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The New Statistical Account of Scotland: List of parishes. Edinburgh
The New Statistical Account of Scotland List of parishes Edinburgh Author:Unknown Author Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: PARISH OF RATHO. PRESB YTERlf OF EDINBURGH, SYNOD OF LOTHIAN AND TWEEDDALE. THE REV. JAMES CLASON, A. M. MINISTER. I.—Topography And Natural History. ... more » Name.—The parish of Ratho is so called, according to Chalmers in his Caledonia, from the ancient baronial residence of that name, which was within its bounds. According to the same authority, the name is of British origin, being derived from the word Rhath, plural Rathau, signifying a cleared spot, a bared place or plain ; which derivation, although not consistent with the features of the parish as a whole, is yet in accordance with that part of it upon which the present mansion, like its predecessor, stands. It may be farther remarked, that the Celtic Rath, which has the same primary meaning with the British term already mentioned, signifies secondarily, a fort or artificial mount; so that possibly the name of Ratho may have been conferred upon the place, not more on account of its natural situation than the artificial works by which it was defended. Extent, Boundaries, Sfc.—This parish is 4 miles long by 2£ broad at an average; and contains about 10 square miles of surface. It is bounded on the north, by the parishes of Kirkliston and Corstorphine; on the east, by Corstorphine and Currie; on the south, by Currie ; and on the west, by Kirknewton and Kirkliston. Topographical Appearances.—The general aspect of the parish is one of considerable beauty from the delightful mixture of hill and dale, of highly cultivated fields and thriving plantations. From the eastern boundary to the centre the ground is of a slightly undulating character, but rather flat than otherwise. On the west side, there runs from north to south-west, for abouta couple of miles, a ridge, or rather a succession of eminences of table-land, crowned...« less