Gazetteer of Scotland

KIR
and from 1 to 2^ miles broad. The
face of the country presents a conti-
nued range of hills, separated only by
small rivulets, and gradually ascending
from E. to W. The soil is poor and
shallow, chiefly adapted for sheep pas-
ture. Population in 1801, S20.
KIRKURD ; a parish in the coun-
ty of Peebles, on the borders of West
and Mid-Lothian s, about 5\ miles in
length, and from 3 to 4 in breadth.
The surface is finely diversified, and
the arable land bears, nearly an equal
proportion in point of extent with
the pasture land. It contains 6620 a-
acres, of which 600 are inclosed. To-
wards the river Terth, which bounds
it on the N. the soil is loamy ; one
large farm is a rich clayey loam, but
the prevailing soil is gravel. Kirk-
urd is an elegant modern building,
with extensive pleasure grounds, high-
ly improved and ornamented by the
late Earl of Hyndford. A large and
elegant house has lately been built at
New Cairnmuir, and surrounded with
plantations and enclosures. Near
Kirkurd House is a copious sulphu-
reous spring, similar to Harrowgate.
Here are several remains of antiquity,
both religious and military. Popu-
lation in 1801, 327.
KIRKWALL; a royal borough,
and chief town of the stewartry of
Orkney, situated in the parish of
Kirkwall and St. Ola, in the island of
Pomona, in o° 25' W. longitude, and
58° 33' N. latitude. It is built on a
neck of land, washed on one side by
the road and bay of Kirkwall, and on
the other by a pleasant inlet of the sea,
which flows by the back of the gar-
dens at high water. It is nearly a
mile long, but is of inconsiderable
breadth, having only one street run-
ning the whole length, very inconve-
nient from its narrowness and the
badness of thepavement ; and towards
the street, the ends or gables of the
houses are placed, which gives it an
awkward appearance. It was an-
ciently possessed by the Danes and
Norwegians, who named it Kirkivcg,
which Buchanan and Toifeus both
•Improperly thought should have been
written Cracoviaca. It was erected
into a royal borough by a charter
from James III. by which the burges-
ses are empowered to elect their own
magistrates, to lipid borough courts,
KIR
&C. and the same monarch granted
them a revenue arising from the dues
of the harbour, and of some lands a-
round the town. Its magistrates are
a provost, 4 bailies, treasurer, dean of
guild, and council, which are annual-
ly elected. The cathedral of St. Mag-
nus, so named from Magnus King of
Norway, the supposed founder of the
town, is a large Gothic pile, said
to have been founded by Rognwald
Count of Orkney, in the year 1138 :
it is still very entire, and a part of it
is occupied as the parish church. The
length of this stately fabric on the
outside is 226 feet ; its breadth 56 :
the height of the roof 71 ; and from
the level of the floor to the top of the
steeple is 133 feet. The roof is sup-
ported by 14 pillars and arches on
each side, besides 4 which support the
steeple ; and the gates are decorated
with a kind of Mosaic work, of red
and white stones, elegantly carved
and flowered. Opposite to the ca-
thedral, on the W. side of the street,
stood the ruins of the King's Castle,
which appears to have been a strong
and stately fortress. There are also
the ruins of an extensive and elegant
building, erected in 1607 by Patrick
Earl of Orkney, called the Earl's pa-
lace ; and almost adjoining to it is the
Bishop's palace, a ruin of very great
antiquity. But, while we mention so
many relics of ancient and fallen
grandeur, we ought to notice, that
none of the private houses of the town
are ruinous, nor does it appear of less
extent than it formerly had been : on
the contrary, of late years, new ma-
nufactures of linen and cotton have
been introduced, which have increased
the town both in population and ex-
tent. The harbour is excellent, with
an outer road affording safe ancho-
rage; and the wholejs commanded by
a fortification, built by the English in
the time of Oliver Cromwell, sur-
rounded with a ditch and rampart,
and mounted withsomecannon. Kirk-
wall joins with the boroughs of Wick,
Dornoch, Dingwall, and Tain, in
sending a member to parliament, and
gives second title of Baroness to the
Countess of Orkney.
KIRKWALL and St. OLA; an
united parish in Orkney, comprehend-
ing the town of Kirkwall and the dis-
trict for about 6 miles around. The