Musselburgh
MUSSELBURGH, a
burgh of regality, in the parish
of Inveresk, county of Edinburgh, 6 miles (E.) from
Edinburgh; containing, with
the suburb Fisherrow, which
is noticed under the head
of Northesk, 6331 inhabitants. This place, which is of
great antiquity, is supposed
to have derived its name, in
ancient documents Muskilburgh and Muschelburgh, from
an extensive muscle-bank near the mouth of the river
Esk. Under the appellation of Eskmuthe it became,
after the departure of the Romans, the seat of the
Northumbrian Saxons, and in the 12th century was
bestowed by David I. upon the abbey of Dunfermline.
In 1201, the barons of Scotland assembled at this place
to swear allegiance to the infant son of William the
Lion, afterwards Alexander II., who, in 1239, granted
additional powers to the abbots of Dunfermline, under
which the town had all the privileges of a burgh of
regality. About a century afterwards, Randolph, Earl
of Murray, Regent of Scotland, returning from the frontier of Berwickshire to defend Edinburgh from an
expected invasion by the English, was surprised by
sudden indisposition on the confines of this parish, in
which emergency the magistrates of Musselburgh
removed him on a litter to a house in the east port of
the burgh, and carefully attended him till he died on
the 20th of July, 1332. In grateful acknowledgment of
their kind attention, the earl's nephew and successor in
the regency, the Earl of Mar, proffered the inhabitants any
reward in his power to confer; and on their declining
any remuneration for the mere performance of their duty,
he in 1340 granted them a charter of additional privileges, with the motto Honestas for the arms of the burgh.
In 1530, James V. made a pilgrimage on foot from
Stirling to the shrine of the Virgin Mary, in the chapel
of Loretto, at this place, which in 1544 was destroyed
by the English army under the Earl of Hertford, together
with the town-house and the greater part of the town.
Burgh Seal.
On the arrival of the Duke of Somerset at Newcastle
with 14,000 men, in 1547, to compel the Scots to sign a
contract of marriage between the infant Princess Mary
and Edward VI. of England, the Scots raised an army of
36,000, and took up a strong post here on the steep and
densely-wooded banks of the Esk, to await his approach.
The duke advanced with a fleet of thirty-five ships of war
and thirty transports, and anchored in the bay of Musselburgh, whence landing his troops, he took post on
Falside Brae, with his right extending over the grounds
of Walliford towards the sea, and threw up a mound in
the churchyard of Inveresk, which he planted with
cannon, and other works, to prevent the Scots from
crossing the river. After a severe skirmish, in which
1300 of the Scots were slain, and Lord Hume, their
leader, severely wounded, and some ineffectual offers of
treaty exchanged between the contending parties, the
Scots passed the Esk, and a general engagement took
place on the 10th of September, on the plains of Pinkie,
to the east of the town, which terminated in the entire
defeat of the Scots with the loss of 10,000 men. In
the following year, Lord Grey with a powerful army
entered Scotland, and, ravaging the districts of Merse
and Mid Lothian, destroyed the towns of Dalkeith and
Musselburgh. In 1567, Mary, Queen of Scots, and
Bothwell held a meeting in the neighbourhood with
Kirkaldy of Grange, who had been commissioned by the
confederate lords for that purpose: the meeting took
place on Carberry Hill, near the field of Pinkie. During
the parley, Bothwell, who had taken leave of the Queen,
fled to Dunbar, and Mary suffered herself to be introduced to the regent Morton and the lords, by whom
she was conveyed to the castle of Lochleven. In 1632,
Musselburgh was by charter of Charles I. erected into
a royal burgh; but the magistrates of Edinburgh, by
compromise with those of the town, obtained from the
Privy Council, the same year, a decree reducing it to a
burgh of regality. During the war in the reign of Charles,
Cromwell encamped a part of his army on the Links of
Musselburgh, in 1650, and took possession of the town,
which he held for two months; he converted the church
of Inveresk into barracks for his cavalry, and planted
cannon on the mound in the churchyard. In 1745 the
Highland army, headed by Prince Charles, entered the
suburb of Fisherrow, and, crossing the old bridge over
which the Scots marched to the field of Pinkie, passed
through the town on their route to Prestonpans.
