BAN 



228 



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of Ireland, in the county of Cork, situated on the 

 * fine river Bandon, which rises in the mountains of 

 Carbery, becomes navigable by large sloops near 

 Inishonan, and fells into the harbour of Kinsale. 

 This town was built in the year 1610, by Richard 

 Boyle, the first Earl of Cork, in the middle of an 

 impassable marsh, and was inclosed by strong walls. 

 A charter of incorporation was obtained for it in 

 1618. Stuffs, camblets, and shags, were manufactu- 

 red in Bandon Bridge to a great extent, but of late 

 these manufactures have considerably declined. Coarse 

 green linens, 27 inches wide, called vittery, ticket! 

 of an excellent quality, and cotton, are also manufac- 

 tured here. The town belongs principally to the 

 Duke of Devonshire.- Population about 12,000. 

 W. Long. 8 48', N. Lat. 51 36'. See Smith's 

 Cork, vol. i. p. 236. (,;') 



BANFF, (sometimes written, more conformably 

 to the pronunciation, Bamff), a royal borough, and 

 the principal town of Banffshire, is situated on a 

 rising ground near the influx of the Doveran into the 

 Moray Firth. It is supposed to have derived its 

 name from the district Boin, or Boyn, an opinion 

 which is rendered probable by the old orthography 

 Boineffe. It unites with Cullen, Elgin, Inverury, 

 and Kintore, in sending a representative to the Impe- 

 rial Parliament. The charter of the borough was 

 granted by Robert II. in 1372, and afterwards con- 

 firmed by James VI. and Charles II. The tradition 

 that the town was erected into a royalty by Malcolm 

 Canmore is not supported by any evidence. Part of 

 the ancient castle of Banff still remains. It was a 

 constabulary under the hereditary government of the 

 Earls of Buchan. The municipal government of the 

 town is under the direction of a provost, four bailies, 

 and twelve counsellors. The population is about 3000. 



Banff is generally considered by strangers as a very 

 neat town. There is a fine bridge of seven arches 

 over the Doveran. A very handsome church, ca- 

 pable of containing 1500 persons, was built in 1790, 

 and, besides this established place of worship, there 

 are three chapels, or meeting-houses, for persons be- 

 longing to the episcopal and catholic communion, 

 and for the adherents of the church of relief. A 

 town -house with an elegant spire was built in 1798, 

 and at the same time a new prison was constructed 

 on the principles recommended by Howard. In 

 1786, an academy was substituted in place of the 

 public schools for the different branches of education. 

 This seminary is superintended by a rector, assisted by 

 four other masters, who teach Latin, Greek, French, 

 geography, arithmetic, book-keeping, and the different 

 elementary branches of mathematics, &c. A charity- 

 school was also established a few years ago. There 

 are several private English schools, and two female 

 boarding-schools. Besides a circulating library, well 

 furnished with the best authors, there is a society of 

 gentlemen who are making a good collection of books. 

 The poor are liberally provided for from the public 

 funds, and a great number of the lower classes have 

 formed themselves into friendly societies. Tiie week- 

 ly market, held on Friday, is amply supplied with 

 provisions. The manufactures most deserving of no- 

 tice are thread, linen, stockings, soap and candles, 

 brewing, ropes and sails, bricks and tiles. The 



BAN 



Bank of Scotland and the Aberdeen banking com- Banffshire. 



pany have agents at Banff, who transact business to v ~~". ' 



a considerable amount annually. 



The tahnon fishing on the Doveran produces a 

 great yearly revenue to Lord Fife and the other pro- 

 prietors. The harbour of Banff was finished in 1775. 

 The principal exports are salmon, cod, and ling, but- 

 ter and cheese, meal, barley, oats, &c. Imports, 

 iron, wine, spirits, salt, &c. The number of vCMtU in 

 1798, was 22, tonnage, 19*3, eeanwn, 1ST. West 

 Long. 2 35', North Lat. 57 4-1'. Distance from 

 Edinburgh 165 miles. (ey) 



BANFFSHIRE, a maritime county in the north 

 of Scotland, bounded on the north by the Moray 

 Firth, on the east and south by Aberdeen-hire, and 

 on the west by the county of Moray. The greater 

 part of it was formerly included in the province of 

 Moray, the hounds of which are supposed to have 

 been nearly the same with those of the ancient terri- 

 tory of the Voc&magi. The 6outh-west angle of the 

 county is comprehended in the range of mountains 

 distinguished by the name of the Highlands, and 

 throughout this subdivision the Gaelic language is 

 generally understood, though the English is also in 

 common use. This bleak district is named Strath- 

 Aven, and the inhabitants are said to be still enslaved 

 to the superstitious notions of their savage ancestors. 

 The other districts of the county, viz. Balvenie, 

 Boyne, Enzie, part of Strathdoveran, and part of 

 Buchan, present a variegated surface to the eye, and 

 contain a large proportion of very fertile land, though 

 not very highly cultivated. Strath-Isla on the east, 

 Strath-Fiddich and Glenlivet on the west, are pecu- 

 liarly fruitful. Throughout this county there are ma- 

 ny beautiful straths and glens, containing an immense 

 variety of picturesque scenery. The woods, belong- 

 ing to the Duke of Gordon, Lord Findlater, and Lord 

 Fife, are of very great extent, and a few magnificent 

 houses are built on the romantic banks of the dif- 

 ferent rivers. On the boundary between the counties 

 of Banff and Moray, the Spey, one of the finest and 

 largest rivers in Scotland, is fed by the Aven, Livct, 

 Fiddich, Dnlan, &c. On the eastern boundary, the 

 Doveran, and its tributary streams, the Boyne, the 

 Isla, &c, water a rich and varied country. Some of 

 the grandest and most interesting hills in Britain en- 

 liven this charming district. Cairn-gorum, on the 

 extremity of the county, rises 1050 feet above the 

 level of the sea. Belrinnes is 2690 feet high, Knock- 

 hill 2500, Bin of Cullen 1100. Some of these 'hills >. 

 are planted to the very summit. The hills of Alvah, 

 Benlagecn, Durn, Lurg, and Altmore, are also lofty 

 and beautiful. 



The climate, though healthy in general, is cold 

 and wet. The soil on the flat grounds is, for the 

 most part, light and sandy; on the hills a deep clay 

 is more prevalent. A prodigious quantity of lime- 

 stone is produced in the county ; but, from the 

 want of coal, it has never been very extensively used. 

 The lands, upon the whole, when tolerably impro- 

 ved, yield very abundant crops. The late Earl of 

 Fmdlater made many laud ible exertions to promote 

 the improvement of agriculture ; but, notwithstand- 

 ing the encouragement which he so liberally aflorded, 

 and the example which he set, the progress of that 



