Melrose
MELROSE, a market-town and parish, and anciently
a burgh of barony, in the district of Melrose, county
of Roxburgh; including the villages of Buckholmside,
Darlingshaugh, Darnick, Gattonside, Newstead, and Newtown; and containing 5331 inhabitants, of whom 893
are in the town, 7 miles (N. W. by N.) from Jedburgh,
and 36 (S. E. by S.) from Edinburgh. This place derived its ancient name, Mullross, of which its present is
only a slight modification, from the Gaelic words Mull
or Moel, bare, and Ross, a promontory, descriptive of its
position on a peninsula formed by the river Tweed, and
which at that remote period was literally a barren and
rugged rock. In the beginning of the 7th century, a
society of Culdees established themselves here from
Iona, and a monastery was founded on a commodious
site, which is now, in contradistinction to the present
town, called Old Melrose. A monastery of greater extent was subsequently built in a more convenient part
of the parish, to which were transferred the remains of
the former establishment, and where are yet preserved
the beautiful ruins of the venerable abbey. During the
7th century, Oswald, the Saxon king of Northumbria,
at that time an exile among the Picts, who occupied the
district to the north of the river Forth, was converted
to Christianity by the Culdees of this place, and on his
restoration to his kingdom prevailed upon certain of the
monks to visit his dominions for the conversion of his
subjects; he appointed Aidan to the bishopric of Lindisfarn, and built churches and planted missionaries in
this parish and in various other parts of his territories.
The church at Old Melrose, over which was placed one
of Aidan's disciples, flourished in peace and security for
more than two centuries, and produced many eminent
characters, of whom St. Cuthbert, who was afterwards
Bishop of Lindisfarn, and St. Boswell, who gave his
name to a neighbouring parish, were the chief. In 839,
the peninsula of Old Melrose was taken by Kenneth II.,
who laid waste the country as far south as the river
Tweed; and the monastery, which was then destroyed,
was never afterwards restored. It became the temporary residence of a few monks from Girwy, and ultimately was only a chapel dedicated to St. Cuthbert,
having attached to it the privileges of a sanctuary, the
road to which, called the Girthgate, may be traced over
the moorlands. During the interval between the decay
of the Old and the foundation of the New Melrose, a
religious establishment was formed on a site nearly
central to both: this, from the colour of the stone with
which the church was built, was termed the Red Abbey,
and the field where it stood is still called the Red Abbey
stead.
In 1136, the magnificent abbey referred to above, and
of which the ruins are so celebrated for their beauty, was
founded by David I., in honour of the Virgin, for monks
of the Cistercian order brought from Rivaulx, and then
first introduced into Scotland. It appears to have been progressively enriched, and the character of the buildings to
have been improved into a height of elegance and magnificence to which, at the time of its foundation, it had no
pretensions; but there are no records of its history to show
by what means, or under whose auspices, it attained
that perfection in its architectural character which has
rendered it celebrated as one of the most splendid ecclesiastical remains in the kingdom. Notwithstanding,
however, that it made this progress during the whole
period in which it flourished, it suffered very severely at
different times. The English army, in its retreat under
Edward II. in 1322, plundered and despoiled it to so great
an extent that Robert Bruce felt compelled, four years
afterwards, to grant the sum of £2000 sterling for restoring it and rebuilding those parts which had been
destroyed. In 1384 it was burnt by the English under
Richard II.; Evers and Layton sacked it in 1545; and
again, in the same year, the structure fell a prey to the
Earl of Hertford, while Queen Mary was an infant. It
was sadly defaced in 1560, at the period of the Reformation; and, lastly, it was ruthlessly bombarded by
Cromwell from the Gattonside hills. On its dissolution
at the introduction of the Reformed religion, the abbey
was annexed to the crown by a statute which provided
that the sovereign should not have power to alienate it;
but this was rendered nugatory by subsequent acts of
parliament, and grants of different portions of the property were made to individuals favoured by the court.
The whole, however, is now the property of the Duke of
Buccleuch. The revenue of the establishment was
stated in 1561 at £1758 Scots, and nearly 200 chalders
of wheat, barley, oats, and meal, besides payments in
capons, poultry, butter, salt, peat, and other articles.
The monks received annually for their own consumption
sixty bolls of wheat and 300 casks of ale; while for the
service of the mass eighteen casks of wine were allotted;
for the entertaiment of strangers, thirty bolls of wheat,
forty casks of ale, and twenty casks of wine; and a considerable sum was set aside for the nourishment of the
sick and infirm. The number of monks seems latterly
to have varied from sixty to 100, with an equal number
of lay brethren: in 1520 there were eighty monks; in
1540, seventy, and sixty lay brethren; and in 1542 the
number of monks was 100.
The remains of Melrose Abbey, consisting chiefly of
the ruins of the church, a stately cruciform structure
measuring 258 feet in length and 130 feet in breadth,
with part of a central tower eighty-four feet high, are
situated about three miles to the west of the peninsula
on which the old church was built, and in the most picturesque part of the vale between the Eildon hills and the
heights of Gattonside, a quarter of a mile to the south of
the Tweed. The nave, choir, and transepts, with a part
of the cloisters, are still remaining, and exhibit a gradation of style from early to later English, but are principally decorated English; the conventual buildings
have totally disappeared, and slight traces only of their
extent and situation are perceived. The nave is separated from the aisles by elegant ranges of columns,
supporting deeply-moulded and richly-sculptured arches
in the most finished style; and the transepts and
choir are of the same character, elaborately embellished,
and lighted by windows enriched with tracery, of which
the principal are of lofty dimensions. The grand east
window has been particularly admired for its surpassing elegance, and is in the later English style,
fifty-seven feet in extreme height, and twenty-eight
in breadth; the south transept window is also remarkable, but is characterised rather by majesty than
by the light elegance of the east window, than which it
is rather loftier, though rather narrower. The principal
buttresses terminate with pinnacles of the finest tabernacle work, and these, as well as the windows ranged
along the sides of the edifice, are ornamented with
figures admirably carved, and with niches highly sculptured; but the statues placed in the niches were demolished in the year 1649. The interior has some good
ancient monuments. Under the east window stood the
high altar, beneath which Alexander II., who died at
Kerrera, upon an expedition to the Western Isles, in
1249, was buried; and a large marble stone is pointed
out as the monarch's tomb, though some suppose it to
be that of St. Waldave, the second abbot of Melrose,
whose death occurred in 1158. Here, also, according
to the best historians, was deposited the heart of the
great king Robert Bruce, after an unsuccessful attempt
to carry it to the Holy Land; the body having been
interred in the abbey of Dunfermline. Michael Scott,
who flourished in the 13th century, and whose discoveries in chemistry and other sciences led to the belief
that he was a wizard, was buried in this monastery; as
were, too, many of the renowned family of Douglas,
after they became lords of Liddesdale. Among these
may be named William Douglas, knight of Liddesdale,
for his valour called the "Flower of Chivalry," who barbarously murdered the gallant Sir Alexander Ramsay,
and was himself killed while hunting in Ettrick Forest,
in 1353; William, first earl of Douglas, who was
wounded at the battle of Poitiers in 1356, and who died
in 1384; and James, second earl of Douglas, who fell
at the battle of Otterburn. Their tombs, occupying
two crypts near the high altar, were defaced by Sir
Ralph Evers and Sir Bryan Layton, when they made
their incursion into this part of the country, which has
been already referred to; but the sixth earl of Angus,
descendant of the Douglases, amply revenged this insult at the battle of Ancrum-Moor, when both the
English leaders were slain, and their forces totally
routed. In conclusion, the remarkable fact may be
mentioned, with regard to these far-famed remains, that
they were but little known as an object of interest to
the tourist until the publication of the Lay of the Last
Minstrel, which caused numbers to resort to them;
while the prominent figure they occupy in The Monastery
and The Abbot, in which the abbey is designated "St.
Mary's" and the town of Melrose "Kennaquhair," gave
additional charms to the district, previously described
by Scott only in poetry.
