Topographical, statistical, and historical gazetteer of Scotland > Volume 1
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XVM INTRODUCTION.
Eildons, and Ruberslaw (the last, near 1,500 feet high), maj be cited as examples.
But in the great central valley of Scotland, beginning at Montrose on the east coast,
trap hills appear in patches in the old red sandstone, passing in an irregular line to the
frith of Tay, from the south-eastern extremity of which they proceed in a south-westerly
course, without interruption, but varying greatly in breadth, through Dunning, Kinross,
and Stirling, to Dumbarton. Another line, but less continuous, commences about
Cupar, near St. Andrews, along the coasts of Fifeshire, and appears in groups about
Linlithgow, Bathgate, near Glasgow, onwards to Paisley, and thence to Greenock, where
it is greatly expanded, and turns north to the banks of the Clyde, nearly opposite the
Dumbarton range. A third parallel range, also in interrupted masses, commences at
Dunbar, is continued in the Pentlands, Tintoc, and other hills in Lanarkshire,- and in
Ayrshire, about Kilmarnock, Ayr, and New Cumnock. In Galloway, trap is in some
parts greatly expanded. A few of those localities may be mentioned, as we are not
aware that any public notice has yet been given of its existence in those parts. A dyke
of greenstone occurs near Kirkcolmpoint in greywacke, at the western extremity of Loch-
Ryan ; Cairn-Pat, between Stranraer and Port- Patrick, is also greenstone ; and thence,
the greywacke of the whole coast to the Mull of Galloway is intersected by dykes and
hills of several varieties of trap. On the northern side of Loch- Ryan, it is seen involved
amongst the roofing slates of the Cairn ; and a range of trap hills extends thence, rising
through the greywacke, flanking the edge of the loch, taking a south-easterly direction,
passing by Castle- Kennedy to the north, and onwards to New- Luce. Here it expands
to an enormous extent in every direction ; to the south it approaches Glenluce-bay. At
Knocky-bay, a short distance north of New- Luce, a lead mine was at one time worked,
but becoming unproductive, was abandoned. It may, however, be observed, that the
greatest development of trap is in the great central coal district, where it has fractured
the strata, and raised the edges of the coal seams to the surface, an important natural
operation, by which coal and its other useful accompaniments, ironstone, limestone, and
building materials, have been made known and accessible. In the trap rocks of Scot-
land many interesting minerals are found. The far-famed Scotch agate or pebble,
abounds in nodules included in trap, near Montrose, Perth, and other places ; and many
of the most beautiful of the zeolites are found among the hills around Dumbarton, the
opposite side of the Clyde, and in many other localities.
" The coal-fields constitute the principal mineral treasures of Scotland. The great
coal district extends across the island from the eastern corner, or, as the district is termed
in Lowland Scotch, the ' East Neuk ' of Fife, to the mouth of the Clyde in Dumbarton-
shire on the west, and into East-Lothian on the east. It is not, however, continuous
throughout the whole distance, but consists rather of a succession of large detached coal-
fields. Its superficial extent has been estimated at nearly 1,000 square miles ; and it
has also been calculated that, according to the present consumption, it may be worked
with advantage during 3,000 years. The Fife coal-field, north of the Forth, extends
from Stirling to St. Andrews, and is in some places 10 miles broad. The richest portion
of it lies between Dysart and Alloa. The Lothian coal-field, on the south and east of
Edinburgh, is about 25 miles in length, with a breadth of five or six, and covers an area
of 80 square miles. To the westward of Edinburgh there is no coal for several miles ;
but at Bathgate, workable beds are found, which extend westward, with some interrup-
tions, to the neighbourhood of Glasgow, forming the great coal-field of Lanarkshire.
The Clyde and the Forth form the boundaries of this field ; but beyond Blantyre, the
coal extends on the south side of the Clyde to the Cathkin-hills. After passing Glasgow,
the coal-field stretches westward from the south bank of the Clyde, and occupies the
valley in the line of the Ardrossan canal, extending through Renfrewshire to Dairy in
Ayrshire ; the most southerly point being at Girvan. Several small fields occur at dif-
ferent parts of the south of Scotland, particularly at Sanquhar, in Dumfries-shire, and
Canoby ; in the same county, on the borders of England. Coal is found also at Brora in
Sutherlandshire, and Campbelton in Cantyre f but in insignificant quantities. Besides
the fossil fuel yielded by the coal-fields, ironstone of excellent quality abounds in many
of them ; and is smelted to a great amount, and manufactured into articles suited for
every useful purpose, at the great works of Carron, Shotts, Cleland, Airdrie, Clyde,
Wilsontown, Muirkirk, Glenbuck, and some other places. It is the abundance and
cheapness of coal in its vicinity that has enabled Glasgow to rival Manchester as a manu-
facturing emporium. Next to coal and ironstone, the most valuable mineral product of
Eildons, and Ruberslaw (the last, near 1,500 feet high), maj be cited as examples.
