Renton
RENTON, a village, in the parish of Cardross,
county of Dumbarton, 3 miles (N. by W.) from Dumbarton; containing 2472 inhabitants. This is a considerable and prosperous village, situated in the eastern
quarter of the parish, on the west bank of the Leven,
and on the high road from Dumbarton to Luss. It was
founded in 1782, by Mrs. Smollett, of Bonhill, and
named by her after her daughter-in-law, Miss Renton,
of Bridgend, a suburb of Dumbarton. The population
are chiefly engaged in the bleachfields and other works
of this large manufacturing district; and at the Dalquhurn factory, in the immediate neighbourhood, about
300 hands are employed in calico printing and dyeing,
particularly a Turkey red in the latter branch, for which
this establishment is remarkable. The pure water and
powerful stream of the Leven are peculiarly adapted for
the works so extensively carried on here. In the village are places of worship for members of the Free
Church, and Old-Light Burghers, and a chapel in connexion with the Associate Presbytery: there is also a
school erected by subscription among the farmers.
Tobias Smollett was born at the old house of Dalquhurn, close by the village, on the 19th of March,
1721.
Rerwick
RERWICK, a parish, in the stewartry of Kirkcudbright, 6½ miles (S. E. by E.) from Kirkcudbright;
containing, with the villages of Auchincairn and Dundrennan, 1692 inhabitants, of whom 1117 are in the
rural districts of the parish. This place, in various records called Dundrennan and Monkland, is conjectured
to have received its present name, which is of uncertain
origin, from the position of Auchincairn at the head of
a creek in the Solway Frith. It derives its chief historical importance from the foundation of the celebrated
abbey of Dundrennan, and from its having afforded to
Mary, Queen of Scots, in her retreat from the battle of
Langside, an asylum where she passed the night before
her embarkation for England; both of which events
are detailed in the separate notice of the village of
Dundrennan. The parish, which is bounded on the
south and south-east by the Frith, is about ten miles in
length and six miles in average breadth; comprising an
area of 20,447 acres, whereof 13,088 are arable and in
good cultivation, 561 woodland and plantations, and the
remainder chiefly moor and waste. The surface is rugged, and abruptly varied with hills, which towards the
northern boundary attain a mountainous elevation; the
loftiest, Bengairn, rising to the height of 1200 feet
above the level of the sea. From the summit of this
hill, which is covered with heath, and surmounted by
an ancient cairn whence it takes its name, an extensive
prospect is obtained over the whole length of the Solway
Frith and the English coast, with the mountains of Cumberland, the Isle of Man, and the mountains of Morne, in
Ireland. Several burns, descending from the higher
grounds, flow through the parish into the Frith, acquiring
in their course sufficient power to turn mills. The coast
is indented with numerous bays: the chief are, Auchincairn, at the entrance of which is the verdant island of
Heston, affording excellent pasture for sheep; Balcarry;
Burnfoot; and Mulloch, at the south-western extremity
of the parish; all of which might be made good harbours
at a very inconsiderable expense.
The soil is in general wet and spongy, but by careful
management is rendered productive; and good crops of
oats, barley, and potatoes are obtained. Wheat is raised
only in small quantities; but from the improvements in
husbandry which have recently taken place, there is every
prospect of advancement. The lands have been drained
and partly inclosed, and extensive plantations have been
formed around the seats of the principal proprietors.
A very large proportion of the land is appropriated to
pasturing black-cattle, to the rearing of which much
attention is paid; and great numbers are annually sent
to the south of England when three years old, and then
fattened for the London markets. The surplus grain,
and the fat-cattle and sheep, beyond the supply of the
home market, are forwarded to Liverpool. The hills
are principally of granite; and the substrata towards
the coast, freestone of excellent quality, of which great
quantities have been quarried for building: in the rocks
that overhang the rivulet in the hill of Screll, are found
rock crystals of purple hue, of a prismatic form, and
beautifully transparent. An iron-mine has been opened
under the management of an English company, from
which nearly 3500 tons of excellent ore are annually
raised, and sent chiefly to Birmingham; and in the
island of Heston is a copper-mine leased to an English
tenant, of which the produce is sent to Swansea. The
rateable annual value of the parish amounts to £10,240.
The mansion-houses are, Dundrennan, the seat of Thomas
Maitland Esq.; Orroland, Orchardton, Netherlaw, Balcarry, Collin, Nestwood, and Port-Mary. The only villages are Auchincairn and Dundrennan. A fair is held
annually in August, but very little business is now transacted; and facility of internal communication is afforded
by good roads, and of intercourse with distant places
by the harbours on the coast of the Frith. The ecclesiastical affairs are under the superintendence of the
presbytery of Kirkcudbright and synod of Galloway:
the minister's stipend is £232. 19.2., with a manse, and
a glebe valued at £40 per annum; patron, the Crown.
The church is an ancient structure, successively enlarged
in the years 1743, 1790, and 1828, and containing 565
sittings. In the village of Auchincairn are places of
worship for Baptists and members of the Free Church.
There are two parochial schools; one at Dundrennan, of
which the master has a salary of £30; and one at Auchincairn, of which the master has £21. 6. 8.: each of
the masters has also a house and garden, and the school
fees of the two average about £60 annually. There are
some Druidical remains, and numerous Roman, Saxon,
and Danish camps, within the parish; and in the rocks
on the coast, at Barlocco, are two spacious caverns of
romantic appearance, called the White and Black Cove.
The venerable remains of the abbey are described in the
article on Dundrennan.
Resawrie
RESAWRIE, a hamlet, in the parish and county of
Inverness; containing 66 inhabitants.
Rescobie
RESCOBIE, a parish, in the county of Forfar,
3½ miles (E. N. E.) from Forfar; containing, with the
hamlet of Bole and part of Marestone, 788 inhabitants.
The etymology of the name of this place is altogether
uncertain, it having been written at different times Rescolpyne, Rescolbyne, and Roscolpin. The parish is
about nine miles long, and from one and a half to two
and a half broad; and comprises 5888 acres, of which
4735 are cultivated, 617 permanent pasture, and 536
under wood. The ground rises in several parts into
striking elevations, some reaching the height of more
than 800 feet above the level of the sea; and among
the most conspicuous of the hills are those named Dunnichen or Burnside, on the southern boundary; the
Green-hill of Burnside; the hill of Carse, in the north-western quarter; and the Double hill, called, on the
east part, the hill of Turin, and on the west, the hill of
Pitscandly. All these command views of both land
and sea, of the finest description. The loch of Rescobie
stretches for more than a mile between the hills of Dunnichen and Turin; and through this sheet of water
runs from west to east the Lunan stream, which rises
in the north-west part of Restennet moss, and, passing
also through the lake of Balgavies, falls, after a course
of ten miles further, into the sea at Lunan bay. The
circuitous Lemna burn, rising in the parish of Aberlemno, forms part of the boundary line on the south
between Rescobie and Forfar, and, turning northward,
separates this parish and Kirriemuir: after a course of
four or five miles more in a north-eastern direction, it
falls into the Esk near Finhaven Castle, almost opposite to its source. The principal fishing is in the loch
of Rescobie, which varies in depth from two to twenty
feet, and produces eels, perch, and pike; the last are
sometimes very large, but the supply is much diminished by the numerous fishing-parties from Forfar,
who keep the stock comparatively low.
The soil sometimes exhibits, in a very small tract,
almost every variety, and runs through the different
kinds of a thin moorish earth, sharp gravel, clay, and
loam; that on the estates of Carse and Pitscandly is
the most fertile, and above the average quality. The
arable land differs much in value; it lets in some parts
at 16s. per acre, from which it rises to £2. 10., and the
permanent pasture fetches from 5s. to £1. 10. per acre.
A few sheep are kept, and the cattle are generally of the
Angus breed, with a mixture of the Durham. The
parish belongs to a district highly interesting in a geological point of view, and, according to Mr. Lyell, forms
part of a great line of lakes and marshes which extends
through Strathmore to the loch of Forfar, and thence
to Lunan bay. The same eminent geologist adds that,
like most of these lakes, it is surrounded by hillocks,
and ridges of sand and gravel, containing boulders of
many Grampian rocks, mixed with fragments of pavingstone and other formations, such as occur in the immediate neighbourhood. The hills of Pitscandly and Turin
consist of grey paving-stone, interstratified with conglomerate or pudding-stone, the whole forming one of
the oldest members of the old red sandstone formation;
and freestone is obtained from a quarry in Turin hill,
valuable for its colour and for its taking a fine polish.
Grey-slate quarries, also, have long been in operation;
and in the conglomerate rock, white quartz, chloriteslate, trap, and various other minerals are obtained.
Boulders of many different kinds and shapes abound,
some of which have been transported from great distances; and about fifty feet below the summit of the
hill of Pitscandly is a block of mica-slate, thirteen feet
in length and seven in breadth, supposed by some to
have been conveyed from the Grampians by the agency
of ice, in some manner not clearly understood, across
the valley of Strathmore. The plantations, though of
no great extent, are in a thriving condition, and consist
of larch and spruce fir, interspersed with ash, oak, birch,
and elm. The rateable annual value of the parish
amounts to £6670. The mansions are, Burnside; the
house formerly called Balmadies, now Ochterlony, built in
1821; Pitscandly, an old residence, situated pleasantly
on the west side of the hill of the same name; and the
residences named Carse, Drimmie, and Reswallie, the
last on the south-west side of the lake of Rescobie.
The population, which has been gradually decreasing
for the last thirty years, on account chiefly of the consolidation of some of the smaller farms, is entirely agricultural, with the exception of about sixty persons, partly
women, employed in the manufacture of coarse white
linen. A turnpike-road runs from west to east, on the
south side of the loch, from Forfar to Arbroath, and
another on the north side of the loch from the same
place to Montrose: the turnpike-road, also, from Forfar
to Brechin runs through the west and north-west quarters of the parish; and the Auldbar turnpike-road, from
Brechin southwards, skirts a small part of the eastern
district. About four and a half miles of the railroad
from Forfar to Arbroath, opened in 1838, cross the
parish. The produce is usually disposed of at Forfar or
Arbroath, and the coal used here is chiefly obtained
from the latter place. A fair was held in ancient times,
but subsequently transferred to Forfar, called St. Triduane's, vulgarly St. Trodlin's, fair; and a stone is still
standing near the kirk-style, where, according to tradition, Lord Strathmore, the superior, or his deputy, held
his court on fair days. The parish is within the presbytery of Forfar and synod of Angus and Mearns, and
in the patronage of the Earl of Strathmore: the minister's
stipend is £219, with a manse, and a glebe of eleven
acres, valued at £16 or £17 per annum. The church was
built in 1820, and accommodates 560 persons with sittings. The parochial school affords instruction in the
usual branches; the master has a salary of £31, with a
house, and £10. 12. fees. There is a parochial library
under the superintendence of a committee. King Donald VII., brother of Malcolm Canmore, is supposed to
have died in confinement here in 1097. The castle of
Rescobie has long since entirely disappeared, like the
kirktown; and the site of it is not now known. On
the estate of Balmadies is a cemetery called the chapelyard, containing numerous tombstones belonging to the
Pearsons, who possessed that property; and there are
ruins of several strongholds, concerning which no historical records or authentic traditions remain.