The town is pleasantly situated on the banks of the
Tweed, over which is a handsome suspension-bridge for
foot passengers and single horses; but it is not remarkable for any peculiarity of character distinguishing it
from a large rural village. It is in the form of a triangle, with small streets leading out at the corners, and
contains several elegant modern houses; but many are
of early date, and evidently built in part of materials from
the abbey. The bridge leads to the antique and rustic village of Gattonside, surrounded by gardens and orchards;
and the scenery generally near the town is of the most
beautiful description, and attracts numberless visiters
during the summer. The inhabitants are principally
employed in trades requisite for the supply of the district,
and in agricultural pursuits: the manufacture of linen
formerly occupied a considerable number of persons in
connexion with the commercial establishments of Galashiels, but has long since declined. In the centre
of the town is an ancient cross, near the south entrance
to the abbey, for the maintenance of which cross half
an acre of land is appropriated; but the chief object of
attraction is, of course, the ruin of the monastery. A
subscription library, containing a good selection of books,
is supported; and there are smaller libraries in the adjacent villages; also two branch banks established in
the town, a few minor associations, and a couple of
excellent inns. The market-day is Saturday, and three
fairs are held, one in the begining of June, called, from
the old style, the May fair, one at Lammas, and one at
Martinmas; they are all great cattle-markets, and are numerously attended, and the Lammas fair has attained such
celebrity for its sheep, as to rival the celebrated fair of
St. Boswell's, in the adjoining parish. The regality of
the burgh is vested in the ducal family of Buccleuch,
whose bailie is the principal officer, and exercises jurisdiction in various matters originating in the fairs of
Melrose and St. Boswell's, over both which parishes his
jurisdiction as a bailie of the barony extends. No record
of criminal cases has been preserved; the only delinquencies cognizable by the bailie or his deputy have been
such as subject the offender to a fine of five shillings.
Melrose is the head of the district, and has a fiscal,
acting under the justices of the peace, who hold a court
here on the first Saturday in the month.
The parish, which is one of the largest in the county,
extends for ten miles in length, from the summit of
the central of the Eildon hills to Upper Blainslie, and
for four miles and a half in breadth, from the river
Gala to the Leader; comprising an area of forty-five
square miles. It is bounded on the north by the parish
of Lauder, on the east by the parishes of Mertoun and
Earlstoun, on the south by those of St. Boswell's and
Bowden, and on the west by Galashiels and Stow. The
Tweed enters the parish from the south-west, forming
a boundary between it and the parish of Galashiels for
more than two miles, and in its course receives the
streams of the Gala, the Allan, and the Leader. The
Allan, a beautiful stream, issues from an opening in the
Langlee hills, and flows for five miles through the parish,
in many parts concealed by overhanging woods. The
surface is boldly diversified by the Eildon hills, which
are partly within the parish, and by the heights of Gattonside, which, with the Langlee and Ladhope hills, form
a ridge extending from the Leader to the Gala river.
The Eildon hills are seen from the north with peculiar
effect; the two highest summits alone are then visible,
and appear with majestic grandeur, towering above the
level of the adjacent country. The view from them is
magnificent, commanding the windings of the Tweed
through the vale of Melrose, with its banks thickly studded with villas, and the south front of the venerable
abbey embosomed in woods: to the south is seen the
whole of Teviotdale, bounded by the range of the Cheviot
mountains, at the eastern extremity of which are Flodden
hill and two other eminences of conical form. The
valley of Melrose is supposed at some remote period to
have been a lake, and the substratum of water-sand is
still found by digging a few feet below the surface; the
climate of the vale, sheltered by surrounding heights, is
extremely mild, but the upland parts of the parish are
exposed to severe northern gales. The soil is various.
In the south a strong clay adapted to the growth of
wheat is prevalent; on the banks of the river the land
is light and dry, favourable to all kinds of grain; in
the northern parts it is generally mixed with sand,
resting on a substratum of gravel, but in some places
clayey and wet, and in others a moss, under which marl
is found. Fogs are very prevalent, and frequently assume
a variety of picturesque forms: from the south of the
Eildon hills, the whole vale of Teviot appears one continuous sheet of mist, above which are seen only the
summit of Ruberslaw and the shaft of the Waterloo
pillar. Of the land, about 11,500 acres on the north
side of the Tweed are in tillage, and 7600 in pasture;
and on the south side of the river the lands, consisting
of one third of the parish, are wholly under cultivation.
About 1200 acres are in plantations, mostly of modern
date; the only natural wood is a few scattered trees,
chiefly birch, on the banks of the river Allan. The
system of agriculture is improved, and the crops in
general favourable; the farm-buildings are substantial,
commodious, and in good repair, and the inclosures and
fences kept in proper order. Considerable advances
have been made in draining and planting, and a large
portion of waste land has been reclaimed and brought
under profitable cultivation. The principal breeds of
sheep are the Leicestershire, the Cheviot, and the half-bred and black-faced; the common breeds of cattle
are the Teeswater, the Ayrshire, and the Highland, with
an occasional admixture of other kinds. The salmon-fisheries of the Tweed, formerly very lucrative, are much
reduced; the fish appear to be intercepted by the fishermen of Berwick, and few are taken in this parish. The
chief fuel is, coal brought from the Lothians and
Northumberland, the thinnings of the plantations, and
peat from the mossy districts. The rateable annual
value of Melrose is £20,671.
The parish is divided among numerous proprietors, of
whom fifty hold lands each to the annual value of £50
and above; and within its boundaries, and chiefly near
the Tweed, are numerous villas and handsome mansion-houses, among which is Abbotsford, the seat of the late
Sir Walter Scott, whose memory will ever be cherished
by his country, and by the admirers of literary genius.
These residences are principally built of sandstone, of
coarse pudding-stone from the neighbouring quarry-hill,
and of greywacke, which abounds in the parish. The
far-famed mansion of Abbotsford, "a romance in stone
and lime," occupies a slip of level ground at the foot of
an overhanging bank on the right side of the river, and
looks out upon a beautiful haugh on the opposite bank,
backed with the green hills of Ettrick Forest. It is in
the south-western part of the parish, and about a couple
of miles distant from the town of Galashiels. The house,
garden, pleasure-grounds, and woods, were all the
creation of the immortal proprietor; and thousands
of the trees which adorn the demesne, and appear in
beautiful clusters around the mansion, were planted by
his own hands: the name, also, is recent, having been
adopted by Sir Walter from an adjoining ford over the
river. Resembling no other building in the kingdom,
the house has a peculiar but picturesque and imposing
appearance; and its walls have been enriched with many
an antique carved stone, procured from old churches,
castles, and seats in different parts of Scotland, in the
course of their demolition or decay. The interior contains the innumerable curiosities in the collection of which
the novelist displayed so refined a taste; and even were
Abbotsford destitute of attractions in respect of scenery,
there would be sufficient in the relics here arranged, the
armour, the paintings, the books, and the furniture, to
demand the prolonged visit of the tourist. But the
rarities and the architecture of the mansion are not more
worthy of the notice of the stranger than the beautiful
features of nature which the spot presents to his view.
The sweeping amphitheatre of wood in which the house
is seated, the banks of the meandering Tweed graced for
miles with ranges of forest-trees, the numberless serpentine walks through the woods, and the ravines, bowers,
waterfalls, and mountain lakes, that enrich the vicinity,
all unite to form a scene of surpassing loveliness. Nor
does Abbotsford possess slight interest for those who
can regard with feelings akin to veneration the abode of
one of the master-spirits of our literature. There are,
in addition to the town of Melrose, seven villages within
the limits of the parish, of which Darnick, Gattonside,
and Newstead are less than a mile from the town. Newtown about three miles to the south-east, and Darlingshaugh upon the river Gala, four miles to the west: Buckholmside is, like Darlingshaugh, an appendage of Galashiels, in the trade of which its inhabitants are engaged.
The ecclesiastical affairs are under the superintendence of the presbytery of Selkirk and synod of Merse
and Teviotdale. The stipend of the incumbent is £234;
the manse was built in 1813, and is in good repair, and
the glebe comprises four acres of land, worth about
£10 or £12 per annum. The church, erected in 1810, is
situated on Wear hill, a little to the west of the town.
John Knox, nephew of the celebrated reformer, was the
second incumbent after the Reformation. There are a
Free church, and two places of worship for the United
Associate Synod, one of them in the town, and the other
in a romantic dell through which the Bowden rivulet
flows into the Tweed. The parochial school affords an
excellent education to nearly eighty children; the salary
of the master is £30 per annum, with a house and garden,
and the fees amount to about £44. The school-house
was built with money arising from funds bequeathed by
Bishop Fletcher, to whose memory is a tablet in the
wall of the edifice. At Langshaw, is a small school with
an endowment of £3 per annum; and there are six
schools in the villages, for each of which a comfortable
house has been built by the villagers. On the side of
the Eildon hills is a tumulus of artificial construction
and of large dimensions, supposed to have been the site
of a pagan altar; the road leading to it, through a
ravine named the Haxalgate heugh, is called the Haxalgate. A stone appearing to be part of a Roman altar
was dug up lately in the parish, and is now in the possession of the Drygrange family; it is inscribed to the
god "Silvanus," by Curius Domitianus, of the XX. legion,
"pro salute sua et suorum." In the walls of several
houses in the town are inserted stones sculptured with
different religious devices, and the letters J. H. S.,
thought to have been removed from the ruins of the old
abbey.
