Gazetteer of Scotland

ELL
soil is in general sandy, With calca-
reous particles ; but many places are
of a rich loam and clay, exceedingly
fertile. Near the town of Elgin, on
an eminence called Lady-hill, are the
remains of a fortification, which is
well known to have existed in the
reign of William the Lion King of
Scotland. The ruins of the priory of
Pluscardine are truly magnificent.
The church was never completed, as
the foundations of the W. part of the
cross only were laid ; but in the part
which has been finished are small
pieces of fresco work, of very lively
colours, and tolerably accurate de-
sign. ■ The beautiful glen in which
this fine ruin is situated, is the pro-
perty of the Earl of Fife, who has
done much to render the scenery more
strikingly picturesque. Elgin joins
with the boroughs of Banff, Cullen,
Kintpre, and Inverury, in sending a
member to parliament. Population
of the town and parish in 1801, 4345.
ELLIOT; a small rivulet in the
county of Angus. It takes its rise
from the great morass termed Dilty
moss, in the parish of Carmylie, and,
after a meandering course of about 4
miles S. in the bottom of a deep den,
falls into the German ocean, about 2
miles W. from the royal borough of
Aberbrothock. The banks, near its
confluence with the ocean, are finely
covered with trees, and the almost
ruinous castle of Kelly, romantically
situated on the verge of a precipice
which overhangs its bed, renders the
scenery peculiarly interesting. A neat
bridge of 3 arches is thrown over it
in the line of road from Dundee to
Arbroath.
ELLON; a parish in Aberdeen-
shire, extending about 9 miles in
length from N. to S. and about 5 in
breadth. The surface is uneven ; but,
though there are a good deal of rising
grounds, the height of these is incon-
siderable. In the low grounds, on the
banks, of the river Ythan, the soil is
dry ; but in the northern parts it is
generally wet and mossy. There are
a few small plantations of fir, ash, elm,
and alder ; but they serve rather for
ornament and shelter than for any o-
ther* purpose. The village of Ellon
js pleasantly situated on the Ythan,
over which at this place is thrown a
[jan.dsQme bridge. Here is a conside-
END
rable salmon-fishing, which rents at
about sol. Sterling ; and the Ythan is
navigable to large boats within half a
mile of the town. Population of the
parish and village in 1801, 2022.
_ ELST (LOCH) ; a lake in the pa*
rish of Criech, Sutherlandshire. It is
about 2 miles in length, and dischar-
ges itself into the Frith of Tain by a
rivulet of the same name.
ELVAN ; a rivulet in Lanarkshire*
famous for the particles of gold found
in its sand. Vide Glen'gonar.
ELY or ELIE ; a town and parish
in the county of Fife. The town was
formerly a royal borough, by a charter
from Malcolm II. but was disfran-
chised from sending members to par-
liament, on account of its inability to
maintain rhem : it still, however, re-
tains all the privileges of a royal bo-
rough, with that exception. Ely is si-
tuated on a dry and healthy spot, so
near to the sea, that it washes the
walls of some of the houses. It pos-
sesses an excellent harbour, and is the
deepest water in the Frith of Forth,
except Burntisland. The harbour is
remarkable easy of access, and per-
fectly safe; but, with all its advanta-
ges, the trade is so trifling, that it is
going fast to decay for want of the
necessary repairs. To the eastward
of the harbour, and at a small dis-
tance from it, Wadehaven is situated,
so called, it is said, from - general
Wade, who recommended it to go-
vernment as proper for a harbour for
the reception of men of war. It is
very large, and has water from 20 to
22 feet at common tides. The parish
is small, being only about a square
mile in extent. The whole is inclo-
sed, and is the property of Sir John
Anstruther, who has here an elegant
residence, called Ely House. Rubies
of a brilliant lusture have been found
near the shore, probably washed from
the rocks. Population in 1801, 730.
ENDRICK ; a river which has its
source in the parish of Fintry, in Stir-
lingshire. It runs E. and S. for a-
bout 3 miles, and then turns due W.
rushing in full stream over the Loup
of Fintry, forming a cataract of 91
feet in height. After receiving the ri-
ver Blanc, and other streams in its
course, and forming 2 beautiful cas-
cades at Gartness, the spot where the
famous Napier of Merchjston invent