Topographical, statistical, and historical gazetteer of Scotland > Volume 1
(378) Page 296
Download files
Complete book:
Individual page:
Thumbnail gallery: Grid view | List view
DAL
296
DAL
lation is employed in weaving linens for the Cupar
manufacturers. Population, in 1801, 550; in 1831,
605. Houses 133. Assessed property, in 1815,
.£4,827 This parish is in the synod of Fife, and
presbytery of Cupar. Patron, limes of Sandside.
Stipend ±'250 19s. 5d. ; glebe<-£ll. Unappropriated
teinds ±101 13s. 3d. Church seated for 319 —
Schoolmaster's salary .£34 12s. 4id. The parish-
school is near Middlefoodie. There is a female
school at Osnaburg, and a small school at Foodieash.
DAL AROSSIE, or Dalfergussie, that is, ' Fer-
gus's valley,' a district in the shire of Inverness,
formerly a vicarage, now united to the parish of
Moy. Church rebuilt in 1790. See Dyke and Mot.
DALAVICH, in the district of Lorn, and shire
of Argyle, an ancient parish now united to the par-
ish of Killchrenan. It is 17 miles south-west of
Dalmally. The population, in 1801 , was 486 ; and, in
1811, was 426. Near Loch Avich, in this district,
lay the scene of an ancient Celtic poem, translated
by Dr. Smith, called ' Catb-Luina,' or ' The Conflict
of Luina;' in the lake, is an island, the scene of
another poem, called ' Laoi Fraoich,' or ' The Death
ofFraoich;' and many places in this neighbourhood
are still denominated from Ossian's heroes. See
article Avich (Loch).
DALBEATTIE, a village in the parish of Urr
and stewartry of Kirkcudbright. It is situated on
Dalbeattie burn, 3 or 4 furlongs above its confluence
with Urr water. The village was commenced about
the year 1780, and advanced rapidly in prosperity.
It is built of a lively-coloured granite, and offers
high advantages, as to both garden-grounds and the
right of cutting peats, to feuars ; but is surrounded
with a country bleak, barren, and, in many respects,
unpropitious to manufacture or commerce. Though
vessels of small burden can come up from the sea,
Dalbeattie is not likely to become ever of commer-
cial importance.
DALCROSS. See Crot.
DALGAIN, the ancient name of the parish and
village of Sorn, in the district of Kyle, Ayrshire,
and still occasionally applied to the village. An
estate in the parish also retains the name. The vil-
lage, consisting of one row of houses, is situated on
the north side of the road from Ayr to Muirkirk, in
a beautiful holm, having the river Ayr in front, and
overhung from behind by a winding bank covered
with natural wood. It has annual fairs on the second
Tuesday of March, O. S., and on the first Monday
of November, N. S. Its inhabitants are chiefly agri-
cultural labourers, colliers, and quarriers. Popula-
tion about 300.
DALGARNOCK, a suppressed parish in Dum-
fries-shire, incorporated with Closeburn : which
see. The old parish nearly surrounded Closeburn,
and was annexed to it in the 1 7th century. There
was here, in former times, a considerable village,
the burgh of the barony. Though not a single house
of it remains, a fair or tryst seems still to be held on
its site. Says Burns,
" I gaed to the tryst of Dalgarnock,
And wha but my tine fickle lover was there ?"
DALGETY, a parish in the county of Fife ;
uounded by the parish of Aberdour on the east and
north ; by Inverkeitbing on the west ; and by a
small part of the parish of Dunfermline on the north-
west. On the south it is bounded by the frith of
Forth, along which it extends in a straight line about
3 miles; but as the coast in this place runs into
numerous small bays, its circuitous extent is con-
siderably more. It is of an irregular form, but ap-
proaches nearest to the triangular ; being about 4
miles long from south to north ; its breadth gradually
diminishing towards the north, until in some places
it scarcely exceeds half-a-mile. The soil in some
quarters is a light dry loam ; but the greater part of
the parish consists of a deep strong loam. The
ground, in most places, rises considerably above the
level of the coast; the few hills in the parish are
neither high nor rocky. The highest ground in the
parish is about 450 feet above sea-level. There is
a small loch at Otterston, about a mile from the
coast, which is much admired. It is not quite a
mile in length, nor above a quarter of a mile in
breadth, but its banks are finely wooded. Near
it, on the grounds of Fordel, is a fine waterfall.
