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Bachies
BACHIES, a village, in the parish of Golspie,
county of Sutherland; containing 145 inhabitants.
Backdean
BACKDEAN, a hamlet, in the parish of Newton,
county of Edinburgh; containing 45 inhabitants.
This hamlet lies near the source of a small tributary to
the Esk water, and borders upon the parish of Inveresk,
which is situated to the north-east of Backdean.
Backmuir
BACKMUIR, a hamlet, in the parish of Life, Benvie, and Invergowrie, county of Forfar; containing
166 inhabitants. It is situated in the north-western
extremity of the parish, upon the border of the county
of Perth, and close to the Dighty water; and the road
from Dundee to this place, here branches off into two
roads, one leading to Cupar-Angus, and the other to
Meigle.
Baillieston
BAILLIESTON, a village, in the late quoad sacra
parish of Crosshill, parish of Old Monkland, Middle
ward of the county of Lanark, 4¾ miles (E. by S.)
from Glasgow; containing 639 inhabitants. This is
the principal village of Crosshill parish, and is situated in the western part of the parish of Old Monkland,
on the border of that of Barony, and near the roads
from Glasgow to Airdrie and to Hamilton. For many
years past, the Monkland, Bothwell, Barony, and Cadder Farming Society have held their annual exhibition
of live stock in the village, and it is considered in Scotland as being second only to the exhibitions of the
Highland Society; the description of stock is of the
first class, and prizes are frequently obtained by agriculturists of this neighbourhood, at the latter exhibitions, where the competition is open to England and
Scotland. A subscription library is supported here.
Bainsford
BAINSFORD, a village, in the parish of Falkirk,
county of Stirling, 1 mile (N.) from Falkirk. This
village, which forms part of the suburbs of the town
of Falkirk, and is included within the parliamentary
boundary, is situated on the north side of the Forth and
Clyde canal, over which is a drawbridge, affording access
to the village of Grahamston. The inhabitants are
chiefly employed in the Carron iron-works, of which
the proprietors have a basin here, communicating with
the canal, and which is connected with the works, in
the adjoining parish of Larbert, by a railway. There is
also a rope-walk, in which several persons are employed;
and in the village, which is neatly built, is a well-conducted school.
Balbeggie
BALBEGGIE, a village, in the parish of Kinnoull,
county of Perth, 5 miles (N. E.) from Perth; containing 222 inhabitants. This village is situated in the
northern extremity of the parish, on the road to Cupar-Angus; and the Associate Synod have a place of worship here, with a residence for the minister, and a garden attached.
Balbirne
BALBIRNE, a hamlet, in the parish of Ruthven,
county of Forfar; containing 43 inhabitants.
Balbirnie
BALBIRNIE, county of Fife.—See Markinch.
Balblair
BALBLAIR, an island, in the parish of Fodderty,
county of Ross and Cromarty; containing 7 inhabitants.
Balbrogie
BALBROGIE, a village, in the parish of Cupar-Angus, county of Perth, 1½ mile (N. N. E.) from Cupar-Angus; containing 80 inhabitants. A weekly market
has been established at this place, which is conveniently
situated near the road from Cupar-Angus to Meigle,
about midway between it and the river Isla.
Balbunno
BALBUNNO, a village, in the parish of Longforgan, county of Perth; containing 200 inhabitants.
This village, which is entirely upon the lands of Mylnefield, is neatly built, and inhabited chiefly by persons
employed in a bleachfield in the immediate neighbourhood, though not within the limits of the parish of
Longforgan, which has been established within the last
few years, and to which the origin of the village may be
attributed.
Balchullish.
BALCHULLISH.—See Ballichulish.
Balcurrie
BALCURRIE, a village, in that part of the parish
of Markinch which forms the quoad sacra parish of
Milton of Balgonie, county of Fife; containing 186
inhabitants.
Baldernock
BALDERNOCK, a parish, in the county of Stirling, 7 miles (N.) from Glasgow; containing, with the
village of Balmore, 972 inhabitants, of whom 814 are
exclusive of the village. The name of this place is
corrupted, as is supposed, from the Celtic term Baldruinick, signifying "Druid's town;" and this opinion receives strong support from the numerous remains found
here, pertaining to that ancient order. The parish, of
which the eastern half was in that of Campsie till 1649,
is situated at the southern extremity of the county,
where it is bounded by the river Kelvin, which flows
towards the west, and by the Allander, running in the
opposite direction. It comprehends 3800 acres, of which
3100 are under cultivation, 240 wood, and the remainder roads and water, and about equal parts are appropriated for grain, green crops, &c., and for pasture.
The surface is greatly diversified, and consists of three
distinct portions, succeeding each other on a gradual
rise from south to north, each varying exceedingly from
the others, in soil, produce, and scenery, and the whole
circumscribed by an outline somewhat irregular, but
approaching in form to a square, the sides severally
measuring between two and three miles. The northern
tract, lying at an elevation of 300 feet above the sea,
and embracing fine views in all directions, contains a
few insulated spots under tillage, surrounded by moss
land, with a light sharp soil incumbent on whinstone.
Below this, the surface of the second tract assumes an
entirely different appearance, being marked by many
beautifully picturesque knolls, and a clayey soil, resting
on a tilly retentive subsoil; and to this portion succeeds
the lowest land in the parish, and by far the richest,
comprising 700 or 800 acres along the bank of the
river, formed of a soil of dark loam, supposed to have
been washed down gradually from the higher grounds;
this division is called the Balmore haughs. Barley
and oats are the prevailing sorts of grain, and all the
ordinary green crops are raised, potatoes, however,
being grown in the largest quantity. Draining is extensively carried on, although much land is still in want of
this necessary process; and the inundations from the
Kelvin, formerly often destructive to the crops on the
lower grounds, are now, to a great extent, prevented by
a strong embankment, and by a tunnel at the entrance
of a tributary of the river, by which the torrents, before
pouring forth, in rainy weather, uncontrolled, are now
so checked as to obviate danger. The rateable annual
value of the parish is £5713.
The rock consists of trap, in the southern and midland
portions; but in the northern district, limestone, ironstone, pyrites, alum, and fire-clay are abundant, several
of which have been long wrought to a considerable extent, and lie in strata towards the east, stretching from
the extensive coal-beds of Campsie. Iron-ore has lately
been discovered in the coal-mines of Barraston, of very
superior quality to the common argillaceous kind formerly wrought, and consists of a mixture of iron with
carbonaceous substances, similar to that found in the
mines near Airdrie. The coal and lime obtained, for
150 years, from this locality, the latter of which is excellent, and sent in large quantities to Glasgow and
many other places in the country, lie in beds from three
to four feet thick, and from twelve to twenty-four feet
under the surface, the superincumbent strata being
formed of argillaceous slate, calcareous freestone, and
ironstone. Pyrites and alum are plentiful, and fireclay, for a long period, was made into bricks, highly
esteemed as fire-proof. Bardowie, a very ancient mansion, once fortified, and a considerable part of which
is now modernised, is ornamented, in front, with a
beautiful loch a mile long, and is the seat of the chief
of the clan Buchanan; towards the north-west, on an
eminence, are the remains of a tower once the family-mansion, and near this is the seat of Craigmaddie, and,
in another direction, the mansion of Glenorchard. The
parish is traversed by a high road, running from west
to east, throughout its length; and the Forth and Clyde
canal passes within a small distance of the south-eastern
boundary. A fair was once held in the summer, for cattle
and horses, but has fallen into disuse. Baldernock
is in the presbytery of Dumbarton and synod of Glasgow and Ayr, and in the patronage of the Crown; the
minister's stipend is £156. 19. 1., half of which is received from the exchequer, with a manse, and a glebe
valued at £19 per annum. The church is a plain edifice,
built in 1795, and contains 406 sittings. There is a
place of worship for members of the Free Church. The
parochial school affords instruction in reading, writing,
and arithmetic; the master has a salary of £34. 4. 4., and
the fees. In the vicinity of Blochairn farm, near which
a battle is said to have been fought with the Danes, are
several cairns, and, not far from these, three stones
called "the Auld Wives' Lifts," generally supposed to
be Druidical.
