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Ladhope
LADHOPE, lately a quoad sacra parish, in the parish
and district of Melrose, county of Roxburgh; containing, with the villages of Buckholmside, Comely-Bank,
and Darlingshaugh, 2367 inhabitants. This district is
situated in the western part of the parish of Melrose, on
the borders of the Gala water. Its populous villages, of
which those of Buckholmside and Darlingshaugh are
beautifully seated on the bank of the river, are chiefly
appendant on Galashiels, in the manufactures of which
town the inhabitants are largely engaged: the firstnamed village is immediately connected with Galashiels
by a stone bridge. Besides the church of the district,
there is a place of worship for members of the Free
Church; also several schools.—See Melrose, and Galashiels.
Lady
LADY, an isle, in the parish of Dundonald, county
of Ayr, 5 miles (S. S. W.) from Irvine, and 5 (N. W. by
N.) from Ayr. This island is situated in the Frith of
Clyde, about two miles and a half from Troon, the nearest point of the main land of the county; and is of an
oval figure, and half a mile in length. On the eastern
side is good anchorage ground; and two towers or pillars, which may be easily seen at a distance, have been
erected on the north-west part of the isle, for the guidance of vessels in the Frith, the coast in this part being
flat and dangerous.
Lady
LADY, a parish, in the island of Sanda, North Isles
of the county of Orkney, 25 miles (N. E. by N.) from
Kirkwall; containing 909 inhabitants. This parish,
which includes the eastern portion of the island, is
about nine miles in length, from south to north, and
one mile in average breadth; it is bounded on the west
by the parish of Cross and the bay of Otterswick, and
on all other points surrounded by the sea. It is of singularly-irregular form, stretching out into the sea by
numerous narrow headlands of considerable length, of
which that called the Start projects from the shore of
the main land for more than two miles, in a direction
duly eastward. The surface is generally flat, having little
elevation above the sea, and is subdivided into many
small districts; the principal are, Elsness, Overbister,
Tressness, Coligarth, Newark, Silibister, and Northwall.
At Elsness is an inlet of the sea, about 125 acres in extent, which is dry at low water; and at Tressness is
another, of more than twice the dimensions: both
might be easily converted into good harbours. On the
extremity of the Start, a lighthouse was erected in 1802;
it is 100 feet in height to the lantern, and displays a
revolving light, which may be distinctly seen at a distance of eighteen nautical miles. In the northern part
of the parish are four considerable lakes, of which those
of Northwall and Westair are separated from each other,
and also from the sea, only by a narrow slip of intervening land, and, with the others, less in extent, and
more widely detached, occupy by far the greater portion of the north-eastern part of the island. The soil
is generally sand, in some parts intermixed with clay;
about two-thirds of the parish are under cultivation,
and the remainder heath and waste. The exact number
of acres has not been ascertained: of the land in cultivation, 2000 acres are arable, and the remainder good
pasture. The crops are, oats, bear, potatoes, and turnips, and in the two latter the drill system of husbandry is prevalent; the principal manure is sea-weed,
which is found to answer well. The breed of blackcattle, since the introduction of turnips, has been much
improved. Garamount House, erected by the late John
Traill Urquhart, Esq., of Elsness, is a handsome modern mansion, finely situated. There is no village; the
population are chiefly agricultural, and employed in the
manufacture of kelp and in the fisheries. The manufacture of kelp, though formerly much more extensive,
still affords employment to a considerable number of
persons during the months of June and July; and the
produce is sent to Newcastle. Cod, turbot, skate, and
herrings abound in the surrounding sea, and small
quantities of dried cod are occasionally exported; but
there is no regular station for curing, and few more are
taken than are required for the supply of the inhabitants.
The ecclesiastical affairs are under the superintendence of the presbytery of North Isles and the synod
of Orkney. The minister's stipend is £158. 6. 8., including an allowance of £8. 6. 8. for communion elements;
with a manse, and a glebe valued at £4. 8. per annum:
patron, the Earl of Zetland. The church, rebuilt in
1814, is a neat and spacious structure containing ample
accommodation for all the parishioners. There is a
place of worship for members of the United Secession.
The parochial school is common to the three parishes
of the island, and is well attended; the master has a
salary of £46. 10., with a dwelling-house. A school
for the more immediate use of this parish is supported
by the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge,
who pay the master a salary of £15 per annum; he has
also a house, with fuel, and an allowance for the keep
of a cow from the heritors. There are numerous vestiges of ancient chapels of very diminutive structure,
few of them exceeding twelve feet in length; but the
names of St. Peter's and St. Magdalene's only have been
preserved. At Newark were lately discovered the remains of a circular building of flat stones, fitted
together without cement; the walls were about six feet
thick, and in some parts surrounded by an outer wall,
with an interval of three feet between. The diameter
of the inner wall was about twelve feet, and the interior
filled with stones, gravel, and a layer of red ashes, interspersed with bones of cattle, sheep, swine, rabbits,
geese, and various kinds of shell-fish. There are several tumuli in the parish; and at Coliness, numerous
graves were discovered lined with flag-stones, in which
were many skeletons nearly entire, one with a wound in
the upper part of the skull. In one of the graves was
found a gold ring, and on one of the flag-stones was a
rudely-sculptured cross.
Ladybank
LADYBANK, a village, in the parish of Collessie,
district of Cupar, county of Fife; containing 102 inhabitants.
Ladykirk
LADYKIRK, a parish, in the county of Berwick,
6 miles (N. E. by N.) from Coldstream; containing,
with the villages of Horndean and Upsetlington, 504
inhabitants. This place originally consisted only of the
parish of Upsetlington, of which the name is of very
uncertain derivation. It appears to have acquired a
considerable degree of importance at an early period;
and during the disputed succession to the crown of
Scotland, towards the close of the thirteenth century,
a meeting took place here between eight of the competitors, attended by several of the Scottish prelates and
nobility, and Edward I. of England, for the purpose of
investigating their several claims, and more especially
for settling the feuds of Bruce and Baliol. In 1500, a
new church was erected by James IV., and dedicated
to the Virgin Mary; the parish then took the name of
Ladykirk, and its former appellation has since been
confined to the village that had risen up around its
ancient church. Soon after the treaty of Cateau Cambresis, a supplementary treaty was concluded here by
the English and Scottish commissioners, for which purpose they met in the church of St. Mary; and on the
same day the duplicates were interchanged at Norham
Castle. The present parish, which includes the suppressed parish of Horndean, annexed to it at the time
of the Reformation, is four miles in length and one
and a half in average breadth; and is bounded on the
north by the parish of Whitsome, on the east by that
of Hutton, on the south by the river Tweed, and on the
west by the parish of Swinton. The surface is generally level, diversified only by a few eminences which
attain no considerable elevation, and in some parts
sloping gently towards the banks of the Tweed.
The soil is various, but fertile; the whole number of
acres is estimated at 3100, of which about three-fourths
are arable, fifty acres in plantations, and the remainder in meadow and pasture. The crops are, grain
of all kinds, potatoes, and turnips; the system of husbandry is advanced, the farm houses and offices well
built and commodious, and all the more recent improvements in agricultural implements in use. Great
attention is paid to live stock, for which the pastures
are peculiarly favourable. The cattle are mostly the
short-horned, and have been much improved by the
introduction of some of the finest specimens of the
Durham breed: of the cattle reared here several have
been sold for very high prices, and one bull for 1000
guineas. The sheep are all of the Leicestershire breed,
and are in high estimation for their quality and the fineness of their wool. The woods consist chiefly of oak
and plane, which appear to be best adapted to the soil;
and the plantations of Scotch and spruce firs, intermixed with various kinds of forest-trees. The substrata are, on the banks of the river, compact micaceous
sandstone alternated with schistose, marl, and limestone
of inferior quality; and in other portions of the parish,
sandstone of the old red formation. No quarries, however, have been opened hitherto. The rateable annual
value of the parish is £4430. The only mansion in the
parish is Ladykirk House, a handsome modern residence. A salmon-fishery on the Tweed is carried on at
three several stations; but it is not so lucrative as formerly, and the whole rental does not exceed £100 per
annum. An annual fair is held on the 5th of April, for
the sale of linen and lintseed; and facility of communication with Coldstream, Berwick, and other places, is
maintained by good roads. A post between this place
and Berwick has a delivery daily.
The ecclesiastical affairs are under the superintendence of the presbytery of Chirnside and synod of
Merse and Teviotdale; patron, the Crown. The stipend
of the incumbent is £171: the manse, recently repaired
and enlarged, is a very convenient and comfortable
residence; the glebe comprises eleven acres and a half
of profitable land, valued at £33 per annum. The church
is a handsome cruciform structure in the decorated
English style of architecture, but has been greatly disfigured by injudicious alterations and additions; and
the general effect of the interior, originally of lofty proportion and elegant design, has been destroyed by the
partitioning off a portion of it for a schoolroom. It is
adapted for a congregation of 300 persons. There is a
place of worship for Burghers. The parochial school
is well attended; the master has a salary of £34. 4. 4.,
with a house and garden, and the fees average £25 per
annum. There are some very slight vestiges of an
ancient monastery on the bank of the Tweed, below the
village of Upsetlington, in a place still called the Chapel Park; and near them are three springs of excellent
water, called respectively the Nuns', the Monks', and
St. Mary's well. Numbers of cannon balls have been
found in a field opposite to Norham Castle, a celebrated fortress situated on the south side of the river,
in England.
Ladykirk
LADYKIRK, county of Orkney.—See Stronsay.
Ladyloan
LADYLOAN, lately a quoad sacra parish, consisting of part of the parishes of Arbroath and St. Vigean's, in the county of Forfar; and containing 2116
inhabitants.—See Arbroath.
Laggan
LAGGAN, a parish, in the county of Inverness,
10½ miles (W. S. W.) from Kingussie; containing 1201
inhabitants. This parish, the name of which is derived
from the Gaelic word Lag, signifying "a small round
hollow or plain," is situated on the river Spey, and is
twenty-two miles in length, from north to south, and of
about the same breadth, from east to west, comprising
256,000 acres, of which 25,660 are under wood, 1700
under cultivation, and the remainder mountain and hill
pasture and waste. The elevation of the district is
nearly the highest in Scotland, and the surface is marked
by the greatest possible diversity of features. There
are several chains of very lofty eminences, enbosoming
level and fertile tracts ornamented richly with wood and
water; and in some places is a display of picturesque
and romantic scenery almost unrivalled. The locality
takes its principal character from the wild and imposing
aspect of these mountains, of which, at a distance, it
appears entirely to consist; but, upon a nearer approach,
the interesting vale of the Spey is seen, dressed in
verdure, stretching east and west for about twenty miles,
and measuring between one and two miles in breadth.
This vale is bounded on the north by the Monadlia, an
immense ridge rising 3000 feet above the level of the
sea, in some parts thirty miles broad, and reaching to
the east for more than eighty miles. To the south is
the interesting chain called the Benalder mountain, of
equal height with the former, and once the resort of
numerous herds of deer, which receded before the flocks
of sheep that were till the year 1843 pastured upon its
surface: it is now again a deer forest.
These majestic elevations are relieved by the water of
Loch Laggan, eight miles long and one broad, from
which views are obtained of the peaks and forms of the
different members and masses of the Benalder range
especially. The hills of Drummond separate the vale
of the Spey from that of this loch. The principal loch,
however, in the parish is Loch Ericht, upwards of
twenty miles in length, and nearly two in breadth,
extending southward from Dalwhinnie, and dividing the
ancient forest of Drumochtor, on the east, from that of
Benalder, on the west: about one-third of it is in the
parish of Fortingal. The Pretender, in 1746, was concealed for the space of two weeks near the banks of this
sheet of water, with some of his companions, after their
defeat at Culloden; and from this spot he set out for
the ship which conveyed him to France. The mountain
springs and rivulets are very numerous, and occasionally
pour down their torrents with prodigious rapidity,
swelling the burns and rivers below, to the destruction
of crops, bridges, and tenements. The streams in general
contain good trout, and with the lochs, in which there
are pike, afford fine sport to anglers. Salmon come up
to spawn as far as Loch Spey, where the river of that
name rises, in the western part of the parish.
The soil in the valleys is alluvial, in some places ten
or twelve feet in depth, and, when the season is propitious,
producing heavy crops of bear, oats, and potatoes, as
well as sown and natural grasses. The climate, however,
is highly unfavourable to agriculture; frost, snow, and
rain often delaying the timely sowing, and destroying
the fruits of the ground before they are ripe. No
regular system of husbandry is followed; the short
leases, and the precarious nature of the in-gathering,
discourage the expenditure of capital and the labours of
industry; and for the same reasons, the ordinary methods
of improving land and recovering waste ground are
neglected for the appropriation of the farms to pasture,
which is found to be more profitable. About 40,000
sheep are usually kept, mostly the black-faced; blackcattle are also reared, and in general sold, when young,
to the south-country dealers. The late Duke of Gordon
possessed two-thirds of the lands, but this portion passed
by sale to other proprietors. The rents are determined
by the number of sheep pastured; the tenants generally
expect the wool to pay the landlord, and they hold their
farms either as tenants at will, or on leases for a few
years only. The rocks in the parish comprise gneiss,
an inferior kind of slate, and excellent limestone, a bed
of the last running through the centre: peat is supplied
by the mosses, and is the ordinary fuel of the inhabitants. Most of the wood is natural, consisting of alder,
birch, hazel, and willow; the plantations are of Scotch
fir, birch, and several hard-woods, and chiefly in the
vicinity of Cluny Castle. This mansion, beautifully
situated on the north side of the Spey, was erected at
the beginning of the present century, on the site of
the ancient castle burnt to the ground by the king's
troops in 1746, soon after the battle of Culloden, Cluny
Macpherson. the owner, having espoused the cause of
Prince Charles Edward. The present proprietor is the
chief of the Macphersons, and has in his possession,
among many other relies of antiquity, several pieces of
armour worn by the prince. The other mansions are, a
splendid shooting-seat belonging to the Marquess of
Abercorn, situated at Ardveirge, on the border of Loch
Laggan, in the midst of richly-diversified scenery;
Glentruim House, a modern structure; and a residence
on the verge of a loch at Glenshirra. The rateable
annual value of Laggan is £6951. The Highland mail
passes and repasses every day through one extremity of
the parish: there is also regular communication, by
carriers, with Perth, Kingussie, Fort-William, and Inverness, to the two last of which places the marketable
produce is sent. The roads have been much improved
since 1820; and the parliamentary road from FortWilliam, meeting the Highland road at the bridge of
Spey, near Kingussie, was made about that time. There
is a good road from Dalwhinnie to Fort-Augustus. Near
the church is a handsome wooden bridge over the Spey;
there is a stone bridge on the line of the military road
at Garvamore, and two or three others cross the smaller
streams.
