Lady

   1) LADY, an isle, in the parish of Dundonald, county of Ayr, 5 miles (S. S. W.) from Irvine, and 5 (N. W. by N.) from Ayr. This island is situated in the Frith of Clyde, about two miles and a half from Troon, the nearest point of the main land of the county; and is of an oval figure, and half a mile in length. On the eastern side is good anchorage ground; and two towers or pillars, which may be easily seen at a distance, have been erected on the north-west part of the isle, for the guidance of vessels in the Frith, the coast in this part being flat and dangerous.

   2) LADY, a parish, in the island of Sanda, North Isles of the county of Orkney, 25 miles (N. E. by N.) from Kirkwall; containing 909 inhabitants. This parish, which includes the eastern portion of the island, is about nine miles in length, from south to north, and one mile in average breadth; it is bounded on the west by the parish of Cross and the bay of Otterswick, and on all other points surrounded by the sea. It is of singularly-irregular form, stretching out into the sea by numerous narrow headlands of considerable length, of which that called the Start projects from the shore of the main land for more than two miles, in a direction duly eastward. The surface is generally flat, having little elevation above the sea, and is subdivided into many small districts; the principal are, Elsness, Overbister, Tressness, Coligarth, Newark, Silibister, and Northwall. At Elsness is an inlet of the sea, about 125 acres in extent, which is dry at low water; and at Tressness is another, of more than twice the dimensions: both might be easily converted into good harbours. On the extremity of the Start, a lighthouse was erected in 1802; it is 100 feet in height to the lantern, and displays a revolving light, which may be distinctly seen at a distance of eighteen nautical miles. In the northern part of the parish are four considerable lakes, of which those of Northwall and Westair are separated from each other, and also from the sea, only by a narrow slip of intervening land, and, with the others, less in extent, and more widely detached, occupy by far the greater portion of the north-eastern part of the island. The soil is generally sand, in some parts intermixed with clay; about two-thirds of the parish are under cultivation, and the remainder heath and waste. The exact number of acres has not been ascertained: of the land in cultivation, 2000 acres are arable, and the remainder good pasture. The crops are, oats, bear, potatoes, and turnips, and in the two latter the drill system of husbandry is prevalent; the principal manure is sea-weed, which is found to answer well. The breed of blackcattle, since the introduction of turnips, has been much improved. Garamount House, erected by the late John Traill Urquhart, Esq., of Elsness, is a handsome modern mansion, finely situated. There is no village; the population are chiefly agricultural, and employed in the manufacture of kelp and in the fisheries. The manufacture of kelp, though formerly much more extensive, still affords employment to a considerable number of persons during the months of June and July; and the produce is sent to Newcastle. Cod, turbot, skate, and herrings abound in the surrounding sea, and small quantities of dried cod are occasionally exported; but there is no regular station for curing, and few more are taken than are required for the supply of the inhabitants.

   The ecclesiastical affairs are under the superintendence of the presbytery of North Isles and the synod of Orkney. The minister's stipend is £158. 6. 8., including an allowance of £8. 6. 8. for communion elements; with a manse, and a glebe valued at £4. 8. per annum: patron, the Earl of Zetland. The church, rebuilt in 1814, is a neat and spacious structure containing ample accommodation for all the parishioners. There is a place of worship for members of the United Secession. The parochial school is common to the three parishes of the island, and is well attended; the master has a salary of £46. 10., with a dwelling-house. A school for the more immediate use of this parish is supported by the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge, who pay the master a salary of £15 per annum; he has also a house, with fuel, and an allowance for the keep of a cow from the heritors. There are numerous vestiges of ancient chapels of very diminutive structure, few of them exceeding twelve feet in length; but the names of St. Peter's and St. Magdalene's only have been preserved. At Newark were lately discovered the remains of a circular building of flat stones, fitted together without cement; the walls were about six feet thick, and in some parts surrounded by an outer wall, with an interval of three feet between. The diameter of the inner wall was about twelve feet, and the interior filled with stones, gravel, and a layer of red ashes, interspersed with bones of cattle, sheep, swine, rabbits, geese, and various kinds of shell-fish. There are several tumuli in the parish; and at Coliness, numerous graves were discovered lined with flag-stones, in which were many skeletons nearly entire, one with a wound in the upper part of the skull. In one of the graves was found a gold ring, and on one of the flag-stones was a rudely-sculptured cross.