Topographical, statistical, and historical gazetteer of Scotland > Volume 1

INTRODUCTION.
A view of Scotland, introductory to a copious Gazetteer, must necessarily be very general.
Every natural, political, and ecclesiastical division of the country, each great cluster of
islands, every chain of heights and remarkable mountain or hill, each lake and river and
arm of the sea, every city, town, village, and conspicuous mansion, and every interesting
object, be it what it may, a landscape, an antiquity, a natural curiosity, or a work of art,
are so fully noticed in their regular places, that a general article has no scope for de-
scription, and needs not even to be studded with references. Yet such a rapid geogra-
phical outline as shall indicate the mutual relations of the parts, — some details which
refer strictly to the country as a whole, and a few particulars which, while belonging to
only some localities or to classes of objects, could not, without frequent repetition, be
inserted in the body of the work,— will form both suitable and pleasing materials for our
Introduction.
POSITION AND EXTENT.
Scotland is bounded on the north by the great North sea ; on the east by the German
ocean ; on the south-east by the liberties of Berwick, and by England ; on the south by the
Solway frith, and the Irish sea ; and on the west by the Atlantic ocean. The line of its
boundary on the south-east, from a point 31 miles north of Berwick to the head of the
Solway frith at the embouchure of the Sark, measures, inclusive of sinuosities, about 97
miles. This line has very numerous but not great windings ; and, over great part of its
length, is very capricious, and not physically marked. The curious reader may trace it
by reference to our articles on the counties of Berwick, Roxburgh, and Dumfries, whose
southern boundary-lines are identical with this. Popular language is utterly at fault in
speaking of Scotland as the part of Britain which lies north of the Tweed ; that river
running in the interior till 18 miles before it reaches the sea, and having on its left bank,
for the last 4 of these miles, the liberties of Berwick. Scotland, as to its mainland, lies
between 54° 41' and 58° 41' north latitude, and 1° 43' and 5° 38' west longitude ; and
including its islands, it extends to 60° 49' north latitude, and 8° 55' west longitude. The
greatest length of the mainland along the meridian, is from the Mull of Galloway, its
most southerly land, or south-west extremity, to Cape- Wrath, and in any possible direc-
tion, is from the same point, to Dunnet-head ; and it measures, in the former case, 274
miles, — in the latter, 280. Its breadth, from St. Abb's-head in Berwickshire to the
point of Knap in Argyleshire, is 134 miles ; from the mouth of the South Esk in Forfar-
shire to Ardnamurchan-point in Argyleshire, is 137 miles ; and from Buchanness in
Aberdeenshire to the extremity of Applecross in Ross-shire, is 146 miles. North of the
Moray frith, the greatest breadth, from Duncansby-head to Cape- Wrath, is only 70
miles ; and the least, from the Dornoch frith to Loch- Broom, is 36. The whole country
is so penetrated by friths and inlets of the sea, that it constantly and very widely varies
in breadth, and has no spot which is upwards of 40 miles inland. Owing partly to the
great irregularity of outline, both in the mainland and in the islands, and partly to the
want of accurate surveys, hardly any two statements agree as to the extent of Scotland's
area. According to a report made to the Board of Agriculture, — probably the best
authority which can be followed, — its cultivated lands amount to 5,043,450 English
acres, and those uncultivated to 13,900,550 : jointly, 18,944,000 English acres, or
29,600 square miles. Of this area, about 4,000 square miles belong to the islands ; and,
in addition to it, 638 square miles are occupied by lakes and rivers.