KEITH  , a

police burgh of Banffshire, Scotland, on the Isla, 534 M . N.W. of Aberdeen by the Great North of Scotland rail-way . Pop . (1901), 4753• A branch of the Highland railway also gives access to Elgin, and there is a line to Buckie and Portessie on the Moray Firth . The burgh includes Old Keith and New Keithon the east bank of the Isla, and Fife-Keith on the west bank . Though Old Keith has a charter dating from William the Lion it fell into gradual decay; New Keith, founded in the 18th century by the second earl of Seafield, being better situated for the growth of a town . Fife-Keith has sprung up since 1816 . The principal public buildings include the Turner memorial hospital, the Long-. more hall, and the Institute . In the Roman Catholic church there is a painting of the " Incredulity of St Thomas," presented by Charles X. of France . The industries include manufactures of tweeds, blankets, agricultural implements, and boots and shoes; there are also distilleries, breweries, flour mills, and lime and manure works . But the main importance of Keith lies in the fact that it is the centre of the agricultural trade of the shire . The " Summer Eve Fair " held in September is the largest cattle and horse fair in the north of Scotland; the town is also the head-quarters of the dressed-meat trade in the north .