Melvich
MELVICH, a village, in that part of the parish of
Reay which is in the county of Sutherland; containing 253 inhabitants. This village is pleasantly situated
on the western bank of the river Halladale, near its
influx into the bay of Bighouse, and on the turnpikeroad from Thurso to Tongue; and is principally inhabited
by persons engaged in the several fisheries, which are
carried on here to a considerable extent. It is neatly
built, and the surrounding scenery is pleasingly varied,
and at many points boldly romantic; the hills command
extensive prospects, embracing nearly the whole of the
valley of Strath-Halladale, and the beautiful windings
of the river from which it takes its name. The fish
taken off this part of the coast are, herrings, cod, ling,
turbot, haddock, skate, whiting, flounders, mackerel,
sand-eels, and smelts; and in the river salmon are often
caught in large numbers. The bay of Bighouse affords
secure shelter to the boats employed in the fisheries. In
the village is a commodious inn; a branch office under
the post-office of Thurso, has been established, at which
the mail calls daily; and a school, to which a small
library is attached, has been founded under the patronage of the General Assembly.
Menmuir
MENMUIR, a parish, in the county of Forfar, 4½
miles (N. W. by W.) from Brechin; containing, with the
hamlet of Tigerton, 732 inhabitants, of whom 641 are
in the rural districts. This place, which is of remote
antiquity, derives its name signifying in the Celtic language "the great moss," from the marshy nature of the
lands, which appear to have been originally one extensive
tract of bog. A church was founded here in the early
part of the 7th century, by St. Aidan, to whom Oswald,
King of Northumbria, whose subjects he had been
powerfully instrumental in converting to Christianity,
granted the Holy island of Lindisfarn, of which he
became bishop, and where he laid the foundation of a
see which subsequently, under his successors, was
removed to Durham. The ancient Caledonians, previously to their battle with Agricola at the foot of the
Grampians, are supposed to have been encamped at this
place; and there are still extensive remains of the rudely-formed but strong fortress which on this occasion they
occupied, on a hill in the parish. There are two nearly
contiguous hills called Caterthun, on the south side of
the river Westwater, forming the eastern extremity of
a range of heights parallel with, and nearly at the foot
of, the Grampians; one is termed the White, and the
other the Brown, Caterthun. The White Caterthun is
crowned with the fortress thought to have been occupied
by the Caledonians, consisting of an immense pile of
loose stones, inclosing an elliptical and level area of 150
yards in length, and seventy yards in transverse diameter.
Within the area was once a spring of pure water; and
on the eastern side are the remains of a quadrilateral
building, surrounded with a stone dyke and a fosse that
may be distinctly traced. Around the external base of
this entrenchment is a deep ditch, below which, at the
distance of 100 yards, are traces of another, encircling
the hill. On the summit of the Brown Caterthun is a
fortification of round form, consisting of concentric
ramparts of earth, from the colour of which the hill
takes its name; and on the declivity of the hill, which
is inferior in elevation to the other, is a rampart extending to the White Caterthun, with which it appears to
have been connected as a place of retreat. In the reign
of James II., the proprietor of the lands of Balnamoon,
in this parish, joined the Earl of Crawfurd at the battle
of Brechin, to revenge the death of Douglas; but, a
misunderstanding arising between him and the earl, he
drew off a large portion of the forces, and, joining the
loyalists under the Earl of Huntly, decided the contest
in favour of the monarch.
The parish lies in the north-eastern portion of the
county, and is about five miles in length and nearly three
in average breadth, forming in the southern part of it a
section of the fertile vale of Strathmore. The surface
towards the south and east is generally level, but in the
north hilly and almost mountainous; to the north-east
are the Caterthuns, from which the range of heights
already mentioned, and called the Menmuir hills, extends
for nearly three miles towards the west. The principal
rivers are, the Cruick, which flows in gentle windings
through the whole of the southern district into the
Westwater in the parish of Strickathrow; the Westwater, part of the northern boundary of the parish; and
the Pelphrie burn, which having its source in the parish
of Fearn, flows eastward along the remainder of the
northern boundary of Menmuir, and falls into the Westwater. The soil along the banks of the Cruick is rich
and fertile, and in the lower grounds generally productive; the prevailing quality is a sandy clay, alternated
with gravel and loam. On the higher grounds and hills
is much heathy moor. The crops include oats, barley,
peas, potatoes, and turnips, of which the lands produce
sufficient for the supply of the district; and on several of
the farms small quantities of flax are raised, for which
the soil appears to be well adapted. The system of
husbandry is improved, and much of the waste land has
been drained and brought into profitable cultivation;
great attention is paid to the management of the dairy-farms, and large quantities of butter and cheese are sent
to Brechin and other markets. The rateable annual value
of the parish, according to returns made under the Income tax, is £5615.
The only seat is Balnamoon House, a handsome mansion, erected by James Carnegy Arbuthnott, Esq., the
principal landed proprietor; and the hamlet or village
of Tigerton, of recent origin, is the only village. The
spinning of flax, for the dressing of which a mill was
some years since built on the river Cruick, with the
assistance of the Board of Trustees, has been discontinued, but the weaving of linen is carried on to a considerable extent; the articles chiefly manufactured are,
sailcloth and duck, coarse plaidings, and some linen of
finer quality for domestic use. There are several cornmills on the Cruick, in one of which large quantities of
pot-barley are prepared for the London market. Facility
of communication is maintained by the great road to
Brechin and other roads, and by bridges over the river
Cruick and the Westwater. The ecclesiastical affairs
are under the superintendence of the presbytery of
Brechin and synod of Angus and Mearns. The minister's
stipend is £180, of which a small part is paid from the
exchequer; with a manse, and a glebe valued at £35 per
annum: patron, Alexander Erskine, Esq., of Balhall.
The old church built in 1767 was taken down, and a
handsome and substantial structure erected in 1842,
containing ample accommodation for the parishioners.
The members of the Free Church have a place of worship.
The parochial school affords instruction to about 100
children; the master has a salary of £34. 4. 4., with a
house and garden, and the fees average £16 per annum.
On the removal of the wall of the old churchyard, two
sculptured stones were found, on one of which were two
equestrian figures with spears and round shields, having
behind them a man on foot bearing a crook; and in
another part of the same stone were figures of a deer
and Roman eagle. Upon the other stone was an equestrian figure only. About a mile to the north of the
church is a cluster of barrows, supposed to have been
raised over the remains of those who were slain in a
battle between the Picts and the Danes.
Menstrie
MENSTRIE, a village, in the parish of Logie, county
of Clackmannan, 5 miles (E. N. E.) from Stirling,
containing 518 inhabitants. This place lies on the road
from Logie to Alva, and at the foot of the Ochils; and
is the largest village in the parish, and in a flourishing
condition. It has a woollen-manufactory, employing
about fifty hands, in which, among other articles, serges
and blankets are made; and at Dolls, in the vicinity, is
a distillery. There is an excellent supply of water,
affording an inducement for the establishment of works;
and a good trade is already carried on. Menstrie House
was formerly the patrimonial property of the family of
Alexander, earls of Stirling. The church is situated
about two miles from the village. A school is partly
supported by an allowance from Lord Abercromby.
Merryston
MERRYSTON, a village, in the parish of Old
Monkland, forming part of the late quoad sacra parish
of Gartsherrie, Middle ward of the county of Lanark,
2½ miles (W. by S.) from Airdrie; containing 676 inhabitants. It is situated a short distance north of the
high road from Airdrie to Glasgow, and on the banks of
the Monkland canal; and is one of the numerous villages
whose increasing population is engaged in the mines
and manufactures of this rich mineral district.
Merryston, West
MERRYSTON, WEST, a village, in the parish of
Old Monkland, forming part of the late quoad sacra
parish of Crosshill, Middle ward of the county of
Lanark, 1¼ mile (N. E.) from Baillieston; containing
493 inhabitants. This village, called also Marystown,
is, like the preceding, situated on the banks of the
Monkland canal, and owes its late increase in extent,
and in the number of its inhabitants, to the flourishing
condition of the mines and manufactures in its vicinity.
