H
Haddington
HADDINGTON, a burgh,
market-town, and parish, in
the county of Haddington,
of which it is the capital, 16
miles (E.) from Edinburgh,
and 373 (N.) from London;
containing 5452 inhabitants,
of whom 1878 are in the
town. This place, of which
the name is of very uncertain derivation, is of unquestionable antiquity, though,
from the repeated destruction of its ancient records, comparatively little of its
remote history has been preserved. It appears to have
been a royal residence at an early period, and in various
documents is mentioned as having been a demesne town
of the kings in the beginning of the twelfth century.
Ada, Countess of Northumberland, and mother of Malcolm IV., in 1178 founded here a convent for sisters of
the Cistercian order, which she richly endowed, and
dedicated to the Virgin Mary; and Alexander II., King
of Scotland, was born at this place in 1198. The town,
which was wholly built of wood, was, in 1224, totally
consumed by fire, supposed to have been the work of an
incendiary, as, in the same night, the several towns of
Stirling, Roxburgh, Lanark, Perth, Forfar, Montrose,
and Aberdeen, experienced a similar calamity. It
was repeatedly burnt and laid waste by the English,
during the frequent wars between the two countries,
but always speedily recovered from its desolation. The
abbey of St. Mary continued to flourish till the Dissolution; and in 1548, the Scottish parliament assembled
within its walls, to deliberate upon the marriage of Mary,
afterwards Queen of Scots, with the Dauphin of France,
and to give their assent to her education at the French
court. In 1598, the greater part of the town was
destroyed by an accidental fire originating in the carelessness of a servant. It suffered considerable damage,
also, from inundations of the river Tyne, in the years
1358, 1421, and 1775.
Burgh Seal.
The town is pleasantly situated on the Tyne, which
separates it on the east from the suburb of Nungate,
with which communication is afforded by a good stone
bridge of four arches; and over the same river are
three other bridges within the limits of the parish. It
consists principally of two parallel streets of unequal
length, of which the longer, forming the High-street,
and being a continuation of the road from Edinburgh,
is spacious and well built, comprising handsome houses,
and is intersected at right angles by a street of considerable extent. It is well paved, and lighted with gas
from works erected in 1835; and the inhabitants are
amply supplied with water. The appearance of the place
has been greatly improved by the erection of several
elegant buildings; and for the accommodation of the
town, a new and commodious market has been formed.
The approaches from the east and west are pleasant, and
ornamented with agreeable villas having fine gardens,
and with extensive nursery-grounds; and the general
aspect of the town, which is seated at the foot of the
Garleton hills, is strikingly picturesque. A subscription
library has been established, which contains more than
1000 volumes; a parochial library, also, is supported
with funds left for that purpose by the late Andrew
Begbie, Esq. There is a valuable library, bequeathed to
the town by the Rev. John Gray, of Aberlady, who also
gave fifty merks per annum for the purchase of additional volumes; and in Haddington is also a library for
the use of the presbytery. A mechanics' institution
was founded in 1823, and is supported by subscription,
for the delivery of lectures on chemistry, the various
branches of mechanics, and other subjects; attached to
it are a good library, a museum, and the requisite apparatus. The Agricultural and the Horticultural Societies of
East Lothian hold their meetings in the town; and there
is a branch of the Bank of Scotland, and also of the
British Linen Company. A considerable trade is carried
on in wool, and in the preparation of bones for manure;
the only manufactories are an iron forge and an establishment for carriage-building. The tanning and currying trades are pursued to a good extent; and there
are two breweries and two distilleries, on an extensive
scale. The market is on Friday, chiefly for grain of
various kinds; it is well attended, and is one of the
greatest marts in the country for wheat. The marketplace for butchers' meat is a neat and commodious
structure, recently formed at an expense of more than
£2000, defrayed from the public funds of the town.
Though Haddington has been a royal burgh from a
very remote period, the earliest charter extant was
granted by James VI., and is dated at Newmarket, the
30th of January, 1624. It confirmed all rights and privileges conferred by the charters which, in the repeated
conflagrations of the town, had been destroyed, and
vested the government in a provost, bailies, and council
of merchants and tradesmen, by whom the other officers
were chosen. The corporation at present consists of
a provost, three bailies, a dean of guild, a treasurer, and
nineteen councillors, appointed under the authority, and
subject to the provisions, of the Municipal act of William IV.; a baron-bailie is appointed for the suburb of
Nungate, and also for the lands in Gladsmuir belonging
to the corporation. The provost and bailies are ex
officio justices of the peace within the burgh and liberties, and they have also, by their charter, the jurisdiction of sheriffs within the royalty; but they do not
exercise this function, and the sheriff of East Lothian
has concurrent jurisdiction with the magistrates of the
burgh, who are assisted by a town-clerk and other officers. The magistrates hold a court weekly for the
adjudication of civil cases, aided by the advice of the
town-clerk; and also for the trial of petty misdemeanours, and for the maintenance of the police. There are
nine incorporations, which have the exclusive right of
exercising trade within the burgh, viz., the hammermen,
wrights and masons, weavers, fleshers, shoemakers,
bakers, tailors, and skinners; each of these fraternities
sends two members to a council consisting of a convener, nine deacon-conveners, and the members of the
incorporations, for the regulation of the various trades.
The burgh joins with those of Jedburgh, Dunbar, Lauder, and North Berwick, in the return of a member to
serve in parliament; the right of election is vested in
the resident freemen and £10 householders. Haddington being the county town, the courts for the shire are
held in it at the appointed periods; and recently, some
elegant county buildings have been erected at the west
end of the town, in the old English style, at a cost of
£5500, from a design by Mr. Burn. The foundation
stone was laid, with masonic honours, in May, 1833, by
Sir John Gordon Sinclair, Bart. The edifice contains
the sheriff and justice-of-peace court-rooms, and other
offices connected with the county; the front is of
polished stone, and other parts of the building are of
also a superior material. It occupies the site of some
old ruins that consisted of a vault and part of an arched
passage, the pillars of the Saxon order; but all traces
of the history of these remains, thought to have been
the most ancient in Haddington, are now lost. The
town-house, for the transaction of the business of the
burgh, has been improved at an expense of £2000, paid
out of the corporation funds; it is a neat building,
including an assembly-room, with a handsome spire.
The prison contains the requisite apartments for the
classification of prisoners.
The parish is about six miles and a half in length
and six in breadth, and comprises 11,169 acres, of which
9312 are arable, 1250 woodland and plantations, and the
remainder meadow, pasture, and waste. The surface
is pleasingly undulated, and the scenery enriched with
woods of ancient growth and with flourishing plantations; the soil is generally fertile, and well adapted for
all kinds of grain. The rotation system of husbandry
is practised; considerable improvement has been made
in draining and inclosing the lands, and the recent
introduction of bone-dust and rape for manure has much
contributed to the fertility of the soil: the crops are,
wheat, barley, oats, beans, peas, potatoes, and turnips.
The farm-buildings are substantial and commodious;
and every improvement in agricultural implements has
been carefully adopted. The woods consist chiefly of
oak, hazel, and birch; and the plantations of Scotch fir,
larch, and spruce. The rateable annual value of the
parish is £33,648. Amisfield, a seat of the Earl of
Wemyss, is a stately mansion on the south bank of the
river Tyne, surrounded by a well-planted demesne and
extensive park, which, during the annual sports called
the Tyneside games, celebrated there under the patronage of the neighbouring nobility and gentry, are much
resorted to. Stevenson, a seat of Sir John Gordon Sinclair, is beautifully situated to the east of Amisfield,
also in a richly-planted demense. Lennoxlove, anciently
Lethington, a seat of Lord Blantyre, is a handsome
mansion, part of which, of great antiquity, and built by
the Gifford family, consists of a square tower of massive
strength: the park is of considerable extent, and contains some fine old timber; it was first inclosed with
walls by the Duke of Lauderdale, who was born here.
Monkrigg is an elegant modern mansion, finely situated,
and encompassed by some highly-enriched scenery; and
Coalston, a little to the south, embraces an interesting
view of the grounds of Lennoxlove, and of the surrounding country. The other seats in the parish are, Clerkington, Letham, Alderston, and Huntington.
Haddington is in the presbytery of Haddington and
synod of Lothian and Tweeddale, and in the patronage
of the Earl of Hopetoun. There are two ministers, the
church being collegiate; the stipend of the first minister
is £343, with a manse, and a glebe valued at £24 per
annum, and the stipend of the second minister is £366,
with a manse, and a glebe valued at £25 per annum.
