Gazetteer of Scotland

AYT
Ayr are a number of very good houfes.
it has a tolerable good harbour, chiefly
employed in the coal trade. Lying
on the banks of Ayr, and the fea coaft.
the foil is moltly flat and fandy. Its
extent is about 3 miles long, and i\
broad. In 1793, the population was
1680.
Ayr River. This river rifes in
the parifh of Muirkirk, in Ayrfhire ;
and after a courfe of about 18 miles
nearly due W. falls into the fea at Ayr,
where its asftuary forms a fine harbour.
It is for a edhfiderable courfe only a
fmall rivulet; but joined by Greenock
and Garpel, tributary ftreams, it be-
comes a large body of water. It fre-
quently fhifts its bed, and does consi-
derable damage by its encroachments.
Its banks are fteep and very romantic ;
and the number of feats which orna-
ment them prtfent a fine picturefque
fcenery. Sorn-caftle,Auchincruive,and
Auchinleck, may be mentioned as the
chief beauties of the fcene. The vil-
lage of Catrine is fituated on its banks.
Jt forms the boundary between the
diftricts of Ayrlhire, denominated
Kyle and Carrick.
AYTON, fituated in the county of
AYT"
Berwick, extends about 4^ miles ifi
length, and 4 in breadth. The foil
is in general fertile, and particularly
adapted for the culture of turnips
and corn. The fouthern part of the
parifh is hilly ; but, even there, the
foil is productive of corn and grafs.
Of late this parifh has been much im-
proved in its hufbandry, and the
greateft part is now enclofed. The
air is very dry and falubrious. As
the fea forms the boundary on the
E. it is in general Well fupplied with
fifh. Its vicinity to the village of 1
Eyemouth and the town of Berwick,
affords a ready market for the produce
of the farms, which in general is more
than neceffary for its own confump-
tion. About 15 or 20 tons of kelp
are made here annually. The quarries
afford ftone fit for building. On the
hills are the remains of 2 camps, fup-
pofed to be Roman or Saxon ; urns,
and broken pieces of armour, have been
found here. In the low grounds of
the N. W. are the veftiges of 3 en-
campments, fimilar to the former.
Moft of the names of the places are
derived from the Saxon. In 1792, the
population was 1245 > ' m 1801, 145 3.
g&S£SHW.iH» —
B
B^L
BADENOCH; the moft eafterly dif-
1 tricb of Invernefs-fhire ; having In-
vernefs on the N. Moray on the E.
Athol on the S. and Lochaber on the
\V. It extends 33 miles in length,
and 27 in breadth. It is very moun-
tainous and barren, having no villages,
and only a few inhabitants in the val-
leys. It is watered by the Spey, and
a few rivulets. There are alfo fe-
veral lochs, fome of which are of con-
fiderable extent. The mountains are
covered with natural forefts, and a-
bound with game.
BALDERNOCK ; a parifh in Stir-
lingfhire. The furface and foil are
very various, part being flat and fer-
tile, efpecially on the banks of the ri-
ver Kelvin, while the back part is hil-
ly, and covered with muir. A fmall
loch, covering about 70 acres, called
Baldowie, abounds with pike and
BAL
perch. There is great plenty of lime
and freeftone ; and the parifh every
where abounds with coal, of excellent
quality. The ruins of the manfton of
Baldernock, fhew it to have been a'
place of great ftrength. There are fe-
veral cairns and druidical monuments;
and all the names of the places feem
to be derived from fome of the facred
places of the druids. Population in
1793, 620.
BALFRON ; a parifh in the county
of Stirling, extending about 8 miles in
length, and 2 in breadth. The furface
of the ground is on a gentle declivity,
from the banks of the river Endrick,
enjoyingtheadvantage of a S.expofure*-
The foil is in fome places light and
fandy, but the greater part is wet and
tilly. Bad roads, the diftance from
manure, and the poverty of the farm-
er, has in this parifh retarded great--