Resolis
RESOLIS.—See Kirkmichael and Cullicudden.
Restalrig
RESTALRIG, an ancient village, and formerly a
parish of itself, though now in the parish of South
Leith, county of Edinburgh, 1½ mile (E.) from Edinburgh; containing 92 inhabitants. The barony early
formed part of the possessions of the Logan family,
after whose forfeiture it became the property of the
Balmerino family, with whom it remained till 1746, when,
on the attainder of Arthur, the sixth lord Balmerino,
it passed to the Earl of Moray, though Lady Balmerino
continued to reside in the family seat till her decease in
1765. It is now the property of the present earl. James
III. founded in the parish church a collegiate establishment, which was increased by James IV., and also by James
V., who endowed it for a dean, nine prebendaries, and
two choristers. The establishment continued to flourish
for some time; and John Sinclair, dean of Restalrig,
solemnized the marriage of Mary, Queen of Scots, with
Lord Darnley. At the Reformation the society, then
consisting of a dean and eight prebendaries, was dissolved, the church was ordered by the General Assembly to be demolished as a monument of idolatry, and
the parishioners were directed to assemble for divine
service in the chapel of St. Mary the Virgin, in South
Leith. By act of parliament in 1609, the parish and
church of Restalrig were more completely divested of all
their legal rights and revenues, which were transferred
to South Leith, then made an independent parish. In
the churchyard is the spacious aisle of the ancient
church, now the sepulchral chapel of the earls of Moray.
The village, which consists only of a few houses, is
pleasantly situated in a plain near the Piershill barracks,
and is surrounded with meadows, and with gardens in
which great quantities of fruit and vegetables are raised
for the Edinburgh market.
Reston
RESTON, a village, in the parish of Coldingham,
county of Berwick, 2½ miles (S. W. by S.) from Coldingham; containing 219 inhabitants. It lies in the
south-eastern part of the parish, and is a small place
with a population chiefly agricultural. One of two
parochial schools is in the village.
Rewcastle
REWCASTLE, a hamlet, in the parish of Bedrule,
and Jedburgh district of the county of Roxburgh;
containing 24 inhabitants. This, though now a very
small and decayed hamlet, is supposed to be a place of
great antiquity; and it is said that the courts of justice
were once held within it, and afterwards removed to
Jedburgh. The hamlet lies in the north-east part of
the parish, upon a spot of considerable elevation.
Rhind, or Rhynd
RHIND, or RHYND, a parish, in the county of
Perth, 2 miles (S. E.) from Perth; containing 402
inhabitants. This place, which derives its name, of
Gaelic import, from its situation on a point of land at
the confluence of the rivers Earn and Tay, was the
resort of the celebrated Wallace, who, while meditating
the deliverance of his country from a foreign yoke, was
often obliged to take shelter among its woods and
recesses. The parish is about four miles in length and
one mile in average breadth; it is bounded on the
north and east by the Tay, which separates it from the
parishes of Kinfauns and St. Madoes, and on the south
by the Earn, which separates it from the parish of
Abernethy. It comprises 1700 acres, of which, with
the exception of 100 in woodland and plantations, and
about fifty waste, the whole is arable. The surface is
varied; towards the rivers forming a tract of level land,
and in other parts rising gradually till it attains a considerable elevation. From the recent connexion of some
islands in the Tay with the main land, by the construction of an artificial isthmus of reeds and branches of
trees to collect and detain the mud deposited at the
reflux of the tide, a compact and solid bank of fertile
soil has been formed, which adds both to the extent
and variety of the surface. The scenery is rich; the
banks of the rivers in general are lofty and abrupt, and
are finely planted with trees of various kinds, of stately
growth. The hills, also, are embellished with thriving
plantations, and command extensive and interesting
views over a wide tract abounding with picturesque
objects, and enlivened by the constant passing and
repassing of numerous vessels in the Tay, which here
attains a very considerable breadth.
The soil in the lower districts is a clay intermixed
with a rich black loam; and in the upper, of a more
light and gravelly quality, but under good management
rendered fertile. The water, which might otherwise
lodge on the level lands, is carefully removed by draining, and the system of agriculture is in every respect
much improved; the crops are, wheat, of excellent
quality and raised in great abundance, barley, oats,
beans, and lately potatoes, whereof large quantities are
grown for the London markets. The farm buildings
and offices are substantial and commodious, and every
improvement in implements of husbandry is eagerly
adopted by the tenants. The rateable annual value of
the parish amounts to £5485. A salmon-fishery in the
Tay affords employment to some of the inhabitants, and
produces to the proprietors a rental of £600 per annum.
There is no village. The roads are kept in repair by
statute labour. Rhind is in the presbytery of Perth
and synod of Perth and Stirling, and patronage of the
Earl of Wemyss and March: the minister's stipend is
£225. 10. 3., with a manse, and the glebe is valued at
£17 per annum. The old church was inconveniently
situated in an angle of the parish, and had become
dilapidated; a new church has been erected in a more
convenient position. The parochial school affords a
liberal education to about seventy children; the master
has a salary of £34. 4. 4., with £25 fees, and a good
house and garden. There are some slight remains of
the nunnery of Elcho, which, from the beauty of their
site, form a picturesque and romantic ruin; and on the
bank of the river Tay are the ruins of the ancient castle,
consisting chiefly of a lofty tower, the walls of which
are formed of hard and very durable stone. The tower
is crowned with a battlement, the ascent to which, by a
spiral staircase, is still in tolerable preservation; a new
roof has been recently added to preserve it from further
decay, and from the battlement is obtained a most
extensive and pleasing view of the surrounding country.
The castle was for many generations the residence of
the ancestors of the present noble proprietor, the Earl
of Wemyss and March, who takes the title of baron
from this place. There is a chalybeate spring; but it
is not much frequented.
Rhonehouse
RHONEHOUSE, a village, in the parish of Kelton,
stewartry of Kirkcudbright, 1½ mile (S. W.) from
Castle-Douglas; containing 235 inhabitants. This place,
also called Kelton-Hill, lies in the northern quarter of
the parish, and was formerly noted for its horse-fairs,
all of which, except one held about the end of June, are
now transferred to Castle-Douglas. The great military
road passes through the village, where is a post-office.
Of three parochial schools, the original school is at
Rhonehouse; the other two, branches of it, being at
Castle-Douglas and Gelston.
Rhynie and Essie
RHYNIE and ESSIE, a parish, in the district of
Alford, county of Aberdeen, 3½ miles (W. by N.)
from Clatt; containing 1035 inhabitants, of whom 240
are in the village of Rhynie, or Muir of Rhynie. This
place occupies the south-western portion of the ancient
lordship of Strathbogie, granted by King Robert Bruce
to the family of the Gordons, of whom Sir James Gordon
took the title of baronet from the lands of Lesmore, in
this parish, and of whose residence, Lesmore Castle,
there are still some remains. The lands, together with
the title, were held by his descendants for a considerable
period: on the demise of the last Duke of Gordon,
they passed to the Duke of Richmond, who is the sole proprietor of the parish. Few events of historical importance
are recorded in connexion with the place: some tumuli
at the foot of the hill on the north-west of the parish,
were raised over the remains of those who fell in a battle
that occurred in the reign of Malcolm Canmore, between
the forces of Macduff and those of the usurper Lulach,
in which the usurper was slain. The parish is bounded
on the east by the river Bogie, and is nearly five miles
in length and almost of equal breadth; comprising
about 4000 acres of arable land, and some extensive
tracts of moorland pasture, moss, and waste. The surface is diversified with several hills of considerable
height; but the only one deserving the name of a mountain is that of Noth, which has an elevation of more
than 1000 feet above the level of the sea. The river
has its source in the adjoining parish of Auchindoir,
and, flowing north-eastward, falls into the Doveran at
Huntly; the water of Kirkney has its source in the
moss of Essie, and, after a course of nearly eight miles
through this parish and part of the parish of Gartly, flows
into the Bogie. These two streams abound with trout
of excellent quality, affording good sport to the angler;
and there are several smaller streams in various parts,
of which the principal is the Craigwater, all forming
tributaries to the Kirkney. The soil is various; near
the banks of the Bogie, a deep rich loam; around the
bases of the hills, light and gravelly but fertile; in
some of the lower grounds, clay; and in others, tracts
of moss. The crops are, grain of different kinds, potatoes, turnips, and the usual grasses; the system of husbandry has for some years been rapidly improving; and
large tracts of land, previously unproductive, have been
brought into a state of profitable tillage. The facility
of obtaining lime from the neighbouring parishes has
greatly contributed to the amelioration of the lands, and
bone-dust has been introduced as manure in the cultivation of turnips; the hills and moorlands afford good
pasturage for sheep and black-cattle, and from the
mosses of Essie may be procured ample supplies of peat
for fuel. The chief substrata are, sandstone, whinstone,
and slate; boulders of granite occur in various places,
and quartz is also found in small quantities. A sandstone quarry has long been wrought. The rateable
annual value of the parish, according to returns made
under the income-tax, is £2716.
The village, situated on the west bank of the Bogie,
was built on lands leased by the Gordons, for the
accommodation of the surrounding district, about the
close of the last century; and is chiefly inhabited by
persons engaged in agricultural pursuits and in various
handicraft trades. A post-office has been established
under that of Aberdeen, with which it has daily communication by a mail-gig; to Huntly there is a runner;
and facility of communication is afforded to the inhabitants by the turnpike-road from Huntly to Aberdeen,
which passes through the parish and the village. Fairs for
sheep, cattle, and horses are held in April, June, September, and October; and also, for hiring servants, at
Whitsuntide and Martinmas. The grain and other agricultural produce are sent chiefly to Inverury, but partly
also to Banff and Portsoy. There are two hamlets in
the parish; the one, in the district of Essie, called
Belhennie; and the other, called the Raws of Noth, in
the district of Rhynie; but neither of them is of any
importance. The ecclesiastical affairs are under the
superintendence of the presbytery of Strathbogie and
synod of Moray. The minister's stipend is £158, of
which £10 are paid from the exchequer; with a manse,
and a glebe valued at £13 per annum: patrons, the
Duke of Richmond and the Earl of Fife. There were
originally churches in both districts, in which divine
service was performed on alternate Sundays, by the
minister of the united parish, from the time of their
union till about the year 1774, when the service at Essie
was discontinued. The present parochial church, at
Rhynie, was built in 1823, and enlarged in 1838 by the
addition of an aisle; it is a plain substantial structure,
and in good repair. There are also places of worship
for Independents and members of the Free Church.