The church, supposed to have been built in the 14th
century, is a venerable and elegant cruciform structure
in the decorated English style, with a lofty square embattled tower; the choir and transepts are in a dilapidated condition, but the nave has been commodiously
arranged for a congregation of 1240 persons. It contains, in the aisle belonging to the Lauderdale family, a
splendid monument of varied marbles to Lord Chancellor Maitland and his lady, with recumbent figures in
white marble. This fine church, which is 210 feet in
length, was part of a magnificent monastery of Franciscans, where Lord Seton, one of its greatest benefactors, was buried in 1441; the buildings were partly
destroyed by Edward I. A handsome chapel of ease
was erected in 1838, to which a district was till lately
assigned, containing a population of 1878. There are
also an episcopal chapel, and places of worship for
members of the Free Church, the Old Light Seceders,
members of the United Secession, Independents, and
Wesleyans. The grammar school is endowed by the
corporation, who appoint two masters, and pay their
salaries; it is open to all the sons of freemen. The
parochial school, affording a useful education, is supported by the heritors; the master has a salary of £34,
with £50 fees, and a house and garden. The parish
poor have the interest of £300, the aggregate amount
of several bequests. The late David Gourlay, Esq., bequeathed a field of four acres, with £450 in money, and
£840 in the funds, in trust to the ministers of Haddington, for the relief of the industrious poor not on
the parish list. A dispensary for administering medicines to the sick poor is supported by subscription; and
a savings' bank has been established, in which the
amount of deposits is above £1000. In the suburb of
Nungate are the remains of St. Martin's chapel, formerly belonging to the abbey of Haddington. John
Knox, the reformer, was born in this parish, at Giffordgait, adjoining the town, in 1505, and received the
rudiments of his education in the grammar school. The
distinguished family of Maitland resided for many years
at Lethington, which they obtained by purchase. Sir
Richard Maitland, who died in 1586, was lord privy
seal, and author of some poems of merit; his eldest son,
William, filled the office of secretary of state in the
reign of Mary, Queen of Scots; and his next son, who
was created Lord Maitland, of Thirlstane, in 1590, was
lord high chancellor of Scotland till his death in 1595.
Haddington confers the title of Earl on the family of
Hamilton.
Haddingtonshire
HADDINGTONSHIRE, a maritime county, in the
south-east of Scotland, bounded on the north and east
by the Frith of Forth, on the south by the county of
Berwick, and on the west by Edinburghshire. It lies
between 55°; 46' 10" and 56°; 4' (N. Lat.) and 2°; 8' and
2°; 49' (W. Long.), and is about twenty-five miles in
length and sixteen in extreme breadth, comprising an
area of 224 square miles, or 144,510 acres; 8752 houses,
of which 8010 are inhabited; and containing a population of 35,886, of whom 17,279 are males, and 18,607
females. This county, which is likewise called East
Lothian, as being the eastern part of the extensive district of Lothian, including also the shires of Linlithgow
and Edinburgh, was before the time of the Romans
inhabited by the Gadeni, and subsequently formed a
portion of the Saxon kingdom of Northumbria till the
year 1020, when it was ceded to Malcolm II., and annexed to Scotland. From that period, for nearly two
centuries, it appears to have remained in almost undisturbed tranquillity, and to have made considerable progress in agriculture; but during the wars to which the
disputed succession to the Scottish throne gave rise, it
suffered materially, and in 1296 became the scene of
the battle of Dunbar, in which Baliol was defeated. In
1650, it again suffered from the English, under Cromwell, on the same field; and in 1745, the battle of
Prestonpans occurred, between the forces of the Pretender and the English under Sir John Cope, since
which time, however, it has enjoyed uninterrupted
peace.
The county is in the synod of Lothian and Tweeddale, and comprises the presbyteries of Dunbar and
Haddington, with twenty-four parishes. In civil matters;
the district, for a very long period, was merely a constabulary subject to the jurisdiction of the sheriff of
Edinburgh; but in the reign of James II. of England,
it was erected into an independent county. It contains
the three royal burghs of Haddington, the county town,
Dunbar, and North Berwick; and the populous villages
of Prestonpans, Tranent, Aberlady, Belhaven, Ormiston,
Dirleton, Stenton, Tyninghame, Cockenzie, East Linton,
Gifford, and Salton, with numerous smaller villages.
Under the act of the 2nd and 3rd of William IV., the
county returns one member to the imperial parliament.
The surface is varied: towards the shores of the Frith
of Forth it is nearly level, but it rises by gentle undulations towards the south, for some distance, into ridges
of moderate elevation, which extend from east to west,
and increase in height as they approach the southern
boundary, where they form part of the Lammermoor
hills. These hills, on the south-east subside for a considerable extent into a level plain, and on the west into
the fruitful valley of the Tyne, between which and the
Frith are some hills of inferior height. The principal
heights on the ridges are the Gunlane and Garleton
hills; and from the open plain rise two conical hills, at
a distance of seven miles from each other, of which one,
called North Berwick Law, has an elevation of 800, and
the other, called Traprain Law, of 700 feet above the
level of the sea. The chief rivers are the Tyne and the
Peffer. The Tyne rises in Edinburghshire, and, flowing
in an easterly direction, through the pleasant vale to
which it gives name, and turning numerous mills in its
course, falls into the Frith at Tyninghame. The Peffer,
a much smaller stream, has its source in the northern
part of the county, and, passing through a tract of level
ground, falls into the Frith in the parish of Whitekirk,
on the east, and into Aberlady bay, on the west. The
Salton and Gifford waters are tributary to the Tyne;
while Beltonford burn, which has its source among the
Lammermoor hills, in the parish of Garvald, after a
course of seven or eight miles to the north-east, flows
into the Frith to the west of the harbour of Dunbar.
About two-thirds of the land are arable, and the remainder meadow and pasture, with some extensive
woodlands and plantations. The soil, though various,
is generally fertile, and the system of agriculture in the
highest state of improvement; the crops are, wheat,
oats, barley, peas, beans, potatoes, and turnips. Wheat
is the staple crop; the turnips are of the choicest
quality, and the county has long been distinguished for
the excellence of its agricultural produce. The farms
vary from sixty to 250 acres, and are under very skilful
management; the lands are well drained and inclosed,
and abundantly manured with lime; the buildings and
offices, also, are substantial and commodious. On the
several farms are threshing-mills, of which many are
driven by steam. The Lammermoor hills afford good
pasturage for sheep, which are mostly of the Cheviot,
but partly of the black-faced, breed; the cattle are partly
the short-horned, but chiefly of the Highland breed.
The substrata of the Lammermoor district are of the
transitional, and those of the lowlands of the secondary,
formation; coal is found in the west, and limestone of
the finest quality is abundant. Ironstone-clay, and clay
of good quality for bricks, occur in various parts of the
county; and sandstone of compact texture for building,
and trapstone for the roads, are quarried to a great
extent. About 6000 acres are in woods and plantations, which are in a very thriving state; and at Tyninghame are some remarkably fine hedges of holly, of which
one is twenty-five feet in height, and thirteen feet in
width. The first manufactory in Britain for the weaving
of holland was established in this county, and the first
mill erected in Scotland for the preparation of pot-barley
was at Salton. The county is now, however, almost
wholly agricultural, the manufactures carried on being
few and unimportant. Draining-tiles are made; and
there are some paper and flax mills, some starch-works,
distilleries, and breweries. The making of salt was once
carried on to a great extent at Prestonpans; but it is now
very much diminished. The herring-fishery off the coast
employs about 300 boats during the months of August
and September, accommodation being found in the harbour of Dunbar. Facility of communication is afforded
by good roads, constructed under various acts of parliament, and kept in repair by commissioners. The rateable annual value of the county is £258,743, of which
£221,714 are returned for lands, £31,558 for houses,
£490S for mines, and £563 for quarries. There are
numerous remains of antiquity, consisting of mounds,
encampments, and the ruins of ancient castles, abbeys,
and other religious houses, all which are noticed in the
articles on the several parishes in which they are situated.
Haggs
HAGGS, lately a quoad sacra parish, in the parish
of Denny, county of Stirling, 2 miles (S. S. W.) from
Denny; containing 1905 inhabitants, of whom 431 are
in the village. This place occupies the southern portion of the parish of Denny, from which it was separated for ecclesiastical purposes by act of the General
Assembly, in 1840. The village, which is situated on the
road to Glasgow, consists of several houses of two stories,
roofed with slate, some detached and pleasing cottages,
and a neat row of small houses near the coal-works, at
the eastern extremity of which is a large building appropriated as a storehouse. The inhabitants are chiefly
employed in the collieries in this part of Denny, and
in the various manufactories in the neighbourhood.
Facility for the conveyance of the produce of the mines
is afforded by the Forth and Clyde canal, and by the
Edinburgh and Glasgow railway, on which is a station
at Castle-Carie, near the village. The district is not remarkable in an agricultural point of view; the surface
is destitute of timber, and the scenery consequently of
dreary aspect; the soil is generally thin and cold, and
the system of husbandry in a very imperfect state.
The church, which was opened in 1840, was erected
chiefly through the instrumentality and exertions of the
Rev. John Dempster, minister of Denny, and the cooperation and assistance of William Forbes, Esq., of
Callendar, M. P. for the county; it is a handsome and
substantial structure, containing 700 sittings. The
minister, who is chosen by the male communicants, derives his stipend from seat-rents and contributions of
the congregation, no permanent endowment having been
established. A school in the village is supported by
the General Assembly.