The parish is in the presbytery of Abertarff and synod
of Glenelg, and in the patronage of the Duke of Richmond. The minister's stipend is £158, of which nearly
half is paid by the exchequer; he has a manse, of very
recent erection, and a glebe of twenty-four acres of
very inferior land, to which is attached the privilege of
pasturage on the adjoining hills. The church was built
in 1843, and contains about 600 sittings, all free. The
members of the Free Church have a place of worship;
and there is a chapel for Roman Catholics. The parochial school affords instruction in the usual branches;
the master has a salary of £34, with a house, and £20
fees. At Ardveirge, or "the Height of Fergus," near the
side of Loch Laggan, tradition reports that one or more
of the kings Fergus were buried. They used to resort
hither, as well as many others of the ancient kings, for
the purpose of hunting; and it is said that the dogs
were kept on an island in the loch, called Eilean nan con,
or "Dogs' island," near which, in the same loch, is
another isle called Eilean an Righ, or "Kings' island."
A silver coin of the reign of Henry II. has been found in
the vicinity. In the middle of the parish is a very lofty
perpendicular rock, with the remains of a fortification
on its summit; and at the east end of Loch Laggan, the
ruins of the old church are still to be seen. Lachlan
Macpherson, Esq., one of the coadjutors of James
Macpherson in collecting the poems of Ossian, and also
himself a very superior Gaelic poet, was born and buried
in the parish. Mrs. Grant, the poetess, resided for some
time in the place, with her husband, the Rev. James
Grant, formerly parochial minister. She was one of the
last survivors of those who met Dr. Johnson, in 1773,
while on his tour, being at that time a resident at FortAugustus, and in her eighteenth year; and she frequently
described to her friends the strong impression made
on her mind by the bulky stature and singular appearance of the great moralist.
Lairg
LAIRG, a parish, in the county of Sutherland,
19 miles (W. by N.) from Golspie; containing 913
inhabitants, of whom 69 are in the village. The name
of Lairg is generally supposed to be derived from
the Gaelic word Lorg, signifying "a footpath," and to be
descriptive of the situation of the parish, which lies in
the direct line from the northern to the southern part
of the county, and the way through which was only a
footpath till the present high road was constructed.
Some, however, derive the name from the compound
La-ri-Leig, "bordering on the lake," in allusion to the
extensive and beautiful sheet of water called Loch Shin.
The parish is not remarkable for any events of historical
importance; but there are still remaining several cairns,
concerning the origin of which very little is known, the
people of the country, when questioned upon the subject,
merely repeating the tradition that they were built by
the Fingalians. At a place called Cnoek a chath, "the
hill of the fight," also, a number of tumuli are visible,
which are reported to be the graves of those who fell in
an encounter between the Sutherlands and Mackays.
The parish is thirty miles in its greatest length, from
east to west, and about ten miles in breadth, from north
to south, containing 40,000 acres. It is twenty miles
distant from the sea, and is bounded on the north by
the parish of Farr; on the south by Criech; on the
east by Rogart; and on the west by Assynt and Eddrachillis. The surface throughout is hilly, and by far the
larger part of it covered with heath: the hills vary in
height in different parts, but are generally lofty, and on
the northern boundary stands Ben-Chlibrig, the highest
mountain in the county. The whole site of the parish,
indeed, is very considerably elevated, and the air in
winter is bleak and piercing, the cold being often accompanied with heavy falls of rain and snow; the climate,
however, is healthy, and the inhabitants hardy and
long-lived. The lakes are about twenty in number: the
principal is Loch Shin, extending nearly the whole length
of the parish; it is twenty-four miles long, and its
average breadth is about one mile, the depth varying
from twenty to thirty fathoms. There are five rivers,
four of which fall, and some with great impetuosity,
into this loch. From the east end of it issues the river
Shin, which, after a rapid course of three miles, precipitates itself over a rock twenty feet high, forming a fine
cascade, and at last loses itself in the waters of the Kyle
of Sutherland. Trout are found in many of the lakes;
in Loch Craggy they abound, and are considered to be
of as fine quality as any in the kingdom.
The common alluvial deposit in the parish is peat,
resting upon a subsoil of gravel; in a few places the
earth is loamy and very fertile. The mossy ground,
which is of great extent, is wet and spongy, and in every
part imbedded with large quantities of fir, the certain
indications of a once well-wooded district, though at
present scarcely a tree is to be seen, except some birch
growing along the lake. The agricultural character of
the parish stands very low; the larger part of it is moorland, and the whole, with the exception of the lots occupied by the small tenants, has been turned into large
sheep-walks. The population has consequently considerably decreased; and the old tenantry have gradually
passed away, and settled either on the coast, or near
grounds more susceptible of cultivation. There is no
great corn farm in the parish; but the lotters raise
enough of grain for domestic use. The breed of sheep is
the Cheviot, and usually makes a very fine show, much
attention having been paid to the rearing of them for
some years past: they are sent to the markets of the
Kyle and Kincardine, in Autumn and November. The
rocks of the parish are chiefly coarse granite and trap,
in addition to which, at the side of the lake, is a large
bed of limestone: this, however, though much wanted
for agricultural purposes, the inhabitants have no means
of working. The rateable annual value of Lairg is returned at £1913. There are about forty miles of road,
in very good condition, and affording every facility of
communication: the Tongue line from south-east to
north-west, and, branching from it, the Strathfleet county
road, pass through the parish. A post-gig carrying
passengers arrives twice in the week. The ecclesiastical
affairs are subject to the presbytery of Dornoch and
synod of Sutherland and Caithness; patron, the Duke
of Sutherland. The stipend of the minister is £184,
with a manse, built in 1795, and a glebe of ten acres
valued at £9 per annum. The church, though distant
from the western extremity of the parish about twenty
miles, is conveniently situated, as the greater portion of
the people reside in its neighbourhood; it was built in
1794, and is a very plain structure, now ruinous, but
accommodating 500 persons with sittings, all of which
are free. A new church and manse are in course of
erection. There is only one school, the parochial, in
which all the ordinary branches of education are taught,
with Latin and Gaelic, the latter being the vernacular
tongue: the master's salary is £34, with a house, and
about £8. 10. fees. The poor have the interest of £500,
bequeathed by Capt. Hugh M'Kay, son of a late minister
of Lairg. Capt. William M'Kay, author of the narrative
of the ship Juno, from which, Moore states, Byron drew
his description of a shipwreck, was a native of the
parish, and brother of Capt. Hugh M'Kay.
Lamba
LAMBA, an isle, in the parish of Northmavine,
county of Shetland. This is a small uninhabited isle
of the Shetland group, situated on the north-east coast
of the Mainland of Shetland, about a mile and a half
westward of Bigga island.
Lambholm
LAMBHOLM, an isle, in the parish of Holm and
Paplay, Isles of Orkney; containing 12 inhabitants.
It is a small islet, almost circular, and about three miles
in circumference, situated in Holm sound, near to the
west entrance of that bay. Between it and the main
land is a pretty secure harbour for vessels of 200 tons'
burthen.
Lamlash
LAMLASH, an island, in the parish of Kilbride,
Isle of Arran, county of Bute; containing 271 inhabitants. This island is two miles and a half in length
and half a mile in breadth, rising in a conical shape to
the height of 1000 feet; it is situated eastward of the
main land of Arran, and serves as a shelter to a spacious
bay of the same name. Buchanan gives the island the
Latin name of Molas, from its having been the retreat
of St. Maol Ios; and, for the same reason, it is also
called the Holy Island: anciently a monastery of friars,
founded by one of the lords of the Isles, existed here.
Lamlash bay, an excellent harbour, in the form of a
semicircle, on the south-east side of Arran, is landlocked by the island, at the extremities of which, on
the north and south, are convenient entrances. At the
head of the bay is the village of Lamlash, or Kilbride, a
favourite resort for sea-bathing, and having several good
inns for the accommodation of visiters.—See Kilbride.
Lammingtoune
LAMMINGTOUNE, a village, in the parish of
Wandell and Lammingtoune, Upper ward of the
county of Lanark, 6½ miles (S. W.) from Biggar; containing 122 inhabitants. It is situated on the eastern
bank of the Clyde, and on the road from Biggar to
Roberton. The place was formerly a market-town, a
charter having been obtained from Charles I. to hold a
weekly market here every Thursday, and two annual
fairs, one on the 15th of June, and the other on the
22nd of October; but they have all been discontinued.
The Lammingtoune burn, a tributary to the Clyde, flows
on the south-west side of the village. In the vicinity
is a fine old tower, built by a laird of Lammingtoune of
the ancient family of Baillie; it is of considerable height,
and the walls are of great thickness.
Burgh Seal.
Lanark
LANARK, a burgh, market-town, and parish, in the
Upper ward of the county
of Lanark; containing, with
the villages of Cartland and
New Lanark. 7679 inhabitants, of whom 4831 are
within the burgh, 25 miles
(S. E.) from Glasgow, and
32 (S. W. by W.) from Edinburgh. This place, the name
of which is of uncertain derivation, is of very remote antiquity, and from the traces of a Roman road leading to
the site of its ancient castle, is supposed to have been a
Roman station. By some writers, indeed, it is identified
with the Colænia of Ptolemy. It appears to have attained
to great importance at an early period; and Kenneth II.
is said to have assembled here, in 978, the first parliament of which there is any record in the history of the
country. It is referred to as a royal burgh in one of
the charters of Malcolm IV., by which a portion of its
lands was granted to the monks of Dryburgh; and a
charter bestowed by William the Lion upon the inhabitants of the town of Ayr, in 1197, is dated from a royal
castle at this place, the foundation of which is attributed
to David I. The town was burned to the ground in
1244, the houses being chiefly built of wood; but it
was soon restored, and not long afterwards it became
the scene of a battle between Sir William Wallace and
Sir William Heslerigg, the English sheriff, in which the
latter, with the forces under his command, was defeated,
and driven from the town. The castle of Lanark, with
all its dependencies, was given as security for the dower
of the niece of Philip, of France, in the treaty negotiating for her marriage to the son of John Baliol, in
1298. It seems to have been garrisoned by the English
in 1310, when it was, together with Dumfries, Ayr, and
the Isle of Bute, surrendered to Robert Bruce, King of
Scotland.
The town is beautifully situated on a gentle acclivity
rising to the height of nearly 300 feet above the level of
the river Clyde, and consists of five principal streets,
with a few others of less note; most of the houses have
been rebuilt, and many of them in a handsome style,
by which the appearance of the town has been greatly
improved. It is paved, lighted, and amply supplied with
water at the expense of the corporation; and though
there is no regular police establishment, it is watched by
constables appointed by the magistrates of the burgh.
There are two bridges over the Clyde, affording facility
of access to the town. Of these, one, about a mile below
Lanark, was erected in the middle of the seventeenth
century, and displays no features of architectural importance; the other, two miles from the town, is
remarkable for the elegance of its structure. The
inhabitants are partly occupied in weaving for the manufacturers of Glasgow and Paisley at their own homes,
not only in the town, but in several other parts of the
parish: more than 1000 persons, of whom nearly 900
are in the town, derive support from this work, the
wages, however, being now greatly reduced. The
manufacture of shoes is also carried on to a considerable extent, giving occupation to about 100 persons:
the making of lace employs 120 females; there are
three breweries upon a moderate scale, and several flourmills. The principal manufacture of the parish, however, is cotton-spinning and weaving, introduced at New
Lanark, a handsome village on the side of the river, by
Mr. Dale, who, in 1784, erected mills on a very extensive
scale, which, till 1827, were conducted with great success by Robert Owen, and are now the property of
Messrs. Walker and Company. In these extensive and
flourishing works, nearly 1200 persons are regularly
engaged. A branch of the Commercial Bank of Scotland is established here, for which a handsome house
has been built of freestone. There is also a branch of
the Western Bank; and a spacious and commodious
inn has been opened for the accommodation of the
visiters who resort to this place during the season for
visiting the falls of the Clyde, which are much frequented for the beauty and grandeur of the scenery that
the river displays in this part of its course. Elegant
assembly-rooms have been added to the hotel within the
last few years, at an expense of £2400. The markets
are on Tuesday and Saturday; the former, which is the
chief, is abundantly supplied and numerously attended.
Fairs are held on the last Wednesday in May, O. S., for
black-cattle; the last Wednesday in July, for horses
and lambs; and the last Wednesday in October, and
the Friday after Falkirk tryst, for black-cattle and
horses. There are also three fairs for the sale of various
goods, the hiring of servants, and for pleasure.
Lanark, by charter of Alexander I., was constituted a
royal burgh; and the inhabitants, at various times,
received charters from his successors, conferring
different privileges, down to the reign of Charles I. of
England. An act of parliament of 1617 records that,
from a very early date, the standards of weights and
measures had been preserved here, for the adjustment
of all the weights and measures in the kingdom; and
these continued to be used till, by the act of 1826, they
were superseded by the introduction of the imperial
standard. The government of the burgh is vested in a
provost, three bailies, a treasurer, and fourteen councillors, assisted by a town-clerk and other officers;
they are chosen under the authority, and are subject
to the provisions, of the act of the 3rd and 4th of
William IV. There are six incorporated trades, the
smiths, wrights and masons, tailors, shoemakers, weavers, and dyers, who are under the direction of a dean
of guild, appointed by the deacons of the several trades:
none but burgesses are eligible as members. The freedom of the burgh is inherited by birth, acquired by
servitude, or obtained by purchase or gift of the corporation; the only privilege, however, now enjoyed by the
burgesses is that of pasturing cattle on the common
lands. The provost and bailies are magistrates within
the limits of the burgh, and exercise jurisdiction in
both civil and criminal matters; but their power is
chiefly limited to holding a bailies' court, for the determination of civil pleas, and to the summary punishment of petty offences against the peace, the townclerk acting as assessor in the bailies' court. All cases of
importance are referred to the sessions for the county,
which are held here as being the county town. The
election of a member for the shire is held here, and
Lanark is one of the Falkirk district of burghs: the
right of election for the burgh member, previously
vested in the burgesses, is, under the Reform act, restricted to the resident freemen, and extended to the
occupiers of houses of the value of £10 per annum. The
number of registered voters is 160, of whom eightyeight are burgesses, and seventy-two are £10 householders. The county-hall, to which a prison is attached,
was erected in 1834; it is well adapted to the purpose,
containing good accommodation for holding the courts,
and for transacting the business of the county and the
burgh.
