Gazetteer of Scotland

PEN
PEN
increafed in population and extent,
by the erection of a large cotton mill
in the vicinity, which employs up-
wards of 500 perfons. At the E. end
is the parifli church of Pennycuick, a
neat handfome building, with a por-
tico fupported by Doric pillars. Near
the village is Pennycuick-boufe, an ele-
gant building, erected in 1761 by the
late Sir James Clerk, Bart, of Penny-
cuick. Its lituation is delightful, com-
manding a profpect of the valley in
which the EJk runs ; terminated by
the weftern extremity of the Pent-
lands, and the ruins of Erunjlune-cajlle.
The library contains an excellent col-
lection of books and paintings ; and
the proprietor has alfo collected a
great number of Roman antiquities,
principally from Antoninus' wall, and
the Roman camp at Netherby. The
policies around are alfo highly orna-
mental. Near the river is OJfian's hall,
the much admired work of Runci-
man : at the back of the houfe is an
exact model of the celebrated Roman
temple, which formerly flood on the
banks of the Carron, which Buchan-
nan termed Temphim Termini, but is
better known by the name of Arthur s
Oven. On the oppofite fide of the
river, to the S., is an obeliik raifed to
the memory of Allan Ramfay the
poet, who frequently relided here,
and is fuppofed to have laid the fcene
of the beautiful paftoral, " The Gentle
Shepherd," on the borders of this pa-
rifli and Glencrofs. In this parilh alfo
are the feats of New-hall and Spittal.
There is abundance of coal and lime-
ftone ; fome fpecimens of the latter
are fo hard as to receive a polifli like
marble, exhibiting beautiful petrifac-
tions of mells, and fometimes of wood.
The hills abound with granite, free-
ftone, ironftone, and the fpecies of
ftone called Petunfe Pentlandica. In
the Carlops hill are found fmall quan-
tities of lead ore ; and, about half a
mile W., at the Picket craig, a vein of
ore was for fome time wrought, which
yielded filver. In the bed of the EJk
are often found fine pebbles and blood-
ftones, which have been formed into
feals and other ornaments. The re-
mains of feveral encampments, both
circular and rectangular, are poinied
out in this neighbourhood. In 1793.
the population was 1741, and had in-
creafed 831 fmce 1755.
PENPONT; a parifli in Dumfries-
fhire, of confiderable extent, being
upwards of 2 1 miles long, and on an
average 5 broad. With a gentle afcent
it rifcs from the S. E. towards the
N. W., where its elevation is 3500 feet
above the level of the fea. The whole
diftrict is mountainous, and divided
by 4 ftecp ridges, forming 3 narrow
glens, in each of which run 3 large
flreams ; of which the Scarr and the
Shinnelzre. the molt remarkable. Cairn'
kiunoiu is a lofty mountain, nearly in
the middle of the parifli ; its exact
height is not afcertained, but it is the
higheft land between the Solway Frith
and the Frith of Clyde. The hills are
moftly covered with rich pafture, and
are interfperfed with many fertile ara-
ble fpots, of which the foil is light,
early, and capable of great improve-
ment. There are about 980 head of
black cattle, and 1200 fheep. One of
the greateft natural curiofities of the
S. of Scotland, is Glenquhargen craig t
which rifes almoft perpendicularly to
the height of 1000 feet; it is com-
pdfed of a hard brownifh bafaltes;
and in one direction its two precipitous
fides ftrike the eye, when no other
rock is to be feen on either fide. The
village of Penpont contains about 120
inhabitants ; it is the feat of a pref-
bytery. A Roman caufeway can be
traced along the banks of the Scarr,
and there are diftinct veftiges of an
encampment. An old caftle, faid to
have been erected by the Romans, is
to be feen near the union of the Scarr
and Nith, called Tiber's cajlle, pro-
bably a contraction from Tyber or Ti-
berius. Freeftone and whinftone are
abundant; and there are indications
of lead, iron, and coals: there are fome
rocks which contain calcareous fpar,
and rock cryftals. In 1790, the po-
pulation was 800; decreafe 57 fince
PENTLANDFRiTH,fometimesnamed
PiBland Frith ; the ftrait which fepa-
rates the Mainland of Scotland from
the Orkney IJles. It is only 12 miles
over, but in it the fea runs with fuch
impetuous force by the meeting of fo
many tides, that no wind is able to
fupport a vefFel again ft the current.
The violence of the fea is felt even
upon the dry land; for, in thofe places
towards which the waves are forced
by the ftorms, the lea dallies with fuch
i