Gazetteer of Scotland

TOR
and fertile ; and, on the eastern bor-
der, the ground rises into black moory
hills. The arable lands are mostly
inclosed, arid well cultivated. Marl
is found in great abundance. There
are 2 small villages, viz. Torthorwald,
containing 135 inhababitants, and
Roucan containing 143. The ruin-
ous castle of Skrimple is beautifully
situated, and is supposed to have
been built about the 12th century.
There are the, vestiges of 2 circular
camps, and a druidical temple. Po-
pulation in 1801, 703.
TOR WOOD; a small forest in
Stirlingshire, and parish of Larbert
and Dunipace, noted for having af-
forded shelter to Sir William Wal-
lace after his defeat in the north.
The remains of the tree are still to be
observed, in the hollow of which that
hero secreted himself.
TOUGH ; a parish in Aberdeen-
shire, about 22 miles distant from the
county town, 5 miles long, and s
broad. The surface is irregular ; but
the rising grounds are mostly arable.
The soil is in general light and shal-
low, but interspersed with fields of
deep rich loam or moss. Those hills
which are not under culture afford
excellent sheep pasture. Several large
cairns, and some druidical temples
may be seen in this district. One of
the latter, on a hill about two miles
from the church, still retains the name
of « The old Kirk of Tough." Ton-
ley, the residence of Mr. Byres, is the
only seat in the parish. Population
in 1801, 629.
T O W I E or TOWIE-KINBAT-
TOCK ; a parish in Aberdeenshire,
about s^ miles long, and 2 broad,
watered by the Don, which is here
only an inconsiderable rivulet. The
general appearance is hilly ; and the
hills are mostly covered with heath.
By the river side the soil, though not
deep, is tolerably fertile ; the other
arable lands have a wet cold soil.
There is plenty of freestone and gra-
nite in the parish. Population in
ISO), 528.
TRAILFLAT ; a parish in Dum-
fries-shire, united to Tinwald in 1650.
Vide Tinwald.
TRAL1G (LOCH); a small lake
in Argyllshire, in the parish of Kilnin-
ver, which discharges its waters by
the Oude into the sound of Mull.
TH A
TRANENT; a parish in Hadding-
tonshire, about 6 miles long, and 3
broad, lying on the Frith of Forth.
The surface is level, and, except a
small extent of links or downs and
100 acres of commonty, the whole i£
cultivated. The soil, especially to-
wards the coast, is interior to none in
Scotland. The sea coast is perfectly
flat and sandy, except the rocky
ground where the villages of Port-Se-
ton and Cockenzie are built. At the
former tillage is a small harbour,
which, previous to the Union, was a
place of considerable resort. The
coast abounds with oyster beds, which
have been nearly exhausted by over-
dredging. At Port-Seton, a manufac-
tory of fine salt was established by
Dr. Swediaur, but it did not succeed.
At Cockenzie the manufacture of
common salt is carried on to a great
extent, there being always 51 or 13
pans at work. The most considerable
distillery in "Scotland is carried on at
St. Clement's Wells, in this parish,
which pays upwards of 40001. of duty
annually to government. The town
of Tranent is pleasantly situated on.
the great E. road from Edinburgh, a-
bout 8 miles distant from the metro-
polis. It is a neatly built town, and,
is reputed to be exceedingly healthy.
The church is an old Gothic building,"
with a square tower in the middle.
The town, in 1792, contained 13«»
inhabitants. Near the town formerly
stood the princely ruins of Seton
House, the residence of the Earls of
Winton. Upon the attainder of the
late Earl, in 1715, the estate fell to
the crown, by whom it was sold to
the York Buildings Company, who
suffered the house to fall into decay-
In 1790 the whole was taken down,,
and a new mansion built in the cas-
tellated form, on a plan of the late
Mr. Adams.. At the small village of
Seton a collegiate church was found-
ed, in 1493, by George Lord Seton ft
which is still pretty entire. The most
ancient edifice in the parish is St»
German's, the seat of David Ander-
son, Esq. where there was an hospital
founded before the year 1296, an<f
afterwards possessed by the Knights
of St. John of Jerusalem. The bat-
tle of Preston, in 1745, was fought
partly in this parish, the scene of ac-
tion lying about half a mile N. ef the