Baldovan
BALDOVAN, a hamlet, in the parish of Strathmartine, county of Forfar; containing 44 inhabitants.
It is in the south-eastern part of the parish, near the
Dighty water.
Baledgarno
BALEDGARNO, a village, in the parish of Inchture and Rossie, county of Perth, 9 miles (W.) from
Dundee; containing 110 inhabitants. It is situated in
the Carse of Gowrie, and southern portion of the parish,
and is a neat and thriving place, the property of Lord
Kinnaird. The hill of Baledgarno is finely planted with
various kinds of timber.
Balerno
BALERNO, a village, in the parish of Currie,
county of Edinburgh, 7 miles (S. W.) from Edinburgh;
containing 303 inhabitants. This place is situated on
the Leith water, on which are some mills for the manufacture of paper; a freestone quarry has been worked
in the vicinity for a number of years, and many of the
buildings of the new town of Edinburgh have been
supplied from it.
Balfield
BALFIELD, a hamlet, in the parish of Lethnott
and Navar, county of Forfar; containing 41 inhabitants. It lies in the south-eastern portion of the parish,
a little to the north of the West water.
Balfron
BALFRON, a parish, in the county of Stirling,
6 miles (E. by N.) from Drymen; containing 1970 inhabitants, of whom 1568 are in the village. There is an
opinion that this place has been called by its present
name, which is said to signify "the town of sorrow" or
"mourning," from a dreadful calamity experienced by
the original inhabitants, who, having left their children
in their tents, and departed to a spot at a short distance, for the performance of religious rites, found,
upon returning, that they had been all destroyed by
wolves, with which the neighbourhood was infested.
Others, however, interpret the name, Balfron, "the
town of burns," and imagine that it received this denomination on account of the situation of the old village,
now fallen to decay, at the confluence of two small
streams. The parish is eleven miles in length, from
east to west, and three in breadth, and comprises 14,080
acres, of which 3320 are under cultivation, 105 plantations, and the remainder waste. The surface is diversified with pleasing eminences, on one of which, gently
sloping to the south, is the neatly-built and interesting
village, enlivened by the stream of the Endrick, winding
through a richly-wooded vale at its foot, and supplying,
to the lovers of angling, an ample stock of trout, of a
peculiarly fine flavour. The lofty hills called the Lennox fells, rising 1500 feet above the level of the sea,
form here a singularly striking feature, bounding the
scenery in one direction; and the distant view embraces
the Grampian range, displaying to great advantage the
majestic Ben-Lomond, with many subordinate, yet imposing, elevations. The farms, in general, are of small
size, and the soil, which, in some places, is light and
sandy, but more frequently wet and tilly, is cultivated
with much skill; dairy-farming is a favourite branch of
husbandry, and the stock, consisting of the Ayrshire breed,
has been very much improved, as well as that of the sheep,
in consequence of the liberal patronage of the Strath-Endrick Agricultural Club. The rateable annual value
of the parish is £4704. Limestone is abundant; but it
has not been wrought to any extent, through the want
of coal, which, however, is supposed to exist here, on
account of the usual accompanying trap-rocks having
been found, though all attempts to discover it have
hitherto failed. The ancient mansion of Ballindalloch,
in the parish, formerly belonged to the Glencairn family,
celebrated in Scottish history, and of whom Alexander,
the fifth earl, was the friend, associate, and patron of
John Knox.
The population was once entirely rural, and the chief
point of interest was the old village, with its spreading
oak, where the church and burial-ground are situated;
but, about sixty-five years since, manufactures were introduced, and a new village quickly sprang up. In
1780, the manufacture of calicoes commenced; and
in 1789, cotton-spinning succeeded, when a mill was
erected, known by the name of the Ballindalloch cotton-works, now employing upwards of 250 hands, chiefly
females, and driven by a stream supplied by the Endrick, augmented, in case of failure, by the water of a
large reservoir in Dundaff moor. In the village are
between 300 and 400 hand-looms, employing the larger
part of the population in making light jaconets and
lawns, and all kinds of fancy dresses and shawl patterns,
which branches, however, have been, for some time,
greatly depressed. Good roads run to Stirling and
Glasgow, from which Balfron is nearly equidistant, and
with which latter the chief communication is carried on,
there being a daily post, and numerous conveyances; a
large cattle-fair is held in the neighbourhood, on the last
Tuesday in March, and another in the last week in June.
The parish is in the presbytery of Dumbarton and synod
of Glasgow and Ayr, and in the patronage of the Earl
of Kinnoull; the minister's stipend is £158. 6. 4., above
half of which is paid from the exchequer, with a manse,
and a glebe of 17 acres, valued at £25 per annum. The
church is a very plain structure, rebuilt in 1832, at a cost
of £930; it contains 690 sittings, and is conveniently
situated in the village, but too remote from the eastern
quarter, in consequence of which the minister preaches
there, once every six weeks in summer, and once every
quarter in winter. The Relief, United Secession, and
Burgher denominations, have each a place of worship;
the parochial school affords instruction in the ordinary
branches, and the master has a salary of £25, and £10
fees. The parish also contains a library of 400 volumes
in miscellaneous literature, for circulation; and one of
religious books, with about 150 volumes. This place,
with some others, asserts its claim to the honour of
being the birthplace of Napier, the inventor of Logarithms.
Balgonie
BALGONIE, county of Fife.—See Coaltown, and
Markinch.
Balgray
BALGRAY, a hamlet, in the parish of Tealing,
county of Forfar; containing 63 inhabitants. It is
situated in the south-eastern part of the parish, near
the church, from which it is divided by a small rivulet
that rises within the limits of Tealing.
Balhaddie
BALHADDIE, a hamlet, in the parish of Dunblane; forming part of the late quoad sacra parish of
Ardoch, county of Perth, and containing 33 inhabitants.
Balintore
BALINTORE, a village, in the parish of Fearn,
county of Ross and Cromarty, 2½ miles (E. by S.)
from Fearn; containing 313 inhabitants. This is a
fishing village, situated on the coast of the Moray
Frith, which has here a flat and generally sandy shore:
on the south, is the ferry of Cromarty, distant about
four miles.
Balishear
BALISHEAR, an island, in the parish of North
Uist, county of Inverness; containing 157 inhabitants.
It is situated in the channel between the islands of
North Uist and Benbecula, and has a small village on
the east side.
Balkello
BALKELLO, a hamlet, in the parish of Tealing,
county of Forfar; containing 88 inhabitants.
Ballantrae
BALLANTRAE, a parish, in the district of Carrick, county of Ayr, 13 miles (S. by W.) from Girvan;
containing 1651 inhabitants, of whom 605 are in the
village. This place, anciently called Kirkcudbright-Innertig, derived that appellation from the position of
its church, at the mouth of the river Tig; and, on the
removal of the church from that site to the town of
Ballantrae, assumed its present name, which, in the
Celtic language, is descriptive of its situation on the seashore. The parish is bounded on the west by the Irish
Sea, and comprises nearly 25,000 acres, of which about
7000 are arable, 400 woodland and plantations, and the
remainder rough moorland, affording scanty pasture.
The surface is greatly diversified with hills and dales,
and is intersected by a series of four parallel ridges,
increasing in elevation as they recede from the shore,
and of which the third and highest, is distinguished by
a hill 1430 feet above the sea, which was selected as one
of the stations for carrying on the late trigonometrical
survey of this part of the coast. From this point is
obtained an extensive and beautiful prospect, embracing
the Isle of Man, the north-east coast of Ireland, Cantyre,
the isles of Ailsa and Arran, and the Ayrshire coast,
terminated by the West Highland mountains in the back
ground; and in another direction appear the Dumfries-shire hills, the Cumberland and Westmorland mountains, and Solway Frith. The coast extends for about
ten miles; the shore is bold, and interspersed with
rocks, except for about three miles near the village.
