Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 3.djvu/253

PORTO-BELLO. 241 PORTREE. PORTO-BELLO, a quoad sacra par., municipal and parliamentary borough in the pars, of Duddingston and South Leith, co. Edinburgh, Scotland, 3 miles E. by N. of Edinburgh, of which it may be considered a marine suburb. It is a station on the North British railway. It is a place of recent origin and name, having pre- viously formed part of the " Figget Lands," which, previous to the year 1763, were a mere waste, covered for the most part with furze or whins, and were com- monly let for 200 merks, Scots, to one of the Dudding- ston tenants. Porto- Bello hut was the first house raised in the midst of the original waste about 1742, and de- rived its appellation from the Spanish American town of that name, at the capture of which its proprietor had been present as a sailor. The place grew rapidly into importance, and besides the ordinary houses, originally designed for the workmen engaged in the neighbouring brick, pottery, and tile works at Brickfield, a num- ber of edifices sprung up, overlooking the Frith of Fortn, for the accommodation of the numerous families who resorted here for sea-bathing, and for which the smoothness of the adjacent sandy beach, the purity of the atmosphere, and the propinquity of the great Lon- don road, rendered it particularly eligible. The par., which is only 1 mile in length by about half a mile in breadth, includes the vil. of Joppa. The soil is a mix- ture of clay and sand, originally barren, but converted by artificial means into very productive land, the greater part of which is now built over. A considerable num- ber of the working population are employed in the adjacent collieries and salt-works. The town contains nearly 4,000 inhabitants, and includes a market-house, commercial bank, assembly rooms, baths ; also exten- sive manufactories for soap, glass, and pottery, which last are situated on the Figget Burn, a small stream which falls into the Frith. It is a coastguard station, and a creek to the port of Preston Pans. Since the passing of the Reform Act it is a contributory burgh to Leith. It is governed under the late Municipal Reform Act by a provost, two bailies, and nine common coun- cillors. The par. is in the presb. of Edinburgh and synod of Lothian and Tweeddale, and in the patron, of the male communicants. The minister has a stipend of 190. The church was built in 1815. There are several other churches and schools. PORTON, a chplry. in the par. of Idmiston, hund. of Alderbury, co. Wilts, 6 miles N.E. of Salisbury, its post town, and 5 S.E. of Amesbury. It is a station on the South- Western railway. The village, which is of small extent, is situated on a branch of the river Avon, and is wholly agricultural. The living is a cur. annexed to the vie. of Idmiston, in the dioc. of Sarum. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, is an ancient edifice, with a wooden belfry. PORT-ON-CRAIG. See FEKBY-PORT-ON-CRAIO. co. Fife. PORT-PATRICK, a par., burgh of barony, seaport and sea-bathing place, in the district of The Rhyns, co. Wigtown, Scotland, 21 miles from Donaghadee, on the ite coast of Ireland, 30 W. of Wigtown, and 130 S. by W. of Edinburgh. It is a station on the Glasgow and South-Western and Portpatrick line of railway. The parish, which was formerly called Port Mont- gomery, from a noble family of that name who at one time possessed largo estate?, on both sides of the Irish Channel, is about 4i miles square. The surface is rugged and hilly, the highest eminence being Cairnpiot Hill, which has an elevation of about 800 feet above sea level. The land for the greater part is moorland, abounding in i -s and peat, but has been considerably improved of luto years. The town, which is situate with a southerlv exposure to the Irish Channel and sheltered on the N". by a semicircle of small hills, is much frequented during he summer season for sea bathing. It is a sub-port to btranraer, and ever since 1662 has been a mail packet station for Donaghadee on the north-eastern coast of Ireland, across the North Channel. It is not now of BO much importance as before the application of steam to ocean transit. The principal trade carried on is the importation of black cattle and horses from Ireland, and the exportation of fish, particularly cod, which employs a large number of boats. There is a good quay with a reflecting light 37 feet high, put up in 1790. The town and harbour wore much improved through the exertions of the late Sir James Hunter Blair, Bart., and have been further secured by a new pier built by Rennie at a cost of above 160,000. The harbour has from 8 to 17 feet water. The par. is in the presb. of Stranraer and synod of Galloway. The church was built in 1629. There are a Free church and several other places of wor- ship. About half a mile to the S. of the village stands Dunskey Castle, overhanging the brink of a precipice which projects into the Irish Sea, and near it the modern seat of the Blairs. In June, 1850, the Orion steamer struck on Barnough rock, when about 100 lives were lost. PORT-QUIN. See PoRT-Guiu, co. Cornwall. PORTRAINE, a par. in the bar. of Nethercross, co. Dublin, prov. of Leinster, Ireland, 2 miles S.E. of Lusk. Swords is its post town. It includes the island of Lambay, and has a coast open to St. George's Channel. It is situated in a flat district, and has a poor soil. Tho living is a perpet. cur. in the dioc. of Dublin, val. with Donabate, 93, in the patron, of the archbishop. There is a Roman Catholic chapel, also two day schools. Portraino House stands on the site of the ancient castle. A nunnery also stood here. Red sandstone, greenstone, grauwacke, limestone conglomerate, and slate aro found. PORTREATH, a vil. and small seaport in the par. of lllogan, co. Cornwall, 4 miles N.W. of Redruth. This place, formerly called Basset's Cove, is situated on the shore of the Bristol Channel, and is a sub-port to St. Ives. It has a harbour and pier made by the Bassets of Tehidy in 1760, which has subsequently been greatly lengthened and improved. Extensive basins and a tramroad extending from the Gwennap and other mines in the vicinity to the shipping place, were formed somo years since by a trading company. The principal business is the exportation of copper ore to the smelting furnaces in Wales, and in the importation of coal. The inlet is defended by two batteries. The cliffs on this part of the coast are lofty and bold. The living is a cur. annexed to the rect.* of lllogan, in the dioc. of Exeter. There is a place of worship for Wesleyans, also a school supported by subscription. PORTREE, or PORT A ROI, a par. in the Isle of Skye, co. Inverness, Scotland, 12^ miles N. of Sconcer, its post town. It derives its name from the circumstance of James V. of Scotland, who visited the islands, an- choring in this port. The shores of the harbour are protected by rugged cliffs rising nearly perpendicularly on either side of the mouth of the harbour, which is largo and has a quay regularly visited by Glasgow steamers. In the rocks aro many large caves, particularly towards the N., where the hilla rise to a great height. The parish, which was only a chapelry of Snizort tUl 1726, is about 19 miles in length by 13 in breadth. It includes the islands of Fladda, Rasay, and Rona, with Lochs Portree, Sligachan, and Inord on the coast, and several freshwater lakes inland, the largest of which are Lochs Fad and Leachan, the superfluous waters from which hist are discharged over a precipice forming a cascade. The village is large and contains a court-house, gaol, two commercial banks, and a good inn. A considerable ex- port trade is carried on in cattle and salmon. Near the village on the cliffs ia an old castle, formerly the seat of the lairds of Rasay, and in other parts of the parish two ruined chapels, several Danish forts, earthworks, caves, &c. The surface is hilly, especially on the E. side of the island, where the coast is rugged, but in other parts it is diversified with valleys and plains. Tho most re- markable liill is Ait-Suidhe-Thuin, or Fingal's Seat. Tho soil ia better adapted for pasture than tillage, but some spots aro in good cultivation. The principal heritors are Lord Macdonald and the Macleods of Rasay, of which latter family was the celebrated Lady Flora Macdonald, who entertained Dr. Johnson at the family seat of Kingsborough. This par. is in the