Gazetteer of Scotland > Volume 2

752
MACDUFF.
LYON, (LOCH) a small lake in the
western borders of Perthshire, parish of For-
tingal, from whence flows the river Lyon in an
easterly direction to the Tay, into which it
falls two miles below Kenmore- The vale
through which the river Lyon runs is called
Glen Lyon. Though the general character of
the glen is that of a narrow alpine valley, there
are some splendid views of widely extended
scenery, as well as much river landscape.
MAALMORIE, a promontory and islet
on the south-east coast of the island of Islay.
MABERRY, (LOCH) a small lake in
the northern part of Wigtonshire, lying be-
tween the parishes of Penningham and Kirk-
cowan. It possesses several islets, on one of
which are the ruins of a castle. It is emitted
by the river Bladenoch.
MACDUFF, a sea-port town in the pa-
rish of Gamrie, county of Banff, situated about
one and a half miles east from the town of
Banff, on the opposite side of the Deveron
river. This modern town has risen since
1732, from being little else than the huts of a
few fishermen, to be a place of respectable
size and considerable trade. It is built on the
property of the Earl of Fife, whose splendid
seat is situated in its neighbourhood, and to
this nobleman it has been indebted for a va-
riety of improvements conducive to its pros-
perity. Under him it was created a burgh of
barony by George III., and he laid out a vast
sum in the erection of a harbour, which is
reckoned one of the best in the Moray Firth.
From this excellence in its harbour, Macduff
has much more import and export traffic than
Banff; possessing upwards of a dozen vessels
which trade with London and the Baltic, be-
sides innumerable fishing boats. The princi-
pal exports are corn, salmon, codfish, and gra-
nite. The town, which in 1821 contained
about 1500 inhabitants, is built on the side of
a hill descending towards the shore. The
church, or rather chapel of ease, occupies a
conspicuous situation on the eminence, and
Lord Fife has ornamented its precincts with a
cross, which has a fine effect at a little dis-
tance on either side, being relieved conspicu-
ously against the sky. The town contains a
grammar school, and a town-house and jail.
Macduff is accessible from Banff by a handsome
bridge across the Deveron, from which, look-
ing up the watc, a fine view is obtained.
MACDUIE, (BEN) a lofty mountain on
the confines of the counties of Inverness and
Aberdeen.
MACH AIG, (LOCH) a small lake in the
parish of Kilmadock (Doune,) Perthshire,
environed in fine woody scenery.
MACH ANY, a rivulet in Perthshire, pa-
rish of Muthill, falling into the Earn, above
the bridge of Kinkell.
MA CHAR, (NEW) a parish in Aberdeen-
shire, bounded on the east by Belhelvie, which
separates it from the sea, on the south by Old
Machar and Dyce, and on the west by Fintray.
On its northern quarter lie the lands of Stra-
loch, which form part of the parish, but belong
to Banffshire, though far separated from that
county. The length of the parish is about
nine miles, by two and a half in breadth. The
country is generally rather flat, and the soil,
though varying in different parts, is mostly ara-
ble. On the southern quarter, the district is
bounded by the Don river, and here it exhibits
some fine plantations. Near the boundary with
Old Machar is a small lake called Bishop's
Loch, in which, upon an islet, the bishops of
Aberdeen had once a residence. The ancient
name of the parish was the Upper Parochin of
St. Machar. The saint here alluded to was
the person to whom the cathedral in Old
Aberdeen was dedicated, and this district was
part of the deanery attached to that establish-
ment. On a moor within the parish an en-
gagement took place between the Royalists and
Covenanters in 1447, in which the latter were
victorious. — Population in 1821, 1183.
MACHAR. (OLD) See Aberdeen.
(Old)
MADDERTY, a parish in the district ol
Strathearn, Perthshire, bounded on the north
by Foul is, on the east by Gask, on the south
by Trinity Gask, and on the west by Crieff.
The paris i, which extends five and a half
miles in length, by rather more at the widest