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

DELORAINE.
374
DENNY:
stances, it is extremely difficult to assign its age,
its object, or its builders. In Ireland, there is no-
thing like the Deil's Dike; the inference is that it
was not made by Irish " or Dalriadan " hands. I
am disposed to think that this work is several cen-
turies older than the arrival of the Irish Cruithue
or Picts in Galloway." Again he says, — " It is
obviously a very ancient work, and was probably
formed by the Eomanized Britons after the departure
of the Roman armies."
DEIL'S HOWS. See Tannadice.
DELNEY, a station on the Highland railway, 3J
miles north-east of Invergordon.
DELORAINE, certain lands in the parish of Et-
terick, Selkirkshire, 17 miles south-west of the town
of Selkirk. In 1706, Henry Scott, 2d son of the
Duke of Monmouth, and Countess of Buccleugh,
was created Earl of Deloraine. In 1807 this title
became extinct.
DELTING, a parish in the middle of the east of
Shetland. Its post-town is Lerwick. Its main body
is part of the mainland; and this is bounded, on the
north, by Yell sound; on the east, by Nesting
and Lunnasting ; on tie south, by Weesdale ana
Sandsting; and on the west, by Sulemvoe and St.
Magnus bay. It is so intersected by arms of the
sea, that no accurate idea can be given of its extent.
In the report of the parliamentary commissioners, it
is stated to be 14 miles in length, by about 4 in
average breadth; by Edmonston it is said to be
about 1 miles long and 8 miles broad. The surface
is hilly, bleak, and barren; but the small part on
the coast which is under culture produces tolerable
crops of oats and barley. Fishing is the principal
support of the inhabitants. The chief harbours are
St. Magnus bay, Altha firth, Bustavoe, South Voeter,
and Sulemvoe. The two inhabited islands of Muckle
Roe and Little Roe belong to this parish ; the former
separated from the mainland by a very narrow
sound dry at low water; the latter about a mile from
the mainland. There are also the three islets of
Brother Isle, Fishholm, and Bigga. There are four
mansions in the parish, Garth, Busta, Mossbank,
and Ullhouse. There are seven landowners. The
real rental is about £1,000. Assessed property in
I860, £1,490. Population in 1831, 2,070; in 1861.
1,975. Houses, 361.
This parish is in the presbytery of Olnafirth, and
synod of Shetland. Patron, the Earl of Zetland.
Stipend, £151 Is. 6d. ; glebe, £10. Schoolmaster's
salary now is £35, with about £3 fees. There are
two parish churches, respectively in the south, and
in the north, built in 1714 and 1811, and containing
jointly 1,130 sittings. There is a Free church : at-
tendance, 90; sum raised in 1865, £34 10s. 9Jd.
There are three non-parochial schools.
DELVINE. See Caputh.
DELVORICH, a small village in the parish of
Kilmadock, Perthshire.
DEMY AT. See Duhmyat.
DEN. See Dean.
DENEND, a small village in the parish of New-
tyle, Forfarshire.
DENFENELLA. See Cyrus (St.).
DENFIEND. See Monikie.
DENHEAD, a hamlet in the parish of Cameron,
Fifeshire.
DENHEAD and DENMILL, a conjoint village,
in the parish of Liff and Benvie, a short distance
west of Dundee, Forfarshire. Here is a spinning-
mill. Population, about 120.
DENHEAD-MOOR. See Andrews (St.).
DENHOLM, a post-office village in the parish of
Cavers, Roxburghshire. It is beautifully situated
on the road from Hawick to Kelso. 5 miles north-
east of Hawick, and the same distance south-west
by west of Jedburgh. Its site is a small low
tableau, shelving abruptly to the right bank of the
Teviot, and overhung at fine scenic distances, on
one side by Minto Crags, on another by the
Dunian, and on a third by Rubberslaw. The land-
scapes of the Teviot everywhere in its vicinity are
brilliantly beautiful; and a richly wooded " den" or
ravine, leading up toward the hills from a " holm"
or meadow at the upper end of the village, whence
arose the name of Denholm, but now wearing
itself the reflected name of Denholm-dean, presents
a series of close views strikingly romantic. The
body of the village is a square, compactly built on
the four sides with neat houses, the central space,
including about 5 acres, being, with the exception of
the site of the parish school-house, enclosed and laid
out in pasture. From the angles, roads or opening!]
branch off, those on one side being on the main road
through the village, and those on the other leading
through brief streets or alleys, to a suspension-
bridge for the accommodation of foot passengers
across the Teviot. The village, a few years ago,
at considerable expense, was much improved, as to
the neatness of its appearance and the comfort of its
inhabitants, by James Douglas, Esq. of Cavers. It
is inhabited principally by stocking-weavers. Here
are a Free church, an Independent chapel, and
a well- selected and well-plied public library. Sum
raised in connection with the Free church in 1865,
£145 14s. Sittings in the Independent chapel, near-
ly 300. Denholm was the birth-place of Dr. John
Leyden ; and a monument to him was erected here
in 1861. Population in 1861, 766.
DENES O. See Dunino.
DENMILL. See Denhead.
DENMILL -CASTLE, the rained ancient resi
dence of the family of Balfour, in the parish of Abdie,
1 J mile south-east of Newburgh, Fifeshire. One of
the most distinguished members of the family was
Sir James Balfour, the laborious antiquary, and
Lord-Lion-King-at-arms, in the reign of Charles I.
" It is singular," remarks the Scottish Tourist, "that
the fate of the descendants of one who so much pre-
served the historical documents of his country is in-
volved in mystery. In the 18th century the last
known representative left Denmill- castle on horse-
back with a solitary attendant, and was never after-
wards heard of. On the sixteenth of April 1846, an
announcement appeared in the North British Ad-
vertiser, offering a reward to any one who could
produce information as to his fate. The castle be-
came ruinous, and the charter chest documents
collected by Sir James Balfour, with the exception
of those secured by the Faculty of Advocates at
Edinburgh, were destroyed as waste paper." See
Abdie.
DENNY, a parish, containing the post-town of
Denny, the post-office village of Denny- Loanhead,
and the villages of Haggs and Fankerton, in the
south-east of Stirlingshire. It is bounded by the
parishes of St. Ninians, Dunipace, Falkirk, Cumber-
nauld, and Kilsyth. Its length east and west is 6
miles; its breadth is about 4 miles; and its area has
been computed at 7,520 acres. Carron Water traces
all the northern and north-eastern boundary ; Bonny
Water traces part of the southern and most of the
south-eastern boundary; and Castlerankine burn
flows through the interior to the Carron, separating
about one- third of the parish on its left bank from
about two-thirds on its right. The surface of the
greater part of the parish, like that of most of the
districts in the eastern part of Stirlingshire, is gently
undulating. The most prominent feature is Dar-
riteh hill, or the Hill of Oaks, near the north-