Mertoun
MERTOUN, a parish, in the county of Berwick,
4½ miles (E. S. E.) from Melrose; containing 722 inhabitants. This parish is about six miles long and between two and three broad, and comprises 7000 acres;
it is situated in the south-western extremity of the
county, and bounded on the south and west by the river
Tweed, on the north by Earlstoun parish, and on the
east by Smailholm and Makerstoun. The surface embraces several fine slopes and undulations, especially in
the western quarter, where the scenery is extremely
picturesque and beautiful: the prospect from Bemersyde hill, over which passes one of the public roads,
is striking and magnificent, comprising wood, water,
hills, and fertile fields. In the south, also, the lands
are diversified by good inclosures, verdant hedge-rows,
and flourishing plantations. The venerable ruin of the
abbey of Dryburgh, viewed from the opposite side of
the Tweed, whose banks are of red earth and unusually
steep, is a fine object in the scenery; and a suspension-bridge here, a colossal statue of Sir William Wallace
on a neighbouring hill, and the Temple of the Muses,
a circular building erected by the Earl of Buchan
on an eminence near the end of the bridge, also
enliven and beautify the district in a very interesting
manner. The windings of the Tweed add peculiar force
to the general impression of the scenery; but there are
no lakes and scarcely any springs, and the farmers are
therefore occasionally much inconvenienced from a
want of water for their cattle.
The soil bordering on the Tweed is a sharp loam,
resting upon gravel; in the other parts of the parish,
with few exceptions, it is a stiff clay, having a cold tilly
subsoil. About 500 acres are under wood, and 3460 are
sown with wheat, oats, barley, and peas, of which the
barley is the most considerable in quantity; turnips
are also produced, and, since the introduction of bonedust manure, have been of very fine growth. There is
no common land; and it is supposed that of what is in
pasture 300 acres might be cultivated with a profitable
application of capital. Improvements to some extent
have been made within the last few years, consisting
principally in draining and liming; but the surfacewater is not so regularly and completely removed as
good husbandry requires, some of the farmers neglecting to cleanse the ditches and to keep them in a fit state
to receive the drainage. The farm houses and offices
are generally convenient buildings; and a corn-mill
upon an extensive scale has been erected, the machinery
of which is of a superior kind, and suited to every description of grain. The sheep are the best Leicesters;
the cattle are the short-horned breed, and great attention is paid to their improvement by annual purchases
from the breeders in the south. The rocks on the banks
of the Tweed consist of freestone of a reddish colour,
very durable, and taking a fine polish; but, although
the quality is so choice and the supply inexhaustible,
no quarry has been wrought for many years, owing to
the great expense necessary for this purpose. The rateable annual value of Mertoun is £6429.
The chief mansions of this delightful parish are, Mertoun House, an elegant residence near the church, the
seat of Lord Polwarth; Dryburgh House, the seat of
Sir David Erskine, a plain old mansion in the immediate vicinity of the abbey, and having excellent orchards
and woods; and Bemersyde, an ancient but pleasant
house belonging to the Haig family, three-quarters of
a mile to the south of Old Melrose, in the adjoining
parish. There are two small villages, Bemersyde and
Dryburgh; but the parish is not intersected by any
turnpike-road. The parish roads are for the most part
good, and adapted for local convenience; and over the
Tweed is the suspension-bridge already referred to, from
which there is a direct road to the village of Lessudden,
south of the river, where a post-office has been established; but this bridge is only constructed for foot
passengers and single horses, and there is still a great
want of a bridge for carriages in the southern part of
the parish. The ecclesiastical affairs are subject to
the presbytery of Lauder and synod of Merse and
Teviotdale; patron, Hugh Scott, Esq., of Harden. The
stipend of the minister is £252, with a manse, built in
1767, and a glebe of fourteen acres, valued at £14 per
annum. The church of Mertoun belonged to the
canons of Dryburgh till the Reformation. The present
building, erected in 1658, and repaired in 1820, is pleasantly situated in the midst of a grove, but stands inconveniently both for the minister and parishioners,
being a mile from the manse and about the same distance from the centre of the parish. It is in good
repair and well fitted up, with a pew assigned to every
tenant. There is a parochial school, in which are
taught the classics, the mathematics, and the usual
branches of education; the master has a salary of £30,
with about £9 fees, and the allowance of house and
garden. The chief relic of antiquity is the abbey; but
the remains, though deeply interesting, are not extensive. The nave of its church is nearly demolished,
nothing being left but the foundations of the pillars;
the most considerable part is the north transept,
attached to one of the pillars that supported the tower.
The refectory has fallen down, and the gable ends alone
are now to be seen: in one of these is a curious radiated window, almost enveloped and obscured by ivy.
The statue of Wallace, also, though not an antiquity, is
yet worthy of notice on account of its being the workmanship of a common stone-mason who had never
learned sculpture.—See Dryburgh.
Methelnie
METHELNIE, county of Aberdeen.—See Meldrum.
Methill
METHILL, lately a quoad sacra parish, comprising
the villages of Methill and Kirkland, in the parish of
Wemyss, and part of the parish of Markinch, district
of Kirkcaldy, county of Fife; the whole containing
1513 inhabitants, of whom 466 are in the village of
Methill, 1 mile (W. by S.) from Leven. This village,
situated on the northern shore of the Frith of Forth,
was formerly noted for the manufacture of salt, which
was carried on here to a very great extent, but since the
removal of the duty has been altogether discontinued.
The harbour is safe and commodious, and was once
much frequented; but the pier was greatly damaged by
a violent storm, and upon the abolition of the duty on
salt, lay for some time neglected. It has, however,
been recently restored at an expense of nearly £2000;
and since the erection of an additional church, which
has been completed at a cost of £1030, and is adapted
for a congregation of more than 800 persons, the village
has been much improved; and from its pleasant situation, and the facility of intercourse which it possesses
with the neighbouring markets, it is likely to recover its
former prosperity.
Methlick
METHLICK, a parish, in the county of Aberdeen,
4 miles (N. by W.) from Tarves; containing 1737 inhabitants. This parish is said to derive its name from
two Gaelic words signifying "the Vale of honey." It
was anciently dedicated to St. Devenick, who flourished
about the latter end of the ninth century, and in honour of whom an altar was founded in the cathedral
of Aberdeen, of which see the church of Methlick was
made a prebend in the year 1362, the rector residing at
Aberdeen and officiating in the cathedral, and his place
here being supplied by a vicar. The parish is intersected
by the river Ythan, two-thirds of it situated on the
northern side, in the district of Buchan, and the remaining portion south of the river, in the district of Formartine. A detached part on the east, of small extent, is
separated by a tongue of land belonging to Tarves
parish, and is called Little Drumquhindle, or Inverebrie,
from its situation at the junction of the brook Ebrie
with the Ythan; it is also sometimes named the Six
Ploughs, on account of its measurement in ancient times
by so many ploughs. The length of the parish is about
eight miles, from north to south, and its breadth, exclusive of the detached portion, five miles; comprising
between 11,000 and 12,000 Scotch acres, of which more
than 2000 are plantations, and the remainder arable and
pasture, with a large proportion of moss and moor.
The lands north of the Ythan, which flows from west to
east between well-wooded banks, are partly barren and
heathy, consisting to a great extent of the hills of Balquhindachy, Belnagoak, and Skilmoney; but the southern portion is picturesque and beautiful, some of the
lands in this quarter, which are finely undulated, being
comprehended in the ornamental grounds of Haddo
House. The river is not navigable; but it constitutes
an important feature in the scenery, and affords not
only good salmon and trout fishing, but much amusement to the young in seeking for pearls, for the abundance and value of which the Ythan was once so celebrated. The brook of Ebrie divides Methlick on the
east from the parish of Ellon; besides which the lands
are washed by the burn of Kelly, and by that of Gight,
called also the Black water and the Little water, running along the western boundary. Upon a point of the
latter stream the parishes of Methlick, Fyvie, and Monquhitter all meet; and at the distance of not more than
a mile and a half, on the same water, the parishes of
New Deer, Monquhitter, and Methlick also form a
union.
The soil of the land stretching for about a mile and a
half from each side of the river is the best in the parish,
a yellow loamy earth on a gravelly or rocky bottom;
in the other parts it is poorer, light, and moorish, of
dark hue, and not so capable, from the peculiar character
of its subsoil, of profitable cultivation. There is a great
extent of peat-moss, which, though gradually yielding to
the plough, still affords an ample supply of fuel. The
grain raised comprises chiefly various kinds of oats; and
some small quantities of bear, sown grasses, turnips,
and a few potatoes, form the remainder of the produce.
