DUNMORE, a village, in the parish of Airth,
county of Stirling, 8 miles (E. by S.) from Stirling;
containing 154 inhabitants. It is situated on the southwest
side of the Firth of Forth, on the road from Airth
to Stirling, and has a harbour, now a calling-place for
the Stirling steamers. The village is small and of rather
mean appearance, but the scenery around it is peculiarly
beautiful, and the high grounds in the vicinity finely
contrast with the almost level plain of the rest of the
parish. Formerly an extensive coal-mine was in operation,
but the works were relinquished about the year
1810, when more than thirty families removed from the
neighbourhood. Dunmore Park is the handsome seat of
the Earl of Dunmore, the head of a branch of the noble
family of Murray, Dukes of Atholl; Lord Charles Murray,
second son of John, first Marquess of Atholl, having
been created in I686 Earl of Dunmore, Viscount Fincastle,
and Lord Murray of Blair, Moulin, and Tillemot.
The present mansion was erected about twenty-five years
since; it is a large building in the Elizabethan style, and
stands on an extensive lawn, surrounded by grounds
richly planted with timber of various kinds and growth.
Here is an ancient tower, one of three in the parish.
On the summit of Dunmore hill, which is of considerable
height, are the remains of a strong fortification; and in
digging a few years since, an anchor was found embedded
in the soil, at least half a mile from the present
course of the river.