Gazetteer of Scotland

RUT
RUT
'Two nifties, who were at work hard
by, feeing her Majefty flying in hafte,
rudely intercepted her, and threatened
to treat her with great brutality, if
ihe prefumed to proceed a ftep far-
ther. Neither her beauty nor her
high rank could at all times fecure
her from infult, from the unfeeling
and revengeful: fotne of her adherents,
however, were at hand, and foon re-
lieved her from farther infult. Ad-
joining to that lane, formerly flood
the caftle of Rutherglen, originally
built at a period coeval with the found-
ation of the town, and celebrated for
its fieges during the troublefome age
of Robert Bruce ; it was demolifhed
by the regent's party, after the battle
of Langfide. The kirk of Rutherglen,
an ancient Gothic building, was alfo
pulled down in 1794, and a new one
rebuilt in its ftead. No borough, pro-
bably in Britain, potTefles a political
conftitution or J'ett, more free or un-
embarrafTed than Rutherglen. It was
anciently under the direction of a felf-
clected magiftracy, many of whom
lived at a diftance, and continued in
office a long time, without interrup-
tion. Negligence on the one hand,
and an undue influence of power on
the other, had brought the borough
into that ftate, that the inhabitants
were excited, about the middle of the
17th century, to remedy the evil. The
community, by the charters, were em-
powered to elecl their magiftracy ; but,
through lapfe of time, the right had
become almoft obfolete. Great op-
pofition was made to the reform ; but
the plan adopted by the burgeffes was
wifely laid out, and was profecuted
with unremitting afiiduity. They were
proof againft the influence and bribery
of the party for continuing the old
practice ; and, having at length fur-
mounted every difficulty, they formed
a new conftitution ox J'ett of the burgh,
upon themoft liberal principle.., which,
in 1 67 1, was approved of by all the
inhabitants of the town, and by the
convention of royal boroughs. Ru-
iherglen, in conjunction with Glafgow,
Renfrew, and Dumbarton, elects a
member of the Britilh legiflature, and
gives title of Earl to the Duke of
Queenfberry. The fairs of this town
have long been famous for a great
fhew of horf'es, of the Lanarkfhire
breedj which are cfleLined the beft
draught horfes in Scotland. In 1792$
it contained about 1630 inhabitants.
The parilh of Rutherglen is one of
the moft beautiful diftricts of Scot-,
land. It extends on the S. bank of
the Clyde 3 miles in length, and 1 in
breadth : the furface is level, and the
foil fertile; and the whole is enclofed,
and well cultivated. The beautiful
manfions of Sha^vyield, Farme, Hamii~
ton farm, and Rofebank, with their po-
licies, add greatly to its fertile ap-
pearance. Coal, freeftone, and iron-
ftone, are abundant, and of the beft
quality : there are alfo many ftones
with vegetable impreffions. For a
more particular account of this di-
ftridt, we mutt refer the reader to
Mr. David Ure's " Hiftory of Ru-
therglen and Eaft Kilbride ;" a work
replete with much ufeful and curious
information, and which we have fre-
quently quoted with the greateft plea-
fure. In 1792, the population of Ru-
therglen parilh was i860; increafe 872
iince 175?.
RUTHVEN; a parifh in Forfar-
fhire, pleafantly fituated on the N.
fide of the valley of Strathmore, at
the foot of the Grampian mountains.
It is of fmall extent, containing only
1706 acres, of which 300 are covered
with wood, 40 with heath, capable of
plantation, 30 of marl pits, and 16 of
peat mofs ; the remainder is arable,
and tolerably fertile, having a light
hazelly foil, on a gravelly bottom.
The river IJla runs through it, form-
ing ibme remarkable cafcades. The
beautiful modern houfe of IJla-bank,
the feat of Mr. Ogilvie, is fituated
near the fite of the old caftle of Ruth-
ven, which was pulled down fomc
years ago. There are the remains of
ibme ancient encampments, and two
druidicai fanes. There are feveral
chalybeate fprings, and marl is a-
bundant. In 1792, the population
was 220; decreafe 60 fince 1755.
Ruthven ; a fmall river in Perth-
fhire, which rifes in the parilh of Black-
ford, near the houfe of Gleneagles, and
falls into the Erne near the village of
Auchterarder. From it formerly a pa-
rochial diftrict got the name of Aber-
rutbven, now united to Auch>terarder.
RDTHWELL ; a parilh in Dum-
fries-Afire, extending about 6 miles in
length along the Solway Frith, and 3
miles where broadeft. The grgund