The house of Donibristle — a seat of the Earl of
Moray — was formerly the residence of the abbot
of St. Combe, but it has since been greatly en-
larged and improved. Donibristle was, in 1592, the
scene of the cruel murder of 'the bonny,' or the
handsome Earl, whose personal attractions and ac-
complishments, it is alleged by some historians, had
impressed the heart of Anne of Denmark, and ex-
cited the jealousy of her royal spouse. This at
least was the popular notion of the time :
" He was a braw gallant,
And he play'd at the gluve ;
And the bonny Earl of Murray,
Oh ! he was the queenes love."
Political reasons, according to Bishop Percy, were
given for his arrest ; but more than arrest seems to
have been intended, for the commission was intrusted
to his inveterate enemy Huntly, who, with a number
of armed men, surrounding the house in a dark
night, set it on fire, on Murray's refusal to surrender.
He escaped the flames, but was unfortunately dis-
covered by a spark which fell on his helmet, and was
slain, telling Gordon of Buckie, who had wounded
him in the face, " You have spilt a better face than
your awin !"* " Hard by it," says Sibbald, " is Dal-
gatie, the dwelling of the Lord Yester ; it was re-
paired and beautifyed with gardens by Chancellor
Seaton, Earl of Dunfermling, who lyes interred in the
church there." Little of it no w remains. Opposite to
the eastern extremity of the parish, and within a mile
of the shore, is the island of St. Combe : see Inch-
colm. The church itself is a very ancient building.
The exact period of its erection cannot be ascer-
tained; but there are documents which show that a
grant of the ground on which it stands, was made to
the abbot of St. Combe as far back as the 14th cen-
* Various accounts of this transaction are given hy Balfour,
Spottiswood, Moyse, Caldenvood, Wodrow, and Gordon. Bal-
four says in his ' Annales of Scotland,' ,( The 7 of February this
zeire, 1592, the Earle of Murray was cruelly inurthered by the
Earle of Huntly, at his house in Dunibrissell, in Fiffpshire, and
with him Dumbar, Shriffe of Murray ; it [was] given out, and
publicly talked that the Earle of Huntley was only the instru-
ment of perpetratting this facte, to satisffie the Kinges jelosie
of Murray, quhom the Otieine, more rashlie than vvyslie; some
few dayes before had commendit in the Kinges heiringe, with
too many epithetts of a proper and gallant man. The ressons
of these surmisses proceidit from proclamatione of the Kinges
the 18 of Marrhe following, iuhibitting the younge Earle of
Murray to persew the Earle of Huntley for his father's slaugh-
ter, in respecte he being wardit in the eastell of Blacknesse for
the same murther, was willing to abyde his tryell; averring that
he had done nothing, hot by the King's ma ,ieH coinmissione : and
so was neither airt nor pairt of the murther." In Wodrow's
' Analecta,' preserved in the Advocates' library, [vol. iv. p.
117,] 's the following passage: "The horrible murder of the
Earl of Murray, and burning the house of Dunibriz/el, is no-
ticed hy our historians. It was generally charged on the
House of Huntley. After King Charles' accession to the
throne, the Scots nobility come up to London to wait on him,
and Gordon of Huntley among others. Qn the King heard
of Huntley, he refused peremptorily to see him, and said his
concern in the matter of Duuibri/.zel was so villanouse that he
could not allow him to come to his presence. Cjn this was
told to Huntley he pressed the more to be admitted, and said he
was able presently to satisfy his majesty in yt matter. Wt much
difficulty he was at lenth admitted. When he came in the King
reproached him for yt barbarous act. Ye Earle kneeling drew
out of his bosom K. Ja: ye 6the originall warrandfor qt he had
done to the Earle and his house, and presented it to the king.
The king looked on it, and after reading it, said, ' My lord, this
was wrong given, and worse executed.' ''
296
DAL
lation is employed in weaving linens for the Cupar
manufacturers. Population, in 1801, 550; in 1831,
605. Houses 133. Assessed property, in 1815,
.£4,827 This parish is in the synod of Fife, and
presbytery of Cupar. Patron, limes of Sandside.