The town, which is situated on the east bank of the
Esk, near its influx into the Frith of Forth, consists of
several spacious and well-formed streets; and is connected with the suburb of Fisherrow, on the opposite
bank of the river, which is here of considerable width, by
three bridges, whereof two are of stone, and one of
timber, supported on pillars of cast-iron, and repaired
in 1838. The older bridge of stone, supposed to have
been of Roman origin, is narrow and of steep ascent,
consisting of three arches, and is solely used by foot
passengers; the third bridge is an elegant modern
structure of five arches, erected after a design by the
late Sir John Rennie. The houses are substantially
built, and of neat appearance; the streets are well
paved, and lighted with gas from works erected in 1832
near the mouth of the river, and from which the town
of Portobello is also supplied; and the inhabitants are
amply furnished with excellent water. A public library,
founded in 1812, is supported by subscription, and has
now a collection of more than 1300 volumes; there is also
a circulating library of 1200 volumes, as well as a reading
and news room supplied with the daily journals and
periodical publications. The Links of Musselburgh have
from time immemorial been noted for the celebration of
sports, for which they are peculiarly adapted; the game
of golf is still kept up, and since 1774 a club has been
established, which holds annual meetings to contest for
the prize of a silver cup. The Royal Company of Archers
also hold annual meetings on these downs, when a silver
arrow is awarded as a prize, the winner of which receives
from the town thirteen bottles of claret, on condition of
returning the arrow, with a gold or silver medal attached
to it, previously to the next meeting. Races have long
been established here; and in 1817 the town of Edinburgh removed their races from Leith to this place,
where they are held every autumn: the races of the
Caledonian Hunt also take place here every third year;
and at the west end of the course, a handsome and commodious stand has been erected. The environs of the
town abound with pleasing, and in many parts with
picturesque and romantic, scenery, and with numerous
objects of interest. At the eastern extremity of the
High-street is the site of the ancient house in which the
Regent Murray died; and at the western end is the house
where Dr. Smollett was entertained by Commissioner
Cardonnel; opposite to which, in Fisherrow, is the villa
of Dovecote, occupying the site of the residence of Professor Stewart and his son, Gilbert: the study of the
professor, a small building in which he composed many
of his writings, yet remains, overspread with ivy. Here,
also, is an elegant mansion erected in 1840 by Mr.
Legat, a leather-merchant of the town.
The chief manufactures carried on are those of sailcloth, haircloth, fishing-nets, hats, and leather; there
are also extensive works for bricks, tiles, and the coarser
kinds of pottery, a salt-work, and a small establishment
for dyeing. The sailcloth manufactory was established
in 1811, and the building has since been considerably
enlarged, and a steam-engine of fifty-five-horse power
erected; the produce, which is of superior quality, is exclusively for the home market, and principally for the
use of the British navy. The manufacture of haircloth
was introduced in 1820, and has been progressively
increasing under the superintendence of its proprietor,
Mr. Turnbull. The articles are, satin and fancy-figured
cloths, curled hair, kiln-cloths, hair-lines, and lines of
all kinds for fishing, girth webbing, ropes, twines, and
horse-hair carpeting, in making which 200 persons are
engaged; the produce is mainly sent to the London
market, and the chief towns of England and Ireland.
There is a similar establishment belonging to a different
proprietor, but only a small number of persons are
employed. The manufacture of fishing-nets was established in 1820 by Mr. Paterson, who, after much
laborious experiment, constructed a loom for the purpose; eighteen looms and a spinning-machine are in
operation, affording occupation to fifty-two persons, and
consuming thirty tons of hemp annually. A similar
manufactory was till lately carried on by Mr. Robinson
from England, who, without any communication with
Mr. Paterson, invented a loom for the purpose differing
only in the form of the knot; six looms and twenty-three persons were employed, and about fourteen tons of
hemp annually manufactured. There are three extensive tanneries and establishments for the currying of
leather; the raw hides are procured from the Edinburgh
market, and imported from Hamburgh and Russia. In
the former about eighty, and in the latter thirty, persons
are employed; and the quantity of bark consumed every
year averages 1000 tons, procured from England, Belgium, Germany, and Holland, and some of a peculiar
quality from Smyrna. The produce is mostly forwarded
to Edinburgh, Glasgow, and London. The ale brewery
belonging to Mr. Whitelaw consumes annually 1750
quarters of malt, made upon the premises; and the ale
is sent to the principal towns in Scotland, to London,
Hull, and Newcastle, in England, and to the East and
West Indies. There was once an extensive distillery.