The principal river is the Stinchar, which rises in the
parish of Barr, and, after flowing for nearly three miles
through this parish, of which it forms part of the
boundary to the north, falls into the sea; the Tig, rising
in the high grounds, after a short course, flows into the
Stinchar; and the App, a very inconsiderable stream,
flows westward, through the picturesque dell of Glen-App, into Loch Ryan. These streams all abound with
common and sea trout, par, and occasionally salmon,
which is plentiful in the Stinchar.
The soil is chiefly of a light and gravelly quality;
near the shore, sandy; and in the level lands, especially
near the rivers, a rich and fertile loam. The crops are,
oats, wheat, bear, potatoes, turnips, and a few acres of
beans and peas; bone-dust has been introduced as
manure; the lands have been drained, and considerable
improvements were made, under the auspices of the
late Stinchar Agricultural Association, which included
this parish, in which it originated. There are several
dairy-farms, all well managed, and, in the aggregate,
producing annually about 5000 stone of sweet-milk
cheese, known under the designation of Dunlop cheese.
The rateable annual value of the parish is £7265. The
natural woods are very inconsiderable, though, from the
number of trees found imbedded in the soil, they would
appear to have been formerly extensive; they consist
mostly of oak, ash, and birch, and on the banks of the
Stinchar and the Tig, are some valuable trees. The
plantations are of comparatively recent formation, but
are in a thriving condition, and some which have been
laid down in Glen-App, and on the ridge to the north of
it, by the Earl of Orkney, promise to become a great
ornament in the scenery of the parish. The village,
which was once a burgh of barony, by charter of
James V., is pleasantly situated on the north bank of
the river Stinchar, about half a mile from its influx into
the sea; a public library is supported by subscription,
and a post-office has been established. A considerable
salmon-fishery is prosecuted at the mouth of the Stinchar; the fish are sent chiefly to the markets of Ayr
and Kilmarnock, and the annual produce may be estimated at about £500; the season generally commences
in February, and closes in September. The white
fishery is carried on extensively, employing twenty
boats, to each of which four men are assigned, and from
eight to twenty nets are used; the fish are principally
cod and turbot, and in some seasons, herrings are also
taken in abundance; the produce may be estimated at
about £2000, and the season usually commences in
January, and ends in April. A court of petty-session
was formerly held every alternate month, at which two
of the county magistrates presided. The steam-boat
from Stranraer to Glasgow calls at this place; a facility
of intercourse is also afforded by excellent roads, and
the mail from Ireland to Glasgow passes daily.
The parish is in the presbytery of Stranraer and
synod of Galloway, and in the patronage of the Duchess
de Coigny; the minister's stipend is £248. 1. 3., with a
manse, and a glebe valued at £15 per annum. The
present church, erected in 1819, is a substantial edifice,
adapted for a congregation of 600 persons: the former
church of Ballantrae, together with a manse, was erected
in 1617, at the sole expense of the laird of Bargany.
There are still some remains of the original church at
Innertig. A place of worship has been erected in connexion with the Free Church. The parochial school is
well conducted; the master has a salary of £34. 4. 4½.,
with £16 fees, and a house and garden, and he receives
the interest of a bequest of £400, for the instruction of
an additional number of poor scholars. The late Mrs.
Caddall bequeathed £4500, and 15 acres of land, for
the endowment and erection of a chapel and school in
Glen-App, in connexion with the Established Church;
the trustees have established the school, and selected
land for the glebe, and intend to build the chapel, when
the funds shall have accumulated sufficiently to provide
for the endowment of a minister, after defraying the
expense of its erection. On a rock near the village,
and within the precincts of the glebe, are the remains of
the ancient castle of Ardstinchar, formerly belonging to
the Bargany family.
Ballater
BALLATER, a village, in the parish of Glenmuick,
Tullich, and Glengairn, district of Kincardine
O'Neil, county of Aberdeen; containing 371 inhabitants. This place, situated in a beautiful valley, on
the north bank of the Dee, was formed about the beginning of the present century, by the late proprietor,
William Farquharson, Esq., of Monaltrie, by whose
directions the site was measured for the erection of regular streets and squares, the former of which cross
the main street at right angles, and the latter, with
allotments of ground, have been let out in perpetual
feu tenements. Besides numerous well-constructed
private houses, the village contains an excellent inn,
some good shops, a circulating library, and a post-office
communicating daily with Aberdeen, to which place
there is a daily mail-coach, together with several weekly
carriers. The salubrity of the air, and the picturesque
scenery of the locality, draw many visiters from Aberdeen and other parts, in the summer months; but the
chief attraction is the chalybeate waters of Pananich,
in the vicinity, which hold in solution carbonate of
iron, lime, magnesia, &c., and are considered of much
efficacy in scorbutic and nephritic complaints. There
are superior hot, cold, and shower baths, and many
convenient lodging-houses; and in a square in the village, stands the parish church, and, at a short distance,
the parochial school. Over the Dee is a good wooden
bridge of four arches, erected in 1834, at a cost of upwards of £2000.
Ballendean
BALLENDEAN, a hamlet, in the parish of Inchture and Rossie, county of Perth; containing 80 inhabitants. This place is situated in the Carse of Gowrie, near Ballendean hill, which is of considerable elevation, and also near the handsome mansion of Ballendean
House.
Ballenluig
BALLENLUIG, a village, in the parish of Logierait, county of Perth; containing 114 inhabitants.
It is in the north-eastern portion of the parish, near the
river Tummel, which flows on the north-east.
Ballichulish
BALLICHULISH, a quoad sacra parish, in the parish of Kilmalie, partly in the district and county of
Argyll, and partly in the county of Inverness,
11 miles (S. by W.) from Fort-William; containing 1235
inhabitants. The village of Ballichulish is situated on
the south shore of Loch Leven, a branch of Loch Linnhe,
and there is a ferry to the opposite coast, not far from
it; the prospect is of the most imposing character,
embracing lofty mountains and extensive lakes, relieved
by woods and pastures, and other interesting features.
The parish consists of two distinct districts, separated
from each other by Loch Linnhe, with a church in each
district. The district connected with the church at
Ballichulish, in Invernesshire, is 17 miles by 7, or
119 square miles, in extent; that connected with the
church at Ardgower, in Argyllshire, is 14 miles by 6,
or 84 square miles, in extent, making a total of 203
square miles. The churches were built in June 1829,
and are about four miles apart; that of Ballichulish
has 300 sittings, and the church of Ardgower, 210, and
public worship is performed once a fortnight in each.
An Episcopalian clergyman officiates every Sunday,
in a chapel in the parish of Appin, within three miles
of Ballichulish church; and a Roman Catholic priest
officiates once in three weeks, at Ballichulish slate
quarry, likewise in Appin parish, and where there is
also an Establishment chapel. A place of worship in
connexion with the Free Church has been erected.
Ballingry
BALLINGRY, a parish, in the district of Kirkcaldy, county of Fife, 3 miles (N. E. by E.) from
Blair-Adam Inn; containing 436 inhabitants. This
place is supposed to have derived its name, of Gaelic
origin, from its having been, at one time, an occasional residence of the Scottish kings. During the
invasion of Britain by the Romans, under Agricola, a
battle is said to have occurred between the Caledonians
under Galgacus, and the IX. legion, which was stationed
here, when the latter were totally defeated; but Agricola,
upon receiving intelligence of that event, put the whole
of his army in motion, and, falling upon the rear of
the Caledonians, compelled them to yield to superior
numbers, and retire from the field. The latter, however,
retreated in good order, bravely defending the fords of
Loch Leven against the invaders, and obstinately disputing every inch of ground. Numerous memorials of
this contest have been met with; at the east end of the
loch, and also where 'Auchmuir bridge now crosses
that ancient ford, Caledonian battle-axes and Roman
weapons have been discovered; and a few years since,
a Caledonian battle-axe of polished stone, firmly fixed
in an oaken handle, twenty-two inches long, was found
near the spot.