Stipend ±'250 19s. 5d. ; glebe<-£ll. Unappropriated
teinds ±101 13s. 3d. Church seated for 319 —
Schoolmaster's salary .£34 12s. 4id. The parish-
school is near Middlefoodie. There is a female
school at Osnaburg, and a small school at Foodieash.
DAL AROSSIE, or Dalfergussie, that is, ' Fer-
gus's valley,' a district in the shire of Inverness,
formerly a vicarage, now united to the parish of
Moy. Church rebuilt in 1790. See Dyke and Mot.
DALAVICH, in the district of Lorn, and shire
of Argyle, an ancient parish now united to the par-
ish of Killchrenan. It is 17 miles south-west of
Dalmally. The population, in 1801 , was 486 ; and, in
1811, was 426. Near Loch Avich, in this district,
lay the scene of an ancient Celtic poem, translated
by Dr. Smith, called ' Catb-Luina,' or ' The Conflict
of Luina;' in the lake, is an island, the scene of
another poem, called ' Laoi Fraoich,' or ' The Death
ofFraoich;' and many places in this neighbourhood
are still denominated from Ossian's heroes. See
article Avich (Loch).
DALBEATTIE, a village in the parish of Urr
and stewartry of Kirkcudbright. It is situated on
Dalbeattie burn, 3 or 4 furlongs above its confluence
with Urr water. The village was commenced about
the year 1780, and advanced rapidly in prosperity.
It is built of a lively-coloured granite, and offers
high advantages, as to both garden-grounds and the
right of cutting peats, to feuars ; but is surrounded
with a country bleak, barren, and, in many respects,
unpropitious to manufacture or commerce. Though
vessels of small burden can come up from the sea,
Dalbeattie is not likely to become ever of commer-
cial importance.
DALCROSS. See Crot.
DALGAIN, the ancient name of the parish and
village of Sorn, in the district of Kyle, Ayrshire,
and still occasionally applied to the village. An
estate in the parish also retains the name. The vil-
lage, consisting of one row of houses, is situated on
the north side of the road from Ayr to Muirkirk, in
a beautiful holm, having the river Ayr in front, and
overhung from behind by a winding bank covered
with natural wood. It has annual fairs on the second
Tuesday of March, O. S., and on the first Monday
of November, N. S. Its inhabitants are chiefly agri-
cultural labourers, colliers, and quarriers. Popula-
tion about 300.
DALGARNOCK, a suppressed parish in Dum-
fries-shire, incorporated with Closeburn : which
see. The old parish nearly surrounded Closeburn,
and was annexed to it in the 1 7th century. There
was here, in former times, a considerable village,
the burgh of the barony. Though not a single house
of it remains, a fair or tryst seems still to be held on
its site. Says Burns,
" I gaed to the tryst of Dalgarnock,
And wha but my tine fickle lover was there ?"
DALGETY, a parish in the county of Fife ;
uounded by the parish of Aberdour on the east and
north ; by Inverkeitbing on the west ; and by a
small part of the parish of Dunfermline on the north-
west. On the south it is bounded by the frith of
Forth, along which it extends in a straight line about
3 miles; but as the coast in this place runs into
numerous small bays, its circuitous extent is con-
siderably more. It is of an irregular form, but ap-
proaches nearest to the triangular ; being about 4
miles long from south to north ; its breadth gradually
diminishing towards the north, until in some places
it scarcely exceeds half-a-mile. The soil in some
quarters is a light dry loam ; but the greater part of
the parish consists of a deep strong loam. The
ground, in most places, rises considerably above the
level of the coast; the few hills in the parish are
neither high nor rocky. The highest ground in the
parish is about 450 feet above sea-level. There is
a small loch at Otterston, about a mile from the
coast, which is much admired. It is not quite a
mile in length, nor above a quarter of a mile in
breadth, but its banks are finely wooded. Near
it, on the grounds of Fordel, is a fine waterfall.
