Gazetteer of Scotland

DOR
district there are 5 or 4 small lakes. Fal-
lowing of land is unknown, and the use of
lime as a manure is but lately introduced.
There are several quarries of whinestone,
and one of excellent freestone, near the
town. Population of the town and parish
2681.— The BURGH of DORNOCH is si-
tuated on the N. coast of the frith of Dor-
noch, neariy opposite to the burgh of Tain,
•which lies on the S. side of the frith. The
town is small and going fast to decay, al-
though it is the county town. It is govern-
ed by a provost, 4 bailies, a dean of guild,
treasurer, and 8 councillors ; and along
with Tain, Dingwall, Wick, and Kirkwall,
unites in sending a member to parliament.
Dornoch was formerly the seat of the Bi-
shop of Caithness, and the W. end of the
cathedral is still kept in repair as the pa-
rish church. It was erected in the 11th
century, and enlarged in 1280, burnt in
1570, and repaired in 1650. The ruins of
the bishop's castle, which appears to have
been a stately and sumptuous edifice, still
remain.
DORNOCH FRITH, or the Frith of Tain,
an arm of the sea which divides the south-
em parts of Sutherland from the county of
Ross. Its entrance is nearly 15 miles wide,
but gradually becomes narrower, till, about
3 miles W. from the town of Dornoch, its
breadth is not more than 2 miles, \\ here
there is a ferry called the Meikle-ferry. Af-
ter this it becomes much wider, forming an
inner harbour or bay, where another ferry
is established, called the Little-ferry. At
this ferry is an excellent roadstead, where
■vessels of considerable burden can lie at
anchor. Vessels of 500 tons are said to have
water on this bar at spring tides. On the
Sutherland coast, too, in calm weather,
vessels of small burden may lie in safety;
but a formidable bar extends from this
coast almost to the S. side of the frith, cal-
led, from the incessant noise, the Gizzing
Brings ; but vessels may enter with safety
under the direction of a pilot. The shores
produce shell-fish, and the banks abound
■with cod and haddocks.
DORNOCK, a parish in the county of Dum-
fries. It is nearly a square of 2 and a half
miles, extending along the banks of the
Solway Frith. The surface is remarkably-
flat, and the soil loamy, upon a strong clay
bottom. The small river Kirtle runs through
a part of it. The fishings in the Solway
Frith employ a great number of the inha-
bitants. A large peat-moss furnishes plen-
ty of fuel. There are the remains of a Ro-
man military road through the parish ; al-
D O U
so a draidical temple, an entrenchment,
and a strong square tower on the estate of
the Marquis of Annandale. The great road
from Carlisle to Portpatrick passes through
it. Population 788.
DOUGLAS, a parish in Lanarkshire, a-
bout 12 miles long, and from 4 to 7 broad.
Along the banks of the river Douglas the
soil is good; farther up it becomes spouty
and wet, and the back grounds are -chiefly
a cold till. On the holms of the river are a
few arable farms ; but these bear a small
prcportion to what is laid out in sheep pas-
ture.— There is very little natural wood ;
but Lord Douglas has planted^ upwaids of
1200 acres with a variety of trees. The pa-
rish abounds with coal, lime, and freestone;
many of the seams of coal are 7 feet in
thickness, and will be inexhaustible for ma -
ny centuries. Besides the Douglas, the pa-
rish is watered by three small streams.
The VILLAGE of DOUGLAS is situated
nearly in the middle of the parish, and is
in a line of the great Glasgow roads from
Glasgow to England, and from Edinburgh
to Ayr. It lies 6 miles S. of Lesmahago.
It has a small manufacture of cotton, and
another cotton-work has been lately erected
in its vicinity. The old castle of Douglas
was burnt down about 60 years ago ; but
part of the new castle has been built in
the most elegant style. Population 1873.
DOUGLAS, a river which takes its rise 9
miles above the village of Douglas, and
falls into the Clyde about 7 miles below the
same village.
DOUGLASDALE, the name cfthe mid-
dle ward of Lanarkshire. Lord Douglas is
the principal proprietor.
DOUNE, a small town in the parish of
Kilmadock, Perthshire, 8 miles N. W. of
Stirling. It is pleasantly situated on the
bank of Teith, near the confluence of the
Ardoch with that river. It consists of 5
streets uniting, in the centre of which a
neat market cross was lately erected. The
town is plentifully supplied with springs of
excellent soft water. The introduction of
the cotton manufacture has greatly contri-
buted to the improvement of the town.
For some time past Doune has been noted
for excellent slaters. This town has also
been long celebrated for the manufacture
of Highland pistols, which art was introduc-
ed here in 1646. There are three great
cattle markets in the year. — The old and
the new town of Doune contains (including
the labourers at the Deanston cotton-works)
upwards of 1 630 inhabitants. Towards the
S. E. of the town, on a peninsula formed