The parish, which is of very irregular form, comprises
about 3700 acres, of which 1394 are arable, 1874
meadow and pasture, 242 woodland and plantations,
and the remainder common and waste; the surface is
generally a level, broken only by the hill of Binarty, of
which the southern acclivity has been richly planted,
forming an interesting feature in the scenery. The soil,
in the northern portion, is rich, dry, and fertile, but in
other parts, of inferior quality; the crops are, oats, and
barley, with some wheat, beans, and potatoes. Great
improvement has been made by draining, but, in rainy
seasons, the drains are insufficient to carry off the
water; the loch on the estate of Lochore, has been
drained, and now produces excellent crops of grain.
The rateable annual value of the parish is £4611.
Limestone and coal are found in various parts; the
former is of inferior quality, and not worked, but the
latter is wrought on two estates in the parish, with
success; whinstone and freestone are also found here,
and, on the hill of Binarty, basaltic whinstone. The
parish is in the presbytery of Kirkcaldy and synod of
Fife, and in the gift of the lady of Sir Walter Scott,
Bart.; the minister's stipend is £172. 8. 3., with a
manse, and a glebe valued at £18 per annum. The
church is a substantial and neat structure, erected in
1831. The parochial school is tolerably attended;
the master's salary is £34. 4. 4., with fees, and a
house. The poor are supported by the rent of land
producing £21, by collections at the church, and by the
proceeds of a bequest of £100 by William Jobson, Esq.,
of Lochore.
Balloch
BALLOCH, a village, in the parish and county of
Inverness; containing 104 inhabitants.
Ballochney
BALLOCHNEY, a village, in that part of the parish
of New Monkland which formed the quoad sacra parish
of Clarkston, Middle ward of the county of Lanark;
containing 559 inhabitants. This place, which is situated in the southern part of the parish, in an important
coal and ironstone district, gives name to a line of
railway extending from it, for about four miles westward, to the southern terminus of the Monkland and
Kirkintilloch, and the eastern terminus of the Glasgow
and Garnkirk, railroad. The capital of the company,
which was incorporated in 1826, was originally £18,000;
but power was acquired, in the session of 1835, to increase it to £28,000; and by an act passed July 1, 1839,
the capital was further augmented to £70,000, for the
purpose of improving the line, which now has several
branches. In 1843, the company was empowered to
increase its capital to £110,000.
Balmaclellan
BALMACLELLAN, a parish, in the stewartry of
Kirkcudbright, 1½ mile (N. E.) from New Galloway;
containing 1134 inhabitants, of whom 113 are in the
village. This place takes its name from its ancient
proprietors, a branch of the family of Maclellan of
Bombie, lords of Kirkcudbright, who flourished here
for many generations. The parish, which is bounded
on the west by the river Ken, and on the east by the
river Urr, is of an irregularly oblong figure, comprising
about 23,737 acres, of which 4000 are arable, 300
wood and plantations, and the remainder, with the exception of some extensive tracts of moorland and moss,
meadow and pasture. The surface is varied with hills,
of which some rise to a considerable height, and is
interspersed with small valleys, of different degrees of
fertility, and great variety of aspect; the lower grounds
are watered by the Craig and Crogo rivulets, issuing
from a range of hills in opposite directions, and dividing
the parish from that of Parton on the south, and from
the parishes of Dalry and Glencairn on the north.
Along the banks of the Ken, a range of mounts called
Drums, extends for two or three miles into the interior
of the parish, beyond which the country assumes a
more wild and rugged aspect, consisting of large tracts
of moor and peat moss, interspersed with a few detached
portions of cultivated land. In the upper parts of the
parish, are numerous lakes, of which Loch Brach, Loch
Barscole, Loch Skac, and Loch Lowes are the principal;
but the most extensive and beautiful is Loch Ken, on
the western border of the parish, into which the river
Ken, which frequently overflows its banks, discharges
its waters. The several streams and lakes abound with
trout, and more especially Loch Brach, in which are
yellow trout, equal in quality to those of Lochinvar;
pike are also found in most of them, and in Loch Ken,
one was taken which weighed 72lbs. The river, in its
course, forms numerous picturesque cascades, of which
the most interesting and most romantic is that called
the Holy Linn; the prevailing scenery is, in many
parts, richly diversified, and, more particularly around
the village, is beautifully picturesque.
The soil is extremely various; the lands which are
under cultivation have been much improved, and towards the east, considerable tracts, hitherto unprofitable, are gradually becoming of value; but there is still
much moor and moss, scarcely susceptible of improvement. The chief crops are, grain of all kinds, with
potatoes and turnips; the farm-buildings on some of
the lands are substantial and commodious, but, on
others, of very inferior order. The cattle are generally
of the Galloway breed, except a few cows of the Ayrshire kind, on one of the dairy-farms; and the sheep
are of the black-faced breed, except on one farm, which
is stocked with a cross between the black and the white
faced, and a few of the Cheviot; a very considerable
number of pigs are reared, and sent to the Dumfries
market. The rateable annual value of the parish is
£5115. The substratum is almost wholly whinstone,
of which the rocks chiefly consist, and of which great
quantities are raised, affording excellent materials for
the roads; slate is found, and till lately there were
two quarries in operation. The plantations, which are
mostly oak, ash, and fir, are distributed throughout the
lands, in detached portions of ten or twelve acres each.
Holm is a handsome residence in the parish; and there
are also the houses of Craig and Craigmuie. The chief
village stands at the intersection of the turnpike-roads
leading from Edinburgh to Wigton, and from Glasgow
to Kirkcudbright; the small village of Crogo is a retired
hamlet, in the south of the parish, containing about
sixty inhabitants, and takes its name from the rivulet
on which it is situated. In 1822, a substantial bridge
of granite, of five arches, was built over the river Ken,
by the floods of which two several bridges had been previously swept away; the central arch has a span of 100
feet.
The ecclesiastical affairs are under the superintendence of the presbytery of Kirkcudbright and synod of
Galloway; the minister's stipend is £226. 19. 8., with
a manse, and a glebe valued at £35 per annum; patron,
the Crown. The church is a plain structure, built in
1772, and enlarged and repaired in 1833, and contains
370 sittings; the churchyard is spacious, and commands a fine view, extending over the whole vale of
the Ken. There are two parochial schools, of which
the masters have each a salary of £17. 2. 2., with a
house and garden, in addition to the fees, which average
about £15 per annum. A free school is supported by
an endowment of £70 per annum, arising from land
purchased with a bequest of £500 by Edward Burdock,
Esq., in 1788; the school-house was built in 1790, with
a dwelling-house for the master, who has a salary of
£17. 2. 2., but, in consideration of the endowment, receives no fees from the pupils. Barscole Castle, anciently a seat of the Maclellans, is little more than a
heap of ruins. On Dularran Holm, is an erect stone of
great size, without inscription, supposed to mark out
the spot where some Danish chief fell in battle; and on
a hill near the village, a large ball of oak, and a set of
bowling-pins, all of which, except two, were standing
erect, were discovered a few years since, by persons
cutting peat, at a depth of about twelve feet below the
surface of the ground.
Balmaghie
BALMAGHIE, a parish, in the stewartry of Kirkcudbright, 4 miles (N. W.) from Castle-Douglas;
containing 1252 inhabitants, of whom 275 are in the
village of Laurieston, and 243 in that of Bridge of Dee.
