URQUHART-AND-GLENMORRISTON, a parish, in
the county of Inverness, the former place 18 miles
(N. E. by N.) and the latter 7 miles (N.) from Fort-
Augustus; containing, with the villages of Invermorriston,
and East and West Lewistown, 3104 inhabitants,
of whom 2827 are in the rural districts. This parish
comprises the ancient parish of Urquhart, of which name,
derived from the Gaelic, the etymology is given in the
preceding article; and the ancient parish of Glenmorriston,
the name of which, in the Gaelic language Glen-
VKir-(t.sscti(, is derived from the falls of the rivers that flow
through its picturesque valleys into Loch Ness. Urquhart
Castle, situated on a promontory overlooking the
bay of Urquhart in Loch Ness, was one of a chain of
fortresses extending from Inverness to Inverlochy, most
of which were erected by the earlier Scottish kings, for
the protection of the country from invasion, and for the
repression of the frequent internal commotions that disturbed
their reigns. Tliis castle was besieged in 1303
by a detachment of the English, sent by Edward I.
from Kildrummie for the reduction of the adjacent
country, and to whom it surrendered after a protracted
defence: the governor, Alexander de Bois, and the whole
of the garrison, were put to the sword. The fortress was
again assaulted in 1334, by the adherents of Baliol,
against whom it was resolutely defended by Sir Robert
Lauder, its governor; and subsequently it was granted
as a royal garrison, together with the barony, by David
II., to William, Earl of Sutherland. It afterwards passed
into other hands. Urquhart Castle was capable of accommodating
a garrison of more than 500 men. Its
remains stand on a rock separated from the main land
by a moat twenty-five feet broad and sixteen feet deep,
and consist chiefiy of the keep, a strong square tower
three stories in height, with projecting turrets at the
angles. The entrance was by an embattled gateway between
two towers of massive strength, and was defended
by a drawbridge and portcullis; the outer court was surrounded
with walls of great height, inclosing a spacious
area, and protected at the angles by platforms, on which
were mounted batteries of cannon. The whole formed
a structure of great strength, and in a style of architecture
superior to that of the generality of Scottish strongholds.
The PARISH is bounded on the east by Loch Ness, is
about thirty miles in length, and varies from eight to
twelve miles in breadth. Its superficial extent has not
been accurately ascertained, but the lands that are arable
and in cultivation bear but a comparatively small
proportion to the whole. The surface is, perhaps, more
striliingly diversified with hills and mountains, and
presents more features of sublimity and grandeur contrasted
with scenes of picturesque and romantic beauty,
than any other part of the Highlands. It is intersected
by two extensive vales, in nearly parallel directions, at
a distance of almost eight miles from each other. Of
these, the vale of Gleii- Urquhart, tov/ards the north, is
about nine miles in length, and first expands from the
shore of Loch Ness into a beautiful semicircular plain
enriched with woods; while the acclivities of the hills
that inclose it on both sides are cultivated to a considerable
height from their bases. The river Coiltie flows
along the south side of this glen, between banks crowned
in some parts with plantations of birch, and in others
with heath; and the river Enneric, on the west, passes
through a tract of level ground, laid out in some excellent
farms, and studded with rural hamlets, to a
rocky pass leading into the inland portion of the glen.
Nearly in the centre of this inland division of the glen,
which is of circular form, is Loch Meikly, a fine sheet
of water about one mile in length and half a mile in
breadth. On the borders of the lake are gently-rising
lawns and richly-cultivated grounds terminating in a
high ridge of heath, beyond which is the table-land of
Corrymony, having an elevation of 900 feet above the
level of the sea, but nevertheless in a state of profitable
cultivation. Gleii-Morriston, in the southern part of
the parish, is about twelve miles in length, and at the
entrance level, and inclosed by steep hills clothed with
plantations of pine and birch. Beyond the entrance it
gradually expands into great width, and is partially
covered with a forest of birch, which extends far up the
precipitous acclivities of the mountains on both sides.
Towards the interior, the hills are crowned with pine
and Scotch fir. The river Morriston flows nearly
through the centre of this romantic glen, between rocky
banks, which frequently obstructing its winding course,
give to it the impetuosity of a torrent; and within a
short distance from its influx into Loch Ness it forms a
magnificent cascade.
The interval between the two glens is occupied by a
continued chain of high mountains, of which Mmlfuarvonie,
the loftiest, has an elevation of 3200 feet above the
level of the sea. Its higher acclivity is nearly perpendicular
on the north and south sides, and at the base is a
small circular lake which, though long supposed to be of
unfathomable depth, was some years since found by experiment
to be comparatively shallow. From the western
extremity of the lake issues a small stream forming a
boundary between the districts of Urquhart and Glenmorriston.
This rivulet, which is called the Jultsigli, or
Resting burn, flows though a beautiful tract of rocky and
woodland scenery, making in its course some romantic
cascades, and falling from a stony channel, at the base of
a cliff 1600 feet in height, into Loch Ness, within three
miles of Invermorriston. The 7)J!;oc/i, a stream tributary
to the Coiltie, and enlivening a grove of birch-trees, also
has a beautifully picturesque cascade, equal in every respect,
except in the volume of water, to the celebrated
fall of Foyers; and near the source of the Enneric, which
flows from Corrymony into Loch Meikly, is the fall of
Moral, of romantic character. The burn of Aheriachan,
on the confines of Inverness, and that of Aultguish, or the
Fir-tree burn, form a succession of cataracts. Of the
numerous fresh-water lakes in the parish, the most considerable
is that of Meikly. previously noticed; the others
are of inferior dimensions, and not distinguished by any
peculiarity of features. They all, however, abound with
trout, perch, and pike. Salmon are found in the Morriston,
and in some of the other rivers, after floods; and in
the burns and rivulets, trout are to be obtained in great
plenty, and of good quality.
