WISTON-AND-ROBERTON, a parish, in the Upper
ward of the county of Lanark; containing, with the
village of Newton, 929 inhabitants, of whom 141 are in
the village of Wiston, 7 miles (S. W. by W.) from Biggar,
and 201 in the village of Roberton, 9^ miles (S. W.)
from the same town. It comprehends the old parishes
of Wiston and Roberton, which were united in the year
1772. Their names, of uncertain origin, were probably
derived from proprietors; and from the designation of
a farm in the former, called The Place, the owner of
Wiston would appear to have been resident. The parish
is about six miles in length and four in breadth; it is
bounded on the south-east by the river Clyde, and comprises
9400 acres, of which 3800 are arable, 200 woodland
and plantation, and the remainder moorland and pasture.
The surface is strikingly diversified with hill and dale.
Tinto, or "the hill of fire", perhaps so called as originally
a seat of Druidical superstition, rises on the
northern confines of the parish, with an elevation of 2300
feet above the level of the sea, commanding an unbounded
prospect over the adjacent districts, embracing,
among other prominent objects, the heights of Ilartfell,
Queensberry, Cairntable, and Goaf fell, the Isle of Arran,
the Bass Rock, and the hills in the north of Enijland
and of Ireland. Nearly in the centre of the parish is the
hill of Dungavcl, rising with a double apex to a considerable
elevation, and strongly contrasting, in its rich ver-
dure and beauty of appearance, with the rugged, precipitous,
and harsh features of the former hill. The scenery
is at many points beautifully picturesque, and embellished
with wood.
The SOIL is chiefly light and gravelly, alternated with
a rich black loam, and in some parts with portions of
marshy land; the crops are oats, wheat, barley, potatoes,
and turnips. Agriculture is advanced; the lands
are drained and partly inclosed, and the farm houses are
improving both in comfort and appearance. Much attention
is paid to the management of the dairy, and to
the breed of live-stock: from 300 to 400 milch-cows are
kept, of the Ayrshire breed; and the sheep, of which
nearly 4000 are on the average pastured, are chiefly of
the black-faced Linton breed. The silver medal of the
Highland Agricultural Society was some years ago
awarded to Mr. Muir, for his success in reclaiming waste
land here, for which the abundance of lime affords every
facility so far as that stimulant is wanted. In 1845 the
same gentleman gained several prizes at the society's
cattle-show, for Ayrshire queys. The woods, more than
half of which have been planted within the last few
years, are very carefully managed; they consist of larch
and Scotch fir, with an intermixture of other trees. The
substrata are chiefly greywacke, of which the hills are
composed, red sandstone, and limestone; the last is
extensively wrought on the Newton estate, and the
works produce annually about 18,000 bolls. In the
seams of limestone are found embedded corals, branches
of trees, and shells of different kinds. Coal is supposed
to exist, and an attempt was made to explore it; but
the works were suddenly suspended, and have not been
since resumed. Hardington House, an ancient edifice,
was formerly the residence of the celebrated Lord Braxfield;
it is situated on the Clyde, in a richly-wooded
demesne, and is now inhabited by Lord Braxfield's
grandson. Facility of communication is afforded by
roads kept in due repair by statute labour, and by the
turnpike-road from Stirling to Carlisle, which passes
through the whole length of the parish: the main trunk
of the Caledonian railway intersects the parish in its
eastern angle. The annual value of real property in
W^iston and Roberton is £4953. Ecclesiastically this
parish is in the presbytery of Lanark, synod of Glasgow
and Ayr, and in the alternate patronage of the Crown
and Lord Douglas: the minister's stipend is £204. 9.,
with a manse, and a glebe valued at £40 per annum.
The church, formerly that of the parish of Wiston,
which was enlarged after the union of the two parishes,
is an old edifice adapted for a congregation of nearly
400 persons. In the village of Roberton is a place of
worship for members of the United Presbyterian Church.
The parochial schools of Wiston and Roberton are both
kept up, and are well attended; the master of each has
the maximum salary, with the fees, and a house and
garden. In these schools more than 130 children receive
instruction. A subscription library is supported
at Roberton, forming a well-assorted collection of books
on general literature.