The Topographical, Statistical, and Historical Gazetteer of Scotland: Volume II, I-Z

This is a first edition of The Topographical, Statistical, and Historical Gazetteer of Scotland, Volume II, I-Z.

In the late 1790s, Sir John Sinclair set out to create a statistical account of Scotland, with information gleaned from local clergy. He published two volumes, and then passed the task to the the Society for the Benefit of the Sons and Daughters of the Clergy in Scotland. It published the The New Statistical Account of Scotland in 1834. By 1840, statistical publishing had become big business as people wanted almanacs, directories and gazetteers. Most were cheaply produced, but Fullerton obtained the rights to the society's records and published a high-quality and greatly expanded, 4-volume version in 1842.

The information came from a questionnaire submitted to members of the clergy and scholars, throughout the whole of Scotland, and most of the response went to print without being edited. It remains an enduring mine of information for historians and one of the two principal snapshots of Scotland for the period between 1790 and 1850.

This is Volume II. It begins with I-COLM-KILL (Iona) and ends with Ythan (or Ithan). It has loads of images.

This copy is not in good shape. It is in two pieces. Remnants of the original spine are clinging to it. I have one of the original covers, which is hand-stitched brown suede, but it is badly stained by a spill. I have all of the pages, except for the last few pages of the the Index, which ends at Starlyburn.

Of course, the paper has darkened and there are fingerprints and some dappling. This book needs to be taken to a professional and re-bound; new covers are needed. But it is perfectly readable.