The parochial school, to which is attached a library,
affords instruction to about eighty children; the master
has a salary of £24. 7. 8., eight bolls of meal, and a
house, and the fees average £20 per annum. A parochial
library at Essie is supported by subscription. On the
hill of Noth, which is of oblong form, and rises into a
conical peak towards the eastern extremity, are the
remains of a vitrified fort; the walls appear to have
been ten feet in thickness. In making the turnpikeroad several stone coffins were discovered, some of
which contained human bones of large dimensions; and
Roman coins have also been found in the parish. There
are likewise remains of Druidical circles.
Riccarton
RICCARTON, a parish, in the district of Kyle,
county of Ayr; containing, with the villages of Hurlford and Sornhill, 3226 inhabitants, of whom nearly
1200 are in the village of Riccarton, ¼ mile (S.) from
Kilmarnock. This place, which is of considerable antiquity, is supposed to have derived its name, originally
Richardstown, from its ancient proprietor, Sir Richard
Wallace, to whom the lands were granted in the early
part of the 13th century by Walter, high steward of
Scotland. One of the descendants of that family was
uncle of the celebrated Sir William Wallace, who seems
to have frequently resided here with his relative during
the intervals of his military career; and it is expressly
stated that, after setting fire to the barns of Ayr, which
had been converted into temporary barracks by the
English forces under Edward I., who at that time occupied
the castle of Ayr, he retired to this place. Numerous
incidents connected with that hero during his stay at
Riccarton are recorded; but they are too well known
to need repetition. The baronial residence of the family
has been entirely destroyed, and the site is now occupied by the farm of Yardside. The only memorials of
it which have been preserved are, the original mantelpiece of the dining-room now placed in the kitchen of
the manse, and a pear-tree said to have been planted by
Sir William Wallace, which is still in the gardens of the
farm.
The parish is bounded on the north by the river
Irvine, and is about eight miles in extreme length, and
from two to three miles in breadth; comprising 18,000
acres, of which 500 are woodland and plantations, 700
moor and moss, and the remainder arable and in cultivation, with a due proportion of meadow and pasture.
The surface is pleasingly varied, rising by gentle undulations towards the south and east, and terminating in a
ridge of hills, of which the highest has an elevation of
500 feet above the level of the river, and commands
extensive prospects over the surrounding country, embracing the whole of the vale of Irvine and the town of
Kilmarnock. The rivers are the Irvine and the Cessnock. The Irvine has its source to the east of Loudoun
hill, in the parish of that name, and, flowing westward
along the northern boundary of this parish, falls into
the Frith of Clyde near the town of Irvine. The Cessnock has its source in the adjacent parish of Galston,
from which it separates this parish on the west; and
winding in graceful curves towards the north, it intersects Riccarton for the remainder of its course, and runs
into the Irvine. Both these rivers abound with trout of
good quality, affording excellent sport to anglers, by
whom they are much frequented; and the latter, in
many places flowing between richly-wooded banks, adds
much to the beauty of the scenery. There are also
numerous copious and perennial springs in the parish;
but many of them are strongly impregnated with different mineral substances, and are consequently unfit for
domestic use. The soil is generally of a stiff clayey
quality, but, when under proper management, is capable
of producing heavy crops of grain, and, on the holm
lands immediately adjoining the rivers, is luxuriantly
fertile; indeed some of the farms on these lands are
among the most valuable in the county. The crops are,
oats wheat, barley, potatoes, and turnips, with the
usual grasses. The system of husbandry is in a very
advanced state, and a due rotation of crops is every
where carefully observed, according to the nature of the
soil: great improvements, also, have been made by tile
and furrow draining, which has added materially to the
value of the lands. The average quantity of land which
has been annually drained within the last few years, has
been about 200 acres; and in several instances the
drainings have been made at the expense of the landlords, especially on the farms held under the Duke of
Portland, the tenant paying five shillings a year additional per acre for the term of his lease. The farms
are mostly about eighty acres in extent, and the farmhouses are substantial and commodious, many of them
two stories high, and roofed with slate; the lands are
inclosed chiefly with hedges of thorn, kept in good order;
and all the more recent improvements in the construction of agricultural implements have been adopted.
Great attention is paid to the management of the dairyfarms, on all of which the cows are of the Ayrshire
breed, and the produce is in high repute; about 160
tons of cheese are annually sent to the neighbouring
markets, where that of the best quality obtains a price
of twelve shillings per stone Dutch weight. No sheep
are reared, except a few on the lands attached to the
houses of landed proprietors: the horses, of which a
number sufficient for agricultural purposes are kept, are
chiefly of the Clydesdale breed. The plantations, which
are of very moderate extent, are principally in the
demesnes of the gentlemen's seats, and are under careful
management, and in a thriving condition.
The substrata include coal, limestone, sandstone,
and clay of an excellent description for making bricks
and tiles; the coal-fields are numerous, and, though
differing in species, are all of good quality. Some of
the coal found on the lands of Caprington, Skerrington,
and Barleith is very superior, and in extensive operation for ordinary uses: the blind coal, also, or Anthracite, though not confined to this parish, is chiefly obtained at Caprington. This coal, which burns without
emitting either smoke or flame, occurs among the lowest
strata, and is mainly used for drying grain and malt,
and in the burning of lime to a small extent. For these
purposes large quantities are sent by a railway from the
Caprington collieries to Troon, whence it is shipped for
Ireland; and the coal from the other mines is conveyed in carts to Ayr and Irvine. The limestone is
excellent either for building purposes or for manure,
and two large quarries of it are in operation: in the
quarry of Knockmarloch, on the side of Craigiehill, and
at a height of nearly 500 feet, are found numerous
petrifactions both of vegetable and animal substances.
The freestone is also of good quality and extensively
wrought; the quarries in some parts contain stone of a
reddish colour, and in others the stone is of a yellowish
hue. The clay is manufactured into bricks, and tiles
for draining; they are in great demand throughout the
district, and are sent in large quantities to various places.
The rateable annual value of Riccarton amounts to
£17,159. The principal mansion-house in the parish is
the castle of Caprington, an ancient structure situated
on the south bank of the river Irvine, and once the
baronial seat of a branch of the Wallace family. The
building, which is spacious and of great strength, though
improved by recent additions, still retains much of its
original character; in the centre of the front rises a
lofty tower, to which the entrance is by an arched gateway flanked with towers of inferior dimensions; and
from the extent and beauty of the surrounding demesne,
which is embellished with stately timber and thriving
plantations, it may be regarded as a splendid residence.
About a mile to the south of the castle is Treesbank, a neat
structure beautifully situated in grounds tastefully laid
out, and commanding some finely varied prospects.
The other mansions are, Shaw Hill, Dollars, and Bellfield, all handsome residences; and Milrig, recently rebuilt in a very elegant style.
The village of Riccarton, which is of great antiquity,
and was anciently a burgh of barony, is on the south
bank of the river Irvine, and has a handsome bridge of
three spacious arches, connecting it with the burgh of
Kilmarnock, to which it forms a suburb, and within
the parliamentary boundaries of which it is included
under the Reform act. The houses are built on an
eminence rising gradually from the bank of the river,
and have generally an appearance of antiquity, forming
one irregular street of considerable length, on the turnpike-road from Ayr to Edinburgh. The inhabitants are
chiefly engaged in hand-loom weaving for the manufacturers of Paisley and Kilmarnock; the principal articles
are, shawls, mousselins-de-laine, and similar fabrics, in
making which more than 200 persons are employed.
A great number of females, also, are engaged in sewing
and embroidering muslin, called here Ayrshire needlework. The manufacture of shoes for the foreign markets
was formerly largely carried on; but within the last
few years it has been gradually declining, and at present
affords employment to a very small number of persons.
Letters are delivered twice daily from the post-office at
Kilmarnock; and facility of communication is partly
maintained by the turnpike-roads from Glasgow to London and to Ayr and Portpatrick, which intersect the
parish; and by the turnpike-road from Ayr to Edinburgh, which passes through the village. Other roads
are kept in good repair by statute labour; and there
are three bridges over the Irvine, and one over the
Cessnock, all of which are in substantial repair. A
private railroad has been laid down from the collieries
at Caprington to the Kilmarnock and Troon railway.
The villages of Hurlford and Sornhill are described
under their respective heads.
The ecclesiastical affairs are under the superintendence of the presbytery of Ayr and synod of Glasgow
and Ayr. The minister's stipend is £241. 3. 9., with a
manse, and a glebe valued at £50 per annum; patron,
John Smith Cuninghame, of Caprington, Esq. The
church, built in 1823, to replace the ancient church,
of which the burial-ground is still preserved, is situated
in the centre of the village of Riccarton, on a lofty
mound said to have been the seat for administering
justice. It is a substantial and neat structure with a
handsome spire, erected at a cost of £4000, and contains 1200 sittings, most of which are free, or let at a
nominal rent. From its elevated situation, the church
forms a very conspicuous and interesting feature in the
landscape. The parochial school affords instruction to
about 120 children; the master has a salary of £34. 4. 4.,
with a house and garden, and the fees average £50 annually. There is also a school at Hurlford, of which
the master has a house and garden, in addition to his
fees; the house was built by subscription, on a site
given by the Duke of Portland. A parochial library,
containing about 500 volumes of historical, biographical,
and religious works, is supported by subscription; and
there are several friendly societies. Among the distinguished persons formerly connected with this place
are several of the Cuninghame family. John Cuninghame, of Caprington, created a baronet by Charles II.,
and a lawyer of great eminence, was employed as counsel
for his country, against the Duke of Lauderdale; and
as a man of profound learning and incorruptible integrity, honourable mention is made of him by Bishop
Burnet in his History of his own Times. Mr. John Cuninghame, second son of Sir John, who was the first that
delivered lectures on the Roman law in Scotland, and
who died in 1710; and Sir James Shaw, Bart., the first
Scotsman that ever filled the office of lord mayor of
London, and who died in 1843, were natives of the parish.
Riess
RIESS, a village, in the parish of Wick, county of
Caithness, 4 miles (N. N. W.) from the town of Wick.
This is a small village situated on the coast-road between Wick and Keiss, from which places it is nearly
equidistant. The town-land of Riess gives name to the
spacious bay on this coast, also called Keiss and Sinclair bay.
Riggend
RIGGEND, a village, in the parish of New Monkland, Middle ward of the county of Lanark; containing
355 inhabitants. This is one of the numerous thriving
and increasing villages in this and neighbouring parishes,
that owe their prosperity to the establishment of coal
and iron works.
Rissa
RISSA, an isle, in the parish of North and South
Walls, island of Hoy, county of Orkney. This is a
small islet, lying in Scalpa Flow, and on the east side
of Hoy, near Pegal head: it does not appear to be
inhabited.
