Gazetteer of Scotland

ABE
commonly, in which' is a ftrong cha- 1
lybeate fpring, niuch reforted to. In
iSoa, the population of the pariih !
was 4943 ; increafe 243 fince 179a,
and 2578 fince 1755.
ABERCORN ; a parifh in Linlith-
gowfhire, of a rectangular figure, a-
bout 4 miles long, and 3 broad, lying
on the 6. bank of the Frith of Forth,
about 12 miles W. from Edinburgh.
The furface is irregular ; but, except
two eminences, none of the riling
grounds deferve the name of hills.
The whole is arable ; but, about two
thirds are occupied by plantations,
and the polici s around Hopetoun-houfe,
the princely feat of the Earl of Hope-
toun. The village and church of A-
berccrn are delightfully fituated on
an angular point, where two fmall
burns unite, about 100 yards before
their junction with the Forth. It gives
the Britifh title of Marquis, and the
Scottifh title of Earl, to a branch of
the family of Hamilton, It is generally
believed, that the wall of Antoninus
began in this parifh ; but it is more
probable that it did not extend quite
fo far ; the point on which Blacknefs-
caftle is built having been its eaftern
extremity. The monaftery of Aber-
corn was one of the moft ancient in
Scotland, as mention is made of it in
the 7th century. Abercorn-caftle was
a place of great ftrength, in the pof-
feffion of the family of the Douglafcs,
and difmantled in 1455, during the
iv. liion of the Earl of Douglas.
There are now no remains either of
the monaftery or caftle. The minerals
of this parifh are freeftone, limeftone,
coal, and ironftone ; but only the
limeftone, which is of fuperior qua-
lity, is wrought. In 1797, the popu-
lation was 870 ; decreafe 167 fince
1755-
ABERDALGY ; a parifh in Perth-
fhire, united to that of Duplin.
The united parifh extends about 2§
miles in length, and nearly as much
in breadth : the furface rifes gradu-
ally from the banks of the Erne,
which wafhes it on the S. fide, afford-
ing a great variety of foil, from the
richeft clay to the pooreft thin fand ;
but in general pretty fertile. About
a mile from the river ftands Duplin-
caffie, the elegant feat of the Earl of
Kinnoul : it is furrounded with fine
plantations, and commands an exten-
ABE
five and varied profpecl of the plain
of Sira theme. In 1796, the population
of Aberdalgy pariih was 5 23 ; increafe
203 fince 1755.
ABERDEENSHIRE. This exten-
five county is bounded on the N. and
E. by the German ocean ; on the S.
by the counties of Kincardine, Angus,
and Perth ; and on the W. by Banff,
Murray, and Invernefs-fhires. It ex-
tends in length about 90 miles, from
S. VV. to N.E. and about 46 in breadth,
from the mouth of the river Dee to
where it is bounded by the fhire of
Banff. Its extent in fquare miles may
be eftimated at n 70. It comprehends
the diftrifts of Marr, Garioch, For- ■
martin, and great part of Euchan.
The diftricl: of Marr, which may be
confidered as the center of Scotland,
is wild, jugged, and mountainous ;
fome of the hills riling precipitoufiy
to the height of 3000 feet above the
level of the fea. The Hoping fides of
the hills are covered with extenfive
natural forefts ; in many places impe-
netrable to human footfteps. Buchan
is lefs hilly ; but very barren, bleak,
and inhofpitable to the view. The
reft of the country is more fertile ;
having a gradual defcent from the
central diftrict eaftward, to the fea.
The coaft is in general very rocky.
The Boilers or Bullers of Buchan ar-
reft the attention of all ftrangers, by
their ftupendous craggy precipices.
The foil, in fo extenfive a diftricl, is
as various as can be well fuppofed.
The ftate of agriculture in the interior
parifhes of the county is very rude ;
but the example of many patriotic
proprietors is producing wonders even
in the moft unptomifing foils. Pre-
judices in hufbandry, when deeply
rooted, are with difficulty overcome;
but, even thefe are yielding to a mo-
dern and more regular lyftem. The
average produce of the farms in the
whole county, is eftimated in the pro-
portion to the rent, as 5 to 1. This
produce, confiderable as it is, isfcarce-
ly one half of what may be expecled
from the improvements which are
daily made. The rivers of Aberdeen-
fhire are, the Dee, the Don, the Tthan,
the Bogie, the Urie, the Ugie, and the
Cruden : the De-veron alfo, for many
miles, forms its boundary with the
county of Banff. All thefe rivers have
be,en long celebrated for the excel-