Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 2.djvu/550

LARAGHBEYAN. 542 LAEGS. Ireland, 6 miles N.W. of Eathdrum. It is situated under the Laragh Mountain, near Glendalough. About 1 mile B. of the village is Laragh House. LAEAGHBEYAN, a par. in the bar. of North Salt, co. Kildare, prov. of Leinster, Ireland, containing llay- nooth, its post town. It is 6 miles long by 85 broad. The surface, which is flat, is traversed by the Eoyal canal. The living is a vie. in the dioc. of Dublin. The Duko of Leinster built the church. The Eoman Catho- lic chapel is united to that of Leixlip. There are four day schools. Carton is the demesne of the Duke of Leinster. LAEAH, a par. in the bars, of Tullygarvey and Upper Loughtee, co. Cavan, prov. of Ulster, Ireland, containing Stradone, its post town. Its surface comprises a consi- derable amount of bog and lake. The road from Cavau to Cootehill passes through the parish. The living is a vie. in the dioo. of Kilmore, val. 769, in the patron, of the bishop. The church was built by the late Board of First Fruits in 1832. The Eoman Catholic chapel is united to that of Cleffernah. There are two public, eleven private, and two Sunday schools. Stradone House and IJavenswood are the chief residences. Limestone is very abundant. In the vicinity arc several Danish raths and a cairn. LARBERT, a par. in co. Stirling, Scotland. It is a railway station on the Scottish Central line, and situated 8 miles S.E. of Stirling, and 27 from Edinburgh. It comprises the vils. of Larbert, Kinnaird., Stenhousemuir, and West Carron. Its size is about 2j square miles. About 200 acres are plantation, and the remainder arable. Here both coal and ironstone are extensively worked. The rivers are the Carron, which runs along the southern border of the parish, and the Pow, a stream on its north side. The par. (united to Dunipace) is in the presb. of Stirling, and synod of Perth and Stirling, in tho patron, of the crown. The minister's stipend is 322. Tho parish church is a modern structure in the Elizabethan stylo of architecture. Here is a Free church. There are six schools, one of which is endowed. Here are tho Carron Works, one of the largest iron foundries in Europe, employing nearly 2,000 hands ; it is carried on by a chartered company, and was projected by Dr. Roebuck, of Sheffield, in 1760. The chief seats are Glenbcrvie, Larbert House, Carron Hall, and Kin- naird the latter once the residence and property of Bruce, the Abyssinian traveller, who was born, died, and buried in this parish. Near this place tho great Eoman road passes, and about a quarter of a mile to the W. the foundation of a bridge is visible when the river Carron is low. Here both Koman millstones and pottery have been discovered, and Danish forts are seen. Tho famous Falkirk cattle tryst is held on a moor in this parish in October, when 20,000 to 30,000 head of cattle, and near 100,000 sheep change hands. LAEBEICK, a hmlt. in the par. of Kirkham, hund. of Amounderness, co. Lancaster, 5 miles N. of Kirkham, and 4 N.E. of Poulton. The hamlet, which is consider- able, is situated on the river Wyre, and is in conjunction with Little Ecclestone. There is a chalybeate spring. LAEDIEF. See KINLOCH, co. Perth, Scotland. LARGO, a par. in the St. Andrew's district of the co. Fife, Scotland. It is a railway station on the Anstruther branch of the Edinburgh, Perth, and Dundee line, and is situated 6 miles S. of Cupar. It comprises the yils. of Upper Largo or Kirkton, Lower Largo, New Gilston, and Woodride. Largo Bay, which is o miles broad, on the Frith of Forth, is one of its boundaries. The coast, which is low and sandy, extends for about 3 miles. The length of tho par. is 6 miles, and its average breadth is 3 miles. The surface is much diversified by hills and valleys, and at Largo-law it attains a height of 950 feet above sea-level. Of 6,820 acres, about 6,000 are under tillage, and the rest either pasture or under wood. An infe- rior description of coal is worked here, also sandstone of excellent quality. The par. is in the presb. of St. Andrew's, and synod of Fife. The minister's stipend is 269. Apart of the parish church was built in 1623, and the rest in 1817. Here