The trade of the port consists in the exportation of
bricks, tiles, oats, coal, and staves; and the importation of
grain, oil-cake, timber, bark, hides, and bones for manure,
from foreign ports; and, in the coasting trade, chiefly
the export of coal, and the import of grain, bark, mineralsalts, fullers'-earth, potters'-clay, wood, pavement, slates,
and stone. The harbour, originally constructed for the
fishing-boats of Fisherrow, has little more than four feet
depth at neap tides, and is therefore accessible only to
vessels of inconsiderable burthen. Previously to 1806,
it was formed only by bulwarks of dry stones: but
since that time a substantial quay has been constructed, and the trade materially increased; and further
improvements are in contemplation by extending the
pier. No vessels are registered as belonging to the port.
A salmon-fishery at the mouth of the Esk is conducted
on a small scale, by means of stake-nets; it is the property of the burgh, to which it pays a rental of £20 per
annum.
The burgh, of which the superiority was in 1709
purchased from the Earl of Lauderdale by Anne, Duchess
of Monmouth and Buccleuch, is, under previous charters
confirmed by charter of Charles II. in 1671, and slightly
altered by the Municipal act, governed by a provost,
two bailies, a treasurer, and a council now reduced to
nine members, of whom nearly one-half are resident in
Fisherrow, which is included within the limits of the
burgh. There are seven incorporated companies, viz. the
hammermen, shoemakers, gardeners, weavers, butchers,
tailors, and bakers, of one of which an individual must
become a member to qualify him for being a burgess;
the fees of admission vary from ten shillings to £1 for
sons of burgesses, and from £1. 6. 8. to £3. 6. 8. for
strangers. The magistrates hold bailie-courts for the
determination of civil pleas to any amount, and also a
court for the recovery of debts not exceeding £5: such
criminal cases as are of a trivial nature are summarily
disposed of by the magistrates, but offences of a more
aggravated character are, after examination, remitted to
the sheriff of the county. The burgh is associated with
those of Leith and Portobello in returning a member to
the imperial parliament; the number of qualified voters
is 238. The town-hall is a neat building in the Highstreet, containing the courts, council-rooms, an assemblyroom, and others for transacting the public business.
Attached to it is the town gaol, built with the materials
of the ruined chapel of Loretto, the site and grounds of
which are occupied by a private seminary under the
superintendence of the Rev. Thomas Langhorne, of the
Episcopal chapel; and fronting the street leading to
Newbiggin, is the ancient cross. A fair for two days,
commencing on the second Tuesday in August, and which
was formerly well attended by cattle-dealers, and supplied with various kinds of merchandise, is now merely
a pleasure-fair. The post-office has a good delivery.
Facility of communication is afforded by the London
road, which passes through the whole length of the
parish, connecting the town with Haddington and Dunbar; and the Edinburgh and Dalkeith railway, opened
in 1832, runs near the western boundary of the parish,
and is joined by a branch from Fisherrow, about a mile
from the harbour. Branches of the Western Bank and
the Commercial Bank of Edinburgh, and a custom-house
subordinate to that of Leith, have been established. The
Establishment churches of this district are those of Inveresk and Northesk; and there are a Free church, and
places of worship for the Associate Synod, the Relief,
Independent secession, Congregationalists, and Episcopalians. The grammar school of the burgh is under the
patronage of the magistrates and town-council, who pay
the master a salary of £27. 4. 5., and provide him with
a good house. There are also, under the same patronage, an English school at Musselburgh, of which the
master has a salary of £21, with good premises free;
and another at Fisherrow, of which the master has a
salary of £10, with a schoolroom and dwelling-house
rent free. At Fisherrow is a sailors' society, established
in 1669.
