Gazetteer of Scotland

ABE
ABE
& quarry of the latter, are found fome
beautiful fpecimens of petrified par
tellts, entrochi, cortraa ammotns, and
other marine productions. The vil-
lage is in a thriving condition, and has
long been noted for the manufacture
of checks. The population in iSoi,
Was 2501 ; increafe 365 fince 1791.
ABDIE; a parilh in the county
of Fife, of contiderable extent ; but,
from it3 being interfered with other
parilhes, it is impcilible to give ?. ge-
neral idea of its length and breadth.
It is lituated on the S. bank of the river
•Taj,, amongft thofe high lands which,
to the weftward, acquire the appella-
tion of the Ochil hills. The furface is
remarkably uneven ; but there is a
good deal of arable land. The foil is
in general pretty fertile; and the farm-
ers, by adopting proper methods of
agriculture, have greatly meliorated
the foil, and incrcafed the annual re-
turn of grain. The Tay has gradually
carried away with its current many
acres of the fineil land ; but embank-
ments are now erecting to prevent
this in future. There are 3 quarries
of granite in the parifh, from which
a confiderable quantity is {hipped for
paving the ftreets of London. Two
hills in the parifh, viz. Clatchart Crag,
and Nonncm'sLazc, are remarkable for
their height and precipitous fronts.
There is little old wood ; but a con-
fiderable extent of young planting.
There are feveral old manfion-houfes
in ruins, and the remains of different
fortifications, fuppofed to be the
works cf the northern invaders, or
places of ftrength erected to repel
their hoftile vifits. In 1801, the po-
pulation was 723 ; increafe 229 fince
1791.
Aber ; a Gaelic or Celtic word,
implying a fituation cither on the
banks of a river, or at its junction with
the ocean ; and confequently forms a
part of the name of many towns, vil-
lages, and parilhes of Scotland, fo fi-
tuated.
ABERBROTHOCK, or AR-
BROATH ; a royal borough in For-
farfhire, fituated at the sftuary of the
river Brothock, on a fmall plain, fur-
rounded on the W., N., and E. fides,
by eminences, in the form of an am-
phitheatre, commanding an extenfive
profpect of the Friths of Tay and
Forth, and the elevated parts of Fife-
fhire and Lothian. It lies in the dr*
reclion of the great iN. road, about
17 miles E. from Dundee, 58 N. N. E*
of Edinburgh, and 12 W. from Mon-
trofe. The body of the town confifts
of one ftreet, nearly half a mile in
length, running N. and S. from the
fea, and another on the W. fide of
fmaller extent. Both thefe are inter-
fered by other crofs ftreets, and are
in general well built, though without
much regularity. To the eaftward of
the town, and locally fituated in the
pariih of St. Vigeans, there are 2 neat
regular ftreets ; at the top of one of
which is an elegant chapel of eafe,
built about 3 years ago. On the W.
fide of the river Brothock there are alfo
feveral neat ftreets newly built, con-
fifting chiefly of fmall houfes of one
ftorey, forming a fuburb of confider-
able fize. The town-houfe is fituated
nearly in the middle of the W. fide
of the high-ftreet; and, though fcarce-
ly diftinguifhed in its external appear-
ance from the other inhabited houfes,.
poffefies 2 elegant rooms for public
meetings, befides accommodation for
the town-clerk's office, and: prifons.
The harbour is fmall, but commo-
dious, and can be taken by veffels in
a ftorm, when they cannot enter any
of the neighbouring ports. It is en->
tirely artificial, being well flieltered
from the fea by a long pier ; and,
during ftcrms, the inner harbour is
fo fecured by wooden gates, that the
veffels lie in the fmootheft water. It
can admit veffels of 200 tons at fpring
tides ; but, at ordinary tides, veffels
of 100 tons only can enter. The har-
bour is defended by a neat battery,
mounting fix 12-pounders, erected in
1783, on account of an attack made
on the town by a fmall privateer,
commanded by one Captain Fall du-
ring the American war. The port of
Aberbrothock is of great antiquity :
but its fituation was more to the eaft-
ward than at prefent. The fite of
the old harbour is ftill named the
Old Shore-head ; and an agreement is-
ftill extant between the abbot and
burghers of Aberbrothock, in n 94,
concerning the making of the harbour.
Both parties were bound to contri-
bute their proportion ; but the largeft
fell to the fhare of the former, for
which he was to receive an annual tax,
payable out of each of the borovgh