This place takes its name from its ancient proprietors,
the Mc Gies, whose ancestor, an Irish chieftain, settled
here at a very remote period, and whose descendants
retained possession of the chief lands for many generations. A part was the property of the Douglas family,
whose baronial residence, Threave Castle, was built upon
the site of a more ancient structure belonging to the
lords of Galloway, who exercised, for many years, a
kind of sovereignty, independent of the crown of Scotland. In 1451, the eighth earl of Douglas, in retaliation of some aggression on his territories, seized Sir
Patrick Maclellan, of Bombie, and detained him prisoner in the castle of Threave, intending to bring him
to trial, by right of his hereditary jurisdiction; and on
the arrival of Sir Patrick Grey, of Foulis, commander of
the body-guard of James II., with a warrant from the
king, demanding his release, Douglas, suspecting his
errand, instantly ordered Maclellan to be beheaded in
the court-yard. The castle was soon afterwards besieged by the king in person; but the artillery making
no impression upon the walls, which were of extraordinary thickness, a blacksmith, who witnessed the assault,
offered to make a cannon of sufficient power for the
purpose; and the family of Maclellan providing him
with iron for the work, he constructed the enormous
cannon afterwards called Mons Meg, which weighed
more than six tons and a half. This formidable engine,
which was made in the immediate vicinity of the royal
camp, being with great difficulty dragged to a commanding position in front of the castle, the first shot spread
consternation among the besieged, and the second
pierced through the wall of the castle, and, entering the
banquet-hall, carried away the right hand of the countess, who, at the moment, was raising a goblet of wine
to her mouth. The garrison immediately surrendered,
and the king presented to the blacksmith, whose name
was Mc Kim, or Mc Min, the lands of Mollance, as a reward for his ingenuity in devising and accomplishing
the means of his success.
This castle was the last of the various fortresses that
held out for the earls of Douglas, after their rebellion in
1453; and upon the fall of that family, and the consequent annexation of Galloway to the crown of Scotland,
in 1455, it was granted by the king to the family of
Maxwell, afterwards earls of Nithsdale, hereditary stewards of Kirkcudbright, and "keepers of the king's castle
of Threave." During the parliamentary war, in the
reign of Charles I., the Earl of Nithsdale, who held the
castle for the king, maintained in it a garrison of eighty
men, with their officers, at his own expense; and when
no longer able to maintain it against its assailants, the
king, who was unable to send him any assistance, recommended him to make the best terms he could for
the garrison and himself. As hereditary keepers of the
castle after the Restoration, the earls received annually,
from each parish in the stewartry, a fat cow; and when
they sold the estate, in 1704, they reserved the castle
and the island, to which they appointed a captain, in
order to secure their right to the cattle, which was regularly paid till the attainder of the earl, for rebellion,
in 1715. There are still some very conspicuous remains of the ancient castle, situated on an island of
about 20 acres in extent, formed by the Dee, at the
south-eastern angle of the parish; they consist chiefly
of the keep, which was surrounded by an outer wall,
with four circular turrets, of which one only is standing.
Several stone balls, weighing from one to 3½ pounds,
and a gold ring, supposed to be that worn by the
countess when her hand was shot off, were found in the
castle, in 1843; and in the year preceding, a large ball
of granite, 19 inches in diameter, thought to be that
discharged from Mons Meg, was found by some labourers who were clearing the ground.
The parish, which is situated nearly in the centre of
the county, is bounded on the north by the Blackwater of Dee, and on the east by the river Dee; it is
about nine miles in length, and seven in extreme
breadth, and comprises 22,000 acres, of which nearly
7000 are arable, and the remainder meadow, pasture,
and waste, with a moderate proportion of woodland and
plantations. The surface, towards the south-east, is
tolerably level, but, in all other parts, hilly, though not
strictly mountainous; the higher grounds command
extensive views, including, to the north-west, the Carsphairn and Minnigaff hills, and, to the south-east, those
of Cumberland, with the Isle of Man, in clear weather.
In the uplands are several lakes, of which Loch Grannoch, or Woodhall, the largest, is about 2½ miles in
length, and half a mile in breadth; and, with the exception of Lochinbreck, which abounds with trout, they
are all well stored with pike and perch. The Soil in
the valley of the Dee is fertile, and there are extensive
and productive tracts of meadow in the parish; the
principal crops grown are, oats, barley, potatoes, and
turnips. The system of agriculture is improved; the
farm-buildings are generally substantial and commodious, and those on the lands of Balmaghie are all
of recent erection, and of very superior order. Bonedust is used as manure for turnips; the lands have
been well drained, and are mostly inclosed with stone
dykes. The moorlands afford tolerable pasture for
sheep, of which about 4000, of the black-faced breed,
are annually reared; and about 400 of the white-faced,
a cross between the Leicestershire and Cheviot, are
pastured on the low grounds. The cattle, of which
about 1000 are fed on the uplands, are of the Galloway
and Highland breeds; and on the lowland farms are
numerous cows, principally Galloways, with some of the
Ayrshire kind. The rateable annual value of the parish
is £6603.
The substrata are chiefly greywacke or whinstone,
and in the higher lands, granite is found in abundance;
but there is no limestone, and what is required for
building, or for agricultural purposes, is brought from
Cumberland. The plantations are not extensive, but
thrive well; they consist mainly of larch and oak,
which appear adapted to the soil. Balmaghie House,
an ancient mansion, in which parts of an older building
have been incorporated, is pleasantly seated near the
river Dee, in grounds beautifully undulated, and embellished with plantations: Duchrae House, a handsome
mansion of granite, built in the old English style, about
the year 1824, is finley situated near the confluence of
the Dee and Ken. The ecclesiastical affairs are under
the superintendence of the presbytery of Kirkcudbright
and synod of Galloway; the minister's stipend is
£203. 8. 8., with a manse, and a glebe valued at £17. 10.
per annum; patron, Capt. Gordon. The church, built
in 1794, is situated near the Dee; it is in good repair,
and contains 400 sittings. There are two parochial
schools; one at the village of Laurieston, of which the
master has a house, and a salary of £30, with fees
averaging nearly an equal sum; and the other at Glenlochar, the master of which has a salary of £21. 6. 6.,
with fees amounting to about £14.
Balmalcolm
BALMALCOLM, a village, in the parish of Kettle,
district of Cupar, county of Fife, 1 mile (S. E.) from
Kettle; containing 113 inhabitants. It is a small
place, on the road between Cupar and Leslie, and a
short distance south of the river Eden.
Balmbrae
BALMBRAE, a village, in the parish of Falkland,
district of Cupar, county of Fife; containing 114 inhabitants, employed in agriculture, and in hand-loom
weaving at their own dwellings.
Balmerino
BALMERINO, a parish, in the district of Cupar,
county of Fife, 5 miles (W.) from Newport; containing,
with the villages of Kirkton and Galdry, 993 inhabitants, of whom 62 are in the village of Balmerino. This
place, of which the name, of Celtic origin, signifies
"the town of the sea," or "Sailors' town," most probably derived that appellation from its position on the
estuary of the river Tay. It appears to 'have been
distinguished, at a very early period, for the mild temperature of its climate, and the salubrity of its atmosphere; and early in the 13th century, it was selected
by Queen Ermengard, widow of William the Lion, and
mother of Alexander II., as a place of occasional resort,
for the benefit of her health; and, subsequently, by
Magdalene, queen of James V., for the same purpose.
A monastery was founded here by Alexander II., in
1230, for Cistercian monks, at the solicitation of Ermengard, in gratitude for the benefit she received while
resident here, which monastery he dedicated to the
Virgin Mary and St. Edward the Confessor, and in
which he placed monks of that order, from the abbey of
Melrose. This establishment was endowed by Queen
Ermengard, with lands in this county, purchased from
Adam de Stawell, to which Alexander added the church
and lands of Lochmure, in Angus, and those of Petgornoc and Drumdol, in the county of Fife. It continued
to increase in wealth, by the liberality of subsequent
benefactors, till the Dissolution, when its revenues
amounted to £704. 2. 10½. in money, exclusively of a
considerable income in grain and other agricultural produce. The abbey was demolished in 1558, by the
lords of the congregation, on their route from St. Andrew's; the site, with the lands appertaining to it, was
subsequently granted to Sir James Elphinstone, of
Barnton; and after the Reformation, the estates were
constituted a lordship, in favour of Sir James, who was
raised to the Scottish peerage, in 1604, by the title of
Lord Balmerino, which became extinct in 1745, by
the attainder and execution of his descendant, the
then lord.