Ristol
RISTOL, an island, in the late quoad sacra parish
of Ullapool, parish of Lochbroom, county of Ross
and Cromarty; containing 19 inhabitants. It is situated in Loch Broom, on the western coast of the county,
a short distance from the main land, and is one of the
most northern of a group called the Summer Isles.
Roadside
ROADSIDE, a village, in the parish of St. Cyrus,
county of Kincardine, 5½ miles (N. by E.) from Montrose; containing 110 inhabitants. This place, and
Burnside, form a line of cottages along the high road
from Montrose to Bervie, and a short distance from the
kirktown of the parish. It is chiefly inhabited by feuars
and crofters.
Roan
ROAN, an island, in the parish of Tongue, county
of Sutherland; containing 42 inhabitants.—See Ealan na Roan, and Tongue.
Roberton
ROBERTON, a village, in the parish of Wiston
and Roberton, Upper ward of the county of Lanark,
2¼ miles (S. S. W.) from the village of Wiston; containing 201 inhabitants. This village is pleasantly situated
in the south-eastern quarter of the parish, and is chiefly
inhabited by persons employed in agriculture, and in
the various trades requisite for the supply of the vicinity. There is a place of worship for members of the
Relief, of which the minister derives his income from
the rents of the seats and the contributions of his congregation; and the parochial school of Roberton, formerly a separate parish, is still kept here.
Roberton
ROBERTON, a parish, partly in the county of Selkirk, but chiefly in the district of Hawick, county of
Roxburgh, 3 miles (W.) from Hawick; containing
757 inhabitants, of whom about 100 are in the village
of Deanburnhaugh. This place is distinguished by few
events of historical importance. It was, however, the
chief residence of the family of the Scotts of Harden, who
at one time bore the title of earls of Tarras; and during
the border warfare it was signalized by many predatory
exploits of Walter of Harden, a well-known and formidable border chieftain, of whose castle there are still some
interesting remains. It is said that, on his return from
an expedition into the neighbouring districts, he brought
home an infant who was fostered by a descendant of
the family of Scott, known by the appellation of the
Flower of Yarrow, and at that time Lady of Harden;
and that the child afterwards became eminent as a bard,
and was the author of the most admired and popular of
the border songs. The parish is about thirteen miles
in length and nearly five miles in breadth, and comprises
30,550 acres, of which about 2000 are arable, 550 woodland and plantations, and the remainder rough pasture
and waste. The surface is broken by hills of bold elevation, of which the most lofty are those of Craickmoor,
the Culm or Coom, and the Criblaw of Craick, the last
of conical form; but none of them exceed the height of
1300 feet above the level of the sea. A range of hills
intersects the parish from north to south; and two
chains of less elevation branch off from it in an eastern
direction, including between them the vale of Borthwick, watered by the river of that name. The lower
lands are beautifully diversified with lakes, of which
Alemoor, a fine sheet of water of circular form, is the
source of the river Ale. Hellmoor lake, of less depth,
but of much greater extent, is partly in the parish; and
to the west is Moodlaw lake, equally divided between
the parishes of Roberton, Eskdalemuir, and Ettrick,
and in the centre of which the respective counties of
Roxburgh, Dumfries, and Selkirk unite. The river of
Borthwick has its source in the hills to the west, and,
after a rapid course to the eastward for nearly thirteen
miles, flows into the Tiviot about two miles west of
Hawick. Most of the lakes abound with perch, pike,
and eels; and in those in which there are no pike, trout
of excellent quality are found in great plenty.
The soil is of good quality in the vale of Borthwick;
upon the acclivities, which in some places are rather
precipitous, it is thinner, and gravelly; and towards the
summits of the hills, which are generally flat, it is wet and
boggy. The system of agriculture is improved, and the
five-shift course generally prevalent. The prevailing kinds
of timber are, larch, spruce, and Scotch fir; but there
is also a considerable quantity of oak, ash, elm, beech,
and plane, and the number of these is progressively
increasing. The common breeds of cattle are the shorthorned and the Highland Kyloe. Vast numbers of sheep
are bred, the chief of which are the Cheviot crossed with
the Leicestershire, which are found profitable for the
butcher, and in the weight and quality of the fleece;
there are also a portion of the black-faced hirsel kind.
The number of sheep of all kinds reared and fed is little
less than 20,000; and within the last few years, considerable numbers of Kyloes, bought at the Falkirk fairs,
are pastured in common with the sheep during the winter. The farm-buildings are generally good, and many
of the farm-houses are spacious and handsome: the
fences in the lower lands are hedges, and in the higher
grounds stone walls; both kept in good order. Lime
and bone-dust, the chief manures, have been introduced
with much benefit to the lands; and among other improvements are the sheep-drains, which have also been
productive of great advantage. The substratum of the
parish is mostly the greywacke rocks; ironstone is also
found in some parts; and beneath the mosses, which
are extensive, shell-marl and peat are found in abundance. Decayed trees are often discovered imbedded
in the moss, and also the horns of deer and other animals. The chief fuel is peat; and coal is also obtained,
at a moderate price, and in sufficient quantity. About
one-half of the lands are the property of the Duke of
Buccleuch, and the remainder divided among several
proprietors: the rateable annual value of the parish is
£6395. Chisholme, Borthwickbrae, Hoscoat, and
Borthwickshiels are handsome modern residences embellished with thriving plantations. Harden, the property of Hugh Scott, Esq., is a venerable mansion,
which retains a little of its former magnificence, and
some vestiges of its ancient fortifications. The ceiling
of the old hall is still partly embellished with stucco;
and the mantel-piece in one of the rooms is decorated
with an earl's coronet and the cipher "W. E. T.", that
is, Walter, Earl of Tarras. In front of the house is a
deep glen, into which were driven the cattle that were
carried off by the chieftains during the wars of the
border.
This place seems to have been erected into a parish
about the year 1650, and consists of parts of the former parishes of Hawick, Selkirk, Wilton, and Hassendean. It is in the presbytery of Selkirk and synod of
Merse and Teviotdale, and patronage of the Crown: the
minister's stipend is £205. 12. 9., with a manse, and
the glebe is valued at £18 per annum. The glebe-lands
are intersected by the boundary line between Roxburgh
and Selkirk, and the minister has a vote for each of
those counties. The church, from an inscription bearing date 1659, appears to have been erected when the
parish was constituted; it is in good repair, and adapted
to a congregation of 250 persons. The parochial school,
for which a handsome schoolroom, and a residence for
the master, have been recently built by the heritors,
affords an excellent education to a considerable number
of scholars; the master has a salary of £34. 4. 4., with
£24 fees, and a garden. Remains of ancient camps
are found in various parts of the parish, some of which
are square, and others of elliptical form. Of these the
largest and most complete is on the farm of Broadlee,
in the west of the parish; another is on that of Highchesters, in a most commanding situation; there are
also two on the farm of Todshawhill, and one called
Camp Castle on the lands of Borthwickshiels. In one,
a ball weighing one and a half pound was found; and
in another, some daggers in a very decayed condition.
The remains of an old chapel may still be seen on the
farm of Chapelhill, where a curate from Hassendean
used to officiate; and also at Borthwickbrae, the cemetery of which is still the chief burying-place of the parish.
Rockfield
ROCKFIELD, a village, in the parish of Tarbat,
district of Mainland, county of Ross and Cromarty;
containing 118 inhabitants. This village, which is situated on the western shore of the Moray Frith, is inhabited chiefly by persons employed in the fisheries, for
whose accommodation a small but substantial pier has
been erected, at the joint expense of the Commissioners
of the Northern Fisheries and the proprietor, Mr. McLeod
of Geanies.
Roe, Little and Muckle
ROE, LITTLE and MUCKLE, islands, in the parish
of Delting, county of Shetland; the one containing
11, and the other 214, inhabitants. Little Roe is situated on the northern coast of the parish, in Yell sound;
and Muckle Roe in St. Magnus' bay, on the western
coast of the Mainland of Shetland. The former is of
very inconsiderable size, and its inhabitants, consisting
of two or three families, employ themselves in fishing;
but the latter is a comparatively large island, about
twenty-four miles in circumference, having some spots
of land brought into cultivation within the last hundred
years, while the other portions are covered with a fine
kind of heath, which affords good pasture to sheep and
black-cattle, great numbers of both which are annually
reared.
Rogart
ROGART, a parish, in the county of Sutherland,
10 miles (W. N. W.) from Golspie; containing 1501
inhabitants. This place is generally supposed to have
derived its name from a compound Gaelic word, of
which Rogart is a corruption, signifying a "lofty
inclined plane," and applied on account of the high
ground and acclivities in various parts of the parish,
and especially on account of the elevated land on which
the village stands. The locality appears to have been
in remote times the scene of many sanguinary conflicts,
as the remains of encampments and some tumuli are
still visible: several of the latter are to be seen on a
ridge of hills running from north to south in the eastern
quarter of the parish, from Strathbrora to Strathfleet;
and stone coffins, daggers, and other warlike instruments have been discovered. At a place called Rhin,
in the valley of Strathfleet, the brave Montrose halted for
a night, when on his return from Orkney; upon the next
day marching to Strathoicail, on whose heights he fought
his last battle. The parish is an irregular square in
its form, about ten miles long and ten broad, and contains 62,800 acres. It is bounded on the north by
parts of the parishes of Clyne and Farr; on the south
by parts of those of Dornoch and Criech; on the east
by parts of Dornoch and Golspie; and on the west by
the parish of Lairg. The surface is altogether uneven,
chiefly consisting of two valleys about five miles apart,
which run through the parish from east to west, and
the intermediate space of which is marked by moors,
rocky hills, tracts of moss, and some few meadows.
One of these valleys, called Strathfleet, is ten miles
long, and varies in width from three-quarters of a mile
to only a few yards, its sides contracting themselves
almost to the narrowness of the Fleet river, which
flows through it. The sides of this valley, which occasionally are cultivated and produce crops, rise from 500
to 700 feet above the level of the stream, in most parts
ascending in a gradual manner, but in some places
exhibiting the features of an abrupt acclivity. The
other valley, named Strathbrora, is much more wild and
rugged in its aspect than the former. The river Brora,
which runs through it, having, on account of its frequent
and violent floodings, cut deeper into the banks, forms
in several places extensive chasms, completely altering
the character of the scenery, and assimilating it in a
great degree to that of the adjacent mountainous district.
The land in tillage, and the meadows and haughs formed
by the Fleet and Brora, and by the burns and other
waters, cover but a small space compared to the extent
of the moors, which form by far the largest proportion
of land in the parish. The hills stretching between the
two valleys are all of nearly equal height, and about
800 or 900 feet above the level of the sea. Among the
animals that visit the hills and wastes are, the roe-deer,
the red mountain-deer, the grey mountain-hare, the
brown hare, and large numbers of rabbits: black game
and moor-fowl are also numerous, especially the former.