The parish, which is nearly in the centre of the
county, extends from six to seven miles in length, along
the bank of the Clyde, and from three to five miles
in breadth; it is bounded on the north by the parish of
Carluke, on the south by Pettinain and Carmichael, on
the east by Carstairs, and on the west by Lesmahago.
The surface, though generally elevated, is almost uniformly flat, scarcely rising into hills, though in some
parts sloping and undulated. It is intersected by the
valley of the Mouss, in a direction from east to west,
between the two level tracts of Lee moor on the north
and Lanark moor on the south, both of which are nearly
700 feet above the sea. Along this valley the river
Mouss flows with a very devious course; and within
about a mile of its union with the Clyde, it seems to
have worn for itself a channel through the hill of Cartlane, forming a deep ravine about half a mile in length,
composed of cragged and lofty masses of precipitous
rock, rising on the one side to the height of 300, and on
the other of 400, feet above the bed of the river. The
Mouss has its source in the northern portion of Carnwath moor, and, though it receives numerous tributary
streams in its progress, is but very inconsiderable till,
after issuing from the Cleghorn rocks, it spreads into a
wide channel between banks which on one side are precipitously lofty, and on the other more gently acclivous,
and both crowned with wood. Passing through the
Cartlane Craigs, it falls into the river Clyde opposite to
the village of Kirkfield Bank. The Craigs abound with
prominent features of romantic beauty and majestic
grandeur; and the chasm, which in itself is of sufficiently impressive appearance, derives additional interest when regarded as having afforded security, as a
place of refuge, to Sir William Wallace in his unwearied
efforts to maintain the integrity of his country. Near
the lower extremity, an elegant bridge of three arches
has been thrown over the chasm, harmonizing with the
prevailing character of the spot, and adding much to
the beauty of the scenery.
The river Clyde washes the parish on the south and
west. Entering from the east, it flows with silent course
through a rich and fertile tract of level land, which it
occasionally overflows; and deflecting slightly to the
south and south-west, it becomes narrower in its channel, and more rapid in its progress, passing over a rocky
and irregular bed, between rugged and precipitous banks,
till it reaches the bridge of Hyndford. Beyond this it
is greatly increased by the influx of the Douglas water,
and, proceeding northward, and dividing its stream at
Bonnington, is precipitated over a ledge of rocks about
thirty feet high, forming a picturesque cascade. After
continuing its progress for half a mile, between rocks
nearly 100 feet in height, it exhibits another beautiful
scene at Corehouse, where its waters descend in a perpendicular fall of eighty-four feet; and advancing with
greater tranquillity through the low land at the base,
for about a quarter of a mile, it presents a small but
picturesque cascade called Dundaf Lin. From this
point, the river flows between gently-sloping banks,
richly wooded, and in some parts cultivated to the
margin of the stream, and for three or four miles pursues an equable and noiseless course to Stonebyres.
Here, passing through a ridge of rocks, its waters descend in three successive falls, from a height of eighty
feet, into the plain below, along which, for the remainder
of its course in the parish, it flows in a tranquil stream,
amid lands highly cultivated, and between banks pleasingly embellished with natural wood and luxuriant
plantations. Among the chief points of attraction to
persons visiting the falls of the Clyde, is the Bonnington
fall, about two miles distant from the town, and to which
the approach is, for the greater part of the way, through
the grounds of Bonnington House: these grounds are
tastefully laid out in walks, with seats at all the points
from which the finest views of the scenery are to be had,
and are open to the public on every day in the week
except Sunday. A bridge has been thrown across the
northern branch of the stream by the proprietor of the
mansion, whence the best prospect of the fall is obtained,
with the richly-varied scenery by which it is surrounded.
But the Corra Lin or Corehouse fall is the most interesting of the whole. Till lately it was difficult to gain anything like a good view of it; but a flight of steps has
been excavated along the face of the opposite rock,
leading to a spacious amphitheatre on a level with the
bottom of the fall, from which it is seen in all its
beauty, combining every characteristic of sublimity and
grandeur. The fall at Stonebyres closely resembles that
of Corra Lin in all its leading features.
The soil in the western portion of the parish is a
stiff clay; along the banks of the rivers, light and
gravelly; in some parts, wet and clayey; and in the
moors of Cartlane and Lanark, of a hard tilly nature,
with some tracts of moss. The whole number of acres
has not been ascertained; about 6500 Scotch acres are
arable, 600 in common belonging to the burgh, 600 in
woods and plantations, 1200 in pasture and waste land,
and about forty or fifty in orchards. The crops are,
oats, wheat, barley, potatoes, and turnips: the system
of agriculture is improved; much of the land has been
drained, and irrigation has been practised to some
extent. The farm-buildings, however, are indifferent, and
the lands but very partially inclosed. Considerable
attention is paid to the dairy and the improvement
of the cattle, to which the distribution of premiums by
the various agricultural societies has greatly contributed;
the cows are all of the Ayrshire breed. Horses, chiefly
for draught, are reared for the use of the parish and
neighbouring districts. The woods consist of oak, ash,
birch, hazel, mountain-ash, alder, and hawthorn; the
plantations are of Scotch fir, larch, and spruce fir. On
the lands of Lee is a fine old oak of extraordinary size,
supposed to be a relic of the ancient Caledonian forest;
also a larch of very stately growth, thought to have
been one of the first trees of that kind introduced into
the country. The substratum is chiefly the old red
sandstone, traversed in some parts with whinstone.
On the lands of Jerviswood, a vein of quartz alternated
with small seams of iron-ore has been found, but not in
sufficient quantity to encourage any attempt to render
it available. Carboniferous limestone, also, in which
petrified shells are found, occurs in some places, and
is extensively quarried at Craigend hill: freestone was
wrought formerly, but the works have been abandoned.
The rateable annual value of the parish is £17,780.
Lee, the seat of Sir Norman Macdonald Lockhart, is a
handsome castellated mansion, situated in a well-planted
demense containing some stately timber; Bonnington
House is a modern mansion, also in a highly-picturesque
demesne. Smyllum and Cleghorn are spacious antique
mansions, and Sunnyside Lodge an elegant villa on the
steep bank of the Clyde, about a mile and a half from
the town.
The ecclesiastical affairs are under the superintendence of the presbytery of Lanark and synod of Glasgow
and Ayr. The stipend of the incumbent is £315; the
manse is a comfortable residence, and the glebe comprises about four acres, valued at £16 per annum. The
church, situated in the centre of the town, was built in
1777, and has been thoroughly repaired within the last
ten years; it is a neat and substantial edifice, and is
adapted for a congregation of 2300 persons. There are
places of worship in the town for members of the Free
Church, the Relief, Independents, and Burghers. The
grammar school is supported by the corporation, who
appoint the master, to whom they pay a salary of £40,
and to an assistant £20 per annum. Connected with
this school are twenty-eight bursaries, of which nine
were endowed in 1648 by Mr. Carmichael, commissary
of Lanark, and the others by one of the earls of Hyndford, by the Mauldslie family, and by Chamberlain
Thompson; they are of different values, and, after the
payment of the school fees, leave a remainder of £2
or £3 to the holders. A free school in the town was
founded by Mrs. Wilson, who endowed it with £1200,
for the instruction of fifty children. There is a school
supported by subscription; and at Nemphlar and Cartlane are schools of which the masters receive £5 per
annum from the heritors, in addition to the school fees.
A school at New Lanark is supported by the proprietors
of the cotton-works, and attended by about 500 children.
The poor have the rents of hospital lands producing £70
annually: Mr. Wilson bequeathed property yielding
£32 a year, and the late Mr. Howison, of Hyndford,
£700, of which the interest is distributed among the
poor not receiving parochial relief. There are several
benevolent and friendly societies in the parish, and a
savings' bank in the town. The Castle hill near the
town, is supposed to have been the site of a Roman
fort or station, and a silver Faustina is said to have been
found there; but nothing remains either of the Roman
fort, or of the royal castle which formerly existed. The
site has been ploughed up, and converted into a bowlinggreen. There are some remains of two Roman camps
in the vicinity, of which the larger, near Cleghorn
House, including an area 600 yards in length and
420 in breadth, is said to have been constructed by
Agricola; the smaller, situated on Lanark moor, is still
more distinctly to be traced. The Roman road from
Carlisle to the wall of Antoninus passed through the
area of this camp. Upon an eminence on the bank of
the river Mouss are the remains of a lofty tower, of
which nothing, however, is known; it gives title to the
Lockharts, of Cambusnethan. On a prominent part of
the Cartland Craigs are the small vestiges of an ancient
stronghold called Castle Quaw; but nothing of the history is recorded. About a quarter of a mile from the
town are the venerable remains of the old parish church,
displaying traces of an elegant structure, of which a
series of six arches that separated the aisle from the nave
is in good preservation. The cemetery, also, is still
used as the parish churchyard; but the effect of these
fine ruins, which had been suffered for a long time to
fall into dilapidation, has been destroyed by the erection
of an unsightly square tower in the centre, for the purpose of watching the graves. The area has, however,
been surrounded with a wall to prevent further dilapidation; and some steps have been taken to restore part
of the ruins. Lanark gives the title of Earl to the Duke
of Hamilton.
Lanark, New
LANARK, NEW, a populous manufacturing village,
in the parish, and Upper ward of the county, of Lanark,
1 mile (S. by W.) from the town of Lanark; containing
1642 inhabitants. This place owes its rise to the introduction of the cotton manufacture by Mr. David Dale,
who, in 1784, erected extensive mills for spinning and
weaving cotton. The village is situated near the river
Clyde, and is surrounded by steep and richly-wooded
hills, which give it an air of seclusion and retirement;
it is regularly and handsomely built, and is inhabited
chiefly by persons employed in the cotton-works, which
ever since their introduction, have been carried on with
increasing success. The first of the mills erected was
154 feet in length, twenty-seven feet in width, and sixty
feet in height; and a tunnel nearly 100 yards in length
was cut through a rocky hill, to form a passage for the
water of the Clyde, by which it was propelled: in 1788
a second mill of the same dimensions, and two others
subsequently, were built. The mill first erected was
totally destroyed by an accidental fire in the same year,
1788, but was rebuilt in the year following. The works
were afterwards carried on with great success by Robert
Owen, son-in-law of Mr. Dale, till 1827, since which
time they have been conducted by the firm of Messrs.
Walker and Company. The machinery employed is of
the most improved construction. About 1200 persons
are employed in these works, of whom nearly sixty are
mechanics and labourers engaged in keeping the machinery in repair: many are children, for whose comfort
the company have made every requisite provision. A
school has been established in the village, by the proprietors of the works, for the instruction of the children
of the factory, of whom a large number attend at stated
hours, and receive a course of instruction adapted to
their improvement in knowledge and in morals. A
benefit society, for the support of its members in cases
of sickness, is maintained by small weekly payments;
and there are also two funeral societies in the village.
Lanarkshire
LANARKSHIRE, an extensive inland county, in
the south of Scotland, bounded on the north by the
counties of Dumbarton and Stirling; on the east, by
the counties of Linlithgow, Edinburgh, and Peebles;
on the south, by Dumfriesshire; and on the west, by
the counties of Renfrew, Ayr, and Dumfries. It lies
between 55° 14' 42" and 55° 56' 10" (N. Lat.) and
3° 22' 51" and 4° 22' 51" (W. Long.), and is about fiftytwo miles in length, and thirty-three miles in extreme
breadth, comprising an area of 926 square miles, or
592,640 acres; 85,326 houses, of which 3868 are uninhabited; and containing a population of 426,972, of whom
208,312 are males, and 218,660 females. This county,
called also Clydesdale, from the valley of the Clyde,
which forms its central portion, was at the time of the
Roman invasion inhabited by the Damnii, and under the
Roman yoke formed part of the province of Valentia.
After the departure of the Romans, the original inhabitants appear to have extended their ancient limits, which
they called Ystrad Cluyd, in the British language, signifying "the warm vale;" and to have acquired the
sovereignty over Liddesdale, Teviotdale, Dumfriesshire,
Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, part of Peebles, the western
part of Stirling, and the greater part of Dumbartonshire.
This ample territory formed a kind of independent
kingdom, including nearly all that portion of Scotland
to the south of the Forth. It was peopled with subordinate British tribes, among whom were the Selgovæ,
Attacotti, and others, who had frequent wars with the
Picts and Saxons, but resolutely maintained their independence till, on the union of those people, their power
began to decline, and their metropolis, Dumbarton, was
taken about the middle of the eighth century.
After the subjugation of the Picts by Kenneth II.,
every exercise of independent power gradually gave way
to the authority of the Scottish monarchs; and the
various British tribes of Strath-Cluyd, by degrees, intermingled with the Saxons, Normans, Gaelic Scots, and
Irish from Cantyre, by whom successive encroachments
were made. The descendants of the Damnii alone, when
they could no longer retain their independence, rather
than yield to the power by which their territories were
assailed, resolved to emigrate, and, crossing the Solway
and the Mersey, found a retreat in the mountains of
Wales. In the twelfth century, numerous Flemish
families settled in the Strath of Cluyd, of whom many
obtained grants of land from the Abbot of Kelso; and
with the exception of a few brief intervals, the county
progressively advanced in prosperity till after the death
of Alexander III., when the wars which arose on the
disputed succession to the Scottish throne, involved it,
in common with other parts of the kingdom, in frequent
calamities. It was here that the celebrated hero, Wallace,
performed his first exploit, in expelling the English from
the town of Lanark. In the reign of James I., a portion
of Strath-Cluyd was separated from the county of Lanark,
and formed into the county of Renfrew. James II.,
exasperated by the turbulent ambition of the Douglas
family, marched into Lanarkshire, and destroyed the
castle, and all the lands of Douglas, including Douglasdale and Avondale, with those of the first lord Hamilton. During the war in the reign of Charles I., and
the attempts to re-establish episcopacy during that of
Charles II., this part of the country suffered materially;
but, since the Revolution, it has continued to make
steady progress in agricultural improvement, and in
manufacturing and commercial prosperity.
