Imperial gazeteer of Scotland, or, Dictionary of Scottish topography > Volume 1

ALBANY.
32
ALEXANDKIA.
of magnesia. The waters, as a saline aperient, far
excel those of Dunblane and Pitcaithley; and for
general medicinal effect against various chronic
diseases, they have begun to compete in fame with
those of the most celebrated spas in Britain. But,
no doubt, much of the benefit ascribed to them is
really derived from the salubriousness of the climate,
and the influences of scenery, and the effects of re-
pose and exercise. Visitors are accommodated with
lodgings at the neighbouring village of the Bridge
of Allan. See Allan (Bridge of). A very neat
bath-house, in the cottage style, with hot, cold, and
shower baths, was erected a few years ago by Lord
Abercrombv.
AITHSTING. See Sandsting.
AIT-SUIDHE-THU1N. See Portree.
AITHSVOE. See Dunrossnbss.
AKERMOOR. See Yarrow.
ALATERVA. See Watling Street.
ALBANY, Albion, or Albinn, the ancient Gaelic
name of Scotland, and, until Caesar's time, the original
appellation of the whole island. The Scottish Celts
denominate themselves Gael Albinn or Albinnich, in
distinction from those of Ireland, whom they call
Gael Eirinnich; and the Irish themselves call the
Scottish Gaels Albannaich; while their writers, so
late as the 12th century, call the country of the
Scottish Gael Alban. With respect to the etymo-
logy of the name Albinn or Albion, it is to be ob-
served, in the first place, that it is compounded of
two syllables, the last of which, inn, signifies in
Celtic a large island. Thus far the etymology is
clear, but the meaning of the adjective part, alb, is
not so apparent. Dr. John Macpherson thinks it
folly to search for a Hebrew or Phoenician etymon
of Albion, and he considers the prefix alb as denot-
ing a high country, the word being, in his opinion,
synonymous with the Celtic vocable alp or alba,
which signifies high. " Of the Alpes Grajas, Alpes
Paminse or Penninae, and the Alpes Bastarnieae,
every man of letters has read. In the ancient lan-
guage of Scotland, alp signifies invariably an emi-
nence. The Albani, near the Caspian sea, the Al-
bani of Macedon, the Albani of Italy, and the Al-
banich of Britain, had all the same right to a name
founded on the same characteristical reason, the
height or roughness of their respective countries.
The same thing may be said of the Gaulish Albici,
near Massilia." Deriving alb from the Latin word
albus, the appellation of Albion would denote an
island distinguished by some peculiarity either in
the whiteness of its appearance or in the produc-
tions of its soil, and hence Pliny derives the etymon
of Albion from its white rocks washed by the sea,
or from the abundance of white roses which the
island produced. His words are, " Albion, insula
sic dicta ab albis rupibus, quas mare alluit, vel ob
rosas albas quibufi abundat." But although the
whitish appearance of the English cliffs, as seen
from the channel and the opposite coast of Gaul,
certainly appears to support the supposition of Pliny,
yet it is evidently contrary to philological analogy
to seek for the etymon of Albion in the Latin.
Amongst the various opinions given on this subject
that of Dr. Macpherson seems to be the most ra-
tional. The term Albany or Alban became ulti-
mately the peculiar appellation of an extensive
Highland district, comprehending Breadalbane,
Athole, part of Lochaber, Appin, and Glenorchy.
The title Duke of Albany was first created for a
younger son of Robert II. It became extinct in his
son Murdoch, who was beheaded by James I. James
II. renewed it for his second son Alexander ;_ in
whose son it again became extinct. Since the Union
it has always been borne by the King's second son.
ALDAEDER. See Knockando.
ALDCAMBUS. See Cockburnspath.
ALDCATHIE. See Dalmeny.
ALDCLUYD. See Dumbarton.
ALDERNAN. See Dumbartonshire.
ALDERNY. See Boharm.
ALDGIRTH. See Auldgtrth.
ALDHAM. See Whitekikk.
ALDHOUSE, a small village, about the centre o(
the parish of East Kilbride, Lanarkshire.
ALDIE, an ancient barony in the parish of Fos-
saway, Perthshire, originally belonging to the Earls
of Tullibardine, but which came by marriage into
the family of Mercer of Meiklour, and is now the
property of Baroness Keith of Aldie. The hamlet
of Aldie is about two miles south by east of the
Crook of Devon. Aldie Castle, once the family- seat
of the Mercers, is now in ruins.
ALDIVALLOCH. See Mortlach.
ALE (The), a small stream of Berwickshire. It
rises in the north-east part of the parish of Colding
ham, and flows about 8 miles south-eastward to a
confluence with the Eye, at a point about 1J mile
above Eyemouth. Some parts of its valley are deep
and picturesque; and the terminating part is very
romantic, and has a remarkable elevation called the
Kip-rock.
ALE (The), a small river of Selkirkshire and
Roxburghshire. It issues from several sources on
the western heights of the parish of Roberton, flows
eastward through that parish and through Alemoor
loch, and runs first north-eastward and then eastward
across the western district of Roxburghshire, drain-
ing the parishes of Ashkirk and Lilliesleaf and part
of the parishes of Bowden and Ancrum, and glides
into the Teviot a short distance below the town of
Ancrum. It has a run altogether of about 20 miles,
exclusive of its smaller windings ; and it passes
through much variety of scenery, from bleakly pas-
toral to lusciously luxuriant, yet in most places is,
in some style or other, pleasing or picturesque. Its
waters are of a darkish colour, and abound in trout.
It was anciently called the Aine and the Alna.
See Ancrum.
ALEMOOR LOCH, a lake in the part of the
parish of Roberton which lies in Selkirkshire. It
has a circular outline, measures about two miles
in circumference, and is of considerable depth. The
scenery around it is pleasant in summer, but rather
tame. This lake, Leyden informs us, is regarded
with superstitious horror by the common people, as
being the residence of the water-cow, an imaginary
amphibious monster. A tradition also prevails in
the district that an infant was once seized, while
disporting on the ' willowy shore ' of this loch, by
an erne, a species of eagle, which, on being pursued,
dropped its' hapless prey ' into the waters. Leyden
has introduced this incident with thrilling effect in
his ' Scenes of Infancy,' in the lines commencing
" Sad is the wail that floats o'er Alemoor's lake,
And nightly bids her gulfs unbottomed quake,
While moonbeams, sailing: o'er the waters blue,
Reveal the frequent tinge of blood-red hue."
ALEXANDRIA, a post-town in the parish of
Bonhill, Dumbartonshire. It stands on the right
bank of the Leven, contiguous to the village of
Bonhill, about 1| miles south of Balloch and 3J
miles north of Dumbarton. It has a station on the
Dumbartonshire railway, and is traversed by the
main road of the vale of Leven. The scenery around
it is exquisite; and the appearance of its own streets
and buildings is modem and pleasing. It has
printworks and bleaehfields which so long ago as in
1840 employed 438 persons; and it shares largely
in the general industry which, in recent times, has