Hailes-Quarry
HAILES-QUARRY, a village, in the parish of
Colinton, county of Edinburgh, ¾ of a mile (N. W.
by W.) from Colinton; containing: 158 inhabitants. It
is situated in the south-east part of the parish, on the
road from Edinburgh to Currie; and has its adjunct
from a considerable stone-quarry, of which the material
is of a slaty quality, and divides easily into thin portions, excellent for pavements, lobbies, and steps. The
quarry is wrought to a great depth, and is very productive; and in one year, 1825, when building in Edinburgh was pushed to some extent, yielded its proprietor, Sir Thomas Gibson Carmichael, Bart., a rent of
£9000. Hailes was anciently the name of the parish.
Halbeath
HALBEATH, a village, in the parish and district of
Dunfermline; county of Fife, 3 miles (N. E.) from
Dunfermline; containing 461 inhabitants. This village
is inhabited chiefly by persons employed in the extensive colliery in the neighbourhood, of which the produce
is conveyed by a railway to the port of Inverkeithing,
where it is shipped.
Halfmorton
HALFMORTON, a parish, in the county of Dumfries, 6 miles (N. W.) from Longtown; containing 737
inhabitants. This place derives its name from its
having formed part of the ancient parish of Morton, of
which, on its suppression in the early part of the 17th
century, one-half was merged in the parish of Canobie,
and the other, named Halfmorton, though still remaining as a parish quoad civilia, was ecclesiastically
united to the parish of Wauchope. On the subsequent
erection of Wauchope and Staplegorton into the present
parish of Langholm, in 1703, the minister of that
parish officiated only every fourth Sabbath at Halfmorton, which, in 1839, was consequently disjoined
from Langholm by a decree of the Court of Teinds, and
erected into an independent parish. Halfmorton is
situated in the south-eastern part of the county, and is
bounded on the east by the river Sark, which separates
it from Cumberland; it comprises an area of about
5700 acres, of which 125 are woodland and plantations,
400 moss, and the remainder chiefly arable, with a due
proportion of meadow and pasture. The surface is
agreeably diversified, and the scenery embellished with
thriving plantations. The Sark is the principal river,
and a small stream called the Logan flows through the
parish; in both these are found trout, but not in great
abundance.
The soil along the banks of the river is deep and
rich, and the arable grounds produce valuable crops:
there are considerable tracts of peat-moss. The system
of agriculture is improved, and the lands have been
drained and partly inclosed. The pastures are stocked
with sheep of the Cheviot breed, and with black-cattle;
a considerable number of horses are reared, mostly for
agricultural uses, and on some of the farms great numbers of swine are fed. The substrata are chiefly red
sandstone, clay, and gravel; and limestone is found in
several places. The rateable annual value of the parish
is £3176. The only approximation to a village is the
small hamlet of Chapelknowe, in which the church is
situated: a few persons are employed in hand-loom
weaving for the manufacturers of Carlisle. There are a
subscription library, and also one belonging to the
church. Facility of communication is afforded by roads
kept in good order by statute labour. The ecclesiastical affairs are under the superintendence of the presbytery of Langholm and synod of Dumfries. The
minister's stipend is about £200; patrons, the Crown,
and the Duke of Buccleuch, alternately. The church, a
plain structure built in 1744, and containing 212 sittings, has been recently enlarged. There is a place of
worship in connexion with the Free Church. The parochial school is well conducted; the master has a salary
of £25. 13., with a house and garden, and the fees
average £30 annually. There are no remains of the
ancient church of Morton; but the churchyard is still
used.
Halkirk
HALKIRK, a parish, in the county of Caithness,
7 miles (S. by E.) from Thurso; containing 2963 inhabitants, of whom 236 are in the village. This place,
of which the name is of very uncertain origin, includes
the ancient parishes of Halkirk and Skinnet, supposed
to have been united soon after the Reformation. It is
evidently of very remote antiquity, and was one of the
seats of the Harolds and Sinclairs, earls of Caithness,
of whose baronial castle there are still considerable remains on the north bank of the river Thurso. On the
opposite bank of that river, also, was one of the residences of the bishops of Caithness and Sutherland, of
which, however, not the slightest vestige can now be
traced. The only event of historical importance connected with the place, is the assassination of one of the
bishops by some ruffians said to have been employed for
that purpose by the Earl of Caithness, in revenge for
an additional assessment imposed by the bishop on his
lands. The perpetrators of this inhuman murder were
afterwards discovered, through the strenuous exertions
of King Alexander II., by whose special order they were
sentenced to exemplary punishment.
The parish, which is situated nearly in the centre of
the county, is about twenty-four miles in length and
from three to twelve in breadth, comprising an area of
74,000 acres, of which 6000 are arable, nearly an equal
number meadow and pasture, and the remainder moorland, water, and waste. The surface is generally level;
the only hill of any considerable elevation is that of
Spittal, about three miles to the south-east of the
church, and partly in the parish of Watten. There
are not less than twenty lakes, of which the most extensive are, Loch Calder in the north, and Loch More
in the south; the former is three miles and a half in
length and nearly a mile in breadth, and the latter of
about equal extent. The rivers are, the Thurso, which,
issuing from Loch More, flows through this parish and
that of Thurso, and falls into the sea at Thurso bay;
and the Forss, which partly bounds this parish on the
north-west, and joins the sea at Forss, in the parish of
Thurso. Salmon and trout are found in both these
rivers; and trout of various kinds are taken in the
larger, and also in the smaller lakes, and in the various
streams that issue from them into the river Thurso.
The soil is various, in many parts a clayey loam,
and, though generally wet and cold, resting on a clayey
subsoil, has been greatly improved by the use of lime
and marl, which are found in various places. The chief
crops are, oats, barley, and bear; the system of husbandry has been gradually advancing, and some considerable tracts of moor and moss have been drained, and
brought into cultivation; the farm-houses and offices
are in tolerable condition, and the lands have been
partly inclosed. The pastures are luxuriantly rich; and
considerable numbers of black-cattle and sheep are
reared, the former of the Highland breed, and are sent
to Thurso and Wick, whence many are forwarded by
steam to the English markets. The rateable annual
value of the parish is £6052. The moors abound with
game, consisting chiefly of grouse, hares, snipes, and
partridges; and certain portions are leased out by the
proprietors, producing a rental of £500 per annum.
There are but very scanty remains of ancient wood;
and few plantations have been made, except around the
houses of some of the proprietors; and these are not
in a very thriving state, the soil and climate being unfavourable to their growth. The principal substrata are
limestone and freestone; and coal and lead-ore have
also been found, the latter of which was wrought by the
late Sir John Sinclair, of Ulbster, Bart. There were
once several quarries of limestone in operation, both for
building purposes and for manure; and quarries of flagstone for paving are wrought at Spittal, the produce
being annually sent to Leith and Aberdeen, for exportation. Several handsome and substantial houses have
been erected in various parts, inhabited by some of the
principal farmers, but no seat requiring particular
description. The village is neatly built; it contains
one good inn, and has a friendly society with funds
amounting to £300. A cattle-market, called St. Magnus', is held in the village on the third Tuesday in
December; and another, called Georgemass, takes
place on the last Tuesday in the April and in July, on the
hill of Ruggy, partly in the parish. Communication is
maintained with Thurso by several good roads, recently
formed, and by two bridges over the river Thurso, one
near the village, and the other at Dale, which are both
substantial structures; and by a bridge of wood at
Dirlot. The turnpike-road to Thurso passes for nearly
a mile through a part of the parish; and letters are
brought from that town regularly every day in the
week.
The ecclesiastical affairs are under the superintendence of the presbytery of Caithness and synod of
Sutherland and Caithness. The minister's stipend is
£205. 19., with a manse, and a glebe valued at £8 per
annum; patron, Sir James Colquhoun, Bart. The
church, erected in 1743, and enlarged in 1833, is situated in the village, and is a neat plain structure containing 858 sittings. There is a missionary chapel at
Achrenny, with 403 sittings; the minister has a stipend
of £50 from the Royal Bounty, with a house and garden,
and pasture for a horse. In addition to this, he receives
£45 from the inhabitants of Halsary, in the parish of
Watten, and Halladale, in the parish of Reay, where,
also, there are missionary stations at which he officiates.
The parochial school is well conducted; the master has
a salary of £34, with a house and garden, and the fees
average about £5 per annum. There are several Pictish
houses, and remains of ancient chapels in the parish,
among which latter are those of St. Thomas at Skinnet,
and St. Magnus at Spittal, whereof the walls are still
tolerably entire. Some remains of a third also existed,
at Banniskirk; but they have totally disappeared under
the operation of the plough. of the remains of the
castle of Braal, the seat of the earls of Caithness, the
more ancient portion is a tower, of which the walls, of
great thickness, are still remaining to the height of
thirty-five feet; within the eastern wall is a staircase,
leading to the summit. The more modern portion,
which, from the difficulty of carrying the materials, was
never completed, consists only of the ground-floor, 100
feet in length and fifty feet wide, divided into six vaults.
There are also remains of castles at Dirlot and Loch
More: the former, said to have been erected by the
Sutherlands, is situated on the summit of a detached
rock rising abruptly to the height of fifty feet, from the
river Thurso, by which it was at one time surrounded.