The five, six, and seven shift courses are all in operation,
but the first of these principally on the small farms and
crofts, which are numerous; and the land is in general
under good cultivation, and partly inclosed with stone
dykes. The farm-houses are mostly slated buildings of
one floor; the tenements of the crofters are roofed with
thatch. There are upwards of two hundred tenants
under the Earl of Aberdeen, the sole proprietor of the
parish; the best land averages in value from 16s. to
£1. 5. per acre, and the rateable annual value of Methlick is £4233. The sheep reared by the farmers are
very few in number, but in the grounds of the earl upwards of 1000 are generally kept, chiefly the black-faced
and Cheviots: the cattle are numerous, and consist, in
about equal quantities, of the Aberdeenshire breed and of
a cross between that and the Teeswater. The prevailing rocks are gneiss and sienite, and a quarry of limestone was formerly in operation.
Besides the extent of land brought under the plough
within the present century, amounting to more than
2000 acres, great additions have been made to the plantations, nearly an equal number of acres having been
covered, within the same period, chiefly with larch and
Scotch fir. A very large proportion of the wood is in
the grounds of Haddo House, which comprise 1600
acres. This mansion, the seat of the Earl of Aberdeen,
is comparatively a modern structure; the old edifice
was besieged in 1644 by the Marquess of Argyle, at the
head of the Covenanters, and taken on the 8th of May,
and reduced to ruins. The park is ornamented with
two lakes, a portion of one, however, being in the parish
of Tarves; they are beautifully embosomed in wood, and
enlivened by swans and a variety of choice water-fowl.
Near the mansion runs the water of Kelly, which, at its
junction with the Ythan in this parish, is said to have
produced some pearls of great value; one of the crown
jewels is reported to have been found here, and presented
to King James VI. in 1620, by Sir Thomas Menzies, of
Cults. In the grounds is an obelisk erected by the present earl to the memory of his brother, Sir Alexander
Gordon, who fell at Waterloo acting as aide-de-camp to
the Duke of Wellington. The noble proprietor derives
the title of Baron Methlick, Haddo, and Kellie, from this
parish; the first property of the family was the barony
of Methlick, of which Haddo was a part.
The facilities of communication are pretty good: there
are commutation roads leading to New Deer, Fyvie, Ellon,
Meldrum, and Tarves; and a mail-gig runs daily between Methlick and Aberdeen. To the latter place the
dairy-produce is sent for sale; grain is also forwarded
thither, and to Inverury and Newburgh; and from these
two towns bones and English lime are brought for
manure, and Scotch lime from the kilns of Udny, Aquhorthies, and Barrack. Two annual fairs are held, both
for cattle and as feeing-markets for servants; the one
early in May, and the other, called Dennick's fair, which
is of great antiquity, at the end of November. The
parish is in the presbytery of Ellon and synod of Aberdeen, and in the patronage of the Earl of Aberdeen;
the minister's stipend is £160, with a manse, and a
glebe of six acres of arable and grass land. The church,
situated on the southern bank of the Ythan, was rebuilt
in 1780, and repaired in 1840; it contains 600 sittings,
all of which are free; and adjoining the edifice is the
burial-place of the family of Gordon. The parochial
school affords instruction in Latin, Greek, and mathematics, in addition to the usual branches: the master
has a salary of £28, with a house, and £23 fees; he
also shares in the Dick bequest, and receives a few
pounds from Moir's bequest for teaching ten poor
children, and an annual gift of £5 from the earl. The
poor are entitled to the interest of £653. 6. 8. bequeathed
for their benefit. Dr. George Cheyne, an eminent physician, was born in this parish in 1671; and Dr. Charles
Maitland, who largely promoted the practice of inoculation in Great Britain, and who was sent to Hanover by
George II. to inoculate Frederick, Prince of Wales, was
also a native, and was buried here in 1748.
Methven
METHVEN, a parish, in the county of Perth;
containing, with the villages or hamlets of Almond-Bank,
Balwherne, Bellstown, Bragrum, Gibbiestown, Glack,
Meckphin, Scrogiehill, and Wood-end, 2446 inhabitants, of whom 935 are in the village of Methven, 6 miles
(W. by N.) from Perth. The name of this parish is derived from the Gaelic word Meodhan, signifying "middle,"
a term applied in reference to the situation of Methven
in the middle of Strathmore, which extends from Stonehaven on the east, to Dumbarton on the west, and is
here bounded on the north by the Grampians, and on
the south by the ridge of the Ochil hills. The historical
notices of the parish reach back to the year 970, when
Colenus, reputed the 79th king of Scotland, is said to
have been killed in this neighbourhood by Rohard,
Thane of Methven, for violating his daughter. The
lands, before 1323, belonged to the Mowbrays, whose
ancestor, Roger Mowbray, a Norman, came to England
with William the Conqueror. To one of this family,
Sir Roger Mowbray, belonged the baronies of Kelly,
Eckford, Dalmeny, and Methven, lying severally
in the shires of Forfar, Roxburgh, Linlithgow, and
Perth. These lauds, however, were confiscated by
Robert I., for the adherence of Mowbray to Baliol and
the English interest; and Eckford, Kelly, and Methven
were given to the king's son-in-law, Walter, 8th hereditary lord high steward of Scotland, whose son, Robert,
was afterwards king, and the second of the name, in
right of his mother, Margery Bruce, daughter of
Robert I.
The lordship of Methven was granted by Robert II.
to Walter Stuart, earl of Atholl, his second son, after
whose forfeiture it remained in the crown for a considerable time. It was part of the dowry lands usually
assigned for the maintenance of the queen dowager of
Scotland, and, together with the lordship and castle of
Stirling, and the lands of Balquhidder, was settled on
Margaret, eldest daughter of Henry VII. of England,
and queen dowager of James IV., and who, in the
year 1524, married Henry Stewart, for whom she
procured a peerage from her son, James V., in 1528.
On this occasion the barony of Methven was separated
from the crown, and erected into a lordship in favour of
Henry Stewart and his heirs male, the queen resigning
her jointure of the lordship of Stirling. The Stewarts,
lords Methven, however, very shortly became extinct.
In the right of Margaret, as eldest daughter of Henry
VII., James VI. of Scotland, her great-grandson, succeeded to the English crown on the death of Queen
Elizabeth; she died at the castle of Methven in 1540,
and was buried at Perth, beside the body of King James I.
In 1584, the lordship of Methven and Balquhidder was
conferred on Lodowick, Duke of Lennox; but it was
purchased in 1664 by Patrick Smythe, of Braco, great-grandfather of the late Lord Methven, from Charles,
the last duke, who dying without issue in 1672, his
honours fell to Charles II., as nearest male heir, the
king's great-grandfather and the duke's being brothers.
While the estate was in the crown, various lands were
granted in feu to different persons; and the feu-duties
are now paid to Robert Smythe, Esq., successor to the
late Lord Methven, as proprietor of the lordship.
Among the other events connected with the parish is
the defeat in this part of Robert Bruce, soon after his
coronation in 1306, by the English army under the
command of Aylmer de Valence, Earl of Pembroke.
The first religious establishment here was a collegiate
church founded in 1433, by Walter Stewart, Earl of
Atholl, who largely endowed it with lands and tithes; it
consisted of a provost and five prebendaries; and an aisle
which was connected with it is now the burial-place of
the ancient family of Smythe.
The mean length of the parish is five miles, and its
breadth between three and four. It contains 10,700
acres, and is bounded on the north and east chiefly by
the river Almond; on the south by a small stream
called the Pow, which separates it from the parishes of
Madderty, Findogask, and Tibbermore; and on the
west by the parish of Fowlis Wester. The surface consists of hollows and rising grounds, and from the good
cultivation, and the several flourishing plantations, presents a pleasing, and in some parts a picturesque appearance. The Almond, the only river, crosses a small
portion merely of the parish, but runs for a considerable
distance along its boundary; it receives numerous
streams from the steep and rugged mountains near which
it passes, and after a bold and rapid course, joins the
Tay two and a half miles above Perth. About 260 acres
of natural wood ornament the vicinity of this river, consisting chiefly of oak, and are regularly cut and thinned
as a coppice. The prevailing soil is clay; but there
are considerable tracts of loamy and gravelly earth, with
moorish soil resting upon till. About 8600 acres are
cultivated or occasionally in tillage; the natural wood
and plantations cover 1750 acres; 250 are moorland,
and 100 moss. All kinds of grain are produced, as well
as of green crops; the land is in general of tolerable
quality, and subjected to the most improved system of
husbandry. Bone-dust and guano are employed for turnips; but lime is the manure principally in use, and, as it
is liberally applied, great advantages are derived from it.
