Gazetteer of Scotland

BAL
above the other two. The upper-
most stone is 18 feet long, 11 broad,
and 6 deep, planted nearly horizon-
tally. The others are nearly of the
same size. It is supposed that this
structure was used by the druids in
their- religious rites. Population in
3801, 796.
BALEDGARNO or BALERNO ;
a village in the county of Mid-Lo-
thian, in the parish of Currie, situated
on the Water of Leith. , It has an ex-
cellent freestone quarry, from whence
many of the houses of the New Town
of Edinburgh have been built.
BALFRON ; a parish in the coun-
ty of Stirling, extending about 8 miles
in length and from 1 to 2 in breadth.
The surface of the ground is on a
gentle declivity from the banks of the
river Endrick, enjoying the advantage
of a S. exposure. The soil is in some
places light and sandy, but the great-
er part is wet and tflly. Bad roads,
the distance from manure, and the
poverty of the farmer, has in this pa-
rish greatly retarded agricultural im-
provements ; but these obstacles are
now nearly removed, and a spirit for
agriculture is excited. Lime and free-
stone are found in great plenty \ but
as yet no coal has been discovered,
though in the opinion of good judges
the appearances are very flattering.
The village of Balfron contains about
1100 inhabitants, who are mostly em-
ployed in the cotton manufacture.
Population of the parish and village
in 1801, 1634.
BALGAVIES (LOCH); a small
lake in Angus-shire, formed by the
waters of the Lunan, in their passage
through the parish of Aberlemno. It
lias been lately drained, and affords
immense quantities of excellent marl.
BALGAY ; a hill in the neighbour-
hood of Dundee, from whence arises
a rivulet of the same name.
BALGOLLO ; a hill in the parish
of Monifieth, in Angus-shire, about
half a .mile from the river Tay, on
which are the remains of ancient for-
tifications.
BALGONIE ; a village in Fifeshire,
in the parish of Markinch, containing
about 250 inhabitants. Near it is Bal-
gonie Castle, one of the seats of the
Earl of Leven, from which he takes
his second title*
BAL
BALLANTRAE ; an extensive pav
rish in Ayrshire^ being nearly 10 miles
square. It lies on the sea coast, which
is bold and rocky, except opposite the *
village of Ballantrae. The surface is
much diversified, rising gently from
the shore to the top of that range of
mountains which extends across the
country to the Frith of Forth. The*
soil is generally poor and thin ; but
in many places there are considerable
fields of natural grass, well fitted for
the feeding of sheep and cattle. The-
fisheries on the coast are very pro-
ductive ; and there is always a ready-
market in the shires of Ayr, Lanark,
and Renfrew. There is also a salmon
fishery at the mouth of Ardstinchar
river, where it falls into the sea at the
village of Ballantrae. There are no
minerals of any importance •, but there
is a 'mineral spring, which has long-
been esteemed as a cure in, cutaneous
and stomachic disorders. Population
in 1801, 837.
BALLEDGARNQ; a thriving vil-
lage in the Carse of Gowrie, in the
parish of Inchture, the property of
Lord Kinnaird.
BALLINGRY ; a parish of an ir-
regular figure, 3 miles in length and
1 in breadth, in the county of Fife.
The soil is tolerably good, but one-
fourth of the parish only is under
crop : the remainder affords excellent
pasture. There is great plenty of coal
and lime ; and some marl has been
procured by draining a small lake in
the parish called Lochore. At the
eastern extremity of this lake is an
islet, with a strong tower now in ruins.
There are also the vestiges of a Ro-
man camp, in the neighbourhood of
which various articles have been dug_
up, which probably belonged to the
Romans. Population in 1801, 277.
BALLO ; a hill in the parish of
Longforgan, Perthshire, elevated 992
feet above the level of the sea.
BALLYCHELISH ; a village in the
parish of Appin, in Argyllshire, where
there is an excellent slate quarry, and
a ferry over Loch Leven into the coun-
ty of Inverness.
BALMACLELLAN ; a parish in
the stewartry of Kirkcudbright. Its
general appearance is moor, with 5 Or
6' small lakes. Its surface is level,
with st gentle rising towards the N-