Imperial gazeteer of Scotland, or, Dictionary of Scottish topography > Volume 2

LOCHFOOT.
354
LOCHGOILHEAD.
LOCH-FETTY. See Beath and Dunfermline.
LOCH-FEWN. See Fewn.
LOCH-FINLAGAN. See Finlagan.
LOCH-FITHY. See Forfar.
LOCH-FOLLART. See Follart.
LOCHFOOT, a post-office village in the parish
of Lochrutton, Kirkcudbrightshire. Population,
130. Houses, 27.
LOCH-FEAOCHY. See Fraochv.
LOCH-FYNE. See Fyne.
LOCH-GAIR. See Gairloch.
LOCH-GAIT. See Galston.
LOCH-GAMOSLECHAN. See Skifort.
LOCH-GARRY. See Garry.
LOCHGELLY, a lake and a post-office villa see,
in the parish of Auchterderran, Fifeshire. The
lake is on the boundary with Auehtertool, measures
nearly 3 miles in circumference, and sends off its
snperfluence by a small stream north-eastward to
the Orr. Its north bank is wooded and finely en-
closed, and forms a pleasant piece of scenery ; but
its other banks are bleak and tame. The village
stands | of a mile north of the lake, on the road
from Dunfermline to Kennoway, 6 miles east-north-
east of Dunfermline, and 8 west-north-west of Kirk-
caldy ; and it has a station on the Dunfermline branch
of the Edinburgh, Perth, and Dundee railway. It
is a thriving place, having risen rapidly in popula-
tion, yet is inhabited principally by weavers and
miners. Coal is extensively worked in its neigh-
bourhood, and an iron-work was recently erected.
Fairs are held on the first Thursday of April, old
style, on the third Wednesday of July, and on the
third Wednesday of September. The village has a
chapel of ease, a Free church, and an United Pres-
byterian church, and is a station of the county police.
The foundation of the chapel of ease was laid in
June, 1855. Population, 1,629.
LOCH-GILP. See Gjlp.
LOCHGILPHEAD, a small sea-port and post-
town, in the parish of Glassary, Argyleshire. It
stands at the head of Loch-Gilp, on the road from
Campbelton to Oban, 2 miles north of Ardrishaig,
13 north by west of Tarbert, and 40 north-west of
Rothesay. It has risen rapidly from the condition
of a poor village to that of a thriving small town.
It is linked with Ardrishaig, and with the south
end of the Crinan canal, as if these were strictly
contiguous to it. Its trade is a kind of focus of the
communications between the Clyde and the Western
Highlands, and at the same time comprises a con-
siderable amount of local interchange with the im-
mediately surrounding country. It has horse mar-
kets on the third Thursday of March, and on the
second Thursday after the fourth Thursday of
November; and cattle markets on the Tuesday and
Wednesday before the first Wednesday of June, on
the second Wednesday of June, on the Thursday
before the first Tuesday of October, on the Tuesday
and Wednesday before the first Thursday of No-
vember, and on the Wednesday fortnight after that
Wednesday. There are in the town an office of the
Union Bank, an office of the Clydesdale Bank, and
four insurance agencies. Steamboats ply daily to
Glasgow, and either once a-week or ottener to al-
most every considerable port in the Western High-
lands and Islands. A sheriff court is held once a-
quarter, and a justice of peace court on the first
Tuesday of every month. The bishop of Argyle
and the Isles, in the Scottish Episcopal communion,
has his diocesan chapel in Lochgilphead, and his
residence in the neighbourhood. There are also in
the town a quoad sacra parish church, a Free
church, a Reformed Presbyterian church, and a
Baptist chapel. Here likewise was erected, in 1862-
3, a lunatic asylum for the district of Argyle, two
stories high, with a frontage of upwards of 2,000
feet, and containing upwards of 100 apartments.
Population of the town in 1861, 1,674.
LOCH-GLA1SSEAN. See Glaissean.
LOCH-GLASS. See Glass.
LOCH-GLASSLETTER. See Kintail.
LOCH-GLASSY. See Logierait.
LOCH-GLENGAP. See Twynholm.
LOCH-GLOE. See Dunfermline.
LOCH-GOIL. See Goil.
LOCHGOILHEAD, a parish, containing a post-
office village of its own name, in the north of Cowal,
Argyleshire. It is bounded by Perthshire and
Dumbartonshire, by Loch-Long and Loch-Fyne,
and by the parishes of Kilmun, Straehur, Inverary,
and Glenorchy. Its length southward is about 35
miles; and its breadth varies from 6 to 20 miles.
Its southern division lies between the upper part
of Loeh-Lohg and the upper part of Loch-Fyne, to
the extent of 12 miles along the former, but to a
much smaller extent along the latter, and is inter-
sected on the east side by Loch-Goil ; and its north
era division extends along the border of the county
to the vicinity of Ben-Loy. The surface in gene-
ral is very rugged, consisting of wild mountains,
interspersed with huge rocks and precipices, which,
till of late, were covered with heath ; but, since the
introduction of sheep, they have begun to exhibit
the appearance of verdure. Upon the west side of
Loch-Long, and upon both sides of Loch-Goil, the
coast is bold and steep, and the hills high and
craggy. The shore, upon both sides of Loch-Fyne,
as far as this parish extends, is more flat and acces-
sible ; the land is high, but not so rocky or steep.
The barrenness of the ground along the coasts of
Loch-Goil and Loch-Long is partly concealed, and
the wildness of the scene agreeably diversified, by
extensive natural woods which cover the land near
the coast, and rise to a considerable distance from
the shore. Some of the mountains, which form the
western extremity of the Grampian range, are situ-
ated in this parish: as Benuna, so called from the
richness of its grass; Benanlochan, from the fresh-
water lake which washes its base; Benluibhain,
abounding in herbs ; Benthiolaire, remarkable for
its springs and water - cresses ; and Bendonich,
called after a saint of that name. These, and some
other hills, rise to a great height. There are two
small lakes, well-stored with trout. The coast is
well-cultivated, and its produce repays the farmer
for the labour he bestows on it. Limestone is
worked in several quarries. A vein of lead ore,
said to be very rich in silver, occurs at the head of
Loch-Fyne. Jasper, a variety of spars, and some
other interesting minerals are found. The fisheries
in Loch-Goil, Loch-Long, and Loch-Fyne are valu-
able. The old valued rental is £4,392 Scots. As-
sessed property in 1860 was £6,305. The vil-
lage of Lochgoilhead stands at the head of Loch-
Goil, on the shortest route of communication be-
tween Glasgow and Inverary, and is distant from
the latter place about 8 miles. A steam-boat plies
daily between it and Glasgow, and a stage-coach
communicates between the steamer and St. Cathe-
rine's ferry on Loch-Fyne, opposite Inverary. The
village has a good inn, and a number of neat new
villas; and in its vicinity is Drumsainy-house, sur-
rounded by fine woods. Population of the parish
in 1831, 1,196; in 1861, 702. Houses, 134.
There are in this parish three old castles, called
Dunduramh, Ardkinlass, and Carrick. The castle
of Dunduramh is a large and strong tower, of an ir-
regular figure, with small turrets above the anglos
in the wall. It stands in a low situation, close to