Strontian

   STRONTIAN, a quoad sacra parish, in the parish of Ardnamurchan, district and county of Argyll, 23½ miles (S. W. by W.) from Fort-William; containing 982 inhabitants. This place, which is situated on the northern shore of Loch Sunart, derived its earliest importance from the discovery of some valuable-lead-mines, in 1722, by Sir Andrew Murray, who let them on lease to the York Buildings Company. Though it is probable that these mines had been wrought at a much earlier period, yet it was not till after they had been leased to the company that any effectual means were adopted for bringing them into profitable operation. An English mining establishment was soon afterwards formed here, in which 500 men were regularly employed; appropriate buildings, with the requisite machinery for working the mines to advantage, were erected, and subsequently, a village called New York for the accommodation of the miners. These mines continued in extensive operation, yielding an ample revenue, both to the York Buildings' Company and their lessees, till about the year 1818, when they began to decline; and though they are still wrought to a limited extent, every vestige of the village of New York has been obliterated by the plough. Traces of lead-ore are found in many parts of Sunart, yet no other mines than those of Strontian have been opened. There are two principal veins of ore connected with these works, one of which, although difficult to work, contains a large proportion of silver, and produces lead of excellent quality; the other is traversed with dykes of whin and blue stone or calc spar in which galena is plentifully imbedded. A new mineral, called "Strontiles" from this place, where it was first discovered, occurs in abundance. It is a kind of earth, of a whitish or light green colour, with a small degree of transparency, and possessing properties between those of lime and barytes; it was analysed by Dr. Kirwan, and Dr. Hope of Edinburgh, and found to contain 61·21 parts of pure earth, 30·20 parts of carbonic acid gas, and 8·59 parts of water.

   The parish occupies the eastern, and larger, portion of the district of Sunart, comprising parts of the parishes of Ardnamurchan and Morvern, from which, for ecclesiastical purposes, Strontian was separated by the presbytery, on the erection of a church in 1827: a quoad sacra parish was formed by act of the General Assembly in 1833. It is nearly twenty-five miles in extreme length, and varies greatly in breadth, containing 49,148 acres, of which 1380 are arable, 5558 meadow and pasture, 1583 woodland and plantations, and the remainder moorland, moss, and waste. The surface, like that of the rest of the parish of Ardnamurchan, is diversified with hills of moderate height; and in this district are also some mountains of considerable elevation, particularly noticed in the article on Ardnamurchan, and the beautiful and fertile valley of Strontian, in which most of the inhabitants reside. Near the eastern extremity of Loch Sunart, which is navigable to its head, is the harbour of Strontian, possessing good anchorage for the vessels arriving with supplies for the use of the district, and returning with the produce of the mines: till lately, a steamer plied regularly, affording direct communication with Glasgow. The herring-fishery is carried on in Loch Sunart, in some years with great success; furnishing ample remuneration to such of the inhabitants of this place as occasionally embark in it. The soil of the arable lands is fertile, and under good cultivation; the hills supply pasturage for sheep, generally of the black-faced kind, and the moorlands for black-cattle, of the Argyllshire breed, of which latter great numbers are reared, and sent to the Glasgow market. There are considerable remains of natural wood, consisting of oak, birch, ash, alder, and hazel, which are indigenous; and the plantations, which are extensive and regularly thinned, are chiefly plane, ash, and oak, with the various kinds of fir. Strontian House, the seat of Sir James Milles Riddell, Bart., is a handsome modern mansion, pleasantly situated in grounds tastefully laid out, and embellished with thriving plantations. The village consists of some irregular clusters of neat houses, interspersed with cottages occupied by persons employed in the lead-mines; the post-office has a daily delivery, and there is a good inn. Fairs for sheep and black-cattle are held on the Thursdays before the last Wednesdays in May and October; and facility of communication is afforded by the turnpike-road leading from the village to Corran Ferry, which is a continuation of the parliamentary road from Kinloch-Moidart. The ecclesiastical affairs are under the superintendence of the presbytery of Mull and synod of Argyll: the minister's stipend is £120, with a manse, and a glebe valued at £5 per annum; patron, the Crown. The church, erected by government in 1827, is a neat substantial structure, situated in the vale of Strontian, and containing 650 sittings. The school for this district is supported by government, who allow the master a salary of £30, in addition to the fees: connected with the school is a small library.