ELGIN, a parish and market-town and burgh, in the county of Elgin, of which it is the capital, 63^ miles (N. W.) from Aberdeen, and 174 (N.) from Edinburgh; containing 5216 inhabitants, of W whom 4325 are in the town. This place appears to have derived its name and foundation from Elgin, or Helgyn, general of the army of Sigurd, the Norwegian Earl of Orkney; who about the year 930 made himself master of Caithness, Sutherland, Ross, and Moray, in the southern part of which last district he built a town, supposed to be the origin of the present, a few miles from the small harbour of Burgh-Head, where the Norwegians kept their shipping. A castle seems to have been erected at an early period, either for the defence of the town, or as a residence for its founder; and on some rising ground called Lady hill are still to be seen traces of an ancient fortress which, in the reigns of William the Lion, Alexander I., and Alexander II., is said to have been a favourite resort and an occasional residence of those monarchs. There is a charter of William's yet extant, in which the king grants to the Bishop of Moray an annual payment out of the fee-farm rent of " his burgh of Elgin"; and in 1224, Alexander II. sanctioned the removal of the seat of the diocese to Elgin, where a cathedral was erected, and also an episcopal palace. The town thus became distinguished, and in ecclesiastical affairs obtained a degree of importance inferior to the cities of St. Andrew's and Glasgow alone. In 1269, Alexander III. bestowed upon the inhabitants all the liberties and privileges of a royal burgh; and Robert I., in his charter granting the earldom of Moray to Thomas Ranulf, expressly stipulates that the burgesses of Elgin, in holding under the earl, should retain all their accustomed rights as fully as when they held them immediately under the charter of Alexander III. The town appears to have suffered severely at various times, and to have been frequently destroyed by fire. In 1390, the Earl of Moray conferred upon the burgesses an exemption from certain sums paid to his castle, in consequence of the various calamities to which they had been exposed; and his successor soon afterwards remitted to them the customary dues on wool, cloth, and all other merchandise exported from the harbour of Spey, in consideration of the same or similar disasters. Archibald Douglas, Earl of Moray, in 1451 bestowed a charter reciting and confirming that of Alexander III.; and Charles I., in 1633, ratified all previous grants by his predecessors in favour of the burgh, of which the form of government was finally settled by an act of the convention of burghs in the year 1706. The TOWN is pleasantly situated on the south bank of the river Lossie, which forms the boundary of the parish for some distance; and is sheltered in the rear by a richly-wooded and gently-sloping height, iu the form of a crescent, protecting it from the severer winds. It is irregularly built, but contains several good houses and handsome villas of late erection; the streets are paved, and lighted with gas by a voluntary assessment, and a contribution of £30 annually from the funds of the burgh. The inhabitants were until lately only supplied with water from the river, and from wells sunk in different parts of the town; but pipes are now laid for supplying the town with water from a spring in the hills, four miles distant to the south of Elgin. There is an extensive circulating library, containing many wellselected volumes of history and general literature; and a literary association, estabUshed in IS 18, is supported bj' subscription, and has a well-assorted library of more than 700 volumes, with a reading-room lately added to it, supplied with newspapers and periodical works. The Morayshire Farmers' Club, established in 1*99, holds its annual meetings here for the encouragement of husbandry, and, by the distribution of prizes to all successful competitors within the surrounding district, has greatly tended to the interest and improvement of this part of the country: an extensive and valuable library has been formed by the club, which contains a numerous collection of standard works on agriculture. There are no manufactures pursued to any extent; the traffic is principally in grain, which is sent to different markets, and, among others, to Leith, Liverpool, and London. A very extensive trade in flour is carried on with Aberdeen, and other towns in that county and the county of Banff. In the town are a tannery and breweries, and near it two distilleries; the shops are well supplied, and there are various handicraft trades. A considerable degree of foreign trade appears to have been once carried on, and in 1698 a harbour was constructed at the mouth of the river Lossie, in the parish of Drainie, about five miles from Elgin, by the town council, who received the anchorage and shore dues. These dues, however, were by no means adequate to keep the harbour in an efficient state of repair, and until the recent construction of Stotfield harbour the retail dealers in the town consequently obtained their principal London goods by smacks trading to