Tour
Black Earnside
It
was from the lands of Parkhill that the Monks quarried the
stone for Lindores Abbey in Newburgh. They belonged at that
time to David, Earl of Huntingdon and Angus. They passed
from him into the hands of the Leslie family, Earls of Rothes,
until in 1546 John Leslie forfeited them for taking part
with his nephew in the plot to murder Cardinal Beaton. In
1575 however they were restored to him in "consideration
of his repentance".
To the west of Parkhill there stretched for several miles
a wood known as Black Earn side, or as it was sometimes
mis-spelt, Black Iron side. It was a dark wood which covered
the hillside and extended down to the waters edge. The name
of Earn Side favours the idea that geologists entertain,
that the river Earn would its course by the foot of the
Fife hills, and joined with the Tay near Longforgan.
Sir William Wallace in his fight against the English often
used Black Earn side as a sheltered and there is still a
bridge along which the road passes near the top of the ascent,
about two miles east from the Abbey which is known as 'Wallace's
Brig'. In 1298 in the month of June, Wallace fought the
Earl of Pembroke at Black Earn Side.
"This wood we'll hold as long as we stand,
To the last man we'll fight it, sword in hand.
The right is ours, let's do it manfully;
I'll free this land once more before I die."
Although the Scots were heavily out numbered they built
a stockade and held the English at bay. Help came from Newburgh
and the villages roundabout in the shape of labourers with
farming tools until finally the English were completely
routed and overthrown. Wallace and his triumphant followers
retired to the Abbey, there to recuperate and celebrate
their success, entering through the Slype, the Eastern entrance
to the cloisters which is still standing today.
The mill that stands today by Parkhill farmyard is probably
built on or near the site of a more ancient mill built by
the Abbey monks. There were six mills that stood along the
burn, that ran from the Abbey to Loch Lindores. This burn
was known as Priestsburnat the southern end and Mill burn
as it passed Parkhill on its way to the loch. One of these
mills is Glenbirnie which was a sawmill, and behind it part
of an ancient aqueduct may be seen.