Muthill
MUTHILL, a parish, in the county of Perth; containing, with the village of South Bridgend, and part of
the late quoad sacra parish of Ardoch, 3067 inhabitants,
of whom 1089 are in the village of Muthill, 3 miles (S.)
from Crieff. This place appears to be of considerable
antiquity; and its name, derived from two Gaelic words
signifying "a station for the dispensation of justice,"
would confer upon it a degree of importance in the ancient feudal times. A society of Culdees was established
here in the earliest period of Christianity in Britain.
During the middle ages, Muthill seems to have been the
head of a deanery; and after the Reformation, it was
the seat of the presbytery prior to its removal to Auchterarder. The parish is of very great extent, comprising more than 26,000 acres, of which about 11,560 are
arable, 2400 woodland and plantations, and the remainder uncultivated and waste land. The surface rises
gradually from the northern and southern boundaries
towards the centre, where it attains a considerable elevation, forming two nearly parallel ridges from east to
west, and dividing the parish into what are called the
Muthill and Ardoch districts. The highest point of
these ridges is the hill of Torlum, which is about 1400
feet above the level of the sea, and beautifully planted
with evergreens; it is a conspicuous and interesting
feature in the scenery, and commands an extensive and
richly-varied prospect over the different portions of this
large parish, which in some parts is in the best state of
cultivation, and in others comparatively wild and barren.
The scenery is enlivened by several rivers that flow
through the lands. The principal is the Earn, which
issues from the lake of that name, and in its winding
course forms a boundary between part of this parish
and the lands of Innerpeffray, the estate of David, Lord
Madderty, of whose castle there are considerable remains; its course, though generally uniform and moderate, is occasionally disturbed by torrents descending
from the hills. The river Machony has its source in
the hills of Blair-in-roan, pursues its way between the
two ridges that divide the parish, and, after receiving
numerous tributary streams in its progress, falls into
the Earn near Kinkell. On the Ardoch side of the
parish is the Knaik, which rises in Glenlich-horn, and,
passing the camp at Ardoch, joins the river Allan, which
has its source in Blackford parish, and flows into the
Forth near Stirling. These rivers all abound with excellent trout, and in the Earn are found also pike, whiting, and salmon. There are several lakes, of which one
called Balloch, is situated at the base of Torlum Hill.
Loch Drummond, a beautiful sheet of artificial formation, is about a mile in length and half a mile broad;
it is bounded on one side by abrupt masses of rock rising to the height of nearly seventy feet, and on the
others by steep banks richly wooded. It is the resort
of various aquatic fowl, and forms a picturesque feature
in the landscape. There are also numerous wells,
affording an ample supply of water, and which in ancient times were held in great veneration for their supposed efficacy in curing diseases.
The soil varies greatly; the lands near the Earn and
the Allan are chiefly a rich and light loam, with occasional intermixtures of marl; while in other parts is a
strong sandy soil, with a mixture of gravel, and in
others again an unproductive moorland. The hills
afford good pasture, and there is also a due proportion
of excellent grass land. On most of the lands are thriving plantations, of which the largest is that round Torlum Hill, comprising more than 600 acres of Scotch
fir: larch, birch, chesnut, and limes, with some oak, are
the prevailing kinds. The system of agriculture has
been much improved under the auspices of the heritors, most of whom reside upon their estates; draining
has been practised extensively, and large portions of
marshy land have been reclaimed, and brought into a
state of profitable cultivation. The chief crops are
barley and oats, with some wheat, and the rotation plan
of husbandry is general; turnips have been lately much
cultivated, and, by the use of bone-dust and guano,
are abundant. Considerable attention is also paid to
the breeding of cattle. The substrata are chiefly sandstone of several varieties, and whinstone of a blackish
colour; the former is quarried for building, and the
latter for the roads; and in the peat-mosses, and also
embedded in the marl, various fossil remains have been
found. The rateable annual value of the parish is
£15,000. Drummond Castle, the occasional residence
of the family of Drummond, is situated near the site of
a former castle, which is said to have been besieged by
Cromwell, and, with the exception of what still remains,
to have been demolished at the Revolution: the present
seat is a substantial and handsome modern mansion.
