Britain through Time.
URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/16999
Date accessed: 19th April 2024
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