Prior to the Reformation, the county was included in
the diocese of Glasgow; it is at present in the synod of
Glasgow and Ayr, and comprises several presbyteries, and
fifty parishes. For civil purposes, the county is divided
into the Upper, Middle, and Lower wards, under the
jurisdiction of three sheriffs-substitute, who reside
respectively at Lanark, Hamilton, and Glasgow. It
comprises the royal burghs of Glasgow, Rutherglen,
and Lanark; the towns of Hamilton, Douglas, Biggar,
Strathaven, Carnwath, Bothwell, Airdrie, and Lesmahago; and numerous villages. Under the act of the
2nd of William IV., the county returns one member to
the imperial parliament. The surface is greatly varied;
in the Upper ward, which is the largest division of the
county, it is principally mountainous, rising to the
greatest height towards the confines of Dumfriesshire.
The summit of one of the Lowther hills is 2450 feet
above the level of the sea; the Culter Fell has nearly
the same height; and the hill of Tinto, the loftiest on
the northern boundary of the mountain district, has an
elevation of 2236 feet. The land in the Middle ward
may be averaged at only 300 feet above the level of the
sea; but throughout that district the surface is every
where diversified with undulations, leaving little level
ground except in the valleys of the river Clyde. The
principal river is the Clyde, which has its source in
numerous small rills issuing from the wastes and mountains that separate Lanarkshire from the counties of
Peebles and Dumfries. It takes a northern course,
receiving various tributaries in its progress, and making
a curve towards Biggar, after which, being augmented
by other streams in its approach to Lanark, its course
is obstructed by projecting rocks and precipices. Here
it makes several picturesque and beautifully-romantic
cascades; the principal of these celebrated falls are
Bonnington, Corra, and Stonebyres. The Clyde afterwards flows in gentle meanderings through a fertile
vale, pleasingly embellished with woodlands, plantations, orchards, seats, and numerous interesting features,
to Glasgow, and, running thence to Greenock, after a
course of 100 miles disappears in the Frith of Clyde.
The principal tributaries of the Clyde are, the Douglas
water, the Mouss, the Nethan, the Aven, the Calder,
the North Calder, and the Kelvin. There are numerous
lakes in the county, but none of them are of sufficient
extent or importance to require particular notice; they
all contain trout, pike, and perch.
The soil, varying in different parts of the county, is
in many places exuberantly fertile, and even in the
higher lands light, dry, and productive. In some of
the uplands are tracts of spongy moor; in others, pastures richer than are found in some of the lower lands.
The soil of the Middle ward generally, both in the arable
and meadow lands, is luxuriantly fertile, but a very considerable portion of it is moss: this district abounds
with orchards, gardens, and plantations, and is throughout in the highest state of cultivation, constituting the
chief agricultural district and the greater portion of the
vale of the Clyde. The crops of all kinds are abundant, the
system of agriculture being in the most advanced state;
the lands have been well drained and inclosed; the
farm-buildings are substantial and commodious, and all
the more recent improvements in the implements of
husbandry have been adopted. The cattle are usually
of the Ayrshire breed, and particular attention is paid
to the rearing of cows for the dairy, of which about
30,000 are pastured; the sheep, of which 120,000 are
fed on the hills, are of the black-faced breed, with a few
other varieties. The substrata are, freestone, limestone,
and whinstone, of which last the hills generally consist.
Under the freestone are seams of coal, which prevail
throughout Clydesdale, and are extensively wrought;
there are also quarries of limestone, both for agricultural and building purposes. Between the several beds
of coal, ironstone is found in detached masses, and
occasionally in continuous seams; and near the southern
extremity of the county are extensive mines of lead.
A vein of copper-ore was discovered in the same part of
Lanarkshire, but has not been wrought with any profitable success; antimony has also been found in the
immediate neighbourhood. The ancient forests have
long since disappeared; but there are numerous coppices,
and some flourishing plantations, together occupying
nearly 10,000 acres, the greater portion of which has
been formed within the last thirty years. The seats are,
Hamilton Palace, Douglas and Bothwell Castles, Carstairs House, Bonnington House, Corehouse, Stonebyres,
Lee House, Mauldslie Castle, Milton-Lockhart, Dalziel
House, Cambusnethan Priory, Allanton House, Airdrie
House, Newton House, Monkland House, Castlemilk,
and numerous other elegant mansions.
The principal manufactures are, the cotton, the linen,
the woollen, and the iron manufactures. The cotton
manufacture, which is by far the most extensive, and of
which the principal seat is Glasgow, gives employment
to great numbers of people throughout the county, who
work for the houses of Glasgow, at their own dwellings;
and the linen and woollen manufactures, though vastly
inferior in extent, still afford occupation to a considerable
number. The Clyde and other iron-works are very
important, and embrace every department of that manufacture; and the lead-works at the village of Leadhills,
to which they have given rise, are also extensive. The
New Lanark mills for the spinning of cotton are
conducted on a very extended scale, as are similar mills
at Blantyre. The rateable annual value of real property
in the county is £1,834,999, of which £902,992 are
returned for houses, £341,122 for lands, £140,213 for
railways, £129,827 for iron-works, £66,098 for canals,
£58,303 for mines, £9193 for quarries, and the remainder
for other kinds of property not comprised in the foregoing. Facility of communication is afforded by good
roads in almost every direction. Of these the most
important are, the great road to England by Carlisle, a
new line between Edinburgh and Ayr intersecting the
county from Cambusnethan to Strathaven, and new
lines of road from Glasgow to Dumfries by Lanark, and
from Edinburgh by Biggar and Chesterhall. A railway
from Glasgow to Carlisle has been for some time under
contemplation: those railroads already completed are
noticed in other articles. There are several remains
of Roman roads, of which that from Carlisle to the wall
of Antoninus is the most conspicuous; and on Lanark
moor, and near Cleghorn House, are vestiges of Roman
camps, of which the latter is 600 yards in length and
420 in breadth, and the other, of less dimensions, is
still more distinct. Roman vases, coins, and other
relics have been found in the vicinity. There are also
remains of British camps, numerous ruins of ancient
castles, cairns, tumuli, Druidical circles, and remains of
abbeys, priories, and other religious establishments.
Langholm
LANGHOLM, a burgh of barony and a parish, in
the county of Dumfries; containing, with the village
of New Langholm, 2820 inhabitants, of whom 1305 are
in the burgh, 18 miles (N. E. by N.) from Annan, and
20½ (N.) from Carlisle. This place derives its name
from the level lands, or holms, here, on the river Esk;
and appears to have been indebted for its origin to the
erection of an ancient border fortress by the powerful
family of the Armstrongs, of which fortress the ruins
are still in tolerable preservation. The town is situated
on the east bank of the Esk, in a beautifully-wooded
portion of the dale through which the stream flows, and
on the road from Carlisle to Edinburgh. It consists
principally of one spacious street of well-built houses,
roofed with slate obtained in the quarries of the vicinity;
and is connected with the village of New Langholm, on
the west side of the river, by a handsome bridge of three
arches. The streets are lighted with gas, and the inhabitants amply supplied with water. A public subscription
library was established in 1800, and is well supported;
it contains a valuable collection of standard volumes
and periodical works, and claims to receive a disputed
bequest of £1000 by the late Mr. Telford, civil engineer,
who was a native of this place. There is also a library
for tradesmen, called the New Langholm Library,
established in 1815. The woollen manufacture is carried
on to a considerable extent, in two factories, one near the
town, and the other at New Langholm, both belonging
to the same company, and together affording employment to about 120 persons. The cotton manufacture
was established at New Langholm about the year 1800,
and is still continued: about ninety persons are occupied
in this and in the linen trade, working by hand-looms
for the houses of Glasgow and Carlisle. There are also
a distillery and a brewery.
Langholm was erected into a burgh of barony by
charter granted in 1643; and the Duke of Buccleuch,
who is the superior of the burgh, appoints a baron-bailie.
Courts are sometimes held for the trial of assaults and
petty offences, punishable by fine or imprisonment; but
the number of cases is very inconsiderable. The town-hall and gaol, situated in the market-place, were erected
in 1811; they form a handsome structure surmounted
with a spire. The post-office has a good delivery;
and there are two branch banks established here. A
customary market is held weekly on Wednesday, for
provisions: fairs take place annually on April 16th, for
seeds; the last Tuesday in May, O.S., for cattle; the
Wednesday before Whitsunday, for hiring servants; the
26th of July, for lambs and wool, which is numerously
attended; the 5th of November, for cattle; and the
Wednesday before Martinmas, O.S., for hiring servants.
At all these fairs, shoes, earthenware, haberdashery, and
jewellery articles are also exposed for sale. Facility of
communication is afforded by roads and bridges kept in
excellent repair; the road from Carlisle to Edinburgh
passes through the town, and roads to Annan, Lockerbie,
Lochmaben, and Dumfries, through other parts of the
parish.
The parish, to which, for ecclesiastical purposes, that
of Halfmorton was formerly annexed, was erected in
1703; and the burgh was made the seat of a presbytery
in 1743. It comprises about 14,320 acres, of which
12,800 are the property of the Duke of Buccleuch; the
remainder mostly belongs to George Maxwell, Esq., of
Broomholm; and of the whole, 1900 acres are arable,
420 woodland and plantations, and the rest meadow and
pasture. The surface along the banks of the rivers is
level, and in other parts diversified with numerous hills
of no great elevation, which are in general clothed with
verdure to their summits, affording excellent pasturage
for sheep. The river Esk has its source in the mountainous districts to the north, and flows through the
parish in a southern direction, receiving in its course
the waters of the Black Esk, the Megget, the Ewes, and
the Wauchope, and falling into the Solway Frith. The
soil in the lower lands is a light and fertile loam, and on
the hills of a gravelly quality: on the south-west of the
town is some fine orchard-ground, producing fruits of
various kinds in great perfection. The system of husbandry is in an advanced state, all the more recent
improvements having been adopted; the lands have
been mostly drained and inclosed; the fences are well
kept, and the farm-buildings are substantial and commodious. Considerable attention is paid to the rearing of
live stock: the sheep, of which the average number
pastured on the hills is 9000, are principally of the
Cheviot breed. The cattle are generally of the Galloway
breed, and thrive well; they are eagerly bought up by
the Galloway dealers, and, after being kept for a year
on the pastures of that district, are sent, with others, to
the English markets. Horses of the Clydesdale breed
are also reared, and many of them sell for £35 and £40
each; very large numbers of swine are fed here, and
when cured forwarded to Newcastle, Carlisle, and Longtown. The plantations are, oak, ash, beech, plane, and
forest trees of every kind, of which there are many
stately specimens. The principal substrata are, greywacke, greywacke-slate, limestone, greenstone, and coal;
lead-ore has been found on the lands of the Duke of
Buccleuch, and also on those of Broomholm. The rateable annual value of the parish, according to official returns, is £6026.
Langholm Lodge, one of the seats of the duke, is a
spacious mansion of white freestone, beautifully situated
on the banks of the Esk, about half a mile from the
burgh, in a demesne enriched with ornamental plantations, and containing a great variety of picturesque
scenery. It is embellished by a handsome cast-iron
bridge of one arch 100 feet in span. Broomholm House
is an ancient mansion on the south-east bank of the
Esk, two miles from the town, and also finely situated
amidst richly-varied scenery; and about a mile to the
south, near the confluence of the Esk and Taras water,
is Irvine House, occupied by the chamberlain of the
Duke of Buccleuch. The ecclesiastical affairs of the
parish are under the superintendence of the presbytery
of Langholm and synod of Dumfries. The minister's
stipend is £222, with a manse, and a glebe valued at
£27.10. per annum; patrons, the Crown, and the Duke
of Buccleuch. The church, erected in 1703, has been
twice rebuilt, the last time in 1779; it is a plain structure
containing 800 sittings, but is in bad repair, and difficult
of access. A more spacious edifice, on a more eligible
site, is now in progress of erection. In the cemetery of
the decayed church of Staplegorton, is a handsome
mausoleum, erected by the late Capt. George Maxwell,
of Broomholm, at an expense of £1000. There are places
of worship for members of the Free Church, Burghers,
and the Relief. The parochial school, situated at New
Langholm, is well conducted; the master has a salary
of £34, with a house and garden, and the fees average
about £40 per annum. The Broomholm free school is
endowed with the interest of £600, principally by Capt.
Maxwell, for the gratuitous instruction of twenty-six
children; and there are various other schools in the
parish, of which some of the teachers have a house rent
free or a small annual donation.
In the western portion of the parish are two mineral
springs, of which one is chalybeate, and one sulphureous.
The castle of Barntalloch, near Staplegorton, was once the
head of a barony; and around it rose an ancient burgh,
where a large fair was annually held for many years, but
at length transferred to Langholm. There are no remains
of this castle; but some lands in the vicinity still bear
the appellation of the Borough-roods of Staplegorton.
Wauchope Castle, of which the site was afterwards
occupied by the old manse, was the baronial residence
of the Lindsays, adherents of Malcolm Canmore in the
twelfth century; the small remains are situated on an
abrupt precipice overhanging the river Wauchope. The
remains of the old castle of Broomholm were removed
about the year 1745: near the site may still clearly
be traced a Roman road. About the year 1790, six
golden denarii, three being of the reign of Nero, two of
Vespasian, and one of Domitian, were found, in good
preservation, on the farm of Broomholm; and a few
years after, two denarii, and a coin of the reign of Otho,
were discovered near Wauchope bridge. Among the
distinguished characters connected with the parish have
been, John Maxwell, Esq., great-grandfather of the
present proprietor of Broomholm, the ingenious author
of an Essay on Time; Admiral Sir Thomas Pasley, who
distinguished himself under Earl Howe, in the defeat of
the French fleet, on the first of June, 1794; General
Pasley, of the Royal Artillery; William Julius Mickle,
translator of Camoens' Lusiad; Capt. George Maxwell,
R.N., already mentioned, who signalized himself in an
action with the Dutch fleet off the Dogger Bank, in 1781;
and David Irving, LL.D., author of the Life of George
Buchanan, all of whom were born at Langholm. A pillar
100 feet in height has been erected on a hill to the east
of the town to the memory of Sir John Malcolm; and
there is a monument in the market-place, opposite the
town-hall, to his brother, Admiral Sir Pulteney Malcolm.