Potatoes, especially the Perthshire-red sort, are extensively cultivated for the London market; and mangelwurzel is raised in considerable quantities. Improvements have been long gradually advancing. Towards
the north, a tract of 1000 acres, which fifty years ago was
a common, is now divided and fenced, and in a high
state of cultivation; and the extensive drainage carried
on, and the plantations formed within the present century, have alike improved the appearance of the parish,
increased its productive powers, and ameliorated the
severity or insalubrity of the climate. The rateable annual value of Methven now amounts to £10,600.
The rocks belong to the old red sandstone or trap
groups. In the line of the river Almond they are generally of a bright red colour, spotted with grey, but too soft
and friable for the purposes of building, containing large
proportions of clay and lime. At the bridge of Lynedoch, however, they are of a pale grey colour, thick-bedded and fine-grained, remarkably hard, and well
suited for architectural purposes. Several trap-dykes,
of the greenstone class, cross the country, and are usefully quarried for roads and causeways. Among the
seats in the parish is Balgowan, a residence of the late
Lord Lynedoch; and near the river is Lynedoch House,
another mansion of his lordship's, romantically situated,
and celebrated for the beautiful scenery by which it is
surrounded. The chief seat, however, is Methven Castle,
standing upon an eminence in the midst of the park,
where it is said that Bruce was defeated by the Earl of
Pembroke; it is an ancient baronial building, finished
in 1680, and subsequently improved and enlarged by
several proprietors. In the adjacent grounds is an oak
of gigantic stature and great beauty, called the Pepperwell Oak; the trunk measures seventeen and a half
feet in girth at three feet above the ground, and the
solid contents of the tree amount to 700 cubic feet. The
chief villages are Methven and Almond-Bank, near the
latter of which, at Wood-end, is a weaving establishment
fitted up with power-looms, in which a large number of
persons are engaged. The population of the village of
Methven are chiefly occupied in hand-loom weaving, the
work being supplied by resident agents employed by
Perth and Glasgow houses. The north road from Perth
to Glasgow, via Crieff, passes through Methven, and,
with the numerous county roads intersecting the parish,
furnishes considerable facilities of communication; the
mail travels daily on the great road, upon which, also,
there is a daily coach to and from Perth and Glasgow.
All the roads are kept in good order. There is a penny-post connected with the post-office at Perth; and
markets are held on the first Thursday in May, and
fourth Thursday in October, chiefly for the sale of cattle.
The ecclesiastical affairs are directed by the
presbytery of Perth and synod of Perth and Stirling;
patron, Robert Smythe, Esq., of Methven Castle. The
stipend of the minister is £274, with a manse, an elegant
edifice built in 1830, and a glebe of fifteen acres of good
land, valued at £30 per annum, besides ten acres of
moor. The church, built in 1782, is a large, substantial,
and convenient edifice, containing 1100 sittings: an
aisle was built at the expense of the patron in 1825,
when was also added a beautiful spire, nearly a hundred
feet high, with a public clock. There is a meeting-house
in connexion with the United Associate synod, as well as
one belonging to the Free Church. A parochial school
is maintained, in which Latin and practical mathematics,
with all the ordinary branches of education, are taught;
the master has the maximum salary, with a house, and
fees amounting to about £25 or £30 a year. There is
a school at Almond-Bank, supported by Mr. Smythe;
also a school in the village of Methven, supported by
the Secession Congregation. A public subscription
library here is in a flourishing condition. As a curiosity,
may be mentioned a noble and venerable ash known by
the name of the Bell-tree, which stands in the churchyard, and is supposed to be coeval with the first religious establishment in the parish. It measures twenty
feet in circumference at three and a half feet from the
ground, and a few years ago exhibited much magnificent foliage, which, however, latterly has manifested
symptoms of the withering hand of time. From the
estate of Lynedoch, the late General Sir Thomas Graham
took his title of Baron Lynedoch, in the peerage of the
United Kingdom, to which dignity he was raised on the
3rd of May, 1814, in reward of his eminent services in
the peninsular war, and particularly his brilliant victory
at Barrosa, March 6, 1811. His lordship died on the
18th of December, 1843, in the 94th year of his age.
Mey, East and West
MEY, EAST and WEST, townships, in the parish
of Canisbay, county of Caithness; the one containing 262, and the other 149, inhabitants. These places
lie in the northern part of the parish, partly on the shore
of the Pentland Frith, and derive their name from the
early and luxuriant verdure on what is called the Bank-Head, in the spring months. The bay here abounds
with lobsters, and a few boats are engaged in that species of fishery. On the coast are some curious rocks
known as the Men of Mey, near which is one of two
ferries in the parish to the Orkney Islands, the other
being at Huna Inn. The loch of Mey, situated a little
to the eastward of the Ratter burn, is a fine sheet of
water, about three miles in circumference. The village
lies on the main road from Huna to Castletown, and
about eighteen miles north-north-west of Wick, and has
a post-office. The population of both townships are
chiefly fishermen.
Mid or Middle Calder.
MID or MIDDLE CALDER.—See Calder, Mid.—And all places having a similar distinguishing prefix,
will be found under the proper name.
Middlebie
MIDDLEBIE, a parish, in the district of Annandale, county of Dumfries, 2½ miles (N. E. by E.) from
Ecclesfechan; containing, with the villages of Eaglesfield, Kirtlebridge, and Waterbeck, 2150 inhabitants,
of whom 1482 are in the rural districts. This place,
which consists of the united parishes of Middlebie, Pennersaughs, and Carruthers, derives its name from a
Roman station in the old parish of Middlebie, which
formed the central post between the stations of Overbie
or Upperbie, in Eskdalemuir, and Netherbie, in the
county of Cumberland. The station, situated at Birrens,
is considered one of the most perfect and interesting
remnants of Roman antiquity in Britain, and is identified
with the Blatum Bulgium of Antonine. It occupies an
eminence on the north bank of the Mein near its confluence with a smaller stream, and is of quadrilateral
form, surrounded by five ramparts of earth and four
fossæ; parts of it have been damaged by the inundations of the river, but the prætorium is still in good preservation. Within the area have been found a statue of
the goddess of the Brigantes, and also of Mercury, with
a votive altar dedicated to the latter, numerous inscribed
stones, and various other relics of Roman antiquity;
and nearly adjoining it was a less important camp, which,
being situated on the lands of a small proprietor, has
been completely destroyed.
The parish is partly bounded on the south-east by
the Kirtle water, and is about nine miles in length and
four and a half in breadth; comprising 30,000 acres, of
which nearly 7000 are arable, 350 woodland and plantations, and the remainder (of which 2000 might be made
arable) pasture, moor, and waste. The surface, though
generally level, is diversified with gently-rising hills of
moderate height, which, towards the eastern and north-eastern boundaries, attain almost mountainous elevation,
and are finely contrasted with intervening valleys of
great fertility and in a high state of cultivation. The
Kirtle has its source among the hills near the north-eastern boundary of Middlebie, and, flowing southward,
intersects it in part of its course for some distance, then
forms its boundary for the remainder of its progress in
the parish, and runs through much romantic scenery
into the Solway Frith at Kirtle-foot, in the parish of
Graitney. The river Mein has its source within the
parish, and, after constituting a portion of its western
boundary, joins the Annan at Meinfoot, in the adjoining
parish of Hoddam. There are also several small rivulets,
which, as well as the larger streams, abound with trout;
and the parish contains numerous springs of excellent
water. The soil is various, though generally fertile;
in most places, clay alternated with loam and gravel;
and in the higher districts, of inferior quality, but well
adapted for pasture. The crops are, oats, barley, wheat,
potatoes, and turnips, with the usual variety of grasses.
The system of husbandry is in a very advanced state,
and has been greatly accelerated in its progress by the
encouragement of the landed proprietors; much waste
land has been improved by draining, and brought into
profitable cultivation by a liberal use of lime for manure,
of which abundance is made in the parish. The lands
have been inclosed; and the farm-buildings, formerly of
inferior order, have been generally bettered, and are now
substantial and well arranged, more especially on the
lands of the Duke of Buccleuch, the principal landed
proprietor. The hills afford excellent pasture for cattle
and sheep, of which considerable numbers are reared;
the cattle are mostly of the Galloway breed, but the
cows on the dairy-farms, of the Ayrshire. The sheep
are usually the white-faced; and large numbers are
bought in the autumn, and, when fattened in the pastures, sold in the following spring to dealers for the
English markets, whither, also, many young oxen are
sent annually. Swine are fed by the cottagers; and
great quantities of bacon are forwarded to Newcastle,
where it finds a ready sale, and returns a considerable
profit.
