Topographical dictionary of Scotland > Volume 2

KILW
K I N C
Eglinton Castle, the seat of the earls of Eglinton,
descendants of Roger de Montgomerie, a near relative
of William the Conqueror, whom he accompanied to
England, is a splendid castellated mansion, erected
about the year 1793, by Hugh, the twelfth earl, and
beautifully situated in an extensive park, about a mile
to the south-east of the town. The castle occupies a
spacious quadrangular area, defended at the angles with
circular turrets, and comprehending the ancient keep,
a round tower of great strength and lofty dimensions.
It contains numerous stately apartments superbly em-
bellished, to which an entrance is afforded from a mag-
nificent circular saloon, thirty-six feet in diameter,
rising to the roof, and lighted from an elegant dome.
The park, which comprises above 1200 acres, and is
well stocked with deer, is tastefully laid out in lawns,
parterres, and pleasure-grounds, through which the
river Lugton takes its winding course to the Garnock,
adding greatly to the beauty of the scenery of the
demesne, which is also embellished by more than 400
acres of thriving plantations, diversified with ancient
timber of majestic growth. A tournament was cele-
brated within the grounds, on a truly magnificent scale,
by the present earl, in August, 1839, and attracted a
large concourse of nobility and gentry from all parts of
the United Kingdom and from the continent. The lists
were formed in the gently-sloping grounds near the
castle, and inclosed an area 650 feet in length and 250
feet in breadth ; and a splendid pavilion was erected
immediately behind the mansion, 3/5 feet long and
forty-five feet wide, for the accommodation of 2000
persons, who were courteously entertained on the occa-
sion. The Earl of Eglinton presided as lord of the
tournament ; Lord Saltoun officiated as judge of the
lists ; the Marquess of Londonderry as king of the
tournament ; and Lady Seymour, attended by a nume-
rous train of ladies of high rank, and followed by the
Irvine archers, appeared as the Queen of Beauty.
Among the knights that entered the lists were, the
Marquess of Waterford, the Earl of Craven, Viscount
Alford, Lord Glenlyon, Lord Cranstoun, the Earl of
Cassilis, and Prince Louis Napoleon Buonaparte. The
tournament continued for two days ; and though more
than S0,000 spectators were assembled within the park,
which was thrown open indiscriminately to the public,
not the slightest damage of any kind occurred. Mcunt-
greenan House is an elegant modern mansion, situated
in a well-planted demesne watered by the Lugton ; and
Monkcastle and Ashgrove are also handsome residences.
The ecclesiastical affairs of the parish are under
the superintendence of the presbytery of Irvine and
synod of Glasgow and Ayr. The minister's stipend is
£266. 12., with a manse, and a glebe valued at £14. 10.
per annum ; patron, the Earl of Eglinton. The church,
situated in the centre of the town, is a neat plain struc-
ture erected in 1771, and contains 1030 sittings. There
are places of worship for the United Secession, Free
Church, and Original Seceders. The parochial school
is well attended ; the master has a salary of £34. 4. 4.,
with a house and garden, and the fees average about
£20 per annum. Near the village of Doura, a large
schoolroom, with a play-ground, and a dwelling-house
for a master, has been erected at the sole expense of
the Earl of Eglinton; and there are schools in con-
nexion with the collieries.
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KINBETTOCK, county of Aberdeen.— See Towie.
KINBUCK, a village, in the parish of Dunblane,
county of Perth, 2| miles (N. by E.) from Dunblane ;
containing 131 inhabitants. It is seated in the centre
of the parish, on the road from Dunblane to Auch-
terarder ; and is formed of East and West Kinbuck.
The population are partly employed in the woollen
manufacture, for which there is a mill in the village.
KINCAIRNIE, a village, in the parish of Caputh,
county of Perth, 2 miles (N.) from Caputh ; containing
S3 inhabitants. It lies in the eastern part of the parish,
and south of the road from Cluny to Dunkeld. Kin-
cairnie House, in the vicinity of the village, is the seat
of the Murray family.
KINCAPLE, a village, in the parish and district of
St. Andrew's, county of Fife, 2j miles (W. N. W.) from
St. Andrew's ; containing 1S6 inhabitants. It is situated
upon the eastern coast, near the mouth of the Eden, in
St. Andrew's bay ; and on the road from St. Andrew's
to Leuchars. The population is chiefly agricultural.
In 1S34 a minister was appointed to perform divine
service, once a month, in each of four villages in the
parish, of which this is one.
KINCARDINE, county of Inverness. — See Aeer-
nethy.
KINCARDINE, a sea-port town and a burgh of
barony, in the parish of Tulliallan, county of Perth,
5 miles (S. E.) from Alloa, and 12 (E. S. E.) from
Stirling ; containing 2S75 inhabitants. The name of
this now considerable place was formerly West Pans,
from the number of its salt pans, of which, in 1780,
there were fifteen, though none exist at present. It is
pleasantly seated on the north-east bank of the river
Forth ; and though irregularly built, and having some
narrow streets, it contains several of good breadth,
with a number of substantial houses and neat villas,
surrounded by gardens. The harbour, which is one of
the best for trade on the Forth, and very commodious, is
capable of admitting vessels of between three and four
hundred tons' burthen ; and as many as a hundred of
this size may have safe anchorage within it. Ship-
building, principally of the class of vessels adapted to
coasting traffic, is carried on here; and this avocation,
together with rope-making, and the manufacture of sail-
cloth, employs a great part of the population. There
are about forty ship-owners in the town, who form a
local marine insurance association, and have a consi-
derable capital ; and ships belonging to the port, whose
aggregate burthen exceeds 9000 tons, visit America, the
West Indies, the shores of the Baltic, and St. Peters-
burgh. In the neighbourhood was once a distillery ; and
in the town are two good inns, a post-office, a library
consisting of more than 1000 volumes, and branches of
the Glasgow and Commercial Banks, these last affording
great encouragement to enterprise, and accommodation
to the surrounding district. The coast-road from Stir-
ling passes through it; a coach runs daily to Glasgow;
the river is crossed by a steam-boat ferry ; and steamers
ply regularly between Stirling and Edinburgh, taking
in passengers at the pier, at any state of the tide. The
trustees of Lord Keith are the superiors of the town,
and they appoint baron-bailies, who act as magistrates.
There is an elegant new church ; also a place of wor-
ship for the United Secession, and schools in which the
ordinarv branches of education are taught. It was from
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