Ordnance gazetteer of Scotland

ASCAIG
Aacaig, a lake, measuring 6J by 1J furlongs, in Kil-
donan parish, Sutherland, 3| miles KW of Kildonan
station.
Ascog, a Tillage, a bay, and a lake in the E of the
isle of Bute. The village is in Kingarth parish ; com-
mences on the coast 1J mile SE of Rothesay ; extends
about 2 miles southward along the shore ; consists of
a chain of neat houses ; and has a post office with
telegraph under Tlothesay, a Free church, and a bury-
ing-ground, with the grave of the painter Montague
Stanley. Ascog House, Ascog Hall, Ascog Bank, Ascog
Tower, Ascog Point House, Ascog Lodge, Mid Ascog
House, Craigmore, Mountfort, and other pleasant resi-
dences are in the neighbourhood. The bay indents the
coast 1 J mile S of Bogany Point at the entrance of Rothe-
say Bay, but is of small extent. The lake, on the mutual
boundary of Kingarth and Rothesay parishes, is 1 mile
long, and from 1 to 2 furlongs wide, and is one of the
two lochs from which Rothesay draws its water supply.
Ascrib, a cluster of uninhabited islets in Duirinish
parish, Skye, Inverness-shire, nearly in the centre of
Loch Snizort.
Ashare, the northern of the three divisions of Ed-
drachillis parish, Sutherland.
Ashdale, a rivulet and a glen in the S of Kilbride
parish, SE Arran. The rivulet, rising at 1300 feet above
the sea, runs i miles SE and E to Whiting Bay ; and
makes two beautiful cascades, 50 and more than 100 feet
in leap. The glen is grandly picturesque, and presents
some interesting basaltic features.
Ashdow, a narrow, winding, picturesque ravine in the
W of Killearn parish, Stirlingshire, in the course of
Carnock burn, 3 miles SW of Killearn village. It
occurs in red sandstone rock, is about 70 feet deep,
has the closeness and the obscurity of a chasm, and is
wildly adorned with overhanging woods.
Ashenyard or Ashgrove, a triangular lake (|x J mile)
in the extreme N of Stevenston parish, Ayrshire.
Ashey or Ashie, a lake in Dores parish, Inverness-shire,
2 miles W of the foot of Loch Ness, and 7£ SSW of In-
verness. It is about 2 miles long, by J mile broad, sup-
plies Inverness with water, and contains trout running
up to 4 lbs. but very shy.
Ashfield, a hamlet, with a public school, in North
Knapdale parish, Argyllshire.
Ashiesteel, a mansion in the N of Yarrow parish,
Selkirkshire, on the S bank of the Tweed, 5J miles WSW
of Galashiels. Long a seat of the Russells, of Indian
military fame, it was tenanted from 1804 to 1812 by their
kinsman Walter Scott, then Sheriff of Selkirkshire. It
stands on a beautiful reach of the river, backed by green
Peel Hill (991 feet), Ashiesteel Hill (1314), and South
Height (1493); and is a Border tower with five additions
of different dates. The house in Scott's day possessed
its present centre and W wing ; the N bedroom was his
library and dressing-room ; a ground-floor room at the
end of the W wing was drawing-room ; and what is now
a passage was both the dining and his writing room, in
which were composed the Lay of the Last Minstrel, the
Lady of the Lake, and Marmion, as well as about a
third of Waverley. The present owner is Miss Russell,
daughter of General Sir James Russell, K.C.B. (1781-
1859), and grand-daughter of Col. Wni. Russell (d. 1802).
Ashintully, an estate, with a mansion, in Kirkmichael
parish, Perthshire, 15 miles NNW of Blairgowrie.
Ashkirk, a village and parish in Selkirkshire. The
village stands on the left bank of the Ale, 5J miles
S of Selkirk station, and 6£ NNW of Hawick, and has
a post office under the latter town. Previous to 1891
the village was in Roxburghshire, and the parish partly
in that county and partly in Selkirkshire. In that
year, however, the Boundary Commissioners, while
transferring to the parish of Ashkirk a detached portion
(1430 acres) of the parish of Selkirk, removed Ashkirk
parish wholly into the county of Selkirk.
The parish is bounded on the NW by Selkirk parish,
on the E by Lilliesleaf, on the SE by Wilton, on the
S by Roberton, and on the W by Kirkhope. The length
of the entire parish, from NE to SW, is 8 miles; its
ASSLEED
breadth varies between 5 furlongs and 3| miles; and the
total area is 15,393 acres, of which 94 J acres are water.
