Descriptive account of the principal towns in Scotland

232
marks of antiquity. The whole of the streets are,
however, clean, well paved and lighted. The Town
House, in the High Street, is a large edifice, having
a lofty tower with a clock, and a set of music bells.
In this building are apartments for conducting the
business of the Burgh. Behind this edifice is the
Jail, upon an excellent plan, containing also a spacious
and elegant Hall for the Circuit and Sheriff Courts,
&c. There are two churches, called the East and
West Kirk, — the former is a very fine building, erect-
ed by Cardinal Beaton, the latter was founded by
James the Fourth, in 1594, as a chapel for a monas-
tery of Franciscans.
Besides the Established Churches, there are three
meeting houses in connexion with the United Seces-
sion Synod, one Baptist, one Burgher, one Indepen-
dent, and one English Chapel. One of the meeting
houses belonging to the Secession, was the first Se-
ceding Church in Scotland ; and a monument is erect-
ing to the memory of the Rev. Mr. Erskine, the first
Seceding Minister, whose remains were interred with-
in its walls.
The Athena?um is an elegant building, with a Spire
120 feet high, — -having a Clock with four Dial-plates ;
the ground floor is occupied as Shops, and the upper
flats are the Reading and News Rooms, with a Library,
consisting of some thousand volumes of ancient and
modern literature, well selected and arranged. The
front of this building is circular, at the head of two
streets, and is a very striking ornament to the town.
Near to this structure is the Corn-market, a large and
commodious building, where much business is done ;
and adjoining it is the Butcher-market.