Gazetteer of Scotland

KTL
KILL. ; a rivulet in Ayrshire, Which
falls int^ the river Ayr, in the parish
of Stair.
KILLALLAN. JWt Houston.
KILLARROW ; a parish in Argyll-
shire, in the island of Hay, united to
Kilmeny, and frequently termed Bow-
more, from the name of the village in
which the church is situated. It is
about 18 miles long, and 8 broad;
and the surface is partly low, and
partly hilly, and covered with heath.
Bowmore is situated on the banks of
an arm of the sea called Lochindale,
into which the river Killarfovv dis-
charges itself. The parish is watered
by the river Luggan, which empties
itself into a bay of the same name.
In this parish is situated the elegant
residence of Mr. Campbell of Shaw-
field, the proprietor of the whole isl-
and. Population in 1801, 2781.
KILLASAY ; one of the small He-
brides, on the W. coast of Lewis.
KILLBRANDON and KlLL-
CHATTAN. Vide Kilbrandon
and KlLCHATTAN.
KILLEAN and KILCHENZIE ;
an united parish in Argyllshire, in.
the district of Kintyre, about 18 miles
in length, and 4 in breadth. The soil
along the coaet of the Atlantic ocean
is sandy and sharp, but, when well
manured, produces good crops of
barley, oats, and potatoes : higher up
the soil becomes mossy, and in the
hills there is little green pasture* being
mostly covered with heath. There
are several Danish forts, some rude
obelisks, and the remains of a vitrified
tower. One of the obelisks measures
16 feet above ground, and is 4 feet
broad, and l\ thick. Population of
the united parish in 1801* 2520.
KILLEARN ; a parish in Stirling,
shire, . in the western extremity of
Strathblane* It is 12 miles in length,
and on an average 2| in breadth. The
.soil is various, but generally fertile,
and the surrounding scenery is highly
picturesque and beautiful. It is wa-
tered by the Blane and Endrick, on
the latter of which is the village of
Killearn, containing about 230 inha-
bitants. The parish contains, many
seats, which, with their extensive
pleasure grounds, give it a rich and
ornamented appearance. The Place
of Killearn, Cray, Ballinkrain, Bal-
quhain, and Carbeth, are elegant resi-
KIL
dences. The woods produce grea^.
numbersof indigenous plants, of which
Mr. Ure, in his statistical report, gives
a list. There are some fine large yew
trees, which are frequented by the"
motaciUa regu/us, or golden-crested
wren, the smallest bird in Europe,
This parish afforded a safe retreat to
the brave Sir William Wallace, when
the power of Edward I. over-run Scot-
land 5 Napier of Merchiston resided
in it, at Gartness, while he made his
logarithmical calculations; and it gave
birth to George Buchanan, the cele-
brated poet and historian, to whose
memory a beautiful monument has
been erected by voluntary subscrip-
tion. It is an obelisk of white free-
stone, 19 feet square at the base, and
103 feet high, tapering to a point* si-
tuated in the village of Killearn, from
whence it is visible to a great distance;
The foundation was laid in 1788* and
it wa9 completed in the year follow-
ing. The house in which this great
man was born is about two miles from
the village. Considered as a building,
it is far from 'being conspicuous, al-
though it is no worse than the ordi-
nary farm-houses in this part of the
country. It has been partly rebuilt
since the year 1506, when Buchanan
was born ; but the present proprietor
has been anxious to preserve the an-<
cient construction and appearance of
the house. Population in 1801, 1039.
KILLEARNAN ; a parish in Ross-
shife, extending 6 miles in length, and
2 in breadth. The soil is various, but
in general favourable for cultivation.
Agricultural improvements are very
backward: the system of alternate
cropping of oats and barley greatly
impoverish the ground ; and it is said
that, except on the farms of the pro-
prietor's, there is not a plough in the*
parish Worth more than 6 or 7 shil-
lings. There are numerous cairns and
tumuli, some of which are of uncom-
mon magnitude. The mansion-houses
of Redcastle and Kilcoy have evident-
ly been built more for defence than
for elegance or comfortable accom-
modation. Population in 1801, 1131.
KILLICRANKIE ; a noted pass in
the Highlands of Athol, near the junc-
tion of the Tummel with the Garry |
It is formed by the lofty mountains
impending over the Garry, which
rushes below in a dark, deep, ami
Oo