The rivers are the Fleet and the Brora, in which salmon,
grilse, and sea-trout are taken. They are but small
streams, though the latter becomes formidable in the
flooding season, when its current is considerably widened
and its banks overflowed, and when the waters frequently carry havoc and desolation to the adjacent
lands. There are also numerous lakes, though of no
great extent, which abound in good trout, and are much
frequented by the lovers of angling.
The soil on some of the hilly grounds is light and
gravelly, and near the streams often approximates to
an alluvial mould; but the largest proportion of the
parish, as already observed, is moor or moss. Not
more than 1200 acres are at present cultivated, though
it is supposed that about 1000 might be added to the
land in tillage. Small alder-trees are sometimes seen
along the streams, and also bushes of ground-birch;
but there is no other wood in the parish, with the
exception of one plantation in Strathfleet of about
twenty acres, consisting of oak, larch, and common fir.
All kinds of grain are raised, amounting to the average
total value of £2250 annually; potatoes are also produced, and turnips in large quantities. On some of
the small farms there is a species of sheep of diminutive
size, but with a fine fleece, and of excellent flavour;
they were formerly the only sheep known in the district, but are now fast yielding to the Cheviots, which
are preferred on account of their superior size. Between
9000 and 10,000 sheep are kept, and about 1000 head of
cattle, mostly the native black. Surface-draining has
been carried on to a great extent, by which the sheeppasture has been improved in quality, and much increased
in quantity; and little now remains to be done in this
department in any part of the district. The prevailing
rock is gneiss, varied in many instances with quartz
veins; it is large-grained, partakes considerably of
mica, and being easily wrought, supplies a cheap material for the cottages and houses of the inhabitants.
Rolled blocks of granite are freely distributed over the
main surface, as well as in the hollows, where they are
covered with thin mould. The moss runs sometimes
twelve feet deep; in parts where the depth is less, it
grows rapidly, and exhibits a fresh and verdant appearance. The rateable annual value of the parish is £240.
A road extends along Strathfleet, and another leaves it
at the eastern end for Strathbrora; the former is part of
the road from Golspie to Tongue, upon which a mailcurricle carrying four passengers has been established.
The ecclesiastical affairs are directed by the presbytery of Dornoch and synod of Sutherland and Caithness; patron, the Duke of Sutherland: the stipend of
the minister is £156, of which £3. 1. 4. are received
from the exchequer; and the glebe is of the annual
value of £9. 10. The church and manse stand near
each other, in a bleak exposure, and command, from
their elevated position, a view of the peaks of almost
all the high mountains in the county: the church was
built in 1777, and is conveniently situated for the bulk
of the parishioners. There is a parochial school, in
which are taught the ordinary branches of education,
with mensuration and land-surveying; the master's
salary is £34. 4., with a house, and about £18 fees. In
the parish are also two schools supported by the General
Assembly, and a school supported by the Gaelic School
Society, in the former of which the usual branches of a
plain education are taught, with Gaelic and the rudiments of Latin; while in the latter, the reading of
Gaelic alone is taught. The Gaelic schoolmaster, who
is not stationary in any one place, is not allowed to
take fees; but he receives a salary of £25, with the
necessary accommodation. The masters of the Assembly's schools have a salary and a house, but, though
allowed to take fees, are seldom able to obtain them, on
account of the poverty of the people. The language
used in the district is the Gaelic, which however is fast
yielding to the English. The interest of a bequest of
£200 is annually divided among the poor. Among the
antiquities in the parish are the remains of a Druidical
temple at Corrie.
Rona
RONA, an island, in the parish of Portree, Isle of
Skye, county of Inverness; containing 165 inhabitants. This island lies in the sound of the same name,
between the main land of Scotland and the Isle of Skye.
It is about four miles in length and two in breadth,
having a level surface, and a tolerably fertile soil. There
is a good harbour. Around the coast are extensive
caves, some of which afford fine specimens of stalactytes.
Ronaldshay, North
RONALDSHAY, NORTH, an island and a quoad
sacra parish, in the parish of Cross and Burness,
county of Orkney, 30 miles (N. E. by N.) from Kirkwall; containing 481 inhabitants. This island, the
most northern of the Orkneys, is bounded on the south
by the Frith to which it gives name, and by which it is
separated from the island of Sanda; it is nearly five
miles in extreme length, and above one mile in breadth.
On the south and east sides the coast is low, and the
beach shelving and sandy; but on the west and north-west, the coast, though not very elevated, is rocky and
precipitous. There are three considerable bays, the bay
of Linket on the east, the South bay, and Ness bay on the
south-east; none of them afford any shelter for vessels,
but towards the north-west the shore is protected by
two reefs of rocks called respectively the Altars of Lina
and the Shelky Skerry. The surface of the interior is
level, with the exception of a portion near the centre,
which has a gentle acclivity; the soil is generally dry,
from the great proportion of shell-sand with which it is
intermixed. About three-fourths of the land are under
cultivation; most of the remainder is rendered sterile
by the incessant dashing of the spray along the west
and north-west coasts, and there is a small tract of
waste inland which has not yet been reclaimed. The
whole island is the property of William Traill, Esq.,
whose agent formerly resided here, and under whose
direction considerable improvements have taken place in
agriculture. The chief crops are oats and bear, of
which, on the average, about 1200 bolls of the former,
and 1500 of the latter, are raised annually, with turnips
and other green crops; the principal manure is seaweed, which is found in great abundance, and which
also furnishes a supply of food for the sheep during the
winter. The breed of cattle, formerly very small, has
been much improved by a cross with the Dunrobin
breed, and is upon a par with the generality of the
Orkney cattle; the breed of horses has also been improved in size and strength, but the sheep are of the
poorest kind, and kept chiefly for their wool.
The manufacture of kelp is still carried on, though
not to the same extent as formerly; the average quantity was 120 tons annually, and the quality always
obtained a preference in the market. It has been lately
discovered that kelp made from the drifted sea-weed
contains a large quantity of iodine, which renders it of
much greater value. The fisheries afford employment
to many of the inhabitants. The lobster-fishery engages
six boats, of two men each, from the beginning of May
till the end of June; and the produce is sent to the
London markets in smacks fitted up with wells for the
purpose, and which call for the fish weekly during the
season, at the adjacent island of Sanda. The herring-fishery, for which the principal station is at Stronsay,
is also profitably conducted, and on the average fourteen
boats are employed in it, each from twenty-four to
twenty-eight feet in length; these boats are built by
two men in the island, and are considered as the best
of the Orkney boats. The cod-fishery has of late been
cultivated with success, as a substitute for the diminution in the making of kelp. Considerable disadvantage
in the fisheries is experienced from the want of a sheltered harbour, which renders it necessary for the fishermen to shift their boats in bad weather from one side
of the island to the other, or to draw them up on the
shore for their protection. The island was for ecclesiastical, as well as civil, purposes formerly united with the
parish of Cross and Burness, from which it was separated
in 1833, and formed into a quoad sacra district; it is in
the presbytery of North Isles and synod of Orkney,
and patronage of the Crown. The minister's stipend
is £120 per annum, with a manse, and a glebe valued
at £3. 10. per annum. The church is a plain building
erected about thirty-five years since. A school once supported by the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge, is attended by about seventy scholars; the teacher
has a salary of £30 per annum, paid from the exchequer, and the usual fees. A parochial library, containing about 300 volumes, is supported by the inhabitants. On the north-east corner of the island is a
lighthouse, which was maintained for several years by
the Commissioners of Northern Lights; but the light
has been transferred to Sanda; the building is now
in a very dilapidated state. There are some remains of
an ancient fortress called Burrion Castle, consisting
chiefly of the foundations; also an upright stone about
twelve feet high, supposed to have been part of a
Druidical temple.
Ronaldshay, South
RONALDSHAY, SOUTH, a parish, in the county
of Orkney; containing 3194 inhabitants, of whom
1867 are in the district of St. Peter, 789 in that of St.
Mary, and 538 in that of Burray. This parish includes
the old parish of St. Peter in the northern, and the old
parish of St. Mary in the southern, portion of the island
of South Ronaldshay, with the isles of Swona and the
two Skerries in the Pentland Frith, of which the former
and one of the latter are inhabited; it also includes the
old parish and island of Burray, with the isles of Hunda
and Glemsholm in the bay of Holm Sound, of which
the latter is uninhabited. These three parishes have been
united from time immemorial. The island of South
Ronaldshay is supposed to have derived its name from
one of its ancient proprietors, Ronald, a Danish count.
From the great irregularity of its form, its extent has
never been correctly ascertained; it is about six miles
in length, and four miles in average breadth. The island
of Burray, which is situated to the north of it, and is
separated by the ferry of Water Sound, about one mile
broad, is four miles in length, and averages from one
mile to two miles in breadth. Swona, which is nearly
four miles to the west of South Ronaldshay, and in the
Pentland Frith, is a mile and a half in length and nearly
one mile in breadth; the northern of the Skerries, on
which a lighthouse has been erected, is something more
than a mile in circumference; and the other is of still
smaller extent.
The surface of the parish is generally low, the highest
lands not attaining an elevation of 300 feet above the
level of the sea. The soil is various, consisting of clay,
black loam, sand, and moss, frequently in combination,
and sometimes in all their varieties upon one field; that
in Burray is generally a light sand, and in the isle of
Swona, a black earth mixed with sand and gravel. The
chief crops are oats and bear, with potatoes and turnips;
and there are some fine fields of red and white clover,
and natural grasses yielding luxuriant pasture. The
system of agriculture is, however, in a very unimproved
state; and, from the abundance of shell-sand, more
than double the quantity of land now in cultivation
might be made to produce excellent crops of corn. The
farm-buildings, also, are of very inferior order. The
substratum is principally blue or black clay-slate, alternated with sandstone, and sandstone flag; lead-ore has
been found here, and some attempts were made to work
it, but without success. The village of St. Margaret's
Hope is pleasantly situated on the eastern coast, on the
shore of the bay of that name, which forms a safe and
commodious harbour; and on the western coast is the
harbour of Widewall, opening to the Pentland Frith
and Stromness. The former of these is much frequented
by smaller vessels and smacks employed in the fisheries,
and the latter is accessible to ships of 600 or 700 tons,
which frequently have recourse to it for shelter. There
are several bold headlands, some of which rise perpendicularly to a height of nearly 300 feet above the level
of the sea. The population are engaged both in agriculture and in the fisheries; and many of the females are
employed in the platting of straw. There are eleven
sloops engaged in the cod-fishery till the season for
herrings commences, during which many thousand
barrels are annually cured for exportation; the quantity of cod, ling, and hake taken and cured here averages
nearly 120 tons. In the village of St. Margaret's Hope
is a post-office with a daily delivery; and a subscription
and parochial library has been established there. A fair
for lean cattle is held annually in November, and others
are growing into use.
