Topographical, statistical, and historical gazetteer of Scotland > Volume 2

228
LASSWADE.
ton, Glenesk, Goston, and Eldin, on the right bank,
are the chief. Eldin, the last of these, was the seat
of John Clerk, Esq., the author of the celebrated
"work on naval tactics. Many villas and cottages
straggle along at intervals, or hang on the outskirts
of Lass wade and Roslin; and are occupied chiefly
as summer-houses, as scenes of ruralizing, as places
which vie in sunniness and beauty with retreats
among the fascinating streams and lakes of Lom-
bardy, by the citizens of Edinburgh. One of the
cottages near the village of Lasswade was the resi-
dence, during some of the happiest years of his life,
of Sir Walter Scott. But the grandest modern
structure is Melville-castle, situated, nearly a mile
below the village, on a secluded but charming piece
of low ground, on the left margin of the Esk, sur-
rounded by high banks, picturesque, wooded, and
adorned. This fine castellated edifice, with circular
towers, the seat of Viscount Melville, was built near
the end of last century on the site of an ancient edi-
fice of the same name, which tradition incorrectly
says belonged to David Rizzio, and was occasionally
inhabited by Mary. Melville-castle was visited in
1822, and much admired, by George IV Along the
Esk, chiefly between Roslin and Lasswade, are sev-
eral paper-mills and bleachfields; at 1A mile above
Roslin, is an extensive gunpowder manufactory; and
at Lasswade are a paper-mill, a distillery, a candle
manufactory, oatmeal and barley mills, an iron and
brass foundry, and a manufactory of fine carpets and
damasks. The carpet manufactory is peculiarly
celebrated. While Brussels and Wilton fabrics,
similar to those of Kilmarnock, are produced, a me-
chanical improvement has superseded the necessity
of draw-boys, and the new machine is simpler than
a jacquard. The Persian fabric produced at Kil-
marnock is here extended to broad carpets, the weft
being shot across by means of a cross-bow; and the
carpets are woven in this way in their entire breadth,
the pattern being tied in by boys, as in the Persian
rugs. The workmen earn in gross wages from 20s.
to 25s. per week; but are frequently idle, waiting
six or eight days for webs. The number of looms,
in 1828, was 21 ; in 1838, 50. The parish has long
been famous for its oatmeal. Through the recommen-
dation, as is believed, of the first Lord Melville, its
produce in this article, drew the notice of George III.,
became the breakfast material of his numerous family
during their years of childhood, and was regularly
furnished to the royal residence by a miller of the
village named Muter. Great quantities of fruit,
vegetables, and daily produce are sent to the market
of Edinburgh. Except the north-west corner, where
primitive rocks rise up in the Pentlands, the whole
parish lies upon the various secondary formations
summarily called the coal-metals, including sand-
stone, clays of great variety, a very great number of
distinct seams of coal, and three strata of limestone.
On the west side of the river the metals stand much
on edge, having, in some places, a dip of 65 degrees.
The workable coal-seams, in the barony of Loan-
head, are 25 in number, and from 2 to 10 feet thick;
and by a cross level mine from the river, have been
worked from the grass downward to the depth of
270 feet. On the east side of the river, the metals
have so small a dip, amounting to about 1 in 7 or 8,
that the coal-seams, in contradisSnction to the edge
coals, as they are called, on the west side, have got
the name of the flat broad coals. One of the coal-
mines, on the boundary with Libberton, was acci-
dentally ignited about the year 1770, and during
upwards of twenty years resisted every effort made
for the extinction of its fire. Besides furnishing
supplies for local consumpt and to other quarters,
the parish sends annually about 30,000 tons of coals
to Edinburgh. — Near the hofise of Mavisbank is a
supposed Roman station, pointed out in General
Roy's maps as the place where the Romans passed
the North Esk on their way to Cramond. The chief
object is a circular earthen mound of considerable
height, begirt with ramparts, now cut into terraces;
where have been found antique weapons, bridle bits,
surgical instruments, and other relics. In a neigh-
bouring farm is a tumulus, whence have been dug urns
filled with burnt bones. Near Roslin is the scene
of a battle, or rather of three battles in one day,
fought, on the 24th February, 1303, between the
Scotch and the English, conflictingly narrated by the
historians of the two nations, but painted by those
of Scotland in colours not a little flattering to Scot-
tish bravery. During a truce, Ralph Confrey, trea-
surer to Edward I., invaded Scotland at the head of
30,000 men, well-armed, and mostly horsemen. With
a view to plunder, he divided them into three bodies,
and, on reaching the neighbourhood of Roslin en-
camped them in three stations. Hearing of his in-
vasion, Sir Simon Fraser and Sir John Comyn, drew
together at Biggar as many men as they eould hastily
muster, amounting to 8,000, or at most to 10,000;
and with these they expeditiously marched in search
of the enemy. Falling unexpectedly on the first divi-
sion of the English, the Scottish forces totally over-
threw and routed them, driving those who escaped
the sword and capture confusedly back on the second
camp. While the Scotch were dividing the spoil, the
second English division suddenly alarmed, and in
motion, precipitated themselves to the conflict, and
met the same fate as the first division. Scarcely had
the Scotch begun to take a refreshment, when a third
army appeared in view; and though thinned in num-
bers and exhausted by fatigue, they were strong in
the moral energy of having in so brief a space won
two battles, and rushing impetuously on the crest-
fallen reserved body of the English, soon dealt them
the carnage and discomfiture with which the other
invading bodies had been punished. Blundering tac-
tics on the English side, and skill and animation on
the side of the Scotch, thus worked out for the latter
the boast of conquering in one day three armies, each
of which was fully equal to them in numbers, and
probably superior in appointments The village of
Lasswade is most picturesquely situated on the left
bank of the North Esk, 6 miles south-east of Edin-
burgh, and 2 miles west of Dalkeith ; and it is unit-
ed by a good stone-bridge to the village of West-
mill of Lasswade, politically comprehended in the
parish of Cockpen, but forming compactly with it
one little town. On the Cockpen side are some of
the public works, and a large proportion of the pop-
ulation. The united village stands on too romantic
a site to have regularity of street arrangement con-
sistently with picturesqueness of effect. Its white-
washed church surmounts a height rising up from
the left side of the dell, and its pretty stone cottages
lie embosomed below in woods and luxuriant gar-
dens, the whole encompassed with scenery of un-
common beauty. The fixed population in Lasswade
proper is about 260; but, owing to the influx during
summer of numerous lodgers from Edinburgh and
elsewhere, it receives for that part of the year large
additions. The village of Roslin [which see] is
3 miles distant. The populous village of Loan-
head [which see], stands half-way between Lass-
wade and Roslin, halfa-mile north of the river.
Springfield, with a population of about 200, chiefly
paper-makers, and situated 1J mile above Lasswade,
immediately on the right bank of the Esk, at the
bottom of the dell, is noted for its rural beauty.
Auchindenny, also inhabited by paper-makers, and
on the right bank of the river at the boundary with