Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 3.djvu/15

Rh NAIRN. NAIRNSHIRE. 1861 its population amounted to only 2,533, having decreased since 1851, when it numbered 2,672 persons. Its principal street, called Main-street, runs in a south- westerly direction from the river bank for near 4 fur- longs, and has a dingy, antiquated appearance, partially relieved by the modern public buildings. It is tolerably spacious and regular, with numerous small streets branching off on either side. To the N.W. of the old town, along the margin of tho town-links overlooking tho Frith, are several modern streets, as Cawdor-street, Cumming-street, and Charles-street, but these are as yet only partially edificed. The pavement, until recently notorious as the worst in Scotland, has been relaid, and the town ia well lighted with gas. Tho principal public building is the town and county hall, a modern pile surmounted by a spire. Its interior contains, besides the hall (sometimes used as a ball-room), the town and county gaol, and other offices. There are besides, the hospital, a modern building of Italian design ; three commercial banks, a savings-bank, Richardson's inn, on tho same side of the street as the townhall, where the "Nairnshire Harvest Home" is held; and at tho S.W. end of the town stands the academy, which has a monu- ment to the memory of John Straith, once schoolmaster of the parish. Tho other public institutions are, the news-rooms, library, gas-works, and several societies. A weekly newspaper, the Nairnshire Telegraph, is pub- lished in the town on Wednesdays. The bridge which crosses the Nairn at the town was originally a substantial Btono structure, erected in 1631, but was much damaged by the floods of 1782 and 1829, which spread devastation along the lower part of the river bank. The harbour, which is formed by the mouth of the Nairn, is a subport to Inverness, and is well situated for trade, but is liable to bo shilted up with sand, as after the great floods of 1829, when the works constructed by Mr. Telford were partially swept away. It has since been improved by the construction of a breakwater projecting about 1,200 feet seaward from tho mouth of tho river, and affording complete shelter to vessels from the only winds to which the harbour is exposed. It has 15 vessels belonging to it, besides about 70 fishing boats, and is also a place of call for the steamers between Inverness and the Forth. The principal exports are, fir-timber, salmon, and her- rings, the last being principally taken off the Caithness coast. The imports are, coal, lime, colonial produce, and general merchandise. Its original charter is lost, but its privileges as a royal burgh were confirmed by Act of Parliament in 1597. Under the new Municipal Reform Act it is governed by a provost, 3 bailies, dean of guild, and 11 councillors. The corporation revenue now amounts to only 700, the greater part of the landed property which once belonged to it having been alienated. It contributes with Forres and Fortrose to Inverness in returning one member to the imperial par- liament. Constituency in 1855, 117. The sheriff's court for tho county is held during session every Wednes- day and Friday, and occasionally during vacation, and for small debts on Friday only. The justice of the peace small-debt court is held on the first Monday of every month, and the commissary court occasionally when required. The court of quarter sessions sits the first Tuesdays in March, May, and August, and on the last Tuesday in October. Nairn gave the title of baron in the Scottish peerage to tho ancient family of Nairn, which subsequently passed to a younger branch of the Atholo family, and is supposed now to be vested in the ness Keith of Banheath. This par. is the seat of a presb. in the synod of Moray. The minister's stipend is i'294 2s. Id., besides glebe valued at 18. The church was anciently a mensal church, attached to the deanery of Auldearn. The present parish church was built in 1811. There are besides a Free church; United Pres- byterian church, built in 1815 ; an Independent chapel ; two Episcopalian chapels one English, the other Scotch. There are parochial schools, a General Assembly's school, a school in connection with the Free Church, a monitory school, and two finishing schools for young ladies. On the bank of the river, a little to tho S. of the VOL. III. town, is the Constabulary Garden, with tho ruins of a castle of which the Thanes of Cawdor were hereditary constables till 1747. The other antiquities are, the original castle, mentioned above, to the N. of the town : its site is now covered by the sea ; also the vitrified fort called Castle Fihlay ; and another at Rait. Roman coins have also occasionally been found. Weekly markets are held on Tuesday and Friday, and a corn market on Thursday. Fairs are held on the third Friday in April, 20th June, or Wednesday after, 13th August, fourth Tuesday in September, Friday after third Tuesday in October, and on the first Friday in November, chiefly for tho sale of horses and cattle, but also for the hiring of servants. NAIRNSHI11E, a small maritime co. in the N.E. of Scotland, lying between 57 20' and 57 40' N. lat., and between 3" 40' and 4 6' W. long. It comprises a main body and several detached districts in tho ancient province of Moray, and a detached district in the earldom of Ross. It is bounded on tho N. by tho Moray Frith, on the E. by Elginshire, and on thoW. and S. by Inverness-shire. Its greatest length from N. to S. is 19 miles, and greatest breadth 16J miles, but its mean breadth not over 8 miles, being at tho southern extremity of the county only 3^ miles. The area of tho whole county is about 200 square miles, or 128,000 acres, of which about 70,000 are culti- vated, 30,000 unreclaimed, and 28,000 unprofitable. The population in 1851 was 9,956, and in 1861, 10,065. The lino of sea-coast, which is low and sandy, extends about 9 miles, with the town of Nairn upon it near tho mouth of the river Nairn. To the eastward arc the Maviston sand-hills, whence tho great sand-floods which about two centuries ago overwhelmed a large tract of fertile laud to the eastward are supposed to have been blown by the strong north-westerly winds ; while to tho west- ward tho sea-shore is low and bare, sheltered by a raised beach or terraced bank, which runs nearly parallel with tho coast, and is composed of gravel, sand, and boulders, intermixed with sea-shells of existing species. Tho surface of the county, like that of the other parts of the province of Moray, consists of two entirely distinct portions, the lowlands and highlands. The former, or sea-board district, forms a continuation of the rich alluvial plain of Moray, with a breadth of from 1 mile to 5 miles from the coast, the surface being in general low and flat, and characterised by a light and gravelly soil, resting upon Old Red sandstone, with some deposits of clay and protruding rock. This portion is occupied by cultivated fields, gardens, and orchards. Tho latter, or highland district, occupies above two-thirds of the county, extending from the southern boundary to within a few miles of the sea, consisting chiefly of mountain ranges or primitive rock, comprehending granite, gneiss, mica slate, primary limestone, and quartz. The summits are in general bare, and frequently cloven ; but the slopes are covered with heath or moorland pasture, and abound with thriving plantations of Scotch fir, larch, and hardwood, particularly on tho Earl of Cawdor's estate. This highland district ia ploughed throughout its entire length by tho vale of the Findhoru, on Lho banks of which are some extremely fertile spots, but the arable land bears but a small proportion to tho waste. There are several quarries of freestone, and one of a dark blue stone in the estate of Boath, much used for ornamental building, and possessing the peculiar property of combustion in the fire, but does not lose aulk. The small loch of Conan and the moss of Lilly yield shell marl in abundance, and coal is supposed to exist, but has not been worked. The climate and agri- cultural productions closely resemble those of Elginshire, owing order in 1855: viz. oats, 7,763 acres; turnips, 4,467; barley, 3,044; wheat, 1,714; potatoes, 1,542; rye, 255 ; peas, 101 ; bere, 87 ; vetches, 70 ; besides 10,321 in grass and hay, and 165 bare fallow in the course of the rotation of tho farm. Of late years agri- culture has much improved, by the introduction of a scientific system of farming, and better agricultural 'mplements. Much improvement has also been effected
 * he distribution of lands under crop being in the fol-