Inverness, which sometimes landed them at Burgh-Head; articles of hghter weight were generally brought by steam-boats to Aberdeen, and forwarded thence by land-carriage. A joint-stock company was at length formed for constructing a harbour at Stotfield point, at a very inconsiderable distance from Lossiemouth; and this important work has opened a direct communication with the London and other markets for agricultural produce at less expense, and to a much greater extent, than was formerly practicable. Considerable quantities of grain are still shipped, and coal is landed, at the harbour of Lossiemouth, where there is a small village for the residence of persons connected with that port; but from the want of sufficient depth of water, only vessels of very small burthen can enter. The rent obtained for the old harbour was only £S0, whilst that of the new harbour is £1023 yearly. Elgin market, which is on Tuesday and Friday, is abundantly supplied with grain, poultry, butter, and provisions of all kinds. Fairs are held in the town on the Fridays preceding Martinmas and Whitsuntide, for the hiring of farm-servants and the sale of various wares; and ten fairs are annually held in the vicinity for cattle and horses. Facility of communication is afforded by excellent turnpike-roads branching off from the town in every direction; the great north road passes through it. In 1846 an act was obtained for the construction of a railway from Stotfield and Lossiemouth to Elgin, Rothes, and Craigellachie. The BURGH, under its charter, was governed by a provost, four bailies, a treasurer, dean of guild, and ten others, who formed the town council; but since the passing of the Municipal act, the control has been vested in seventeen councillors, together with a provost, townclerk, and other officers, elected under the authority, and subject to the regulations, of that act. There are six incorporated guilds, the shoemakers, tailors, hammermen, glovers, Wrights, and weavers, all of which, except the weavers, claim the privilege of exclusively carrying on their trades within the burgh. The freedom is obtained by birth, by servitude to a freeman of the incorporated guilds, or by purchase for the sum of £16, which has been fixed by the town council for all indiscriminately, though previously the payment varied according to the practice of the different guilds. The magistrates exercise both civil and criminal jurisdiction within the limits of the burgh, and over all lauds held under burgage tenure; but since the establishment of the sheriff's court few civil actions have been tried; and in their criminal jurisdiction the magistrates confine themselves to the adjudication of petty offences. Elgin is the head of an elective district, and, with the burghs of Cullen, Banff, Peterhead, Kintore, and Inverury, returns one member to the imperial parliament. The right of election is vested by the Reform act in the resident £10 householders. The number of voters within the municipal boundaries is 213, of whom ninety-five are burgesses; and of similar residents beyond the municipal, but within the parliamentary limits, fifty, of whom six are burgesses. Of £5 householders within the burgh the number is 110, of whom forty are burgesses. The election of the member takes place here, and the assizes and sessions for the county are also held in the town. The old county hall and gaol, both indifferent buildings, have been superseded by a new and elegant edifice. The PARISH, which is of very irregular form, comprises an area of 11,500 acres; about 7000 acres are arable, 1500 woodland and plantations, and the remainder rough pasture and waste. The surface is varied: from the town it has a gentle acclivity towards the base of the Blaekhills; and to the west of the river Lossie it is divided, by a precipitous ridge of considerable elevation, into the vales of Pluscardine and Mosstowie. In general the scenery is of a pleasing character, and in many parts beautifully picturesque and romantic. The river Lossie, which rises in the hills of Dallas, winds through the parish with a silent course, and skirts it on the north, frequently overflowing, and doing considerable damage to the adjoining fields: it falls into the Moray Firth at the village of Lossiemouth. There is a variety of soil: most of the arable land is of a light and sandy quality ^ in some parts inclining to clay; and in others, especially near the river, a deep rich loam. The crops are wheat, oats, barley of the Chevalier kind, which, from its adaptation to the soil, is raised in great quantities, potatoes, and turnips. The system of agriculture is improved: lime and bone-dust are extensively used; the lands are well drained and inclosed; the farm-houses and offices are substantial and commodious, and those of the larger farms are built of stone, and roofed with slate. Threshing- mills have been erected, several of which are driven by water; there are numerous mills for grain, a mill for carding wool, and one for sawing timber. Great attention is paid to the breeds of cattle and horses; the prevailing breed of cattle is a black kind resembling the Aberdeenshire, but inferior in size, with an occasional cross of the short-horned: very few sheep are reared. The annual value of real property in the parish is £15,592. The plantations consist of Scotch and spruce firs, and larch, intermixed with every variety of foresttrees; they are under careful management, and in a very flourishing state. The principal substratum is sandstone, of which the ridge separating the valleys of Pluscardine and Mosstowie is chiefly composed. Limestone, also, is found near the town, of a dark colour, in some parts alternated with sand and clay; it is quarried for building and other purposes, and burnt into lime for agricultural use, and for making mortar for buildings. Westerton, the seat of Lieut.