The ecclesiastical affairs are under the superintendence of the presbytery of Kirkwall and synod of
Orkney. The minister's stipend is £200, with an allowance of £8. 6. 8. for communion elements, a manse, and
a glebe valued at £12. 6. 8. per annum; patron, the Earl
of Zetland. The church of St. Mary, in the south, is
situated near the western shore; and that of St. Peter,
in the north portion of the parish, within a few yards of
the sea, on the eastern coast. They are both ancient
buildings, and were repaired in 1802; the former contains 273, and the latter 413 sittings. The church of
Burray has been in ruins nearly from the commencement of the present century. Considerable addition
might be made to the number of seats by the erection
of galleries in the two existing churches. There is a
place of worship for members of the United Secession.
The parochial school is near the village of St. Margaret's
Hope; the master has a salary of £26, with a house and
garden, and the fees average about £15 per annum. A
school was founded by William Tomison, Esq., who
endowed it with a house and £40 per annum for the
teacher, for the gratuitous instruction of children of the
three united parishes. Mr. Tomison also bequeathed
£200 for the poor of the South parish, of which he was
a native, and a sum for the erection and endowment of
a female school, which is being suffered to accumulate
for that purpose. William Sutherland, Esq., a resident
heritor of the North parish, bequeathed £200 for the
benefit of the poor of that parish. There are several
subscription schools. The poor are supported by collections at the church and by the proceeds of the abovenoticed bequests. There are some remains of Picts'
houses and tumuli, and numerous vestiges of intrenchments consisting of mounds of earth. Near the manse
is a subterraneous building, eleven feet long, three feet
wide, and nearly of equal height; the interior is paved
with stones evidently taken from the beach. Several
ancient coins have been found; and there are Druidical
relics, and remains of ancient chapels.
Ronay
RONAY, an island, in the parish of North Uist,
county of Inverness; containing 9 inhabitants. It is
an isle of the Hebrides, lying between Benbecula and
North Uist, and east of Græmsay; and is very barren.
Rosebank
ROSEBANK, a village, in the parish of Dalserf,
Middle ward of the county of Lanark, 2½ miles (E. S. E.)
from Larkhall; containing 184 inhabitants. It is situated on the west side of the Clyde, which bounds the
parish on the east; and is a beautiful village, standing
nearly opposite to Mauldslie Castle. It has arisen within
the last thirty-five years, to supply the deficiency of
dwellings occasioned by the decaying state of Dalserf
village; but building has latterly nearly come to a close
in it, from the want of ground for feuing. There is a
deficiency of house accommodation in this part of the
parish, and at present about forty families reside in
about twenty-five houses here. The high road from
Lanark to Glasgow passes close to the village.
Rosehearty
ROSEHEARTY, a burgh of barony and small seaport, in the parish of Pitsligo, district of Buchan,
county of Aberdeen, 4 miles (W.) from Fraserburgh,
and 18 (E. by N.) from Banff; containing 750 inhabitants.
This place, which is situated at the northern extremity
of the parish, upon a point of land projecting into the
Moray Frith, was in the reign of Charles II. erected into
a burgh of barony, and invested with all the usual privileges and jurisdiction; but its charter is not now
available, nor is there a public officer of any kind appointed. The town appears to owe all its importance to
its harbour, and to the fisheries, which are carried on
to a considerable extent; the fish principally taken here
are cod, ling, haddock, and skate, and the produce is
sent to Glasgow, Edinburgh, and London, in vessels
which on their return bring coal for the supply of the
district. About forty boats, also, each having a crew
of five men, or four men and a boy, are regularly employed in the herring-fishery, which is attended with
great success. The fishermen pay to the superior of the
burgh, John Duff Dingwall, Esq., £1 per annum for the
privilege of landing their fish, and finding bait, and for
forming their beds for muscles. There are three vessels
belonging to the port, and the harbour is accessible for
vessels of from eighty to one hundred tons' burthen;
the trade is chiefly the export of fish and grain. There
is a post-office under that of Fraserburgh, with which
town it has daily communication; and a market for
provisions of all kinds is held weekly, on Saturday.
Roseisles
ROSEISLES, two hamlets, in the parish of Duffus,
county of Elgin, 6 miles (W. N. W.) from Elgin; the
one containing 70, and the other, called Old Roseisle,
38 inhabitants. These places lie near the shore of BurghHead bay; and in their vicinity is the hill of Roseisle,
an eminence, with the exception of which the parish presents in its general aspect an entire and unbroken level.
Roseislehaugh is the seat of the Brander family.
Rosemarkie
ROSEMARKIE, a parish,
in the Mainland district of
the county of Ross and Cromarty, 11 miles (N. N. E.)
from Inverness; containing,
with the burgh and late quoad
sacra parish of Fortrose,
1719 inhabitants, of whom
637 are in the rural districts
of the parish. This place is
supposed to have derived its
name, signifying in the Gaelic
language "a headland or promontory, and the resort of mariners," from the elevated
situation of its church on the shore of the Moray Frith.
The parish, which is bounded on the east by the Frith,
is about six miles in length, varying from two to three
miles in breadth, and comprising an area of nearly fifteen
square miles. The surface rises gradually from the
shore to a considerable elevation, and towards the north
and south is pleasingly diversified with hills of various
height, of which the greater number are arable and in
good cultivation. The coast towards the northern extremity is bold and elevated, and at Chanonry point
projects far into the Frith, and forms a fine bay, affording
good anchorage, and safe shelter for vessels during
strong westerly gales. There are numerous springs of
excellent water; and a small burn which flows into the
bay, to the north of the town, after rains is much swollen,
and in its rapid course makes some pleasing cascades.
The soil in the upper portion of the parish is a deep
clay of great fertility, and in the lower lands a fine black
loam resting upon gravel; the crops are, grain of all
kinds, potatoes, and turnips. The system of husbandry
has been considerably improved under the auspices of
the Black Isle Farming Society, but much still remains
to be done; the farm houses and buildings are of very
inferior order, and the lands but very partially inclosed.
A few sheep of the small native breed are reared on
some of the farms, and generally much attention is paid
to live stock. About 900 acres are in plantations,
chiefly of modern growth, and in a thriving state. The
prevailing rocks along the coast are of the sandstone formation and gneiss, with veins of white quartz: the sandstone, which is of good quality for building, is wrought
to a considerable extent, several quarries having been
opened. Raddery House, the seat of H. M. Fowler, Esq.,
Flowerburn, and Hawkhill, are the mansions in the
parish.
Burgh Seal.
The town of Rosemarkie is beautifully situated on the
shore of the Frith. It is a place of great antiquity; it
obtained from Alexander II. a charter conferring on the
inhabitants all the privileges of a royal burgh, and in 1455
was by charter of James II. united with the Chanonry of
Ross under the common name of Fortrose. There are
neither any manufactures nor any trade carried on here,
except for the immediate supply of the parish: a few
of the inhabitants are employed in the salmon-fishery,
of which the principal station is at the point of Fortrose.
Fairs are held in April, June, and November, for cattle,
and for the sale of cotton goods, coarse cloths, and various other wares. The rateable annual value of the
parish is £3744. Its ecclesiastical affairs are under
the superintendence of the presbytery of Chanonry and
synod of Ross. The minister's stipend is £249. 9. 6.,
with a manse, and a glebe valued at £9 per annum;
patron, the Crown. The church, erected on the site of
the ancient edifice about the year 1821, is a spacious
and handsome structure in the later English style, and
contains 800 sittings. A church to which an adjacent
district of the parish was till lately annexed quoad sacra
by act of the General Assembly, has been raised in the
town of Fortrose, where are also an episcopal chapel, a
place of worship for members of the Free Church, and
one for Baptists. The parochial school, of which the
master's salary was early transferred to the grammar or
burgh school, and afterwards to the academy at Fortrose, has been just re-established; and there are three
Sabbath schools, all well attended. The principal antiquities are the ruins of the cathedral of Ross, in
which are interred the remains of the family of the
Mackenzies and other families. Among the distinguished residents of the parish have been, Sir George
Mackenzie, of Rosehaugh, an able statesman; Dr.
George Mackenzie, author of Lives of the most Eminent
Writers of the Scottish Nation; and the late Sir James
Mackintosh, who received the rudiments of his education at this place.—See Fortrose.
Roseneath
ROSENEATH, a parish, in the county of Dumbarton, 3 miles (W. by N.) from Helensburgh; containing
941 inhabitants, of whom about 50 are in the village.
By some writers the name of this place is said to be a
modification of Ross-Neoth, descriptive of its form and
original appearance as a bare and unwooded promontory; while others derive it from Ross-de-Nevyd, signifying "the extremity of the country of Nevyd," which
at a very early period formed part of the lordship of
Lennox. Other writers, again, deduce the name from
Ross-na-Choich, or "the promontory of the Virgin," on
account of the foundation of a church here by the earls
of Lennox in honour of the Virgin Mary. The earls
appear to have retained the lordship till near the close
of the 15th century, when the lands of Roseneath were
granted to Colin, the first earl of Argyll, by James IV.,
who appointed him lord high chancellor of Scotland, and
subsequently sent him as his plenipotentiary to the conference held at Northampton. The earl was a zealous
adherent to his sovereign during the rebellion of the
nobles; and on the accession of James IV., he also stood
high in that monarch's confidence. The lands have
ever since remained in the possession of his descendants, and are now the property of the present duke.
The parish, which anciently included part of that of
Row, is bounded on the east by the Gareloch, on the
south by the Frith of Clyde, and on the west by Loch
Long. It is about eight miles in length, and varies
from a mile and a half to two miles in breadth; comprising 6140 acres, of which about 2000 are arable with
a moderate proportion of meadow and pasture, 1240
woodland and plantations, and the remainder moor and
waste. The general form is that of a long narrow
peninsula, the parish being surrounded by water except
at the northern extremity, where it is connected with
the mainland of the parish of Row by an isthmus little
more than a mile in breadth. The surface ascends gradually from a level tract along the shore of the Frith
towards the centre, and thence rises by successive undulations to the hill of Tamnahara, which has an elevation
of more than 800 feet above the sea. These undulations
attain a mean height of about 400 feet, and form a wide
tract of table land chiefly covered with heath and moss,
from the sides of which the lands slope gently to the
coast, and are divided into arable farms and pastures. The
higher parts command extensive and richly-diversified
prospects over a country abounding with features of impressive grandeur; and the prevailing scenery throughout the whole parish is beautifully picturesque, and in
many places romantic. There are no rivers; but the
grounds are intersected with numerous rivulets and
brooks descending from the higher lands, and which,
after continued rains, swell into torrents, and in their
courses form various pleasing cascades. Near the base
of Tamnahara is a small lake, not more than a mile in
circumference, and of inconsiderable depth, abounding
with perch, and from which issues a rivulet that flows
into Loch Long at the north-western extremity of the
parish. There are also a few perennial springs, one of
which preserves the same degree of temperature in all
seasons, and is much resorted to in dry summers; and
another, called the Minister's well, is slightly chalybeate.