The latter resided for many years in the parish, and
was deservedly honoured and esteemed.
Langholm, New
LANGHOLM, NEW, a village, in the parish of
Langholm, county of Dumfries, a little west from
the town of Langholm; containing 1057 inhabitants.
This village, delightfully situated on the west side of
the river Esk, near its confluence with the Wauchope,
was erected on ground leased by the Duke of Buccleuch,
in 1778. It consists of about 140 houses, constructed
on a regular plan, and to each of which is attached a
portion of land, varying in quantity according to the
extent of the building, and held at low rents on lease
for fourteen years; the streets are lighted with gas, and
the inhabitants amply supplied with water. A subscription library has been established. Facility of intercourse
with the burgh of Langholm, to which the village forms
a kind of suburb, is maintained by a handsome bridge
of three arches over the Esk. The trade of the place is
closely connected with that of Langholm; the cotton
and linen manufactures are largely carried on here, and
the principal articles are, stockings, stuffs, serges, and
black and white plaids.—See Langholm.
Langloan
LANGLOAN, a village, in the parish of Old Monkland, Middle ward of the county of Lanark, 2½ miles
(W. by S.) from Airdrie; containing 1111 inhabitants.
This is one of the principal villages of the many in this
great mining and manufacturing parish: it is situated
on the road from Airdrie to Glasgow, and has of late
years increased exceedingly in extent and population. In
the vicinity is a considerable red-sandstone quarry.
Langrigg
LANGRIGG, a village, in the parish of Whitburn,
county of Linlithgow, 1½ mile (S. by E.) from Whitburn; containing 225 inhabitants. It lies on the high
road from Wilsontown to Linlithgow. Between this
village and that of Fauldhouse is a valuable field of blackband ironstone, called the Crofthead, and lately discovered; it has led to great enterprise and industry in
the district, of which the aspect has, in consequence,
remarkably improved. In the neighbourhood of the
village is a good stone-quarry. One of two libraries in
the parish is at Langrigg.
Langside
LANGSIDE, a village, in the parish of Cathcart,
Upper ward of the county of Renfrew, 2½ miles
(S. W. by S.) from Glasgow; containing 125 inhabitants.
This village, ever memorable for the battle which took
place in its immediate vicinity, between the forces of
the regent Murray and those of Mary, Queen of Scots,
and which decided the fate of that unfortunate sovereign,
is situated on the road from Glasgow to Ayr. The particulars of this battle are shortly these. The Earl of
Murray, learning the resolution of Mary to march from
Hamilton to Dumbarton, immediately drew up his army
on the moor beside Glasgow, with a view to watch her
movements, and if possible bring her troops to an
engagement. The moment he became aware that the
queen's forces kept the south side of the Clyde, he gave
orders that his horsemen should ford that river, while
the rest crossed it by aneighbouring bridge; and these
movements were scarcely completed when Mary's vanguard appeared and the battle commenced. For a time
the conflict was doubtful; but at length the queen's ranks
were broken by Murray's chief leaders, and irretrievably
thrown into confusion. Murray himself, who had
hitherto stood with a part of his troops on the defensive, contenting himself with repulsing the enemy's
cavalry, which was far superior in numbers and equipment to his own, now seized the moment to charge with
the main division; and the flight became general. This
decisive engagement lasted but three-quarters of an hour:
on the queen's side there were about 300 slain, or, according to some accounts, only half that number; while on
the regent's, merely a single soldier fell. Previous to
the conflict, Mary had taken her station upon an eminence half a mile distant, which commanded a view of
the field; and here, surrounded by a small suite, she
watched the vicissitudes of the fight. At last, when
Murray's charge took place, she fled with great precipitation, and at full speed, in the direction of Dumfries,
nor did she venture to delay in her progress until she
found herself in the abbey of Dundrennan, sixty miles
from the field. Though formerly of much greater extent, the village now consists only of a few scattered
houses; the neighbourhood is enriched with wood, and
the surrounding scenery, which is naturally picturesque,
derives a peculiar degree of interest from the recollection
of events with which it is associated.
Langton
LANGTON, a parish, in the county of Berwick,
2½ miles (W. S. W.) from Dunse; containing, with
the village of Gavinton, 479 inhabitants. This place
derives its name from the ancient town, which was
remarkable for its length of straggling houses, extending from the manor-house to the eastern extremity of
the parish. From its situation on the confines, it was
continually exposed to all the accidents of border warfare, and was frequently plundered by the English, and
in 1558 burnt by the forces under the command of Sir
Henry Percy and Sir George Bowes. In the reign of
David I., the manor belonged to Roger de Ow, a Northumbrian, who granted the church, with its appendages, to the abbey of Kelso, to which establishment it
was confirmed by William de Vipont, a subsequent proprietor of the lands. On the death of Sir William
Vipont, who fell in the battle of Bannockburn, in 1314,
the estates passed, by marriage with his daughter and
heiress, to the family of Cockburn, of whom Alexander
Cockburn, of Langton, was keeper of the great seal in
the reigns of Robert II. and III., which office was annexed to the barony of Langton by charter of James IV.
in 1504. In 1627, William Cockburn was created a baronet by Charles I.: his descendant, Sir Alexander Cockburn, was killed in the battle of Fontenoy. The lands
continued in the family till the year 1758, when they
were sold to David Gavin, Esq., who, finding the old
town an obstacle to the improvements of his estate,
granted the inhabitants a more eligible site, upon very
advantageous terms: here they erected the present village, which they called after his name; and in a few
years every vestige of the former town disappeared.
With a trifling exception, the lands are now the property of the Dowager Marchioness of Breadalbane.
The parish is above four miles and a half in length
and three miles in breadth. The surface is extremely
hilly, forming a portion of the Lammermoor range of
heights, which in this district are called Langton Edge,
and have an elevation of nearly 1000 feet above the level
of the sea. The scenery, in numerous parts barren and
rugged, is relieved by many features of natural beauty,
and in some places enriched with wood; and several
small streams run through the parish, of which the
principal is Langton burn, a rivulet that rises in the
hilly grounds, and flows into the Blackadder. A smaller
stream passes near Langton Lees, between precipitous
banks crowned with foliage, and in its course through
Langton wood displays much beautiful and picturesque
scenery. The soil in the higher parts is light, and unfit
for cultivation; in the lower lands, richer, and of greater
fertility. The whole number of acres is estimated at
7000, of which about 4000, lying chiefly in the Lammermoor hills, are appropriated to the pasture of sheep;
2600 are arable, and 400 acres woods and plantations.
The system of agriculture is advanced, and generally
the five-shift course is practised; the crops are, wheat,
barley, oats, beans, peas, potatoes, and turnips. The
lands are well drained and inclosed; the farm-houses
and offices are substantial and commodious, and all the
more recent improvements in implements of husbandry
are in use. The sheep are of the Leicestershire and
Cheviot breeds, with a few of the black-faced; the
cattle are almost all of the short-horned or Teeswater
breed. The woods are chiefly oak, ash, elm, beech, and
plane; and the plantations, larch, and Scotch and spruce
firs, intermixed with various kinds of forest-trees, all
carefully managed, and in a very thriving state. Langton
House, the property and occasional residence of the
dowager marchioness, is a handsome seat, the grounds
of which are tastefully laid out, and have recently been
greatly improved. The village of Gavinton is neatly
built, and pleasantly situated: facility of communication
with Dunse, the nearest market-town, and with other
places in the vicinity, is maintained by roads kept in
excellent order. The rateable annual value of the parish
is £5980.
The ecclesiastical affairs are under the superintendence of the presbytery of Dunse and synod of Merse
and Teviotdale: patroness, the Dowager Marchioness of
Breadalbane. The stipend of the incumbent is £215;
the manse, erected in 1767, and repaired and enlarged
by the late marquess in 1819, is a comfortable residence,
and the glebe comprises ten acres of profitable land,
valued at £24 per annum. The ancient church, of
which the date is not distinctly known, was situated
near Langton House, and was in use till the year 1798,
when the present church was erected in the village of
Gavinton; it is a neat edifice in good repair, and adapted
for a congregation of 250 persons. The members of
the Free Church have a place of worship. The parochial
school, also in the village of Gavinton, is well conducted;
the master has a salary of £34. 4. 4., with a house and
garden, and the fees average £20 per annum. A parochial library is supported by subscription; it contains
a good collection of works on divinity, history, and
biography. A friendly society, also, has been for
some years established, which has tended to diminish
the number of the poor on the parish list; and the
liberal assistance afforded by the marchioness to industrious families in times of difficulty has greatly contributed to preserve a spirit of independence among the
labouring classes. On the hill near Raecleugh Head
are traces of a Danish camp, of which the ditches are
still tolerably entire; and at a place called Camp Muir
near Choice Lee, where a regiment was stationed after
the rebellion in 1715, are traces of the military works
thrown up on that occasion. Upon Crumstane hill was
a large cairn, on the removal of which, in 1792, were
found several urns of different dimensions, containing
human bones, but without any inscription; various
stone coffins were also discovered on the lands of Middlefield and Crease. In 1813 was found, in a small
streamlet flowing through a spot called the Battle-Muir,
a bracelet of gold, nine inches in circumference, and
which weighed nearly ten ounces.
Lanton
LANTON, a village, in the parish and district of
Jedburgh, county of Roxburgh, 1½ mile (N. W. by W.)
from Jedburgh; containing 175 inhabitants. The village
is chiefly distinguished for its tower, which is still entire,
and almost the only one remaining of the numerous fortifications raised in various parts of the parish for the
defence of the surrounding district. The land is of good
quality, and the system of agriculture greatly improved.
Larbert
LARBERT, a parish, ecclesiastically united to the
parish of Dunipace, in the county of Stirling; containing, with the villages of West Carron, Kinnaird,
Stenhouse-Muir, and part of the village of Carronshore,
4404 inhabitants, of whom 487 are in the village of Larbert, 2 miles (N. W.) from Falkirk. This parish is
bounded on the south by the river Carron, and is about
three miles in length and two and a half in breadth,
comprising an area of 3400 acres, of which, with the
exception of 200 acres of woodland and plantations,
the whole is arable, meadow, and pasture. The surface rises gradually from the south-west to the northeast, where it attains an elevation of nearly 100 feet; and
though not commanding an extensive prospect, yet it
embraces numerous interesting and impressive features.
The river formerly abounded with salmon; but, since
the establishment of the Carron iron-works, they have
almost disappeared. A small stream called the Chapel
burn rises in the adjoining parish of Dunipace, and,
after a course of about three miles, in which it turns a
couple of mills, falls into the Carron near the village of
Carronshore. The soil is generally fertile, and near the
confines of Falkirk is a considerable tract of rich carse
land; the crops are, wheat, oats, barley, beans, and
hay. The system of agriculture within the last few
years has been greatly improved; the lands have been
drained and inclosed, and the farm-buildings are commodious. The plantations are chiefly confined to the
grounds of the principal landholders, and consist of
oak, ash, beech, sycamore, Huntingdon willow, and firs.
In the grounds of Kinnaird are some fine oaks, and an
avenue of lime-trees, and there are also some stately
trees at Carron Hall; but in general the soil is unfavourable to the growth of timber. The main substrata
are sandstone, coal, and ironstone, all of which are
wrought to a great extent; the coal on the lands of
Carron Hall and Kinnaird are worked by the Carron
Company, who employ about 150 men in the collieries.
The rateable annual value of Larbert is £26,246.
The village of Larbert is situated in the south-western portion of the parish, on the road from Stirling
to Falkirk, with which latter town it has a communication by a bridge over the Carron; the inhabitants are
chiefly engaged in the iron-works. A post-office has
been established here; and the Falkirk trysts are held
upon a heath near it, the property of Sir Michael Bruce,
on the second Tuesday in August, September, and October, chiefly for black-cattle and horses. The number of
cattle sold at the first of these trysts seldom exceeds
4000, and of horses 400; at the second, 17,000 cattle
and 700 horses; and at the October tryst, 20,000 cattle
and nearly 1000 horses. For the accommodation of the
persons attending these meetings, there are numerous
inns. Facility of intercourse with Edinburgh and Glasgow is maintained by good turnpike-roads which pass
through the parish. The ecclesiastical affairs are
under the superintendence of the presbytery of Stirling
and synod of Perth and Stirling: the minister's stipend
is £272, with a manse, and a glebe valued at £26. 10.
per annum; patron, the Crown. The church, situated
at the western extremity of the parish, is a handsome
structure in the later English style of architecture,
erected in 1819, after a design by Mr. Hamilton, of
Glasgow, and containing 1200 sittings. The members
of the Free Church have a place of worship. The parochial school is well attended; the master has a salary
of £34, with a house and garden, and the fees average
£60 per annum. Among the relics of antiquity formerly existing, was a conical building of stone called
Arthur's Oven, supposed to have been of Roman origin,
and which was demolished in 1743 for the sake of the
materials. The interior, twenty feet in diameter, was surrounded with two stone shelves near the base, and was
open towards the vertex; the entrance was arched, and
over it was a kind of window of square form, tapering
towards the summit. Roman mill-stones and fragments
of pottery were found within 300 yards of the site, by
some labourers draining a peat-moss, in the year 1800;
and in other parts of the parish are some remains of
ancient square towers, thought to have been the residences of old chieftains. The most distinguished person connected with the parish was James Bruce, the
Abyssinian traveller, who died at Kinnaird in 1794.—
See Carron, Dunipace, &c.
