Ordnance gazetteer of Scotland > Volume 2

CRAIGNOOK
and terminates the parish's peninsula ; and both that
point and the small neighbouring island of Garbhreisa
are faced with cliffs. A strait, called Dorusmore or the
Great Door, between Craignish Point and Garbhreisa, is
swept by a rapid tidal current, but has a deep channel,
and is usually traversed by the steamers from Port Crinan
to Oban. Abreast of the mainland, chiefly in the S and
within Loch Craignish, are upwards of twenty islands
and numerous islets and rocks, serried round with ro-
mantic cliffs. The peninsula commences, in the south-
south-western extremity, in a near point ; extends
to a length of about 6 miles ; widens gradually to 2J
miles ; swells, on the eastern side, into numerous green
eminences of 300 feet and less in elevation ; has, along
Loch Craignish shore, a narrow strip of land ; and is
cut there into numerous little headlands and winding
baylets. A flat tract, less than J mile broad, and very
slightly elevated above the sea ; extends from the
western shore across the head of the peninsula to a
rivulet in the E, running along the boundary with
Kilmartin. The district N of that tract is partly a
section of the valley of Barbreck, extending upward
from the head of Loch Craignish, and mainly a rugged,
heathy, hilly region, attaining an extreme altitude of
700 feet above sea-level, and commanding, from its
higher points, extensive and diversified views. There
are twelve lakes, many rills, and numerous perennial
springs. The prevailing rock is clay slate. The soil of
the arable grounds is principally a loamy mould, less
fertile than it looks to be. Much good land, or land
which might be profitably reclaimed, lies waste. Re-
mains of a large, strong, medieval fortalice are near the
north-western boundary ; and vestiges of rude forts,
supposed to be Scandinavian, are in eleven places.
Craignish Castle, standing on the peninsula, 2^ miles
from the point, includes a strong old fortalice, which
withstood a six weeks' siege by Colkitto, but is mostly
a good modern mansion, rebuilt about 1832 ; its owner,
Fred. Chs. Trench-Gascoigne (b. 1814), holds 5591 acres
in the shire, valued at £1013 per annum. Other man-
sions are Barbreck and Dail ; and the property is
divided among 6 landowners, 3 holding each an annual
value of £500 and upwards, 2 of between £100 and
£500, and 1 of from £50 to £100. Craignish is in the
presbytery of Inverary and synod of Argyll ; the living
is worth £215. The church, 8 miles NW of Kilmartin,
was erected in 1826, is a neat edifice, and contains 500
sittings. There is also a Free Church preaching station.
Craignish public and Barbreck girls' schools, with re-
spective accommodation for 85 and 41 children, had
(1880) an average attendance of 35 and 33, and grants
of £43, 10s. 6d. and £41, 4s. Valuation (1882) £38S9,
12s. Id. Pop. (1801) 904, (1831) 892, (1861) 618, (1871)
481, (1881)451.
Craignook. See Craigneuk.
Craignure, a hamlet in Torosay parish, Mull island,
Argyllshire, on a small bay of its own name, at the SE
end of the Sound of Mull, 2\ miles KW of Achnaeraig.
It has an inn, a post-office under Oban, and a steamboat
pier.
Craigo, a village, with a public school, in Logiepert
parish, Forfarshire, on the North Esk's right bank, with
a station on the Aberdeen section of the Caledonian, 3J
miles MW of Dubton Junction, and 6J NNW of
Montrose. Craigo House, 1J mile S by E of Craigo
station, is the property of Thos. Macpherson-Grant,
Esq., W.S. (b. 1S15; sue. his cousin, Thos. Carnegy,
Esq., 1856), who holds 4713 acres in the shire, valued at
£7082 per annum. Pop. of village (1861) 359, (1871)
376, (1881) 124, a decrease due to the stoppage of a flax
spinning-mill and a bleachfield. See Logiepert.
Craigoch, a burn in Portpatrick parish, Wigtownshire,
running 4 miles west-south-westward to the North Chan-
nel at Dunskey Castle, 5 furlongs SSE of Portpatrick
town. It supplies a small artificial lake, stocked with
trout, in the vicinity of Dunskey House.
Craigowl. See Glammis.