The coast is in some parts low and sandy, and in
others rocky, but not precipitous; and is indented with
several small bays, of which the most important are
Calwattie and Campsaile, the latter situated in the
Gareloch, between the Row ferry and the Castle point.
This bay affords excellent anchorage and secure shelter
for vessels of any burthen, and was used by the kings
of Scotland as a station for their ships of war; it has
within the last few years been chosen by the Royal
Yacht Club for laying up their vessels for the winter.
The Gareloch is sheltered from all those winds to which
Loch Long is so much exposed; the holding-ground is
firm, and the loch forms a spacious harbour in which
the whole of the British navy might ride in complete
security at any time of the year. The Gareloch and
Loch Long abound with herrings during the season, and
fisheries are carried on there to a very considerable
extent; salmon are also taken in moderate quantities,
and there are ferries, from the former to Greenock, and
from the latter to Row. Sea-trout, haddock, cod, ling,
whiting, skate, mackerel, flounders, halibut, mullet,
sperling, the John-dory, and gurnard are sometimes
obtained. Muscles are plentiful; there are two beds of
oysters, and lobsters and crabs are found occasionally
on the shore of Loch Long. In the moors, grouse are
found in considerable numbers, as well as other species
of game; partridges have greatly increased in numbers
since the cultivation of the adjacent lands, and snipes
and woodcocks are also plentiful; but though many
attempts have been made to introduce the pheasant,
they have been rather unsuccessful.
The soil is extremely various in different localities;
but the arable lands on the slopes, and especially the
lowest grounds, are fertile and productive. The crops
are, oats, barley, potatoes, and turnips, with the usual
grasses; and the farms are generally in a state of profitable cultivation. The system of husbandry has been
gradually improving under the auspices of an association
recently established; considerable tracts of waste land
have been reclaimed by draining; and inclosures of
stone dykes and hedges of thorn have been made on
most of the farms. The farm houses, also, have been
greatly improved, and the offices are substantial and
well arranged; the cottages are comfortable, and kept
in good repair; and all the more recent improvements
in the construction of implements have come into general use. Few sheep are reared: the cattle are mostly
of the Ayrshire breed, but in the parks attached to the
principal mansions many of the West Highland and
black-breed are grazed. Great attention is paid to the
live-stock, and several oxen fed on the lands of Roseneath have obtained the premiums awarded by the
Highland Society at their annual meetings. The most
ancient of the woodlands, which comprise 720 acres of
natural timber, consist of ash, elm, beech, plane, lime,
oak, yew, horse-chesnut, holm-oak, cedar, and various
kinds of fir, of which there are numerous specimens of
venerable growth in the grounds of the castle, the environs of the church, and on the site of the ancient house
of Campsaile. The more modern plantations, of which
there are 520 acres, chiefly in the southern portions
of the parish, comprise all the varieties of the pine,
with oak, ash, and birch, which seem to be indigenous to
the soil; they are regularly thinned and in a flourishing
state, and harmonise well with the timber in the castle-grounds, and the copses of natural wood which extend
along the shores of the Frith and the lochs. Near the
site of the mansion of Campsaile are two silver firs of
luxuriant and venerable growth, which are supposed to
have been the first planted in this part of the country.
Their trunks at a height of five feet from the ground are
nineteen feet in girth; and from them rise numerous
lofty stems, branching out into a profusion of spreading
boughs combining a graceful symmetry of form with an
impression of majestic grandeur. The principal substrata are, clay-slate, limestone, and sandstone, with
occasional boulders of granite. The slate is of various
colours and of good quality: two quarries were opened
some years since on the lands of Roseneath Castle
and Baremman respectively, and, after being in operation for some time without yielding an adequate
remuneration, were both abandoned; but the latter has
recently been re-opened with a probability of greater
advantage. The limestone has not been wrought to any
considerable extent: the facility of obtaining abundance
of lime from the north of Ireland, at all times, and at a
very moderate expense, has hitherto rendered the extensive working of it unnecessary. The rateable annual
value of the parish is £4006.
The old Castle of Roseneath, the ancient baronial
seat of the Lennox family, was partly restored and
fitted up by the Marquess of Argyll, as a temporary
residence, about the year 1630, and continued to be
occasionally occupied by the family till the late Duke of
Argyll enlarged a small castellated building on the
south point of the bay of Campsaile, and added to it a
commodious suite of apartments. This mansion, which
obtained the appellation of Roseneath Castle, was
destroyed by fire about the commencement of the present century; and the duke in 1802 commenced the
erection of the present splendid seat, on a site at a
greater distance from the shore, and more towards the
centre of the bay. The new mansion is a spacious
structure in the modern Italian style of architecture,
erected after a design by, and under the superintendence
of, J. Bononi, of London. The principal front, towards
the north, is embellished with a stately portico of the
Ionic order, boldly projecting from the main building,
and affording ample room for a carriage-drive underneath; and the south front, though less striking in its
character, is also a composition of elegant design. From
the centre of the building, which contains many apartments magnificently decorated, rises a lofty circular
tower of two stages, crowned with battlements, and
commanding from the platform a richly-varied prospect
over the demesne, which is tastefully laid out, and an
extensive view of the adjacent country, which abounds
with features of highly romantic character. Clachan
House, another mansion of the Campbell family, and
formerly their principal seat in this part, is remarkable for the beauty of its situation, and its avenue of
venerable yew-trees and stately limes. The houses of
Peattoun and Baremman are handsome residences; and
there are also numerous pleasing villas and picturesque
cottages on the banks of the Gareloch. The village, or
Kirkton, is very inconsiderable, consisting only of small
houses in the vicinity of the church; and in various
parts of the parish are other small clusters of cottages,
which during the summer months are partly occupied
by strangers, who resort hither for the purpose of seabathing. A subscription library, containing several
hundred volumes, has been for some years established;
and there is also a juvenile library, consisting chiefly of
religious publications. No manufactures of any kind are
carried on in the parish; but several of the inhabitants
are employed in the handicraft trades requisite for the
wants of the district. The beauty of the scenery, and
the numerous objects of interest in the immediate vicinity, attract great numbers of visiters from all parts of
the surrounding country. There are two inns in the
parish, situated at the ferries of Row and Kilcraigie;
and a branch office under the post-office at Helensburgh has been established, which has a daily delivery.
Internal communication is maintained by private roads
intersecting the parish in various directions, and connecting Loch Long with the Gareloch, all of which are
kept in excellent repair; and steamers which ply in the
lochs, and the ferry-boats, afford every facility of intercourse with places at a distance.
The ecclesiastical affairs are under the superintendence of the presbytery of Dumbarton and synod of
Glasgow and Ayr. The minister's stipend is £190. 16. 5.,
with a manse, and a glebe valued at £10 per annum;
patron, the Duke of Argyll. The old church, situated
about two miles from the southern boundary of the
parish, and on the shore of the Gareloch, originally a
cruciform structure dedicated to the Virgin Mary, having fallen into decay, was taken down in 1780, with the
exception of the belfry, which has been preserved. The
present church is a neat plain substantial structure,
containing sufficient accommodation for the parishioners, but remarkable only for the beauty of its belfry.
The members of the Free Church have a place of worship. The parochial school, situated in the village, is a
handsome and commodious building, recently erected
by the heritors; the master has a salary of £34. 4. 4.,
with a house and garden, and the fees average about
£40 annually. There is also a school at Knockderry,
on the shore of Loch Long, of which the master has a
salary of £35 from the Duke of Argyll, by whom the
school-house was built, in addition to the fees. At
Knockderry are some remains of an ancient fort, supposed to have been occupied by the Danes or Norwegians during their incursions into this part of the
country. To the north of the castle of Roseneath is a
precipitous rock called Wallace's Leap, from which that
hero is said to have thrown himself into the Gareloch,
when closely pursued by his enemies. Of various
ancient chapels which formerly existed here, and to
which bodies of the dead were often brought from the
Hebrides, and even from Ireland, for interment, there
are scarcely any vestiges now remaining. In the fields
near Port-Kill, upon the shore of the Frith of Clyde,
several stone coffins rudely formed, and containing
ashes, were discovered about the commencement of the
present century; and on the farm of Mamore, the last
remains of what appeared to have been a religious house
were removed to furnish materials for inclosing the
lands. Among the distinguished persons connected
with the parish were, Dr. John Anderson, professor of
natural philosophy in the university of Glasgow, and
founder of the Andersonian Institution in that city, who
was born here while his father was minister; and Matthew Stewart, father of the celebrated Dugald Stewart,
who was for some years minister.
Rosewell
ROSEWELL, a village, in that part of the parish of
Lasswade, which formed the late quoad sacra parish of
Roslin, county of Edinburgh, 4½ miles (S. W. by S.)
from Dalkeith; containing 133 inhabitants. This is a
roadside village, on the road from Penicuick to Newbattle, in the eastern quarter of the parish, and on the
east side of the North Esk. The population is chiefly
employed in the coal-mines of the neighbourhood.
Roslin
ROSLIN, a burgh of barony, and lately a quoad
sacra parish, in the parish of Lasswade, county of
Edinburgh; containing 1807 inhabitants, of whom
430 are in the village, 2 miles (S. W.) from Lasswade,
and 7 (S.) from Edinburgh. This place at a very early
period became the property of the St. Clairs, whose
ancestor, William de St. Clair, second son of Margaret,
daughter of Richard, Duke of Normandy, settling in
this part in the reign of Malcolm Canmore, obtained
large grants of land in the county of Mid Lothian, to
which considerable additions were made by succeeding
sovereigns. In the reign of David I. the barony of
Roslin, to which that of Pentland and others were afterwards joined, was the chief residence of the St. Clairs,
who were earls of Orkney, and of whose baronial castle
there are still considerable remains, though the time of
its original foundation is not precisely known. In 1302,
the English army under the command of John de
Segrave, regent of Scotland for Edward II. of England,
was encountered near the village by the Scottish troops
led by the Regent Cumming and Sir Simon Fraser,
on the 24th of February, when the three divisions into
which it had been formed were successively defeated.
The lands attached to the castle were erected into a
burgh of barony by James II.; and the place continued
to flourish under the auspices of the St. Clair family,
of whom William in 1446 founded the chapel of Roslin,
which he dedicated to St. Matthew the Apostle, and
endowed for a provost, six prebendaries, and two choristers. The castle was partly burnt by an accidental
fire in 1447. It was also, with that of Craigmillar and
others, burnt by the English in 1554; and in 1650 it
was besieged and taken by General Monk.