The river Ale winds for about 6 miles from the south-
western to the north-eastern border, and here receives
the Woo, Todrig, and Woll burns ; with it communicate
the little lochs of Shielswood, Ashkirk, Essenside, and
Headshaw. The surface is hilly, the principal heights,
as one descends the Ale, being, on the left hand, Ham-
mel Side (1022 feet), Whitslade Hill (1134), Leap Hill
(1047), 3 nameless summits (1030, 1126, and 1178), Broad-
lee Hill (871), Woll Rig (1113), Headshaw (896), Stob-
shaw Hill (1051), and Cock Edge (990) ; on the right
hand, Esdale Law (1167), Cringie Law (1155), Ashkirk
Hill (967), and Blackcastle (908). The rocks are chiefly
greywacke and clay slate ; marl is plentiful and of ex-
cellent quality ; and the soil is in some parts peaty, in
most parts light and sandy, about 2800 acres being
under the plough, and some 400 planted. Near the
manse stood a residence of the archbishops of Glas-
gow, whose site is still known as ' Palace AValls ; ' of a
strong baronial fortalice at Salanside hardly a trace
remains. An ancient camp at Castleside is fairly en-
tire, and vestiges of others occur at various points. Up
to the Reformation great part of Ashkirk belonged to the
see of Glasgow, and later almost all of it was divided
among the family of Scott. The principal mansions are
Ashkirk House (the seat of A. Cochrane, Esq. ), Sinton
House (the seat of John Scott, Esq. ), and Woll House ;
and 6 proprietors hold each an annual value of £500
and upwards, 5 of between £100 and £500. This parish
is in the presbytery of Selkirk and synod of Merse and
Teviotdale; the minister's income is £313. The church,
built in 1791, contains 202 sittings ; and there is also a
Free church with 200 sittings ; whilst a public school,
with accommodation for 130 children, had (1891) an
average attendance of 67, and a grant of £77, 14s. 6d.
Valuation, £7955 13s. 2d. Pop. (1831) 597, (1861) 578,
(1871) 550, (1881) 500, (1891) 466.— Ord. Sur., sh. 17,
1864.
Ashley, an estate, with the seat of Col. W. H. Brown,
in Ratho parish, Edinburghshire, 2 miles ESE of Ratho
station.
Ashton, the south-western part of Gourock village, in
Innerkip parish, Renfrewshire. Commencing at Kem-
pock Point, it extends about 1 mile along the shore, its site
being chiefly a narrow belt of low ground, overhung by
steep braes. It includes some houses on a line of terrace-
road across the face of these braes, together with gar-
dens running down the slopes ; and is mainly an array of
spacious two-story houses and handsome villas, with a
neat United Presbyterian church on the low ground, and
a small Episcopalian chapel on the upper terrace. Bright
and attractive in appearance, it confronts the exquisite
scenery on the western screens of the Firth of Clyde,
from Rosneath peninsula, round by Loch Long, Kilmun
Hill and Holy Loch, to the long sweep of Kim, Dunoon,
and Bishop's Seat ; and is a favourite summer retreat and
bathing-place of the citizens of Glasgow. The part of
it nearest Kempock, and fully J mile onward, is some-
times called West Bay; while the part further on is
more distinctively known as Ashton.
Askaig, Port, a seaport village on the NE coast of
Islay, near the middle of the S side of the Sound of Islay,
opposite Jura, 10 miles NNE of Bowmore. It has a
post office, with money order, savings' bank, and tele-
graph departments, under Greenock, and a good inn ; it
communicates regularly with the steamers from the Clyde
to Islay ; and it forms the best, landing-place for tourists
who wish to get a good knowledge of the island. Lead
mines were, at one time, worked a little to the NW.
Aslisk, a ruined baronial fortalice in the N of Elgin-
shire, 5 miles E by N of Forres.
Assel, a rivulet of Girvan parish, Ayrshire, running
about 5 miles south-westward to the Stinchar, opposite
Pinmore House, in ColmonelL.
Assleed, a rivulet of Aberdeenshire, rising in the NE
of Monquhitter parish, separating that parish from the
parishes of New Deer and Methlick, and pursuing alto-
gether a southerly course of about 7 j miles to the Ythan.
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