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"THE ABBEY, a district surrounding the abbey and palace of Holyrood, in the county of Edinburgh, Scotland, known in Scottish law as emphatically "The Abbey", from its having possessed from a very early period the privileges of sanctuary for debtors.

"CRAIGMILLAR CASTLE, in the county of Edinburgh, Scotland, 3 miles S.E. of Edinburgh. It was built shortly after the Norman conquest, and was burnt by the English under the Earl of Hertford, in 1544. It was subsequently restored by Mary Queen of Scots, who named it Petite France, and converted it into a royal palace. The pile, which is now an ivy-mantled ruin, includes the keep, dining-hall, queen's chamber, 5 feet by 7, and part of the outer walls."

"GALA, a river flowing in the counties Edinburgh, Selkirk, and Roxburgh, Scotland. It takes its rise among the Moorfoot hills in the N. of the parish of Heriot. In the parish of Stow it is joined by the river Heriot and several other streams, the united waters of which flow into the Tweed near Abbotsford, below Galashiels. The course of this stream is remarkably tortuous, traversing some very romantic districts. Trout are taken in great plenty. The Gala is celebrated in one or two Scottish ballads."

"HAWTHORNDEAN, a hamlet in the county Edinburgh, Scotland, 6 miles S. of Edinburgh. It is a station on the Edinburgh and Peebles section of the North British railway. Hawthorndean House is situated on the river Esk, near Roslin Castle, and belongs to the Drummonds, whose ancient seat is still standing. It was visited by Queen Victoria in 1848, and contains some fine portraits and the dress worn by Charles Stuart in 1745. It was here that Ben Jonson visited W. Drummond, the poet and historian."

"HILLHOUSEFIELD, a barony in the county of Edinburgh, Scotland, joined to Leith in 1630."

"HOUSE OF MUIR, a hamlet under the Pentland hills, county Edinburgh, Scotland, 10 miles S. of Edinburgh. This is the place where Dalzell defeated the Covenanters in 1666. A sheep fair is held on the last Monday in March."

"LANGWHANG, a muir on the borders of counties Edinburgh and Lanark, Scotland, between Carnwath and Causewayend."

"LAURISTON CASTLE, in county Edinburgh, Scotland, 3 miles W. of Edinburgh."

"LEITH WATER, a river of county Edinburgh, Scotland, rises under West Cairn, in the Pentland hills, and after a course of 18 miles, in which it turns numerous mills, falls into the Forth at Leith. It is crossed by the Dean and other bridges, and has on its banks a suburb of Edinburgh, in the parish of St. Cuthbert, called from it the Water of Leith."

"LENNOX CASTLE, two ruins of this name, one in Clarinch, county Stirling, on the banks of Loch Lomond, and the other on Leith Water, near Currie, county Edinburgh, Scotland."

"LUGGATE WATER, a stream of county Edinburgh, Scotland. It is a good trout stream, joining the Gala water."

"MELVILLE CASTLE, the seat of Viscount Melville, in the parish of Lasswade, county Edinburgh, Scotland. It is situated in a well-wooded park, and came to Viscount Melville, to whom it gives title, through the Rennies."

"MERCHISTOUN CASTLE, adjoins the hamlet of Boroughmoor, county Edinburgh, Scotland, 1 mile S. of Edinburgh. It is a mansion of great antiquity, and has been modernised by Lord Napier, whose ancestor, the celebrated astronomer and inventor of logarithms, was born in it in 1550. A curling club meets here."

"MIKRY ISLAND, in county Edinburgh, Scotland, 3 miles N.E. of Leith. It forms a shoal in the Frith of Forth."

"MILLBURN TOWER, an ancient seat in county Edinburgh, Scotland, 5 miles W. of Edinburgh. Liston, the statesman, formerly lived in this house."

"MONK'S BURN, a brook on the borders of Peebleshire and Edinburghshire, Scotland. It flows into the Gorth Esk about a mile below Newhall."

"MUIRHOUSETON WATER, a stream of county Edinburgh, Scotland. It rises in the moors on the borders of Peeblesshire, and joins the river Almond at Mid-Calder."

"NORTH ESK, (and South Esk), two small rivers of the counties Peebles and Edinburgh, Scotland. The North Esk has two head streams in the parish of Linton; it then passes easterly between counties Peebles and Mid-Lothian. Receiving the Carlops-burn, it flows between the parishes of Pennycuick and Lasswade, county of Edinburgh, and so past the parishes of Glencross and Cockpen, and the village of Lasswade, till it joins the South Esk in the N. of the parish of Dalkeith. On the banks of the river are Rosslin and Melville castles and Hawthorndean. The scene of Ramsay's "Gentle Shepherd" is laid here-abouts.

The South Esk rises in the parish of Eddelston, and flows northerly on the borders of counties Peebles and Mid-Lothian. Tweeddaleburn is a tributary. After touching the parish of Temple, it then passes between that parish and Carrington, when the Gladhouse increases its volume. It next receives the Borthwick water, and leaving Cockpen parish on its right bank, unites with the North Esk. Its banks are beautifully wooded.

"OXENFOORD CASTLE, a seat of the Earl of Stair, county Edinburgh, Scotland, 4 miles S.E. of Edinburgh. It is situated on the river South Tyne, and gives the inferior title of baron to the Earl of Stair."

"PENTLAND HILLS, a range of hills in the counties of Peebles and Edinburgh, Scotland, extending for above 12 miles in a westerly direction, and from near the Frith of Forth on the E. to the borders of Clydesdale. The hills are chiefly of porphyry, and form three ridges, the summits near the centre ranging from 1,500 to 1,700 feet, and the highest point at Eastcairn rising 1,832 feet above sea level. Boulders of granite and gneiss lie strewn on the surface near the top, and the slopes afford excellent pasture to numerous flocks of sheep."

"RAVELRIG, a hill near Currie, county Edinburgh, Scotland. It attains an elevation of 800 feet above sea-level, and has on its summit remains of a Roman station called Castlebank."

"ROSEBERRY, a demesne in the county of Edinburgh, Scotland, 6 miles S.E. of Pennycuick. It belongs to Earl Roseberry, who takes from it the title of viscount and baron."

"SALISBURY CRAIGS, a hill adjoining Arthur's Seat, county Edinburgh, Scotland. It attains an elevation of 675 feet, and commands a view of the city of Edinburgh."

"TYNE, a river of counties Edinburgh and Haddington, Scotland. It rises in Tyne-Head, under Stob Hill, and after a course of 26 miles, falls into the North Sea at Tynningham."

"WOODHOUSELEE, the seat of the Tytlers, county Edinburgh, Scotland, 6 miles S. of Edinburgh, near the site of the castle of Hamilton of Bothwellhaugh."

[Description(s) from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868)
Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2003]


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