-Col. Alexander Hay, is a handsome modern mansion beautifully situated in the romantic vale of Pluscardine, commanding a view of the ruins of the abbey and the richly-wooded grounds of the Earl of Fife. Elgin is the seat of a presbytery, in the synod of Moray; patron, the Crown. There are two ministers, each of whom has a stipend of £241: one minister has a manse, but the other has neither manse nor allowance in lieu; the glebe is equally divided. A home mission for the remoter parts of the parish has been maintained for more than a century, from the funds of the Royal Bounty and the interest of some legacies bequeathed for the purpose, and the minister dispenses the ordinances of rehgion to more than 600 persons. The parish church, situated in the centre of the town, was erected on the site of the old church of St. Giles, which had become dilapidated. It is an elegant structure of freestone, in the Grecian style of architecture, with a noble portico at the west end of six columns of the Doric order, having an entablature and cornice surmounted with a triangular pediment. At the east end rises a square tower supporting a circular campanile turret, surrounded with columns. The interior of the edifice is well arranged, and adapted for a congregation of 1800 persons. This church was completed at an expense of £8300, and was opened for divine service in October 1828. There are places of worship for members of the United Presbyterian Church, members of the Free Church, Original Seceders, Baptists, and Independents, an episcopal, and a Roman Catholic chapel. The Elgin academy, partly supported by endowment, and partly from the common funds of the burgh, comprises three schools, each under the direction of a master; the classical master has a salary of £50 per annum, and the mathematical and English masters a salary of £45 each. The late James McAndrew, Esq., of Elgin, bequeathed £200, the interest to be distributed in prizes to three boys in the classical school. An institution for the support of old age and the instruction of young persons, established and endowed by Lieut.-Gen. Andrew Anderson, E.I.C.S., aflFords accommodation for ten aged and infirm persons, and for sixty cluldren who are maintained and educated in a school of industry; and connected with the building is a free school for 230 children, with apartments for a master and mistress, who have a joint salary of £75 per annum. The teacher of the school of industry has a salary of £55, with lodging and maintenance. The buildings of the institution occupy a spacious quadrangular area, and are handsomely erected of freestone. In the central range is a Doric portico supporting an entablature and pediment, on which latter are three sculptured figures representing the founder and the objects of the institution, the whole surmounted by a circular cupola and dome; and the wings are embellished with porticos of the same order. The interior is well adapted to the purposes of the establishment, and contains a neat chapel, schoolrooms, with refectories and dormitories for the children, and apartments for the aged persons. The gardens are well laid out, and the whole is inclosed with a stone wall and iron palisade. The expense of the buildings, which were completed in 1833, was about £12,000. An infants' school is supported by subscription, the master of which has a salary of £25 per annum, with a house and the school fees; and there is a trades' school, with an endowment of £5 per annum from the common fund of the burgh. The poor have the interest of lands and money vested in the corporation, amounting to £23. 7. 6., and of property in the hands of the Kirk Session, amounting to £54. 15., per annum. James VI., by charter in 1620, granted to the provost, bailies, and commimity of the burgh, the site and revenues of the hospital of Maison Dieu, under which grant an almshouse was erected for four bedesmen, who receive annually four bolls of barley, paid out of the rents of the hospital lands. Four bedesmen are also supported by the proceeds of money and land bequeathed by William Cumming of Auchray in 1693, and producing annually £71. 