The plantations consist chiefly of the various kinds of
fir, interspersed with the usual forest-trees; they are
mostly well managed and in a thriving state, and though
not extensive, add much to the beauty of the scenery.
The principal substrata are sandstone and limestone;
it is supposed that coal, also, may be found at a considerable depth below the surface; and though some
recent attempts have been made without success, they
have tended rather to increase the probability of its being
eventually wrought. The limestone is of excellent
quality, and is extensively quarried for manure and also
for building purposes; it has contributed greatly to promote the improvement of the lands not only in this
parish, but in the surrounding districts, to which much
of it is sent. The rateable annual value of Middlebie is
£8192. There are some few seats, the residence of the
smaller landholders; the principal are, Kirtleton, Blackwoodhouse, and Burnfoot, the first ancient, but the
two last modern mansions. The several villages of
Eaglesfield, Kirtlebridge, and Waterbeck are described
under their respective heads. The cotton and linen
manufactures are carried on, affording employment to a
considerable number of the inhabitants; a circulating
library has been established, and there are several friendly
societies. Facility of communication is maintained by
good roads, of which the turnpike-road from Glasgow to
Carlisle passes for two miles through the parish; the
statute roads have been greatly improved within the
last few years, and are kept in excellent repair. The
ecclesiastical affairs are under the superintendence of the presbytery of Annan and synod of Dumfries. The minister's stipend is £218. 11., with a
manse, and a glebe valued at £40 per annum; patron,
the Duke of Buccleuch. The church, erected in 1821,
is a neat plain structure, containing 700 sittings; and
there is a place of worship in the village of Waterbeck
for members of the Relief Church. Two parochial
schools are maintained, together affording instruction to
about 150 children; the master of each has a salary of
£25. 13., but without either dwelling-house or garden,
and the fees average £25 per annum to each. There
are still some remains of a stronghold called Blacket
House, one of the ancient fortresses occupied during the
border warfare; these consist chiefly of the tower and
portions of the walls, but they are rapidly going to decay.
Numerous fossils and organic remains are found in the
limestone quarries; and there are several mineral springs,
some of which are strongly impregnated, but they have
long been disused for medicinal purposes. Among the
most distinguished persons connected with this parish
was the late Dr. Currie, of Liverpool, author of the
Life of Burns and other works, whose father was minister.
The Duke of Buccleuch takes the inferior title of Baron
Middlebie from this place.
Middleton, and North Middleton
MIDDLETON, and NORTH MIDDLETON, villages,
in the parish of Borthwick, county of Edinburgh, the
one 12½, the other 12, miles (S. E. by S.) from Edinburgh;
containing respectively 148 and 68 inhabitants. The
first of these places was of some importance, and once
the chief village in the parish, and one of the prebends
which belonged to the collegiate church of Crichton.
The great road to the south formerly passed through it;
and it had a stirring population, many of whom were
of the gipsy tribe, who made it one of their principal
places of abode. It has, however, become remarkably
quiet and retired, the inhabitants being occupied in
agriculture and such handicraft trades as are necessary
to small communities: there are two farm-houses in the
vicinity. North Middleton is on the road side, and
consists of a line of cottages, most of which have been
built within the last twenty years. Two streams, called
the North and South Middleton burns, unite at the termination of a neck of land on which the castle of Borthwick stands, when they assume the name of the Gore.
Middleton House, built in 1710, is surrounded by an
extensive wood of tall beech-trees, and has an air of
genteel seclusion: the gardens attached to it are exceedingly admired.
Middleton
MIDDLETON, a hamlet, in the parish of Orwell,
county of Kinross, 3 miles (N. E.) from Kinross; containing 66 inhabitants. It lies in the eastern part of the
parish, and is a small place, distant a little more than a
mile from Milnathort, the chief village. The cottages
of which it consists are built on the high road to
Kinross.
Midlem
MIDLEM, a village, in the parish of Bowden, district of Melrose, county of Roxburgh, 4 miles (S. S.
W.) from Melrose; containing 185 inhabitants. It is
situated in the south-western part of the parish, and
consists of about fifty families, partly engaged in manufactures and handicraft trades, but chiefly employed in
agriculture. The market-town of Selkirk is distant
westward from the village about three and a half miles;
and there is a weekly carrier to and from Edinburgh.
The Associate Synod have here a place of worship;
and a school on the parochial establishment is attended
by about forty-five children, of whom those of paupers
are taught gratuitously: the master, who instructs in the
usual branches, has a salary of £21, and the fees.
Midmar
MIDMAR, a parish, in the district of Kincardine
O'Neil, county of Aberdeen, 15 miles (W.) from
Aberdeen, containing 1093 inhabitants. Midmar, a
term supposed to be compounded of the Saxon word mid,
and the Gaelic word marr, denoting "a black forest,"
is the name of one of the three great divisions of the extensive region originally styled Marr, which lies between
the rivers Dee and Don. This district of Marr comprised Brae-Marr, an appellation expressive of the highest
part of the country; Cro-Marr, a lower and more cultivated tract; and Mid-Marr, so called, as is thought,
from its central situation in respect to the two rivers,
each being distant about six miles from the church.
The parish is nearly seven miles in length from east to
west, and about five miles in average breadth, and contains between 12,000 and 13,000 acres, of which 5000
or 6000 are under cultivation, 1600 plantations, 1000
pasture, and the remainder hill, moss, and moor. The
surface is rugged and uneven, and marked principally
by two hilly ridges with their vales; the lower grounds
are refreshed by pleasing rivulets and burns, and those
parts of the eminences where the soil is too thin for the
operations of the plough are planted with Scotch firs,
which flourish tolerably well, and are not only a great
improvement to the scenery, but a protection to both
the lands and cattle from the severity of the weather.
The hill of Fare, at the southern limit, is the most considerable elevation, measuring at its base seventeen
miles in circumference, and rising nearly 1800 feet above
the level of the sea; it affords excellent pasturage for
numerous flocks of sheep, the flesh of which is reputed
to be of very superior flavour. The soil in the
northern and eastern parts is a good dry mould, resting
on a deep subsoil of clay; but in the western quarter,
where the hills sink into the lower grounds, it is principally a thin sandy or clayey earth, with a little loam, on
a gravelly subsoil. The grain raised consists chiefly of
oats and bear, and the green crops, of turnips and
potatoes. Black-cattle and sheep are reared in considerable numbers, and many swine are also fattened
for the market. The land varies greatly in quality, and
much of it is wet and mossy, and rented at a very low
rate; but large tracts have been reclaimed and improved
during the present century, and many of the fields have
been inclosed with good stone dykes. The farm houses
and offices, to a great extent, have been enlarged, or rebuilt on a better plan; and agricultural advancement is
steadily kept in view by the farmers throughout the
parish. The rocks are mostly granite and whinstone,
both of which are quarried; the former is sometimes
obtained of superior quality, and in large blocks, and is
used, on account of its taking a fine polish, for the ornamental parts of buildings. The rateable annual value of
Midmar is £4475.
The mansions of Kebbaty and Corsindae are both
modern structures, the houses of resident proprietors.
Midmar Castle, an ancient edifice in the turreted style
of architecture, situated in a kind of glen on the north
side of the hill of Fare, and surrounded by wood, commands fine views of the nearer scenery, consisting of hills
and valleys beautifully grouped, and enriched with
shrubs and trees; and is itself an interesting and conspicuous object at a distance, and seen to great advantage from many parts of the adjacent country. The
population is entirely rural and agricultural; the fuel in
common use is wood and peat, the former very cheap,
and the latter procured in great plenty from the mosses
in the parish. A road runs on the north from the vale
of Alford, and another on the south from the Cromar
district, both to Aberdeen, to which place the marketable
produce is generally sent. The parish is in the presbytery of Kincardine O'Neil and synod of Aberdeen, and
in the patronage of the Crown and Sir John Forbes, of
Craigievar, Bart., the latter presenting twice in succession. The minister's stipend is £224, with a manse,
built in 1840, and a glebe valued at £14 per annum.
