Topographical dictionary of Scotland > Volume 2

WATT
WATT
eastern portion of the parish, was for ecclesiastical pur-
poses separated from Duirinish, by act of the General
Assembly, on the erection of a church by government.
The hamlet of Stein, now containing only thirty-eight in-
habitants, was built some few years since by the North
British Fishery Society, for the encouragement of the
fisheries off the coast ; but it has not answered the pur-
pose intended, though a few fish are taken in the lochs
and bays with which this part of the coast is indented.
The island of Issay, situated between the lochs of Dun-
vegan and Bay, and which is several miles in circumfer-
ence, containing ninety inhabitants, is luxuriantly fertile
and in a high state of cultivation. In the district of
Waternish are two schools, of which one is in the
hamlet of Stein.
WATERS AY, an island, in the parish of Barra,
county of Inverness ; containing 84 inhabitants. This
is an isle of the Hebrides, lying to the south of the
island of Barra, from which it is separated by a channel
about one mile in breadth, called the Sound of Water-
say, and by a narrow strait to the westward only pass-
able by small boats. It is about three miles long, and
in some places more than a mile broad, and is divided
into two distinct hills, Watersay and Kyles, of which
the soil is tolerably fertile. The hills are connected by
a flat sandy bar, on the east side whereof is an excellent
harbour, affording shelter to vessels even of the largest
burthen.
WATERSTON, a hamlet, in the parish of Eccles-
machan, county of Linlithgow, f- of a mile (N.) from
the village of Ecclesmachan ; containing 33 inhabitants.
This is a very small place, lying a little south of the high
road from Kirkliston to Linlithgow, and nearly in the
centre of the more northern of the two districts which
make up the parish of Ecclesmachan.
WATTEN, a parish, in the county of Caithness,
10 miles (W. N. W.) from Wick ; containing 1266 in-
habitants. This place originally formed part of the
parish of Bower, from which it was separated about the
year 1638 ; it is situated nearly in the centre of the
county, and is supposed to have derived its name, in the
Danish language signifying "water," from its extensive
lakes. The only events of historical importance con-
nected with the parish are, the various incursions of the
Danes, and the frequent hostilities between rival clans in
its vicinity ; and even of these, the memorials rest
rather on tradition than on any well authenticated re-
cords. The parish is nearly ten miles in extreme
length and seven miles in mean breadth, comprising
about 38,400 acres ; 5500 are arable and under cultiva-
tion, and the remainder, of which probably 5000 acres
might be reclaimed and rendered profitable, consists of
moorland pasture, moss, and waste. The surface is
generally undulating, without attaining any considerable
degree of elevation ; and is intersected, especially in the
southern portion, with numerous narrow glens, through
which flow various small streams that have their sources
in the moorlands. The river Wick has its commencement
in the confluence of two rivulets issuing from the lakes,
and which in their progress receive several tributary
streams : on their union, nearly in the centre of the
parish, the river thus formed flows eastward, and falls
into the bay of Wick. Loch Watten, near the northern
boundary of the parish, is a beautiful sheet of water,
about three miles in length, nearly two miles in breadth,
594
and about ten feet in average depth ; and is surrounded
on all sides by gently rising grounds in a state of rich
cultivation. Loch Toftingall, near the southern boun-
dary, is of nearly round form, about five miles in cir-
cumference, and having an average depth of eight feet ;
but being encircled by bleak and barren moors, it is
greatly inferior in the beauty of its scenery to Loch
Watten. Both these lakes abound with trout and eels,
the former fish weighing from half a pound to five
pounds, and the latter varying from three to four feet in
length. There are numerous springs of excellent water,
and in several places are some of which the water is
strongly impregnated with iron ; they are not very
copious, but are all perennial.
The soil varies in different parts : in some there is
a rich deep loam, alternated with clay and sand ;
in others, a stiff friable clay ; while in the neigh-
bourhood of the moors are large tracts of peat-moss.
The crops are oats and bear, with turnips and potatoes,
and the usual grasses. The system of husbandry on the
small farms is in a backward state, but on most of the
larger has been greatly improved : the principal farm-
houses, also, are substantial and well arranged. The
lands have been drained, and inclosed partly with dykes
of stone, but chiefly with hedges of thorn, now in a
thriving state ; some of the commons have been divided
and inclosed, and all the more recent improvements in
the construction of agricultural implements have been
adopted. Great attention is paid to the management of
live-stock ; and under the countenance of the landed
proprietors, who give premiums for the best specimens,
the sheep and cattle reared in the pastures have been
much improved. The sheep are chiefly of the Leicester-
shire breed, and a cross between that and the Cheviot ;
and the cattle, of the native Highland breed, with a
cross of the Teeswater, recently introduced. Since the
facility afforded by steam navigation, great numbers of
fat-cattle and sheep have been shipped to Leith, New-
castle, and London. There is now but little wood in
the parish, though numbers of trees of large size are
found imbedded in the peat-mosses, with the bark per-
fectly entire, at sixteen feet below the surface. At
Scouthel are about ten acres of natural copse, consisting
of birch, hazel, and ash ; and at Watten is about an
acre of plantation of fifteen years' growth, which, the
land being well trenched and drained, is in a thriving
state. The principal substrata are flag-stone and clay-
slate, of which the rocks are chiefly composed, with
limestone and whinstone, which occur in some few parts ;
marl is found to a considerable extent in the bed of
Loch Watten, and bog iron-ore is thinly scattered over
the surface in several places, more especially in the dry
moorlands. The rateable annual value of the parish is
£4038. There are numerous substantial and handsome
houses, formerly the residence of the principal land-
holders ; some of them are now occupied by the tenants
of the larger farms, and others are only the temporary
resort of sportsmen during the shooting season.
There is no village in the parish, the inhabitants of
which are all engaged in agricultural or pastoral pursuits.
Fairs for sheep, cattle, and horses, and for hiring
servants, and at all of which various kinds of merchan-
dise are also exposed for sale, are annually held on the
first Tuesday in May and third Tuesday in September,
O. S., and the last Tuesdays in October and December.