Gazetteer of Scotland

B AL
BAL
ly agricultural improvements ; but
thefe obftacles are now nearly remov-
ed, and a fpirit for agriculture is ex-
cited. Lime and freeftone are found
in great plenty ; but as yet no coal
has been difcovered, though in the
opinion of good judges, the appear-
ances are very nattering. The village
of Balfron contains about noo inha-
bitants, who are moftly employed in
the cotton manufacture. The popu-
lation of the parifh in 1793, amounted
to 1381.
BALLANTRAE ; an extenfive pa-
rifh of Ayrfhire, being nearly 10 miles
fquare. It lies on the fea coaft, which
is bold and rocky, except oppofite the
village. The furface is much diver-
fined, riling gently from the fhore to
the tops of that range of mountains
which extend acrofs the country to
the Frith of Forth. The foil is gene-
rally-poor andthin ; but in manyplaces
there are confiderable fields of natural
grafs, well fitted for the feeding of
fheep and cattle. The fifheries on this
coaft are very productive, and there is
always a ready market in the (hires of
Ayr, Lanark, and Renfrew. There is
alio a falmon fifhery at the mouth of
Ardftinchar river, near the village of
Ballantrae. There are no minerals of
importance, if we except a mineral
fpring, which has been long efteemed
as a cure in cutaneous and fromachic
diforders. Population in 1793, 770.
BALLINGRY; an irregular parifh,
of the extent of 3 miles in length, and
1 in breadth, lying in the county of
Fife. The foil is tolerably good, one
fourth of the parifh only being under
crop ; the remainder affords excellent
pafture. There is great plenty of coal
. and lime ; and fome marl has been
procured by draining a fmall lake in
the parifh, called Lochore. At the
eaftern extremity of this lake is an
iflet, with a ftrong tower now in ruins.
There are alio the veftiges of a Ro-
man camp ; in the neighbourhood of
which various articles have been dug
up, which muft have belonged to the
Romans. Population in 1793, 220;
in 1801, 227.
BALMAGHIE; a parifh in the
ftewartry of Kirkcudbright. It is about
8 miles long, and from 3 to 6 broad.
The general appearance is very unfa-
vourable ; a great part being heath, or
barren rocks. There are alfo a con-
fiderable portion of morafs, incapable
of any improvement ; but, notwith-
ftanding this unpleafing afpect, the
parifh contains fome arable ground,
and very fertile meadows. There is
fome natural wood, and a number of
young plantations have been lately laid
out. There are feveral lakes, which
contain pike, perch, and trout in a-
bundance. A very powerful chaly-
beate fpring, called Lochenbreck nvell,
is much reforted to ; befides which,
there are feveral other mineral wells.
The river Dee bounds the parifh on
the N. Population in 1793, 862.
BALMACLELLAN; a parifh in the
ftewartry of Kirkcudbright. Its general
appearance is muir, with 5 or 6 fmall
lochs. Its furface is level, with a gen-
tle rifing towards the N. There are
about 60 acres of natural wood, chief-
ly on the banks of the rivulets, which
interfecl it. Only about one-fourth
of the land is arable ; but this portion
is very fertile. Many fheep are fed
on the muirs. Two turnpikes pafs
through the parifh. Population in
1793, about 500*
BAL MERINO; a parifh in the
county of Fife, on the S. bank of the
river Tay, extending on an average a-
bout 3 -j- miles in length, and 24 in
breadth. The furface Hopes gently
to the banks of the river. The foil is
thin and fandy. Agriculture is here
practifed by fyftem, and the produce
is frequently great. The harbour of
Balmerino is fmall and inconvenient,
but might be much improved. A very
confiderable quantity of grain is an-
nually exported from hence. A con-
fiderable falmon fifhery is alfo carried
on at this place. The abbey of Bal-
merino, built in the year 1229, has
been once a magnificent ftructure.
The ruins of it are ftill much admired.
Several extenfive plantations of hard
wood have been lately made out. Po-
pulation in 1793, 703 ; in 1801, 786.
BALNAHUAIGH ; a fmall ifiand
in the diftricl of the weftern ifies, be-
longing to Argyllfhire. It is altogether
compofed of bluifh-coloured flate. A-
bout 2Qfamiliesrefide'upon it, forwork-
ing the flate. It lies near the N. fide of
the ifiand of jura, to which it may be
confidered as a fort of appendage. The
number of inhabitants refident on it
are 140.
BALQUHIDDER ; a Highland pa*
i E