The church, which accommodates 600 persons, is a very
plain structure, built in 1787. There is a place of
worship for United Associate Seceders, and another for
a congregation of Original Burghers who have recently
joined the Free Church. The parochial school here
affords instruction in Latin and in practical mathematics,
in addition to the usual elementary branches; the master
has a salary of £34, with a house, a share in the Dick
bequest, and £19 fees. A parochial library of considerable extent is supported by subscription. Near the
church are some Druidical remains, with an altar in
good preservation. An excavation in a rock near the
southern boundary of the parish is still called "Queen's
chair," Queen Mary, as it is said, having sat in it when,
returning from Aberdeen, she surveyed the neighbouring valley of Corrichie, where a battle had been fought
between the forces of the Marquess of Huntly and the
Earl of Murray, Mary's general.
Migvie
MIGVIE, county of Aberdeen.—See Tarland.
Mile-End
MILE-END, a village, in the parish of Barony,
suburbs of the city of Glasgow, county of Lanark;
containing 2716 inhabitants.—See Glasgow.
Mill of Halden
MILL of HALDEN, a village, in the parish of
Bonhill, county of Dumbarton, 1½ mile (N.) from
the village of Bonhill; containing 147 inhabitants. This
place lies on the high road from Drymen to Dumbarton,
a little eastward of the river Leven, and near the southern extremity of Loch Lomond. The inhabitants are
engaged for the most part in the bleaching and printing
works, and other branches of industry, which have increased considerably of late years within the parish.
Mill, West
MILL, WEST, a village, in the parish of Cockpen,
county of Edinburgh; containing 124 inhabitants.
Millarston
MILLARSTON, a village, in the Abbey parish of
the town of Paisley, Upper ward of the county of
Renfrew; containing 364 inhabitants. This place,
with Maxwelton and Ferguslie, forms the western suburb
of the town of Paisley, and is comprehended within the
parliamentary burgh.—See Paisley.
Milbay
MILBAY, a village, in the parish of Kilbrandon
and Kilchattan, district of Lorn, county of Argyll.
This is one of several small villages or hamlets in the
parish built in the neighbourhood of slate-quarries; but
some of these quarries are not now wrought to any extent.
Millbrex
MILLBREX, a district, in the parishes of Monquhitter and Fyvie, district of Turriff, county of
Aberdeen, 6 miles (S. W. by W.) from New Deer;
containing 939 inhabitants. The hamlet of Millbrex is
situated in the Fyvie portion of the district, and south-east of the road between New Deer and Auchterless: its
population is chiefly agricultural. It is a mission station of the Committee for managing the Royal Bounty
in Scotland; and has a church, built in 1833, and enlarged in 1836, and containing about 500 sittings. The
edifice is so placed as to accommodate the inhabitants
of the northern part of Fyvie parish and those of the
southern part of Monquhitter. The Earl of Aberdeen,
who is chief proprietor of Millbrex, contributed handsomely towards the erection of the church, for which he
gave the site; and allocated land as glebe for its minister. A manse and offices were built in 1835; and it is
proposed to found a school on the parochial footing, in
connexion with the Establishment: there is at present a
Sunday school.
Millbridge
MILLBRIDGE, a hamlet, in the parish of Cathcart, Upper ward of the county of Renfrew; containing 22 inhabitants.
Millerhill, Easter and Wester
MILLERHILL, EASTER and WESTER, villages,
in the parish of Newton, county of Edinburgh, 1½
mile (N. W. by N.) from Dalkeith; the one containing
220, and the other 70, inhabitants. They lie in the
south-eastern part of the parish, a short distance east of
the village of Newton, and are chiefly inhabited by persons engaged in the coal-mines of the district.
Millerston
MILLERSTON, a village, in the parish of Barony,
suburbs of the city of Glasgow, Lower ward of the
county of Lanark; containing 466 inhabitants.
Millfield
MILLFIELD, a hamlet, in the parish of Inverkeillor, county of Forfar; containing 65 inhabitants.
It is one of several small hamlets in the parish, all inconsiderable, the village of Inverkeillor, the principal
place within its limits, containing little more than
double the population of Millfield.
Millguy
MILLGUY, county of Stirling.—See Milngavie.
Millheugh
MILLHEUGH, a village, in that portion of the
parish of Dalserf which formed part of the late quoad
sacra parish of Larkhall, Middle ward of the county
of Lanark, 1 mile (W. by S.) from Larkhall; containing 384 inhabitants. This village is situated in the
north-western part of the parish, and in a narrow valley
on the banks of the river Avon, through which passes
the road from Glasgow to Carlisle. It is a place of
some antiquity, and formerly had a distillery, a brewery,
and some factories, all of which have disappeared; its
population, however, is engaged in various other branches
of industry, and a bleachfield has recently been established, affording employment to a considerable number
of hands. The village of Rosebank nearly adjoins Millheugh.
Milligs
MILLIGS, a village, in the parish of Row, county
of Dumbarton; containing 241 inhabitants. It is situated close to Helensburgh, a little northward of that
town, and on the east side of the Gareloch, near its
mouth. It is distant about two miles from the village
of Row, where is a ferry across the lake to Roseneath.
Here were anciently two chapels, one on the farm of
Kirkmichael, which received its name from the saint to
whom the chapel was dedicated, and the other on the
farm of Millig, called also after the same saint, and
until lately presenting some ruins.
Millport
MILLPORT, a village, in the parish of Great Cumbray, county of Bute; containing 817 inhabitants.
This is a modern village, pleasantly situated in the south-east corner of the island, and having a commodious harbour capable of admitting vessels of considerable burthen,
the depth at low water being six feet, and at high water
fourteen. The anchorage ground is of large extent, and
finely sheltered by two small rocky islands, called the
Allans, to which vessels resorting hither in stormy weather are moored, by means of iron rings fastened in the
rocks, so as to ride in perfect safety. A fine pier has
been lately erected, chiefly by the Marquess of Bute,
on whose property the harbour is. Several vessels belong to the port, some of the burthen of forty tons; and
it is regularly visited by the Clyde steamers from Glasgow. The village is thriving, and is a great summer
resort for sea-bathing, having excellent accommodation
for that purpose; it contains some good lodging-houses,
and the dwellings in general are neat, and of cleanly
appearance. The inhabitants are engaged in fishing,
weaving, and other pursuits: there are about sixty
looms, and plain and fancy-work is executed in great
variety for the Glasgow manufacturers. The parish
church, which is situated here, was built in 1837, and is
a handsome edifice, ornamented with a tower, and containing 750 sittings. Here are also the parochial school,
another day, and two Sunday schools, a small library,
a friendly society, and one or two other useful institutions.
Milltown
MILLTOWN, a village, in the parish of Rothiemay,
county of Banff, 7 miles (W. by N.) from Inverkeithny; containing 79 inhabitants. This is a small village,
situated on the northern bank of the Doveran, at the point
where that river begins to divide the parish. It is surrounded by well-inclosed fields and woods, which, with
fields and woods on the opposite side of the river, rising
by a gradual ascent to a great height, form much rich
and beautiful scenery, seldom equalled, for the same
extent in any part of the kingdom. The church and
manse are in the vicinity of the village, as is Rothiemay
House, a fine seat of the Earl of Fife.
Milnathort
MILNATHORT, or Mills of Forth, a village, in
the parish of Orwell, county of Kinross, 1 mile (N.)
from Kinross; containing 1605 inhabitants. This is a
considerable village, pleasantly seated in the south-eastern part of the parish, and on the high-road between
Kinross and Perth; it is of very neat appearance, and
is lighted with gas. Its inhabitants are partly engaged
in weaving for the Glasgow merchants, who have regular
agents here. The chief manufacture, however, is that
of tartan shawls and plaids, which has in a great measure superseded that of cotton goods wrought by the
hand-loom; and spacious works have been erected,
adapted to the use of larger looms, and the more constant employment of a greater number of persons. A
market is held weekly, and is well attended by the
agents of distilleries in distant places for the purchase of grain, this being the only grain-market in the
county: an attempt was made to establish also a market
for cheese, butter, and poultry, but without success.
Fairs for cattle are held on the Thursday before Christmas,
and the second Thursday in February; and for cattle,
sheep, and horses in the beginning of May, July, and November, and the end of August. This place has latterly
much increased in population, and has now, among other
institutions, a post-office; a public library, supported by
subscription, under the management of a proprietary of
forty members, and having a collection of 1500 volumes;
a parochial library of about 500 volumes, in connexion
with the Established Church; and two others, in connexion with dissenting congregations. A constabulary
force, also, is maintained by assessment of the landowners, and the chief officer resides in the village. The
members of the Free Church have a place of worship.