Largo
LARGO, a parish, in the district of St. Andrew's,
county of Fife; containing, with the villages of Drumochy, New Gilston, Kirkton, Lundinmill, Temple, and
Woodside, 2751 inhabitants, of whom 423 are in the
village of Largo, 3 miles (E. N. E.) from Leven. This
barony was given by James III. to Sir Andrew Wood, a
distinguished naval officer, in recompense for his eminent services; and the grant was confirmed by James
IV. It afterwards became the property of the family of
the Gibsons, of Durie, from whom it was purchased, in
1663, by Sir Alexander Durham, lyon king-at-arms,
whose descendant is the present proprietor. The estate
of Lundin, which formerly included the greater part of
the parish, belonged to the Lundins from the time of
David I. till the reign of William the Lion, King of
of Lundin, which formerly included the greater part of
Scotland, when it passed, by marriage with the heiress
of that family, into the possession of Robert, son of the
monarch. Subsequently, by marriage with another
heiress, it became the property of John Drummond,
second son of the Earl of Perth; and on the attainder
of that family in 1745, it came to Lady Willoughby
D'Eresby, from whom it passed to the family of the
Erskines, and thence to Capt. Erskine Wemyss, of
Wemyss Castle, its present owner. The parish, which
is situated on the bay of Largo, is about six miles in
length, from north to south, and three miles in breadth;
and is bounded on the north by the parish of Ceres, on
the south by the bay, on the east by the parish of Newburn, and on the west by Scoonie. The surface is
agreeably diversified with hills and undulating valleys.
The principal hill, named Largo Law, rises in a conical
form to an elevation of nearly 1000 feet above the level
of the sea, terminating in a double apex, and sloping
gradually on the eastern side: to the west of its base is
a deep valley, extending two miles in length, and called
Keil's Glen. Towards the shore the surface is flat; but
the scenery generally, which is enriched by plantations,
abounds with interesting and romantic features.
The soil is various, but fertile, consisting in the northern parts of a rich black loam, and in the southern of
loam, intermixed with lighter lands, and in some places
with a friable clay. The whole number of acres is 6820,
of which 6000 are arable, nearly 300 in pasture, and
500 in woods and plantations. The system of agriculture is in an improved state, and the crops are favourable and abundant; considerable attention has been
paid to draining and inclosing the lands, and nearly all
the waste has been brought into a state of profitable
cultivation. The farm-buildings are generally substantial and commodious, and roofed either with slate or
tiles. The cattle are of the Fifeshire breed, with sometimes a cross of the Teeswater; the rearing of horses,
also, principally for agricultural purposes, is much
attended to, and several from Yorkshire have been
introduced with a view to the improvement of the breed.
A few sheep are fed for home use, of the Leicestershire
breed; and great numbers of hogs, chiefly the Chinese,
are fattened for the neighbouring markets, where they
find a ready sale. The plantations consist mainly of
Scotch fir and larch, which thrive well; in those of
more recent formation are, oak, ash, elm, beech, and
plane. The oak attains to a luxuriant growth, and in
the grounds of Lundin House, is a fine grove of limetrees of very stately size; the planes in the demesne of
Largo House are of singular beauty, and many of the
elms are of large dimensions. The substratum is chiefly
limestone, and sandstone of a reddish colour; the limestone is of a grey colour, and is found in strata fifteen
feet in thickness, and quarried for building purposes and
for burning into lime. Freestone of good quality, but
lying at a great depth, is quarried, though not extensively, as the expense of working it is scarcely remunerated by the produce. Coal is also found in the parish,
and is chiefly worked for the lime-kilns; it occurs in
seams about eighty feet thick, but is very sparingly used,
as coal of a much better quality is obtained from Wemyss at only a moderate increase of price. The rateable
annual value of the parish is £10,815. Among the
principal seats is Largo. The ancient mansion, of which
a circular tower is still remaining, was inhabited by Sir
Andrew Wood: the present structure, erected in 1750,
is spacious and in handsome style, situated in grounds
embellished with lofty plantations, and commanding an
extensive and diversified prospect over the surrounding
country. Lundin, the property of Capt. Erskine Wemyss, is a modern edifice, from the centre of which
rises a square tower of great antiquity, the only existing
portion of the residence of the family of Lundin; it is
beautifully situated, and the demesne comprises some
venerable and stately timber. There are a few other
handsome houses of proprietors of land in the parish,
which, from their situation and the plantations around
them, contribute to enrich the general scenery.
The salmon-fishery in Largo bay was, after being
carried on for some years with very indifferent success,
producing not more than £130 per annum, totally discontinued; but it has been revived, under better management, and is now pursued to advantage. The
spinning of flax is carried on in the parish, affording
employment to nearly 100 persons, for which purpose
there are two mills driven by water, and one of them
also by steam. The port or harbour of Largo has a
limited coasting trade, and three small vessels belong to
it; a steam-boat sails twice in the day during summer,
and once during winter, between this place and Newhaven. The harbour, which is formed at the influx of
the river Kiel into the Frith of Forth, is incommodious;
but its improvement might be effected at a comparatively trifling expense, and would contribute greatly to
restore the trade of the place, which was formerly far
from being inconsiderable in the exportation of coal, salt,
iron, and the produce of the quarries, to Holland, and
the importation of timber from Norway. A subscription library contains more than 500 volumes, and is
well supported; and a savings' bank has been opened,
in which the various sums deposited, chiefly by labourers, amount to a large sum. Facility of intercourse
with the neighbouring market-towns is maintained by
turnpike-roads kept in excellent repair, and the parish
generally is improving. A post-office is established
under Leven. The ecclesiastical affairs are under
the superintendence of the presbytery of St. Andrew's
and synod of Fife. The stipend of the incumbent is
£253: the manse, built in 1770, and in 1823 greatly
enlarged and improved, is a handsome and comfortable
residence; and the glebe comprises five acres of good
land, valued at £20 per annum, to which may be added
£11 paid in lieu of "foggage." The church was erected
near the site of a more ancient structure in 1817, and
enlarged in 1826; it is a neat edifice with a spire, and
is adapted for 836 persons. There are places of worship for members of the Free Church, the Relief, and
Baptists; the ministers are supported by the voluntary
contributions of their respective congregations. The
parochial school is well conducted; the master has a
salary of £34, with a house, and the fees average about
£30 per annum, including £7. 15., the bequest of the
late James Kettle, Esq., for teaching four children.
There are three other schools in the parish, of which the
masters of two receive, in addition to the fees, a salary
of £5, paid by the heritors.
An hospital was founded by John Wood, Esq., a
descendant of Sir Andrew Wood, who bequeathed
£68,418 Scots in trust for its erection and endowment,
for thirteen indigent persons of the name of Wood, a
chaplain, porter, and gardener; the chaplain to have a
stipend of £17 sterling per annum. The building was
erected in 1667, and rebuilt in 1830 in a handsome and
substantial style, at an expense of £2000: it contains
two apartments each for sixteen inmates, who receive
£15 per annum paid monthly, and a supply of vegetables; and there is a large hall in which they assemble
for prayer morning and evening. Above the hall is a
room where the patrons of the hospital meet for the
transaction of business connected with the institution.
The hospital is under the patronage of the Earl of
Wemyss, the lairds of Largo, Lundin, and Balfour,
with the minister of the parish, and the members of the
Kirk Session for the time being. There are also under
the management of the Kirk Session, the interest of
£100 bequeathed by Mrs. Wood for the benefit of
orphans; of £600 bequeathed by Mr. Kettle, one half
for the instruction of four poor children, and the remainder to be given in sums of £2 each to persons not
on the parish list; and the interest of £500 for distribution among widows of the name of Jameson who have
children under sixteen years of age, in sums of £5 per
annum each. This last fund, for want of applicants,
has accumulated to £1100. On the banks of the river
Kiel are the venerable ruins of the ancient castle of Balcruvie, the residence of the family of Crawford; and to
the south and east of Lundin House, are three stones of
rude triangular form, supposed to be either of Roman
origin, or the gravestones of some Danish chiefs who
fell here in battle with the forces of Banquo and Macbeth. Two pieces of similar stone were discovered on
the Largo estate, at the distance of a mile from each
other, which, when united, formed an antique carved cross.
On an eminence to the north were found silver coins of
the earlier Roman emperors; and at Balhousie were
discovered three urns containing ashes, and near them
some stone coffins, and the bones of an infant. The
late Sir John Leslie, professor of mathematics in the
university of Edinburgh, and author of The Progress of
Mathematics in the Eighteenth Century, was a native of
this parish.
Largo, Lower
LARGO, LOWER, a village, in the parish of Largo,
county of Fife, 4 miles (N. E. by E.) from Leven; containing, with the hamlets of Temple and Drumochy,
567 inhabitants. This village is pleasantly situated,
and well inhabited: there are places of worship for
members of the Relief Church and Baptists. Alexander Selkirk, whose adventures on a desolate island are,
under the name of Robinson Crusoe, narrated by De Foe,
was a native of this village, in which he was born in
1676. Embracing a sea-faring life, he was, in 1703, left
on the island of Juan Fernandez, where he remained
for more than four years in perfect solitude: he was
brought to England by Capt. Woode Rogers, but, after
nine months residence on shore, he returned to sea, and
was not heard of afterwards.
Largs
LARGS, a parish, in the district of Cunninghame,
county of Ayr; containing, with the late quoad sacra
district of Fairlie, 4044 inhabitants, of whom 3523 are
in the town and suburbs of Largs, 13½ miles (N. N. W.)
from Saltcoats, and 79½ (W. by S.) from Edinburgh.
The name of this place is supposed to be derived from
the term Learg, signifying "a plain;" but this etymology, the only probable one assigned, is not clearly
established, as there is no considerable portion of
ground in the locality answering to that distinctive
appellation. The ancient records connected with Largs
refer chiefly to the history of its church, which was
dedicated to St. Columba, the abbot of Iona, and was a
rectory, the patronage belonging to the lordship. At the
beginning of the fourteenth century, Walter the Stewart,
"for the safety of his own soul and that of his late
spouse, Marjory Bruce," granted the church, "in pure
and perpetual alms," to the monastery of Paisley, with
all the tithes. The church continued in the possession
of the monastery till the Reformation, when Lord Claud
Hamilton, the commendator of Paisley, obtained the
patronage and tithes of Largs, with the other revenues
and lands of the monks, the whole of which were made
a temporal lordship for himself and his heirs, with the
title of Lord Paisley. In 1621, he was succeeded by his
grandson, James, Earl of Abercorn, from whom, in the
reign of Charles I., the patronage and tithes of the
church of Largs passed to Sir Robert Montgomerie, of
Skelmorlie, from which family they have descended to
the present proprietor, the thirteenth Earl of Eglinton.
A celebrated battle took place here on the 3rd of
October, 1263, between the Norwegians and Scots. The
former, under their king, Haco, were at first victorious;
but, fearing that subsequent reinforcements might enable the Scots finally to triumph, they retreated, and
Haco not long afterwards died at Kirkwall, on his return to Norway. His son and successor, Eric, however,
married one of King Alexander's daughters; and thus
all future hostilities were prevented.
The town was formerly but a small village clustering round the church, and has attained its present
populous and thriving condition by degrees, chiefly from
its situation on the shore of the Frith of Clyde, from
its superior facilities for sea-bathing, the salubrity of
the climate, and the beauties of the surrounding scenery. Some parts of the vicinity are marked with
features of a bold character. The hills on the east,
which form a barrier against the violence of the winds,
rise to a great elevation as they approach the town, and
comprise the eminences called the Hill of Stake, and,
more southerly, Irishlaw and Knockside hill, reaching
respectively the height of 1691 feet, 1576, and 1419
feet above the level of the sea. From the summits of
these heights, and from their abrupt declivities bordering on the town, views of the most diversified and picturesque scenery may be obtained. Among the other
objects of interest is the Gogo river, which, rising in the
south-eastern quarter, receives, besides numerous smaller
tributaries, the water of the Greeto about the middle of
its course, and falls into the sea at the town. The
Noddle rises in the north-east, and, after traversing the
vale of Brisbane, empties itself into the sea about a mile
higher up, towards the north. Largs has been celebrated for a considerable period as an agreeable and
healthy summer resort; and from the month of May
till about the middle of October, the population derives
an increase, owing to the influx of visiters, varying from
300 or 400 to 1000. The plain on which the town
stands consists of a fine gravel, quickly absorbing the
moisture after rain; the whole coast is perfectly safe,
and the beech affords good opportunities of bathing at
all times of the tide, by its gentle slope. The town has
been completely remodelled and enlarged since the
beginning of the present century, and lighted with gas
since the year 1839. The environs, also, have been
richly studded with elegant villas; but the only public
building is that of the baths, which, in addition to
accommodations for hot and cold bathing, contains a
spacious billiard and reading room. Two circulating
libraries have been established. About three miles
south of Largs, and also on the coast, is the pleasing
little village of Fairlie, inhabited by above 300 persons,
and, on account of its retired and attractive character,
and the handsome villas lately erected there, preferred
by many persons to the town.—See Fairlie.
About 240 or 250 hands in the parish are employed
in the manufacture of shawls and shawl borders, the
work being obtained chiefly from Paisley; there are
two branches of the Western Bank of Scotland, and a
general post-office. The public road from Ayr and
Irvine runs along the coast; and a road has been formed,
and made turnpike, across the moor, which passes in a
south-eastern direction to Kilbirnie and Dalry, and is
of great benefit to the neighbourhood, for the conveyance
of lime and coal. A parish road, also, has been constructed through the vale of Brisbane to the boundary
of the parish, near Loch Thom; it joins the Greenock
parish road, and shortens the distance between that
place and Largs about two miles. The boundaries of
the harbour extend from Haylie to Noddleburn, and
there is a considerable traffic by means of steam-boats.
Till lately the accommodation for them was indifferent;
but, on application to Sir Thomas Macdougal Brisbane,
Bart., he agreed to give some ground for a pier, receiving its value in shares: a subscription was commenced,
and, an act of parliament being obtained in 1832, the
foundation-stone was laid on the 10th of January, 1833,
and the pier opened on the 1st of December, 1834. Great
advantage has been experienced in the landing and
shipping of passengers and goods by this pier, the cost
of which was £4275; the shareholders are thirty-one in
number, and the shares, of £50 each, return about six
per cent. The produce of the parish is generally sent
for sale to Greenock, Glasgow, and Paisley; but a considerable portion is appropriated to domestic use. A
fair, called vulgarly Comb's-day, from St. Columba, is
held on the second Tuesday in June, O. S., for pigs,
horses, and especially young cattle, large numbers of
which last are brought from the Highlands. The town
has a baron-bailie appointed by the superior; but he
rarely interferes in judicial matters, the justices holding
a monthly court, where cases of small debt and breaches
of the peace are tried.
The parish stretches along the coast of the Frith for
nine miles, and measures in breadth a little more than
four miles, comprising 19,143 acres, of which 8598 are
heath and moorland pasture, and the remainder comprehends 1145 acres in tillage, 3300 pasture and meadow, 5500 green pasture, and 600 woodland and gardens.