In general the soil of Urquhart is a rich loam, of little
depth, but of great fertility; that of Glenmorriston is
of inferior quality, light and sandy, but, under good
management, producing favourable crops. The crops
are wheat, barley, oats, potatoes, and turnips, with the
usual grasses. Husbandry is in an improved state;
and the lands have been rendered more fertile by a
liberal use of lime, which, from the scarcity of coal, is
brought from England at a cheaper rate than that at
which it could be produced here. Nearly all the wheat
raised in the parish, and a considerable quantity of the
oats, are sent to Inverness; and for some years past, a
large quantity of potatoes has been exported for the
supply of the London market. The cattle are mostly
of the Highland breed, and great attention is paid to
their improvement; the dairies are well managed, and
large quantities of butter and cheese are taken to Inverness
and other places. Sheep of the native breed are
kept on the lowland farms, and more than 20,000 are
reared in the highland pastures. Horses used formerly
to be bred for sale in Glenmorriston; but sheep are
now the only stock reared for the market in that district,
and no horses are bred in the parish except what
are necessary for the purposes of local husbandry. The
plantations, which are very extensive, and in a thriving
state, consist of oak, ash, mountain-ash, beech, elm,
alder, poplar, sycamore, hazel, larch, pine, plane, firs,
and walnut. Fruit-trees of every kind are to be seen
in the gardens of the chief houses. The principal substrata
are, old red sandstone and conglomerate, of which
the rocks are mainly composed; porphyritic granite,
in which are found crystals of felspar; limestone; and
mica-slate. The sandstone was quarried for certain
works of the Caledonian canal, since which time the
works have been occasionally opened to supply materials
for paving the streets of Inverness. In the parish are
the mansion-houses of Balmacaan, in the lower valley
of Urquhart, the property and occasional residence of
the Earl of Seafield; Invermorriston, the seat of James
Grant, Esq., beautifully situated on the shore of Loch
Ness; Lakefield, the residence of Patrick Grant, Esq.;
Corrymony, the seat of Thomas Ogilvie, Esq.; Polraailly;
Kilmore; and a few others. The annual value
of real property in the parish is £623'2.
The villages of East and West Lewistown, and Invermorriston,
are described under their respective heads.
In the vale of Urquhart are several rural hamlets, of
which the principal, called Milntown, contains l.'iO, and
the others collectively about 115, inhabitants. A few
persons here are employed in the handicraft trades
requisite for the accommodation of the neighbourhood,
and in the cultivation of crofts of land attached to their
houses. At Drumnadrochit and Invermorriston are
inns; and facility of communication is maintained by
good roads, formed under the superintendence of parliamentary
commissioners for the construction of roads
and bridges in the Highlands, and which are kept in
tolerable repair. Ecclesiastically this parish, which
originally formed part of the parish of Abertarff, is
within the limits of the presbytery of Abertarff and
synod of Glenelg. The minister's stipend is £249. 9. 6.,
with a manse, and a glebe valued at £6 per annum;
patron, the Earl of Seafield. The church, erected in
1837, is situated in the lower part of the vale of Urquhart;
it is a neat plain structure containing 1100
sittings. A chapel in connexion with the church, containing
250 sittings, has been built at Meikly: the
minister of the parish officiates in it every third Sabbath.
There is also a missionary station at Invermorriston,
where a missionary officiates alternately with
another in the upper part of the glen; he receives a
stipend of £60 from the Royal Bounty, and £20 from the
proprietors of land within the district. The parochial
school is subdivided into three, one of which is within
half a mile of the church, and is endowed with half the
salary of £34. 4. 4.; the other two are at Invermorriston
and Meikly, and the masters receive each one-fourth
of the salary. The principal master has the dwellinghouse,
and the fees of all collectively average about £50.
There are also two schools supported by the Society for
Propagating Christian Knowledge.
On a hill overlooking Loch Ness are the remains of a
vitrified fort called Uunscriben, which communicated
with other forts in the centre and at the eastern extremity
of the valley through which the Caledonian canal
now passes. In Glen-Urquhart is the rocky eminence
of Craigmoni, encircled round the summit with rude
walls of stone, and which, according to tradition, was a
place of execution, and also a signal station. A Norwegian
pri.ice named Moni is said to have landed in the
district of Crinan, and to have been attacked and routed
by the natives, from whose pursuit he retired to Craigmoni,
and established himself for some time in the adjacent
valley, called Dalraoni; but being still followed
by the natives, he is reported to have perished at Corrymony,
where his grave is still pointed out. On the east
of the bay of Urquhart are remains of a small establishment
of Knights Templars, of whom some were probably
governors of the adjoining castle; and there are
several cemeteries in the parish formerly belonging to
chapels, in one of which, called Kilmore, or " the great
burying-ground," the present parish church was erected.
There are also some cairns, and remains of Druidical
circles, but in a very imperfect state; and the burn of
Aultsigh is memorable as the site of a sanguinary conflict
in the beginning of the seventeenth century, between
the elans of the Macdonells of Glengarry and the
Mackenzies of Ross-shire.