Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 1.djvu/47

Rh AIRDEIE, CASTLE. 37 AISKEW. railway and the Monkland canal. It is also near the river Calder and the Caledonian railway. It is a placo of great antiquity. Its British name was Arderytli, and it was the scene of a battle in 577, between Ryd- derech, King of Strath Clyde, and Aidan, the perfidious King of Kintyre, in which the latter was defeated, and Givendolan, the patron of Merlin, who was also engaged in the battle, slain. Its recent growth and present importance and prosperity are due to its position on the great coal field of Scotland, and the " black baud" ironstone peculiar to this district. About a hundred years ago a farm-house or two stood here alone, and now it is a town of twelve or thirteen thousand inhabitants. It was constituted a borough of barony in 1821, and contains four quoad sacra parishes. By a special act passed in 1849, it acquired all requisite powers for its municipal government, and for all matters of police. It is also a parliamentary borough, united with Falkirk, and is governed by a provost, three bailies, twelve councillors, &c., and its revenue amounted, in 1852, to 1,605 16s. Id. The town consists chiefly of one long street, with side streets and lanes. It is regularly built and lighted with gas. A large number of the people are employed in the neighbouring collieries, and the Calder and other iron works. The cotton manufacture and the distillation of spirits also form important parts of the occu- pation of the place. The canal communicates with the Forth and Clyde canal, and is connected with the collieries and iron- works by railways. There are three churches, East Church, West Church, and High Church, all in the presb. of Hamilton; the livings of East Church and High Church being in the patron, of the heads of families, and that of West Church, val. 105, in the patron, of the male communicants. There are four places of worship for the Free Church, two each for United Presbyterians and Roman Catholics, and one each for Reformed Presbyterians, Baptists, Independents, Wes- leyans, and Primitive Methodists. There is a new town-house, which is a very neat structure, contain- . ing a good townhall, a prison, and police office. The principal school, called the Academy, is a neat edifice, built by R, S. C. Alexander, Esq., of Airdrie House. There are several good schools, a mechanics' institution, and three banks, two savings-banks, and offices of ten insurance companies. Airdrie House is situated in beautiful grounds west of the town. There are many pleasant modern residences in the environs. The market is held on Tuesday and Saturday, and fairs take place on the second Tuesday in February, the last Tuesday in May, the fourth Tuesday in August, and the third Tuesday in November. There is a mineral spring at Monkland Well. AIRDRIE, CASTLE, in the par. of Crail, in the co. of Fife, -Scotland, situated on a wooded height 2J miles from the sea. It comprises an ancient tower, which commands a panoramic view of the rocky shores of the Frith of Forth, and the whole east coast of Scotland from St. Abb's Head to the Bell-Rock Lighthouse. This estate, which belonged in the 15th century to the family of Lumsden, became the property of the late Methven Erskine, Esq., afterwards Earl of Kellie, who died here in 1830. AIRD'S MOSS, a large tract of elevated moorland, or morass, extending over about 10 square miles, in the district of Kyle, in Ayrshire, Scotland, 3 miles to the X. of Cumnock. A profound interest attaches itself to the spot, for here, in 1680, the covenanter Richard Cameron and a party of his friends were slaughtered by dragoons. " Cameron Stone," as the people call it, a large flat stone, with an inscription to their memory and words of pious cheer, at a little distance from the high- way, formerly marked the spot where the fiercest struggle took place ; but it has long-disappeared, and been replaced by a modern structure. It was one of the simple monu- ments that aroused the enthusiasm and exercised the patience and skill of " Old Mortality." AIRD, THE, a hmlt. in the