The usual kinds of grain and green crops are raised,
with the exception of wheat, which is but little cultivated; and the four and six shift courses of husbandry
are each in operation. About 600 cows, of the pure
Ayrshire breed, are kept for the dairy; the farmers near
the town mostly sell the milk, or make butter, while
those in the rural district convert the produce into
cheese. The number of young cows yearly reared is about
300; nearly 500 head of cattle are fattened, and 4600
sheep are kept on the high lands, besides a few English
sheep on the lower grounds; with a considerable number of swine. Improvements of various descriptions
are gradually advancing, especially the draining and recovering of waste land; and some new plantations have
been recently formed. Red and white sandstone are
the principal sorts of rock, and are extensively quarried
for building houses in the neighbourhood: the substrata
of the higher grounds consist mainly of secondary trap.
The rateable annual value of the parish is £13,743.
Among the seats is the old mansion of Kelburn Castle,
which was originally a square tower, but was enlarged
by David, Earl of Glasgow, and is the seat of the present earl, having been the property of the family from a
very remote period; it is situated two miles south of
the town, and embraces beautiful views of the Frith and
the surrounding scenery. The house of Brisbane, the
seat of Sir Thomas Macdougal Brisbane, who is of a
family long located here, and the chief of their name, is
two miles north of the town, in the beautiful glen of
Brisbane. Skelmurly Castle, a seat of the Earl of
Eglinton, is an ancient structure, having been built in
the year 1502; and is pleasantly situated on a commanding eminence upon the coast, four miles north of
Largs. In addition to these, there are numerous elegant
residences and villas, among which is that of Hawkhill,
on the Gogo, near the town, in the neighbourhood of
which, salmon, and the usual white-fish caught in the
adjacent seas, are plentiful.
Largs is in the presbytery of Greenock and synod of
Glasgow and Ayr, and in the patronage of the Earl of
Eglinton; the minister's stipend is £246, with a manse,
and a glebe valued at £36. 8. per annum. The parish
belonged to the presbytery of Irvine until 1834, when
it was transferred to that of Greenock, newly formed.
The church was built in 1812, and enlarged in 1833; it
contains 1268 sittings. A chapel in connexion with the
Establishment, containing 300 sittings, was erected at
Fairlie in 1833, by private subscription, and made the
church of a quoad sacra parish in 1835; but it has now
no ecclesiastical district attached. There are a place of
worship for members of the Free Church, one for the
United Associate Synod, and another for the Relief
persuasion. The parochial school affords instruction in
the usual branches: the master has a salary of £25. 13.,
with a house, and about £2 fees; also the interest of
£175 bequeathed for his use. A school, likewise, has
been recently founded by Sir Thomas M. Brisbane, and
premises erected, with a house for a master, at a cost of
£350: the nomination of the teacher, who has a salary
of £30, and the management of the institution, are
vested in the family of Brisbane, and the minister and
Kirk Session of Largs. On the south of the parish,
and situated within the ancient barony of Fairlie, is the
ruin of the old castle, which belonged for more than
400 years to a family of that name, and at the beginning
of the 18th century was sold to David, Earl of Glasgow,
with whose descendants it still remains. The ruins of
the house of Knock are also yet standing: the Frazer
family possessed the estate for about 250 years till 1650,
when the property passed into other hands. Kelburn
confers the title of Viscount on the Earl of Glasgow,
David, Lord Boyle, having been created Viscount Kelburn and Earl of Glasgow, April 12, 1703.
Larkhall
LARKHALL, lately a quoad sacra district, in the
parishes of Dalserf and Hamilton, Middle ward of
the county of Lanark; containing, with the village of
Millheugh, 2453 inhabitants, of whom 1609 are in the
village of Larkhall, 3½ miles (S. E.) from Hamilton.
The district comprised the lands of Broomhill, West
Machan, and Meadowhill; a portion of Dalserf lying
between those lands and the river Avon; and considerable
strips of the parish of Hamilton to the north and west.
The village of Larkhall, which is situated in the Dalserf
portion of the district, and on the great road from
Glasgow to Carlisle, is of modern erection, built on a
regular plan, and has latterly very much extended, and
increased in population. It is now the largest village
in Dalserf parish, and mostly inhabited by weavers. In
its vicinity are several hamlets, rows of houses, and
other dwellings, the whole so approximating with it as to
be considered parts of one town. Within the last ten
years a post-office, subordinate to Hamilton and Glasgow, has been established; and other facilities are fast
tending to the improvement and importance of the
place. A small fair, once accompanied by a horse-race, is
held here in the month of June. The river Clyde flows
at a distance of two miles north-eastward. The ecclesiastical affairs are directed by the presbytery of Hamilton and synod of Glasgow and Ayr, and the patronage
is vested in the male communicants: the stipend of the
minister is £80, derived from seat-rents. The church,
built by subscription, aided by the General Assembly's
extension fund, was opened for divine service in January,
1836, and contains 720 sittings, of which thirty are
free. There is a place of worship for the Relief, very
recently enlarged; also a parochial school, in which,
besides the usual branches of education, Latin is taught:
the master has an annual salary of £5, with a house,
schoolroom and garden, and the fees. A library, instituted in the year 1809, contains upwards of 500
volumes.
Lasswade
LASSWADE, a parish, in the county of Edinburgh;
containing, with the village of Loanhead, and the late
quoad sacra district of Roslin, 5025 inhabitants, of
whom 539 are in the village of Lasswade, 2½ miles (W.
S. W.) from Dalkeith. This parish is supposed to have
derived its name from the situation of the church and
village in a well-watered pastoral district. It was
anciently much less extensive, now including the parishes
of Pentland and Melville, which were suppressed at the
Reformation. On the north are the parishes of Colinton
and Liberton; on the east, Dalkeith, Newbattle, Cockpen,
and Carrington; on the south, the parish of Penicuick;
and on the west, Colinton, Glencross, and Penicuick.
The parish is about eight miles in length and five miles
in breadth, and of extremely irregular form, comprising
an area of ten square miles. The surface, with the exception of the Pentland district, is chiefly a level tract
of arable and pasture land in a high state of cultivation,
abounding with scenery of unrivalled beauty, and with
features strikingly romantic. The loftiest of the Pentland
hills within the parish is Allermuir, which exceeds 1600
feet in height above the level of the sea. The North
Esk river flows through the parish, between precipitous
and richly-wooded banks, and is remarkable for the
picturesque character of the vale along which it pursues
its course; it winds round the ruins of the ancient
castle of Roslin, and near the mansion of Hawthornden,
and, intersecting the village of Lasswade and the pleasuregrounds of Dalkeith, runs into the South Esk about a mile
below the Palace. That portion of the parish which was
till lately annexed to the church of Roslin is described
in the article on that place.
The soil is luxuriantly rich; and the tracts of moor
and wet moss that abounded in the southern parts have
been reclaimed, and brought into a good state of cultivation. The lands are principally arable, producing excellent crops of grain: the oatmeal of this place has
long been noted for its superior quality. The dairyfarms are under careful management, and the produce
forwarded chiefly to the Edinburgh market; much land,
also, is laid out in nurseries and gardens, yielding abundant supplies of vegetables and fruits of all kinds for the
use of the city, to which great quantities of strawberries,
particularly, are sent daily in the season. The Pentland
hills are covered partly with heath, and in other parts
with fine grass affording good pasture; the meadows and
low-land pastures are exceedingly fertile. The substrata
in the parish are coal and limestone, with red sandstone,
freestone, and whinstone, the last an excellent material
for the roads; the coal is extensively wrought in the
vicinity of Loanhead, and not less than 30,000 tons are
sent from the mines annually to Edinburgh. The
rateable annual value of Lasswade is £21,833.
The principal seat is Melville Castle, the residence of
Lord Viscount Melville, an elegant and spacious structure in the castellated style, with circular towers, erected
about the close of the last century, on the site of an
ancient house said to have belonged to David Rizzio,
secretary to Mary, Queen of Scots. It is situated on
the bank of the North Esk, in an ample and richlywooded demesne, and is a conspicuous and highlyinteresting object. George IV., when visiting Scotland
in 1822, was hospitably entertained in this noble mansion. Hawthornden, the romantic seat of Sir James
Walker Drummond, built by the poet Drummond, and
incorporated with the remains of the baronial castle of
that ancient family, stands on a precipitous rock below
Roslin, on the south bank of the North Esk; and is
remarkable for the numerous artificial caverns beneath
the mansion, and in various parts of the rock. These,
during the war with England in the reign of Edward I.,
afforded secure shelter to the adherents of Bruce, of
whom Sir Alexander Ramsay, with his followers, concealing himself in these almost inaccessible retreats,
frequently sallied forth upon the enemies of his country,
whom he surprised and defeated with great slaughter.
The principal of the caverns are, the king's gallery, the
king's bedchamber, and others; and in one of them,
detached from the rest, and of smaller dimensions, called
the Cypress Grotto, Drummond is said to have composed many of his poems. In the court-yard is a deep
dry well, from which a narrow opening leads to a long
subterraneous passage, on both sides whereof are various
small apartments, and below them some of larger dimensions, the entry to which is lighted from a fissure
in the rock. The house is adorned with numerous
ancient relics, and family and other portraits, among
which is a portrait of Mary, Queen of Scots; and the
pleasure-grounds attached to it abound with interesting
features, and with picturesque and romantic scenery.
Mavisbank House is a handsome mansion in the style of
an Italian villa, and is beautifully situated on the right
bank of the North Esk, in a demesne of highly-pleasing
character. Springfield House is also a good mansion;
and on the same bank of the river are Dryden and
Rosebank: on the left bank are Polton, Glenesk, and
Gorton.
The village of Lasswade is seated in the deeplysequestered and well-wooded dell watered by the North
Esk. The houses are irregularly scattered along both
the banks of the river, and are surrounded with gardens
and plantations, which, combining with the sylvan aspect of the vale generally, render this one of the most
attractive villages in Scotland. The beauty of the
scenery, and the mildness of the climate from its sheltered situation, have rendered it a favourite place of
resort for the citizens of Edinburgh; and numerous
handsome villas have been erected in the immediate
vicinity, as residences during the summer months. The
principal manufactures carried on here are those of
paper and carpets. There are three extensive papermills, in which several hundreds of persons are employed,
and in one of which the paper made annually pays a
duty to government of £5500. The carpet manufactory
at St. Anne's was established in the year 1834, by
Messrs. Richard Whytock and Co., for the production
of Tournay and Axminster carpets of all sizes and shapes,
without seam; and a new kind of Brussels carpet, of
great beauty, resembling tapestry, with various fabrics
in velvet pile, has recently been invented by the proprietors, and is in much request in London and other
places. In this establishment more than 100 persons
are constantly employed; there are also an iron and
brass foundry, and several corn and oatmeal mills.
Within the parish are likewise the villages of Loanhead
and Pentland, and two post-offices connected with
Edinburgh and Dalkeith, each of which has a couple of
deliveries daily. Facility of communication is afforded
by parish-roads kept in excellent order, and by the
turnpike-roads to Edinburgh and other places.
The ecclesiastical affairs are under the superintendence of the synod of Lothian and Tweeddale and the
presbytery of Dalkeith. The minister's stipend is £180,
with a manse on an eminence near the church, and a
glebe of eight acres, valued at £40 per annum; patron,
Sir George Clerk, Bart. The present church, erected in
1793, and substantially repaired and improved within the
last few years, is a neat structure adapted for a congregation of 1000 persons: the remains of the ancient
church, within the churchyard, consist chiefly of one
of the aisles, which has been converted into a sepulchral
chapel for the Dundas family. There are places of
worship for members of the Reformed Presbyterian and
United Secession churches. The parochial school is well
conducted, including in its course of studies the Latin,
Greek, and French languages, and the mathematics;
and is numerously attended: the master has a salary of
£34, and the fees average about £150 annually. There
are also schools at Hawthornden and Pentland, of which
the masters have salaries and rent-free houses; and in
the villages of Lasswade and Loanhead are good subscription libraries. Upon the river North Esk, half a
mile above Hawthornden, is Wallace's cave, an artificial
excavation in the rock, in the form of a cross, and capable of containing about seventy persons; and on the
north side of the Bilston burn, about a mile from its
confluence with the North Esk, is Wallace's camp, in the
shape of a semicircle, eighty-four feet in circuit, and defended by a broad and deep ditch. At Springfield, near
a ford on the Esk, is a narrow road supposed to have
been part of a Roman way between two camps; and
not far from Mavisbank House is a circular mound of
earth, near which have been found several ancient weapons and various other relics of antiquity. The poet
Drummond was a native of this parish; and the late
Mr. John Clerk, author of a Treatise on Naval Tactics,
resided on the estate of Eldin.
Latheron
LATHERON, a parish, in the county of Caithness, 17
miles (S. W.) from Wick; containing, with the late quoad
sacra districts of Berriedale and Lybster, and the villages
of Dunbeath and Swiney, 7637 inhabitants. This place,
which is situated on the south-eastern coast of Caithness,
is supposed with great probability to have derived its
name, signifying in the Gaelic language "the resort of
seals," from the vast multitudes of those animals by
which its shores were formerly frequented, and of which
considerable numbers are still found in the caverns near
the sea. From the numerous remains of castles and
fortresses, extending along the coast from the Ord of
Caithness to Bruan, it would appear to have been the
scene of ancient warfare; but the only authentic record
of its early history preserved, is that of the last invasion
of the country by the Danes. On the landing of a large
body of troops under the command of the young Prince
of Denmark, near the town of Thurso, the inhabitants
of that district, unable to meet them in the field, retreated
before the invaders to the hill of Ben-a-gheil, in this
parish, where, having taken up a favourable position,
they resolved to give the enemy battle. The Danes
pursued them to this post, and attempted to dislodge
them; but the Scots, having in the retreat considerably
increased their numbers, bore down upon them in one
compact body, broke their line, and, killing their leader,
put them completely to the rout.
