Gazetteer of Scotland

STO
STO
pafture ; but a confiderable part is j
either cultivated, or fufceptible of
cultivation. Some of the hills are j
green to the fummits ; but molt of j
them are covered with heath. The \
foil of the arable land is exceedingly-
various ; but a light fertile loam, up-
on a bed of gravel, is the molt preva-
lent. The river Tweed runs through
the parifh, dividing it into two nearly-
equal parts. In this parifh is the She-
riff-muir, or place where the Tweed-
dale militia met during the animofity
which fub lifted between the lifter
kingdoms : it is a fiat uncultivated
heath, with many monumental ftones
upon it, which probably point out
the fcene of fome battle, which nei-
ther hiftory nor tradition have hand-
ed down to thefe times. This parifh
contains 2 quarries of excellent flate,
of a dark blue colour, from which
moll of the houfes of the New Town
of Edinburgh are covered. Here are
the man (ions of Stobo and New Poffo ;
the former a feat of Mr. Montgo-
mery, fon of the late Lord Chief Ba-
ron ; and the latter the refidence of
Sir James Nafmyth. In 1791, the
population was 318; inceafe 5 fince
1755-
STONEHAVEN, or STONE-
RIVE; a fea port town in Kincar-
dinefhire, in the parifh of Dunnottar,
about 15 miles S. of Aberdeen. It
confifts of two confiderable ftreets of
houfes, built on feus granted by the
Earls Marifchal, within whofe eftate
it was fituated. The harbour is ex-
cellent, being a natural bafon, fhel-
tered on the S. E. by a high rock
which runs out into the fea, and on
the N. E. by a quay, very convenient
for the unloading of goods. Not-
withftanding its fine fituation for car-
rying on manufactures, there is very
little trade tranfa&ed at Stonehaven ;
it derives its principal fupport from
the fheriff court of the county, which
has its feat here. Of late, a fpirit of
trade has manifefted itfelf; and the
brown linen manufacture has been
introduced. The town has alfo re-
ceived a confiderable increafe in its
extent, from the public fpirit of Mr.
Barclay of Urie, who has feued a
large and regular village adjoining
the town, on his eftate, in the neigh-
bouring parifh of FetterefTo. Stone-
haven is a burgh of barony, of which
the jurifdiclion is, by the charter,
veiled in magiftrates chofen by the
fuperior and fetters. In 1792-, the
town contained 107a inhabitants, be-
fides the new fuburb in the parifh of
Fettereffo.
STONEHOUSE; a parifh in La-
narkfhire, 5 miles' long, and on an a-
verage 2 broad, containing about 6000
acres. Of thefe there are about 13
acres of mofs, and 24 of muir ; the
remainder is all arable, except the
banks of the Clyde and Avon, which
are planted. The foil is fertile, being
chiefly a light loam, but mixed with
clay near the rivers. In the center of
the parifh is the village of Stone-
house, which lies 18 miles from Glaf-
gow, 7§ from Hamilton, and nearly
the fame diftance from Lanark. It
is chiefly inhabited by weavers, who,
with their families, make 593 fouls.
There is plenty of coal ; but none is
wrought at prefent. Limeftone and
freeftone are abundant, and of excel-
lent quality. In 1791, the population
was 1060; increafe 237 fince 1755.
STONYKIRK, (more properly
Stephenkirk) ; a parifh in Wig-
tonfhire, compofed of the united pa-
rifh es of Stony kirk, Cla/hank, and Tof-
carton. It lies on the W. coaft of
the bay of Luce, and contains about
17,000 acres; of which 700, lying on
the coaft, are fandy, and hardly capa-
ble of improvement ; the remainder
has a light and dry foil, tolerably fer-
tile. Within this parifh are no fewer
than 4 mills for dreffing flax, and an
extenfive bleachfield. There is a con-
fiderable fifhery of cod, falmon, and
mackarel. On the lands of Garth-
land, the property of Mr. Macdpwall,
is a fquare tower 45 feet high, and
having on its battlements the date
1274, faid to have been a feat of one
of the ancient Lords of Galloway,
Near it, too, are fome artificial mounds
or moats, of a circular form ; one of
which is 460 feet in circumference at
the bafe, 60 feet in height, and has a
curious excavation on the fummit.
In 1 7 9 1, the population was 1365 j
increafe 214 fince 1755.
3TORMONT ; a diftridt in Perth-
fhire, lying on the E. bank of the
Tay, and giving title of Vifcount to
the family of Murray.
Stormont; a fmall lake in th?
above diftri<5t, and parifh of Bendothy a