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DALRY.
183
ed to be hanged for murdering a man in Dal-
keith, but could not be strangled, and that at
last, wearing out the patience of his execution-
ers, he was buried alive, when " there was
such a rumbling and tumbling in his grave,
that the very earth was raised, and the mools
[mould] were so heaved up that they could
hardly keep them down. After this his house
at the east end of the town [as a matter of
course] was frequented with a ghost." At
the present day, the people of Dalkeith, though
far from superstitious, are firmly of belief that
the town is haunted by a spirit or some species
of preternatural being. Nothing, certainly, is
now seen, but something is often heard. The
spirit is called Bittling Kate, from sounds being
emitted in the night-time, resembling those
made by a woman beating clothes with a bittle.
The noises are not continuous. They are
quite intermittent, and seem to flit to different
parts of the town. The householders are
now so accustomed to this strange visitant, that
it has ceased to be cared about even by child-
ren. It is impossible for us to deny the exis-
tence of Bittling Kate, for the soimd of her
m allet nightly disturbs the silence of the town,
and her fame is extended over a large district
of country; but we maybe pardoned in the
supposition, that her vagaries may be attribut-
ed simply to the evolutions of subterraneous
water and air, intermittent, and taking new di-
rections according to the pressure, while the
noises so produced are only heard in the night
season, when quietness prevails. — Population
of the town and parish in 1821, 5169.
DALLAS, a parish in the centre of the
county of Moray, twelve miles in length by
nine in breadth, consisting chiefly of a valley,
through which the Lossie winds in a norther-
ly direction. The hills are heathy and pas-
toral Popidation in 1821, 1015.
DALMALLY, a small village beside
Glenorchy Kirk, at the head of Loch Awe,
Argyleshire, lying ten miles west of the inn of
Tyndrum, and sixteen north of Inverary.
DALMELLINGTON, or DALMEL-
INGTON, a parish in Ayrshire, eight miles
in length, by from two to three in breadth, lying
on the north bank of the river Doon, from
which the land gradually rises. The low
grounds are generally cultivated, and the high
lands are pastoral. A part of Loch Doon is
in the parish. Coal, limestone, and ironstone
are in great abundance. The village of Dal-
mellington is a neat thriving place, lying in a
secluded low situation on the north bank of
the Water of Doon, about sixteen miles south-
east from Ayr. It has now several cotton and
woollen manufactories. Close to the town,
and almost within its precincts, is one of those
artificial pyramidal mounts which are so com-
mon in Scotland, under the name of Moot-hills,
having been used in early times as places for
dispensing law — Population in 1821, 976.
DALMENY, a parish in Linlithgowshire,
on the shore of the Firth of Forth, lying im-
mediately west of Cramond, bounded on the
south by Kirkliston, and on the west and north-
west by Abercorn and South Queensfeny.
In length it is four miles, and in breadth from
two to three. The surface is undulating. By
good farming, the land is well cultivated and
productive. It is well enclosed and planted.
The parish has excellent quarries of freestone.
The small district of Auldcathie,once an inde-
pendent parish, lying apart from it on the
west, is now incorporated with it. On the
shore, the plantations of the Earl of Roseber-
ry enrich the landscape. His ancient castle
or tower of Barnbougle, originally the seat of
the Mowbrays, stands within sea mark, and is
a striking object from the Forth. A little to
the east, embosomed in trees, is situated
his modern mansion-house. Besides this
sea% the parish is adorned by Craigie Hall ;
Dundas Castle, which has been in the family
of Dundas since the year 1 120 ; Duddingstone,
and others. The church of Dalmeny is a
very ancient structure, and is one of the very
few in Scotland which exhibit any traces of the
Saxon style of architecture. Perhaps it is
worthy of remark, that the church of the next
parish, (Kirkliston) also exhibits a Saxon or
circular door-way. — Population in 1824, 1495.
DALNACARDOCH, an inn forming a
principal stage on the great road from Edin-
burgh to Inverness, situated on the river Gar-
ry, in the north-west of Perthshire, at the dis-
tance of eighty-five miles from Edinburgh,
and seventy from Inverness.
DALRY, a parish in the stewartry of Kirk-
cudbright, lying on the east bank of the river
Ken, having Carsphairn on the west, Sanquhar
on the north, and Balmaclellan on the south-
east. It extends to a length of fifteen miles,
and its breadth is about ten. The district is
nearly altogether pastoral and hilly. Planta,
tions are on the increase, and proper cultiva-
183
ed to be hanged for murdering a man in Dal-
keith, but could not be strangled, and that at
last, wearing out the patience of his execution-
ers, he was buried alive, when " there was
such a rumbling and tumbling in his grave,
that the very earth was raised, and the mools
[mould] were so heaved up that they could
hardly keep them down. After this his house
at the east end of the town [as a matter of
course] was frequented with a ghost." At
the present day, the people of Dalkeith, though
far from superstitious, are firmly of belief that
the town is haunted by a spirit or some species
of preternatural being. Nothing, certainly, is
now seen, but something is often heard. The
spirit is called Bittling Kate, from sounds being
emitted in the night-time, resembling those
made by a woman beating clothes with a bittle.
