Gazetteer of Scotland

ABE
parish of Aberdeen (Old), or Old Ma-
char, is of considerable extent, being
about 8 miles long from E. to W., and
from 4 to 5 broad* comprehending the
space (except that occupied by the
town of New Aberdeen) which lies
between the rivers Dee and Don. The
surface is agreeably diversified by ris-
ing grounds, interspersed with gentle-
mens seats, villas, plantations, and nu-
merous manufactures^ Over the Don
there is a fine, bridge of one Gothic
arch, built by Bishop Gheyne, in 1281,
The arch is 67 feet span, and 84§ feet
high from the surface of the river.
Near the banks of the Don, a rich
vein of manganeze has been lately
opened, and promises to be of consi-
derable value. Population of the town
and parish in 1801, 9911i
ABE RD OUR ; a parish ift Aber-
deenshire, in the district of Buchan.
Its form is very irregular, extending
along the shores of the Moray Frith,
from E. to W. 6-| miles, and from N.
to S. its greatest extent is nearly 10 :
but in many places the breadth is not
more than a mile and a half. The
surface is uneven, being formed into
three dens or hollows, in the bottom
of which run the burns or rivulets of
Auchmedden, Aberdour, and Troup.
These small rivulets, at their actuaries
into the Frith, form a like number of
creeks for boats, at which are built 3'
fishing villages. At the mouth of the
burn of Auchmedden, about 60 years
ago, there was a small and convenient
harbour, sheltered by a pier, where
small vessels used to winter and deliver
cargoes ; but, from being neglected, is
now totally destroyed, and the stones
which formed the piers being washed
into the former bason, it is with
difficulty that fishing boasts can enter,
especially if there is any considerable
toughness of the sea. Upon a rocky
precipice, rising 68 feet perpendicular
to the beach of the coast, is the ruin
of the ancient castle of Dundargue.
It was a place of great consequence
in the feudal times, and is noted for
a long siege, in 1:336, when Henry de
Beaumont, theEnglish Earl.of Buchan,
was obliged to capitulate to Andrew
Murray, regent of Scotland, during
the captivity of King David Bruce.
The soil of the parish of Aberdour is
exceedingly various ; the greater part
is moss and muir, interspersed with
AfiE
small patches of cultivated land. The
only plantations are around Aberdour
House. Two millstone quarries of
excellent quality are wrought to good
account. Population in 1801* 1304.
ABERDOUR; a parish in Fife-
shire, forming a square of about S|
miles, lying along the N. bank of the
Frith of Forth. It is divided into two
districts by a small rigde of hills, run-
ning from E. to W. Of these the N.
district is wet, cold, poorly cultivated,
and altogether unsheltered^ by inclo-
sures, while the S. is fertile, and a-
griculture is vrell attended to. The
town of Aberdour has a good har-
bour on the Forth, about 10 miles N.
W. of Edinburgh, and contains about
840 inhabitants. It is a place of con-
siderable antiquity. In the 12th cen-
tury it belonged to the family of the
Uiponts, frdm which it went to the
Mortimers by marriage, and after-
wards to the Douglases, one of whom,
in 1457, was created Lord Aberdour
and Earl of Morton. The nuns, com-
monly called Poor Clares, had a con-
vent here ; and there is an hospital
for four widows, founded by Anne
Gountess of Moray. The ^chief ma-
nufacture is of coarse tickings or
checks ; and, of late, a small manu-
facture of spades, shovels, and other
iron utensils, has been established.
The small island of Inch-Colm, upon
which are the ruins of a monastery,
founded in the 12th century by Alex-
ander I. belongs to this parish. {Vide
Inch-Colm.) The venerable old cas-
tle of Aberdour, the property of the
Earl of Morton, rising amidst spreading
trees, stands on the eastern border of
the parish,on the banks of a rivulet,
which, winding beautifully in front,
shortly falls into the Frith of Forth.
Towards the N. of the castle, is the ele-
gant mansion of Hillside, commanding
different views of the Forth, and ex-
hibiting the richest and most diversi-
fied prospects. The minerals are coal,
limestone, freestone, and ironstone,
all of which are abundant. Popula-
tion in 1801, 1620.
ABERFELDIE ; a small but im-
proving village in the county of Perth.
It is situated on the banks of the Tay,
about 6 miles from Kenmore. The
situation is very romantic, surrounded
with thick woods of hazel and birch,
and having the burn of Moness, on,
B