The parish is bounded on the north by the Frith of
Tay, along the shore of which it extends from Birkhill
to Wormit bay; and comprises 3400 acres, of which
nearly 2700 are arable, and in profitable cultivation, 500
woods and plantations, and the remainder pasture and
waste. The surface is greatly varied, and traversed by
two nearly parallel ridges, extending from east to west,
and inclosing a lovely valley, in which the village is
situated; the highest points of these ridges are, the
Scurr hill, on the north, which has an elevation of 400
feet, and the Coultry hill, on the south, which rises to
the height of 500 feet above the sea. There is also a
considerable portion of high table land on the southern
ridge, on which the village of Galdry stands. The scenery
abounds with romantic features, and is every where
enriched with woods and thriving plantations: a little
to the east of the church, and nearly in the centre of
the valley, is a small elevation, on the brow of which
is Naughton House, and on the summit are the ruins
of an ancient castle; beneath is a picturesque dell, from
which a mass of rock rises abruptly to the height nearly
of 100 feet. The shores of the Tay are bold and rocky,
having, in some parts, precipitous and lofty cliffs; and
on that portion of the shore which rises more gradually,
are the picturesque ruins of the abbey, overlooking the
river. The Tay affords excellent facilities for bathing,
being strongly impregnated with saline particles; there
are no other rivers in the parish, but the lands are,
notwithstanding, well watered by numerous springs, of
which many appear, from their names, to have been
formerly of great notoriety, and from which issue various
small streams that attain sufficient power to turn
several mills.
The soil is generally light; in some parts, a rich
black loam; and in others, gravelly; but, under good
management, rendered fertile and productive. The crops
are, grain of all kinds, potatoes, and turnips; the system of agriculture is improved; the farm-buildings are
substantial and commodious, and on all of the farms
are threshing-machines, of which some are driven
by water. The rateable annual value of the parish is
£4962. The substrata are chiefly sandstone and whinstone, of the former of which there are two varieties,
one extremely compact, and well adapted for building
purposes; the other, more friable, and abounding with
nodules of quartz and other substances. The whinstone
is of different qualities, comprising amygdaloid, trap
tuffa, felspar, and clay-stone porphyry; that which is
of coarser grain, contains amethyst, calcareous spar,
chalcedony, and agates. The Scurr hill abounds with
mineral varieties; the most beautiful agates occur there,
and boulders of primitive rock are found along the
shore, and on the highest ridges. Naughton House was
erected towards the commencement of the present century, and has since been enlarged and improved. Birkhill is an elegant and spacious mansion, on the bank
of the river, and embosomed in rich and beautiful
plantations.
A salmon-fishery was formerly carried on in the Tay,
to a large extent, and proved a source of great gain,
but, since the prohibition of the use of stake-nets, in
1816, it has materially declined; the quantity previously taken in the Firth, was, on an average, about
30,000, in the season; at present, the number of fish
scarcely amounts to one-tenth part. Since this alteration, several who were once employed in the fishery,
are now engaged in weaving at their own houses, for the
manufacturers of Dundee; the principal articles woven
are dowlas and Osnaburghs, in which about 150 persons are engaged, of whom a large portion are women.
Great quantities of grain were formerly shipped from
the harbour of this place, which was the chief port, on
the south side of the Tay, for that article; but, at present, only small quantities of wheat are sent by the
farmers here, to the bakers of Dundee, by a passage-boat
which is kept up by subscription of the parishioners.
Considerable quantities of potatoes are sent to the
London market; and many vessels with coal land their
cargoes here. The village of Balmerino is pleasantly
situated on the western declivity of the Scurr hill, already mentioned.
The parish is in the presbytery of Cupar and synod
of Fife; the minister's stipend is £239. 9., with a
manse, and the glebe is valued at £18 per annum. The
church, a neat and substantial edifice of stone, erected
in 1811, is nearly in the centre of the parish. The
parochial school affords instruction to about 130
scholars; the master's salary is £34. 4. 4., with £28
fees, and a house and garden. The ruins of Balmerino
Abbey consist chiefly of a small portion of the walls,
with some clustered columns, and part of the corbels
from which sprang the arches that supported the roof,
and which are in the decorated English style; and of
one cell, still in tolerable preservation. There are also
remains of the ancient castle of Naughton, said to have
been built soon after the Conquest, by Robert de Lundon;
they comprise only some fragments of the side walls,
which derive their chief importance from their situation,
on the summit of a lofty crag rising almost perpendicularly from a deep and richly-wooded dell. An establishment of Culdees is said to have existed here, in
connexion with those of St. Andrew's; and in a field in
the parish, still called the Battle Law, an engagement
is reported to have taken place between the Scots and
the Danes, of whom the latter were driven to their ships:
near the spot, stone coffins, broken armour, and bones
have been discovered. Some years since, two pieces of
gold were found in a field on the farm of Peashills, which
appear to have formed ornaments of some kind, and
were of the value of £14 sterling.
Balmore
BALMORE, a village, in the parish of Baldernock, county of Stirling; containing 158 inhabitants.
It lies in the south-eastern portion of the parish, on the
road between Torrance and Bardowie, and about half a
mile south of the Kelvin water.
Balmullo
BALMULLO, a village, in the parish of Leuchars,
district of St. Andrew's, county of Fife, 6 miles (E. S.
E.) from St. Andrew's; containing 274 inhabitants.
This village is pleasantly situated on the road to Dundee,
and consists of an irregular range of houses, chiefly inhabited by persons employed in weaving and in agriculture. There is a place of worship for members of the
Original Secession Synod.
Balnabruach
BALNABRUACH, a village, in the parish of Tarbat, county of Ross and Cromarty; containing 167
inhabitants. It is a small place, situated on the eastern
coast, and chiefly inhabited by fishermen.
Balna-Huaigh Isle
BALNA-HUAIGH ISLE, one of the Hebrides, in
the parish of Jura, district of Islay, county of Argyll. It is north of the island of Jura, and of Luing
Sound, and is about a mile in circumference, and entirely composed of a bluish-coloured slate, of good
quality: a number of families, who derive their subsistence from the quarry, reside upon it.
Balnasuim
BALNASUIM, a village, in the parish of Weem,
county of Perth; containing 48 inhabitants.
Balquhidder
BALQUHIDDER, a parish, in the county of Perth,
9 miles (S. by W.) from Killin; containing, with the
villages of Strathyre and Lochearnhead, 871 inhabitants.
This parish, of which the name, descriptive of its situation in the county, is derived from the Gaelic, is about
eighteen miles in length, and rather more than six miles
in breadth. The surface is very irregular, and comprehends a rich variety of valleys and hills, of level lands
and deep glens, and of lofty rocks rising abruptly from
the plains. The principal hills are, Benvorlich, Benchroin, Benvane, Binean, Benchoin, and Bentallachan:
near the hill at Edinample, is an ancient castle, belonging to the Marquess of Breadalbane, embosomed
in a wood of lofty plane-trees, near which is a beautiful
cascade; and in the hill of Craigruigh, Robert Bruce is
said to have concealed himself after the defeat of his
forces in the battle of Dalrey. The river Balvag, over
which are two bridges in good repair, rises in Lochvoil,
winds for several miles through the parish, and falls
into Lochlubnaig; and the small river Calair, which
issues from Glenbuckie, though generally a peaceful
stream, at times overflows its banks, and acquires the
rapidity of a torrent. There are numerous lakes in the
parish, of which the principal are, Lochvoil, Lochdoine,
and parts of Lochlubnaig and Lochearn. The scenery
is also richly embellished with woods, consisting mostly
of oak, birch, alder, and common and mountain ash;
and with thriving plantations, which are chiefly of Scotch
and spruce firs, and larch-trees, for all of which the
ground is well adapted.