The latter was built by Ronald Cheyne, in the 14th
century, in a district selected as abounding with
deer. There are several springs supposed to possess
mineral properties; but they have not been properly
analysed.
Halvera
HALVERA, or Havera, an isle, forming part of
the parishes of Bressy, Burra, and Quarff, in the
county of Shetland; and containing 37 inhabitants.
It lies about two miles southward of Burra island, and
half a mile, in the same direction, from West Burra,
and at the entrance to Cliff sound. The isle is of small
extent, and has the appearance of a high rock, the
access to it being by a romantic kind of creek; and
the houses seem built in dangerous situations on the
brink of a precipice. There is a smaller isle, called
Little Halvera.
Burgh Seal.
Hamilton
HAMILTON, a parish,
burgh, and market-town, in
the Middle ward of the county
of Lanark, including the village of Fernigair, and containing 10,862 inhabitants, of
whom 8876 are in the town,
11 miles (S. E. by E.) from
Glasgow, and 38 (W. S. W.)
from Edinburgh. This place
appears to have been distinguished at a very early period,
as a royal residence, under
the appellation of Cadzow, of which name, however, the
origin and signification are now unknown. In 1153,
and also in 1289, the monarchs held their courts here;
and it continued to be a royal manor till the battle of
Bannockburn, immediately after which it was conferred
by Bruce upon Walter Fitzgilbert de Hamilton, ancestor
of the present dueal family of that name, in whose possession it has ever since remained. In 1445, James II.,
by charter dated the 3rd of July, created James, then
proprietor of the estate, first Lord Hamilton; and
erected the manor of Cadzow into a barony, which took
its name from the family of its possessor. In 1474,
Lord Hamilton married the Princess Mary, eldest
daughter of the king, and widow of the Earl of Arran,
by virtue of which alliance his descendants were, after
the death of James V., recognised by parliament as
heirs of the crown in the event of the death of Mary,
Queen of Scots. On their accompanying that princess
into France, they were created dukes of Chatelherault,
in that kingdom; and they were subsequently made
dukes of Hamilton by Charles I., and dukes of Brandon,
in England, by Queen Anne. Few events of historical
importance have occurred to distinguish the town. Of
these the principal are conflicts which took place in
1650, between the army of the Covenanters, consisting
of 1500 horse under the command of Colonel Kerr, and
the forces of General Lambert sent against them by
Cromwell, when, after an obstinate resistance, in which
Kerr and 100 of his men were killed, the Covenanters
were dispersed. In 1679, the army of the Covenanters,
again assembling, to the number of 4000 men, encamped
at Bothwell moor, between the river Clyde and the
town, from which position they were dislodged by the
royal army under the Duke of Monmouth, by whom
they were defeated with the loss of 1200 of their number who were taken prisoners. In 1774, an accidental
fire broke out in the town, which, raging for several
days with unabated violence, reduced a considerable
portion of it to ashes.
The town is situated on a tract of elevated ground,
about a mile from the confluence of the Avon with the
Clyde, and considerably to the westward of the ancient
town, of which the only remains now existing are a small
portion of an out-building belonging to the old hall in the
pleasure-grounds of Hamilton Palace. It is intersected
by the Cadaow burn, over which is a noble bridge of three
arches, and by the roads leading to Glasgow and Edinburgh, on the line of the latter of which an elegant bridge
of five arches was erected, over the Clyde, by act of parliament, in 1780: across the same river is also Bothwell bridge, a very ancient structure on the road to
Glasgow, of which the date is unknown, and which was
recently widened and repaired. A handsome bridge
has lately been built over the Avon, on the London
road; and across the same river is an ancient bridge of
three arches, built by the monks of Lesmahago. The
houses are in general well built, and some additional
houses have been very recently erected. The streets
are lighted with gas by a company of proprietary shareholders, who have erected works for the purpose upon
a very elegant plan; and the inhabitants are amply
supplied with water conveyed in pipes, from a distance
of three miles, by a company whose formation was but
recently completed. The public library, supported by
subscription, was first opened in 1808, chiefly under the
auspices of Dr. John Hume, and at present contains
more than 3000 volumes; and a mechanics' institution
has been established within the last few years, which is
maintained with success. The cavalry barracks occupy a
large area surrounded with a wall, and comprise a ridingroom, and an hospital, with stabling and the other
usual accommodations. There are three masonic lodges,
two gardeners' societies, and a friendly society. Considerable improvements have taken place in the town
by the formation of new streets. The post is frequent;
and great facility of intercourse is maintained with
Glasgow and the adjacent towns by numerous coaches
and other modes of conveyance. The market is on Friday; and several fairs are held in the year, which were
formerly great marts for lint and wool, but at present
are little more than large markets. The market for
butchers' meat and the shambles are situated nearly in
the middle of the town, on the bank of the Cadzow
burn; and the buildings are neat, and well adapted to
the purpose. A very considerable TRADE was formerly
carried on here in malt, under the direction of the
Society of Maltsters, which society is still kept up,
though the trade has altogether declined: the linen
trade, also, which formed at one time almost the staple
business of the place, has been wholly discontinued.
The cotton trade, on its first introduction, flourished
here for some years, and the town became the principal
seat of the district for the weaving of imitation or Scotch
cambries; it has been on the decline since 1792, but is
still considerable, and affords employment to many of
the inhabitants. There are at present about 1300 looms
in the town, and fifty in the rural districts of the parish;
and many females are engaged in winding and in tambouring. The old lace manufacture, introduced by one
of the duchesses of Hamilton, has for many years been
decaying, and is now almost extinct; but a new manufacture of lace, introduced some years since by a firm
from Nottingham, is at present the most flourishing
trade of Hamilton, and gives occupation to nearly 3000
women in the town and neighbourhood. The principal
productions are, tamboured bobbinets, and black silk
veils of various patterns, with other articles, for which
there is a very large and increasing demand, for the
markets of England, America, and the British colonies.
Many very respectable houses are engaged in this
trade, which has, since its introduction by Mr. Galloch,
been very much improved by others. Great quantities of check shirts are also made in the town, and
exported to Australia; the weaving of stockings is carried on to a limited extent; and the tanning of leather
is conducted, though on a very small scale.
The present town, though the greater part of it is
comparatively modern, is of considerable antiquity, and,
in the reign of James II., was erected into a burgh by
charter of that monarch, granted in 1456. In 1548, it
was created a royal burgh by Queen Mary; and it continued to enjoy its privileges as such till 1670, when the
inhabitants forfeited their rights by disused, and accepted
a new charter from Anne, Duchess of Hamilton, by
which it became merely the chief burgh of the duchy of
Hamilton. At the present time, the government is vested
in a provost, three bailies, a treasurer, and a council of
seven, assisted by a town-clerk and other officers. The
provost and bailies are elected annually from the council,
four of whom go out of office by rotation, every year,
when four new ones are chosen by the inhabitants; the
treasurer and the town-clerk are appointed by the corporation. The provost and bailies are justices of the
peace, by virtue of their office, and are empowered by
the charter to hold courts for the determination of all
claims in actions of debt, and for the trial of all criminal
cases not extending to life or limb, within the burgh.
The magistrates used formerly to hold occasionally a
court for the recovery of debts under forty shillings,
which court, however, has, on account of a doubt entertained of its legality, fallen into disuse: they still
hold weekly courts for the recovery of debts and for
civil actions to an unlimited amount, in which the townclerk acts as assessor; and also courts of police for
the trial of misdemeanours and other offences not capital. The elective franchise was granted by act of the
2nd and 3rd of William IV.; and the burgh has, from
that time, in conjunction with Lanark, Falkirk, Linlithgow, and Airdrie, returned one member to the imperial
parliament. The right of election is vested in the householders occupying tenements of the yearly value of £10
and upwards, of whom there are nearly 300. The former
court-house and prison, erected at the cross in the reign
of Charles I., were lately taken down; and the old
town-hall is now disused. A new town-hall with public offices and a prison, of which the first stone was
laid in 1834, has been built in lieu, and consists of a
distinct range of building, two stories high, comprising,
on the ground-floor, three apartments for the sheriff's
clerk, with a record-room, and offices for the townclerk, &c., as well as a court-room thirty-seven feet long,
and thirty-two feet broad: in the upper story is a large
hall for county meetings, with other apartments. Behind is the prison, three stories high, containing fortyfive cells, with a spacious day-room for debtors, and
day-rooms for criminals; the lower part is appropriated
as a bridewell, and the upper part to debtors. Between
the public offices and the prison is the house of the
governor, with requisite apartments, and a bath for the
use of the prison; the whole surrounded with a high
wall, inclosing an area of about two roods. The trades'
hall, in Church-street, erected in 1816, is a neat and
appropriate building, comprising, in the upper part, a
hall for the meetings of the trades, and, in the lower, a
well-arranged tavern. There are also a tax, excise, and
stamp office. The rateable annual value of the parish
is £38,181.
