Gazetteer of Scotland

MEI
before the junction of that river with
the Conon.
M£IGLE ; a parish in Perthshire,
lying in the centre of Strathmore, a-
bout 4^ miles long, and from 1 to 2
broad. It is watered by the Isla and
the Dean, which unites with the form-
er about half a mile N. W. of the
town of Meigle. The surface is level,
and the soil fertile and well cultiva-
ted. The town of Meigle is plea-
santly situated in the middle of the
parish, on a small rivulet of the same
name, in the centre of two turnpike
roads, 12 miles N. W. from Dundee,
e\ N. E. of Cupar, and 5f S. W. of
Glarn-niss* It is an ancient town,
bu* is meanly built, and contains only
271 inhabitants. It has 2 well at-
tended annual fairs. There are S-
beautiful seats, particularly Belmont
Castle, the gardens and fine inclosures
of which conspire to render it the
most delightful residence in Strath-
more. Drumkilbo and Klnloch are
pleasantly situated ; but the latter is in
a ruinous condition. In the church-
yard of Meigle are the remains of the
grand sepulchral monument of Vano-
ra, said to have been the wife of
Prince Arthur of England, whose
history is involved in fables. In an
engagement between the English and
the Picts, about the middle of the
sixth century, she was taken prisoner,
and carried to Angus, where she died.
The monument, which is now near-
ly destroyed, was composed of many
stones, covered with a variety of hie-
roglyphic figures, of which Mr. Pen-
nant has given accurate drawings.
Barry hill, the supposed place of Va-
nora's confinement, is elevated 688
feet above the level of the sea ; and on
its summit are the remains of an ex-
tensive encampment, some of the
stones of which have a vitrifiecV ap-
pearance. Population in 1801, 946.
MEIKLY (LOCH) ; a lake in the
parish of Urquhart, Inverness-shire,
about a mile long, and half a mile
broad. It is surrounded with woods,
interspersed with cultivated fields,
and ornamented with neat gentlemens
seats, forming a delightful and ro-
mantic landscape. It discharges it-
self into Lech Ness, near the church of
Kilrnore, by the small river Ennerick,
;i r hicli, in it6 course, forms several wa-
MEL
terfalls, some of which are extreme!/
magnificent.
MELD RUM; a parish in Aber-
deenshire, about 5 miles in length,
and from 2 to 4 in breadth, contain-
ing nearly 6000 Scots acres. In the
S. part of the parish the soil is a strong
rich loam, upon clay, exceedingly fer-
tile : in the N. part the soil is thinner*
and less fertile. The whole is sus-
ceptible of culture, with the excep-
tion of the mosses, which yield fuel
to the neighbourhood. Agriculture'
13 yet in its infancy ; but of late many
improvements in that branch have
been introduced. There are several
excellent quarries of granite. Mel-
drum, the seat of Mr. Urquhart, de-
serves to be mentioned for its delight-
ful situation. Population in 1801»
1584.
MELDRUM (OLD) ; a consider
rabie town in the parish of Meldrunv
situated about 17 miles from Aber-
deen, on the road from that place to
Banff. It is a borough of barony, go-
verned by 2 bailies, elected by Miv
Urquhart of Meldrum, the superior.
It has a good weekly market, and one-
well attended fair in January. No
particular branch of trade has been
established in it ; though, from its ;
local situation, it seems well adapted
for either the linen or thread manu-
facture. It contains about 730 inha-
bitants.
; MELGAM, or MELGUNS ; a con-
siderable stream in the county of An*-
gus.. It takes its rise about the N.
W. boundary of the parish of Glen-
trathen, and, forming a cataract near
the church of that parish, after a circuit
tous course in a rocky channel, during
which it receives innumerable streams.,
falls into the Isla under the walls or
Airly Castle.
MELGIN. Fide Melc-am.
MELLERSTAIN; a village in Ber-
wickshire, in the parish of Earlstoun ?
near which is a ridge of hills of the
same name.
MELROSE ; a considerable town
in Roxburghshire, pleasantly situated
on the N. side and bottom of the
Eildon hills, upon the side of a fer-
tile vale about a mile in length, inter-
sected by the river Tweed, which
winds through it in a serpentine di-
rection, and surrounded by hillsof m<r-