18., which sum is equally divided among them. Mr. Duff of Braco, in I729, left lands for the support of a decayed burgess, which yield £23 per annum, paid to persons nominated by the Earl of Fife. A bequest by Mr. Petrie, in 1777, for the education of six poor orphans or children of the town of Elgin, is in the hands of the Kirk Session; and from the proceeds each of the children receives £4 per annum for three years. The Guildry charitable fund was established in 1814, by the guild brethren, for the relief of the widows and children of decayed members; and by good management, the funds have accumulated sufficiently to enable them to divide £250 annually among the objects of the institution. Grey's Hospital for the sick poor of the town and county was founded in 1819, by Dr. Alexander Grey, of Calcutta, who endowed it with funds for its maintenance; and Dr. Dougal bequeathed £15 per annum for the purchase of medicines for the poor, which was given to the trustees of the hospital. The number of patients admitted annually is about 250, and the number in the house at one time about twenty-five; and since the addition of Dr. Dougal's bequest, medicines and advice have been gratuitously dispensed to 300 out-patients every year. The building is in the Grecian style of architecture, with a handsome portico of four Doric columns, supporting an entablature and cornice; a stately dome rises from the centre of the edifice, and the interior is well arranged. On the grounds belonging to it, and nearly adjoining, a county lunatic asylum for paupers has been built. Dr. Grey likewise bequeathed £2000 (which, on the decease of his widow, will be augmented with an additional sum of £1000) for the assistance of unmarried daughters of respectable but decayed burgesses; the interest of this sum is divided among them by the ministers and physicians of the parish, who are permanent trustees. A portion of land was bequeathed by Mr. Laing for the assistance of a decayed merchant and guild brother; it produces £5. 10. per annum, which are paid to the nominee of the nearest surviving relative of the testator. The six incorporated trades distribute considerable sums among their poor members and widows and children; and a savings' bank was established in 1 SI 5, in which the amount of deposits is above £23,000. There are some beautiful remains of the ancient CATHEDRAL. The Structure was founded by Andrew, Bishop of Moray, in I'i'^i, and was subsequently burnt by Alexander Stewart, generally called the Wolf of Badenoch, whom one of the bishop's successors had excommunicated for the unjust seizure and detention of his lands. It was, however, by degrees restored, and continued in all its original magnificence till the year 156s, when the Regent Morton directed the lead to be stripped off its roof, in order to pay his troops. From its exposure to the weather, it now began to decay: the magnificent rood-loft, still retaining its pristine beauty, was demolished in 1640, and the spoils were used in the erection of a gallery in a neighbouring parish church; the wood-work of the great tower in time perished, and the foundation sinking, it fell in 1711. When entire the cathedral had five towers, two at the west end, two at the east, and one stately tower rising from the centre; it was a splendid cruciform structure in the decorated style of EngUsh architecture, '264 feet in length and of proportionate breadth, and the central tower was IQS feet high. The remains consist partly of the walls and turrets of the choir; and the western towers, with the grand western entrance, are yet tolerably entire; but only a few fragments of the walls of the nave and transepts are standing. The chapter-house, an octangular building nearly forty feet in diameter, with a richly-groined roof supported on one central column, is still in good preservation. Of the college, which was an appendage of the cathedral, only the eastern gateway, with part of the wall that inclosed it, is now remaining the episcopal palace and conventual buildings have all disappeared, and though enough is left to afford an idea of the style of this once stately structure, the ruins convey but a very imperfect memorial of its ancient grandeur and magnificence. By the laudable exertions of the barons of the exchequer of Scotland, and the commissioners of woods and forests of England, much of the accumulated rubbish has been removed, and many interesting details that were long concealed have been brought to light. There are still some ruins of the church of a convent of GTeij Friars, founded here by Alexander II.; and the site of the hospital of Maison Dieu may be traced in a field near the town. About six miles to the west of Elgin are the ruins of the abbey of Pluscardine, situated in the valley of that name. A considerable portion of the stone wall that inclosed it is yet remaining; and the dormitory, which has been roofed and restored in the original style, is fitted up as a place of worship for the inhabitants of the district. The remains are carefully preserved from further decay by the proprietor, the Earl of Fife; and the plantations which his lordship has formed in the immediate vicinity add greatly to the beauty of their appearance. On Lady hill is a monument erected by subscription to the memory of George, last Duke of Gordon, who died in 1S36. Elgin gives the title of Earl to the family of Bruce.