The soil, in the lower lands, is fertile; the hills afford
pasture, and there are considerable tracts of good meadow; the system of agriculture is improved, and great
attention is paid to the improvement of the breeds of
cattle and sheep; the former are chiefly of the West
Highland breed, and the latter, which are of the black-faced kind, command a ready sale in the neighbouring
markets. The rateable annual value of the parish is
£6100. The rocks are mainly of mica and clay slate,
with quartz, porphyry, and primitive greenstone. Edinample Castle, the property of the Marquess of Breadalbane, an ancient mansion romantically situated, and
Glenbuckie House, a handsome modern residence, are
the only houses of distinction. The ecclesiastical affairs
are under the superintendence of the presbytery of
Dunblane and synod of Perth and Stirling; the stipend
of the incumbent is £275. 15. 11.; the manse is a comfortable residence, and the glebe is of the annual value
of £20. The church, situated nearly in the centre of the
parish, is an ancient edifice, adapted for a congregation
of 425 persons. The parochial school affords a liberal
course of instruction; the master has a salary of
£34. 4. 4½., with £8 fees, a house, and two bolls of meal
in lieu of a garden. In a field near the manse, is an
upright stone, about five feet in height, called Puidrac;
but nothing of its history is known; and to the east of
it, is a spot celebrated as the site of a desperate battle
between the families of McLaren and Leney. The late
Sir John Mac Gregor Murray, Bart., an eminent Gaelic
scholar, and an indefatigable collector of the writings
of the ancient Gaelic bards, and who, holding the rank
of colonel in the British army, raised at his own expense a regiment of infantry for the service of his
country, which was commanded by his brother. Colonel
Alexander Mac Gregor Murray, was, together with his
brother, buried in the family vault in this parish.
Balta
BALTA, a small islet, in the parish of Unst, county
of Shetland. This is nearly the northernmost isle of
the Shetland range, and is situated in the latitude of
60° 47 north, and on the east side of Unst island, the
sea between being called Balta Sound. Here the shore
of Unst forms a fine and safe inland harbour, stretching east to west about two miles, protected at its mouth
by the isle of Balta.
Balwahanaid
BALWAHANAID, a hamlet, in the parish of Weem,
county of Perth; containing 23 inhabitants.
Balwherne
BALWHERNE, a hamlet, in the parish of Methvan, county of Perth; containing 60 inhabitants.
Banchory-Devenick
BANCHORY-DEVENICK, a parish, partly within,
and partly without, the city of Aberdeen, district and
county of Aberdeen, but mostly in the county of Kincardine; including the villages of Downies, Findon,
and Portlethen, and containing 2736 inhabitants. The
cognomen of Devenick, or Davenick, applied to this
place, is derived from a celebrated saint of the name of
Davenicus, who flourished about the year 887, and who,
at one time, ministered in the district. The parish is
about 5 miles long, and 3 broad, and contains about
10,000 acres. The river Dee forms the northern boundary of the Kincardineshire portion, and the parish is
bounded on the east by the parish of Nigg and by the
sea; the coast extends about 3 miles, and is bold and
rocky, and, in many parts, picturesque. The surface is,
in general, rugged and stony, and to a considerable extent covered with heath; the highest land is a part of
the Tollow hill, the most easterly of the Grampian range,
the elevation of which was used for the trigonometrical
survey of the country. The Dee, which is the only river
connected with the district, rises among the highest
mountains of Aberdeenshire, and, after a course of
about 60 miles, passes along the extremity of the parish,
forming the line of separation between the counties of
Kincardine and Aberdeen; it is here about 250 feet
wide, and falls into the bay of Aberdeen a mile and a
half below the eastern extremity of the parish. It is
subject to great floods, rising sometimes ten or eleven
feet above its usual level, in consequence of which, long
and expensive embankments have been raised, for the
protection of the neighbouring lands.
The soil is diversified, running through all the varieties, from pure alluvial to hard till, and from rich
loam to deep moss; agriculture receives much attention,
though a large part of the ground is in its natural state,
and much remains yet to be done. The rateable annual
value of the parish is £6946. There are several plantations, one of which covers 250 acres, but the proximity
of the land to the sea-coast is an impediment to the
growth of trees, as there is no shelter against the blighting influence of the east wind. The rocks consist chiefly
of blue granite, which is abundant in the hilly part of
the parish; but its texture is too hard to admit of its
being quarried to any extent, and the produce obtained
is used either for the roads, or sent for sale to the London market. The parish is entirely rural, and its population has been considerably increased, during the present century, by the allotment of portions of uncultivated
land, with encouragement to small tenants, by which
means much waste ground has been reclaimed, and a considerable number of persons that worked in the granite
quarries and peat-mosses of Aberdeen, brought into
this district. There are three harbours for fishing-boats
on the coast, named Findon, Portlethen, and Downies, to which belong about eighteen boats, chiefly
engaged in white-fishing, except during the herringseason, at which time several of them are employed in
the Moray Frith. There are four stations for salmon-fishing in the Dee, but they have been for some
years past in a low state, from the great scarcity of fish
in the river. The great road from Edinburgh to Aberdeen runs through the parish, and, on the north side of
the Dee, the Deeside turnpike-road passes through the
Aberdcenshire division; there is also a good commutation road along the south side of the river. A suspension bridge has been recently erected over the Dee, connecting the Aberdeenshire portion of the parish with the
church and school, and which cost about £1400, independently of an embankment a quarter of a mile long,
on the south side, facilitating the approach to the bridge,
and which cost above £50.
The ecclesiastical affairs are subject to the presbytery of Aberdeen and synod of Aberdeen; the patronage is possessed by the Crown, and the minister's stipend
is £159. 2. 9., partly paid from the exchequer, with a
glebe valued at £13. 6. 8. per annum. The church,
which contains 900 sitting, was built in 1822, on the
site of a former edifice, the bell of which is marked
"1597." At Portlethen is a chapel, containing 300
sittings, the minister of which, who has been duly ordained, has a stipend of £80, partly from seat-rents:
this building, which is situated about 3½ miles from the
church, in a populous district, was a family chapel previously to the Reformation. Two places of worship in
connexion with the Free Church have been erected. A
parochial school is maintained, in which Latin is taught,
with the ordinary branches of education, and of which
the master has a salary of £30, a portion of the Dick
bequest, £20 fees, and £20 for teaching as many children, the last amount being an endowment by a person
in India. There are three other schools, namely, one
at Portlethen, the master of which has the interest of
a benefaction of £200; a school upon the estate of
Cults, in the Aberdeenshire district, the master of which
receives £25 per annum from an endowment; and
a female school, built by a bequest of £100 from the
late Mr. George Hogg, whose father had been for many
years schoolmaster at Banchory, and endowed with
£200, half of which was allotted by the same benefactor, and half by the minister of the parish. A parochial library has been founded, which has a considerable
number of volumes; and a friendly society, and a
savings' bank established in 1822, and which is in a
very flourishing state, are supported. The antiquities
of the parish consist of two Druidical circles, in very
fine preservation; and three very large tumuli, occupying an elevated situation, on the north side of the
river.