The parish extends for nearly six miles in length,
and is almost of the same breadth; it is bounded on
the north and north-east by the river Clyde, on the
south and south-west by the parish of Glassford, on the
east by the parishes of Dalziel, Cambusnethan, Dalserf,
and Stonehouse, and on the west by Blantyre. It comprises 14,240 acres of land, of which about 8000 are
arable and of good quality, 2000 woodland, and 2040
unprofitable or waste. The surface is generally level,
occasionally varied with sloping ridges, but not rising
into hills of any considerable elevation. The most fertile lands are the extensive vales on the south-western
bank of the Clyde, where the soil is a deep rich loam;
and on the north-eastern side of that river are some hundreds of acres which, though belonging to this parish,
seem to be more properly within that of Dalziel, which
nearly surrounds them. The soil in the middle of the
parish rests upon a yellow clay, and is less fertile than
that of the valleys near the Clyde; the higher parts consist chiefly of gravel and sand, and are comparatively
unproductive. The substrata are principally sandstone
rock, appearing in great masses that are from under
fifty to more than 300 feet in thickness; whinstone
also prevails in some parts, and coal, lime, and ironstone
are found. The several strata of coal vary from twenty
to twenty-four feet in average thickness. The limestone is of various quality; that obtained in the south-west is excellent, and much used for building and also
for manure. The ironstone is found in seams about
eighteen inches thick, and also in masses varying from
very minute balls to others of several inches in diameter,
chiefly in the clay near the strata of coal. Among the
crops are, wheat, which is grown on all the lands near
the Clyde, and also on some few of the higher lands;
and oats of various descriptions, of which the Polish,
Essex, and Friesland are predominant. Peas and beans
are chiefly raised on the lower grounds. Barley, formerly more largely cultivated, is now seldom sown,
except for preparing lands for artificial grasses; but
potatoes are produced in great quantities, and of good
quality, and a little flax for domestic use. The system
of agriculture, though varying greatly in different parts,
is generally advanced; there are some considerable
dairy-farms, and much attention is paid to the breeding
of cattle, in which many improvements have taken place
within the last few years. Great improvement has also
been made in draining and inclosing the lands; the
fences are chiefly hedges, and are mostly well kept up.
The pastures, especially in the low lands bordering on
the Clyde, are fertile; and attached to a few of the
farms, and even to some of the houses in the town, are
orchards which are cultivated with assiduous care, and
abound with fruit of excellent quality. There are considerable tracts of woodland in the parish, of which the
principal are, Bar-Michael wood near Bothwell bridge,
Ross wood on the river Clyde, and Hamilton wood on
the Avon and Barncluith burn. Forest trees of every
kind thrive well, particularly on the lower lands. Oak
is very prevalent, and many of the older trees have
attained considerable size, several of them measuring
thirty-six feet in girth; larch and Scotch fir also thrive;
and the banks of the rivers, where they have any elevation, are crowned with luxuriant foliage. Silver and
spruce fir are grown with success; and the cedar of
Lebanon has attained a tolerable size where it has been
planted. Freestone is found in several parts, of a good
quality for building; and at present about fifty men are
constantly employed in the various quarries.
The principal river is the Clyde, which rises in the
heights of Crawford, and enters the parish below the
falls at Lanark; it expands abruptly in its course, which
is very rapid, into a breadth varying from eighty to 100
feet, and is subject after rains to frequent inundations,
by which the lands have at different times been much
injured. The Avon also intersects the parish, receiving
in its course six tributary streams; and there are three
other streamlets or burns, which fall into the Clyde.
The Avon rises on the west, near the borders of the
county of Ayr, and, after a picturesque course of several
miles through the vale to which it gives name, enters
the parish at Millheugh bridge, a little below which it
flows through a defile bounded on each side by majestic
rocks of romantic aspect, rising to the height of 200 or
300 feet, and richly clothed, in some parts almost to
their summits, with stately and venerable oaks. Nearly
in the centre of this defile are the remains of Cadzow
Castle, seated on a rock ascending perpendicularly to
the height of 200 feet above the level of the river; and
on the opposite bank is the banquet-house of the Duke
of Hamilton, built after the model of Chatelherault,
from which it takes its name. Not far from the extremity of the chasm, and about three miles from the entrance, are the gardens of Barncluith, the property of
Lord Ruthven, rising in terraces from the western bank
of the river, which, after forcing its way through this
rocky channel, flows along the fertile valleys of the
parish, and falls into the Clyde near Hamilton bridge.
Of the several tributary streams that intersect the parish
the principal are, Cadzow burn, which rises in Glassford, and, after running through the town, falls into the
Clyde at a short distance below Hamilton bridge; and
Barncluith burn, which joins the Avon about half a mile
from the town. The latter burn flows through Hamilton wood, forming in its way five or six falls, varying
from five to six feet in height, and adding greatly to the
beauty of the scenery. The Clyde and the Avon abound
with fish, of which salmon, trout, pike, perch, lampreys,
and silver-eels are the most common; and roach are
occasionally found. Fish are found also in the streams
tributary to those rivers.
Hamilton Palace, the seat of his grace the Duke
of Hamilton, situated on the borders of the town, about
half a mile to the west of the confluence of the Avon
and Clyde, was originally a square tower of very small
dimensions. The more ancient part of the present
mansion was built in 1590, and nearly rebuilt about the
year 1720; considerable additions have been made to the
building since 1822, and at present it is one of the most
splendid structures in the kingdom. The north front
is 264 feet in length, and three stories in height, with a
stately portico of duplicated Corinthian columns, each
thirty feet high, and three feet in diameter, formed of
one single block, and supporting a triangular pediment.
To the west is a wing 100 feet in length, appropriated
for offices and servants' apartments; and in the rear of
the building is a corridor of recent addition, in which
are baths and various appendages for the use of the
family. The entrance hall is lofty and richly embellished; and all the state apartments, which are extremely spacious, are magnificently decorated, and richly
ornamented with sculpture. The dining-room is seventy
feet in length and thirty feet wide, and has numerous
embellishments, among which is a tripod of exquisite
beauty standing on a pedestal of African marble: the
other apartments, also, abound with costly vases, cabinets, specimens, of mosaic, gems, and other rare and
interesting curiosities. The gallery, which is 120 feet
long, twenty feet wide, and twenty feet high, contains
an extensive and very valuable collection of paintings
by the most eminent masters of the Italian and Flemish
schools, and many family portraits. At the upper end
is the throne used by his grace when ambassador at the
court of Petersburgh, and on one side of it is a bust of
Augustus, and on the other one of Tiberius, both of
oriental porphyry: at the opposite end of the gallery is
a beautiful door of black marble, surmounted by a
pediment supported on two pillars of green porphyry.
The library contains a large collection of well-assorted
volumes, and of prints, the latter alone being valued at
£10,000. The stables, built between the palace and the
town, are on a scale adapted to the style of the palace;
and the grounds abound with stately timber, and with
every variety and beauty of scenery. The banquetinghouse of Chatelherault was erected in 1732, by the then
duke, after a model of the citadel of that name in France;
it is built of red freestone, and decorated with four square
towers, and, with its numerous pinnacles and other
ornaments, forms a conspicuous object on the eastern
side of the river Avon. It contains, among various
interesting works of taste, a small but choice collection
of paintings; and the grounds, in which is an extensive flower-garden, are tastefully embellished. Earnock
House, a seat in the parish, is beautifully situated in
its western part, on an elevated site surrounded with
flourishing plantations; the house is of modern erection, well adapted for its purpose, and the gardens and
pleasure-grounds are agreeably laid out. Ross is a
spacious mansion, pleasantly situated in grounds comprehending much pleasing scenery: Nielsland is also a
handsome residence, with an extensive demesne; and
there are some good houses at Fair Hill, Grovemount,
Edlewood, and Fairholme. Of Barncluith the principal
feature is the gardens previously noticed; and many of
the ancient seats of different branches of the Hamilton
family have become farm-houses. The chief landed proprietor is the Duke of Hamilton, who owns more than
one-half of the parish.
The parish formerly comprished the chapelry of Machan, now the parish of Dalserf; and the church was
granted by David I., together with the lands belonging
to it, to the abbey of Glasgow, and was afterwards
appropriated to the deanery of that see. The Ecclesiastical affairs are now under the superintendence of
the presbytery of Hamilton and synod of Glasgow and
Ayr. There are two ministers, of whom the first has
a stipend of £313. 13., whereof £2. 15. arise from a
bequest for communion elements; and £107. 10. are
allowed by the Duke of Hamilton in lieu of manse and
glebe: the second minister has a stipend of less amount,
with a manse, but no glebe. The old church, which was
made collegiate under the influence of the first Lord
Hamilton, in 1451, stood in the higher part of the
parish, and was endowed for a provost and eight prebendaries, and contained a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary, for which a chaplain was appointed. The
building, which was of hewn stone, consisted of a nave,
choir, and transepts, of elegant design, and continued
till 1732, when it fell into decay, since which time it has
been greatly dilapidated, nothing of it now remaining
but one of the transepts, still used as a burying-place
for the Hamilton family. The present parish church,
situated nearly in the centre of the town, is a handsome
structure of circular form, erected after a design by the
elder Adam, architect; and is adapted to a congregation of 800. A second church in connexion with the
Establishment, and capable of containing 1021 persons,
has been lately erected; but this building is now in the
hands of members of the Free Church, who appoint
the minister. The Episcopalians in the neighbourhood
have just formed themselves into a congregation. The
Roman Catholics have purchased ground for the erection of a chapel; and there are two congregations of
the Relief, one in Muir-street, and the other in Brandon-street; also places of worship for Antiburghers,
New Light Burghers, Old Independents, and a tabernacle in connexion with the Congregational Union. The
grammar school is of ancient origin, and in 1588 was
endowed by Lord John Hamilton with £20 Scotch per
annum; it affords a liberal education to about forty
children, and is under the patronage of the corporation.
