ASHLEY, lake in Dores parish, Inverness-shire.
ASHTON, southern part of Gourock, Renfrewshire. It extends south-westward along the coast, opposite Kirn and Dunoon, and consists chiefly of villas and neat two-storey houses, principally on a narrow belt of low ground, but partly on steep, overhanging braes.
ASKADIL, headland on north-west of Ardnamurchan peninsula, Argyleshire.
ASKAIG (PORT).
ASLEISK, ruined old baronial fortalice, 5 miles east of Forres, Elginshire.
ASSEL, burn, entering Stinchar river, Ayrshire.
ASSLEED, affluent of the Ythan, between New Deer and Methlick parishes, Aberdeenshire.
ASSYNT, parish in extreme south-west of Sutherland. It contains Lochinver village, and has a post office of its own name under Lairg. Its length is 20 miles, its greatest breadth 11 miles. Eeal property in 1880-81, 6649. Pop. , quoad civilia, 2776 ; quoad sacra, 1390. The coast includes all the peninsula terminating in Store Point, and goes thence to south side of head of Kyle-Scow ; and the shore for the most part is rocky, bold, and dangerous. Oldney Island, and numerous islets and insulated rocks, lie adjacent. The interior is one of the most rugged tracts in Scot-land, and may be described as mainly an assemblage of towering mountains, rocky hills, wild crags, and deep ravines, with interspersion of lakes and numerous lakelets and tarns. Quinag, Suilven, Canisp, and Benmore-Assynt are chief mountains, and the last has an altitude of 3281 feet. Loch Assynt is the chief lake, measures 6f miles in length, and about 1 mile in extreme breadth ; has intricate shores and a winding contour, and is flanked and overhung by diversified crags and mountains. Several caves and some natural arches are on the coast, and some caves are in the interior. Clachtoll dun, Ardvrack ruined castle, and Calda ruined mansion are the chief antiquities. The churches are 2 Established and 2 Free. There are 8 schools for 539 scholars, and 4 of them, for 330, are new.
ASTOUNE, old f ortalice in Alford parish, Aberdeenshire.
ATHELSTANEFORD, village and parish iii north-west of Haddingtonshire. The \ illa^e stands 3 miles north-north-east of Haddington, adjoins the scene of an early battle between the Scotch and the English, and has a post office under Drem, a modem church with about 500 sittings, remains of a church of the 12th century, and a public school for 161 scholars. The parish contains also Drem village, and comprises ."<>77 acres. Real property in 1880-81, 11,724. Pop. 762. The surface touches the north base of the Garleton Hills, and lias considerable inequalities. Gilmerton, the seat of Sir David Kinloch, Bart., is a chief feature, and a ruined strong mansion of the Earls of Winton is a chief antiquity.
ATHOLE, district in extreme north of Perthshire. It comprises an area of about 450 square miles; includes a prominent portion of the Central Grampians, and an extensive deer forest ; exhibits features of alpine height, deep glen, rushing stream, large lake, and massive wood, eminently picturesque ; gives the titles of earl, marquis, and duke to a branch of the family of Murray, and contains the duke's chief seat, Blair Castle.
AUCHABER, seat in Forgue parish, Aberdeenshire.
AUCHANAULT, place, 22 miles west of Dingwall, Ross-shire. It has a post office designated of Ross-shire, and a railway station.
AUCHANS, seat in Dundonald parish, Ayrshire.
AUCHENAIRN, village, Smiles north-by-east of Glasgow. It has a public school with about 170 scholars. Pop. 634.
AUCHENBATHIE, ruined ancient castle, once the property of Sir William Wallace, 4^ miles east-south-east of Lochwinnoch, Renfrewshire.
AUCHENBLAE, village, 5J miles north-north-east of Laurencekirk, Kincardineshire. It has a post office, with money order and telegraph departments, under Fordoun, a banking office, a hotel, a town hall, and a public school.
AUCHENCAIRN, bay, village, and quoad sacra parish in Kirkcudbrightshire. The bay opens at 7 miles east of Kirkcudbright ; is about 2J miles long and 1 mile wide ; has Heston Isle across its mouth, causing it to look like a lake ; and possesses both harbour for small craft and shelter for vessels of bur-den. The village stands at the bay's head, is a sea-bathing resort, and has beautiful environs, a post office, with money order department, under Castle-Douglas, 2 inns, Established and Free churches, and mixed and infant public schools, with about 173 and 157 scholars. Pop. 441. The quoad sacra parish is part of Rerrick, and was constituted prior to 1870. Pop. 1037.
AUCHENCRUIVE, seat and railway station in St. Quivox parish, near Ayr.
AUCHENDAVY, hamlet on site of a fort of Antoninus' Wall, 2 miles east of Kirkintilloch, Dumbartonshire.
AUCHENDRANE, seat of Sir Peter Coats, and quondam castle, the scene of Sir Walter Scott's Ayrshire Tragedy, on left bank of the Doon, near the Ayr and Girvan Railway, Ayrshire.
AUCHENDRYNE, suburb of Castleton-Braemar, Aberdeenshire. Pop 269.
AUCHENGEAN, hamlet in Falkirk parish, Stirlingshire. It has a public school with about 84 scholars.
AUCHENGELLOCH, wild tract, notable for conventicles of the Covenanters, in Avondale parish, Lanarkshire.