par. of Stornoway, in the island of Lewes and co. of Ross, Scotland. It is situated on a peninsula of the same name, and was formerly called Uig. The old chapel is in ruins, so that the in- habitants now attend the government chapel at Knock. AIRLIE, or AIRLY, a par. in the co. of Forfar, Scotland, 4 miles to the S.W. of Kirriemuir. It is situated partly among the Grampian hills, and in the Valley of Strathmore, and is watered by the rivers Isla and f)ean. It was formerly a mosa, but is now culti- vated and fertile. The Castle of Ail-lie, the seat of the Ogilvies, Earls of Ail-lie, stands at the confluence of the Isla and Melgum, on the site of the old castle, the "Bonnie Heuse of Airlie," which was destroyed in 1640. The rocks, with their trees and streams and glens, make a scene of rare and striking beauty. There are some ruins of Balrie Castle, the scat of the last Viscount Fenton. The living is in the presb. of Meigle, val. 219, in the'patron. of the Earl of Strathmore. AIRNTULLY, a vil. in the par. of Kinclaven, in the co. of Perth, Scotland, 8 miles to the N. of the city of Perth. AIRSHOLME, a hmlt. in the tnshp. of Linthorpe, par. of Middlesborough and lib. of Langbaurgh, in the North Riding of the co. of York, 3 miles to the E. of Stockton. The river Tees passes within a short distance of the hamlet. AIRTH, a par. in the co. of Stirling, Scotland, 6 miles to the X. of Falkirk. It stands at the junction of the river Pow with the Frith of Forth, on the south bank of the Forth, and contains the vil. of Dunmore. The par. extends over an area of about 16,400 acres. A large part of it was formerly moss or peat, which has been removed, and the land is now well cultivated and wooded. At Airth Hill and Dunmore, coal and stone are obtained. There are two ferries across the Forth to Alloa and other places in the county of Fife. Some small vessels are engaged in the coasting trade, and there is a prosperous salmon fishery. The living is in the presb. of Stirling, val. 282, in the patron, of Graham of Airth Castle. The parish contains three ancient towers. One is called Wallace's Tower, and is in the grounds of Airth Castle. Wallace is said to have got secretly into this tower, and surprised and slain the garrison of a hundred men with their captain. Dunmore House is the seat of the Earl of Dunmore. In 1745 the shipping in this port was burnt by the rebels. AIRTHRIE, or AIRTHSAY WELLS, a hmlt. in the vil. of Causeyhead, in the cos. of Stirling and Clack- mannan, Scotland, 2 miles to the N.E. of Stirling, situated among_ the skirts of the Ochill hills. It lias a mineral spring which has become celebrated and is much frequented. Airthrie Castle, near the loch, is the seat of Lord Abercromby. Some traces of copper have been found here. AIRTOX, a tnshp. in the par. of Kirkby-in-Malham- dale, in the wap. of Staincliffe and Ewcross, West Riding of the co. of York, 6 miles to the 8.E. of Settle. It is situated on the river Aire. The twist manufacture is carried on here. There is an endowed free school. The tnshp. contains about 2,790 acres. AISBY, a hmlt. in the par. and wap. of Corringham, in the co. of Lincoln, 4 miles to the N.E. of Gainsborough. AISBY, a hmlt. in the par, of Haydor, in the co. of Lincoln, 5 miles to the N.W. of Folkmgham. AISHOLT, or ASHOLT, a par. in the hund. of Can- nington, in the co. of Somerset, 7 miles to the S.W. of Bridgwater. It includes the hmlt. of Lower Aisholt. The living is a rect. in the dioc. of Bath and Wells, val. 280, in the patron, of the Rev. J. West, the incum- bent. The church is dedicated to All Saints. AISHOLT, LOWER, a hmlt. in the par. of Aisholt, hund. of Cannington, in the co. of Somerset, close to Aisholt. AISKEW, or ASKEW, a tnshp. in the par. of Be- dale, in the wap. of Hang, in the North Riding of the co. of York, 1 mile to the N.E. of Bedale. The Bediile and Leyburn branch of the North Eastern railway crosses this tnshp. It contains the hmlt. of Little Leeni- ing, and is situated on Looming Lane and a branch of the river Swale. There is a small free school. The Roman Catholics have a chapel here, and the Baptists have two.