The master's salary is £34, and the fees on the average
amount to £60: the school-house is a venerable building, nearly in the centre of the town. The hospital
founded and supported by the Duke of Hamilton, for
twelve aged men, was originally built in the old town,
but was removed to the present after the erection of the
collegiate church; it is an ancient building with a campanile turret, situated near the cross, and was formerly
inhabited by the pensioners, but has for some years
been let out, and the receipts applied to their use. An
hospital was built and endowed in 1775, by William
Aikman, Esq., for four aged men, who have each a residence in the building, which is in Muir-street, with a
suit of clothes every second year, and £4 per annum.
Mr. John Rae bequeathed to the town council a sum of
money which, together with some bequests of other
benefactors, produces an annual interest of £9.2.4.,
which, according to the will of the testators, is distributed among poor housekeepers. Mr. Robertson, of
this town, and sheriff-clerk of Lanark, in conjunction
with Mr. Lyon, left £4 per annum for nine aged men;
and Miss Christian Allan, in 1785, left to the Kirk
Session £50, in trust for the benefit of the poor. Mr.
William Torbet bequeathed to the same trustees an
orchard that lets at £10 per annum; and they have
also a legacy of £50, the interest of which is divided
among five female housekeepers named by them; another legacy of £50, of which only £30 were paid, for
clothing the indigent poor; and a donation of £100, of
which the interest is applied to the instruction of twelve
children.
Among the Antiquities in the parish, the most conspicuous are the remains of Cadzow Castle, previously
noticed as crowning the summit of a precipitous rock
rising from the river Avon, in Hamilton woods; it has
been repaired at various times. The keep, surrounded
by a fosse, over which is a narrow bridge leading to the
entrance gateway, and a well within the walls, are still
in good preservation; and several vaults, with part of
the walls of the chapel, may yet be distinctly traced.
Darngaber Castle, in the south-east of the parish, supposed to have been founded by Thomas, son of Sir John
de Hamilton, lord of Cadzow, occupied an elevated site
at the extremity of a point of land near the confluence
of two rivulets: the only remains are, portions of the
foundations, which appear to have consisted of flat unhewn and uncemented stones; and some vaults, that
seem to have been constructed at a much earlier period.
At Meikle Earnoch, two miles south of the town, is a
tumulus about twelve feet in diameter, and eight feet
high, which appears to have been originally of larger
dimensions. On opening it several urns were found,
containing human bones nearly reduced to ashes; they
were all of baked earth, without inscription, but some
of them were decorated with mouldings. To the north
of Hamilton Palace is a mount supposed to have been
in remoter ages a seat for the administration of justice;
it is about thirty feet in diameter at the base, and fifteen feet high, and near it is a stone cross four feet
high, without inscription. This is thought to have been
the market cross of the old town, called Netherton,
which, previously to the erection of the present town of
Hamilton, occupied this part. In the south of the
parish is a portion of a cromlech, consisting of one
stone of about six feet, which, having declined greatly
from its erect position, was recently replaced by the
tenant of a neighbouring farm.
Handa
HANDA, an island, in the parish of Eddrachillis,
county of Sutherland; containing 65 inhabitants.
It is situated off the western coast of the county, and
separated from the main land of the parish by a narrow
sound; and is about a mile square. On the north, one
vast perpendicular rock, or majestic cliff, 600 feet in
height, presents its face to the sea, and is the habitation
of innumerable sea-fowl during the season of incubation; on the south, the isle is much lower, and the
ascent gentle and easy. It has some fertile spots, producing corn and hay, but is principally appropriated to
sheep-walks. Fishing is the chief employment of the
population, who also obtain by fowling, and frequently
by daring exploits, great quantities of birds and eggs, as
well for disposal to their main land neighbours, as for
their own subsistence. This was once the residence of
Little John Mac Dhoil Mhich Huishdan, one of the
Macleods of Assynt, and the murderer of Judge Morison, of Lewis, in the reign of James VI.
Hanginshaw
HANGINSHAW, a village, in the parish of Cathcart, Upper ward of the county of Renfrew, 1 mile
(N. N. E.) from Cathcart; containing 143 inhabitants.
It is seated in the eastern part of the parish, and a
short distance east of the road from Cathcart to Glasgow; the Cart water flows south of the village.
Hardgate
HARDGATE, a village, in that part of the parish of
Old Kilpatrick which formed the quoad sacra parish
of Duntocher, county of Dumbarton, 2 miles (E.)
from Old Kilpatrick; containing 467 inhabitants. This
is one of numerous thriving villages which have sprung
up in this great manufacturing district within the present century. It arose in the erection of the mill here, in
1831, for spinning and weaving cotton, by Mr. Dunn, a
large proprietor of land in this quarter, and the enterprising founder of several other mills and works in the
vicinity. The villages of Hardgate, Duntocher, Faifley,
and Milton, in which Mr. Dunn has considerable establishments, are all within less than a mile of each other,
and border on the Frith of Clyde, which flows on the
south of the parish.
Hardgate
HARDGATE, a hamlet, in the parish of Urr, stewartry of Kirkcudbright, 5½ miles (N. E.) from Castle-Douglas; containing 46 inhabitants. It lies in the
centre of the parish, a short distance northward of the
church.
Harray.
HARRAY.— See Birsay, county of Orkney.
Harris
HARRIS, a parish, comprising the southern division of the island of Lewis, in the county of Inverness, 44 miles (N. W.) from Portree; and containing,
with the islands designated Bernera, Ensay, Hermitray,
Killigray, Pabbay, Scalpay, Scarp, and Tarrinsay, 4429
inhabitants. The parish of Harris was till lately called
Kilbride; its present name is corrupted from the
Gaelic term na hardibh, signifying "the heights," this
district of the Hebrides being the highest and most
mountainous of any in the island of Lewis. It consists
chiefly of the southern part of that island, separated
from the northern portion by an isthmus about six miles
across, formed by the approach to each other of the two
great harbours, Loch Resort and Loch Seaforth. The
Atlantic Ocean bounds it on the west; on the east is the
Minch, which separates it from the island of Skye; and
on the south is the channel generally called the Sound
of Harris, but sometimes Caolas Uist, or the Sound of
Uist, lying between Harris and the islands of Bernera
and North Uist. The parish is fifty miles in length,
varies in breadth from eight to twenty-four miles, and
comprises 94,000 Scotch acres, of which 85,000 are
moor and pasture, 800 subject to tillage by the plough,
and 6000 by the spade, 300 under plantations, and the
remainder sand and rock. The shore on the west is in
some parts sandy, and in others strongly marked by precipitous rocks; the eastern coast is broken with many
harbours, bays, and creeks. At a small distance on the
west are the inhabited islands denominated Tarrinsay
and Scarp; and in the Sound of Harris, a channel about
nine miles across, affording a communication for vessels
between the Minch and the Atlantic, are the inhabited
islands of Bernera, Pabbay, Ensay, and Killigray, with
many smaller ones, uninhabited, and entirely appropriated to pasturage. The coasts abound with oysters
and lobsters, and several boats are engaged in taking
the latter: the sun-fish, also, is sometimes taken in
the summer months, with the harpoon; and in the
island of Gaasker, seals are killed in large numbers
with clubs.
The main land of the parish is divided into two distinct portions by an isthmus about a quarter of a miles in
breadth, formed by an arm of the sea on each side,
respectively called East and West Loch Tarbert. The
northern district is prominently intersected by part of
a range of mountains running longitudinally throughout the parish, and which attain an elevation of from
2000 to 3000 feet above the level of the sea, and are
here at their greatest height. This portion is traversed
by large herds of deer, which range among the hills and
glens; and, though destitute of wood, is called the
Forest, having, as is supposed, been once a royal forest.
The surface of the southern portion of the parish is
similar in appearance to the former, but marked by more
moderate elevations: grouse, wild-geese, plover, and
pigeons, are numerous on the moors and lower grounds;
and the eagle is a visitant of some of the most lofty
rocks. There are fresh-water lakes and rivulets in every
direction; the waters of Lacksta, Scurt, and Obbe
abound with salmon and trout. The district is chiefly
pastoral, only a very small portion, on account of the
intractable nature of the ground, being capable of
the regular operations of husbandry. The soil of a
large part of the land in cultivation is very poor; and
several of the best farms, formerly possessed by small
tenants, have been consolidated, and converted into
sheep-walks. The crops consist principally of oats, barley, and potatoes; the live stock are mostly Cheviot
sheep and black-cattle, to the breed of which particular
attention is paid. The small tenants occupy cottages of
unhewn stone, with clay cement, and covered with straw
thatch, the one building often serving for the family and
the cows and horses: on the larger farms are respectable steadings. The Earl of Dunmore is proprietor of
the parish, and has a shooting-seat here. The rocks are
partly of the primitive formation; but that which most
prevails is gneiss. The rateable annual value of Harris
is £4015.