is a Free church, an United Presbyterian church, and a Baptist chapel, also four schools. The hospital was erected by means of an endowment bequeathed in 1659 by John Wood, a native of the place, who provided that any man " of the name of Wood" should have free admission, to whatever part of Great Britain he might belong. In 1482 the barony of Largo was conferred by James III. upon Sir Andrew Wood, a native of this place. Lower Largo has been rendered famous from the fact of its being the birthplace of Alexander Selkirk, the original of Eobinson Crusoe. The house in which he was bom still stands. Sir John Leslie, tho natural philo- sopher, was also a native. The vils. of Upper and Lower Largo stand about three-quarters of a mile from each other. Lower Largo formerly carried on a good trade both with Norway and Holland, but the harbour hag recently been much neglected. The weaving of linen goods and flax-spinning occupy some of tho inhabitants. There is an ancient tower in the vicinity of Largo House said to be the remains of a castle formerly inhabited by Sir Andrew Wood. In front of Largo House is a curious runic stone. On the W. bank of tho Keil are tho ruins of the ancient castle of Balcruivo, the seat of the Craw- fords. Lundin House is a modern structure, but has a tower belonging to tho ancient castle of Lundin in its centre. Near it stands an ancient Danish pillar cross. Eoman antiquities have been discovered in the vicinity. The National Bank has a branch office in the village. A market for corn is held weekly. LAEGS, a par. in the Cunningham district of tho 00. Ayr, Scotland. It comprises the post town of Largs and the viL of Fairley. The size of the par. is 9 miles by 4. Its surface is hilly, being broken by a ridge which cuts it off from tho country behind, from which circumstance originated the proverbial expression " Out of the world, and into Largs." About 8,098 acres of the parish are heath and moorland, 5,500 in pasture, 1,145 m lage, 3,300 in meadow, and 600 in woodland*. Tho Noddle and Gogo arc the principal streams. Ti. extensive sandstone quarries. The par. is in the presb. of Greenock, and synod of Glasgow and Ayr. The minister's stipend is 297. The parish church is a modern and commodious structure, and has tombs of the Montgomerys of Skelmorley. There are also two Free churches, an United Presbyterian church, and two chapels-of-ease, besides an Episcopalian chapel dedicated to St. Columba, to which saint the ancient church was dedicated. There are seven schools, one of which is endowed. The lordship of Largs was onco possessed by John Baliol, tho competitor for tho crown of Scotland. It was on the plain of Largs that the celebrated battle was fought between Haco of Norway, and Alexander HI. of Scotland, on the 2nd October, 1263. Margaret' s-Law I was in 1772 discovered to be an immense artificial aoM^B I lation of stones, and containing in its centre several tttme I coffins, urns, and human remains, supposed to have bei I there since tho battle of Largs. Here is the castle oi'j Fairley, once the property of the Fairley family, erected in 1521 ; Skelmorley Castle, part of which was built inj 1502, and recently repaired ; and Knock Castle, built about the commencement of the 16th century, and ol' late repaired. The more modern structures are ]3ri6-|[ bane House and Kelburn House. Tho fisheries on th<" coast are of considerable value. The town of 1 situated on the Frith of Clyde, 30 miles S.AV . . , ' and 14 S. of Greenock. It is considered a very h^^BI spot, and possesses a fine beach, with good bathi' enjoys convenient and expeditious communicat i Glasgow and other large towns on the Clyde b of steamboats, and during the season it is enlivened by a great number of visitors. In front of tho to' good quay, constructed in 1834. The parish with its tower and spire, is a great ornamenl town. Tho City of Glasgow Bank and the v . Bank have each a branch here, and there are insurance agencies and a gas company. A euiti of baths was erected here by public subscription iii 1816. The inhabitants are employed in fishing ant weaving, but a large proportion of them depend upoi visitors. The town is chiefly under the control of tin