A vision of Britain through time
A vision of Britain from 1801 to now.
Including maps, statistical trends and historical descriptions.
A vision of Britain through time
A vision of Britain from 1801 to now.
Including maps, statistical trends and historical descriptions.
Blair, an estate and iron-works in Dalry parish, Ayrshire. The estate is rich in minerals, and has, since the beginning of the present century, undergone vast improvement. A great extent of land in it, with steep rocky banks, formerly of little value, is now covered with thriving mixed plantations. A romantic reach of glen here traversed by the river Dusk has, within a precipitous mass of limestone rock, a stalactite cave, the Elf House, 183 feet long, and from 5 to 12 feet wide, arched like Gothic work, and expanding near the middle into a chamber 35 feet long and 12 feet high. The mansion on the estate stands 1¼ mile SE of Dalry town, is partly of great antiquity, and has highly picturesque grounds; its owner, Capt. Wm. Fordyce Blair, R.N., holds 6680 acres in the shire, valued at £8031 per annum, including £2203 for minerals. The iron-works adjoin the Glasgow and South-Western railway, in the near vicinity of Dalry town, and were started about 1845. Here is a mission station of the Church of Scotland; and a public school, Blairmains, with accommodation for 100 children, had (1879) an average attendance of 53, and a grant of £36,17s. Pop. of Blair Works village (1861) 916, (1871) 1081.
(F.H. Groome, Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland (1882-4); © 2004 Gazetteer for Scotland)
| Linked entities: | |
|---|---|
| Feature Description: | "an estate and iron-works" (ADL Feature Type: "land parcels") |
| Administrative units: | Dalry ScoP Ayrshire ScoCnty |
| Place: | Blair |
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