About 250 families are engaged, during the summer
months, in the manufacture of kelp, 600 tons of which
are annually prepared: attempts were made by the late
proprietor to establish fishing-stations in several parts
of the parish, but they all proved unsuccessful. The
harbour of Scalpay, on the eastern coast, is much frequented by foreign ships; and the numerous bays and
creeks are convenient places of resort for small craft.
Many boats belong to the parish, and are employed in
conveying kelp to market: the lobsters taken here are
regularly sent by smacks to London. A packet runs twice
in each week in summer, and once in winter, between
Tarbert, in Harris, and Uig, in the Isle of Skye. An
annual fair is held in July, at Tarbert, for the sale of
cattle and horses; the sheep graziers send their stock
to the Falkirk tryst. The parish is in the presbytery of
Uist and synod of Glenelg, and in the patronage of the
Earl of Dunmore: the minister's stipend is £158, of
which nearly two-thirds are received from the exchequer, with a manse, and a glebe valued at £45 per
annum. A new church, with 400 sittings, has just
been built, the old edifice, situated nearly in the centre
of the parish, and accommodating only 250 persons,
having become too ruinous for public worship. At
Bernera is a government church, erected in 1829, to
which is attached a district consisting of some islands
belonging to the parish; and a missionary is supported
at Tarbert by the Royal Bounty, a church and manse
having been provided by A. N. Macleod, Esq., the late
proprietor. The parochial school affords instruction in
Latin, in addition to the ordinary branches; the master
has a salary of £30, with a house, and about £6 fees.
There are also three schools supported by the Gaelic
School Society, Gaelic being the prevailing language of
the place; but these will soon be superseded by English schools. The chief relic of antiquity is the ruin of
a church at Rodil, once attached to the priory of St.
Clement's, and used, until it became too much dilapidated, as the parochial place of worship.
Harthill
HARTHILL, a village, in the parish of Shotts,
Middle ward of the county of Lanark; containing 176
inhabitants.
Hascussay
HASCUSSAY, an isle, in the parish of Mid and
South Yell, county of Shetland; containing 42
inhabitants. It lies on the east side of Yell, in Colgrave sound, and west of the isle of Fetlar; it is one of
the smaller of the Shetland group, and was formerly
uninhabited.
Hassendean
HASSENDEAN, a hamlet, in the parish of Minto,
district of Jedburgh, county of Roxburgh, 7 miles
(W.) from Jedburgh; containing 21 inhabitants. This
place, seated on a small stream of the same name, was
anciently a parish, of which the lands were divided between the parishes of Minto, Wilton, and Roberton.
After the Reformation the church and its pertinents
were granted to Walter, Earl of Buccleuch. There was
formerly a cell here, dependent on the abbey of Melrose; and a farm adjoining the church continues to
bear the name of the Monks' croft. The church and
greater part of the churchyard have been washed away
by the river Teviot, which passes on the south of the
parish of Minto, and of which the Hassendean burn is
a tributary.
Haugh
HAUGH, a village, in the parish of Mauchline,
district of Kyle, county of Ayr, 1½ mile (S.) from
Mauchline; containing 79 inhabitants. It is seated on
the north bank of the river Ayr, and has a woollen
manufactory, chiefly for carpet yarn, employing about
thirty persons.
Haugh
HAUGH, a village, in the parish of Urr, stewartry
of Kirkcudbright, 4½ miles (N. E.) from CastleDouglas; containing 240 inhabitants. It is situated
on the Urr water, about a mile westward from the
church, and is one of the four most populous villages
in the parish.
Haugh-Head
HAUGH-HEAD, a village, in the parish of Campsie,
county of Stirling; containing 328 inhabitants. This
place is situated in the western part of the parish, and
is one of several villages of which the population is
engaged in the coal-mines, print-works, and print-fields
of the district.
Haugh-Mill
HAUGH-MILL, a village, in that part of the parish
of Markinch which formed the quoad sacra parish of
Milton of Balgonie, county of Fife; containing 170
inhabitants. This village has risen since the erection
of some mills, in 1794, for the spinning of flax and tow
into canvass yarn, for which purpose they continued to
be employed till 1832, when the present proprietor introduced a complete set of new machinery, for the
spinning of the finer yarns for home-made linens. In
1835, he greatly augmented the number of spindles,
now amounting to 2000. The machinery is propelled
by two water-wheels of forty-horse power; and from
twenty-five to thirty tons of flax are consumed monthly,
imported chiefly from Holland, Belgium, France, Archangel, Riga, and St. Petersburg. In 1836, a spacious
bleachfield was established in connexion with the works;
and both of these afford employment to about 185
persons, many of whom live in cottages built upon the
premises.
Haven, East
HAVEN, EAST, a village, in the parish of Panbride, county of Forfar, 4½ miles (S. W.) from
Arbroath; containing 145 inhabitants. This place derives its affix from its relative situation with respect to
another village, about a mile distant, and also on the
sea-coast. It is neatly built, and is inhabited chiefly
by persons engaged in the fishery, and in the trades
requisite for the supply of the immediate neighbourhood. The fish that are taken are, lobsters, cod, haddocks, and other kinds, which are found in abundance
off this part of the coast, and are sent to Dundee and
other places in the vicinity, and to the London market.
Great quantities of lobsters are forwarded to London,
being kept alive during the passage by the free admission of sea-water into wells constructed for that purpose. The cod and haddocks are sold fresh at Dundee,
and markets in the vicinity; and alter the supply of
the neighbourhood, many are salted, and exported to
distant places. Three boats are employed in the fishery:
the season for the lobster-fishing commences in the
beginning of February, and usually terminates about
the end of May. A considerable trade, also, is carried
on here, during the summer, in the importation of coal
and lime; and there are, belonging to this place and
West Haven, four vessels, varying in burthen from
about fifty to seventy tons. The village has no properly constructed harbour, but merely an open cove or
landing place, accessible to vessels of eighty tons; so
that, from the want of shelter, the trade is entirely discontinued during the winter. Facility of intercourse is
afforded by the great turnpike-road from Dundee to
Arbroath, and by the Dundee and Arbroath railway,
which has an intermediate station here, a handsome
structure in the Elizabethan style, furnished with every
requisite accommodation.
Haven, West
HAVEN, WEST, a village, in the parish of Panbride, county of Forfar, 5½ miles (S. W.) from Arbroath; containing 301 inhabitants. This village is
situated on the coast, at a distance of a mile only
from East Haven, and, with the exception of a small
hamlet adjoining it, to the landward, is in every
respect so identified with that village in its fishery,
trade, and other circumstances, as to require no separate
description.
Havera
HAVERA, county of Shetland.—See Halvera.
Hawick
HAWICK, a burgh of
barony and a parish, in the
district of Hawick, county
of Roxburgh, 10 miles (W.
S. W.) from Jedburgh, and
50 (S. S. E.) from Edinburgh; containing 8000 inhabitants, of whom 7000 are
in the burgh. This place, of
which the name simply denotes "a village or town in
the bend of a river," is of
remote antiquity, and is generally supposed to have been originally of Saxon foundation; but very little of its history is known prior to
the commencement of the fourteenth century. The first
authentic notice of the burgh occurs in a charter granted
by Robert. Bruce; and the barony, together with that
of Sprouston, appears to have been conferred by David
II. on Thomas de Murray, from whom it descended,
during that king's reign, to Maurice, Earl of Strathearn.
In the early part of the fifteenth century, it became the
property of Sir William Douglas, who, for his gallant
services in the wars of the border, obtained from James
I. a charter confirming to him the lands, of Hawick, and
bestowing also those of Selkirk and Drumlanrig. The
barony remained for many generations in the possession
of his descendants, of whom Sir William Douglas was,
in 1639, created Earl of Queensberry, Viscount Drumlanrig, and Lord Hawick. It subsequently became the
property of the Scott family, who continued to exercise
lordly authority over their feudatories till the year 1747,
when, on the final abolition of heritable jurisdictions,
the Duke of Buccleuch received from parliament the
sum of £400, as a compensation. During the border
warfare, the town suffered repeated devastation; in 1418,
it was burnt by the forces under Sir Robert Umfraville,
governor of Berwick, and in 1544 was laid waste by the
troops of Sir Ralph Evers and Sir Brian Latoun. In
1570, to prevent its occupation by the English under
the Earl of Surrey, the inhabitants themselves set fire
to the town, which, with the exception of the ancient
castle, called the Black Tower, was wholly destroyed,
In rebuilding the town after these calamities, the dangers to which it was exposed led to the adoption of a
peculiar style of architecture; the houses were built of
rough whinstone, with walls of massive thickness, and
without any entrance except from a court-yard in the
rear. Of these buildings, each of which was well calculated for defence, there are still some few specimens
remaining. From its situation near the confluence of
two rivers, the town is exposed to inundations; and in
1767, after a heavy fall of rain, the Slitrig, in the course
of two hours, rose to a height of twenty feet above its
ordinary level, and carried away the garden wall of the
manse, the parish school-room, a corn-mill, and the
whole of the houses in one of the streets.