But in the great central valley of Scotland, beginning at Montrose on the east coast,
trap hills appear in patches in the old red sandstone, passing in an irregular line to the
frith of Tay, from the south-eastern extremity of which they proceed in a south-westerly
course, without interruption, but varying greatly in breadth, through Dunning, Kinross,
and Stirling, to Dumbarton. Another line, but less continuous, commences about
Cupar, near St. Andrews, along the coasts of Fifeshire, and appears in groups about
Linlithgow, Bathgate, near Glasgow, onwards to Paisley, and thence to Greenock, where
it is greatly expanded, and turns north to the banks of the Clyde, nearly opposite the
Dumbarton range. A third parallel range, also in interrupted masses, commences at
Dunbar, is continued in the Pentlands, Tintoc, and other hills in Lanarkshire,- and in
Ayrshire, about Kilmarnock, Ayr, and New Cumnock. In Galloway, trap is in some
parts greatly expanded. A few of those localities may be mentioned, as we are not
aware that any public notice has yet been given of its existence in those parts. A dyke
of greenstone occurs near Kirkcolmpoint in greywacke, at the western extremity of Loch-
Ryan ; Cairn-Pat, between Stranraer and Port- Patrick, is also greenstone ; and thence,
the greywacke of the whole coast to the Mull of Galloway is intersected by dykes and
hills of several varieties of trap. On the northern side of Loch- Ryan, it is seen involved
amongst the roofing slates of the Cairn ; and a range of trap hills extends thence, rising
through the greywacke, flanking the edge of the loch, taking a south-easterly direction,
passing by Castle- Kennedy to the north, and onwards to New- Luce. Here it expands
to an enormous extent in every direction ; to the south it approaches Glenluce-bay. At
Knocky-bay, a short distance north of New- Luce, a lead mine was at one time worked,
but becoming unproductive, was abandoned. It may, however, be observed, that the
greatest development of trap is in the great central coal district, where it has fractured
the strata, and raised the edges of the coal seams to the surface, an important natural
operation, by which coal and its other useful accompaniments, ironstone, limestone, and
building materials, have been made known and accessible. In the trap rocks of Scot-
land many interesting minerals are found. The far-famed Scotch agate or pebble,
abounds in nodules included in trap, near Montrose, Perth, and other places ; and many
of the most beautiful of the zeolites are found among the hills around Dumbarton, the
opposite side of the Clyde, and in many other localities.
" The coal-fields constitute the principal mineral treasures of Scotland. The great
coal district extends across the island from the eastern corner, or, as the district is termed
in Lowland Scotch, the ' East Neuk ' of Fife, to the mouth of the Clyde in Dumbarton-
shire on the west, and into East-Lothian on the east. It is not, however, continuous
throughout the whole distance, but consists rather of a succession of large detached coal-
fields. Its superficial extent has been estimated at nearly 1,000 square miles ; and it
has also been calculated that, according to the present consumption, it may be worked
with advantage during 3,000 years. The Fife coal-field, north of the Forth, extends
from Stirling to St. Andrews, and is in some places 10 miles broad. The richest portion
of it lies between Dysart and Alloa. The Lothian coal-field, on the south and east of
Edinburgh, is about 25 miles in length, with a breadth of five or six, and covers an area
of 80 square miles. To the westward of Edinburgh there is no coal for several miles ;
but at Bathgate, workable beds are found, which extend westward, with some interrup-
tions, to the neighbourhood of Glasgow, forming the great coal-field of Lanarkshire.
The Clyde and the Forth form the boundaries of this field ; but beyond Blantyre, the
coal extends on the south side of the Clyde to the Cathkin-hills. After passing Glasgow,
the coal-field stretches westward from the south bank of the Clyde, and occupies the
valley in the line of the Ardrossan canal, extending through Renfrewshire to Dairy in
Ayrshire ; the most southerly point being at Girvan. Several small fields occur at dif-
ferent parts of the south of Scotland, particularly at Sanquhar, in Dumfries-shire, and
Canoby ; in the same county, on the borders of England. Coal is found also at Brora in
Sutherlandshire, and Campbelton in Cantyre f but in insignificant quantities. Besides
the fossil fuel yielded by the coal-fields, ironstone of excellent quality abounds in many
of them ; and is smelted to a great amount, and manufactured into articles suited for
every useful purpose, at the great works of Carron, Shotts, Cleland, Airdrie, Clyde,
Wilsontown, Muirkirk, Glenbuck, and some other places. It is the abundance and
cheapness of coal in its vicinity that has enabled Glasgow to rival Manchester as a manu-
facturing emporium. Next to coal and ironstone, the most valuable mineral product of
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Gazetteers of Scotland, 1803-1901 > Topographical, statistical, and historical gazetteer of Scotland > Volume 1 > (30) Page xviii |
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