or MURRAYSHIRE, a county in Scotland. The province of Moray formerly included part of the shires of Inverness and Banff, and that of Nairn, besides the present county; but the name is now confined to this district, which is also known by the appellation of Elginshire. It is situated between 57° 12' and 57° 43' north latitude, and between 3° 2' and 3° 58' west longitude, extending about forty miles from north-east to south-west, and in breadth from eight to fourteen miles in the interior, but upon the coast from seventeen to twenty-three miles; and it contains, including its lakes, 480 square miles, or 307,200 English acres, of which only about one third is productive land. The county of Moray has the frith of that name on the north, Banffshire on the east, Inverness-shire on the south, and Nairnshire on the west.

The river Spey, which, with a few exceptions, separates it from Banffshire, is commonly considered as its eastern boundary. On the south, it is intersected by a small part of Inverness-shire, by which two parishes, Abernethy and Duthil, partly in this county, are detached from the body of it. It is divided into fifteen entire parishes, and contains part of nine more parishes, the rest of which are situated in the counties adjacent. The presbyteries to which these parishes belong are, Aberlour, Abernethy, Elgin, and Forres, all under the jurisdiction of the synod of Moray.

The natural divisions are the low grounds which stretch along the coast, varying in breadth, southward, from five to twelve miles, and the mountains which occupy the interior; yet the former is not without ridges of hills, though of no great height, which generally rise in a line parallel to the shore; nor the latter without considerable tracts of low land, particularly on the branches of the Spey and Findhorn, and the other streams which flow from the south. The climate, soil, and productivity of these two divisions are very different. The climate on the coast is supposed to be as good as that of any part of Scotland, both in respect to heat and to dryness; whilst the prevailing soil is a sandy loam, in many parts affording plentiful crops, which ripen early, and are seldom injured by bad weather in the harvest season. The wind blows from westerly points for almost three fourths of the year. The strong gales are from the north-west, and the most frequent rains are from this point and the north. Easterly winds, however, prevail in the spring months, to the great injury of vegetation. The annual fall of rain upon the north-east quarter, near Speymouth, is said to be little more than twenty-five inches; and the medium temperature of the year varies from 45° to 50°. In the mountain district, the winters are long and severe; more rain falls than on the coast; and the labours of the harvest are sometimes not brought to a close until the crops are covered with snow. Limestone, sandstone, and slate, with marl, abound in various parts. Iron was almost a century ago wrought in Strathspey by the York Buildings Company, and lead at Stotfield by an English company. Lime is quarried and burned at six different places. The rivers are the Spey, the Lossie, and the Findhorn, which receive the waters of a great many mountain streams. The Spey, the most considerable, has a course of thirty miles before it enters Morayshire, at Aviemore, from which it flows in a deep channel, and with a considerable fall, till it empties itself, after describing a line of about ninety-six miles in all, into the sea at Speymouth Bay. It is not navigable, except near its mouth, and there only for small vessels; but it affords the means of bringing down to the sea the forests on its banks; and the rents of its salmon fisheries, some years ago, exceeded L8000 per annum. The Lossie flows almost parallel to the Spey, about ten miles distant, and, after a course of twenty-four miles, during which it turns a number of corn mills, falls into the sea at Lossiemouth, about six miles to the north of Elgin. The Findhorn, like the two former, flows from south to north, and enters the Frith of Moray at the village that bears its name, having traversed Inverness-shire, where it has its source, Nairnshire, and this county, for a distance of sixty miles. There is also a valuable salmon fishery on this river. The principal lakes, beginning on the east, are Loughnahoe, which covers about sixty acres; Loch Spynie, which formerly spread over more than 2000 acres, but has since been laid almost dry by drainage; Inchstellie, Lochloy, and Loughnadurb, containing an island on which there are the remains of an ancient fortress, and where it is said turnips have been found growing naturally. Chalybeate springs are found in every quarter of the county, but none of them are in much repute.