Burgh Seal.
The present Town is pleasantly seated on the south-east bank of the Teviot, and is divided into two parts by
the river Slitrig, which flows through it into the former
stream. It consists of one principal street, and of several smaller streets and lanes diverging from it on both
sides; some new streets have been formed, and a handsome range of buildings called Slitrig-crescent, and
another named Teviot-crescent. The streets are well
paved, and lighted with gas; and the inhabitants are
amply supplied with water, conveyed by pipes. Connecting the opposite sides of the town are two bridges
over the Slitrig, one of which is of antique character;
and towards the eastern extremity, an elegant bridge
has been erected across the Teviot. The approach to
the town, both from the east and west, derives great
beauty from the nursery grounds and gardens in those
directions; the surrounding scenery, also, is very pleasing. The public subscription library, established in
1762, is supported by a proprietary of shareholders, and
has a collection of 3500 volumes; the trades' library,
opened in 1802, has 1200 volumes; and there are several smaller libraries. The town also contains three
public reading and news rooms, as well as subscription
assembly-rooms, which are used occasionally for public
meetings. A school of arts, founded in 1824, under the
patronage of James Douglas, Esq., was formerly supported by subscription, for the delivery of courses of
lectures on literary and scientific subjects.
The staple Trade is the woollen manufacture, which
of late has been rapidly increasing, and is now carried
on to a very considerable extent. The weaving of coarse
woollen stockings was first introduced in 1771, by Mr.
John Hardie, and, on his retiring from the concern in
1780, was continued on a much larger scale by Mr.
John Nixon. Still, comparatively little was done previously to the adoption of machinery for the spinning of
yarn, which took place about the commencement of the
present century. Since that period the woollen manufacture has greatly increased in variety and extent; and
there are now eleven factories belonging to the manufacturers of this place, some of them, however, situated
within the limits of the adjoining parish of Wilton.
In all of these, machinery on the most approved principles is employed; four are partly driven by steam,
and the others by water only. The articles are, underclothing, flannels, plaidings, shawls, tartans, druggets and woollen cloths of every description, lambs'wool hosiery of the finest texture, and Scottish and
English blankets. The production of these affords occupation, including women, to nearly 3000 persons. There
are also many persons employed in the making of
thongs, gloves, candles, and some other articles, and in
the tanning of leather and dressing of sheep-skins; the
manufacture of machinery of all kinds is considerable; and there are numerous masons, carpenters,
smiths, millwrights, and others occupied in handicraft
trades. The post-office has a good delivery; and previously to the alteration in the rates of postage the
revenue amounted to £1000. There are three branch
banks, and a savings' bank, in which latter the deposits
are nearly £7000. The market is on Thursday, and is
amply supplied with grain and with all kinds of provisions. Fairs are held on the 17th of May, for cattle
and hiring servants; on the 20th and 21st of September, for sheep; on the third Tuesday in October, for
cattle and horses; and the 8th of November, for cattle
and hiring servants. Facility of communication is
afforded by turnpike and statute roads, which have
been greatly improved, and by bridges over the rivers,
kept in excellent repair.
The more ancient records of the Burgh were lost in
the destruction of the town during the border wars;
and the oldest charter now extant is that granted by
James Douglas, baron of Hawick, and dated in 1537.
Under this charter, ratified and extended in 1545, by
Mary, Queen of Scots, the inhabitants exercise all the
privileges of a royal burgh, with the exception of sending a member to parliament. The government is vested
in two bailies, elected annually, a treasurer, and a council of thirty-one members, of whom fifteen are appointed
as vacancies occur, and hold their seats for life, and
fourteen are chosen every year by the seven incorporated trades, each of which returns two. The fees for
admission as a burgess are, for strangers £4, for the
sons-in-law of burgesses £2, and for sons £1. The incorporated trades are, the weavers, tailors, hammermen,
skinners, shoemakers, butchers, and bakers, the highest
fee for admission into which is ten shillings. The magistrates hold courts when requisite, both for civil and
criminal cases within the burgh, in which they are
assisted by the town-clerk, who acts as assessor; in
civil pleas their jurisdiction extends to sums of any
amount, but in criminal cases is confined to petty misdemeanours. Annually, on the last Friday in May, O. S.,
a procession of the magistrates on horseback occurs,
which is called the riding of the marches; and on this
occasion, a standard taken in 1514, the year subsequent to that in which the battle of Flodden Field
was fought, is carried before them. There is a townhall, in which the courts are held; and a gaol has
been very recently erected for the use of the town and
district.
The parish, which is situated in the western portion
of the county, is about fifteen and a half miles in length,
and rather more than a mile and a half in average
breadth, comprising an area of 15,360 acres, of which
4100 are arable, 160 woodland and plantations, and
11,100 meadow and pasture. The surface is beautifully
diversified. A sinuous valley, watered by the river
Teviot, intersects the parish nearly through the whole
length, and is bounded on either side by ranges of
hills, clothed with verdure to their summits, and several of which have a considerable elevation. The vale of
the Slitrig, intersecting the parish towards the east,
forms also a rich pastoral district, though of more wild
and secluded aspect. The scenery is greatly enlivened
by the windings of the two rivers, which unite at the
town; and the hills command a varied prospect over
the adjacent country. The soil along the banks of the
streams is generally gravelly, and on the other arable
lands a light loam. The system of agriculture has
greatly improved within the last few years; and a considerable quantity of waste has been drained, and rendered profitable, under the auspices of an agricultural
society for the west of Teviotdale, formed in 1835, under the patronage of the Duke of Buccleuch. The usual
crops are, grain of every kind, with potatoes and turnips. The farm-buildings are commodiously arranged;
all the various improvements in agricultural implements
have been adopted; and great attention is paid to the
breeds of cattle and sheep, of which great numbers are
reared in the pastoral districts. The plantations are
well managed, and in a thriving state. The rocks are
composed chiefly of greywacke; and there are some
quarries of stone, of good quality for the roads. The
rateable annual value of the parish is £12,923.
The ecclesiastical affairs are under the superintendence of the presbytery of Jedburgh and synod of
Merse and Teviotdale. The minister's stipend is £278,
with a manse, and a glebe valued at £56 per annum;
patron, the Duke of Buccleuch. The old parish church,
erected in 1764, on rising ground in the centre of the
town, is a very plain structure containing 704 sittings,
a number totally inadequate to the population. An elegant new church has been erected by the Duke. The
members of the Free Church have also a place of worship; and there are places of worship for the United
Associate Synod, Relief, Independent body, Roman
Catholics, and Society of Friends. The parochial school
is under the management of a rector and his assistant,
who divide between them a salary of £33, paid by the
heritors, £19, the proceeds of a bequest by the Rev.
Alexander Orrock in 1711, and the fees, averaging £106,
of all which the rector has three-fifths, with an allowance
of £17 in lieu of a dwelling-house, and the assistant
two-fifths. The school is attended by about 220 children, who are instructed in the Latin, Greek, and
French languages, and the mathematics, &c. There is
also a school in the hamlet of Newmill, endowed by the
heritors with a salary of £12 to the master, in addition
to his fees, which average £18 per annum. At the
upper extremity of the town are the remains of a moat,
supposed to have been a place for administering justice;
and in various parts of the parish are vestiges of border
fortresses, of which the most remarkable is that called
the Black Tower, the baronial seat of the lords of Drumlanrig, subsequently the residence of Anne, Duchess of
Buccleuch, and now forming part of the Tower inn.
Another is attached to the castle of Branxholme, the
ancient residence of the Buccleuch family, and celebrated by Sir Walter Scott in his Lay of the Last Minstrel. This castle was burnt by the Earl of Northumberland, in 1532, and blown up with gunpowder during
the invasion of the Earl of Surrey, in 1570; but was
partly rebuilt, according to an inscription on the walls,
by "Sir W. Scott, of Branxheim, Knyte," in 1574, and
completed by "Dame Margaret Douglas, his spous," in
1576. On the brow of a hill at Goldielands, about two
miles distant, is a third border fortress, which retains
much of its original character, and is said to have been
the residence of the Goldie family. An ancient vessel
of bronze, with a handle and spout, and standing on
three feet, supposed to have been used by the Romans
for sacrifice, was dug up a few years since, at Reasknow,
and is now in the possession of James Grieve, Esq., of
Branxholme Braes, who has also a coin of Alexander III., discovered in the moss at Hislop, and in a very
perfect state. On the removal of a cairn near the town,
about 1809, several large stones placed edgewise, and
inclosing a human skull and bones of large size, were
found; and some sepulchral urns of rude workmanship
have been discovered at various times.