The grounds, which are well laid out, contain some fine
specimens of well-grown timber, and the gardens almost
every variety of the choicest flowers and plants. The
castle was visited by Her Majesty, during her tour in
Scotland, in September 1842; she arrived here on the
evening of Saturday, the 10th, and remained until Tuesday, the 13th, when she departed for Stirling. The village of Muthill is on the great southern road, which
passes through the parish; it is neatly built, and the
surrounding hills add much to the beauty of its scenery.
It had formerly a market, which, from the proximity of
the market-town of Crieff, has been for some time discontinued. The inhabitants are chiefly occupied in
agricultural pursuits, and in weaving cotton for the
manufacturers of Glasgow; and until recently three
distilleries employed a considerable number of persons,
and in the aggregate produced about 100,000 gallons of
whisky annually. Two cattle-markets are held annually
at the village of Braco, in the district of Ardoch. A
subscription library, comprising a good collection, is
maintained in the parish; and there is also a readingroom, in which are several valuable publications on agriculture.
Muthill is within the presbytery of Auchterarder and
synod of Perth and Stirling, and patronage of the Crown:
the minister's stipend is £240. 17. 5., with a manse, and
a glebe valued at £30 per annum. The church, erected
in 1828, at an expense of nearly £7000, is a handsome
and spacious edifice in the later English style, adapted
for a congregation of 1600 persons. In the district of
Ardoch is a chapel of ease, built in 1780; and within
the last few years a village has risen up near it, which
is rapidly increasing in population and extent. There
is also a place of worship for members of the United
Secession within a mile and a half of the village; and
in Muthill are a Free church and an Episcopalian chapel. The parochial school affords a liberal education;
the master has a salary of £34. 4., with £16. 10. fees,
and a good house and garden: a schoolroom on a more
enlarged scale has been recently built. There are also
three schools in the parish partly endowed by Lady Willoughby de Eresby. At Innerpeffray is a library for the
use of ministers and students, founded by Lord Madderty, who also endowed it with a small salary for the
librarian, who is further supported by the fees of a
school which he keeps in part of the building. More
than sixty of the poor are regularly supplied with meal,
clothing, and fuel by Lady Willoughby, who also pays
their rent. In the lands of Innerpeffray are the remains
of an old church, now the burial-place of the families of
Perth and Strathallan; and near the river are the ruins
of the ancient castle of Madderty. The ruins of the
castle of Drummond are romantically situated at the
base of Torlum Hill, and on an elevated and rocky site;
the south wing, the principal portion, is now converted
into an armoury. The camps at Ardoch, the most entire
in the country, and evidently of Roman origin, are supposed to have been the chief post of that people in this
part of Britain. The intrenchments of the main station
inclose an area 420 feet in length and 375 in breadth;
and three of its principal entrances are still to be distinctly traced. Adjoining this station are three camps
of more extensive dimensions, the largest of which, 2800
feet long and 1950 wide, is supposed to have been that
where Agricola concentrated his army previously to his
decisive battle with Galgacus, which is said to have
taken place at Blair-in-roan. Another of these camps,
styled the procestrium, and of later construction than the
great camp, was of oblong shape, 1060 feet by 900, and
capable of containing 4000 men. The remaining camp,
to the west of the great one, is likewise of oblong form,
measuring 1910 by 1340 feet, and would afford accommodation to 12,000 men; it is very entire, higher in
position than the other camps, and, from its prominently
marked features, is well worth the examination of the
antiquary. The Rev. John Barclay, founder of the sect
of the Bereans, was born at Muthill.
Myreside
MYRESIDE, a hamlet, in the parish of Kettle,
district of Cupar, county of Fife, ½ a mile (N. W. by
W.) from the village of Kettle; containing 105 inhabitants. It is situated in the north-west part of the parish,
and on the west side of a small stream, a tributary to
the Eden, which also flows at a short distance from the
hamlet.