The house of Donibristle — a seat of the Earl of
Moray — was formerly the residence of the abbot
of St. Combe, but it has since been greatly en-
larged and improved. Donibristle was, in 1592, the
scene of the cruel murder of 'the bonny,' or the
handsome Earl, whose personal attractions and ac-
complishments, it is alleged by some historians, had
impressed the heart of Anne of Denmark, and ex-
cited the jealousy of her royal spouse. This at
least was the popular notion of the time :
" He was a braw gallant,
And he play'd at the gluve ;
And the bonny Earl of Murray,
Oh ! he was the queenes love."
Political reasons, according to Bishop Percy, were
given for his arrest ; but more than arrest seems to
have been intended, for the commission was intrusted
to his inveterate enemy Huntly, who, with a number
of armed men, surrounding the house in a dark
night, set it on fire, on Murray's refusal to surrender.
He escaped the flames, but was unfortunately dis-
covered by a spark which fell on his helmet, and was
slain, telling Gordon of Buckie, who had wounded
him in the face, " You have spilt a better face than
your awin !"* " Hard by it," says Sibbald, " is Dal-
gatie, the dwelling of the Lord Yester ; it was re-
paired and beautifyed with gardens by Chancellor
Seaton, Earl of Dunfermling, who lyes interred in the
church there." Little of it no w remains. Opposite to
the eastern extremity of the parish, and within a mile
of the shore, is the island of St. Combe : see Inch-
colm. The church itself is a very ancient building.
The exact period of its erection cannot be ascer-
tained; but there are documents which show that a
grant of the ground on which it stands, was made to
the abbot of St. Combe as far back as the 14th cen-
* Various accounts of this transaction are given hy Balfour,
Spottiswood, Moyse, Caldenvood, Wodrow, and Gordon. Bal-
four says in his ' Annales of Scotland,' ,( The 7 of February this
zeire, 1592, the Earle of Murray was cruelly inurthered by the
Earle of Huntly, at his house in Dunibrissell, in Fiffpshire, and
with him Dumbar, Shriffe of Murray ; it [was] given out, and
publicly talked that the Earle of Huntley was only the instru-
ment of perpetratting this facte, to satisffie the Kinges jelosie
of Murray, quhom the Otieine, more rashlie than vvyslie; some
few dayes before had commendit in the Kinges heiringe, with
too many epithetts of a proper and gallant man. The ressons
of these surmisses proceidit from proclamatione of the Kinges
the 18 of Marrhe following, iuhibitting the younge Earle of
Murray to persew the Earle of Huntley for his father's slaugh-
ter, in respecte he being wardit in the eastell of Blacknesse for
the same murther, was willing to abyde his tryell; averring that
he had done nothing, hot by the King's ma ,ieH coinmissione : and
so was neither airt nor pairt of the murther." In Wodrow's
' Analecta,' preserved in the Advocates' library, [vol. iv. p.
117,] 's the following passage: "The horrible murder of the
Earl of Murray, and burning the house of Dunibriz/el, is no-
ticed hy our historians. It was generally charged on the
House of Huntley. After King Charles' accession to the
throne, the Scots nobility come up to London to wait on him,
and Gordon of Huntley among others. Qn the King heard
of Huntley, he refused peremptorily to see him, and said his
concern in the matter of Duuibri/.zel was so villanouse that he
could not allow him to come to his presence. Cjn this was
told to Huntley he pressed the more to be admitted, and said he
was able presently to satisfy his majesty in yt matter. Wt much
difficulty he was at lenth admitted. When he came in the King
reproached him for yt barbarous act. Ye Earle kneeling drew
out of his bosom K. Ja: ye 6the originall warrandfor qt he had
done to the Earle and his house, and presented it to the king.
The king looked on it, and after reading it, said, ' My lord, this
was wrong given, and worse executed.' ''
Set display mode to: Large image | Transcription
Images and transcriptions on this page, including medium image downloads, may be used under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence unless otherwise stated.
Gazetteers of Scotland, 1803-1901 > Topographical, statistical, and historical gazetteer of Scotland > Volume 1 > (378) Page 296 |
---|
Permanent URL | https://digital.nls.uk/97442082 |
---|
Description | Volume first. A-H. |
---|---|
Attribution and copyright: |
|
More information |