Banchory-Ternan
BANCHORY-TERNAN, a parish, in the county of
Kincardine, 15 miles (N. W. by W.) from Stonehaven;
containing, with the villages of Arbeadie and Banchory,
2241 inhabitants, of whom 66 are in Banchory. This
place, of which the name, signifying "a fine choir," has
reference to some ancient religious establishment, and its
adjunct most probably to its patron saint, is of very remote antiquity. St. Terne, or Ternanus, who is said to
have been a native of Mearns, flourished about the middle
of the fifth century, and accompanied Palladius, in his
mission to the Irish Scots; and by him he was ordained,
and commissioned to extirpate the Pelagian heresy, and to
establish the true faith among his own countrymen. In
this undertaking, his eminent success and sanctity of
life obtained for him a high degree of veneration, and
many churches were afterwards erected and dedicated
to his memory, among which was the church of this
parish. In 1562, a battle took place between the army
of Mary, Queen of Scots, under the Earl of Moray, and
the forces of the Earl of Huntly, at the How of Corrichie, a glen in the hills of Fare, towards the northern
boundary of the parish, in which the latter were defeated with great slaughter, and the Earl of Huntly,
who was taken prisoner, died before he was removed
from the field of battle. In the bottom of the glen are
several tumuli, raised over the bodies of the slain; and
a recess among the rocks overlooking the glen, in which,
it is said, Mary witnessed the engagement, is still called
the Queen's chair. There are also numerous tumuli on
the north side of Glassel, where the chief carnage took
place. In 1644, the Duke of Montrose, having crossed
the river Dee, at a ford near the Mills of Drum, in this
parish, passed a night at the house of Leys, and next
day proceeded to Aberdeen, where he encountered and
defeated an army of the Covenanters; and the remains
of his encampment on a subsequent occasion, on his
route to Strathbogie, not far from the How of Corrichie,
are still pointed out, under the appellation of Montrose's
Dyke.
The parish is situated on the river Dee, which-intersects the southern portion of it, from west to east,
throughout its whole extent; it is nearly ten miles in
length, and about nine miles in breadth, of irregular
form, comprising an area of 21,600 acres, of which
rather more than 6000 are arable, 5230 woodland and
plantations, and the remainder, of which a considerable
portion might be brought into cultivation, meadow,
pasture, and waste. The surface is strikingly diversified
with hill and dale, and with wood and water. The hill
of Fare, on the north, has an elevation of 1793 feet;
that of Kerloak, on the south, forming a part of the
Grampian range, and extending eastward to the sea at
Aberdeen, is 1890 feet high; and between these, is a
lower ridge, of which the greatest elevation is not more
than 1000 feet. That portion of the parish which is on
the south side of the Dee, is intersected by the river
Feugh, and is richly wooded, and interspersed with
masses of barren and precipitous rock; the scenery is
bold, enlivened with numerous rivulets, and embellished
with handsome mansions. At the eastern extremity
is Loch Drum, in the adjoining parish of Drumoak, which
has been nearly exhausted by draining; and in the
central portion is Loch Leys, in which is an artificial
island, formed on piles of oak, with remains of ancient
houses that appear to have been fortified. The river
Dee, which enters the parish near Trustach Hill, flows
through a rocky channel; and its stream is divided by
two small islands, of which one, about eight acres in
extent, is covered with furze and heath, and the other,
of about one acre, and of greater elevation above the
surface, is planted with trees. The Feugh, after forming various pleasing falls, divides into two channels,
which, reuniting, flow into the Dee, almost in the centre
of the parish; it passes under a bridge of two arches near
its principal fall over a ledge of rock about twenty feet
in height.
The soil varies greatly in different parts, but is generally light, and not naturally fertile; towards the river,
gravelly; on the higher grounds, a strong loam; and
on the lower, a species of moss, intermixed with gravel.
The system of agriculture is improved; the chief crops
are, oats, barley, and some wheat, with potatoes, turnips, and hay, and the moorlands afford tolerable pasture for sheep and cattle, to the improvement of which
much attention has been excited by the Deeside Agricultural Association, which holds its annual meeting here,
and awards prizes, to the amount of £70, to the most
successful competitors at the show of cattle. The
dairy-farms are more carefully attended to than formerly; the buildings are substantial and commodious,
and threshing-mills have been erected on most of the
farms. The rateable annual value of the parish is
£7479. The hills are principally of red granite, traversed by veins of sulphate of barytes; and limestone,
in some parts of coarse and inferior quality, and in
others compact and highly crystallized, is found in
abundance, and is extensively quarried on the lands of
Tilwhilly, for agricultural purposes. The plantations,
which are of very great extent, consist chiefly of pine
and larch, interspersed with birch, oak, beech, ash, and
a few other trees; they are of comparatively modern
growth, and considerable additions have, within the last
few years, been made to the number of forest trees, of
which nearly 70,000 oaks have been planted on the
lands of Leys. On the road to Aberdeen, is a remarkably fine holly, of more than twenty stems, springing
from the crevices of a rock; and in the grounds of
Crathes Castle, is a beech-tree, 25 feet in girth, and 60
feet high. Crathes Castle, a handsome baronial mansion,
erected about the year 1512, is finely situated on a
gentle acclivity, at the extremity of a rocky and richly-wooded ridge, on the north bank of the Dee; it is a
spacious structure, with a lofty square tower crowned by
embattled turrets, and many modern additions have
been made. The ancient hall is still entire, and contains
some family portraits, among which is a portrait of
Dr. Gilbert Burnet, Bishop of Salisbury, by Sir Godfrey Kneller. The Castle of Tilwhilly, on the opposite
bank of the river, is an ancient massive building, in
the occupation of the tenant of the farm; Banchory
Lodge, a few hundred yards from the church, was
erected by the late General Burnet; Inchmarlo is a
handsome mansion, erected in 1800, and Glassel and
Raemoir are also good modern houses. The village of
Banchory, or the Kirktown, which was anciently a
burgh of barony, and is noticed, in 1324, as a place of
considerable importance, and in which was held the
baronial court of Leys, has almost disappeared; and
only a few houses in the vicinity of the churchyard,
called the Town Head, are now remaining, and the
shaft of a broken stone cross. A small woollen-factory
has been established, and there are likewise two
bobbin factories carried on; salmon is taken in the
Dee, but there is no regular fishery. Fairs, chiefly for
horses, cattle, and sheep, are held on the second Tuesday
in February, the last Thursday in March, the third Tuesday in June, the first Tuesday in July, the second Tuesday
in August, and the first Wednesday in December.
The ecclesiastical affairs are under the superintendence of the presbytery of Kincardine O'Neil and
synod of Aberdeen; Sir T. Burnet, Bart., is patron, and
the minister's stipend is £287. 10. 9., with a manse, and a
glebe valued at £10 per annum. The church, rebuilt in
1824, is a handsome structure in the later English
style, and contains 1300 sittings. A place of worship
has been erected in connexion with the Free Church;
and in the village of Arbeadie, is a meeting-house for
Independents. There are three parochial schools, the
masters of which divide among them £51. 6. 6¾., in
addition to a house and garden for each, and the fees
average respectively £20, £16, and £10 per annum. A
school was founded and endowed in 1638, by Sir Thomas
Burnet, in conjunction with Dr. Alexander Reid, and
is conducted by one of the parochial schoolmasters, who
derives an additional salary of £16 from the endowment.
A parochial library has also been established, which has
a collection of more than 400 volumes, chiefly on religious subjects. At Cairnton, on the hill of Trustach,
are some remains of an old intrenchment, now covered
with birch, about 150 yards square, defended by two
ramparts of earth, 300 yards in length, extending from
the inclosure in a converging direction, leaving an
opening of about twenty yards in width at their extremities; it is supposed to have been a Roman camp.
Near Kerloak, are Druidical remains, consisting of three
circles of upright stones, nearly entire, the largest of
which is about 25 yards in diameter, and the others
about 15 yards; in each of them, are vestiges of an
inner circle inclosing a small cairn. Bishops Burnet
and Douglas, both of Salisbury, were descended from
families connected with this parish.
Baneton
BANETON, or Baynton, a village, in the parish of
Kennoway, district of Kirkcaldy, county of Fife,
1 mile (N. N. E.) from Kennoway; containing 204 inhabitants. It is in the north-eastern portion of the
parish, and a little north of the road between Kennoway
and Cupar.