Gazetteer of Scotland > Volume 1

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CAMPBELLTOWN.
times is believed to have been an arm of the
sea, rendering Camelon, what the early writ-
ers represent it, a maritime city. In support
of this theory, fragments of anchors, and even
a whole ancient boat have been found imbed-
ded in the soil ; and the plough has more than
once turned up, upon the edge of a bank which
is pointed out as the quay of Camelon, stones
with rings attached to them, such as might be
used for mooring' the vessels lying in the har-
bour. The sea is now about three or four
miles distant from Camelon, and if conjecture
be correct regarding the formation of the
meadow land between it and the Firtb of
Forth, our theory is sustained relative to the
alluvial creatioii of the Carse land in this
part of the country. — See the article Carse.
CAMERON, a parish in Fife lying be-
twixt that of St. Andrews and Carnbee, oc-
cupying a square of about four miles. The
country here Ues high, and is generally bleak
and moorish, but is undergoing improvement.
Coal is raised in considerable quantities.
Cameron village hies four miles south of St.
Andrews. — Population in 1821, 1068.
CAMERON BRIDGE, a hamlet on
the road from Edinburgh to Dalkeith, about
a mile from the outskirts of the city.
CAMILLA, (LOCH) a small lake in the
southern part of Fife, parish of Auchtertool.
Near it stands the old house of Camilla.
CAMLACHIE, a large populous village,
lying near the eastern suburbs of Glasgow, on
the middle road to Edinburgh.
CAMPBELLTOWN, or CAMPBEL-
TON, a parish occupying the middle part of
the peninsula of Cantire, in Argyleshire ; in
length eleven miles, and in breadth from six to
ten. The centre is narrowed by the indenta-
tion of Campbelltown loch (or Loch of Kilker-
ran, as it formerly was called,) on the east
side, and Mahir-hanish bay on the west coast.
The country is bleak, and, though partly culti-
vated, consists mostly of low wild hills, desti-
tute of interest. — See Cantire.
Campbelltown, a royal burgh, the ca-
pital of the above parish, is as pleasantly si-
tuated as any in Scotland. It lies at the bot-
tom of a beautiful salt water lake, or inlet of
the sea, of about two miles in length by less
than one in breadth, which appears quite land-
locked, by reason of two conical insular hills
lying in the mouth of the bay, and intercepting
the view of the sea. The passage into the
loch is by the east side of the most easterly
island, — which is called Island-Devar. The
other islet may be approached by the sands at
low water. This pretty green lake is, at the
proper season, enlivened with numbers of small
herring fishing vessels, sometimes with a king's
cutter, or other vessel, and in general a few
pleasure boats, kept by gentlemen for the
amusements of sailing, and fishing with lines,
or dredging for oysters. A quay projecting
into the bay at the town answers as a place of
loading and unloading. The town of Camp-
belltown itself is mostly of modern erection,
and lies like a semicircle round the head of
the bay, with a number of gentlemen's seats or
cottages scattered at either end along tbe de-
clivities. The place is well protected from
the weather. Heights overhang the town in
nearly all directions, and the only low part of
the back ground is that in the direction of
Mahir-hanish bay, which has some appearance
of being alluvial. Besides the side streets,
Campbelltown has one main street, rising from
the waters, intersected at right angles by an-
other which goes through the town. The . re-
mains of the old ruined parish church are still
extant near the common burying-ground, on a
pleasant mound on the south side of the bay,
almost close to the water. Prior to the year
1700 this town was a mere fishing village. In
that year it was erected into a royal burgh,
through the interest of the Argyle family.
It has a magisterial government, of a provost,
two bailies, a dean of guild, a treasurer, a wa-
ter bailie, and twelve councillors, but no incor-
porated trades. It joins with Ayr, Irvine,
Rothesay, and Inverary in the election of a
member of parliament. The name of Camp-
belltown was conferred in compliment to the fa-
mily of Argyle. Anciently the town was
called Dalruadhain, (pronounced Dalaruan,)
from having been the capital of the pristine
Scottish kingdom, and the spot in which the
first Scots settled on their emigrating from
Ireland. Nothing now exists to signify such
distinguished antiquity; but the place must
still be acknowledged to have a high abstract
interest, when it is considered that the ancestof
of the present king of Great Britain, now
ruler of nearly a hundred millions of people,
here first set up his throne, a mere military
adventurer, in command of a few followers.
The only curiosity of an ancient date shown
to the stranger is a flat stone cross, on which