The valued rent of Morayshire, in Scotch money, is L65,603. 0s. 5d., and the real rent, in 1811, of the lands, L62,312. 9s. 6d. sterling, and of the houses, L2753. 14s. 6d. In the same year, the number of proprietors was forty-one, five of whom held more than half the valuation and rental; and that of the freeholders thirty-six. Only about a fourth part is held in feu, the whole, with this exception, and small portions belonging to the burghs, being freehold; but nearly a third is under entail. Many of the proprietors have elegant mansions, of which the most considerable, beginning on the eastern quarter, are Innes House, the Earl of Fife; Findrassio, Tod; Gordonstown and Aylte, Cumming Gordon, Bart.; Duffus, Dunbar, Bart.; Darnaway Castle, the Earl of Moray; Brodie House, Brodie; Grange, Grant Peterkin; Burgie Castle, Tulloh; and Elches House, Grant.

The size of farms on the coast does not often exceed 400 acres, and the greater number are below 150 acres. The larger farms are generally held on leases of nineteen years, as in other parts of Scotland, but many of the smaller tenants have no leases. This division of the county produces all the species of corn grown in Scotland, with turnips, potatoes, and clovers. In the higher district, barley and oats, along with potatoes, are almost the only crops, with small portions of turnips and cultivated herbage, and in some places a little flax. The native cattle have been improved by crossing them with the West Highland race; and of late years, through the exertions of a local Tanning Society, crosses from the short-horned Teeswater and Aberdeenshire breeds have been introduced, which have much increased the size of stock and aptitude to fatten, thereby insuring to the agriculturists a fertile source of profit and advantage, from the ready communication with the London markets, afforded by steam-vessels, which now regularly navigate the Moray Frith. The sheep, which were originally similar to those of Zetland, have given way to the Cheviot and black-faced on the hills, and Leicester and South Downs on the lowland farms. Upon the larger farms on the coast the horses are of the very best description, and even in the higher districts they are not inferior to those of other parts of Scotland.

The great stimulus given to the agricultural interest in the production of stock, corn, and smaller commodities, for the London market, has incited corresponding exertions in the owners of harbours along the coast to facilitate export. Those of Findhorn and Burghead have of late been much improved by the construction of additional quays; and a new harbour is at present (1837) erecting at Stotfield Point, within six miles of Elgin, which is expected to be of very great advantage to the surrounding district.

This county contains within its bounds two of the noblest forests in Scotland, viz. Abernethy Forest, of Scotch fir, and Darnaway Forest, chiefly oak of ancient growth. There are also extensive recent plantations along the banks of the rivers Spey and Findhorn at Fochabers, Quarry Wood, &c.; and the district generally is beautifully diversified and sheltered by thriving clumps, belts, and hedge-rows.

Morayshire employs few of its people in manufactures for sale. A woollen factory has been established at Newmill, in the parish of St Andrews Lhanbyrd; and in the same quarter another for the weaving of cottons. There are tanneries at Forres and Elgin; and, at the latter place, a tawing work of some consideration, which sends most of its produce to London. The exports are cattle, sheep, wool, corn, and salmon, with a variety of smaller articles. The value of the salmon has been stated at about £25,000, and that of the other exports at £80,000 yearly. A considerable quantity of timber is floated down the Spey, and shipped at Garmouth. The towns and villages are, Elgin the county town, Forres, Garmouth, Urquhart, Lossiemouth, Bishoemill, Findhorn, Rothes, and Balnagton. The first two are burghs; Elgin is joined with Cullen, Banff, Peterhead, Inverury, and Kintore, and Forres with Inverness, Nairn, and Fortrose, in the election of members for the Scottish burghs. Both these places are of great antiquity. The population in 1811, 1821, and 1831 is exhibited in the following abstract.

| YEAR | HOUSES | OCCUPATIONS | PERSONS | |------|--------|-------------|---------| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

Constituencies in 1836:—County, 611 voters; burgh of Elgin, 232; burgh of Forres, 147.