The chapel, which had been defaced and stripped of
its ornaments at the time of the Reformation, was
greatly injured in 1688 by a lawless mob who, in their
zeal for the destruction of idolatrous monuments, reduced it almost to ruins, and afterwards attacked the
castle, which they plundered of all its valuable furniture. The sacred edifice was, however, restored by
General St. Clair, and has since been carefully preserved by the earls of Rosslyn. The remains of this
beautiful structure, which was one of the richest specimens of the decorated English style of architecture in
the kingdom, and contained also details of the early Norman and the various intermediate styles in their gradual
transition, consist chiefly of the choir and part of the transept of the original church. The choir, which is sixty-eight
feet in length and thirty-four in breadth, is divided into
a nave and two aisles by ranges of clustered columns.
These columns have richly-flowered capitals, are ornamented with numerous devices of exquisite sculpture,
and sustain series of gracefully pointed arches deeply
moulded, and embellished with foliage, heads of human
figures and various animals, with other ornaments of
elegant design and elaborate execution. The roof, forty
feet high, is delicately groined; and the edifice is lighted
by ranges of windows of beautiful design and symmetry, enriched with flowing tracery. Beneath the pavement of the chapel is the vault of the Rosslyn family,
the soil of which is so perfectly free from damp that the
bodies of many of its tenants have been found in a perfect state, eighty years after their interment: here are
many of the ancient barons of Roslin buried in their
armour without coffins, several of the earls of Caithness, and other distinguished descendants of the St.
Clair family.
The village of Roslin is beautifully situated on the
banks of the North Esk, and in a district abounding
with scenery of the most striking and romantic character. In the immediate vicinity is the ancient castle,
now a majestic pile of ruins, situated on a rocky promontory overhanging a deep ravine said to have been
formerly the bed of the Esk, and over which is a lofty
narrow bridge, forming an approach from the village.
The castle appears to have been about 200 feet in
length and ninety feet in breadth; and the walls, of
which some portions are still remaining, are nine feet
in thickness: the only part now inhabited is a comparatively modern house, with the initials S. W. S. and
the date 1622 over the entrance. The houses in the
village are neatly built; and there is a small subscription library, containing about 300 volumes. The manufacture of gunpowder is carried on to a very considerable extent, affording employment to more than seventy
persons; there is also an extensive bleachfield. The
manufacture of writing and printing paper has been
established with success, and gives employment to
a large number of persons both male and female. The
market formerly held here has long been discontinued;
but the pedestal of the ancient market-cross is still
remaining in the centre of the village. A pleasure fair,
at which gymnastic sports take place, is held annually.
The adjacent village of Rosewell contains 130 inhabitants who are chiefly employed in the neighbouring collieries, of which that on the lands of Dryden, though it
has been in constant operation for many years, has
been ascertained to have more than thirty millions of
tons yet unwrought. Facility of communication is
afforded by roads kept in due order; there are about
five miles of turnpike road in the parish, and the great
road to Dumfries intersects it for more than a mile.
There is a post-office which has two pretty good deliveries daily.
The late quoad sacra parish was formed from Lasswade by the presbytery of Dalkeith in 1835. It was
bounded on the north by the rest of the parish of Lasswade, on the east by the parishes of Cockpen and Carrington, and on the south and west by those of Penicuick
and Glencross; it was about five and a half miles in
length and three and three-quarters in extreme breadth,
comprising an area of nearly ten square miles, or 6400
acres. The soil of the district is fertile, and by far the
greater portion of the lands in high cultivation; there
are some extensive tracts of woodland and rich meadow
and pasture. The system of agriculture is advanced;
draining has been much practised, and there is little
waste. The principal mansions are, Rosebank, a lovely
residence; Dryden, beautifully situated on the right
bank of the North Esk, in grounds tastefully laid out;
and Firth, the seat of Robert Brown, Esq. The church
was erected in 1827, at an expense, including the manse
and school-house, of £1600, raised by subscription; it
is a neat structure in good repair, and contains 444 sittings, to which number 250 might be added by the
erection of galleries, for which the building is adapted.
The minister, who is chosen by the male communicants,
has a stipend of £150, derived from the seats, and
secured by bond of the trustees. There are places of
worship for members of the Free Church, and United
Secession; also several schools under the superintendence of the minister of Roslin, one of which is endowed
with a small permanent salary.
Ross
ROSS, a small fishing-village, in the parish of
Mordington, county of Berwick, 2½ miles (S. S. E.)
from Eyemouth. This place is situated on the sea-shore,
at the base of an almost perpendicular mass of rock
which rises to a considerable height immediately behind
it; and a small rivulet issuing from a fissure in the
rocks, and forming many beautiful cascades in its
descent, gives a peculiarly romantic and picturesque
effect to the few scattered cottages of which the village
consists. It is inhabited chiefly by persons employed
in the fishery off the coast, which is very abundant in
all the various kinds of white-fish. The principal are,
cod, ling, and haddock, which are taken in great quantities and sent to Edinburgh; lobsters and crabs of
very good quality are also taken during the season, the
former of which are shipped on board the smacks
passing this part of the coast, and thus forwarded to
London. Salmon are frequently found, and generally
taken with bag-nets, but not in sufficient numbers to
form an article of merchandise.
Ross
ROSS, a village, in the parish of Comrie, county of
Perth; containing 154 inhabitants. This village and
Dalginross adjoin that of Comrie: the population is
chiefly engaged in the manufactures of the parish, of
which the principal branch is cotton-weaving.
Ross and Cromarty
ROSS and CROMARTY, two counties in the north
of Scotland, of which the several districts, mutually
interjacent, are under the jurisdiction of the sheriff of
Ross; bounded on the north by Sutherlandshire, on
the east by the German Sea, on the south by Invernessshire, and on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. They
lie between 57° 7' 40" and 58° 5' (N. Lat.) and 3° 45' 30"
and 5° 46' 20" (W. Long.); extending for about sixtyseven miles in length and fifty-eight miles in breadth,
and comprising an area of 3799 square miles, or 2,431,360
acres, of which 223,560 are in the county of Cromarty;
containing 16,694 houses, whereof 16,286 are inhabited;
and having a population of 78,685, of whom 36,779 are
males, and 41,906 females. The territory within these
boundaries seems to have nominally formed part of the
earldom of Orkney, and to have belonged at different
periods to different proprietors; but from the peculiar
situation of Ross, it appears to have retained its independence, and to have been an earldom of itself, to
which were attached some of the Western Isles; and in
several ancient charters William, son of Hugh, Earl of
Ross, who was killed at the battle of Hallidon-Hill, is
not only styled Earl of Ross, but also Lord of Skye.
John, "Earl of Ross and Lord of the Isles," apparently
exercised a kind of regal authority, and, as an independent prince, entered into treaties with Edward of
England; but it was not till about the year 1630 that
Ross was made a sheriffdom, including the district of
Cromarty, which formerly gave the title of earl to a
branch of the Mackenzies, of Seaforth. Prior to the
Reformation, the counties were in the diocese of Ross;
they are at present mostly in the synod of Ross, and
comprise several presbyteries, and thirty-one parishes.
For civil purposes they are under the superintendence
of three sheriffs-substitute, of whom one holds his
courts at Cromarty and Tain, and another at Dingwall
and Fortrose, and the third at Stornoway, in the island
of Lewis. They contain the royal burghs of Dingwall,
Tain, and Fortrose; the market-town of Cromarty,
which is a burgh of barony; and numerous smaller
towns and villages. Under the act of the 2nd of William IV. they return one member to the imperial parliament, the election taking place at Dingwall.
The general surface of Ross and Cromarty, which
include the districts of Ardross, Easter Ross, Ardmeanach
or the Black Isle, Kintail, Strathcarron, and the island
of Lewis, is wild and mountainous, diversified with
numerous glens and some pleasant and fertile valleys,
and enlivened with several rivers and lakes. The
western coast is indented by many lochs and bays of
beautifully picturesque appearance, of which some form
commodious havens. Ardmeanach, or the Black Isle,
so called from its bleak moorland character, is nearly
surrounded by the Friths of Cromarty and Moray. The
district of Lewis, separated from the main land by the
Great Minch, is, from deep indentations of the sea on
both sides, apparently an island of itself, but in fact
is joined to Harris, forming together the largest of
the Western Islands: though less mountainous than
Ardmeanach, it is equally dreary and barren. The
highest of the mountains, which usually occur in groups,
is Ben-Wyvis, elevated 3720 feet above the level of the
sea. The principal rivers are, the Ewe, the Carron,
and the Broom, on the western, and the Conan, the
East Carron, and the Alness, on the eastern coast; the
Conan falls into the Cromarty Frith, the Carron into
the Frith of Dornoch, and the others into the sea.
They all abound with salmon. The salt-water lochs
are, Enard, Broom, Greinord, Ewe, Gairloch, Carron,
Torridon, and Loch Alsh; there are also several freshwater lakes, but the only one of any extent is Loch
Maree, on the west. There are some small remains of
the ancient forests, which were very extensive, consisting chiefly of birch and oak; the plantations are
exceedingly numerous, and rapidly increasing.
A very small proportion of the land is in cultivation.
The soil on the eastern coast and on the low lands is
rich and fertile; in some parts a loamy clay, and in
others light and sandy. The system of agriculture has
been greatly improved, and excellent crops of wheat are
now raised, of which more than 10,000 quarters are
annually exported; there are some good tracts of meadow-land, and the mountainous parts afford pasturage for
sheep and cattle. The chief minerals are, copper, which
has been wrought, and ironstone, which at some distant
period was extensively raised: there are still some
remains of furnaces for smelting the ore, near Poolewe.
There are indications of coal; and limestone is found
in the eastern and in greater abundance in the western
districts. Several springs are strongly impregnated
with sulphuretted hydrogen gas; and of the numerous
chalybeate springs, the principal, at Strathpeffer, was
formerly in great repute. The seats are, Brahan Castle,
Tulloch Castle, Mountgerald, Fowlis Castle, Balconey,
Novar House, Invergordon Castle, Balnagown Castle,
Tarbat House, Shandwick House, Bayfield House,
Rosehaugh, Red Castle, Cromarty House, and various
others. The principal manufactures are those of biscuit
and cotton bagging, which are carried on to a very great
extent; the spinning of flax was introduced by the
trustees for the fisheries, but was not successful. The
herring-fishery is extensively pursued, and a considerable number of fish are taken in the lochs: black-cattle,
sheep, and great quantities of wool are shipped from
the several ports. Facility of communication is maintained by good roads, which have been much improved
by the commissioners appointed under act of parliament.
The total annual value of real property assessed to the
income-tax in Ross-shire is £136,294, whereof £120,824
are returned for lands, £6440 for houses, £3378 for
fisheries, £205 for canal property, £20 for quarries, and
the remainder for other species of property not comprised in the foregoing items. The value of Cromarty
is £6921, of which £5857 are for lands, £631 for houses,
and £345 for fisheries.