Craigphadrick, a wooded hill in Inverness parish,
Inverness-shire, between Beauly Firth and the valley of
298
CEAIGSTON CASTLE
the Ness, If mile W of Inverness town. Terminating th i
north-western hill-flank of the Great Glen of Scotland,
it rises to an altitude of 430 feet above sea-level ; and
its rocky tabular summit is crowned with a double-
walled, rectangular vitrified fort, 240 feet long and 90
wide, which commands an extensive view. The palace
of King Brude, near the river Ness, which Columba
visited in 565, was by Dr Reeves identified with Craig-
phadrick ; but Skene observes that ' it seems unlikely
that in the 6th century a royal palace should have been
in a vitrified fort, on the top of a rocky hill nearly 500
feet high, and it is certainly inconsistent with Adamnan's
narrative that the Saint should have had to ascend such
an eminence to reach it' {Celtic Scotland, ii. 106, note,
1877).
Craigrie, a village in the parish and 5 furlongs WSW
of the town of Clackmannan.
Craig Rossie, a green hill on the mutual border of
Auchterarder and Dunning parishes, Perthshire, 2^ miles
E by S of Auchterarder town. It is one of the most
conspicuous of the Ochils, rising to an altitude of 1250
feet above sea-level.
Craigrostan. See Craigroyston".
Craigrothie, a village, with a public school, in Ceres
parish, Fife, 1£ mile WSW of Ceres town. It is a
burgh of barony, governed by a bailie and councillors.
Pop. (1861) 308, (1S81) 192.
Craigrownie, a quoad sacra parish in Roseneath
parish, Dumbartonshire, comprising the police burgh of
Cove and Kilcreggan. It is in the presbytery of Dum-
barton and synod of Glasgow and Ayr ; the stipend is
£120. Its church stands at the E side of the entrance
to Long Loch, near Barons Point ; in its vicinity is
Craigrownie Castle. Pop. (1871) 1103, (1881) 1136.
See Cove and Kilcreggan.
Craigroy, an eminence in the W centre of Ross-shire,
5 miles ESE of the head of Loch Maree.
Craigroyston or Rob Roy's Cave, a cavern in Buchanan
parish, Stirlingshire, at the E side of Loch Lomond, 7
furlongs N by W of Inversnaid. It occurs, within a steep
rugged rock, a little above the water's edge ; is wild and
deep ; and has a narrow entrance, partly concealed by
fallen blocks. Robert Bruce spent a night in it after
the battle of Dairy ; and Rob Roy frequented it as a
place of consultation with his subalterns for planning
his raids.
Craigs, a hamlet in Liberton parish, Edinburghshire,
5 furlongs NE of Liberton village.
Craigs. See Duntocher.
Craigs, a mansion in the parish and 2 miles ESE of
the town of Dumfries.
Craigs, Stirlingshire. See Rttmford.
Craigskean, an old baronial fortalice, now reduced to
a ruinous fragment, in Maybole parish, Ayrshire.
Craigs of Blebo. See Bleeo Craigs.
Craigs of Coyle. See Cotlton.
Craigs of Ness, a rocky gorge on the mutual border
of Straiton and Dalmellington parishes, Ayrshire, in the
course of the river Doon, immediately below its efflux
from Loch Doon. Cliffs on each side, 230 feet high, are
richly clothed with shrubs and trees, and form so close
a gorge as to leave a width of not more than 4 or 5
yards for the fretting current of the river.
Craigsparrow, a hilly section of Newburgh parish,
Fife, projecting southward from the main body of the
parish, and rising to an altitude of about 600 feet above
sea-level.
Craigston. See Barra.
Craigston Castle, a mansion in King-Edward parish,
NW Aberdeenshire, 4J miles NNE of Turriff. Founded
in 1604-7 by John Urquhart, Tutor of Cromarty, it con-
sisted originally of a central tower and two projecting
wings, but was so altered by connecting archwork as to
be made quadrangular, and is now an interesting edifice,
with beautiful grounds and plantations ; among its por-
traits are three by Jameson and four of the dethroned
Stuarts. The present owner, Francis Edward Romulus
Pollard-Urquhart (b. 184S ; sue. 1871), holds 3998 acres
in the shire, valued at £2856 per annum.