ELLON, a village and parish, in the district of Ellon, county of Aberdeen, 16 miles (N. by E.) from Aberdeen; containing '2941 inhabitants. The name of this place is supposed to be derived from a Gaelic term signifying an island, and to have been applied on account of the situation of a small island in the river Ythan, near the village, and contiguous to the ferry formerly used on the principal line of road leading from Aberdeen to the north-eastern district of the county. The probability of this derivation is increased by the circumstance of the word Elleann being inscribed on some old communion cups presented to the Kirk Session by the family of Forbes of Watertown. Ellon was from a very remote period the seat of the jurisdiction of the earldom of Buchan, and the court was held in the open air, on an eminence rising from the bank of the Ythan, and called originally the " Moot hill of Ellon", but in later times the "Earl's hill". The lands formerly belonged to the Cistercian abbey of Kinloss in Moray, and in the thirteenth century Robert I. confirmed to the abbot the possession of the church of Ellon. At one period, also, this was a prebendal church of Aberdeen, and the bishop of that see had considerable lands here. The PARISH is mostly situated on the northern bank of the river Ythan. It measures ten miles in its greatest length, and seven miles in its greatest breadth, and comprises nearly 20,000 acres, of which about 15,000 or 16,000 are arable and the remainder moor, with the exception of 200 acres of plantations. Though there are no remarkable eminences, the surface is agreeably diversified with rising grounds, on a clear day commanding prospects which comprehend the north-eastern range of the Grampians, Benochie, the Foudland hills, the summits of some of the Spey-side mountains, and an expanse of the German Ocean reaching from the Girdleness lighthouse on the south nearly to Rattray point on the north. The valley of the Ythan, bisecting the parish from east to west, is joined on the north by the small valley of Ebrie, extending in that direction for several miles, and on the south by that of Brony, which reaches about the same distance towards the south-west. Rising in the parish of Forgue, the river falls into the German Ocean at the sands of Forvie; it expands into a broad shallow basin just before it joins the sea, and is navigable for lighters to the meadow of Watertown, about a quarter of a mile below the village, where there is a landingplace. The salmon-fishing on the river was formerly worth several hundreds of pounds per annum; but since the increase of stake-nets along the coast, it has been almost annihilated. The burns of Ebrie and Brony, tributaries of the Ythan, are well stocked with salmontrout, common burn-trout, and finnock, affording excellent sport; and parties from Aberdeen frequently visit the district in the summer months to enjoy the recreation of angling. The SOIL is in part dry, resting on a gravelly bed; clay is found in some places, and there is a very considerable extent of fertile diluvial earth. In the northern portion, where the higher grounds are, the soil is mossy and exceedingly poor, much mixed with white sand, encumbered with loose stones above and worthless diluvial deposits below, and totally incapable of profitable cultivation. The grain chiefly depended on is oats; bear and turnips form a considerable portion of the produce, especially the latter, and the crops are raised under the rotation system. Most of the modern improvements being understood, agriculture is on a respectable footing: the chief impediment to more extensive advances is the want of encouragement for the outlay of capital. Threshing-mills are numerous, and the farm-houses and offices are in general convenient and well built. Sheepfarming is unknown: the cattle, formerly the Aberdeenshire horned and Angus polled breeds, have been latterly much mixed with the Teeswater, which prevails to a considerable extent. Great encouragement has been afforded in the improvement of stock by the Formartine Agricultural Association, of which the Earl of Aberdeen is patron, and most of the farmers here members. The rocks are all of the primitive formation, and comprise granite, gneiss, quartz, &c. From the impervious nature of the subsoil, and the proximity of a stormy sea-coast, the parish is an unfavourable site for the growth of wood; and the trees, consisting chiefly of Scotch fir and larch, are all of inferior size, with the exception of a few scattered specimens in the neighbourhood of the village. The annual value of real property in the parish is £9678. The mansion-house of Arnage, seated in the valley of the Ebrie, on the bank of the stream, is an ancient structure commanding a pleasing view of the scenery in the immediate locality. Turner Hall, about two miles north of the village, embraces extensive prospects of the German Ocean, the high grounds of Aberdeen, and several of the mountains in the districts of the Don, the Dee, and the Spey. There is a mansion-house on the estate of Eslemoiii, surrounded by fifty or sixty acres of plantation, ornamentally disposed; and a fourth residence, named Dudwick, a plain old house, occupies a cold marshy situation in the upland district. Elton Castle, now deserted and almost ruinous, was erected principally about the year 1780, by the late Earl of Aberdeen, who made it his residence, and enriched the surrounding grounds with a variety of plantations, which have since been to a great extent cut down. The village contains nearly 500 persons, and being the principal market for a large district, and the residence of several thriving traders, is the scene of considerable traffic. There is a general post-oflice, and the high road from Aberdeen to Peterhead and Fraserburgh passes through: a turnpil