The noises are not continuous. They are
quite intermittent, and seem to flit to different
parts of the town. The householders are
now so accustomed to this strange visitant, that
it has ceased to be cared about even by child-
ren. It is impossible for us to deny the exis-
tence of Bittling Kate, for the soimd of her
m allet nightly disturbs the silence of the town,
and her fame is extended over a large district
of country; but we maybe pardoned in the
supposition, that her vagaries may be attribut-
ed simply to the evolutions of subterraneous
water and air, intermittent, and taking new di-
rections according to the pressure, while the
noises so produced are only heard in the night
season, when quietness prevails. — Population
of the town and parish in 1821, 5169.
DALLAS, a parish in the centre of the
county of Moray, twelve miles in length by
nine in breadth, consisting chiefly of a valley,
through which the Lossie winds in a norther-
ly direction. The hills are heathy and pas-
toral Popidation in 1821, 1015.
DALMALLY, a small village beside
Glenorchy Kirk, at the head of Loch Awe,
Argyleshire, lying ten miles west of the inn of
Tyndrum, and sixteen north of Inverary.
DALMELLINGTON, or DALMEL-
INGTON, a parish in Ayrshire, eight miles
in length, by from two to three in breadth, lying
on the north bank of the river Doon, from
which the land gradually rises. The low
grounds are generally cultivated, and the high
lands are pastoral. A part of Loch Doon is
in the parish. Coal, limestone, and ironstone
are in great abundance. The village of Dal-
mellington is a neat thriving place, lying in a
secluded low situation on the north bank of
the Water of Doon, about sixteen miles south-
east from Ayr. It has now several cotton and
woollen manufactories. Close to the town,
and almost within its precincts, is one of those
artificial pyramidal mounts which are so com-
mon in Scotland, under the name of Moot-hills,
having been used in early times as places for
dispensing law — Population in 1821, 976.
DALMENY, a parish in Linlithgowshire,
on the shore of the Firth of Forth, lying im-
mediately west of Cramond, bounded on the
south by Kirkliston, and on the west and north-
west by Abercorn and South Queensfeny.
In length it is four miles, and in breadth from
two to three. The surface is undulating. By
good farming, the land is well cultivated and
productive. It is well enclosed and planted.
The parish has excellent quarries of freestone.
The small district of Auldcathie,once an inde-
pendent parish, lying apart from it on the
west, is now incorporated with it. On the
shore, the plantations of the Earl of Roseber-
ry enrich the landscape. His ancient castle
or tower of Barnbougle, originally the seat of
the Mowbrays, stands within sea mark, and is
a striking object from the Forth. A little to
the east, embosomed in trees, is situated
his modern mansion-house. Besides this
sea% the parish is adorned by Craigie Hall ;
Dundas Castle, which has been in the family
of Dundas since the year 1 120 ; Duddingstone,
and others. The church of Dalmeny is a
very ancient structure, and is one of the very
few in Scotland which exhibit any traces of the
Saxon style of architecture. Perhaps it is
worthy of remark, that the church of the next
parish, (Kirkliston) also exhibits a Saxon or
circular door-way. — Population in 1824, 1495.
DALNACARDOCH, an inn forming a
principal stage on the great road from Edin-
burgh to Inverness, situated on the river Gar-
ry, in the north-west of Perthshire, at the dis-
tance of eighty-five miles from Edinburgh,
and seventy from Inverness.
DALRY, a parish in the stewartry of Kirk-
cudbright, lying on the east bank of the river
Ken, having Carsphairn on the west, Sanquhar
on the north, and Balmaclellan on the south-
east. It extends to a length of fifteen miles,
and its breadth is about ten. The district is
nearly altogether pastoral and hilly. Planta,
tions are on the increase, and proper cultiva-
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Gazetteers of Scotland, 1803-1901 > Gazetteer of Scotland > Volume 1 > (211) Page 183 |
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Permanent URL | https://digital.nls.uk/97426894 |
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Description | Volume I: Abbey to Glenartney. |
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Attribution and copyright: |
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Description | By Robert Chambers and William Chambers. Glasgow: Blackie & Son, 1838. 2 volumes. |
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Shelfmark | NF.1461.g.7 |
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