Lord o li p h ant's castl 
is fituated*, on the 
]m Ear to the pleafant valley where Balveny Castle 
k north there is a circular fweep of hills, whofe declivities fall down into a deep 
^tom, in the mid 11 of which there is a fraall lake formed by the ftreams that trickle 
Vv n the fides of the hills j the borders of the lake are enriched with extenfive plan- 
et's, which make a pleafing enclofure to the piece of water called Loch Park. 
e rivulet running from this loch gives the name of Strath-Isla to a very fertile 
,c valuable diftrifl of the country ; in which, encreafmg its waters as it winds along, 
tQ U giving through the barony of Keith, it is at length poured over the rocks ; near 
p. t,le m ofl: precipitous parts of which the remains of Lord Oliphant’s Castle 
and forms the pidturefque cafcade, of which fome idea is given in the annexed 
r ate - The fituation of Milltown, on the adjacent banks of the rivulet, is altogether 
!a ntic, and forms a pleafing village; the advantages of level fields, and command 
^ Vl 'ater, for mills, bleaching, &c. has railed the neighbouring town of Keith into 
c “ e c °nfiderable importance, as a place where the thread and linen manufactures are 
P rie d on with fuccefs. When admiring the fituation of the tower and its demelnes, 
J d OUphant feems to demand great credit as a man of tafte, for placing his refl- 
et.. Ce m wild! >' rura l a ^ cene : hut on perceiving that it is not the flight Ample 
w Ce °*" a countr y ^at, °P en around, and eafy of accefs; but a fpecies of fortrefs 
about with jealous care, placed on peninfulaced precipices, conftruCted with 
a tii " ^ lT!ad em brazures, from which they might fearlefs annoy approaching enemies, 
. prevent the aflailants attack, the illufion of the fancied choice vanifhes, and lefs 
^ ailn g motives are feen to have determined the place of abode. 
W er n l he reign of Aexander the Second, mod of the lands in the barony of Keith 
devoted, at the infiance, of that monarch, to fupport and add fplendor to the 
^ ab lifhments of the See of Moray ; and Bricijjs, the then celebrated bilhop, em- 
^ c ^ e revenue arifing from them accordingly ; chapels were endowed, to accom- 
Lj r j^ ate l V feveral parts of the diflrifl with the evangelical inftitutions.. The prefent 
ar> Keith occupies the walls of a Catholic building. When adding, fome years 
t0 rite altar end of ir, they dug up many tomb-ftones, which had lain for 
f 0r Uries buried in the ground; on one was fculptured a mitred abbot, unknown ; 
i„ c ^‘ er n ° infeription had been added to the effigy, or is now irrecoverably blended 
p e 1Tl afs of the mouldering ftone. 
tn en ^° lTl rhe'ieveral periods of the fifteenth' century, when, in the changes of govern- 
^ r efb fluftuatin S coun cds of adminiftration more or lefs countenanced the 
p eC(j j7 ter ian plea for a reform of the religious inftitutions— are to be dated various 
h)f e ' ar rev °lutions of property, which took place as the interefts of Episcopacy 
T ell in the political feale. 
b e 11 was in agitation, that the hierarchy of the epifcopal communion (kould 
ind r °S at ed in Scotland , the extenfive territories which had been devoted by princes 
*% n0 ^ eS to tke church, opened a fpacious field of intereft in the reform, where the 
Jtl °n of numbers failed not to regale their hopes of acquiring additional fortunes. 
* See N° u. 
