Gazetteer of Scotland

ABE
Efq. ; Haughlon, Francis Farquharfon,
Efq. ; Claim, H. N. Lurafden, Efq. ;
Gordon-lodge, Colonel Gordon-Gum-
ming ; Cajile-Frafer, Mifs Frafer ;
Craigflon, J. Urquhart, Efq.; Nenvton,
A. Gordon, Efq. ; Broad/and, A. Her-
vey, Efq. ; Aden, A. Ruffels, Efq. of
Old Deer ; Seaton, J. Forbes, Efq. ;
Drum, A. Irvine, Efq.; Pitta drie, Col.
Knight-Erfkine ; Meldrum, Jas. Ur-
quhart, Efq.; Craig, j. Gordon, Efq.;
Parkhill, A. Skene, Efq. ; Pitcaple,
Mifs Lumfden ; Kemnay, A. Burnett,
Efq. ; &c. Aberdeenfiiire fends one
member to parliament. The valued
rent of the whole county is in Scots
money 235,6651. 8s. nd., and the real
land rent is eftimated in fterling mo-
ney at 133,632b
ABERDEEN (NEW); the capital
of Aberdeenfiiire, and the chief city
of the N. of Scotland, is fituated on
a riling ground, near the aeftuary of
the river Dee into the German ocean,
120 miles N. E. from Edinburgh, in
57 9' N. latitude, and i° 45' W. lon-
gitude. It is a large and handfome
city, having many fpacious ftreets,
lined on each lide by elegant houfes,
generally four ftoreys high, built of
granite from the, neighbouring quar-
ries. The market-place, in the center
of the city, is a large oblong fquare.
On the N. fide of it is the town-houfe,
with a handfome fpire; and adjoining
to it the tolbooth, a fquare tower 120
feet high, alfo furmounted with a
fpire. Clofe to this is an elegant
mafon lodge ; and oppofite to the
town-houfe, the Aberdeen Banking
Company have lately erected an ele-
gant office of polifhed granite. In the
middle of Caftle-ftreet is the crofs,
the moft complete> perhaps, of any
of the kind in the kingdom ; it is an
octagon ftone building, highly orna-
mented with neat das-relievos of the
kings of Scotland, from James I. to
James VI. with a Corinthian column
in the center, on the top of which is
an unicorn. By virtue of an act of
parliament paffed in 1800, feveral new
and elegant ftreets have been opened,
paffing over other ftreets by arches,
and facilitating the approach to the
town in every direction. The grammar
fchool is a low, but neat building,
under a rector and 3 teachers, who
have good appointments. There are
a number of charitable inftitutions,
ABE
of which the chief are, ift, the Poor'
houfe, a large building, appropriated
to the reception of aged poor, and
deftitute children, fupported by its
own funds, contributions from the
town and kirk-feflions, and voluntary
donations : 2nd, till lately, there was
a Guild Brethren's Ho/pita/; but it was
found more agreeable for the lodgers
to receive an annual pennon : it was
accordingly fold, and the charity put
on that footing : 3d, Lady Drum's
Hofpital, for old unmarried women,
founded in 1663 by Lady Mary,
daughter of the Earl of Buchan, and
widow of Sir Alexander Irvine of
Drum: 4th, Gordon's Hofpital, founded
m I 733» an d the governors incorpo-
rated by royal charter in 1772: it has
a good revenue ; and from 60 to 66
boys are clothed, maintained and e-
ducated on the eftablifhment : 5 th,
the Infirmary, a large plain building,
eftablifhed in 1742, and fupported by
fubfcriptions, collections, and dona-
tions : the number of patients annu-
ally relieved is about 900 : 6th, the
Lunatic Hofpital, built by fubfcription,
about half a mile from town, in 1800 :
7th, the Difpenfaries, alfo fupported
by voluntary contributions, and having
from 2000 to 3000 patients annually
on the books of the charity. Beudes
thefe, every incorporated trade has a
fund for decayed members; and there
are many Friendly Societies for the fame
end. A little to the E. of the town
are the Barracks, erected in 1794, on
the fite of a fortification built there
by Oliver Cromwell. They are ele-
gant and commodious, and capable
of accommodating upwards of 600
men. The ancient religious eftablifh-
ments in the city were numerous ;
but only four have been handed down
to us by hiftory. ift, A convent of
Mathurines, or the order of the Tri-
nity, founded by King William the
Lion : 2nd, the Dominican, or Black
friars monaftery, founded by Alex-
ander II.: 3d, the Obfervantine priory,
founded by the citizens and other
private perfons : and, 4th, the Car-
melite, or White friars monaftery,
founded in 1350 by Philip de Arbuth-
not. The trade of Aberdeen is con-
fiderable ; but might be greatly ex-
tended by the profecution of the white
fifheries. The harbour, which is form-
ed by the Dee, was long a detriment