720 
JOHN o’gROAT’s house. 
The secrets of the business were gradually divulged by apprentices 
and assistants. A Mr. Polloch in Paisley availed himself of these 
communications, and laid the foundation of the well-established and 
extensive manufacture of thread, which has ever since been carried 
on in that town. From that time the women in this neighbourhood 
nave continued to practise the spinning of fine yarn, which they dis- 
pose of to the Paisley manufacturers." 
John o'Groat’s House. 
This is an ancient house, situated in Caithness-shire, seated on 
DungeS'bay, or Duncan’s Bay Head, and remarkable for being the 
most northerly point in Great Britain, on which account it has been 
often visited by travellers. But if it has acquired fame from its pecu- 
liar local situation, it merits no less celebrity on account of its origin, 
which is not so well known, but is thus related by Dr. Morison, in 
his Statistical Account of the Parish of Canisbay. 
“ In the reign of James 'IV. Malcolm, Gavin, and John de Groat, 
supposed to have been brothers, and originally from Holland, arrived 
in Caithness from the south of Scotland, bringing with them a letter, 
written in Latin by that prince, recommending them to the counte- 
nance and protection of his loving subjects in the county of Caith- 
ness. They purchased or got possession of the lands of Warse and 
Dungis Bay, in the parish of Canisbay, on the Peutland Frith; and 
each of them obtained an equal share of the property they acquired. 
In process of time their families increased, and there came to be 
eight different proprietors of the name of Groat. These eight fami- 
lies having lived comfortably in their possessions, for many years, 
established an annual meeting, to celebrate the anniversary of the 
arrival of their ancestors on that coast. In the course of their fes- 
tivity on one of these occasions, a question arose respecting the right 
of taking the door, and sitting at the head of the table, and such 
like points of precedency, each contending for the seniority and chief- 
tainship of the clan, which increased to such a height as would pro- 
bably have proved fatal to some, if not to all of them, had not John 
de Groat, who was proprietor. of the ferry, interposed it. He hav- 
ing procured silence, expatiated on the happiness they had hitherto 
enjoyed, owing to the harmony that had subsisted among them. He 
assured them, that as soon as they began to quarrel among them- 
selves, their neighbours would fall upon them, take their property, and 
expel them from the country. He therefore conjured them by 
the ties of blood and mutual safety, to return quietly that night to 
their homes, and pledged himself that he w'ould satisfy them all with 
respect to precedency, and prevent the possibility of such disputes at 
their future anniversary meetings. They all acquiesced, and departed 
in peace. In due time John de Groat built a room, distinct by 
itself, of an octagon shape, with eight doors and windows in it, and 
having placed in the middle a table of oak, of the same shape, he 
desired each of them to enter at his own door, and sit at the head of 
the table, he himself taking the seat that was left unoccupied. By 
this ingenious contrivance, any dispute in regard to rank was pre- 