The parish is bounded on the south-east by the
North Sea, and on the west by the county of Sutherland. It extends along the coast for nearly twenty-seven
miles, and varies from ten to fifteen miles in breadth,
comprising an area of about 140,000 acres, of which
10,000 are arable, 800 woodland and plantations, and
the remainder meadow, pasture, and waste. The surface
in general is boldly marked with hills and valleys; and
towards the west are numerous mountains of various
height and aspect, between which are deep and precipitous ravines of dangerous access. The most intricate of
these ravines are, Brenahegleish, Benachielt, and one at
the Ord of Caithness; the most conspicuous of the
mountains are, Morven, Scaraben, and the Pap. Morven
has an elevation of nearly 4000 feet above the level of
the sea, and is a fine landmark for mariners; near the
summit is a spring of excellent water. The prospects
obtained from most of these mountains comprehend
more than twelve counties. There are also numerous
straths of great beauty and fertility, of which the principal
are watered by the rivers of Langwell, Berriedale, and
Dunbeath; the steep banks of these vales were formerly
covered with wood, and there is still sufficient remaining
to add greatly to the richness of the scenery. The three
rivers have their rise on the western confines of the
parish, and, after courses of from twelve to sixteen
miles through the straths to which they give name, fall
into the sea on the east; they are but small streams in
the summer, but are much swollen in winter, and they
all abound with trout and salmon. The only lakes of
importance are those of Rangag and Stempster, in both
of which are found trout and eels. The line of coast is
defended by a chain of rocks, rising precipitously to
heights varying from 100 to 300 feet, and in many
places perforated with deep caverns, some of which
extend sixty feet in length, and are, as already stated,
frequented by seals, whereof great numbers are annually
taken. The principal headlands are, the Ord of Caithness, on the south; Berriedale head; and Clyth Ness,
to the north. There are also numerous small bays, the
outlets of the several rivers which intersect the parish,
affording shelter for boats employed in the fisheries off
the coast.
The soil, though generally shallow, is easily cultivated, and well adapted to all kinds of grain; on the
lands of Langwell and Dunbeath it is of a sharp gravelly
quality, and on the lands of Clyth a dry loam. The
crops are, grain, potatoes, and turnips, with the usual
grasses; considerable improvement has been made in
the system of husbandry, and much waste land has
been reclaimed and brought into cultivation. Many of
the farm-buildings, also, are vastly improved; but there
are still some of very inferior order. Great attention is
paid to the rearing of live stock, for the conveyance of
which to the best markets facilities are afforded by steam
navigation. The sheep on the lands of Langwell and
Dunbeath are mostly of the Cheviot breed, and frequently
obtain prizes at the Inverness shows; on the other
farms they are chiefly a cross between the Cheviot and
the Leicestershire: 12,000 are fed on the whole. The
cattle, of which about 4000 are pastured, are principally
a mixture of the Teeswater and Highland breeds, and
fetch good prices in the Edinburgh market. The substrata are mainly clay-flagstone, red sandstone, and
mica-slate; and the rocks are partly conglomerate and
granite, the latter prevailing towards the Ord. The
plantations of more recent growth are chiefly around the
residences of the landed proprietors, many of which,
though not of modern erection, have been improved and
tastefully embellished within the last few years. The
only village of any importance is Lybster, which is
noticed under its own head; the others are small fishing
hamlets on the coast. The rateable annual value of the
parish is £10,967.
The principal dependence of the population is upon
the fisheries, of which there are four distinct branches
carried on with lucrative success, the herring, the cod,
the salmon, and the lobster fisheries. The herringfishery is prosecuted with great assiduity and enterprise,
affording during the season occupation to about 3200
persons, and employing during the winter and spring
from 1500 to 2000 in the making of nets; the season
commences in July, and ends in September. The stations
along the coast in this parish, and to which are attached
convenient harbours, are Dunbeath, containing seventysix boats; Latheron-Wheel, thirty-five; Forse, thirtytwo; Swiney, ten; Lybster, 101; Clyth, fifty-three;
and East Clyth, eighteen boats; in the aggregate, 325
boats, each having a crew of four men, and from twenty
to thirty-eight nets. The number of barrels cured at
these stations annually is 40,000, to which may be added
3000 cured by the fishermen at their own dwellings;
and about 1000 barrels are generally sold in a fresh state
to strangers from different parts of the country. The
average price of the cured fish is £1 per barrel; and of
fresh nine shillings. The cod-fishery is not carried on
to so great an extent, being generally abandoned when
the herrings appear in sufficient numbers, for that more
lucrative employment; the number of cod cured during
the season averages 10,000, and they are sold at sixpence each. The salmon-fishery is pursued at Berriedale and at Dunbeath: the former, belonging to Mr.
Horne, of Langwell, is rented at £275 per annum; and
the latter, the property of Mr. Sinclair, of Freswick, at
£27 per annum only, the number of fish being greatly
diminished. The fish at both are of excellent quality,
the salmon selling for one shilling, and the grilse for
sixpence per pound: few are sold on the spot, they being
chiefly packed in kits, and sent to London. The lobsterfishery is but little attended to, though great numbers
are sometimes taken. A small pier has been erected at
Clyth, for the loading of vessels in moderate weather;
and there is also a harbour at Lybster; but, from the
rocky nature of the coast, and the want of shelter for
vessels of any considerable burthen, the navigation is
attended with great danger; and applications have been
consequently made to government, for the construction
of commodious harbours, which would materially promote the prosperity of the district. The nearest markettown is Wick. Fairs are held at Dunbeath and at
Lybster twice during the year; there are also post-offices
there. Facility of communication is afforded by good
roads, of which the great north road along the coast
passes through the whole length of the parish to Wick,
whence there is conveyance by steam to Leith and
Aberdeen.
The ecclesiastical affairs are under the superintendence of the presbytery of Caithness and the synod
of Sutherland and Caithness. The minister's stipend is
£219, with a manse, and a glebe valued at £15 per
annum; patron, Sir James Colquhoun, Bart. The parish
church, situated near the coast, was erected in 1734,
and enlarged and new roofed in 1822; it is a neat plain
structure containing 870 sittings. Churches were erected
in Berriedale in 1826, and at Lybster in 1836. There is
also a missionary station connected with the Established
Church, founded by the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge, at Bruan, the eastern extremity of the
parish, bordering on Wick. Attached is a comfortable
manse, erected by subscription, at an expense of £232;
and a glebe of four acres of excellent land was granted
to the minister by the late Sir John Sinclair, Bart.,
whose estates were chiefly benefited. The church contains 600 sittings; and the missionary has a stipend of
£25, granted by the society, and augmented to £100 by
seat-rents. Four catechists are appointed by the Kirk
Session, and paid by the families whom they visit.
Attempts have been made to establish a congregation of
members of the United Secession, but hitherto without
any permanent success. The parochial school is well
conducted; the master has a salary of £34, with a house
and garden, and the fees average £30. Two schools are
supported by the General Assembly, and one by the
Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge; the masters have salaries of £20 each. The poor have the interest
of various bequests producing about £18 per annum.
Sir John Sinclair, compiler of the Statistical Account of
Scotland, resided for many years at Langwell, now the
property of Donald Horne, Esq.
Lauder
LAUDER, a royal burgh, a
parish, and the seat of a presbytery, in the county of Berwick, 25 miles (S. E.) from
Edinburgh, and 35 (W.by S.)
from Berwick; containing
2198 inhabitants, of whom
1050 are in the town. This
place, of which the name, in
the Celticlanguage, is descriptive of its situation in the valley of the Leader, was granted
in the early part of the 12th
century, by David I., to Hugh de Moreville, constable of
Scotland. De Moreville gave the lands of Thirlstane, in the
parish, to one of his kinsmen, whose grand-daughter conveyed them by marriage to Sir Richard Maitland, ancestor
of the present Earl of Lauderdale, now the principal proprietor of the parish. The chief historical events connected
with the place are, the erection of Lauder Castle by
Edward I., King of England, during his invasion in the
time of Bruce; and the meeting here of the nobles of
Scotland, who, when James III. encamped with his
army near Lauder in 1482, assembled in the church,
and, after a conference, resolved upon the death of six
of that monarch's favourites, whom they hanged on a
bridge over the Leader. There was formerly a royal
mint here. The town, which is delightfully situated in
the centre of the vale, upon gently-rising ground between
the river Leader on the north and the South burn of
Lauder, consists principally of one wide clean street,
lighted by gas, on the road from Edinburgh to Kelso;
and nearly in the middle, where the street expands into
greater breadth, is a row of houses, at the western extremity of which is the town-house. The air is extremely
pure. The houses are irregularly built, and of mean
appearance, but well supplied with water, and inhabited
chiefly by retail shop-keepers, persons employed in
handicraft trades, and agricultural and other labourers.
The approaches have been much improved within the last
few years. A subscription library is supported by a
company of shareholders, and there is also one for
mechanics. Fairs are held in the early part of March,
for seed-corn and the hiring of farm servants; in April
and October, for the hiring of household servants; in
June, for cattle, chiefly milch-cows; and in July, for
the sale of lambs. The post-office has a good delivery;
and facility of communication is afforded by turnpikeroads, of which one, on the east of the river Leader, to
Greenlaw, Dunse, Berwick, Coldstream, and Kelso, passes
for six miles, and another, on the west, to Melrose and
Jedburgh, passes for eight miles, through the parish.
Burgh Seal.
Lauder is supposed to have been erected into a
royal burgh by charter of William the Lion, in the
beginning of the 13th century; and after the loss of the
original documents during the border warfare, the inhabitants received a new charter from James IV. in
1502, which was confirmed in 1533. The government
is vested in two bailies and fifteen councillors. The burgesses possess a common of 1695 acres, divided among
them in proportion to their number, and are entitled to
freedom of trading, exemption from customs, and other
privileges. The magistrates exercise but little either of
civil or criminal jurisdiction; of the former, there are
scarcely any cases of importance on record, and the
latter extends only to trifling misdemeanors. The gaol,
indeed, is not adapted for permanent confinement. In
front of the town-hall was an ancient cross, the site of
which is marked by a radiated pavement. The burgh is
associated with those of Haddington, Dunbar, North
Berwick, and Jedburgh, in returning a member to the
imperial parliament: the number of persons within the
royalty who rent houses of £10 and upwards is fortythree, of whom twenty-five are burgesses; and of those
whose rent is above £5, but below £10, twenty, of whom
one only is a burgess.
The parish, which is one of the most extensive in the
county, is about thirteen miles in extreme length, from
north to south, and from eight to nine miles in extreme
breadth; but, being divided by an intervening portion
of the parish of Melrose, its length is in fact only eleven
and a half miles. It comprises an area of nearly fiftyeight square miles, and the number of acres is estimated
at 37,500, of which 12,000 are arable, 600 woodland
and plantations, and the remainder chiefly hill pasture
and waste. The surface is diversified with hills, of which
the Lammermoor range forms the northern boundary
of Lauder; and within the limits of the parish the
highest of that range is the Lammerlaw, 1500 feet
above the level of the sea. The valley of the Leader,
the richest portion of the lands, is from one to two
miles in breadth; and on each side of the river, towards
the south-east, are ranges of hills of moderate height,
cultivated to their summits. The Leader has its source
in the union of two streams issuing from the Lammermoors about four miles above the town, and, after a
winding course of nine or ten miles through the beautiful valley to which it gives name, falls into the Tweed
at Drygrange; it abounds with trout, and is much frequented by anglers. There are springs of excellent
water in different parts.
The soil is various; in the valley, deep, rich, and
fertile; in the higher grounds, of lighter quality. The
crops are, grain of all kinds, with turnips and potatoes,
and the several grasses; the system of agriculture is in
a very advanced state, and great improvements have
taken place under the auspices of the Lauderdale Agricultural Society, of which the Earl of Lauderdale is
patron. The lands have been mostly drained and inclosed, and the least productive have been much benefited
by a plentiful use of lime. The farm-buildings are substantial and well arranged; several of them are of superior order, and on some of the farms are threshing-mills
driven by steam. The hilly districts afford good pasturage for sheep and cattle, of which considerable numbers are reared: the sheep are mostly of the Cheviot
breed; but on two or three of the higher farms the
black-faced kind are pastured, and on others, in the
low lands, are some of the Leicestershire. The cattle
are generally of the short-horned or Teeswater breed;
but such of the farmers as do not rear a sufficient number
to eat off their turnips, purchase young stock of the
Angus and West-Highland breeds. The plantations
are, oak, ash, beech, elm, birch, poplar, willow, larch, and
Scotch and spruce firs, all in a thriving condition. The
substratum here is principally greywacke, of which the
rocks are composed; it is of good quality, and large
quantities are raised both for building purposes and for
mending the roads. The rateable annual value of the
parish is £12,596.
Thirlstane Castle, the seat of the Earl of Lauderdale,
is beautifully situated to the north of the town, on the
banks of the river: the original building, Lauder Fort,
erected by Edward I., was rebuilt by Chancellor Maitland, and enlarged and improved by the Duke of Lauderdale and the present earl. The mansion is a spacious
and handsome structure, containing many stately apartments, and a large collection of paintings and family
portraits; and is surrounded by a park tastefully laid
out. Allanbank, to the west of the town, is a good residence, of modern date, with grounds of considerable
extent, embellished with plantations. The ecclesiastical affairs are under the superintendence of the
presbytery of Lauder and synod of Merse and Teviotdale. The minister's stipend is £272, with a manse, and
a glebe valued at £18 per annum; patron, the Earl.
The church, erected in 1673, on the south-west side of
the town, by the Duke of Lauderdale, to replace the
original church, which he removed when he enlarged
Thirlstane Castle, is a plain cruciform structure, containing 773 sittings. A massive service of communion
plate was, in 1677, presented to the church by the
Lauderdale family. There are places of worship for
members of the Free Church, and the United-Associate
and Relief synods. The parochial school is well attended:
the master has a salary of £30, with a good house and
garden; he also receives £5 from the corporation for
the gratuitous instruction of poor children, and the fees
average £70. There are three schools dependent solely
on the fees, of which two are for females; and the
number of children in all is about 300. Vestiges of
a Roman road running through the parish towards
Channelkirk may be still traced: near it are the remains
of a military station; and on an eminence about two
miles to the north are vestiges of a round camp, having
an entrance on the east and on the west, and fortified
by a double intrenchment. A similar camp is found at
Tullius' or Tollis hill, on the northern extremity of the
parish. Ancient coins have been found, among which
were some inscribed with the names of Julius Cæsar,
Lucius Flaminius, and others. There are also numerous
tumuli, near which have been discovered fragments of
military weapons.